bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An effective green and renewable heterogeneous catalyst derived from the fusion of bi‐component biowaste materials for the optimized transesterification of linseed oil methyl ester
Authors: Etim Anietie O. , Musonge Paul , Eloka‐Eboka Andrew C.
Published: June 2021

Biological waste materials are rich sources of important minerals such as calcium and potassium, which are required in the preparation of effective biocatalysts for biodiesel production. Their adoption into green catalyst production is becoming important due to the ease of process synthesis and the availability of waste animal shells and agricultural materials. In this study, the potential of a bi‐component, heterogeneous catalyst of fused chicken eggshells and pawpaw peels was tested in the transesterification reaction of linseed oil. The waste materials, separately, were dried and calcined at 900 °C or at 700 °C for 3 h to obtain their calcined ashes (calcined eggshells (CES) and calcined pawpaw peels (CPP)). The CES and CPP were then bonded by the wet impregnation method (by dissolving each ash at weight concentration of 7:3 CES/CPP in 100 mL warm distilled water and further calcining them at 600 °C for 2 h). The catalyst that was developed was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy ‐ Energy Dispersive X‐Ray Spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The Box–Behnken design was applied to generate 15 experimental runs, which were used to investigate the effect of the operational parameters such as methanol‐to‐oil molar ratio, catalyst loading, and reaction time. The characterization results show that the ash is very rich in Ca and K ions. The best reaction condition for the transesterification process was found to be a methanol / oil molar ratio of 14.9:1, catalyst loading of 3.78 wt%, process reaction time of 80 min at constant reaction temperature of 65 °C with a biodiesel maximum yield of 91.20 wt%. The physicochemical properties of the produced biodiesel were measured and found to meet the American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) and European National (EN) standards and South African National Standards (SANS) biodiesel quality standards. The fused catalyst can be reused for up to five cycles with little reduction in yields. The study demonstrates the potential of utilizing biomass feedstock in developing effective and sustainable biodiesel fuels. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Switchability and minimal effect of food on pharmacokinetics of modified release tablet strengths of omecamtiv mecarbil, a cardiac myosin activator
Authors: Trivedi Ashit , Oberoi Rajneet K. , Mackowski Mia , Jafarinasabian Pegah , Zhang Hanze , Flach Stephen , Simiens Mary Ann , Terminello Bianca , Abbasi Siddique , Dutta Sandeep , Lee Edward
Published: June 2021

Omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) is a cardiac myosin activator in clinical development for the treatment of heart failure. The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of 25, 37.5, and 50 mg strength modified release (MR) tablets and the bioequivalence of two 25 mg tablets versus one 50 mg MR tablet were evaluated in two open‐label, randomized, cross‐over studies in healthy subjects. Subjects received two 25 mg tablets or one 50 mg OM MR tablet under fed or fasted states in Study 1 (n = 39), and single oral doses of 25 and 37.5 mg OM MR tablets and to assess its relative bioavailability to the 25 mg MR tablet, a 25 mg oral solution under fed or fasted states in Study 2 (n = 34). The area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) and the maximum observed concentration (Cmax) of 25, 37.5, or 50 mg OM MR tablets were approximately 13%–22% higher and 31%–40% higher, respectively, when taken with food. The two 25 mg and one 50 mg OM MR tablets were bioequivalent (90% confidence intervals) of the geometric mean ratios for Cmax and AUC of OM were within 0.8–1.25 under the fasted or fed state. OM was well tolerated and all treatment‐emergent events were mild in severity and resolved by the end of the study. In conclusion, these studies demonstrated that the effect of food on the PK of OM was minimal at all three studied strengths of the MR tablets, and two 25 mg MR tablets may be switched for one 50 mg MR tablet (EudraCT Number: 2019‐003683‐44).
Unseen roots and unfolding flowers? Prison learning, equality and the education of socially excluded groups
Authors: Galloway Sarah
Published: June 2021

The objective of this theoretical article is to critique the notion that adult education, in its current marketised formations, might serve the purpose of rehabilitating learners. To date there has been no detailed interrogation by educationalists of the desirability of rehabilitation as an overarching aim for prison education, or to consider the existing educational philosophies that notions of rehabilitation might cohere with. This article begins to address this gap by engaging with the idea of rehabilitation from a critical adult education perspective. The conceptual framework informing the analysis is critical adult education theory, drawing tangentially on the work of Raymond Williams. The overarching assumption is that education might be understood as the practice of equality, which I employ alongside conceptualisations of empowering adult literacies learning as drawn from writings in the field of New Literacies Studies (NLS). These approaches enable the critique of criminological theory associated with prison learning, alongside the critique of assumptions traceable to NLS. The analysis focuses more specifically on Scotland’s prison system, where the criminological theory of ‘desistance’ currently holds some sway. I observe that whilst perspectives of criminologists and educationists draw upon similar sociological assumptions and underpinnings, different conclusions are inferred about the purpose and practice of adult learning. Here criminologists' conceptualisations tend to neglect power contexts, instead inferring educational practices associated typically with early years education. I also demonstrate the importance of equality in the context of adult education, if educators are to take responsibility for the judgements they make in relation to the education of socially excluded groups.
Correct and logical causal inference for binary and time‐to‐event outcomes in randomized controlled trials
Authors: Liu Yi , Wang Bushi , Yang Miao , Hui Jianan , Xu Heng , Kil Siyoen , Hsu Jason C.
Published: June 2021

