bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progression of COVID‐19 From Urban to Rural Areas in the United States: A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Prevalence Rates
Authors: Paul Rajib , Arif Ahmed A. , Adeyemi Oluwaseun , Ghosh Subhanwita , Han Dan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

There are growing signs that the COVID‐19 virus has started to spread to rural areas and can impact the rural health care system that is already stretched and lacks resources. To aid in the legislative decision process and proper channelizing of resources, we estimated and compared the county‐level change in prevalence rates of COVID‐19 by rural‐urban status over 3 weeks. Additionally, we identified hotspots based on estimated prevalence rates.

Methods

We used crowdsourced data on COVID‐19 and linked them to county‐level demographics, smoking rates, and chronic diseases. We fitted a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm in R‐studio. We mapped the estimated prevalence rates using ArcGIS 10.8, and identified hotspots using Gettis‐Ord local statistics.

Findings

In the rural counties, the mean prevalence of COVID‐19 increased from 3.6 per 100,000 population to 43.6 per 100,000 within 3 weeks from April 3 to April 22, 2020. In the urban counties, the median prevalence of COVID‐19 increased from 10.1 per 100,000 population to 107.6 per 100,000 within the same period. The COVID‐19 adjusted prevalence rates in rural counties were substantially elevated in counties with higher black populations, smoking rates, and obesity rates. Counties with high rates of people aged 25‐49 years had increased COVID‐19 prevalence rates.

Conclusions

Our findings show a rapid spread of COVID‐19 across urban and rural areas in 21 days. Studies based on quality data are needed to explain further the role of social determinants of health on COVID‐19 prevalence.
Rapid resolution of colitis related to immunosuppressive medication after infliximab administration
Authors: Coghill Matthew , Howell Mary , Wallis Gonzalo , Dranove Jason
Published: June 2020

Immunosuppression is necessary after solid organ transplantation. The non‐infectious side effects associated with many of these agents are not well understood. We report a case of colitis, most resembling inflammatory bowel disease, that persisted despite withdrawal of tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil and transition to alternative agents. The patient was treated for clostridium difficile without improvement. Endoscopic biopsies demonstrated non‐specific inflammation without evidence of active infection. An extensive immunologic and oncologic workup was negative. Ultimately, we trialed the administration of infliximab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits TNF‐alpha receptors that is commonly used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. With infliximab treatment, the patient experienced rapid resolution of his disease and has remained in remission.
Prospective study of serum and aqueous humour anti‐Hsp70.1 IgG antibody levels in ocular toxoplasmosis
Authors: Chiquet Christophe , Chumpitazi Bernabé , Vilgrain Isabelle , Lesoin Anne , Fricker‐Hidalgo Helene , Brenier‐Pinchart Marie‐Pierre , Vasseneix Caroline , Savy Olivier , Campolmi Nelly , Gain Philippe , Flori Pierre , Aptel Florent , Pelloux Hervé , Bouillet Laurence
Published: June 2020

Aims

We evaluate whether the serum and aqueous humour (AH) level of IgG anti‐Hsp70.1 antibodies improved the biological diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Methods and results

In this prospective cross‐sectional and multicentre study, serum and AH were collected at the time of active uveitis. Anti‐Hsp70.1‐antibody levels were determined by ELISA. Patients with confirmed (Group A1, n = 21) or suspected ocular toxoplasmosis (group A2, n = 30) were enrolled, as well as a control group of patients with cataract (group B, n = 42). Serum IgG anti‐Hsp70.1 antibody levels were not significantly different within the group of uveitis patients (A1, n = 21 vs A2, n = 30, P = .8) and were significantly associated with the affected retinal zone (P = .006) and with the size of the retinal lesion (P = .03). Serum anti‐Hsp70.1 antibody level was positive in 10 out of the 18 patients of group A2. Significant anti‐Hsp‐70.1 antibody level in AH was reported in only three patients (3 eyes) with confirmed ocular toxoplasmosis.

Conclusion

While the level of IgG anti‐Hsp‐70.1 antibody in AH did not improve the laboratory diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis, its level in serum was of major significance for retinal damage diagnosis.
Incidence of antibiotic resistance in Vibrio spp
Authors: Loo Ke‐Yan , Letchumanan Vengadesh , Law Jodi Woan‐Fei , Pusparajah Priyia , Goh Bey‐Hing , Ab Mutalib Nurul‐Syakima , He Ya‐Wen , Lee Learn‐Han
Published: June 2020

