bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep learning based chronic kidney disease detection through iris
Authors: Rehman H A U , Lin C Y , Su S F
Published: September 2021

Kidney is an important organ in human body as it maintains the nutrients and fluid balance in our body. It is extremely beneficial if its dysfunctionality is diagnosed at an early stage. Iridology provides a pathway to examine the kidney disease through iris images. Therefore, in this work we proposed the Iris-based Kidney Disease Identification System (IKDIS). The IKDIS would aid in identifying abnormalities through iris images an input which would be followed by application of deep neural network model for assessment. This type of diagnostic system without involving any instruments for assessment of human body organs is much popular these days. The data of 49 patients gives promising results of IKDIS, achieving overall accuracy of 86.9% during the experiment.
Heat stress, labour productivity and adaptation in Europe—a regional and occupational analysis
Authors: Szewczyk Wojciech , Mongelli Ignazio , Ciscar Juan-Carlos
Published: September 2021

Labour exposure to heat stress driven by climate change will increase significantly with the rising global temperatures. Under heat stress, workers have to reduce work intensity and take longer breaks from work to prevent occupational illness and injuries. This study explores how the global warming and the resulting increase in heat stress can directly affect productivity of workers and indirectly impact upon the broader economy. Occupational statistics for 269 European regions are combined with daily heat stress indicator derived from a set of high-resolution climate scenarios. The novel approach, enabled by using a set of published exposure-response functions, assesses workers productivity losses differentiated by occupations. A macro econometric model of the European economy is then used to asses implications of change in productivity in monetary terms. The study finds that, compared to nowadays, productivity of labour can be 1.6% lower in Europe in 2080s, with a clear geographical gradient showing that southern and eastern regions are much more affected (e.g. up to 5.4% productivity loss in Greece). Furthermore, regions where the dominant occupations have relative lower earnings would also experience higher productivity loses. The analysis also focuses on the potential role of adaptation to reduce the productivity and economic losses, via air conditioning and a preliminary assessment of the potential of wearable robotics, which can reduce damages by 30%–40%.
Optimization for Injection Moulding process parameters towards Warpage and Shrinkage of HDPE-PBI composites
Authors: Ramesh M. , Panneerselvam K.
Published: September 2021

Injection moulding is a high-quality process that is preferred in modern manufacturing. Due to the defects in HDPE polymer composites the parameter’s had to be adjusted based on the necessity. Therefore, this study of parameters is to improve the quality characteristics of the injection moulding of HDPE-PBI composite samples. As the composition of HDPE composites varies, the quality aspects that must be controlled are shrinkage and warpage. The parameters that are considered as factors are Melting Temperature (°C), Injection pressure (MPa) and cooling time (sec). Using the Taguchi Optimization method of L9 Orthogonal array, the injection moulding process was performed and found that the injection pressure of 65 MPa and temperature of 180-185 °C showed better results. The influence of parameters was studied through this research using Analysis of Variance (ANNOVA).
Treatment of Dye Waste Water using Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor and Granular Activated Carbon with Neem Leaf Powder
Authors: Sasivarman B. , Dharani S. , Jothika A. , Mohana Priya D.
Published: September 2021

In recent days, the waste productions from industries are increased and direct discharge of wastes causes various pollution to the environment. Wastewater treatment in textile and dye industry mainly involves treatment of highly colored wastewater containing variety of dyes in different concentrations. The dyeing industries using different types of pigments and dyes of various concentration during their several production steps. These industries discharge a wastewater which contains organic substance, high colour with high COD and low concentration of BOD. This dye waste water are directly discharge in to the streams and thus contaminate the groundwater. To treat the wastewater, which is discharge from the dyeing industries a simple physio-chemical treatment is not sufficient for the removal of pollutants. So that a biological treatment followed with a physio-chemical treatment have been required. In this study, the experiment was carried out to reduce the organic substance, high colour, COD, BOD, and Heavy metals from dye wastewater using the laboratory scale Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor followed with Granular activated Carbon bed (GAC with NLP-MBBR) with Neem leaf powder. A various thick granular activated carbon bed was used for adsorption technique and for biological treatment of wastewater. The GAC with 8cm thick is layered followed by Ennore sand with 3 grades with 4cm thick equally. Then the MBBR was operated continuously with various retention times. The polypropylene type bio balls were used for microorganism attachment in MBBR. The outlet water from the MBBR are treated using membrane process. Membrane process using moving membranes reduces the pH, organic contents, heavy metals, COD, BOD, turbidity etc., The final effluent water is suitable for Irrigation.
Polyelectrolyte Complex for Drug Delivery in Biomedical Applications: A Review
Authors: Jagtap Pratik , Patil Kiran , Dhatrak Pankaj
Published: September 2021

