bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microplastics inhalation and their effects on human health: a systematic review
Authors: Lombardi G , Di Russo M , Zjalic D , Lanza T , Simmons M , Moscato U , Ricciardi W , Chiara C
Published: October 2022

Background

Microplastics (MPs) are defined as small particles less than 5 mm in size occuring in the environment as a consequence of plastic pollution. MPs are classified into primary MPs, which are created for industrial uses, and secondary MPs, that derive from the degradation of larger plastic items. With the global increase in plastic production, MPs have become widely distributed in the natural ecosystems and have been charged with causing several detrimental effects on both the environment and on human health. Moreover, plastics often include additives to improve their properties, which may produce additional toxic substances. Humans can be exposed to MPs through different pathways, including ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize whether inhaled microplastics and plastic additives have negative effects on human health.

Methods

MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science were searched starting from December 2021. The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies were primary studies which reported the effects of inhaled MPs on the respiratory system. Appropriate quality assessment tools were used according to the study design of primary studies.

Results

38 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were conducted in vitro, while there was a scarcity of papers that investigated the effects of MPs in population cohorts. Preliminary results show that MPs can induce pro-inflammatory or pro-carcinogenic effects by different mechanisms, depending on particles’ concentration, size, type and surface charge.

Conclusions

Literature has underlined several negative health concerns resulting from the absorption of microplastics and plastic additives. By gathering this information, this systematic review sheds light on the possible threats of MPs inhalation to human health and discusses whether an implementation of new public health policies for the foreseeable future is needed.

Key messages

• Inhalation is a major route of exposure to microplastics.

• Inhaled microplastics or plastic additives may have detrimental effects on human health, promoting respiratory diseases or carcinogenic processes.
Innovative Health Technologies to Improve Emergency Department Performance
Authors: Tedesco D , Capodici A , Gribaudo G , Di Valerio Z , Montalti M , Salussolia A , Barbagallo V , Rolli M , Fantini MP , Gori D
Published: October 2022

Background

Emergency Departments (EDs) are increasingly pivotal, with a constant increment in their use, despite stable or declining fundings. Crowding can lead to disruptions and the COVID-19 epidemic has further burdened ED services. However, the pandemic has seen an increased use of telemedicine and digital health tools, which may be notably beneficial for EDs. This study offers a review of the latest available digital health technologies and their effectiveness to improve ED performance.

Methods

We performed a narrative review to identify digital and technological innovations in EDs. The themes of interest were defined in 4 areas: Patient Assessment, Patient Experience, Resource Allocation, and Discharge. Data was analyzed by 5 independent reviewers who focused on different macro-areas. Disagreement on data was discussed with 2 independent tiebreakers.

Results

Our search yielded 25 articles addressing 4 topics: Patient Assessment, Resource Allocation, Patient Experience, Discharge. We found that digital tools and Artificial Intelligence are powerful tools to detect, collect, and process data from patients, to improve healthcare delivery in EDs. The Resource Allocation category showed to be key in optimizing services already in place. New technologies showed effective to improve Patient Experience by curbing pain and anxiety. Innovative technologies demonstrated efficacy after Discharge when patients need guidance from clinicians for follow-up care.

Conclusions

Our review shows evidence of increasing effectiveness of innovative tools in reducing wait time and improving performance and patient experience in EDs. Technology applied to resource allocation appeared to be the most effective category. Prediction algorithms could be used to improve workforce allocation and bed management. Critical care systems must meet the challenge of innovative technologies which can lead to a new era in healthcare delivery with improvements for patients and healthcare professionals.

Key messages

• Digital innovation will have a significant impact on several dimensions of healthcare in the near future.

• Healthcare systems and EDs must meet the challenge of innovative technologies which can lead to a new era in healthcare delivery with improvements for both patients and healthcare professionals.
A Genome Sequence Assembly of the Phototactic and Optogenetic Model Fungus Blastocladiella emersonii Reveals a Diversified Nucleotide-Cyclase Repertoire
Authors: Leonard Guy , Galindo Luis Javier , Milner David S , Avelar Gabriela Mol , Gomes-Vieira André L , Gomes Suely L , Richards Thomas A
Published: October 2022

The chytrid fungus Blastocladiella emersonii produces spores with swimming tails (zoospores); these cells can sense and swim toward light. Interest in this species stems from ongoing efforts to develop B. emersonii as a model for understanding the evolution of phototaxis and the molecular cell biology of the associated optogenetic circuits. Here, we report a highly contiguous genome assembly and gene annotation of the B. emersonii American Type Culture Collection 22665 strain. We integrate a PacBio long-read library with an Illumina paired-end genomic sequence survey leading to an assembly of 21 contigs totaling 34.27 Mb. Using these data, we assess the diversity of sensory system encoding genes. These analyses identify a rich complement of G-protein-coupled receptors, ion transporters, and nucleotide cyclases, all of which have been diversified by domain recombination and tandem duplication. In many cases, these domain combinations have led to the fusion of a protein domain to a transmembrane domain, tying a putative signaling function to the cell membrane. This pattern is consistent with the diversification of the B. emersonii sensory-signaling systems, which likely plays a varied role in the complex life cycle of this fungus.
Dependence of electrical power output on collector size in Manzanares solar chimney power plant: an investigation for thermodynamic limits
Authors: Cuce Erdem
Published: October 2022

