bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of exergaming on exercise capacity in patients with heart failure: results of an international multicentre randomized controlled trial
Authors: Jaarsma Tiny , Klompstra Leonie , Ben Gal Tuvia , Ben Avraham Binyamin , Boyne Josiane , Bäck Maria , Chialà Oronzo , Dickstein Kenneth , Evangelista Lorraine , Hagenow Andreas , Hoes Arno W. , Hägglund Eva , Piepoli Massimo F. , Vellone Ercole , Zuithoff Nicolaas P.A. , Mårtensson Jan , Strömberg Anna
Published: March 2020

Aims

Exergaming is a new tool to increase physical activity. This study aimed to determine the effects of access to a home‐based exergame (Nintendo Wii) in patients with heart failure (HF) on exercise capacity, self‐reported physical activity and patient‐reported outcome measures.

Methods and results

We enrolled 605 HF patients in New York Heart Association functional class I–IV, independent of ejection fraction, in an international multicentre randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized to exergame (intervention) or motivational support (control). The primary endpoint was change in submaximal aerobic exercise capacity as measured by the distance walked in 6 min (6MWT) between baseline and 3 months. Secondary endpoints included long‐term submaximal aerobic exercise capacity, muscle function, self‐reported physical activity, exercise motivation, exercise self‐efficacy at 3, 6 and 12 months. At baseline, patients on average walked 403 ± 142 m on the 6MWT. Patients in the exergame group walked further compared to controls at 3 months (454 ± 123 vs. 420 ± 127 m, P = 0.005), at 6 months (452 ± 123 vs. 426 ± 133 m, P = 0.015) and 12 months (456 ± 122 vs. 420 ± 135 m, P = 0.004). However, correcting for baseline 6MWT values by means of a linear mixed‐effects model revealed no main effect for the intervention on 6MWT. Small significant effects on muscle function were found. Statistically significant treatment effects were found for muscle function but after correction for baseline and confounders, only the treatment effect for the heel‐rise left at 6 months was significant (P < 0.05). No treatment effect was found for exercise motivation, exercise self‐efficacy, or self‐reported physical activity.

Conclusion

Exergaming was safe and feasible in patients with HF with different profiles in different health care systems, cultures and climates. However, it was not effective in improving outcomes on submaximal aerobic exercise capacity. Subgroup analysis did not identify specific subgroups benefiting from the intervention.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier: NCT01785121.
Rational Design of (NH4)Cu[PO4] with a Spin Gapped, Distorted Honeycomb Layer
Authors: Zhou Chao‐Fan , Chen Xiao‐Hui , Huang Ya‐Xi , Pan Yuanming , Mi Jin‐Xiao
Published: March 2020

Water (H2O) molecules are often used to depolymerize crystal structures. Conversely, polycondensation of basic building units of crystal structures can be realized by removing water molecules from hydrous compounds. Herein, we report our rational design and synthesis of a novel copper phosphate (NH4)Cu[PO4] from a hydrothermal route with minimal water used. The title compound keeps the layered structural feature of its hydrous analogue (NH4)Cu[PO4]·H2O, but the isolated centrosymmetric [Cu2O8] dimers in the latter further polymerize into a two‐dimensional (2D) corrugated honeycomb layer in the former. Interestingly, the layers of corrugated honeycomb arrangement of Cu atoms in the bc plane are composed of a relatively rare compressed [CuO5] trigonal bipyramid, rather than the axially elongated [CuO4(OH2)] square pyramid in (NH4)Cu[PO4]·H2O. Magnetic susceptibility χ(T) of the title compound increases steadily to a maximum at 58 K but falls off rapidly to almost zero with decrease in temperature, suggesting the existence of a spin gap and long range ordering for the 2D S = 1/2 corrugated honeycomb layer.
Host admission receptions to build relationships, increase yield
Authors: Pavlik Amelia
Published: March 2020

Personal attention. A little bit can go a long way in convincing an accepted student to actually enroll and show up on the first day of classes. And no one knows this better than Christopher Connor.
The theory of storage in the crude oil futures market, the role of financial conditions
Authors: Ahmadi Maryam , Bashiri Behmiri Niaz , Manera Matteo
Published: March 2020

This study examines the impacts of inventory and financial instability on the basis of the crude oil market. The results show that, first, the basis rises with inventory, and this effect is higher during low inventory regimes. This validates the theory of storage in the crude oil market. Second, the basis rises with financial instability, and this effect is higher during turbulent regimes. These results warn the oil market participants that, to make decisions based on the basis variation, traditionally known as a signal of scarcity or abundance, the underlying cause of the variation has to be considered.
Nonhospice Palliative Care Within the Treatment of End‐Stage Liver Disease
Authors: Verma Manisha , Tapper Elliot B. , Singal Amit G. , Navarro Victor
Published: March 2020

