bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Profile of Suspected Cholera Patients during May – November 2017 in Sanaa City Secondary Analysis
Authors: Qassime Mohammed , Nemri Ryad Al- , Qassimi Mutahar Al-
Published: December 2020

Introduction: From 27 April to 3 August 2017, 453,175 suspected cholera cases and 1,930 deaths (CFR: 0.4%) have been reported in 95.6% (22/23) of Yemen governorates, and 89.2% (297/333) of the districts.

The five most affected governorates were Amanat Al-Asima, Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Amran and Dhamar with 53% (239,877/453,175) of the cases reported since 27 April 2017. In amanat al Asimah (Sana'a city) 55563 cases 61 deaths are registered in that period with case fatality rate 0.1% and attack rate 1.68%

Objectives: To study Profile of suspected cholera patients in Sanaa city.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was carried out by using secondary analysis of available data collected from (DTCs), (ORCs) and other health facilities by department of epidemiological surveillance – Sanaa city health office.

Results: A total of 92995 suspected cholera patients were included in the study whereas the average age of study subjects was 22.7 years where standard deviation (SD) 18.8 most affected age groups were (15-29),(5-14),(<5) the predominant of the study subjects from Sanaa city (96%) from Ma'ain, Bani-Alhareth, AND Al-Sabain districts Most cases are reported from DTCs (59300), ORCs (29547) Cases starts to appear in week 17 reaches a peak in weeks 24,25  and then slowly decreases. 155 suspected cholera cases were culture positives

Conclusion: 1. Cholera is one of the urgent health problems in Sana’a city

Cholera distribution is not gender sensitive, the most affected age group is (15-29) years, followed by (5-14) then under five

Cases are mainly distributed in Ma'ain, Bani-Alhareth, & Al-Sabain within Sana’a city (50% of the total cases).

The main cholera health care facilities are mainly DTCs and ORCs supported by WHO & UNICEF

Most of the subjects seek medical care within the first 2 days after onset of symptoms

The peak of cholera suspected cases is registered in weeks 24 & 24.

Confirmed cholera cases by culture are 155 from 655 specimen tested whereas 1984 are positive by cholera RDT

Recommendations:1. More cholera control interventions are necessary and urgent to eradicate it.

More field related research must be carried out to guide control and management interventions.

Some interventions must be concentrated on the age groups 5-14 & under five and at the most affected areas.
Malaria and Nutritional Status of Children in Anambra State, Nigeria
Authors: Panthe Okeke, Obiageli , Uzonna Ononye, Benjamin , Ali Imakwu, Cyril , Uzochukwu Uzochukwu, Chukwuebuka , Unekwu Amana, Gabriel , Peace Udeh, Nwabundo , Isaac Aniekwe, Maduabuchi , Effiong Eyo, Joseph , Chukwuemenam Okafor, Fabian
Published: December 2020

Malaria is a major cause of morbidity especially in children less than five years of age. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between malaria infection and nutritional status of some purposely selected children aged 0–36 months from hospitals in Anambra State, Nigeria. Data were collected on nutritional status using anthropometric data – age, height, weight and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Malaria infection status was obtained through microscopic examination of thick films blood smears. The prevalence of malnutrition (weight-for-height Z - scores) among malaria uninfected in the community and hospital surveys was 26.7%   and 9.2% respectively, while the prevalence among the malaria parasite infected children was 21.4% and 7.4% in the community and hospital respectively. The average number of malnourished children with Z-scores <-2SD were slightly higher than WHO standard. More malaria infected boys had Z-scores <-2SD compared to the WHO standard. Prevalence of malnutrition based on MUAC among malaria parasite infected children was very high (100% and 98.1% in community and hospital, respectively). The average number of stunted (height-for-age Z-score) children in both community and hospital survey was very high compare to WHO standard.  It may be concluded that there is a high rate of malnutrition based on MUAC among malaria infected children in Anambra State.
Effect of Fertigation Using Different Rates and Sources of Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Under Open Field Condition
Authors: Nair A. K. , Hebbar S. S. , Prabhakar M. , Senthilkumar M.
Published: December 2020

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of fertigation on the performance of cucumber variety ‘Vani’ at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru during summer of 2015 and 2016. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and consisted of ten treatments, which included different doses, sources of fertilizers and its frequency of application.  The pooled analysis of two years data revealed that the application of fertilizer dose (75:56:75 kg N:P2O5:K2O ha-1) through fertigation using water soluble fertilizers on bi-weekly basis resulted in higher values for vine length (217.50 cm), leaves vine-1 (83.50), mean leaf area (167.67 cm2) and mean dry leaf weight (0.532 g) at 50 days after transplanting, which remained on par with the same dose and source applied at weekly interval. These two treatments i.e T3 and T7 recorded higher values for the number of fruits vine-1 (14.20 and 14.00), fruit length (19.75 and 20.75 cm), fruit girth (16.97 and 16.12 cm) and fruit weight (313.17 and 306.05 g). All the fertigation treatments recorded higher yields over the conventional soil application of fertilizers to the tune of 10.75 to 45.60 per cent. Among the fertigation treatments, application of 100 per cent of fertilizer dose using water soluble fertilizers at weekly interval resulted in  significantly higher yield (69.50 t ha-1) compared to all  treatments except the treatment where the bi-weekly application of  the same dose of fertilizer through the same sources (69.20 t ha-1) was done. Application of 100 per cent fertilizer dose using water soluble fertilizers at weekly interval is the most efficient treatment for achieving economical cucumber fruit yield, economic return and saving water and mineral fertilizers.
Protection against Alzheimer's disease by luteolin: Role of brain glucose regulation, anti‐inflammatory activity, and the gut microbiota‐liver‐brain axis
Authors: Daily James W. , Kang Suna , Park Sunmin
Published: December 2020

