bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric evaluation of the Eating Disorders inYouth‐Questionnairewhen used in adults: Prevalence estimates for symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and population norms
Authors: Hilbert Anja , Zenger Markus , Eichler Janina , Brähler Elmar
Published: December 2020

Objective

Restrictive eating behaviors occur across ages, but little is known about symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), especially in adults. This study sought to examine the prevalence of symptoms of ARFID in the adult population, providing a psychometric evaluation of the Eating Disorders in Youth‐Questionnaire (EDY‐Q) and population norms.

Method

In a representative survey of the German population,N= 2,424 adults (1,297 women, 1,127 men; age 49.5 ± 17.5 years) were assessed with the EDY‐Q and measures of eating disorder and general psychopathology for divergent validation.

Results

The point prevalence of self‐reported symptoms of ARFID amounted to 0.8% (20/2,424), with 0.8% of women (10/1,297) and 0.9% of men (10/1,127) being affected. Adults with symptoms of ARFID were significantly more likely to have underweight or normal weight, were more likely to report restrictive behaviors and lower levels of eating disorder psychopathology and binge eating than noneating‐disordered controls and adults with symptoms of an eating disorder, but did not significantly differ in levels of compensatory behaviors, or depression and anxiety. The EDY‐Q revealed favorable item statistics, heterogeneity, and satisfactory construct validity, including factorial, discriminant, and divergent validity. Weight‐status specific norms were provided.

Discussion

Both women and men from the population reported symptoms of ARFID with an anthropometric and psychopathological profile similar to that seen in youth with symptoms of ARFID, however, with lower prevalence estimates, and distinctive from that in other eating disorders. Interview‐based assessment of this symptomatology is required to confirm the prevalence of ARFID diagnosis.
Size matters: When resource accessibility by ecosystem engineering elicits wood‐boring beetle demographic responses
Authors: Mourant Alexandre , Lecomte Nicolas , Moreau Gaétan
Published: December 2020

Episodic natural disturbances play a key role in ecosystem renewal, and ecological engineering could do so by transforming resource accessibility. While such coupling creates nontrophic and lasting interactions between resource consumers and ecosystem engineers, it is unclear how large the disturbance must be to sustain such coupling. Natural disturbances that occur from the ecological engineering by the Canadian beaver (Castor canadensis) modulate deadwood dynamics in many forest ecosystems. Relying on such episodes of fresh woody debris, primary wood‐boring beetles, organisms that dig tunnels into those debris for reproduction, act as important deadwood decomposers in the ecosystem. Here, we investigate how the age and size of beaver disturbances act as predictors for primary wood‐boring beetle abundance and species richness around beaver‐altered habitat patches. To do so, we sampled beetles around 16 beaver‐disturbed and unaltered watercourses within the Kouchibouguac National Park (Canada) and modeled beetle demographic responses to site conditions and their physical characteristics, distance from the watercourse, deadwood biomass, and the geographical location of the sites. Our results indicate that the size of the disturbance is positively associated with beetle abundance, which highlights unique deadwood dynamics inherent to large beaver ponds. The role of beavers in forest ecosystems by reaching multiple taxa at multiple spatiotemporal scales further exemplifies the need to study nontrophic interactions and their complex consequences in ecosystem management.
Telescoping the Synthesis of the [18F]CABS13 Alzheimer's Disease Radiopharmaceutical via Flow Microfluidic Rhenium(I) Complexations
Authors: Klenner Mitchell A. , Fraser Benjamin H. , Moon Vaughan , Evans Brendan J. , Massi Massimiliano , Pascali Giancarlo
Published: December 2020

The syntheses of rhenium(I) complexes were achieved under flow microfluidic conditions. The use of a single microreactor was applied towards complexation of the 6‐chloro‐2,2'‐bipyridine diimine ligand, with ideal complexation conditions around 170 °C. Subsequent radiolabelling with [18F]fluoride was further achieved by flowing through a second heated microreactor, alongside a stream of dried radiofluorination media. Temperature modulation across both microreactors resulted in 23.6 % and 37.0 % radiochemical yield (RCY) of [18F]6‐fluoro‐2,2'‐bipyridine and its associated [18F]tricarbonyl(2‐fluoro‐2,2'‐bipyridine)rhenium(I) chloride complex, respectively. Translation of this set‐up to the synthesis of the [18F]CABS13 Alzheimer's disease positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent was achieved with the incorporation of a third microreactor to enable thermal control of the complexation, fluorination and decomplexation pathways. Optimal RCYs of 2.7 % and 1.9 % of [18F]CABS13 and its rhenium(I) complexation were achieved in‐flow, respectively. However, discrepancies in the RCYs were found to arise from differences in the grade of anhydrous dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) employed in the continuous‐flow reactions. Anhydrous DMSO from Sigma‐Aldrich (≤ 99.9 %) in former experiments afforded higher yielders in comparison to replicate experiments employing anhydrous DMSO from Merck Millipore (≤ 99.7 %), thus demonstrating that control of the solvent grade is key to optimizing reaction RCYs.
Pyrene Tetraphosphonate‐Based Metal‐Organic Framework: Structure and Photoluminescence
Authors: Firmino Ana D. G. , Mendes Ricardo F. , Ananias Duarte , Figueira Flávio , Tomé João P. C. , Rocha João , Almeida Paz Filipe A.
Published: December 2020

