bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Simulation of Electrode-Solution Interfaces
Authors: Scalfi Laura , Salanne Mathieu , Rotenberg Benjamin
Published: January 2021

Many key industrial processes, from electricity production, conversion, and storage to electrocatalysis or electrochemistry in general, rely on physical mechanisms occurring at the interface between a metallic electrode and an electrolyte solution, summarized by the concept of an electric double layer, with the accumulation/depletion of electrons on the metal side and of ions on the liquid side. While electrostatic interactions play an essential role in the structure, thermodynamics, dynamics, and reactivity of electrode-electrolyte interfaces, these properties also crucially depend on the nature of the ions and solvent, as well as that of the metal itself. Such interfaces pose many challenges for modeling because they are a place where quantum chemistry meets statistical physics. In the present review, we explore the recent advances in the description and understanding of electrode-electrolyte interfaces with classical molecular simulations, with a focus on planar interfaces and solvent-based liquids, from pure solvent to water-in-salt electrolytes.
The Effects of Home Care Provider Mix on the Care Recipient: An International, Systematic Review of Articles from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Coe Norma B. , Konetzka R. Tamara , Berkowitz Melissa , Blecker Emily , Van Houtven Courtney H.
Published: January 2021

In this systematic review, we examine the literature from 2000 to 2020 to ascertain whether we can make strong conclusions about the relative benefit of adding informal care or formal care providers to the care mix among individuals receiving care in the home, specifically focusing on care recipient outcomes. We evaluate how informal care and formal care affect (or are associated with) health care use of care recipients, health care costs of care recipients, and health outcomes of care recipients. The literature to date suggests that informal care, either alone or in concert with formal care, delivers improvements in the health and well-being of older adults receiving care. The conclusions one can draw about the effects of formal care are less clear.
AI‐Enabled Sensing and Decision‐Making for IoT Systems
Authors: Qinxia Hao , Nazir Shah , Li Ma , Ullah Khan Habib , Lianlian Wang , Ahmad Sultan
Published: January 2021

The influential stage of Internet of Things (IoT) has reformed all fields of life in general but specifically with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn the attention of researchers into a new paradigm of life standard. This revolution has been accepted around the globe for making life easier with the use of intelligent devices such as smart sensors, actuators, and many other devices. AI‐enabled devices are more intelligent and capable of doing a specific task which saves a lot of resources and time. Different approaches are available in the existing literature to tackle diverse issues of real life based on AI and IoT systems. The role of decision‐making has its own importance in the AI‐enabled and IoT systems. In‐depth knowledge of the existing literature is dire need of the research community to summarize the literature in effective way by which practitioners and researchers can benefit from the prevailing proofs and suggest new solutions for solving a particular problem of AI‐enabled sensing and decision‐making for the IoT system. To facilitate research community, the proposed study presents a systematic literature review of the existing literature, organizes the evidences in a systematic way, and then analyzes it for future research. The study reported the literature of the last 5 years based on the research questions, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality assessment of the selected study. Finally, derivations are drawn from the included paper for future research.
Combination of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Radiotherapy for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Zexi , Feng Jia , Weng Yiming , Jin Yao , Peng Min
Published: January 2021

Objectives. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) combined with radiotherapy (RT) have emerged as a breakthrough therapy in the treatment of various cancers. The combination has a strong rationale, but data on their efficacy and safety are still limited. Hence, we comprehensively searched the database and performed this study to elucidate the clinical manifestations of this combined strategy. Methods. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized trials that compared ICI plus RT with placebo plus RT or ICI alone for the treatment of advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and prostate cancer. The outcomes included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and treatment-related adverse events. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was adopted depending on between-study heterogeneity. Results. Three trials involving 1584 patients were included. ICI plus RT was significantly associated with improvement of OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70–0.94,P=0.004), PFS (HR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.56–0.72,P<0.00001), and DCR (relative risk [RR] = 1.38; 95% CI 1.03–1.84,P=0.03). A significant predictor for PFS with the combination of ICI and RT was age, as a significant improvement in PFS (HR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.37–0.64,P<0.00001) was observed in NSCLC patients aged under 65 years. In safety analyses, patients receiving ICI plus RT had a significantly higher incidence of dyspnea (RR = 2.43; 95% CI 1.16–5.08,P=0.02) and pneumonitis of grade 3 or higher (RR = 2.78; 95% CI 1.32–5.85,P=0.007). Conclusion. The combination of ICI and RT was associated with improved OS, PFS, and DCR. Patients under 65 years will be the dominant beneficiaries. However, the incidence of dyspnea and pneumonia of grade 3 or higher also increased, which deserves our vigilance.
Applying a Probabilistic Network Method to Solve Business‐Related Few‐Shot Classification Problems
Authors: Wu Lang , Li Menggang
Published: January 2021

