bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A large-scale optical microscopy image dataset of potato tuber for deep learning based plant cell assessment
Authors: Biswas Sumona , Barma Shovan
Published: October 2020

We present a new large-scale three-fold annotated microscopy image dataset, aiming to advance the plant cell biology research by exploring different cell microstructures including cell size and shape, cell wall thickness, intercellular space, etc. in deep learning (DL) framework. This dataset includes 9,811 unstained and 6,127 stained (safranin-o, toluidine blue-o, and lugol’s-iodine) images with three-fold annotation including physical, morphological, and tissue grading based on weight, different section area, and tissue zone respectively. In addition, we prepared ground truth segmentation labels for three different tuber weights. We have validated the pertinence of annotations by performing multi-label cell classification, employing convolutional neural network (CNN), VGG16, for unstained and stained images. The accuracy has been achieved up to 0.94, while, F2-score reaches to 0.92. Furthermore, the ground truth labels have been verified by semantic segmentation algorithm using UNet architecture which presents the mean intersection of union up to 0.70. Hence, the overall results show that the data are very much efficient and could enrich the domain of microscopy plant cell analysis for DL-framework.
The Building Data Genome Project 2, energy meter data from the ASHRAE Great Energy Predictor III competition
Authors: Miller Clayton , Kathirgamanathan Anjukan , Picchetti Bianca , Arjunan Pandarasamy , Park June Young , Nagy Zoltan , Raftery Paul , Hobson Brodie W. , Shi Zixiao , Meggers Forrest
Published: October 2020

This paper describes an open data set of 3,053 energy meters from 1,636 non-residential buildings with a range of two full years (2016 and 2017) at an hourly frequency (17,544 measurements per meter resulting in approximately 53.6 million measurements). These meters were collected from 19 sites across North America and Europe, with one or more meters per building measuring whole building electrical, heating and cooling water, steam, and solar energy as well as water and irrigation meters. Part of these data was used in the Great Energy Predictor III (GEPIII) competition hosted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in October-December 2019. GEPIII was a machine learning competition for long-term prediction with an application to measurement and verification. This paper describes the process of data collection, cleaning, and convergence of time-series meter data, the meta-data about the buildings, and complementary weather data. This data set can be used for further prediction benchmarking and prototyping as well as anomaly detection, energy analysis, and building type classification.
Vaginal microbiota evaluation and prevalence of key pathogens in ecuadorian women: an epidemiologic analysis
Authors: Salinas Ana María , Osorio Verónica Gabriela , Pacha-Herrera David , Vivanco Juan S. , Trueba Ana Francisca , Machado António
Published: October 2020

Vaginal infection is a gynecological problem in women of reproductive age with multiple health outcomes. The most common forms of infection include bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VC), and aerobic vaginitis (AV). Our main goals were to evaluate different types of vaginal infections in Ecuadorian women in a large urban area (Quito) and to characterize the vaginal microbiota colonization by opportunistic species. We collected vaginal swabs and epidemiological surveys from 414 women from June 2016 to July of 2017. We analyzed vaginal samples for the presence of any vaginal infection. The microbiological examination was done through Gram-stain, wet mount smears, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays using primers for target genes, such as 16S rRNA (Atopobium vaginae, Mobiluncus mulieris, and Gardnerella species), ddl (Enterococcus faecalis), adk (Escherichia coli) and KER1 (Candida albicans) genes. Most women showed a healthy vaginal microbiota (66.7%). Nearly one-tenth (10.4%) of the participants had intermediate microbiota, and the remaining women (22.9%) had a single vaginal infection (BV, AV, or VC) or coinfections. From the 95 participants that had an infection, AV was the main diagnosed vaginal infection (51.6%), followed by BV (24.2%) and finally VC (7.4%). The remaining women (16.8%) showed coinfections, being BV and AV the most common coinfection. Using univariable logistic regression analyses we found an increased odds of healthy microbiota in women with a sexual partner (P = 0.02, OR = 1.64). Also, women in a free union relationship (P = 0.000, OR = 16.65) had an increased odds of having coinfections. On the other hand, the use of birth control (condom OR = 0.388 or other contraceptive method OR = 0.363) was associated with significantly lower odds of intermediate microbiota (P ≤ 0.05). We found no statistically significant differences between women with infection and a particular group age. Using multivariate logistic regression analyses we initially found an increased odds of having BV in women with M. mulieris (P = 0.020, OR = 4.98) and Gardnerella species (P = 0.010, OR = 4.16). Women with E. coli showed an increased odds of having AV (P = 0.009, OR = 2.81). The presence of C. albicans in women showed an increased odds of having VC (P = 0.007, OR = 17.94). Finally, women with M. mulieris showed a reverse odds of having healthy microbiota (P = 0.008, OR = 0.06). We found no statistically significant differences between women with symptomatic and asymptomatic infections or the presence of Enterococcus faecalis. We found using logistic regression analyses that M. mulieris was the most prevalent opportunistic pathogen among women with vaginal infection. Further studies should evaluate the possibility to use M. mulieris as a potential key predictor for vaginal infections.
Machine learning for endoleak detection after endovascular aortic repair
Authors: Talebi Salmonn , Madani Mohammad H. , Madani Ali , Chien Ashley , Shen Jody , Mastrodicasa Domenico , Fleischmann Dominik , Chan Frandics P. , Mofrad Mohammad R. K.
Published: October 2020

