bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudoachondroplasia: Phenotype and genotype in 11 Indian patients
Authors: Jacob Prince , Bhavani Gandham Sri Lakshmi , Shah Hitesh , Galada Chelna , Nampoothiri Sheela , Kamath Nutan , Phadke Shubha R. , Muranjan Mamta , Datar Chaitanya A. , Shukla Anju , Girisha Katta M.
Published: November 2021

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by rhizomelic short‐limbed skeletal dysplasia. The primary clinical and radiographic features include disproportionate dwarfism, joint laxity and hyperextensibility, exaggerated lumbar lordosis, and late ossification of the epiphyses. Identification of disease‐causing variants in heterozygous state in COMP establishes the molecular diagnosis of PSACH. We examined 11 families with clinical features suggestive of PSACH. In nine families, we used Sanger sequencing of exons 8–19 of COMP (NM_000095.2) and in two families exome sequencing was used for confirming the diagnosis. We identified 10 de novo variants, including five known variants (c.925G>A, c.976G>A, c.1201G>T, c.1417_1419del, and c.1511G>A) and five variants (c.874T>C, c.1201G>C, c.1309G>A, c.1416_1421delCGACAA, and c.1445A>T) which are not reported outside Indian ethnicity. We hereby report the largest series of individuals with molecular diagnosis of PSACH from India and reiterate the well‐known genotype–phenotype corelation in PSACH.
Halo Properties in Helium Nuclei from the Perspective of Geometrical Thermodynamics
Authors: Parker Michael C. , Jeynes Chris , Catford Wilton N.
Published: November 2021

The nuclear matter and charge radii of the helium isotopes (A=4,6,8) are calculated by quantitative geometrical thermodynamics (QGT) taking as input the symmetry of the alpha‐particle, the very weak binding (and hence halo nature) of the heavier helium isotopes, and a characteristic length scale given by the proton size. The results follow by considering each isotope in its ground state, with QGT representing each system as a maximum entropy configuration that conforms to the Holographic Principle. This allows key geometric parameters to be determined from the number of degrees of freedom available. QGT treats 6He as a 4He core plus a concentric neutron shell comprising a holomorphic pair of neutrons, and the 8He neutron halo is treated as a holomorphic pair of holomorphic pairs. Considering that the information content of each system allows a correlation angle of 2π/3 between the holomorphic entities to be inferred, then the charge radii of the three isotopes can be calculated from the displacement of the 4He core from the center of mass. The calculations for the charge and matter radii of 4,6,8He agree closely with observed values. Similar QGT calculation of the sizes of the self‐conjugate A=4n nuclei {4He,8Be,12C,16O,20Ne,24Mg,28Si,32S,36Ar,40Ca} also agree well with experiment.
Highly Durable and Fully Dispersed Cobalt Diatomic Site Catalysts for CO2 Photoreduction to CH4
Authors: Wang Jinming , Kim Eunhyo , Kumar Dharani Praveen , Rangappa Akkammagari Putta , Kim Yujin , Zhang Yuexing , Kim Tae Kyu
Published: November 2021

Dual‐atom‐site catalysts (DACs) have emerged as a new frontier in heterogeneous catalysis because the synergistic effect between adjacent metal atoms can promote their catalytic activity while maintaining the advantages of single‐atom‐site catalysts, such as almost 100 % atomic efficiency and excellent hydrocarbon selectivity. In this study, cobalt‐based atom site catalysts with a Co2–N coordination structure were synthesized and used for photodriven CO2 reduction. The resulting CoDAC containing 3.5 % Co atoms demonstrated a superior atom ratio for CO2 reduction catalytic performance, with 65.0 % CH4 selectivity, which far exceeds that of cobalt‐based single‐atom‐site catalysts (CoSACs). The intrinsic reason for the superior activity of CoDACs is the excellent adsorption strength of CO2 and CO* intermediates at dimeric Co active sites.
What defines a compact symmetric object? A carefully vetted sample of compact symmetric objects
Authors: Readhead Anthony C. S. , Kiehlmann Sebastian , Lister Matthew L. , O'Neill Sandra , Pearson Timothy J. , Sheldahl Evan , Siemiginowska Aneta , Taylor Gregory B. , Wilkinson Peter N.
Published: November 2021

Compact symmetric objects (CSOs), young jetted‐active galactic nuclei of overall projected size <1 kpc, are of great interest due to their youth and evolution. The classification was introduced to distinguish between ∼95% of powerful compact extragalactic radio sources in flux density limited samples that are dominated by asymmetric emission due to relativistic beaming from jets aligned close to the line of sight and ∼5% of objects that are not. The original classification criteria were (a) overall projected diameter smaller than 1 kpc, (b) identified center of activity, and (c) symmetric jet structure about the center. There is confusion and erosion of the value of the CSO classification due to misclassifications. Many jets contain compact bright features outside the core, resulting in a gigahertz peaked spectrum total spectrum and a “compact double” appearance, and some objects with jet axes aligned close to the line of sight appear symmetric because the approaching jet is projected on both sides of the core. To eliminate the confusion, we propose adding (d) slow radio variability and (e) low apparent velocity of bright features moving along the jets to the above CSO criteria. We are compiling a catalog of CSOs using these five criteria to eliminate the confusion of Doppler boosting.
CO kinematics unveil outflows plausibly driven by a young jet in the gigahertz peaked radio core of NGC 6328
Authors: Papachristou Michalis , Dasyra Kalliopi M. , Fernández‐Ontiveros Juan A. , Audibert Anelise , Ruffa Ilaria , Combes Francoise
Published: November 2021