There are so many significant developments made in drug delivery system (DDS) in which Polymer DDS has reached great developments. The main motive of this paper is to focus on DDS developing by Polyelectrolytes. Polymers have achieved much importance in DDS. Polyelectrolytes shows an exceptional category of polymer compounds containing of opposite charged polyions which are mainly cationic or anionic charges; they are hydrophilic in nature because of presence of opposite charge, can be used in various of applications in DDS. Polyelectrolytes (PE) exhibits various types of reactive groups that permits easy, adaptable modification with functional agents such as targeting molecules. Further, the oppositely charged nature exist in polyelectrolytes been used to transport macromolecules such as DNA and nanoparticles. Significance of smart polyelectrolyte is growing day by day from last several year. In the last several years, polyelectrolytes representing promising means for targeted based drug delivery and gene treatment. In the present paper, polyelectrolyte, polyelectrolyte complexes, deposition method for multilayer system, features, characterization of polyelectrolytes, and applications are reviewed.
Effect of Zirconium Dibromide and Aluminum Oxide Hybrid Particle Reinforcement on the Mechanical, Microstructure and Wear Properties of AA6063 Surface Metal Matrix Composite
Authors: Raja R. , Jannet Sabitha , Joy Christo , Johnson Jeffin
Published: September 2021

In the present study Aluminum 6063 as the matrix and with Zirconium dibromide and Aluminum oxide as the reinforcement particle Metal Matrix surface composites were fabricated by friction stir processing. By the addition of reinforcements such as Zirconium Dibromide and Aluminum Oxide used as the strengthening agents during FSP process certainly made the MMC more wear resistant and harder than the base matrix. The effect of varying reinforcement percentage on the Mechanical wear and microstructure properties were studied. The Micro hardness showed an increasing trend in the nugget zone. The wear rate decrease with increase in volume percentage of hybrid reinforcement. FESEM images of the samples displayed uniform distribution of the particle in the matrix. And also reiterated the formation of hybrid particles.
Basic properties of 𝑋 for which the space 𝐶_{𝑝}(𝑋) is distinguished
Authors: Ka̧kol Jerzy , Leiderman Arkady
Published: September 2021

In our paper [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. Ser. B 8 (2021), pp. 86–99] we showed that a Tychonoff spaceXXis aΔ\Delta-space (in the sense of R. W. Knight [Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 339 (1993), pp. 45–60], G. M. Reed [Fund. Math. 110 (1980), pp. 145–152]) if and only if the locally convex spaceCp(X)C_{p}(X)is distinguished. Continuing this research, we investigate whether the classΔ\DeltaofΔ\Delta-spaces is invariant under the basic topological operations.

We prove that ifX∈ΔX \in \Deltaandφ:X→Y\varphi :X \to Yis a continuous surjection such thatφ(F)\varphi (F)is anFσF_{\sigma }-set inYYfor every closed setF⊂XF \subset X, then alsoY∈ΔY\in \Delta. As a consequence, ifXXis a countable union of closed subspacesXiX_isuch that eachXi∈ΔX_i\in \Delta, then alsoX∈ΔX\in \Delta. In particular,σ\sigma-product of any family of scattered Eberlein compact spaces is aΔ\Delta-space and the product of aΔ\Delta-space with a countable space is aΔ\Delta-space. Our results give answers to several open problems posed by us [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. Ser. B 8 (2021), pp. 86–99].

LetT:Cp(X)⟶Cp(Y)T:C_p(X) \longrightarrow C_p(Y)be a continuous linear surjection. We observe thatTTadmits an extension to a linear continuous operatorT^\widehat {T}fromRX\mathbb {R}^XontoRY\mathbb {R}^Yand deduce thatYYis aΔ\Delta-space wheneverXXis. Similarly, assuming thatXXandYYare metrizable spaces, we show thatYYis aQQ-set wheneverXXis.

Making use of obtained results, we provide a very short proof for the claim that every compactΔ\Delta-space has countable tightness. As a consequence, under Proper Forcing Axiom every compactΔ\Delta-space is sequential.

In the article we pose a dozen open questions.
Global dynamics above the ground state energy for the combined power-type nonlinear Schrödinger equations with energy-critical growth at low frequencies
Authors: Akahori Takafumi , Ibrahim Slim , Kikuchi Hiroaki , Nawa Hayato
Published: September 2021

We consider the combined power-type nonlinear Schrödinger equations with energy-critical growth, and study the solutions slightly above the ground state threshold at low frequencies, so that we obtain a so-called nine-set theory developed by Nakanishi and Schlag.
Cycle Threshold Probability Score for Immediate and Sensitive Detection of B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 Lineage
Authors: De Smet Dieter , Vanhee Merijn , Maes Brigitte , Swaerts Koen , De Jaeger Peter , Maelegheer Karel , Van Hoecke Frederik , Martens Geert Antoine
Published: September 2021

Background

Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern associated with immune escape is important to safeguard vaccination efficacy. We describe the potential of delayed N gene amplification in the Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay (Seegene) for screening of the B.1.351 (20H/501.V2, variant of concern 2 [VOC.V2], South African SARS-CoV-2 variant) lineage.

Methods

In a study cohort of 397 consecutive polymerase chain reaction–positive samples genotyped by whole-genome sequencing, amplification curves of E/N/S-RdRP targets indicated delayedN vs E gene amplification characteristic of B.1.351. Logistic regression was used to calculate a VOC.V2 probability score that was evaluated as a separate screening test in an independent validation cohort vs sequencing.

