bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endothelial dysfunction due to selective insulin resistance in vascular endothelium: insights from mechanistic modeling
Authors: Muniyappa Ranganath , Chen Hui , Montagnani Monica , Sherman Arthur , Quon Michael J.
Published: August 2020

Previously, we have used mathematical modeling to gain mechanistic insights into insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent insulin signaling required for metabolic actions of insulin also regulates endothelium-dependent production of the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO). Vasodilation increases blood flow that augments direct metabolic actions of insulin in skeletal muscle. This is counterbalanced by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent insulin signaling in endothelium that promotes secretion of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 (ET-1). In the present study, we extended our model of metabolic insulin signaling into a dynamic model of insulin signaling in vascular endothelium that explicitly represents opposing PI3K/NO and MAPK/ET-1 pathways. Novel NO and ET-1 subsystems were developed using published and new experimental data to generate model structures/parameters. The signal-response relationships of our model with respect to insulin-stimulated NO production, ET-1 secretion, and resultant vascular tone, agree with published experimental data, independent of those used for model development. Simulations of pathological stimuli directly impairing only insulin-stimulated PI3K/Akt activity predict altered dynamics of NO and ET-1 consistent with endothelial dysfunction in insulin-resistant states. Indeed, modeling pathway-selective impairment of PI3K/Akt pathways consistent with insulin resistance caused by glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, or inflammation predict diminished NO production and increased ET-1 secretion characteristic of diabetes and endothelial dysfunction. We conclude that our mathematical model of insulin signaling in vascular endothelium supports the hypothesis that pathway-selective insulin resistance accounts, in part, for relationships between insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. This may be relevant for developing novel approaches for the treatment of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications.
Constrained Uncertain System Stabilization with Enlargement of Invariant Sets
Authors: Hamdi Walid , Bey Wissal , Benhadj Braiek Naceur
Published: August 2020

An enhanced method able to perform accurate stability of constrained uncertain systems is presented. The main objective of this method is to compute a sequence of feedback control laws which stabilizes the closed-loop system. The proposed approach is based on robust model predictive control (RMPC) and enhanced maximized sets algorithm (EMSA), which are applied to improve the performance of the closed-loop system and achieve less conservative results. In fact, the proposed approach is split into two parts. The first is a method of enhanced maximized ellipsoidal invariant sets (EMES) based on a semidefinite programming problem. The second is an enhanced maximized polyhedral set (EMPS) which consists of appending new vertices to their convex hull to minimize the distance between each new vertex and the polyhedral set vertices to ensure state constraints. Simulation results on two examples, an uncertain nonisothermal CSTR and an angular positioning system, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology when compared to other works related to a similar subject. According to the performance evaluation, we recorded higher feedback gain provided by smallest maximized invariant sets compared to recently studied methods, which shows the best region of stability. Therefore, the proposed algorithm can achieve less conservative results.
Beneficial Effect of a Fermented Wheat Germ Extract in Intestinal Epithelial Cells in case of Lipopolysaccharide-Evoked Inflammation
Authors: Karancsi Z. , Móritz A. V. , Lewin N. , Veres A. M. , Jerzsele Á. , Farkas O.
Published: August 2020

In this study, the protective effect of a fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) against LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in IPEC-J2 porcine intestinal epithelial cells was studied. Enterocytes were treated with LPS derived from Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O55:B5, O111:B4, and O127:B8 strains. Intracellular ROS level and extracellular H2O2 level were followed up by two fluorescent assays (DCFH-DA and Amplex Red). The effect of FWGE on the intestinal barrier integrity was determined by transepithelial electric resistance measurements and using a FD4 fluorescent tracer dye. IL-6 concentration of supernatants was also measured by the ELISA method. Our data revealed that FWGE had a significant lowering effect on the inflammatory response especially related to oxidative stress. Treatment with FWGE (1-2%) significantly decreased the level of intracellular ROS compared to LPS-treated cells. Furthermore, LPS-triggered partial disruption of epithelial integrity was reduced after FWGE application.
Optimization Method of Reducing the Differential Settlements of Piled Raft Foundations Based on Pile‐to‐Pile Interaction Theory
Authors: Xie Yunfei , Chi Shichun
Published: August 2020

In order to reduce the differential settlement of piled raft foundations, an optimization method based on pile‐to‐pile interaction theory is proposed in this paper, which translates the problem of pile‐to‐pile interaction (PPI) in pile groups into that in single piles using the interaction factor method. The pile lengths were adjusted via the relationship between load, settlement, and the length of single piles during the optimization design. ANSYS software, in conjunction with nonlinear elastic soil model, is used to analyze piled raft foundation models. Two cases with different safety factors that suffer different kinds of surface loads (uniform load and nonuniform load) are used to verify this method. The differential settlements of the raft in different cases are all reduced by nearly or more than 80% after optimization design. The results show that the optimization method proposed in this paper has high efficiency and stability. This study can help practicing engineers optimize the pile lengths in pile groups to satisfy higher differential settlement requirements.
Determinants of Delay in Seeking Malaria Treatment for Under-Five Children at Gambella Town, Southwest Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Shumerga Addisu Tona , Hebo Habtamu Jarso , Gebrehiwot Tsegaye Tewelde , Gebre Mamo Nigatu
Published: August 2020

