bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Spatiotemporal Disparity and Influencing Factors of Urban Construction Land Utilization Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from Panel Data of China
Authors: Zhou Qingfeng , Wu Xianqiang , Zhang Xian , Song Yan
Published: January 2021

This paper corrected the long‐term misunderstanding of the land utilization efficiency concept. The Undesirable‐Window‐DEA model, Dagum Gini coefficient, and spatial panel autoregressive model with fixed effect were used to explore the spatial heterogeneity and influencing factors of urban construction land utilization efficiency in China from 2004 to 2016. The results show the following: (1) China’s overall utilization of urban construction land is still at a low level. It decreased first and then rose, with a “flat V‐shaped” evolution pattern. (2) During the study period, the Gini coefficient of urban construction land utilization efficiency for all provinces decreased first, then rose, and decreased again. The utilization efficiency Gini coefficients within provincial grouping were eastern region (0.063), central region (0.101), and western region (0.128). The Gini coefficients within provincial grouping were central versus western (0.121), eastern versus western (0.161), and eastern versus central (0.168). For the contribution to overall inequality of land utilization efficiency, the inequality within groups contributes the most (57.57%), and the inequality between groups accounts for about 25.62%. The overall efficiency is improved, with an evolution pattern of “difference narrowed–differences expanded–difference narrowed.” (3) “economic development,” “industrial structure,” “research development investment,” and “land urbanization level” have significantly positive effect on urban construction land utilization efficiency, while other factors have a negative effect, including “urbanization level of population,” “urban population density,” “cultivated field resources level,” “government influence level,” “land urbanization level,” and “financial dependence level.” This study could provide theoretical support for the implementation of cross‐provincial/regional urban construction land quotes reallocation and differential construction land management policies.
Takagi–Sugeno Fuzzy Control for a Nonlinear Networked System Exposed to a Replay Attack
Authors: El Abbadi Reda , Jamouli Hicham
Published: January 2021

This article investigates the stabilization problem of a nonlinear networked control system (NCS) exposed to a replay attack. A new mathematical model of the replay attack is proposed. The resulting closed-loop system is defined as a discrete-time Markovian jump linear system (MJLS). Employing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, a sufficient condition for stochastic stability is given in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The control law can be obtained by solving these LMIs. Finally, a simulation of an inverted pendulum (IP) with Matlab is developed to illustrate our controller’s efficiency.
Generalized Complementarity Problem with Three Classes of Generalized Variational Inequalities Involving⊕Operation
Authors: Ahmad Rais , Ahmad Iqbal , Rather Zahoor Ahmad , Wang Yuanheng
Published: January 2021

In this study, we introduce and study a generalized complementarity problem involving XOR operation and three classes of generalized variational inequalities involving XOR operation. Under certain appropriate conditions, we establish equivalence between them. An iterative algorithm is defined for solving one of the three generalized variational inequalities involving XOR operation. Finally, an existence and convergence result is proved, supported by an example.
An Underwater Thruster Fault Diagnosis Simulator and Thrust Calculation Method Based on Fault Clustering
Authors: Yuan Jian , Wan Junhe , Zhang Wenxia , Liu Hailin , Zhang Hao
Published: January 2021

In order to study the fault diagnosis method of small underwater thruster, an experimental device for fault diagnosis of underwater thruster is designed, and a controller hardware and monitoring software of upper computer and lower computer are developed to realize the acquisition and storage of parameters for underwater propeller. The experimental device can simulate four kinds of thruster faults, collect the hydrophone data, classify the fault types by fault clustering analysis, analyze the spectrum of four types of faults, and calculate the thrust under different fault conditions based on the results of spectrum analysis. The experimental results show that the experimental system effectively simulates different faults of the thruster, and the analysis method realizes the classification of different faults. The thrust loss of different faults is also calculated based on the analysis method.
Bioheat Transfer Equation with Protective Layer
Authors: Luitel Kabita , Gurung Dil Bahadur , Khanal Harihar , Uprety Kedar Nath
Published: January 2021

The human thermal comfort is the state of mind, which is affected not only by the physical and body’s internal physiological phenomena but also by the clothing properties such as thermal resistance of clothing, clothing insulation, clothing area factor, air insulation, and relative humidity. In this work, we extend the one-dimensional Pennes’ bioheat transfer equation by adding the protective clothing layer. The transient temperature profile with the clothing layer at the different time steps has been carried out using a fully implicit Finite Difference (FD) Scheme with interface condition between body and clothes. Numerically computed results are bound to agree that the clothing insulation and air insulation provide better comfort and keep the body at the thermal equilibrium position. The graphical representation of the results also verifies the effectiveness and utility of the proposed model.
Serum Irisin Level Is Positively Associated with Bone Mineral Density in Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis
Authors: Lu Chia-Wen , Wang Chih-Hsien , Lin Yu-Li , Kuo Chiu-Huang , Lai Yu-Hsien , Hsu Bang-Gee , Tsai Jen-Pi
Published: January 2021

