bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of precipitation characteristics under the action of acoustic waves in the source region of the Yellow River
Authors: Shi Yang , Wei Jiahua , Ren Yan , Qiao Zhen , Li Qiong , Zhu Xiaomei , Kang Beiming , Pan Peichong , Cao Jiongwei , Wang Guangqian
Published: May 2021

Acoustic agglomerations have increasingly attracted widespread attention as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach for fog removal and weather modification. In this study, research on precipitation interference and the agglomeration performance of droplet aerosols under large-scale acoustic waves was presented. In total, 49 field experiments in the source region of the Yellow River (SRYR) in the summer of 2019 were performed to reveal the influences of acoustic waves on precipitation, such as the radar reflectivity factor (Z), rain rate (R), and raindrop size distribution (DSD). A monitoring system that consisted of rain gauges and raindrop spectrometers was employed to monitor near-ground rainfall within a 5 km radius of the field site. The ground-based observations showed that acoustic waves could significantly affect the rainfall distribution and microstructure of precipitation particles. The average values of rainfall increased by 18.98%, 10.61%, and 8.74% within 2 km, 3 km and 5 km of the operation center with acoustic application. The changing trend of microphysical parameters of precipitation was roughly in line with variation of acoustic waves for stratiform cloud. Moreover, there was a good quadratic relationship between the spectral parameters λ and μ. Raindrop kinetic energy (eK) and the radar reflectivity factor (Z) both exhibited a power function relationship with the rain rate (R).
Does Eco-Certification Correlate with Improved Financial Performance? Evidence From a Longitudinal Study in the US Hospital Industry
Authors: Izón Germán M. , Islip Nathaniel
Published: May 2021

Health care-based negative production externalities, such as greenhouse gas emissions, underscore the need for hospitals to implement sustainable practices. Eco-certification has been adopted by a number of providers in an attempt, for instance, to curb energy consumption. While these strategies have been evaluated with respect to cost savings, their implications pertaining to hospitals’ financial viability remain unknown. We specify a fixed-effects model to estimate the correlation between Energy Star certification and 3 different hospitals’ financial performance measures (net patient revenue, operating expenses, and operating margin) in the United States between 2000 and 2016. The Energy Star participation indicators’ parameters imply that this type of eco-certification is associated with lower net patient revenue and lower operating expenses. However, the estimated negative relationship between eco-certification and operating margin suggests that the savings in operating expenses are not enough for a hospital to achieve higher margins. These findings may indicate that undertaking sustainable practices is partially related to intangible benefits such as community reputation and highlight the importance of government policies to financially support hospitals’ investments in green practices.
Slow-Paced Adoption of Terrestrial Laser Scanning Technology for Land Surveying Operations in Nigeria’s Geoinformation Industry
Authors: Ebinne ES , Nkwunonwo UC , Nwaka OC , Chiemelu NE
Published: May 2021

Instrumentation is a key factor in the theory and practice of land surveying. At various contexts, slow-paced technology adoption is a major setback to professional practice. Within the context of land surveying, such a die-hard situation, which has almost assumed a ‘ sailing ship effect’ spurs interest in high-end surveying equipment, for example terrestrial laser scanners (TLS). Research regarding this important issue is scarce in the scientific journal and often provides generalised findings. Thus, specific determinants of modern TLS adoption at spatial contexts (countries and individual cities) are unknown, and this is a major knowledge gap which undermines response efforts. Our aim in this study is to examine the factors related to slow-paced adoption of TLS in Nigeria. We formulated the hypothesis of the study based on the capacity mapping model (CMM) and used semi-structured questionnaires to collect primary data on land surveyors in Enugu – a major hub of geoinformation and land surveying operation in Nigeria. We used descriptive statistics in SPSS to analyse the data, and explore patterns, trends, and interdependencies between the variables we measured in the study. Results show a good depiction of surveying practice in the study area, although cadastral services, engineering surveying, and land information management (LIM) represent the dominant surveying operations. These dominant operations, which often require basic logistics to implement, are key evidence of the slow-paced adoption of TLS. The contributing factors to this situation are lack of funds, poor technical capacity, and the shrinking value and scope of work exclusive to traditional land surveying. We corroborate these findings with evidence of land surveying experience in other developing countries. We therefore argue that future development of land surveying in the developing countries is subject to compliance with current global professionalism, which is possible only if more land surveyors base their competences on a successful adoption of modern technology.
France’s Ahmeds and Muslim others: The entanglement of racism and Islamophobia
Authors: Beaman Jean
Published: May 2021

In this article, I use the example of Ahmed Merabet, a Muslim and Algerian-origin police officer who was one of the victims of the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre, as a way to understand how Islamophobia is a form of racism. Based on ethnographic research in Paris and its banlieues with the middle-class segment of the North African second generation, I discuss how they experience ‘collective punishment’ due to their status as both racial and religious minorities. I further trace the use of a ‘Muslim other’ category as a catch-all term for non-White individuals in a society that disavows race and ethnicity. I ultimately demonstrate how Islamophobia is a form of racism – one that sees certain individuals as too culturally different to ever be fully accepted as part of the French mainstream.
Predictive control compensation for networked control system with time-delay
Authors: Tian Zhongda , Wang Yanhong
Published: May 2021

