bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neurally plausible mechanisms for learning selective and invariant representations
Authors: Anselmi Fabio , Patel Ankit , Rosasco Lorenzo
Published: August 2020

Coding for visual stimuli in the ventral stream is known to be invariant to object identity preserving nuisance transformations. Indeed, much recent theoretical and experimental work suggests that the main challenge for the visual cortex is to build up such nuisance invariant representations. Recently, artificial convolutional networks have succeeded in both learning such invariant properties and, surprisingly, predicting cortical responses in macaque and mouse visual cortex with unprecedented accuracy. However, some of the key ingredients that enable such success—supervised learning and the backpropagation algorithm—are neurally implausible. This makes it difficult to relate advances in understanding convolutional networks to the brain. In contrast, many of the existing neurally plausible theories of invariant representations in the brain involve unsupervised learning, and have been strongly tied to specific plasticity rules. To close this gap, we study an instantiation of simple-complex cell model and show, for a broad class of unsupervised learning rules (including Hebbian learning), that we can learn object representations that are invariant to nuisance transformations belonging to a finite orthogonal group. These findings may have implications for developing neurally plausible theories and models of how the visual cortex or artificial neural networks build selectivity for discriminating objects and invariance to real-world nuisance transformations.
The tail domain of PRRSV NSP2 plays a key role in aggrephagy by interacting with 14-3-3ε
Authors: Cao Shengliang , Liu Jiaqi , Ding Guofei , Shao Qingyuan , Wang Bin , Li Yingchao , Feng Jian , Zhao Yuzhong , Liu Sidang , Xiao Yihong
Published: August 2020

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV) is one of the most severe swine diseases that affects almost all swine-breeding countries. Nonstructural protein 2 (NSP2) is one of the most important viral proteins in the PRRSV life cycle. Our previous study showed that PRRSV NSP2 could induce the formation of aggresomes. In this study we explored the effects of aggresome formation on cells and found that NSP2 could induce autophagy, which depended on aggresome formation to activate aggrephagy. The transmembrane and tail domains of NSP2 contributed to aggrephagy and the cellular protein 14-3-3ε played an important role in NSP2-induced autophagy by binding the tail domain of NSP2. These findings provide information on the function of the C-terminal domain of NSP2, which will help uncover the function of NSP2 during PRRSV infection.
Mukonal exerts anticancer effects on the human breast cancer cells by inducing autophagy and apoptosis and inhibits the tumor growth in vivo
Authors: Wang Wenbiao , Zhou Zhengui , Zhou Xiaohong , Chen Limin , Bie Shuang , Jing Zhengjun
Published: August 2020

Mukonal is an active member of carbazole alkaloids isolated from Murraya koenigii. It has been shown to possess remarkable biological and pharmacological activities including anticancer activity. Therefore, the aim of current investigation was to explore anti-breast cancer activity of mukonal and to explore the underlying mechanism. Results indicate that mukonal has potential to induce antiproliferative effects against MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 cells with an IC50 of 7.5 µM. No significant toxicity of mukonal was observed in case of normal breast cells. The antiproliferative effects of mukonal were found to proceed via apoptosis, which was further supported by increased cleavage of PARP and caspase-3 and reduced expression of Bcl-2. Mukonal induced autophagic cells death in breast cancer cells as was evidenced by formation of autophagosomes and enhanced expressions of Beclin-1, LC3B-I and LC3B-II proteins. In vivo examination of anti-breast cancer property of mukonal indicated that it could potentially reduce tumor weight and volume in xenografted mice models. In conclusion, mukonal has a remarkable potential of inhibiting breast cancer via induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Mukonal also inhibited xenografted tumors models in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, mukonal may prove lead molecule in breast cancer drug discovery and treatment provided further investigations are recommended.
A novel technique to prevent SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks using Knuth-Morris-Pratt string match algorithm
Authors: Abikoye Oluwakemi Christiana , Abubakar Abdullahi , Dokoro Ahmed Haruna , Akande Oluwatobi Noah , Kayode Aderonke Anthonia
Published: August 2020

Structured Query Language (SQL) injection and cross-site scripting remain a major threat to data-driven web applications. Instances where hackers obtain unrestricted access to back-end database of web applications so as to steal, edit, and destroy confidential data are increasing. Therefore, measures must be put in place to curtail the growing threats of SQL injection and XSS attacks. This study presents a technique for detecting and preventing these threats using Knuth-Morris-Pratt (KMP) string matching algorithm. The algorithm was used to match user’s input string with the stored pattern of the injection string in order to detect any malicious code. The implementation was carried out using PHP scripting language and Apache XAMPP Server. The security level of the technique was measured using different test cases of SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and encoded injection attacks. Results obtained revealed that the proposed technique was able to successfully detect and prevent the attacks, log the attack entry in the database, block the system using its mac address, and also generate a warning message. Therefore, the proposed technique proved to be more effective in detecting and preventing SQL injection and XSS attacks
What can primary care services do to help First Nations people with unhealthy alcohol use? A systematic review: Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada
Authors: Purcell-Khodr Gemma C. , Lee K. S. Kylie , Conigrave James H. , Webster Emma , Conigrave Katherine M.
Published: August 2020

Background

First Nations peoples of Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America (USA) and Canada are more likely to be non-drinkers than other people in these countries. However, those who do drink may be at greater risk of alcohol-related harms (at a population level) due to the ongoing impacts from colonisation and associated oppression. Addressing unhealthy drinking (drinking above recommended limits including alcohol use disorders) in primary care settings is one important way to increase accessibility of treatment.