Results

B.1.351 showed a proportionally delayed amplification of the N vs E gene. In logistic regression, only N and E gene cycle thresholds independently contributed to B.1.351 prediction, allowing calculation of a VOC.V2 probability score with an area under the curve of 0.94. At an optimal dichotomous cutoff point of 0.12, the VOC.V2 probability score achieved 98.7% sensitivity at 79.9% specificity, resulting in a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.6% and a positive predictive value of 54.6%. The probability of B.1.351 increased with an increasing VOC.V2 probability score, achieving a likelihood ratio of 12.01 above 0.5. A near-maximal NPV was confirmed in 153 consecutive validation samples.

Conclusions

Delayed N vs E gene amplification in the Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Assay can be used for fast and highly sensitive screening of B.1.351.
Differential RNA methylation using multivariate statistical methods
Authors: Ayyala Deepak Nag , Lin Jianan , Ouyang Zhengqing
Published: September 2021

Motivation

m6A methylation is a highly prevalent post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes. MeRIP-seq or m6A-seq, which comprises immunoprecipitation of methylation fragments , is the most common method for measuring methylation signals. Existing computational tools for analyzing MeRIP-seq data sets and identifying differentially methylated genes/regions are not most optimal. They either ignore the sparsity or dependence structure of the methylation signals within a gene/region. Modeling the methylation signals using univariate distributions could also lead to high type I error rates and low sensitivity. In this paper, we propose using mean vector testing (MVT) procedures for testing differential methylation of RNA at the gene level. MVTs use a distribution-free test statistic with proven ability to control type I error even for extremely small sample sizes. We performed a comprehensive simulation study comparing the MVTs to existing MeRIP-seq data analysis tools. Comparative analysis of existing MeRIP-seq data sets is presented to illustrate the advantage of using MVTs.

Results

Mean vector testing procedures are observed to control type I error rate and achieve high power for detecting differential RNA methylation using m6A-seq data. Results from two data sets indicate that the genes detected identified as having different m6A methylation patterns have high functional relevance to the study conditions.

Availability

The dimer software package for differential RNA methylation analysis is freely available at https://github.com/ouyang-lab/DIMER.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Briefings in Bioinformatics online.
Improving cancer driver gene identification using multi-task learning on graph convolutional network
Authors: Peng Wei , Tang Qi , Dai Wei , Chen Tielin
Published: September 2021

Cancer is thought to be caused by the accumulation of driver genetic mutations. Therefore, identifying cancer driver genes plays a crucial role in understanding the molecular mechanism of cancer and developing precision therapies and biomarkers. In this work, we propose a Multi-Task learning method, called MTGCN, based on the Graph Convolutional Network to identify cancer driver genes. First, we augment gene features by introducing their features on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. After that, the multi-task learning framework propagates and aggregates nodes and graph features from input to next layer to learn node embedding features, simultaneously optimizing the node prediction task and the link prediction task. Finally, we use a Bayesian task weight learner to balance the two tasks automatically. The outputs of MTGCN assign each gene a probability of being a cancer driver gene. Our method and the other four existing methods are applied to predict cancer drivers for pan-cancer and some single cancer types. The experimental results show that our model shows outstanding performance compared with the state-of-the-art methods in terms of the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the precision-recall curves.

The MTGCN is freely available via https://github.com/weiba/MTGCN.
A deep learning-based approach to model anomalous diffusion of membrane proteins: the case of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Authors: Maizón Héctor Buena , Barrantes Francisco J
Published: September 2021

We present a concatenated deep-learning multiple neural network system for the analysis of single-molecule trajectories. We apply this machine learning-based analysis to characterize the translational diffusion of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the plasma membrane, experimentally interrogated using superresolution optical microscopy. The receptor protein displays a heterogeneous diffusion behavior that goes beyond the ensemble level, with individual trajectories exhibiting more than one diffusive state, requiring the optimization of the neural networks through a hyperparameter analysis for different numbers of steps and durations, especially for short trajectories (<50 steps) where the accuracy of the models is most sensitive to localization errors. We next use the statistical models to test for Brownian, continuous-time random walk and fractional Brownian motion, and introduce and implement an additional, two-state model combining Brownian walks and obstructed diffusion mechanisms, enabling us to partition the two-state trajectories into segments, each of which is independently subjected to multiple analysis. The concatenated multi-network system evaluates and selects those physical models that most accurately describe the receptor’s translational diffusion. We show that the two-state Brownian-obstructed diffusion model can account for the experimentally observed anomalous diffusion (mostly subdiffusive) of the population and the heterogeneous single-molecule behavior, accurately describing the majority (72.5 to 88.7% for α-bungarotoxin-labeled receptor and between 73.5 and 90.3% for antibody-labeled molecules) of the experimentally observed trajectories, with only ~15% of the trajectories fitting to the fractional Brownian motion model.
RNA Solutions: Synthesizing Information to Support Transcriptomics (RNASSIST)
Authors: Chen Yi-Pei , Ferguson Laura B , Salem Nihal A , Zheng George , Mayfield R Dayne , Eslami Mohammed
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Transcriptomics is a common approach to identify changes in gene expression induced by a disease state. Standard transcriptomic analyses consider differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as indicative of disease states so only a few genes would be treated as signals when the effect size is small, such as in brain tissue. For tissue with small effect sizes, if the DEGs do not belong to a pathway known to be involved in the disease, there would be little left in the transcriptome for researchers to follow up with.

