bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EarthCube Data Discovery Studio: A gateway into geoscience data discovery and exploration with Jupyter notebooks
Authors: Valentine David , Zaslavsky Ilya , Richard Stephen , Meier Ouida , Hudman Gary , Peucker‐Ehrenbrink Bernhard , Stocks Karen
Published: November 2020

EarthCube Data Discovery Studio (DDStudio) is a crossdomain geoscience data discovery and exploration portal. It indexes over 1.65 million metadata records harvested from 40+ sources and utilizes a configurable metadata augmentation pipeline to enhance metadata content, using text analytics and an integrated geoscience ontology. Metadata enhancers add keywords with identifiers that map resources to science domains, geospatial features, measured variables, and other characteristics. The pipeline extracts spatial location and temporal references from metadata to generate structured spatial and temporal extents, maintaining provenance of each metadata enhancement, and allowing user validation. The semantically enhanced metadata records are accessible as standard ISO 19115/19139 XML documents via standard search interfaces. A search interface supports spatial, temporal, and text‐based search, as well as functionality for users to contribute, standardize, and update resource descriptions, and to organize search results into shareable collections. DDStudio bridges resource discovery and exploration by letting users launch Jupyter notebooks residing on several platforms for any discovered datasets or dataset collection. DDStudio demonstrates how linking search results from the catalog directly to software tools and environments reduces time to science in a series of examples from several geoscience domains. URL: datadiscoverystudio.org
In vivo targeting of miR‐223 in experimental eosinophilic oesophagitis
Authors: Collison Adam M , Sokulsky Leon A , Nightingale Scott , Percival Elizabeth , LeFevre Anna , Meredith Joseph , Krauss Sybille , Foster Paul S , Mattes Joerg
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is characterised by oesophageal inflammation, fibrosis and dysfunction. Micro (mi)‐RNAs interfere with pro‐inflammatory and pro‐fibrotic transcriptional programs, and miR‐223 was upregulated in oesophageal mucosal biopsy specimens from EoE patients. The therapeutic potential of modulating miR‐223 expression in vivo has not been determined. We aimed to elucidate the relevance of oesophageal miR‐223 expression in an in vivo model of EoE by inhibiting miR‐223 tissue expression.

Methods

The expression of miR‐223 and the validated miR‐223 target insulin‐like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF1R) protein was determined in our paediatric cohort of EoE patients. A murine model of Aspergillus fumigatus‐induced EoE was employed, and oesophagi were assessed for miR‐233, IGF1R, T lymphocyte type 2 (T2) cytokine expression and eosinophil infiltration. Mice were treated with antagomirs targeting miR‐223 or resveratrol targeting its upstream regulator Midline‐1(MID‐1).

Results

There was an inverse relationship between an increased expression of miR‐223 and a decreased IGF1R protein concentration in biopsy specimens from EoE patients. TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand deficiency, MID‐1 inhibition and resveratrol treatment suppressed miR‐223 expression. Furthermore, inhibition of miR‐223 and treatment with resveratrol in the oesophagus resulted in an amelioration of EoE hallmark features including eosinophilic infiltration, oesophageal circumference and a reduction in T2 cytokine expression.

Conclusion

miR‐223 has a key role in the perpetuation of EoE hallmark features downstream of TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand and MID‐1 in an experimental model. These studies highlight a potentially critical role of miRNA function in EoE aetiology. miR‐223 expression in the oesophagus may be therapeutically modulated by resveratrol, providing a potential new therapeutic option to be explored in EoE patients for this increasingly prevalent condition.
Plant–soil interactions limit lifetime fitness outside a native plant’s geographic range margin
Authors: Benning John W. , Moeller David A.
Published: November 2020

Plant species’ distributions are often thought to overwhelmingly reflect their climatic niches. However, climate represents only a fraction of the n‐dimensional environment to which plant populations adapt, and studies are increasingly uncovering strong effects of nonclimatic factors on species’ distributions. We used a manipulative, factorial field experiment to quantify the effects of soil environment and precipitation (the putatively overriding climatic factor) on plant lifetime fitness outside the geographic range boundary of a native California annual plant. We grew plants outside the range edge in large mesocosms filled with soil from either within or outside the range, and plants were subjected to either a low (ambient) or high (supplemental) spring precipitation treatment. Soil environment had large effects on plant lifetime fitness that were similar in magnitude to the effects of precipitation. Moreover, mean fitness of plants grown with within‐range soil in the low precipitation treatment approximated that of plants grown with beyond‐range soil in the high precipitation treatment. The positive effects of within‐range soil persisted in the second, wetter year of the experiment, though the magnitude of the soil effect was smaller than in the first, drier year. These results are the first we know of to quantify the effects of edaphic variation on plant lifetime fitness outside a geographic range limit and highlight the need to include factors other than climate in models of species’ distributions.
Assessing the impact of taxon resolution on network structure
Authors: Hemprich‐Bennett David R. , Oliveira Hernani F. M. , Le Comber Steven C. , Rossiter Stephen J. , Clare Elizabeth L.
Published: November 2020