Methods

This systematic review identifies peer-reviewed studies of alcohol treatments delivered in primary care or other non-residential settings for First Nations peoples of Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. Literature searches were conducted in seven academic databases from their inception until March, 2020. We assessed evidence of treatment or implementation effectiveness, perceived acceptability or accessibility, and the study quality as assessed by the AXIS tool and by a measure of community participation in the research process.

Results

Twenty-eight studies were included, published between 1968 and 2018. Studies reported on a range of alcohol treatments, from brief intervention to ambulatory withdrawal management, relapse prevention medicines, and cultural therapies. Brief intervention was the most studied approach. Cultural healing practices and bicultural approaches were a key theme amongst several studies. Four studies measured treatment effectiveness, including one randomised controlled trial (naltrexone vs naltrexone plus sertraline vs placebo) and two uncontrolled trials of disulfiram. Of the six implementation studies, three were (hybrid) effectiveness-implementation designs. Most of the remaining studies (n = 21) focused on treatment accessibility or acceptability. Community participation in the research process was poorly reported in most studies.

Conclusions

Research evidence on how best to care for First Nations peoples with unhealthy alcohol use is limited. Trials of naltrexone and disulfiram presented promising results. Cultural and bicultural care were perceived as highly important to clinical staff and clients in several studies. More effectiveness studies on the full scope of alcohol treatments are needed. Greater community participation in research and more transparent reporting of this in study methods will be key to producing quality research that combines scientific rigour with cultural appropriateness.
The stability of carbapenems before and after admixture to PMMA-cement used for replacement surgery caused by Gram-negative bacteria
Authors: Schmid Matthias , Steiner Oliver , Fasshold Lisa , Goessler Walter , Holl Anna-Maria , Kühn Klaus-Dieter
Published: August 2020

Background

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of orthopedic implant surgery. Treatment often includes the use of an antibiotic-loaded Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement spacer. Several antibiotics are commonly used for the preparation of these spacers, but due to the increasing number of infections with resistant Gram-negative bacteria, there is a need for the use of carbapenem antibiotics such as meropenem and imipenem as drugs of last resort. Unfortunately, the reaction heat generated during the preparation of the bone cement can be a major problem for the stability of these antibiotics. In the present study, the stability of meropenem and imipenem was tested before and after the admixture to PMMA bone cements.

Methods

High-performance liquid chromatography with ion-pairing reversed-phase separation and spectrophotometric detection was used for analysis. Stability tests with meropenem and imipenem were performed with antibiotics in solution and solid form at different temperatures (37 °C, 45 °C, 60 °C, 90 °C) and times (30 min, 60 min, 120 min). To test the stability of both antibiotics in PMMA after exposure to the reaction heat during polymerization, three different bone cements were used to generate specimens that contained defined amounts of antibiotics. Reaction heat was measured. The form bodies were mechanically crushed and aliquots were dissolved in ethyl acetate. Samples were prepared for HPLC DAD analysis.

Results

Meropenem and imipenem showed the highest degradation levels after heat stressed in solution, with maximum levels of 75% and 95%, respectively. In solid form, degradation levels decreased dramatically for meropenem (5%) and imipenem (13%). Stability tests of both carbapenems in bone cement showed that they remained largely stable during PMMA polymerization, with retrieved amounts of about 70% in Palacos® R and Copal® G+V, and between 80 and 90% in Copal® spacem.

Conclusions

In contrast to the results of meropenem and imipenem in solution, both antibiotics remain stable in solid form and mostly stable in the cement after PMMA polymerization. The low degradation levels of both antibiotics after exposure to temperatures > 100 °C allow the conclusion that they can potentially be used for an application in PMMA cements.
Spatial modeling of erosion hotspots using GIS-RUSLE interface in Omo-Gibe river basin, Southern Ethiopia: implication for soil and water conservation planning
Authors: Girma Rediet , Gebre Eshetu
Published: August 2020

