bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lack of association between 11 gene polymorphisms on weight loss 1 year after Roux‐en‐y gastric bypass surgery in woman
Authors: Novais Patrícia Fatima Sousa , Crisp Alex Harley , Leandro‐Merhi Vania Aparecida , Verlengia Rozangela , Rasera Irineu , de Oliveira Maria Rita Marques
Published: March 2022

Background

Although effective, the impact of bariatric surgery on weight loss is variable, and little is known about the influence of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The present study investigated the association of eleven SNPs related to obesity with weight loss 1 year after Roux‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery in female patients.

Methods

This prospective study included 351 women with obesity. The genotypes for eleven SNPs (GHRL–rs26802; GHSR–rs572169; LEP–rs7799039; LEPR–rs1137101; 5HT2C–rs3813929; UCP2–rs659366; UCP3–rs1800849; SH2B1–rs7498665; TAS1R2–rs35874116; TAS1R2–rs9701796; FTO–rs9939609) were determined using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan assays. Anthropometric measurements were performed before and 1 year after RYGB surgery. To evaluate the factors that influenced the proportion of weight loss 1 year after surgery, beta regression analysis was used. The models were estimated using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS statistical software. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean ± SD percentage of total body weight loss in 1 year was 64.4 ± 5.8% and the median was 65.0%. When assessing the proportion of weight loss in 1 year after surgery, using univariate analysis (beta regression), no SNPs influenced weight loss. Furthermore, in the multiple analysis, with stepwise process of variable selection, no variable was significant to compose the multiple model.

Conclusions

The 11 SNPs investigated did not influence weight loss 1 year after RYGB surgery in female patients. This result indicates that individual behaviours and other factors might better contribute to the magnitude of loss weight loss in a short period after bariatric surgery.
In vivo evaluation of topical ascorbic acid application on skin aging by 50 MHz ultrasound
Authors: Vergilio Mariane Massufero , Aiello Laura Moretti , Furlan Andreza Sonego , Caritá Amanda Costa , Azevedo Jaqueline Rezende , Bolzinger Marie‐Alexandrine , Chevalier Yves , Leonardi Gislaine Ricci
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Ascorbic acid (AA) is a powerful antioxidant capable of acting significantly both in the prevention and treatment of the skin aging process. One way to assess the in vivo efficacy of anti‐aging treatments is by using the high‐frequency ultrasound (HFUS) skin image analysis technique, a non‐invasive approach that allows for a new level of evaluating the effectiveness of dermatological and cosmetic products. The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of a topical emulsion of liquid crystalline structures containing AA using the 50 MHz HFUS skin image analysis method.

Methods

Twenty‐five healthy female participants between 35 and 60 years were included, all of whom randomly applied a placebo formulation and an AA‐containing formulation to each forearm, once a day, for 30 days. HFUS measurements were performed before using the products (T0), 2 h later (T2h), and after 30 days of use (T30d). The analyzed parameters included total skin, dermal, and epidermal echogenicity; variation and mean thickness of total skin, the epidermis and dermis; and surface roughness. Statistical analyses were performed using the Friedman test, followed by Dunn's test for comparisons of multiple means (α = 0.05).

Results

A significant increase in total skin and dermal echogenicity was observed after topical AA application.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that collagen synthesis significantly increased after topical therapy with AA, which was responsible for the increment in dermal echogenicity. This study showed, through the HFUS technique, that the topical use of AA promoted dermal redensification after 30 days of application.
Efficacy of injecting hybrid cooperative complexes of hyaluronic acid for the treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus: A preliminary study
Authors: Tedesco Marinella , Garelli Valentina , Elia Fulvia , Sperati Francesca , Biondi F. , Mosiello L. , Morrone Aldo , Migliano Emilia
Published: March 2022

Background

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which involves most commonly the anogenital region. The gold standard in treatment is ultra‐potent topical steroids (clobetasol propionate): it aims at controlling the symptoms, stopping further scarring and distortion, and reducing the risk of cancer.

Objectives

The aim of this preliminary study is to evaluate the efficacy of injecting Hybrid Cooperative Complexes of Hyaluronic Acid (HCC) for the treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS).

Methods

Twenty female adult patients (range: 21–78 years), aged over 18, with histopathological diagnosis of lichen sclerosus and good general conditions were enrolled. Patients underwent HCC infiltration every month, for 3 times. Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after one (T1) and six months (T2) after treatment. During every visit, each patient was studied clinically and with videothermography. Itching, burning sensation, pain, and dyspareunia were reported by patients at T0, T1, and T2. The effectiveness of the treatment on patients’ quality of life and sexual function was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) at T0 and at T2.

