bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O2 permeability of lipid bilayers is low, but increases with membrane cholesterol
Authors: Al-Samir Samer , Itel Fabian , Hegermann Jan , Gros Gerolf , Tsiavaliaris Georgios , Endeward Volker
Published: October 2021

Oxygen on its transport route from lung to tissue mitochondria has to cross several cell membranes. The permeability value of membranes for O2 (PO2), although of fundamental importance, is controversial. Previous studies by mostly indirect methods diverge between 0.6 and 125 cm/s. Here, we use a most direct approach by observing transmembrane O2 fluxes out of 100 nm liposomes at defined transmembrane O2 gradients in a stopped-flow system. Due to the small size of the liposomes intra- as well as extraliposomal diffusion processes do not affect the overall kinetics of the O2 release process. We find, for cholesterol-free liposomes, the unexpectedly low PO2 value of 0.03 cm/s at 35 °C. This PO2 would present a serious obstacle to O2 entering or leaving the erythrocyte. Cholesterol turns out to be a novel major modifier of PO2, able to increase PO2 by an order of magnitude. With a membrane cholesterol of 45 mol% as it occurs in erythrocytes, PO2 rises to 0.2 cm/s at 35 °C. This PO2 is just sufficient to ensure complete O2 loading during passage of erythrocytes through the lung’s capillary bed under the conditions of rest as well as maximal exercise.
Investigation of the influence of the forming process and finishing processes on the properties of the surface and subsurface of hybrid components
Authors: Budde Laura , Prasanthan Vannila , Kruse Jens , Faqiri Mohamad Yusuf , Lammers Marius , Hermsdorf Jörg , Stonis Malte , Hassel Thomas , Breidenstein Bernd , Behrens Bernd-Arno , Denkena Berend , Overmeyer Ludger
Published: October 2021

Due to the increased integration of functions, many components have to meet high and sometimes contradictory requirements. One way to solve this problem is Tailored Forming. Here, hybrid semi-finished products are manufactured by a joining or cladding process, which are then hot-formed and finished. For the design of hybrid components for a possible later industrial application, knowledge about properties of hybrid components is required. In this paper it is investigated how the respective process steps of the Tailored Forming process chain change the surface and subsurface properties of the applied cladding layer. For this purpose, shafts made of unalloyed steel are provided with a high-alloy austenitic steel X2CrNiMo19-12 cladding by laser hot-wire cladding. Subsequently, hot forming is carried out by cross-wedge rolling and the finishing by turning and deep rolling. After each process step, the subsurface properties of the cladding such as microstructure, hardness and residual stress state are examined. Thus, the influence of different process steps on the subsurface properties in the process chain of manufacturing hybrid shafts can be analyzed. This knowledge is necessary for the specific adjustment of defined properties for a required application behavior.
Materializing activism
Authors: Hansson Karin , Pargman Teresa Cerratto , Bardzell Shaowen
Published: October 2021

Online activism showcases how available digital tools allow social movements to emerge, scale up, and extend globally by fundamentally enabling new forms of power. This special issue brings together eight research articles that engage with the collaborative efforts embedded in various types of activism by studying features such as the socio-technical systems involved; how the activism is organized; relations between traditional and social media; and the complex network of systems, information, people, values, theories, histories, ideologies, and aesthetics that constitutes such activisms. The articles show the spaces in which this activism materializes, and particularly their situation in several intersecting dimensions including motivation, culture, language, and infrastructure. Together, these articles reflect the methodological breadth required to materialize online activism and the need to develop a more nuanced conceptualization of the media ecologies involved. By mapping out how activism is enabled and constrained by human-computer interfaces, this special issue contributes to open up the black box of online activism.
Queer Space: Toilet Provision, Access and Inclusion in the West Midlands
Authors: Colliver Ben , Duffus Melindy
Published: October 2021

Introduction

This article explores issues relating to toilet provision in queer spaces. With a specific focus on the implementation of gender neutral toilets, it interrogates both practical and symbolic issues of inclusivity and accessibility.

Methods

The findings presented in this paper are based on 12 semi-structured interviews that were conducted and analysed in 2020. The data was analysed thematically, utilising an inductive approach to analysis.

Results

The results from this study highlight that spaces often considered ‘inclusionary’ operate within a number of ‘exclusionary’ frameworks. These unspoken and informal ‘rules’ and practices operate to exclude people considered ‘undesirable’ and function to uphold power structures that privilege cisgender, white gay men.

Conclusions

This article extends our understanding of the ways in which people engage with, and access, both gender neutral and sex-segregated toilets. Through an analysis of complex issues relating to accessibility, inclusivity and the politicisation of queer spaces, this article argues that the implementation of gender neutral toilets holds strong practical and symbolic power within a heteronormative, cis-normative society.