Diagnosis of endoleak following endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) relies on manual review of multi-slice CT angiography (CTA) by physicians which is a tedious and time-consuming process that is susceptible to error. We evaluate the use of a deep neural network for the detection of endoleak on CTA for post-EVAR patients using a novel data efficient training approach. 50 CTAs and 20 CTAs with and without endoleak respectively were identified based on gold standard interpretation by a cardiovascular subspecialty radiologist. The Endoleak Augmentor, a custom designed augmentation method, provided robust training for the machine learning (ML) model. Predicted segmentation maps underwent post-processing to determine the presence of endoleak. The model was tested against 3 blinded general radiologists and 1 blinded subspecialist using a held-out subset (10 positive endoleak CTAs, 10 control CTAs). Model accuracy, precision and recall for endoleak diagnosis were 95%, 90% and 100% relative to reference subspecialist interpretation (AUC = 0.99). Accuracy, precision and recall was 70/70/70% for generalist1, 50/50/90% for generalist2, and 90/83/100% for generalist3. The blinded subspecialist had concordant interpretations for all test cases compared with the reference. In conclusion, our ML-based approach has similar performance for endoleak diagnosis relative to subspecialists and superior performance compared with generalists.
Epithelial layer unjamming shifts energy metabolism toward glycolysis
Authors: DeCamp Stephen J. , Tsuda Victor M. K. , Ferruzzi Jacopo , Koehler Stephan A. , Giblin John T. , Roblyer Darren , Zaman Muhammad H. , Weiss Scott T. , Kılıç Ayşe , De Marzio Margherita , Park Chan Young , Ogassavara Nicolas Chiu , Mitchel Jennifer A. , Butler James P. , Fredberg Jeffrey J.
Published: October 2020

In development of an embryo, healing of a wound, or progression of a carcinoma, a requisite event is collective epithelial cellular migration. For example, cells at the advancing front of a wound edge tend to migrate collectively, elongate substantially, and exert tractions more forcefully compared with cells many ranks behind. With regards to energy metabolism, striking spatial gradients have recently been reported in the wounded epithelium, as well as in the tumor, but within the wounded cell layer little is known about the link between mechanical events and underlying energy metabolism. Using the advancing confluent monolayer of MDCKII cells as a model system, here we report at single cell resolution the evolving spatiotemporal fields of cell migration speeds, cell shapes, and traction forces measured simultaneously with fields of multiple indices of cellular energy metabolism. Compared with the epithelial layer that is unwounded, which is non-migratory, solid-like and jammed, the leading edge of the advancing cell layer is shown to become progressively more migratory, fluid-like, and unjammed. In doing so the cytoplasmic redox ratio becomes progressively smaller, the NADH lifetime becomes progressively shorter, and the mitochondrial membrane potential and glucose uptake become progressively larger. These observations indicate that a metabolic shift toward glycolysis accompanies collective cellular migration but show, further, that this shift occurs throughout the cell layer, even in regions where associated changes in cell shapes, traction forces, and migration velocities have yet to penetrate. In characterizing the wound healing process these morphological, mechanical, and metabolic observations, taken on a cell-by-cell basis, comprise the most comprehensive set of biophysical data yet reported. Together, these data suggest the novel hypothesis that the unjammed phase evolved to accommodate fluid-like migratory dynamics during episodes of tissue wound healing, development, and plasticity, but is more energetically expensive compared with the jammed phase, which evolved to maintain a solid-like non-migratory state that is more energetically economical.
Comprehensive analysis of the expression of SLC30A family genes and prognosis in human gastric cancer
Authors: Guo Yongdong , He Yutong
Published: October 2020

The solute carrier 30 (SLC30) family genes play a fundamental role in various cancers. However, the diverse expression patterns, prognostic value, and potential mechanism of SLC30A family genes in gastric cancer (GC) remain unknown. Herein, we analyzed the expression and survival data of SLC30A family genes in GC patients using multiple bioinformatic approaches. Expression data of SLC30A family genes for GC patients were extracted from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and genetic alteration frequency assessed by using cBioportal database. And validated the expression of SLC30A family genes in GC tissues and corresponding normal tissues. The prognostic value of SLC30A family genes in gastric cancer patients were explored using Kaplan–Meier plotter database. Functional enrichment analysis performed using DAVID database and clusterProfiler package. And ssGSEA algorithm was performed to explore the relationship between the SLC30A family genes and the infiltration of immune cells. We found that the median expression levels of SLC30A1-3, 5–7, and 9 were significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared to non-cancerous tissues, while SLC30A4 was downregulated. Meanwhile, SLC30A1-7, and 9 were significantly correlated with advanced tumor stage and nodal metastasis status, SLC30A5-7, and 9–10 were significantly related to the Helicobacter pylori infection status of GC patients. High expression of five genes (SLC30A1, 5–7, and 9) was significantly correlated with better overall survival (OS), first progression survival (FPS), and post progression survival (PPS). Conversely, upregulated SLC30A2-4, 8, and 10 expression was markedly associated with poor OS, FP and PPS. And SLC30A family genes were closely associated with the infiltration of immune cells. The present study implied that SLC30A5 and 7 may be potential biomarkers for predicting prognosis in GC patients, SLC30A2 and 3 play an oncogenic role in GC patients and could provide a new strategy for GC patients treatment.
Structural modeling of GSK3β implicates the inactive (DFG-out) conformation as the target bound by TDZD analogs
Authors: Balasubramaniam Meenakshisundaram , Mainali Nirjal , Bowroju Suresh Kuarm , Atluri Paavan , Penthala Narsimha Reddy , Ayyadevera Srinivas , Crooks Peter A. , Shmookler Reis Robert J.
Published: October 2020

Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) controls many physiological pathways, and is implicated in many diseases including Alzheimer’s and several cancers. GSK3β-mediated phosphorylation of target residues in microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPTAU) contributes to MAPTAU hyperphosphorylation and subsequent formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Inhibitors of GSK3β protect against Alzheimer’s disease and are therapeutic for several cancers. A thiadiazolidinone drug, TDZD-8, is a non-ATP-competitive inhibitor targeting GSK3β with demonstrated efficacy against multiple diseases. However, no experimental data or models define the binding mode of TDZD-8 with GSK3β, which chiefly reflects our lack of an established inactive conformation for this protein. Here, we used metadynamic simulation to predict the three-dimensional structure of the inactive conformation of GSK3β. Our model predicts that phosphorylation of GSK3β Serine9 would hasten the DFG-flip to an inactive state. Molecular docking and simulation predict the TDZD-8 binding conformation of GSK3β to be inactive, and are consistent with biochemical evidence for the TDZD-8–interacting residues of GSK3β. We also identified the pharmacophore and assessed binding efficacy of second-generation TDZD analogs (TDZD-10 and Tideglusib) that bind GSK3β as non-ATP-competitive inhibitors. Based on these results, the predicted inactive conformation of GSK3β can facilitate the identification of novel GSK3β inhibitors of high potency and specificity.
Increased estrogen to androgen ratio enhances immunoglobulin levels and impairs B cell function in male mice
Authors: Aguilar-Pimentel Juan Antonio , Cho Yi-Li , Gerlini Raffaele , Calzada-Wack Julia , Wimmer Maria , Mayer-Kuckuk Philipp , Adler Thure , Schmidt-Weber Carsten B. , Busch Dirk H. , Fuchs Helmut , Gailus-Durner Valérie , Ollert Markus , Hrabě de Angelis Martin , Ohlsson Claes , Poutanen Matti , Teperino Raffaele , Strauss Leena
Published: October 2020

Sex steroids, such as estrogens and androgens, are important regulators of the humoral immune response. Studies in female mice have demonstrated that alteration of circulating estrogen concentration regulates antibody-mediated immunity. As males have normally little endogenous estrogen, we hypothesized that in males high estrogens and low androgens affect the immune system and enhance the allergic inflammatory response. Here, we studied transgenic male mice expressing human aromatase (AROM+). These animals have a high circulating estrogen to androgen ratio (E/A), causing female traits such as gynecomastia. We found that AROM+ male mice had significantly higher plasma immunoglobulin levels, particularly IgE. Flow cytometry analyses of splenocytes revealed changes in mature/immature B cell ratio together with a transcriptional upregulation of the Igh locus. Furthermore, higher proliferation rate and increased IgE synthesis after IgE class-switching was found. Subsequently, we utilized an ovalbumin airway challenge model to test the allergic response in AROM+ male mice. In line with above observations, an increase in IgE levels was measured, albeit no impact on immune cell infiltration into the lungs was detected. Together, our findings suggest that high circulating E/A in males significantly alters B cell function without any significant enhancement in allergic inflammation.
Interplay among p21Waf1/Cip1, MUSASHI-1 and Krüppel-like factor 4 in activation of Bmi1-CreER reserve intestinal stem cells after gamma radiation-induced injury
Authors: Orzechowska Emilia J. , Katano Takahito , Bialkowska Agnieszka B. , Yang Vincent W.
Published: October 2020

Gamma radiation is a commonly used adjuvant treatment for abdominally localized cancer. Since its therapeutic potential is limited due to gastrointestinal (GI) syndrome, elucidation of the regenerative response following radiation-induced gut injury is needed to develop a preventive treatment. Previously, we showed that Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) activates certain quiescent intestinal stem cells (ISCs) marked by Bmi1-CreER to give rise to regenerating crypts following γ irradiation. In the current study, we showed that γ radiation-induced expression of p21Waf1/Cip1 in Bmi1-CreER cells is likely mitigated by MUSASHI-1 (MSI1) acting as a negative regulator of p21Waf1/Cip1 mRNA translation, which promotes exit of the Bmi1-CreER cells from a quiescent state. Additionally, Bmi1-specific Klf4 deletion resulted in decreased numbers of MSI1+ cells in regenerating crypts compared to those of control mice. We showed that KLF4 binds to the Msi1 promoter and activates its expression in vitro. Since MSI1 has been shown to be crucial for crypt regeneration, this finding elucidates a pro-proliferative role of KLF4 during the postirradiation regenerative response. Taken together, our data suggest that the interplay among p21Waf1/Cip1, MSI1 and KLF4 regulates Bmi1-CreER cell survival, exit from quiescence and regenerative potential upon γ radiation-induced injury.
In vitro antitumor, pro-inflammatory, and pro-coagulant activities of Megalopyge opercularis J.E. Smith hemolymph and spine venom
Authors: Orozco-Flores Alonso A. , Valadez-Lira José A. , Covarrubias-Cárdenas Karina E. , Pérez-Trujillo José J. , Gomez-Flores Ricardo , Caballero-Hernández Diana , Tamez-Guerra Reyes , Rodríguez-Padilla Cristina , Tamez-Guerra Patricia
Published: October 2020