Constructing ecological networks has become an indispensable approach in understanding how different taxa interact. However, the methods used to generate data in network research vary widely among studies, potentially limiting our ability to compare results meaningfully. In particular, methods of classifying nodes vary in their precision, likely altering the architecture of the network studied. For example, rather than being classified as Linnaean species, taxa are regularly assigned to morphospecies in observational studies, or to molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in molecular studies, with the latter defined based on an arbitrary threshold of sequence similarity. Although the use of MOTUs in ecological networks holds great potential, especially for allowing rapid construction of large data sets of interactions, it is unclear how the choice of clustering threshold can influence the conclusions obtained. To test the impact of taxonomic precision on network architecture, we obtained and analyzed 16 data sets of ecological interactions, inferred from metabarcoding and observations. Our comparisons of networks constructed under a range of sequence thresholds for assigning taxa demonstrate that even small changes in node resolution can cause wide variation in almost all key metric values. Moreover, relative values of commonly used metrics such as robustness were seen to fluctuate continuously with node resolution, thereby potentially causing error in conclusions drawn when comparing multiple networks. In observational networks, we found that changing node resolution could, in some cases, lead to substantial changes to measurements of network topology. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of classifying nodes to the greatest precision possible, and demonstrate the need for caution when comparing networks that differ with respect to node resolution, even where taxonomic groups and interaction types are similar. In such cases, we recommend that comparisons of networks should focus on relative differences rather than absolute values between the networks studied.
Pervasive and persistent effects of ant invasion and fragmentation on native ant assemblages
Authors: Achury Rafael , Holway David A. , Suarez Andrew V.
Published: November 2020

Biological invasions are a leading cause of global change, yet their long‐term effects remain hard to predict. Invasive species can remain abundant for long periods of time, or exhibit population crashes that allow native communities to recover. The abundance and impact of nonnative species may also be closely tied to temporally variable habitat characteristics. We investigated the long‐term effects of habitat fragmentation and invasion by the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) by resurveying ants in 40 scrub habitat fragments in coastal southern California that were originally sampled 21 yr ago. At a landscape scale, fragment area, but not fragment age or Argentine ant mean abundance, continued to explain variation in native ant species richness; the species–area relationship between the two sample years did not differ in terms of slope or intercept. At local scales, over the last 21 yr we detected increases in the overall area invaded (+36.7%, estimated as the proportion of occupied traps) and the relative abundance of the Argentine ant (+121.95%, estimated as mean number of workers in pitfall traps). Argentine ant mean abundance also increased inward from urban edges in 2017 compared to 1996. The greater level of penetration into fragments likely reduced native ant richness by eliminating refugia for native ants in fragments that did not contain sufficient interior area. At one fragment where we sampled eight times over the last 21 yr, Argentine ant mean abundance increased over time while the diversity of native ground‐foraging ants declined from 14 to 4 species. Notably, native species predicted to be particularly sensitive to the combined effect of invasion and habitat loss were not detected at any sites in our recent sampling, including the army ant genus Neivamyrmex. Conversely, two introduced ant species (Brachymyrmex patagonicus and Pheidole flavens) that were undetected in 1996 are now common and widespread at our sites. Our results indicate that behaviorally and numerically dominant invasive species can maintain high densities and suppress native diversity for extended periods.
Digital biodiversity data sets reveal breeding phenology and its drivers in a widespread North American mammal
Authors: McLean Bryan S. , Guralnick Robert P.
Published: November 2020

Shifts in reproductive timing are among the most commonly documented responses of organisms to global climate change. However, our knowledge of these responses is biased towards taxa that are easily observable and abundant in existing biodiversity data sets. Mammals are common subjects in reproductive biology, but mammalian phenology and its drivers in the wild remain poorly understood because many species are small, secretive, or too labor‐intensive to monitor. We took an informatics‐based approach to reconstructing breeding phenology in the widespread North American deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) using individual‐level reproductive observations from digitized museum specimens and field censuses spanning >100 yr and >45 degrees of latitude. We reconstructed female phenology in different regions and tested the importance of three environmental variables (photoperiod, temperature, precipitation) as breeding cues. Photoperiod and temperature were strong positive and negative breeding cues, respectively, whereas precipitation was not a significant predictor of breeding phenology. However, phenologies and the use of environmental cues varied substantially among regions, and we found evidence that these cueing repertoires are tuned to ecosystem‐specific limiting conditions. Our results reiterate the importance of ecological context in optimizing reproduction and demonstrate how harmonization across biodiversity data resources allows new insight into phenology and its drivers in wild mammals.
Carbon Supported MoO2 Spheres Boosting Ultra‐Stable Lithium Storage with High Volumetric Density
Authors: Wang Chunli , Sun Lianshan , Tian Bingbing , Cheng Yong , Wang Limin
Published: November 2020

