bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Partial Discharge De-Noising for Transformer Based on Synchro-Squeezed Continuous Wavelet Transform
Authors: Xu Yanchun , Xia Haiting , Tan Chao , Li Zhenhua , Mi Lu
Published: January 2020

Traditional time-frequency methods for partial discharge (PD) de-noising have some limitations such as low time-frequency resolution, single de-noising type and poor readability. In this paper, a novel de-noising algorithm based on synchro-squeezed continuous wavelet transform (CWT) is adopted to filter out narrowband noise and white noise. The synchro-squeezed CWT algorithm is designed to redistribute the time-frequency domain and to distinguish the signal from the noise carefully as a high-rate time-frequency analysis. High-order statistics is employed to pre-process the polluted PD signal. The generalized cross-validation (GCV) threshold is combined with the adaptive trimmed threshold of synchro-squeezing (SS) domain to deal with the subsequent signals. The proposed algorithm can effectively suppress two kinds of noise, and the signal distortion is lower.
API Practices If You Hate Your Customers
Authors: Limoncelli Thomas A.
Published: January 2020

Do you have disdain for your customers? Do you wish they would go away? When you interact with customers are you silently fantasizing about them switching to your competitor’s product? In short, do you hate your customers? In this article, I document a number of industry best practices designed to show customers how much you hate them. All of them are easy to implement. Heck, your company may be doing many of these already.
Blockchain Technology: What Is It Good for?
Authors: Ruoti Scott , Kaiser Ben , Yerukhimovich Arkady , Clark Jeremy , Cunningham Rob
Published: January 2020

Business executives, government leaders, investors, and researchers frequently ask the following three questions: (1) What exactly is blockchain technology? (2) What capabilities does it provide? (3) What are good applications? Here we answer these questions thoroughly, provide a holistic overview of blockchain technology that separates hype from reality, and propose a useful lexicon for discussing the specifics of blockchain technology in the future.
A preliminary roadmap for dependability research in fog computing
Authors: Bakhshi Zeinab , Rodriguez-Navas Guillermo
Published: January 2020

Fog computing aims to support novel real-time applications by extending cloud resources to the network edge. This technology is highly heterogeneous and comprises a wide variety of devices interconnected through the so-called fog layer. Compared to traditional cloud infrastructure, fog presents more varied reliability challenges, due to its constrained resources and mobility of nodes. This paper summarizes current research efforts on fault tolerance and dependability in fog computing and identifies less investigated open problems, which constitute interesting research directions to make fogs more dependable.
Enhancing Efficacy, Performance, and Reliability of Cannabis Edibles: Insights from Lipid Bioavailability Studies
Authors: McClements David Julian
Published: January 2020

The legal sale of cannabis-enriched foods and beverages for medical or recreational purposes is increasing in many states and countries, especially in North America and Europe. These food-based cannabis delivery systems vary considerably in their compositions and structures, ranging from low-viscosity watery beverages to solid fatty chocolates. The rate and extent of release of the bioactive components in cannabis within the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affect their health and psychoactive effects. Studies with other types of hydrophobic bioactives, such as nutraceuticals and vitamins, have shown that food composition and structure have a major impact on their bioaccessibility, transformation, and absorption within the GIT, thereby influencing their bioavailability and bioactivity. This review outlines how insights on the bioavailability of other lipophilic bioactives can be used to facilitate the design of more efficacious and consistent cannabis-enriched products intended for oral consumption. In particular, the importance of food-matrix composition (such as fat type and level) and structural organization (such as fat domain dimensions) are discussed.
Erroneous Activated Coagulation Time During Atrial Flutter Ablation
Authors: Goldstein Sheldon , Juarez Jazmin , Streiff Agathe
Published: January 2020

When performing left-sided catheter ablation, anticoagulation is used to prevent formation of thrombi that might embolize. After heparin administration, appropriate anticoagulation is confirmed by measuring Activated Coagulation Time (ACT). We report a case during which ACT results were erroneous, and review alternatives to the ACT under such circumstances.
FGF-2-Induced Human Amniotic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Seeded on a Human Acellular Amniotic Membrane Scaffold Accelerated Tendon-to-Bone Healing in a Rabbit Extra-Articular Model
Authors: Zhang Jun , Liu Ziming , Li Yuwan , You Qi , Yang Jibin , Jin Ying , Zou Gang , Tang Jingfeng , Ge Zhen , Liu Yi
Published: January 2020

