bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What scholars and IRBs talk when they talk about the Belmont principles in crowd work‐based research
Authors: Xia Huichuan
Published: November 2022

How scholars and IRBs perceive and apply the Belmont principles in crowd work‐based research was an open and largely neglected question. As crowd work becomes increasingly popular for scholars to implement research and collect data, such negligence, signaling a lack of attention to the ethical issues in crowd work‐based research more broadly, seemed alarming. To fill this gap, we conducted a qualitative study with 32 scholars and IRB directors/analysts in the United States to inquire into their perceptions and applications of the Belmont principles in crowd work‐based research. We found two dilemmas in applying the Belmont principles in crowd work‐based research, namely the dilemma between the dehumanization and expected autonomy of crowd workers, and the dilemma between the monetary incentive/reputationall risks and the conventional notion of research benefits/risks. We also compared the scholars' and IRBs' ethical perspectives and proposed our research implications for future work.
Application of Poly(ether sulfone)‐Based Membranes in Clean Energy Technology
Authors: Shi Dingqing , Li Chunyang , Yin Yanbin , Lu Wenjing , Li Guojun , Li Xianfeng
Published: November 2022

Poly(ether sulfone) (PES) is a kind of polymer materials with excellent electrical insulation and acid/alkali stability. PES can be operated at high temperature continuously for a long time and still maintain excellent property stability in the environments with rapidly changed temperature, namely, great thermostability. Moreover, PES has low molding shrinkage, good dimensional stability and excellent film‐forming characteristics. Compared with inorganic membranes, PES‐based membranes have lower cost, which have received more attention and wide recognition in the field of clean energy technologies in recent years, such as flow batteries, fuel cells, water treatment, and gas separation. Therefore, this review summarizes the research status and prospect of the utilization of PES‐based membranes in clean energy fields, in order to further promote their development and application.
Fully probabilistic control for uncertain nonlinear stochastic systems
Authors: Zafar Ana , Herzallah Randa
Published: November 2022

This paper develops a novel probabilistic framework for stochastic nonlinear and uncertain control problems. The proposed framework exploits the Kullback–Leibler divergence to measure the divergence between the distribution of the closed‐loop behavior of a dynamical system and a predefined ideal distribution. To facilitate the derivation of the analytic solution of the randomized controllers for nonlinear systems, transformation methods are applied such that the dynamics of the controlled system becomes affine in the state and control input. Additionally, knowledge of uncertainty is taken into consideration in the derivation of the randomized controller. The derived analytic solution of the randomized controller is shown to be obtained from a generalized state‐dependent Riccati solution that takes into consideration the state‐ and control‐dependent functional uncertainty of the controlled system. The proposed framework is demonstrated on an inverted pendulum on a cart problem, and the results are obtained.
A Bayesian homogeneity test for comparing Poisson populations
Authors: Girón Francisco Javier , Martel–Escobar María , Vázquez–Polo Francisco–José
Published: November 2022

For a wide class of daily applications in industrial quality control, there may be interest in comparing several Poisson means. A large catalogue of frequentist procedures for this hypothesis testing problem is available. However, some common drawbacks of them are their low power, interpretation of the ‐values for multiple comparison, among many others. In this paper, we present a unified Bayesian approach to the problem based on a model selection approach developed using a product partition clustering model. The posterior probabilities for models obtained are derived directly from the associated Bayes factors which are calculated by considering a simple hierarchical prior structure which has a quasi–closed form, easily computed by numerical procedures. This approach constitutes a readily implementable alternative to frequentist multiple testing procedures where uncertainty concerning all possible “types of homogeneity” is ignored. The proposed methodology allows for an intuitive interpretation based directly on posterior probabilities of the partitions involved in the testing problem. We illustrate its performance with three real data sets.
Identity for scalar‐valued functions of tensors and its applications to energy–momentum tensors in classical field theories and gravity
Authors: Struckmeier Jürgen , van de Venn Armin , Vasak David
Published: November 2022

We prove a theorem on scalar‐valued functions of tensors, where “scalar” refers to absolute scalars as well as relative scalars of weight w. The present work thereby generalizes an identity referred to earlier by Rosenfeld in his publication “On the energy–momentum tensor”. The theorem provides a (1,1)‐tensor identity which can be regarded as the tensor analogue of the identity following from Euler's theorem on homogeneous functions. The remarkably simple identity is independent of any internal symmetries of the constituent tensors, providing a powerful tool for deriving relations between field‐theoretical expressions and physical quantities. We apply the identity especially for analyzing the metric and canonical energy–momentum tensors of matter and gravity and the relation between them. Moreover, we present a generalized Einstein field equation for the arbitrary version of vacuum space–time dynamics—including torsion and non‐metricity. The identity allows to formulate an equivalent representation of this equation. Thereby the conjecture of a zero‐energy universe is confirmed.
Cost‐Effective Vat Orange 3‐Derived Organic Cathodes for Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Chen Ling , Xing Fangfang , Lin Qiting , Waqas Ahsan , Wang Xiujuan , Baumgartner Thomas , He Xiaoming
Published: November 2022

