bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human antigen R (HuR) and Cold inducible RNA‐binding protein (CIRP) influence intestinal mucosal barrier function in ulcerative colitis by competitive regulation on Claudin1
Authors: Xu Yan , Tian Yuxi , Wang Ying , Yang Junwen , Li Fujun , Wan Xiaoping , Ouyang Miao
Published: February 2021

To investigate the effects of RNA‐binding proteins cold‐inducible RNA binding protein (CIRP) and human antigen R (HuR) on expression of Claudin1 and mucosal barrier function in ulcerative colitis (UC). The clinical specimens of UC patients and healthy volunteers were collected. In the clinical experiments, the expressions of CIRP, Claudin1, and HuR, along with their correlations in tissues of UC patients were analyzed by qRT‐PCR, Western blot and Pearson correlation coefficient, respectively. The chi‐square test was utilized to assess the relevance between CIRP/HuR/Claudin1 level and clinicopathological characteristics of UC patients. The in vitro and in vivo models of UC were established by lipopolysaccharide treatment or dextran sulfate sodium injection. For cell experiments, after loss‐ and gain‐of‐function, the roles of CIRP or HuR in the apoptosis and proliferation of enterocytes were examined by flow cytometry and CCK‐8 assay. The intestinal epithelial barrier function was inspected after determination on transepithelial electrical resistance value, horseradish peroxidase permeability and expressions of tight junction proteins (Occludin, ZO‐1, and JAM‐1). The relationship between HuR, CIRP, and Claudin1 was performed by RNA immunoprecipitation and dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay. For in vivo experiments, the disease activity index score, weight loss and colon length of mice were assessed to observe the effect of CIRP or HuR on the UC mouse models. Histological analysis of colon tissues was conducted by H&E staining. FITC‐dextran tracking was applied to inspect the intestinal mucosal barrier function of UC mouse models. In this study, high expression of CIRP and low expressions of HuR and Claudin1 were observed in patients, cells and mouse models of UC. The expressions of CIRP, HuR, and Claudin1 were correlated with the severity of patients with UC. There was a negative correlation between CIRP and Claudin1, and as a positive correlation between HuR and Claudin1. Claudin1 can be suppressed by CIRP, while enhanced by HuR. HuR and CIRP can competitively bind to Claudin1. HuR upregulation or CIRP downregulation promoted proliferation, suppressed apoptosis and ameliorated the damage of the barrier function in enterocytes. The in vivo experiments verified that the ameliorated damage of the intestinal mucosal barrier function in UC mice occurred with HuR overexpression or CIRP knockdown. CIRP and HuR confer pivotal effect on the intestinal mucosal barrier function of UC through competitively binding to Claudin1 mRNA.
Magnetic resonance tractography exhibiting retrograde degeneration of the corticospinal tract in a patient with a unilateral spinal cord tumor
Authors: Osaki Yusuke , Sako Wataru , Harada Masafumi , Izumi Yuishin
Published: February 2021

Background

Transection‐induced axonal retrograde degeneration, in contrast to Wallerian degeneration, has not been widely recognized in clinical practice.

Aims of the Study

To assess a potential of corticospinal tractography for detecting axonal retrograde degeneration.

Methods

We assessed the corticospinal tractography of a 74‐year‐old woman with monoplegia of the lower limb due to a unilateral thoracic spinal cord tumor.

Results

The tractography revealed integrity reduction of the corticospinal tract in the cerebra contralateral to the spinal cord tumor.

Conclusions

The present report supports that magnetic resonance tractography has the potential for detecting this under‐recognized phenomenon.
Do chief information officers matter for sustainable development? Impact of their regulatory focus on green information technology strategies and corporate performance
Authors: Chan Ricky Y. K.
Published: February 2021

This study proposes and empirically tests a model delineating the relationships among a chief information officer's (CIO's) dominant regulatory focus, the corporate practice of green information technology (IT) strategies and corporate performance. It also examines the moderating role of regulatory stakeholder influence (RSI) in this model. Findings based on sampled firms operating in China have provided support for all the hypotheses. Specifically, they highlight that CIOs with a dominant promotion focus are more prone to practice green IT strategies than those with a dominant prevention focus. Moreover, RSI is found to positively moderate the impact of dominant regulatory focus on the practice of green IT strategies. This strategic practice is also found to enhance corporate performance. Last, the empirical findings reveal that a CIO's dominant promotion focus exerts a direct and positive influence on corporate performance, which suggests that this focus also serves as a direct driver for corporate performance. In sum, these findings not only enrich the extant literature on environmental management and information systems, but also provide useful insights into fine‐tuning firms' CIO selection criteria and policy makers' regulatory measures to advance corporate sustainability.
Public organizations and biodiversity disclosure: Saving face to meet a legal obligation?
Authors: Talbot David , Boiral Olivier
Published: February 2021