It can be challenging to learn algorithms due to the research of business‐related few‐shot classification problems. Therefore, in this paper, we evaluate the classification of few‐shot learning in the commercial field. To accurately identify the categories of few‐shot learning problems, we proposed a probabilistic network (PN) method based on few‐shot and one‐shot learning problems. The enhancement of the original data was followed by the subsequent development of the PN method based on feature extraction, category comparison, and loss function analysis. The effectiveness of the method was validated using two examples (absenteeism at work and Las Vegas Strip hotels). Experimental results demonstrate the ability of the PN method to effectively identify the categories of commercial few‐shot learning problems. Therefore, the proposed method can be applied to business‐related few‐shot classification problems.
iPTT(2 L)-CNN: A Two-Layer Predictor for Identifying Promoters and Their Types in Plant Genomes by Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Sun Ang , Xiao Xuan , Xu Zhaochun
Published: January 2021

A promoter is a short DNA sequence near to the start codon, responsible for initiating transcription of a specific gene in genome. The accurate recognition of promoters has great significance for a better understanding of the transcriptional regulation. Because of their importance in the process of biological transcriptional regulation, there is an urgent need to develop in silico tools to identify promoters and their types timely and accurately. A number of prediction methods had been developed in this regard; however, almost all of them were merely used for identifying promoters and their strength or sigma types. Owing to that TATA box region in TATA promoter that influences posttranscriptional processes, in the current study, we developed a two-layer predictor called iPTT(2L)-CNN by using the convolutional neural network (CNN) for identifying TATA and TATA-less promoters. The first layer can be used to identify a given DNA sequence as a promoter or nonpromoter. The second layer is used to identify whether the recognized promoter is TATA promoter or not. The 5-fold crossvalidation and independent testing results demonstrate that the constructed predictor is promising for identifying promoter and classifying TATA and TATA-less promoter. Furthermore, to make it easier for most experimental scientists get the results they need, a user-friendly web server has been established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/iPPT(2L)-CNN.
iMPTCE-Hnetwork: A Multilabel Classifier for Identifying Metabolic Pathway Types of Chemicals and Enzymes with a Heterogeneous Network
Authors: Zhu Yuanyuan , Hu Bin , Chen Lei , Dai Qi
Published: January 2021

Metabolic pathway is an important type of biological pathways. It produces essential molecules and energies to maintain the life of living organisms. Each metabolic pathway consists of a chain of chemical reactions, which always need enzymes to participate in. Thus, chemicals and enzymes are two major components for each metabolic pathway. Although several metabolic pathways have been uncovered, the metabolic pathway system is still far from complete. Some hidden chemicals or enzymes are not discovered in a certain metabolic pathway. Besides the traditional experiments to detect hidden chemicals or enzymes, an alternative pipeline is to design efficient computational methods. In this study, we proposed a powerful multilabel classifier, called iMPTCE-Hnetwork, to uniformly assign chemicals and enzymes to metabolic pathway types reported in KEGG. Such classifier adopted the embedding features derived from a heterogeneous network, which defined chemicals and enzymes as nodes and the interactions between chemicals and enzymes as edges, through a powerful network embedding algorithm, Mashup. The popular RAndom k-labELsets (RAKEL) algorithm was employed to construct the classifier, which incorporated the support vector machine (polynomial kernel) as the basic classifier. The ten-fold cross-validation results indicated that such a classifier had good performance with accuracy higher than 0.800 and exact match higher than 0.750. Several comparisons were done to indicate the superiority of the iMPTCE-Hnetwork.
Experimental Research on Vibration Reduction of Cantilever Structure in High‐Temperature Environments
Authors: Jia Di , Peng Fuhao , Zhou Tao , Wang Xueren , Lu Qingliang , Wu Yiwan
Published: January 2021

To reduce the vibration of a cantilever steel plate in high‐temperature environments (25°C–500°C), a new composite structure with entangled metallic wire material (EMWM) core was proposed. The damping performance of the EMWM under different temperatures was investigated. The results show that when the temperature does not exceed 260°C, the damping property of the EMWM is not affected by temperature. When the temperature exceeds 260°C, the damping property of the EMWM decreases with the increase of temperature. A thermal‐vibration joint test system was set up to verify the energy dissipation mechanism of the composite structure with EMWM core and to research the effect of vibration reduction under different temperatures. The displacement deviation between the baseplate (steel plate) and constraining plate was sufficient to cause frictional energy dissipation of the EMWM core. The thermal‐vibration joint test results indicated that the EMWM core had a positive impact on the damping properties of the cantilever structure. Adding EMWM core and constraining plate can significantly increase the damping ratio and reduces the vibration of the cantilever structures under different temperatures. This research is helpful to control the structural vibrations of cantilever structures in high‐temperature environments.
Influence of the Chemical Composition of Asphalt and the 3D Morphology of the Aggregate on Contact Surface Adhesion
Authors: Li Luoke , Guo Meng , Zeng Cong
Published: January 2021

