bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sparse seismic reflectivity inversion using an adaptive fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm
Authors: Li Chuanhui , Liu Xuewei
Published: May 2022

Seismic reflectivity inversion using l1‐norm regularization produces sparse solutions by applying an l1‐norm constraint. The fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm is one of the most effective methods to solve l1‐norm regularized inversion problems. A large number of iterations are commonly required in the fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm because its solution converges slowly towards the sparse solution. To improve its convergence rate, we introduce a modifying strategy for the traditional fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm. When implementing the soft‐thresholding operator, the thresholding value is adaptively adjusted by assigning the reciprocal of the solution in the previous iteration as a weight to the thresholding value of the current iteration. In this way, small variables in the solution produce large coefficients applied to the thresholding value, which causes small variables to quickly converge to zero. The adaptive fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm shows significantly improved computational efficiency and accuracy compared to the traditional fast iterative shrinkage‐thresholding algorithm. It produces good results for both numerical and field examples of l1‐norm regularized seismic reflectivity inversion.
How effective is rescue therapeutic plasma exchange in treatment of SARS‐Coronavirus‐2?
Authors: Diskin Charles J. , Maldonado Ricardo , Leon Jose , Dansby Linda M. , Carter Thomas B. , Radcliff Lautrec , Diskin Charles D.
Published: May 2022

Introduction

After the FDA gave emergency approval for the use of therapeutic plasma exchange in treatment for SARS‐Coronoavirus‐2, we analyzed its efficacy in patients who had failed all other known therapies.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of 42 patients with SARS‐Coronoavirus‐2 who had failed conventional therapy and were treated with therapeutic plasma exchange. Pre‐ and postexchange clinical and laboratory parameters were monitored. The patients were then also compared with a group of 147 patients with SARS‐Coronoavirus‐2 who were referred for stage 3 acute renal failure and dialysis from SARS‐Coronoavirus‐2.

Results

After therapeutic plasma exchange, there were significant improvements in some clinical parameters but mortality remained high; although better than the renal failure group (43.9% vs. 50.7%, p = 0.004).

Conclusion

SARS‐CoV‐2 patients who failed all other therapies had significant mortality with therapeutic plasma exchange; however, their survival was better than SARS‐CoV‐2 patients with stage 3 acute renal failure.
Reverse innovation and firm value in emerging markets: Evidence from China
Authors: Hou Fangfang , Li Congshan
Published: May 2022

Reverse innovation (RI) patents, which apply to intellectual property that is created in an emerging country but patented in a developed country, are better representatives of innovation value than domestic patents in emerging economies. We argue that RI patents contribute to firm value by proxying for the private value of innovation, generating product market value, and signalling firms’ capabilities. Using a sample of Chinese‐listed companies, we find RI patents positively relate to firms’ short‐ and long‐term market value. This effect is stronger for firms with high innovative intensity and managerial ability. We also explore the mechanisms behind the relationship between RI and firm value. We demonstrate that, in addition to the domestic patent functions of creating value and capturing innovation rent, RI patents can further leverage firm value by signalling firm quality to customers and investors in developed markets, a function that is unique to RI patents.
Evidence of rare misassemblies in the bovine reference genome revealed by population genetic metrics
Authors: Qanbari Saber , Schnabel Robert D. , Wittenburg Dörte
Published: May 2022

Creation of the bovine reference assembly paved the way to develop the high‐throughput genotyping arrays of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on the available map coordinates that facilitated major advances in gene mapping and selection programs. The assembly flaws, however, may cause false results in the downstream gene mapping studies. The most recent bovine reference genome (ARS‐UCD1.2) is built on the long‐read sequences that provides improved quality and continuity. By applying population genetic metrics in this study, we aimed to evaluate the map coordinates to which SNP markers were assigned. We employed a three‐step approach by combining the recombination and linkage disequilibrium analyses to test if the markers fit into the assigned physical map coordinates. We applied the method to the bovine 50k array in a large pedigree of Holstein cattle and revealed a panel of 65 candidate markers, most of which were re‐located either on a different chromosome or re‐mapped as far as several million base pairs away on the same chromosome. This list of candidates accounts for 0.1% of the SNPs in the widely used 50k genotyping array and we foresee a reasonably larger set of markers being misplaced in the BovineHD 700K BeadChip. We suggest pre‐removal of the candidate misplaced markers to reduce false signals in association mapping studies.
Learning from the law: a review of 21 years of litigation for anaesthetic negligence resulting in peripartum hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy
Authors: McCombe K. , Bogod D. G.
Published: May 2022

One of the most devastating complications that can result from medical mismanagement during labour and delivery is hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy has profound implications for the newborn and its family, as well as for the healthcare team involved. Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy can take only minutes to develop, but the repercussions of this complication can last a lifetime. A proportion of these injuries arise from failure to deliver the baby within a sufficiently short time frame once fetal compromise has been recognised. Obstetric anaesthetists are often involved in such claims, usually in relation to a perception that provision of anaesthesia for caesarean section was unduly delayed. In the following article, using a database of over 360 cases spanning 21 years, we break down and examine the recurrent components of medicolegal claims concerning the anaesthetic involvement in hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, and consider how increased awareness of the anaesthetic contribution to this complication might reduce future harm, improve clinical standards and consequently decrease the need for litigation.
An evaluation of the outcome metric ‘days alive and at home’ in older patients after hip fracture surgery
Authors: Wu A. , Fahey M. T. , Cui D. , El‐Behesy B. , Story D. A.
Published: May 2022

