bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Valorization of harmful algal blooms and food waste as bio‐methane
Authors: Plude Sara , Demirer Goksel N.
Published: November 2020

This study evaluated anaerobic digestibility and biogas production potential of microalgal biomass and food waste. Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assays were conducted to determine the biogas generation potential of microalgal biomass and food waste both separately and together. Results indicated that several algal species in the collected samples are among the major harmful algal bloom (HAB) taxa found in freshwaters in North America. Bio‐methane yields for mono‐digestion of microalgal biomass and food waste were found to be 131–188 and 430–542 ml of bio‐methane per gram of volatile solids (ml CH4/g VS), respectively; while bio‐methane yield for co‐digestion of microalgal biomass and food waste was 426–505 ml CH4/g VS. Co‐digestion of microalgal biomass and food waste resulted in up to 12.3% increase in methane production relative to mono‐digestion of these substrates.

Statement of Industrial Relevance

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have many adverse environmental impacts such as lowering dissolved oxygen concentrations, altering aquatic food webs, producing toxins, and taste‐and‐odor compounds. There has been a dramatic rise in the severity and geographical range of HABs with the increasing environmental degradation over the past century. This work provides a new insight in terms of integrating HABs disposal and valorization for bio‐methane generation as a renewable energy. Bioenergy generation from mechanically harvested HABs along with its environmental and resource‐conserving benefits are relevant to waste management and biogas industries.

Significance

The results indicate that integrating mechanical harvesting of HABs with valorization of the collected algal biomass will increase its economic feasibility. Moreover, anaerobic co‐digestion of HABs and food wastes generate extra bio‐methane relative to mono‐digestion of these substrates by balancing the C:N ratio.
Introduction to part two of the special issue on computational models of hippocampus and related structures
Authors: Hasselmo Michael E.
Published: November 2020

Extensive computational modeling has focused on the hippocampal formation and related cortical structures. This introduction describes the topics addressed by individual articles in part two of this special issue of the journal Hippocampus on the topic of computational models of the hippocampus and related structures.
Exploring contemporary screen time in Australian adolescents: A qualitative study
Authors: Thomas George , Bennie Jason A. , De Cocker Katrien , Biddle Stuart J.H.
Published: November 2020

Issue addressed

Screen time, a highly prevalent behaviour, can be detrimental to adolescent health. To better understand this health‐related behaviour, this study explores the nature of adolescents’ contemporary screen engagement, adding to the currently limited body of qualitative research in this area.

Methods

Sixteen adolescents (9 girls and 7 boys) aged 13‐17 years from a secondary school in Queensland, Australia participated in semi‐structured one‐on‐one interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymised and thematically analysed using an inductive approach.

Results

Smartphone use was ubiquitous, occurring mostly at home, after school, and typically used for social, entertainment and functional activities. Binge‐watching and multi‐screening emerged as common sedentary patterns of contemporary screen engagement, often performed solitary. Screen time appeared to be an important aspect of adolescents’ social lives, while there were also some psychological, physical and behavioural concerns. Family and friends were thought to influence adolescents’ screen time either directly (co‐participation) or indirectly (modelling), while social smartphone notifications were said to prompt habitual, frequent and prolonged screen engagement.

Conclusion

This study provided several new insights into the nature, functions, patterns, and benefits and concerns of adolescents’ contemporary screen engagement. On the whole, adolescents engaged in a wide variety of screen‐viewing practices, including newer digital media, mostly as a function to connect with friends and family.

So what?

It might be desirable for screen time reduction interventions and policies to take into account the underlying social and psychological factors, and habitual nature of contemporary screen engagement among adolescents.
GSDME and its role in cancer: From behind the scenes to the front of the stage
Authors: De Schutter Elke , Croes Lieselot , Ibrahim Joe , Pauwels Patrick , Op de Beeck Ken , Vandenabeele Peter , Van Camp Guy
Published: November 2020

Gasdermin E (GSDME), a gene originally involved in hereditary hearing loss, has been associated with several types of cancer in the last two decades. Recently, GSDME was identified as a pore‐forming molecule, which is activated following caspase‐3‐mediated cleavage resulting in so‐called secondary necrosis following apoptotic cell death, or in primary necrotic cell death without an apoptotic phase, so‐called pyroptosis‐like. This implication in cell death execution suggests its potential role as a tumor suppressor. GSDME also exhibited a cancer type‐specific differential methylation pattern between tumor tissues and normal cells, implying GSDME gene methylation as both a pan‐cancer and cancer type‐specific detection biomarker. A bit paradoxically, GSDME protein expression is considered to be less suited as biomarker, and although its ablation does not protect the cell against eventual cell death, its protein expression might still operate in tumor immunogenicity due to its capacity to induce (secondary) necrotic cell death, which has enhanced immunogenic properties. Additionally, GSDME gene expression has been shown to be associated with favorable prognosis following chemotherapy, and it could therefore be a potential predictive biomarker. We provide an overview of the different associations between GSDME gene methylation, gene expression and tumorigenesis, and explore their potential use in the clinic. Our review only focuses on GSDME and summarizes the current knowledge and most recent advances on GSDME's role in cancer formation, its potential as a biomarker in cancer and on its promising role in immunotherapies and antitumor immune response.
Multi‐omics integration identifies a selective vulnerability of colorectal cancer subtypes to YM155
Authors: Zhan Tianzuo , Faehling Verena , Rauscher Benedikt , Betge Johannes , Ebert Matthias P. , Boutros Michael
Published: November 2020

