bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling and mass transfer performance of Dioscorea alata L. slices drying in convection air dryer
Authors: Zhu Aishi , Zhao Junzi , Wu Yuanfeng
Published: May 2020

The drying experiments of Dioscorea alata L. slices were implemented in order to study the thin‐layer drying characteristics and kinetic in hot air forced convection tunnel dryer. The influences of temperatures, velocity, and slice thickness on the drying behavior were researched. Six commonly thin‐layer drying models were used to fit the experimental data to express the mass transfer characteristics. The fitting degree between models and experiment data was analyzed. The effective diffusion coefficients (Deff) and activation energy (Ea) were estimated. The air temperature, air velocity, and sample slice thickness had significant influence on drying time, dehydration rate, and Deff. The drying process had a momentary accelerating rate stage and a long falling rate stage; the Logarithmic model had good degree of fitting with all experiments data; and Arrhenius equation could be well expressed the relationship of Deff and drying temperature. The drying process of hot air thin layer of Dioscorea alata L. can be better described by the Logarithmic model. At the range of research conditions, the Deff value ranged from 4.77 × 10−10 m2/s to 8.90 × 10−10 m2/s; the Ea value was 20.74 kJ/mol.

Practical Applications

Postharvest processing and storage of agricultural products is very important, and drying is a traditional and practical technology. The common drying method is heat drying. This research discussed the thin‐layer drying of Dioscorea alata L. with hot air and obtained the appropriate drying conditions, applicable drying model, and relevant parameters, which could provide reference to select the drying conditions and design the drying equipment for practical application.
Research on apple origin classification based on variable iterative space shrinkage approach with stepwise regression–support vector machine algorithm and visible‐near infrared hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Tian Yan , Sun Jun , Zhou Xin , Wu Xiaohong , Lu Bing , Dai Chunxia
Published: May 2020

Effective classification of apples from different origins is important for horticultural processing and management in mechanized products. To obtain effective characteristic wavelengths and reduce operation time of the classification of apples produced in different areas, a method combining a variable iterative space shrinkage approach with stepwise regression (VISSA‐SR) was proposed. The whole apple sphere was chosen as the region of interest for visible‐near infrared (Vis–NIR) spectral acquisition. Savitzky–Golay smoothing, standard normalized variable, multiplicative scatter correction, and detrending were used to preprocess the spectral data, with their respective effects compared. VISSA, SR, and VISSA‐SR were applied to extract the feature wavelengths. Furthermore, support vector machine (SVM) was utilized in the construction of the identification models. The modeling results demonstrated that a VISSA‐SR‐SVM model based on detrending spectral preprocessing performed best, exhibiting calibration and prediction accuracy rates of 100% and 97.14%, and a modeling time of 131.96 s. The proposed VISSA‐SR algorithm could obtain characteristic wavelength effectively and reduce modeling process operation time. The optimal algorithm combined with Vis–NIR hyperspectral imaging could effectively non‐destructively identify apples from different regions.

Practical Applications

It is important to classify the apples from different regions through nondestructive testing. In order to effectively realize the rapid nondestructive testing of apples produced in different areas, the optimal algorithm combined with Vis–NIR hyperspectral imaging was adopted in this study. VISSA‐SR algorithm is proposed to obtain effective characteristic wavelength and reduce operation time. It is proved that VIS–NIR hyperspectral imaging technology is a feasible and effective method to identify apples from different regions.
Tri‐typing of hepatitis B‐related acute‐on‐chronic liver failure defined by the World Gastroenterology Organization
Authors: Tang Xiaoting , Qi Tingting , Li Beiling , Li Hai , Huang Zuxiong , Zhu Zhibin , Tu Minghan , Gao Jie , Zhu Congyan , Jiang Xiuhua , Yu Xutong , Lu Guanting , Xiong Ming , He Qinjun , Zhou Fuyuan , Wen Weiqun , Chen Jinjun , Hou Jinlin
Published: May 2020

Background and Aim

Tri‐typing of acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF), as proposed by the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO), has not been validated in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). We aim to compare the three types of ACLF patients in clinic characteristics.

Methods

Hospitalized ACLF patients with chronic hepatitis B from five hepatology centers were retrospectively selected and grouped according to the WGO classification. For each group, we investigated laboratory tests, precipitating events, organ failure, and clinical outcome.

Results

Compared with type‐B (n = 262, compensated cirrhosis) and type‐C (n = 129, decompensated cirrhosis) ACLF, type‐A patients (n = 195, non‐cirrhosis) were associated with a younger age, the highest platelet counts, the highest aminotransferase levels, and the most active HBV replications. HBV reactivation were more predominant in type‐A, while bacterial infections in type‐B and type‐C ACLF cases. Liver failure (97.4%) and coagulation failure (86.7%) were most common in type‐A compared with type‐B or type‐C ACLF patients. Kidney failure was predominantly identified in type‐C subjects (41.9%) and was highest (23/38, 60.5%) in grade 1 ACLF patients. Furthermore, type‐C ACLF showed the highest 28‐day (65.2%) and 90‐day (75.3%) mortalities, compared with type‐A (48.7% and 54.4%, respectively) and type‐B (48.4% and 62.8%, respectively) ACLF cases. Compared with type‐A (11.7%) ACLF patients, the increased mortality from 28 to 90 days was higher in type‐B (31.6%) and type‐C (37.5%).