This study proposes a novel predictive control compensation method to deal with random time-delay in networked control system. Different from other compensation strategies, this study adopts different compensation strategies for input time-delay and output time-delay to improve the control effect. First, for the input channel time-delay, the corresponding buffer is set by the time-stamp in the packet. Combining the historical output value and the control variable, the fast implicit generalized predictive control algorithm is adopted to design the predictive controller to compensate for the input channel time-delay. Second, for the output channel time-delay, the controller cannot measure it. A control compensator is designed by adding a feedback loop. The output control variable of the predictive controller is adjusted by predicting the error between the actual control signal and the controller output at the historical sampling time, so as to compensate for the time-delay of the output channel. In addition, the stability of the proposed time-delay compensation method is analyzed. Finally, simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method has good control and compensation effect, and improves the output performance of the system. The networked control system with random time-delay is stable. Furthermore, the simulation results also show that this time-delay compensation method needs less computing time and is more suitable for the practical applications.
Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Using Photo-Elicitation to Study Body Image in Middle-to-Older Age Women With and Without Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Bailey K. Alysse , Dagenais Matthieu , Gammage Kimberley L.
Published: May 2021

In this study, we explored how women with varying relationships to disability and aging used photographs to represent their body image experiences. Seven middle-aged and older adult women with and without multiple sclerosis were asked to provide up to 10 photographs that represented their body image and complete a one-on-one interview. We used reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes and interpret the findings. Overall, the women expressed not only complicated relationships with their bodies, represented through symbolism, scrutiny of body features (e.g., posture, varicose veins, and arthritis) but also deep reflection linked to positive body image and resilience. These findings revealed not only the nuanced experiences women have with aging, disability, and gender but also the commonly experienced ingrained views of body appearance as each participant illustrated a difficult negotiation with the aesthetic dimension of their body image. Finally, we provide important implications of the use of visual methods in body image research.
What Satisfaction with Democracy? A Global Analysis of “Satisfaction with Democracy” Measures
Authors: Valgarðsson Viktor Orri , Devine Daniel
Published: May 2021

Asking citizens “the way democracy works” is the basis of a wide literature on the support citizens have for their political institutions and is one of the most common survey items in political science. Moreover, it is a key indicator for the purported global decline in legitimacy. Yet, its trends, levels, and dynamics are still debated, and conclusions may be erroneous. In this paper, we compile a unique global dataset between 1973 and 2018 encompassing all major cross-national datasets and national election studies in twelve countries to study the dynamics and consistency of “satisfaction with democracy” (SWD) measures globally. Our results show that while trends and between-country differences in democratic satisfaction are largely similar, the levels of satisfaction vary substantially between survey projects, and both trends and levels vary significantly in several widely studied countries. We show that this has consequences at the individual level: opting for one survey over another may alter our conclusions about the relationship between key demographics and SWD. Thus, researchers studying SWD should endeavor to consult diverse survey sources and should be cautious about their conclusions when they do not, especially when it comes to making claims about changes in SWD over time.
Failure of the “Gold Standard”: The Role of a Mixed Methods Research Toolkit and Human-Centered Design in Transformative WASH
Authors: Burton Jasmine , Patel Devika , Landry Grace , Anderson Sarah M , Rary Emma
Published: May 2021

From preventing cholera and diarrhea by reducing exposure to human waste, to reducing transmission of COVID-19 through handwashing, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) can save lives. Numerous global health initiatives have been created to combat the spread of infectious diseases. However, according to the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund, “decades of under investment in sanitation and hygiene have made this sector the weakest link in our efforts to achieve the [Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)].” There appear to be various reasons for the lag in global attention to, funding toward, and innovation around WASH-related diseases. Firstly, WASH is comprised of three interrelated components, water, sanitation, and hygiene, each of which has its own subset of indicators, priorities, and infrastructure, thus making streamlined communications and impact measurement within the sector incredibly complex. Secondly, WASH is a field that bridges many sectors, and there has historically been a lack of understanding of where responsibility lies to consistently fund and execute WASH interventions, programming, and policymaking. Additionally, public health research and funding tend to favor evaluations using randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which are often referred to as the “gold standard.” RCTs, like all single evaluative methods, have limitations which may not effectively capture the complexity of WASH interventions and their subsequent multi-sectoral outcomes. In some cases “it may be infeasible (or unethical) to randomize communities to a [WASH] intervention” which would prohibit the research from reaching the current “gold standard” threshold for academic rigor and subsequent funding. A new concept called “Transformative WASH” has recently emerged in the WASH sector as a result of three RCTs and calls for a “comprehensive package of WASH interventions” to effectively improve health and social outcomes. We believe that the current definition of the “gold standard” in academic research is failing the WASH sector and does not align with “Transformative WASH.” Rather, the “gold standard” should instead be a mixed methods research toolkit that utilizes Human-Centered Design (HCD) practices, and proxy methods such as “participatory design” or “Behavior Centered Design theory” to better design and evaluate WASH interventions.
Resilient Research in the Field: Insights and Lessons From Adapting Qualitative Research Projects During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Rahman Syahirah Abdul , Tuckerman Lauren , Vorley Tim , Gherhes Cristian
Published: May 2021