Policy Implications

The results from this study indicate that providing more gender neutral spaces improves accessibility for a range of people, but also has significant political power in challenging cis-normative, heteronormative standards.
A new assessment of perforation skin factor for vertical perforated wells in near-wellbore region
Authors: Abobaker Ekhwaiter E. R. , Elsanoose Abadelhalim , Khan Faisal , Rahman Mohammad Azizur , Aborig Amer , Noah Khalid , Butt Stephen
Published: October 2021

The perforating technique is one of the well completion methods and a final stage that helps connect reservoir formation to wellbore during hydrocarbon production. The present work aimed to determine the effect of the perforated casing completion on the pressure gradient and perforation skin factor in the vertical near-wellbore region. This work presented a novel experimental approach for studying the effect of perforation parameters on hydrocarbon production by creating a prototype representing the near-wellbore region. The study conducted extensive laboratory testing to create two prototype artificial samples for a cylindrical near-wellbore region, open hole, and perforated casing sample. An experimental test was carried out using a geotechnical radial flow setup to measure the differential pressure in the two samples; the single-phase (water) was radially injected into the core sample within the same flow boundary conditions. Numerical simulation and statistical analysis were used to expand the investigation of the effect of the dimensions and distribution of perforations on the perforation skin factor and the pressure gradient in the cylindrical near-wellbore region. The results showed a clear view of the effect of the perforations’ parameters on the pressure gradient in the vertical near-wellbore region. In addition, two novel correlations were produced from statistical analysis that simplified the estimation of the perforation skin factor in the perforated casing completion. This study will help to clarify and understand the effect of perforation parameters on well productivity.
Modelling the effect of grain anisotropy on inter-granular porosity
Authors: Katre Shreya , Nair Archana M.
Published: October 2021

Porosity is the dominant factor that determines the exploitable capacity of sedimentary reservoir rocks. Generally, pore heterogeneity is poorly represented in subsurface geological models due to the complexity. Granular mixtures produce complex pore space controlled by grain size, grain shape, and grain sorting. Heterogeneities in pore space volume are present at micro- and nanoscales in granular mixtures due to packing conditions resulting from deposition and diagenesis. In the present study, three-dimensional packing models were generated to provide a realistic description of granular mixtures. Accordingly, this study presents static packing models for unit cells idealised for spherical and elongated grains using cubic, orthorhombic, and rhombohedral packing models. Subsequently, the grain shape effects in terms of elongation degree and grain size distribution in terms of the degree of sorting were evaluated. The mixing effect on the inter-granular porosity for each unit cell packing model was analysed. A range of porosity values was derived using grain parameters generated through in-house developed MATLAB codes from digital FESEM images of sandstone samples. Our study demonstrates that actual grain size does not influence porosity, but for real sandstone samples, the sorting and shape of grains affect porosity values. The range of porosity values estimated by this method can be realistic at the basin level as the grain shape effects replicate sediment maturity. The developed method can be adopted in the distributed spatial models on porosity, especially for basin-scale hydrocarbon resource estimation.
Calibration of the X-ray Diffraction Technique in Measuring In-service Stresses in Corrugated Steel Bars
Authors: Sánchez-Beitia Santiago , Luengas-Carreño Daniel , Lourenço Paulo B.
Published: October 2021

The X-ray diffraction technique for determining residual stresses in construction steels has been commonly used in the international scientific community for decades. Taking advantage of the concepts on which the technique is based, the authors have previously calibrated and used the technique for the in situ determination of the stress states of metallic structures in service. This article presents an advance in the latter utility by means of the laboratory calibration of the X-ray diffraction technique in corrugated steel. The interaction between radiation and steel is complex, so, in the scientific community, it is considered pertinent to resort to empirical and experimental calibration processes. Two bars of corrugated steel were subjected to increasing tensile loads. The load states introduced in the testing machine were compared with those determined by X-ray diffraction. The correlation between the values of the loads applied and those determined by the proposed technique is excellent. The experimental conditions of the calibration tests are precisely detailed so that they are easily reproducible. This work represents a necessary first step in employing the technique in the buildings or civil works.
The association of the quality of sleep with proinflammatory cytokine profile in inflammatory bowel disease patients
Authors: Sobolewska-Włodarczyk Aleksandra , Włodarczyk Marcin , Talar Marcin , Wiśniewska-Jarosińska Maria , Gąsiorowska Anita , Fichna Jakub
Published: October 2021

Background

The role of circadian rhythm abnormalities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains relatively unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the inflammatory cytokine profile in the IBD patients and its relationship with the quality of sleep.

Methods

Prospective, single-center observational cohort study was performed. In all enrolled adult IBD patients, the disease activity was assessed using Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) for Crohn’s disease (CD) and Partial Mayo Score for ulcerative colitis (UC), respectively. To assess the quality of sleep, all patients were asked to respond to a questionnaire to define Pittsburgh Quality Sleep Index (PSQI). From all enrolled patients, 15 ml venous blood was taken to determine serum inflammatory cytokine levels and perform standard laboratory tests.

Results

Fifty-two IBD patients were enrolled in the study: 32 with CD and 20 with UC. The poor sleep was noted in 69.4% of patients with clinically active and in 6.3% of patients with inactive disease. In the group of IBD patients with poor sleep, the significantly higher level of serum IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 were observed. In IBD patients with exacerbation, the significantly higher level of serum IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 were recorded.