Organic compounds are desirable alternatives for sustainable lithium‐ion battery electrodes. Vat orange 3 (VO3, 4,10‐dibromoanthanthrone) is a highly cost‐effective organic dye containing two conjugated carbonyl groups, which can reversibly accept two electrons. The skeleton also contains two bromine atoms, which allows easy incorporation of the anthanthrone unit into polymers through simple reactions. In this work, we report the preparation of organic cathodes derived from the low‐costVO3dye for lithium‐organic batteries (LOBs). The results show that polymericVO3‐based materials exhibit remarkably high cyclability and rate performance, because of their effective suppression of dissolution. In particular, the sulfide polymer poly(anthanthrone sulfide) (PATS) shows an initial large‐current (0.2 A g−1) discharge capacity of 133 mAh g−1at a potential near 2.4 V. The capacity reaches a maximum capacity of 147 mAh g−1after 24 cycles and is maintained at 132 mAh g−1after 300 cycles. Moreover, a full battery cell with the structure:PATScathode||graphite anode, further delivers an impressive electrochemical performance with an energy density up to 237 Wh kg−1along with an output voltage of 2.3 V. The present study initiates the use ofVO3‐based organics, which show promising potential for future application in LOBs on a large scale.
Developmental exposure to the flame retardant, triphenyl phosphate, causes long‐lasting neurobehavioral and neurochemical dysfunction
Authors: Hawkey Andrew B. , Evans Janequia , Holloway Zade R. , Pippen Erica , Jarrett Olivia , Kenou Bruny , Slotkin Theodore A. , Seidler Frederic J. , Levin Edward D.
Published: November 2022

Background

Human exposures to organophosphate flame retardants result from their use as additives in numerous consumer products. These agents are replacements for brominated flame retardants but have not yet faced similar scrutiny for developmental neurotoxicity. We examined a representative organophosphate flame retardant, triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and its potential effects on behavioral development and dopaminergic function.

Methods

Female Sprague–Dawley rats were given low doses of TPP (16 or 32 mg kg−1 day−1) via subcutaneous osmotic minipumps, begun preconception and continued into the early postnatal period. Offspring were administered a battery of behavioral tests from adolescence into adulthood, and littermates were used to evaluate dopaminergic synaptic function.

Results

Offspring with TPP exposures showed increased latency to begin eating in the novelty‐suppressed feeding test, impaired object recognition memory, impaired choice accuracy in the visual signal detection test, and sex‐selective effects on locomotor activity in adolescence (males) but not adulthood. Male, but not female, offspring showed marked increases in dopamine utilization in the striatum, evidenced by an increase in the ratio of the primary dopamine metabolite (3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) relative to dopamine levels.

Conclusions

These results indicate that TPP has adverse effects that are similar in some respects to those of organophosphate pesticides, which were restricted because of their developmental neurotoxicity.
High‐throughput detection of craniofacial defects in fluorescent zebrafish
Authors: Everson Joshua L. , Tseng Yung‐Chia , Eberhart Johann K.
Published: November 2022

Losses and malformations of cranial neural crest cell (cNCC) derivatives are a hallmark of several common brain and face malformations. Nevertheless, the etiology of these cNCC defects remains unknown for many cases, suggesting a complex basis involving interactions between genetic and/or environmental factors. However, the sheer number of possible factors (thousands of genes and hundreds of thousands of toxicants) has hindered identification of specific interactions. Here, we develop a high‐throughput analysis that will enable faster identification of multifactorial interactions in the genesis of craniofacial defects. Zebrafish embryos expressing a fluorescent marker of cNCCs (fli1:EGFP) were exposed to a pathway inhibitor standard or environmental toxicant, and resulting changes in fluorescence were measured in high‐throughput using a fluorescent microplate reader to approximate cNCC losses. Embryos exposed to the environmental Hedgehog pathway inhibitor piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a Hedgehog pathway inhibitor standard, or alcohol (ethanol) exhibited reduced fli1:EGFP fluorescence at one day post fertilization, which corresponded with craniofacial defects at five days post fertilization. Combining PBO and alcohol in a co‐exposure paradigm synergistically reduced fluorescence, demonstrating a multifactorial interaction. Using pathway reporter transgenics, we show that the plate reader assay is sensitive at detecting alterations in Hedgehog signaling, a critical regulator of craniofacial development. We go on to demonstrate that this technique readily detects defects in other important cell types, namely neurons. Together, these findings demonstrate this novel in vivo platform can predict developmental abnormalities and multifactorial interactions in high‐throughput.
Employee (Mis)Behavior: What Directors Need to Know About Behavioral Economics
Authors: Bailey Roger A. , Blackwell Roger D.
Published: November 2022

Roger A. Bailey is clinical assistant professor of marketing and director of the full‐time MBA program at The Ohio State University. Roger D. Blackwell, Ph.D., is retired from The Ohio State. In this article, they discuss behavioral economics and how it applies to common challenges facing corporate boards.
What determines the quality of carbon reporting? A system‐oriented theories and corporate governance perspective
Authors: Houqe Muhammad Nurul , Khan Habib Zaman
Published: November 2022