Palliative care (PC) that has evolved from a focus on end‐of‐life care to an expanded form of holistic care at an early stage for patients with serious illnesses and their families is commonly referred to as nonhospice PC (or early PC). Patients with end‐stage liver disease (ESLD) suffer from a high symptom burden and a deteriorated quality of life (QOL), with uncertain prognosis and limited treatment options. Caregivers of these patients also bear an emotional and physical burden similar to that of caregivers for patients with cancer. Despite the proven benefits of nonhospice PC for other serious illnesses and cancer, there are no evidence‐based structures and processes to support its integration within the routine care of patients with ESLD and their caregivers. In this article, we review the current state of PC for ESLD and propose key structures and processes to integrate nonhospice PC within routine hepatology practice. Results found that PC is highly underutilized within ESLD care, and limited prospective studies are available to demonstrate methods to integrate PC within routine hepatology practices. Hepatology providers report lack of training to deliver PC along with no clear prognostic criteria on when to initiate PC. A well‐informed model with key structures and processes for nonhospice PC integration would allow hepatology providers to improve clinical outcomes and QOL for patients with ESLD and reduce health care costs. Educating hepatology providers about PC principles and developing clear prognostic criteria for when and how to integrate PC on the basis of individual patient needs are the initial steps to inform the integration. The fields of nonhospice PC and hepatology have ample opportunities to partner clinically and academically.
Hepatotoxicity From Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Review and Management Recommendation
Authors: Peeraphatdit Thoetchai (Bee) , Wang Jennifer , Odenwald Matthew A. , Hu Shaomin , Hart John , Charlton Michael R.
Published: March 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoint molecules. ICIs are an immunotherapy for the treatment of many advanced malignancies. The advent of ICIs has been a major breakthrough in the field of oncology, a fact recognized by the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine being awarded for the discovery. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first ICI, ipilimumab, in 2011 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. Seven ICIs are now used in clinical practice, including nivolumab and pembrolizumab for treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. ICIs are increasingly used across the spectrum of hepatobiliary neoplasia. The utility of ICI therapy has been limited by immune‐related adverse reactions (irAEs) affecting multiple organ systems. Hepatotoxicity is an important irAE, occurring in up to 16% of patients receiving ICIs. Optimizing outcomes in patients receiving ICI therapy requires awareness of and familiarity with diagnosing and management of ICI‐induced immune‐mediated hepatotoxicity (IMH), including approaches to treatment and ICI dose management. The aim of this review article is to (1) provide a comprehensive, evidence‐based review of IMH; (2) perform a systematic review of the management of IMH; and (3) present algorithms for the diagnosis and management of IMH.
Dose response of black American mink to Aleutian mink disease virus
Authors: Farid A. Hossain , Hussain Irshad
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes a serious health problem for mink globally. The disease has no cure nor an effective vaccine and selection for tolerance using antibody titer is adopted by many mink farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of various doses of a local AMDV isolate on the response of black American mink to infection with AMDV.

Methods

Eight black American mink were each inoculated intranasally with 0.5 mL of eight serial 10‐fold dilutions (100to 10−7) of a 10% spleen homogenate containing a local AMDV isolate. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 20, 35, 56, 84, 140, and 196 postinoculation (dpi). Anti‐AMDV antibodies and viral DNA were tested by counter‐immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and PCR, respectively. Animals that were PCR or CIEP positive at 196 dpi (n = 41) were killed at 218 dpi, and samples of blood and seven organs were tested by CIEP and PCR.

Results

Antibody production persisted in all seroconverted mink until the termination of the experiment, whereas 71.1% of the mink showed short‐lived viremia. Significant associations were observed between inoculum dose and the incidence of viremia until 84 dpi which disappeared thereafter, whereas associations between inoculum dose and the incidence of seropositive mink were significant on all sampling occasions. Antibody titer at 218 dpi significantly decreased with decreasing inoculum dose. AMDV DNA was detected in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen samples of almost all mink inoculated at every dose but was not detected in other organs of some mink.

Conclusions

CIEP is more accurate than PCR for detecting AMDV infection in mink. Using antibody titer in naturally infected mink may not be accurate for the identification of tolerant mink.
Addressing the Achilles' heel of pseudocapacitive materials: Long‐term stability
Authors: Liu Tianyu , Li Yat
Published: March 2020

Electrode materials with high energy densities and long‐lasting performances are crucial to durable and reliable electrochemical energy storage devices for modern information technologies (eg, Internet of things). In terms of supercapacitors, their low energy densities could be enhanced by using pseudocapacitive electrodes, but meanwhile, their ultralong lifetimes are compromised by the limited charge‐discharge cycling stabilities of pseudocapacitive materials. This review article discusses on the cycling instability issues of five common pseudocapacitive materials: conjugated polymers (or conducting polymers), metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, and metal sulfides. Specifically, the article includes the fundamentals of the failure modes of these materials, as well as thoroughly surveys the design rationales and technical details of the cycling‐stability‐boosting tactics for pseudocapacitive materials that reported in the literature. Additionally, promising opportunities, future challenges, and possible solutions associated with pseudocapacitive materials are discussed.