As important ingredients in lithium‐ion battery, the Coulombic efficiency and power density greatly impact the electrochemical performances. Although recent literatures have reported nano‐porous materials to enhance the specific capacities, intrinsic drawbacks such as poor initial Coulombic efficiency and low volumetric capacity could not be avoided. Herein, we propose a strategy to prepare carbon supported MoO2 spheres used for lithium‐ion battery with high volumetric capacity density. A high initial Coulombic efficiency of 76.5% is obtained due to limited solid electrolyte interface film formed on the exposed surface. Meantime, the sample with an optimal carbon content and a proper structural strength reveals a higher reversible capacity of 956 mA h g−1 than the theoretical capacity of crystalline MoO2 (838 mA h g−1) and a high capacity retention ratio of 96.4% after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. And an effective compaction capacity density (under 5 MPa) of 670 mA h cm−3 of the spheres proves its potential value in practical applications.
Co‐cultivation of diazotrophic terrestrial cyanobacteria and Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Strieth Dorina , Di Nonno Sarah , Stiefelmaier Judith , Kollmen Jonas , Geib Doris , Ulber Roland
Published: November 2020

Diazotrophic cyanobacteria are able to fix N2 from the atmosphere and release it as bioavailable nitrogen what other organisms can utilize. Thus, they could be used as living nitrogen supplier whereby the use of fertilizer could be reduced in agricultural industry what results in a decrease of laughing gas released during fertilizer production. The diazotroph cyanobacterium Desmonostoc muscorum (D. muscorum) was characterized in shake flasks cultivated in nitrogen‐free and nitrogen‐containing medium. Similar growth rates were reached in both cultivations and the release of ammonium by D. muscorum was detected under nitrogen depletion. Subsequently, D. muscorum was co‐cultivated with Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) in nitrogen‐free medium. Additionally, the plant was cultivated in nitrogen containing and nitrogen‐free medium without D. muscorum as reference. A co‐cultivation led to higher growth rates of the cyanobacterium and similar growth of A. thaliana with similar maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II compared to the growth of nitrogen containing medium. Further, accumulation of cyanobacterial cells around the roots of A. thaliana was detected, indicating a successfully induced artificial symbiosis. Based on these results, D. muscorum could be a promising cyanobacterium as living nitrogen supplier for plants.
Techno‐economic planning of local energy systems through optimization models: a survey of current methods
Authors: Cuisinier Etienne , Bourasseau Cyril , Ruby Alain , Lemaire Pierre , Penz Bernard
Published: November 2020

Energy system planning is a difficult task, since it involves long‐term decision‐makings with multiple dimensions: technical, economic, social, ecological, and political. The rise of distributed and multi‐energy systems including new technologies has further increased this complexity. Techno‐economic studies based on optimization models have recently received much attention in the literature. They are essential to grasp energy systems complexity and provide decision support. This work targets methodological issues related to local systems while comparing them with methods used at larger scales. First, a new framework providing a comprehensive vision of added values and limits of optimization models is presented. Then, the main methodological trends as well as several undertaken research paths are identified based on the analysis of more than 60 research papers. The review results are summarized in a complete and concise table. Finally, future research topics are discussed including the operational facets of investment optimization models in case of high intermittent energy shares, flexibility issues and long‐term operational decisions. The results provide useful information to modellers or researchers that look for appropriate and state‐of‐the‐art optimization methods, or aim to deepen current research paths. Hence, they will facilitate the planning and development of energy systems for the future.
Impacts of Neonicotinoids on the Bumble Bees Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens Examined through the Lens of an Adverse Outcome Pathway Framework
Authors: Camp Allison A. , Lehmann David M.
Published: November 2020

Bumble bees (Bombus sp.) are important pollinators for agricultural systems and natural landscapes and have faced population declines globally in recent decades. Neonicotinoid pesticides have been implicated as one of the reasons for the population reductions in bumble bees and other pollinators due to their widespread use, specificity to the invertebrate nervous system, and toxicity to bees. Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) are used to describe the mechanism of action of a toxicant through sequential levels of biological organization to understand the key events that occur for a given adverse outcome. We used the AOP framework to organize and present the current literature available on the impacts of neonicotinoids on bumble bees. The present review focuses on Bombus terrestris and B. impatiens, the 2 most commonly studied bumble bees due to their commercial availability. Our review does not seek to describe an AOP for the molecular initiating event shared by neonicotinoids, but rather aims to summarize the current literature and determine data gaps for the Bombus research community to address. Overall, we highlight a great need for additional studies, especially those examining cellular and organ responses in bumble bees exposed to neonicotinoids. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:309–322. © 2020 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Security challenges of blockchain in Internet of things: Systematic literature review
Authors: Ye Chong , Cao Wenting , Chen Shijun
Published: November 2020

Since security is the most important issue in the Internet of things (IoT) and blockchain (BC), this article aims to identify, analyze, and organize the literature about security in the IoT and BC context up to August 2020 and proposes an agenda for future research. The 39 related articles have been ranked into three main categories, smart city, data management and information, and architecture and framework. The findings showed that the distinctive technical aspects of BC might impressively find a solution for privacy and security problems encountering the IoT development, supply distributed storage, transparency, trust, and other support for IoT. It is conducted to form a valid, impressive, and secure distributed IoT network and supply a beneficial guarantee for the security of IoT users. Since the devices of IoT are simply reachable, a BC‐depended solution can be executed, which may certify the confidentiality and safety of the info preserved in the devices. In addition, BC technology facilitates the secure sharing of IoT datasets and secure IoT systems. However, blockchains require more computational strength and high bandwidth and are not perfectly proper for many resource‐restricted IoT devices.
Forecasting systemic risk in portfolio selection: The role of technical trading rules
Authors: Kouaissah Noureddine , Hocine Amin
Published: November 2020

