bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational detection of a genome instability‐derived lncRNA signature for predicting the clinical outcome of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Guo Chen‐Rui , Mao Yan , Jiang Feng , Juan Chen‐Xia , Zhou Guo‐Ping , Li Ning
Published: December 2021

Evidence has been emerging of the importance of long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in genome instability. However, no study has established how to classify such lncRNAs linked to genomic instability, and whether that connection poses a therapeutic significance. Here, we established a computational frame derived from mutator hypothesis by combining profiles of lncRNA expression and those of somatic mutations in a tumor genome, and identified 185 candidate lncRNAs associated with genomic instability in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Through further studies, we established a six lncRNA‐based signature, which assigned patients to the high‐ and low‐risk groups with different prognosis. Further validation of this signature was performed in a number of separate cohorts of LUAD patients. In addition, the signature was found closely linked to genomic mutation rates in patients, indicating it could be a useful way to quantify genomic instability. In summary, this research offered a novel method by through which more studies may explore the function of lncRNAs and presented a possible new way for detecting biomarkers associated with genomic instability in cancers.
Synthesis and Cytotoxicity of Diarylpentanoids against Sensitive CCRF‐CEM and Multidrug‐Resistant CEM/ADR5000 Leukemia Cells
Authors: Di Chio Carla , Zhou Min , Efferth Thomas , Schirmeister Tanja , Zappalà Maria , Ettari Roberta
Published: December 2021

This article described the synthesis and biological investigation of a series of symmetric diarylpentanoids, characterized by a dienone moiety and by a different pattern of substitution on the two phenyl rings. The series of compounds 1a–p were tested against drug‐sensitive CCRF‐CEM and multidrug‐resistant CEM/ADR5000 cells to evaluate their cytotoxic profile, and all the diarypentanoids revealed to be active against both the leukemia cell lines, with the best activity shown by compound 1o that showed a submicromolar activity against both CCRF‐CEM and CEM/ADR5000 cell lines (EC50=0.54 and 0.25 μM, respectively).
Trends in grain quality and responses to nitrogen application of japonica inbred rice released after the 1980s in east China
Authors: Meng Tianyao , Zhang Xubin , Chen Xi , Ge Jialin , Zhou Guisheng , Wei Huanhe , Dai Qigen
Published: December 2021

Background and objectives

The past four decades have seen a dramatic increase in cropping area of japonica inbred rice after the 1980s and nowadays occupies 90% of the total cropping area in Jiangsu, east China. To date, little attention has been paid to the effects of genetic improvements of japonica inbred rice on grain yield and grain quality under different nitrogen (N) levels. Fifteen japonica inbred rice released from 1983 to 2014 were investigated to evaluate changes in grain yield and grain quality of japonica inbred rice under 180 kg N/ha (N180), 270 kg N/ha (N270), and 360 kg N/ha (N360) during genetic progress.

Findings

Genetic improvement increased (p < .01) rice grain yield and annual gain was 47.1, 60.2, and 75.6 kg/ha under N180, N270, and N360, respectively. During genetic progress, milling quality (milled rice percentage and head rice percentage), appearance quality (chalky rice percentage, chalky degree, and grain length‐to‐width ratio), and cooking and eating quality (gel consistency, overall palatability, breakdown, and setback) have been improved, while nutritional quality has been declined because of a reducing trend of protein content. Generally, the application of N fertilizer improved nutritional quality but deteriorated milling quality, appearance quality, and cooking and eating quality. Higher N application increased grain protein content, gel consistency, and breakdown, while decreased setback, which resulted in poor overall palatability.

Conclusions

The results suggested great improvements in both grain yield and grain quality (especially milling, appearance, and cooking and eating qualities) of japonica inbred rice since the 1980s in east China. Modern rice cultivars respond more favorably to increased N application in terms of grain yield. N application improved nutritional quality but downgrades other quality traits.

Significance and novelty

Our results proved a great success in breeding high‐yielding and good‐quality japonica inbred rice in east China since the 1980s. Future rice breeding for higher grain yield and better grain quality should rely both on improvements of breeding selection and cultivation practices, particularly concerning N management strategies.
Deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis in a patient with COVID‐19 infection: A rare complication and the first reported case
Authors: Bagheri Seyed Morteza , Tabrizi Zhale
Published: December 2021

COVID‐19 infection may have extrapulmunary manifestations such as blood hypercoagulability that may cause thrombosis in both arterial and venous system. Deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis is very rare, and the most common reason is coagulation disorders. The common observed symptom is penile pain especially during erection and it is diagnosed by ultrasound evaluation of the vein. It is necessary to distinguish deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis from superficial dorsal penile vein thrombosis as it needs anti‐coagulant treatment. In present study, we describe a unique case of the deep dorsal penile vein thrombosis following COVID‐19 infection.
Synthesis of Redox‐Active Photochromic Phenanthrene Derivatives
Authors: Chatir Elarbi , Boggio‐Pasqua Martial , Loiseau Frederique , Philouze Christian , Royal Guy , Cobo Saioa
Published: December 2021