Vibrio species is a common natural inhabitant of brackish and saltwater. Vibrio sp. includes not only emerging pathogens but also well‐known and emerged pathogens, such as V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. Although it is often harmless, pathogenic strains which could cause serious food‐borne illnesses/outbreaks in both humans and animals have been identified. Vibrio infection is usually self‐limiting and requires no clinical treatment. However, antibiotics are still required to treat severe cases of Vibrio infection. Recent reports have highlighted a rise in the presence of antibiotic‐resistant Vibrio in the environment. This hampers the clinical treatment of Vibrio infection and has been linked to the imprudent use of antibiotics in various fields such as human medicine, agriculture and animal husbandry. As a result, it has greatly jeopardized food security, threatened public health and impugned the growth of economy. Food is a potential vehicle of antibiotic‐resistant Vibrio where the resistant genes are transmitted to humans via ingestion of contaminated food. Hence, the surveillance, monitoring and management of antibiotic patterns of Vibrio are important for clinical treatment. This review focuses on different trends and global patterns of antibiotic resistance of Vibrio.
Quantitative Risk Assessment: Developing a Bayesian Approach to Dichotomous Dose–Response Uncertainty
Authors: Wheeler Matthew W. , Blessinger Todd , Shao Kan , Allen Bruce C. , Olszyk Louis , Davis J. Allen , Gift Jeffrey S
Published: June 2020

Model averaging for dichotomous dose–response estimation is preferred to estimate the benchmark dose (BMD) from a single model, but challenges remain regarding implementing these methods for general analyses before model averaging is feasible to use in many risk assessment applications, and there is little work on Bayesian methods that include informative prior information for both the models and the parameters of the constituent models. This article introduces a novel approach that addresses many of the challenges seen while providing a fully Bayesian framework. Furthermore, in contrast to methods that use Monte Carlo Markov Chain, we approximate the posterior density using maximum a posteriori estimation. The approximation allows for an accurate and reproducible estimate while maintaining the speed of maximum likelihood, which is crucial in many applications such as processing massive high throughput data sets. We assess this method by applying it to empirical laboratory dose–response data and measuring the coverage of confidence limits for the BMD. We compare the coverage of this method to that of other approaches using the same set of models. Through the simulation study, the method is shown to be markedly superior to the traditional approach of selecting a single preferred model (e.g., from the U.S. EPA BMD software) for the analysis of dichotomous data and is comparable or superior to the other approaches.
Long‐term in vitro persistence of magnetic properties after magnetic bead‐based cell separation of T cells
Authors: Laghmouchi Aicha , Hoogstraten Conny , Falkenburg J. H. Frederik , Jedema Inge
Published: June 2020

Magnetic‐activated cell sorting (MACS) using magnetic nanoparticles coated with specific antibodies is commonly used in immunology research. For in vitro isolation purposes, it is important to know to what extent the magnetic properties remain present in the isolated cell populations and whether it has consequences for sequential isolations. We hypothesized that only upon cell division, cells will lose their magnetic properties via dilution of the particles in/on their daughter cells. We analysed residual magnetic properties of cells that divided vs cells that did not divide after magnetic bead‐based cell separation. As a model, we isolated T cells using beads targeting the non‐modulating surface molecule CD45RO. Cells were labelled with the cell division tracking dye PKH and cultured under different conditions to induce variable degrees of cell division. We demonstrate that T cells that underwent no, or only minimal, cell divisions after MACS retained magnetic properties for up to at least 2 weeks of in vitro culture. The presence of nanoparticles was detected on their cell surface and intracellularly using Labeling Check reagent. These results have important consequences for procedures requiring repetitive isolation rounds after in vitro culture.
Crustal thickness, rift‐drift and potential links to key global events
Authors: Paulsen Timothy , Deering Chad , Sliwinski Jakub , Chatterjee Snehamoy , Bachmann Olivier , Guillong Marcel
Published: June 2020

Orogenic crustal thickening leads to increased continental elevation and runoff into the oceans, but there are fundamental uncertainties in the temporal patterns of thickening through Earth history. U‐Pb age and trace element data in detrital zircons from Antarctica are consistent with recent global analyses suggesting two dominant peaks in average crustal thickness from ~2.6 to 2.0 Ga and ~0.8 to 0.5 Ga. Shifts in marine carbonate 87Sr/86Sr ratios show two primary peaks that post‐date these crustal thickness peaks, suggesting significant weathering and erosion of global continental relief. Both episodes correlate well with zircon trace element and isotope proxies indicating enhanced crustal and fluid input into subduction zone magmas. Increased crustal thickness correlates with increased passive margin abundance and overlaps with snowball Earth glaciations and atmospheric oxygenation, suggesting a causal link between continental rift‐drift phases and major transitions in Earth's atmospheric and oceanic evolution.
Primary leaf‐type ferredoxin 1 participates in photosynthetic electron transport and carbon assimilation in rice
Authors: He Lei , Li Man , Qiu Zhennan , Chen Dongdong , Zhang Guangheng , Wang Xiaoqi , Chen Guang , Hu Jiang , Gao Zhenyu , Dong Guojun , Ren Deyong , Shen Lan , Zhang Qiang , Guo Longbiao , Qian Qian , Zeng Dali , Zhu Li
Published: June 2020