Targeted therapies tend to have biomarker defined subgroups that derive differential efficacy from treatments. This article corrects three prevailing oversights in stratified analyses comparing treatments in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with binary and time‐to‐event outcomes:

Using efficacy measures such as odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) can make a prognostic biomarker appear predictive, targeting wrong patients, because the inference is affected by a confounding/covert factor even with ignorable treatment assignment in an RCT. As shown analytically and with real immunotherapy patient level data, OR and HR cannot meet the causal Estimand requirement of ICH E9R1.

Mixing efficacy in subgroups by prevalence, the prevailing practice, can give misleading results also, for any efficacy measured as a ratio. However, mixing relative response (RR) and ratio of median (RoM) survival times by the prognostic effect, the confounding/covert factor hiding in plain sight, will give causal inference in an RCT.

Effects in subgroups should not be mixed on the logarithmic scale, because it creates an artificial Estimand for the whole population which changes depending on how the population is divided into subgroups.

Current computer package implementations contain all these oversights. Probabilities, including survival curve probabilities, naturally average within each treatment arm by prevalence. The subgroup mixable estimation (SME) principle fixes the oversights by first averaging probabilities (not their logarithms) within each treatment arm, then computing simultaneous confidence intervals for ratio efficacy in subgroups and their mixtures based on rigorous mathematical derivation, to finally provide causal inference in the form of apps.
Melatonin salvages lead‐induced neuro‐cognitive shutdown, anxiety, and depressive‐like symptoms via oxido‐inflammatory and cholinergic mechanisms
Authors: Omeiza Noah A. , Abdulrahim Halimat A. , Alagbonsi Abdullateef I. , Ezurike Precious U. , Soluoku Talha K. , Isiabor Happy , Alli‐oluwafuyi Abdulmusawwir A.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Lead is the most used nonphysiological neurotoxic heavy metal in the world that has been indicated to interfere with the cognitive and noncognitive processes via numerous mechanisms. The neuroprotective effect of melatonin is well known, but the effect of its interaction with lead in the brain remains inconclusive.

Objective

To assess the therapeutic role of melatonin on cognitive deficit, anxiety and depressive‐like symptoms in matured male Wistar rats exposed to a subchronic lead chloride (PbCl2).

Methods

Twenty male Wistar rats were blindly randomized into four groups (n = 5/group): group 1 to 4 underwent intragastric administration of physiological saline (10 ml/kg; vehicle), PbCl2 (50 mg/kg), melatonin (10 mg/kg) and PbCl2 + melatonin respectively for a period of 4 weeks during which neurobehavioral data were extracted, followed by neurochemical and histopathological evaluations.

Results

Exposure to PbCl2 reduced cognitive performance by increasing the escape latency and average proximity to the platform zone border, decreasing average path length in the platform zone, cognitive score, and time spent in probing. It raised the thigmotaxis percentage, time spent in rearing, number of pellet‐like feces, and time spent in the dark compartment of a bright/dark box which are predictors of anxiety. It also induced depressive‐like behavior as immobility time was enhanced. PbCl2 deranged neurochemicals; malondialdehyde, interlukin‐1β, and tumor necrotic factor‐α were increased while superoxide dismutase and acetylcholinesterase were decreased without remarkable alteration in reduced glutathione and nitric oxide. Administration of PbCl2 further disrupted neuronal settings of hippocampal proper and dentate gyrus. In contrast, the supplementation of melatonin reversed all the neurological consequences of PbCl2 neurotoxicity by eliciting its properties against oxidative and nonoxidative action of PbCl2.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that melatonin down‐regulates neurotoxicant interplays in the brain systems. Therefore, this study suggests the use of melatonin as an adjuvant therapy in neuropathological disorders/dysfunctions.
Test‐retest and time dependent variation and diagnostic values of vibratory sensation determined by biothesiometer and the Rydel‐Seiffer tuning fork
Authors: Wittenberg Bolette , Svendsen Toke K. , Gaist Laura M. , Itani Mustapha , Gylfadottir Sandra S. , Jensen Troels S. , Gaist David , Sindrup Søren H. , Krøigård Thomas
Published: June 2021

Background and aims

Polyneuropathy is a common neurological disorder with many potential causes. An essential part in screening, diagnosis, and follow‐up evaluation of polyneuropathy is testing of the sensory function including vibratory sensation. The graduated Rydel‐Seiffer tuning fork and the biothesiometer have been developed to quantify vibratory sensation through detection thresholds. The aim of this study is to compare the vibration detection thresholds determined by the two instruments regarding intraindividual temporal changes, interindividual variation in healthy subjects and comparison of the diagnostic value in patients with a clinical suspicion of polyneuropathy.

Methods

Ninety‐four healthy subjects, 98 patients with and 97 patients without a diagnosis of polyneuropathy were included. Quantitative sensory testing including biothesiometry, structured clinical examination, and nerve conduction studies were performed three times during 52 weeks in healthy subjects and once in patients.

