bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extended field-of-view ultrathin microendoscopes for high-resolution two-photon imaging with minimal invasiveness
Authors: Antonini Andrea , Sattin Andrea , Moroni Monica , Bovetti Serena , Moretti Claudio , Succol Francesca , Forli Angelo , Vecchia Dania , Rajamanickam Vijayakumar P , Bertoncini Andrea , Panzeri Stefano , Liberale Carlo , Fellin Tommaso
Published: October 2020

Imaging neuronal activity with high and homogeneous spatial resolution across the field-of-view (FOV) and limited invasiveness in deep brain regions is fundamental for the progress of neuroscience, yet is a major technical challenge. We achieved this goal by correcting optical aberrations in gradient index lens-based ultrathin (≤500 µm) microendoscopes using aspheric microlenses generated through 3D-microprinting. Corrected microendoscopes had extended FOV (eFOV) with homogeneous spatial resolution for two-photon fluorescence imaging and required no modification of the optical set-up. Synthetic calcium imaging data showed that, compared to uncorrected endoscopes, eFOV-microendoscopes led to improved signal-to-noise ratio and more precise evaluation of correlated neuronal activity. We experimentally validated these predictions in awake head-fixed mice. Moreover, using eFOV-microendoscopes we demonstrated cell-specific encoding of behavioral state-dependent information in distributed functional subnetworks in a primary somatosensory thalamic nucleus. eFOV-microendoscopes are, therefore, small-cross-section ready-to-use tools for deep two-photon functional imaging with unprecedentedly high and homogeneous spatial resolution.
Diffusion vs. direct transport in the precision of morphogen readout
Authors: Fancher Sean , Mugler Andrew
Published: October 2020

Morphogen profiles allow cells to determine their position within a developing organism, but not all morphogen profiles form by the same mechanism. Here, we derive fundamental limits to the precision of morphogen concentration sensing for two canonical mechanisms: the diffusion of morphogen through extracellular space and the direct transport of morphogen from source cell to target cell, for example, via cytonemes. We find that direct transport establishes a morphogen profile without adding noise in the process. Despite this advantage, we find that for sufficiently large values of profile length, the diffusion mechanism is many times more precise due to a higher refresh rate of morphogen molecules. We predict a profile lengthscale below which direct transport is more precise, and above which diffusion is more precise. This prediction is supported by data from a wide variety of morphogens in developing Drosophila and zebrafish.
3D visualization of macromolecule synthesis
Authors: Duerr Timothy J , Comellas Ester , Jeon Eun Kyung , Farkas Johanna E , Joetzjer Marylou , Garnier Julien , Shefelbine Sandra J , Monaghan James R
Published: October 2020

Measuring nascent macromolecular synthesis in vivo is key to understanding how cells and tissues progress through development and respond to external cues. Here we perform in vivo injection of alkyne- or azide-modified analogs of thymidine, uridine, methionine, and glucosamine to label nascent synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, and glycosylation. Three-dimensional volumetric imaging of nascent macromolecule synthesis was performed in axolotl salamander tissue using whole-mount click chemistry-based fluorescent staining followed by light sheet fluorescent microscopy. We also developed an image processing pipeline for segmentation and classification of morphological regions of interest and individual cells, and we apply this pipeline to the regenerating humerus. We demonstrate our approach is sensitive to biological perturbations by measuring changes in DNA synthesis after limb denervation. This method provides a powerful means to quantitatively interrogate macromolecule synthesis in heterogenous tissues at the organ, cellular, and molecular levels of organization.
Label-free imaging of immune cell dynamics in the living retina using adaptive optics
Authors: Joseph Aby , Chu Colin J , Feng Guanping , Dholakia Kosha , Schallek Jesse
Published: October 2020

Our recent work characterized the movement of single blood cells within the retinal vasculature (Joseph et al. 2019) using adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy. Here, we apply this technique to the context of acute inflammation and discover both infiltrating and tissue-resident immune cells to be visible without any labeling in the living mouse retina using near-infrared light alone. Intravital imaging of immune cells can be negatively impacted by surgical manipulation, exogenous dyes, transgenic manipulation and phototoxicity. These confounds are now overcome, using phase contrast and time-lapse videography to reveal the dynamic behavior of myeloid cells as they interact, extravasate and survey the mouse retina. Cellular motility and differential vascular responses were measured noninvasively and in vivo across hours to months at the same retinal location, from initiation to the resolution of inflammation. As comparable systems are already available for clinical research, this approach could be readily translated to human application.
Urinary Reconstructions in Patıents with Locally Advanced Rectosigmoid Cancers, a Single Center Experience
Authors: Erşen Ogün , Mercan Ümit , Demirci Salim
Published: October 2020

Urinary system resections due to rectosigmoid cancers are an issue where the number of experienced surgeons is low because they are not performed frequently.The selection and application of the type of reconstruction after resection are technical procedures that should be performed by experienced cancer surgeons and urologists.

Aims: It was aimed to present the urine reconstruction methods and results applied in local advanced rectal and sigmoid colon cancer surgeries performed by the same team for many years.

Study Design: Patients who were operated for rectosigmoid region tumor and had urinary resection-reconstruction between 2016-2020 were reviewed. The demographic data of the patients, clinicopathological notes, reconstruction types, postoperative urinary leakage and fistula rates were examined and noted.

