bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D Endocrine System and COVID‐19
Authors: Bouillon Roger , Quesada‐Gomez José Manuel
Published: November 2021

Preclinical data strongly suggest that the vitamin D endocrine system (VDES) may have extraskeletal effects. Cells of the immune and cardiovascular systems and lungs can express the vitamin D receptor, and overall these cells respond in a coherent fashion when exposed to 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D, the main metabolite of the VDES. Supplementation of vitamin D‐deficient subjects may decrease the risk of upper respiratory infections. The VDES also has broad anti‐inflammatory and anti‐thrombotic effects, and other mechanisms argue for a potential beneficial effect of a good vitamin D status on acute respiratory distress syndrome, a major complication of this SARS‐2/COVID‐19 infection. Activation of the VDES may thus have beneficial effects on the severity of COVID‐19. Meta‐analysis of observational data show that a better vitamin D status decreased the requirement of intensive care treatment or decreased mortality. A pilot study in Cordoba indicated that admission to intensive care was drastically reduced by administration of a high dose of calcifediol early after hospital admission for COVID‐19. A large observational study in Barcelona confirmed that such therapy significantly decreased the odds ratio (OR) of mortality (OR = 0.52). This was also the conclusion of a retrospective study in five hospitals of Southern Spain. A retrospective study on all Andalusian patients hospitalized because of COVID‐19, based on real‐world data from the health care system, concluded that prescription of calcifediol (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.67) or vitamin D (HR = 0.75), 15 days before hospital admission decreased mortality within the first month. In conclusion, a good vitamin D status may have beneficial effects on the course of COVID‐19. This needs to be confirmed by large, randomized trials, but in the meantime, we recommend (rapid) correction of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency in subjects exposed to this coronavirus. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Integrated View on the Role of Vitamin D Actions on Bone and Growth Plate Homeostasis
Authors: Verlinden Lieve , Carmeliet Geert
Published: November 2021

1,25(OH)2D3, the biologically active form of vitamin D3, is a major regulator of mineral and bone homeostasis and exerts its actions through binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a ligand‐activated transcription factor that can directly modulate gene expression in vitamin D‐target tissues such as the intestine, kidney, and bone. Inactivating VDR mutations or vitamin D deficiency during development results in rickets, hypocalcemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and hypophosphatemia, pointing to the critical role of 1,25(OH)2D3‐induced signaling in the maintenance of mineral homeostasis and skeletal health. 1,25(OH)2D3 is a potent stimulator of VDR‐mediated intestinal calcium absorption, thus increasing the availability of calcium required for proper bone mineralization. However, when intestinal calcium absorption is impaired, renal calcium reabsorption is increased and calcium is mobilized from the bone to preserve normocalcemia. Multiple cell types within bone express the VDR, thereby allowing 1,25(OH)2D3 to directly affect bone homeostasis. In this review, we will discuss different transgenic mouse models with either Vdr deletion or overexpression in chondrocytes, osteoblasts, osteocytes, or osteoclasts to delineate the direct effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on bone homeostasis. We will address the bone cell type–specific effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in conditions of a positive calcium balance, where the amount of (re)absorbed calcium equals or exceeds fecal and renal calcium losses, as well as during a negative calcium balance, due to selective Vdr knockdown in the intestine or triggered by a low calcium diet. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Rare Diseases That Impersonate One Another:X‐LinkedHypophosphatemia andTumor‐InducedOsteomalacia, a Retrospective Analysis of Discriminating Features
Authors: DeCorte Joseph , Randazzo Ericka , Black Margo , Hendrickson Chase , Dahir Kathryn
Published: November 2021

Tumor‐induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare paraneoplastic disease characterized by frequent fractures, bone pain, muscle weakness, and affected gait. The rarity of TIO and similar presentation to other phosphate‐wasting disorders contribute to a high misdiagnosis rate and long time to correct diagnosis. TIO is curable by tumor resection, so accurate diagnosis has significant impact on patients' emotional and economic burden. Current diagnostics for TIO rely on decades‐old literature with poor phenotypic validation. Here, we identify salient clinical differences between rigorously validated cohorts of patients with TIO (n = 9) and X‐linked hypophosphatemia (XLH;n = 43), a frequent misdiagnosis for patients with TIO. The TIO cohort had significantly elevated FGF23 (365 versus 95 RU/mL,p < 0.001) and alkaline phosphatase (282.8 versus 118.5 IU/L,p < 0.01) but significantly reduced phosphorus (1.4 versus 2.2 mg/dL,p < 0.05) and 1,25(OH)2D (16.6 versus 59.8 pg/mL,p < 0.01). By contrast, total vitamin D was similar between the two groups. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans reveal lowerZ‐scores in the hip (−1.6 versus 0.050,p < 0.01) and spine (0.80 versus 2.35,p < 0.05). TIO patients were more likely to have prior clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis (67% versus 0%), use assistive devices in daily living (100% versus 14%), and have received a knee arthroplasty (33% versus 7%). TIO patients lost an average of 1.5 cm over their disease course and had sustained an average of 8 fractures each, whereas fractures were rare in XLH. The XLH cohort had higher incidence of osteotomy (19% versus 0%), spinal stenosis (12% versus 0%), secondary dental abnormalities (95% versus 44%,p < 0.001), and depression and anxiety (46.5% versus 11%). These results deepen our understanding of the subtle differences present between diseases of phosphate wasting. They suggest several biochemical, clinical, and historical features that effectively distinguish TIO from XLH. © 2022 The Authors.JBMR Pluspublished by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Hyperexcitability and brain morphological differences in mice lacking the cystine/glutamate antiporter, system xc−
Authors: Sears Sheila M. S. , Roberts Sarah H. , Hewett Sandra J.
Published: November 2021

