bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changing perspectives in marine nitrogen fixation
Authors: Zehr Jonathan P. , Capone Douglas G.
Published: May 2020

Changing views and a changing ocean

As a component of many biomolecules, nitrogen is a crucial element for life, especially in nutrient-poor environs such as the open ocean. Atmospheric dinitrogen gas (N
2
) is abundant but must be fixed by reduction to ammonia, a process limited to certain organisms and environments. Zehr and Capone review changes in our understanding of what marine microorganisms are fixing N
2
, where they live, and what environmental features influence their activity. N
2
fixation is more widely distributed than previously thought, and we still have much to learn about the physiology and regulation involved. We now have better estimates of global- and basin-scale inputs and outputs, but questions remain as to whether the oceanic N cycle is balanced. New tools are enabling better understanding of ocean N
2
fixation despite disruptive consequences from human activities, including ocean acidification and warming.

Science
, this issue p.
eaay9514
Ancient DNA indicates human population shifts and admixture in northern and southern China
Authors: Yang Melinda A. , Fan Xuechun , Sun Bo , Chen Chungyu , Lang Jianfeng , Ko Ying-Chin , Tsang Cheng-hwa , Chiu Hunglin , Wang Tianyi , Bao Qingchuan , Wu Xiaohong , Hajdinjak Mateja , Ko Albert Min-Shan , Ding Manyu , Cao Peng , Yang Ruowei , Liu Feng , Nickel Birgit , Dai Qingyan , Feng Xiaotian , Zhang Lizhao , Sun Chengkai , Ning Chao , Zeng Wen , Zhao Yongsheng , Zhang Ming , Gao Xing , Cui Yinqiu , Reich David , Stoneking Mark , Fu Qiaomei
Published: May 2020

A genetic history of China

The history of human movements into and within China has been difficult to determine solely from archaeological investigations or genetic studies of contemporary peoples. Yang
et al.
sequenced DNA from 26 individuals from 9500 to 300 years ago from locations within China. Analyses of these individuals, along with previously sequenced ancient individuals and present-day genomes representing global populations, show a split between ancient humans in northern and southern China. Neolithic northern Chinese individuals are closest to modern-day East Asians, whereas ancient individuals from southern China are most closely related to modern-day Southeast Asians and show an affinity to modern-day Austronesian populations. These results indicate that there was a southward movement and admixture of peoples during the Neolithic that gave rise to modern-day populations in East Asia.

Science
this issue p.
282
Tunable topological charge vortex microlaser
Authors: Zhang Zhifeng , Qiao Xingdu , Midya Bikashkali , Liu Kevin , Sun Jingbo , Wu Tianwei , Liu Wenjing , Agarwal Ritesh , Jornet Josep Miquel , Longhi Stefano , Litchinitser Natalia M. , Feng Liang
Published: May 2020

Optical vortices on demand

Light has several degrees of freedom (wavelength, polarization, pulse length, and so on) that can be used to encode information. A light beam or pulse can also be structured to have the property of orbital angular momentum, becoming a vortex. Because the winding number of the vortex can be arbitrary, the channel capacity can be expanded considerably. Zhang
et al.
and Ji
et al.
developed nanophotonic-based methods for generating and electrically detecting light with arbitrary orbital angular momentum, a goal that has remained an outstanding challenge so far (see the Perspective by Ge). The nanophotonic platform provides a route for developing high-capacity optical chips.

Science
, this issue p.
760
, p.
763
; see also p.
707
Cryo-EM structure of the human cohesin-NIPBL-DNA complex
Authors: Shi Zhubing , Gao Haishan , Bai Xiao-chen , Yu Hongtao
Published: May 2020

A blueprint to understand cohesin

Cohesin is a multiprotein complex that entraps sister chromatids for chromosome segregation and regulates transcription by extruding DNA loops to shape DNA organization. Shi
et al.
determined the structure of human cohesin bound to the protein NIBPL, which helps load cohesin onto DNA, and DNA at medium resolution by cryo–electron microscopy. Two adenosine triphosphatase domains play a key role in cohesin function. The structure explains how NIBPL and DNA synergistically activate these domains and gives insight into how DNA is trapped by cohesin.

Science
, this issue p.
1454
Response to Comment on “Dry reforming of methane by stable Ni–Mo nanocatalysts on single-crystalline MgO”
Authors: Song Youngdong , Ozdemir Ercan , Ramesh Sreerangappa , Adishev Aldiar , Subramanian Saravanan , Harale Aadesh , Albuali Mohammed , Fadhel Bandar Abdullah , Jamal Aqil , Moon Dohyun , Choi Sun Hee , Yavuz Cafer T.
Published: May 2020

Hu and Ruckenstein state that our findings were overclaimed and not new, despite our presentation of evidence for the Nanocatalysts on Single Crystal Edges (NOSCE) mechanism. Their arguments do not take into account fundamental differences between our Ni-Mo/MgO catalyst and their NiO/MgO preparations.
Microclimate shifts in a dynamic world
Authors: Lembrechts Jonas J. , Nijs Ivan
Published: May 2020

