bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical characteristics of Li and N co-doped amorphous InZnSnO thin film transistors
Authors: Su Jinbao , Ma Yaobin , Yang Hui , Li Ran , Jia Lanchao , Liu Depeng , Zhang Xiqing
Published: October 2019

Li and N co-doped InZnSnO (IZTOLiN) thin film transistors (TFTs) with a bottom-gate structure were fabricated. The IZTOLiN thin film was deposited on the p-Si/SiO2 substrate at room temperature by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The optical transmittance and microstructure of the IZTOLiN thin film were examined. The IZTOLiN TFT shows excellent performance with saturation mobility (μSAT) of 38.9 cm2/V ⋅ s, threshold voltage (VTH) of 3.2 V, subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.6 V/decade, and current on/off ratio (ION/IOFF) of 3.5 × 109. The mobility of the aged IZTOLiN TFT decreased while the IOFF increased due to the increase in carrier concentration induced by H2O adsorption. The effect of active layer thickness on the electrical characteristics of the TFTs was investigated. With the IZTOLiN film thickness increased, the mobility increased first and then decreased while the SS degraded continuously.
Neural circuit repair by low-intensity magnetic stimulation requires cellular magnetoreceptors and specific stimulation patterns
Authors: Dufor T. , Grehl S. , Tang A. D. , Doulazmi M. , Traoré M. , Debray N. , Dubacq C. , Deng Z.-D. , Mariani J. , Lohof A. M. , Sherrard R. M.
Published: October 2019

Biomimetic patterns of weak magnetic pulses modify gene expression and need cryptochrome to induce cerebellar reinnervation.
Descending pathways mediate adaptive optimized coding of natural stimuli in weakly electric fish
Authors: Huang Chengjie G. , Metzen Michael G. , Chacron Maurice J.
Published: October 2019

New research shows that sensory adaptation needs feedback pathways to optimize coding of natural stimuli with changing statistics.
More than efficacy revealed by single-cell analysis of antiviral therapeutics
Authors: Liu Wu , Caglar Mehmet U. , Mao Zhangming , Woodman Andrew , Arnold Jamie J. , Wilke Claus O. , Cameron Craig E.
Published: October 2019

Single-cell analysis of antivirals reveals efficacy, mechanism of action, and, perhaps, the likelihood of resistance.
Myeloid Tribbles 1 induces early atherosclerosis via enhanced foam cell expansion
Authors: Johnston Jessica M. , Angyal Adrienn , Bauer Robert C. , Hamby Stephen , Suvarna S. Kim , Baidžajevas Kajus , Hegedus Zoltan , Dear T. Neil , Turner Martin ,   The Cardiogenics Consortium, Wilson Heather L. , Goodall Alison H. , Rader Daniel J. , Shoulders Carol C. , Francis Sheila E. , Kiss-Toth Endre
Published: October 2019

Trib1 controls atherosclerotic plaque macrophage function by up-regulating OLR1, promoting foam cell formation and atherosclerosis.
Disengagement of motor cortex from movement control during long-term learning
Authors: Hwang Eun Jung , Dahlen Jeffrey E. , Hu Yvonne Yuling , Aguilar Karina , Yu Bin , Mukundan Madan , Mitani Akinori , Komiyama Takaki
Published: October 2019

Long-term training of motor skills reorganizes motor circuits to bypass primary motor cortex.
Multiple roles for HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Haynes Barton F. , Burton Dennis R. , Mascola John R.
Published: October 2019

Potent broadly neutralizing antibodies may be used to treat or prevent HIV and to help guide HIV vaccine design.
Cyborg fibroblasts: Cardiac pacemakers of the future?
Authors: McCain Megan L.
Published: October 2019

Cardiac fibroblasts with internalized silicon nanowires can be stimulated with laser light to electrically pace neighboring cardiac myocytes.
Following bloody footprints: Cancer diagnosis from cell-free DNA
Authors: Sowalsky Adam G.
Published: October 2019

Nucleosome footprinting in circulating tumor DNA can identify active tumor-specific transcription factors.
Influence of the α-Methoxy Group on the Reaction of Temocillin with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PBP3 and CTX-M-14 β-Lactamase
Authors: Sacco Michael D. , Kroeck Kyle G. , Kemp M. Trent , Zhang Xiujun , Andrews Logan D. , Chen Yu
Published: October 2019

The prevalence of multidrug-resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
has led to the reexamination of older “forgotten” drugs, such as temocillin, for their ability to combat resistant microbes. Temocillin is the 6-α-methoxy analogue of ticarcillin, a carboxypenicillin with well-characterized antipseudomonal properties. The α-methoxy modification confers resistance to serine β-lactamases, yet temocillin is ineffective against
P. aeruginosa
growth.
Polymerase Activity, Protein-Protein Interaction, and Cellular Localization of the Usutu Virus NS5 Protein
Authors: Albentosa-González L. , Clemente-Casares P. , Sabariegos R. , Mas A.
Published: October 2019