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Perceived partner beliefs about condoms and self‐efficacy communication within the context of the theory of gender and power
Authors: Carmack Chakema , Roncancio Angelica M. , Gerecht Lena , Ansari Mohammed
Published: March 2020

The theory of gender and power provides a unique framework for understanding condom use by accounting for distinct challenges faced by minority women in particular. This study examined whether self‐efficacy about condom use communication (SECC) and perceived partner's beliefs about condom (PPBC) use had an influence on condom use frequency; and whether these associations varied by gender. A sample of 252 African–American college students (101 males and 151 females) completed a confidential online survey assessing SECC, PPBC, and condom use behavior. SECC and PPBC showed significant associations with condom use behavior. Furthermore, there was a gender interaction effect with PPBC on condom use behavior. As PPBC increases toward positive associations about condom use, condom use behavior increased significantly more for females (B = 0.42; p = .02) as compared to males (B = 0.26; p = .19). This study supports the need to teach young women effective communication skills in order for them to accurately assess what their partner thinks about condom‐related behaviors; and ultimately not allow partner discouragement to influence their decisions to use condoms. Interventions aimed at reducing risky sexual behavior on predominantly Black college campuses, in particular, may benefit from directly addressing relationship power and focusing on building self‐efficacy in communicating condom use.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Exposure Response Analysis of Pomalidomide in Subjects With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma From the Novel Combination Treatment of Pomalidomide, Bortezomib, and Low‐Dose Dexamethasone
Authors: Li Yan , Kassir Nastya , Wang Xiaomin , Palmisano Maria , Zhou Simon
Published: March 2020

Multiple myeloma is an incurable progressive neoplastic disease that accounts for 10% of all hematologic malignancies. Even though significant progress has been made in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, the disease follows a relapsing course in the majority of patients, and there is a need for more effective therapeutic options for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. CC‐4047‐MM‐005 and CC‐4047‐MM‐007 were phase 1 and 3 studies to evaluate the novel combination of pomalidomide, bortezomib, and low‐dose dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have already received lenalidomide‐based treatments early. This analysis was performed to characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of pomalidomide from the combination treatment and to examine exposure‐response relationships. Our analysis showed that pomalidomide concentration‐time profiles from the combination treatment were adequately described with a 1‐compartment PK model, with first‐order absorption and elimination and pomalidomide exhibiting linear and time‐invariant PK with moderate variability from the combination treatment. Except for the body surface area, none of the tested covariates had an effect on pomalidomide PK. Although body surface area was identified as a statistically significant covariate of pomalidomide PK, the impact was not deemed clinically relevant. A flat exposure‐response curve was observed, consistent with a near‐saturated drug effect at the tested exposure range suggesting an appropriately recommended clinical dose of 4 mg of pomalidomide for the combination treatment. Finally, pomalidomide exposure was not associated with higher probabilities of dose interruption during cycle 1 or dose reduction during the treatment period.
On induced Ramsey numbers for multiple copies of graphs
Authors: Axenovich Maria , Gorgol Izolda
Published: March 2020

We say that a graph strongly arrows a pair of graphs and write if any coloring of its edges with red and blue leads to either a red or a blue appearing as induced subgraphs of . The induced Ramsey number, , is defined as . We consider the connection between the induced Ramsey number for a pair of two connected graphs and the induced Ramsey number for multiple copies of these graphs , where denotes the pairwise vertex‐disjoint union of copies of . It is easy to see that if , then . This implies that

For several specific graphs, such as a path on three vertices vs a complete multipartite graph, a matching vs a complete graph, or a matching vs another matching, it is known that the above inequality is tight. On the other hand, the inequality is also strict for some graphs. However, even in the simplest case when is an edge and , it is not known for what and for what the above inequality is tight. We show that it is tight if is connected and is at least as large as the order of . In addition, we make further progress in determining induced Ramsey numbers for multiple copies of graphs, such as paths and triangles.
The establishment of reference sequence for SARS‐CoV‐2 and variation analysis
Authors: Wang Changtai , Liu Zhongping , Chen Zixiang , Huang Xin , Xu Mengyuan , He Tengfei , Zhang Zhenhua
Published: March 2020

Starting around December 2019, an epidemic of pneumonia, which was named COVID‐19 by the World Health Organization, broke out in Wuhan, China, and is spreading throughout the world. A new coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) by the Coronavirus Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses was soon found to be the cause. At present, the sensitivity of clinical nucleic acid detection is limited, and it is still unclear whether it is related to genetic variation. In this study, we retrieved 95 full‐length genomic sequences of SARAS‐CoV‐2 strains from the National Center for Biotechnology Information and GISAID databases, established the reference sequence by conducting multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses, and analyzed sequence variations along the SARS‐CoV‐2 genome. The homology among all viral strains was generally high, among them, 99.99% (99.91%‐100%) at the nucleotide level and 99.99% (99.79%‐100%) at the amino acid level. Although overall variation in open‐reading frame (ORF) regions is low, 13 variation sites in 1a, 1b, S, 3a, M, 8, and N regions were identified, among which positions nt28144 in ORF 8 and nt8782 in ORF 1a showed mutation rate of 30.53% (29/95) and 29.47% (28/95), respectively. These findings suggested that there may be selective mutations in SARS‐COV‐2, and it is necessary to avoid certain regions when designing primers and probes. Establishment of the reference sequence for SARS‐CoV‐2 could benefit not only biological study of this virus but also diagnosis, clinical monitoring and intervention of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in the future.
Initial clinical features of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 in two emergency departments outside of Hubei, China
Authors: Zhu Wanbo , Xie Kai , Lu Hui , Xu Lei , Zhou Shusheng , Fang Shiyuan
Published: March 2020

