bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The early-stage growth and reversibility of Li electrodeposition in Br-rich electrolytes
Authors: Biswal Prayag , Kludze Atsu , Rodrigues Joshua , Deng Yue , Moon Taylor , Stalin Sanjuna , Zhao Qing , Yin Jiefu , Kourkoutis Lena F. , Archer Lynden A.
Published: December 2020

Significance

Spatial variations in chemical composition and transport properties of the material phases (interphases) formed on reactive metals in liquid electrolytes are thought to be responsible for the propensity of metal battery electrodes to electrodeposit in irregular, nonplanar morphologies. Equilibrium theoretical calculations using joint density functional analysis in vacuum and generic liquid media indicate that in-plane transport at such interphases is enhanced substantially if LiX (X = Br > Cl > F) species predominate. This study employs optical visualization experiments and nucleation theory to experimentally investigate nucleation and early-stage growth dynamics of metallic lithium in electrolytes enriched with LiBr. It is shown that the Li-Br–rich interphases formed profoundly alter the morphology of Li electrodeposits by enhancing Li-ion surface diffusion.
Filling the gaps in the global prevalence map of clinical antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Oldenkamp Rik , Schultsz Constance , Mancini Emiliano , Cappuccio Antonio
Published: December 2020

Significance

While antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global problem, substantial clinical surveillance gaps exist in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We fill the gaps in the global prevalence map of nine pathogens, resistant to 19 (classes of) antibiotics (representing 75 unique combinations), based on the robust correlation between countries’ socioeconomic profiles and extensive surveillance data. Our estimates for carbapenem-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant
Escherichia coli
benefit over 2.2 billion people in countries with currently insufficient diagnostic capacity. We show how structural surveillance investments can be prioritized based on the magnitude of prevalence estimated (Middle Eastern countries), the relative prevalence increase over 1998 to 2017 (sub-Saharan African countries), and the improvement of model performance achievable with new surveillance data (Pacific Islands).
Two populations of self-maintaining monocyte-independent macrophages exist in adult epididymis and testis
Authors: Wang Ming , Yang Yalong , Cansever Dilay , Wang Yiming , Kantores Crystal , Messiaen Sébastien , Moison Delphine , Livera Gabriel , Chakarov Svetoslav , Weinberger Tobias , Stremmel Christopher , Fijak Monika , Klein Britta , Pleuger Christiane , Lian Zhexiong , Ma Wentao , Liu Qingzhi , Klee Kathrin , Händler Kristian , Ulas Thomas , Schlitzer Andreas , Schultze Joachim L. , Becher Burkhard , Greter Melanie , Liu Zhaoyuan , Ginhoux Florent , Epelman Slava , Schulz Christian , Meinhardt Andreas , Bhushan Sudhanshu
Published: December 2020

Significance

Infection/inflammation is a major contributor to male infertility, and macrophages are likely to be key players in both pathological progression and resolution of the inflammation. We report that macrophage populations in the epididymis and testis are derived from fetal and neonatal monocytes, which are self-maintaining during adulthood. Furthermore, during inflammation, circulating monocytes recruited to the epididymis and testis give rise to inflammatory macrophages that promote tissue damage. These data are significant for our understanding of the origins and maintenance of macrophage subpopulations in both organs; our results point to a fundamental mechanism underpinning male infertility by infection and inflammation, and pave the way for the development of innovative therapeutics to treat this important and common condition.
Gene expression regulates metabolite homeostasis during the Crabtree effect: Implications for the adaptation and evolution of Metabolism
Authors: Rothman Douglas L. , Stearns Stephen C. , Shulman Robert G.
Published: December 2020

Significance

The dominant view in both molecular and evolutionary biology is that genotype controls the adaptation to new environments. We propose an alternate hypothesis, in which the phenotype and genotype both play important roles in metabolic adaptation in the lifetime of the organism and in the evolutionary selection of adaptive metabolic traits. When studying the Crabtree effect in yeast, we found that homeostatic mechanisms in the starting phenotype, primarily the glycogen/trehalose shunt, allow adaptation to high glucose. Subsequent gene expression, rather than creating a new phenotype, optimizes the initial adaptation by expression of new homeostatic mechanisms. Metabolic homeostatic mechanisms, by allowing increased phenotypic plasticity, could also have played an important role in guiding the evolution of the Crabtree phenotype.
Supramolecular assembly of the
Escherichia coli
LdcI upon acid stress
Authors: Jessop Matthew , Liesche Clarissa , Felix Jan , Desfosses Ambroise , Baulard Megghane , Adam Virgile , Fraudeau Angélique , Huard Karine , Effantin Grégory , Kleman Jean-Philippe , Bacia-Verloop Maria , Bourgeois Dominique , Gutsche Irina
Published: December 2020