Background. Most of the malaria-related complications in children are due to delay in the treatment-seeking of caregivers. The objective of this study was to identify determinants of delay in seeking malaria treatment for under-five children in Gambella town, Ethiopia. Methods. A case-control study was conducted in March 2017 among caregivers/parents consecutively included in the study. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were, respectively, used for descriptive and analytical data analyses. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI were, respectively, calculated to assess the strength of association and statistical significance. Result. A total of 153 cases and 153 control caregivers/parents participated in the study giving a response rate of 100%. The mean age of cases and controls was 29.4 years (SD ± 6.0 years) and 29.63 years (SD ± 7.8 years), respectively. Being housewife (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.47–4.22), having no history of child mortality (AOR = 3.70; 95% CI: 1.79–7.64), and chewing khat (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.57–7.68) were significantly associated with delay in seeking malaria treatment for under-five children among the caregivers. Conclusion and Recommendation. Comprehensive community-based malaria prevention and control education should be given for the caregivers in the town giving due emphasis to housewives, khat-chewers, and the caregivers with no story of child death to better promote early malaria treatment-seeking for under-five children.
Improving Physical Fitness of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through an Adapted Rhythmic Gymnastics Program in China
Authors: Xu Chenchen , Yao Mingyan , Kang Mengxue , Duan Guanting
Published: August 2020

Background. Health‐related physical fitness is vital for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to gain healthier lives. The adapted rhythmic gymnastics (ARG) program was designed for children with IDD and is aimed at testing the effects of the exercise program on children’s physical fitness. Methods. Participants were recruited from two special needs schools in Beijing of China. Twenty‐two children with IDD were assigned to an ARG experimental group or a traditional control group. The experimental group took part in a 16‐week ARG program consisting of three 50 min sessions each week. And children’s body composition, aerobic capacity, and musculoskeletal functioning were measured by the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) before and after the program. Results. The between‐group analysis revealed great improvements for the experimental group in abdominal strength (curl‐up test: p = 0.025 < 0.05) and upper limb strength (dumbbell press test: p = 0.038 < 0.05). Compared to the pretest, most of the physical fitness parameters improved significantly in the experimental group except BMI, and flexibility of the experimental group children showed a substantial increase. Conclusions. Most of the physical fitness parameters of children with IDD in the experimental group improved significantly, especially on abdominal strength and upper limb muscle strength when comparing to the control group.
Comparison of Methodologies for the Detection of Multiple Failures Using Acoustic Images in Fan Matrices
Authors: del Val Lara , Izquierdo Alberto , Villacorta Juan J. , Suárez Luis
Published: August 2020

This paper presents the comparison of three methodologies to detect if some fans in a matrix are not working properly. These methodologies are based on detecting fan failures by analysing acoustic images of the fan matrix, obtained using a planar array of MEMS microphones. Geometrical parameters of these acoustic images for different frequencies are then used to train a support vector machine (SVM) classifier, in order to detect the fan failures. One of the methodologies is based on the detection of the faulty fan in the matrix, under the hypothesis that only one fan can fail. Other methodology is based on the detection of the specific working situation of the matrix. And finally, the third methodology that is compared is based on determining individually if each of the fans of the matrix is working properly or not. The comparison shows that this third methodology is the most reliable.
Elucidation of the Mechanisms and Molecular Targets of Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Xu Manman , Li Zhonghao , Yang Lu , Zhai Wujianwen , Wei Nina , Zhang Qiuyan , Chao Bin , Huang Shijing , Cui Hanming
Published: August 2020

Sanhuang Xiexin Decoction (SXD) is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In order to elucidate the specific analysis mechanisms of SXD for T2DM, the method of network pharmacology was applied to this article. First, the effective ingredients of SXD were obtained and their targets were identified based on the TCMSP database. The T2DM‐related targets screened from the GEO database were also collected by comparing the differential expressed genes between T2DM patients and healthy individuals. Then, the common targets in SXD‐treated T2DM were obtained by intersecting the putative targets of SXD and the differential expressed genes of T2DM. And the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was established using the above common targets to screen key genes through protein interactions. Meanwhile, these common targets were used for GO and KEGG analyses to further elucidate how they exert antidiabetic effects. Finally, a gene pathway network was established to capture the core one in common targets enriched in the major pathways to further illustrate the role of specific genes. Based on the data obtained, a total of 67 active compounds and 906 targets of SXD were identified. Four thousand one hundred and seventy‐six differentially expressed genes with a P value < 0.005 and ∣log2(fold change) | >0.5 were determined between T2DM patients and control groups. After further screening, thirty‐seven common targets related to T2DM in SXD were finally identified. Through protein interactions, the top 5 genes (YWHAZ, HNRNPA1, HSPA8, HSP90AA1, and HSPA5) were identified. It was found that the functional annotations of target genes were associated with oxygen levels, protein kinase regulator, mitochondria, and so on. The top 20 pathways including the PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, cancers, HIF‐1 signaling pathway, and JAK‐STAT signaling pathway were significantly enriched. CDKN1A was shown to be the core gene in the gene‐pathway network, and other several genes such as CCND1, ERBB2, RAF1, EGF, and VEGFA were the key genes for SXD against T2DM. Based on the network pharmacology approach, we identified key genes and pathways related to the prognosis and pathogenesis of T2DM and also provided a feasible method for further studying the chemical basis and pharmacology of SXD.
Rapamycin Inhibited Pyroptosis and Reduced the Release of IL‐1β and IL‐18 in the Septic Response
Authors: Zhuo Luo , Chen Xiaobing , Sun Yan , Wang Yanli , Shi Yuanfeng , Bu Lin , Xia Wei , Han Jiayan , Chen Dongmei , Li Xiaomin
Published: August 2020

Pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, is the initiating event of sepsis and results in immune imbalance by releasing IL‐1β and IL‐18 in the early stages. Studies show that enhancing autophagy via genetic manipulation can inhibit pyroptosis and prolong the survival of a sepsis animal model, indicating a possible therapeutic strategy against sepsis. However, almost no study so far has achieved pyroptosis inhibition via pharmacological autophagy induction in a sepsis disease model. To this end, we established an in vitro sepsis model by stimulating primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and analyzed the effect of the autophagy agonist rapamycin (RAPA) on pyroptosis. Phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate‐ (PMA‐) activated human THP‐1 cells were used as the positive control. LPS significantly increased the levels of the pyroptotic protein Gasdermin D (GSDMD), cysteinyl aspartate‐specific proteinase 1 (caspase‐1), secreted LDH, IL‐1β, and IL‐18. RAPA treatment downregulated the above factors and enhanced autophagy in the LPS‐stimulated HUVECs and THP‐1 cells. This study shows that RAPA abrogates LPS‐mediated increase in IL‐1β and IL‐18 by inhibiting pyroptosis and enhancing autophagy.
Analysis of Failure Characteristics and Strength Criterion of Coal‐Rock Combined Body with Different Height Ratios
Authors: Wang Tuo , Ma Zhanguo , Gong Peng , Li Ning , Cheng Shixing
Published: August 2020

In underground mining and roadway support engineering of coal mine, the coal and rock layers bear loads together; therefore, the deformation and mechanical characteristics of the coal‐rock combined bodies are not the same as those of the pure coal or rock bodies. In this paper, conventional triaxial compression tests of coal‐rock combined bodies with different height ratios were conducted. And the stress and deformation characteristics of coal‐rock combined body were studied and the experimental results were analyzed with different strength criteria. The results show that the peak stress, elastic modulus, and strength reduction coefficient of coal‐rock combined body are negatively correlated with the ratio of coal to coal‐rock combination height and positively correlated with the confining pressure; the coal‐rock combination shows obvious ductility under 10 MPa confining pressure. Under the conventional triaxial condition, the shear failure was the main cause of the lateral deformation of the coal body in the coal‐rock combination, which was much larger than that of the rock body. The circle deformation value, volume strain value, and the deformation rate in the postpeak stage of coal‐rock combination are much higher than those in the prepeak stage. Mohr–Coulomb and general Hoek–Brown strength criterion fit the experimental results well.
Impact of Hardware Impairments with Imperfect Channel Estimation for Cache-Enabled UAV Relaying Networks
Authors: Deng Dan , Rao Yanyi , Zhu Fusheng
Published: August 2020

The effects of hardware impairments with imperfect channel estimation for cache-enabled UAV networks are studied in this paper. The effects of the setup parameters, such as the number of cached or relaying nodes, the hardware impairment factor, the channel estimation error, and the transmission SNR, on the outage probability are present by deriving the exact closed-form expressions on outage probability. Also, the asymptotic results are present when the transmission SNR is large enough. From the asymptotic analysis, we can see that there is an error floor introduced by the hardware impairments and imperfect channel estimation. Specifically, the error floor is dependent on the channel estimation error factor, the hardware impairment distortion factor, and the QoS requirements. And the diversity order of the error floor for the cached/relaying links is equal to the number of cached/relaying UAV nodes.
Metastatic Syringocystadenocarcinoma Papilliferum: A Case Report, Tumor Genomic Profiling, and Literature Review
Authors: Altunel Erdem , Perepletchikov Aleksandr , Kozyreva Olga
Published: August 2020