The synthesis of pyrene‐1,3,6,8‐tetrayltetrakis(phosphonic acid) (H8ptp) and its use in the preparation of a new isotypical family of Metal‐Organic Frameworks (MOF) using oxalic acid as secondary linker are reported. This new family, generally formulated as [Ln2(H4ptp)(ox)(H2O)6]·5H2O [where Ln3+ = Ce3+ (1Ce), Pr3+ (1Pr), Nd3+ (1Nd), Sm3+ (1Sm), Eu3+ (1Eu), Gd3+ (1Gd), Tb3+ (1Tb) and Dy3+ (1Dy)], were prepared under hydrothermal conditions and fully characterized using different techniques. The photoluminescence properties of 1Eu were studied, showing emission lifetimes of 0.27 ± 0.01 ms and 0.33 ± 0.01 ms at 294 K and 12 K, respectively. This family of materials, based on a fully hydrolysed tetraphosphonate pyrene ligand, constitutes the first example of MOFs obtained using this highly fluorescent organic ligand.
Prolactin enhances hippocampal synaptic plasticity in female mice of reproductive age
Authors: Zamora‐Moratalla Alfonsa , Martín Eduardo D.
Published: December 2020

Dynamic signaling between the endocrine system (ES) and the nervous system (NS) is essential for brain and body homeostasis. In particular, reciprocal interaction occurs during pregnancy and motherhood that may involve changes in some brain plasticity processes. Prolactin (PRL), a hormone with pleiotropic effects on the NS, promotes maternal behavior and has been linked to modifications in brain circuits during motherhood; however, it is unclear whether PRL may regulate synaptic plasticity. Therefore, the main aim of the present work was to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms triggered by PRL that regulate synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. By analyzing extracellular recordings in CA3‐CA1 synapses of hippocampal slices, we report that PRL modifies short and long‐term synaptic plasticity in female mice of reproductive age, but not in sexually immature females or adult males. This effect is carried out through mechanisms that include participation of GABAA receptors and activation of the JAK2‐mediated signaling pathway. These findings show for the first time how PRL enhances the synaptic strength in hippocampal circuits and that this effect is sexually dimorphic, which would influence complex brain processes in physiological conditions like pregnancy and lactation.
Role of heat source/sink in transient free convective flow through a vertical cylinder filled with a permeable medium: An analytical approach
Authors: Anurag  , Singh Ashok Kumar
Published: December 2020

In this study, an investigation is performed to analyze the impact of the heat source/sink parameter on the laminar transient free convective flow through a vertical cylinder filled with a permeable medium. The governing nondimensional PDEs of the mathematical model along with their appropriate initial and boundary conditions are solved analytically by incorporating the Laplace transform scheme. Moreover, we explored the impact of emerging physical parameters of the considering model in the presence of the source/sink on the velocity profiles by graphs and tables. It is found that the velocity profile has a increasing tendency with enhancement in the numerical values of the time, which finally attains its steady‐state solution in the presence of heat source/sink. Moreover, the Prandtl number, sink parameter, and viscosity ratio parameter lead to a decrease in the velocity profiles, whereas the reverse phenomenon occurs with the Darcy number and source parameter. Finally, the numerical values of the Nusselt number, skin friction, and mass flux are given in the tabular forms. The main result obtained in this paper is that the velocity is higher in the case of the source parameter, whereas an opposite behavior is observed in the case of the sink parameter.
Androgen‐dependent miR‐125a‐5p targets LYPLA1 and regulates global protein palmitoylation level in late‐onset hypogonadism males
Authors: Qu Mengyuan , Zhao Yunhan , Qing Xingrong , Zhang Xinzong , Li Honggang
Published: December 2020

Late‐onset hypogonadism (LOH) is defined as a clinical and biochemical syndrome with multiple symptoms caused by testosterone deficiency in aging males. An in‐depth exploration of the molecular mechanism underlying LOH development is insufficient. We previously identified miR‐125a‐5p as a dysregulated microRNA in LOH patients and potential diagnostic biomarker for LOH. The present study demonstrated that plasma miR‐125a‐5p was upregulated after testosterone supplementation in both LOH patients and castrated mice, and positively associated with the testosterone concentrations, suggesting direct regulation of miR‐125a‐5p expression by testosterone. Androgen response element in the promoter of miR‐125a‐5p was subsequently identified. Target gene screening and confirmation verified that LYPLA1, encoding acyl‐protein thioesterase 1 which catalyzed protein depalmitoylation process, was a target gene of miR‐125a‐5p. Furthermore, in cells cultured with testosterone deprivation and organs from castrated mice, testosterone deficiency led to decreased global protein palmitoylation level. In aging males, global protein palmitoylation in peripheral blood showed a notable decline in LOH patients contrast to the normal elderly males. And the palmitoylation level was positively correlative with serum testosterone concentrations. Our results suggested that testosterone could regulate global palmitoylation level through miR‐125a‐5p/LYPLA1 signaling pathway. Given that protein palmitoylation is pivotal for protein function and constitutes the pathogenesis of various diseases, testosterone/miR‐125a‐5p/LYPLA1 may contribute to the molecular mechanism underlying multiple symptoms caused by testosterone deficiency in LOH patients, and aberrant global palmitoylation could be a potential biomarker for LOH.
Association between serum albumin and cognitive dysfunction in hepatic encephalopathy: An exploratory data analysis
Authors: Kaji Kosuke , Okita Kiwamu , Suzuki Kazuyuki , Sato Ikuya , Fujisawa Masaki , Yoshiji Hitoshi
Published: December 2020

Background and Aim

Because covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) has been shown to affect the prognosis of cirrhotic patients, early diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a prerequisite for the preservation of patients' quality of life and for prophylaxis of overt HE. The aim of this study was to identify a clinical parameter to predict impairment of cognitive function in cirrhotic patients with early‐stage HE.

