bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treating acne scars in 2020: Use of lasers
Authors: Utley Collette , Gold Michael
Published: October 2020

Background

Acne scarring is an unfortunate complication of acne vulgaris. Acne scars occur in nearly 49% of people that suffer from acne and has shown psychosocial effects such as poor self‐esteem, social isolation, low confidence, in addition to a significant depression risk factor and suicide. Multimodal treatment approaches can improve efficacy and treatment considerations should be based on individualized patients. Utilizing lasers in treating acne scars as well as acne scars in ethnic skin are reviewed. Energy‐based devices include fractional (ablative and nonablative) for moderate to severe acne in addition to novel device systems.

Methods

A literature review of treating acne scars with lasers including pulse dye laser, fractional (ablative and nonablative), picosecond, and novel devices.

Results

Use of lasers in treating acne scars is an effective approach and multimodal device options for acne scarring are presented in the review.

Conclusion

Acne‐scarring laser treatment modalities and evidence‐based treatments should be promoted for each individual patient. Updated laser treatments for acne scarring are covered, in addition to ethnic skin, along with a discussion and selection on laser treatment modalities.
Anuran accents: Continental‐scale citizen science data reveal spatial and temporal patterns of call variability
Authors: Weaver Savannah J. , Callaghan Corey T. , Rowley Jodi J. L.
Published: October 2020

Many animals rely on vocal communication for mating advertisement, territorial displays, and warning calls. Advertisement calls are species‐specific, serve as a premating isolation mechanism, and reinforce species boundaries. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of interspecific variability of advertisement calls. Quantifying the variability of calls among individuals within a species and across species is critical to understand call evolution and species boundaries, and may build a foundation for further research in animal communication. However, collecting a large volume of advertisement call recordings across a large geographic area has traditionally posed a logistical barrier. We used data from the continental‐scale citizen science project FrogID to investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of call characteristics in six Australian frog species. We found intraspecific call variability in both call duration and peak frequency across species. Using resampling methods, we show that variability in call duration and peak frequency was related to the number of individuals recorded, the geographic area encompassed by those individuals, and the intra‐annual time difference between those recordings. We conclude that in order to accurately understand frog advertisement call variation, or “anuran accents,” the number of individuals in a sample must be numerous (N ≥ 20), encompass a large geographic area relative to a species' range, and be collected throughout a species' calling season.
Longevity record of arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Authors: Mäntylä Elina , Mäntylä Kari , Nuotio Jukka , Nuotio Kimmo , Sillanpää Matti
Published: October 2020

The arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) is one of the most long‐lived bird species. In 2010, we captured in Finland an adult, female arctic skua which had been ringed as a nestling in 1987. We tagged it also with a color ring. The bird has last been seen in July 2020 at the age of 33 years, making it most likely the oldest known arctic skua of the world. In 2010–2011 the bird carried a light‐level measuring geolocator, the data of which revealed that the bird had spent the nonbreeding season in the Canary Current area on the west coast of Africa. Breeding populations of arctic skuas have declined recently especially in British Isles, thus it is useful to get longevity data of this species with a high breeding site fidelity.
Mitochondrial haplogroup G is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, while haplogroup A mitigates the effects of PNPLA3
Authors: Gusdon Aaron M. , Hui You , Chen Jing , Mathews Clayton E. , Qu Shen
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We hypothesized that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups affect the risk of NAFLD in Han Chinese patients and interact with PNPLA3 genotypes.

Design

NAFLD and control patients were recruited from a tertiary care centre. The mitochondrial genome was amplified in overlapping segments and sequenced. Mitochondrial haplogroups were determined using Mitomaster. PNPLA3 rs738409 genotyping was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Patients

We enrolled 655 NAFLD patients and 504 controls.

Results

More NAFLD patients encoded haplogroup G; odds ratio (OR) 1.85 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16, 2.80). Subhaplogroup G3 was present more frequently in NAFLD patients (25.8% vs 6.5%). The PNPLA3 CG genotype resulted in an OR of 1.66 (95% CI 1.25, 2.21), and the GG genotype resulted in an OR of 2.33 (95% CI 1.72, 3.17) for NAFLD. Patients with mitochondrial haplogroup A had a significantly higher frequency of genotype GG. Among patients with haplogroup A, no PNPLA3 genotype was associated with increased NAFLD risk (CG: OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.55, 2.34; GG: OR 1.04 95% CI 0.66, 2.65). Excluding haplogroup A, the OR for CG was 1.58 (95% CI 1.18, 2.12), and the OR for GG was 1.81 (95% CI 1.30, 2.51).

