bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluctuation of fasting blood glucose in patients who underwent primary or revision total joint arthroplasty: a retrospective review
Authors: Ye Yongyu , Pan Baiqi , Gu Minghui , Xian Guoyan , Chen Weishen , Zheng Linli , Zhang Ziji , Sheng Puyi
Published: November 2020

Background

Perioperative hyperglycemia is a risk factor for postoperative complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). However, the variability of fasting blood glucose (FBG) after TJA remains unknown. We aimed to assess the fluctuation and extent of elevation of FBG following primary or revision TJA.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 1788 patients who underwent primary or revision TJA between 2013 and 2018. We examined FBG values collected during 6 days of the perioperative period. The findings for each time point were evaluated with descriptive statistics. Postoperative glycemic variability was assessed by the coefficient of variation (CV).

Results

The final cohort included the medical records of 1480 patients (1417 primary and 63 revision). FBG was highest on postoperative day 1 in the primary and revision groups (P < 0.001), which had the highest number of hyperglycemic patients (FBG > 100 mg/dL), with 66.4% and 75.5% in the primary and revision groups, respectively. The CV of diabetics in the primary group, and diabetics and non-diabetics in the revision group, was higher than that of non-diabetics in the primary group.

Conclusion

Postoperative day 1 showed the highest FBG levels and proportion of patients with hyperglycemia in the perioperative period. Primary group diabetics, and revision group diabetics and non-diabetics, had higher postoperative fluctuation of FBG than primary group non-diabetics. Frequent FBG monitoring may therefore be warranted in diabetic patients undergoing TJA, and all patients undergoing revision TJA.
Gallbladder cancer-associated fibroblasts promote vasculogenic mimicry formation and tumor growth in gallbladder cancer via upregulating the expression of NOX4, a poor prognosis factor, through IL-6-JAK-STAT3 signal pathway
Authors: Pan Mu-Su , Wang Hui , Ansari Kamar Hasan , Li Xin-Ping , Sun Wei , Fan Yue-Zu
Published: November 2020

Background

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) play important roles in the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the relationship between CAFs and VM formation, especially in gallbladder cancer (GBC) has not been clarified. In this study, we investigated whether gallbladder CAFs (GCAFs) can promote VM formation and tumor growth and explored the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods

A co-culture system of human GBC cells and fibroblasts or HUVECs was established. VM formation, proliferation, invasion, migration, tube formation assays, CD31-PAS double staining, optic/electron microscopy and tumor xenograft assay were used to detect VM formation and malignant phenotypes of 3-D co-culture matrices in vitro, as well as the VM formation and tumor growth of xenografts in vivo, respectively. Microarray analysis was used to analyze gene expression profile in GCAFs/NFs and VM (+)/VM (−) in vitro. QRT-PCR, western blotting, IHC and CIF were used to detected NOX4 expression in GCAFs/NFs, 3-D culture/co-culture matrices in vitro, the xenografts in vivo and human gallbladder tissue/stroma samples. The correlation between NOX4 expression and clinicopathological and prognostic factors of GBC patients was analyzed. And, the underlying molecular mechanism of GCAFs promoting VM formation and tumor growth in GBC was explored.

Results

GCAFs promote VM formation and tumor growth in GBC; and the finding was confirmed by facts that GCAFs induced proliferation, invasion, migration and tube formation of GBC cells in vitro, and promoted VM formation and tumor growth of xenografts in vivo. NOX4 is highly expressed in GBC and its stroma, which is the key gene for VM formation, and is correlated with tumor aggression and survival of GBC patients. The GBC patients with high NOX4 expression in tumor cells and stroma have a poor prognosis. The underlying molecular mechanism may be related to the upregulation of NOX4 expression through paracrine IL-6 mediated IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Conclusions

GCAFs promote VM formation and tumor growth in GBC via upregulating NOX4 expression through the activation of IL-6-JAK-STAT3 signal pathway. NOX4, as a VM-related gene in GBC, is overexpressed in GBC cells and GCAFs, which is related to aggression and unfavorable prognosis of GBC patients.
A collaborative care psychosocial intervention to improve late life depression in socioeconomically deprived areas of Guarulhos, Brazil: the PROACTIVE cluster randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Scazufca Marcia , Nakamura Carina Akemi , Peters Tim J. , Henrique Maiara Garcia , Seabra Antônio , La Rotta Ehidee Gomez , Franzin Renato M. , Martins Daniele Ferreira , Van de Ven Pepijn , Hollingworth William , Araya Ricardo
Published: November 2020

Background

The elderly population has been growing in most low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and depression is a common condition among these populations. The lack of integration between mental health and primary healthcare services and the shortage of mental health specialists in the public health system contribute to underdiagnosis and undertreatment of depression. One of the strategies to reduce this gap is task shifting and collaborative care treatments. This study therefore aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a collaborative care psychosocial intervention to improve the clinical management of depression among elderly people in poor neighbourhoods in Guarulhos, Brazil.

