bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple‐input multiple‐output system design of multidimensional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system with coded direct index modulation
Authors: An Changyoung , Ryu Heung‐Gyoon
Published: January 2021

In this paper, two kinds of design methods of combining the multidimensional (MD) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with coded direct index modulation (CDIM) system and multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) technology are proposed to increase the spectrum efficiency more. These systems can be called as dimension‐dependent system and dimension‐independent system, respectively. MD‐OFDM‐CDIM was proposed to overcome the limitations of the spectral efficiency of MD‐OFDM. It has some advantages in terms of spectral efficiency and the performance is comparable to OFDM. However, there is a lack of compatibility studies with MIMO to increase the spectral efficiency. Therefore, in this paper, the compatibility of MD‐OFDM‐CDIM with MIMO is shown and the performance of the combined MIMO MD‐OFDM‐CDIM systems is evaluated. The simulation results show that the performance of the two proposed systems are similar under the conditions for the same spectral efficiency. However, the dimension‐independent system is better than the dimension‐dependent system because the reception processing complexity of the dimension‐dependent system increases significantly as the numbers of transmission and reception antennas go to higher.
Preparation and Evaluation of Rice Bran‐Modified Urea Formaldehyde as Environmental Friendly Wood Adhesive
Authors: Islam Md Nazrul , Faruk Md Omar , Rana Md Nasim , Das Atanu Kumar , Habib Ahsan
Published: January 2021

In this study, defatted rice bran (RB) is used to prepare an environmentally friendly adhesive through chemical modifications. The RB is mixed with distilled water with ratios of 1:5 and 1:4 to prepare Type A and Type B adhesives, respectively having pH of 6, 8 and 10. Type A adhesive is prepared by treating RB with 1% potassium permanganate and 4% poly(vinyl alcohol), whereas Type B is formulated by adding 17.3% formaldehyde and 5.7% urea to RB. Viscosity, gel time, solid content, shear strength, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is carried out, and glass transition temperature (Tg), and activation energy (Ea) are determined to evaluate the performance of the adhesives. Ea data reveal that adhesives prepared at mild alkaline (pH 8) form long‐chain polymers. Gel time is higher in the fabricated adhesives than that of the commercial urea formaldehyde (UF). FTIR data suggest that functional groups of the raw RB are chemically modified, which enhances the bondability of the adhesives. Shear strength data indicates that bonding strength increases with increasing pH. Similar results are also observed for physical and mechanical properties of fabricated particleboards with the adhesives. The results demonstrate that RB‐based adhesives can be used as a potential alternative to currently used UF‐based resin.
Nanofitins targeting heat shock protein 110: An innovative immunotherapeutic modality in cancer
Authors: Marcion Guillaume , Hermetet François , Neiers Fabrice , Uyanik Burhan , Dondaine Lucile , Dias Alexandre M. M. , Da Costa Laurène , Moreau Mathieu , Bellaye Pierre‐Simon , Collin Bertrand , Gobbo Jessica , Briand Loïc , Seigneuric Renaud , Kitten Olivier , Cinier Mathieu , Garrido Carmen
Published: January 2021

The presence of an inactivating heat shock protein 110 (HSP110) mutation in colorectal cancers has been correlated with an excellent prognosis and with the ability of HSP110 to favor the formation of tolerogenic (M2‐like) macrophages. These clinical and experimental results suggest a potentially powerful new strategy against colorectal cancer: the inhibition of HSP110. In this work, as an alternative to neutralizing antibodies, Nanofitins (scaffold ~7 kDa proteins) targeting HSP110 were isolated from the screening of a synthetic Nanofitin library, and their capacity to bind (immunoprecipitation, biolayer interferometry) and to inhibit HSP110 was analyzed in vitro and in vivo. Three Nanofitins were found to inhibit HSP110 chaperone activity. Interestingly, they share a high degree of homology in their variable domain and target the peptide‐binding domain of HSP110. In vitro, they inhibited the ability of HSP110 to favor M2‐like macrophages. The Nanofitin with the highest affinity, A‐C2, was studied in the CT26 colorectal cancer mice model. Our PET/scan experiments demonstrate that A‐C2 may be localized within the tumor area, in accordance with the reported HSP110 abundance in the tumor microenvironment. A‐C2 treatment reduced tumor growth and was associated with an increase in immune cells infiltrating the tumor and particularly cytotoxic macrophages. These results were confirmed in a chicken chorioallantoic membrane tumor model. Finally, we showed the complementarity between A‐C2 and an anti‐PD‐L1 strategy in the in vivo and in ovo tumor models. Overall, Nanofitins appear to be promising new immunotherapeutic lead compounds.
Bladder cancer risk associated with family history of cancer
Authors: Koutros Stella , Decker Kathy L. , Baris Dalsu , Pardo Larissa A. , Johnson Alison , Hosain G.M Monawar , Rothman Nathaniel , Karagas Margaret R. , Schwenn Molly R. , Silverman Debra T.
Published: January 2021

