bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of tussock grasses removal on soil water content dynamics of a tropical mountain hillslope
Authors: Montenegro‐Díaz Paola , Ochoa‐Sánchez Ana , Célleri Rolando
Published: September 2019

Land use impacts on soil water content (SWC) are scarcely studied in mountain humid ecosystems, such as the Andean páramos, despite its influence on ecohydrological processes. Our objective was to analyze the impacts of extensive grazing on SWC of an Andean páramo hillslope with native tussock grasses. Along two parallel transects in a hillslope, we monitored SWC through pairs of SWC sensors placed at different soil depths (Ah horizon= 10 –35 cm; C horizon= 65 – 75 cm). The tussock grasses were cutout from one transect (Experimental) as an emulation of extensive grazing (without soil destruction), whereas the second transect (Control) remained intact. Both transects were hourly monitored for 10 months (post‐intervention period). Post‐intervention period was compared with a pre‐intervention period of similar precipitation characteristics to minimize the influence of precipitation in the interpretation of the results. We analyzed both periods through differences in SWC between the pairs of sensors (Experimental minus Control) and differences in SWC dynamic of the pairs of sensors through linear regressions (slope and intercept values). Results suggest that the emulation did not change the mean SWC, but caused a reduction of SWC dynamic. Causes of SWC attenuation were a lower interception and transpiration, a higher amount of effective rainfall infiltrated, and similar evaporation from the soil than under unchanged conditions. These observations were done at all the soil depths. Probably, extensive grazing does not negatively affect the hydrological functioning of páramo ecosystems, particularly its water yield, as long as the soil remains undisturbed.
Impact of environmental factors on heart failure decompensations
Authors: Escolar Vanessa , Lozano Ainara , Larburu Nekane , Kerexeta Jon , Álvarez Roberto , Juez Benjamín , Echebarria Amaia , Azcona Alberto , Artola Garazi
Published: September 2019

Aims

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome caused by a structural and/or functional cardiac abnormality, resulting in a reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures at rest or during stress. This disease often causes decompensations, which may lead to hospital admissions, deteriorating patients' quality of life and causing an increment on the healthcare cost. Environmental exposure is an important but underappreciated risk factor contributing to the development and severity of cardiovascular diseases, such as HF.

Methods and results

We used two different sets of data (January 2012 to August 2017): one related to the number of hospital admissions and the other one related to the environmental factors (weather and air quality). Admissions related data were grouped in weeks, and then two different studies were performed: (i) a univariate regression to determine whether the admissions may influence future hospitalizations prediction and (ii) a multivariate regression to determine the impact of environmental factors on admission rates. A total number of 8338 hospitalizations of 5343 different patients are available in this dataset, with a mean of 4.02 admissions per day. In European warm period (from June to October), there are significant less admissions than that in the cold period (from December to March), with a clear seasonality of admissions, because there is a similar pattern every year. Air temperature is the most significant environmental factor (r = −0.3794, P < 0.001) related to HF hospital admissions, showing an inversed correlation. Some other attributes, such as precipitation (r = 0.0795, P = 0.05), along with SO2 (precursor of acid rain) (r = 0.2692, P < 0.001) and NOX air (major air pollutant formed by combustion systems and motor vehicles) (r = 0.2196, P < 0.001) quality parameters, are also relevant. Humidity and PM10 parameters do not have significant correlations in this study (r = 0.0469 and r = −0.0485 respectively), neither relevant P‐values (P = 0.238 and P = 0.324, respectively).

Conclusions

Several environmental factors, such as weather temperature and precipitation, and major air pollutants, such as SO2 and NOX air, have an impact on the HF‐related hospital admissions rate and, hence, on HF decompensations and patient's quality of life.
Texture Development and Grain Alignment of Hot‐Pressed Tetradymite Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3 via Powder Molding
Authors: Wang Hongxiang , Xiong Chenglong , Luo Guoqiang , Hu Haoyang , Yu Bo , Shao Hezhu , Tan Xiaojian , Xu Jingtao , Liu Guoqiang , Noudem Jacques Guillaume , Jiang Jun
Published: September 2019

Bi2Te3‐based materials possess excellent thermoelectric (TE) properties near room temperature. The microstructure's orientations of these materials have a great influence on their properties owing to the lamellar structure. Herein, a process for the preparation of bismuth telluride, named hot‐pressing texture (HPT) where the hot‐pressed (HP) samples are preformed by powder molding, leads to the fine alignment of grains. The orientation factor of the HPT sample is improved by 20%, compared with that of the HP sample. After further carrier concentration optimization, the improved ZT of 1.1 at 350 K is achieved, with an average ZT of 0.9 between 300 and 500 K. Herein, it is shown that the proposed preparation process is an effective strategy for the fabrication of layered materials.
Non‐native species are a global issue for marine protected areas
Authors: Iacarella Josephine C , Saheed Dominique , Dunham Anya , Ban Natalie C
Published: September 2019