A phenanthrene unit has been functionalized by several methylthiophene units in order to bring it a photochromic behavior. These compounds were characterized by NMR, absorption and emission spectroscopies, theoretical calculations as well as cyclic voltammetry. The association of a phenanthrene group with a photochromic center could open the door to a new generation of organic field‐effect transistors.
Micro‐Mesoporous Carbons from Cyclodextrin Nanosponges Enabling High‐Capacity Silicon Anodes and Sulfur Cathodes for Lithiated Si‐S Batteries
Authors: Alidoost Mojtaba , Mangini Anna , Caldera Fabrizio , Anceschi Anastasia , Amici Julia , Versaci Daniele , Fagiolari Lucia , Trotta Francesco , Francia Carlotta , Bella Federico , Bodoardo Silvia
Published: December 2021

Manufactured globally on industrial scale, cyclodextrins (CD) are cyclic oligosaccharides produced by enzymatic conversion of starch. Their typical structure of truncated cone can host a wide variety of guest molecules to create inclusion complexes; indeed, we daily use CD as unseen components of food, cosmetics, textiles and pharmaceutical excipients. The synthesis of active material composites from CD resources can enable or enlarge the effective utilization of these products in the battery industry with some economical as well as environmental benefits. New and simple strategies are here presented for the synthesis of nanostructured silicon and sulfur composite materials with carbonized hyper cross‐linked CD (nanosponges) that show satisfactory performance as high‐capacity electrodes. For the sulfur cathode, the mesoporous carbon host limits polysulfide dissolution and shuttle effects and guarantees stable cycling performance. The embedding of silicon nanoparticles into the carbonized nanosponge allows to achieve high capacity and excellent cycling performance. Moreover, due to the high surface area of the silicon composite, the characteristics at the electrode/electrolyte interface dominate the overall electrochemical reversibility, opening a detailed analysis on the behavior of the material in different electrolytes. We show that the use of commercial LP30 electrolyte causes a larger capacity fade, and this is associated with different solid electrolyte interface layer formation and it is also demonstrated that fluoroethylene carbonate addition can significantly increase the capacity retention and the overall performance of our nanostructured Si/C composite in both ether‐based and LP30 electrolytes. As a result, an integration of the Si/C and S/C composites is proposed to achieve a complete lithiated Si−S cell.
Modelling multi‐scale, state‐switching functional data with hidden Markov models
Authors: Sidrow Evan , Heckman Nancy , Fortune Sarah M. E. , Trites Andrew W. , Murphy Ian , Auger‐Méthé Marie
Published: December 2021

Data sets composed of sequences of curves sampled at high frequencies in time are increasingly common in practice, but they can exhibit complicated dependence structures that cannot be modelled using common methods in functional data analysis. We detail a hierarchical approach that treats the curves as observations from a hidden Markov model. The distribution of each curve is then defined by another fine‐scale model that may involve autoregression and require data transformations using moving‐window summary statistics or Fourier analysis. This approach is broadly applicable to sequences of curves exhibiting intricate dependence structures. As a case study, we use this framework to model the fine‐scale kinematic movements of a northern resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) off the western coast of Canada. Through simulations, we show that our model produces more interpretable state estimation and more accurate parameter estimates compared to existing methods.
Distinct noncoding RNAs and RNA binding proteins associated with high‐risk pediatric and adult acute myeloid leukemias detected by regulatory network analysis
Authors: Liu Zhenqiu , Spiegelman Vladimir S. , Wang Hong‐Gang
Published: December 2021

Background

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease in both children and adults. Although it is well‐known that adult and pediatric AMLs are genetically distinct diseases, the driver genes for high‐risk pediatric and adult AMLs are still not fully understood. Particularly, the interactions between RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) for high‐risk AMLs have not been explored.

Aim

To identify RBPs and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are the master regulators of high‐risk AML.

Methods

In this manuscript, we identify over 400 upregulated genes in high‐risk adult and pediatric AMLs respectively with the expression profiles of TCGA and TARGET cohorts. There are less than 5% genes commonly upregulated in both cohorts, highlighting the genetic differences in adult and childhood AMLs. A novel distance correlation test is proposed for gene regulatory network construction. We build RBP‐based regulatory networks with upregulated genes in high‐risk adult and pediatric AMLs, separately.

Results

We discover that three RBPs, three snoRNAs, and two circRNAs function together and regulate over 100 upregulated RNA targets in adult AML, whereas two RBPs are associated with 17 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and all together regulate over 90 upregulated RNA targets in pediatric AML. Of which, two RBPs, MLLT3 and RBPMS, and their circRNA targets, PTK2 and NRIP1, are associated with the overall survival (OS) in adult AML (p ≤ 0.01), whereas two different RBPs, MSI2 and DNMT3B, and 13 (out of 17) associated lncRNAs are prognostically significant in pediatric AML.