Twin studies suggest a familial aggregation of bladder cancer, but elements of this increased familial risk of bladder cancer are not well understood. To characterize familial risk of bladder cancer, we examined the relationship between family history of bladder and other types of cancer among first‐degree relatives and risk of bladder cancer in 1193 bladder cancer cases and 1418 controls in a large population‐based case‐control study. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between family history of bladder cancer (defined as at least one first‐degree family member with bladder cancer or a cancer of any other site). We also evaluated cancer aggregation of specific sites in family members. Participants with a first‐degree relative with bladder cancer had nearly double the risk of bladder cancer (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.2‐2.9) as those without a family history of bladder cancer. Risk was increased for having a sibling with bladder cancer (OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.3‐5.3) compared to no siblings with cancer. Bladder cancer risk was elevated when participants reported a first‐degree relative with a history of female genital cancer (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1‐2.1), melanoma (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.02‐3.6), and tobacco‐associated cancer (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.06‐1.6). These findings add to evidence of a familial predisposition to bladder cancer. Clarification of the aggregation of bladder cancer in families and with other cancer sites will be of interest as many loci and common polymorphisms related to bladder cancer have yet to be identified in large genomic studies.
Do forward premium rates predict the spot rates? Comparison of developed and emerging economies
Authors: Ahmed Wajid Shakeel , Khattak Shoaib , Ahmed Ijlal
Published: January 2021

The study inquires the role of forward premium rates as a predictor for the respective currency spot rates. The data comprises of developing and developed 16 countries' currencies of daily spot rates and forward premium rates of 30, 90, 180 and 360 days by extending the work of Della Corte, Sarno and Tsiakas (2009). The study proposes the model of predictable time series in nature to test for the heteroscedasticity in respective categories of forward premium rates, for example, heteroscedastic forward premium model (H‐FPM). The results are encouraging and support that forward premiums have information that can be possibly utilized by investors for generating profits. Moreover, the predictive time series model observes that there exists a degree of concordance in results from in‐sample and out‐of‐sample (OOS_R2) statistical tests. The study finds that the (H‐FPM) dominates the symmetric‐mean model (S‐MM) and thus promises more profit incentivised benefits for investors. The study not only add knowledge to the previous study work in relation to predictability of the currencies spot rates through forward premium rates but also incorporate heteroscedasticity, endogeneity and persistency issues that lacks in past empirical studies.
Classification of breast cancer histopathological image with deep residual learning
Authors: Hu Chuhan , Sun Xiaoyan , Yuan Zhenming , Wu Yingfei
Published: January 2021

Breast cancer has high incidences and mortality rates in women worldwide. Malignancy could be detected manually by experienced pathologists based on Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stained images. However, it is time‐consuming and experience‐dependent, making early diagnosis a big challenge. In this paper, a methodology for breast cancer classification based on histopathological images with deep learning was described. A residual learning‐based convolutional neural network named myResNet‐34 was designed for malignancy‐and‐benign classification. In addition, an algorithm automatically generating the target image for stain normalization was proposed, which eliminated the bias caused by manual selection of the reference image. Elastic distortion was introduced and combined with affine transformation for data augmentation considering the characteristics of the H&E images. Experiments were conducted on BreakHis dataset with the proposed framework. Promising results were achieved with an average classification accuracy of around 91% on image‐level classification. Results indicated that both our data augmentation and stain normalization effectively improved the classification accuracy by 2‐3%.
Multi‐level dilated convolutional neural network for brain tumour segmentation and multi‐view‐based radiomics for overall survival prediction
Authors: Rafi Asra , Madni Tahir Mustafa , Janjua Uzair Iqbal , Ali Muhammad Junaid , Abid Muhammad Naeem
Published: January 2021

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most high‐risk and grievous tumour in the brain that causes the death of more than 50% of the patients within one to 2 years after diagnosis. Accurate detection and prognosis of this disease are critical to provide essential guidelines for treatment planning. This study proposed using a deep learning‐based network for the GBM segmentation and radiomic features for the patient's overall survival (OS) time prediction. The segmentation model used in this study was a modified U‐Net‐based deep 3D multi‐level dilated convolutional neural network. It uses multiple kernels of altered sizes to capture contextual information at different levels. The proposed scheme for OS time prediction overcomes the problem of information loss caused by the derivation of features in a single view due to the variation in the neighbouring pixels of the tumorous region. The selected features were based on texture, shape, and volume. These features were computed from the segmented components of tumour in axial, coronal, and sagittal views of magnetic resonance imaging slices. The proposed models were trained and evaluated on the BraTS 2019 dataset. Experimental results of OS time prediction on the validation data have showed an accuracy of 48.3%, with the mean squared error of 92 599.598. On the validation data, the segmentation model achieved a mean dice similarity coefficient of 0.75, 0.89, and 0.80 for enhancing tumour, whole tumour, and tumour core, respectively. Future work is warranted to improve the overall performance of OS time prediction based on the findings in this study.
Effect of carbonated hydroxyapatite submicron particles size on osteoblastic differentiation
Authors: Juhl Otto J. , Latifi Seyed Mohsen , Donahue Henry J.
Published: January 2021

