bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do apreço liberal pela contenção do soberano ao caos prisional: reações de atores coletivos da direita liberal perante eventos no sistema carcerário de janeiro de 2017
Authors: Ferreira Otávio Dias de Souza
Published: August 2021

Janeiro de 2017 foi marcado por reiteradas notícias de rebeliões, fugas e mortes em unidades prisionais de vários estados da federação. O assunto ganhou destaque nas redes sociais com manifestações das mais diversas tonalidades no espectro político ideológico. O trabalho investiga como dezoito atores coletivos da sociedade civil autoidentificados com a direita e com valores liberais trataram do assunto, considerando-se os direitos civis de defesa do indivíduo contra o Estado como uma edificação de autores do Liberalismo político clássico. Embora a maioria dos resultados seja no sentido de silêncio e omissão, constatou-se manifestações distribuídas entre um polo autoritário-conservador e outro liberal-clássico. Demonstra-se alguma heterogeneidade entre o próprio campo liberal da direita, bem como a existência de uma corrente que repudia valores do liberalismo político clássico. Revelam-se possíveis interlocutores dos dois lados da disputa envolvendo os direitos humanos no sistema punitivo.
Os elementos comunicacionais dos museus portugueses em evidência: resultados e reflexões
Authors: Lima Leilane Patricia de
Published: August 2021

Este artigo apresenta informações gerais sobre duas pesquisas de pós-doutorado aplicadas em diferentes contextos e comparações nos campos disciplinados da Arqueologia Pública e da Comunicação Museológica. Além disso, apresenta resultados quantitativos e reflexos gerais qualitativos sobre o estudo dos elementos comunicativos dos museus portugueses.
“De primeiro não era assim”: histórias, paisagens e as coisas da Ilha do Pará, Afuá, Amazônia
Authors: Santos Queiton Carmo dos
Published: August 2021

A partir da arqueologia etnográfica, esse estudo busca evidenciar como as pessoas que habitam o distrito de Afuá, a Ilha do Pará, uma região de fronteira fluvial da foz do Rio Amazonas, se relacionam com suas paisagens, lugares e suas coisas e como, através desses elementos, elaboram narrativas a respeito de seus tempos. Assim, o artigo pretende tensionar o entendimento e as práticas relativas ao campo disciplinar arqueológico por meio dos saberes locais e das presenças arqueológicas e, dessa maneira, contribuir para atuais discussões que provocam uma relação estreita entre estudos etnográficos e a arqueologia na e da Amazônia.
Duas evidências de validade da ESQUADA e níveis de qualidade da dieta dos brasileiros
Authors: Santos Thanise Sabrina Souza , Araújo Pedro Henrique de Moura , Andrade Dalton Francisco de , Louzada Maria Laura da Costa , Assis Maria Alice Altenburg de , Slater Betzabeth
Published: August 2021

OBJETIVO Avaliar duas evidências de validade da escala de qualidade da dieta (ESQUADA) para seleção dos itens com melhor discriminação da qualidade da dieta dos brasileiros e propor uma descrição em níveis de escore. MÉTODOS Adolescentes e adultos brasileiros e residentes no país (n = 2.059), responderam a um questionário on-line com 52 itens, compartilhado em redes sociais e listas de correio eletrônico entre março e abril de 2018. Foram aplicados testes estatísticos para análise de evidências de validade e confiabilidade do instrumento. A análise fatorial foi aplicada para estudo da dimensionalidade dos itens do questionário. A teoria de resposta ao item foi aplicada para identificar a discriminação e localização dos itens no continuum , construir a escala e avaliar o comportamento diferencial dos itens quanto ao sexo e idade. RESULTADOS Dentre os 52 itens do questionário, 25 apresentaram maior precisão de medida, com ajuste e confiabilidade adequados. O item sobre o costume de comer alimentos ultraprocessados em casa apresentou a melhor discriminação da qualidade da dieta. Nenhum item apresentou comportamento diferencial quanto a sexo e idade. Na construção da ESQUADA foram identificados cinco níveis de qualidade da dieta: “muito ruim”, “ruim”, “boa”, “muito boa” e “excelente”. Observou-se que enquanto cereais matinais e/ou barrinhas de cereais são consumidos com maior frequência por indivíduos com qualidade da dieta “muito ruim”; castanhas e/ou nozes são consumidos mais frequentemente por aqueles indivíduos com qualidade da dieta “excelente”. CONCLUSÕES A ESQUADA é composta por 25 itens precisos e sem comportamento diferencial para avaliar a qualidade da dieta dos brasileiros. A construção da ESQUADA possibilitou reconhecer consumo e práticas alimentares característicos de cada nível de qualidade da dieta.
Genome-Wide Association Meta-Analysis Supports Genes Involved in Valve and Cardiac Development to Associate With Mitral Valve Prolapse
Authors: Yu Mengyao , Kyryachenko Sergiy , Debette Stephanie , Amouyel Philippe , Schott Jean-Jacques , Le Tourneau Thierry , Dina Christian , Norris Russell A. , Hagège Albert A. , Jeunemaitre Xavier , Bouatia-Naji Nabila
Published: August 2021

Background:

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common cardiac valve disease, which affects 1 in 40 in the general population. Previous genome-wide association study has identified 6 risk loci for MVP. But these loci explained only partially the genetic risk for MVP. We aim to identify additional risk loci for MVP by adding data set from the UK Biobank.