Soil degradation due to soil erosion is one of the major environmental threats in developing countries. In resource limited conditions, computing the spatial distribution of soil erosion risk has become an essential and practical mechanism to implement soil conservation measures. This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution of soil loss in Omo-Gibe river basin using the integration of computer-based RUSLE and ArcGIS 10.7.1 to identify areas that require erosion prevention priority. Once raster layer of the input parameters was created, overlay analysis was carried to assess the spatial distribution of soil loss. The estimated annual soil loss varies from 0–279 t ha−1 yr−1 with a mean annual soil loss of 69 t ha−1 yr−1. The empirical analysis also confirmed that the basin losses a total of about 89.6 Mt of soil annually. Out of the total area; 7% was in very sever class, 4.8% was found in the sever and 8.7% was categorized in very high range. The remaining area were ranging from low to high erosion risk class. The influence of the combined LS factor for soil loss is significant. It was observed that small area of the Omo-Gibe basin contributed for the significant amount of soil loss. The finding of this study is in a good agreement with previous studies. Compared to the country permissible soil loss rate, 26% of the entire basin significantly exceeds the country threshold value (TSL = 18 t ha−1 yr−1). As a result, precedence and immediate attention should be given to those erosion prone areas. The study output could deliver watershed management experts and policy makers for better management implementation and resource allocation based on the local context.
Single-cell mass cytometry reveals complex myeloid cell composition in active lesions of progressive multiple sclerosis
Authors: Böttcher Chotima , van der Poel Marlijn , Fernández-Zapata Camila , Schlickeiser Stephan , Leman Julia K. H. , Hsiao Cheng-Chih , Mizee Mark R. , Adelia  , Vincenten Maria C. J. , Kunkel Desiree , Huitinga Inge , Hamann Jörg , Priller Josef
Published: August 2020

Myeloid cells contribute to inflammation and demyelination in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), but it is still unclear to what extent these cells are involved in active lesion formation in progressive MS (PMS). Here, we have harnessed the power of single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF) to compare myeloid cell phenotypes in active lesions of PMS donors with those in normal-appearing white matter from the same donors and control white matter from non-MS donors. CyTOF measurements of a total of 74 targeted proteins revealed a decreased abundance of homeostatic and TNFhimicroglia, and an increase in highly phagocytic and activated microglia states in active lesions of PMS donors. Interestingly, in contrast to results obtained from studies of the inflammatory early disease stages of MS, infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages were scarce in active lesions of PMS, suggesting fundamental differences of myeloid cell composition in advanced stages of PMS.
Tau reduction in aged mice does not impact Microangiopathy
Authors: Bennett Rachel E. , Hu Miwei , Fernandes Analiese , Perez-Rando Marta , Robbins Ashley , Kamath Tarun , Dujardin Simon , Hyman Bradley T.
Published: August 2020

Microangiopathy, including proliferation of small diameter capillaries, increasing vessel tortuosity, and increased capillary blockage by leukocytes, was previously observed in the aged rTg4510 mouse model. Similar gene expression changes related to angiogenesis were observed in both rTg4510 and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is uncertain if tau is directly responsible for these vascular changes by interacting directly with microvessels, and/or if it contributes indirectly via neurodegeneration and concurrent neuronal loss and inflammation. To better understand the nature of tau-related microangiopathy in human AD and in tau mice, we isolated capillaries and observed that bioactive soluble tau protein could be readily detected in association with vasculature. To examine whether this soluble tau is directly responsible for the microangiopathic changes, we made use of the tetracycline-repressible gene expression cassette in the rTg4510 mouse model and measured vascular pathology following tau reduction. These data suggest that reduction of tau is insufficient to alter established microvascular complications including morphological alterations, enhanced expression of inflammatory genes involved in leukocyte adherence, and blood brain barrier compromise. These data imply that 1) soluble bioactive tau surprisingly accumulates at the blood brain barrier in human brain and in mouse models, and 2) the morphological and molecular phenotype of microvascular disturbance does not resolve with reduction of whole brain soluble tau. Additional consideration of vascular-directed therapies and strategies that target tau in the vascular space may be required to restore normal function in neurodegenerative disease.
Effect of renal support therapy on 5-year survival in patients discharged from the intensive care unit
Authors: Oliveros Henry , Buitrago Giancarlo
Published: August 2020

Background

Between 30 and 70% of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have acute kidney injury (AKI), and 10% of these patients will require renal replacement therapy (RRT). A significant number of studies have compared the mortality of patients who require RRT versus those who do not require it, finding an increase in mortality rates in the short and medium term; however, few studies have evaluated the long-term survival in a mixture of patients admitted to the ICU.

Objective

To evaluate the impact of RRT on 5-year survival in patients with AKI admitted to the ICU

Methods

Using administrative databases of insurers of the Colombian health system, a cohort of patients admitted to the ICU between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013 was followed until 31 December 2018. ICD-10 diagnoses, procedure codes, and prescribed medications were used to establish the frequencies of the comorbidities included in the Charlson index. Patients were followed for at least 5 years to evaluate survival and establish the adjusted risks by propensity score matching.

Results

Of the 150,230 patients admitted to the ICU, 4366 (2.9%) required RRT in the ICU. Mortality rates for patients with RRT vs no RRT evaluated at ICU discharge, 1 year, and 5 years were 35%, 57.4%, and 67.9% vs 7.4%, 17.6%, and 30.1%, respectively. After propensity score matching, the hazard ratio was calculated for patients who received RRT and those who did not (HR, 2.46; 95% CI 2.37 to 2.56; p < 0.001), with a lower difference in years of survival for patients with RRT (mean effect in the treated) of − 1.86 (95% CI − 2.01 to to1.65; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The impact of acute renal failure with the consequent need for RRT in patients admitted to the ICU is reflected in a decrease of approximately one quarter in 5-year survival, regardless of the different comorbidities.
Interreader reproducibility of the Neck Imaging Reporting and Data system (NI-RADS) lexicon for the detection of residual/recurrent disease in treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)
Authors: Abdelaziz Tougan Taha , Abdel Razk Ahmed Abdel Khalek , Ashour Manar Maamoun Mohamed , Abdelrahman Ahmed S.
Published: August 2020

Background

To evaluate the inter- and intrareader agreement and reproducibility of the NI-RADS scoring system and lexicon with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI).

