bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The surveillance of spike protein for patients with COVID‐19 detected in Hong Kong in 2020
Authors: Mak Gannon C. K. , Lau Angela W. L. , Chan Andy M. Y. , Lam Edman T. K. , Chan Rickjason C. W. , Tsang Dominic N. C.
Published: May 2021

In 2020, numerous fast‐spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) variants have been reported. These variants had unusually high genetic changes in the spike (S) protein. In an attempt to understand the genetic background of SARS‐CoV‐2 viruses in Hong Kong, especially before vaccination, the purpose of this study is to summarize the S protein mutations detected among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients in Hong Kong in 2020. COVID‐19 cases were selected every month in 2020. One virus from each case was analyzed. The full encoding region of the S proteins was sequenced. From January 2020 to December 2020, a total of 340 COVID‐19 viruses were sequenced. The amino acids of the S protein for 44 (12.9%) were identical to the reference sequence, WIV04 (GenBank accession MN996528). For the remaining 296 sequences (87.1%), a total of 43 nonsynonymous substitution patterns were found. Of the nonsynonymous substitutions found, some of them were only detected at specific time intervals and then they disappeared. The ongoing genetic surveillance system is important. It would facilitate early detection of mutations that can increase infectivity as well as mutations that are selected for the virus to escape immunological restraint.
Maternal selenium status plays a crucial role on clinical outcomes of pregnant women with COVID‐19 infection
Authors: Erol Seyit Ahmet , Polat Naci , Akdas Sevginur , Aribal Ayral Pelin , Anuk Ali Taner , Ozden Tokalioglu Eda , Goncu Ayhan Şule , Kesikli Burcu , Ceylan Merve Nur , Tanacan Atakan , Moraloglu Tekin Özlem , Yazihan Nuray , Sahin Dilek
Published: May 2021

Adequate maternal selenium level is essential for immune response and healthy pregnancy. This study aimed to shed light on the selenium status of pregnant women with COVID‐19 and the effects of potential deficiency in serum selenium levels. Totally 141 pregnant women, 71 of them were COVID‐19 patients, in different trimesters were included in the study. Maternal serum selenium levels, demographic and clinical parameters were determined. Serum selenium levels of pregnant women in the second (p: .0003) and third (p: .001) trimesters with COVID‐19 were significantly lower than in the healthy group. Maternal selenium level was found to be negatively correlated with gestational week (p < .0001, r: −.541), D‐dimer (p: .0002, r: −.363) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) level (p: .02, r: −.243). In the second trimester, serum selenium level positively correlated with white blood cell (p: .002, r: .424), neutrophil (p: .006, r: .39), lymphocyte (p: .004, r: .410) count and hemoglobin (p: .02, r: .323), hematocrit (p: .008, r: .38) status. In the third trimester, it was found that maternal selenium level positively correlated with monocyte (p: .04, r: .353) and negatively correlated with C‐reactive protein level (p: .03, r: −.384). Serum selenium level was gradually decreased during the pregnancy period, however, this natural decrease was enhanced together with COVID‐19 infection. The reason might be increased selenium needs depended on the immune response against infection. The decrease in maternal selenium level was found to be related to IL‐6 and D‐dimer levels, which indicate selenium's role in disease progression.
Sex differences in gut microbiota modulation of aversive conditioning, open field activity, and basolateral amygdala dendritic spine density
Authors: Geary Caroline Grace , Wilk Victoria Christina , Barton Katherine Louise , Jefferson Parvaneh Ottavia , Binder Tea , Bhutani Vasvi , Baker Claire Luisa , Fernando‐Peiris Achal James , Mousley Alexa Lee , Rozental Stefano Freitas Andrade , Thompson Hannah Mae , Touchon Justin Charles , Esteban David Justin , Bergstrom Hadley Creighton
Published: May 2021

Gut microbiota influence numerous aspects of host biology, including brain structure and function. Growing evidence implicates gut microbiota in aversive conditioning and anxiety‐related behaviors, but research has focused almost exclusively on males. To investigate whether effects of gut dysbiosis on aversive learning and memory differ by sex, adult female and male C57BL/6N mice were orally administered a moderate dose of nonabsorbable antimicrobial medications (ATMs: neomycin, bacitracin, and pimaricin) or a control over 10 days. Changes in gut microbiome composition were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Open field behavior, cued aversive learning, context recall, and cued recall were assessed. Following behavioral testing, the morphology of basolateral amygdala (BLA) principal neuron dendrites and spines was characterized. Results revealed that ATMs induced gut dysbiosis in both sexes, with stronger effects in females. ATMs also exerted sex‐specific effects on behavior and neuroanatomy. Males were more susceptible than females to microbial modulation of locomotor activity and anxiety‐like behavior. Females were more susceptible than males to ATM‐induced impairments in aversive learning and cued recall. Context recall remained intact, as did dendritic structure of BLA principal neurons. However, ATMs exerted a sex‐specific effect on spine density. A second experiment was conducted to isolate the effects of gut perturbation to cued recall. Extinction was also examined. Results revealed no effect of ATMs on cued recall or extinction, suggesting that gut dysbiosis preferentially impacts aversive learning. These data shed new light on how gut microbiota interact with sex to influence aversive conditioning, open field behavior, and BLA dendritic spine architecture.
Short distance uniformity and BlackMURA measurements
Authors: Rotscholl Ingo , Krüger Udo
Published: May 2021