Methodology: Retrospective patient document analysis using electronic hospital file system and clinical notes.

Results: 37 patients were included in the study within the criteria. 17 (46%) of the patients were male and 20 (54%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 58.6 ± 16 years. The most common reconstruction procedures were Ureteroneocystostomy and bladder reconstruction. The least used method was ureteroureterostomy uteretostomy. It was observed that urine leakage / fistula developed in 11 (29.7%) of 37 patients included in the study.

Conclusion: Although the rate of urological complications is also affected by the chosen technique, it may also be affected by factors such as the presence of preoperative hydronephrosis, multiorgan resections, and age.
Factors Influencing Bridge Employment Engagement: With Reference on Health Sector in Sri Lanka
Authors: Senasinghe Pabasara , Sachitra Vilani
Published: October 2020

Purpose: Ageing population will eventually have a dramatic effect on the country’s economy, as it influences on the size of the labor force available. Indorsing longer working lives by encouraging retirees back to the work force has been encouraged by many as a viable option to combat this issue and one way to do this is through bridge employment. Bridge employment is paid work undertaken after retirement from the main vocation but before leaving the labor force completely. The aim of this study is to identify factors influencing bridge employment in health sector in Sri Lanka.

Design: Comparing developed and developing context literatures, the study focused on how job-related factors (financial motives and organizational environment) and the societal-level factors (personal fulfillment and social relationship) affect to the bridge employment. Quantitative approach was used. Primary data were collected through a questionnaire survey. To fulfill the study aim, 296 employees representing doctors and nurses, were taken as the sample of this study.  

Findings: The binary logistic regression analysis results indicated that 21.9 per cent variation of the bridge employment can be explained by organizational environment, financial motives, social relationship and personal fulfillment. Among the factors, personal fulfillment, social relationship and organizational environment were significant determinants of bridge employment in health sector in Sri Lanka. Financial motive was not a significant predictor on bridge employment engagement.

Research Implications: The study findings can aid to healthcare centers and pharmaceutical industry as great opportunity in gaining expertise knowledge of bridge employees by understanding influences of personal fulfillment, social relationship and organizational environment factors on their expectations. Further, the findings will be useful to local and global human resources specialists to access and evaluate the research findings to develop new HRM practices based on bride employment.

Limitations: The responsiveness of older employees to providing data, is below than the expected responsiveness.
Flexible, Highly Sensitive, and Ultrafast Responsive Pressure Sensor with Stochastic Microstructures for Human Health Monitoring
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Chen Fei , Han Lewei , Zhang Gang , Hu Yougen , Jiang Wenlong , Zhu Pengli , Sun Rong , Wong Ching-Ping
Published: October 2020

Flexible and wearable sensors are now becoming the favorite of the new information age for their great prospects, especially in human health monitoring, and which are mainly aimed at improving the comprehensive sensing performance. However, the equilibrium between sensitivity and response time of the sensor has not been well balanced. Herein, a simple and low‐cost strategy to fabricate flexible pressure sensors based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrate with unique surface stochastic morphology replicated from the abrasive paper, which is inspired by skin epidermis, is presented. The integrated TPU flexible pressure sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of −2.24 kPa−1 in a linear pressure regime of 0–200 Pa, and the effective working range of this sensor is close to 2 kPa, ultrafast response time and relaxation time of 10 ms, low detection limits of 0.72 Pa, and excellent cycling stability over 3000 cycles. The fabricated sensors demonstrate outstanding sensing capabilities in monitoring human physiological signals, such as subtle pulse, wrist movement, and speech recognition, making promising potential in practical human health monitoring applications.
Pencil Drawing Stable Interface for Reversible and Durable Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Zhiwei , Wu Langyuan , Dong Shengyang , Xu Tiezhu , Li Shaopeng , An Yufeng , Jiang Jiangmin , Zhang Xiaogang
Published: October 2020

Zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have been regarded as one of the most promising aqueous energy storage devices due to their low‐cost, high capacity, and intrinsic safety. However, the relatively low Coulombic efficiency caused by the dendrite formation and side reactions greatly hinders the rejuvenation of ZIBs. Here, an utterly simple approach by pencil drawing is employed to improve the poor performance of normal Zn anode and hinders the formation of passivated byproduct as well as serious dendrite growth. Significantly, the functional graphite layer can not only act as ions buffer, but also guide the uniform nucleation of Zn2+ in graphite voids. With such synergy effect, the graphite‐coated Zn anode (Zn–G) displays low overpotential, high reversibility, and dendrite‐free durability compared with the pristine Zn. Consequently, a low voltage hysteresis of ≈28 mV can be achieved and maintained over 200 h. Furthermore, the Zn–G anode is paired with a V2O5·xH2O cathode to construct a rechargeable ZIB. As‐assembled device can output high energy/power density of 324.3 Wh kg−1/3269.8 W kg−1 (based on the active mass loading in cathode) together with a capacity retention of ≈84% over 1500 cycles at a current density of 5 A g−1.
Eppur si Muove: Proton Diffusion in Halide Perovskite Single Crystals
Authors: Ceratti Davide Raffaele , Zohar Arava , Kozlov Roman , Dong Hao , Uraltsev Gennady , Girshevitz Olga , Pinkas Iddo , Avram Liat , Hodes Gary , Cahen David
Published: October 2020