Methods

This retrospective study included 97 CECT and CEMRI scans from 58 treated cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) after the exclusion of head and neck cancers (HNCs) other than SCC and noncontrast and poor quality CT and MRI scans, with a total of 111 primary targets and 124 lymph node (LN) targets. Two experienced readers independently scored the likelihood of residual/recurrence for these targets based on the NI-RADS criteria and filled in report templates for NI-RADS lexicon diagnostic features. Inter- and intraobserver reproducibility was assessed with Cohen’s kappa, and the percent agreement was calculated.

Results

Almost perfect interreader agreement was found for the final NI-RADS category of the primary lesions and LNs, with K = 0.808 and 0.806, respectively. Better agreement was found for CT than for MRI (K = 0.843 and 0.77, respectively, P value 0.001). There was almost perfect agreement for excluding tissue enhancement (K = 0.826, 95% CI = 0.658–0.993, P value 0.001), with a percent agreement of 96.4%, and substantial agreement for discrete nodular and diffuse mucosal enhancement (K = 0.826, 95% CI = 0.658–0.993, P value 0.001), with a percent agreement of 96.4%. There was fair agreement for focal mucosal nonmass and deep ill-defined enhancement. The intrareader agreement was almost perfect for most of the rated features (K ranging from 0.802 to 1), with the exception of enlarging discrete nodule/mass and focal mucosal nonmass-like enhancement, which had substantial intraobserver agreement (K ranging from 0.768 to 0.786).

Conclusion

The individual features of NI-RADS show variable degrees of confidence; however, the overall NI-RADS category was not significantly affected.
Exploring community perceptions in preparation for a randomised controlled trial of biofortified flour in Pakistan
Authors: Mahboob Usman , Ohly Heather , Joy Edward J. M. , Moran Victoria , Zaman Mukhtiar , Lowe Nicola M.
Published: August 2020

Background

Biofortification of staple food crops may be a cost-effective and sustainable approach to reducing micronutrient deficiencies in resource-poor settings with low dietary diversity. However, its success depends on uptake by the local population. This paper presents formative research conducted in a remote, rural community in North West Pakistan, prior to commencing a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of consuming zinc-biofortified wheat flour for alleviating zinc deficiency. It explored local community members’ knowledge, understanding and attitudes towards biofortification and views on members of their community taking part in the trial.

Methods

Four focus group discussions were conducted with male and female community members (separately for cultural reasons) and four in-depth interviews were conducted with Jirga members—respected male elders. Participation was limited to households that were ineligible for the trial so that we could explore the perspectives of community members who were not influenced by the incentives of the trial. Focus group participants were selected at community events for transparency. Data collection took place at the local school and homes of Jirga members. Thematic analysis was undertaken, using a combination of deductive and inductive approaches to identify key themes.

Results

A total of 47 men and women participated in this study. Participants reported clear motivation to access and consume more nutritious flour, believing this would bring health benefits, particularly to women and children. Trusted members of the local community, including Jirga members and female health workers, should be involved in providing information on biofortified flour (and the trial) to increase levels of awareness and acceptance. Without their involvement, there is a risk that biofortified flour would be mistrusted. The cost of flour is the main factor affecting purchasing decisions, and biofortified flour will need to be cost-competitive to achieve widespread uptake in marginalised, rural communities.

Conclusion

This formative study generated rich, qualitative data from a range of community stakeholders to improve the understanding of important barriers and facilitators to the widespread acceptability and adoption of biofortified wheat. Implementation research such as this will inform future decision-making in relation to scaling up biofortified wheat in Pakistan.
Regional innovation system research trends: toward knowledge management and entrepreneurial ecosystems
Authors: López-Rubio Pedro , Roig-Tierno Norat , Mas-Tur Alicia
Published: August 2020

The regional innovation system (RIS) is a popular way of explaining a region’s development and competitiveness based on innovation activities and processes. In this paper, bibliometric techniques are used to analyze all RIS studies indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC) database as of December 2017. The goal of the analysis is to identify the main trends in RIS research. The evolution of the total number of publications and citations per year indicates that this research field has garnered considerable attention from the scientific community, public administrations, and international organizations. Analysis of the most common keywords and their co-occurrence sheds light on the conceptual framework of RIS research, where knowledge, innovation, clusters, policy, networks, systems, R&D, firms, and industry are key concepts. The 17 most influential RIS articles indexed in WoS CC are identified according to the total number of citations and the ratio of number of citations per year. Reviewing these 17 articles reveals 3 groups of underlying research trends: (1) research on innovation systems, which was mainly conducted in the 1990s, (2) research on knowledge management since the beginning of the 2000s, and (3) research on entrepreneurial ecosystems in recent years. Finally, analysis of citations to these 17 most influential RIS articles reveals strong interconnections according to the number of times they are cited together.
Treatment of dorsally dislocated distal radius fractures with individualized 3D printed bracing: an exploratory study
Authors: Janzing H. M. J. , Bessems S. A. M. , Ligthart M. A. P. , Van Lieshout E. M. M. , Theeuwes H. P. , Barten D. G. , Verhofstad M. H. J.
Published: August 2020