Conclusion

Haplogroup G was associated with an increased risk of NAFLD PNPLA3 GG genotype was overrepresented among patients encoding haplogroup A and was not associated with NAFLD risk among haplogroup A patients. Mitochondrial genetics influence NAFLD risk and interact with PNPLA3 genotypes.
Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Determination of 2,4‐Dichlorophenol by Laponite Modified Carbon Paste Electrode
Authors: Stoytcheva Margarita , Zlatev Roumen , Velkova Zdravka , Gochev Velizar , Ayala Alan , Montero Gisela , Valdez Benjamín
Published: October 2020

A laponite modified carbon paste electrode was prepared, characterized and applied for the 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP) voltammetric determination. It takes advantage of the ability of laponite to adsorb phenols, as well as of its availability and very low cost. Kinetic and equilibrium data for 2,4‐DCP adsorption by laponite in aqueous dispersions demonstrated that the adsorption process obeyed a pseudo first order kinetic model and was consistent with the formation of adsorbed multilayers on a surface with heterogeneous pore distribution. The composite paste electrode exhibited a heterogeneous surface with 65 % increased surface area and 27 % enhanced catalytic activity compared to the unmodified one. The adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of 2,4‐DCP at an electrode with an optimized graphite:laponite ratio of 55 : 15 w% using a 3 min accumulation time at pH 5.5 was found to be suitable for its quantification in the linear concentration range extended up to 50 μmol L−1 with a sensitivity of 0.56 μA L μmol−1 and a LOD of 0.2 μmol L−1 (S/N=3).The 2,4‐DCP electrochemical response was not affected by the presence of some structurally similar phenols, like catechol and p‐nitrophenol, while resorcinol, 2‐chlorophenol, and 4‐chlorophenol presented interferences. The results were validated by 2,4‐DCP determination in spiked tap water.
Impact of Precrystallized NaYSi4O12 Powders in the Synthesis of Sodium Conducting Solid Electrolytes
Authors: Wagner Dörte , Schilm Jochen , Lee Chang Woo , Kusnezoff Mihails
Published: October 2020

The glass crystallization route for Na‐ion conducting glass ceramics with conductive N5 modification of Na5YSi4O12 has been explored. P2O5 is used to modify the glass frit for optimization of the sintering and crystallization process. Mass spectroscopy reveals that the evaporation of CO2 in the sintered microstructure is responsible for enhanced porosity. The glass is not fully transformed to the highly conductive phase (N5) by crystallization and thereby lower conductivities in sintered samples is observed. A pre‐crystallization step of the initial glass powder is evaluated as suitable to eliminate the gas evolution and subsequent sintering of material crystallized in desired N5 modification is successfully performed. With the powder of the pre‐crystallized material, homogenous sintered microstructures consisting of crystalline and glassy phases are obtained. Despite the higher temperature needed for sintering, low porosity and a mechanical strength up to 60 N mm−2 are achieved for samples from pre‐crystallized powder. The analysis of impedance spectra of sintered samples reveal high impact of grain boundaries on total ionic conductivity. Samples made from pre‐crystallized powder show higher overall ionic conductivity of 8.3 × 10−6 S cm−1 at room temperature which is lower than the conductivity of crystallized N5 phase grains (1.4 × 10−4 S cm−1).
In‐Depth Analysis of the Internal Energy Conversion of Nuclear Batteries and Radiation Degradation of Key Materials
Authors: Jiang Tongxin , Xu Zhiheng , Meng Caifeng , Liu Yunpeng , Tang Xiaobin
Published: October 2020

Low conversion efficiency and energy output are the main factors hindering the application of the radioluminescent nuclear battery in space. This study analyzes the energy conversion process and proposes a solution of performance promotion. It is found that the energy conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic units is enhanced with increasing incident light intensity. The efficiency of the AlGaInP unit is stable at 22% when the incident energy is at least 3 μW. As for the GaAs unit, the incident threshold value of the photovoltaic response sensitivity is greater than 120 μW. The overall efficiency of the radioluminescent nuclear battery is only 0.37%, consisting of an AlGaInP unit loaded with a low activity 63Ni and the ZnS:Cu phosphor layer. The efficiency increases to 0.87% when an electron radiation source with 270.27 mCi cm−2 is adopted. Moreover, the intense intensity source constitutes an extremely electromagnetic pulse radiation environment, which cause the batteries to fail. The radiation damage is introduced to the phosphor layer by radiation sources, producing agglomerations and cracks on the surface and resulting in the transmittance reduction. This study provides guidance for improving the electrical property and optimization solutions of radioluminescent nuclear battery.
An online learning based path selection for multipath real‐time video transmission in overlay network
Authors: Zhang Songyang , Lei Weimin , Zhang Wei , Zhan Yuzhuo , Li Hao
Published: October 2020

Even video telephony services have been pervasively applied, it is still a challenge to provide satisfactory quality of experience to users. Multipath transmission is a promising solution to improve video transmission quality by providing aggregated bandwidth. Due to varied traffic load, the default paths may fall into long lasting congestion. Sender has no choice but to reduce video bitrate to adapt such change, even in multipath transmission scenario. Insisting previous rate may lead the congestion in bottleneck deteriorate further. Deploying relay servers in current Internet infrastructure provides users with alternatives to bypass path failure and congestion. For such transmission scenario for video telephony service, an arising question is how to select paths dynamically to gain maximum profit. The path selection is mapped to the multi‐armed bandit problem. Tradeoff is made between exploration and exploitation to make decision under uncertain environment. The estimated bandwidth provided by congestion controller is used for decision‐making. Further, to make multiple flows share resource fairly and avoid congestion, an algorithm adapted from BBR is implemented for video telephony service. To maintain throughput stability and fairness, a smaller probe up gain value is used and the cycle length in bandwidth probe phase is randomized. To reduce delay, the inflight packets will be drained to match with bandwidth delay product in the probe down phase. The effectiveness of the proposed solution is verify on simulation platform.
Letting Evidence Speak for Itself: Measuring Confidence in Mechanisms
Authors: Befani Barbara , D'Errico Stefano
Published: October 2020