Background. Irisin is a circulating hormone-like myokine that plays an important role in bone metabolism. We performed a cross-sectional study to investigate whether serum irisin levels correlated with bone mineral density (BMD) in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods. Blood samples were obtained from 80 patients on MHD, and serum irisin concentrations were determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the L2–L4 vertebrae. Results. In the study cohort, 10 (12.5%) and 19 (23.8%) patients had osteoporosis and osteopenia, respectively, and 51 (63.75%) patients had normal BMD. Lumbar T-score was negatively associated with body height (

P
=
0.010

), body weight (

P
=
0.002

), body mass index (BMI,

P
=
0.010

), and serum irisin (

P
<
0.001

) and was positively associated with advanced age (

P
=
0.031

), female sex (

P
=
0.001

), alkaline phosphatase (ALP,

P
=
0.010

), urea reduction rate (

P
=
0.018

), and fractional clearance index for urea (

P
=
0.020

). Multivariable forward stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that high serum logarithmically transformed irisin (log-irisin, β = 0.450, adjusted R2 change = 0.258;

P
<
0.001

), female sex (β = −0.353, adjusted R2 change = 0.134;

P
<
0.001

), and serum ALP level (β = −0.176, adjusted R2 change = 0.022;

P
=
0.049

) were significantly and independently associated with lumbar BMD in patients on MHD. Conclusions. In addition to female sex and serum ALP level, serum irisin level was positively associated with lumbar BMD in patients on MHD.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Secreted Extracellular Vesicles Instruct Stepwise Dedifferentiation of Breast Cancer Cells into Dormancy at the Bone Marrow Perivascular Region
Authors: Sandiford Oleta A. , Donnelly Robert J. , El-Far Markos H. , Burgmeyer Lisa M. , Sinha Garima , Pamarthi Sri Harika , Sherman Lauren S. , Ferrer Alejandra I. , DeVore Dariana E. , Patel Shyam A. , Naaldijk Yahaira , Alonso Sara , Barak Pradeep , Bryan Margarette , Ponzio Nicholas M. , Narayanan Ramaswamy , Etchegaray Jean-Pierre , Kumar Rakesh , Rameshwar Pranela
Published: January 2021

In the bone marrow (BM), breast cancer cells (BCC) can survive in dormancy for decades as cancer stem cells (CSC), resurging as tertiary metastasis. The endosteal region where BCCs exist as CSCs poses a challenge to target them, mostly due to the coexistence of endogenous hematopoietic stem cells. This study addresses the early period of dormancy when BCCs enter BM at the perivascular region to begin the transition into CSCs, which we propose as the final step in dormancy. A two-step process comprises the Wnt-β-catenin pathway mediating BCC dedifferentiation into CSCs at the BM perivascular niche. At this site, BCCs responded to two types of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)–released extracellular vesicles (EV) that may include exosomes. Early released EVs began the transition into cycling quiescence, DNA repair, and reorganization into distinct BCC subsets. After contact with breast cancer, the content of EVs changed (primed) to complete dedifferentiation into a more homogeneous population with CSC properties. BCC progenitors (Oct4alo), which are distant from CSCs in a hierarchical stratification, were sensitive to MSC EVs. Despite CSC function, Oct4alo BCCs expressed multipotent pathways similar to CSCs. Oct4alo BCCs dedifferentiated and colocalized with MSCs (murine and human BM) in vivo. Overall, these findings elucidate a mechanism of early dormancy at the BM perivascular region and provide evidence of epigenome reorganization as a potential new therapy for breast cancer.

Significance:

These findings describe how the initial process of dormancy and dedifferentiation of breast cancer cells at the bone marrow perivascular niche requires mesenchymal stem cell–derived exosomes, indicating a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
Gene Expression Pathways in Prostate Tissue Associated with Vigorous Physical Activity in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Pernar Claire H. , Parmigiani Giovanni , Giovannucci Edward L. , Rimm Eric B. , Tyekucheva Svitlana , Loda Massimo , Finn Stephen P. , Heiden Matthew G. Vander , Fiorentino Michelangelo , Ebot Ericka M. , Mucci Lorelei A.
Published: January 2021

Background:

Men engaged in high physical activity have lower risks of advanced and fatal prostate cancer. Mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood but may include systemic and tumor-specific effects. We investigated potential mechanisms linking physical activity and gene expression in prostate tissue from men with prostate cancer.

Methods:

We included a subset of 118 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1986 and 2005 with whole-transcriptome gene expression profiling on tumor and adjacent normal prostate tissue and physical activity data. Long-term vigorous physical activity was self-reported as the average time spent engaged in various forms of recreational physical activity at baseline and biennially until prostate cancer diagnosis. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed among KEGG and Hallmark gene sets to identify pathways with differential expression based on vigorous physical activity.

Results:

In adjacent normal tissue, we identified 25 KEGG gene sets enriched (downregulated) in the highest compared with lowest quintile of vigorous physical activity at an FDR <0.10, including a number of cancer- and immune-related pathways. Although no gene sets reached statistical significance in tumor tissue, top gene sets differentially expressed included TGF beta, apoptosis, and p53 signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that physical activity may influence the tumor microenvironment. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and further investigate potential mechanisms linking physical activity to lethal prostate cancer.