Background. FGF-2 (basic fibroblast growth factor) has a positive effect on the proliferation and differentiation of many kinds of MSCs. Therefore, it represents an ideal molecule to facilitate tendon-to-bone healing. Nonetheless, no studies have investigated the application of FGF-2-induced human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) to accelerate tendon-to-bone healing in vivo. Objective. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of FGF-2 on chondrogenic differentiation of hAMSCs in vitro and the effect of FGF-2-induced hAMSCs combined with a human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM) scaffold on tendon-to-bone healing in vivo. Methods. In vitro, hAMSCs were transfected with a lentivirus carrying the FGF-2 gene, and the potential for chondrogenic differentiation of hAMSCs induced by the FGF-2 gene was assessed using immunofluorescence and toluidine blue (TB) staining. HAAM scaffold was prepared, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to observe the microstructure of the HAAM scaffold. hAMSCs transfected with and without FGF-2 were seeded on the HAAM scaffold at a density of 3×105 cells/well. Immunofluorescence staining of vimentin and phalloidin staining were used to confirm cell adherence and growth on the HAAM scaffold. In vivo, the rabbit extra-articular tendon-to-bone healing model was created using the right hind limb of 40 New Zealand White rabbits. Grafts mimicking tendon-to-bone interface (TBI) injury were created and subjected to treatment with the HAAM scaffold loaded with FGF-2-induced hAMSCs, HAAM scaffold loaded with hAMSCs only, HAAM scaffold, and no special treatment. Macroscopic observation, imageological analysis, histological assessment, and biomechanical analysis were conducted to evaluate tendon-to-bone healing after 3 months. Results. In vitro, cartilage-specific marker staining was positive for the FGF-2 overexpression group. The HAAM scaffold displayed a netted structure and mass extracellular matrix structure. hAMSCs or hAMSCs transfected with FGF-2 survived on the HAAM scaffold and grew well. In vivo, the group treated with HAAM scaffold loaded with FGF-2-induced hAMSCs had the narrowest bone tunnel after three months as compared with other groups. In addition, macroscopic and histological scores were higher for this group than for the other groups, along with the best mechanical strength. Conclusion. hAMSCs transfected with FGF-2 combined with the HAAM scaffold could accelerate tendon-to-bone healing in a rabbit extra-articular model.
A Novel Image Classification Approach via Dense-MobileNet Models
Authors: Wang Wei , Li Yutao , Zou Ting , Wang Xin , You Jieyu , Luo Yanhong
Published: January 2020

As a lightweight deep neural network, MobileNet has fewer parameters and higher classification accuracy. In order to further reduce the number of network parameters and improve the classification accuracy, dense blocks that are proposed in DenseNets are introduced into MobileNet. In Dense-MobileNet models, convolution layers with the same size of input feature maps in MobileNet models are taken as dense blocks, and dense connections are carried out within the dense blocks. The new network structure can make full use of the output feature maps generated by the previous convolution layers in dense blocks, so as to generate a large number of feature maps with fewer convolution cores and repeatedly use the features. By setting a small growth rate, the network further reduces the parameters and the computation cost. Two Dense-MobileNet models, Dense1-MobileNet and Dense2-MobileNet, are designed. Experiments show that Dense2-MobileNet can achieve higher recognition accuracy than MobileNet, while only with fewer parameters and computation cost.
Comparison of Two Telemedicine Delivery Modes for Neonatal Resuscitation Support: A Simulation-Based Randomized Trial
Authors: Gross Isabel T. , Whitfill Travis , Redmond Brooke , Couturier Katherine , Bhatnagar Ambika , Joseph Melissa , Joseph Daniel , Ray Jessica , Wagner Michael , Auerbach Marc
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Previous research has described technical aspects of telemedicine and the clinical impact of provider-to-patient telemedicine; however, little is known about provider-to-provider telemedical interventions. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to compare two telemedicine delivery modes on the quality of a simulated neonatal resuscitation. Our secondary aim was to evaluate the providers’ task load. Methods: This was a prospective, single-center, randomized, simulation-based trial comparing a remote neonatal team leader (“teleleader”) versus a remote consultant (“teleconsultant”). Participants resuscitated a simulated, apneic, and bradycardic neonate. Performance was assessed by video review and task load was measured by the self-reported NASA task load index (NASA-TLX) tool. In the teleleader group, one remote neonatal specialist assumed the role of team leader in the resuscitation. In the teleconsultant group, the same remote specialist assumed the role of teleconsultant. Results: Twenty-two participants were included in the analyses. The teleleader group was associated with a higher overall checklist score compared to teleconsultants (median score 68%, interquartile range [IQR]: 66–69 vs. 58%, IQR: 42–62; p = 0.016). No significant difference was seen in overall subjective workload as measured by the NASA-TLX tool. However, mental demand and frustration were significantly greater with teleconsultants compared to teleleaders (mean mental demand: 14.1 vs. 17.0 out of 21; frustration: 7.9 vs. 14.7 out of 21). Conclusions: Simulated neonates randomized to teams with teleleaders received significantly better resuscitative care compared to those randomized to teams with teleconsultants. Mental demand and frustration were higher for providers in the teleconsultant compared to teleleader teams.
Which Factors Determine Affected Sites in Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Authors: Benhadou Farida , Villani Axel Patrice , Guillem Philippe
Published: January 2020

Background: The factors that determine whether an area of the body will be affected by hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are unknown. Methods: To address these factors, we performed multivariate regression analyses in a cohort of 1,138 patients. Results: We found that the body sites affected occurred in specific combinations that were influenced by sex and body mass index. We also revealed unexpected correlations between some sites and other comorbidities such as inflammatory diseases, acne conglobata, or dissecting folliculitis of the scalp. Conclusion: Such correlations are crucial to unravel a disease as variable as HS and identify pathophysiological mechanisms to enable the provision of personalized management.
Who Killed Détente? The Superpowers and the Cold War in the Middle East, 1969–77
Authors: Jackson Galen
Published: January 2020