We report the detection of outflowing molecular gas in the center of the nearby (z = 0.014) massive radio galaxy NGC 6328. The radio core of the galaxy, PKS B1718‐649, is identified as a gigahertz peaked spectrum source with a compact (2 pc) double radio lobe morphology. We used ALMA CO(2–1) and CO(3–2) observations at 100 pc resolution to study the gas kinematics up to from the galaxy center. While the bulk of the molecular gas is settled in a highly warped disk, in the inner 300 pc of the disk and along with the orientation of the radio jet, we identified high‐excitation and high‐velocity gas that cannot be attributed to any regular kinematic component based on our detailed 3D modeling of the ALMA data. The high‐velocity dispersion in the gas also suggests that it is not part of an inflowing, shredding structure. These results suggest the presence of a molecular outflow of 3–8 solar masses per year. The outflow possibly originated from the interaction of the jet with the dense interstellar medium, even though the radio emission is detected closer to the center than the outflow. In this sense, this source resembles NGC 1377, 4C31.04, and ESO 420‐G13, in which the outflows are linked to faint or past jet activity.
The Currently Acceptable but Overly Narrow View of Workplace Diversity
Authors: Lenkov Patricia
Published: November 2021

Patricia Lenkov is the founder and president of Agility Executive Search, a New York‐based firm that specializes in corporate board and senior level executive search. She is the author of the new book Time's Up: Why Boards Need to Get Diverse Now. In this article, she discusses the current view of diversity and why it is insufficient for today's workplace.
Referral and adjuvant treatment patterns after nephrectomy in high‐risk locoregional renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Dzimitrowicz Hannah , Esterberg Elizabeth , Miles LaStella , Zanotti Giovanni , Borham Azah , Harrison Michael R.
Published: November 2021

Background

It is unclear whether patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are routinely assessed for recurrence risk post‐nephrectomy and whether patients at high recurrence risk are seen by providers who can evaluate candidacy for adjuvant systemic therapy (AST) and clinical trials.

Materials and Methods

We identified all patients with locoregional RCC who underwent nephrectomy via an institutional database within Duke University Health System between 1 April 2015 and 31 December 2019. Medical records were reviewed to identify patient characteristics, post‐nephrectomy referrals, treatment, and follow‐up. Patients with tumor stage ≥3 and grade ≥2, regional lymph node metastasis, or both, were classified as high recurrence risk.

Results

Of 618 patients with locoregional RCC who underwent nephrectomy, 136 (22%) had high recurrence risk. Of those, 25 patients with high‐risk disease (18%) were referred to medical oncology for discussion of AST; 23 (92%) of these referrals took place in 2018–2019. One patient received adjuvant sunitinib and two patients participated in adjuvant immunotherapy trials. The decision not to receive AST was primarily made by the oncologist in 10 (46%), the patient in 8 (36%), and unrecorded in 4 (18%) of 22 cases, for multiple reasons. Individual surgeons referred high‐risk patients for discussion of AST with varying frequency, ranging from 0% to 100% in 2019.

Conclusions

Despite increasing number of patients with locoregional RCC at high recurrence risk referred to medical oncologists after nephrectomy, few patients received AST, including participation in clinical trials. With increasing AST options and ongoing clinical trials in this space, these findings highlight the need for continued efforts at identifying effective AST and referring patients most likely to benefit to medical oncologists.

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04309617.
Auf wiedersehen coronary stenosis? Not so fast mein Herr
Authors: Wani Omar , Butman Samuel M.
Published: November 2021

Key Points

The present analysis is a real‐world angiographic data report on EES‐implantation for the treatment of ISR.

The report demonstrates comparable results to randomized prospective trials regarding the efficacy of treating ISR with EES.

Real world analyses, while not as definitive as prospective trials, are nonetheless reassuring given a typically more diverse and inclusive cohort.

Treatment with a drug‐eluting stent for ISR remains the first treatment of choice, for now, at least.
Oral anticoagulants for coronary artery aneurysm: For few or for all?
Authors: Gupta Ankush , Seth Ashok
Published: November 2021

Key Points

The management of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) by medical treatment, percutaneous coronary intervention, or surgery remains arbitrary due to lack of large case series or trials.

The “Coronary Artery Aneurysm Registry” represents the largest database and demonstrates decreased cardiac event rates with non‐significant increase in bleeding risk at intermediate term follow up by warfarin treatment.

This strengthens the case for medical management of CAA and provides the basis for future follow‐up studies.
Coronary artery access after aortic valve intervention
Authors: Bagur Rodrigo , Jneid Hani
Published: November 2021

Key Points

Patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may require a coronary angiogram in about 3% of cases at 1 year, but this rate increases to 16% at 4.5 years of follow‐up.

However, among TAVI patients who undergo pre‐procedural percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary angiogram is usually performed in 9% of cases at 1 year and this rate increases to 28% at 4.5 years of follow‐up.