System xc− (Sxc−) is a heteromeric antiporter (L‐cystine/L‐glutamate exchanger) expressed predominately on astrocytes in the central nervous system. Its activity contributes importantly to the maintenance of the ambient extracellular glutamate levels, as well as, to cellular redox homeostasis. Since alterations in glutamate levels and redox modifications could cause structural changes, we analyzed gross regional morphology of thionin‐stained brain sections and cellular and subcellular morphology of Golgi–Cox stained layer V pyramidal neurons in the primary motor cortex (PM1) of mice naturally null for SLC7A11 (SLC7A11sut/sut)—the gene that encodes the substrate specific light chain (xCT) for Sxc−. Intriguingly, in comparison to age‐ and sex‐matched wild‐type (SLC7A11+/+) littermate controls, we found morphologic changes—including increased dendritic complexity and mushroom spine area in males and reduced corpus callosum and soma size in females—that have previously been described, in each case, as morphological correlates of excitability. Consistent with this, we found that both male and female SLC7A11sut/sut mice had lower convulsive seizure thresholds and greater seizure severity than their sex‐matched wild‐type (SLC7A11+/+) littermates after acute challenge with two pharmacologically distinct chemoconvulsants: the Glu receptor agonist, kainic acid (KA), or the GABAA receptor antagonist, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). These results suggest that the loss of Sxc− signaling in males and females perturbs excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance in vivo, potentially through its regulation of cellular and subcellular morphology.
Dependence of the Efficiency of the Nonlinear‐Optical Response of Materials on their Linear Permittivity and Permeability
Authors: Solís Diego M. , Boyd Robert W. , Engheta Nader
Published: November 2021

The dependence of the efficiency of various nonlinear‐optical processes on the background linear relative electric permittivity ϵ and magnetic permeability μ of the material is analytically and numerically investigated. The conversion efficiency of low‐order harmonic‐generation processes, as well as the increase rate of Kerr‐effect nonlinear phase shift and nonlinear losses from two‐photon absorption (TPA), are seen to increase with decreasing ϵ and/or increasing μ. The rationale and physical insights behind this nonlinear response are also discussed, particularly its enhancement in ϵ‐near‐zero (ENZ) media. This behavior is consistent with the experimental observation of intriguingly high effective nonlinear refractive indices in degenerate semiconductors such as indium tin oxide and aluminum oxide (where the nonlinearity is attributed to a modification of the energy distribution of conduction‐band electrons due to laser‐induced electron heating) at frequencies with vanishing real part of the linear permittivity. Such strong nonlinear response can pave the way for a new paradigm in nonlinear optics with much higher conversion efficiencies and therefore better miniaturization capabilities and power requirements for next‐generation integrated nanophotonics. It is concluded that the major contribution to the enhanced nonlinear response of ENZ materials arises from propagation effects, that is, the appearance of ϵ and μ in the reduced wave equation describing the interaction.
A Rayleigh quotient‐gradient neural network method for computing 𝒵‐eigenpairs of general tensors
Authors: Cui Lu‐Bin , Hu Qing , Chen Ying , Song Yi‐Sheng
Published: November 2021

Recently, Zhao, Zheng, Liang and Xu (A locally and cubically convergent algorithm for computing ‐eigenpairs of symmetric tensors. Numer Linear Algebra Appl, 2020, 27:e2284) studied on an efficient method for computing ‐eigenpairs of symmetric tensors. Whereas, symmetric tensors are just special tensors. This article is concerned with the computation of ‐eigenpairs of general real tensors. We propose a Rayleigh quotient‐gradient neural network model (RGNN) for computing ‐eigenpairs of a general real tensor and the Euler‐type difference rule is used to discretize RGNN model. Theoretical analysis of the convergence for RGNN model is provided. Numerical experiments show that our method can capture all ‐eigenpairs for some small‐scale general tensors and enjoys efficient computation for large‐scale tensors.
Efficacy of diffusion‐weighted imaging in the diagnosis of osteoporosis suggested by the correlation between mandibular cortex width and apparent diffusion coefficient of the mandibular bone marrow
Authors: Muraoka Hirotaka , Ito Kotaro , Hirahara Naohisa , Ichiki Shungo , Okada Shunya , Kondo Takumi , Kaneda Takashi
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The objectives of the study were as follows: (i) to compare MCW and ADC stratified by menopause and osteoporosis, (ii) to calculate the correlation of the MCW on panoramic radiographs with the ADC in the mandibular bone marrow, and (iii) to investigate the utility of DWI of the jaws in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Material and Method

This study analyzed 87 normal patients and 23 patients with osteoporosis. The patients were divided into three groups: premenopausal (n = 33), postmenopausal (n = 54), and osteoporosis (n = 23). We investigated the MCW and mean ADC of the mandibular bone marrow. We analyzed the data using the Spearman's correlation coefficients, Kruskal‐Wallis test, and post‐hoc Mann‐Whitney tests with Bonferroni adjustments, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results

There were significant between‐three group differences in both the mean ADC and mean MCW (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between MCW and the ADC of the mandibular bone marrow in postmenopausal group (p < 0.05). The ROC analysis revealed a cutoff ADC value of 0.62 to distinguish between the postmenopausal and those with osteoporosis.

