bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seroprevalence and factors associated with IgG anti‐DENV positivity in blood donors in Burkina Faso during the 2016 dengue outbreak and implications for blood supply
Authors: Sawadogo Salam , Baguiya Adama , Yougbare Fiffou , Bicaba Brice Wilfried , Nebie Koumpingnin , Millogo Tieba , Kamba Ibrahim , Kaba Losseni , Sangare Lassana , Kafando Eléonore , Deneys Véronique
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Our study aimed to update the seroprevalence and factors associated with anti‐dengue virus (DENV) antibody positivity among blood donors and to discuss their implications for blood supply.

Background

Questions on the potential transmission of DENV by transfusion increased after the documentation of the risk of transmission of the West Nile virus. This risk was estimated after transfusion of DENV RNA‐positive blood units of up to 37.5%. In Burkina Faso, very few studies on DENV in blood donors have been conducted. As a result, there were no reliable data on DENV to allow the implementation of appropriate measures to control the risk of transmission of the dengue virus by blood transfusion.

Methods

We conducted a 4‐week cross‐sectional study from December 4 to 30, 2016. Blood donors of both genders, aged 18‐60 years, accepted for blood donation after medical selection were consecutively enrolled.

Results

Our study included a total of 1007 blood donors, in which donors living in urban areas represented 78.2%. The mean age was 26.1 ± 8.1 years. After adjustment in a multiple regression logistic model, the odds of having IgG anti‐DENV increased as age increased. The odds of DENV was 53% lower in rural areas (OR = 0.47; P = .000) compared to urban settings and 42% lower in mobile sites (OR = 0.58; P = .03) compared to fixed ones.

Conclusion

Our study provides new and useful insights for future research on the risk of TT‐DENV throughout blood transfusion.
Blood Donation – Incentives and Inducements: where to draw the line?
Authors: Flanagan Peter
Published: November 2019

The ISBT Code of Ethics (the Code) identifies that blood donation should be voluntary and non‐remunerated (VNRD). Blood Services need to ensure that sufficient suitable donors are available to meet the clinical needs of the patients and hospitals that they support. In an increasingly busy world, Blood Services need to compete with other organizations promoting community health and well‐being in order to achieve this. Promotional and marketing activities are utilized to both attract new donors and to encourage repeat donation from regular donors. In designing programmes to improve recruitment and retention of donors, consideration needs to be given to both the effectiveness of the intervention and also whether the activities might inadvertently breach the principles underpinning VNRD. The available evidence relating to the effectiveness of incentives to donation is limited and there is a need for more active research in this area.
Patching over Berkovich curves and quadratic forms
Authors: Mehmeti Vlerë
Published: November 2019

We extend field patching to the setting of Berkovich analytic geometry and use it to prove a local–global principle over function fields of analytic curves with respect to completions. In the context of quadratic forms, we combine it with sufficient conditions for local isotropy over a Berkovich curve to obtain applications on the$u$-invariant. The patching method we adapt was introduced by Harbater and Hartmann [Patching over fields, Israel J. Math.176(2010), 61–107] and further developed by these two authors and Krashen [Applications of patching to quadratic forms and central simple algebras, Invent. Math.178(2009), 231–263]. The results presented in this paper generalize those of Harbater, Hartmann, and Krashen [Applications of patching to quadratic forms and central simple algebras, Invent. Math.178(2009), 231–263] on the local–global principle and quadratic forms.
Modeling Bubble Motions by Underwater Explosion in a Centrifuge
Authors: Hu Jing , Chen Zuyu , Zhang Xuedong , Zhang Zitao , Liang Jianhui
Published: November 2019

Bubble oscillations generated by underwater explosions (UNDEX) can cause considerable damage to nearby marine vehicles or hydraulic structures as the energy inside the bubble is comparable to that of a shock wave. Since both compressibility and gravity affect the bubble impulse, it is not easy to reproduce the pulse pressure by experiments in vacuum tanks or pressurized tanks. This study presents the promising prospect of using a centrifuge to model bubble motion. Primarily, the influence of gravitational acceleration on bubble oscillation and migration is studied. Hypergravity is not only a necessary condition to satisfy the similarity of the Mach and Froude numbers but can also reduce the boundary effects and corresponding errors when modeling a bubble in a confined container. The scaling laws derived from the physical processes of bubble dynamics and the similarities in bubble shapes and migration are validated. Moreover, the main sources of possible errors for an UNDEX in a centrifuge are discussed to show the reliability of the results followed by suggestions for reducing the error in the physical modeling of an UNDEX event.
Evaluation of a Dynamic Transfer Matrix for a Hydraulic Turbine
Authors: Yamamoto Keita , Yonezawa Koichi , Müller Andres , Avellan François , Tsujimoto Yoshinobu
Published: November 2019