Background

The aim of this work was to develop a three-dimensionally (3D) printed brace for the acute treatment of dorsally dislocated and correctly reduced distal radius fractures (DRF). The hypothesis was that a brace shaped to the mirror image of the contralateral (non-fractured) wrist will have an optimal anatomical fit, resulting in improved comfort and lower rates of secondary fracture displacement.

Method

Validation: the circumference of both wrists and comfort of the brace were studied in healthy volunteers and effectiveness of the brace was evaluated in an ex vivo fracture model.

Clinical study: the brace was tested for comfort and effectiveness in patients with a well reduced unstable DRF.

Results

Validation: the circumference of both wrists may be different, the brace retained the reduction in the ex vivo fracture model and was well tolerated in the volunteers.

Clinical study: in DRF patients comfort scores were lower and pain scores higher compared to the healthy volunteers. After 3 and 5 weeks all patients were independent in ADL according to the Katz-index. Posttraumatic swelling subsided in the first week. In two of the five patients secondary fracture dislocation occurred.

Conclusions

Treatment of a dislocated DRF in the acute setting (day one) with a custom-made 3D printed brace, anatomically modelled from a 3D scan of the contralateral wrist, is possible. Difference between both wrists and posttraumatic swelling must be adapted for. The high rate of secondary fracture displacement led to early discontinuation of the study and a small sample size.

Trial registration

Name of the registry: ClinicalTrials.Gov

Trial registration number: NCT03848702

Date of registration: 02/21/2019, retrospectively registered
Population size, group and age structure of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in escarpments of Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia: implication for conservation
Authors: Girmay Teklay , Dati Deribe
Published: August 2020

Background

Geladas (Theropithecus gelada), endemic to Ethiopia, are distributed closely related to the escarpments and gorge systems of the country, and large populations are found in the Simien Mountain National Park. This study was conducted in Eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, from February 2018 to August 2019 in order to determine population size and composition of geladas. Total count method was used to estimate the population structure of geladas. Observations of the group of geladas based on body size and morphological characteristics were used to classify age and sex categories of the population. SPSS Version 20 was used to analyze the data. Chi-square test was used to compare sex ratio of geladas and population size among the counting sites between wet and dry seasons.

Results

A total of 112 and 99 individual of geladas were counted during wet and dry seasons, respectively. Of the average gelada population recorded in this study, 11.4% were adult males, 30.3% were adult females, 12.8% were sub-adult males, 25.6% were sub-adult females, and 19.9% were unidentified juveniles. However, there was no statistically significant difference among the various age and sex groups of geladas counted during wet and dry season (χ2= 2.6, DF = 4,P> 0.05). Variations of group size along seasons were observed in this study. Sex ratio of adult male to adult female was 1:2.6 and 1:2.7 during the dry and wet seasons, respectively.

Conclusion

Very small gelada population size was recorded in the current study. An average of 105.5 geladas was recorded during the study period. As this is the first report of gelada population in escarpments of Eastern Tigray, population trend of the geladas cannot decide based on the current study.
Unemployment in Switzerland in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic: an intertemporal perspective
Authors: Sheldon George
Published: August 2020

The following contribution compares the unemployment situation arising from the lockdown induced by the Covid-19 pandemic with previous employment crises in Switzerland. In addition, it forecasts the future trajectory of unemployment based on ongoing changes in hazard rates. From a historical perspective, current unemployment as well as that expected by the federal authorities in the medium term do not seem that dramatic. Current hazard rates present a different picture, however, predicting increases in both the unemployment rate and long-term unemployment to record levels.
Hop-induced formation of ethyl esters in dry-hopped beer
Authors: Brendel Sabrina , Hofmann Thomas , Granvogl Michael
Published: August 2020

Fruity smelling esters play an important role for the aroma of hops and beer and they have been characterized as key aroma compounds in different hop varieties. Studies on the transfer of hop-derived compounds into beer during dry-hopping showed calculated transfer rates of different ethyl esters far above 100%, leading to the assumption that these esters must be newly formed. To investigate this formation, dry-hopping was imitated in water to eliminate the influence of the beer matrix on the formation of these odorants. Thereby, the formation of ethyl esters of 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, and methylpropanoic acid, induced by the addition of hops, was shown. Different approaches inhibiting enzyme activities and experiments with different hop extracts might lead to the assumption that enzymes are involved in the formation of these esters, beside possible transesterification.

Graphical abstract
Serum level of transforming growth factor-beta1 in major idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
Authors: Zakaria Mohamed W. , El-Korashy Reem I. , Selim Samah , Badawy Ingy , Amum Kwashi J.
Published: August 2020

Background

Different inflammatory cytokines play a role in the mechanism and pathogenesis of fibrosis in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) has become a subject of interest. The aim of the work is to measure the serum level of TGF-β1 in different forms of major IIP and to find out its relation to the patients’ clinical and arterial blood gases’ parameters.