Methods

We investigated the data from 172 patients with cirrhotic or idiopathic portosystemic shunt (PSS) in phase II/III trials of rifaximin in Japan. Classification and regression trees (CARTs) were constructed to identify clinical profiles related to cognitive dysfunction as indicated by the prolongation of time required for the Number Connection Test (NCT‐B).

Results

CART analysis detected age 65 years as the variable for the initial split, and serum albumin level was selected as the variable for the second split among patients aged ≤65 years. In 27 cirrhotic patients aged ≤65 years without PSS, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal albumin level cutoff point was 3.05 g/dL, and the area under the curve was 0.80 for the prolongation of NCT‐B time, which was higher than that of the branched‐chain amino acids‐to‐tyrosine ratio (0.46), the prothrombin time–international normalized ratio (PT‐INR) (0.68), serum ammonia (0.61), and total bilirubin (0.69).

Conclusions

Lower serum albumin level as a clinical biomarker associated with impaired cognitive function may be available as a screening examination for early‐stage HE in cirrhotic patients aged ≤65 years without PSS before undergoing neuropsychological tests.
Mental health, substance use and viral suppression in adolescents receiving ART at a paediatric HIV clinic in South Africa
Authors: Haas Andreas D , Technau Karl‐Günter , Pahad Shenaaz , Braithwaite Kate , Madzivhandila Mampho , Sorour Gillian , Sawry Shobna , Maxwell Nicola , von Groote Per , Tlali Mpho , Davies Mary‐Ann , Egger Matthias ,   for the IeDEA Southern Africa Collaboration
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Mental health problems are prevalent in adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), often remain untreated, and may negatively affect antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and viral suppression. We implemented routine mental health screening at a paediatric ART clinic to improve the identification and management of mental health problems in ALHIV. In this report, we examine screening outcomes, associated patient characteristics and the odds of unsuppressed viral load in ALHIV screening positive for mental disorders.

Methods

Adolescents aged 10 to 19 years attending Rahima Moosa Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa between February 1, 2018, and January 1, 2020, were offered mental health screening at each routine HIV care visit. The screening included four pre‐screening questions followed by full screening (conditional on positive pre‐screening) for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 [PHQ‐9]), suicide (Adolescent Innovations Project [AIP]‐handbook), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 [GAD‐7]), post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Primary Care PTSD Screen [PC‐PTSD‐5]) and substance use (CAGE Adapted to Include Drugs [CAGE‐AID]). We assessed screening outcomes and calculated adjusted odds ratios for associations between positive screening tests at the first screen and unsuppressed viral load (>400 copies/mL) at the measurement taken closest to the date of screening, within hundred days before and one day after screening.

Results

Out of 1203 adolescents who attended the clinic, 1088 (90.4%) were pre‐screened of whom 381 (35.0%) underwent full screening, 48 (4.4%) screened positive for depression (PHQ‐9 ≥10), 29 (2.8%) for suicidal concern, 24 (2.2%) for anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥10), 38 (3.2%) for PTSD (PC‐PTSD‐5 ≥3), 18 (1.7%) for substance use (CAGE‐AID ≥2) and 97 (8.9%) for any of these conditions. Positive screening for depression (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.02 to 5.62), PTSD (aOR 3.18, 95% CI 1.11 to 9.07), substance use (aOR 7.13, 95% CI 1.60 to 31.86), or any condition (aOR 2.17, 95% CI 1.17 to 4.02) were strongly associated with unsuppressed viral load.

Conclusions

ALHIV affected by mental health problems have increased rates of unsuppressed viral load and need specific clinical attention. The integration of routine mental health screening in paediatric ART programmes is a feasible approach for identifying and referring adolescents with mental health and adherence problems to counselling and psychosocial support services and if needed to psychiatric care.
Pathways for reduction of HIV‐related stigma: a model derived from longitudinal qualitative research in Kenya and Uganda
Authors: Camlin Carol S , Charlebois Edwin D , Getahun Monica , Akatukwasa Cecilia , Atwine Frederick , Itiakorit Harriet , Bakanoma Robert , Maeri Irene , Owino Lawrence , Onyango Anjeline , Chamie Gabriel , Clark Tamara D , Cohen Craig R , Kwarisiima Dalsone , Kabami Jane , Sang Norton , Kamya Moses R , Bukusi Elizabeth A , Petersen Maya L , V Havlir Diane
Published: December 2020

Introduction

The rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been associated with reductions in HIV‐related stigma, but pathways through which this reduction occurs are poorly understood. In the newer context of universal test and treat (UTT) interventions, where rapid diffusion of ART uptake takes place, there is an opportunity to understand the processes through which HIV‐related stigma can decline, and how UTT strategies may precipitate more rapid and widespread changes in stigma. This qualitative study sought to evaluate how a UTT intervention influenced changes in beliefs, attitudes and behaviours related to HIV.