Usutu virus (USUV) has become increasingly relevant in recent years, with large outbreaks that sporadically have affected humans being reported in wildlife. Similarly to the rest of flaviviruses, USUV contains a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome which is replicated by the activity of nonstructural protein 5 (NS5). USUV NS5 shows high sequence identity with the remaining viruses in this genus.
N
-Hydroxyarylamine
O
-Acetyltransferases Catalyze Acetylation of 3-Amino-4-Hydroxyphenylarsonic Acid in the 4-Hydroxy-3-Nitrobenzenearsonic Acid Transformation Pathway of
Enterobacter
sp. Strain CZ-1
Authors: Huang Ke , Gao Fan , Le X. Chris , Zhao Fang-Jie
Published: October 2019

Roxarsone (ROX) is an organoarsenic feed additive that has been widely used in poultry industries for growth promotion, coccidiosis control, and meat pigmentation improvement for more than 70 years. Most ROX is excreted in the litter and dispersed into the environment, where it is transformed by microbes into different arsenic-containing compounds. A major product of ROX transformation is
N
-acetyl-4-hydroxy-
m
-arsanilic acid (N-AHPAA), which is also used as a clinical drug for treating refractory bacterial vaginosis. Here, we report the cloning and functional characterization of two genes encoding
N
-hydroxyarylamine
O
-acetyltransferases, NhoA1 and NhoA2, in
Enterobacter
sp. strain CZ-1, which catalyze the acetylation of 3-amino-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid (3-AHPAA) formed by the reduction of ROX to N-AHPAA. This study provides new insights into the function of
N
-hydroxyarylamine
O
-acetyltransferase in the transformation of an important organoarsenic compound.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Xylaria hypoxylon
DSM 108379, a Ubiquitous Fungus on Hardwood
Authors: Büttner Enrico , Liers Christiane , Hofrichter Martin , Gebauer Anna Maria , Kellner Harald
Published: October 2019

The saprotrophic ascomycete
Xylaria hypoxylon
is a widespread wood-decaying fungus on deciduous trees. Here, we report its draft genome sequence. The genome assembly has a size of 42.8 Mbp and a G+C content of 47.1% and includes 11,038 predicted genes.
Whole-Genome Sequence of a Unique
Elioraea
Species Strain Isolated from a Yellowstone National Park Hot Spring
Authors: Robertson Sydney , Ramaley Robert F. , Meyer Terry , Kyndt John A.
Published: October 2019

The genus
Elioraea
has only one species characterized microbiologically and two genomes sequenced. We have sequenced the genome of a unique
Elioraea
strain isolated from Yellowstone National Park and found it to be a distinct new species.
Elioraea
is suggested to be a member of the aerobic anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria.
Complete Genome Sequences of Cellvibrio japonicus Strains with Improved Growth When Using α-Diglucosides
Authors: Garcia Cecelia A. , Narrett Jackson A. , Gardner Jeffrey G.
Published: October 2019

Cellvibrio japonicus
is a saprophytic bacterium that has been studied for its substantial carbohydrate degradation capability. We announce the genome sequences of three strains with improved growth characteristics when utilizing α-diglucosides. These data provide additional insight into the metabolic flexibility of a biotechnologically relevant bacterium.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Red Basidiomycete Yeast, Symmetrospora coprosmae Strain UCD350, Isolated from Soil in Ireland
Authors: Almasoud Jameela , McArdle Laoise , Henne Ryan , Mathews Karen , O’Connor Ísla , McLoughlin Leah E. , Ó’Gaora Peadar , Byrne Kevin P. , O’Brien Caoimhe E. , Wolfe Kenneth H. , Butler Geraldine
Published: October 2019

Symmetrospora coprosmae
is a red yeast from the subphylum Pucciniomycotina in the phylum Basidiomycota. Here, we present the first genome sequence of
S. coprosmae
strain UCD350, from an isolate collected from soil in Ireland. The genome size is 20.2 Mb.
Generation of the 105–100 Ma Dagze volcanic rocks in the north Lhasa Terrane by lower crustal melting at different temperature and depth: Implications for tectonic transition
Authors: Zeng Yun-Chuan , Xu Ji-Feng , Huang Feng , Li Ming-Jian , Chen Qin
Published: October 2019