Conclusions

In addition to evaluating the MCW, which is currently used for osteoporosis evaluation, measuring the ADC of the mandibular bone marrow could contribute toward the examination of osteoporosis.
Trustworthy faces make people more risk‐tolerant: The effect of facial trustworthiness on risk decision‐making under gain and loss conditions
Authors: Qi Yue , Luo Yadan , Feng Yanzhe , Chen Ziwei , Li Qi , Du Feng , Liu Xun
Published: November 2021

People can judge a stranger's trustworthiness at first glance solely based on facial appearance. Moreover, the trust behaviors people exhibit toward strangers differ depending on perceived trustworthiness from faces. Research has found that people have different risk preferences according to the gain or loss frame. Therefore, we hypothesized that the risk decisions are differently affected by facial trustworthiness in different frames. We conducted three experiments in which we asked participants to make risk decisions in the gain frame or loss frame. The results revealed that facial trustworthiness had a significant effect on risk decisions in the gain frame. However, the effect was attenuated in the loss frame. These results suggest that people are more willing to take risks in the gain frame if individuals look more trustworthy than those who look untrustworthy.
What's out there for parents? A systematic review of online information about prenatal microarray and exome sequencing
Authors: Peter Michelle , McInnes‐Dean Hannah , Fisher Jane , Tapon Dagmar , Chitty Lyn S. , Hill Melissa
Published: November 2021

Objective

To identify what online patient information (presented in English) is available to parents about prenatal microarray (CMA) and exome sequencing (ES), and evaluate its content, quality, and readability.

Method

Systematic searches (Google and Bing) were conducted, and websites were categorised according to their purpose. Websites categorised as patient information were included if they were: in English, directed at patients, or were a text, video, or online version of an information leaflet. Author‐developed content checklists, the DISCERN Genetics tool, and readability tests (the Flesch Reading Ease Score, the Gunning Fog Index, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index) were then used to assess those sources of patient information.

Results

Of the 665 websites screened, 18 met the criteria. A further 8 sources were found through a targeted search of professional organisations, resulting in 26 sources available for further evaluation. In general, this was found to be low in quality, omitted details recommended by national or international guidance, and was written at a level too advanced for average readers.

Conclusion

Improvements should be made to the content, quality, and readability of online information so that it both reinforces and complements the discussions between parents and clinicians about testing options during pregnancy.
Women in psychiatry and women's mental health
Authors: Rajkumar Beena , Reed Ruth
Published: November 2021

Women are increasingly well represented in psychiatry as a profession, but data show us that it is not a level playing field. Written by the Chairs of the Women and Mental Health Special Interest Group (WMHSIG) of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, this article explores the work of the group in raising the profile of women's mental health issues and advancing future opportunities for leadership visibility in the profession of psychiatry.
Meningovascular neurosyphilis: cognitive and neuropsychiatric impact
Authors: Dalvi Madhusudan , Babatola O
Published: November 2021

Neurosyphilis is commonly viewed through the prism of the pre‐penicillin era when parenchymatous neurosyphilis was seen more commonly and presented as general paresis of the insane. In the post‐antibiotic era, meningeal and vascular forms of syphilis are more commonly seen and can present as a stroke. Here, the authors present a case of a 47‐year‐old man with meningovascular neurosyphilis confirmed by CSF serology who presented with cognitive, mood, psychosis, gait changes and sudden‐onset severe vertigo indicative of syphilitic apoplexy.
Premorbid personality and cognitive function impact on schizophrenia
Authors: Samburskis Daniels , Renemane Lubova
Published: November 2021

Individuals with schizophrenia can experience family and social adjustment difficulties as well as significant barriers to independent living, with cognitive difficulties being one of the pivotal features of this mental health disorder. This article examines a decade of data for a sample of individuals living with schizophrenia and argues that comprehensive assessment of personality and cognitive function in the initial stage of disease should inform management and treatment to enable improved patient life outcomes.
Electroconvulsive therapy in Huntington's disease
Authors: Yahya Ahmed , Khawaja Shakil
Published: November 2021

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is used in Huntington's disease (HD) for severe and life threatening forms of mental illness when other treatment options have failed or when a rapid response is required. Here, Dr Yahya and Dr Khawaja review the published literature over the last 10 years for the use of ECT in HD focusing on efficacy, safety and tolerability.
Medication‐free treatment for psychosis – an alternative to antipsychotics?
Authors: Chakraborty Nandini
Published: November 2021