Conclusions

Both RBPs and ncRNAs are known to be the major regulators of transcriptional processes. The RBP–ncRNA pairs identified from the regulatory networks will allow better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying high‐risk adult and pediatric AMLs, and assist in the development of novel RBPs and ncRNAs based therapeutic strategies.
Microbiome Methods in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Daberkow David P. , Hoffman Kristina , Kohl Hannah M. , Long Tyrel , Kirby Trevor O. , Ochoa‐Repáraz Javier
Published: December 2021

Microbiome composition studies are increasingly shedding light on animal models of disease. This paper describes a protocol for analyzing the gut microbiome composition prior to and after the induction of mice to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the principal animal model of the human neuroinflammatory demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis (MS). We also address and provide data assessing the impact of mice reared in different animal facilities on EAE induction. Furthermore, we discuss potential regulators of the gut‐microbiome‐brain axis (GMBA) in relation to neuroinflammation and implications on demyelinating disease states. Our results suggest that mice reared in different animal facilities produce different levels of EAE induction. These results highlight the importance of accounting for consistent environmental conditions when inducing EAE and other animal models of disease. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Study of the composition of the gut microbiome in the neuroinflammatory model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Basic Protocol 2: Experimental procedures for DNA extraction and microbiome analysis
Using Solid Catalysts in Disulfide‐Based Dynamic Combinatorial Solution‐ and Mechanochemistry
Authors: Belenguer Ana M. , Michalchuk Adam A. L. , Lampronti Giulio I. , Sanders Jeremy K. M.
Published: December 2021

It was shown for the first time that solid amines can act as catalysts for disulfide‐based dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) by ball mill grinding. The mechanochemical equilibrium for the two disulfide reactions studied was reached within 1–3 h using ten different amine catalysts. This contrasts with the weeks to months to achieve solution equilibrium for most solid amine catalysts at 2 %mol mol−1 concentration in a 2 mMolar disulfide dynamic combinatorial library in a suitable solvent. The final mechanochemical equilibrium was independent of the catalyst used but varied with other ball mill grinding factors such as the presence of traces of solvent. The different efficiencies of the amines tested were discussed.
Indeterminate atypia in urinary tract cytology: Does it really matter?
Authors: Allison Derek B. , Kates Max , VandenBussche Christopher J.
Published: December 2021

The study of atypia in urinary cytology has been ongoing for decades but most studies have focused primarily on test performance in patients with concurrent biopsies and/or limited follow‐up periods. While these data are useful, many studies fail to consider patient factors that may alter the pretest probability, which can subsequently affect test performance. An isolated diagnosis of malignancy in urinary cytology usually has a high positive predictive value and allows a urologist to conduct a rigorous workup of the patient to establish a tissue diagnosis. However, it is less certain how an atypical diagnosis impacts patient care, given that many patients have a history of bladder cancer and are already under surveillance with cystoscopy at regular screening intervals. Furthermore, a discrete negative urine cytology is unlikely to allow a patient to forego a cystoscopy procedure due to limitations in the sensitivity of urine cytology. Over the last several years, the introduction of The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (TPS) has improved the predictive value of atypical diagnoses, but additional studies are needed to evaluate the performance of these diagnoses in specific clinical situations. Such data could better inform urologists on how to manage patients with atypical diagnoses. This review discussed the diagnosis of atypia in urinary cytology and the impact of such a diagnosis in various clinical contexts.
Gastric glomus tumor diagnosed by fine needle aspiration of the stomach: A report of two cases and review of the literature
Authors: Pizzillo Isabella A. , Fang Camila , Sun Wei , Brandler Tamar C.
Published: December 2021

Glomus tumors make up 1% of stromal tumors of the stomach. Radiologic diagnosis of glomus tumors can be challenging as they share imaging characteristics with other neuroendocrine tumors and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA) has been reported as a useful method for the evaluation of gastrointestinal lesions. We report two cases of gastric glomus tumors in which EUS‐FNA diagnosis was challenging. Cytologically, neoplastic cells were round to oval, uniform, bland appearing epithelioid cells with delicate chromatin and inconspicuous to vague nucleoli. Both samples lacked worrisome features such as high nuclear grade, high mitotic rate, and necrosis. Neoplastic cells were negative for Cam5.2 and AE1/AE3 with focal expression of synaptophysin in one of the cases. A definitive diagnosis was not made based on FNA. Familiarity with glomus tumors in the GI system and procurement of adequate material for cell block allowing the use of immunohistochemistry may allow an accurate preoperative diagnosis.
Application of plant–soil feedbacks in the selection of crop rotation sequences
Authors: Koyama Akihiro , Dias Teresa , Antunes Pedro M.
Published: December 2021