Methods:

We also incorporated 434 MVP cases and 4527 controls from the UK Biobank for discovery analyses. Genetic association was conducted using SNPTEST and meta-analyses using METAL. We used Functional Mapping and Annotation of Genome-Wide Association Studies for post-genome-wide association study annotations and Multi-marker Analysis of GenoMic Annotation for gene-based and gene-set analyses.

Results:

We found Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine imputation to perform better in terms of accuracy in the lower ranges of minor allele frequency below 0.1. Our updated meta-analysis included UK Biobank study for ≈8 million common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (minor allele frequency >0.01) and replicated the association on Chr2 as the top association signal near
TNS1
. We identified an additional risk locus on Chr1 (
SYT2
) and 2 suggestive risk loci on chr8 (
MSRA
) and chr19 (
FBXO46
), all driven by common variants. Gene-based association using Multi-marker Analysis of GenoMic Annotation revealed 6 risk genes for MVP with pronounced expression levels in cardiovascular tissues, especially the heart and globally part of enriched GO terms related to cardiac development.

Conclusions:

We report an updated meta-analysis genome-wide association study for MVP using dense imputation coverage and an improved case-control sample. We describe several loci and genes with MVP spanning biological mechanisms highly relevant to MVP, especially during valve and heart development.
The Propagation of Racial Disparities in Cardiovascular Genomics Research
Authors: Clarke Shoa L. , Assimes Themistocles L. , Tcheandjieu Catherine
Published: August 2021

Genomics research has improved our understanding of the genetic basis for human traits and diseases. This progress is now being translated into clinical care as we move toward a future of precision medicine. Many hope that expanded use of genomic testing will improve disease screening, diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment. In many respects, cardiovascular medicine is leading this charge. However, most cardiovascular genomics research has been conducted in populations of primarily European ancestry. This bias has critical downstream effects. Here, we review the current disparities in cardiovascular genomics research, and we outline how these disparities propagate forward through all phases of the translational pipeline. If not adequately addressed, biases in genomics research will further compound the existing health disparities that face underrepresented and marginalized populations.
Polygenic Risk Score to Identify Subclinical Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Young Adults
Authors: Wells Quinn S. , Bagheri Minoo , Aday Aaron W. , Gupta Deepak K. , Shaffer Christian M. , Wei Wei-Qi , Vaitinadin Nataraja Sarna , Khan Sadiya S. , Greenland Philip , Wang Thomas J. , Stein C. Michael , Roden Dan M. , Mosley Jonathan D.
Published: August 2021

Background:

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) may enhance risk stratification for coronary heart disease among young adults. Whether a coronary heart disease PRS improves prediction beyond modifiable risk factors in this population is not known.

Methods:

Genotyped adults aged 18 to 35 years were selected from the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults; n=1132) and FOS (Framingham Offspring Study; n=663). Systolic blood pressure, total and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, triglycerides, smoking, and waist circumference or body mass index were measured at the visit 1 exam of each study, and coronary artery calcium, a measure of coronary atherosclerosis, was assessed at year 15 (CARDIA) or year 30 (FOS). A previously validated PRS for coronary heart disease was computed for each subject. The C statistic and integrated discrimination improvement were used to compare improvements in prediction of elevated coronary artery calcium between models containing the PRS, risk factors, or both.

Results:

There were 62 (5%) and 93 (14%) participants with a coronary artery calcium score >20 (CARDIA) and >300 (FOS), respectively. At these thresholds, the C statistic changes of adding the PRS to a risk factor–based model were 0.015 (0.004–0.028) and 0.020 (0.001–0.039) in CARDIA and FOS, respectively. When adding risk factors to a PRS-based model, the respective changes were 0.070 (0.033–0.109) and 0.051 (0.017–0.079). The integrated discrimination improvement, when adding the PRS to a risk factor model, was 0.027 (−0.006 to 0.054) in CARDIA and 0.039 (0.0005–0.072) in FOS.

Conclusions:

Among young adults, a PRS improved model discrimination for coronary atherosclerosis, but improvements were smaller than those associated with modifiable risk factors.
Prevalence and Outcomes of p.Val142Ile
TTR
Amyloidosis Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chandrashekar Pranav , Alhuneafat Laith , Mannello Meghan , Al-Rashdan Lana , Kim Morris M. , Dungu Jason , Alexander Kevin , Masri Ahmad
Published: August 2021

Background:

The p.Val142Ile variant, predominantly found among people of African descent, is the most common cause of variant transthyretin amyloidosis and carriers predominantly develop a cardiomyopathy (variant transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy) phenotype. Yet, there are conflicting data on the prevalence and outcomes of p.Val142Ile variant carriers.

Methods:

We performed a systematic review of the prevalence and outcomes of p.Val142Ile variant transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy among subjects of African descent. We found 62 relevant articles after searching the MEDLINE databases from 1980 to 2020 that reported data for ≈150 000 subjects.

