bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization and differentiation of aluminum powders used in improvised explosive devices. Part 2: Micromorphometric method refinement and preliminary statistical analysis
Authors: Ommen Danica M. , Baldaino JenaMarie , Saunders Christopher P. , Hietpas Jack , Buscaglia JoAnn
Published: November 2021

Aluminum (Al) powder is commonly encountered in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as a metallic fuel due to its availability and low cost. Although available commercially in powder form, amateur bomb‐makers also produce their own Al powder via simple methods found online. In order to provide investigative leads and forensic intelligence, it is important to evaluate not only the composition of homemade devices, but also to distinguish between the various forms of Al powder they contain. To achieve this goal, a method using automated microscopy in combination with statistical techniques has been demonstrated to have the potential to provide source discrimination and investigative leads in source attribution of Al powders in IEDs. The present research refined this method and investigated 59 industrially and amateurly produced Al powder sources with seven subsamples per source using two traditional linear discriminant analyses (LDA), one with a standard data split for training and testing, and another using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation. Averaging the classification accuracies for the two LDA‐based analyses, LDA has the ability to correctly classify 59.26%, 83.35%, and 80.69% of the samples based on their powder source, type, and production method, respectively. This classification accuracy represents a 3407%, 317%, and 61.38% increase in accuracy from random class assignment, respectively. Further, in most instances of incorrect data attribution to a particular source, the subsample has been misidentified with another sample of the same powder type or production method.
Non‐incisional pleurectomy/decortication for malignant mesothelioma after cardiac surgery
Authors: Miura Kentaro , Shimizu Kimihiro , Hasegawa Seiki , Koike Sachie , Matsuoka Shunichiro , Takeda Tetsu , Eguchi Takashi , Hamanaka Kazutoshi , Takizawa Momoko
Published: November 2021

A 70‐year‐old man diagnosed with right‐sided malignant epithelial pleural mesothelioma, underwent pleurectomy/decortication after three courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. He had a history of mitral valve replacement and maze procedure with median sternotomy, and the procedures resulted in strong adhesion from the apex to the mediastinal side. In particular, the peeling of the area where the tumor invaded the pericardium required the most attention; however, the involved pericardium could be partially resected without damaging the right atrium. Finally, en bloc macroscopic complete resection with the entire pleura was successfully performed without conversion to extrapleural pneumonectomy.
Trend of lung cancer surgery, hospital selection, and survival between 2005 and 2016 in South Korea
Authors: Kim Dohun , Kang Gil‐Won , Jang Hoyeon , Cho Jun Yeun , Yang Bumhee , Yang Hee Chul , Hwang Jinwook
Published: November 2021

Background

Studies on the clinical implication of hospital selection for patients with lung cancer are few. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze 2005–2016 data from the Korean national database to assess annual trends of lung cancer surgery and clinical outcomes according to hospital selection.

Methods

Data of 212 554 patients with lung cancer who underwent upfront surgery were screened. Trends according to sex, age, residence, and income were examined. Descriptive statistics were performed, and ptrend values were estimated. The association between survival and hospital selection was assessed using the log‐rank test. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was also performed.

Results

A total of 49 021 patients were included in this study. Surgery was prevalent among men, patients aged 61–75 years, capital area residents, and high‐income patients. However, with the increasing rate of surgery among women, patients aged ≥76 years, city residents, and middle‐income patients, the current distribution of lung cancer surgery could change. The rate of lobectomy among these groups increased. All patients, except those in capital areas, preferred a hospital outside their area of residence (HOR); the number of patients with this tendency also increased. However, this trend was not observed among low‐income patients and those aged ≥76 years. There were significant differences in survival according to hospital selection.

Conclusions

The trend of lung cancer surgery is changing. The current medical system is effective in providing lobectomy for patients including women, aged ≥76 years, city residents, and middle‐income. Increasing tendency to choose an HOR requires further study.
A randomised controlled trial of psychotherapy and cognitive remediation to target cognition in mood disorders
Authors: Douglas Katie M. , Groves Samantha , Crowe Marie T. , Inder Maree L. , Jordan Jennifer , Carlyle Dave , Wells Hayley , Beaglehole Ben , Mulder Roger , Lacey Cameron , Luty Suzanne E. , Eggleston Kate , Frampton Christopher M. A. , Bowie Christopher R. , Porter Richard J.
Published: November 2021

Objective

To examine the impact of a treatment package combining Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) and cognitive remediation (CR), vs IPSRT alone, on cognition, functioning, and mood disturbance outcomes in mood disorders.

Methods

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial in adults with bipolar disorder (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD), recently discharged from mental health services in Christchurch, New Zealand, with subjective cognitive difficulties. Individuals were randomised to a 12‐month course of IPSRT with CR (IPSRT‐CR), or without CR (IPSRT). In IPSRT‐CR, CR was incorporated into therapy sessions from approximately session 5 and continued for 12 sessions. The primary outcome was change in Global Cognition (baseline to 12 months).