Conclusion

Tri‐typing of HBV‐related ACLF in accordance with the WGO definition was able to distinguish clinical characteristics, including precipitating events, organ failure, and short‐term prognosis in ACLF patients.
β‐Arrestin1 is involved in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via extracellular signal‐regulated kinase‐mediated epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Xu Xuan , Lei Yiming , Zhou Haoxiong , Guo Yunwei , Liu Huiling , Jiang Jie , Yang Yidong , Wu Bin
Published: May 2020

Background and Aim

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant disease worldwide. It is implicated in high cancer‐related mortality rates in humans. β‐Arrestin1 (ARRB1) has been demonstrated to be related to the development of several cancers, while the relationship between ARRB1 and metastasis in HCC is unknown.

Methods

A tissue microarray of 68 tissues from HCC patients with or without metastasis was collected. Wild‐type and ARRB1 knockout mice were used to examine the role of ARRB1 in metastasis in vivo. The level of ARRB1 in HCC tissues, mouse liver tissues, and cell lines was determined by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Migration, invasion, and motility capacities of HCC cells were determined by transwell assay and wound healing assay. Vein injection of nude mice model was used to reveal the metastatic abilities of HCC cell lines. For the mechanism study, we investigated the effects of ARRB1 on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in HCC.

Results

We reveal that ARRB1 accelerates metastasis in HCC and that ARRB1 deficiency inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis and reverses EMT in mice. ARRB1 regulates HCC cell migration and invasion and suppresses HCC metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we show that ARRB1 promotes EMT through the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that ARRB1 promotes HCC invasion and metastasis through p‐ERK1/2‐mediated EMT and that suppression of ARRB1 or p‐ERK1/2 may offer potential therapeutic targets for HCC therapy.
Vasopressin gene products are colocalised with corticotrophin‐releasing factor within neurosecretory vesicles in the external zone of the median eminence of the Japanese macaque monkey (Macaca fuscata)
Authors: Otubo Akito , Kawakami Natsuko , Maejima Sho , Ueda Yasumasa , Morris John F. , Sakamoto Tatsuya , Sakamoto Hirotaka
Published: May 2020

Arginine vasopressin (AVP), when released into portal capillaries with corticotrophin‐releasing factor (CRF) from terminals of parvocellular neurones of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVH), facilitates the secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in stressed rodents. The AVP gene encodes a propeptide precursor containing AVP, AVP‐associated neurophysin II (NPII), and a glycopeptide copeptin, although it is currently unclear whether copeptin is always cleaved from the neurophysin and whether the NPII and/or copeptin have any functional role in the pituitary. Furthermore, for primates, it is unknown whether CRF, AVP, NPII and copeptin are all colocalised in neurosecretory vesicles in the terminal region of the paraventricular CRF neurone axons. Therefore, we investigated, by fluorescence and immunogold immunocytochemistry, the cellular and subcellular relationships of these peptides in the CRF‐ and AVP‐producing cells in unstressed Japanese macaque monkeys (Macaca fuscata). Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction analysis showed the expression of both CRF and AVP mRNAs in the monkey PVH. As expected, in the magnocellular neurones of the PVH and supraoptic nucleus, essentially no CRF immunoreactivity could be detected in NPII‐immunoreactive (AVP‐producing) neurones. Immunofluorescence showed that, in the parvocellular part of the PVH, NPII was detectable in a subpopulation (approximately 39%) of the numerous CRF‐immunoreactive neuronal perikarya, whereas, in the outer median eminence, NPII was more prominent (approximately 52%) in the CRF varicosities. Triple immunoelectron microscopy in the median eminence demonstrated the presence of both NPII and copeptin immunoreactivity in dense‐cored vesicles of CRF‐containing axons. The results are consistent with an idea that the AVP propeptide is processed and NPII and copeptin are colocalised in hypothalamic‐pituitary CRF axons in the median eminence of a primate. The CRF, AVP and copeptin are all co‐packaged in neurosecretory vesicles in monkeys and are thus likely to be co‐released into the portal capillary blood to amplify ACTH release from the primate anterior pituitary.
Treatment of periocular and temporal reticular veins with 1064‐nm Nd:YAG Laser
Authors: Lee Tee Sin , Kwek James Wei Ming , Ellis David A. F.
Published: May 2020

Background

The periocular and temporal regions are important aspects of beauty. The presence of reticular veins in these areas is undesirable and can also interfere with injection of neurotoxins to treat squint lines. 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser shows promise as an effective treatment modality with long‐lasting effects.

Aim

The aim of the study is to show that the long‐pulsed, contact‐cooled, variable spot‐sized 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser is effective and safe, with good patient satisfaction and tolerability, and is able to achieve long‐term results.

