bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Unified Linear Free Energy Relationship for Abiotic Reduction Rate of Nitroaromatics and Hydroquinones Using Quantum Chemically Estimated Energies
Authors: Hickey Kevin P. , Di Toro Dominic M. , Allen Herbert E. , Carbonaro Richard F. , Chiu Pei C.
Published: September 2020

Determining the fate of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) in the environment requires the use of predictive models for compounds and conditions for which experimental data are insufficient. Previous studies have developed linear free energy relationships (LFERs) that relate the thermodynamic energy of NAC reduction to its corresponding rate constant. We present a comprehensive LFER that incorporates both the reduction and oxidation half-reactions through quantum chemically calculated energies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2389–2395. © 2020 SETAC

Abstract

Reaction kinetics as a function of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) reduction and hydroquinone oxidation energies calculated via a hydrogen atom transfer mechanism with density functional theory for 7 NACs and 6 hydroquinones.
A 6LoWPAN OPNET simulation model for machine‐to‐machine communications
Authors: Chen Dong , Khan Jamil Y. , Brown Jason , Awais Javed Muhammad , Zhuang Yuan
Published: September 2020

The low‐power short‐range networks have gained prevalence in research fields such as machine‐to‐machine communications and the Internet of things. Given the large number of devices that may exist, the IPv6 over low‐power wireless personal area networks (6LoWPAN) standard is expected to be widely used. Although Contiki, NS‐3, and OMNeT++ have developed the 6LoWPAN model, it is still not available in optimized network engineering tools (OPNET) because it is extremely difficult to interface the built‐in IP module with the customized modules in OPNET. To bridge this gap, we first developed a preliminary 6LoWPAN model and implemented the header compression and header restoration functions to handle the incoming and outgoing packets in OPNET. To further improve the system performance, we also proposed an algorithm that aggregates packets, reduces intranetwork collisions and increases the packet delivery ratio. The model and algorithm in this work are free to download, so researchers from the OPNET community can easily extend this work for their own research in the future.
‘EDC girls’ and women's work: Race, gender and labor in the financial services sector in the US virgin islands
Authors: Navarro Tami
Published: September 2020

This essay outlines my academic research on economic development in the Caribbean, which traces paradigm shifts in the region with particular attention to both the gendered ideologies underpinning these shifts and their gendered effects. Drawing on the long and important history of Caribbean feminist anthropology (Abraham‐Van der Mark 1983; Anderson 1986; Barrow 1995; Barrow 1998; Bolles 1983; Ellis 2003; Kempadoo 2004; Leo‐Rhynie 1997; Mohammed 2002; Mohammed and Shepherd 1988; Momsen 1993; Yelvington 1995), this article situates my research on development paradigms in the US Virgin Islands in this trajectory. Drawing on my ethnographic work on the Economic Development Commission (EDC) program and the women employed in this sector, this article affords me the opportunity to engage with the legacy of feminist ethnography that has enabled my continued engagement with naming both the centrality of the region to global economic processes and the significance of women's labor to these processes.
Capacitating care: Activist anthropology in ethnographies of gender‐based violence
Authors: Backe Emma Louise
Published: September 2020

In ethnographic analyses of gender‐based violence (GBV), anthropologists working on the front‐lines of advocacy and service delivery have increasingly adopted dual roles as activists and researchers. While these positionings have allowed for alternative fields of vision in the ethnographic process, less attention has been dedicated to what these roles do ethnographically, and the kinds of skills and core competencies advocacy roles teach us as feminist anthropologists. If front‐line work has become a tacit best practice of ethnographies in contexts of GBV, then we must ask what kinds of training and preparation is necessary for contemporary anthropologists who want to pursue research among survivors or care providers responding to conditions of violence. I propose that we need to develop capacity‐building strategies that more transparently address these implicit best practices as part of our feminist ethics of care. This investment in capacitating care would acknowledge the moral compulsion to research the experiences and needs of survivor populations, while also considering how we equip ourselves to respond to the specialized needs of survivors, and the forms of care work with survivors necessitates.
A staggered‐grid multilevel incomplete LU for steady incompressible flows
Authors: Baars Sven , van der Klok Mark , Thies Jonas , Wubs Fred W.
Published: September 2020

Algorithms for studying transitions and instabilities in incompressible flows typically require the solution of linear systems with the full Jacobian matrix. Other popular approaches, like gradient‐based design optimization and fully implicit time integration, also require very robust solvers for this type of linear system. We present a parallel fully coupled multilevel incomplete factorization preconditioner for the 3D stationary incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations on a structured grid. The algorithm and software are based on the robust two‐level method developed by Wubs and Thies. In this article, we identify some of the weak spots of the two‐level scheme and propose remedies such as a different domain partitioning and recursive application of the method. We apply the method to the well‐known 3D lid‐driven cavity benchmark problem, and demonstrate its superior robustness by comparing with a segregated SIMPLE‐type preconditioner.
Physicochemical properties and bioavailability of naturally formulated fat‐soluble vitamins extracted from agricultural products for complementary use for natural vitamin supplements
Authors: Lee Hyun Jeong , Shin Changho , Chun Yoon Seok , Kim Jongkyu , Jung Hansang , Choung Jaijun , Shim Soon Mi
Published: September 2020