Ion diffusion affects the optoelectronic properties of halide‐perovskites (HaPs). Until now, the fastest diffusion has been attributed to the movement of the halides, largely neglecting the contribution of protons, on the basis of computed density estimates. Here, the process of proton diffusion inside HaPs, following deuterium–hydrogen exchange and migration in MAPbI3, MAPbBr3, and FAPbBr3 single crystals, is proven through D/H NMR quantification, Raman spectroscopy, and elastic recoil detection analysis, challenging the original assumption of halide‐dominated diffusion. The results are confirmed by impedance spectroscopy, where MAPbBr3‐ and CsPbBr3‐based solar cells respond at very different frequencies. Water plays a key role in allowing the migration of protons as deuteration is not detected in its absence. The water contribution is modeled to explain and forecast its effect as a function of its concentration in the perovskite structure. These findings are of great importance as they evidence how unexpected, water‐dependent proton diffusion can be at the basis of the ≈7 orders of magnitude spread of diffusion (attributed to I− and Br−) coefficient values, reported in the literature. The reported enhancement of the optoelectronic properties of HaP when exposed to small amounts of water may be related to the finding.
Ultrahigh Thermoresistant Lightweight Bioplastics Developed from Fermentation Products of Cellulosic Feedstock
Authors: Nag Aniruddha , Ali Mohammad Asif , Kawaguchi Hideo , Saito Shun , Kawasaki Yukie , Miyazaki Shoko , Kawamoto Hirotoshi , Adi Deddy Triyono Nugroho , Yoshihara Kumiko , Masuo Shunsuke , Katsuyama Yohei , Kondo Akihiko , Ogino Chiaki , Takaya Naoki , Kaneko Tatsuo , Ohnishi Yasuo
Published: October 2020

Production of bioplastics from renewable biological resources is a prerequisite for the development of a circular and sustainable society. Current bioplastics are mostly heat‐sensitive aliphatic polymers, requiring thermoresistant aromatic bioplastics. Herein, 3‐amino‐4‐hydroxybenzoic acid (AHBA) and 4‐aminobenzoic acid (ABA) are produced from kraft pulp, an inedible cellulosic feedstock, using metabolically engineered bacteria. AHBA is chemically converted to 3,4‐diaminobenzoic acid (DABA); subsequently, poly(2,5‐benzimidazole) is obtained by the polycondensation of DABA and processed into an ultrahigh thermoresistant film. The copolymerization of DABA with a small amount of ABA dramatically increases the degradation temperatures of the resulting films (over 740 °C) to yield the most thermoresistant plastic on record. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the incorporation of ABA strengthens the interchain hydrogen bonds between aromatic imidazole rings. Thus, an alternative organic molecular design is proposed for thermoresistant plastics without using heavy inorganics, although continuous aromatic heterocycles are widely considered ideal for polymer thermoresistance. This innovative macromolecular design increases thermoresistance and can be widely applied to well‐processable plastics for the production of lightweight materials and is expected to contribute to the development of a more sustainable society.
Overcoming the Anisotropic Growth Limitations of Free‐Standing Single‐Crystal Halide Perovskite Films
Authors: Chen Yuan , Zeng Haibo , Ma Peipei , Chen Gaoyuan , Jian Jie , Sun Xing , Li Xiaoming , Wang Haiyan , Yin Wanjian , Jia Quanxi , Zou Guifu
Published: October 2020

It is extremely challenging to grow single‐crystal halide perovskite films (SCHPFs) with not only desired transport properties but also large lateral size with much thinner thickness. Here, we report the growth of freestanding single crystal CsPbBr3 SCHPFs with thickness less than 100 nm and a lateral size close to centimeter for the first time. A new model for growth kinetics (Ψ=Aexp[−(EA−Es)/(kBT)]) is proposed to address the surface energy and temperature effect on the growth rate of ultrathin CsPbBr3 single‐crystal film. The experimental results and DFT calculations both demonstrated that the surfactant plays a critical role in modifying the surface energy and achieving anisotropic growth. This work opens new opportunities for high‐quality SCHPFs with large lateral size and controllable thickness that may find wide applications for optoelectronic devices.
Oxygen‐ and Nitrogen‐Embedded Zigzag Hydrocarbon Belts
Authors: Tan Mei‐Ling , Guo Qing‐Hui , Wang Xue‐Yuan , Shi Tan‐Hao , Zhang Qian , Hou Sheng‐Kai , Tong Shuo , You Jingsong , Wang Mei‐Xiang
Published: October 2020

Despite the aesthetically appealing structures and tantalizing physical and chemical properties, zigzag hydrocarbon belts and their heteroatom‐embedded analogues remain challenging synthetic targets. We report herein the synthesis of diverse O/N‐doped zigzag hydrocarbon belts based on selective bridging of the fjords of resorcin[4]arene derivatives through intramolecular SNAr and palladium‐catalyzed intermolecular C−N bond formation reactions. Preorganized conformations of mono‐macrocyclic, half‐belt and quasi‐belt compounds were revealed to facilitate cyclization reactions to construct heteroatom‐linked octahydrobelt[8]arenes. The acquired products had strained square‐prism‐shaped belt structures in which all six‐membered heterocyclic rings adopted an unusual boat conformation with equatorially configured alkyl groups. The unprecedented heteroatom‐bearing belts also exhibited different photophysical and redox properties to those of octahydrobelt[8]arene analogues.
Iridium complexes with a new type of N^N′‐donor anionic ligand catalyze the N‐benzylation of amines via borrowing hydrogen
Authors: Ruiz‐Castañeda Margarita , Rodríguez Ana M. , Aboo Ahmed H. , Manzano Blanca R. , Espino Gustavo , Xiao Jianliang , Jalón Félix A.
Published: October 2020