Successively erupted intermediate-felsic rocks with variations in their geochemical compositions indicate physical changes in lower-crust conditions, and the variations can provide important insights into the regional tectonic setting. What triggered the late Early Cretaceous tectonic transition of the central-north Lhasa Terrane remains controversial, hindering the understanding of the mechanisms behind the formation of the central Tibetan Plateau. The sodic Dagze volcanic rocks in the north Lhasa Terrane are characterized by high contents of SiO2 and Na2O, low contents of MgO, Fe2O3, and K2O, and low values of Mg#. However, the trace element compositions of the whole-rocks and their zircons allow the rocks to be divided into two groups. The Group I rocks (ca. 105 Ma) have higher contents of Sr and Ba, higher Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios, and lower contents of Y, Yb, Ti, and Zr than Group II rocks (ca. 100 Ma). Besides, the zircons from Group I rocks have higher values of Yb/Gd and U/Yb, lower values of Th/U, and lower Ti contents than the zircons from Group II rocks. However, the rocks of both groups have identical depleted whole-rock Sr-Nd and zircon Hf isotope values. The geochemical data indicate that rocks of both groups were generated by partial melting of a juvenile lower crust, but the differences in the two groups reflect a transition from deep-cold melting to relatively shallower-hotter melting in the period from ca. 105 to 100 Ma. This transition was synchronous with the rapid cooling of granitoids, topographic uplift, and the shutdown of magmatism in the central-north Lhasa Terrane, and followed by sedimentation and the resumption of magmatism in the south Lhasa Terrane. The above observations collectively indicate that the central-north Lhasa Terrane was under an extensional setting in late Early Cretaceous, and we tentatively suggest that it was in response to lithospheric drip during roll-back of the northward-subducting Neo-Tethyan oceanic plate.
Structural analysis and tectonic evolution of the western domain of the Eastern Kunlun Range, northwest Tibet
Authors: Wu Chen , Liu Changfeng , Fan Suoya , Zuza Andrew V. , Ding Lin , Liu Wencan , Ye Baoying , Yang Shijie , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: October 2019

The Tibetan Plateau, the largest highland on Earth, formed due to the collision of India-Asia over the past 50–60 m.y., and the evolution of the Tibetan Plateau impacts our knowledge of continental tectonics. Examination of the northernmost margin of the Tibetan Plateau is key to unravelling the deformation mechanisms acting in northern Tibet. The left-slip Altyn Tagh fault system defines the northwest margin of the Tibetan Plateau, separating the Western and Eastern Kunlun Ranges in the southwest. Both Cenozoic and pre-Cenozoic crustal deformation events at this junction between the Altyn Tagh and Kunlun Ranges were responsible for the construction of northwestern Tibet, yet the relative contribution of each phase remains unconstrained. The western domain of the Eastern Kunlun Range is marked by active NE-trending, left-slip deformation of the Altyn Tagh fault and an E-striking Cenozoic thrust system developed in response India-Asia collision. To better constrain the Paleozoic Altyn Tagh and Kunlun orogens and establish the Cenozoic structural framework, we conducted an integrated investigation involving detailed geologic mapping (∼1:50,000 scale), U-Pb zircon geochronology, and synthesis of existing data sets across northwestern Tibet. Our new zircon analyses from Paleoproterozoic–Cretaceous strata constrain stratigraphic age and sediment provenance and highlight Proterozoic–Paleozoic arc activity. We propose a tectonic model for the Neoproterozoic–Mesozoic evolution of northwestern Tibet wherein restoration of an ∼56-km-long balanced cross section across the western domain of the Eastern Kunlun suggests that Cenozoic minimum shortening strain was ∼30% (∼24 km shortening). Field evidence suggests this shortening commenced after ca. 25–20 Ma, which yields an average long-term shortening rate of 1.2–0.9 mm yr–1 and strain rates of 4.7 × 10–16 s–1 to 2.3 × 10–16 s–1. Geometric considerations demonstrate that this contractional deformation did not significantly contribute to left-slip offset on the Altyn Tagh fault, which has ∼10 mm/yr slip rates.
Not what it seems
Authors: McCorry Eimear Anna , OHagan Art , Shah Shilpa
Published: October 2019

A 5-month-old female patient presented to the general practitioner with a 2-week history of an unexplained linear lesion on her left lower limb extending from the medial part of her thigh to the medial aspect of her leg and onto the sole of her foot (figures 1 and 2). It was hyperpigmented, papular and non-blanching. There was no history of trauma, itching, pain, infective symptoms or social concerns. The baby was well kempt and parents were appropriately concerned.

Figure 1

Linear lesion on the left leg.

Figure 2

Linear lesion extending posteromedially to the left foot.

Questions

What is the diagnosis?

Accidental imprint mark caused by car seat straps or seams of clothing.

Inflicted injury caused by a linear object.

Lichen striatus.

Incontinentia pigmenti.

­

What is the common age of onset of these lesions?

Present at birth.

Appears within 2 weeks of life.

Onset in early infancy.

Onset between ages 5 and 15 years of life.

Answers can be found on page 2.
Australian pharmacists’ perspectives on physician-assisted suicide (PAS): thematic analysis of semistructured interviews
Authors: Isaac Sami , McLachlan Andrew , Chaar Betty
Published: October 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate Australian pharmacists’ views about their role in physician-assisted suicide (PAS), their ethical and legal concerns and overall thoughts about PAS in pharmacy.

Design

Semistructured interviews of pharmacists incorporating a previously validated vignette and thematic analysis.

Setting

Australia (face to face or phone call).

Participants

40 Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency registered pharmacists, majority women (65%) with varied experiences in community, hospital, industry, academia, government and other fields.

Results

Emergent themes from the interviews were:legal and logistical framework,ethical framework,training and guidanceandhealthcare budget. More than half the participants supported the role of pharmacists in the supply of medicines for PAS, while less than half were either against or unsure of the legislation of PAS in Australia. Shared concerns included transparency of prescribing practices and identification of authorised physicians involved in PAS, which were consistent with existing literature. Religious faith, emotion and professional autonomy were key indicators for the implementation of conscientious objection to the supply of medicines in PAS. Re-evaluation of current guidelines, pharmacist training and government reimbursement was also of significance from participants’ perspectives.

