bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbial community profiles grown on 1020 carbon steel surfaces in seawater-isolated microcosm
Authors: Procópio Luciano
Published: March 2020

Corrosion of metallic alloys is a concern worldwide, with impacts affecting different production sectors and consequent economic losses in the order of billions of dollars annually. Biocorrosion is a form of corrosion where the participation of microorganisms can induce, accelerate, or inhibit corrosive processes. In this study, it was evaluated that the changes in profile communities, by the sequencing of the 16S ribosomal gene, grown over steel coupons in a microcosm with no additional oxygen supplementation for 120 days. Analysis of abundance and diversity indices indicates marked changes in microbial structures throughout the 120-day period. Homology results of OTUs generated by Illumina sequencing indicated Proteobacteria phylum as the dominant group, comprising about 85.3% of the total OTUs, followed by Firmicutes and Bacteriodetes, both with 7.35%. Analyses at lower taxonomic levels suggested the presence of representatives described as corroders, such asCitreicella thiooxidans,Thalassospirasp., andLimnobacter thiooxidans. In conclusion, the results suggest that no additional oxygen supplementation profoundly altered the core of microbial communities, with a predominance of facultative anaerobic species.
Akkermansia muciniphila protects intestinal mucosa from damage caused by S. pullorum by initiating proliferation of intestinal epithelium
Authors: Zhu Linda , Lu Xiaoxi , Liu Li , Voglmeir Josef , Zhong Xiang , Yu Qinghua
Published: March 2020

Akkermansia muciniphila, a novel mucin-degrading bacterium, has been demonstrated to prevent the development of obesity and related complications. However, whether it can protect poultry from intestinal mucosal damage by enteropathogens has never been mentioned. In this study, we found that A. muciniphila colonized in the intestine and then relieved intestinal mucosal damage in chicks caused by S. pullorum, including anatomical and morphological damage, alleviation of body weight and intestinal inflammation. The repair process activated by A. muciniphila is accompanied by an increase in the number of goblet cells in the chick’s intestine and an up-regulation of Mucin 2 and trefoil factor 2 (Tff2). In addition, we also demonstrate that A. muciniphila improved colon length, crypt depth, increased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, with the accelerated proliferation of intestinal epithelium through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby restoring the damaged intestinal mucosa. This study suggests that A. muciniphila activates the proliferation of intestinal cells protecting the intestinal barrier, thus relieving infection with S. pullorum in chickens.
Cloning and characterization of low-temperature adapted GH5-CBM3 endo-cellulase from Bacillus subtilis 1AJ3 and their application in the saccharification of switchgrass and coffee grounds
Authors: Ma Lingling , Aizhan Rakhmanova , Wang Xin , Yi Yanglei , Shan Yuanyuan , Liu Bianfang , Zhou Yuan , Lü Xin
Published: March 2020

Endocellulase is a key cellulase for cellulosic material pretreatment in the industry by hydrolyzing long cellulose chains into short chains. To investigate the endocellulase characteristics from Bacillus subtilis 1AJ3, and increase its production yield, this paper cloned an endocellulase gene denoted CEL-5A from strain 1AJ3 and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The CEL-5A gene was sequenced with a full-length of 1500 bp, encoding a totally of 500 amino acids, and containing two domains: the GH5 family catalytic domain (CD) and the CBM3 family cellulose-binding domain (CBD). Recombinant endocellulase Cel-5A with a His-tag was purified of the Ni-NTA column, and SDS-PAGE results demonstrated that Cel-5A exhibited a molecular weight of 56.4 kDa. The maximum enzyme activity of Cel-5A was observed at pH 4.5 and 50 °C. Moreover, it was active over the broad temperature region of 30–60 °C, and stable within the pH range of 4.5–10.0. In addition, Co2+ was able to increase enzyme activity, while the majority of metal ions demonstrated stable enzyme activity under low- concentration. The substrate specificity of Cel-5A exhibited a high specific activity on the β-1,3-1,4 glucan linkage from barley. The Michaelis–Menten constant and the maximum velocity of the recombinant Cel-5A for CMC-Na were determined as 14.87 mg/mL and 19.19 μmol/min/mg, respectively. When Cel-5A was applied to the switchgrass and coffee grounds, its color became lighter and the biomass was observed to loosen following hydrolyzation. The saccharification rate reached 12% of the total weight of switchgrass in 20 h. These properties highlight the potential application of Cel-5A as an endocellulase in the pretreatment of biomass, for example, in the coffee grounds/waste, and related industries.
Glutaminase-1 (GLS1) inhibition limits metastatic progression in osteosarcoma
Authors: Ren L. , Ruiz-Rodado V. , Dowdy T. , Huang S. , Issaq S. H. , Beck J. , Wang H. , Tran Hoang C. , Lita A. , Larion M. , LeBlanc A. K.
Published: March 2020

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant bone tumor that often develops during the period of rapid growth associated with adolescence. Despite successful primary tumor control accompanied by adjuvant chemotherapy, death from pulmonary metastases occurs in approximately 30% of patients within 5 years. As overall survival in patients remains unchanged over the last 30 years, urgent needs for novel therapeutic strategies exist. Cancer metastasis is characterized by complex molecular events which result from alterations in gene and protein expression/function. Recent studies suggest that metabolic adaptations, or “metabolic reprogramming,” may similarly contribute to cancer metastasis. The goal of this study was to specifically interrogate the metabolic vulnerabilities of highly metastatic OS cell lines in a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, in order to identify a tractable metabolically targeted therapeutic strategy for patients.