Synthetic biomimetic carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) has shown significant promise in bone tissue engineering for its mechanical and chemical biocompatibility and osteogenic potential. Variations in the size of hydroxyapatite particles have also been shown to contribute to the hydroxyapatite's osteogenic success. However, synthesizing biomimetic CHA with optimal osteogenic properties using a simple synthesis methodology to make highly reproducible, biomimetic, and osteogenic CHA has not been evaluated fully. The objective of this study was to synthesize submicron CHA particles using a nanoemulsion method. We hypothesized that by varying the synthesis technique we could control particle size while still creating highly biomimetic CHA typically produced during nanoemulsion synthesis. Furthermore, we hypothesized that 500 nm CHA particles would induce greater osteoblastic differentiation compared to larger or smaller CHA particles. X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize the chemical composition, shape, and size of CHA synthesized through variations in pH, temperature and stirring speed during synthesis. Manipulation of pH showed the ability to selectively tailor CHA particle size from 200–900 nm in a reproducible manner while maintaining the chemical composition. In addition, 500 nm particles elicited the most rapid increase in osteoblastic differentiation and did not decrease cell viability compared to 200 and 900 nm particles.
Association between the TAP1 gene polymorphisms and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in patients from Western Mexico: A pilot study
Authors: Palomares‐Marin Jaime , Govea‐Camacho Luis Humberto , Araujo‐Caballero Vania , Cazarez‐Navarro Gerardo , Rodriguez‐Preciado Sergio Yair , Ortiz‐Hernandez Enrique , Martinez‐Lopez Erika , Muñoz‐Valle Jose Francisco , Hernandez‐Cañaveral Ivan Isidro
Published: January 2021

Background

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a respiratory tract disease that affects children and adults and is characterized by the recurrent proliferation of multiple papillomas. The etiologic agent is the human papillomavirus, mainly genotypes 6 and 11. Furthermore, polymorphisms in TAP1 appear to influence the selection of antigenic peptides and the transport process to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, for their subsequent presentation to T lymphocytes, an essential process against viral diseases and tumor processes. Previous studies have shown that individuals with those polymorphisms are susceptible to immune, infectious, and tumor‐related diseases. The present study aimed to determine the association between the TAP1 rs1057141 (c.1177A>G) and rs1135216 (c.2090A>G) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and RRP.

Methods

A case–control study was carried out on a group of 70 individuals (35 controls and 35 patients). RRP diagnosis, HPV genotyping, and viral load were determined through histology and PCR. SNPs rs1057141 and rs1135216 were identified through allelic discrimination, using real‐time PCR. The haplotypic analyses were performed using the Arlequin 3.5 program.

Results

HPV‐6 and HPV‐11 were the genotypes found in the samples. In the polymorphism analysis, rs1057141 showed no significant differences (p = 0.049, CI = 0.994–7.331). In contrast, a significant difference was found in rs1135216 (p = 0.039, OR = 2.4) in the allelic analysis, as well as in the dominant (p = 0.027, OR = 3.06), codominant (p = 0.033, OR = 3.06), and additive model (p = 0.043, OR = 2.505) in subjects with the G allele.

Conclusion

The G allele in rs1135216 was associated with a genetic risk of susceptibility for RRP in a population in Western Mexico.
Unveiling the mechanism of N‐methylation of indole with dimethylcarbonate using either DABCO or DBU as catalyst
Authors: Vendramini Pedro H. , Zeoly Lucas A. , Cormanich Rodrigo A. , Buehl Michael , Eberlin Marcos N. , Ferreira Bruno R.V.
Published: January 2021

Depending on the catalyst used, N‐methylation of indole with dimethylcarbonate (DMC)—an environmentally friendly alkylation agent—yields different products. With 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), the reaction forms only N‐methylated indole, but with 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU), both N‐methylated and N‐methoxycarbonylated indole are formed. Using direct ESI(+)‐MS monitoring to collect actual snapshots of the changing ionic composition of the reaction solution, we report on the interception and characterization of key intermediates for such reactions. Although a mechanism has been proposed with methoxycarbonylated base as the key intermediate for both DBU and DABCO, the ESI(+)‐MS data and B3LYP‐D3/6‐311+G** calculations suggest that the reaction of DMC with indole under either DABCO or DBU catalysis follows contrasting mechanisms.
An optimized method for the detection and spatial distribution of aminoglycoside and vancomycin antibiotics in tissue sections by mass spectrometry imaging
Authors: Wang Ning , Dartois Véronique , Carter Claire L.
Published: January 2021

Suboptimal antibiotic dosing has been identified as one of the key drivers in the development of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) bacteria that have become a global health concern. Aminoglycosides and vancomycin are broad‐spectrum antibiotics used to treat critically ill patients infected by a variety of MDR bacterial species. Resistance to these antibiotics is becoming more prevalent. In order to design proper antibiotic regimens that maximize efficacy and minimize the development of resistance, it is pivotal to obtain the in situ pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic profiles at the sites of infection. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is the ideal technique to achieve this. Aminoglycosides, due to their structure, suffer from poor ionization efficiency. Additionally, ion suppression effects by endogenous molecules greatly inhibit the detection of aminoglycosides and vancomycin at therapeutic levels. In the current study, an optimized method was developed that enabled the detection of these antibiotics by MSI. Tissue spotting experiments demonstrated a 5‐, 15‐, 35‐, and 54‐fold increase in detection sensitivity in the washed samples for kanamycin, amikacin, streptomycin, and vancomycin, respectively. Tissue mimetic models were utilized to optimize the washing time and matrix additive concentration. These studies determined the improved limit of detection was 40 to 5 μg/g of tissue for vancomycin and streptomycin, and 40 to 10 μg/g of tissue for kanamycin and amikacin. The optimized protocol was applied to lung sections from mice dosed with therapeutic levels of kanamycin and vancomycin. The washing protocol enabled the first drug distribution investigations of aminoglycosides and vancomycin by MSI, paving the way for site‐of‐disease antibiotic penetration studies.
Perivascular lymphocytic aggregates in hip prosthesis‐associated adverse local tissue reactions demonstrate Th1 and Th2 activity and exhausted CD8+ cell responses
Authors: Eltit Felipe , Mohammad Nissreen , Medina Indira , Haegert Anne , Duncan Clive P. , Garbuz Donald S. , Greidanus Nelson V. , Masri Bassam A. , Ng Tony L. , Wang Rizhi , Cox Michael E.
Published: January 2021

