bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Refined mass estimate for bilepton gauge boson
Authors: Corianò Claudio , Frampton Paul H.
Published: June 2021

Using the most recent experimental data on parameters of the standard electroweak theory, as well as renormalization group equations with a boundary matching condition, we derive a refined and more accurate value for the mass of the doubly-charged bilepton [Formula: see text] occurring in the spontaneous breaking of the gauge group [Formula: see text] to the standard electroweak gauge group [Formula: see text]. Our result is [Formula: see text] TeV.
2D relativistic oscillators with a uniform magnetic field in anti-de Sitter space
Authors: Sek Lakhdar , Falek Mokhtar , Moumni Mustafa
Published: June 2021

We study analytically the two-dimensional deformed bosonic oscillator equation for charged particles (both spin 0 and spin 1 particles) subject to the effect of an uniform magnetic field. We consider the presence of a minimal uncertainty in momentum caused by the anti-de Sitter model and we use the Nikiforov–Uvarov (NU) method to solve the system. The exact energy eigenvalues and the corresponding wave functions are analytically obtained for both Klein–Gordon and scalar Duffin–Kemmer–Petiau (DKP) cases and we find that the deformed spectrum remains discrete even for large values of the principal quantum number. For spin 1 DKP case, we deduce the behavior of the DKP equation and write the nonrelativistic energies and we show that the space deformation adds a new spin-orbit interaction proportional to its parameter. Finally, we study the thermodynamic properties of the system and here we find that the effects of the deformation on the statistical properties are important only in the high-temperature regime.
Numerical simulation for coupled nonlinear Schrödinger–Korteweg–de Vries and Maccari systems of equations
Authors: Akinyemi Lanre , Veeresha Pundikala , Ajibola Samuel Oluwatosin
Published: June 2021

The primary goal of this paper is to seek solutions to the coupled nonlinear partial differential equations (CNPDEs) by the use of q-homotopy analysis transform method (q-HATM). The CNPDEs considered are the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger–Korteweg–de Vries (CNLS-KdV) and the coupled nonlinear Maccari (CNLM) systems. As a basis for explaining the interactive wave propagation of electromagnetic waves in plasma physics, Langmuir waves and dust-acoustic waves, the CNLS-KdV model has emerged as a model for defining various types of wave phenomena in mathematical physics, and so forth. The CNLM model is a nonlinear system that explains the dynamics of isolated waves, restricted in a small part of space, in several fields like nonlinear optics, hydrodynamic and plasma physics. We construct the solutions (bright soliton) of these models through q-HATM and present the numerical simulation in form of plots and tables. The solutions obtained by the suggested approach are provided in a refined converging series. The outcomes confirm that the proposed solutions procedure is highly methodological, accurate and easy to study CNPDEs.
Resource Management Under Catastrophic Threats
Authors: Tsur Yacov , Zemel Amos
Published: June 2021

We survey the rapidly growing economic literature on environmental catastrophes and the various approaches developed to address the hovering threats. Various theoretical descriptions of catastrophic occurrences are classified with respect to the uncertain conditions that trigger the events, the postoccurrence dynamic regime, and the form of the inflicted damage. We show that variations in each of these characteristics strongly affect the ensuing optimal response to the threats. The basic setup is then extended in several dimensions, allowing the modeler to consider more realistic formulations of catastrophic scenarios. Recent efforts to incorporate catastrophic events within large-scale numerical schemes to study the global climate change problem are reviewed. The number of publications in this vein increases in tandem with the growing number of disasters reported globally and their scale of damage, reflecting the growing concern that this phenomenon portends environmental collapse.
Using Price Elasticities of Water Demand to Inform Policy
Authors: Bruno Ellen M. , Jessoe Katrina
Published: June 2021

This survey distills recent work on the price elasticity of demand for urban and agricultural water and outlines how it can inform the design of market-based approaches to manage increasingly scarce water resources. We offer a brief description of the water sector, including the primary users, main water sources, and market failures in the allocation and use of surface water and groundwater. A review of recent empirical research on the price elasticities of agricultural and urban water demand shows the progress made in our understanding of user response to prices and reveals substantial heterogeneity in the price response. We apply what we have learned about elasticities to surface water markets and price-based groundwater management. Heterogeneity in price elasticities suggests that water transfers may lead to large efficiency gains, but that their magnitude is site specific. Groundwater pricing may cost-effectively manage groundwater and fund the development of alternative water supplies, but heterogeneity in elasticity estimates highlights that the conservation and revenue generated are basin specific.
Influence of Chemisorbed Sulfur on the Under-Potential Deposition of H on Pt {111}
Authors: Zolfaghari Alireza
Published: June 2021

A Summary Report to The Electrochemical Society for the 1997 Department of Energy Summer Research Fellowship.
Semantic Segmentation of Remote Sensing Image Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Mask Generation
Authors: Niu Binglin
Published: June 2021