Results:

The reported worldwide prevalence of the p.Val142Ile variant is 0.3% to 1.6% in the general population. Among people of African descent, the reported prevalence from all studies ranges from 1.1% to 9.8%, but for studies with >1000 subjects, it is 3% to 3.5%. The prevalence of the p.Val142Ile variant in a region is dependent on the reported percentage of subjects who are of African descent in that region. p.Val142Ile variant transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy typically presents in the seventh to eighth decade of life and the majority of cases reported were male, with 25% to 38% diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. It was associated with a longitudinally worse quality of life and a lower adjusted survival compared with other types of transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions:

The p.Val142Ile variant is the most common variant of the transthyretin gene with most carriers being of African descent. The true penetrance is unknown but the p.Val142Ile variant is associated with increased rates of incident heart failure and portends a lower overall survival. Increased awareness could lead to earlier diagnosis and improved heart failure outcomes among those of African descent, which is of increasing importance given the advent of novel therapeutics for this disease.
Contribution of Noncanonical Splice Variants to
TTN
Truncating Variant Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Patel Parth N. , Ito Kaoru , Willcox Jon A.L. , Haghighi Alireza , Jang Min Young , Gorham Joshua M. , DePalma Steven R. , Lam Lien , McDonough Barbara , Johnson Renee , Lakdawala Neal K. , Roberts Amy , Barton Paul J.R. , Cook Stuart A. , Fatkin Diane , Seidman Christine E. , Seidman J.G.
Published: August 2021

Background:

Heterozygous
TTN
truncating variants cause 10% to 20% of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Although variants which disrupt canonical splice signals (ie, invariant dinucleotide of the splice donor site, invariant dinucleotide of the splice acceptor site) at exon-intron junctions are readily recognized as
TTN
truncating variants, the effects of other nearby sequence variations on splicing and their contribution to disease is uncertain.

Methods:

Rare variants of unknown significance located in the splice regions of highly expressed
TTN
exons from 203 DCM cases, 3329 normal subjects, and clinical variant databases were identified. The effects of these variants on splicing were assessed using an in vitro splice assay.

Results:

Splice-altering variants of unknown significance were enriched in DCM cases over controls and present in 2% of DCM patients (
P
=0.002). Application of this method to clinical variant databases demonstrated 20% of similar variants of unknown significance in
TTN
splice regions affect splicing. Noncanonical splice-altering variants were most frequently located at position +5 of the donor site (
P
=4.4×10
7
) and position -3 of the acceptor site (
P
=0.002). SpliceAI, an emerging in silico prediction tool, had a high positive predictive value (86%–95%) but poor sensitivity (15%–50%) for the detection of splice-altering variants. Alternate exons spliced out of most
TTN
transcripts frequently lacked the consensus base at +5 donor and −3 acceptor positions.

Conclusions:

Noncanonical splice-altering variants in
TTN
explain 1-2% of DCM and offer a 10-20% increase in the diagnostic power of
TTN
sequencing in this disease. These data suggest rules that may improve efforts to detect splice-altering variants in other genes and may explain the low percent splicing observed for many alternate
TTN
exons.
Acute Hemodynamic Effects and Tolerability of Phosphodiesterase-1 Inhibition With ITI-214 in Human Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Gilotra Nisha A. , DeVore Adam D. , Povsic Thomas J. , Hays Allison G. , Hahn Virginia S. , Agunbiade Tolu A. , DeLong Allison , Satlin Andrew , Chen Richard , Davis Robert , Kass David A.
Published: August 2021

Background:

PDE1 (phosphodiesterase type 1) hydrolyzes cyclic adenosine and guanosine monophosphate. ITI-214 is a highly selective PDE1 inhibitor that induces arterial vasodilation and positive inotropy in larger mammals. Here, we assessed pharmacokinetics, hemodynamics, and tolerability of single-dose ITI-214 in humans with stable heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Methods:

Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction were randomized 3:1 to 10, 30, or 90 mg ITI-214 single oral dose or placebo (n=9/group). Vital signs and electrocardiography were monitored predose to 5 hours postdose and transthoracic echoDoppler cardiography predose and 2-hours postdose.

Results:

Patient age averaged 54 years; 42% female, and 60% Black. Mean systolic blood pressure decreased 3 to 8 mm Hg (
P
<0.001) and heart rate increased 5 to 9 bpm (
P
≤0.001 for 10, 30 mg doses, RM-ANCOVA). After 4 hours, neither blood pressure or heart rate significantly differed among cohorts (supine or standing). ITI-214 increased mean left ventricular power index, a relatively load-insensitive inotropic index, by 0.143 Watts/mL
2
·10
4
(
P
=0.03, a +41% rise; 5–71 CI) and cardiac output by 0.83 L/min (
P
=0.002, +31%, 13–49 CI) both at the 30 mg dose. Systemic vascular resistance declined with 30 mg (–564 dynes·s/cm–
5
,
P
<0.001) and 90 mg (–370,
P
=0.016). Diastolic changes were minimal, and no parameters were significantly altered with placebo. ITI-214 was well-tolerated. Five patients had mild-moderate hypotension or orthostatic hypotension recorded adverse events. There were no significant changes in arrhythmia outcome and no serious adverse events.

