bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Waldenström macroglobulinemia: 2021 update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and management
Authors: Gertz Morie A.
Published: December 2020

Disease Overview

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal protein. Clinical features include anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and rarely hyperviscosity.

Diagnosis

Presence of IgM monoclonal protein associated with ≥10% clonal lymphoplasmacytic cells in bone marrow confirms the diagnosis. The L265P mutation in MYD88 is detectable in more than 90% of patients and is found in the majority of IgM MGUS patients.

Risk Stratification

Age, hemoglobin level, platelet count, β2 microglobulin, LDH and monoclonal IgM concentrations are characteristics that are predictive of outcomes.

Risk‐Adapted Therapy

Not all patients who fulfill WM criteria require therapy; these patients can be observed until symptoms develop. Rituximab‐monotherapy is inferior to regimens that combine it with bendamustine, an alkylating agent, a proteosome inhibitor, or ibrutinib. Purine nucleoside analogues are active but usage is declining in favor of less toxic alternatives. The preferred Mayo Clinic induction is rituximab and bendamustine.

Management of Refractory Disease

Bortezomib, fludarabine, thalidomide, everolimus, Bruton Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and bendamustine have all been shown to have activity in relapsed WM. Given WM's natural history, reduction of therapy toxicity is an important part of treatment selection.
Carpenter syndrome in a patient from Tanzania
Authors: Lodhia Jay , Rego‐Garcia Iago , Koipapi Sengua , Sadiq Adnan , Msuya David , Spaendonk ResieVervenne‐van , Hamel Ben , Dekker Marieke
Published: December 2020

Carpenter syndrome (acrocephalopolysyndactyly type II) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. It was clinically diagnosed in a female baby with polysyndactyly and craniosynostosis in a referral clinic in Northern Tanzania. In the RAB23 gene, a previously described homozygous variant c.82C>T p.(Arg28*) was detected that results in a premature stop codon. Both parents were demonstrated to be heterozygous carriers of this variant. Herewith, its pathogenicity is proved. A literature search suggests this is the first molecularly confirmed case of Carpenter syndrome in continental Africa.
An inconstant biorhythm: The changing pace of Retzius periodicity in human permanent teeth
Authors: McFarlane Gina , Guatelli‐Steinberg Debbie , Loch Carolina , White Sophie , Bayle Priscilla , Floyd Bruce , Pitfield Rosie , Mahoney Patrick
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Human tooth enamel retains evidence of growth in the form of Retzius lines. The number of daily growth increments between the regularly occurring lines defines their repeat interval, or periodicity. Retzius periodicity is often incorporated into enamel formation times, age‐at‐death reconstructions, or used to provide a basis from which to explore an underlying biorhythm. Biological anthropologists typically assume that RP remains constant within an individual and does not vary along the tooth‐row. Here, we test that assumption.

Materials and methods

RP was calculated from n = 223 thin sections of human permanent teeth from individuals of British and southern African origin. Forty individuals provided multiple teeth (n = 102 teeth) and a further 121 individuals each provided a single tooth.

Results

We report first evidence that RP of permanent teeth does not always remain constant within an individual. Of those individuals that provided multiple teeth, 42% (n = 17/40) demonstrated a decrease in RP along the tooth row, with most shifting by two or more days (n = 11). Across the entire sample, mean RP of anterior teeth was significantly higher than molars. Mean premolar RP tended to be intermediate between anterior teeth and molars.

Discussion

Our data do not support the assumption that RP invariably remains constant within the permanent teeth of an individual. Transferring RP from molars to incisors within an individual can result in a miscalculation of formation time and age‐at‐death by up to 1 year. Implications for biological anthropologists and the source of the underlying long period biorhythm are discussed.
Covert Speech Comprehension Predicts Recovery From Acute Unresponsive States
Authors: Sokoliuk Rodika , Degano Giulio , Banellis Leah , Melloni Lucia , Hayton Tom , Sturman Steve , Veenith Tonny , Yakoub Kamal M. , Belli Antonio , Noppeney Uta , Cruse Damian
Published: December 2020

Objective

Patients with traumatic brain injury who fail to obey commands after sedation‐washout pose one of the most significant challenges for neurological prognostication. Reducing prognostic uncertainty will lead to more appropriate care decisions and ensure provision of limited rehabilitation resources to those most likely to benefit. Bedside markers of covert residual cognition, including speech comprehension, may reduce this uncertainty.

Methods

We recruited 28 patients with acute traumatic brain injury who were 2 to 7 days sedation‐free and failed to obey commands. Patients heard streams of isochronous monosyllabic words that built meaningful phrases and sentences while their brain activity via electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. In healthy individuals, EEG activity only synchronizes with the rhythm of phrases and sentences when listeners consciously comprehend the speech. This approach therefore provides a measure of residual speech comprehension in unresponsive patients.

