bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extruded chickpea flour sequentially treated with alcalase and α‐amylase produces dry instant beverage powders with enhanced yield and nutritional properties
Authors: Silvestre‐De‐León Robinzon , Espinosa‐Ramírez Johanan , Pérez‐Carrillo Esther , Serna‐Saldívar Sergio O.
Published: June 2021

Instant beverage powders were obtained by sequential alcalase and α‐amylase catalysis of raw or extruded chickpea flours. Chemical composition, solid yield and nutritional properties in terms of oligosaccharides, fatty acids and protein quality were determined. The beverage powder produced with extruded flour (ECF‐S) had adequate protein (20%), hydrolysed starch (48%) and fat (4%) contents. The instant powder yield of ECF‐S was 64% being 2.2 times higher compared with the counterpart obtained from the raw flour (RCF‐S). ECF‐S had higher oligosaccharides compared with RCF‐S, and an oil composition with high proportion of linoleic and oleic acids. In addition, it had an in vitro protein digestibility of 83.1% and protein digestibility‐corrected amino acid score of 0.831. Unflavoured beverages produced with ECF‐S presented improved suspension stability. Hence, thermo‐extrusion followed by biocatalysis with alcalase and α‐amylase proved to be an adequate method to generate higher yields of instant soluble powders suitable for plant‐based consumers, with high nutritional profile. The insoluble coproduct could be valorised into a functional ingredient due to its protein (21%) and hydrolysed starch (16%).
Effect of different milling mechanical forces on the structures and properties of wheat flour
Authors: Tian Xiaoling , Wang Xiaoxi , Ma Sen , Sun Binghua , Qian Xiaojie , Gu Yujuan
Published: June 2021

Size reduction by milling of endosperm granules produces flour and prompts the heterogeneous distribution of nutrients, changing its properties. The effects of impact milling and frictional milling on the breakage of endosperm granules were evaluated. Comparison of both methods showed that frictional milling initially squeezed larger starch granules out of the endosperm granules, and the flour particles were smaller and exhibited decreased relative crystallinity. Meanwhile, impact milling peeled the protein off the surface of endosperm granules, and the surface of the flour particles had higher S and N contents. Moreover, the content of random coils decreased, and the V‐shaped peak disappeared. The weight loss rate of the ground samples and the maximum thermal cracking temperature of the impact‐milled samples increased significantly as processing progressed. Different milling mechanical forces can be used in combination to obtain the desired flour.
The impact of chitosan film or chitosan/chitosan–epigallocatechin gallate conjugate composite film on the quality changes of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) slices stored in air or under vacuum packaging
Authors: Mittal Ajay , Singh Avtar , Benjakul Soottawat
Published: June 2021

Quality and shelf‐life of Asian sea bass slices (ASBS) wrapped with chitosan (CS)/CS–epigallocatechin gallate (CE) conjugate composite or CS films and packaged in air or under vacuum during storage at 4 °C were studied. Total viable count was less than permissible limit (6 log·CFU g−1 sample) for ASBS wrapped with CS/CE conjugate composite film under vacuum (ASBS‐COMP‐VP) after 18 days. Moreover, lower microbial proliferation and volatile base contents were attained in ASBS‐COMP‐VP sample than other samples during the storage (P < 0.05). At the end of storage, ASBS‐COMP‐VP sample had lower lipid oxidation than those wrapped with CS film (P < 0.05). Polyunsaturated fatty acid content of ASBS‐COMP‐VP was retained at higher content at day 18. Therefore, ASBS‐COMP‐VP had the enhanced shelf‐life with high acceptability up to 18 days at 4 °C, while ASBS wrapped with CS film and packaged in air or under vacuum had the shelf‐life of 9 and 12 days, respectively.
The effects of blackcurrant powder (Ribes nigrum) supplementation on pasting properties, physicochemical properties, and nutritive values of starch derived from mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.)
Authors: Mu Jianlou , Klosek Axelle , Brennan Margaret A. , Chen Zhizhou , Hui Xiaodan , Wu Gang , Brennan Charles S.
Published: June 2021

Incorporation of bioactive‐containing fruits and/or vegetables into the carbohydrate‐rich food matrix are effective strategies to develop food products with functional health benefits. In this study, blackcurrant powder was added into pea starch and mung bean starch to form pastes to investigate the effects of blackcurrant powder on physicochemical and nutritional properties of the starch pastes. The predictive in vitro glycaemic response of the pastes was highlighted by in vitro glycaemic glucose equivalent assay and alpha‐amylase inhibitory activity assay. Both assays showed that blackcurrant powder attenuated (P < 0.05) reducing sugar released, through the inhibition of α‐amylase. The colour profiles and textural properties of the pastes were modified by the additions of blackcurrant berry powder at different levels. Nutritional characteristics of the pastes, including total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, were significantly changed (P < 0.05) with the addition of blackcurrant powder.
Is monitoring of antiplatelet therapy by light transmission aggregometry dependent on instrument and reagent used?
Authors: Monteyne Tinne , Heireman Laura , Hemelsoet Dimitri , van Schaik Ron H.N. , Devreese Katrien M.J.
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Light transmission aggregometry (LTA), used to detect clopidogrel resistance in patients under antiplatelet therapy, is prone to multiple variables potentially influencing results and interpretation. Currently, no attention is given to type of aggregometer or reagent used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interassay variability between two aggregometers (Chronolog700 and TA‐8V), using two different ADP reagents (Chrono‐Par® and Agro‐Bio ADP) in patients under clopidogrel therapy. Additionally, LTA results were correlated to CYP2C19‐polymorphism.