Whenever possible, commissural alignment techniques should be implemented during TAVI to facilitate future coronary artery access.
Isolated tuberculosis liver abscess in an immunocompetent patient
Authors: Sallam Yazan M. , Gasim Ramsey , Kloub Mohammad N. , Qassem Nabeel Mohammad
Published: November 2021

Isolated TLA is an extremely rare condition, but should always be considered in a patient presented with liver abscess, especially from an endemic area. Diagnosis depends on histological identification, with treatment being quadruple therapy.
LWMPI: An MPI library for NoC‐based lightweight manycore processors with on‐chip memory constraints
Authors: Fellipe Uller João , Vicente Souto João , Henrique Penna Pedro , Castro Márcio , Freitas Henrique , Méhaut Jean‐François
Published: November 2021

Lightweight manycore processors deliver high performance and energy efficiency by bundling hundreds of low‐power cores, a distributed memory architecture with small local memories and Networks‐on‐Chip in a single die. However, the lack of rich and portable programming models for these processors makes software development a challenging task. Currently, two approaches are employed to address programmability in lightweight manycores: Operating Systems (OSes) and baremetal runtime libraries. The former provides portability but exposes complex Operating System (OS)‐level programming interfaces to developers. The latter focuses on providing rich and high performance interfaces, which are vendor‐specific and yield to non‐portable software. In this work, we address these programmability and portability challenges by combining a rich OS with a well‐known standard for parallel programming. We propose a portable and lightweight Message Passing Interface (MPI) library (LWMPI) designed from scratch to cope with restrictions and intricacies of lightweight manycores. We integrated LWMPI into Nanvix, an open‐source distributed OS that runs on silicon lightweight manycores. The results obtained with a synthetic benchmark and a subset of the CAP Bench applications running on Kalray MPPA‐256 unveil that LWMPI not only delivers a lightweight and richer programming interface but also presents good performance and scalability results.
SBHA: An undetectable black hole attack on UANET in the sky
Authors: Xiong Runqun , Xiong Lan , Shan Feng , Luo Junzhou
Published: November 2021

With their high flexibility and versatility, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have maneuvered their way into many applications. Thanks to their ability to plan and coordinate, multiple UAVs complete tasks more effectively, which boosts their popularity in battlefield surveys, formation performances, and targeted searches. However, the risk of security threats also rises alongside their popularity. The UAV ad hoc network (UANET) has endeavored to contend with such risks through the optimized link state routing (OLSR) protocol. To test the security and strength of this effort, we present a sky black hole attack (SBHA) algorithm for OLSR, which is undetectable, based on the UANET's multi‐hop routing and the OLSR's known topology. This algorithm obtains the network's maximum profits by approaching and then replacing the calculated topology center and traffic center in UANET. Because of the ever‐changing topology, SBHA aims at UANET's single central node that cannot be detected in advance. This attack is difficult to detect by UANET and therefore difficult to defend. The simulation results show that SBHA can cause greater damage to UANET compared to a traditional black hole attack, and ordinary defense algorithms cannot reduce the negative impact of SBHA on UANET. In addition, SBHA also gains UANET control, and leads to drastic changes in UAVs' movement trajectory, which has more intuitive effects.
An efficient approach for detecting anomalous events in real‐time weather datasets
Authors: Arora Shruti , Rani Rinkle , Saxena Nitin
Published: November 2021

Event detection in real‐time is applied in diverse domains such as detection of fraudulent activities in commercial transactions, detection of faulty systems in industries, and so forth. Businesses and organizations benefit from the actionable information obtained through various techniques available for anomalous event detection. Real‐time event detection is nowadays handled through streaming data frameworks. Traditional approaches effectively handle event detection in real‐time but with more false positives, thus, resulting in false alarms. In this article, an efficient approach comprising two components, an offline model and an online event detection pipeline, is proposed to achieve minimum mean absolute error (MAE). An offline module is developed to investigate a variety of deep learning models that prove suitable for event detection in real‐time. The experiments conducted with PubNub sensors datasets demonstrate that the long short‐term memory unit of recurrent neural networks is the best suitable model for anomalous event detection. The online pipeline module is built using streaming data frameworks to predict the abnormal peaks. It is revealed through the experimental results that the proposed approach efficiently detects anomalous events in real‐time and also eliminates false positives.
Vernalization requirements of Kernza intermediate wheatgrass
Authors: Locatelli Andrés , Gutierrez Lucia , Picasso Risso Valentin D.
Published: November 2021

Intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey], bred for high grain yield, has become the first perennial grain in North America and is commercialized under the tradename Kernza. The expansion of this crop from the U.S. Midwest to areas with milder winters would require an understanding of its vernalization requirements for flowering and the availability of genetic diversity for this trait. The goal of this research was to determine the length of the cold period required for vernalization in Kernza intermediate wheatgrass. Two treatment factors (population and length of cold incubation period) were evaluated. Seeds from eight breeding populations from Kansas and Minnesota were evaluated in growth chambers at 5 °C and 10 h light for cold periods from 3 to 9 wk. The percentage of plants that flowered increased from 30 to 96% as the length of the cold incubation period increased from 3 to 7 wk following a sigmoid model. For most yield components, no changes were observed after 7 wk of cold incubation. There were no differences among populations for most traits and there was large within‐population phenotypic diversity. These results confirm that Kernza intermediate wheatgrass populations have moderate vernalization requirements. Further research is needed to confirm the feasibility of breeding Kernza with lower vernalization requirements.
Recent Advances in Copper‐Catalyzed C−N Bond Formation Involving N‐Centered Radicals
Authors: Zheng Yan‐Nan , Zheng Hongxing , Li Ting , Wei Wen‐Ting
Published: November 2021