Significance

Bacteria possess a sophisticated arsenal of defense mechanisms that allow them to survive in adverse conditions. Adaptation to acid stress and hypoxia is crucial for the enterobacterial transmission in the gastrointestinal tract of their human host. When subjected to low pH,
Escherichia coli
and many other enterobacteria activate a proton-consuming resistance system based on the acid stress-inducible lysine decarboxylase LdcI. Here we develop generally applicable tools to uncover the spatial localization of LdcI inside the cell by superresolution fluorescence microscopy and investigate the in vitro supramolecular organization of this enzyme by cryo-EM. We build on these results to propose a mechanistic model for LdcI function and offer tools for further in vivo investigations.
Quantifying and visualizing weak interactions between anions and proteins
Authors: Yu Binhan , Pletka Channing C. , Iwahara Junji
Published: December 2020

Significance

Living systems require ions in cellular fluids. These ions electrostatically interact with biological macromolecules and influence their functions. Some ions are attracted to charged protein surfaces, whereas other ions are excluded. Because ion–protein interactions are generally weak and ions dynamically change their locations with respect to proteins, investigations of ion–protein interactions are challenging. It is not well understood how ions behave around proteins and affect their properties. In this work, using unique spectroscopic approaches, we quantified and visualized the weak anion–protein interactions. New knowledge about weak ion–protein interactions may lead to new strategies for protein engineering and drug development.
Distinct roles of adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase in the catabolism of triacylglycerol estolides
Authors: Brejchova Kristyna , Radner Franz Peter Walter , Balas Laurence , Paluchova Veronika , Cajka Tomas , Chodounska Hana , Kudova Eva , Schratter Margarita , Schreiber Renate , Durand Thierry , Zechner Rudolf , Kuda Ondrej
Published: December 2020

Significance

Fat mass is controlled by the balance of triacylglycerol (TAG) degradation and synthesis. Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) are key players in TAG catabolism providing fatty acids (FAs) as energy substrates and metabolic intermediates. Here, we show that ATGL and HSL metabolize TAGs containing antidiabetic lipid mediators (FA esters of hydroxy FAs), distinctly controlling the release of bioactive lipids. Our paper connects lipolysis-mediated TAG metabolism with the regulation of antidiabetic signaling lipids.
Evolution toward beta common chain receptor usage links the matrix proteins of HIV-1 and its ancestors to human erythropoietin
Authors: Caccuri Francesca , D’Ursi Pasqualina , Uggeri Matteo , Bugatti Antonella , Mazzuca Pietro , Zani Alberto , Filippini Federica , Salmona Mario , Ribatti Domenico , Slevin Mark , Orro Alessandro , Lu Wuyuan , Liò Pietro , Gallo Robert C. , Caruso Arnaldo
Published: December 2020

Significance

Immune activation and inflammation are predictors of serious non-AIDS events even in virally suppressed HIV-1−infected individuals. This does not apply to HIV-2−infected patients, who experience a form of attenuated HIV-1 disease. Here, we show that the HIV-1 matrix protein 17 (p17) binds to and activates the common beta chain receptor (βCR). The βCR-activating epitope on p17 is expressed on the matrix protein of HIV-1 ancestors but not on that of HIV-2 and its ancestors. Our finding highlights this epitope as a signature tracing the HIV-1 evolutionary trajectory that may have represented a critical step to enhance the HIV-1 ancestors aggressiveness and early human-to-human transmission. Whether this functional epitope actually marks the pathogenic difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2 needs further investigation.
Stable p-type chemical doping of graphene with reduced contact resistance by single-layer perfluorinated polymeric sulfonic acid
Authors: Zhang Xiao-rui , Yao Yao , Peng Song-ang , Zhu Chao-yi , Huang Xin-nan , Yan Yun-peng , Zhang Da-yong , Shi Jing-yuan , Jin Zhi
Published: December 2020

Recently, graphene has led to unprecedented progress in device performance at the atom limit. A high performance of field-effect transistors requires a low graphene–metal contact resistance. However, the chemical doping methods used to tailor or improve the properties of graphene are sensitive to ambient conditions. Here, we fabricate a single-layer perfluorinated polymeric sulfonic acid (PFSA), also known as Nafion, between the graphene and the substrate as a p-type dopant. The PFSA doping method, without inducing any additional structural defects, reduces the contact resistance of graphene by ∼28.8%, which has a significant impact on practical applications. This reduction can be maintained for at least 67 days due to the extreme stability of PFSA. Effective, uniform and stable, the PFSA doping method provides an efficient way to reduce the contact resistance of graphene applications.
Generation of multi-wavelength square pulses in the dissipative soliton resonance regime by a Yb-doped fiber laser*
Authors: Wang Xude , Yang Simin , Sun Mengqiu , Geng Xu , Pan Jieyu , Miao Shuguang , Li Suwen
Published: December 2020

Multi-wavelength square pulses are generated in the dissipative soliton resonance (DSR) regime by a Yb-doped fiber laser (YDFL) with a long cavity configuration. The spectral filter effect provided by a passive fiber with low-stress birefringence facilitates the establishment of multi-wavelength operation. Through appropriate control of the cavity parameters, a multi-wavelength DSR pulse can be generated in single- and dual-waveband regions. When the multi-wavelength DSR works in the 1038 nm waveband, the pulse duration can broaden from 2 ns to 37.7 ns. The maximum intra-cavity pulse energy is 152.7 nJ. When the DSR works in the 1038 nm and 1080 nm wavebands, the pulse duration can be tuned from 2.3 ns to 10.5 ns with rising pump power. The emergence of the 1080 nm waveband is attributed to the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) effect. Our work might help a deeper insight to be gained into DSR pulses in all-normal-dispersion YDFLs.
Negative compressibility property in hinging open-cell Kelvin structure*
Authors: Ma Meng , Zhou Xiao-Qin , Liu Hao , Wang Hao-Cheng
Published: December 2020