The influence of the chemical composition of asphalt, the aggregate lithology, and the morphological characteristics of the aggregate on the level of adhesion between the asphalt and the aggregate is investigated. A contactless three‐dimensional (3D) white‐light scanning technique is used to obtain point cloud data of the aggregate particles. Six independent feature parameters are used as evaluation indices to quantitatively describe the multilevel features of the 3D morphology of road aggregates. Methods for analyzing the feature parameters based on the point cloud data of the aggregate are presented. Subsequently, the process and evaluation standard of the adhesion test are improved to quantify the spalling degree of the asphalt film on the aggregate surface under boiling conditions. The influences of the chemical composition of the asphalt and the aggregate morphology on the level of adhesion between the asphalt and aggregate are analyzed, and the compatibility between aggregates with different lithologies and the asphalt is assessed. The results show that the shape factor (SF) can be used to characterize the needle‐flake shape of the particles, the ellipsoid index (E) is suitable to determine the angularity of the aggregate particles, and the 3D joint roughness coefficient (JRC3D) describes the roughness of the particle surface. The type of adhesion between the aggregate and the asphalt includes chemical and physical adsorption; chemical bonding is relatively strong, and the physical orientation force and mechanical interlocking force are relatively weak. Alkaline limestone aggregates should be used with asphalt with a high aggregate content of colloid and asphaltenes. Basalt aggregate with weak alkalinity should be used with asphalt with a high colloid content, and the use of angular aggregates should be avoided. Acidic aggregates with compact shapes, few edges and corners, and rough surfaces should be used prudently.
Growing Teratoma Syndrome: A Rare Outcome
Authors: Rebelo João , Moreira Francisco , Morgado Margarida , Preto Ana Sofia , Madureira António
Published: January 2021

Growing teratoma syndrome is a rare condition described in both testicular and ovarian cancer. We present a case of a 26-year-old male with known mixed germ cell tumor which exhibited new and progressive secondary lesions during imaging surveillance, later to be histologically characterized as teratomas.
A Transcriptional Regulatory Loop of Master Regulator Transcription Factors, PPARG, and Fatty Acid Synthesis Promotes Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ma Sai , Zhou Bo , Yang Qian , Pan Yunzhi , Yang Wei , Freedland Stephen J. , Ding Ling-Wen , Freeman Michael R. , Breunig Joshua J. , Bhowmick Neil A. , Pan Jian , Koeffler H. Phillip , Lin De-Chen
Published: January 2021

Although obesity is one of the strongest risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. We recently identified four esophageal adenocarcinoma–specific master regulator transcription factors (MRTF) ELF3, KLF5, GATA6, and EHF. In this study, gene-set enrichment analysis of both esophageal adenocarcinoma patient samples and cell line models unbiasedly underscores fatty acid synthesis as the central pathway downstream of three MRTFs (ELF3, KLF5, GATA6). Further characterizations unexpectedly identified a transcriptional feedback loop between MRTF and fatty acid synthesis, which mutually activated each other through the nuclear receptor, PPARG. MRTFs cooperatively promoted PPARG transcription by directly regulating its promoter and a distal esophageal adenocarcinoma–specific enhancer, leading to PPARG overexpression in esophageal adenocarcinoma. PPARG was also elevated in Barrett’s esophagus, a recognized precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma, implying that PPARG might play a role in the intestinal metaplasia of esophageal squamous epithelium. Upregulation of PPARG increased de novo synthesis of fatty acids, phospholipids, and sphingolipids as revealed by mass spectrometry–based lipidomics. Moreover, ChIP-seq, 4C-seq, and a high-fat diet murine model together characterized a novel, noncanonical, and cancer-specific function of PPARG in esophageal adenocarcinoma. PPARG directly regulated the ELF3 super-enhancer, subsequently activating the transcription of other MRTFs through an interconnected regulatory circuitry. Together, elucidation of this novel transcriptional feedback loop of MRTF/PPARG/fatty acid synthesis advances our understanding of the mechanistic foundation for epigenomic dysregulation and metabolic alterations in esophageal adenocarcinoma. More importantly, this work identifies a potential avenue for prevention and early intervention of esophageal adenocarcinoma by blocking this feedback loop.

Significance:

These findings elucidate a transcriptional feedback loop linking epigenomic dysregulation and metabolic alterations in esophageal adenocarcinoma, indicating that blocking this feedback loop could be a potential therapeutic strategy in high-risk individuals.
Dual Inhibition of MEK and AXL Targets Tumor Cell Heterogeneity and Prevents Resistant Outgrowth Mediated by the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in NSCLC
Authors: Konen Jessica M. , Rodriguez B. Leticia , Padhye Aparna , Ochieng Joshua K. , Gibson Laura , Diao Lixia , Fowlkes Natalie W. , Fradette Jared J. , Peng David H. , Cardnell Robert J. , Kovacs Jeffrey J. , Wang Jing , Byers Lauren A. , Gibbons Don L.
Published: January 2021