C−N bonds are pervasive throughout organic‐based materials, natural products, pharmaceutical compounds, and agricultural chemicals. Considering the widespread importance of C−N bonds, the development of greener and more convenient ways to form C−N bonds, especially in late‐stage synthesis, has become one of the hottest research goals in synthetic chemistry. Copper‐catalyzed radical reactions involving N‐centered radicals have emerged as a sustainable and promising approach to build C−N bonds. As a chemically popular and diverse radical species, N‐centered radicals have been used for all kinds of reactions for C−N bond formation by taking advantage of their inherently incredible reactive flexibility. Copper is also the most abundant and economic catalyst with the most relevant activity for facilitating the synthesis of valuable compounds. Therefore, the aim of the present Review was to illustrate recent and significant advances in C−N bond formation methods and to understand the unique advantages of copper catalysis in the generation of N‐centered radicals since 2016. To provide an ease of understanding for the readers, this Review was organized based on the types of nitrogen sources (amines, amides, sulfonamides, oximes, hydrazones, azides, and tert‐butyl nitrite).
Civics curriculum in Arab schools: Teachers facing ethical and ideological dilemmas in the classroom
Authors: Halabi Rabah
Published: November 2021

The goal of this research is to gain an understanding of how Arab civics teachers in Israel teach material that is inconsistent with their beliefs and aspirations. To this end, I conducted qualitative research employing interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings show that different teachers find different ways to deal with the challenge. One group of teachers concentrates on teaching the programme as it is in order to avoid getting into trouble. Another group cautiously introduces creative strategies to expose the students to the Arab narrative that does not appear in the programme. A third group deals with the challenge directly.
Cross polarization conversion metasurface for fixed wireless and ku‐band applications
Authors: Abdullah  , Kamal Babar , Ullah Sadiq , Khan Bilawal , Ali Horia , Rahim Tariq
Published: November 2021

A dual broadband cross‐polarization‐conversion (CPC) metasurface is designed, simulated, fabricated and results are experimentally verified. The designed patch of metasurface unit cell is composed of a triangular loop connected with two arcs at both ends. The metasurface is made of 44 × 44 unit cells arranged periodically on 1.6‐mm‐thick FR4 dielectric substrate, backed by a metallic copper sheet as a reflector surface on the back side of the dielectric substrate. The surface achieves CPC in two bands (7–8.5 GHz) and (13–19 GHz), in the microwave regime. The simulation results show that the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) is almost 90% for both x polarized (TM) and y polarized (TE) electromagnetic (EM) waves. The proposed metasurface is fabricated on 308 × 308 mm2 FR4 substrate plane. The simulated results are validated and are found in close covenant with the measured results.
Foundations of form and function: A synthesis‐based curriculum for introductory‐level organismal biology
Authors: Kloepper Laura N. , Young Vanessa K Hilliard
Published: November 2021

First‐year majors organismal biology courses are frequently taught as survey courses that promote memorization rather than synthesis of biological concepts. To address the shortcomings of this approach, we redesigned the organismal portion of our introductory biology curriculum to create a “Foundations of Form and Function” course. Foundations of Form and Function introduces different organismal forms and focuses on the relationship between those forms and the execution of key physiological functions. Goals of our new course include the following: developing student recognition of common characteristics that unite living organisms as well as features that distinguish taxonomic groups, facilitating student understanding of how organisms accomplish similar functions through different forms, and reinforcing course themes with independent student research. In this paper, we describe course learning outcomes, organization, content, assessment, and laboratory activities. We also present student perspectives and outcomes of our course design based on data from four years of student evaluations. Finally, we explain how we modified our course to meet remote learning and social‐distancing challenges presented by the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Larval sites of the mosquito Aedes aegypti formosus in forest and domestic habitats in Africa and the potential association with oviposition evolution
Authors: Xia Siyang , Dweck Hany K. M. , Lutomiah Joel , Sang Rosemary , McBride Carolyn S. , Rose Noah H. , Ayala Diego , Powell Jeffrey R.
Published: November 2021