Methods

A retrospective study of 35 consecutive patients seen over a 3‐year period in a private cosmetic clinic affiliated to the University of Toronto for periocular and temporal reticular veins was conducted. They were all treated with 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser.

Results

A total of 35 patients with an average age of 45.8 years old received treatment. 13 had lower eyelids treated, 9 had temples treated, 12 had both lower eyelids and temples treated, and 1 had both upper and lower eyelids treated. The first case of upper eyelid vein being treated with the 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser with great success after only 1 treatment is reported. 80% of the patients required only 1‐2 treatment sessions. The average satisfaction score was 7.9 out of 10. The average pain score was 5.0 out of 10. 91% perceived the treatment outcome as excellent or good with the longest result lasting 33 months. There were 4 complications: 1 scabbing, 1 small burn, 1 skin darkening, and 1 teary eye.

Conclusion

The study showed that the use of the long‐pulsed, contact‐cooled, variable spot‐sized 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser is effective and safe, with good patient satisfaction and tolerability, and is able to achieve long‐term results.
Review on perfume and present status of its associated allergens
Authors: Kumar Mohit , Devi Arpna , Sharma Maninder , Kaur Palakdeep , Mandal Uttam Kumar
Published: May 2020

Background

Perfume is basically a cosmetic product applied to human body for an amusing scent or the feeling of freshness. A certain amount of perfume penetrates and remains attached to the protein of the skin when perfume is applied on the body. It evokes a surge of events in human immune system which results with allergic symptoms. Fragrance ingredients are leading cause that can be responsible for the occurrence of allergic contact dermatitis that is recently studied under cosmetic adverse reaction.

Aim

The aim of this review article was to define the allergies that are caused by fragrance ingredients. This review highlights the various aspects of perfume with respect to its manufacturing process, compositions, and fragrance ingredients identified as allergens and its present regulatory status.

Method

There area 175 frangrance ingredients that are used in perfumes cause allergic reaction. Several studies were conducted on the patients. The study was conducted on four fragrance markers in the baseline series: fragrance mix I (FM I), Myroxylon pereirae, fragrance mix II (FM II), and hydroxyisohexyl 3‐cyclohexene carboxaldehyde.

Result

Around 658 patients showed allergy due to fragrance ingredients when the patch test was performed. In other study, out of 1253 patients, 90% of the FM I and M. pereirae detected 90% of the cases.

Conclusion

Majority of the fragrance ingredients can cause allergic reactions and hence act as allergens and thus increase the risk of sensitization on activation. If any individual suffers from allergy or contact dermatitis on use of any perfume, he/she should be aware of it and should reduce or avoid its use to overcome such problems of hypersensitivity.
Physical activity and personal factors associated with nurse resilience in intensive care units
Authors: Yu Fiona , Cavadino Alana , Mackay Lisa , Ward Kim , King Anna , Smith Melody
Published: May 2020

Aim and objectives

To assess intensive care nurses' resilience and identify associated personal factors and physical activity behaviours using a job demands–recovery framework.

Background

Currently, there is inconsistent evidence as to whether nurse resilience is associated with personal factors or with physical activity at work or during leisure time.

Design

A cross‐sectional study was conducted with nurses from four intensive care units in Auckland, New Zealand.

Methods

An online survey was conducted to collect nurses' personal information and assess their resilience levels using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 25. Participants were nurses working at least 32 hr fortnightly and providing direct patient care. Physical activity was objectively measured using a pair of accelerometers worn on the back and thigh over four consecutive days (two workdays followed by two nonworkdays). Bivariable and multivariable regression were used to identify personal factors and physical activity behaviours associated with resilience (followed the STROBE checklist).

Results

A total of 93 nurses were included in the study. The participants' average resilience level was low. Resilience was positively associated with the objectively measured physical job demands factors: occupational physical activity, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity at work and dynamic standing at work. Resilience was negatively associated with one objectively measured recovery factor: sleep during leisure time. In multivariable modelling, being married and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity at work were positively associated with resilience, while not having religious beliefs and sleep during leisure time were negatively associated with resilience.

Conclusions

Resilient nurses have a greater tolerance to high physical activity at work and lower sleep duration during leisure time. Strategies are needed to improve intensive care nurses' resilience levels.

Relevance to clinical practice

Results may help managers gain a better understanding of the ICU nurses' characteristics associated with resilience, leading them to develop strategies for improving ICU nurse resilience.
Urinary incontinence in stroke survivors – Development of a programme theory
Authors: Kohler Myrta , Mayer Hanna , Kesselring Jürg , Saxer Susi
Published: May 2020

Aims and objectives

To develop, in an inpatient rehabilitation setting, a programme theory that promotes continence in people who have suffered a stroke.

Background

Urinary incontinence in stroke survivors impacts the quality of life, rehabilitation outcomes and ultimately incurred costs of the patient. Different approaches are available for developing and testing complex interventions.

Design

Building a research‐based programme theory.

Methods

To elaborate the intervention, a guidance for developing a complex intervention for nursing was chosen and the sources that should be considered were defined. Subsequently, a research‐based programme theory was generated that was represented via a theoretical approach logic model. This study was guided by the checklist for reporting theory of change in public health interventions.

