bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A team science approach to discover novel targets for infantile spasms (IS)
Authors:   The CURE Infantile Spasms Consortium, CURE Staff, Lubbers Laura , Iyengar Sloka S.
Published: October 2020

Infantile spasms (IS) is a devastating epilepsy syndrome that typically begins in the first year of life. Symptoms consist of stereotypical spasms, developmental delay, and electroencephalogram (EEG) that may demonstrate Hypsarhythmia. Current therapeutic approaches are not always effective, and there is no reliable way to predict which patient will respond to therapy. Given this disorder's complexity and the potential impact of a disease‐modifying approach, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) employed a “team science” approach to advance the understanding of IS pathology and explore therapeutic modalities that might lead to the development of new ways to potentially prevent spasms and Hypsarhythmia. This approach was a first‐of‐its‐kind collaborative initiative in epilepsy. The IS initiative funded 8 investigative teams over the course of 1‐3 years. Projects included the following: discovery on the basic biology of IS, discovery of novel therapeutic targets, cross‐validation of targets, discovery of biomarkers, and prognosis and treatment of IS. The combined efforts of a strong investigative team led to numerous advances in understanding the neural pathways underlying IS, testing of small molecules in preclinical models of IS and generated preliminary data on potential biomarkers. Thus far, the initiative has resulted in over 19 publications and subsequent funding for several investigators. Investigators reported that the IS initiative generally affected their research positively due to its collaborative and iterative nature. It also provided a unique opportunity to mentor junior investigators with an interest in translational research. Learnings included the need for a dedicated project manager and more transparent and real‐time communication with investigators. The CURE IS initiative represents a unique approach to fund scientific discoveries on epilepsy. It brought together an interdisciplinary group of investigators—who otherwise would not have collaborated—to find transformative therapies for IS. Learnings from this initiative are being utilized for subsequent initiatives at CURE.
TaPUB15, a U‐Box E3 ubiquitin ligase gene from wheat, enhances salt tolerance in rice
Authors: Li Qiaoru , Li Bo , Wang Jingyi , Chang Xiaoping , Mao Xinguo , Jing Ruilian
Published: October 2020

Plant U‐box (PUB) E3 ubiquitin ligases play essential roles in response to environmental stresses and hormone signaling, but little is known about them in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We characterized a U‐box E3 ubiquitin ligase gene, TaPUB15, which is conserved in wheat cultivars. TaPUB15 was expressed in multiple tissues, and the expression was much higher in roots than in other tissues. Transcription of TaPUB15 was induced by salt, abscisic acid, 4°C, and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Overexpression of TaPUB15‐D led to improve salt tolerance in transgenic rice, along with more roots in transgenic rice. Ion flux assays showed that transgenic rice plants had improved salt tolerance and maintained low Na+/K+ ratios under salinity stress. Gene expression assays indicated that several salt stress‐related genes were significantly upregulated in transgenic rice relative to the wild type. These results from transgenic rice were also verified in transgenic Arabidopsis. Our data showed that TaPUB15 plays crucial roles in enhancing salt tolerance in crop plants and served a valuable gene resource for promoting the breeding of salt‐tolerant wheat in the future.
Lipid composition and antioxidant activities of some underused wild plants seeds from Burundi
Authors: Niyukuri Jonathan , Raiti Jihane , Ntakarutimana Vestine , Hafidi Abdellatif
Published: November 2020

Fatty acids, phytosterols, total phenolic content, and radical‐scavenging activity were determined in seed oils of 12 wild plants from natural ecosystems in Burundi. Among the 13 fatty acids identified, palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and stearic acids were found predominant throughout all oils, except Parinari curatellifolia oil which showed a high amount of erucic acid (58.41% ± 0.77). The most dominant sterol was found to be β‐sitosterol in all oils and was followed by stigmasterol in 8 kinds of oils and campesterol in 3 kinds of oils. The highest total phenolic contents were observed in P. curatellifolia, Tephrosia vogelii, and Uvaria angolensis oils, with, respectively, 2.16 ± 0.26, 1.43 ± 0.33, and 1.27 ± 0.39 mg gallic acid equivalent/g oil. Some of these oils exhibited a higher ability to scavenge DPPH radicals. The antioxidant capacity of 8 species ranged from 1.18 to 18.08 mmol acid ascorbic equivalent/g oil. Based on these findings, such oils could be used in different domains such as food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and lipochemistry.
Treatment on the Spleen Prevents the Progression of Secondary Sarcopenia in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Hirooka Masashi , Koizumi Yohei , Tanaka Takaaki , Nakamura Yoshiko , Sunago Koutarou , Yukimoto Atsushi , Watanabe Takao , Yoshida Osamu , Miyake Teruki , Tokumoto Yoshio , Matsuura Bunzo , Abe Masanori , Hiasa Yoichi
Published: October 2020