Luteolin is a widely distributed flavone herbs and vegetables. It has anti‐oxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities and improves glucose metabolism by potentiating insulin sensitivity and improving β‐cell function and mass. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is induced by the deposition of amyloid‐beta (Aβ) in the hippocampus and the formation of neurotoxic Aβ plaques. The Aβ deposition is associated with increased formation of Aβ from amyloid precursor protein by up‐regulation of β‐secretase and β‐site amyloid precursor protein‐cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). Furthermore, Aβ accumulation is increased by brain insulin resistance. The impairment of insulin/IGF‐1 signaling mainly in the hippocampus and brain insulin resistance is connected to signals originating in the liver and gut microbiota, known as the gut microbiota‐liver‐brain axis. This indicates that the changes in the production of short‐chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota and pro‐inflammatory cytokines can alter insulin resistance in the liver and brain. Luteolin is detected in the brain tissues after passing through the blood–brain barrier, where it can directly influence neuroinflammation and brain insulin resistance and modulate Aβ deposition. Luteolin (10–70 mg/kg bw for rodents) can modulate the systemic and brain insulin resistance, and it suppresses AD development directly, and it influences Aβ deposition by activation of the gut microbiota‐liver‐brain axis. In this review, we evaluate the potential of luteolin to mitigate two potential causes of AD, neuroinflammatory processes, and disruption of glucose metabolism in the brain. This review suggests that luteolin intake can enhance brain insulin resistance and neuroinflammation, directly and indirectly, to protect against the development of Alzheimer's‐like disease, and the gut microbiota‐liver‐brain axis is mainly involved in the indirect pathway. However, most studies have been conducted in animal studies, and human clinical trials are needed.
Ferritin as a Platform for Creating Antiviral Mosaic Nanocages: Prospects for Treating COVID‐19
Authors: Honarmand Ebrahimi Kourosh
Published: December 2020

Infectious diseases are a continues threat to human health and the economy worldwide. The latest example is the global pandemic of COVID‐19 caused by SARS‐CoV‐2. Antibody therapy and vaccines are promising approaches to treat the disease; however, they have bottlenecks: they might have low efficacy or narrow breadth due to the continuous emergence of new strains of the virus or antibodies could cause antibody‐dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection. To address these bottlenecks, I propose the use of 24‐meric ferritin for the synthesis of mosaic nanocages to deliver a cocktail of antibodies or nanobodies alone or in combination with another therapeutic, like a nucleotide analogue, to mimic the viral entry process and deceive the virus, or to develop mosaic vaccines. I argue that available data showing the effectiveness of ferritin‐antibody conjugates in targeting specific cells and ferritin‐haemagglutinin nanocages in developing influenza vaccines strongly support my proposals.
Saikosaponin‐d impedes hippocampal neurogenesis and causes cognitive deficits by inhibiting the survival of neural stem/progenitor cells via neurotrophin receptor signaling in mice
Authors: Qin Tingting , Yuan Ziqiao , Yu Jiayu , Fu Xinxin , Deng Xueyang , Fu Qiang , Ma Zhanqiang , Ma Shiping
Published: December 2020

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) are multipotent stem cells in the central nervous system. Damage to NPCs has been demonstrated to cause adverse effects on neurogenesis and to contribute to neurological diseases. Our previous research suggested that saikosaponin‐d (SSd), a cytostatic drug belonging to the bioactive triterpenoid saponins, exhibited neurotoxicity by inhibiting hippocampal neurogenesis, but the underlying mechanism remained elusive. This study was performed to clarify the role of SSd in cognitive function and the mechanism by which SSd induced damage to hippocampal neurogenesis and NPCs. Our results indicated that SSd caused hippocampus‐dependent cognitive deficits and inhibited hippocampal neurogenesis by reducing the numbers of newborn neurons in mice. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that SSd‐induced neurotoxicity in the hippocampus involved neurotrophin receptor‐interacting MAGE (NRAGE)/neurotrophin receptor interacting factor (NRIF)/p75NTR‐associated cell death executor (NADE) cell signaling activated by the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Mechanistic studies showed that a short hairpin RNA targeting p75NTR intracellular domain reversed SSd‐increased NRAGE/NRIF/NADE signaling and the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase/caspase apoptotic pathway, subsequently contributing to the survival of NPCs, as well as cell proliferation and differentiation. The addition of recombinant brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) ameliorated the SSd‐induced inhibition of BDNF/Tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) neurotrophic signaling, but did not affect SSd‐activated pro‐BDNF/p75NTR signaling. Moreover, the SSd‐induced elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was responsible for damage to NPCs. The extracellular Ca2+ chelator ethylene glycol‐bis(2‐aminoethylether)‐N,N,N',N'‐tetraacetic acid (EGTA), rather than the intracellular Ca2+ chelator 1,2‐bis(2‐aminophenoxy)ethane‐N,N,N',N'‐tetraacetic acid tetrakis(acetoxymethyl ester) (BAPTA/AM), attenuated SSd‐induced cytosolic Ca2+ dysfunction and SSd‐disordered TrkB/p75NTR signaling. Overall, this study demonstrated a new mechanism for the neurotoxic effect of SSd, which has emerging implications for pharmacological research of SSd and provides a better understanding of neurotoxicity induced by cytostatic drugs.
The roles of exosomes in cancer drug resistance and its therapeutic application
Authors: Li Shiyu , Yi Ming , Dong Bing , Jiao Ying , Luo Suxia , Wu Kongming
Published: December 2020