This paper proposes and implements methods for determining whether incorporating technical trading rules accurately forecasts systemic risk and improves the performance of out‐of‐sample portfolios. The proposed methodology considers various trading rules for forecasting and addressing potential systemic risk in portfolio selection problems. The method incorporates major trading rules as early warning systems or alarm rules to detect market failure within diverse reward–risk measures. Methodologically, the alarm rules are integrated into portfolio selection strategies that predict returns using multifactor models. Therefore, the portfolio strategies combine the predictive ability of both technical trading rules and multifactor models. Empirical analyses validate the suggested approaches and evaluate the impacts of different technical trading rules on portfolio selection problems. This paper compares the ex ante sample paths of several portfolio strategies aiming to maximize portfolio wealth using either reward–risk or drawdown‐based performance measures. The results show that the proposed methodologies outperform the classic approach in terms of out‐of‐sample performance.
Evaluation of opioid prescription patterns among patients undergoing thyroid surgery
Authors: McCrary Hilary C. , Newberry Christopher I. , Casazza Geoffrey C. , Cannon Richard B. , Ramirez Alexander L. , Meier Jeremy D.
Published: November 2020

Background

There is variability in opioid prescription patterns among surgeons performing thyroidectomy. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate opioid prescription rates and opioid use among hemithyroidectomy (HT) and total thyroidectomy (TT) patients.

Design/Method

An electronic postoperative survey was distributed to assess opiate use among patients undergoing HT/TT. Groups were compared using t‐tests, chi‐square tests, and analysis of variance.

Results

A total of 142 opiate naïve patients were included, of which 75 (52.8%) underwent HT and 67 (47.1%) underwent TT. The mean number of tablets prescribed was 21.3 (HT = 22.1, TT = 20.4; P = 0.3), with a mean of 14.1 tablets unused after surgery (HT = 13.2 tablets, TT = 15.0 tablets; P = 0.44). The mean morphine milligram equivalent (MME) prescribed was 150.1 mg (HT = 159.0 mg, TT = 140.2 mg; P = 0.3), with a mean of 98.2 MME unused after surgery (HT = 93.7 mg, TT = 103.2 mg; P = 0.6).

Conclusions

Opioids are overprescribed after thyroid surgery. Avoidance of overprescribing is vital in mitigating the current opioid crisis.
A job rotation‐scheduling model for blue‐collar employees' hand–arm vibration levels in manufacturing firms
Authors: Adem Aylin , Dağdeviren Metin
Published: November 2020

Job rotation schedules are generally conducted without considering hand–arm vibration (HAV) exposure especially in manufacturing firms, such as heavy industry, which confront ergonomic risks easily. This does not create any occupational health and safety (OHS) issues in the short term; however, certain occupational diseases such as the white finger disease are inevitable in the long‐term. This paper investigates how the risks of developing HAV‐related occupational diseases can be minimized by producing optimal job rotation schedules using ergonomic mathematical models. In the proposed models, both ergonomic and traditional aspects of manufacturing environments are considered. Moreover, the skill level and workers' day off preferences are also considered for total system efficiency. The mixed‐integer programming approach is used to formulate the models. The applicability of the models is tested using real‐world data. It is seen that the total assignment cost of the models increases when the ergonomic aims are included in the models. Thus, there is a conflicting relationship between economic and ergonomic aims. The main findings of the models show that the employees' HAV exposure level can be kept under control with one simple constraint. By employing these models, employees and employers can be protected in terms of not only OHS but also economic issues.
In Quest of Environmentally Stable Perovskite Solar Cells: A Perspective
Authors: Spanopoulos Ioannis , Ke Weijun , Kanatzidis Mercouri G.
Published: November 2020

Inorganic‐organic halide perovskites pose a once‐in‐a‐generation opportunity to revolutionize photovoltaic technology as they are excellent semiconductor candidates with a combination of many desirable attributes. Specifically, halide perovskite solar cells with extremely high device efficiency are easily fabricated and present great promise for commercialization in the near future. However, their non‐ideal environmental stability under real operating conditions can limit their further development. Both the academic and industrial research communities have been devoting considerable effort to overcome this critical deficiency through material and device engineering. Significant progress has been reported in this direction, and in this perspective, we review the recent strategies that promise to improve solar cell stability focusing on two interwoven topics. The first one is the development of environmentally stable semiconductor materials, while the second one is dedicated to the reported progress in improving solar cell device stability. Although, the currently adopted methods have not resolved the above problems, yet they build a foundation of principles for future advances to overcome them. In this regard, we believe commercial perovskite‐related photovoltaics might indeed be on the horizon, not only replacing the currently commercially available ones, but also improving them.
Clinical characteristics of primary Fallopian tube carcinoma: A single‐institution retrospective study of 57 cases
Authors: Ma Zhihua , Gao Li , Li Han , Li Jie , Zhang Guanjun , Xue Yan
Published: November 2020

Objective

To analyze the clinical profile and prognosis of primary Fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) in order to improve earlier diagnosis.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 57 women with PFTC were assessed from 2006 to 2016. Pathology, clinical index, recurrence, and survival were analyzed.

