bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential targeting of Hep3B liver cancer cells by lupeol isolated from Avicennia marina
Authors: Eldohaji Leen M. , Fayed Bahgat , Hamoda Alshaimaa M. , Ershaid Mai , Abdin Shifaa , Alhamidi Tasneem B. , Mohammad Mohammad G. , Omar Hany A. , Soliman Sameh S. M.
Published: June 2021

Medicinal plants are valuable sources of different active constituents that are known to have important pharmacological activities including anticancer effects. Lupeol, a pentacyclic triterpenoid, present in many medicinal plants, has a wide range of biological activities. Although the anticancer activity of lupeol was reported, the published data are inconsistent and the clear mechanism of action has never been assigned. The current study aims at investigating the anticancer specificity and mechanism of lupeol isolated from Avicennia marina, which grows in the desert of the United Arab Emirates. The compound was purified by chromatography and identified by spectroscopy. Compared with a negative control, lupeol caused significant (p < .001) growth inhibitory activity on MCF‐7 and Hep3B parental and resistant cells by 45%, 46%, 72%, and 35%, respectively. The mechanism of action of lupeol was further explored by measuring its effect on key players in cancer development and progression, BCL‐2 anti‐apoptotic and BAX pro‐apoptotic proteins. Lupeol significantly (p < .01) downregulated BCL‐2 gene expression in parental and resistant Hep3B cells by 33 and 3.5 times, respectively, contributing to the induction of apoptosis in Hep3B cells, whereas it caused no effect on BAX. Furthermore, the immunoblotting analysis revealed that lupeol cleaved the executioner caspase‐3 into its active form. Interestingly, lupeol showed no significant effect on the proliferation of monocytes, whereas it caused an increase in the sub‐G1 population and a reduction in the apoptosis rates of monocytes at 48 and 72 h, indicative of no immuno‐inflammatory responses. Collectively, lupeol can be considered as promising effective and safe anticancer agent, particularly against Hep3B cancer cells.
Not all uncertainty is treated equally: Information search under social and nonsocial uncertainty
Authors: Fleischhut Nadine , Artinger Florian M. , Olschewski Sebastian , Hertwig Ralph
Published: June 2021

The social world is often portrayed as being less predictable and more uncertain than the nonsocial world. People may therefore feel the need to search more for information before making a choice. However, we suggest that cognitive tools such as social projection and norm‐based expectation may help people to predict others' behaviors in the social world and thus serve as a substitute for information search. We argue that in situations where the environment affords this possibility, social uncertainty may in fact trigger less search than nonsocial uncertainty. Consistent with our expectations, findings from two experiments showed that participants sampled considerably less and systematically differently in a mini‐ultimatum game (mUG; social uncertainty) than in structurally identical lotteries (nonsocial uncertainty). Even selfish individuals sensitive to the risk of rejection did not sample more than others, let alone as much as people in lotteries. Raising the stakes strongly increased sampling effort in lotteries but not in the social game. When evaluating risks based on outcomes alone, participants also anticipated searching less in mUGs than in lotteries, indicating that they were aware of norm‐based regularities in social worlds and that they exploited those regularities to guide their expectations. The findings highlight that the structure of social environments can enable decision makers to use cognitive tools to navigate uncertainty without needing to invest in extensive search.
A systematic review of research on stability of preference assessment outcomes across repeated administrations
Authors: MacNaul Hannah , Cividini‐Motta Catia , Wilson Shannon , Di Paola Hunter
Published: June 2021

A key component to any successful intervention aimed at increasing appropriate behavior for individuals with disabilities is the identification of potential reinforcers (Verriden & Roscoe, 2016). Preference assessments allow for the identification of specific preferred items for each individual; however, little is known about the stability of preference over time. The purpose of this review was to synthesize results from 20 studies that conducted two or more preference assessments, at least 24 h apart, and analyze the stability of preference assessment outcomes across repeated assessment administrations. This paper investigated the impact of the inter‐assessment interval (IAI; i.e., how often assessments were conducted), preference assessment format, and stimulus type (i.e., leisure items/activities, edibles, social interaction) on the stability of preference assessment outcomes. Results suggest that, across repeated administration, preference is most stable at brief IAIs (8–30 days) and when using the paired‐stimulus format (Fisher et al., 1992). Implications for practitioners and future research are discussed.
Dispersion of sulfur creates a valuable new growth medium formulation that enables earlier sulfur oxidation in relation to iron oxidation in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans cultures
Authors: Inaba Yuta , Kernan Timothy , West Alan C. , Banta Scott
Published: June 2021

