bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of food images with different macronutrient compositions on serum ghrelin levels: Analysis in healthy males
Authors: Rademacher Jan‐Gerd , Raddatz Dirk , Ellrott Thomas
Published: November 2021

Objective

Serum concentrations of the orexigenic hormone ghrelin fluctuate in anticipation of food intake. Moreover, presentation of food images causes an increase in serum ghrelin levels. Thus, the visual system may have a quantifiable role in the development of hunger via the endocrine system. The influence of macronutrient visualization on ghrelin has not yet been investigated.

Methods

In four separate sessions, ghrelin concentrations, insulin, and glucose levels were compared before and after the presentation of different pictures to 14 male participants. Pictures included neutral, non‐food‐related items or isocaloric dishes whose macronutrient composition corresponded predominately to protein/fat, simple carbohydrates, or complex carbohydrates.

Results

While pre/post ghrelin concentrations numerically increased in all sessions, significant increases were only observed following neutral and protein/fat pictures. The differences were not significant between food groups and compared to neutral images. Insulin levels decreased in all groups, but no significant differences were observed between sessions. The glucose concentrations were within the euglycemic range.

Conclusion

The results did not reproduce the induction of ghrelin secretion in different food images. Therefore, it is unclear whether the visual perception of food influences ghrelin secretion or whether separation into macronutrients changes the hormone response. Further research is required to differentiate the interactions of sensory‐specific satiety.
Development of an immunochromatographic test strip for the rapid detection of aristolochic acid A in herbal medicinal materials
Authors: Chen Xianrui , Huang Ting , Huang Zhibing , Han Quanbin
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Plants containing aristolochic acid and its derivatives are nephrotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic to humans; chronic diet poisoning caused by the aristolochic acid is the cause of endemic (Balkan) nephropathy and related cancers.

Objective

To develop a colloidal gold immunochromatographic test strip (ICS) based on the competitive format for the rapid detection of aristolochic acid A (AA‐A) in herbal medicinal materials.

Materials and methods

For the ICS based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), the antigen [AA‐A–bovine serum albumin (BSA)], and goat anti‐mouse IgG were drawn on the nitrocellulose membrane as the test line (T line) and the control line (C line), respectively. Monoclonal antibody (MAb)–AuNP conjugates were sprayed onto the conjugate pad. The sensitivity of the ICS was 6 ng/mL, and the test was completed in 10 min. The analysis of AA‐A in traditional Chinese medicine samples showed that the ICS results were in good agreement with those obtained by high‐performance liquid chromatography methods.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that the ICS test could be used as a reliable, rapid, cost‐effective, and convenient qualitative tool for on‐site screening techniques to detect AA‐A in herbal medicinal materials without any special instrumentation.
Two cases of microvillus inclusion disease caused by MYO5B deficiency with prenatal abnormalities
Authors: Lu Jiaqi , Qi Yiming , Ding Hongke , Yin Aihua
Published: November 2021

Backgrounds

Microvillus inclusion disease (MVID) characterizes as intractable life‐threatening watery diarrhea malnutrition after birth.

Materials & Methods

Here we describe two patients with prenatal ultrasound findings of bowel dilation or increased amniotic fluid volume presented intractable diarrhea after birth. Exome sequencing and Intestinal biopsy were performed for the patients and their parents to reveal the underlying causes. The mutations were verified by Sanger sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Exome sequencing revealed that both of the patients carrying MYO5B compound heterozygote mutations that were inherited from their parents.

Conclusion

Here we describe two cases with MVID caused by MYO5B deficiency, which was the most common caused with prenatal ultrasound findings of bowel dilation and increased amniotic fluid volume. Due to the lack of effective curative therapies, early diagnosis even in prenatal of MVID can provide parents with better genetic counseling on the fetal prognosis.
Patient characteristics and safety outcomes in new users of ticagrelor and clopidogrel—An observational cohort study in Sweden
Authors: Linder Marie , Andersen Morten
Published: November 2021

Purpose

We aimed to describe characteristics of new users of ticagrelor or clopidogrel following a recent coronary event, and to compare incidences of selected safety outcomes.

Methods

This observational cohort study used data from national Swedish registers. Patients first dispensed ticagrelor or clopidogrel (June 2011–December 2013) were identified from the Prescribed Drug Register and followed until censoring or 31 December 2014. Cohorts were restricted to patients with a recent coronary event‐related hospital contact identified in the Patient Register.

Results

The study included 45 987 unique, naïve users of ticagrelor (73% men; mean age 66 years) or clopidogrel (69% men; mean age 69 years). Corresponding to indication, diagnoses before initiation were acute coronary syndrome (93%), myocardial infarction (76%), and percutaneous coronary intervention (69%). The most common medications used in the year before initiation of study therapy were antithrombotic agents (clopidogrel 62%, ticagrelor 43%), mainly low‐dose acetylsalicylic acid. Ticagrelor users had a higher incidence (per 1000 person‐years) of respiratory bleeding (24.6 [95% confidence interval (CI): 22.1–27.3]; vs clopidogrel users: 14.4 [13.1–15.8]) and dyspnea (25.9 [23.3–28.7]; vs clopidogrel users: 16.8 [15.4–18.4]). Epistaxis accounted for 83–93% of respiratory bleeds. Adjusted analyses found increased risks of gout and acute renal failure with ticagrelor.