Solar energy is at the forefront of renewable energy sources. Depending on the increasing energy need, the use of clean energy sources is inevitable in terms of human health and the environment. The application of solar chimney power plants (SCPPs) is one of the not very old and promising systems. SCPPs are systems that attract attention with their long life and simple working principles. SCPPs have three basic elements: collector, chimney and turbine, and optimizing these elements in terms of design and operational parameters plays a key role in the performance parameters of the system such as power output and efficiency. This study, which references the Manzanares pilot plant, aims at the collector dimensioning of the system to achieve the optimum power output and efficiency from the plant and to assess the upper thermodynamic limits of the Manzanares pilot plant. The most challenging aspect of SCPPs, in general, is their high cost, and large collector areas constitute a notable fraction of this cost. Therefore, for performance and cost optimization, collector dimensioning is of vital importance and reveals the innovative aspect of this study. For this purpose, a 3D 90° computational fluid dynamics model is created with ANSYS engineering software. RNG k-e turbulence model and discrete ordinates solar ray-tracing algorithm are applied to the model. In the study, solutions are taken in the dimensions of the pilot plant with an ambient temperature of 290 K and two different radiation intensities of 800 and 1000 W/m2. The collector radius (Rcoll) is increased up to 2 times the reference size and its effect on the system is evaluated. It is found that the plant, which produces an electrical power of 46.6 kW at 800 W/m2, will generate 138.3 kW of electrical power if the Rcoll is doubled. The optimum collector radius rate (Xcoll) is found to be in the range of 1.00–1.50. For the greater values of Xcoll than 1.50 (183 m), it is observed that the exponential increase in power output stops, and cost-related upper thermodynamic limits are achieved.
Coupling influences of electrode and flow field geometry on species transport behavior and battery performance for organic redox flow battery
Authors: Wang Fuzhen , Xiao Guozhen , Su Minghui , Chu Fengming
Published: October 2022

The organic redox flow battery (ORFB) was regarded as one of the promising commercial technologies for the large-scale energy storage, the battery performance of which was influenced by the electrodes and flow fields. The battery performance and mass transfer behaviors of four different electrodes (rectangular electrode with serpentine flow field (RS), rectangular electrode with rotary flow field (RR), circular electrode with serpentine flow field (CS), circular electrode with rotary flow field (CR)) were investigated based on a rigorous numerical model, which was verified by the experiments. The results showed that discharge voltages of RS design were highest and voltage of RS design was 24.3% higher than that of RR design, which was lowest. The uniformity factor of RS design was 13.2% higher than that of RR design. The average concentration of RS design was 4.5% higher than that of CS design. Therefore, RS design electrode was the best design due to high mass transfer performance. And performance superiorities of RS design were further highlighted by comparing voltage and concentration distribution of RS design and traditional serpentine flow field (TS). All above can enrich the research of mass transfer behavior in ORFB.
Breaking the Promise: Transitional Justice between Tactical Concession and Legacies of Authoritarian Regime in Indonesia
Authors: Wahyuningroem Sri Lestari
Published: October 2022

For more than two decades after the authoritarian regime ended in Indonesia, transitional justice remains an unfinished agenda in the new democracy. In every government leadership, transitional justice issues re-emerged and later vanished or failed at implementation. Post-Suharto’s presidents have always succeeded in getting support by including the transitional justice agenda in their campaigns and the early days of their leadership. Yet, none resulted in truth and justice as promised. Transitional justice is used as a tactical concession and has proven successful in gaining support for political winnings; it provides the avenue for one to gain political legitimacy and support, as it promises a distance from the previous regime. However, adopting transitional justice measures did not in any way lead to a change in state behaviour, let alone to institutionalizing and internalizing justice and accountability. I argue in this article that authoritarian regime factors contributed to the impunity for perpetrators and the lack of truth and acknowledgement about past abuses in Indonesia today.
Quantification of 3,4-Dimethyl-1H-Pyrazole Using Ion-Pair LC–MS/MS on a Reversed-Phase Column
Authors: Doran Gregory S , Condon Jason R , Kaveney Brooke F
Published: October 2022

Background

Few methods exist for the analysis of the soil nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole (3,4-DMP), which is a pesticide with the ability to reduce the production of nitrogenous greenhouse gases in soils as a result of fertilizer application. Due to its small size and polar nature, 3,4-DMP can be difficult to retain on an LC column, which makes diversion of a co-extracted soil matrix away from the MS/MS impossible.