It is well known that hydraulic machines experience various types of flow instabilities causing a negative influence on the system under off-design operations. The transfer matrix method correlating the flow properties in upstream and downstream of hydraulic machines is widely adopted as a first step to investigate dynamical characteristics of flow. Transfer matrix elements are the key to understand hydraulic system stability. This study focuses on measurements of transfer matrix elements for a hydraulic turbine. The oscillations of the flowrate are produced by two flow exciters located in upstream and downstream of the turbine, and evaluated from the fluctuations of the pressure difference across two streamwise locations. It is shown that the transfer matrices are successfully evaluated at part load and full load operations in the presence and absence of cavitation. In particular, cavitation compliance and mass flow gain factor, which determine the dynamical response of cavitation to the change of pressure and flowrate, are calculated from the measured transfer matrix elements. The absolute value of both cavitation compliance and mass flow gain factor is found to increase with respect to the decrease of the cavitation number. The phase of the mass flow gain factor is delayed as the excitation frequency increases. This suggests that hydraulic systems may be stabilized when the oscillation frequency increases. As a result of stability analyses, it is demonstrated that the mass flow gain factor plays a crucial role, especially in the full load cavitation surge.
Direct Numerical Simulation of the Flow Through a Randomly Packed Pebble Bed
Authors: Yildiz Mustafa Alper , Botha Gerrit , Yuan Haomin , Merzari Elia , Kurwitz Richard C. , Hassan Yassin A.
Published: November 2019

The proposition for molten salt and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors has increased the focus on the dynamics and physics in randomly packed pebble beds. Research is being conducted on the validity of these designs as a possible contestant for the fourth-generation nuclear power systems. A detailed understanding of the coolant flow behavior is required in order to ensure proper cooling of the reactor core during normal and accident conditions. In order to increase the understanding of the flow through these complex geometries and enhance the accuracy of lower-fidelity modeling, high-fidelity approaches such as direct numerical simulation (DNS) can be utilized. Nek5000, a spectral-element computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, was used to develop DNS fluid flow data. The flow domain consisted of 147 pebbles enclosed by a bounding wall. In the work presented, the Reynolds numbers ranged from 430 to 1050 based on the pebble diameter and inlet velocity. Characteristics of the flow domain such as volume averaged porosity, axial porosity, and radial porosity were studied and compared with correlations available in the literature. Friction factors from the DNS results for all Reynolds numbers were compared with correlations in the literature. The first- and second-order statistics show good agreement with the available experimental data. Turbulence length scales were analyzed in the flow. Reynolds stress anisotropy was characterized by utilizing invariant analysis. Overall, the results of the analysis in this study provide deeper understanding of the flow behavior and the effect of the wall in packed beds.
In-Cylinder Temperature Measurements in a 55-cm3 Two-Stroke Engine Via Tunable Laser Absorption Spectroscopy
Authors: Ausserer Joseph K. , Polanka Marc D. , Deutsch Matthew J. , Baranski Jacob A. , Rein Keith D.
Published: November 2019

In-cylinder temperature is a critical quantity for modeling and understanding combustion dynamics in internal combustion engines (ICEs). It is difficult to measure in small, two-stroke engines due to high operational speeds and limited space to install instrumentation. Optical access was established in a 55-cm3 displacement two-stroke engine using M4 bolts as carriers for sapphire rods to establish a 1.5-mm diameter optical path through the combustion chamber. Temperature laser absorption spectroscopy was successfully used to measure time varying in-cylinder temperature clocked to the piston position with a resolution of 3.6 crank angle degrees (CAD) at 6000 rpm. The resulting temperature profiles clearly showed the traverse of the flame front and were qualitatively consistent with in-cylinder pressure, engine speed, and delivery ratio. The temperature measurements were compared to aggregate in-cylinder temperatures calculated using the ideal gas model using measured in-cylinder pressure and trapped mass calculated at exact port closure as inputs. The calculation was sensitive to the trapped mass determination, and the results show that using the ideal gas model for in-cylinder temperature calculations in heat flux models may fail to capture trends in actual in-cylinder temperature with changing engine operating conditions.
Bayesian analysis of paired-comparison sound quality ratings
Authors: Leijon Arne , Dahlquist Martin , Smeds Karolina
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a method to analyze paired-comparison data including either binary or graded ordinal responses, with or without ties. The proposed method can use either of two classical choice models: (1) Thurstone case V, which assumes a Gaussian distribution of the sensory variables underlying listener decisions, or (2) the Bradley-Terry-Luce (BTL) model, which assumes a logistic distribution. The analysis method was validated using simulated paired-comparison experiments with known distributions of the sound-quality parameters in the simulated population from which “participants” were generated at random. The validation indicated that the Thurstone and BTL models give similar results close to the true values. The estimated credibility of a quality difference was slightly higher with the BTL model. The analysis results showed dramatically better precision when the response data included graded ordinal judgments instead of binary responses. Allowing tied responses also tended to improve precision. The method was also applied to data from a real evaluation of hearing-aid programs. The analysis revealed clinically interesting results with high statistical credibility, although the amount of test data was limited.
Poor Sleep Quality’s Association With Soccer Injuries: Preliminary Data
Authors: Silva Andressa , Narciso Fernanda V. , Soalheiro Igor , Viegas Fernanda , Freitas Luísa S.N. , Lima Adriano , Leite Bruno A. , Aleixo Haroldo C. , Duffield Rob , de Mello Marco T.
Published: November 2019