Conclusions

Clopidogrel users were older with a higher prevalence of concomitant medications than ticagrelor users. Our study showed increased incidences of dyspnea and respiratory bleeding (mainly epistaxis) among current ticagrelor users compared with clopidogrel users, and increased risks of gout and acute renal failure after adjustment.
Voltage‐activated complexation of α‐synuclein with three diverse β‐barrel channels: VDAC, MspA, and α‐hemolysin
Authors: Hoogerheide David P. , Gurnev Philip A. , Rostovtseva Tatiana K. , Bezrukov Sergey M.
Published: November 2021

Voltage‐activated complexation is the process by which a transmembrane potential drives complex formation between a membrane‐embedded channel and a soluble or membrane‐peripheral target protein. Metabolite and calcium flux across the mitochondrial outer membrane was shown to be regulated by voltage‐activated complexation of the voltage‐dependent anion channel (VDAC) and either dimeric tubulin or α‐synuclein (αSyn). However, the roles played by VDAC's characteristic attributes—its anion selectivity and voltage gating behavior—have remained unclear. Here, we compare in vitro measurements of voltage‐activated complexation of αSyn with three well‐characterized β‐barrel channels—VDAC, MspA, and α‐hemolysin—that differ widely in their organism of origin, structure, geometry, charge density distribution, and voltage gating behavior. The voltage dependences of the complexation dynamics for the different channels are observed to differ quantitatively but have similar qualitative features. In each case, energy landscape modeling describes the complexation dynamics in a manner consistent with the known properties of the individual channels, while voltage gating does not appear to play a role. The reaction free energy landscapes thus calculated reveal a non‐trivial dependence of the αSyn/channel complex stability on the surface density of αSyn.
Cover Image
Authors: Qin Tiantian , Zhao Jinzhu , Liu Xiaojie , Li Leilei , Zhang Xueyan , Shi Xiaoli , Ke Yu , Liu Weihua , Huo Junfeng , Dong Yalong , Shen Yiwei , Li Yanyu , He Mingjing , Han Shuhua , Li Linlin , Pan Chengxue , Wang Cong
Published: November 2021

The cover image is based on the Research Article Luteolin combined with low‐dose paclitaxel synergistically inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition and induces cell apoptosis on esophageal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by Tiantian Qin et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7267.

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Evaluating the effect of black myrobalan on cognitive, positive, and negative symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Banazadeh Mohammad , Mehrabani Mitra , Banazadeh Nabi , Dabaghzadeh Fatemeh , Shahabi Farzad
Published: November 2021

Schizophrenia, as a chronic and disabling mental disorder, causes a wide range of symptoms, including cognitive impairments, positive, negative, and mood symptoms. There are no effective treatments for cognitive symptoms. Black myrobalan (Terminalia chebula Retz.), a medicinal plant of the Combretaceae family, exerts antioxidant, antiacetylcholinesterase, and anti‐inflammatory effects. These effects can lessen the symptoms of schizophrenia. So, this study was conducted to evaluate black myrobalan's impact on cognitive impairments and negative/positive symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia. This was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial in which participants were divided into treatment and placebo groups. They received six 500 mg capsules of black myrobalan or placebo in two divided doses for 4 weeks. Patients' cognitive impairments, positive, negative, depression/anxiety, and excitement/activity symptoms were assessed using the Screen for Cognitive Impairments in Psychiatry (SCIP) and the relevant subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) pretreatment and 4 weeks after treatment. Cognitive impairments (SCIP) (p value .004), negative symptoms (PANSS subscale) (p value .017), and excitement/activity (PANSS subscale) (p value .003) were significantly improved in the black myrobalan group compared with the control group after 4 weeks. No serious adverse effects were reported. Black myrobalan could improve cognitive impairments, negative and excitement/activity symptoms in chronic schizophrenic patients.
Homogenization and locality of landscape characteristics in the waterfront space based on geotagged photographs
Authors: Wang Fang , Luo Yedian , Liu Zhao
Published: November 2021

The urban landscape reveals the relationship between the natural evolution process and artificial intervention force in the watershed system and also represents the most direct reflection of man–land relationships in watersheds. However, the homogeneity of modern urban functions affects the expression of cultural atmospheres. As a result, quantitative and qualitative analyses of the landscape homogenization level are of great significance for considering local culture in landscape planning according to locality conditions. In this study, open geotagged photographs were assessed to determine the landscape changes and differences in the Yangtze River Basin and the spatial characteristics of locality elements in order to identify the relationship between landscape locality and urbanization. The results indicate that the landscape element level changes gradually downstream of the Yangtze River and with increasing distance from the river bank. The closer the city to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the less dominant the main landscape element of the city. Several landscape elements were significantly agglomerated in space, and this agglomeration distribution was attributed to the degree of urbanization.
Find balance, foster productivity, and avoid burnout
Authors: McGee Laura G.
Published: November 2021

