bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of salivary vasopressin as an acute stress biomarker in healthy dogs with stress due to noise and environmental challenges
Authors: Jeong Yi-Kyeong , Oh Ye-In , Song Kun-Ho , Seo Kyoung Won
Published: September 2020

Background

Stress is associated with various detrimental changes in physiological health that affect an animal’s quality of life. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adreno-medullar (SAM) axis are two main physiological pathways that constitute the stress response of an organism. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a mediator of the HPA axis and is known to be related to social behaviours and stress. The serum concentration of AVP is higher in more aggressive dogs and humans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Salivary biomarker analysis is a non-invasive method to assess stress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using salivary AVP as an acute stress biomarker in dogs. Salivary AVP concentration was measured before and after exposure to all relevant environmental stimuli (i.e. car trip to the lab, physical examination by the veterinarian, and sampling procedure,) and then after 30 min of vacuum noise exposure. Behavioural assessments, physiologic parameter assessments, and serum cortisol analysis were conducted in combination. Statistical analysis was conducted separately in the total study population, the less stressed group, and the more stressed group, respectively.

Results

Based on stress behaviour analysis scores, 28 dogs were classified into less or more stressed groups. All four physiologic parameters (blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate) were significantly increased after noise and environmental challenges, in the more stressed group. Serum cortisol did not show any significant change. Salivary AVP significantly decreased after noise and environmental stimulation in the more stressed group but not in the less stressed group. Salivary AVP and blood pressure changes were negatively correlated in the more stressed group.

Conclusion

Salivary AVP may be a potential acute stress biomarker in dogs.
Efficacy analysis of intraoperative radiotherapy in patients with early-stage breast cancer
Authors: Wang Lin , Zhu Minmin , Cui Yuelong , Zhang Xudong , Li Guowen
Published: September 2020

Background

To analyze the clinical efficacy of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with early-stage breast cancer (BC), and to investigate the relationship between its influencing factors and clinical efficacy and prognosis.

Methods

A total of 73 patients with early-stage BC who underwent IORT after BCS in our hospital were selected in this research.

Results

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the related factors of BCS and IORT of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). It was found that only age (χ2 = 14.035, P = 0.003) was statistically positively correlated with the patient’s DFS, and local recurrence and metastasis rate and mortality were higher in patients over 70 years old. Log rank test was used to analyze multiple factors. Only the diameter of the applicator (χ2 = 70.378, P < 0.05) was statistically significant with wound complications, and the larger the diameter, the higher incidence of wound complications. The remaining risk factors did not increase the incidence of wound complications. COX multivariate analysis showed that age was an independent risk factor for DFS rate and the risk factor had no significant effect on the OS rate of patients undergoing IORT after BCS.

Conclusions

IORT may be a safe form of treatment for the selected patients with early-stage BC, and can achieve satisfactory esthetic effect. Larger applicator diameters may increase the incidence of wound complications. Age is an independent risk factor for DFS in early-stage BC patients undergoing IORT after BCS.
Response to important considerations when assessing the effect of essential fatty acids on cognitive performance
Authors: Dong Xue , Zhang Dongfeng
Published: September 2020

In this letter, we respond to the comments raised by Visaria et al. in their letter to the editor about the publication “Association of dietary ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids intake with cognitive performance in older adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014”. We have further adjusted for some key covariates as the authors mentioned in the letter and performed sensitivity analysis by excluding vegetarians considering the bioavailability of fatty acids from different sources. In conclusion, the results were basically consistent with our previous results, which showed that the results were stable and reliable. We hope that our study could be helpful in further studies delineating the various intricacies of fatty acid nutrition and metabolism and control for covariates.
Factors associated with cervical cancer screening participation among migrant women in Europe: a scoping review
Authors: Marques Patrícia , Nunes Mariana , Antunes Maria da Luz , Heleno Bruno , Dias Sónia
Published: September 2020

Background

Cervical cancer screening has been effective in reducing incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, leading European countries to implement screening programs. However, migrant women show lower screening participation compared to nationals. This scoping review aims to provide a synthesis of the growing evidence on factors associated with participation in cervical cancer screening among migrant women in Europe.

Methods

Electronic peer-reviewed databases were searched in November 2019 for studies on factors related to the participation of migrants in cervical cancer screening conducted in EU/EFTA countries, using comprehensive search expressions. Retrieved articles were screened and those eligible were selected for data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included. Factors were classified in barriers and facilitators and were divided into further categories.

Results

Twenty out of 96 articles were selected and analyzed. Factors associated with participation in cervical cancer screening were classified in categories related to sociodemographic, healthcare-system, psychological, migration, knowledge, language, and cultural factors. Lack of information, lack of female healthcare providers, poor language skills, and emotional responses to the test (especially fear, embarrassment and discomfort) were the most reported barriers to cervical cancer screening. Encouragement from healthcare providers and information available in migrants’ languages were frequently stated as facilitators. Results on the role of sociodemographic factors, such as age, education, employment and marital status, are the most conflicting, highlighting the complexity of the issue and the possibility of interactions between factors, resulting in different effects on cervical cancer screening participation among migrant women. Several identified barriers to screening are like those to access to healthcare services in general.