High-resolution remote sensing images usually contain complex semantic information and confusing targets, so their semantic segmentation is an important and challenging task. To resolve the problem of inadequate utilization of multilayer features by existing methods, a semantic segmentation method for remote sensing images based on convolutional neural network and mask generation is proposed. In this method, the boundary box is used as the initial foreground segmentation profile, and the edge information of the foreground object is obtained by using the multilayer feature of the convolutional neural network. In order to obtain the rough object segmentation mask, the general shape and position of the foreground object are estimated by using the high-level features in the process of layer-by-layer iteration. Then, based on the obtained rough mask, the mask is updated layer by layer using the neural network characteristics to obtain a more accurate mask. In order to solve the difficulty of deep neural network training and the problem of degeneration after convergence, a framework based on residual learning was adopted, which can simplify the training of those very deep networks and improve the accuracy of the network. For comparison with other advanced algorithms, the proposed algorithm was tested on the Potsdam and Vaihingen datasets. Experimental results show that, compared with other algorithms, the algorithm in this article can effectively improve the overall precision of semantic segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing images and shorten the overall training time and segmentation time.
Nonlinear Programming to Determine Best Weighted Coefficient of Balanced LINEX Loss Function Based on Lower Record Values
Authors: Al-Duais Fuad S. , Alhagyan Mohammed
Published: June 2021

Majority research studies in the literature determine the weighted coefficients of balanced loss function by suggesting some arbitrary values and then conducting comparison study to choose the best. However, this methodology is not efficient because there is no guarantee ensures that one of the chosen values is the best. This encouraged us to look for mathematical method that gives and guarantees the best values of the weighted coefficients. The proposed methodology in this research is to employ the nonlinear programming in determining the weighted coefficients of balanced loss function instead of the unguaranteed old methods. In this research, we consider two balanced loss functions including balanced square error (BSE) loss function and balanced linear exponential (BLINEX) loss function to estimate the parameter and reliability function of inverse Rayleigh distribution (IRD) based on lower record values. Comparisons are made between Bayesian estimators (SE, BSE, LINEX, and BLINEX) and maximum likelihood estimator via Monte Carlo simulation. The evaluation was done based on absolute bias and mean square errors. The outputs of the simulation showed that the balanced linear exponential (BLINEX) loss function has the best performance. Moreover, the simulation verified that the balanced loss functions are always better than corresponding loss function.
Immunotherapy Using Oxygenated Water and Tumor‐Derived Exosomes Potentiates Antitumor Immune Response and Attenuates Malignancy Tendency in Mice Model of Breast Cancer
Authors: Pakravan Nafiseh , Abbasi Ardeshir , Hassan Zuhair Mohammad
Published: June 2021

Breast cancer is one of the most common type of tumor and the leading cause of death in the world’s female population. Various therapeutic approaches have been used to treat tumors but have not led to complete recovery and have even damaged normal cells in the body. Moreover, metastatic tumors such as breast cancer are much more resistant to treatment, and current treatments have not been very successful in treating them and remain a challenge. Therefore, new approaches should be applied to overcome this problem. Given the importance of hypoxia in tumor survival, we aimed to test the antitumor effects of oxygenated water to decrease hypoxia along with tumor‐derived exosomes to target tumor. The purpose of administering oxygenated water and tumor exosomes was to reduce hypoxia and establish an effective immune response against tumor antigens, respectively. For this purpose, the breast cancer mice model was induced using the 4T1 cell line in Balb/c mice and treated with oxygenated water via an intratumoral (IT) and/or intraperitoneal (IP) route and/or exosome (TEX). Oxygenation via the IT+IP route was more efficient than oxygenation via the IT or IP route. The efficiency of oxygenation via the two routes along with TEX led to the best therapeutic outcome. Antitumor immune responses directed by TEX became optimized when systemic (IP) and local (IT) oxygenation was applied compared to administration of TEX alone. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in tumor size and the highest levels of IFN‐γ and IL‐17 and the lowest levels of IL‐4 FoxP3, HIF‐1α, VEGF, MMP‐2, and MMP‐9 in the IT+IP+TEX‐treated group. Oxygenated water on the one hand could reduce tumor size, hypoxia, angiogenesis, and metastasis in the tumor microenvironment and on the other hand increases the effective immune response against the tumor systemically. This therapeutic approach is proposed as a new strategy for devising vaccines in a personalized approach.
Molecular Basis for the Interactions of Human Thioredoxins with Their Respective Reductases
Authors: Hossain Md Faruq , Bodnar Yana , Klein Calvin , Salas Clara Ortegón , Arnér Elias S. J. , Gellert Manuela , Lillig Christopher Horst
Published: June 2021