Impact:

Identification of gene expression alterations in the prostate associated with physical activity can improve our understanding of prostate cancer etiology.
Phase Ib Clinical Trial of IGV-001 for Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma
Authors: Andrews David W. , Judy Kevin D. , Scott Charles B. , Garcia Samantha , Harshyne Larry A. , Kenyon Lawrence , Talekar Kiran , Flanders Adam , Atsina Kofi-Buaku , Kim Lyndon , Martinez Nina , Shi Wenyin , Werner-Wasik Maria , Liu Haisong , Prosniak Mikhail , Curtis Mark , Kean Rhonda , Ye Donald Y. , Bongiorno Emily , Sauma Sami , Exley Mark A. , Pigott Kara , Hooper D. Craig
Published: January 2021

Purpose:

Despite standard of care (SOC) established by Stupp, glioblastoma remains a uniformly poor prognosis. We evaluated IGV-001, which combines autologous glioblastoma tumor cells and an antisense oligonucleotide against IGF type 1 receptor (IMV-001), in newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

Patients and Methods:

This open-label protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Thomas Jefferson University. Tumor cells collected during resection were treated ex vivo with IMV-001, encapsulated in biodiffusion chambers with additional IMV-001, irradiated, then implanted in abdominal acceptor sites. Patients were randomized to four exposure levels, and SOC was initiated 4–6 weeks later. On the basis of clinical improvements, randomization was halted after patient 23, and subsequent patients received only the highest exposure. Safety and tumor progression were primary and secondary objectives, respectively. Time-to-event outcomes were compared with the SOC arms of published studies.

Results:

Thirty-three patients were enrolled, and median follow-up was 3.1 years. Six patients had adverse events (grade ≤3) possibly related to IGV-001. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.8 months in the intent-to-treat population (vs. SOC, 6.5 months; P = 0.0003). In IGV-001–treated patients who met Stupp-eligible criteria, PFS was 11.6 months overall (n = 22; P = 0.001) and 17.1 months at the highest exposure (n = 10; P = 0.0025). The greatest overall survival was observed in Stupp-eligible patients receiving the highest exposure (median, 38.2 months; P = 0.044). Stupp-eligible patients with methylated O6-methylguanine–DNA methyltransferase promoter (n = 10) demonstrated median PFS of 38.4 months (P = 0.0008). Evidence of immune activation was noted.

Conclusions:

IGV-001 was well tolerated, PFS compared favorably with SOC, and evidence suggested an immune-mediated mechanism (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02507583).
Transcription Strikes Back: Clinical Utility of Lung Adenocarcinoma Subtypes
Authors: Skoulidis Ferdinandos
Published: January 2021

Using transcriptional profiling, three robust subtypes of nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer were defined, independently of initiating oncogenic driver events. Subtype-specific differential sensitivity to MEK1/2 inhibitors was reported and an interaction between the mucinous subtype, STK11/LKB1 genomic alterations, and inferior clinical outcomes with atezolizumab in the OAK clinical trial was identified.

See related article by Daemen et al., p. 1162
Combined PD-1/VEGFR Blockade: A New Era of Treatment for Hepatocellular Cancer
Authors: Pinato David J. , Fessas Petros , Cortellini Alessio , Rimassa Lorenza
Published: January 2021

Combination immunotherapy is an expanding therapeutic modality in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a disease where single-agent immunotherapy has failed to lead to survival benefit. The RESCUE trial adds camrelizumab and apatinib to the therapeutic armamentarium of advanced HCC, raising questions around the optimal positioning of various combination regimens in liver cancer.

See related article by Xu et al., p. 1003
Predicting CAR-T cell Immunotherapy Success through ImmunoPET
Authors: Volpe Alessia , Nagle Veronica L. , Lewis Jason S. , Ponomarev Vladimir
Published: January 2021

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has generated unprecedented advances in the treatment of hematologic cancers, but readily translatable imaging approaches to visualize the in vivo dynamics of CAR-T cells are lacking. Noninvasive PET imaging is the ideal tool to monitor CAR-T cells.

See related article by Simonetta et al., p. 1058
Metabolic Regulator IAPP (Amylin) Is Required for BRAF and RAS Oncogene-Induced Senescence
Authors: Garnett Sam , de Bruyns Angeline , Provencher-Tom Veronique , Dutchak Kendall , Shu Ran , Dankort David
Published: January 2021

Cellular senescence is characterized by a prolonged and predominantly irreversible cell-cycle arrest state, which is linked to loss of tissue function and aging in mammals. Moreover, in response to aberrant oncogenic signals such as those from oncogenic RAS or BRAF, senescence functions as an intrinsic tumor suppressor mechanism restraining tumor progression. In addition to this durable proliferative block, senescent cells adopt altered morphologies, transcriptional profiles, and metabolism, while often possessing unusual heterochromatin formation termed senescence-associated heterochromatic foci. To uncover genes that are required to permit proliferation in the face of sustained oncogene signaling, we conducted an shRNA-based genetic screen in primary cells expressing inducible BRAF. Here we show that depletion of a known glycolysis regulator, islet amylin polypeptide (IAPP also known as amylin), prevents RAS and BRAF oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) in human cells. Importantly, depletion of IAPP resulted in changes of the cells' metabolome and this metabolic reprogramming was associated with widespread alterations in chromatin modifications compared with senescent cells. Conversely, exogenous treatment of IAPP-depleted cells with amylin restored OIS. Together, our results demonstrate that the metabolic regulator IAPP is important regulator of OIS. Moreover, they suggest that IAPP analog treatment or activation of IAPP signaling in RAS/BRAF mutant tumors may have therapeutic potential through senescence induction.