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) can be a major driver of plant performance in communities, and this concept can be used in selecting crop rotation sequences to maximize agricultural yields. Potential benefits of using PSF in this context include nutrient use optimization, pathogen reduction, and enhancement of mutualisms between crops and microbes. Yet the contributions of these combined mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we investigated the relative contributions of these mechanisms using five major crops commonly cultivated in rotation (alfalfa, canola, maize, soybean, and wheat) under controlled conditions. We trained soil by growing each of the five crops in a “training phase,” and then reciprocally planted the five crops in the trained soils in a “feedback phase.” To tease out soil biota from nutrient effects, we established three treatments: “control” (trained unsterilized soil used in the feedback phases), “biota” (sterilized soil in the feedback phase inoculated with soil biota from the control treatment after the training phase), and “nutrient” (sterilized soils in both phases). Plant–soil feedback for each crop was calculated by comparing the total biomass of each crop grown in soils trained by each of the four other crops (i.e., in rotation) against total biomass in self‐trained soil (i.e., monocropping). We found that PSF values varied among crop combinations in all the treatments, but such variation was the greatest in the nutrient treatment. Overall, soil biota feedback tended to be lower, whereas nutrient feedback tended to be greater compared to the unsterilized control soil, suggesting that effects of antagonistic biota outweighed those of beneficial microbes in the biota treatment, and that plants optimized nutrient uptake when the soil microbiome was absent in the nutrient treatment. Furthermore, soils in the nutrient treatment trained by the legume crops (alfalfa and soybean) tended to provide the greatest positive feedback, emphasizing the important legacy of N2 fixers in crop rotation. Taken together, our data demonstrate how nutrients and soil biota can be integral to PSFs among crops, and that assessing PSFs under controlled conditions can serve as a basis to determine the most productive crop rotation sequences prior to field testing.
A tale of two reef systems: Local conditions, disturbances, coral life histories, and the climate catastrophe
Authors: Gilmour James P. , Cook Kylie L. , Ryan Nicole M. , Puotinen Marjetta L. , Green Rebecca H. , Heyward Andrew J.
Published: December 2021

Coral reefs have evolved over millennia to survive disturbances. Yet, in just a few decades chronic local pressures and the climate catastrophe have accelerated so quickly that most coral reefs are now threatened. Rising ocean temperatures and recurrent bleaching pose the biggest threat, affecting even remote and well‐managed reefs on global scales. We illustrate how coral bleaching is altering reefs by contrasting the dynamics of adjacent reef systems over more than two decades. Both reef systems sit near the edge of northwest Australia's continental shelf, have escaped chronic local pressures and are regularly affected by tropical storms and cyclones. The Scott reef system has experienced multiple bleaching events, including mass bleaching in 1998 and 2016, from which it is unlikely to fully recover. The Rowley Shoals has maintained a high cover and diversity of corals and has not yet been impacted by mass bleaching. We show how the dynamics of both reef systems were driven by a combination of local environment, exposure to disturbances and coral life history traits, and consider future shifts in community structure with ongoing climate change. We then demonstrate how applying knowledge of community dynamics at local scales can aid management strategies to slow the degradation of coral reefs until carbon emissions and other human impacts are properly managed.
Does Nucleophilic Substitution in Nitroarenes Proceed via Single Electron Transfer (SET)?
Authors: Mąkosza Mieczysław
Published: December 2021

Analysis of effects of various parameters on reactions of C, N and O nucleophiles with nitroarenes leads to the conclusion that there are two different major pathways: direct addition leading to substitution of hydrogen or halogens and single electron transfer (SET), leading to other processes. In some, rather rare cases, paramagnetic species generated by SET can combine, resulting in substitution.
Knoevenagel‐Cyclization Cascade Reactions of Substituted 5,6‐Dihydro‐2H‐Pyran Derivatives
Authors: Király Sándor Balázs , Bényei Attila , Lisztes Erika , Bíró Tamás , Tóth Balázs István , Kurtán Tibor
Published: December 2021

The diastereoselective domino‐Knoevenagel‐IMHDA reactions of 5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran derivatives containing an o‐formylaryl amine or ether moiety were performed with active methylene reagents. In the spiro heterocyclic products representing a novel skeleton, a tetrahydroquinoline or chroman unit is fused with two pyran rings and the bridgehead carbon atoms are chirality centers formed diastereoselectively. Depending on the substitution pattern, a domino Knoevenagel‐[1,5]‐hydride shift‐cyclization sequence was identified as a competing pathway, which resulted in the formation of tetrahydroquinoline derivatives with a 5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐3‐yl substituent. The relative configurations of the products were determined by means of the characteristic NOE correlations and single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Antiproliferative activity assays of two products against A2780 and WM35 human cancer cell lines showed low micromolar IC50 values down to 2.99 μM.
Electrochemical Analysis of Liposome‐encapsulated Colistimethate Sodium
Authors: Oğuzhan Kaya Hüseyin , Karpuz Merve , Nur Topkaya Seda
Published: December 2021