Objective

The current study aims to better control the retention time (RT) of 3,4-DMP. Additionally, 3,4-DMP-15N2 was synthesized and used as an internal standard for the soil extraction of 3,4-DMP.

Methods

Perfluoroalkanoic acids were used as ion-pair reagents and were compared for their abilities to improve peak shape and RT, to better separate 3,4-DMP from the soil matrix without the need for cleanup during soil extraction.

Results

RTs increased with both the carbon number and the concentration of the perfluoroalkanoic acid, and this improved peak shape and height. Perfluorooctanoic acid performed best, and improved peak height (PH) and shape were obtained by increasing the flow rate, resulting in a better S/N than from formic acid. The method provided a 10-fold improvement limit of quantitation on the most sensitive existing method and the use of 3,4-DMP-15N2 as an internal standard resulted in recoveries of 101–107%.

Conclusion

Ion-pair reagents drastically increased the retention of 3,4-DMP and allowed the re-use of old LC columns that may otherwise be discarded. Improved separation of 3,4-DMP from the soil matrix allowed much of the matrix to be diverted from the MS/MS spray chamber.

Highlights

Greater control of 3,4-DMP retention by the LC column resulting in the ability to separate 3,4-DMP from the soil matrix. The inclusion of ion-pair reagents only in the aqueous phase reduced ionization suppression of the analytes in the MS source.
Hematocrit Correction of Whole Blood Phosphatidylethanol Concentrations to Estimate Erythrocyte PEth Concentrations: Sensitivity, Specificity and Influence on Test Utility
Authors: White Daniel , Abbas Zadeh Somayeh , O’Halloran Sean , Salman Sam , Joyce David A
Published: October 2022

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) forms in erythrocyte membranes after alcohol consumption, offering a persisting biomarker, that is measurable in whole blood, washed erythrocytes and dried blood spots. For a predominantly erythrocyte-restricted analyte, erythrocyte concentrations seem to have most validity in patients who are anemic through alcoholism or other pathologies, despite preparation increasing assay complexity. Differences in specimen preparation alter PEth concentrations for the same patient, meaning that criteria for interpreting PEth results should relate to specimen type, presenting a barrier to achieving harmonization. We therefore tested whether erythrocyte PEth might be validly calculated by hematocrit correction of a whole blood PEth measurement. PEth testing primarily serves to distinguish drinkers from non-drinkers. In choosing between specimen types, it is important to compare their utility in separating those two groups. We therefore processed 281 blood samples from 17 non-drinkers and 61 drinkers, to prepare matched whole blood and washed erythrocyte specimens. These were assayed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and compared in identifying alcohol consumption. The erythrocyte PEth concentration in the whole blood specimens was also calculated by correcting whole blood concentration by the specimen’s hematocrit, as an alternative to prepare washed erythrocytes. The hematocrit-corrected erythrocyte concentrations were included in these comparisons. Predictably, this work found that sensitivity was consistently better at the lower cut-off of 8 µg/L than at 20 µg/L. Sensitivities were also higher for washed erythrocytes than whole blood, explained by the lower erythrocyte mass in the same volume of whole blood. Hematocrit-corrected whole blood PEth concentrations correlated with erythrocyte concentrations, except for the four highest values, which did not influence comparative sensitivity. Specificity was 100% for washed erythrocytes, whole blood and hematocrit-corrected whole blood at either cut-off because non-drinkers had undetectable PEth. We conclude that hematocrit correction of whole blood PEth concentrations theoretically provides an alternative to the preparation of washed erythrocytes.
When Stigmatization Fails: Russia and Aggression in Ukraine
Authors: Rogstad Adrian
Published: October 2022

Why does stigmatization sometimes fail? The literature on stigma in international relations has done an excellent job of pointing to the role successful stigmatization processes play in the construction and maintenance of normative hierarchies, but there has been far less exploration of the conditions under which they may fail in this purpose and the potential consequences for international security and society. This article contributes such an exploration by focusing on the attempted stigma imposition on Russia following its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for the insurgency in eastern Ukraine. While Russia was stigmatized as an aggressor by a significant part of international society, including through diplomatic isolation and economic sanctions, this failed to deter further Russian aggression, as demonstrated by its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and thus to reinforce the norm of territorial integrity. The article investigates the reasons for this failure, locating them both in insufficient stigma imposition—the difficulty in building and maintaining a committed “audience of normals” and to impose strong enough status loss and material costs—and to some extent in Russia's counter-stigmatizing stigma management. In conclusion, it considers what could in theory be done differently for stigma imposition to “work,” and calls for further research on the connections between stigma and emotion, as a core under-researched factor in the stigma literature.
Musculoskeletal Pains among Phlebotomists in Outpatient Clinics: Prevalence and Association with Personal Factors and Ergonomic Analysis of the Workstation
Authors: Atias-Etzion Sigal , Azuri Joseph
Published: October 2022

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems reported by phlebotomists, and the association of these problems with workstation characteristics and personal factors.