Methods

Light transmission aggregometry was performed in 20 healthy individuals and 30 patients using both aggregometers, and applying two different reagents (2.5 and 5 µmol/L). The maximum platelet aggregation (ADPmax), the platelet aggregation at 6 minutes (ADP6min), and the percentage of disaggregation at 6 min (ADP%disaggr) were compared between four applied combinations. Additionally, 23 clopidogrel‐resistant patients according to Chronolog700‐Chrono‐par®ADP reagent analysis were tested for CYP2C19*2 polymorphism.

Results

Comparison of the LTA of healthy individuals revealed a significant lower ADPmax, lower ADP6min, and higher ADP%disaggr with the TA‐8V aggregometer compared to Chronolog700, regardless of the reagent. In contrast, LTA results in patients are depending on the reagent, with significant higher ADPmax and ADP6min and lower ADP%disaggr using Chrono‐Par® compared to Agro‐Bio ADP reagent. All intermediate clopidogrel metabolizers (CYP2C19*2 carriers) were correctly classified as clopidogrel resistant using Chrono‐Par®, in contrast to the Agro‐Bio ADP reagent.

Conclusion

Light transmission aggregometry in clopidogrel‐treated patients is mainly depending on the type of ADP reagent. Comparison of LTA with genotype reveals that the choice of instrument seems less influencing. In contrast, in the healthy individuals, differences could be attributed to the instrument.
A systematic review of measures assessing mental health professionals’ perspectives of recovery
Authors: Gyamfi Naomi , Bhullar Navjot , Islam Md Shahidul , Usher Kim
Published: June 2021

Recovery is internationally recognized as a concept to improve the well‐being of consumers. Compared with the numerous measures assessing consumer perspectives of recovery, only a few measures have been developed to assess Mental Health Professionals' (MHPs) perspectives of recovery to inform practice. The present study aims to systematically review the literature to identify existing measures designed to assess MHPs' perspectives of recovery and evaluate their psychometric properties, and the methodological considerations of the design and use of these measures. We searched literature across eight electronic databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PsyArticles, CINAHL, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google scholar. We identified 2631 articles across all databases. Of these, 40 articles met the inclusion criteria, which comprised 14 original measures assessing mental health recovery and 26 articles reassessing the psychometric properties of the original 14 measures. Our results suggested that while there are existing measures for assessing MHPs’ perspectives of recovery, only a few of these measures met standard evaluation criteria for psychometric properties. Specifically, the validation of the identified measures is still in its infancy. For example, the easiness of applying the measures differs among the studies, and only a few of the measures fully involved consumers in the scale development phase. The implication of the findings for future use and development of recovery measures in mental health practice and research are discussed and recommended.
Analytics in developing countries: methods, applications, and the impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Orhan Cosku Can , Guajardo Mario
Published: June 2021

The growing availability of data coupled with advanced methods and computing power have fostered organizations to adopt business analytics in their decision‐making. Nevertheless, the application of analytics is subject to available resources and capabilities, and, therefore, differs from region to region. Developing countries in particular are exposed to circumstances that can limit the expansion of analytics within their domains. This may prohibit the acceleration of development efforts and, consequently, may result in delays in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) set for 2030. Taking this concern as a starting point, this paper provides the results of a survey on the status of analytics research in developing countries. Through a thorough review and classification of 142 articles published during 2009–2019, we characterize analytics in developing countries along three dimensions. First, we explore the mainstream methodologies appearing in the literature, which range from classic optimization techniques to more recent statistical and machine learning methods. Second, we identify 11 application areas that cover a broad range. Third, we focus on the linkages between the reviewed papers and the 17 UNSDGs. Along this dimension, we establish a connection between the literature and 13 goals, and illustrate how some of these contributions relate to some of the 169 targets set by United Nations. Goals such as gender equality are addressed to either little or no extent by the surveyed literature. Also, the survey reveals no adoption of indicators that are set to track the progress toward the targets.
Characterizing environment‐dependent fracture mechanisms of ceramic matrix composites via digital image correlation
Authors: Bumgardner Clifton H. , Heim Frederick M. , Roache David C. , Price Morgan C. , Deck Christian P. , Li Xiaodong
Published: June 2021