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the implementation of unprecedented social distancing measures, restricting social interaction and with it the possibility for conducting face-to-face qualitative research. This paper provides lessons from a series of qualitative research projects that were adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure their continuation and completion. By reflecting on our experiences and discussing the opportunities and challenges presented by crises to the use of a number of qualitative research methods, we provide a series of insights and lessons for proactively building resilience into the qualitative research process. We show that reflexivity, responsiveness, adaptability, and flexibility ensured continuity in the research projects and highlighted distinct advantages to using digital methods, providing lessons beyond the COVID-19 context. The paper concludes with reflections on research resilience and adaptation during crises.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension patients display normal kinetics of clot formation using thrombelastography
Authors: Lu Mengyun , Blaine Kevin P. , Cullinane Ann , Hall Courtney , Dulau‐Florea Alina , Sun Junfeng , Chenwi Herman F. , Graninger Grace M. , Harper Bonnie , Thompson Keshia , Krack Janell , Barnett Christopher F. , Brusca Samuel B. , Elinoff Jason M. , Solomon Michael A.
Published: May 2021

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by endothelial dysfunction and microthrombi formation. The role of anticoagulation remains controversial, with studies demonstrating inconsistent effects on pulmonary arterial hypertension mortality. Clinical anticoagulation practices are currently heterogeneous, reflecting physician preference. This study uses thrombelastography and hematology markers to evaluate whether clot formation and fibrinolysis are abnormal in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. Venous blood was collected from healthy volunteers (n = 20) and patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (n = 20) on stable medical therapy for thrombelastography analysis. Individual thrombelastography parameters and a calculated coagulation index were used for comparison. In addition, hematologic markers, including fibrinogen, factor VIII activity, von Willebrand factor activity, von Willebrand factor antigen, and alpha2‐antiplasmin, were measured in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and compared to healthy volunteers. Between group differences were analyzed using t tests and linear mixed models, accounting for repeated measures when applicable. Although the degree of fibrinolysis (LY30) was significantly lower in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients compared to healthy volunteers (0.3% ± 0.6 versus 1.3% ± 1.1, p = 0.04), all values were within the normal reference range (0–8%). All other thrombelastography parameters were not significantly different between pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and healthy volunteers (p ≥ 0.15 for all). Similarly, alpha2‐antiplasmin activity levels were higher in pulmonary arterial hypertension patients compared to healthy volunteers (103.7% ± 13.6 versus 82.6% ± 9.5, p < 0.0001), but all individual values were within the normal range (75–132%). There were no other significant differences in hematologic markers between pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and healthy volunteers (p ≥ 0.07 for all). Sub‐group analysis comparing thrombelastography results in patients treated with or without prostacyclin pathway targeted therapies were also non‐significant. In conclusion, treated pulmonary arterial hypertension patients do not demonstrate abnormal clotting kinetics or fibrinolysis by thrombelastography.
Levosimendan, milrinone, and dobutamine in experimental acute pulmonary embolism
Authors: Lyhne Mads D. , Dragsbaek Simone J. , Hansen Jacob V. , Schultz Jacob G. , Andersen Asger , Nielsen‐Kudsk Jens Erik
Published: May 2021

Acute pulmonary embolism is a frequent condition in emergency medicine and potentially fatal. Cause of death is right ventricular failure due to increased right ventricular afterload from both pulmonary vascular obstruction and vasoconstriction. Inodilators are interesting drugs of choice as they may improve right ventricular function and lower its afterload. We aimed to investigate the cardiovascular effects of three clinically relevant inodilators: levosimendan, milrinone, and dobutamine in acute pulmonary embolism. We conducted a randomized, blinded, animal study using 18 female pigs. Animals received large autologous pulmonary embolism until doubling of baseline mean pulmonary arterial pressure and were randomized to increasing doses of each inodilator. Effects were evaluated with bi‐ventricular pressure–volume loop recordings, right heart catheterization, and blood gas analyses. Induction of pulmonary embolism increased right ventricular afterload and pulmonary pressure (p < 0.05) causing right ventricular dysfunction. Levosimendan and milrinone showed beneficial hemodynamic profiles by lowering right ventricular pressures and volume (p < 0.001) and improved right ventricular function and cardiac output (p < 0.05) without increasing right ventricular mechanical work. Dobutamine increased right ventricular pressure and function (p < 0.01) but at a cost of increased mechanical work at the highest doses, showing an adverse hemodynamic profile. In a porcine model of acute pulmonary embolism, levosimendan and milrinone reduced right ventricular afterload and improved right ventricular function, whereas dobutamine at higher doses increased right ventricular afterload and right ventricular mechanical work. The study motivates clinical testing of inodilators in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and right ventricular dysfunction.
Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava: A Rare Association
Authors: Aihole Jayalaxmi Shripati
Published: May 2021