A striking BBC headline reported: ‘How Norway is offering drug‐free treatment to people with psychosis’. On first impression this suggests a revolutionary treatment option in psychosis, or even an alternative to antipsychotic medication. In this review, Professor Chakraborty explores the past, present and future of the treatment of psychosis/schizophrenia in the context of these headlines and discusses the relevance to current treatment guidelines of psychosis in the UK.
Unusual lung adenocarcinoma spread along with pulmonary emphysema
Authors: Miyamura Takuto , Kinoshita Yoshiaki , Kushima Hisako , Ishii Hiroshi
Published: November 2021

Key message

Lung adenocarcinoma can rarely present with imaging findings that mimic fibrotic lesions of interstitial pneumonia. Asymmetric lung involvement and symptoms of haemoptysis may be the clinical clues to the suspicion of lung neoplasm rather than fibrotic lung disease.
Featured Cover
Authors: Tucker Stefan R. , Houghton Christopher J. , Harris Brandon S. , Elliott Robert F. , Donofrio Michael C. , Forsythe Patrick S.
Published: November 2021

The cover image is based on the Original Article Reproductive status of a remnant Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) population: spawning and larval drift in the Lower Fox River, Wisconsin by Stefan Tucker et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3836.

image
Identification and prioritization of security challenges of big data on cloud computing based on SLR: A fuzzy‐TOPSIS analysis approach
Authors: Khan Abdul Wahid , Khan Maseeh Ullah , Khan Javed Ali , Khan Javed , Gul Wresham
Published: November 2021

Nowadays, data is increasing exponentially, although cloud computing is an eminent approach for the organization, processing, and availability of data for organizational growth over the internet. Besides, a lot of advantages of cloud computing, yet it is suffered from security challenges, which affect big data while using cloud services on the internet. For this purpose, we conducted a detailed systematic literature review (SLR) study, to identify and capture the security challenges of big data on the cloud computing platform. Our research findings determine and develop a taxonomy, based on the prioritization of the security challenges of big data on cloud computing. We identified a total of 15 critical security challenges using the proposed SLR, with the frequency of each challenge >25%, and are further validated by the industrial specialists using a questionnaire survey study. The identified security challenges are data secrecy issue, geographical data location issue, unauthorized data access issue, lack of control, lack of data management, network‐level issues, data integrity issue, data recovery issue, lack of trust, data sharing issue, data availability, asset issues, legal amenabilities, lack of quality issues, and lack of consistency. The security challenges identified and captured through the SLR study are categorized into four levels, namely, steadiness, management, control, and eminence. Conclusively, we applied the fuzzy‐TOPSIS approach to prioritize and identify the significance of each identified security challenge for the big data usage on cloud computing. Based on our proposed approach, the “data secrecy issue” has been identified as the most prominent security challenge with the captured value of “0.765.” The fuzzy TOPSIS is an effective and innovative research approach in the field of computer science. It has been applied positively to other research areas to address and identify the fuzziness and uncertainty of multiple decision‐making glitches. The findings of the research paper will assist the software vendor organization when using the cloud platform for big data security. Also, using the proposed approach, software vendors can prioritize and analyze the uncertainty and ambiguousness among these security challenges.
Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing: Introductory Concepts and Considerations
Authors: Mkhize Nhlakanipho , Bhaskaran Harish
Published: November 2021

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing is an emerging technique in the field of additive manufacturing. Due to its versatility in the inks it can print, and most importantly, the printing resolution it can achieve, it is rapidly gaining favor for application in the manufacture of electronic devices, sensors, and displays among others. Although it is an affordable and accessible manufacturing process, it does require excellent operational understanding to achieve high resolution printing of up to 50 nm as reported in literature. In this review, three main aspects are considered, namely, the ink properties, the printer system itself (including design, nozzle dimensions, applied potential, and others), and the substrate onto which printing is being carried out. Knowing how all these factors can be manipulated and brought together allows the users of EHD printing to achieve extraordinary resolution and consistent results. The review is concluded with a brief discussion on where one can see the potential for development in this field of research.
Correction to: Purification of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Fusion Complexes for In Vitro Analysis
Authors: Kõivomägi Mardo
Published: November 2021

In the original version of this book, chapter 8 was published with a typographical error in chapter title. This has been updated in the revised version of this book.
Angularity in DIS at next-to-next-to-leading log accuracy
Authors: Zhu Jiawei , Kang Daekyoung , Maji Tanmay
Published: November 2021

Abstract

Angularity is a class of event-shape observables that can be measured in deep-inelastic scattering. With its continuous parameter a one can interpolate angularity between thrust and broadening and further access beyond the region. Providing such systematic way to access various observables makes angularity attractive in analysis with event shapes. We give the definition of angularity for DIS and factorize the cross section by using soft-collinear effective theory. The factorization is valid in a wide range of a below and above thrust region but invalid in broadening limit. It contains an angularity beam function, which is new result and we give the expression at $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(αs). We also perform large log resummation of angularity and make predictions at various values of a at next-to-next-to-leading log accuracy.
Phosphorylation of Na+,K+-ATPase at Tyr10 of the α1-Subunit is Suppressed by AMPK and Enhanced by Ouabain in Cultured Kidney Cells
Authors: Petrič Metka , Vidović Anja , Dolinar Klemen , Miš Katarina , Chibalin Alexander V. , Pirkmajer Sergej
Published: November 2021