Results

There were no significant changes over time for neither the Rydel‐Seiffer tuning fork nor the biothesiometer, and both had larger between‐subject variation than within‐subject variation. Relative intertrial variability was largest for the biothesiometer. Diagnostic value (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value) was moderate for both methods (Rydel‐Seiffer tuning fork: 58%, 74%, 70%, 64%; biothesiometer: 47%, 77%, 68%, 59%).

Interpretation

The Rydel‐Seiffer tuning fork and the biothesiometer have a low test‐retest and time dependent variation. They perform almost equally as diagnostic tools in patients with suspected polyneuropathy with a tendency toward better performance of the tuning fork.
Proton radiotherapy for recurrent or metastatic sarcoma with palliative quad shot
Authors: Lee Anna , Kang Jung J. , Bernstein Havah , Marqueen Kathryn E. , Neal Brian , Kelly Ciara M. , Dickson Mark A. , Jillian Tsai Chiaojung , Tap William , Singer Samuel , Alektiar Kaled , Lee Nancy Y.
Published: June 2021

Patients with previously treated, recurrent or metastatic sarcomas who have progressed on multiples lines of systemic therapy may have limited options for local control. We evaluated outcomes of palliative proton therapy with the quad shot regimen to unresectable disease for patients with recurrent and/or metastatic sarcoma. From 2014 to 2018, 28 patients with recurrent or metastatic sarcomas were treated to 40 total sites with palliative proton RT with quad shot (14.8 Gy/4 twice daily). Outcomes included toxicity, ability to receive further systemic therapy, and subjective palliative response. Univariate analysis was performed for local progression‐free survival (LPFS) and overall survival (OS). Of the 40 total sites, 25 (62.5%) received ≥3 cycles with median follow up of 12 months (IQR 4–19). The most common histologies were GIST (9; 22.5%) and leiomyosarcoma (7; 17.5%). A total of 27 (67.5%) sites were located in the abdomen or pelvis. Seventeen (42.5%) treatments involved concurrent systemic therapy and 13 (32.5%) patients received further systemic therapy following proton therapy. Overall subjective palliative response was 70%. Median LPFS was 11 months and 6‐month LPFS was 66.1%. On univariate analysis, receipt of four cycles of quad shot (HR 0.06, p = 0.02) and receipt of systemic therapy after completion of radiation therapy (HR 0.17, p = 0.02) were associated with improved LPFS. Three grade 3 acute toxicities were observed. The proton quad shot regimen serves as a feasible alternative for patients with previously treated, recurrent or metastatic sarcomas where overall treatment options may be limited.
Counsellors' experiences of the use of mindfulness in the treatment of depression and anxiety: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: McCabe Rebecca , Day Elizabeth
Published: June 2021

Background

The current study explores counsellors’ experiences of their integration of mindfulness into the treatment of their clients for depression and anxiety.

Method

Five counsellors participated in semi‐structured interviews, which were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify how the use of mindfulness in therapy was experienced and understood by participants.

Results

The analysis produced six themes: the benefits of mindfulness for clients, the client's role in the success of mindfulness, the integrity of practice, using mindfulness in therapy, mindfulness techniques and the responsibility of a mindfulness practitioner. A description of these themes and related subordinate themes is presented, with analysis of the findings in relation to the literature.

Recommendations

Practice implications include that present‐moment awareness is the cornerstone of mindfulness and that this can be practised and taught; that a counsellor's establishment of a personal mindfulness practice significantly supports their effective integration of mindfulness interventions in the clinical space; and that a client's sustained practice of mindfulness beyond the clinical space is indicative of a reduction of the frequency and intensity of depressive and anxious symptomology.

The level of a counsellor's training and experience in mindfulness is found to be an important factor in the effectiveness of the use of mindfulness as a clinical intervention. This supports a case at policy level for the uptake of a mindfulness competencies framework for counselling trainees—including minimum duration of personal practice—in the service of greater consistency and accountability in the delivery of mindfulness techniques in the clinical space.
The appropriate use criteria: Improvements for its integration into real world clinical practice
Authors: Klein Lloyd W , Tamis‐Holland Jacqueline , Kirtane Ajay J , Anderson H Vernon , Cigarroa Joaquin , Duffy Peter L , Blankenship James , Valentine C. Michael , Welt Frederick GP ,   For The AUC Workgroup of the ISLC Endorsed by the Interventional Section Leadership Council, American College of Cardiology
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this position statement is to suggest ways in which future appropriate use criteria (AUC) for coronary revascularization might be restructured to: (1) incorporate improvement in quality of life and angina relief as primary goals of therapy, (2) integrate the findings of recent trials into quality appraisal, (3) employ the combined information of the coronary angiogram and invasive physiologic measurements together with the results of stress test imaging to assess risk, and (4) recognize the essential role that patient preference plays in making individualized therapeutic decisions. The AUC is a valuable tool within the quality assurance process; it is vital that interventionists ensure that percutaneous coronary intervention case selection is both evidence‐based and patient oriented. Appropriate patient selection is an important quality indicator and adherence to evidence‐based practice should be one metric in a portfolio of process and outcome indicators that measure quality.
Intravascular lithotripsy for treatment of calcific coronary lesions in ST elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Cosgrove Claudia , Hanratty Colm G , Hill Jonathan M , Mahadevan Kalaivani , Mailey Jonathan , McEntegart Margaret , O'Kane Peter , Sidik Novalia , Strange Julian W , Walsh Simon J , Wilson Simon , Yeoh Julian , Spratt James C
Published: June 2021