Conclusions

The relationship between quality of sleep and proinflammatory cytokine profile may show us a predisposition for the development of inflammatory intestinal lesions in IBD patients with sleep disturbances. This knowledge may allow the pharmacological and behavioral therapies of circadian rhythm abnormalities to become new significant targets in IBD patients.
Penile Girth Injection Complications: A Case Report
Authors: Baird Bryce Alden , Robertson Nick , Broderick Gregory A
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Penile enhancement procedures are becoming more common in men looking to achieve a more desirable penile aesthetic. We describe a case of post-procedural dermatitis after receiving penile girth enhancement injections in an adult male and discuss management of penile girth injection side effects.

Materials and Methods

We review and present our case alongside a discussion of girth injection complications.

Results

Patient's exam and symptoms improved after treatment.

Conclusion

Post-procedural complications after penile girth injections seem to be under-reported and unfortunately can result in severe deformity and dysfunction of the penis.
Effects of different types of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation donors on Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the tyrosine kinase inhibitor era: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ponvilawan Ben , Owattanapanich Weerapat , Charoenngam Nipith , Kungwankiattichai Smith
Published: October 2021

Background:

Matched donor (MD) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is currently the preferred choice of treatment for Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) patients who have achieved complete remission. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of allo-HSCTs from different donor types for Ph+ ALL patients who received tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Methods:

Studies in EMBASE and MEDLINE between inception and December 2020 were identified using search terms related to “Ph+ ALL” and “HSCT.” Eligible studies were studies with Ph+ ALL patients who received a TKI and allo-HSCT. The primary outcomes of interest–the overall survival (OS) or relapse-free survival (RFS)–needed to be reported. The Mantel–Haenszel method was used to combine the effect estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of each donor type.

Results:

Fourteen cohort studies were identified for the meta-analysis. Haploidentical (HID)-HSCT for Ph+ ALL patients resulted in a superior RFS to MD-HSCT, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.57 (95% CI, 1.05–2.32; I2 = 0%). However, HID-HSCT and MD-HSCT had comparable OS. Furthermore, HID-HSCT group had a significantly lower relapse rate than MD-HSCT group. On the other hand, the risks of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) were higher for HID-HSCT and pooled OR of chronic GvHD rate. The OS and RFS of matched sibling-HSCT, matched unrelated-HSCT, and cord blood-HSCT were comparable with those of HID-HSCT.

Conclusion:

This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that HID-HSCT is as effective as MD-HSCT in Ph+ ALL patients.
S-limit shadowing is generic for continuous Lebesgue measure-preserving circle maps
Authors: BOBOK JOZEF , ČINČ JERNEJ , OPROCHA PIOTR , TROUBETZKOY SERGE
Published: October 2021

In this paper we show that generic continuous Lebesgue measure-preserving circle maps have the s-limit shadowing property. In addition, we obtain that s-limit shadowing is a generic property also for continuous circle maps. In particular, this implies that classical shadowing, periodic shadowing and limit shadowing are generic in these two settings as well.
The micro-task market for lemons: data quality on Amazon's Mechanical Turk
Authors: Ahler Douglas J. , Roush Carolyn E. , Sood Gaurav
Published: October 2021

While Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) has reduced the cost of collecting original data, in 2018, researchers noted the potential existence of a large number of bad actors on the platform. To evaluate data quality on MTurk, we fielded three surveys between 2018 and 2020. While we find no evidence of a “bot epidemic,” significant portions of the data—between 25 and 35 percent—are of dubious quality. While the number of IP addresses that completed the survey multiple times or circumvented location requirements fell almost 50 percent over time, suspicious IP addresses are more prevalent on MTurk than on other platforms. Furthermore, many respondents appear to respond humorously or insincerely, and this behavior increased over 200 percent from 2018 to 2020. Importantly, these low-quality responses attenuate observed treatment effects by magnitudes ranging from approximately 10 to 30 percent.
Suicidal ideation in people with tinnitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tailor B V , Thompson R E , Nunney I , Agius M , Phillips J S
Published: October 2021

Objective

Tinnitus is associated with a variety of cognitive, psychosocial and psychiatric disorders, and may contribute to suicidality. However, the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) in tinnitus populations has not previously been systematically reviewed.

Method

Medline, Embase and PsychInfo were searched in August 2020 to identify studies that assessed suicidal ideation in people aged 16 years and above with subjective tinnitus.

Results

Six cross-sectional studies were included, representing 7192 tinnitus sufferers across 4 countries. The pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation in tinnitus populations was 20.6 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 10.8–30.3 per cent; I2= 88 per cent). Two studies included a control population, in which the prevalence of suicidal ideation was significantly lower. The quality of included studies was variable.

Conclusion

It is not possible to arrive at any reasonable conclusion given the lack of quality studies, meaning the pooled prevalence should be interpreted very cautiously. Suicidal ideation may be more prevalent in tinnitus populations. Further large-scale epidemiological research investigating this relationship is needed, which may help psychiatric risk stratification.
The interrelationship between social connectedness and social engagement and its relation with cognition: a study using SHARE data
Authors: Paiva Andreia F. , Cunha Cláudia , Voss Gina , Delerue Matos Alice
Published: October 2021