The global extent of marine protected areas (MPAs) is increasing as nations strive to meet UN conservation targets, yet non‐native species (NNS) are a critically overlooked stressor that threatens MPA conservation goals. Despite evidence that marine NNS affect protected species and habitats, there is limited understanding of the pervasiveness of this threat and the extent to which resource managers are responding to it. We disseminated a questionnaire targeting MPA practitioners and scientists to determine the overall state of knowledge and perception of NNS in MPAs. We received 151 responses from individuals in 47 countries and territories, including a total of 116 MPAs of which 73 were reported to have NNS present. Although NNS are a prevalent issue in MPAs and are the subject of some monitoring, management, and research, preventative measures are largely absent, so that more focused attention on NNS will be required to achieve conservation goals.
Lake‐type controls on sedimentary infill and petroleum source rocks in the Palaeogene Fushan Depression, Beibuwan Basin, South China
Authors: Jin Siding , Wang Hua , Cao Haiyang , Gan Huajun , Chen Shanbin
Published: September 2019

The lacustrine Beibuwan Basin contained large petroleum reserves in the northern continental shelf of the South China Sea. Due to the great sedimentologic complexity of the lacustrine basins, a significant financial risk associated with exploration needed to be reduced by specific techniques or significantly increasing knowledge of the lake system. Sedimentary infill, sequence stratigraphy, and organic geochemistry of the Fushan Depression in the Beibuwan Basin were studied, and enhanced our comprehension of the genetic relations between the sediment + water supply rates (climate change) and potential accommodation (tectonic subsidence and inherited topography) change. Here, we report two different lake‐type evolution cycles developed in two separated sags in the Fushan Depression, which are characterized by: (a) overfilled, (b) balanced‐fill, (c) overfilled, (d) balanced‐fill, and (e) overfilled in the Huangtong Sag, and (a) overfilled, (b) balanced‐fill, and (c) overfilled in the Bailian Sag and the centre Huachang Transfer Zone. Climate change is the dominant factor in the first three phases of the lake‐type evolution in both two sags, and transtensional tectonic setting is the controlling factor in the fourth and fifth phases of the lake‐type evolution in the Huangtong Sag. The same lake‐type with similar source rock and reservoir properties and observations indicate that these associations of source rock and reservoir play elements occur in a wide variety of tectonic settings. Moreover, the discovery of the cyclical process of the lake‐type evolution in the Fushan Depression can be a reference in the study of other similar lacustrine basins under an analogous tectonic and climate background.
Tactics of speaking up: The roles of issue importance, perceived managerial openness, and managers' positive mood
Authors: Xu Erica , Huang Xu , Ouyang Kan , Liu Wu , Hu Saiquan
Published: September 2019

Extant voice research has focused mainly on the conditions under which employees speak up, but we have limited knowledge about how employees speak up. This study examines voice tactics or the various ways in which employees express concerns to or share suggestions with their managers. Based on the notion that voice is a deliberative behavior, we draw upon a cost–benefit framework and propose that voice tactics are influenced by messages' characteristics and managers' stable and temporal characteristics. Specifically, we examine the joint effects of issue importance, perceived managerial openness, and managers' positive mood on employees' public (vs. private) and formal (vs. informal) voice tactics. Across two independent studies, our findings demonstrate that employees tend to use public channels and formal procedures only when three conditions are met simultaneously: (a) the issue is important, (b) managers are perceived as being open to employees' voice, and (c) managers are in a positive mood at the time of voicing. In addition, we found that speaking up via public channels or formal procedures is positively related to the success of voice.
Importance of rainfall partitioning in a northern mixed forest canopy for soil water isotopic signatures in ecohydrological studies
Authors: Snelgrove Jenna R. , Buttle J.M. , Tetzlaff D.
Published: September 2019

The forest canopy can play a significant role in modifying the amount and isotopic composition of water during its passage throughout the near‐surface critical zone. Here, partitioning of gross rainfall into interception, throughfall, and stemflow and its implications for the amount and isotopic composition of soil water was studied for red oak, eastern white pine, and eastern hemlock trees in a northern hardwood‐conifer forest in south central Ontario, Canada. Stemflow production was greatest for red oak as a result of its upward‐projecting branches and least for eastern white pine due to its horizontal branches and rougher bark. These stemflow contributions to the near‐bole soil surface failed to produce consistently wetter soils relative to distal locations from the bole for all tree species. There was also no consistent evidence of isotopic enrichment of throughfall and stemflow relative to gross rainfall or of stemflow relative to throughfall for red oak or eastern hemlock. However, there was isotopic enrichment of both throughfall and stemflow for eastern white pine with increasing maximum atmospheric vapour pressure deficit, which may reflect the potential for evaporative fractionation as a result of retention and detention of water moving through the canopy by the rougher bark of this species. Dry soil conditions limited sampling of mobile soil water during the study, and there was no consistent evidence that either throughfall or stemflow fluxes controlled temporal changes in the isotopic signature of soil water beneath the tree. Thus, the potential for throughfall and stemflow fluxes in northern hardwood‐conifer forests to modify the isotopic composition of water taken up by the tree via transpiration remains an open question.
Pathological crystal imaging with single‐shot computational polarized light microscopy
Authors: Bai Bijie , Wang Hongda , Liu Tairan , Rivenson Yair , FitzGerald John , Ozcan Aydogan
Published: September 2019