Results

Seventeen and 16 patients were available for assessment with the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) at 3 months and 6 months, respectively. Outcome significantly correlated with the strength of patients’ acute cortical tracking of phrases and sentences (r > 0.6, p < 0.007), quantified by inter‐trial phase coherence. Linear regressions revealed that the strength of this comprehension response (beta = 0.603, p = 0.006) significantly improved the accuracy of prognoses relative to clinical characteristics alone (eg, Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS], computed tomography [CT] grade).

Interpretation

A simple, passive, auditory EEG protocol improves prognostic accuracy in a critical period of clinical decision making. Unlike other approaches to probing covert cognition for prognostication, this approach is entirely passive and therefore less susceptible to cognitive deficits, increasing the number of patients who may benefit. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:646–656
Vielseitiges Gallaphosphen: Von einem Ga‐P‐Ga‐Heteroallylkation über CO2‐Speicherung hin zu C(sp3)‐H‐Bindungsaktivierung
Authors: Sharma Mahendra K. , Wölper Christoph , Haberhauer Gebhard , Schulz Stephan
Published: December 2020

LGa(Cl)PCO (1) reagiert mit LGa zum Gallaphosphen L(Cl)GaPGaL (2; L=HC[C(Me)N(2,6‐i‐Pr2C6H3)]2). Die Reaktion von 2 mit [Na(OCP)(Dioxan)2.5] liefert LGa(OCP)PGaL (3), während Chloridabstraktion mit LiBArF4 zu [LGaPGaL][BArF4] (4; BArF4=B(C6F5)4) führt. Das Kation in 4 ist nach quantenchemischen Rechnungen ein heteronukleares Analogon des Allylkations. 2 reagiert reversibel mit CO2 zu L(Cl)GaP[μ‐C(O)O]2GaL (5) und mit Acetophenon und Aceton selektiv unter C(sp3)‐H‐Bindungsaktivierung zu den Verbindungen 6 und 7.
Comparison of the Effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field and Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in a Rabbit Model of Experimentally Induced Achilles Tendon Injury
Authors: Uzun Coşar , Erdal Nurten , Gürgül Serkan , Kalaycı Deniz , Yılmaz Şakir Necat , Özdemir Asena Ayça , Yetkin Derya , Yılmaz Cengiz
Published: December 2020

Achilles tendon injuries are a common cause of complications including adhesions and tendon degeneration. As a result of these complications, the biomechanical properties are lost. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) recover the injured tendon structure; however, detailed studies of changes in tendon biomechanical properties are limited. We hypothesized that PEMF application would improve Achilles tendon biomechanical properties similar to ESWT. The curative effects of a PEMF 4‐week application (15 Hz, 1 mT, 260 µs, 1 h/day) and ESWT (3 doses/28 days, 1st dose: 0.12 mJ/mm2, 15 Hz, 300 impulses; 2nd dose: 0.14 mJ/mm2, 15 Hz, 500 impulses; 3rd dose: 0.14 mJ/mm2, 15 Hz, 500 impulses) on rabbits with Achilles tendon injury were investigated in terms of histopathological and biomechanical properties. The clinical feasibility of PEMF application was evaluated by comparing the results of both methods. Fifty New Zealand female rabbits were divided into two groups to be used in either biomechanical or immunohistochemical studies. Each of the two groups was further divided into five groups: C (Control), SH (Sham), TI (tendon injury), TI + ESWT, and TI + PEMF. Biomechanical evaluations revealed that maximum load, toughness, and maximum stress averages of the TI + PEMF group significantly increased (P < 0.05). When immunohistochemical images of the TI + PEMF group were compared with those of the TI group, the amount of fibrous tissue was less, the homogeneity of collagen fibers recovered, and collagen organization was more uniform. We conclude that both ESWT and PEMF are equally efficient for Achilles tendon recovery. PEMF application is effective and can be used in the clinic as a painless alternative treatment method. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society
A cross‐sectional survey on occupational stress and associated dyslipidemia among medical staff in tertiary public hospitals in Wenzhou, China
Authors: Zhang Hui , Shao Meng‐Meng , Lin Xian‐Da , Cheng Li‐Jun , Ovlyakulov Begench , Chen Bo‐Bei , Chen Ke‐Yang
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Occupational stress is considered to be a harmful physical and emotional response to an individual's psychological and/or physiological state in the work environment and is highly prevalent among medical staff. However, few epidemiological studies have investigated occupational stress in medical staff. Our study aims to explore the characteristics of occupational stress and its relationship with dyslipidemia in Chinese medical staff at tertiary hospitals and establish the basis for future preventive strategies.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in three tertiary public hospitals in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. Data were collected using random sampling procedures to examine demographic characteristics and job‐related data. The participants completed the Occupational Stress Inventory—Revised (OSI‐R) questionnaires and serum lipids tests. Partial correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between occupational stress and dyslipidemia.

Results

A total of 1,176 medical staff responses to questionnaires were obtained. The occupational stress levels of medical staff were higher than those of normative populations, while their coping resources were lower. Most of the subscales of occupational stress demonstrated higher results for doctors and males than for nurses and females with crude analyses. Each subscale of OSI‐R was found to be associated with a different type of blood lipid level.