With an increasing number of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) cases outside of Hubei, emergency departments (EDs) and fever clinics are facing challenges posed by the large number of admissions of patients suspected to have COVID‐19. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to study the initial clinical features of patients, to better differentiate between infected and uninfected patients outside Hubei. A total of 116 patients suspected of having COVID‐19 who presented to two emergency departments in Anhui for the first time between 24 January 2020 and 20 February 2020 were enrolled in the study. The initial clinical data of these patients, such as epidemiological features, symptoms, laboratory results, and chest computed tomography (CT) findings were collected using a standard case report form on admission. Thirty‐two patients were diagnosed with COVID‐19; the remaining 84 patients were referred to as negative cases. The median age of the diagnosed patients was 46 years, but only 35 years for negative cases. History of exposure to Wuhan or COVID‐19 patients in the previous 2 weeks was observed in 63% of the diagnosed and 44% of negative cases. Median time from illness onset to ED admission was 5 days for all patients, diagnosed patients, and negative cases, respectively. Fever was observed in 27 (84%) and 57 (68%) diagnosed and negative cases, respectively. Nineteen (59%) diagnosed and 24 (29%) negative cases had lymphopenia on admission in ED. A chest CT scan on admission revealed the presence of pneumonia in the majority of the diagnosed patients (30 out of 32, 94%) and in 56 (67%) negative cases. Bilateral involvement and ground‐glass opacity (GGO) were present in 91% and 47% of the diagnosed patients. Thirty‐two patients were diagnosed with COVID‐19; the remaining 84 patients were referred to as negative cases. The median age of the diagnosed patients was 46 years, but only 35 years for negative cases. History of exposure to Wuhan or COVID‐19 patients in the previous 2 weeks was observed in 63% of the diagnosed and 44% of negative cases. Median time from illness onset to ED admission was 5 days for all patients, diagnosed patients, and negative cases, respectively. Fever was observed in 27 (84%) and 57 (68%) diagnosed and negative cases, respectively. Nineteen (59%) diagnosed and 24 (29%) negative cases had lymphopenia on admission in ED. A chest CT scan on admission revealed the presence of pneumonia in the majority of the diagnosed patients (30 out of 32, 94%) and in 56 (67%) negative cases. Bilateral involvement and GGO were present in 91% and 47% of the diagnosed patients.
Human pegivirus‐1 infection in kidney transplant recipients: A single‐center experience
Authors: Savassi‐Ribas Flavia , Pereira Jessica G. , Horta Marco A. P. , Wagner Tereza C. S. , Matuck Tereza A. , Monteiro de Carvalho Deise B. , Mello Francisco C. A. , Varella Rafael B. , Soares Caroline C.
Published: March 2020

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end‐stage renal disease. In the posttransplant period, the induced immunosuppression leads to an increased risk of developing infectious diseases, a leading cause of death after kidney transplantation. Human pegivirus‐1 (HPgV‐1) is considered a nonpathogenic human virus and is highly frequent in individuals parenterally exposed, however, its impact on kidney transplantation outcome is poorly understood. Given the scarcity of epidemiological data for this infection on organ recipients in Brazil, we conducted a study in a single center for kidney transplantation in Rio de Janeiro, aiming to determine HPgV‐1 prevalence and genotypic distribution. Serum samples from 61 renal recipients, followed up for the first year after transplantation, were evaluated for viral RNA and genotypes were determined by sequencing of the 5′‐untranslated region. HPgV‐1 RNA was detected in 36.1% (22/61) of patients. Genotype 2 was the most commonly found (80.9%), followed by genotypes 3 (9.5%), 1, and 5, in 4.8% each. Statistical comparisons did not reveal any significant impact of HPgV‐1 in patient outcome. Further epidemiologic studies are needed to understand if immunosuppression may interfere in HPgV‐1 persistence rates and if viremia might impact graft dysfunction rates in kidney recipients.
Buyer participation in outsourced new product development projects: The role of relationship multiplexity
Authors: Slot Johanna H. , Wuyts Stefan , Geyskens Inge
Published: March 2020

In business markets, firms increasingly participate in new product development (NPD) activities that they outsource to suppliers. Such buyer participation can be complicated by relationship multiplexity—that is, the buyer may simultaneously be a competitor, supplier, and/or partner of the supplier firm. Drawing on role theory, we theorize how relationship multiplexity moderates the effect of buyer participation on project success. We analyze 140 NPD projects that were executed by a contract R&D organization in the aerospace industry and find that buyer participation lowers the buyer's and the supplier's perceptions of project success for buyer‐as‐supplier multiplexity. Buyer participation increases the perceptions of project success in the case of buyer‐as‐partner multiplexity, but only when these partnerships are emergent, as opposed to engineered. Buyer participation decreases the buyer's perception of project success for relationships featuring buyer‐as‐competitor multiplexity but does not affect the supplier's perception in the case of buyer‐as‐competitor multiplexity. Our results provide tactical insights as to when buyer participation helps or hurts.
Assessing customer return behaviors through data analytics
Authors: Ketzenberg Michael E. , Abbey James D. , Heim Gregory R. , Kumar Subodha
Published: March 2020