The biodiversity disclosure practices of sub‐national governments remain understudied and poorly understood. The present study investigates the biodiversity disclosure practices of the 101 public organizations in Québec, Canada. The study's purpose is to better understand the internal dynamics that may explain the various shortcomings observed in official documents. To meet this objective, Goffman's dramaturgical frontstage/backstage analogy is used. In particular, the current study employs a content analysis of the sampled organizations' action plans and annual reports (N = 505) as well as interviews (N = 35). The results highlight both significant gaps in Québec's public organizations' biodiversity disclosure practices and a tendency for these organizations to make symbolic rather than substantial commitments. Also, problematic behaviors that can affect transparency were identified among the organizations—specifically, bricolage of actions and the manipulation of figures to influence stakeholder perceptions.
Mex3a promotes oncogenesis through the RAP1/MAPK signaling pathway in colorectal cancer and is inhibited by hsa‐miR‐6887‐3p
Authors: Li Haixia , Liang Jinghui , Wang Jiang , Han Jingyi , Li Shuang , Huang Kai , Liu Chuanyong
Published: February 2021

Background

Although Mex3 RNA‐binding family member A (Mex3a) has demonstrated an important role in multiple cancers, its role and regulatory mechanism in CRC is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and clinical significance of Mex3a in CRC and to explore its underlying mechanism.

Methods

Western blotting and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) were performed to detect the expression levels of genes. 5‐Ethynyl‐2'‐deoxyuridine (EDU) and transwell assays were utilized to examine CRC cell proliferation and metastatic ability. The R software was used to do hierarchical clustering analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Overexpression and rescue experiments which included U0126, a specific mitogen activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular regulated protein kinase (MEK/ERK) inhibitor, and PX‐478, a hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF‐1α) inhibitor, were used to study the molecular mechanisms of Mex3a in CRC cells. Co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP) assay was performed to detect the interaction between two proteins. Bioinformatics analysis including available public database and Starbase software (starbase.sysu.edu.cn) were used to evaluate the expression and prognostic significance of genes. TargetScan (www.targetscan.org) and the miRDB (mirdb.org) website were used to predict the combination site between microRNA and target mRNA. BALB/c nude mice were used to study the function of Mex3a and hsa‐miR‐6887‐3p in vivo.

Results

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies of 101 CRC tissues and 79 normal tissues demonstrated that Mex3a was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in CRC patients. Mex3a knockdown substantially inhibited the migration, invasion, and proliferation of CRC cells. Transcriptome analysis and mechanism verification showed that Mex3a regulated the RAP1 GTPase activating protein (RAP1GAP)/MEK/ERK/HIF‐1α pathway. Furthermore, RAP1GAP was identified to interact with Mex3a in Co‐IP experiments. Bioinformatics and dual‐luciferase reporter experiments revealed that hsa‐miR‐6887‐3p could bind to the 3'‐untranslated regions (3'‐UTR) of the Mex3a mRNA. hsa‐miR‐6887‐3p downregulated Mex3a expression and inhibited the tumorigenesis of CRC both in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that the hsa‐miR‐6887‐3p/Mex3a/RAP1GAP signaling axis was a key regulator of CRC and Mex3a has the potential to be a new diagnostic marker and treatment target for CRC.
Determining the association between repeatedly elevated serum gamma‐glutamyltransferase levels and risk of respiratory cancer: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Lee Ye Jin , Han Kyung‐Do , Kim Da Hye , Lee Chang‐Hoon
Published: February 2021

Background

Although elevated serum gamma‐glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a known indicator of increased risk of several cancers, the clinical value of repeated measurements of GGT has not been determined. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether repeatedly elevated serum GGT levels are associated with the risk of respiratory cancer incidence.

Methods

We included participants who had undergone the Korean Health screening four times during 2009–2012 and had previously undergone four consecutive examinations. Those who were diagnosed with respiratory cancer before the date of examination were excluded. The participants obtained one GGT point if their GGT levels were in the highest quartile (the quartile 4 group). We analyzed the association between GGT points and respiratory cancer incidence by Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

During mean follow‐up of 6.39 ± 1.2 years, 3,559,109 participants were enrolled. Of them, 8,944 (0.34%) men and 1,484 (0.14%) women were newly diagnosed with respiratory cancer. In multivariate analysis adjusted for confounding factors, male participants with 4 GGT points had a significantly higher hazards of developing respiratory cancer than those with 0 GGT points (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31–1.48). Among female, participants with the highest points of GGT also had sixfold increased risk of developing laryngeal cancer. However, no significant association was observed between GGT points and lung cancer incidence among women (HR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.81–1.11).

Conclusion

Repeatedly elevated serum levels of GGT were associated with a higher risk of respiratory cancer incidence, especially in men. This finding suggests that physicians can identify a person with a higher risk of respiratory cancer through a simple repeated measurement of GGT.
The quality of life in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma patients undergoing lobectomy or total thyroidectomy: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Lan Yu , Cao Li , Song Qing , Jin Zhuang , Xiao Jing , Yan Lin , Luo Yukun , Zhang Mingbo
Published: February 2021

Objective

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has a good prognosis and a long survival time, surgery is the common treatment including total thyroidectomy (TT) and unilateral lobectomy (LT), but recent studies showed that TT does not show an advantage over LT for PTMC in preventing cancer recurrence and reducing mortality. Given this, the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) has become one of the important factors that physicians must consider when making treatment decisions. The aim of this study was to compare the HRQoL of patients between undergoing TT and LT.