Conclusion

This study revealed current concerns of practising pharmacists in Australia, including previously undocumented perspectives on the pharmacoeconomic impact of and barriers relating to PAS. The need for training of all healthcare professionals involved, the provision of clear guidelines, including regulation around storage, administration and disposal of medicines dispensed for PAS and the updating of current therapeutic guidelines around end-of-life care were all issues delineated by this study. These findings highlighted the need for current and future policies to account for all stakeholders involved in PAS, not solely prescribers.
Help-seeking for genitourinary symptoms: a mixed methods study from Britain’s Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3)
Authors: Mapp Fiona , Wellings Kaye , Mercer Catherine H , Mitchell Kirstin , Tanton Clare , Clifton Soazig , Datta Jessica , Field Nigel , Palmer Melissa J , Hickson Ford
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Quantify non-attendance at sexual health clinics and explore help-seeking strategies for genitourinary symptoms.

Design

Sequential mixed methods using survey data and semistructured interviews.

Setting

General population in Britain.

Participants

1403 participants (1182 women) from Britain’s Third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3; undertaken 2010–2012), aged 16–44 years who experienced specific genitourinary symptoms (past 4 weeks), of whom 27 (16 women) who reported they had never attended a sexual health clinic also participated in semistructured interviews, conducted May 2014–March 2015.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

From survey data, non-attendance at sexual health clinic (past year) and preferred service for STI care; semistructured interview domains were STI social representations, symptom experiences, help-seeking responses and STI stigma.

Results

Most women (85.9% (95% CI 83.7 to 87.9)) and men (87.6% (95% CI 82.3 to 91.5)) who reported genitourinary symptoms in Natsal-3 had not attended a sexual health clinic in the past year. Around half of these participants cited general practice (GP) as their preferred hypothetical service for STI care (women: 58.5% (95% CI 55.2% to 61.6%); men: 54.3% (95% CI 47.1% to 61.3%)). Semistructured interviews elucidated four main responses to symptoms: not seeking healthcare, seeking information to self-diagnose and self-treat, seeking care at non-specialist services and seeking care at sexual health clinics. Collectively, responses suggested individuals sought to gain control over their symptoms, and they prioritised emotional reassurance over accessing medical expertise. Integrating survey and interview data strengthened the evidence that participants preferred their general practitioner for STI care and extended understanding of help-seeking strategies.

Conclusions

Help-seeking is important to access appropriate healthcare for genitourinary symptoms. Most participants did not attend a sexual health clinic but sought help from other sources. This study supports current service provision options in Britain, facilitating individual autonomy about where to seek help.
White cell counts in relation to mortality in a general population of cohort study in the Netherlands: a mediating effect or not?
Authors: Abete Itziar , Lu Yunxia , Lassale Camille , Verschuren Monique , van der Schouw Yvonne , Bueno-de-Mesquita Bas
Published: October 2019

Background

White cell count (WCC) is a clinical marker of inflammation. Data are limited regarding the association of total and differential WCC with risk of mortality, and its role related with smoking and body mass index (BMI).

Methods

A total of 14 433 participants (4150 men; 10 283 women; average age 47.3±11.8 years) from the Dutch European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands cohort were included. The associations between prediagnostic total WCC and its subtypes and risk of all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality were assessed. The role of WCC related with smoking and BMI on mortality was further explored. Multivariate Cox regression models were performed to estimate the HR and 95% CI.

Results

After an average follow-up of 15.8 years, a total of 936 death cases were identified (466 cancer; 179 CVD; 291 other causes). Statistically significant graded associations between total WCC, and counts of lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils and risk of total mortality were observed. These associations were more apparent in current smokers. Strong associations for all-cause mortality or cancer mortality were observed in subjects with BMI ≥25 kg/m2, ever smoking and elevated WCC (HR 3.92, 95% CI 2.76 to 5.57; HR 3.93, 95% CI 2.30 to 6.72). WCC partly mediated the associations between smoking or BMI and all-cause mortality.

Conclusions

Prediagnostic WCC and its subtypes are associated with all-cause, cancer and CVD mortality risk. It may play a partially mediate role on the association between smoking or obesity and mortality.
Interventions to integrate care for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders: a systematic scoping review protocol
Authors: Richardson Amy , Richard Lauralie , Gunter Kathryn , Derrett Sarah
Published: October 2019

Introduction

People with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorders (SUDs) have an elevated risk of premature mortality compared with the general population. This has been attributed to higher rates of chronic illness among these individuals, but also to inequities in healthcare access and treatment. Integrated care has the potential to improve the health of people with SMI/SUDs. The aims of this scoping review are to: (1) identify empirical investigations of interventions designed to integrate care for people with SMI/SUDs; (2) describe the underlying theories, models and frameworks of integrated care that informed their development; and (3) determine the degree to which interventions address dimensions of a comprehensive and validated framework of integrated care.