Adaptations to anthropogenic domestic habitats contribute to the success of the mosquito Aedes aegypti as a major global vector of several arboviral diseases. The species inhabited African forests before expanding into domestic habitats and spreading to other continents. Despite a well‐studied evolutionary history, how this species initially moved into human settlements in Africa remains unclear. During this initial habitat transition, African Ae. aegypti switched their larval sites from natural water containers like tree holes to artificial containers like clay pots. Little is known about how these natural versus artificial containers differ in their characteristics. Filling this knowledge gap could provide valuable information for studying the evolution of Ae. aegypti associated with larval habitat changes. As an initial effort, in this study, we characterized the microenvironments of Ae. aegypti larval sites in forest and domestic habitats in two African localities: La Lopé, Gabon, and Rabai, Kenya. Specifically, we measured the physical characteristics, microbial density, bacterial composition, and volatile chemical profiles of multiple larval sites. In both localities, comparisons between natural containers in the forests and artificial containers in the villages revealed significantly different microenvironments. We next examined whether the between‐habitat differences in larval site microenvironments lead to differences in oviposition, a key behavior affecting larval distribution. Forest Ae. aegypti readily accepted the artificial containers we placed in the forests. Laboratory choice experiments also did not find distinct oviposition preferences between forest and village Ae. aegypti colonies. These results suggested that African Ae. aegypti are likely generalists in their larval site choices. This flexibility to accept various containers with a wide range of physical, microbial, and chemical conditions might allow Ae. aegypti to use human‐stored water as fallback larval sites during dry seasons, which is hypothesized to have initiated the domestic evolution of Ae. aegypti.
Influence of pH value and salts on the adsorption of lysozyme in mixed‐mode chromatography
Authors: Kreusser Jannette , Jirasek Fabian , Hasse Hans
Published: November 2021

Mixed‐mode chromatography (MMC) is an interesting technique for challenging protein separation processes which typically combines adsorption mechanisms of ion exchange (IEC) and hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). Adsorption equilibria in MMC depend on multiple parameters but systematic studies on their influence are scarce. In the present work, the influence of the pH value and ionic strengths up to 3000 mM of four technically relevant salts (sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and ammonium sulfate) on the lysozyme adsorption on the mixed‐mode resin Toyopearl MX‐Trp‐650M was studied systematically at 25℃. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms at pH 5.0 and 6.0 were measured and compared to experimental data at pH 7.0 from previous work. For all pH values, an exponential decay of the lysozyme loading with increasing ionic strength was observed. The influence of the pH value was found to depend significantly on the ionic strength with the strongest influence at low ionic strengths where increasing pH values lead to decreasing lysozyme loadings. Furthermore, a mathematical model that describes the influence of salts and the pH value on the adsorption of lysozyme in MMC is presented. The model enables predicting adsorption isotherms of lysozyme on Toyopearl MX‐Trp‐650M for a broad range of technically relevant conditions.
Highly efficient reduction of CO2 by magnesium and calcium hydride producing H2‐mixed CH4: Effect of the particle size and the molar ratio of reactant
Authors: Wang Jin‐Peng , Mao Guo‐Cui , Zhao Juan , Wei Yin‐Fan , Liu Wen‐Long , Teng Yun‐Lei
Published: November 2021

In this study, we investigated the reduction of CO2 using magnesium and calcium hydride (AeH2, Ae = Mg or Ca), in the process of which clean H2‐mixed CH4 fuel is produced. The result of this investigation shows that the particle size of AeH2 and AeH2/CO2 molar ratio can greatly affect the molar percentage value and reaction yield of methane. In general, the magnesium or calcium hydride as‐milled for 2 hr is enough active for reduction of CO2 to CH4. When the molar ratio of AeH2/CO2 is set to 2:1, the methanation effect is optimal for both reaction systems. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An investigation of Fe‐Ti, V in the north‐east Karbi Hills, Shillong Plateau, north‐east India: Implication for mineralization
Authors: Majumdar Dilip , Gogoi Abhijit , Ghatak Arundhuti
Published: November 2021

The Kulamati gabbro‐anorthosite complex in the Karbi Hills of the Shillong Plateau, north‐east India is a newly discovered stratified Fe‐Ti‐V‐bearing magmatic body that has been classified as a titano‐magnetite ore. The host gabbro‐anorthosite is found intruded into the Mesoproterozoic Shillong Group. The stratified Fe‐Ti‐V oxide body consists mostly of magnetite‐rich and magnetite‐poor layers. The magnetite‐rich bands are composed of titanomagnetite, haematite, ilmenite, and coulsonite with minor Al‐spinel, while the mineral constituents of silicate bands contain plagioclase, clinopyroxene, olivine, apatite, and chlorite. Titaniferous magnetites display a wide variety of subsolvus features, including Al‐spinel–magnetite–ulvöspinel exsolutions and crystallographically oriented ilmenite exsolutions, but magnetites are exclusively vanadiferous. Comprehensive chemical analyses show that the ore is rich in TiO2 (10.98–12.78 wt%) and V2O5 (1.32–1.47 wt%). Ti is attributed by the presence of rutile, titanite, and ilmenite, while V is attributed by coulsonite as a solid solution component in the titanomagnetite. It records moderate to high Al2O3 (4.51–5.46 wt%), with enrichment of FeO and Fe2O3 (26.22–28.32 wt% and 39.34–42.86 wt%, respectively), which can be attributed to the presence of magnetite‐spinel‐ulvospinel. Higher Fe2O3 and lower FeO are indicative of oxidizing conditions of the ore‐forming environment. The rare earth element (REE) patterns have (La/Yb)N and (Ce/Yb)N ratios comparable to an evolved basaltic melt, with light REE being enriched compared to heavy REE and a positive Eu anomaly. The electron probe micro analyser data of magnetite is conformable with the bulk chemistry, and shows consistently high FeO (70.87–88.06 wt%), Cr2O3 (1.02–2.44 wt%), TiO2 (0.16–6.20 wt%), and V2O3 (1.47–2.26 wt%), with trace amounts of Al, Si, Mg, Mn, and PGE. As per targeted parameters, the ore occurrence distinctly belongs to a stratified Fe‐Ti‐V class, where alternate thick (>1.0 m) and thin (<20 cm) strata resulted from the late magmatic crystallization of the original tholeiitic composition.
Novel approach to estimate endurance limits in intermittent tasks
Authors: Fu Jiawei , Zhang Qidi , Ma Liang
Published: November 2021