Conclusions

Efforts to increase migrant women’s participation in CCS must target barriers to access to healthcare services in general but also specific barriers, including cultural differences about sexuality and gender, past traumatic personal experiences, and the gender and competences of healthcare professionals performing CCS. Healthcare services should strengthen resources to meet migrants’ needs, including having CCS information translated and culturally adapted, as well as healthcare providers with skills to deal with cultural background. These findings can contribute to improve CCS programs among migrant women, reducing health disparities and enhancing their overall health and well-being.
Circular HER2 RNA positive triple negative breast cancer is sensitive to Pertuzumab
Authors: Li Jie , Ma Maoguang , Yang Xuesong , Zhang Maolei , Luo Jingyan , Zhou Huangkai , Huang Nunu , Xiao Feizhe , Lai Bingquan , Lv Weiming , Zhang Nu
Published: September 2020

Background

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most challenging breast cancer subtype so far. Specific therapeutic approaches have rarely achieved clinical improvements in treatment of TNBC patients and effective molecular biomarkers are largely unknown.

Methods

We used paired TNBC samples and high throughput RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed circRNAs. Sucrose gradient polysome fractionation assay, antibody and Mass spectra were used to validate active circRNA translation. The novel protein function was validated in vitro and in vivo by gain or loss of function assays. Mechanistic results were concluded by immunoprecipitation analyses and kinase activity assay.

Results

Circular HER2 RNA (circ-HER2) encoded a novel protein, HER2–103. Unexpectedly, while HER2 mRNA and protein were barely detected, circ-HER2/HER2–103 was expressed in ~ 30% TNBC clinical samples. Circ-HER2/HER2–103 positive TNBC patients harbored worse overall prognosis than circ-HER2/HER2–103 negative patients. Knockdown circ-HER2 inhibited TNBC cells proliferation, invasion and tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo, suggesting the critical role of circ-HER2/HER2–103 in TNBC tumorigenicity. Mechanistically, HER2–103 promoted homo/hetero dimerization of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/HER3, sustained AKT phosphorylation and downstream malignant phenotypes. Furthermore, HER2–103 shared most of the same amino acid sequences as HER2 CR1 domain which could be antagonized by Pertuzumab, a clinical used HER2 antibody. Pertuzumab markedly attenuated in vivo tumorigenicity of circ-HER2/HER2–103 expressing TNBC cells but showed no effects in circ-HER2/HER2–103 negative TNBC cells.

Conclusion

Our results not only demonstrated that certain TNBCs were not truly ‘HER2 negative’ but also highlighted the clinical implications of Pertuzumab in circ-HER2/HER2–103 expressing TNBC patients.
Blocking glycine receptors reduces neuroinflammation and restores neurotransmission in cerebellum through ADAM17-TNFR1-NF-κβ pathway
Authors: Arenas Yaiza M. , Cabrera-Pastor Andrea , Juciute Nora , Mora-Navarro Eloy , Felipo Vicente
Published: September 2020

Background

Chronic hyperammonemia induces neuroinflammation in cerebellum, with glial activation and enhanced activation of the TNFR1-NF-kB-glutaminase-glutamate-GABA pathway. Hyperammonemia also increases glycinergic neurotransmission. These alterations contribute to cognitive and motor impairment. Activation of glycine receptors is reduced by extracellular cGMP, which levels are reduced in cerebellum of hyperammonemic rats in vivo.

We hypothesized that enhanced glycinergic neurotransmission in hyperammonemic rats (1) contributes to induce neuroinflammation and glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission alterations; (2) is a consequence of the reduced extracellular cGMP levels. The aims were to assess, in cerebellum of hyperammonemic rats, (a) whether blocking glycine receptors with the antagonist strychnine reduces neuroinflammation; (b) the cellular localization of glycine receptor; (c) the effects of blocking glycine receptors on the TNFR1-NF-kB-glutaminase-glutamate-GABA pathway and microglia activation; (d) whether adding extracellular cGMP reproduces the effects of strychnine.

Methods

We analyzed in freshly isolated cerebellar slices from control or hyperammonemic rats the effects of strychnine on activation of microglia and astrocytes, the content of TNFa and IL1b, the surface expression of ADAM17, TNFR1 and transporters, the phosphorylation levels of ERK, p38 and ADAM17. The cellular localization of glycine receptor was assessed by immunofluorescence. We analyzed the content of TNFa, IL1b, HMGB1, glutaminase, and the level of TNF-a mRNA and NF-κB in Purkinje neurons. Extracellular concentrations of glutamate and GABA were performed by in vivo microdialysis in cerebellum. We tested whether extracellular cGMP reproduces the effects of strychnine in ex vivo cerebellar slices.

Results

Glycine receptors are expressed mainly in Purkinje cells. In hyperammonemic rats, enhanced glycinergic neurotransmission leads to reduced membrane expression of ADAM17, resulting in increased surface expression and activation of TNFR1 and of the associated NF-kB pathway. This increases the expression in Purkinje neurons of TNFa, IL-1b, HMGB1, and glutaminase. Increased glutaminase activity leads to increased extracellular glutamate, which increases extracellular GABA. Increased extracellular glutamate and HMGB1 potentiate microglial activation. Blocking glycine receptors with strychnine or extracellular cGMP completely prevents the above pathway in hyperammonemic rats.