Methods and analysis

Guidelines for best practice and reporting of scoping reviews will be followed using the framework of Arksey and O’Malley and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses scoping review checklist. An iterative and systematic search of peer-reviewed publications reporting empirical research findings will be conducted. This literature will be identified by searching five databases: Medline (Ovid), PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase (Ovid) and Scopus. The search will be restricted to articles published between January 2000 and April 2019. Two reviewers will independently screen publications in two successive stages of title and abstract screening, followed by full-text screening of eligible publications. A tabular summary and narrative synthesis will be completed using data extracted from each included study. A framework synthesis will also be conducted, with descriptions of interventions mapped against a theoretical framework of integrated care.

Ethics and dissemination

This review will identify the extent and nature of empirical investigations evaluating interventions to integrate care for people with SMI/SUDs. Ethical approval was not required. A team of relevant stakeholders, including people with lived experience of mental health conditions, has been established. This team will be engaged throughout the review and will ensure that the findings are widely disseminated. Dissemination will include publication of the review in a peer-reviewed journal. The review protocol has been registered through Open Science Framework and can be accessed athttps://osf.io/njkph/
Rates and predictors of general practitioner (GP) follow-up postdischarge from a tertiary hospital cardiology unit: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Huang Luke Y I , Fogarty Samuel J , Ng Arnold C T , Wang William Y S
Published: October 2019

Objective

Previous studies in cardiac patients noted that early patient follow-up with general practitioners (GPs) after hospital discharge was associated with reduced rates of hospital readmissions. We aimed to identify patient, clinical and hospital factors that may influence GP follow-up of patients discharged from a tertiary cardiology unit.

Design

Single centre retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Australian metropolitan tertiary hospital cardiology unit.

Participants

1079 patients discharged from the hospital cardiology unit within 3 months from May to July 2016.

Outcome measures

GP follow-up rates (assessed by telephone communication with patients’ nominated GP practices), demographic, clinical and hospital factors predicting GP follow-up.

Results

We obtained GP follow-up data on 983 out of 1079 (91.1%) discharges in the study period. Overall, 7, 14 and 30-day GP follow rates were 50.3%, 66.5% and 79.1%, respectively. A number of patient, clinical and hospital factors were associated with early GP follow-up, including pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, older age and having never smoked. Documented recommendation for follow-up in discharge summary was the strongest predictor for 7-day follow-up (p<0.001).

Conclusion

After discharge from a cardiology admission, half of the patients followed up with their GP within 7 days and most patients followed up within 30 days. Patient and hospital factors were associated with GP follow-up rates. Identification of these factors may facilitate prospective interventions to improve early GP follow-up rates.
Cancer pain management in Mexico
Authors: Lincoln Sarah Barry , Soto-Perez-de-Celis Enrique , Chavarri-Guerra Yanin , Covarrubias-Gomez Alfredo , Navarro Mariana , Goss Paul E
Published: October 2019

Background

Pain control is an essential component of high-quality palliative care. Unfortunately, many low-income and middle-income countries lack an appropriate infrastructure to provide palliative care and suffer from a severe lack of access to opioid analgesics to alleviate pain from various conditions such as cancer.

Objectives

We aimed to review the history and current status of cancer pain management in Mexico, a middle-income Latin American country. Our objective was to identify existing barriers to proper, effective opioid use, as well as provide practical recommendations for improvement.

Methods

Using a search of EBSCOhost database, PubMed and Google, we found official documents and peer-reviewed articles related to health legislation, opioid consumption, palliative care infrastructure and palliative care training in Mexico.

Results

Despite advances in palliative care and access to opioids in Mexico, there are still several barriers that undermine effective pain management, showing a major gap between policy and practice. Although Mexican legislation and guidelines include adequate palliative care and pain control as a right for all patients with cancer, the lack of adequate infrastructure and trained personnel severely hampers the implementation of these policies. Additionally, there are important barriers to prescribing opioids, many of which are related to attempts at reducing the consumption of recreational drugs.

Conclusions

Although Mexico has made significant improvements in pain control and palliative care, much needs to be done. Expansion of drug availability, improvement of palliative care training, and constant oversight of regulations and guidelines will help to strengthen Mexico’s palliative care services.
Association between the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and coffee consumption among Korean adults: results from the Health Examinees study
Authors: Shin Sangah , Lim Jiyeon , Lee Hwi-Won , Kim Claire E. , Kim Seong-Ah , Lee Jong-koo , Kang Daehee
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the frequency and quantity of coffee consumption and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Health Examinees study. A total of 130 420 participants (43 682 men and 86 738 women) were included in our study. Coffee consumption was categorized into 5 categories (0, <1, 1, 2–3, and ≥4 cups/day). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervalS (CIs) using multivariate logistic regression. In this study population, the prevalence of MetS was 12 701 (29.1%) in men and 21 338 (24.6%) in women. High coffee consumption (≥4 cups/day) was associated with a lower prevalence of MetS compared with non-coffee consumers (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.70–0.90, p for trend <0.0001 in men; OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.62–0.78, p for trend <0.0001 in women). The multivariable-adjusted ORs for high fasting glucose decreased with increasing levels of coffee consumption in men (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.54–0.67, p for trend <0.0001) and women (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.63–0.79, p for trend <0.0001). For women, the multivariable-adjusted ORs for hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.75–0.93, p for trend = 0.0007) decreased with increasing levels of coffee consumption. We found that coffee consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Korean men and women. Our study warrants further prospective cohort studies.
Transversality for the moduli space of Spin(7)-instantons
Authors: Muñoz Vicente , Shahbazi C. S.
Published: October 2019