This chapter argues that the credibility of causal mechanisms can be greatly increased by formulating them as statements that are both empirically falsifiable and empirically confirmable. Whether statements can be so depends on the potential availability of the relevant evidence (e.g., no evidence exists that can prove or disprove the existence of God, but good quality evidence is potentially available in many other cases). The Bayes formula can be used to measure the extent to which a given set of empirical observations supports or weakens the belief that a causal mechanism exists. With this approach, confidence in the existence of a mechanism is increased or decreased through a process that can be open, transparent, and shared with the public or groups of stakeholders, reducing cognitive biases, and improving internal validity and consensus around the existence of given mechanisms. The approach is showcased in the evaluation of a learning partnership whereby a knowledge product released by a research organization influenced policy at the municipal level.
The Causal Mechanism Claim in Evaluation: Does the Prophecy Fulfill?
Authors: Schmitt Johannes
Published: October 2020

Despite increased discussions in the community and a common understanding about the virtue of mechanism‐based explanation, little is known about the true benefits and challenges of applying causal mechanism analysis in practice. This chapter aims to introduce the reader to the topic of causal mechanisms and synthesize significant findings on this special issue. It begins by laying out definitions and concepts of causal mechanisms in evaluation literature and proposes a two‐way classification of causal mechanisms along which the chapters to this issue are structured. The chapter continues by introducing the Causal Mechanism Claim and elaborates on how analyzing causal mechanisms is expected to increase policy relevance and causal capacity in evaluations. Drawing on this issue's rich corpus of firsthand practical experience, this introduction synthesizes key lessons that support or contradict the Causal Mechanism Claim. We find that both parts of the claim—increased policy relevance and strengthened causal capacity—are supported by the authors' experiences as bundled in this issue. However, we also identify challenges related to cross‐cutting issues such as communication and practical applicability and point to the importance of method integration.
No Mechanism Without Context: Strengthening the Analysis of Context in Realist Evaluations Using Causal Loop Diagramming
Authors: Renmans Dimitri , Holvoet Nathalie , Criel Bart
Published: October 2020

Realist evaluation is an approach with a strong emphasis on causal mechanisms and the context in which they are triggered. However, recent reviews of published realist evaluations show that context is often understudied. This is problematic, as a thorough understanding of the relationship between context and causal mechanisms is crucial in assisting policymakers to make appropriate and targeted decisions that improve the intervention. Therefore, we set out to test whether combining realist evaluation with the “systems thinking” approach and, more specifically, causal loop diagramming, could help strengthen the analysis of context. We did this through a study of a performance‐based financing (PBF) intervention in the Ugandan health care sector by the Belgian development agency, Enabel. PBF allocates funds to health workers and/or health facilities based on their performance, and introduces additional management support tools, provides extra monitoring and supervision, and promotes community participation in management issues, among other activities. In this case, we found that the proposed combined methodological approach indeed adds value to the analysis, as it leads to insights into the role played by the underlying system that otherwise may have been overlooked. Moreover, such information may provide clear directions to policymakers on how to improve the intervention in a sustainable way. Finally, causal loop diagrams help to visualize complex causal interactions and to communicate them to policymakers.
Keeping it Real: Using Mechanisms to Promote Use in the Realist Evaluation of the Building Capacity to Use Research Evidence Program
Authors: Punton Melanie , Vogel Isabel
Published: October 2020

This chapter explores the use of mechanisms within the realist evaluation of the Building Capacity to Use Research Evidence (BCURE) program, a £15.7 million initiative aiming to improve the use of evidence in decision‐making in low and middle‐income countries. The evaluation was commissioned to establish not just whether BCURE worked but also how and why capacity building can contribute to increased use of evidence in policymaking in the very different contexts in which the program operated. This chapter argues that using mechanisms helped provide nuanced and robust insights into these questions, while also strengthening the usefulness and policy relevance of the evaluation. Drawing primarily on qualitative data, including interviews with more than 500 stakeholders over 3 years, the evaluation explored the mechanisms that promote capacities to use evidence in decision‐making, through developing and testing realist context‐intervention‐mechanism‐outcome configurations (CIMOs). Uncovering the value of mechanisms for policy and program learning was not easy, and the chapter sets out some of the thorny challenges faced and how the BCURE evaluation navigated these. Ultimately, the use of mechanisms in the BCURE evaluation helped to generate practical and nuanced insights that fed directly into the design of a £17 million follow‐up program. The seven mechanisms uncovered are continuing to inform our own and others’ work on institutional capacity change in a wide range of fields.
Getting Practical With Causal Mechanisms: The application of Process‐Tracing Under Real‐World Evaluation Constraints
Authors: Raimondo Estelle
Published: October 2020