Hyperammonemia is an important stimulator of myostatin expression, a negative regulator of muscle growth. After splenectomy or partial splenic artery embolization (PSE), hyperammonemia often improves. Thus, we investigated changes in skeletal muscle index (SMI) in patients following an operation on the spleen and in patients who did not undergo an operation on their spleen. The study was designed retrospectively, in which we analyzed data collected between January 2000 and December 2015. Patients were assigned to the splenectomy/PSE or nontreatment group. Changes in SMI (ΔSMI), ammonia (Δammonia), myostatin (Δmyostatin), irisin (Δirisin), and branched‐chain amino acids/tyrosine molar ratio (ΔBTR) were analyzed between baseline and 5‐year follow‐up both before and after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment (IPTW). Patients (102) were enrolled (splenectomy/PSE, n = 45; nontreatment group, n = 57) before IPTW adjustment: ΔSMI (2.6 cm2/m2 vs. −8.8 cm2/m2, respectively) (P < 0.001), Δmyostatin (−867 vs. −568, respectively) (P < 0.001), Δammonia (−34 and 16, respectively) (P < 0.001), and ΔBTR (0.89 and −0.665, respectively) (P < 0.001). There were no differences between splenectomy and PSE regarding these factors. Moreover, after IPTW adjustment, significant differences were observed between the splenectomy/PSE and nontreatment group for the median ΔBTR (0.89 and −0.64, respectively) (P < 0.001), Δammonia (−33 and 16, respectively) (P < 0.001), Δmyostatin (−894 and 504, respectively) (P < 0.001), and ΔSMI (1.8 cm2/m2 and −8.2 cm2/m2, respectively) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Both splenectomy and PSE were associated with the prevention of secondary sarcopenia in patients with LC. Moreover, it can be expected that muscle volume loss is reduced by splenectomy or PSE in patients with hyperammonemia.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Screening in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Barbosa Joana Vieira , Lai Michelle
Published: October 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major public health problem worldwide and the most common chronic liver disease. NAFLD currently affects approximately one in every four people in the United States, and its global burden is expected to rise in the next decades. Despite being a prevalent disease in the general population, only a minority of patients with NAFLD will develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with advanced liver fibrosis (stage 3-4 fibrosis) and liver-related complications. Certain populations, such as patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), are recognized to be at the highest risk for developing NASH and advanced fibrosis. Both the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes recommend screening of all T2DM for NAFLD. Incorporating a simple noninvasive algorithm into the existing diabetic care checklists in the primary care practice or diabetologist’s office would efficiently identify patients at high risk who should be referred to specialists. The proposed algorithm involves a first-step annual fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) followed by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) for those with indeterminate or high-risk score (FIB-4 ≥1.3). Patients at low-risk (FIB-4 <1.3 or VCTE <8 kPa) can be followed up by primary care providers for lifestyle changes and yearly calculation of FIB-4, while patients at high risk (FIB-4 ≥1.3 and VCTE ≥8 kPa) should be referred to a liver-specialized center. Conclusion: Patients with T2DM or prediabetes should be screened for NASH and advanced fibrosis. The proposed simple algorithm can be easily incorporated into the existing workflow in the primary care or diabetology clinic to identify patients at high risk for NASH and advanced fibrosis who should be referred to liver specialists.
A signature of 18 immune‐related gene pairs to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Bu Fanqin , Nie Han , Zhu Xiaojian , Wu Ting , Lin Kang , Zhao Jiefeng , Huang Jun
Published: October 2020

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies. With the promising prospects conveyed by immunotherapy in cancers, we aimed to construct an immune‐related gene pairs (IRGPs) signature to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. We downloaded clinical and transcriptional data of pancreatic cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas data set as the training group and GSE57495 data set as the verification group. We filtered immune‐related transcriptional data by IMMPORT. With the assistance of lasso penalized Cox regression, we constructed our prognostic IRGPs signature and divided all samples into high‐/low‐risk groups by receiver operating characteristic curve for further comparisons. The comparisons between high‐ and low‐risk groups including survival rate, multivariate, and univariate Cox proportional‐hazards analysis, infiltration of immune cells, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) are facilitated to analyze the proceedings in which our IRGPs signature may involve in. The results revealed that 18 IRGPs were defined as our prognostic signature. The prognostic value of this IRGPs signature was verified from the GSE57495 data set. We further demonstrated the independent prognostic value of this IRGPs signature. The contents of six immune cells between high‐/low‐risk groups were different, which was associated with the progression of diverse cancers. Results from GO, KEGG, and GSEA revealed that this IRGPs signature was involved in extracellular space, immune response, cancer pathways, cation channel, and gated channel activities. Evidently, this IRGPs signature will provide remarkable value for the therapy of pancreatic cancer patients.
Cesarean section and risk of allergies in Ecuadorian children: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Gorris Amélie , Bustamante Gabriela , Mayer Katharina A. , Kinaciyan Tamar , Zlabinger Gerhard J.
Published: October 2020

Background

Studies have shown an association between cesarean section (CS) and increased prevalence of childhood allergic diseases. While these observations have been consistent in industrialized countries, evidence from developing countries is limited.

Objective

To assess the association between the mode of delivery and allergic diseases in children aged 3–12 years in Quito, Ecuador.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, parents were surveyed using an anonymous, standardized questionnaire from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood project to assess the presence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies in their children. The children's age, sex, birthplace, delivery mode (CS/vaginal), socioeconomic status, and ethnicity were recorded. Other parameters included gestational age, breastfeeding, smoking status during pregnancy, and parental allergic diseases.