Methods

Nutrient deprivation and drug treatment experiments were performed in MG63.3, 143B, and K7M2 OS cell lines to identify the impact of glutaminase-1 (GLS1) inhibition and metformin treatment on cell proliferation. We functionally validated the impact of drug treatment with extracellular flux analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. 13C-glucose and 13C-glutamine tracing was employed to identify specific contributions of these nutrients to the global metabolic profiles generated with GLS1 inhibition and metformin treatment in vivo.

Results

Highly metastatic OS cell lines require glutamine for proliferation, and exposure to CB-839, in combination with metformin, induces both primary tumor growth inhibition and a distinct reduction in metastatic outgrowth in vivo. Further, combination-treated OS cells showed a reduction in cellular mitochondrial respiration, while NMR confirmed the pharmacodynamic effects of glutaminase inhibition in tumor tissues. We observed global decreases in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle functionality, alongside an increase in fatty acid oxidation and pyrimidine catabolism.

Conclusions

This data suggests combination-treated cells cannot compensate for metformin-induced electron transport chain inhibition by upregulating glutaminolysis to generate TCA cycle intermediates required for cell proliferation, translating into significant reductions in tumor growth and metastatic progression. This therapeutic approach could be considered for future clinical development for OS patients presenting with or at high risk of developing metastasis.
Tracing outliers in the dataset of Drosophila suzukii records with the Isolation Forest method
Authors: Santosuosso Ugo , Cini Alessandro , Papini Alessio
Published: March 2020

The analysis of big data is a fundamental challenge for the current and future stream of data coming from many different sources. Geospatial data is one of the sources currently less investigated. A typical example of always increasing data set is that produced by the distribution data of invasive species on the concerned territories. The dataset of Drosophila suzuki invasion sites in Europe up to 2011 was used to test a possible method to pinpoint its outliers (anomalies). Our aim was to find a method of analysis that would be able to treat large amount of data in order to produce easily readable outputs to summarize and predict the status and, possibly, the future development of a biological invasion. To do that, we aimed to identify the so called anomalies of the dataset, identified with a Python script based on the machine learning algorithm “Isolation Forest”. We used also the K-Means clustering method to partition the dataset. In our test, based on a real dataset, the Silhouette method yielded a number of clusters of 10 as the best result. The clusters were drawn on the map with a Voronoi tessellation, showing that 8 clusters were centered on industrial harbours, while the last two were in the hinterland. This fact led us to guess that: (1) the main entrance mechanisms in Europe may be the wares import fluxes through ports, occurring apparently several times; (2) the spreading into the inland may be due to road transportation of wares; (3) the outliers (anomalies) found with the isolation forest method would identify individuals or populations that tend to detach from their original cluster and hence represent indications about the lines of further spreading of the invasion. This type of analysis aims hence to identify the future direction of an invasion, rather than the center of origin as in the case of geographic profiling. Isolation Forest provides therefore complimentary results with respect to PGP. The recent records of the invasive species, mainly localized close to the outliers position, are an indication that the isolation forest method can be considered predictive and proved to be a useful method to treat large datasets of geospatial data.
Characterization of Electrical Heating of Graphene/PLA Honeycomb Structure Composite Manufactured by CFDM 3D Printer
Authors: Kim Hyelim , Lee Sunhee
Published: March 2020

Conveyor fused deposition modelling (CFDM) 3D printing of graphene (GR)/polylactic acid (PLA) composite filament offers a unique capability to manufacture tailorable honeycomb structures which can be designed and optimized for specific applications. Among the various filaments that can be used for 3D printing, PLA, carbon black (CB)/PLA, and GR/PLA filaments were collected and then examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravity analysis (TGA), and Raman spectra. A stereolithography (STL) file with a 3D honeycomb structure model was prepared and transformed into a G-code file using a G-code generator. The extrusion conditions for CFDM 3D printing were controlled by infill and print speed. PLA, CB/PLA, and GR/PLA composite honeycomb samples were manufactured by 3D printing based on FDM using PLA, CB/PLA, and GR/PLA filaments. CFDM 3D printed honeycomb samples prepared by PLA, CB/PLA and GR/PLA filament were analyzed for morphology, surface resistance, electrical heating properties. For the 3D printed honeycomb structure sample using CB/PLA and GR/PLA, the optimum condition was set up 230 °C and 220 °C respectively of the printer temperature, 50 °C of bed temperature, and 30 mm/s of printer speed. Surface resistivity of honeycomb structure sample using CB/PLA and GR/PLA is about 299.0 Ω/sq and 118.0 Ω/sq. The maximum surface temperature of honeycomb structure sample using CB/PLA and GR/PLA is ca. 78.7 °C and 143.0 °C applied to 25 V.
Effects of aqueous leaf extract of avocado (Persea americana) on total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, protein and haematological parameters in CCl4-intoxicated rats
Authors: Brai B. I. C. , Falode J. A. , Adisa R. A. , Odetola A. A.
Published: March 2020

Background

Avocado (Persea americana) is one of the plants widely used in ethnomedicine in Nigeria. The present study was aimed at investigating effects of aqueous Avocado (Persea americana) leaf extract on total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, protein and haematological parameters in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats.