Syringocystadenocarcinoma papilliferum (SCACP) is an extremely rare cutaneous neoplasm of the apocrine or eccrine sweat glands. Solid and cystic glandular structures with cribriform and tubular architecture along with CK5/6, pankeratin and p63 immuno-profile set apart SCACP from other cutaneous malignancies. Wide local excision (WLE) has been the mainstay treatment for localized SCACP; however, no standard treatment has yet been established for unresectable or metastatic disease. Herein, we report a 74-year-old male with SCACP, who initially presented with a painful nodule on the upper back and later developed metastatic disease. He was treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel with concurrent intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which resulted in disease stabilization for 12 months. Next generation sequencing (NGS) revealed a total of 18 genomic alterations associated with potential benefit from targeted therapeutics. PD-L1 expression was identified in 70% of tumor cells. These findings suggest that the opportunity of targeted therapeutics and immunotherapy exist as for metastatic SCACP. Reporting molecular profile of the rare tumors with no established standard treatment options should be encouraged.
Short-Term Air Pollution as a Risk for Stroke Admission: A Time-Series Analysis
Authors: Byrne Colm Patrick , Bennett Kathleen E. , Hickey Anne , Kavanagh Paul , Broderick Brian , O’Mahony Margaret , Williams David J.
Published: August 2020

Background: The harmful effects of outdoor air pollution on stroke incidence are becoming increasingly recognised. We examined the impact of different air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, ozone, and SO2) on admission for all strokes in two Irish urban centres from 2013 to 2017. Methods: Using an ecological time series design with Poisson regression models, we analysed daily hospitalisation for all strokes and is­chaemic stroke by residence in Dublin or Cork, with air pollution level monitoring data with a lag of 0–2 days from exposure. Splines of temperature, relative humidity, day of the week, and time were included as confounders. Analysis was also performed across all four seasons. Data are presented as relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in each pollutant. Results: There was no significant association between all stroke admission and any individual air pollutant. On seasonal analysis, during winter in the larger urban centre (Dublin), we found an association between all stroke cases and an IQR increase in NO2 (RR 1.035, 95% CI: 1.003–1.069), PM10 (RR 1.032, 95% CI: 1.007–1.057), PM2.5 (RR 1.024, 95% CI: 1.011–1.039), and SO2 (RR 1.035, 95% CI: 1.001–1.071). There was no significant association found in the smaller urban area of Cork. On meta-analysis, there remained a significant association between NO2 (RR 1.013, 95% CI: 1.001–1.024) and PM2.5 (1.009, 95% CI 1.004–1.014) per IQR increase in each. Discussion: Short-term air pollution in winter was found to be associated with hospitalisation for all strokes in a large urban centre in Ireland. As Ireland has relatively low air pollution internationally, this highlights the need to introduce policy changes to reduce air pollution in all countries.
Left Ventricular Mass Index Is Associated With Cognitive Function in Middle-Age
Authors: Razavi, Alexander C. , Fernandez Camilo , He Jiang , Kelly Tanika N. , Krousel-Wood Marie , Whelton Seamus P. , Carmichael Owen T. , Bazzano Lydia A
Published: August 2020

Background:

Elevated cardiovascular disease risk factor burden is a recognized contributor to poorer cognitive function; however, the physiological mechanisms underlying this association are not well understood. We sought to assess the potential mediation effect of left ventricular (LV) remodeling on the association between lifetime systolic blood pressure and cognitive function in a community-based cohort of middle-aged adults.

Methods:

Nine hundred sixty participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study (59.2% women, 33.8% black, aged 48.4±5.1 years) received 2-dimensional echocardiography to quantify relative wall thickness, LV mass, and diastolic and systolic LV function; and a standardized neurocognitive battery to assess memory, executive functioning, and language processing. Multivariable linear regression assessed the association of cardiac structure and function with a global composite cognitive function score, adjusting for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Mediation analysis assessed the effect of LV mass index on the association between lifetime systolic blood pressure burden and cognitive function.

Results:

There were 233 (24.3%) and 136 (14.2%) individuals with concentric LV remodeling and concentric LV hypertrophy, respectively. Each g/m
2.7
increment in LV mass index was associated with a 0.03 standardized unit decrement in global cognitive function (
P
=0.03). Individuals with concentric LV remodeling and isolated diastolic dysfunction had the poorest cognitive function, and a greater ratio between early mitral inflow velocity and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/e’) was associated with poorer cognitive function, even after adjustment for LV mass index (B=−0.12;
P
=0.03). A total of 18.8% of the association between lifetime systolic blood pressure burden and midlife cognitive function was accounted for by LV mass index.

Conclusions:

Cardiac remodeling partially mediates the association between lifespan systolic blood pressure burden and adult cognition in individuals without dementia or clinical cardiovascular disease. Slowing or reversing the progression of cardiac remodeling in middle-age may be a novel therapeutic approach to prevent cognitive decline.
Fontan-Associated Liver Disease
Authors: Emamaullee Juliet , Zaidi Ali N. , Schiano Thomas , Kahn Jeffrey , Valentino Pamela L. , Hofer Ryan E. , Taner Timucin , Wald Joyce W. , Olthoff Kim M. , Bucuvalas John , Fischer Ryan
Published: August 2020