Results

After adjusting for confounding factors, children delivered via CS were found to have a higher risk of wheezing (odds ratio [OR] = 4.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43–11.89), physician‐diagnosed asthma (OR = 24.06; 95% CI: 1.98–292.3), and pimples, or eczema with the itching for 6 months (OR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.06–6.61) than children delivered vaginally. No association was found between the delivery mode and rhinitis or food allergies. After stratifying by socioeconomic status, CS was only associated with allergic disorders in children of medium/high socioeconomic backgrounds.

Conclusions

As seen in industrialized settings, children born by CS in nonindustrialized countries have an increased risk of developing allergic disorders including asthma and dermatitis, compared to those delivered vaginally.
Association between anthropometry and lifestyle factors and risk of B‐cell lymphoma: An exposome‐wide analysis
Authors: Saberi Hosnijeh Fatemeh , Casabonne Delphine , Nieters Alexandra , Solans Marta , Naudin Sabine , Ferrari Pietro , Mckay James D. , Benavente Yolanda , Weiderpass Elisabete , Freisling Heinz , Severi Gianluca , Boutron Ruault Marie‐Christine , Besson Caroline , Agnoli Claudia , Masala Giovanna , Sacerdote Carlotta , Tumino Rosario , Huerta José María , Amiano Pilar , Rodriguez‐Barranco Miguel , Bonet Catalina , Barricarte Aurelio , Christakoudi Sofia , Knuppel Anika , Bueno‐de‐Mesquita Bas , Schulze Matthias B. , Kaaks Rudolf , Canzian Federico , Späth Florentin , Jerkeman Mats , Rylander Charlotta , Tjønneland Anne , Olsen Anja , Borch Kristin Benjaminsen , Vermeulen Roel
Published: October 2020

To better understand the role of individual and lifestyle factors in human disease, an exposome‐wide association study was performed to investigate within a single‐study anthropometry measures and lifestyle factors previously associated with B‐cell lymphoma (BCL). Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition study, 2402 incident BCL cases were diagnosed from 475 426 participants that were followed‐up on average 14 years. Standard and penalized Cox regression models as well as principal component analysis (PCA) were used to evaluate 84 exposures in relation to BCL risk. Standard and penalized Cox regression models showed a positive association between anthropometric measures and BCL and multiple myeloma/plasma cell neoplasm (MM). The penalized Cox models additionally showed the association between several exposures from categories of physical activity, smoking status, medical history, socioeconomic position, diet and BCL and/or the subtypes. PCAs confirmed the individual associations but also showed additional observations. The PC5 including anthropometry, was positively associated with BCL, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and MM. There was a significant positive association between consumption of sugar and confectionary (PC11) and follicular lymphoma risk, and an inverse association between fish and shellfish and Vitamin D (PC15) and DLBCL risk. The PC1 including features of the Mediterranean diet and diet with lower inflammatory score showed an inverse association with BCL risk, while the PC7, including dairy, was positively associated with BCL and DLBCL risk. Physical activity (PC10) was positively associated with DLBCL risk among women. This study provided informative insights on the etiology of BCL.
Trends in the incidence of cancer in Kampala, Uganda, 1991 to 2015
Authors: Bukirwa Phiona , Wabinga Henry , Nambooze Sarah , Amulen Phoebe Mary , Joko Walburga Yvonne , Liu Biying , Parkin Donald Maxwell
Published: October 2020

Trends in the incidence of cancer in the population of Kyadondo County, Uganda—which comprises the city of Kampala and a peri‐urban hinterland—are presented for a period of 25 years (1991‐2015) based on data collected by the Kampala Cancer Registry. Incidence rates have risen overall—age‐adjusted rates are some 25% higher in 2011 to 2015 compared with 1991 to 1995. The biggest absolute increases have been in cancers of the prostate, breast and cervix, with rates of some 100% (prostate), 70% (breast) and 45% (cervix) higher in 2010 to 2015 than in 1991 to 1995. There were also increases in the incidence of cancers of the esophagus and colon‐rectum (statistically significant in men), while the incidence of liver cancer—the fifth most common in this population—increased until 2007, and subsequently declined. By far the most commonly registered cancer over the 25‐year period was Kaposi sarcoma, but the incidence has declined, consistent with the decreasing population‐prevalence of HIV. Non‐Hodgkin lymphomas, also AIDS‐related, increased in incidence until 2006/2007 and then declined—possibly as a result of availability of antiretroviral therapy. The trends reflect the changing lifestyles of this urban African population, as well as the consequences of the epidemic of HIV/AIDS and the availability of treatment with ARVs. At the same time, it highlights the fact that the decreases in cancer of the cervix observed in high and upper‐middle income countries are not a consequence of changes in lifestyle, but demand active intervention through screening (and, in the longer term, vaccination).
Histone lysine demethylases and their functions in cancer
Authors: Sterling Jayden , Menezes Sharleen V. , Abbassi Ramzi H. , Munoz Lenka
Published: October 2020

Histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are enzymes that remove the methylation marks on lysines in nucleosomes' histone tails. These changes in methylation marks regulate gene transcription during both development and malignant transformation. Depending on which lysine residue is targeted, the effect of a given KDM on gene transcription can be either activating or repressing, and KDMs can regulate the expression of both oncogenes and tumour suppressors. Thus, the functions of KDMs can be regarded as both oncogenic and tumour suppressive, contingent on cell context and the enzyme isoform. Finally, KDMs also demethylate nonhistone proteins and have a variety of demethylase‐independent functions. These epigenetic and other mechanisms that KDMs control make them important regulators of malignant tumours. Here, we present an overview of eight KDM subfamilies, their most‐studied lysine targets and selected recent data on their roles in cancer stem cells, tumour aggressiveness and drug tolerance.
Can black swans be tamed with a flexible mean‐variance specification?
Authors: Chatzikonstanti Vasiliki , Karoglou Michail
Published: October 2020

We examine the homogeneity of the highly improbable returns, what practitioners and the mainstream economic press also call black swan events. By setting up a simple framework and using the benchmark stock market indices of all OECD countries, we find that the frequency of black swans varies greatly over the last two decades often with dramatic changes that can be related to major economic events. Moreover, during the global financial crisis, black swans were substantially more frequent for most countries even after controlling for the level of volatility. This implies that, despite the plethora of appropriate financial instruments to counter this effect, during an obvious economic turmoil, stock markets are still more likely to experience highly improbable events.
The chromatic number of {ISK4, diamond, bowtie}‐free graphs
Authors: Chen Guantao , Chen Yuan , Cui Qing , Feng Xing , Liu Qinghai
Published: October 2020

A graph is said to be ‐free if it does not contain any subdivision of as an induced subgraph. Lévêque, Maffray and Trotignon conjectured that every ‐free graph is 4‐colorable. In this paper, we show that this conjecture is true for the class of {, diamond, bowtie}‐free graphs, where a diamond is the graph obtained from by removing one edge and a bowtie is the graph consisting of two triangles with one vertex identified.
Impact of preoperative malnutrition, based on albumin level and body mass index, on operative outcomes in patients with pancreatic head cancer
Authors: Lee Boram , Han Ho‐Seong , Yoon Yoo‐Seok , Cho Jai Young , Lee Jun Suh
Published: October 2020

Background

To investigate whether preoperative malnutrition in patients who underwent curative pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) in pancreatic head cancer correlated with short‐term outcomes.

Methods

This study was a retrospective review of medical records from January 2004 to December 2018. Preoperative malnutrition was defined as body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2, or hypoalbuminemia with serum albumin level < 3.5 g/dL within 30 days before surgery.

Results

Of the 289 eligible patients, 60 patients (20.7%) were classified as the malnutrition group. The estimated blood loss (EBL, mL) (964.1 ± 879.7 vs 597.7 ± 501.7, P = .044) and transfusion rate (51.7% vs 18.8%, P < .001) was significantly higher in the malnutrition group than no‐malnutrition group. The hospital stay (days) (20.5 ± 12.2 vs 18.1 ± 13.6, P = .05) was significantly longer in the malnutrition group. The open conversion rate (45.4% vs 6.67%, P < .001) and major complication rate (36.7% vs 21.8%, P = .032) was significantly higher in the malnutrition group. In multivariate analysis, preoperative malnutrition was found to be the predictor of postoperative complication (HR 1.971 95% confidence interval 1.071‐3.624, P = .029).

Conclusion

Preoperative malnutrition in patients who underwent curative PD for pancreatic head cancer is associated with adverse short‐term outcomes.
Hepatitis E viral infection regulates estrogen signaling pathways: Inhibition of the cAMPK–PKA–CREB and PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathways
Authors: Gong Shilin , Hao Xianhui , Bi Yanhong , Yang Chenchen , Wang Wenjing , Mickael Houfack K. , Zhang Yike , Chen Shuangfeng , Qian Zhongyao , Huang Fen , Wei Daqiao , Yu Wenhai
Published: October 2020

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has become a global concern with high mortality rates among pregnant women, especially those in their third trimester of pregnancy. Estrogen plays an important role in mediating the body, regulating physiological and pathological processes. Estrogen is activated by binding to estrogen receptors (ERs) and mediates rapid signaling events by pathways that involve transmembrane ERs. Our previous study had confirmed that high estrogen levels during pregnancy are associated with high HEV titers. However, the association between HEV infection and estrogen signaling pathways remains unclear. In the present study, the regulation of estrogen signaling pathways by HEV infection was evaluated. Results demonstrated that HEV infection significantly inhibits the cAMP–PKA–CREB and PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathways, but is independent of the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK signaling pathway. In summary, the increasing estrogen levels and highly activated ERα during pregnancy aggravates HEV replication. The exacerbation of HEV replication, in turn, inhibits ERα expression and suppresses both cAMP–PKA–CREB and PI3K–AKT–mTOR signaling pathways.
Do periodontal defects affect periodontal inflammation and destruction? Histological/microbiological changes and gene expression profiles of a pilot study in beagle dogs
Authors: An Yin‐Zhe , Ko Kyung‐A , Kim Chang‐Sung , Gruber Reinhard , Wang Xinhong , Lee Jung‐Seok
Published: October 2020

Background

The present study focused on the inflammatory disease progress after periodontal defect induction and aimed to specifically determine periodontal tissue responses following dental plaque accumulation by ligatures on a site with/without standardized periodontal defect induction.