Here, we unveil a methodology for a novel assessment of the fracture mechanics of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites enabled by in situ stereoscopic digital image correlation to quantify in‐process flexural strain and crack opening displacement measurements. This technique isolates individual cracks on the composite surface as discontinuities in the spatial displacement field and correlates key fracture characteristics with the flexural strain of composite specimens during coupled four‐point bend / hermeticity testing. Fracture was observed along the specimen length, originating at the tensile underside and propagating around the circumference of the tubular specimens with generally uniform spacing. Multiple specimens were also tested after heat treatments to 1200°C in open air, in vacuum, and in helium for 48 h to evaluate the environmental effects on the fracture mechanisms of SiC/SiC composites, which revealed degradation of flexural properties after treatment in open air resulting in brittle failure. Indentation‐based fracture toughness measurements were performed, which confirmed a 25% reduction in toughness after open air heat treatment relative to the other heat treatments. This assessment indicated that significant oxidation may occur within the composites from these heat treatments and suggested that further protection of the composites may be necessary for high‐temperature applications.
Hemostatic powder TC‐325 treatment of malignancy‐related upper gastrointestinal bleeds: International registry outcomes
Authors: Hussein Mohamed , Alzoubaidi Durayd , O'Donnell Michael , de la Serna Alvaro , Bassett Paul , Varbobitis Ioannis , Hengehold Tricia , Ortiz Fernandez‐Sordo Jacobo , Rey Johannes W , Hayee Bu'Hussain , Despott Edward J , Murino Alberto , Graham David , Latorre Melissa , Moreea Sulleman , Boger Phillip , Dunn Jason , Mainie Inder , Mullady Daniel , Early Dayna , Ragunath Krish , Anderson John , Bhandari Pradeep , Goetz Martin , Kiesslich Ralf , Coron Emmanuel , Rodriguez de Santiago Enrique , Gonda Tamas , Gross Seth A , Lovat Laurence B , Haidry Rehan
Published: June 2021

Background and Aim

Upper gastrointestinal tumors account for 5% of upper gastrointestinal bleeds. These patients are challenging to treat due to the diffuse nature of the neoplastic bleeding lesions, high rebleeding rates, and significant transfusion requirements. TC‐325 (Cook Medical, North Carolina, USA) is a hemostatic powder for gastrointestinal bleeding. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeds secondary to tumors treated with Hemospray therapy.

Methods

Data were prospectively collected on the use of Hemospray from 17 centers. Hemospray was used during emergency endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeds secondary to tumors at the discretion of the endoscopist as a monotherapy, dual therapy with standard hemostatic techniques, or rescue therapy.

Results

One hundred and five patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeds secondary to tumors were recruited. The median Blatchford score at baseline was 10 (interquartile range [IQR], 7–12). The median Rockall score was 8 (IQR, 7–9). Immediate hemostasis was achieved in 102/105 (97%) patients, 15% of patients had a 30‐day rebleed, 20% of patients died within 30 days (all‐cause mortality). There was a significant improvement in transfusion requirements following treatment (P < 0.001) when comparing the number of units transfused 3 weeks before and after treatment. The mean reduction was one unit per patient.

Conclusions

Hemospray achieved high rates of immediate hemostasis, with comparable rebleed rates following treatment of tumor‐related upper gastrointestinal bleeds. Hemospray helped in improving transfusion requirements in these patients. This allows for patient stabilization and bridges towards definitive surgery or radiotherapy to treat the underlying tumor.
ALS‐linked mutations impair UBQLN2 stress‐induced biomolecular condensate assembly in cells
Authors: Riley Julia F. , Fioramonti Peter J. , Rusnock Amber K. , Hehnly Heidi , Castañeda Carlos A.
Published: June 2021

Mutations in ubiquilin‐2 (UBQLN2), a ubiquitin‐binding shuttle protein involved in several protein quality control processes, can lead to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We previously found that wild‐type UBQLN2 forms dynamic, membraneless biomolecular condensates upon cellular stress, and undergoes liquid–liquid phase separation in vitro. However, the impact of ALS‐linked mutations on UBQLN2 condensate formation in cells remains unknown. Here, we overexpress mCherry‐fused UBQLN2 with five patient‐derived ALS‐linked mutations and employ live‐cell imaging and photokinetic analysis to investigate how each of these mutations impact stress‐induced UBQLN2 condensate assembly and condensate material properties. Unlike endogenous UBQLN2, exogenously introduced UBQLN2 forms condensates distinct from stress granules. Both wild‐type and mutant UBQLN2 condensates are generally cytoplasmic and liquid‐like. However, mutant UBQLN2 forms fewer stress‐induced UBQLN2 condensates than wild‐type UBQLN2. Exogenously expressed P506T UBQLN2 forms the lowest number of stress‐induced condensates of all UBQLN2 mutants, and these condensates are significantly smaller than those of wild‐type UBQLN2. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis of UBQLN2 condensates revealed higher immobile fractions for UBQLN2 mutants, especially P506T. P497S and P497H mutations differentially impact condensate properties, demonstrating that the effects of ALS‐linked mutations are both position‐ and amino acid‐dependent. Collectively, our data show that disease mutations hinder assembly and alter viscoelastic properties of stress‐induced UBQLN2 condensates, potentially leading to aggregates commonly observed in ALS.