Over the past decade, the field of development evaluation has seen a renewed interest in methodological approaches that can answer compelling causal questions about what works, for whom, and why. Development evaluators have notably started to experiment with Bayesian Process Tracing to unpack, test, and enhance their comprehension of causal mechanisms triggered by development interventions. This chapter conveys one such experience of applying Bayesian Process Tracing to the study of citizen engagement interventions within a conditional cash transfer program under real‐world evaluation conditions. The chapter builds on this experience to discuss the benefits, challenges, and potential for the applicability of this approach under real‐world evaluation conditions of time, money, and political constraints.
Regulation of the product stoichiometry of denitrification in intensively managed soils
Authors: Wei Zhijun , Shan Jun , Chai Yanchao , Well Reinhard , Yan Xiaoyuan , Senbayram Mehmet
Published: October 2020

Crop residue amendment in conjunction with synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilization is a common agricultural practice that increases soil fertility and crop yield. However, such a practice may also change soil denitrification process. Here, we conducted an incubation experiment with a robotized continuous flow N2 free incubation system [using helium (He) and oxygen (O2)] and measured fluxes of N2O and N2 at a high resolution in an intensively managed soil to examine the interaction effect of straw amendment and N fertilization on soil denitrification. Four treatments were set consisting of (a) a nonamended treatment (Control); (b) a Straw treatment (2 g straw kg−1 dry soil); (c) a KNO3 treatment (KNO3, 15 mM KNO3); and (d) a Straw + KNO3 treatment (2 g straw kg−1 dry soil and 15 mM KNO3). During the oxic phase (80% He plus 20% O2) of the experiment (initial 2 days), flux rates of N2O were 0.54 and 0.38 kg N/ha day−1 in the Control and KNO3 treatments, respectively. Meanwhile, straw amendment triggered N2O fluxes immediately after the onset of treatments, which was more evident in the Straw + KNO3 treatment. During the anoxic phase (100% He), both N2O and N2 emissions increased in all treatments, with the effect being more pronounced in the Straw and Straw + KNO3 treatments. In line with the observed differences in gas fluxes, the abundances of nirK, nirS, and nosZ genes increased clearly in these treatments. Overall, the mean N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio (0.69 ± 0.03) in the Control treatment was significantly lower compared to the KNO3 treatment (18.8%) and higher than the straw‐amended soils (31.9% and 17.4% compared to the Straw and Straw + KNO3 treatments, respectively). Taken together, our results suggest straw amendment significantly altered N2O and N2 fluxes by decreasing the N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio; however, the effects of straw amendment depended on soil nitrate content.
Detecting rare copy number variants from Illumina genotyping arrays with the CamCNV pipeline: Segmentation of z‐scores improves detection and reliability
Authors: Dennis Joe , Walker Logan , Tyrer Jonathan , Michailidou Kyriaki , Easton Douglas F.
Published: October 2020

The intensities from genotyping array data can be used to detect copy number variants (CNVs) but a high level of noise in the data and overlap between different copy‐number intensity distributions produces unreliable calls, particularly when only a few probes are covered by the CNV. We present a novel pipeline (CamCNV) with a series of steps to reduce noise and detect more reliably CNVs covering as few as three probes. The pipeline aims to detect rare CNVs (below 1% frequency) for association tests in large cohorts. The method uses the information from all samples to convert intensities to z‐scores, thus adjusting for variance between probes. We tested the sensitivity of our pipeline by looking for known CNVs from the 1000 Genomes Project in our genotyping of 1000 Genomes samples. We also compared the CNV calls for 1661 pairs of genotyped replicate samples. At the chosen mean z‐score cut‐off, sensitivity to detect the 1000 Genomes CNVs was approximately 85% for deletions and 65% for duplications. From the replicates, we estimate the false discovery rate is controlled at ∼10% for deletions (falling to below 3% with more than five probes) and ∼28% for duplications. The pipeline demonstrates improved sensitivity when compared to calling with PennCNV, particularly for short deletions covering only a few probes. For each called CNV, the mean z‐score is a useful metric for controlling the false discovery rate.
Psychotropic drug prescription rates in primary care for people with dementia from recorded diagnosis onwards
Authors: Joling Karlijn J. , Koppel Maud ten , van Hout Hein P.J. , Onwuteaka‐Philipsen Bregje D. , Francke Anneke L. , Verheij Robert A. , Twisk Jos W.R. , van Marum Rob J.
Published: October 2020

Background

Psychotropic drugs are frequently prescribed to people with dementia in nursing homes although severe adverse events and side effects are common. Less is known about the prevalence and types of psychotropic drug prescription in primary care for people with dementia.

Objective

This study examined the prevalence of psychotropic drug prescriptions in primary care among persons with dementia from the year of diagnosis onwards.

Methods

A longitudinal observational study using electronic health record (EHR) data was conducted. People with dementia were selected from EHR data of 451 general practices in the Netherlands. Age and gender‐adjusted psychotropic drug prescription rates were calculated per 1000 person‐years from the year the dementia diagnosis was first recorded in general practice up to 8 years after diagnosis.

Results

Data of 15,687 patients were analyzed. The prescription rate of psychotropic drugs (not including antidementia drugs) was 420 per 1000 person‐years (95% CI 409; 431) in the first year after the recorded dementia diagnosis, which increased to 801 per 1000 person‐years (95% CI 649; 989) in the eighth year. The most frequently prescribed drugs were antidepressants, antipsychotics, and antidementia drugs, followed by anxiolytics, hypnotics, and antiepileptics.

