bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a Novel Mesophilic CTP‐Dependent Riboflavin Kinase and Rational Engineering to Create Its Thermostable Homologues**
Authors: Kumar Yashwant , Singh Reman Kumar , Hazra Amrita Brajagopal
Published: August 2021

Flavins play a central role in metabolism as molecules that catalyze a wide range of redox reactions in living organisms. Several variations in flavin biosynthesis exist among the domains of life, and their analysis has revealed many new structural and mechanistic insights till date. The cytidine triphosphate (CTP)‐dependent riboflavin kinase in archaea is one such example. Unlike most kinases that use adenosine triphosphate, archaeal riboflavin kinases utilize CTP to phosphorylate riboflavin and produce flavin mononucleotide. In this study, we present the characterization of a new mesophilic archaeal CTP‐utilizing riboflavin kinase homologue from Methanococcus maripaludis (MmpRibK), which is linked closely in sequence to the previously characterized thermophilic Methanocaldococcus jannaschii homologue. We reconstitute the activity of MmpRibK, determine its kinetic parameters and molecular factors that contribute to its unique properties, and finally establish the residues that improve its thermostability using computation and a series of experiments. Our work advances the molecular understanding of flavin biosynthesis in archaea by the characterization of the first mesophilic CTP‐dependent riboflavin kinase. Finally, it validates the role of salt bridges and rigidifying amino acid residues in imparting thermostability to this unique structural fold that characterizes archaeal riboflavin kinase enzymes, with implications in enzyme engineering and biotechnological applications.
Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to erenumab in a patient with chronic migraine
Authors: Manickam Agaath Hedina , Buture Alina , Tomkins Esther , Ruttledge Martin
Published: August 2021

Raynaud's phenomenon is a rare side effect of CGRP monoclonal antibodies. These molecular treatments are a relatively new class of drugs for the prevention of migraine. It is likely that we will see this side effect more often in the future. Patients with a background of Raynaud's phenomenon may experience worsening of their symptoms if started on these treatments.
Endoscopic resection of a large polypoid gastric heterotopia of duodenum: a case report
Authors: Maione Francesco , Chini Alessia , Gennarelli Nicola , Milone Marco , Manigrasso Michele , Guadagno Elia , Aprea Giovanni , De Palma Giovanni Domenico
Published: August 2021

This report shows a rare case of gastric heterotopia in the duodenum presented as a large polypoid lesion, differently from data reported in literature, which enters into differential diagnosis with other duodenal lesions that are not always benign.
Pheochromocytoma presenting with severe abdominal pain and abnormal liver enzymes
Authors: Habib Mhd Baraa , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Alatasi Sali , Mohamed Mouhand F. H. , Ali Hamda , Hamad Mohamad Khair
Published: August 2021

Pheochromocytoma can present with right hypochondrial pain, elevated liver enzymes, and a misleading appearance on ultrasound scan mimicking hepatic mass due to the proximity of adrenal masses to the liver.
COVID‐19 reinfection or reactivation in a renal transplant patient
Authors: Abolghasemi Sara , Zolfaghari Farnaz , Naeimipoor Mohammad , Azhdari Tehrani Hamed , Hakamifard Atousa
Published: August 2021

Recurrences of COVID‐19 infection may occur in immunocompromised patients. Reinfection or reactivation of COVID‐19 virus is a challenging issue in these patients.
Formaldehyde‐Crosslinked Nontoxic Aβ Monomers to Form Toxic Aβ Dimers and Aggregates: Pathogenicity and Therapeutic Perspectives
Authors: Zhao Hang , Huang Xuerong , Tong Zhiqian
Published: August 2021

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of senile plaques in the brain. However, medicines targeting amyloid‐beta (Aβ) have not achieved the expected clinical effects. This review focuses on the formation mechanism of the Aβ dimer (the basic unit of oligomers and fibrils) and its tremendous potential as a drug target. Recently, age‐associated formaldehyde and Aβ‐derived formaldehyde have been found to crosslink the nontoxic Aβ monomer to form the toxic dimers, oligomers and fibrils. Particularly, Aβ‐induced formaldehyde accumulation and formaldehyde‐promoted Aβ aggregation form a vicious cycle. Subsequently, formaldehyde initiates Aβ toxicity in both the early‐and late‐onset AD. These facts also explain why AD drugs targeting only Aβ do not have the desired therapeutic effects. Development of the nanoparticle‐based medicines targeting both formaldehyde and Aβ dimer is a promising strategy for improving the drug efficacy by penetrating blood‐brain barrier and extracellular space into the cortical neurons in AD patients.
A parallel hardware hypervisor for hardware‐accelerated cloud computing
Authors: Doğan Atakan , Ebcioğlu Kemal
Published: August 2021