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an acidophilic chemolithoautotroph that is commonly reported to exhibit diauxic population growth behavior where ferrous iron is oxidized before elemental sulfur when both are available, despite the higher energy content of sulfur. We have discovered sulfur dispersion formulations that enables sulfur oxidation before ferrous iron oxidation. The oxidation of dispersed sulfur can lower the culture pH within days below the range where aerobic ferrous iron oxidation can occur. Thus, ferric iron reduction can be observed quickly which had previously been reported over extended incubation periods with untreated sulfur. Therefore, we demonstrate that this substrate utilization pattern is strongly dependent on the cell loading in relation to sulfur concentration, sulfur surface hydrophobicity, and the pH of the culture. Our dispersed sulfur formulation, lig‐sulfur, can be used to support the rapid antibiotic selection of plasmid‐transformed cells, which is not possible in liquid cultures where ferrous iron is the main source of energy for these acidophiles. Furthermore, we find that media containing lig‐sulfur supports higher production of green fluorescent protein compared to media containing ferrous iron. The use of dispersed sulfur is a valuable new tool for the development of engineered A. ferrooxidans strains and it provides a new method to control iron and sulfur oxidation behaviors.
Electrochemical tracing of hypoxia glycolysis by carbon nanotube sensors, a new hallmark for intraoperative detection of suspicious margins to breast neoplasia
Authors: Miripour Zohreh Sadat , Abbasvandi Fereshteh , Aghaee Parisa , NajafiKhoshnoo Sahar , Faramarzpour Mahsa , Mohaghegh Pooneh , Hoseinpour Parisa , Namdar Naser , Amiri Morteza Hassanpour , Ghafari Hadi , Zareie Sarah , Shojaeian Fatemeh , Sanati Hassan , Mapar Mahna , Sadeghian Nastaran , Akbari Mohammad Esmaeil , Khayamian Mohammad Ali , Abdolahad Mohammad
Published: June 2021

For most people, the first step in treatment is to take out the tumor (surgery), so precise and fast diagnosis of any sign of high‐risk and neoplastic cells, especially in surgical cavity margins, is significant. The frozen pathology method is the conventional standard of intraoperative diagnosis, but the low number of slides prepared from non‐fixed tissues prevents us from achieving a perfect diagnosis. Although many improvements in intraoperative margin detection were achieved, still real‐time detection of neoplastic lesions is crucial to improving diagnostic quality. Functionalized carbon nanotubes grown on the electrode needles lively and selectively determine the H2O2 released from cancer/atypical cells through reverse Warburg effect and hypoxia assisted glycolysis pathways in a quantitative electrochemical manner. The study was carried out on cell lines, 57 in vivo mice models with breast cancer, and 258 fresh in vitro samples of breast cancer tumors. A real‐time electrotechnical system, named cancer diagnostic probe (CDP) (US Patent Pub. No.: US 2018/02991 A1, US 2021/0007638 A1, and US 2021/0022650 A1 [publications], and US 10,786,188 B1 [granted]), has been developed to find pre‐neoplastic/neoplastic cells in vivo in a quantitative electrochemical manner by tracing hypoxia glycolysis byproducts. Matched pathological evaluations with response peaks of CDP were found based on the presence of neoplasia (from atypia to invasive carcinoma) in live breast tissues. The ability of CDP to find neoplastic lesions in mice models in vivo and fresh breast tumors in vitro was verified with sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 97%, respectively. The system may help a surgeon assistant system for usage in the operating room after passing many trials and standard examinations in the future.
Prognostic importance of IDH mutations in chondrosarcoma: An individual patient data meta‐analysis
Authors: Vuong Huy Gia , Ngo Tam N.M. , Dunn Ian F.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

IDH1/2 mutations are prevalent in cartilaginous tumors including chondrosarcoma. This meta‐analysis using individual patient data (IPD) aimed to investigate the clinical and prognostic association of these mutations in chondrosarcoma patients.

Methods

Two electronic databases including PubMed and Web of Science were searched for relevant data. We included studies providing IPD of chondrosarcoma with available IDH1/2 mutational status for meta‐analysis. Chi‐square and t‐test were performed to compare the groups with and without IDH1/2 mutations. For survival analysis, log‐rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were used to investigate the association of IDH mutations with patient outcomes.

Results

Fourteen studies with 488 patients were analyzed. IDH1 and IDH2 mutations were detected in 38.7% and 12.1% of cases, respectively. IDH1/2 mutations were significantly associated with an older age (p = 0.003), tumor origins (p < 0.001), tumor grades (p < 0.001), larger diameter (p = 0.003), relapse (p = 0.014), and patient mortality (p = 0.04). Multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, tumor grade, and tumor sites confirmed the negative impact of IDH1/2 mutations on patient overall survival (HR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.06–3.42; p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Our meta‐analysis demonstrated the distinct characteristics of IDH1/2‐mutated chondrosarcomas in comparison to those without mutations. These mutations could serve as an independent prognostic biomarker to better prognosticate patient outcomes and design appropriate treatment plans.
Lumpectomy followed by radiation improves survival in HER2 positive and triple‐negative breast cancer with high tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes compared to mastectomy alone
Authors: Mouabbi Jason A. , Chand Momal , Asghar Ishaq A. , Sakhi Ramen , Ockner Daniel , Dul Carrie L. , Hadid Tarik , Aref Amr , Rimawi Mothaffar F. , Hoyos Valentina
Published: June 2021

Objective

The goal was to compare the 5‐year DFS and 5‐year OS in patients with early‐stage human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 breast cancer (HER2+ BC) and triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) in relation to the amount of stromal tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) after locoregional management by either mastectomy without radiation or lumpectomy and whole‐breast radiotherapy (RT).