Surgical innovation and multidisciplinary management have allowed children born with univentricular physiology congenital heart disease to survive into adulthood. An estimated global population of 70 000 patients have undergone the Fontan procedure and are alive today, most of whom are <25 years of age. Several unexpected consequences of the Fontan circulation include Fontan-associated liver disease. Surveillance biopsies have demonstrated that virtually 100% of these patients develop clinically silent fibrosis by adolescence. As they mature, there are increasing reports of combined heart-liver transplantation resulting from advanced liver disease, including bridging fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, in this population. In the absence of a transplantation option, these young patients face a poor quality of life and overall survival. Acknowledging that there are no consensus guidelines for diagnosing and monitoring Fontan-associated liver disease or when to consider heart transplantation versus combined heart-liver transplantation in these patients, a multidisciplinary working group reviewed the literature surrounding Fontan-associated liver disease, with a specific focus on considerations for transplantation.
Predictive Value of Pulmonary Arterial Compliance in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Guo Xiaoxiao , Lai Jinzhi , Wang Hui , Tian Zhuang , Zhao Jiuliang , Li Mengtao , Fang Quan , Fang Ligang , Liu Yongtai , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: August 2020

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus. It is characterized by increased right ventricular afterload which mainly comprises pulmonary arterial compliance (PAC) and pulmonary vascular resistance. The role of PAC in predicting the outcome of systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension has not been investigated yet. Between February 2012 to December 2016, 120 consecutive patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension based on right heart catheterization were enrolled, prospectively. Baseline clinical characteristics and hemodynamic assessment were analyzed. Baseline right ventricular afterload was stratified according to the PAC and pulmonary vascular resistance. The end point was a composite of all-cause mortality and clinical worsening. Among them, end points occurred in 49 (41%) patients after 15 months (interquartile range, 8.5–24.0). Patients with a PAC <1.39 mL/mm Hg had a 3.09-fold higher risk (95% CI, 1.54–6.20,
P
=0.001) of the end point events than the patients with a PAC ≥1.39 mL/mm Hg. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that stratified right ventricular afterload was the only independent predictor for the end point (hazard ratio, 2.009 [95% CI, 1.390–2.904],
P
<0.001). A 3-group prediction risk was created. The patients with the highest right ventricular afterload (PAC <1.39 mL/mm Hg and pulmonary vascular resistance ≥10.3Wood Unit) had the highest risk (χ
2
, 6.10;
P
<0.014) of experiencing the end point. Our results suggest that PAC is a good predictor of mortality and clinical worsening in systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. PAC, in addition to pulmonary vascular resistance, may be an attractive tool for screening high-risk populations in these patients.
Magnesium and Risk of Bleeding Complications From Ventriculostomy Insertion
Authors: Maas Matthew B. , Jahromi Babak S. , Batra Ayush , Potts Matthew B. , Naidech Andrew M. , Liotta Eric M.
Published: August 2020

Background and Purpose:

Hemorrhages are a serious complication of brain surgery, and magnesium has shown hemostatic properties in hemorrhagic stroke and non-neurological surgeries. External ventricular drain (EVD) insertion is an advantageous model of emergency neurosurgical hemorrhage risk because it is common, standardized, and the operator is blinded to the outcome during the procedure. We tested the hypothesis that low magnesium is associated with risk of hemorrhagic complications from EVD insertion.

Methods:

Patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were enrolled in a prospective, observational study. Demographic and clinical variables were prospectively recorded, including serum magnesium measurements. Catheter tract hemorrhage (CTH) was measured on postoperative head computed tomography within 48 hours of EVD insertion.

Results:

We observed 50 CTH among 327 EVD procedures (15.3%) distributed similarly among intracerebral hemorrhage (21/116 [18.1%]) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (29/211 [13.7%]). Magnesium was lower in patients with CTH compared with those without (median 1.8 versus 2.0 mg/dL,
P
<0.0001). Higher magnesium was associated with lower odds of CTH (odds ratio 0.67 per 0.1 mg/dL magnesium [95% CI, 0.56–0.78],
P
<0.0001) after adjustment for other risk factors, with similar effect in the intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage subgroups. Preprocedural increase in magnesium (odds ratio 0.68 [0.52–0.85]) and dose of preprocedural magnesium sulfate (odds ratio 0.67 [0.40–0.97]) were associated with reduced CTH risk after adjustment for initial magnesium and other risk factors.

Conclusions:

Lower magnesium at the time of EVD insertion was an independent predictor of hemorrhagic complications. Baseline risk was attenuated by preprocedural increases in magnesium, suggesting a therapeutic opportunity.
Improving Child Health and Cognition: Evidence from a School-Based Nutrition Intervention in India
Authors: Krämer Marion , Kumar Santosh , Vollmer Sebastian
Published: August 2020

We present experimental evidence on the impact of the use of double-fortified salt in school meals on anemia, cognition, and the learning outcomes of primary school children in rural Bihar, one of the poorest regions of India. We find that a year-long intervention had statistically significant positive impacts on hemoglobin levels and reduced anemia by 20%; however, these health gains did not translate into significant impacts on cognitive performance, test scores, and school attendance. Treatment effects on anemia and test scores were larger for children with higher school attendance. The findings indicate that school-based health interventions are a cost-effective and scalable approach for reducing anemia among school children in resource-constrained countries.
Does Evaluation Change Teacher Effort and Performance? Quasi-experimental Evidence from a Policy of Retesting Students
Authors: Aucejo Esteban , Romano Teresa , Taylor Eric S.
Published: August 2020