The study examines the determinants of the quality of carbon reporting (QCR) by top listed firms of a developed country. Using a sample of the top 50 listed firms of New Zealand (NZ) sampled over a period of 6 years (2015–2020), the study measured QCR index using 14‐items and analysed the data using regression analysis. The study finds that external factors, namely, carbon regulation (Emission Trading Scheme—ETS law), use of a standardised reporting format for non‐financial reporting (Global Reporting Initiative, GRI) template, and environmental and social (E&S) performance, all positively influence the QCR. The study also finds that corporate governance attributes namely board diversity (women's representation on the board) and board size positively influence the QCR. Lastly, the study finds that top firms in NZ have many areas of improvement in reporting quality carbon information. The study is the first empirical research on QCR from NZ firms that evidences multiple institutional factors and governance elements as key explanatory factors driving towards making carbon reporting credible and reliable.
Evaluating potential overuse of surveillance care in cancer survivors
Authors: Sheng Jennifer Y. , Snyder Claire F. , Smith Katherine C. , DeSanto Jennifer , Mayonado Nancy , Rall Susan , White Sharon , Blackford Amanda L. , Johnston Fabian M. , Joyner Robert L. , Mischtschuk Joan , Peairs Kimberly S. , Thorner Elissa , Tran Phuoc T. , Wolff Antonio C. , Choi Youngjee
Published: November 2022

Background

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) communicate cancer‐related information from oncology providers to patients and primary care providers. SCPs may limit overuse testing by specifying necessary follow‐up care. From a randomized, controlled trial of SCP delivery, we examined whether cancer‐related tests not specified in SCPs, but conducted after SCP receipt, were appropriate or consistent with overuse.

Methods

Survivors of breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer treated at urban‐academic or rural‐community health systems were randomized to one of three SCP delivery arms. Tests during 18 months after SCP receipt were classified as consistent with overuse if they were (1) not included in SCPs and (2) on a guideline‐based predetermined list of “not recommended surveillance.” After chart abstraction, physicians performed review and adjudication of potential overuse. Descriptive analyses were conducted of tests consistent with overuse. Negative binomial regression models determined if testing consistent with overuse differed across study arms.

Results

Among 316 patients (137 breast, 67 colorectal, 112 prostate), 140 individual tests were identified as potential overuse. Upon review, 98 were deemed to be consistent with overuse: 78 tumor markers and 20 imaging tests. The majority of overuse testing was breast cancer‐related (95%). Across sites, 27 patients (9%) received ≥1 test consistent with overuse; most were breast cancer patients (22/27). Exploratory analyses of overuse test frequency by study arm showed no significant difference.

Conclusions

This analysis identified practice patterns consistent with overuse of surveillance testing and can inform efforts to improve guideline‐concordant care. Future interventions may include individual practice patterns and provider education.
Exploring male childhood sexual abuse survivors' experiences of specialist counselling services
Authors: Viliardos Laura , McAndrew Sue , Murphy Neil
Published: November 2022

Global estimates suggest 5% to 10% of men report experience of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). However, male CSA is significantly underreported, with men being reluctant to disclose due to vulnerability, stigmatisation, homophobic responses and fearing a loss of masculinity. A lack of research and service provision targeted towards men suggests male survivors of CSA are marginalised. This qualitative study, using a narrative approach, focussed on four adult male survivors of CSA. The aim of the study was to explore their experiences of engaging in counselling and support services for CSA from nonstatutory and voluntary organisations. Face‐to‐face narrative interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was undertaken using a two‐phase approach; first, each narrative was analysed as a whole; second, an across‐transcripts analysis was carried out to identify shared themes and divergences that emerged from the individual stories. In this paper, findings from the second phase of the analysis are presented. Three themes regarding male survivors' experiences of specialist counselling services were identified: “Trust Me, I'm a Doctor,” “Trust me, I'm a Counsellor” and “Counsellor or Mother?” This is the first academic study focussing specifically on men's experience of support for CSA in the UK from a service user perspective. Making an original contribution to the knowledge base regarding counselling experiences and the effectiveness of therapy for male CSA survivors, it will help to inform professional counselling services which are likely to come into contact with male survivors of CSA.
A comparison of health behaviours in male adolescents with and without offending histories referred for adolescent health services in Turkey
Authors: Ayaz Nusret , Karatoprak Serdar
Published: November 2022

Background

Offending and incarceration are important societal problems that might be reduced by improving early intervention. Most prior work identifying risk factors has focussed on early oppositional or aggressive behaviours and environmental problems. Among adults, it is well recognised that offenders have much poorer health than the wider population. This raises questions about whether behaviours that put health at risk while a teenager may also be good markers of subsequent offending.

Aims

To examine the relationship between risky health behaviours and delinquency by comparing male teenage offenders with a history of incarceration and male teenagers with no criminal involvement.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, 66 male 12–18‐year‐old offenders with an incarceration history who were referred for evaluation to the Forensic Medicine Polyclinic in 2021 were compared with 74 similar aged adolescents without a criminal record but attending another clinic in the same hospital, using the Risky Health Behaviour Scale (RHBS). This covers dietary, road safety and sexual behaviours as well as exercise, substance use and violent behaviours. Negative items were reverse scored so that higher scores indicated more pro‐health activities.

