bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low‐cost automated capillary electrophoresis instrument assembled from commercially available parts
Authors: Furter Jasmine S. , Boillat Marc‐Aurèle , Hauser Peter C.
Published: September 2020

A CE instrument that can be assembled from commercially available components with minimal construction effort is described. Except for the electronic control circuitry no specially made parts are required. It is based on a flexible design of microfluidic, electropneumatic, and electronic sections and different configurations can easily be implemented. Automated injection into the capillary is performed hydrodynamically by the application of a pressure for a controlled length of time. The performance of the device was tested with a contactless conductivity detector by separating different metal ions. In addition, nine metal cations related to the quality of honey were separated in 2.3 min and four honey samples were analysed quantitatively to demonstrate the applicability of the method.
Immediate and partial neural dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery: Need for recognition, laryngeal exam, and early treatment
Authors: Dhillon Vaninder K. , Randolph Gregory W. , Stack Brendan C. , Lindeman Brenessa , Bloom Gary , Sinclair Catherine F. , Woodson Gayle , Brooks Jennifer A. , Childs Lesley F. , Esfandiari Nazanene H. , Evangelista Lisa , Guardiani Elizabeth , Quintanilla‐Dieck Lourdes , Naunheim Matthew R. , Shindo Maisie , Singer Michael , Tolley Neil , Angelos Peter , Kupfer Robbi , Banuchi Victoria , Liddy Whitney , Tufano Ralph P.
Published: September 2020

Background

Laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery requires early recognition and a standardized approach for patients that present with voice, swallowing, and breathing issues. The Endocrine Committee of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) convened a panel to define the terms “immediate vocal fold paralysis” and “partial neural dysfunction” and to provide clinical consensus statements based on review of the literature, integrated with expert opinion of the group.

Methods

A multidisciplinary expert panel constructed the manuscript and recommendations for laryngeal dysfunction after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. A meta‐analysis was performed using the literature and published guidelines. Consensus was achieved using polling and a modified Delphi approach.

Results

Twenty‐two panelists achieved consensus on five statements regarding the role of early identification and standardization of evaluation for patients with “immediate vocal fold paralysis” and “partial neural dysfunction” after thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

Conclusion

After endorsement by the AHNS Endocrine Section and Quality of Care Committee, it received final approval from the AHNS Council.
Clinicopathological and prognostic features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children and adolescents: A retrospective study of 196 cases in South China
Authors: Zhang Jijun , Luo Xiaoya , Huang Qitao , Huang Yuhua
Published: September 2020

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurring in children and adolescence is extremely rare and till present there is a lack of understanding on their clinicopathological and prognostic features of this rare entity. For our study, data of 196 cases children and adolescents with NPC from the past 18 years at a high‐volume cancer center from South China were retrospectively analyzed. Half of the evaluated NPC patients (83/166, 50.0%) were staged as Stage IVa disease, whereas 1.2% (2/166), 27.7% (46/166), 16.9% (28/166) and 4.2% (7/166) had Stage II, III, IVb and IVc disease, respectively. Serum EBV EA‐IgA ≥1:10 and VCA‐IgA ≥1:40 were found in 67.7% (113/167) and 76.6% (128/167) of the evaluated patients, respectively, whereas 56.8% (84/148) of the patients had plasma EBV DNA ≥1000 copies/mL. Histologically, all tumors were classified as nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (NK‐SCC). Immunohistochemistrically, the expression of CK (AE1/AE3), P63, CK5/6 and P40 were observed in 100% (88/88), 93.2% (68/73), 84.1% (58/69) and 63.2% (12/19) of the detected cases, respectively. All cases show similar immunophenotype compared to that occurring in adult patients. All evaluated cases (71/71 100%) harbored EBER. Patients with plasma EBV DNA ≥1000 copies/mL and positive serum EBV antibodies had significantly inferior 3‐year OS (88% vs 100%, P = .007) compared to other corresponding groups. The combination of EBV serology and plasma EBV DNA are useful to predict the outcome of patients with NPC in children and adolescents.
Population estimates, consequences, and risk factors of obesity among pregnant and postpartum women in India: Results from a national survey and policy recommendations
Authors: Chopra Mansi , Kaur Naman , Singh Konsam Dinachandra , Maria Jacob Chandni , Divakar Hema , Babu Giridhara R. , Hong Nguyen Phuong , Bhanot Arti , Sabharwal Manisha , Deb Sila , Baswal Dinesh , Louise Killeen Sarah , McAuliffe Fionnuala M. , Hanson Mark A. , Sethi Vani
Published: September 2020

Objective

To examine prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of maternal obesity; and provide evidence on current policies and programs to manage maternal obesity in India.

Methods

This is a mixed‐methods study. We analyzed the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)‐4 data (2015–16) to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of obesity, followed by a desk review of literature and stakeholder mapping with interviews to develop policy guidance.