Results

The results of this preliminary study are very promising, in fact, all patients had a significant reduction in most symptoms after 1 and 6 months of HCC treatment. The reduction of patients with itching (p value ≤ 0.001), pain (p value = 0.031), and burning sensation (p = 0.004) at 6 months is significant. The analysis of DLQI scores revealed a significant improvement in patients’ quality of life. At baseline, the average score of DLQI (±SD) was 5.89 ± 3.68 while at follow‐up it was 3.42 ± 2.36 (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Our preliminary study has demonstrated the validity and tolerability of HCC infiltrations in patients with VLS, and the effectiveness of HCC in reducing symptoms and, thus, to improve sexuality and patient quality of life.
Genetic dissection of false smut resistance in rice through Genome Wide Association Mapping
Authors: Doddakoppalu Govindaiah Manu , Selvaraj Ramchander , Kadirimangalam Sai Rekha , Sundararajan Aiyswaraya , Nachimuthu Vishnu Varthini , Swaminathan Manonmani , Ayyasamy Ramanathan , Natarajan Devasena , Ramasamy Saraswathi , Dharmaraj Dhivyapriya , Govindan Subashini , Kari Baghyalakshmi , Muthurajan Raveendran , Paramasivam Jeyaprakash , Sabariappan Robin
Published: March 2022

The present investigation was performed to identify resistance sources and to unravel the genomic regions controlling false smut resistance by genome‐wide association mapping (GWAS) in 150 diverse rice accessions. This study revealed 13 highly resistant, 9 resistant, 119 moderately resistant and 9 moderately susceptible genotypes. Correlation analysis revealed that the percentage of infected florets, percentage of infected tillers, percentage of infected plants and spikelet sterility percentage showed significant association with disease severity. GWAS was performed using GLM, GLM+Q and MLM+Q+K with 214 SSR markers and resulted in 16 significant marker–trait associations with the traits, viz., percentage of infected plants, percentage of infected tillers, percentage of infected florets and disease severity. This study resulted in two major QTLs for the percentage of infected florets in the marker RM16131 (126.9 cM) and RM44 (60.9 cM) on chromosomes 3 and 8 and these can be further used in marker‐assisted selection. Several genes were portrayed around major QTL regions and further validation is needed to identify candidate genes for false smut resistance.
First report of Colletotrichum black leaf spot on strawberry caused by Colletotrichum siamense in China
Authors: Wang Cuicui , Tang Yuhai , Qiao Ning , Zhang Dezhen , Chi Wenjuan , Liu Jie , Pan Haoqin , Li Jintang
Published: March 2022

In August 2020, a new fungal disease was observed on strawberry in Shandong Province, which showed that small spots of grayish‐black, near round without lesions and haloes on the adaxial of strawberry leaves. The morphological features of colonies and conida on PDA medium were consistent with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex. The rDNA internal transcribed spacer, calmodulin, chitin synthase, and actin from the isolates were amplified and sequenced. BLAST analysis of these four genes showed 99.24‐100.00% identity with the corresponding sequences of C. siamense in GenBank. The result of phylogenetic analysis also indicated that the pathogen was identified as C. siamense. Similar symptoms were observed on the back of strawberry leaf after spraying conidial suspensions for 3 days, and C. siamense was reisolated which confirm the Koch's rule. This is the first report of new disease of black leaf spot on strawberry caused by C. siamense.
Nutritional metabolism evaluation and image segmentation of the chicken muscle and internal organs for automatic evisceration
Authors: Chen Yan , Lu Jianjian , Feng Ke , Wan Lili , Ai Hui
Published: March 2022

The chicken is rich in various proteins, fatty acids, polysaccharides, trace elements, and other human essential nutrients that contribute to its high nutritional value. In this study, the expression levels of nutrition‐related genes (acetyl‐CoA acyltransferase, ACAA) of native chicken breeds were investigated. The level of GgalACAA1‐2 transcripts expression in the liver of chicken was significantly higher than that of muscle and heart. Moreover, three protein extracts were isolated from the muscle, heart, and liver tissues from the chicken, and their nutritional function was evaluated in the present study. These protein extracts had excellent DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacities and exhibited significant superoxide anion scavenging ability. Moreover, the protein extracts of muscle tissue showed an important mouse splenocyte proliferation activity and could be used as an immunomodulator of natural origin. In addition, this report presented an automatic visual inspection of chicken viscera using the active contour algorithms and the image processing method for eviscerating by the parallel robot. The recognition and positioning rate of chicken viscera obtained by the proposed method could reach 96.45%. These methods provided basic data for automated poultry slaughter and segmentation, avoiding unnecessary health risks by a pathogenic microorganism, such as avian influenza, Newcastle disease virus, and coronavirus. Moreover, the internal organs of the chicken could be fully harvested by the image segmentation of automatic evisceration, which also facilitated the processing value of these internal organs as by‐products of poultry.
Incidental Vocabulary Learning From Bilingual Subtitled Viewing: An Eye‐Tracking Study
Authors: Wang Andi , Pellicer‐Sánchez Ana
Published: March 2022

This study examined the effectiveness of bilingual subtitles relative to captions, subtitles, and no subtitles for incidental vocabulary learning. Learners’ processing of novel words in the subtitles and its relationship to learning gains were also explored. While their eye movements were recorded, 112 intermediate to advanced Chinese learners of English watched a documentary in one of 4 conditions: bilingual subtitles, captions, L1 subtitles, and no subtitles. Vocabulary pretests and posttests assessed the participants’ knowledge of the target vocabulary for form recognition, meaning recall, and meaning recognition. Results suggested an advantage for bilingual subtitles over captions for meaning recognition and over L1 subtitles for meaning recall. Bilingual subtitles were less effective than captions for form recognition. Participants in the bilingual subtitles group spent more time reading the Chinese translations of the target items than the English target words. The amount of attention to the English target words (but not to the translations) predicted learning gains.
Analysing transboundary water governance: A global‐regional‐national water governance framework of Tonle Sap Lake
Authors: Sithirith Mak
Published: March 2022

