bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant therapy in conservative surgery for adenomyosis
Authors: Chao Xiaopei , Song Xiaochen , Wu Huanwen , You Yan , Li Lei , Lang Jinghe
Published: December 2020

Objective

To investigate the significance of perioperative levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) and/or gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) as adjuvant therapy in preventing recurrences or progression of diseases.

Methods

Medical records were collected from patients diagnosed with adenomyosis who underwent uterus‐sparing surgeries from March 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018. The associations of perioperative adjuvant therapy with recurrence of disease and symptoms were analyzed with the Kaplan–Meier method and proportional hazards models with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of 322 eligible patients were included, of whom 173 (58.1%) received perioperative adjuvant therapy. Perioperative adjuvant therapy (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22–0.91, P = 0.022) and perioperative GnRHa therapy (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.24–0.99, P = 0.042) significantly reduced disease recurrence. No patient using perioperative LNG‐IUS therapy experienced recurrence. In the multivariate analysis, increased age (>35 years at surgery) was the only risk factor for disease recurrence (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.01–5.45, P = 0.047).

Conclusion

Perioperative adjuvant therapy with GnRHa and/or the LNG‐IUS can significantly reduce disease recurrence or progression for adenomyosis patients undergoing uterus‐sparing surgery. Older patients are more likely to experience disease recurrence.
Self‐obtained vaginal samples for HPV DNA testing to detect HPV‐related cervical disease
Authors: Kim Moon‐Hong , Jung Hee‐Jung , Park Sang‐Il , Kim Beob‐Jong
Published: December 2020

Objective

To investigate if a self‐obtained vaginal sample (SOVAS) contains sufficient DNA for a human papillomavirus (HPV) test and if the results are comparable to those obtained via cervical samples (CS) collected by a physician.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐one women who had abnormal cervical smears or who were HPV‐positive were enrolled. Self‐sampling was done after reading instructions and watching a 2‐min‐long video, whereas CS was obtained with a cervical cytobrush during a gynecologic examination.

Results

A multiplex real‐time polymerase chain reaction‐based assay detected the prevalence of any type of HPV to be 67.5% in the SOVAS and 57.4% in the CS, and that of high‐risk (HR‐) HPV to be 58.7% in the SOVAS and 48.6% in the CS. The sensitivity of detection of HR‐HPV in the SOVAS was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] –0.09 to 0.32) for high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, 78% (95% CI –0.09 to 0.13) for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse, and 95% (95% CI –0.01 to 0.25) for low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse, which was statistically within the non‐inferiority margin compared with that of CS.

Conclusion

Our study shows that the collection of a SOVAS is feasible and it is comparable to a CS for HPV DNA testing. Future studies are required to investigate the feasibility and cost‐effectiveness of a mail‐delivered SOVAS for cervical cancer screening.
Therapeutic effects and perspective of stem cell extracellular vesicles in aging and cancer
Authors: Liu Yu‐Run , Cheng Ya‐Qi , Wang Shou‐Bi , Su Ya‐Ru , Liu Ying , Li Chao‐Yang , Jin Lin , Wan Qi , Sang Xuan , Wang Zhi‐Chong
Published: December 2020

Senescent cells can secrete a plethora of cytokines which induce senescent phenotype of neighboring cells and was called senescence‐associated secretory phenotype. Previously, it was believed that cancer was caused by the infinite division and uncontrolled proliferation of cells. Based on this, anticancer treatments were all aimed at killing cancer cells. Cancer is now considered an age‐related disease. Cancer cells are not exogenous, but one of the worst results of injuries which initially induce cell senescence. Therefore, reversing cell senescence can fundamentally prevent and treat cancer. Though current anticancer treatments induce the cancer cells apoptosis, they induce senescence of normal cells at the same time, thus promoting the occurrence and development of cancer and forming a vicious circle. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano‐sized vesicles which partially mirror their parent cells. In the tumor microenvironment, EVs of senescent cells can change the expression profile of cancer cells, contributing to their resistance to chemotherapy. There is growing evidence indicates that stem cell EVs exert effective antiaging and anticancer actions by transferring functional microRNAs and proteins. This review will summarize the therapeutic role of stem cell EVs in reversing aging and cancer, which suggests the broad clinical application perspective.
Narrative review of glycogen storage disorder type III with a focus on neuromuscular, cardiac and therapeutic aspects
Authors: Berling Édouard , Laforêt Pascal , Wahbi Karim , Labrune Philippe , Petit François , Ronzitti Giuseppe , O'Brien Alan
Published: December 2020

Glycogen storage disorder type III (GSDIII) is a rare inborn error of metabolism due to loss of glycogen debranching enzyme activity, causing inability to fully mobilize glycogen stores and its consequent accumulation in various tissues, notably liver, cardiac and skeletal muscle. In the pediatric population, it classically presents as hepatomegaly with or without ketotic hypoglycemia and failure to thrive. In the adult population, it should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myopathy, exercise intolerance, as well as liver cirrhosis or fibrosis with subsequent liver failure. In this review article, we first present an overview of the biochemical and clinical aspects of GSDIII. We then focus on the recent findings regarding cardiac and neuromuscular impairment associated with the disease. We review new insights into the pathophysiology and clinical picture of this disorder, including symptomatology, imaging and electrophysiology. Finally, we discuss current and upcoming treatment strategies such as gene therapy aimed at the replacement of the malfunctioning enzyme to provide a stable and long‐term therapeutic option for this debilitating disease.
Being ignored by loved ones: Understanding when and why family ostracism inhibits creativity at work
Authors: Babalola Mayowa T. , Kwan Ho Kwong , Ren Shuang , Agyemang‐Mintah Peter , Chen Haixiao , Li Jinsong
Published: December 2020