Conclusions

The occupational stress level of medical staff in tertiary public hospitals in Wenzhou was high, and occupational stress may contribute to dyslipidemia. An investigation into occupational stress levels and their association with dyslipidemia in this population could draw more attention to medical staff in tertiary public hospitals.
Anti‐epithelial cell adhesion molecule RNA aptamer‐conjugated liposomal doxorubicin as an efficient targeted therapy in mice bearing colon carcinoma tumor model
Authors: Mashreghi Mohammad , Zamani Parvin , Karimi Maryam , Mehrabian Amin , Arabsalmani Mahdieh , Zarqi Javad , Moosavian Seyedeh Alia , Jaafari Mahmoud Reza
Published: December 2020

To overcome the lack of selectivity and nonspecific biodistribution of drugs in the body, targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents with aptamers is a very effective method. In this strategy, aptamers could be specifically identified and attach to targeted molecules on the cancerous cells and deliver the chemotherapeutic agents to desired tissue with minimal or no damage to the normal cells. In this study, we designed anti‐epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) RNA aptamer conjugated PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (ER‐lip) to investigate its in vitro and in vivo anticancer abilities. Data showed that EpCAM aptamer was able to enhance cell uptake and cytotoxic effects of Dox in C26 cell line. The biodistribution study indicated that ER‐lip enhanced the tumor accumulation of Dox compared to Caelyx. Also, double staining of isolated tumor cells with anti‐CD44‐PE‐cy5 and anti‐EpCAM Cy‐7 antibodies indicated that tumor cells expressed a high level of EpCAM+ CD44+ cells (p ≤ .001) compared to cultured C26 cell line. in vivo results showed that ER‐lip promoted survival and reduced tumor growth rate in animal model compared to Caelyx. In conclusion, these results suggested that the ER‐lip could be served as promising formulation for the treatment of cancers with the high expression of EpCAM.
ISG15 protects human Tregs from interferon alpha‐induced contraction in a cell‐intrinsic fashion
Authors: Pacella Ilenia , Spinelli Francesca Romana , Severa Martina , Timperi Eleonora , Tucci Gloria , Zagaglioni Marta , Ceccarelli Fulvia , Rizzo Fabiana , Coccia Eliana M , Patel Roosheel S , Martin‐Fernandez Marta , Bogunovic Dusan , Conti Fabrizio , Barnaba Vincenzo , Piconese Silvia
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Type I interferons (IFNs) inhibit regulatory T‐cell (Treg) expansion and activation, making them beneficial in antiviral responses, but detrimental in autoimmune diseases. Herein, we investigate the role of ISG15 in human Tregs in the context of refractoriness to type I IFN stimulation.

Methods

ISG15 expression and Treg dynamics were analysed in vitro and ex vivo from patients with chronic hepatitis C, with lupus and ISG15 deficiency.

Results

ISG15 is expressed at high levels in human Tregs, renders them refractory to the IFN‐STAT1 signal, and protects them from IFN‐driven contraction. In vitro, Tregs from healthy controls upregulate ISG15 upon activation to higher levels than conventional CD4 T cells, and ISG15‐silenced Tregs are more susceptible to IFNα‐induced contraction. In human ISG15 deficiency, patient Tregs display an elevated IFN signature relative to Tregs from healthy control. In vivo, in patients with chronic hepatitis C, 2 days after starting pegIFN/ribavirin therapy, a stronger ISG15 inducibility correlates with a milder Treg depletion. Ex vivo, in systemic lupus erythematosus patients, higher levels of ISG15 are associated to reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in response to IFNα, and also to increased frequencies of Tregs, characterising active disease.

Conclusion

Our results reveal a Treg‐intrinsic role of ISG15 in dictating their refractoriness to the IFN signal, thus preserving the Treg population under inflammatory conditions.
Effects of ultra‐high pressure on the morphological and physicochemical properties of lily starch
Authors: Zhang Dali , Xu Haishan , Jiang Bing , Wang Xinyu , Yang Lvzhu , Shan Yang , Ding Shenghua
Published: December 2020

In this study, starch extracted from lily bulbs were modified using an ultra‐high pressure (UHP) treatment at six different pressure levels (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 MPa). The effects of UHP treatment on the physicochemical and morphological properties of lily starch were investigated. The morphological observation revealed that UHP treatment led to particle expansion and aggregation. Compared with the native and lily starch treated at 100–500 MPa, the lily starch treated at 600 MPa exhibited almost completely disrupted morphology and a larger particle size, indicating nearly complete gelatinization of the starch. The relative crystallinity of the UHP‐treated starch remarkably reduced. Gelatinization temperatures via differential scanning calorimetry decreased with increasing pressure. The rapid viscoanalyzer results revealed that the lily starch treated with UHP at 600 MPa showed low values of peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown, final viscosity, and setback. These results indicated that UHP was an effective physical modification method for lily starch, UHP treatment (600 MPa, 30 min) caused nearly complete gelatinization of lily starch, and lily starch modified using UHP might expand the application of lily in the food field.
Fish protein intake is a novel dietary approach for managing diabetes‐associated complications in diabetic Wistar rat model
Authors: Muzaffar Humaira , Faisal Muhammad Naeem , Anwar Haseeb , Hussain Abid , Khan Junaid Ali , Muhammad Faqir , Aslam Bilal , Mahmood Aisha , Abdelsadik Ahmed , Aslam Jawad , Manzoor Muhammad Faisal , Ahmad Nazir , Karrar Emad
Published: December 2020