Results

We developed RNA Solutions: Synthesizing Information to Support Transcriptomics (RNASSIST), a new approach to identify hidden signals in transcriptomic data by linking differential expression and co-expression networks using machine learning. We applied our approach to RNA-seq data of post-mortem brains that compared the Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) group with the control group. Many of the candidate genes are not differentially expressed so would likely be ignored by standard transcriptomic analysis pipelines. Through multiple validation strategies, we concluded that these RNASSIST-identified genes likely play a significant role in AUD.

Availability and implementation

The RNASSIST algorithm is available at https://github.com/netrias/rnassist and both the software and the data used in RNASSIST are available at https://figshare.com/articles/software/RNAssist_Software_and_Data/16617250.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
This is how it Feels: Activating Lived Experience in the Penal Voluntary Sector
Authors: Buck Gillian , Tomczak Philippa , Quinn Kaitlyn
Published: September 2021

Increasing calls for ‘nothing about us without us’ envision marginalized people as valuable and necessary contributors to policies and practices affecting them. In this paper, we examine what this type of inclusion feels like for criminalized people who share their lived experiences in penal voluntary sector organizations. Focus groups conducted in England and Scotland illustrated how this work was experienced as both safe, inclusionary and rewarding and exclusionary, shame-provoking and precarious. We highlight how these tensions of ‘user involvement’ impact criminalized individuals and compound wider inequalities within this sector. The individual, emotional and structural implications of activating lived experience, therefore, require careful consideration. We consider how the penal voluntary sector might more meaningfully and supportively engage criminalized individuals in service design and delivery. These considerations are significant for broader criminal justice and social service provision seeking to meaningfully involve those with lived experience.
Spatial-temporal evolution and diversification inSisyrinchium(Iridaceae) with emphasis on abiotic drivers
Authors: Thode Verônica A , Dellanhese Inácio Camila , Eggers Lilian , Reginato Marcelo , Souza-Chies Tatiana T
Published: September 2021

Evolutionary and ecological processes that influenced the assembly of the New World flora are best understood through investigation of spatio-temporal processes of specific lineages, but some groups still lack a historical overview. Here, we produced a well-sampled dated tree, reconstructed ancestral ranges and performed diversification analyses for Sisyrinchium (Iridaceae) to elucidate its evolution in the Americas. Eight molecular markers and samples representing its full geographical range and morphological diversity were used to estimate divergence times with a Bayesian relaxed clock with secondary calibrations. Ancestral range reconstruction under likelihood methods and diversification analyses were performed. Sisyrinchium originated in a broad range including the Andes and Mesoamerica in the Mid-Miocene. Diversification at high elevations occurred in the early diverging lineages, which feature the highest extinction rates. Increase in diversification rate was detected during the Pliocene/Pleistocene after the colonization of lower elevations. Later sympatric speciation in south-eastern Brazil was followed by movements to other regions, including a long-dispersal event to North America. Higher extinction rates were followed by movements to lower elevations, with periods of accelerated Andean orogeny and global temperature decrease. Our results indicate that palaeoclimate and changes in elevational range influenced diversification in Sisyrinchium.
Neuronal Oscillatory Signatures in the Developing Mouse Visual Cortex After Short-Term Monocular Deprivation
Authors: Malik Anju , Eldaly Abdelrahman B M , Chen Ke , Chan Leanne Lai-Hang
Published: September 2021

Development and maturation in cortical networks depend on neuronal activity. For stabilization and pruning of connections, synchronized oscillations play a crucial role. A fundamental mechanism that enables coordinated activity during brain functioning is formed of synchronized neuronal oscillations in low- (delta and theta) and high- (gamma) frequency bands. The relationship between neural synchrony, cognition, and the perceptual process has been widely studied, but any possible role of neural synchrony in amblyopia has been less explored. We hypothesized that monocular deprivation (MD) during early postnatal life would lead to changes in neuronal activity that would be demonstrated by changes in phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) and altered power in specific oscillatory frequency. Our results demonstrate that functional connectivity in the visual cortex is altered by MD during adolescence. The amplitude of high-frequency oscillations is modulated by the phase of low-frequency oscillations. Demonstration of enhanced delta–gamma and theta–gamma PAC indicates that our results are relevant for a broad range of nested oscillatory markers. These markers are inherent to neuronal processing and are consistent with the hypothesized increase in the intrinsic coupling that arises from neural oscillatory phase alignment. Our results reveal distinct frequency bands exhibit altered power and coherence variations modulated by experience-driven plasticity.
Prefrontal Control of Proactive and Reactive Mechanisms of Visual Suppression
Authors: Di Bello Fabio , Ben Hadj Hassen Sameh , Astrand Elaine , Ben Hamed Suliann
Published: September 2021