The increasing display sizes and changing form factors of displays, including automotive displays, lead to impractical measurement distances for lateral uniformity measurements. This contribution suggests and exemplarily applies two alternative and combinable methods to allow lateral uniformity measurements at low distances and describes an adjusted BlackMURA compliant validation procedure. The proposed methods are validated with a high‐quality display device and are compared to results using the standard long‐distance measurement procedure.
Simultaneous determination of both kavalactone and flavokawain constituents by different single‐marker methods in kava
Authors: Zhao Xiaojun , Su Chao , Ren Ruru , Zhang Bo , Wang Yingli , Su Xiaojuan , Lu Fangfang , Zong Rong , Yang Lingling , Zhang Wannian , Ma Xueqin
Published: May 2021

Kava, the rhizomes and roots of Piper methysticum Forst, is a popular edible medicinal herb traditionally used to prepare beverages for anxiety reduction. Since the German kava ban has been lifted by the court, the quality evaluation is particularly important for its application, especially the flavokawains which were believed to be responsible for hepatotoxicity. Now, by employing two different standard references and four different methods to calculate the relative correction factors, eight different quantitative analyses of multicomponents by single‐marker methods have been developed for the simultaneous determination of eight major kavalactones and flavokawains in kava. The low standard method difference on quantitative measurement of the compounds among the external standard method and ours confirmed the reliability of the mentioned methods. A radar plot clearly illustrated that the contents of dihydrokavain and kavain were higher, whereas flavokawains A and B were lower in different kava samples. Only one of eight samples did not detect flavokawains that may be related to hepatotoxicity. In summary, by using different agents as an internal standard reference, the developed methods were believed as a powerful analytical tool not only for the qualitative and quantitative of kava constituents but also for the other multicomponents when authentic standard substances were unavailable.
The UCR Minicore: a resource for cowpea research and breeding
Authors: Muñoz‐Amatriaín María , Lo Sassoum , Herniter Ira A. , Boukar Ousmane , Fatokun Christian , Carvalho Márcia , Castro Isaura , Guo Yi‐Ning , Huynh Bao‐Lam , Roberts Philip A. , Carnide Valdemar , Close Timothy J.
Published: May 2021

Incorporation of new sources of genetic diversity into plant breeding programs is crucial for continuing to improve yield and quality, as well as tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. A minicore (the “University of California, Riverside (UCR) Minicore”) composed of 368 worldwide accessions of cultivated cowpea has been assembled, having been derived from the UCR cowpea collection. High‐density genotyping with 51,128 SNPs followed by principal component and genetic assignment analyses identified six subpopulations in the UCR Minicore, mainly differentiated by cultivar group and geographic origin. All six subpopulations were present to some extent in West African material, suggesting that West Africa is a center of diversity for cultivated cowpea. Additionally, population structure analyses supported two routes of introduction of cowpea into the U.S.: (1) from Spain to the southwest U.S. through Northern Mexico and (2) from Africa to the southeast U.S. via the Caribbean. Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) narrowed several traits to regions containing strong candidate genes. For example, orthologs of the Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T lie within a major QTL for flowering time. In summary, this diverse, yet compact cowpea collection constitutes a suitable resource to identify loci controlling complex traits, consequently providing markers to assist with breeding to improve this crop of high relevance to global food and nutritional security.
Connectivity of coastal and neritic fish larvae to the deep waters
Authors: Compaire Jesus C. , Pérez‐Brunius Paula , Jiménez‐Rosenberg Sylvia Patricia Adelheid , Rodríguez Outerelo Javier , Echeverri García Laura del Pilar , Herzka Sharon Z.
Published: May 2021

Four ichthyoplankton cruises and backward tracking experiments were conducted to study the connectivity of coastal and neritic fish larvae over the continental slope and to the oceanic deep‐water region of the western Gulf of Mexico. Distribution patterns of larval abundance at oceanic stations showed higher abundance and the presence of larvae at oceanic stations during two cruises. Larval transport was simulated using outputs of a data assimilation model that represented the flow conditions during each cruise. Higher abundances of larvae of coastal and neritic species at oceanic stations agreed with offshore transport inferred from numerical experiments seeding particles over different spatial scales (stations vs. transects). Satellite images of surface chlorophyll were consistent with the circulation patterns indicated by the model, indicating filaments of shelf waters were transported toward the transects with higher larval abundances. Particle tracking experiments indicated that the northwestern shelf provinces of Perdido, Tamaulipas, and Texas were the main source of propagules to the oceanic region, while shelf provinces of northern Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatan, Louisiana, and Mississippi‐Alabama contributed much less. The length and intensity of the shelf front limited ichthyoplankton cross‐shelf exchange during some cruises, and mesoscale anticyclonic and cyclonic eddies advected larvae to the deep‐water region during others. The agreement between the spatial distribution of fish larvae and the simulated larval transport confirm that circulation models are a valuable tool for examining potential dispersal pathways of neritic species, as long as similar spatial and temporal scales as the ones used in this study are considered.
Whole‐lake methane emissions from two temperate shallow lakes with fluctuating water levels: Relevance of spatiotemporal patterns
Authors: Schmiedeskamp Marcel , Praetzel Leandra Stephanie Emilia , Bastviken David , Knorr Klaus‐Holger
Published: May 2021