Results

National prevalence of obesity (defined by WHO as body mass index ≥25) was comparable among pregnant (12%) and postpartum women (13%) ≥20 years of age. A high prevalence of obesity (>40%) was observed in over 30 districts in multiple states. Older maternal age, urban residence, increasing wealth quintile, and secondary education were associated with increased odds of obesity among pregnant and postpartum women; higher education increased odds among postpartum women only (OR 1.90; 95% CI, 1.44–2.52). Dietary variables were not associated with obesity. Several implementation challenges across healthcare system blocks were observed at policy level.

Conclusion

Overall prevalence of obesity in India during and after pregnancy is high, with huge variation across districts. Policy and programs must be state‐specific focusing on prevention, screening, and management of obesity among pregnant and postpartum women.
Smart face identification via improved LBP and HOG features
Authors: Sun Mingsi , Li Dongmei
Published: September 2020

Smart face identification is widely used in smart city and smart healthcare. However, smart face identification technology is susceptible to envirnmental factor, such as illumination, mask, and expression. In order to fully extract facial feature information, we fuse an improved local binary pattern (LBP) and the histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) to extract the texture and detailed features on the face. The 2DPCA + PCA is used to reduce the dimensionality of the extracted features. The 2DPCA sloves the issue that the model is too complex when the feature dimension is very high. The feature reduction reduces the calculation scale and increases the calculation speed. Finally, experimental results on ORL and Yale face databases show that the feature extraction based on the fusion of improved LBP and HOG complement with each other. Compared with other recognition algorithms, the improved algorithm has higher recognition and identification rate.
Synthesis, antimicrobial screening, and docking study of new 2‐(2‐ethylpyridin‐4‐yl)‐4‐methyl‐N‐phenylthiazole‐5‐carboxamide derivatives
Authors: Kasare Sanghratna L. , Gund Pornima N. , Sathe Bhaurao P. , Patil Pravin S. , Rehman Naziya N. M. A. , Dixit Prashant P. , Choudhari Prafulla B. , Haval Kishan P.
Published: September 2020

A series of new 2‐(2‐ethylpyridin‐4‐yl)‐4‐methyl‐N‐phenylthiazole‐5‐carboxamide derivatives (5a‐l) were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activities. Among the screened compounds, 5b, 5d, 5e, 5f, and 5j have shown promising antimicrobial activities against both bacterial and fungal pathogens. A molecular docking study was conducted to know the probable mode of action of synthesized derivatives for antimicrobial activity. The active compounds have shown excellent binding affinity toward DNA gyrase and lumazine synthase enzymes. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized thiazole‐carboxamide derivatives were calculated. It has displayed the potential to be a reasonable oral bioavailability drug as determined by Lipinski's rule.
Hydroclimatic variability in Santiago (Chile) since the 16th century
Authors: Serrano‐Notivoli Roberto , Tejedor Ernesto , Sarricolea Pablo , Meseguer‐Ruiz Oliver , Vuille Mathias , Fuentealba Magdalena , de Luis Martín
Published: September 2020

The long‐term hydroclimatic variability in Santiago (Chile) was analysed by means of a new 481‐year (1536–2016 CE) tree‐ring reconstruction of the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) of August, integrating the hydroclimatic conditions during the preceding 14 months. Results show a high frequency of extreme drought events in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, while the frequency of extreme wet events was higher in the 17th–18th centuries. The mid‐20th century represents a breaking point for the hydroclimatic history in the region, including some significant changes: (a) the interannual variability increased; (b) the wet events became less intense; (c) the extreme dry events became more frequent; and (d) the most intense dry event of the entire period was identified, coinciding with the so‐called Megadrought (2006–2016). A correlation analysis between the reconstructed SPEI and three climate indices (PDO, SOI and Niño3.4) was performed at monthly scale, considering different multi‐annual aggregations. The analysis shows diverse impacts on the hydroclimatic variability, with positive correlations between SPEI and PDO as well as Niño3.4, and negative correlations between SPEI and SOI. The most significant correlations were, overall, found at multi‐annual time scales (>7 years). Results help to better understand the current hydroclimatic changes (Megadrought) in a long‐term context.
Advanced glycation end products cause RAGE‐dependent annulus fibrosus collagen disruption and loss identified using in situ second harmonic generation imaging in mice intervertebral disk in vivo and in organ culture models
Authors: Hoy Robert C. , D'Erminio Danielle N. , Krishnamoorthy Divya , Natelson Devorah M. , Laudier Damien M. , Illien‐Jünger Svenja , Iatridis James C.
Published: September 2020