Methods

Longitudinal qualitative in‐depth semi‐structured interview data were collected within a community‐cluster randomized UTT trial, the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health (SEARCH) study, annually over three rounds (2014 to 2016) from two cohorts of adults (n = 32 community leaders, and n = 112 community members) in eight rural communities in Uganda and Kenya. Data were inductively analysed to develop new theory for understanding the pathways of stigma decline.

Results

We present an emergent theoretical model of pathways through which HIV‐related stigma may decline: internalized stigma may be reduced by two processes accelerated through the uptake and successful usage of ART: first, a reduced fear of dying and increased optimism for prolonged and healthy years of life; second, a restoration of perceived social value and fulfilment of subjective role expectations via restored physical strength and productivity. Anticipated stigma may be reduced in response to widespread engagement in HIV testing, leading to an increasing number of HIV status disclosures in a community, “normalizing” disclosure and reducing fears. Improvements in the perceived quality of HIV care lead to people living with HIV (PLHIV) seeking care in nearby facilities, seeing other known community members living with HIV, reducing isolation and facilitating opportunities for social support and “solidarity.” Finally, enacted stigma may be reduced in response to the community viewing the healthy bodies of PLHIV successfully engaged in treatment, which lessens the fears that trigger enacted stigma; it becomes no longer socially normative to stigmatize PLHIV. This process may be reinforced through public health messaging and anti‐discrimination laws.

Conclusions

Declines in HIV‐related stigma appear to underway and explained by social processes accelerated by UTT efforts. Widespread implementation of UTT shows promise for reducing multiple dimensions of stigma, which is critical for improving health outcomes among PLHIV.
Does compliance to standards in the ready‐made garments industry affect employee attitudes? A study in Bangladesh
Authors: Azim Mohammad Tahlil , Uddin Md. Aftab , Haque Mohammad Moinul
Published: December 2020

Due to high quality at low costs, Bangladesh has long been of interest to retailers as a location for sourcing garments. In 2012 and 2013 however, two disasters drew the world's attention to the poor working conditions of the garment workers there, which in turn led to demands that these conditions should be improved. However, many factory owners continue to view compliance as a cost and are reluctant to improve standards. Based on data from 444 workers in the ready‐made garments industry, this study focuses on the mediating effect of job satisfaction on compliance with improved standards, and employee engagement. The findings confirm that compliance acts as a distal antecedent to employee engagement and job satisfaction fully mediates the compliance–engagement relationship. The results shed light on the significance of compliance with standards in terms of long‐term profitability, and retaining an engaged workforce. They highlight the value of good management practices when implementing compliance in the garment factories of Bangladesh and provide guidance for policymakers and groups concerned with the working conditions of garment workers in Bangladesh and elsewhere.
Counselor Trainees' Interprofessional Self‐Efficacy After a Career Development Intervention
Authors: Johnson Kaprea F.
Published: December 2020

Career development is a lifelong process of learning, working, and transitions that move a person closer to their preferred future. This study investigated the use of a career development intervention to help counselor trainees in a master's program and allied health students with integrating new perspectives in their future careers. This qualitative study with a diverse group of 12 participants provides important insight into career thoughts, career self‐efficacy, and potential career development opportunities through interprofessional engagement career interventions. The findings are novel and have never been addressed in an empirical study for counselor trainees.
Impact of Worry on Career Thoughts, Career Decision State, and Cognitive Information Processing Skills
Authors: Hayden Seth C. W. , Osborn Debra S.
Published: December 2020

Sixty‐nine Amazon Mechanical Turk workers completed the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (Berle et al., 2011), the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson et al., 1996a), and the Career State Inventory (Leierer et al., 2017). Worry was significantly correlated with negative career thinking and its dimensions of decision‐making confusion and commitment anxiety, with readiness and its dimensions of clarity and certainty, and with the self‐assessed cognitive information processing skills of self‐knowledge, options knowledge, decision‐making, and executive processing. Worry was also found to predict the degree of readiness for career decision‐making, negative career thinking, and cognitive information processing requisite skills.
Tissue‐level cytokines in a rodent model of chronic implant‐associated infection
Authors: Prince Nicole , Penatzer Julia A. , Shackleford Taylor L. , Stewart Elizabeth K. , Dietz Matthew J. , Boyd Jonathan W.
Published: December 2020