Standard explanations for the demise of U.S.-Soviet détente during the 1970s emphasize the Soviet Union's inability to put aside its communist ideology for the sake of a more cooperative relationship with the United States. Soviet resistance to reaching a stable accommodation during this period, many analysts maintain, was especially evident in the Middle East, where Moscow is said to have embraced the “radical Arab program” vis-à-vis Israel. Such accounts do not fare well, however, in light of the historical evidence. Instead, that evidence indicates that the Soviet Union was eager to cooperate with the United States to achieve an Arab-Israeli agreement. The Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford administrations, however, were not interested in working with the Soviets in the Middle East, and instead sought to expel them from the region. These findings have important implications for scholarly debates about whether great power rivals can cooperate on issues where their strategic interests are overlapping, as well as for contemporary debates over U.S. policy toward countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
Presidents, Politics, and Military Strategy: Electoral Constraints during the Iraq War
Authors: Payne Andrew
Published: January 2020

How do electoral politics affect presidential decisionmaking in war? As both commander in chief and elected officeholder, presidents must inevitably balance competing objectives of the national interest and political survival when assessing alternative military strategies in war. Yet, how and when electoral pressures influence decisionmaking during an ongoing conflict remains unclear. Drawn from the logic of democratic accountability, two mechanisms of constraint may be inferred. First, presidents may delay making decisions that are perceived to carry excessive electoral risk. Second, electoral pressures may have a dampening effect, causing presidents to water down politically sensitive courses of action to minimize any expected backlash. Recently declassified documents and interviews with senior administration officials and military figures illustrate these mechanisms in a case study of decisionmaking during the second half of the Iraq War. Both George W. Bush's surge decision of 2007 and Barack Obama's decision to withdraw troops in 2011 are shown to have been profoundly influenced by concerns related to the domestic political calendar. These findings call for further study of the nuanced ways in which the electoral cycle shapes wartime decisionmaking.
Masculinizing Jianghu Spaces in the Past and Present: Homosociality, Nationalism and Chineseness
Authors: Song Geng
Published: January 2020

Jianghu (rivers and lakes) refers to the imagined spatial arena in Chinese literature and culture that is parallel to, or sometimes in a tangential relationship with, mainstream society. Inhabited by merchants, craftsmen, beggars and vagabonds, and later bandits, outlaws and gangsters, the jianghu space constitutes an interesting “field” (to borrow Pierre Bourdieu’s term) that produces alternative subjectivities in traditional Chinese culture. In most representations, jianghu is primarily a homosocial world of men, which honors masculine moral codes. By tracing changes of jianghu spaces over time, this paper attempts to set the spatial politics of masculinity in Chinese culture in a historical context. It unravels its dynamic interrelations with the tropes of class and nation, from the hosting of outlaws in the traditional masterpiece Shuihu zhuan (Water margin) to the resurgence of jianghu images and imaginaries as a symbol of Chineseness in post-socialist film and television. It argues that the widely referenced relationship between civil (wen) and martial (wu ) values in imperial China describes only gentry-class masculinities. By contrast, jianghu spaces lie at the margins of society and so invite an alternative conceptualization of lower-class masculinities. In contemporary China, jianghu has come to symbolize a new mode of Chinese masculinity in the global age. It can refer not only to fictional spaces in the martial arts genre, but also to social spaces that cement the “Chinese-style” relationships and networks needed for success in the reform market.
Effect of Ge and Te on Physical Properties of Cu–Se–In–M (M = Ge, Te) Chalcogenide Glass
Authors: Jaiswal Priyanka , Rao Vandita , Lohia Pooja , Dwivedi D. K.
Published: January 2020

Cu5Se75In10M10 (M = Ge, Te) bulk chalcogenide glasses have been prepared by melt quench technique. XRD technique has been used for structural characterization. Absence of peaks confirms the amorphous nature of the studied composites. Some
important physical parameters have been investigated theoretically i.e., average coordination number, constraints, density, molar volume, cohesive energy, electro negativity, heat of atomization, bond energy etc. Tichy-Ticha and Lankhorst approach has also been used to study the glass transition
temperature Tg. Theoretical analysis of composition shows that there is significant change in the structure of the glass due to rigidity percolation.
Environment Sensitive Polymers in Self-Regulated Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Anamica  , Pande P. P.
Published: January 2020

Environment sensitive polymers have great potential in various applications. These polymers are self-regulated. In self-regulated schemes, the controlled or limited variable is noticed, along with the output of the system that is adjusted according to the variables. Through feedback
information and without external involvement, the released rate is controlled. To control the rate mechanisms, the self-regulated schemes use many methods as, enzyme substrates reactions, pH-responsive drugs solubility, antibody interactions, competitive bindings, and metal concentration dependent
hydrolysis. The roles of environment sensitive polymers in self-regulated drug delivery systems are discussed in this paper.
Phenotype and genotype heterogeneous resistance of L-forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by magnetic nanoparticle
Authors: Chen Junlin , Huang Fei , Gu Delin , Qu Mei , Xu Feifan , Hu Zhongyi
Published: January 2020