Globally, shallow lakes are an important source of methane (CH4) emissions to the atmosphere. Previous studies of such lakes have rarely focused on the within‐lake spatiotemporal variability, which is critical for generating representative whole‐lake fluxes, and better understanding and constrain large‐scale emissions. To address this issue, we determined the variability of CH4 fluxes and CH4 concentrations in two small shallow (≤ 150 cm) lakes in Central Europe biweekly over almost 2 years. We found that both lakes were a source of CH4, mainly by ebullition. At the shallower Lake Heideweiher, which temporarily dried out, the average flux was 7.2 mmol m−2 d−1, the average flux from Lake Windsborn that never dried out, was 3.5 mmol m−2 d−1. The spatial differences (between and within lakes) were most strongly related to sediment C‐content and quality, which in turn was linked to depth or distance to shore. The highest fluxes occurred in the central parts of both lakes. The temporal variability of the fluxes was primarily correlated with sediment temperature and degree of drying measured as the time since drying up. The whole‐lake estimates were dominated by low water periods and the warm summer months. Overall, we show that short‐term and small‐scale measurements cannot account for the high variability of CH4 fluxes from small lakes, and that reliable large‐scale assessments need to consider such spatiotemporal variability.
Limited utilization of extracted dissolved organic matter by prokaryotic communities from the subtropical North Atlantic
Authors: Bercovici Sarah K. , Arroyo Mar C. , De Corte Daniele , Yokokawa Taichi , Hansell Dennis A.
Published: May 2021

The ocean contains a large reservoir of dissolved organic matter (DOM) that persists for millennia. Both the very dilute concentrations of individual DOM molecules and intrinsic recalcitrance to microbial decay imparted by molecular structure are suggested mechanisms for this long residence time. Here, we report an experiment comparing the responses of surface and deep prokaryotes to DOM isolated and enriched by solid‐phase extraction from surface and deep waters of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Extracts from both depths were qualitatively characterized as biologically recalcitrant given their similarly high C : N ratios of 26. Surface prokaryotes measurably drew down extracted dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, but the drawdown was only 4% of the initial enriched DOC concentration regardless of enrichment level or depth. Deep microbes, in contrast, did not cause observable changes in DOC concentrations. Surface and deep prokaryotes had similar temperature‐normalized growth responses to extracts from each depth. Biological indicators (e.g., kinetics) suggest that prokaryotes were less efficient at catalyzing surface than deep DOM (catalytic efficiencies of 0.003–0.005 vs. 0.02–0.03 h−1, respectively). These values indicate qualitative differences in extracted DOM from the two depths, perhaps suggesting a variable nature of the refractory DOC depending on depth. Moreover, only a small portion of the extracted DOM was biologically utilizable, regardless of concentration factor or depth, and essentially only a small fraction of it was incorporated into biomass. Microbial selection against substrates that meet modest energy but no growth demands may be a factor contributing to the long‐term stability of marine DOM.
Temperature and sediment properties drive spatiotemporal variability of methane ebullition in a small and shallow temperate lake
Authors: Praetzel Leandra Stephanie Emilia , Schmiedeskamp Marcel , Knorr Klaus‐Holger
Published: May 2021

Ebullition is a major pathway of methane (CH4) fluxes from lakes to the atmosphere. Small and shallow lakes can have high emissions but have only recently gained more attention. We studied the quantity and spatiotemporal variability of CH4 ebullition from a small (1.4 ha) and shallow (max 1.5 m) temperate lake in Germany during 2017 and 2018. We found a high range of fluxes (0–872 mg m−2 d−1) and > 90% of the fluxes were emitted between May and August. Fluxes in early spring and late autumn were below 4 mg m−2 d−1. Also, on a spatial scale, fluxes varied distinctly and generally increased from the shore to the center of the lake. To identify drivers of observed emissions patterns, we measured temperature and air pressure, the quantity and quality of the sedimented organic matter (OM) as well as chemical and physical properties of the sediment. Generalized linear models identified temperature, sediment porosity and organic matter content as the best predictors for the observed spatiotemporal differences, whereas temperature was accountable for the observed temporal, and porosity and organic matter content for the spatial variability. We suggest that in small lakes, temperature could serve as master variable to predict site‐specific CH4 ebullition while spatial within‐lake differences are determined by varying physical sediment properties more than quantity or quality of the OM.
Drug‐Eluting Medical Textiles: From Fiber Production and Textile Fabrication to Drug Loading and Delivery
Authors: Rostamitabar Matin , Abdelgawad Abdelrahman M. , Jockenhoevel Stefan , Ghazanfari Samaneh
Published: May 2021