Na+,K+-ATPase (NKA) is essential for maintenance of cellular and whole-body water and ion homeostasis. In the kidney, a major site of ion transport, NKA consumes ~ 50% of ATP, indicating a tight coordination of NKA and energy metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, regulates NKA by modulating serine phosphorylation of the α1-subunit, but whether it modulates other important regulatory phosphosites, such as Tyr10, is unknown. Using human kidney (HK-2) cells, we determined that the phosphorylation of Tyr10 was stimulated by the epidermal growth factor (EGF), which was opposed by inhibitors of Src kinases (PP2), tyrosine kinases (genistein), and EGF receptor (EGFR, gefitinib). AMPK activators AICAR and A-769662 suppressed the EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of EGFR (Tyr1173) and NKAα1 at Tyr10. The phosphorylation of Src (Tyr416) was unaltered by AICAR and increased by A-769662. Conversely, ouabain (100 nM), a pharmacological NKA inhibitor and a putative adrenocortical hormone, enhanced the EGF-stimulated Tyr10 phosphorylation without altering the phosphorylation of EGFR (Tyr1173) or Src (Tyr416). Ouabain (100–1000 nM) increased the ADP:ATP ratio, while it suppressed the lactate production and the oxygen consumption rate in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with ouabain or gene silencing of NKAα1 or NKAα3 subunit did not activate AMPK. In summary, AMPK activators and ouabain had antagonistic effects on the phosphorylation of NKAα1 at Tyr10 in cultured HK-2 cells, which implicates a role for Tyr10 in coordinated regulation of NKA-mediated ion transport and energy metabolism.

Graphical Abstract
Detection of invisible cracks in ceramic materials using by pre-trained deep convolutional neural network
Authors: Nogay Hidir Selcuk , Akinci Tahir Cetin , Yilmaz Musa
Published: November 2021

Ceramic materials are an indispensable part of our lives. Today, ceramic materials are mainly used in construction and kitchenware production. The fact that some deformations cannot be seen with the naked eye in the ceramic industry leads to a loss of time in the detection of deformations in the products. Delays that may occur in the elimination of deformations and in the planning of the production process cause the products with deformation to be excessive, which adversely affects the quality. In this study, a deep learning model based on acoustic noise data and transfer learning techniques was designed to detect cracks in ceramic plates. In order to create a data set, noise curves were obtained by applying the same magnitude impact to the ceramic experiment plates by impact pendulum. For experimental application, ceramic plates with three invisible cracks and one undamaged ceramic plate were used. The deep learning model was trained and tested for crack detection in ceramic plates by the data set obtained from the noise graphs. As a result, 99.50% accuracy was achieved with the deep learning model based on acoustic noise.
Quality assessment of drinking water of Multan city, Pakistan in context with Arsenic and Fluoride and use of Iron nanoparticle doped kitchen waste charcoal as a potential adsorbent for their combined removal
Authors: Earnest Iris , Nazir Rabia , Hamid Almas
Published: November 2021

In majority cities of Pakistan, ground water is the main source of drinking water supply in the taps. Studies from different areas of Pakistan reported the presence of arsenic (As3/5+) and fluoride (F−) in drinking water supplies and can be envisaged as a deep-rooted cause of daily exposure of these in humans. The present study was planned with three way approach, i.e., to assess drinking water quality in Multan city, a highly populated and industrial activity area; synthesis of nano-adsorbent for simultaneous, effective and low-cost removal of fluoride and arsenic and manage waste by utilization of kitchen waste for synthesis of the nano-adsorbent. Out of 30 samples collected, 80% and 73% samples were found exceeding maximum residual limits (MRL) for F− and As3/5+, respectively, while 53% samples had both As3/5+ and F− concentrations greater than MRL. All these water samples were then treated with prepared nano-adsorbent, i.e., iron nanoparticles doped kitchen waste charcoal after evaluating the optimized experimental parameters and application of adsorption, kinetics and thermodynamic models. The nano-adsorbent showed high removal efficacy 81–100% for F− and 13–100% for As3+.
Aging weakens Th17 cell pathogenicity and ameliorates experimental autoimmune uveitis in mice
Authors: Li He , Zhu Lei , Wang Rong , Xie Lihui , Ren Jie , Ma Shuai , Zhang Weiqi , Liu Xiuxing , Huang Zhaohao , Chen Binyao , Li Zhaohuai , Feng Huyi , Liu Guang-Hui , Wang Si , Qu Jing , Su Wenru
Published: November 2021