Aging and diabetes are associated with increased low‐back pain and intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration yet causal mechanisms remain uncertain. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which accumulate in IVDs from aging and are implicated in diabetes‐related disorders, alter collagen and induce proinflammatory conditions. A need exists for methods that assess IVD collagen quality and degradation in order to better characterize specific structural changes in IVDs due to AGE accumulation and to identify roles for the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). We used multiphoton microscopy with second harmonic generation (SHG), collagen‐hybridizing peptide (CHP), and image analysis methods to characterize effects of AGEs and RAGE on collagen quality and quantity in IVD annulus fibrosus (AF). First, we used SHG imaging on thin sections with an in vivo dietary mouse model and determined that high‐AGE (H‐AGE) diets increased AF fibril disruption and collagen degradation resulting in decreased total collagen content, suggesting an early degenerative cascade. Next, we used in situ SHG imaging with an ex vivo IVD organ culture model of AGE challenge on wild type and RAGE‐knockout (RAGE‐KO) mice and determined that early degenerative changes to collagen quality and degradation were RAGE dependent. We conclude that AGE accumulation leads to RAGE‐dependent collagen disruption in the AF and can initiate molecular and tissue level collagen disruption. Furthermore, SHG and CHP analyzes were sensitive to collagenous alterations at multiple hierarchical levels due to AGE and may be useful in identifying additional contributors to collagen damage in IVD degeneration processes.
The Chinese scientific publication system: Specific features, specific challenges
Authors: Wang Jing , Halffman Willem , Zwart Hub
Published: September 2020

By introducing new policy initiatives, China is trying to change the evaluation of scientific research, shifting the focus from counting publication output to stressing high‐quality research, with the objective of achieving excellent science. Against this background, the scientific publication system itself is important for safeguarding high‐quality publications and high‐quality journals. However, the Chinese scientific publication system has some specificities and unique features, which also create particular challenges. This article describes the scientific publication system in China. It covers the Chinese ex‐ante journal licensing examination, the triple ownership management structure and provides an overview of the editorial process of Chinese scientific journals. It analyses how difficulties in the Chinese scientific publication system relate to concerns over research quality and integrity. We conclude with an agenda of the crucial issues facing the current Chinese attempts to promote quality in scientific publications.
The role of photomineralization for CO2 emissions in boreal lakes along a gradient of dissolved organic matter
Authors: Allesson Lina , Koehler Birgit , Thrane Jan‐Erik , Andersen Tom , Hessen Dag O.
Published: September 2020

Many boreal lakes are experiencing an increase in concentrations of terrestrially derived dissolved organic matter (DOM)—a process commonly labeled “browning.” Browning affects microbial and photochemical mineralization of DOM, and causes increased light attenuation and hence reduced photosynthesis. Consequently, browning regulates lake heterotrophy and net CO2‐efflux to the atmosphere. Climate and environmental change makes ecological forecasting and global carbon cycle modeling increasingly important. A proper understanding of the magnitude and relative contribution from CO2‐generating processes for lakes ranging in dissolve organic carbon (DOC) concentrations is therefore crucial for constraining models and forecasts. Here, we aim to study the relative contribution of photomineralization to total CO2 production in 70 Scandinavian lakes along an ecosystem gradient of DOC concentration. We combined spectral data from the lakes with regression estimates between optical parameters and wavelength specific photochemical reactivity to estimate rates of photochemical DOC mineralization. Further, we estimated total in‐lake CO2‐production and efflux from lake chemical and physical data. Photochemical mineralization corresponded on average to 9% ± 1% of the total CO2‐evasion, with the highest contribution in clear lakes. The calculated relative contribution of photochemical mineralization to total in‐lake CO2‐production was about 3% ± 0.2% in all lakes. Although lakes differed substantially in color, depth‐integrated photomineralization estimates were similar in all lakes, regardless of DOC concentrations. DOC concentrations were positively related to CO2‐efflux and total in‐lake CO2‐production but negatively related to primary production. We conclude that enhanced rates of photochemical mineralization will be a minor contributor to increased heterotrophy under increased browning.
Monoacylglycerol Acyltransferase 1 Knockdown Exacerbates Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice With Hepatic Steatosis
Authors: Liss Kim H. H. , Ek Shelby E. , Lutkewitte Andrew J. , Pietka Terri A. , He Mai , Skaria Priya , Tycksen Eric , Ferguson Daniel , Blanc Valerie , Graham Mark J. , Hall Angela M. , McGill Mitchell R. , McCommis Kyle S. , Finck Brian N.
Published: September 2020