Methods

After 1 month from extraction of the adjacent teeth, semi‐circumferential defects were surgically created in the unilateral second and fourth premolars (test group), whereas no defects were being induced at the contralateral sites (control group). One week later, silk was used to ligate the tooth cervix at both sites to encourage the accumulation of dental plaque. Four weeks later, the tissue samples were collected for histological/histomorphometric and microarray analysis. Microbiological analysis was performed before defect induction and at ligatures, and after 4 weeks of dental plaque accumulation.

Results

Remarkable inflammation was clinically and histologically observed in both groups after plaque accumulation, and the intrabony type of periodontal defect exaggerated inflammatory cell infiltration into the connective tissue layer. Expression of genes related to inflammation such as IL‐1 was highly up‐regulated in test sites. However, these inflammatory infiltrations did not invade to a boundary of periodontal ligament and connective tissue attachment in both groups, and histomorphometric results corresponds to these observational results. Bacterial findings also showed no significant differences in detected microbiome compositions between control and test groups at three‐time points.

Conclusion

Intrabony defect might exaggerate the plaque‐induced inflammation in the aspect of inflammatory cell infiltration and the related gene expression, but both dental plaque and the pre‐existing periodontal defect negligibly disrupt periodontal attachment and the underlying alveolar bone.
Conserving purple prairie clover (Dalea purpureaVent.) as hay and silage had little effect on the efficacy of condensed tannins in modulating ruminal fermentation in vitro
Authors: Peng Kai , Xu Zhongjun , Nair Jayakrishnan , Jin Long , McAllister Tim A , Acharya Surya , Wang Yuxi
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forage conservation method and condensed tannins (CT) in conserved forage on rumen fermentation. Purple prairie clover (PPC; Dalea purpurea Vent.) containing 84.5 g kg−1 dry matter (DM) of CT was harvested at full flower and preserved as freeze‐dried green chop (F), hay (H) or silage (S). Batch culture incubations were conducted using conserved forages as a substrate and treatments were arranged as 3 × 2 factorial design of forage type (F, H and S) with or without polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG was used to isolate the effects of CT on fermentation. Incubation was repeated twice with quadruplicate vials for each treatment in each incubation. 15N‐labelled ammonium sulfate was used as microbial N marker and headspace gas was sampled to determine methane production.

RESULTS

Concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber were lower (P < 0.01) in F than in H or S. Ensiling decreased (P < 0.001) total phenolics and extractable CT, but had no effect on total CT, whereas none of these phenolic fractions were altered in H. Hay and silage had lower (P < 0.01) true DM disappearance (TDMD) and NDF disappearance (NDFD) than F. Inclusion of PEG did not affect TDMD or NDFD after 8, 24 or 72 h of incubation. Productions of total gas, methane and total volatile fatty acid and the rate of gas production (c) were also similar, but ammonia was higher (P < 0.05) and microbial N was lower (P < 0.05) with than without PEG after 72 h of incubation. After 72 h, a lower (P < 0.001) proportion of acetate but higher (P < 0.05) proportion of propionate was noted with S, resulting in a lower (P < 0.001) acetate:propionate ratio as compared to F or H after 8 h of incubation.

CONCLUSION

Condensed tannins in PPC decreased protein degradation in vitro, but had minimal effects on overall rumen fermentation, and conservation of PPC as hay or silage had little effect on the efficacy of CT in modulating rumen fermentation. © 2020 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Cluster Structure in Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Virtual Reality Exposure
Authors: Stevens Elizabeth S. , Bourassa Kyle J. , Norr Aaron M. , Reger Greg M.
Published: October 2020

The emotional processing theory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) posits that avoidance is central to PTSD development and maintenance. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, which clinically focuses on avoidance reduction, has strong empirical support as a PTSD treatment. Virtual reality exposure (VRE) has been utilized to accelerate avoidance reduction by increasing multisensory engagement. Although some exposure therapy studies have found associations between avoidance and PTSD symptoms, others have indicated that reexperiencing or hyperarousal symptoms drive symptom trajectories. Using a cross‐lagged panel design, the present secondary data analysis examined temporal associations between clinician‐assessed PTSD symptom clusters during treatment with PE, VRE, or a waitlist control condition. There were no significant differences between PE and VRE regarding symptom clusters at any assessment. Compared to the waitlist condition, individuals who received VRE or PE exhibited earlier reductions in avoidance/numbing symptoms, β = −.19, 95% CI [−.33, −.05], followed by reductions in hyperarousal symptoms, β = −.21, 95% CI [−.33, −.09]. Hyperarousal symptoms predicted changes in later avoidance/numbing and reexperiencing outcomes across treatment: pretreatment to midtreatment, β = .29, 95% CI [.17, .42]; midtreatment to posttreatment, β = .23, 95% CI [.07, .39]. Reexperiencing symptoms predicted changes in hyperarousal outcomes earlier in treatment, β = .22, 95% CI [.02, .37], whereas avoidance/numbing symptoms predicted changes in hyperarousal outcomes later in treatment, β = .18, 95% CI [.04, .32]. These findings support the efficacy of exposure therapy in addressing avoidance/numbing symptoms and highlight the potential importance of hyperarousal symptoms in relation to other symptom clusters.
Salt dome related soil salinity in southern Iran: Prediction and mapping with averaging machine learning models
Authors: Abedi Fatemeh , Amirian‐Chakan Alireza , Faraji Mohammad , Taghizadeh‐Mehrjardi Ruhollah , Kerry Ruth , Razmjoue Damoun , Scholten Thomas
Published: October 2020