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder associated with short term as well as long‐term undesirable complications caused by persistent hyperglycemia. Recently, there has been emerging evidence that natural foods and their bioactive compounds are the key contributors to the treatment of diabetes and associated complications. This study was designed to explore the therapeutic efficacy of a fish protein‐rich diet for managing diabetes and associated complications in the diabetic Wistar rat model. A high‐protein (HP) diet (45% and 55% fish protein rich in ω3 fatty acids) was given to alloxan‐induced diabetic rats for 28 days. Blood samples were collected for monitoring serum glucose, oxidative stress markers, lipid profile, kidney function markers, serum proteins, and liver function markers. Results indicated that there was a noteworthy control (p < .05) of serum glucose, oxidative stress, and lipid profile in HP diet treated diabetic rats. Treatment with 45% and 55% fish diet appreciably improved the concentration of serum creatinine, urea, uric acid and exhibited a vibrant improvement in renal functions. Our results confirmed that the HP diet restored total protein and albumin concentration in blood. The HP diet treatment also restored the normal serum aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase concentration.
Role of first‐trimester three‐dimensional (3D) power Doppler of placental blood flow and 3D placental volume in early prediction of pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Abdallah Ameer , Khairy Mohammed , Tawfik Mohamed , Mohamed Safaa , Abdel‐Rasheed Mazen , Salem Sondos , Khalifa Eissa
Published: December 2020

Objective

To assess the efficacy of first‐trimester three‐dimensional (3D) placental volume as well as 3D power Doppler of placental vascular indices for early prediction of pre‐eclampsia.

Methods

The prospective cohort study included over 2019 women with a singleton pregnancy in their first trimester at 11–13+ weeks of pregnancy. All women were examined by 3D abdominal ultrasound, including Doppler techniques for the placental volume and placental vascular indices. Uterine artery Doppler indices were also assessed. All participants were cared for until delivery for assessment of pregnancy outcomes.

Results

In all, 163 women developed pre‐eclampsia while 1856 women remained normotensive. The women with pre‐eclampsia had significantly lower placental volume (77.09 ml vs. 99.8 ml, p < 0.001), and placental vascular indices (vascularization index, flow index, and vascularization flow index were 7.41 vs. 9.89, 39.03 vs. 46.63, and 2.77 vs. 4.4, respectively, p < 0.001). In contrast, women with pre‐eclampsia had significantly high mean uterine pulsatility index and resistance index (2.02 vs. 1.11, 0.83 vs. 0.64, respectively, p < 0.001) compared with the normotensive women. The placental vascular indices were highly sensitive, whereas the placental volume and the mean uterine pulsatility index and resistance index had higher specificity for the prediction of pre‐eclampsia.

Conclusion

First‐trimester assessment through 3D placental volume and power Doppler of placental vascular indices, especially in combination with uterine artery Doppler assessment, revealed an increase in the accuracy of early detection of women at risk for developing pre‐eclampsia.
LncRNA HEIH/miR‐939‐5p interplay modulates triple‐negative breast cancer progression through NOS2‐induced nitric oxide production
Authors: Nafea Heba , Youness Rana A. , Abou‐Aisha Khaled , Gad Mohamed Z.
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to unravel the regulatory role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) on the nitric oxide (NO) machinery system in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients and to further assess the influence of NO‐modulating ncRNAs on TNBC progression, immunogenic profile, and the tumor microenvironment (TME). The results revealed miR‐939‐5p and lncRNA HEIH as novel ncRNAs modulating NO machinery in TNBC. MiR‐939‐5p, an underexpressed microRNA (miRNA) in BC patients, showed an inhibitory effect on NOS2 and NOS3 transcript levels on TNBC cells. In contrast, HEIH was found to be markedly upregulated in TNBC patients and showed a modulatory role on miR‐939‐5p/NOS2/NO axis. Functionally, miR‐939‐5p was characterized as a tumor suppressor miRNA while HEIH was categorized as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in TNBC. Finally, knocking down of HEIH resulted in improvement of immunogenic profile of TNBC cells through inducing MICA/B and suppressing the immune checkpoint inhibitor PDL1. In the same context, knockdown of HEIH resulted in the alleviation of the immune‐suppressive TME by repressing interleukin‐10 and tumor necrosis factor‐α levels. In conclusion, this study identifies miR‐939‐5p as a tumor suppressor miRNA while HEIH as an oncogenic lncRNA exhibiting its effect through miR‐939‐5p/NOS2/NO axis. Therefore, repressing BC hallmarks, improving TNBC immunogenic profile, and trimming TME.
CXCL6 fuels the growth and metastases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells both in vitro and in vivo through upregulation of PD‐L1 via activation of STAT3 pathway
Authors: Zheng Shutao , Shen Tongxue , Liu Qing , Liu Tao , Tuerxun Aerziguli , Zhang Qiqi , Yang Lifei , Han Xiujuan , Lu Xiaomei
Published: December 2020