There are good reasons to manage yourself and your work effectively.
Offering on‐campus child care can reap benefits in recruitment, retention
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: November 2021

Making sure families and children are accommodated on campus can make a big difference in the life of the university, said Michael Lindstrom, Founder and Principal at studioMLA Architects.
Set student‐workers up for success with training program
Authors: Pavlik Amelia
Published: November 2021

“What makes your university unique?” On the surface, it's a simple question that a lot of prospective students ask admissions tour guides.
Did court dismiss student's pre‐assault Title IX claim?
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: November 2021

A female student at the University of California, Berkeley met John Doe at a fraternity party. They “engaged  in light sexual activity,” but John Doe became aggressive with the female student. The female student was allegedly able to end the encounter by claiming her friends were looking for her.
Successfully manage dual leadership roles
Authors: McCarthy Claudine
Published: November 2021

As it becomes increasingly common for institutions to hire student affairs professionals to oversee both  academic and student affairs, it's also becoming more critical for student affairs professionals to know how to successfully manage dual leadership roles.
Direct determination of a topmost atomic layer of (100) surfaces on (La0.3Sr0.7)(Al0.65Ta0.35)O3 single crystals annealed in air by high‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Tokuda Yoshinori , Irimoto Takeshi , Nishikawa Naoki , Katsuyama Yutaro , Kobayashi Shunsuke , Tokunaga Tomoharu , Yamamoto Takahisa
Published: November 2021

Herein, we investigated the surface of an (La0.3Sr0.7)(Al0.65Ta0.35)O3 (LSAT) single crystal via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) after annealing in air. We found amorphous mounds and atomically flat surfaces formed on the surface of the (100) LSAT single crystal subsequent to heat treatment. These surface mounds mainly constituted SrO, including ~50 at.% Al. The atomically flat surface showed a B‐site termination determined by the direct surface observation at the atomic scale through HAADF‐STEM. The atomic arrangements on the surface were accommodated by surface‐mound formation and La evaporation. Consequently, the ordered structure disappeared because of the increase in the Ta content at the terminated B‐site layer.
Defect‐Assisted Anchoring of Pt Single Atoms on MoS2 Nanosheets Produces High‐Performance Catalyst for Industrial Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zhu Jingting , Tu Yudi , Cai Lejuan , Ma Haibin , Chai Yang , Zhang Lifu , Zhang Wenjing
Published: November 2021

Pt‐based catalysts are currently the most efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but the scarcity and high cost of Pt limit industrial applications. Downsizing Pt nanoparticles (NPs) to single atoms (SAs) can expose more active sites and increase atomic utilization, thus decreasing the cost. Here, a solar‐irradiation strategy is used to prepare hybrid SA‐Pt/MoS2 nanosheets (NSs) that demonstrate excellent HER activity (the overpotential at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 (η10) of 44 mV, and Tafel slope of 34.83 mV dec−1 in acidic media; η10 of 123 mV, and Tafel slope of 76.71 mV dec−1 in alkaline media). Defects and deformations introduced by thermal pretreatment of the hydrothermal MoS2 NSs promote anchoring and stability of Pt SAs. The fabrication of Pt SAs and NPs is easily controlled using different Pt‐precursor concentrations. Moreover, SA‐Pt/MoS2 produced under natural sunlight exhibits high HER performance (η10 of 55 mV, and Tafel slope of 43.54 mV dec−1), which indicates its viability for mass production. Theoretical simulations show that Pt improves the absorption of H atoms and the charge‐transfer kinetics of MoS2, which significantly enhance HER activity. A simple, inexpensive strategy for preparing SA‐Pt/MoS2 hybrid catalysts for industrial HER is provided.
Amyloid Fibril Templated MOF Aerogels for Water Purification
Authors: Jia Xiangze , Peydayesh Mohammad , Huang Qiang , Mezzenga Raffaele
Published: November 2021

Design and fabrication of versatile adsorbents for universal water purification following green chemistry principles remain challenging. Here, it is shown that amyloid fibrils from protein waste can be used as a functional scaffold for metal organic framework (MOF) biomimetic mineralization. The resulting amyloid fibrils/ZIF‐8 hybrid aerogels can effectively remove nine different heavy metal ions from water due to their hierarchical porous structure. Importantly, amyloid fibrils/ZIF‐8 hybrid aerogels can efficiently remove Hg2+ and Pb2+ from water over five consecutive adsorption–regeneration cycles. Furthermore, a dual removal pathway of adsorption and catalytic degradation is observed in the synthetic dyes, indicating that the aerogel preserves its porous nature and maintains the integrity of versatile functional ligands within ZIF‐8. Finally, it is shown that these hybrid aerogels can also perform successfully in oil–water separation. Considering the facile synthesis procedure, high removal efficiency, affordable cost, and regeneration possibilities, the amyloid fibrils/ZIF‐8 hybrid aerogel stands as an ideal candidate for addressing open challenges in wastewater treatment and water purification.
Li2O2 Formation Electrochemistry and Its Influence on Oxygen Reduction/Evolution Reaction Kinetics in Aprotic Li–O2 Batteries
Authors: Liu Lili , Liu Yihao , Wang Chen , Peng Xiaohui , Fang Weiwei , Hou Yuyang , Wang Jun , Ye Jilei , Wu Yuping
Published: November 2021