In everyday life, we are continuously struggling at focusing on our current goals while at the same time avoiding distractions. Attention is the neuro-cognitive process devoted to the selection of behaviorally relevant sensory information while at the same time preventing distraction by irrelevant information. Distraction can be prevented proactively, by strategically prioritizing task-relevant information at the expense of irrelevant information, or reactively, by suppressing the ongoing processing of distractors. The distinctive neuronal signature of these suppressive mechanisms is still largely unknown. Thanks to machine-learning decoding methods applied to prefrontal cortical activity, we monitor the dynamic spatial attention with an unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. We first identify independent behavioral and neuronal signatures for long-term (learning-based spatial prioritization) and short-term (dynamic spatial attention) mechanisms. We then identify distinct behavioral and neuronal signatures for proactive and reactive suppression mechanisms. We find that while distracting task-relevant information is suppressed proactively, task-irrelevant information is suppressed reactively. Critically, we show that distractor suppression, whether proactive or reactive, strongly depends on the implementation of both long-term and short-term mechanisms of selection. Overall, we provide a unified neuro-cognitive framework describing how the prefrontal cortex deals with distractors in order to flexibly optimize behavior in dynamic environments.
MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis after the Pfizer/BioNTech SARS-CoV-2 vaccination
Authors: Obata Shota , Hidaka Sumi , Yamano Mizuki , Yanai Mitsuru , Ishioka Kunihiro , Kobayashi Shuzo
Published: September 2021

Vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has demonstrated high efficacy at preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a favorable safety profile, however it has also been reported that COVID-19 vaccines may put increase of immune-mediated disease. We herein report a case of MPO-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis following the mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) for COVID-19. Although the causal relationship between vaccine and ANCA-associated vasculitis is uncertain, environmental and genetic factors may have set the stage for the development of vasculitis, and the vaccine may have triggered a domino effect.
Application of Artificial Intelligence to Clinical Practice in Inflammatory Bowel Disease – What the Clinician Needs to Know
Authors: Chen David , Fulmer Clifton , Gordon Ilyssa O , Syed Sana , Stidham Ryan W , Vande Casteele Niels , Qin Yi , Falloon Katherine , Cohen Benjamin L , Wyllie Robert , Rieder Florian
Published: September 2021

Artificial intelligence [AI] techniques are quickly spreading across medicine as an analytical method to tackle challenging clinical questions. What were previously thought of as highly complex data sources, such as images or free text, are now becoming manageable. Novel analytical methods merge the latest developments in information technology infrastructure with advances in computer science. Once primarily associated with Silicon Valley, AI techniques are now making their way into medicine, including in the field of inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD]. Understanding potential applications and limitations of these techniques can be difficult, in particular for busy clinicians. In this article, we explain the basic terminologies and provide a particular focus on the foundations behind state-of-the-art AI methodologies in both imaging and text. We explore the growing applications of AI in medicine, with a specific focus on IBD to inform the practising gastroenterologist and IBD specialist. Finally, we outline possible future uses of these technologies in daily clinical practice.
The Incidence and Characteristics of Venous Thromboembolisms in Paediatric-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Prospective International Cohort Study Based on the PIBD-SETQuality Safety Registry
Authors: Aardoom Martine A , Klomberg Renz C W , Kemos Polychronis , Ruemmele Frank M ,   PIBD-VTE Group, Fagbemi Andrew , Kiparissi Fevronia , Schweizer Joachim J , Sebastian Shaji , Russell Richard K , Torrente Franco , van Mill Marije , de Ridder Lissy , Croft Nicholas M , Tempia-Caliera Michela , Seah Lee Way , Pigott Anna J , Classen Martin , Morris Mary-Anne , Muhammed Rafeeq , Hussey Seamus , Cananzi Mara , Menz Timothy J , Wahbeh Ghassan T , van Ommen C H (Heleen) , de Ridder Lissy , Croft Nicholas M ,   PIBD-SETQuality Consortium, Turner Dan , Focht Gili , Croft Nicholas , de Ridder Lissy , Samsom Janneke , Veereman Gigi , Neyt Mattias , Kemos Polychronis , Koletzko Sibylle , Brückner Annecarin , Levine Arie , Russell Richard , Levine Arie , Weiner Dror , Griffiths Anne , Aloi Marina , Raes Jeroen , Christiaens Annick , Walters Thomas , Walker Michael , Ruemelle Frank , Nguyen Demange Christine , Bigot Laetitia
Published: September 2021

Background and Aims

Guidelines regarding thromboprophylaxis for venous thromboembolisms [VTEs] in children with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] are based on limited paediatric evidence. We aimed to prospectively assess the incidence of VTEs in paediatric-onset IBD [PIBD], characterize PIBD patients with a VTE and identify potential IBD-related risk factors.

Methods

From October 2016 to September 2020, paediatric gastroenterologists prospectively replied to the international Safety Registry, monthly indicating whether they had observed a VTE case in a patient <19 years with IBD. IBD details [type, Paris classification, clinical and biochemical disease activity, treatment] and VTE details [type, location, treatment, outcome] were collected. To estimate VTE incidence, participants annually reported the number of PIBD patients, data source and catchment area of their centre. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed to calculate the VTE incidence in the general paediatric population.