CXCL6, contraction of C‐X‐C motif chemokine ligand 6, whose biological roles have been rarely described in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). To understand the clinicopathological and biological roles played by CXCL6 in the growth and metastasis of ESCC, immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CXCL6 in ESCC tissues, totaling 105 cases; and the correlation was statistically analyzed between CXCL6 expression and clinicopathological parameters. The role mediated in migration and invasion was evaluated using wound‐healing and Transwell assays. MTT and flow cytometry were used to assay the proliferative variation. In vivo, tail vein injection model was established in nude mice xenografted with human ESCC cell lines whose CXCL6 were artificially manipulated. It was found that relative to normal control, CXCL6 was profoundly higher in ESCC; upregulated CXCL6 only significantly correlated with differentiation degree. In vitro, CXCL6 was found to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells; which was fully corroborated by nude mice experiment that CXCL6 can promote the growth and metastases of ESCC cells in vivo. Mechanistically, CXCL6 was discovered to be capable of promoting epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and upregulating PD‐L1 expression through activation of the STAT3 pathway. Collectively, all the data we showed here demonstrate that CXCL6 can enhance the growth and metastases of ESCC cells both in vivo and in vitro.
Solving one‐dimensional nonlinear stochasticSine‐Gordonequation with a new meshfree technique
Authors: Mirzaee Farshid , Rezaei Shadi , Samadyar Nasrin
Published: December 2020

In the current work, we consider the nonlinear one‐dimensional stochastic Sine‐Gordon equation with appropriate initial and boundary conditions. The main goal of this work is presenting a numerical scheme based on radial basis functions (RBFs) and finite difference method to provide the approximate solution of mentioned equation. For approximating the solution, finite difference idea is used to overcome the time variable and then strictly positive definite RBFs such as Gaussian have been used to estimate the unknown function in time stepn. Finally, several examples are given to check the accuracy and efficiency of the provided solution.
Axonal mitochondria adjust in size depending on g‐ratio of surrounding myelin during homeostasis and advanced remyelination
Authors: Ineichen Benjamin V. , Zhu Keying , Carlström Karl E.
Published: December 2020

Demyelinating pathology is common in many neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease and results in axonal energy deficiency, dysfunctional axonal propagation, and neurodegeneration. During myelin repair and also during myelin homeostasis, mutual regulative processes between axons and myelin sheaths are known to be essential. However, proficient tools are lacking to characterize axon‐myelin interdependence during (re)myelination. Thus, we herein investigated adaptions in myelin sheath g‐ratio as a proxy for myelin thickness and axon metabolic status during homeostasis and myelin repair, by using axonal mitochondrial size as a proxy for axonal metabolic status. We found that axons with thinner myelin sheaths had larger axonal mitochondria; this was true for across different central nervous system tracts as well as across species, including humans. The link between myelin sheath thickness and mitochondrial size was temporarily absent during demyelination but reestablished during advanced remyelination, as shown in two commonly used animal models of toxic demyelination. By further exploring this association in mice with either genetically induced mitochondrial or myelin dysfunction, we show that axonal mitochondrial size adjusts in response to the thickness of the myelin sheath but not vice versa. This pinpoints the relevance of mitochondrial adaptation upon myelin repair and might open a new therapeutic window for remyelinating therapies.
Classification of time series of temperature variations from climatically homogeneous regions based on long‐term persistence
Authors: Sarvan Darko , Tošić Milica , Borovinić Marko , Blesić Suzana
Published: December 2020

We used detrended methods for scaling analysis (DFA2 and DMA) and wavelet transform spectral analysis (WTS) to characterize long‐term persistence (LTP) properties of temperature anomalies time series from observational stations from climatically and topologically homogeneous HadCRUT4 grid cells. We were interested to investigate the validity of the expectation that their LTP scaling properties remain preserved in the process of HadCRUT4 spatially interpolated and bias adjusted averaging, which was indeed the case in our selection. We additionally utilized the Hurst space analysis (HSA), a methodological solution that we recently developed, to classify climatic records from our dataset according to their LTP character and similarity of their WTS cyclical presentation. We were able to use HSA to observe four distinct patterns of climate dynamic behaviour according to the ‘preferred’ characteristic that those do not ‘belong to the ocean’. In this way, our results suggested that there probably exists a necessity to examine cycles in climate records as important elements of natural variability. To illustrate how the procedure developed in this article can be extended, we used HSA developed by the use of a dataset from climatically and topologically homogeneous regions to classified time series of teleconnection indices that may have influence on their regional climate. HSA can be further systematically utilized in this way, to link LTP properties of temperature anomalies with their possible spatially remote sources.
Indian monsoon variability during the last 46 kyr: isotopic records of planktic foraminifera from southwestern Bay of Bengal
Authors: Gautam P. K. , Narayana A. C. , Kumar P. Kiran , Bhavani P. G. , Yadava M. G. , Jull A. J. T.
Published: December 2020

