bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of care at safety‐net hospitals and the impact on pay‐for‐performance reimbursement
Authors: Sarkar Reith R. , Courtney P. Travis , Bachand Katie , Sheridan Paige E. , Riviere Paul J. , Guss Zachary D. , Lopez Christian R. , Brandel Michael G. , Banegas Matthew P. , Murphy James D.
Published: August 2020

Background

Pay‐for‐performance reimbursement ties hospital payments to standardized quality‐of‐care metrics. To the authors' knowledge, the impact of pay‐for‐performance reimbursement models on hospitals caring primarily for uninsured or underinsured patients remains poorly defined. The objective of the current study was to evaluate how standardized quality‐of‐care metrics vary by a hospital's propensity to care for uninsured or underinsured patients and demonstrate the potential impact that pay‐for‐performance reimbursement could have on hospitals caring for the underserved.

Methods

The authors identified 1,703,865 patients with cancer who were diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 and treated at 1344 hospitals. Hospital safety‐net burden was defined as the percentage of uninsured or Medicaid patients cared for by that hospital, categorizing hospitals into low‐burden, medium‐burden, and high‐burden hospitals. The authors evaluated the impact of safety‐net burden on concordance with 20 standardized quality‐of‐care measures, adjusting for differences in patient age, sex, stage of disease at diagnosis, and comorbidity.

Results

Patients who were treated at high‐burden hospitals were more likely to be young, male, Black and/or Hispanic, and to reside in a low‐income and low‐educated region. High‐burden hospitals had lower adherence to 13 of 20 quality measures compared with low‐burden hospitals (all P < .05). Among the 350 high‐burden hospitals, concordance with quality measures was found to be lowest for those caring for the highest percentage of uninsured or Medicaid patients, minority patients, and less educated patients (all P < .001).

Conclusions

Hospitals caring for uninsured or underinsured individuals have decreased quality‐of‐care measures. Under pay‐for‐performance reimbursement models, these lower quality‐of‐care scores could decrease hospital payments, potentially increasing health disparities for at‐risk patients with cancer.
The SNARE regulator Complexin3 is a target of the cone circadian clock
Authors: Bhoi Jacob D. , Zhang Zhijing , Janz Roger , You Yanan , Wei Haichao , Wu Jiaqian , Ribelayga Christophe P.
Published: August 2020

BMAL1 is a core component of the mammalian circadian clockwork. Removal of BMAL1 from the retina significantly affects visual information processing in both rod and cone pathways. To identify potential pathways and/or molecules through which BMAL1 alters signal transmission at the cone pedicle, we performed an RNA‐seq differential expression analysis between cone‐specific Bmal1 knockout cones (cone‐Bmal1−/−) and wild‐type (WT) cones. We found 88 genes differentially expressed. Among these, Complexin3 (Cplx3), a SNARE regulator at ribbon synapses, was downregulated fivefold in the mutant cones. The purpose of this work was to determine whether BMAL1 and/or the cone clock controls CPLX3 protein expression at cone pedicles. We found that CPLX3 expression level was decreased twofold in cone‐Bmal1−/− cones. Furthermore, CPLX3 expression was downregulated at night compared to the day in WT cones but remained constitutively low in mutant cones both day and night. The transcript and protein expression levels of Cplx4—the other complexin expressed in cones—were similar in WT and mutant cones; in WT cones, CPLX4 protein level did not change with the time of day. In silico analysis revealed four potential BMAL1:CLOCK binding sites upstream from exon one of Cplx3 and none upstream of exon one of Cplx4. Our results suggest that CPLX3 expression is regulated at the transcriptional level by the cone clock. The modulation of CPLX3 may be a mechanism by which the clock controls the cone synaptic transfer function to second‐order cells and thereby impacts retinal signal processing during the day/night cycle.
Engineering Porous Quasi‐Spherical Fe−N−C Nanocatalysts with Robust Oxygen Reduction Performance for Zn‐Air Battery Application
Authors: Huang Yanping , Liu Penggao , Hao Rui , Kan Shuting , Wu Yufeng , Liu Hongtao , Liu Kaiyu
Published: August 2020

The accessibility to highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with low cost is a priority for the rapid industrialization of Zn‐Air batteries. Herein, we propose a facile engineering synthesis of high‐activity quasi‐spherical Fe−N−C ORR nanocatalysts by chemical self‐assmbly. The morphological and structural features of the materials have been fully characterized. The synchrotron radiation techniques reveal that the targeted Fe−N−PQS‐900 with highly exposed Fe−Nx active sites well dispersed on the N‐rich micro‐nano carbon framework, endowing them with efficient access to oxygeneous species. The electrochemical measurements show its superior ORR catalytic performance to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, including a more positive half‐wave potential, smaller Tafel slope, better methanol‐tolerance capability, and more sustainable cycloability as well. An assembled Zn‐Air battery using the Fe−N−PQS‐900 as the cathode catalyst shows a specific capacity of 798 mAh g−1 with a power density of 114 mW cm−2 and an energy density of 958 Wh kg−1, enabling this non‐precious metal electrocatalyst very competitive in metal air fuel cell applications.
How to Illuminate the Dark Proteome Using the Multi‐omic OpenProt Resource
Authors: Brunet Marie A. , Lekehal Amina M. , Roucou Xavier
Published: August 2020