Methods

Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to phlebotomists (n = 115; 65.2% response rate). In addition to the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, we asked respondents to provide sociodemographic data. An ergonomic score was used for the characterization of workstations.

Results

Symptoms in at least 1 body area within a year were reported by 80.7% of the participants. The lower back, neck, and shoulders were the most common areas in which symptoms occurred (72.7%, 60.9%, and 59%, respectively); these were also the areas with the highest incidence of symptoms disrupting work. A logistic regression model for predicting pain within a year found adequate leg space as a significant component of the ergonomic score (P = .045, OR = 0.222), which was also a protective factor for neck pain disrupting work (P = .047, OR = 0.385).

Conclusions

Musculoskeletal problems among phlebotomists were high. Therefore, the positive effects of simple ergonomic measures should be confirmed in further research.
Toward unraveling the correlates of fatigue in glioma
Authors: Röttgering Jantine G , Belgers Vera , De Witt Hamer Philip C , Knoop Hans , Douw Linda , Klein Martin
Published: October 2022

Background

Even though fatigue is one of the most prevalent and burdensome symptoms in patients with glioma, its etiology and determinants are still poorly understood. We aimed to identify which demographic, tumor- and treatment-related characteristics and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are associated with or are predictors of fatigue in glioma.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study, we included glioma patients with preoperative and postoperative assessments including PROMs on fatigue, depression, cognitive functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Linear mixed models were used to identify which clinical factors and PROMs were associated with fatigue and linear multiple regression was used to detect predictors of postoperative fatigue.

Results

In this study, 222 patients were included (78% grade II–III glioma, 22% grade IV). These patients had performed 333 assessments (193 preoperative and 116 one year postoperatively). Of all assessments, 39% was indicative of severe fatigue. Several HRQoL domains, depression, and right-sided tumors were significantly associated with fatigue (marginal R2 = 0.63). Contrary to common expectations, tumor type, treatment-related factors, and timing of the assessment, were not associated with fatigue. In a subgroup of 70 patients with follow-up assessments, preoperative fatigue, and physical functioning were predictors of postoperative fatigue (adjusted R2 = 0.31).

Conclusion

Fatigue is a complex symptom, which should not solely be attributed to the tumor or its treatment, but is instead related to different aspects of mood and HRQoL. These insights are important in understanding fatigue and could guide symptom management, especially in patients with lower-grade tumors.
Micro-alkaline environment enables CO2 electroreduction to multicarbons
Authors: Li Li , Sun Yong-Fu , Xie Yi
Published: October 2022

Improving the efficiency towards multicarbons of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction is desirable but challenging. In this perspective, researchers reported the design of micro-alkaline environment could benefit this issue.
Heat stress associated with aerosol PPE and its impact
Authors: Chaudhari N , Strutton P H , Wickham A J , McGregor A H , Mullington C J
Published: October 2022

Background

Aerosol personal protective equipment (PPE) is subjectively reported to negatively impact healthcare workers’ performance and well-being, but this has not been assessed objectively.

Aims

This randomized controlled crossover study aimed to quantify the heat stress associated with aerosol PPE and to investigate its impact upon mood, cognitive and motor function, and task performance.

Methods

Sixteen healthy, young, lean participants (eight males) undertook an exercise protocol, which simulated the metabolic expenditure of hospital work: once wearing aerosol PPE (PPE visit) and once wearing standard surgical attire (control visit). Participants walked on a treadmill for 2 h followed by 30-min rest. Core temperature, heart rate, urine specific gravity, weight, grip strength, mood (Bond–Lader scale) and task performance (Intubation of a Manikin) were recorded. Values are between-visit mean (standard deviation) differences.

Results

On the PPE visit core temperature (+0.2 (0.3)°C; P < 0.01), heart rate (+12 (13) bpm; P < 0.001), urine specific gravity (+0.003 (0.005); P < 0.05) and intubation task time (+50 (81) s; P < 0.01) were greater than on the control visit; and alertness (−14 (21) mm; P < 0.001), contentment (−14 (15) mm; P < 0.001) and grip strength (−4 (4) N; P < 0.01) were less.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that wearing aerosol PPE in a simulated hospital environment results in heat exhaustion and has a negative impact upon mood, motor function, and task performance. Whilst wearing PPE is important to prevent disease transmission, strategies should be developed to limit its impact upon healthcare workers’ performance and well-being.
Infections Simulating Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Toxicities: Uncommon and Deceptive
Authors: Gudiol Carlota , Hicklen Rachel S , Okhyusen Pablo C , Malek Alexandre E , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P
Published: October 2022

Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a revolutionary treatment in modern oncology, is frequently complicated by immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which can be confused with infections, and vice versa, thus complicating management decisions. In this study, we review the published cases of infections as simulators of irAEs in cancer patients.
There is no universal acceleration scale in galaxies
Authors: Chan Man Ho , Desai Shantanu , Del Popolo Antonino
Published: October 2022