Ferredoxins (Fds) play a crucial role in photosynthesis by regulating the distribution of electrons to downstream enzymes. Multiple Fd genes have been annotated in the Oryza sativa L. (rice) genome; however, their specific functions are not well understood. Here, we report the functional characterization of rice Fd1. Sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis of seven rice Fd proteins and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) analysis showed that rice Fd1 is a primary leaf‐type Fd. Electron transfer assays involving NADP+ and cytochrome c indicated that Fd1 can donate electrons from photosystem I (PSI) to ferredoxin‐NADP+ reductase. Loss‐of‐function fd1 mutants showed chlorosis and seedling lethality at the three‐leaf stage. The deficiency of Fd1 impaired photosynthetic electron transport, which affected carbon assimilation. Exogenous glucose treatment partially restored the mutant phenotype, suggesting that Fd1 plays an important role in photosynthetic electron transport in rice. In addition, the transcript levels of Fd‐dependent genes were affected in fd1 mutants, and the trend was similar to that observed in fdc2 plants. Together, these results suggest that OsFd1 is the primary Fd in photosynthetic electron transport and carbon assimilation in rice.
Optimization of Francis Turbines for Variable Speed Operation Using Surrogate Modeling Approach
Authors: Iliev Igor , Tengs Erik Os , Trivedi Chirag , Dahlhaug Ole Gunnar
Published: June 2020

Previous studies suggested variable speed operation (VSO) of Francis turbines as a measure to improve the efficiency at off-design operating conditions. This is, however, strongly dependent on the hydraulic design and, for an existing turbine, improvements can be expected only with a proper redesign of the hydraulic surfaces. Therefore, an optimization algorithm is proposed and applied to the runner of a low specific speed Francis turbine, with an optimization strategy specifically constructed to improve the variable speed performance. In the constrained design space of the reference turbine, the geometry of the replacement runner is parametrically defined using 15 parameters. Box–Behnken method was used to populate the design space with 421 unique samples, needed to train fully quadratic response surface models of three characteristic efficiencies defined by the proposed objective function. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to calculate the responses for each sample. The parametric study showed that the anticipated variation of the shape of the hill chart, needed to improve the variable speed performance of the turbine, is limited within a narrow range. The presented method is general and can be applied to any specific speed in the Francis turbine range, for both synchronous speed and variable speed optimization tasks.
The Independent Relationship Between Leg Skeletal Muscle Mass Asymmetry and Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Iwasaka Chiharu , Mitsutake Tsubasa , Horikawa Etsuo
Published: June 2020

Objectives:To investigate the relationship between leg skeletal muscle mass asymmetry and usual gait speed in older adults.Methods:The subjects were 139 community-dwelling older adults. The asymmetry index was calculated using the leg skeletal muscle mass index (LSMI) values of both legs. The subjects were divided into “large” and “small” asymmetry groups based on the asymmetry index. The relationship between asymmetry and gait speed was analyzed using a linear regression model. The appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and LSMI were included as adjustment variables in the analysis.Results:The asymmetry index and having a “large” asymmetry were independently related to gait speed, even after adjusting for covariates such as appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and LSMI.Discussion:Leg skeletal muscle mass asymmetry was related to gait speed independently of the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index and LSMI values. A skeletal muscle mass evaluation among older adults should include an assessment of the total skeletal muscle mass and its asymmetry.
Semimechanistic Modeling of Eravacycline Pharmacodynamics Using
In Vitro
Time-Kill Data with MIC Incorporated in an Adaptive Resistance Function
Authors: Nguyen Ken , Bensman Timothy J. , Wei Xiaohui (Tracey) , Moore Jason N.
Published: June 2020

Effective bacterial infection eradication requires not only potent antibacterial agents but also proper dosing strategies. Current practices generally utilize point estimates of the effects of therapeutic agents, even though the actual kinetics of exposure are much more complex and relevant. Here, we use a full time course of the observed
in vitro
effects to develop a semimechanistic pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for eravacycline against multiple Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.
The Echo of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Mechanisms of Clinical Symptoms and Other Disease-Induced Systemic Complications
Authors: Luies Laneke , du Preez Ilse
Published: June 2020

Clinical symptoms of active tuberculosis (TB) can range from a simple cough to more severe reactions, such as irreversible lung damage and, eventually, death, depending on disease progression. In addition to its clinical presentation, TB has been associated with several other disease-induced systemic complications, such as hyponatremia and glucose intolerance. Here, we provide an overview of the known, although ill-described, underlying biochemical mechanisms responsible for the clinical and systemic presentations associated with this disease and discuss novel hypotheses recently generated by various omics technologies.
Unexplained cause of thrombocytopenia, fever, anasarca and hypothyroidism: TAFRO syndrome with thrombotic microangiopathy renal histology
Authors: Simeni Njonnou Sylvain Raoul , Deuson Justine , Royer-Chardon Claire , Vandergheynst Frédéric Alain , Wilde Virginie De
Published: June 2020

