bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative cost‐effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens for muscle‐invasive bladder cancer: Results according to VESPER data
Authors: Joyce Daniel D. , Wymer Kevin M. , Sharma Vidit , Moriarty James P. , Borah Bijan J. , Geynisman Daniel M. , Plimack Elizabeth R. , Costello Brian A. , Pagliaro Lance C. , Boorjian Stephen A.
Published: October 2022

Background

The VESPER trial demonstrated improved progression‐free (PFS) and (preliminarily) overall survival (OS) with six cycles of neoadjuvant dose‐dense methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (ddMVACx6) versus four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GCx4) before radical cystectomy (RC) for muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but with increased toxicity. This study compares the cost‐effectiveness of these regimens.

Methods

A cost‐effectiveness analysis of neoadjuvant ddMVACx6 and GCx4 was performed using a decision‐analytic Markov model with 5‐year, 10‐year, and lifetime horizons. Probabilities were derived from reported VESPER data. Utility values were obtained from the literature. Primary outcomes were effectiveness measured in quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) with a willingness to pay threshold of $100,000 per QALY. One‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the model.

Results

At 5 years, ddMVACx6 improved QALYs by 0.30 at an additional cost of $16,100, rendering it cost‐effective relative to GCx4 (ICER: $53,284/QALY). Additionally, probabilistic sensitivity analysis found ddMVACx6 to be cost‐effective in 79% and 81% of microsimulations at10‐year and lifetime horizons, respectively. One‐way sensitivity analysis demonstrated a minimum difference in 5‐year progression of 0.9% and progression mortality of 0.7% between ddMVACx6 and GCx4 was necessary for ddMVACx6 to remain cost‐effective.

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant ddMVACx6 was more cost‐effective than GCx4 for MIBC. These data, together with the improved PFS and (albeit preliminary) OS noted in VESPER, support use of this regimen in appropriate candidates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy before RC.

Lay summary

We performed a benefit‐to‐cost analysis using evidence from a randomized controlled trial that compared two different chemotherapy treatments before bladder removal for bladder cancer that had invaded into the bladder muscle.

Despite being more expensive and having a greater likelihood of toxicity, six cycles of dose‐dense methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin was more cost‐effective (or had higher value) than four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin.
Cooperative induction of receptor tyrosine kinases contributes to adaptive MAPK drug resistance in melanoma through the PI3K pathway
Authors: Alver Tine Norman , Heintz Karen‐Marie , Hovig Eivind , Bøe Sigurd L.
Published: October 2022

Vemurafenib‐induced drug resistance in melanoma has been linked to receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) upregulation. The MITF and SOX10 genes play roles as master regulators of melanocyte and melanoma development. Here, we aimed to explore the complex mechanisms behind the MITF/SOX10‐controlled RTK‐induced drug resistance in melanoma. To achieve this, we used a number of molecular techniques, including melanoma patient data from TCGA, vemurafenib‐resistant melanoma cell lines, and knock‐down studies. The melanoma cell lines were classified as proliferative or invasive based upon their MITF/AXL expression activity. We measured the change of expression activity for MITF/SOX10 and their receptor (AXL/ERBB3) and ligand (NRG1/GAS6) targets known to be involved in RTK‐induced drug resistance after vemurafenib treatment. We find that melanoma cell lines characterized as proliferative (high MITF low AXL), transform into an invasive (low MITF, high AXL) cell state after vemurafenib resistance, indicating novel feedback loops and advanced compensatory regulation mechanisms between the master regulators, receptors, and ligands involved in vemurafenib‐induced resistance. Together, our data disclose fine‐tuned mechanisms involved in RTK‐facilitated vemurafenib resistance that will be challenging to overcome by using single drug targeting strategies against melanoma.
An interval type‐2 fuzzy ontological model: Predicting water quality from sensory data
Authors: Hooda Diksha , Rani Rinkle
Published: October 2022

With the advent of break‐through sensing technology, performing data capturing and analysis for knowledge engineering has become more opportunistic. The task of efficiently analyzing sensor based data for effective decision making poses a significant challenge. Conventional prediction and recommender systems lack comprehensive analysis of all parameters and aspects, thus compromising prediction results. At the decision‐making level, traditional knowledge driven prediction systems deploy classical ontology for knowledge representation and analysis. However, classical ontologies are not considered as powerful tools due to their inability to handle vagueness in data for real‐world applications. On the contrary, fuzzy ontology deals with the issue of hazy and uncertain data for effective analysis to give promising results. This work presents interval type 2 fuzzy ontological knowledge model that predicts water quality of sensor based water samples and providing solutions with respect to the corresponding quality state. The proposed knowledge model constitutes of two newly developed ontologies: water sensor observations ontology (crisp ontology to model sensor observational data) and water quality ontology (interval type 2 fuzzy ontology for modeling the water quality prediction process). The inference mechanism is based on interval type‐2 fuzzy partitioning and computation. Besides water quality prediction and providing solutions, the proposed model handles the issue of interoperability and exchange of consensual knowledge among multiple disciplines. The proposed knowledge model is validated with real‐life water sensor based parameterized data captured from various geographically dispersed monitoring stations with approximately 50,000 samples at each station.
Using machine learning enabled phenotyping to characterize nodulation in three early vegetative stages in soybean
Authors: Carley Clayton N. , Zubrod Melinda J. , Dutta Somak , Singh Asheesh K.
Published: October 2022