Exosomes are a category of extracellular vesicles with a size ranging from 40 to 160 nm, which can be secreted by multiple cells in the tumor microenvironment. Exosomes serve as communicators in regulating biological functions and pathological processes, including drug response. Through transporting the cargo such as protein or nucleic acid, exosomes can modulate drug sensitivity via multiple mechanisms. Additionally, exosomes can be deployed as a delivery system to treat cancer due to their high‐efficient loading capacity and tolerable toxicity. Recent studies have demonstrated the high efficacy of exosomes in cancer therapy. Herein, we conduct this review to summarize the mechanism of exosome‐mediated drug resistance and the therapeutic potential of exosomes in cancer.
Malignant pleural neoplasm with both differentiation of epithelioid mesothelioma and squamous‐cell carcinoma, a rare phenomena
Authors: Re Ashley , Shersher David , Allen Ashleigh , Schwarting Roland , Ren Shuyue
Published: December 2020

Malignant mesothelioma, a neoplasm arising within the serosal surfaces, has been linked closely to asbestos exposure. We present a case of 72‐year‐old male with a 27 year work‐related history of asbestos exposure who presented with dyspnea. Chest computed tomography scan showed a large, right pleural effusion with compressive right lung atelectasis. Biopsies, subsequent pleurectomy and lung wedge resections revealed epithelioid malignant mesothelioma with associated focal non‐keratinizing squamous‐cell carcinoma, supported by extensive immunohistochemical stains and molecular studies. The patient was treated with 6 cycles of carboplatin/pemetrexed, showing no new metastases. Seven months post‐treatment, the patient presented with progressive dyspnea and large pleural effusions. Bilateral pleural fluid was collected and showed malignant epithelioid cells, morphologically similar to the patient's pleural neoplastic cells. However, the tumor was positive for squamous cells markers and showed BAP1 loss, while negative for mesothelial markers. The findings support the diagnosis of squamous‐cell carcinoma and were consistent with the patient's previously diagnosed pleural neoplastic origin. A malignant mesothelioma associated with squamous‐cell carcinoma is a rare phenonmenon. To our knowledge, only two case reports are available in current literature. This unique case shows a single pleura tumor differentiating as both malignant mesothelioma and squamous‐cell carcinoma. Squamous‐cell carcinoma is the predominating malignancy seen within the bilateral pleural effusions, a potential pitfall for cytology specimen diagnosis.
Böschungsstandsicherheit unter Berücksichtigung des Spannungs‐Dehnungs‐Verhaltens bei Scherung
Authors: Nitzsche Kornelia , Herle Ivo
Published: December 2020

Der Gleichgewichtszustand einer Böschung wird oftmals mithilfe von Grenzgleichgewichtsmethoden berechnet. Dabei wird vernachlässigt, dass bis zum Erreichen des Scherwiderstands eine Verschiebung in der Scherzone stattfinden muss. Die Scherspannungsentwicklung hängt u. a. vom Lagerungszustand und den hydraulischen Bedingungen ab. Folglich ist die Mobilisierung des Scherwiderstands in der Scherzone nicht homogen, was zu einer Überschätzung der Böschungsstandsicherheit führen kann. In diesem Bericht wird ein Berechnungsverfahren vorgestellt, das die Entwicklung der Standsicherheit in Abhängigkeit von der Scherdehnung in der Scherzone koppelt. Zur Veranschaulichung werden zwei einfache Beispiele für eine Böschung mit ebener Gleitfläche gezeigt.
A Real‐World Observational Cohort of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Design and Rationale for TARGET‐HCC
Authors: Cabrera Roniel , Singal Amit G. , Colombo Massimo , Kelley R. Kate , Lee Hannah , Mospan Andrea R. , Meyer Tim , Newell Pippa , Parikh Neehar D. , Sangro Bruno , Reddy K. Rajender , Watkins Stephanie , Zink Richard C. , Di Bisceglie Adrian M.
Published: December 2020