Disparate rates of micro- and macroclimate warming forge future biodiversity and ecosystems
Predicting Pharmacokinetics of a Tenofovir Alafenamide Subcutaneous Implant Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modelling
Authors: Rajoli Rajith K. R. , Demkovich Zach R. , Flexner Charles , Owen Andrew , Siccardi Marco
Published: May 2020

Long-acting (LA) administration using a subcutaneous (s.c.) implant presents opportunities to simplify administration of antiretroviral drugs, improve pharmacological profiles, and overcome suboptimal adherence associated with daily oral formulations. Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) is a highly potent nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and an attractive agent for LA delivery, with a high potency and long intracellular half-life. The aim of this study was to predict minimum TAF doses required to achieve concentrations effective for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Diagnostic Accuracy of Nucleic Acid Amplification-Based Assays for Clostridium perfringens-Associated Diseases: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Ke , Ahmed Sarfraz , Sheng Yun-Juan , Sun Changfeng , Deng Cun-Liang , Ojha Suvash Chandra
Published: May 2020

Timely and accurate methods for detecting
Clostridium perfringens
-associated diseases (CPAD) are crucial to improve patient care. A number of studies have evaluated the accuracy of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) in detecting CPAD, but decisive results about their effectiveness have not been reported. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of NAAT for detecting
C. perfringens
in clinical diarrheal samples. Five databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library were systematically probed for studies published before 6 December 2019.
Bacteremia and Blood Culture Utilization during COVID-19 Surge in New York City
Authors: Sepulveda Jorge , Westblade Lars F. , Whittier Susan , Satlin Michael J. , Greendyke William G. , Aaron Justin G. , Zucker Jason , Dietz Donald , Sobieszczyk Magdalena , Choi Justin J. , Liu Dakai , Russell Sarah , Connelly Charles , Green Daniel A.
Published: May 2020

A surge of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting to New York City hospitals in March 2020 led to a sharp increase in blood culture utilization, which overwhelmed the capacity of automated blood culture instruments. We sought to evaluate the utilization and diagnostic yield of blood cultures during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine prevalence and common etiologies of bacteremia and to inform a diagnostic approach to relieve blood culture overutilization. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of 88,201 blood cultures from 28,011 patients at a multicenter network of hospitals within New York City to evaluate order volume, positivity rate, time to positivity, and etiologies of positive cultures in COVID-19.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and childhood obesity
Authors: Shaunak Meera , Byrne Christopher D , Davis Nikki , Afolabi Paul , Faust Saul N , Davies Justin Huw
Published: May 2020

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children and adolescents has an estimated prevalence of 36.1% in the context of obesity. This figure is anticipated to increase in conjunction with the global obesity epidemic. Worryingly, NAFLD in childhood persisting into adulthood is likely to be harmful, contributing to significant hepatic and extrahepatic morbidities. Early disease detection is required, although the optimum timing, frequency and mode of screening remains undetermined. While the efficacy of several medications, antioxidants, fatty acid supplements and probiotics has been investigated in children, healthy eating and physical activity remain the only prevention and treatment strategies for paediatric NAFLD. This short review discusses the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis and management of NAFLD in childhood obesity.
Spontaneous transethmoidal meningoencephalocele presenting in the form of recurrent unilateral nasal discharge: discussion of the diagnosis and endoscopic surgical management
Authors: Hallak Bassel , Kurzbuch Arthur Robert , Fournier Jean-Yves , Bouayed Salim
Published: May 2020

Meningoencephaloceles of the skull base most commonly occur as a sequela of head trauma or they can more rarely be congenital malformations. Several types of encephalocele exist depending on anatomic features and localisation. Clinical presentation and symptoms can vary. Different methods of management and repair of the concurring skull base defects have been described and ranging vary from endoscopic to open surgical approaches. We report the case of a 56-year-old Caucasian woman with the diagnosis of right sided spontaneous transethmoidal meninoencephalocele. Clinical presentation of this rare pathology, methods of diagnostic and management and its outcome are presented. Spontaneous skull base meningoencephaloceles are rare entities, without clear underlying etiologies. Multidisciplinary management is recommended. The transnasal endoscopic approach provides a wide skull base exposure with more advantages and less morbidity in comparison with the conventional open approach.
Deciphering the complex interplay between pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus subtypes and obesity/BMI through causal inference and mediation analyses
Authors: Molina-Montes Esther , Coscia Claudia , Gómez-Rubio Paulina , Fernández Alba , Boenink Rianne , Rava Marta , Márquez Mirari , Molero Xavier , Löhr Matthias , Sharp Linda , Michalski Christoph W , Farré Antoni , Perea José , O’Rorke Michael , Greenhalf William , Iglesias Mar , Tardón Adonina , Gress Thomas M , Barberá Victor M , Crnogorac-Jurcevic Tatjana , Muñoz-Bellvís Luis , Dominguez-Muñoz J Enrique , Renz Harald , Balcells Joaquim , Costello Eithne , Ilzarbe Lucas , Kleeff Jörg , Kong Bo , Mora Josefina , O’Driscoll Damian , Poves Ignasi , Scarpa Aldo , Yu Jingru , Hidalgo Manuel , Lawlor Rita T , Ye Weimin , Carrato Alfredo , Real Francisco X , Malats Núria
Published: May 2020

Objectives

To characterise the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subtypes (new-onset T2DM (NODM) or long-standing T2DM (LSDM)) and pancreatic cancer (PC) risk, to explore the direction of causation through Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis and to assess the mediation role of body mass index (BMI).