Results

Sixty‐eight individuals (BD n = 26, MDD n = 42; full/partial remission n = 39) were randomised to receive IPSRT‐CR or IPSRT (both n = 34). Across treatment arms, individuals received an average of 23 IPSRT sessions. Change in Global Cognition did not differ between arms from baseline to treatment‐end (12 months). Psychosocial functioning and longitudinal depression symptoms improved significantly more in the IPSRT compared with IPSRT‐CR arm over 12 months, and all measures of functioning and mood symptoms showed moderate effect size differences favouring IPSRT (0.41–0.60). At 18 months, small to moderate, non‐significant benefits (0.26–0.47) of IPSRT vs IPSRT‐CR were found on functioning and mood outcomes.

Conclusions

Combining two psychological therapies to target symptomatic and cognitive/functional recovery may reduce the effect of IPSRT, which has implications for treatment planning in clinical practice and for CR trials in mood disorders.
Group size mediates effects of intraspecific competition and forest structure on productivity in a recovering social woodpecker population
Authors: Garabedian J. E. , Moorman C. E. , Peterson M. N. , Kilgo J. C.
Published: November 2021

Conservation of endangered social wildlife in disturbance‐prone forests is challenging because direct and indirect effects of management strategies developed at the time of species’ listing when population density is low may change under high‐density conditions in locally recovered populations. Here, we used piecewise structural equation modeling to evaluate direct and indirect drivers of productivity in the federally endangered cooperatively breeding red‐cockaded woodpeckerDryobates borealis(RCW) on Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA. We estimated direct and indirect relationships among group size, neighboring group sizes, fledgling production, density of cavity tree clusters occupied by RCWs, area satisfying threshold criteria of ≥22 stems ha−1of pines ≥35.6 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), <1.4 m2 ha−1basal area (BA) of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh, and <6% hardwood canopy cover, and area treated with prescribed fire, and tested whether group size mediated indirect effects of area satisfying threshold criteria on fledgling production. Increases in area with ≥22 stems ha−1of pines ≥35.6 cm dbh and <1.4 m2 ha−1BA of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh, and area treated with prescribed fire, but not area with <6% hardwood canopy cover, had direct positive effects on group size. Group size and area treated with prescribed fire, but not area satisfying threshold criteria, had direct positive effects on fledgling production. The direct effect of neighboring group sizes on fledgling production was negative and smaller relative to the direct positive effect of group size on fledgling production. Overall, our results indicate positive direct effects of group size on fledgling production outweighed negative direct effects of neighboring group sizes, and that group size mediated positive indirect effects of area satisfying structural threshold criteria on fledgling production. These findings indicate that ongoing forest management aimed to increase area with ≥22 pines ha−1≥35.6 cm dbh and <1.4 m2 ha−1BA of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh will promote large group sizes, which in turn improve fledgling production and offset costs of heightened competition with neighboring groups under high‐density conditions. Additionally, positive effects of area treated with prescribed fire on RCW group size and fledgling production indicate prescribed fire has unique contributions to woodpecker productivity, likely via direct effects on forest structure and potentially indirect effects on arthropod prey available to foraging RCWs. By simultaneously accounting for multiple drivers of productivity in social wildlife, our study contributes to the understanding of how increases in social wildlife population sizes can alter previously documented habitat‐fitness relationships.
Role of IL‐18‐transformed CD274‐expressing eosinophils in promoting airway obstruction in experimental asthma
Authors: Mishra Anil , Majid Dewan , Kandikattu Hemanth Kumar , Yadavalli Chandra Sekhar , Upparahalli Venkateshaiah Sathisha
Published: November 2021

Background

IL‐5‐dependent residential and IL‐18‐transformed pathogenic eosinophils have been reported; however, the role of IL‐18‐transformed CD274‐expressing pathogenic eosinophils compared to IL‐5‐generated eosinophils in promoting airway obstruction in asthma has not yet been examined.

Methods

Eosinophils are detected by tissue anti‐MBP and anti‐EPX immunostaining, CD274 expression by flow cytometry, and airway resistance using the Buxco FinePointe RC system.

Results

We show that A. fumigatus‐challenged wild‐type mice, and different gene‐deficient mice including naïve CC10‐IL‐18‐transgenic mice, accumulate mostly peribronchial and perivascular CD274‐expressing eosinophils except naïve CD2‐IL‐5‐transgenic mice. Additionally, we show that CD2‐IL‐5 transgenic mice following rIL‐18 treatment accumulate high number of CD274‐expressing perivascular and peribronchial eosinophils with induced collagen, goblet cell hyperplasia and airway resistance compared to saline‐challenged CD2‐IL5 transgenic mice. Furthermore, we also show that even A. fumigatus‐challenged IL‐5
−/− mice and rIL‐18 given ΔdblGATA mice accumulate CD274‐expressing eosinophil‐associated asthma pathogenesis including airway obstruction. Most importantly, we provide evidence that neutralization of CD274 and IL‐18 in A. fumigatus‐challenged mice ameliorate experimental asthma. Taken together, the data presented are clinically significant in establishing that anti‐IL‐18 neutralization is a novel immunotherapy to restrict asthma pathogenesis.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that IL‐18 is critical for inducing asthma pathogenesis, and neutralization of CD274 is a potential immunotherapeutic strategy for asthma.
Distribution shifts, potential refugia, and the performance of protected areas under climate change in the Araucaria moist forests ecoregion
Authors: Saraiva Daniel Dutra , Esser Luíz Fernando , Grasel Daniel , Jarenkow João André
Published: November 2021