In order to manage soil salinity effectively, it is necessary to understand the origin and the spatial distribution of salinity. There are about 120 salt dome outcrops in southern Iran and little is known about their contribution as the potential sources of salts and the spatial pattern of salts around them. Six machine learning algorithms were applied to model topsoil electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) in the Darab Plain (surrounded by six salt domes), Fars Province. Decision trees (DT), k‐nearest neighbours (kNN), support vector machines (SVM), Cubist, random forests (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were used as primary models and the Granger–Ramanathan (GR) method was used to combine the predictions of these models. The results showed that remotely sensed data contributed more to predict EC and SAR than terrain‐based data. In terms of root mean square errors (RMSE), Cubist followed by the RF model, tended to give the best estimates of EC, whereas for SAR, RF performed best and was followed closely by SVM and Cubist. Compared to the primary models, the GR method on average resulted in a decrease of 6.1% and 3.9% in RMSE and an increase of 10% and 10.9% in R2 for EC and SAR, respectively. The spatial pattern of SAR and EC suggested that the contribution of salt domes in soil salinization varied significantly according to their hydraulic behaviour in relation to adjacent aquifers and their activity. In general, the model averaging approach showed the potential to improve the estimates of EC and SAR.
Thinking like a consumer: Linking aquatic basal metabolism and consumer dynamics
Authors: Rüegg Janine , Conn Caitlin C. , Anderson Elizabeth P. , Battin Tom J. , Bernhardt Emily S. , Boix Canadell Marta , Bonjour Sophia M. , Hosen Jacob D. , Marzolf Nicholas S. , Yackulic Charles B.
Published: October 2020

The increasing availability of high‐frequency freshwater ecosystem metabolism data provides an opportunity to identify links between metabolic regimes, as gross primary production and ecosystem respiration patterns, and consumer energetics with the potential to improve our current understanding of consumer dynamics (e.g., population dynamics, community structure, trophic interactions). We describe a conceptual framework linking metabolic regimes of flowing waters with consumer community dynamics. We use this framework to identify three emerging research needs: (1) quantifying the linkage of metabolism and consumer production data via food web theory and carbon use efficiencies, (2) evaluating the roles of metabolic dynamics and other environmental regimes (e.g., hydrology, light) in consumer dynamics, and (3) determining the degree to which metabolic regimes influence the evolution of consumer traits and phenology. Addressing these needs will improve the understanding of consumer biomass and production patterns as metabolic regimes can be viewed as an emergent property of food webs.
Pediatric ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm of the wrist after glass laceration: A case report and systematic review of the literature
Authors: Forte Antonio Jorge , Yeager Tamanie E. , Boczar Daniel , Broer Peter Niclas , Manrique Oscar J. , Parrett Brian M.
Published: October 2020

Background

Our purpose was to explore a case of a complicated ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm and propose an algorithm to guide physicians in this scenario. We present a case of a 5‐year‐old boy with a pediatric ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm that developed after a wrist laceration from broken glass 6 weeks after the initial injury. The diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm was missed, and the patient was transferred to our facility in urgent need of resection and repair due to profuse bleeding. An ultrasound confirmed the suspected diagnosis of ulnar artery aneurysm with thrombosis within the vessel. An area of skin necrosis was also present. Upon exploration of the wound, the ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm was identified and resected. The defect measured six millimeters and it was repaired primarily, under the microscope, after the proximal and distal portions were freed by dissection. The patient's incision was well healed at six‐week follow‐up.

Method

A systematic literature review of the English literature on ulnar artery aneurysm was conducted on PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Clinical Answers, and Cochrane Clinical Trials, without timeframe limitations. Finally, we provide an algorithm to assist the decision‐making process in similar scenarios.

Conclusion

Although ulnar artery aneurysm is rare on a pediatric patient, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis each time a patient presents with a wrist mass. In such cases, a high index of suspicion warrants examination by a hand specialist.
Structured singular value of implicit systems
Authors: Limantseva Olga , Halikias George , Karcanias Nicos
Published: October 2020

Implicit systems provide a general framework in which many important properties of dynamic systems can be studied. Implicit systems are especially relevant to behavioural systems theory, the analysis and synthesis of complex interconnected systems, systems identification and robust control. By incorporating algebraic constraints, implicit models provide additional versatility relative to the standard input–output framework. Problems of robust stability in implicit systems lead in a natural way to non‐standard structured singular value (μ) formulations. In this note, it is shown that for a class of uncertainty structures involving repeated scalar parameters, these problems reduce to a standardμproblem which is well studied and for the solution of which several numerical algorithms are available. Our results are based on a matrix dilation technique and the redefinition of the uncertainty structure of the transformed problem. The main results of the paper are illustrated with a numerical example.
Analysis for a new phase‐field model with periodic boundary conditions
Authors: Zhao Lixian , Mai Jiawei , Cheng Fang
Published: October 2020