Conclusions:

Single-dose ITI-214 is well-tolerated and confers inodilator effects in humans with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Further investigations of its therapeutic utility are warranted.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03387215.
Socioeconomic Disparities in Referral for Invasive Hemodynamic Evaluation for Advanced Heart Failure: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Larsson Johan , Kristensen Søren L. , Madelaire Christian , Schou Morten , Rossing Kasper , Boesgaard Søren , Køber Lars , Gustafsson Finn
Published: August 2021

Background:

Factors determining referral for advanced heart failure (HF) evaluation are poorly studied. We studied the influence of socioeconomic aspects on the referral process in Denmark, which has a taxpayer-funded national health care system.

Methods:

We identified all patients aged 18 to 75 years with a first diagnosis of HF during 2010 to 2018. Hospitalized patients had to be discharged alive and were then followed for the outcome of undergoing a right heart catheterization (RHC) used as a surrogate marker of advanced HF work-up.

Results:

Of 36 637 newly diagnosed patients with HF, 680 (1.9%) underwent RHC during the follow-up period (median time to RHC of 280 days [interquartile range, 73–914]). Factors associated with a higher likelihood of RHC included the highest versus lowest household income quartile (HR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.19–2.06];
P
=0.001), being diagnosed with HF at a tertiary versus nontertiary hospital (HR, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.37–2.05];
P
<0.001) and during a hospitalization versus outpatient visit (HR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.42–1.95];
P
<0.001). Level of education, occupational status, and distance to tertiary hospital were not independently associated with RHC. Older age, cancer, and a psychiatric diagnosis were independently associated with a decreased probability of RHC.

Conclusions:

Higher household income, HF diagnosis during hospitalization, and first admission at a tertiary hospital were associated with increased likelihood of subsequent referral for RHC independent of other demographic and clinical variables. Greater attention may be required to ensure timely referral for advanced HF therapies in lower income groups.
New records of elasmobranchs in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: further taxonomic research is essential
Authors: HAQUE ALIFA BINTHA , WHITE WILLIAM T. , CAVANAGH RACHEL D. , BISWAS APARNA RITI , HOSSAIN NAZIA
Published: August 2021

To evaluate the species diversity and strengthen the taxonomic identification of elasmobranchs in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, a study was conducted in the southeast coastal region between January 2016 and March 2018. Using morphological and genetic identification techniques, this study presents 22 species from the region. Thirteen of these are new records. The new records consist of eight species from the family Dasyatidae, and one each from Mobulidae, Rhinobatidae, Narcinidae, Hemiscylliidae and Triakidae. Furthermore, four occurrences are first verified reports, and five are potential new records requiring further taxonomic investigation.
Semantic Content-Based Image Retrieval System Using Deep Learning Model for Lung Cancer CT Images
Authors: Rajasenbagam T. , Jeyanthi S.
Published: August 2021

When compared to other kinds of cancer, lung cancer is more prevalent worldwide. While computerised tomography (CT) images capture the required information for lung cancer diagnosis, clinicians must spend time analysing various sections of CT images. With the exponential rise of CT
scans and the increasing prevalence of lung cancer, having an effective method for quickly analysing CT pictures can assist radiologists or doctors in planning for their treatment early. When compared to the usual method of categorising a patient’s kind of lung cancer, retrieving the
nearest CT image already saved in the database gives additional information to the patient. This is accomplished through the use of a method for retrieving images depending on their content. In comparison to typical machine learning techniques, deep learning models extract more meaningful
characteristics. As a consequence, this study analysis famous pre-trained deep learning models such as the VGG16 deep neural network and the ResNet residual neural network. Among these, the VGG16 model outperforms the others for the supplied hyper parameters. Thus, the characteristics restored
through training the VGG16 model on the pre-processed picture are further processed by the KNN method to obtain comparable pictures to the input query picture. As a result of merging the VGG16 and KNN algorithms, this research produces a content-based picture retrieval system. The suggested
CBIR system achieves an accuracy of 0.97 and a recall of 0.96.
Antibacterial performance of Berberine loaded carrageenan/konjac glucomannan hydrogels
Authors: Jiang Lei , Chen Qiuxian , Liu Jia , Zhu Zhongjie , Shao Wei
Published: August 2021

Carrageenan and konjac glucomannan are non-toxic polysaccharides which have been widely applied in the biomedical fields. Berberine as the antibacterial agent was successfully loaded into carrageenan/konjac glucomannan hydrogels. The Berberine loaded carrageenan/konjac glucomannan dried
hydrogels display three-dimensional network structure, good swelling behavior and high porosity. These dried hydrogels also show controlled release behavior of Berberine. A good antibacterial effect towards S. aureus and C. albicans with good cell compatibility is exhibited.
Thus, the fabricated Berberine loaded carrageenan/konjac glucomannan dried hydrogels could be considered as novel antibiotic alternative antibacterial materials.
Enhancing the mechanical and durability properties of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar modified by polyvinyl alcohol fibers and styrene butadiene rubber latex
Authors: Xu Fang , Li Heng , Sun Tao , Zhou Yu , Zhu Jing , Peng Chao , Lin Juntao
Published: August 2021