Ten of thousands of open reading frames (ORFs) are hidden within genomes. These alternative ORFs, or small ORFs, have eluded annotations because they are either small or within unsuspected locations. They are found in untranslated regions or overlap a known coding sequence in messenger RNA and anywhere in a “non‐coding” RNA. Serendipitous discoveries have highlighted these ORFs’ importance in biological functions and pathways. With their discovery came the need for deeper ORF annotation and large‐scale mining of public repositories to gather supporting experimental evidence. OpenProt, accessible at https://openprot.org/, is the first proteogenomic resource enforcing a polycistronic model of annotation across an exhaustive transcriptome for 10 species. Moreover, OpenProt reports experimental evidence cumulated across a re‐analysis of 114 mass spectrometry and 87 ribosome profiling datasets. The multi‐omics OpenProt resource also includes the identification of predicted functional domains and evaluation of conservation for all predicted ORFs. The OpenProt web server provides two query interfaces and one genome browser. The query interfaces allow for exploration of the coding potential of genes or transcripts of interest as well as custom downloads of all information contained in OpenProt. © 2020 The Authors.

Basic Protocol 1: Using the Search interface

Basic Protocol 2: Using the Downloads interface
Psychometric properties of the German version of the fears of compassion scales
Authors: Biermann Miriam , Bohus Martin , Gilbert Paul , Vonderlin Ruben , Cornelisse Sven , Osen Bernhard , Graser Johannes , Brüne Martin , Ebert Andreas , Lyssenko Lisa , Kleindienst Nikolaus
Published: August 2020

The cultivation of compassion is associated with beneficial effects on physical and psychological health, satisfaction with life and social relationships. However, some individuals, especially those high in psychopathological symptoms or those with particular disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) may demonstrate pronounced fears of engagement in compassionate experiences or behaviours. Furthermore, fears of compassion have been found to impede progress in psychotherapy. The 38‐item fears of compassion scales (FCS) is a self‐report questionnaire for measuring trait levels of fears of compassion (a) one receives from others (FCFO), (b) one feels towards others (FCTO) and (c) one feels for oneself (self‐compassion; FSC). The FCS is an internationally used instrument of proven validity and reliability in both clinical and nonclinical samples. In the present study, a German translation of the FCS including its three subscales was provided, and the psychometric properties were examined in 430 participants from four different samples: (a) a sample from the general population; (b) a mixed sample of psychiatric residential and outpatients; (c) a clinical sample of residential and outpatients with a primary diagnosis of BPD and (d) a sample of healthy control participants. Internal consistencies were excellent for the German version of the FSC and acceptable to excellent for its subscales. Correlations with established measures of mental health demonstrate its validity. Additionally, the German FCS discriminates significantly between individuals from the general population and patients, thus supporting its specificity. The German FCS is suitable to detect potential obstacles in cultivating compassion in psychotherapeutic treatments and beyond.
Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) Guideline for CYP2C9 and HLA‐B Genotypes and Phenytoin Dosing: 2020 Update
Authors: Karnes Jason H. , Rettie Allan E. , Somogyi Andrew A. , Huddart Rachel , Fohner Alison E. , Formea Christine M. , Ta Michael Lee Ming , Llerena Adrian , Whirl‐Carrillo Michelle , Klein Teri E. , Phillips Elizabeth J. , Mintzer Scott , Gaedigk Andrea , Caudle Kelly E. , Callaghan John T.
Published: August 2020

Phenytoin is an antiepileptic drug with a narrow therapeutic index and large interpatient pharmacokinetic variability, partly due to genetic variation in CYP2C9. Furthermore, the variant allele HLA‐B*15:02 is associated with an increased risk of Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in response to phenytoin treatment. We summarize evidence from the published literature supporting these associations and provide therapeutic recommendations for the use of phenytoin based on CYP2C9 and/or HLA‐B genotypes (updates on cpicpgx.org).
Current Progress and Future Directions in Gas‐Phase Metal‐Organic Framework Thin‐Film Growth
Authors: Han Sungmin , Mullins C. Buddie
Published: August 2020

Deposition of materials as a thin film is important for various applications, such as sensors, microelectronic devices, and membranes. There have been breakthroughs in gas‐phase metal‐organic framework (MOF) thin‐film growth, which is more applicable to micro‐ and nanofabrication processes and also less harmful to the environment than solvent‐based methods. Three different types of gas‐phase MOF thin film deposition methods have been developed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD)‐CVD combined techniques. The CVD‐based method basically converts metal oxide layers into MOF thin films by exposing the surface to ligand vapor. The ALD‐based method allows growing MOF thin films following layer‐by‐layer (LBL) growth by sequentially exposing gas‐phase metal and ligand precursors. The PVD‐CVD method uses PVD for metal deposition and CVD for ligand deposition, which is similar to LBL growth. These gas‐phase growth methods can broaden the use of MOFs in diverse areas. Herein, the current progress of gas‐phase MOF thin film growth is discussed and future directions suggested.
A novel salvianolic acid A analog with resveratrol structure and its antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Qiu Jin‐Mei , Qin Chang‐Feng , Wu Shen‐Gen , Ji Tong‐Ying , Tang Guo‐Tao , Lei Xiao‐Yong , Cao Xuan , Xie Zhi‐Zhong
Published: August 2020