Methods

This was a retrospective review of HER2+ BC and TNBC patients’ charts and histopathology slides with clinical stage of T1‐T2 N0 who presented at our facility between January 2009 and December 2019. Locoregional treatment included either mastectomy without RT (M) or lumpectomy with RT (L+R). TILs were assessed by three pathologists using the guidelines of the 2014 TILs working group. A competing risk model and Kaplan–Meier analysis were used to analyze correlations between TILs levels and clinical outcome.

Results

We reviewed 211 patients’ charts. Of them, 190 proceeded to the final analysis. Patients were split into groups of "low TILs" and "high TILs" based on a 50% TILs cut‐off. Of them 26% had high TILs, 48% received RT, 97% received chemotherapy, all HER2+ BC patients received HER2‐directed therapy and all HER2+ BC that were also hormone receptor positive (HR+) received endocrine therapy (ET). In patient with low TILs, L+R did not improve outcomes compared to M. Moreover, patients with high TILs had a significant improvement of their DFS and OS with L+R when compared to M.

Conclusion

The results of our study reflect that a selected group of HER2+ BC and TNBC with elevated TILs, L+R is associated with improvement of 5‐year DFS and 5‐year OS.
Comparative Studies of Yolkin Preparations Isolated from Egg Yolks of Selected Bird Species
Authors: Zabłocka Agnieszka , Bobak Łukasz , Macała Józefa , Rymaszewska Joanna , Kazana Wioletta , Zambrowicz Aleksandra
Published: June 2021

The results of our research have proven that yolkin preparations isolated from eggs of different bird species show a high similarity in polypeptide composition. Despite the small differences in protein patterns, all of yolkin preparations showed also strong immunomodulatory activity, comparable with yolkin obtained previously from hen egg yolk. It can therefore be deducted that the presence of this polypeptide complex in the egg is not accidental and performs an important biological function for developing embryo.
Isolation and Characterization of Anti‐Inflammatory Sorbicillinoids from the Mangrove‐Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. DM815
Authors: Ding Wenjuan , Wang Fangfang , Li Qingwen , Xue Yaxin , Dong Zhitong , Tian Danmei , Chen Mei , Zhang Youwei , Hong Kui , Tang Jinshan
Published: June 2021

Marine derived fungus has gained increasing ground in the discovery of novel lead compounds with potent biological activities including anti‐inflammation. Here, we first report the characterization of one new sorbicillinoid (1) and fourteen known compounds (2–15) from the ethyl acetate (AcOEt) extract of a cultured mangrove derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM815 by UV, IR, HR ESI‐Q‐TOF MS, and NMR spectra. We then evaluated the anti‐inflammatory effects of eleven sorbicillinoids (1–11) using cultured macrophage RAW264.7 cells. The results show that compound 9, and to a lesser degree compound 5, significantly inhibited the Gram‐negative bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced upregulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Consistently, compounds 5 and 9 significantly reduced the level of nitric oxide (NO), the product of iNOS, induced by LPS. We further show that these two compounds dose‐dependently inhibited LPS‐triggered iNOS expression and NO production, but had no effect on proliferation of RAW264.7 cells in the presence of LPS. In conclusion, our study identifies novel and known sorbicillinoids as potent anti‐inflammatory agents, holding the promise of developing novel anti‐inflammation treatment in the future.
Lignans from Lepidium meyenii and Their Anti‐Inflammatory Activities
Authors: Zou Yi‐Yan , Wang Dai‐Wei , Yan Yong‐Ming , Cheng Yong‐Xian
Published: June 2021

Meyeniines A–C (1–3), three new lignans, two known neolignans (4–5), and three known lignans (6–8) were isolated from the rhizomes of Lepidium meyenii. Their structures were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and computational methods. Compound 1 represents a unique lignan featuring an aromatic ring migration. Compounds 2 and 4–6 were analyzed by chiral HPLC column as enantiomers. Biological evaluation revealed that compound 8 could inhibit IL‐6 production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose‐dependent manner.
Biomass‐derived Carbon Quantum Dots – A Review. Part 1: Preparation and Characterization
Authors: Thangaraj Baskar , Solomon Pravin Raj , Chuangchote Surawut , Wongyao Nutthapon , Surareungchai Werasak
Published: June 2021

The preparation of nanostructured carbon materials from chosen biomass through hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis processes by optimizing the reaction conditions is one of the bases for applying the product in certain of the development activities. The finished product more or less reflects the raw material and the way of preparation. Among the many products, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have gained importance due to their bolstered characteristics and facile preparation. CQDs are zero‐dimensional (0D) nanomaterials which attracted attention in the recent past due to their excellent water solubility, unique optical properties, good electrical conductivity, eco‐friendliness, and biocompatibility. Small‐sized CQDs offer high surface area per unit volume, strong tunable fluorescence, photo‐luminescent emissions, and semiconducting properties. In this paper, identification of ideal raw materials, process parameters being followed in the preparation of CQDs through hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis techniques, and the properties of the resultant CQDs commensurate with the nature of process are reviewed.
Effects of temperature and humidity on adhesion of water scale to glass substrates
Authors: Hayashi Shogo , Kobayashi Tomoki , Sakai Shota , Saito Noritaka , Nakashima Kunihiko
Published: June 2021