Hardware‐accelerated cloud computing systems based on FPGA or ASIC chips have proved useful in providing power‐efficient acceleration for a variety of software applications. However, these computing systems rely on operating systems and hypervisors, which not only are implemented with inefficient software, but which also are incapable of handling massively parallel systems, due to the lack of parallelism and scalability in their algorithmic designs. As a result, power, performance, and scalability problems will emerge in an exascale cloud computing environment. As a solution to these problems, the present study proposes a parallel hardware hypervisor system implemented entirely in special‐purpose hardware without resorting to energy‐inefficient general‐purpose processors. Furthermore, the proposed hypervisor system virtualizes application‐specific multi‐chip supercomputers, in order to enable the virtual supercomputers to share available FPGA and semi‐configurable ASIC resources in a cloud system. Single‐chip verification studies based on Verilog simulation have been done to verify the functional correctness of the proposed hardware hypervisor system, which consumes only a fraction of hardware resources. This article will in particular focus on the virtualization of multi‐chip message‐passing based supercomputers using limited reconfigurable hardware resources.
Transthyretin as a target of alkylation and a potential biomarker for sulfur mustard poisoning: Electrophoretic and mass spectrometric identification and characterization
Authors: Schmeißer Wolfgang , Lüling Robin , Steinritz Dirk , Thiermann Horst , Rein Theo , John Harald
Published: August 2021

For the verification of exposure to the banned blister agent sulfur mustard (SM) and the better understanding of its pathophysiology, protein adducts formed with endogenous proteins represent an important field of toxicological research. SM and its analogue 2‐chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) are well known to alkylate nucleophilic amino acid side chains, for example, free‐thiol groups of cysteine residues. The specific two‐dimensional thiol difference gel electrophoresis (2D‐thiol‐DIGE) technique making use of maleimide dyes allows the staining of free cysteine residues in proteins. As a consequence of alkylation by, for example, SM or CEES, this staining intensity is reduced. 2D‐thiol‐DIGE analysis of human plasma incubated with CEES and subsequent matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight (tandem) mass‐spectrometry, MALDI‐TOF MS(/MS), revealed transthyretin (TTR) as a target of alkylating agents. TTR was extracted from SM‐treated plasma by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and analyzed after tryptic cleavage by microbore liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization high‐resolution tandem‐mass spectrometry (μLC‐ESI MS/HR MS). It was found that the Cys10‐residue of TTR present in the hexapeptide C(‐HETE)PLMVK was alkylated by the hydroxyethylthioethyl (HETE)‐moiety, which is characteristic for SM exposure. It was shown that alkylated TTR is stable in plasma in vitro at 37°C for at least 14 days. In addition, C(‐HETE)PLMVK can be selectively detected, is stable in the autosampler over 24 h, and shows linearity in a broad concentration range from 15.63 μM to 2 mM SM in plasma in vitro. Accordingly, TTR might represent a complementary protein marker molecule for the verification of SM exposure.
Layered Yttrium Hydroxide as a Host for Enhancing the UV‐Protective Capacity and Photostability of Benzophenone‐5
Authors: Choi Juyeong , Kim Hyunsub , Byeon Song‐Ho
Published: August 2021

Layered yttrium hydroxide (LYH) was explored as a host material for a highly efficient organic UV‐absorber, 2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzophenone‐5‐sulfonic acid (BP5), with the intercalation of BP5 anions into the interlayer galleries of LYH. On the basis of the powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and Infrared (IR) spectra of the resulting BP5‐LYH hybrid, it was suggested that the double aromatic rings of BP5 anion are arranged parallel to the hydroxocation layers in the interlayer space in LYH. Thermogravimetry (TG) curves indicated the incomplete inclusion of BP5 anions due to the insufficiency of the lateral area of the interlayer space in LYH to accommodate the parallel arrangement of fully exchanged BP5 anions. The UV absorption band of BP5 was so broad as to absorb over the full UV range after intercalation in the LYH host. Long‐term use tests showed that BP5 was not significantly released from the LYH matrix in artificial seawater. This hybrid was well dispersed in a PVA solution to produce transparent BP5‐LYH/PVA composite UV‐filter films. The BP5‐LYH hybrid exhibited excellent photostability in PVA composites, maintaining complete UV‐filtering performance under simulated sunlight. A BP5‐LYH hybrid could therefore be a promising candidate not only as a UV‐filter that does not release BP5 into aquatic systems but also as a transparent outdoor UV‐screening polymer film whose single species covers the full UV range.
Analysis of Dynamic Changes of Lipid Composition and Structure of Deep‐Fried Pork Slices during Storage
Authors: Guo Xi‐Juan , Wang Rui‐Qi
Published: August 2021

To understand the reasons for the quality deterioration of traditional battered and deep‐fried pork slices during storage, fried pork slices stored for 12 h at 0–40 °C are used as the research samples, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR） and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry （GC‐MS） are used as analytical methods. The oil migration mode, fatty acid composition change, and functional group changes in the meat slices are analyzed. The experimental results show that the unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) in the starch paste enters the meat slice in a single diffusion mode during storage, and the migration direction of the fatty acid is reversed after 7 h. Oxidation mainly occurs after 4 h of storage. At this time, the absorption peak intensities of the C═C, OH, CH2, and CH3 groups began to increase significantly. After 8 h, the characteristic peak of C═O narrowed and disappeared after 12 h, indicating that the oxidation has entered a decline period. The content of USFA and linoleic acid (C18:2) showed a downward trend in phospholipids. Therefore, the stability of phospholipids, especially linoleic acid, plays an important role in the edibility of meat slices during storage.