Methods

Two-arm, cluster randomised controlled trial with Basic Health Units as the clusters and a 1:1 allocation ratio. Twenty Basic Health Units have been randomly selected and randomised to control or intervention arms. We aim to recruit 1440 adults (72 per cluster) aged 60 years or over identified with depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥ 10). The control arm participants will receive an enhanced usual care, while the intervention arm participants will receive an enhanced usual care and a 17-week psychosocial intervention programme delivered at home by community health workers with the help of an application installed on tablet computers. The primary outcome is the proportion with depression recovery (PHQ-9 < 10) at 8 months’ follow-up. We will also assess the maintenance of any earlier clinical gains and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention at 12 months.

Discussion

This is the first randomised trial to investigate a collaborative care intervention to treat depression among poor elderly in LMIC/Latin America. This is a major public health problem worldwide, but in these countries, there are no locally tested, evidence-based interventions available to date.

Trial registration

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN57805470. Registered on 25 April 2019
National initiatives to promote quality of care and patient safety: achievements to date and challenges ahead
Authors: Dreiher Dalia , Blagorazumnaya Olga , Balicer Ran , Dreiher Jacob
Published: November 2020

Background

The quality of healthcare in Israel is considered “high”, and this achievement is due to the structure and organization of the healthcare system. The goal of the present review is to describe the major achievements and challenges of quality improvement in the Israeli healthcare system.

Body

In recent years, the Ministry of Health has made major strides in increasing the public’s access to comparative data on quality, finances and patient satisfaction. Several mechanisms at multiple levels help promote quality improvement and patient safety. These include legislation, financial incentives, and national programs for quality indicators, patient experience, patient safety, prevention and control of infection and accreditation. Over the years, improvements in quality indicators, infection prevention and patient satisfaction can be demonstrated, but other fields show little change, if at all. Challenges and barriers include reluctance by unions, inconsistent and unreliable flow of information, the fear of overpressure by management and the loss of autonomy by physicians, and doubts regarding “gaming” of data. Accreditation has its own challenges, such as the need to adjust it to local characteristics of the healthcare system, its high cost, and the limited evidence of its impact on quality. Lack of interest by leaders, lack of resources, burnout and compassion fatigue, are listed as challenges for improving patient experience.

Conclusion

Substantial efforts are being made in Israel to improve quality of care, based on the use of good data to understand what is working and what needs particular attention. Government and health care providers have the tools to continue to improve. However, several mechanisms for improving the quality of care, such as minimizing healthcare disparities, training for quality, and widespread implementation of the “choosing wisely” initiative, should be implemented more intensively and effectively.
DOANet: a deep dilated convolutional neural network approach for search and rescue with drone-embedded sound source localization
Authors: Qayyum Alif Bin Abdul , Hassan K. M. Naimul , Anika Adrita , Shadiq Md. Farhan , Rahman Md Mushfiqur , Islam Md. Tariqul , Imran Sheikh Asif , Hossain Shahruk , Haque Mohammad Ariful
Published: November 2020

Drone-embedded sound source localization (SSL) has interesting application perspective in challenging search and rescue scenarios due to bad lighting conditions or occlusions. However, the problem gets complicated by severe drone ego-noise that may result in negative signal-to-noise ratios in the recorded microphone signals. In this paper, we present our work on drone-embedded SSL using recordings from an 8-channel cube-shaped microphone array embedded in an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). We use angular spectrum-based TDOA (time difference of arrival) estimation methods such as generalized cross-correlation phase-transform (GCC-PHAT), minimum-variance-distortion-less-response (MVDR) as baseline, which are state-of-the-art techniques for SSL. Though we improve the baseline method by reducing ego-noise using speed correlated harmonics cancellation (SCHC) technique, our main focus is to utilize deep learning techniques to solve this challenging problem. Here, we propose an end-to-end deep learning model, called DOANet, for SSL. DOANet is based on a one-dimensional dilated convolutional neural network that computes the azimuth and elevation angles of the target sound source from the raw audio signal. The advantage of using DOANet is that it does not require any hand-crafted audio features or ego-noise reduction for DOA estimation. We then evaluate the SSL performance using the proposed and baseline methods and find that the DOANet shows promising results compared to both the angular spectrum methods with and without SCHC. To evaluate the different methods, we also introduce a well-known parameter—area under the curve (AUC) of cumulative histogram plots of angular deviations—as a performance indicator which, to our knowledge, has not been used as a performance indicator for this sort of problem before.
Mean-field anticipated BSDEs driven by time-changed Lévy noises
Authors: Liu Youxin , Dai Yang
Published: November 2020

The objective of this work is to show a new kind of mean-field anticipated backward stochastic differential equation (in short MF-ABSDE) driven by time-changed Lévy noises. We give two methods to prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution of those equations by the fixed point theorem and the Picard iterative sequence. Finally, we obtain a comparison theorem for the solutions.
Characterizing temporal genomic heterogeneity in pediatric low-grade gliomas
Authors: Lazow Margot A. , Hoffman Lindsey , Schafer Austin , Osorio Diana S. , Boué Daniel R. , Rush Sarah , Wright Erin , Lane Adam , DeWire-Schottmiller Mariko D. , Smolarek Teresa , Sipple Jared , Taggert Heather , Reuss Jaime , Salloum Ralph , Hummel Trent R. , de Blank Peter , Pillay-Smiley Natasha , Sutton Mary E. , Asher Anthony , Stevenson Charles B. , Drissi Rachid , Finlay Jonathan L. , Fouladi Maryam , Fuller Christine
Published: November 2020