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between sleep quality and quantity and injuries in elite soccer players and to compare sleep–wake variables and injury characteristics. Methods: The current investigation was a prospective cohort study of 23 elite male soccer players competing for 2 teams over 6 mo in the highest-level Brazilian competition. The players’ sleep behavior was monitored for 10 d in the preseason using self-reporting sleep diaries and wrist activity monitors to determine sleep duration and quality. Furthermore, injuries were recorded by the respective club’s medical teams into a specific database. Details of injuries recorded included the type, location, and severity of each injury. The results were expressed as descriptive statistics, and the significance level was set at 5%. The Mann–Whitney U test was performed to compare the sleep variables between groups. Spearman correlation coefficient and linear-regression analysis were used. Results: The results indicated a moderate negative correlation between sleep efficiency and particular injury characteristics, including absence time, injury severity, and amount of injuries. The linear-regression analysis indicated that 44% of the total variance in the number of injuries can be explained by sleep efficiency, 24% of the total variance in the absence time after injury (days) can be explained by sleep efficiency, and 47% of the total variance in the injury severity can be explained by sleep efficiency. Conclusions: Soccer players who exhibit lower sleep quality or nonrestorative sleep show associations with increased number and severity of musculoskeletal injuries.
Protective Effect of the Golden Staphyloxanthin Biosynthesis Pathway on Staphylococcus aureus under Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment
Authors: Yang Yi , Wang Hao , Zhou Huyue , Hu Zhen , Shang Weilong , Rao Yifan , Peng Huagang , Zheng Ying , Hu Qiwen , Zhang Rong , Luo Haiyun , Rao Xiancai
Published: November 2019

Staphylococcus aureus
is an important pathogen that can be widely distributed in the community and clinical settings. The emergence of
S. aureus
with multiple-antibiotic resistance has complicated staphylococcal infection control. The development of alternative strategies with powerful bactericidal effects is urgently needed. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising strategy for microorganism inactivation. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of microbial inactivation or resistance are not completely illustrated. In this study, we validated the bactericidal effects of CAP on
S. aureus
, including antibiotic-resistant strains. We also found that the golden staphyloxanthin, as well as its yellow pigment intermediates, protected
S. aureus
against CAP, and blocking the staphyloxanthin synthesis pathway at the early steps could strengthen the sensitivity of
S. aureus
to CAP treatment. These data provide insights into the germicidal mechanism of CAP from the aspect of bacteria and suggest new targets against
S. aureus
infections.
Understanding and Eliminating the Detrimental Effect of Thiamine Deficiency on the Oleaginous Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica
Authors: Walker Caleb , Ryu Seunghyun , Giannone Richard J. , Garcia Sergio , Trinh Cong T.
Published: November 2019

Thiamine plays a crucial role as an essential cofactor for enzymes involved in carbon and energy metabolism in all living cells. Thiamine deficiency has detrimental consequences for cellular health.
Yarrowia lipolytica
, a nonconventional oleaginous yeast with broad biotechnological applications, is a native thiamine auxotroph whose affected cellular metabolism is not well understood. Therefore,
Y. lipolytica
is an ideal eukaryotic host for the study of thiamine metabolism, especially because mammalian cells are also thiamine auxotrophic and thiamine deficiency is implicated in several human diseases. This study elucidates the fundamental effects of thiamine deficiency on cellular metabolism in
Y. lipolytica
and identifies genes and novel thiamine-regulated elements that eliminate thiamine auxotrophy in
Y. lipolytica
. Furthermore, the discovery of thiamine-regulated elements enables the development of thiamine biosensors with useful applications in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Unusual Metabolism and Hypervariation in the Genome of a Gracilibacterium (BD1-5) from an Oil-Degrading Community
Authors: Sieber Christian M. K. , Paul Blair G. , Castelle Cindy J. , Hu Ping , Tringe Susannah G. , Valentine David L. , Andersen Gary L. , Banfield Jillian F.
Published: November 2019

CPR bacteria are generally predicted to be symbionts due to their extensive biosynthetic deficits. Although monophyletic, they are not monolithic in terms of their lifestyles. The organism described here appears to have evolved an unusual metabolic platform not reliant on glucose or pentose sugars. Its biology appears to be centered around bacterial host-derived compounds and/or cell detritus. Amino acids likely provide building blocks for nucleic acids, peptidoglycan, and protein synthesis. We resolved an unusual repeat region that would be invisible without genome curation. The nucleotide sequence is apparently under strong diversifying selection, but the amino acid sequence is under stabilizing selection. The amino acid repeat also occurs in a surface protein of a coexisting bacterium, suggesting colocation and possibly interdependence.
Staphylococcus aureus Exploits the Host Apoptotic Pathway To Persist during Infection
Authors: Winstel Volker , Schneewind Olaf , Missiakas Dominique
Published: November 2019