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties, digestive stability, storage stability, and intestinal absorption of formulated natural vitamins (FNV) by mixing fat‐soluble vitamins extracted from agricultural products with their synthetic vitamin (SYNV) counterparts using a 6 to 4 ratio (w:w, dry weight). The FNV A, D, E, and K were evenly dispersed without crystal growth in the dispersion specifications for the functional tablet foods. The FNV A, D, E, and K had 89, 73, 65, and 36% of the digestive recovery, respectively, which was comparable to that of the SYNV. FNV D, E, and K were retained over 77%, but rapidly decreased to 15% after 6 months during accelerated storage at 25 30 and 35℃. The comparable radical scavenging capacity was found between the FNV and the SYNV. Results from the current study suggest that fat‐soluble vitamins extracted from agricultural products could be reasonable complementary use for natural vitamin supplements.
Changes in the volatile components of squid (illex argentinus) for different cooking methods via headspace–gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry
Authors: Cui Zhenkun , Yan Han , Manoli Tatiana , Mo Haizhen , Li Hongbo , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2020

Squid products are becoming more and more popular with consumers because of their high yields and nutrition, including novel textures with desirable sensory properties. However, it has not been determined whether the cooking method has effects on the flavor of the squid. In this study, the aroma and volatile substances of squid samples from different cooking methods (boiled, steamed, sous vide) were determined and analyzed by headspace–gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry and differentiated by using, as well, an electronic nose and sensory evaluation. A total of 43 characteristic flavor compounds were identified. Based on the signal intensity of the identified violate compounds, we established a fingerprint of heat‐treated squid from different cooking methods. Due to the long‐term low‐temperature heating conditions under vacuum, the flavor of sous vide squid is different from steamed and boiled squid, and it has unique special flavor compounds. Different cooking methods can affect the aroma of squid, providing support for the industrial production of squid.
Effect of different drying temperatures on the rehydration of the fruiting bodies of Yu Muer (Auricularia cornea) and screening of browning inhibitors
Authors: Chen Yanqi , Lv Zhiwen , Liu Zhirun , Li Xiao , Li Changtian , Sossah Frederick Leo , Song Bing , Li Yu
Published: September 2020

In this study, the color of the dry fruiting bodies, fresh weight (FW): dry weight (DW) ratio, amino acids, and total phenolics, which are of nutritional or commercial interest, were compared among different drying temperature treatments. The effect of rehydration methods and color protection reagents on the fruiting body color, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, and browning inhibition rate were evaluated. The results showed that drying with hot air at 65℃ was quickest and resulted in a better color without compromising the FW:DW ratio and rehydration ratio of the fruiting bodies. Furthermore, some reactions that occurred under high temperatures increased the content of protein, amino acids, and total phenolics. Soaking after boiling was the most suitable rehydration method, leading to the lowest PPO activity (39.87 ± 1.35 U/g). All of the four analyzed color protection reagents could significantly inhibit the browning of Yu Muer fruiting bodies under room temperature water rehydration conditions, with a citric acid content of 6 g/L showing the best performance. These results provide technical support for the development of the Yu Muer industry and for promoting the commercial processing of Yu Muer fruiting bodies slices.
GlasVent—The Rapidly Deployable Emergency Ventilator
Authors: Christou Adamos , Ntagios Markellos , Hart Andrew , Dahiya Ravinder
Published: September 2020

As a result of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) outbreak, a surge is witnessed in the demand for mechanical ventilators needed for treating affected patients. With the rapidly virus spreading around the globe, the shortage of ventilators becomes a global challenge and numerus efforts are followed. While industry mobilizes toward producing medical grade equipment, a number of low‐cost and less complex emergency ventilators have been developed, mainly through academic and open‐source channels, with a hope to meet any temporary needs gap until medical grade ventilator provision becomes sufficient. Herein, the design and implementation of one such emergency ventilator called GlasVent is presented, which an automated version of manual resuscitator device, commonly known as big valve mask or artificial manual breathing unit bag and widely used prior to initiating the mechanical ventilation. GlasVent uses 3D printed mechanical parts, widely available materials and off‐the‐shelf electronic and sensing devices which can be fast assembled. Furthermore, it requires minimal training and can be operated manually by hands or legs, thus meeting the emergency requirements even in the low‐resource settings or regions with less developed healthcare systems. Post‐COVID‐19, such ventilators can potentially find use in clinical care of a wider variety of patients with injury, pulmonary noncommunicable diseases, and severe asthma etc.
Unraveling most abundant mutational signatures in head and neck cancer
Authors: Plath Michaela , Gass Johanna , Hlevnjak Mario , Li Qiaoli , Feng Bohai , Hostench Xavier Pastor , Bieg Matthias , Schroeder Lea , Holzinger Dana , Zapatka Marc , Freier Kolja , Weichert Wilko , Hess Jochen , Zaoui Karim
Published: September 2020