Tumor heterogeneity is a major challenge to the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a transcriptome‐based classification was developed, segregating CRC into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) with distinct biological and clinical characteristics. Here, we applied the CMS classification on CRC cell lines to identify novel subtype‐specific drug vulnerabilities. We combined publicly available transcriptome data from multiple resources to assign 157 CRC cell lines to CMS. By integrating results from large‐scale drug screens, we discovered that the CMS1 subtype is highly vulnerable to the BIRC5 suppressor YM155. We confirmed our results using an independent panel of CRC cell lines and demonstrated a 100‐fold higher sensitivity of CMS1. This vulnerability was specific to YM155 and not observed for commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. In CMS1 CRC, low concentrations of YM155 induced apoptosis and expression signatures associated with ER stress‐mediated apoptosis signaling. Using a genome‐wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen, we further discovered a novel role of genes involved in LDL‐receptor trafficking as modulators of YM155 sensitivity in the CRC cell line HCT116. Our work shows that combining drug response data with CMS classification in cell lines can reveal selective vulnerabilities and proposes YM155 as a novel subtype‐specific drug.
Associations between hematological parameters and disease severity in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection
Authors: Lin Sha , Mao Weilin , Zou Qianda , Lu Siming , Zheng Shufa
Published: November 2020

Background

The emergence and rapid spread of the deadly novel coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is a swiftly evolving public health crisis worldwide. SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is characterized by the development and progression of inflammatory responses. Hematological parameters, such as white blood cells (WBCs) and their subpopulations, red cell distribution width, platelet count, mean platelet volume, plateletcrit, and derived markers such as neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio, are established biomarkers of inflammatory responses. We aimed to investigate associations between hematological parameters and disease severity in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 68 patients with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Twenty‐two patients had mild illness, and 46 had moderate or severe illness at the time of admission. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify correlates of disease severity. The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to estimate and compare the predictive values of different diagnostic markers.

Results

Mean lymphocyte and monocyte counts were lower while WBC counts, neutrophil counts, NLR, and PLR were higher in patients with severe disease compared with those with mild disease (all P < .01). Univariate analysis revealed that older age, high WBC counts, high neutrophil counts, high NLR, high PLR, low monocyte counts, and low lymphocyte counts were independent correlates of severe illness. Multivariate analysis identified high NLR as the only independent correlate of severe illness. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that NLR had the highest area under curve of all hematological parameters.

Conclusion

Among hematological parameters, the NLR showed superior prediction of disease severity in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Thus, the NLR could be a valuable parameter to complement conventional measures for identification of patients at high risk for severe disease.
Drug biotransformation process favored by fungal biofilms formed on a proposed fixed bed‐airlift hybrid reactor
Authors: Bianchini Luiz F , da Silva Ramos Romeu CP , de Oliveira Nicoly S , de Paula Rafaela C , Rosa Rosimeire T , Glassey Jarka , Rosa Edvaldo AR
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

Fungi have the great ability to biotransform drugs, making it possible to direct their application to obtaining new molecules. Our group developed a hybrid fixed bed‐airlift reactor (FB‐ALR) model that allows the formation of Cunninghamella elegans (or other fungi) biofilm and biotransformation of diclofenac (DCF).

RESULTS

Hydrodynamic and rheological parameters [(mixing time (tM), linear gas velocity (UG), liquid linear velocity (UL), gas hold‐up (εG), viscosity (v)], mass transfer (kLa) and biomass formation were superior than those obtained in conventional airlift reactor (ALR) and bubble column reactor. The higher performance of FB‐ALR is a result of the improvement in the oxygenation process, in addition to the reticulate baffle used by the fungus as a support for adhesion and proliferation as biofilm. The formation of fungal biofilms, in addition to reducing the viscosity of the system, favored the retention of DCF, thus facilitating the processes of biotransformation. High‐performance liquid chromatography analyses confirmed such theory.