Results

The intervention consists of six parts with three outcome chains on interconnected levels, which are oriented towards patients and nurses. The important aspects of the programme theory are communication, individually tailored measures and the definition of interdisciplinary objectives.

Conclusion

Developing a programme theory and representing it via a logic model help clarify the initial intervention and ensure that implementation strategies are well thought out.

Relevance to clinical practice

By employing detailed reflection and using previous research, it is expected that the intervention can be implemented successfully and its effectiveness can be investigated in more depth.
Identification of maize lethal necrosis disease causal viruses in maize and suspected alternative hosts through small RNA profiling
Authors: Tonui Ronald , Masanga Joel , Kasili Remmy , Runo Steven , Alakonya Amos
Published: May 2020

Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) is a devastating viral disease of maize caused by double infection with Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and any one of the Potyviridae family members. Management of MLND requires effective resistance screening and surveillance tools. In this study, we report the use of small RNA (sRNA) profiling to detect MLND causal viruses and further the development of alternative detection markers for use in routine surveillance of the disease‐causing viruses. Small RNAs (sRNAs) originating from five viruses namely MCMV, Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV), Maize streak virus (MSV), Maize‐associated totivirus (MATV) and Maize yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) were assembled from infected maize samples collected from MLND hot spots in Kenya. The expression of the identified viral domains was further validated using quantitative real‐time PCR. New markers for the detection of some of the MLND causal viruses were also developed from the highly expressed domains and used to detect the MLND‐causative viruses in maize and alternative hosts. These findings further demonstrate the potential of using sRNAs especially from highly expressed viral motifs in the detection of MLND causal viruses. We report the validation of new sets of primers for use in detection of the most common MLND causal viruses MCMV and SCMV in East Africa.
Designing a crop rotation strategy to manage Streptomyces scabies causing potato scab in north India
Authors: Hunjan Mandeep Singh , Sabhikhi Hardeep Singh
Published: May 2020

Common scab of potato caused by various species in the genus Streptomyces has assumed serious proportions in certain potato‐growing regions of North India. Although it does not have significant effect on tuber yield, it downgrades quality and reduces marketability. Being soil‐borne, this disease is often difficult to manage. Therefore, the present studies were conducted to evaluate different potato‐based crop rotations prevalent in north India as a part of a strategy to manage Streptomyces scabies population in scab sick fields. Our results showed that S. scabies population in soil can be effectively reduced either by keeping the field fallow after potato or by including mungbean or sunhemp as green manure, in a single year cropping sequence over a period of four years. Three crop rotations, viz. fallow–rice–potato, mungbean–rice–potato and sunhemp–rice–potato, showed maximum decrease in the population of S. scabies in soil resulting in reduced scab severity. The mungbean‐ and sunhemp‐based crop rotations also enhanced rhizospheric soil microflora especially fluorescent pseudomonads and Trichoderma spp.
What is life after psychosis like? Stories of three individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia
Authors: Lee Ying Ying , Liu Valerie , Verma Swapna
Published: May 2020

Accessible Summary

What is known about the subject?

Schizophrenia is known as a highly debilitating mental illness, characterized by hallucination, delusions and paranoia.

Literature on recovery from schizophrenia has only been emerging in the last three decades.

What does the paper adds to existing knowledge?

It adds to the growing literature on the first‐hand accounts of recovery from schizophrenia.

It highlights the strengths of persons with schizophrenia.

What are the implications for mental health nursing?

Having a diagnosis of schizophrenia may not be as bleak as it seems.

For mental health professionals to see the person behind their patients with schizophrenia.

“You are not a typical case of schizophrenia.” This was the statement by my psychiatrist that sparked the idea of compiling a collection of recovery narratives. Because of its fluid and subjective nature, personal recovery from schizophrenia needs to be understood in the cultural, societal and familial context of its storyteller. Autobiographic lived experience narratives serve to give an unadulterated account of the strength and tenacity of persons in recovery. In this lived experience narrative paper, you will find stories of three unique individuals living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Kurtle (name changed) tells the story of the multiple hats she wears in life. Valerie opens up about her past to shed light on her sense of meaning and purpose today. Ying Ying shares her family dynamics and how it has shaped her as a person. These stories aim to (1) change the way mental health professional relate to their patients, (2) emphasize the critical roles that mental health professionals play in their patients’ recovery, and (3) remind mental health professionals to look beyond their patients’ illness and see the persons behind the illness. Perhaps, then, recovery will become a typical phenomenon among persons living with schizophrenia.
Dietary cold‐pressed red and black pepper oil mixture enhances growth, carcass, blood chemistry, antioxidant, immunity and caecal pathogens of quails
Authors: Alagawany Mahmoud , Salah Ayman S. , Mahmoud Mohamed A. , Reda Fayiz M.
Published: May 2020

