bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sleep dysregulation, memory impairment, and CSF biomarkers during different levels of neurocognitive functioning in Alzheimer’s disease course
Authors: Liguori Claudio , Placidi Fabio , Izzi Francesca , Spanetta Matteo , Mercuri Nicola Biagio , Di Pucchio Alessandra
Published: January 2020

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is frequently accompanied by sleep impairment, which can induce AD-related neurodegeneration. We herein investigated the sleep architecture, cognition, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (tau proteins and β-amyloid42) during AD progression from subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and eventually to AD dementia, and compared the results with cognitively normal (CN) subjects.

Methods

We included patients affected by SCI, MCI, mild AD, and moderate-to-severe AD in our study along with CN subjects as controls. All the subjects underwent nocturnal polysomnography to investigate sleep, neuropsychological testing to evaluate cognition, and lumbar puncture for CSF AD biomarkers assessment.

Results

Sleep (both rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep) and memory function are both progressively impaired during the course of AD from SCI to mild and subsequently to moderate AD. Further, sleep dysregulation appears earlier than cognitive deterioration, with a reduction of CSF β-amyloid42 level.

Conclusion

Sleep, memory, and CSF AD biomarkers are closely interrelated in AD progression from the earliest asymptomatic and preclinical stages of the disease related in AD since the earliest and preclinical stages of the disease.
Clinical significance of focal ß-amyloid deposition measured by 18F-flutemetamol PET
Authors: Kim Si Eun , Lee Byungju , Park Seongbeom , Cho Soo Hyun , Kim Seung Joo , Kim Yeshin , Jang Hyemin , Jeong Jee Hyang , Yoon Soo Jin , Park Kyung Won , Kim Eun-Joo , Jung Na Yeon , Yoon Bora , Jang Jae-Won , Hong Jin Yong , Hwang Jihye , Na Duk L. , Seo Sang Won , Choi Seong Hye , Kim Hee Jin
Published: January 2020

Background

Although amyloid PET of typical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) shows diffuse ß-amyloid (Aß) deposition, some patients show focal deposition. The clinical significance of this focal Aß is not well understood. We examined the clinical significance of focal Aß deposition in terms of cognition as well as Aß and tau cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels. We further evaluated the order of Aß accumulation by visual assessment.

Methods

We included 310 subjects (125 cognitively unimpaired, 125 mild cognitive impairment, and 60 AD dementia) from 9 referral centers. All patients underwent neuropsychological tests and 18F-flutemetamol (FMM) PET. Seventy-seven patients underwent CSF analysis. Each FMM scan was visually assessed in 10 regions (frontal, precuneus and posterior cingulate, lateral temporal, parietal, and striatum of each hemisphere) and was classified into three groups: No-FMM, Focal-FMM (FMM uptake in 1–9 regions), and Diffuse-FMM (FMM uptake in all 10 regions).

Results

53/310 (17.1%) subjects were classified as Focal-FMM. The cognitive level of the Focal-FMM group was better than that of Diffuse-FMM group and worse than that of No-FMM group. Among the Focal-FMM group, those who had FMM uptake to a larger extent or in the striatum had worse cognitive levels. Compared to the Diffuse-FMM group, the Focal-FMM group had a less AD-like CSF profile (increased Aß42 and decreased t-tau, t-tau/Aß42). Among the Focal-FMM group, Aß deposition was most frequently observed in the frontal (62.3%) and least frequently observed in the striatum (43.4%) and temporal (39.6%) regions.

Conclusions

We suggest that focal Aß deposition is an intermediate stage between no Aß and diffuse Aß deposition. Furthermore, among patients with focal Aß deposition, those who have Aß to a larger extent and striatal involvement show clinical features close to diffuse Aß deposition. Further longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the disease progression of patients with focal Aß deposition.
Laryngeal polyp associated with reflux disease: a case report
Authors: Hassan Wael Abdo
Published: January 2020

Background

Among the most common benign laryngeal lesions are vocal nodules and polyps. Their etiology is related to vocal abuse. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common condition presenting with a broad spectrum of symptoms, among which are extraesophageal manifestations such as laryngeal polyps.

Case presentation

A 24-year-old Middle Eastern woman presented to the author’s institution with dysphonia and dyspepsia. She underwent endoscopy and was diagnosed with severe reflux disease. In addition, laryngoscopy revealed a polyp at the left vocal cord, and the patient underwent polypectomy. Histopathological examination revealed a laryngeal polyp of telangiectatic type characterized by hyperplastic epithelial covering with reactive atypia, prominent superficial acanthosis with neutrophils, and prominent chronic inflammation and thrombosed vessels in the stroma.