Practical Applications: Many studies have demonstrated that the edible quality of fried meat products decreases gradually during storage and the change in lipid content is the main reason for this phenomenon. However, there is a lack of targeted studies on lipid migration and compositional and structural changes during the storage of deep‐fried foods. In this study, dynamic mobility, dynamic modeling, and changes in fatty acid composition and structure of lipids before and after storage provide data support for the implementation of targeted improvement measures to reduce oil migration, oxidation, and decomposition, and thus effectively extend the consumption cycle.
Upward flame spread and self‐induced buoyant blow‐off over two‐sided thin fabric at different inclination angles
Authors: Gao Yunji , Yang Xiaolong , Luo Yueyang , Guo Feng , Zhang Yuchun , Gong Liang
Published: August 2021

A series of upward flame spread experiments over two‐sided long thin flax fabric sheets were conducted at different inclination angles from horizontal (0°) to vertical (90°). With the inclination increased to a critical angle, the flame on the lower side of the 4 and 6 cm wide samples can be blown off spontaneously. After the lower‐side blow‐off, the remained flame on the upper side spread steadily to the end of the sample. To clarify the controlling mechanism, the flame spread rates and flame geometry characteristics were investigated and compared in different inclination angles. The maximum flame spread rate and flame length monotonically increased with the inclination angle under the assistance of self‐induced buoyancy. However, the steady flame spread rate and flame length on the remained side dropped significantly after one‐side extinction. The lower side flame was blown off by the large buoyant flow velocity induced from the critical flame length, which is controlled by the small Damköhler number. Flame thickness and flame tilt angle were analyzed at varied inclinations to help understand the heat transfer from the flame to the unburnt fuel surface. Two opposite effects of self‐induced buoyancy were proposed at different ranges of inclination: the thermal assistance regime at the lower inclination angle and the kinetical extinguishing regime at a higher inclination angle. They are dominated by the heat transfer from the flame and local fluid dynamic around the flame base, respectively.
Robust and efficient multilevel‐ILU preconditioning of hybrid Newton–GMRES for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Chen Qiao , Jiao Xiangmin , Yang Oliver
Published: August 2021

We introduce a robust and efficient preconditioner for a hybrid Newton–GMRES method for solving the nonlinear systems arising from incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. When the Reynolds number is relatively high, these systems often involve millions of degrees of freedom (DOFs), and the nonlinear systems are difficult to converge, partially due to the strong asymmetry of the system and the saddle‐point structure. In this work, we propose to alleviate these issues by leveraging a multilevel ILU preconditioner calledHILUCSI, which is particularly effective for saddle‐point problems and can enable robust and rapid convergence of the inner iterations in Newton–GMRES. We further use Picard iterations with the Oseen systems to hot‐start Newton–GMRES to achieve global convergence, also preconditioned using HILUCSI. To further improve efficiency and robustness, we use the Oseen operators as physics‐based sparsifiers when building preconditioners for Newton iterations and introduce adaptive refactorization and iterative refinement in HILUCSI. We refer to the resulting preconditioned hybrid Newton–GMRES asHILUNG. We demonstrate the effectiveness of HILUNG by solving the standard 2D driven‐cavity problem with Re 5000 and a 3D flow‐over‐cylinder problem with low viscosity. We compare HILUNG with some state‐of‐the‐art customized preconditioners for INS, including two variants of augmented Lagrangian preconditioners and two physics‐based preconditioners, as well as some general‐purpose approximate‐factorization techniques. Our comparison shows that HILUNG is much more robust for solving high‐Re problems and it is also more efficient in both memory and runtime for moderate‐Re problems.
Forecasting the volatility of agricultural commodity futures: The role of co‐volatility and oil volatility
Authors: Marfatia Hardik A. , Ji Qiang , Luo Jiawen
Published: August 2021

We forecast the realized volatilities of China's agricultural commodity futures (corn, cotton, palm, wheat, and soybean) using a set of multivariate heterogeneous autoregressive (MHAR) models. We consider different error structures to capture the co‐movement of volatility (co‐volatility) between commodity futures to obtain out‐of‐sample forecasts of the realized volatilities of agricultural commodity futures at daily, weekly, and monthly forecast horizons. We also consider global oil volatility as an additional exogenous predictor and assess forecast precision based on both statistical and economic value measures. The results show that the MHAR model with a co‐volatility error structure is superior in predicting the volatility of commodity futures. The most accurate predictions are of corn, cotton, and wheat futures volatility. Interestingly, for all the commodities, the forecasting accuracy noticeably improves as the forecast horizon increases. However, from an investment perspective, the highest economic value is gained from medium‐horizon forecasts, and the economic value of forecasts is highest for less risk‐averse investors.
Efficacy and safety of a nanoparticle therapeutic vaccine in patients with chronic hepatitis B: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Wei Lai , Zhao Tingting , Zhang Ji , Mao Qing , Gong Guozhong , Sun Yongtao , Chen Yongping , Wang Maorong , Tan Deming , Gong Zuojiong , Li Baosen , Niu Junqi , Li Shuchen , Gong Huanyu , Zou Liyun , Zhou Wei , Jia Zhengcai , Tang Yan , Fei Lei , Hu Yang , Shang Xiaoyun , Han Junfeng , Zhang Bei , Wu Yuzhang
Published: August 2021

Background and Aim

HBV DNA can be reduced using antiviral drugs in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB); however, the rate of HBeAg seroconversion remains low. A clinical trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of a de novo designed liposome‐based nanoparticle lipopeptide vaccine, εPA‐44, for CHB.