This study was carried out to explore the influence of black and red pepper oils (BRPO) as a natural antibacterial agent on growth, carcass, liver and kidney functions, lipid profile, immunity and antioxidant indices of growing quails. A total of 225 Japanese quails (1‐week‐old) were haphazardly divided into 5 groups, each group consists of 45 unsexed birds with 5 replications (9 birds each). The first group was fed basal diet (control), and the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th groups fed rations containing BRPO (0.4, 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg diet respectively). During 1–3 weeks of age, body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were improved with dietary BRPO. During 3–5 and 1–5 weeks of age, BWG was quadratically increased with BRPO supplementation. Also, a quadratic improvement in FCR was observed with BRPO during the overall period. There were no statistical differences in all carcass parameters due to BRPO treatment. Feeding quails on rations enriched with BRPO was linearly influenced liver functions. The highest BRPO levels (1.2 and 1.6 g/kg diet) minimized plasma content of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) respectively. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced in quails fed diets supplemented with BRPO. In apart from the highest level of BRPO, complement 3 (C3) was increased with increasing BRPO level. Birds fed diets enriched with BRPO exhibited lower colonization of TBC, lactobacilli, coliform, Salmonella and E. coli than those in the control group. It could be concluded that dietary BRPO can positively affect quail growth, liver and kidney functions, antioxidant and immunity parameters, lipid profile and lipid peroxidation as well as pathogenic bacteria.
Periventricular nodular heterotopia in a Chihuahua
Authors: Herkommer Leonie F. , Henrich Manfred , Herden Christiane , Schmidt Martin J.
Published: May 2020

Periventricular nodular heterotopia is a common neuronal malformation in humans, often leading to epilepsy and other neurologic diseases. A 2‐month‐old female Chihuahua weighing 750 g was examined because of a history of epileptic seizures and abnormalities in gait and behavior. Results of the clinical examination were consistent with a multifocal neurologic disease with localization in the forebrain and spinovestibular system. The magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple bilateral periventricular nodules isointense to gray matter and ventriculomegaly. Histopathological and immunohistological examination of the brain revealed that periventricular nodules consisted of neurons, fewer astrocytes, and some oligodendroglia consistent with periventricular nodular heterotopias.
Seasonality drives body size variation in a widely distributed Neotropical treefrog
Authors: Pupin N. C. , Brusquetti F. , Haddad C. F. B.
Published: May 2020

It is well known that body size variation can be related to genetic and environmental factors and that this variation may occur among species, and among and within populations.Scinax fuscomarginatusis a widely distributed Neotropical anuran that occurs in open areas of several South American ecoregions, exposed to different climatic conditions and showing high levels of body size variation. We tested if this variation in body size is related to phylogeny or to any climatic condition to which populations are subjected. We measured the snout‐vent length (SVL) of 285 individuals ofS. fuscomarginatusfrom 37 populations, covering virtually all the known geographic distribution of the species. We constructed a phylogenetic tree under Bayesian inference based on mtDNA sequences to test for the existence of phylogenetic signal in body size variation and performed a multiple linear regression to examine the relationship between body size and environmental variables. AlthoughS. fuscomarginatusshows a deep genetic structure, body size variation was randomly distributed across the phylogeny, indicating no phylogenetic signal. On the other hand, we found evidence that support some influence of climatic conditions in body size variation, being the precipitation seasonality and the temperature seasonality the most important variables. Our results are in accordance with the water conservation hypothesis, which predicts an increase in body size towards drier regions assuming that lower surface‐to‐volume ratio of larger bodies minimizes water loss by evaporation.
Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in patients with HCV genotype 5/6: An integrated analysis of phase 2/3 studies
Authors: Yao Betty B. , Fredrick Linda M. , Schnell Gretja , Kowdley Kris V. , Kwo Paul Y. , Poordad Fred , Nguyen Kinh , Lee Samuel S. , George Christophe , Wong Florence , Gane Edward , Abergel Armand , Spearman Catherine W. , Nguyen Tuan , Hung Le Manh , Pham Thuy TT. , Mensa Federico , Asselah Tarik
Published: May 2020

Background & Aims

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has high genetic diversity with six major genotypes (GT) GT1‐6 and global distribution. HCV GT5 and 6 are rare with < 10 million people infected worldwide. Data on direct‐acting antiviral use in these rare HCV genotypes are limited. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) in a pooled analysis of phase 2/3 trials in HCV GT5 or 6‐infected patients without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.

Methods

Patients with chronic HCV GT5 or 6 infection received oral G/P (300 mg/120 mg) once daily for 8 or 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response at post‐treatment week 12 (SVR12) in the intention‐to‐treat population.

Results

One hundred eighty‐one patients were evaluated; 56 with HCV GT5 and 125 with HCV GT6. The majority were treatment‐naïve (88%) and non‐cirrhotic (85%). Overall SVR12 rate with 8‐ or 12‐week G/P treatment was 98% (178/181). Eight‐week treatment with G/P yielded SVR12 rates of 95% (21/22) in HCV GT5‐ and 99% (69/70) in HCV GT6‐infected non‐cirrhotic patients. Eight‐ and 12‐week treatment of patients with compensated cirrhosis achieved SVR12 rates of 100% (10/10) and 94% (17/18) respectively. The G/P regimen was well‐tolerated; 3% (6/181) Grade 3 or higher adverse events, and no serious adverse events were attributed to G/P or led to study drug discontinuation.