Methods

We evaluated the possible effects of pre-treatment with aqueous extract of Persea americana (AEPA) on protein, total cholesterol (T-CHOL), triacylglycerols (TAGs) and haematological parameters in Wistar male albino rats intoxicated with CCl4. Group 1 was the healthy control; group 2 rats were pre-treated with Reducdyn® (100 mg/kg/day) as a standard drug, groups 4 and 5 rats were pre-treated with AEPA at a dose of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg per day respectively, the treatments were administered orally for 7 days. On the seventh day, rats in the treatment groups were injected with a fresh mixture of CCl4 and olive oil (3 ml/kg, 1:1; sc).

Results

Pre-treatment of rats with AEPA resulted in marked increase (p < 0.05) in total protein and reduction in T-CHOL (19–34%) compared to CCl4 alone. Also, there was significant decrease (p < 0.05) in serum TAG concentration when rats were pre-treated with 100 mg and 200 mg kg− 1 b. wt. AEPA. Similarly, AEPA provoked (p < 0.05) a lowering of T-CHOL and TAG levels and an increase in liver protein concentration in the rats. Administration of AEPA at both concentrations restored (p < 0.05) WBC count and ameliorated neutropenia and lymphocytosis caused by CCl4 intoxication.

Conclusion

These results suggest that AEPA could be protective against the development of fatty liver and might also be exhibiting the potential to prevent alterations in haematological parameters caused by CCl4 intoxication in rats.
Role of nerve ultrasound versus electrophysiological studies in the evaluation of nerve injuries
Authors: Elfayoumy Neveen Mohamed , Elgendy Hanan Helmy , Saad Marwa Saad Afify , Labib Amira A.
Published: March 2020

Background

High-resolution ultrasonography (US) is a non-invasive, readily applicable imaging modality capable of depicting real-time static and dynamic information concerning the peripheral nerves and their surrounding tissues. Although electrophysiological studies are the gold standard in the evaluation of nerve injuries, US can be used also to evaluate the morphological changes of nerve injuries.

Objectives

To evaluate the role of the high-resolution US in the assessment of nerve injuries and to compare it to the role of electrodiagnostic studies.

Subjects and methods

A total of 30 nerves from 22 consecutive patients with clinically definite nerve injury were considered. Two independent and blinded clinicians perform electrodiagnosis and US. The clinical, neurophysiological, and US findings were collected, and the contribution of US was then classified as “ contributive” or “non-contributive”, according to whether US confirmed the clinical and neurophysiological diagnosis or not.

Results

US was “contributive” (confirming the electrophysiological diagnosis) in 66.67% of cases (n = 20), providing information about continuity of the nerve, morphological changes after injury as swelling, scar tissue formation, or neuroma formation with sensitivity of 75% compared to the electrodiagnostic studies and accuracy of 66.67%.

Conclusion

Ultrasound can be used, when available, as a complementary tool for electrodiagnostic studies to provide anatomical information about the injured nerves in case of complete axonal lesion.
Relevance of morphological features for hepatocellular adenoma classification in pathology practice
Authors: Agostini Carla Henriques , Ribeiro Osmar Damasceno , Fernandes Arlete , Caroli-Bottino Adriana , Pannain Vera Lucia
Published: March 2020

Background

Gene mutations correlated with histological and immunohistochemical phenotypes of hepatocellular adenoma were recently identified. Based on these findings, four adenoma subtypes were distinguished. We classify hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) into subtypes based on histologic and immunohistochemical findings and verify the contribution of histological features in pathology practice.

Methods

Thirty hepatocellular adenomas were classified in subtypes. Sinusoidal dilatation, ductular reaction, pseudoportal tracts, pseudoglands, steatosis, inflammatory infiltrate and cellular atypia were analyzed, as well as liver fatty acid binding protein, β catenin, serum amyloid A, glutamine synthetase, and C-reactive protein antibodies.

Results

Histologically, eleven adenomas were classified as HNF1A inactivated (HHCA), five were β-catenin-activated (bHCA) and fourteen were inflammatory adenoma (IHCA). Steatosis was found in all HHCA and was predominantly severe. Sinusoidal dilatation and inflammatory infiltrate were present in all IHCA. Ductular reaction, pseudoportal tracts and cellular atypia were observed in 71.4, 85.7 and 42.8%, respectively. Pseudoglands were present in 60% and cellular atypia in 80% of bHCA. According to immunohistochemistry, 11 were HHCA; 1 was bHCA; 17 were IHCA, among which 5 were β-catenin activated IHCA; and 1 was unclassified UHCA (UHCA). Superior concordance between the histological and immunohistochemical classifications was found for HHCA (К = 0.854) and IHCA (К = 0.657).