Design

Information about T2DM and related factors was collected from 2018 PC cases and 1540 controls from the PanGenEU (European Study into Digestive Illnesses and Genetics) study. A subset of PC cases and controls had glycated haemoglobin, C-peptide and genotype data. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to derive ORs and 95% CIs. T2DM and PC-related single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were used as instrumental variables (IVs) in bidirectional MR analysis to test for two-way causal associations between PC, NODM and LSDM. Indirect and direct effects of the BMI-T2DM-PC association were further explored using mediation analysis.

Results

T2DM was associated with an increased PC risk when compared with non-T2DM (OR=2.50; 95% CI: 2.05 to 3.05), the risk being greater for NODM (OR=6.39; 95% CI: 4.18 to 9.78) and insulin users (OR=3.69; 95% CI: 2.80 to 4.86). The causal association between T2DM (57-SNP IV) and PC was not statistically significant (ORLSDM=1.08, 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.29, ORNODM=1.06, 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.17). In contrast, there was a causal association between PC (40-SNP IV) and NODM (OR=2.85; 95% CI: 2.04 to 3.98), although genetic pleiotropy was present (MR-Egger: p value=0.03). Potential mediating effects of BMI (125-SNPs as IV), particularly in terms of weight loss, were evidenced on the NODM-PC association (indirect effect for BMI in previous years=0.55).

Conclusion

Findings of this study do not support a causal effect of LSDM on PC, but suggest that PC causes NODM. The interplay between obesity, PC and T2DM is complex.
Arguments on thin ice: on non-medical egg freezing and individualisation arguments
Authors: Petersen Thomas Søbirk
Published: May 2020

The aim of this article is to provide a systematic reconstruction and critique of what is taken to be a central ethical concern against the use of non-medical egg freezing (NMEF). The concern can be captured in what we can call the individualisation argument. The argument states, very roughly, that women should not use NMEF as it is an individualistic and morally problematic solution to the social problems that women face, for instance, in the labour market. Instead of allowing or expecting women to deal with them on an individual level, we should address them by challenging the patriarchal structures of the labour market—for example, by securing equal pay, or paid maternal leave, or ‘paid paternal [partner] leave and sick leave and affordable child care’. It will be made clear that there are several versions of this argument. The author will try to elaborate this claim, and it will be explained that the differences depend on the way in which bioethicists believe that individuals use of NMEF is morally problematic, compared with the alternative of securing social change for women in, say, the labour market. Finally, a critical discussion of three versions of the individualisation argument will follow, and it will be shown why all versions are on rather thin ice, or in other words, that they are implausible.
Balance impairment in individuals with COPD: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Loughran Kirsti Jane , Atkinson Greg , Beauchamp Marla K , Dixon John , Martin Denis , Rahim Shaera , Harrison Samantha Louise
Published: May 2020

Background

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are four times more likely to fall than healthy peers, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Poor balance is a major risk factor for falls. This review aims to quantify the extent of balance impairment in COPD, and establish contributing clinical factors, which at present are sparse.

Methods

Five electronic databases were searched, in July 2017 and updated searches were performed in March 2019, for studies comparing balance in COPD with healthy controls. Meta-analyses were conducted on sample mean differences (MD) and reported correlations between balance and clinical factors. Meta-regression was used to quantify the association between mean difference in percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and mean balance impairment. Narrative summaries were provided where data were insufficient for meta-analysis.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included (n=2751). Meta-analysis indicated COPD patients performed worse than healthy controls on timed up and go (MD=2.77 s, 95% CI 1.46 s to 4.089 s, p=<0.005), single leg stance (MD=−11.75 s, 95% CI −15.12 s to −8.38 s, p=<0.005) and berg balance scale (MD=−6.66, 95% CI −8.95 to −4.37, p=<0.005). The pooled correlation coefficient between balance and reduced quadriceps strength was weak-moderate (r=0.37, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.45, p=<0.005). The relationship between differences in percentage predicted FEV1and balance were negligible (r2=<0.04).

Conclusions

Compared with healthy controls, people with COPD have a clinically meaningful balance reduction, which may be related to reduced muscle strength, physical activity and exercise capacity. Our findings support a need to expand the focus of pulmonary rehabilitation to include balance assessment and training, and further exploration of balance impairment in COPD.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD4201769041
Analysis of heavy fuel oil use by ships operating in Canadian Arctic waters from 2010 to 2018
Authors: van Luijk Nicolien , Dawson Jackie , Cook Alison
Published: May 2020