Aim

Araucaria moist forests are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their strict climatic requirements and patchy distribution. Therefore, identifying areas where these forests are expected to lose or retain climatically suitable space (i.e., climate change refugia) is urgently required. Here, we modeled the current and future climatic suitability for Araucaria moist forests aiming: (a) to identify areas of suitable climate (i.e., in situ and ex situ refugia); (b) to identify areas of climate retraction; and (c) to assess the effectiveness of protected areas to capture climatically suitable space.

Location

Araucaria moist forests ecoregion, southern Brazil and northeast Argentina.

Methods

We mapped the potential distribution of Araucaria moist forests using an ensemble forecasting approach with 18 indicator tree species (all wet‐ and cold‐adapted taxa), six algorithms, eight global circulation models, three representative concentration pathways (RCPs 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5), and three periods (current, 2050, and 2070).

Results

We predicted substantial losses of future climatic suitability across almost the entire range where these forests occur, ranging from 43% to 64% under optimistic (RCP4.5/2050) and high‐emissions (RCP8.5/2070) scenarios. We found that the protected‐areas network captured only 3% of the climatically suitable space under current conditions. We found that only 4% (top 1% of cells) and 12% (top 5% of cells) of the potential refugia would be protected in the future, with less than half of their areas corresponding to in situ refugia.

Conclusions

Projected losses of potential distribution and the low efficacy of protected areas to buffer climate change impacts point to a high‐risk scenario for Araucaria moist forests in the near future. Cold‐adapted tree species likely will face increased extinction risk, especially as climate change will interact with other anthropogenic drivers.
Mimics of Erdheim–Chester disease
Authors: Abeykoon Jithma P. , Ravindran Aishwarya , Rech Karen L. , Young Jason R. , Oliver Tobin W. , Shah Mithun V. , Nora Bennani N. , Vassallo Robert , Ryu Jay H. , Koster Matthew J. , Davidge‐Pitts Caroline J. , Goyal Gaurav , Go Ronald S. ,   the Mayo Clinic‐University of Alabama at Birmingham Histiocytosis Working Group
Published: November 2021

Erdheim–Chester disease (ECD) is a rare histiocytic neoplasm with frequent multiorgan involvement. An accurate diagnosis of ECD requires the correlation of clinical features, histopathologic and radiologic findings. We describe a case series of patients with a referral diagnosis of ECD, whereby the diagnosis was changed to non‐histiocytic diseases after comprehensive review at a tertiary care center. This accurate revision of the referral diagnosis of ECD enabled initiation of proper disease‐directed therapy in a timely manner for these patients and avoided unnecessary exposure to systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy or targeted agents. Our study highlights the value of a multidisciplinary team of histiocytosis experts in confirming the diagnosis of ECD and also brings attention to other conditions to consider that can mimic ECD, including osteopoikilosis, tenosynovial giant cell tumour, IgG4‐related disease, fibrous dysplasia and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
“@Government There’s a pothole in my street!”: Canadian citizens’ adoption choices of social media use in citizen‐government relations
Authors: Homburg Vincent , Moody Rebecca
Published: November 2021

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook offer new opportunities for co‐production and interaction between citizens and government agencies. Until now, explanations of why citizens use social media to interact with government have been lacking in the literature. This article concludes on the basis of survey data gathered among Canadian citizens that social media use in citizen‐government relations is explained by citizens’ perceived effectiveness and trust in social media organizational infrastructure, with trust in government, social media anxiety and ease of use not having an impact. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Prevalence of developmental delay among children: A national study based on administrative database of the single‐payer National Health Insurance System in Taiwan
Authors: Ho Li‐Po , Lee Yue‐Chune
Published: November 2021

Background

Developmental delay (DD) indicates a failure to meet the developmental milestones of most children of the same age. Studies based solely on the ICD coding manual may underestimate the prevalence of DD. Real‐world use of rehabilitation data may be useful in the identification of more DD children previously undiagnosed with DD.

Aim

The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of DD among children aged 0–6 by age and sex in Taiwan based on modified ICD codes.

Methods

A list of ICD codes specific to DD (including delays and disabilities requiring early intervention) was generated from the existing ICD codebook and modified based on National Health Insurance (NHI) claims data pertaining to developmental rehabilitation of children aged 0–6. The validity of the codes was subsequently assessed by DD experts in various fields using the consensus development technique. The resulting list was used to estimate the prevalence of DD among children in Taiwan from 2000 to 2015 based on analysis of longitudinal NHI data.