The symbiotic relationship between soybean [Glycine max L. (Merr.)] roots and bacteria (Bradyrhizobium japonicum) lead to the development of nodules, important legume root structures where atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is fixed into bio‐available ammonia (NH3) for plant growth and development. With the recent development of the Soybean Nodule Acquisition Pipeline (SNAP), nodules can more easily be quantified and evaluated for genetic diversity and growth patterns across unique soybean root system architectures. We explored six diverse soybean genotypes across three field year combinations in three early vegetative stages of development and report the unique relationships between soybean nodules in the taproot and non‐taproot growth zones of diverse root system architectures of these genotypes. We found unique growth patterns in the nodules of taproots showing genotypic differences in how nodules grew in count, size, and total nodule area per genotype compared to non‐taproot nodules. We propose that nodulation should be defined as a function of both nodule count and individual nodule area resulting in a total nodule area per root or growth regions of the root. We also report on the relationships between the nodules and total nitrogen in the seed at maturity, finding a strong correlation between the taproot nodules and final seed nitrogen at maturity. The applications of these findings could lead to an enhanced understanding of the plant‐Bradyrhizobium relationship and exploring these relationships could lead to leveraging greater nitrogen use efficiency and nodulation carbon to nitrogen production efficiency across the soybean germplasm.
Emerging role of IκBζ in inflammation: Emphasis on psoriasis
Authors: Gautam Preeti , Maenner Sylvain , Cailotto Frédéric , Reboul Pascal , Labialle Stéphane , Jouzeau Jean‐Yves , Bourgaud Frédéric , Moulin David
Published: October 2022

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting skin and joints that results from immunological dysfunction such as enhanced IL‐23 induced Th‐17 differentiation. IkappaB‐Zeta (IκBζ) is an atypical transcriptional factor of the IκB protein family since, contrary to the other family members, it positively regulates NF‐κB pathway by being exclusively localized into the nucleus. IκBζ deficiency reduces visible manifestations of experimental psoriasis by diminishing expression of psoriasis‐associated genes. It is thus tempting to consider IκBζ as a potential therapeutic target for psoriasis as well as for other IL23/IL17‐mediated inflammatory diseases. In this review, we will discuss the regulation of expression of NFKBIZ and its protein IκBζ, its downstream targets, its involvement in pathogenesis of multiple disorders with emphasis on psoriasis and evidences supporting that inhibition of IκBζ may be a promising alternative to current therapeutic managements of psoriasis.
Prospective feasibility study on the efficacy and safety of a novel spiral dilator for endoscopic ultrasound‐guided drainage
Authors: Ogawa Takahisa , Kanno Yoshihide , Koshita Shinsuke , Kusunose Hiroaki , Sakai Toshitaka , Yonamine Keisuke , Miyamoto Kazuaki , Kozakai Fumisato , Okano Haruka , Anan Hideyuki , Hosokawa Kento , Ito Kei
Published: October 2022

Objectives

A difficult step in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)‐guided drainage procedures is dilation of the puncture tract before stent deployment. The efficacy and safety of a novel spiral dilator, Tornus ES, for EUS‐guided drainage were investigated in this study.

Methods

This study was conducted as a prospective, single‐arm, observational study at Sendai City Medical center. Dilation of the puncture tract using a spiral dilator was attempted for all EUS‐guided drainage cases. The primary outcome was the technical success rate which was defined as successful stent placement in the puncture tract. Secondary outcomes were the success rate of dilation using a spiral dilator, procedure time, and adverse events related to the procedures.

Results

A total of 10 patients were enrolled between January and March 2022. Seven patients underwent EUS‐guided biliary drainage (hepaticogastrostomy for six and hepaticojejunostomy for one), and the remaining three patients underwent EUS‐guided gallbladder drainage. The technical success rate and the success rate of dilation using a spiral dilator were both 100%. The mean procedure time was 27 min. No adverse events related to the procedure occurred in all cases.

Conclusions

Dilation of the puncture tract using a spiral dilator was effective and safe and might make it easier to perform EUS‐guided drainage.
A case of refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor‐induced colitis with Clostridioides difficile infection
Authors: Okura Yukito , Kobayashi Katsumasa , Yamada Yurina , Furuya Makoto , Kitano Naoki , Oshina Eri , Matsuoka Mana , Nozaka Takahito , Tashiro Yoshihiro , Sato Ayako , Yauchi Masato , Matsumoto Taichi , Furumoto Yohei , Asano Toru , Azuma Seishin
Published: October 2022

The clinical symptoms of an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)‐induced colitis are similar to those of ulcerative colitis. ICI‐induced colitis, like ulcerative colitis, may be complicated by other colitis, such as Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). A 72‐year‐old man was admitted because of watery and bloody stools 10 times a day after three courses of nivolumab (antibodies against programmed death 1) and ipilimumab (cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated antigen‐4) for stage IV renal cell carcinoma. Colonoscopy revealed erythema and multiple erosions in the colon. Histopathological examination of colonic mucosa revealed diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration and apoptosis. The initial cytomegalovirus antigen test and C. difficile detection assay results were negative. Based on these findings, we diagnosed the patient with ICI‐induced colitis and discontinued ICI therapy. The symptoms did not improve despite the administration of Prednisolone and infliximab. A repeat colonoscopy revealed a new appearance of pseudomembranes from the sigmoid colon to the rectum one month after the start of these treatments. At this point, the patient tested positive for C. difficile. With treatment with vancomycin for CDI, the abdominal symptoms gradually decreased. Nivolumab alone was cautiously restarted. However, no colitis recurrence and further tumor reduction were observed. Here, we report our experience of a case of refractory ICI‐induced colitis complicated by CDI. ICI‐induced colitis may be complicated by CDI and should be carefully treated with repeated CDI testing if refractory to treatment. We believe that our observation will provide helpful information for determining an appropriate treatment strategy for ICI‐induced colitis.
Clinical application guidelines for blood glucose monitoring in China (2022 edition)
Authors: Bao Yuqian , Zhu Dalong ,   Chinese Diabetes Society
Published: October 2022