A new three-dimensional (3D) cellular model based on hinging open-cell Kelvin structure is proposed for its negative compressibility property. It is shown that this model has adjustable compressibility and does exhibit negative compressibility for some certain conformations. And further study shows that the images of compressibility are symmetrical about the certain lines, which indicates that the mechanical properties of the model in the three axial directions are interchangeable and the model itself has a certain geometric symmetry. A comparison of the Kelvin model with its anisotropic form with the dodecahedron model shows that the Kelvin model has stronger negative compressibility property in all three directions. Therefore, a new and potential method to improve negative compressibility property can be derived by selecting the system type with lower symmetry and increasing the number of geometric parameters.
Electrochemical liftoff of freestanding GaN by a thick highly conductive sacrificial layer grown by HVPE*
Authors: Wang Xiao , Zhang Yu-Min , Xu Yu , Si Zhi-Wei , Xu Ke , Wang Jian-Feng , Cao Bing
Published: December 2020

Separation technology is an indispensable step in the preparation of freestanding GaN substrate. In this paper, a large-area freestanding GaN layer was separated from the substrate by an electrochemical liftoff process on a sandwich structure composed of an Fe-doped GaN substrate, a highly conductive Si-doped sacrificial layer and a top Fe-doped layer grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The large difference between the resistivity in the Si-doped layer and Fe-doped layer resulted in a sharp interface between the etched and unetched layer. It was found that the etching rate increased linearly with the applied voltage, while it continuously decreased with the electrochemical etching process as a result of the mass transport limitation. Flaky GaN pieces and nitrogen gas generated from the sacrificial layer by electrochemical etching were recognized as the main factors responsible for the blocking of the etching channel. Hence, a thick Si-doped layer grown by HVPE was used as the sacrificial layer to alleviate this problem. Moreover, high temperature and ultrasonic oscillation were also found to increase the etching rate. Based on the results above, we succeeded in the liftoff of ∼1.5 inch GaN layer. This work could help reduce the cost of freestanding GaN substrate and identifies a new way for mass production.
Enhanced circular dichroism of plasmonic system in the strong coupling regime*
Authors: Zou Yun-Fei , Yu Li
Published: December 2020

The circular dichroism (CD) signal of a molecule is usually weak, however, a strong CD signal in optical spectrum is desirable because of its wide range of applications in biosensing, chiral photo detection, and chiral catalysis. In this work, we show that a strong chiral response can be obtained in a hybridized system consisting of an artificial chiral molecule and a nanorod in the strong coupling regime. The artificial chiral molecule is composed of six quantum dots in a helix assembly, and its CD signal arises from internal Coulomb interactions between quantum dots. The CD signal of the hybridized system is highly dependent on the Coulomb interactions and the strong coupling progress through the electromagnetic interactions. We use the coupled oscillator model to analyze strong coupling phenomenon and address that the strong coupling progress can amplify the CD signal. This work provides a scenario for designing new plasmonic nanostructures with a strong chiral optical response.
Beam steering characteristics in high-power quantum-cascade lasers emitting at ∼ 4.6 μm*
Authors: Sun Yong-Qiang , Zhang Jin-Chuan , Cheng Feng-Min , Ning Chao , Zhuo Ning , Zhai Shen-Qiang , Liu Feng-Qi , Liu Jun-Qi , Liu Shu-Man , Wang Zhan-Guo
Published: December 2020

A beam steering effect of high-power quantum cascade (QC) lasers emitting at ∼ 4.6 μm was investigated. The continuous wave (CW) output power of an uncoated, 6-mm-long, 7.5-μm-wide buried-heterostructure QC laser at 25 °C was as high as 854.2 mW. The maximum beam steering angle was offset by ± 14.2° from the facet normal (0°) in pulsed mode. The phenomenon was judged explicitly by combining the diffraction limit theory and Fourier transform of the spectra. It was also verified by finite element method software simulation and the calculation of two-dimensional (2D) effective-index model. The observed steering is consistent with a theory for coherence between the two lowest order lateral modes. Therefore, we have established an intrinsic linkage between the spectral instabilities and the beam steering by using the Fourier transform of the spectra, and further presented an extremely valid method to judge the beam steering. The content of this method includes both three equidistant peak positions in the Fourier transform of the spectra and the beam quality located between once the diffraction limit (DL) and twice the DL.
SARS-CoV-2 3D database: understanding the coronavirus proteome and evaluating possible drug targets
Authors: Alsulami Ali F , Thomas Sherine E , Jamasb Arian R , Beaudoin Christopher A , Moghul Ismail , Bannerman Bridget , Copoiu Liviu , Vedithi Sundeep Chaitanya , Torres Pedro , Blundell Tom L
Published: December 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a rapidly growing infectious disease, widely spread with high mortality rates. Since the release of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence in March 2020, there has been an international focus on developing target-based drug discovery, which also requires knowledge of the 3D structure of the proteome. Where there are no experimentally solved structures, our group has created 3D models with coverage of 97.5% and characterized them using state-of-the-art computational approaches. Models of protomers and oligomers, together with predictions of substrate and allosteric binding sites, protein-ligand docking, SARS-CoV-2 protein interactions with human proteins, impacts of mutations, and mapped solved experimental structures are freely available for download. These are implemented in SARS CoV-2 3D, a comprehensive and user-friendly database, available at https://sars3d.com/. This provides essential information for drug discovery, both to evaluate targets and design new potential therapeutics.
jSRC: a flexible and accurate joint learning algorithm for clustering of single-cell RNA-sequencing data
Authors: Wu Wenming , Liu Zaiyi , Ma Xiaoke
Published: December 2020