Conclusions

After a dementia diagnosis is recorded in general practice, the prevalence of psychotropic drug prescriptions is substantial and increases steadily during the disease trajectory of persons with dementia. Although the (in)appropriateness of prescribing was not assessed, these insights may stimulate primary care clinicians to (re)consider their prescription policy of psychotropics for people with dementia more carefully.
Lymph node characteristics and their prognostic significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Arun Indu , Maity Namrata , Hameed Shahin , Jain Prateek Vijay , Manikantan Kapila , Sharan Rajeev , Arun Pattatheyil
Published: October 2020

Background

The prognostic significance of various histopathologic lymph node‐based biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) needs further evaluation.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 212 OSCC patients with regional metastasis to determine the association of extranodal extension (ENE), extent of ENE, size of metastatic deposit, lymph node yield (LNY), lymph node ratio (LNR), and topography of involvement with survival outcomes.

Results

The presence of ENE, larger nodal deposit, higher pN stage, lymph nodes in the lower levels, and patients who did not receive adjuvant treatment had poor disease‐free survival (DFS). In addition, more positive nodes and high LNR showed worse overall survival (OS). ENE beyond 5 mm resulted in poorer outcomes.

Larger sizes of metastatic deposit predisposed to ENE. Multivariate analyses showed only lower level of neck involvement to affect both DFS and OS.

Conclusions

Lymph node metastasis to lower levels and other lymph node characteristics affect prognosis and must be considered in the evolution of staging systems for OSCC.
A Model Based on Noninvasive Markers Predicts Very Low Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk After Viral Response in Hepatitis C Virus–Advanced Fibrosis
Authors: Alonso López Sonia , Manzano María Luisa , Gea Francisco , Gutiérrez María Luisa , Ahumada Adriana Maria , Devesa María José , Olveira Antonio , Polo Benjamin Arturo , Márquez Laura , Fernández Inmaculada , Cobo Juan Carlos Ruiz , Rayón Laura , Riado Daniel , Izquierdo Sonia , Usón Clara , Real Yolanda , Rincón Diego , Fernández‐Rodríguez Conrado M. , Bañares Rafael
Published: October 2020

Background and Aims

Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and advanced fibrosis remain at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after sustained viral response (SVR) and need lifelong surveillance. Because HCC risk is not homogenous and may decrease with fibrosis regression, we aimed to identify patients with low HCC risk based on the prediction of noninvasive markers and its changes after SVR.

Approach and Results

This is a multicenter cohort study, including patients with HCV and compensated advanced fibrosis that achieved SVR after direct antivirals. Clinical and transient elastography (TE) data were registered at baseline, 1 year, and 3 years after the end of treatment (EOT). All patients underwent liver ultrasound scan every 6 months. Patients with clinical evaluation 1 year after EOT were eligible. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed, and predictive models were constructed. HCC occurrence rates were evaluated by Kaplan‐Meier. Nine hundred and ninety‐three patients were eligible (56% male; 44% female; median age 62 years), 35 developed HCC (3.9%), and the median follow‐up was 45 months (range 13‐53). Baseline liver stiffness measurement (LSM) (HR 1.040; 95% CI 1.017‐1.064), serum albumin (HR 0.400; 95% CI 0.174‐0.923), 1‐year DeltaLSM (HR 0.993; 95% CI 0.987‐0.998), and 1‐year FIB‐4 score (HR 1.095; 95% CI 1.046‐1.146) were independent factors associated with HCC. The TE‐based HCC risk model predicted 0% of HCC occurrence at 3 years in patients with score 0 (baseline LSM ≤ 17.3 kPa, albumin >4.2 g/dL, and 1‐year DeltaLSM > 25.5%) versus 5.2% in patients with score 1‐3 (Harrell’s C 0.779; log‐rank 0.002). An alternative model with FIB‐4 similarly predicted HCC risk.

Conclusions

A combination of baseline and dynamic changes in noninvasive markers may help to identify patients with a very low risk of HCC development after SVR.
Methodological issues in systems Human Factors and Ergonomics: Perspectives on the research–practice gap, reliability and validity, and prediction
Authors: Salmon Paul M. , Read Gemma J. M. , Walker Guy H. , Stevens Nicholas J. , Hulme Adam , McLean Scott , Stanton Neville A.
Published: October 2020

The changing nature of work and society, and a proliferation of complex global challenges, is increasing the need for systems Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE). The discipline is well equipped to respond, but there remain a number of longstanding issues preventing systems HFE from realizing its full impact. There is a research–practice gap, a lack of reliability and validity evidence associated with systems HFE methods, and a shortage of methods that can predict behavior. In this article we revisit each issue, with each co‐author providing their own perspective on the extent and causes of each issue, and their resolution. The perspectives reveal a consensus that the issues exist and are problematic but are challenging, multi‐factorial, and require various solutions. The findings are subsequently synthesized to form an agenda for the wider discipline.
Determinants of catastrophic health expenditure in Vietnam
Authors: Thu Thuong Nguyen Thi , Van Den Berg Yme , Huy Tran Quang , Tai Do Anh , Anh Bui Nu Hoang
Published: October 2020

Background

The Government of Vietnam has set the goal of achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2025. Health insurance (HI) is being considered a tool to achieve this goal. However, out‐of‐pocket spending and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) remain high. Research evidence on how to reduce these expenditures to achieve UHC is essential. Therefore, this study examines the determinants of CHE, especially the HI factor.