Aprotic Li–O2 batteries are regarded as the most promising technology to resolve the energy crisis in the near future because of its high theoretical specific energy. The key electrochemistry of a nonaqueous Li–O2 battery highly relies on the formation of Li2O2 during discharge and its reversible decomposition during charge. The properties of Li2O2 and its formation mechanisms are of high significance in influencing the battery performance. This review article demonstrates the latest progress in understanding the Li2O2 electrochemistry and the recent advances in regulating the Li2O2 growth pathway. The first part of this review elaborates the Li2O2 formation mechanism and its relationship with the oxygen reduction reaction/oxygen evolution reaction electrochemistry. The following part discusses how the cycling parameters, e.g., current density and discharge depth, influence the Li2O2 morphology. A comprehensive summary of recent strategies in tailoring Li2O2 formation including rational design of cathode structure, certain catalyst, and surface engineering is demonstrated. The influence resulted from the electrolyte, e.g., salt, solvent, and some additives on Li2O2 growth pathway, is finally discussed. Further prospects of the ways in making advanced Li–O2 batteries by control of favorable Li2O2 formation are highlighted, which are valuable for practical construction of aprotic lithium–oxygen batteries.
Selected Physicochemical Properties of Starch Isolated from Colored Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) as Compared to Starch from Yellow Flesh Potatoes
Authors: Gumul Dorota , Areczuk Anna , Berski Wiktor , Juszczak Lesław , Khachatryan Gohar
Published: November 2021

Potatoes, especially colored, are perceived as a valuable source of bioactive compounds, and they are also an important raw material for starch production. There is virtually no information about starch from colored potatoes grown in Central Europe. Therefore, starches from light and colored potato varieties are isolated, and their particle size distributions, molecular masses, phosphorus content, gelatinization properties, water binding capacity, and solubility are analyzed. It is found that the mean and minimum granule size is similar for all investigated varieties, but colored varieties have larger granules. Moreover, starches isolated from colored potatoes are characterized by a higher phosphorus content than those isolated from light ones. It is shown that the solubility and water‐binding capacity of starch from colored potatoes is greater than that of light flesh, especially at higher temperatures. Starches from light flesh potatoes are characterized by significantly higher gelatinization enthalpy values than those from colored potatoes.
Design of prefabricated footing connection using a coupled hydro‐mechanical finite element model
Authors: Teodosio Bertrand , Baduge Kasun Shanaka Kristombu , Mendis Priyan
Published: November 2021

The use of prefabricated systems can alleviate the inadequate housing and skilled workers in most developed countries by expediting required construction time, reducing material wastage, decreasing the effect of weather impacts, minimizing unexpected costs, skilled labor dependence, and construction hazards. The full potential of prefabricated construction is yet to be realized in part due to most advancements being focused on its superstructure. The development of prefabricated substructures for lightweight buildings needs to consider the susceptibility to damage induced by the shrink‐swell movement of expansive soils causing significant global financial losses. Prefabricated substructures should have robust connections in discontinued regions to transfer forces and moments. Due to these issues, the aim of this study is to develop a connection for prefabricated raft substructures of single‐detached dwellings on expansive soils using a combined soil‐structure contact analysis and strut‐and‐tie model approach. The developed substructure system was validated using experiments and further investigated through numerical simulations. The developed prefabricated connection was observed to have satisfactory performance, potentially overcoming most construction limitations of conventional monolithic cast‐in‐place raft substructures, such as faster, safer, and more sustainable construction, while providing comparable strength and serviceability.
Pulmonary artery stenosis versus supravalvular pulmonic stenosis: Correctly describing a congenital stenosis of the pulmonic outflow tract in a domestic cat
Authors: Chrai Gurcharan Emily , Lawson P. Brent , Köster Liza S.
Published: November 2021

Pulmonary artery stenosis and pulmonic stenosis are rare congenital heart diseases in domestic cats. This case describes the incidental finding of pulmonary artery stenosis in an asymptomatic cat that was originally described as pulmonic stenosis; it highlights the criteria for differentiation of the two conditions. This cat was initially diagnosed at 1.5 years with pulmonic stenosis. During a recheck at 13 years of age, the stenotic lesion was determined to be anatomically supravalvular rather than at the level of the valve. There was debate as to whether the lesion should be classified as supravalvular pulmonic stenosis, but ultimately, pulmonary artery stenosis was considered more appropriate. There are discrepancies in the literature regarding what the qualifications for these conditions are, and if supravalvular pulmonic stenosis is the appropriate terminology. The purpose of this case report is to further explore these qualifications to justify the diagnosis of pulmonary artery stenosis in this patient.
Mechanisms of COVID-19-induced kidney injury and current pharmacotherapies
Authors: Faour Wissam H. , Choaib Ali , Issa Elio , Choueiry Francesca El , Shbaklo Khodor , Alhajj Maryline , Sawaya Ramy Touma , Harhous Zeina , Alefishat Eman , Nader Moni
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic created a worldwide debilitating health crisis with the entire humanity suffering from the deleterious effects associated with the high infectivity and mortality rates. While significant evidence is currently available online and targets various aspects of the disease, both inflammatory and noninflammatory kidney manifestations secondary to COVID-19 infection are still largely underrepresented. In this review, we summarized current knowledge about COVID-19-related kidney manifestations, their pathologic mechanisms as well as various pharmacotherapies used to treat patients with COVID-19. We also shed light on the effect of these medications on kidney functions that can further enhance renal damage secondary to the illness.
Artificial intelligence utilising corneal confocal microscopy for the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes mellitus and prediabetes
Authors: Preston Frank G. , Meng Yanda , Burgess Jamie , Ferdousi Maryam , Azmi Shazli , Petropoulos Ioannis N. , Kaye Stephen , Malik Rayaz A. , Zheng Yalin , Alam Uazman
Published: November 2021