Genomic alterations are a driving force in the multistep process of head and neck cancer (HNC) and result from the interaction of exogenous environmental exposures and endogenous cellular processes. Each of these processes leaves a characteristic pattern of mutations on the tumor genome providing the unique opportunity to decipher specific signatures of mutational processes operative during HNC pathogenesis and to address their prognostic value. Computational analysis of whole exome sequencing data of the HIPO‐HNC (Heidelberg Center for Personalized Oncology‐head and neck cancer) (n = 83) and TCGA‐HNSC (The Cancer Genome Atlas‐Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma) (n = 506) cohorts revealed five common mutational signatures (Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer [COSMIC] Signatures 1, 2, 3, 13 and 16) and demonstrated their significant association with etiological risk factors (tobacco, alcohol and HPV16). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering identified four clusters (A, B, C1 and C2) of which Subcluster C2 was enriched for cases with a higher frequency of signature 16 mutations. Tumors of Subcluster C2 had significantly lower p16INK4A expression accompanied by homozygous CDKN2A deletion in almost one half of cases. Survival analysis revealed an unfavorable prognosis for patients with tumors characterized by a higher mutation burden attributed to signature 16 as well as cases in Subcluster C2. Finally, a LASSO‐Cox regression model was applied to prioritize clinically relevant signatures and to establish a prognostic risk score for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. In conclusion, our study provides a proof of concept that computational analysis of somatic mutational signatures is not only a powerful tool to decipher environmental and intrinsic processes in the pathogenesis of HNC, but could also pave the way to establish reliable prognostic patterns.
Optimal management of esophageal cancer in Africa: A systemic review of treatment strategies
Authors: Buckle Geoffrey C. , Mahapatra Ruchika , Mwachiro Michael , Akoko Larry , Mmbaga Elia J. , White Russell E. , Bent Stephen , Van Loon Katherine
Published: September 2020

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in Africa. Despite the high burden of disease, optimal management strategies for EC in resource‐constrained settings have yet to be established. This systematic review evaluates the literature on treatments for EC throughout Africa and compares the efficacy and safety of varying treatment strategies in this context (PROSPERO CRD42017071546). PubMed, Embase and African Index Medicus were searched for studies published on treatment strategies for EC in Africa from 1980 to 2020. Searches were supplemented by examining bibliographies of included studies and relevant conference proceedings. Methodological quality/risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk‐of‐Bias tool and the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Forty‐six studies were included. Case series constituted the majority of studies: 13 were case series reporting on outcomes of esophagectomies, 17 on palliative luminal or surgical interventions, four on radiotherapy and three on concurrent chemoradiation. Nine randomized controlled trials were identified, of which four prospectively compared different treatment modalities (one investigating radiotherapy vs chemoradiation, three evaluating rigid plastic stents vs other treatments). This review summarizes the research on EC treatments in Africa published over the last four decades and outlines critical gaps in knowledge related to management in this context. Areas in need of further research include (a) evaluation of the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced disease; (b) strategies to improve long‐term survival in patients treated with definitive chemoradiation; and (c) the comparative effectiveness of modern palliative interventions, focusing on quality of life and survival as outcome measures.
Are household consumption decisions affected by past due unsecured debt? Theory and evidence
Authors: Bechlioulis Alexandros P. , Brissimis Sophocles N.
Published: September 2020

We study delinquent and non‐performing loans in consumer credit markets and their implications for consumer behaviour. By introducing endogenously non‐payment of debt in the inter‐temporal optimization problem of a representative borrowing household, we derive analytically an augmented consumption Euler equation featuring a risk factor in terms of expected non‐performing debt and delinquent debt. We find that the presence of the risk factor differentiates the estimated values of the preference parameters and enhances the model's structure in comparison to the benchmark representative agent model with full debt repayment, which seems to be an incomplete description of consumer behaviour.
Comparison of uterine artery Doppler measurements at 6 weeks of pregnancy after IVF between pregnancies that resulted in miscarriage and ongoing pregnancies
Authors: Guo Jun , Chaemsaithong Piya , Huang Jin , Chung Jacqueline P.W. , Huang Junhong , Poon Liona C.Y. , Li Tin Chiu
Published: September 2020

Objective

To compare uterine artery pulsatility index (UTPI) at 6 weeks of pregnancy following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) between clinical pregnancies that resulted in a miscarriage and those that were ongoing beyond 12 weeks.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted in an IVF unit at Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, between December 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019. UTPI was measured at 6 weeks of pregnancy among women who conceived following IVF/ET.