Contact with stinging spines venom from several Lepidoptera larvae may result in skin lesions. In Mexico, envenomation outbreaks caused by Megalopyge opercularis were reported between 2015 and 2016. The aim of this study was to identify the venomous caterpillars in Nuevo Leon, Mexico and evaluate several biological activities of their hemolymph (HEV) and spine setae (SSV) venoms. M. opercularis was identified by cytochrome oxidase subunit (COI) designed primers. HEV and SSV extracts cytotoxic activity was assessed on the L5178Y-R lymphoma cell line. For apoptotic cells number and apoptosis, cells were stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide and validated by DNA fragmentation. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMC) cytokine response to the extracts was measured by the cytometric bead array assay. Extracts effect on pro-coagulation activity on human plasma was also evaluated. HEV and SSV extracts significantly inhibited (p < 0.01) up to 63% L5178Y-R tumor cell growth at 125–500 µg/mL, as compared with 43% of Vincristine. About 79% extracts-treated tumor cells death was caused by apoptosis. Extracts stimulated (p < 0.01) up to 60% proliferation of resident murine lymphocytes, upregulated IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α production by hPBMC, and showed potent pro-coagulant effects. The pharmacological relevance of these venoms is discussed.
Population genomics reveals lack of greater white-fronted introgression into the Swedish lesser white-fronted goose
Authors: Díez-del-Molino David , von Seth Johanna , Gyllenstrand Niclas , Widemo Fredrik , Liljebäck Niklas , Svensson Mikael , Sjögren-Gulve Per , Dalén Love
Published: October 2020

Interspecific introgression is considered a potential threat to endangered taxa. One example where this has had a major impact on conservation policy is the lesser white-fronted goose (LWfG). After a dramatic decline in Sweden, captive breeding birds were released between 1981–1999 with the aim to reinforce the population. However, the detection of greater white-fronted goose (GWfG) mitochondrial DNA in the LWfG breeding stock led to the release program being dismantled, even though the presence of GWfG introgression in the actual wild Swedish LWfG population was never documented. To examine this, we sequenced the complete genomes of 21 LWfG birds from the Swedish, Russian and Norwegian populations, and compared these with genomes from other goose species, including the GWfG. We found no evidence of interspecific introgression into the wild Swedish LWfG population in either nuclear genomic or mitochondrial data. Moreover, Swedish LWfG birds are genetically distinct from the Russian and Norwegian populations and display comparatively low genomic diversity and high levels of inbreeding. Our findings highlight the utility of genomic approaches in providing scientific evidence that can help improve conservation management as well as policies for breeding and reinforcement programmes.
Mitochondrial gene signature in the prefrontal cortex for differential susceptibility to chronic stress
Authors: Weger Meltem , Alpern Daniel , Cherix Antoine , Ghosal Sriparna , Grosse Jocelyn , Russeil Julie , Gruetter Rolf , de Kloet E. Ronald , Deplancke Bart , Sandi Carmen
Published: October 2020

Mitochondrial dysfunction was highlighted as a crucial vulnerability factor for the development of depression. However, systemic studies assessing stress-induced changes in mitochondria-associated genes in brain regions relevant to depression symptomatology remain scarce. Here, we performed a genome-wide transcriptomic study to examine mitochondrial gene expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of mice exposed to multimodal chronic restraint stress. We identified mitochondria-associated gene pathways as most prominently affected in the PFC and with lesser significance in the NAc. A more detailed mitochondrial gene expression analysis revealed that in particular mitochondrial DNA-encoded subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes were altered in the PFC. The comparison of our data with a reanalyzed transcriptome data set of chronic variable stress mice and major depression disorder subjects showed that the changes in mitochondrial DNA-encoded genes are a feature generalizing to other chronic stress-protocols as well and might have translational relevance. Finally, we provide evidence for changes in mitochondrial outputs in the PFC following chronic stress that are indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, our work reinforces the idea that changes in mitochondrial gene expression are key players in the prefrontal adaptations observed in individuals with high behavioral susceptibility and resilience to chronic stress.
Message framing and self-conscious emotions help to understand pro-environment consumer purchase intention: an ERP study
Authors: Zubair Muhammad , Iqbal Sidra , Usman Sardar Muhammad , Awais Muhammad , Wang Ruining , Wang Xiaoyi
Published: October 2020

Message framing plays an important role in advertising strategies and has been studied from various perspectives in different behavioral researches. In this study Event Rated Potentials technique helped to examine the neural mechanism of message framing effect on self-conscious emotions of pride and guilt regarding consumer purchase intention in the context of green marketing. Behavioral results showed that participants ranked higher on positive framing compared to negative framing. ERP results declared that N1 component was elicited by positive framed message with emotion of pride and guilt, reflecting use of attentional resources to acquire potential benefits at first stage of processing emotional information. At the second stage P2 was higher for negative framing containing pride and guilt slogan, showing more attention towards processing emotional information about potential loss. At the third stage LPP component portray that both positive and negative framing is supported by guilt emotion when processing emotional information in decision making. Our results delivered strong evidence that how purchase intention can be mediated by message framing under the pride and guilt emotions in the context of green marketing.
Course of depressive symptomatology and its association with serum uric acid in one-anastomosis gastric bypass patients
Authors: Winzer Eva , Ludvik Bernhard , Grabovac Igor , Kruschitz Renate , Schindler Karin , Prager Gerhard , Klammer Carmen , Hoppichler Friedrich , Marculescu Rodrig , Wakolbinger Maria
Published: October 2020