‘Days alive and at home’ is a validated measure that estimates the time spent at home, defined as the place of residence before admission to hospital. We evaluated this metric in older adults after hip fracture surgery and assessed two follow‐up durations, 30 and 90 days. Patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent hip fracture surgery were identified retrospectively via hospital admission and government mortality records. Patients who successfully returned home and were still alive within 90 days of surgery were distinguished from those who were not. Regression models were used to examine which variables were associated with failure to return home and number of days at home among those who did return, within 90 days of surgery. We analysed the records of 825 patients. Median (IQR [range]) number of days at home within 90 days (n = 788) was 54 (0–76 [0–88]) days and within 30 days (n = 797) it was 2 (0–21 [0–28]) days. Out of these, 274 (35%) patients did not return home within 90 days and 374 (47%) within 30 days after surgery. Known peri‐operative risk‐factors such as older age, pre‐operative anaemia and postoperative acute renal impairment were associated with failure to return home. This study supports days alive and at home as a useful patient‐centred outcome measure in older adults after hip fracture surgery. We recommend that this metric should be used in clinical trials and measured at 90, rather than 30, postoperative days. As nearly half of this patient population did not return home within 30 days, the shorter time‐period catches fewer meaningful events.
Outcomes of 325 one anastomosis gastric bypass operations: an Australian case series
Authors: Gricks Benjamin , Eldredge Thomas , Bessell Justin , Shenfine Jon
Published: May 2022

Background

The One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB) is a relatively novel procedure. Studies have demonstrated that it is at least as effective as other bariatric procedures but with fewer major complications and shorter operating time, yet OAGB is performed less partially due to a paucity of supportive evidence. We report the outcomes of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing laparoscopic OAGB.

Methods

All OAGB procedures performed by two surgeons across two hospitals from 2016 to 2019 were recorded in a prospectively maintained database. Patients with at least 1 year of follow up were included in this study and missing data was obtained from patient records. The primary outcome was percentage excess weight loss (EWL). The secondary outcome was surgical complication rate.

Results

Three hundred and twenty‐five patients with a mean pre‐operative body mass index of 43.3 kg/m2 were included. The majority (85.2%) had a biliopancreatic limb length of 150 cm. The median EWL was 74.2% and 79.4% of patients achieved at least 50% EWL. There were no deaths, the overall re‐operation rate was 4.9% and 1.9% of patients developed stomal ulcers. Seven patients went on to have a Roux‐en‐Y conversion predominantly for symptomatic reflux.

Conclusion

OAGB leads to excellent weight loss and is at least as safe as more commonly performed procedures, it may be a suitable treatment for a greater number of patients than it is being offered to at present.
Pelvic exenteration: a review of current issues/controversies
Authors: Shine Rebecca J. , Glyn Tamara , Frizelle Frank
Published: May 2022

Management of advanced or recurrent pelvic cancer has evolved dramatically over the past few decades. Patients who were previously considered inoperable are now candidates for potentially curative surgery and avoid suffering with intractable symptoms. Up to 10% of primary rectal cancers present with isolated advanced local disease and between 10% and 15% of patients develop localized recurrence following proctectomy. Advances in surgical technique, reconstruction and multidisciplinary involvement have led to a reduction in mortality and morbidity and culminated in higher R0 resection rates with superior longer‐term survival outcomes. Recent studies boast over 50% 5‐year survival for rectal with an R0 resection. Exenteration has cemented itself as an important treatment option for advanced primary/recurrent pelvic tumours, however, there are still a few controversies. This review will discuss some of these issues, including: limitations of resection and the approach to high/wide tumours; the role of acute exenteration; re‐exenteration; exenteration in the setting of metastatic disease and palliation; the role of radiotherapy (including intra‐operative and re‐irradiation); management of the empty pelvis; and the impact on quality of life and function.
Leveraging time series of satellite and aerial images to promote the long‐term monitoring of restored plant communities
Authors: Taddeo Sophie
Published: May 2022

Aims

Ecological restoration is integral to meeting conservation goals in rapidly changing landscapes, but outcomes vary substantially with some projects failing to meet their targets. To understand the causes of this variability, long‐term monitoring of existing projects is critical, but this comes at considerable costs. Current literature counts several studies using time series of satellite images to assess vegetation responses to disturbances and landscape transformations. Yet such methods are seldom used in the restoration literature and in practice. This synthesis seeks to identify how common remote sensing approaches for the assessment of plant recovery could inform the monitoring and management of restored plant communities.