Implications:

These findings demonstrate that IAPP is a novel metabolic regulator of oncogene-induced senescence and use of IAPP analogs may be therapeutically effective to restore growth arrest to BRAF and/or RAS mutant cancers.
Chemotherapy Induces Senescence-Like Resilient Cells Capable of Initiating AML Recurrence
Authors: Duy Cihangir , Li Meng , Teater Matt , Meydan Cem , Garrett-Bakelman Francine E. , Lee Tak C. , Chin Christopher R. , Durmaz Ceyda , Kawabata Kimihito C. , Dhimolea Eugen , Mitsiades Constantine S. , Doehner Hartmut , D'Andrea Richard J. , Becker Michael W. , Paietta Elisabeth M. , Mason Christopher E. , Carroll Martin , Melnick Ari M.
Published: January 2021

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) frequently relapse after chemotherapy, yet the mechanism by which AML reemerges is not fully understood. Herein, we show that primary AML cells enter a senescence-like phenotype following chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. This is accompanied by induction of senescence/inflammatory and embryonic diapause transcriptional programs, with downregulation of MYC and leukemia stem cell genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing suggested depletion of leukemia stem cells in vitro and in vivo, and enrichment for subpopulations with distinct senescence-like cells. This senescence effect was transient and conferred superior colony-forming and engraftment potential. Entry into this senescence-like phenotype was dependent on ATR, and persistence of AML cells was severely impaired by ATR inhibitors. Altogether, we propose that AML relapse is facilitated by a senescence-like resilience phenotype that occurs regardless of their stem cell status. Upon recovery, these post-senescence AML cells give rise to relapsed AMLs with increased stem cell potential.

Significance:

Despite entering complete remission after chemotherapy, relapse occurs in many patients with AML. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the relapse mechanism in AML and the development of targeted treatments to improve outcome. Here, we identified a senescence-like resilience phenotype through which AML cells can survive and repopulate leukemia.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1307
Recurrent Encephalopathy and Severe Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis in a Patient with Short Bowel: It Is D-Lactic Acidosis
Authors: Jain Avni , Jhinger Kiran , Bellas Jonathon
Published: January 2021

D-lactic acidosis is a rare and potentially underrecognized condition in patients with short bowel syndrome. We present the case of a 61-year-old female with a history of an ileojejunal bypass at age 18 who presented to hospital with acute-onset encephalopathy, ataxia, and severe anion gap metabolic acidosis (AGMA). On initial investigations there were no identifiable etiologies for the AGMA. Further history revealed that she had been experiencing these symptoms on a recurrent basis for the past 40 years. An oral carbohydrate load was given to the patient in hospital which reproduced her symptoms and the AGMA. A serum D-lactate level returned elevated several weeks later. A 2-month follow-up revealed that all her symptoms had ceased with limitation of carbohydrates to 150 g per day. Patients with short bowel syndrome are susceptible to developing D-lactic acidosis due to the large carbohydrate loads that are delivered to the colon, where they are then metabolized. Due to its rarity, it is likely that there is a delay in recognition of this condition. This case report describes a common clinical presentation of this rare condition and describes the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of D-lactic acidosis in small bowel syndrome.
Increased Number of Perivascular CD20-Positive B Lymphocytes in the Neuropathology of CLIPPERS: Findings of 6 Patients from Mainland China
Authors: Yang Baifeng , Liu Fan , Li Jing , Wen Yanbin
Published: January 2021

Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) syndrome is a recently described chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. There are few reports of CLIPPERS in the Chinese population to date. We summarized the clinical characteristics of 6 CLIPPERS patients to deepen the understanding of this disease. Methods: The clinical manifestations and treatment of 6 CLIPPERS patients confirmed by pathology or clinical diagnosis in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The common clinical manifestations included ataxia, dysarthria, diplopia, dysphagia, dizziness, cognitive impairment, facial paresthesia, and paralysis. Most of the lesions showed typical symmetric “pepper powder”-like dot and nodular enhancement centered in the pontine and cerebellum except 1 patient with unilateral nodular enhancement. The brain histopathological examination of the 5 biopsied patients indicated that, with the exception of patient 4 with no lymphocyte infiltration, a large amount of perivascular lymphocytic infiltration was found in the other 4 patients, among whom only 1 patient was dominated by CD3+ T cell infiltration and the other 3 patients were dominated by CD20+ B cell infiltration. After treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone, all patients had significant clinical recovery associated with complete or significant MRI recovery, but they were prone to relapse after withdrawal or reduction of the corticosteroid. Conclusion: Our reports highlight the importance of neuropathological examinations when encountering atypical imaging manifestations, such as unilateral and large nodular Gd+ lesions, in order to establish a final diagnosis of CLIPPERS. In addition, the lymphocytic infiltration in the lesions of CLIPPERS may be dominated by CD20+ B cells instead of CD3+ T cells.
Effects of Patients’ Expectation in Dermatology: Evidence from Experimental and Clinical Placebo Studies and Implications for Dermatologic Practice and Research
Authors: Sondermann Wiebke , Reinboldt-Jockenhöfer Finja , Dissemond Joachim , Pfaar Oliver , Bingel Ulrike , Schedlowski Manfred
Published: January 2021