Aging-induced changes in the immune system are associated with a higher incidence of infection and vaccination failure. Lymph nodes, which filter the lymph to identify and fight infections, play a central role in this process. However, careful characterization of the impact of aging on lymph nodes and associated autoimmune diseases is lacking. We combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with flow cytometry to delineate the immune cell atlas of cervical draining lymph nodes (CDLNs) of both young and old mice with or without experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). We found extensive and complicated changes in the cellular constituents of CDLNs during aging. When confronted with autoimmune challenges, old mice developed milder EAU compared to young mice. Within this EAU process, we highlighted that the pathogenicity of T helper 17 cells (Th17) was dampened, as shown by reduced GM-CSF secretion in old mice. The mitigated secretion of GM-CSF contributed to alleviation of IL-23 secretion by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and may, in turn, weaken APCs’ effects on facilitating the pathogenicity of Th17 cells. Meanwhile, our study further unveiled that aging downregulated GM-CSF secretion through reducing both the transcript and protein levels of IL-23R in Th17 cells from CDLNs. Overall, aging altered immune cell responses, especially through toning down Th17 cells, counteracting EAU challenge in old mice.
International Judicial Performance and the Law of the Sea
Authors: Squatrito Theresa
Published: November 2021

In “Judicialization of the Sea: Bargaining under the UNCLOS Regime,” Sara McLaughlin Mitchell and Andrew P. Owsiak examine the extent to which legalization and judicialization of the law of the sea has changed how states manage conflicts. They argue that legalization and judicialization have diminished maritime conflict because disputing parties are able to predict how a court would rule and, therefore, they will be more likely to bargain out-of-court to achieve more favorable outcomes. Their analysis suggests that how adjudicators perform as dispute resolution bodies is basically irrelevant. Drawing on the literature on the performance of international courts, this essay identifies numerous ways that the contribution of international courts to the resolution of disputes is contingent on key performance criteria, including legal clarification and compliance. When international courts perform at their best, judicialization enhances the impact of legalization. If performance is a contingent feature of international adjudication, then the generalizability of Mitchell and Owsiak's argument might be limited by the extent to which adjudicators achieve certain key performance criteria.
Association of spousal violence and women’s empowerment status among the rural women of sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Anik Asibul Islam , Towhid Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne , Haque M Atiqul
Published: November 2021

Spousal violence (SV) is a global problem for women and its elimination is one of the prime targets of Sustainable Development Goal-5. Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of seventeen countries, representing two sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regions (East and Southern Africa [ESA] and West and Central Africa [WCA]), were used to examine the relationship between all types of SV and women’s empowerment status among rural married women aged 15–49 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore adjusted associations, and a relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII) were used to measure the inequality in experiencing SV by rural women based on their overall empowerment position. Within the period 2015–2019, the reported rate of SV was higher in the ESA (physical SV: 33.55%; sexual SV: 16.96%; any type of SV: 46.14%) than the WCA countries (physical SV: 27.80%; sexual SV: 7.63%; any type of SV: 40.83%), except for emotional SV (WCA: 31.28% vs ESA: 29.35%). In terms of overall empowerment status, rural WCA women were slightly ahead of their counterparts in the ESA region (46.09% and 44.64%, respectively). For both ESA and WCA countries, women who didn’t justify violence and who had access to health care (except physical SV in WCA) showed negative but significant association with all types of SV in the adjusted analysis. Conversely, economic empowerment significantly increased the odds of experiencing physical and any type of SV in both regions. The significant risk ratios obtained from RII, for any SV were 0.83 and 1.09, and theβ-coefficients from SII were –0.082 and 0.037 units, respectively, in ESA and WCA. Multi-sectoral microfinance-based intervening programmes and policies should be implemented regionally to empower women, especially in the economic, socio-culture, health care accessibility dimensions, and this will eventually reduce all types of spousal violence in rural SSA.
Do policy clashes between the judiciary and the executive affect public opinion? Insights from New Delhi’s odd–even rule against air pollution
Authors: Beiser-McGrath Liam F. , Bernauer Thomas , Prakash Aseem
Published: November 2021

Policy processes are affected by how policymakers assess public support for a policy. But is public support for a given policy itself affected by characteristics of the policy process, such as cooperation or confrontation amongst policy actors? Specifically, if different branches of government hold conflicting positions on a given policy, do clashes affect public support for the policy? To address this question, we exploit an unexpected clash amongst the executive and judiciary in New Delhi, between survey waves, over exemptions for women in the context of the odd–even rule, a policy intervention to reduce air pollution from transportation. We find that public support for the contested policy was not undermined by the executive–judiciary clash. However, the clash polarised public opinion by gender, based upon the policy exemptions. Our findings shed new light on the broader question of how conflicts amongst different parts of government influence mass public policy preferences.
Early adversity and depressive symptoms among early adolescent girls: the mediating role of exposure to recent interpersonal acute stress
Authors: Stroud Catherine B. , Chen Frances R. , Dunning Erin E. , Cheng Julia , Marr Carey , Vrshek-Schallhorn Suzanne
Published: November 2021