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Comparison of injectable filler locations in men and women: An age‐matched case analysis
Authors: Wang Jordan V. , Valiga Alexander , Albornoz Christian A. , Geronemus Roy G.
Published: June 2021

In recent years, the popularity of fillers has risen significantly. Traditionally, women have undergone the vast majority of cosmetic procedures, but men have steadily shown increasing interest. Recently, significant research has been dedicated to understanding the anatomic differences between male and female facial structures and their clinical aesthetic implications, especially for filler placement. In order to compare actual treatment data to evidence these discussions, we randomly selected 100 cases each of men and women, who were matched for age, and documented their filler placement locations. Facial heat maps were constructed to provide readers with visual evidence. Injections for male cheeks were more inferiomedial, while female cheeks were more superolateral. Men had more jawline fillers, while women had more lip and perioral fillers. Our study builds upon gender‐specific considerations. It is important for physicians to be knowledgeable regarding the unique approaches to fillers in men and women in order to deliver more effective, tailored, and high‐quality care.
Fiber orientation distribution from diffusion MRI: Effects of inaccurate response function calibration
Authors: Guo Fenghua , Tax Chantal M. W. , De Luca Alberto , Viergever Max A. , Heemskerk Anneriet , Leemans Alexander
Published: June 2021

Background and Purpose

Diffusion MRI of the brain enables to quantify white matter fiber orientations noninvasively. Several approaches have been proposed to estimate such characteristics from diffusion MRI data with spherical deconvolution being one of the most widely used methods. Spherical deconvolution requires to define––or derive from the data––a response function, which is used to compute the fiber orientation distribution (FOD). Different characteristics of the response function are expected to affect the FOD computation and the subsequent fiber tracking.

Methods

In this work, we explored the effects of inaccuracies in the shape factors of the response function on the FOD characteristics.

Results

With simulations, we show that the apparent fiber density could be doubled in the presence of underestimated shape factors in the response functions, whereas the overestimation of the shape factor will cause more spurious peaks in the FOD, especially when the signal‐to‐noise ratio is below 15. Moreover, crossing fiber populations with a separation angle smaller than 60° were more sensitive to inaccuracies in the response function than fiber populations with more orthogonal separation angles. Results with in vivo data demonstrate angular deviations in the FODs and spurious peaks as a result of modified shape factors of the response function, while the reconstruction of the main parts of fiber bundles is well preserved.

Conclusions

This work sheds light on how specific aspects of the response function shape can affect the estimated FODs, and highlights the importance of a proper calibration/definition of the response function.
Remote Support for Adults with Intellectual Disability During COVID‐19: From a Caregiver's Perspective
Authors: Wos Klaudia , Kamecka‐Antczak Celina , Szafrański Mateusz
Published: June 2021

The reality of people with ID changed during the pandemic COVID‐19. Most institutions supporting people with ID switched to remote work. This required some major adaptation to these individuals' new realities, their immediate families, and facility staff. Supporting and monitoring the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and their family members during a crisis is an essential topic of current research. This research project aimed to explore the experiences of parents of adults with ID in relation to remote support provided by public support agencies. In a qualitative study, the authors used semistructured individual interviews with caregivers of people with ID. Data analysis distinguished the following categories: parents as therapists, organization difficulties, material problems, lack of social contacts, positive solutions, and difficult behavior. The results show the difficulties of parents in balancing professional, domestic, and supporting tasks. The study was the first in Poland to report on the qualitative assessment of remote support for people with ID during COVID‐19. Further, more extensive research is needed to search for solutions that respect the rights of people with disabilities to professional support.
Association of rotating shift work schedules and the use of prescribed sleep medication: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Tucker Philip , Härmä Mikko , Ojajärvi Anneli , Kivimäki Mika , Leineweber Constanze , Oksanen Tuula , Salo Paula , Vahtera Jussi
Published: June 2021

We examined whether working rotating shifts, with or without night work, is associated with the purchase of prescribed sleep medication, and whether the association is dependent on age. Data were obtained from a longitudinal cohort study of Finnish public sector employees who responded to questions on work schedule and background characteristics in 2000, 2004 and 2008. The data were linked to national register data on redeemed prescriptions of hypnotic and sedative medications, with up to 11 years of follow‐up. Age stratified Cox proportional hazard regression models were computed to examine incident use of medication comparing two groups of rotating shift workers (those working shifts that included night shifts and those whose schedules did not include night shifts) with day workers who worked in a similar range of occupations. Shift work with night shifts was associated with increased use of sleep medication in all age groups, after adjustments for sex, occupational status, marital status, alcohol consumption, smoking and physical activity levels (hazard ratio [HR], [95% confidence interval, CI] 1.14 [1.01–1.28] for age group ≤39 years; 1.33 [1.19–1.48] for age group 40–49 years; 1.28 [1.13–1.44] for age group ≥50 years). Shift work without nights was associated with medication use in the two older age groups (HR [95% CI] 1.14 [1.01–1.29] and 1.17 [1.05–1.31] for age groups 40–49 years and >50 years, respectively). These findings suggest that circadian disruption and older age puts rotating shift workers, and especially those who work nights, at increased risk of developing clinically significant levels of sleep problems.
A population‐based psychometric analysis of the insomnia severity index in black women with and without a history of cancer
Authors: Yusufov Miryam , Recklitis Christopher , Zhou Eric S. , Bethea Traci N. , Rosenberg Lynn
Published: June 2021