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most frequent abnormality in the general population with the frequency of 0.1% to 0.5%. It results from the failure of the involution of the left anterior cardinal vein. Right and Left SVC can coexist together in 80% to 90% of cases. Association of PLSVC with ano rectal malformation (ARM) is very rarely reported. Hence, here is a report of a unique case of PLSVC in a female neonate with ARM
The metabolic profile of Bifidobacterium dentium reflects its status as a human gut commensal
Authors: Engevik Melinda A. , Danhof Heather A. , Hall Anne , Engevik Kristen A. , Horvath Thomas D. , Haidacher Sigmund J. , Hoch Kathleen M. , Endres Bradley T. , Bajaj Meghna , Garey Kevin W. , Britton Robert A. , Spinler Jennifer K. , Haag Anthony M. , Versalovic James
Published: May 2021

Background

Bifidobacteria are commensal microbes of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we aimed to identify the intestinal colonization mechanisms and key metabolic pathways implemented by Bifidobacterium dentium.

Results

B. dentium displayed acid resistance, with high viability over a pH range from 4 to 7; findings that correlated to the expression of Na+/H+ antiporters within the B. dentium genome. B. dentium was found to adhere to human MUC2+ mucus and harbor mucin-binding proteins. Using microbial phenotyping microarrays and fully-defined media, we demonstrated that in the absence of glucose, B. dentium could metabolize a variety of nutrient sources. Many of these nutrient sources were plant-based, suggesting that B. dentium can consume dietary substances. In contrast to other bifidobacteria, B. dentium was largely unable to grow on compounds found in human mucus; a finding that was supported by its glycosyl hydrolase (GH) profile. Of the proteins identified in B. dentium by proteomic analysis, a large cohort of proteins were associated with diverse metabolic pathways, indicating metabolic plasticity which supports colonization of the dynamic gastrointestinal environment.

Conclusions

Taken together, we conclude that B. dentium is well adapted for commensalism in the gastrointestinal tract.
Transcriptome and metabolite profiling analyses provide insight into volatile compounds of the apple cultivar ‘Ruixue’ and its parents during fruit development
Authors: Liu Xiaojie , Hao Nini , Feng Ruifang , Meng Zhipeng , Li Yanan , Zhao Zhengyang
Published: May 2021

Background

Aroma is one the most crucial inherent quality attributes of fruit. ‘Ruixue’ apples were selected from a cross between ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Fuji’, a later ripening yellow new cultivar. However, there is little known about the content and composition of aroma compounds in ‘Ruixue’ apples or the genetic characters of ‘Ruixue’ and its parents. In addition, the metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of aroma volatiles and aroma-related genes remain poorly understood.

Results

Volatile aroma compounds were putatively identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Our results show that the profile of volatile compounds changes with ripening. Aldehydes were the dominant volatile compounds in early fruit development, with alcohols and esters increasing dramatically during maturation. On the basis of a heatmap dendrogram, these aroma compounds clustered into seven groups. In ripe fruit, esters and terpenoids were the main aroma volatiles in ripening fruit of ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Fuji’ apples, and they included butyl 2-methylbutanoate; propanoic acid, hexyl ester; propanoic acid, hexyl ester; hexanoic acid, hexyl ester; acetic acid, hexyl ester and (Z, E)-α-farnesene. Interestingly, aldehydes and terpenoids were the dominant volatile aroma compounds in ripening fruit of ‘Ruixue’, and they mainly included hexanal; 2-hexenal; octanal; (E)-2-octenal; nonanal and (Z, E)-α-farnesene. By comparing the transcriptome profiles of ‘Ruixue’ and its parents fruits during development, we identified a large number of aroma-related genes related to the fatty acid, isoleucine and sesquiterpenoid metabolism pathways and transcription factors that may volatile regulate biosynthesis.

Conclusions

Our initial study facilitates a better understanding of the volatile compounds that affect fruit flavour as well as the mechanisms underlying differences in flavour between ‘Ruixue’ and its parents.
The suitability of panoramic radiographs for clinical decision making regarding root angulation compared to cone-beam computed tomography
Authors: Alqareer Athbi , Nada Rania , Ghayyath Aref , Baghdady Mariam , Allareddy Veerasathpurush
Published: May 2021

Background

The study compared clinical decisions regarding root angulation correction and root proximity based on the interpretation of Panoramic (PAN) versus Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images.