In this study, the neutral and cationic liposomal formulations of Colistimethate sodium (CMS), an antibiotic for multi‐drug resistant gram‐negative bacteria, were prepared and electrochemical quantification of CMS from these liposomes were achieved. This is the first study of the electrochemical detection of CMS released from liposomes. First, the electrochemical properties of CMS were analysed, then the encapsulation efficiency, and the release kinetic of CMS from liposomes were determined with Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) measurements. In addition, Cyclic Voltammetry were applied to determine oxidation signal of CMS. A higher encapsulation efficiency was found in the cationic liposome compared to the neutral liposome. Moreover, CMS was controlled released from liposomes with zero‐order drug release kinetics.
Thin carbon–polypyrrole composite materials for supercapacitor electrodes by novel bipolar electrochemical setup
Authors: Patterson Nigel , Ignaszak Anna
Published: December 2021

A simple approach to mitigate the use of high voltages on thin bipolar electrodes is described here for the first time. The method involves stacking the desired thin conductor onto a thicker one, thereby creating a pseudo‐single electrode whose width is the sum of the two. Placing the target material on the positive or negative face of the combined bipolar electrode selects which reaction it will be involved in. This method is used to graft sheets of carbon paper, cloth, and buckypaper with an aminophenyl layer that subsequently binds polypyrrole in a simple two stage reaction to create a one‐sided deposit of a supercapacitive material. By itself the necessary driving potential for these reactions exceed 90 V, while with the stack it drops to 9 V. The resulting supercapacitor electrodes display good performance, with specific capacitances up to 210 mF/cm2 and lasting 2500 charge/discharge cycles.
A Simple Synthesis of Fe2P Nanoparticles Encapsulated Doped Carbon Nanotube as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Zinc‐Air Battery
Authors: Sun Tiantian , Li Suriguga , Li Tianjiao , Chen Xinyu , Xu Dan , Wang Heng-guo
Published: December 2021

The design and application of high efficiency, low cost, and nonprecious metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst is a prerequisite for the commercialization of energy conversion devices. Here, a simple method is proposed to prepare Fe2P nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (Fe2P@NPCNTs) through a self‐growth strategy. In addition, it is worth noting that Fe2P@NPCNTs have high catalytic activity and good stability as ORR catalysts due to the unique structure of the material, the synergy between the components, and the large specific surface area. As expected, the catalyst has a half‐wave potential (0.827 V) close to commercial Pt/C and a lower Tafel slope (54.17 mV dec−1) compared to other samples. Meanwhile, the zinc‐air battery with Fe2P@NPCNTs as catalysts exhibits high open‐circuit voltage, good maximum power density, and excellent stability. Therefore, this cheap and simple method is generally available for the synthesis of other non‐noble metal catalysts for various energy systems.
A nonstationary and non‐Gaussian moving average model for solar irradiance
Authors: Zhang Wenqi , Kleiber William , Hodge Bri‐Mathias , Mather Barry
Published: December 2021

Historically, power has flowed from large power plants to customers. Increasing penetration of distributed energy resources such as solar power from rooftop photovoltaic has made the distribution network a two‐way‐street with power being generated at the customer level. The incorporation of renewables introduces additional uncertainty and variability into the power grid. Distribution network operation studies are being adapted to include renewables; however, such studies require high quality solar irradiance data that adequately reflect realistic meteorological variability. Data from satellite‐based products are spatially complete, but temporally coarse, whereas solar irradiances exhibit high frequency variation at very fine timescales. We propose a new stochastic method for temporally downscaling global horizontal irradiance (GHI) to 1 min resolution, but we do not consider the spatial aspect due to limited availability of the in situ irradiance measurements. Solar irradiance's first and second‐order structures vary diurnally and seasonally, and our model adapts to such nonstationarity. Empirical irradiance data exhibits highly non‐Gaussian behavior; we develop a nonstationary and non‐Gaussian moving average model that is shown to capture realistic solar variability at multiple timescales. We also propose a new estimation scheme based on Cholesky factors of empirical autocovariance matrices, bypassing difficult and inaccessible likelihood‐based approaches. The model is demonstrated for a case study of three locations that are located in diverse climates through the United States. The model is compared against competitors from the literature and is shown to provide better uncertainty and variability quantification on testing data.
Deep brain stimulation of the centromedian thalamic nucleus for the treatment of FIRES
Authors: Hect Jasmine L. , Fernandez Luis D. , Welch William P. , Abel Taylor J.
Published: December 2021