Black women are under‐represented in insomnia research. Further, cancer treatments increase the risk of late effects, thus affecting the sleep of psychologically and medically vulnerable cancer survivors. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is widely used, but has not been researched in black women, and research in cancer survivors is limited. Prior studies demonstrate that psychometric properties of the ISI are not consistent across samples. This study examined the internal consistency and factor structure of the ISI in 29,500 participants from the Black Women's Health Study, an epidemiological study of black women in the United States. This cohort included 28,214 women without a cancer history and 1,286 cancer survivors. Exploratory, confirmatory and multigroup analyses were conducted to determine the psychometric properties of the ISI in these groups. The mean ISI score was 7.18 (standard deviation [SD] = 6.82). Findings supported the internal consistency reliability of the ISI in black women with (Ω = 0.896) and without (Ω = 0.892) a cancer history. Exploratory factor analyses supported a one‐factor structure. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that fit of this one‐factor model was not robust in survivors (Satorra‐Bentler chi‐square [χSB2(14)] = 197.78, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.928, root mean‐square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.143) or in women with no cancer history (χSB2(14) = 2,887.93, CFI = 0.945, RMSEA = 0.121), but the alternative models we examined were not superior. Although factor structures in previous studies have varied considerably, we found a one‐factor structure. Although internal consistency reliability was strong, factor analytic results did not further support the ISI. Inconsistencies in ISI measurement properties across studies may reflect differences in sample sizes and populations.
Factors influencing Chinese consumer attitudes on the safety of aquatic products
Authors: Dai Yunyun , Yuan Yong‐Ming , Yuan Yuan , Zhou Zhen , Zhang Hongyan
Published: June 2021

Demand for food by Chinese consumers is shifting from necessities to safer food. We conducted an empirical study of 4,221 consumers of aquatic products in China. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting consumer attitudes on the safety of aquatic products using a multinomial ordinal logistic regression model. The majority of the respondents thought the safety of aquatic products was very important, and thus paid more attention to this attribute. Chinese consumers have high preferences for aquatic products. Preference was highest in eastern China, followed by central China, and lowest in western China. Significant factors affecting the attitudes toward aquatic products include the gender, age, and education level of the consumers, consideration for the elderly and children, perceptions of the food safety of aquatic products, and monthly spending on aquatic products. Consideration for the elderly and children and the perceptions of the food safety of aquatic products were the biggest influencing factors.
Unilateral Inaction: Congressional Gridlock, Interbranch Conflict, and Public Evaluations of Executive Power
Authors: Reeves Andrew , Rogowski Jon C.
Published: June 2021

Presidents routinely overpromise and underdeliver, especially amid partisan polarization, narrow congressional majorities, and persistent gridlock. As Congress routinely stymies their legislative agendas, presidents consider alternative courses of action. We study public reactions to unilateral power in the context of congressional inaction. While some research suggests that presidents cannot afford to pass up opportunities to act, more recent scholarship indicates that the public holds negative views of unilateral power and disapproves of its use. Survey experiments conducted with a national sample of Americans provide evidence of the costs of unilateral power. Across three policy areas and between‐ and within‐respondent analyses, the public responds negatively when presidents exercise unilateral power rather than accept the status quo, even among individuals who share the president's policy views. Our results suggest that while legislative gridlock may increase the appeal of unilateral power, its use may come at a public cost.
Majority Party Agenda Setting: Picking Fights or Avoiding Them?
Authors: Bussing Austin , Treul Sarah A.
Published: June 2021

In legislatures such as the U.S. House of Representatives, where the majority party controls the agenda, the frequency of observed partisan disagreement is partially a function of strategic agenda‐setting choices made by that party. Do majority party leaders use their agenda control to privilege bills that accentuate disagreements with the minority party? In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework focused on the costs and benefits associated with floor consideration of partisan legislation. We test hypotheses derived from our theory on a dataset of 15,611 bills considered in House committees during the 104th–114th Congresses (1995–2016). We find that minority party opposition in committee is associated with a decreased likelihood of floor consideration, suggesting that the majority party does not use agenda setting to indiscriminately favor partisan legislation. Our findings focus attention on the costs of partisan agenda setting, and contextualize the partisan disagreement we ultimately observe on the House floor.
Distributed and vectorized method of characteristics for fast transient simulations in water distribution systems
Authors: Riaño‐Briceño Gerardo , Sela Lina , Hodges Ben R.
Published: June 2021