E‐DRS is a novel salvianolic acid A (SAA) analog, which was synthesized from resveratrol (RES) and methyldopate. Its structure is similar to that of SAA, but the 3′,4′‐dihydroxy‐trans‐stilbene group and the ester structure in SAA were replaced by the RES structure and an amine group, respectively. E‐DRS scavenged free oxygen radicals effectively, including superoxide anion (ascorbic acid > E‐DRS > SAA ≥ rutin > RES) and DPPH radical (rutin > E‐DRS ≥ ascorbic acid > SAA > RES), and exhibited powerful total antioxidant capacity (ascorbic acid > E‐DRS > SAA ≥ rutin > RES) in vitro. Furthermore, oral administration of E‐DRS dose‐dependently and significantly decreased CCl4‐induced oxidative stress in mice as indicated by the decreased content of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA). In addition, oral administration of E‐DRS also increased the content of nonenzymatic antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver of mice. All these results demonstrated that E‐DRS had good antioxidant activities both in vitro and in vivo, and could be a potential antioxidant agent after further optimization and evaluation.
The Pro12Ala polymorphism of PPARγ2 modulates beta cell function and failure to oral glucose‐lowering drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Masulli Maria , Della Pepa Giuseppe , Cocozza Sara , Capasso Mario , Pignataro Piero , Vitale Marilena , Gastaldelli Amalia , Russo Marco , Dolce Pasquale , Riccardi Gabriele , Rivellese Angela A. , Vaccaro Olga
Published: August 2020

Background

We evaluate whether the Pro12Ala polymorphism of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ2 (PPARγ2) has a role in the progression of diabetes by modulating the occurrence of treatment failure to glucose‐lowering drugs.

Methods

We studied 215 patients with type 2 diabetes participating in the Thiazolidinediones Or Sulphonylureas and Cardiovascular Accidents Intervention Trial study. All participants were insufficiently controlled (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.0%‐9.0%) with metformin 2 g/day and were randomly allocated to add‐on pioglitazone or a sulfonylurea. Treatment failure was defined as HbA1c ≥8% on two consecutive visits, 3 months apart.

Results

Carriers or non‐carriers of the polymorphism had similar age, body mass index, and diabetes duration. Ala carriers had lower fasting plasma insulin, better insulin sensitivity (Homeostasis Model Assessment [HOMA]2‐%S), and worse beta cell secretion (HOMA2‐%B) than non‐carriers. During 24 months of follow‐up, 32.5% among the Ala carriers and 8.6% among non‐carriers (P < 0.001) developed treatment failure with a cumulative incidence of 18.6 vs 4.6/100 person‐years. Those patients who developed treatment failure were older, had a younger age at diabetes diagnosis (48 ± 10 vs 52 ± 7 years; P = 0.032), higher HbA1c (8.1 ± 0.5 vs 7.7 ± 0.5%; P < 0.001), and lower HOMA2‐%B (30 ± 12 vs 46 ± 29; P = 0.015) at study entry, as compared to those who did not develop treatment failure. At multivariate analysis, the Pro12Ala polymorphism was significantly associated with treatment failure (hazard ratio [HR] 4.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.79‐11.1; P < 0.001); HbA1c at study entry was the other independent predictor of failure in this study population.

Conclusion

The Pro12Ala polymorphism is associated with a greater insulin sensitivity, reduced beta cell function and a substantially increased risk of treatment failure.
A Polymer Sheet‐Based Hydrogen Carrier
Authors: Oka Kouki , Kaiwa Yusuke , Kataoka Miho , Fujita Ken‐ichi , Oyaizu Kenichi
Published: August 2020

Hydrogen is an attractive future energy source. Developing a hydrogen carrier, without any safety risk, i.e., high pressure and toxicity, is an urgent issue. Herein we present a fluorenone/fluorenol polymer sheet as a hydrogen carrier featuring high safety, moldability, and ease of handling. An iridium catalyst allows the polymer sheet to fix and release hydrogen gas under milder conditions (< 100 °C and ambient pressure), compared to those required by other hydrogen carriers. The polymer sheet, swollen with a small amount of water including the iridium complex catalyst, was hydrogenated at 25 °C and ambient hydrogen pressure, stored hydrogen via chemical bond formation, and then released it within 5 h when simply being warmed to 95 °C.
The shape of the seismic response interaction diagram: The effect of combination rules in response spectrum analysis
Authors: Ritto‐Corrêa Manuel , Tomaz Ana Rita , Guerreiro Luís
Published: August 2020

This paper deals with the construction of seismic response interaction diagrams that show the correlation of multiple responses and are important to determine the critical combination of modal responses. Many design problems, such as column design under combined axial force and bending moments, fall into this category. We address general modal and multicomponent combination rules and study their effect on the shape of the response interaction diagrams, thus extending previous work done for quadratic combination rules. Special attention is given to multilinear combination rules which lead to polyhedral shapes. Having developed efficient methods to deal with polyhedral shapes, we explore the idea of adopting a multilinear modal combination rule to compose with a multicomponent percentage rule.
A load balancing algorithm for solving multi‐objective virtual network embedding
Authors: Li Zhen , Yuan Feng , Ma Lingyu
Published: August 2020