Conclusions

Glycinergic neurotransmission modulates neuroinflammation. Enhanced glycinergic neurotransmission in hyperammonemia would be due to reduced extracellular cGMP. These results shed some light on possible new therapeutic target pathways for pathologies associated to neuroinflammation.
Psychological trauma and access to primary healthcare for people from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds: a mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Due Clemence , Green Erin , Ziersch Anna
Published: September 2020

Background

Several reviews have found that psychological trauma affects access to health care services, including mental health care, in the general population. People from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds are more likely to have a mental illness than the general population, and experience a broad range of barriers and facilitators to service access. However, to date there has been no comprehensive consideration of the potential effect of psychological trauma on access to primary health care within this population.

Methods

This paper provides a mixed-methods systematic review of literature which included any consideration of the relationship between psychological trauma and access to primary health care. A systematic search of Medline, PsychInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library was conducted. Study eligibility criteria were empirical, peer-reviewed studies that considered the relationship between psychological trauma and access to, or use of, primary healthcare in resettlement countries for refugees (including asylum seekers). Papers were required to be written in English and published between 1998 and August 2019. Quality was assessed using the Multi-Methods Appraisal Tool. The search identified a total of 14 eligible studies (11 quantitative and 3 qualitative) which had explored this relationship in refugee and asylum seeker populations.

Results

Overall, synthesis of findings indicated variable results with respect to the impact of psychological trauma on service access. Specifically, the review found that while rates of psychological trauma were high. Key themes were that while general health care access was comparable or greater than the general population, rates of mental healthcare specifically were low. In addition, included papers identified a range of barriers to service access—particularly somatisation, stigma and healthcare provide knowledge about psychological trauma.

Conclusions

While there is a critical need for more research in this area, the study points to several key recommendations including training of general practitioners in relation to psychological trauma, ensuring culturally responsive services, and the use of interpreters. Finally, due to the levels of somatisation found in some studies, ensuring general practitioners understand the somatic element of psychological trauma—particularly within some groups of people from refugee backgrounds—is important.
Ibudilast for alcohol use disorder: study protocol for a phase II randomized clinical trial
Authors: Burnette Elizabeth M. , Baskerville Wave-Ananda , Grodin Erica N. , Ray Lara A.
Published: September 2020

Background

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic and relapsing condition for which current pharmacological treatments are only modestly effective. The development of efficacious medications for AUD remains a high research priority with recent emphasis on identifying novel molecular targets for AUD treatment and to efficiently screen new compounds aimed at those targets. Ibudilast, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has been advanced as a novel addiction pharmacotherapy that targets neurotrophin signaling and neuroimmune function.

Methods

This study will conduct a 12-week, double-blind, placebo controlled randomized clinical trial of ibudilast (50 mg BID) for AUD treatment. We will randomize 132 treatment-seeking men and women with current AUD. We will collect a number of alcohol consumption outcomes. Primary among these is percent heavy drinking days (PHDD); secondary drinking outcomes include drinks per day, drinks per drinking day, percent days abstinent, percent subjects with no heavy drinking days, and percent subjects abstinent, as well as measures of alcohol craving and negative mood. Additionally, participants will have the option to opt-in to a neuroimaging session in which we examine the effects of ibudilast on neural activation to psychosocial stress and alcohol cues. Finally, we will also collect plasma levels of proinflammatory markers, as well as subjective and biological (salivary cortisol) markers of stress response.

Discussion

This study will further develop ibudilast, a safe and promising novel compound with strong preclinical and clinical safety data for AUD, and will probe biological mechanisms underlying the effects of Ibudilast on stress, neuroinflammation, and alcohol cue-reactivity and craving. If ibudilast proves superior to placebo in this study, it will set the stage for a confirmatory multi-site trial leading to FDA approval of a novel AUD treatment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govNCT03594435“Ibudilast for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder”. Registered on 20 July 2018.
Organic vegetables demand in urban area using a count outcome model: case study of Burkina Faso
Authors: Kini Janvier , Pouw Nicky , Gupta Joyeeta
Published: September 2020

This paper designs and tests a model for count outcomes to analyse the effective demand for organic vegetables in the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. From a ‘short value chain’ perspective, we show that the distance travelled by consumers to organic vegetable production sites primarily managed by women farmers’ associations, is a key determinant of organic food demand. Furthermore, the effect of the distance travelled on the demand is stronger for women than for men. In addition, consumers’ health awareness and the intended use of these vegetables are significant determinants of their demand. Moreover, social-relational factors affect the purchase decision both ways, including issues of trust and access to market information. Thus, this paper first introduces the socially subjective considerations of the demand for food in the close interaction between producers and consumers of organic food. Second, it contributes to filling the knowledge gap on the factors influencing consumer behaviour in purchasing organic food in urban production sites in developing countries.
Maternal gut microbes shape the early-life assembly of gut microbiota in passerine chicks via nests
Authors: Chen Cheng-Yu , Chen Chih-Kuan , Chen Yi-Ying , Fang Andrew , Shaw Grace Tzun-Wen , Hung Chih-Ming , Wang Daryi
Published: September 2020

Background

Knowledge is growing on how gut microbiota are established, but the effects of maternal symbiotic microbes throughout early microbial successions in birds remain elusive. In this study, we examined the contributions and transmission modes of maternal microbes into the neonatal microbiota of a passerine, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), based on fostering experiments.