The changes in depressive symptomatology during the first year following one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) were evaluated and its association with uric acid (sUA). Fifty patients were included in this analysis. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for measuring depressive symptomatology, blood samples, and anthropometric measurements were assessed before (T0), at 6 (T6), and 12 months (T12) after surgery. There was a significant reduction in BDI total score at T6 (− 5.6 (95% CI − 2.1, − 9.1) points; p = 0.001) and at T12 (− 4.3 (95% CI − 0.9, − 7.9) points; p = 0.011). BMI loss was unrelated to depressive symptomatology. Patients with moderate to severe depressive symptomatology presented lower sUA levels than patients with none or minimal to mild (p = 0.028). ROC analysis revealed that sUA levels below 5.0 at T6 and 4.5 mg/dl at T12 had a prognostic accuracy for depression severity. Furthermore, delta sUA was significantly associated with delta BMI (β = 0.473; p = 0.012) and delta waist circumference (β = 0.531; p = 0.003). These findings support an improvement in depressive symptomatology in the first year postoperatively, however, without relation to BMI loss. Patients with moderate to severe depressive symptomatology presented with lower sUA levels over time. Therefore, sUA could be useful to predict moderate to severe depressive symptomatology in patients undergoing OAGB in clinical practice.
High-fat diet-induced obesity affects alpha 7 nicotine acetylcholine receptor expressions in mouse lung myeloid cells
Authors: Qi Yong , Si Dan , Zhu Li , Qi Yanan , Wu Zhuhua , Chen Dan , Yang Yunlei
Published: October 2020

Ample evidence indicates that obesity causes dysfunctions in the lung. Previous studies also show that cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways play crucial roles in obesity-induced chronic inflammation via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) signaling. However, it remains unclear whether and how obesity affects the expressions of α7nAChR in myeloid cells in the lung. To address this question, we treated regular chow diet-fed mice or high-fat diet induced obese mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle via endotracheal injections. By using a multicolor flow cytometry approach to analyze and characterize differential cell subpopulations and α7nAChR expressions, we find no detectable α7nAChR in granulocytes, monocytes and alveolar macrophages, and low expression levels of α7nAChR were detected in interstitial macrophages. Interestingly, we find that a challenge with LPS treatment significantly increased expression levels of α7nAChR in monocytes, alveolar and interstitial macrophages. Meanwhile, we observed that the expression levels of α7nAChR in alveolar and interstitial macrophages in high-fat diet induced obese mice were lower than regular chow diet-fed mice challenged by the LPS. Together, our findings indicate that obesity alters the expressions of α7nAChR in differential lung myeloid cells.
Cardiovascular disease risk assessment in patients with familial Mediterranean fever related renal amyloidosis
Authors: Romano Micol , Piskin David , Berard Roberta A. , Jackson Bradley C. , Acikel Cengizhan , Carrero Juan J. , Lachmann Helen J. , Yilmaz Mahmut I. , Demirkaya Erkan
Published: October 2020

Chronic inflammation and proteinuria is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with chronic kidney diseases and rheumatologic disorders. Our aim was to investigate the CVD events (CVDEs) and survival between the patients with FMF-related AA amyloidosis and glomerulonephropathies (GN) to define possible predictors for CVDEs. A prospective follow-up study with FMF-amyloidosis and glomerulonephropathy (GN) was performed and patients were followed for CVDEs. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), FGF-23, serum lipid, hsCRP levels, BMI and HOMA were assessed. A Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors for CVDEs. There were 107 patients in the FMF-amyloidosis group and 126 patients with GN group. Forty-seven CVDEs were observed during the 4.2-years follow up; all 28 patients in the FMF-amyloidosis group and 14/19 patients with GN developed CVDEs before the age of 40 (p = 0.002). CVD mortality was 2.8 times higher (95% CI 1.02–7.76) in patients with FMF-amyloidosis. Across both groups, FMD and FGF23 (p < 0.001) levels were independently associated with the risk of CVDEs. Patients with FMF-amyloidosis are at increased risk of early CVDEs with premature mortality age. FGF 23, FMD and hsCRP can stratify the risk of early CVD in patients with FMF-related AA amyloidosis.
The SMOS-Derived Soil Water EXtent and equivalent layer thickness facilitate determination of soil water resources
Authors: Usowicz Boguslaw , Lukowski Mateusz , Lipiec Jerzy
Published: October 2020

The assessment of water resources in soil is important in understanding the water cycle in the natural environment and the processes of water exchange between the soil and the atmosphere. The main objective of the study was to assess water resources (in 2010–2013) in the topsoil from satellite (SMOS) and in situ (ground) measurements using the SWEX_PD approach (Soil Water EXtent at Penetration Depth). The SWEX_PD is a result of multiplying soil moisture (SM) and radiation penetration depth (PD) for each pixel derived from the SMOS satellite. The PD, being a manifold of the wavelength λ0 equal to 21 cm, was determined from the weekly SMOS L2 measurement data based on the real and imaginary part of complex dielectric constant. The SWEX_PD data were compared with soil water resources (WR) calculated from the sum of components derived from multiplication of soil moisture (SM) and layer thickness in nine agrometeorological stations located along the eastern border of Poland. Each study site consisted of seven neighbouring Discrete Global Grid pixels (nodes spaced at 15 km) including the central ones with agrometeorological stations. The study area included different types of soils and land covers. The agreement between the water resources obtained from the SWEX_PD and ground measurements (WR) was quantified using classical statistics and Bland–Altman's plots. Calibrated Layer Thickness (CLT = dbias) from 8 to 28 cm was obtained with a low values of bias (close to zero), limits of agreements, and confidence intervals for all the SWEX_PD, depending on the pixel location. The results revealed that the use of the SWEX_PD for assessing soil water resources is the most reliable approach in the study area. Additionally, the data from Bland–Altman plots and the equation proposed in these studies allowed calculation of the Equivalent Layer Thickness (ELT = $$d_{ei}^{SWEX}$$