Results

Total RHBS scores were significantly lower among the offender‐group than the comparison teenagers (Means 93.19 ± 17.00: 107.20 ± 10.83; p ≤ 0.001). This reflected significant differences in each of the subscale scores except dietary and risky sexual behaviour. Only substance use behaviours, however, were independently related to offender group membership, as was family socio‐economic status.

Conclusions

Our findings add indications of risky health‐related behaviours to the already extensive literature on risky social behaviours in the history of young offenders. It is possible that focussing on young offenders referred to a health service, albeit one primarily directed at mental health, has exaggerated such differences, but if substantiated in larger and more diverse samples, these findings may open new avenues for early identification of young people at risk of offending and commensurate early interventions. Focus on substance use by young people seems especially important, but low family socio‐economic status needs remedies too.
Bilateral ‘kissing’ molars: A case report
Authors: Aslam‐Pervez Bilal , Carr Emma
Published: November 2022

‘Kissing molars’, were described by Van Hoof in 1973 as when the occlusal surfaces of impacted molars are united by the same follicular space and the roots point in the opposite direction. There are very few published cases in the literature, and it is an extremely rare form of impaction.
Landscape and clinical impact of NOTCH mutations in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Han Haohao , Yao Yifang , Wang Hong , Zhou Meng , Zhang Ziyan , Xu Xiaoyan , Qi Jiaqian , Liu Yuejun , Wu Depei , Han Yue
Published: November 2022

Background

NOTCH mutations (NOTCHmut) are recognized as major oncogenic drivers associated with controversial clinical impact on T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL), whereas their clinical value on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poorly defined.

Methods

A study involving 878 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with AML was undertaken in an institution with available clinical data to unravel the impact of NOTCHmut on prognosis.

Results

In the study, NOTCHmut were discovered in 3.6% (32/878) of included patients with AML and composed substitution‐missense, frameshift mutation, substitution‐nonsense, and insertion‐in frame. These mutations were more commonly associated with low platelet (29 vs 42 × 109/L, p = .024) count and coexisted with BCOR/BCORL1 (15.6% vs 3.2%, p = .001), DNMT3A (28.1% vs 12.5%, p = .021), and MPL (9.4% vs 0.8%, p = .004) mutations compared with NOTCH wild‐type (NOTCHwt). No significant difference was observed in treatment responses between NOTCHmut and NOTCHwt. The presence of NOTCHmut was associated with worse overall survival ([OS], 1 year‐OS: 68.0% vs 84.2%; 3 year‐OS: 48.3% vs 59.6%; p = .059) and relapse‐free survival ([RFS], 1 year‐RFS: 78.3% vs 85.4%; 3 year‐RFS: 54.5% vs 76.9%; p = .018), especially within the European Leukemia Net 2017 intermediate‐risk group. Furthermore, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation might abrogate the dismal impact of NOTCHmut on RFS. In multivariate analysis, NOTCHmut were found to be an independent factor negatively influencing RFS (hazard ratio, 2.153; 95% CI, 1.166‐3.975; p = .014).

Conclusion

This study suggests that NOTCHmut may serve as an indicator for poor prognosis of AML.

Plain language summary

Although NOTCH mutations (NOTCHmut) are well studied in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL), less is known about their incidence and prognostic implications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

A total of 878 newly diagnosed patients with AML was retrospectively analyzed; it was found that the frequency of NOTCHmut was relatively low but was associated with an adverse prognosis.
A vector finite element approach to temperature dependent parameters of microwave ablation for liver cancer
Authors: Gangadhara Boregowda , Mariappan Panchatcharam
Published: November 2022

Microwave ablation (MWA) is a minimally invasive treatment for cancer that uses electromagnetic waves to kill the tumor cells without significantly damaging the surrounding healthy cells. A three‐state cell death model calculates the thermal damage around the Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor in the liver tissue. The temperature profile is simulated for a single‐slot co‐axial antenna with a 1 mm air slot located near the tip of the antenna to produce an adequate amount of heat. The aims of this study are (1) to use the vector/edge finite element method (VFEM) to simulate the electromagnetic wave propagation to obtain the specific absorption rate, which is an input for the bio‐heat equation that predicts the heat distribution in the liver tissue during MWA treatment, and (2) to compare the computational costs of VFEM and the finite element method (FEM) when different types of input powers and dielectric properties are used in the wave propagation equation. This study claims that the accuracy level increases marginally with less computation cost while using VFEM for temperature‐dependent wave propagation equation.
Creation of Highly Dispersed Supported Polyoxometalate Cesium Salts via Cation Exchange from Alkylammonium Salts on Supports
Authors: Suzuki Takaaki , Yabe Tomohiro , Wachi Keiju , Yonesato Kentaro , Suzuki Kosuke , Yamaguchi Kazuya
Published: November 2022