This study describes the design of the TARGET‐hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cohort and descriptive characteristics of the patient population at diagnosis among those who were enrolled in the cohort across academic and community clinical centers. TARGET‐HCC is a 5‐year, longitudinal, observational cohort of patients with HCC receiving care in usual clinical practice. Redacted clinical information, obtained from medical records, captures the natural history and management of the disease, including the safety and efficacy of treatment interventions used in usual clinical practice. Patients can complete patient‐reported outcome measures and provide biological specimens for future translational studies. The TARGET‐HCC study includes adults with histologic, cytologic, or radiologic diagnosis of HCC from academic and community centers in both the United States and Europe. A total of 1,841 participants were enrolled between January 9, 2017, and July 23, 2019, at 67 sites in the United States and Europe. To date, the most common liver disease etiology in the cohort continues to be hepatitis C, although nearly half had a nonviral etiology, including alcohol‐related liver disease or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Most included patients were diagnosed at an early stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage [BCLC] 0/A), but only approximately one third underwent curative treatment. Systemic therapy has been used in 7.3% of enrolled patients, including 45.7% of those with BCLC stage C tumors. Conclusion: Overall, the TARGET‐HCC cohort allows for the assessment of patient characteristics and investigation of new treatment paradigms and sequencing with existing agents as well as novel regimens for HCC.
Postoperative pain management on discharge after day case gynaecologic laparoscopy
Authors: Teoh Stephanie Wai Khuan , Payne Carla , McDonnell Nolan , Petrovski Michael
Published: December 2020

Previous review in the study hospital showed that the pain management following discharge from the Day Surgery Unit (DSU) was inadequate with 6% of patients discharged home with pain medicines. The aim of this audit was to assess the efficacy of the new DSU discharge medication system for patients following day laparoscopy procedures. Pain control following the procedure and patient satisfaction with pain management were also assessed. A total of 100 patients who underwent a day case laparoscopy procedure at the study hospital from 12 June 2018 to 23 April 2019 were included in the study. Patient medical records, anaesthetic and recovery charts were reviewed. Analgesic requirements and pain scores in theatre, recovery, DSU and on discharge were documented. Patients were followed‐up by phone interview on analgesic use in the 24 h post discharge, and on patient satisfaction with postoperative pain management. At discharge from the DSU, 88 (88%) patients were supplied analgesics and medicine information leaflets. In the 24 h postoperative phone follow‐up, 63 (78.7%) patients indicated they were not in severe pain. Of the 53 patients who reported moderate (n = 36) to severe (n = 17) pain, 47 (88.7%) used analgesics at home. The common analgesics used after discharge were paracetamol (68.8%), tramadol (51.3%), ibuprofen (40%) and celecoxib (25%), Patient satisfaction with pain management in the 24 h post discharge was (69) 86.3%. The new discharge process has improved the supply of analgesic medication and medication information for patients following a day laparoscopy procedure. Patients reported great satisfaction with pain management in the hospital.
Effects of guanidinoacetic acid and complex antioxidant supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant function of broiler chickens
Authors: Zhao Wei , Li Jiaolong , Xing Tong , Zhang Lin , Gao Feng
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), or complex antioxidant (CA), or their combination, in diets on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broilers. A total of 192 25‐day‐old broilers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design including two dietary supplements at two different levels, in which the main effects were the addition of GAA (0 or 600 mg kg−1) and CA (0 or 150 mg kg−1). This trial lasted for 18 days.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, the GAA group, CA group, and GAA + CA group, decreased feed conversion ratio by 7.02%, 6.58%, and 11.40%, respectively. Guanidinoacetic supplementation increased eviscerated yield, pH24h (P < 0.05). Complex antioxidant supplementation increased the a* values (P < 0.05). The combination of GAA and CA did not affect the carcass traits and meat quality. Guanidinoacetic acid alone and CA alone and combined with GAA and CA decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and malonaldehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05), and the GAA + CA group had the lowest ROS level and MDA content of broilers.

CONCLUSION

Dietary supplementation of GAA, CA or their combination had beneficial effects on growth performance and breast antioxidant capacity, and the combination of GAA and CA could exert a synergistic effect in improving antioxidant capacity. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Changes of the flavor substances and protein degradation of black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) pickled products during steaming
Authors: Wang Yixin , Wu Han , Shi Wenzheng , Huang Haiyuan , Shen Siyuan , Yang Feng , Chen Shi
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

Among various cooking methods, steaming is favored by many because it can cause less damage to nutrient components in muscle, retain the inherent food flavor, and reduce the generation of harmful substances. Steaming conditions are closely related to fish flavor, fat and protein oxidation, and digestibility.

RESULTS

The black carp steamed for 4 to 14 min was studied in this article based on sensory assessment, electronic tongue, free amino acids, adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐related compounds, total nitrogen and non‐protein nitrogen to explore the effect of steaming time on the taste substances and protein degradation of pickled black carp. The experimental result showed that the meat steamed within 8 min tasted better, showing high tastiness. The sensory assessment score increased significantly to the maximum value of 82.33 at 6 min. The content of umami and sweet amino acids increased significantly to the maximum value of 1.6801 g kg–1 at 6 min. In the meantime, the IMP (inosine monophosphate) content was 1.9128 g kg–1, with its taste activity value (TAV) reaching 7.65, which proved that IMP affected the taste most. Furthermore, the total nitrogen content was 30.77 g kg–1, which meant protein degraded a great deal. Based on equivalent umami concentration (EUC) and its TAV, the meat tasted best at 6–8 min. The longer the steaming time, the faster the protein degradation and the more the flavor precursors.