The development of efficient and eco‐friendly methods for the synthesis of elaborate amines is highly desired as they are valuable chemicals. The catalytic alkylation of amines using alcohols as alkylating agents, through the so‐called borrowing hydrogen process, satisfies several of the principles of green chemistry. In this paper, four neutral half‐sandwich complexes of Ru(II), Rh(III), and Ir(III) have been synthesized and tested as catalysts in the N‐benzylation of amines with benzyl alcohol. The new derivatives contain a N^N′ anionic ligand derived from 5‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethylene)hydantoin (Hpyhy) that has never been tested in metal complexes with catalytic applications. In particular, the Ir derivatives, [(Cp*)IrX(pyhy)] (X = Cl or H), exhibit high activity along with good selectivity in the process. Indeed, the scope of the optimized protocol has been proved in the benzylation of several primary and secondary amines. The selectivity towards monoalkylated or dialkylated amines has been tuned by adjusting the amine:alcohol ratio and the reaction time. Experimental results support a mechanism consisting of three consecutive steps, two of which are Ir catalyzed, and a favorable condensation step without the assistance of the catalyst. Moreover, an unproductive competitive pathway can operate when the reaction is performed in open‐air vessels, due to the irreversible release of H2. This route is hampered when the reaction is carried out in close vessels, likely because the release of H2 is reversed through metal‐based heterolytic cleavage. From our viewpoint, these results show the potential of the new catalysts in a very attractive and promising methodology for the synthesis of amines.
Thin‐film composite forward osmosis membrane prepared from polyvinyl chloride/cellulose carbamate substrate and its potential application in brackish water desalination
Authors: Zheng Ke , Zhou Shaoqi , Cheng Zuqin , Huang Guoru
Published: October 2020

Synthesized by the reaction between α‐cellulose and m‐tolyl isocyanate (MTI), cellulose carbamate (CC) was blended with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to fabricate substrates for thin‐film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membranes. The introduction of CC into substrates improved both membrane structure and performance. The substrates exhibited higher porosity and hydrophilicity, and better connective pore structure; while rejection layer exhibited better morphology but limited cross‐linked degree decrease after the introduction of CC. According to the results, the CC blend ratio of 10% was the optimal ratio. With this blend ratio, the TFC‐10 membrane presented favorable water permeability (1.86 LMH/bar) and structure parameter (337 μm), which resulted in excellent FO performance (water flux with a value of 40.40 LMH and specific salt flux with a value of 0.099 g/L under rejection layer faces draw solution [DS] mode when 1 M NaCl and deionized water were utilized as DS and feed solution). In addition, the TFC‐10 membrane showed good water flux and low‐sulfate ion leakage in the potential application of brackish water desalination.
Synthesis and evaluation of antimicrobial and anticancer activities of 3‐phenyl‐1‐phenylsulfonyl pyrazoles containing an aminoguanidine moiety
Authors: Huang Yushan , Hu Hongmei , Yan Rui , Lin Liwen , Song Mingxia , Yao Xiaodong
Published: October 2020

A series of 3‐phenyl‐1‐phenylsulfonyl pyrazoles containing an aminoguanidine moiety was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The majority of the target compounds showed broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity against the tested strains, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 2 to 64 μg/ml. Compound 5k, showing the most potent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis CMCC 63501 and multidrug‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300 with an MIC value of 2 μg/ml, was the most promising one in this series. It was also effective for S. aureus ATCC 33591 and multidrug‐resistant Escherichia coli ATCC BAA‐196 at higher concentrations. The bactericidal time–kill kinetics test illustrated that compound 5k had rapid bactericidal potential. Docking results exhibited that compound 5k showed various kinds of binding to the FabH receptor, reflecting that 5k could bind with the active site well. All compounds showed excellent activity against the investigated cancer cells, with IC50 values ranging from 1.90 to 54.53 µM. Among them, compound 5f showed prominent cytotoxicity with IC50 = 1.90 µM against A549 cells, while exhibiting lower inhibitory activity against 293T cells (IC50 = 41.72 µM), indicating that it has the potential for a good therapeutic index as an anticancer drug.
Electric‐field‐enhanced selective separation of products of an enzymatic reaction in a membrane micro‐contactor
Authors: Romanov Alexandr , Slouka Zdeněk , Přibyl Michal
Published: October 2020