Conclusion

Approximately 90% of adenomas may be diagnosed by subgroup based only on morphological features. When aberrant β catenin nuclear staining is not found, glutamine synthetase positivity is useful for diagnosis, although supplementary molecular analysis may be necessary.
Flow of non-Newtonian magneto-fluid with gold and alumina nanoparticles through a non-Darcian porous medium
Authors: Elgazery N. S.
Published: March 2020

This paper is centered on a numerical solution of non-Newtonian Casson magneto-nanofluid flow underlying an axisymmetric surface through a non-Darcian porous medium with heat generation/absorption. Using similarity transformations, the system of PDEs with the corresponding boundary conditions are reduced to system of nonlinear ODEs. The Chebyshev pseudospectral (CPS) method is used to get a numerical solution for the formulated differential system. Comparisons of the present numerical results with previously published results are made, and fine agreements for some the considered values of parameters were noted. Two cases of nanofluid are considered. The first case is Newtonian nanofluid, water with suspended gold (Au) or alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles, and representative results are obtained for β → ∞ and Pr = 6.785 (the Prandtl number of water). The second case is non-Newtonian bio-nanofluid, blood with suspended gold (Au) or alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles, and representative results are obtained for β = 0.1 and Pr = 25 (the Prandtl number of blood). The variation of different physical parameters on non-dimensional velocity and temperature fields as well as the skin friction coefficient and the Nusselt number are discussed. It is demonstrated that the implication of a nanoparticle into bio-fluid can modify the stream design. Also, the nanoparticles with high thermal conductivity (gold) have better enhancement on heat transfer compared to alumina, i.e., the effectiveness of adding gold to the water and blood is higher than adding alumina. One of the most important applications of nanotechnology in the field of medicine is the use of nanoparticles (gold molecules) in chemotherapy to get rid of cancer cells.
On some boundary value problems with non-local and periodic conditions
Authors: Abd El-Salam Sheren Ahmed
Published: March 2020

In this work, we concern non-local and periodic boundary value problems. We will prove the existence of at least one solution of these problems such that the functions satisfy the growth condition. Hence, we will study the existence of at least one solution for a boundary value problem with periodic and integrable conditions.
Retraction Note: On projection-invariant submodules of QTAG-modules
Authors: Sikander Fahad , Mehdi Alveera , Naji Sabah A. R. K.
Published: March 2020

The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article [1] because the results have been previously published by Danchev and Goldsmith [2]. This article is therefore redundant.

Fahad Sikander does not agree to this retraction. Alveera Mehdi and Sabah A.R.K. Naji have not responded to correspondence from the Publisher about this retraction.
Testing exponentiality against renewal new better than used in Laplace transform order: applications in reliability
Authors: Mahmoud M. A. W. , Diab L. S. , Radi D. M.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a new class of life distribution is proposed, named renewal new better than used in Laplace transform order (RNBUL). The test statistic for testing exponentiality versus (RNBUL) based on U-statistic is proposed. Pitman’s asymptotic efficiencies of the test and Pitman’s asymptotic relative efficiencies (PARE) are calculated. The percentiles of this test statistic are tabulated, and the powers of this test are estimated for some famous alternatives distributions in reliability such as Weibull, linear failure rate (LFR), and Gamma distributions. The problem regarding the right-censored data is also handled. Finally, some applications to elucidate the usefulness of the proposed test in reliability analysis are discussed.
Intuitionistic fuzzy relations compatible with the group Zn
Authors: Emam E. G.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we define the compatibility of finite intuitionistic fuzzy relations with the group Zn and prove some of their fundamental properties. We show that some compositions of Zn-compatible intuitionistic fuzzy relations are also Zn-compatible intuitionistic fuzzy relation. Also, from any given finite intuitionistic fuzzy relation ρ, we can construct two intuitionistic fuzzy relations denoted by ρL and ρU which are compatible with Zn. We have also provided some examples to clarify the notions and results.
On a discussion of Volterra–Fredholm integral equation with discontinuous kernel
Authors: Abdou M. A. , Soliman A. A. , Abdel–Aty M. A.
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to establish the general solution of a Volterra–Fredholm integral equation with discontinuous kernel in a Banach space. Banach’s fixed point theorem is used to prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution. By using separation of variables method, the problem is reduced to Volterra integral equations of the second kind with continuous kernel. Normality and continuity of the integral operator are also discussed.
Extrapolated full-waveform inversion with deep learning
Authors: Sun Hongyu , Demanet Laurent
Published: March 2020