Hip implants are a successful solution for osteoarthritis; however, some individuals with metal‐on‐metal (MoM) and metal‐on‐polyethylene (MoP) prosthetics develop adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs). While MoM and MoP ALTRs are presumed to be delayed hypersensitivity reactions to corrosion products, MoM‐ and MoP‐associated ALTRs present with different histological characteristics. We compared MoM‐ and MoP‐associated ALTRs histopathology with cobalt and chromium levels in serum and synovial fluid. We analyzed the gene expression levels of leukocyte aggregates and synovial fluid chemokines/cytokines to resolve potential pathophysiologic differences. In addition, we classified ALTRs from 79 patients according to their leukocyte infiltrates as macrophage‐dominant, mixed, and lymphocyte‐dominant. Immune‐related transcript profiles from lymphocyte‐dominant MoM‐ and MoP‐associated ALTR patients with perivascular lymphocytic aggregates were similar. Cell signatures indicated predominantly macrophage, Th1 and Th2 lymphocytic infiltrate, with strong exhausted CD8+ signature, and low Th17 and B cell, relative to healthy lymph nodes. Lymphocyte‐dominant ALTR‐associated synovial fluid contained higher levels of induced protein 10 (IP‐10), interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1RN), IL‐8, IL‐6, IL‐16, macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP‐1α), IL‐18, MCP‐2, and lower cell‐attracting chemokine levels, when compared with prosthetic revisions lacking ALTRs. In addition, the higher levels of IP‐10, IL‐8, IL‐6, MIP‐1α, and MCP‐2 were observed within the synovial fluid of the lymphocyte‐dominant ALTRs relative to the macrophage‐dominant ALTRs. Not all cytokines/chemokines were detected in the perivascular aggregate transcripts, suggesting the existence of other sources in the affected synovia. Our results support the hypothesis of common hypersensitivity pathogenesis in lymphocyte‐dominant MoM and MoP ALTRs. The exhausted lymphocyte signature indicates chronic processes and an impaired immune response, although the cause of the persistent T‐cell activation remains unclear. The cytokine/chemokine signature of lymphocyte‐dominant‐associated ATLRs may be of utility for diagnosing this more aggressive pathogenesis.
How can scanned proton beam treatment planning for low‐grade glioma cope with increased distal RBE and locally increased radiosensitivity for late MR‐detected brain lesions?
Authors: Bauer Julia , Bahn Emanuel , Harrabi Semi , Herfarth Klaus , Debus Jürgen , Alber Markus
Published: January 2021

A novel risk model has recently been proposed for the occurrence of late contrast‐enhancing brain lesions (CEBLs) after proton irradiation of low‐grade glioma (LGG) patients. It predicts a strong dependence on dose‐weighted linear‐energy transfer (LETd effect) and an increased radiosensitivity of the ventricular proximity, a 4‐mm fringe surrounding the ventricular system (VP4mm effect). On this basis, we investigated (A) how these two risk factors and patient‐specific anatomical and treatment plan (TP) features contribute to normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and (B) if conventional LETd‐reduction techniques like multiple‐field TP are able to reduce NTCP. (A) The LGG model cohort (N = 110) was stratified with respect to prescribed dose, tumor grade, and treatment field configuration. NTCP predictions and CEBL occurrence rates per strata were analyzed. (B) The effect of multiple‐field TP was investigated in two patient groups: (i) nine high‐risk subjects with extended lateral target volumes who had developed CEBLs after single‐beam treatments were retrospectively replanned with a clinical standard two‐field setting using almost orthogonal fields and strictly opposing fields, (ii) single‐field treatments were simulated for seven low‐risk patients with small central target volumes clinically treated with two strictly opposing fields. (A) In the model cohort, we identified the exposure of the radiosensitive VP4mm fringe with proton field components of increased biological effectiveness as dominant NTCP driving factor. We observed that larger target volumes and location lateral to the main ventricles, both being characteristic for WHO°II tumors, presented with the highest complication risks. Among subjects of an equal dose prescription of 54 Gy(RBE), the highest median NTCP was obtained for the WHO°II group treated with two fields using sharp angles. (B) Regarding the effect of multiple‐field plans, we found that an NTCP reduction was only achievable in the low‐risk group where the LETd effect dominates and the VP4mm effect is small. NTCP of the single‐field plans was 23% higher compared to the clinical opposing field plan. In the high‐risk group, where the VP4mm effect dominates the risk, both two‐field scenarios yielded 44% higher NTCP predictions compared to the clinical single‐field plans. The interplay of an increased radiosensitivity in the VP4mm fringe with proton field components of increased biological effectiveness creates a geometric complexity that can hardly be managed by current clinical TP. Our results underline that advanced biologically guided TP approaches become crucial for an effective risk minimization in proton therapy of LGG.
Reproducibility of 19F‐MR ventilation imaging in healthy volunteers
Authors: Pippard Benjamin J. , Neal Mary A. , Maunder Adam M. , Hollingsworth Kieren G. , Biancardi Alberto , Lawson Rod A. , Fisher Holly , Matthews John N. S. , Simpson A. John , Wild Jim M. , Thelwall Peter E.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