We document measurable, lasting gains in student achievement caused by a change in teachers' evaluation incentives. A short-lived rule created a discontinuity in teachers' incentives when allocating effort across their assigned students: students who failed an initial end-of-year test were retested a few weeks later, and then only the higher of the two scores was used when calculating the teacher's evaluation score. One year later, long after the discontinuity in incentives had ended, retested students scored 0.03σ higher than nonretested students. Otherwise identical students were treated differently by teachers because of evaluation incentives, despite arguably equal returns to teacher effort.
Ditaxis (Euphorbiaceae) from the Brazilian Caatinga, including a new species

Authors: KÜLKAMP JOSIMAR , IGANCI JOÃO R. V. , CORDEIRO INÊS , BAUMGRATZ JOSÉ FERNANDO A.
Published: August 2020

Ditaxis is a Neotropical genus with approximately 50 species, most of them in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil, Central America and the Antilles. The Brazilian Caatinga, the largest area of SDTF in South America, harbors three endemic species of Ditaxis, including the new Ditaxis grazielae, hereby described and illustrated. The new species is known from a few localities in the state of Bahia. We provide an identification key for the species occurring in the Caatinga, as well as comments on habitat, distribution and phenology. We also present amended descriptions and typifications for Ditaxis desertorum and D. malpighiacea, and propose D. gardneri as synonym of D. desertorum.
A new species of Phyllanthus L. (Phyllanthaceae) with phylloclades from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Authors: ORLANDINI PRISCILA , CORDEIRO INÊS , CAMPOS-ROCHA ANTONIO , SOUZA VINICIUS CASTRO
Published: August 2020

We described a new species of Phyllanthus currently known from a single fragment of Ombrophilous Dense Forest in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Phyllanthus pedicellatus is the second species of the genus with phylloclades found in the Atlantic Forest domain, once mostly Brazilian Phyllanthus with these kinds of specialized branches grow in open vegetation as “campos rupestres” and cerrado. The name is a reference to its remarkable pedicels of pistillate flowers. We present illustrations and photographs of the new species in its habitat, comments on its relationships to other Brazilian Phyllanthus, and its conservation status.
FORUM: Unique Far-Infrared Satellite Observations to Better Understand How Earth Radiates Energy to Space
Authors: Palchetti L. , Brindley H. , Bantges R. , Buehler S. A. , Camy-Peyret C. , Carli B. , Cortesi U. , Del Bianco S. , Di Natale G. , Dinelli B. M. , Feldman D. , Huang X. L. , C.-Labonnote L. , Libois Q. , Maestri T. , Mlynczak M. G. , Murray J. E. , Oetjen H. , Ridolfi M. , Riese M. , Russell J. , Saunders R. , Serio C.
Published: August 2020

The outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) emitted to space is a fundamental component of the Earth’s energy budget. There are numerous, entangled physical processes that contribute to OLR and that are responsible for driving, and responding to, climate change. Spectrally resolved observations can disentangle these processes, but technical limitations have precluded accurate space-based spectral measurements covering the far infrared (FIR) from 100 to 667 cm−1(wavelengths between 15 and 100µm). The Earth’s FIR spectrum is thus essentially unmeasured even though at least half of the OLR arises from this spectral range. The region is strongly influenced by upper-tropospheric–lower-stratospheric water vapor, temperature lapse rate, ice cloud distribution, and microphysics, all critical parameters in the climate system that are highly variable and still poorly observed and understood. To cover this uncharted territory in Earth observations, the Far-Infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission has recently been selected as ESA’s ninth Earth Explorer mission for launch in 2026. The primary goal of FORUM is to measure, with high absolute accuracy, the FIR component of the spectrally resolved OLR for the first time with high spectral resolution and radiometric accuracy. The mission will provide a benchmark dataset of global observations which will significantly enhance our understanding of key forcing and feedback processes of the Earth’s atmosphere to enable more stringent evaluation of climate models. This paper describes the motivation for the mission, highlighting the scientific advances that are expected from the new measurements.
Heavy Precipitation over Italy from the Mediterranean Storm “Vaia” in October 2018: Assessing the Role of an Atmospheric River
Authors: Davolio S. , Della Fera S. , Laviola S. , Miglietta M. M. , Levizzani V.
Published: August 2020