Pathological crystal identification is routinely practiced in rheumatology for diagnosing arthritis disease such as gout, and relies on polarized light microscopy as the gold standard method used by medical professionals. Here, we present a single‐shot computational polarized light microscopy method that reconstructs the transmittance, retardance and slow‐axis orientation of a birefringent sample using a single image captured with a pixelated‐polarizer camera. This method is fast, simple‐to‐operate and compatible with all the existing standard microscopes without extensive or costly modifications. We demonstrated the success of our method by imaging three different types of crystals found in synovial fluid and reconstructed the birefringence information of these samples using a single image, without being affected by the orientation of individual crystals within the sample field‐of‐view. We believe this technique will provide improved sensitivity, specificity and speed, all at low cost, for clinical diagnosis of crystals found in synovial fluid and other bodily fluids.
Safety of wireless capsule endoscopy in patients with implantable cardiac devices
Authors: Kasia Christopher , Appannagari Anoop , Joshi Anjali , Venu Mukund
Published: September 2019

Background and Aim

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) has become an increasingly utilized imaging modality for the evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding. There is a paucity of data evaluating the safety and use of WCE in patients with implantable cardiac devices.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of all patients who had a WCE at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL, USA completed between January 2007 and December 2016 identified patients with internal cardiac devices and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Patient WCE footage was viewed in its entirety before creating a final report to ensure no gaps in footage and video quality.

Results

No patient complaints were documented during the 8‐h procedure duration, and there were no cardiac abnormalities noted on telemetry. There were no device‐related complications documented in the 30‐day postprocedure time period. Postprocedure analysis of the WCE recordings demonstrated no interference in WCE image quality (loss of images or gaps in video) or duration.

Conclusions

There is no significant interference between WCE and implantable cardiac devices, and it appears to be safe to use.
Synthesis and antitumor evaluation of some new derivatives and fused heterocyclic compounds derived from thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine
Authors: Hassan Aisha Y. , Sarg Marwa T. , El‐Sebaey Samiha A.
Published: September 2019

On the basis of the proven activity of thieno[2,3‐b]pyridines as anticancer, we have designed to synthesize a novel several heterocyclic compounds utilizing thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine as a skeleton through various chemical reactions. The synthesized compounds bear rings that are either directly attached to the thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine as in compounds 4 to 6 and 9 or connected through an amide bridge as compounds 2, 3a‐b, 7, and 8. As well as, compounds 10, 12 to 28, 30, 31, and 33 to 36 bear fused rings to the thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine backbone. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antiproliferative activity in vitro against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG‐2) and breast cancer (MCF‐7) compared with the standard drug (doxorubicin). Compounds 3b, 4, 6, 22, and 28 exhibited promising growth inhibitory effect toward both HepG‐2 and MCF‐7 cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 5.88 to 11.70 μg/mL and 9.64 to 15.10 μg/mL, respectively.
Impact of pregravid obesity on maternal and fetal immunity: Fertile grounds for reprogramming
Authors: Sureshchandra Suhas , Marshall Nicole E , Messaoudi Ilhem
Published: September 2019

Maternal pregravid obesity results in several adverse health outcomes during pregnancy, including increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placental abruption, and complications at delivery. Additionally, pregravid obesity and in utero exposure to high fat diet have been shown to have detrimental effects on fetal programming, predisposing the offspring to adverse cardiometabolic, endocrine, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. More recently, a deeper appreciation for the modulation of offspring immunity and infectious disease-related outcomes by maternal pregravid obesity has emerged. This review will describe currently available animal models for studying the impact of maternal pregravid obesity on fetal immunity and review the data from clinical and animal model studies. We also examine the burden of pregravid obesity on the maternal–fetal interface and the link between placental and systemic inflammation. Finally, we discuss future studies needed to identify key mechanistic underpinnings that link maternal inflammatory changes and fetal cellular reprogramming events.
Association between periodontal status and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Korean adult population: A nationwide cross‐sectional study
Authors: Shin Hye‐Sun
Published: September 2019

Background

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal status and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) indicators in a representative Korean population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 4061 participants >19 years of age using the 2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Periodontal status was assessed by trained dentists using the community periodontal index. To identify the presence of NAFLD, biochemical data were defined using two validated indicators: the fatty liver index (FLI) and the hepatic steatosis index (HSI). The associations of the presence of periodontal pockets with FLI and HSI were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, income, education level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.

Results

The adjusted means in the FLI indicator increased in the presence of periodontal pockets, whereas there was no significant difference in the HSI (P = 0.005 for FLI; P = 0.142 for HSI). Periodontal pockets were consistently associated with the two NAFLD indicators in the sequential logistic models for women throughout the adjustment process. (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.05 to 2.98 for FLI, OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.51 for HSI).