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming the most common indication for liver transplantation. The growing prevalence of NAFLD not only increases the demand for liver transplantation, but it also limits the supply of available organs because steatosis predisposes grafts to ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and many steatotic grafts are discarded. We have shown that monoacylglycerol acyltransferase (MGAT) 1, an enzyme that converts monoacylglycerol to diacylglycerol, is highly induced in animal models and patients with NAFLD and is an important mediator in NAFLD‐related insulin resistance. Herein, we sought to determine whether Mogat1 (the gene encoding MGAT1) knockdown in mice with hepatic steatosis would reduce liver injury and improve liver regeneration following experimental IRI. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) were used to knockdown the expression of M
o
gat1 in a mouse model of NAFLD. Mice then underwent surgery to induce IRI. We found that M
ogat1 knockdown reduced hepatic triacylglycerol accumulation, but it unexpectedly exacerbated liver injury and mortality following experimental ischemia/reperfusion surgery in mice on a high‐fat diet. The increased liver injury was associated with robust effects on the hepatic transcriptome following IRI including enhanced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and suppression of enzymes involved in intermediary metabolism. These transcriptional changes were accompanied by increased signs of oxidative stress and an impaired regenerative response. We have shown that M
ogat1 knockdown in a mouse model of NAFLD exacerbates IRI and inflammation and prolongs injury resolution, suggesting that Mogat1 may be necessary for liver regeneration following IRI and that targeting this metabolic enzyme will not be an effective treatment to reduce steatosis‐associated graft dysfunction or failure.
Focusing nonlinear Hartree equation with inverse‐square potential
Authors: Chen Yu , Lu Jing , Meng Fanfei
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we consider the scattering theory of the radial solution to focusing energy‐subcritical Hartree equation with inverse‐square potential in the energy space using the method from [4]. The main difficulties are due to the fact that the equation is not space‐translation invariant and that the nonlinearity is non‐local. Using the radial Sobolev embedding and a virial‐Morawetz type estimate we can exclude the concentration of mass near the origin. Besides, we can overcome the weak dispersive estimate when , using the dispersive estimate established by [23].
Treatment of secondary scrotal and lower extremity lymphedema using combined pedicled lymph node transfer and lymphaticovenous anastomosis: A case report
Authors: Abdelfattah Usama , Elbanoby Tarek , Ayad Wael , Elshamy Mahmoud , Allam Eatmad
Published: September 2020

Combined secondary scrotal and lower extremity lymphedema is an infrequent complication of radical excision of urogenital cancers associated with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Scrotal lymphedema is usually psychologically distressing, and difficult to treat. We report a case of a 41‐years old male who presented with scrotal and left lower extremity lymphedema after radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy successfully treated with pedicled superficial inguinal lymph node (SILN) transfer and lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) restoring the lymphatic drainage. The flap consisted of subscarpal adipofascial tissue between the level of the inguinal ligament and the groin crease measuring 11 × 7 cm. The flap composed of afferent lymphatics from the lower abdomen, lymph nodes, and fatty tissue without skin, the right‐sided flap was transposed to the root of scrotum while the left one to the proximal left thigh, then two‐level LVA were performed in the left extremity. The surgery went uneventful with no postoperative complications. At a 9 month follow‐up, there was a significant reduction of the scrotal volume with a reduction of excess volume of the lower extremity from 49.6 to 9.4% compared with the healthy side. No cellulitis was reported during the follow‐up period with improvement in the patient's clinical symptoms and quality of life. We believe that pedicled superficial inguinal lymph node flap together with LVA is a reliable and safe treatment option for either scrotal or lower extremity lymphedema following pelvic cancer treatment.
A thread‐block‐wise computational framework for large‐scale hierarchical continuum‐discrete modeling of granular media
Authors: Zhao Shiwei , Zhao Jidong , Liang Weijian
Published: September 2020

This article presents a novel, scalable parallel computing framework for large‐scale and multiscale simulations of granular media. Key to the new framework is an innovative thread‐block‐wise representative volume element (RVE) parallelism, inspired by the resemblance between a typical multiscale computational hierarchy and the hierarchical thread structure of graphics processing units (GPUs). To solve a hierarchical multiscale problem, all computation in an RVE is assigned a single block of threads so that the RVE runs entirely on a GPU to avoid frequent data exchange with the host CPU. The thread blocks can meanwhile run in an asynchronization mode, which implicitly guarantees the independence of inter‐RVE computation as featured by the hierarchical multiscale structure. The parallel computing algorithms are formulated and implemented in an in‐house code, GoDEM, involving the GPU‐specific techniques such as coalesced access, shared memory utilization, and unified memory implementation. Benchmark and performance tests are conducted against an open‐source CPU‐based DEM code under three typical loading conditions. The performance of GoDEM is examined with varying thread‐block size and register pressure of the GPU, and RVE number. It reveals that increasing GPU occupancy by decreasing register pressure results in a significant degradation rather than improvement in performance. We further demonstrate that the proposed GPU parallelism framework may achieve a saturated speedup of approximately 350 compared with the single‐CPU‐core code. As a demonstration on its application for multiscale modeling of granular media, the material point method is coupled with the new framework powered DEM to simulate a typical engineering‐scale problem involving tens of millions of total particles having to be handled. It demonstrates that a speedup of approximately 91 can be achieved by using the proposed framework, compared with the performance of a similar CPU program running on a cluster node of 44 parallel threads. The study offers a viable future solution to large‐scale and multiscale modeling of granular media.
Back to school: Keeping your skills sharp
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: September 2020

While “back to school” in 2020 looks different than in years past, as the calendar flips to September and beyond, you still might experience the familiar fall feeling of a new beginning.
Stay focused and reduce stress while working from home, meeting virtually
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: September 2020

One of the major challenges almost all sectors have faced during the COVID‐19 pandemic has been the adjustment to working from home and conducting business virtually. The transition, along with seemingly endless virtual conference meetings and the anxiety and stress over the pandemic, might have made it difficult to focus over the last few months, or to feel productive.
Abolish barriers to a diverse campus by removing GRE, GMAT requirements
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: September 2020

Guillermo Prado, Ph.D., is not only the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Miami, he is also a double graduate of that institution, having earned his master's degree and doctoral degree from it. It's an experience that helped Prado gain particular insight into the needs of the students and faculty he now serves.
Meta-Analysis on Induction Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Mané Maïmouna , Benkhaled Sofian , Dragan Tatiana , Paesmans Marianne , Beauvois Sylvie , Lalami Yassine , Szturz Petr , Gaye P. Macoumba , Vermorken Jan B. , Van Gestel Dirk
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Concurrent chemo radiotherapy (CCRT) has been the standard of care in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) for many years. The role of induction chemotherapy (ICT) has always been controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the value of adding ICT to CCRT in LA-NPC.