The Mediterranean storm “Vaia” developed within a typical autumn synoptic circulation, generally associated with heavy rain conditions over the western Mediterranean Sea basin. Intense precipitation was responsible for floods over Italy between 27 and 30 October 2018, and the storm was accompanied by explosive cyclogenesis, storm surge, and extremely intense wind gusts that caused casualties and extensive damage, especially to the Alpine forests. This study investigates the contribution of different moisture sources to the extreme precipitation by means of numerical model simulations using the Bologna Limited Area Model (BOLAM). In particular, the attention is focused on the significant amount of water vapor transported into the Mediterranean basin from the Atlantic Ocean tropical area and organized along a narrow corridor across the African continent. First, a newly developed detection algorithm is applied to identify this transport as an atmospheric river (AR). Then, the implementation of an atmospheric water budget diagnostic, supported by sensitivity experiments, allows us to assess the role of the AR in terms of water supply to the precipitation systems. Although the transport of moisture from remote regions is known to be an important ingredient for the onset of heavy precipitation in the Mediterranean, the role of ARs, already identified in correspondence with some of these events, has not been deeply investigated and quantified yet in this specific area. The results demonstrate that the AR was critical for determining the magnitude of this heavy precipitation episode over Italy, whereas evaporation from the sea played a secondary role, especially for precipitation over the Alps.
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Versus Whole Breast Radiation for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treatment in Rural Appalachia
Authors: Abdelsattar Jad M. , McClain Katherine , Afridi Faryal G. , Wen Sijin , Cai Yilin , Musgrove Kelsey A. , Bailey Kimberly , Shaikh Parvez M. , Jacobson Geraldine M. , Marsh Wallis , Lupinacci Kristin , Cowher Michael S. , Jenkins Hannah Hazard
Published: August 2020

Background

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is an alternate accelerated form of radiation following breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Lack of data regarding long-term outcomes has limited adoption. We report our experience with IORT in patients undergoing BCS versus whole breast radiation therapy (WBRT).

Methods

Retrospective review of patients undergoing BCS with IORT versus WBRT (2012-2017). Inclusion: low grade, T1-2N0M0, estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor positive, and Her2-negative infiltrating ductal carcinomas. IORT was delivered as a single fraction of radiation (20 Gy) intraoperatively. Outcomes were compared using Fisher’s test for discrete variables or Wilcoxon signed-rank test for continuous variables. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate disease-free survival (DFS).

Results

Fifty-one patients (44%) received IORT, and 66 (56%) received WBRT. There was no difference in age, tumor size, receptor status, or in-breast recurrence (1.9% vs 0%, all P > .05). Length of follow-up was longer in the WBRT group due to time to inception of IORT (mean ± SD: 44 ± 8.1 vs 73 ± 13 months, P < .001). There was no difference in DFS between the 2 groups (HR 2.5; P = .44). IORT patients experienced delay to BCS (mean ± SD: 38 ± 12.7 vs 27 ± 12.2 days, P < .001) likely due to coordination of care. Analysis demonstrated IORT patients would have traveled a mean distance of 20 miles to the closest WBRT center (range 1-70, miles) for a mean travel time of 31 minutes (range 4-90, minutes) per WBRT treatment.

Discussion

IORT produces noninferior oncologic outcomes and decreased skin toxicity compared with WBRT. It can be convenient for patients in rural regions with limited health care access.
Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youths’ Emotions: The Appraisal, Valence, Arousal Model
Authors: Budge Stephanie L. , Orzechowski Maria , Schams Samantha , Lavender Amy , Onsgard Kate , Leibowitz Scott , Katz-Wise Sabra L.
Published: August 2020

Increased scientific understanding explains why transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) youth report more mental health concerns than their cisgender peers. However, the emotional processes of TGNC youth have not been assessed beyond mental health diagnoses. Our aim in this study was to investigate how TGNC youth understand, experience, and label their emotional experiences. We conduced a two-tiered qualitative analysis of 20 predominantly White TGNC youths, ages 7–18 years, resulting in the creation of the appraisal, valence, arousal theory of emotions. Within the theory, emotions are categorized in four quadrants: Reflective/Unpleasant, Anticipatory/Unpleasant, Reflective/Pleasant, and Anticipatory/Pleasant. Results indicated that the majority of TGNC youths’ emotions were located in the Reflective/Unpleasant and Reflective/Pleasant quadrants. The current study highlights TGNC youths’ appraisal of emotions and the potential impact on youths’ cognitive and emotional processes. Interventions should attend to pleasant and unpleasant aspects of emotions while also focusing on youths’ understanding of the context of their emotions.
Hearts and Minds First: Institutional Logics in Pursuit of Educational Equity
Authors: Ishimaru Ann M. , Galloway Mollie K.
Published: August 2020

Purpose:Despite an explosion of professional development to help educators discuss issues of race and equity, expectations for addressing racial disparities outstrip current leadership practices, and scant empirical research exists on the organizational changes that emerge from the work of equity teams. This study examined equity teams’ theories of organizational change for equity and how those theories related to their efforts to change school policies and practices. Research Methods/Approach: Drawing on institutional logics from organizational theory, this comparative case study examined transcripts and fieldnotes from 22 meetings and 27 interviews with two school equity teams in diverse contexts in the Pacific Northwest. Findings: Despite differences in the principals, team conversations, and organizational contexts, we found that both teams’ discussions asserted a primary theory of change for shifting schools toward greater equity. According to this “commonsense” notion, efforts to become more equitable as a school first require shifts in individuals’ understandings, beliefs, and attitudes—changes to “hearts and minds”— prior to engaging in other actions to address organizational change. Ultimately, our findings suggest that the dominance of a hearts-and-minds-first theory of change constrained changes to organizational policies, structures and practices. Conclusions: Alternative theories of change to catalyze equity-focused organizational shifts hold promise for fostering educational justice. Future participatory design research with schools may yield knowledge of multiyear organizational change.
Comparison of COVID-19 Health Risks With Other Viral Occupational Hazards
Authors: Unger Jean-Pierre
Published: August 2020