Caspase-3 controls the apoptotic pathway, a form of programmed cell death designed to be immunologically silent. Polymorphisms leading to reduced caspase-3 activity are associated with variable effects on tumorigenesis and yet arise frequently.
Staphylococcus aureus
is a human commensal and a frequent cause of soft tissue and bloodstream infections. Successful commensalism and virulence can be explained by the secretion of a plethora of immune evasion factors. One such factor, AdsA, destroys phagocytic cells by exploiting the apoptotic pathway. However, human
CASP3
variants with loss-of-function alleles shield phagocytes from AdsA-mediated killing. This finding raises the possibility that some caspase-3 alleles may arise from exposure to
S. aureus
and other human pathogens that exploit the apoptotic pathway for infection.
High-Risk International Clones of Carbapenem-Nonsusceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa Endemic to Indonesian Intensive Care Units: Impact of a Multifaceted Infection Control Intervention Analyzed at the Genomic Level
Authors: Pelegrin Andreu Coello , Saharman Yulia Rosa , Griffon Aurélien , Palmieri Mattia , Mirande Caroline , Karuniawati Anis , Sedono Rudyanto , Aditianingsih Dita , Goessens Wil H. F. , van Belkum Alex , Verbrugh Henri A. , Klaassen Corné H. W. , Severin Juliëtte A.
Published: November 2019

In low-to-middle-income countries such as Indonesia, work in intensive care units (ICUs) can be hampered by lack of resources. Conducting large epidemiological studies in such settings using genomic tools is rather challenging. Still, we were able to systematically study the transmissions of carbapenem-nonsusceptible strains of
P. aeruginosa
(CNPA) within and between ICUs, before and after an infection control intervention. Our data show the importance of the broad dissemination of the internationally recognized CNPA clones, the relevance of environmental reservoirs, and the mixed effects of the implemented intervention; it led to a profound change in the clonal make-up of CNPA, but it did not reduce the patients’ risk of CNPA acquisitions. Thus, CNPA epidemiology in Indonesian ICUs is part of a global expansion of multiple CNPA clones that remains difficult to control by infection prevention measures.
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism
Authors: Saha Soma , Madan Karan , Jain Deepali , Goswami Ravinder
Published: November 2019

Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IH) and autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) are rare disorders. A patient with IH and optimal calcaemic control on calcium and alfacalcidol was detected to have PAP after 8 years of follow-up. Patient had no respiratory complaints. Routine abdominal imaging for renal calcification showed patchy ground glass opacities in the lower lung fields leading to incidental diagnosis of PAP. Pulmonary function tests showed impaired diffusion capacity of the lung. Anti-granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor autoantibodies were positive. Patient regularly attended the pulmonary clinic and showed progressive improvement in diffusion capacity of the lung during 2 years of follow-up. The calcaemic control in IH remained stable despite its presence with PAP. The autoimmune PAP in the presented case suggests a possible autoimmune basis of IH.
Resolution of group B streptococcal panspinal epidural abscess in a patient with diabetes after treatment with ceftriaxone and linezolid
Authors: Wen David , Norman James , Dassan Pooja , Sandhu Gurjinder
Published: November 2019

Panspinal epidural abscesses are an extremely rare yet potentially fatal condition. Whether cases are best managed surgically or medically is currently controversial. A 63-year-old patient with diabetes presented initially with abdominal pain, back pain, urinary retention and constipation. He subsequently developed fevers, radicular pain and new-onset weakness in the right leg. MRI confirmed a panspinal epidural abscess extending from C7 to L5, with group BStreptococcus(GBS) cultured on sampling. Due to the significant risks of surgery he was managed conservatively, initially with ceftriaxone, and subsequently in combination with linezolid. Repeat MRI 3 months after presentation revealed complete resolution of the abscess. This case illustrates how conservative management is a valid option for patients with this condition, and supports the use of synergistic linezolid in this scenario. It also highlights how some cases may not initially present with the classically described triad of fever, back pain and loss of neurological function.
Working conditions and compensated sickness absence among nurses and care assistants in Sweden during two decades: a cross-sectional biennial survey study
Authors: Marklund Staffan , Gustafsson Klas , Aronsson Gunnar , Leineweber Constanze , Helgesson Magnus
Published: November 2019

Objectives

The aims of the study were to trace the patterns of work environment factors and compensated sickness absence (SA) among nurses and care assistants compared with other occupations and to compare SA among exposed and non-exposed nurses and care assistants.

Design

A cross-sectional survey on work environment factors based on the biennial Swedish Work Environment Surveys 1991–2013, linked to longitudinal register data on SA 1993–2014.

Participants

The study included 98 249 individuals, stratified into nurses and care assistants (n=16 179) and a reference population including all other occupations (n=82 070).

Outcome measure

Annual days of compensated SA (>14 days) 3 years after exposure years.

Results

Nurses and care assistants had higher SA in 1993–2014 compared with all other occupations, and differences in background factors only partly explained this relationship. For both groups, exposure to physical work factors remained steady, but the number of exposed were 10%–30% higher among nurses and care assistants. Those exposed to heavy physical work and strenuous working postures had in most years significantly higher SA when compared with non-exposed (rate ratio range: 1.4–1.9). Exposure to high job demands increased 10%–25% in 1991–1999 among nurses and care assistants but became more stable in 2001–2013 and high proportions of high job demands coincided with the increase in SA in 1995–1999. Nurses and care assistants exposed to high job demands had for most years significantly higher SA than non-exposed (rate ratio range: 1.5–2.1). Low job control and low support from supervisors elevated SA significantly only for a few years.