Recently, many studies have seemed to reveal the existence of some correlations between dark matter and baryonic matter. In particular, the unexpected tight radial acceleration relation (RAR) discovered in rotating galaxies has drawn a lot of attention. The RAR suggests the existence of a universal and fundamental acceleration scale in galaxies, which seems to challenge the ΛCDM model and favor some modified gravity theories. A large debate about whether RAR is compatible with the ΛCDM model has arisen. Here, by analyzing the high-quality velocity dispersion profiles of 13 E0-type elliptical galaxies in the SDSS-IV MaNGA sample and assuming a power-law function of radius r for the 3D velocity dispersion in each galaxy, we report the RAR for E0-type elliptical galaxies and we show that the resultant RAR has more than 5σ deviations from the RAR in late-type galaxies. This new RAR provides an independent probe to falsify the existence of any universal acceleration scale in galaxies. Our result significantly challenges those modified gravity theories that suggest the existence of any universal acceleration scale.
Impact of native and invasive cyclopoid predators in relation to the diversity of the zooplankton community
Authors: Valencia-Vargas Meetztli Alejandra , Nandini S , Castellanos PÁez M E , Sarma S S S
Published: October 2022

The ecological impact of invasive species may be less in communities with high species diversity. We hypothesized that the feeding rates of an invasive copepod would be unaffected by high species diversity of prey in the medium as compared with a native species which would have reduced feeding rates under similar conditions. The biotic resistance to prey consumption was evaluated by testing consumption rate of the invasive species: Mesocyclops pehpeiensis and the native species: Mesocyclops longisetus curvatus, Acanthocyclops americanus, Eucyclops sp. and Microcyclops dubitabilis separately exposed to two treatments: high diversity with 13 prey species (rotifers and microcrustaceans) and low diversity with three prey species (determined on the basis of previous studies on zooplankton diversity in Mexican water bodies). We also tested the prey preference index of M. pehpeiensis in the absence and presence of the native copepod M. longisetus curvatus. M. pehpeiensis consumed the same number of prey in both treatments, regardless of high or low diversity conditions, whereas the four native species consumed less prey in the high diversity than the low diversity treatments. High community diversity may not represent an obstacle to the successful establishment of the invasive exotic copepod M. pehpeiensis.
Eisosome disruption by noncoding RNA deletion increases protein secretion in yeast
Authors: Feng Matthew Wenjie , Delneri Daniela , Millar Catherine B , O'Keefe Raymond T
Published: October 2022

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulate many aspects of gene expression. We investigated how ncRNAs affected protein secretion in yeast by large-scale screening for improved endogenous invertase secretion in ncRNA deletion strains with deletion of stable unannotated transcripts (SUTs), cryptic unstable transcripts (CUTs), tRNAs, or snRNAs. We identified three candidate ncRNAs, SUT418, SUT390, and SUT125, that improved endogenous invertase secretion when deleted. As SUTs can affect expression of nearby genes, we quantified adjacent gene transcription and found that the PIL1 gene was down-regulated in the SUT125 deletion strain. Pil1 is a core component of eisosomes, nonmobile invaginations found throughout the plasma membrane. PIL1 knockout alone, or in combination with eisosome components LSP1 or SUR7, resulted in further increased secretion of invertase. Secretion of heterologous GFP was also increased upon PIL1 deletion, but this increase was signal sequence dependent. To reveal the potential for increased biopharmaceutical production, secretion of monoclonal antibody Pexelizumab scFv peptide was increased by PIL1 deletion. Global analysis of secreted proteins revealed that approximately 20% of secreted proteins, especially serine-enriched secreted proteins, including invertase, were increased upon eisosome disruption. Eisosomes are enriched with APC transporters and sphingolipids, which are essential components for secretory vesicle formation and protein sorting. Sphingolipid and serine biosynthesis pathways were up-regulated upon PIL1 deletion. We propose that increased secretion of endogenous and heterologous proteins upon PIL1 deletion resulted from sphingolipid redistribution in the plasma membrane and up-regulated sphingolipid biosynthesis. Overall, a new pathway to improve protein secretion in yeast via eisosome disruption has been identified.
Sex differences in interindividual gene expression variability across human tissues
Authors: Khodursky Samuel , Jiang Caroline S , Zheng Eric B , Vaughan Roger , Schrider Daniel R , Zhao Li
Published: October 2022

Understanding phenotypic sex differences has long been a goal of biology from both a medical and evolutionary perspective. Although much attention has been paid to mean differences in phenotype between the sexes, little is known about sex differences in phenotypic variability. To gain insight into sex differences in interindividual variability at the molecular level, we analyzed RNA-seq data from 43 tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (GTEx). Within each tissue, we identified genes that show sex differences in gene expression variability. We found that these sex-differentially variable (SDV) genes are associated with various important biological functions, including sex hormone response, immune response, and other signaling pathways. By analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data collected from breast epithelial cells, we found that genes with sex differences in gene expression variability in breast tissue tend to be expressed in a cell-type-specific manner. We looked for an association between SDV expression and Graves’ disease, a well-known heavily female-biased disease, and found a significant enrichment of Graves’ associated genes among genes with higher variability in females in thyroid tissue. This suggests a possible role for SDV expression in sex-biased disease. We then examined the evolutionary constraints acting on genes with sex differences in variability and found that they exhibit evidence of increased selective constraint. Through analysis of sex-biased eQTL data, we found evidence that SDV expression may have a genetic basis. Finally, we propose a simple evolutionary model for the emergence of SDV expression from sex-specific constraints.
Pricing Implications of Noise
Authors: Goulding Christian L , Santosh Shrihari , Zhang Xingtan
Published: October 2022