Result

Between 2000 and 2015, the prevalence of DD among children aged 0 to 6 years increased from 2.0% to 5.7%, and the sex ratio was 181–197 males per 100 females. The prevalence estimate obtained in this study (5.6%) was 229% higher than existing government statistics (1.6%) published in 2014.

Conclusions

The codes developed using claims data in this study can be used to estimate the prevalence of DD among children and evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programmes. Consistent increases in the prevalence of DD indicate that efforts to promote early intervention have been effective. Nonetheless, the low prevalence rate among 0–2 years children with developmental delay and low prevalence rate of female CWDD means that the policy should notice the lack of access to healthcare services for infants and female children and produce a more equitable or fair distribution of healthcare resources.
Intertriginous mycosis fungoides with T follicular helper cell phenotype progressing to Sézary syndrome
Authors: Amir Ali A. , Shameli A. , Zhang C. , Gniadecki R. , Street L. , Hardin J.
Published: November 2021

This case report highlights the challenges in diagnosis and therapeutic options for an individual who initially presented with intertriginous mycosis fungoides with a T follicular helper cell phenotype, which later evolved to Sézary syndrome.
Prevalence of pouchitis in both ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sriranganathan Danujan , Kilic Yakup , Nabil Quraishi Mohammed , Segal Jonathan P.
Published: November 2021

Aim

Pouchitis is a clinically significant complication of ileal pouch–anal anastomosis with its prevalence varying in the literature. Pouchitis is thought to occur more commonly in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) than in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). We conducted a systematic review with meta‐analysis of all published literature to report the prevalence of pouchitis in all pouch patients as well as specifically in UC and FAP. We also investigated the prevalence of acute and chronic pouchitis in UC and FAP.

Methods

A meta‐analysis was conducted by searching the Embase, Embase Classic and PubMed databases between 1978 and 2021 exploring the prevalence of pouchitis in UC and FAP. We then performed a random effects model in order to find the pooled prevalence of pouchitis and used odds ratios to report differences in the prevalence of pouchitis in UC and FAP.

Results

Fifty‐nine full papers and conference abstracts were included in the meta‐analysis comprising 18 117 patients with UC and 860 with FAP. The prevalence of pouchitis in UC was 0.32 (95% CI 0.27–0.37) and in FAP was found to be 0.06 (95% CI 0.03–0.15). The odds ratio of pouchitis in UC patients compared with FAP patients was 4.95 (95% CI 3.17–7.72,P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Our findings support the consensus that the prevalence of pouchitis is higher in UC than in FAP. More significantly our findings suggest that the true prevalence of pouchitis is higher than commonly reported in the literature. This literature may help counsel patients prior to undergoing restorative proctocolectomy.
Kinetics of myelin breakdown products: A labeling study in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis
Authors: Kanhai Kawita M. S. , Goulooze Sebastiaan C. , van der Grond Jeroen , Harms Amy C. , Hankemeier Thomas , Verma Ajay , Dent Gersham , Chavez Juan , Meijering Henri , Groeneveld Geert Jan
Published: November 2021

The majority of disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce inflammation, but do no’t target remyelination. Development of remyelinating therapies will benefit from a method to quantify myelin kinetics in patients with MS. We labeled myelin in vivo with deuterium, and modeled kinetics of myelin breakdown products β‐galactosylceramide (β‐GalC) and N‐Octadecanoyl‐sulfatide (NO‐Sulf). Five patients with MS received 120 ml 70% D2O daily for 70 days and were compared with six healthy subjects who previously received the same procedure. Mass spectrometry and compartmental modeling were used to quantify the turnover rate of β‐GalC and NO‐Sulf in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Turnover rate constants of the fractions of β‐GalC and NO‐Sulf with non‐negligible turnover were 0.00186 and 0.00714, respectively, in both healthy subjects and patients with MS. The turnover half‐life of β‐GalC and NO‐Sulf was calculated as 373 days and 96.5 days, respectively. The effect of MS on the NO‐Sulf (49.4% lower fraction with non‐negligible turnover) was more pronounced compared to the effect on β‐GalC turnover (18.3% lower fraction with non‐negligible turnover). Kinetics of myelin breakdown products in the CSF are different in patients with MS compared with healthy subjects. This may be caused by slower myelin production in these patients, by a higher level of degradation of a more stable component of myelin, or, most likely, by a combination of these two processes. Labeling myelin breakdown products is a useful method that can be used to quantify myelin turnover in patients with progressive MS and can therefore be used in proof‐of‐concept studies with remyelination therapies.
Pharmacokinetics of bempedoic acid in patients with renal impairment
Authors: Amore Benny M. , Sasiela William J. , Ries Daniel K. , Tresh Perry , Emery Maurice G.
Published: November 2021