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a dynamic epigenetic reprogramming event that occurs in a subset of tumor cells and is an initiating step toward invasion and distant metastasis. The process is reversible and gives plasticity to cancer cells to survive under variable conditions, with the acquisition of cancer stem cell–like characteristics and features such as drug resistance. Therefore, understanding survival dependencies of cells along the phenotypic spectrum of EMT will provide better strategies to target the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of tumors and prevent their ability to bypass single-inhibitor treatment strategies. To address this, we integrated the data from a selective drug screen in epithelial and mesenchymal KRAS/p53 (KP)-mutant lung tumor cells with separate datasets including reverse-phase protein array and an in vivo shRNA dropout screen. These orthogonal approaches identified AXL and MEK as potential mesenchymal and epithelial cell survival dependencies, respectively. To capture the dynamicity of EMT, incorporation of a dual fluorescence EMT sensor system into murine KP lung cancer models enabled real-time analysis of the epigenetic state of tumor cells and assessment of the efficacy of single agent or combination treatment with AXL and MEK inhibitors. Both two- and three-dimensional culture systems and in vivo models revealed that this combination treatment strategy of MEK plus AXL inhibition synergistically killed lung cancer cells by specifically targeting each phenotypic subpopulation. In conclusion, these results indicate that cotargeting the specific vulnerabilities of EMT subpopulations can prevent EMT-mediated drug resistance, effectively controlling tumor cell growth and metastasis.

Significance:

This study shows that a novel combination of MEK and AXL inhibitors effectively bypasses EMT-mediated drug resistance in KRAS/p53-mutant non–small cell lung cancer by targeting EMT subpopulations, thereby preventing tumor cell survival.
From Biophysical to Integrate-and-Fire Modeling
Authors: Van Pottelbergh Tomas , Drion Guillaume , Sepulchre Rodolphe
Published: January 2021

This article proposes a methodology to extract a low-dimensional integrate-and-fire model from an arbitrarily detailed single-compartment biophysical model. The method aims at relating the modulation of maximal conductance parameters in the biophysical model to the modulation of parameters in the proposed integrate-and-fire model. The approach is illustrated on two well-documented examples of cellular neuromodulation: the transition between type I and type II excitability and the transition between spiking and bursting.
Small States in the UN Security Council: Austria’s Quest to Maintain Status
Authors: Thorhallsson Baldur , Eggertsdóttir Anna Margrét
Published: January 2021

This article offers a case study on why small states seek membership on the UN Security Council (UNSC). It examines the intension of a small state, Austria, to seek membership on the Council for the 2009-2010 term, the campaign strategy and the domestic debate on the candidacy. The analysis indicates that Austria’s former status as an empire and successful transformation in the post-war period influenced its candidacy and campaign strategy. Also, Austria’s ideational commitment to the UN cause was the foundation for its successful UNSC campaign. Austria’s small size was not a hindrance in its campaign: on the contrary, as a small state Austria gained prestige for its competence and contributions to the UN. A UNSC seat for Austria was not a question of a small state seeking status; rather, it was a quest for remaining relevant and maintaining status in a changing world system.
Three Short Essays on Demodocus’s Song of Ares and Aphrodite (Odyssey 8.266–369)
Authors: Edmunds Lowell
Published: January 2021

First essay: Does an audience, ancient or modern, find Demodocus’s second song humorous? This much-discussed question can be replaced with another. What is the humor that the internal Olympian audience finds? Hephaestus averts potential derision of himself and turns laughter against Ares and Aphrodite, with Poseidon’s help ultimately winning the day.

Second essay: Demodocus’s song is not his, i.e., the poet’s, invention but a re-told story recognized by his audience as such.

Third essay: I analyze the particular form of the condition in Hermes’s reply to Apollo and offer two comparanda in Greek literature.
Metaphor in the Speech of Achilles (Iliad 9.308–429)
Authors: Zanker Andreas T.
Published: January 2021

This article offers an analysis of the conceptual metaphors lodged within a continuous block of Homeric text, Achilles’s famous speech in Iliad 9. It argues for the productivity of applying Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) to Homer, while also contributing to the debate concerning the diachronic roots of modern conventional metaphors. Topics considered include (1) Achilles’s extension, confirmation, and modification of the metaphors used elsewhere in the epics, (2) the different layers of metaphorical usage found in Homer, and (3) the hero’s questioning of one prevalent Homeric metaphor in his rejection of Agamemnon’s gifts as a motivation to fight.
Hypericum perryongii (Hypericaceae), a new species from Philippines

Authors: GALINDON JOHN MICHAEL M. , PENNEYS DARIN S. , LAGUNDAY NOEL E. , TANDANG DANILO N. , CORITICO FULGENT P. , AMOROSO VICTOR B. , FRITSCH PETER W.
Published: January 2021

Hypericum perryongii, from Mindanao Island, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. This new taxon closely resembles both H. geminiflorum and H. formosanum but can be easily distinguished from the former by its larger corolla and calyx lobes and higher number of stamens per fascicle, and from the latter by its terminally 1-flowered inflorescences and the subsessile and abaxially glaucous leaves.
Water-Jet Cavitation Shock Bulging as Novel Microforming Technique
Authors: Li Fuzhu , Fan Haiyang , Guo Yuqin , Chen Zhipeng , Wang Xu , Li Ruitao , Liu Hong , Wang Yun
Published: January 2021