Materials and Methods

Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ICT followed by CCRT versus CCRT alone, including treatment-naive adult patients with histologically proven nonmetastatic LA-NPC.

Results

Eight RCTs with in total 2,384 randomized patients, of whom 69% had N2–N3 disease, were selected. ICT was the allocated treatment in 1,200 patients, of whom 1,161 actually received this. Treatment compliance varied, with a median rate of 92% (range, 86%–100%) of patients receiving all cycles of ICT. The percentage of patients completing radiotherapy was 96% and 95% [(Combined Risk difference(CRD)= 0.004; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) –0.001–0.01; p = 0.14)] in the ICT group and CCRT group, respectively, whereas chemotherapy during radiotherapy could be completed in only 28% of the ICT group versus 61% in the CCRT group (CRD, −0.243; 95% CI, −0.403 to −0.083; p = .003). Grade 3–4 acute toxicity was mostly hematologic during the ICT phase (496 events vs. 191 nonhematologic) and was predominant in the ICT group (1,596 events vs. 1,073 in the CCRT alone group) during the CCRT. Adding ICT to CCRT provided a significant benefit in overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.680; 95% CI, 0.511–0.905; p = .001) and progression-free survival (HR, 0.657; 95% CI, 0.568–0.760; p < .001).

Conclusion

Although ICT followed by CCRT is associated with more acute toxicity and a lower compliance of the chemotherapy during the CCRT phase, this association resulted in a clinically meaningful survival benefit. ICT should be considered as a standard option in patients with LA-NPC, but further study on optimal patient selection for this treatment is warranted.

Implications for Practice

Locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) is a relatively common disease in some parts of the world, with a rather poor prognosis due to its high metastatic potential. The role of induction chemotherapy (ICT) has always been controversial. This meta-analysis found that ICT followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in LA-NPC is associated with a significant clinical improvement in both overall survival and progression-free survival compared with CCRT alone. ICT should be considered as a standard option in patients with LA-NPC.
Cost-Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab plus Axitinib Versus Sunitinib as First-Line Therapy in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma in the U.S.
Authors: Ding Dong , Hu Huabin , Shi Yin , She Longjiang , Yao Linli , Zhu Youwen , Zeng Shan , Shen Liangfang , Huang Jin
Published: September 2020

Background

The data from the phase III clinical trial KEYNOTE-426 indicated that pembrolizumab plus axitinib compared with sunitinib could generate clinical benefits in patients with previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Given the incremental clinical benefits, we examined the potential cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab plus axitinib versus sunitinib in the first-line setting for patients with advanced RCC from the U.S. payers’ perspective.

Materials and Methods

Cost and health outcomes were estimated at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $100,000 to $150,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed by varying potentially modifiable parameters, and additional subgroup analyses were performed as well.

Results

Upon our analyses, the total treatment costs in the pembrolizumab plus axitinib and sunitinib groups were $522,796 and $348,424 and the QALYs gained 2.90 and 1.72, respectively. In the base-case analysis, compared with receiving sunitinib, patients with advanced RCC receiving pembrolizumab plus axitinib gained 1.18 more QALYs at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $148,676/QALY. The results of subgroup analyses demonstrated that pembrolizumab plus axitinib was most cost-effective for patients who had one organ with metastasis.

Conclusion

First-line treatment with pembrolizumab plus axitinib, compared with sunitinib, is a cost-effective strategy when the value of WTP is from $100,000 to $150,000 per QALY in patients with advanced RCC. For patients with one-organ metastasis and those in International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium poor risk group, first-line treatment with pembrolizumab plus axitinib is more cost-effective than others.