Virtual network embedding (VNE) is one of the most basic problems in network virtualization. VNE is to deploy virtual network resources to substrate network resources to solve the problem of network rigidity, which is essentially a problem of resource optimization. It can be divided into two stages: node embedding and link embedding. Previous embedding schemes focused on the algorithm research of single objective, but in the process of VNE, many factors need to be considered, such as the benefits, acceptance rate, substrate resource load, and so on. Therefore, this article considered the multi‐objective VNE algorithm, proposed a load balancing algorithm for solving multi‐objective VNE, took the node load value as one of the fitness functions, and introduced global resource capacity to measure the embedding ability of the underlying nodes, initialized the population, improved the embedding accuracy, and used group search algorithm algorithm for iterative optimization. Simulation results showed that the algorithm can balance the load, effectively improve the acceptance rate of virtual network requests, and improve the revenue of user service providers.
Self‐reported vision impairment, vision correction, and depressive symptoms among middle‐aged and older Chinese: Findings from the China health and retirement longitudinal study
Authors: Zhang Qin , Cao Gui‐Ying , Yao Shan‐Shan , Wang Chunxiu , Chen Zi‐Shuo , Hu Yong‐Hua , Xu Beibei
Published: August 2020

Objective

To investigate associations between vision impairment (VI), vision correction (VC) and depressive symptoms among middle‐aged and older Chinese.

Methods

22 203 participants aged ≥45 years from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011 to 2015 were divided into four self‐reported VI categories: no VI, distance VI (DVI) only, near VI (NVI) only, and both distance and near VI (DNVI); and four self‐reported VI/VC subgroups: VI(+)/VC(−), VI(+)/VC(+), VI(−)/VC(−) and VI(−)/VC(+). Depressive symptoms were evaluated by 10‐item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD‐10).

Results

Compared with no VI, DVI only (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.95, 2.31), NVI only (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.63) and DNVI (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 2.47, 3.07) were associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms. Compared with VI(+)/VC(−), VI(+)/VC(+) (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.98), VI (−)/VC(−) (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.53) and VI(−)/VC(+) (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.54) were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms. Compared with no VI at baseline, baseline DNVI was significantly associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms after two (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.88) and four (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.68) years. Baseline depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher odds of VI after two (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.74) and four (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.76) years.

Conclusion

Adults with DNVI were more likely to report depressive symptoms in the future and those with depressive symptoms were more likely to report VI in the future. VC might be a protective factor for preventing depressive symptoms among adults with VI.
Financial inclusion and bank profitability in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Issaka Jajah Yussif , Anarfo Ebenezer B. , Aveh Felix K.
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the impact of financial inclusion on banks' profitability in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The paper employed the system generalized method of moments (GMM) dynamic pooled estimator for the computation of the parameters using data spanning from 1990 to 2017. The results show that there is an affirmative relationship between financial inclusion index (FINDEX) and bank profitability in Sub‐Saharan Africa. This suggests that financial inclusion is a significant driver of banks' profitability in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The policy implication of this study is that for banks in Sub‐Saharan African countries to increase their profitability and get optimum results from financial inclusion they must formulate policies aimed at promoting financial inclusion. This suggests that banks in Sub‐Saharan African countries must be creative and innovative in pursuing financial inclusion policies. Such policies should be targeted at increasing the number of bank branches and ATMs. Banks should also make effort at finding ways of making opening of bank accounts much easier for the vulnerable and marginalized in society by relaxing the requirements for customer identification in specific situations where they may hamper financial inclusion goals and efforts.
The Oncosuppressors MEN1 and CDC73 Are Involved in lncRNA Deregulation in Human Parathyroid Tumors
Authors: Morotti Annamaria , Forno Irene , Verdelli Chiara , Guarnieri Vito , Cetani Filomena , Terrasi Andrea , Silipigni Rosamaria , Guerneri Silvana , Andrè Valentina , Scillitani Alfredo , Vicentini Leonardo , Ferrero Stefano , Corbetta Sabrina , Vaira Valentina
Published: August 2020

A role for long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in endocrine cancer pathogenesis is emerging. However, knowledge regarding their expression pattern, correlation with known genetic defects, and clinical implications in parathyroid tumors is still unclear. Here, we profiled 90 known lncRNAs in a first series of normal (PaN = 2), adenomatous (PAd = 12), and carcinomatous (PCa = 4) parathyroid glands and we confirmed deregulation of 11 lncRNAs using an independent cohort of patients (PaN = 4; PAd = 26; PCa = 9). Expression of lncRNAs was correlated with cytogenetic aberrations, status of genes multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 (MEN1) and cell division cycle 73 (CDC73), or clinical features. Globally, lncRNAs discriminate according to tissue histology. BC200 consistently identifies parathyroid cancers from adenomas and atypical adenomas. Loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosomes 1, 11, 15, 21, and 22 significantly impacts expression of lncRNAs in PAds. Silencing of the key parathyroid gene MEN1 modulates the expression of six lncRNAs in primary PAds-derived cultures. Analogous levels of lncRNAs are measured in PAds with the mutation in the MEN1 gene compared with PAds with wild-type MEN1. Similarly, carcinomas with mutated CDC73 differ from PCas with wild-type protein in terms of expression of lncRNAs. PCas harboring CDC73 mutations overexpress BC200 compared to wild-type carcinomas. Overall, these findings shed light on deregulation of lncRNAs in human parathyroid tumors and propose that circuits between lncRNAs and the oncosuppressors MEN1 or CDC73 may have a role in parathyroid tumorigenesis as epigenetic modulators. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1) 5′UTR Deletion, in MEN1 Family, Decreases Menin Expression
Authors: Kooblall Kreepa G , Boon Hannah , Cranston Treena , Stevenson Mark , Pagnamenta Alistair T , Rogers Angela , Grozinsky-Glasberg Simona , Richardson Tristan , Flanagan Daniel EH ,   Genomics England Research Consortium, Taylor Jenny C , Lines Kate E , Thakker Rajesh V
Published: August 2020