Methods

A total of 864 teeth from 36 existing, radiographic patient records at a university dental clinic with concurrent PAN and CBCT images were assessed using PANs, then using CBCTs in a blinded manner by two orthodontists. Teeth were rated regarding the need for root repositioning, the direction of repositioning and existence of root proximity. Frequencies, rating time and intra- and inter-examiner Cohen’s Kappa were calculated.

Results

There was 73.7–84.5% agreement between PAN-based and CBCT-based orthodontists’ decisions regarding the need to reposition roots. Root proximity was more frequently reported on PANs than CBCTs by one examiner (p = 0.001 and p = 0.168). Both PANs and CBCTs had moderate to substantial intra-examiner, within-radiograph-type reliability with Kappa values of 0.686–0.79 for PANs, and 0.661 for CBCTs (p < 0.001). Inter-examiner and inter-radiograph-type Kappa values ranged from 0.414 to 0.51 (p < 0.001). Using CBCT decisions as a reference, 78.9% of PAN decisions were coincident, 9.3% would have been repositioned on CBCT but not on PAN, 11.3% would not have been repositioned on CBCT but were on PAN, and 0.3% would have been repositioned in the opposite direction on CBCT versus PAN. Additionally, CBCT images required more time per tooth to assess than PANs (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

PAN-based clinical decisions regarding root angulation had comparable statistical reliability and substantial agreement with CBCT-based clinical decisions.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of ranibizumab for retinal vein occlusion patients in China from the societal perspective
Authors: Ni Weiyi , Liu Jia , Jiang Yawen , Wu Jing
Published: May 2021

Background

Clinical trials in China have demonstrated that ranibizumab can improve the clinical outcomes of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). However, no economic evaluation of ranibizumab has been conducted among Chinese patient population.

Methods

To provide insights into the economic profile of ranibizumab among Chinese RVO population, a Markov state-transition model was used to predict the outcomes of ranibizumab comparing to laser photocoagulation and observational-only care from the societal perspective. This model simulated changes in patient visuality, quality-adjusted of life years (QALY), medical costs, and direct non-medical costs of individuals with visual impairment due to BRVO or CRVO in lifetime. The base-case analysis used an annual discount rate of 5% for costs and benefits following the China Guidelines for Pharmacoeconomic Evaluations. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the model.

Results

The base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) comparing ranibizumab to laser photocoagulation was ¥65,008/QALY among BRVO patients and was ¥65,815/QALY among CRVO patients, respectively. Comparing to the 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of ¥71,000, both two ICERs were far below the cost-effective threshold at three times of GDP per capita (¥213,000). The deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated the base-case results were robust in most of the simulation scenarios.

Conclusion

The current Markov model demonstrated that ranibizumab may be cost-effective compared with laser photocoagulation to treat BRVO and cost-effective compared to observation-only care to treat CRVO in China from the societal perspective.
Prediabetes and risk of heart failure: the link grows stronger
Authors: Wu Jian-di , Liang Dong-liang , Xie Yue
Published: May 2021

In a recently published paper in Cardiovascular Diabetology, Sinha et al. (Association of fasting glucose with lifetime risk of incident heart failure: the Lifetime Risk Pooling Project. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2021;20(1):66) reported that prediabetes (defined as a fasting plasma glucose concentration of 100–125 mg/dL) was associated with a higher lifetime risk of heart failure in middle-aged White adults and Black women, with the association attenuating in older Black women. This study provides important evidence that the risk of heart failure is increased in people with a fasting plasma glucose concentration as low as 100 mg/dL, supporting the definition of prediabetes according to the American Diabetes Association guideline. The study also strongly supports the notion that prediabetes should be regarded not only as a high-risk state for the development of diabetes but also as a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity.
Exoskeleton-assisted walking improves pulmonary function and walking parameters among individuals with spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled pilot study
Authors: Xiang Xiao-Na , Zong Hui-Yan , Ou Yi , Yu Xi , Cheng Hong , Du Chun-Ping , He Hong-Chen
Published: May 2021

Background

Exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) is expected to improve the gait of spinal cord injury (SCI) individuals. However, few studies reported the changes of pulmonary function (PF) parameters after EAW trainings. Hence, we aimed to explore the effect of EAW on PF parameters, 6-min walk test (6MWT) and lower extremity motor score (LEMS) in individuals with SCI and to compare those with conventional trainings.

Methods

In this prospective, single-center, single-blinded randomized controlled pilot study, 18 SCI participants were randomized into the EAW group (n = 9) and conventional group (n = 9) and received 16 sessions of 50–60 min training (4 days/week, 4 weeks). Pulmonary function parameters consisting of the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced expiratory flow (FEF), peak expiratory flow, and maximal voluntary ventilation, 6MWT with assisted devices and LEMS were reported pre- and post-training.