Method

To identify HI participation status and other factors associated with CHE, we use logistic regression on a dataset from the 2016 Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey.

Results

The study finds that HI is a protective factor against CHE, although this result is not always statistically significant across different subsamples. Moreover, the household head's age and employment status, household size, share of the elderly above 60 years, income, illness status, healthcare utilisation, availability of hospitals, commune health stations with medical doctors and place of residence all correlate with household CHE.

Conclusion

Although there has been a rise in HI coverage, the financial protection capacity of HI schemes in Vietnam remains inadequate, particularly for households living in rural areas. Further investigations of the causal effect of HI, other health system factors and CHE in rural settings are necessary to reduce the incidence of CHE. Additionally, policies aimed at groups vulnerable to CHE, such as those with higher incidences of severe illness or inpatient admissions, low income, and higher age, should be considered.
Two‐phase Sakiadis flow of a nanoliquid with nonlinear Boussinesq approximation and Brownian motion past a vertical plate: Koo‐Kleinstreuer‐Li model
Authors: Manghat Radhika , Mahanthesh Basavarajappa , Shehzad Sabir A. , Siddabasappa
Published: October 2020

This paper investigates the Sakiadis flow of a Al2O3‐H2O nanoliquid with consistently scattered dust particles over a vertical plate. To account for the effect of the Brownian movement, the Koo‐Kleinstreuer‐Li model is considered. In some thermal systems such as reactor safety areas, and solar collectors, combustion works from moderate to high temperature, making the relationship between the temperature and density nonlinear. To consider this temperature‐dependent density, the nonlinear Boussinesq estimation is utilized. The present physical structure, which includes energy and momentum equations, is converted into a system of ordinary, coupled, and nonlinear differential conditions through the help of similarity transformations. By using the finite difference code, the subsequent equations have been numerically solved. The impact on the velocity and the thermal profiles of the nondimensional parameters is visualized through graphs. Both the Nusselt number and friction factor strengthen with a higher nonlinear thermal parameter in the case of nonlinear Boussinesq approximation compared to the linear Boussinesq case. Growing estimations of nonlinear thermal parameter deteriorate the thermal profile but it boosts the velocity profile of both liquid and dust phases.
Does informal banking influence monetary policy transmission? Some empirical evidence for Ghana
Authors: Ayisi Richard Kwabi
Published: October 2020

Informal banking activities have been increasing in many economies in recent times. These activities, though are interrelated with the formal banking activities, fall within a different regulatory framework within which the central bank conducts monetary policy. This has a potential effect on monetary transmission. The study, thus, investigated this issue in the Ghanaian perspective using the local projection approach. Using data sourced from the World Bank and Bank of Ghana databases, the study estimated an incomplete monetary pass‐through for Ghana. Notwithstanding this, informal banking further weakens the pass‐through. Other factors such as non‐performing loans, excess liquidity and the level of financial development were identified to weaken the pass‐through. These findings highlight the need for a prudent monetary framework that can address the challenge informal banking bring forth in monetary policy implementation.
A portfolio construction framework using LSTM‐based stock markets forecasting
Authors: Cipiloglu Yildiz Zeynep , Yildiz Selim Baha
Published: October 2020

A novel framework that injects future return predictions into portfolio constructionstrategies is proposed in this study. First, a long–short‐term‐memory (LSTM) model is trained to learn the monthly closing prices of the stocks. Then these predictions are used in the calculation of portfolio weights. Five different portfolio construction strategies are introduced including modifications to smart‐beta strategies. The suggested methods are compared to a number of baseline methods, using the stocks of BIST30 Turkey index. Our strategies yield a very high mean annualized return (25%) which is almost 50% higher than the baseline approaches. The mean Sharpe ratio of our strategies is 0.57, whereas the compared methods’ are 0.29 and −0.32. Comprehensive analysis of the results demonstrates that utilizing predicted returns in portfolio construction enables a significant improvement on the performance of the portfolios.
How fintech impacts pre‐ and post‐loan risk in Chinese commercial banks
Authors: Zhang Ailian , Wang Shuyao , Liu Bai , Liu Pei
Published: October 2020

Due to information asymmetry in the lending market, credit activities inevitably cause pre‐ and post‐loan risk in banks. To explore whether these risks can be alleviated by fintech and study its specific mechanism from the perspective of managers, we investigate on a sample from the establishment of fintech subsidiaries in Chinese commercial banks during 2014–2018. The results show that fintech can alleviate pre‐loan risk associated with credit activities, and this negative effect is more pronounced in banks with higher level of managerial ownership. As the control of post‐loan risk is more dependent on the regulators, fintech in banks has no significant effect on reducing post‐loan risk associated with credit activities. This paper adds empirical evidence on the role of fintech in banks.
A vessel segmentation technique for retinal images
Authors: Iqbal Mehwish , Riaz Muhammad Mohsin , Ghafoor Abdul , Ahmad Attiq
Published: October 2020