Aims/hypothesis

We aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based deep learning algorithm (DLA) applying attribution methods without image segmentation to corneal confocal microscopy images and to accurately classify peripheral neuropathy (or lack of).

Methods

The AI-based DLA utilised convolutional neural networks with data augmentation to increase the algorithm’s generalisability. The algorithm was trained using a high-end graphics processor for 300 epochs on 329 corneal nerve images and tested on 40 images (1 image/participant). Participants consisted of healthy volunteer (HV) participants (n = 90) and participants with type 1 diabetes (n = 88), type 2 diabetes (n = 141) and prediabetes (n = 50) (defined as impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or a combination of both), and were classified into HV, those without neuropathy (PN−) (n = 149) and those with neuropathy (PN+) (n = 130). For the AI-based DLA, a modified residual neural network called ResNet-50 was developed and used to extract features from images and perform classification. The algorithm was tested on 40 participants (15 HV, 13 PN−, 12 PN+). Attribution methods gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM), Guided Grad-CAM and occlusion sensitivity displayed the areas within the image that had the greatest impact on the decision of the algorithm.

Results

The results were as follows: HV: recall of 1.0 (95% CI 1.0, 1.0), precision of 0.83 (95% CI 0.65, 1.0), F1-score of 0.91 (95% CI 0.79, 1.0); PN−: recall of 0.85 (95% CI 0.62, 1.0), precision of 0.92 (95% CI 0.73, 1.0), F1-score of 0.88 (95% CI 0.71, 1.0); PN+: recall of 0.83 (95% CI 0.58, 1.0), precision of 1.0 (95% CI 1.0, 1.0), F1-score of 0.91 (95% CI 0.74, 1.0). The features displayed by the attribution methods demonstrated more corneal nerves in HV, a reduction in corneal nerves for PN− and an absence of corneal nerves for PN+ images.

Conclusions/interpretation

We demonstrate promising results in the rapid classification of peripheral neuropathy using a single corneal image. A large-scale multicentre validation study is required to assess the utility of AI-based DLA in screening and diagnostic programmes for diabetic neuropathy.

Graphical abstract
The contralateral based Cervico-pectoral rotation flap for large neck defects
Authors: Kumar Naveena A. N. , Dikhit Punit Singh , Usman Nawaz , Rajan Keshava , Shetty Preethi S.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

We here describe our technique of contralateral based cervico-pectoral (CCP) flap for the reconstruction of large neck defect following resection of primary tumour or recurrence particularly due to the lymph node mass.

Methods

The study included the patients who underwent major head and neck surgical ablative procedures followed by CCP flap reconstruction between July 2020 and November 2020. Patients were kept on rigorous regular follow-up to evaluate for flap related complications like flap necrosis, flap dehiscence and oro-cutaneous fistula. Among the 5 patients included and presented in the series, 2 patients were salvage cases post adjuvant treatment.

Results

Five patients who have undergone head and neck reconstruction using CCP flap were included. No major flap related complications occurred in post-operative period.

Conclusion

The CCP flap is simple to perform and reproducible and can be added to the armamentarium for the reconstruction of large upper neck defect following resection of primary tumour or recurrence involving the cervical skin in resource limited setting and in contraindication for microvascular reconstruction. Proper planning, meticulous dissection and adequate release or rotation and tension free closure would provide best outcomes.
Mining sequences with exceptional transition behaviour of varying order using quality measures based on information-theoretic scoring functions
Authors: Schouten Rianne M. , Bueno Marcos L. P. , Duivesteijn Wouter , Pechenizkiy Mykola
Published: November 2021