We studied factors influencing the phenotype and genotype heterogeneous resistance of L-forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB-L). Three hundred patients with tuberculosis admitted to the Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong from 2014 to 2016 were selected. MTB-L was cultured
and rifampicin (RFP) susceptibility was tested using sputum samples. The magnetic nanoparticle was used to extract the DNA of samples. DNA sequencing was used to detect the mutation of the rpoB gene core region for isolated MTB-L strains and heterogeneous resistance was analyzed. A
total of 126 MTB-L strains were isolated from the sputum samples of 300 tuberculosis patients. No mutation in the core region of the rpoB gene was detected in 56 RFP-sensitive MTB-L strains. Among 70 phenotypically resistant strains, 32 had mutations in the core region of the rpoB gene, with
amino acid changes at sites 511, 516, 526, and 531. No rpoB gene mutation was found in the other 38 phenotypic drug-resistant strains. The MTB-L phenotype and genotype displayed a certain degree of heterogeneous resistance. Changes in cell membrane structure is one important reason. The duration
of disease, medication history, and structural changes of the lung are important factors.
An investigation to the design of high-precision wind sensing device based on piezoelectric array
Authors: Hu Jie , Peng Hanmin , Yao Xinke , Liu Tingyu , Lu Penghui , Zhao Chunsheng
Published: January 2020

A new wind sensing device based on bimorphs array is designed for apperceiving wind direction and velocity, whose structure is an L-shaped cantilevers array. A coupling model of the array is proposed to predict the response voltage stimulated by wind. By extracting the response voltage ([Formula: see text]) on each bimorph cantilever, the values of wind direction ([Formula: see text]) and velocity ([Formula: see text]) can be calculated in terms of the geometric relation. Further, the relations among wind errors, array amounts ( m) and array radius ( r) are acquired, and m & r can be utilized to decreasing angle error [Formula: see text] and velocity error [Formula: see text] of wind. The calculated and experimental results show that, increasing m initially yields decreasing these two errors, then it begins to increase the errors when m is larger than 6. The minimal wind angle and velocity errors of the array are 0.14° and 0.34%, respectively, at actual wind of 13.4 m/s, m = 6 and r = 20 mm. Meanwhile, increasing r can decrease [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], Besides, for calculating 20 random incidence wind angles, respectively, the range of wind velocity error is from 0.34% to 0.87%, the range of wind angle error is from 0.12°to 0.38°, and the response time is 10 ms.
Optimization and expansion of non-negative matrix factorization
Authors: Lin Xihui , Boutros Paul C.
Published: January 2020

Background

Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is a technique widely used in various fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), signal processing and bioinformatics. However existing algorithms and R packages cannot be applied to large matrices due to their slow convergence or to matrices with missing entries. Besides, most NMF research focuses only on blind decompositions: decomposition without utilizing prior knowledge. Finally, the lack of well-validated methodology for choosing the rank hyperparameters also raises concern on derived results.

Results

We adopt the idea of sequential coordinate-wise descent to NMF to increase the convergence rate. We demonstrate that NMF can handle missing values naturally and this property leads to a novel method to determine the rank hyperparameter. Further, we demonstrate some novel applications of NMF and show how to use masking to inject prior knowledge and desirable properties to achieve a more meaningful decomposition.

Conclusions

We show through complexity analysis and experiments that our implementation converges faster than well-known methods. We also show that using NMF for tumour content deconvolution can achieve results similar to existing methods like ISOpure. Our proposed missing value imputation is more accurate than conventional methods like multiple imputation and comparable to missForest while achieving significantly better computational efficiency. Finally, we argue that the suggested rank tuning method based on missing value imputation is theoretically superior to existing methods. All algorithms are implemented in the R package NNLM, which is freely available on CRAN and Github.
Characterizing the ribosomal tandem repeat and its utility as a DNA barcode in lichen-forming fungi
Authors: Bradshaw Michael , Grewe Felix , Thomas Anne , Harrison Cody H. , Lindgren Hanna , Muggia Lucia , St. Clair Larry L. , Lumbsch H. Thorsten , Leavitt Steven D.
Published: January 2020

Background

Regions within the nuclear ribosomal operon are a major tool for inferring evolutionary relationships and investigating diversity in fungi. In spite of the prevalent use of ribosomal markers in fungal research, central features of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) evolution are poorly characterized for fungi in general, including lichenized fungi. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nrDNA has been adopted as the primary DNA barcode identification marker for fungi. However, little is known about intragenomic variation in the nrDNA in symbiotic fungi. In order to better understand evolution of nrDNA and the utility of the ITS region for barcode identification of lichen-forming fungal species, we generated nearly complete nuclear ribosomal operon sequences from nine species in theRhizoplaca melanophthalmaspecies complex using short reads from high-throughput sequencing.