TAFRO (thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin myelofibrosis or renal dysfunction and organomegaly) syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disease characterised by thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever or inflammatory syndrome, reticulin myelofibrosis or renal dysfunction and organomegaly. It was first described as a subtype of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease. Here, we report the case of a 42-year-old woman presenting with thrombocytopenia, anasarca, inflammatory syndrome, renal insufficiency, reticulin myelofibrosis at bone marrow biopsy and cervical and axillary lymph nodes. Kidney biopsy showed double contours of the glomerular basement membrane, mesangiolysis and endothelial swelling compatible with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) as well as with TAFRO syndrome. She was successfully treated by corticosteroids, tocilizumab and rituximab. This new case description of TAFRO syndrome underlines three features of this disease rarely described in the literature and never simultaneously in the same patient: the association to severe hypothyroidism, the presence of TMA-like lesions on kidney biopsy and the treatment by the association of steroids, tocilizumab and rituximab.
Effect of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy in combination with autologous platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of elbow tendinopathy
Authors: Freitag Julien , Shah Kiran , Wickham James , Tenen Abi
Published: June 2020

Tendinopathy is a common condition of both the athletic and general population and can be associated with significant pain and disability. The ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to differentiate along a mesodermal cell lineage, including tenocytes, and secrete various bioactive regenerative and anti-inflammatory molecules has seen them considered as a future reparative therapy for tendinopathy. Preclinical trials with MSCs have shown promising positive functional and structural outcomes in several connective tissue related conditions. A 52-year-old male professional masters golfer presents with a clinical history of common extensor origin tendinopathy of the elbow. Subsequent formal ultrasound showed evidence of a large intrasubstance tear. The patient underwent intratendinous autologous adipose-derived MSC therapy in combination with autologous platelet-rich plasma. Following treatment, the patient reported progressive improvement as measured by the validated Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation score. Repeat imaging showed successful regeneration of tendon-like tissue.
Mediastinal cystic teratoma masquerading as a hydatid cyst
Authors: Williams David , Zhou Fang , Grovenburg Max , Vaynblat Mikhail
Published: June 2020

A case is presented in which a preoperatively diagnosed hydatid cyst was found to be a mature cystic teratoma on pathological examination. Diagnostic dilemmas surrounding each disease are discussed.
Haemolacria: a case of pseudomembranous conjunctivitis in a neonate
Authors: Boffa Michelle Marie , Spiteri Amaris
Published: June 2020

We report an unusual case of an 11-day-old neonate presenting with haemolacria on a background of sticky conjunctival discharge. This was secondary toChlamydiapseudomembranous conjunctivitis which responded well to systemic erythromycin. Early appropriate treatment is important to prevent progression of the ophthalmic infection, which could lead to blindness, and to prevent other manifestations of neonatal chlamydial infection, particularly pneumonia, which could be fatal. Management also includes treating the mother and educating about sexually transmitted infections.
Unilateral Blaschko-linear eruption with Gottron-like papules: blaschkoid lupus erythematosus or dermatomyositis?
Authors: Yadav Deepika , Khandpur Sujay , Mohta Pratik
Published: June 2020

A 6-year-old boy presented with dusky erythematous plaques in linear and whorled pattern over limbs and trunk for the past 1 year along with subcutaneous nodule on the left cheek of 3 months duration. He also had Gottron-like and inverse Gottron-like papules on hands. Histology from truncal lesion showed interface dermatitis with superficial and deep perivascular and periappendageal infiltrate suggestive of discoid cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), while biopsy from facial nodule revealed features of lupus panniculitis. The connective tissue disease workup showed only antinuclear antibody positivity (2+, 1:100 dilution). There was no clinical or investigational evidence of myositis as part of dermatomyositis (DM) workup. A final diagnosis of Blaschko-linear CLE was made, since Gottron-like and inverse Gottron-like papules can be found in CLE as well. The present case highlights the rarity of presentation of CLE along Blaschko lines and overlapping features of Blaschko-linear CLE with DM.
Bradyarrhythmia secondary to vagus nerve stimulator 7 years after placement
Authors: Gandhi Haresh , Ippoliti Michelina , Iqbal Farrukh , Shah Ajay
Published: June 2020

We present a case of a 38-year-old man with a previous medical history of asthma and refractory epilepsy requiring vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) placement 7 years prior to the presentation who was found to be in atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response during a preoperative evaluation, which prompted transoesophageal echocardiography and subsequent cardioversion. In preparation for cardioversion, the VNS was turned off and the patient was cardioverted to normal sinus rhythm. Following cardioversion, the VNS was activated again. During recovery, the patient was experiencing several episodes of first-degree and second-degree Mobitz type-II atrioventricular (AV) block. In response, the VNS was deactivated indefinitely. On interrogation of a loop recorder 2 weeks after discharge, the patient did not have any further evidence of AV conduction delay.
Antipsychotic pitfalls: idiopathic intracranial hypertension and antipsychotic-induced weight gain
Authors: Namiki Hirofumi
Published: June 2020