Results

Among 153 participants, 22 (14.4%) had a miscarriage whereas 131 (85.6%) had an ongoing pregnancy beyond 12 weeks. Median UTPI in pregnancies that ended in a miscarriage was significantly lower than those that progressed beyond 12 weeks (2.1, IQR 1.9–2.4 vs 2.50, IQR 2.2–2.9, respectively; P<0.001). The likelihood of the pregnancy ending in a miscarriage when the UTPI was above the 75th percentile (>2.9), between the 25th–75th percentiles (2.2–2.9), and below the 25th percentile (<2.2) was 0%, 13.2%, and 27.7%, respectively (P=0.001).

Conclusions

IVF pregnancies that resulted in a miscarriage were associated with reduced resistance to uterine artery blood flow at 6 weeks of pregnancy.
Legal and policy responses to the delivery of abortion care during COVID‐19
Authors: Romanis Elizabeth Chloe , Parsons Jordan A.
Published: September 2020

Access to abortion care has long been a global challenge, even in jurisdictions where abortion is legal. The COVID‐19 pandemic has exacerbated barriers to access, thereby preventing many women from terminating unwanted pregnancies for an extended period. In this paper, we outline existing and COVID‐specific barriers to abortion care and consider potential solutions, including the use of telemedicine, to overcome barriers to access during the pandemic and beyond. We explore the responses of governments throughout the world to the challenge of abortion access during the pandemic, which are an eclectic mix of progressive, neutral, and regressive policies. Finally, we call on all governments to recognize abortion as essential healthcare and act to ensure that the law does not continue to interfere with providers’ ability to adapt to circumstances and to guarantee safe and appropriate care not only during the pandemic, but permanently.
Evaluation of clinical performance when intrauterine devices are inserted by different categories of healthcare professional
Authors: Laporte Montas , Becerra Alejandra , Castro Lester , Veiga Nelio , Espejo‐Arce Ximena , Bahamondes Luis
Published: September 2020

Objective

We evaluated clinical performance when the TCu380A intrauterine device (IUD) and the levonorgestrel (LNG) 52‐mg intrauterine system (IUS) were inserted by different categories of healthcare professionals.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Campinas, Brazil. The medical records were reviewed of all women in whom an IUD was inserted between January 1980 and December 2018, with data for at least 1 year, and for whom information on the healthcare provider who inserted the device was available.

Results

Overall, 19 132 (76.9%) IUD and 5733 (23.1%) LNG‐IUS insertions were included, with residents/interns performing 13 853 (55.8%), nurses 7024 (28.2%), and physicians 3988 (16.0%). Removals for pregnancy and infection were significantly higher when physicians inserted the device, while removals for bleeding/pain and other medical reasons were more common when nurses performed the insertion. Expulsion and removals for personal reasons were similar for all three categories.

Conclusion

Clinical outcomes were similar regardless of whether trained nurses, residents/interns, or physicians inserted the device, and were irrespective of users’ age and parity. These results could stimulate other healthcare services, particularly in regions where there is a shortage of physicians, to invest in training nurses to perform insertions of IUDs.
Optimized hybrid classifier for diagnosing diabetic retinopathy: Iterative blood vessel segmentation process
Authors: Kadan Anoop Balakrishnan , Subbian Perumal Sankar
Published: September 2020

In general, diabetic retinopathy is a hurdle of diabetes that subsists throughout the world. Early detection of this severe disease through computer‐assisted diagnosis tools followed by the right treatment at the right time could control its terrible condition. From the last 2 years, numerous research efforts in this area have been introduced for the automatic detection of diabetic retinopathy with appropriate evaluations. However, there is a large variability in the databases and evaluation criteria used in the literature. Accordingly, this proposal tactics to develop a new contribution to automatic detection of diabetic retinopathy based on four main stages: “(a) image pre‐processing, (b) blood vessels segmentation, (c) feature extraction and dimension reduction, and (d) diabetic retinopathy recognition”. Two steps are used for accomplishing the image pre‐processing, (a) conversion of RGB into green channel image and (b) noise removal by median filtering. Further, the pre‐processed fundus image is subjected to Iterative segmentation‐based blood vessel segmentation. For performing the precise classification of the images, there is a prerequisite to extract the relevant informative features from the segmented blood vessels. Here, the features are extracted using discrete wavelet transform, and gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix. To attain the unique features with different information, the dimension reduction process is applied using principle component analysis. Finally, the Diabetic Retinopathy recognition is performed enabling a hybrid classifier, which merges the beneficial concepts of neural network, and convolutional neural network. As the main novelty, the number of hidden neurons in both neural network and convolutional neural network is optimized by the modified rider optimization algorithm called improvement counter‐based rider optimization algorithm intending to maximize the diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, convolutional neural network takes the transformed form of the segmented blood vessels using Discrete Wavelet Transform as input, and Neural Network takes dimension reduced features as input, and AND‐bit operation of the both classified outputs provides the diagnostic results, whether the corresponding image is normal or abnormal.
Room‐temperature plastic inorganic semiconductors for flexible and deformable electronics
Authors: Chen Heyang , Wei Tian‐Ran , Zhao Kunpeng , Qiu Pengfei , Chen Lidong , He Jian , Shi Xun
Published: September 2020