Endurance limit is essential for intermittent physical operations, as physical task designs with inappropriate endurance estimation could potentially lead to work‐related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Here, we propose a general approach to estimate the endurance limits of the duration and workload in intermittent operations, namely the endurance time (ET) and maximum acceptable exertion (MAE). This general endurance limit approach was developed based on physiology‐based muscle fatigue and recovery models, considering task parameters and individual fatigue attributes. This approach was preliminarily validated by (1) conducting experimental studies to check the feasibility of predicting individual and group ETs in simplified isometric intermittent operations, and (2) demonstrating its utility in interpreting existing empirical MAE models and their experimental results. The findings suggest that the proposed model offers a promising approach to estimate the endurance limits in intermittent physical operations, and could help future studies aimed at modeling the relationship between endurance limits and intermittent task characteristics.
Analysis of effective thermal conductivity for circular tubes made with porous media based on fractal theory
Authors: Yu Di , Qi Shihong , Niu Baolian , Li Yinglin
Published: November 2021

Accurately evaluating the relation between heat transfer performance and the complex structure of porous media is still a difficult task. Most previous fractal models of effective thermal conductivity (ETC) are developed to describe the heat‐conducting characteristics of a unit cell or a representative elementary volume in porous media, and few models have paid attentions to the ETC for practical circular tubes made with a porous structure based on fractal theory. This paper proposes a new ETC model for a circular tube made with porous media based on fractals, and the validity of the present model is proved by previous models and testing data in the literature, then the effects of intrinsic thermo‐physical properties of each component and pore structures on the ETC are discussed. The analysis results indicate that a circular tube made with porous media can improve its heat‐insulating performance by about 25% compared with a common parallel circular tube. This can supply an alternative scheme for pipe insulation design in cold/hot fluid supplying systems or air conditioning systems.
The circumstances affecting local government public information systems development in East Malaysia
Authors: Nasirin Syed , Wen Ying Lim
Published: November 2021

Numerous studies in the field of public enterprise have significantly exhibited that local government public information systems (LGPIS) development has furnished eminent short and long‐term organizational profits. Essentially, the system's commissioning has witnessed vast expansions through the local governments' operations and bring forth major enhancements in their connections with the public. In this phenomenology‐based case study, the authors put forward developers' standpoints in developing LGPIS. The case study utilized in‐depth face‐to‐face interviews, encapsulating a local context that would be substantially required to impart relevant details to developers involved for future strengthening and development measures. The aim is to illustrate a list of notable factors that set out to be building blocks obstructing the future smooth development of the system, predominantly in the less‐developed regions of East Malaysia. Four very recent emerging factors representing LGPIS development in local governments are presented in a development model, stretching the boundary of present literature in the area. The depth and substance of the development model are established on account of how it was constructed through the experience of experts involved in the development process.
“Mama, Let’s Read!”: Critical Race Perspectives and the Centrality of Language in Everyday Literacies
Authors: Jocson Korina M.
Published: November 2021

The author offers a creative braiding of stories about parenting, race, and language. The stories illuminate everyday literacies and related practices present in multilingual and multigenerational households as informed by critical race scholarship and pedagogies of the home. Implications for practice include questions for parents and educators in rethinking literacy studies in classrooms and beyond.
Peptide GAM immunoadsorption in anti‐PLA2R positive autoimmune membranous nephropathy. The PRISM trial
Authors: Hamilton Patrick , Kanigicherla Durga , Hanumapura Prasanna , Blaikie Kieran , Ritchie James , Sinha Smeeta , Brenchley Paul , Mitra Sandip
Published: November 2021

Membranous nephropathy associated with anti‐PLA2R autoantibody is a significant cause of nephrotic syndrome worldwide. Treatment remains empiric with a significant side‐effect burden despite an increase in our understanding of the disease. We studied the effect of selectively removing this pathogenic autoantibody using immunoadsorption in adult patients with biopsy proven anti‐PLA2R membranous nephropathy. This was a multicenter, single‐arm prospective clinical trial carried out in the United Kingdom. Twelve patients underwent five consecutive sessions of peptide GAM immunoadsorption with 12 months follow‐up. Primary outcome was anti‐PLA2R titer at week 2. Secondary outcomes were safety and tolerability of therapy, antibody profile, and change in proteinuria, renal excretory function, serum albumin, total immunoglobulin, and quality of life at weeks 12, 24, and 52. Patients were also stratified by the presence or absence of the high‐risk allele (heterozygous or homozygous for HLA‐DQA1*05). Median pretreatment anti‐PLA2R was 702.50 U/mL, 1045.00 U/mL at week 2 (P‐value .023) and 165.00 U/mL at week 52 (P‐value .017). The treatment was well tolerated and safe. Two patients required rescue immunosuppression during the follow‐up period. There was a significant improvement in serum albumin with a median at baseline of 20.50 g/L rising to 25.00 g/L at week 52 (P‐value <.001). There was no statistical difference over the follow‐up period in proteinuria or renal function. Patients in possession of a high‐risk allele saw improvement in anti‐PLA2R titers, possibly representing a cohort more likely to benefit from immunoadsorption. Immunoadsorption therapy is a safe treatment and well‐tolerated treatment in anti‐PLA2R positive autoimmune membranous nephropathy.
Myricetin inhibits breast and lung cancer cells proliferation via inhibiting MARK4
Authors: Anwar Saleha , Khan Shama , Anjum Farah , Shamsi Anas , Khan Parvez , Fatima Hera , Shafie Alaa , Islam Asimul , Hassan Md. Imtaiyaz
Published: November 2021