We construct the moduli space of Spin(7)-instantons on a hermitian complex vector bundle over a closed 8-dimensional manifold endowed with a (possibly non-integrable) Spin(7)-structure. We find suitable perturbations that achieve regularity of the moduli space, so that it is smooth and of the expected dimension over the irreducible locus.
Asymptotic to systems with memory and non-local initial data
Authors: Muñoz Rivera Jaime E. , Poblete Verónica , Pozo Juan C. , Vera Octavio
Published: October 2019

We study the existence and the asymptotic behavior of the solution of an abstract viscoelastic system submitted to non-local initial data. [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are differential operators satisfying [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text]. We prove that the model is well-posed. Concerning the asymptotic behavior, we show that the exponential decay holds if and only if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] goes to zero exponentially. Otherwise if [Formula: see text] or the kernel goes to zero polynomially, then the solution only decays polynomially. We show the optimality of our result. Finally, we consider the non-dissipative case.
Wireless Transceiver for Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits Using a Ring Oscillator
Authors: Moon Dongwoo , Lee Milim , Lee Changhyun , Park Joung-Hu , Park Changkun
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we propose an oscillation-type transceiver for wireless chip-to-chip communication (WCC). The proposed transceiver is composed of a ring oscillator, coils, inverter-type amplifier, voltage multiplier and comparator. The ring oscillator itself acts as the on–off keying (OOK) modulator. The envelope of the transferred OOK-modulated signal is detected in the voltage multiplier of the receiver. Given that the proposed transceiver uses an OOK-modulated oscillating signal, the noise immunity is improved compared to the typical pulse-type transceiver. To verify the functionality of the proposed transceiver, we design the transceiver using the 180-nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. From the measured results, we verify that the proposed transceiver recovers the entered digital signal up to a distance of 0.2[Formula: see text]mm between the primary and secondary coils. Additionally, the sensitivity to the bias voltage of the latch is nonexistent by virtue of removing the latch in the proposed transceiver.
Healthcare Technology Transfer in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Inductive Approach
Authors: Marais Rian , Grobbelaar Sara S. , Kock Imke H. de
Published: October 2019

The research addressed within this paper sets out to develop a framework towards facilitating health-related technology transfer (TT) to and within sub-Saharan African countries. In turn, this framework will attempt to alleviate healthcare burdens in developing nations through a combination of acquisitions and collaborative technology development. Systematic conceptual and comparative literature reviews have been conducted to identify the major characteristics of TT. The conceptual review has outlined the universal characteristics of TT such as TT methods, prominent stakeholders and the importance of knowledge transfer while the systematic comparative review exclusively evaluated sub-Saharan African healthcare TT characteristics such as infrastructure barriers and the marketability of the transfer object. The outcomes of the literature reviews have been clustered into five phases, forming the basis of the conceptual framework. This framework aims to guide a user through the phases of technology development, technology analysis, technology transfer method application, change management and commercialization by providing managerial best practices at each phase. The conceptual framework has been evaluated by incorporating the outcomes of 16 semi-structured interviews conducted with healthcare and TT industry experts. The final framework aims to provide guidelines for any stakeholder involved in healthcare technology transfer regardless of the healthcare implementation by highlighting best practices surrounding stakeholder co-creation, transfer method application and constructing a sustainable healthcare technology transfer venture.
Mean action of periodic orbits of area-preserving annulus diffeomorphisms
Authors: Weiler Morgan
Published: October 2019

An area-preserving diffeomorphism of an annulus has an “action function” which measures how the diffeomorphism distorts curves. The average value of the action function over the annulus is known as the Calabi invariant of the diffeomorphism, while the average value of the action function over a periodic orbit of the diffeomorphism is the mean action of the orbit. If an area-preserving annulus diffeomorphism is a rotation near the boundary, and if its Calabi invariant is less than the maximum boundary value of the action function, then we show that the infimum of the mean action over all periodic orbits of the diffeomorphism is less than or equal to its Calabi invariant.
Experimental Investigation Regarding Rack Pressure Resistance on Cooling Performance of a Container Data Center
Authors: Chu Wen-Xiao , Wang Rui , Wang Chi-Chuan
Published: October 2019