Retailers often provide lenient, consumer‐friendly return policies to reduce customers' perceived shopping risk and increase demand. As an unfortunate side effect for retailers, empirical findings demonstrate that lenient return policies lead some customers to abuse those return policies through opportunistic and even fraudulent behaviors. Customers can abuse return policies by making purchases with the full intention of returning the products or by returning a product long after extracting most of the product's market value. In doing so, abusive customers extract utility—physical, experiential, or financial—from these purchases, at little or no cost to themselves. However, retailers incur significant costs from such return abuse, with estimates topping $5.6 billion annually in the United States alone. Identifying customers who perpetrate return abuse remains a critical topic. Yet, as a construct, return abuse is difficult to define and to quantify. In contrast, legitimate returner and nonreturner customers exhibit different return behaviors with distinctly different transactional behaviors and profitability outcomes. To investigate these diverse returner behaviors, this study empirically analyzes a transactional secondary data set of over 1 million customers with over 75 million transactions from a national U.S.‐based retailer. The analysis generates empirical insights that characterize observable customer actions related to abusive returners, legitimate returners, and nonreturners. This study introduces a set of predictive models that enable actionable managerial intervention and presents the opportunity to recapture significant returns costs that might otherwise be lost to avoidable return abuse. The analysis also highlights the need for a more holistic perspective toward predicting, managing, and preventing returns.
Factors Related to the Development of Small‐Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth in Pediatric Intestinal Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Belza Christina , Betts Zachary , de Silva Nicole , Avitzur Yaron , Wales Paul W.
Published: March 2020

Background

Small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SBBO) is a challenge in the management of pediatric intestinal failure (PIF). Our goal was to determine the proportion of patients treated for SBBO and factors related to its development.

Methods

We completed a retrospective analysis of PIF patients referred between 2008 and 2014. Data were collected on factors related to intestinal failure (IF) and SBBO. The cohort was stratified on the diagnosis of SBBO and refractory SBBO. Statistical testing completed using t‐test, χ2 test, and logistic regression.

Results

Thirty‐five of 102 patients developed SBBO (34%), and 16 (16%) had refractory SBBO. SBBO was more likely in gastroschisis (40.0% vs 19.4%, P = .025), a shorter residual small bowel (SB) (45.4% vs 66.5%, P = .004), and patients were less likely to wean from parenteral nutrition (PN) (51.4% vs 85.1%, P < .0001). Refractory SBBO patients were likely to have gastroschisis (50.0% vs 22.1%, P = .020) and a shorter residual SB and large bowel remaining (23.2% vs 65.9%, P < .0001 and 60.6% vs 79.4%, P = .03, respectively) and less likely to wean from PN (37.5% vs 80.2%, P = .001). Logistic regression demonstrated that longer SB residual was protective (P = .001; odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93–0.99), and short bowel syndrome (SBS) as a cause of IF was a risk factor (P = .001; OR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.01–0.27).

Conclusion

A longer SB remnant was protective against SBBO. Patients with SBBO were more likely to have PIF caused by SBS.
Current and future experimental approaches in the study of grape and wine polyphenols interacting gut microbiota
Authors: Zorraquín Irene , Sánchez‐Hernández Eva , Ayuda‐Durán Begoña , Silva Mariana , González‐Paramás Ana M , Santos‐Buelga Celestino , Moreno‐Arribas Maria V , Bartolomé Begoña
Published: March 2020

Interactions between polyphenols and gut microbiota are indeed a major issue of current interest in food science research. Knowledge in this subject is progressing as the experimental procedures and analysis techniques do. The aim of this article is to critically review the more leading‐edge approaches that have been applied so far in the study of the interactions between grape/wine polyphenols and gut microbiota. This is the case of in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal simulation models that try to mitigate the limitations of simple static models (batch culture fermentations). More complex approaches include the experimentation with animals (mice, rats, pigs, lambs and chicks) and nutritional intervention studies in humans. Main advantages and limitations as well as the most relevant findings achieved by each approach in the study of how grape/wine polyphenols can modulate the composition and/or functionality of gut microbiota, are detailed. Also, common findings obtained by the three approaches (in vitro, animal models and human nutritional interventions) such as the fact that the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio tends to decrease after the feed/intake/consumption of grape/wine polyphenols are highlighted. Additionally, a nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) model, previously used for investigating the mechanisms of processes such as aging, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress and inflammation, is presented as an emerging approach for the study of polyphenols interacting gut microbiota. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Recombinant expression, characterization and application of maltotetraohydrolase from Pseudomonas saccharophila
Authors: Su Lingqia , Yang Yanan , Wu Jing
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

Maltotetraohydrolase, widely used in food and medical fields, possesses the ability to hydrolyze starch to produce maltooligosaccharides with maltotetraose as the main product. It also has the potential usage in delaying bread aging.