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) explores the transcriptome of genes at cell level, which sheds light on revealing the heterogeneity and dynamics of cell populations. Advances in biotechnologies make it possible to generate scRNA-seq profiles for large-scale cells, requiring effective and efficient clustering algorithms to identify cell types and informative genes. Although great efforts have been devoted to clustering of scRNA-seq, the accuracy, scalability and interpretability of available algorithms are not desirable. In this study, we solve these problems by developing a joint learning algorithm [a.k.a. joints sparse representation and clustering (jSRC)], where the dimension reduction (DR) and clustering are integrated. Specifically, DR is employed for the scalability and joint learning improves accuracy. To increase the interpretability of patterns, we assume that cells within the same type have similar expression patterns, where the sparse representation is imposed on features. We transform clustering of scRNA-seq into an optimization problem and then derive the update rules to optimize the objective of jSRC. Fifteen scRNA-seq datasets from various tissues and organisms are adopted to validate the performance of jSRC, where the number of single cells varies from 49 to 110 824. The experimental results demonstrate that jSRC significantly outperforms 12 state-of-the-art methods in terms of various measurements (on average 20.29% by improvement) with fewer running time. Furthermore, jSRC is efficient and robust across different scRNA-seq datasets from various tissues. Finally, jSRC also accurately identifies dynamic cell types associated with progression of COVID-19. The proposed model and methods provide an effective strategy to analyze scRNA-seq data (the software is coded using MATLAB and is free for academic purposes; https://github.com/xkmaxidian/jSRC).
GutBalance: a server for the human gut microbiome-based disease prediction and biomarker discovery with compositionality addressed
Authors: Yang Fenglong , Zou Quan , Gao Bo
Published: December 2020

The compositionality of the microbiome data is well-known but often neglected. The compositional transformation pertains to the supervised learning of microbiome data and is a critical step that decides the performance and reliability of the disease classifiers. We value the excellent performance of the distal discriminative balance analysis (DBA) method, which selects distal balances of pairs and trios of bacteria, in addressing the classification of high-dimensional microbiome data. By applying this method to the species-level abundances of all the disease phenotypes in the GMrepo database, we build a balance-based model repository for the classification of human gut microbiome–related diseases. The model repository supports the prediction of disease risks for new sample(s). More importantly, we highlight the concept of balance-disease associations rather than the conventional microbe-disease associations and develop the human Gut Balance-Disease Association Database (GBDAD). Each predictable balance for each disease model indicates a potential biomarker-disease relationship and can be interpreted as a bacteria ratio positively or negatively correlated with the disease. Furthermore, by linking the balance-disease associations to the evidenced microbe-disease associations in MicroPhenoDB, we surprisingly found that most species-disease associations inferred from the shotgun metagenomic datasets can be validated by external evidence beyond MicroPhenoDB. The balance-based species-disease association inference will accelerate the generation of new microbe-disease association hypotheses in gastrointestinal microecology research and clinical trials. The model repository and the GBDAD database are deployed on the GutBalance server, which supports interactive visualization and systematic interrogation of the disease models, disease-related balances and disease-related species of interest.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Index: Using a Patient-Reported Outcome on Engagement in HIV Care to Explain Suboptimal Retention in Care and Virologic Control
Authors: Christopoulos Katerina A , Neilands Torsten B , Koester Kimberly A , Sauceda John A , Dilworth Samantha E , Mugavero Michael J , Crane Heidi M , Fredericksen Rob J , Cachay Edward R , Mayer Kenneth H , Moore Richard D , Napravnik Sonia , Johnson Mallory O
Published: December 2020

Background

We investigated the prospective association between a brief self-report measure of engagement in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care (the Index of Engagement in HIV Care; hereafter “Index”) and suboptimal retention and viral suppression outcomes.

Methods

The Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems cohort study combines medical record data with patient-reported outcomes from 8 HIV clinics in the United States, which from April 2016 to March 2017 included the 10-item Index. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the risk and odds ratios of mean Index scores on 2 outcomes in the subsequent year: (1) not keeping ≥75% of scheduled HIV care appointments; and (2) for those with viral suppression at Index assessment, having viral load >200 copies/mL on ≥1 measurement. We also used generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to estimate the risk and odds ratios of appointment nonattendance or unsuppressed viral load at any given observation. We generated receiver operating characteristic curves for the full models overlaid with the Index as a sole predictor.