Flexible electronics ushers in a revolution to the electronics industry in the 21st century. Ideally, all components of a flexible electronic device including the functional component shall comply with the deformation to ensure the structural and functional integrity, imposing a pressing need for developing room‐temperature strain‐tolerant semiconductors. To this end, there is a long‐standing material dilemma: inorganic semiconductors are typically brittle at room temperature except for size‐induced flexibility; by contrast, organic semiconductors are intrinsically soft and flexible but the electrical performance is poor. This is why the discovery of bulk plasticity in Ag2S at room temperature and ZnS in darkness is groundbreaking in solving this long‐standing material dilemma between the mechanical deformability and the electrical performance. The present review summarizes the background knowledge and latest advances in the emerging field of plastic inorganic semiconductors. At the outset, we argue that the plasticity of inorganic semiconductors is vital to strain tolerance of electronic devices, which has not been adequately emphasized. The mechanisms of plasticity are illustrated from the perspective of chemical bonding and dislocations. Plastic inorganic materials, for example, ionic crystals (insulators), ZnS in darkness, and Ag2S, are discussed in detail in terms of their prominent mechanical properties and potential applications. We conclude the article with several key scientific and technological questions to address in the future study.
A hierarchical task scheduling strategy in mobile edge computing
Authors: Shen Xiaoyang
Published: September 2020

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) has attracted much attention from the global researchers because it supports the task migration from the cloud server to the mobile edge devices, which greatly improves the computation performance. Under MEC, this letter proposes a hierarchical task scheduling strategy. To be specific, the system framework includes the edge computing layer and the frog computing layer, in which the former is responsible for processing the simple tasks (outputting the sketchy result) and the latter is used to addressing the complex tasks (outputting the precise result). In particular, the tasks after going through the edge computing layer, they are allocated with the priorities; on this basis, the frog computing layer embeds a priority‐based task scheduling strategy. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed hierarchical scheduling strategy not only is feasible but also has better delay performance and load balance performance than the benchmarks.
On extracting keywords from long‐and‐difficult English sentences for smart sentiment analysis
Authors: Ke Xin , Bublé Michael
Published: September 2020

With the population of social multi‐media and website, smart sentiment analysis from sentences or language becomes a new interesting application in the field of smart cities. In this paper, the sentiment is automatically analyzed by extracting the keywords from the long‐and‐difficult English sentences. In supervised scenario, we extract the keywords that are more relevant to express emotions according to syntactic relationship and logical structure, and then assign these keywords weights. In semi‐supervised scenario, we combine the key sentence extraction and classifier fusion algorithm to extract key sentences that contain more sentiment words. During extracting key sentences, we consider sentiment word attribute, position attribute, punctuation attribute, and keywords attribute. During classifier fusion stage, we utilize the classifier with highest confidence to decide the final classification result. The experiments, performed on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, show that the proposed method performs better than previous ones. Therefore, extracting keywords via syntactic relationship and logical structure is helpful for smart sentiment analysis.
UnaG as a reporter in adeno‐associated virus‐mediated gene transfer for biomedical imaging
Authors: Liu Yurong , Zhang Huimin , Chen Ruixi , Wu Ying , Yang Xiong , Liu Xiuli , Zeng Shaoqun , Guo Wenyan
Published: September 2020

Adeno‐associated virus (AAV) is one of the most common gene transfer vectors, but it has a limited capacity. A smaller fluorescent protein is urgently needed since it is more suitable to act as a reporter in AAV. In this study, a bilirubin‐dependent reporter smaller than EGFP, termed UnaG, was found to have the ability to label the neurons of a mouse brain as clearly as EGFP without the addition of exogenous bilirubin. We also found that UnaG's pH tolerance is better than that of EGFP; however, its fluorescence recovery after protonated quenching is not as good as that of EGFP. In addition, UnaG preserved its fluorescence better than EGFP in SeeDB clearing. Taken together, this study demonstrates that UnaG can act as a small intrinsically fluorescent reporter in the mouse brain without an additional ligand, thus providing an alternative over EGFP for AAV‐mediated neuron labeling in mammals.
Profiling antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli strains displaying differential antibiotic susceptibilities using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Verma Taru , Annappa Harshitha , Singh Saumya , Umapathy Siva , Nandi Dipankar
Published: September 2020

