bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation of a canine anti-canine CD20 antibody for canine lymphoma treatment
Authors: Mizuno Takuya , Kato Yukinari , Kaneko Mika K. , Sakai Yusuke , Shiga Toshinori , Kato Masahiro , Tsukui Toshihiro , Takemoto Hirofumi , Tokimasa Akio , Baba Kenji , Nemoto Yuki , Sakai Osamu , Igase Masaya
Published: July 2020

Lymphoma is the most common hematological cancer in dogs. Canine diffuse large B cell lymphoma shows a relatively good response to treatment with multi-agent cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy; however, the 2-year survival rate is as low as 20%. For human B cell type lymphoma, the anti-CD20 chimeric antibody, rituximab, was developed two decades ago. The combination of rituximab and CHOP chemotherapy was highly successful in improving patient prognosis. However, no anti-canine CD20 antibody is available for the treatment of canine lymphoma. During this study, a rat anti-canine CD20 monoclonal antibody was established. We also generated a rat-canine chimeric antibody against canine CD20 designed for clinical application. This chimeric antibody (4E1-7-B) showed in vitro antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) against the canine B cell lymphoma cell line CLBL-1. Moreover, to obtain stronger ADCC activity, a defucosylated 4E1-7-B antibody (4E1-7-B_f) was also generated, and it showed tenfold stronger ADCC activity compared with 4E1-7-B. 4E1-7-B_f as well as 4E1-7-B suppressed the growth of CLBL-1 tumors in an immunodeficient xenotransplant mouse model. Finally, a single administration of 4E1-7-B_f induced considerable peripheral B cell depletion in healthy beagles. Thus, 4E1-7-B_f is a good antibody drug candidate for canine B cell type lymphoma.
Up-regulation of autophagy by low concentration of salicylic acid delays methyl jasmonate-induced leaf senescence
Authors: Yin Runzhu , Liu Xueyan , Yu Jingfang , Ji Yingbin , Liu Jian , Cheng Lixin , Zhou Jun
Published: July 2020

Crosstalk between salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling plays an important role in regulation of plant senescence. Our previous work found that SA could delay methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-induced leaf senescence in a concentration-dependent manner. Here, the effect of low concentration of SA (LCSA) application on MeJA-induced leaf senescence was further assessed. High-throughput sequencing (RNA-Seq) results showed that LCSA did not have dominant effects on the genetic regulatory pathways of basal metabolism like nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis and glycolysis. The ClusterONE was applied to identify discrete gene modules based on protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. Interestingly, an autophagy-related (ATG) module was identified in the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that exclusively induced by MeJA together with LCSA. RT-qPCR confirmed that the expression of most of the determined ATG genes were upregulated by LCSA. Remarkably, in contrast to wild type (Col-0), LCSA cannot alleviate the leaf yellowing phenotype in autophagy defective mutants (atg5-1 and atg7-2) upon MeJA treatment. Confocal results showed that LCSA increased the number of autophagic bodies accumulated in the vacuole during MeJA-induced leaf senescence. Collectively, our work revealed up-regulation of autophagy by LCSA as a key regulator to alleviate MeJA-induced leaf senescence.
A smart polymer for sequence-selective binding, pulldown, and release of DNA targets
Authors: Krieg Elisha , Gupta Krishna , Dahl Andreas , Lesche Mathias , Boye Susanne , Lederer Albena , Shih William M.
Published: July 2020

Selective isolation of DNA is crucial for applications in biology, bionanotechnology, clinical diagnostics and forensics. We herein report a smart methanol-responsive polymer (MeRPy) that can be programmed to bind and separate single- as well as double-stranded DNA targets. Captured targets are quickly isolated and released back into solution by denaturation (sequence-agnostic) or toehold-mediated strand displacement (sequence-selective). The latter mode allows 99.8% efficient removal of unwanted sequences and 79% recovery of highly pure target sequences. We applied MeRPy for the depletion of insulin, glucagon, and transthyretin cDNA from clinical next-generation sequencing (NGS) libraries. This step improved the data quality for low-abundance transcripts in expression profiles of pancreatic tissues. Its low cost, scalability, high stability and ease of use make MeRPy suitable for diverse applications in research and clinical laboratories, including enhancement of NGS libraries, extraction of DNA from biological samples, preparative-scale DNA isolations, and sorting of DNA-labeled non-nucleic acid targets.
Rapid onset of molecular friction in liquids bridging between the atomistic and hydrodynamic pictures
Authors: Straube Arthur V. , Kowalik Bartosz G. , Netz Roland R. , Höfling Felix
Published: July 2020

Friction in liquids arises from conservative forces between molecules and atoms. Although the hydrodynamics at the nanoscale is subject of intense research and despite the enormous interest in the non-Markovian dynamics of single molecules and solutes, the onset of friction from the atomistic scale so far could not be demonstrated. Here, we fill this gap based on frequency-resolved friction data from high-precision simulations of three prototypical liquids, including water. Combining with theory, we show that friction in liquids emerges abruptly at a characteristic frequency, beyond which viscous liquids appear as non-dissipative, elastic solids. Concomitantly, the molecules experience Brownian forces that display persistent correlations. A critical test of the generalised Stokes–Einstein relation, mapping the friction of single molecules to the visco-elastic response of the macroscopic sample, disproves the relation for Newtonian fluids, but substantiates it exemplarily for water and a moderately supercooled liquid. The employed approach is suitable to yield insights into vitrification mechanisms and the intriguing mechanical properties of soft materials.
What students write about when students write about mechanisms: analysis of features present in students’ written descriptions of an organic reaction mechanism
Authors: Watts Field M. , Schmidt-McCormack Jennifer A. , Wilhelm Catherine A. , Karlin Ashley , Sattar Atia , Thompson Barry C. , Gere Anne Ruggles , Shultz Ginger V.
Published: July 2020