Methods

This paper reviews the methods and metrics used to detect trajectories (i.e., change through time) in plant properties from rich time series of aerial and satellite images following change drivers including fire, extreme climatic events, climate change, and pest outbreaks. Specifically, it reviews the sensors, vegetation properties, modeling approaches, and indicators that can help measure plant stress and response to interventions.

Results and Conclusions

Remote sensing methods commonly used in disturbance ecology and assessments of land‐cover changes could inform the monitoring of restoration projects at low cost and over large spatio‐temporal scales, thus bridging the gap between field surveys to rapidly identify stressors or unexpected vegetation responses. Potential applications include comparing sites to identify factors impacting their responses to restoration, assessing restoration success, and testing ecological hypotheses to guide future project planning and design.
Driving is believing: Using telepresence robots to access makerspace for teachers in rural areas
Authors: Chen Ye , Cao Li , Guo Lin , Cheng Jiaming
Published: May 2022

This study explored two different ways for K‐12 school teachers to access educational makerspace through virtual fieldtrips. K‐12 school teachers from rural areas of the Southeast USA were divided into two groups. The experimental group (n = 48) drove telepresence robots to take their fieldtrip, while the comparison group (n = 23) watched the same fieldtrip through a recorded video. Analyses of the quantitative and qualitative data, collected through surveys and written reflections, showed that the experimental group reported significantly higher scores in embodiment, social presence and engagement (ie, behaviour, emotion and cognition) than the comparison group, and that actual driving the robots for the virtual fieldtrips was highlighted as a favored experience. Educational significance and implications are discussed.

Practitioner notes

What is currently known about this topic

With makerspaces gaining increasing attention in K‐12 education, professional development (PD) opportunities are needed to help teachers understand makerspaces and related technologies.

Teachers in rural areas are faced with the challenges of accessing makerspace resources and opportunities, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Little research has explored teacher makerspace PD in rural areas.

Maker resource deficiency in rural areas and the COVID‐19 pandemic call for an alternative approach to the makerspace PD, particularly for teachers in rural areas.

What this paper adds

Explored the use of telepresence robots for rural teachers to access an authentic makerspace through virtual fieldtrips.

Examined the effects of virtual fieldtrip to access makerspaces on K‐12 teachers' embodiment, social presence and engagement.

Examined the aspects of the telepresence fieldtrip that were most valuable to K‐12 teachers.

Investigated the factors that contribute to teachers' engagement in a virtual fieldtrip.

Implications for practitioners

Telepresence robot was an effective tool that enabled teachers in rural areas to explore authentic makerspaces through a virtual trip over distance.

To help teachers conceptualize the idea of makerspace, it is important to allow teachers to move in the physical makerspace and interact with the environment.

To design an engaging fieldtrip that triggers active learning, more attention should be given to how to develop the emotional aspect of a fieldtrip experience.

Embodiment plays an important role in virtual fieldtrips. When teachers have a higher level of embodiment, they are more likely to be emotionally and cognitively engaged in a fieldtrip experience.
Synergy between machine learning and natural products cheminformatics: Application to the lead discovery of anthraquinone derivatives
Authors: Moshawih Said , Goh Hui Poh , Kifli Nurolaini , Idris Azam Che , Yassin Hayati , Kotra Vijay , Goh Khang Wen , Liew Kai Bin , Ming Long Chiau
Published: May 2022

Cheminformatics utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques have opened up a new horizon in drug discovery. This is owing to vast chemical space expansion with rocketing numbers of expected hits and lead compounds that match druggable macromolecular targets, in particular from natural compounds. Due to the natural products’ (NP) structural complexity, uniqueness, and diversity, they could occupy a bigger space in pharmaceuticals, allowing the industry to pursue more selective leads in the nanomolar range of binding affinity. ML is an essential part of each step of the drug design pipeline, such as target prediction, compound library preparation, and lead optimization. Notably, molecular mechanic and dynamic simulations, induced docking, and free energy perturbations are essential in predicting best binding poses, binding free energy values, and molecular mechanics force fields. Those applications have leveraged from artificial intelligence (AI), which decreases the computational costs required for such costly simulations. This review aimed to describe chemical space and compound libraries related to NPs. High‐throughput screening utilized for fractionating NPs and high‐throughput virtual screening and their strategies, and significance, are reviewed. Particular emphasis was given to AI approaches, ML tools, algorithms, and techniques, especially in drug discovery of macrocyclic compounds and approaches in computer‐aided and ML‐based drug discovery. Anthraquinone derivatives were discussed as a source of new lead compounds that can be developed using ML tools for diverse medicinal uses such as cancer, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders. Furthermore, the power of principal component analysis in understanding relevant protein conformations, and molecular modeling of protein–ligand interaction were also presented. Apart from being a concise reference for cheminformatics, this review is a useful text to understand the application of ML‐based algorithms to molecular dynamics simulation and in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity prediction.
Categorization of cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule as epithelioid hemangioma or angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia: Clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular analyses of seven lesions
Authors: Goto Keisuke , Ogawa Kohei , Fukai Tatsuo , Miura Keiko , Yanagihara Shigeto , Honma Keiichiro , Motoi Toru
Published: May 2022

Background

The status of cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule (CEAN) as a distinct entity remains controversial. This study investigated the relationship between CEAN and epithelioid hemangioma/angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE).