The formation of silica scales from water on ceramics is a significant problem, and there is an urgent need to develop methods to prevent its formation or to remove it. In this study, we fabricated silica scales on glass substrates and investigated the effects of temperature and humidity during the drying process on the adhesion of the scales to the substrates. The scales were created from artificial water via a previously reported method, while focusing on the variations in the contact angle of water droplets on the substrates with changes in drying conditions. It was observed that the primary factors affecting the drying process are temperature and humidity. In addition, the drying rate of the droplets was in good agreement with the theoretically predicted value. Further, the scales were subjected to quantitative rubbing tests, and the scale removal rate was observed to be higher under humid conditions. The results obtained herein should aid efforts to develop methods for the easy removal of silica scales from substrates.
Seeding rate impact on root lodging and greensnap in corn
Authors: Lindsey Alexander J. , Geyer Allen B. , Minyo Rich , Thomison Peter R.
Published: June 2021

Core Ideas

Increasing the seeding rate by 10,000 seeds acre–1 increased root lodging incidence by 14%.

Greensnap incidence did not change with an increased seeding rate.

Yield loss from root lodging was evident at seeding rates above 36,000 seeds acre–1.

Yield loss from greensnap was evident at 24,000 to 36,000 seeds acre–1.
Conventional cardiovascular risk factors associated with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A comprehensive review
Authors: Liang Jing , Zhang Jingyi , Xu Yidan , Teng Catherine , Lu Xiaojia , Wang Yanxuan , Zuo Xinyu , Li Qiuyue , Huang Zirui , Ma Jianjun , Li Pengyang
Published: June 2021

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction, was first reported in Japan in 1990. Current research suggests that TCM can be affected by conventional cardiovascular factors such as hypertension (HTN), diabetes, hyperlipidemia (HLD), and obesity. Despite the increasing interest in this disease, research on TCM remains limited. Conventional cardiovascular factors are clinically related to the outcome of TCM. We reviewed the publications published in PubMed database between January 01 2010 and January 15 2021, and summarized the most current available evidence on the correlation between TCM and the conventional cardiovascular factors. TCM patients are predominantly postmenopausal women. Men and young patients are less commonly seen, but are prone to acute adverse complications and poor prognosis. HTN is common in patients with recurrent TCM. Existing evidence suggests that obesity and chronic kidney disease are related to poor prognosis in TCM. HLD is reported to be associated with fewer complications, though current evidence is limited. Finally, the relationship between diabetes and TCM prognosis is ambivalent. Current evidence suggests conventional cardiovascular risk factors are associated with the outcome of TCM, especially with mortality and complications. More prospective studies are needed to clarify the relationship between each risk factor and the prognosis of TCM.
Anaphylactic risk related to omalizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab, mepolizumab, and dupilumab
Authors: Li Lisha , Wang Zixi , Cui Le , Xu Yingyang , Guan Kai , Zhao Bin
Published: June 2021

Background

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are novel, effective therapeutics for the treatment of inadequately controlled severe asthma. Knowledge of the anaphylaxis risks related to different mAbs is essential for their appropriate and safe administration. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between different mAbs and anaphylactic reactions by applying statistical approaches to pharmacovigilance data.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using data from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database from January 2004 to September 2020. A total of 2006 reports of anaphylaxis related to benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, omalizumab, and reslizumab were obtained through data mining. The clinical characteristics of the cases were analyzed, and the risk signals of anaphylactic reactions and corresponding outcomes were investigated in the five mAbs.

Results

The patients were mainly young and middle‐aged adults, with markedly more women than men. Omalizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab, and mepolizumab showed positive signals for anaphylaxis, while only dupilumab showed a negative signal. The risk of initial or prolonged hospitalization due to anaphylaxis was significantly higher in the benralizumab group than in the omalizumab group (42.86% vs. 28.92%, p = 0.024). Further, when anaphylaxis to omalizumab occurred, patients with asthma were more likely to have life‐threatening outcomes than those with chronic urticaria (18.0% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.022).

Conclusion

In the current real‐world study, the positive anaphylaxis signals related to omalizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab, and mepolizumab suggested the need for the close monitoring of patients after drug use, and dupilumab showed a negative signal for anaphylaxis.
The rising burden of cancer in low– and middle–Human Development Index countries
Authors: Fadelu Temidayo , Rebbeck Timothy R.
Published: June 2021

Cancer and other noncommunicable diseases represent a growing burden to the health of many countries with a low or medium Human Development Index. Although they are well aware of this problem, many have limited resources to address the continuing burden of communicable diseases while having to address cancer as well.
It's all in the name: Does nomenclature for indolent prostate cancer impact management and anxiety?
Authors: Hudnall Matthew T. , Desai Anuj S. , Tsai Kyle P. , Weiner Adam B. , Vo Amanda X. , Ko Oliver S. , Jan Stephen , Schaeffer Edward M. , Kundu Shilajit D.
Published: June 2021

Background

Despite consensus guidelines, many men with low‐grade prostate cancer are not managed with active surveillance. Patient perception of the nomenclature used to describe low‐grade prostate cancers may partly explain this discrepancy.