In 2018, The International Maritime Organization, officially proposed consideration of a ban on heavy fuel oil (HFO) use by ships in the Arctic, because of the widely accepted understanding that HFO presents a threat to the marine environment. There is currently a lack of understanding of the scale and scope of HFO use by ships operating in Canadian Arctic waters, thus it is difficult to comprehensively evaluate the effect that such a ban may have in mitigating risk from HFO use. In this study, we conducted a spatial analysis of HFO use among ships operating in Canadian Arctic waters between 2010 and 2018. Our findings show that approximately 37% of the total number of ships that have travelled through the Canadian Arctic between 2010 and 2018 use HFO, and nearly all of these ships fall within three vessel categories: general cargo, bulk carriers, and tanker ships. In addition, HFO-fueled ships made up approximately 45% of the total distance (kilometres) travelled by all vessels between 2010 and 2018. The data also show that the majority of HFO use occurs in certain geographic areas, such as Baffin Bay near Pond Inlet and the Hudson Strait.
Dynamical system approach to cosmological evolution in modified theories of gravity with coupling between matter and geometry
Authors: Wang Jun , Liu Kang
Published: May 2020

In this paper, a class of [Formula: see text] gravitational models with coupling between matter and geometry have been studied by a dynamical approach in cosmology. The result shows that both the cosmic radiation dominated era and the late-time cosmic accelerated expansion can be achieved in this class of models. Moreover, the corresponding parameters are constrained as well.
Temperature effects on the neutron matter equation of state obtained from chiral effective field theory
Authors: Sammarruca Francesca , Machleidt R. , Millerson R.
Published: May 2020

Temperature effects on the neutron matter equation of state (EoS) are investigated in the framework of chiral effective field theory. Recently, state-of-the-art chiral two-nucleon forces are applied from third to fifth order in the chiral expansion together with chiral three-nucleon forces, allowing for a determination of the truncation error of the theoretical predictions. The thermodynamic quantities considered include the chemical potential, the internal energy, the entropy, and the free energy. In general, good order-by-order convergence of all predictions is observed. As to be expected, temperature effects are largest at low density. The temperature dependence of the chiral three-nucleon force turns out to be weak.
Shadow cast of noncommutative black holes in Rastall gravity
Authors: Övgün Ali , Sakallı İzzet , Saavedra Joel , Leiva Carlos
Published: May 2020

We study the shadow and energy emission rate of a spherically symmetric noncommutative black hole in Rastall gravity. Depending on the model parameters, the noncommutative black hole can reduce to the Schwarzschild black hole. Since the nonvanishing noncommutative parameter affects the formation of event horizon, the visibility of the resulting shadow depends on the noncommutative parameter in Rastall gravity. The obtained sectional shadows respect the unstable circular orbit condition, which is crucial for physical validity of the black hole image model.
Structural stabilities of iron silicides at high pressures and temperatures
Authors: Niu Zhen-Wei , Tang Mei , Cai Ling-Cang
Published: May 2020

Iron silicides provide extensive applications in functional device and earth science. Very little is known about these alloys at high pressures and temperatures. Here, combining swarm-intelligence-based structure prediction methodology and quasi-harmonic approximation (QHA), we investigate Fe-Si compounds at pressures of up to 500 GPa. Evolutionary simulations correctly find the known B20-FeSi structure and some other experimentally observed compounds at atmospheric pressure and finite temperature. It is shown that among the possible iron silicides, only B2-FeSi is thermodynamically stable at high pressures, and the increasing temperature tends to stabilize B2-FeSi compound rather than other iron silicides.
ANIMAL SPIRITS, ECONOMIC POLICIES AND BUSINESS CYCLES: THE THREE MUSKETEERS OF THE ECONOMIC WORLD
Authors: IQBAL AZHAR , SEERY SHANNON
Published: May 2020

This study quantifies animal spirits by constructing an index using information from major sectors of the economy. The key drivers of the animal spirits are the monetary/fiscal policies and the stage of the business cycle and therefore the effect of these drivers on animal spirits is also estimated. Furthermore, the effect of changes in the animal spirits index is generated to examine which sector is affected the most by animal spirits. In other words, we test whether animal spirits produce asymmetric effects on the economy.

Our work suggests a policy change (and a shock/recession) produces dual effects on the economy which are (a) direct effects and (b) indirect effects, which is brought about by animal spirits. Therefore, it is crucial for policymakers to estimate the direct and indirect effects of policy changes as well as shocks/recessions on the economy to gauge the accumulative effect, rendering them more to design effective policies.
Bouncing Universe with Exotic Radiation
Authors: Swastik C. , Suresh P. K. , Maity Barun
Published: May 2020

Scenario bouncing can give the cosmology singularity problem a possible way out. Finding a solution for the universe’s bouncing model requires proper estimation of the state equation. We present two such state equations that give us the solution for a bounce. One such case is the exotic radiation, where we assumed that exotic radiation dominated the universe during the bounce occurrence. We also considered another case where quintom matter scenario existed previously, and the newly proposed exotic radiation scenario coexisted. In these two cases, we have shown that all the necessary conditions for the bounce are fulfilled. Such new ways certainly increase support and flexibility for the bouncing universe model.
The Paleogene ophiolite conundrum of the Iran–Iraq border region
Authors: Shafaii Moghadam Hadi , Li Qiu-Li , Stern Robert J. , Chiaradia Massimo , Karsli Orhan , Rahimzadeh Bahman
Published: May 2020

New and compiled geochemical, isotopic and geochronological data allow us to propose a new explanation for Paleogene oceanic magmatic rocks along the Iran–Iraq border. These rocks are represented by a thick pile (>1000 m) of pillow lavas and pelagic sediments and underlying plutonic rocks. These are sometimes argued to represent a Paleogene ophiolite but there are no associated mantle rocks. Integrated zircon U–Pb ages, bulk rock major and trace element and radiogenic isotope data indicate that these rocks are more likely related to forearc rifting due to extreme extension during Late Paleogene time which also triggered high-flux magmatism in the Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Belt and exhumation of core complexes in Iran. These observations are most consistent with formation of the Paleogene oceanic igneous rocks in a >220 km long forearc rift zone.