CONCLUSION

Fungal biofilms present considerable biotransforming activity, making FB‐ALR the highest yielding biotransformation system amongst those tested herein. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI)
Water and alcohol extracts from Diaphragma juglandis on anti‐fatigue and antioxidative effects in vitro and vivo
Authors: Hu Gaoshuang , Gao Shan , Mou Dehua
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

To estimate the anti‐fatigue and antioxidative effects of water and alcohol extracts from Diaphragma juglandis (DJ), H2O2‐treated HepG2 cells were used as an in vitro model to determine the total antioxidant capacities of these two extracts, and behavioral tests on mice and biochemical assay were performed via in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

The results indicate that both extracts possess remarkable HepG2 protective capacities and were capable of scavenging 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) similar to vitamin C. Furthermore, they could significantly prolong the bar climbing time and force swimming time, as well as decrease the serum urea nitrogen and increase the lactate dehydrogenase level and glycogen content. These extracts could also improve the activities of total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, both water and alcohol extracts from DJ showed good performance with respect to anti‐fatigue and could be a potential antioxidant additive in the field of functional foods. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Promoting Tobacco Use Among Students: The U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company College Marketing Program
Authors: Qian Z. Jason , Hill Matthew J. , Ramamurthi Divya , Jackler Robert K.
Published: November 2020

Objectives/Hypothesis

From the 1970s–1990s the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (USST) conducted aggressive campaigns to solicit college students to buy their smokeless tobacco (ST) products. The scope, scale, methods, and impact of this youth marketing campaign have yet to be analyzed in the academic literature.

Study Design

Historical research study.

Methods

Internal industry documents describing the USST campaigns were obtained via the University of California, San Francisco's repository of tobacco company records. Marketing materials were obtained from Stanford University's Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising (SRITA) collection of 657 USST advertisements.

Results

USST's College Marketing Program (1978–mid 1980s) sponsored events in some 350 campuses and hired student representatives in at least 175 colleges and universities across America. College representatives were trained to provide free samples to fellow students. Over a typical school year approximately a quarter million Happy Days, Skoal, and Skoal Bandits samples were handed out to undergraduates. USST paid their student representatives well and offered them a variety of incentives based upon sales growth. During the 1990s, USST's Skoal Music program engaged students on campuses and at “spring break” venues such as Daytona Beach.

Conclusions

Targeting of college students on campus was a common tobacco industry practice between the 1940s and early 1960s. From the 1970s through 1990s USST resurrected the method and pursued it with vigor including: distribution of free samples; sponsored events and concerts, branded intramural teams; visits by sports celebrities; logo wearables and merchandise; contests and incentives; and displays and promotions in stores on and surrounding campuses. Laryngoscope, 131:E1860–E1872, 2021
How skilful are Nowcasting Satellite Applications Facility products for tropical Africa?
Authors: Hill Peter G. , Stein Thorwald H.M. , Roberts Alexander J. , Fletcher Jennifer K. , Marsham John H. , Groves James
Published: November 2020

Satellite nowcasting potentially provides a vital opportunity to mitigate against the risks of severe weather in tropical Africa, where population growth and climate change are exposing an ever growing number of people to weather hazards. Numerical weather prediction demonstrates limited skill for much of Africa and weather radars are rare. However, geostationary satellites provide excellent spatial and temporal coverage of the often long‐lasting convective storms that deliver heavy rain, lightning and strong winds, presenting a valuable opportunity for satellite nowcasting. Here, we evaluate the skill of satellite nowcasting products for tropical Africa: these products are routinely generated, but to our best knowledge never routinely used in tropical Africa before the Global Challenges Research Fund African SWIFT (Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques) project. Focusing in particular on convective rainfall rate (CRR) and rapidly developing thunderstorm convection warning (RDT‐CW) products, we demonstrate that both are useful nowcasting tools. The CRR product produces very different rainfall climatologies for day and night in tropical Africa. This is associated with greater skill of the product during daytime, particularly for heavier rain rates. The RDT‐CW product is able to identify around 60% of heavy (>5 mm·hr−1) rainfall events with the fraction detected increasing with increasing rainfall rate. For both products, extrapolation forwards in time (up to 90 and 60 min, respectively) maintains useful skill in tropical Africa, motivating work to develop longer lead‐time nowcasts. We conclude that widespread uptake of satellite nowcasting could provide new skilful weather predictions on short time‐scales in much of tropical Africa.
Maine embraces a support resource that speaks the language of men
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: November 2020

If meeting clients “where they're at” spells success in behavioral health support, then a website called Man Therapy should make great inroads in reaching males with mental health needs. Rather than bombard its visitors with facts and figures about common mental health problems, the site uses humor and the kind of dialogue you might hear in a men's locker room to educate its audience.
Court orders UBH to reprocess 60K+ claims in landmark case
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: November 2020

Following last year's historic decision that United Behavioral Health (UBH) made mental health and substance use disorder coverage decisions based on flawed internal guidelines, a federal court ruled this month that UBH must reprocess plaintiffs' claims and complete this process within one year. The insurer has also been ordered to reform its handling of behavioral health claims and improve employee training.
NAMI brief highlights important protections, benefits of ACA
Authors: Canady Valerie A.
Published: November 2020

As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in California v. Texas, the case that will decide if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) released an issue brief outlining the protections and benefits of the ACA for people with mental health conditions.
Mathematical modeling of the growth of ellipsoidal crystals in metastable melts and solutions
Authors: Nikishina Margarita A. , Alexandrov Dmitri V.
Published: November 2020