Approach and Results

A two‐stage phase 2 trial, which included a 76‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial (stage 1) and a 68‐week open‐label extension (stage 2), was conducted in 15 centers across China (Clinicaltrials.gov No. NCT00869778). In stage 1, 360 human leukocyte antigen A2 (HLA‐A2)–positive and HBeAg‐positive patients were randomly and equally distributed to receive six subcutaneous injections of 600 µg or 900 µg εPA‐44 or placebo at week 0, 4, 8, 12, 20, and 28. In stage 2, 183 patients received extended 900 µg εPA‐44, and 26 patients were observed for relapse without further treatment. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with HBeAg seroconversion at week 76. At week 76, patients receiving 900 µg εPA‐44 achieved significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate (38.8%) versus placebo (20.2%) (95% CI, 6.9‐29.6%; p = 0.002). With a combined endpoint of HBeAg seroconversion, alanine aminotransferase normalization and HBV DNA < 2,000 IU/mL, both 900 µg (18.1%) and 600 µg (14.3%), resulted in significantly higher rate versus placebo (5.0%) (p = 0.002 and p = 0.02, respectively) at week 76. In stage 2, none (0 of 20) of 900 µg εPA‐44‐treated patients experienced serologic relapse. The safety profile of εPA‐44 was comparable to that of placebo.

Conclusions

Among HLA‐A2‐positive patients with progressive CHB, a finite duration of 900 µg εPA‐44 monotherapy resulted in significantly higher HBeAg seroconversion rate than placebo and sustained off‐treatment effect. A phase 3 trial is ongoing (ChiCTR2100043708).
Temporal variation of soil erosion resistance on sloping farmland during the growth stages of maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Ma Rui , Zheng Zicheng , Li Tingxuan , He Shuqin , Zhang Xizhou , Wang Yongdong , Huang Huagang , Ye Daihua
Published: August 2021

Maize growth has great effects on soil properties and thus likely induces the changes in soil erosion resistance on sloping farmland. However, temporal variation of soil erosion resistance during the growth stages of maize is still unclear in the mountainous yellow soil area where maize is the dominant crop. In this study, four maize plots (MP) and four bare land plots (CK) were conducted to investigate soil erosion resistance, and multiple indicators of soil erosion resistance were measured including the total soil anti‐scourability (TAS), mean weight diameter (MWD), soil erodibility K factor and soil shear strength (SH). A comprehensive soil erosion resistance index (CSERI) was employed to quantify the temporal variation of soil erosion resistance during the growth stages of maize (seedling stage, SS; jointing stage, JS; tasselling stage, TS; maturing stage, MS). The results showed that TAS, MWD, SH increased significantly with maize growth and SH decreased when at MS. But K factor decreased significantly over time. CSERI increased significantly during the growth stages of maize and the CSERI of JS, TS, MS increased on average by 74.72, 180.68 and 234.57% than that of SS. Compared to CK, CSERI of MP increased by 49.90, 66.82, 55.60 and 38.61% during the growth stages of maize. The temporal variation of soil erosion resistance was closely related to the changes in maize cover, maize roots and soil organic carbon. The findings demonstrated that it is necessary to consider the temporal variation of soil erosion resistance in the mountainous yellow soil area.
Resource loss and mental health during COVID‐19: Psychosocial protective factors among U.S. older adults and those with chronic disease
Authors: McElroy‐Heltzel Stacey E. , Shannonhouse Laura R. , Davis Edward B. , Lemke Austin W. , Mize Mary Chase , Aten Jamie , Fullen Matthew C. , Hook Joshua N. , Van Tongeren Daryl R. , Davis Don E. , Miskis Constantinos
Published: August 2021

Across the globe, COVID‐19 has disproportionately affected the physical and mental health of several vulnerable groups. In a series of two cross‐sectional studies conducted April to July 2020, we examined its acute mental health effects on two vulnerable U.S. community samples—home‐bound older adults who were at or below the poverty line (Study 1, N = 293, Mage = 76.94, SD = 8.64; 75.1% female, 67.9% Black) and adults with chronic disease (Study 2, N = 322, Mage = 62.20, SD = 12.22; 46.3% female, 28.3% racial/ethnic minorities). Based on the conservation of resources theory, we hypothesised that pandemic‐related resource loss would be associated with greater mental distress, but perceived social support and positive psychological characteristics (trait resilience and optimism) would buffer against this adverse effect. Across both samples of vulnerable adults, pandemic‐related resource loss was related to mental distress. Perceived social support was related to lower mental distress but did not consistently buffer the effect of resource loss on mental health. However, in Study 2, both trait resilience and optimism buffered this relationship. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the conservation of resources theory.
Construction of a novel methylation‐related prognostic model for colorectal cancer based on microsatellite status
Authors: Cao Lichao , Chen Erfei , Zhang Hezi , Ba Ying , Yan Bianbian , Li Tong , Yang Jin
Published: August 2021