The mammalian cytosolic thioredoxin (Trx) system consists of Trx1 and its reductase, the NADPH‐dependent seleno‐enzyme TrxR1. These proteins function as electron donor for metabolic enzymes, for instance in DNA synthesis, and the redox regulation of numerous processes. In this work, we analysed the interactions between these two proteins. We proposed electrostatic complementarity as major force controlling the formation of encounter complexes between the proteins and thus the efficiency of the subsequent electron transfer reaction. If our hypothesis is valid, formation of the encounter complex should be independent of the redox reaction. In fact, we were able to confirm that also a redox inactive mutant of Trx1 lacking both active site cysteinyl residues (C32,35S) binds to TrxR1 in a similar manner and with similar kinetics as the wild‐type protein. We have generated a number of mutants with alterations in electrostatic properties and characterised their interaction with TrxR1 in kinetic assays. For human Trx1 and TrxR1, complementary electrostatic surfaces within the area covered in the encounter complex appear to control the affinity of the reductase for its substrate Trx. Electrostatic compatibility was even observed in areas that do not form direct molecular interactions in the encounter complex, and our results suggest that the electrostatic complementarity in these areas influences the catalytic efficiency of the reduction. The human genome encodes ten cytosolic Trx‐like or Trx domain‐containing proteins. In agreement with our hypothesis, the proteins that have been characterised as TrxR1 substrates also show the highest similarity in their electrostatic properties.
Ripening Response of Sugarcane Varieties to Chemical Ripeners and Economic Benefits during the Early Period of Harvesting at Wonji-Shoa and Metahara Sugarcane Plantations, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
Authors: Ayele Netsanet , Tana Tamado , Van Heerden Philippus Daniel Riekert , W/Tsadik Kebede , Alemayehu Yibekal
Published: June 2021

Wonji-Shoa and Metahara sugarcane plantations experience reduced sucrose content (%) during the starting period of sugarcane crushing due to the combined influence of high (>27°C) temperature and the presence of high residual soil moisture. Studies elsewhere showed the potential of chemical ripeners in boosting the sucrose content (%), where natural ripening is deterred by these challenges. Accordingly, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the responsiveness of selected sugarcane varieties to chemical ripeners at both plantations. The treatments consisted of a factorial combination of four sugarcane varieties (B52298, NCo334, C86-56, and SP70-1284) and six ripener treatments: (1) Ethephon™(720 g ai ha−1), (2) Fusilade Forte™(25.6 g ai ha−1), (3) Moddus™ (250 g ai ha−1), (4) Ethephon™ (720 g ai ha−1) + Fusilade Forte™ (25.6 g ai ha−1), (5) Moddus™ (250 g ai ha−1) + Fusilade Forte™ (25.6 g ai ha−1), and (6) Unsprayed (control). The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The results showed a significant (

p
=
0.025

) and highly significant (

p
=
0.001

) variety by ripener interaction in stalk height and sucrose content, respectively, while the main effect ripener highly significantly affected stalk weight (

p
=
0.001

) and sucrose yield (

p
=
0.003

). The variety C86-56 sprayed with combinations of Ethephon™ + Fusilade Forte™ and Moddus™ + Fusilade Forte™ had the shortest stalk heights of 1.27 and 1.29 m, respectively, compared with the control. Ethephon™ + Fusilade Forte™ combination resulted in the highest reduction of stalk weight (8.36%), while the lowest was recorded in the sole Moddus™ treatment (6.31%). From the ripener treatments, the Moddus™ + Fusilade Forte™ combination and Ethephon™ + Fusilade Forte™ combination improved sucrose yield by 1.42 and 1.34 t ha−1, respectively, compared with the control. However, in economic terms, the Moddus™ + Fusilade Forte™ combination treatment resulted in the highest marginal rate of return of 1244%. Therefore, the Moddus™ + Fusilade Forte™ combination ripener treatment was found to be promising to be evaluated at a commercial scale on immature sugarcane varieties B52-298, NCo334, and SP70-1284.
F1012‐2 Induced ROS‐Mediated DNA Damage Response through Activation of MAPK Pathway in Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Dai Lingjie , Tian Shasha , Zhang Jinyao , Lu Mengyuan , Zhu Jingchao , Zhao Huajun
Published: June 2021

We have previously reported that F1012‐2, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Eupatorium lindleyanum DC., exhibits strong effects against Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). In this study, we found F1012‐2 effectively inhibited cell migration and invasion detected by wound healing and transwell assays. In order to elucidate the potential mechanisms of F1012‐2, we further studied its effect on DNA damage in TNBC cell lines. Using single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay), immunofluorescence, and western blotting assays, we found that F1012‐2 treatment induced significant DNA strand breaks and γ‐H2AX activation. Moreover, exposure to F1012‐2 led to overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). NAC treatment completely eliminated ROS, which may be due to the interaction between NAC and F1012‐2. A further study of the molecular mechanisms demonstrated that the MAPK signaling pathway participated in the anti‐TNBC effect of F1012‐2. Pretreatment with specific inhibitors targeting JNK (SP600125) and ERK (PD98059) could rescue the decrease in cell viability and inhibit expressions of JNK and ERK phosphorylation, but SB203580 had no effects. Finally, in the acute toxicity experiment, there were no obvious symptoms of poisoning in the F1012‐2 treatment group. An in vivo study demonstrated that F1012‐2 significantly suppressed the tumor growth and induced DNA damage. In conclusion, the activity of F1012‐2‐induced DNA damage in TNBC was found in vivo and in vitro, which might trigger the MAPK pathway through ROS accumulation. These results indicate that F1012‐2 may be an effective anti‐TNBC therapeutic agent.
Visual Snow-Like Symptoms and Posterior Uveitis following COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Braceros Kathryn Kelani , Asahi Masumi G. , Gallemore Ron P.
Published: June 2021