Supplementary material: Detailed analytical procedure and tables S1 to S6 are available at:
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4972994
Muon Spectroscopy for Investigating Diffusion in Energy Storage Materials
Authors: McClelland Innes , Johnston Beth , Baker Peter J. , Amores Marco , Cussen Edmund J. , Corr Serena A.
Published: May 2020

We review recent applications of positive muon spin relaxation (μSR) spectroscopy as an active probe of ion diffusion in energy storage materials. μSR spectroscopy allows the study of ionic diffusion in solid-state materials on a time scale between 10−5 and 10−8 s where most long-range and consecutive short-range jumps of ions between interstitial sites occur. μSR also allows one to probe and model ionic diffusion in materials that contain magnetic ions, since both electronic and nuclear contributions to the muon depolarization can be separated, making μSR an excellent technique for the microscopic study of the ionic motions in crystalline materials. We highlight a series of battery materials for which μSR has provided insight into intrinsic ionic conduction and magnetic properties without interference of external factors, such as the presence of magnetic ions, macroscopic particle morphologies, or elaborate measurement setups.
Tolerance of Plants to Pathogens: A Unifying View
Authors: Pagán Israel , García-Arenal Fernando
Published: May 2020

Increasing evidence indicates that tolerance is a host defense strategy against pathogens as widespread and successful as resistance. Since the concept of tolerance was proposed more than a century ago, it has been in continuous evolution. In parallel, our understanding of its mechanistic bases and its consequences for host and pathogen interactions, ecology, and evolution has grown. This review aims at summarizing the conceptual changes in the meaning of tolerance inside and outside the field of phytopathology, emphasizing difficulties in demonstrating and quantifying this trait. We also discuss evidence of tolerance and current knowledge on its genetic regulation, mechanisms, and role in host–pathogen coevolution, highlighting common patterns across hosts and pathogens. We hope that this comprehensive review attracts more plant pathologists to the study of this key plant defense response.
A time course for markers of protein synthesis and degradation with hindlimb unloading and the accompanying anabolic resistance to refeeding
Authors: Roberson Paul A. , Shimkus Kevin L. , Welles Jaclyn E. , Xu Dandan , Whitsell Abigale L. , Kimball Eric M. , Jefferson Leonard S. , Kimball Scot R.
Published: May 2020

Hindlimb unloading causes significant skeletal muscle atrophy by adversely affecting the balance between protein synthesis and breakdown. This study demonstrates a more complete time course for changes in biomarkers associated with protein synthesis and breakdown and investigates the associated anabolic resistance to an anabolic stimulus following hindlimb unloading. These data in concert with information from other studies provide a basis for designing future experiments to optimally interrogate a desired cellular biomarker or pathway.
Effect of histamine-receptor antagonism on leg blood flow during exercise
Authors: Ely Matthew R. , Ratchford Stephen M. , La Salle D. Taylor , Trinity Joel D. , Wray D. Walter , Halliwill John R.
Published: May 2020

Leg blood flow during exercise was increased by taking antihistamines, which block the receptors for histamine, a molecule often associated with inflammatory and immune responses. The elevated blood flow occurred over exercise intensities ranging from 20 to 80% of peak capacity and during exercise of 60-min duration. These results suggest that exercise-induced elevations in histamine concentrations are involved in novel, poorly understood, and perhaps complex ways in the exercise response.
Repeated eccentric contractions positively regulate muscle oxidative metabolism and protein synthesis during cancer cachexia in mice
Authors: Hardee Justin P. , Fix Dennis K. , Koh Ho-Jin , Wang Xuewen , Goldsmith Edie C. , Carson James A.
Published: May 2020

Cancer-induced muscle wasting is accompanied by disruptions to muscle oxidative metabolism and protein turnover regulation, whereas exercise is a potent stimulator of muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial homeostasis. In a preclinical model of cancer cachexia, we report that cachectic muscle retains anabolic and metabolic plasticity to repeated eccentric contraction bouts despite an overall systemic wasting environment. The attenuation of muscle atrophy is linked to improved oxidative capacity and protein synthesis during cancer cachexia progression.
Application of Improved Simplex Quadrature Cubature Kalman Filter in Nonlinear Dynamic System
Authors: Cao Ting , Gao Huo-tao , Sun Chun-feng , Ling Yun , Ru Guo-bao
Published: May 2020