We study the interaction between noisy demand and skewed asset payoffs. In our model, price as a function of quantities is convex in a neighborhood around zero if and only if skewness is positive. The combination of convexity and noise produces the idiosyncratic skewness effect, a documented negative relationship between an asset’s idiosyncratic skewness and its expected return. We further offer an explanation for the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle. Finally, our theory predicts that higher idiosyncratic skewness strengthens the idiosyncratic volatility effect (and vice versa). We find support for this prediction in the cross-section of stock returns.
Efficacy and safety of risankizumab for active psoriatic arthritis: 52-week results from the KEEPsAKE 1 study
Authors: Kristensen Lars Erik , Keiserman Mauro , Papp Kim , McCasland Leslie , White Douglas , Lu Wenjing , Soliman Ahmed M , Eldred Ann , Barcomb Lisa , Behrens Frank
Published: October 2022

Objective

PsA is a chronic disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations requiring treatment options with long-term efficacy and safety. In this follow-up analysis, the 52-week efficacy and safety of risankizumab 150 mg in patients with active PsA who had previous inadequate response/intolerance to one or more conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD-IR) were evaluated.

Methods

KEEPsAKE 1 is an ongoing, global, phase 3 study with a 24-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled period (period 1) and an open-label extension period (period 2). In period 1, eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous risankizumab 150 mg or placebo at weeks 0, 4 and 16. At week 24 (period 2), all continuing patients received open-label risankizumab 150 mg every 12 weeks through week 208.

Results

At week 24, 57.3% of risankizumab-treated patients (n = 483) achieved ≥20% improvement in ACR criteria (ACR20) vs 33.5% of placebo-treated patients (n = 481; P < 0.001). At week 52, 70.0% of patients who were randomized to receive continuous risankizumab therapy and 63.0% of patients who were randomized to receive placebo in period 1 and then receive risankizumab at week 24 achieved ACR20. Similar result trends were observed for other efficacy measures. Risankizumab was well tolerated through 52 weeks of treatment with a consistent safety profile from week 24 through week 52.

Conclusion

In patients with active PsA who were csDMARD-IR, continuous risankizumab treatment demonstrated robust long-term efficacy and was well tolerated through 52 weeks of treatment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, KEEPsAKE1, NCT03675308.
Plating of Proximal Ulna Fractures Using Posterolateral Distal Humerus Plates: Surgical Technique and Case Series
Authors: Imada Allicia O. , McArthur Samuel , Morrell Nathan T.
Published: October 2022

Precontoured olecranon plates are frequently used in the management of proximal ulna fractures. Occasionally, in comminuted proximal ulna fractures or segmental ulna fractures, available precontoured olecranon plates are too short for the management of these fractures. The authors have utilized posterolateral distal humerus plates in these instances. The coronal bend in some posterolateral distal humerus plates anecdotally fits well to the proximal ulna, despite being designed for the distal humerus. We sought to measure the coronal angulation of precontoured posterolateral distal humerus plates from various companies and compare these to established proximal ulna angles. Case examples are also provided.
Caring for the Bereaved Parents in the NICU
Authors: Mirlashari Jila , Nikbakht Nasrabadi Alireza , Holsti Liisa , Ghorbani Fatemeh , Hosseini Mohammad Bagher , Fadaei Zeinab
Published: October 2022

Purpose:

Grief after infant death is a common experience of bereaved parents often seen in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU staff tend to focus more on the mother's support, and fathers are often not treated equally as mothers. This study aimed to investigate the circumstance of caring for parents facing infant death in NICUs.

Methods:

Twenty-eight face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted between March 2018 and April 2019 in the northwest of Iran. Participants were selected via purposive sampling. An inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis.

Results:

Three main themes and 7 subthemes were extracted. The main themes were: “the father—the missing piece of the puzzle in the mourning process,” “restricted presence of fathers due to religious and traditional beliefs,” and “the father—the patience stone.”