This paper extends the understandings of the contextual antecedents of employee creativity at work by examining what can happen when employees are ostracized by loved ones at home, a phenomenon referred to as family ostracism. Drawing on insights from the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we examine the moderated multiple mediation relationships between family ostracism and an individual's creativity at work through strain‐based family‐to‐work conflict (FWC) and creative process engagement (CPE), moderated by the need for affiliation. Using time‐lagged data collected from working adults in the United Kingdom, our results demonstrate that the relationship between family ostracism and creativity is negatively and serially mediated by both strain‐based FWC and CPE. These results hold even when controlling for the time‐ and behavior‐based dimensions of FWC, workplace ostracism, family undermining, harmonious passion, and Time 1 creativity. Furthermore, individuals with a higher need for affiliation react more strongly to their experiences of family ostracism than those with a lower need. The implications for research and practice are also discussed.
Using area and volume measurement via weightbearing CT to detect Lisfranc instability
Authors: Bhimani Rohan , Sornsakrin Pongpanot , Ashkani‐Esfahani Soheil , Lubberts Bart , Guss Daniel , De Cesar Netto Cesar , Waryasz Gregory R. , Kerkhoffs Gino M. M. J. , DiGiovanni Christopher W.
Published: December 2020

Weightbearing CT (WBCT) allows evaluation of the Lisfranc joint under physiologic load. We compared the diagnostic sensitivities of one‐dimensional (1D) distance, two‐dimensional (2D) area, and three‐dimensional (3D) volumetric measurement of the injured Lisfranc joint complex (tarsometatarsal, intertarsal, and intermetatarsal) on WBCT among patients with surgically‐confirmed Lisfranc instability. The experimental group comprised of 14 patients having unilateral Lisfranc instability requiring operative fixation who underwent preoperative bilateral foot and ankle WBCT. The control group included 36 patients without foot injury who underwent similar imaging. Measurements performed on WBCT images included: (1) Lisfranc joint (medial cuneiform‐base of second metatarsal) area, (2) C1‐C2 intercuneiform area, (3) C1‐M2 distance, (4) C1‐C2 distance, (5) M1‐M2 distance, (6) first tarsometatarsal (TMT1) angular alignment, (7) second tarsometatarsal (TMT2) angular alignment, (8) TMT1 dorsal step off distance, and (9) TMT2 dorsal step‐off distance. In addition, the volume of the Lisfranc joint in the coronal and axial plane were calculated. Among patients with unilateral Lisfranc instability, all WBCT measurements were increased on the injured side as compared to the contralateral uninjured side (p values:  <.001–.008). Volumetric measurements in the coronal and axial plane had a higher sensitivity (92.3%; 91.6%, respectively) and specificity (97.7%; 96.5%, respectively) than 2D and 1D Lisfranc joint measurements, suggesting them to be the most accurate in diagnosing Lisfranc instability. The control group showed no difference in any of the measurements between the two sides. WBCT scan can effectively differentiate between stable and unstable Lisfranc injuries. Lisfranc joint volume measurements demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity, suggesting that this new assessment has high clinical implications for diagnosing subtle Lisfranc instability.
Structural, compositional, and functional effects of blunt and sharp cartilage damage on the joint: A 9‐month equine groove model study
Authors: te Moller Nikae C. R. , Mohammadi Ali , Plomp Saskia , Serra Bragança Filipe M. , Beukers Martijn , Pouran Behdad , Afara Isaac O. , Nippolainen Ervin , Mäkelä Janne T. A. , Korhonen Rami K. , Töyräs Juha , Brommer Harold , van Weeren P. René
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to quantify the long‐term progression of blunt and sharp cartilage defects and their effect on joint homeostasis and function of the equine carpus. In nine adult Shetland ponies, the cartilage in the radiocarpal and middle carpal joint of one front limb was grooved (blunt or sharp randomized). The ponies were subjected to an 8‐week exercise protocol and euthanized at 39 weeks. Structural and compositional alterations in joint tissues were evaluated in vivo using serial radiographs, synovial biopsies, and synovial fluid samples. Joint function was monitored by quantitative gait analysis. Macroscopic, microscopic, and biomechanical evaluation of the cartilage and assessment of subchondral bone parameters were performed ex vivo. Grooved cartilage showed higher OARSI microscopy scores than the contra‐lateral sham‐operated controls (p < 0.0001). Blunt‐grooved cartilage scored higher than sharp‐grooved cartilage (p = 0.007) and fixed charge density around these grooves was lower (p = 0.006). Equilibrium and instantaneous moduli trended lower in grooved cartilage than their controls (significant for radiocarpal joints). Changes in other tissues included a threefold to sevenfold change in interleukin‐6 expression in synovium from grooved joints at week 23 (p = 0.042) and an increased CPII/C2C ratio in synovial fluid extracted from blunt‐grooved joints at week 35 (p = 0.010). Gait analysis outcome revealed mild, gradually increasing lameness. In conclusion, blunt and, to a lesser extent, sharp grooves in combination with a period of moderate exercise, lead to mild degeneration in equine carpal cartilage over a 9‐month period, but the effect on overall joint health remains limited.
Intraoperative assembly of anatomical shoulder prosthesis frequently results in malalignment of the modular taper junction
Authors: Herbster Maria , Berth Alexander , Märtens Nicole , Robra Marcel , Welzel Florian , Dallmann Frank , Lohmann Christoph H. , Halle Thorsten , Bertrand Jessica , Döring Joachim
Published: December 2020