Transboundary water governance is multiscale and multilevel, involving different actors with diverse powers and politics at different levels and scales. Levels and scales are key governance challenges in transboundary water governance. Although there is considerable literature on scale and level, there is very little on how to operationalize it in a transboundary river basin context. Accordingly, the present study analyses how scale and level complicate transboundary water governance, using a literature review and a case study of Tonle Sap Lake (TSL) in the Mekong River Basin to examine the level and scale affecting transboundary water governance. The present study describes the level of transboundary water governance in terms of global, regional and national implications. There are different functional spaces at each level, including agriculture, fisheries and biodiversity. Spaces are zoned into different spatial scales, based on technocratic interests, specialization, power and the politics of actors. The present study concludes that levels, spatial scales and zoning have made TSL governance more complex, leading to establishment of new institutional and legal arrangements for managing Tonle Sap, some of which compete with, conflict and overlap, meaning sound environmental management and good governance cannot be guaranteed.
Aspects of the biology and population structure of Oreochromis niloticus, Coptodon zillii and Oreochromis leucostictus tilapia in Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Authors: Yongo Edwine , Agembe Simon W. , Manyala Julius O. , Waithaka Edna
Published: March 2022

The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Redbelly tilapia (Coptodon zillii) and Blue spotted tilapia (Oreochromis leucostictus) were introduced into Lake Naivasha in the 1950s to diversify and boost the lake fisheries. These species have since been exploited in the commercial gillnet fishery. The fish stocks, however, are currently facing problems of pollution, wetland degradation and intense fishing pressures. Accordingly, the present study investigated some aspects of the biology and population structure of the three tilapiine species in light of changing lake conditions. Fish samples were collected from January to December 2019 using multifilament gillnets of 2.0‐to‐6.0‐inch mesh sizes. Immediately after their capture, the fish specimens were transported to the lab for morphometric measurements and analysis of maturity. The highest and lowest mean (±SD) total length (TL) were exhibited by O. niloticus (22.9 ± 5.2 cm) and C. zillii (14.5 ± 2.1 cm), respectively. Similarly, O. niloticus exhibited a higher mean weight (268.4 ± 18.0 g) and body depth (7.6 ± 2.5 cm), compared to the other species. O. niloticus exhibited an isometric growth pattern, while C. zillii and O. leucostictus exhibited negative allometric growth. The fish species were in good condition, with mean condition factors of 1.59 ± 0.07, 1.51 ± 0.06 and 1.23 ± 0.03 for C. zillii, O. leucostictus and O. niloticus, respectively. Furthermore, the condition factors for O. leucostictus and O. niloticus varied by size class, exhibiting a decreasing trend with increased fish size. The male:female sex ratio revealed significantly more males than females for O. niloticus (2.30:1.0) and O. leucostictus (2.36:1.0), although not for C. zillii (1.15:1.0). O. niloticus (28.0–29.0 cm TL) matured at a larger size, followed by O. leucostictus (21.0–26.0 cm TL), and C. zillii (15.0–17.0 cm TL). In comparison, values of length‐weight parameters, condition factor, sex ratio and size at first maturity of the studied fishes varied in Lake Naivasha, Victoria, Albert and George. The gillnet mesh ≤3.0″ mainly targeted small‐sized immature fish, while mesh ≥4″ targeted mature fish, particularly O. niloticus. It was concluded that gillnets with ≥4.0″ mesh could safely be applied for this fishery in Lake Naivasha, whereas the use of smaller mesh should be controlled to protect the juveniles as a means of maintaining sustainable fisheries. Furthermore, the present study also provided useful information, including size at maturity that is vital for setting mesh size for managing the lake fishery.
Impact melt rock from Jänisjärvi astrobleme: Study of the iron‐bearing phases using Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy
Authors: Maksimova A. A. , Zamiatina D. A. , Zamyatin D. A. , Ryanskaya A. D. , Chukin A. V. , Oshtrakh M. I.
Published: March 2022

Iron‐bearing phases in the impact melt rock (impactite) from Jänisjärvi astrobleme (Karelia, Russian Federation) were studied by optical microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The phase composition and the contents of elements were determined in the studied impactite. The Raman spectra of cordierite, chamosite, and ilmenite in the impact melt rock were measured and analyzed. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectrum of Jänisjärvi impactite demonstrated the presence of different iron microenvironments in the iron‐bearing phases in the impact melt rock, which were assigned to cordierite; the M1, M2, M3, and M4 sites in chamosite; ilmenite; and ferrihydrite.
Organic compounds in the Tarda C2 ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite: Evaluating the sources of contamination in a desert fall
Authors: Tunney Libby D. , Hill Patrick J. A. , Herd Christopher D. K. , Hilts Robert W.
Published: March 2022