This paper experimentally investigates the effect of pressure resistance distribution by using perforated grilles with different porosities ([Formula: see text]%, 58% and 35.4%) in a container data center. The inlet and outlet temperature distribution, rack cooling index (RCI) and supply heat index (SHI) are used to evaluate the cooling performance under semi-contained and fully contained configurations. As a result, the airflow reversal phenomenon at the top cabinets is found, which is especially conspicuous for the case without perforated grilles due to the extremely low pressure resistance in the cabinet. By implementing perforated grilles at lower three cabinets, the airflow reversal can be eliminated, however, it cannot be completely removed. By applying perforated grilles with [Formula: see text]% at the top three cabinets can increase the pressure resistance at the cabinets [Formula: see text] where the airflow reversal is eliminated thoroughly. Yet, the performance of cabinets at rack [Formula: see text] may degrade rapidly due to much stronger hot-exhaust recirculation. Hence, the fully contained configuration is applied. Note that the airflow reversal is more severe for the case without perforated grilles. By arranging the perforated grilles with [Formula: see text] = 35.4%, the corresponding RCI and SHI may reach the ideal values of 100% and zero, respectively. Therefore, the perforated grilles with [Formula: see text] = 35.4% are more reasonable for simulated racks under semi-contained and fully contained configurations when airflow reversal occurs.
Wadi gravel – a new concrete aggregate in Qatar: Part 2 –Alkali aggregate reactivity
Authors: Sims Ian , Hassan Khaled , Reid Murray , Al-Kuwari Mohammed bin Saif , Attia Mohamed , Sidiq Ahmed , Al Naemi Abdulrahman
Published: October 2019

Deposits of Wadi gravel are available in many parts of the Gulf region, but not widely utilized as aggregate for concrete, mainly due to the possibility of internal sulfate attack, plus the perceived risk of alkali aggregate reactivity (AAR). This paper describes the investigations for AAR of the Wadi gravel in this case, as part of the wider study described in Part 1 of this paper.

Wadi gravel from the Mekaines site in Qatar was subjected to petrographic analysis, plus the gel-pat and accelerated mortar-bar test methods. The AAR potential was found to be low to normal. The accelerated mortar-bar test exhibited ‘innocuous’ behaviour after 14 days of immersion in alkali solution. When separately testing the constituent rock types of the Wadi gravel, limestone and quartz returned innocuous results, while rhyolite, granite and quartzite returned potentially alkali silica reactive (ASR) results and some reaction was confirmed using post-expansion petrographic examination.

Wadi gravel was classified as potentially reactive in the RILEM AAR-4.1 accelerated concrete prism test, but of ‘low reactivity’ in the BS 812-123 test over the longer period of 12 months. Overcoming the potential problems of gypsum content and AAR successfully provides a valuable local resource of Wadi gravel aggregate for concrete.
The magnitude of the exercise pressor reflex is influenced by the active skeletal muscle mass in the decerebrate rat
Authors: Estrada Juan A. , Ducrocq Guillaume P. , Kaufman Marc P.
Published: October 2019

The exercise pressor reflex is composed of two components, namely the muscle mechanoreflex and the muscle metaboreflex. The afferents evoking the two components are either thinly myelinated (group III) or unmyelinated (group IV); in combination they are termed “thin fiber afferents.” The exercise pressor reflex is often studied in unanesthetized, decerebrate rats. However, the relationship between the magnitude of this reflex and the number of thin fiber afferents stimulated by muscle contraction is unknown. This lack of knowledge prompted us to test the hypothesis that the magnitude of the exercise pressor reflex was directly proportional to the amount of muscle mass activated. Muscle mechanoreceptors were stimulated by stretching the calcaneal tendon. Likewise, muscle metaboreceptors were stimulated by injecting lactic acid into the arterial supply of the hindlimb muscles. In addition, both muscle mechanoreceptors and metaboreceptors were stimulated by statically contracting the hindlimb muscles. We found that simultaneous bilateral (both hindlimbs) stimulation of thin fiber afferents with stretch, lactic acid, and static contraction evoked significantly greater pressor responses than did unilateral (one hindlimb) stimulation of these afferents. In addition, the magnitude of the pressor responses to bilateral simultaneous stimulation of thin fiber afferents evoked by stretch, lactic acid, and contraction was not significantly different from the magnitude of the sum of the pressor responses evoked by unilateral stimulation of these afferents by stretch, lactic acid, and contraction. We conclude that the magnitude of the exercise pressor reflex and its two components is dependent on the number of afferents stimulated.
2019 Ludwig Lecture: Rhythms in sympathetic nerve activity are a key to understanding neural control of the cardiovascular system
Authors: Barman Susan M.
Published: October 2019

This review is based on the Carl Ludwig Distinguished Lecture, presented at the 2019 Experimental Biology Meeting in Orlando, FL, and provides a snapshot of >40 years of work done in collaboration with the late Gerard L. Gebber and colleagues to highlight the importance of considering the rhythmic properties of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and brain stem neurons when studying the neural control of autonomic regulation. After first providing some basic information about rhythms, I describe the patterns and potential functions of rhythmic activity recorded from sympathetic nerves under various physiological conditions. I review the evidence that these rhythms reflect the properties of central sympathetic neural networks that include neurons in the caudal medullary raphe, caudal ventrolateral medulla, caudal ventrolateral pons, medullary lateral tegmental field, rostral dorsolateral pons, and rostral ventrolateral medulla. The role of these brain stem areas in mediating steady-state and reflex-induced changes in SNA and blood pressure is discussed. Despite the common appearance of rhythms in SNA, these oscillatory characteristics are often ignored; instead, it is common to simply quantify changes in the amount of SNA to make conclusions about the function of the sympathetic nervous system in mediating responses to a variety of stimuli. This review summarizes work that highlights the need to include an assessment of the changes in the frequency components of SNA in evaluating the cardiovascular responses to various manipulations as well as in determining the role of different brain regions in the neural control of the cardiovascular system.
Crossed activation of thoracic trunk motoneurons by medullary reticulospinal neurons
Authors: LaPallo Brandon K. , Giorgi Andrea , Perreault Marie-Claude
Published: October 2019