A novel spherical simplex Gauss–Laguerre quadrature cubature Kalman filter is proposed to improve the estimation accuracy of nonlinear dynamic system. The nonlinear Gaussian weighted integral has been approximately evaluated using the spherical simplex rule and the arbitrary order Gauss–Laguerre quadrature rule. Thus, a spherical simplex Gauss–Laguerre cubature quadrature rule is developed, from which the general computing method of the simplex cubature quadrature points and the corresponding weights are obtained. Then, under the nonlinear Kalman filtering framework, the spherical simplex Gauss–Laguerre quadrature cubature Kalman filter is derived. A high-dimensional nonlinear state estimation problem and a target tracking problem are utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed spherical simplex Gauss–Laguerre cubature quadrature rule to improve the performance.
Second Cancers in a Patient with Gastric MALT Lymphoma
Authors: Navsaria Lucy , Badillo Alfonso , Wang Michael
Published: May 2020

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is an extranodal low-grade B-cell lymphoma, which is thought to arise from a background of chronic immune stimulation, bacterial, viral, or autoimmune stimuli. Treatment advances have increased the number of MALT lymphoma survivors, but there is still debate as to whether these patients are at a higher risk of developing second cancers. This is a case of a long-surviving (>20 years) patient with multiple diagnosed malignancies following MALT lymphoma. We describe how modern oncological treatment plans can provide patients with prolonged survival and increased quality of life despite increasing age and multiple malignancies.
Klotho Alleviates Lung Injury Caused by Paraquat via Suppressing ROS/P38 MAPK-Regulated Inflammatory Responses and Apoptosis
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , Nian Qing , Chen Gang , Cui Shuqing , Han Yuzhen , Zhang Jinying
Published: May 2020

Acute lung injury (ALI) induced by paraquat (PQ) progresses rapidly with high mortality; however, there is no effective treatment, and the specific mechanism is not well understood. The antiaging protein klotho (KL) has multiple functions and exerts significant influences on various pathophysiological processes. This work evaluated the impact of KL on PQ-induced ALI and investigated its underlying mechanisms. As for in vivo research, C57BL/6 mice were treated with PQ (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneal (IP) injection to create a toxicity model of ALI (PQ group). The mice were divided into control group, KL group, PQ group, and PQ+KL group. For in vitro experiment, A549 cells were incubated with or without KL and then treated in the presence or absence of PQ for 24 h. In vivo result indicated that KL reduced the mortality, reduced IL-1β and IL-6 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), attenuated ALI, and decreased apoptosis in situ. In vitro result revealed that KL significantly improved cell viability, reduced the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in culture supernatants, suppressed cell apoptosis, inhibited caspase-3 activation, and enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) after PQ treatment. Besides, KL effectively abated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, improved GSH content, and lowered lipid peroxidation in PQ-exposed A549 cells. Further experiments indicated that phosphorylated JNK and P38 MAPK was increased after PQ treatment; however, KL pretreatment could significantly lower the phosphorylation of P38 MAPK. Suppression of P38 MAPK improved cell viability, alleviated inflammatory response, and reduced apoptosis-related signals; however, it had no obvious effect on the production of ROS. Treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a classic ROS scavenger, could suppress ROS production and P38 MAPK activation. These findings suggested that KL could alleviate PQ-caused ALI via inhibiting ROS/P38 MAPK signaling-regulated inflammatory responses and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.
Comparison of the Microbiota and Inorganic Anion Content in the Saliva of Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease‐Free Individuals
Authors: Ziganshina Elvira E. , Sagitov Ildar I. , Akhmetova Ramilya F. , Saleeva Gulshat T. , Kiassov Andrey P. , Gogoleva Natalya E. , Shagimardanova Elena I. , Ziganshin Ayrat M.
Published: May 2020

The oral cavity is one of the most complex microbial environments; however, the complex nature of the salivary microbiota and the level of inorganic anions in the saliva of subjects with and without gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are poorly understood. The primary goals of this pilot research were to assess differences in salivary bacterial community composition and inorganic anion concentrations between patients with GERD and GERD‐free people. Thus, the salivary microbiota within both groups was dominated by these genera: Streptococcus, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Veillonella, Neisseria, Haemophilus, Fusobacterium, Rothia, and Leptotrichia. However, the relative abundances of the genera Actinomyces, Atopobium, Stomatobaculum, Ruminococcaceae_[G‐2], Veillonella, and Leptotrichia were significantly higher in the saliva samples of patients with GERD, while the genera Porphyromonas, Gemella, Peptostreptococcus, and Neisseria were less abundant in this group. The concentrations of chloride, phosphate, and sulphate ions in the human saliva varied among all subjects and sampling time. These results broaden our knowledge of the salivary microbial community composition and chemistry of saliva of patients with GERD and GERD‐free individuals.
Instability Analysis of a Low‐Angle Low‐Expansive Soil Slope under Seasonal Wet‐Dry Cycles and River‐Level Variations
Authors: Qi Yongzheng , Wang Zongzhi , Xu Haoqing , Yuan Zirui
Published: May 2020