Results

Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we found that zebra finch chicks raised by their biological or foster parents (the society finch Lonchura striata domestica) had gut microbial communities converging with those of the parents that reared them. Moreover, source-tracking models revealed high contribution of zebra finches’ oral cavity/crop microbiota to their chicks’ early gut microbiota, which were largely replaced by the parental gut microbiota at later stages. The results suggest that oral feeding only affects the early stage of hatchling gut microbial development.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that passerine chicks mainly acquire symbionts through indirect maternal transmission—passive environmental uptake from nests that were smeared with the intestinal and cloacal microbes of parents that raised them. Gut microbial diversity was low in hand-reared chicks, emphasizing the importance of parental care in shaping the gut microbiota. In addition, several probiotics were found in chicks fostered by society finches, which are excellent foster parents for other finches in bird farms and hosts of brood parasitism by zebra finches in aviaries; this finding implies that avian species that can transfer probiotics to chicks may become selectively preferred hosts of brood parasitism in nature.
Hill-based dissimilarity indices and null models for analysis of microbial community assembly
Authors: Modin Oskar , Liébana Raquel , Saheb-Alam Soroush , Wilén Britt-Marie , Suarez Carolina , Hermansson Malte , Persson Frank
Published: September 2020

Background

High-throughput amplicon sequencing of marker genes, such as the 16S rRNA gene in Bacteria and Archaea, provides a wealth of information about the composition of microbial communities. To quantify differences between samples and draw conclusions about factors affecting community assembly, dissimilarity indices are typically used. However, results are subject to several biases, and data interpretation can be challenging. The Jaccard and Bray-Curtis indices, which are often used to quantify taxonomic dissimilarity, are not necessarily the most logical choices. Instead, we argue that Hill-based indices, which make it possible to systematically investigate the impact of relative abundance on dissimilarity, should be used for robust analysis of data. In combination with a null model, mechanisms of microbial community assembly can be analyzed. Here, we also introduce a new software, qdiv, which enables rapid calculations of Hill-based dissimilarity indices in combination with null models.

Results

Using amplicon sequencing data from two experimental systems, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) reactors and microbial fuel cells (MFC), we show that the choice of dissimilarity index can have considerable impact on results and conclusions. High dissimilarity between replicates because of random sampling effects make incidence-based indices less suited for identifying differences between groups of samples. Determining a consensus table based on count tables generated with different bioinformatic pipelines reduced the number of low-abundant, potentially spurious amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in the data sets, which led to lower dissimilarity between replicates. Analysis with a combination of Hill-based indices and a null model allowed us to show that different ecological mechanisms acted on different fractions of the microbial communities in the experimental systems.

Conclusions

Hill-based indices provide a rational framework for analysis of dissimilarity between microbial community samples. In combination with a null model, the effects of deterministic and stochastic community assembly factors on taxa of different relative abundances can be systematically investigated. Calculations of Hill-based dissimilarity indices in combination with a null model can be done in qdiv, which is freely available as a Python package (https://github.com/omvatten/qdiv). In qdiv, a consensus table can also be determined from several count tables generated with different bioinformatic pipelines.
Genetic variants of the human host influencing the coronavirus-associated phenotypes (SARS, MERS and COVID-19): rapid systematic review and field synopsis
Authors: Di Maria Emilio , Latini Andrea , Borgiani Paola , Novelli Giuseppe
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened the interest in the biological mechanisms underlying the complex interplay between infectious agents and the human host. The spectrum of phenotypes associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection, ranging from the absence of symptoms to severe systemic complications, raised the question as to what extent the variable response to coronaviruses (CoVs) is influenced by the variability of the hosts’ genetic background.

To explore the current knowledge about this question, we designed a systematic review encompassing the scientific literature published from Jan. 2003 to June 2020, to include studies on the contemporary outbreaks caused by SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 (namely SARS, MERS and COVID-19 diseases). Studies were eligible if human genetic variants were tested as predictors of clinical phenotypes.

An ad hoc protocol for the rapid review process was designed according to the PRISMA paradigm and registered at the PROSPERO database (ID: CRD42020180860). The systematic workflow provided 32 articles eligible for data abstraction (28 on SARS, 1 on MERS, 3 on COVID-19) reporting data on 26 discovery cohorts. Most studies considered the definite clinical diagnosis as the primary outcome, variably coupled with other outcomes (severity was the most frequently analysed). Ten studies analysed HLA haplotypes (1 in patients with COVID-19) and did not provide consistent signals of association with disease-associated phenotypes. Out of 22 eligible articles that investigated candidate genes (2 as associated with COVID-19), the top-ranked genes in the number of studies were ACE2, CLEC4M (L-SIGN), MBL, MxA (n = 3), ACE, CD209, FCER2, OAS-1, TLR4, TNF-α (n = 2). Only variants in MBL and MxA were found as possibly implicated in CoV-associated phenotypes in at least two studies. The number of studies for each predictor was insufficient to conduct meta-analyses.