Results

The mean Index score was 4.5 (standard deviation, 0.6). Higher Index scores were associated with lower relative risk of suboptimal retention (n = 2576; logistic regression adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.88 [95% confidence interval, .87–.88]; GLMM aRR, 0.85 [.83–.87]) and lack of sustained viral suppression (n = 2499; logistic regression aRR, 0.75 [.68–.83]; GLMM aRR, 0.74 [.68–.80]). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the full models were 0.69 (95% confidence interval, .67–.71) for suboptimal retention and 0.76 (.72–.79) for lack of sustained viral suppression.

Conclusions

Index scores are significantly associated with suboptimal retention and viral suppression outcomes.
Outcomes in Previously Healthy Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis Patients Treated With Pulse Taper Corticosteroids for Post-infectious Inflammatory Syndrome
Authors: Anjum Seher , Dean Owen , Kosa Peter , Magone M Teresa , King Kelly A , Fitzgibbon Edmond , Kim H Jeff , Zalewski Chris , Murphy Elizabeth , Billioux Bridgette Jeanne , Chisholm Jennifer , Brewer Carmen C , Krieger Chantal , Elsegeiny Waleed , Scott Terri L , Wang Jing , Hunsberger Sally , Bennett John E , Nath Avindra , Marr Kieren A , Bielekova Bibiana , Wendler David , Hammoud Dima A , Williamson Peter
Published: December 2020

Background

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) is a major cause of mortality in immunosuppressed patients and previously healthy individuals. In the latter, a post-infectious inflammatory response syndrome (PIIRS) is associated with poor clinical response despite antifungal therapy and negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures. Data on effective treatment are limited.

Methods

Between March 2015 and March 2020, 15 consecutive previously healthy patients with CM and PIIRS were treated with adjunctive pulse corticosteroid taper therapy (PCT) consisting of intravenous methylprednisolone 1 gm daily for 1 week followed by oral prednisone 1 mg/kg/day, tapered based on clinical and radiological response plus oral fluconazole. Montreal cognitive assessments (MOCA), Karnofsky performance scores, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scanning, ophthalmic and audiologic exams, and CSF parameters including cellular and soluble immune responses were compared at PIIRS diagnosis and after methylprednisolone completion.

Results

The median time from antifungal treatment to steroid initiation was 6 weeks. The most common symptoms at PIIRS diagnosis were altered mental status and vision changes. All patients demonstrated significant improvements in MOCA and Karnofsky scores at 1 month (P < .0003), which was accompanied by improvements in CSF glucose, white blood cell (WBC) count, protein, cellular and soluble inflammatory markers 1 week after receiving corticosteroids (CS) (P < .003). All patients with papilledema and visual field deficits also exhibited improvement (P < .0005). Five out of 7 patients who underwent audiological testing demonstrated hearing improvement. Brain MRI showed significant improvement of radiological findings (P = .001). CSF cultures remained negative.

Conclusions

PCT in this small cohort of PIIRS was associated with improvements in CM-related complications with minimal toxicity in the acute setting.
A case report of an unusual left atrial mass
Authors: Udemgba Chinelo , Missov Emil , Percy Robert , Sattiraju Srinivasan
Published: December 2020

Background

Cardiac foreign bodies (FBs) are rare findings that may present as cardiac masses initially. Here, we present an exceptional and rare case of a hypodermic needle FB that transmigrated to the left atrium and presented as a left atrial mass.

Case summary

A 28-year-old woman with multiple psychiatric disorders including intentional FB ingestion and self-inflicting injuries presented to the emergency room with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and chest pain that radiated to the left arm and face for 2 weeks. An echocardiogram was performed revealing a left atrial mass concerning for myxoma. During the surgical removal of the mass, a hypodermic needle was found attached to the roof of the left atrium surrounded by thrombotic and fibrotic tissue, which was confirmed by pathology.

Discussion

Cardiac FBs are caused generally by penetrating wounds from direct trauma. Fewer cases have been reported regarding cardiac FB caused by ingestion from migration of the object to the heart. Signs and symptoms for cardiac FB may mimic those of cardiac masses. Cardiac FBs often require surgical intervention to avoid complications.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a novel pre-packaged self-expandable dry-tissue transcatheter aortic valve: a case report
Authors: Jose John , George Paul V , V. Krishnaprasath , Sahajanandan Raj
Published: December 2020

Background

Current commercially available transcatheter aortic valves are stored separately in a glutaraldehyde solution and mounted onto the delivery system by a technical expert during the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure. A pre-mounted dry-tissue valve that is crimped on a ready-to-use delivery system could simplify the procedure. The Vienna self-expanding transcatheter valve (P&F, GmbH, Wessling, Germany) is a novel ready-to-use pre-mounted dry-tissue transcatheter aortic valve. There are no prior reports on the efficacy of this valve system.