The lack of low-frequency information and a good initial model can seriously affect the success of full-waveform inversion (FWI), due to the inherent cycle skipping problem. Computational low-frequency extrapolation is in principle the most direct way to address this issue. By considering bandwidth extension as a regression problem in machine learning, we have adopted an architecture of convolutional neural network (CNN) to automatically extrapolate the missing low frequencies. The band-limited recordings are the inputs of the CNN, and, in our numerical experiments, a neural network trained from enough samples can predict a reasonable approximation to the seismograms in the unobserved low-frequency band, in phase and in amplitude. The numerical experiments considered are set up on simulated P-wave data. In extrapolated FWI (EFWI), the low-wavenumber components of the model are determined from the extrapolated low frequencies, before proceeding with a frequency sweep of the band-limited data. The introduced deep-learning method of low-frequency extrapolation shows adequate generalizability for the initialization step of EFWI. Numerical examples show that the neural network trained on several submodels of the Marmousi model is able to predict the low frequencies for the BP 2004 benchmark model. Additionally, the neural network can robustly process seismic data with uncertainties due to the existence of random noise, a poorly known source wavelet, and a different finite-difference scheme in the forward modeling operator. Finally, this approach is not subject to strong assumptions on signals or velocity models of other methods for bandwidth extension and seems to offer a tantalizing solution to the problem of properly initializing FWI.
Rytov-approximation-based wave-equation traveltime tomography
Authors: Feng Bo , Xu Wenjun , Luo Fei , Wang Huazhong
Published: March 2020

Most finite-frequency traveltime tomography methods are based on the Born approximation, which requires that the scale of the velocity heterogeneity and the magnitude of the velocity perturbation should be small enough to satisfy the Born approximation. On the contrary, the Rytov approximation works well for large-scale velocity heterogeneity. Typically, the Rytov-approximation-based finite-frequency traveltime sensitivity kernel (Rytov-FFTSK) can be obtained by integrating the phase-delay sensitivity kernels with a normalized weighting function, in which the calculation of sensitivity kernels requires the numerical solution of Green’s function. However, solving the Green’s function explicitly is quite computationally demanding, especially for 3D problems. To avoid explicit calculation of the Green’s function, we show that the Rytov-FFTSK can be obtained by crosscorrelating a forward-propagated incident wavefield and reverse-propagated adjoint wavefield in the time domain. In addition, we find that the action of the Rytov-FFTSK on a model-space vector, e.g., the product of the sensitivity kernel and a vector, can be computed by calculating the inner product of two time-domain fields. Consequently, the Hessian-vector product can be computed in a matrix-free fashion (i.e., first calculate the product of the sensitivity kernel and a model-space vector and then calculate the product of the transposed sensitivity kernel and a data-space vector), without forming the Hessian matrix or the sensitivity kernels explicitly. We solve the traveltime inverse problem with the Gauss-Newton method, in which the Gauss-Newton equation is approximately solved by the conjugate gradient using our matrix-free Hessian-vector product method. An example with a perfect acquisition geometry found that our Rytov-approximation-based traveltime inversion method can produce a high-quality inversion result with a very fast convergence rate. An overthrust synthetic data test demonstrates that large- to intermediate-scale model perturbations can be recovered by diving waves if long-offset acquisition is available.
Treatment Patterns for Chronic Comorbid Conditions in Patients With Cancer Using a Large-Scale Observational Data Network
Authors: Chen Ruijun , Ryan Patrick , Natarajan Karthik , Falconer Thomas , Crew Katherine D. , Reich Christian G. , Vashisht Rohit , Randhawa Gurvaneet , Shah Nigam H. , Hripcsak George
Published: March 2020

PURPOSE

Patients with cancer are predisposed to developing chronic, comorbid conditions that affect prognosis, quality of life, and mortality. While treatment guidelines and care variations for these comorbidities have been described for the general noncancer population, less is known about real-world treatment patterns in patients with cancer. We sought to characterize the prevalence and distribution of initial treatment patterns across a large-scale data network for depression, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among patients with cancer.

METHODS

We used the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics network, an international collaborative implementing the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model to standardize more than 2 billion patient records. For this study, we used 8 databases across 3 countries—the United States, France, and Germany—with 295,529,655 patient records. We identified patients with cancer using SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine) codes validated via manual review. We then characterized the treatment patterns of these patients initiating treatment of depression, hypertension, or T2DM with persistent treatment and at least 365 days of observation.

RESULTS

Across databases, wide variations exist in treatment patterns for depression (n = 1,145,510), hypertension (n = 3,178,944), and T2DM (n = 886,766). When limited to 6-node (6-drug) sequences, we identified 61,052 unique sequences for depression, 346,067 sequences for hypertension, and 40,629 sequences for T2DM. These variations persisted across sites, databases, countries, and conditions, with the exception of metformin (73.8%) being the most common initial T2DM treatment. The most common initial medications were sertraline (17.5%) and escitalopram (17.5%) for depression and hydrochlorothiazide (20.5%) and lisinopril (19.6%) for hypertension.

CONCLUSION

We identified wide variations in the treatment of common comorbidities in patients with cancer, similar to the general population, and demonstrate the feasibility of conducting research on patients with cancer across a large-scale observational data network using a common data model.
Developing an FHIR-Based Computational Pipeline for Automatic Population of Case Report Forms for Colorectal Cancer Clinical Trials Using Electronic Health Records
Authors: Zong Nansu , Wen Andrew , Stone Daniel J. , Sharma Deepak K. , Wang Chen , Yu Yue , Liu Hongfang , Shi Qian , Jiang Guoqian
Published: March 2020

PURPOSE

The Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) is emerging as a next-generation standards framework developed by HL7 for exchanging electronic health care data. The modeling capability of FHIR in standardizing cancer data has been gaining increasing attention by the cancer research informatics community. However, few studies have been conducted to examine the capability of FHIR in electronic data capture (EDC) applications for effective cancer clinical trials. The objective of this study was to design, develop, and evaluate an FHIR-based method that enables the automation of the case report forms (CRFs) population for cancer clinical trials using real-world electronic health records (EHRs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We developed an FHIR-based computational pipeline of EDC with a case study for modeling colorectal cancer trials. We first leveraged an existing FHIR-based cancer profile to represent EHR data of patients with colorectal cancer, and then we used the FHIR Questionnaire and QuestionnaireResponse resources to represent the CRFs and their data population. To test the accuracy of and overall quality of the computational pipeline, we used synoptic reports of 287 Mayo Clinic patients with colorectal cancer from 2013 to 2019 with standard measures of precision, recall, and F1 score.