The evolution of individual crystals of ellipsoidal shape in supercooled one‐component and binary melts as well as in supersaturated solutions is studied theoretically. The crystal volume growth rate is derived using the prolate ellipsoidal coordinates. We show that this rate is a function of the current crystal volume and supercooling/supersaturation of the ambient liquid. Also, we demonstrate that the particle growth rate increases with increasing the volume of ellipsoidal crystals and supercooling.
Can Baseline Characteristics be Used to Predict Liver Disease Outcomes in Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?
Authors: Orkin Sarah , Yodoshi Toshifumi , Sun Qin , Fei Lin , Meryum Syeda , Arce‐Clachar Ana Catalina , Bramlage Kristin , Beck Andrew F. , Mouzaki Marialena
Published: November 2020

Objective

Longitudinal studies on childhood predictors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine whether baseline clinical or laboratory measures predict liver disease outcomes in a pediatric NAFLD cohort.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients with presumed NAFLD was conducted using baseline and follow‐up clinical and laboratory measures. Disease outcomes were defined using the mean serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels from 24 to 36 months after the first visit. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between ALT progression/regression and predictor variables. Multivariable regression determined the best model for predicting the ALT outcome. Markov process modeling explored the likelihood for a patient to transition between ALT states.

Results

Of a total of 816 patients identified, 144 had sufficient data. Regression was seen in 26%, whereas 30% progressed. No baseline clinical or laboratory measurements had a significant effect on disease outcomes. Markov modeling demonstrated that subjects were more likely to either remain in their baseline ALT group or worsen rather than improve.

Conclusions

Routinely obtained baseline clinical or laboratory measures cannot help risk‐stratify youth with presumed NAFLD in terms of long‐term outcomes. Close clinical, radiographic, and histologic evaluation of patients is warranted to determine those at risk of progression.
Gelatin scaffolds loaded with asiaticoside/2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin complex for use as wound dressings
Authors: Choipang Chasuda , Buntum Tanawat , Chuysinuan Piyachat , Techasakul Supanna , Supaphol Pitt , Suwantong Orawan
Published: November 2020

Gelatin (Gel) is a protein polymer obtained from the hydrolysis of collagen. Gel was used to prepare a wound dressing material loaded with asiaticoside (AC), a trisaccharide triterpene from Centella asiatica (L.) Urban commonly used in wound healing and dermis reconstruction. To improve water solubility, AC was formed into an inclusion complexation with 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HPβCD) in molar ratios of 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:2. The AC/HPβCD complexes were then loaded into a standard Gel solution and glutaraldehyde was used as the crosslinking of the Gel matrix. Freeze‐drying was used to fabricate the mixed solutions into Gel scaffolds. Average pore sizes of the scaffolds ranged between 548 and 560 μm. The compressive modulus of the scaffolds increased with increasing HPβCD molar ratio. Swelling and weight loss of the scaffolds in water increased with longer submersion times. Highest cumulative released amount of AC was obtained from the scaffold incorporated with the AC/HPβCD complex at the molar ratio of 1:2. Indirect cytotoxicity assay with human dermal fibroblasts confirmed that AC/HPβCD complex‐loaded Gel scaffolds were non‐toxic to the cells. Results demonstrated the potential of AC/HPβCD complex‐loaded Gel scaffolds for use as wound dressing materials.
Approaching the Glass Transition Temperature of GeTe by Crystallizing Ge15Te85
Authors: Pries Julian , Yu Yuan , Kerres Peter , Häser Maria , Steinberg Simon , Gladisch Fabian , Wei Shuai , Lucas Pierre , Wuttig Matthias
Published: November 2020

Like many phase‐change materials, GeTe crystallizes upon heating at a conventional rate before the calorimetric glass transition is reached. This has so far prevented an unambiguous determination of its glass transition temperature Tg. Herein, a new approach is realized to estimate the glass transition temperature Tg for GeTe through progressive crystallization of Ge15Te85. Selective crystallization of pure tellurium during sub‐Tg annealing leads to a gradual change in the composition of the amorphous surrounding toward that of GeTe. This gives rise to a new endotherm whose onset temperature gradually approaches the Tg of GeTe.
Reliability analysis for mechanical parts considering hidden cost via the modified quality loss model
Authors: Mao Kui , Liu Xintian , Li Shuangshuang , Wang Xu
Published: November 2020

The improvement of mechanical parts inherent reliability has an impact on the reputation and performance of the company. To estimate the inherent reliability of products more conveniently and economically, a hidden quality cost‐production cost (HQC‐PC) reliability prediction model is put forward. To estimate the hidden quality cost (HQC) of products more accurately, a quadratic exponential quality loss function model is established, which is different from Taguchi's quadratic quality loss function (QLF) and the modified QLFs. In the new quality loss model, the growth rate of quality loss on both sides of the target value is considered. Under the condition that the quality characteristic value obeys normal distribution, the general estimation formulas of HQC in the tolerance range is obtained considering sampling error and the numerical model of inherent reliability is established. The effect of different parameters on the inherent reliability of products is discussed with practical case, such as design and production parameters. Then, the appropriate process capability index (PCI) is selected according to different production processes. The relationship between the HQC‐PC reliability prediction model and PCI is derived by a numerical model of inherent reliability. A new analysis method of inherent reliability is proposed.
Anchoring Carbon Nanodots onto Nanosilica for Phosphorescence Enhancement and Delayed Fluorescence Nascence in Solid and Liquid States
Authors: He Jiangling , Chen Yonghao , He Youling , Xu Xiaokai , Lei Bingfu , Zhang Haoran , Zhuang Jianle , Hu Chaofan , Liu Yingliang
Published: November 2020