Conclusions

This integrated dataset demonstrates a high SVR12 rate following 8‐week G/P treatment in patients with HCV GT5 (96%) or GT6 (99%) infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.
Assessment of threats to a Ramsar site from seafood processing operation effluents
Authors: Vidya Vijayakumari , Prasad Gopal , Sheela Albert Moses
Published: May 2020

Waterbodies receiving effluents from seafood processing plants might experience severe eutrophication. The present study was carried out to assess the impacts of effluent discharges on water quality and phytoplankton populations in the Vembanad‐kol Wetland, located adjacent to seafood processing industries. It was conducted in the Cherthala–Aroor–Edakochi coastal belt of Vembanad Wetland, India, a region containing many processing plants. The trophic status of the lake was assessed with the Carlton trophic state index. Hypereutrophic conditions were observed more in the interconnected channels than in the main waterbody. There was a dominance of Bacillariophyceae, followed by Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Dinophyceae. Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae were comparatively higher in the interconnected channels, whereas Dinophyceae was high in the main body of the lake. There is a shift in dominance from Chlorophyceae to Cyanophyceae in the interconnected channels, especially in the southern and central portion of the lake. There was a dominance of Cyanophyceae over Chlorophyceae, especially in the interconnected channels, being a characteristic of polluted water. Nitzschia sp and Navicula sp were abundant in the class Bacillariophyceae. The dominant species in the class Dinophyceae was Ceratium sp, which is known to proliferate in nutrient‐rich waters. The dominant members of the class Chlorophyceae were Ankistrodesmus sp and Scenedesmus sp. Furthermore, Oscillatoria and Phormidium were higher in number in the class Cyanophyceae, indicating the presence of pollutants of biological origin. Waste discharges from the seafood processing industry are a major factor contributing to an alarming rate of organic pollution and subsequent eutrophication in the lake. The results of the present study highlight that further expansion of the seafood industry in the Cherthala–Aroor–Edakochi coastal belt of Vembanad Lake is not desirable.
Visual loss and rapidly progressive neurocognitive dysfunction in dural arteriovenous fistula
Authors: Chee Yong Chuan , Abdul Halim Sanihah , Ong Beng Hooi
Published: May 2020

Dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is a rare type of cerebral arteriovenous malformation. The occurrence of visual loss with rapidly progressive cognitive dysfunction caused by dAVF has rarely been reported. Ocular signs are also unusual in the presentation of cranial dAVF at locations other than the cavernous sinus. We report a case of a young lady who presented with rapidly progressive visual loss and cognitive decline due to venous hypertensive encephalopathy, later found to have cranial dAVF. It was diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Recognizing rapidly progressive cognitive dysfunction in dAVF is of paramount importance as it is among one of the treatable causes of rapidly progressive dementia.
Breeding for resistance: can we increase crop resistance to pathogens without compromising the ability to accommodate beneficial microbes?
Authors: Zuccaro Alga , Langen Gregor
Published: May 2020

This article is a Commentary on Jacott et al. (2020), 227: 343–351.
Macrophage targeting in cancer
Authors: Lopez‐Yrigoyen Martha , Cassetta Luca , Pollard Jeffrey W.
Published: May 2020

Tumorigenesis is not only determined by the intrinsic properties of cancer cells but also by their interactions with components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are among the most abundant immune cells in the TME. During initial stages of tumor development, macrophages can either directly promote antitumor responses by killing tumor cells or indirectly recruit and activate other immune cells. As genetic changes occur within the tumor or T helper 2 (TH2) cells begin to dominate the TME, TAMs begin to exhibit an immunosuppressive protumor phenotype that promotes tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Thus, targeting TAMs has emerged as a strategy for cancer therapy. To date, TAM targeting strategies have focused on macrophage depletion and inhibition of their recruitment into the TME. However, these strategies have shown limited therapeutic efficacy, although trials are still underway with combination therapies. The fact that macrophages have the potential for antitumor activity has moved the TAM targeting field toward the development of TAM‐reprogramming strategies to support this antitumor immune response. Here, we discuss the various roles of TAMs in cancer therapy and their immunosuppressive properties, as well as implications for emerging checkpoint inhibitor–based immunotherapies. We review state‐of‐the‐art TAM‐targeting strategies, focusing on current ones at the preclinical and clinical trial stages that aim to reprogram TAMs as an oncological therapy.
Effi Briest and the work on genre
Authors: Renard Fredrik Wilhelm
Published: May 2020