Implications for Practice

This was the first study to examine the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab plus axitinib versus sunitinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study found that first-line treatment with pembrolizumab plus axitinib is a cost-effective strategy when the value of willingness-to-pay is from $100,000 to $150,000 per quality-adjusted life-year in patients with advanced RCC from the U.S. payers’ perspective.
Graphene‐reinforced potato starch composite films: Improvement of mechanical, barrier and electrical properties
Authors: Gürler Nedim , Torğut Gülben
Published: September 2020

In this study, PSG composite films were prepared by casting method by adding graphene (G) to glycerol plasticized potato starch (PS) films. The structure and properties of the composite films were investigated attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR), X‐ray analysis (XRD), and swelling capacity, total soluble matter, transparency, tensile strength, and electrical conductivity. When the G content of PSG composite films increased from 0% to 1%, tensile strength increased from 1.035 MPa to 1.681 MPa, but decreased to 1.175 MPa in composite films containing 2% G. It also increased electrical conductivity when the G concentration increased. Also, the G layers are among the PS films and their swelling and solubility properties are reduced. With increased G concentration, the light transmittance decreased and the films were more opaque. These improvements can refer to the interface interaction between PS and G.
Development of high‐efficiency and low‐cost solar cells for PV‐powered vehicles application
Authors: Yamaguchi Masafumi , Masuda Taizo , Araki Kenji , Sato Daisuke , Lee Kan‐Hua , Kojima Nobuaki , Takamoto Tatsuya , Okumura Kenichi , Satou Akinori , Yamada Kazumi , Nakado Takashi , Zushi Yusuke , Ohshita Yoshio , Yamazaki Mitsuhiro
Published: September 2020

Development of high‐efficiency solar cell modules and new application fields are significant for the further development of photovoltaics (PVs) and the creation of new clean energy infrastructure based on PV. Notably, the development of PV‐powered vehicle applications is desirable and very important for this end. According to the NEDO's Interim Report “PV‐Powered Vehicle Strategy Committee,” a new broader PV markets with more than 10 GW and 50 GW in 2030 and 2040, respectively, are expected to be established when PV‐powered vehicles are developed. Cumulative PV capacity for PV‐powered vehicles will be 50 GW and 0.4 TW in 2030 and 2040, respectively. This paper presents impacts on efficiency and cost for PV‐powered vehicles. According to our survey, the use of more than 30% of high‐efficiency PV enables 30 km per day driving without external charging and the society that the majority of the family cars run by the sunlight and without supplying gas. Thus, we are developing high‐efficiency and low‐cost solar cells and modules for automobile applications. In this paper, our analytical results for the efficiency potential of various solar cells for choosing candidates of high‐efficiency solar cell modules for automobile applications. This paper also presents our recent approaches: demonstration car (Toyota Prius PHV) by using Sharp's high‐efficiency III‐V triple‐junction solar cell modules with an output power of 860 W, static low concentrator InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs triple‐junction solar cell module with efficiency of 32.84%, and so forth.
Hypoglycemia in cystic fibrosis during an extended oral glucose tolerance test
Authors: Armaghanian Natasha , Hetherington Julie , Parameswaran Venkat , Chua Elizabeth L. , Markovic Tania P. , Brand‐Miller Jennie , Steinbeck Kate
Published: September 2020

Background

Hypoglycemia in cystic fibrosis (CF), in the absence of glucose‐lowering therapies, has long been identified as an important issue in the management of CF. There is currently still no unifying hypothesis for its etiology.

Aim

The aims of this study were to perform a 3‐h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in participants with CF and (1) document glucose, insulin, glucagon, glucagon‐like‐peptide‐1 (GLP‐1), and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) release patterns within varying glucose tolerance groups during the OGTT; (2) determine the prevalence of hypoglycemia during the OGTT; and (3) define any association between hypoglycemia and patterns of insulin, glucagon, GLP‐1, and GIP release.

Methods

Eligible participants attending an adult CF clinic completed a 3‐h OGTT. Hypoglycemia on OGTT was defined as mild (glucose 3.4–3.9 mmol/L), moderate (glucose 3.1–3.3 mmol/L), and severe (glucose ≤ 3 mmol/L). Hormones were measured at fasting, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min.

Results

Twenty‐four participants completed the study, of which 7 had normal glucose tolerance, 12 had abnormal glucose tolerance, and 5 had cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). All participants had a delayed insulin response compared with normative data. All glucose tolerance groups showed appropriate and similar suppression of fasting glucagon. Four participants (17%) had mild hypoglycemia, three (13%) had moderate hypoglycemia, and eight (33%) had severe hypoglycemia. No participant with CFRD demonstrated hypoglycemia. Of the 19 participants without CFRD, 15 (79%) experienced hypoglycemia. Participants with hypoglycemia had greater peak glucose and insulin responses than those that did not have hypoglycemia, and this approached significance (p = .0625 for glucose and p = .0862 for insulin). No significant mean differences between GLP‐1 and GIP release were found. There was no relationship between hypoglycemia and modulator therapy.

Conclusion

Postprandial hypoglycemia was unmasked by the extension of an OGTT to 3 h. Delayed and abnormal insulin release, and ineffective counter‐regulatory action of glucagon may have a role in its etiology.
A description of the primary studies of diagnostic test accuracy indexed on the DiTA database
Authors: Kaizik Mark A. , Hancock Mark J. , Herbert Robert D.
Published: September 2020

Background and Purpose

PEDro (the Physiotherapy Evidence Database) is a widely used, comprehensive, freely available, online database that indexes studies of the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions. We have recently built another database, called DiTA, on the same platform as PEDro. DiTA provides a comprehensive index of studies of the accuracy of diagnostic tests used by physiotherapists. This study aims to describe the number and scope of such studies.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted for studies of the accuracy of diagnostic tests. The search was conducted on the MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases from their inceptions to November 2018. Subsequently, monthly searches have updated the database. To be included on DiTA, studies need to investigate (a) both a pathology and patients that a physiotherapist could assess in clinical practice, and (b) an index test that a physiotherapist would perform themselves rather than one which they would request.