Segmentation of the human eye retinal image is an essential step for proper examination and diagnosis by the ophthalmologists or eye care specialists. A technique for vessel segmentation of retinal images is proposed. Retinal images are mostly low‐light images, which are first processed for enhancement of light as well as for detail amplification. Illumination of low‐light images is enhanced, and details are amplified using content‐adaptive filters. For extraction of vessels from retinal images, after low‐light and detail enhancement, the B‐cosfire filter is modified by including extraction of details and small elements, which may otherwise be ignored. A modified B‐cosfire filter is used to extract vessels while minimizing false edges and halo artifacts. The morphological opening is performed to crop vessels that are falsely segmented. The technique is contrasted with other existing methods in terms of accuracy using publicly available datasets. The proposed technique is tested on STARE, CHASE‐DB1, and DRIVE databases. The outcome of the proposed procedure has better accuracy, preserved edges, minimum noise, and artifacts than the state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
A new Tetrahydrofuran sesquiterpene skeleton from Artemisia sieberi
Authors: Mohamed Tarik A. , Albadry Hazem A. , Elshamy Abdelsamed I. , Younes Sabry H. H. , Shahat Abdelaaty A. , El‐wassimy Mohamed T. , Moustafa Mahmoud F. , Hegazy Mohamed‐Elamir F.
Published: October 2020

A new Tetrahydrofuran sesquiterpene 7,10‐Epoxy‐10‐methy‐dodeca‐1,6(14)‐diene‐3,4‐diol (1) along with three known Tetrahydrofuran sesquiterpene compounds 2,6,10‐trimethyl‐2,5:7,10‐dioxido‐dodeca‐3,11‐dien‐5‐ol (2), cis‐hydroxydavanone (3), and davana acid (4). All isolated metabolites were tested against MCF‐7, HCT‐116, and HepG‐2 cancer cell lines. Compound 2 showed potent activity against MCF‐7 (IC50 = 26 ± 0.4 μg/ml), HCT‐116 (IC50 = 30.4 ± 0.9 μg/ml), and HepG‐2 (IC50 = 20.5 ± 0.3 μg/ml) cancer cells.
Posttraumatic triggering of the extensor pollicis brevis tendon in de Quervain's disease successfully diagnosed with ultrasonography: A case report
Authors: Uemura Takuya , Yano Koichi , Miyashima Yusuke , Konishi Sadahiko , Nakamura Hiroaki
Published: October 2020

Triggering due to de Quervain's disease is exceedingly rare. This is the first successfully diagnosed case of the snapping phenomenon of the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) tendon in de Quervain's disease evaluated with preoperative dynamic ultrasonography, clearly demonstrated in an intraoperative video, and treated with decompression of EPB subcompartment only under a wide‐awake surgery. Dynamic ultrasonographic images identified snapping caused by unsmooth excursion of an enlarged EPB tendon in a separate subcompartment. In snapping de Quervain's disease, ultrasonographic evaluations and wide‐awake surgery are essential to exactly diagnose and successfully treat the snapping condition of the EPB and/or APL tendons.
Age-related changes in intestinal immunity and the microbiome
Authors: Walrath Travis , Dyamenahalli Kiran U , Hulsebus Holly J , McCullough Rebecca L , Idrovo Juan-Pablo , Boe Devin M , McMahan Rachel H , Kovacs Elizabeth J
Published: October 2020

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a vitally important site for the adsorption of nutrients as well as the education of immune cells. Homeostasis of the gut is maintained by the interplay of the intestinal epithelium, immune cells, luminal Ags, and the intestinal microbiota. The well-being of the gut is intrinsically linked to the overall health of the host, and perturbations to this homeostasis can have severe impacts on local and systemic health. One factor that causes disruptions in gut homeostasis is age, and recent research has elucidated how critical systems within the gut are altered during the aging process. Intestinal stem cell proliferation, epithelial barrier function, the gut microbiota, and the composition of innate and adaptive immune responses are all altered in advanced age. The aging population continues to expand worldwide, a phenomenon referred to as the “Silver Tsunami,” and every effort must be made to understand how best to prevent and treat age-related maladies. Here, recent research about changes observed in the intestinal epithelium, the intestinal immune system, the microbiota, and how the aging gut interacts with and influences other organs such as the liver, lung, and brain are reviewed. Better understanding of these age-related changes and their impact on multi-organ interactions will aid the development of therapies to increase the quality of life for all aged individuals.
CCR2-deficient mice are protected to sepsis by the disruption of the inflammatory monocytes emigration from the bone marrow
Authors: Cebinelli Guilherme Cesar Martelossi , de Lima Kalil Alves , Silva Castanheira Fernanda Vargas e , Hiroki Carlos Hiroji , Monteiro Valter Vinícius Silva , de Lima Mikhael Haruo Fernandes , Nascimento Daniele Carvalho Bernardo , Alves Filho José Carlos , Cunha Thiago Mattar , Cunha Fernando de Queiroz
Published: October 2020

Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Inflammatory monocytes are recruited to both the infection site and vital organs during sepsis; however, the mechanisms that orchestrate their migration, as well as the participation of these cells in systemic inflammation and vital organ damage, are still not fully elucidated. In this context, we described that CCR2-deficient mice had diminished migration of inflammatory monocytes from bone marrow to the circulation and subsequently to the site of infection and vital organs during cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced polymicrobial sepsis. The reduction in the migration of inflammatory monocytes to the infection site was accompanied by a significant increase in the number of neutrophils in the same compartment, which seemed to counterbalance the absence of inflammatory monocytes in controlling microbial growth. Indeed, wild-type (WT) and CCR2-deficient mice under CLP presented similar control of infection. However, the CCR2-deficient mice were more resistant to sepsis, which was associated with a decrease in inflammatory mediators and organ damage biomarkers. Furthermore, the systemic adoptive transfer of CCR2-WT or CCR2-deficient inflammatory monocytes into CCR2-deficient mice equally increased the susceptibility to sepsis, demonstrating the deleterious role of these cells in the periphery even when CCR2 is absent. Thus, despite the host-protective role of inflammatory monocytes in controlling infection, our results demonstrated that the mechanism by which CCR2 deficiency shows protection to CLP-induced sepsis is due to a decrease of inflammatory monocytes emigration from bone marrow to the circulation and vital organs, resulting in the reduction of organ damage and systemic cytokine production.
A performance‐based multi‐model combination approach to reduce uncertainty in seasonal temperature change projections
Authors: Das Bhowmik Rajarshi , Sankarasubramanian Arumugam
Published: October 2020

Future changes in climate variable exhibit prominent impact on flood magnitudes, crop yields, and freshwater withdrawal. Researchers typically ignore the large degree of uncertainty translated from climate projections to the estimated climate change magnitudes while applying pre‐processing approaches on climate change projections. General Circulation Models (GCM) exhibit substantial uncertainty in projecting future changes in the seasonal temperature, which is evaluated by estimating the shift in either the mean or variance. Bias between the observed changes (1950–1999) and GCM simulated changes vary across models, climate regions, seasons, and under emission scenarios. The simplest approach to reduce model structural uncertainty, equal weighting of GCMs, does not consider superiority of one or multiple GCMs compared to the rest. The current study adopts a performance‐based model combination approach that has shown efficiency in streamflow and weather forecasting, and GCM precipitation simulation. The optimal model combination approach has been modified to combine multi‐model climate change information, while yielding the spatial correlation in climate change information within a geographic region. The optimal model combination approach, along with a simple bias‐correction, is applied on 10 GCMs over nine climate regions across the coterminous United States (CONUS). We found that the optimal combination exhibits lower RMSE values as compared to the equal combination. Correlations between the model combined projections under optimal combination and the observed changes are strong and positive (>0.5). Future (2000–49) model combined projections exhibit an increase in the mean seasonal temperature by 2°C for winter and by 1°C for summer over almost all climate regions.
Impact of KRAS status on tumor response and survival after neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer
Authors: Zhou Peige , Goffredo Paolo , Ginader Timothy , Thompson Dakota , Hrabe Jennifer , Gribovskaja‐Rupp Irena , Kapadia Muneera , Hassan Imran
Published: October 2020

Background

Mutation of the KRAS oncogene (mKRAS) in colorectal cancer has been associated with aggressive tumor biology, resistance to epidermal growth factor inhibitors, and decreased overall survival (OS). The aim of the current study was to analyze the association of mKRAS with pathologic complete response (pCR) and neoadjuvant rectal (NAR) score, and its impact on the survival of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who were managed with multimodality therapy.

Methods

The National Cancer Database was queried for stage II–III rectal cancer patients with a known KRAS status who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (nCRT) and proctectomy between 2004 and 2015.

Results

In total, 1886 patients were identified; 12% had pCR and 36% had mKRAS. Patients with mKRAS were more likely to have advanced pathologic T stage, tumor deposits, perineural invasion, and elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels (all p ≤ .05). After adjustment for available confounders, mKRAS status was not associated with pCR or NAR score. In multivariable analysis, patients with pCR and lower NAR score had better OS, whereas mKRAS was independently associated with a worse prognosis.

Conclusion

In this cohort of locally advanced rectal cancer patients who underwent proctectomy after nCRT, mKRAS was not associated with lower pCR rates or NAR scores; however, these patients experienced worse survival.
No‐additive salting‐out liquid–liquid extraction—A tool for purification of positively charged compounds from highly salted reaction mixtures
Authors: Moravcová Dana , Čmelík Richard , Křenková Jana
Published: October 2020

A novel and original application of salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction is presented. This technique was used to purify the final reaction products (quaternary ammonium salts) from unreacted components and by‐products present in multiple excesses. The partition of two structurally related compounds as (2‐aminoethyl)trimethylammonium salt (a labeling reagent) and a derivative of [2‐(imidazoline‐1‐yl)ethyl]trimethylammonium salt (a final reaction product of N‐acetylglucosamine labeling by (2‐aminoethyl)trimethylammonium salt) between acetonitrile‐rich and water‐rich layers was monitored by hydrophilic interaction chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Despite the poor solubility of both highly polar substances in solutions containing a high concentration of acetonitrile, the main portion of the labeling reagent (72%) can be removed from the crude reaction mixture in the first extraction step using 95% acetonitrile/5% water as an extraction solvent. The purified final reaction product contained only 2% of the labeling reagent, and it was suitable for analysis by direct infusion mass spectrometry to confirm its identity. The capability of the suggested purification protocol to process small‐volume highly salted reaction mixtures was also proven by analysis of saccharide mixture containing glucose, maltose, and maltotriose labeled by the positively charged tag.