Conclusions

Exposure to negative work factors among nurses and care assistants was weakly associated with variations in SA, but may be related to their higher level of SA when compared with other occupations. Improved physical and psychosocial working conditions may reduce the elevated SA level in these occupations.
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk screening model in community pharmacies in a developing primary healthcare system: a feasibility study
Authors: Alzubaidi Hamzah Tareq , Chandir Subhash , Hasan Sanah , McNamara Kevin , Cox Rachele , Krass Ines
Published: November 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to develop an evidence-based community pharmacist-delivered screening model for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and assess its feasibility to identify and refer patients with elevated risk.

Design

A feasibility study.

Setting

A purposive sample of 12 community pharmacies in three cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Participants

Adults 40 years of age and above who have not been previously diagnosed with either diabetes or CVD.

Intervention

Pharmacist screening of adults visiting pharmacies involved history, demographics, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and point-of-care testing including glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and lipid panel. Participants with a 10-year CVD risk ≥7.5%, HbA1c level ≥5.7% or American Diabetes Association (ADA) risk score ≥5 points were advised to visit their physician.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcomes were (1) development of UAE pharmacist-delivered screening model, (2) the proportion of screened participants identified as having high CVD risk (atherosclerotic CVD 10-year risk defined as ≥7.5%) and (3) the proportion of participants identified as having elevated blood glucose (high HbA1c level ≥5.7% (38.8 mmol/mol)) or high self-reported diabetes risk (ADA risk score ≥5 points). Secondary outcome is participants’ satisfaction with the screening.

Results

The first UAE pharmacist-delivered screening model was developed and implemented. A total of 115 participants were screened, and 92.3% of the entire screening process was completed during a single visit to pharmacy. The mean duration of the complete screening process was 27 min. At-risk individuals (57.4%) were referred to their physicians for further testing, while 94.5% of participants were at least satisfied with their screening experience.

Conclusions

The community pharmacist-delivered screening of diabetes and CVD risk is feasible in the UAE. The model offers a platform to increase screening capacity within primary care and provides an opportunity for early detection and treatment. However, pathways for the integration of the pharmacist-delivered screening service with physicians in primary care are yet to be explored.
Gender differences in reporting workplace violence: a qualitative analysis of administrative records of violent episodes experienced by healthcare workers in a large public Italian hospital
Authors: Acquadro Maran Daniela , Cortese Claudio Giovanni , Pavanelli Pierluigi , Fornero Giulio , Gianino Maria Michela
Published: November 2019

Objectives

This study aims to analyse, from a descriptive and qualitative point of view, the episodes of violence reported by healthcare workers (HCWs) in a large public Italian hospital. Qualitative analysis permits us to collect the victims’ words used to describe the event and the ways in which they dealt with it. A comparison between genders was performed to better understand what type of different strategies could be used to improve the prevention of workplace violence for HCWs.

Design and setting

The retrospective observational study was carried out in ‘Città della Salute e della Scienza’, a complex of four interconnected hospitals situated in Northern Italy. This study analysed aggression data from the 4-year period of 2015–2018 that included all HCW categories. The data were obtained from the aggression reporting form.

Participants

The analysed records were supplied by 396 HCWs (3.6% of all HCWs in the hospital).

Results

Male HCWs aged <30 years did not report violent episodes that occurred in the workplace, while male HCWs with 6–15 years of work experience reported more violent episodes than their female counterparts. Among the HCW professions, nursing was the profession, in which HCWs were more prone to experience a violent episode, while male medical doctors were more prone to report violent episodes than female medical doctors. Moreover, female HCWs experienced more verbal violence (insults) than male HCWs did, while male HCWs experienced more physical violence (bodily contact) than female HCWs did.

Conclusions

The findings from this explorative study suggest that there is a gender difference in the characteristics of workplace violence perpetrated by patients, patients’ relatives and visitors and in the way in which these episodes are described. Consequently, it is important for informative and preventive courses to consider gender differences in experiencing a violent episode.
Selective and marked decrease of complement receptor C5aR2 in human thoracic aortic aneurysms: a dysregulation with potential inflammatory effects
Authors: Holt Margrethe Flesvig , Seim Bjørn E , Øgaard Jonas , Olsen Maria B , Woldbæk Per R , Kvitting John-Peder Escobar , Aukrust Pål , Yndestad Arne , Mollnes Tom Eirik , Nilsson Per H , Louwe Mieke C , Ranheim Trine
Published: November 2019

Objective

The aetiology of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is largely unknown, but inflammation is likely to play a central role in the pathogenesis. In this present study, we aim to investigate the complement receptors in TAA.

Methods

Aortic tissue and blood from 31 patients with non-syndromic TAA undergoing thoracic aortic repair surgery were collected. Aortic tissue and blood from 36 patients with atherosclerosis undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery or aortic valve replacement were collected and served as control material. The expression of the complement anaphylatoxin receptors C3aR1, C5aR1 and C5aR2 in aortic tissue were examined by quantitative RT-PCR and C5aR2 protein by immunohistochemistry. Colocalisation of C5aR2 to different cell types was analysed by immunofluorescence. Complement activation products C3bc and sC5b-9 were measured in plasma.