Results

Values of FVC (p = 0.041), predicted FVC% (p = 0.012) and FEV1(p = 0.013) were significantly greater in EAW group (FVC: 3.8 ± 1.1 L; FVC%pred = 94.1 ± 24.5%; FEV1: 3.5 ± 1.0 L) compared with conventional group (FVC: 2.8 ± 0.8 L; FVC%pred = 65.4 ± 17.6%; FEV1: 2.4 ± 0.6 L) after training. Participants in EAW group completed 6MWT with median 17.3 m while wearing the exoskeleton. There was no difference in LEMS and no adverse event.

Conclusions

The current results suggest that EAW has potential benefits to facilitate PF parameters among individuals with lower thoracic neurological level of SCI compared with conventional trainings. Additionally, robotic exoskeleton helped walking.Trial registration: Registered on 22 May 2020 at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000033166).http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=53920&htm=4.
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer: clinical feasibility and outcome
Authors: Niu Shao-Qing , Li Rong-Zhen , Yuan Yan , Xie Wei-Hao , Wang Qiao-Xuan , Chang Hui , Lu Zhen-Hai , Ding Pei-Rong , Li Li-Ren , Wu Xiao-Jun , Zeng Zhi-Fan , Xiao Wei-Wei , Gao Yuan-Hong
Published: May 2021

Background

Patients with locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer (LASCC)
have limited treatment options and a dismal prognosis with poor quality of life. This retrospective study aimed to further evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) followed by surgery as treatment for select patients with unresectable LASCC.

Methods

We studied patients with unresectable LASCC who received NACRT between November 2010 and April 2019. The NACRT regimen consisted of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) of 50 Gy to the gross tumor and positive lymphoma node and 45 Gy to the clinical target volume. Capecitabine‑based chemotherapy was administered every 2 (mFOLFOX6) or 3 weeks (CAPEOX). Surgery was scheduled 6–8 weeks after radiotherapy.

Results

Seventy‑two patients were enrolled in this study. Patients had a regular follow-up (median, 41.1 months; range, 8.3–116.5 months). Seventy‑one patients completed NACRT, and sixty-five completed surgery. Resection with microscopically negative margins (R0 resection) was achieved in 64 patients (88.9%). Pathologic complete response was observed in 15 patients (23.1%), and multivisceral resection was necessary in 38 patients (58.3%). The cumulative probability of 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 75.8 and 70.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

For patients with unresectable LASCC, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is feasible, surgery can be performed safely and may result in increased survival and organ preservation rates.
Serum checkpoint molecules in patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD)
Authors: Matsumoto Haruki , Fujita Yuya , Matsuoka Naoki , Temmoku Jumpei , Yashiro-Furuya Makiko , Asano Tomoyuki , Sato Shuzo , Watanabe Hiroshi , Suzuki Eiji , Tsuji Sosuke , Fukui Shoichi , Umeda Masataka , Iwamoto Naoki , Kawakami Atsushi , Migita Kiyoshi
Published: May 2021

Background

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is characterized by increased serum IgG4 concentration and infiltration of IgG4+ plasma cells in the affected organs. The present study aimed to characterize the serum levels of coinhibitory checkpoint molecule, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-containing-molecule-3 (TIM-3), and its ligand, galectin-9 (Gal-9), among IgG4-related disease in patients with IgG4-RD patients with various organ involvements.

Methods

Serum samples were collected from untreated 59 patients with IgG4-RD, 13 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 37 healthy controls (HCs). HCs lacked chronic medical diseases or conditions and did not take prescription medications or over-the-counter medications within 7 days. Patients with IgG4-RD (n = 57) were subdivided into those with visceral involvement (n = 38) and those without visceral involvement (n = 21). Serum levels of Gal-9 and soluble TIM-3 (sTIM-3) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were compared with the clinical phenotypes of IgG4-RD.

Results

In untreated patients with IgG4-RD, serum levels of Gal-9 and sTIM-3 were significantly higher than in RA patients as well as in healthy controls. There were significant correlations between the serum levels of Gal-9 or sTIM-3 and serum levels of IgG, BAFF, or sIL-2R. However, there was no significant correlation between the serum levels of Gal-9 or sTIM-3 and serum IgG4 concentrations. Serum levels of sTIM-3 were significantly higher in a subset of patients with visceral involvements than in those without visceral involvements. However, there was no significant difference in the serum levels of Gal-9 between IgG4-RD patients with and without visceral involvements, although both Gal-9 and sTIM-3 were elevated in untreated IgG4-RD patients, and the levels of these checkpoint molecules remained unchanged after steroid therapy.