d

ei

SWEX

), which corresponds to the water resources derived from the SMOS satellite at the same time as (SM) measurements performed in the agrometeorological stations. The ranges of the mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, and coefficient of variation (CV) of ELT among all pixels and stations were 8.28–28.7 cm, 3.27–12.66 cm, 3.03–10.87 cm, 19.23–94.97 cm, and 24.72–98.79%, respectively. The ranges of the characteristics depended on environmental conditions and their means were close to the values of the calibrated layer thickness. The impacts of soil texture, organic matter, vegetation, and their interactive effects on the differentiation and agreement of soil water resources obtained from SWEX_PD vs. data from ground measurements in the study area are discussed. Further studies are required to address the impact of the environmental factors to improve the assessment of soil water resources based on satellite SM products (retrievals).
Prediction and detection of human epileptic seizures based on SIFT-MS chemometric data
Authors: Catala Amélie , Levasseur-Garcia Cecile , Pagès Marielle , Schaff Jean-Luc , Till Ugo , Vitola Pasetto Leticia , Hausberger Martine , Cousillas Hugo , Violleau Frederic , Grandgeorge Marine
Published: October 2020

Although epilepsy is considered a public health issue, the burden imposed by the unpredictability of seizures is mainly borne by the patients. Predicting seizures based on electroencephalography has had mixed success, and the idiosyncratic character of epilepsy makes a single method of detection or prediction for all patients almost impossible. To address this problem, we demonstrate herein that epileptic seizures can not only be detected by global chemometric analysis of data from selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry but also that a simple mathematical model makes it possible to predict these seizures (by up to 4 h 37 min in advance with 92% and 75% of samples correctly classified in training and leave-one-out-cross-validation, respectively). These findings should stimulate the development of non-invasive applications (e.g., electronic nose) for different types of epilepsy and thereby decrease of the unpredictability of epileptic seizures.
Cryogenic conditioning of microencapsulated phase change material for thermal energy storage
Authors: Trivedi G. V. N. , Parameshwaran R.
Published: October 2020

Microencapsulation is a viable technique to protect and retain the properties of phase change materials (PCMs) that are used in thermal energy storage (TES) applications. In this study, an organic ester as a phase change material was microencapsulated using melamine–formaldehyde as the shell material. This microencapsulated PCM (MPCM) was examined with cyclic cryogenic treatment and combined cyclic cryogenic heat treatment processes. The surface morphology studies showed that the shell surfaces had no distortions or roughness after cryogenic treatment. The cryogenically conditioned microcapsules exhibited diffraction peak intensity shifts and crystal structure changes. The onset of melting for the nonconditioned and conditioned microcapsules were measured to be 8.56–9.56 °C, respectively. Furthermore, after undergoing the cryogenic and heat treatment processes, the PCM microcapsules had appreciable latent heat capacities of 39.8 kJ/kg and 60.7 kJ/kg, respectively. Additionally, the microcapsules were found to have good chemical stability after the cryogenic treatment. In addition, the cryogenically conditioned microcapsules were found to be thermally stable up to 128.9 °C, whereas the nonconditioned microcapsules were stable up to 101.9 °C. Based on the test results, it is obvious that the cryogenically conditioned microcapsules exhibited good thermal properties and are very desirable for cool thermal energy storage applications.
Intravenous iron infusion as an alternative to minimize blood transfusion in peri-operative patients
Authors: Ionescu Alin , Sharma Abhinav , Kundnani Nilima Rajpal , Mihăilescu Alexandra , David Vlad Laurențiu , Bedreag Ovidiu , Săndesc Dorel , Dinu Anca Raluca , Săndesc Mihai Alexandru , Albulescu Nicolae , Drăgoi Răzvan Gabriel
Published: October 2020

Despite the reported benefits of intravenous iron therapy (IVIT) for correcting iron deficiency anemia (IDA) before any major surgery and the evidence thereof, perioperative allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) practice is still considered as the only viable option by some clinicians worldwide. As ABT increases the likelihood of infections, cardiac complications, longer hospital stays and mortality among the patients, the practice of ABT should only be reserved for critical cases (Hb level < 7 g/dl). Timely iron studies and iron replenishment (oral/IV) of prospective surgical patients could help decrease the ABT practice, and prove beneficial from both the clinical and economic standpoint. Evidence based patient blood management guidelines should be developed and standardized for use by clinicians worldwide. These guidelines should include specific instructions on timely assessment of surgical patients for correction of their IDA by either oral iron supplementation, if time permits, or by using IVIT such as ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in emergency surgeries and in patients with functional ID. This study was conducted to explore the clinical benefits of the timely administration of IV-FCM in iron-deficient preoperative patients during 2017–2018 and compare the results thereof with that of the ABT. Based on the IDA treatment plan of 2953 patients, 11.14% cases were administered IV FCM (Group 1), 11.58% cases received ABT (Group 2), while the remaining 77.27% of anemic cases received neither ABT nor IV FCM (Group 3). The results indicate that the IV FCM administration reduces the need for ABT and thus minimizes its associated side effects. The findings of our study concur with the favorable outcomes reported by the other similar studies.
Impaired mitochondrial medium-chain fatty acid oxidation drives periportal macrovesicular steatosis in sirtuin-5 knockout mice
Authors: Goetzman Eric S. , Bharathi Sivakama S. , Zhang Yuxun , Zhao Xue-Jun , Dobrowolski Steven F. , Peasley Kevin , Sims-Lucas Sunder , Monga Satdarshan P.
Published: October 2020