Febrile infection‐related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a rare, life‐threatening complication of febrile illness in previously healthy individuals followed by super‐refractory status epilepticus. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been demonstrated to be a promising therapy for the treatment of intractable epilepsy. Here, we present a pediatric patient with FIRES whose seizures were mitigated by acute DBS of the bilateral centromedian thalamic nucleus (CMTN). This is a previously healthy 11‐year‐old female who presented emergently with altered mental status, fever, and malaise after 1 week of lethargy, anorexia, fever, and abdominal pain. The patient began having seizures shortly after admission. After thorough workup for encephalitis and other potential etiologies, this patient was diagnosed with FIRES due to super‐refractory status epilepticus. Status epilepticus persisted despite pharmacologic management, immunotherapy, and vagus nerve stimulation. DBS of the bilateral CMTN (CM‐DBS) was pursued after 56 days of hospitalization, and she demonstrated considerable improvement in baseline mental status 30 days after DBS insertion. This report highlights application of CM‐DBS for super‐refractory status epilepticus in FIRES. This region is a diffusely connected brain region and has been shown to modulate neural networks contributing to seizure propagation and consciousness; therefore, neurostimulation is a potential therapeutic intervention for patients with super‐refractory status epilepticus.
Salt weathering of sandstone under dehydration and moisture absorption cycles: An experimental study on the sandstone from Dazu rock carvings
Authors: Yan Shaojun , Xie Ni , Liu Jianhui , Li Li , Peng Lizhou , Jiang Siwei
Published: December 2021

Salt crystallization and phase change in porous media cause significant deterioration of cultural heritage made of stones and bricks. In this study, laboratory experiments on salt weathering of sandstone from the Dazu rock carvings (DRC) in Chongqing, southwest China, were carried out by exposing them to cycles of temperature and humidity change. Mirabilite, the main component of the salts in DRC that readily undergoes phase change, was utilized for the study. Three groups of Dazu sandstone (DS) samples with high (2.4 mol/L), moderate (1.5 mol/L) and low concentrations (1.0 mol/L) of sodium sulphate were prepared; and two conditions, high‐temperature with low‐humidity and low‐temperature with high‐humidity, were designed to simulate the fluctuations of temperature and humidity in the Dazu area. After several cycles, the dehydration and moisture absorption of DS under these two conditions forces the phase change of sodium sulphate between thenardite (Na2SO4) and mirabilite (Na2SO4·10H2O), causing different levels of damage. A combination results of sample length, weight, microstructure, and mechanical property variations show that the damage effect of the thenardite formed during dehydration is more significant than that of mirabilite in moisture absorption. During these cycles, there is noticeable salt migration and the local concentration of salts is influenced by the microstructure of the stone and the distribution of clay minerals. Samples with high salt content show disintegration of the stone into powder, while those with moderate salt concentration show flaking and salt accumulation on the surface. These types of damage correspond with observations of natural weathering in the field. The experiment shows that no obvious damage takes place when the salt content is lower than 0.67%. These results contribute to a better understanding of the effects of salt weathering on sandstone and provide references for choosing correct prevention and protection measures for the world heritage site DRC.
RVS 09.01.53 Quarz, Asbest, Chrom VI – Zum Umgang mit dem Unvermeidbaren im Tunnel – ein Leitfaden
Authors: Lauffer‐Neumann Dagmar
Published: December 2021

Quartz, asbestos and chromium (VI) compounds can be found again and again in tunnel construction, especially quartz dust is an everyday companion at tunnel construction sites in Austria. The dusts from quartz, asbestos and chromium (VI) compounds are clearly carcinogenic, so measures to avoid and minimize dust exposure for employees are accordingly important. In the 2021 limit value ordinance, the limit value for fine quartz dust was reduced to 0.05 mg / m3, i.e. to a third of the previous value. Reaching this limit value represents a new challenge for everyone involved in underground projects, and the new RVS 09.01.53 is meant to provide a guideline for the planning of appropriate protective measures. The RVS 09.01.53 is expected to be published in autumn 2021.
Messen von Kooperation – Der KOOP‐Quickcheck der Österreichischen Bautechnikvereinigung
Authors: Müllneritsch Brigitte , Wiesner Wolfgang
Published: December 2021

Cooperation on the construction site means less stress, a better atmosphere, working together to find solutions and fun at work. This gives the opportunity to focus more on the technical challenges, because much less time is needed to settle disputes. This also requires significantly less administrative cost and thus ensures greater efficiency, because any improvement in communication creates trust and openness, reduces controversial correspondence and the risk of misunderstandings. The working group ”Cooperative Project Management“ of the ÖBV, launched a pilot project in 2016 to measure the cooperation on construction sites. Ongoing anonymous surveys of key people in a construction project were intended to establish mutual cooperation and, in particular, to monitor its development over time. On the basis of these findings, it should be possible to detect and counteract any undesirable developments in cooperation on construction projects at an early stage.
Abwicklung von Tunnelbauvorhaben – Analyse der Ist‐Situation
Authors: Hödl Reinhold , Bach Dietmar , Lehner Wolfgang
Published: December 2021