Results

Mean age was 57.35 ± 9.01 years, and 73% (19/26) of the patients with early‐stage PFTC (I/II) were aged less than 60 years. Of patients who presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding, 75% (9/12) were at an early stage and their condition was often misdiagnosed as endometrial carcinoma preoperatively. In patients with Stages I/II and Stages III/IV PFTC, 59.09% (13/22) and 96.43% (27/28), respectively, had adnexal masses on color Doppler ultrasonography. The 5‐year overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival rates were 69.23% and 44.23%, respectively, and univariate analysis showed that tumor stage and residual tumor size significantly affected the two survival rates.

Conclusion

Primary Fallopian tube cancer is more likely to be misdiagnosed in patients aged less than 60 years or those presenting with vaginal bleeding at the premenopausal stage. Magnetic resonance imaging, cervical smear, and endometrial brush may be helpful for early PFTC diagnosis. Satisfactory cytoreductive surgery is critical because tumor stage and residual tumor size are significantly associated with the OS rate.
Cold atmospheric plasma applications in dermatology: A systematic review
Authors: Gan Lu , Jiang Jian , Duan Jiang Wei , Wu Xue Jing Zi , Zhang Song , Duan Xiao Ru , Song Ji Quan , Chen Hong Xiang
Published: November 2020

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) applications can potentially lead to effective therapy for numerous skin diseases. Our aim is to systematically review the available data and map the use of CAP in dermatology. PubMed, Embase and Web of science were explored before 2020 for studies regarding the use of CAP in dermatology. A total of 166 studies were finally included. 74.1% of these studies used indirect CAP sources. Most studies used plasma jet (67.5%). Argon was the mostly used working gas (48.2%). Plasma application itself could be direct (89.2%) and indirect (16.3%). The proportion of studies with in vivo results remained 57.2%, of which most concerned direct plasma treatment (97.9%). Analyses performed indicate that CAP has been beneficial in many skin disorders. While, most CAP applications were focused on wound healing and melanoma treatment. This study provides a brief overview of CAP sources and relative medical applications in dermatology.
Long noncoding RNA H19 act as a competing endogenous RNA of Let‐7g to facilitate IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation via regulating EGF
Authors: Li Cuijie , Li Ye , Zhuang Mengmeng , Zhu Bo , Zhang Wenwen , Yan Hao , Zhang Pan , Li Dan , Yang Juan , Sun Yuan , Cui Qingwei , Chen Haijun , Jin Peisheng , Xia Zhaofan , Sun Yong
Published: November 2020

Intestinal mucosal injury is one of the most significant complications of burns. In our previous study, it was found that autophagy could alleviate burn‐induced intestinal injury, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Irregular expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is present in many diseases, including burns. However, the relationship between lncRNAs and intestinal mucosal injury requires further elucidation. In this study, we established a burn mice model and detected the expression level of autophagy‐related proteins. Then, H19 content after autophagy intervention was tested in vitro and in vivo. The interaction of H19 with Let‐7g and that of Let‐7g with epidermal growth factor (EGF) were verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assays. We found that the expression of the autophagy‐associated proteins LC3‐II and Beclin‐1 was raised in the intestinal tract of the burn mice model. Similarly, the transfection of H19 raised autophagy levels. H19 was elevated after autophagy intervention in vitro and in vivo. H19 overexpression was able to promote IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation. Let‐7g was suppressed by the overexpression of H19 and the combination of Let‐7g mimic was able to abolish the physiological effect of H19. Moreover, the suppression of Let‐7g increased the expression of EGF protein, which heightened IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation. Besides this, dual‐luciferase assays revealed that Let‐7g was a direct target of H19 as well as the EGF gene. Taken together, autophagy‐mediated H19 increases in mouse intestinal tract after severe burn and functions as a sponge to Let‐7g to regulate EGF, which suggests that H19 serves as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for intestinal mucosal injury after burns.
Celastrol acts synergistically with afatinib to suppress non‐small cell lung cancer cell proliferation by inducing paraptosis
Authors: Dai Chun‐Hau , Zhu Li‐Rong , Wang Yi , Tang Xing‐Ping , Du Yong‐Jie , Chen Yong‐Chang , Li Jian
Published: November 2020