We have reported several precisely designed metal‐oxo clusters on lacunary polyoxometalate (POM) tetra‐n‐butylammonium (TBA) salts in organic solvents. However, owing to their low thermostability and/or low effective surface area, POM TBA salts are not amenable to heterogeneous catalysts for gas‐phase reactions at high temperature. To avoid this problem, we developed a new preparation method that obtains highly dispersed supported‐POM Cs salts (Cs−POM/support) via cation exchange from the corresponding TBA salts on supports. In this study, a model Keggin‐type POM called TBA4PVMo11O40 (TBA−PVMo11) is supported on oxides (TBA−PVMo11/support) using an incipient wetness method in acetonitrile. This TBA−PVMo11/support was cation‐exchanged with cesium trifluoromethanesulfonate in ethanol to obtain supported‐POM Cs salts (Cs−PVMo11/support). Various characterizations revealed that the TBA−PVMo11/support maintained the original Keggin structure during cation exchange and that Cs−PVMo11 was highly dispersed on the supports. Furthermore, Cs−PVMo11/support maintained the Keggin structure even after calcination at 573 K under an aerobic condition.
New book helps teach how to speak to children about death
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2022

Written by a psychoanalyst who herself lost a child to death (from leukemia), Giving hope: Conversations with children about illness, death, and loss is written in plain language for parents, but with important guidance for professionals as well.
Pew recommends cascade of care – 90‐90‐90 – for OUD treatment metrics
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: November 2022

Beginning with the statement that the most effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are medications — methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone — an “issue brief” (it's actually quite long) from The Pew Charitable Trusts (Pew) released last week recommended that states set “core metrics to track” the ways in which care is provided for OUD, from diagnosis through recovery.
Quantification and comparison of the regional acceleratory phenomenon in bone following piezosurgery or bur osteotomy: A pilot study in rats
Authors: Battista Massimo Di , Kernitsky Jeremy , Exarchos Elias , Ohira Taisuke , Dibart Serge
Published: November 2022

Background/Objective

The Regional Acceleratory Phenomenon (RAP) can be induced surgically via decortication (selective cortical penetrations) of bone to accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. Few studies have compared the impact and efficiency of different decortication methods to induce the RAP. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference in the intensity of the RAP induced by a surgical defect created either using a piezoelectric knife or a rotary bur.

Methods

Twenty‐two Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into two treatment groups (each n = 8) and a control group (n = 6). The treatment groups were subjected to transcortical penetrations (TP) of the right tibia using either a piezoelectric knife (PTP) or a rotary bur (BTP). The right tibias of the control group animals had reflection of tissues (SHAM) and the left legs were kept for comparison (INTACT). The animals were killed at 7 and 14 days after the operation in an equally distributed manner. Microcomputed tomography images were obtained and analyzed utilizing artificial intelligence for bone cortical porosity (Ct.Po) locally and regionally.

Results/Conclusion

Regionally, TP using a PTP induced significantly (p < .05, Kruskal–Wallis test) more Ct.Po than BTP or INTACT for both the 7‐ and 14‐day time points. PTP was not found to induce significantly more Ct.Po than SHAM at any time point. However, PTP induced significantly more Ct.Po than the INTACT group for each time point, while SHAM did not. The local analysis did not reveal any relevant significant differences between groups.
A high step‐up soft‐switched DC‐DC converter with reduced voltage stress for DC micro‐grid applications
Authors: Kalahasthi Rajesh Babu , Ramteke Manojkumar R. , Suryawanshi Hiralal Murlidhar
Published: November 2022

This article proposes a non‐isolated soft switched high gain DC‐DC converter with reduced voltage stress across switches and diodes. This converter is suitable for renewable energy and DC micro‐grid applications. High gain is obtained at lower duty and turns ratio using a voltage multiplier and two coupled inductors. An active clamp circuit is incorporated to reduce the voltage stress across the main switch and also to achieve zero voltage switching (ZVS) of both switches. Zero current switching (ZCS) of diodes during turn off is also achieved. As a result, switching losses between switches and diodes are reduced, and efficiency is improved. The working principle and theoretical analysis in continuous conduction mode (CCM) is presented. A 500 W (24 V/400 V) prototype with a high voltage gain is built up, and an efficiency of 94.87% is observed. The hardware results are in close agreement with the simulation results.
The frequency of Treg subsets distinguishes disease activity in ANCA vasculitis
Authors: Agosto‐Burgos Christian , Wu Eveline Y , Iannone Marie A , Hu Yichun , Hogan Susan L , Henderson Candace D , Kennedy Kristin B , Blazek Lauren , Herrera Carolina A , Munson Dominique , Falk Ronald J , Ciavatta Dominic J , Free Meghan E
Published: November 2022

Objectives

T regulatory cells (Tregs) are a heterogeneous group of immunoregulatory cells that dampen self‐harming immune responses and prevent the development of autoimmune diseases. In anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) vasculitis, Tregs possess diminished suppressive capacity, which has been attributed to the expression of a FOXP3 splice‐variant lacking exon 2 in T cells (FOXP3Δ2 CD4+ T cells). However, the suppressive capacity of Tregs varies between subsets. We evaluated the frequency of Treg subsets in ANCA vasculitis as a potential explanation for diminished suppressive capacity.

Methods

We developed a custom mass cytometry panel and performed deep immune profiling of Tregs in healthy controls, patients with active disease and in remission. Using these data, we performed multidimensional reduction and discriminant analysis to identify associations between Treg subsets and disease activity.