Early adversity confers risk for depression in part through its association with recent (i.e., proximal) acute stress. However, it remains unresolved whether: a) early adversity predicts increases in recent acute stress over time; b) all – or only certain types – of recent events mediate the relationship between early adversity and depression; and c) early adversity places individuals at greater risk for depression via greater exposure to independent (i.e., fateful) interpersonal events or via greater generation of dependent (i.e., partially self-initiated) interpersonal events (i.e., stress generation) or both. These questions were examined in a 3-wave longitudinal study of early adolescent girls (N = 125; M = 12.35 years [SD = .77]) with no history of diagnosable depression using contextual life stress and diagnostic interviews. Path analyses indicated that increases in past-year acute interpersonal, but not non-interpersonal, stress mediated the link between early adversity and depressive symptoms. The mediating role of interpersonal events was limited to independent ones, suggesting increases in interpersonal event exposure, not interpersonal stress generation, acted as a mediator. Finally, findings support prior evidence that early adversity may not directly predict future depressive symptoms. Implications for understanding the role of recent stress in the association between early adversity and adolescent depression are discussed.
Beyond words: An analysis of skills underlying reading and vocabulary acquisition in three foreign languages
Authors: van den Boer Madelon , Zeguers Maaike H. T.
Published: November 2021

To capture the complexity of foreign language literacy acquisition, we investigated cognitive skills underlying word reading, sentence reading, word vocabulary and sentence vocabulary in three different foreign languages. Students fluent in Dutch simultaneously acquired three foreign languages that differed in orthographic transparency and writing system (Spanish, French, Chinese). Cognitive skills at the start of literacy acquisition (Grade 7) were longitudinally related to literacy attainment in each of the foreign languages after two years of instruction (end of Grade 8). Structural equation regression models indicated that three areas (word and sentence vocabulary, and sentence reading) related most strongly to verbal and nonverbal intelligence, indicating the involvement of academic skills. For word reading the influence of cognitive skills appeared language specific. Across languages, native reading skills seemed to be employed to varying degrees of efficiency to decipher foreign words, more so for foreign languages with a smaller orthographic distance from the native language.
International humanitarian law and the criminal justice response to terrorism: From the UN Security Council to the national courts
Authors: Sarfati Agathe
Published: November 2021

Since the adoption of the first United Nations Security Council (UNSC) counterterrorism resolution after the 9/11 attacks, the UNSC has increasingly required the domestic criminalization of “terrorism” acts and ancillary activities. Without the inclusion of an explicit international humanitarian law (IHL) or humanitarian exception, the UNSC has – so far – failed to harmonize the counterterrorism legal framework with IHL, leaving it up to States to define the interaction between the two. In their national legislation and courts, States’ interpretations have varied but counterterrorism legislations have been used to adjudicate conducts in armed conflicts, regardless of their legality under IHL. As the domestication of UNSC offences is ongoing, good practices are highlighted in this paper and recommendations are offered to ensure the development of international customary law in accordance with IHL.
Improved High Resolution Ocean Reanalyses Using a Simple Smoother Algorithm
Authors: Dong Bo , Haines Keith , Martin Matthew
Published: November 2021

We present a simple smoother designed for smooth data adjustments in sequentially generated reanalysis products by utilizing knowledge of future assimilation increments. A decay time parameter is applied to the smoother increments to account for memory decay timescales in the ocean. The result is different from simply time smoothing the reanalysis itself as only the increments are smoothed so the reanalysis product can retain high frequency variability that is being internally generated by the model and the atmospheric forcing. The smoother is applied first to the Lorenz 1963 model and then to the daily Met Office GloSea5 Global ¼° ocean reanalysis during 2016. Results show significant improvement over the original reanalysis in the 3D temperature and salinity state and variability, as well as in the sea surface height (SSH) and ocean currents. Comparisons are made directly against temperature, salinity and SSH observations, as well as independent 15 m drifter velocities. The impact on the time variability of conservative quantities, particularly ocean heat and salt content, as well as kinetic energy and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), is also demonstrated.
Modeling of Ultraviolet Aurora Intensity Associated With Interplanetary and Geomagnetic Parameters Based on Neural Networks
Authors: Hu Ze‐Jun , Han Bing , Zhang Yisheng , Lian Huifang , Wang Ping , Li Guojun , Li Bin , Chen Xiang‐Cai , Liu Jian‐Jun
Published: November 2021

The spatial distribution of aurora intensity is an important manifestation of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere energy coupling process, and it oscillates with the change of space environment parameters and geomagnetic index. It is of great significance to establish an appropriate aurora intensity model for the prediction of space weather and the study of magnetosphere dynamics. Based on Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) data of Polar satellite, we constructed two auroral models by using two different neural networks, that is, the generalized regression neural network (GRNN), and the conditional generation adversarial network (CGAN). Input parameters of the models include interplanetary magnetic field, solar wind velocity and density, and the geomagnetic AE index. Output result is the spatial distribution of auroral intensity in altitude adjusted corrected geomagnetic (AACGM) coordinates. The structural similarity index (SSIM) of image quality is used as an evaluation standard of detail similarity between the prediction results of auroral intensity model and corresponding UVI images (complete similarity is 1, dissimilarity is 0, SSIM is generally considered to have good similarity if it is greater than 0.5). Based on the respective training datasets of GRNN and CGAN models, the evaluating results showed that the mean values (standard deviation) of SSIM were 0.5409 (0.0912) and 0.5876 (0.0712), respectively, so the prediction results from both models can restore the auroral intensity distribution of the original images of UVI. In addition, the value of SSIM can increase with the increase of the number of training data. Therefore, more training data will help improve the effectiveness of these models.
Anatomic accuracy, physiologic characteristics, and fidelity of very low birth weight infant airway simulators
Authors: Lengua Hinojosa Patricia , Eifinger Frank , Wagner Michael , Herrmann Jochen , Wolf Monika , Ebenebe Chinedu Ulrich , von der Wense Axel , Jung Philipp , Mai Aram , Bohnhorst Bettina , Longardt Ann Carolin , Hillebrand Georg , Schmidtke Susanne , Guthmann Florian , Aderhold Martina , Schwake Ida , Sprinz Maria , Singer Dominique , Deindl Philipp
Published: November 2021