Conclusion:

Due to cultural-religious backgrounds, traditional beliefs, structural problems, and organizational restrictions, fathers in NICUs do not receive adequate support, particularly when faced with their infant's death. Bereaved fathers need to receive more support and attention from healthcare providers. Therefore, there is a need for changing the care providers' attitudes regarding the role of fathers and the quality of support that fathers should receive in the Muslim populations.
Functional analysis of the antigen binding sites on the MTB/HIV-1 peptide bispecific T-cell receptor complementarity determining region 3α
Authors: Zhou Chao-Ying , Wang Rui-Ning , He Wen-Ting , Luo Dong-Rong , Yuan Si-Rui , Wen Qian , Hu Sheng-Feng , Zhou Xin-Ying , Ma Li
Published: October 2022

Objective:

Mycobacterium tuberculosis/human immunodeficiency virus (MTB/HIV) coinfection has become an urgent problem in the field of prevention and control of infectious diseases in recent years. Adoptive cellular immunotherapy using antigen-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells which recognize the specific antigen artificially may have tremendous potential in anti-MTB/HIV coinfection. We have previously successfully identified a MTB Ag85B199–207 and HIV-1 Env120–128 peptide-bispecific TCR screened out from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a HLA-A∗0201+ healthy individual and have further studied that how residues on the predicted complementarity determining region (CDR) 3 of the β chain contribute to the bispecific TCR contact with the peptide-MHC. However, it is not clear which amino acids in the predicted CDR3α of the bispecific TCR play a crucial role in ligand recognition.

Methods:

The variants in the CDR3α of the bispecific TCR were generated using alanine substitution. We then evaluated the immune effects of the five variants on T-cell recognition upon encounter with the MTB or HIV-1 antigen.

Results:

Mutation of two amino acids (E112A, Y115A) in CDR3α of the bispecific TCR caused a markedly diminished T-cell response to antigen, whereas mutation of the other three amino acids (S113A, P114A, S116A) resulted in completely eliminated response.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that Ser113, Pro114 and Ser116 in CDR3α of the bispecific TCR are especially important for antigen recognition. These results will pave the way for the future development of an improved high-affinity bispecific TCR for use in adoptive cellular immunotherapy for MTB/HIV coinfected patients.
Insights for applying N,S-doped carbon dots as a fluorescent nanoprobe for estimation of some nitro-calcium channel blockers
Authors: Abd Elhaleem Shymaa M. , Shalan Sh. , Belal F. , Elsebaei F.
Published: October 2022

A facile and simple one-step hydrothermal approach was adopted for fabrication of N and S co-doped carbon quantum dots probe (NSCDs) by using thiosemicarbazide as a dopant and citric acid as a precursor. The prepared NSCDs with a high quantum yield of 0.58 were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The as-obtained NSCDs could be deemed as an effective fluorescent nanosensor for the determination of some anti-hypertensive nitro-calcium channel blockers (Nitro-CCBs) including nicardipine (NIC), nifedipine (NIF) and nimodipine (NIM) whether in pure form or in their pharmaceutical formulations. Measurements of NSCD emission intensity were performed at 416 nm after being excited at 345 nm. Nitro-CCBs could induce quenching in the native fluorescence of NSCDs due to the inner filter effect and static quenching mechanism. The studied compounds were investigated within linear detection range of (10.0–100.0 µM) for NIC, (5.0–60.0 µM) for NIF and (5.0–60.0 µM) for NIM. Correlation coefficients are greater than or equal to 0.9998 and detection limits are ranged between 0.55 and 1.86 µM. The proposed method was extended to estimate the studied compounds in different pharmaceutical samples with high % recoveries ranging from (97.95 to 101.28%) and low % relative standard deviation values (less than 2%). Validation of the developed spectrofluorimetric method was done along with the International Council of Harmonization requirements.
Fuzzy optimization for identifying anti-cancer targets with few side effects in constraint-based models of head and neck cancer
Authors: Wang Feng-Sheng , Chen Pei-Rong , Chen Ting-Yu , Zhang Hao-Xiang
Published: October 2022

Computer-aided methods can be used to screen potential candidate targets and to reduce the time and cost of drug development. In most of these methods, synthetic lethality is used as a therapeutic criterion to identify drug targets. However, these methods do not consider the side effects during the identification stage. This study developed a fuzzy multi-objective optimization for identifying anti-cancer targets that not only evaluated cancer cell mortality, but also minimized side effects due to treatment. We identified potential anti-cancer enzymes and antimetabolites for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC). The identified one- and two-target enzymes were primarily involved in six major pathways, namely, purine and pyrimidine metabolism and the pentose phosphate pathway. Most of the identified targets can be regulated by approved drugs; thus, these drugs are potential candidates for drug repurposing as a treatment for HNC. Furthermore, we identified antimetabolites involved in pathways similar to those identified using a gene-centric approach. Moreover,
HMGCR
knockdown could not block the growth of HNC cells. However, the two-target combinations of (
UMPS
,
HMGCR
) and (
CAD
,
HMGCR
) could achieve cell mortality and improve metabolic deviation grades over 22% without reducing the cell viability grade.
A link model approach to identify congestion hotspots
Authors: Bassolas Aleix , Gómez Sergio , Arenas Alex
Published: October 2022