Anatomical shoulder arthroplasties (ASA) may fail because of micromotion at the modular taper junction causing wear due to fretting. Sufficient taper strength can reduce micromotion and potential reasons for failure. However, there are no normative standards for a safe assembly process performed intraoperatively by the surgeon. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of common intraoperative assembly strategies and to identify critical influencing factors on taper stability. ASA with standard and stemless humeral component in combination with concentric Al2O3 heads and eccentric CoCr28Mo6 alloyed humeral heads were tested. Taper angles and surface roughness were determined. Force magnitudes and impact directions were recorded using a sensorized head impactor and a three‐dimensional force measuring platform. Subsequently, the axial pull‐off forces were measured and taper engagement areas were macroscopically evaluated. In comparison to standard stem tapers that were impacted with an assembly device, stemless tapers were impacted into the artificial bone with significantly lower forces. Taper strength correlates to maximum impact force and was higher for CoCr28Mo6 heads with a mean pull‐off ratio of 0.56 than for Al2O3 heads with 0.37. Interestingly, all tapers showed an asymmetric clamping behavior, due to tilting during impaction. This is caused by the variation of the resulting force vector and further promoted by humeral head eccentricity. Assembly technique markedly influences the force magnitude, impact direction, impulse, and consequently taper strength. The resulting force vector and head eccentricity were identified as potential risk factors for taper malalignment.
Fibrin Gel Suspended Autologous Chondrocytes as Cell‐based Material for long‐term Injection Laryngoplasty
Authors: Stefanie Buchberger Anna Maria , Nitiu Ramona , Pinther Melina , Graf Simone , Skodacek Daniel , Regn Sybille , Kreutzer Kilian , Storck Katharina
Published: December 2020

Objectives/Hypothesis

Injection laryngoplasty of materials for unilateral vocal‐fold paralysis has shown various results regarding the long‐term stability of the injected material. We evaluated a fibrin‐gel based cell suspension with autologous chondrocytes in‐vitro and in‐vivo as long‐term‐stable vocal‐fold augmentation material in an animal model.

Study Design

This study compises an in vitro cell‐culture part as well as an in vivo animal study with New Zealand White Rabbits.

Methods

In in‐vitro experiments, auricular chondrocytes harvested from 24 New Zealand White Rabbits cadavers were cultivated in pellet cultures to evaluate cartilage formation for 4 weeks using long‐term‐stable fibrin gel as carrier. Injectability and injection volume for the laryngoplasty was determined in‐vitro using harvested cadaveric larynxes. In‐vivo 24 Rabbits were biopsied for elastic cartilage of the ear and autologous P1 cells were injected lateral of one vocal cord into the paraglottic space suspended in a long‐term‐stable fibrin gel. Histologic evaluation was performed after 2, 4, 12, and 24 weeks.

Results

During 12‐week pellet culture, we found extracellular matrix formation and weight‐stable cartilage of mature appearance. In‐vivo, mature cartilage was found in two larynxes (n = 6) at 4 weeks, in four (n = 6) at 12 weeks, and in five (n = 6) at 24 weeks mostly located in the paraglottic space and sometimes with spurs into the vocalis muscle. Surrounding tissue was often infiltrated with inflammatory cells. Material tended to dislocate through the cricothyroid space into the extraglottic surrounding tissue.

Conclusions

A cell‐based approach with chondrocytes for permanent vocal‐fold augmentation has not previously been reported. We have achieved the formation of structurally mature cartilage in the paraglottic space, but this is accompanied by difficulties with dislocated material, deformation of the augmentation, and inflammation.

Level of Evidence

N/A Laryngoscope, 131:E1624–E1632, 2021
Microbiota succession during aerobic stability of maize silage inoculated with Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM‐I‐4785
Authors: Drouin Pascal , Tremblay Julien , Renaud Justin , Apper Emmanuelle
Published: December 2020