Results

Compared with controls, TAA patients had substantial (73%) downregulated gene expression of C5aR2 as seen both at the mRNA (p=0.005) level and protein (p=0.03) level. In contrast, there were no differences in the expression of C3aR1 and C5aR1 between the two groups. Immunofluorescence examination showed that C5aR2 was colocalised to macrophages and T cells in the aortic media. There were no differences in the degree of systemic complement activation between the two groups.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest downregulation of the C5aR2, regarded to act mainly anti-inflammatory, in electively operated TAA as compared with non-aneurysmatic aortas of patients with aortic stenosis and/or coronary artery disease. This may tip the balance towards a relative increase in the inflammatory responses induced by C5aR1 and thus enhance the inflammatory processes in TAA.
Evaluation of cerebral blood flow with transcranial Doppler ultrasound in a dog with surgically treated intracranial subdural empyema
Authors: Santiago Raquel , Ros Carlos , García de Carellán Mateo Alejandra , Laborda‐Vidal Patricia
Published: November 2019

A three‐year‐old spayed female Yorkshire terrier presented with a three‐week history of lethargy and weight loss. Physical examination showed left exophthalmos with left nasal discharge. A lesion in the left brainstem was suspected based on the neurological examination. Pre/postcontrast CT images were consistent with an extensive subdural empyema in the region of the left forebrain, extending from the level of the frontal to the occipital lobe. At presentation, transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound was performed in the left (LMCA) and right middle cerebral arteries (RMCA) showing marked hyperaemia (LMCA velocity: 81.9 cm/s; RMCA velocity: 90.3 cm/s; reference ranges: LMCA velocity 62.3±10.9 cm/s; RMCA velocity 62.5±10.9 cm/s). A left‐sided rostrotentorial craniectomy was performed, followed by medical treatment. TCD was monitored daily postoperatively returning to within the reference range five days after surgery (LMCA velocity: 54.9 cm/s; RMCA velocity: 63.6 cm/s). Normalisation of the systolic velocity was associated with clinical improvement. TCD is a useful and non‐invasive method for monitoring of cerebral blood flow in patients with intracranial empyema.
Quasinormal modes of Dirac field in the Einstein–Dilaton–Gauss–Bonnet and Einstein–Weyl gravities
Authors: Zinhailo A. F.
Published: November 2019

Quasinormal modes of Dirac field in the background of a non-Schwarzschild black holes in theories with higher curvature corrections are investigated in this paper. With the help of the semi-analytic WKB approximation and further using of Padé approximants as prescribed in Matyjasek and Opala (Phys Rev D 96(2):024011. arXiv:1704.00361 [gr-qc], 2017) we consider quasinormal modes of a test massless Dirac field in the Einstein–Dilaton–Gauss–Bonnet (EdGB) and Einstein–Weyl (EW) theories. Even though the effective potential for one of the chiralities has a negative gap we show that the Dirac field is stable in both theories. We find the dependence of the modes on the new dimensionless parameter p (related to the coupling constant in each theory) for different values of the angular parameter $$\ell $$ℓ and show that the frequencies tend to linear dependence on p. The allowed deviations of qausinormal modes from their Schwarzschild limit are one order larger for the Einstein–Weyl theory than for the Einstein–Dilaton–Gauss–Bonnet one, achieving the order of tens of percents. In addition, we test the Hod conjecture which suggests the upper bound for the imaginary part of the frequency of the longest lived quasinormal modes by the Hawking temperature multiplied by a factor. We show that in both non-Schwarzschild metrics the Dirac field obeys the above conjecture for the whole range of black-hole parameters.
WHAT IS THE RELATION BETWEEN NON-PERFORMING LOANS, CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, AND LENDING BEHAVIOR FACTORS?
Authors: LEE JOE-MING
Published: November 2019

This research highlights the special problems facing the corporate governance of financial intermediaries and combines this theoretical perspective with bank observations in order to offer policy recommendations for their industry. The standard agency theory defines the corporate governance problem in terms of how equity and debt holders influence managers to act in the best interests of those providers of capital to firms. The results show that the relationship between directors’ collateralized shares, loan concentration and a bank’s non-performing loans has a significant positive, indicating that bad corporate governance and loan concentration are important warning signs for banks.
Price Impact of Corporate Bond Trading: Evidence from the Australian Securities Exchange
Authors: Frino Alex , Lepone Andrew , Lepone Grace
Published: November 2019

This study examines the price effects of investment-grade–corporate bond transactions on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Results indicate that both purchases and sales of exchange traded corporate bonds incur significant transaction costs upon execution. Post execution, purchases of all sizes either experience price continuations, or no significant price reversals, suggesting the presence of information. Sales of all sizes experience complete price reversals, implying that selling corporate bonds conveys no information to the market. These results are consistent with the majority of equity market studies that document a similar asymmetry between purchases and sales. Analysis of the determinants of price effects associated with bond market trades reveals that trade-size, market conditions, underlying stock price volatility, underlying stock turnover, bid–ask spreads (BAS), and market depth are associated with the magnitude of price movements surrounding these trades. Contemporaneous equity returns appear to have no effect on the price impact of corporate bonds.
U.S.-China Tech War
Authors: Sun Haiyong
Published: November 2019