Results

Total Tregs were expanded in ANCA vasculitis, which was associated with remission and the administration of rituximab and/or prednisone. The frequency of FOXP3Δ2 CD4+ T cells did not distinguish disease activity and this population had high expression levels of CD127 and lacked both CD25 and Helios, suggesting that they are not conventional Tregs. The frequency of CXCR3+, CD103+ and CCR7+ Tregs distinguished disease activity, and the combination of the frequency of these three Treg subsets segregated active patients from patients in remission and healthy controls. From these three subsets, the frequency of CXCR3+ Tregs distinguished patients with active disease with renal involvement.

Conclusion

Treg heterogeneity can discriminate disease activity and should be explored as a biomarker of disease activity in ANCA vasculitis.
Cytological diagnosis of olfactory neuroblastoma at metastatic sites, with emphasis on role of insulinoma‐associated protein 1 immunocytochemistry
Authors: Roy Diya , Sriram Sanjay , Kakkar Aanchal , Kumar Rajeev , Kaur Kavneet , Jain Deepali , Sharma Atul , Thakar Alok
Published: November 2022

Background

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare neuroectodermal tumor with a propensity for lymph node and distant metastases in a proportion of cases, presenting opportunities for cytological diagnosis. Insulinoma‐associated protein 1 (INSM1) is a recently identified marker of neuroendocrine differentiation with higher sensitivity and specificity than traditional neuroendocrine immunostains used in diagnosis of ONB.

Methods

Archival aspirates diagnosed as metastatic ONB were retrieved and reviewed for described characteristics of ONB. Spare direct smears with sufficient cellular material from each case were selected, if available, and immunocytochemistry for INSM1 was performed on the destained alcohol‐fixed smears. INSM1 was also performed on non‐neuroendocrine malignant round cell tumors (MRCT).

Results

Seven fine needle aspirates (FNA) from five patients were identified, all of which showed a small round cell tumor with fine to coarse granular chromatin. Most cases had moderate to high cellularity, comprised of loosely cohesive clusters and dispersed cells. While two‐cell pattern, nuclear streaking and moulding were frequent, background neuropil, fibrillary cytoplasm, and rosettes were uncommon. INSM1 immunostaining performed on spare direct smears showed strong positivity in 30%–100% of tumor cells (mean: 62%) in all aspirates tested (100%). In comparison with other immunostains, INSM1 showed more robust staining, and was easier to interpret. All non‐neuroendocrine MRCTs were negative for INSM1.

Conclusion

Metatstatic ONB can resemble other small round cell tumors, as all the diagnostic features of ONB may not be readily evident. INSM1 immunocytochemistry has high sensitivity and specificity and can reliably be used as a single marker to support the cytomorphology for a confirmatory diagnosis of ONB, even on direct smears if a cell block is not available.
Annual banned‐substance review—Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2021/2022–
Authors: Thevis Mario , Kuuranne Tiia , Geyer Hans
Published: November 2022

Also in 2021/2022, considerable efforts were invested into advancing human sports drug testing programs, recognizing and taking into account existing as well as emerging challenges in anti‐doping, especially with regard to substances and methods of doping specified in the World Anti‐Doping Agency's 2022 Prohibited List. In this edition of the annual banned‐substance review, literature on recent developments published between October 2021 and September 2022 is summarized and discussed. Focus is put particularly on enhanced analytical approaches and complementary testing options in human doping controls, appreciating the exigence and mission in anti‐doping and, equally, the contemporary “new normal” considering, for example, the athlete's exposome versus analytical sensitivity and applicable anti‐doping regulations for result interpretation and management.
A simple strategy for active structural control against control–structure–excitation effects: Concept, framework, and experiments
Authors: Yao Hongcan , Tan Ping , Liu Yanhui , Zhou Fulin
Published: November 2022

Active control is among the most effective control techniques for mitigating structural vibrations. Control–structure interaction (CSI) plays a significant role in modeling a control system. Popular methods incorporate the actuator dynamics and structure into the control system to account for CSI. The transfer function of the actuator can be identified through frequency response tests without physical modeling. However, this method ignores the effects of the excitation. Another approach is to create a physics‐based model of the actuator and include it in the control design, but its implementation may be challenging and requires a thorough understanding of the complex control system. In this study, the concept of control–structure–excitation effects (CSEE) is presented to account for the effects of the control, structure, and excitation on the transfer function of the actuator. In contrast to the existing control methods that consider CSI in system modeling, an improved control framework is proposed to eliminate the influence of CSI/CSEE on the control performance and thus decouple the tracking control of the actuator from the control design of the structure. This is achieved by introducing the control floor acceleration into the actuator controller and transforming the tracking of the absolute control force into that of the relative acceleration. The control strategy is simple and easy to implement based on conventional actuator control algorithms, such as three‐variable control. Frequency response tests and shake table tests were performed on a two‐story small‐scale structure to evaluate the effectiveness of the control strategy. It was confirmed that the improved control framework shows good tracking performance with respect to the control force and thus allows for ideal structural response control.
Simulation and performance analysis of a cooling energy storage system based on encapsulated nano‐enhanced phase change materials
Authors: Ghojavand Fateme , Baniasadi Ehsan , Afshari Ebraim , Genceli Hadi
Published: November 2022