Background

Medical simulation training requires realistic simulators with high fidelity. This prospective multi-center study investigated anatomic precision, physiologic characteristics, and fidelity of four commercially available very low birth weight infant simulators.

Methods

We measured airway angles and distances in the simulators Premature AirwayPaul (SIMCharacters), Premature Anne (Laerdal Medical), Premie HAL S2209 (Gaumard), and Preterm Baby (Lifecast Body Simulation) using computer tomography and compared these to human cadavers of premature stillbirths. The simulators’ physiologic characteristics were tested, and highly experienced experts rated their physical and functional fidelity.

Results

The airway angles corresponded to those of the reference cadavers in three simulators. The nasal inlet to glottis distance and the mouth aperture to glottis distance were only accurate in one simulator. All simulators had airway resistances up to 20 times higher and compliances up to 19 times lower than published reference values. Fifty-six highly experienced experts gave three simulators (Premature AirwayPaul: 5.1 ± 1.0, Premature Anne 4.9 ± 1.1, Preterm Baby 5.0 ± 1.0) good overall ratings and one simulator (Premie HAL S2209: 2.8 ± 1.0) an unfavorable rating.

Conclusion

The simulator physiology deviated significantly from preterm infants’ reference values concerning resistance and compliance, potentially promoting a wrong ventilation technique.

Impact

Very low birth weight infant simulators showed physiological properties far deviating from corresponding patient reference values.

Only ventilation with very high peak pressure achieved tidal volumes in the simulators, as aimed at in very low birth weight infants, potentially promoting a wrong ventilation technique.

Compared to very low birth weight infant cadavers, most tested simulators accurately reproduced the anatomic angular relationships, but their airway dimensions were relatively too large for the represented body.

The more professional experience the experts had, the lower they rated the very low birth weight infant simulators.
Metformin attenuates hypothalamic inflammation via downregulation of RIPK1-independent microglial necroptosis in diet-induced obese mice
Authors: Li Xuan , Cai You , Luo Jiao , Ding Jingyun , Yao Guojun , Xiao Xiaohua , Tang Yizhe , Liang Zhen
Published: November 2021

Necroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, accounts for many inflammations in a wide range of diseases. Diet-induced obesity is manifested by low-grade inflammation in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), and microglia are implicated as critical responsive components for this process. Here, we demonstrate that microglial necroptosis plays a pivotal role in obesity-related hypothalamic inflammation, facilitating proinflammatory cytokine production, such as TNF-α and IL-1β. Treatment with the anti-diabetic drug metformin effectively reduces the obese phenotypes in the high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice, attributing to remission of hypothalamic inflammation partly through repressing microglial necroptosis. Importantly, using the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 inhibitor, necrostatin-1s, could not suppress the microglial inflammation nor prevent body weight gain in the obese mice, indicating that the microglial necroptosis is RIPK1-independent. Altogether, these findings offer new insights into hypothalamic inflammation in diet-induced obesity and provide a novel mechanism of action for metformin in obesity treatment.
Combining callers improves the detection of copy number variants from whole-genome sequencing
Authors: Coutelier Marie , Holtgrewe Manuel , Jäger Marten , Flöttman Ricarda , Mensah Martin A. , Spielmann Malte , Krawitz Peter , Horn Denise , Beule Dieter , Mundlos Stefan
Published: November 2021

Copy Number Variants (CNVs) are deletions, duplications or insertions larger than 50 base pairs. They account for a large percentage of the normal genome variation and play major roles in human pathology. While array-based approaches have long been used to detect them in clinical practice, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) bears the promise to allow concomitant exploration of CNVs and smaller variants. However, accurately calling CNVs from WGS remains a difficult computational task, for which a consensus is still lacking. In this paper, we explore practical calling options to reach the best compromise between sensitivity and sensibility. We show that callers based on different signal (paired-end reads, split reads, coverage depth) yield complementary results. We suggest approaches combining four selected callers (Manta, Delly, ERDS, CNVnator) and a regenotyping tool (SV2), and show that this is applicable in everyday practice in terms of computation time and further interpretation. We demonstrate the superiority of these approaches over array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH), specifically regarding the lack of resolution in breakpoint definition and the detection of potentially relevant CNVs. Finally, we confirm our results on the NA12878 benchmark genome, as well as one clinically validated sample. In conclusion, we suggest that WGS constitutes a timely and economically valid alternative to the combination of aCGH and whole-exome sequencing.