CONCLUSION

The black carp pickled products (with a weight of 20 g, with the size of 3 cm × 3 cm × 2 cm) is suggested to be steamed for 6 to 8 min. This conclusion provides a theoretical basis for its better taste quality. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Carotenoid stability and aroma retention during the post‐harvest storage of biofortified maize
Authors: Ekpa Onu , Fogliano Vincenzo , Linnemann Anita
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

Maize varieties that are rich in carotenoids have been developed to combat vitamin A deficiency in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, after harvest, carotenoids degrade and off‐flavor volatiles develop, which affect nutrient intake and consumer acceptance. This study evaluated carotenoid retention and aroma compound stability in provitamin A biofortified maize, variety Pool 8A, as influenced by dry milling and storage in different packaging and temperature conditions.

RESULTS

The lowest amount of total carotenoids was found in flour stored in laminated paper bags at 37 °C (only 16% retention after 180 days), attributable to the high storage temperature and oxygen permeability of the packaging material. No significant effect on carotenoid degradation was found for dry milling, either by rotor mill or freezer mill, but the formation of volatile compounds was significantly (P < 0.05) affected. Volatile compounds such as hexanal, 2‐pentylfuran, 1‐propanol, 2‐heptanone, butyrolactone, limonene, and hexanoic acid were found in different proportions after milling. The highest concentration of hexanal was in flour milled by rotor mill or freezer mill, and stored in laminated paper bags at 37 °C after 180 days, and the lowest concentrations were for flour in aluminium bags and double‐layered polyethylene bags stored at 4 °C.

CONCLUSION

Maize flour stored in double‐layered polyethylene bags had the highest carotenoid retention and aroma stability. Importantly, the use of these bags is economically feasible in low‐income countries. Overall, our results show that effective control of storage conditions is crucial to prevent carotenoid loss and decrease off‐odor formation. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Effects of Pelargonium sidoides extract vs roxithromycin on chemokine levels in nasal secretions of patients with uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis
Authors: Perić Aleksandar , Vezmar Kovačević Sandra , Barać Aleksandra , Perić Aneta V. , Vojvodić Danilo
Published: December 2020

Background

Previous investigations suggest the use of extract from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) for the therapy of uncomplicated rhinosinusitis. The aim of this prospective study was to compare the effects of herbal drug EPs 7630 and antibiotic roxithromycin on chemokine production in nasal mucosa and clinical parameters in patients with uncomplicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS).

Methods

Seventy‐eight ABRS patients were divided into 26 patients receiving EPs 7630 tablets, 3 × 20 mg/day per os (group 1), 26 patients receiving roxithromycin tablets, 2 × 150 mg/day per os (group 2), both for 10 days, and 26 patients who received no therapy (Control group). We measured chemokine levels in nasal secretions by flow cytometry and assessed clinical parameters on day 0 and day 10 of investigation.

Results

EPs 7630 increased concentrations of MCP‐1 (P = .001) and IP‐10 (P = .049) and decreased levels of MIP‐1α (P < .001), ENA‐78 (P < .001), and IL‐8 (P < .001). Roxithromycin increased levels of IP‐10 (P = .049) and decreased levels of MCP‐1 (P < .001), MIP‐1α (P < .016), ENA‐78 (P < .001), and IL‐8 (P < .001). Comparison of the non‐treated patients' group with groups 1 and 2 revealed significant improvement of all clinical parameters in treated patients (P < .001), but therapy with roxithromycin resulted in better improvement in nasal symptoms and endoscopic findings than therapy with EPs 7630.

Conclusion

Our results suggest the presence of similar modulatory effects of both therapies on production of chemokines that regulate the function of neutrophils and monocytes in nasal mucosa. Roxithromycin shows better clinical efficacy than EPs 7630 in patients with uncomplicated ABRS.

Level of Evidence

1b.
“Mesh free” autologous transobturator mid urethral sling placement for predominant stress urinary incontinence: A pilot study
Authors: Vasudeva Pawan , Tyagi Vijay , Kumar Niraj , Yadav Siddharth , Prasad Vishnu , Iyer Saumya G.
Published: December 2020

Aims

To assess the efficacy and safety of autologous mid‐urethral sling (MUS) in women with predominant stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Materials and Methods

This prospective cohort study included adult women with predominant SUI seen in our urology clinic between January 2018 and March 2019. Patients with: negative cough stress test, history of prior incontinence surgery, urogenital malignancy, pelvic radiation, neurological disease, body mass index more than 40 kg/m2, the presence of more than Stage I pelvic organ prolapse, active urinary tract infection, maximum flow rate less than 15 ml/sec, postvoid residual urine more than 100 ml, abdominal leak point pressure less than 60 cm of H2O, and pregnant women were excluded. Eligible patients underwent a transobturator MUS procedure using rectus fascia as a sling. Before the procedure, patients filled the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptom (ICIQ‐FLUTS) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Urinary outcomes were assessed at 3‐ and 12‐months while sexual outcomes were assessed at 12‐months.