Aims

To describe the utility and safety of intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) in the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods and results

We performed a retrospective analysis, across six UK sites of all patients in whom IVL was used for coronary calcium modification of the culprit lesion during primary PCI for STEMI. The 72 patients were included. IVL was used in de‐novo culprit lesions in 57 (79%) of cases and culprit in‐stent restenoses in 11 (15%) of cases. In four cases (6%) it was used in a newly deployed stent when this was under‐expanded due to inadequate calcium modification. Of the 30 cases in which intracoronary imaging was available for stent analysis, the average stent expansion was 104%. Intra‐procedural stent thrombosis occurred in one case (1%), and no‐reflow in three cases (4%). The 30 day MACE rates were 18%.

Conclusion

IVL appears to be feasible and safe for use in the treatment of calcific coronary artery disease in the setting of STEMI.
Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis or ischemic cerebrovascular disease?
Authors: Eran Ayelet , Kaidar‐Person Orit
Published: June 2021

A lung cancer patient suspected to have leptomeningeal carcinomatosis was referred for radiation. A careful evaluation of the MRI by a neuroradiologist revealed multiple brain infarcts. Multidisciplinary meetings are important for patient's case.
Dual Anti‐Sintering Mechanism of Highly Stable CaO‐Based Sorbent and Enhanced Kinetics
Authors: Li Mingchun , Yu Fuyuan , Ren Long , Li Laishi , Wu Yusheng
Published: June 2021

The CO2 capture performance of calcium‐based sorbents usually reduced rapidly after only a few cycles. A simple and economical method for the preparation of CaO sorbents based on natural limestone with high cyclic stability and dual anti‐sintering mechanism is introduced. After 30 cycles, the limestone‐derived sorbents with 12.5 wt % MgO loading show about 180 % higher carbonation conversion together with a nearly six times faster rate of CO2 sorption in the diffusion‐controlled step, compared to unmodified samples. The incorporating MgO using magnesium basic carbonate can partially dissolve into CaO during multiple cycles and enrich the roughened surface layer of regenerated CaO, producing abundant diffusion channels in the carbonate layer and faster carbonation rate in the diffusion‐controlled step.
Mechanistic Elucidation of Dimer Formation and Strategies for Its Suppression in Electrochemical Reduction of Fac‐Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br
Authors: Rønne Magnus H. , Madsen Monica R. , Skrydstrup Troels , Pedersen Steen U. , Daasbjerg Kim
Published: June 2021

Development of new catalytic approaches for reduction of small molecules is an aspiring technology to alleviate increasing energy demands without use of fossil fuels. One of the most promising molecular catalysts for reduction of CO2 is fac‐Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br (bpy=2,2’‐bipyridine). In this work, the mechanism of electrochemical reduction of this complex is elucidated using cyclic voltammetry along with digital simulations. It is revealed that the dimer complex, Mn2(bpy)2(CO)6, is not, as often assumed, formed by dimerization of the singly reduced manganese complex, [Mn(bpy)(CO)3]., but instead from its reduction to [Mn(bpy)(CO)3]−, followed by further reaction with Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br (rate constant=1.75×105 M−1 s−1). On the basis of cyclic voltammetry, infrared‐spectroelectrochemistry, and 1H NMR spectroscopy, we establish that this parent‐child reaction involving Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br as electrophile can be diverted by adding either acids or iodomethane as substituting electrophiles. This demonstrates that [Mn(bpy)(CO)3]−, which is the central catalyst for CO2 reduction, can be formed at less extreme potentials than previously believed by suppressing the parent‐child reaction.
Redox Cycling at an Array of Interdigitated Bipolar Electrodes for Enhanced Sensitivity in Biosensing**
Authors: Borchers Janis S. , Campbell Claire R. , Van Scoy Savanah B. , Clark Morgan J. , Anand Robbyn K.
Published: June 2021

An array of many bipolar electrodes (BPEs) can be controlled by a single pair of driving electrodes yet allows for multiplexed analysis of many individual biomarkers or single cells at once. A wide range of bipolar electrochemical sensors have been devised, many of which operate under battery power and produce visible signals (e. g., luminescent, electrochromic) appropriate for smartphone or naked eye readout. These features of BPEs are advantageous in the context of clinical and environmental sensing applications at the point of need. However, the sensitivity of BPEs is poor in comparison to direct measurement of current at an individual electrode, and therefore, the enhancement of signals obtained at BPEs is an active area of research. Here, we describe signal amplification by redox cycling accomplished by interdigitation of each BPE in an array with a shared driving electrode. We evaluate amplification obtained for interelectrode spacing in the range of 35 
m to 5 
m, over which the limit of detection decreased by an order of magnitude. Each interdigitated BPE (IDBPE) in the array has an independent, reproducible, and linear response to a reversible electroactive analyte. Therefore, this universal amplification strategy allows for multiplexed or spatially resolved sensing in point‐of‐need applications.
Thermodynamic Modeling and Evaluation of Fuel Evaporation in Petrol Engine Tanks
Authors: Ohmann Sven , Hedwig Michael , Breitkopf Cornelia
Published: June 2021