Results

We estimated copy numbers for the nrDNA operon, ranging from nine to 48 copies for members of this complex, and found low levels of intragenomic variation in the standard barcode region (ITS). Monophyly of currently described species in this complex was supported in phylogenetic inferences based on the ITS, 28S, intergenic spacer region, and some intronic regions, independently; however, a phylogenetic inference based on the 18S provided much lower resolution. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated ITS and intergenic spacer sequence data generated from 496 specimens collected worldwide revealed previously unrecognized lineages in the nrDNA phylogeny.

Conclusions

The results from our study support the general assumption that the ITS region of the nrDNA is an effective barcoding marker for fungi. For theR. melanophthalmagroup, the limited amount of potential intragenomic variability in the ITS region did not correspond to fixed diagnostic nucleotide position characters separating taxa within this species complex. Previously unrecognized lineages inferred from ITS sequence data may represent undescribed species-level lineages or reflect uncharacterized aspects of nrDNA evolution in theR. melanophthalmaspecies complex.
A comprehensive epigenomic analysis of phenotypically distinguishable, genetically identical female and male Daphnia pulex
Authors: Kvist Jouni , Athanàsio Camila Gonçalves , Pfrender Michael E. , Brown James B. , Colbourne John K. , Mirbahai Leda
Published: January 2020

Background

Daphniaspecies reproduce by cyclic parthenogenesis involving both sexual and asexual reproduction. The sex of the offspring is environmentally determined and mediated via endocrine signalling by the mother. Interestingly, male and femaleDaphniacan be genetically identical, yet display large differences in behaviour, morphology, lifespan and metabolic activity. Our goal was to integrate multiple omics datasets, including gene expression, splicing, histone modification and DNA methylation data generated from genetically identical female and maleDaphnia pulexunder controlled laboratory settings with the aim of achieving a better understanding of the underlying epigenetic factors that may contribute to the phenotypic differences observed between the two genders.

Results

In this study we demonstrate that gene expression level is positively correlated with increased DNA methylation, and histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) at predicted promoter regions. Conversely, elevated histone H3 trimethylation at lysine 27 (H3K27me3), distributed across the entire transcript length, is negatively correlated with gene expression level. Interestingly, maleDaphniaare dominated with epigenetic modifications that globally promote elevated gene expression, while femaleDaphniaare dominated with epigenetic modifications that reduce gene expression globally. For examples, CpG methylation (positively correlated with gene expression level) is significantly higher in almost all differentially methylated sites in male compared to femaleDaphnia. Furthermore, H3K4me3 modifications are higher in male compared to femaleDaphniain more than 3/4 of the differentially regulated promoters. On the other hand, H3K27me3 is higher in female compared to maleDaphniain more than 5/6 of differentially modified sites. However, both sexes demonstrate roughly equal number of genes that are up-regulated in one gender compared to the other sex. Since, gene expression analyses typically assume that most genes are expressed at equal level among samples and different conditions, and thus cannot detect global changes affecting most genes.

Conclusions

The epigenetic differences between male and female inDaphnia pulexare vast and dominated by changes that promote elevated gene expression in maleDaphnia. Furthermore, the differences observed in both gene expression changes and epigenetic modifications between the genders relate to pathways that are physiologically relevant to the observed phenotypic differences.
Regulatory roles of differentially expressed MicroRNAs in metabolic processes in negative Lens-induced myopia Guinea pigs
Authors: Guo Dadong , Ding Meihua , Song Xiaoli , Sun Yuanyuan , Li Guoping , Li Zonghong , Wei Huixia , Wu Jianfeng , Jiang Wenjun , Bi Hongsheng
Published: January 2020

Background

Myopia is one of the most common vision defects worldwide. microRNAs can regulate the target gene expression, influencing the development of diseases.

Results

To investigate the alterations of microRNA profiling in negative lens-induced myopia (NLIM) guinea pigs and to explore the regulatory role of microRNAs in the occurrence and the development of myopia, we first established the NLIM guinea pig model after induction for 2 weeks. Further, we isolated sclera to purify total messenger RNA (mRNA) in both NLIM and NLIM fellow sclera. Using next generation sequencing technique and bioinformatics analysis, we identified the differentially expressed microRNAs in NLIM guinea pigs, performed the bioinformatics annotation for the differentially expressed microRNAs, and validated the expression of differentially expressed microRNAs. As a result, we successfully established an NLIM model in guinea pigs, identified 27 differentially expressed microRNAs in NLIM guinea pig sclera, including 10 upregulated and 17 downregulated microRNAs. The KEGG annotation showed the main signaling pathways were closely associated with PPAR signaling, pyruvate and propanoate metabolisms, and TGF-beta signaling pathways.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that the development of myopia is mainly involved in the disorder of metabolic processes in NLIM guinea pigs. The PPAR signaling, pyruvate and propanoate metabolism pathways may play roles in the development of myopia.
Living alone and mortality among older people in Västerbotten County in Sweden: a survey and register-based longitudinal study
Authors: Ng Nawi , Santosa Ailiana , Weinehall Lars , Malmberg Gunnar
Published: January 2020

Background

Living alone is increasingly common and has been depicted as an important cause of mortality. We examined the association between living alone and mortality risks among older men and women in northern Sweden, by linking two unique longitudinal datasets.