RESULTS

Pseudomonas saccharophila maltotetraohydrolase was expressed in Bacillus subtilis WS11. Sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed obvious bands at 57 kDa (maltotetraohydrolase I) and 47 kDa (maltotetraohydrolase II). Both showed similar enzymatic properties, although the catalytic efficiency of maltotetraohydrolase I was 4.93 fold higher than that of maltotetraohydrolase II using soluble starch as substrate. In addition, the maltotetraohydrolase production was further scaled up in a 3‐L fermentor, and the highest activity reached 1907 U mL−1. Then, the recombinant maltotetraohydrolase was used to produce maltotetraose. The maltotetraose yields catalyzed by maltotetraohydrolase I and II reached 73.2% and 69.7%, respectively. Finally, when recombinant maltotetraohydrolase was used in bread‐making, texture profile analysis of the bread indicated recombinant maltotetraohydrolase I exhibited a significant anti‐aging effect.

CONCLUSION

This is the first describing high‐efficient expression of P. saccharophila maltotetraohydrolase in the food safety strain B. subtilis, and the yield represented the highest level ever reported. Excellent results were also obtained with respect to the preparation of maltotetraose and delaying bread aging using the recombinant maltotetraohydrolase. The present study will help lay the foundation for the industrial production and application of maltotetraohydrolase. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Determination of anabolic androgenic steroids as imidazole carbamate derivatives in human urine using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Fragkaki Argyro G. , Petropoulou Georgia , Athanasiadou Ioanna , Kiousi Polyxeni , Kioukia‐Fougia Nassia , Archontaki Helen , Bakeas Evangelos , Angelis Yiannis S.
Published: March 2020

Anabolic androgenic steroids are widely abused substances in sports doping. Their detection present limitations regarding the use of soft ion sources such as electrospray or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. In the current study, a novel derivatization method was developed for the ionization enhancement of selected anabolic androgenic steroids. The proposed method aims at the introduction of an easily ionizable moiety into the steroid molecule by converting the hydroxyl groups into imidazole carbamates using 1,1′‐carbonyldiimidazole as derivatization reagent. The proposed method was applied to water and urine samples spiked with exogenous anabolic androgenic steroids in various concentration levels. Steroid imidazole carbamate derivatives have shown intensive [M+H]+ signals under electrospray ionization and common fragmentation patterns in tandem mass spectrometry mode with [M‐CO2+H]+ and [M‐ΙmCO2+H]+ as major ions with low collision energy. The obtained results showed that the majority of steroids were detectable at concentrations equal or lower to their minimum required performance level according to the World Anti‐Doping Agency technical document. The proposed method is sensitive with a preparation procedure that could be easily applied to the analysis of doping control samples.
Physicochemical mechanisms underlying soil and organic amendment effects on runoff P losses
Authors: Mamedov Amrakh I. , Bar‐Yosef Benayahu , Levkovich Irit , Fine Pinchas , Silber Avner , Levy Guy J.
Published: March 2020

Phosphorus depletion from cultivated lands by runoff is a significant contributor to soil chemical degradation. Our objective was to elucidate the mechanisms through which soil and organic matter amendments affect rain‐induced runoff P losses in Mediterranean soils. Clay, loam, and loamy sand mixed with noncomposted activated sludge (AS), manure compost (MC), industrial humic acid (HA), orthophosphate (Pi), or inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) were subjected to six consecutive artificial rainstorms. Adding amendments significantly increased runoff available Pi loss (the sum of solution and sediments bicarbonate extractable Pi) for all soils. The order of loss (Pi, mg m−2) was soil dependent; greatest and lowest in the loam and loamy sand, respectively (loam: Pi[270] > IHP[128] > AS[108] > MC[97] > HA[49] > Control[33], and loamy sand: AS[42] > HA[23] > Pi[22] > IHP[18] > MC[13] > Control[4]), although order of runoff and soil loss were clay > loam > loamy sand. Treating with IHP and Pi at a similar total P level led to comparable cumulative total‐P runoff losses, but runoff available Pi loss was much greater in the Pi treatment of soils with higher clay content (clay > loam > loamy sand). A derived isotherm relating sediment Olsen Pi to dissolved reactive Pi (DRP) concentration in runoff was found useful for estimating runoff Pi losses from measured DRP, runoff volume, and sediment concentration. The results could be explained by the impact of the amendments on soil structure stability, sealing, runoff, and erosion levels associated with soil physical and chemical degradation.
Understanding the immune landscape and tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer to improve immunotherapy
Authors: Torphy Robert J. , Schulick Richard D. , Zhu Yuwen
Published: March 2020

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment for several hematologic and solid organ malignancies; however, pancreatic cancer remains unresponsive to conventional immunotherapies. Several characteristics of pancreatic cancer present challenges to successful treatment with immunotherapy, including its aggressive biology, poor immunogenicity, and abundant desmoplastic stroma which can impede effector T cell infiltration and promote an immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this review, we evaluate the current understanding of the immune and stromal landscapes of pancreatic cancer, discuss the successes and failures of stroma‐targeted therapies, and highlight how stroma‐directed therapies may be synergistic with immunotherapy.
Drug discovery technologies: Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for anthelmintic therapeutics
Authors: Sepúlveda‐Crespo Daniel , Reguera Rosa M. , Rojo‐Vázquez Francisco , Balaña‐Fouce Rafael , Martínez‐Valladares María
Published: March 2020