Understanding how psychosocial factors can promote better cognition in mid- and later life is important for making recommendations regarding policies and intervention programmes. This study focuses on two psychosocial aspects (social connectedness and social engagement) in order to assess their independent contribution to explaining cognition, but also how their interrelationship acts on cognition. We hypothesised that each of the factors is positively associated with cognition, but also that a combination of both factors contributes more to cognition than each of the factors independently. Our sample comprises 66,504 individuals who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Multilevel linear regression analyses were performed. The results show that higher levels of social engagement and social connectedness are associated with improved cognition. When studying the interaction of social engagement and social connectedness and its association with cognitive function, the analysis shows that better cognitive scores are found in individuals having high levels of both social engagement and social connectedness. Moreover, when one of these aspects is lacking, the other plays a role in cognition protection. This study indicates the importance of social connectedness and social engagement for preserving/developing cognition, which greatly contributes to the quality of life of middle-aged and older adults.
Local urban government policies to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices: a scoping review
Authors: Barbour Liza , Lindberg Rebecca , Woods Julie , Charlton Karen , Brimblecombe Julie
Published: October 2021

Objective:

This scoping review sought to describe the policy actions that urban local governments globally have implemented to facilitate healthy and environmentally sustainable diet-related practices.

Setting:

Urban local government authorities.

Design:

Five databases were searched to identify publications which cited policies being implemented by local governments within the 199 signatory cities of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) that targeted at least one healthy and sustainable diet-related practice. Grey literature was then searched to retrieve associated policy documentation. Data from both sources were charted against the MUFPP’s monitoring framework to analyse the policy actions included in each overarching policy.

Results:

From 2624 screened peer-reviewed studies, 27 met inclusion criteria and cited 36 relevant policies amongst signatory cities to the MUFPP. Most were from high income countries (n 29; 81 %), considered health (n 31; 86 %), equity (n 29; 81 %) and the broader food system beyond dietary consumption (n 34; 94 %). Of the 66 policy actions described, the most common involved food procurement within public facilities (n 16; 44 %) and establishing guidelines for school-feeding programs (n 12; 33 %).

Conclusions:

This review has demonstrated that urban local government authorities are implementing policies that consider multiple phases of the food supply chain to facilitate population-wide uptake of healthy and sustainable diet-related practices. Opportunities exist for local governments to leverage the dual benefits to human and planetary health of policy actions, such as those which discourage the overconsumption of food including less meat consumption and the regulation of ultra-processed foods.
Insights Into the Nature of Plume‐Ridge Interaction and Outflux of H2O From the Galápagos Spreading Center
Authors: Gleeson Matthew L. M. , Gibson Sally A.
Published: October 2021

The flow of high‐temperature and compositionally enriched material between mantle plumes and nearby spreading centers influences up to 30% of the global mid‐ocean ridge system and represents a significant, but currently unconstrained, flux of volatiles out of the mantle. Here, we present new analyses of H2O, F, Cl, and S in basaltic glass chips from an archetypal region of plume‐ridge interaction, the Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC). Our data set includes samples from the eastern GSC, on ridge segments that are strongly influenced by the adjacent Galápagos mantle plume, and complements published analyses of volatiles largely from the western GSC. We use forward models of mantle melting to investigate the role of solid and melt‐phase transport from a lithologically heterogeneous (peridotite‐pyroxenite) mantle in plume‐ridge interaction along approximately 1,000 km of the GSC. Our results indicate that the observed geochemical and geophysical variations cannot be recreated by models that only involve solid‐state transfer of material between the Galápagos mantle plume and the GSC. Instead, we show that the geochemical and geophysical data from the GSC are well‐matched by models that incorporate channelized flow of volatile‐rich melts formed at high‐pressures (>3 GPa) in the Galápagos plume stem to the GSC. In addition, our new models demonstrate that channelized flow of enriched, plume‐derived melt can account for up to ∼60% of the H2O outgassed from regions of the GSC, which are most strongly influenced by the Galápagos mantle plume.
Glacial‐Isostatic Adjustment Models Using Geodynamically Constrained 3D Earth Structures
Authors: Bagge M. , Klemann V. , Steinberger B. , Latinović M. , Thomas M.
Published: October 2021

Glacial‐isostatic adjustment (GIA) is the key process controlling relative sea‐level (RSL) and paleo‐topography. The viscoelastic response of the solid Earth is controlled by its viscosity structure. Therefore, the appropriate choice of Earth structure for GIA models is still an important area of research in geodynamics. We construct 18 3D Earth structures that are derived from seismic tomography models and are geodynamically constrained. We consider uncertainties in 3D viscosity structures that arise from variations in the conversion from seismic velocity to temperature variations (factor r) and radial viscosity profiles (RVP). We apply these Earth models to a 3D GIA model, VILMA, to investigate the influence of such structure on RSL predictions. The variabilities in 3D Earth structures and RSL predictions are investigated for globally distributed sites and applied for comparisons with regional 1D models for ice center (North America, Antarctica) and peripheral regions (Central Oregon Coast, San Jorge Gulf). The results from 1D and 3D models reveal substantial influence of lateral viscosity variations on RSL. Depending on time and location, the influence of factor r and/or RVP can be reverse, for example, the same RVP causes lowest RSL in Churchill and largest RSL in Oregon. Regional 1D models representing the structure beneath the ice and 3D models show similar influence of factor r and RVP on RSL prediction. This is not the case for regional 1D models representing the structure beneath peripheral regions indicating the dependence on the 3D Earth structure. The 3D Earth structures of this study are made available.
Role of fibulin-5 insufficiency and prolapse progression on murine vaginal biomechanical function
Authors: Clark-Patterson Gabrielle L. , Roy Sambit , Desrosiers Laurephile , Knoepp Leise R. , Sen Aritro , Miller Kristin S.
Published: October 2021