The Indian monsoon carries large amounts of freshwater to the northern Indian Ocean and modulates the upper ocean structure in terms of upwelling and productivity. Freshwater‐induced stratification in the upper ocean of the Bay of Bengal is linked to the changes in the Indian monsoon. In this study, we test the usefulness of δ18O and δ13C variability records forGlobigerina bulloidesandOrbulina universato infer Indian monsoon variability from a sediment core retrieved from the southwestern Bay of Bengal encompassing the last 46 kyr record. Results show that the northeast monsoon was dominant during the Last Glacial Maximum. Remarkable signatures are observed in the δ18O and δ13C records during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 to MIS‐1. Our study suggests that Indian monsoon variability is controlled by a complex of factors such as solar insolation, North Atlantic climatic shifts, and coupled ocean–atmospheric variability during the last 46 kyr.
Effect of PPIs on symptomatic hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Gerges Daniel , Grohmann Nathan , Trieu Vanessa , Brundage William , Sajisevi Mirabelle
Published: December 2020

Objective

To determine differences in incidence and duration of postoperative symptomatic hypocalcemia between those taking and those not taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) at the time of total or completion thyroidectomy.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of adult patients who underwent total or completion thyroidectomy at a tertiary medical center between January 2013 and January 2018 was performed. Development of symptomatic hypocalcemia, duration of symptoms, postoperative parathyroid hormone levels, PPI usage and emergency department (ED) visits were recorded.

Results

Data from 371 patients were analyzed. Sixty of 371 (16.2%) patients developed symptomatic hypocalcemia. Sixteen of 89 (18.0%) patients on a PPI developed symptomatic hypocalcemia compared to 44 of 282 (15.6%) not on a PPI (P = .63). The overall average duration of symptoms was 4.3 days (SD [SD] 3.77 days). The average duration of symptoms in those on a PPI was 4.8 days (SD 2.8 days) compared to 4.2 days (SD 4.1 days) in those not on a PPI (P = 0.16). Six of 282 patients (2.1%) not taking a PPI had a postoperative ED visit, compared to two of the 89 patients (2.3%) taking a PPI (P = 1.00).

Conclusions

There was no clinically significant difference in incidence and duration of symptomatic hypocalcemia or ED visits after total or completion thyroidectomy between patients that were and were not taking PPIs perioperatively. While the decision to continue PPI should be made on an individual basis, these data suggest that patients may be counseled to continue their PPI perioperatively without increased risk of symptomatic hypocalcemia.

Level of Evidence

3.
Predicting dissolved organic carbon concentration in a dynamic salt marsh creek via machine learning
Authors: Codden Christina J. , Snauffer Andrew M. , Mueller Amy V. , Edwards Catherine R. , Thompson Megan , Tait Zachary , Stubbins Aron
Published: December 2020

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is a master variable in aquatic systems. Resolving DOC dynamics requires high‐temporal resolution data. However, DOC concentration cannot be directly measured in situ, and discrete sample collection and analysis becomes expensive as temporal resolution increases. To surmount this problem, an option is to predict site‐specific DOC concentration with linear modeling and optical data predictors collected from high‐cost, high‐maintenance in situ spectrophotometers. This study sought to improve upon the accuracy and field costs of linear predictive DOC methods by using machine learning modeling coupled to low‐to‐zero cost predictors. To do this, we collected 16 months of in situ data (e.g., spectrophotometer attenuation, salinity, temperature), assembled freely available predictors (e.g., point in year, rainfall), and collected samples for DOC analysis, all in a salt marsh creek. At seasonal timescales, machine learning (coefficient of determination [R2] = 0.90) modestly improved upon the accuracy of linear methods (R2= 0.80) but offered substantial instrumentation cost reductions (~ 90%) by requiring only cost‐free predictors (online data) or cost‐free predictors paired with low‐cost in situ predictors (temperature, salinity, depth). At intertidal timescales, linear methods proved ill‐equipped to predict DOC concentration compared to machine learning, and again, machine learning offered a substantial instrumentation cost reduction (~ 90%). Although our models were developed for and applicable to a single site, the use of machine learning with low‐to‐zero cost predictors provides a blueprint for others trying to model DOC dynamics and other analytes in any complex aquatic system.
Micromechanical effect of pores on elastic properties of polymer matrix composites
Authors: Chawla Komal , Raju Benjamin , Subbappa Dakshayini B. , Kancherla Kishore Babu , Roy Mahapatra Debiprosad
Published: December 2020

