bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex differences in pharmacokinetics predict adverse drug reactions in women
Authors: Zucker Irving , Prendergast Brian J.
Published: June 2020

Background

Women experience adverse drug reactions, ADRs, nearly twice as often as men, yet the role of sex as a biological factor in the generation of ADRs is poorly understood. Most drugs currently in use were approved based on clinical trials conducted on men, so women may be overmedicated. We determined whether sex differences in drug pharmacokinetics, PKs, predict sex differences in ADRs.

Methods

Searches of the ISI Web of Science and PubMed databases were conducted with combinations of the terms: drugs, sex or gender, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug safety, drug dose, and adverse drug reaction, which yielded over 5000 articles with considerable overlap. We obtained information from each relevant article on significant sex differences in PK measures, predominantly area under the curve, peak/maximum concentrations, and clearance/elimination rates. ADRs were identified from every relevant article and recorded categorically as female-biased, male-biased, or not sex-biased.

Results

For most of the FDA-approved drugs examined, elevated blood concentrations and longer elimination times were manifested by women, and these PKs were strongly linked to sex differences in ADRs. Of the 86 drugs evaluated, 76 had higher PK values in women; for 59 drugs with clinically identifiable ADRs, sex-biased PKs predicted the direction of sex-biased ADRs in 88% of cases. Ninety-six percent of drugs with female-biased PK values were associated with a higher incidence of ADRs in women than men, but only 29% of male-biased PKs predicted male-biased ADRs. Accessible PK information is available for only a small fraction of all drugs

Conclusions

Sex differences in pharmacokinetics strongly predict sex-specific ADRs for women but not men. This sex difference was not explained by sex differences in body weight. The absence of sex-stratified PK information in public records for hundreds of drugs raises the concern that sex differences in PK values are widespread and of clinical significance. The common practice of prescribing equal drug doses to women and men neglects sex differences in pharmacokinetics and dimorphisms in body weight, risks overmedication of women, and contributes to female-biased adverse drug reactions. We recommend evidence-based dose reductions for women to counteract this sex bias.
Efficacy and acceptability of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for non-specific chronic low back pain: a protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Thompson Trevor , Dias Sofia , Poulter Damian , Weldon Sharon , Marsh Lucy , Rossato Claire , Shin Jae Il , Firth Joseph , Veronese Nicola , Dragioti Elena , Stubbs Brendon , Solmi Marco , Maher Christopher G. , Cipriani Andrea , Ioannidis John P. A.
Published: June 2020

Background

Despite the enormous financial and humanistic burden of chronic low back pain (CLBP), there is little consensus on what constitutes the best treatment options from a multitude of competing interventions. The objective of this network meta-analysis (NMA) is to determine the relative efficacy and acceptability of primary care treatments for non-specific CLBP, with the overarching aim of providing a comprehensive evidence base for informing treatment decisions.

Methods

We will perform a systematic search to identify randomised controlled trials of interventions endorsed in primary care guidelines for the treatment of non-specific CLBP in adults. Information sources searched will include major bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsycINFO and LILACS) and clinical trial registries. Our primary outcomes will be patient-reported pain ratings and treatment acceptability (all-cause discontinuation), and secondary outcomes will be functional ability, quality of life and patient/physician ratings of overall improvement. A hierarchical Bayesian class-based NMA will be performed to determine the relative effects of different classes of pharmacological (NSAIDs, opioids, paracetamol, anti-depressants, muscle relaxants) and non-pharmacological (exercise, patient education, manual therapies, psychological therapy, multidisciplinary approaches, massage, acupuncture, mindfulness) interventions and individual treatments within a class (e.g. NSAIDs: diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen). We will conduct risk of bias assessments and threshold analysis to assess the robustness of the findings to potential bias. We will compute the effect of different interventions relative to placebo/no treatment for both short- and long-term efficacy and acceptability.

Discussion

While many factors are important in selecting an appropriate intervention for an individual patient, evidence for the analgesic effects and acceptability of a treatment are key factors in guiding this selection. Thus, this NMA will provide an important source of evidence to inform treatment decisions and future clinical guidelines.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO registry number: CRD42019138115
Dynamic linkages between poverty, inequality, crime, and social expenditures in a panel of 16 countries: two-step GMM estimates
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Yousaf Zahid , Nassani Abdelmohsen A. , Alotaibi Saad M. , Kabbani Ahmad , Zaman Khalid
Published: June 2020

The study examines the relationship between growth–inequality–poverty (GIP) triangle and crime rate under the premises of inverted U-shaped Kuznets curve and pro-poor growth scenario in a panel of 16 diversified countries, over a period of 1990–2014. The study employed panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator for robust inferences. The results show that there is (i) no/flat relationship between per capita income and crime rate; (ii) U-shaped relationship between poverty headcount and per capita income and (iii) inverted U-shaped relationship between income inequality and economic growth in a panel of selected countries. Income inequality and unemployment rate increases crime rate while trade openness supports to decrease crime rate. Crime rate substantially increases income inequality while health expenditures decrease poverty headcount ratio. Per capita income is influenced by high poverty incidence, whereas health expenditures and trade factor both amplify per capita income across countries. The results of pro-poor growth analysis show that though the crime rate decreases in the years 2000–2004 and 2010–2014, while the growth phase was anti-poor due to unequal distribution of income. Pro-poor education and health trickle down to the lower income strata group for the years 2010–2014, as education and health reforms considerably reduce crime rate during the time period.
Effects of supplementation of green tea extract on the milk performance of peripartal dairy cows and the expression of stress response genes in the liver
Authors: Gessner Denise K. , Brock Corinna , Hof Lena M. , Most Erika , Koch Christian , Eder Klaus
Published: June 2020