The present study aimed to construct a novel methylation‐related prognostic model based on microsatellite status that may enhance the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) from methylation and microsatellite status perspective. DNA methylation and mRNA expression data with clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set. The samples were divided into microsatellite stability and microsatellite instability group, and CIBERSORT was used to assess the immune cell infiltration characteristics. After identifying the differentially methylated genes and differentially expression genes using R packages, the methylation‐driven genes were further identified. Prognostic genes that were used to establish the methylation‐related risk score model were generated by the univariate and multivariate Cox regression model. Finally, we established and evaluated the methylation‐related prognostic model for CRC patients. A total of 69 MDGs were obtained and three of these genes (MIOX, TH, DKFZP434K028) were selected to construct the prognostic model. Patients in the low‐risk score group had a conspicuously better overall survival than those in the high‐risk score group (p < .0001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.689 at 3 years, 0.674 at 4 years, and 0.658 at 5 years. The Wilcoxon test showed that higher risk score was associated with higher T stage (p = .01), N stages (p = .0028), metastasis (p = .013), and advanced pathological stage (p = .0013). However, the more instability of microsatellite status, the lower risk score of CRC patients (p = .0048). Our constructed methylation‐related prognostic model based on microsatellite status presents potential significance in assessing recurrence risk stratification, tumor staging, and immunotherapy for CRC patients.
Mesenchymal stem cell and endothelial progenitor cells coinjection improves LPS‐induced lung injury via Tie2 activation and downregulation of the TLR4/MyD88 pathway
Authors: Hoseinnia Sadaf , Ghane Maryam , Norouzi Jamile , Hosseini Farzaneh
Published: August 2021

Sepsis is one of the most important complications of infection with a high mortality rate. Recently, cell therapy has been widely used to reduce the symptoms of sepsis. It has been previously reported that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) therapy have beneficial effects in experimental models of sepsis. The effects of coculture of MSC and EPC have not yet been used to treat sepsis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of EPC + MSC coculture on the residual effects of sepsis in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced mice model. Coinjections of EPC + MSC significantly enhanced the survival rate of LPS‐induced mice, decreased concentrations of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, and increased the level of anti‐inflammatory cytokine. The LPS‐induced mice that were treated with EPC + MSC showed a notable reduction in pulmonary edema, hepatic enzymes, and C‐reactive protein level compared with the control group. Our results showed that coinjection of EPC + MSC up and downregulates Tie2 and TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathways in LPS‐induced mice, respectively. Also, in vitro study showed that viability, adhesion, and migration in coculture cells is significantly decreased after being induced with 10 μg/ml LPS. Our results showed that LPS impaired the functional activity of the cocultured EPC + MSC via upregulation of the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway, which may be associated with decreased pTie2/Tie2 expression. In conclusion, coinjection of EPC and MSC modulated the TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway that leads to reduce the inflammatory response. This study may provide promising results for the introduction of cocultured cells to manage infectious diseases and balance the immune response through immune regulatory function.
PHD finger protein 19 expression in multiple myeloma: Association with clinical features, induction therapy outcome, disease progression, and survival
Authors: Li Yaqiong , Gong Jichang , Zhang Lingli
Published: August 2021

Background

PHD finger protein 19 (PHF19), also known as polycomb‐like protein 3 (PCL3), promotes the progression of multiple myeloma (MM) and drug resistance; however, its role in the management of MM remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the correlation between PHF19 expression and treatment response, disease progression, and survival of patients with MM.

Methods

Plasma cells derived from the bone marrow of 101 patients with de novo MM were collected prior to induction therapy, as were plasma cells derived from the bone marrow of 30 healthy donors. PHF19 expression in plasma cells was analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the response to induction therapy, progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed.

Results

PHF19 expression tends to be upregulated more often in MM patients than in healthy donors (p < 0.001) and can accurately predict MM risk (area under curve [AUC], 0.916; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.869–0.962). Furthermore, elevated PHF19 expression was correlated with higher International Staging System (ISS) (p = 0.036) and revised ISS stages (p = 0.035). In addition, MM patients who achieved complete response (CR) exhibited reduced PHF19 compared to those who did not (p = 0.028). Moreover, increased PHF19 expression was correlated with unfavorable PFS (p = 0.006) and OS (p = 0.027) rates. Furthermore, the results of multivariate Cox analysis also revealed that PHF19 high expression was independently associated with a reduced PFS rate (hazard ratio: 2.025, p = 0.028).

Conclusion

Increased PHF19 expression is correlated with poor induction therapy response and unfavorable long‐term prognosis of MM.
Analysis of COVID‐19 vaccines: Types, thoughts, and application
Authors: Han Xiucui , Xu Pengfei , Ye Qing
Published: August 2021

Objective

To deal with COVID‐19, various countries have made many efforts, including the research and development of vaccines. The purpose of this manuscript was to summarize the development, application, and problems of COVID‐19 vaccines.

Methods

This article reviewed the existing literature to see the development of the COVID‐19 vaccine.

Results

We found that different types of vaccines had their own advantages and disadvantages. At the same time, the side effects of the vaccine, the dose of vaccination, the evaluation of the efficacy, and the application of the vaccine were all things worth studying.