Identifying novel molecules as potential kinase inhibitors are gaining significant attention globally. The present study suggests Myricetin as a potential inhibitor of microtubule‐affinity regulating kinase (MARK4), adding another molecule to the existing list of anticancer therapeutics. MARK4 regulates initial cell division steps and is a potent druggable target for various cancers. Structure‐based docking with 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation depicted activity of Myricetin in the active site pocket of MARK4 and the formation of a stable complex. The fluorescence‐based assay showed excellent affinity of Myricetin to MARK4 guided by static and dynamic quenching. Moreover, the assessment of enthalpy change (∆H) and entropy change (∆S) delineated electrostatic interactions as a dominant force in the MARK4‐myricetin interaction. Isothermal titration calorimetric measurements revealed spontaneous binding of Myricetin with MARK4. Further, the kinase assay depicted significant inhibition of MARK4 by Myricetin with IC50 = 3.11 µM. Additionally, cell proliferation studies established that Myricetin significantly inhibited the cancer cells (MCF‐7 and A549) proliferation, and inducing apoptosis. This study provides a solid rationale for developing Myricetin as a promising anticancer molecule in the MARK4 mediated malignancies.
FSATOOL 2.0: An integrated molecular dynamics simulation and trajectory data analysis program
Authors: Shu Zirui , Wu Mincong , Liao Jun , Chen Changjun
Published: November 2021

Molecular dynamics simulation is important in the computational study of the biomolecules. In this paper, we upgrade our previous FSATOOL to version 2.0. It is no longer a plugin as before. Besides the existed enhanced sampling and Markov state model analysis module, FSATOOL 2.0 has three new features now. First, it contains a molecular dynamics simulation engine on both CPU and GPU device. The engine works with an embedded enhanced sampling module. Second, it can do the free energy calculation by various practical methods, including the weighted histogram analysis method and Gaussian mixture model. Third, it has many subroutines to process the trajectory data, such as principal component analysis, time‐structure based independent component analysis, contact analysis, and Φ‐value analysis. Most importantly, all these calculations are integrated into one package. The trajectory data format is compatible with all the modules. With a proper input parameter file, users can do the molecular dynamics simulation and data analysis work by only a few simplified commands. The capabilities and theoretical backgrounds of FSATOOL 2.0 are introduced in the paper.
Placental metabolic profiling in gestational diabetes mellitus: An important role of fatty acids
Authors: Yang Yuqi , Pan Zhaoping , Guo Fang , Wang Huihui , Long Wei , Wang Huiyan , Yu Bin
Published: November 2021

Aim

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic disorder during pregnancy. Accumulating studies have reported metabolites that are significantly associated with the development of GDM. However, studies on the metabolism of placenta, the most important organ of maternal‐fetal energy and material transport, are extremely rare. This study aimed to identify and discuss the relationship between differentially expressed metabolites (DEM) and clinical parameters of the mothers and newborns.

Methods

In this study, metabolites from 63 placenta tissues (32 GDM and 31 normal controls) were assayed by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC‐HRMS).

Results

A total of 1297 annotated metabolites were detected, of which 87 significantly different in GDM placenta. Lipids and lipid‐like molecules accounted for 62.1% of DEM as they were significantly enriched via the “biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids” and “fatty acid biosynthesis” pathways. Linoleic acid and α‐linolenic acid appeared to be good biomarkers for the prediction and diagnosis of GDM. In addition, the level of PC(14:0/18:0) was negatively correlated with neonatal weight. 14 metabolites significantly different in male and female offspring, with the most increase in female newborns.