Learning to reason through organic reaction mechanisms is challenging for students because of the volume of reactions covered in introductory organic chemistry and the complexity of conceptual knowledge and reasoning skills required to develop meaningful understanding. However, understanding reaction mechanisms is valuable for students because they are useful for predicting and explaining reaction outcomes. To identify the features students find pertinent when explaining reaction mechanisms, we have collected students’ written descriptions of an acid-catalysed amide hydrolysis reaction. Students’ writing was produced during the implementation of Writing-to-Learn assignments in a second semester organic chemistry laboratory course. We analysed students’ written responses using an analytical framework for recognizing students’ mechanistic reasoning, originally developed with attention to the philosophy of science literature. The analysis sought to identify the presence of specific features necessary for mechanistic reasoning belonging to four broad categories: (1) describing an overview of the reaction, (2) detailing the setup conditions required for the mechanism to occur, (3) describing the changes that take place over the course of the mechanism, and (4) identifying the properties of reacting species. This work provides a qualitative description of the variety of ways in which students included these features necessary for mechanistic reasoning in their writing. We additionally analysed instances of co-occurrence for these features in students’ writing to make inferences about students’ mechanistic reasoning, defined here as the use of chemical properties to justify how electrons, atoms, and molecules are reorganized over the course of a reaction. Feature co-occurrences were quantified using the lift metric to measure the degree of their mutual dependence. The quantitative lift results provide empirical support for the hierarchical nature of students’ mechanistic descriptions and indicate the variation in students’ descriptions of mechanistic change in conjunction with appeals to chemistry concepts. This research applies a framework for identifying the features present in students’ written mechanistic descriptions, and illustrates the use of an association metric to make inferences about students’ mechanistic reasoning. The findings reveal the capacity of implementing and analysing writing to make inferences about students’ mechanistic reasoning.
Toehold probe-based interrogation for haplotype phasing of long nucleic acid strands
Authors: Zhuang Xinyu , Lee Yu Henson L. , Hsing I-Ming
Published: July 2020

The arrangement of multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a gene, called a haplotype phase, is increasingly recognized as critical for accurate determination of disease risk and severity.
Amphiphilic phenylalanine derivatives that temporally generate reactive oxygen species from water in the presence of Au(iii) ions
Authors: Bhagat Somnath Dharmaraj , Srivastava Aasheesh
Published: July 2020

Amphiphilic derivatives of phenylalanine (ADFs) capable of generating reactive oxygen species from water in presence of Au(iii) are reported.
Multiscale factors in designing alkali-ion (Li, Na, and K) transition metal inorganic compounds for next-generation rechargeable batteries
Authors: Lee Wontae , Kim Jaeyoung , Yun Soyeong , Choi Woosung , Kim Haegyeom , Yoon Won-Sub
Published: July 2020

This review provides well-organized and up-to-date information about the key factors influencing the properties and performances of alkali-ion transition metal inorganic cathode materials by encompassing a wide scope from atomic to microscopic levels.
Advanced electrochemical oxidation for the simultaneous removal of manganese and generation of permanganate oxidant
Authors: McBeath Sean T. , Wilkinson David P. , Graham Nigel J. D.
Published: July 2020

Emerging electrochemical systems, such as advanced electro-oxidation, provide a potentially powerful alternative to conventional oxidation processes which can often be unsuitable for small, remote and decentralised system applications.
Structure–property studies of an imidazoquinoline chemotype with antitrypanosomal activity
Authors: Klug Dana M. , Diaz-Gonzalez Rosario , DeLano Travis J. , Mavrogiannaki Eftychia M. , Buskes Melissa J. , Dalton Raeann M. , Fisher John K. , Schneider Katherine M. , Hilborne Vivian , Fritsche Melanie G. , Simpson Quillon J. , Tear Westley F. , Devine William G. , Pérez-Moreno Guiomar , Ceballos-Pérez Gloria , García-Hernández Raquel , Bosch-Navarrete Cristina , Ruiz-Pérez Luis Miguel , Gamarro Francisco , González-Pacanowska Dolores , Martinez-Martinez Maria Santos , Manzano-Chinchon Pilar , Navarro Miguel , Pollastri Michael P. , Ferrins Lori
Published: July 2020

Structure–property and structure–activity studies identify regions that positively modulate aqueous solubility; though maintaining potent anti-trypanosomal potency proves challenging.
Insight into atomically dispersed porous M–N–C single-site catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction
Authors: Takele Menisa Leta , Cheng Ping , Long Chang , Qiu Xueying , Zheng Yonglong , Han Jianyu , Zhang Yin , Gao Yan , Tang Zhiyong
Published: July 2020

Various 3d transition metal single-atom catalysts supported on N-doped carbon black have been synthesized as alternative low-cost catalysts for electrochemical CO2 reduction with superior activity and stability.
Accurate modeling of a biological nanopore with an extended continuum framework
Authors: Willems Kherim , Ruić Dino , L. R. Lucas Florian , Barman Ujjal , Verellen Niels , Hofkens Johan , Maglia Giovanni , Van Dorpe Pol
Published: July 2020