Conclusion

The successful development of the COVID‐19 vaccine concerns almost all countries and people in the world. We must do an excellent job of researching the immunogenicity and immune reactivity of the vaccines. We hope this review can help colleagues at home and abroad.
Religious/spiritual struggles and psychological distress: A test of three models in a longitudinal study of adults with chronic health conditions
Authors: Cowden Richard G. , Pargament Kenneth I. , Chen Zhuo J. , Davis Edward B. , Lemke Austin W. , Glowiak Kevin J. , Rueger Sandra Y. , Worthington Everett L.
Published: August 2021

Objective

This study tested three conceptual explanatory models that have been theorized to account for the linkages between religious/spiritual (R/S) struggles and psychological distress: the primary model (i.e., R/S struggles lead to psychological distress), the secondary model (i.e., psychological distress leads to R/S struggles), and the complex model (i.e., R/S struggles and psychological distress reciprocally exacerbate each other).

Methods

Using prospective data from a sample of US adults living with chronic health conditions (n = 302), we performed a cross‐lagged panel analysis with three timepoints to test for evidence of potential causal relations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.

Results

Consistent with the complex conceptual model of R/S struggles, we found evidence of positive reciprocal associations between R/S struggles and psychological distress.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the importance of attending to the dynamic interplay between R/S struggles and psychological distress when working with adults who have chronic health conditions.
Inherent Dangers of Using Non–US Food and Drug Administration–Approved Substances of Abuse
Authors: White C. Michael , Browne Thom , Nafziger Anne N.
Published: August 2021

Use of US Food and Drug Administration–approved substances of abuse has innate risks due to pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties of the medications, but the risk when using nonapproved drug products is much greater. Unbeknownst to the user, the dose of active ingredients in substances of abuse can vary substantially between different products because of manufacturing practices or improper storage. Even naturally occurring substances of abuse can have extensive dosage variability because of effects of the growing season and conditions, or differences in harvesting, storage, or manufacture of the finished products. Many illicit substances are adulterated, to make up for intentional underdosing or to enhance the effect of the intended active ingredient. These adulterants can be dangerous and produce direct cardiovascular, neurologic, hematologic, or dermatologic reactions or obscure adverse effects. Finally, an illicit substance can be contaminated or substituted for another one during its manufacture, leading to differences in adverse events, adverse event severity, or the drug interaction profile. Substances can be contaminated with microbes that induce infections or heavy metals that can damage organs or cause cancer. This milieu of undisclosed substances can also induce drug interactions. For reasons that are discussed, individuals who use substances of abuse are at increased risk of morbidity or mortality if they develop coronavirus disease 2019. Health professionals who treat patients with acute, urgent events associated with substances of abuse, or those treating the chronic manifestations of addiction, need to appreciate the complex and variable composition of substances of abuse and their potential health effects.
Ecological restoration of fly‐ash disposal areas: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Yadav Swati , Pandey Vimal Chandra , Singh Lal
Published: August 2021

Fly‐ash (FA) is a by‐product or residue that is produced during the combustion of coal for energy production in thermal power plants. The huge amount of FA generation is a global problem; and coal power generators still can find no safe and sustainable approach to FA disposal. FA dumps not only create air, water, and soil pollution but also pose a noxious impact on human health by introducing toxins in the food chain through biomagnification. A non‐food vegetation cover can help to mitigate FA dump‐related environmental health issues. However, alkaline pH, toxic metals, lack of soil microbes, and pozzolanic properties of FA limit plant growth. In this regard, ecological restoration of FA dumps through phytoremediation should be a holistic approach. This review focuses on the role of naturally occurring plants, tree plantation, and microbial inoculation in the ecological restoration of FA dumps and their role in the physicochemical changes of FA substrate. Application of organic material has been proved to help establish vegetation cover on FA dumps as they provide essential nutrients for plant and microbial growth. Morphological, physiological, and antioxidant responses of plants grown on FA dumps are also discussed in this study in detail. Overall, this review summarises the different comprehensive approaches of FA dump restoration and compiles ways to convert barren FA dumps into useful sites for deriving bioeconomy with phytoproducts. The outcomes of this study should be beneficial helping identify site‐specific ecorestoration of FA dumps through an integrated approach.
Application of an improved vegetation index based on the visible spectrum in the diagnosis of degraded pastures: Implications for development
Authors: da Silva Quinaia Thiago Luiz , do Valle Junior Renato Farias , de Miranda Coelho Victor Peçanha , da Cunha Rafael Carvalho , Valera Carlos Alberto , Sanches Fernandes Luís Filipe , Pacheco Fernando António Leal
Published: August 2021