Methods

From October 2019 to December 2019, 69 PTMC patients were enrolled in our study, including 34 in the LT group and 35 in the TT group, respectively. We used three questionnaires which included the 36‐item short‐form health survey (SF‐36), thyroid cancer‐specific quality of life (THYCA‐QOL), and Fear of Progression Questionnaire‐Short Form (FoP‐Q‐SF) for each patient to evaluate their scores of HRQoL.

Results

According to the SF‐36, the scores of the domain for the role limitation due to physical problems, emotional problems, and social function (RP, RE, and SF) as well as Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) showed a significant negative linear association between the LT group and TT group: RP (coefficient [coef]: −33.953 [confidence interval (CI) −51.187 to −16.720], p < 0.001, RE (coef: −21.633 [CI −39.500 to −3.766], p = 0.018), SF (coef: −10.169 [CI −19.586 to −0.752], p = 0.035)and PCS (coef: −10.571 [CI −17.768 to −3.373], p = 0.005), MCS (coef: −10.694 [CI −19.465 to −1.923], p = 0.018). The THYCA‐QOL showed that the scores of the TT group were higher than that of the LT group in the problem of scar (coef: 16.245 [CI 1.697 to 30.794], p = 0.029 according to the multivariate analysis), suggesting a higher level of complaint in the TT group. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores of FoP‐Q‐SF between the two groups.

Conclusions

In patients with PTMC, LT offers an advantage over TT in terms of HRQoL, which supports the role of LT as an alternative strategy to TT.
Three‐dimensional cardiac print assisted percutaneous closure of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm in patient with Behçet's disease
Authors: Quimby Donald L. , Ford Jonathan , Tanner Gregory J. , Mencer Nicholas , Decker Summer , Matar Fadi
Published: February 2021

Spontaneous left ventricular pseudoaneurysms are very rare and can have catastrophic consequences if unrecognized. A case of combined spontaneous left ventricular aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm in Behcet's disease (BD) has been reported. The case emphasizes advanced techniques for percutaneous closure of the defects with the use of an ex‐vivo three‐dimensional cardiac printed model as a tool to facilitate the procedure.
Foreign body esophagus in a young infant
Authors: Lone Shafkat A. , Hameed Abdul , Shiekh Farooq A.
Published: February 2021

Unattended children, mostly from low‐socioeconomic contexts, who present with sudden onset obstructive respiratory and/or gastrointestinal symptoms, should be at high suspicion for foreign body ingestion. Prompt diagnosis helps avoid mismanagement and can potentially avoid dire outcomes.
Bouveret syndrome in a cholecystoduodenal fistula
Authors: Cortegoso Valdivia Pablo , Le Grazie Marco , Gaiani Federica , Dalla Valle Raffaele , de'Angelis Gian Luigi
Published: February 2021

The treatment of Bouveret syndrome lacks specific guidelines and is strictly interdisciplinary. Especially, if electrohydraulic lithotripsy is not available and endoscopic removal fails, a timely surgical approach is advised.
Investigating CO2 Methanation on Ni and Ru: DFT Assisted Microkinetic Analysis
Authors: Mohan Ojus , Shambhawi Shambhawi , Xu Rong , Lapkin Alexei A. , Mushrif Samir H.
Published: February 2021

A multiscale analysis combining density functional theory (DFT) and microkinetic modeling is performed to resolve the uncertainties in CO2 methanation reaction mechanism and kinetics on popular Ni and Ru catalysts. The most debated issues are the activation routes of CO2 and CO (hydrogenation or direct dissociation) and whether the reaction proceeds with or without forming a CO* intermediate. We investigated a comprehensive reaction network of 46 elementary reactions, involving multiple CO2, CO activation routes and side reactions using a benchmarked DFT functional. Our study shows that the dominant pathway at 550 K and 10 atm includes direct dissociation of CO2* to CO* on both Ni and Ru surfaces. On Ru, CO* undergoes hydrogenation to form COH* that further dissociates to C*, whereas on Ni, HCO* is formed that gives CH* upon dissociation. The rate determining steps on Ni and Ru are HCO* dissociation to CH* and O* and CH3* hydrogenation to CH4, respectively. We further find that selectivity of the reaction on Ni is higher than that on Ru, whereas activity of Ru is higher.
Pd/C Catalyzed Cascade Synthesis of 2‐Arylquinazolinones from 2‐Iodoacetanilides Employing Ammonia and CO Precursors
Authors: Shaifali  , Mehara Pushkar , Kumar Ashish , Das Pralay
Published: February 2021

An efficient and straightforward approach has been demonstrated for 2‐aryl quinazolinones synthesis from 2‐iodoacetanilides using ammonium carbamate/ammonium carbonate and oxalic acid under heterogeneous Pd/C catalyzed conditions. Herein, we have carried out the reactions employing oxalic acid and ammonium carbamate or ammonium carbonate as two gaseous precursors i. e. CO and NH3 respectively for the synthesis of desired quinazolinones in appreciable yields. The protocol followed cascade aminocarbonylation and cyclization under optimized reaction conditions. The protocol exhibited wide functional group tolerance under set reaction conditions and delivered the respective 2‐aryl quinazolinones with great diversity. The heterogeneous Pd/C catalyst was found to be recyclable up to four consecutive runs without significant decrease in catalytic activity.
Discussion of “Statistical disease mapping for heterogeneous neuroimaging studies”
Authors: Pietrosanu Matthew , Jiang Bei
Published: February 2021