Processes employed in separations of products of enzyme reactions are often driven by diffusion, and their efficiency can be limited. Here, we exploit the effect of a direct current (DC) electric field that intensifies mass transfer through a semipermeable membrane for fast, continuous, and selective separation of electrically charged molecules. Specifically, we separate low‐molecular‐weight reaction products (phenylacetic acid, 6‐aminopenicillanic acid) from the original reaction mixture containing a free enzyme (penicillin acylase). The developed microfluidic dialysis‐membrane contactor allows a stable counter‐current arrangement of the retentate and permeates liquid streams on which DC electric field is perpendicularly applied. The applied electric field significantly accelerates the transport of electrically charged products through the semipermeable membrane yielding high separation efficiencies at short residence times. The residence time of 5 min is sufficient to reach 100% separation yield in the electric field. The same residence time provides only a 50% yield in the diffusion‐controlled experiments. We experimentally demonstrated that a combined microreactor–microextractor with a recycle of the soluble penicillin acylase can continuously produce both the reaction products at high concentrations. The developed membrane‐contactor is a versatile platform allowing to tune its characteristics, such as selectivity given by the membrane, or the type of the retentate phase, for a specific application.
Dihydrotestosterone in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—The missing link?
Authors: Sawal Nishit , Kaur Jasbinder , Kaur Kamaljeet , Gombar Satinder
Published: October 2020

Objective

Testosterone has been postulated to be involved in ALS causation.

Materials and methods

CSF levels of free testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were measured in 13 ALS patients [7 males, 6 females] and 22 controls [12 males, 10 females].

Results

CSF free testosterone levels did not show any significant differences but CSF dihydrotestosterone levels were significantly decreased in all male and female ALS patients.

Conclusions

DHT is probably integral to survival of motor neurons. In patients predisposed to develop ALS, there is possibly a sort of “testosterone resistance” at level of blood–brain barrier [BBB] existing right from birth and is likely the result of dysfunctional transport protein involved in testosterone transfer across the BBB. In these patients, lesser amount of testosterone is able to breach the BBB and enter the central neural axis. Lesser amount of testosterone is available to 5 α reductase in the anterior pituitary to be converted to DHT and lesser amount of DHT is generated. There is inadequate negative feedback suppression of LH at the level of anterior pituitary by DHT. As a result of higher LH levels, testosterone levels rise in the peripheral testosterone fraction [the fraction outside the BBB] and this explains the various physical attributes of ALS patients like lower Ratio of the index and ring finger lengths (2D:4D ratio), increased incidence of early onset alopecia etc. This deficiency of DHT leads to motor neuron death causing ALS.
Occurrence of postdural puncture headache—A randomized controlled trial comparing 22G Sprotte and Quincke
Authors: Sjulstad Ane Skaare , Odeh Francis , Baloch Farid K. , Berg Diana Hristova , Arntzen Kathrine , Alstadhaug Karl B.
Published: October 2020

Objective

To assess the incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) using 22‐gauge atraumatic needle (Sprotte, 22GS) compared with 22‐gauge traumatic needle (Quincke, 22GQ).

Background

Diagnostic lumbar puncture (dLP) is commonly complicated by PDPH. Despite evidence to support the use of 22GS, European neurologists seem to keep using 22GQ.

Methods

This was a randomized, double‐blind study. Adults (age: 18–60 years) scheduled for dLP were included. dLP and CSF acquisition were performed in accordance with highly standardized procedures. Patients were followed up on days 2 and 7.

Results

In total, 172 patients were randomized and lumbar punctured, and 21 were excluded due to wrong inclusion (n = 11), needle switch (n = 7), failed dLP (n = 1), withdrawal (n = 1), and missed follow‐up (n = 1). Among the remaining 151 patients (mean age: 40.7 ± 12.4 years), 77 had dLP using 22GQ and 74 using 22GS. Incidence of PDPH among patients punctured with 22GS (18%) was significantly lower (p = .004) than among patients punctured with 22GQ (39%). Relative risk was 0.45, 95% CI 0.26–0.80. Patients with PDPH had significantly lower weight (p = .035), and there was no significant difference related to age (p = .064), sex (p = .239), height (p = .857), premorbid episodic migraine (p = .829), opening pressure (p = .117), operators (p = .148), amount of CSF removed (p = .205), or number of attempts (p = .623).

Conclusions

The use of 22GS halves the risk of PDPH compared with 22GQ. This study provides strong support to make a change in practice where traumatic needles are still in regular use.
The immune phenotype of tongue squamous cell carcinoma predicts early relapse and poor prognosis
Authors: Troiano Giuseppe , Rubini Corrado , Togni Lucrezia , Caponio Vito Carlo Alberto , Zhurakivska Khrystyna , Santarelli Andrea , Cirillo Nicola , Lo Muzio Lorenzo , Mascitti Marco
Published: October 2020

Background

In patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (OTSCC), current tumor node metastasis staging system fails to identify at‐risk patients associated with early relapse and poor prognosis despite complete surgical resection. Given the importance of tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the development of cancers, here we investigated the prognostic significance of the immune phenotype in OTSCC.

Methods

Hematoxylin‐eosin stained sections of OTSCCs from 211 patients were evaluated. Cancers were classified as (a) immune‐inflamed when TILs were found next to tumor cell nests; (b) immune‐excluded when TILs were found in the stroma, outside the tumor; and (c) immune‐desert for tumors lacking lymphocyte infiltrate. The prognostic significance of these immune phenotypes classes was investigated. Data were further validated on an independent cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas database.