Visual snow (VS) is a neurologic condition consisting of a constant positive visual disturbance described as “static” with diagnosis requiring exclusion of competing neurologic and ophthalmologic disorders. The authors describe the first case of visual snow-like symptoms in a patient following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. He was found to have a transient subtle mild inflammatory reaction in the vitreous and optic nerve edema which resolved, but the VS persisted. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 may precipitate a transient autoimmune response in some patients with resultant ocular inflammation as well as long-term symptoms of VS. This has potential implications for the understanding and treatment of complications related to COVID-19 and in VS.
Reinforcement Learning for Joint Channel/Subframe Selection of LTE in the Unlicensed Spectrum
Authors: Kishimoto Yuki , Wang Xiaoyan , Umehira Masahiro
Published: June 2021

In recent years, to cope with the rapid growth in mobile data traffic, increasing the capacity of cellular networks is receiving more and more attention. To this end, offloading the current LTE‐advanced or 5G system’s data traffic from licensed spectrum to the unlicensed spectrum that is used by WiFi systems, i.e., LTE‐Licensed‐Assisted‐Access (LTE‐LAA), has been extensively investigated. In the current LTE‐LAA system, a Listen‐Before‐Talk (LBT) approach is implemented, which requires the LTE user also perform carrier sense before the transmission. However, fair LTE‐WiFi coexistence is still hard to guarantee due to their unbalanced frame sizes and traffic loads. In the LTE‐LAA system, the optimal channel selection and subframe number adjustment are the keys to realize efficient spectrum utilization and fair system coexistence. To this end, in this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning‐based joint channel/subframe selection scheme for LTE‐LAA. The proposed approach is implemented at the LTE access points with zero knowledge of the WiFi systems. The results of extensive simulations verify that the proposed approach can significantly improve the fairness and packet loss rate compared with baseline schemes.
Association with Longevity of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 1 Gene Variants Stems from Protection against Mortality Risk in Men with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Donlon Timothy A. , Chen Randi , Masaki Kamal H. , Willcox Bradley J. , Morris Brian J.
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Genetic variation in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase reregulatory subunit 1 gene (PIK3R1) is associated with longevity. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects this association. Methods: We performed a longitudinal study of longevity-associated PIK3R1 single-nucleotide polymorphism rs7709243 genotype by CVD status in 3,584 elderly American men of Japanese ancestry. Results: At baseline (1991–1993), 2,254 subjects had CVD and 1,314 did not. The follow-up until Dec 31, 2019 found that overall, men with a CVD had higher mortality than men without a CVD (p = 1.7 × 10−5). However, survival curves of CVD subjects differed according to PIK3R1 genotype. Those with longevity-associated PIK3R1 TT/CC had survival curves similar to those of subjects without a CVD (p = 0.11 for TT/CC, and p = 0.054 for TC), whereas survival curves for CVD subjects with the CT genotype were significantly attenuated compared with survival curves of subjects without a CVD (p = 0.0000012 compared with TT/CC, and p = 0.0000028 compared with TC). Men without CVD showed no association of longevity-associated genotype with life span (p = 0.58). Compared to subjects without any CVD, hazard ratios for mortality risk were 1.26 (95% CI, 1.14–1.39; p = 0.0000043) for CT subject with CVD and 1.07 (95% CI 0.99–1.17; p = 0.097) for CC/TT subjects with CVD. There was no genotypic effect on life span for 1,007 subjects with diabetes and 486 with cancer. Conclusion: Our study provides novel insights into the basis for PIK3R1 as a longevity gene. We suggest that the PIK3R1 longevity genotype attenuates mortality risk in at-risk individuals by protection against cellular stress caused by CVD.
Post-Traumatic Meningitis: Case-Based Review of Literature from Internists’ Perspective
Authors: Das Shubhabrata , Pal Tanmoy
Published: June 2021

Most cases of post-traumatic meningitis (PTM) occur following immediate head trauma or neurosurgical procedures. Hence, internists do not often come across these patients. However, closed-head trauma can be associated with community-acquired meningitis (CAM), and this history can often be missed especially if it is remote or trivial in nature. Therefore, meticulous clinical assessment is necessary to identify cases of community-acquired PTM. Knowledge about pathophysiological, anatomical, and microbiological context of community-acquired PTM is required in order to manage these patients. The role of internist is to provide holistic management in these patients which includes not only antimicrobial treatment but also timely referral to surgical specialties if required as well as vaccination to prevent further episodes. Here, we present a case of CAM with remote history of close head trauma and cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea for years who was found to have base of skull (BOS) defect on imaging of skull. He was treated with antibiotics and referred to surgical specialties for repair of BOS defect as well as given pneumococcal vaccine to prevent further episodes of meningitis.
Endobronchial Ultrasound Multimodal Imaging for the Diagnosis of Intrathoracic Lymph Nodes
Authors: Zhi Xinxin , Chen Junxiang , Wang Lei , Xie Fangfang , Zheng Xiaoxuan , Li Ying , Sun Jiayuan
Published: June 2021