With the continuous expansion of the application range of microelectromechanical systems, microdevice forming technology has achieved remarkable results. However, it is challenging to develop new microforming processes that are low cost, environmentally friendly, and highly flexible; the high-energy shock wave in a cavitation bubble’s collapse process is used as the loading force. Herein, a new process for the microbulging of the water-jet cavitation is proposed. A series of experiments involving the water-jet cavitation shock microbulging process for TA2 titanium foil is performed on an experimental system. The microforming feasibility of the water-jet cavitation is investigated by characterizing the shape of the formed part. Subsequently, the effects of the main parameters of the water-jet cavitation on the bulging profile, forming depth, surface roughness, and bulging thickness distribution of TA2 titanium foil are revealed. The results show that the plastic deformation increases nonlinearly with the incident pressure. When the incident pressure is 20 MPa, the maximum deformation exceeds 240 μm, and the thickness thinning ratio changes within 10%. The microbulging feasibility of water-jet cavitation is verified by this phenomenon.
The potential of high-speed rail freight in Europe: how is a modal shift from road to rail possible for low-density high value cargo?
Authors: Boehm Mathias , Arnz Marlin , Winter Joachim
Published: January 2021

Purpose

A fully electrified transport chain offers considerable potential for CO2 savings. In this paper, we examine the conditions necessary to introduce a fully electrified, large-scale, high-speed rail freight transport system in Europe in addition to high-speed passenger trains, aiming to shift goods transport from road to rail. We compare a novel high-speed rail freight concept with road-based lorry transport for low-density high value goods to estimate the potential for a modal shift from road to rail in 2030.

Methods

To characterize the impacts of different framework conditions, a simulation tool was designed as a discrete choice model, based on random utility theory, with integrated performance calculation assessing the full multimodal transport chain regarding costs, emissions and time. It was applied to a European reference scenario based on forecast data for freight traffic in 2030.

Results

We show that high-speed rail freight is about 70% more expensive than the conventional lorry but emits 80% less CO2 emissions for the baseline parameter setting. The expected mode share largely depends on the cargo’s value of time, while the implementation of a CO2-tax of 100 EUR/tCO2eq has an insignificant impact. The costs of handling goods and the infrastructure charges are highly influential variables.

Conclusion

High-speed rail track access charges are a suitable political instrument to create a level playing field between the transport modes and internalize external costs of freight transport. With the given access charge structure, a reduction of the maximum operating speed to 160 km/h has a positive impact on the expected mode share of rail transport while it still reacts positively to a wide range of the cargo’s time sensitivity (compared to a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h). The flexibility of rail freight’s operating speed is important for an effective implementation. Further research should concentrate on time- and cost-efficient transhipment terminals as they have a significant impact on transport performance.
Diagnostic yield and appropriate indication of upper endoscopy in Jordanian children
Authors: Altamimi Eyad , Odeh Yousef , Al-quraan Tuka , Mohamed Elmi , Rawabdeh Naif
Published: January 2021

Background

Upper endoscopy is an essential tool for diagnosing pediatric gastrointestinal issues. This study aimed to assess the indications, diagnostic yields, concordance between histopathological and endoscopic findings and suitability of upper endoscopies performed at a tertiary university hospital in Jordan.

Methods

Hospital records of children who underwent upper endoscopy were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, endoscopic details (e.g., indications, findings and any complications), and histopathological findings were collected. The relationship between endoscopic findings and histopathological abnormalities was reported.

Results

The study included 778 patients (age, 92.5 ± 54.5 months; 380 girls, 48.8%). The most common age group was children younger than 60 months (273 patients, 34.3%). The most common indication for endoscopy was abdominal pain, followed by vomiting and failure to thrive or weight loss. Normal upper endoscopy was reported in 411 patients (52.8%). Age below 60 months, abdominal pain, dysphagia/odynophagia, and heartburn were predictive of abnormal endoscopy in multivariate analysis with p-value 0.000, 0.048, 0.001 and 0.01 respectively. Abnormal endoscopy showed 67.3% sensitivity and 69.9% specificity to predict histopathological abnormalities. Of those performed, 13.6% endoscopies were described as inappropriate indication. The suitability of the procedure was a sensitive predictor for abnormal endoscopic and histopathological findings.