Activation of contralateral muscles by supraspinal neurons, or crossed activation, is critical for bilateral coordination. Studies in mammals have focused on the neural circuits that mediate cross activation of limb muscles, but the neural circuits involved in crossed activation of trunk muscles are still poorly understood. In this study, we characterized functional connections between reticulospinal (RS) neurons in the medial and lateral regions of the medullary reticular formation (medMRF and latMRF) and contralateral trunk motoneurons (MNs) in the thoracic cord (T7 and T10 segments). To do this, we combined electrical microstimulation of the medMRF and latMRF and calcium imaging from single cells in an ex vivo brain stem-spinal cord preparation of neonatal mice. Our findings substantiate two spatially distinct RS pathways to contralateral trunk MNs. Both pathways originate in the latMRF and are midline crossing, one at the level of the spinal cord via excitatory descending commissural interneurons (reticulo-commissural pathway) and the other at the level of the brain stem (crossed RS pathway). Activation of these RS pathways may enable different patterns of bilateral trunk coordination. Possible implications for recovery of trunk function after stroke or spinal cord injury are discussed.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We identify two spatially distinct reticulospinal pathways for crossed activation of trunk motoneurons. Both pathways cross the midline, one at the level of the brain stem and the other at the level of the spinal cord via excitatory commissural interneurons. Jointly, these pathways provide new opportunities for repair interventions aimed at recovering trunk functions after stroke or spinal cord injury.
Reorganization of finger covariation patterns represented in the corticospinal system by learning of a novel movement irrelevant to common daily movements
Authors: Hirano Masato , Funase Kozo
Published: October 2019

How dexterous finger movements are acquired by the nervous system is a fundamental question in the neuroscience field. Previous studies have demonstrated that finger movements can be decomposed into finger covariation patterns, and these patterns are represented in the corticospinal system. However, it remains unclear how such covariation patterns represented in the corticospinal system develop during the acquisition of novel finger movements. In this study, each subject learned to perform a novel finger movement, which was mapped to a region outside the movement subspace spanned by common finger movements seen in daily life, through a custom task. After subjects practiced the task, we detected changes in the finger covariation patterns derived from artificially (transcranial magnetic stimulation) evoked finger joint movements. The artificially evoked movement-derived patterns seen after the training period were associated with both the novel and common finger movements. Regarding the patterns extracted from the artificially evoked movements, the number required to explain most of the variance in the data was unchanged after the training period. Our results indicate that novel finger movements are acquired through the reorganization of preexisting finger covariation patterns represented in the corticospinal system rather than the development of new patterns. These findings might have implications for the basic mechanism responsible for the development of movement repertories in the nervous system.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Various types of finger movements involve common finger covariation patterns, and these patterns are represented in the corticospinal system. Here we examined how a novel finger covariation pattern is acquired in that system through training of a novel finger movement that is irrelevant to common finger movements. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, we found that the preexisting patterns that contribute to finer control of finger movements are rapidly reorganized to encode the novel pattern through the training.
The sensorimotor effects of a lower limb proprioception training intervention in individuals with a spinal cord injury
Authors: Qaiser Taha , Eginyan Gevorg , Chan Franco , Lam Tania
Published: October 2019

Proprioception is critical for movement control. After a spinal cord injury (SCI), individuals not only experience paralysis but may also experience proprioceptive deficits, further confounding motor recovery. The objective of this study was to test the effects of a robotic-based proprioception training protocol on lower limb proprioceptive sense in people with incomplete SCI. A secondary objective was to assess whether the effects of training transferred to a precision stepping task in people with motor-incomplete SCI. Participants with chronic incomplete SCI and able-bodied controls underwent a 2-day proprioceptive training protocol using the Lokomat robotic exoskeleton. The training involved positioning the test leg to various positions and participants were asked to report whether they felt their heel position (end-point position) was higher or lower compared with a reference position. Feedback was provided after each trial to help participants learn strategies that could help them discern different positions of their foot. Changes in end-point position as well as knee joint position sense were assessed pre- and posttraining. We also assessed the effects of proprioception training on the performance of a precision stepping task in people with motor-incomplete SCI. Following training, there were significant improvements in end-point and knee joint position sense in both groups. The magnitude of improvement was related to pretraining (baseline) proprioceptive sense, indicating that those who initially had better lower limb position sense showed greater changes. Participants also showed improvements in performance of a precision stepping task.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that it is possible to alter proprioceptive sense in people with incomplete SCI using a passive proprioception training protocol combined with feedback. Improvements in proprioceptive sense transferred from end-point to joint position sense and also to an untrained precision stepping task.