Case summary

Here, we report our experience of an implantation of a novel ready-to-use dry-tissue Vienna transcatheter aortic valve in a 72-year-old male with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. He had presented with heart failure [N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level at the admission of 10 600 pg/mL], New York Heart Association Class-3, and recurrent syncope. A 26 mm Vienna valve was successfully implanted via the transfemoral route under conscious sedation. There were no complications. The patient was discharged in a stable condition on the third post-procedure day. At 1-year follow-up, the valve is functioning well with no evidence of structural degeneration (mean gradient 9 mmHg, no valvular regurgitation). Currently, he is asymptomatic with normal left ventricular systolic function on echocardiography (NT-proBNP 57 pg/mL).

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first case of TAVI performed with the dry-tissue pre-mounted VIENNA valve. Our case highlights the feasibility and short-term efficacy of the VIENNA valve. Further safety and durability need to be addressed by a multicentre trial.
Does the Injunction Gap Violate Implementers’ Fair Trial Rights Under the ECHR?
Authors: Dijkman Léon E
Published: December 2020

Germany is one of few jurisdictions with a bifurcated patent system, under which infringement and validity of a patent are established in separate proceedings. Because validity proceedings normally take longer to conclude, it can occur that remedies for infringement are imposed before a decision on the patent’s validity is available. This phenomenon is colloquially known as the ‘injunction gap’ and has been the subject of increasing criticism over the past years.

In this article, I examine the injunction gap from the perspective of the right to a fair trial enshrined in Art. 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. I find that the case law of the European Court of Human Rights interpreting this provision supports criticism of the injunction gap, because imposing infringement remedies with potentially far-reaching consequences before the validity of a patent has been established by a court of law arguably violates defendants’ right to be heard. Such reliance on the patent office’s grant decision is no longer warranted in the light of contemporary invalidation rates. I conclude that the proliferation of the injunction gap should be curbed by an approach to a stay of proceedings which is in line with the test for stays as formulated by Germany’s Federal Supreme Court. Under this test, courts should stay infringement proceedings until the Federal Patent Court or the EPO’s Board of Appeal have ruled on the validity of a patent whenever it is more likely than not that it will be invalidated.
Modeling the transmission of the new coronavirus in São Paulo State, Brazil—assessing the epidemiological impacts of isolating young and elder persons
Authors: Mo Yang Hyun , Pedro Lombardi Junior Luis , Campos Yang Ariana
Published: December 2020

We developed a mathematical model to describe the new coronavirus transmission in São Paulo State, Brazil. The model divided a community into subpopulations composed of young and elder persons considering a higher risk of fatality among elder persons with severe CoViD-19. From the data collected in São Paulo State, we estimated the transmission and additional mortality rates. Based on the estimated model parameters, we calculated the basic reproduction number $R_{0}$, and we retrieved the number of deaths due to CoViD-19, which was three times lower than those found in the literature. Considering isolation as a control mechanism, we varied the isolation rates in the young and elder subpopulations to assess the epidemiological impacts. The epidemiological scenarios focused mainly on evaluating the reduction in the number of severe CoViD-19 cases and deaths due to this disease when isolation is introduced in a population.
Performance Characteristics of a Rapid Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antigen Detection Assay at a Public Plaza Testing Site in San Francisco
Authors: Pilarowski Genay , Lebel Paul , Sunshine Sara , Liu Jamin , Crawford Emily , Marquez Carina , Rubio Luis , Chamie Gabriel , Martinez Jackie , Peng James , Black Douglas , Wu Wesley , Pak John , Laurie Matthew T , Jones Diane , Miller Steve , Jacobo Jon , Rojas Susana , Rojas Susy , Nakamura Robert , Tulier-Laiwa Valerie , Petersen Maya , Havlir Diane V , DeRisi Joseph
Published: December 2020

We evaluated the performance of the Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test for coronavirus disease 2019 (Binax-CoV2) to detect virus among persons, regardless of symptoms, at a public plaza site of ongoing community transmission. Titration with cultured severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 yielded a human observable threshold between 1.6 × 104-4.3 × 104 viral RNA copies (cycle threshold [Ct], 30.3–28.8). Among 878 subjects tested, 3% (26 of 878) were positive by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, of whom 15 of 26 had a Ct <30, indicating high viral load; of these, 40% (6 of 15) were asymptomatic. Using this Ct threshold (<30) for Binax-CoV2 evaluation, the sensitivity of Binax-CoV2 was 93.3% (95% confidence interval, 68.1%–99.8%) (14 of 15) and the specificity was 99.9% (99.4%–99.9%) (855 of 856).
Impact of Fasting Status on the Use of Klotho as a Biomarker
Authors: Paquette Jean-Sébastien , Gerard Ngueta , Djade Codjo Djignefa , Cadrin-Chênevert Alexandre , Martel Elise , Boudreault Samuel , Pelletier Mathieu
Published: December 2020

Background

Klotho is a protein secreted physiologically in humans. It acts like a hormone that regulates many biological processes. It is also a novel serological biomarker that is increasingly used as a predictive factor for several physiological and psychological conditions. Surprisingly, there is no consensus about the fasting state of the patient who is tested for klotho. Most studies are done on fasting patients, although others are done without concern about fasting status. There is a lack of evidence about this variable in klotho serological testing. Performing fasting tests on patients can be deleterious and can affect compliance. We investigated the effect of fasting status on klotho serological value.