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition associated with poor vision and headaches that can cause disability and reduced quality of life. The onset of IIH is typically associated with sudden weight gain and obesity, which may be due to first-generation or second-generation antipsychotics. This case involved the use of quetiapine in an obese, 28-year-old woman; she gained significant weight after starting the antipsychotic and later developed headaches and blurred vision. Reducing quetiapine and administering acetazolamide significantly improved her symptoms within 4 weeks. This case reminds physicians to consider IIH as a cause of headache and vision loss in patients who have gained weight after starting or increasing quetiapine.
Observational study on the current status of thalassaemia in Malaysia: a report from the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry
Authors: Mohd Ibrahim Hishamshah , Muda Zulaiha , Othman Ida Shahnaz , Mohamed Unni Mohamed Najib , Teh Kok Hoi , Thevarajah Asohan , Gunasagaran Kogilavani , Ong Gek Bee , Yeoh Seoh Leng , Muhammad Rivai Aisyah , Che Mohd Razali Che Hadibiah , Din Nazzlin Dizana , Abdul Latiff Zarina , Jamal Rahman , Mohamad Norsarwany , Mohd Ariffin Hany , Alias Hamidah
Published: June 2020

Objective

Thalassaemia is the most common inherited blood disorder in Malaysia. This study aims to report the current status of thalassaemia in Malaysia and provide a comprehensive understanding of the disease through data obtained from the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry.

Design

Data were extracted from the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry, a web-based system accessible to enrolled users through www.mytalasemia.net.my.

Setting

The Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry data was recorded from reports obtained from 110 participating government and university hospitals in Malaysia.

Participants

The patients were those attending the 110 participating hospitals for thalassaemia treatment.

Intervention

Data were collected from the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry from 2007 until the fourth quarter of 2018.

Primary outcome measure

7984 out of 8681 patients with thalassaemia registered in the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry were reported alive.

Results

Majority of the patients were reported in the state of Sabah (22.72%); the largest age group affected was 5.0–24.9 years old (64.45%); the largest ethnic group involved was Malay (63.95%); and the major diagnosis was haemoglobin E/β-thalassaemia (34.37%). From the 7984 patients, 56.73% were on regular blood transfusions and 61.72% were on chelation therapy. A small fraction (14.23%) has undergone splenectomy, while the percentage of patients with severe iron overload (serum ferritin ≥5000 µg/L) reduced over time. However, cardiac complications are still the main cause of death in patients with thalassaemia.

Conclusion

Data gathered into the registry can be used to understand the progression of the disorder, to monitor iron overload management and to improve the outcomes of treatment, to enhance preventive strategies, reduce healthcare burden and improve the quality of life. Sustainability of the Malaysian Thalassaemia Registry is important for surveillance of thalassaemia management in the country and help the national health authorities to develop more effective policies.
Variation in tonsillectomy cost and revisit rates: analysis of administrative and billing data from US children’s hospitals
Authors: Mahant Sanjay , Richardson Troy , Keren Ron , Srivastava Rajendu , Meier Jeremy
Published: June 2020

Background

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common and cumulatively expensive surgical procedures in children. We determined if substantial variation in resource use, as measured by standardised costs, exists across hospitals for performing tonsillectomy and if higher resource use is associated with better quality of care, as measured by revisits to hospital.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of children undergoing routine outpatient tonsillectomy between 2011 to 2017 across US children's hospitals using an administrative and billing data source. The primary outcome measures were the hospital tonsillectomy standardised cost and the 30-day revisit rate to hospital. We analysed the interhospital variation in standardised cost by determining the number of outlier hospitals in standardised cost and the intraclass correlation coefficient.

Results

131 814 children (median age 6 years, IQR: 4,9; female sex 52.5%) underwent tonsillectomy for airway obstruction (62.9%) and infection (23.9%) across 28 hospitals. The median adjusted hospital standardised cost for tonsillectomy was $2392 (IQR: $1827, $2793; range: $1166 to $4222). There was substantial interhospital variation in costs as 11 (40%) hospitals were cost outliers, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.62, suggesting that 62% of the variation in cost was attributable to variation between hospitals. The median hospital revisit rate was 9.5% (IQR: 7.8, 12.1) and higher hospital costs did not correlate with lower revisit rates (rs=0.03, 95% CI −0.36 to 0.41; p=0.87).

Conclusions

There is substantial variation in hospital resource use and standardised costs for routine outpatient tonsillectomy across US children’s hospitals. Higher resource use is not associated with lower revisit rates. Further study is needed to understand the practices of lower resource use hospitals who deliver high quality of care.
Methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism analysis reveals the DNA methylation dynamics during capitulum development in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium
Authors: Zhang Fan , Deng Chengyan , Dai Silan
Published: June 2020

Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium (Fischer ex Trautv.) Makino is a diploid plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, with typical capitula composed of female ray florets and bisexual disc florets. The differentiation and development of these two types of florets have long been important research focuses; however, the potential epigenetic mechanisms governing these processes have not been elucidated. In the present study, methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism method was used to trace the dynamic changes of DNA methylation during capitulum development in C. lavandulifolium. DNA methylation patterns and levels were detected in the whole capitula during seven developmental stages, and the obtained results revealed that DNA demethylation was dominant during this process. In addition, DNA methylation patterns and levels showed significant differences between ray and disc florets. Moreover, the expression patterns of candidate genes potentially involved in the development processes of two types of florets were analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and correlation analysis indicated that the expression levels of ClPI, ClAG2, ClSEP1, ClCYC2c, ClCYC2d, and ClCYC2e were highly correlated with DNA methylation levels. These results indicate that DNA methylation may be involved in the differentiation and development of ray and disc florets. This study provides epigenetic insights into the capitulum development in C. lavandulifolium.
RISK–RETURN RELATIONSHIP IN ASIAN, AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS
Authors: MITTAL RUHEE , NARWAL KARAM PAL , SHEERA VED PAL
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the symmetric and asymmetric relationships between changes in implied volatility indices (VIs) and the market returns for Asian, American and European markets over a period of 10 years spanning from March 2009 to December 2019. In this study, the symmetric and asymmetric return–volatility relationships are examined using three different models, in which return and volatility are taken as dependent and independent variables and vice versa. The Granger casualty test is applied to study the lead–lag relation between return and volatility. The major findings of the study are as follows: firstly, there exists a contemporaneous inverse relationship between implied volatility indices and market returns of various international markets. Secondly, there exists an asymmetric volatility–return relation in the emerging markets (India and Japan). Thirdly, the contemporaneous returns produce a significant asymmetric impact on the changes in volatility index. This supports that the behavioral explanations, such as representativeness and affect heuristic, dominate the return–volatility relation. The empirical investigations provide evidence in favor of the fact that implied VIs play an efficient role in capturing the current perception of the risk. The implications of this kind of study for the investment community and regulatory bodies are rather multifaceted. This asymmetric relationship between return and volatility can be useful for volatility traders in determining the market direction during high- and low-volatility regimes. Hence investment in the future and option contracts based on these indices will help traders hedge against volatility in a single transaction.
Adsorption and dissociation of H2O monomer on ceria(111): Density functional theory calculations
Authors: Wang Shuangxi , Zhang Ping
Published: June 2020

The adsorption properties of isolated H2O molecule on stoichiometric and reduced ceria(111) surfaces are theoretically investigated by first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the most stable adsorption configurations form two hydrogen bonds between the adsorbate and substrate. The water molecule is very inert on the stoichiometric surface unless up to a high temperature of 600 K. For the reduced surface, we find that the oxygen vacancy enhances the interaction. Moreover, simulations at low temperature of 100 K confirm that it is facilitated for water to dissociate into H and OH species.
On knot groups acting on trees
Authors: Dudkin Fedor A. , Mamontov Andrey S.
Published: June 2020

A finitely generated group [Formula: see text] acting on a tree with infinite cyclic edge and vertex stabilizers is called a generalized Baumslag–Solitar group (GBS group). We prove that a one-knot group [Formula: see text] is a GBS group if and only if [Formula: see text] is a torus knot group, and describe all n-knot GBS groups for [Formula: see text].
WEAR PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LASER-DEPOSITED NI-BASE COMPOSITES ON 304 STAINLESS STEEL
Authors: LIU ZHIYUAN , LI GUANCHAO , LI JIANING , WANG MENGZHEN , YU HUIJUN , CHEN CHUANZHONG
Published: June 2020

The amorphous phase (AP) and nanocrystalline particle (NP)-reinforced composite coating was fabricated by laser cladding (LC) of the Ni45-WC mixed powders on the 304 stainless steel. An LC technique favored APs as well as NPs to be formed due to their rapid cooling and solidification characteristics, so the wear resistance of the Ni-base coating was improved. Microstructures and wear resistance of the fabricated composite coating were studied extensively. The test results showed that the microhardness and wear resistance of this LC coating were enhanced under the actions of NPs, APs and the ceramics. The study of the laser synthesis of NPs provided a theoretical basis for improving the LC technique.
Improving the classification performance with group lasso-based ranking method in high dimensional correlated data
Authors: Patil Abhijeet R , Choi Bong-Jin , Kim Sangjin
Published: June 2020

The high-throughput correlated DNA methylation (DNAmeth) dataset generated from Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 27 (IIHM 27K) BeadChip assay. In the DNAmeth data, there are several CpG sites for every gene, and these grouped CpG sites are highly correlated. Most of the current filtering-based ranking (FBR) methods do not consider the group correlation structures. Obtaining the significant features with the FBR methods and applying these features to the classifiers to attain the best classification accuracy in highly correlated DNAmeth data is a challenging task. In this research, we introduce a resampling of group least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (glasso) FBR method capable of ignoring the unrelated features in the data considering the group correlation among the features. The various classifiers, such as random forests (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), and support vector machines (SVM) with the significant CpGs obtained from the proposed resampling of group lasso-based ranking (RGLR) method helped to boost the classification accuracy. Through simulated and experimental prostate DNAmeth data, we showed that higher performance of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and geometric mean is achieved by ignoring the unimportant CpG sites through the RGLR method.
The Hydrodynamics of Jellyfish Swimming
Authors: Costello John H. , Colin Sean P. , Dabiri John O. , Gemmell Brad J. , Lucas Kelsey N. , Sutherland Kelly R.
Published: June 2020