Studying organic compounds in meteorites provides important insight into the chemical processes that occurred in the early solar system. Once meteorites reach the Earth’s surface, they are subject to terrestrial organic contamination that may confound the conclusions that we draw from meteorite organic analyses. Within this study, specimens of the Tarda C2 ungrouped carbonaceous chondrite, collected within a few days of its fall on August 25, 2020, from a barren desert in Morocco, were analyzed for their organic compound contents. In addition, a sand sample from the strewn field was analyzed to confirm the sources of a handful of contaminating compounds detected in the Tarda stones. Using dichloromethane (DCM) rinses of the Tarda stone exteriors and DCM and hot water extractions of meteorite specimen powders and sand sample, and analysis of the soluble organics by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry, we distinguish between extraterrestrial and contaminant sources for each organic compound. In this study, N‐tert‐butyldimethylsilyl‐N‐methyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) was used to derivatize the hot water extractions to utilize its single‐step derivatization reaction ability. The compounds determined to be intrinsic to Tarda include propanoic acid, propanedioic acid, butanedioic acid, fumaric acid, methylmaleic acid, threonine, proline, glycine, urea, and cyclic octaatomic sulfur. We detected numerous terrestrial organic compounds, all of which were traced back to the meteorites’ collection area, with several being confirmed in the sand sample. Our results have implications for best practices for the collection of freshly fallen meteorites, especially carbonaceous chondrites, as well as how specimens should be handled and curated after collection.
Accumulating Semiotic Resources for Social Actions: A Case Study of L2 Icelandic in the Wild
Authors: THEODÓRSDÓTTIR GUÐRÚN , ESKILDSEN SØREN W.
Published: March 2022

This study investigates a second language (L2) speaker's use and learning of the Icelandic auxiliary verb ætla (pronounced /aihtla/) in the wild. This analytic focus is motivated by the L2 speaker's (Anna) own orientation to ætla as a learnable. We track Anna's use of ætla in naturally occurring social interaction over time. Anna first learns to use ætla to make requests in service encounters but this does not automatically transfer to other environments, suggesting an intricate relationship between ætla and the social action it is used to accomplish. The study illuminates (a) how this relationship between ætla expressions and the social actions they are used to accomplish develops over time, and (b) how Anna's increasingly diversified and productive varieties of ætla expressions co‐emerge with increasingly varied action accomplishment. Together, these two dimensions of L2 learning form the backbone of Anna's L2 grammar as an emergent accumulation of semiotic resources for social action. This serves as the backdrop for the article's implications for L2 education: (a) We promote the idea of exemplar‐based and interactionally situated L2 teaching, and (b) we call for increased awareness of situated and developing interactional competence and usage‐based processes and practices in the education of L2 teachers.
Combinations and Connections: Reaching Across Disciplinary Boundaries
Authors: LARSEN–FREEMAN DIANE
Published: March 2022

The data‐rich articles in this special issue invite readers to consider how grammar and multimodality enact social practices. In particular, they propose a reconceptualization of grammar, moving beyond an autonomous system of items and combinatorial rules to demonstrate how grammar is an embodied resource for social interaction. In this discussion, I build on this important reconceptualization of grammar in order to identify cross‐cutting themes—themes that result from combining research methodologies and connecting the research reported on here with that originating from other disciplines, especially that inspired by complex dynamic systems theory. My intention is to urge all researchers not only to pursue their own research agendas but also to build on existing common ground, in order to overcome fractionalization and to contribute to our mutual understanding.
Collaborative Mobilizations of Interbodied Communication for Cooperative Action
Authors: HELLERMANN JOHN , THORNE STEVEN L.
Published: March 2022

Drawing on usage‐based approaches to the study of language learning—including recent research on mobility in interaction, embodied approaches to cognition and communicative action, and innovations in place‐based language learning in the wild—this article uses methods from ethnomethodological conversation analysis to investigate video recordings of 3 English language learners playing an augmented reality game that advocated for environmental stewardship. The analysis focused on 1 aspect of the game, an oral report about different green technologies, which was repeated 3 times due to technical difficulties. Analysis reveals emergent interactional dynamics that included (a) the use and creative reuse of multiword expressions, and (b) aligned interbodied cooperative practices that together supported (c) the building of a discourse structure for making oral reports that were part of the game narrative. The analysis highlights the semipermeable, collaboratively produced, and emergent nature of grammar for social action. Implications for pedagogy include (a) the consideration of structured unpredictability in language task design, and (b) a (re)conceptualization of language structure and language development as both an individual and group achievement.
Spiritual well‐being and its relationship with patient characteristics and other patient‐reported outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients: Findings from the PDOPPS
Authors: Cheawchanwattana Areewan , Kanjanabuch Talerngsak , Puapatanakul Pongpratch , Narenpitak Surapong , Halue Guttiga , Tungsanga Kriang , Tatiyanupanwong Sajja , Lorvinitnun Pichet , Sritippayawan Suchai , Chieochanthanakij Rutchanee , Tungsanga Somkanya , Thamcharoen Natanong , Pongpirul Krit , Shen Jenny I. , Johnson David W. , Davies Simon J. , Finkelstein Fredric O. , Perl Jeffrey , Robinson Bruce ,   Thailand PDOPPS Steering Groups
Published: March 2022

Background

Spiritual well‐being (SWB), an individual's understanding of the meaning and purpose of life, may help patients with chronic or terminal illnesses cope with their diseases. This study aimed to assess SWB in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), as well as its relationship with patient characteristics and patient‐reported outcomes (PRO).