Systemic cytokine concentrations have been extensively studied in implant‐associated infections, providing sensitive diagnostic markers. However, less is known about the relationships of tissue‐level cytokines surrounding the joint. The aim of this study was to define the cytokine profiles of tissues to investigate the use of these cytokines as markers of debridement in chronic joint infection. Using a rodent model, muscle samples were obtained from rats following Kirschner wire implantation and infection with Staphylococcus aureus to determine if: (1) differences exist in cytokine concentrations with proximity to infection, and (2) localized infection‐specific markers can be identified on a tissue level to potentially serve as debridement markers in the future. Samples were collected from 4 distinct locations, and the concentrations of interleukin(IL)‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐10, IL‐12p70, IL‐13, granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor, interferon‐γ, and tumor necrosis factor‐α were quantified in each sample, relative to the amount of tissue. Cytokine concentrations differed with proximity to the joint when implant or infection was present, and tissues at the operative knee joint showed the highest levels of most cytokines. Additionally, IL‐1β, IL‐4, and IL‐6 showed promise, beyond diagnostics, as tissue‐level indicators of infection response. Ultimately, this study illustrated that tissue‐level evaluation provided insight into infection‐specific response, and these markers may be useful for guiding the debridement of implant‐associated infections.
Reduction of Shear Wave Elastography but Not Shear Wave Dispersion After Successful Hepatitis C Treatment With Direct‐Acting Antiviral Agents
Authors: Su Pei‐yuan , Su Wei‐Wen , Wu Li‐sha , Hsu Po‐Ke , Huang Siou‐Ping , Hsu Yu‐Chun
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Successful antiviral treatment in patients with hepatitis C can lead to reduced liver stiffness. In this study, we attempted to compare 2‐dimensional (2D) shear wave elastography (SWE), shear wave dispersion (SWD), and attenuation imaging (ATI) with transient elastography (TE) and the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) in patients under direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) therapy.

Methods

Patients with chronic hepatitis C infection undergoing DAA therapy from January 2017 to June 2020 were retrospectively examined. The results of 2D SWE, SWD, ATI, TE, and CAP were recorded before and 12 weeks after the completion of DAA therapy.

Results

A total of 122 patients with a median age of 61 years were investigated; among them, 121 (99.2%) achieved a sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after DAA therapy. Fibrosis 4, the aspartate aminotransferase–to–platelet ratio index, 2D SWE, and TE were reduced after DAA therapy. The CAP was increased; however, SWD and ATI showed no statistically significant changes after DAA therapy. Two‐dimensional SWE and TE were strongly correlated (r = 0.885–0.897; P < .001). Albumin and the baseline liver stiffness measurement were independent factors of liver stiffness measurement changes after DAA therapy.

Conclusions

Direct‐acting antiviral therapy can significantly decrease liver stiffness (using both 2D SWE and TE) but not SWD and ATI values in patients with hepatitis C. An increased CAP is also observed after DAA therapy.
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is essential to balance the metabolic demands of four dominant North‐Atlantic deep‐sea sponges
Authors: Bart Martijn C. , Mueller Benjamin , Rombouts Titus , van de Ven Clea , Tompkins Gabrielle J. , Osinga Ronald , Brussaard Corina P.D. , MacDonald Barry , Engel Anja , Rapp Hans Tore , de Goeij Jasper M.
Published: December 2020

Sponges are ubiquitous components of various deep‐sea habitats, including cold water coral reefs, and form deep‐sea sponge grounds. Although the deep sea is generally considered to be a food‐limited environment, these ecosystems are known to be hotspots of biodiversity and carbon cycling. To assess the role of sponges in the carbon cycling of deep‐sea ecosystems, we studied the carbon budgets of six dominant deep‐sea sponges of different phylogenetic origin, with various growth forms and hosting distinct associated microbial communities, in an ex situ aquarium setup. Additionally, we determined biomass metrics—planar surface area, volume, wet weight, dry weight (DW), ash‐free dry weight, and organic carbon (C) content—and conversion factors for all species. Oxygen (O2) removal rates averaged 3.3 ± 2.8 μmol O2 g DWsponge h−1 (mean ± SD), live particulate (bacterio‐ and phytoplankton) organic carbon removal rates averaged 0.30 ± 0.39 μmol C g DWsponge h−1 and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal rates averaged 18.70 ± 25.02 μmol C g DWsponge h−1. Carbon mass balances were calculated for four species and revealed that the sponges acquired 1.3–6.6 times the amount of carbon needed to sustain their minimal respiratory demands. These results indicate that irrespective of taxonomic class, growth form, and abundance of microbial symbionts, DOC is responsible for over 90% of the total net organic carbon removal of deep‐sea sponges and allows them to sustain themselves in otherwise food‐limited environments on the ocean floor.
Rational Design of Ratiometric Luminescence Thermometry Based on Thermally Coupled Levels for Bioapplications
Authors: Suo Hao , Zhao Xiaoqi , Zhang Zhiyu , Wang Yu , Sun Jiashu , Jin Minkun , Guo Chongfeng
Published: December 2020

Noninvasive lanthanide‐doped optical thermometers based on fluorescent intensity ratio (FIR) technique have emerged as promising noncontact tools for detecting the inaccessible objects at different scales. Currently, the theoretical and experimental investigations of various influential factors on thermal performances of luminescence thermometers have become one of the hotspots to develop highly sensitive optical thermometers. On the other hand, near‐infrared (NIR) light‐responsive nanothermometers with deep‐tissue penetration have been widely applied for subcutaneous and intracellular thermometry, which could be integrated with optical heating and imaging functions to construct all‐in‐one thermometer‐heater platforms for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this review, the recent advances in luminescence thermometry based on the thermally coupled levels (TCLs) are elaborately introduced from fundamental aspects to possible biomedical applications, with the perspective and outlook in the emerging challenges of FIR thermometers applied in biomedical science.
Triggering Forces at the Nanoscale: Technologies for Single‐Chain Mechanical Activation and Manipulation
Authors: Martínez‐Tong Daniel E. , Pomposo José A. , Verde‐Sesto Ester
Published: December 2020