Glucose monitoring is an important component of diabetes management. The Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) has been producing evidence‐based guidelines on the optimal use of glucose monitoring since 2011. In recent years, new technologies in glucose monitoring and more clinical evidence, especially those derived from Chinese populations, have emerged. In this context, the CDS organised experts to revise the Clinical application guidelines for blood glucose monitoring in China in 2021. In this guideline, we focus on four methods of glucose monitoring that are commonly used in clinical practice, including capillary glucose monitoring, glycated haemoglobin A1c, glycated albumin, and continuous glucose monitoring. We describe the definitions and technical characteristics of these methods, the factor that may interfere with the measurement, the advantages and caveats in clinical practice, the interpretation of glucose metrics, and the relevant supporting evidence. The recommendations for the use of these methods are also provided. The various methods of glucose monitoring have their strengths and limitations and cannot be replaced by one another. We hope that these guidelines could aid in the optimal application of common methods of glucose monitoring in clinical practice for better diabetes care.
Salinity‐induced transcriptome profiles in marine and freshwater threespine stickleback after an abrupt 6‐hour exposure
Authors: Taugbøl Annette , Solbakken Monica Hongrø , Jakobsen Kjetill S. , Vøllestad Leif Asbjørn
Published: October 2022

Saltwater and freshwater environments have opposing physiological challenges, yet, there are fish species that are able to enter both habitats during short time spans, and as individuals they must therefore adjust quickly to osmoregulatory contrasts. In this study, we conducted an experiment to test for plastic responses to abrupt salinity changes in two populations of threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, representing two ecotypes (freshwater and ancestral saltwater). We exposed both ecotypes to abrupt native (control treatment) and non‐native salinities (0‰ and 30‰) and sampled gill tissue for transcriptomic analyses after 6 h of exposure. To investigate genomic responses to salinity, we analyzed four different comparisons; one for each ecotype (in their control and exposure salinity; (1) and (2), one between ecotypes in their control salinity (3), and the fourth comparison included all transcripts identified in (3) that did not show any expressional changes within ecotype in either the control or the exposed salinity (4)). Abrupt salinity transfer affected the expression of 10 and 1530 transcripts for the saltwater and freshwater ecotype, respectively, and 1314 were differentially expressed between the controls, including 502 that were not affected by salinity within ecotype (fixed expression). In total, these results indicate that factors other than genomic expressional plasticity are important for osmoregulation in stickleback, due to the need for opposite physiological pathways to survive the abrupt change in salinity.
Integrating natural gradients, experiments, and statistical modeling in a distributed network experiment: An example from the WaRM Network
Authors: Prager Case M. , Classen Aimee T. , Sundqvist Maja K. , Barrios‐Garcia Maria Noelia , Cameron Erin K. , Chen Litong , Chisholm Chelsea , Crowther Thomas W. , Deslippe Julie R. , Grigulis Karl , He Jin‐Sheng , Henning Jeremiah A. , Hovenden Mark , Høye Toke T. Thomas , Jing Xin , Lavorel Sandra , McLaren Jennie R. , Metcalfe Daniel B. , Newman Gregory S. , Nielsen Marie Louise , Rixen Christian , Read Quentin D. , Rewcastle Kenna E. , Rodriguez‐Cabal Mariano , Wardle David A. , Wipf Sonja , Sanders Nathan J.
Published: October 2022

A growing body of work examines the direct and indirect effects of climate change on ecosystems, typically by using manipulative experiments at a single site or performing meta‐analyses across many independent experiments. However, results from single‐site studies tend to have limited generality. Although meta‐analytic approaches can help overcome this by exploring trends across sites, the inherent limitations in combining disparate datasets from independent approaches remain a major challenge. In this paper, we present a globally distributed experimental network that can be used to disentangle the direct and indirect effects of climate change. We discuss how natural gradients, experimental approaches, and statistical techniques can be combined to best inform predictions about responses to climate change, and we present a globally distributed experiment that utilizes natural environmental gradients to better understand long‐term community and ecosystem responses to environmental change. The warming and (species) removal in mountains (WaRM) network employs experimental warming and plant species removals at high‐ and low‐elevation sites in a factorial design to examine the combined and relative effects of climatic warming and the loss of dominant species on community structure and ecosystem function, both above‐ and belowground. The experimental design of the network allows for increasingly common statistical approaches to further elucidate the direct and indirect effects of warming. We argue that combining ecological observations and experiments along gradients is a powerful approach to make stronger predictions of how ecosystems will function in a warming world as species are lost, or gained, in local communities.
Predation strongly limits demography of a keystone migratory herbivore in a recovering transfrontier ecosystem
Authors: Watson Fred , Becker Matthew S. , Smit Daan , Droge Egil , Mukula Teddy , Martens Sandra , Mwaba Shadrach , Christianson David , Creel Scott , Brennan Angela , M'soka Jassiel , Gaylard Angela , Simukonda Chuma , Nyirenda Moses , Mayani Bridget
Published: October 2022