Jellyfish have provided insight into important components of animal propulsion, such as suction thrust, passive energy recapture, vortex wall effects, and the rotational mechanics of turning. These traits are critically important to jellyfish because they must propel themselves despite severe limitations on force production imposed by rudimentary cnidarian muscular structures. Consequently, jellyfish swimming can occur only by careful orchestration of fluid interactions. Yet these mechanics may be more broadly instructive because they also characterize processes shared with other animal swimmers, whose structural and neurological complexity can obscure these interactions. In comparison with other animal models, the structural simplicity, comparative energetic efficiency, and ease of use in laboratory experimentation allow jellyfish to serve as favorable test subjects for exploration of the hydrodynamic bases of animal propulsion. These same attributes also make jellyfish valuable models for insight into biomimetic or bioinspired engineeringof swimming vehicles. Here, we review advances in understanding of propulsive mechanics derived from jellyfish models as a pathway toward the application of animal mechanics to vehicle designs.
What Is Metagenomics Teaching Us, and What Is Missed?
Authors: New Felicia N. , Brito Ilana L.
Published: June 2020

Shotgun metagenomic sequencing has revolutionized our ability to detect and characterize the diversity and function of complex microbial communities. In this review, we highlight the benefits of using metagenomics as well as the breadth of conclusions that can be made using currently available analytical tools, such as greater resolution of species and strains across phyla and functional content, while highlighting challenges of metagenomic data analysis. Major challenges remain in annotating function, given the dearth of functional databases for environmental bacteria compared to model organisms, and the technical difficulties of metagenome assembly and phasing in heterogeneous environmental samples. In the future, improvements and innovation in technology and methodology will lead to lowered costs. Data integration using multiple technological platforms will lead to a better understanding of how to harness metagenomes. Subsequently, we will be able not only to characterize complex microbiomes but also to manipulate communities to achieve prosperous outcomes for health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.
Regulators of Viral Frameshifting: More Than RNA Influences Translation Events
Authors: Penn Wesley D. , Harrington Haley R. , Schlebach Jonathan P. , Mukhopadhyay Suchetana
Published: June 2020

Programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) is a conserved translational recoding mechanism found in all branches of life and viruses. In bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes PRF is used to downregulate protein production by inducing a premature termination of translation, which triggers messenger RNA (mRNA) decay. In viruses, PRF is used to drive the production of a new protein while downregulating the production of another protein, thus maintaining a stoichiometry optimal for productive infection. Traditionally, PRF motifs have been defined by the characteristics of two cis elements: a slippery heptanucleotide sequence followed by an RNA pseudoknot or stem-loop within the mRNA. Recently, additional cis and new trans elements have been identified that regulate PRF in both host and viral translation. These additional factors suggest PRF is an evolutionarily conserved process whose function and regulation we are just beginning to understand.
Coding Perceptual Decisions: From Single Units to Emergent Signaling Properties in Cortical Circuits
Authors: Krug Kristine
Published: June 2020

Spiking activity in single neurons of the primate visual cortex has been tightly linked to perceptual decisions. Any mechanism that reads out these perceptual signals to support behavior must respect the underlying neuroanatomy that shapes the functional properties of sensory neurons. Spatial distribution and timing of inputs to the next processing levels are critical, as conjoint activity of precursor neurons increases the spiking rate of downstream neurons and ultimately drives behavior. I set out how correlated activity might coalesce into a micropool of task-sensitive neurons signaling a particular percept to determine perceptual decision signals locally and for flexible interarea transmission depending on the task context. As data from more and more neurons and their complex interactions are analyzed, the space of computational mechanisms must be constrained based on what is plausible within neurobiological limits. This review outlines experiments to test the new perspectives offered by these extended methods.
An Oral Formulation of the Probiotic, Bacillus subtilis HU58, Was Safe and Well Tolerated in a Pilot Study of Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Yossef Sayed , Clark Frances , Bubeck Sarah S. , Abernethy John , Bayne Thomas , Krishnan Kiran , Young Aicacia
Published: June 2020