Methods

The data were obtained from questionnaires that formed part of the PD Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (PDOPPS). Measures used in this study were SWB scores derived from the WHO quality of life, spirituality, religiousness and personal beliefs (WHOQOL‐SRPB) tool including 32 items from eight facets; physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the 12‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐12), Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale‐10 (CES‐D‐10) scores, burden of kidney disease scores and functional status scores.

Results

Overall, 529 out of 848 participants (62%) completely responded to the questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Over two‐thirds of PD patients (70%) had moderate or higher SWB scores. The SWB scores were significantly lower in patients with age >65 years and unemployed status. SWB scores positively correlated with higher PCS, MCS, burden of kidney disease scores and functional status scores, while negatively correlated with depression scores by CES‐D‐10 scale. Patients who reported significant depressive symptoms (CES‐D‐10 score ≥ 10) had significantly lower SWB scores.

Conclusion

Better SWB was significantly associated with better health‐related QOL (HRQOL) and the absence of depressive symptoms. SWB may be an essential consideration in the delivery of high‐quality PD.
Ayenia albiflora, (Malvaceae, Byttnerioideae) a new species from the Cerrado of Goiás, Central‐West Brazil
Authors: Colli‐Silva Matheus , de Morais Isa Lucia
Published: March 2022

In this work, we describe a new species of Ayenia (Malvaceae, Byttnerioideae). Ayenia albiflora sp. nov. is known from the Cerrado areas of southern Goiás, Central‐West Brazil. It can be distinguished from its relatives by its outlying white bisexual flowers and leaves with irregular dentate margin with obovate to subelliptic shape. A distribution map with known occurrence records, as well as comments on the ecology, morphological features and phenology of the species are provided. Moreover, we present an updated identification key of Ayenia species from Central‐West Brazil, distinguishing A. albiflora from its congeners.
Association between post‐reflux swallow‐induced peristaltic wave index and esophageal mucosal integrity in patients with GERD symptoms
Authors: Ribolsi Mentore , Frazzoni Marzio , Cicala Michele , Savarino Edoardo
Published: March 2022

Background

Impedance‐pH monitoring allows evaluation of esophageal chemical clearance, a response to reflux elicited by the esophago‐salivary reflex, by means of the post‐reflux swallow‐induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index; mucosal integrity can be evaluated by means of mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) and is regarded as a GERD marker. Currently, the relationship between PSPW index and MNBI has not yet been fully investigated and represents the aim of the present study.

Methods

Impedance‐pH tracings from consecutive patients were reviewed. ROC analysis and multivariate regression models were generated to evaluate the association between acid exposure time (AET), total refluxes (TRs), PSPW index, and MNBI. Patients were classified by means of AET thresholds and symptom‐reflux association indexes into conclusive and inconclusive GERD, reflux hypersensitivity (RH), and functional heartburn (FH). Pathologic MNBI <2292 Ω was defined according to published outcome studies.

Key Results

Two hundred and thirty patients constituted the study cohort. Overall, a significant direct correlation was observed between PSPW index and MNBI (0.759, p < 0.001). At ROC analysis, a PSPW index cut‐off value of 53% was the best discriminator between normal from pathologic MNBI values (sensitivity 88%, specificity 86.4%). Considering AET cut‐off of 4% or 6%, a sensitivity of 80.7% and 46% and a specificity of 62.5% and 93.2% were found, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, AET >4% and PSPW index value <53% or <61% were significantly associated with pathologic MNBI values.

Conclusions and Inferences

Esophageal chemical clearance is a major defense mechanism against reflux and its impairment represents a major determinant of reflux‐associated mucosal damage.
2‐oxoglutarate‐dependent dioxygenases drive expansion of steroidal alkaloid structural diversity in the genus Solanum
Authors: Sonawane Prashant D. , Jozwiak Adam , Barbole Ranjit , Panda Sayantan , Abebie Bekele , Kazachkova Yana , Gharat Sachin A. , Ramot Ofir , Unger Tamar , Wizler Guy , Meir Sagit , Rogachev Ilana , Doron‐Faigenboim Adi , Petreikov Marina , Schaffer Arthur , Giri Ashok P. , Scherf Tali , Aharoni Asaph
Published: March 2022

Solanum steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are renowned defence metabolites exhibiting spectacular structural diversity. Genes and enzymes generating the SGA precursor pathway, SGA scaffold and glycosylated forms have been largely identified. Yet, the majority of downstream metabolic steps creating the vast repertoire of SGAs remain untapped.