Congestion emerges when high demand peaks put transportation systems under stress. Understanding the interplay between the spatial organization of demand, the route choices of citizens and the underlying infrastructures is thus crucial to locate congestion hotspots and mitigate the delay. Here we develop a model where links are responsible for the processing of vehicles, which can be solved analytically before and after the onset of congestion, and provide insights into the global and local congestion. We apply our method to synthetic and real transportation networks, observing a strong agreement between the analytical solutions and the Monte Carlo simulations, and a reasonable agreement with the travel times observed in 12 cities under congested phase. Our framework can incorporate any type of routing extracted from real trajectory data to provide a more detailed description of congestion phenomena, and could be used to dynamically adapt the capacity of road segments according to the flow of vehicles, or reduce congestion through hotspot pricing.
Inferring the shape of data: a probabilistic framework for analysing experiments in the natural sciences
Authors: Ray Korak Kumar , Verma Anjali R. , Gonzalez Ruben L. , Kinz-Thompson Colin D.
Published: October 2022

A critical step in data analysis for many different types of experiments is the identification of features with theoretically defined shapes in

N

-dimensional datasets; examples of this process include finding peaks in multi-dimensional molecular spectra or emitters in fluorescence microscopy images. Identifying such features involves determining if the overall shape of the data is consistent with an expected shape; however, it is generally unclear how to quantitatively make this determination. In practice, many analysis methods employ subjective, heuristic approaches, which complicates the validation of any ensuing results—especially as the amount and dimensionality of the data increase. Here, we present a probabilistic solution to this problem by using Bayes’ rule to calculate the probability that the data have any one of several potential shapes. This probabilistic approach may be used to objectively compare how well different theories describe a dataset, identify changes between datasets and detect features within data using a corollary method called Bayesian Inference-based Template Search; several proof-of-principle examples are provided. Altogether, this mathematical framework serves as an automated ‘engine’ capable of computationally executing analysis decisions currently made by visual inspection across the sciences.
Heat flow wave in suspended graphene
Authors: Xu Mingtian
Published: October 2022

Based on the Guyer–Krumhansl equation, a new form of governing equation for phonon hydrodynamic transport in two-dimensional non-metallic materials is derived, which is only related to heat flux. The solution of this governing equation shows that there is a new wave phenomenon in the phonon hydrodynamic transport, which is called heat flow wave, that is, the damped oscillation of heat flux. The occurrence conditions of the heat flow wave and resonance are analytically deduced. These conditions are different from that of second sound in phonon hydrodynamic transports. The occurrence conditions of the heat flow wave indicate that a small normal scattering time is a necessary condition for the occurrence of the heat flow wave, and the shape and size of suspended graphene have a significant influence on the occurrence of the heat flow wave. It is found that the frequency of the heat flux wave is lower than that of the second sound.
Theta neuron subject to delayed feedback: a prototypical model for self-sustained pulsing
Authors: Laing Carlo R. , Krauskopf Bernd
Published: October 2022

We consider a single theta neuron with delayed self-feedback in the form of a Dirac delta function in time. Because the dynamics of a theta neuron on its own can be solved explicitly—it is either excitable or shows self-pulsations—we are able to derive algebraic expressions for the existence and stability of the periodic solutions that arise in the presence of feedback. These periodic solutions are characterized by one or more equally spaced pulses per delay interval, and there is an increasing amount of multistability with increasing delay time. We present a complete description of where these self-sustained oscillations can be found in parameter space; in particular, we derive explicit expressions for the loci of their saddle-node bifurcations. We conclude that the theta neuron with delayed self-feedback emerges as a prototypical model: it provides an analytical basis for understanding pulsating dynamics observed in other excitable systems subject to delayed self-coupling.
Applying the indexing system for assessment of effectiveness of the exhaust emission compliance certification process for passenger cars
Authors: Pandey Abhinav , Pandey Govind , Mishra Rajeev Kumar
Published: October 2022

The inspection/maintenance programmes exist in most countries, aiming at vehicular emission reduction through exhaust emission monitoring and compliance policy to the extant norms. However, considering the absence of an intra-vehicle approach, the higher success rate of vehicles towards compliance policy remains a grey area. The paper attempts to examine this issue through the application of an exhaust emission index (EEI) for petrol-driven cars. The study observed two different scales finding that the Bharat Stage emission norm scale method reports lower ranges of EEI compared with the linear scale (LS) method (EEI
min-BSNS
 = 1.12 and EEI
min-LS
 = 1.25; EEI
max-BSNS
 = 20.70 and EEI
max-LS
 = 29.54). The LS method and the maximum operator form of aggregation are recommended as these can find the highest number of non-compliant cars (21.81% and 12.03% of the ‘poor’ class, respectively) in the whole fleet tested. The EEI gives a more scientific approach to vehicular emission evaluation, like what the air quality index does in the case of the ambient air quality. It helps vehicle owners know their car's emission status as a quick reference index (EEI). The accurate status of such emission further helps the policymakers affect the better phasing-out norms.