Bempedoic acid is an ATP citrate lyase inhibitor approved for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. The objective of this phase I study was to assess the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and safety of bempedoic acid in 24 subjects with normal renal function or mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment. All subjects received a single oral bempedoic acid 180‐mg dose and PK parameters were monitored for up to 23 days. Resulting estimates of area under the concentration‐time curve exposure following bempedoic acid treatment were 1.5‐fold, 2.2‐fold, and 2.2‐fold higher in subjects with mild, moderate, or severe renal impairment, respectively, compared with subjects with normal renal function. With decreases in renal function, plasma free fraction was increased up to 20.1%, whereas total and unbound clearances were decreased by 55.2% and 62.6%, respectively, in subjects with severe renal impairment relative to those with normal renal function. These observed decreases in total and unbound oral clearance in subjects with decreased renal function are not explained by the increases in free fraction and might therefore also be attributable to changes in bioavailability or intrinsic clearance. Bempedoic acid was generally well‐tolerated and the incidence and type of adverse events were not affected by the degree of renal impairment. In conclusion, bempedoic acid exposures in subjects with renal impairment were increased up to approximately two‐fold with no safety signals identified, consistent with findings in phase III patients with mild or moderate renal impairment. No dose adjustments are necessary for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment.
Developmental differences in the prospective organisation of goal‐directed movement between children with autism and typically developing children: A smart tablet serious game study
Authors: Chua Yu Wei , Lu Szu‐Ching , Anzulewicz Anna , Sobota Krzystof , Tachtatzis Christos , Andonovic Ivan , Rowe Philip , Delafield‐Butt Jonathan
Published: November 2021

Movement is prospective. It structures self‐generated engagement with objects and social partners and is fundamental to children's learning and development. In autistic children, previous reports of differences in movement kinematics compared to neurotypical peers suggest that its prospective organisation might be disrupted. Here, we employed a smart tablet serious game paradigm to assess differences in the feedforward and feedback mechanisms of prospective action organisation, between autistic and neurotypical preschool children. We analysed 3926 goal‐directed finger movements made during smart‐tablet ecological gameplay, from 28 children with Childhood Autism (ICD‐10; ASD) and 43 neurotypical children (TD), aged 3–6 years old. Using linear and generalised linear mixed‐effect models, we found the ASD group executed movements with longer movement time (MT) and time to peak velocity (TTPV), lower peak velocity (PV), with PV less likely to occur in the first movement unit (MU) and with a greater number of movement units after peak velocity (MU‐APV). Interestingly, compared to the TD group, the ASD group showed smaller increases in PV, TTPV and MT with an increase in age (ASD × age interaction), together with a smaller reduction in MU‐APV and an increase in MU‐APV at shorter target distances (ASD × Dist interaction). Our results are the first to highlight different developmental trends in anticipatory feedforward and compensatory feedback mechanisms of control, contributing to differences in movement kinematics observed between autistic and neurotypical children. These findings point to differences in integration of prospective perceptuomotor information, with implications for embodied cognition and learning from self‐generated action in autism.
Development of gross motor capacity and mobility performance in children with cerebral palsy: a longitudinal study
Authors: Burgess Andrea , Reedman Sarah , Chatfield Mark D , Ware Robert S , Sakzewski Leanne , Boyd Roslyn N
Published: November 2021

Aim

To describe development of gross motor capacity and mobility performance in children with cerebral palsy.

Method

This longitudinal cohort study measured gross motor capacity with the Gross Motor Function Measure and mobility performance with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) between 18 months and 5 years, and the PEDI – Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI‐CAT) between 8 years and 12 years. Longitudinal analyses used mixed‐effects regression modelling with interaction between age and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Stability of GMFCS levels over time was measured using agreement.

Results

Two hundred and twenty‐two children provided 871 observations (median 4 observations, range 1–7). Children classified in GMFCS level I improved in both capacity and performance until 8 to 12 years. Children classified in GMFCS levels II and III continued to develop mobility performance after gross motor capacity had plateaued at 5 years. Children classified in GMFCS level IV plateaued at 5 years in capacity and performance. Children classified in GMFCS level V showed no changes in capacity or performance between 18 months and 8 to 12 years. Stability of GMFCS levels was 73%.

Interpretation

Change in mobility performance over time somewhat reflected gross motor capacity trajectories. Continued improvement in mobility performance after plateau of gross motor capacity for children classified in GMFCS levels II and III suggests importance of other personal or environmental factors.
Alterations in gut microbiota and elevated serum bilirubin in primary biliary cholangitis patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid
Authors: Han Weijia , Huang Chunyang , Zhang Qi , Tao Shuhui , Hu Xiaomin , Xu Jianguo , Jiang Ronglong , Xu Bin , Liu Yanmin , Hou Jinlin
Published: November 2021

Background

The prognosis of primary bile cholangitis (PBC) is linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study investigated the association between the gut microbiome and elevated total bilirubin (TB) level in PBC patients treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UCDA).

Methods

A total of 47 PBC patients with 12 months of UCDA treatment were enrolled. Patients were divided into the TB (+) (TB>1× upper limit of the normal range [ULN]; n = 20) and TB(−) (TB≤1× ULN; n = 27) groups. Stool and serum specimens were collected, and microbiota composition and functional characteristics in the 2 groups were evaluated by 16S RNA gene sequencing and bioinformatic analysis.