Carbon nanodots (CDs) anchored onto inorganic supporter (amorphous nanosilica, SiO2) like a core‐satellite structure have enhanced the room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) intensity along with ultralong lifetime of 1.76 s. Special and quite stable structure should account for these superiorities, including hydrogen network, covalent bond, and trap‐stabilized triplet‐state excitons that are responsible for the generation of phosphorescence. These multiple effects have efficaciously protected CDs from being restrained by the external environment, providing such long‐lived emission (LLE) that can subsist not only in powdery CDs–SiO2 but also coexist in aqueous solution, pushing a big step forward in the application prospects of liquid‐state phosphorescence. Through construction of CDs–SiO2 compound, electron trap is reasoned between CDs and SiO2 by analyzing thermoluminescent glow curve. Electron trap can capture, store, and gradually release the electrons just like an electron transporter to improve the intersystem crossing (ISC) and reserved ISC, having provided the more stabilized triplet excitons, stronger and longer phosphorescence, and also triggered the formation of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), offering a new mechanism for exploiting LLE among CD‐based field. Moreover, it is more beneficial to the formation of TADF as temperature increases, thus the afterglow color can change with the temperature.
Synthesis and Single Crystal Structure Characterization of Dinuclear and Polymeric Mixed‐ligand Coordination Compounds of Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) with the Bridging Ligand 1,2‐Bis(pyridin‐4‐ylmethylene)hydrazine
Authors: Armaghan Mahsa , Najafi Ezzat , Knedel Tim‐Oliver , Frank Walter , Janiak Christoph
Published: November 2020

Three d10‐transition‐metal coordination compounds [Cd(tfpb)2(4‐bpmh)]n (1), [Cd(9‐aca)(NO3)(OHCH3)(4‐bpmh)]n (2) and [Zn2(dpp)4(4‐bpmh)] (3) with the bridging ligand 4‐bpmh were synthesized [4‐bpmh = 1,2‐bis(pyridin‐4‐ylmethylene)hydrazine, tfpb = 4,4,4‐trifluoro‐1‐phenylbutane‐1,3‐dionate, 9‐aca = anthracene‐9‐carboxylate, dpp = 1,3‐diphenylpropane‐1,3‐dionate]. Compounds 1–3 were characterized by FT‐IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and structurally authenticated by X‐ray crystallography. Compounds 1–3 are constructed by an O,O'‐donor ligand including chelating β‐diketonates (tfpb, dpp) in 1 and 3 and a carboxylate ligand (9‐aca) in 2 in combination with a linear neutral bidentate and bridging N‐ligand (4‐bpmh). The assembly and action of the bridging 4‐bpmh ligand leads to one‐dimensional coordination polymers in 1, 2 and to a dinuclear coordination complex in 3. The structures and the solid‐state supramolecular interactions for studying the crystal packing fashions of 1–3 were analyzed. The supramolecular interactions including hydrogen bonding, C–H···π, π···π, and C–F···π in 1, 2, and 3 were founded.
Near-BPS baby Skyrmions
Authors: Gudnason Sven Bjarke , Barsanti Marco , Bolognesi Stefano
Published: November 2020

Abstract

We consider the baby-Skyrme model in the regime close to the so-called restricted baby-Skyrme model, which is a BPS model with area-preserving diffeomorphism invariance. The perturbation takes the form of the standard kinetic Dirichlet term with a small coefficient ϵ. Classical solutions of this model, to leading order in ϵ, are called restricted harmonic maps. In the BPS limit (ϵ → 0) of the model with the potential being the standard pion-mass term, the solution with unit topological charge is a compacton. Using analytical and numerical arguments we obtain solutions to the problem for topological sectors greater than one. We develop a perturbative scheme in ϵ with which we can calculate the corrections to the BPS mass. The leading order ($$ \mathcal{O}\left({\upepsilon}^1\right) $$
O

ϵ
1

) corrections show that the baby Skyrmion with topological charge two is energetically preferred. The binding energy requires us to go to the third order in ϵ to capture the relevant terms in perturbation theory, however, the binding energy contributes to the total energy at order ϵ2. We find that the baby Skyrmions — in the near-BPS regime — are compactons of topological charge two, that touch each other on their periphery at a single point and with orientations in the attractive channel.
Challenges and future directions in LC-MS-based multiclass method development for the quantification of food contaminants
Authors: Steiner David , Malachová Alexandra , Sulyok Michael , Krska Rudolf
Published: November 2020