Background

We hypothesised that supplementation of green tea extract (GTE) in dairy cows during the transition period can attenuate proinflammatory conditions and prevent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver of these cows. Thirty Holstein cows with an average parity of 3.06 (± 1.31, SD) were divided into a control group and a group that received a daily amount of 10 g of GTE from d 7 before the calving day and a daily amount of 20 g of GTE from the day of calving until d 7 of lactation.

Results

Cows supplemented with GTE did not show differences in energy intake or milk yield in weeks 2–7 of lactation. However, these cows had a lower milk fat concentration and a lower energy corrected milk yield than the control cows and showed a trend of improved energy balance. The relative mRNA concentrations of proinflammatory genes, genes involved in the acute phase reaction and antioxidant genes in the liver in weeks 1, 4 and 7 of lactation were not different between the two groups of cows. The concentrations of α-tocopherol and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity in plasma were not different between the two groups. However, the group supplemented with GTE showed significant reductions of some genes of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in week 1 and a trend of lower liver triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations in the liver compared to the control group.

Conclusions

This study shows that supplementation of GTE in dairy cows lowers the fat concentration in the milk but overall has no effect on the expression of inflammatory genes and the antioxidative status in dairy cows during early lactation. The finding of reduced mRNA levels of genes involved in the UPR at week 1, however, supports other results showing that supplementation of polyphenols could prevent the development of ER stress in the liver of cows during early lactation. The finding of a tendency towards a reduced TAG concentration in the liver of cows supplemented with GTE might be due to an improved energy balance in these cows.
Skin microbiota analysis-inspired development of novel anti-infectives
Authors: Liu Yao , Liu Yuanzhen , Du Zixiu , Zhang Lidan , Chen Juan , Shen Zhen , Liu Qian , Qin Juanxiu , Lv Huiying , Wang Hua , He Lei , Liu Junlan , Huang Qian , Sun Yuhui , Otto Michael , Li Min
Published: June 2020

Background

The alarming spread of antimicrobial resistance requires the development of novel anti-infective drugs. Despite the recent research focus on the human microbiome and its likely value to understand and exploit inter-bacterial inhibitory phenomena as a source for antimicrobial strategies, the human microbiota has barely been investigated for the purpose of drug development.

Results

We performed a large screen analyzing over 3000 human skin isolates to evaluate bacterial competition within the human skin microbiota as a basis for the development of anti-infective therapeutics. We discovered a Staphylococcus hominis strain with strong and broad activity against Gram-positive pathogens that was mediated by the bacteriocin micrococcin P1 (MP1). In “probiotic” approaches, this strain led to reduced Staphylococcus aureus infection and accelerated closure of S. aureus-infected wounds. Furthermore, we used a nanoparticle strategy to overcome the physico-chemical limitations often encountered with natural substances such as MP1 and demonstrate a significant reduction of S. aureus infection by MP1-loaded nanoparticles.

Conclusions

Our study gives examples of how analysis of bacterial interactions in the human microbiota can be explored for the development of novel, effective anti-infective strategies.
Clinical performance of non-invasive prenatal served as a first-tier screening test for trisomy 21, 18, 13 and sex chromosome aneuploidy in a pilot city in China
Authors: Liu Yanhui , Liu Hailiang , He Yi , Xu Wanfang , Ma Qiulin , He Yuzhen , Lei Wei , Chen Guoquan , He Zheng , Huang Jiayi , Liu Jianan , Liu Yuanru , Huang Quanfei , Yu Fubing
Published: June 2020

Background

Cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) has opened up new approaches for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), and it is often used as the second-tier test for high-risk pregnant women in detecting trisomy (T) 21, T18, and T13 after serum biochemistry screening. This study aims to discuss the clinical performance of NIPT as an alternative first-tier screening test for pregnant women in detecting T21, T18, T13, and sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) in China.

Methods

A total of 42,924 samples were recruited. The cell-free plasma DNA was directly sequenced. Each of the chromosome aneuploidies of PPV was analyzed. A total of 22 placental samples were acquired, including 14 FP and 8 TP samples. The placental verification of FP NIPT results was performed.

Results

Among 42,924 samples, 281 (0.65%) positive cases, including 87 of T21, 31 of T18, 22 of T13, and 141 of SCAs were detected. For the detection of T21, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 78.46%, for trisomy 18, 62.96%, for trisomy 13, 10.00%, for SCAs, 47.22% in the total samples. For trisomy 21, the PPV was 86.67%, for trisomy 18, 80.00%, for trisomy 13, 20.00%, for SCAs, 56.52% in advanced maternal age (AMA) women. The PPV of T21 increased with age. For T18, the PPV showed an overall upward trend. For T13 and SCAs, PPV was raised first and then lowered. Placental verification of false positive (FP) NIPT results confirmed confined placental mosaicism(CPM) was the reason for false positives.