Methods

Data of seven lesions with CEAN features from four cases (Cases 1–4: 61‐year‐old, 76‐year‐old, 53‐year‐old, and 21‐year‐old men, respectively) were investigated.

Results

Cases 1 and 2 showed multiple lesions in the head and neck region, but Cases 3 and 4 showed solitary lesions on the back and scalp, respectively. Moreover, the histopathologic findings of the lesions of Cases 1 and 2 were consistent with those of conventional epithelioid hemangioma or classic cutaneous ALHE. Diffuse immunoexpression of FOSB was observed in Cases 1 and 2, but FOSB split signals were absent in break‐apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In contrast, the histopathologic findings of the lesions of Cases 3 and 4 were consistent with those of cellular‐type epithelioid hemangiomas. Diffuse immunoreactivity for c‐FOS was observed in Cases 3 and 4, and split signals of FOS were present in break‐apart FISH in Case 3.

Conclusions

This study showed that the seven tumors with CEAN features could be reclassified under the epithelioid hemangioma/ALHE group, although the small sample size is a limitation.
Postsurgical pain assessment in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A scoping review
Authors: Sierra‐Núñez Débora , Zuriguel‐Pérez Esperanza , Bosch‐Alcaraz Alejandro
Published: May 2022

Aim

To investigate factors that influence the assessment of postoperative pain in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) and the tools available to determine pain intensity.

Method

The search was performed in January 2022 using six databases. Articles focused on paediatric patients with CP; we included instruments for postsurgical pain assessment in this population published in the last 11 years.

Results

Eight of 441 studies were included. Males and females behave differently; their families can be called on to describe their pain responses. Seven instruments for pain assessment were identified: the Non‐Communicating Children's Pain Checklist and its Postoperative Version; the Paediatric Pain Profile; the revised Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) pain scale; the Douleur Enfant San Salvador scale; the Pain Indicator for Communicatively Impaired Children; the University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital Pain Scale; and the Individualized Numeric Rating Scale.

Interpretation

The revised FLACC pain scale is suited to postsurgical units because of its ease of use and the fact that parental collaboration is not required. More studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical utility of these scales in postsurgical units and the factors that influence pain assessment.

What this paper adds

Families should be asked to collaborate when assessing pain in children and adolescents whenever possible.

Larger studies that focus on the factors influencing pain assessment in this population are required.
The effect of priming on fraud: Evidence from a natural field experiment
Authors: Bindra Parampreet Christopher , Pearce Graeme
Published: May 2022

We present a natural field experiment to examine if priming can influence behavior in a market for credence goods. 40 testers took 600 taxi journeys in Vienna, Austria, and using a between–subject design we vary the script they spoke, each designed to prime either honesty, dishonesty, or a competitor. We find that the honesty prime increases taxi fares by 5.5% relative to a baseline, the result of overcharging rather than overtreatment. Priming dishonesty and a competitor have no impact on fares. We find that the effects of priming on behavior are likely to be small compared to information asymmetries.
Reappraisal of the Medical Research Council Antiepileptic Drug Withdrawal Study: Contamination‐adjusted and dose‐response re‐analysis
Authors: Terman Samuel W. , Wang Chang , Wang Lu , Braun Kees P. J. , Otte Willem M. , Slinger Geertruida , Kerr Wesley T. , Lossius Morten I. , Bonnett Laura , Burke James F. , Marson Anthony
Published: May 2022

Objective

The 1991 Medical Research Council (MRC) Study compared seizure relapse for seizure‐free patients randomized to withdraw vs continue of antiseizure medications (ASMs). We re‐analyzed this trial to account for crossover between arms using contamination‐adjusted intention to treat (CA ITT) methods, to explore dose‐response curves, and to validate predictions against external data. ITT assesses the effect of being randomized to withdraw, as‐treated analysis assesses the confounded effect of withdrawing, but CA ITT assesses the unconfounded effect of actually withdrawing.

Methods

CA ITT involves two stages. First, we used randomized arm to predict whether patients withdrew their ASM (logistic) or total daily ASM dose (linear). Second, we used those values to predict seizure occurrence (logistic).

Results

The trial randomized 503 patients to withdraw and 501 patients to continue ASMs. We found that 316 of 376 patients (88%) who were randomized to withdraw decreased their dose at every pre‐seizure visit, compared with 35 of 424 (8%) who were randomized to continue (p < .01). Adjusted odds ratios of a 2‐year seizure for those who withdrew vs those who did not was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9–1.9) in the as‐treated analysis, 2.5 (95% CI 1.9–3.4) comparing those randomized to withdraw vs continue for ITT, and 3.1 (95% CI 2.1–4.5) for CA ITT. Probabilities (withdrawal vs continue) were 28% vs 24% (as‐treated), 40% vs 22% (ITT), and 43% vs 21% (CA ITT). Differences between ITT and CA ITT were greater when varying the predictor (reaching zero ASMs) or outcome (1‐year seizures). As‐treated dose‐response curves demonstrated little to no effects, but larger effects in CA ITT analysis. MRC data overpredicted risk in Lossius data, with moderate discrimination (areas under the curve ~0.70).