This study investigated three types of fly ash-based geopolymer mortar (FAG) modified with polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVA) or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) latex, where the influence of PVA fibers and SBR latex on the mechanical properties and durability of FAG were studied. The sample
performance was subsequently interpreted by characterizing the microstructures of modified FAG samples via the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), where the internal structural stress and modification mechanisms were clarified by microstructural analysis. The results showed that the
incorporation of PVA fibers mainly promotes the mechanical properties of the samples, especially the early flexural strength, and alleviates their dry shrinkage. However, adding SBR latex to the geopolymer mortar damages the compressive strength and increases the dry shrinkage of samples while
improving their freeze-thaw resistance and 28-day flexural strength. The results also show that FAGs have great sulfate resistance. Microstructural analysis reveals that while the dehydrated SBR latex is capable of forming a continuous porous film structure, the fibers also facilitate the
formation of a three-dimensional network structure between the dense FAG gels; thus, a more stable geopolymer structure is formed, resulting in an improvement in the toughness and durability of the samples. Furthermore, the SBR latex promotes tight connections between the fibers and geopolymer
matrix so that the bond strength between the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) is greatly enhanced.
Dynamical attribution of North Atlantic interdecadal predictability to oceanic and atmospheric turbulence under diagnosed and optimal stochastic forcing
Authors: Stephenson Dafydd , Sévellec F.
Published: August 2021

Unpredictable variations in the ocean originate from both external atmospheric forcing and chaotic processes internal to the ocean itself, and are a crucial sink of predictability on interdecadal timescales. In a global ocean model, we present i.) an optimization framework to compute the most efficient noise patterns to generate uncertainty and ii.) a computationally inexpensive, dynamical method for attributing sources of ocean uncertainty to internal (mesoscale eddy-driven) and external (atmospherically driven) origins, sidestepping the more typical ensemble approach. These two methods are then applied to a range of metrics (heat content, volume transport, and heat transport) and time averages (monthly, yearly, and decadal) in the subtropical and subpolar North Atlantic. The optimal noise patterns create variability in integrated quantities of interest through features of the underlying circulation such as the North Atlantic Current and deep water formation regions. Meanwhile, noise forcing diagnosed from model representations of the actual climate system stimulates these theoretical patterns with various degrees of efficiency, ultimately leading to the growth of error. We reaffirm that higher frequency variations in meridional transports are primarily wind driven, while surface buoyancy forcing is the ultimately dominant source of uncertainty at lower frequencies. For year-averaged quantities in the subtropics, it is mesoscale eddies which contribute the most to oceanic uncertainty, accounting for up to 60% after 60 years of growth for volume transport at 25°N. The impact of eddies is greatly reduced in the subpolar region, which we suggest may be explained by overall lower sensitivity to small-scale noise there.
Local and remote atmospheric responses to soil moisture anomalies in Australia
Authors: Martius Olivia , Wehrli Kathrin , Rohrer Marco
Published: August 2021

Three sets of model experiments are performed with the Community Earth System Model to study the role of soil moisture anomalies as a boundary forcing for the formation of upper-level Rossby wave patterns during Southern Hemisphere summer. In the experiments, soil moisture over Australia is set to ±1STD of an ERA-Interim reanalysis derived soil moisture reconstruction for the years 2009 to 2016 and 50 ensemble members are run. The local response is a positive heating anomaly in the dry simulations that results in a thermal low-like circulation anomaly with an anomalous surface low and upper-level anticyclone. Significant differences in convective rainfall over Australia are related to differences in convective instability and associated with changes in near surface moisture and moisture advection patterns. A circum-hemispheric flow response is identified both in the upper-level flow and in the surface storm tracks that overall resembles a positive Southern Annular Mode-like flow anomaly in the dry simulations. The structure of this atmospheric response strongly depends on the background flow. The results point to a modulation of the hemispheric flow response to the forcing over Australia by the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Significant changes of precipitation over the Maritime continent and South Africa are found and significant differences in the frequency of surface cyclones are present all along the storm tracks.
Impact of CYGNSS-Derived Winds on Tropical Cyclone Forecasts in a Global and Regional Model
Authors: Mueller Michael J. , Annane Bachir , Leidner S. Mark , Cucurull Lidia
Published: August 2021

An observing system experiment was conducted to assess the impact of wind products derived from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) on tropical cyclone track, maximum 10-m wind speed Vmax, and minimum sea level pressure forecasts. The experiment used a global data assimilation and forecast system, and the impact of both CYGNSS-derived scalar and vector wind retrievals was investigated. The CYGNSS-derived vector wind products were generated by optimally combining the scalar winds and a gridded a priori vector field. Additional tests investigated the impact of CYGNSS data on a regional model through the impact of lateral boundary and initial conditions from the global model during the developmental phase of Hurricane Michael (2018). In the global model, statistically significant track forecast improvements of 20–40 km were found in the first 60 h. The Vmax forecasts showed some significant degradations of ~2 kt at a few lead times, especially in the first 24 h. At most lead times, impacts were not statistically significant. Degradations in Vmax for Hurricane Michael in the global model were largely attributable to a failure of the CYGNSS-derived scalar wind test to produce rapid intensification in the forecast initialized at 0000 UTC 7 October. The storm in this test was notably less organized and symmetrical than in the control and CYGNSS-derived vector wind test. The regional model used initial and lateral boundary conditions from the global control and CYGNSS scalar wind tests. The regional forecasts showed large improvements in track, Vmax, and minimum sea level pressure.
Prevalence of dental disorders among people with mental illness: An umbrella review
Authors: Choi Jisu , Price Josh , Ryder Samuel , Siskind Dan , Solmi Marco , Kisely Steve
Published: August 2021

Objective:

Psychiatric patients have increased rates of comorbid physical illness. There are less data on dental disease, especially decay, despite risk factors including lifestyle and psychotropic side effects such as xerostomia. We therefore undertook an umbrella review of all meta-analyses on the association between mental illness and oral health.