This is a discussion of Liu & Zhu (2021), which develops a novel statistical disease mapping framework for neuroimaging data analysis.
Discussion of “Statistical disease mapping for heterogeneous neuroimaging studies”
Authors: Wu Ben , Kang Jian
Published: February 2021

This is a discussion of Liu & Zhu (2021), which develops a novel statistical disease mapping framework for neuroimaging data analysis.
Impact of ivabradine on the cardiac function of chronic heart failure reduced ejection fraction: Meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Bryan Richard Sasmita , Huang Bi , Liu Gang , Yang Yuan , Luo Suxin
Published: February 2021

Elevated resting heart rate in chronic heart failure (HF) patients has been associated with higher mortality and poor prognosis. Ivabradine is a new pure bradycardic agent that has been used to treat angina or heart failure reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) with sinus heart rate above 70 beats per minute. However, the effect of ivabradine for chronic HF patients on rehospitalization and cardiac function is still inconsistent. Thus, this meta‐analysis aimed to elucidate the effect of Ivabradine in chronic HFrEF patients. We systematically searched PubMed, Medline, Clinical Trials.gov, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ivabradine with search terms Ivabradine (MeSH Terms), chronic heart failure and beta‐blocker. The primary endpoints of the study include the impact of Ivabradine on heart rate, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular remodeling, exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic HFrEF. Secondary endpoints were safety analysis of Ivabradine including cardiovascular mortality, worsening HF readmission, visual disturbances, and asymptomatic bradycardia. The analysis was done by Review Manager 5.4 Analyzer, to analyze the mean differences (MD) for continuous data and risks ratio (RR) for dichotomous data. A total of six RCTs and one subgroup analysis showed add of Ivabradine to standard HF therapy was associated with greater resting heart rate reduction (MD = −9.57; 95% CI ‐11.15, −8.00), improved LVEF (MD = 3.89; 95% CI 2.61, 5.17), left ventricular reverse remodeling improvement (MD = −3.73; 95% CI ‐4.25, −3.21, LVESV; MD = −17.00, 95%CI ‐29.65, −4.35, LVEDD; MD = −1.43, 95%CI ‐2.78, −0.08, LVEDV; MD = −14.75, 95%CI ‐34.36, 4.87), increased exercise capacity (exercise duration; MD = 8.52; 95%CI 0.09, 16.94), and significant reduction on rehospitalization due to worsening HF (RR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.69, 0.84). However, Ivabradine has no significant effect on the quality of life (MD = 0.65; 95%CI ‐10.52, 11.82), and cardiovascular mortality (RR = 0.92; 95%CI 0.82, 1.03). Moreover, there were some events of visual disturbances and asymptomatic bradycardia observed in the Ivabradine group compared to the placebo group (RR = 4.76; 95%CI 3.03, 7.48; RR = 3.78; 95%CI 2.77, 5.15, respectively). Addition of Ivabradine to standard HF therapy is associated with cardiac function improvement, reduction on worsening HF readmission, greater HR reduction, and better exercise capacity in chronic HFrEF patients, although it cannot reduce cardiovascular mortality or improve the quality of life.
Innovative fluorescent probes for in vivo visualization of biomolecules in living Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Wang Chunxia , Xia Chujie , Zhu Yi , Zhang Huimin
Published: February 2021

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) as a well‐established multicellular model organism has been widely used in the biological field for half a century. Its numerous advantages including small body size, rapid life cycle, high‐reproductive rate, well‐defined anatomy, and conserved genome, has made C. elegans one of the most successful multicellular model organisms. Discoveries obtained from the C. elegans model have made great contributions to research fields such as development, aging, biophysics, immunology, and neuroscience. Because of its transparent body and giant cell size, C. elegans is also an ideal subject for high resolution and high‐throughput optical imaging and analysis. During the past decade, great advances have been made to develop biomolecule‐targeting techniques for noninvasive optical imaging. These novel technologies expanded the toolbox for qualitative and quantitative analysis of biomolecules in C. elegans. In this review, we summarize recently developed fluorescent probes or labeling techniques for visualizing biomolecules at the cellular, subcellular or molecular scale by using C. elegans as the major model organism or designed specifically for the applications in C. elegans. Combining the technological advantages of the C. elegans model with the novel fluorescent labeling techniques will provide new horizons for high‐efficiency quantitative optical analysis in live organisms.
Heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression in the regenerating zebrafish fin
Authors: Keil Sebastian , Gupta Mansi , Brand Michael , Knopf Franziska
Published: February 2021

Background

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) expression is found in many animal tissues and regulates growth factor signaling such as of Fibroblast growth factors (Fgf), Wingless/Int (Wnt) and Hedgehog (HH). Glypicans, which are GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol)‐anchored proteins, and transmembrane‐anchored syndecans represent two major HSPG protein families whose involvement in development and disease has been demonstrated. Their participation in regenerative processes both of the central nervous system and of regenerating limbs is well documented. However, whether HSPG are expressed in regenerating zebrafish fins, is currently unknown.