An extended PNP-NS framework for accurately simulating the nanofluidic properties of nanopores, yielding an in-depth description of Cytolysin A (ClyA) and paving the road towards the rational engineering of biological nanopores.
The missing pieces of the PuO2nanoparticle puzzle
Authors: Gerber Evgeny , Romanchuk Anna Yu. , Pidchenko Ivan , Amidani Lucia , Rossberg Andre , Hennig Christoph , Vaughan Gavin B. M. , Trigub Alexander , Egorova Tolganay , Bauters Stephen , Plakhova Tatiana , Hunault Myrtille O. J. Y. , Weiss Stephan , Butorin Sergei M. , Scheinost Andreas C. , Kalmykov Stepan N. , Kvashnina Kristina O.
Published: July 2020

We report a full characterization of PuO2nanoparticles at the atomic level and probe their local and electronic structure by a variety of methods available at the synchrotron and theoretical approaches.
Introduction to chemistry for covalent adaptable networks
Authors: Bowman Christopher , Du Prez Filip , Kalow Julia
Published: July 2020

Christopher Bowman, Filip Du Prez and Julia Kalow introduce the Polymer Chemistry themed collection on chemistry for covalent adaptable networks.
Structure–property relationship of assembled nanowire materials
Authors: Wang Rui , Chen Cheng , Zheng Yi , Wang Heng , Liu Jian-Wei , Yu Shu-Hong
Published: July 2020

The typical effects and performance enhancements induced by the ordered assembly of 1D nanomaterials are reviewed.
Rapid characterization of the chemical constituents of Sanhua decoction by UHPLC coupled with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhao Yanhui , Wang Miao , Sun Lin , Jiang Xue , Zhao Min , Zhao Chunjie
Published: July 2020

Sanhua decoction, a famous Chinese herbal formula has been widely used for the treatment of stroke.
Guiding neural extensions of PC12 cells on carbon nanotube tracks dielectrophoretically formed in poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate
Authors: Seven Fikri , Gölcez Tansu , Yaralı Ziyşan Buse , Onak Günnur , Karaman Ozan , Şen Mustafa
Published: July 2020

A schematic illustration of the strategy used to create a microenvironment consisting of micropatterns and CNT tracks. The new microenvironment allowed roughly positioning of PC12 cells and guidance of neural extensions.
The impact of alicyclic substituents on the extraction ability of new family of 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diamides
Authors: Lemport Pavel S. , Matveev Petr I. , Yatsenko Alexander V. , Evsiunina Mariia V. , Petrov Valentine S. , Tarasevich Boris N. , Roznyatovsky Vitaly A. , Dorovatovskii Pavel V. , Khrustalev Victor N. , Zhokhov Sergey S. , Solov'ev Vitaly P. , Aslanov Leonid A. , Petrov Vladimir G. , Kalmykov Stepan N. , Nenajdenko Valentine G. , Ustyniuk Yuri A.
Published: July 2020

Some unexpected “structure–extraction properties” patterns were found for new family of 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-diamide derived ligands.
Correction: Twists or turns: stabilising alpha vs. beta turns in tetrapeptides
Authors: Hoang Huy N. , Hill Timothy A. , Ruiz-Gómez Gloria , Diness Frederik , Mason Jody M. , Wu Chongyang , Abbenante Giovanni , Shepherd Nicholas E. , Fairlie David P.
Published: July 2020

Correction for ‘Twists or turns: stabilising alpha vs. beta turns in tetrapeptides’ by Huy N. Hoang et al., Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 10595–10600, DOI: 10.1039/C9SC04153B.
Small-bandgap quinoid-based π-conjugated polymers
Authors: Mikie Tsubasa , Osaka Itaru
Published: July 2020

This review covers the progress in small-bandgap quinoid-based π-conjugated polymers, focusing on a variety of electron-deficient quinoid building units.
Motor Learning, Neuroplasticity, and Strength and Skill Training: Moving From Compensation to Retraining in Behavioral Management of Dysphagia
Authors: Zimmerman Emily , Carnaby Giselle , Lazarus Cathy L. , Malandraki Georgia A.
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Learning a motor skill and regaining a motor skill after it is lost are key tenets to the field of speech-language pathology. Motor learning and relearning have many theoretical underpinnings that serve as a foundation for our clinical practice. This review article applies selective motor learning theories and principles to feeding and swallowing across the life span.

Conclusion

In reviewing these theoretical fundamentals, clinical exemplars surrounding the roles of strength, skill, experience, compensation, and retraining, and their influence on motor learning and plasticity in regard to swallowing/feeding skills throughout the life span are discussed.
Multiscale cosmic web detachments, connectivity, and preprocessing in the supercluster SCl A2142 cocoon
Authors: Einasto Maret , Deshev Boris , Tenjes Peeter , Heinämäki Pekka , Tempel Elmo , Juhan Liivamägi Lauri , Einasto Jaan , Lietzen Heidi , Tuvikene Taavi , Chon Gayoung
Published: July 2020

Context.Superclusters of galaxies and their surrounding low-density regions (cocoons) represent dynamically evolving environments in which galaxies and their systems form and evolve. While evolutionary processes of galaxies in dense environments are extensively studied at present, galaxy evolution in low-density regions has received less attention.