There were a small amount of obvious offsets at the bearing of bridge piers built on an artificial gentle canal bank terrace and many tensile cracks visible at the surface of the mortar block stones covering the terrace soil in several years following construction. To determine these reasons, a comprehensive site investigation and a wide variety of tests were implemented, which included geophysical tests, in situ tests, laboratory tests, pile integrity detection, and numerical analysis with the finite element method (FEM). The results revealed that the soil of the low‐angle slope was the potentially low‐expansive clay soil. The reduction in soil shear strength deriving from seasonal wet‐dry cycles and river‐level variations led to the instability and failure of the low‐angle low‐expansive soil slope, which triggered the collapses of the soil slope and lots of fractures in the piles of the bridge foundation. The typical characteristics of the instability and failure of the low‐angle low‐expansive soil slope were tractional detachment and slow sliding.
Prevalence of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membrane and Its Associated Factors among Pregnant Women Admitted in Debre Tabor General Hospital, North West Ethiopia: Institutional-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Addisu Dagne , Melkie Abenezer , Biru Shimeles
Published: May 2020

Background. In Ethiopia, preterm premature rupture of membrane is defined as loss of amniotic fluid before the onset of labor in pregnancy >28 weeks of gestation but before 37 weeks. It is a significant cause of perinatal, neonatal, and maternal morbidity and mortality both in high- and low-income countries. Due to different factors associated with the quality of health care given and socioeconomic factors, the effect of preterm premature rupture of membrane is worsen in low-income countries. Little evidence is available about the problem in the study area. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of preterm premature rupture of membrane and its associated factors among pregnant women admitted in Debre Tabor General Hospital. Methods. Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 424 mothers were included in the study. Systematic random sampling was used to select study participants. A combination of chart review and interview was used to collect the data. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were computed. Result. The prevalence of preterm premature rupture of membrane was found to be 13.7%. Pregnant women with abnormal vaginal discharge (AOR = 5.30, 95% CI  = 2.07–13.52), urinary tract infection (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.32–5.19), history of premature rupture of membrane (AOR = 3.31, 95% CI = 1.32–8.27), vaginal bleeding (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.14–5.82), and mid-upper arm circumference <23 cm (AOR = 6.26, 95% CI = 3.21–12.20) were associated with preterm premature rupture of membrane. Conclusions. The prevalence of preterm premature rupture of membrane was high. Abnormal vaginal discharge, urinary tract infection, vaginal bleeding, previous premature rupture of membrane, and mid-upper arm circumference <23 cm were associated with preterm premature rupture of membrane. Thus, early screening and treatment of urinary tract infections and abnormal vaginal discharges were recommended to reduce the risk of preterm premature rupture of membrane.
Engineered Niches to Analyze Mechanisms of Metastasis and Guide Precision Medicine
Authors: Morris Aaron H. , Orbach Sophia M. , Bushnell Grace G. , Oakes Robert S. , Jeruss Jacqueline S. , Shea Lonnie D.
Published: May 2020

Cancer metastasis poses a challenging problem both clinically and scientifically, as the stochastic nature of metastatic lesion formation introduces complexity for both early detection and the study of metastasis in preclinical models. Engineered metastatic niches represent an emerging approach to address this stochasticity by creating bioengineered sites where cancer can preferentially metastasize. As the engineered niche captures the earliest metastatic cells at a nonvital location, both noninvasive and biopsy-based monitoring of these sites can be performed routinely to detect metastasis early and monitor alterations in the forming metastatic niche. The engineered metastatic niche also provides a new platform technology that serves as a tunable site to molecularly dissect metastatic disease mechanisms. Ultimately, linking the engineered niches with advances in sensor development and synthetic biology can provide enabling tools for preclinical cancer models and fosters the potential to impact the future of clinical cancer care.
Prevalence of Healthy Behaviors among Cancer Survivors in the United States: How Far Have We Come?
Authors: Arem Hannah , Mama Scherezade K. , Duan Xuejing , Rowland Julia H. , Bellizzi Keith M. , Ehlers Diane K.
Published: May 2020

Background:

The 16.9 million cancer survivors in the United States are at increased risk for comorbidities and recurrence. However, this risk may be attenuated by a healthy lifestyle. This study describes health behaviors by cancer history to inform behavior change priorities.

Methods:

We analyzed 2013–2017 data from the National Health Interview Survey. There were 164,692 adults, of whom 12,648 reported a cancer history. We calculated prevalence of smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), and sleep duration by cancer history, age, and cancer site. We conducted logistic regression to determine odds of meeting lifestyle recommendations by cancer history.

Results:

Overall, those with a cancer history were less likely to report current smoking (14.1% vs. 16.8%) and moderate/heavy drinking (18.8% vs. 21.9%) than those without a cancer history. However, a lower percentage of cancer survivors met physical activity guidelines (14.2% vs. 21.1%) or reported a healthy BMI (31.6% vs. 34.7%) compared with those without a cancer history. Cancer survivors were more likely to report excessive sleep (6.8% vs. 3.6%). In adjusted logistic regression, survivors were more likely to meet recommendations on smoking, physical activity, and BMI but were less likely to meet alcohol recommendations; meeting sleep recommendations did not differ by cancer history.

Conclusions:

While cancer survivors had lower prevalence of smoking and moderate/heavy drinking, they also had lower prevalence of physical activity and healthy BMI, and reported longer sleep duration. Regression analyses suggested survivors only showed poorer behaviors for alcohol.