Conclusions

Our findings showed that the presence of periodontal pockets may be independently associated with NAFLD indicators. Further study will be clarified by well‐designed longitudinal studies.
MiR‐22 restrains proliferation of rheumatoid arthritis by targeting IL6R and may be concerned with the suppression of NF‐κB pathway
Authors: Yang Qing‐Yi , Yang Kai‐Peng , Li Zhi‐Zhou
Published: September 2019

It has demonstrated that miR‐22 overexpression can suppress the inflammation process of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in synoviocytes. But, the underlying mechanism of miR‐22 expression in regulating RA is still not well illustrated. In this study, we investigated the functional role and underlying mechanism of miR‐22 in regulating RA. Human RA fibroblast‐like synoviocyte (FLS) cell line MH7A cells was transfected by miR‐22 mimic and its control. CCK8 was utilized to detect cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. MH7A cells stimulating with interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) were transfected with miR‐22 mimic. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and western blot assays were utilized to detect mRNA and protein expression. miR‐22 targets were predicted and validated by Targetscan and luciferase reporter assay. We revealed that miR‐22 showed downregulated expression in MH7A after stimulation with IL‐1β. Additionally, miR‐22 overexpression suppressed the proliferation and facilitated apoptosis in MH7A cells. IL6R was a target of miR‐22. Besides, miR‐22 overexpression inhibited the expression of IL6R and also suppressed inflammatory pathway NF‐κB. These results indicated that miR‐22 overexpression could restrain the activity of inflammation cells in RA by targeting IL6R and might be concerned with the inhibition of NF‐κB pathway.
Power loss characteristics analysis of slipper pair in axial piston pump considering thermoelastohydrodynamic deformation
Authors: Hesheng Tang , Yan Ren , Jiawei Xiang
Published: September 2019

The power loss characteristics of slipper pair in an axial piston pump considering the thermoelastohydrodynamic deformation are investigated based on a transient power loss model. The simulation results indicate that the leakage power loss of the slipper pair increases with increasing the thermoelastohydrodynamic deformation. The viscous friction power loss decreases with an increase in the thermoelastohydrodynamic pressure. The viscous friction becomes sufficiently large under the influence of slipper surface roughness that it leads to an increase in viscous friction power loss. The pump displacement decreases with increasing the leakage rate and results in higher leakage power loss and higher friction power loss. To achieve minimum power loss in the slipper, an objective optimization study using Newton's method is applied to calculate structural parameters such as slipper inner diameter, slipper outer diameter, and orifice diameter. The proposed structural parameter optimization can be used as theoretical evidence for slipper pair design.
Soluble Telechelic Polycondensation Poly(ether ketones): Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Benhalima Abdelkader , Furtos Alexandra , Brisson Josée
Published: September 2019

The present article reports the synthesis of soluble, propyl‐substituted aromatic ring telechelic polycondensation blocks having molecular weights ranging from 1800 to 6500 g mol−1and polymolecularities of 1.3 to 1.7. Chain‐growth polycondensation is performed, and the initiator is selected through reactivity studies, using19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. Gel permeation chromatography, NMR spectroscopy, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry show that blocks are terminated by a methoxy group at one end and a fluorine atom at the other. Polymers are crystalline as synthesized, as shown by X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, do not recrystallize once melted, and undergo solvent‐induced crystallization. Crystalline peak positions and relative intensities are different from those observed for other poly(ether ketones). The difference in crystal form is proposed to stem from packing disruption related to the presence of propyl substituents. Thermogravimetry shows a good thermal resistance up to 450 °C.
Strain‐Sensitive Performance of a Tough and Ink‐Writable Polyacrylic Acid Ionic Gel Crosslinked by Carboxymethyl Cellulose
Authors: Jin Shuping , Qiu Jianhui , Sun Manxi , Huang Hongjian , Sakai Eiichi
Published: September 2019

A tough polyacrylic acid ionic gel is obtained using carboxymethyl cellulose as a crosslinker and KCl as a conductive ions donor. The polymerization process is initiated by ceric ammonium nitrate and triggered by visible light, which can be employed as a facile 3D printing process to fabricate arbitrary gel architectures. Curling macromolecular crosslinker and plentiful hydrogen bonds among polymers endow the ionic gel with superior mechanical performance including high tensile strength (≈1.33 MPa), large elongation (>8 times), high toughness (≈5.11 MJ m−3), and good self‐recovery property. Importantly, the ionic gel can be assembled into a flexible strain sensor to precisely monitor the diverse human body motions in real time, that is, joints bending and muscle contraction, by recording the capacitance variation. This strain‐sensitive performance, which can recover even after 1000 successive cycles, should enable the detection of body action and provide a potential application in health‐care monitoring or human–computer user interfaces.
Laryngeal Electromyography and Botulinum Toxin Injection in Exercise‐Induced Laryngeal Obstruction
Authors: Rebours Céleste , Brasnu Daniel , Le Garrec Sébastien , Ayache Denis , Mailly Marie
Published: September 2019

View Supplementary Video 1
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms
Authors: Brune Alexander , Thomsen Martin , Watrin Christoph
Published: September 2019