Results

Participation of 129 PIBD centres resulted in coverage of 24 802 PIBD patients. Twenty cases of VTE were identified [30% Crohn’s disease]. The incidence of VTEs was 3.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.27–5.74) per 10 000 person-years, 14-fold higher than in the general paediatric population (0.27 [95% CI 0.18–0.38], p < 0.001). Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis was most frequently reported [50%]. All but one patient had active IBD, 45% were using steroids and 45% were hospitalized. No patient received thromboprophylaxis, whereas according to current PIBD guidelines, this was recommended in 4/20 patients.

Conclusion

There is an increased risk of VTEs in the PIBD population compared to the general paediatric population. Awareness of VTE occurrence and prevention should be extended to all PIBD patients with active disease, especially those hospitalized.
Temporary device malfunction of an MR conditional cardiac resynchronization defibrillator when undergoing MRI without appropriate re-programming: a case report
Authors: Patel Bhavisha , Monkhouse Christopher , Manisty Charlotte , Papageorgiou Nikos
Published: September 2021

Background

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (MRI) for patients with implantable cardiac devices is becoming more routine, with the development of MR conditional devices allowing more patients access to the imaging they need. However, for this to be performed safely, strict protocols must be followed necessitating close collaboration between cardiology and radiology departments. We present a case where mandatory device re-programming of a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator device into MRI mode was not performed pre-scan leading to temporary device dysfunction with no clinical consequences.

Case summary

A 72-year-old man presented to a device clinic for a routine device interrogation. An atrial tachycardia response episode was recorded at the same time as the patient reported having undergone an MRI scan at a local centre. The electrogram demonstrated temporary right ventricular loss of capture with standard output programming, and a short episode of oversensing on the atrial and ventricular channel which was not sustained for long enough to meet tachycardia detection.

Discussion

We demonstrate two potential electrophysiological effects of MRI on pacemakers, where the device had not been appropriately re-programmed pre-procedure. This illustrates that whilst MRI in patients with implantable cardiac devices is safe, strict protocols must be followed requiring robust multidisciplinary communication.
Bifurcation analysis of the eigenstructure of the discrete single-curl operator in three-dimensional Maxwell’s equations with Pasteur media
Authors: Liang Xin , Guo Zhen-Chen , Huang Tsung-Ming , Li Tiexiang , Lin Wen-Wei
Published: September 2021

This paper focuses on studying the bifurcation analysis of the eigenstructure of the $\gamma $-parameterized generalized eigenvalue problem ($\gamma $-GEP) arising in three-dimensional source-free Maxwell’s equations with Pasteur media, where $\gamma $ is the magnetoelectric chirality parameter. The weakly coupled case, namely, $\gamma < \gamma _{\ast } \equiv $ critical value, the $\gamma $-GEP is positive definite, has been well studied by Chern et al. (2015, Singular value decompositions for single-curl operators in three-dimensional Maxwell’s equations for complex media. SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl., 36, 203–224). For the strongly coupled case, namely, $\gamma> \gamma _{\ast }$, the $\gamma $-GEP is no longer positive definite, introducing a totally different and complicated structure. For the critical strongly coupled case, numerical computations for electromagnetic fields have been presented by Huang et al. (2018, Solving three-dimensional Maxwell eigenvalue problem with fourteen Bravais lattices. Technical Report). In this paper, we build several theoretical results on the eigenstructure behaviour of the $\gamma $-GEPs. We prove that the $\gamma $-GEP is regular for any $\gamma> 0$, and the $\gamma $-GEP has $2 \times 2$ Jordan blocks of infinite eigenvalues at the critical value $\gamma _{\ast }$. Then we show that the $2 \times 2$ Jordan block will split into a complex conjugate eigenvalue pair that rapidly goes down and up and then collides at some real point near the origin. Next it will bifurcate into two real eigenvalues, with one moving towards the left and the other to the right along the real axis as $\gamma $ increases. A newly formed state whose energy is smaller than the ground state can be created as $\gamma $ is larger than the critical value. This stunning feature of the physical phenomenon would be very helpful in practical applications. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the corresponding theoretical eigenstructure of the three-dimensional Maxwell equations with Pasteur media.
The Impact of Payment Frequency on Consumer Spending and Subjective Wealth Perceptions
Authors: De La Rosa Wendy , Tully Stephanie M
Published: September 2021