To assess the reproducibility of percentage ventilated lung volume (%VV) measurements in healthy volunteers acquired by fluorine (19F)‐MRI of inhaled perfluoropropane, implemented at two research sites.

Methods

In this prospective, ethically approved study, 40 healthy participants were recruited (May 2018‐June 2019) to one of two research sites. Participants underwent a single MRI scan session on a 3T scanner, involving periodic inhalation of a 79% perfluoropropane/21% oxygen gas mixture. Each gas inhalation session lasted about 30 seconds, consisting of three deep breaths of gas followed by a breath‐hold. Four 19F‐MR ventilation images were acquired per participant, each separated by approximately 6 minutes. The value of %VV was determined by registering separately acquired 1H images to ventilation images before semi‐automated image segmentation, performed independently by two observers. Reproducibility of %VV measurements was assessed by components of variance, intraclass correlation coefficients, coefficients of variation (CoV), and the Dice similarity coefficient.

Results

The MRI scans were well tolerated throughout, with no adverse events. There was a high degree of consistency in %VV measurements for each participant (CoVobserver1 = 0.43%; CoVobserver2 = 0.63%), with overall precision of %VV measurements determined to be within ± 1.7% (95% confidence interval). Interobserver agreement in %VV measurements revealed a high mean Dice similarity coefficient (SD) of 0.97 (0.02), with only minor discrepancies between observers.

Conclusion

We demonstrate good reproducibility of %VV measurements in a group of healthy participants using 19F‐MRI of inhaled perfluoropropane. Our methods have been successfully implemented across two different study sites, supporting the feasibility of performing larger multicenter clinical studies.
OLED Opportunity in Healthcare With the Pulse Oximeter
Authors: Kim Chang‐Hyun
Published: January 2021

The emergence of ultra‐thin, flexible, and bright OLED devices has ignited tremendous interest in their potential as a light source in pulse oximetry, a well‐established method to monitor pulse rate and blood oxygen level.
Employing Liquid Crystal‐Based Smart Antennas for Satellite and Terrestrial Communication
Authors: Wittek Michael , Fritzsch Carsten , Schroth Dieter
Published: January 2021

Liquid crystals for microwave components are sought by established material and display industries, along with companies in the satellite and telecommunications fields, driven by the need for new data communication technologies. Here, the authors detail promising applications that could go mainstream, including tunable microwave filters, beam‐steering antenna systems, and millimeter‐wave communication.
UCF Continues its Odyssey with Optics
Authors: Saunders Nicole
Published: January 2021

As part of a new series that follows student researchers making exciting contributions to the display world, we explore why the University of Central Florida's College of Optics and Photonics is lauded by industry and academia.
Development and validation of the nursing confidence in managing sedation complications scale
Authors: Conway Aaron , Chang Kristina , Kamboj Navpreet , Sutherland Joanna
Published: January 2021

Aim

To develop the Nursing Confidence in Managing Sedation Complications Scale.

Design

A multi‐phased approach was used.

Methods

An initial bank of items was created based on the authors' experience and clinical practice guidelines. An expert panel assessed content validity. Exploratory factor analysis was used for item reduction and regression was used to explore construct validity. Responsiveness was evaluated using a pre‐test post‐test design.

Results

Criteria for content validity was met for 34 items. An 18‐item, three‐factor solution was identified from exploratory factor analysis performed using Nursing Confidence in Managing Sedation Complications Scale scores from 228 nurses. Subscales accounted for 66% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha for the scale (0.95) and subscales was high (>0.85). There were differences (p < .001) in Nursing Confidence in Managing Sedation Complications Scale scores relative to years of experience and work environment. NC‐MSCS scores increased significantly from before to after sedation training (mean difference = 31.8; 95% CI = 24.4–39; N = 31).
COVID‐19 health safety practices: Influence on grocery shopping behavior
Authors: Shamim Khalid , Ahmad Shamim , Alam Md Ashraf
Published: January 2021