This study simultaneously distinguishes between private family firms, private nonfamily firms, public family firms, and public nonfamily firms. We show that private family firms avoid taxes less than public family firms and public nonfamily firms; however, we do not find a difference between private family firms and private nonfamily firms. Therefore, building on family firm heterogeneity, our results indicate that tax avoidance in private family firms differs depending on the involvement of nonfamily owners and/or managers. We find that private family firms that are wholly owned and managed by family members indeed avoid taxes less than private nonfamily firms.
Intronic (TTTGA)n insertion in SAMD12 also causes familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy
Authors: Cen Zhidong , Chen You , Yang Dehao , Zhu Qingchen , Chen Si , Chen Xinhui , Wang Bo , Xie Fei , Ouyang Zhiyuan , Jiang Zhengwen , Fu Aisi , Hu Ben , Yin Houmin , Qiu Xia , Yu Feng , Du Xiaoping , Hao Weicheng , Liu Yuxi , Wang Haotian , Wang Lebo , Yu Xiafei , Xiao Yichuan , Liu Chunyu , Xiao Jianfeng , Zhou Yongxing , Yang Wei , Zhang Baorong , Luo Wei
Published: September 2019

Background

Intronic (TTTCA)n insertions in the SAMD12, TNRC6A, and RAPGEF2 genes have been identified as causes of familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy.

Objective

To identify the cause of familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy pedigrees without (TTTCA)n insertions in SAMD12, TNRC6A, and RAPGEF2.

Methods

Repeat‐primed polymerase chain reaction, long‐range polymerase chain reaction, and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the existence of a novel (TTTGA)n insertion. Targeted long‐read sequencing was performed to confirm the accurate structure of the (TTTGA)n insertion.

Results

We identified a novel expanded intronic (TTTGA)n insertion at the same site as the previously reported (TTTCA)n insertion in SAMD12. This insertion cosegregated with familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy in 1 Chinese pedigree with no (TTTCA)n insertion. In the targeted long‐read sequencing of 2 patients and 1 asymptomatic carrier in this pedigree, with 1 previously reported (TTTCA)n‐insertion–carrying patient as a positive control, a respective total of 302, 159, 207, and 50 on‐target subreads (predicated accuracy: ≥90%) spanning the target repeat expansion region were generated. These sequencing data revealed the accurate repeat expansion structures as (TTTTA)114‐123(TTTGA)108‐116 in the pedigree and (TTTTA)38(TTTCA)479 in (TTTCA)n‐insertion–carrying patient.

Conclusion

The targeted long‐read sequencing helped us to elucidate the accurate structures of the (TTTGA)n and (TTTCA)n insertions. Our finding offers a novel possible cause for familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy and might shed light on the identification of genetic causes of this disease in pedigrees with no detected (TTTCA)n insertion in the reported causative genes. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
The uptake of family screening in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and an online video intervention to facilitate family communication
Authors: Harris Stephanie , Cirino Allison L. , Carr Christina W. , Tafessu Hiwot M. , Parmar Siddharth , Greenberg Jeffrey O. , Szent‐Gyorgyi Lara E. , Ghazinouri Roya , Glowny Michelle G. , McNeil Kara , Kaynor Efthalia F. , Neumann Catherine , Seidman Christine E. , MacRae Calum A. , Ho Carolyn Y. , Lakdawala Neal K.
Published: September 2019

Background

Individuals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), even when asymptomatic, are at‐risk for sudden cardiac death and stroke from arrhythmias, making it imperative to identify individuals affected by this familial disorder. Consensus guidelines recommend that first‐degree relatives (FDRs) of a person with HCM undergo serial cardiovascular evaluations.

Methods

We determined the uptake of family screening in patients with HCM and developed an online video intervention to facilitate family communication and screening. Family screening and genetic testing data were collected through a prospective quality improvement initiative, a standardized clinical assessment and management plan (SCAMP), utilized in an established cardiovascular genetics clinic. Patients were prescribed an online video if screening of their FDRs was incomplete and a pilot study on video utilization and family communication was conducted.

Results

Two‐hundred and sixteen probands with HCM were enrolled in SCAMP Phase I and 190 were enrolled in SCAMP Phase II. In both phases, probands reported that 51% of FDRs had been screened (382/749 in Phase I, 258/504 in Phase II). Twenty patients participated in a pilot study on video utilization and family communication. Nine participants reported watching the video and six participants reported sharing the video with relatives; however only one participant reported sharing the video with relatives who were not yet aware of the diagnosis of HCM in the family.

Conclusion

Despite care in a specialized cardiovascular genetics clinic, approximately one half of FDRs of patients with HCM remained unscreened. Online interventions and videos may serve as supplemental tools for patients communicating genetic risk information to relatives.
Whole‐exome sequencing provides insights into monogenic disease prevalence in Northwest Russia
Authors: Barbitoff Yury A. , Skitchenko Rostislav K. , Poleshchuk Olga I. , Shikov Anton E. , Serebryakova Elena A. , Nasykhova Yulia A. , Polev Dmitrii E. , Shuvalova Anna R. , Shcherbakova Irina V. , Fedyakov Mikhail A. , Glotov Oleg S. , Glotov Andrey S. , Predeus Alexander V.
Published: September 2019

Background

Allele frequency data from large exome and genome aggregation projects such as the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) are of ultimate importance to the interpretation of medical resequencing data. However, allele frequencies might significantly differ in poorly studied populations that are underrepresented in large‐scale projects, such as the Russian population.