Results

Immune‐desert phenotype was the least represented group of OTSCCs in our cohort (11.8%) and served as an independent prognostic factor. Patients with immune‐desert tumors exhibited worse disease‐specific survival (HR = 2.673; [CI: 95% 1.497‐4.773]; P = .001), overall survival (HR = 2.591; [CI: 95% 1.468‐4.572]; P = .001), and disease‐free survival (HR = 2.313; [CI: 95% 1.118‐4.786]; P = .024) at multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

We identified a specific subgroup of OTSCCs with poor prognosis. Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes density and localization could serve as an integrative parameter to the current staging system and inform the selection of most appropriate treatments. In particular, the tumor immune phenotype could improve the stratification of patients with more aggressive disease.
A decision analysis comparing three strategies for peritoneal lavage cytology testing in staging of gastric cancer in China
Authors: He Qifei , Zhu Jinyi , Wang Anqiang , Ji Ke , Ji Xin , Zhang Ji , Wu Xiaojiang , Li Xia , Bu Zhaode , Ji Jiafu
Published: October 2020

Background

Positive peritoneal cytology (PCY) indicates metastasis (M1) in gastric cancer (GC) patients; both the American and Chinese guidelines recommend laparoscopic peritoneal lavage (LPL) for cytology. However, relatively high costs impair the widespread use of LPL in some resource‐limited regions in China, and the cost‐effectiveness of PCY testing remains unclear. Therefore, we performed a decision analysis to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of PCY testing by comparing the guideline‐recommended intraoperative LPL, a newly proposed preoperative percutaneous peritoneal lavage (PPL), and a third strategy of exploratory laparotomy with no cytology testing (ELNC) among GC patients.

Methods

We developed a decision‐analytic Markov model of the aforementioned three strategies for a hypothetical cohort of GC patients with curative intent after initial imaging, from the perspective of Chinese society. We estimated costs, quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs) as primary outcomes; we also conducted one‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to investigate the model's robustness.

Results

We found that ELNC was dominated (i.e., more expensive and less effective) by PPL and LPL. LPL was the most cost‐effective method with an ICER of US$17,200/QALY compared to PPL, which was below the Chinese willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) threshold of US$29,313 per QALY gained. In sensitivity analyses, PPL was more likely to be cost‐effective with a lower WTP threshold.

Conclusions

Cytology testing through either LPL or PPL was less expensive and more effective than ELNC among GC patients. Moreover, LPL was the most cost‐effective modality at the current WTP threshold, while PPL could potentially be cost‐effective in lower‐income areas.
Development of a nomogram for prognostic prediction of lower‐grade glioma based on alternative splicing signatures
Authors: Wang Yaning , Wang Zihao , Zhao Binghao , Chen Wenlin , Wang Yu , Ma Wenbin
Published: October 2020

Background

The prognosis of lower‐grade glioma (LGG) differs from that of other grades gliomas. Although lots of studies on the prognostic biomarkers of LGG have been reported, few have significant clinical impact. Alternative splicing (AS) events can affect cell function by splicing precursor mRNA. Therefore, a prognostic model for LGG based on AS events are important to establish.

Methods

RNA sequencing, clinical, and AS event data of 510 LGG patients from the TCGA database were downloaded. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen out prognostic‐related AS events and LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression were used to establish prognostic risk scores for patients in the training set (n = 340). After validation, a nomogram model was established based on the AS signature and clinical information, which was able to predict 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year survival rates. Finally, considering the regulatory effect of splicing factors (SFs) on AS events, an AS‐SF regulatory network was analyzed.

Results

The most common AS event was exon skipping and the least was mutually exclusive exons. All the seven AS events were related to the prognosis of LGG patients, regardless of whether they were separated or considered as a whole event (integrated AS event), and the integrated AS event had the most significant correlation. After further inclusion of clinical indicators, eight factors were screened out: age, new event, KPS, WHO grade, treatment, integrated AS signature, IDH1 and TP53 mutation status, and a nomogram model was established. The study also constructed an AS‐SF regulatory network.

Conclusion

The AS events and clinical factors that can predict the prognosis of LGG patients were screened, and a prognostic prediction model was established. The results of this study can play an important role in clinical work to better evaluate the prognosis of patients and impact treatment options.
Proteasomal dysfunction and ER stress triggers 2′‐hydroxy‐retrochalcone‐induced paraptosis in cancer cells
Authors: Nedungadi Divya , Binoy Anupama , Pandurangan Nanjan , Nair Bipin G. , Mishra Nandita
Published: October 2020

Chalcones are biologically active class of compounds, known for their anticancer activities. Here we show for the first time that out of the six synthetic derivatives of chalcone tested, 2′‐hydroxy‐retrochalcone (HRC) was the most effective in inducing extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation mediated death called paraptosis in malignant breast and cervical cancer cells. The cell death by HRC is found to be nonapoptotic in nature due to the absence of DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage, and phosphatidylserine externalization. It was also found to be nonautophagic as there was an increase in the levels of autophagic markers LC3I, LC3II and p62. Immunofluorescence with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker protein calreticulin showed that the cytoplasmic vacuoles formed were derived from the ER. This ER dilation was due to ER stress as evidenced from the increase in polyubiquitinated proteins, Bip and CHOP. Docking studies revealed that HRC could bind to the Thr1 residue on the active site of the chymotrypsin‐like subunit of the proteasome. The inhibition of proteasomal activity was further confirmed by the fluorescence based assay of the chymotrypsin‐like subunit of the 26S proteasome. The cell death by HRC was also triggered by the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and depletion of ATP. Pretreatment with thiol antioxidants and cycloheximide were able to inhibit this programmed cell death. Thus our data suggest that HRC can effectively kill cancer cells via paraptosis, an alternative death pathway and can be a potential lead molecule for anticancer therapy.
Potassium Titanate Nanobelts: A Unique Support for Au and AuRh Nanoparticles in the Catalytic Reduction of NO with CO
Authors: Wang Xianwei , Maeda Nobutaka , Meier Daniel M. , Baiker Alfons
Published: October 2020