Large herbivore migrations are imperiled globally; however the factors limiting a population across its migratory range are typically poorly understood. Zambia's Greater Liuwa Ecosystem (GLE) contains one of the largest remaining blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus taurinus) migrations, yet the population structure, vital rates, and limiting factors are virtually unknown. We conducted a long‐term demographic study of GLE wildebeest from 2012 to 2019 of 107 collared adult females and their calves, 7352 herd observations, 12 aerial population surveys, and concurrent carnivore studies. We applied methods of vital rate estimation and survival analysis within a Bayesian estimation framework. From herd composition observations, we estimated rates of fecundity, first‐year survival, and recruitment as 68%, 56%, and 38% respectively, with pronounced interannual variation. Similar rates were estimated from calf‐detections with collared cows. Adult survival rates declined steadily from 91% at age 2 years to 61% at age 10 years thereafter dropping more sharply to 2% at age 16 years. Predation, particularly by spotted hyena, was the predominant cause of death for all wildebeest ages and focused on older animals. Starvation only accounted for 0.8% of all unbiased known natural causes of death. Mortality risk differed substantially between wet and dry season ranges, reflecting strong spatio‐temporal differences in habitat and predator densities. There was substantial evidence that mortality risk to adults was 27% higher in the wet season, and strong evidence that it was 45% higher in the migratory range where predator density was highest. The estimated vital rates were internally consistent, predicting a stable population trajectory consistent with aerial estimates. From essentially zero knowledge of GLE wildebeest dynamics, this work provides vital rates, age structure, limiting factors, and a plausible mechanism for the migratory tendency, and a robust model‐based foundation to evaluate the effects of potential restrictions in migratory range, climate change, predator–prey dynamics, and poaching.
The protective effect of LCZ696 in coxsackievirus B3‐induced acute viral myocarditis mice
Authors: Jing Xu , Hao Lian , Yuan‐Nan Lin , Wei‐Ke Liu , Lu‐Shen Jin , Jin‐Yan Ke , Yi‐Lian Chen , Yi‐Xuan Qiu , Li‐Sha Ge , Yue‐Chun Li
Published: October 2022

Aims

Acute viral myocarditis (AVMC) is the aetiology of heart failure (HF) with few specific treatments. The improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a critical predictor for the prognosis of AVMC. LCZ696 is a drug used in HF to improve LVEF, with a few research on AVMC. In this research, we evaluated the effects and mechanism of LCZ696 in improving LVEF in AVMC.

Methods

Eighty 4‐week‐old male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups of 20: Sham; Sham + LCZ696 (60 mg/kg/d); AVMC; AVMC + LCZ696. The above experiments were repeated by CVB3‐infected HL‐1 and Mdivi‐1 to down‐regulated dynamin‐related protein 1(Drp1). Adeno‐associated virus 9 (AAV9) with enhanced green fluorescent proteins (GFP) was injected to produce Drp1‐overexpression mice and set up four groups: AVMC group, AVMC + AAV group, AVMC + LCZ696 group, and AVMC + LCZ696 + AAV group (n = 20 in each group). LVEF was evaluated by echocardiography at a similar heart rate (HR) at d7, Drp1 (p‐Drp1), inflammation and apoptosis by histology and Western blot (WB), and mitochondrial by electron microscopy.

Results

Cardiac function were injured in AVMC that LCZ696 reversed (LVEF, %: Sham: 68.99 ± 9.67; Sham + LCZ696: 71.96 ± 6.20; AVMC: 30.95 ± 6.40*; AVMC + LCZ696: 68.99 ± 9.67*#, *P < 0.05 vs. Sham, #P < 0.05 vs. AVMC). LCZ696 attenuated p‐Drp1 expression, inflammation, apoptosis, and mitochondrial fission (p‐Drp1/Drp1: Sham: 1; Sham + LCZ696: 1.37 ± 0.22; AVMC: 2.29 ± 0.36*; AVMC+LCZ696: 1.43 ± 0.08*#, *P < 0.05 vs. Sham, #P < 0.05 vs. AVMC). Some of the above results were repeated in CVB3‐infected HL‐1 cells and Mdivi‐1. AAV increased Drp1 expression and mitochondrial fission, inflammatory, and apoptosis. Compared with the AVMC + AAV group, the LVEF increased from 24.44 ± 0.03% to 32.33 ± 0.05% in the AVMC + LCZ696 + AAV group(P < 0.05), p‐Drp1/Drp1 decreased from 0.54 ± 0.12 to 0.42 ± 0.09*, and IL‐6, c‐IL‐1β, and c‐caspase‐3/caspase‐3 decreased from 1.07 ± 0.22 to 0.72 ± 0.08*, from 1.03 ± 0.14 to 0.79 ± 0.09*, and from 4.69 ± 0.29 to 0.92 ± 0.13*, respectively (*P < 0.05).