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), containing C8–C12 fatty acids, are used to treat several pediatric disorders and are widely consumed as a nutritional supplement. Here, we investigated the role of the sirtuin deacylase Sirt5 in MCT metabolism by feeding Sirt5 knockout mice (Sirt5KO) high-fat diets containing either C8/C10 fatty acids or coconut oil, which is rich in C12, for five weeks. Coconut oil, but not C8/C10 feeding, induced periportal macrovesicular steatosis in Sirt5KO mice. 14C–C12 degradation was significantly reduced in Sirt5KO liver. This decrease was localized to the mitochondrial β-oxidation pathway, as Sirt5KO mice exhibited no change in peroxisomal C12 β-oxidation. Endoplasmic reticulum ω-oxidation, a minor fatty acid degradation pathway known to be stimulated by C12 accumulation, was increased in Sirt5KO liver. Mice lacking another mitochondrial C12 oxidation enzyme, long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD), also developed periportal macrovesicular steatosis when fed coconut oil, confirming that defective mitochondrial C12 oxidation is sufficient to induce the steatosis phenotype. Sirt5KO liver exhibited normal LCAD activity but reduced mitochondrial acyl-CoA synthetase activity with C12. These studies reveal a role for Sirt5 in regulating the hepatic response to MCT and may shed light into the pathogenesis of periportal steatosis, a hallmark of human pediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Novel organo-osmium(ii) proteosynthesis inhibitors active against human ovarian cancer cells reduce gonad tumor growth inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Ortega Enrique , Ballester Francisco J. , Hernández-García Alba , Hernández-García Samanta , Guerrero-Rubio M. Alejandra , Bautista Delia , Santana M. Dolores , Gandía-Herrero Fernando , Ruiz José
Published: October 2020

Novel Os(ii) arene complexes with a deprotonated ppy or ppy-CHO C^N ligand have been synthesized to selectively act on cancer cells as proteosynthesis inhibitorsin vitroand exert antitumor activityin vivoinC. elegansmodels.
Mesoporous silica integrated with Fe3O4 and palmitoyl ascorbate as a new nano-Fenton reactor for amplified tumor oxidation therapy
Authors: Sun Yu , Wang Zekun , Zhang Pu , Wang Jingyuan , Chen Ying , Yin Chenyang , Wang Weiyun , Fan Cundong , Sun Dongdong
Published: October 2020

Co-delivery of H2O2-generating agent and catalyst via a nano-Fenton reactor to the tumor acidic microenvironment for amplified tumor oxidation therapy has been widely studied.
Ultra-rapid uptake and the highly stable storage of methane as combustible ice
Authors: Bhattacharjee Gaurav , Goh Marcus N. , Arumuganainar Sonia E. K. , Zhang Ye , Linga Praveen
Published: October 2020

Solidified natural gas (SNG) storage via combustible ice or clathrate hydrates presents an economically sound prospect, promising high volume density, and safe long-term storage.
Plasmonic hydrogels for capture, detection and removal of organic pollutants
Authors: Vassalini I. , Ribaudo G. , Gianoncelli A. , Casula M. F. , Alessandri I.
Published: October 2020

β-Cyclodextrin-functionalized silver nanoparticles were embedded within an alginate matrix to obtain hydrogels that capture, detect and remove organic pollutants from water.
Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of chiral 1-alkyl-1,2-diphospholes with diphenyldiazomethane
Authors: Ganushevich Yulia , Zagidullin Almaz , Kondrashova Svetlana , Latypov Shamil , Miluykov Vasili , Lönnecke Peter , Hey-Hawkins Evamarie
Published: October 2020

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of chiral 1-alkyl-1,2-diphosphacyclopenta-2,4-dienes with diphenyldiazomethane leads to novelP-chiral bicyclic phosphiranes having six chiral centers.
Synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) polymer crosslinked with an AIE-active azonaphthol for thermoreversible fluorescence
Authors: Oh Mintaek , Yoon Yeoju , Lee Taek Seung
Published: October 2020

A novel thermoresponsive polymer with AIE behavior is developed for reversible fluorescence switching using unusual AIE-active azonaphthol derivatives.
Continuum elastic models for force transmission in biopolymer gels
Authors: Wang Haiqin , Xu Xinpeng
Published: October 2020

A review of continuum models and experiments for the transmission of external forces and internal cellular forces in biopolymer gels.
Sustainable wood-based composites for microwave absorption and electromagnetic interference shielding
Authors: Zhou Ming , Gu Weihua , Wang Gehuan , Zheng Jing , Pei Chunchuan , Fan Feiyue , Ji Guangbin
Published: October 2020