The thermodynamic modeling of the fuel evaporation in a tank of petrol engine cars by calculation of vapor‐liquid equilibria of multi‐compound systems of real model fluids is described. An overview of the modeling background and formulation is provided. The results of simulated fuel evaporation with the derived model for the first diurnal for different types of fuels and influencing parameters are presented.
Importance of epicardial adipose tissue localization using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with heart failure with mid‐range and preserved ejection fraction
Authors: van Woerden Gijs , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , Gorter Thomas M. , van Empel Vanessa P. M. , Hemels Martin E. W. , Hazebroek Eric J. , van Veldhuisen Sophie L. , Willems Tineke P. , Rienstra Michiel , Westenbrink Berend Daan
Published: June 2021

Background

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%, but whether this is due to a regional or global effect of EAT remains unclear.

Hypothesis

Regional EAT is associated with alterations in local cardiac structure and function.

Methods

Patients with HF and LVEF >40% were studied. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging was used to localize EAT surrounding the right ventricle (RV) and LV separately, using anterior‐ and posterior interventricular grooves as boundaries. Atrial‐ and ventricular EAT were differentiated using the mitral‐valve position. All EAT depots were related to the adjacent myocardial structure.

Results

102 consecutive HF patients were enrolled. The majority of EAT was present around the RV (42% of total EAT, p < .001). RV‐EAT showed a strong association with increased RV mass (β = 0.60, p < .001) and remained associated with RV mass after adjusting for total EAT, sex, N‐terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), renal function and blood glucose. LV‐EAT showed a similar association with LV mass in univariable analysis, albeit less pronounced (β = 0.24, p = .02). Atrial EAT was increased in patients with atrial fibrillation compared to those without atrial fibrillation (30 vs. 26 ml/m2, p = .04), whereas ventricular EAT was similar (74 vs. 75 ml/m2, p = .9).

Conclusions

Regional EAT is strongly associated with local cardiac structure and function in HF patients with LVEF >40%. These data support the hypothesis that regional EAT is involved in the pathophysiology of HF with LVEF >40%.
A meta‐analysis on allergen‐specific immunotherapy using MCT® (MicroCrystalline Tyrosine)‐adsorbed allergoids in pollen allergic patients suffering from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis
Authors: Becker Sven , Zieglmayer Petra , Canto Gabriela , Fassio Filippo , Yong Patrick , Acikel Cengizhan , Raskopf Esther , Steveling‐Klein Esther Helen , Allekotte Silke , Mösges Ralph
Published: June 2021

Background

The World Allergy Organization and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology recommend to perform product‐specific meta‐analyses for allergen‐specific immunotherapies because of the high degree of heterogeneity between individual products. This meta‐analysis evaluates the efficacy and safety of Glutaraldehyde‐modified and MCT® (MicroCrystalline Tyrosine)‐adsorbed allergoids (MATA).

Methods

The databases MEDLINE, LILACS, embase, LIVIVO, Web of Science and Google (Scholar) were searched for publications on MATA up to June 2019. Primary endpoint was the combined symptom and medication score (CSMS). Secondary endpoints were single scores, immunogenicity and improvement of allergic condition. Secondary safety endpoints were the occurrence of side effects. A random effects model was applied with (standardized) mean differences ([S]MDs) including confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was analyzed using the I2 index and publication bias using Egger's test and Funnel plots. Subgroups were analyzed regarding age and asthma status.

Results

Eight randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trials were selected for efficacy and 43 publications for safety analysis. In total, 4531 patients were included in this analysis including eight studies containing data on children and adolescents. AIT with MATA significantly reduced allergic symptoms and medication use with a SMD for CSMS of −0.8 (CI: −1.24, −0.36) in comparison to placebo. Heterogeneity was moderate between the studies. The total symptom score (−1.2 [CI: −2.11, −0.29]) and the total medication score (−2.2 [CI: −3.65, −0.74]) were also significantly reduced after MATA treatment. Patient's condition improved significantly after treatment with MATA, with an odds ratio of 3.05 (CI: 1.90, 4.90) when compared to placebo. The proportion of patients, who developed side effects was 38% (CI: 19%, 57%). No serious side effects occurred. Safety in the subgroups of asthmatic patients, children and adolescents did not differ from the overall patient population.