RESULTS

Using the computational pipeline, a total of 1,037 synoptic reports were successfully converted as the instances of the FHIR-based cancer profile. The average accuracy for converting all data elements (excluding tumor perforation) of the cancer profile was 0.99, using 200 randomly selected records. The average F1 score for populating nine questions of the CRFs in a real-world colorectal cancer trial was 0.95, using 100 randomly selected records.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that it is feasible to populate CRFs with EHR data in an automated manner with satisfactory performance. The outcome of the study provides helpful insight into future directions in implementing FHIR-based EDC applications for modern cancer clinical trials.
Patterns of Ruxolitinib Therapy Failure and Its Management in Myelofibrosis: Perspectives of the Canadian Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Group
Authors: Gupta Vikas , Cerquozzi Sonia , Foltz Lynda , Hillis Christopher , Devlin Rebecca , Elsawy Mahmoud , Grewal Kuljit , Hamm Caroline , McNamara Caroline , Sirhan Shireen , Leber Brian
Published: March 2020

Ruxolitinib improves splenomegaly and other disease-related symptoms in patients with myelofibrosis, but over time, many patients lose this benefit. It is difficult to determine whether this is due to resistance or intolerance to the drug; thus, we have used the more inclusive term of ruxolitinib failure. The survival of patients with myelofibrosis after ruxolitinib failure is poor but varies significantly by the pattern of the failure, underlining the need for a clinically appropriate classification. In this review, we propose diagnostic guidance for early recognition of the pattern of ruxolitinib failure and we recommend treatment options. The most frequent patterns of ruxolitinib failure are loss or failure to obtain a significant reduction in splenomegaly or symptom response, and the development or persistence of clinically significant cytopenias. Ruxolitinib dose modification and other ancillary therapies are sometimes helpful, and splenectomy is a palliative option in selected cases. Stem-cell transplantation is the only curative option for these patterns of failure, but its restricted applicability due to toxicity highlights the importance of ongoing clinical trials in this area. Recent approval of fedratinib by the US Food and Drug Administration provides an alternative option for patients with suboptimal or loss of spleen response. The transformation of myelofibrosis to accelerated or blast phase is an infrequent form of failure with an extremely poor prognosis, whereby patients who are ineligible for transplantation have limited treatment options.
Accuracy of Laboratory Tests for the Diagnosis of Cushing Syndrome
Authors: Galm Brandon P , Qiao Nidan , Klibanski Anne , Biller Beverly M K , Tritos Nicholas A
Published: March 2020

Context

The diagnosis of Cushing syndrome (CS) can be challenging. It remains to be determined which diagnostic tests are the most accurate.

Objective

To summarize the accuracy of diagnostic tests for CS using contemporary meta-analytic techniques (hierarchical models).

Data Sources

PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews (inception until August 3, 2018).

Study Selection

Studies performed in adults that determined the accuracy of one or more diagnostic tests: overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST), 2-day low-dose DST (2d DST), 24-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC), late-night salivary cortisol (LNSC), midnight serum cortisol (MSC), and the dexamethasone-suppressed CRH (dex-CRH) and desmopressin (dex-DDAVP) tests.

Data Extraction

Two authors independently extracted data and performed methodological assessments.

Data Synthesis

One hundred thirty-nine studies (14 140 participants) were included in the analysis. The respective sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) estimates include the following: DST 98.6% (96.9%-99.4%), 90.6% (86.4%-93.6%), 10.5 (7.2-15.3), and 0.016 (0.007-0.035); 2d DST 95.3% (91.3%-97.5%), 92.8% (85.7%-96.5%), 13.2 (6.47-27.1), and 0.051 (0.027-0.095); UFC 94.0% (91.6%-95.7%), 93.0% (89.0%-95.5%), 13.3 (8.47-21.0), and 0.065 (0.046-0.092); LNSC 95.8% (93.%-97.2%), 93.4% (90.7%-95.4%), 14.6 (10.3-20.7), and 0.045 (0.030-0.066); MSC 96.1% (93.5%-97.6%), 93.2% (88.1%-96.3%), 14.2 (7.96-25.2), and 0.042 (0.026-0.069); and dex-CRH 98.6% (90.4%-99.8%), 85.9% (67.6%-94.7%), 7.0 (2.80-17.6), and 0.016 (0.002-0.118). A single study evaluated dex-DDAVP. Meta-regression and a novel network meta-analytic approach suggest that DST is the most sensitive while UFC is the least sensitive.