Aims.We study the properties, connectivity, and galaxy content of groups and filaments in the A2142 supercluster (SCl A2142) cocoon to understand the evolution of the supercluster with its surrounding structures and the galaxies within them.

Methods.We calculated the luminosity-density field of SDSS galaxies and traced the SCl A2142 cocoon boundaries by the lowest luminosity-density regions that separate SCl A2142 from other superclusters. We determined galaxy filaments and groups in the cocoon and analysed the connectivity of groups, the high density core (HDC) of the supercluster, and the whole of the supercluster. We compared the distribution and properties of galaxies with different star-formation properties in the supercluster and in the cocoon.

Results.The supercluster A2142 and the long filament that is connected to it forms the longest straight structure in the Universe detected so far, with a length of approximately 75h−1Mpc. The connectivity of the cluster A2142 and the whole supercluster isC = 6 − 7; poor groups exhibitC = 1 − 2. Long filaments around the supercluster’s main body are detached from it at the turnaround region. Among various local and global environmental trends with regard to the properties of galaxies and groups, we find that galaxies with very old stellar populations lie in systems across a wide range of richness from the richest cluster to poorest groups and single galaxies. They lie even at local densities as low asD1 <  1 in the cocoon and up toD1 >  800 in the supercluster. Recently quenched galaxies lie in the cocoon mainly in one region and their properties are different in the cocoon and in the supercluster. The star-formation properties of single galaxies are similar across all environments.

Conclusions.The collapsing main body of SCl A2142 with the detached long filaments near it are evidence of an important epoch in the supercluster evolution. There is a need for further studies to explore possible reasons behind the similarities between galaxies with very old stellar populations in extremely different environments, as well as mechanisms for galaxy quenching at very low densities. The presence of long, straight structures in the cosmic web may serve as a test for cosmological models.
In-vivo-Druckmessungen zum Vergleich medizinischer adaptiver Kompressionssysteme mit maßangefertigter Flachstrick-Kompressionsversorgung
Authors: Reißhauer Anett , Kornappel Simone , Tsatrafilis Emmanouil , Stroux Andrea , Liebl Max
Published: July 2020

Hintergrund Die in der Erhaltungsphase der komplexen physikalischen Entstauungstherapie notwendige Kompressionstherapie kann anstelle von Flachstrick-Kompressionsstrümpfen (FS) auch mit vom Patienten selbst anzulegenden Bandagen erfolgen, den sogenannten medizinischen adaptiven Kompressionssystemen (MAK).

Methoden MAK und FS wurden mittels In-vivo-Druckmessungen unter der von Probanden selbst angelegten Kompression direkt verglichen. Dazu wurden Drücke über Picopress-Messgeräte und Sensoren (Microlab Elettronica, Italien) an n = 30 Patienten mit beidseitigen, symmetrischen, lymphostatischen Ödemen der Unterschenkel erfasst. FS und MAK wurden seitenrandomisiert zugewiesen. Nach Standardeinweisung und initialen Druckmessungen beider Systeme wurden MAK im Zeitverlauf von 2 und 4 h Tragedauer erneut gemessen. Static-Stiffness-Index (SSI) sowie Druckgradienten der Messhöhen B1-C wurden berechnet.

Ergebnisse MAK zeigen Ruhedruckwerte und SSI im therapeutischen Bereich, die signifikant höher ausfallen als bei FS (p < 0,01 bzw. p < 0,001). MAK erreichen signifikant höhere maximale Arbeitsdrücke (p < 0,001). Die Ruhedruckwerte von MAK zeigen nach 2 und 4 h, ohne Nachjustieren, keinen relevanten Druckabfall. Die mittleren Druckgradienten, bezogen auf die Messhöhen B1-C, unterscheiden sich nicht signifikant zwischen den Methoden.

Diskussion Die mit MAK erreichten Druckparameter untermauern deren therapeutische Effektivität. Die Anwendung von MAK ist auch ohne Nachjustieren druckstabil. Die Anwendung (Selbstanlage) kann als therapeutisch wirksam eingestuft werden. Eine gute Einweisung der Patienten ist jedoch bedeutsam.
Adding efficiency to proficiency: a study of trainee polypectomy efficiency metrics
Authors: Muething Larissa , Wani Sachin , Hall Matt , Simon Violette , Ezekwe Ezenwanyi , Nguyen-Vu Tiffany , Malvar Carmel , Duloy Anna , Kaltenbach Tonya , Keswani Rajesh , Patel Swati G.
Published: July 2020

Background Although validated colonoscopy assessment tools exist, they do not measure efficiency. This study aimed to assess content validity of polypectomy efficiency (PE) and neoplastic polypectomy efficiency (NPE) as colonoscopy efficiency indices.

Methods Data from a randomized controlled trial evaluating polypectomy among gastroenterology trainees were utilized. PE and NPE were defined as number of polyps (or neoplastic polyps) removed/withdrawal time × 100. Content validity was assessed by determining the association between efficiency indices and polypectomy times.

Results 20 trainees performed 601 colonoscopies. There was a strong association between PE/NPE and actual polypectomy times: as polypectomy time increased by 1 minute, the PE decreased by 0.48 (P = 0.001) and NPE decreased by 0.24 (P = 0.03).