Drug‐eluting medical textiles have recently gained great attention to be used in different applications due to their cost effectiveness and unique physical and chemical properties. Using various fiber production and textile fabrication technologies, fibrous constructs with the required properties for the target drug delivery systems can be designed and fabricated. This review summarizes the current advances in the fabrication of drug‐eluting medical textiles. Different fiber production methods such as melt‐, wet‐, and electro‐spinning, and textile fabrication techniques such as knitting and weaving are explained. Moreover, various loading processes of bioactive agents to obtain drug‐loaded fibrous structures with required physicochemical and morphological properties, drug delivery mechanisms, and drug release kinetics are discussed. Finally, the current applications of drug‐eluting fibrous systems in wound care, tissue engineering, and transdermal drug delivery are highlighted.
Cortical [18F]PI‐2620 Binding Differentiates Corticobasal Syndrome Subtypes
Authors: Palleis Carla , Brendel Matthias , Finze Anika , Weidinger Endy , Bötzel Kai , Danek Adrian , Beyer Leonie , Nitschmann Alexander , Kern Maike , Biechele Gloria , Rauchmann Boris‐Stephan , Häckert Jan , Höllerhage Matthias , Stephens Andrew W. , Drzezga Alexander , van Eimeren Thilo , Villemagne Victor L. , Schildan Andreas , Barthel Henryk , Patt Marianne , Sabri Osama ,   German Imaging Initiative for Tauopathies (GII4T), Bartenstein Peter , Perneczky Robert , Haass Christian , Levin Johannes , Höglinger Günter U.
Published: May 2021

Background

Corticobasal syndrome is associated with cerebral protein aggregates composed of 4‐repeat (~50% of cases) or mixed 3‐repeat/4‐repeat tau isoforms (~25% of cases) or nontauopathies (~25% of cases).

Objectives

The aim of this single‐center study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the tau PET‐ligand [18F]PI‐2620 in patients with corticobasal syndrome.

Methods

Forty‐five patients (71.5 ± 7.6 years) with corticobasal syndrome and 14 age‐matched healthy controls underwent [18F]PI‐2620‐PET. Beta‐amyloid status was determined by cerebral β‐amyloid PET and/or CSF analysis. Subcortical and cortical [18F]PI‐2620 binding was quantitatively and visually compared between β‐amyloid‐positive and ‐negative patients and controls. Regional [18F]PI‐2620 binding was correlated with clinical and demographic data.

Results

Twenty‐four percent (11 of 45) were β‐amyloid‐positive. Significantly elevated [18F]PI‐2620 distribution volume ratios were observed in both β‐amyloid‐positive and β‐amyloid‐negative patients versus controls in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. Cortical [18F]PI‐2620 PET positivity was distinctly higher in β‐amyloid‐positive compared with β‐amyloid‐negative patients with pronounced involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Semiquantitative analysis of [18F]PI‐2620 PET revealed a sensitivity of 91% for β‐amyloid‐positive and of 65% for β‐amyloid‐negative cases, which is in excellent agreement with prior clinicopathological data. Regardless of β‐amyloid status, hemispheric lateralization of [18F]PI‐2620 signal reflected contralateral predominance of clinical disease severity.

Conclusions

Our data indicate a value of [18F]PI‐2620 for evaluating corticobasal syndrome, providing quantitatively and regionally distinct signals in β‐amyloid‐positive as well as β‐amyloid‐negative corticobasal syndrome. In corticobasal syndrome, [18F]PI‐2620 may potentially serve for a differential diagnosis and for monitoring disease progression. © 2021 The Authors.Movement Disorderspublished by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Dopamine Receptors in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta‐Analysis of Imaging Studies
Authors: Kaasinen Valtteri , Vahlberg Tero , Stoessl A. Jon , Strafella Antonio P. , Antonini Angelo
Published: May 2021

Dopamine receptors are abundant along the central nigrostriatal tract and are expressed as 5 subtypes in two receptor families. In PD, compensatory changes in dopamine receptors emerge as a consequence of the loss of dopamine nerve terminals or dopaminergic pharmacotherapy. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the available PET and single‐photon emission computed tomography studies that have investigated dopamine receptors in PD, PSP and MSA. The inclusion criteria were studies including human PET or single‐photon emission computed tomography imaging; dopamine receptor tracers (D1‐like or D2‐like) and idiopathic PD, PSP, or MSA patients compared with healthy controls. The 67 included D2‐like studies had 1925 patients. Data were insufficient for an analysis of D1‐like studies. PD patients had higher striatal binding early in the disease, but after a disease duration of 4.36 years, PD patients had lower binding values than healthy controls. Striatal D2R binding was highest in unmedicated early PD patients and in the striatum contralateral to the predominant motor symptoms. PSP and MSA‐P patients had lower striatal D2R binding than PD patients (14.2% and 21.8%, respectively). There is initial upregulation of striatal D2Rs in PD, which downregulate on average 4 years after motor symptom onset, possibly because of agonist‐induced effects. The consistent upregulation of D2Rs in the PD striatum contralateral to the predominant motor symptoms indicates that receptor changes are driven by neurodegeneration and loss of striatal neuropil. Both PSP and MSA patients have clearly lower striatal D2R binding values than PD patients, which offers an opportunity for differential diagnostics. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Commercial photodiodes and phototransistors as dosimeters of photon beams for radiotherapy
Authors: Ruiz‐García Isidoro , Román‐Raya Juan , Banqueri Jesús , Palma Alberto J. , Guirado Damián , A. Carvajal Miguel
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The response to radiation typically used in radiotherapy treatments has been experimentally evaluated for three samples of two phototransistors (BPW85B and OP505A) and two PIN photodiodes types (VTB8440BH and BPW34S).