Aerobic deterioration of silage following feeding out is responsible for the deterioration of its quality. Inoculation of silage with lactic acid bacteria is one strategy to limit these effects. A trial was performed using whole‐plant corn ensiled in bag silo, and forage was inoculated with Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 (Lactobacillus buchneri) and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM‐I‐4785 (Lactobacillus hilgardii) or not (Control silage). After 159 days of fermentation, the silos were opened and the silage was sampled at 24‐h intervals during a 10‐day aerobic stability assay to measure pH, the fermentation profile, mycotoxins, and microbial and fungal populations. In inoculated silage, lactic acid concentrations and pH remained stable during the aerobic phase and higher microorganism alpha‐diversity was observed. Treated silage was characterized by a high abundance of Saccharomycetes and maintenance of Lactobacillus throughout the aerobic stability assay. The high aerobic stability of the inoculated silage contrasted with the decrease in lactic acid contents and the increase in pH observed in the Control silage, concomitantly with an increase in lactate‐assimilating yeast (Pichia and Issatchenkia), and in Acetobacter and Paenibacillus OTUs. Remarkably, Penicillium and roquefortine C were detected in this silage by day 8 following exposure to air. Our study highlighted the fact that the use of L. buchneri with L. hilgardii modified the consequences of exposure to air by maintaining higher microbial diversity, avoiding the dominance of a few bacteria, and preventing fungi from having a detrimental effect on silage quality.
Electrical insulation properties of silicone rubber under accelerated corona and thermal aging
Authors: Belhiteche El Hadi , Rondot Sébastien , Moudoud Mustapha , Dony Philippe , Jbara Omar
Published: December 2020

A contactless method based on energy shift of high‐energy cut‐off of the x‐ray bremsstrahlung, the so‐called Duane Hunt Limit and a conventional low voltage electrical technique (three‐probes technique) is applied on thermal and corona aged silicone rubber (SiR) to measure, respectively, the surface potential,Vs, and the surface resistivity,ρs. The effect of aging on these quantities, representing the dielectric properties, is studied. The results are highly reproducible and highlight a good correlation betweenVsandρs. It was observed that thermal aging combined with electrical aging deteriorates more the electrical properties of the polymer than thermal aging alone. Explanations for electrical characteristics (Vs,ρs) change with aging are supported by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra analysis and a chemical mechanism of aging in three steps (i.e., oxidation‐polycondensation, degradation, and thermal cracking). The surface degradation of the polymer is revealed by images of surface morphology obtained by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Roughness is greater for combined thermal and corona aging mode compared to thermal aging alone. In addition, the surface degradation of SiR polymer is confirmed by the loss of its hydrophobicity.
Mind the GAP: Purification and characterization of urea resistant GAPDH during extreme dehydration
Authors: Hadj‐Moussa Hanane , Wade Steven C. , Childers Christine L. , Storey Kenneth B.
Published: December 2020

The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) withstands prolonged periods of extreme whole‐body dehydration that lead to impaired blood flow, global hypoxia, and ischemic stress. During dehydration, these frogs shift from oxidative metabolism to a reliance on anaerobic glycolysis. In this study, we purified the central glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) to electrophoretic homogeneity and investigated structural, kinetic, subcellular localization, and post‐translational modification properties between control and 30% dehydrated X. laevis liver. GAPDH from dehydrated liver displayed a 25.4% reduction in maximal velocity and a 55.7% increase in its affinity for GAP, as compared to enzyme from hydrated frogs. Under dehydration mimicking conditions (150 mM urea and 1% PEG), GAP affinity was reduced with a Km value 53.8% higher than controls. Frog dehydration also induced a significant increase in serine phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation, beta‐N‐acetylglucosamination, and cysteine nitrosylation, post‐translational modifications (PTMs). These modifications were bioinformatically predicted and experimentally validated to govern protein stability, enzymatic activity, and nuclear translocation, which increased during dehydration. These dehydration‐responsive protein modifications, however, did not appear to affect enzymatic thermostability as GAPDH melting temperatures remained unchanged when tested with differential scanning fluorimetry. PTMs could promote extreme urea resistance in dehydrated GAPDH since the enzyme from dehydrated animals had a urea I50 of 7.3 M, while the I50 from the hydrated enzyme was 5.3 M. The physiological consequences of these dehydration‐induced molecular modifications of GAPDH likely suppress GADPH glycolytic functions during the reduced circulation and global hypoxia experienced in dehydrated X. laevis.
The structure–activity relationships of natural glucans
Authors: Huang Gangliang , Huang Shiyu
Published: December 2020

In recent years, glucan has become one of the hotspots in life science research. It is widely concerned because of its advantages, such as good immune regulation, antitumor, antivirus, hypoglycemic and lipid‐lowering effects, antioxidation, antiaging, low toxicity, and high efficiency. At present, there are still two problems in the pharmacodynamics of glucans. Firstly, compared with other drugs used in clinic, most of the glucans still lack information about the mechanism of action between glucans and corresponding ligands in vivo. Secondly, the research on the structure–activity relationship of glucans is still slow. Herein, the structure–activity relationships of glucans were reviewed. The relationship between structure and biological activity is very important for the development of new glucan drugs.
A method for analyzing the cyclic electron delocalization interaction between different rings in polycyclic molecules
Authors: Radenković Slavko
Published: December 2020