Results

Here, we carried out a systematic screen of glypican and syndecan mRNA expression in regenerating zebrafish fins during the outgrowth phase. We find that 8 of the 10 zebrafish glypicans and the three known zebrafish syndecans show specific expression at 3 days post amputation. Expression is found in different domains of the regenerate, including the distal and lateral basal layers of the wound epidermis, the distal most blastema and more proximal blastema regions.

Conclusions

HSPG expression is prevalent in regenerating zebrafish fins. Further research is needed to delineate the function of glypican and syndecan action during zebrafish fin regeneration.
Disparities in disordered eating between gender minority and cisgender adolescents
Authors: Roberts Savannah R. , Salk Rachel H. , Thoma Brian C. , Romito Madelaine , Levine Michele D. , Choukas‐Bradley Sophia
Published: February 2021

Objective

Adolescence is a developmental period of increased risk for disordered eating. Gender minority adolescents (GMAs), or those whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth, may experience body image concerns related to unique gender‐related stressors. GMAs may use disordered eating to affirm a feminine, masculine, or nonbinary gender identity. However, little is known about differences in disordered eating between GMAs and cisgender adolescents. Therefore, this study had two primary goals: (a) to compare disordered eating between GMAs and cisgender adolescents by examining the role of gender identity and sex assigned at birth; and (b) within GMAs, to examine associations between gender identity congruence and disordered eating.

Method

A large U.S. sample of GMAs and cisgender adolescents (n = 1,191 GMAs; 919 cisgender; Mage = 15.93 years) reported their disordered eating on an anonymous online survey.

Results

A MANOVA revealed a significant interaction between gender identity and sex assigned at birth. Follow‐up ANOVAs demonstrated that purging, caloric restriction, excessive exercise, and muscle building differed as a function of gender identity and sex assigned at birth. Among GMAs, a multiple multivariate regression model demonstrated that disordered eating was lower among participants who reported greater gender identity congruence.

Discussion

GMAs should not be considered a homogenous group, as differences in gender identity may lead to the internalization of different appearance ideals and disparate eating disorder symptomatology. Results suggest that clinicians working with GMAs consider the unique body image concerns that could accompany a specific gender identity.
Biomass Template Derived Boron/Oxygen Co‐Doped Carbon Particles as Advanced Anodes for Potassium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Lian Xueyu , Sun Zhongti , Mei Qingqing , Yi Yuyang , Zhou Junhua , Rümmeli Mark H. , Sun Jingyu
Published: February 2021

Among various anode candidates for potassium‐ion batteries, carbonaceous materials have attracted significant attention due to their overwhelming advantages including cost‐effectiveness and environmental benignity. However, the inferior specific capacity and the sluggish reaction kinetics hinder the further development in this realm. Herein, we report biomass templated synthesis of boron/oxygen heteroatom co‐doped carbon particles (BO‐CPs) via direct plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition. With the combined advantages of abundant active sites, large accessible surface area, and functional groups, BO‐CP anode exhibits high reversible specific capacity (426.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and excellent rate performance (166.5 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1). The K‐ion storage mechanism is probed by operando Raman spectroscopy, ex situ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy/electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique measurements, and theoretical simulations. The synergistic effect of boron and oxygen co‐doping greatly facilitates the performance of carbon‐based anode, wherein boron dopant improves the conductivity of carbon framework and the oxygen dopant affords ample active sites and thus harvests additional specific capacity. This work is anticipated to propel the development of high‐performance anode materials for emerging energy storage devices.
Influenza A virus‐induced thymus atrophy differentially affects dynamics of conventional and regulatory T‐cell development in mice
Authors: Elfaki Yassin , Robert Philippe A. , Binz Christoph , Falk Christine S. , Bruder Dunja , Prinz Immo , Floess Stefan , Meyer‐Hermann Michael , Huehn Jochen
Published: February 2021

Foxp3+ Treg cells, which are crucial for maintenance of self‐tolerance, mainly develop within the thymus, where they arise from CD25+Foxp3– or CD25–Foxp3+ Treg cell precursors. Although it is known that infections can cause transient thymic involution, the impact of infection‐induced thymus atrophy on thymic Treg (tTreg) cell development is unknown. Here, we infected mice with influenza A virus (IAV) and studied thymocyte population dynamics post infection. IAV infection caused a massive, but transient thymic involution, dominated by a loss of CD4+CD8+ double‐positive (DP) thymocytes, which was accompanied by a significant increase in the frequency of CD25+Foxp3+ tTreg cells. Differential apoptosis susceptibility could be experimentally excluded as a reason for the relative tTreg cell increase, and mathematical modeling suggested that enhanced tTreg cell generation cannot explain the increased frequency of tTreg cells. Yet, an increased death of DP thymocytes and augmented exit of single‐positive (SP) thymocytes was suggested to be causative. Interestingly, IAV‐induced thymus atrophy resulted in a significantly reduced T‐cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity of newly produced tTreg cells. Taken together, IAV‐induced thymus atrophy is substantially altering the dynamics of major thymocyte populations, finally resulting in a relative increase of tTreg cells with an altered TCR repertoire.
Low‐Temperature and Rapid Deposition of an SnO2 Layer from a Colloidal Nanoparticle Dispersion for Use in Planar Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Shekargoftar Masoud , Pospisil Jan , Kratochvíl Matouš , Vida Július , Souček Pavel , Homola Tomáš
Published: February 2021