Results

The patients’ group showed significant elevation of serum level of TGF-β1 in comparison with the control group (P value < 0.001). In patients with IPF, the serum level of TGF-β1 was not significantly increased compared to patients with other forms of major IIP (mean ± SD = 300 ± 84.52 versus 340 ± 131.20 pg/ml, P value = 0.32). There was an inverse negative correlation between the age and serum level of TGF-β1 (r = − 0.39; P = 0.03). An inverse non-significant correlation was found between the serum level of TGF-β1 and the dyspnoea score (r = − 0.30, P = 0.11). However, there was a significant positive correlation between the serum level of TGF-β1 and the distance of 6-MWT (r = 0.44; P = 0.02). It was also found that there was a positive correlation between the serum level of TGF-β1 and both arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) (r = 0.39, P = 0.03) and arterial oxygen saturation (r = 0.33, P = 0.07).

Conclusion

Serum level of TGF-β1 is elevated in patients with IIP and it positively correlated to both 6-MWD and PaO2. Further larger studies are needed to evaluate its prognostic value.
A single cell RNA sequencing resource for early sea urchin development
Authors: Foster Stephany , Oulhen Nathalie , Wessel Gary
Published: August 2020

Identifying cell states during development from their mRNA profiles provides insight into their gene regulatory network. Here, we leverage the sea urchin embryo for its well-established gene regulatory network to interrogate the embryo using single cell RNA sequencing. We tested eight developmental stages in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from the eight-cell stage to late in gastrulation. We used these datasets to parse out 22 major cell states of the embryo, focusing on key transition stages for cell type specification of each germ layer. Subclustering of these major embryonic domains revealed over 50 cell states with distinct transcript profiles. Furthermore, we identified the transcript profile of two cell states expressing germ cell factors, one we conclude represents the primordial germ cells and the other state is transiently present during gastrulation. We hypothesize that these cells of the Veg2 tier of the early embryo represent a lineage that converts to the germ line when the primordial germ cells are deleted. This broad resource will hopefully enable the community to identify other cell states and genes of interest to expose the underpinning of developmental mechanisms.
An autoregulatory switch in sex-specific phf7 transcription causes loss of sexual identity and tumors in the Drosophila female germline
Authors: Smolko Anne E. , Shapiro-Kulnane Laura , Salz Helen K.
Published: August 2020

Maintenance of germ cell sexual identity is essential for reproduction. Entry into the spermatogenesis or oogenesis pathway requires that the appropriate gene network is activated and the antagonist network is silenced. For example, in Drosophila female germ cells, forced expression of the testis-specific PHD finger protein 7 (PHF7) disrupts oogenesis leading to either an agametic or germ cell tumor phenotype. Here we show that PHF7 expressing ovarian germ cells inappropriately express hundreds of genes, many of which are male germline genes. We find that the majority of genes under PHF7 control in female germ cells are not under PHF7 control in male germ cells, suggesting that PHF7 is acting in a tissue-specific manner. Remarkably, transcriptional reprogramming includes a positive autoregulatory feedback mechanism in which ectopic PHF7 overcomes its own transcriptional repression through promoter switching. Furthermore, we find that tumorigenic capacity is dependent on the dosage of phf7. This study reveals that ectopic PHF7 in female germ cells leads to a loss of sexual identity and promotion of a regulatory circuit beneficial for tumor initiation and progression.
Agravos bucais e desenvolvimento da dentição em pacientes com leucemia - Revisão Integrativa
Authors: Martins Emily Souto , Bauman Claudiana Donato , Gomes Pereira Marília Lasmar , Bauman José Mansano
Published: August 2020

Objetivo: verificar os principais agravos bucais e o desenvolvimento da dentição em indivíduos diagnosticados com leucemia e submetidos às terapias antineoplásicas. Métodos: trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura fundamentada em artigos científicos, classificados de acordo com o nível de evidência (NE) científica proposto pelo Oxford Centre Evidence Based Medicine, 2009. A pergunta norteadora do presente estudo compreende: Quais as principais manifestações orais e alterações no desenvolvimento da dentição em pacientes com leucemia? Resultados: 14 estudos foram incluídos, publicados entre os anos de 2003 e 2019. As principais alterações bucais apresentadas foram morfologia anormal do esmalte e das raízes (taurodontia, hipodontia, microdontia, hipoplasia, raízes curtas), agenesias, sangramento gengival, mucosites, xerostomia e desenvolvimento dental tardio. Conclusões: torna-se necessário o acompanhamento
Historical series of cases of COVID-19 in brazilian regions in the year of 2020
Authors: Gouveia Guilherme Pertinni de Morais , Gouveia Samara Sousa Vasconcelos , Vasconcelos Samila Sousa , Silva Elisson de Sousa Mesquita , Medeiros Rebeca Galdino , Da Silva Rosangela Lago
Published: August 2020