Monitoring of food contaminants and residues has undergone a significant improvement in recent years and is now performed in an intensive manner. Achievements in the area of chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling techniques enabled the development of quantitative multi-target approaches covering several hundred analytes. Although the majority of methods are focusing on the analysis of one specific group of substances, such as pesticides, mycotoxins, or veterinary drugs, current trends are going towards the simultaneous determination of multiclass compounds from several families of contaminants and residues. This work provides an overview of relevant multiclass concepts based on LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS instruments. Merits and shortcomings will be critically discussed based on current performance characteristics of the EU legislation system. In addition, the discussion of a recently developed multiclass approach covering >1000 substances is presented as a case study to illustrate the current developments in this area.
Population-based meta-analysis of chloroquine: informing chloroquine pharmacokinetics in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Yao Xueting , Yan Xiaoyu , Wang Xiaohan , Cai Ting , Zhang Shun , Cui Cheng , Wang Xiaoxu , Hou Zhe , Liu Qi , Li Haiyan , Lin Jing , Xiong Zi , Liu Dongyang
Published: November 2020

Aims

Chloroquine (CQ) has been repurposed to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding the pharmacokinetics (PK) in COVID-19 patients is essential to study its exposure–efficacy/safety relationship and provide a basis for a possible dosing regimen optimization.

Subject and methods

In this study, we used a population-based meta-analysis approach to develop a population PK model to characterize the CQ PK in COVID-19 patients. An open-label, single-center study (ethical review approval number: PJ-NBEY-KY-2020-063-01) was conducted to assess the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of CQ in patients with COVID-19. The sparse PK data from 50 COVID-19 patients, receiving 500 mg CQ phosphate twice daily for 7 days, were combined with additional CQ PK data from 18 publications.

Results

A two-compartment model with first-order oral absorption and first-order elimination and an absorption lag best described the data. Absorption rate (ka) was estimated to be 0.559 h−1, and a lag time of absorption (ALAG) was estimated to be 0.149 h. Apparent clearance (CL/F) and apparent central volume of distribution (V2/F) was 33.3 l/h and 3630 l. Apparent distribution clearance (Q/F) and volume of distribution of peripheral compartment (Q3/F) were 58.7 l/h and 5120 l. The simulated CQ concentration under five dosing regimens of CQ phosphate were within the safety margin (400 ng/ml).

Conclusion

Model-based simulation using PK parameters from the COVID-19 patients shows that the concentrations under the currently recommended dosing regimen are below the safety margin for side-effects, which suggests that these dosing regimens are generally safe. The derived population PK model should allow for the assessment of pharmacokinetics–pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) relationships for CQ when given alone or in combination with other agents to treat COVID-19.
Incidence, preventability, and causality of adverse drug reactions at a university hospital emergency department
Authors: Kauppila Mirjam , Backman Janne T. , Niemi Mikko , Lapatto-Reiniluoto Outi
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To investigate the characteristics of ADRs in patients admitting at the emergency room of a tertiary hospital.

Methods

We collected the patient records of 1600 emergency room visits of a university hospital in 2018. The patient files were studied retrospectively and all possible ADRs were identified and registered. Patient characteristics, drugs associated with ADRs, causality, severity, preventability, and the role of pharmacogenetics were assessed.

Results

There were 125 cases with ADRs, resulting in a 7.8% overall incidence among emergency visits. The incidence was greatest in visits among elderly patients, reaching 14% (men) to 19% (women) in the 80–89 years age group. The most common causative drugs were warfarin, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), apixaban, and docetaxel, and the most common ADRs were bleedings and neutropenia and/or severe infections. Only two of the cases might have been prevented by pharmacogenetic testing, as advised in Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines.

Conclusion

The same ATC classes, antithrombotics and cytostatics, were involved in ADRs causing university clinic hospitalizations as those identified previously in drug-related hospital fatalities. It seems difficult to prevent these events totally, as the treatments are vitally important and their risk-benefit-relationships have been considered thoroughly, and as pharmacogenetic testing could have been useful in only few cases.
Different Crises, Different Patterns of Trauma. The Impact of a Social Crisis and the COVID‐19 Health Pandemic on a High Violence Area.
Authors: Ramos Perkis Juan Pablo , Achurra Tirado Pablo , Raykar Nakul , Zinco Acosta Analía , Muñoz Alarcon Carolina , Puyana Juan Carlos , Ottolino Lavarte Pablo
Published: November 2020

Backgound

Santiago, Chile underwent two separate periods of crisis over the past year. The first period, the ‘social crisis,’ extended over thirteen weeks in late 2019 into early 2020 due to protests over income inequality and the government response to social unrest. The second period, the ‘health crisis,’ began in March 2020 with Chile's first case of COVID‐19 and escalated rapidly to include ‘stay at home orders,’ traffic restrictions, and the shuttering of most businesses. We wished to evaluate the impact of these crisis periods on trauma epidemiology.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of the South‐East Metropolitan Health Service Trauma Registry. Trauma admissions, operative volume, and in‐hospital mortality were evaluated during the crisis period and the year prior.