Patients’ expectations towards the benefit of a treatment are key determinants of placebo responses and can affect the development and course of medical conditions and the efficacy and tolerability of active medical treatment. The mechanisms mediating these placebo and nocebo effects have been best described in the field of experimental pain and placebo analgesia. However, also in dermatology experimental and clinical studies demonstrate that various skin diseases such as inflammatory dermatoses and allergic reactions can be modulated by patients’ expectations. Dermatologists should consider the important modulatory role of patients’ expectations on the efficacy and tolerability of specific treatments and the key role of verbal information, patients’ prior treatment experiences (associative learning), and the quality and quantity of doctor-patient communication in shaping treatment expectation. As a consequence, techniques aiming at maximizing patients’ expectation effects should be implemented into daily clinical routine. By contrast, in clinical studies expectation effects should be maximally controlled and harmonized to improve the “assay sensitivity” to detect new compounds. Further translational studies, also in dermatoses that have not been investigated yet, are needed to better characterize the mechanisms underlying patients’ expectation and to gain further insights into potential clinical implications of these effects in dermatologic conditions. Therefore, in this review, we provide a brief overview on the concept of expectation effects on treatment outcome in general, summarize what is already known about this topic for dermatologic diseases, and finally present the relevance of this topic in clinical dermatology.
Dynamic Changes of Lymphocyte Subsets in the Course of COVID-19
Authors: Rezaei Mitra , Marjani Majid , Mahmoudi Shima , Mortaz Esmaeil , Mansouri Davood
Published: January 2021

Background: Although the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not clearly defined, among the proposed mechanisms, immune system dysfunction is more likely than others. The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics and clinical significance of dynamic changes of lymphocyte subsets in the course of COVID-19. Methods: In this prospective study, the levels of peripheral lymphocyte subsets including CD4+, CD8+, CD4+CD25+FOXP3+, CD38+, CD3+HLA-DR+, CD19+, CD20+, and CD16+CD56+ cells were measured by flow cytometry in 52 confirmed hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at the day of admission and after 7 days of care. Clinical response was defined as improvement in symptoms (fever, dyspnea, and cough as well as blood oxygen saturation), and patients who met these criteria after 1 week of admission were classified as early responders; others who survived and finally discharged from the hospital were classified as late responders and patients who died were categorized as nonresponders. Immunophenotyping of studied cell changes on the first day of admission and 7 days after treatment were compared. Besides, the correlation between cellular subset variation and clinical response and outcome were analyzed. Results: Total counts of white blood cell, T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD38+ lymphocytes, and CD3+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes were significantly increased in both early and late responders. No statistically significant difference was observed in CD4+/CD8+ ratio, B cells, FOXP3+Treg lymphocytes, and FOXP3 median fluorescence intensity among studied groups. According to the multivariate analysis, an increase in CD4+ T cells (p = 0.019), CD8+ T cells (p = 0.001), and administration of interferon (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of clinical response. Conclusion: We found an increasing trend in total T cells, T helpers, cytotoxic T cells, activated lymphocytes, and natural killer cells among responders. This trend was not statistically significant among nonresponders. The findings of this study may enhance our knowledge about the pathogenesis of COVID-19.
Predictors for Rapid Progression of Coronary Calcification: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study
Authors: Nakajima Akihiro , Araki Makoto , Kurihara Osamu , Minami Yoshiyasu , Soeda Tsunenari , Yonetsu Taishi , Higuma Takumi , Kakuta Tsunekazu , McNulty Iris , Lee Hang , Malhotra Rajeev , Nakamura Sunao , Jang Ik‐Kyung
Published: January 2021

Background

The role of coronary calcification in cardiovascular events and plaque stabilization is still being debated, and factors involved in the progression of coronary calcification are not fully understood. This study aimed to identify the predictors for rapid progression of coronary calcification.