Methods:

We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase and CINAHL. Articles were independently assessed. Outcomes were caries, periodontal disease, erosion, and partial or total tooth loss (edentulism), measured where possible with standardised measures such as the mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth or surfaces. Quality was assessed in line with National Institutes of Health guidelines.

Results:

We identified 11 meta-analyses. The most information and strongest association was between dental decay and severe mental illness or substance use, as well as erosion and eating disorders. Depressive, anxiety and eating disorders were also associated with caries, but the datasets were small. People with severe mental illness had nearly three times the odds of having lost all their teeth than the general community (odds ratio = 2.81, 95% confidence interval = [1.73, 4.57]) and those with depression between 1.17 and 1.32. Findings for periodontal disease were more equivocal, possibly because of study heterogeneity.

Conclusion:

Mental health clinicians should screen for oral diseases when treating those with mental illness and facilitate referral to affordable dental clinics when indicated. Prevention should be a priority, including the promotion of dental care, as well as the management of xerostomia when psychopharmacologic agents are prescribed.
Co-location of Formal and Informal Manufacturing and Firm’s Performance: Evidence from India
Authors: Ramachandran Renjith , Sasidharan Subash
Published: August 2021

This study analyses the impact of co-location between formal and informal manufacturing sectors on plant-level productivity. We employ a unique data obtained by merging plant-level data from Annual Survey of Industries (ASI 2011–2012) and Survey of Unorganised Manufacturing and Repairing Enterprises provided by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO 67th round). We find that formal and informal manufacturing plants gain from localisation. Further, co-location with informal enterprises has a positive impact on productivity of formal sector plants; however, we observe insignificant impact of co-location on informal sector enterprises. Additionally, we find evidence that informal sector enterprises benefit from industrially diversified regions.

JEL Codes: D24, R12, R3
Utilization of Alexandrite Laser for Hair Removal in Pediatric Auricular Reconstruction
Authors: You Peng , Rosenberg Tara L. , Liu Yi‐Chun Carol
Published: August 2021

Auricular reconstruction with autologous rib cartilage involves using a soft tissue envelope to cover the cartilage framework. In patients with a low hairline, hair‐bearing skin may be incorporated on the reconstructed ear, creating a difficult and conspicuous aesthetic problem. A retrospective chart review was conducted to summarize and share the experience of using the Candela GentleMax Pro 755‐nm alexandrite laser system (Candela Corp) in children following auricular reconstruction. Nine patients received laser hair removal via the alexandrite laser system with good results. The number of completed sessions ranged from 1 to 5. The procedures were completed without the need for premedication or procedural sedation. Laser hair removal with an alexandrite laser system was safe, fast, and effective. With multistage auricular reconstruction, it was feasible to incorporate laser hair removal between the stages.
A comparative judgment approach to assessing Chinese Sign Language interpreting
Authors: Han Chao , Xiao Xiaoyan
Published: August 2021

The quality of sign language interpreting (SLI) is a gripping construct among practitioners, educators and researchers, calling for reliable and valid assessment. There has been a diverse array of methods in the extant literature to measure SLI quality, ranging from traditional error analysis to recent rubric scoring. In this study, we want to expand the terrain of SLI assessment, by exploring and evaluating a novel method, known as comparative judgment (CJ), to assess SLI quality. Briefly, CJ involves judges to compare two like objects/items and make a decision by choosing the one with higher quality. The binary outcomes from repeated comparisons by a group of judges are then modelled statistically to produce standardized estimates of perceived quality for each object/item. We recruited 12 expert judges to operationalize CJ via a computerized system to assess the quality of Chinese Sign Language interpreting produced by 36 trainee interpreters. Overall, our analysis of quantitative and qualitative data provided preliminary evidential support for the validity and utility of CJ in SLI assessment. We discussed these results in relation to previous SLI literature, and suggested future research to cast light on CJ’s usefulness in applied assessment contexts.
Case report of an elderly woman with atypical imaging for primary central nervous system lymphoma who needed a brain biopsy for diagnosis
Authors: Matsuzono Kosuke , Yagisawa Tomoya , Ohtani Keisuke , Ishishita Yohei , Yamaguchi Takashi , Mashiko Takafumi , Ozawa Tadashi , Koide Reiji , Tanaka Ryota , Kawai Kensuke , Fujimoto Shigeru
Published: August 2021