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) imaging is valuable in diagnosing intrathoracic lymph nodes (LNs), but there has been little analysis of multimodal imaging. This study aimed to comprehensively compare the diagnostic performance of single and multimodal combinations of EBUS imaging in differentiating benign and malignant intrathoracic LNs. Methods: Subjects from July 2018 to June 2019 were consecutively enrolled in the model group and July 2019 to August 2019 in the validation group. Sonographic features of three EBUS modes were analysed in the model group for the identification of malignant LNs from benign LNs. The validation group was used to verify the diagnostic efficiency of single and multimodal diagnostic methods built in the model group. Results: 373 LNs (215 malignant and 158 benign) from 335 subjects and 138 LNs (79 malignant and 59 benign) from 116 subjects were analysed in the model and validation groups, respectively. For single mode, elastography had the best diagnostic value, followed by grayscale and Doppler. The corresponding accuracies in the validation group were 83.3%, 76.8%, and 71.0%, respectively. Grayscale with elastography had the best diagnostic efficiency of multimodal methods. When at least two of the three features (absence of central hilar structure, heterogeneity, and qualitative elastography score 4–5) were positive, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in the validation group were 88.6%, 78.0%, and 84.1%, respectively. Conclusions: In both model and validation groups, elastography performed the best in single EBUS modes, as well as grayscale combined with elastography in multimodal imaging. Elastography alone or combined with grayscale are feasible to help predict intrathoracic benign and malignant LNs.
Increased Expression of Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase in Sinus Mucosa from IgG4-Related Disease Patients with Comorbid Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Nojima Tomohito , Nonaka Manabu , Seo Yukako , Yamamura Yukie , Mukai Masayoshi
Published: June 2021

Objective: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic condition characterized by an elevated serum IgG4 level, localized infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells, and lesions in various organs. IgG4-RD also shows high rates of complication with allergic diseases and is often accompanied by elevated serum IgE levels. Reports in recent years have also shown high rates of complication with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and its characteristic nasal manifestations. Accordingly, we speculate that there may be a distinct form of CRS that, as an IgG4-RD, differs from other CRS. Here, we investigated whether the elevated levels of factors that are thought to be important in the pathogenesis of IgG4-RD are also seen in the sinus mucosa of IgG4-RD-associated CRS patients. Methods: Ethmoid sinus mucosa specimens from 9 IgG4-RD (6 Mikulicz disease and 3 Küttner’s tumor) patients with elevated serum IgG4 and IgE and from 22 control CRS patients were examined immunohistochemically for Treg cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β), activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and immunocompetent cells. The 22 control CRS patients were divided into 3 subgroups based on the serological findings for IgG4 and IgE. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of AID. Results: The ethmoid sinus mucosa from patients with IgG4-RD-associated CRS showed, in comparison with the 3 CRS control subgroups, significantly elevated AID production. Their mucosa also showed significantly increased infiltration of CD-20-positive immunocompetent cells compared with the controls. On the other hand, immunohistochemical examination found no significant differences in the number of IL-10- or TGF-β-positive cells. Conclusion: Ethmoid sinus mucosa from IgG4-RD-associated CRS patients showed clearly increased AID production, suggesting AID involvement in class-switching to IgG4 in those local sites. This implies the existence of a distinct form of CRS that is an IgG4-RD.
Association of the Irregular 3-Dimensional Shape of White Matter Hyperintensities with Cognitive Function
Authors: Han Ji Won , Lee Hyunna , Lee Subin , Kim Haejin , Kim Grace Eun , Bae Jong Bin , Suh Seung Wan , Kim Jae Hyoung , Kim Ki Woong
Published: June 2021

Introduction: The irregular shapes of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are associated with poor cognitive function, diabetes, or lacunes. However, the association between the WMH shape and dementia remains understudied. We investigated the association between the calculated shape index of WMH and the diagnosis of dementia and cognitive function. Methods: The inverse sphericity index (ISIWMH) and volume of WMHs (VOLWMH) were compared among 82 participants with normal cognition, 82 with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD), and 82 with subcortical vascular dementia (SVD). We examined the associations of ISIWMH and VOLWMH with the modified Hachinski Ischemic Score (mHIS), diagnosis of AD and SVD, and cognitive test scores, using linear, multinomial, or hierarchical linear regression models. Results: The mHIS was associated with both ISIWMH (β = 0.326, p < 0.001) and VOLWMH (β = 0.299, p < 0.001). Both ISIWMH and VOLWMH were associated with the SVD diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 2.685, p = 0.002, ISIWMH; OR = 2.597, p = 0.005, VOLWMH), but not with AD. The SVD diagnosis was better explained when the multinomial regression model included both ISIWMH and VOLWMH instead of VOLWMH alone (χ2 = 20.768, df = 2, p < 0.001). The Trail Making Test-D (TMT-D) scores of the SVD patients were associated with both ISIWMH (β = 0.308) and VOLWMH (β = 0.293). Conclusion: An irregular WMH shape may be associated with the high cerebrovascular component of cognitive impairment and the diagnosis and low cognitive flexibility of SVD, which may improve the prediction of SVD diagnosis when used in combination with WMH volume.
Nationwide Rereview of Normal Cervical Cytologies before High-Grade Cervical Lesions or before Invasive Cervical Cancer
Authors: Edvardsson Henrik , Wang Jiangrong , Andrae Bengt , Sparén Pär , Strander Björn , Dillner Joakim
Published: June 2021