There are many theoretical and experimental approaches which can be used to assess the extent of cyclic electron delocalization in polycyclic conjugated compounds. On the other hand, methodologies capable of measuring how electron delocalization in the given ring is influenced by the presence of some other ring within the same molecule have attracted considerably less attention. To address this problem, a simple method, the so‐called pairwise fragment interaction (PFI) was put forward and discussed. The PFI is defined thorough the bond orders between the atoms belonging to different rings within the given molecule. In a series of benzo‐annelated anthracene and acridine derivatives it was demonstrated that the proposed PFI method can provide both, qualitative and quantitative relations between the information extracted from the density matrix and different indices which measure structural, energetic, electron delocalization and magnetic aspects of aromaticity.
Reflecting on “A Statistician in Medicine” in 2020
Authors: Dempsey Walter , Mukherjee Bhramar
Published: December 2020

In this commentary, we revisit Sir Austin Bradford Hill's seminal Alfred Watson Memorial Lecture in 1962 through the eyes of two practicing biostatisticians of the current era. We summarize some eternal takeaway messages from Hill's lecture regarding observations and experiments translated through the modern lexicon of causal inference. Finally, we pose a series of questions that we would have liked to pose to Sir Austin Bradford Hill if he were to deliver the lecture in 2020.
The use of the change of elongation for comparison of the shelf life of composite solid propellants in the air and nitrogen atmospheres
Authors: Keshavarz Mohammad Hossein , Karimi Mehran , Goodarzi Elham , Hosseini Seyyed Hesamodin
Published: December 2020

This work uses the change of elongation with temperature in a composite solid propellant to assess its shelf life for the air and nitrogen atmospheres applying two methods for the temperature parameterization of the measured quantity, the Arrhenius and Berthelot equation. The samples of the composite propellant contain aluminum (Al), ammonium perchlorate (AP), and hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) as well as curing agent toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which were aged at three temperatures 323.15, 333.15, and 343.15 K during 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days. Stress‐strain curves for the samples are investigated to study the effects of the atmospheres of air and nitrogen on the samples. The ratio of the changes in percentage elongation (ϵ) to the initial value of percentage elongation (ϵr) is the degradation criterion, which is defined as a reduction of the elongation to less than 50 %. The calculated activation energy by the Arrhenius method is 80.48 kJ mol−1 for the air atmosphere. The shelf life of the samples were found to be 7.912 and 7.906 years (air atmosphere) to 23.38 and 23.36 years (nitrogen atmosphere) as well as Arrhenius and Berthelot methods, respectively.
Editorial
Authors: Barrett Steve
Published: December 2020

2020 has certainly been a very challenging year, in ways that none of us could have foreseen at the start of January, which feels so long away now…
Accommodation of Plate Motion in an Incipient Strike‐Slip System: The Central Walker Lane
Authors: Pierce Ian K. D. , Wesnousky Steven G. , Owen Lewis A. , Bormann Jayne M. , Li Xinnan , Caffee Marc
Published: December 2020

Geodesy shows that ∼7 mm/yr of dextral shear is accumulating across the Central Walker Lane in the absence of through‐going strike‐slip faults. To better understand how this shear is accommodated, we describe and quantify the patterns and slip rates of active faults extending between the Lake Tahoe and Walker Lake basins. Lidar data and geomorphic mapping show linear fault traces and stepping fault geometries consistent with the accommodation of dextral oblique‐slip motion along the Wassuk and Smith Valley faults, whereas the Mason and Antelope valley faults are primarily dip‐slip. Vertical slip rates based on cosmogenic ages in Antelope, Smith, and Mason valleys are 0.5+0.5/−0.3, 0.5+0.7/−0.4, and 0.04+0.05/−0.03 mm/yr, respectively. A strike‐slip fault in the Pine Grove Hills has a dextral slip rate of 0.3–0.8 mm/yr. The remaining unaccounted‐for shear is expected to be accommodated by off‐fault deformation, including block rotations, broad co‐seismic warping, and complex rupture patterns. Together these faults form a left‐stepping en echelon series of dextral, oblique, and normal faults that extend from south of Walker Lake to north of Lake Tahoe, similar to patterns observed in the initial stages of dextral shear laboratory models. GPS profiles spanning the entire Walker Lane are compared to these new and previously published slip rates, and show that while kinematic efficiency is ~60% and ~90% in the Northern and Southern Walker Lane, respectively, it is only ~25% in the Central Walker Lane.
Slow Slip Events in the Kanto and Tokai Regions of Central Japan Detected Using Global Navigation Satellite System Data During 1994–2020
Authors: Nishimura Takuya
Published: December 2020

Slow slip events (SSEs) along subduction zones play an important role in accommodating relative plate motion. SSEs interplay with large megathrust earthquakes and other slow earthquakes, including low frequency and very low frequency earthquakes. The Kanto and Tokai regions of central Japan host frequent slow and large earthquakes, with significant differences in slip behavior along the subduction zones in the Suruga Trough, Sagami Trough, and Japan Trench. In this study, we conducted a systematic search to estimate the fault models and durations of short‐term SSEs using continuous Global Navigation Satellite System data collected from 1994 to 2020. We detected 176 potential SSEs with moment magnitudes of 5.3–7.0 and durations of 0–80 days from the time series. Along the Sagami Trough, two shallow regions at a depth of 10–20 km host Mw ≥ 6.5 SSEs off of the Boso Peninsula and accommodate most of the relative plate motion aseismically. Some SSEs also occur on the deep plate interface down to ∼50 km without tectonic tremors. Along the Japan Trench, the cumulative slip of the SSEs exhibits a bi‐modal depth distribution to avoid the large slip areas of past megathrust earthquakes at 30–40 km depth. The shallow SSEs are in the same depth range (10–30 km) as tectonic tremors, but are spatially separate from tremors along the trench. The detected SSEs have limited temporal correlations with other slow earthquakes and earthquake swarms, which suggests that many factors control the genesis of slow and regular earthquakes.
Scaling Seismic Fault Thickness From the Laboratory to the Field
Authors: Ferrand Thomas P. , Nielsen Stefan , Labrousse Loïc , Schubnel Alexandre
Published: December 2020