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but its diagnosis is challenging in some cases. A brain biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing PCNSL, but its invasiveness can be problematic. Thus, noninvasive imaging examinations have been developed for the pre-surgical diagnosis of PCNSL, including gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 123I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine single-photon emission computed tomography (123I-IMP SPECT), and positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG PET). Here, we report the case of a 71-year-old woman with negative imaging findings for PCNSL, but who was diagnosed with PCNSL by a brain biopsy and histological analysis. Her imaging results were negative for gadolinium-enhanced cranial MRI, with low uptake in 123I-IMP SPECT and hypometabolism in 18F-FDG PET. However, a stereotactic brain biopsy from an abnormal lesion revealed that many round cells had infiltrated into the brain. Moreover, many infiltrating cells were positive for cluster of differentiation (CD)20 and CD79a, and proliferation marker protein Ki-67-positive cells accounted for nearly 80% of all cells. Based on these results, our final pathological diagnosis was PCNSL. The present case highlights the possibility of a PCNSL diagnosis even when all imaging-related examinations display negative results.
Transbronchial tuberculosis cavity plugging therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Han Junfeng , Yuan Long , Li Jianguo , Liang Chunbao , Zhang Dong , Mei Zaoxian
Published: August 2021

Objective

To investigate the effect of drug treatment combined with interventional cavity therapy for cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods

One-hundred thirty patients who underwent transbronchial tuberculosis cavity plugging (TTCP) combined with drug therapy from 2012 to 2018 were selected as the observation group, and 130 patients with cavitary tuberculosis who underwent treatment with drugs only were selected as the control group. Changes in cavity size and sputum tests were compared between the two groups. In addition, adverse reactions were monitored.

Results

The number of cases with cavity closure was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group at different time points. The number and proportion of negative sputum samples in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The treatment success rate was 98.46% in the observation group and 92.3% in the control group. No recurrence was observed in the observation group, and 8.3% of cases in the control group showed recurrence.

Conclusions

TTCP for the treatment of cavity tuberculosis showed good outcomes, with limited side effects and minimal complications.
What is the Link Between Mental Imagery and Sensory Sensitivity? Insights from Aphantasia
Authors: Dance C. J. , Ward J. , Simner J.
Published: August 2021

People with aphantasia have impoverished visual imagery so struggle to form mental pictures in the mind's eye. By testing people with and without aphantasia, we investigate the relationship between sensory imagery and sensory sensitivity (i.e., hyper- or hypo-reactivity to incoming signals through the sense organs). In Experiment 1 we first show that people with aphantasia report impaired imagery across multiple domains (e.g., olfactory, gustatory etc.) rather than simply vision. Importantly, we also show that imagery is related to sensory sensitivity: aphantasics reported not only lower imagery, but also lower sensory sensitivity. In Experiment 2, we showed a similar relationship between imagery and sensitivity in the general population. Finally, in Experiment 3 we found behavioural corroboration in a Pattern Glare Task, in which aphantasics experienced less visual discomfort and fewer visual distortions typically associated with sensory sensitivity. Our results suggest for the very first time that sensory imagery and sensory sensitivity are related, and that aphantasics are characterised by both lower imagery, and lower sensitivity. Our results also suggest that aphantasia (absence of visual imagery) may be more accurately defined as a subtype of a broader imagery deficit we name dysikonesia, in which weak or absent imagery occurs across multiple senses.
Automated Object Detection, Mapping, and Assessment of Roadside Clear Zones Using Lidar Data
Authors: Gouda Maged , Arantes de Achilles Mello Bruno , El-Basyouny Karim
Published: August 2021

This paper proposes a fully automated approach to map and assess roadside clearance parameters using mobile Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) data on rural highways. Compared with traditional manual surveying methods, lidar data could provide a more efficient and cost-effective source to extract roadside information. This study proposes a novel voxel-based raycasting approach focused primarily on automating roadside mapping and assessment. First, the scanning vehicle trajectory is extracted. Pavement surface points are then detected, and a method is proposed to extract pavement edge trajectories. Once pavement edges are extracted, guardrails were identified using a conical frustum emitted from the edge trajectory points. Target points and flexion points are then generated and located on the roadside, and a voxel-based raycasting approach is used to search for roadside obstacles and query their locations. Finally, roadside slopes and embankment heights were mapped at specific intervals, and roadside design guidelines and requirements were automatically checked against the mapping results. Noncompliant locations with substandard conditions were automatically queried. The method was tested on four highway segments in Alberta, Canada. The accuracy of the edge detection reached up to 98.5%. Furthermore, the method proved to be accurate in object detection, being able to detect all obstructions on the roadside in each tested segment. The proposed method can help transportation authorities automatically map and inventory roadside clearance parameters. Moreover, the safety performance of existing road infrastructure can be studied using collected information and crash data to support decision making on road maintenance and upgrades.
Effect of Various Speed Management Strategies on Bicycle Crashes for Urban Roads in Central Florida
Authors: Ugan Jorge , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Cai Qing , Mahmoud Nada , Al-Omari Ma’en
Published: August 2021