Conclusion

Serum levels of Gal-9 and sTIM-3 were significantly elevated in untreated patients with IgG4-RD. Furthermore, serum levels of sTIM-3 were significantly higher in IgG4-RD patients with visceral involvements. These checkpoint molecules could be a potentially useful biomarker for IgG4-RD and for assessing the clinical phenotypes of IgG4-RD.
Perioperative use of serum creatinine and postoperative acute kidney injury: a single-centre, observational retrospective study to explore physicians’ perception and practice
Authors: Villa Gianluca , De Rosa Silvia , Scirè Calabrisotto Caterina , Nerini Alessandro , Saitta Thomas , Degl’Innocenti Dario , Paparella Laura , Bocciero Vittorio , Allinovi Marco , De Gaudio Angelo R. , Ostermann Marlies , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: May 2021

Background

Postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) is a leading cause of short- and long-term morbidity and mortality, as well as progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to explore the physicians’ attitude toward the use of perioperative serum creatinine (sCr) for the identification of patients at risk for PO-AKI and long-term CKD. We also evaluated the incidence and risk factors associated with PO-AKI and renal function deterioration in patients undergoing major surgery for malignant disease.

Methods

Adult oncological patients who underwent major abdominal surgery from November 2016 to February 2017 were considered for this single-centre, observational retrospective study. Routinely available sCr values were used to define AKI in the first three postoperative days. Long-term kidney dysfunction (LT-KDys) was defined as a reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate by more than 10 ml/min/m2 at 12 months postoperatively. A questionnaire was administered to 125 physicians caring for the enrolled patients to collect information on local attitudes regarding the use of sCr perioperatively and its relationship with PO-AKI.

Results

A total of 423 patients were observed. sCr was not available in 59 patients (13.9%); the remaining 364 (86.1%) had at least one sCr value measured to allow for detection of postoperative kidney impairment. Among these, PO-AKI was diagnosed in 8.2% of cases. Of the 334 patients who had a sCr result available at 12-month follow-up, 56 (16.8%) developed LT-KDys. Data on long-term kidney function were not available for 21% of patients. Interestingly, 33 of 423 patients (7.8%) did not have a sCr result available in the immediate postoperative period or long term. All the physicians who participated in the survey (83 out of 125) recognised that postoperative assessment of sCr is required after major oncological abdominal surgery, particularly in those patients at high risk for PO-AKI and LT-KDys.

Conclusion

PO-AKI after major surgery for malignant disease is common, but clinical practice of measuring sCr is variable. As a result, the exact incidence of PO-AKI and long-term renal prognosis are unclear, including in high-risk patients.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04341974.
Phenotypic and genetic evaluation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells generated from whole blood for immunotherapy
Authors: Hussein Yousri M. , Hendawy Doaa M. , Alghamdy Abdalrahman N. , Raafat Nermin
Published: May 2021

Background

Dendritic cells (DCs) recognize different pathogens and cancer cells and activate the adaptive immune response. The generation of effective DC-based cancer vaccines depends on the appropriate differentiation of monocytes in vitro. This study aimed to standardize a protocol for the in vitro differentiation of human peripheral blood monocytes into immature DCs upon treatment with growth factors and generate monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated from peripheral blood. After monocyte enrichment by plastic adhesion, monocytes were cultured for 6 days in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4 to generate immature DCs. The cells were examined by microscopy. Using flow cytometry, DCs were evaluated for the expression of the CD83 and HLA-DR surface antigens, for the uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated dextran, and also for the expression of CD80 and CD86 mRNA.

Results

CD80 and CD86 genes expression was upregulated at day six and exhibited a significant difference (P < 0.05). DCs showed positive expression of the CD83 and HLA-DR surface antigens by flow cytometry and FITC-conjugated dextran uptake.

Conclusion

This study represents a preliminary trial to generate immature MoDCs in vitro from blood monocytes collected by the flask adherence method. It offers a panel of surface markers for DCs characterization and provides Immature DCs for experimental procedures after 6 incubation days.
Peter Abrahams’s Island Fictions for Freedom
Authors: Collis-Buthelezi Victoria J.
Published: May 2021

When South African–born Peter Abrahams moved to Jamaica in 1956, he thought he had found a racial paradise. Over the next six decades as a Jamaican, his understanding of race in Jamaica was complicated after independence. His last two novels—This Island Now (1966) and The View from Coyaba (1985)—fictionalize the transition to independence in the anglophone Caribbean and how that transition related to the set of concerns unfolding across the rest of the black world. This essay traces Abrahams’s thought on questions of race and decolonization through a close reading of his Caribbean fiction and how he came to theorize the literal and conceptual space of the Caribbean—the island—as a strategy for freedom. In so doing, the author asks, What are the limits of the Caribbean novel of the era of decolonization (1960s–80s) in the anglophone Caribbean? What constitutes it? And how does it articulate liberation?
Zippin’ Up My Boots, Going Back to My Routes
Authors: Chambers Eddie
Published: May 2021