Impact:

Targeted health promotion interventions among cancer survivors are needed.
Methodological Development of Combination Drug and Radiotherapy in Basic and Clinical Research
Authors: Chargari Cyrus , Levy Antonin , Paoletti Xavier , Soria Jean-Charles , Massard Christophe , Weichselbaum Ralph R. , Deutsch Eric
Published: May 2020

Newer technical improvements in radiation oncology have been rapidly implemented in recent decades, allowing an improved therapeutic ratio. The development of strategies using local and systemic treatments concurrently, mainly targeted therapies, has however plateaued. Targeted molecular compounds and immunotherapy are increasingly being incorporated as the new standard of care for a wide array of cancers. A better understanding of possible prior methodology issues is therefore required and should be integrated into upcoming early clinical trials including individualized radiotherapy–drug combinations. The outcome of clinical trials is influenced by the validity of the preclinical proofs of concept, the impact on normal tissue, the robustness of biomarkers and the quality of the delivery of radiation. Herein, key methodological aspects are discussed with the aim of optimizing the design and implementation of future precision drug–radiotherapy trials.
A Simple and Practical Scoring System for Radiosurgical Treatment in Patients with Brain Metastases
Authors: Lee Sang Ryul , Roh Tae Hoon , Jeong Dong Hwan , You Namkyu , Jang Ae Hwa , Seo Mi Ra , Choung Jin Hee , Park Bumhee , Kim Se-Hyuk
Published: May 2020

Background: The study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors for patients with brain metastases undergoing radiosurgical treatment and to introduce a simple and practical scoring system for the prediction of survival time. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data for 311 patients treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery at a single institute. The mean age at time of treatment was 60 years (range 23–86 years), and the median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score was 90 (range 60–100). Using a new prognostic index, the prognostic index for brain metastases (PIBM), the patients were categorized into 3 groups according to the primary tumor status and KPS score. We performed survival analysis and compared the prognostic ability of the PIBM with other published indices. Results: During the median follow-up duration of 8.2 months (range 0.1–109 months), the median overall survival time was 9.1 months. Stable primary tumor status (hazard ratio [HR] 0.497, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.321–0.769, p = 0.002) and KPS score ≥90 (HR 1.407, 95% CI 1.018–1.946, p = 0.039) significantly predicted longer overall survival. The PIBM showed the lowest Akaike information criterion value and the highest integrated area under the curve value compared with other prognostic indices. Conclusions: The PIBM may be a more accurate prognostic indicator than other published indices. Although this new and practical prognostic index requires further validation in larger cohort studies, we suggest that the PIBM could be useful to predict survival time and inform appropriate management of patients with brain metastases.
Kooperation zwischen Krankenhäusern und Universitäten in der Umsetzung der berufsqualifizierenden Tätigkeit III
Authors: Schweiger Ulrich
Published: May 2020

Der Regierungsentwurf einer Approbationsordnung für Psychotherapeutinnen und Psychotherapeuten definiert eine berufsqualifizierende Tätigkeit III. Der Text beschreibt Möglichkeiten und Schwierigkeiten der Umsetzung dieses neuen Elements im Studium Psychotherapie.
Abstract 102: Racial, Gender, and Socioeconomic Differences in Sacubitril-valsartan and Ivabradine Utilization for the Management of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in The United States
Authors: Eberly Lauren A , Yang Lin , Geng Zhi , Nathan Ashwin , Khatana Sameed M , Dayoub Elias J , Eneanya Nwamaka , Groeneveld Peter W , Adusumalli Srinath
Published: May 2020

Background:
Current guidelines for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) recommend transition to an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) from an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), and addition of ivabradine in select patients because of the proven clinical benefit of these therapies. Inequitable care delivery based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status has been demonstrated in other settings. In this study, we assessed the association of race, gender, and socioeconomic status with ARNI and ivabradine utilization among commercially-insured HFrEF patients.

Methods:
We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients with diagnosis of HFrEF based on ICD 10 codes between October 2015 and December 2018 using OptumInsight’s Clinformatics Data Mart. HFrEF patients were considered eligible for ARNI analysis or ivabradine analysis if they had a prescription for ACE/ARB or beta-blocker, respectively, within 12 months of the study period. We performed a multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, region, median zip code-linked household income, and clinical covariates to identify factors associated with the incident use of ARNI and ivabradine.

Results:
Of 112, 068 patients who met inclusion criteria in the ARNI analysis, 8,747 (7.8%) were prescribed an ARNI during the study period. Only 385 (0.3%) patients of 128,997 who met inclusion criteria were prescribed ivabradine during the study period. In multivariable analyses, black and Latinx patients were more likely to receive an ARNI compared with white patients (OR 1.16; 95% CI, 01.08-1.24;
P
=<0.0001 for black, OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.11-1.32;P<0.0001 for Latinx). Female gender was independently associated with lower odds of ARNI prescription (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.67-0.74; p<0.0001). Patients with household income greater than $100,000 or $50,000-99,999 were more likely to be prescribed an ARNI than those with income less than $50,000 (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.26-1.46; p<0.0001 and OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.13-1.26; p<0.0001 respectively). Race, socioeconomic status, and gender were not independently associated with ivabradine prescription.

Conclusion:
There have been relatively low rates of ARNI and ivabradine utilization among privately insured HFrEF patients. Female gender and lower socioeconomic status were independently associated with lower rates of ARNI utilization, but racial and ethnic minorities had higher ARNI use rates than whites.