Helminthiasis is one of the gravest problems worldwide. There is a growing concern on less available anthelmintics and the emergence of resistance creating a major threat to human and livestock health resources. Novel and broad‐spectrum anthelmintics are urgently needed. The free‐living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans could address this issue through automated high‐throughput technologies for the screening of large chemical libraries. This review discusses the strong advantages and limitations for using C elegans as a screening method for anthelmintic drug discovery. C elegans is the best model available for the validation of novel effective drugs in treating most, if not all, helminth infections, and for the elucidation the mode of action of anthelmintic candidates. This review also focuses on available technologies in the discovery of anthelmintics published over the last 15 years with particular attention to high‐throughput technologies over conventional screens. On the other hand, this review highlights how combinatorial and nanomedicine strategies could prolong the use of anthelmintics and control resistance problems.
An analysis for heat equations arises in diffusion process using new Yang‐Abdel‐Aty‐Cattani fractional operator
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Ghosh Surath , Samet Bessem , Goufo Emile Franc Doungmo
Published: March 2020

The heat equation is parabolic partial differential equation and occurs in the characterization of diffusion progress. In the present work, a new fractional operator based on the Rabotnov fractional‐exponential kernel is considered. Next, we conferred some fascinating and original properties of nominated new fractional derivative with some integral transform operators where all results are significant. The fundamental target of the proposed work is to solve the multidimensional heat equations of arbitrary order by using analytical approach homotopy perturbation transform method and residual power series method, where new fractional operator has been taken in new Yang‐Abdel‐Aty‐Cattani (YAC) sense. The obtained results indicate that solution converges to the original solution in language of generalized Mittag‐Leffler function. Three numerical examples are discussed to draw an effective attention to reveal the proficiency and adaptability of the recommended methods on new YAC operator.
Fully automated 3D aortic segmentation of 4D flow MRI for hemodynamic analysis using deep learning
Authors: Berhane Haben , Scott Michael , Elbaz Mohammed , Jarvis Kelly , McCarthy Patrick , Carr James , Malaisrie Chris , Avery Ryan , Barker Alex J. , Robinson Joshua D. , Rigsby Cynthia K. , Markl Michael
Published: March 2020

Purpose

To generate fully automated and fast 4D‐flow MRI‐based 3D segmentations of the aorta using deep learning for reproducible quantification of aortic flow, peak velocity, and dimensions.

Methods

A total of 1018 subjects with aortic 4D‐flow MRI (528 with bicuspid aortic valve, 376 with tricuspid aortic valve and aortic dilation, 114 healthy controls) comprised the data set. A convolutional neural network was trained to generate 3D aortic segmentations from 4D‐flow data. Manual segmentations served as the ground truth (N = 499 training, N = 101 validation, N = 418 testing). Dice scores, Hausdorff distance, and average symmetrical surface distance were calculated to assess performance. Aortic flow, peak velocity, and lumen dimensions were quantified at the ascending, arch, and descending aorta and compared using Bland‐Altman analysis. Interobserver variability of manual analysis was assessed on a subset of 40.

Results

Convolutional neural network segmentation required 0.438 ± 0.355 seconds versus 630 ± 254 seconds for manual analysis and demonstrated excellent performance with a median Dice score of 0.951 (0.930‐0.966), Hausdorff distance of 2.80 (2.13‐4.35), and average symmetrical surface distance of 0.176 (0.119‐0.290). Excellent agreement was found for flow, peak velocity, and dimensions with low bias and limits of agreement less than 10% difference versus manual analysis. For aortic volume, limits of agreement were moderate within 16.3%. Interobserver variability (median Dice score: 0.950; Hausdorff distance: 2.45; and average symmetrical surface distance: 0.145) and convolutional neural network–based analysis (median Dice score: 0.953‐0.959; Hausdorff distance: 2.24‐2.91; and average symmetrical surface distance: 0.145‐1.98 to observers) demonstrated similar reproducibility.

Conclusions

Deep learning enabled fast and automated 3D aortic segmentation from 4D‐flow MRI, demonstrating its potential for efficient clinical workflows. Future studies should investigate its utility for other vasculature and multivendor applications.
Melt‐spun poly(lactic acid) fibers modified with soy fillers: Toward environment‐friendly disposable nonwovens
Authors: Güzdemir Özgün , Bermudez Victor , Kanhere Sagar , Ogale Amod A.
Published: March 2020