Methods and Results

Patients with serial optical coherence tomography imaging at baseline and at 6 months were selected. Changes in the calcification index and predictors for progression of calcification were studied. Calcification index was defined as the product of the mean calcification arc and calcification length. Rapid progression of calcification was defined as an increase in the calcification index above the median value. Among 187 patients who had serial optical coherence tomography imaging, 235 calcified plaques were identified in 105 patients (56.1%) at baseline. After 6 months, the calcification index increased in 95.3% of calcified plaques from 132.0 to 178.2 (
P
<0.001). In multivariable analysis, diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR], 3.911;
P
<0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR, 2.432;
P
=0.037), lipid‐rich plaque (OR, 2.698;
P
=0.034), and macrophages (OR, 6.782;
P
<0.001) were found to be independent predictors for rapid progression of coronary calcification. Interestingly, rapid progression of calcification was associated with a significant reduction of inflammatory features (thin‐cap fibroatheroma; from 21.2% to 11.9%,
P
=0.003; macrophages; from 74.6% to 61.0%,
P
=0.001).

Conclusions

Diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, lipid‐rich plaque, and macrophages were independent predictors for rapid progression of coronary calcification. Baseline vascular inflammation and subsequent stabilization may be related to rapid progression of calcification.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01110538.
On the nomenclatural status of some species of Haplotaxidae (Clitellata) from Guinea
Authors: MARTIN PATRICK , OMODEO PIETRO , ROTA EMILIA
Published: January 2021

Our attention was recently drawn to a problem of homonymy with Villiersia d’Orbigny, 1837, a nudibranch genus, posed by Villiersia Omodeo, 1987, an oligochaete genus of the family Haplotaxidae described from the Segea cave near Kindia, Guinea (Omodeo 1987). Examination of this case of homonymy has revived an old nomenclatural issue that dates back to 1958 when several taxa of the family Haplotaxidae were first proposed in a work on the oligochaete fauna of Mount Nimba (West Africa) (Omodeo 1958). A re-examination of the nomenclatural history of these taxa shows that subsequent nomenclatural interpretations made by some were unjustified, leading to a confusing situation. The taxa concerned, as currently accepted (Reynolds & Wetzel 2020), are the following:
Airapus rakovici (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini), a new species from Fujian, China
Authors: KRÁL DAVID , LU YUANYUAN , BAI MING
Published: January 2021

The genus Airapus Stebnicka & Howden, 1996 currently comprises 26 extant species distributed in the Australian and Oriental zoogeographical regions (Stebnicka & Howden 1996; Stebnicka 1998, 2009; Rakovič et al. 2019; Král et al. 2019; Minkina 2020) and one fossil species from the Eocene Baltic amber (Tamutis et al. 2017). Of the continental Southeast Asia, only three species have been known so far: Airapus cechovskyi Král, Mencl & Rakovič, 2019 (mainland Malaysia: Kelantan), A. tyri Král, Mencl & Rakovič, 2019 (Central Thailand: Phetchaburi Province) and A. sicardi ( Paulian, 1945) (Laos: “Cochinchine: Long Xuyen” and South Vietnam: “Annam: Tanh Hoa”) (Paulian 1945; Balthasar 1964; Král et al. 2019). Examination of the material housed in the collections of the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, revealed Airapus material belonging to an undescribed species. Its formal description is presented in this paper. This new species is another, fourth species occurring in mainland Southeast Asia. It is also the first country record from China. The geographical distribution of the genus is now known to the north as far as Fujian Province.
Controls of Quasi-Linear Convective System Tornado Intensity
Authors: Marion Geoffrey R. , Trapp Robert J.
Published: January 2021

Although tornadoes produced by quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs) generally are weak and short lived, they have high societal impact due to their proclivity to develop over short time scales, within the cool season, and during nighttime hours. Precisely why they are weak and short lived is not well understood, although recent work suggests that QLCS updraft width may act as a limitation to tornado intensity. Herein, idealized simulations of tornadic QLCSs are performed with variations in hodograph shape and length as well as initiation mechanism to determine the controls of tornado intensity. Generally, the addition of hodograph curvature in these experiments results in stronger, longer-lived tornadic-like vortices (TLVs). A strong correlation between low-level mesocyclone width and TLV intensity is identified (R2 = 0.61), with a weaker correlation in the low-level updraft intensity (R2 = 0.41). The tilt and depth of the updraft are found to have little correlation to tornado intensity. Comparing QLCS and isolated supercell updrafts within these simulations, the QLCS updrafts are less persistent, with the standard deviations of low-level vertical velocity and updraft helicity approximately 48% and 117% greater, respectively. A forcing decomposition reveals that the QLCS cold pool plays a direct role in the development of the low-level updraft, providing the benefit of additional forcing for ascent while also having potentially deleterious effects on both the low-level updraft and near-surface rotation. The negative impact of the cold pool ultimately serves to limit the persistence of rotating updraft cores within the QLCS.
Impacts of Varying Concentrations of Cloud Condensation Nuclei on Deep Convective Cloud Updrafts—A Multimodel Assessment
Authors: Marinescu Peter J. , van den Heever Susan C. , Heikenfeld Max , Barrett Andrew I. , Barthlott Christian , Hoose Corinna , Fan Jiwen , Fridlind Ann M. , Matsui Toshi , Miltenberger Annette K. , Stier Philip , Vie Benoit , White Bethan A. , Zhang Yuwei
Published: January 2021