Modeling transient flow in networked dynamical systems characterized by hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) is essential to engineering applications. Solutions of hyperbolic PDEs are commonly found using the method of characteristics (MOC), particularly when modeling the water hammer phenomenon in water distribution systems (WDSs), which is critical for design and operation. For applications that require fast modeling, existing methods for speeding up traditional MOC simulations either trade off accuracy for simulation time, or do not scale properly due to memory restrictions and prolonged computational times. This work proposes a novel parallel implementation of the MOC for networked systems, which relies on vectorization and distributed parallel computing to evaluate the transient dynamics of WDSs. The proposed method, referred to as distributed and vectorized MOC (DV‐MOC), relies on aligned memory allocation for vectorization and distributed‐memory parallelization to further accelerate vectorized operations and ensure scalability for arbitrary network topologies. The algorithm has been applied to a WDS from the battle of the sensor networks (BWSN‐II) composed by 14,824 pipes and nearly solution points. Through rigorous analyses, we show that the performance of DV‐MOC surpasses that of sequential MOC, with speeding up factors in the order of thousands for sufficiently dense numerical grids.
Gastric electrical stimulation improves symptoms and need for supplemental nutrition in children with severe nausea and vomiting: A ten‐year experience
Authors: Orsagh‐Yentis Danielle K. , Ryan Kelsey , Hurwitz Nicole , Diefenbach Karen A. , Teich Steven , Mousa Hayat , Bali Neetu , Vaz Karla , Yacob Desale , Di Lorenzo Carlo , Lu Peter L.
Published: June 2021

Background

Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is a promising therapy for children with severe nausea and vomiting, but information on long‐term outcomes is limited. We sought to evaluate the long‐term efficacy and safety of GES and to describe patient benefit and satisfaction.

Methods

Using a prospective registry, we identified patients aged <21 years treated with GES at our institution between 2009 and 2019. Encounters were selected at baseline prior to GES and at follow‐up at 1 month, 12 months, and the most recent visit. We compared symptoms, route of nutrition, and medication usage at baseline to follow‐up timepoints. Factors associated with improvement were evaluated. We recorded complications and need for battery replacement. We contacted families to administer the Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory (GCBI) and a parent satisfaction questionnaire.

Key Results

Eighty‐five patients (68.2% female, median age 15.8 years) completed a trial of temporary GES due to severe nausea and vomiting. Seventy‐seven (90.6%) had a positive response and underwent permanent stimulator placement. Use of tube feeding or parenteral nutrition (PN) decreased from 72.7% at baseline to 29.9% at the most recent follow‐up (p < 0.001). Higher baseline vomiting severity was associated with the ability to stop supplemental nutrition by 1 month (p < 0.05). Fourteen patients (18.2%) had complications, primarily due to stimulator‐associated discomfort, and 29 (37.7%) required battery replacement. Median GCBI was +52.1, indicating health‐related benefit.

Conclusions and Inferences

Children with severe nausea and vomiting treated with GES experienced significant and durable improvement in symptom severity and their ability to tolerate oral nutrition.
WRKY46 promotes ammonium tolerance in Arabidopsis by repressing NUDX9 and indole‐3‐acetic acid‐conjugating genes and by inhibiting ammonium efflux in the root elongation zone
Authors: Di Dong‐Wei , Sun Li , Wang Meng , Wu Jingjing , Kronzucker Herbert J. , Fang Shuang , Chu Jinfang , Shi Weiming , Li Guangjie
Published: June 2021

Ammonium (NH4+) is toxic to root growth in most plants, even at moderate concentrations. Transcriptional regulation is one of the most important mechanisms in the response of plants to NH4+ toxicity, but the nature of the involvement of transcription factors (TFs) in this regulation remains unclear.

Here, RNA‐seq analysis was performed on Arabidopsis roots to screen for ammonium‐responsive TFs. WRKY46, the member of the WRKY transcription factor family most responsive to NH4+, was selected. We defined the role of WRKY46 using mutation and overexpression assays, and characterized the regulation of NUDX9 and indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA)‐conjugating genes by WRKY46 via yeast one‐hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (ChIP‐qPCR).

Knockout of WRKY46 increased, while overexpression of WRKY46 decreased, NH4+‐suppression of the primary root. WRKY46 is shown to directly bind to the promoters of the NUDX9 and IAA‐conjugating genes (GH3.1, GH3.6, UGT75D1, UGT84B2) and to inhibit their transcription, thus positively regulating free IAA content and stabilizing protein N‐glycosylation, leading to an inhibition of NH4+ efflux in the root elongation zone (EZ).

We identify TF involvement in the regulation of NH4+ efflux in the EZ, and show that WRKY46 inhibits NH4+ efflux by negative regulation of NUDX9 and IAA‐conjugating genes.
RNAi suppression of DNA methylation affects the drought stress response and genome integrity in transgenic poplar
Authors: Sow Mamadou D. , Le Gac Anne‐Laure , Fichot Régis , Lanciano Sophie , Delaunay Alain , Le Jan Isabelle , Lesage‐Descauses Marie‐Claude , Citerne Sylvie , Caius Jose , Brunaud Véronique , Soubigou‐Taconnat Ludivine , Cochard Hervé , Segura Vincent , Chaparro Cristian , Grunau Christoph , Daviaud Christian , Tost Jörg , Brignolas Franck , Strauss Steven H. , Mirouze Marie , Maury Stéphane
Published: June 2021

Trees are long‐lived organisms that continuously adapt to their environments, a process in which epigenetic mechanisms are likely to play a key role. Via downregulation of the chromatin remodeler DECREASED IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) in poplar (Populus tremula × Populus alba) RNAi lines, we examined how DNA methylation coordinates genomic and physiological responses to moderate water deficit.