Methods

To that end, a staggered irradiation cycle has been applied which included dose rate values from 0.81 to 4.87 cGy/s, achieving a total absorbed dose of 21.4 Gy. The samples have been irradiated with a linear accelerator and the relations between the induced photocurrent and the average and instantaneous dose rates, and between the accumulated charge and the absorbed dose, have been determined. The radiation‐induced output currents were measured by means of an external interface of the devices to a previously designed readout unit.

Results

Experimental results of Si PIN photodiode BPW34S have shown a sensitivity of (13.9 ± 0.5) nC/cGy, slight sensitivity dependence on dose rate, and a high linearity of the current with the average and instantaneous dose rate, requiring only 10 V of reverse bias voltage. This device thermal drift has characterized and modeled for temperature effect compensation.

Conclusions

Silicon PIN photodiode BPW34S, previously tested for X‐rays and Co‐60 gamma ray source, can also be a reliable candidate for dose rate and absorbed skin dose determination in typical radiotherapy treatments irradiations. A low sensitivity loss below 2% up to 21.4 Gy has been measured, allowing its use as an affordable reusable skin dosimeter. Moreover, no significant difference has been observed between its response to dose‐per‐pulse and changing pulse repetition frequency in terms of sensitivity and dependence with dose‐rate value.
DockSDN: A hybrid container‐based software‐defined networking emulation tool
Authors: Petersen Erick , Antonio To Marco
Published: May 2021

The Internet has proven to be able to connect billions of devices across the globe. In order to keep pace with today's high demands or even larger services and applications, traditional ways of networking will have to change or update. The future of computer networks needs to be agile without degrading efficiency, capacity, and availability. These new trends push forward the need for network programmability. Software‐defined networkings (SDNs) are the future of networking, but in order to deploy newer standards, they have to be tested. Furthermore, this calls for better testbeds that are close to a real environment as possible. Many tools have been proposed to provide a framework for testing newer approaches of networking, but they have come short in various characteristics, limiting the scenarios and their results. Our experience in containers (Docker) and the development of testbeds using this technology has now brought our attention to SDNs. DockSDN provides a tool that meets current and future needs and is our biggest contribution to the scientific community so far. DockSDN is presented in this work, which proposes various benefits and advantages over other tools. One of those benefits is that it uses dockers as building blocks for scenario deployment. Moreover, these scenarios can be done fairly quickly and is fully scalable through local PC hardware or elastic through cloud services. Now, the scientific community will be able to test a wide array of protocols in near real‐world conditions, saving financial resources and time.
Motives matter: The relation between motives and interpartner involvement in nonprofit–business partnerships
Authors: Spitz Gabi , van Kranenburg Hans , Korzilius Hubert
Published: May 2021

This paper explores what motivates nonprofit and business managers to engage in nonprofit‐business partnerships. We use a relational‐based lens to look at how the motives of nonprofit and business managers influence the intensity of interpartner involvement and commitment. Using survey data collected from senior managers involved with nonprofit‐business partnerships in the Netherlands, we find that the motive of joint problem solving is the primary motive for managers to engage in partnerships. Nonprofit managers are primarily motivated to acquire knowledge and financial resources, while business managers enter partnerships for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and image improvement reasons. Our quantitative findings also refine the dichotomy of instrumental and moral motives by introducing a second dimension: the expected impact of motives (from low to high). Evidence shows that the motives help determine the nature of the partnership: low‐social impact motives are associated with collaborations with a low degree of inter‐partner involvement, while high‐social impact motives lead to partnerships where there is a high degree of inter‐partner involvement.
The angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker valsartan in the battle against COVID‐19
Authors: de Ligt Marlies , Hesselink Matthijs K. C. , Jorgensen Johanna , Jocken Johan W. E. , Blaak Ellen E. , Goossens Gijs H.
Published: May 2021

Objective

Severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) uses the host’s angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a cellular entry point. Therefore, modulating ACE2 might impact SARS‐CoV‐2 viral replication, shedding, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) severity. Here, it was investigated whether the angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker valsartan alters the expression of renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) components, including ACE2, in human adipose tissue (AT) and skeletal muscle.

Methods

A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial was performed, in which 36 participants (BMI 31.0 ± 0.8 kg/m2) with impaired glucose metabolism received either valsartan or placebo for 26 weeks. Before and after 26 weeks’ treatment, abdominal subcutaneous AT and skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained, and gene expression of RAS components was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Valsartan treatment did not significantly impact the expression of RAS components, including ACE2, in AT and skeletal muscle.