Here, we discovered that members of the 2‐OXOGLUTARATE‐DEPENDENT DIOXYGENASE (2‐ODD) family play a prominent role in SGA metabolism, carrying out three distinct backbone‐modifying oxidative steps in addition to the three formerly reported pathway reactions.

The GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM34 (GAME34) enzyme catalyses the conversion of core SGAs to habrochaitosides in wild tomato S. habrochaites. Cultivated tomato plants overexpressing GAME34 ectopically accumulate habrochaitosides. These habrochaitoside enriched plants extracts potently inhibit Puccinia spp. spore germination, a significant Solanaceae crops fungal pathogen. Another 2‐ODD enzyme, GAME33, acts as a desaturase (via hydroxylation and E/F ring rearrangement) forming unique, yet unreported SGAs. Conversion of bitter α‐tomatine to ripe fruit, nonbitter SGAs (e.g. esculeoside A) requires two hydroxylations; while the known GAME31 2‐ODD enzyme catalyses hydroxytomatine formation, we find that GAME40 catalyses the penultimate step in the pathway and generates acetoxy‐hydroxytomatine towards esculeosides accumulation.

Our results highlight the significant contribution of 2‐ODD enzymes to the remarkable structural diversity found in plant steroidal specialized metabolism.
Efficacy of a 365 nm Ultraviolet A1 light Emitting Diode (UVA1‐LED) in in vitro Extracorporeal Photopheresis
Authors: Maeda Akira , Yamamoto Riho , Mizuno Shohei , Miki Shigeichiro , Sakamoto Yasuhiro , Kogata Shuhei , Toyama Chiyoshi , Sato Kazuki , Okamatsu Chizu , Ando Takanori , Iida Minako , Watsuji Toru , Sato Toshinobu , Miyagawa Shuji , Okuyama Hiroomi , Takami Akiyoshi , Kodera Yoshihisa
Published: March 2022

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) is one of the more effective cell therapies for graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD). ECP is a widely recommended therapeutic approach for the treatment of chronic GvHD, particularly steroid‐refractory GVHD. In recent years, the use of a light emitting diode (LED) in the clinic has attracted considerable interest. In this study, we examined the issue of whether an ultraviolet A1‐light emitting diode (UVA1‐LED) can be used as a light source in ECP. To compare the efficacy of ECP with conventional UVA lamp and a UVA1‐LED, we established an in vitro ECP model. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by measuring the % apoptosis and the inhibition of T‐cell proliferation. To investigate the effect of ECP on the innate immune reaction, THP‐1 cells with a luciferase reporter gene driven by a NF‐kB response element (THP‐1 luc NF‐kB) were treated with ECP. The LED‐ECP induced apoptosis and inhibition of T‐cell proliferation as efficiently as a conventional ECP. However, LED‐ECP induced less innate immunity in THP‐1. Since LED devices are more compact compared with conventional UVA irradiation devices, the use of a UVA1‐LED in the treatment of ECP may be a better alternative to conventional ECP therapy.
Hydrogen sulphide‐mediated alleviation and its interplay with other signalling molecules during temperature stress
Authors: Mishra S. , Chowdhary A. A. , Bhau B. S. , Srivastava V.
Published: March 2022

The sessile habit of plants does not provide choices to escape the environmental constraints, leading to negative impacts on their growth and development. This causes significant losses in the agriculture sector and raises serious issues on global food security. Extreme temperatures (high or low) influence several aspects of plant life and can cause reproduction malfunction. Therefore, a strategy for temperature amelioration is necessary for the management of agricultural productivity. Supplementation with various chemicals (e.g. phytohormones, gasotransmitters, osmolytes) is considered a good choice to manage plant stress. Gasotransmitters are well‐recognized for stress mitigation in plants, among which hydrogen sulphide (H2S) has proved promising to alleviate stress. Temperature (heat/cold) stress can stimulate the endogenous production of H2S in plants, and many studies have reported the significance of H2S for temperature stress amelioration. Here, H2S led to positive changes in plant physiological, biochemical and molecular responses, which are usually compromised during stress. Further, H2S also coordinate with other signalling components that act either upstream or downstream during stress mitigation. This review focuses on the significance of H2S for mitigation of temperature stress, with a comprehensive discussion on cross‐talk with other signalling components or supplements (e.g. NO, H2O2, salicylic acid, trehalose, proline). Finally, the review provides a rational assessment and holistic understanding of H2S‐mediated mitigation of extreme temperature stress and addresses the prospects for development of an effective strategy to manage temperature stress.
Supervised Multivariate Learning with Simultaneous Feature Auto-Grouping and Dimension Reduction
Authors: She Yiyuan , Shen Jiahui , Zhang Chao
Published: March 2022