Conclusions

Abdominal pain is the most common indication for upper endoscopy in our population. It is associated with a higher chance of abnormal endoscopy. Concordance between endoscopic and histopathological findings is not high. Normal endoscopic findings shouldn`t discourage the endoscopist from obtaining tissue biopsies. Considering more biopsies may improve pathological detection rates. Compliance with established endoscopy guidelines may reduce unnecessary procedures.
Risk factors for osteoradionecrosis of the jaw in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Kubota Hikaru , Miyawaki Daisuke , Mukumoto Naritoshi , Ishihara Takeaki , Matsumura Megumi , Hasegawa Takumi , Akashi Masaya , Kiyota Naomi , Shinomiya Hirotaka , Teshima Masanori , Nibu Ken-ichi , Sasaki Ryohei
Published: January 2021

Background

To evaluate factors associated with osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), focusing on jaw-related dose–volume histogram (DVH) parameters.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 616 patients with HNSCC treated with curative-intent or postoperative radiation therapy (RT) during 2008–2018. Patient-related (age, sex, history of smoking or alcohol use, diabetes mellitus, performance status, pre-RT dental evaluation, pre- or post-RT tooth extraction), tumor-related (primary tumor site, T-stage, nodal status), and treatment-related (pre-RT surgery, pre-RT mandible surgery, induction or concurrent chemotherapy, RT technique) variables and DVH parameters (relative volumes of the jaw exposed to doses of 10 Gy–70 Gy [V10–70]) were investigated and compared between patients with and without ORNJ. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare RT dose parameters. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with ORNJ development. Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed for cumulative ORNJ incidence estimation.

Results

Forty-six patients (7.5%) developed ORNJ. The median follow-up duration was 40 (range 3–145) months. The median time to ORNJ development was 27 (range 2–127) months. DVH analysis revealed that V30–V70 values were significantly higher in patients with than in those without ORNJ. In univariate analyses, primary tumor site, pre-RT mandible surgery, post-RT tooth extraction, and V60 > 14% were identified as important factors. In multivariate analyses, V60 > 14% (p = 0.0065) and primary tumor site (p = 0.0059) remained significant. The 3-year cumulative ORNJ incidence rates were 2.5% and 8.6% in patients with V60 ≤ 14% and > 14%, respectively (p < 0.0001), and 9.3% and 1.4% in patients with oropharyngeal or oral cancer and other cancers, respectively (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

V60 > 14% and oropharyngeal or oral cancer were found to be independent risk factors for ORNJ. These findings might be useful to minimize ORNJ incidence in HNSCC treated with curative RT.
Conditional genetic deletion of CSF1 receptor in microglia ameliorates the physiopathology of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Pons Vincent , Lévesque Pascal , Plante Marie-Michèle , Rivest Serge
Published: January 2021

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia in the world. Microglia are the innate immune cells of CNS; their proliferation, activation, and survival in pathologic and healthy brain have previously been shown to be highly dependent on CSF1R.

Methods

Here, we investigate the impact of such receptor on AD etiology and microglia. We deleted CSF1R using Cre/Lox system; the knockout (KO) is restricted to microglia in the APP/PS1 mouse model. We induced the knockout at 3 months old, before plaque formation, and evaluated both 6- and 8-month-old groups of mice.

Results

Our findings demonstrated that CSF1R KO did not impair microglial survival and proliferation at 6 and 8 months of age in APP cKO compared to their littermate-control groups APPSwe/PS1. We have also shown that cognitive decline is delayed in CSF1R-deleted mice. Ameliorations of AD etiology are associated with a decrease in plaque volume in the cortex and hippocampus area. A compensating system seems to take place following the knockout, since TREM2/β-Catenin and IL-34 expression are significantly increased. Such a compensatory mechanism may promote microglial survival and phagocytosis of Aβ in the brain.

Conclusions

Our results provide new insights on the role of CSF1R in microglia and how it interacts with the TREM2/β-Catenin and IL-34 system to clear Aβ and ameliorates the physiopathology of AD.
Accelerometry to study fine-scale activity of invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the wild
Authors: Whitney Nicholas M. , White Connor F. , Smith Brian J. , Cherkiss Michael S. , Mazzotti Frank J. , Hart Kristen M.
Published: January 2021

Background

The establishment of Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus)in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, has been connected to a > 90% decline in the mesomammal population in the park and is a major threat to native reptile and bird populations. Efforts to control this population are underway, but are hampered by a lack of information about fine-scale activity cycles and ecology of these cryptic animals in the wild. We aimed to establish a technique for monitoring the activity of Burmese pythons in the wild using acceleration data loggers (ADLs), while attempting to identify any behavioral patterns that could be used to help manage this invasive species in the Greater Everglades and South Florida.

Results

We obtained continuous acceleration and temperature data from four wild snakes over periods of 19 to 95 days (mean 54 ± 33 days). Snakes spent 86% of their time at rest and 14% of their time active, including transiting between locations. All snakes showed at least one period of continuous transiting lasting 10 h or more, with one animal transiting continuously for a period of 58.5 h. Acceleration data logger-derived transiting bout duration was significantly correlated with the distance snakes traveled per hour for two snakes that also carried GPS loggers. Snakes were most active in midday or early-night depending on individual and time of year, but all snakes were least likely to be active in the early mornings (0400–0700 h local time). Very little movement took place at temperatures below 14 °C or above 24 °C, with most movement taking place between 15° and 20 °C. One animal showed a highly unusual rolling event that may be indicative of a predation attempt, but this could not be confirmed.