Recent discoveries have provided valuable insight into the genomic landscape of pediatric low-grade gliomas (LGGs) at diagnosis, facilitating molecularly targeted treatment. However, little is known about their temporal and therapy-related genomic heterogeneity. An adequate understanding of the evolution of pediatric LGGs’ genomic profiles over time is critically important in guiding decisions about targeted therapeutics and diagnostic biopsy at recurrence. Fluorescence in situ hybridization, mutation-specific immunohistochemistry, and/or targeted sequencing were performed on paired tumor samples from primary diagnostic and subsequent surgeries. Ninety-four tumor samples from 45 patients (41 with two specimens, four with three specimens) from three institutions underwent testing. Conservation of BRAF fusion, BRAFV600E mutation, and FGFR1 rearrangement status was observed in 100%, 98%, and 96% of paired specimens, respectively. No loss or gain of IDH1 mutations or NTRK2, MYB, or MYBL1 rearrangements were detected over time. Histologic diagnosis remained the same in all tumors, with no acquired H3K27M mutations or malignant transformation. Changes in CDKN2A deletion status at recurrence occurred in 11 patients (42%), with acquisition of hemizygous CDKN2A deletion in seven and loss in four. Shorter time to progression and shorter time to subsequent surgery were observed among patients with acquired CDKN2A deletions compared to patients without acquisition of this alteration [median time to progression: 5.5 versus 16.0 months (p = 0.048); median time to next surgery: 17.0 months versus 29.0 months (p = 0.031)]. Most targetable genetic aberrations in pediatric LGGs, including BRAF alterations, are conserved at recurrence and following chemotherapy or irradiation. However, changes in CDKN2A deletion status over time were demonstrated. Acquisition of CDKN2A deletion may define a higher risk subgroup of pediatric LGGs with a poorer prognosis. Given the potential for targeted therapies for tumors harboring CDKN2A deletions, biopsy at recurrence may be indicated in certain patients, especially those with rapid progression.
Clinical impact of interruption in adjuvant Trastuzumab therapy in patients with operable HER-2 positive breast cancer
Authors: Sardesai Sagar , Sukumar Jasmine , Kassem Mahmoud , Palettas Marilly , Stephens Julie , Morgan Evan , Addison Daniel , Baliga Ragavendra , Stover Daniel G. , VanDeusen Jeffrey , Williams Nicole , Cherian Mathew , Lustberg Maryam , Wesolowski Robert , Ramaswamy Bhuvaneswari
Published: November 2020

Background

Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (TIC) can lead to early discontinuation of adjuvant therapy, however there is limited evidence on long-term survival outcomes in patients with operable human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC) experiencing treatment interruption or discontinuation.

Methods

The primary objective of the study was to evaluate disease-free survival (DFS) in non-metastatic, HER2-positive, female BC patients who experienced treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy. Clinical and histopathological data were collected on 400 patients at The Ohio State University, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center between January 2005 and December 2015. Treatment interruption was defined as any delay of ≥2 weeks during trastuzumab therapy, including permanent cessation prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was defined as LVEF < 50% or > 15 points decline from baseline as evaluated by 2D echocardiogram after initiation of (neo) adjuvant therapy. DFS was defined as the time from diagnosis to first recurrence (loco-regional or distant recurrence) including second primary BC or death. Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from diagnosis to death or last known follow up. OS/DFS estimates were generated using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using Log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for OS/DFS.

Results

A total of 369 patients received trastuzumab therapy; 106 (29%) patients experienced treatment interruption at least once and 42 (11%) permanently discontinued trastuzumab prior to completing planned therapy. TIC was the most common reason for interruption (66 patients, 62%). The median duration of trastuzumab in patients with treatment interruption was 11.3 months (range: 0.5–16.9) with 24 (23%) patients receiving ≤6 months of therapy. This duration includes the time delay related to treatment interruption. Patients with any treatment interruption had worse DFS (aHR: 4.4, p = 0.001) and OS (aHR: 4.8, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, stage, grade, ER, node status and TIC.