Pseudotachylytes originate from the solidification of frictional melt, which transiently forms and lubricates the fault plane during an earthquake. Here, we observe how the pseudotachylyte thickness a scales with the relative displacement D both at the laboratory and field scales, for measured slip varying from microns to meters, over 6 orders of magnitude. Considering all the data jointly, a bend appears in the scaling relationship when slip and thickness reach ∼1 mm and 100 µm, respectively, i.e., MW > 1. This bend can be attributed to the melt thickness reaching a steady‐state value due to melting dynamics under shear heating, as is suggested by the solution of a Stefan problem with a migrating boundary. Each increment of fault is heating up due to fast shearing near the rupture tip and starting cooling by thermal diffusion upon rupture. The building and sustainability of a connected melt layer depend on this energy balance. For plurimillimetric thicknesses (a > 1 mm), melt thickness growth reflects in first approximation the rate of shear heating which appears to decay in D−1/2 to D−1, likely due to melt lubrication controlled by melt + solid suspension viscosity and mobility. The pseudotachylyte thickness scales with moment M0 and magnitude MW; therefore, thickness alone may be used to estimate magnitude on fossil faults in the field in the absence of displacement markers within a reasonable error margin.
Rapid Contraction of the Radius of Maximum Tangential Wind and Rapid Intensification of a Tropical Cyclone
Authors: Wu Qiaoyan , Ruan Zhenxin
Published: December 2020

During the intensification of a tropical cyclone (TC), the radius of maximum tangential wind (RMW) often contracts due to the spin‐up of tangential wind being much faster inside the RMW than at the RMW itself. However, rapid RMW contractions prior to rapid intensification (RI) of TCs are observed. Statistical analysis of best‐track data for the North Atlantic between 2000 and 2017 indicates that rapid RMW contraction (≥20 nmi within 24 h) does not necessarily cause RI (≥30 kt within 24 h) of a TC. An efficient TC RI is generally seen if the RMW contracts to ≤30 nmi. The change (contraction or expansion) of the RMW is prevalent for weak storms, and RMW contraction is found to be at its most rapid for TC initial intensities ≤60 kt. Rapid RMW contraction and simultaneous RI generally occurs when the initial RMW is >30 nmi. Convective heating associated with very deep convective clouds with infrared brightness temperatures <208 K appearing toward the storm center is important for RMW contraction and sufficient amounts of the convective heating are important for intensification. Less convective heating is required to have the same intensification rate for a storm with an initially smaller RMW. A storm is more likely to experience RI with relatively less convective heating after the RMW contracts to a smaller size. This study demonstrates the role of convective heating on RMW contraction and storm spin‐up through different processes in the early stages of a TC.
Upscaling Net Ecosystem Exchange Over Heterogeneous Landscapes With Machine Learning
Authors: Reitz O. , Graf A. , Schmidt M. , Ketzler G. , Leuchner M.
Published: December 2020

This paper discusses different feature selection methods and CO2 flux data sets with a varying quality‐quantity balance for the application of a Random Forest model to predict daily CO2 fluxes at 250 m spatial resolution for the Rur catchment area in western Germany between 2010 and 2018. Measurements from eddy covariance stations of different ecosystem types, remotely sensed vegetation data from MODIS, and COSMO‐REA6 reanalysis data were used to train the model and predictions were validated by a spatial and temporal validation scheme. Results show the capabilities of a backwards feature elimination to remove irrelevant variables and an importance of high‐quality‐low‐quantity flux data set to improve predictions. However, results also show that spatial prediction is more difficult than temporal prediction by reflecting the mean value accurately though underestimating the variance of CO2 fluxes. Vegetated parts of the catchment acted as a CO2 sink during the investigation period, net capturing about 237 g C m−2 y−1. Croplands, coniferous forests, deciduous forests and grasslands were all sinks on average. The highest uptake was predicted to occur in late spring and early summer, while the catchment was a CO2 source in fall and winter. In conclusion, the Random Forest model predicted a narrower distribution of CO2 fluxes, though our methodological improvements look promising in order to achieve high‐resolution net ecosystem exchange data sets at the regional scale.
Using Turbulence to Identify Preferential Areas for Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Larvae in Streams: A Laboratory Study
Authors: Prada Andres F. , George Amy E. , Stahlschmidt Benjamin H. , Jackson P. Ryan , Chapman Duane C. , Tinoco Rafael O.
Published: December 2020