Methods

A randomized online survey was administered to men without a history of prostate cancer, presenting a hypothetical clinical scenario in which they are given a new diagnosis of low‐grade prostate cancer. The authors determined whether diagnosis nomenclature was associated with management preference and diagnosis‐related anxiety using ratings given on a scale from 1 to 100, adjusting for participant characteristics through multivariable linear regression.

Results

The survey was completed by 718 men. Compared with Gleason 6 out of 10 prostate cancer, the term grade group 1 out of 5 prostate cancer was associated with lower preference for immediate treatment versus active surveillance (β = −9.3; 95% CI, −14.4, −4.2; P < .001), lower diagnosis‐related anxiety (β = −8.3; 95% CI, −12.8, −3.8; P < .001), and lower perceived disease severity (β = −12.3; 95% CI, −16.5, −8.1; P < .001) at the time of initial diagnosis. Differences decreased as participants received more disease‐specific education. Indolent lesion of epithelial origin, a suggested alternative term for indolent tumors, was not associated with differences in anxiety or preference for active surveillance.

Conclusions

Within a hypothetical clinical scenario, nomenclature for low‐grade prostate cancer affects initial perception of the disease and may alter subsequent decision making, including preference for active surveillance. Disease‐specific education reduces the differential impact of nomenclature use, reaffirming the importance of comprehensive counseling and clear communication between the clinician and patient.
A hybrid classification method for Twitter spam detection based on differential evolution and random forest
Authors: Bazzaz Abkenar Sepideh , Mahdipour Ebrahim , Jameii Seyed Mahdi , Haghi Kashani Mostafa
Published: June 2021

Social networking services are online platforms that are distributed across different computers over long distances. Twitter is the most popular microblogging site that allows users to share their opinions and real‐world events. Due to its popularity and ease of use, Twitter has also attracted spammers. As a result, spam detection is one of the most critical problems. In order to provide a spam‐free environment, it is necessary to identify and filter spam tweets as well as their owners. A hybrid method, which is based on Synthetic Minority Over‐sampling TEchnique (SMOTE) and Differential Evolution (DE) strategies, is presented to enhance the spam detection rate in real Twitter datasets. SMOTE is applied to tackle the imbalanced class distribution of datasets, while DE is used to tune Random Forest (RF) hyperparameters. Compared with related work and based on evaluation results, the presented method significantly enhances the classification performance in imbalanced datasets. The detection rate of optimized RF with excellent F1‐score and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC), which are 98.97% and 0.999, respectively, demonstrates the high efficiency of the proposed method.
Cluster formation techniques for hierarchical real time tasks allocation on multiprocessor system
Authors: Talmale Girish , Shrawankar Urmila
Published: June 2021

Real‐time systems are nowadays extensively used in most time‐critical embedded applications. The existing multiprocessor real‐time scheduling algorithms are based on partitioned and global scheduling approaches. The partitioned‐based algorithms suffer poor utilization bound, load balancing, not compatible for an open system environment, and the global scheduling approach faces problems like high scheduling, migration overhead. Cluster scheduling represents a hybrid scheduling approach which consists of a set of processors as clusters and tasks scheduled to each processor of clusters using a global scheduling approach. The different cluster formation heuristics are investigated for homogenous clusters. The main objective of this article is to propose task utilization‐based cluster formation and harmonic period aware task allocation for a hierarchical real‐time system on a multiprocessor platform. Tasks with high utilization, cluster size tune to a smaller value to achieve high utilization. Tasks with low utilization, the size of cluster tune to larger to reduce migration and scheduling overheads. Experimentation performed on multiprocessor real‐time simulator with a different set of tasks, multiprocessor system, different tasks utilization, and cluster size. Simulation results show that cluster base approach increases the number of tasks scheduled on a multiprocessor system, system utilization, and reduces response time, migration, and preemption overheads.
The Role of Amyloid β‐Biomembrane Interactions in the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from Liposomes as Membrane Models
Authors: Andrade Stéphanie , Loureiro Joana Angélica , Pereira Maria Carmo
Published: June 2021

The aggregation and deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) peptide onto neuronal cells, with consequent cellular membrane perturbation, are central to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Substantial evidence reveals that biological membranes play a key role in this process. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms by which Aβ interacts with biomembranes and becomes neurotoxic is fundamental to developing effective therapies for this devastating progressive disease. However, the structural basis behind such interactions is not fully understood, largely due to the complexity of natural membranes. In this context, lipid biomembrane models provide a simplified way to mimic the characteristics and composition of membranes. Aβ‐biomembrane interactions have been extensively investigated applying artificial membrane models to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the AD pathogenesis. This review summarizes the latest findings on this field using liposomes as biomembrane model, as they are considered the most promising 3D model. The current challenges and future directions are discussed.
Insight Into The Spin‐Vibronic Problem of a Mixed Valence Magnetic Molecular Cell for Quantum Cellular Automata
Authors: Palii Andrew , Korchagin Denis , Aldoshin Sergey , Clemente‐Juan J. M. , Zilberg Shmuel , Tsukerblat Boris
Published: June 2021