We compared the growth and drought response of two RNAi‐ddm1 lines to wild‐type (WT) trees under well‐watered and water deficit/rewatering conditions, and analyzed their methylomes, transcriptomes, mobilomes and phytohormone contents in the shoot apical meristem.

The RNAi‐ddm1 lines were more tolerant to drought‐induced cavitation but did not differ in height or stem diameter growth. About 5000 differentially methylated regions were consistently detected in both RNAi‐ddm1 lines, colocalizing with 910 genes and 89 active transposable elements. Under water deficit conditions, 136 differentially expressed genes were found, including many involved in phytohormone pathways; changes in phytohormone concentrations were also detected. Finally, the combination of hypomethylation and drought led to the mobility of two transposable elements.

Our findings suggest major roles for DNA methylation in regulation of genes involved in hormone‐related stress responses, and the maintenance of genome integrity through repression of transposable elements.
Seasonality affects specialisation of a temperate forest herbivore community
Authors: Seifert Carlo L. , Jorge Leonardo R. , Volf Martin , Wagner David L. , Lamarre Greg P. A. , Miller Scott E. , Gonzalez‐Akre Erika , Anderson‐Teixeira Kristina J. , Novotný Vojtěch
Published: June 2021

Understanding spatiotemporal trends on insect‐plant interaction networks is essential to unveil the ecological and evolutionary processes driving herbivore specialisation. However, community studies accounting for temporal dynamics in host‐plant specialisation of herbivorous insects are surprisingly scarce. Here, we investigated how seasonality affects specialisation of a temperate forest herbivore community. A substantial body of literature suggests that young plant foliage tends to be more protected by defence mechanisms effective against generalist insect herbivores than mature leaves. We thus hypothesised that herbivore specialisation would be highest in the early season, when young leaves are available, and that the degree of dietary specialisation would decline with leaf maturation. To test this hypothesis, we sampled more than 4700 folivorous caterpillars associated with 16 tree species within a 0.2 ha deciduous forest stand in eastern North America. We further examined the dietary specialisation of exposed feeders versus shelter builders (e.g. leaf rollers, leaf tiers, webbers). Contrary to our prediction, we observed a significantly less specialised herbivore fauna in the early season than in the two subsequent summer seasons. We further found that the seasonal increase in specialisation was driven by a remarkable turnover in species composition rather than by shifts in guild structure or intraspecific changes in diet breadth of the herbivores. These findings run counter to the widespread belief that young leaves are less susceptible to generalist insect herbivores. Our study underscores the need to account for temporal dynamics when contrasting herbivore specialisation among sites with pronounced seasonality.
“Accutane Check”: Insights into youth sentiment toward isotretinoin from a TikTok trend
Authors: Galamgam Jayden , Jia Justin L.
Published: June 2021

Social media platforms such as TikTok allow patients to exchange and share health information. In this study, we sought to understand how teenagers and young adults utilize TikTok to engage with acne and isotretinoin information. Analysis of the top 50 TikTok videos on an isotretinoin trend demonstrated over 18‐million likes and 137‐thousand comments. Most videos focused on before and after improvement in acne severity while video comments primarily discussed side effects and personal anecdotes. Dermatologists should be aware of trending content on social media to better understand how youth patients and patient's families may receive medical information regarding isotretinoin outside of dermatology clinics.
Is the Universe Indifferent? Should We Care
Authors: Kahane Guy
Published: June 2021

The scientific worldview is often claimed to reveal a universe chillingly indifferent to human suffering. But it’s unclear what it means to describe the universe as indifferent, or what a non‐indifferent universe would be like. I suggest that the relevant contrast isn’t simply that between God and His absence, nor is the complaint about indifference focused on the lack of a kind of cosmic concern. At its heart is the idea of a mismatch between world and value. Although the causal forces governing our world are ‘blind’, they nevertheless do partly align with value. Still, our world is so arranged that senseless suffering is depressingly common, and the rosy non‐indifferent counterfactual won’t contain such evil. I argue, however, that it is a mistake to long for such an alternative: it must either involve an upside‐down moral order, or would be a world from which we, and those who senselessly suffer, will be absent.
Distress and retaliatory aggression in response to witnessing intergroup exclusion are greater on higher levels of collective narcissism
Authors: Hase Adrian , Behnke Maciej , Mazurkiewicz Magdalena , Wieteska Kamil Kordian , Golec de Zavala Agnieszka
Published: June 2021