In this experimental series, we studied the swimming capabilities and response of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) larvae to flow turbulence in a laboratory flume. We compared three different experimental configurations, representing in‐stream obstructions commonly found in natural streams (e.g., a gravel bump, a single vertical cylinder, and patches of submerged rigid vegetation). Grass carp larvae (postgas bladder emergence) were introduced to each experimental configuration and subjected to a variety of hydrodynamic forces of different magnitudes and scales. We varied the flow velocities and water depths and found ranges of turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stresses that triggered a response in larval trajectories, identified by measured horizontal and vertical swimming speeds for each flow condition. Larvae apparently actively avoided areas with increased levels of turbulence by swimming away, moving faster in short bursts, and expending more energy. In addition to the magnitude of turbulent kinetic energy, the length scale and time scale of turbulent eddies also influenced the larvae response. These findings support the development of new strategies for controlling the spread of grass carp larvae in rivers, as well as the development of numerical tools incorporating active swimming capabilities to predict larval transport in streams.
Timescale and Effectiveness of Residual Saltwater Desalinization Behind Subsurface Dams in an Unconfined Aquifer
Authors: Zheng Tianyuan , Zheng Xilai , Chang Qinpeng , Zhan Hongbin , Walther Marc
Published: December 2020

Countermeasures against saltwater intrusion (SWI) are critical to prevent coastal groundwater deterioration. Among different measures to prevent SWI, subsurface dams have shown to be an effective approach, but it is likely to produce residual saltwater behind the dam in a landward aquifer. This study investigated the influences of subsurface dam design and aquifer properties on the dynamic characteristics of residual saltwater in a field‐scale aquifer and for the first time revealed the desalinization mechanism of residual saltwater behind the dams from the point of mixing zone. It was found that the low‐concentration mixing zone (LCMZ) (for the area between 10% and 50% of seawater salinity) was a major channel for the saltwater to flow over the dam to the ocean boundary while the residual salt was continuously dispersed to the LCMZ from the high‐concentration mixing zone (HCMZ) (for the area between 50% and 90% of seawater salinity) under high‐concentration gradients. Moreover, we developed two formulas of the reduction rate of saltwater wedge length (RSWL*) and the removal rate of total residual salt mass (RTSM*) to evaluate the desalination effectiveness of high‐ and low‐concentration residual saltwater, respectively. The results showed that it took much longer time for a taller dam and a dam at a closer position to the sea boundary to desalinize the high‐concentration residual saltwater in the upstream aquifer, more than 50 years for the cases of dam height beyond 16 m. On the contrary, only a slightly shorter time was needed to remove the low‐concentration saltwater behind the dams with the decrease of the distance from the sea boundary. Aquifer properties including the hydraulic gradient, hydraulic conductivity, and dispersivity strongly altered the desalinization time of the residual saltwater. The dispersivity was found to be the most critical factor influencing the removal effectiveness of saltwater retained in the landward aquifer. Increase of dispersivity from 1 to 3 m can dramatically reduce the desalinization time from more than 30 to 4 years.
Evaluating Wind Fields for Use in Basin‐Scale Distributed Snow Models
Authors: Reynolds Dylan S. , Pflug Justin M. , Lundquist Jessica D.
Published: December 2020

Mountain winds are the driving force behind snow accumulation patterns in mountainous catchments, making accurate wind fields a prerequisite to accurate simulations of snow depth for ecological or water resource applications. In this study, we examine the effect that wind fields derived from different coarse data sets and downscaling schemes has on simulations of modeled snow depth at resolutions suitable for basin‐scale modeling (>50 m). Simulations are run over the Tuolumne River Basin, CA for the accumulation season of Water Year 2017 using the distributed snow model, SnowModel. We derived wind fields using observations from either sensor networks, the North American Land Data Assimilation System (12.5 km resolution), or High‐Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR, 3 km resolution) data, and downscaled using terrain‐based multipliers (MicroMet), a mass‐conserving flow model (WindNinja), or bilinear interpolation. Two wind fields derived from 3 km HRRR data and downscaled with respect to terrain produced snow depth maps that best matched observations of snow depth from airborne LiDAR. We find that modeling these wind fields at 100 and 50 m resolutions do not produce improvements in simulated snow depth when compared to wind fields modeled at a 150 m resolution due to their inability to represent wind dynamics at these scales. For input to distributed snow models at the basin‐scale, we recommend deriving wind fields from high resolution numerical weather prediction model output and downscaling with respect to terrain. Future studies should compare suspension schemes used in blowing snow models and investigate wind downscaling schemes of complexity between statistical and fluid dynamic models.
Dual branch convolutional neural network for copy move forgery detection
Authors: Goel Nidhi , Kaur Samarjeet , Bala Ruchika
Published: December 2020

The advent of digital era has seen a rise in the cases of illegal copying, distribution and forging of images. Even the most secure data channels sometimes suffer to validate the integrity of images. Forgery of multimedia data is devastating in various important applications like defence and satellite. Increased illegal tampering of images has paved way for research in the area of digital forensics. Copy move forgery is one of the various tampering techniques which is used for manipulating an image's content. A deep learning–based passive Copy Move Forgery Detection algorithm is proposed that uses a novel dual branch convolutional neural network to classify images as original and forged. The dual branch convolutional neural network extracts multi‐scale features by employing different kernel sizes in each branch. Fusion of extracted multi‐scale features is then performed to achieve a good accuracy, precision and recall scores. Experiment analysis on MICC F‐2000 dataset has been performed under two different kernel size combinations. Extensive result analysis and comparative analysis proves the efficacy of proposed architecture over existing architecture in terms of performance scores, computation time, and complexity.
Adaptive enhanced affine transformation for non‐rigid registration of visible and infrared images
Authors: Min Chaobo , Gu Yan , Li Yingjie , Yang Feng
Published: December 2020