Conclusions

This meta‐analysis reveals a large body of evidence from publications investigating MATA. MATA significantly improved allergic symptoms and reduced the use of anti‐allergic medication in comparison to placebo, with an excellent safety profile. Especially for children and asthmatic patients, the use of MATAs can be considered as safe, because the safety profiles in these groups did not differ from the total patient population.
The ever‐increasing importance of cancer as a leading cause of premature death worldwide
Authors: Bray Freddie , Laversanne Mathieu , Weiderpass Elisabete , Soerjomataram Isabelle
Published: June 2021

The relative importance of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer as leading causes of premature death are examined in this communication. CVD and cancer are now the leading causes in 127 countries, with CVD leading in 70 countries (including Brazil and India) and cancer leading in 57 countries (including China). Such observations can be seen as part of a late phase of an epidemiologic transition, taking place in the second half of the 20th century and the first half of the present one, in which the dominance of infectious diseases is progressively superseded by noncommunicable diseases. According to present ranks and recent trends, cancer may surpass CVD as the leading cause of premature death in most countries over the course of this century. Clearly, governments must factor in these transitions in developing cancer policies for the local disease profile.
Doughnutie: An efficient and low‐latency cloud data center network architecture
Authors: Nasirian Sara , Faghani Farhad , Daneshvar Farzanegan Mahmoud
Published: June 2021

Data center network provides the supporting infrastructure for cloud computing. Torus interconnection network is widely employed in the cloud data center networks. However, its long network diameter and average path length (APL) are prohibitive factors for supporting the delay‐sensitive applications. With the aim of meeting latency, network capacity, fault‐tolerance, scalability, and energy‐efficiency requirements of cloud data center networks, we propose a new data center network architecture, named Doughnutie. Doughnutie is built by adding a number of flyway connections to the base Torus network to ameliorate its performance. Doughnutie does not follow a single principle for establishing all of its flyways and consequently, each part of the network can profit from all local, faraway, and neither‐local‐nor‐faraway types of connection. Doughnutie decreases both network diameter and APL, which in turn leads to higher communication efficiency and lower network latency. Moreover, an exclusively designed loop‐free load‐balanced adaptive routing algorithm, named Doughnuter, is proposed. Employing the Doughnuter routing algorithm results in more efficient utilization of all the Doughnutie network resources. Theoretical analysis and simulation results also prove the superiorities of Doughnutie in throughput, load balancing, fault tolerance, and energy‐efficiency.
Ramanujan bipartite graph products for efficient block sparse neural networks
Authors: Vooturi Dharma Teja , Varma Girish , Kothapalli Kishore
Published: June 2021

Sparse neural networks are shown to give accurate predictions competitive to denser versions, while also minimizing the number of arithmetic operations performed. However current GPU hardware can only exploit structured sparsity patterns for better efficiency. We propose a framework for generating structured multilevel block sparse neural networks by using the theory of graph products. Our Ramanujan bipartite graph product (RBGP) framework uses products of Ramanujan graphs to obtain the best connectivity for a given level of sparsity. This essentially ensures that the i.) the networks has the structured block sparsity for which runtime efficient algorithms exists, ii.) the model gives high prediction accuracy, due to the better expressive power derived from the connectivity of the graph, iii.) the graph data structure has a succinct representation that can be stored efficiently in memory. We use our framework to design a specific connectivity pattern called RBGP4 which makes efficient use of the memory hierarchy available on GPU. We benchmark our approach on image classification and machine translation tasks with an edge (Jetson Nano 2GB) as well as server (V100) GPUs. When compared with commonly used sparsity patterns like unstructured and block, we obtain significant speedups while achieving the same level of accuracy.
Dynamic load balancing assisted optimized access control mechanism for Edge‐Fog‐Cloud network in Internet of Things environment
Authors: Agrawal Neha
Published: June 2021

The modern age networks are supposed to be connected, agile, programmable, and load efficient to counter the side‐effects of an imbalanced network such as network congestion, higher transmission cost, low reliability, and so forth. The wide number of electronic devices around us have a great potential to realize the concept of a connected world. Internet of Things (IoT) is an effort of the research community to realize this concept, and cloud computing plays an important role in this realization. However, fog and edge computing are more prominent solutions for small power devices and latency sensitive applications. As IoT sensors generate huge volume of data, and the IoT environment comprises of multiple applications and traffic conditions, a network traffic based dynamic load balancing approach is needed to optimize the overall network performance. This work proposes a layer based Edge‐Fog‐Cloud network architecture to distribute the network traffic load in an IoT environment. In addition to this, a load balancing assisted optimized access control mechanism is discussed to improve the network load conditions further. The proposed mechanism is tested using Amazon web services platform and the achieved results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The simulation results show an average improved CPU utilization rate of 10.13%, 10.01%, 10.82%, 8.78%, and 11.91% in five different experiments conducted.
Association of oral hygiene practices with the outcome of untreated dental caries and its clinical consequences in pre‐ and primary school children: A cross‐sectional study in a northern province of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Gudipaneni Ravi Kumar , Patil Santosh R. , Assiry Ali A. , Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Bandela Vinod , Metta Kiran Kumar , Almuhanna Redha
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To assess the association amongst oral hygiene practices, untreated dental caries (UDC) and clinical consequences of UDC in pre‐ and primary school children aged 3–5 and 6–7 years.

Materials and methods

A total of 250 subjects were recruited. The demographic and oral hygiene data were collected using a closed‐ended questionnaire. The UDC was measured using the ‘d/D' component of the decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft/DMFT) index, and its clinical consequences were recorded using the ‘p/P' component of the pulpal involvement, ulceration, fistula and abscess (pufa/PUFA) index. The data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression.