Significance

CA ITT results (the effect of actually withdrawing ASMs on seizures) were slightly greater than ITT effects (the effect of recommend withdrawing ASMs on seizures). How these findings affect clinical practice must be individualized.
NVX‐Cov2373 Novavax Covid‐19 vaccine: A further analysis of its efficacy using multiple modes of expression
Authors: Montastruc Jean‐Louis , Biron Pierre , Sommet Agnès
Published: May 2022

A fifth vaccine against Covid‐19, NVX‐CoV2373 Nuvavoxid® (Novavax), a protein‐based adjuvanted vaccine, was recently marketed in Europe. The main clinical trial before marketing concluded to a ‘vaccine efficacy’ of 89.7% without talking about other validated efficacy parameters. We further analysed the data of this clinical trial using the different validated methods of risk expression: absolute risks (AR), AR reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat (NNT). ARR and NNT values were 1.22% and 82, respectively, for an RR value of 0.10. Description of these parameters allowed defining some interesting characteristics of NVX‐CoV2373 efficacy according to age, race, variant and coexisting illness. Finally, we ask that the results of clinical trials be systematically presented, using not only RR but also including AR, ARR and NNT.
Preferential redox regulation of cysteine‐based protein tyrosine phosphatases: structural and biochemical diversity
Authors: Netto Luís Eduardo S. , Machado Luciana Elena S. F.
Published: May 2022

Protein phosphorylation is a major post‐translational modification involved in cell signalling that regulates many physiological and pathological processes. Despite their biological importance, protein phosphatases are less studied than protein kinases. Importantly, the activity of Cys‐based protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) can be regulated by reversible oxidation. The initial two‐electron oxidation product of the active site Cys is a sulfenic acid (Cys‐SOH) that can then undergo distinct outcomes, such as the disulfide bond or a sulfenyl amide formation. Here, we review the biochemical and structural features of PTPs to find patterns that might specify their oxidation products, aiming to get insights into redox regulatory mechanisms. Initially, the structure and biochemistry of PTP1B is presented. Then, we describe structural aspects that are relevant for substrate recognition and catalysis. Notably, all PTPs contain critical Cys residues for the catalysis of dephosphorylation that is prone to oxidative inactivation, which are frequently found oxidized in cells under physiological conditions, such as upon growth factor stimuli. However, direct oxidations of Cys residues in PTPs by H2O2 are rather slow. Therefore, we discuss possible mechanisms that may account for this apparent contradiction between biological and chemical redox aspects of PTPs. Furthermore, we performed a systematic analysis of the distance between active site cysteine and its backdoor cysteine with the attempt to analyse the preference between disulfide bond formation or sulfenyl amide interaction upon oxidation. In summary, PTPs have been showing many possibilities to auto‐protect from irreversible oxidation, which is important for cell signalling regulation.
Development of the ocellar visual system in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Jean‐Guillaume Claude Bernard , Kumar Justin P.
Published: May 2022

The adult visual system of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, contains seven eyes—two compound eyes, a pair of Hofbauer‐Buchner eyelets, and three ocelli. Each of these eye types has a specialized and essential role to play in visual and/or circadian behavior. As such, understanding how each is specified, patterned, and wired is of primary importance to vision biologists. Since the fruit fly is amenable to manipulation by an enormous array of genetic and molecular tools, its development is one of the best and most studied model systems. After more than a century of experimental investigations, our understanding of how each eye type is specified and patterned is grossly uneven. The compound eye has been the subject of several thousand studies; thus, our knowledge of its development is the deepest. By comparison, very little is known about the specification and patterning of the other two visual systems. In this Viewpoint article, we will describe what is known about the function and development of the Drosophila ocelli.
Emerging clinically tested detection methods for COVID‐19
Authors: Castellanos Milagros , Somoza Álvaro
Published: May 2022

At the time of writing, there were 486 761 597 global cases of COVID‐19 with 6 142 735 confirmed deaths (World Health Organization, 4 April 2022). According to the scarcity of information about estimation of cases with mild or no symptoms, it is suggested that they could represent 25–80% of all infections. The majority of these cases remain untested, although they are infective. The molecular diagnosis of COVID‐19 is based mainly on quantitative reverse transcription PCR. However, this approach faces several challenges related to the shortage of resources and people who are adequately trained to run the tests. Alternative testing methods, targeting effectively several viral compounds at different stages of the infection, have quickly emerged. However, universal systems that are specific, sensitive, affordable, easy, portable and scalable are still warranted. In this review, a comprehensive compilation of the methods available is provided.
Overestimated gains in water‐use efficiency by global forests
Authors: Gong Xiao Ying , Ma Wei Ting , Yu Yong Zhi , Fang Keyan , Yang Yusheng , Tcherkez Guillaume , Adams Mark A.
Published: May 2022