Deposition of the electron transport layer (ETL) is an important step in the manufacture of low‐cost, solution‐processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Thermal annealing processes account for a major part of the energy consumption involved in the fabrication of PSCs. The current paper presents a plasma‐based and highly convenient method (5 min, <60 °C) for the deposition of SnO2 films (PT‐SnO2) from a colloidal nanoparticle dispersion. A comparative evaluation of PT‐SnO2 films with those created by state‐of‐the‐art thermal annealing (30 min, 180 °C) (TA‐SnO2) is made herein. The key mechanism in the formation of the SnO2 layer is explained in relation to the evaporation of the dispersion medium. This comparison of PT‐SnO2 and TA‐SnO2 indicates a considerable difference in terms of energy consumption directly relevant to the low‐cost manufacture of PSCs. Photoluminescence analysis revealed no particular differences in the charge extraction of the two types of SnO2 films. The SnO2 films were subsequently employed as an ETL in planar n‐i‐p PSCs. Results revealed that the PSC resulting from PT‐SnO2 yielded an efficiency of 15.17%, similar to that of 15.91% corresponding to TA‐SnO2. In addition, the PSC fabricated on the PT‐SnO2 maintaining ≈80% of its initial performance after 21 days in ambient conditions.
Machine‐learning‐enhanced tail end prediction of structural response statistics in earthquake engineering
Authors: Thaler Denny , Stoffel Marcus , Markert Bernd , Bamer Franz
Published: February 2021

Evaluating the response statistics of nonlinear structures constitutes a key issue in engineering design. Hereby, the Monte Carlo method has proven useful, although the computational cost turns out to be considerably high. In particular, around the design point of the system near structural failure, a reliable estimation of the statistics is unfeasible for complex high‐dimensional systems. Thus, in this paper, we develop a machine‐learning‐enhanced Monte Carlo simulation strategy for nonlinear behaving engineering structures. A neural network learns the response behavior of the structure subjected to an initial nonstationary ground excitation subset, which is generated based on the spectral properties of a chosen ground acceleration record. Then using the superior computational efficiency of the neural network, it is possible to predict the response statistics of the full sample set, which is considerably larger than the initial training sample set. To ensure a reliable neural network response prediction in case of rare events near structural failure, we propose to extend the initial training sample set increasing the variance of the intensity. We show that using this extended initial sample set enables a reliable prediction of the response statistics, even in the tail end of the distribution.

HIGHLIGHTS

A new Monte Carlo method is developed that provides the response statistics of a nonlinear system in the tail end of the distribution.

A nonstationary filter is applied to a Gaussian white noise to generate realistic artificial earthquake records.

An extended training strategy using neural networks is proposed to improve the reliability of the method in the tail end of the distribution.

The new strategy reveals a significant speedup as well as a prediction of the response statistics in the tail end with high confidence.
Effects and dynamic characteristics of the core‐suspended isolation system assessed by long‐term structural health monitoring
Authors: Nakamura Yutaka , Okada Keiichi
Published: February 2021

The seismic isolation mechanism of the core‐suspended isolation (CSI) system comprises a double layer of inclined rubber bearings installed on top of a reinforced core structure. A multilevel structure is then suspended from a hat truss or umbrella girder constructed on the seismic isolation mechanism. The first building to use the CSI system was the Safety and Security Center in Tokyo, Japan, whose structural health monitoring system has detected and recorded 231 earthquake motions since 2006, including the 2011 Tohoku Pacific Earthquake (2011‐TPE). The present study estimates the dynamic characteristics of this CSI‐equipped building in earthquakes, and the effects of the CSI system are revealed via the observed earthquake records. The temporal changes of the fundamental period and damping factor are estimated from the 2011‐TPE; the fundamental period increases with the deformation of the isolation level, whereas the fundamental damping factor is only related weakly to that deformation. The 231 observed earthquake records reveal that the CSI system performs seismic isolation by reducing the response acceleration of the suspended structure by roughly a half for peak ground accelerations exceeding 30 cm/s2. Daily microtremor observations are used to diagnose earthquake damage; the fundamental frequencies in each direction remain almost constant and were not changed by the 2011‐TPE.
Flood‐duration‐integrated stream power and frequency magnitude of >50‐year‐long sediment discharge out of a hyperarid watershed
Authors: Lekach Judith , Enzel Yehouda
Published: February 2021