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the occurrence of parathyroid, pancreatic and pituitary tumors, and is due to mutations in the coding region of the MEN1 gene, which encodes menin. We investigated a family with identical twins that had MEN1, with different MEN1 tumors. DNA sequence analysis of the MEN1 coding region had not identified any abnormalities and we hypothesized that deletions and mutations involving the untranslated regions may be involved. Informed consent and venous blood samples were obtained from five family members. Sanger DNA sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analyses were performed using leukocyte DNA. This revealed a heterozygous 596bp deletion (Δ596bp) between nucleotides −1087 and −492 upstream of the translation start site, located within the MEN1 5′ untranslated region (UTR), and includes the core promoter and multiple cis-regulatory regions. To investigate the effects of this 5′UTR deletion on MEN1 promoter activity, we generated luciferase reporter constructs, containing either wild-type 842bp or mutant 246bp MEN1 promoter, and transfected them into human embryonic kidney HEK293 and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor BON-1 cells. This revealed the Δ596bp mutation to result in significant reductions by 37-fold (p < 0.0001) and 16-fold (p < 0.0001) in luciferase expression in HEK293 and BON-1 cells, respectively, compared to wild-type. The effects of this 5′UTR deletion on MEN1 transcription and translation were assessed using qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses, respectively, of mRNA and protein lysates obtained from Epstein-Barr-virus transformed lymphoblastoid cells derived from affected and unaffected individuals. This demonstrated the Δ596bp mutation to result in significant reductions of 84% (p < 0.05) and 88% (p < 0.05) in MEN1 mRNA and menin protein, respectively, compared to unaffected individuals. Thus, our results report the first germline MEN1 5′UTR mutation and highlight the importance of investigating UTRs in MEN1 patients who do not have coding region mutations. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
The impact of primary sclerosing cholangitis or inflammatory bowel disease on cholangiocarcinoma phenotype, therapy, and survival
Authors: Chahal Daljeet , Shamatutu Chris , Salh Bill , Davies Janine
Published: August 2020

Background and Aim

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), with or without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), confers the risk of cholangiocarcinoma. Isolated IBD may be an independent risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma. We sought to compare cholangiocarcinoma phenotype and outcomes between patients with PSC, IBD, and neither.

Methods

Patients with malignancy were separated into cohorts by the presence of PSC and IBD. Data regarding demographics, clinical presentation, therapeutic regimens, and survival were collected. Statistical analysis was carried out using GraphPad and R‐Studio.

Results

Of 946 patients, 22 had PSC, and 18 had isolated IBD. PSC and IBD patients were younger than controls (P < 0.001, P = 0.01). Cholangiocarcinoma prevalence was estimated at 0.01% for IBD patients, 0.6% for PSC patients, and 0.002% for all other patients. All cohorts most often presented at stage 4. PSC patients presented more often at stage 3 (P = 0.04) and with perihilar disease (P = 0.001). Patients with PSC or IBD received less chemotherapy (P = 0.004, 0.01). Median overall survivals were 15 months (PSC), 11 months (IBD), and 10 months (controls) (P = 0.79). Patients with intrahepatic tumors had longer survival (P < 0.001). Curative intent resection improved survival in all cohorts (P < 0.001). Multivariate regression identified resection as a predictor of improved survival. Extrahepatic, perihilar, gallbladder, and unspecified biliary tumors were predictors of death.

Conclusions

Cholangiocarcinoma presents at a late stage and portends dismal survival regardless of PSC or IBD status. Survival was dependent on tumor location and surgical resection. These data suggest that efforts should focus on developing protocols that are able to detect and treat cholangiocarcinoma in high‐risk populations (PSC) at an early stage.
Combination of cyclophosphamide and cytarabine as induction regimen for newly diagnosed adult acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Liu Qingguo , Gao Hongye , Li Junfan , Hu Yimin , Wu Lihua , Zhao Xin , Li Shangzhu
Published: August 2020

Optimizing the induction therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may improve the remission rate and reduce the risk of relapse, thereby extend survival. Cyclophosphamide (CTX) shows benefit in treating relapsed and refractory AML patients, but it has not been reported in first‐line induction regimens. To assess the efficacy and safety of CTX and moderate‐dosage cytarabine (Ara‐C) as induction chemotherapy in newly diagnosed adult AML, 40 patients were enrolled to receive CTX (20 mg/kg/d) for 4 consecutive days and Ara‐C for 3 (1 g/m2 q12h, CA4+3) or 5 (1 g/m2 qd, CA4+5) days. With one course of induction chemotherapy, the overall response rate and the complete remission rate (CR) was 82.5% (33/40) and 77.5% (31/40), respectively. The expected 5 years overall survival and relapse‐free survival was 64% in patients experienced CR and fulfilled consolidation therapy. The neutrophil and platelet recovery time were 17 (range, 10–20) days and 16.5 (range, 12–30) days in the CA4+3 group, faster than that of 20 (16‐36) days and 20 (14‐36) days in the CA4+5 group (P = .006 and P = .006). The cyclophosphamide and cytarabine (CA) regimen was generally safe and had reversible adverse effects. The patients who failed to respond to the CA regimen did not benefit from a second course of other traditional induction chemotherapy either. In conclusion, the combined regimen of CTX and Ara‐C represents a promising therapeutic approach to induce the first CR of newly diagnosed adult AML.
The placement of multiple plastic stents still has important roles in candidates for chemotherapy for unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Iwasaki Akito , Kubota Kensuke , Kurita Yusuke , Hasegawa Sho , Fujita Yuji , Kagawa Koji , Kato Shingo , Sekino Yusuke , Hosono Kunihiro , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: August 2020