This study presents results from a model intercomparison project, focusing on the range of responses in deep convective cloud updrafts to varying cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations among seven state-of-the-art cloud-resolving models. Simulations of scattered convective clouds near Houston, Texas, are conducted, after being initialized with both relatively low and high CCN concentrations. Deep convective updrafts are identified, and trends in the updraft intensity and frequency are assessed. The factors contributing to the vertical velocity tendencies are examined to identify the physical processes associated with the CCN-induced updraft changes. The models show several consistent trends. In general, the changes between the High-CCN and Low-CCN simulations in updraft magnitudes throughout the depth of the troposphere are within 15% for all of the models. All models produce stronger (~+5%–15%) mean updrafts from ~4–7 km above ground level (AGL) in the High-CCN simulations, followed by a waning response up to ~8 km AGL in most of the models. Thermal buoyancy was more sensitive than condensate loading to varying CCN concentrations in most of the models and more impactful in the mean updraft responses. However, there are also differences between the models. The change in the amount of deep convective updrafts varies significantly. Furthermore, approximately half the models demonstrate neutral-to-weaker (~−5% to 0%) updrafts above ~8 km AGL, while the other models show stronger (~+10%) updrafts in the High-CCN simulations. The combination of the CCN-induced impacts on the buoyancy and vertical perturbation pressure gradient terms better explains these middle- and upper-tropospheric updraft trends than the buoyancy terms alone.
Arctic Amplification of Anthropogenic Forcing: A Vector Autoregressive Analysis
Authors: Coulombe Philippe Goulet , Göbel Maximilian
Published: January 2021

On September 15th 2020, Arctic sea ice extent (SIE) ranked second-to-lowest in history and keeps trending downward. The understanding of how feedback loops amplify the effects of external CO2 forcing is still limited. We propose the VARCTIC, which is a Vector Autoregression (VAR) designed to capture and extrapolate Arctic feedback loops. VARs are dynamic simultaneous systems of equations, routinely estimated to predict and understand the interactions of multiple macroeconomic time series. The VARCTIC is a parsimonious compromise between full-blown climate models and purely statistical approaches that usually offer little explanation of the underlying mechanism. Our completely unconditional forecast has SIE hitting 0 in September by the 2060’s. Impulse response functions reveal that anthropogenic CO2 emission shocks have an unusually durable effect on SIE – a property shared by no other shock. We find Albedo- and Thickness-based feedbacks to be the main amplification channels through which CO2 anomalies impact SIE in the short/medium run. Furthermore, conditional forecast analyses reveal that the future path of SIE crucially depends on the evolution of CO2 emissions, with outcomes ranging from recovering SIE to it reaching 0 in the 2050’s. Finally, Albedo and Thickness feedbacks are shown to play an important role in accelerating the speed at which predicted SIE is heading towards 0.
Transient Extratropical Response to Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in the Northern Hemisphere Winter
Authors: Givon Yonatan , Garfinkel Chaim I. , White Ian
Published: January 2021

An intermediate complexity general circulation model is used to investigate the transient response of the NH winter stratosphere to modulated ultraviolet (UV) radiation by imposing a stepwise, deliberately exaggerated UV perturbation and analyzing the lagged response. Enhanced UV radiation is accompanied by an immediate warming of the tropical upper stratosphere. The warming then spreads into the winter subtropics due to an accelerated Brewer–Dobson circulation in the tropical upper stratosphere. The poleward meridional velocity in the subtropics leads to an increase in zonal wind in midlatitudes between 20° and 50°N due to Coriolis torque. The increase in midlatitude zonal wind is accompanied by a dipole in Eliassen–Palm flux convergence, with decreased convergence near the winter pole and increased convergence in midlatitudes (where winds are strengthening due to the Coriolis torque); this dipole subsequently extends the anomalous westerlies to subpolar latitudes within the first 10 days. The initial radiatively driven acceleration of the Brewer–Dobson circulation due to enhanced shortwave absorption is replaced in the subpolar winter stratosphere by a wave-driven deceleration of the Brewer–Dobson circulation, and after a month the wave-driven deceleration of the Brewer–Dobson circulation encompasses most of the winter stratosphere. Approximately a month after UV is first modified, a significant poleward jet shift is evident in the troposphere. The results of this study may have implications for the observed stratospheric and tropospheric responses to solar variability associated with the 27-day solar rotation period, and also to solar variability on longer time scales.
Quantitative Analysis of the Performance of Spatial Interpolation Methods for Rainfall Estimation Using Commercial Microwave Links
Authors: Eshel Adam , Messer Hagit , Kunstmann Harald , Alpert Pinhas , Chwala Christian
Published: January 2021