The European Commission periodically classifies viruses on their occupational hazards to define the level of protection that workers are entitled to claim. Viruses belonging to Groups 3 and 4 can cause severe human disease and hazard to workers, as well as a spreading risk to the community. However, there is no effective prophylaxis or treatment available for Group 4 viruses. European trade unions and the Commission are negotiating the classification of the COVID-19 virus along these 2 categories. This article weighs the reasons to classify it in Group 3 or 4 while comparing its risks to those of the most significant viruses classified in these 2 categories. COVID-19 characteristics justify its classification in Group 4. Contaminated workers in contact with the public play an important role in disseminating the virus. In hospitals and nursing homes, they increase the overall case fatality rate. By strongly protecting these workers and professionals, the European Union would not only improve health in work environments, but also activate a mechanism key to reducing the COVID-19 burden in the general population. Admittedly, the availability of a new vaccine or treatment would change this conclusion, which was reached in the middle of the first pandemic.
Feminism will be trans-inclusive or it will not be: Why do two cis-hetero woman educators support transfeminism?
Authors: Carrera-Fernández María Victoria , DePalma Renée
Published: August 2020

As two cis-hetero woman feminist educators, we provide an educator’s perspective on trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERF) discourses. We begin by discussing the heterosexual matrix and the gender violence that it produces in schools as well as other socializing institutions. The socially constructed sexual binary constrains identity production to adhere to the heteronormative, at the same time excluding those who transgress this normativity. We continue by reviewing how schools are particularly significant spaces for these early social interactions, but the social discourses enacted in educational contexts mirror those of broader society. We then critically analyse some of the increasingly belligerent popular discourses promoted by TERF groups since the 1970s, appropriating feminist discourses to produce arguments that contradict basic premises of feminism. We trace possibilities for a collaborative response by reinforcing alliances between transfeminism and other feminist movements. Finally, as teacher-educators, we highlight among these a critical (queer) pedagogy that incorporates trans* experience as part of a broader feminist educational agenda: to contribute to the creation of a more equitable society based on critical reflections on the gender normative. Such a pedagogy not only rejects trans-exclusionary discourses that serve to reinforce hierarchies and promote violence, but embraces trans* experience as a productive educational resource for understanding human diversity. Human experience that challenges the sexual binary can help educators to critically question the heteronormative and to broaden our understandings; in the words of Eric Rofes, drawing upon ‘status queer’ to ‘rethink our efforts and our role in either maintaining or radically transforming the status quo’.
Disregard and danger: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the voices of trans (and cis) African feminists
Authors: Camminga B
Published: August 2020

In March of 2017, best-selling Nigerian author and feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, in an interview with Britain’s Channel 4, was asked whether being a trans woman makes one any less of a ‘real woman?’ In the clip, which went viral shortly thereafter, Adichie responded by saying ‘When people talk about, “Are trans women women?” my feeling is trans women are trans women.’ Echoing the essentialist, predominantly white Global Northern, feminist politics of trans-exclusionary feminists (TERFs), by implying that trans women are not ‘real’ women because, as she assumes, they benefited from male privilege, Adichie set off a social media maelstrom. The publicised responses to her comments largely came from feminists and trans women in the Global North, and though many trans people from the African continent responded, with hashtags such as #ChimamandaKilledME, very few of these received any attention. As the hashtag suggests, for trans people living on the African continent, given the general lack of recourse to rights, Adichie’s words as an African writer carry considerable weight. Given this, the absence of media attention is curious. This article offers a recentring, by focusing on those voices, maligned in the broader debate – trans people from the African continent. I argue that while Adichie might be stumbling over the questions that lie at the heart of TERF politics (what does it mean to be a woman? and does it matter how a person arrives at being a woman?), trans women on the African continent have been busy reconstituting the terms of the terrain.
Thoroughness in Explanation of Substructure-Superstructure Relations in Introductory Sociology Textbooks
Authors: Oyinlade A. Olu , Christo Zachary J. , Finch David W.
Published: August 2020

The introductory sociology course is typically the only course most students take in sociology; hence, the introductory textbook becomes the only sociology textbook they may ever read as college students. The textbook, however, often lacks rigor in explaining concepts. This study focused on the thoroughness of explanations of the relations of substructure and superstructure of society by Karl Max (economic determinism) and Max Weber (ideological determinism) in a sample of introductory sociology textbooks. We found only one textbook to be consistently thorough in explaining both determinisms, and most textbooks were rated as low in their explanations of both concepts. We argue for greater thoroughness in introductory sociology textbooks, especially in the interest of students who participate in online learning and those who may not take another course in sociology and whose impression of the discipline would be framed by the introductory textbook.