Methods

We used the Linnaeus database, which links several population registers on socioeconomic and health. This register-based study included 22,226 men and 23,390 women aged 50 and 60 years in Västerbotten County who had participated in the Västerbotten Intervention Program (VIP) during 1990–2006, with a total of 445,823 person-years of observation. We conducted Cox-proportional hazard regression to assess the risk of living alone on the mortality that was observed between 1990 and 2015, controlling for socio-demographic factors, chronic disease risk factors and access to social capital.

Results

Older men and women who lived alone with no children at home were at a significantly higher risk of death compared to married/cohabiting couples with children at home (with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.38, 95% CI of 1.26–1.50 in men and 1.27, 95% CI of 1.13–1.42 in women). Living alone was an even stronger factor than the well-established chronic disease risk factors and a lack of access to social capital.

Conclusions

A significant association between living alone and mortality among the older adult population in Sweden was observed. Providing good social support for older people is important in preventing the negative health impact of living alone.
Associations of sleep quality and sleep duration with frailty and pre-frailty in an elderly population Rugao longevity and ageing study
Authors: Sun Xue-Hui , Ma Teng , Yao Shun , Chen Ze-Kun , Xu Wen-Dong , Jiang Xiao-Yan , Wang Xiao-Feng
Published: January 2020

Background

Previous studies suggest that poor sleep quality or abnormal sleep duration may be associated with frailty. Here we test the associations of sleep disturbances with both frailty and pre-frailty in an elderly population.

Methods

Participants included 1726 community-dwelling elders aged 70–87 years. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep disturbances. Frailty was defined using phenotype criteria. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio of the associations.

Results

The average PSQI score was 5.4 (SD, 3.1). Overall 43.6% of the participants had poor sleep quality (PSQI> 5), 8.2% had night sleep time ≤ 5 h, and 27.8% had night sleep time ≥ 9 h. The prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was 9.2 and 52.8%, respectively. The proportions of PSQI> 5 increased with the severity of frailty status (robust: pre-frail: frail, 34.5%: 48%: 56.1%, P < 0.001). After adjustment for multiple potential confounders, poor sleep quality (PSQI> 5) was associated with higher odds of frailty (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.19–2.66) and pre-frailty (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.20–1.90). Sleep latency, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction components of PSQI measurements were also associated with frailty and pre-frailty. In addition, sleep time 9 h/night was associated with higher odds of frailty and pre-frailty.

Conclusions

We provided preliminary evidences that poor sleep quality and prolonged sleep duration were associated with being frailty and pre-frailty in an elderly population aged 70–87 years. The associations need to be validated in other elderly populations.
Barriers to husbands’ involvement in maternal health care in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Authors: Teklesilasie Wondwosen , Deressa Wakgari
Published: January 2020

Background

Husbands’ involvement in maternal care is considered as a crucial step in scaling up women’s utilization of the services. However, the factors related with how husband’s involvement in maternal health care have hardly been studied to date in the study areas. Therefore, this study aimed to explore barriers to husbands’ involvement in maternal health care, in Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

The study employed a qualitative method. A pre-tested interview guide questions that prepared in English and translated in to Amharic language were used for data collection. The data were collected using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key-informants’ interview in April and May 2015. The data were analyzed thematically.

Results

The study identified a range of factors that-deterred husbands to involve in their female partners’ maternal health care. These are childbirth is a natural process, pregnancy and childbirth are women’s business, preference for TBAs’ care and husband’s involvement in pregnancy and birth care is a new idea were identified as barriers for husbands’ involvement in maternal health care, in this study.

Conclusions

A range of factors related with clients’ and service delivery factors’ were identified as barriers to husbands’ involvement in maternal health care. Based on the study findings we recommend a contextual based awareness creation programs about husbands’ involvement in maternal health care need to be established.
Increasing utilisation of perinatal services: estimating the impact of community health worker program in Neno, Malawi
Authors: Kachimanga Chiyembekezo , Dunbar Elizabeth L. , Watson Samuel , Cundale Katie , Makungwa Henry , Wroe Emily B. , Malindi Charles , Nazimera Lawrence , Palazuelos Daniel , Drake Jeanel , Gates Thomas , van den Akker Thomas , Shea Jawaya
Published: January 2020

Background

By 2015, Malawi had not achieved Millennium Development Goal 4, reducing maternal mortality by about 35% from 675 to 439 deaths per 100,000 livebirths. Hypothesised reasons included low uptake of antenatal care (ANC), intrapartum care, and postnatal care. Involving community health workers (CHWs) in identification of pregnant women and linking them to perinatal services is a key strategy to reinforce uptake of perinatal care in Neno, Malawi. We evaluated changes in uptake after deployment of CHWs between March 2014 and June 2016.