This article is concerned with an initial‐boundary value problem (IBVP) for a new phase‐field model describing the evolution of structural phase transition in elastically deformable solid materials. The model consists of an elliptic‐parabolic system in which the displacement field and the order parameter both satisfy periodic boundary conditions. We prove the existence of global solutions to this IBVP by applying the method of continuation of local solutions and perform numerical simulations to investigate the microstructure evolution of MnNi alloys by using this new phase‐field model.
Determination of unique and stable complex permittivity of granular materials from transmission and reflection measurements
Authors: Yang Chuang
Published: October 2020

Measurement of complex permittivity of granular materials is important for varying services, such as remote sensing, telemetry, etc. In the literature, various techniques have been proposed to determine complex permittivity of granular materials sandwiched between two low‐loss spacers from transmission and reflection measurements. However, the determined results are non‐unique and resonant at some frequencies. In this article, a technique is proposed to determine unique and stable complex permittivity of granular materials. The application steps of the proposed are clearly presented. The grain and soil sandwiched between two polyvinyl chloride (PVC) spacers are measured in the X‐band to validate the proposed technique. In order to show the advantages of the proposed technique, a 140 mm X‐band waveguide blocked by two acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic (ABS) with thickness of 2 mm is measured.
Radiosensitization by Au‐nanofilm at micrometer level using confocal Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Hernández Millares Rodrigo , Mirza Jamal Ahmad , Lee Junyoung , Choi Kwon , Eom Mingi , Ye Sung‐Joon
Published: October 2020

Purpose

To measure the radiosensitization by an Au‐nanofilm (GNF) at a micrometer level on a radiochromic film (RCF) using confocal Raman spectroscopy (CRS).

Methods

Unlaminated radiochromic films were irradiated by 200 kVp x‐ray from 0.3 to 50 Gy to obtain a calibration curve. Raman spectra of these films were measured by positioning the postirradiated RCF perpendicular to the CRS monochromatic beam and reading a depth profile of the film along the lateral axis. The Raman peak corresponding to the C ≡ C peak was obtained from a region of interest of 100 × 5 µm2. To investigate the radiosensitization by GNF, two sets of RCF, one attached to a 100‐nm thick GNF and the other without GNF were irradiated at 0.5 Gy by 50 and 120 kVp X‐rays. The spatial resolution of the CRS on the RCF was quantified by the modulation transfer function method (MTF). Thus, in the spatial resolution determined by MTF, the doses deposited on the films were evaluated. The dose enhancement factor (DEF) was obtained in the measurable micro‐size by comparing doses deposited on the RCFs with and without GNF. To verify the experimental results, Monte Carlo simulations following the experimental set up were performed using Geant4. In addition, analytical calculations for the radiosensitization by GNF were carried out.

Results

The confocal Raman spectroscopy on the RCF achieved a spatial resolution of ~6 μm. An experimental DEF within the first 6 μm depth from the surface of RCF was found to be 17.9 for 50 kVp and 14.7 for 120 kVp. The DEF for the same depth obtained by MC and analytical calculations was 13.53 and 9.75 for 50 kVp, and 10.63 and 6.67 for 120 kVp, respectively.

Conclusions

The experimental DEF as a function of the distance from GNF was consistent with data from previous studies and the MC simulations, supporting that CRS in conjunction with the RCF is a feasible micrometer‐resolution dosimeter.
Comparison of velocity‐selective arterial spin labeling schemes
Authors: Guo Jia , Das Shaurov , Hernandez‐Garcia Luis
Published: October 2020

Purpose

In velocity‐selective (VS) arterial spin labeling, strategies using multiple saturation modules or using VS inversion (VSI) pulse can provide improved SNR efficiency compared to the original labeling scheme using one VS saturation (VSS) module. Their performance improvement, however, has not been directly compared.

Methods

Different VS labeling schemes were evaluated by Bloch simulation for their SNR efficiency, eddy current sensitivity, and robustness against B1 and B0 variation. These schemes included dual‐module double‐refocused hyperbolic secant and symmetric 8‐segment B1‐insensitive rotation (sBIR8‐) VSS pulses, the original and modified Fourier transform‐based VSI pulses. A subset of the labeling schemes was examined further in phantom and in vivo experiments for their eddy current sensitivity and SNR performance. An additional sBIR8‐VSS with a built‐in inversion (sBIR8‐VSS‐inversion) was evaluated for the effects of partial background suppression to allow a fairer comparison to VSI.

Results

According to the simulations, the sBIR8‐VSS was the most robust against field imperfections and had similarly high SNR efficiency (dual‐module, dual‐sBIR8‐VSS) compared with the best VSI pulse (sinc‐modulated, sinc‐VSI). These were confirmed by the phantom and in vivo data. Without additional background suppression, the sinc‐VSI pulses had the highest temporal SNR, closely followed by the sBIR8‐VSS‐inversion pulse, both benefited from partial background suppression effects.