Sweden has experienced an unexpected >30% increase in cervical cancer incidence among women with normal cytological screening results. We therefore performed a nationwide assessment of false-negative cytology before invasive cervical cancer. The Swedish national cervical screening registry identified 2,150 normal cytologies taken up to 10 years before 903 cases of invasive cervical cancer. The 27 cytological laboratories in Sweden were asked to rereview the slides, and all of them completed the rereview. One thousand nine hundred fifteen slides were retrieved and reviewed. Abnormalities were found in 30% of the slides, and the proportion of slides that had a changed diagnosis on rereview increased on average by 3.9% per sampling year during 2001–2016 (p < 0.03). We also asked for rereview of normal smears taken up to 42 months before a histopathologically diagnosed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). 19/27 laboratories responded, and out of 6,101 normal smears taken before HSIL/AIS, 5,918 were retrieved and rereviewed. The diagnosis was changed in 25% of cases. In summary, we found an increasing time trend of false-negative smears taken before invasive cervical cancer. This indicates a decreased protection of normal cytology in the screening program supporting earlier findings that this is the main reason behind the recent Swedish increase in cervical cancer. We suggest that optimal cervical cancer control may be promoted by routine nationally coordinated rereview of negative smears before high-grade cervical lesions or invasive cervical cancer.
Cell Block Optimization: A Comparative Study of Quality Variables in 4 Different Cell Block Methods
Authors: Newman Marsali , Walsh Matthew , Jeffrey Rosemary , Hiscock Richard
Published: June 2021

Objective: The cell block (CB) is an important adjunct to cytological preparations in diagnostic cytopathology. Optimizing cellular material in the CB is essential to the success of ancillary studies such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) and molecular studies (MS). Our aim was to identify which CB method was most suitable in a variety of specimen types and levels of cellularity. Study Design: We assessed 4 different CB methods, thrombin clot method (TCM), MD Anderson method (MDAM), gelatin foam method (GFM), and agar method (AM), with descriptive observations and ranking of the methods based on quantity of cells and morphological features. Results: TCM performed best in ranking for both quantity of cells and morphological features, followed by MDAM, GFM, and AM. Lack of adjuvant in the MDAM resulted in some unique morphological advantages which, however, also resulted in inconsistent performance. In low cellularity cases insufficient cells were frequently identified on slides from MDAM and AM CBs. Technique touch time was similar for all methods, with total processing time being shortest for TCM followed by MDAM, GFM, and AM. Conclusions: TCM was the most robust CB technique, retaining high scores for ranking of quantity and morphology in a variety of specimen cellularities and specimen types.
The Effects of Cue Reliability on Crossmodal Recalibration in Adults and Children
Authors: Rohlf Sophie , Bruns Patrick , Röder Brigitte
Published: June 2021

Reliability-based cue combination is a hallmark of multisensory integration, while the role of cue reliability for crossmodal recalibration is less understood. The present study investigated whether visual cue reliability affects audiovisual recalibration in adults and children. Participants had to localize sounds, which were presented either alone or in combination with a spatially discrepant high- or low-reliability visual stimulus. In a previous study we had shown that the ventriloquist effect (indicating multisensory integration) was overall larger in the children groups and that the shift in sound localization toward the spatially discrepant visual stimulus decreased with visual cue reliability in all groups. The present study replicated the onset of the immediate ventriloquist aftereffect (a shift in unimodal sound localization following a single exposure of a spatially discrepant audiovisual stimulus) at the age of 6–7 years. In adults the immediate ventriloquist aftereffect depended on visual cue reliability, whereas the cumulative ventriloquist aftereffect (reflecting the audiovisual spatial discrepancies over the complete experiment) did not. In 6–7-year-olds the immediate ventriloquist aftereffect was independent of visual cue reliability. The present results are compatible with the idea of immediate and cumulative crossmodal recalibrations being dissociable processes and that the immediate ventriloquist aftereffect is more closely related to genuine multisensory integration.
High-Potential Pseudocapacitive Energy Storage System: Iron-Based Polyferric Sulfate Electrolyte and Partially Sacrificial Graphite Electrode
Authors: Pan Wei , Zhang Mu , Tang Wenyi , Man Yanyan , Chen Kunfeng , Xue Dongfeng , Sun Xudong
Published: June 2021

Tremendous research works including nanofabrication techniques and crystal defect preparation approaches have been applied to enhance the capacitance of bulk materials. However, a comprehensive understanding of active sites in the reaction process is an enigma for all researchers. This work reported an environmentally friendly system with a basic polymerized ferric sulfate (BPFS) electrolyte and electroactive graphite electrode, which achieved high area capacitance and showed the different characteristics of active sites. This enhanced energy storage system shows the evidence that carbon materials are electrochemically activated as a result that active groups could react with iron groups in aqueous solutions. A high area specific capacitance of 12 F cm-2(1255 F g-1) is obtained in a mixed BPFS at 5 mV s-1in a potential window of 2.1 V in a three-electrode cell. In an aqueous solution capacitor, a capacity of 4.8 F cm-2at 30 mA from 0 V to 1.5 V is achieved at room temperature. It has the potential to develop a low-cost, high energy storage, and high safety system, which can be a lead-acid battery substitute.
Effect of Thermal Cycling Aging on the Surface Microhardness and Roughness of Resin-Infiltrated Enamel Lesions
Authors: Su Yu Wu , Zhang Chao , Liu Shan Shan , Pang Liang Yue , Lin Huan Cai , Zhi Qing Hui
Published: June 2021