Results

Thirty patients with median age of 44.5 years were included. All patients had a negative cough stress test during follow up. A significant improvement was noted in the ICIQ‐FLUTS scale, bother scale, filling and incontinence subscales at 3 and 12 month follow‐up. A significant improvement was also noted in the FSFI full scale score and FSFI domains of mean sexual desire, arousal and lubrication at 12 months follow‐up. Two patients developed voiding dysfunction requiring urethral dilatation.

Conclusion

Autologous transobturator MUS surgery appears to be safe and efficacious in the short term. More research is needed to clarify its role in the surgical management of SUI in women.
Intermittent Versus Continuous Energy Restriction for Weight Loss and Metabolic Improvement: A Meta‐Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: He Shasha , Wang Jiao , Zhang Jie , Xu Jixiong
Published: December 2020

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intermittent energy restriction (IER; only for 2‐3 d/wk) versus continuous energy restriction (CER) on weight loss and metabolic outcomes in adults with overweight or obesity.

Methods

Methods included searching databases from the last decade to December 18, 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed weight loss and metabolic outcomes in IER and CER. RevMan version 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. The effect sizes were expressed as weight mean differences and 95% CI.

Results

This review included 11 RCTs (n = 850). Meta‐analysis showed that IER had greater effects on absolute weight loss, the percentage of weight loss, and improving insulin sensitivity than CER. In the subgroup analysis, short‐term (2‐3 months) intervention (P < 0.0001) was associated with weight loss.

Conclusions

This systematic review shows that IER (2‐3 d/wk) had greater effects on short‐term weight loss than CER and that IER results in comparative metabolic improvements. Furthermore, longer RCTs are needed to validate these findings.
Tracking the cultural niches of North American birds through time
Authors: Schuetz Justin G. , Johnston Alison
Published: December 2020

Conservation efforts are constrained by our poor grasp of changing relationships between humans and other species. We used internet query data describing relative public interest in different species of birds, and combined them with citizen science data describing relative encounter rates with those same taxa, to gain perspective on shifting relationships between people and birds in the United States.

National‐level interest in birds increased an average of 12.6% across two sequential 5‐year periods, while controlling for the volume of internet searches and changing encounter rates with species in the United States. Geographic alignment of state‐level interest in birds and state‐level encounters with birds increased by an average of 5.7% across species.

In multivariate multiple regression analysis, we found that species did not move uniformly through a 2D ‘cultural niche space’ between time periods. Shifts varied according to changes in federal protection afforded to species, by migratory strategy, whether species were native or introduced and by taxonomic Order.

Together, these results suggest that people in the United States became more inquisitive about birds over a relatively short period of time, that their growing curiosity was directed disproportionately towards local species, and that cultural labels and species characteristics continue to shape relationships between people and birds.

By tracking shifts in the cultural niches of birds over time, we provide quantitative perspective on general patterns of socio‐ecological change. And by identifying factors associated with those shifts, our results also offer specific information that can be used to improve conservation efforts aimed at particular species or groups of birds.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Shapeshifting attachment: Exploring multi‐dimensional people–place bonds in place‐based citizen science
Authors: Haywood Benjamin K. , Parrish Julia K. , He Yurong
Published: December 2020

Research on citizen science programmes has highlighted that they can foster science content and knowledge gain, enhance pro‐environmental behaviour and cultivate civic action among participants. Especially in the case of place‐based citizen science, which requires hands‐on repeated activity in an out‐of‐door setting through a scientific lens, evidence suggests that some of these outcomes may be linked to the unique people–place relationships and interactions afforded by such programmes.

Even still, studies that empirically examine the influence of place on citizen science participant and programme outcomes are scant. This is due, in part, to the methodological challenges involved in interrogating complex aspects of a person's sense of place—aspects like place attachment—the emotional bonds between people and place.

Here, an adapted three‐dimensional model of place attachment is proposed as a theoretical framework from which place‐based citizen science experiences and outcomes might be empirically examined in depth. The model, which posits personal, social and natural environment dimensions of place attachment is contextualized with research findings from the US‐based Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) citizen science programme.

Data from COASST suggest that participants do exhibit place attachment in all three dimensions of attachment, categorized within seven unique constructs, although questions remain regarding the unique intensity, make‐up (shape) and scale (spatial, social and nature‐science) of individual‐level attachment along the three central dimensions. Critically, more research is needed to investigate whether the unique place attachment ‘profile’ of participants is a function of personal, social or programmatic variables pre‐ and post‐programme participation.

To encourage further scholarship on potential links between the experiences, exposures and programme components of place‐based citizen science and the place attachment profiles of participants, this paper includes a brief review of the research opportunities presented by the adapted three‐dimensional place attachment model discussed.

Advancing this line of inquiry is an important component of broader efforts to understand how sense of place is altered via place‐based citizen science and whether or not that is linked to specific programme outputs or participant outcomes in science knowledge, ecological understanding and civic engagement.