In this review, wood-based composites for efficient EMI shielding and MA are comprehensively introduced.
Thieno-imidazole based small molecule hole transport materials for dopant-free, efficient inverted (p–i–n) perovskite solar cells
Authors: Akula Suri Babu , Su Chaochin , Tingare Yogesh S. , Lan Hui-Ching , Lin You-Jing , Wang Yi-Ting , Jheng Yu-Chen , Lin Xiang-Ching , Chang Yu-Chi , Li Wen-Ren
Published: October 2020

Two dipolar molecules based on a thieno-imidazole core,AI109andAI112, were developed to study the effect of imparting polarity on the hole transport properties in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
Effects of the molecular structure on the second-order nonlinear optical properties of stilbazolium derivative single crystals: a review
Authors: Kannan Senthil , Sekar Anand , Sivaperuman Kalainathan
Published: October 2020

In this review, we present the relationship between the molecular structure and NLO effects in stilbazolium family single crystals.
Highly efficient and thermally stable luminescence of Ca3Gd2Si6O18:Ce3+,Tb3+ phosphors based on efficient energy transfer
Authors: Wu Dan , Xiao Yu , Zhang Liangliang , Dong Xiaoling , Zhao Shifeng , Zhou Wenping , Lu Qingshan , Zhang Jiahua
Published: October 2020

A high quantum efficiency and improved thermal stability can be achieved with the introduction of Tb3+ into Ca3Gd2Si6O18:Ce3+.
Comparisons of Auditory Brainstem Responses Between a Laboratory and Simulated Home Environment
Authors: Parker Ashley , Slack Candace , Skoe Erika
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Miniaturization of digital technologies has created new opportunities for remote health care and neuroscientific fieldwork. The current study assesses comparisons between in-home auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings and recordings obtained in a traditional lab setting.

Method

Click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs were recorded in 12 normal-hearing, young adult participants over three test sessions in (a) a shielded sound booth within a research lab, (b) a simulated home environment, and (c) the research lab once more. The same single-family house was used for all home testing.

Results

Analyses of ABR latencies, a common clinical metric, showed high repeatability between the home and lab environments across both the click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs. Like ABR latencies, response consistency and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were robust both in the lab and in the home and did not show significant differences between locations, although variability between the home and lab was higher than latencies, with two participants influencing this lower repeatability between locations. Response consistency and SNR also patterned together, with a trend for higher SNRs to pair with more consistent responses in both the home and lab environments.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining high-quality ABR recordings within a simulated home environment that closely approximate those recorded in a more traditional recording environment. This line of work may open doors to greater accessibility to underserved clinical and research populations.
Reconfigurable log‐periodic dipole array on textile
Authors: Johnson Alexander D , Nichols Matthew W. , Bojja Venkatakrishnan Satheesh , Volakis John L.
Published: October 2020

A microwave planar log‐periodic dipole array (LPDA) antenna embroidered on textiles is presented for the first time. This antenna gives a 3.33:1 impedance bandwidth with 5 dBi average gain across the 0.9–3GHz band. This multi‐layer textile antenna employs a new denim stack‐up for repeatable measurements. The presented LPDA is tested under conformal conditions, with a demonstrated ability of frequency‐dependent beam‐steering through physical manipulation. Further, the antenna is considered for body‐worn applications due to its conformal and low profile. A 2cm thick ground beef slab was used to emulate the human tissue for measurements. Overall, the presented LPDA brings forward new opportunities for several long‐distance wideband and wearable applications.
Destinations Matter: Social Policy and Migrant Workers in the Times of Covid
Authors: Rao Nitya , Narain Nivedita , Chakraborty Shuvajit , Bhanjdeo Arundhita , Pattnaik Ayesha
Published: October 2020

The national lockdown of India announced on March 24th 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, left millions of migrant labourers stranded in their destinations. Thrown out of their informal labour arrangements in cities and industrial centres, unable to return to their villages in the absence of transportation, they were stranded for over a month with no income, improper housing and often lack of food. This paper discusses the experiences of men migrating from Chakai block, Jamui district, Bihar, to four Indian states, namely, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. We compare their experiences across these four destination states in relation to the social policy response following the national lockdown. Most workers are young men (16–35 years old) and their migration pattern is seasonal and circular. The emerging lessons provide inputs for social policy measures related to migrant workers in India.
Neutron scattering elucidates lipid membrane dynamics
Authors: McConnon Aili
Published: October 2020

Neutron spin echo spectroscopy allows researchers to better understand the way soft matter like lipids moves during temperature changes.
The niobium and tantalum concentration in the mantle constrains the composition of Earth’s primordial magma ocean
Authors: Huang Dongyang , Badro James , Siebert Julien
Published: October 2020

Significance

Silicate Earth is widely considered identical to chondrites in its refractory lithophile element ratios. However, its subchondritic Nb/Ta signature deviates from the chondritic paradigm. To resolve this Nb deficit, its sequestration in Earth’s core under very reducing core-forming conditions has been proposed based on low-pressure data. Here, we show that under conditions relevant to core formation Nb is siderophile at high pressures under all redox conditions, corroborating Nb inventory in Earth’s core. Further core formation modeling shows that Earth’s core could have formed under moderately reducing or oxidizing conditions, whereas highly reducing conditions mismatch the geochemical observables; although Earth may have sampled a variety of reservoirs, it is problematic to accrete primarily from materials as reduced as enstatite chondrites.