Results

The social crisis saw increased levels of trauma, both blunt and penetrating, relative to the time period immediately preceding. The health crisis saw an increase in penetrating trauma with a concomitant decline in blunt trauma. Both crisis periods had decreased levels of trauma, overall, compared to the year prior. There were no statistically significant differences in in‐hospital trauma mortality.

Conclusion

Different crises may have different patterns of trauma. Crisis periods that include extended periods of lockdown and curfew may lead to increasing penetrating trauma volume. Governments and health officials should anticipate the aggregate impact of these measures on public health and develop strategies to actively mitigate them.

Level of evidence

III
Eintrübung von Intraokularlinsen: Erkenntnisse aus dem Labor und der Klinik
Authors: Khoramnia Ramin , Yildirim Timur M. , Łabuz Grzegorz , Mayer Christian S. , Auffarth Gerd U.
Published: November 2020

Hintergrund

Das Spektrum der Komplikationen beim Einsatz von Intraokularlinsen (IOL) ist heute ein anderes als zur Zeit ihrer Einführung. Trübungen im IOL-Material werden vermehrt als Explantationsgrund in der Literatur beschrieben.

Ziel der Arbeit

Diese Arbeit soll einen Überblick über die verschiedenen Formen von IOL-Materialeintrübungen geben.

Material und Methoden

Die heute relevanten Formen von IOL-Materialeintrübungen und deren Auswirkungen auf die optische Abbildungsqualität wurden zusammengestellt.

Ergebnisse und Diskussion

Als Grund für eine Eintrübung steht bei hydrophilen IOL die Kalzifikation im Vordergrund, während bei hydrophoben IOL v. a. über die Entstehung sog. „Glistenings“ berichtet wird. Die meisten Materialeintrübungen beeinflussen verschiedene optische Parameter und führen zu einem erhöhten intraokularen Streulicht. Im Falle einer störenden Materialeintrübung besteht die einzige Therapieoption in einem Austausch der eingetrübten IOL.
The importance of clinically relevant background therapy in cardioprotective studies
Authors: He Zhenhe , Davidson Sean M. , Yellon Derek M.
Published: November 2020

Treatment of acute myocardial infarct patients (AMI) includes rapid restoration of coronary blood flow and pharmacological therapy aimed to prevent pain and maintain vessel patency. Many interventions have been investigated to offer additional protection. One such intervention is remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) involving short-episodes of ischaemia of the arm with a blood pressure cuff, followed by reperfusion to protect the heart organs from subsequent severe ischaemia. However, the recent CONDI2-ERIC-PPCI multicentre study of RIC in STEMI showed no benefit in clinical outcome in low risk patients. It could also be argued that these patients were already in a partially protected state, highlighting the disconnect between animal- and clinical-based outcome studies. To improve potential translatability, we developed an animal model using pharmacological agents similar to those given to patients presenting with an AMI, prior to PPCI. Rats underwent MI on a combined background of an opioid agonist, heparin and a platelet-inhibitor thereby allowing us to assess whether additional cardioprotective strategies had any effect over and above this “cocktail”. We demonstrated that the “background drugs” were protective in their own right, reducing MI from 57.5 ± 3.7% to 37.3 ± 2.9% (n = 11, p < 0.001). On this background of drugs, RIC did not add any further protection (38.0 ± 3.4%). However, using a caspase inhibitor, which acts via a different mechanistic pathway to RIC, we were able to demonstrate additional protection (20.6 ± 3.3%). This concept provides initial evidence to develop models which can be used to evaluate future animal-to-clinical translation in cardioprotective studies.
Turning a yield-stress calcite suspension into a shear-thickening one by tuning inter-particle friction
Authors: Richards James A. , O’Neill Rory E. , Poon Wilson C. K.
Published: November 2020

We show that a suspension of non-Brownian calcite particles in glycerol-water mixtures can be tuned continuously from being a yield-stress suspension to a shear-thickening suspension—without a measurable yield stress—by the addition of various surfactants. We interpret our results within a recent theoretical framework that models the rheological effects of stress-dependent constraints on inter-particle motion. Bare calcite particle suspensions are found to have finite yield stresses. In these suspensions, frictional contacts that constrain inter-particle sliding form at an infinitesimal applied stress and remain thereafter, while adhesive bonds that constrain inter-particle rotation are broken as the applied stress increases. Adding surfactants reduces the yield stress of such suspensions. We show that, contrary to the case of surfactant added to colloidal suspensions, this effect in non-Brownian suspensions is attributable to the emergence of a finite onset stress for the formation of frictional contacts. Our data suggest that the magnitude of this onset stress is set by the strength of surfactant adsorption to the particle surfaces, which therefore constitutes a new design principle for using surfactants to tune the rheology of formulations consisting of suspensions of adhesive non-Brownian particles.
Budget Feasible Mechanisms on Matroids
Authors: Leonardi Stefano , Monaco Gianpiero , Sankowski Piotr , Zhang Qiang
Published: November 2020