Conclusions

All of the included diagnostic tests for CS are highly sensitive and specific. It appears that the DST is the most sensitive while the UFC is less sensitive. The specificity of all first-line tests appears comparable.
Dynamic multimodal interactions in navigating wood ants: What do path details tell us about cue integration?
Authors: Buehlmann Cornelia , Aussel Alexia , Graham Paul
Published: March 2020

Ants are expert navigators using multimodal information to navigate successfully. Here, we present the results of systematic studies of multimodal cue use in navigating wood ants, Formica rufa. Ants learnt to navigate to a feeder that was defined by an olfactory cue (O), visual cue (V) and airflow (A) presented together. When the feeder, olfactory cue and airflow were all placed at the centre of the visual cue (VOACentre), ants did not directly approach the learnt feeder when either the olfactory or visual cue was removed. This confirms that some form of cue binding has taken place. However, in a visually simpler task with the feeder located at the edge of the visual cue (VOAEdge), ants still approached the feeder directly when individual cue components were removed. Hence, cue binding is flexible and depends on the navigational context. In general, cues act additively in determining the ants’ paths accuracy, i.e. the use of multiple cues increased navigation performance. Moreover, across different training conditions, we saw different motor patterns in response to different sensory cues. For instance, ants had more sinuous paths with more turns when they followed an odour plume but did not have any visual cues. Having visual information together with the odour enhanced performance and therefore positively impacted on plume following. Interestingly, path characteristics of ants from the different multimodal groups (VOACentre vs. VOAEdge) were different, suggesting that the observed flexibility in cue binding may be a result of ants’ movement characteristics.
Delegation of Stocking Decisions Under Asymmetric Demand Information
Authors: Alp Osman , Şen Alper
Published: March 2020

Problem definition: We consider the incentive design problem of a retailer that delegates stocking decisions to its store managers who are privately informed about local demand. Academic/practical relevance: Shortages are highly costly in retail, but are less of a concern for store managers, as their exact amounts are usually not recorded. In order to align incentives and attain desired service levels, retailers need to design mechanisms in the absence of information on shortage quantities. Methodology: The headquarters knows that the underlying demand process at a store is one of J possible Wiener processes, whereas the store manager knows the specific process. The store manager creates a single order before each period. The headquarters uses an incentive scheme that is based on the end-of-period leftover inventory and on a stock-out occasion at a prespecified inspection time before the end of a period. The problem for the headquarters is to determine the inspection time and the significance of a stock-out relative to leftover inventory in evaluating the performance of the store manager. We formulate the problem as a constrained nonlinear optimization problem in the single period setting and a dynamic program in the multiperiod setting. Results: We show that the proposed “early inspection” scheme leads to perfect alignment when J equals two under mild conditions. In more general cases, we show that the scheme performs strictly better than inspecting stock-outs at the end and achieves near-perfect alignment. Our numerical experiments, using both synthetic and real data, reveal that this scheme can lead to considerable cost reductions. Managerial implications: Stock-out-related measures are typically not included in store managers’ performance scorecards in retail. We propose a novel, easy, and practical performance measurement scheme that does not depend on the actual amount of shortages. This new scheme incentivizes the store managers to use their private information in the retailer’s best interest and clearly outperforms centralized ordering systems that are common practice.
Estimating Water Balance and Identifying Crops for Sustainable Use of Water Resources in the Bundelkhand Region of India
Authors: Chand Prem , Jain Rajni , Chand Subhash , Kishore Prabhat , Malangmeih Lungkudailiu , Rao Sulakshana
Published: March 2020

Highlights

A crop suitability index was constructed for the Bundelkhand region of India.

The cropping pattern in the region has shifted from cereals to oilseeds and pulses.

Nearly 33% more water is needed to meet the total irrigation water requirement of the region.

Pearl millet, sesame, and soybean were found to be the most suitable crops for sustainable use of water resources.

ABSTRACT.The Bundelkhand region of India is characterized by acute shortages of water due to recurrent failures of the monsoon. This study estimated the water availability, water requirement, and water deficit in the Bundelkhand region using geographic information system (GIS) data. The study identified suitable crops that can be promoted for sustaining the water resources in the region. Total water availability is estimated to be 17.48 billion cubic meters (BCM), of which 91.3% is available for irrigation. The irrigation water deficit is estimated to be 5.31 BCM, which is 1/4 of the crop water requirement. Farmers in the region give high priority to irrigation of water-guzzling cereal crops instead of pulses and oilseed crops, which have lower water requirements. A crop suitability index revealed that pearl millet, sesame, and soybean are the most suitable crops for sustainable use of water resources in the region. An optimum cropping plan to allocate existing land and water resources, coupled with efficient modern technology such as direct-seeded rice, micro-irrigation, etc., can be the best solution to sustain the natural resources and the income of farmers in the study region. Keywords: Bundelkhand, Crop suitability index, Geographical information system, Water.
Soil Structure and Texture Effects on the Precision of Soil Water Content Measurements with a Capacitance- Based Electromagnetic Sensor
Authors: Singh Jasreman , Heeren Derek M. , Rudnick Daran R. , Woldt Wayne E. , Bai Geng , Ge Yufeng , Luck Joe D.
Published: March 2020

Highlights

Capacitance-based electromagnetic soil moisture sensors were tested in disturbed and undisturbed soils.