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with wild‐type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is intrinsic resistance to EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as afatinib. Celastrol, a natural compound with antitumor activity, was reported to induce paraptosis in cancer cells. In this study, intrinsic EGFR‐TKI‐resistant NSCLC cell lines H23 (EGFR wild‐type and KRAS mutation) and H292 (EGFR wild‐type and overexpression) were used to test whether celastrol could overcome primary afatinib resistance through paraptosis induction. The synergistic effect of celastrol and afatinib on survival inhibition of the NSCLC cells was evaluated by CCK‐8 assay and isobologram analysis. The paraptosis and its modulation were assessed by light and electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence. Xenografts models were established to investigate the inhibitory effect of celastrol plus afatinib on the growth of the NSCLC tumors in vivo. Results showed that celastrol acted synergistically with afatinib to suppress the survival of H23 and H292 cells by inducing paraptosis characterized by extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation. This process was independent of apoptosis and not associated with autophagy induction. Afatinib plus celastrol‐induced cytoplasmic vacuolation was preceded by endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response. Accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial Ca2+ overload may be initiating factors of celastrol/afatinib‐induced paraptosis and subsequent cell death. Furthermore, Celastrol and afatinib synergistically suppressed the growth of H23 cell xenograft tumors in vivo. The data indicate that a combination of afatinib and celastrol may be a promising therapeutic strategy to surmount intrinsic afatinib resistance in NSCLC cells.
Attaining interprofessional competencies by connecting oral health to overall health
Authors: Haber Judith , Hartnett Erin , Cipollina Jessamin , Allen Kenneth , Crowe Ruth , Roitman Janna , Feldman Lauren , Fletcher Jason , Ng Grace
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an annual oral‐systemic health interprofessional education (IPE) clinical simulation and case study experience with nurse practitioner/midwifery (NP/MW), dental (DDS), medical (MD), and pharmacy (PharmD) students.

Methods

The Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale (ICCAS) was used to measure students’ self‐reported attainment of interprofessional competencies before and after the IPE experience. Pre‐ and post‐test surveys were completed by NP/MW, DDS, MD, and PharmD student cohorts from 2017 to 2019. Students also had the opportunity to provide qualitative feedback about their experience at post‐test. Data were collected from IPE faculty facilitators to assess their perception of the value of the Teaching Oral‐Systemic Health (TOSH) program.

Results

Student ICCAS results demonstrated statistically significant improvement in self‐reported interprofessional competencies among all types of students across all 3 years (P < 0.001); qualitative student comments reflected positive experiences with the TOSH program. Survey data from IPE faculty facilitators supported the value of the IPE experience for all students.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the TOSH program in using oral‐systemic health as a clinical exemplar to develop interprofessional competencies. The 2017–2019 data reinforce the credibility of scaling the TOSH model for developing interprofessional competencies with students from different health professions.
Evaluation of seven commercial RT‐PCR kits for COVID‐19 testing in pooled clinical specimens
Authors: Garg Atul , Ghoshal Ujjala , Patel Sangram S. , Singh D. V. , Arya Akshay K. , Vasanth Shruthi , Pandey Ankita , Srivastava Nikki
Published: November 2020

There are more than 350 real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) testing kits commercially available but these kits have not been evaluated for pooled sample testing. Thus, this study was planned to compare and evaluate seven commercially available kits for pooled samples testing. Diagnostic accuracy of (1) TRUPCR SARS‐CoV‐2 Kit (Black Bio), (2) TaqPath RT‐PCR COVID‐19 Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific), (3) Allplex 2019‐nCOV Assay (Seegene), (4) Patho detect COVID‐19 PCR kit (My Lab), (5) LabGun COVID‐19 RT‐PCR Kit (Lab Genomics, Korea), (6) Fosun COVID‐19 RT‐PCR detection kit (Fosun Ltd.), (7) Real‐time Fluorescent RT‐PCR kit for SARS CoV‐2 (BGI) was evaluated on precharacterised 40 positive and 10 negative COVID‐19 sample pools. All seven kits detected all sample pools with low Ct values (<30); while testing weak positive pooled samples with high Ct value (>30); the TRUPCR Kit, TaqPath Kit, Allplex Assay, and BGI RT‐PCR kit showed 100% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. However, the Fosun kit, LabGun Kit, and Patho detect kit could detect only 90%, 85%, and 75% of weakly positive samples, respectively. We conclude that all seven commercially available RT‐PCR kits included in this study can be used for routine molecular diagnosis of COVID‐19. However, regarding performing pooled sample testing, it might be advisable to use those kits that performed best regarding positive identification in samples' pool, that is TRUPCR SARS‐CoV‐2 Kit, TaqPath RT‐PCR COVID‐19 Kit, Allplex 2019‐nCOV Assay, and BGI Real‐time RT‐PCR kit for detecting SARS CoV‐2.
Viscosity Reduction of Indian Heavy Crude Oil by Emulsification to O/W Emulsion Using Polysorbate‐81
Authors: Vegad Girish D. , Jana Arun Kumar
Published: November 2020