The rapid identification of antibiotic resistant bacteria is important for public health. In the environment, bacteria are exposed to sub‐inhibitory antibiotic concentrations which has implications in the generation of multi‐drug resistant strains. To better understand these issues, Raman spectroscopy was employed coupled with partial least squares‐discriminant analysis to profile Escherichia coli strains treated with sub‐inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Clear differences were observed between cells treated with bacteriostatic (tetracycline and rifampicin) and bactericidal (ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone) antibiotics for 6 hr: First, atomic force microscopy revealed that bactericidal antibiotics cause extensive cell elongation whereas short filaments are observed with bacteriostatic antibiotics. Second, Raman spectral analysis revealed that bactericidal antibiotics lower nucleic acid to protein (I812/I830) and nucleic acid to lipid ratios (I1483/I1452) whereas the opposite is seen with bacteriostatic antibiotics. Third, the protein to lipid ratio (I2936/I2885 and I2936/I2850) is a Raman stress signature common to both the classes. These signatures were validated using two mutants, Δlon and ΔacrB, that exhibit relatively high and low resistance towards antibiotics, respectively. In addition, these spectral markers correlated with the emergence of phenotypic antibiotic resistance. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficacy of Raman spectroscopy to identify resistance in bacteria to sub‐lethal concentrations of antibiotics.
Laser‐assisted nucleic acid delivery: A systematic review
Authors: Hosseinpour Sepanta , Walsh Laurence J.
Published: September 2020

Gene therapy has become an effective treatment modality for some conditions. Laser light may augment or enhance gene therapy through photomechanical, photothermal, and photochemical. This review examined the evidence base for laser therapy to enhance nucleic acid transfection in mammalian cells. An electronic search of MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was performed, covering all available years. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses guideline for systematic reviews was used for designing the study and analyzing the results. In total, 49 studies of laser irradiation for nucleic acid delivery were included. Key approaches were optoporation, photomechanical gene transfection, and photochemical internalization. Optoporation is better suited to cells in culture, photomechanical and photochemical approaches appear well suited to in vivo use. Additional studies explored the impact of photothermal for enhancing gene transfection. Each approach has merits and limitations. Augmenting nucleic acid delivery using laser irradiation is a promising method for improving gene therapy. Laser protocols can be non‐invasive because of the penetration of desirable wavelengths of light, but it depends on various parameters such as power density, treatment duration, irradiation mode, etc. The current protocols show low efficiency, and there is a need for further work to optimize irradiation parameters.
Detection of gene mutation responsible for Huntington's disease by terahertz attenuated total reflection microfluidic spectroscopy
Authors: Tang Mingjie , Zhang Mingkun , Xia Liangping , Wei Dongshan , Yang Zhongbo , Yan Shihan , Du Chunlei , Cui Hong‐Liang
Published: September 2020

Terahertz absorption spectroscopy based on attenuated total reflection (ATR) from a microfluidic sample cell was designed and implemented to detect gene mutations leading to Huntington's disease (HD). The self‐developed compact ATR microfluidic system was employed to detect two groups of base‐repeated DNA molecules combined with a terahertz time‐domain spectrometer in a marker‐free manner. The first group featured different repetition patterns of oligonucleotide fragments, and the second group included the HD gene. For the oligonucleotides of different repetition patterns, there were significant differences among the three oligonucleotides with three repeats of the double bases, which could be unambiguously classified and identified; For the HD gene, it was found that the magnitude of the terahertz absorption coefficients of the four oligonucleotide solutions was, in ascending order, CAG‐4 < CAG‐16 < CAG‐32 < CAG‐40 (the numbers are the repeat times of the CAG base segment, with 40 repeats belonging to the HD gene), when the concentration of oligonucleotide was 1 mg/mL. Principal component analysis result indicated that the spectral differences of the four oligonucleotide solutions with different CAG repeat times were statistically significant and clearly distinguishable. These results demonstrate the potential of terahertz spectroscopy as a noninvasive, unmarked, fast and low‐cost assay for gene diagnosis and clinical disease detection.
Circulating long noncoding RNA, GAS5, as a novel biomarker for patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Shi Jiaran , Chen Leiyang , Chen Shi , Wu Bifeng , Yang Kun , Hu Xiaosheng
Published: September 2020

Background

Circulating long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital role in clinical disease diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we evaluate the role of a lncRNA, named growth arrest specific 5 (GAS5), in atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

Expression of GAS5 was measured by qRT‐PCR. Diagnostic and prognostic values of GAS5 were assessed by the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC), Kaplan–Meier (KM) and Cox regression analyses.