Conclusions

Fine-scale activity and some behaviors were apparent from ADL data, making ADLs a potentially valuable, unbiased tool for monitoring large-bodied snakes in the wild. Snakes spent the majority of their time resting, but also moved continuously for several hours at a time during bouts of transiting. Results suggest that individuals may shift their diel activity pattern based on season. Understanding seasonal differences in activity levels can improve the accuracy of population estimates, help detect range expansion, and improve managers’ ability to find and capture individuals.
The funhouse mirror: the I in personalised healthcare
Authors: Vegter Mira W. , Zwart Hub A. E. , van Gool Alain J.
Published: January 2021

Precision Medicine is driven by the idea that the rapidly increasing range of relatively cheap and efficient self-tracking devices make it feasible to collect multiple kinds of phenotypic data. Advocates ofN = 1 research emphasize the countless opportunities personal data provide for optimizing individual health. At the same time, using biomarker data for lifestyle interventions has shown to entail complex challenges. In this paper, we argue that researchers in the field of precision medicine need to address the performative dimension of collecting data. We propose the fun-house mirror as a metaphor for the use of personal health data; each health data source yields a particular type of image that can be regarded as a ‘data mirror’ that is by definition specific and skewed. This requires competence on the part of individuals to adequately interpret the images thus provided.
Hypoglycemic episodes in hospitalized people with diabetes in Portugal: the HIPOS-WARD study
Authors: Alão Sílvia , Conceição João , Dores Jorge , Santos Lèlita , Araújo Francisco , Pape Estevão , Reis Mónica , Chipepo Árcia , Nascimento Edite , Baptista Ana , Pires Vanessa , Marques Carlos , Lages Adriana De Sousa , Pelicano-Romano João , de Jesus Paula M.
Published: January 2021

Background

We intended to estimate the proportion hypoglycemic/hyperglycemic emergency episodes in treated diabetes mellitus (DM) patients admitted to a hospital ward, and calculate the prevalence of risk factors for hypoglycemia and diabetic complications.

Methods

In this cross-sectional, multicentered study, the observational data was collected by physicians from patient’s hospitalization to discharge/death. Statistical tests were 2-tailed considering 5% significance level.

Results

There were 646 ward admissions due to hyperglycemic emergencies and 176 hypoglycemic episodes with a ratio hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia 0.27 for all DM patients. In T2DM patients the ratio was 0.38. These were mainly female (55.1%), functionally dependent (61.4%) and retired/disabled (73.1%). Median age was 75 years and median duration of disease 11 years. Half the patients were on insulin-based therapy and 30.1% on secretagogue-based therapy. Approximately 57% of patients needed occasional/full assistance to manage the disease. The most frequent risk factor for hypoglycemia was polypharmacy (85.0%). Hypoglycemia in the 12 months before admission was higher in insulin-based therapy patients (66.1%; p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Hyperglycemic emergencies are the most frequent cause of hospitalization in Portugal, although severe hypoglycemic events represent a health and social problem in elderly/frail patients. There is still the need to optimize therapy in terms of the potential for hypoglycemia in this patient group and a review of anti-hyperglycemic agents to add on to insulin.
The role of serotonin and diet in the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Bruta Khushi , Vanshika  , Bhasin Kishnoor , Bhawana
Published: January 2021

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)- a neurotransmitter of both the Enteric Nervous System and the Central Nervous System is synthesized by the hydroxylation of L- tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan.

Serotonin has been associated with gut functions like assimilation and absorption, alongside the regulation of particle transport and fluid discharge in the gastrointestinal tract and its deficiency is found to be a prominent factor in the prevalence of gut disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

For this review, we assessed the conventional treatment methods of common drugs, with the recently accredited treatment options like dietary regulation, exercise, meditation, and acupuncture. Having found that the most commonly used drugs exhibited various side effects like nausea, fatigue, rash, and dizziness, an in-depth evaluation of different Indian dietary patterns and their respective effects on tryptophan levels has been highlighted to formulate an ideal diet for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This review seeks to explore the numerous studies conducted to link IBS with the lack of serotonin production in the body, alongside exploring the evidence associating certain foods with raised tryptophan levels to hypothesize a suitable Indian diet.

This review, in its essence, stresses the crucial need for further research on the dietary implications of common Indian foods and their FODMAP (Fermented Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols) contents, while underscoring the benefits of using unconventional and natural methods for the treatment of tryptophan-related gut disorders.
Parasitism potential of Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) on pupae of the fruit fly species, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) and Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), during variable exposure durations
Authors: Ullah Fazl , Farooq Muzammil , Honey Sabyan Faris , Zada Naeem
Published: January 2021

Background

Fruit flies are important insect pests of horticultural crops. Pesticides used to control them which cause environmental and health hazards; therefore, other alternative sustainable management measures are required.