Conclusions

Treatment interruption or early discontinuation of trastuzumab therapy in early HER2-positive BC, most often from TIC, is an independent prognostic marker for worse DFS and OS in operable HER2-positive BC. Future prospective studies should consider targeting at-risk populations and optimizing cardiac function to avoid interruption in trastuzumab therapy.
Synergy of melanin and vitamin-D may play a fundamental role in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections and halt COVID-19 by inactivating furin protease
Authors: Paria Kishalay , Paul Debarati , Chowdhury Trinath , Pyne Smritikana , Chakraborty Ranadhir , Mandal Santi M.
Published: November 2020

Since the birth of Christ, in these 2019 years, the man on earth has never experienced a survival challenge from any acellular protist compared to SARS-CoV-2. No specific drugs yet been approved. The host immunity is the only alternative to prevent and or reduce the infection and mortality rate as well. Here, a novel mechanism of melanin mediated host immunity is proposed having potent biotechnological prospects in health care management of COVID-19. Vitamin D is known to enhance the rate of melanin synthesis; and this may concurrently regulate the expression of furin expression. In silico analyses have revealed that the intermediates of melanin are capable of binding strongly with the active site of furin protease. On the other hand, furin expression is negatively regulated via 1-α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), that belongs to vitamin-D pathway and controls cellular calcium levels. Here, we have envisaged the availability of biological melanin and elucidated the bio-medical potential. Thus, we propose a possible synergistic application of melanin and the enzyme CYP27B1 (regulates vitamin D biosynthesis) as a novel strategy to prevent viral entry through the inactivation of furin protease and aid in boosting our immunity at the cellular and humoral levels.
Denouements of machine learning and multimodal diagnostic classification of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Naik Binny , Mehta Ashir , Shah Manan
Published: November 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. The exact cause and treatment of the disease are still unknown. Different neuroimaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography, and single-photon emission computed tomography, have played a significant role in the study of AD. However, the effective diagnosis of AD, as well as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), has recently drawn large attention. Various technological advancements, such as robots, global positioning system technology, sensors, and machine learning (ML) algorithms, have helped improve the diagnostic process of AD. This study aimed to determine the influence of implementing different ML classifiers in MRI and analyze the use of support vector machines with various multimodal scans for classifying patients with AD/MCI and healthy controls. Conclusions have been drawn in terms of employing different classifier techniques and presenting the optimal multimodal paradigm for the classification of AD.
Interleukin-18 polymorphism as a diagnostic tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis
Authors: Eldesoky Ayman Abdelghaffar , Ahmed Nancy Abdel Fattah , Zaghloul Hosam Eldeen , Aziz Amr Ahmed Abdel
Published: November 2020

Background

Egypt has the highest hepatitis C virus prevalence worldwide where about 24% of the people are estimated to carry HCV and more than 50% of blood donors have anti-HCV in some towns. The burden of hepatocellular carcinoma has been increasing in Egypt with a doubling in the incidence rate in the past 10 years. Thus, the aim of the present study was to analyze the interleukin-18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as a diagnostic tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis.

Results

This study included 33 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicating HCV-related cirrhosis patients, 37 cirrhotic patients without HCC (cirrhosis group), and 20 healthy individuals who were included as a control for 9 months of follow-up. SNPs of the IL-18 gene were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction. There was a statistically significant difference in the GG genotype in the HCC group in comparison with the control group (P = 0.04). There was a statistically significant difference in the G allele in the cirrhosis and HCC groups in comparison with the control group (p1 < 0.001 and p2 = 0.03, respectively). Patients with GC genotype have a risk for developing HCC by 6.33-folds more than those with GG genotype while patients with GC genotype have a risk for developing cirrhosis by 5.43-folds more than those with GG genotype, and cirrhotic patients with CC and GC genotype had a risk for developing HCC by 1.17-folds more than those with GG genotype.

Conclusion

Our findings revealed that the analysis of IL-18 single nucleotide gene polymorphism could be a valuable marker for the prediction of progress towards cirrhosis in chronic HCV patients and also to subsequent development of HCC in HCV cirrhotic patients proved by the results of both GG genotype and its G allele; also, cirrhotic patients with CC and GC genotype have a risk for developing HCC by 1.17-folds more than those with GG genotype.
Multiple Endocrine Deficiencies are Common in Hypoparathyroidism–Retardation–Dysmorphism Syndrome
Authors: David Odeya , Barash Galia , Agur Rotem , Loewenthal Neta , Carmon Lior , Shaki David , Walker Dganit , Novoa Rosa , Haim Alon , Hershkovitz Eli
Published: November 2020

Context

The rare hypoparathyroidism—retardation—dysmorphism (HRD) syndrome (OMIM #241410) is caused by the mutated tubulin chaperone E (TBCE) gene. This gene encodes a critical protein in the microtubule assembly pathway.

Objective

To evaluate the endocrine profile of patients with HRD.

Methods

The study used a retrospective analysis of a large cohort of patients in a single university medical center. Sixty-three patients were diagnosed with HRD during 1990 to 2019; 58 of them had an endocrine evaluation.

Main outcome measures

We investigated somatic growth parameters, the prevalence of hypoglycemia, growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and cortisol deficiency.

Results

All patients were born small for gestational age, and severe growth retardation was found in all patients with mean height standard deviation score (SDS) of –8.8 (range: –5.1 to –15.1) and weight SDS –18 (range: –5.1 to –61.2). Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations were very low among the 21 studied patients: –2.32 SDS (range: –0.6 to –2.7). Four out of 14 (28%) investigated patients had growth hormone deficiency, and 55% of patients were hospitalized due to symptomatic hypoglycemia. Adrenal glucocorticoid insufficiency was diagnosed in 22% of those tested. Hypothyroidism was found in 36% of patients. Both hypogonadotrophic and hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism were observed. The main magnetic resonance imaging findings were small anterior pituitary gland, small hippocampus, brain atrophy, thin corpus callosum, Chiari type I malformation, and septo-optic dysplasia.