Motivated by many practical applications, in this paper we study budget feasible mechanisms with the goal of procuring an independent set of a matroid. More specifically, we are given a matroid $${\mathcal {M}}=(E,{\mathcal {I}})$$

M
=
(
E
,
I
)

. Each element of the ground set E is controlled by a selfish agent and the cost of the element is private information of the agent itself. A budget limited buyer has additive valuations over the elements of E. The goal is to design an incentive compatible budget feasible mechanism which procures an independent set of the matroid of largest possible value. We also consider the more general case of the pair $${\mathcal {M}}=(E,{\mathcal {I}})$$

M
=
(
E
,
I
)

satisfying only the hereditary property. This includes matroids as well as matroid intersection. We show that, given a polynomial time deterministic algorithm that returns an $$\alpha $$
α
-approximation to the problem of finding a maximum-value independent set in $${\mathcal {M}}$$
M
, there exists an individually rational, truthful and budget feasible mechanism which is $$(3\alpha +1)$$

(
3
α
+
1
)

-approximated and runs in polynomial time, thus yielding also a 4-approximation for the special case of matroids.
Tumor control and trigeminal dysfunction improvement after stereotactic radiosurgery for trigeminal schwannomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Peciu-Florianu Iulia , Régis Jean , Levivier Marc , Dedeciusova Michaela , Reyns Nicolas , Tuleasca Constantin
Published: November 2020

Trigeminal nerve schwannomas (TS) are uncommon intracranial tumors, frequently presenting with debilitating trigeminal and/or oculomotor nerve dysfunction. While surgical resection has been described, its morbidity and mortality rates are non-negligible. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged with variable results as a valuable alternative. Here, we aimed at reviewing the medical literature on TS treated with SRS so as to investigate rates of tumor control and symptomatic improvement. We reviewed manuscripts published between January 1990 and December 2019 on PubMed. Tumor control and symptomatic improvement rates were evaluated with separate meta-analyses. This meta-analysis included 18 studies comprising a total of 564 patients. Among them, only one reported the outcomes of linear accelerators (Linac), while the others of GK. Tumor control rates after SRS were 92.3% (range 90.1–94.5; p < 0.001), and tumor decrease rates were 62.7% (range 54.3–71, p < 0.001). Tumor progression rates were 9.4% (range 6.8–11.9, p < 0.001). Clinical improvement rates of trigeminal neuralgia were 63.5% (52.9–74.1, p < 0.001) and of oculomotor nerves were 48.2% (range 36–60.5, p < 0.001). Clinical worsening rate was 10.7% (range 7.6–13.8, p < 0.001). Stereotactic radiosurgery for TS is associated with high tumor control rates and favorable clinical outcomes, especially for trigeminal neuralgia and oculomotor nerves. However, patients should be correctly advised about the risk of tumor progression and potential clinical worsening. Future clinical studies should focus on standard reporting of clinical outcomes.
Foliar dust and heavy metal deposit on leaves of urban trees in Budapest (Hungary)
Authors: Hrotkó Károly , Gyeviki Márta , Sütöriné Diószegi Magdolna , Magyar Lajos , Mészáros Róbert , Honfi Péter , Kardos Levente
Published: November 2020

This work considers dust deposition and the heavy metal (HM) content on leaves of urban trees (Acer platanoides L. ‘Globosum,’ Fraxinus excelsior L. ‘Westhof’s Glorie’ and Tilia tomentosa Moench.) in order to estimate the trees’ capacity to remove dust and HM from the air. Leaves were collected from the Buda Arboretum and from different streets of heavy traffic in Budapest, Hungary, during 2015 and 2016. At each site, five trees were sampled by collecting 6 leaves from each tree from the height of 2–3 m. Dust deposits on the leaves were removed by soaking the fresh foliage in distilled water for 20 h and then washed with ultrasound shaking. Afterward, the leaves were dried to constant weight and then they were digested in nitric acid–hydrogen peroxide treatment, and their Pb, Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu contents were measured using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP AS) spectrometer. The removed dust deposit was dried, and after a similar digestion treatment the Pb, Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu contents were measured using an AURORA AI 1200 AAS appliance. The HM deposit was calculated in mg m–2 leaf surface area. In 2015, the amount of foliar dust deposit from spring to autumn increased from 86.3 to 270.2 mg m–2. The most efficient tree species in trapping dust on their leaves was the silver linden (98.5–123.5 mg m−2), followed by the Norway maple (74.2–84.8 mg m−2) and the common ash (62.8–74.6 mg m−2). The deposit of HM elements showed seasonal differences: the quantity of Fe and Pb deposit on autumnal leaves increased five- to tenfold, while other heavy metals did not show accumulation. Silver linden with its pubescent (hairy) leaf surface proved to be most efficient in entrapping and retaining dust and heavy metals. The 60–100% higher Pb and Fe content of autumnal leaves indicate that over the season leaves may absorb Fe and Pb from the foliar dust. Our results confirmed that the foliar dust is a potential indicator for monitoring the HM content in the air. We also show that foliar dust deposits should be considered when estimating the capacity of urban trees to clean the air.