Results

Bacterial diversity was lower in the TB(+) group than in the TB(−) group, although there was no significant difference in bacterial community profile. The phylum Saccharibacteria showed differential abundance in the 2 groups. Meanwhile, the TB(−) group had lower abundance of the Gemmiger, Blautia, Anaerostipes and Coprococcus genera than the TB(+) group, whereas Holdemania was absent. The abundance of Gemmiger formicillis and Coprococcus eutactus was positively correlated with that of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, while Blautia, Anaerostipes and Coprococcus were negatively correlated with total bile acid level.

Conclusion

TB level in PBC patients treated for 12 months with UCDA is associated with a distinct gut microbiome profile.
Compensating communities for industrial disamenities: The case of shale gas development
Authors: Harleman Max
Published: November 2021

Governments often compensate communities for hosting disruptive industries. Sometimes compensation comes with restrictions that preclude highly‐valued investments. I exploit policy discontinuities at the Pennsylvania‐Ohio border to understand how restrictions affect local investment. Ohio delivers unrestricted revenues to schools and municipalities with shale development. Pennsylvania leaves out schools, and requires that municipalities address the industry's impacts. Municipalities in both states save most of the revenues. Ohio schools leverage them to increase borrowing and finance capital investments. This suggests that affected residents have greater demand for school investments, and that broad use of compensation may benefit communities more than allocating it narrowly.
Aphis spiraecola and Aphis (Toxoptera) citricidus differently manipulate plant metabolism to gain fitness in terms of population abundance or dispersal
Authors: Gao Jing , Xiu Baolin , Sun Ziqiang , Arthurs Steve , Guo Honggang , Gu Shimin , Long Jianzhao , Xia ChuanGuo , Hussain Mubasher , Mao Runqian
Published: November 2021

The response of plant cultivars to infestation by single aphid species has been widely reported, whereas the response of plants to multiple aphid species, and the mechanisms by which various aphids benefit from the induced changes, has been largely ignored. Here we analyzed the symptoms and physiological responses of sweet orange, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae), as affected by Aphis spiraecola Patch and Aphis (Toxoptera) citricidus (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). We further compared the feeding behavior, population abundance, and proportion of winged morph of the two aphid species when separately feeding on sweet orange. Results showed that feeding by A. spiraecola, but not A. citricidus, caused leaf curling, reduced shoot length, shoot fresh weight, and chlorophyll concentration. In addition, A. spiraecola feeding increased the concentration of essential amino acids in leaves when compared with A. citricidus and uninfested control plants. Electrical penetration graph‐studies showed that A. citricidus gained faster access and acceptance of phloem, and spent more time ingesting phloem sap, than A. spiraecola. Furthermore, after 2 weeks of infestation, A. spiraecola produced more winged morphs, whereas A. citricidus achieved higher population abundance. Thus, our results indicate that the two citrus aphids utilize divergent strategies to manipulate host metabolism, and gain fitness benefits in population abundance or winged form production. The results could improve our understanding of varied adaptive strategies of co‐existing insects and extend our knowledge of aphid‐plant interactions.
Testing three hypotheses of rarity among the Buprestidae species of a tropical dry forest
Authors: Reyes‐González Roberto , Toledo‐Hernández Víctor Hugo , Flores‐Palacios Alejandro , Rös Matthias , Bueno‐Villegas Julián , Corona‐López Angélica María
Published: November 2021

Many insect communities have a higher proportion of rare species than predicted by community‐structure models. Rarity has been associated with increased extinction risk, therefore, it is essential to understand which factors cause rarity patterns.

The importance of three rarity hypotheses (under‐sampling, diffusive rarity, and body size) in a Buprestidae community sampled with active and passive methods are tested in a tropical dry forest in central Mexico.

In total, 222 species were recorded. Doubletons and duplicates decreased with the increase of sampled locations, while singletons and uniques increased. At the local level, 67% of the species were no longer rare when all collection methods were considered (n = 60 species), as well as 41% at the regional level (n = 41 species). The diffusive rarity hypothesis was tested in 97 species that appeared in more than two localities; 38% of the species changed their abundance status between localities. The body size hypothesis was tested considering 179 species, and rare species were smaller only in the species of the genusChrysobothris.

More than one rarity hypothesis operated simultaneously in a community, but their contribution was different. In the Buprestidae community studied, the under‐sampling hypothesis had the greatest support, affecting a higher proportion of species. Subsequently, the second most important was the diffusive rarity hypothesis, and the least support showed the body size hypothesis, as the size was determined mainly by the taxonomic genus.
Correcting whole‐body motion capture data using rigid body transformation
Authors: Miyakoshi Makoto
Published: November 2021