Conclusion

Multiple endocrine abnormalities are common in patients with HRD syndrome. Periodic screening of thyroid and adrenal functions is recommended.
After Englobement
Authors: Stoneman Ethan
Published: November 2020

This article positions Peter Sloterdijk’s spheres project against Carl Schmitt’s spatial writings, showing that Sloterdijk’s anthropo-philosophical approach to spatial analysis implies a theoretical strategy for thinking beyond Schmitt’s fatalistic view of the deep contingencies shaping human social existence. Schmitt’s spatial pessimism is particularly noticeable in Land and Sea, in which he recounts the unfolding of world history as a succession of spatial epochs, arguing that the modern era can best be understood as the achievement of a centuries-long path toward a unified global space of nihilistic anarchy—a development that he comes to refer to as englobement. The legacy of Schmitt’s spatial history of modernity can be seen most urgently today by its influence on the emergent right-wing identitarian and neo-Eurasian movements, which seek to transform Schmitt’s pessimistic nostalgia for a prior mode of spatial ordering into an expansionist geopolitics. The author maintains that, against that legacy, Sloterdijk proposes “spherology,” a unique practice of spatial anthropology through which he teases out an art of writing at the service of experience, seeking to understand the phenomenon of human togetherness not in terms of determinate political or territorial forms but as a function of shared spaces (spheres) set up and stretched out through shared living in them. By affirming and potentially informing the ever-renewable possibility of lived extendedness in local-shared enclosures, Sloterdijk’s theorization of the spatial constitutes a compelling countercurrent or immunological defense against the forces of nostalgia and resignation that feed into reactionary spatial thought.
Art, Dispossession, and Imaginations of Historical Justice
Authors: Karaca Banu
Published: November 2020

Drawing on the works of artists Maria Eichhorn (Berlin) and Dilek Winchester (Istanbul), this article focuses on artistic responses to the twin processes of violence and dispossession in Germany and the late Ottoman Empire and republican Turkey, respectively. Their artistic practices respond to what is irrecoverable in loss, in contrast to dominant discussions on material restitution as a process that always projects a reversibility of past injuries and that remains limited to the logic of possession. The article argues that these practices pose an aesthetic challenge to the conceptual frameworks within which both dispossession and restitution are usually understood. They produce forms of aesthetic redistribution that open paths to alternate ways of envisioning historical justice in transformative rather than recuperative terms.
FGF2 and IL-1β – explorers of unconventional secretory pathways at a glance
Authors: Pallotta Maria Teresa , Nickel Walter
Published: November 2020

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) were among the earliest examples of a subclass of proteins with extracellular functions that were found to lack N-terminal secretory signal peptides and were shown to be secreted in an ER- and Golgi-independent manner. Many years later, a number of alternative secretory pathways have been discovered, processes collectively termed unconventional protein secretion (UPS). In the course of these studies, unconventional secretion of FGF2 and IL-1β were found to be based upon distinct pathways, mechanisms and molecular machineries. Following a concise introduction into various pathways mediating unconventional secretion and transcellular spreading of proteins, this Cell Science at a Glance poster article aims at a focused analysis of recent key discoveries providing unprecedented detail about the molecular mechanisms and machineries driving FGF2 and IL-1β secretion. These findings are also highly relevant for other unconventionally secreted cargoes that, like FGF2 and IL1β, exert fundamental biological functions in biomedically relevant processes, such as tumor-induced angiogenesis and inflammation.
A 30-Year Perspective on Property Derivatives: What Can Be Done to Tame Property Price Risk?
Authors: Fabozzi Frank J. , Shiller Robert J. , Tunaru Radu S.
Published: November 2020

The housing sector is the largest spot market in the world without a developed derivative contract to serve the risk management needs of market participants. This paper describes the evolution within a wider economic context of property derivatives in the United States and worldwide. We review various economic arguments presented in the literature to highlight the advantages of these financial instruments to society. The paper also provides a critical perspective on the principal obstacles hindering the development of property derivatives based on real estate prices—especially housing prices—and what can be done to overcome these difficulties. The issues discussed can serve as a guide for designing property derivatives capable of hedging real estate risk that has resurfaced time and time again in financial crises.
The Rise of Income and Wealth Inequality in America: Evidence from Distributional Macroeconomic Accounts
Authors: Saez Emmanuel , Zucman Gabriel
Published: November 2020