The present study investigates the effects of different parameters on the performance of a cold energy storage system based on spherical capsules using two‐ and three‐dimensional (2D and 3D) numerical analyses. The effect of different arrangements of the capsules is studied using a 2D model. The impact of using nanoparticles, diameter, and material of a spherical capsule and working parameters that affect the melting and solidification process are evaluated in a 3D model. The results revealed that the hexagonal arrangement compared to the triangular and rectangular arrangements, yields a lower charging time of 10.71% and 16.67%, respectively. Utilization of a 3% volume fraction of graphene nanoparticles in the phase change material reduces the charging and discharging process time by 11.11% and 22.22%, respectively. The diameter of the capsule is an effective parameter for the charging and discharging time, so the capsule with a diameter of 20 mm in comparison with a diameter of 40 mm reduces the charging and discharging time by 71.1% and 66.67%, respectively. Also, capsules made of graphite yield lower charging process time compared to plastic and glass capsules by 17.39% and 5%, respectively.
Unique bone microanatomy reveals ancestry of subterranean specializations in mammals
Authors: Amson Eli , Scheyer Torsten M. , Martinez Quentin , Schwermann Achim H. , Koyabu Daisuke , He Kai , Ziegler Reinhard
Published: November 2022

Acquiring a subterranean lifestyle entails a substantial shift for many aspects of terrestrial vertebrates’ biology. Although this lifestyle is associated with multiple instances of convergent evolution, the relative success of some subterranean lineages largely remains unexplained. Here, we focus on the mammalian transitions to life underground, quantifying bone microanatomy through high-resolution X-ray tomography. The true moles stand out in this dataset. Examination of this family's bone histology reveals that the highly fossorial moles acquired a unique phenotype involving large amounts of compacted coarse cancellous bone. This phenotype exceeds the adaptive optimum seemingly shared by several other subterranean mammals and can be traced back to some of the first known members of the family. This remarkable microanatomy was acquired early in the history of the group and evolved faster than the gross morphology innovations of true moles’ forelimb. This echoes the pattern described for other lifestyle transitions, such as the acquisition of bone mass specializations in secondarily aquatic tetrapods. Highly plastic traits—such as those pertaining to bone structure—are hence involved in the early stages of different types of lifestyle transitions.
A new model for forecasting VaR and ES using intraday returns aggregation
Authors: Song Shijia , Li Handong
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a new risk measurement model that directly incorporate information from high‐frequency data to predict daily Value‐at‐Risk and expected shortfall. In this model, Regular‐Vine copula and Monte Carlo simulation are applied to produce the predicted intraday returns that have nonlinear dependences. And the time‐varying marginal distribution of intraday returns is estimated under the framework of generalized autoregressive score. The model is so named R‐Vine‐Copula‐GAS (abbreviated as RVCGAS). The predicted intraday returns in the same day are added up to obtain the daily return and form its empirical distribution. The risk measurements are then calculated based on this simulated distribution. An empirical analysis is conducted using data from the index in China's stock market and some of its constituents, and the effects of the proposed model and several Benchmark models are compared through some backtestings. The results show that RVCGAS has an advantage over others in predicting tail risk when the risk level is high, since it could cover more risky returns and reduce more costs.
Safety and quality assessment of street‐vended barbecue chicken samples from Faisalabad, Pakistan
Authors: Ali Ayesha , Ahmad Naveed , Liaqat Atif , Farooq Muhammad Adil , Ahsan Samreen , Chughtai Muhammad Farhan Jahangir , Rahaman Abdul , Saeed Kanza , junaid‐ur‐Rahman Syed , Siddeeg Azhari
Published: November 2022

The current study was designed to assess the safety and quality status of street‐vended barbecue chicken samples. The samples were collected from four regions of Faisalabad city: Ghulam Mohammad Abad (R1), Jhang Road (R2), Sargodha Road (R3), and Satiana Road (R4); and compared with the self‐prepared barbecue chicken sample (R0). Purposely, all the collected samples were subjected to assess the quality aspects by physicochemical analyses. The results of the physicochemical analysis showed that moisture content varied from 54% to 60%, crude protein 26.97% to 32.87%, crude fat 7.25% to 9.00%, crude ash 1.61% to 1.72%, pH 5.60 to 6.30, free fatty acid value 1.00% to 1.39%, and peroxide value 0.63 to 0.84 meq/Kg. Results pertaining to the enumeration of total microbial load and total coliform count exhibit 2.39–5.17 and 1.20–3.20 log cfu/g, respectively. The samples were assessed for heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, and Fe) by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentration of highly toxic metals Pb and Cd was found to be much higher than recommended value as they ranged from 1.90 to 3.70 mg/kg for Pb and 0.10 to 0.90 mg/kg for Cd. However, the level of essential metals (Fe and Zn) in barbecue chicken samples ranged from 67.10 to 180 and 8.30 to 35.80 mg/kg which was much higher than their safe limits for Fe (15 ppm) and Zn (5 ppm), respectively. The study concludes that the consumption of street‐vended barbecue chicken possesses to be a serious public health risk for consumers.
The effects of a national policy to reduce c‐sections in Brazil
Authors: Melo Carolina , Menezes‐Filho Naercio
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we assess the effects of a national policy implemented in Brazil to avoid unnecessary cesareans. The policy has a supply‐side component that prohibits elective c‐sections before the 39th gestational week and a demand‐side awareness component. Since the policy is not binding for cases with a strong medical c‐section indication, we use births of breech‐ and transverse‐positioned babies as a counterfactual for births of cephalic‐positioned babies in a difference‐in‐differences framework. Our results reveal that the policy decreases the rate of c‐sections by 1.6 percentage point, and slightly increases gestational time, birthweight, and first‐minute APGAR scores. There is evidence that policy effectiveness is driven by its demand‐side component.
Accuracy evaluation of evapotranspiration estimated by inverse analysis using FLUXNET2015 at forest sites
Authors: Maruyama Toshisuke , Fujii Sanshiro
Published: November 2022