Results

To date, the searches have yielded 44,884 titles. Screening has identified 1,419 reports that meet the inclusion criteria. The most frequently studied subdisciplines are “musculoskeletal” (1,050/1,419; 74.0%) and “cardiothoracics” (241; 17.0%); the most frequently studied categories of pathologies are joint pathologies (463; 32.6%) and nervous system pathologies (175; 12.3%); and the most frequently studied body part is the “lower leg or knee” (232; 16.3%). Most studies investigate index tests which are “physical examination” procedures (851; 60.0%); fewer investigate “questions or questionnaires” (420; 29.6%) and “health technologies” (351; 24.7%).

Discussion

There is a rapidly growing body of evidence on the accuracy of diagnostic tests relevant to most physiotherapy subdisciplines. While the volume of evidence is substantial, it is not yet clear how much of the evidence is of good enough quality to support clinical decision‐making.
Substitution scoring matrices for proteins ‐ An overview
Authors: Trivedi Rakesh , Nagarajaram Hampapathalu Adimurthy
Published: September 2020

Sequence analysis is the primary and simplest approach to discover structural, functional and evolutionary details of related proteins. All the alignment based approaches of sequence analysis make use of amino acid substitution matrices, and the accuracy of the results largely depends on the type of scoring matrices used to perform alignment tasks. An amino acid substitution matrix is a 20 × 20 matrix in which the individual elements encapsulate the rates at which each of the 20 amino acid residues in proteins are substituted by other amino acid residues over time. In contrast to most globular/ordered proteins whose amino acids composition is considered as standard, there are several classes of proteins (e.g., transmembrane proteins) in which certain types of amino acid (e.g., hydrophobic residues) are enriched. These compositional differences among various classes of proteins are manifested in their underlying residue substitution frequencies. Therefore, each of the compositionally distinct class of proteins or protein segments should be studied using specific scoring matrices that reflect their distinct residue substitution pattern. In this review, we describe the development and application of various substitution scoring matrices peculiar to proteins with standard and biased compositions. Along with most commonly used standard matrices (PAM, BLOSUM, MD and VTML) that act as default parameters in various homologs search and alignment tools, different substitution scoring matrices specific to compositionally distinct class of proteins are discussed in detail.
Sudden PSA rise to ≥20 ng/ml and prostate cancer diagnosis in the United States: A population‐based study
Authors: Vilson Fernandino L. , Li Shufeng , Brooks James D. , Eisenberg Michael L.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

While prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) screening protocols vary, many clinicians have anecdotes of screened men with low PSA levels that rise significantly and are associated with high‐risk prostate cancer (PC). We sought to better understand the frequency of high‐risk cases that appear suddenly in a screened population.

Methods

We utilized data from a Commercial and Medicare advantage claims database to identify all US men ages 50 and above undergoing PSA screening who then had a sudden interval rise in PSA (e.g., PSA ≥ 20) and diagnosis of PC. We determined associations with age, race, screening intensity, and baseline PSA levels.

Results

In all, 526,120 men met entry criteria with an average age of 60.7 and follow‐up of 5.6 years. As the baseline PSA increased, the rate of high‐risk PC increased from 2/10,000 persons among men with the lowest baseline PSA (<1 ng/ml) to 14/10,000 person‐years among men with a baseline PSA < 5 ng/ml. Moreover, as a man's age at baseline PSA increased, the rate of high‐risk PC also increased. In contrast, the incidence of high‐risk PC did not vary significantly by race/ethnicity. More screening PSAs and shorter intervals between PSA screenings were associated with a lower incidence of high‐risk PC.

Conclusions

The incidence of high‐risk PC in a screened population is low (<0.1%). Our findings suggest that systematic screening cannot eliminate all PC deaths and provide an estimate for the risk of the rapid development of high‐risk cancers that is comparable to that observed in active surveillance populations.
Entrepreneurial identity and strategic disclosure: Founder CEOs and new venture media strategy
Authors: Howard Michael D. , Kolb Johannes , Sy Valerie A.
Published: September 2020

Research Summary

New venture leaders play a key role in crafting media communications to best represent the firm to the outside world. These decisions and behaviors have critical implications for performance. Building on entrepreneurial identity and strategic disclosure research, we explore the interplay between founder CEOs and firm media strategy in their effects on IPO. We use natural language processing and textual analysis on a sample of 76,883 press releases, providing insights into the media communications of founder CEOs of 2,276 US VC backed high‐technology firms during the period from 1985 to 2009. Results suggest that greater volume and use of positive terms in media statements positively mediate the effects of founder CEOs, increasing the likelihood of firm IPO. Our findings offer important contributions to entrepreneurship research.