Studies collecting large cohorts from different ancestries are needed to further elucidate the role of host genetic variants in determining the response to CoVs infection. Rigorous design and robust statistical methods are warranted.
Particle release from implantoplasty of dental implants and impact on cells
Authors: Barrak Fadi N. , Li Siwei , Muntane Albert M. , Jones Julian R.
Published: September 2020

Background

With increasing numbers of dental implants placed annually, complications such as peri-implantitis and the subsequent periprosthetic osteolysis are becoming a major concern. Implantoplasty, a commonly used treatment of peri-implantitis, aims to remove plaque from exposed implants and reduce future microbial adhesion and colonisation by mechanically modifying the implant surface topography, delaying re-infection/colonisation of the site. This in vitro study aims to investigate the release of particles from dental implants and their effects on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs), following an in vitro mock implantoplasty procedure with a diamond burr.

Materials and methods

Commercially available implants made from grade 4 (commercially pure, CP) titanium (G4) and grade 5 Ti-6Al-4 V titanium (G5) alloy implants were investigated. Implant particle compositions were quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) following acid digestion. HGFs were cultured in presence of implant particles, and viability was determined using a metabolic activity assay.

Results

Microparticles and nanoparticles were released from both G4 and G5 implants following the mock implantoplasty procedure. A small amount of vanadium ions were released from G5 particles following immersion in both simulated body fluid and cell culture medium, resulting in significantly reduced viability of HGFs after 10 days of culture.

Conclusion

There is a need for careful evaluation of the materials used in dental implants and the potential risks of the individual constituents of any alloy. The potential cytotoxicity of G5 titanium alloy particles should be considered when choosing a device for dental implants. Additionally, regardless of implant material, the implantoplasty procedure can release nanometre-sized particles, the full systemic effect of which is not fully understood. As such, authors do not recommend implantoplasty for the treatment of peri-implantitis.
Pharmacokinetics of anticoagulant edoxaban in overdose in a Japanese patient transported to hospital
Authors: Adachi Koichiro , Tuchiya Jumpei , Beppu Satoru , Nishiyama Kei , Shimizu Makiko , Yamazaki Hiroshi
Published: September 2020

Background

The anticoagulant edoxaban is used clinically at doses of 30–60 mg/day; however, we experienced a patient who had taken an overdose of edoxaban of 750 mg. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of edoxaban in this patient by using liquid chromatography–tandem spectrometry to estimate the follow-up period in emergency clinical practice with this medicine.

Case presentation

The patient was a 57-year-old woman (body weight, 69 kg) who had taken a single oral dose of 750 mg of edoxaban in a suicide attempt. She was emergently admitted to Kyoto Medical Center. The patient’s edoxaban plasma concentrations during ambulance transport (8 h after oral administration) were ~ 4900 ng/ml, and the concentration gradually decreased to ~ 10 ng/mL and to detectable but unmeasurable levels of ~ 1.0 ng/mL at 60 h and 100 h, respectively. The linear range of the relationship between the dose and plasma concentration was assumed to have been exceeded during the first 8 h; however, the measured elimination rate of edoxaban was similar to that visualized curves predicted by a simplified physiologically based pharmacokinetic model previously established.

Conclusion

Simplified physiologically based pharmacokinetic models for creating visualized curves have proven to be useful not only during drug discovery or chemical risk assessment but also in cases of medical poisoning. We used a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model previously established for edoxaban to predict the pharmacokinetics in the current case. It is hoped that the results of this study, which encompass drug monitoring data in the patient and visualized pharmacokinetic prediction, will serve as an index when setting the treatment and follow-up period in cases of drug overdose for medicines such as edoxaban in emergency clinical practice.
Correction to: Active human herpesvirus infections in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and correlation with the SLEDAI score
Authors: Reis Alex Domingos , Mudinutti Cristiane , de Freitas Peigo Murilo , Leon Lucas Lopes , Costallat Lilian Tereza Lavras , Rossi Claudio Lucio , Costa Sandra Cecília Botelho , Bonon Sandra Helena Alves
Published: September 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
An added boost in pyrogenic carbon when wildfire burns forest with high pre-fire mortality
Authors: Talucci Anna C. , Matosziuk Lauren M. , Hatten Jeff A. , Krawchuk Meg A.
Published: September 2020

Background

Wildfires produce pyrogenic carbon (PyC) through the incomplete combustion of organic matter, and its chemical characterization is critical to understanding carbon (C) budgets and ecosystem functions in forests. Across western North American forests, fires are burning through landscapes with substantial tree mortality from insect outbreaks, often referred to as short-interval disturbances. These short-interval disturbances often result in beetle-killed snags (snags that subsequently burn) that are heavily charred, while their fire-killed (alive at time of fire) counterparts are lightly charred. We investigated whether the chemical signature of PyC on heavily charred beetle-killed snags differs from lightly charred fire-killed snags.