This discussion essay on Hazel V. Carby’s Imperial Intimacies: A Tale of Two Islands considers the contrasting ways the dominant society and the people of the African diaspora approach and regard research into family histories. Beginning with reflections on the somewhat dreaded though seemingly benign question, “Where are you from?,” the essay explores the shortcomings and racial biases of popular genealogical websites, contrasting these with the deeply and profoundly nuanced ways Carby’s book tackles fundamental questions, shortcomings, and difficulties in endeavors to trace ancestry. Along the way, the essay references Alex Haley’s Roots and then takes up the Moynihan Report and Maury Povich’s daytime TV show, Maury, both of which, the author asserts, reflect the pathology of depicting the black father as absent and deviant. The essay concludes with considerations of an inevitably settled yet nevertheless creatively fertile “mixed upness” of the creation of African diaspora family histories.
Tight junction stabilization prevents HepaRG cell death in drug-induced intrahepatic cholestasis
Authors: Sonoi Rie , Hagihara Yoshihisa
Published: May 2021

Entacapone (ENT), a catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor, causes liver injury by inducing bile canaliculi (BC) dilation through inhibition of the myosin light kinase pathway. Loss of tight junctions (TJs) induces hepatocyte depolarization, which causes bile secretory failure, leading to liver damage. To understand the influence of TJ structural changes as a consequence of BC dynamics, we compared the datasets of time-lapse and immunofluorescence images for TJ protein ZO-1 in hepatocytes cultured with ENT, forskolin (FOR), ENT/FOR, and those cultured without any drugs. Retrospective analysis revealed that the drastic change in BC behaviors caused TJ disruption and apoptosis in cells cultured with ENT. Exposure to FOR or sodium taurocholate facilitated TJ formation in the cells cultured with ENT and suppressed BC dynamic changes, leading to the inhibition of TJ disruption and apoptosis. Our findings clarify that hepatocyte TJ stabilization protects against cell death induced by BC disruption.
LncRNA HBL1 is required for genome-wide PRC2 occupancy and function in cardiogenesis from human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Liu Juli , Liu Sheng , Han Lei , Sheng Yi , Zhang Yucheng , Kim Il-Man , Wan Jun , Yang Lei
Published: May 2021

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) deposits H3K27me3 on chromatin to silence transcription. PRC2 broadly interacts with RNAs. Currently, the role of the RNA-PRC2 interaction in human cardiogenesis remains elusive. Here, we found that human-specific heart brake lncRNA 1 (HBL1) interacted with two PRC2 subunits, JARID2 and EED, in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Loss of JARID2, EED or HBL1 significantly enhanced cardiac differentiation from hPSCs. HBL1 depletion disrupted genome-wide PRC2 occupancy and H3K27me3 chromatin modification on essential cardiogenic genes, and broadly enhanced cardiogenic gene transcription in undifferentiated hPSCs and later-on differentiation. In addition, ChIP-seq revealed reduced EED occupancy on 62 overlapped cardiogenic genes in HBL1−/− and JARID2−/− hPSCs, indicating that the epigenetic state of cardiogenic genes was determined by HBL1 and JARID2 at pluripotency stage. Furthermore, after cardiac development occurs, the cytosolic and nuclear fractions of HBL1 could crosstalk via a conserved ‘microRNA-1-JARID2’ axis to modulate cardiogenic gene transcription. Overall, our findings delineate the indispensable role of HBL1 in guiding PRC2 function during early human cardiogenesis, and expand the mechanistic scope of lncRNA(s) that cytosolic and nuclear portions of HBL1 could coordinate to orchestrate human cardiogenesis.
Repeat exposure to hypercapnic seawater modifies growth and oxidative status in a tolerant burrowing clam
Authors: Gurr Samuel J. , Wanamaker Shelly A. , Vadopalas Brent , Roberts Steven B. , Putnam Hollie M.
Published: May 2021

Although low levels of thermal stress, irradiance and dietary restriction can have beneficial effects for many taxa, stress acclimation remains little studied in marine invertebrates, even though they are threatened by climate change stressors such as ocean acidification. To test the role of life-stage and stress-intensity dependence in eliciting enhanced tolerance under subsequent stress encounters, we initially conditioned pediveliger Pacific geoduck (Panopea generosa) larvae to ambient and moderately elevated PCO2 (920 µatm and 2800 µatm, respectively) for 110 days. Then, clams were exposed to ambient, moderate or severely elevated PCO2 (750, 2800 or 4900 µatm, respectively) for 7 days and, following 7 days in ambient conditions, a 7-day third exposure to ambient (970 µatm) or moderate PCO2 (3000 µatm). Initial conditioning to moderate PCO2 stress followed by second and third exposure to severe and moderate PCO2 stress increased respiration rate, organic biomass and shell size, suggesting a stress-intensity-dependent effect on energetics. Additionally, stress-acclimated clams had lower antioxidant capacity compared with clams under ambient conditions, supporting the hypothesis that stress over postlarval-to-juvenile development affects oxidative status later in life. Time series and stress intensity-specific approaches can reveal life-stages and magnitudes of exposure, respectively, that may elicit beneficial phenotypic variation.