With the widespread use of resin infiltration, its properties have drawn increasing attention. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of resin infiltration on the surface microhardness and roughness of enamel lesions after thermal cycling aging. Tooth blocks were
made from extracted premolars and placed into a control group, resin-infiltrated group or demineralized group. Before and after the aging procedure, the surface microhardness and surface roughness was measured. Before the aging procedure, the surface microhardness of the control group, resin-infiltrated
group and demineralized group was 302.14 (±9.77) HV, 146.62 (±8.22) HV, and 28.85 (±2.21) HV (p 0.001), respectively. After the aging procedure, the surface microhardness of the control group, resin-infiltrated group and demineralized group decreased by 9.42%, 16.59%,
and 20.75% ( p 0.001), respectively. Before the aging procedure, the surface roughness of the control group, resin-infiltrated group and demineralized group was 0.29 (±0.04) μm, 0.32 (±0.04) μm, and 0.39 (±0.07) μm (p = 0.009),
respectively. After the aging procedure, the surface roughness of the control group, resin-infiltrated group and demineralized group increased by 9.85%, 8.31%, and 17.37% (p = 0.634), respectively. Resin infiltration can improve the surface microhardness and surface roughness of demineralized
teeth in an artificial enamel caries model. The treatment also shows good aging resistance after thermal cycling. The infiltrant resin provided a suitable material for early enamel caries.
Non-linearity in the pathway of El Niño-Southern Oscillation to the tropical North Atlantic
Authors: Casselman Jake W. , Taschetto Andréa S. , Domeisen Daniela I.V.
Published: June 2021

El Niño-Southern Oscillation can influence the Tropical North Atlantic (TNA), leading to anomalous sea surface temperatures (SST) at a lag of several months. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this teleconnection. These mechanisms include both tropical and extratropical pathways, contributing to anomalous trade winds and static stability over the TNA region. The TNA SST response to ENSO has been suggested to be nonlinear. Yet the overall linearity of the ENSO-TNA teleconnection via the two pathways remains unclear. Here we use reanalysis data to confirm that the SST anomaly (SSTA) in the TNA is nonlinear with respect to the strength of the SST forcing in the tropical Pacific, as further increases in El Niño magnitudes cease to create further increases of the TNA SSTA. We further show that the tropical pathway is more linear than the extratropical pathway by sub-dividing the inter-basin connection into extratropical and tropical pathways. This is confirmed by a climate model participating in the CMIP5. The extratropical pathway is modulated by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the location of the SSTA in the Pacific, but this modulation insufficiently explains the nonlinearity in TNA SSTA. As neither extratropical nor tropical pathways can explain the nonlinearity, this suggests that external factors are at play. Further analysis shows that the TNA SSTA is highly influenced by the preconditioning of the tropical Atlantic SST. This preconditioning is found to be associated with the NAO through SST-tripole patterns.
Book review: Jinee Lokaneeta, The Truth Machines: Policing, Violence and Scientific Interrogations in India
Authors: Prasanna Alok
Published: June 2021

Jinee Lokaneeta, The Truth Machines: Policing, Violence and Scientific Interrogations in India. Hyderabad, India: Orient BlackSwan, 2020, 250 pp., ₹795, ISBN 9789390122028.
Book review: Dwaipayan Banerjee. 2020. Enduring Cancer: Life, Death, and Diagnosis in Delhi
Authors: Smith Robert D.
Published: June 2021

Dwaipayan Banerjee. 2020. Enduring Cancer: Life, Death, and Diagnosis in Delhi. Durham and London: Duke University Press. x + 224 pp. Notes, bibliography, index. $25.95 (eBook).
Book review: Amita Baviskar. 2020. Uncivil City: Ecology, Equity and the Commons in Delhi
Authors: Gonji Ajay Immanuel
Published: June 2021

Amita Baviskar. 2020. Uncivil City: Ecology, Equity and the Commons in Delhi. New Delhi: SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd. (with YODA Press, New Delhi). 300 p. Bibliography, figures, glossary, illustrations, index. ₹1,195 (hardback).
Effect of data environment and cognitive ability on participants’ attitude towards data governance
Authors: Jiang Guoyin , Cai Xingshun , Feng Xiaodong , Liu Wenping
Published: June 2021

Data governance has received research attention, but its effect on public attitude has not been sufficiently explored. To analyse the attitude towards public participation in data governance in the context of a tourism platform, we conduct an empirical model that aims to understand the impact of data governance environment and participants’ cognitive ability on attitude. Taking tourism sharing platforms as an example, we collected 339 questionnaires for data analysis. Results show that data quality and website design have a positive effect on users’ attitude towards data governance through data literacy self-efficacy. Data literacy self-efficacy has a suppression effect between data quality and attitude towards data governance and has the same effect between website design and attitude towards data governance. Data quality and website design have a positive effect on users’ attitude towards data governance through platform interaction. Platform interactivity plays a mediating role between data quality and attitude towards data governance and has the same effect between website design and attitude towards data governance. Data policy has a positive effect on users’ data literacy self-efficacy but no significant effect on platform interactivity. Moreover, this study provides theoretical and practical implications that can guide the government in policy implementation and platform managers in data governance.
Safety, Tissue Distribution, and Metabolism of LNA-Containing Antisense Oligonucleotides in Rats
Authors: Romero-Palomo Fernando , Festag Matthias , Lenz Barbara , Schadt Simone , Brink Andreas , Kipar Anja , Steinhuber Bernd , Husser Christophe , Koller Erich , Sewing Sabine , Tessier Yann , Dzygiel Pawel , Fischer Guy , Winter Michael , Hetzel Udo , Mihatsch Michael J. , Braendli-Baiocco Annamaria
Published: June 2021