The uncertainty in estimation of soil water depth was lower using the undisturbed soil sample calibrations.

The uncertainty in estimation of soil water depletion was lower than the uncertainty in volumetric water content.

Undisturbed calibration of water depletion quantifies water demand with better precision and avoids over-watering.

Abstract. The physical properties of soil, such as structure and texture, can affect the performance of an electromagnetic sensor in measuring soil water content. Historically, calibrations have been performed on repacked samples in the laboratory and on soils in the field, but little research has been done on laboratory calibrations with intact (undisturbed) soil cores. In this study, three replications each of disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected from two soil texture classes (Yutan silty clay loam and Fillmore silt loam) at a field site in eastern Nebraska to investigate the effects of soil structure and texture on the precision of a METER Group GS-1 capacitance-based sensor calibration. In addition, GS-1 sensors were installed in the field near the soil collection sites at three depths (0.15, 0.46, and 0.76 m). The soil moisture sensor had higher precision in the undisturbed laboratory setup, as the undisturbed calibration had a better correlation [slope closer to one, R2undisturbed (0.89) > R2disturbed (0.73)] than the disturbed calibrations for the Yutan and Fillmore texture classes, and the root mean square difference using the laboratory calibration (RMSDL) was higher for pooled disturbed samples (0.053 m3 m-3) in comparison to pooled undisturbed samples (0.023 m3 m-3). The uncertainty in determination of volumetric water content (?v) was higher using the factory calibration (RMSDF) in comparison to the laboratory calibration (RMSDL) for the different soil structures and texture classes. In general, the uncertainty in estimation of soil water depth was greater than the uncertainty in estimation of soil water depletion by the sensors installed in the field, and the uncertainties in estimation of depth and depletion were lower using the calibration developed from the undisturbed soil samples. The undisturbed calibration of soil water depletion would determine water demand with better precision and potentially avoid over-watering, offering relief from water shortages. Further investigation of sensor calibration techniques is required to enhance the applicability of soil moisture sensors for efficient irrigation management. Keywords: Calibration, Capacitance, Depletion, Irrigation, Precision, Sensor, Soil water content, Structure, Uncertainty.
Empoderando vidas y naciones resilientes desde el giro biográfico-local.
Authors: Agirreazkuenaga Joseba
Published: March 2020

In order to establish and consolidate the themes and ways of writing history, historians must be attentive to the global and local public agenda. Empowered lives - Resilient nations is a program for human development promoted by the UN. As long as there are local powers and local communities it will be necessary to carry out biographical-local research, analyzing these powers and communities in the past and present, establishing resilience patterns. We transform the historical research of the local past into global history. The personal and the political cannot be dissociated because “The personal is political and the political is personal”. Even eating is a political practice in today’s globalized world.
Multimodal quantitative optical elastography of the crystalline lens with optical coherence elastography and Brillouin microscopy
Authors: Ambekar Yogeshwari S. , Singh Manmohan , Zhang Jitao , Nair Achuth , Aglyamov Salavat R. , Scarcelli Giuliano , Larin Kirill V.
Published: March 2020

Assessing the biomechanical properties of the crystalline lens can provide crucial information for diagnosing disease and guiding precision therapeutic interventions. Existing noninvasive methods have been limited to global measurements. Here, we demonstrate the quantitative assessment of the elasticity of crystalline lens with a multimodal optical elastography technique, which combines dynamic wave-based optical coherence elastography (OCE) and Brillouin microscopy to overcome the drawbacks of individual modalities. OCE can provide direct measurements of tissue elasticity rapidly and quantitatively, but it is a challenge to image transparent samples such as the lens because this technique relies on backscattered light. On the other hand, Brillouin microscopy can map the longitudinal modulus with micro-scale resolution in transparent samples. However, the relationship between Brillouin-deduced modulus and Young’s modulus is not straightforward and sample dependent. By combining these two techniques, we can calibrate Brillouin measurements with OCE, based on the same sample, allowing us to completely map the Young’s modulus of the crystalline lens. The combined system was first validated with tissue-mimicking gelatin phantoms of varying elasticities (N = 9). The OCE data was used to calibrate the Brillouin shift measurements and subsequently map the Young’s modulus of the phantoms. After validation, OCE and Brillouin measurements were performed on ex-vivo porcine lenses (N = 6), and the Young’s modulus of the lenses was spatially mapped. The results show a strong correlation between Young’s moduli measured by OCE and longitudinal moduli measured by Brillouin microscopy. The correlation coefficient R was 0.98 for the phantoms and 0.94 for the lenses, respectively. The mean Young’s modulus of the anterior and posterior lens was 1.98 ± 0.74 kPa and 2.93 ± 1.13 kPa, respectively, and the Young’s modulus of the lens nucleus was 11.90 ± 2.94 kPa. The results presented in this manuscript open a new way for truly quantitative biomechanical mapping of optically transparent (or low scattering) tissues in 3D.