Background/Purpose

Placement of uncovered self‐expandable metallic stents (U‐SEMSs) of patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (UPHC) is recommended as the treatment of first choice to address bile stasis. The aim of this study was to determine which of the following two endoscopic stents might be the stent of first choice for the treatment of biliary stasis in patients with UPHC: plastic stents (PSs) or U‐SEMSs.

Methods

U‐SEMSs, deployed as a stent‐in‐stent, were selected as the stents of first choice from 2013 and 2014, while PSs began to be selected as the stents of first choice from 2015 onward.

Results

The median time to recurrent biliary obstruction were 66 days in the PS group (N = 38) and 105 days in the U‐SEMS group (N = 37; P = .04). Emergency endoscopy was necessitated in 76.3% (29/38) of patients of the PS group and 54.1% (20/37) of patients of the U‐SEMS group (P = .0434). The success rate of the first reintervention was 96.5% (27/29) in the PS group and 55% (11/20) in the U‐SEMS group (P = .0002). Sustainable chemotherapy could be carried out in 55.2% of patients in the PS group and 32.4% of patients in the U‐SEMS group (P = .0472). Multivariate analysis identified selection of U‐SEMS as the stent of first choice as the only independent factor predictive of successful reintervention (P = .0016, odds ratio = 0.058). However, the stent selection was not an independent factor for feasible chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Plastic stent placement could enhance the success rate of reintervention in patients with UPHC and might be facilitated by sustainable chemotherapy. However, stent selection might not have an influence on the prognosis.
Synthesis of new heterocycles festooned with thiophene and evaluating their antioxidant activity
Authors: Abed Nader A. , Hammouda Mohamed M. , Ismail Mohamed A. , Abdel‐Latif Ehab
Published: August 2020

The chemical performance of 5‐bromo‐2‐(bromoacetyl)‐thiophene (1) was tested toward the reaction with numerous bi‐nucleophilic reagents (namely; 2‐aminobenzothiazoles, 2‐aminothiazole, 2‐aminotetrazole, 2‐aminotriazole, 2‐aminopyridines, 2‐aminobenzimidazole and o‐phenylenediamine). Therefore, a series of bridged nitrogen heterocycles bearing thiophene moiety 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15, respectively was synthesized. In addition, the reaction of 5‐bromo‐2‐(bromoacetyl)‐thiophene with the thiocarbamoyl compounds 17, 19 and/or 24 afforded the corresponding thienyl‐thiazoles 18 or dithien‐2‐yl ketones 20 and 25, based on the reaction conditions. Treatment of 1 with 2‐mercapto‐4,6‐dimethylnicotinonitrile was achieved to obtain the target dithien‐2‐yl ketone 28. The new synthesized scaffolds were examined for their antioxidant activity by means of ABTS antioxidant assay. The thienyl‐thiazole scaffold 18c and 2‐((2‐[thiophen‐2‐yl]‐2‐oxoethyl)thio)nicotinonitrile derivative 27 displayed a reasonable radical scavenging activity.
Wind and wave extremes associated with tropical‐like cyclones in the Mediterranean basin
Authors: Patlakas Platon , Stathopoulos Christos , Tsalis Christos , Kallos George
Published: August 2020

The Mediterranean Sea is a basin with intense cyclonic activity. The multidimensional impact of such weather events on human life enhances the need and highlights the importance for further research. In this framework, there is a great interest for the development, evolution and impacts of tropical‐like cyclones in the basin (medicanes). Besides their scientifically appealing features, their extremity and presence in a populated region with intense coastal activities can lead to social, natural and financial implications. The purpose of this work is the characterization of the risk exposed areas by this type of cyclones alongside their intensity and recurrence interval in terms of wind and wave parameters. In order to consider more than the strict and direct effects of the medicane vicinity, the extremes have been studied in radii greater than the typical cyclonic one and during all stages of the cyclone lifecycle. A high‐resolution, wind‐wave coupled modelling system is employed for the simulation of documented medicanes during a 25‐year period. Results from both the atmospheric and wave model are processed while different extreme indices and extreme value methodologies are utilized for the quantification of their likelihood of occurrence. It is found that risk exposed areas are mainly located in central and Western Mediterranean with wind and wave characteristics to have similar spatial distributions. Higher frequency and extreme values are present in the south of France (Gulf of Lion). In addition to the scientific interest regarding the results of the present study, useful information can be extracted in different sectors such as transportation routes, offshore economic activities, civil protection, early warning systems and reinsurance.
Porphyrin‐conjugated silver‐coated gold nanostars for ultrasensitive detection and multiplexing
Authors: Benavides Leandro N. , Moreno M. Sergio , Murgida Daniel H. , Castro María A.
Published: August 2020