Non‐rigid registration, performing well in all‐weather and all‐day/night conditions, directly determine the reliability of visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) image fusion. On account of non‐planar scenes and differences between IR and VIS cameras, non‐linear transformation models are more helpful to non‐rigid image registration than the affine model. However, most of non‐linear models usually used on non‐rigid registration are constructed by control points at present. Aiming at the issue that the adaptiveness and generalization of the control‐point‐based models are limited, adaptive enhanced affine transformation (AEAT) is proposed for image registration, generalizing the affine model from linear to non‐linear case. Firstly, Gaussian weighted shape context, measuring the structural similarity between multimodal images, is designed to extract putative matches from edge maps of IR and VIS images. Secondly, to implement global image registration, the optimal parameters of the AEAT modal are estimated from putative matches by a strategy of subsection optimization. Experiment results show that this approach is robust in different registration tasks and outperforms several competitive methods on registration precision and speed.
Effect of Homeopathic Preparations on Lettuce, Parasitized or Not by Meloidogyne enterolobii
Authors: Ferreira Thais Moraes , Mangeiro Mariana Zandomênico , Almeida Alexandre Macedo , Souza Ricardo Moreira
Published: December 2020

Background There are relatively few scientific works on the use of homeopathy to manage plant pathogens, particularly nematodes. A handful of studies focused on Meloidogyne spp. parasitizing vegetables have brought contradictory results on nematode control and enhancement of plant tolerance to parasitism.

Objective Our goal was to assess the effect of Cina—a well-known anti-nematode ingredient—on Meloidogyne enterolobii parasitizing lettuce.

Methods Cina was applied daily on nematode-inoculated plants, from the seedling stage until harvest. We tested an evenly spaced range of Hahnemannian concentrations (c), which were applied though irrigation with a constant dose of the ingredient. Several absolute and relative controls were employed to allow the assessment of the effect of Cina on nematode reproduction and lettuce growth.

Results Cina affected growth of non-parasitized plants, both positively and negatively; this effect was modulated by the c applied and the thermal stress suffered by the plants in one of the assays. The effect of Cina on the growth of nematode-parasitized plants was neutral or negative. Cina reduced nematode reproduction by 25–36%.

Conclusion Based on the moderate negative effect of Cina on M. enterolobii reproduction, it seems this ingredient may be useful as a complementary strategy for Meloidogyne control. But Cina did not enhance the tolerance of lettuce to Meloidogyne spp.
Social Vulnerability among Foreign-Born Pregnant Women and Maternal Virologic Control of HIV
Authors: Premkumar Ashish , Yee Lynn M. , Benes Lia , Miller Emily S.
Published: December 2020

Objective The aim of this study was to assess whether social vulnerability among foreign-born pregnant women living with HIV is associated with maternal viremia during pregnancy.

Study Design This retrospective cohort study included all foreign-born pregnant women living with HIV who received prenatal care in a multidisciplinary prenatal clinic between 2009 and 2018. A licensed clinical social worker evaluated all women and kept detailed clinical records on immigration status and social support. Social vulnerability was defined as both living in the United States for less than 5 years and reporting no family or friends for support. The primary outcome was evidence of viral non-suppression after achievement of initial suppression. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of women who required > 12 weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy to achieve viral suppression, median time to first viral suppression (in weeks) after initiation of antiretroviral therapy, and the proportion who missed ≥ 5 doses of antiretroviral therapy. Bivariable analyses were performed.

Results A total of 111 foreign-born women were eligible for analysis, of whom 25 (23%) were classified as socially vulnerable. Social and clinical characteristics of women diverged by social vulnerability categorization but no differences reached statistical significance. On bivariable analysis, socially-vulnerable women were at increased risk for needing > 12 weeks to achieve viral suppression (relative risk: 1.78, 95% confidence interval: 1.18–2.67), though there was no association with missing ≥ 5 doses of antiretroviral therapy or median time to viral suppression after initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

Conclusion Among foreign-born, pregnant women living with HIV, markers of virologic control during pregnancy were noted to be worse among socially-vulnerable women. Insofar as maternal viremia is the predominant driver of perinatal transmission, closer clinical surveillance and support may be indicated in this population.

Key Points
Data Processing and Management in IoT and Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Sasirekha S.P. , Priya A. , Anita T. , Sherubha P.
Published: December 2020

The deployment of internet over larger scale may introduce huge challenges based on data processing. The enormous amount of IoT based data needs design-based solution for faster data processing and improving its extensibility and adaptability. Based on various IoT based data processing, servicing technologies may provide data-centric models for scalable services. This work concentrates on an extensive review towards the scalable realization and acquisition of data for process. This IoT based services are larger enough to be concentrated. This review gives an insight towards the data processing and management in IoT and sensor-based networking.