Background. Hepatic encephalopathy often results in high blood ammonia levels because of inefficient ammonia processing by the liver. Lactulose treatment promotes the growth of urease‐producing gut bacteria and a reduced colon pH, thus reducing blood ammonia absorption. It is thought that probiotics as an add‐on therapy may be beneficial. Patients and Methods. Bacillus subtilis HU58 was tested for safety and tolerability in patients with hepatic encephalopathy taking lactulose in this double‐bind, placebo‐controlled, 4‐week pilot study. Study participants received one dose of B. subtilis HU58 or placebo (orally) for the first five days and two daily doses thereafter. Participants were monitored for safety and blood ammonia levels. Results. Forty patients participated (placebo, 11; probiotic, 29). Baseline characteristics were generally comparable; the mean baseline blood ammonia level was somewhat higher in the probiotic group. Mild or moderate treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported in 27.3% and 17.2% of patients in the placebo and probiotic groups, respectively; no severe TEAEs were reported. One patient (9.1%) taking placebo and two (6.9%) taking the probiotic experienced serious TEAEs (SAEs); none resulted in study discontinuation and all were considered to have no/unlikely relationship to the study product. There were no significant differences in the mean percent change (MPC) of blood ammonia levels between groups, though the probiotic group exhibited a trend toward a milder increase. Stratification of the probiotic group by baseline blood ammonia level (>60 μg/dL and ≤60 μg/dL) resulted in a significantly reduced MPC in the >60 μg/dL subgroup (MPC (SD); ≤60 μg/dL (n = 14), 35.3% (73.3); >60 μg/dL (n = 14), −26.5% (24.4); p = 0.0087). Conclusions. Daily treatment with oral B. subtilis HU58 was safe and well tolerated over a 4‐week period in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, and a significantly reduced MPC of blood ammonia level was observed in patients with a baseline level >60 µg/dL.
Prediction Model of Minimum Void Ratio for Various Sizes/Shapes of Sandy Binary Mixture
Authors: Shen Chaojie , Xu Zhaoyang , Yin Jie , Wu Jinfeng
Published: June 2020

The minimum void ratio is a fundamental physical index for evaluating particle properties in soil mechanics, ceramic processing, and concrete mixes. Previous research found that both particle size distribution and particle shape characteristics would affect minimum void ratio, while the current research generally uses a linear model to estimate the minimum void ratio of a binary mixture, ignoring quantitative effect of particle shape on the minimum void ratio. Based on a study of binary mixtures of natural sand from three different origins and iron particles of two different shapes, this paper analyzes the influence factors of the minimum void ratio, and a quadratic nonlinear model is proposed for estimating the minimum void ratio of binary mixture. The model contains only one undetermined coefficient, a, the value of which is correlated to the particle sphericity, particle size, and particle size ratio. A theoretical calculation formula for the coefficient a is proposed to quantitatively analyze the effects of these three factors on the size of the parameters. In the end, the model is used to estimate the minimum void ratios of sand and substitute particles from different producing areas; the average difference between the estimated values and the fitted values is about 2.03%, suggesting that the estimated values of the model fit well with the measured data.
Dynamic Response Characteristics and Failure Mechanism of Coal Slopes with Weak Intercalated Layers under Blasting Loads
Authors: Liu Guang-wei , Song Dan-qing , Chen Zhuo , Yang Ju-wen
Published: June 2020

Rock slopes with weak intercalated layers could experience disturbance from various deep mining activities; however, their dynamic stability has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, the dynamic response characteristics and failure mechanism of the coal slopes with weak intercalated layers under blasting loads were studied by means of numerical analysis, shaking table tests, and field tests. The effects of dynamic loads with different frequencies on the dynamic response of the slope were analyzed, and the natural frequency of the slope was also determined. The results show that the dynamic amplification effect of the slope is smaller than that of the homogeneous slope, and weak layers weaken the wave propagation in the rock mass. Both experimental and field investigation results show that the slope’s natural frequency was approximately 35 Hz. The slope deformation decreased with the distance of the blasting source. Cracks appear along the weak interlayer firstly under the action of horizontal vibration; then, longitudinal cracks occur at the slope crest. With the increase of dynamic loads, cracks continue expanding, deepening, and penetrating in the main controlled weak interlayer; then, the sliding body presents tensile shear failure along the sliding surface. This study could provide insights into the understanding of the coal slope instability and failure mechanism; this could benefit the blasting operation of the coal slope in fields.
Nonlinear Radial Consolidation Analysis of Soft Soil with Vertical Drains under Cyclic Loadings
Authors: Kim Pyol , Kim Hyong-Sik , Kim Yong-Gun , Paek Chung-Hyok , Oh Song-Nam , So Sung-Ryol , Ok Chang-Son
Published: June 2020

This paper presents analytical solutions for nonlinear radial consolidation of soft soil with vertical drains under various cyclic loadings. By considering the nonlinear variations of compressibility and permeability expressed by the logarithm relations (e−log σ′ande−log kh), the governing equation for nonlinear radial consolidation of the soil under equal strain and time-dependent loading is established. The analytical solutions are derived for nonlinear radial consolidation under haversine cyclic loading, trapezoidal cyclic loading, rectangular cyclic loading, and triangular cyclic loading. The presented solution is verified through the degeneration into the existing solutions for nonlinear radial consolidation under constant and ramp loadings, which shows the solution proposed in this paper is more general for nonlinear radial consolidation under time-dependent loading. The nonlinear radial consolidation behavior of the soil with vertical drains subjected to various cyclic loadings is investigated using the solutions developed. The proposed solutions can be effectively utilized in the analysis of nonlinear radial consolidation under various cyclic loadings.