Methods

A CHW intervention was implemented in Neno District, Malawi in a designated catchment area of about 3100 women of childbearing age. The pre-intervention period was March 2014 to February 2015, and the post-intervention period was March 2015 to June 2016. A 5-day maternal health training package was delivered to 211 paid and supervised CHWs. CHWs were deployed to identify pregnant women and escort them to perinatal care visits. A synthetic control method, in which a “counterfactual site” was created from six available control facilities in Neno District, was used to evaluate the intervention. Outcomes of interest included uptake of first-time ANC, ANC within the first trimester, four or more ANC visits, intrapartum care, and postnatal care follow-up.

Results

Women enrolled in ANC increased by 18% (95% Credible Interval (CrI): 8, 29%) from an average of 83 to 98 per month, the proportion of pregnant women starting ANC in the first trimester increased by 200% (95% CrI: 162, 234%) from 10 to 29% per month, the proportion of women completing four or more ANC visits increased by 37% (95% CrI: 31, 43%) from 28 to 39%, and monthly utilisation of intrapartum care increased by 20% (95% CrI: 13, 28%) from 85 to 102 women per month. There was little evidence that the CHW intervention changed utilisation of postnatal care (− 37, 95% CrI: − 224, 170%).

Conclusions

In a rural district in Malawi, uptake of ANC and intrapartum care increased considerably following an intervention using CHWs to identify pregnant women and link them to care.
A cross sectional study to determine the prevalence of cough and its impact in patients with lung cancer: a patient unmet need
Authors: Harle Amélie , Molassiotis Alex , Buffin Oliver , Burnham Jack , Smith Jaclyn , Yorke Janelle , Blackhall Fiona H.
Published: January 2020

Background

There is absence of literature related to cough prevalence and its characteristics in lung cancer patients, with information deriving only from broader symptoms occurrence studies. The aims of this study were to provide a snapshot of the prevalence of all-cause-cough in lung cancer patients and to characterise cough in terms of its impact and severity.

Methods

A cross-sectional study recruiting consecutive lung cancer patients over a pre-defined period of time and using cough-specific validated tools in a tertiary referral centre in the UK, including a cough severity VAS and the Manchester Cough in Lung Cancer scale (MCLCS).

Results

Data was collected from 202 patients. All-cause cough prevalence was 57% (through VAS) both in the screened (N = 223) and research (N = 202) population or 67% (through the MCLCS), and cough severity was moderate at a mean of 32 mm (in a 100 mm VAS). Age, sex, smoking status, lung cancer histology, stage and comorbidities were not associated with cough prevalence. The only variable associated with lower cough reports was being ‘on anticancer treatment’; fewer patients on treatment reported a cough (40%) compared to those off treatment (54%) (p = 0.04). The impact of cough (as measured by MCLCS) was also significant (mean score = 22). About 18% of patients felt moderate/severe distress from their cough and about 15% often or always reported disturbed sleep due to coughing. Half the patients felt their cough warranted treatment.

Conclusions

Cough is a common symptom in lung cancer with considerable impact on patients’ lives. Cough presence and severity should regularly be assessed in clinical practice. There is an urgent need to focus on developing more potent antitussive treatments and improve the management of this complex and distressing symptom.
Aqueous humor and serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with cataracts
Authors: Cho Min-Chul , Kim Rock-Bum , Ahn Ja-Young , Yoo Woong-Sun , Kim Seong-Jae
Published: January 2020

Background

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) levels are associated with various pathologic ocular conditions. Few studies have assessed 25 (OH) D concentrations in non-serum specimens, and none to date has assessed 25 (OH) D concentrations in human aqueous humor and their association with ocular diseases. This study investigated the possible correlations between 25 (OH) D concentrations in aqueous humor and serum and whether vitamin D concentrations in aqueous humor were associated with cataract.

Methods

This study prospectively enrolled 136 patients, including 87 with senile cataract and 49 with diabetic cataract, who underwent cataract surgery from January to November 2017. 25 (OH) D was measured in aqueous humor and serum specimens collected from all patients, and their correlation was analyzed statistically. Clinical and laboratory data, including the results of ophthalmologic examinations, were compared in the two groups of cataract patients.

Results

No correlation was observed between 25 (OH) D concentrations in aqueous humor and serum (P = 0.381). 25 (OH) D concentrations in aqueous humor were significantly higher in patients with diabetic than senile cataract (P = 0.006). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratio for diabetic cataract for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of 25 (OH) D concentration in aqueous humor was 4.36 ng/ml (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33–14.34 ng/ml; P = 0.015). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that 25(OH) D concentration in aqueous humor was 2.68 ng/ml (95% CI: 0.34–5.01 ng/ml; P = 0.025) higher in patients with diabetic than senile cataract.

Conclusions

25(OH) D concentrations in aqueous humor and serum did not correlate with each other. Higher 25(OH) D level in aqueous humor was associated with diabetic cataract. These findings suggest that studies of vitamin D levels in patients with ocular conditions should include measurements of vitamin D levels in aqueous humor.
Utilization of cervical cancer screening among migrants and non-migrants in Germany: results from a large-scale population survey
Authors: Brzoska Patrick , Aksakal Tuğba , Yilmaz-Aslan Yüce
Published: January 2020

Background

Studies from European and non-European countries have shown that migrants utilize cervical cancer screening less often than non-migrants. Findings from Germany are inconsistent. This can be explained by several limitations of existing investigations, comprising residual confounding and data which is restricted to only some regions of the country. Using data from a large-scale and nationwide population survey and applying the Andersen Model of Health Services Use as the theoretical framework, the aim of the present study was to examine the role that different predisposing, enabling and need factors have for the participation of migrant and non-migrant women in cervical cancer screening in Germany.