The vagina plays a critical role in supporting the pelvic organs and loss of support leads to pelvic organ prolapse. It is unknown what microstructural changes influence prolapse progression nor how decreased elastic fibers contributes to vaginal remodeling and smooth muscle contractility. The objective for this study was to evaluate the effect of fibulin-5 haploinsufficiency, and deficiency with progressive prolapse on the biaxial contractile and biomechanical function of the murine vagina. Vaginas from wildtype (n = 13), haploinsufficient (n = 13), and deficient mice with grade 1 (n = 9) and grade 2 or 3 (n = 9) prolapse were explanted for biaxial contractile and biomechanical testing. Multiaxial histology (n = 3/group) evaluated elastic and collagen fiber microstructure. Western blotting quantified protein expression (n = 6/group). A one-way ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis test evaluated statistical significance. Pearson’s or Spearman’s test determined correlations with prolapse grade. Axial contractility decreased with fibulin-5 deficiency and POP (p < 0.001), negatively correlated with prolapse grade (ρ = − 0.80; p < 0.001), and positively correlated with muscularis elastin area fraction (ρ = − 0.78; p = 0.004). Circumferential (ρ = 0.71; p < 0.001) and axial (ρ = 0.69; p < 0.001) vaginal wall stresses positively correlated with prolapse grade. These findings demonstrated that fibulin-5 deficiency and prolapse progression decreased vaginal contractility and increased vaginal wall stress. Future work is needed to better understand the processes that contribute to prolapse progression in order to guide diagnostic, preventative, and treatment strategies.
Risk factors of recurrence and distant metastasis in primary cutaneous melanoma in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Tung-Lin , Liao Yi-Hua , Liau Jau-Yu , Sheen Yi-Shuan
Published: October 2021

Risk factors of recurrence and distant metastasis of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) are of great interest for the high percentage of ALM in cutaneous melanoma in Asian populations. This single-center retrospective cohort including 177 patients with localized melanoma diagnosed from 2004 to 2020 aims to identify adverse predictors in cutaneous melanoma in Taiwan, with a focus on ALM. The relationship between clinicopathological features and outcomes, including incidences of recurrence and distant metastasis in 5 years from diagnosis, was analyzed. This study included 124 patients (70.1%) with ALM and 53 (29.9%) with non-ALM melanoma. Regarding clinicopathological characteristics, ALM patients were diagnosed at an older age and received sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNBs) more often, while adjacent melanocytic nevi were more prevalent in non-ALM patients. With respect to prognostic implications of clinicopathological features, in ALM, implementation of SLNB was associated with a lower 5-year distant metastasis rate. Thickness of melanoma lesions over 4 mm, ulceration, and neurotropism, were related to both higher 5-year recurrence and distant metastasis rates. With regard to non-ALM patients, diagnoses made at or over 65 years old was linked to a higher 5-year recurrence rate, whereas ulceration was associated with both higher 5-year recurrence and distant metastasis rates. In conclusion, several clinicopathological characteristics have been identified to be associated with poor prognosis of cutaneous melanoma, especially ALM.
MRI before biopsy correlates with depth of invasion corrected for shrinkage rate of the histopathological specimen in tongue carcinoma
Authors: Harada Hiroyuki , Tomioka Hirofumi , Hirai Hideaki , Kuroshima Takeshi , Oikawa Yu , Nojima Hitomi , Sakamoto Junichiro , Kurabayashi Tohru , Kayamori Kou , Ikeda Tohru
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate which radiological depth of invasion (r-DOI) measurement is the most concordant to clinical DOI (c-DOI) derived from correction for the shrinkage rate of the histopathological specimens. We retrospectively reviewed 128 patients with tongue carcinoma who had undergone glossectomy between 2006 and 2019. At first, the width shrinkage rate during formalin fixation and preparation process of histopathological specimens was evaluated. From the shrinking rates, a formula to calculate c-DOI from pathological DOI (p-DOI) was developed. The correlation between c-DOI and r-DOI was evaluated. The specimen shrinkage rate during the histopathological specimen preparation process was 10.3%. Based on that, we yielded the correct formula for c-DOI based on p-DOI and preparation shrinkage rate: c-DOI = p-DOI × 100/89.7. The regression equations for the association of c-DOI with r-DOI measured by ultrasound (n = 128), MRI before biopsy (n = 18), and MRI after biopsy (n = 110) were y = 1.12 * x + 0.21, y = 0.89 * x − 0.26, and y = 0.52 * x + 2.63, respectively, while the coefficients of determination were 0.664, 0.891, and 0.422, respectively. In conclusion, r-DOI using MRI before biopsy most strongly correlated with c-DOI.
Fishmeal replacement by periphyton reduces the fish in fish out ratio and alimentation cost in gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata
Authors: Savonitto Gilda , Barkan Roy , Harpaz Sheenan , Neori Amir , Chernova Helena , Terlizzi Antonio , Guttman Lior
Published: October 2021