During COVID‐19 lockdown, individuals were asked to leave their home only to meet the most urgent needs, such as grocery purchases and medical emergencies. This study aimed to know the consumers' health safety practices and their concerns toward grocery shopping and to know their adoption of healthier food as a result of the outbreak. An online survey was conducted during the second month of the COVID‐19 lockdown. This study includes 212 respondents. Appropriate statistical tools were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study revealed that females were ahead compared to males in pursuing health safety practices during grocery shopping, but the frequency of following physical distancing for both males and females was not up to the mark. The most important concern about grocery shopping was fear of unavailability of stocks and fear of getting infected from grocery storekeepers. It was also found that, compared to earlier, people had reduced their frequency of grocery shopping and tried to shop quickly and efficiently. People bought more packaged foods and also made purchases from brands that were new to them. As a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the adoption of healthier food habits varied significantly with gender, age, and household income of the respondents. This study indicates that there is a need to raise awareness among people on how to shop safely in grocery stores and that good hygiene practice should be followed in grocery stores to mitigate the risk of infection to consumers.
Effect of watercress extract supplementation on lipid profile and oxidative stress markers in overweight people with physical disability: A randomized, double‐blind, and placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Clemente Mirna , Miguel Marilis D. , Felipe Karina B. , Gribner Caroline , Moura Paula F. , Rigoni Ana A. R. , Parisotto Eduardo B. , Henneberg Railson , Dias Josiane de Fatima Gaspari , Piltz Marina T. , Clemente Erick F. , Schonhofen Christian B. , Carvalho João L. S. , Fernandes Luiz C. , Miguel Obdúlio G.
Published: January 2021

Studies have demonstrated that diet rich in cruciferous vegetables of the Brassicaceae family can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and oxidative stress levels. Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae), commonly known as watercress is a perennial dicotyledonous plant usually found close to water. Although previous investigations have demonstrated the beneficial effects of watercress on hypercholesterolemia in animal studies, until now no such studies have been conducted with humans, up to this time. This study aimed to investigate whether overweight individuals were able to improve or maintain their serum lipid and oxidative stress markers when given standardized extract of Nasturtium officinale (SENO) as a supplement. This was a randomized, double‐blind, and placebo‐controlled trial conducted over 5 weeks. Thirty‐four overweight people with physical disabilities were selected randomly to participate in this study and then they were assigned randomly to two groups, one treated with 750 mg//kg/d of SENO and the other treated with 750 mg/kg/d of placebo. The results indicated that SENO caused a significant improvement in the levels of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, creatinine, and lipid peroxidation. However, SENO did not cause a significant statistical change in total serum cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and high‐density lipoprotein levels; catalase, superoxide dismutase, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and urea parameters. The present data might provide supportive evidence that SENO did not cause any harm and positively affected low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol profile and creatinine as well as lipid peroxidation levels in the participants. Nevertheless, further studies are suggested to clarify the results presented in this clinical trial.
Improving the strength of recycled liner for corrugated packaging by adding virgin fibres: Effect of refrigerated storage on paper properties
Authors: Rodrigues Fioritti Renato , Revilla Esteban , Villar Juan Carlos , D'Almeida Maria Luiza O. , Gómez Nuria
Published: January 2021

The high humidity produced by the ripening of fruit and vegetables during refrigerated storage and transport leads to a noticeable loss of strength of corrugated board packaging. Increasing use of recycled fibres in the manufacture of corrugated board further reduces box compression strength. Adding virgin fibres to the furnish composition of liner paper could solve this problem.

Various proportions of unbleached virgin eucalyptus and pine fibres were added to a recycled furnish used to manufacture liner paper for corrugated board. Laboratory sheets of each fibre blend were characterised by tensile, bursting and compressive strength. The change in the strength properties and moisture content of the sheets during refrigerated storage at 6°C and high relative humidity (90% RH) was also studied.

The results showed that paper strength improved with the proportion of virgin fibres added. Pine fibres yielded higher increments than eucalyptus fibres in tensile and burst indices, whereas both fibres improved compression strength at a similar rate. After 4 h of exposure at refrigerated storage, the paper strength properties decreased considerably, in particular compression strength, which showed a loss of about 70% compared to the reference value. The percentage of strength lost compared to the value in standard conditions was influenced only by exposure time at low temperature and high RH. However, an increase in the amount of pine fibres added enhanced the remaining tensile and burst indices.
Effect of the Metal–Ligand Interface on the Chiroptical Activity of Cysteine‐Protected Nanoparticles
Authors: Rodríguez‐Zamora Penélope , Cordero‐Silis Cédric A. , Garza‐Ramos Georgina R. , Salazar‐Angeles Benjamin , Luque‐Ceballos Jonathan C. , Fabila Jorge C. , Buendía Fernando , Paz‐Borbón Lauro Oliver , Díaz Gabriela , Garzón Ignacio L.
Published: January 2021

Gold, silver, and copper small nanoparticles (NPs), with average size ≈2 nm, are synthesized and afterward protected with l‐ and d‐cysteine, demonstrating emergence of chiroptical activity in the wavelength range of 250–400 nm for all three metals with respect to the bare nanoparticles and ligands alone. Silver‐cysteine (Ag‐Cys) NPs display the higher anisotropy factor, whereas gold‐cysteine (Au‐Cys) NPs show optical and chiroptical signatures slightly more displaced to the visible range. A larger number of circular dichroism (CD) bands with smaller intensity, as compared to gold and silver, is observed for the first time for copper‐cysteine (Cu‐Cys) NPs. The manifestation of optical and chiroptical responses upon cysteine adsorption and the differences between the spectra corresponding to each metal are mainly dictated by the metal–ligand interface, as supported by a comparison with calculations of the oscillatory and rotatory strengths based on time‐dependent density functional theory, using a metal–ligand interface motif model, which closely resembles the experimental absorption and CD spectra. These results are useful to demonstrate the relevance of the interface between chiral ligands and the metal surfaces of Au, Ag, and Cu NPs, and provide evidence and further insights into the origin of the transfer mechanisms and induction of extrinsic chirality.
A “Good Game” of Readers Responding
Authors: Smutny Nicole Danice , Saal Leah Katherine
Published: January 2021