Over the past decades, polymer mechanochemistry has focused on the development and application of advanced force application methods to better understand the mechanochemical response of mechanophores. In this regard, techniques such as ultrasonication and single‐molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) are used to activate and detect up to thousands of chemical events within a polymer single chain, allowing the researchers to probe the mechanochemical reactivity of these stress‐responsive motifs. Here, the most recent contributions of the single‐molecule force spectroscopy technique to this field are presented, putting emphasis on the fundamental parameters of the technique for triggering specific force responses and on the description of force–extension curves measured for single‐ and multi‐mechanophore polymers. Moreover, new contributions of microscopy‐based techniques in the field of polymer mechanochemistry, as well as the potential application of single‐chain nanoparticles as mechanoresponsive materials, are highlighted.
Toll‐like receptor‐4 deficiency inhibits ultraviolet radiation‐induced tumor development by modulation of immune and inflammatory responses
Authors: Ahmad Israr , Nasti Tahseen H. , Rihan Heba M. , Jimenez Hugo , Elmets Craig A. , Yusuf Nabiha
Published: December 2020

Ultraviolet (UV) B irradiation of the skin induces acute inflammation, as characterized by erythema, edema, and immunosuppression, and is subsequently linked to the progression of skin cancer. Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), a component of innate immunity, has been shown to play an important role in cancer. To elucidate the role of TLR4 in UVB‐induced tumor development, TLR4‐proficient (C3H/HeN) and TLR4‐deficient (C3H/HeJ) mice were exposed to multiple doses of UVB radiation (200 mJ/cm2) for 40 weeks. Photocarcinogenesis was retarded in terms of tumor incidence, and tumor latency, in mice deficient in TLR4 compared with TLR4‐proficient mice, whereas significantly greater numbers of tumors occurred in TLR4‐proficient mice. There was significant upregulation of inflammatory markers like COX‐2, PGE2, S100A8, and S100A9 in the skin of TLR4‐proficient mice than the skin of TLR4‐deficient mice. Furthermore, we found that TLR4‐proficient mice had a significantly higher number of Gr1+CD11b+ myeloid cells CD4+CD25+ regulatory T‐cells than TLR4‐deficient mice. Furthermore, the levels of interferon (IFN)‐γ cytokine was increased and the levels of interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐10, and IL‐17 cytokines were decreased in serum, skin, and tumor lysates of TLR4‐deficient mice in comparison with samples from TLR4‐proficient mice. Together, our data indicate that TLR4‐mediated inflammation may cause suppression of antitumor responses and trigger the development of UVB‐induced skin cancers. Thus, strategies to inhibit TLR4‐mediated immune suppression may allow us to develop preventive and therapeutic approaches for the management of UVB‐induced cutaneous tumors.
Plasma Phospho‐Tau Identifies Alzheimer's Co‐Pathology in Patients with Lewy Body Disease
Authors: Hall Sara , Janelidze Shorena , Londos Elisabet , Leuzy Antoine , Stomrud Erik , Dage Jeffrey L. , Hansson Oskar
Published: December 2020

Background

Alzheimer's disease co‐pathology is common in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease with dementia (Lewy body disease) and can reliably be detected with positron emission tomography (PET) or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Recently developed blood biomarkers are more accessible and less expensive alternatives.

Objective

To investigate if plasma phospho‐tau217 and phospho‐tau181 can detect Alzheimer's pathology in Lewy body disease with dementia.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study we investigated plasma phospho‐tau217 and phospho‐tau181 in 35 patients with Lewy body disease with dementia. Patients underwent tau‐PET imaging (18F‐RO948).

Results

Plasma phospho‐tau217 correlated with plasma phospho‐tau181, CSF phospho‐tau217 (rs = 0.68, P < 0.001), and negatively with CSF β‐amyloid42/40 (rs = −0.52, P = 0.001). Plasma phospho‐tau217 and phospho‐tau181 correlated with tau‐PET signal in the temporal cortex (rs > 0.56, P < 0.001) and predicted abnormal tau‐PET status and β‐amyloid status (area under the curve > 0.78 and > 0.81, respectively).

Conclusion

Plasma phospho‐tau might be a useful marker for Alzheimer's co‐pathology in Lewy body disease with dementia. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Complete classification of ground state solutions with different Morse index for critical fractional Laplacian system
Authors: Zhen Maoding , Zhang Binlin
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we first obtain the existence of positive ground state solutions for the following critical fractional Laplacian system:

then we give a complete classification of positive ground state solutions with different Morse index. More precisely, we show that if (u, v) be any positive ground state solution of system (1.1), then (u, v) must be (C1Uϵ, y, C2Uϵ, y) type with Morse index 1 and Morse index 2, where Uϵ, y is a positive ground state solution for a given equation.
Existence of solution to fractional differential equation with fractional integral type boundary conditions
Authors: Ali Anwar , Sarwar Muhammad , Zada Mian Bahadur , Shah Kamal
Published: December 2020