In recent years, cycling has become an increasingly popular transportation mode around the world. In comparison with other popular modes of transportation, cycling is economical and energy efficient. While many studies have been conducted for the analysis of bicycle safety, most were limited in bicycle exposure data and on-street data. This study tries to improve the current safety performance functions for bicycle crashes at urban corridors by utilizing crowdsource data from STRAVA and on-street speed management strategies data. Speed management strategies are any roadway alterations that cause a change in motorists’ driving behavior. In Florida, these speed management strategies are defined by the Florida Department of Transportation design manual. Considering the disproportionate representation of cyclists from the STRAVA data, adjustments were made to represent more accurately the cyclists based on the video detection data by developing a Tobit model. The adjusted STRAVA data was used for bicyclist exposure to analyze bicycle crashes on urban arterials. A Bayesian joint model was developed to identify the relations between the bicycle crash frequency and factors relating to speed management strategies. Other factors, such as vehicle traffic data, roadway information, socio-demographic characteristics, and land use data, were also considered in the model. The results suggest that the adjusted STRAVA data could be used as the exposure for bicycle crash analysis. The results also highlight the significant effects of speed management strategies, such as parking lots and surface pavement. It is expected that these findings could help engineers develop effective strategies to enhance safety for bicyclists.
Work Time Matters for Mental Health: A Gender Analysis of Paid and Unpaid Labor in the United States
Authors: Piovani Chiara , Aydiner-Avsar Nursel
Published: August 2021

Based on Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey data for 2013–14, this paper examines the association between work time (inclusive of both paid and unpaid work time) and the mental health outcomes of men and women in the United States, controlling for economic and social buffers, education, and demographic factors. In the United States, even though women constitute close to half of the paid labor force, they still perform the lion’s share of unpaid work. The findings indicate that total work time is positively related with emotional distress for women, while there is no statistically significant relationship for men. For women, the relationship between work time and mental health is primarily driven by unpaid work rather than paid work. Evaluating the relationship between mental health and both productive and reproductive work is critical to develop effective public policies toward gender equity and social well-being.

JEL classification: I14, J16, J01
An intelligent fault diagnosis method based on domain adaptation for rolling bearings under variable load conditions
Authors: Zhang Jianqun , Zhang Qing , Qin Xianrong , Sun Yuantao
Published: August 2021

To identify rolling bearing faults under variable load conditions, a method named DISA-KNN is proposed in this paper, which is based on the strategy of feature extraction-domain adaptation-classification. To be specific, the time-domain and frequency-domain indicators are used for feature extraction. Discriminative and domain invariant subspace alignment (DISA) is used to minimize the data distributions’ discrepancies between the training data (source domain) and testing data (target domain). K-nearest neighbor (KNN) is applied to identify rolling bearing faults. DISA-KNN’s validation is proved by the experimental signal collected under different load conditions. The identification accuracies obtained by the DISA-KNN method are more than 90% on four datasets, including one dataset with 99.5% accuracy. The strength of the proposed method is further highlighted by comparisons with the other 8 methods. These results reveal that the proposed method is promising for the rolling bearing fault diagnosis in real rotating machinery.
Investigation of degradation of ecological hydraulic fluid
Authors: Tkáč Z , Čorňák Š , Kosiba J , Janoušková R , Michalides M , Vozárová V , Csillag J
Published: August 2021

This article deals on the impact of the ecological hydraulic fluid type hydraulic environmental ester synthetic oil on operation of mini excavator hydraulic circuit. An operational test was to 500 engine hours. Hydraulic fluid is evaluated for chemical contamination. Fluid samples were taken from the mini excavator at 250 engine hours intervals. These samples were subjected to IR spectroscopic analysis, kinematic viscosity measurements at 40° C and 100° C, total acid number measurement and differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the ecological hydraulic oil does not influence the operation of the mini excavator. Based on the achieved results, it was shown that the degradation processes during the operational test of the ecological fluid do not affect the operating parameters of the monitored machine. The presented paper also presents the results of the influence of hydraulic on the flow characteristics of the hydraulic pump.
The effects of swirl number on the combustion characteristics in an internally-staged combustor
Authors: Zhao Tiezheng , Liu Xiao , Zhang Zhihao , Yang Jialong , Zheng Hongtao
Published: August 2021

The three-dimensional turbulent swirling flame in an internally-staged combustor is numerically investigated. Four cases over a range of swirl intensities are explored by the Flamelet Generated Manifold model in this paper. Special attention is paid to analyzing the variation of the flow field, temperature, major species concentrations and emissions. The results clearly show the effects of swirl number on the size of the center recirculation zone, fuel distribution and combustion characteristics. When the third premixed stage swirl number increases from 0.6 to 1.2, the axial length of the center recirculation zone decreases by 3.7%, while the radial length increases by 6.9%. The characteristics of the flow field play an important role in the spatial distribution of the fuel, which further affects the temperature distribution in the combustor. The backflow effect is enhanced, resulting in a greater concentration of fuel at the outlet of the swirler. After the maximum temperature is reached at the exit position of the pilot stage, the temperature decreases compared to the peak temperature downstream as the proportion of premixed combustion mode increases. This creates a high concentration region of OH at the outlet of the pilot stage injector and the heat release region is squeezed upstream. At the same time, the volume of the high-temperature region downstream of the pilot stage is reduced. In addition, as the swirl number of the third premixed stage increases from 0.6 to 1.2, the emissions of NO and CO decrease by 28.7% and 75%, respectively.