Methods

In this work, we leveraged our access to a large dataset of 694 exome samples to analyze genetic variation in the Northwest Russia. We compared the spectrum of genetic variants to the dbSNP build 151, and made estimates of ClinVar‐based autosomal recessive (AR) disease allele prevalence as compared to gnomAD r. 2.1.

Results

An estimated 9.3% of discovered variants were not present in dbSNP. We report statistically significant overrepresentation of pathogenic variants for several Mendelian disorders, including phenylketonuria (PAH, rs5030858), Wilson's disease (ATP7B, rs76151636), factor VII deficiency (F7, rs36209567), kyphoscoliosis type of Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome (FKBP14, rs542489955), and several other recessive pathologies. We also make primary estimates of monogenic disease incidence in the population, with retinal dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and phenylketonuria being the most frequent AR pathologies.

Conclusion

Our observations demonstrate the utility of population‐specific allele frequency data to the diagnosis of monogenic disorders using high‐throughput technologies.
Ground state solutions for a class of gauged Schrödinger equations with subcritical and critical exponential growth
Authors: Shen Liejun
Published: September 2019

We study a class of gauged nonlinear Schrödinger equations

where ω,λ>0 and

Under some suitable assumptions on f with critical exponential growth, we obtain a positive ground state solution by the non‐Nehari manifold method. When f(u) has subcritical exponential growth, we prove the existence of a positive ground state solution by using a new approach. Our results generalize and improve the ones in Ji‐Fang [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 450 (2017) 578‐591], Byeon et al [J. Funct. Anal. 263 (2012) 1575‐1608], and some other related literatures.
Eucalyptol Ameliorates Dysfunction of Actin Cytoskeleton Formation and Focal Adhesion Assembly in Glucose‐Loaded Podocytes and Diabetic Kidney
Authors: Kim Dong Yeon , Kang Min‐Kyung , Kim Yun‐Ho , Lee Eun‐Jung , Oh Hyeongjoo , Kim Soo‐Il , Oh Su Yeon , Kang Young‐Hee
Published: September 2019

Scope

Podocytes are a component of glomerular filtration barrier with interdigitating foot processes. The podocyte function depends on the dynamics of actin cytoskeletal and focal adhesion crucial for foot process structure. This study investigates the renoprotective effects of eucalyptol on the F‐actin cytoskeleton formation and focal adhesion assembly in glucose‐loaded podocytes and diabetic kidneys.

Methods and results

Eucalyptol at 1–20 µm reverses the reduction of cellular level of F‐actin, ezrin, cortactin, and Arp2/3 in 33 mm glucose‐loaded mouse podocytes, and oral administration of 10 mg kg–1 eucalyptol elevates tissue levels of actin cytoskeletal proteins reduced in db/db mouse kidneys. Eucalyptol inhibits podocyte morphological changes, showing F‐actin cytoskeleton formation in cortical regions and agminated F‐actin along the cell periphery. Eucalyptol induces focal adhesion proteins of paxillin, vinculin, talin1, FAK, and Src in glucose‐exposed podocytes and diabetic kidneys. Additionally, GTP‐binding Rac1, Cdc42, Rho A, and ROCK are upregulated in glucose‐stimulated podocytes and diabetic kidneys, which is attenuated by supplying eucalyptol. Rho A gene depletion partially diminishes GSK3β induction of podocytes by glucose.

Conclusion

Eucalyptol ameliorates F‐actin cytoskeleton formation and focal adhesion assembly through blockade of the Rho signaling pathway, entailing partial involvement of GSK3β, which may inhibit barrier dysfunction of podocytes and resultant proteinuria.
Design of a four‐element array for accurate direction of arrival estimation in phase interferometry systems
Authors: Yoo Sungjun , Byun Gangil , Park Seulgi , Ju Hyungjun , Shim Hongsuk , Chae Myoungho , Jung Kyung‐Young , Choo Hosung
Published: September 2019

This article proposes the design of a four‐element array antenna for the accurate direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of Global Positioning System (GPS) interference signals. The proposed array antenna has four individual antenna elements, and each element consists of a radiating patch on the upper layer and a feeding loop on the lower layer. The patch and loop are intentionally designed in a circular shape to obtain the symmetric current distributions on the radiators. The feeding loop is directly connected by two output ports of an external hybrid chip coupler, and the radiating patch is then electromagnetically coupled by near‐fields of the feeding loop. This feeding mechanism in the proposed structure allows for a more uniform current and H‐field distribution for phase characteristics of the radiation that are close to the ideal isotropic radiators in the azimuth angle. In addition, the high‐dielectric ceramic substrate is adopted to minimize the physical height of the antenna for the phase characteristics of the radiation close to the ideal isotropic radiators in elevation angles. To validate that the phase characteristics are similar to those of an ideal radiator, the DOA estimation performances are observed using a dual‐axis interferometry. The results demonstrate that the proposed four‐element array antenna with phase difference characteristics similar to those of an ideal radiator is suitable for the accurate DOA estimation of GPS interference signals.
Noninvasive imaging of renal urea handling by CEST‐MRI
Authors: Shin Soo Hyun , Wendland Michael F. , Zhang Brandon , Tran An , Tang Albert , Vandsburger Moriel H.
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Renal function is characterized by concentration of urea for removal in urine. We tested urea as a CEST‐MRI contrast agent for measurement of the concentrating capacity of distinct renal anatomical regions.