The situation on the sites of large tunnel construction projects has become increasingly tense in recent years. On all sides, the implementation of these projects suffers from economic constraints, which inevitably lead to a decline in the culture of dialogue and a deterioration in personal relationships. A solution to this problem cannot be achieved by simple calculations or rules. It is much more a matter of working out new alternative paths and possibilities together, and then taking them. However, those responsible and, above all, those involved on the ground must be able to take this step, and be allowed to do so.
Der Tunnelbauvertrag – Eine Bestandsaufnahme
Authors: Karasek Georg
Published: December 2021

In tunnel construction there is a clear need for specific contractual regulations, as unforeseen events make it far more difficult to predict the construction measures required than is the case in above‐ground construction. Tunnel construction contracts must make provision for all such events associated with changes in performance to ensure conflict‐free invoicing wherever possible. Conflict avoidance begins at the tender phase. In addition to the two ÖNorm B 2203 standards, the Guideline for the Geotechnical Design of Underground Structures with Conventional Excavation is an important basis for tunnelling contracts. Austrian standard ÖNorm B 2118 also plays a major role in tunnel construction as the agreed contractual basis in most cases. It contains contractual provisions for building services based on the partnership model and is intended for large‐scale projects and complex construction works. In future, other alternative contract models with a partnership approach could become an even greater focus of attention. For instance, the alliancing contract model is particularly suitable for complex, technically challenging projects requiring innovative solutions. The early involvement of all key project participants is intended to reduce design errors and encourage innovation.
Standortoptimierung ÖBB Kraftwerk Spullersee – Bauen zwischen Naturjuwel und alpinen Extremen
Authors: Sinkovec Christoph , Wippersberger Markus , Tschofen Josef
Published: December 2021

The construction site is located close to the Spullersee, one of the most impressive mountainsides in the Alps, and is part of the ÖBB Spullersee power station, which is used to generate green 16.7 Hz traction current. The Spullersee, a formerly natural mountain lake, is located over 1800 m a.s.l.in the municipality of Dalaas in Vorarlberg. After almost a century of generating electricity, essential parts of the plant have reached the end of service life, resulted in essential facility renewals as well as numerous operational optimizations in the last two years. In a first construction phase, a new access tunnel to the existing apparatus chamber had to be excavated before seasonal winter closure of the access road. For the winter construction phase, thousands of tons of building materials were stored on the construction site in order to replace the old system parts in the area of the lake‐side apparatus chamber after the Spullersee had been completely emptied. Due to high‐alpine location of the site in one of the snowiest regions in Austria, not just working in winter was challenging, but also access. In winter the site was achieved only by using a small cable car and a narrow footpath through the almost two‐kilometer‐long pipe tunnel. This was not everyone's cup of tea.
Statistical testing in transcriptomic‐neuroimaging studies: A how‐to and evaluation of methods assessing spatial and gene specificity
Authors: Wei Yongbin , de Lange Siemon C. , Pijnenburg Rory , Scholtens Lianne H. , Ardesch Dirk Jan , Watanabe Kyoko , Posthuma Danielle , van den Heuvel Martijn P.
Published: December 2021

Multiscale integration of gene transcriptomic and neuroimaging data is becoming a widely used approach for exploring the molecular underpinnings of large‐scale brain organization in health and disease. Proper statistical evaluation of determined associations between imaging‐based phenotypic and transcriptomic data is key in these explorations, in particular to establish whether observed associations exceed “chance level” of random, nonspecific effects. Recent approaches have shown the importance of statistical models that can correct for spatial autocorrelation effects in the data to avoid inflation of reported statistics. Here, we discuss the need for examination of a second category of statistical models in transcriptomic‐neuroimaging analyses, namely those that can provide “gene specificity.” By means of a couple of simple examples of commonly performed transcriptomic‐neuroimaging analyses, we illustrate some of the potentials and challenges of transcriptomic‐imaging analyses, showing that providing gene specificity on observed transcriptomic‐neuroimaging effects is of high importance to avoid reports of nonspecific effects. Through means of simulations we show that the rate of reported nonspecific effects (i.e., effects that cannot be specifically linked to a specific gene or gene‐set) can run as high as 60%, with only less than 5% of transcriptomic‐neuroimaging associations observed through ordinary linear regression analyses showing both spatial and gene specificity. We provide a discussion, a tutorial, and an easy‐to‐use toolbox for the different options of null models in transcriptomic‐neuroimaging analyses.
Communication of nutrition information by influencers on social media: A scoping review
Authors: Rogers Alice , Wilkinson Shelley , Downie Olivia , Truby Helen
Published: December 2021

Issue addressed

Although government promoted public health, social media and media campaigns have communicated nutrition information, the Australian population remains chronic under‐consumers of fruit and vegetables and overconsumers of ultra‐processed foods. This scoping review aimed to determine how social media influencers (SMI) communicate nutrition information and the factors that influence the popularity of messages. Identified factors could inform how governments may utilise social media to impact positively on food choices.