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are chemically modified nucleic acids with therapeutic potential, some of which have been approved for marketing. We performed a study in rats to investigate mechanisms of toxicity after administration of 3 tool locked nucleic acid (LNA)-containing ASOs with differing established safety profiles. Four male rats per group were dosed once, 3, or 6 times subcutaneously, with 7 days between dosing, and sacrificed 3 days after the last dose. These ASOs were either unconjugated (naked) or conjugated with N-acetylgalactosamine for hepatocyte-targeted delivery. The main readouts were in-life monitoring, clinical and anatomic pathology, exposure assessment and metabolite identification in liver and kidney by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, ASO detection in liver and kidney by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, immune electron microscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging. The highly toxic compounds showed the greatest amount of metabolites and a low degree of tissue accumulation. This study reveals different patterns of cell death associated with toxicity in liver (apoptosis and necrosis) and kidney (necrosis only) and provides new ultrastructural insights on the tissue accumulation of ASOs. We observed that the immunostimulatory properties of ASOs can be either primary from sequence-dependent properties or secondary to cell necrosis.
Reduction in Short‐ and Long‐term Pneumonia Rate With Laryngoplasty for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Authors: Hsu Cheng‐Ming , Tsai Yao‐Te , Chang Geng‐He , Yang Yao‐Hsu , Fang Tuan‐Jen , Lee Yi‐Chan , Liu Chia‐Yen , Lin Meng‐Hung , Wang Yun‐Ting , Tsai Ming‐Shao
Published: June 2021

Objective

To examine the association of laryngoplasty, voice therapy, and pneumonia rate in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).

Study Design

Population‐based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Data were collected from the LHID2000 (Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000), containing the information of 1 million randomly selected patients in Taiwan.

Methods

In the LHID2000, we identified 439 patients having new diagnoses of UVFP from 1997 to 2013. We grouped the aforementioned patients according to UVFP treatment and probed the occurrence of pneumonia: 305 patients underwent laryngoplasty or voice therapy, and 134 patients did not undergo treatment. Follow‐up procedures were executed for the enrollees until death or December 31, 2013, representing the end of the study period. We assessed the association of UVFP treatment and pneumonia by executing Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

The pneumonia cumulative incidence was significantly higher among enrolled patients without treatment than in those receiving treatment (P <. 001). The pneumonia incidence was significantly lower in patients receiving UVFP treatment (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27‐0.88; P =. 018), as validated by the Cox proportional hazards model after adjustment. Patients undergoing laryngoplasty with or without voice therapy had a significantly lower incidence of pneumonia at 6 months and 1, 3, and 5 years, whereas those undergoing voice therapy alone did not.

Conclusion

Laryngoplasty was associated with a lower incidence of short‐ and long‐term pneumonia in patients with UVFP. Physicians should encourage patients with UVFP at risk of aspiration to receive prompt evaluation as well as treatment.
Extubation Failure in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: Risk Factors and Impact on In-Hospital Mortality
Authors: Ionescu Filip , Zimmer Markie S. , Petrescu Ioana , Castillo Edward , Bozyk Paul , Abbas Amr , Abplanalp Lauren , Dogra Sanjay , Nair Girish B.
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

We sought to identify clinical factors that predict extubation failure (reintubation) and its prognostic implications in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Materials and Methods:

Retrospective, multi-center cohort study of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Multivariate competing risk models were employed to explore the rate of reintubation and its determining factors.

Results:

Two hundred eighty-one extubated patients were included (mean age, 61.0 years [±13.9]; 54.8% male). Reintubation occurred in 93 (33.1%). In multivariate analysis accounting for death, reintubation risk increased with age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04 per 1-year increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02 -1.06), vasopressors (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.04-3.60), renal replacement (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.22-3.29), maximum PEEP (HR 1.07 per 1-unit increase, 95% CI 1.02 -1.12), paralytics (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.08-2.25) and requiring more than nasal cannula immediately post-extubation (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.37-3.50). Reintubation was associated with higher mortality (36.6% vs 2.1%; P < 0.0001) and risk of inpatient death after adjusting for multiple factors (HR 23.2, 95% CI 6.45-83.33). Prone ventilation, corticosteroids, anticoagulation, remdesivir and tocilizumab did not impact the risk of reintubation or death.

Conclusions:

Up to 1 in 3 critically ill COVID-19 patients required reintubation. Older age, paralytics, high PEEP, need for greater respiratory support following extubation and non-pulmonary organ failure predicted reintubation. Extubation failure strongly predicted adverse outcomes.