This paper is devoted by developing sufficient condition required for the existence of solution to a nonlinear fractional order boundary value problem

with fractional integral boundary conditions

and

where γ ∈ (1, 2], 0 < λ < 1, D denotes the Caputo fractional derivative (in short CFD),
are continuous functions and
are positive real numbers. Using topological degree theory sufficient results are constructed for the existence of at least one and unique solution to the concerned problem. For the validity of our result, a concrete example is presented in the end.
Milk Fat Globule Membrane as a Modulator of Infant Metabolism and Gut Microbiota: A Formula Supplement Narrowing the Metabolic Differences between Breastfed and Formula‐Fed Infants
Authors: Lee Hanna , Slupsky Carolyn M. , Heckmann Anne B. , Christensen Britt , Peng Yongmei , Li Xiaonan , Hernell Olle , Lönnerdal Bo , Li Zailing
Published: December 2020

Scope

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is an important component of milk that has previously been removed in the manufacture of infant formulas, but has recently gained attention owing to its potential to improve immunological, cognitive, and metabolic health. The goal of this study is to determine whether supplementing MFGM in infant formula would drive desirable changes in metabolism and gut microbiota to elicit benefits observed in prior studies.

Methods and Results

The serum metabolome and fecal microbiota are analyzed using 1H NMR spectroscopy and 16S rRNA gene sequencing respectively in a cohort of Chinese infants given a standard formula or a formula supplemented with an MFGM‐enriched whey protein fraction. Supplementing MFGM suppressed protein degradation pathways and the levels of insulinogenic amino acids that are typically enhanced in formula‐fed infants while facilitating fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis, a feature that may favor brain development. MFGM supplementation did not induce significant compositional changes in the fecal microbiota but suppressed microbial diversity and altered microbiota‐associated metabolites.

Conclusion

Supplementing MFGM in a formula reduced some metabolic gaps between formula‐fed and breastfed infants.
Technical Note: Vendor miscalibration of preclinical orthovoltage irradiator identified through independent output check
Authors: Chen Quan , Carlton Drew , Howard Thaddeus J , Izumi Tadahide , Rong Yi
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Accurate radiation dosimetry in radiobiological experiments is crucial for preclinical research in advancement of cancer treatment. Vendors of cell irradiators often perform calibration for end‐users. However, calibration accuracy remains unclear due to missing detailed information on calibration equipment and procedures. In this study, we report our findings of a vender miscalibration of the radiation output and our investigation on the root cause of the discrepancy.

Methods

Independent calibration verification for a commercial preclinical orthovoltage irradiator was conducted. Initially, in the absence of ionization chambers calibrated at kV energy, radiochromic films (EBT3) was first calibrated at MV energy. Energy correction factors from literature were used to create an in‐house kV dosimetry system. The miscalibration identified with the in‐house kV EBT3 dosimetry was later confirmed by ADCL calibrated ionization chambers (Exradin A1SL and PTW 30013) at kV energy. Ionization chambers were suspended in‐air following TG‐61 recommendation for output calibration. To investigate the root cause of the miscalibration, additional measurements were performed with ionization chambers placed on the shelf. A validated Monte Carlo simulation code was also used to investigate the impact of placing the ionization chamber on the shelf instead of suspending it in air during the vendor‐performed calibration process.

Results

Up to a 6% dosimetry error was observed when comparing the vendor calibrated output of the preclinical irradiator with our independent calibration check. Further investigation showed incorrect setups in the vendor’s calibration procedure which may result in dose errors up to 11% from the backscatter of the shelf board during calibration, and up to 5% from omitting temperature and pressure corrections to ionization chamber readings.

Conclusion

Our study revealed large dose calibration errors caused by incorrect setup and the omission of temperature/pressure correction in the vendor’s calibration procedure. The findings also highlighted the importance of performing an independent check of the dose calibration for preclinical kV irradiators. More absolute dosimetry training is needed for both vendors and end users for establishing accurate absolute dosimetry.
Improved detection of focal cortical dysplasia in normal‐appearing FLAIR images using a Bayesian classifier
Authors: Feng Cuixia , Zhao Hulin , Li Yueer , Cheng Zhibiao , Wen Junhai
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a malformation of cortical development that often causes pharmacologically intractable epilepsy. However, FCD lesions are frequently characterized by minor structural abnormalities that can easily go unrecognized, making diagnosis difficult. Therefore, many epileptic patients have had pathologically confirmed FCD lesions that appeared normal in pre‐surgical fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance (MR) studies. Such lesions are called “FLAIR‐negative.” This study aimed to improve the detection of histopathologically verified FCD in a sample of patients without visually appreciable lesions.

Methods

The technique first extracts a series of features from a FLAIR image. Then, three naive Bayesian classifiers with probability (NBCP) are trained based on different numbers of feature maps to classify voxels as lesional or healthy voxels and assign the lesions a probability of correct classification. This method classifies the three‐dimensional (3D) images of all patients using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation (LOOCV). Finally, the 3D lesion probability map, including epileptogenic lesions, is obtained by removing false‐positive voxel outliers using the morphological method. The performance of the NBCP was assessed for quantitative analysis by specificity, accuracy, recall, precision, and Dice coefficient in subject‐wise, lesion‐wise, and voxel‐wise manners.

Results

The best detection results were obtained by using four features: cortical thickness, symmetry, K‐means, and modified texture energy. There were eight lesions in seven patients. The subject‐wise sensitivity of the proposed method was 85.71% (6/7). Seven out of eight lesions were detected, so the lesion‐wise sensitivity was 87.50% (7/8). No significant differences in effectiveness were found between automated lesion detection using four features and lesion detection using manual segmentation, as voxels were quantitatively analyzed in terms of specificity (mean ± SD = 99.64 ± 0.13), accuracy (mean ± SD = 99.62 ± 0.14), recall (mean ± SD = 73.27 ± 26.11), precision (mean ± SD = 11.93 ± 8.16), and Dice coefficient (mean ± SD = 22.82 ± 15.57).