Methods

Nine databases were searched in the past 5 years (2016‐2021). After relevant sources were identified, entire texts of the grey literature and the “Results” sections of the academic literature were coded. Using Microsoft Word, each key feature of the relevant text was highlighted, and the relevant code was recorded. Inductive coding was utilised where codes were created based on the text itself. These codes were then sorted iteratively into relevant themes and subthemes.

Results

Eleven studies were included. From these sources, five themes were identified. These were, (i) promoting dietary change, (ii) certain modes/styles of content delivery, (iii) an attractive individual, (iv) language features and (v) appearing connected to the audience.

Conclusion

SMI are selective in their content and communication techniques to ensure their nutrition messages are popular with social media users. These methods exhibited by SMI could inform strategies to build trust in government messages about food and nutrition.
Developing metabolic gene signatures to predict intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma prognosis and mining a miRNA regulatory network
Authors: Ran Xun , Luo Jun , Zuo Chaohai , Huang YongYe , Sui Yi , Cen JunHua , Tang Shengli
Published: December 2021

Background

Metabolic disturbance is closely correlated with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC), and we aimed to identify metabolic gene marker for the prognosis of IHCC.

Methods

We obtained expression and clinical data from 141 patients with IHCC from public databases. Prognostic metabolic genes were selected using univariate Cox regression analysis. Unsupervised cluster analysis was applied to identify IHCC subtypes, and CIBERSORT was used for immune infiltration analysis of different subtypes. Then, the metabolic gene signature was screened using multivariate Cox regression analysis and the LASSO algorithm. The prognostic potential and regulatory network of the metabolic gene signature were further investigated.

Results

We screened 228 prognosis‐related metabolic genes. Based on their expression levels, IHCC samples were divided into two subtypes, which showed significant differences in survival and immune cell infiltration. After LASSO analysis, eight metabolic genes including CYP19A1, SCD5, ACOT8, SRD5A3, MOGAT2, PFKFB3, PPARGC1B, and RPL17 were identified as the optimal genes for the prognosis signature. The prognostic model had excellent predictive abilities, with areas under the receiver‐operating characteristic curves over 0.8. A nomogram model was also established based on two independent prognostic clinical factors (pathologic stage and prognostic model), and the generated calibration curves and c‐indexes determined its excellent accuracy and discriminative ability to predict 1‐ and 5‐year survival status (c‐indexes>0.7). Finally, we found that miR‐26a‐5p, miR‐27a‐3p, and miR‐27b‐3p were the upstream regulators that mediate the involvement of gene signatures in metabolic pathways.

Conclusion

We developed eight metabolic gene signatures to predict IHCC prognosis and proposed potential upstream regulatory axes of gene signatures.
From alcohol to aggression: Examining the structure and nomological network of dysregulated behaviors in a trauma‐exposed community sample
Authors: Bresin Konrad , Mekawi Yara , Stevens Jennifer S. , Hinrichs Rebecca , Fani Negar , Michopoulos Vasiliki , Powers Abigail
Published: December 2021

Objective

A large body of research has shown that alcohol use, drug use, aggression, and self‐harm often co‐occur within the same individuals, suggesting the possibility of shared etiologies. Research has yet to determine the factor structure of these dysregulated behaviors.

Methods

Participants (Mage = 40.33; 74% women) completed self‐report and interview‐based measures of dysregulated behaviors (alcohol use, drug use, aggression, and self‐harm), emotion dysregulation, maladaptive personality traits, and symptoms ofDSMdisorders (e.g., borderline personality disorder [BPD], depression).

Results

Results showed support for a bifactor model (i.e., all indicators load on a common dysregulated behavior factor and on unique alcohol, drug, aggression, and self‐harm factors), which provided a better fit to the data than other models. In line with our hypotheses, the general dysregulated behavior factor was positively associated with emotion regulation difficulties, negative affect, and BPD symptoms.

Conclusions

These results have implications for several areas of psychopathology and intervention research.
Psychological status of mass people in the capital city of Bangladesh during COVID‐19: Do home quarantine challenges matter?
Authors: Rahman Md. Mizanur , Rahaman Md. Saidur
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to identify the impact of home quarantine challenges on the psychological status of mass people during Coronavirus Disease (COVID‐19) in the capital city (Dhaka) of Bangladesh. A highly organized questionnaire was created in “Google Form” and given to respondents at random via multiple social media sites, including WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Messenger. However, a sample size of 208 people was taken and analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of a Moment Structures software. Analysis showed that home quarantine challenges are positively related to the psychological status and home quarantine challenges have a significant impact on psychological status during COVID‐19. In Bangladesh, the major challenges to home quarantine are lack of consciousness, lack of medical support, and the possibility of losing their current jobs. This study provides insight into the challenges of home quarantine and the psychological status of Bangladeshi people. The findings may be helpful for policymakers in identifying necessary measures to overcome these challenges. Only Dhaka division was taken out of seven divisions in Bangladesh to conduct this study, which might be difficult to generalize the findings of this study. Thus, in the future, it is suggested that more respondents from other divisions need to be covered.