Results

We evaluated differences in PyC chemical concentrations and condensation on beetle-killed (n = 3) and fire-killed snags (n = 3) with the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) molecular marker method. Beetle-killed snags exhibited over five times the grams of BPCA per kilogram of C, and over seven times the grams of BPCA per kilogram of material compared to fire-killed snags, indicating higher concentrations of PyC.

Conclusion

PyC concentrations were greater in samples from beetle-killed snags compared to fire-killed snags, pointing to an important compound effect from the interaction of beetle outbreak and wildfire in forest ecosystems. While this study was limited to a single fire event and sampling in individual trees, it provides insight into PyC on snags with different disturbance histories. The abundance of heavily charred snags from a fire burning through landscapes with high levels of existing mortality from drought, insect outbreaks, and previous wildfire events is becoming a more common legacy for contemporary western North American forests. Accordingly, the distinct wood-based PyC legacy could influence ecosystem functions: C sequestration, water purification, soil nutrient supply, and resources for wildlife.
Socio-demographic and lifestyle factors associated with understanding fast food consumption among adults in Cambodia
Authors: Samphors Sim , Chamroen Pall , S. Dewey Rebecca , Rachutorn Thiwakorn , Pisey Vong
Published: September 2020

Background: Over the past decades, fast food has been rapidly gaining popularity and availability worldwide. Its consequential impact on human health is among the highest in terms of non-communicable diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the level of understanding of fast food consumption among adults in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia.

Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study aimed to investigate the level of understanding of factors associated with fast food consumption, among adults in Phnom Penh. Multi-stage random sampling was used to select 749 respondents from 12 communes of five districts in Phnom Penh. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the level of understanding of fast food consumption, and associated factors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, together with bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. Crude odds ratios (CORs) and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confident intervals (CI) were calculated to show the strength of associations.

Results: The understanding of factors associated with fast food consumption was poor in 52.07% (95% CI: 48.48-55.66), fair in 22.70% (95% CI: 19.69-25.70) and good in 25.23% (95% CI: 22.12-28.35) of those surveyed. After adjusting for other covariates, unsatisfactory levels of knowledge around fast food consumption were found to be significantly associated with not taking regular exercise (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.15-2.25; p<0.001) and sleeping less than eight hours per night (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.09-2.12; p=0.014).

Conclusion: Health promotion and disease prevention should be conducted among at-risk populations in order to raise the level of understanding of factors around fast food consumption.
Western Media Monopolies and Diversification of Production in the Media: Methodological Disputes
Authors: Markina Yu.
Published: September 2020

The article deals with the problem of media monopoly market impact upon merging and acquisition processes, diversification being the core of Big Business strategic management. This problem of monopolized markets indirectly influences media texts contents. Examples of ambivalent deals in Western mass media and examples of contradictory methodological discussions of these processes are scrutinized. The conclusions are drawn about ambivalent gist of monopolization in periods of scientific and technological revolutions. The purpose of this article is to consider a number of economic and sociocultural conflicts in the process of merging media enterprises and structures that claim a monopoly or oligopoly place in the market.
Benefits of Customer Loyalty in Markets with Endogenous Search Costs
Authors: Kuksov Dmitri , Zia Mohammad
Published: September 2020

Managers have long appreciated having loyal customers, and academic research has explored the benefits of loyal consumers as coming from reduced price competition. This paper extends this research by considering how loyalty affects firms’ decisions to facilitate search for nonloyal consumers. We show that in equilibrium, the store with more loyal customers ends up having lower search costs even if facilitating search is costless. The intuition for this result is that nonloyal consumers expect higher prices at a store with a larger loyal segment, and therefore, this store has to set a lower search cost to counteract the negative effect of this expectation. Given this, it is optimal for the other store to set a higher search cost to avoid intensifying price competition. As a consequence, a larger loyal segment may lead to both higher prices and a higher market share among nonloyal customers. In other words, an advantage in customer loyalty leads to the store becoming the search hub of the nonloyal customers. This, in turn, implies that even a small advantage in customer loyalty may lead to a large increase in profits and may help explain why some managers place such a high value on earning customer loyalty.

This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, marketing.
Haemonchosis: dealing with the increasing threat of the barber's pole worm
Authors: Crilly James Patrick , Evans Mike , Tähepõld Katrin , Sargison Neil
Published: September 2020

Haemonchus contortus is a trichostrongyle nematode parasite of sheep and goats, and worldwide is considered to be the most important parasite of these species. It has a similar lifecycle to other parasitic trichostrongyle gastrointestinal nematodes, but it has a markedly higher fecundity, a preference for higher temperatures and a short pasture development time, which makes it epidemiologically different. Similarly, because of its blood-feeding habit the disease produced is distinct from parasitic gastroenteritis. This article summarises the differences in biology and control of H. contortus to other gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep, and covers specific control measures such as the use of FAMACHA©scoring, use of closantel and nitroxynil, the H. contortus vaccine, the effect of copper oxide wire particles, and the potential for breeding haemonchosis-resistant sheep and other future developments in H. contortus control.
Obesity and laminitis: looking beyond lockdown
Authors: Rendle David
Published: September 2020