Modern high-dimensional methods often adopt the ‘bet on sparsity’ principle, while in supervised multivariate learning statisticians may face ‘dense’ problems with a large number of nonzero coefficients. This paper proposes a novel clustered reduced-rank learning (CRL) framework that imposes two joint matrix regularizations to automatically group the features in constructing predictive factors. CRL is more interpretable than low-rank modelling and relaxes the stringent sparsity assumption in variable selection. In this paper, new information-theoretical limits are presented to reveal the intrinsic cost of seeking for clusters, as well as the blessing from dimensionality in multivariate learning. Moreover, an efficient optimization algorithm is developed, which performs subspace learning and clustering with guaranteed convergence. The obtained fixed-point estimators, although not necessarily globally optimal, enjoy the desired statistical accuracy beyond the standard likelihood setup under some regularity conditions. Moreover, a new kind of information criterion, as well as its scale-free form, is proposed for cluster and rank selection, and has a rigorous theoretical support without assuming an infinite sample size. Extensive simulations and real-data experiments demonstrate the statistical accuracy and interpretability of the proposed method.
Contextualising embodied cognition: Towards a critical neuro‐geography of ageing
Authors: Naughton Linda
Published: March 2022

Within geography, situated, contextualised, and contingent embodiment is a central theme in non‐representational theory, mobility theories, and feminist, affective, and emotional geographies. Despite this focus on the body, engagement with the strong embodiment hypotheses emerging out of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy has been limited to only selective theoretical borrowings with practically no attention given to the burgeoning empirical evidence of the relationship between body, mind, and environment. While the neural turn within the discipline has been acknowledged, the flow of influence is found to be largely unidirectional, where cognitive science, and the neurogovernance that stems from it, pays scant attention to the contingencies of spatial lives. At the same time, geographers have been critical of the universalising tendencies and narrow empiricism of neuroscience. This paper advocates a rapprochement between geography and neuroscience following Barad's agential realism approach. Using the geographies of ageing as a case that has relevance across the discipline, cognitive embodiments are understood as body–mind–environment assemblages that continuously co‐constitute material difference, constraint, and possibility for bodies as they age. A focus on recent studies of embodied ageing that show cognition to be both embodied and inherently spatial is used to inspire a critical neuro‐geography that rethinks ageing in place, age‐friendly cities, and age‐related public health interventions, such as those for the COVID‐19 crisis. The paper aims to inspire further critical neuro‐geographies that think through body–mind–environment assemblages and material–discursive intra‐actions without separating mind/body or nature/culture.
Lean Premixed Combustion of Raw Biogas Interchangeability in a Porous Radiant Burner Operated in the Submerged Mode
Authors: Dash Kishan , Samantaray Sikata
Published: March 2022

Raw biogas has the potential to be a valuable solution to the world’s insatiable energy demand as well as reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the raw biogas interchangeability potential of a circular porous radiant burner (PRB) made of Silicon Carbide (SiC) foam and ceramic. The experiment was carried out on PRB for three different raw biogas mixtures at the firing rate of 200–400 kW/m2 and stable combustion was observed for the equivalence ratio range of 0.75–0.96. The raw biogas mixtures of higher CO2 percentage reduce the surface temperature, radiation efficiency, NOx emission but increase the CO emission. The surface temperature, CO, and NOx emission increased due to the increase in firing rate and equivalence ratio, but the radiation efficiency increased due to the increase in equivalence ratio only. The PRB operates steadily with the radiation efficiency of 15.87–38.92%, NOx emission of 0.7–2.9 ppm, and CO emission of 30–93 ppm for all studied raw biogas mixtures within the range of firing rates of 200–400 kW/m2 and equivalence ratio of 0.75–0.96. A correlation for radiation efficiency in terms of percentage of CO2 in the raw biogas mixtures, firing rate, and equivalence ratio was developed and found that the predicted radiation efficiency agrees well with the experimental results. Overall, the newly developed PRB offers better radiation efficiency than that of other designs operated in the submerged mode for raw biogas.
One-Step Prototyping: Rapid Manufacturing
Authors: Kahlen Franz-Josef , Sankaranarayanan Srikanth , Guo Wen , Kar Aravinda
Published: March 2022

Rapid Prototyping methods currently in use are based on solidifying polymers by UV laser irradiation. The availability of these methods has altered the environment for product development as cycle times for component revisions are reduced from several days down to several hours. However, a common feature of most Rapid Prototyping Processes is that these parts are suitable for space studies but face severe restrictions for functionality tests. E.g., an exhaust part, made out of plastics, cannot be exposed to high temperature fumes.

At this point, an intermediate step must be taken, original parts must be manufactured and tested, what often means casting of soft tools for these original parts. This second step, essentially a “detour”, is a characteristic feature of many such processes.

Subject of this presentation is a one-step Rapid Manufacturing Process to create 3D prototyping parts, using the original sample material. The goal is to investigate the fundamental characteristics of the process in order to understand the effects of various process variables on different physical parameters. Parts created in such a manner could be readily used for real testing. Preparations of an experimental setup where metal powder is fed to the laser beam-material interaction region have been concluded. The powder is melted and forms planar, two-dimensional geometries as the substrate is moved under the laser beam in XY-direction. After completing the geometry in the plane, the substrate is displaced in Z-direction, and a new layer of material is placed on top of the just completed deposit. By continuous repetition of this process, 3D parts were created. From an end-user’s point of view, the step of using soft tools can be avoided.