The effects of the vibronic coupling in quantum cellular automata (QCA) based on the square planar mixed valence (MV) molecular cells comprising four paramagnetic centers (spin cores) and two excess mobile electrons are analyzed in the important particular case when the Coulomb energy gap between the ground antipodal diagonal‐type two‐electron configurations and the excited side‐type configurations considerably exceeds both the one‐electron transfer parameter (strong U‐limit) and the vibronic stabilization energy. Under such conditions the developed model involves the second‐order double exchange, the Heisenberg‐Dirac‐Van Vleck (HDVV) exchange and the vibronic coupling of the excess electrons with the molecular B1g‐vibration composed of four full‐symmetric local vibrations. The latter interaction is shown to significant amplify the ability of the electric field produced by the driver‐cell to polarize the excess electrons in the working cell, which can be termed “the effect of the vibronic enhancement of the cell‐cell interaction”. This effect leads to a redetermination of the conditions for switching between different spin‐states, as well as to a significant change in the shapes of the cell‐cell response functions. The obtained results demonstrate the importance of the vibronic coupling in all aspects (such as description of a free cell and cell‐cell response) of the theory of molecular QCA based on MV clusters.
Association Between FIASMAs and Reduced Risk of Intubation or Death in Individuals Hospitalized for Severe COVID‐19: An Observational Multicenter Study
Authors: Hoertel Nicolas , Sánchez‐Rico Marina , Gulbins Erich , Kornhuber Johannes , Carpinteiro Alexander , Lenze Eric J. , Reiersen Angela M. , Abellán Miriam , de la Muela Pedro , Vernet Raphaël , Blanco Carlos , Cougoule Céline , Beeker Nathanaël , Neuraz Antoine , Gorwood Philip , Alvarado Jesús M. , Meneton Pierre , Limosin Frédéric ,   AP‐HP / Université de Paris / INSERM COVID‐19 research collaboration, AP‐HP COVID CDR Initiative, “Entrepôt de Données de Santé” AP‐HP Consortium
Published: June 2021

Several medications commonly used for a number of medical conditions share a property of functional inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), or FIASMA. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggest that the ASM/ceramide system may be central to severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. We examined the potential usefulness of FIASMA use among patients hospitalized for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in an observational multicenter study conducted at Greater Paris University hospitals. Of 2,846 adult patients hospitalized for severe COVID‐19, 277 (9.7%) were taking an FIASMA medication at the time of their hospital admission. The primary end point was a composite of intubation and/or death. We compared this end point between patients taking vs. not taking an FIASMA medication in time‐to‐event analyses adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and medical comorbidities. The primary analysis was a Cox regression model with inverse probability weighting (IPW). Over a mean follow‐up of 9.2 days (SD = 12.5), the primary end point occurred in 104 patients (37.5%) receiving an FIASMA medication, and 1,060 patients (41.4%) who did not. Despite being significantly and substantially associated with older age and greater medical severity, FIASMA medication use was significantly associated with reduced likelihood of intubation or death in both crude (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58–0.87, P < 0.001) and primary IPW (HR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.46–0.72, P < 0.001) analyses. This association remained significant in multiple sensitivity analyses and was not specific to one particular FIASMA class or medication. These results show the potential importance of the ASM/ceramide system in COVID‐19 and support the continuation of FIASMA medications in these patients. Double‐blind controlled randomized clinical trials of these medications for COVID‐19 are needed.
Optimization of Substrate Temperature for Uniform Graphene Synthesis by Numerical Simulation and Machine Learning
Authors: Deng Weifeng , Huang Yaosong
Published: June 2021

High uniformity graphene has extensive application prospect in many important fields due to its excellent features. During large‐area graphene synthesis by chemical vapor deposition, the optimization of the substrate temperature can improve the uniformity of graphene. Here, machine learning is used to design and optimize the substrate surface temperature for uniform graphene deposition. The computational fluid dynamics simulations based on a developed computational model are first performed to obtain the training data for machine learning, such as the gas temperature, velocity, concentrations, etc. Then, the neural network model is used to optimize the substrate temperature using the simulated data. It is found that the high accuracy is achieved through the validation of testing set. The optimal substrate temperature distribution is finally obtained, in which the carbon deposition rate and its uniformity are optimized to the specified values.
Solar‐Powered Whole‐Cell P450 Catalytic Platform for C‐Hydroxylation Reactions
Authors: Le Thien‐Kim , Kim Jinhyun , Anh Nguyen Ngoc , Huong Ha Nguyen Thi , Sun Eun‐Gene , Yee Su‐Min , Kang Hyung‐Sik , Yeom Soo‐Jin , Beum Park Chan , Yun Chul‐Ho
Published: June 2021