Conclusions The study proposed and provided content validity for PE and NPE as colonoscopy efficiency indices.
Protective Role of EGCG Against Malathion Induced Genotoxicity Using
Human Lymphocytes
Authors: Taghavi Seyed Mousa , Shadboorestan Amir , Sabzevari Samin , Gholami Maryam , Keshavarz-maleki Razieh , Mozdarani Hossein , Ostad Seyed Nasser , Sabzevari Omid
Published: July 2020

Background: Green tea (Camellia sinensis), which is the most common drink
across the world after water, has many antioxidant properties.
Epigallocatecin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a flavonoid which accounts for
33–50% of green tea solids. It functions as a powerful
antioxidant, preventing oxidative damage in healthy cells, with antiangiogenic
and antitumor activities and as a modulator of tumor cell response to
chemotherapy. Malathion is an organophosphate pesticide which is widely used in
agriculture, veterinary and industries. Oxidative stress has been identified as
one of malathion’s main molecular mechanisms. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate protective role of EGCG against malathion induced genotoxicity
using human lymphocyte model. Blood samples from 8 non-smoker healthy volunteers
with no history of chemotherapy were collected and divided into six groups:
Control, EGCG (50 µM), EGCG (20 µM), Malathion
(24 µM), EGCG (50 µM)+Malathion
(24 µM) and EGCG (20 µM)+Malathion
(24 µM). For genotoxicity assay, we employed micronuclei test.
For antioxidant capacity evaluation, GSH content and MDA levels were measured.
Malathion showed significant genotoxic damage compared to the intact
lymphocytes, however, treatment with EGCG at both concentrations were reduced
the genotoxic effect of malathion. Malathion induced lipid peroxidation, while
pre-treatment with EGCG at both concentrations, significantly protected the
lymphocytes against malathion induced lipid peroxidation. Malathion
significantly reduced GSH content, but pre-treatment with EGCG significantly
recovered GSH content. Overall this study demonstrated that EGCG (at both
concentrations) significantly prevents human lymphocytes against malathion
induced genotoxicity and oxidative damage.
Defining the endoscopic ultrasound features of chronic pancreatitis in Asians: a multicenter validation study
Authors: Koh Calvin Jianyi , Lakhtakia Sundeep , Kida Mitsuhiro , Lesmana Cosmas Rinaldi A. , Ang Tiing Leong , Vu Charles Kieng Fong , Aye Than Than , Park Sun Hwa , Almadi Majid A. , Chong Charing Ching-Ning , Tang Raymond Shing Yan , Wu Xi , Hilmi Ida , Dhir Vinay , Pausawasdi Nonthalee , Basha Jahangeer , Jin Zhen-Dong , Yang Ai Ming , Teoh Anthony Yuen Bun , Seo Dong-Wan , Wang Hsiu-Po , Ho Khek Yu
Published: July 2020

Background Although endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) features and criteria have been described in chronic pancreatitis, challenges remain with interoperator variability and ease of adoption. The aim of this study was to define and validate the EUS features of chronic pancreatitis in a multicenter prospective study in Asia.

Method The study was divided into two parts: the first part was conducted to derive the EUS features of chronic pancreatitis with adequate interoperator agreement; the second was to prospectively evaluate these features in a multicenter cross-sectional study and determine the optimal combination of features for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Prospectively enrolled cases had standard internationally validated radiologic or histologic features of chronic pancreatitis, and controls were patients without chronic pancreatitis who underwent EUS examination.

Results The top six EUS features that had good interobserver agreement (mean kappa 0.73, range 0.60 – 0.90) were selected to be further evaluated in part II of the study. These included: hyperechoic foci with shadowing, lobularity with honeycombing, cysts, dilated main pancreatic duct, dilated side branches, and calculi in the main pancreatic duct. A total of 284 subjects (132 cases, 152 controls) were enrolled from 12 centers in Asia. All six features had high accuracy ranging from 63.3 % to 89.1 %. Two or more of these six EUS features accurately defined chronic pancreatitis (sensitivity 94.7 %, specificity 98.0 %), with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.986.

Conclusion This multicenter Asian study characterized and defined the EUS features of chronic pancreatitis. This provides a useful tool in clinical practice and further research in pancreatic cancer surveillance.
The Experience of an Italian Public Homeopathy Clinic during the COVID-19 Epidemic, March–May 2020
Authors: Rossi Elio Giovanni
Published: July 2020