Conclusions

LCZ696 has a protective effect on AVMC by improving LVEF and reducing inflammation and apoptosis, which may be due to the inhibition of Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission.
Assessing anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 cellular immunity in 571 vaccines by using an IFN‐γ release assay
Authors: Wakui Masatoshi , Uwamino Yoshifumi , Yatabe Yoko , Nakagawa Terumichi , Sakai Akiko , Kurafuji Toshinobu , Shibata Ayako , Tomita Yukari , Noguchi Masayo , Tanabe Akiko , Arai Tomoko , Ohno Akemi , Yokota Hiromitsu , Uno Shunsuke , Yamasawa Wakako , Sato Yasunori , Ikeda Mari , Yoshimura Akihiko , Hasegawa Naoki , Saya Hideyuki , Murata Mitsuru
Published: October 2022

Memory T cell responses have been analyzed only in small cohorts of COVID‐19 vaccines. Herein, we aimed to assess anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 cellular immunity in a large cohort using QuantiFERON assays, which are IFN‐γ release assays (IGRAs) based on short‐term whole blood culture. The study included 571 individuals receiving the viral spike (S) protein‐expressing BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. QuantiFERON assays revealed antigen‐specific IFN‐γ production in most individuals 8 weeks after the second dose. Simultaneous flow cytometric assays to detect T cells expressing activation‐induced markers (AIMs) performed for 28 randomly selected individuals provided data correlating with the QuantiFERON data. Simultaneous IFN‐γ enzyme‐linked immunospot and AIM assays for another subset of 31 individuals, based on short‐term peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture, also indicated a correlation between IFN‐γ production and AIM positivity. These observations indicated the acquisition of T cell memory responses and supported the usability of IGRAs to assess cellular immunity. The QuantiFERON results were weakly correlated with serum IgG titers against the receptor‐binding domain of the S protein and were associated with pre‐vaccination infection and adverse reactions after the second dose. The present study revealed cellular immunity after COVID‐19 vaccination, providing insights into the effects and adverse reactions of vaccination.
Automatic work‐order assignment method for Chinese government hotline
Authors: Chen Gang , She Xiangrong , Chen Jianpeng , Chen Jian , Qin Jiaqi
Published: October 2022

Government hotline plays a significant role in meeting the demands of the people and resolving social conflicts in China. In this paper, we propose an automatic work‐order assignment method based on event extraction and external knowledge to address the problem of low efficiency with manual assignment for Chinese government hotline. Our proposed assignment method is composed of four parts: (1) Semantic encoding layer, which extracts semantic information from the work‐order text and obtains semantic representation vectors with contextual feature information. (2) Event extraction layer which extracts the local features and global features from the semantic representation vectors with the help of the CRF network to enhance event extraction effect. (3) External knowledge embedding layer, which integrates ‘rights and responsibilities lists’ with the historical information of the work‐order to assist assignment. (4) Assignment layer which completes work‐order assignment by combining two output vectors from event extraction layer and external knowledge embedding layer. Experimental results show our proposed method can achieve better assignment performance compared with several baseline methods.
Flood hazard model calibration using multiresolution model output
Authors: Roth Samantha M. , Lee Ben Seiyon , Sharma Sanjib , Hosseini‐Shakib Iman , Keller Klaus , Haran Murali
Published: October 2022

Riverine floods pose a considerable risk to many communities. Improving flood hazard projections has the potential to inform the design and implementation of flood risk management strategies. Current flood hazard projections are uncertain, especially due to uncertain model parameters. Calibration methods use observations to quantify model parameter uncertainty. With limited computational resources, researchers typically calibrate models using either relatively few expensive model runs at high spatial resolutions or many cheaper runs at lower spatial resolutions. This leads to an open question: is it possible to effectively combine information from the high and low resolution model runs? We propose a Bayesian emulation–calibration approach that assimilates model outputs and observations at multiple resolutions. As a case study for a riverine community in Pennsylvania, we demonstrate our approach using the LISFLOOD‐FP flood hazard model. The multiresolution approach results in improved parameter inference over the single resolution approach in multiple scenarios. Results vary based on the parameter values and the number of available models runs. Our method is general and can be used to calibrate other high dimensional computer models to improve projections.
Modification g‐C3N4 by MgO and its application for glycerol carbonate synthesis from glycerol and dimethyl carbonate
Authors: Reisi Bahareh , Najafi Chermahini Alireza
Published: October 2022

Glycerol (GLY) as a by‐product in bio‐diesel synthesis should be converted to more valuable compounds. In the present study, MgO/graphitic carbon nitride (MgO/g‐C3N4) was synthesized and characterized using several techniques, including FESEM, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, TEM, and CO2‐TPD. The MgO/g‐C3N4 catalysts illustrated high catalytic activity compared with pure g‐C3N4 and MgO for conversion of glycerol to glycerol carbonate (GC) through transesterification reaction between GLY and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). According to the results, the optimum reaction conditions were: reaction time of 4 h, reaction temperature of 80°C, molar ratio of reactants (DMC:GLY) 3:1, and MgO/C3N4 catalyst dosage of 30 mg. The catalyst with a certain ratio of MgO:g‐C3N4 = 6:1 showed the maximum GC yield of 95.47% at 80°C and good reusability. The simple preparation method, good catalytic activity, and reusability of the catalyst shows capability of this catalytic system on an industrial scale.
Masculinities
Authors: Thangaraj Stanley
Published: October 2022