Methods

The CEST contrast of urea was examined using phantoms with different concentrations and pH levels. Ten C57BL/6J mice were scanned twice at 7 T, once following intraperitoneal injection of 2M 150 µL urea and separately following an identical volume of saline. Kidneys were segmented into regions encompassing the cortex, outer medulla, and inner medulla and papilla to monitor spatially varying urea concentration. Z‐spectra were acquired before and 20 minutes after injection, with dynamic scanning of urea handling performed in between via serial acquisition of CEST images acquired following saturation at +1 ppm.

Results

Phantom experiments revealed concentration and pH‐dependent CEST contrast of urea that was both acid‐ and base‐catalyzed. Z‐spectra acquired before injection showed significantly higher CEST contrast in the inner medulla and papilla (2.3% ± 1.9%) compared with the cortex (0.15% ± 0.75%, P = .011) and outer medulla (0.12% ± 0.58%, P = .008). Urea infusion increased CEST contrast in the inner medulla and papilla by 2.1% ± 1.9% (absolute), whereas saline infusion decreased CEST contrast by −0.5% ± 2.0% (absolute, P = .028 versus urea). Dynamic scanning revealed that thermal drift and diuretic status are confounding factors.

Conclusion

Urea CEST has a potential of monitoring renal function by capturing the spatially varying urea concentrating ability of the kidneys.
Reducing temperature errors in transcranial MR‐guided focused ultrasound using a reduced‐field‐of‐view sequence
Authors: Grissom William A. , Allen Steven
Published: September 2019

Purpose

To reduce temperature errors due to water motion in transcranial MR‐guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS) ablation.

Theory and Methods

In tcMRgFUS, water is circulated in the transducer bowl around the patient's head for acoustic coupling and heat removal. The water moves during sonications that are monitored by MR thermometry, which causes it to alias into the brain and create temperature errors. To reduce these errors, a two‐dimensional excitation pulse was implemented in a gradient‐recalled echo thermometry sequence. The pulse suppresses water signal by selectively exciting the brain only, which reduces the imaging FOV. Improvements in temperature precision compared to the conventional full‐FOV scan were evaluated in healthy subject scans outside the tcMRgFUS system, gel phantom scans in the system with heating, and in 2×‐accelerated head phantom scans in the system without heating.

Results

In vivo temperature precision (standard deviation of temperature errors) outside the tcMRgFUS system was improved 43% on average, due to the longer TR and TE of the reduced‐FOV sequence. In the phantom heating experiments, the hot spot was less distorted in the reduced‐FOV scans, and background temperature precision was improved 59% on average. In the accelerated head phantom temperature reconstructions, temperature precision was improved 89% using the reduced‐FOV sequence.

Conclusions

Reduced‐FOV temperature imaging alleviates temperature errors due to water bath motion in tcMRgFUS, and enables accelerated temperature mapping with greater precision.
Effects of Addition of Sucrose and Probiotics on Whiteleg Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Postlarvae Performance, Water Quality, and Microbial Community
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Yang Zhangwu , Zheng Guofu , Lin Qi , Zhuo Xiahuang , Zhang Gen
Published: September 2019

It has been reported that supplying a carbon source and probiotics improves water quality and animals in aquaculture systems. Most studies used molasses as a carbon source, which is a mixture of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. In the present study, sucrose and probiotics (Bacillus licheniformis; hereafter referred to by only the genus name “Bacillus”) were added in the culture media of 5-d-old postlarvae of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and then cultured for 20 d. The results showed that compared with the control concentrations of NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N, values were lower in treatments with sucrose and Bacillus, suggesting that water quality was improved and material circulation was promoted. Values of dissolved oxygen decreased, probably due to oxygen consumption during microbial growth and oxidation processes. Body length growth rate of whiteleg shrimp was significantly higher in treatments with sucrose and Bacillus compared with the control, which might result from an increased energy uptake from ingesting microorganisms. In comparison to the control, treatments with sucrose and Bacillus greatly influenced bacterial community structure. Among them, the proportion of Actinobacteria increased and that of Proteobacteria decreased. Actinomycetes can degrade organic compounds and produce a wide variety of antibiotics, vitamins, and enzymes, inhibiting growth of some pathogenic microorganisms. Proteobacteria includes many pathogenic bacteria. Changes in these two phyla suggest that the immunity of whiteleg shrimp might be enhanced in response to treatments. These results indicate that microorganism composition might be important to biofloc systems. Further investigations in this area would help guide aquaculture production.
Integrated Pest Management for Fouling Organisms on Boat Hulls
Authors: Culver Carolynn S. , Johnson Leigh T. , Page Henry M. , Dugan Jenifer E. , Santschi Christen A.
Published: September 2019