An unexpected side effect of the lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in humans is a reduced level of exercise for horses. David Rendle emphasises the importance of weight management and the need to prepare for this now to allow safe, stable weight loss over the winter.
Utilization of Egg-shell, a Locally Available Biowaste Material, for Adsorptive Removal of Congo Red from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Parvin Shahanaz , Mamun Al- , Rubbi Md. Fazle , Ruman Md. Abdur , Rahman Md. Moshiur , Biswas Biplob Kumar
Published: September 2020

Egg-shell, a locally obtainable biowaste material, was successfully used for common textile dye (congo red) removal from synthetic wastewater solution. All adsorptive experiments were carried out in a batch method. Experiments were conducted to understand the consequence of different functioning parameters, for example, the pH of the solution, adsorbent dosage, reaction time, and initial adsorbate concentration. The surface morphology of the egg-shell was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the adsorbent (before as well as after adsorption) showed that there was a change in surface morphology, which ensured the congo red adsorption on the adsorbent surface. The adsorbent dose was determined to be 1g as optimum value, while the solution pH 5 was seemingly the best operating pH at the tested conditions. Complete adsorption was achieved in 120 min while the pseudo-second-order kinetic model portrayed the sorption kinetics quite nicely. Langmuir adsorption model (monolayer adsorption) was the best-suited model for describing the sorption process in the concern of the correlation coefficient. The values of dimensionless separation parameters (RL) signified that the adsorption process was promising for all studied concentrations. A considerably great extent of sorption capacity (153.85 mg/g) of egg-shell adsorbent indicated that it could be employed for wastewater treatment in textile and related industries
Tolerancing and characterization of curved image sensor systems
Authors: Zuber F. , Chambion B. , Gaschet C. , Caplet S. , Nicolas S. , Charrière S. , Henry D.
Published: September 2020

Curved image sensors, not having to correct the field curvature, are
considered a relevant solution for improving the vast majority of
optical systems. They offer the possibility of designing compact
aberration-free optical systems. In this work, we explain the
advantage of the curved sensor system using the aberration theory. A
complete procedure was developed to produce functional curved sensors
and functional prototypes were carried out. This paper focuses on the
tolerancing process of curved sensors and its inclusion in optical
design. A compact objective prototype designed and produced
demonstrates the advantage of curvature and the impact of
tolerancing.
Low-Noise GaN p-i-n Avalanche Photodiodes for Ultraviolet Applications Using an Ion-Implantation Isolation Technique
Authors: Cho Minkyu , Jeong Hoon , Tsou Chuan-Wei , Bakhtiary-Noodeh Marzieh , Detchprohm Theeradetch , Dupuis Russell D. , Shen Shyh-Chiang
Published: September 2020

We report high-performance GaN avalanche photodiodes using a novel ion implanted isolation technique. The devices showed low dark current, an equivalent noise power of < 5×10−16 WHz−0.5 and avalanche gain of 7×105 at λ = 280 nm.
Single mode laser diodes with 150nm tuning range at 2100nm and 2300nm
Authors: Koeth Johannes
Published: September 2020

We demonstrated widely tunable edge emitting single mode lasers based on the Vernier tuning principle using coupled cavities. We achieve a tuning range of 150nm with SMSR^30dB with central wavelengths at 2100nm and 2300nm.
Part-per-billion level radiocarbon dioxide detection using photoacoustic spectroscopy
Authors: Fatima M. , Hausmaninger T. , Tomberg T. , Hieta T. , Karhu J. , Vainio M. , Genoud G.
Published: September 2020

We report a first investigation into cantilever-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy for radiocarbon dioxide detection using a quantum cascade laser as light source. The achieved sensitivity is sufficient for applications related to nuclear facilities.
High-Precision Spectral Measurements of Photon-Pair Sources via Frequency-Resolved Sum-Frequency generation
Authors: Kancda Fumihiro , Oikawa Jo , Mitsumori Yasuyoshi , Edamatsu Keiichi
Published: September 2020

Photon-pair generation via spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) has been widely used for optical quantum information experiments. We demonstrate high-precision spectral measurements of SPDC sources, utilizing frequency-resolved sum-frequency generation, a reverse process of SPDC.
Coupled waveguides geometry retrieval using neural networks
Authors: Coen Tom , Greener Hadar , Mrejen Michael , Wolf Lior , Suchowski Haim
Published: September 2020

This work presents a data driven method to retrieve the geometry of a coupled waveguide system from the measured intensity of the electric field. It is shown that neural networks perform better than kNN regression.
Optimization of Simulated Coherent Combination System Using Fourier Optics Based Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Lemons Randy , Carbajo Sergio
Published: September 2020