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has a significant potential as a biodegradable polymer, but its high cost and slow biodegradability restrict its use in disposable products. This study establishes a novel route to accomplish both objectives by the addition of low‐cost soy fillers into PLA, which reduced material cost and increased the degradation rate of resulting soy‐PLA fibers. Due to partial thermal degradation of soy fillers at PLA melt temperature, they could be melt‐compounded into PLA up to 5 wt%. Fine continuous fibers (D ∼ 25‐50 μm) were successfully produced via melt spinning, and further melt‐consolidated into prototypical nonwovens. The tensile strength of soy‐PLA fibers containing soy reside and soy flour were 56 ± 9 and 44 ± 5 MPa, respectively. Although slightly lower than that of neat PLA fibers (74 ± 2 MPa), the fibers possessed adequate tenacity for use as nonwoven fabrics. Fiber modulus remained unaffected at about 2.5 GPa. The soy‐PLA fibers displayed a relatively rough exterior surface and provided a natural‐fiber feel. The overall degradation of soy‐PLA fibers was accelerated about 2‐fold in a basic medium due to the preferential dissolution of soy that led to increased surface area within the PLA matrix indicating their potential for use in biodegradable nonwovens.
Objections to the HEXACO Model of Personality Structure—and why those Objections Fail
Authors: Ashton Michael C. , Lee Kibeom
Published: March 2020

The six–dimensional HEXACO model of personality structure and its associated inventory have increasingly been used in personality research. But in spite of the evidence supporting this structure and demonstrating its advantages over five–dimensional models, some researchers continue to use and promote the latter. Although there has been little overt, organized argument against the adoption of the HEXACO model, we do hear sporadic offerings of reasons for retaining the five–dimensional systems, usually in informal conversations, in manuscript reviews, on social media platforms, and occasionally in published works. In this target article, we list all of the objections to the HEXACO model that we have heard of, and we then explain why each objection fails. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology
Neurotoxicity in adult patients with cystic fibrosis using polymyxin B for acute pulmonary exacerbations
Authors: Rekis Nick , Ambrose Madelaine , Sakon Colleen
Published: March 2020

We present four case reports that describe neurotoxicity experienced in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving intravenous polymyxin B. Paresthesia was observed after the first dose of polymyxin B in all patients. These symptoms resolved after discontinuation of polymyxin B and switching treatment to colistin. All four patients completed therapy with colistin without experiencing additional adverse reactions. This report contributes to the small body of literature currently available on the use of polymyxin B in the CF population.
Case series: Adolescent victims of the vaping public health crisis with pulmonary complications
Authors: Kass Alexandra P. , Overbeek Daniel L. , Chiel Laura E. , Boyer Edward W. , Casey Alicia M. H.
Published: March 2020

Alongside the epidemic use of electronic cigarettes (e‐cigarettes) across the country, evidence of multiple pulmonary complications has emerged, with the most immediately life‐threatening being the new clinical condition of e‐cigarette/vaping‐associated lung injury (EVALI), with investigation actively underway to further define this entity and determine the cause or causes. We present a series of cases of respiratory illnesses associated with e‐cigarette use, many of which meet criteria for suspected or confirmed EVALI, managed at a pediatric tertiary care center, demonstrating notable variation in presenting symptoms and severity. Most cases improved with supportive respiratory care and the administration of corticosteroids and antibiotics, although generally no infection was found. The cases also tend to show improvement with discontinuation of the use of e‐cigarettes. We discuss challenges in determining the contribution of e‐cigarettes to the case pathology and review possible diagnostic and treatment options. In patients suffering from e‐cigarette‐related respiratory illness including EVALI, the primary treatment goal should be the cessation of e‐cigarette use and avoidance of other possible pulmonary toxins, including conventional cigarettes. Prevention of e‐cigarette use is critical in the youth population, as these patients are typically nicotine naïve and do not engage in smoking conventional cigarettes before initiation of vaping.
PK/PD modeling of 5‐hydroxytryptophan (5‐HTP) challenge test with cortisol measurement in serum and saliva
Authors: Guan Zheng , Jacobs Gabriel , van Pelt Hans , Van Gerven Joop M.A. , Burggraaf Jacobus , Zhao Wei
Published: March 2020

This research was planned to build a Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model of 5‐hydroxytryptophan (5‐HTP) challenge study including a circadian rhythm component of cortisol and to predict serum cortisol based on saliva cortisol. Data from three 5‐HTP challenge studies in healthy volunteers were collected. Serum 5‐HTP, saliva, and serum cortisol were sampled as PK and PD marker. The population PK/PD modeling approach was applied. A baseline model of serum cortisol was built to assess the circadian rhythm before a pharmacodynamic model was used to evaluate the drug effect of the 5‐HTP on cortisol. Finally, linear and power function relationships were tested to predict serum cortisol based on saliva cortisol. The PK of 5‐HTP could be described using a one‐compartment model with a transit compartment. The typical value for clearance was 20.40 L h−1 and showed inter‐study variability. A cosine function was chosen and properly described the circadian rhythm of serum cortisol. A linear approximation model was applied to fit the 5‐HTP PD effect on cortisol data with a slope of 4.16 ng mL−1 h. A power function provided a better description than a linear function to relate the saliva and serum cortisol. In conclusion, a circadian rhythm component was built in the PK/PD model of the 5‐HTP challenge test which could better improve the understanding of the stimulating effect on HPA with cortisol change. After the 5‐HTP challenge, saliva cortisol correlated well with serum cortisol and was predictable by a population PK‐PD model.