Results

A total of 173 participants were enrolled in this study. Circulating GAS5 expression was significantly down‐regulated in AF patients. This change occurred prior to enlargement of the left atrial volume and was strongly associated with AF progression, which demonstrates the potential use of GAS5 as an early biomarker. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.858 (95% CI 0.789‐0.926,P < .001). Seventy of the 85 AF patients received radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA), and 22 (31.4%) had relapsed by the 1‐year follow‐up. The KM analysis (log‐rank test,P = .031) and multivariable Cox analysis (HR = 0.127, 95% CI 0.026‐0.616;P = .01) revealed that GAS5 has a role in predicting recurrence after RFCA.

Conclusion

Circulating lncRNA GAS5 is a potential biomarker for AF diagnosis and prognosis. Down‐regulation of GAS5 occurs prior to left atrial enlargement and can be used for the prognosis of AF progression and recurrence.
Performance enhancement of commercial ultrafiltration polysulfone membrane via in situ polymerization of aniline using copper chloride as a catalyst
Authors: Goel Vrinda , Tanwar Ruchika , Mandal Uttam
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Polyaniline is well known for enhancing hydrophilicity and antifouling properties, which could be beneficial for protein separation processes in membranes. The development of polyaniline in the presence of cupric chloride as an oxidant was a target for better distribution.

RESULTS

Biofouling‐resistant hydrophilic membrane surfaces were developed via in situ polymerization of aniline on a polysulfone membrane surface. Membrane surface modifications were made with various percentages of monomer (0.5, 1 and 2%). All the modified membranes exhibited improved membrane surface properties. The modified membrane (Poly(Sulf‐Ani‐2)) containing 2% aniline as a monomer in polymerization solution showed the best hydrophilicity, exceptional permeability and better protein rejection ability as well as enhanced anti‐biofouling property.

CONCLUSIONS

In situ polyaniline attachment might be an easy and beneficial technique for the fabrication of hydrophilic membrane surfaces for large‐scale industrial applications. The attachment of polyaniline on polysulfone membrane surfaces through in situ polymerization in the present study proved to be an advanced approach for crafting better membranes with considerable hydrophilicity and fouling control enhancement.
Outcome evaluation of the Dental Health Outreach Mobile Experience (HOME) Coach Program
Authors: Partido Brian B. , Bean Canise, , Chartier Elizabeth A. , Sprinkle Emily
Published: September 2020

Background

The Ohio Department of Health identified dental care as the number one unmet health need for Ohio's children. The Dental Health Outreach Mobile Experience (HOME) Coach is a pediatric mobile dental unit that seeks to meet the dental needs of underserved children in the Columbus City Schools.

Purpose

The purpose was to conduct an outcome evaluation of the Dental HOME Coach Program and to compare the outcomes before (2010–2014) and after (2015–2019) the incorporation of the new Dental HOME Coach.

Methods

Using a longitudinal outcome evaluation research design, the data were analyzed from 10 years of the Dental HOME Coach Program at the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Dentistry during the academic years ending in 2010–2019.

Results

A total of 1063 dental students provided dental care to 26469 children in the Columbus City Schools. The top 3 performed procedures were sealants, prophylaxis, and resin composite fillings. Despite significant increases in the number of dental students providing oral health care, there were significant decreases in the number of amalgam fillings and stainless‐steel crowns from before to after the incorporation of the new Dental HOME Coach.

Conclusion

The outcome evaluation revealed the Dental HOME Coach Program has been providing underserved children with oral health care that offers them a dental “home,” giving dental students an array of hands‐on learning experiences that include pediatric dentistry treatments performed under the supervision of OSU faculty members, and positively impacting the problems of access to oral health care for Ohio's families.
Self‐reported depressive symptoms in dental students: Systematic review with meta‐analysis
Authors: Muniz Francisco Wilker M. G. , Maurique Luísa S. , Toniazzo Mirian P. , Silva Caroline F. , Casarin Maísa
Published: September 2020

Objective

This study aimed to systematically review the literature about the prevalence of self‐reported depressive symptoms in dental students.

Methods

PUBMED, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases were search up to January 2020 with the following focused questions: “What is the prevalence of self‐reported depression symptom in dental students?” and “Are sex and years of educational training associated with self‐reported depressive symptom in dental students?”. Observational studies that applied a questionnaire assessing depression were eligible. Standard mean differences (SMD) and pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated for the questionnaires’ scores and self‐reported depressive symptom, respectively.

Results

Fifty‐eight studies were included, and 15 different questionnaires were used. The prevalence of self‐reported depressive symptoms/at least mild depression ranged from 2.75% to 89.84%, and the pooled overall prevalence was 29% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26–34). Meta‐analysis showed significantly lower scores in the questionnaires for self‐reported depressive symptoms of male students (SMD: −0.22; 95% CI: −0.42 – −0.03). Conversely, no significant difference was detected for the OR of self‐reported depressive symptom in the comparison between sex (OR: 1.11 – 95% CI: 0.77–1.62). Similarly, no significant difference was observed for the different school years regardless of the analytical strategy used.