This paper studies inequality in America through the lens of distributional macroeconomic accounts—comprehensive distributions of the aggregate amount of income and wealth recorded in the official macroeconomic accounts of the United States. We use these distributional macroeconomic accounts to quantify the rise of income and wealth concentration since the late 1970s, the change in tax progressivity, and the direct redistributive effects of government intervention in the economy. Between 1978 and 2018, the share of pre-tax income earned by the top 1% rose from 10% to about 19%, and the share of wealth owned by the top 0.1% rose from 7% to about 18%. In 2018, the tax system was regressive at the top-end; the top 400 wealthiest Americans paid a lower average tax rate than the macroeconomic tax rate of 29%. We confront our methods and findings with those of other studies, pinpoint the areas where more research is needed, and describe how additional data collection could improve inequality measurement.
Parâmetros morfométricos e quantitativos de tecidos adiposos de ratos alimentados com resíduos de lichia
Authors: Rocha Raissa Linares de Melo , Almeida Martha Elisa Ferreira de , Ramos José Antonio de Souza Cruz , Melo Aline Braga de , Botrel Diego Alvarenga , Fernandes Regiane Victória de Barros
Published: November 2020

Objetivo: avaliar os parâmetros morfométricos e a quantidade de tecidos adiposos de ratos alimentados com resíduos da lichia. Métodos: na etapa 1, os animais foram divididos em grupo C (controle) e grupo H (dieta hipercalórica); enquanto, na etapa 2, os animais do grupo C permaneceram neste grupo, e os demais foram divididos no grupo H, grupo HCL (10% de farinha da casca de lichia), e o grupo HSL (10% de farinha da semente de lichia). Avaliaram-se os Índices de Massa Corporal (IMC) e de Lee; o consumo alimentar, o Coeficiente de Eficiência Alimentar e a Digestibilidade Aparente; os Índices Hepato-Somático, de Gordura Visceral e de Gordura Epididimal. Compararam-se os dados pelo Teste de Tukey a 5%. Resultados: não houve diferença estatística quanto o peso corporal, o IMC, o consumo alimentar, e o Índice Hepato-Somático. O grupo HCL não diferiu do grupo C quanto ao Coeficiente de Eficiência Alimentar e à quantidade dos tecidos adiposos (visceral e epididimal). Os grupos que receberam as farinhas de lichia não diferiram do grupo C quanto ao ganho de peso e ao Índice de Lee; entretanto, apresentaram menor Índice de Gordura Epididimal que o grupo H e maior que o grupo C, embora o grupo controle (C) apresentasse menor Digestibilidade Aparente das dietas nas duas avaliações. Conclusão: a farinha da casca de lichia apresentou os melhores resultados, uma vez que não diferiu do grupo controle (C) para alguns parâmetros morfométricos e a quantidade dos tecidos adiposos, sugerindo que as fibras e os polifenóis dessa farinha promoveram os efeitos identificados neste estudo.
IMPACT: A Social Justice Organisation Remembers Their Resilience
Authors: Cruz Teller Tanya , Ogawa Marlene
Published: November 2020

This article highlights the process and key insights of a social justice organisation’s appreciative inquiry into their resilience. Diversity, equity and inclusion principles are central to the Spaciousness theory of change and the Appreciative Leadership Lotus Model used by facilitators to create the space for staff and board to remember their collective resilience. The article reflects on the appreciative resilience of a diverse group of people piloting new technology and translation functionalities.
Larval development of nypa palm worm Namalycastis rhodochorde (Polychaeta: Nereididae)
Authors: Junardi Junardi , Anggraeni Tjandra , Ridwan Ahmad , Yuwono Edy
Published: November 2020

Abstract. Junardi, Anggraeni T, Ridwan A, Yowono E. 2020. Larval development of nypa palm worm Namalycastis rhodochorde (Polychaeta: Nereididae). Nusantara Bioscience 12: 148-153. Namalycastis intensive culture is still facing problems in mass production due to limited information on reproduction, especially in fertilization and production of larvae. The present research was designated to find out optimum salinity for fertilization and the production of nypa palm worm larvae (Namalycastis rhodochorde). Gamete samples were collected using a capillary glass tube inserted into ventro-lateral part of a body segment of a mature worm. Artificial fertilization was done by mixing the sperms and oocytes in a fertilization dish containing sterilized seawater as the medium. The larval development was observed until the benthic phase larvae (3-setigers). Fertilization was performed in medium salinity of 7-21‰ and water temperature of 25-29°C. The cleavage and larva stage occurred respectively within 28.20 to 58.67 minutes and within 72 to 80 hours after fertilization. The fertilization and larval development of N. rhodochorde were highly influenced by the medium salinity and temperature.
Participatory budgeting for research funding decisions
Authors: Calyx Cobi
Published: November 2020

This paper argues that funding decisions about scientific research should be made using participatory budgeting public engagement methods, to support publicly-funded research translation into evidence-based policymaking, given evident public support. This would reflect international shifts toward public participation in governance and respond to the need for changes in research funding policies, evidenced in studies showing how research funding allocations are inefficient or inequitable. Involving consumers in decision making is an established practice in health research, while experiments involving the public in prioritising between research proposals have promising results. Furthering such methods and moving towards participatory budgeting for research funding would further the shift towards participatory governance and public engagement with science. However, for participatory budgeting to support evidence-based policy by evidencing public support, who is participating is an important consideration. Upstream research does not yet have clear consumers for applying stakeholder participation methods established in health research. Moreover, civic engagement differs from consumer engagement in promoting democratic ideals. Legitimacy for public funding and policy decisions depends on a diversity of public participants in decision-making processes, reflecting broader society rather than a consumer group.
Compressed FTIR spectroscopy using low-rank matrix reconstruction
Authors: Marschall Manuel , Hornemann Andrea , Wübbeler Gerd , Hoehl Arne , Rühl Eckart , Kästner Bernd , Elster Clemens
Published: November 2020