Main body

Successful implementation of an integrated pest management program, using biological control agents, needs synchronization of parasitoids with hosts selection and exposure time. The present study was conducted to assess the biological activity of the parasitoid species, Dirhinus giffardii (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), against the melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), and the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), at different exposure durations (24, 48, and 72 h). The experiments were conducted under standard laboratory conditions. Significant differences in the parasitism rate of D. giffardii were observed for both species at different exposure durations. The maximum parasitism rate of D. giffardii (52.60 ± 2.84%) and (42.73 ± 2.74%) was observed at 48-h exposure period for Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis, respectively. Also, a comparison between both species showed a difference in parasitism rate at 24 and 48 h and a positive correlation between percent parasitism and exposure duration. Adult emergence of D. giffardii showed a maximum emergence rate from pupae of Z. cucurbitae (63.55 ± 4.02%) and B. dorsalis (51.61 ± 2.33%) at 10 days interval, respectively. However, the daily emergence of the parasitoid was not correlated to exposure duration in both species. The results of the present study may serve in the mass rearing of D. giffardii.

Conclusion

The biological activity of D. giffardii was maximum at 48 h of exposure for both fruit fly species, and this important information may improve the mass rearing technology of D. giffardii.
Changes in the faecal microbiome of pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor) associated with chronic, recurrent diarrhoea and weight loss
Authors: Richards-Rios Peter , Wigley Paul , López Javier , Wormell Dominic , Barbón Alberto
Published: January 2021

Background

Chronic recurrent diarrhoea and weight loss is a common problem in captive callitrichids. These symptoms are common clinical features of marmoset wasting syndrome (MWS), a chronic enteric inflammation of unknown aetiology associated with mortality in captive marmosets. The unknown aetiology of the condition presents problems for conservation projects where affected colonies present higher mortality and lower birth rates. Since a role for the microbiome has been established in chronic enteric inflammation of other species it is possible that the intestinal microbiome undergoes similar changes during MWS.

Results

The faecal microbiome of pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor) at Jersey Zoo was determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to compare the composition of the faecal microbiome of tamarins affected by chronic recurrent diarrhoea and weight loss with unaffected individuals. Affected individuals had a higher relative abundance of amplicon sequence variants assigned to Lactobacillus and Helicobacter jaachi while unaffected individuals had a higher relative abundance of some Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae.

Conclusions

Although Helicobacter has been shown to reside in healthy wild and captive marmosets and tamarins and appears to form part of the normal microbiota, the results of this study raise the prospect that certain species of Helicobacter may be associated with chronic, recurrent diarrhoea in captive callitrichids. The presence of Lactobacillus may also play a role in the development of MWS. Since depletion of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae have been linked to chronic gastrointestinal inflammation in humans, this feature of the microbiome of affected tamarins provides another avenue of further research in the pathogenesis of MWS.
The yellow perch (Perca flavescens) microbiome revealed resistance to colonisation mostly associated with neutralism driven by rare taxa under cadmium disturbance
Authors: Cheaib Bachar , Seghouani Hamza , Llewellyn Martin , Vandal-Lenghan Katherine , Mercier Pierre-Luc , Derome Nicolas
Published: January 2021

Background

Disentangling the dynamics of microbial interactions within communities improves our comprehension of metacommunity assembly of microbiota during host development and under perturbations. To assess the impact of stochastic variation of neutral processes on microbiota structure and composition under disturbance, two types of microbial habitats, free-living (water), and host-associated (skin and gut) were experimentally exposed to either a constant or gradual selection regime exerted by two sublethal cadmium chloride dosages (CdCl2). Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) was used as a piscivorous ecotoxicological model. Using 16S rDNA gene based metataxonomics, quantitative diversity metrics of water, skin and gut microbial communities were characterized along with development and across experimental conditions.

Results

After 30 days, constant and gradual selection regimes drove a significant alpha diversity increase for both skin and gut microbiota. In the skin, pervasive negative correlations between taxa in both selection regimes in addition to the taxonomic convergence with the environmental bacterial community, suggest a loss of colonisation resistance resulting in the dysbiosis of yellow perch microbiota. Furthermore, the network connectivity in gut microbiome was exclusively maintained by rare (low abundance) OTUs, while most abundant OTUs were mainly composed of opportunistic invaders such as Mycoplasma and other genera related to fish pathogens such as Flavobacterium. Finally, the mathematical modelling of community assembly using both non-linear least squares models (NLS) based estimates of migration rates and normalized stochasticity ratios (NST) based beta-diversity distances suggested neutral processes drove by taxonomic drift in host and water communities for almost all treatments. The NLS models predicted higher demographic stochasticity in the cadmium-free host and water microbiomes, however, NST models suggested higher ecological stochasticity under perturbations.

Conclusions

Neutral models agree that water and host-microbiota assembly promoted by rare taxa have evolved predominantly under neutral processes with potential involvement of deterministic forces sourced from host filtering and cadmium selection. The early signals of perturbations in the skin microbiome revealed antagonistic interactions by a preponderance of negative correlations in the co-abundance networks. Our findings enhance our understanding of community assembly host-associated and free-living under anthropogenic selective pressure.