The negative consequences of personal exclusion have been demonstrated by multiple studies. Less is known about the consequences of witnessing one's own group being excluded by other groups, although studies suggest exclusion can be experienced vicariously and negatively affects members of the excluded group. Results of the present lab‐based experiment (N = 153) indicate, in line with our predictions, that witnessing intergroup exclusion (a national majority excluded by a minority, manipulated by an adapted intergroup Cyberball paradigm) produced a sense of personal exclusion. It also increased self‐reported distress and behavioral aggression measured in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm), especially among participants high on collective narcissism: a belief that the exaggerated greatness of the in‐group is not sufficiently appreciated by others. Contrary to expectations, a short mindful decentration intervention (instructing participants to observe thoughts and emotions as transient mental products without engaging with them) delivered while participants were witnessing intergroup exclusion (vs. inclusion) produced changes in heart rate variability reactivity indicative of emotional arousal, especially among collective narcissists. We concluded that collective narcissism is associated with distress in the face of intergroup exclusion, aggressive retaliation, and in consequence, it is a risk‐factor predisposing group members to stress‐related health and psychosocial problems. Furthermore, a mindful decentration, despite being an effective strategy to reduce maladaptive stress in most people, may be counterproductive in addressing high collective narcissists' responses to threat to the in‐group's image.
The evidence of hearsay in criminal proceedings from Late Renaissance France
Authors: Hamilton Tom
Published: June 2021

This article argues that Renaissance legal culture provided a robust means of evaluating the epistemological status of rumour, informed by the Roman law of proof. In order to do so, the article explores the meaning of hearsay evidence in criminal proceedings from late Renaissance France, focusing on a major series of interrogations for homicide in the Parlement of Paris. It contributes to legal history by demonstrating how the inquisitorial procedures employed by the Parlement’s magistrates exemplified the sophisticated Roman law of witness evidence concerning hearsay. And it contributes to social and cultural history by revealing how effectively people throughout the social hierarchy understood the significance of hearsay in all its forms, so that witnesses, the accused, and the magistrates leading their interrogations knew well how to manipulate hearsay evidence to achieve their ends in the courtroom. Ultimately, this approach reinforces the growing consensus among recent histories of communication concerning the continued primacy of oral culture in the new age of print, but it does so from a new perspective that emphasises the fundamental role that oral evidence played in creating legal knowledge.
Control of Mass Flow-Rate of Viscoelastic Fluids Through Time-Periodic Electro-Osmotic Flows in a Microchannel
Authors: Dawn Sayantan , Sarkar Sandip
Published: June 2021

In the present research, we address the implications of the pulsating electric field on controlling mass flow rate characteristics for the time-periodic electro-osmotic flow of a viscoelastic fluid through a microchannel. Going beyond the Debye–Hückel linearization for the potential distribution inside the electric double layer, the Phan–Thien–Tanner constitutive model is employed to describe the viscoelastic behavior of the fluid. The analytical/semi-analytical expressions for the velocity distribution corresponding to a steady basic part and a transient perturbed part are obtained by considering periodic pulsations in the applied electrical field. Our results based on sinusoidal pulsations reveal that enhanced shear thinning characteristics of the viscoelastic fluids show the higher amplitude of pulsations with the oscillations in the velocity gradients primarily contrived within the Electric Double Layer region. The amplitude of mass flow rates increases with increasing the viscoelastic parameter εsWi2, whereas, the phase lag displays a reverse trend. The analysis for an inverse problem is extended where the required magnitude of electric field pulsations for a target mass flow rate in the form of sinusoidal pulsations. It is found that with increasing shear-thinning characteristics of the viscoelastic fluid, there is a progressive reduction in the required electric field strength to maintain an aimed mass flow rate. Besides, required electric fields for controlled mass flow with triangular and trapezoidal pulsations are also determined.
Comparison of Transport Equation-Based Cavitation Models and Application To Industrial Pumps With Inducers
Authors: Karakas Enver S. , Tokgöz Nehir , Watanabe Hiroyoshi , Aureli Matteo , Evrensel Cahit A.
Published: June 2021

This paper investigates and compares four commonly used flow transport equation-based cavitation models and their applicability to predict the cavitation performance of an industrial centrifugal pump with a helical inducer. The main purpose of this study is to identify, for this specific application, the most appropriate cavitation model and the associated empirical constants. Each cavitation model is reviewed in detail and the uniqueness of each model is outlined. Each cavitation model is incorporated in a computational fluid dynamics code to study the vaporization and condensation transport rate of the fluid. Experimental tests are conducted on a pump system to determine the true cavitation performance in terms of net positive suction head (NPSH). Experimental results are compared to simulation results for different cavitation models to validate cavitation performance predictions, along with the empirical constants. Lastly, bubble formation, cavitation inception, and bubble growth predicted by each cavitation model are compared with the experimental results. A sensitivity analysis is conducted in order to determine the impact of each set of empirical constants to the condensation and the vaporization rate in the centrifugal pump. Results show that two of the cavitation models exhibit high dependency on the empirical constants in terms of change in vaporization rate. Modifications to empirical constants for two of the four cavitation models are suggested to obtain agreement with the experimentally observed cavitation behavior and better predict NPSH performance for the industrial pump studied.