Conclusion

Dual‐sBIR8‐VSS and sinc‐VSI measured the highest SNR efficiency among the VS labeling schemes. Dual‐sBIR8‐VSS was the most robust against field imperfections, whereas sinc‐VSI may provide a higher SNR efficiency if its immunity to field imperfections can be improved.
Electrolyte additives: Adding the stability of lithium metal anodes
Authors: Li Lulu , Dai Huichao , Wang Chengliang
Published: October 2020

Lithium metal is regarded as the “holy grail” of anodes due to its highest theoretical specific capacity and lowest electrode potential, and hence is considered as a promising anode candidate to meet the growing demand for large scale energy storage devices. However, lithium metal anode is suffering the challenges in side reactions, volume change, and low Coulombic efficiency, and particularly the growth of lithium dendrites, which extremely limits its practical applications. To tackle these issues, many strategies have been developed. Among them, the addition of electrolyte additives is an effective and the simplest method. In this review, electrolyte additives for enhancing the stability of Li metal anodes are summarized, according to their different working mechanisms. The prospects of key challenges and future trends of such electrolyte additives are discussed.
An identical second‐order single step explicit integration algorithm with dissipation control for structural dynamics
Authors: Li Jinze , Yu Kaiping , Li Xiangyang
Published: October 2020

This article focuses mainly on the development of explicit integration algorithms for structural dynamics. Some known single‐step explicit schemes are first reviewed and their algorithmic parameters are uniformly given as a function of , denoting spectral radius at the bifurcation point. The simple review reveals that there are still some problems to be addressed. Then, a simple but general explicit integration algorithm (GSSE) is presented and analyzed. Besides, a truly self‐starting explicit algorithm and the true explicit form of generalized‐ method are also given. The novel GSSE algorithm possesses very significant advantages in terms of accuracy and dissipation control. The GSSE method achieves not only controllable dissipation at the bifurcation point but also the identical second‐order accuracy of three primary variables. Numerical spectral analysis and examples are provided to clearly show the superiority of novel explicit methods over other single‐step explicit ones. Hence, the novel GSSE method is highly recommended to solving general dynamical problems.
An efficient computational technique for time‐fractionalKaup‐Kupershmidtequation
Authors: Prakasha Doddabhadrappla Gowda , Malagi Naveen Sanju , Veeresha Pundikala , Prasannakumara Ballajja Chandrappa
Published: October 2020

In this article, an efficient novel technique, namely theq‐homotopy analysis transform method (q‐HATM) is applied to find the solution for the time‐fractional Kaup‐Kupershmidt (KK) equation. The KK equation plays a vital role while studying the capillary gravity waves and nonlinear dispersive waves. To check the effectiveness and pertinency of the projected method, we consider three distinct cases of the fractional nonlinear KK equation. Theq‐HATM provides the auxiliary parameterℏ, called convergence control parameter, with the help of that we can manipulate and adjust the area of convergence of the series solution. Moreover, to authenticate the accuracy and reliability of the considered technique the numerical simulations have been presented. The retrieved results ensure that the projected scheme is effortless to carry out and analyze the highly nonlinear problems arising in science and technology.
On the L∞ convergence of a conservative Fourier pseudo‐spectral method for the space fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equation
Authors: Xu Zhuangzhi , Cai Wenjun , Jiang Chaolong , Wang Yushun
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we take the space fractional nonlinear Schrödinger as an example to establish the L∞ convergence error analysis for the conservative Fourier pseudo‐spectral method, which has not been studied. We introduce a new fractional Sobolev norm to construct the discrete fractional Sobolev space, and also prove some important lemmas for the new fractional Sobolev norm. Based on these lemmas and energy method, a priori error estimate for the method can be established. Then, we are able to prove that the Fourier pseudo‐spectral method is unconditionally convergent with order O(τ2 + Nα/2 − r) in the discrete L∞ norm, where τ is the time step and N is the number of collocation points used in the spectral method. Numerical examples are presented to verify the theoretical analysis.
BMI as a Risk Factor for Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized with COVID‐19 in New York
Authors: Kim Tara S. , Roslin Mitchell , Wang Jason J. , Kane Jamie , Hirsch Jamie S. , Kim Eun Ji ,   for the Northwell Health COVID‐19 Research Consortium
Published: October 2020

Objective

This study examined the association between BMI and clinical outcomes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection.

Methods

A total of 10,861 patients with COVID‐19 infection who were admitted to the Northwell Health system hospitals between March 1, 2020, and April 27, 2020, were included in this study. BMI was classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity classes I, II, and III. Primary outcomes were invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and death.

Results

A total of 243 (2.2%) patients were underweight, 2,507 (23.1%) were normal weight, 4,021 (37.0%) had overweight, 2,345 (21.6%) had obesity class I, 990 (9.1%) had obesity class II, and 755 (7.0%) had obesity class III. Patients who had overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27 [95% CI: 1.11‐1.46]), obesity class I (OR = 1.48 [95% CI: 1.27‐1.72]), obesity class II (OR = 1.89 [95% CI: 1.56‐2.28]), and obesity class III (OR = 2.31 [95% CI: 1.88‐2.85]) had an increased risk of requiring IMV. Underweight and obesity classes II and III were statistically associated with death (OR = 1.44 [95% CI: 1.08‐1.92]; OR = 1.25 [95% CI: 1.03‐1.52]; OR = 1.61 [95% CI: 1.30‐2.00], respectively). Among patients who were on IMV, BMI was not associated with inpatient deaths.

Conclusions

Patients who are underweight or who have obesity are at risk for mechanical ventilation and death, suggesting that pulmonary complications (indicated by IMV) are a significant contributor for poor outcomes in COVID‐19 infection.