Conclusions

Given the pivotal role of ACE2 in SARS‐CoV‐2 spread and the clinical outcomes in COVID‐19 patients, the data suggest that the putative beneficial effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers on the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID‐19 may not be mediated through altered ACE2 expression in abdominal subcutaneous AT.
The Impact of Adverse Events on Health Care Resource Utilization, Costs, and Mortality Among Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Authors: George Saby , Bell Elizabeth J. , Zheng Ying , Kim Ruth , White John , Devgan Geeta , Smith Jodi , Lal Lincy S. , Engel-Nitz Nicole M. , Liu Frank X.
Published: May 2021

Background

We investigated the association between adverse events (AEs) suspected to be immune-related and health care resource utilization, costs, and mortality among patients receiving programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy for urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, or Merkel cell carcinoma.

Patients and Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using medical and pharmacy claims and enrollment information from U.S. commercial and Medicare Advantage with Part D enrollees in the Optum Research Database from March 1, 2014, through April 30, 2019. Claims were linked with mortality data from the Social Security Death Index and the National Death Index. Eligible patients had at least one ICI claim between September 1, 2014, and April 30, 2019.

Results

After adjusting for potential confounding variables, we found patients with AEs had more than double the risk of an inpatient stay (hazard ratio [HR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9–2.5) and an 80% higher risk of an emergency visit (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.6–2.1) than patients without AEs. Adjusted 6-month total costs were $24,301 higher among patients with an AE versus those without ($99,037 vs. $74,736; 95% CI, $18,828–29,774; p < .001). Mean ± SD AE-related medical costs averaged $2,359 ± $7,496 per patient per month, driven by inpatient visits, which accounted for 89.9% of AE-related costs. Adjusted risk of mortality was similar in patients with and without AEs.

Conclusion

Patients with AEs had higher risks of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and higher health care costs, driven by inpatient stays, than patients without AEs. The adjusted risk of mortality was similar between the two cohorts.

Implications for Practice

Patients taking immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) who had adverse events (AEs) had significantly higher health care costs and utilization, driven by inpatient stays, compared with patients who did not. Given this high cost associated with AEs and the differences in the side effect profile of ICIs versus traditional chemotherapy, it is important for physicians to be cognizant of these differences when treating patients with ICIs. Ongoing evaluation, earlier recognition, and more effective, multidisciplinary management of AEs may improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for costly inpatient stays.
How we approach thrombosis risk in children with COVID‐19 infection and MIS‐C
Authors: Sharathkumar Anjali A. , Faustino E. Vincent S. , Takemoto Clifford M.
Published: May 2021

Thrombosis within the microvasculature and medium to large vessels is a serious and common complication among critically ill individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). While children are markedly less likely to develop severe disease than adults, they remain at risk for thrombosis during acute infection and with the post‐acute inflammatory illness termed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Significant knowledge deficits in understanding COVID‐19‐associated coagulopathy and thrombotic risk pose clinical challenges for pediatric providers who must incorporate expert opinion and personal experience to manage individual patients. We discuss clinical scenarios to provide framework for characterizing thrombosis risk and thromboprophylaxis in children with COVID‐19.
Nanoparticles enhanced interfaces of Glass fiber laminate aluminum reinforced epoxy (GLARE) fiber metal laminates
Authors: Rauf Obaid Ur , Khurram Aqeel A. , Hussain Rizwan , Tauqir Anjum , Hashmi Fahim , Rehman Shah Owais Ur , Khokhar M. Shahzeb , Shifa Madni
Published: May 2021

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) based on unidirectional glass fabric and aluminum alloy 7075‐T6 sheet bonded with 5052 epoxy, were prepared by vacuum molding followed by hand layup method. Interface of metal‐adhesive was improved by a series of surface treatments of aluminum sheets, which increased the surface roughness (Ra) of aluminum from 227 to 1067 nm. Matrix was modified by incorporation of graphene nanosheets (GNs) and nanodiamonds (NDs). In‐order to optimize the quantity of nano‐reinforcements three different proportions were used, that is, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt%, inclusive of equal proportions of GNs and NDs. For comparison, pristine epoxy based FMLs were also fabricated. Synergetic effect of GNs and NDs improved the tensile strength by 25%, inter laminar shear strength (ILSS) 46%, and fracture toughness 70%, by combination of GNs and NDs up to 0.5 wt%. Surface roughness test and water drop contact angle test were performed to evaluate the surface roughness of aluminum, while the microscopic analysis was conducted to observe the fracture behavior of FMLs. Finite element method (FEM) for numerical validation of experimental results was also performed. From the results, it was concluded that combination of aluminum surface treatment and matrix modification improved the overall performance of FMLs.
Pre‐transplant amiodarone use does not affect long‐term heart transplant survival
Authors: Jennings Douglas L. , Vaishnavi Gadela Naga , Jaiswal Abhishek , Touch Amanda , Baker William L.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Effect of pre‐transplant amiodarone use on post–heart transplant (HT) survival is not well established. We therefore sought to examine the effect of amiodarone use on post‐HT survival.

Methods

We stratified adults who underwent HT between January 2000 and August 2018 in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients according to pre‐transplant amiodarone use and used recipient and donor characteristics to calculate propensity scores. We then used overlap propensity score weighting to construct Cox proportional hazards regression models (adjusted for Index for Mortality Prediction After Cardiac Transplantation [IMPACT] score and donor/recipient predicted heart mass [PHM] ratio) for mortality outcomes. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of primary graft failure and drug‐treated rejection.