Conclusions

This study represents the first time that NIPT has been used as a first-tier screening test for fetal aneuploidies in a pilot city with large clinical samples in China. We propose that NIPT could replace serum biochemistry screening as a first-tier test.
Impact of a community-based intervention on Aedes aegypti and its spatial distribution in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Bonnet Emmanuel , Fournet Florence , Benmarhnia Tarik , Ouedraogo Samiratou , Dabiré Roch , Ridde Valéry
Published: June 2020

Background

Several studies highlighted the impact of community-based interventions whose purpose was to reduce the vectors’ breeding sites. These strategies are particularly interesting in low-and-middle-income countries which may find it difficult to sustainably assume the cost of insecticide-based interventions. In this case study we determine the spatial distribution of a community-based intervention for dengue vector control using different entomological indices. The objective was to evaluate locally where the intervention was most effective, using spatial analysis methods that are too often neglected in impact assessments.

Methods

Two neighbourhoods, Tampouy and Juvenat in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, were chosen among five after a survey was conducted, as part of an assessment related to the burden of dengue. As part of the community-based intervention conducted in Tampouy between August and early October 2016, an entomological survey was implemented in two phases. The first phase consisted of a baseline entomological characterization of potential breeding sites in the neighbourhood of Tampouy as well as in Juvenat, the control area. This phase was conducted in October 2015 at the end of the rainy season. The mosquito breeding sites were screened in randomly selected houses: 206 in Tampouy and 203 in Juvenat. A second phase took place after the intervention, in October 2016. The mosquito breeding sites were investigated in the same yards as during the baseline phase. We performed several entomological analyses to measure site productivity as well as before and after analysis using multilevel linear regression. We used Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISAs) to analyse spatial concentrations of larvae.

Results

After the intervention, it is noted that LISAs at Tampouy reveal few aggregates of all types and the suppression of those existing before the intervention. The analysis therefore reveals that the intervention made it possible to reduce the number of concentration areas of high and low values of pupae.

Conclusions

The contribution of spatial methods for assessing community-based intervention are relevant for monitoring at local levels as a complement to epidemiological analyses conducted within neighbourhoods. They are useful, therefore, not only for assessment but also for establishing interventions. This study shows that spatial analyses also have their place in population health intervention research.
Osteomalacia and renal failure due to Fanconi syndrome caused by long-term low-dose Adefovir Dipivoxil: a case report
Authors: Xiang Qian , Liu Zhiyan , Yu Yanyan , Zhang Hanxu , Xie Qiufen , Mu Guangyan , Zhang Jianhua , Cen Xinan , Cui Yimin
Published: June 2020

Background

Progressive bone pain and fracture and abnormal positron emission tomography combined with a computed tomography are main reasons for the oncologists suspecting bone tumor. During the patient’s medical treatment, the oncologists’ unfamiliarity with adverse reactions to anti-HBV drugs were main reason for the long-term exposure to the drug and the adverse reaction (ADR) experienced by the patient.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old Chinese man had a 27-month history of progressive generalized bone pain combined with spontaneous fractures. Positron emission tomography combined with a computed tomography, revealed an abnormal increase in ribose metabolism and low positron serum inorganic phosphorus concentration (0.7; 0.78–1.65 mmol/L). Serum creatinine level was 252 μmol/L (53–97) μmol/L, and glomerular filtration rate was 22.79 mL/min/1.73 m2. The patient was referred to a multidisciplinary clinic to clarify the diagnosis of myeloma or bone tumor for further treatment in 2017. His medical history revealed that he had a 30-year history of chronic hepatitis B infection. He had received lamivudine at a daily dose of 100 mg for 19 years (1990 to 2009), which had been changed to adefovir (10 mg/day) owing to lamivudine resistance in 2009. Based on the changes in the patient’s laboratory markers and the results of emission computed tomography and other radiographic findings, adefovir-induced hypophosphatemic osteomalacia due to acquired renal Fanconi syndrome was suspected by the clinical pharmacist. Considerable clinical improvement was observed after adefovir discontinuation and the administration of entecavir (1.0 mg, every other day).

Conclusion

Fanconi syndrome with osteomalacia can develop in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection being treated with adefovir at a conventional low dosage of 10 mg/day. This case highlights the importance of ADR as a differential diagnosis and the need of pharmacists with drug safety expertise expert in the patient management.
Characterization of the TNF and IL-1 systems in human brain and blood after ischemic stroke
Authors: Clausen Bettina H. , Wirenfeldt Martin , Høgedal Sofie S. , Frich Lars H. , Nielsen Helle H. , Schrøder Henrik D. , Østergaard Kamilla , Finsen Bente , Kristensen Bjarne W. , Lambertsen Kate L.
Published: June 2020

Preclinical and clinical proof-of-concept studies have suggested the effectiveness of pharmacological modulation of inflammatory cytokines in ischemic stroke. Experimental evidence shows that targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-1 holds promise, and these cytokines are considered prime targets in the development of new stroke therapies. So far, however, information on the cellular expression of TNF and IL-1 in the human ischemic brain is sparse.