During the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy, hospital outpatient clinics progressively decreased their activities; in March 2020 they were closed except for emergencies. During this period, the activities of the public Homeopathy Outpatient Clinic of Lucca aimed at guaranteeing therapeutic continuity to patients by means of telephone or video consultations, and searching for homeopathic medicines that best responded to early COVID-19 symptoms. In March 2020, the Complementary Medicine Working Group participated in the organization of a mission of COVID-19 Chinese experts for the online training of professionals working in the Tuscan Healthcare System. The medical staff of the Lucca Clinic also cooperated in telephone health surveillance of infected patients at home, seroprevalence investigations using the capillary blood rapid test, and the implementation of the CLIFICOL (Clinical Files Collection) project.
Rasch Analysis for the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Joint Replacement Version in Individuals Awaiting Total Knee Replacement Surgery
Authors: Mehta Saurabh P. , Jobes Joshua , Parsemain Chloe , Lu Steve , Kelley Kristie , Oliashirazi Ali
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to verify the single-factor structure of the joint replacement version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-JR) and examine its measurement properties in the context of Rasch analysis in patients with end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA) awaiting total knee replacement (TKR). The study design was retrieval of prospectively collected clinical data. The data were extracted from the presurgery visit for individuals with KOA who were scheduled for primary TKR at a tertiary care hospital. Those who were scheduled for revision of TKR had any other lower extremity injury or surgery during 6 months prior to the presurgery visit, or those who had reported pre-existing neurological impairments affecting the lower extremity functions were excluded during data extraction. The assumptions of Rasch analysis that were examined included the test of fit, fit of residuals, ordering of item thresholds, Pearson separation index, differential item functioning (DIF), dependency, and unidimensionality. The main outcome measure was KOOS-JR. Data were extracted for 283 patients, including 112 men and 160 women, from clinical charts. The KOOS-JR demonstrated good overall fit to the Rasch model. However, it failed to meet the assumption of unidimensionality. None of the items demonstrated DIF or concerns with response thresholds. Person–item threshold distribution indicated that the score for KOOS-JR overestimated person traits with floor and ceiling effects. Reliability statistics were equal to 0.9, suggesting that seven items within the KOOS-JR were internally consistent and reliable. The hypothetical unidimensional KOOS-JR could not be reproduced in our sample in that KOOS-JR had a latent construct. Future research should perform exploratory factor analysis to examine this latent construct.
Electrocardiography Parameters Changes in Epilepsy and Febrile Convulsion Children Compared with Controls
Authors: Noori Noor Mohammad , Teimouri Alireza , Khajeh Ali
Published: July 2020

Epilepsy and febrile convulsion are the most common neurological diseases with significant effect on cardiac functions. This study aimed to evaluate electrocardiography parameters alterations in epilepsy and febrile convulsion children compared with controls. In this comparison study, 270 children analyzed who shared equally in epilepsy, febrile convulsion, and healthy that aged from 0.5 to 5 years. The participants were collected from Ali ibn Abi Talib Hospital of Zahedan, Iran. Epilepsy confirmed based on definition of having at least two unprovoked seizures in 24 hours. Febrile convulsion was confirmed based on its definition by the International League against Epilepsy. Healthy children selected from those referred to the hospital with fever and without any underline diseases. Electrocardiography was performed by a pediatric cardiologist. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19 with p < 0.05 significant level. Heart rate was higher in epilepsy (129.64 ± 27.63) compared with control (108.78 ± 26.01) and febrile convulsion (125.79 ± 25.38; X
2 = 28.701, p < 0.001). S wave in lead V1 was higher in controls (0.72 ± 0.36) compared with epilepsy (0.58 ± 0.45) and febrile convulsion (0.58 ± 0.36). QT dispersion and QTc dispersion levels were higher in epilepsy than febrile convulsion children that both were higher than controls. Concluded that R in aVL, LV mass (LVM), QT dispersion, and QTc dispersion were higher significantly in epilepsy compared with febrile convulsion children. To maintain a good strategic treatment in patients with epilepsy and febrile convulsion, there is a need to assess alternations in ECG parameters, especially QT interval changes that lead to better comprehensive autonomic changes.
Electric field tuning of strain-induced quantum emitters in WSe2
Authors: Mukherjee Arunabh , Chakraborty Chitraleema , Qiu Liangyu , Vamivakas A. Nick
Published: July 2020

Generation of spectrally tunable single photon sources at predetermined spatial locations is a key enabling step toward scalable optical quantum technologies. In this regard, semiconducting two dimensional materials, like tungsten diselenide (WSe2), have recently been shown to host optically active quantum emitters that can be strain induced using nanostructured substrates and also be spectrally tuned with electric and magnetic fields. In this work, we employ a van der Waals heterostructure of WSe2, hexagonal boron nitride, and few layer graphene on a nanopillar array to yield electric field tunable single photon emission at locations with induced strain. The quantum emission lines, which have linewidths of hundreds of μeV, can be tuned by several times their linewidths. In contrast to previous reports of decrease in energy of randomly occurring quantum emitters in WSe2, we interestingly find an increase in energies (blueshift) in these strain-induced emitters.
Learning spatial–temporal features via a pose-flow relational model for action recognition
Authors: Wu Qianyu , Hu Fangqiang , Zhu Aichun , Wang Zixuan , Bao Yaping
Published: July 2020

Pose-based action recognition has always been an important research field in computer vision. However, most existing pose-based methods are built upon human skeleton data, which cannot be used to exploit the feature of the motion-related object, i.e., a crucial clue of discriminating human actions. To address this issue, we propose a novel pose-flow relational model, which can benefit from both pose dynamics and optical flow. First, we introduce a pose estimation module to extract the skeleton data of the key person from the raw video. Second, a hierarchical pose-based network is proposed to effectively explore the rich spatial–temporal features of human skeleton positions. Third, we embed an inflated 3D network to capture the subtle cues of the motion-related object from optical flow. Additionally, we evaluate our model on four popular action recognition benchmarks (HMDB-51, JHMDB, sub-JHMDB, and SYSU 3D). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the existing pose-based methods in human action recognition.
Measuring scale factor of atomic spin gyroscope and closed-loop operation
Authors: Yu Hoon , Park Myoung Woo , Choi Seok Won , Lee Sangkyung , Yim Sin Hyuk
Published: July 2020