Conclusion

It was concluded that female dental students presented more self‐reported depressive symptoms, but no difference is demonstrated during the years of dental education.
Riparian buffer effectiveness as a function of buffer design and input loads
Authors: Jiang Fei , Preisendanz Heather E. , Veith Tamie L. , Cibin Raj , Drohan Patrick J.
Published: September 2020

Although many agricultural watersheds rely heavily on riparian buffer adoption to meet water quality goals, design and management constraints in current policies create adoption barriers. Based on focus group feedback, we developed a flexible buffer design paradigm that varies buffer width, vegetation, and harvesting. Sixteen years of daily‐scale nutrient and sediment loads simulated with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) were coupled to the three‐zone Riparian Ecosystem Management Model (REMM) to compare the effectiveness of traditional, policy‐based buffer designs with designs that are more flexible and integrate features important to local farmers. Buffer designs included (i) 10 m grass, (ii) 15 m grass, (iii) 15 m deciduous trees, (iv) 30 m grass and trees, (v) 30 m grass and trees with trees harvested every 3 yr, and (vi) 30 m grass and trees with grass harvested every year. Allowing harvesting in one zone of the buffer vegetation (either trees or grasses) minimally affected water quality, with annual average percent reductions differing by <5% (p > .05; 76–78% for total nitrogen [TN], 51–55% for total phosphorus [TP], and 68% for sediment). Under the highest input loading conditions, buffers with lower removal efficiencies removed more total mass than did buffers with high removal efficiencies. Thus, by focusing on mass reduction in addition to percent reduction, watershed‐wide buffer implementation may be better targeted to TN, TP, and sediment reduced. These findings have important implications for informing flexible buffer design policies and enhanced placement of buffers in watersheds impaired by nutrient and sediment.
Gastrointestinal manifestation as clinical predictor of severe COVID‐19: A retrospective experience and literature review of COVID‐19 in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Authors: Aumpan Natsuda , Nunanan Pongjarat , Vilaichone Ratha‐korn
Published: September 2020

Background and Aim

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID‐19) has caused over 200 000 deaths worldwide. Thailand announced the first confirmed case outside mainland China in January 2020. The disease also spread widely across Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Gastrointestinal manifestations could be presenting symptoms of COVID‐19. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal manifestations of COVID‐19 patients in Thailand and review important aspects of this disease in ASEAN.

Methods

Thai patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 at Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand, were evaluated between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2020. Patients' data, clinical presentation, exposure risk, past medical history, laboratory results, and treatment outcomes were extensively reviewed.

Results

A total of 352 COVID‐19 tests were performed, and 40 patients with positive tests were studied. The mean age was 30.5 years, and 55% were female. Most (82.5%) had no underlying diseases. Comorbidities were associated with severe COVID‐19 (odds ratio [OR] 29.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.31–388.40, P = 0.009). Gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 12 patients (30%). The most common presenting symptoms were anorexia (17.5%) and diarrhea (15%). Gastrointestinal symptoms developed before (9.1%), concurrent with (63.6%), and after (27.3%) respiratory symptoms. Diarrhea was significantly associated with severe COVID‐19 (OR 38.52; 95% CI 3.11–476.70, P = 0.004). Twenty‐four patients (60%) received antiviral drugs; 40% had only supportive care. Only one patient required intensive care. No patient died.

Conclusions

Gastrointestinal manifestations in COVID‐19 patients are common symptoms and can occur anytime during the disease course. Patients presenting with only gastrointestinal symptoms should raise clinical suspicion for COVID‐19 in areas with high disease incidence. Clinically severe COVID‐19 was associated with comorbidities and diarrhea.
How to dissect the liver parenchyma: Excavation with cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator
Authors: Honda Goro , Ome Yusuke , Yoshida Naoki , Kawamoto Yusuke
Published: September 2020

Background

A large amount of blood flows in and out of the liver through the inflow system consisting of the portal vein and hepatic artery within the Glissonean cord and the outflow system constituted by the hepatic veins.

Methods

During liver parenchymal dissection, useful methods to maintain a dry operative field are to control the inflow system with the Pringle maneuver and the outflow system by managing the central venous pressure. Additionally, mature techniques of dissecting the liver parenchyma, which can prevent injury to the blood vessels and appropriately and promptly stop bleeding, are fundamental. Similar to archaeological excavation, in which buried remains are unearthed and exposed in intact form, the Glissonean cords and hepatic veins buried in the liver parenchyma should be exposed or isolated without causing injury to these structures during liver parenchymal dissection.

Results

The cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) is useful as a surgical device for excavation because it has multiple functions in one device. However, there have been no systematic guidelines on how to use it effectively during hepatectomy.

Conclusion

We herein describe how to use the CUSA, based on our knowledge and experiences.