Payment frequency is a fundamental yet underexplored feature of consumers’ finances. As higher payment frequencies are becoming more prevalent, consumers are receiving more frequent yet smaller paychecks. An analysis of income and expenditure data of over 30,000 consumers from a financial services provider demonstrates a naturally occurring relationship between higher payment frequencies and increased spending. A series of lab studies support this finding, providing causal evidence that higher (vs. lower) payment frequencies increase spending. The effect of payment frequency on spending is driven by changes in consumers’ subjective wealth perceptions. Specifically, higher payment frequencies reduce consumers’ uncertainty in predicting whether they will have enough resources throughout a period, increasing their subjective wealth perceptions. As such, situational factors that reduce prediction uncertainty for those paid less frequently (e.g., the timing of consumers’ expenses, income levels) moderate the impact of payment frequency. The effects of payment frequency on subjective wealth and spending can occur even when objective wealth favors those with lower payment frequencies. More broadly, the current work underscores a need to understand how timing variations in consumers’ income impact their perceptions, behaviors, and general well-being.
Noncrop Host Plant Associations for Oversummering of Diuraphis noxia in the State of South Australia
Authors: Van Helden M , Heddle T , Proctor C , Alhwash L , Wake B , Al-Jawahiri F
Published: September 2021

Diuraphis noxia, Russian wheat aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae), established in Australia since 2016, is dependent on grasses (Poales: Poaceae) to persist in the low-rainfall Australian wheat belt, where no crops are present during summer. To identify grasses as D. noxia hosts in Australia, plants were tested in greenhouse conditions as either whole plants collected from roadsides or grown from collected seed in 2017 and 2018. To determine actual field refugia, direct grass sampling and Berlese extraction of aphids were conducted from October 2018 to May 2020 throughout Southern Australia (2,285 samples). One hundred and twenty-six grass species were collected, 54 showed presence of D. noxia, of which 24 were considered host plants, including 16 species (9 Australian natives) not recorded as host plants previously. Hordeum leporinum (Link) Arcang. Poales:Poaceae and several Bromus species (Poales: Poaceae) showed the highest D. noxia detection frequency and aphid numbers, but these introduced grass species are not summer active in most of South Australia. The native Enneapogon nigricans (Poales: Poaceae) (R.Br.) is the most important summer refuge species because of its widespread distribution, summer growth, and an intermediate level of positive detections with low D. noxia populations. The late summer represents the main bottleneck for D. noxia with very few hosts available and very low D. noxia detections overall. Late summer rainfall (February) seems essential to have the main host grasses germinate for D. noxia populations to build up and potentially invade crops sown in autumn.
Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, Part 2: Patient Economic Burden Associated With Cancer Care
Authors: Yabroff K Robin , Mariotto Angela , Tangka Florence , Zhao Jingxuan , Islami Farhad , Sung Hyuna , Sherman Recinda L , Henley S Jane , Jemal Ahmedin , Ward Elizabeth M
Published: September 2021

Background

The American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and North American Association of Central Cancer Registries provide annual information about cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. Part 1 of this annual report focuses on national cancer statistics. This study is part 2, which quantifies patient economic burden associated with cancer care.

Methods

We used complementary data sources, linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare, and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to develop comprehensive estimates of patient economic burden, including out-of-pocket and patient time costs, associated with cancer care. The 2000-2013 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data were used to estimate net patient out-of-pocket costs among adults aged 65 years and older for the initial, continuing, and end-of-life phases of care for all cancer sites combined and separately for the 21 most common cancer sites. The 2008-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were used to calculate out-of-pocket costs and time costs associated with cancer among adults aged 18-64 years and 65 years and older.

Results

Across all cancer sites, annualized net out-of-pocket costs for medical services and prescriptions drugs covered through a pharmacy benefit among adults aged 65 years and older were highest in the initial ($2200 and $243, respectively) and end-of-life phases ($3823 and $448, respectively) and lowest in the continuing phase ($466 and $127, respectively), with substantial variation by cancer site. Out-of-pocket costs were generally higher for patients diagnosed with later-stage disease. Net annual time costs associated with cancer were $304.3 (95% confidence interval = $257.9 to $350.9) and $279.1 (95% confidence interval = $215.1 to $343.3) for adults aged 18-64 years and ≥65 years, respectively, with higher time costs among more recently diagnosed survivors. National patient economic burden, including out-of-pocket and time costs, associated with cancer care was projected to be $21.1 billion in 2019.

Conclusions

This comprehensive study found that the patient economic burden associated with cancer care is substantial in the United States at the national and patient levels.
Progressive, Long-Term Hearing Loss in Congenital CMV Disease After Ganciclovir Therapy
Authors: Lanzieri Tatiana M , Caviness Alison Chantal , Blum Peggy , Demmler-Harrison Gail ,   Congenital Cytomegalovirus Longitudinal Study Group, Ahmed Shahzad , Baer Hanna , Bhatt Amit R , Blum Peggy , Brown Frank , Catlin Francis , Caviness Alison C , Coats David K , Edmonds Jane C , Flores Marily , Franklin Daniel , Gandaria Cindy , Greer Jewel , Griesser Carol , Hussein Mohamed A , Iovino Isabella , Istas Allison , Jin Haoxing (Douglas) , Kelinske Mary K , Klingen Joseph T , Laurente Antone , Littman Thomas , Murphy Mary , Miller Jerry , Nelson Christopher , Noyola Daniel , Paysse Evelyn A , Percy Alan , Reis Sara , Reynolds Ann , Rozelle Judith , Smith O’Brien , Steinkuller Paul , Turcich Marie , Vinson Sherry Sellers , Voigt Robert G , Walmus Bethann , Williams Jill , Williamson Daniel , Yen Kimberly G , Yow Martha D , Demmler-Harrison Gail J
Published: September 2021

Background

Long-term hearing outcomes among children with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease who received 6-week ganciclovir therapy early in life are unknown.