We studied 14 cases of human post-mortem ischemic stroke, representing 21 specimens of infarcts aged 1 to > 8 days. We characterized glial and leukocyte reactions in the infarct/peri-infarct (I/PI) and normal-appearing tissue (NAT) and the cellular location of TNF, TNF receptor (TNFR)1 and TNFR2, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). The immunohistochemically stained tissue sections received a score reflecting the number of immunoreactive cells and the intensity of the immunoreactivity (IR) in individual cells where 0 = no immunoreactive cells, 1 = many intermediately to strongly immunoreactive cells, and 2 = numerous and intensively immunoreactive cells. Additionally, we measured blood TNF, TNFR, and IL-1 levels in surviving ischemic stroke patients within the first 8 h and again at 72 h after symptom onset and compared levels to healthy controls.

We observed IL-1α and IL-1β IR in neurons, glia, and macrophages in all specimens. IL-1Ra IR was found in glia, in addition to macrophages. TNF IR was initially found in neurons located in I/PI and NAT but increased in glia in older infarcts. TNF IR increased in macrophages in all specimens. TNFR1 IR was found in neurons and glia and macrophages, while TNFR2 was expressed only by glia in I/PI and NAT, and by macrophages in I/PI. Our results suggest that TNF and IL-1 are expressed by subsets of cells and that TNFR2 is expressed in areas with increased astrocytic reactivity. In ischemic stroke patients, we demonstrate that plasma TNFR1 and TNFR2 levels increased in the acute phase after symptom onset compared to healthy controls, whereas TNF, IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-1Ra did not change.

Our findings of increased brain cytokines and plasma TNFR1 and TNFR2 support the hypothesis that targeting post-stroke inflammation could be a promising add-on therapy in ischemic stroke patients.
Investigating the relationship between time and predictive model maintenance
Authors: Leevy Joffrey L. , Khoshgoftaar Taghi M. , Bauder Richard A. , Seliya Naeem
Published: June 2020

A majority of predictive models should be updated regularly, since the most recent data associated with the model may have a different distribution from that of the original training data. This difference may be critical enough to impact the effectiveness of the machine learning model. In our paper, we investigate the relationship between time and predictive model maintenance. Our work incorporates severely imbalanced big data from three Medicare datasets, namely Part D, DMEPOS, and Combined, that have been used in several fraud detection studies. We build training datasets from year-groupings of 2013, 2014, 2015, 2013–2014, 2014–2015, and 2013–2015. Our test datasets are built from the 2016 data. To mitigate some of the adverse effects from the severe class imbalance in these datasets, the performance of five class ratios obtained by Random Undersampling and five learners is evaluated by the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve metric. The models producing the best values are as follows: Logistic Regression with the 2015 year-grouping at a 99:1 class ratio (Part D); Random Forest with the 2014-2015 year-grouping at a 75:25 class ratio (DMEPOS); and Logistic Regression with the full 2015 year-grouping (Combined). Our experimental results show that the largest training dataset (year-grouping 2013–2015) was not among the selected choices, which indicates that the 2013 data may be outdated. Moreover, we note that because the best model is different for Part D, DMEPOS, and Combined, this suggests that these three datasets may actually be sub-domains requiring unique models within the Medicare fraud detection domain.
Comparison of 3 γ-probes for simultaneous iodine-125-seed and technetium-99m breast cancer surgery: NEMA standard characterisation with extended processing
Authors: Hoog Christopher , Koulibaly Pierre-Malick , Dejean Catherine , Desdoits Tom , Humbert Olivier , Barranger Emmanuel , Darcourt Jacques
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Iodine-125 (125I) seeds can be used as landmarks to locate non-palpable breast lesions instead of implanting metal wires. This relatively new technique requires a nuclear probe usually used for technetium-99m (99mTc) sentinel node detection. This study aimed to compare the performances of different probes and valid the feasibility of this technique, especially in the case of simultaneous 125I-seed and 99mTc breast cancer surgery.

Methods

Three probes with different features (SOE-3211, SOE-3214 and GammaSUP-II) were characterised according to the NEMA NU3-2004 standards for a 99mTc source and a 125I-seed. Several tests such as sensitivity, linearity or spatial resolution allowed an objective comparison of their performances. NEMA testing was extended to work on signals discrimination in case of simultaneous detection of two different sources (innovative figure of merit “Shift Index”) and to assess the 99mTc scatter fraction, a useful parameter for the improvement of the probes in terms of detector materials and electronic system.

Results

Although the GammaSUP-II probe saturated at a lower activity (1.6 MBq at 10 mm depth), it allowed better sensitivity and spatial resolution at the different NEMA tests performed with the 99mTc source (7865 cps/MBq and 15 mm FWHM at 10 mm depth). With the 125I-seed, the GammaSUP-II was the most sensitive probe (3106 cps/MBq at 10 mm depth) and the SOE-3211 probe had the best spatial resolution (FWHM 20 mm at 10 mm depth). The SOE-3214 probe was more efficient on discriminating 125I from 99mTc in case of simultaneous detection. The SOE probes were more efficient concerning 99mTc scatter fraction assessments. The SOE-3211 probe, with overall polyvalent performances, seemed to be an interesting trade-off for detection of both 125I and 99mTc.