We present a method for the optimization of complex laser systems and laser shaping tools using a genetic algorithm utilizing accurate simulation based on Fourier optics.
30-nm Consecutive Discrete Tuning Range Semiconductor Laser with 100-GHz Channel Spacing Based on Slotted Structures Fabricated by Standard Contact Lithography
Authors: Dong Fengxin , Du Fangling , Ma Pijie , Zhou Xuyan , Zheng Wanhua
Published: September 2020

A widely tunable semiconductor laser based on slotted surface grating fabricated by standard contact lithography is presented. This regrowth-free tunable semiconductor laser shows a consecutive discrete tuning range over 30-nm with 100-GHz channel spacing.
Nonlinear Microscopy of Self-Assembled Organic Microcavities
Authors: Mitetelo N.V. , Mamonov E.A. , Popov M.E. , Venkatakrishnarao D. , Annadhasan M. , Chandrasekar R. , Murzina T.V.
Published: September 2020

We observe experimentally multiphoton processes in active organic microres-onators with different shapes: spheres, squares, octahedrons and rods. Pronounced whispering gallery modes with Q-factor up to 700 and coupling induced mode splitting are demonstrated.
Biperiodically Poled Lithium Niobate Microcavities for Multiple Nonlinear Optical Processes
Authors: Zhang Li , Hao Zhenzhong , Mao Wenbo , Gao Ang , Bo Fang , Gao Feng , Zhang Guoquan , Xu Jingjun
Published: September 2020

We fabricated periodically poled lithium niobate microdisks with a 1.43× 105 quality factor and a double-period domain pattern, where multiple nonlinear optical wavelength conversion processes were obtained, including SHG with a 5.1×10-4 mW1 normalized conversion efficiency.
Third-order Riemann Pulses in Optical Fiber
Authors: Bongiovanni Domenico , Li Zhili , Wetzel Benjamin , Hu Yi , Wabnitz Stefan , Morandotti Roberto , Chen Zhigang
Published: September 2020

We report on the generation of third-order Riemann pulses in nonlinear optical fiber, obtained by tailoring the initial pulse in presence of high-order dispersion and Kerr nonlinearity. Analytical and numerical results show controllable pulse steepening and shock formation.
On the role of higher order dispersion in a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator
Authors: Dietrich C.M. , Andrade J. R.C. , Rao H. , Demircan A. , Babushkin I. , Morgner U.
Published: September 2020

We present experimental and numerical investigations on the spectral behaviour of a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator. The third-order dispersion plays an important role for the pulsing and tuning dynamics.
Electrically-driven Acousto-optic Modulators in Silicon Photonics
Authors: Kittlaus Eric A. , Jones William M. , Rakich Peter T. , Otterstrom Nils T. , Muller Richard E. , Rais-Zadeh Mina
Published: September 2020

We report integrated, electrically-driven acousto-optic modulators in silicon photonics. Electromechanical transducers in piezoelectric aluminium nitride are harnessed to enable nonlocal phase modulation and non-reciprocal single-sideband modulation in silicon-on-insulator waveguides from 1-5 GHz.
Single Dark-Pulse Kerr Comb Supporting 1.84 Pbit/s Transmission over 37-Core Fiber
Authors: Kong D. , Jørgensen A. A. , Henriksen M. R. , Klejs F. , Ye Z. , Helgason Ò. B. , Hansen H. E. , Hu H. , Yankov M. , Forchhammer S. , Andrekson P. , Larsson A. , Karlsson M. , Schröder J. , Sasaki Y. , Aikawa K. , Thomsen J.W. , Morioka T. , Galili M. , Torres-Company V. , Oxenløwe L. K.
Published: September 2020

We show that a single dark-pulse Kerr comb can generate high enough OSNR to carry 1.84 Pbit/s data, achieved by 223 WDM spectral lines modulated with 32-Gbaud, SNR-adapted probabilistically shaped DP-QAM, over a 37-core fiber.
Demonstration of Ultra-small MIR Acoustic-graphene-plasmon Cavities Based on Magnetic Resonators
Authors: Epstein Itai , Alcaraz David , Huang Zhiqin , Pusapati Varun-Varma , Hugonin Jean-Paul , Kumar Avinash , Deputy Xander , Khodkov Tymofiy , Rappoport Tatiana G. , Peres Nuno M.R. , Smith David R , Koppens Frank H. L.
Published: September 2020

Acoustic-graphene-plasmons (AGPs) are highly confined electromagnetic modes, which carry extreme momentum and low loss in the Mid-infrared (MIR) to Terahertz (THz) spectra. In this work [1], we demonstrate a new way to excite AGPs from the far-field, which are confined to nanometric-scale cavities, via localized graphene-plasmon-magnetic-resonators (GPMRs). This approach enables the efficient excitation of single AGP cavities, which are able to confine MIR light to record-breaking ultra-small mode-volumes that are ~5·1010 times smaller than their free-space volume.
Record-Bandwidth, Spectrally Incoherent UV Laser Pulses
Authors: Dorrer C. , Hill E. M. , Borger T.
Published: September 2020

A novel scheme for frequency upconversion of nanosecond optical pulses is proposed and demonstrated, yielding more than 10× bandwidth improvement and enabling the generation of broadband spectrally incoherent pulses in the ultraviolet.