Conclusion

We developed a novel automatic voxel‐based method to improve the detection of FCD FLAIR‐negative lesions. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to detect FCD lesions that appear normal in pre‐surgical 3D high‐resolution FLAIR images alone with a limited number of radiomics features. We optimized the algorithm and selected the best prior probability to improve the detection. For non‐temporal lobe epilepsy (non‐TLE) patients, lesions could be accurately located, although there were still false‐positive areas.
The feasibility of quantitative MRI of extra‐ocular muscles in myasthenia gravis and Graves' orbitopathy
Authors: Keene Kevin R. , van Vught Luc , van de Velde Nienke M. , Ciggaar Isabeau A. , Notting Irene C. , Genders Stijn W. , Verschuuren Jan J.G.M. , Tannemaat Martijn R. , Kan Hermien E. , Beenakker Jan‐Willem M.
Published: December 2020

Although quantitative MRI can be instrumental in the diagnosis and assessment of disease progression in orbital diseases involving the extra‐ocular muscles (EOM), acquisition can be challenging as EOM are small and prone to eye‐motion artefacts. We explored the feasibility of assessing fat fractions (FF), muscle volumes and water T2 (T2water) of EOM in healthy controls (HC), myasthenia gravis (MG) and Graves' orbitopathy (GO) patients. FF, EOM volumes and T2water values were determined in 12 HC (aged 22‐65 years), 11 MG (aged 28‐71 years) and six GO (aged 28‐64 years) patients at 7 T using Dixon and multi‐echo spin‐echo sequences. The EOM were semi‐automatically 3D‐segmented by two independent observers. MANOVA and t‐tests were used to assess differences in FF, T2water and volume of EOM between groups (P < .05). Bland–Altman limits of agreement (LoA) were used to assess the reproducibility of segmentations and Dixon scans. The scans were well tolerated by all subjects. The bias in FF between the repeated Dixon scans was −0.7% (LoA: ±2.1%) for the different observers; the bias in FF was −0.3% (LoA: ±2.8%) and 0.03 cm3 (LoA: ± 0.36 cm3) for volume. Mean FF of EOM in MG (14.1% ± 1.6%) was higher than in HC (10.4% ± 2.5%). Mean muscle volume was higher in both GO (1.2 ± 0.4 cm3) and MG (0.8 ± 0.2 cm3) compared with HC (0.6 ± 0.2 cm3). The average T2water for all EOM was 24.6 ± 4.0 ms for HC, 24.0 ± 4.7 ms for MG patients and 27.4 ± 4.2 ms for the GO patient. Quantitative MRI at 7 T is feasible for measuring FF and muscle volumes of EOM in HC, MG and GO patients. The measured T2water was on average comparable with skeletal muscle, although with higher variation between subjects. The increased FF in the EOM in MG patients suggests that EOM involvement in MG is accompanied by fat replacement. The unexpected EOM volume increase in MG may provide novel insights into underlying pathophysiological processes.
Donations in social context
Authors: Ressler Robert W. , Paxton Pamela , Velasco Kristopher
Published: December 2020

Many nonprofit organizations rely on donations to fund their programs, and a robust literature predicts donations in large‐scale quantitative studies. The focus, however, is almost exclusively on the financial characteristics of the organizations, leaving the social context underexplored. In this article, we theorize how ecological context, organizational identity, and social network ties can shape donations. We use the new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) release of e‐filed nonprofit reporting forms to consider 95,518 501(c)3 nonprofits around 2015. Using lagged regression models, we find that organizations within a more favorable ecological context, those that use appeals to religion, and organizations with more volunteers report more donations. Furthermore, stressing affiliation with a geographic location is associated with more donations only under certain ecological conditions. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these results for nonprofit organizations and social theories regarding what influences donations to organizations.
Serum levels of ACE2 are higher in patients with obesity and diabetes
Authors: Emilsson Valur , Gudmundsson Elias F. , Aspelund Thor , Jonsson Brynjolfur G. , Gudjonsson Alexander , Launer Lenore J. , Lamb John R. , Gudmundsdottir Valborg , Jennings Lori L. , Gudnason Vilmundur
Published: December 2020

Objective

As severity of outcome in COVID‐19 is disproportionately higher among individuals with obesity, smokers, patients with hypertension, kidney disease, chronic pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D), serum levels of ACE2, the cellular entry point for the coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2, were examined in these high‐risk groups.

Methods

Associations of ACE2 levels to smokers and patients with hypertension, T2D, obesity, CHD, or COPD were investigated in a single center population‐based study of 5457 Icelanders from the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility Reykjavík Study (AGES‐RS) of the elderly (mean age 75 ± 6 years), using multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

Serum levels of ACE2 were higher in smokers and individuals with T2D and/or obesity while they were unaffected in the other patient groups.

Conclusion

ACE2 levels are higher in some patient groups with comorbidities linked to COVID‐19 including obesity and T2D and as such may have an emerging role as a circulating biomarker for severity of outcome in the disease.