Aim: To analyze the incidence and lethality of COVID-19 in Brazil, through a historical series. Methods: Retrospective ecological study carried out by analyzing biweekly time series with secondary data from Brazilian regions and states, was on the state and integral health sites of the State of Health and IntegraSUS, related to SARS-CoV disease, from March to May 2020. Results: All states showed an increasing incidence trend, except Ceará. The highest lethality found was from Piauí. However, in the last analyzed period, the states of Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, São Paulo and Ceará stood out. The North had an increased incidence in relation to the others and the Southeast had the highest lethality rate. Conclusion: There was an increasing trend in incidence in all states, except Ceará. Piauí had the highest lethality coefficient. Considering the regions, the North showed an increasing trend in incidence and lethality was higher in the Southeast.
Last-Place Aversion in Queues
Authors: Buell Ryan W.
Published: August 2020

This paper documents the effects of last-place aversion in queues and its implications for customer experiences and behaviors, as well as for operating performance. An observational analysis of customers queuing at a grocery store, and four online studies in which participants waited in virtual queues, revealed that waiting in last place diminishes wait satisfaction while increasing the probabilities of switching and abandoning queues, with detrimental implications for queuing systems. The research suggests that last-place aversion can lead to maladaptive customer behaviors—switching behaviors that increase wait times and abandoning when the benefits of waiting are most pronounced. The results indicate that this behavior is partially explained by the inability to make a downward social comparison; namely, when no one is behind a queuing individual, that person is less certain that continuing to wait is worthwhile. Furthermore, this paper provides evidence that queue transparency is an effective service design lever that managers can use to reduce the deleterious effects of last-place aversion in queues. When people cannot see that they are in last place, the behavioral effects of last-place aversion are nullified; and when they can see that they are not in last place, the tendency to renege is greatly diminished. Finally, a system-level experiment, in which pairs of queues were created and analyzed, reveals that when the effects of last-place aversion are addressed, overall abandonment decreases, such that with equivalent arrival and service rates, total service provision can be increased.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.
Exact and Heuristic Algorithms for the Carrier–Vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem
Authors: Erdoğan Güneş , Yıldırım E. Alper
Published: August 2020

This paper presents new structural properties for the carrier–vehicle traveling salesman problem. The authors provide a new mixed-integer second-order conic optimization formulation, with associated optimality cuts based on the structural properties, and an iterated local search (ILS) algorithm. Computational experiments on instances from the literature demonstrate the superiority of the new formulation to the existing models and algorithms in the literature, and the high-quality solutions found by the ILS algorithm.
Effect of COVID-19 on a rural orthopaedic hip fracture service
Authors: Cheruvu Manikandar Srinivas , Bhachu Davinder Singh , Mulrain Jill , Resool Shko , Cool Paul , Ford David James , Singh Rohit Amol
Published: August 2020

Aims

Our rural orthopaedic service has undergone service restructure during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to sustain hip fracture care. All adult trauma care has been centralised to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for assessment and medical input, before transferring those requiring operative intervention to the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital. We aim to review the impact of COVID-19 on hip fracture workload and service changes upon management of hip fractures.

Methods

We reviewed our prospectively maintained trust database and National Hip Fracture Database records for the months of March and April between the years 2016 and 2020. Our assessment included fracture pattern (intrascapular vs extracapsular hip fracture), treatment intervention, length of stay and mortality.

Results

We treated 288 patients during March and April between 2016 and 2020, with a breakdown of 55, 58, 53, 68, and 54 from 2016 to 2020 respectively. Fracture pattern distribution in the pre-COVID-19 years of 2016 to 2019 was 58% intracapsular and 42% extracapsular. In 2020 (COVID-19 period) the fracture patterns were 65% intracapsular and 35% extracapsular. Our mean length of stay was 13.1 days (SD 8.2) between 2016 to 2019, and 5.0 days (6.3) days in 2020 (p < 0.001). Between 2016 and 2019 we had three deaths in hip fracture patients, and one death in 2020. Hemiarthroplasty and dynamic hip screw fixation have been the mainstay of operative intervention across the five years and this has continued in the COVID-19 period. We have experienced a rise in conservatively managed patients; ten in 2020 compared to 14 over the previous four years.

Conclusion

There has not been a reduction in the number of hip fractures during COVID-19 period compared to the same time period over previous years. In our experience, there has been an increase in conservative treatment and decreased length of stay during the COVID -19 period. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2020;1-8:500–507.
Theoretical investigation of an enhanced Goos–Hänchen shift sensor based on a BlueP/TMDC/graphene hybrid
Authors: Ji Qizheng , Yan Bin , Han Lei , Wang Jin , Yang Ming , Wu Chuan
Published: August 2020

The Goos–Hänchen (GH) shift caused by blue phosphorene/transition metal dichalcogenides (BlueP/TMDCs) and graphene surface plasma resonance (SPR) in Kretschmann configuration are studied theoretically. In this structure, graphene and BlueP/TMDCs coated on Cu thin film are optimized to improve the GH shift. The highest GH shift of sensor

Cu

-

BlueP

/

WS
2

–graphene is

1004

λ

with three layers

BlueP

/

WS
2

and a graphene monolayer. For the sensing application, the sensitivity corresponding to the optimal GH shift is