Increases in terrestrial water‐use efficiency (WUE) have been reported in many studies, pointing to potential changes in physiological forcing of global carbon and hydrological cycles. However, gains in WUE are of uncertain magnitude over longer (i.e. >10 years) periods of time largely owing to difficulties in accounting for structural and physiological acclimation. 13C signatures (i.e. δ13C) of plant organic matter have long been used to estimate WUE at temporal scales ranging from days to centuries. Mesophyll conductance is a key uncertainty in estimated WUE owing to its influence on diffusion of CO2 to sites of carboxylation. Here we apply new knowledge of mesophyll conductance to 464 δ13C chronologies in tree‐rings of 143 species spanning global biomes. Adjusted for mesophyll conductance, gains in WUE during the 20th century (0.15 ppm year−1) were considerably smaller than those estimated from conventional modelling (0.26 ppm year−1). Across the globe, mean sensitivity of WUE to atmospheric CO2 was 0.15 ppm ppm−1. Ratios of internal‐to‐atmospheric CO2 (on a mole fraction basis; ci/ca) in leaves were mostly constant over time but differed among biomes and plant taxa—highlighting the significance of both plant structure and physiology. Together with synchronized responses in stomatal and mesophyll conductance, our results suggest that ratios of chloroplastic‐to‐atmospheric CO2 (cc/ca) are constrained over time. We conclude that forest WUE may have not increased as much as previously suggested and that projections of future climate forcing via CO2 fertilization may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Narratives from Casa Tina Martins' Women's referral center: Aesthetics of existence in the struggle against gender violence
Authors: Garcia de Oliveira Thaís Zimovski , Pereira Rafael Diogo , de Pádua Carrieri Alexandre
Published: May 2022

This study intends to evidence narratives of the political experience of the Casa Tina Martins Women's Referral Center, to understand how the women of the group constitute and organize themselves against gender violence. This was done from the articulation between the esthetics of existence proposed by Foucault (2014) and the work of feminist authors such as Margareth Rago (2013) and others, in which the problematization of experiences that allow the subject to rethink the world can be seen as a way of understanding social oppression without reducing the subject to the role of inert victim, but showing how they are always invested by power in their ways of existing and resisting. Initially, an immersion in the Center was carried out from the perspective of Feminist Participatory Action Research (Ponic et al., 2010). Then, reports were collected to build narratives of participants. The field research showed that the participation and engagement in a social movement stem from the individual process of struggle with the various forms of subjection and violence in the life trajectory of each woman. Moreover, the Center could be understood as a core of teachings to all types of organizations since it is a remarkable experience that overlaps its political goal with its feminist ways of organizing as a “meta‐organizational” phenomenon. Finally, it was possible to consider Casa Tina Martins as an enabling space to question gender‐based violence and promote personal narratives by feminist women as political possibilities of resistance and social change.
Transitional care for patients with acute stroke—A priority‐setting project
Authors: Solbakken Liss Marita , Langhammer Birgitta , Sundseth Antje , Brovold Therese
Published: May 2022

Background

The scope of this priority‐setting process is communication and collaboration in transitional care for patients with acute stroke. Actively involving persons with stroke and their family caregivers is important both in transitional care and when setting priorities for research. Established priority‐setting methods are time‐consuming and require extensive resources. They are therefore not feasible in small‐scale research. This article describes a pragmatic priority‐setting process to identify a prioritized top 10 list of research needs regarding transitional care for patients with acute stroke.

Methods

A pragmatic priority‐setting approach inspired by the James Lind Alliance was developed. It involves establishing a user group, identifying the research needs through an online survey, analysing and checking the research needs against systematic reviews, culminating in an online prioritization of the top 10 list.

Results

The process was completed in 7 months. A total of 122 patients, family caregivers, health personnel and caseworkers submitted 484 research needs, and 19 users prioritized the top 10 list. The list includes the categories ‘patients and caregivers’ needs and health literacy’, ‘health personnel's common understanding’, ‘information flow between health personnel and patients and caregivers’, ‘available interventions and follow‐up of patients and caregivers’, ‘interaction and collaboration between health personnel and caseworkers across hospital and primary healthcare’ and ‘disabilities after stroke’.

Conclusion

This paper outlines a pragmatic approach to identifying and prioritizing users' research needs that was completed in 7 months. The top 10 list resulting from this priority setting process can guide future research relating to communication and collaboration during the transition from hospital to the community for patients with stroke.