Discrete Markov chains are frequently used to analyse transition behaviour in sequential data. Here, the transition probabilities can be estimated using varying order Markov chains, where order k specifies the length of the sequence history that is used to model these probabilities. Generally, such a model is fitted to the entire dataset, but in practice it is likely that some heterogeneity in the data exists and that some sequences would be better modelled with alternative parameter values, or with a Markov chain of a different order. We use the framework of Exceptional Model Mining (EMM) to discover these exceptionally behaving sequences. In particular, we propose an EMM model class that allows for discovering subgroups with transition behaviour of varying order. To that end, we propose three new quality measures based on information-theoretic scoring functions. Our findings from controlled experiments show that all three quality measures find exceptional transition behaviour of varying order and are reasonably sensitive. The quality measure based on Akaike’s Information Criterion is most robust for the number of observations. We furthermore add to existing work by seeking for subgroups of sequences, as opposite to subgroups of transitions. Since we use sequence-level descriptive attributes, we form subgroups of entire sequences, which is practically relevant in situations where you want to identify the originators of exceptional sequences, such as patients. We show this relevance by analysing sequences of blood glucose values of adult persons with diabetes type 2. In the experiments, we find subgroups of patients based on age and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), a measure known to correlate with average blood glucose values. Clinicians and domain experts confirmed the transition behaviour as estimated by the fitted Markov chain models.
Foundations of a Theory of Gravity with a Constraint and Its Canonical Quantization
Authors: Sobolev Alexander P.
Published: November 2021

The gravitational equations were derived in general relativity (GR) using the assumption of their covariance relative to arbitrary transformations of coordinates. It has been repeatedly expressed an opinion over the past century that such equality of all coordinate systems may not correspond to reality. Nevertheless, no actual verification of the necessity of this assumption has been made to date. The paper proposes a theory of gravity with a constraint, the degenerate variants of which are general relativity (GR) and the unimodular theory of gravity. This constraint is interpreted from a physical point of view as a sufficient condition for the adiabaticity of the process of the evolution of the space–time metric. The original equations of the theory of gravity with the constraint are formulated. On this basis, a unified model of the evolution of the modern, early, and very early Universe is constructed that is consistent with the observational astronomical data but does not require the hypotheses of the existence of dark energy, dark matter or inflatons. It is claimed that: physical time is anisotropic, the gravitational field is the main source of energy of the Universe, the maximum global energy density in the Universe was 64 orders of magnitude smaller the Planckian one, and the entropy density is 18 orders of magnitude higher the value predicted by GR. The value of the relative density of neutrinos at the present time and the maximum temperature of matter in the early Universe are calculated. The wave equation of the gravitational field is formulated, its solution is found, and the nonstationary wave function of the very early Universe is constructed. It is shown that the birth of the Universe was random.
Reformulation of Public Help Index θ Using Null Player Free Winning Coalitions
Authors: Stach Izabella
Published: November 2021

This paper proposes a new representation for the Public Help Index θ (briefly, PHI θ). Based on winning coalitions, the PHI θ index was introduced by Bertini et al. in (2008). The goal of this article is to reformulate the PHI θ index using null player free winning coalitions. The set of these coalitions unequivocally defines a simple game. Expressing the PHI θ index by the winning coalitions that do not contain null players allows us in a transparent way to show the parts of the power assigned to null and non-null players in a simple game. Moreover, this new representation may imply a reduction of computational cost (in the sense of space complexity) in algorithms to compute the PHI θ index if at least one of the players is a null player. We also discuss some relationships among the Holler index, the PHI θ index, and the gnp index (based on null player free winning coalitions) proposed by Álvarez-Mozos et al. in (2015).
Continuous and controllable electro-fabrication of antimicrobial copper-alginate dressing for infected wounds treatment
Authors: Wang Shijia , Liu Xiaoli , Lei Miao , Sun Junjie , Qu Xue , Liu Changsheng
Published: November 2021

The contamination of chronic wound with bacteria especially methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is considered as the major factor interferencing normal wound healing. There still remain great challenges in developing safe and effective wound dressings with wide-spectrum antibacterial functions. Alginate hydrogel is a common dressing for wound treatment. Copper is one of the trace elements in human body with inherent antibacterial activity. Traditional methods for preparing a structure-controlled copper-alginate antibacterial matrix are difficult however, due to the fast and uncontrolled gelation between alginate and metal ions. In this work, we report an electrodeposition method for rapid fabrication of copper cross-linked alginate antibacterial films (Cu2+-Alg) with controlled structure and copper content, which is relied on an electrical signal controlled release of copper ions from the reaction of insoluble salt Cu2(OH)2CO3and the generated protons via water electrolysis on anode. The results prove that the physical structure and chemical composition of the electrodeposited Cu2+-Alg films can be continuously modulated by the imposed charges during electrodeposition. In vitro tests demonstrate the film has Cu2+content-dependent bactericidal activities. Film’s cytocompatibility is well controlled by the imposed charges for Cu2+-Alg fabrication. The MRSA infected wound model in vivo also indicates that Cu2+-Alg film can effectively eliminate bacterial infection and suppress host inflammatory responses. We believe this study demonstrates a convenient and controllable strategy to fabricate alginate antibacterial dressings with potential applications for infected wound treatment. More broadly, our work reveals electrodeposition is a general and simple platform to design alginate films with versatile functions.
Efficient implementation of advanced Richardson Extrapolation in an atmospheric chemical scheme
Authors: Zlatev Zahari , Dimov Ivan , Faragó István , Georgiev Krassimir , Havasi Ágnes
Published: November 2021