Inadequate pasture management causes land degradation through reduction of grass, increased presence of invasive plants or pests, compaction, erosion, and nutrient deficiency. The recognition of pasture degradation is therefore essential. Remote sensing satellite systems allow us to do so at regional‐to global scales. A struggle is in progress nowadays is to improve detection accuracy and implement high‐resolution surveys at farm scales using low‐cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The pasture imagery can be translated into maps of degraded pasture using the popular NDVI as diagnostic parameter, but their generation using a UAV requires a high‐cost NIR sensor, while the struggle is to use low‐cost UAVs equipped with RGB cameras. The first step to recognize degraded pastures using RGB cameras is to define a suitable vegetation index. Thus, the purpose of this study was to present the total brightness quotient of red (TBQR), green (TBQG), and blue (TBQB) bands. The test to the index resorted to LANDSAT‐8 satellite images captured over the environmental protection area of Uberaba River basin (Minas Gerais, Brazil) in the 2017–2019 period. The images were not captured by a UAV because the equipment was not then available. The results were promising given the large detection accuracy (88.63%) of the TBQG and the high (0.965) correlation between TBQG and NDVI. Besides, the TBQ‐based areas of degraded pasture (17,486.3–25,180.1 hectares) were larger than the NDVI counterparts (12,066.9 hectares). This is an additional reason to oversight degraded pastures based on the TBQs, as they seek for improved environmental compliance and economic development.
Distinct concentration‐discharge dynamics in temperate streams and rivers: CO2 exhibits chemostasis while CH4 exhibits source limitation due to temperature control
Authors: Aho Kelly S. , Fair Jennifer H. , Hosen Jacob D. , Kyzivat Ethan D. , Logozzo Laura A. , Rocher‐Ros Gerard , Weber Lisa C. , Yoon Byungman , Raymond Peter A.
Published: August 2021

Streams and rivers are significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, the magnitudes of these fluxes are uncertain, in part, because dissolved greenhouse gases (GHGs) can exhibit high spatiotemporal variability. Concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relationships are commonly used to describe temporal variability stemming from hydrologic controls on solute production and transport. This study assesses how the partial pressures of two GHGs—pCO2 and pCH4—vary across hydrologic conditions over 4 yr in eight nested streams and rivers, at both annual and seasonal timescales. Overall, the range of pCO2 was constrained, ranging from undersaturated to nine times oversaturated, while pCH4 was highly variable, ranging from 3 to 500 times oversaturated. We show that pCO2 exhibited chemostatic behavior (i.e., no change with Q), in part, due to carbonate buffering and seasonally specific storm responses. In contrast, we show that pCH4 generally exhibited source limitation (i.e., a negative relationship with Q), which we attribute to temperature‐mediated production. However, pCH4 exhibited chemostasis in a wetland‐draining stream, likely due to hydrologic connection to the CH4‐rich wetland. These findings have implications for CO2 and CH4 fluxes, which are controlled by concentrations and gas transfer velocities. At high Q, enhanced gas transfer velocity acts on a relatively constant CO2 stock but on a diminishing CH4 stock. In other words, CO2 fluxes increase with Q, while CH4 fluxes are modulated by the divergent Q dynamics of gas transfer velocity and concentration.
Inorganic and organic carbon and nitrogen uptake strategies of picoplankton groups in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Berthelot Hugo , Duhamel Solange , L'Helguen Stéphane , Maguer Jean‐François , Cassar Nicolas
Published: August 2021

Picoplankton populations dominate the planktonic community in the surface oligotrophic ocean. Yet, their strategies in the acquisition and the partitioning of organic and inorganic sources of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) are poorly described. Here, we measured at the single‐cell level the uptake of dissolved inorganic C (C‐fixation), C‐leucine, N‐leucine, nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), and N‐urea in pigmented and nonpigmented picoplankton groups at six low‐N stations in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Our study highlights important differences in trophic strategies between Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes, and nonpigmented prokaryotes. Nonpigmented prokaryotes were characterized by high leucine uptake rates, nonsignificant C‐fixation and relatively low NH4+, N‐urea, and NO3− uptake rates. Nonpigmented prokaryotes contributed to 7% ± 3%, 2% ± 2%, and 9% ± 5% of the NH4+, NO3−, and N‐urea community uptake, respectively. In contrast, pigmented groups displayed relatively high C‐fixation rates, NH4+ and N‐urea uptake rates, but lower leucine uptake rates than nonpigmented prokaryotes. Synechococcus and photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes NO3− uptake rates were higher than Prochlorococcus ones. Pico‐sized pigmented groups accounted for a significant fraction of the community C‐fixation (63% ± 27%), NH4+ uptake (47% ± 27%), NO3− uptake (62% ± 49%), and N‐urea uptake (81% ± 35%). Interestingly, Prochlorococcus and photosynthetic pico‐eukaryotes showed a greater reliance on C‐ and N‐leucine than Synechococcus on average, suggesting a greater reliance on organic C and N sources. Taken together, our single‐cell results decipher the wide diversity of C and N trophic strategies between and within marine picoplankton groups, but a clear partitioning between pigmented and nonpigmented groups still remains.
Worms and submersed macrophytes reduce methane release and increase nutrient removal in organic sediments
Authors: Benelli Sara , Bartoli Marco
Published: August 2021

Organic sediments are greenhouse gas and nutrient hotspots. They may display lower methane (CH4) emissions and increase nutrient retention when macrophytes and macrofauna are present, due to oxygen leakage from roots and bioirrigation. We tested this hypothesis via incubations of microcosms reproducing four treatments: bare sediment, sediment with oligochaetes, sediment with macrophytes, and sediment with both organisms. Along a 12‐d experiment, CH4 ebullition in bare sediment (470 ± 13 mmol m−2) decreased by 67%, 88%, and 97% in the presence of plants, oligochaetes, and both organisms, respectively. Oligochaetes increased N2 production by ~ 200 mmol N m−2 and nitrate consumption by a factor of 4, whereas macrophytes reduced nitrogen losses by ~ 65 mmol N m−2. All treatments acted as phosphate sink. Results suggest that the maintenance of vegetation and associated macrofauna in organic sediments promotes their combined ecosystem services, resulting in significant reduction of greenhouse gas emission and nutrient release to the water column.
Electrically Driven Tunable Broadband Polarization States via Active Metasurfaces Based on Joule‐Heat‐Induced Phase Transition of Vanadium Dioxide
Authors: Shu Fang‐Zhou , Wang Jia‐Nan , Peng Ru‐Wen , Xiong Bo , Fan Ren‐Hao , Gao Ya‐Jun , Liu Yongmin , Qi Dong‐Xiang , Wang Mu
Published: August 2021