Results

Overall, 94.2% and 56.5% of the participants had one or more UDC and pulp involvement (p ≥ 1), respectively in 3–5‐year‐old age group. In the 6‐7‐year‐ age group the prevalence of UDC was 26.7% and the pulp involvement was 11.6%. Children who brushed with their fingers were 4.7 times more likely to have UDC (crude odds ratio [COR] = 4.71; 95% CI: 1.21–18.40). Twice‐daily brushing resulted in a 39% (p = 0.732) lower likelihood of having UDC compared with once‐daily brushing (COR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.04, 10.09). Children with irregular brushing frequency were 3.2 times more likely to have pulpal involvement (COR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.74–5.93).

Conclusion

Finger brushing, irregular frequency of brushing and lack of parental supervision whilst brushing were associated with UDC and its consequences.
Feasibility of assessing brain activity using mobile, in‐home collection of electroencephalography: methods and analysis
Authors: Troller‐Renfree Sonya V. , Morales Santiago , Leach Stephanie C. , Bowers Maureen E. , Debnath Ranjan , Fifer William P. , Fox Nathan A. , Noble Kimberly G.
Published: June 2021

The last decade has seen increased availability of mobile electroencephalography (EEG). These mobile systems enable researchers to conduct data collection “in‐context,” reducing participant burden and potentially increasing diversity and representation of research samples. Our research team completed in‐home data collection from more than 400 twelve‐month‐old infants from low‐income backgrounds using a mobile EEG system. In this paper, we provide methodological and analytic guidance for collecting high‐quality, mobile EEG in infants. Specifically, we offer insights and recommendations for equipment selection, data collection, and data analysis, highlighting important considerations for selecting a mobile EEG system. Examples include the size of the recording equipment, electrode type, reference types, and available montages. We also highlight important recommendations surrounding preparing a nonstandardized recording environment for EEG collection, obtaining informed consent from parents, instructions for parents during capping and recording, stimuli and task design, training researchers, and monitoring data as it comes in. Additionally, we provide access to the analysis code and demonstrate the robustness of the data from a recent study using this approach, in which 20 artifact‐free epochs achieve good internal consistency reliability. Finally, we provide recommendations and publicly available resources for future studies aiming to collect mobile EEG.
Attentional bias in eating disorders: A meta‐review
Authors: Stott Natalie , Fox John R.E. , Williams Marc O.
Published: June 2021

Objective

This meta‐review summarizes and synthesizes the most reliable findings regarding attentional bias in eating disorders across paradigms and stimulus types and considers implications for theory and future research.

Method

Four databases were systematically searched, along with reference lists of included reviews, yielding 15 systematic reviews (four of which were also meta‐analyses). The quality of each review was appraised using the AMSTAR‐2.

Results

Key findings from systematic reviews are summarized, organized by paradigm and stimulus type.

Discussion

The authors synthesize evidence from the highest‐quality studies. There is evidence for attentional avoidance and vigilance in eating disorders depending on stimulus properties (low vs. high‐calorie food; high‐body mass vs. low‐body mass index photos of others) and attentional avoidance of food stimuli in those with anorexia nervosa. Sad mood induction may generate attentional bias for food in those with binge‐eating disorder. There may also be attentional bias to general threat in eating disorder samples. This meta‐review concludes that most systematic reviews in this field are low in quality and summarizes the main areas that could be improved upon in future reviews. Implications of this study's findings for theory and intervention research are also discussed.
High temperatures and human pressures interact to influence mortality in an African carnivore
Authors: Rabaiotti Daniella , Groom Rosemary , McNutt J. Weldon , Watermeyer Jessica , O'Neill Helen M. K. , Woodroffe Rosie
Published: June 2021

The impacts of high ambient temperatures on mortality in humans and domestic animals are well‐understood. However much less is known about how hot weather affects mortality in wild animals. High ambient temperatures have been associated with African wild dog Lycaon pictus pup mortality, suggesting that high temperatures might also be linked to high adult mortality.

We analyzed mortality patterns in African wild dogs radio‐collared in Kenya (0°N), Botswana (20°S), and Zimbabwe (20°S), to examine whether ambient temperature was associated with adult mortality.

We found that high ambient temperatures were associated with increased adult wild dog mortality at the Kenya site, and there was some evidence for temperature associations with mortality at the Botswana and Zimbabwe sites.

At the Kenya study site, which had the highest human impact, high ambient temperatures were associated with increased risks of wild dogs being killed by people, and by domestic dog diseases. In contrast, temperature was not associated with the risk of snare‐related mortality at the Zimbabwe site, which had the second‐highest human impact. Causes of death varied markedly between sites.

Pack size was positively associated with survival at all three sites.

These findings suggest that while climate change may not lead to new causes of mortality, rising temperatures may exacerbate existing anthropogenic threats to this endangered species, with implications for conservation. This evidence suggests that temperature‐related mortality, including interactions between temperature and other anthropogenic threats, should be investigated in a greater number of species to understand and mitigate likely impacts of climate change.