The study of masculinities is a recent growing field in Anthropology. Within this growing subfield, one must be careful to study masculinities within wide circuits of power. By examining masculinities instead of masculinity, I center the social context and multiplicities necessary to ethnographically chart masculinities without falling into the trap of just centering male bodies and only the social practices of men. Masculinities must be understood in relation to colonialism, postcolonialism, imperialism, racism, heterosexism, and heteronormativity. Black feminist theory, women of color feminism, Third World feminism, and queer of color critique provide important theoretical tools in ethnographic research to decipher power and can destabilize singular, hegemonic Western epistemologies about masculinity. Through such a theoretical engagement, I showcase the complexity, multiplicity, and contradictions in the performance of masculinities in the global South, in queer of color communities, in Indigenous communities, and across various institutions in social life.
Uncertainty‐driven oil volatility risk premium and international stock market volatility forecasting
Authors: Fang Tong , Miao Deyu , Su Zhi , Yin Libo
Published: October 2022

Forecasting international stock market volatility using the oil volatility risk premium (OVRP) is important for asset allocation and financial risk management. In previous literature, the issue of biased OVRP has not been well addressed. The OVRP is defined as the difference between the ex ante risk‐neutral expectation of oil return variation and the oil realized variance. This is a biased estimator as argued by previous studies. In this paper, we propose a new measure of OVRP, namely, the uncertainty‐driven OVRP (UOVRP), in which the expected realized variation is the conditional variance of oil futures returns estimated by a typical GARCH‐MIDAS model, and the long‐term volatility component of conditional variance is directly determined by several uncertainty indices. Using heterogeneous autoregressive models (HAR), we find that UOVRPs significantly and positively predict most of the international stock market volatility in‐sample. Furthermore, it significantly outperforms the realized volatility, the “model‐free” OVRP, and recently proposed volatility predictors for most American, European, and Pacific markets out‐of‐sample. On average, UOVRPs driven by the world uncertainty index and the U.S. economic policy uncertainty perform the best among all UOVRPs. The predictive ability of UOVRPs is robust across a series of checks.
Geology, geochemistry and genesis of Tabei: A newly identified intermediate‐sulphidation epithermal Pb–Zn deposit adjacent to low‐sulphidation Au deposit in the Tulasu Basin, Chinese Western Tianshan
Authors: Peng Yi‐Wei , Gu Xue‐Xiang , Su Jing , Zhang Yong‐Mei , Wang Jia‐Lin , Wang Xin‐Li , Chen Xi , Song Ming‐Wei , Shu Zhi‐Ping
Published: October 2022

The Tabei Pb–Zn deposit is located adjacent to the well‐known Axi low‐sulphidation epithermal Au deposit in the Tulasu Basin, Chinese Western Tianshan. The homogenization temperatures and salinities of H2O‐rich biphase inclusions in ore‐stage sphalerite and calcite from Tabei range from 100 to 170°C and 0.4 to 6.2 wt% NaCleq, respectively. The δ13CV‐PDB and δ18OV‐SMOW values of calcite range from 0.9‰ to 1.5‰ and 5.6‰ to 6.7‰, respectively. The δ18OH2O and δDH2O values of hydrothermal fluids vary from −7.0‰ to −5.9‰ and −120.8‰ to −111.1‰, respectively. The in‐situ δ34SV‐CDT values of sulphides range from 7.5‰ to 8.0‰ (average 7.7‰). The in‐situ Pb isotopic compositions of galena and (87Sr/86Sr)0 ratios of sphalerite resemble those of Au‐bearing pyrite and quartz of Axi deposit, respectively, as well as the ore‐hosting volcanic rocks. These isotopic compositions indicate that the ore metals were derived from the ore‐hosting volcanic rocks, with the ore‐forming fluids consisting predominantly of circulating meteoric water. The absence of coexisting two‐phase vapour and liquid fluid inclusions and the presence of abundant banded coarse‐grained quartz crystals with dog tooth and comb textures at Tabei, suggest that the sulphides precipitated slowly due to conductive cooling. The high sulphide abundance, sulphide assemblage (pyrite + Fe‐poor sphalerite + galena + chalcopyrite), ore textures and isotopic compositions suggest that Tabei represents an intermediate‐sulphidation epithermal deposit. The Axi‐Tabei Au–Pb–Zn epithermal system constitutes a hybrid consisting of Au veins at shallow level and Pb–Zn veins at depth, suggesting that the base metals remain highly prospective beneath the identified Au orebodies at Axi.
Accurate and automatic mapping of complex debris‐covered glacier from remote sensing imagery using deep convolutional networks
Authors: Lin Ruoshen , Mei Gang , Xu Nengxiong
Published: October 2022