Methods

We conducted an observational study in which klotho serology was evaluated in a fasting state and 2 h after a meal. In total, 35 participants came to the laboratory without having eaten for 10 h. Blood samples were taken on arrival at our laboratory and 2 h after eating a standardized meal.

Results

The mean age of our participants was 32.7 years old. There were 13 men and 22 women. In the fasting state, the klotho value was 1060.5 pg/mL (SD: 557.5 pg/mL). At 2 h after the meal, the klotho value was 1077.5 pg/mL (SD: 576.9 pg/mL). Statistical tests showed no difference before and after a meal in our study (P = 0.2425).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that it is not necessary to perform klotho serology in a fasting state.
A high-throughput phenotyping algorithm is portable from adult to pediatric populations
Authors: Geva Alon , Liu Molei , Panickan Vidul A , Avillach Paul , Cai Tianxi , Mandl Kenneth D
Published: December 2020

Objective

Multimodal automated phenotyping (MAP) is a scalable, high-throughput phenotyping method, developed using electronic health record (EHR) data from an adult population. We tested transportability of MAP to a pediatric population.

Materials and Methods

Without additional feature engineering or supervised training, we applied MAP to a pediatric population enrolled in a biobank and evaluated performance against physician-reviewed medical records. We also compared performance of MAP at the pediatric institution and the original adult institution where MAP was developed, including for 6 phenotypes validated at both institutions against physician-reviewed medical records.

Results

MAP performed equally well in the pediatric setting (average AUC 0.98) as it did at the general adult hospital system (average AUC 0.96). MAP’s performance in the pediatric sample was similar across the 6 specific phenotypes also validated against gold-standard labels in the adult biobank.

Conclusions

MAP is highly transportable across diverse populations and has potential for wide-scale use.
Impact of Agro-industrial Byproducts on Bioconversion, Chemical Composition, in vitro Digestibility, and Microbiota of the Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Larvae
Authors: Galassi Gianluca , Jucker Costanza , Parma Pietro , Lupi Daniela , Crovetto Gianni Matteo , Savoldelli Sara , Colombini Stefania
Published: December 2020

The interest in using byproducts from agro-food industries as a rearing substrate for insects is increasing rapidly. We investigated the influence of byproducts of vegetal origin (okara—a byproduct of soy milk production, maize distillers with solubles, brewer’s grains), used as rearing diet for black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), on the following parameters: biomass production, substrate reduction (SR), nutritional profile and in vitro digestibility, and larval gut microbiota. Hen diet was used as a control substrate. The highest larval biomass was collected on maize distillers, whereas the highest SR was observed on okara. The rearing substrate affected ash, ether extract, and chitin larval content. The BSFL reared on okara were characterized by a lower lauric acid content (17.6% of total fatty acids). Diets also influenced in vitro crude protein digestibility (%) for monogastrics, with the highest values for BSFL reared on maize distillers (87.8), intermediate for brewer’s grains and okara BSFL, and the lowest for hen BSFL (82.7). The nutritive value for ruminants showed a lower Net Energy for lactation for BSFL reared on hen diet than okara and dried maize distillers BSFL. The different byproducts showed an influence on the larval gut microbiota, with a major bacterial complexity observed on larvae fed with the hen diet. The neutral detergent fiber concentration of dietary substrate was negatively correlated with Firmicutes and Actinobacteria relative abundance. Insects valorized byproducts converting them into high-value larval biomass to be used for feed production. The results evidenced the effects of the tested byproducts on the measured parameters, underling the chemical composition importance on the final insect meal quality.
CAP Analysis of the Distribution of the Introduced Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Species Complex in Xinjiang, China and the Southerly Expansion of the Mediterranean Species
Authors: Jia Zunzun , Fu Kaiyun , Guo Wenchao , Jiang Weihua , Ahmat Tursun , Ding Xinhua , He Jiang , Wang Xiaowu
Published: December 2020

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) cryptic complex has invaded Xinjiang, China, since 1998. The distribution of Mediterranean (MED) and Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) B. tabaci substrains has been gradually identified due to the development of molecular technology. In this study, the distribution of MED and MEAM1 in Xinjiang was determined by cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPs). Results showed that MED dominated in northern Xinjiang (84%), whereas MEAM1 was dominant in southern Xinjiang (72%). Five pairs of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers were used to analyze the genetic diversity of B. tabaci among 36 geographic populations. The genetic diversity of MED and MEAM1was low and varied little among populations in Xinjiang (0.09 ± 0.14 and 0.09 ± 0.13, respectively). Based on ∆K statistic, 13 populations of MEAM1 could be classified into two subgroups at K = 2, whereas the 23 populations of MED could be classified into four subgroups at K = 4. However, Mantel t-test demonstrated no correlation between geographical and genetic distances among B. tabaci complex (R = 0.42, P = 1.00). Neighbor-joining and principal coordinate analysis showed that geographical isolation and interspecific differences were the main causes of the genetic variation. Gene flow predicted that MEAM1 was most likely introduced from Urumqi to the southern Xinjiang. Meanwhile, a large proportion of MED in Kashi region came from Changji and Yining. To block ongoing dispersal, strict detection and flower quarantine regulations need to be enforced.
A BMI-category distribution pattern of intrinsic and treatment-related prognostic factors in endometrial cancer
Authors: Kurosu Hiroyuki , Todo Yukiharu , Yamada Ryutaro , Minowa Kaoru , Tsuruta Tomohiko , Minobe Shinichiro , Kato Hidenori
Published: December 2020