The response of an atomic spin gyroscope to the AC magnetic field shows a dispersion-like signal as the field frequency. When a system rotates, the curve shifts with a unit scale factor. We used natural Xe and enriched 87Rb gas to construct an atomic spin gyroscope, and we experimentally measured its scale factor by calculating the amount of curve-shift when the system rotates. The scale factor in the range of ±360°/Hz was measured to be 0.99 ± 0.008 for Xe-129 and −0.993 ± 0.003 for Xe-131. We also operated the system with close-loop control of AC frequencies to compensate the frequency shift by a rotation sensor. Herein, we introduce our system and its signal processing for an atomic spin gyroscope.
Spin and charge transports with thermodynamic electron–hole correlation in nearly compensated metals
Authors: Aktar Mst. Sanjida , Sakai Masamichi , Yoshizumi Toshihiro , Hasegawa Shigehiko
Published: July 2020

The long spin-relaxation time (τs) toward the large transport distance of spin current (SC) is desirable for practical applications of spintronic devices because spatially and temporally large spin coherence makes spin manipulation easier. Here, we propose that nearly compensated metals (CMs) with electron–hole collisions accompanied by spin flipping have a potential mechanism that makes τs associated with the antiparallel SC extraordinarily long, where antiparallel SC is defined as the vector subtraction of hole and electron SCs. The present theoretical study on spin and charge transports in nearly CMs shows that (i) it is antiparallel SC that satisfies the Onsager reciprocal relation in combination with conventional charge current, (ii) both longitudinal and Hall resistivities are influenced by the enhancement of τs and are classified into two specific mechanisms, i.e., the conventional and the resonance Hall effect accompanied by a sustaining mode of antiparallel SC, and (iii) the resonance Hall effect is not influenced by the spin–orbit interaction unlike the non-resonance case. These findings indicate the potential of nearly CMs in application of spintronic materials.
Soret, Dufour, and activation energy effects on double diffusive convective couple stress micropolar nanofluid flow in a Hall MHD generator system
Authors: Usman Auwalu Hamisu , Shah Zahir , Humphries Usa Wannasingha , Kumam Poom , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: July 2020

In this paper, the effect of activation energy, Soret, and Dufour on non-isothermal heat transfer via the non-linear wall of the steady convective flow of micropolar nanofluid magnetohydrodynamics is investigated. Variations in thermophoresis, Brownian motion, couple stress, and Hall current are also considered. Transformations are used to simplify and then solve the governing equations using the optimal homotopy analysis method and are numerically visualized for results. The behavior was examined and explained in all profile graphs. Tables are presented to illustrate the effect of dimensionless parameters on skin friction coefficients, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers. The concentration reduces via the chemical reaction rate, a temperature relative parameter, and increases with an increase in the activation energy and Soret number. It was found that the local skin-friction coefficient at the generator increases with an increase in the Hall current parameter, solutal Grashof number, and couple stress parameter on the x-axis, the local heat rate decreases through the Dufour number and Brownian motion parameter, and the mass transfer rate increases with an increase in the activation energy parameter and Schmitz and Reynolds numbers.
Figure-of-merit analysis of distributed sidewall loss method to suppress high-order modes in broad area quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Kaspi Ron , Suttinger Matthew
Published: July 2020

We have modeled broad-area ridge-waveguide quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) using COMSOL and generated a rank-ordering of high-order transverse lateral modes as a function of cavity width on the basis of a figure-of-merit. In particular, we corroborate experimental results previously obtained using the distributed sidewall loss (DSL) method to suppress high-order transverse lateral modes and extract fundamental mode in broad-area QCLs. COMSOL modeling shows that waveguide losses preferentially incurred by the high-order modes, due to the direct sidewall contact with metal as prescribed by the DSL method, can be used to obtain single-lobed emission with enhanced brightness in broad-area QCLs.
Rheological behavior of a wormlike micelle and an amphiphilic polymer combination for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Li Xinxin , Sarsenbekuly Bauyrzhan , Yang Hongbin , Huang Zitong , Jiang Haizhuang , Kang Xin , Li Menglan , Kang Wanli , Luo Peng
Published: July 2020

Amphiphilic polymers have been widely studied and applied in oil fields as effective enhanced oil recovery (EOR) agents. However, the viscosity of their aqueous solution is low at low concentration. In order to improve their poor viscosity-thickening ability at low concentrations, a combined system was used by mixing a zwitterionic surfactant (erucyl dimethyl amidopropyl betaine, EDAB) and an amphiphilic polymer (APC16) at the mass ratio of 2:1. The rheological properties and aggregate microstructure of the EDAB–APC16 combination system were investigated by rheometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy, and the EOR efficiency was measured using core flood tests. The results showed that EDAB can significantly increase the viscosity of the APC16 solution, even though the polymer concentration is lower than its critical aggregation concentration. In the EDAB–APC16 combination system, the wormlike micelles of EDAB can synergistically interact with APC16 through hydrophobic association and electrostatic attraction to achieve a thickening effect. Furthermore, the effects of temperature, pH, and the inorganic salts on the viscoelasticity of the EDAB–APC16 system were investigated. An optimized EDAB–APC16 system at 1500 mg/l [pH = 7.5 and c (NaCl) = 5000 mg/l] was selected to be the oil displacing agent, which achieved an EOR of 18.4% after the initial water flood. The polymer–surfactant composite system under development exhibited great potential as an effective chemical EOR agent.
Mind the gap
Authors: Popa-Wyatt Mihaela
Published: July 2020