The Trump administration has waged a technological war against China due to the differences between China and the United States in political values and geopolitical pursuits, as well as their rivalry on regional and global arenas. The United States regards itself as being on the moral high ground in the existing international order and intends to force China to abandon its policies in high-tech industries and technology transfer from foreign enterprises, in order to maintain its global supremacy. With a zero-sum mentality, the Trump administration is trying to use the leverage of advanced science and technology to maximize benefits for the United States in trade with China. Its tech war attempts against China mainly include trade sanctions, investment control, export control, and restrictions on the exchange of technological personnel. These moves will further harm China-U.S. security relations as well as their science and technology cooperation and undermine the regional situation and global science and technology governance. In order to promote sustainable global development and strategic stability, both sides need to undertake more effective efforts to manage their strategic competition, build a more balanced and mutually beneficial relationship in high-tech industries, and expand the space for cooperation in the field of global science and technology governance.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Authors: Khan Zahid
Published: November 2019

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers a massive platform for China and Pakistan to promote regional connectivity, trade growth, and infrastructure development. Pakistan views CPEC not only as an infrastructure and economic development program as well as a key initiative with wide-ranging implications for the country’s domestic economy and social makeup, but also a potential “game changer” in the regional situation. However, this project also faces grave internal and external challenges, such as route controversy, militancy, religious extremism, competing narratives, media propaganda, debt-trap accusation, and synergy of institutions. To make CPEC a sustainable project that benefits Pakistan and the whole of South Asia in the long run, both the Chinese and Pakistani governments need to address these challenges through greater transparency of the CPEC projects, as well as more consultation with all stakeholders involved, so as to ease their concerns about the profound implications of the grand project.
The FPOA, a Medium-grained Reconfigurable Architecture for High-level Synthesis
Authors: Gorski Jason , Hanna Darrin
Published: November 2019

In this article, we present a novel type of medium-grained reconfigurable architecture that we term the Field Programmable Operation Array (FPOA). This device has been designed specifically for the implementation of HLS-generated circuitry. At the core of the FPOA is the OP-block. Unlike a standard LUT, an OP-block performs multi-bit operations through gate-based logic structures, translating into greater speed and efficiency in digital circuit implementation.

Our device is not optimized for a specific application domain. Rather, we have created a device that is optimized for a specific circuit structure, namely those generated by HLS. This gives the FPOA a significant advantage as it can be used across all application domains. In this work, we add support for both distributed and block memory to the FPOA architecture. Experimental results show up to a 13.5× reduction in logic area and a 9.5× reduction in critical path delay for circuit implementation using the FPOA compared to a standard FPGA.
Mahuang-Fuzi-XixinDecoction Reverses Depression-Like Behavior in LPS-Induced Mice by Regulating NLRP3 Inflammasome and Neurogenesis
Authors: Jing Wen , Song Shanshan , Sun Hong , Chen Ying , Zhao Quan , Zhang You , Dai Guoliang , Ju Wenzheng
Published: November 2019

Evidence suggests that inflammation and neurogenesis play an important role in major depressive disorder (MDD).Mahuang-Fuzi-Xixindecoction (MFX), as the traditional Chinese prescription, has been widely applied for asthma, migraine, and MDD in clinics. However, the effects of MFX on the potential mechanism in MDD are still unclear. Hence, the present study is aimed at exploring whether the antidepressive effect of MFX is connected to the anti-inflammatory and promoting neurogenesis. Besides, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria can induce depressive-like behaviors. We demonstrated that administration of MFX corrected the depressive-like behaviors in LPS-induced mice and significantly decreased the expression of IL-1βin the hippocampus. LPS injection induced a significant increase in the levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1 p20, and ASC in the hippocampus, as well as Trx-interacting protein (TXNIP), and MFX could reverse this change. What is more, treatment of MFX increased the level of doublecortin (DCX), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) in the hippocampus which means that MFX could promote the neurogenesis. In conclusion, the study indicates that MFX relieves a depressive-like state in LPS-induced mice through the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the enhancement of the neurogenesis pathway.
Performance Study of Impact-Point Estimation Systems Using Two Types of Acoustic Sensor Arrangement Methods
Authors: Hur Shin , Lee EunJoong , Won Jongseong , Lee Duck-Gyu , Song Kyungjun , Park Kyusik
Published: November 2019

In this study, a shooting experiment is carried out with an acoustic sensor array that can detect shock wave at high-sound pressures and withstand the shock wave of the bullet. Delta- and H-type of acoustic sensor units are constructed. The measured values of the temporal arrival differences estimated based on the distance between the acoustic sensors are then compared with the theoretical calculations according to the types of bullets and shooting distance. In addition, an impact-point estimation system (IPES) is fabricated, which comprises delta- and H-type sensor units, a target, signal processing device, and an impact point estimation algorithm. The impact points on the target caused by the shooting experiment are compared with those calculated using the impact point estimation algorithm. Finally, the mean absolute error MAE between the actual and the calculated impact-point coordinates is calculated, and the performances of the delta- and H-type IPES are evaluated.
Dimension Reduction Using Quantum Wavelet Transform on a High-Performance Reconfigurable Computer
Authors: Mahmud Naveed , El-Araby Esam
Published: November 2019