In this article, the authors describe the impact of a reader response game in an English language arts classroom. They explore the theoretical intersection of game‐based learning and “good games” and transactional theory as a framework for this practice. After incorporating a “good game” of reader response in classes, the authors found that the students increased both their volume of texts read and their engagement across text format/type and genre. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical and instructional implications of using a reader response style game in the English language arts classroom and beyond.
Decolorization of textile azo dye Novacron Red using bacterial monoculture and consortium: Response surface methodology optimization
Authors: Guembri Marwa , Neifar Mohamed , Saidi Mouna , Ferjani Raoudha , Chouchane Habib , Mosbah Amor , Cherif Ameur , Saidi Neila , Ouzari Hadda Imene
Published: January 2021

The present study was intended toward the optimization of a textile dye Novacron Red decolorization by single and mixed culture of Bacillus strains namely, B. firmus, B. filamentosus and B. subterraneus. Optimization of dye decolorization using Bacillus monocultures was conducted using central composite design. The maximum dye decolorization achieved under optimized conditions for B. firmus, B. filamentosus and B. subterraneus was 89.24%, 88.28% and 88.45%, respectively. The effect of various consortia of selected Bacillus strains on dye removal was evaluated by applying a mixture design. The best dye (100 mg/L) decolorization yield (84%) was achieved using the consortium of B. filamentosus and B. subetrraneus.The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analyses confirmed biodegradation potential of the two Bacillus strains. The results highlighted the potential of mono‐ and co‐cultures of Bacillus strains for application in textile wastewater treatment.

Practitioner points

Novel dye‐decolorizing Bacillus strains were isolated from marine sediment.

Optimization of decolorization was conducted using response surface methodology.

Efficient decolorization of textile dye by Bacillus strains on mono‐ and co‐cultures.

The efficiency of the consortium B. filamentosus and B. subetrraneus on dye removal.
Lost chapters in CHL black holes: untwisted quarter-BPS dyons in the ℤ2 model
Authors: Fischbach Fabian , Klemm Albrecht , Nega Christoph
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Motivated by recent advances in Donaldson-Thomas theory, four-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 string-string duality is examined in a reduced rank theory on a less studied BPS sector. In particular we identify candidate partition functions of “untwisted” quarter-BPS dyons in the heterotic ℤ2 CHL model by studying the associated chiral genus two partition function, based on the M-theory lift of string webs argument by Dabholkar and Gaiotto. This yields meromorphic Siegel modular forms for the Iwahori subgroup B(2) ⊂ Sp4(ℤ) which generate BPS indices for dyons with untwisted sector electric charge, in contrast to twisted sector dyons counted by a multiplicative lift of twisted-twining elliptic genera known from Mathieu moonshine. The new partition functions are shown to satisfy the expected constraints coming from wall-crossing and S-duality symmetry as well as the black hole entropy based on the Gauss-Bonnet term in the effective action. In these aspects our analysis confirms and extends work of Banerjee, Sen and Srivastava, which only addressed a subset of the untwisted sector dyons considered here. Our results are also compared with recently conjectured formulae of Bryan and Oberdieck for the partition functions of primitive DT invariants of the CHL orbifold X = (K3 × T2)/ℤ2, as suggested by string duality with type IIA theory on X.
Generalising G2 geometry: involutivity, moment maps and moduli
Authors: Ashmore Anthony , Strickland-Constable Charles , Tennyson David , Waldram Daniel
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We analyse the geometry of generic Minkowski$$ \mathcal{N} $$N= 1,D= 4 flux compactifications in string theory, the default backgrounds for string model building. In M-theory they are the natural string theoretic extensions of G2 holonomy manifolds. In type II theories, they extend the notion of Calabi-Yau geometry and include the class of flux backgrounds based on generalised complex structures first considered by Graña et al. (GMPT). Using E7(7)× ℝ+generalised geometry we show that these compactifications are characterised by an SU(7) ⊂ E7(7)structure defining an involutive subbundle of the generalised tangent space, and with a vanishing moment map, corresponding to the action of the diffeomorphism and gauge symmetries of the theory. The Kähler potential on the space of structures defines a natural extension of Hitchin’s G2functional. Using this framework we are able to count, for the first time, the massless scalar moduli of GMPT solutions in terms of generalised geometry cohomology groups. It also provides an intriguing new perspective on the existence of G2manifolds, suggesting possible connections to Geometrical Invariant Theory and stability.
Erratum to: Light quark mediated Higgs boson threshold production in the next-to-leading logarithmic approximation
Authors: Anastasiou Charalampos , Penin Alexander
Published: January 2021