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Individual quality and phenology mediate the effect of radioactive contamination on body temperature in Chernobyl barn swallows
Authors: Boratyński Zbyszek , Mousseau Timothy A. , Møller Anders Pape
Published: June 2021

Anthropogenic stressors, such as radioactive contaminants released from the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi accidents, deteriorate ecological and evolutionary processes, as evidence for damaging effects of radioactive contamination on wildlife is accumulating. Yet little is known about physiological traits of animals inhabiting contaminated areas, and how those are affected by individual quality and phenology. We investigated variation in body temperature of wild barn swallows,Hirundo rustica, exposed to radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl accident in Ukraine and Belarus. We tested whether exposure to variable levels of radioactive contamination modified core body temperature of birds, and whether individual and phenological characteristics modulated radiosensitivity of body temperature. We showed that barn swallow body temperature varied with exposure to environmental radioactive contamination and that individual characteristics and phenology affected radioactive exposure. Increased radiosensitivity and up‐regulation of body temperature were detected in birds of low body condition, high risk of capture, and in animals captured late during the day but early during the season. These results highlight the complex ways that the body temperature of a wild bird is impacted by exposure to increased radioactive contamination in natural habitats. By impacting body temperature, increased radioactive contamination may compromise energetic balance, jeopardize responsiveness to global warming, and increase risk of overheating.
Understanding the evolution of nutritive taste in animals: Insights from biological stoichiometry and nutritional geometry
Authors: Demi Lee M. , Taylor Brad W. , Reading Benjamin J. , Tordoff Michael G. , Dunn Robert R.
Published: June 2021

A major conceptual gap in taste biology is the lack of a general framework for understanding the evolution of different taste modalities among animal species. We turn to two complementary nutritional frameworks, biological stoichiometry theory and nutritional geometry, to develop hypotheses for the evolution of different taste modalities in animals. We describe how the attractive tastes of Na‐, Ca‐, P‐, N‐, and C‐containing compounds are consistent with principles of both frameworks based on their shared focus on nutritional imbalances and consumer homeostasis. Specifically, we suggest that the evolution of multiple nutritive taste modalities can be predicted by identifying individual elements that are typically more concentrated in the tissues of animals than plants. Additionally, we discuss how consumer homeostasis can inform our understanding of why some taste compounds (i.e., Na, Ca, and P salts) can be either attractive or aversive depending on concentration. We also discuss how these complementary frameworks can help to explain the evolutionary history of different taste modalities and improve our understanding of the mechanisms that lead to loss of taste capabilities in some animal lineages. The ideas presented here will stimulate research that bridges the fields of evolutionary biology, sensory biology, and ecology.
Frailty in patients with acute decompensated heart failure in a super‐aged regional Japanese cohort
Authors: Hamada Tomoyuki , Kubo Toru , Kawai Kazuya , Nakaoka Yoko , Yabe Toshikazu , Furuno Takashi , Yamada Eisuke , Kitaoka Hiroaki ,   the Kochi YOSACOI study
Published: June 2021

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate clinical characteristics of frail patients based on a comprehensive frailty assessment in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (HF) (ADHF) in super‐aged regional Japanese cohort.

Methods and results

We established the Kochi Registry of Subjects with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (Kochi YOSACOI) study, which was a prospective multicentre community‐based cohort study in six participating hospitals in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. We enrolled 1061 patients (median age, 81 years; 50.0% men) hospitalized for ADHF between June 2017 and December 2019 in this registry. Patients were classified into the three groups by the severity of frailty using the Kihon Checklist: we identified frailty in 510 patients (53.7%), prefrailty in 293 patients (30.9%), and non‐frailty in 146 patients (15.4%). Compared with prefrail and non‐frail patients, frail patients were older (84 years interquartile range [IQR, 77–88] vs. 79 years [IQR, 69–86] and 72 years [IQR 65–81], P < 0.001) and more often had prior HF hospitalization (29.6% vs. 21.8% and 16.4%, P < 0.05), chronic kidney disease (81.6% vs. 71.7% and 61.0%, P < 0.01), anaemia (75.3% vs. 61.4% and 50.0%, P < 0.001), cerebrovascular accident (19.0% vs. 9.9% and 4.1%, P < 0.01). The proportion of patients with three or more comorbidities was larger in the frailty group than in the other groups (78.0% vs. 67.2% and 63.0%, P < 0.01). The frequency of functional decline in all domains increased with frailty status. Approximately 70% of frail patients were identified as functional decline in physical function and socialization domains. Fifty to sixty per cent of frail patients had functional decline in instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive function, and depression domains. The percentage of worsening walking ability during hospitalization was increasing with the frailty status (frailty, 27.5%; prefrailty, 21.8%; non‐frailty, 8.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with age [odds ratio (OR) 1.031, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.011–1.052, P = 0.003], prior HF hospitalization (OR 1.789, 95% CI 1.165–2.764, P = 0.008), brain natriuretic peptide level at discharge (OR 1.001, 95% CI 1.000–1.001, P = 0.020) and prior cerebrovascular accident (OR 2.549, 95% CI 1.484–4.501, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

More than half of patients with ADHF were frail and had functional decline across multiple domains, not only physical function domain. The Kihon Checklist provided useful and valuable information for easily identifying frail patients and comprehensive management of HF.