Pipeline transportation is the most convenient means of transportation of crude oil continuously and economically from production site to refinery. However, transportation of heavy crude oil (HCO) through pipelines is difficult due to its high viscosity. The high viscosity of heavy crude oil is mainly due to the presence of poly‐aromatic compounds like resins and asphaltenes. Emulsification of HCO using surfactant is believed to be the most favorable technique to reduce the viscosity of HCO for efficient pipeline transport. In the present study, oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsion has been formulated using a non‐ionic surfactant Polyoxyethylene (5) sorbitan monooleate (PS‐81) at different pH, surfactant concentration, and oil content. Box–Behnken response surface method has been used to optimize two responses, apparent viscosity and emulsion stability index (ESI). The optimal values of the parameters found are 75%v/v oil content, 2.5%w/v surfactant concentration, and pH value of 7 at which experimental value of emulsion viscosity is 0.2162 Pa·s, at 150 RPM, with a reduction of viscosity by 95.8% and having ESI of 98.16 after 24 h at 30°C.
Effect of Momordica saponin‑ and Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide‐enriched beverages on oxidative stress and fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Lin Chunxiu , Lin Yizi , Xiao Jie , Lan Yaqi , Cao Yong , Chen Yunjiao
Published: November 2020

BACKGROUND

As an edible and medicinal herb in Chinese folk medicine, Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja leaves are traditionally widely used in the treatment of metabolic disorders. The vegetable Momordica charantia L. has been consumed worldwide for thousands of years as a traditional drug due to its activities against obesity and diabetes. In view of the therapeutic value of Momordica saponins (MSs) and C. paliurus polysaccharides (CPPs), an independently developed MSs‑ and CPPs‐containing beverage (MC) was evaluated for its efficacy in controlling oxidative stress and obesity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

RESULTS

First, we found that MC could promote the nuclear localization of DAF‐16 and the translation of SOD‐3. Further exploring its antioxidant properties, the oxidative stress by‐products reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and nonesterified fatty acids were significantly inhibited in C. elegans. Moreover, damage due to diseases related to oxidative stress (age pigments and neurodegenerative diseases) was alleviated. Furthermore, fat accumulation was significantly reduced in normal and high‐fat models. Finally, the lipid‐lowering effects of MC might involve reductions in the size and number of lipid droplets without impairing basic physiological functions in C. elegans.

CONCLUSION

These results provide promising data indicating MC as an innovative health beverage for the pharmacological management of oxidative stress and obesity. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
The Effect of Dupilumab on Intractable Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps in Japan
Authors: Fujieda Shigeharu , Matsune Shoji , Takeno Sachio , Asako Mikiya , Takeuchi Makiko , Fujita Hiroyuki , Takahashi Yoshinori , Amin Nikhil , Deniz Yamo , Rowe Paul , Mannent Leda
Published: November 2020

Objectives/Hypothesis

Dupilumab, which blocks the shared receptor component for interleukin‐4 and interleukin‐13, reduced polyp size, sinus opacification, and symptom severity, and was well tolerated in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the SINUS‐52 study (NCT02898454). We assessed dupilumab in patients enrolled at Japanese centers.

Methods

Patients on a background of mometasone furoate nasal spray, received dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks (q2w) for 52 weeks (Arm A); dupilumab 300 mg q2w for 24 weeks, followed by every 4 weeks (q4w) for 28 weeks (Arm B); or placebo (Arm C). Co‐primary endpoints were week 24 nasal polyp score (NPS), nasal congestion (NC) score, and sinus Lund–Mackay CT (LMK‐CT) scores. Symptoms, sense of smell, health‐related quality of life, and safety were assessed during the 52‐week treatment period.

Results

Of 49 patients enrolled in Japan, 45 completed the study. Week 24 least squares (LS) mean improvement versus placebo were as follows: NPS (Arm A: −3.1, P < .0001; Arm B: −2.1, P = .0011); NC score (Arm A: −1.2, P < .0001; Arm B: −0.9, P < .0001); and LMK‐CT (Arm A: −5.1, P = .0005; Arm B: −2.8, P = .0425). The most common treatment‐emergent adverse event in dupilumab and placebo‐treated patients was nasopharyngitis.

Conclusion

Dupilumab provided rapid, significant, and clinically meaningful improvements for patients with CRSwNP in Japan. Dupilumab was well tolerated, and safety and efficacy were consistent with the overall study population.

Level of Evidence

2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1770–E1777, 2021
Electrodeposition of B, Ni co‐doped diamond‐like carbon films on AZ91D magnesium alloy: Corrosion and wear resistance
Authors: Ma Min , Sun Wan‐Chang , Dong Ya‐Ru , Zhang Ya‐Gang , Liu Yu‐Wan , Tian Sha‐Sha , Xiao Yan
Published: November 2020

Diamond‐like carbon (DLC) possesses brilliant and excellent properties, including excellent corrosion resistance as well as outstanding wear resistance. Ni and B co‐doped DLC films were deposited on AZ91D magnesium alloy by electrodeposition under mild conditions (300 V and 25°C). Uniform and dense morphology of co‐doped DLC films were observed, and Ni and B were uniformly incorporated into the carbon‐based films. Among all the electrodeposits, the appearance of D and G peaks near 1330 and 1570 cm−1 revealed that the as‐deposited films were typical DLC films. As the addition of Ni was increased to 0.05 g, the highest microindentation hardness, the lowest friction coefficient, and wear loss were achieved to be 164.5 HV, 0.3, and 0.6 × 10−5 kg/m, respectively. The amorphous carbon films fabricated at 0.05 g Ni had the lowest corrosion current density and the most positive corrosion potential, which was mainly due to the small and dense granular structure effectively hindering the penetration of corrosion media.
Hydrophilic (AB)n Segmented Copolymers for Melt Extrusion‐Based Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Mechau Jannik , Frank Andreas , Bakirci Ezgi , Gumbel Simon , Jungst Tomasz , Giesa Reiner , Groll Jürgen , Dalton Paul D. , Schmidt Hans‐Werner
Published: November 2020