Hyperbole is traditionally understood as
exaggeration. I argue instead that the point of hyperbole is
emphasis. By overstating that things are
greater (lesser) than
expected, hoped, or desired, we shift the salience of the target
property, thus making it more emphatic. This enables to express
surprise or other relevant affect in reaction to how much, or how
little, our expectations have been either exceeded or thwarted. This
purpose is well suited to hyperbolic expression. This is because
hyperbole naturally draws a contrast between how things are and how
they were expected to be, exaggerating the gap between them. I
conclude by considering the characteristics of hyperbolic figures
where hyperbole mixes with other figures of speech.
Metaphor as sign and as symbol
Authors: Veale Tony
Published: July 2020

Metaphors come as second nature to users of
language because they are so often the norm. We trade in them
deftly, to the point of seeming indifference to, and sometimes even
ignorance of, their figurative natures. But the opposite is also
true, since words that are offered with the plainest of intentions
can be granted a metaphorical significance by those who wish to
perceive it. In this paper we contribute to the debate about
deliberate metaphors by exploring a related
concept, the potential metaphor. Any text that
supports a non-literal interpretation is a potential metaphor,
regardless of its author’s avowed intentions. We build on this
distinction to model the mechanical generation of metaphors as an
opportunistic process, whereby potential metaphors are converted
into deliberate metaphors. We argue that the distinction between
potential and deliberate is mirrored in that between signs and
symbols, and demonstrate how this understanding leads to a more
nuanced basis for generating and interpreting metaphors on a
machine.
Revisiting pre-inflationary Universe of family of
α
-attractor in loop quantum cosmology
Authors: Shahalam M , Al Ajmi Mudhahir , Myrzakulov R , Wang Anzhong
Published: July 2020

In this work, we revisit the dynamics of pre-inflationary Universe with a family of α-attractor potentials, in the framework of loop quantum cosmology, in which the big bang singularity is generically resolved purely with quantum geometric effects, and replaced by a quantum bounce. At the bounce, the background evolution is divided into two distinct classes, the first is dominated by the kinetic energy of the inflaton field and the second by the potential energy. In both classes, we find the physically viable initial conditions numerically that provide not only the slow-roll inflation, but also sufficient e-folds to be compatible with observations. In the entire range of kinetic energy dominated initial conditions (except some subsets of models 2 and 4), the background evolution prior to reheating is always split into three different phases: bouncing, transition and slow-roll inflation. In the bouncing phase, the numerical evolution of the scale factor is independent not only of the initial data, but also the inflationary potentials, as long as it is dominated by the kinetic energy, and can be well approximated by an analytical solution, whereas in the potential energy dominated case, such approximated results do not exist. Moreover, we study the phase space analysis for a class of α-attractor potentials, and discuss the phase space trajectories for physically viable initial conditions of the inflaton field.
Growth of large-scale two-dimensional insulator Na2Ta4O11 through chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Jin Yuanyuan , Li Huimin , Liu Song
Published: July 2020

The insulator Na2Ta4O11 has been considered as a potential photocatalyst. However, little attention has been given to the synthesis of Na2Ta4O11 nanoparticles, let alone the growth of two-dimensional (2D) layered Na2Ta4O11 flake, which may bring innovative properties and promising applications. Here, the 2D thin-layer Na2Ta4O11 flake was first produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, with the smallest thickness reported currently. We have also synthesized 2D Na2Ta4O11 flake over 100 μm, which was the largest value over the 2D level reported to date. Our work proposed novel strategies to synthesize other 2D metal oxide material and endow the Na2Ta4O11 more properties and applications.
Gate-regulated transition temperatures for electron hopping behaviours in silicon junctionless nanowire transistors
Authors: Wu Xinyu , Han Weihua , Zhao Xiaosong , Guo Yangyan , Zhang Xiaodi , Yang Fuhua
Published: July 2020

We investigate gate-regulated transition temperatures for electron hopping behaviours through discrete ionized dopant atoms in silicon junctionless nanowire transistors. We demonstrate that the localization length of the wave function in the spatial distribution is able to be manipulated by the gate electric field. The transition temperatures regulated as the function of the localization length and the density of states near the Fermi energy level allow us to understand the electron hopping behaviours under the influence of thermal activation energy and Coulomb interaction energy. This is useful for future quantum information processing by single dopant atoms in silicon.
Graphene plasmonic nanoresonators/graphene heterostructures for efficient room-temperature infrared photodetection
Authors: Sun Tian , Ma Weiliang , Liu Donghua , Bao Xiaozhi , Shabbir Babar , Yuan Jian , Li Shaojuan , Wei Dacheng , Bao Qiaoliang
Published: July 2020

High-performance infrared (IR) photodetectors made by low dimensional materials promise a wide range of applications in communication, security and biomedicine. Moreover, light-harvesting effects based on novel plasmonic materials and their combinations with two-dimensional (2D) materials have raised tremendous interest in recent years, as they may potentially help the device complement or surpass currently commercialized IR photodetectors. Graphene is a particularly attractive plasmonic material because graphene plasmons are electrically tunable with a high degree of electromagnetic confinement in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) to terahertz regime and the field concentration can be further enhanced by forming nanostructures. Here, we report an efficient mid-IR room-temperature photodetector enhanced by plasmonic effect in graphene nanoresonators (GNRs)/graphene heterostructure. The plasmon polaritons in GNRs are size-dependent with strong field localization. Considering that the size and density of GNRs are controllable by chemical vapor deposition method, our work opens a cost-effective and scalable pathway to fabricate efficient IR optoelectronic devices with wavelength tunability.