Photobiocatalysis is a green platform for driving redox enzymatic reactions using solar energy, not needing high‐cost cofactors and redox partners. Here, a visible light‐driven whole‐cell platform for human cytochrome P450 (CYP) photobiocatalysis was developed using natural flavins as a photosensitizer. Photoexcited flavins mediate NADPH/reductase‐free, light‐driven biocatalysis by human CYP2E1 both in vitro and in the whole‐cell systems. In vitro tests demonstrated that the photobiocatalytic activity of CYP2E1 is dependent on the substrate type, the presence of catalase, and the acid type used as a sacificial electron donor. A protective effect of catalase was found against the inactivation of CYP2E1 heme by H2O2 and the direct transfer of photo‐induced electrons to the heme iron not by peroxide shunt. Furthermore, the P450 photobiocatalysis in whole cells containing human CYPs 1A1, 1A2, 1B1, and 3A4 demonstrated the general applicability of the solar‐powered, flavin‐mediated P450 photobiocatalytic system.
Facilitating Charge Reactions in Al‐S Batteries with Redox Mediators
Authors: Li He , Lampkin John , Garcia‐Araez Nuria
Published: June 2021

The Al−S battery is a promising next‐generation battery candidate due to high abundance of both aluminium and sulfur. However, the sluggish kinetics of the Al−S battery reactions produces very high overpotentials. Here, for the first time, it was demonstrated that the incorporation of redox mediators could dramatically improve the kinetics of Al−S batteries. On the example of iodide redox mediators, it was shown that the charging voltage of Al−S batteries could be decreased by about 0.23 V with as little as 2.3 wt% of redox mediator added as electrolyte additive. Control electrochemical measurements, without prior discharge of the battery, demonstrated that >97 % of the charge capacity was due to the desired oxidation of Al2S3 and polysulfides, and X‐ray diffraction experiments confirmed the formation of sulfur as the final charge product. The beneficial role of redox mediators was demonstrated with cheap and environmentally friendly electrolytes made of urea and AlCl3. This work showed that dramatic performance improvements could be achieved with low concentration of electrolyte additives, and therefore, much further performance improvements could be sought by combining multiple additives.
An error efficient and low complexity approximate multi‐bit adder for image processing applications
Authors: Priyadharshni M. , Raj Gupta Antra , Nithish Kumar V. , Kumaravel S.
Published: June 2021

Approximate computing‐based hardware is directed towards reduction in area and power consumption; it finds better suitability in various image processing applications. In order to achieve low complexity, approximate techniques are applied in the arithmetic units which provide promising results in enhancing the performance of DSP processors with optimal degradation on its accuracy. In this paper, two approximate full adder designs are proposed, namely, the first design as proposed approximate full adder 1 (PAA1) and the second design as proposed approximate full adder 2 (PAA2). In both the designs, the approximation on the Boolean expressions is carried out to reduce the hardware complexity with the significant tolerance on the error rate. Also, a multi‐bit approximate carry select adder is proposed with the utilization of PAA1 and PAA2, respectively. The performance of the proposed adders is analyzed in terms of parameters like gate count, structural synthesis, error, and also in terms of image metrics. The proposed and existing designs are synthesized using Synopsys Design Compiler with TSMC 65 nm technology for better comparison. Synthesis results indicate that the proposed 16‐bit approximate carry select adder (CSLA) shows a significant reduction of 58% in area delay product and 70% in power delay product, in comparison with the conventional CSLA. The image metrics results also validate that the proposed adder with highest peak signal‐to‐noise ratio is highly adoptable for image processing applications.
Are fathers a good substitute for mothers? Paternal care and growth rates in Shodagor children
Authors: Starkweather K. E. , Keith M. H. , Prall S. P. , Alam N. , Zohora F. , Emery Thompson M.
Published: June 2021

Biparental care is a hallmark of human social organization, though paternal investment varies between and within societies. The facultative nature of paternal care in humans suggests males should invest when their care improves child survival and/or quality, though testing this prediction can be challenging because of the difficulties of empirically isolating paternal effects from those of other caregivers. Additionally, the broader context in which care is provided, vis‐à‐vis care from mothers and others, may lead to different child outcomes. Here, we examine the effects of paternal care on child growth among Shodagor fisher‐traders, where fathers provide high levels of both additive and substitutive care, relative to mothers. We modeled seasonalz‐scores and velocities for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) outcomes using linear mixed models. Our evidence indicates that, as predicted, the context of paternal care is an important predictor of child outcomes. Results show that environmental seasonality and alloparental help contribute to a nuanced understanding of the impact of Shodagor paternal care on child physiology.
Disturbance‐induced emigration: an overlooked mechanism that reduces metapopulation extinction risk
Authors: Mestre Alexandre , Barfield Michael , Peniston James H. , Peres‐Neto Pedro R. , Mesquita‐Joanes Francesc , Holt Robert D.
Published: June 2021