Determining sediment discharge out of watersheds is a global, long‐term challenge. In the vast, usually data‐poor, hyperarid regions of the world, this is a greater challenge. Here, we present a unique, decades‐long dataset of individual floods and their respective sediment discharge out of Nahal Yael, an experimental, well‐instrumented, hyperarid (~25–30 mm year−1) watershed in southern Israel. The high correlation between directly measured sediment yield by discrete individual floods and their respective total energy, represented by flood‐integrated stream power (FISP), serves here as a rating curve. Using this rating curve, the 51‐year‐long series of FISP in Nahal Yael, calculated from the detailed individual flood hydrographs, was converted into a series of sediment yield by these floods. This, in turn, allows determining the long‐term frequency‐magnitude of sediment exported out of this hyperarid basin. This can assist in landscape evolution modeling, in testing impacts of flood frequency changes enforced by altered regional climatology, and hint at changes needed in forming the observed alluvial fans. We conclude that, at the decadal scale, moderate floods are the most effective in terms of total sediment transport. However, the recurrence intervals of these moderate hyperarid floods are longer than in temperate regions and reach 5–10 years.
Wheat straw: A natural remedy against different maladies
Authors: Tufail Tabussam , Saeed Farhan , Afzaal Muhammad , Ain Huma Bader Ul , Gilani Syed Amir , Hussain Muzzamal , Anjum Faqir M.
Published: February 2021

In millennia, much attention has been paid toward agro‐industrial waste which consists of lignin and cellulosic biomass. In this perspective, biomass waste which consists of lignocellulosic mass is an inexpensive, renewable, abundant that provides a unique natural resource for large‐scale and cost‐effective bioenergy collection. In this current scenario, efforts are directed to briefly review the agro‐industrial lignocellulosic biomass as a broad spectrum of numerous functional ingredients, its utilization, and respective health benefits with special to wheat straw. Wheat straw is lignocellulosic mass owing to the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Its microbial culture is the most important and well adjusted, for a variety of applications in the fermentation substrate, feed, food, medicine, industry, and agriculture in order to increase soil fertility. In industrial fermentation, wheat straw can be used as substrates for the production of a wide range of hydrolytic enzymes, drugs, metabolites, and other biofuels as a low‐cost substrate or a natural source. Conclusively, wheat straw is the best source to produce bioethanol, biogas, and biohydrogen in biorefineries because it is a renewable, widely distributed, and easily available with very low cost, and its consumption is protected and environment friendly. Wheat straw is a moiety which has health benefits including anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti‐artherogenic, anti‐allergenic, antioxidant, antithrombotic, etc.
Eight‐week antidepressant treatment reduces functional connectivity in first‐episode drug‐naïve patients with major depressive disorder
Authors: Li Le , Su Yun‐Ai , Wu Yan‐Kun , Castellanos Francisco Xavier , Li Ke , Li Ji‐Tao , Si Tian‐Mei , Yan Chao‐Gan
Published: February 2021

Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed abnormal functional connectivity of brain networks in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but findings have been inconsistent. A recent big‐data study found abnormal intrinsic functional connectivity within the default mode network in patients with recurrent MDD but not in first‐episode drug‐naïve patients with MDD. This study also provided evidence for reduced default mode network functional connectivity in medicated MDD patients, raising the question of whether previously observed abnormalities may be attributable to antidepressant effects. The present study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03294525) aimed to disentangle the effects of antidepressant treatment from the pathophysiology of MDD and test the medication normalization hypothesis. Forty‐one first‐episode drug‐naïve MDD patients were administrated antidepressant medication (escitalopram or duloxetine) for 8 weeks, with resting‐state functional connectivity compared between posttreatment and baseline. To assess the replicability of the big‐data finding, we also conducted a cross‐sectional comparison of resting‐state functional connectivity between the MDD patients and 92 matched healthy controls. Both Network‐Based Statistic analyses and large‐scale network analyses revealed intrinsic functional connectivity decreases in extensive brain networks after treatment, indicating considerable antidepressant effects. Neither Network‐Based Statistic analyses nor large‐scale network analyses detected significant functional connectivity differences between treatment‐naïve patients and healthy controls. In short, antidepressant effects are widespread across most brain networks and need to be accounted for when considering functional connectivity abnormalities in MDD.
Novel imaging classification system of nodal disease in human papillomavirus‐mediated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma prognostic of patient outcomes
Authors: Sabiq Farahna , Huang Kitty , Patel Adarsh , Banerjee Robyn , Debenham Brock , Lau Harold , Skarsgard David , Chen Guanmin , Lysack John T. , Quon Harvey C.
Published: February 2021

Background

Matted nodes in human papillomavirus (HPV)‐mediated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPC) is an independent predictor of distant metastases and decreased overall survival. We aimed to classify imaging patterns of metastatic lymphadenopathy, analyze our classification system for reproducibility, and assess its prognostic value.

Methods

The metastatic lymphadenopathy was classified based on radiological characteristics for 216 patients with HPV‐mediated OPC. Patient outcomes were compared and inter‐rater reliability was calculated.

Results

The presence of ≥3 abutting lymph nodes with imaging features of surrounding extranodal extension (ENE), one subtype of matted nodes, was associated with worse 5‐year overall survival, overall recurrence‐free survival, regional recurrence‐free survival, and distant recurrence‐free survival (p ≤ 0.03). Other patterns were not significantly associated with outcome measures. Overall inter‐rater agreement was substantial (κ = 0.73).