Conclusion

The three probes showed heterogeneous performances but were all suitable for simultaneous 99mTc sentinel node and 125I-seed detection. This study provides an objective and innovative methodology to compare probes performances and then choose the best trade-off regarding their expected use.
Invasive growth of Aspergillus oryzae in rice koji and increase of nuclear number
Authors: Yasui Mizuki , Oda Ken , Masuo Shunsuke , Hosoda Shuji , Katayama Takuya , Maruyama Jun-ichi , Takaya Naoki , Takeshita Norio
Published: June 2020

Background

‘Ricekoji’ is a solid culture ofAspergillus oryzaeon steamed rice grains. Multiple parallel fermentation, wherein saccharification of rice byA. oryzaeand alcohol fermentation by the budding yeast occur simultaneously, leads to the formation of a variety of ingredients of Japanese sake. In sake brewing, the degree of mycelial invasive growth into the steamed rice, called ‘haze-komi’, highly correlates with the digestibility and quality of ricekoji, since the hyphae growing into the rice secrete amylases and digest starch.

Results

In this study, we investigated mycelial distribution of GFP-taggedA. oryzaein ricekojimade with different types of rice, such as sake rice and eating rice, with 50 or 90% polishing rate to remove abundant proteins and lipids near the surface. In addition, we compared transcriptomes ofA. oryzaein the different types of ricekoji. Finally, we found thatA. oryzaeincreases the nuclear number and hyphal width in the course of 1–3 days cultivation.

Conclusions

Our imaging analyses indicate thatA. oryzaehyphae grew more deeply into 50% polished rice than 90% polished rice. The increases of nuclear number may be a selectively acquired characteristic for the high secretory capacity during the long history of cultivation of this species.
Downfolding of the epiglottis into the laryngeal inlet after tracheal intubation using the McGRATHTM MAC videolaryngoscope: a case report
Authors: Soma Haruno , Furutani Kenta , Hibino Ayaka , Hibino Akinobu , Baba Hiroshi
Published: June 2020

Background

Downfolding of the epiglottis into the laryngeal inlet is considered to be a rare complication of tracheal intubation. We describe a case of epiglottic downfolding during tracheal intubation using a McGrath videolaryngoscope (McGRATHTM MAC).

Case presentation

A 44-year-old female was scheduled for breast reconstruction surgery. Intubation was performed using a McGrath videolaryngoscope. After intubation, videolaryngoscopy revealed that the epiglottis was inverted and folded down into the laryngeal inlet. We elevated the larynx anteriorly using the McGrath videolaryngoscope, enabling the downfolded epiglottis to be pulled out from the laryngeal inlet and restored to its original position. After surgery, the patient was extubated without any complications.

Conclusions

When using the McGrath videolaryngoscope, both glottic exposure similar to that achieved with the Macintosh laryngoscope and careful observation of the epiglottis should enable the prevention, detection, and treatment of epiglottic downfolding into the laryngeal inlet.
Subjective (dis)utility of effort: mentally and physically demanding tasks
Authors: Ackerman Phillip L. , Tatel Corey E. , Lyndgaard Sibley F.
Published: June 2020

Effort as a concept, whether momentary, sustained, or as a function of different task conditions, is of critical importance to resource theories of attention, fatigue/boredom, workplace motivation, career selection, performance, job incentives, and other applied psychology concerns. Various models of motivation suggest that there is an inverted-U-shaped function describing the personal utility of effort, but there are expected to be individual differences in the optimal levels of effort that also are related to specific domain preferences. The current study assessed the disutility of effort for 125 different tasks/activities and also explored individual differences correlates of task preferences, in a sample of 77 undergraduate participants. The participants rated each activity in terms of the amount of compensation they would require to perform the task for a period of 4 h. They also completed paired comparisons for a subset of 24 items, followed by a set of preference judgments. Multidimensional scaling and preference scaling techniques were used to determine individual differences in task preference. Personality, motivation, and interest traits were shown to be substantially related to task preferences. Implications for understanding which individuals are oriented toward or away from tasks with different effort demands are discussed, along with considerations for the dynamics of attentional effort allocations during task performance.
Survivors of COVID-19 are at high risk of posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Xiao Shuiyuan , Luo Dan , Xiao Yang
Published: June 2020

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental disorder caused by major psychological trauma. It could result in serious distress and disability. Previous epidemic studies report high prevalence rates among people exposed to the trauma resulted from an infectious disease epidemic. While the control of the epidemic and care of patients with COVID-19 are still the dominant task of the whole world, this commentary calls for attention to early intervention and prevention of PTSD among huge numbers of COVID-19 survivors, their family members, health care professionals and other first-line helpers.
Initial damage produced by a single 15-Gy x-ray irradiation to the rat calvaria skin
Authors: da Silva Santin Matheus , Koehler José , Rocha Danilo Massuia , dos Reis Camila Audrey , Omar Nadia Fayez , Fidler Yasmin , de Miranda Soares Maria Albertina , Gomes José Rosa
Published: June 2020

Background

Calvaria skin has a reduced thickness, and its initial damage produced by irradiation was scarcely reported. We aimed to identify the initial effects of x-ray irradiation in the rat calvaria skin.