Here, we propose the use of silver‐coated gold nanostars as the basis for a multiplex sensing system based on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)/surface‐enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) ultrasensitive detection of porphyrins using a 532 nm laser excitation. By modifying the synthetic parameters, we were able to shift the plasmon peak to an optimized position for SERS enhancement of 540 nm for silver‐coated gold nanostars, estimating a SERS enhancement factor around 4.6 × 105. Furthermore, we show high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) images and electron energy‐loss (EEL) spectra of silver‐coated gold nanostars, which provide solid experimental proof on the proposed silver coating mechanism. Finally, we compare the multiplex performance of common reporters such as cyanines and malachite green with the performance of covalently bound porphyrins and show the superiority of the latter. We studied the multiplex detection capabilities of the system with three different porphyrins. By deconvoluting a mixture spectrum into individual porphyrin spectra, we were able to determine the relative concentration of porphyrins with an average error of 3.1%.
Modeling the effect of simultaneous use of allyl isothiocyanate and cinnamaldehyde on high hydrostatic pressure inactivation of Uropathogenic and Shiga toxin‐producingEscherichia coli in ground chicken
Authors: Chuang Shihyu , Sheen Shiowshuh , Sommers Christopher H , Sheen Lee‐Yan
Published: August 2020

BACKGROUND

A combination of high‐pressure processing (HPP) and antimicrobials is a well‐known approach for enhancing the microbiological safety of foods. However, few studies have applied multiple antimicrobials simultaneously with HPP, which could be an additional hurdle for microbial inactivation. The present study applied a full factorial design to investigate the impact of HPP (225–325 MPa; 10–20 min), allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (0.3–0.9 g kg–1) and trans‐cinnamaldehyde (tCinn) (1.0–2.0 g kg–1) on the inactivation of Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) in ground chicken meat.

RESULTS

The regulatory requirement of 5‐log reduction was achieved at 305 MPa, 18 min, 0.8 g kg–1 AITC and 1.7 g kg–1 tCinn for STEC O157:H7 and at 293 MPa, 16 min, 0.6 g kg–1 AITC and 1.6 g kg–1 tCinn for UPEC, as specified by response surface analysis and verified via experiments. The surviving population was eliminated by post‐treatment storage of 9 days at 10 °C. The developed linear regression models showed r2 > 0.9 for the E. coli inactivation. The developed dimensionless non‐linear regression models covered a factorial range slightly wider than the original experimental limit, with probability Pr > F (< 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Simultaneous use of AITC and tCinn reduced not only the necessary concentration of each compound, but also the intensity of high‐pressure treatments, at the same time achieving a similar level of microbial inactivation. STEC O157:H7 was found to be more resistant than UPEC to the HPP‐AITC‐tCinn stress. The developed models may be applied in commercial application to enhance the microbiological safety of ground chicken meat. Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Long noncoding RNA HOTTIP promotes the metastatic potential of ovarian cancer through the regulation of the miR‐615‐3p/SMARCE1 pathway
Authors: Wu Hong , Wei Hong‐Yan , Chen Qian‐Qian
Published: August 2020

Upregulation of lncRNA HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) plays important roles in cancer progression. Nevertheless, its functions in the growth and metastasis of ovarian carcinoma are unknown. In this study, we demonstrated overexpression of HOTTIP in ovarian cancer cell lines and clinical tissues. Further, we showed that higher level of HOTTIP was associated with poor survival of ovarian cancer patients. Notably, HOTTIP silencing restrained proliferation, migration, and invasiveness of ovarian carcinoma cells. On the other hand, upregulation of HOTTIP remarkably exacerbated the aggressive traits of ovarian carcinoma cells. In addition, HOTTIP served as a sponge of miR‐615‐3p to upregulate SMARCE1 level. Further, upregulation of miR‐615‐3p or downregulation of SMARCE1 reversed the carcinogenic impacts of HOTTIP in ovarian cancer. HOTTIP and miR‐615‐3p expression levels in ovarian cancer cells were negatively correlated, whereas HOTTIP and SMARCE1 expression levels were positively correlated. In nude mice, downregulation of HOTTIP reduced cell growth in vivo. In summary, lncRNA HOTTIP promotes the growth and metastatic phenotypes of ovarian cancer via regulating miR‐615‐3p/SMARCE1 pathway.
The deubiquitinase USP34 stabilizes SOX2 and induces cell survival and drug resistance in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Dai Wei‐Li , Yuan Shu‐Xian , Cao Jing‐Peng
Published: August 2020

Recent studies showed that the deubiquitinase ubiquitin‐specific protease 34 (USP34) was involved in the tumorigenesis of several tumors, but its function and mechanism are still unclear in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). In this study, we found that USP34 and SOX2 were elevated in LSCC tumor tissues, and we also found that USP34 expression was positively correlated with SOX2 expression. Our further studies showed that USP34 regulated the protein level of SOX2 in LSCC cells, but not the mRNA level, which suggested that USP34 stabilized SOX2. Moreover, USP34, as a deubiquitinase, could interact with SOX2, and reduce the polyubiquitination of SOX2. In addition, knockdown of USP34 could significantly inhibit LSCC cell growth, but overexpression of SOX2 could reverse this effect. Finally, we also found that USP34 and SOX2 were upregulated in cisplatin‐resistant LSCC cells, but knockdown of USP34 could enhance the drug sensitivity of cisplatin in the resistant cells. Collectively, targeting USP34/SOX2 axis may be a promising strategy for the treatment of LSCC.
Win–win path for ecological restoration
Authors: Cao Shixiong , Xia Chengqi , Li Weiming , Xian Junli
Published: August 2020