Patient and Public Contribution

Members of three stroke organizations participated in the advisory group. They gave feedback on the scope and the process, distributed the surveys and prioritized the top 10 list. Persons with stroke and their caregivers submitted research needs in the survey.
Surface decorations to abrupt change performance, robustness, and stability of electrodes for solid oxide cells
Authors: Hiraldo Edwin Vega , Molouk Ahmed Fathi Salem , Tian Hanchen , Abdallah Ahmed Bahgat , Li Wenyuan , Liu Xingbo
Published: May 2022

Solid oxide cell electrodes need to display a wide range of combined properties, for example, electronic and ionic conductivities, catalytic activity, chemical compatibility with other parts, thermal expansion match, phase stability, and tolerance to foreign species/contaminants. It is extremely challenging for a single material to meet all these features required. Surface decoration is a remarkably adaptive strategy to provide needed features to the electrodes by introducing functioning materials through various target‐guided methods. This review provides an overview of typical and novel techniques to create surface decoration on the electrodes to abruptly improve the drawbacks of the electrodes of solid oxide cells, including performance enhancement, stability of long‐term operation, and tolerance to poisoning foreign species. It starts with the introduction of surface decoration experimental procedure, proceeds to crucial characterization methods that are particularly effective in identifying the properties of the surface coating, continues with target‐oriented practice in terms of surface decoration materials choice and microstructure manipulation, and ends with the explorations of functioning mechanisms for the resultant behavior. With hope, the review will spark more novel utilizations of surface decoration practice to promote the technical status of the solid oxide cells for widespread commercialization in the future.
Novel quinoline-based derivatives as the PqsR inhibitor against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1
Authors: Huang Xuan-He , She Meng-Ting , Zhang Yi-Hang , Liu Yi-Fu , Zhong Dong-Xiao , Zhang Yi-Han , Zheng Jun-Xia , Sun Ning , Wong Wing-Leung , Lu Yu-Jing
Published: May 2022

Aims

The emerging of drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a critical challenge and renders an urgent action to discover innovative antimicrobial interventions. One of these interventions is to disrupt the pseudomonas quinolone signal (pqs) quorum sensing (QS) system, which governs multiple virulence traits and biofilm formation. This study aimed to investigate the QS inhibitory activity of a series of new PqsR inhibitors bearing a quinoline scaffold against Ps. aeruginosa.

Methods and Results

The results showed that compound 1 suppressed the expression of QS-related genes and showed the best inhibitory activity to the pqs system of wild-type Ps. aeruginosa PAO1 with an IC50 of 20.22 μmol L−1. The virulence factors including pyocyanin, total protease, elastase and rhamnolipid were significantly suppressed in a concentration-dependent manner with the compound. In addition, compound 1 in combination with tetracycline inhibited synergistically the bacterial growth and suppressed the biofilm formation of PAO1. The molecular docking studies also suggested that compound 1 could potentially interact with the ligand-binding domain of the Lys-R type transcriptional regulator PqsR as a competitive antagonist.

Conclusions

The quinoline-based derivatives were found to interrupt the quorum sensing system via the pqs pathway and thus the production of virulence factors was inhibited and the antimicrobial susceptibility of Ps. aeruginosa was enhanced.

Significance and Impact of Study

The study showed that the quinoline-based derivatives could be used as an anti-virulence agent for treating Ps. aeruginosa infections.
Nonsense mutations in KRT1 caused recessive epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma with knuckle pads
Authors: Mo R. , Lin M. , Lee M. , Yan W. , Wang H. , Lin Z.
Published: May 2022

Background

Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK) is characterized by diffuse hyperkeratosis affecting palms and soles with suprabasal epidermolysis or vacuolar degeneration histopathologically. The disorder is caused by heterozygous mutations in KRT9 or KRT1. Dominant‐negative mutations in KRT1 could also result in epidermolytic ichthyosis with EPPK, a more severe entity affecting the entire body.

Objective

To investigate the genetic basis and pathogenesis of two unrelated patients with EPPK and knuckle pads, both of whom were born to consanguineous parents of Chinese origin.

Methods

Next‐generation sequencing was applied to the two patients using genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood. Quantitative reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), immunofluorescence (IF) staining and Western blot (WB) were employed to evaluate mRNA and protein expression level. Ultrastructural changes of skin lesion were analysed using transmission electron microscopy.

Results

Two novel homozygous mutations, c.457C>T (p.Gln153*) and c.33C>G (p.Tyr11*) in KRT1, were identified in patients 1 and 2 respectively. The nonsense mutations were predicted to result in nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay and absence of keratin 1, which was confirmed in the skin lesions from patient 1. Upregulated keratin 2 was detected both in the affected and unaffected skin samples from patient 1, while the protein abundance and distribution pattern of keratin 10 remained unchanged. An aberrant and clumped staining pattern of keratin 9 was noted in the palmar skin of patient 1.

Conclusions

Homozygous ‘knockout’ mutations in KRT1 resulted in EPPK with knuckle pads rather than epidermolytic ichthyosis. We speculated that sparing of non‐acral skin might be due to compensatory effect of keratin 2 upregulation by forming heterodimer with keratin 10.
Risks and benefits of dermatological machine learning health care applications—an overview and ethical analysis
Authors: Willem T. , Krammer S. , Böhm A.‐S. , French L.E. , Hartmann D. , Lasser T. , Buyx A.
Published: May 2022

Background

Visual data are particularly amenable for machine learning techniques. With clinical photography established for skin surveillance and documentation purposes as well as progress checks, dermatology is an ideal field for the development and application of emerging machine learning health care applications (ML‐HCAs). To date, several ML‐HCAs have detected malignant skin lesions on par with experts or found overlooked visual patterns that correlate with certain dermatological diseases. However, it is well established that ML‐HCAs come with ethical and social implications.