Conclusion

Even if maternal blood glucose level is well controlled, there are still metabolic abnormalities in GDM. Lipids and lipid‐like molecules were the main differential metabolites, especially unsaturated fatty acids.
Pyroptosis: A possible link between obesity‐related inflammation and inflammatory diseases
Authors: Miao Pan , Ruiqing Tai , Yanrong Liu , Zhuwen Sun , Huan Yuan , Qiong Wu , Yongnian Liu , Chao Sun
Published: November 2021

The main manifestation of obesity is persistent low‐level inflammation and insulin resistance, which is an important factor inducing or promoting other obesity‐related diseases. As a proinflammatory programmed cell death, pyroptosis plays an important role, especially in the activation and regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Pyroptosis is associated with the pathogenesis of many chronic inflammatory diseases and is characterized by the formation of micropores in the plasma membrane and the release of a large number of proinflammatory cytokines. This article mainly introduces the main pathways and key molecules of pyroptosis and focuses on the phenomenon of pyroptosis in obesity. It is suggested that the regulation of pyroptosis‐related targets may become a new potential therapy for the prevention and treatment of systemic inflammatory response caused by obesity, and we summarize the potential molecular substances that may be beneficial to obesity‐related inflammatory diseases through target pyroptosis.
Cell‐free EBV DNA as a biomarker during clinical management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a nonendemic region
Authors: Pramanik Raja , Arora Shalabh , Sharma Preity , Biswas Ahitagni , Nayak Baibaswata , Thakar Alok , Sharma Atul , Ghose Sampa
Published: November 2021

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common malignant tumor of the nasopharynx. Although NPC is not endemic in India, higher incidences were observed in its North‐Eastern regions particularly Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Early detection of NPC is difficult because the nasopharynx is not readily amenable to clinical examination and symptoms of NPC are nonspecific. The development of suitable biomarkers for early diagnosis of NPC as well as accurate monitoring of treatment response is needed urgently. In this exploratory pilot study, we have investigated the clinical significance of assessing plasma Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA load at diagnosis and during treatment. We found that EBV DNA is detectable at diagnosis in the majority of patients with nonendemic NPC and the absolute copy number of circulating EBV DNA per milliliter increases progressively with the stage of the disease. The viral load declined significantly with induction chemotherapy and definitive chemoradiation but showed a sharp rise at relapse. Patients with EBV DNA levels ≥1500 copies/ml had a higher risk of disease progression or relapse when compared with patients who had EBV DNA <1500 copies/ml at baseline. Estimation of plasma EBV DNA may serve as an excellent noninvasive tool to monitor disease extent, response to therapy, and for better prediction of future relapse or progression‐free survival in a nonendemic NPC patient population.
Prospective of fungal pathogen‐based bioherbicides for the control of water hyacinth: A review
Authors: Sharma Swati , Pandey Lalit M.
Published: November 2021

Over the decades the presence of aquatic weeds has caused immense biodiversity loss to the ecosystem. The use of herbicides has arisen emergence of herbicide‐resistant weeds and loss of inherent flora and fauna due to the recalcitrant nature of the chemicals used. Hence, there is a need to use nontoxic, ecosustainable, low‐cost, and efficient biological molecules that are analogous to chemical herbicides. Various plants, bacteria, fungi as well a few viruses are reported to secrete allelopathic biomolecules that inhibit the growth and development of weeds. However, majorly fungal pathogens and their metabolites are found to be effective biocontrol agents for the water hyacinth. The present review puts forward major findings and interventions in the biological control of the weed, water hyacinth. The biosynthesis, mechanism of action and factors regulating the activity of bioherbicides are discussed. In addition, the issues associated with the in situ application of these bioherbicides are also conferred focusing on the available mode of applications and formulation used. The major factors include the type and concentration of allelopathic biomolecules, age, type, and morphology of targeted weed, formulation type, mode of application and other physiological and environmental factors. Among various modes for the application of bioherbicides, emulsions are found to be most effective for the control of water hyacinth. Most of the toxicity studies indicated no toxicity of this fungal pathogen to other ecological plant species except water hyacinth. Yet, in‐depth investigations are needed of these allelochemicals and toxins before field applications. Overall, lab‐scale studies have shown promising results and highlighted a few potential fungi that need to be further explored for optimizing their bioherbicidal activity.
What Are the Double Lines of the Fetal Cavum Septi Pellucidi on Ultrasound?
Authors: Green Shannon , Pretorius Dolores H. , Crouch Amanda , Anton Tracy , Jacobs Marni , Ho Yoona , Hevner Robert , Lamale‐Smith Leah
Published: November 2021

Objective

To demonstrate the significance of the double line appearance of the septi pellucidi laminae (SPL) on fetal ultrasound.

Method

A total of 522 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies (15 to 39 weeks' gestational age) with fetal ultrasounds were enrolled. The presence of a single versus double line SP as well as measurement of the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) was determined retrospectively. Ultrasound settings from the CSP images were recorded. Thickness of the SPL was measured in 20 ultrasound and 14 MRI cases; histology was reviewed from one neonate. Maternal BMI and gestational age were also recorded.

Results

The presence of double line SPL is a normal sonographic finding, seen in 47% (188/403) of normal fetuses. Thickness of the SPL in 10 cases with double line averaged 1.4 mm and in 10 cases with single line averaged 0.8 mm; MRI measurements were within 0.1 mm of the corresponding ultrasound measurements. Double line cavum was more often seen with mid‐dynamic contrast range settings (5, 6) rather than high range settings (7–10) (P value <.05). The double line was only visualized on ultrasound when the angle of insonation was at or near perpendicular to the laminae; it was never visualized on coronal ultrasound imaging or MRI imaging.

Conclusion

A double line septum pellucidum lamina is a normal finding seen in almost 50% of uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. It may be attributed to borders of cell layers within each lamina that form separate specular reflections on both sides; this can be accentuated by ultrasound settings and beam angulation.