Ever since Erich Auerbach’s harsh verdict in Mimesis, the German realist novel has been seen as a peripheral phenomenon in the history of nineteenth‐century literature. Criticized for being too idealizing, insular, or simply irrelevant, it has gone down in literary history as a less modern form of realism, not being able to join the realist traditions of French, British, and Russian literature as a harbinger of modernity. In my paper, I want to challenge this view by rereading Theodor Fontane’s Effi Briest. I want to show how Fontane’s novel can be read as not just one more and rather belated example of the novel of adultery, but as an intricate reworking of the realist subgenre. Proceeding from Frederic Jameson’s theory of realism, the paper argues that Effi Briest takes up generic elements of its precursors in order to set itself off against them. It stages an internal reconstruction of the genre that through negation opens up a space for writing not yet beset by the tradition. By doing this, Fontane not only finds a new way of attaining the proverbial l’effet du réel, but also places the novel of adultery at the cusp of what is to become Modernism.
Dependency of respiratory system mechanics on positive end‐expiratory pressure and recruitment maneuvers in lung healthy pediatric patients—A randomized crossover study
Authors: Schumann Stefan , Feth Arne , Borgmann Silke , Wirth Steffen
Published: May 2020

Background

The lungs of pediatric patients are subjected to tidal derecruitment during mechanical ventilation and in contrast to adult patients this unfavorable condition cannot be resolved with small c increases. This raises the question if higher end‐expiratory pressure increases or recruitment maneuvers may resolve tidal derecruitment in pediatric patients.

Aims

We hypothesized that higher PEEP resolves tidal derecruitment in pediatric patients and that recruitment maneuvers between the pressure changes support the improvement of respiratory system mechanics.

Methods

The effects of end‐expiratory pressure changes from 3 to 7 cmH2O and vice versa without and with intermediate recruitment maneuvers on respiratory system mechanics and regional ventilation were investigated in 57 mechanically ventilated pediatric patients. The intratidal respiratory system compliance was determined from volume and pressure data before and after PEEP changes and categorized to indicate tidal derecruitment.

Results

Tidal derecruitment occurred comparably frequently at PEEP 3 cmH2O without (13 out of 14 cases) and with recruitment maneuver (14 out of 14 cases) and at PEEP 7 cmH2O without (13 out of 14 cases) and with recruitment maneuver (13 out of 15 cases).

Conclusions

We conclude that contrary to our hypothesis, PEEP up to 7 cmH2O is not sufficient to resolve tidal derecruitment and that recruitment maneuvers may be dispensable in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients.
Use of dermal fat grafts for treating anetoderma with lipoatrophy following involution of hemangiomas
Authors: Nomura Tadashi , Nakasone Mika , Okamoto Takako , Ejiri Hirotaka , Osawa Sayuri , Hashikawa Kazunobu , Terashi Hiroto
Published: May 2020

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is a benign vascular tumor that gradually involutes over several years. Rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma (RICH) is the relatively rare congenital vascular tumor that is fully grown at birth and does not undergo postnatal growth and involutes during the first year. However, after involution of both IH and RICH, some have severe sequelae, such as redundant skin or conspicuous scarring, requiring additional treatment. We present the case of a 6‐year‐old girl with a concave deformity due to subcutaneous atrophy, skin darkening, and altered skin texture of her left zygomatic region following involution of a hemangioma. We successfully treated this patient by transferring a dermal fat graft. This technique can be beneficial for atrophic sequelae after regression of a hemangioma and is easy to perform and cosmetically effective.
The Ca2+‐regulated protein kinase CIPK1 integrates plant responses to phosphate deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Lu X. , Li X. , Xie D. , Jiang C. , Wang C. , Li L. , Zhang Y. , Tian H. , Gao H. , Wang C.
Published: May 2020

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency severely restricts plant growth and development, as Pi is an essential macronutrient. Calcium (Ca2+) is a ubiquitous second messenger in plants; calcineurin B‐like proteins (CBL) and CBL‐interacting protein kinases (CIPK) are signalling pathways that act as an important Ca2+ signalling network which integrates plants to fine tune the response to stress; however, whether CIPK are involved in Pi deficiency stress remains largely unknown.

In this study, we carried out a reverse genetic strategy to screen T‐DNA insertion mutants of CIPK isoforms under Pi deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana. Then Pi content, transcription of phosphate starvation‐induced (PSI) genes, acid phosphatase activity and hydrogen peroxide were determined in the wild‐type (WT) and cipk1 mutant, respectively. The phenotype of CIPK1 complementation lines was analysed.

The cipk1 mutant had a more sensitive phenotype, with lower root elongation and root length, and decreased Pi content compared with the WT under Pi deficiency. Moreover, CIPK1 mutation caused phosphate starvation‐induced (PSI) genes to be significantly induced under Pi deficiency. Histological staining demonstrated that the cipk1 mutant had increased acid phosphatase activity and hydrogen peroxide concentration under Pi deficiency. By using the yeast two‐hybrid system, we further demonstrated the interaction between CIPK1 and the WRKY transcription factors, WRKY6 and WRKY42.