Using motion capture data as a part of mobile brain–body imaging (MoBI) recording has been increasing. With minimal linear algebra background, this paper explains how the rigid body transformation can be a useful preprocessing step for denoising and missing marker recovery. Such a transformation can provide insight and necessary‐and‐sufficient solutions requiring no assumption other than the minimum number of markers present. First, a simulation test using the empirical datasets from the AudioMaze project published from this journal's same volume demonstrates theoretical accuracy. The simulation results show that the rigid‐body method perfectly recovers missing markers on a rigid body if a minimum of three marker positions is available. Second, the same transformation is applied to the empirical dataset. Before preprocessing, the raw data show that 15–80% of data frames had all markers present for rigid‐body defined body parts. After using the rigid‐body correction, most body parts recovered full markers in 90–95% of the data frames. The result also suggests the necessity for performing across‐trial corrections for within‐participant (42% missing detected in one of the body parts) and across‐participants (11% missing). The discussion section introduces a solution and a performance summary for non‐rigid‐body marker correction using a neural network. Data support that the rigid body transformation is an intuitive and powerful correction method necessary for preprocessing motion capture data for neurocognitive experiments. The supporting information section contains a URL link to Matlab code and example data.
Chiasmatic lesions on conventional magnetic resonance imaging during the first event of optic neuritis in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein‐associated disease in a Latin American cohort
Authors: Carnero Contentti Edgar , López Pablo A. , Criniti Juan , Pettinicchi Juan Pablo , Cristiano Edgardo , Patrucco Liliana , Bribiesca Contreras Elisa , Gómez‐Figueroa Enrique , Flores‐Rivera José , Correa‐Díaz Edgar Patricio , Toral Granda Ana María , Ortiz Yepez María Angelica , Gualotuña Pachacama Wilson Alfredo , Piedra Andrade Jefferson Santiago , Galleguillos Lorna , Tkachuk Verónica , Nadur Debora , Daccach Marques Vanessa , Soto de Castillo Ibis , Casas Magdalena , Cohen Leila , Alonso Ricardo , Caride Alejandro , Lana‐Peixoto Marco , Rojas Juan Ignacio
Published: November 2021

Background and purpose

Optic neuritis (ON) is often the initial symptom of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein‐associated disease (MOGAD). We aimed to compare the frequency and pattern of chiasmatic lesions in MOGAD‐related ON (MOGAD‐ON) and NMOSD‐related ON (NMOSD‐ON) using conventional brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) in Latin America (LATAM).

Methods

We reviewed the medical records and brain MRI (≤30 days from ON onset) of patients with a first event of MOGAD‐ON and NMOSD‐ON. Patients from Argentina (n = 72), Chile (n = 21), Ecuador (n = 31), Brazil (n = 30), Venezuela (n = 10) and Mexico (n = 82) were included. Antibody status was tested using a cell‐based assay. Demographic, clinical, imaging and prognostic (as measured by the Visual Functional System Score [VFSS] of the Expanded Disability Status Scale) data were compared.

Results

A total of 246 patients (208 NMOSD and 38 MOGAD) were included. No differences were found in gender and ethnicity between the groups. We observed chiasmatic lesions in 66/208 (31.7%) NMOSD‐ON and in 5/38 (13.1%) MOGAD‐ON patients (p = 0.01). Of these patients with chiasmatic lesions, 54/66 (81.8%) and 4/5 had associated longitudinally extensive optic nerve lesions, 45/66 (68%) and 4/5 had bilateral lesions, and 31/66 (47%) and 4/5 showed gadolinium‐enhancing chiasmatic lesions, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between VFSS and presence of bilateral (r = 0,28, p < 0.0001), chiasmatic (r = 0.27, p = 0.0001) and longitudinally extensive lesions (r = 0,25, p = 0.0009) in the NMOSD‐ON group, but no correlations were observed in the MOGAD‐ON group.

Conclusions

Chiasmatic lesions were significantly more common in NMOSD than in MOGAD during an ON attack in this LATAM cohort. Further studies are needed to assess the generalizability of these results.
Fully automated detection of focal cortical dysplasia: Comparison of MPRAGE and MP2RAGE sequences
Authors: Demerath Theo , Kaller Christoph P. , Heers Marcel , Staack Anke , Schwarzwald Ralf , Kober Tobias , Reisert Marco , Schulze‐Bonhage Andreas , Huppertz Hans‐Jürgen , Urbach Horst
Published: November 2021

Objective

The detection of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in magnetic resonance imaging is challenging. Voxel‐based morphometric analysis and automated FCD detection using an artificial neural network (ANN) integrated into the Morphometric Analysis Program (MAP18) have been shown to facilitate FCD detection. This study aimed to evaluate whether the detection of FCD can be further improved by feeding this approach with magnetization prepared two rapid acquisition gradient echoes (MP2RAGE) instead of magnetization‐prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (MPRAGE) datasets.

Methods

MPRAGE and MP2RAGE datasets were acquired in a consecutive sample of 32 patients with FCD and postprocessed using MAP18. Visual analysis and, if available, histopathology served as the gold standard for assessing the sensitivity and specificity of FCD detection. Out‐of‐sample specificity was evaluated in a cohort of 32 healthy controls.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of FCD detection were 82.4% and 62.5% for the MPRAGE and 97.1% and 34.4% for the MP2RAGE sequences, respectively. Median volumes of true‐positive voxel clusters were .16 ml for the MPRAGE and .52 ml for the MP2RAGE sequences compared to .08‐ and .04‐ml volumes of false‐positive clusters. With regard to cluster volumes, FCD detection was substantially improved for the MP2RAGE data when the estimated optimal threshold of .23 ml was applied (sensitivity = 72.9%, specificity = 83.0%). In contrast, the estimated optimal threshold of .37 ml for the MPRAGE data did not improve FCD lesion detection (sensitivity = 42.9%, specificity = 79.5%).