Debris‐covered glacier mapping for monitoring glacier fluctuations is necessary to prevent geohazards caused by glaciers. Recently, deep learning‐based methods have been widely utilized for the identification of debris‐covered glaciers. Compared with conventional geospatial methods, deep learning‐based approaches have the advantage of large‐scale coverage and outstanding accuracies in identifying glaciers. However, there are two main difficulties when using deep learning‐based approaches: (1) object misclassification, which causes the misclassifications of the surrounding bedrock, snow, and mountain‐shadowed areas as glaciers; and (2) the inaccurate segmentation of boundaries. In addition, the sample sets for training deep learning models are generally insufficient, which leads to unsatisfactory results. To address the above problems, a deep learning‐based approach is proposed for accurate and automatic mapping of the complex debris‐covered glacier from remote sensing imagery for glacial hazard prevention. First, high‐quality remote sensing imagery is acquired and pre‐processed. Second, we adopt a weight‐optimized glacier semantic segmentation model to our approach. Then, the post‐processing procedures can be used to obtain the glacier outline. Finally, an accurate and automatic mapping of complex debris‐covered glaciers can be achieved. To demonstrate the effectiveness, our approach is applied to observe spatiotemporal changes in the glacier outline in the Nyenchen Tanglha region. Results show that most evaluation metrics of our model are higher than 90%, which demonstrates that it is reasonable for the glacier boundary extraction. We also verify that the proposed approach can be used to observe the changes in glaciers to prevent and control glacial hazards in high‐mountain regions.
Hierarchical Bayesian modeling of the relationship between task‐related hemodynamic responses and cortical excitability
Authors: Cai Zhengchen , Pellegrino Giovanni , Lina Jean‐Marc , Benali Habib , Grova Christophe
Published: October 2022

Investigating the relationship between task‐related hemodynamic responses and cortical excitability is challenging because it requires simultaneous measurement of hemodynamic responses while applying noninvasive brain stimulation. Moreover, cortical excitability and task‐related hemodynamic responses are both associated with inter‐/intra‐subject variability. To reliably assess such a relationship, we applied hierarchical Bayesian modeling. This study involved 16 healthy subjects who underwent simultaneous Paired Associative Stimulation (PAS10, PAS25, Sham) while monitoring brain activity using functional Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), targeting the primary motor cortex (M1). Cortical excitability was measured by Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs), and the motor task‐related hemodynamic responses were measured using fNIRS 3D reconstructions. We constructed three models to investigate: (1) PAS effects on the M1 excitability, (2) PAS effects on fNIRS hemodynamic responses to a finger tapping task, and (3) the correlation between PAS effects on M1 excitability and PAS effects on task‐related hemodynamic responses. Significant increase in cortical excitability was found following PAS25, whereas a small reduction of the cortical excitability was shown after PAS10 and a subtle increase occurred after sham. Both HbO and HbR absolute amplitudes increased after PAS25 and decreased after PAS10. The probability of the positive correlation between modulation of cortical excitability and hemodynamic activity was 0.77 for HbO and 0.79 for HbR. We demonstrated that PAS stimulation modulates task‐related cortical hemodynamic responses in addition to M1 excitability. Moreover, the positive correlation between PAS modulations of excitability and hemodynamics brought insight into understanding the fundamental properties of cortical function and cortical excitability.
Cerebello‐cerebral resting‐state functional connectivity in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3
Authors: Guo Jing , Jiang Zhouyu , Liu Xinyuan , Li Haoru , Biswal Bharat B. , Zhou Bo , Sheng Wei , Gao Qing , Chen Hui , Fan Yunshuang , Zhu Wenyan , Wang Jian , Chen Huafu , Liu Chen
Published: October 2022

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor and nonmotor deficits concomitant with degenerative pathophysiological changes within the cerebellum. The cerebellum is topographically organized into cerebello‐cerebral circuits that create distinct functional networks regulating movement, cognition, and affect. SCA3‐associated motor and nonmotor symptoms are possibly related not only to intracerebellar changes but also to disruption of the connectivity within these cerebello‐cerebral circuits. However, to date, no comprehensive investigation of cerebello‐cerebral connectivity in SCA3 has been conducted. The present study aimed to identify cerebello‐cerebral functional connectivity alterations and associations with downstream clinical phenotypes and upstream topographic markers of cerebellar neurodegeneration in patients with SCA3. This study included 45 patients with SCA3 and 49 healthy controls. Voxel‐based morphometry and resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to characterize the cerebellar atrophy and to examine the cerebello‐cerebral functional connectivity patterns. Structural MRI confirmed widespread gray matter atrophy in the motor and cognitive cerebellum of patients with SCA3. We found reduced functional connectivity between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortical networks, including the somatomotor, frontoparietal, and default networks; however, increased connectivity was observed between the cerebellum and the dorsal attention network. These abnormal patterns correlated with the CAG repeat expansion and deficits in global cognition. Our results indicate the contribution of cerebello‐cerebral networks to the motor and cognitive impairments in patients with SCA3 and reveal that such alterations occur in association with cerebellar atrophy. These findings add important insights into our understanding of the role of the cerebellum in SCA3.
“You can't hide your children anywhere”: Perceptions of organizational support for work‐life during the pandemic among academic couples who parent
Authors: Culpepper Dawn K. , Blake Daniel J.
Published: October 2022

The COVID‐19 pandemic has refocused higher education on issues of work‐life conflict among faculty members with children. This study draws from interviews with 13 heterosexual couples (26 participants) who were employed as faculty members and who cared for at least one child during the pandemic. Using the theory of perceived organizational support, we considered how institutional actions shaped the extent to which academic couples who parent felt supported in managing pandemic‐related work‐life conflict. We found centralized mechanisms for sharing concerns, innovative childcare resources, and flexibility and transparent communication enhanced participants' sense of organizational support, while inaction and unsystematic institutional responses undermined perceptions of organizational support. Our findings are consistent with past work on the relationship between organizational policies and resources and perceptions of organizational support, but also suggest alternative strategies for institutions that want to enhance perceived and real support for academic couples who parent.
Adoption of adjuvant chemotherapy in high‐risk salivary gland malignancies
Authors: Gordon Alex J. , Chow Michael S. , Patel Aneek , Hu Kenneth S. , Li Zujun , Jacobson Adam S. , Vaezi Alec E. , Tam Moses M. , Givi Babak
Published: October 2022

Background

The present study characterizes national trends in the utilization of adjuvant chemotherapy to treat salivary gland malignancies.