Objectives

Currently, there is a lack of research that establishes model design, training, usage and regulation of such technologies sufficient to ensure ethically and socially responsible development and clinical translation, specifically within the field of dermatology. With this paper, we aim to give an overview of currently discussed ethical issues relating to dermatological ML‐HCAs.

Methods

On the basis of a thematic, keyword‐based literature search, we performed an ethical analysis against established frameworks of biomedical ethics. We combined our results with current, relevant normative machine learning ethics literature to identify the status quo of the ethics of ML‐HCAs in dermatology. We describe the benefits and risks of dermatological ML‐HCAs that are currently being developed for clinical purposes.

Results

The potential benefits range from better patient outcomes to better knowledge accessibility to decreasing health care disparities, that is, standards of care between different population groups. The risks associated with ML‐HCAs range from confidentiality issues to individual patient outcomes as well as the exacerbation of prevalent health care disparities. We discuss the practical implications for all stages of dermatological ML‐HCA development.

Conclusion

We found that ML‐HCAs present stakeholder‐specific risks for patients, health care professionals and society, which need to be considered separately. The discipline lacks sufficient biomedical ethics research that could standardize the approach to ML‐HCA model design, training, use and regulation of such technologies.
An integrated analysis of herpes virus infections from eight randomized clinical studies of baricitinib in adults with moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis
Authors: Werfel T. , Irvine A.D. , Bangert C. , Seneschal J. , Grond S. , Cardillo T. , Brinker D. , Zhong J. , Riedl E. , Wollenberg A.
Published: May 2022

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with an increased risk for viral infections including those caused by herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus.

Objectives

This study examined treatment‐emergent (TE) herpes simplex infection including eczema herpeticum (EH), and herpes zoster (HZ), in adult patients with AD receiving ≥1 dose of baricitinib (BARI), an oral selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 1/2.

Methods

We evaluated data from six double‐blinded, randomized, placebo‐controlled (PC) trials and two long‐term extension studies, within three analysis sets: PC, 2–4‐mg BARI extended and All‐BARI‐AD. Frequency, incidence rate (IR)/100 person‐years (PYs) and clinical characteristics of TE‐herpes simplex, EH and HZ were reported.

Results

In the All‐BARI‐AD dataset (n = 2531; 2247 PYs), herpes simplex was reported in 8.9% of patients (n = 224; IR = 10.3). Most herpes simplex events were rated as mild or moderate (93.3%), rarely led to permanent discontinuation (2.2%) and presented mostly as oral/perioral herpes simplex (51.3%). TE‐EH occurred at a low frequency (All‐BARI‐AD 1.7% n = 43; IR = 2.0) and were reported in 0.5%, 0.2% and 1.4% of patients receiving placebo, 2‐mg or 4‐mg BARI respectively. In the All‐BARI‐AD dataset, most events were investigator‐rated as mild/moderate (79.1%), affected ≤2% of the body surface area (74.2%) and occurred as single events (88.4%). Serious TE‐EH (n = 11) occurred exclusively in patients with poor disease control (vIGA‐AD™ score ≥3) at infection onset. TE‐HZ was reported in 2.1% of BARI patients (n = 53; IR = 2.3), without a dose relationship during the PC period (IR = 2.7 and IR = 0.0) or the extended dataset (IR = 3.7 and IR = 1.7) for 2‐ or 4‐mg BARI respectively.

Conclusions

TE‐herpes simplex was common, while occurrence of EH was uncommon. Most events of EH were localized with involvement of a small BSA and were linked to poor disease control. Events of HZ were rare in the PC dataset and without a dose dependent increase in frequency.
First report on the occurrence of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) in India
Authors: Badhusha Allahbagash , Nafeez Ahmed Abdul , Suryakodi Selvam , Abdul Wazith Mohamed Jaffer , Mithra Sivaraj , Kanimozhi Kumarasamy , Abdul Majeed Seepoo , Taju Gani , Sahul Hameed Azeez Sait
Published: May 2022

This study reports the occurrence of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) in koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) for the first time in India. The koi carp, with clinical signs of ulcer with haemorrhage on body surface, necrosis of fin and discolouration of gill associated with huge mortality, were observed in aquarium shops, rearing tanks and grow‐out ponds located in Chennai, India. The PCR assay carried out on infected fish samples using different primer sets specific to CyHV‐3 confirmed its presence in the infected fish. Sequence analysis of partial thymidine kinase gene revealed 100% similarity with the sequence of CyHV‐3 available in GenBank. Cell lines of koi carp and catla were found to be susceptible to CyHV‐3 and its replication was confirmed by viral‐specific cytopathic effect, PCR and bioassay. The CyHV‐3 infection was reproduced by intramuscular injection of inoculum prepared from CyHV‐3‐infected fish to satisfy Koch's postulates. Tissue tropism of CyHV‐3 in infected fish by PCR assay revealed the presence of CyHV‐3 in all vital organs with prominent band in gill and gut tissue.