A freePlain Language Summarycan be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
The cys‐loop ligand‐gated ion channel gene superfamilies of the cockroaches Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana
Authors: Jones Andrew K , Goven Delphine , Froger Josy‐Anne , Bantz Alexandre , Raymond Valerie
Published: December 2020

BACKGROUND

Cockroaches are serious urban pests that can transfer disease‐causing microorganisms as well as trigger allergic reactions and asthma. They are commonly managed by pesticides that act on cys‐loop ligand‐gated ion channels (cysLGIC). To provide further information that will enhance our understanding of how insecticides act on their molecular targets in cockroaches, we used genome and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) data to characterize the cysLGIC gene superfamilies from Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana.

RESULTS

The B. germanica and P. americana cysLGIC superfamilies consist of 30 and 32 subunit‐encoding genes, respectively, which are the largest insect cysLGIC superfamilies characterized to date. As with other insects, the cockroaches possess ion channels predicted to be gated by acetylcholine, γ‐aminobutyric acid, glutamate and histamine, as well as orthologues of the drosophila pH‐sensitive chloride channel (pHCl), CG8916 and CG12344. The large cysLGIC superfamilies of cockroaches are a result of an expanded number of divergent nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits, with B. germanica and P. americana, respectively, possessing eight and ten subunit genes. Diversity of the cockroach cysLGICs is also broadened by alternative splicing and RNA A‐to‐I editing. Unusually, both cockroach species possess a second glutamate‐gated chloride channel as well as another CG8916 subunit.

CONCLUSION

These findings on B. germanica and P. americana enhance our understanding of the evolution of the insect cysLGIC superfamily and provide a useful basis for the study of their function, the detection and management of insecticide resistance, and for the development of improved pesticides with greater specificity towards these major pests. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Sample size calculations for single‐arm survival studies using transformations of the Kaplan–Meier estimator
Authors: Nagashima Kengo , Noma Hisashi , Sato Yasunori , Gosho Masahiko
Published: December 2020

In single‐arm clinical trials with survival outcomes, the Kaplan–Meier estimator and its confidence interval are widely used to assess survival probability and median survival time. Since the asymptotic normality of the Kaplan–Meier estimator is a common result, the sample size calculation methods have not been studied in depth. An existing sample size calculation method is founded on the asymptotic normality of the Kaplan–Meier estimator using the log transformation. However, the small sample properties of the log transformed estimator are quite poor in small sample sizes (which are typical situations in single‐arm trials), and the existing method uses an inappropriate standard normal approximation to calculate sample sizes. These issues can seriously influence the accuracy of results. In this paper, we propose alternative methods to determine sample sizes based on a valid standard normal approximation with several transformations that may give an accurate normal approximation even with small sample sizes. In numerical evaluations via simulations, some of the proposed methods provided more accurate results, and the empirical power of the proposed method with the arcsine square‐root transformation tended to be closer to a prescribed power than the other transformations. These results were supported when methods were applied to data from three clinical trials.
Quercetin ameliorates reactive oxygen species generation, inflammation, mucus depletion, goblet disintegration, and tumor multiplicity in colon cancer: Probable role of adenomatous polyposis coli, β‐catenin
Authors: Shree Alpa , Islam Johirul , Sultana Sarwat
Published: December 2020