Methods

The National Cancer Database was queried for salivary gland malignancies treated by surgery with radiation in 2004–2019. Proportions of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy over the study period were analyzed by linear regression. The impact of chemotherapy on overall survival was assessed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses.

Results

Among 15 965 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 2355 (14.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Chemotherapy utilization significantly increased from 4.9% to 16.5% over the study period (p < 0.001). No survival benefit was observed with adjuvant chemotherapy on propensity score‐matched Kaplan–Meier analysis (HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.86–1.11; p = 0.72) or multivariable Cox regression (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.78–1.09; p = 0.34).

Conclusions

Adjuvant chemotherapy has been increasingly utilized to treat salivary gland malignancies in recent years. Our findings highlight the importance of obtaining high‐quality prospective data regarding the benefit of chemotherapy.
Circulating cell‐free DNA for target quantification in hematologic malignancies: Validation of a protocol to overcome pre‐analytical biases
Authors: Soscia Roberta , Della Starza Irene , De Novi Lucia Anna , Ilari Caterina , Ansuinelli Michela , Cavalli Marzia , Bellomarino Vittorio , Cafforio Luciana , Di Trani Mariangela , Cazzaniga Giovanni , Fazio Grazia , Santoro Alessandra , Salemi Domenico , Spinelli Orietta , Tosi Manuela , Terragna Carolina , Robustelli Valentina , Bellissimo Teresa , Colafigli Gioia , Breccia Massimo , Chiaretti Sabina , Di Rocco Alice , Martelli Maurizio , Guarini Anna , Del Giudice Ilaria , Foà Robin
Published: October 2022

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has become the most investigated analyte in blood. It is shed from the tumor into the circulation and represents a subset of the total cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) pool released into the peripheral blood. In order to define if ctDNA could represent a useful tool to monitor hematologic malignancies, we analyzed 81 plasma samples from patients affected by different diseases. The results showed that: (i) the comparison between two different extraction methods Qiagen (Hilden, Germany) and Promega (Madison, WI) showed no significant differences in cfDNA yield, though the first recovered higher amounts of larger DNA fragments; (ii) cfDNA concentrations showed a notable inter‐patient variability and differed among diseases: acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia released higher amounts of cfDNA than chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma released higher cfDNA quantities than localized and advanced follicular lymphoma; (iii) focusing on the tumor fraction of cfDNA, the quantity of ctDNA released was insufficient for an adequate target quantification for minimal residual disease monitoring; (iv) an amplification system proved to be free of analytical biases and efficient in increasing ctDNA amounts at diagnosis and in follow‐up samples as shown by droplet digital PCR target quantification. The protocol has been validated by quality control rounds involving external laboratories. To conclusively document the feasibility of a ctDNA‐based monitoring of patients with hematologic malignancies, more post‐treatment samples need to be evaluated. This will open new possibilities for ctDNA use in the clinical practice.
Lifelines for a drowning science ‐ improving findability and synthesis of hydrologic publications
Authors: Stein Lina , Mukkavilli S. Karthik , Wagener Thorsten
Published: October 2022

Increasing publication numbers make it difficult to keep up with knowledge evolution in a science like hydrology. Here we give recommendations to authors and journals for writing future‐proof articles that contribute to knowledge accumulation and synthesis.
Rapid mobilization of old water during urban stormflow
Authors: Ariano Sarah S. , Oswald Claire J.
Published: October 2022

Urban landscapes do not easily fit into common conceptual models of streamflow generation because extensive impervious surfaces, artificial drainage via sewers, stormwater control measures, and the removal of vegetation substantially modify the pathways rainfall and meltwater take to streams. Hydrologic responses are well characterized for urban streams, however, the relative sources and flow pathways of water within urban landscapes are relatively understudied compared with undisturbed areas. Different water sources (e.g. groundwater, or ‘old’ water, rainfall, or ‘new’ water) can have distinct chemical characteristics whose mixing determines the quality of streamwater. In this study, we investigated the relative contribution of different sources of water (pre‐event water/groundwater, rainfall, wastewater, and tap water) to urban stormflow. Water samples were collected from three highly urban streams (65%–89% impervious cover) during 11 storm events and analysed for stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in water (δ18O and δ2H). Precipitation samples were collected from a nearby precipitation collector to characterize the isotopic signature of new water inputs. Isotopic hydrograph separation (IHS) was used to estimate the relative proportion of new and old water in each event. The IHS results indicated that 25%–63% (δ18O) of the storm hydrograph was old water. For 9 of the 11 storms, the peak in old water contribution coincided with peak flow. These results are similar to findings from IHS studies in undisturbed catchments which suggests that under certain conditions (i.e. low intensity, long duration rainfall) the contribution of old water to stormflow in urban catchments is of a similar magnitude to undisturbed catchments. The use of tracer data is important for further exploring the conceptual model of streamflow generation that suggests that new water dominates stormflow in flashy and heavily urbanized catchments, and can be useful for characterizing the role of greenspaces and storm characteristics on water partitioning.