Managerial Summary

The purpose of this article is to explore how new venture leaders may influence the external representation of their startups and subsequently impact performance outcomes such as IPO. Specifically, we examine differences between founder CEOs and professional CEOs in how they personally identify with the venture, portray the venture in the media, and thus affect the likelihood of the venture going public, being acquired, or being liquidated. Through analysis of press release statements of VC‐backed high‐technology startups, we find that startups with founder CEOs issue more press release statements, incorporate more positive language in these statements, and have a higher likelihood of IPO than those with professional CEOs. These results imply that the media strategy of founder CEOs may be more beneficial for new ventures.
Survival analysis using a 5‐step stratified testing and amalgamation routine (5‐STAR) in randomized clinical trials
Authors: Mehrotra Devan V. , Marceau West Rachel
Published: September 2020

Randomized clinical trials are often designed to assess whether a test treatment prolongs survival relative to a control treatment. Increased patient heterogeneity, while desirable for generalizability of results, can weaken the ability of common statistical approaches to detect treatment differences, potentially hampering the regulatory approval of safe and efficacious therapies. A novel solution to this problem is proposed. A list of baseline covariates that have the potential to be prognostic for survival under either treatment is pre‐specified in the analysis plan. At the analysis stage, using all observed survival times but blinded to patient‐level treatment assignment, “noise” covariates are removed with elastic net Cox regression. The shortened covariate list is used by a conditional inference tree algorithm to segment the heterogeneous trial population into subpopulations of prognostically homogeneous patients (risk strata). After patient‐level treatment unblinding, a treatment comparison is done within each formed risk stratum and stratum‐level results are combined for overall statistical inference. The impressive power‐boosting performance of our proposed 5‐step stratified testing and amalgamation routine (5‐STAR), relative to that of the logrank test and other common approaches that do not leverage inherently structured patient heterogeneity, is illustrated using a hypothetical and two real datasets along with simulation results. Furthermore, the importance of reporting stratum‐level comparative treatment effects (time ratios from accelerated failure time model fits in conjunction with model averaging and, as needed, hazard ratios from Cox proportional hazard model fits) is highlighted as a potential enabler of personalized medicine. An R package is available at
https://github.com/rmarceauwest/fiveSTAR.
Pyridine‐Rich Novolac‐Based Network as an Effective Adsorbent for Removing Azo Dyes
Authors: Ghosh Samaresh , Acharyya Mridula
Published: September 2020

The hazardous consequences of azo dye organics on the environment and human health motivate the development of new sorbent materials for their elimination from wastewater. The purpose of this work is to prepare pyridine‐rich novolac resin‐based network material 1 as effective adsorbent for the removal of azo dye pollutants, methyl orange (MO), orange‐II (OII) and orange‐G (OG) azo dyes from aqueous solution at a wide range of pH (acidic‐neutral‐basic conditions). Both electrostatic interaction and physical forces are suggested to be involved during adsorption of azo‐dyes onto tailored adsorbent. Besides, dye‐adsorbed 1 was effectively desorbed by dil H2SO4 and recycled, which is promising for its practical application in the treatment of dye contaminated water.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Aryl/Heteroaryl Benzohydrazide and Phenylacetamide Derivatives as Broad‐Spectrum Antibacterial Agents
Authors: Yele Vidyasrilekha , Mohammed Afzal Azam , Wadhwani Ashish D.
Published: September 2020

A series of novel aryl/heteroaryl benzohydrazide (3 a–d) and aryl/heteroaryl phenylacetamide derivatives (5 a–g) were designed, synthesized and characterized by spectral techniques. The synthesized compounds were screened against pathogenic bacteria to assess their in vitro antibacterial properties. From the eleven synthesized compounds, 3 b(0.7 μg/mL) and 3 c(0.6 μg/mL) exhibited potent activity against a panel of organisms especially against S. aureus. Further, time‐kill study confirmed the bactericidal activity of 3 b and 3 c against S. aureus, that may be because of conjoined benzothiazole and benzohydrazide moieties in their structures. Extra‐precision docking and binding free energy calculation were also performed for the title compounds, in which 3 c(‐6.23 kcal/mol) exhibited higher binding affinity against S. aureus ParE (SaParE). Molecular dynamic simulation of 50 ns was used to find out the stability of predicted binding conformation of 3 c/SaParE. Besides, assessment of in silico ADMET properties illustrates that the title compounds were in agreement with Lipinski's rule parameters. The study could offer a unique framework that may lead to the discovery of novel antibacterials.
Molecular Container and Metal Ion Sensor Chiral Cavitands
Authors: Desai Arpita S. , Rajamannar Thennati , Shah Shailesh R.
Published: September 2020

Chiral macrocyclic cavitands prepared by a template free, high dilution methodology have been discovered to function as molecular containers accommodating small organic molecules and host transition metal ions with specific sensing ability while having an outstanding capability to sense Zn2+with switch‐on fluorescence and also act as a selective colorimetric sensor for Cu2+. The cavitand acts as a unique two‐directional molecular tweezers for the guest molecules.