1,2 Dimethyl hydrazine (DMH), a cogent environmental toxicant, targets the colon. Previous reports suggest that DMH‐mediated dysregulation of the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway plays a vital role in the initial events of colon carcinogenesis. Our study was designed to investigate the effect of quercetin on DMH‐mediated colon cancer by targeting adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and β‐catenin in Wistar rats. Animals were pretreated orally with quercetin at doses of either 25 or 50 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) and DMH at a dose of 20 mg/kg bw subcutaneously up to the 15th week and sacrificed after the 30th week. DMH administration leads to reactive oxygen species generation, resulting in an imbalance in redox homeostasis and causing membrane lipid peroxidation, which is also partly due to the decrease in the level of tissue antioxidant machinery. Increased inflammatory and proliferative proteins were observed in DMH‐induced colon cancerous rats. DMH treatment also led to dysregulation in the apoptotic pathway with decreased Bax:Bcl‐2 ratio. Quercetin pretreatment ameliorates DMH‐induced proliferation, activities of detoxifying enzymes, and putative early markers (mucin depletion and goblet cell disintegration) in colonic tissue. It also significantly regulates APC and β‐catenin expression and inhibits tumor incidence and multiplicity. Histological results further confirm the beneficial role of quercetin in averting DMH‐induced pathological alterations.
Mechanism for negative differential conductivity in holographic conductors
Authors: Ishigaki Shuta , Nakamura Shin
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We clarify the mechanism for negative differential conductivity in holographic conductors. Negative differential conductivity is a phenomenon in which the electric field decreases with the increase of the current. This phenomenon is widely observed in strongly correlated insulators, and it has been known that some models of AdS/CFT correspondence (holographic conductors) reproduce this behaviour. We study the mechanism for negative differential conductivity in holographic conductors by analyzing the lifetime of the bound states of the charge carriers. We find that when the system exhibits negative differential conductivity, the lifetime of the bound states grows as the electric field increases. This suggests that the negative differential conductivity in this system is realized by the suppression of the ionization of the bound states that supplies the free carriers.
Endpoint contributions to excited-state modular Hamiltonians
Authors: Kabat Daniel , Lifschytz Gilad , Nguyen Phuc , Sarkar Debajyoti
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We compute modular Hamiltonians for excited states obtained by perturbing the vacuum with a unitary operator. We use operator methods and work to first order in the strength of the perturbation. For the most part we divide space in half and focus on perturbations generated by integrating a local operator J over a null plane. Local operators with weight n ≥ 2 under vacuum modular flow produce an additional endpoint contribution to the modular Hamiltonian. Intuitively this is because operators with weight n ≥ 2 can move degrees of freedom from a region to its complement. The endpoint contribution is an integral of J over a null plane. We show this in detail for stress tensor perturbations in two dimensions, where the result can be verified by a conformal transformation, and for scalar perturbations in a CFT. This lets us conjecture a general form for the endpoint contribution that applies to any field theory divided into half-spaces.
Stringy structure at the BPS bound
Authors: Martinec Emil J. , Massai Stefano , Turton David
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We explore the stringy structure of 1/2-BPS bound states of NS fivebranes carrying momentum or fundamental string charge, in the decoupling limits leading to little string theory and to AdS3/CFT2 duality. We develop an exact worldsheet description of these states using null-gauged sigma models, and illustrate the construction by deriving the closed-form solution sourced by an elliptical NS5-F1 supertube. The Calabi-Yau/Landau-Ginsburg correspondence maps this geometrical worldsheet description to a non-compact LG model whose superpotential is determined by the fivebrane source configuration. Singular limits of the 1/2-BPS configuration space result when the fivebrane worldvolume self-intersects, as can be seen from both sides of the CY/LG duality — on the Landau-Ginsburg side from the degeneration of the superpotential(s), and on the geometrical side from an analysis of D-brane probes. These singular limits are a portal to black hole formation via the condensation of the branes that are becoming massless, and thus exhibit in the gravitational bulk description the central actors in the non-gravitational dual theory underlying black hole thermodynamics.
Finding wombling boundaries in LHC data with Voronoi and Delaunay tessellations
Authors: Matchev Konstantin T. , Roman Alexander , Shyamsundar Prasanth
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We address the problem of finding a wombling boundary in point data generated by a general Poisson point process, a specific example of which is an LHC event sample distributed in the phase space of a final state signature, with the wombling boundary created by some new physics. We discuss the use of Voronoi and Delaunay tessellations of the point data for estimating the local gradients and investigate methods for sharpening the boundaries by reducing the statistical noise. The outcome from traditional wombling algorithms is a set of boundary cell candidates with relatively large gradients, whose spatial properties must then be scrutinized in order to construct the boundary and evaluate its significance. Here we propose an alternative approach where we simultaneously form and evaluate the significance of all possible boundaries in terms of the total gradient flux. We illustrate our method with several toy examples of both straight and curved boundaries with varying amounts of signal present in the data.
From BFV to BV and spacetime covariance
Authors: Ikeda Noriaki , Strobl Thomas
Published: December 2020

Abstract

The BFV formulation of a given gauge theory is usually significantly easier to obtain than its BV formulation. Based on foundational work by Fisch and Henneaux, Grigoriev and Damgaard introduced simple formulas for obtaining the latter from the former. Since BFV relies on the Hamiltonian version of the gauge theory, however, it does not come as a surprise that in general the resulting BV theory does not exhibit spacetime covariance. We provide an explicit example of this phenomenon in two spacetime dimensions and show how to restore covariance of the BV data by improving the Fisch-Henneaux-Grigoriev-Damgaard procedure with appropriate adaptations of their formulas.
Calculation of transverse momentum dependent distributions beyond the leading power
Authors: Moos Valentin , Vladimirov Alexey
Published: December 2020

Abstract

We compute the contribution of twist-2 and twist-3 parton distribution functions to the small-b expansion for transverse momentum dependent (TMD) distributions at all powers of b. The computation is done by the twist-decomposition method based on the spinor formalism for all eight quark TMD distributions. The newly computed terms are accompanied by the prefactor (M2b2)n and represent the target-mass corrections to the resummed cross-section. For the first time, a non-trivial expression for the pretzelosity distribution is derived.
On continuity properties of semigroups in real interpolation spaces
Authors: Kunstmann Peer Christian
Published: December 2020

Starting from a bi-continuous semigroup in a Banach spaceX(which might actually be strongly continuous), we investigate continuity properties of the semigroup that is induced in real interpolation spaces betweenXand the domainD(A) of the generator. Of particular interest is the case$$(X,D(A))_{\theta ,\infty }$$(X,D(A))θ,∞. We obtain topologies with respect to which the induced semigroup is bi-continuous, among them topologies induced by a variety of norms. We illustrate our results with applications to a nonlinear Schrödinger equation and to the Navier–Stokes equations on$$\mathbb {R}^d$$Rd.