Significance

In this study, the sensitivity of FCD detection by morphometric analysis and an ANN integrated into MAP18 was higher for MP2RAGE than for MPRAGE sequences. Additional usage of cluster volume information helped to discriminate between true‐ and false‐positive MP2RAGE results.
Great white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) fail to use tools flexibly in problem‐solving tasks
Authors: Danel Samara , von Bayern Auguste M. P. , Osiurak François
Published: November 2021

Although reports of animal tool‐use are phylogenetically widespread, it remains rare in the wild. From the perspective of human evolution, this rarity was first explained by the cognitive demands associated with tool use. Recently, an alternative assumption, “the tools are not often useful” hypothesis, proposes that tool use is rare, because it is seldom more useful than the species’ anatomical adaptations. At the same time, several species that do not use tools in the wild have shown the capacity for tool use in experimental problem‐solving settings, which suggests a certain level of cognitive flexibility. Investigating whether habitually non‐tool‐using species are able to use tools flexibly is crucial to evaluate the predictions of existing theories on the evolution of cognition. In this study, we tested whether great white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus), morphologically specialized fishers, for whose natural foraging tools are unlikely to be of use, were able to use tools in two problem‐solving situations. In two tasks, the subjects were required to drop tools into an apparatus to gain access to a food reward. In Tool‐use task 1, we tested the capacity of pelicans to show spontaneous tool‐use behaviour. In Tool‐use task 2, we assessed the birds’ tool‐using performance, before and after providing them with different kinds of information about the task's solution, that is experience with the functional features of the apparatus (“platform‐pushing group”) and trial‐and‐error learning of tool‐dropping behaviour (“stone‐nudging group”). All subjects failed in using tools in Tool‐use task 1 and only one individual in the stone‐nudging group learnt to use a tool in the training phase of Tool‐use task 2. Despite previous experience with the functional properties of the task, birds from the platform‐pushing group did not exhibit tool‐use behaviour or increased motivation towards the apparatus and the tools during the test phase. Although pelicans were not inhibited by morphological constraints to carry out the required tool behaviours, whether they lack the cognitive prerequisites for flexible tool‐use remains to be further tested.
Computational crack propagation modeling of welded structures under as‐welded and high frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment conditions
Authors: Ince Ayhan
Published: November 2021

The fatigue damage assessment of welded structures is of critical importance in the design of many engineering structures. The thermomechanical nature of the welding process leads to undesired tensile residual stresses, which results in fatigue performance degradation of welded structures. High‐frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) technique offers significant potentials to induce compressive residual stresses into the welded joints, thus improving fatigue life of welded parts. In this paper, a new crack propagation modeling approach considering effects of residual stress fields and the crack closure based on a modification of the Forman model is proposed to assess fatigue crack propagation performance of welded joints under as‐welded and HFMI treatment conditions. Experimental residual stress and fatigue data sets of 5083‐H321 aluminum, CSA 350W, ASTM A514, S355, and S960 steel welded joints are used to validate the proposed approach. Both predicted and experimental results show that the fatigue life improvement by the HFMI treatment depends on the applied stress level and material type. The fatigue life improvement is greater at the lower stress levels with a factor of more than 10–30 times, and the fatigue life increase becomes less at the higher stress levels with a factor of two to three times depending on the material type of welded joints. The fatigue life improvement by the HFMI is more significant with a higher material yield strength. Compared results showed that the proposed modeling approach provides efficient and accurate life predictions of the welded joints of five different materials under both as‐weld and HFMI conditions. The proposed modeling framework can be used as an effective analysis technique for fatigue crack propagation life of welded structures under pre‐ and post‐weld treatment conditions to account for residual stress fields.
Stock returns and inflation shocks in weaker economic times
Authors: Connolly Robert A. , Stivers Chris , Sun Licheng
Published: November 2021

We show that the concurrent relation between quarterly stock returns and inflation shocks is economically and robustly significant only over weaker economic (WE) times, strongly negative prior to the late 1990s, and strongly positive afterwards. Conversely, in the stronger economic times over our 1981 to 2017 sample, this stock‐inflation relation is relatively much smaller and usually marginally negative. Our evidence suggests a role for two complementary channels. First, we find consistent state‐dependent patterns in how inflation shocks are related to expected economic growth and the equity risk premium, indicating that inflation nonneutrality is stronger over WE times. Second, our findings imply that the inflation signal about the underlying economic state intensifies during WE times, due to the elevated economic‐state uncertainty then. We also contribute by contrasting subjective (survey‐based) versus objective inflation shocks and by evaluating the relation between inflation shocks and forward equity yields.