Aquaculture threatens natural resources by fishing down the sea to supply fishmeal. Alternative protein sources in aquafeeds can provide a solution, particularly those that are waste from other operations and thereby reduce feed production costs. Toward this goal, we examined the waste biomass of marine periphyton from biofilters of an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system as a replacement for fishmeal in diets of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Four isoproteic (41%) and isolipidic (16.7%) aquafeeds were formulated with increased content of periphyton and a corresponding decrease in fishmeal from 20 to 15, 10, or 0%. The growth and biochemical content of seabream fingerlings (initial body weight 10 g) were examined over 132 days. Replacing 50% of fishmeal by waste periphyton improved feed conversion ratio (1.2 vs. 1.35 in the control diet) without harming fish growth. The complete replacement of fishmeal with periphyton resulted in 15% slower growth but significantly higher protein content in the fish flesh (59 vs. 52% in the control diet). Halving fishmeal content reduced feed cost by US$ 0.13 kg−1 feed and saved 30% in the cost of conversion of feed to fish biomass (US$ 0.58 kg−1 produced fish vs. $0.83 in the control diet). Finally, the total replacement of fishmeal by waste periphyton in the diet reduced the fish in—fish out ratio to below 1 (0.5–0.9) as compared to 1.36 in the control diet. Replacing fishmeal with on-farm produced periphyton minimizes aquaculture footprint through the removal of excess nutrients in effluents and the use of waste biomass to reduce the ‘fish in’ content in aquafeeds and fish production costs. The present study demonstrates the great practical potential of this dual use of marine periphyton in enhancing the circular economy concept in sustainable fish production.
Tuberculosis in badgers where the bovine tuberculosis epidemic is expanding in cattle in England
Authors: Swift Benjamin Michael Connor , Barron Elsa Sandoval , Christley Rob , Corbetta Davide , Grau-Roma Llorenç , Jewell Chris , O’Cathail Colman , Mitchell Andy , Phoenix Jess , Prosser Alison , Rees Catherine , Sorley Marion , Verin Ranieri , Bennett Malcolm
Published: October 2021

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important animal health and economic problem for the cattle industry and a potential zoonotic threat. Wild badgers (Meles meles) play a role on its epidemiology in some areas of high prevalence in cattle, particularly in the UK and Republic of Ireland and increasingly in parts of mainland Europe. However, little is known about the involvement of badgers in areas on the spatial edge of the cattle epidemic, where increasing prevalence in cattle is seen. Here we report the findings of a study of found-dead (mainly road-killed) badgers in six counties on the edge of the English epidemic of bTB in cattle. The overall prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) infection detected in the study area was 51/610 (8.3%, 95% CI 6.4–11%) with the county-level prevalence ranging from 15 to 4–5%. The MTC spoligotypes of recovered from badgers and cattle varied: in the northern part of the study area spoligotype SB0129 predominated in both cattle and badgers, but elsewhere there was a much wider range of spoligotypes found in badgers than in cattle, in which infection was mostly with the regional cattle spoligotype. The low prevalence of MTC in badgers in much of the study area, and, relative to in cattle, the lower density of sampling, make firm conclusions difficult to draw. However, with the exception of Cheshire (north-west of the study area), little evidence was found to link the expansion of the bTB epidemic in cattle in England to widespread badger infection.
Social, demographic and health characteristics of men fathering children at different ages
Authors: Kornerup Nina , Andersen Anne-Marie Nybo , Andersen Per Kragh , Bilsteen Josephine Funck , Urhoj Stine Kjaer
Published: October 2021

The aim of this study was to examine associations between selected sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics and the rates of fatherhood in different age groups. We investigated rates between 2011 and 2015 in a population-based register study including all men born from 1945 to 1995 residing in Denmark in 2011. The study population consisted of 1,867,108 men who fathered 268,612 children during the follow-up. The associations were quantified as incidence rate ratios using Poisson regression. Young men had higher rates of fathering a child if they lived outside the Capital Region, had a relatively high income, were previously diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, psychoactive substance abuse, personality disorders, schizophrenia or behavioural and emotional disorders. Men of advanced age had higher rates of fathering a child when born outside Denmark, living in the Capital Region, were in the lower or upper 10th percentile income group, were self-employed or unemployed or previously diagnosed with depression. Men of advanced age had lower rates of fathering a child if previously diagnosed with somatic diseases, psychoactive substance abuse or mental retardation. The findings highlight the importance of consideration of various sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics when studying associations between paternal age and offspring health.
Influence of air pollutants on varicella among adults
Authors: Wang Zixuan , Li Xiaofan , Hu Ping , Li Shanpeng , Guan Jing , Wang Bingling , Yang Feng , Zhang Dongfeng
Published: October 2021