Results

25,394 adult HT recipients were included; median (inter‐quartile range) age was 55 (46, 62) years and 75.5% were men. Compared with nonusers, amiodarone users had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (46.7% vs. 50.2%;p < 0.0001), left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use (24.5% vs. 31.3%;p < 0.0001), and ventilator support (2.5% vs. 3.6%;p < 0.0001), respectively. The 10‐year post‐HT mortality rate in the overall population was 32.0%. Amiodarone use was associated with higher post‐transplant 30‐day (hazard ratio (HR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–1.41) and 1‐year mortality (HR 1.13, 1.04–1.22), but similar 5‐year (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.96–1.07) and 10‐year mortality (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.98–1.13). Amiodarone use increased primary graft failure risk (odds ratio (OR) 1.30, 95% CI 1.07–1.57) but decreased drug‐treated rejection (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.70–0.93).

Conclusions

Although pre‐transplant amiodarone was associated with higher short‐term mortality, its use did not affect long‐term survival. Whether the short‐term outcomes are related to greater graft failure risk is unclear.
Singlet fission and tandem solar cells reduce thermal degradation and enhance lifespan
Authors: Jiang Yajie , Nielsen Michael P. , Baldacchino Alex J. , Green Martin A. , McCamey Dane R. , Tayebjee Murad J. Y. , Schmidt Timothy W. , Ekins‐Daukes Nicholas. J.
Published: May 2021

The economic value of a photovoltaic installation depends upon both its lifespan and power conversion efficiency. Progress toward the latter includes mechanisms to circumvent the Shockley‐Queisser limit, such as tandem designs and multiple exciton generation (MEG). Here we explain how both silicon tandem and MEG‐enhanced silicon cell architectures result in lower cell operating temperatures, increasing the device lifetime compared to standard c‐Si cells. Also demonstrated are further advantages from MEG enhanced silicon cells: (i) the device architecture can completely circumvent the need for current‐matching; and (ii) upon degradation, tetracene, a candidate singlet fission (a form of MEG) material, is transparent to the solar spectrum. The combination of (i) and (ii) mean that the primary silicon device will continue to operate with reasonable efficiency even if the singlet fission layer degrades. The lifespan advantages of singlet fission enhanced silicon cells, from a module perspective, are compared favorably alongside the highly regarded perovskite/silicon tandem and conventional c‐Si modules.
Liquid–liquid phase separation of Tau by self and complex coacervation
Authors: Najafi Saeed , Lin Yanxian , Longhini Andrew P. , Zhang Xuemei , Delaney Kris T. , Kosik Kenneth S. , Fredrickson Glenn H. , Shea Joan‐Emma , Han Songi
Published: May 2021

The liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of Tau has been postulated to play a role in modulating the aggregation property of Tau, a process known to be critically associated with the pathology of a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's Disease. Taucan undergo LLPS by homotypic interaction through self‐coacervation (SC) or by heterotypic association through complex‐coacervation (CC) between Tau and binding partners such as RNA. What is unclear is in what way the formation mechanisms for self and complex coacervation of Tau are similar or different, and the addition of a binding partner to Tau alters the properties of LLPS and Tau. A combination ofin vitroexperimental and computational study reveals that the primary driving force for both Tau CC and SC is electrostatic interactions between Tau‐RNA or Tau‐Tau macromolecules. The liquid condensates formed by the complex coacervation of Tau and RNA have distinctly higher micro‐viscosity and greater thermal stability than that formed by the SC of Tau. Our study shows that subtle changes in solution conditions, including molecular crowding and the presence of binding partners, can lead to the formation of different types of Tau condensates with distinct micro‐viscosity that can coexist as persistent and immiscible entities in solution. We speculate that the formation, rheological properties and stability of Tau droplets can be readily tuned by cellular factors, and that liquid condensation of Tau can alter the conformational equilibrium of Tau.
Elucidation and control of low and high active populations of alkaline phosphatase molecules for quantitative digital bioassay
Authors: Ueno Hiroshi , Kato Makoto , Minagawa Yoshihiro , Hirose Yushi , Noji Hiroyuki
Published: May 2021

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a homo‐dimeric enzyme has been widely used in various bioassays as disease markers and enzyme probes. Recent advancements of digital bioassay revolutionized ALP‐based diagnostic assays as seen in rapid growth of digital ELISA and the emerging multiplex profiling of single‐molecule ALP isomers. However, the intrinsic heterogeneity found among ALP molecules hampers the ALP‐based quantitative digital bioassays. This study aims quantitative analysis of single‐molecule activities of ALP from Escherichia coli and reveals the static heterogeneity in catalytic activity of ALP with two distinct populations: half‐active and fully‐active portions. Digital assays with serial buffer exchange uncovered single‐molecule Michaelis–Menten kinetics of ALP; half‐active molecules have halved values of the catalytic turnover rate, kcat, and the rate constant of productive binding, kon, of the fully active molecules. These findings suggest that half‐active ALP molecules are heterogenic dimers composed of inactive and active monomer units, while fully active ALP molecules comprise two active units. Static heterogeneity was also observed for ALP with other origins: calf intestine or shrimp, showing how the findings can be generalized across species. Cell‐free expression of ALP with disulfide bond enhancer and spiked zinc ion resulted in homogenous population of ALP of full activity, implying that inactive monomer units of ALP are deficient in correct disulfide bond formation and zinc ion coordination. These findings provide basis for further study on molecular mechanism and biogenesis of ALP, and also offer the way to prepare homogenous and active populations of ALP for highly quantitative and sensitive bioassays with ALP.
Electron‐Beam‐Induced Current and Deep‐Level Transient Spectroscopy Study of Dislocation Trails in Au‐Doped Si
Authors: Feklisova Olga V. , Orlov Valery I. , Yakimov Eugene B.
Published: May 2021