3.199

×

10

6

λ

/

RIU

, which is 210.8 times higher than the traditional Cu film, 181.4 times higher than the

Cu

-

BlueP

/

WS
2

(monolayer) structure, and 56.6 times higher than the Cu–graphene structure. Therefore, the SPR sensor with high GH shift can be extensively used in the fields of chemical, biomedical, and environmental monitoring.
10-pm-order mechanical displacement measurements using heterodyne
interferometry
Authors: Dong Nguyen Thanh , Higuchi Masato , Tung Vu Thanh , Wei Dong , Aketagawa Masato
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we present 10-pm-order mechanical displacement
measurements using heterodyne interferometry. The measuring system
includes a single-path heterodyne interferometer and a phase meter
based on a phase-locked loop (PLL). It is not easy to measure a
mechanical displacement of 10 pm or less owing to electronics and
environmental noises in the interferometer. To solve this problem, the
improvement of the noise floor is required for the phase meter. A PLL
algorithm, which is programmed on a field-programmable gate array
module, is used for efficient noise reduction of the phase meter. The
interferometer combined with a stiff piezoelectric flexure stage is
placed in a vacuum chamber. The measurement comparisons and the noise
floor evaluations are performed between air and vacuum to evaluate
effects from their environments. The interferometer has two spatially
separated beams with different frequencies and two balanced optical
arms. The measurement results demonstrate that the system combined
with the above components is capable of measuring mechanical
displacements of 11 pm in air and vacuum. A noise floor of 0.2 pm/

H
z

between 50 Hz and 100 Hz can be
obtained in vacuum. In this paper, the setup of the interferometer,
the signal processing of the PLL, experiments, and results are
discussed.
Anti-eikonal equation of an eigenmirror
Authors: Hicks R. Andrew , Perline Ronald K. , Rody Sarah G.
Published: August 2020

We call a surface that appears undistorted when viewed in a curved
mirror an eigensurface and the mirror an
eigenmirror. Such pairs are described by
a first-order nonlinear partial differential equation of the form

a
0

+

a
1

u
x

+

a
2

u
y

+

a
3

u
x

u
y

+

a
4

u
x
2

+

a
5

u
y
2

=
0

, where

a
i

=

a
i

(
x
,
y
,
u
)

, which we call the anti-eikonal equation. We give examples of
symbolic and numerical solutions, including pairs that are
geometrically congruent. Ray tracing simulations are included that
visually confirm the unusual properties of these surfaces.
Visualization of ultrasonic wave field by stroboscopic polarization selective imaging
Authors: Liu Gaoshang , Xiong Jichuan , Cao Yun , Hou Ruijie , Zhi Lishan , Xia Zhiying , Liu Weiping , Liu Xuefeng , Glorieux Christ , Marsh John H. , Hou Lianping
Published: August 2020

A stroboscopic method based on polarization selective imaging is proposed for dynamic visualization of ultrasonic waves propagating in a transparent medium. Multiple independent polarization parametric images were obtained, which enabled quantitative evaluation of the distribution of the ultrasonic pressure in quartz. In addition to the detection of optical phase differences δ in conventional photo-elastic techniques, the azimuthal angle φ and the Stokes parameter S2 of the polarized light are found to be highly sensitive to the wave-induced refraction index distribution, opening a new window on ultrasonic field visualization.
Optically induced crossover from weak to strong coupling regime between surface plasmon polaritons and photochromic molecules
Authors: Asamoah Benjamin O. , Mohamed Sughra , Datta Srijoyee , Karvinen Petri , Rekola Heikki , Priimagi Arri , Hakala Tommi K.
Published: August 2020

We demonstrate optically induced crossover from a weak to a strong coupling regime in a single photonic system consisting of propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a planar silver film and ultraviolet (UV)-switchable photochromic molecules. A gradual increase is observed in the vacuum Rabi splitting upon increasing UV exposure, along with intriguing behavior, where the reflectivity initially decreases due to increased losses at the weak coupling regime, and then increases due to the emergence of strongly coupled modes and the associated band gap formation at the resonance frequency of the uncoupled states. This work explicitly demonstrates the optical tunability of the degree of hybridization of the SPP and exciton modes, spanning the range from weak to intermediate and finally to the strong coupling regime.
Modeling the Moiré fringe visibility of Talbot-Lau X-ray grating interferometry for single-frame multi-contrast imaging
Authors: Deng Kai , Li Jing , Xie Weiping
Published: August 2020

Moiré fringe method in X-ray grating interferometry is characterized by its advantage to obtain multi-contrast data through single-frame imaging. However, how the visibility of the Moiré fringe is influenced by the system parameters, such as the misalignment angle, still lacks investigation, although it closely relates to the signal-to-noise ratio of the image data. In this paper, a simplified model of the Moiré fringe visibility is presented, which reveals that the Moiré fringe visibility can be expressed as the product of a misalignment-angle-related “sinc” function and a relatively independent factor. The following experimental results further suggest that the crosstalk between the detector pixels in the direction perpendicular to the Moiré fringe orientation is another main cause for the visibility reduction of the Moiré fringes.