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a powerful technique in analytical chemistry. Typically, spatially distributed spectra of the substance of interest are conducted simultaneously using FTIR spectrometers equipped with array detectors. Scanning-based methods such as near-field FTIR spectroscopy, on the other hand, are a promising alternative providing higher spatial resolution. However, serial recording severely limits their application due to the long acquisition times involved and the resulting stability issues. We demonstrate that it is possible to significantly reduce the measurement time of scanning methods by applying the mathematical technique of low-rank matrix reconstruction. Data from a previous pilot study of Leishmania strains are analyzed by randomly selecting 5% of the interferometer samples. The results obtained for bioanalytical fingerprinting using the proposed approach are shown to be essentially the same as those obtained from the full set of data. This finding can significantly foster the practical applicability of high-resolution serial scanning techniques in analytical chemistry and is also expected to improve other applications of FTIR spectroscopy and spectromicroscopy.
Entangling bosons through particle indistinguishability and spatial overlap
Authors: Barros Mariana R. , Chin Seungbeom , Pramanik Tanumoy , Lim Hyang-Tag , Cho Young-Wook , Huh Joonsuk , Kim Yong-Su
Published: November 2020

Particle identity and entanglement are two fundamental quantum properties that work as major resources for various quantum information tasks. However, it is still a challenging problem to understand the correlation of the two properties in the same system. While recent theoretical studies have shown that the spatial overlap between identical particles is necessary for nontrivial entanglement, the exact role of particle indistinguishability in the entanglement of identical particles has never been analyzed quantitatively before. Here, we theoretically and experimentally investigate the behavior of entanglement between two bosons as spatial overlap and indistinguishability simultaneously vary. The theoretical computation of entanglement for generic two bosons with pseudospins is verified experimentally in a photonic system. Our results show that the amount of entanglement is a monotonically increasing function of both quantities. We expect that our work provides an insight into deciphering the role of the entanglement in quantum networks that consist of identical particles.
Optical analog computing of two-dimensional spatial differentiation based on the Brewster effect
Authors: Xu Dingyu , He Shanshan , Zhou Junxiao , Chen Shizhen , Wen Shuangchun , Luo Hailu
Published: November 2020

Optical analog computing has attracted widespread attention in recent decades due to its advantages of lower consumption, higher efficiency, and real-time imaging in image processing. Here, we propose a two-dimensional optical analog computing scheme based on the Brewster effect. We experimentally demonstrate two-dimensional edge detection with high efficiency. By combining microscopy, our approach may develop some significant applications in cellular and molecular imaging.
Spectral phase singularity in a transmission-type double-layer metamaterial
Authors: Han Zhengli , Ohno Seigo , Minamide Hiroaki
Published: November 2020

Phase singularities are seen in optical vortex beams, which are located in a two-dimensional spatial plane. Phase singularities in optical spectra are not common, but exploiting the extreme phase behavior around the singularity point could improve conventional optical devices for molecular-/bio-sensing, large phase modulation, etc. Recently, spectral phase singularities have been reported in reflection-type metamaterials but have not yet been reported in transmission. In this work, we demonstrate a spectral phase singularity in a transmission-type double-layer metamaterial. We attribute the mechanism to two different types of resonances in the double-layer metamaterial, namely a hybrid resonance and an anti-parallel dipole resonance. By controlling the lattice size of the double-layer metamaterial, we can manipulate the coupling of the two types of resonances. At a critical-coupling point, the phase singularity occurs in a spectrum-lattice diagram. We developed film metamaterial devices to experimentally demonstrate the phase singularity. Our results could enable investigation of coupled resonator systems, and may have applications in tunable metamaterial device design and improved sensing techniques.
Poly(A)-DG: A deep-learning-based domain generalization method to identify cross-species Poly(A) signal without prior knowledge from target species
Authors: Zheng Yumin , Wang Haohan , Zhang Yang , Gao Xin , Xing Eric P. , Xu Min
Published: November 2020

In eukaryotes, polyadenylation (poly(A)) is an essential process during mRNA maturation. Identifying the cis-determinants of poly(A) signal (PAS) on the DNA sequence is the key to understand the mechanism of translation regulation and mRNA metabolism. Although machine learning methods were widely used in computationally identifying PAS, the need for tremendous amounts of annotation data hinder applications of existing methods in species without experimental data on PAS. Therefore, cross-species PAS identification, which enables the possibility to predict PAS from untrained species, naturally becomes a promising direction. In our works, we propose a novel deep learning method named Poly(A)-DG for cross-species PAS identification. Poly(A)-DG consists of a Convolution Neural Network-Multilayer Perceptron (CNN-MLP) network and a domain generalization technique. It learns PAS patterns from the training species and identifies PAS in target species without re-training. To test our method, we use four species and build cross-species training sets with two of them and evaluate the performance of the remaining ones. Moreover, we test our method against insufficient data and imbalanced data issues and demonstrate that Poly(A)-DG not only outperforms state-of-the-art methods but also maintains relatively high accuracy when it comes to a smaller or imbalanced training set.
The Moran process on 2-chromatic graphs
Authors: Kaveh Kamran , McAvoy Alex , Chatterjee Krishnendu , Nowak Martin A.
Published: November 2020