Little attention has been paid to the relationship between air pollutants and varicella among adults. We used data collected in Qingdao, China from 2014 to 2019. A combination of quasi-Poisson generalized linear model (GLM) and distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was applied to evaluate the association between exposure to air pollutants and varicella. And the effects of exposure to extremely high concentration (at 97.5th percentile) and low concentration (at 2.5th percentile) of air pollutants on varicella were also calculated. The level II of GB3095-2012 was used as the reference. A 10 μg/m3increase of PM2.5was significantly associated with an increased risk of varicella (lag day: 4, 5 and 6). The negative associations were found for NO2per 10 μg/m3increase from lag 15 to 19 day. The high PM2.5concentration (135 μg/m3) was significantly associated with the increased risk of varicella (lag day: 6, 7). For NO2, the negative association was found at high concentration (75 μg/m3) on lag 15 to 20 day; and the positive relationship was shown at low concentration (10 μg/m3) on lag 15 to 20 day. Exposure to PM2.5and NO2were significantly associated with the risk of varicella among adults.
Identification and genome analysis of a novel picornavirus from captive belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in China
Authors: Wang Gaoyu , Huang Yi , Zhang Weijia , Peng Ruoyan , Luo Jun , Liu Sisi , Bai Shijie , Hu Xiaoyuan , Wu Zhiqiang , Yang Fan , Shen Shu , Zhang Yun , Tang Chuanning , Cui Xiuji , Niu Lina , Lu Gang , Li Songhai , Deng Fei , Zhang Peijun , Du Jiang , Yin Feifei
Published: October 2021

The discovery of new viruses is important for predicting their potential threats to the health of humans and other animals. A novel picornavirus was identified from oral, throat, and anal swab samples collected from belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), from Dalian Sun Asia Tourism Holding Co., China, between January and December 2018, using a metagenomics approach. The genome of this novel PicoV-HMU-1 strain was 8197 nucleotides (nt) in length, with a open reading frame (from 1091 to 8074 nt) that encoded a polyprotein precursor of 2328 amino acids. Moreover, the genomic length and GC content of PicoV-HMU-1 were within the ranges found in other picornaviruses, and the genome organization was also similar. Nevertheless, PicoV-HMU-1 had a lower amino acid identity and distinct host species compared with other members of the Picornaviridae family. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the P1 and 3D amino acid sequences of PicoV-HMU-1 along with representative members of the Picornaviridae family, which showed that PicoV-HMU-1 was related to unclassified bat picornaviruses groups. These findings suggest that the PicoV-HMU-1 strain represents a potentially novel genus of picornavirus. These data can enhance our understanding of the picornavirus genetic diversity and evolution.
Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Elaeagnus angustifolia L. leaf extracts and their multiple in vitro biological applications
Authors: Iqbal Javed , Abbasi Banzeer Ahsan , Yaseen Tabassum , Zahra Syeda Anber , Shahbaz Amir , Shah Sayed Afzal , Uddin Siraj , Ma Xin , Raouf Blqees , Kanwal Sobia , Amin Wajid , Mahmood Tariq , El-Serehy Hamed A. , Ahmad Parvaiz
Published: October 2021

Due to their versatile applications, ZnONPs have been formulated by several approaches, including green chemistry methods. In the current study, convenient and economically viable ZnONPs were produced using Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) leaf extracts. The phytochemicals from E. angustifolia L. are believed to serve as a non-toxic source of reducing and stabilizing agents. The physical and chemical properties of ZnONPs were investigated employing varying analytical techniques (UV, XRD, FT-IR, EDX, SEM, TEM, DLS and Raman). Strong UV–Vis absorption at 399 nm was observed for green ZnONPs. TEM, SEM and XRD analyses determined the nanoscale size, morphology and crystalline structure of ZnONPs, respectively. The ZnONPs were substantiated by evaluation using HepG2 (IC50: 21.7 µg mL−1) and HUH7 (IC50: 29.8 µg mL−1) cancer cell lines and displayed potential anticancer activities. The MTT cytotoxicity assay was conducted using Leishmania tropica “KWH23” (promastigotes: IC50, 24.9 µg mL−1; and amastigotes: IC50, 32.83 µg mL−1). ZnONPs exhibited excellent antimicrobial potencies against five different bacterial and fungal species via the disc-diffusion method, and their MIC values were calculated. ZnONPs were found to be biocompatible using human erythrocytes and macrophages. Free radical scavenging tests revealed excellent antioxidant activities. Enzyme inhibition assays were performed and revealed excellent potential. These findings suggested that EA@ZnONPs have potential applications and could be used as a promising candidate for clinical development.
Transcriptional cooperation of PBX1 and PAX6 in adult neural progenitor cells
Authors: Hau Ann-Christin , Mommaerts Elise , Laub Vera , Müller Tamara , Dittmar Gunnar , Schulte Dorothea
Published: October 2021

PAX6 is a highly conserved transcription factor and key regulator of several neurogenic processes, including the continuous generation of dopaminergic/GABAergic interneurons in the adult ventricular-subventricular (V-SVZ) neurogenic system in mice. Here we report that PAX6 cooperates with the TALE-homeodomain transcription factor PBX1 in this context. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation showed that PBX1 and PAX6 co-occupy shared genomic binding sites in adult V-SVZ stem- and progenitor cell cultures and mouse embryonic stem cells, while depletion of Pbx1 revealed that association of PAX6 with these sites requires the presence of PBX1. Expression profiling together with viral overexpression or knockdown of Pax6 or Pbx1 identified novel PBX1-PAX6 co-regulated genes, including several transcription factors. Computational modeling of genome wide expression identified novel cross-regulatory networks among these very transcription factors. Taken together, the results presented here highlight the intimate link that exists between PAX6 and TALE-HD family proteins and contribute novel insights into how the orchestrated activity of transcription factors shapes adult V-SVZ neurogenesis.
A novel method for causal structure discovery from EHR data and its application to type-2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Shen Xinpeng , Ma Sisi , Vemuri Prashanthi , Castro M. Regina , Caraballo Pedro J. , Simon Gyorgy J.
Published: October 2021