The high resolution of multidimensional space-time measurements and enormity of data readout counts in applications such as particle tracking in high-energy physics (HEP) is becoming nowadays a major challenge. In this work, we propose combining dimension reduction techniques with quantum information processing for application in domains that generate large volumes of data such as HEP. More specifically, we propose using quantum wavelet transform (QWT) to reduce the dimensionality of high spatial resolution data. The quantum wavelet transform takes advantage of the principles of quantum mechanics to achieve reductions in computation time while processing exponentially larger amount of information. We develop simpler and optimized emulation architectures than what has been previously reported, to perform quantum wavelet transform on high-resolution data. We also implement the inverse quantum wavelet transform (IQWT) to accurately reconstruct the data without any losses. The algorithms are prototyped on an FPGA-based quantum emulator that supports double-precision floating-point computations. Experimental work has been performed using high-resolution image data on a state-of-the-art multinode high-performance reconfigurable computer. The experimental results show that the proposed concepts represent a feasible approach to reducing dimensionality of high spatial resolution data generated by applications such as particle tracking in high-energy physics.
How Many Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Meet the Inclusion Criteria of the Cardiovascular Outcome Trials with SGLT2 Inhibitors? Estimations from a Population Database in a Mediterranean Area
Authors: Canivell Silvia , Mata-Cases Manel , Vlacho Bogdan , Gratacòs Mònica , Real Jordi , Mauricio Dídac , Franch-Nadal Josep
Published: November 2019

Objective. Regulatory agencies require the assessment of cardiovascular (CV) safety for new type 2 diabetes (T2D) therapies through CV outcome trials (CVOTs). However, patients included in CVOTs assessing sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) might not be representative of those seen in clinical practice. This study examined the proportion of patients that would have been enrolled into three main SGLT2i CVOTs to determine whether these trials’ eligibility criteria can be applied to a real-world Mediterranean T2D population. Methods. Cross-sectional, retrospective, cohort study of T2D patients registered in primary care centres of the Catalan Institute of Health using medical records from a population database (SIDIAP) that includes approximately 74% of the population in Catalonia (Spain). Eligibility criteria were according to those of three SGLT2i CVOTs: EMPA-REG OUTCOME (empagliflozin), CANVAS (canagliflozin), and DECLARE-TIMI 58 (dapagliflozin). Results. By the end of 2016, the database included 373,185 patients with T2D with a mean age of 70±12 years, 54.9% male, with a mean duration of T2D of 9±6 years, and a mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7.12%±1.32 (59% with HbA1c<7%). Of these, 86,534 (23%) had established CV disease and 28% chronic renal failure (estimated glomerular filtration<60 ml/min/1.73m2). Among all included patients, only 8.2% would have qualified for enrolment into the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, 29.6% into the CANVAS program, and 38% into the DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial. The main limiting factors for inclusion would have been a previous history of CV disease and the baseline HbA1c value. Conclusion. The external validity of the analysed CVOTs is clearly limited when applying the same eligibility criteria to a T2D Mediterranean population.
Fabrication and In Vitro Evaluation of 3D Printed Porous Polyetherimide Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Tang Xiongfeng , Qin Yanguo , Xu Xinyu , Guo Deming , Ye Wenli , Wu Wenzheng , Li Ruiyan
Published: November 2019

For bone tissue engineering, the porous scaffold should provide a biocompatible environment for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation and match the mechanical properties of native bone tissue. In this work, we fabricated porous polyetherimide (PEI) scaffolds using a three-dimensional (3D) printing system, and the pore size was set as 800 μm. The morphology of 3D PEI scaffolds was characterized by the scanning electron microscope. To investigate the mechanical properties of the 3D PEI scaffold, the compressive mechanical test was performed via an electronic universal testing system. For the in vitro cell experiment, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were cultured on the surface of the 3D PEI scaffold and PEI slice, and cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and cell proliferation were detected to verify their biocompatibility. Besides, the alkaline phosphatase staining and Alizarin Red staining were performed on the BMSCs of different samples to evaluate the osteogenic differentiation. Through these studies, we found that the 3D PEI scaffold showed an interconnected porous structure, which was consistent with the design. The elastic modulus of the 3D PEI scaffold (941.33 ± 65.26 MPa) falls in the range of modulus for the native cancellous bone. Moreover, the cell proliferation and morphology on the 3D PEI scaffold were better than those on the PEI slice, which revealed that the porous scaffold has good biocompatibility and that no toxic substances were produced during the progress of high-temperature 3D printing. The osteogenic differentiation level of the 3D PEI scaffold and PEI slice was equal and ordinary. All of these results suggest the 3D printed PEI scaffold would be a potential strategy for bone tissue engineering.