The catalytic reduction of NO with CO was examined over monometallic Au and bimetallic AuRh nanoparticles supported on potassium titanate (K2Ti8O17) nanobelts (KTN) and TiO2. The highly crystalline KTN, prepared from TiO2 by a hydrothermal process using KOH, were several μm long and ca. 8 nm wide. Both Au and bimetallic AuRh catalysts showed a striking enhancement of the catalytic performance with KTN as support, compared to corresponding TiO2‐supported catalysts. The reasons for this behavior could be traced back using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy in tandem with modulation excitation spectroscopy, which proved that the KTN support promotes the formation of surface nitrate (−NO3−), carbonate (−CO32−), and isocyanide (−NCO) species. In particular, the combination of KTN with bimetallic AuRh nanoparticles results in the facile formation of isocyanide, which is a pivotal intermediate for producing dinitrogen molecules via the reaction with NO; NCO(a)+NO(a)→N2+CO2.
Triphenylphosphine as Efficient Antidote for the Sulfur‐Poisoning of the Pd/C Hydrogenation Catalyst
Authors: Xiong Renjie , Ren Wenqiang , Wang Zhiqiang , Zhang Minghui
Published: October 2020

Pd/C catalyst is a widely applied hydrogenation catalyst in organic synthesis for the reduction of many organic compounds. It has been reported that it suffers from sulfur poisoning. Herein we report that catalytic amounts of triphenylphosphine (TPP), which is also an usual poison to Pd/C, could greatly improve the catalytic performance of Pd/C in sulfur‐containing systems. The sulfur‐poisoned Pd/C catalyst can be activated when adding TPP. The characterizations show that TPP partly reduced the deactivated layer of palladium sulfide formed during the reaction at higher temperature, and expose the high active sites of metallic Pd to keep the hydrogenation process. TPP may promote the hydrogenation of nitro compounds and olefins in the presence of sulfur compounds, proving to be an efficient antidote for Pd/C hydrogenation catalyst poisoning.
Electrochemical Synthesis of a Multipurpose Pt−Ni Catalyst for Renewable Energy‐Related Electrocatalytic Reactions
Authors: Abu Sayeed Md , Woods Charlotte , Love Jonathan , O'Mullane Anthony P.
Published: October 2020

Renewable energy driven electrochemical processes are becoming increasingly important in the transition away from fossil fuels. One of the key reactions is electrochemical water splitting to generate green hydrogen which ideally could be directly integrated with a wind or solar electricity source. However, alkaline electrolysers suffer from significant degradation in performance if they are rapidly powered down under reduced sunlight conditions when directly coupled with a solar cell due to reverse current flow. In this work we address this issue by creating a truly bifunctional electrode material that is switchable between the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The synthesis method is simple whereby a Pt electrode is electrochemically activated and then immersed in a nickel nitrate solution to electrolessly deposit Ni on the surface. When this electrode is electrochemically cycled, it creates an active Pt−Ni alloy at the Pt surface. Importantly, this electrocatalyst is switchable between both reactions without loss of activity as evidenced by an accelerated stress test over a 24 h period. An added advantage is that this Pt−Ni electrocatalyst is also more active than Pt for the oxygen reduction reaction which opens up its applicability in fuel cells. Finally, to demonstrate the multifunctionality of this Pt−Ni material, ethanol and ammonia oxidation is demonstrated which also shows better performance than Pt.
Morphologic and molecular analysis of early‐onset gastric cancer
Authors: Setia Namrata , Wang Cindy X. , Lager Angela , Maron Steve , Shroff Stuti , Arndt Nicole , Peterson Bryan , Kupfer Sonia S. , Ma Changqing , Misdraji Joseph , Catenacci Daniel , Hart John
Published: October 2020

Background

Evidence suggests that early‐onset gastric cancers are distinct from traditional gastric cancers; however, detailed genomic and morphologic characterization of these cancers has not been performed.

Methods

Genomic analysis was performed for 81 patients with gastric cancer who were 50 years old or younger; pathology slides were available for 53 of these patients, and they were re‐reviewed to perform a morphologic‐molecular correlation analysis. The results were compared with corresponding cBioPortal data and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis, which represent traditional gastric cancers. The TP53 molecular signature was established to determine the pattern of somatic mutational damage. Variants of potential germline origin were also identified from next‐generation sequencing data.