Advanced composite polymer matrix and their different manufacturing processes tend to develop pores of varying size and play a major limiting role in residual stress, damage initiation, matrix cracking, strength, and durability. Direct imaging or simulations to understand the pore formation mechanism in the viscous polymer is difficult. Ultimately, the mechanical performance of the solidified matrix needs better prediction. This paper presents a stochastic micromechanical model, including the effect of pores' formation on the polymer matrix's elastic properties. Theoretical homogenization based micromechanical models for polymer composites is reviewed in the first part. Later, a micromechanical model is proposed considering the different stages of pore formation in a polymer matrix. Polymer samples are fabricated for determining the pore distribution parameters and used appropriately in the proposed model to estimate the elastic properties for a given distribution and volume fraction of the pores. A modified Mori‐Tanaka homogenization approach and a differential scheme of inclusion of pores are incorporated in the model. Results obtained from the proposed model are compared with the experimental measurements, and a significant correlation is found.
Microwave Aqueous Dissolution of Potato Starch for the Synthesis of Starch Capped Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Fonseca Magda , Prior João A. V.
Published: December 2020

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is widespread nowadays due to their intrinsic properties, from antiseptic, antifungal, anticancer, and also as carriers of bio‐active natural carriers when the synthesis is performed using natural products. Starch is also a widely used capping agent of AgNPs, considering its ideal properties, such as, natural product, environmentally friendly, bio‐compatible, easy to obtain, and low cost. Nevertheless, there are already scientific evidence that the aqueous dissolution of starch granules is different when using conventional heating and microwave heating. In fact, these two different heating processes originate starch molecular structures in water with different physicochemical properties. Hence, the preparation method adopted for starch solutions must influence the synthesized AgNPs capped with starch. In the present work, the dissolution of starch is achieved by microwave and the parameters during the dissolution process are optimized, aiming at the highest absorbance values and lower surface plasmon resonance band of starch capped AgNPs suspensions. The stirring speed, microwave power, temperature, and heating time for the preparation of aqueous solution of potato starch are optimized to high, 300 W, 100 °C, and 2 min in this work.
Tidal Influence on Seismic Activity During the 2011–2013 El Hierro Volcanic Unrest
Authors: Miguelsanz Luis , González Pablo J. , Tiampo Kristy F. , Fernández José
Published: December 2020

The El Hierro volcanic unrest started in July 2011, with an increase in observed seismicity rates and surface deformation. After the initial onset, hypocenters migrated southward through September 2011, culminating in a submarine eruption beginning on October 10, 2011 and finishing in February 2012. The seismic activity continued, with remarkable periods of unrest through 2012 and 2013. The most significant episodes of seismic activity during this unrest are related to magma migration at depth. In this work, we compute tidal stress for each earthquake, at its hypocenter depth, and assign them a tidal stress phase angle. We have found statistically significant correlations between the occurrence of earthquakes and tidal stress phase angles, corresponding mainly to increasing tidal stress change rates. We found primarily that the magnitude of vertical and E‐W horizontal tidal stress values and their changing rates with time were correlated with earthquake occurrence times. We also found that there is no correlation between tides and seismicity at times with no observed surface displacements, suggesting that tidal modulation might be related to overpressure during migration of magma. Tidal modulation changes with depth and the influence of ocean‐loading tides is stronger than the influence of solid Earth tides. Our results support the hypothesis that tidal stress may modulate the seismicity during volcanic unrest, particularly during shallow depth magma migration.
Effects of Marsh Migration on Flooding, Saltwater Intrusion, and Crop Yield in Coastal Agricultural Land Subject to Storm Surge Inundation
Authors: Guimond Julia A. , Michael Holly A.
Published: December 2020

Low‐lying coastlines are vulnerable to sea‐level rise and storm surge salinization, threatening the sustainability of coastal farmland. Most crops are intolerant of salinity, and minimization of saltwater intrusion is critical to crop preservation. Coastal wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services, including attenuation of storm surges. However, most research studying coastal protection by marshes neglects consideration of subsurface salinization. Here, we use two‐dimensional, variable‐density, coupled surface‐subsurface hydrological models to explore how coastal wetlands affect surface and subsurface salinization due to storm surges. We evaluate how marsh width, surge height, and upland slope impact the magnitude of saltwater intrusion and the effect of marsh migration into farmland on crop yield. Results suggest that along topographically low coastlines subject to storm surges, marsh migration into agricultural fields prolongs the use of fields landward of the marsh while also protecting groundwater quality. Under a storm surge height of 3.0 m above mean sea level or higher and terrestrial slope of 0.1%, marsh migration of 200 and 400 m protects agricultural yield landward of the marsh‐farmland interface compared to scenarios without migration, despite the loss of arable land. Economic calculations show that the maintained yields with 200 m of marsh migration may benefit farmers financially. However, yields are not maintained with migration widths over 400 m or surge height under 3.0 m above mean sea level. Results highlight the environmental and economic benefits of marsh migration and the need for more robust compensation programs for landowners incorporating coastal wetland development as a management strategy.
A blind detection method for spatial modulation in MIMO communications
Authors: Khanzadeh Roya , Naeiny Mahmoud Ferdosizade
Published: December 2020