Methods

After approval by the Animal Ethical Committee, calvaria skin sections of five Wistar rats per time point were evaluated on days 4, 9, 14, and 25 following a single 15-Gy x-ray irradiation of the head. The control group was composed of five rats and evaluated on day 4. Sections were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining for morphology, inflammation, and fibrosis. Fibrosis was also evaluated by the collagen maturation index from Picrosirius red staining and by cell proliferation using the immunohistochemistry, after 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine intraperitoneal injection.

Results

In irradiated rats, we observed a reduction in epithelial cell proliferation (p = 0.004) and in matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression (p < 0.001), an increase in the maturation index, and with a predominance in the type I collagen fibers, on days 9 and 14 (1.19 and 1.17, respectively). A progressive disorganization in the morphology of the collagen fibers at all time points and changes in morphology of the sebaceous gland cells and hair follicle were present until day 14.

Conclusions

The initial damage produced by a single 15-Gy x-ray irradiation to the rat calvaria skin was a change in the normal morphology of collagen fibers to an amorphous aspect, a temporary absence of the sebaceous gland and hair follicles, and without a visible inflammatory process, cell proliferation, or fibrosis process in the dermis.
Changes in hamstring strength after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with hamstring autograft and posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with tibialis allograft
Authors: Lee O-Sung , Lee Yong Seuk
Published: June 2020

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in hamstring strength both after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with hamstring autograft followed by early rehabilitation and posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR) with tibialis allograft followed by delayed rehabilitation.

Methods

Isokinetic strengths of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles and endurances were compared between a group of 20 patients undergoing PCLR using a tibialis anterior allograft and a 1:2 matched control group of 40 patients undergoing ACLR using a hamstring autograft at 2 years after the operations. Clinical results were also compared using stability tests and the Lysholm and the International Knee Documentation Committee scores.

Results

At 2 years after the operations, the torque deficit of the hamstring muscle in the involved leg compared to the uninvolved leg at both 60°/s and 120°/s was greater in the PCLR group than in the ACLR group (60°/s, 21.8 ± 14.0% versus 1.9 ± 23.9%, P = 0.0171; 120°/s, 15.3 ± 13.7% versus −0.7 ± 17.4%, p = 0.012, respectively). The peak torque of the hamstring muscle at 120°/s was significantly lower in the involved leg than in the uninvolved leg only in the PCLR group (71.3 ± 31.9 N∙m versus 81.9 ± 27.8 N∙m, P = 0.005). There was no significant difference in the clinical results between the groups except for a side-to-side difference in the tibial translation on Telos stress radiographs.

Conclusion

The strength of the hamstring of the PCLR leg with allograft was significantly weaker than that of the unoperated leg after 2 years, whereas that of the ACLR leg with hamstring autograft maintained a similar level of strength compared to that of the uninvolved leg.

Level of evidence

Level III, case–control study.
Mechanism of corrosion protection in chloride solution by an apple-based green inhibitor: experimental and theoretical studies
Authors: Honarvar Nazari Mehdi , Shihab Mehdi Salih , Havens Eden Adele , Shi Xianming
Published: June 2020

Preservation of metals in infrastructures and other assets requires cost-effective and sustainable solutions such as green corrosion inhibitors. This study assesses an apple pomace-derived green inhibitor synthesized by an innovative zero-waste method. Electrochemical measurements revealed the high performance of this liquid extract in reducing the corrosion of carbon steel in NaCl brine. The chemical composition of this inhibitor was characterized by liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) to shed light on the corrosion inhibition mechanism. Based on LC-MS analysis, the results of surface analysis were interpreted. Specifically, the major corrosion inhibitor agent in the apple pomace extract was determined as C26H50NO7P (1-Linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), which can adsorb onto the steel surface to form a barrier layer and serve as a blocker of active anodic sites. Further study showed that the apple extract adsorption follows the Langmuir isotherm, and physical adsorption is dominant (vs. chemical adsorption). Theoretical calculations using quantum chemistry proposed a physisorption mechanism for the protection of steel by C26H50NO7P molecules.

Graphical abstract
A brief review of the technological advancements of phase measuring deflectometry
Authors: Xu Yongjia , Gao Feng , Jiang Xiangqian
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a short review for phase measuring deflectometry (PMD). PMD is a phase calculation based technique for three-dimensional (3D) measurement of specular surfaces. PMD can achieve nano-scale form measurement accuracy with the advantages of high dynamic range, non-contact, full field measurement which makes it a competitive method for specular surface measurement. With the development of computer science, display and imaging technology, there has been an advancement in speed for PMD in recent years. This paper discusses PMD focusing on the difference on its system configuration. Measurement principles, progress, advantages and problems are discussed for each category. The challenges and future development of PMD are also discussed.
Anti-angiogenesis and apoptogenic potential of the brown marine alga, Chnoospora minima
Authors: Parveen Shabana , Nadumane Varalakshmi K.
Published: June 2020

Background

Algae being one of the dominant organisms in nature can provide best opportunity for the discovery of new anti-cancer drugs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic potential of the brown marine alga Chnoospora minima.