Conventionally, the Bowen ratio method and eddy covariance are used to measure evapotranspiration (ET); however, they have limited accuracy. Inverse analysis (IA), a novel method presented here, can estimate evapotranspiration (ETa) using commonly measured climatic variables. However, because actual ET data are limited, the accuracy of IA remains uncertain. Recently, IA accuracy has been improved, thus, observed latent heat flux (lEobs) in FLUXNET2015 data, a global dataset, and estimated values can be compared. Herein, we aim to evaluate the accuracy of the IA method. Eight forest sites in the dataset during 2000–2014 were selected as test sites, and hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly comparisons of lEobs and ETa were conducted using regression analysis and root mean square error (RMSE) calculations. The results are as follows: ① Comparison of lEobs‐hourly and ETa for all sites showed a similar pattern, with an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0053 mm h−1. ② Comparison of lEobs‐daily and ETa showed high correlation coefficients, with slopes ranging from 1.016–0.717 and an average RMSE of 1.08 mm h−1. ③ Comparison of lEobs‐monthly and ETa showed similar patterns, with slopes ranging from 1.042–0.811 and an average RMSE of 17.9 mm m−1. ④ The slope of lEobs‐yearly and ETa was 0.988 and the average RMSE was 71.0 mm year−1. ⑤ The average of lEobs‐yearly and ETa showed a strong relationship, with a slope of 0.992. ⑥ The differences between the time steps of lEobs and ETa were evaluated qualitatively using RMSE/lEobs‐yearly, with hourly–yearly differences of 8.4%, 70.2%, 40.4%, and 14.2%, respectively. The above results indicate that IA can be used for an accurate estimation of ET. The findings of this study contribute significantly to water management and a deeper understanding of the hydrologic cycle.
Widening the offer of human papillomavirus self‐sampling to all women eligible for cervical screening: Make haste slowly
Authors: Rebolj Matejka , Sargent Alexandra , Njor Sisse Helle , Cuschieri Kate
Published: November 2022

Self‐collection of samples for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing has the potential to increase the uptake of cervical screening among underscreened women and will likely form a crucial part of the WHO's strategy to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. In high‐income countries with long‐standing, organised cervical screening programmes, self‐collection is increasingly becoming available as a routine offer for women regardless of their screening histories, including under‐ and well‐screened women. For these contexts, a validated microsimulation model determined that adding self‐collection to clinician collection is likely to be cost‐effective on the condition that it meets specific thresholds relating to (1) uptake and (2) sensitivity for the detection of high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+). We used these thresholds to review the ‘early‐adopter’ programme‐level evidence with a mind to determine how well and how consistently they were being met. The available evidence suggested some risk to overall programme performance in the situation where low uptake among underscreened women was accompanied by a high rate of substituting clinician sampling with self‐collection among well‐screened women. Risk was further compounded in a situation where the slightly reduced sensitivity of self‐sampling vs clinician sampling for the detection of CIN2+ was accompanied with lack of adherence to a follow‐up triage test that required a clinician sample. To support real‐world programmes on their pathways toward implementation and to avoid HPV self‐collection being introduced as a screening measure in good faith but with counterproductive consequences, we conclude by identifying a range of mitigations and areas worthy of research prioritisation.
Primary lung cancer treatable with radical resection after complete remission with pembrolizumab therapy following gemcitabine and carboplatin chemotherapy for multiple metastases of bladder cancer
Authors: Nakamura Ryohta , Hasegawa Go , Ohashi Kazumasa , Hashimoto Takehisa , Ikeda Yohei , Hara Noboru , Nishiyama Tsutomu
Published: November 2022

Introduction

We report a patient with the complete remission of multiple metastases and primary bladder lesions of bladder cancer who developed primary lung cancer requiring radical resection.

Case presentation

A 68‐year‐old man diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer, right hydroureteronephrosis, and multiple metastases were administered six courses of gemcitabine and carboplatin chemotherapy and thereafter has been receiving pembrolizumab therapy. Bladder cancer and multiple metastases decreased in size, whereas a ground‐glass opacity lesion in the lung gradually increased in size. Fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography revealed the accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose in the ground‐glass opacity lesion only. The patient was diagnosed with primary lung cancer and underwent a thoracoscopic lobectomy. Histopathological findings showed ALK‐negative, EGFR L858R mutation‐positive invasive adenocarcinoma with a programmed death‐ligand 1 tumor proportion score of less than 1%.

Conclusion

This is the first case report of patients with the complete remission of multiple metastases of bladder cancer who developed primary lung cancer requiring radical resection.