Spatial modulation (SM) is one of the probable candidates to be utilised in the fifth generation of wireless networks due to its power and spectral efficiencies. Since only one active transmit antenna exists in spatial modulation, inter‐channel interferences are avoided and the number of radio frequency (RF) chains is reduced. However, channel estimation is a major challenge in spatial modulation communication systems. In this study, a novel blind signal and channel estimation method for spatial modulation‐based multi‐input multi‐output communications, based on the well‐known Expectation‐Maximisation algorithm, is presented. This blind detector requires only a few pilot symbols at the beginning of the transmission to resolve the inherent phase and permutation ambiguities. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed detector performs very similar to the optimum detector with full channel state information and outperforms existing blind detectors.
Event‐triggered predictor‐based control of distributed parameter systems
Authors: Ji Huihui , Cui Baotong , Liu XinZhi
Published: December 2020

This paper deals with the point control problem for a class of distributed parameter systems with time varying delay induced by the network. To eliminate the effect of time delay, a predictor with the time‐varying gain is designed to predict the state based on the sampled data. Meanwhile, the prediction error vanishes exponentially with the desired decay rate. To lighten greatly network loads and effectively improve the utilisation of the resource, an event‐triggered communication scheme is proposed to determine the transmitting of necessary sampled data. Then, based on the point feedback controller, the exponential stability condition of the distributed parameter system with the event‐triggered scheme is derived in the framework of linear matrix inequality. Furthermore, the feedback gain is given in this paper by using the Lyapunov–Krasovskii method where a novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional is constructed. The event‐triggered time interval is presented to show the number of maximum allowable packet loss. Finally, an example of a food web model is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.
Multi‐image encryption algorithm based on image hash, bit‐plane decomposition and dynamic DNA coding
Authors: Zhang Qiuyu , Han Jitian , Ye Yutong
Published: December 2020

Problems such as large data volumes, slow transmission rates and low security often occur when transmitting multiple digital images over the internet. In order to protect the content security of multiple images and improve the speed of internet transmission, a multi‐image encryption algorithm based on image hash, bit‐plane decomposition and dynamic DNA coding is proposed in this study. First, the proposed algorithm merges several grey images and image hashing algorithm is used to generate the initial key for chaotic mapping. Second, the random sequence generated by the improved three‐dimensional chaotic map is used to decompose the bit plane of the merged image and the bit‐plane matrix is substituted numerically. Finally, the random sequence generated by the four‐dimensional hyperchaotic system is used to perform dynamic DNA coding and calculation on the image and the final multiple ciphertext images are generated by decomposition of the pixel matrix. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has large key space, strong key sensitivity, strong security and robustness, and can resist various conventional attacks such as statistical analysis, differential attack, exhaustive attack, cropping and noise attack.
Single image dehazing based on bright channel prior model and saliency analysis strategy
Authors: Zhang Libao , Wang Shan , Wang Xiaohan
Published: December 2020

Haze is a common atmospheric phenomenon that causes poor visibility in outdoor images, which greatly limits image application in later stages. Therefore, haze removal has become the first and most indispensable step when dealing with degraded images. In this paper, we propose a novel bright channel prior (BCP) model and a saliency analysis strategy for haze removal. First, we obtain a more robust and accurate atmospheric light by a superpixel‐based dark channel method. Second, we utilize the dark channel prior (DCP) to handle dark regions in hazy images. However, the DCP often mistakes white regions for opaque haze and thus causes serious colour distortion and halo effects. To solve this problem, a new BCP is proposed to accurately estimate the transmission of bright regions in hazy images. Third, we fuse the DCP and BCP using a multiscale fusion strategy with Laplacian pyramid representation to gain the correct transmission information for both bright and dark regions. Finally, a novel saliency analysis strategy for transmission refinement is proposed, so that the texture details can remain present to the greatest extent in the restored images. The experimental results illustrate that our proposed method performs well in restoring images containing bright objects.
Insights into long-distance dispersal and ecological and morphological evolution in the fern genusMicrogrammafrom phylogenetic inference
Authors: Almeida Thaís Elias , Salino Alexandre , Dubuisson Jean-Yves , Hennequin Sabine
Published: December 2020

The epiphytic fern genus Microgramma (Polypodiaceae) comprises 30 species occurring mainly in the Neotropics, but with one species in Africa, an example of trans-Atlantic disjunction. Morphologically and ecologically, Microgramma presents a wide range of variation that is not seen in the most closely related genera. Recent studies have changed the circumscription of Microgramma to better conform with phylogenetic evidence, but no comprehensively sampled study has addressed the evolution of this lineage. The present study aimed to investigate phylogenetic relationships, ecology and morphological evolution and to test the role of long-distance dispersal in Microgramma. Sequences from five plastid regions were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships and estimate divergence times. Our results show five clades in Microgramma that do not corroborate any previously proposed infrageneric classification system. Several morphological traits appear to be homoplastic, including leaf dimorphism. Tuber-like myrmecodomatia are suggested to be synapomorphic for one clade, although ant-plant associations appear in two lineages. Microgramma lycopodioides in the Neotropics and M. mauritiana in Africa, once thought to be conspecific, are not closely related, with the African species nested in an Atlantic Forest clade, indicating a long-distance dispersal event estimated to have occurred c. 15 Mya from South America to Africa, followed by speciation.