Result

The methanol extract of C. minima and its bioactive fraction (CF4) have highly significant cytotoxic effects to HepG2, HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. The fraction’s ability to induce apoptosis in the cancer cells was evidenced by increased caspase activity (caspase-3, 7 and 10), DNA fragmentation pattern and upregulated expressions of Bax and p53 genes. The bioactive fraction was not toxic to human peripheral lymphocytes. HPLC, ESI-MS and GC-MS analysis of CF4 fraction indicated the presence of the compound hexadecanoic acid which might be responsible for the observed anti-cancer activity of C. minima. The methanol extract of C. minima exhibited anti-angiogenic effects on chick embryos.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that fraction, CF4, from C. minima is a promising source of an anti-cancer lead molecule.
Parameter crosstalk and leakage between spatially separated unknowns in viscoelastic full-waveform inversion
Authors: Keating Scott , Innanen Kristopher A.
Published: June 2020

Elastic and attenuative effects play a major role in the determination of wave amplitudes and phases observed at seismic sensors. Viscoelastic full-waveform inversion (FWI) has the potential to recover much of the information content of measured seismic data by simultaneously accounting for these effects. However, the frequency variations and phase information present in viscoelastic FWI introduce new challenges to the inversion, especially through their impact on interparameter crosstalk. Crosstalk is typically characterized through analysis of the radiation patterns of point scatterers; however, the point scatterer model is not well suited to viscoelastic FWI because (1) attenuation introduces a significant potential for crosstalk between variables distant from one another in space and (2) interpreting the effect of frequency and phase dependence on the radiation patterns of point scatterers is not straightforward. We have introduced and examined a numerical approach for assessing the viscoelastic crosstalk modes expected for a given parameterization, optimization strategy, and acquisition geometry based on differencing various synthetic inversion results. With this approach, we have characterized the viscoelastic crosstalk for a typical parameterization for several possible acquisition geometries. Of particular note is the strong tendency for [Formula: see text] variables to leak into elastic variables from which they are spatially separated.
Hybrid frequency-domain full-waveform inversion using ray+Born sensitivity kernels
Authors: Djebbi Ramzi , Alkhalifah Tariq
Published: June 2020

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) using the scattering integral (SI) approach is an explicit formulation of the inversion optimization problem. The inversion procedure is straightforward, and the dependence of the data residuals on the model parameters is clear. However, the biggest limitation associated with this approach is the huge computational cost in conventional exploration seismology applications. Modeling from each of the source and receiver locations is required to compute the update at every iteration, and that is prohibitively expensive, especially for 3D problems. To deal with this issue, we have developed a hybrid implementation of frequency-domain FWI, in which forward modeling is combined with ray tracing to compute the update. We use the sensitivity kernels computed from dynamic ray tracing to build the gradient. The data residual is still computed using finite-difference wavefield modeling. With ray theory, the Green’s function can be approximated using a coarser grid compared to wave-equation modeling. Therefore, the memory requirements, as well as the computational cost, are reduced significantly. Considering that in transmission FWI long-to-intermediate wavelengths are updated during the early iterations, we obtain accurate inverted models. The inversion scheme captured the anomaly embedded in the homogeneous background medium. For more complex models, the hybrid inversion method helps in improving the initial model with little cost compared with conventional SI inversion approaches. The accuracy of the inversion results shows the effectiveness of the hybrid approach for 3D realistic problems.
2.5D crosshole GPR full-waveform inversion with synthetic and measured data
Authors: Mozaffari Amirpasha , Klotzsche Anja , Warren Craig , He Guowei , Giannopoulos Antonios , Vereecken Harry , van der Kruk Jan
Published: June 2020

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) of cross-borehole ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data is a technique with the potential to investigate subsurface structures. Typical FWI applications transform 3D measurements into a 2D domain via an asymptotic 3D to 2D data transformation, widely known as a Bleistein filter. Despite the broad use of such a transformation, it requires some assumptions that make it prone to errors. Although the existence of the errors is known, previous studies have failed to quantify the inaccuracies introduced on permittivity and electrical conductivity estimation. Based on a comparison of 3D and 2D modeling, errors could reach up to 30% of the original amplitudes in layered structures with high-contrast zones. These inaccuracies can significantly affect the performance of crosshole GPR FWI in estimating permittivity and especially electrical conductivity. We have addressed these potential inaccuracies by introducing a novel 2.5D crosshole GPR FWI that uses a 3D finite-difference time-domain forward solver (gprMax3D). This allows us to model GPR data in 3D, whereas carrying out FWI in the 2D plane. Synthetic results showed that 2.5D crosshole GPR FWI outperformed 2D FWI by achieving higher resolution and lower average errors for permittivity and conductivity models. The average model errors in the whole domain were reduced by approximately 2% for permittivity and conductivity, whereas zone-specific errors in high-contrast layers were reduced by approximately 20%. We verified our approach using crosshole 2.5D FWI measured data, and the results showed good agreement with previous 2D FWI results and geologic studies. Moreover, we analyzed various approaches and found an adequate trade-off between computational complexity and accuracy of the results, i.e., reducing the computational effort while maintaining the superior performance of our 2.5D FWI scheme.
Estimating reservoir permeability with borehole radar
Authors: Zhou Feng , Giannakis Iraklis , Giannopoulos Antonios , Holliger Klaus , Slob Evert
Published: June 2020