Results

A higher rate of CDH1 mutations (22.2% of early‐onset gastric cancers vs 11.4% of traditional gastric cancers; P = .0042) but a similar rate of TP53 mutations (63% of early‐onset gastric cancers vs 56.6% of traditional gastric cancers; P = .2674) were seen in early‐onset cancers in comparison with traditional gastric cancers. The diffuse/mixed types correlated with the TCGA genomically stable type, and the remaining Lauren types correlated with the TCGA chromosomal instability type. Diffuse and indeterminate histologic types (overall survival, 26.25 months for the intestinal type, 20.5 months for the mixed type, 12.62 months for the diffuse type, and 9 months for the indeterminate type; P = .027) and the presence of a CDH1 gene mutation (overall survival, 9 months for mutant CDH1 and 22 months for wild‐type CDH1; P = .013) significantly correlated with worse survival. The TP53 gene frequently showed transition mutations (65.5%) involving the CpG sites (49%). Variants of potential germline origin were seen in high‐penetrance genes (CDH1 and APC) and moderate‐penetrance genes (ATM, NBN, and MUTYH) in 9.9% of cancers.

Conclusions

Early‐onset gastric cancer has distinct genomic alterations, such as CDH1 mutations, but shares with traditional gastric cancers a high frequency of TP53 mutations and the TP53 mutagenic signature. Diffuse and indeterminate histologic types and the presence of a CDH1 mutation are associated with worse overall survival. Endogenous factors leading to cytosine deamination and potential germline alterations in moderate‐penetrance cancer susceptibility genes may be implicated in the pathogenesis of these cancers.
Aggressive myoepithelial carcinoma with EWSR1‐POU5F1 fusion highly responsive to Ewing sarcoma combination chemotherapy
Authors: Shenoy Niraj
Published: October 2020

This article describes a case of metastatic, bulky, high‐grade, rapidly progressive myoepithelial carcinoma with EWSR1‐POU5F1 fusion originating from the left kidney that demonstrated a dramatic, deep response within 2 cycles of treatment with a regimen used for patients with Ewing sarcoma and an ongoing sustained response of >10 months. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of a rapid and deep response using a systemic therapy regimen in a patient with myoepithelial carcinoma with EWSR1‐POU5F1 fusion.
Evolution and human's attraction and reaction to colour: Food and health
Authors: Hutchings John B.
Published: October 2020

For continued good health, we are urged to design our meals around the colours of the rainbow. To answer the question “Why?” requires consideration of two evolutionary stories. These broadly are natural evolution, and evolution driven by the activities of human beings. For the first, we need to go back to the start of life on earth and think about pigments rather than colour. There are two major pigment families, carotenoids and those based on the porphyrin ring, without both of which life on earth would not exist, and which still play major roles in our make‐up and well‐being. Other pigments, edible and poisonous evolved as pressures on plant life increased through predation and their own need for survival. The second story commenced with the arrival of human beings and their eventual ability to control fire leading to development of food preservation, processing and more recently, ultraprocessing. The rainbow rule does not apply to such foods in which colour is an indicator of process. Heavily processed foods include use of coloured, cheap, poor quality, and unhealthy ingredients contributing to the present health crisis. For this intervention by humans we must switch from consideration of pigment to that of colour, because it is colour that is a major factor in our selection of the food we eat today.
Optimal camouflage colors determination using spectral reflectance of real‐scene objects
Authors: Daneshvar Elaheh , Amani Tehran Mohammad
Published: October 2020

Color selection for a camouflage pattern is a substantial part in designing an effective camouflage pattern. Current color selection methods are often based on the prevailing colors of digital images captured from a scene. However, color extraction from digital images has shown a major difference between the pattern color and the real environment colors. In this article, we present a more precise approach to camouflage color selection based on the spectrophotometric data of dominant objects in a scene. To this end, the dominant objects of a grassland scene were identified. The spectral reflectance of the dominant objects was measured and the percentage of each of them occurred in the scene was estimated. Then, the chromatic values of dominant objects were inserted into an existing camouflage pattern based on the occurrence of each dominant object in the scene. The performance of the obtained colors was assessed by calculating the color difference between the printed camouflage pattern and the dominant objects of the scene. The results showed that using a portable spectrophotometer instead of using a digital camera is more accurate for camouflage color selection and reduces the color difference from the surrounding environment. Furthermore, our method guarantees the absolute similarity between camouflage colors and terrain colors without using camouflage evaluation indexes or photo‐simulation assessment.
Distributed Application Global States Monitoring in PEGASUS DA Applied to Parallel Graph Partitioning
Authors: Smyk Adam , Tudruj Marek
Published: October 2020

This paper presents how parallel advanced graph partitioning algorithms can be designed and improved with the use of global application states monitoring of distributed programs. The proposed algorithms have been implemented inside a novel distributed program design framework Program Execution Governed by Asynchronous Supervision of States in Distributed Applications (PEGASUS DA). This framework provides system support for the design of execution control in distributed applications based on automated global state monitoring. Two strategies for the control design of advanced parallel/distributed graph partitioning algorithms are presented and discussed. In the first one, the parallel algorithm control runs on top of the popular graph partitioning METIS tool. The second control strategy is based on genetic programming so that partitioning primitives and the overall algorithmic control can be freely designed by the user. Advanced partitioning methods have been conveniently embedded inside the global state monitoring driven PEGASUS DA framework which controls partitioning distributed actions at the level of processes and threads. The use of the framework allowed easy design and testing of different graph optimization strategies. The presented graph partitioning methods are illustrated by experiments with benchmark graphs. The experiments have comparatively assessed the obtained graph partitioning quality (visible improvement has been observed) and have identified benefits of the proposed approach for programmers.