Objective

In patients with endometrial cancer, obesity is associated with favorable prognostic characteristics but not with prolonged survival. The aim of this study was to elucidate the reason for this clinical paradox.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 1173 patients with endometrial cancer. Patients were divided into a non-obese group [body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2], class I obesity group (BMI 30–35 kg/m2) and class II obesity group (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2). The relationship between clinicopathological factors and disease-specific survival (DSS) was analyzed by Cox regression analysis. To correct for three-time significance testing, we used the Bonferroni method, giving the level of probability at which findings were considered significant as P < 0.0167.

Results

Three disease-intrinsic variables—older age, advanced stage and high-risk histology—and three treatment-related variables—no hysterectomy, no lymphadenectomy and no chemotherapy—were independently associated with poor DSS. DSS was similar among the three groups of patients even though the proportion of patients with plural pretreatment-related unfavorable risk factors significantly decreased with increment of BMI category (40.1 vs. 27.5 vs. 17.6%, P = 0.0003). The proportion of patients with plural treatment-related unfavorable prognostic factors significantly increased with increment of BMI category (21.3 vs. 26.7 vs. 39.3%, P = 0.0072).

Conclusions

Poor-quality surgical staging in obese women may result in worse than expected survival outcomes.
Deliberation and Deliberative Organizational Routines in Frontline Decision-Making
Authors: Møller Anne Mette
Published: December 2020

Deliberation is a widely recognized but understudied aspect of frontline decision-making. This study contributes to theory development by exploring deliberative practices in frontline organizations and their implications for decision-making. Drawing on a multi-sited ethnographic study in three Danish child welfare agencies, the analysis clarifies the multiple purposes of deliberation in everyday practice and shows how deliberation is enabled and structured by formalized and informal deliberative organizational routines. Findings show that deliberation may influence individual decision-making or amount to collective decision-making. Depending on how deliberative organizational routines are enacted, deliberation may serve to enhance professional judgment, ensure appropriate justification for decisions, and alleviate uncertainty and emotional strain. Yet, while deliberation represents a productive form of collective coping, deliberative routines may also obscure transparency and reify dysfunctional group dynamics. A conceptual framework is developed to support further research into the purposes, practices, and implications of deliberation across diverse street-level contexts.
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid IMMY Sona Aspergillus lateral-flow assay for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: a prospective, real life evaluation
Authors: Arkell P , Mahboobani S , Wilson R , Fatania N , Coleman M , Borman A M , Johnson E M , Armstrong-James D P H , Abdolrasouli A
Published: December 2020

Prompt and reliable diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is essential for early initiation of antifungal therapy. We evaluated bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid IMMY Sona Aspergillus lateral-flow assay (IMMY LFA) in 92 individuals with suspected pulmonary infection. Sensitivity and specificity (vs. host factor but no IPA) of BAL IMMY LFA for diagnosis of IPA in individuals with any European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer-defied “host factor” were 67% and 85%, respectively. Performance appeared better in individuals with renal transplantation (100%, 100%), compared to those with hematological malignancy and/or allogenic stem cell transplantation (70%, 78%). We found BAL IMMY LFA to be a convenient and useful addition to our diagnostic armory for IPA.

Lay abstract

We evaluated a new test for diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis from bronchoscopy samples. We tested 92 people and found that it was 67% sensitive and 85% specific (compared to diagnosis according to a set of internationally recognised criteria). We found this test convenient and useful.
The fast radio burst dispersion measure distribution
Authors: Arcus W R , Macquart J-P , Sammons M W , James C W , Ekers R D
Published: December 2020

We compare the dispersion measure (DM) statistics of FRBs detected by the ASKAP and Parkes radio telescopes. We jointly model their DM distributions, exploiting the fact that the telescopes have different survey fluence limits but likely sample the same underlying population. After accounting for the effects of instrumental temporal and spectral resolution of each sample, we find that a fit between the modelled and observed DM distribution, using identical population parameters, provides a good fit to both distributions. Assuming a one-to-one mapping between DM and redshift for an homogeneous intergalactic medium (IGM), we determine the best-fitting parameters of the population spectral index, $\hat{\alpha }$, and the power-law index of the burst energy distribution, $\hat{\gamma }$, for different redshift evolutionary models. Whilst the overall best-fitting model yields $\hat{\alpha }=2.2_{-1.0}^{+0.7}$ and $\hat{\gamma }=2.0_{-0.1}^{+0.3}$, for a strong redshift evolutionary model, when we admit the further constraint of α = 1.5 we favour the best fit $\hat{\gamma }=1.5 \pm 0.2$ and the case of no redshift evolution. Moreover, we find no evidence that the FRB population evolves faster than linearly with respect to the star formation rate over the DM (redshift) range for the sampled population.