Modern AI-based clinical decision support models owe their success in part to the very large number of predictors they use. Safe and robust decision support, especially for intervention planning, requires causal, not associative, relationships. Traditional methods of causal discovery, clinical trials and extracting biochemical pathways, are resource intensive and may not scale up to the number and complexity of relationships sufficient for precision treatment planning. Computational causal structure discovery (CSD) from electronic health records (EHR) data can represent a solution, however, current CSD methods fall short on EHR data. This paper presents a CSD method tailored to the EHR data. The application of the proposed methodology was demonstrated on type-2 diabetes mellitus. A large EHR dataset from Mayo Clinic was used as development cohort, and another large dataset from an independent health system, M Health Fairview, as external validation cohort. The proposed method achieved very high recall (.95) and substantially higher precision than the general-purpose methods (.84 versus .29, and .55). The causal relationships extracted from the development and external validation cohorts had a high (81%) overlap. Due to the adaptations to EHR data, the proposed method is more suitable for use in clinical decision support than the general-purpose methods.
Structural insight into an atomic layer deposition (ALD) grown Al2O3 layer on Ni/SiO2: impact on catalytic activity and stability in dry reforming of methane
Authors: Kim Sung Min , Armutlulu Andac , Liao Wei-Chih , Hosseini Davood , Stoian Dragos , Chen Zixuan , Abdala Paula M. , Copéret Christophe , Müller Christoph
Published: October 2021

Improving the stability of Ni-based dry reforming catalysts is a key challenge. ALD-grown Al2O3 overcoats deposited onto Ni/SiO2 prevent the sintering of Ni, reduce deactivation by coke and inhibit the formation of inactive NiAl2O4 on time on stream.
The first one-pot metathesis–hydroformylation procedure: a straight synthesis of 2-arylpropanals from renewable 1-propenylbenzenes
Authors: Avendaño Villarreal Jesus Alberto , Delolo Fábio Godoy , Granato Artur Vicari , Gusevskaya Elena Vitalievna , dos Santos Eduardo Nicolau
Published: October 2021

2-Arylpropanals are synthesised from renewable 1-propenylbenzenes via a two-step, one-pot procedure.
Nickel-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling of aryl chlorides with allylic alcohols
Authors: Yu Hang , Wang Zhong-Xia
Published: October 2021

Nickel-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling of aryl chlorides with allylic alcohols was performed, affording linear coupling products with the E configuration.
Automated glycan assembly of peptidoglycan backbone fragments
Authors: Dallabernardina Pietro , Benazzi Valentina , Laman Jon D. , Seeberger Peter H. , Loeffler Felix F.
Published: October 2021

The automated glycan assembly of different oligosaccharide fragments of the bacterial peptidoglycan backbone is reported.
The selective recognition mechanism of a novel highly hydrophobic ion-imprinted polymer towards Cd(ii) and its application in edible vegetable oil
Authors: Cao Hui , Yang Pu , Ye Tai , Yuan Min , Yu Jinsong , Wu Xiuxiu , Yin Fengqin , Li Yan , Xu Fei
Published: October 2021

Edible vegetable oils are easily contaminated by heavy metals, resulting in the oxidative degradation of oils and various health effects on humans.
Utilizing polymer-conjugate albumin-based ultrafine gas bubbles in combination with ultra-high frequency radiations in drug transportation and delivery
Authors: Le Thi H. , Phan An H. T. , Le Khoa C. M. , Phan Thy D. U. , Nguyen Khoi T.
Published: October 2021

Ultrafine bubbles stabilized by human serum albumin conjugate polyethylene glycol ameliorates the stability of complex as well as the drug payload. Polyethylene glycol presents the crucial role in releasing drug by means of acoustic sound.
Eco-benign PVA/aluminum phosphate as an alternative to formaldehyde-based adhesives in wood-based panels
Authors: Wu Zhenzeng , Chen Tingjie , Aladejana John Tosin , Zhang Zhutao , Liang Shengwei , Xiao Yuanjiao , Lin Jiahui , Wang Xiaodong(Alice) , Xie Yongqun
Published: October 2021

Eco-benign PVA/aluminum phosphate (PAP) shows great potential to replace formaldehyde-based adhesives in the wood industry, owing to the effectively improvement of hygroscopic resistance and wet bonding strength.
Rapid SERS identification of methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via aptamer recognition and deep learning
Authors: Wang Shu , Dong Hao , Shen Wanzhu , Yang Yong , Li Zhigang , Liu Yong , Wang Chongwen , Gu Bing , Zhang Long
Published: October 2021

We report a label-free surface-enhanced Raman scattering method for identification of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus based on aptamer-guided AgNP enhancement and convolutional neural network classification.