The numerical treatment of an atmospheric chemical scheme, which contains 56 species, is discussed in this paper. This scheme is often used in studies of air pollution levels in different domains, as, for example, in Europe, by large-scale environmental models containing additionally two other important physical processes—transport of pollutants in the atmosphere (advection) and diffusion phenomena. We shall concentrate our attention on the efficient numerical treatment of the chemical scheme by using Implicit Runge–Kutta Methods combined with accurate and efficient advanced versions of the Richardson Extrapolation. A Variable Stepsize Variable Formula Method is developed in order to achieve high accuracy of the calculated results within a reasonable computational time. Reliable estimations of the computational errors when the proposed numerical methods are used in the treatment of the chemical scheme will be demonstrated by presenting results from several representative runs and comparing these results with “exact” concentrations obtained by applying a very small stepsize during the computations. Results related to the diurnal variations of some of the chemical species will also be presented. The approach used in this paper does not depend on the particular chemical scheme and can easily be applied when other atmospheric chemical schemes are selected.
Heat production in municipal and industrial waste as revealed by isothermal microcalorimetry
Authors: Pushp Mohit , Lönnermark Anders , Hedenqvist Mikael , Vikegard Peter
Published: November 2021

Self-ignited fires at municipal solid waste (MSW) storage sites are relatively common. The minimization of the phenomenon of self-heating in the waste can reduce the risks for smouldering combustion. The purpose of this work was to develop a method that can be used to measure and characterize the heat production in MSW. The method is based on isothermal heat conduction microcalorimetry (IMC). The heat production in MSW was determined based on sampling from two sites in two different geographical locations in Sweden. Both the original waste and milled/homogenised waste were tested. The heat production was measured at different temperatures together with gas analysis using micro-gas chromatography. The activity in the waste, in terms of its heat flow, increased when the temperature increased up to 60 °C and decreased at higher temperatures, e.g., 70 and 80 °C. The consumption of oxygen and the production of carbon dioxide, together with the heat production, indicated that aerobic metabolism was responsible for the heat production. This is further strengthened by the marginal heat production observed for ultraviolet treated waste. The results showed that IMC is a valuable tool for characterising the self-heating in municipal and industrial waste.
Going carless in different urban fabrics: socio-demographics of household car ownership
Authors: Karjalainen L. E. , Tiitu M. , Lyytimäki J. , Helminen V. , Tapio P. , Tuominen A. , Vasankari T. , Lehtimäki J. , Paloniemi R.
Published: November 2021

Diverse physical features of urban areas alongside socio-demographic characteristics affect car ownership, and hence the daily mobility choices. As a case of sustainable mobility, we explore how various urban environments and socio-demographics associate with the spatial and social distribution of household car ownership and carlessness in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Three urban fabrics characterizing the study area are established based on the transportation mode (walking, public transportation, or automobile) the physical urban environment primarily supports. The national level Monitoring System of Spatial Structure and Urban Form database, and the National Travel Survey (2016) are utilized to further include spatial and socio-demographic variables into our analysis across these fabrics. Our results show that households with and without cars differ in terms of residential distance to the city center, neighborhood density, house type, and socio-demographic profiles. Single pensioners and students are most likely to be carless, whereas families represent the opposite. Within the carless households the differences are also evident between different groups. For the more affluent households residing in dense and well-connected areas, and mostly possessing driver’s licenses, carlessness is presumably a choice. Contrarily, many other carless households represent the less affluent often located in the more distant, low-density, and less accessible areas, while also possessing less driver’s licenses, making carlessness more of a constraint, as the local urban fabric does not support such lifestyle. Consequently, carless households should be increasingly recognized as a focus group in sustainable urban planning in terms of identifiable best practices and potential vulnerability.
Excessive greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants by using the chemical oxygen demand standard
Authors: Lv Zongqing , Shan Xiaoyu , Xiao Xilin , Cai Ruanhong , Zhang Yao , Jiao Nianzhi
Published: November 2021

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is widely used as an organic pollution indicator in wastewater treatment plants. Large amounts of organic matter are removed during treatment processes to meet environmental standards, and consequently, substantial greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as methane (CH4) are released. However, the COD indicator covers a great amount of refractory organic matter that is not a pollutant and could be a potential carbon sink. Here, we collected and analysed COD data from 86 worldwide municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and applied a model published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to estimate the emission of CH4 due to recalcitrant organic compound processing in China’s municipal wastewater treatment systems Our results showed that the average contribution of refractory COD to total COD removal was 55% in 86 WWTPs. The amount of CH4 released from the treatment of recalcitrant organic matter in 2018 could have been as high as 38.22 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which amounts to the annual carbon sequestered by China’s wetlands. This suggests that the use of COD as an indicator for organic pollution is undue and needs to be revised to reduce the emission of GHG. In fact, leaving nontoxic recalcitrant organic matter in the wastewater may create a significant carbon sink and will save energy during the treatment process, aiming at carbon neutrality in the wastewater treatment industry.
How will our knowledge of short gamma-ray bursts affect the distance measurement of binary neutron stars?
Authors: Du Minghui , Xu Lixin
Published: November 2021