Emigration propensity (i.e., the tendency to leave undisturbed patches) is a key life‐history trait of organisms in metapopulations with local extinctions and colonizations. Metapopulation models of dispersal evolution typically assume that patch disturbance kills all individuals within the patch, thus causing local extinction. However, individuals may instead be able to leave a patch when it is disturbed, either by fleeing before being killed or simply because the disturbance destroys the patch without causing mortality. This scenario may pertain to a wide range of organisms from horizontally transmitted symbionts, to aquatic insects inhabiting temporary ponds, to vertebrates living in fragmented forests. We generalized a Levins‐type metapopulation model of dispersal evolution by adding a new parameter of disturbance escape probability, which incorporates a second source of dispersal into the model: disturbance‐induced emigration. We show that disturbance escape expands the domain of metapopulation viability and selects for lower rates of emigration propensity when disturbance rates are high. The fitness gains from disturbance‐induced emigration are generally moderate, suggesting that disturbance escape might act more as a complementary dispersal strategy rather than a replacement to emigration propensity, at least for metapopulations that meet the assumptions of the Levins‐type model. Yet disturbance‐induced emigration may in some circumstances rescue a metapopulation from long‐term extinction when the combination of high disturbance rates and low local population growth rates compromises its viability. Further, a metapopulation could persist exclusively by disturbance escape if local carrying capacities are large enough to counterbalance two sources of mortality: mortality driven by disturbance and mortality during dispersal. This study opens two promising research lines: (1) the investigation of disturbance escape in metapopulations of ephemeral habitats with unsaturated populations and non‐equilibrium dynamics and (2) the incorporation of information costs to investigate the joint evolution of disturbance escape and emigration propensity.
SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and paediatric endocrine disorders: Risks and management considerations
Authors: Miller Ryan , Ashraf Ambika P. , Gourgari Evgenia , Gupta Anshu , Kamboj Manmohan K. , Kohn Brenda , Lahoti Amit , Mak Daniel , Mehta Shilpa , Mitchell Deborah , Patel Neha , Raman Vandana , Reynolds Danielle G. , Yu Christine , Krishnan Sowmya
Published: June 2021

Background

Coronavirus‐19 (COVID‐19) is a disease caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, the seventh coronavirus identified as causing disease in humans. The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus has multiple potential pathophysiologic interconnections with endocrine systems, potentially causing disturbances in glucose metabolism, hypothalamic and pituitary function, adrenal function and mineral metabolism. A growing body of data is revealing both the effects of underlying endocrine disorders on COVID‐19 disease outcome and the effects of the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus on endocrine systems. However, comprehensive assessment of the relationship to endocrine disorders in children has been lacking.

Content

In this review, we present the effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on endocrine systems and review the current literature on complications of COVID‐19 disease in underlying paediatric endocrine disorders. We provide recommendations on management of endocrinopathies related to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in this population.

Summary and outlook

With the surge in COVID‐19 cases worldwide, it is important for paediatric endocrinologists to be aware of the interaction of SARS‐CoV‐2 with the endocrine system and management considerations for patients with underlying disorders who develop COVID‐19 disease. While children and adults share some risk factors that influence risk of complications in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, it is becoming clear that responses in the paediatric population are distinct and outcomes from adult studies cannot be extrapolated. Evidence emerging from paediatric studies provides some guidance but highlights the need for more research in this area.
Τhe association of heart failure across left ventricular ejection fraction with mortality in atrial fibrillation
Authors: Kartas Anastasios , Samaras Athanasios , Akrivos Evangelos , Vrana Eleni , Papazoglou Andreas S. , Moysidis Dimitrios V. , Papanastasiou Anastasios , Baroutidou Amalia , Botis Michail , Liampas Evangelos , Vouloagkas Ioannis , Karagiannidis Efstratios , Karvounis Haralambos , Parissis John , Tzikas Apostolos , Giannakoulas George
Published: June 2021

Aims

The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic implications of the presence of heart failure (HF) across the range of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with comorbid atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and results

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1063 patients (median age 76 years), discharged from the cardiology ward with a primary or secondary diagnosis of AF between 2015 and 2018. We used Cox proportional‐hazards and spline models to examine the association of the presence of HF, across the range of LVEF, with the primary outcome of all‐cause mortality. HF was documented in 52.9% of patients at baseline. During a median follow‐up of 31 months (interquartile range 10 to 52 months), 37.3% of patients died. The presence of HF was associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 2.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.70 to 2.77; P < 0.001], which was evident across HF with reduced (aHR 3.03; 95% CI 2.41 to 4.52), mid‐range (aHR 2.08; 95% CI 1.47 to 2.94), and preserved LVEF (aHR 1.94; 95% CI 1.47 to 2.55). Among patients with HF, the spline curve depicted a non‐linear association between LVEF and the risk of death, in which there was a steep and progressive increase in mortality for every 5% reduction in LVEF below 25% (aHR 1.97, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.73, P = 0.04).

Conclusions

In patients with AF who were discharged from the hospital, the presence of HF at baseline was independently associated with a twofold risk of death, which was significant across LVEF‐classified HF subtypes. Among patients with AF and HF, the risk of death rose significantly as LVEF was reduced below 25%.