Using signal level measurements from commercial microwave links (CMLs) has proven to be a valuable tool for near-ground 2D rain mapping. Such mapping is commonly based on spatial interpolation methods, where each CML is considered as a point measurement instrument located at its center. The validity of the resulted maps is tested against radar observations. However, since radar has limitations, accuracy of CML-based reconstructed rain maps remains unclear. Here we provide a quantitative comparison of the performance of CML-based spatial interpolation methods for rain mapping by conducting a systematic analysis: first by quantifying the performance of maps generated from semisynthetic CML data, and thereafter turning to real-data analysis of the same rain events. A radar product of the German Weather Service serves as ground truth for generating semisynthetic data, in which several temporal aggregations of the radar rainfall fields are used to create different decorrelation distances. The study was done over an area of 225 × 245 km2 in southern Germany, with 808 CMLs. We compare the performance of two spatial interpolation methods—inverse distance weighting and ordinary kriging—in two cases: where each CML is represented as a single point, and where three points are used. The points’ measurements values in the latter are determined using an iterative algorithm. The analysis of both cases is based on a 48-h rain event. The results reconfirm the validity of CML-based rain retrieval, showing a slight systematic performance improvement when an iterative algorithm is applied so each CML is represented by more than a single point, independent of the interpolation method.
Evaluation of Microphysics Schemes in Tropical Cyclones Using Polarimetric Radar Observations: Convective Precipitation in an Outer Rainband
Authors: Wu Dan , Zhang Fuqing , Chen Xiaomin , Ryzhkov Alexander , Zhao Kun , Kumjian Matthew R. , Chen Xingchao , Chan Pak-Wai
Published: January 2021

Cloud microphysics significantly impact tropical cyclone precipitation. A prior polarimetric radar observational study by the authors revealed the ice-phase microphysical processes as the dominant microphysics mechanisms responsible for the heavy precipitation in the outer rainband of Typhoon Nida (2016). To assess the model performance regarding microphysics, three double-moment microphysics schemes (i.e., Thompson, Morrison, and WDM6) are evaluated by performing a set of simulations of the same case. While these simulations capture the outer rainband’s general structure, microphysics in the outer rainbands are strikingly different from the observations. This discrepancy is primarily attributed to different microphysics parameterizations in these schemes, rather than the differences in large-scale environments due to cloud–environment interactions. An interesting finding in this study is that the surface rain rate or liquid water content is inversely proportional to the simulated mean raindrop sizes. The mass-weighted raindrop diameters are overestimated in the Morrison and Thompson schemes and underestimated in the WDM6 scheme, while the former two schemes produce lower liquid water content than WDM6. Compared with the observed ice water content based on a new polarimetric radar retrieval method, the ice water content above the environmental 0°C level in all simulations is highly underestimated, especially at heights above 12 km MSL where large concentrations of small ice particles are typically prevalent. This finding suggests that the improper treatment of ice-phase processes is potentially an important error source in these microphysics schemes. Another error source identified in the WDM6 scheme is overactive warm-rain processes that produce excessive concentrations of smaller raindrops.
Acoustic Reflexes in Aural Atresia Patients: Evidence of an Intact Efferent System?
Authors: Casazza Geoffrey C. , Gray Lincoln C. , Hildebrand Debra , Kesser Bradley W.
Published: January 2021

Objective:

To record crossed acoustic reflex thresholds (xART’s) postoperatively from patients after surgical repair of unilateral congenital aural atresia (CAA). To seek explanations for when xARTs can and cannot be recorded. We hope to understand the implications for this central auditory reflex despite early afferent deprivation.

Methods:

Patients who underwent surgery to correct unilateral CAA at a tertiary academic medical were prospectively enrolled to evaluate for the presence of xART. Preoperative ARTs in the normal (non-atretic) ear, and postoperative ipsilateral ARTs (stimulus in the normal ear) and contralateral ARTs (stimulus in the newly reconstructed atretic ear; record in the normal ear) were measured at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz.

Results:

Four of 11 patients with normal ipsilateral reflex thresholds preoperatively demonstrated crossed acoustic reflexes postoperatively (stimulus in reconstructed ear; record from normal ear). Four other patients demonstrated normal ipsilateral thresholds preoperatively but did not have crossed reflexes postoperatively. No reflexes (pre- or postoperatively) could be recorded in 3 patients. Crossed reflex threshold is significantly correlated with the postoperative audiometric threshold. There was no correlation between ipsilateral and contralateral reflex thresholds.

Conclusion:

Crossed acoustic reflexes can be recorded from some but not all postoperative atresia patients, and the thresholds for those reflexes correlate with the postoperative pure tone threshold. The presence of acoustic reflexes implies an intact CN VIII-to-opposite CN VII central reflex arc despite early unilateral sound deprivation.
The Effects of Vitamin-Mineral Supplements on Serious Rule Violations in Correctional Facilities for Young Adult Male Inmates: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Schoenthaler Stephen , Gast David , Giltay Erik J. , Amos Stephen
Published: January 2021

We investigated whether vitamin-mineral supplementation could reduce serious rule violations. In this randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, young adult male inmates were included. For 15 weeks, they received a daily dose with vitamin-mineral supplements of approximately 100% Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) ( n = 149), or a higher-dose formula ( n = 150), or placebo ( n = 150). Serious rule violations were the primary outcome. In the lower-dose group there were 39% fewer rule violations than in the placebo group (relative risk = .61; 95% confidence interval [ CI]:.41–.90, p = .01). In the higher-dose group the difference did not reach statistical significance. About 100% RDA, but not higher doses supplements, resulted in less serious rule violations than placebo.