Methods

Longitudinal study of 76 children with symptomatic congenital CMV disease, born 1983-2005, who were categorized into three groups: group A treated with ganciclovir; group B untreated who had microcephaly, chorioretinitis, or sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL; ≥25 dB) diagnosed in the first month of life (congenital); and group C untreated who did not meet criteria for group B.

Results

Patients in groups A (n = 17), B (n = 27), and C (n = 32) were followed to median age of 13, 11, and 13 years, respectively. In group A, patients received ganciclovir for median of 40 (range, 11-63) days; 7 (41%) had grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. Congenital SNHL was diagnosed in 11 (65%) patients in group A, 15 (56%) in group B, and none in group C. Early-onset SNHL was diagnosed between ages ≥1-12 months in an additional 4 (24%), 6 (22%), and 8 (25%) patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively. By the end of follow-up, 12 (71%), 16 (59%), and 7 (22%) of patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively, had severe (>70 dB) SNHL in the better-hearing ear.

Conclusions

In this study, most patients with symptomatic congenital CMV disease and congenital or early-onset SNHL eventually developed hearing loss severe enough to have been potential candidates for cochlear implantation, with or without 6-week ganciclovir therapy. Understanding long-term hearing outcomes of patients treated with 6-month oral valganciclovir (current standard of care) is needed.
Rupture of a superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm following craniotomy
Authors: Shields Jessica , Robichaux Jared , Morrow Kevin , Crutcher Clifford , Tender Gabriel
Published: September 2021

Pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery (STA) is a rare entity that has been reported in the literature after trauma or iatrogenic injuries. We describe a unique case of STA pseudoaneurysm rupture and the clinical sequelae associated with its rupture. We report a case of pseudoaneurysm rupture of the STA that occurred 14 days after craniotomy for cerebrospinal fluid leak repair. We also review the literature, diagnosis and treatment of external carotid artery aneurysms. Rupture of a STA pseudoaneurysm is a previously unreported and serious complication that must be quickly recognized in order to control hemorrhage that may have life threatening complications.
Abscisic acid insensitive 4 interacts with ICE1 and JAZ proteins to regulate ABA signaling-mediated cold tolerance in apple
Authors: An Jian-Ping , Xu Rui-Rui , Liu Xin , Su Ling , Yang Kuo , Wang Xiao-Fei , Wang Gui-Luan , You Chun-Xiang
Published: September 2021

Abscisic acid is involved in the regulation of cold stress response, but its molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that the APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor (AP2/ERF) family protein MdABI4 positively regulates abscisic acid-mediated cold tolerance in apple. We found that MdABI4 interacts with MdICE1, a key regulatory protein involved in the cold stress response, and enhances the transcriptional regulatory function of MdICE1 on its downstream target gene MdCBF1, thus improving abscisic acid-mediated cold tolerance. The jasmonate-ZIM domain (JAZ) proteins MdJAZ1 and MdJAZ2 negatively modulate MdABI4-improved cold tolerance in apple by interacting with the MdABI4 protein. Further investigation showed that MdJAZ1 and MdJAZ2 interfere with the interaction between the MdABI4 and MdICE1 proteins. Together, our data revealed that MdABI4 integrates jasmonic acid and abscisic acid signals to precisely modulate cold tolerance in apple through the JAZ-ABI4-ICE1-CBF regulatory cascade. These findings provide insights into the crosstalk between jasmonic acid and abscisic acid signals in response to cold stress.
Evolution of brightness and magnetic features of young solar-type stars – I. The young G star HIP 89829
Authors: Perugini G M , Marsden S C , Waite I A , Jeffers S V , Piskunov N , Shaw N , Burton D M , Mengel M W , Hughes J E , Hébrard E M
Published: September 2021

The evolution in latitude of sunspots is a key feature of the cyclic solar dynamo. Here, we present the results of a spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric monitoring campaign on the young (∼20 Myr old) early G star HIP 89829, in order to investigate potential evolution in the distribution of the star’s spots and magnetic features. Our analysis of this G5V star spans eight epochs, from June 2010 to August 2015. The techniques of Doppler imaging and Zeeman–Doppler imaging were used to create brightness maps for each epoch and magnetic maps for two epochs. The brightness images show the star to have stable spot features with two main spot latitudes – a polar spot, often seen on young rapidly rotating stars such as this, and another highly unusual group of large spot features around the 20° and 30° latitudes. These lower spot latitudes appear to be rather stable over the 5 yr of observations. We included a solar-type differential rotation law into the imaging process and measured near-solid-body rotation for epochs where sufficient data exist for this analysis. The magnetic features show a dominant poloidal and a weaker toroidal magnetic field for both Stokes V epochs, which is unusual for a star with a rapid rotation period of 0.57 d. We conclude that HIP 89829 is an active young solar-type star with long-lived spots and near-solid-body rotation.