Gravitational waves from binary neutron stars associated with short gamma-ray bursts have drawn considerable attention due to their prospect in cosmology. For such events, the sky locations of sources can be pinpointed with techniques such as identifying the host galaxies. However, the cosmological applications of these events still suffer from the problem of degeneracy between luminosity distance and inclination angle. To address this issue, a technique was proposed in previous study, i.e., using the collimation property of short gamma-ray bursts. Based on the observations, we assume that the cosine of inclination follows a Gaussian distribution, which may act as a prior in the Bayes analysis to break the degeneracy. This paper investigates the effects of different Gaussian priors and detector configurations on distance measurement and cosmological research. We first derive a simplified Fisher information matrix for demonstration, and then conduct quantitative analyses via simulation. By varying the number of third-generation detectors and the scale of prior, we generate four catalogs of 1000 events. It is shown that, in the same detecting period, a network of detectors can recognize more and farther events than a single detector. Besides, adopting tighter prior and employing multiple detectors both decrease the error of luminosity distance. Also considered is the performance of a widely adopted formula in the error budget, which turns out to be a conservative choice in each case. As for cosmological applications, for the ΛCDM model, 500, 200, 600, and 300 events are required for the four configurations to achieve 1% H0 accuracy. With all 1000 events in each catalog, H0 and Ωm can be constrained to (0.66%, 0.37%, 0.76%, 0.49%), and (0.010, 0.006, 0.013, 0.010), respectively. The results of the Gaussian process also show that the gravitational wave standard siren can serve as a probe of cosmology at high redshifts.
Telemedical percussion: objectifying a fundamental clinical examination technique for telemedicine
Authors: Krumpholz Roman , Fuchtmann Jonas , Berlet Maximilian , Hangleiter Annika , Ostler Daniel , Feussner Hubertus , Wilhelm Dirk
Published: November 2021

Purpose

While demand for telemedicine is increasing, patients are currently restricted to tele-consultation for the most part. Fundamental diagnostics like the percussion still require the in person expertize of a physician. To meet today’s challenges, a transformation of the manual percussion into a standardized, digital version, ready for telemedical execution is required.

Methods

In conjunction with a comprehensive telemedical diagnostic system, in which patients can get examined by aremote-physician, a series of three robotic end-effectors for mechanical percussion were developed. Comprising a motor, a magnetic and a pneumatic-based version, the devices strike a pleximeter to perform the percussion. Emitted sounds were captured using a microphone-equipped stethoscope. The 84 recordings were further integrated into a survey in order to classify lung and non-lung samples.

Results

The study with 21 participants comprised physicians, medical students and non-medical-related raters in equal parts. With 71.4% correctly classified samples, the ventral motorized device prevailed. While the result is significantly better compared to a manual or pneumatic percussion in this very setup, it only has a small edge over the magnetic devices. In addition, for all ventral versions non-lung regions were rather correctly identified than lung regions.

Conclusion

The overall setup proves the feasibility of a telemedical percussion. Despite the fact, that produced sounds differ compared to today’s manual technique, the study shows that a standardized mechanical percussion has the potential to improve the gold standard’s accuracy. While further extensive medical evaluation is yet to come, the system paves the way for future uncompromised remote examinations.
Epidemiology of Brain and Other CNS Tumors
Authors: Ostrom Quinn T. , Francis Stephen S. , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S.
Published: November 2021

Purpose of Review

Brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors, while rare, cause significant morbidity and mortality across all ages. This article summarizes the current state of the knowledge on the epidemiology of brain and other CNS tumors.

Recent Findings

For childhood and adolescent brain and other CNS tumors, high birth weight, non-chromosomal structural birth defects and higher socioeconomic position were shown to be risk factors. For adults, increased leukocyte telomere length, proportion of European ancestry, higher socioeconomic position, and HLA haplotypes increase risk of malignant brain tumors, while immune factors decrease risk.

Although no risk factor accounting for a large proportion of brain and other CNS tumors has been discovered, the use of high throughput “omics” approaches and improved detection/measurement of environmental exposures will help us refine our current understanding of these factors and discover novel risk factors for this disease.
The Molecular Neuroimaging of Tremor
Authors: Pasquini Jacopo , Ceravolo Roberto
Published: November 2021

Purpose of Review

Tremor is a hyperkinetic movement disorder most commonly encountered in essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The purpose of this review is to summarize molecular neuroimaging studies with major implications on pathophysiological and clinical features of tremor.

Recent Findings

Oscillatory brain activity responsible for tremor manifestation is thought to originate in a cerebello-thalamo-cortical network. Molecular neuroimaging has helped clarify metabolic aspects and neurotransmitter influences on the main tremor network. In ET, recent positron emission tomography (PET) studies are built on previous knowledge and highlighted the possibility of investigating metabolic brain changes after treatments, in the attempt to establish therapeutic biomarkers. In PD, molecular neuroimaging has advanced the knowledge of non-dopaminergic determinants of tremor, providing insights into serotonergic and noradrenergic contributions.

Recent advances have greatly extended the knowledge of tremor pathophysiology and it is now necessary to translate such knowledge in more efficacious treatments for this symptom.