Overall, we demonstrate that CIPK1 is involved in the Pi deficiency signalling pathway in A. thaliana, revealing the important role of Ca2+ in the Pi nutrition signalling pathway, and potentially providing a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding of crops with better Pi utilization efficiency.
Managing Production Yields and Rework through Feedback on Speed, Quality, and Quantity
Authors: Gardner* John W.
Published: May 2020

Balancing priorities of production speed and conformance quality is an ongoing challenge in production and operations management. Organizations may emphasize these priorities through various forms of performance feedback. However, the impacts of using feedback to emphasize speed, quality, and quantity remain unclear in production settings. This study employs controlled laboratory experiments to examine the impact of real‐time feedback on production quantities, first time yield percentages, and rework percentages. Drawing on concepts from speed‐accuracy tradeoffs, we study four types of feedback: speed, accuracy, joint speed and accuracy, and yields. Laboratory activities focus on the repetitive task of converting paper‐based medical records to electronic data formats. These tasks are critical inputs to data analytics and are similar in nature to simple independent manufacturing and service tasks. We study feedback effects in a setting critical to practice but rarely studied in research, where workers are incentivized for both speed and quality as they perform production tasks that explicitly allow rework. The results show that production yields worsen under speed feedback but improve under each form of quality‐containing feedback. Results also show that each form of quality‐containing feedback increases the proportion of correctly reworked to produced errors through different mechanisms of increased error fixing, decreased error production, or both.
Optimal Control of Parallel Queues for Managing Volunteer Convergence
Authors: Zayas‐Cabán Gabriel , Lodree Emmett J. , Kaufman David L.
Published: May 2020

Volunteer convergence refers to the influx of volunteers to affected areas after large‐scale disasters. There are not only many benefits to volunteer convergence, but it also creates significant logistical challenges that can impede relief efforts. This study examines polices for admitting volunteers into organized relief operations, and for assigning admitted volunteers to relief tasks. We represent this problem as a queueing system where, in addition to customer arrivals and departures, random server arrivals and abandonments are also present. Then, using a Markov decision process framework, we analyze server admission and assignment policies that seek to minimize relief tasks holding costs as well as volunteer holding and rejection costs. We show that the classic c μ rule, a server allocation policy that determines where to put servers based on relief tasks holding costs and processing requirements, is optimal under both collaborative and non‐collaborative service regimes and when batch server arrivals are allowed. Additionally, we find that the optimal server admission policy is a complex state‐dependent policy. As a result, we propose a class of admission heuristics that depend on the number of workers in the system and the remaining system workload. In a numerical study, we show that our heuristic policies perform well with respect to long‐run average costs, waiting times, number of volunteers in the system, and number of volunteers idling in the system over a range of parameter values and distributions that are based on real data from a case study. As such, they promise volunteer coordinators an effective and simple way to manage disaster volunteers.
Fighting COVID‐19 through Government Initiatives and Collaborative Governance: The Taiwan Experience
Authors: Huang Irving Yi‐Feng
Published: May 2020

Taiwan is situated less than 200 kilometers from the first COVID‐19 outbreak state, China, and it has millions of international visitors yearly. Taiwan's collective efforts to block and eliminate the invisible enemy (COVID‐19) from the island have resulted in relatively low infection and death numbers and have been hailed as a successful anomaly amid the global pandemic. This review provides some background on the systems and organizations that helped Taiwan streamline a task force (command center) in a timely manner to launch related initiatives, mobilize the public, and engage private resources to implement strategies and policies that were further enhanced by collaborative behaviors and volunteers. Even subject to threatening conditions such as cruise ship stopover and numerous foreign immigrant workers, there were no outbreaks of community infection in Taiwan similar to those in Singapore, Japan, and other countries. Taiwan's successful measures offer a good example for future comparative studies.
Balancing Governance Capacity and Legitimacy: How the Norwegian Government Handled the COVID‐19 Crisis as a High Performer
Authors: Christensen Tom , Lægreid Per
Published: May 2020

This essay addresses how the Norwegian government has handled the coronavirus pandemic. Compared with many other countries, Norway has performed well in handling the crisis. This must be understood in the context of competent politicians, a high‐trust society with a reliable and professional bureaucracy, a strong state, a good economic situation, a big welfare state, and low population density. The Norwegian government managed to control the pandemic rather quickly by adopting a suppression strategy, followed by a control strategy, based on a collaborative and pragmatic decision‐making style, successful communication with the public, a lot of resources, and a high level of citizen trust in government. The alleged success of the Norwegian case is about the relationship between crisis management capacity and legitimacy. Crisis management is most successful when it is able to combine democratic legitimacy with government capacity.
Being a Public Manager in Times of Crisis: The Art of Managing Stakeholders, Political Masters, and Collaborative Networks
Authors: Van der Wal Zeger
Published: May 2020

The COVID‐19 pandemic is seen as the biggest crisis since World War II. What started out as a public health issue has quickly morphed into a political, economic, and societal crisis of epic proportions. Administrative capacity is a major factor in determining whether societies will emerge from this unprecedented situation with resilience and optimism or despair and disconnectedness, and whether trust in government will increase or decrease. Autonomous and competent public managers are key producers of such administrative capacity. This essay addresses those public managers, the unsung administrative heroes leading us through times of crisis from behind the scenes. Translating the state of the art in public administration literature, with a particular emphasis on publications in this journal, into accessible practitioner recommendations, it identifies three key competencies paramount to public managers in times of crisis: managing stakeholders, political masters, and collaborative networks.