Methods

We used data from the ‘German Health Update 2014/2015’ survey on n = 12,064 women ≥20 years of age. The outcome of interest was the participation in cancer screening (at least once in lifetime vs. no participation). The outcome was compared between the three population groups of non-migrants, migrants from EU countries and migrants from non-EU countries. We employed multivariable logistic regression to examine the role of predisposing, enabling and need factors.

Results

Non-EU and EU migrant women reported a lower utilization of cervical cancer screening (50.1 and 52.7%, respectively) than non-migrant women (57.2%). The differences also remained evident after adjustment for predisposing, enabling and need factors. The respective adjusted odds ratios (OR) for non-EU and EU migrants were OR = 0.67 (95%-CI = 0.55–0.81) and OR = 0.80 (95%-CI = 0.66–0.97), respectively. Differences between migrants and non-migrants were particularly pronounced for younger age groups. Self-rated health was associated with participation in screening only in non-migrants, with a poorer health being indicative of a low participation in cancer screening.

Conclusions

The disparities identified are in line with findings from studies conducted in other countries and are indicative of different obstacles this population group encounters in the health system. Implementing patient-oriented health care through diversity-sensitive health services is necessary to support informed decision-making.
Exploration of Finnish adults’ successful weight management over the life course: a qualitative study
Authors: Joki Anu , Mäkelä Johanna , Konttinen Hanna , Fogelholm Mikael
Published: January 2020

Background

Despite the current obesogenic environment creating challenges weight management, some people succeed in maintaining a normal weight. This study explored lifelong weight management from the life course perspective. We aimed to gain an insight into the issues related to the pathways of individuals of normal weight from childhood to adulthood, and how their experiences and social connections influence their weight management.

Methods

We approached the research topic using qualitative methods. Two age groups (30–45; 55–70 years, men and women), forming a total of 39 individuals, participated in theme interviews. Thematic analysis resulted in two main categories, namely (1) adoption of lifestyle and (2) maintenance of lifestyle.

Results

Childhood family played a central role in the formation of lifestyle: food-upbringing created the basis for the interviewees’ current diet, and their lives had always been characterized by an active lifestyle. High perceived self-efficacy was vital in weight management. The interviewees were confident about their routines and trusted their abilities to recognize and handle situations that threatened their lifestyles. They possessed skills for adjusting their lifestyle to altered environments, and showed a high level of coping self-efficacy. The interviewees also highlighted the importance of habits for weight management. They had improved their adopted lifestyle through constant learning. New routines had become more internalized through active repetition, finally turning into habitual practices, which simplified weight management.

Conclusions

Based on our interviews, we conclude that childhood was important in the development of the health-promoting lifestyle of our interviewees. However, weight management was described as a journey over the life course, and success also encouraged skills of identifying risks and adjusting actions to cope with challenging situations.
Socioeconomic status of patients in a Swedish national self-management program for osteoarthritis compared with the general population—a descriptive observational study
Authors: Gustafsson Kristin , Kvist Joanna , Eriksson Marit , Dahlberg Leif E. , Rolfson Ola
Published: January 2020

Background

First-line treatment for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) including education and supervised exercises, delivered as a self-management program, is considered one of the mainstays in OA treatment. However, the socioeconomic profile of the population that utilizes first-line treatment for hip and knee OA is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the socioeconomic status (SES) of a population referred to a self-management program for OA, in comparison with that of the general Swedish population.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study including 72,069 patients with hip or knee OA enrolled in the National Quality Register for Better management of patients with Osteoarthritis (BOA) between 2008 and 2016, and registered before participation in a structured OA self-management program. A reference cohort (n = 216,207) was selected from the general Swedish population by one-to-three matching by year of birth, sex and residence. Residential municipality, country of birth, marital status, family type, educational level, employment, occupation, disposable income and sick leave were analyzed.

Results

The BOA population had higher educational level than the reference group, both regarding patients with hip OA (77.5% vs 70% with ≥10 years of education), and with knee OA (77% vs 72% with ≥10 years of education). Their average disposable income was higher (median [IQR] in Euro (€), for hip €17,442 [10,478] vs €15,998 [10,659], for knee €17,794 [10,574] vs €16,578 [11,221]). Of those who worked, 46% of patients with hip OA and 45% of the reference group had a blue-collar occupation. The corresponding numbers for knee OA were 51 and 44% respectively. Sick leave was higher among those with hip and knee OA (26%) than those in the reference groups (13% vs 12%).

Conclusions

The consistently higher SES in the BOA population compared with the general population indicates that this self-management program for OA may not reach the more socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, who are often those with a higher disease burden.