In oil drilling, mud filtrate penetrates into porous formations and alters the compositions and properties of the pore fluids. This disturbs the logging signals and brings errors to reservoir evaluation. Drilling and logging engineers therefore deem mud invasion as undesired and attempt to eliminate its adverse effects. However, the mud-contaminated formation carries valuable information, notably with regard to its hydraulic properties. Typically, the invasion depth critically depends on the formation porosity and permeability. Therefore, if adequately characterized, mud invasion effects could be used for reservoir evaluation. To pursue this objective, we have applied borehole radar to measure mud invasion depth considering its high radial spatial resolution compared with conventional logging tools, which then allows us to estimate the reservoir permeability based on the acquired invasion depth. We investigate the feasibility of this strategy numerically through coupled electromagnetic and fluid modeling in an oil-bearing layer drilled using freshwater-based mud. Time-lapse logging is simulated to extract the signals reflected from the invasion front, and a dual-offset downhole antenna mode enables time-to-depth conversion to determine the invasion depth. Based on drilling, coring, and logging data, a quantitative interpretation chart is established, mapping the porosity, permeability, and initial water saturation into the invasion depth. The estimated permeability is in a good agreement with the actual formation permeability. Our results therefore suggest that borehole radar has significant potential to estimate permeability through mud invasion effects.
Modifying the generalized effective-medium theory of induced polarization model in compacted rocks
Authors: Xiaolong Tong , Liangjun Yan , Kui Xiang
Published: June 2020

The generalized effective-medium theory of the induced polarization model (GEMTIP) is a mathematical-physical model derived from the Maxwell equations based on the effective-medium approach. Compared to the Cole-Cole model, the GEMTIP parameters are better related to the structural parameters of reservoir rocks, such as rock composition, mineral particle size, porosity, and specific surface; therefore, it can better describe the induced polarization (IP) characteristics of tight oil and gas reservoirs. However, GEMTIP is not suitable for high-resistivity perturbed media, and it does not account for interfacial polarization, which occurs between two media that share the same resistivity. Starting from the theoretical assumptions of the GEMTIP model, we derived an extended GEMTIP model (MGEMTIP) by adding an equivalent surface current term into the Maxwell equations for a heterogeneous medium. The complex resistivity parameters predicted by two models are compared through numerical simulation, and the results demonstrate that MGEMTIP can more accurately predict the DC resistivity and the chargeability of heterogeneous media. MGEMTIP is suitable for characterizing the polarization phenomena of rock with high salinity, low porosity, low hydraulic permeability, and a disseminated perturbed medium. Furthermore, the testing of rock samples for the inversion of IP parameters with MGEMTIP revealed that the predicted chargeability is higher than the inverted chargeability from the experimental data. This difference is strongly correlated with rock hydraulic permeability. MGEMTIP provides a petrophysical basis for the forward modeling and inversion of IP parameters of compacted rocks. The quantitative relationships between model IP parameters and reservoir parameters also provide a theoretical foundation for predicting reservoir permeability using electromagnetic methods.
Characteristics of microseismic data recorded by distributed acoustic sensing systems in anisotropic media
Authors: Baird A. F. , Stork A. L. , Horne S. A. , Naldrett G. , Kendall J.-M. , Wookey J. , Verdon J. P. , Clarke A.
Published: June 2020

Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) cables are now used to monitor microseismicity during hydraulic-fracture stimulations of unconventional gas reservoirs. Unlike geophone arrays, DAS systems are sensitive to uniaxial strain or strain rate along the fiber direction and thus provide a 1C recording, which makes identifying the directionality and polarization of incoming waves difficult. Using synthetic examples, we have shown some fundamental characteristics of microseismic recordings on DAS systems for purposes of hydraulic fracture monitoring in a horizontal well in anisotropic (vertical transverse isotropy [VTI]) shales. We determine that SH arrivals dominate the recorded signals because their polarization is aligned along the horizontal cable at the near offset, although SV will typically dominate for events directly above or below the array. The amplitude of coherent shear-wave (S-wave) arrivals along the cable exhibits a characteristic pattern with bimodal peaks, the width of which relates to the distance of the event from the cable. Furthermore, we find that S-wave splitting recorded on DAS systems can be used to infer the inclination of the incoming waves, overcoming a current limitation of event locations that have constrained events to lie in a horizontal plane. Low-amplitude SV arrivals suggest an event depth similar to that of the DAS cable. Conversely, steep arrivals produce higher amplitude SV-waves, with S-wave splitting increasing with offset along the cable. Finally, we determine how polarity reversals observed in the P and SH phases can be used to provide strong constraints on the source mechanisms.