Conclusion

One subtype of matted nodes defined by ≥3 abutting lymph nodes with imaging features of surrounding ENE is the radiological marker of worst prognosis.
Probabilistic value learning in medial temporal lobe amnesia
Authors: Palombo Daniela J. , Patt Virginie M. , Hunsberger Renee , Verfaellie Mieke
Published: February 2021

A prevailing view in cognitive neuroscience suggests that different forms of learning are mediated by dissociable memory systems, with a mesolimbic (i.e., midbrain and basal ganglia) system supporting incremental trial‐and‐error reinforcement learning and a hippocampal‐based system supporting episodic memory. Yet, growing evidence suggests that the hippocampus may also be important for trial‐and‐error learning, particularly value or reward‐based learning. In the present report, we use a lesion‐based neuropsychological approach to clarify hippocampal contributions to such learning. Six amnesic patients with medial temporal lobe damage and a group of healthy controls were administered a simple value‐based learning task involving probabilistic trial‐and‐error acquisition of stimulus–response‐outcome (reward or none) contingencies modeled after Li et al. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
, 2011, 108
(1), 55–60). As predicted, patients were significantly impaired on the task, demonstrating reduced learning of the contingencies. Our results provide further supportive evidence that the hippocampus' role in cognition extends beyond episodic memory tasks and call for further refinement of theoretical models of hippocampal functioning.
The unique plasticity of hippocampal adult‐born neurons: Contributing to a heterogeneous dentate
Authors: Huckleberry Kylie A. , Shansky Rebecca M.
Published: February 2021

The dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus is evolutionarily conserved as one of the few sites of adult neurogenesis in mammals. Although there is clear evidence that neurogenesis is necessary for healthy hippocampal function, whether adult‐born neurons are simply integrated into existing hippocampal networks to serve a similar purpose to that of developmentally born neurons or whether they represent a discrete cell population with unique functions remains less clear. In this review, we consider evidence for discrete cellular, synaptic, and structural features of adult‐born DG neurons, suggesting that neurogenesis contributes to the formation of a heterogeneous DG. We therefore propose that hippocampal neurogenesis creates a specialized neuronal subpopulation that may play a key role in hippocampal functions like episodic memory. We note critical gaps in this extensive body of work, including a general failure to include female animals in relevant research and a need for more precise consideration of intrahippocampal neuroanatomy.
Identifying women at risk of weight gain after a breast cancer diagnosis: Results from a cohort of Australian women
Authors: Pumpa Kate L. , Dalton Jennifer , Mara Jocelyn K. , Zhang Yanping , Yip Desmond
Published: February 2021

Issues addressed

This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with weight gain post a diagnosis of breast cancer in a cohort of Australian women.

Methods

In this retrospective clinical audit, objectively measured weight, age and menopause status, treatment type/s, grade, stage, oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor (PR) status were extracted for 73 breast cancer patients from an ongoing breast cancer treatment quality assurance project. Weight gain or loss was classified as a body mass increase or decrease of ≥5% of weight at diagnosis.

Results

When compared to weight at diagnosis, 57% of patients maintained, 22% gained, and 21% lost weight at 24 months post‐diagnosis. Factors associated with weight gain were a diagnosis of grade II (P < .001) or grade III (P < .001) compared to grade I breast cancer, and refusal of radiotherapy (P < .001). Factors associated with weight loss were being postmenopausal compared to premenopausal (P = .033), PR positive compared to PR negative (P < .001), refusal of chemotherapy (P < .001) and radiotherapy recommended (P < .001).

Conclusions

The maintenance of weight in a majority of women in this cohort is a novel finding. Early identification of women at risk of weight gain post a breast cancer diagnosis can assist health professionals identify, and therefore assisting patients in the prevention and management of weight gain and associated sequela. Investigating the weight‐related communications between a patient and specialist, their access to allied health professionals and social support may assist in understanding the overall positive changes in this cohort.
Maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant patients with COVID‐19: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Abedzadeh‐Kalahroudi Masoumeh , Sehat Mojtaba , Vahedpour Zahra , Talebian Parisa
Published: February 2021

Objective

To determine the maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID‐19 infection.

Methods

A cohort study was conducted on 56 pregnant women with COVID‐19 and 94 healthy pregnant women during the COVID‐19 epidemic in Iran. Two groups were followed until childbirth. Demographic and obstetric information, clinical symptoms, laboratory and radiographic findings of the patients, and maternal and neonatal outcomes of the two groups were gathered by a checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. A P value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

The two groups were similar in terms of maternal age, gravida, parity, and co‐morbidities (P > 0.05). The rate of cesarean delivery in the exposed group was higher than that in the control group (P = 0.027; relative risk [RR] =2.23). Pre‐eclampsia was seen in 19.8% of the exposed group and 7.4% of the control group (P = 0.037; RR = 2.68). The rate of preterm labor in the exposed group was higher than that in the control group (P = 0.003; RR = 2.70). Fetal distress was seen in 16.1% of the exposed group and 4.3% of the control group (P = 0.016; RR = 3.84).

Conclusion

Pregnant women with COVID‐19 had an increased risk of pre‐eclampsia, preterm labor, and cesarean delivery. Their fetal and neonatal outcomes were fetal distress, newborn prematurity, and low Apgar score.