A high power CO2 laser was used as energy source, the material powder under investigation was Stainless Steel SS304L (particle size 140 μm). Helium was used as shield gas at a flow rate of 15 1/min. The incident CO2 laser beam power was varied between 300 W and 400 W, with the laser beam intensity distributed in a donut mode. The laser beam was focused to a focal diameter of 600 μm.
Environmental Sensitivity Criteria for Mechanical Product Design Evaluation
Authors: Sfantsikopoulos Michael M. , Pantelis Dimitris I.
Published: March 2022

Industrial mechanical products create environmental problems in three ways: Because of their function, because of their manufacturing and because of their disposal after the end of their service life, or the end of their life-cycle. Constantly increasing social and market needs press, on the other hand, for always new products with inevitably shorter life-cycles. Environmental pollution of the air, water and soil and overconsumption of natural material deposits and non-renewable energy resources are thus becoming very serious threats for the future of the world ecosystem. Although it is clear that all these threats to the environment start from the New Product Design (NPD), relevant engineering design efforts have been primarily focused on product functional issues that affect negatively the environment (emissions, energy consumption, wastes). Less attention has been paid until recently by the NPD methodologies to product manufacturing issues which cause undesirable environmental consequences and originate from its design.

In the paper an approach is attempted toward assemblying and classification of the motives, targets and design guidelines for an environmentally conscious mechanical product design. Design issues which have to do with product manufacturing and affect negatively the environment are only taken into account. Environmental sensitivity criteria for NPD evaluation are further established within various processing, re-use, re-conditioning, re-cycling, etc. modes. These evaluation criteria refer to minimum raw (not yet processed) material and energy consumption in product manufacturing, to minimum environmental pollution in product manufacturing and from product disposal.
Facility Modeling for Environmentally-Conscious Machining
Authors: Bennett D. , Sheng P.
Published: March 2022

This paper presents a methodology for considering environmental factors in machining facilities through Monte Carlo system simulation models. Although system simulation is widely used to plan resource allocation, scheduling, product mix, buffer sizes, and other operational issues, the focus of system-level planning is traditionally the primary part flow. One key aspect of this approach is the modeling of secondary (or catalytic) flows within the facility in the solid, liquid and vapor phases. The advantages of the approach presented are that (1) human health hazards can be estimated prior to actual exposure in the facility, (2) available inventories of cutting fluids, solid scrap and tools can be more effectively synchronized with primary part flows, (3) potential system constraints based on environmental factors (such as catalyst recycling or disposal) can be identified, and (4) energy use in a facility can be quantified based upon the product mix and resources being used. This approach uses analytical process models embedded as attributes of systems resources to determine energy use and mass flows based on process time and volume of material removed. To illustrate this approach, we present a model of an aerospace machining facility comprising of 20 resources and 28 product types is presented and case studies addressing cutting fluid management and product mix are developed.
Advanced Probabilistic Design of Multi-Degree of Freedom Systems Subjected to a Number of Discreet Excitation Frequencies
Authors: Pigott Ronald
Published: March 2022

From the beginning, engineers have focused on the special case of determinism in the design process, and an enormous methodology has been developed to support this approach. Today, however, customers are demanding greater reliability and are imposing greater penalties for failure. In order to achieve higher reliability, and in order to assess the risk of failure, probabilistic approaches will almost certainly have to be employed. While designers have always used probability in their work, it has usually been done with risk represented in a single factor of safety. This paper focuses on the application of probability theory to the design of multi-degree of freedom systems that are subjected to a number of discreet excitation frequencies. Problems of this nature are often encountered in rotating machines where the excitation frequencies are multiples of the speed of rotation. In a previous paper (Pigott, 1996), only variability in the system natural frequencies was considered, and the probability of exceeding a certain vibratory stress was determined. It was shown that, at the reliability levels of interest, it is necessary to consider multiple mode contributions to the total vibratory stress. In this paper, the previous approach is extended to include variability in the magnitude of the excitation force, system damping, and system fatigue strength leading to the determination of a total probability of failure due to high cycle fatigue. The results of applying the deterministic analysis, the first level of probabilistic analysis (Pigott, 1996) and the full probabilistic analysis are presented for a sample system. The benefits from using the probabilistic approach for component design are also discussed.
Numerical Study of the Effects of the Transverse Cylinder Oscillation on the Laminar Wake
Authors: Anagnostopoulos P.
Published: March 2022

The aim of this computational study is the investigation of the effects of the transverse oscillations of a cylinder on the flow pattern and on the hydrodynamic forces exerted on the body. The finite element technique was used for the solution, which comprised numerical flow visualization and evaluation of the hydrodynamic forces, at a constant Reynolds number equal to 106. The cylinder oscillation frequency was varying between 0.8 and 1.2 of the natural shedding frequency, and the oscillation amplitude was equal to 40% of the cylinder diameter. For values of the cylinder oscillation frequency lower or equal than the natural shedding frequency the vortex pattern is similar to that observed for a fixed cylinder, whereas for higher, a more complicated aperiodic pattern is obtained. The effects of the frequency of the cylinder oscillation on the lift force, the phase angle between the lift and the cylinder displacement and on the timing of vortex shedding are also discussed.