Broadband tuning of polarization states is pivotal yet challenging in modern photonics technologies, especially for miniaturized or integrated systems. Metasurfaces potentially provide an effective approach to resolve this challenge. However, once a metadevice is fabricated, its functionalities are determined, and it is hard to actively tune the polarization states. Here, the electrically tunable broadband polarization states by combining phase‐change material (vanadium dioxide) and dispersion‐free metasurface are demonstrated for the first time. The polarization states are modulated through the electrically driven, Joule‐heat‐induced phase transition of vanadium dioxide, where the output polarization state can be continuously tuned from horizontal one to vertical one, or from circular polarization to linear polarization. With accurate on‐chip control of the phase transition, continuous and reversible modulation of polarization is verified in a scanning display. Moreover, a proof‐of‐concept demonstration for dynamically independent control of multiple polarization display is carried out. Different images are produced by applying electrical currents in N separate channels to generate a dynamic multiplexing polarization display with 2N encoding states. Such an active metasurface can be readily integrated with electronics and has potential applications in display, encryption, camouflage, and information processing.
The Italian open data meteorological portal: MISTRAL
Authors: Bottazzi Michele , Scipione Gabriella , Marras Gian Franco , Trotta Giuseppe , D'Antonio Mattia , Chiavarini Beatrice , Caroli Cinzia , Montanari Margherita , Bassini Sanzio , Gascón Estíbaliz , Hewson Timothy , Montani Andrea , Cesari Davide , Minguzzi Enrico , Paccagnella Tiziana , Pelosini Renata , Bertolotto Paolo , Monaco Luca , Forconi Martina , Giovannini Luca , Cacciamani Carlo , Passeri Luca Delli , Pieralice Andrea
Published: August 2021

At the national level, in Italy, observational and forecast data are collected by various public bodies and are often kept in various small, heterogeneous and non‐interoperable repositories, released under different licenses, thus limiting the usability for external users. In this context, MISTRAL (the Meteo Italian SupercompuTing PoRtAL) was launched as the first Italian meteorological open data portal, with the aim of promoting the reuse of meteorological data sets available at national level coverage. The MISTRAL portal provides (and archives) meteorological data from various observation networks, both public and private, and forecast data that are generated and post‐processed within the Consortium for Small‐scale Modeling‐Limited Area Model Italia (COSMO‐LAMI) agreement using high performance computing (HPC) facilities. Also incorporated is the Italy Flash Flood use case, implemented with the collaboration of European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which exploits cutting edge advances in HPC‐based post‐processing of ensemble precipitation forecasts, for different model resolutions, and applies those to deliver novel blended‐resolution forecasts specifically for Italy. Finally, in addition to providing architectures for the acquisition and display of observational data, MISTRAL also delivers an interactive system for visualizing forecast data of different resolutions as superimposed multi‐layer maps.
Family caregivers of rare disease: A survey on health‐related quality of life in family caregivers for Gaucher disease patients in China
Authors: Xu Jiao , Bao Han , Qi Xinye , Wang Jiahui , Yin Hang , Shang Chunyang , Tan Rachel Leeyin , Wu Qunhong , Huang Weidong
Published: August 2021

Background

Rare diseases affect the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients and their family caregivers (FCs). However, limited evidence is available on the HRQoL of FCs of patients with Gaucher disease (GD). This study aimed to assess HRQoL and related factors among FCs of patients with GD in China.

Methods

A cross‐sectional online survey was conducted with 49 FCs recruited by convenience sampling. Participants completed the Medical Outcome Study Short Form‐36 (SF‐36), Zung's Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale, Zung's Self‐Rating Depression Scale, the Multi‐dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Herth Hope Index, and a questionnaire about FCs’ and patients’ sociodemographic characteristics. Single‐sample t tests, one‐way analysis of variance, and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data analysis.

Results

Participating FCs had significantly lower scores in all eight SF‐36 domains compared with the general population in China (p < 0.01). FCs’ gender, education, daily care time, anxiety, and the perceived disease severity of patients were significant predictors of SF‐36 physical component summary scores. Caregiving help from others, anxiety, perceived disease severity, and medical insurance type were significant predictors of SF‐36 mental component summary scores.

Conclusion

The findings showed FCs of patients with GD had lower HRQoL. There is an urgent need to address the health concerns of FCs of people with rare diseases including their HRQoL.
Pilot program addresses MH challenges new fathers face
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: August 2021

Recognizing the importance of addressing the mental health challenges new fathers are faced with during the perinatal period, Northwestern University and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago have conducted a pilot program, considered by officials to be the first of its kind to test an intervention for dads that addresses mental health concerns, such as stress, anxiety and depression.