Resources are rarely distributed uniformly within a population. Heterogeneity in the concentration of a drug, the quality of breeding sites, or wealth can all affect evolutionary dynamics. In this study, we represent a collection of properties affecting the fitness at a given location using a color. A green node is rich in resources while a red node is poorer. More colors can represent a broader spectrum of resource qualities. For a population evolving according to the birth-death Moran model, the first question we address is which structures, identified by graph connectivity and graph coloring, are evolutionarily equivalent. We prove that all properly two-colored, undirected, regular graphs are evolutionarily equivalent (where “properly colored” means that no two neighbors have the same color). We then compare the effects of background heterogeneity on properly two-colored graphs to those with alternative schemes in which the colors are permuted. Finally, we discuss dynamic coloring as a model for spatiotemporal resource fluctuations, and we illustrate that random dynamic colorings often diminish the effects of background heterogeneity relative to a proper two-coloring.
Preliminary evaluations of 3-dimensional human skin models for their ability to facilitate in vitro the long-term development of the debilitating obligatory human parasite Onchocerca volvulus
Authors: Malkmus Christoph , Jawahar Shabnam , Tricoche Nancy , Lustigman Sara , Hansmann Jan
Published: November 2020

Onchocerciasis also known as river blindness is a neglected tropical disease and the world's second-leading infectious cause of blindness in humans; it is caused by Onchocerca volvulus. Current treatment with ivermectin targets microfilariae and transmission and does not kill the adult parasites, which reside within subcutaneous nodules. To support the development of macrofilaricidal drugs that target the adult worm to further support the elimination of onchocerciasis, an in-depth understanding of O. volvulus biology especially the factors that support the longevity of these worms in the human host (>10 years) is required. However, research is hampered by a lack of access to adult worms. O. volvulus is an obligatory human parasite and no small animal models that can propagate this parasite were successfully developed. The current optimized 2-dimensional (2-D) in vitro culturing method starting with O. volvulus infective larvae does not yet support the development of mature adult worms. To overcome these limitations, we have developed and applied 3-dimensional (3-D) culture systems with O. volvulus larvae that simulate the human in vivo niche using in vitro engineered skin and adipose tissue. Our proof of concept studies have shown that an optimized indirect co-culture of in vitro skin tissue supported a significant increase in growth of the fourth-stage larvae to the pre-adult stage with a median length of 816–831 μm as compared to 767 μm of 2-D cultured larvae. Notably, when larvae were co-cultured directly with adipose tissue models, a significant improvement for larval motility and thus fitness was observed; 95% compared to 26% in the 2-D system. These promising co-culture concepts are a first step to further optimize the culturing conditions and improve the long-term development of adult worms in vitro. Ultimately, it could provide the filarial research community with a valuable source of O. volvulus worms at various developmental stages, which may accelerate innovative unsolved biomedical inquiries into the parasite’s biology.
Yap activation in irradiated parotid salivary glands is regulated by ROCK activity
Authors: Wong Wen Yu , Gilman Kristy , Limesand Kirsten H.
Published: November 2020

Radiotherapy plays a major role in the curative treatment of head and neck cancer, either as a single modality therapy, or in combination with surgery or chemotherapy, or both. Despite advances to limit radiation-induced side-effects, the major salivary glands are often affected. This frequently leads to hyposalivation which causes an increased risk for xerostomia, dental caries, mucositis, and malnutrition culminating in a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. Previous research demonstrated that loss of salivary function is associated with a decrease in polarity regulators and an increase in nuclear Yap localization in a putative stem and progenitor cell (SPC) population. Yap activation has been shown to be essential for regeneration in intestinal injury models; however, the highest levels of nuclear Yap are observed in irradiated salivary SPCs that do not regenerate the gland. Thus, elucidating the inputs that regulate nuclear Yap localization and determining the role that Yap plays within the entire tissue following radiation damage and during regeneration is critical. In this study, we demonstrate that radiation treatment increases nuclear Yap localization in acinar cells and Yap-regulated genes in parotid salivary tissues. Conversely, administration of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), known to restore salivary function in mouse models, reduces nuclear Yap localization and Yap transcriptional targets to levels similar to untreated tissues. Activation of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) using calpeptin results in increased Yap-regulated genes in primary acinar cells while inhibition of ROCK activity (Y-27632) leads to decreased Yap transcriptional targets. These results suggest that Yap activity is dependent on ROCK activity and provides new mechanistic insights into the regulation of radiation-induced hyposalivation.