Boating is a major vector for aquatic invasive species that cause significant economic and ecological impacts, necessitating biofouling control that goes beyond simply maintaining boat operations. However, new regulations restricting the use of antifouling paints—a common control tactic along with hull cleaning—have not considered the consequences to invasive species management. As a result, there is a critical need for a biofouling control strategy that both protects water quality and minimizes invasive species transport. We compared recruitment of fouling organisms to experimental plates (1) treated with hull coatings after 1 month and, for copper-based paint, after 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month submersion times; (2) after application of California's in-water hull cleaning practices; and (3) among locations within and between geographically separated harbors. Copper-based paint was initially effective at reducing fouling but lost effectiveness over time and was fouled heavily within 12 months. On plates with copper-based paint, nonnative species typically recruited first and facilitated the recruitment of other species. Nontoxic coatings were readily fouled, and invasive species (Watersipora subatra and Hydroides spp.) settled more often on ceramic epoxy and/or siliconized epoxy (“slick”) coatings. Recruitment was higher in the harbor in the warmer water region. Depending on the harbor, W. subatra, Ciona spp., and Filograna implexa recruitment was correlated with water flow, the presence of conspecifics on the docks, or both factors. Strong seasonal recruitment was evident for Ciona spp., F. implexa, and Bugula neritina. Algae dominated the light-exposed surfaces of plates, and invertebrates dominated the shaded surfaces. California's hull cleaning practices did not stimulate fouling, which contradicted previous findings. Our findings informed the development of an integrated pest management framework for biofouling control on boat hulls that is adaptable to different regions and boater needs. This novel approach balances effective boat operations and protection of ecosystem health while simultaneously addressing water quality and invasive species transport.
Comparison of Panfish Catch and Retention by Four Modified Fyke-Net Designs
Authors: Krogman Rebecca M.
Published: September 2019

Modified fyke nets are commonly used across the USA for sampling littoral fish communities, including crappie Pomoxis spp., Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, Redear Sunfish L. microlophus, and other panfish, and are recommended for standard sampling in all lentic waters. Traditional modified fyke nets in Iowa differed from the American Fisheries Society standard in two primary ways: throat configuration and number of funnel-shaped throats. Given the historical data sets derived from traditional modified fyke nets and the reticence to convert to a net design with lesser catch rates, a formal evaluation of net designs was needed. Four combinations of throat configuration (square or restricted) and number of throats (one or two) were included in this study. To examine retention, all four net designs were stocked with fish and checked for retained fish the following day, enabling calculation of probability of retention and relative risk of escape. To examine catch efficiency and precision, nets were deployed in 13 southern Iowa lakes and reservoirs. Catch rates were compared using generalized linear mixed models predicting catch with net design. Net design was a significant factor affecting both retention and catch efficiency, with the traditional Iowa net consistently capturing and retaining as many or more fish than other net designs. The number of net sets needed to capture 125 fish of each species and to achieve a target precision level was also calculated for each net design; two-funneled designs minimized the necessary number of net sets for Bluegills, crappies, and Redear Sunfish. Considerations for standard modified fyke-net refinement include the addition of a second funnel and restriction of the cod end throat.
Staggered Taylor–Hood and Fortin elements for Stokes equations of pressure boundary conditions in Lipschitz domain
Authors: Du Zhijie , Duan Huoyuan , Liu Wei
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this paper is to develop a general theory on how the inf‐sup stable and convergent elements of the velocity Dirichlet boundary (VDB)‐Stokes problem with no‐slip VDB are still inf‐sup stable and convergent for the pressure Dirichlet boundary (PDB)‐Stokes problem with PDB in Lipschitz domain. The PDB‐Stokes problem in a Lipschitz domain usually only has a singular velocity solution which does not belong to (H1(Ω))2, sharply in contrast to the VDB‐Stokes problem whose velocity solution still belongs to (H1(Ω))2, and unexpectedly, some well‐known inf‐sup stable and convergent VDB‐Stokes elements may or may no longer correctly converge. It turns out that the inf‐sup condition of the PDB‐Stokes problem in Lipschitz domain relies on an unusual variational problem and requires adequate degrees of freedom on the domain boundary. In this paper we propose two families of staggered elements: staggered Taylor–Hood elements with ℓ ≥ 1 (continuous in both velocity and pressure) and staggered Fortin elements with m ≥ 1 (continuous in velocity and discontinuous in pressure) on triangles, for solving the PDB‐Stokes problem in Lipschitz domain. We show that the two families are inf‐sup stable and are correctly convergent for the non‐H1 singular velocity. Numerical results illustrate the proposed elements and the theoretical results.
Identification of Parameters using iterative Bi‐parabolic Target Functions
Authors: Nostitz Niklas , Hendrik Kröger Nils , Ihlemann Jörn
Published: September 2019

The Levenberg Marquardt algorithm [1] is a common choice for identification problems. While the construction of the residuals and therefore the target function is quite simple, the results are often superior. This changes if the final target consists out of several target values which affects each other to a not unique solution. The specification of so called border curves or error bands will improve the identification process. New ways to use this border curves and to construct a new target function will be shown.