Ecosystem degradation is a major cause of poverty, and poverty further aggravates ecosystem degradation through a feedback known as the 'poverty trap' that can prevent sustainable socioeconomic development in ecologically fragile areas. However, most ecological restoration programmes have failed to improve the lives of residents of the targeted areas because planners failed to understand the driving forces behind the poverty trap. Finding the threshold conditions for the poverty trap, which represent the conditions when the current state of a system changes to a new and inferior state, can help managers to avoid triggering the poverty trap in ecologically fragile areas. To avoid crossing the threshold, it's necessary to understand the driving mechanisms responsible for the poverty trap so that managers can break the vicious cycle that undermines the effectiveness of ecological restoration. China's ecological restoration has shown that integrating ecological restoration with measures that provide a sustainable livelihood for residents of programme areas can achieve the win–win goal of ecological restoration and poverty alleviation. We found preliminary evidence that there is an income threshold for the poverty trap, and that raising incomes above this level may help residents of restoration areas escape the trap. The examples described in this paper provide valuable guidance for other countries that must achieve similar goals.
Promoting science with linguistic devices: A large‐scale study of positive and negative words in academic writing
Authors: Cao Xiaoke , Lei Lei , Wen Ju
Published: August 2020

Promotion in science has attracted increasing attention in recent years, and various linguistic devices such as boosters, hypes, or positive words were used to promote research for publication purposes. The present study examined how researchers promote their work with linguistic devices such as positive and negative words and is probably the first one that investigates such promotional devices in not only abstracts but also full texts based on a large dataset of articles (more than 2.2 million). The results showed that the use of positive words in both the abstracts and full texts exhibited a significant uptrend in the past two decades, and positive words were more frequently used than negative ones in both abstracts and full texts. However, journal impact was found to be only very weakly correlated with the use of positive and negative words in both abstracts and full texts. The preference of promotional linguistic devices such as positive words may be explained by factors such as the increasingly competitive selection process of publication, the publication bias, the outcome reporting bias, and the universal positive bias. The study argues for a fair use of such promotional linguistic devices.
Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Impairs Triglyceride Clearance via Androgen Receptor in Male Mice
Authors: Palmisano Brian T. , Anozie Uche , Yu Sophia , Neuman Joshua C. , Zhu Lin , Edington Emery M. , Luu Thao , Stafford John M.
Published: August 2020

Elevated postprandial triacylglycerols (TAG) are an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Men have higher plasma TAG and impaired TAG clearance compared to women, which may contribute to sex differences in risk of cardiovascular disease. Understanding mechanisms of sex differences in TAG metabolism may yield novel therapeutic targets to prevent cardiovascular disease. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is a lipid shuttling protein known for its effects on high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. Although mice lack CETP, we previously demonstrated that transgenic CETP expression in female mice alters TAG metabolism. The impact of CETP on TAG metabolism in males, however, is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that CETP expression increases plasma TAG in males, especially in very‐low density lipoprotein (VLDL), by impairing postprandial plasma TAG clearance compared to wild‐type (WT) males. Gonadal hormones were required for CETP to impair TAG clearance, suggesting a role for sex hormones for this effect. Testosterone replacement in the setting of gonadectomy was sufficient to restore the effect of CETP on TAG. Lastly, liver androgen receptor (AR) was required for CETP to increase plasma TAG. Thus, expression of CETP in males raises plasma TAG by impairing TAG clearance via testosterone signaling to AR. Further understanding of how CETP and androgen signaling impair TAG clearance may lead to novel approaches to reduce TAG and mitigate risk of cardiovascular disease.
Self‐Assembly of Porous Microstructured Polydimethylsiloxane Films for Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators
Authors: Yang Yujue , Jing Titao , Xu Bingang
Published: August 2020

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), a green energy harvester, can harvest mechanical energy from human motion to electric energy to be applied in wearable electronics and sensor network. Porous materials played an important role in enhancing electric performance of TENG. In this paper, Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) is used as a self‐reactive agent to modify Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form a self‐assembled porous structure (PDMS‐N10 film) through the difference in temperature between PDMS pre‐curing and AIBN decomposition. The PDMS‐N10‐based TENG exhibits a 2.5‐fold and 2.7‐fold improvement in output voltage and current as compared with PDMS without modification respectively. In addition, 116 light‐emitting diodes could be lighted up and 22 µF capacitor is charged. The TENG is also used as a sensor or trigger device for sensing the movements of elbow, knee, wrist, or finger, which can be applied in wearable devices because of the flexibility and durability as well as low cost.
Mechanical, Thermal, and Rheological Properties of Ti3C2Tx MXene/ Thermoplastic Polyurethane Nanocomposites
Authors: Gao Qingsen , Feng Mingjie , Li En , Liu Chuntai , Shen Changyu , Liu Xianhu
Published: August 2020

In this work, a novel nanocomposite is prepared via a melt blending of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets pretreated with polyethylene glycol. It is found that the tensile strength and elongation at break increased by 41.2% and 15.4% at MXene loading values of 0.5 wt%. The addition of MXene slightly increases the crystalline speed of TPU, and effectively hinders the transfer of small gas molecules at high temperatures. The storage modulus, loss modulus, and complex viscosity of TPU nanocomposites increase with the increasing MXene content at low frequency. The results demonstrate that the mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties of TPU nanocomposites can be effectively improved by MXene nanomaterials.