In the paper a NLL contribution of the gluon vertex correction figure 4(c) has been omitted.
Merging the weak gravity and distance conjectures using BPS extremal black holes
Authors: Gendler Naomi , Valenzuela Irene
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We analyze the charge-to-mass structure of BPS states in general infinite-distance limits of $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 compactifications of Type IIB string theory on Calabi-Yau three-folds, and use the results to sharpen the formulation of the Swampland Conjectures in the presence of multiple gauge and scalar fields. We show that the BPS bound coincides with the black hole extremality bound in these infinite distance limits, and that the charge-to-mass vectors of the BPS states lie on degenerate ellipsoids with only two non-degenerate directions, regardless of the number of moduli or gauge fields. We provide the numerical value of the principal radii of the ellipsoid in terms of the classification of the singularity that is being approached. We use these findings to inform the Swampland Distance Conjecture, which states that a tower of states becomes exponentially light along geodesic trajectories towards infinite field distance. We place general bounds on the mass decay rate λ of this tower in terms of the black hole extremality bound, which in our setup implies $$ \lambda \ge 1/\sqrt{6} $$
λ
≥
1
/

6

. We expect this framework to persist beyond $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 as long as a gauge coupling becomes small in the infinite field distance limit.
Stability of the Higgs sector in a flavor-inspired multi-scale model
Authors: Allwicher Lukas , Isidori Gino , Thomsen Anders Eller
Published: January 2021

Abstract

We analyze the stability of the Higgs sector of a three-site model with flavor-non-universal gauge interactions, whose spectrum of non-Standard-Model states spans three orders of magnitude. This model is inspired by deconstructing a five-dimensional theory where the generation index is in one-to-one relation to the position in the fifth dimension. It provides a good description of masses and mixing of the SM fermions in terms of scale hierarchies. We demonstrate that, within this construction, the mass term of the SM-like Higgs does not receive large corrections proportional to the highest mass scales. The model suffers only of the unavoidable “little hierarchy problem” between the electroweak scale and the lightest NP states, which are expected to be at the TeV scale.
Nuclear organization and regulation of the differentiated state
Authors: Bitman-Lotan Eliya , Orian Amir
Published: January 2021

Regulation of the differentiated identity requires active and continued supervision. Inability to maintain the differentiated state is a hallmark of aging and aging-related disease. To maintain cellular identity, a network of nuclear regulators is devoted to silencing previous and non-relevant gene programs. This network involves transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, and the localization of silent genes to heterochromatin. Together, identity supervisors mold and maintain the unique nuclear environment of the differentiated cell. This review describes recent discoveries regarding mechanisms and regulators that supervise the differentiated identity and protect from de-differentiation, tumorigenesis, and attenuate forced somatic cell reprograming. The review focuses on mechanisms involved in H3K9me3-decorated heterochromatin and the importance of nuclear lamins in cell identity. We outline how the biophysical properties of these factors are involved in self-compartmentalization of heterochromatin and cell identity. Finally, we discuss the relevance of these regulators to aging and age-related disease.
Erhöhtes Risiko eines COVID-19-bedingten Krankenhausaufenthaltes für Arbeitslose: Eine Analyse von Krankenkassendaten von 1,28 Mio. Versicherten in Deutschland
Authors: Wahrendorf Morten , Rupprecht Christoph J. , Dortmann Olga , Scheider Maria , Dragano Nico
Published: January 2021

Hintergrund und Ziel

Arbeitslosigkeit steht in Zusammenhang mit Armut und ist ein Risikofaktor für schlechte Gesundheit. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht, ob Arbeitslosigkeit das Risiko für einen COVID-19-bedingten Krankenhausaufenthalt für Männer und Frauen im erwerbsfähigen Alter in Deutschland erhöht.

Methoden

Die Auswertungen verwenden Krankenkassendaten der AOK Rheinland/Hamburg (vom 01.01.2020 bis zum 18.06.2020) mit Daten zu 1.288.745 Personen zwischen 18 und 65 Jahren. 4 Erwerbssituationen werden unterschieden: (1) reguläre Erwerbstätigkeit, (2) Niedriglohntätigkeit mit Sozialleistungen, (3) Arbeitslosigkeit mit Bezug von Arbeitslosengeld 1 (Alg I) und (4) Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit mit Bezug von Arbeitslosengeld 2 (Alg II). COVID-19-Krankenhausaufenthalte werden über Meldungen der Krankenhäuser anhand der ICD-Codes U07.1 und U07.2 bestimmt. Berechnet werden multiple logistische Regressionsmodelle (für Alter und Geschlecht adjustiert).

Ergebnisse

1521 Personen hatten im Beobachtungszeitraum einen Krankenhausaufenthalt mit COVID-19 als Haupt- oder als Nebendiagnose. Dies entspricht insgesamt einer Rate von 118 Fällen pro 100.000 Versicherten. Die Raten variieren je nach Erwerbssituation. Im Vergleich zu regulär Erwerbstätigen liegt das Odds Ratio im Falle von Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit (Alg II) bei 1,94 (KI 95 %: 1,74–2,15), für Empfänger von Alg I bei 1,29 (KI 95 %: 0,86–1,94) und für Niedriglohnverdiener bei 1,33 (KI 95 %: 0,98–1,82).

Schlussfolgerung

Die Ergebnisse stimmen mit früheren Studien aus den USA und Großbritannien zu sozioökonomischen Ungleichheiten bzgl. Risikos von COVID-19-Krankenhausaufenthalten überein. Dies liefert erste Hinweise dafür, dass sozioökonomische Unterschiede in Bezug auf schwere Verläufe von COVID-19 auch in Deutschland auftreten.