The properties of extended defects introduced by plastic deformation at 600 °C in n‐Si co‐doped with gold are studied by the electron‐beam‐induced current (EBIC) and deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) methods. It is shown that intrinsic point defects generated by moving dislocations stimulate the gold redistribution. As a result, regions depleted with gold are formed near dense dislocation rows. It is shown that dislocation trails decorated with gold are charged, which is a reason for the formation of bright EBIC contrast outside the Schottky barrier.
Terahertz Photodetection with Type‐II Dirac Fermions in Transition‐Metal Ditellurides and Their Heterostructures
Authors: Zhang Libo , Guo Cheng , Kuo Chia-Nung , Xu Huang , Zhang Kaixuan , Ghosh Barun , De Santis Jessica , Boukhvalov Danil W. , Vobornik Ivana , Paolucci Valentina , Lue Chin Shan , Xing Huaizhong , Agarwal Amit , Wang Lin , Politano Antonio
Published: May 2021

Transition‐metal dichalcogenides PtTe2, PdTe2, and NiTe2 deserve particular attention, due to the presence of type‐II Dirac fermions. As a matter of fact, tilted Dirac cones afford a suitable platform for optoelectronics of dissipation‐less carrier‐transport, favored by their ultrahigh carrier mobility, and large nonsaturating magnetoresistance. Herein, it is shown that PtTe2, PdTe2, and NiTe2 display high‐speed terahertz (THz) detection capability at room temperature, which originates from their peculiar band structure with topologically protected electronic states. Furthermore, photodetectors based on their heterostructures are able to suppress dark current with high‐performance detection of THz light. Furthermore, these crystals are stable in air and they can be easily exfoliated in nanosheets by liquid‐phase exfoliation, due to the weak interlayer van der Waals bonds. The obtained results clearly establish that the type‐II Dirac semimetals based on transition‐metal ditellurides have immense research potential for addressing application‐oriented issues for remote sensing and telecommunications.
Efficient adaptive CUSUM control charts based on generalized likelihood ratio test to monitor process dispersion shift
Authors: Zaman Babar
Published: May 2021

In practice, a shift in the process parameters (location and/or dispersion) is unknown in prior and cannot be diagnosed precisely with the classical cumulative sum (CUSUM) control chart. To overcome this issue, this study proposed two adaptive CUSUM (ACUSUM) control charts. The proposed control charts utilized linear weighted function that is inspired by generalized likelihood ration test (GLRT) to monitor small and certain range of shift in the process dispersion. In more details, the proposed control charts methodologies are based on GLRT, exponentially weight moving average statistic, and score functions. To obtain the run length of the proposed control charts for performance assessment, algorithms are designed in MATLAB based on Monte Carlo simulation technique. Further, average run length (ARL) is used as a performance measure tool to compare the control charts performance for a single shift. For certain range of shift, extra quadratic loss function, relative ARL, and performance comparison index performance measures based on ARL are calculated. Some existing control charts are used for comparison purpose. The proposed control charts show outstanding capability to detect out‐of‐control signal against these control charts. Moreover, real‐life data of inside diameter of cylinder bore in an engine block are used to reveal the practicality and worth of the proposed control charts relative to other control charts.
Scientific modeling and translanguaging: A multilingual and multimodal approach to support science learning and engagement
Authors: Pierson Ashlyn E. , Clark Douglas B. , Brady Corey E.
Published: May 2021

Research suggests that translanguaging can be transformative for teaching and learning by making students' diverse linguistic resources a meaningful part of classroom discourse. Building on this study, researchers have explored how translanguaging practices can support learning in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), primarily in the context of bilingual classrooms. However, in the United States, most students learn in English‐dominant classrooms. In response, researchers and educators have begun to explore strategies for inviting and leveraging translanguaging in English‐dominant classrooms, primarily focusing on literacy learning. Less is known about supporting translanguaging in English‐dominant STEM classrooms, particularly with monolingual teachers. In an English‐dominant sixth‐grade STEM classroom engaging in a 9‐week ecology unit, we explored how scientific modeling could not only provide a context for inviting translanguaging, but how it could also provide a setting where modeling and translanguaging could be experienced as analogous meaning‐making practices. Our findings demonstrate that translanguaging has the potential to support new kinds of learning in English‐dominant STEM classrooms, not only about STEM content and practices but also about what counts as legitimate and valuable participation in these spaces.