Several manufacturing technologies beneficially involve processing from the melt, including extrusion‐based printing, electrospinning, and electrohydrodynamic jetting. In this study, (AB)n segmented copolymers are tailored for melt‐processing to form physically crosslinked hydrogels after swelling. The copolymers are composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)‐based segments and hydrophobic bisurea segments, which form physical crosslinks via hydrogen bonds. The degree of polymerization was adjusted to match the melt viscosity to the different melt‐processing techniques. Using extrusion‐based printing, a width of approximately 260 µm is printed into 3D constructs, with excellent interlayer bonding at fiber junctions, due to hydrogen bonding between the layers. For melt electrospinning, much thinner fibers in the range of about 1–15 µm are obtained and produced in a typical nonwoven morphology. With melt electrowriting, fibers are deposited in a controlled way to well‐defined 3D constructs. In this case, multiple fiber layers fuse together enabling constructs with line width in the range of 70 to 160 µm. If exposed to water the printed constructs swell and form physically crosslinked hydrogels that slowly disintegrate, which is a feature for soluble inks within biofabrication strategies. In this context, cytotoxicity tests confirm the viability of cells and thus demonstrating biocompatibility of this class of copolymers.
Rate‐Limited Reaction in TEMPO/Laccase/O2 Oxidation of Cellulose
Authors: Jiang Jie , Chen Huangjingyi , Yu Juan , Liu Liang , Fan Yimin , Saito Tsuguyuki , Isogai Akira
Published: November 2020

The environment‐friendly oxidation of cellulose by the 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO)/laccase/O2 system is an alternative route with huge potential to prepare cellulose nanofibers. It is found that the concentration of TEMPO significantly affects the oxidation efficiency. An effective method for improving the oxidation effect is to increase the TEMPO concentration and prolong the oxidation time. To clarify the rate‐limited step of TEMPO/laccase/O2 oxidation of cellulose, the academically accepted oxidation process is divided into individual pathways. A series of experiments is conducted with laccase and the three forms of organocatalyst (TEMPO, oxoammonium (TEMPO+), and hydroxylamine (TEMPOH)) to simulate individual reactions and calculate the reaction rates. The concentrations of TEMPO and oxoammonium are monitored by EPR spectroscopy. The oxidation rate of TEMPO by laccase varies at different pH conditions, and laccase activity is much higher at pH 4.5. Other reactions without laccase involved express a higher reaction rate when the pH value increased. TEMPO is mainly regenerated through a comproportionation reaction between oxoammonium and hydroxylamine. The acceleration of TEMPO regeneration by laccase is not obvious. The results indicate that the rate‐limited reaction in TEMPO/laccase/O2 oxidation is cellulose oxidation by TEMPO+.
Cine and late gadolinium enhancement MRI registration and automated myocardial infarct heterogeneity quantification
Authors: Guo Fumin , Krahn Philippa R. P. , Escartin Terenz , Roifman Idan , Wright Graham
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To develop an approach for automated quantification of myocardial infarct heterogeneity in late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI.

Methods

We acquired 2D short‐axis cine and 3D LGE in 10 pigs with myocardial infarct. The 2D cine myocardium was segmented and registered to the LGE images. LGE image signal intensities within the warped cine myocardium masks were analyzed to determine the thresholds of infarct core (IC) and gray zone (GZ) for the standard‐deviation (SD) and full‐width‐at‐halfmaximum (FWHM) methods. The initial IC, GZ, and IC + GZ segmentations were postprocessed using a normalized cut approach. Cine segmentation and cine‐LGE registration accuracies were evaluated using dice similarity coefficient and average symmetric surface distance. Automated IC, GZ, and IC + GZ volumes were compared with manual results using Pearson correlation coefficient (r), Bland‐Altman analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results

For n = 87 slices containing scar, we achieved cine segmentation dice similarity coefficient = 0.87 ± 0.12, average symmetric surface distance = 0.94 ± 0.74 mm (epicardium), and 1.03 ± 0.82 mm (endocardium) in the scar region. For cine‐LGE registration, dice similarity coefficient was 0.90 ± 0.06 and average symmetric surface distance was 0.72 ± 0.39 mm (epicardium) and 0.86 ± 0.53 mm (endocardium) in the scar region. For both SD and FWHM methods, automated IC, GZ, and IC + GZ volumes were strongly (r > 0.70) correlated with manual measurements, and the correlations were not significantly different from interobserver correlations (P > .05). The agreement between automated and manual scar volumes (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.85‐0.96) was similar to that between two observers (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.81‐0.99); automated scar segmentation errors were not significantly different from interobserver segmentation differences (P > .05).

Conclusions

Our approach provides fully automated cine‐LGE MRI registration and LGE myocardial infarct heterogeneity quantification in preclinical studies.