Conclusion

This report focuses on the pathological findings associated with a laryngeal polyp in a young patient diagnosed with severe reflux disease. Acknowledging such characteristic changes in a laryngeal polyp could aid in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Toxicity management of regorafenib in patients with gastro-intestinal stromal tumour (GIST) in a tertiary cancer centre
Authors: Chamberlain Florence , Farag Sheima , Williams-Sharkey Constance , Collingwood Cecilia , Chen Lucia , Mansukhani Sonia , Engelmann Bodil , Al-Muderis Omar , Chauhan Dharmisha , Thway Khin , Fisher Cyril , Jones Robin L. , Gennatas Spyridon , Benson Charlotte
Published: January 2020

Background

Regorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor approved as third line treatment for metastatic GIST. Dose limiting toxicities are frequently seen and many patients require dose reductions. This study aimed to evaluate regorafenib toxicities and their management in a real-world GIST population.

Methods

Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified 50 patients with GIST treated with regorafenib at our centre between March 2013 and September 2018.

Results

Median progression free survival (PFS) was 7.7 months [interquartile range (IQR) 2.8–14.4 months]. Median overall survival (OS) from start of regorafenib to death or last follow up was 15.7 months (IQR 9.2–28.4 months). Baseline median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status on starting regorafenib was 1. The main reason for discontinuing regorafenib was progressive disease (PD) (31/50 [62%]) rather than toxicity (10/50 [20%]). Grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) were seen in 23/50 (46%) patients; palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE) was most frequently seen (9/50 (18%)). Two patients died whilst on treatment with regorafenib from multi-organ failure secondary to sepsis (4%). Dose reductions were required in 19/50 patients (38%) and 8/50 (16%) patients started regorafenib at a lower dose band than the recommended dose (160 mg) due to comorbidities or concern over a higher individual risk of toxicity.

Conclusion

Although PD was the main reason for discontinuing treatment, toxicity management and dosing of regorafenib remains critical. Median duration of treatment was longer compared to previous studies suggesting a durable clinical benefit with regorafenib with rigorous toxicity management.
Viruses in the Built Environment (VIBE) meeting report
Authors: Prussin Aaron J. , Belser Jessica A. , Bischoff Werner , Kelley Scott T. , Lin Kaisen , Lindsley William G. , Nshimyimana Jean Pierre , Schuit Michael , Wu Zhenyu , Bibby Kyle , Marr Linsey C.
Published: January 2020

Background

During a period of rapid growth in our understanding of the microbiology of the built environment in recent years, the majority of research has focused on bacteria and fungi. Viruses, while probably as numerous, have received less attention. In response, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation supported a workshop entitled “Viruses in the Built Environment (VIBE),” at which experts in environmental engineering, environmental microbiology, epidemiology, infection prevention, fluid dynamics, occupational health, metagenomics, and virology convened to synthesize recent advances and identify key research questions and knowledge gaps regarding viruses in the built environment.

Results

Four primary research areas and funding priorities were identified. First, a better understanding of viral communities in the built environment is needed, specifically which viruses are present and their sources, spatial and temporal dynamics, and interactions with bacteria. Second, more information is needed about viruses and health, including viral transmission in the built environment, the relationship between virus detection and exposure, and the definition of a healthy virome. The third research priority is to identify and evaluate interventions for controlling viruses and the virome in the built environment. This encompasses interactions among viruses, buildings, and occupants. Finally, to overcome the challenge of working with viruses, workshop participants emphasized that improved sampling methods, laboratory techniques, and bioinformatics approaches are needed to advance understanding of viruses in the built environment.

Conclusions

We hope that identifying these key questions and knowledge gaps will engage other investigators and funding agencies to spur future research on the highly interdisciplinary topic of viruses in the built environment. There are numerous opportunities to advance knowledge, as many topics remain underexplored compared to our understanding of bacteria and fungi.
Corrections officers’ knowledge and perspectives of maternal and child health policies and programs for pregnant women in prison
Authors: Pendleton Virginia , Saunders Jennifer B. , Shlafer Rebecca
Published: January 2020

Background

In response to the dramatic increase in the number of women incarcerated in the United States—and a growing awareness that a small proportion of women enter prison pregnant and have unique health needs—some prisons have implemented policies and programs to support pregnant women (defined here as maternal and child health [MCH] policies and programs). Corrections officers (COs) are key stakeholders in the successful implementation of prison policies and programs. Yet, little empirical research has examined prison COs’ knowledge and perspectives of MCH policies and programs, particularly the impact such policies and programs have on COs’ primary job responsibility of maintaining safety and security. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to understand COs’ knowledge and perspectives of MCH policies and programs in one state prison, with a specific emphasis on the prison’s pregnancy and birth support (doula) program.

Results

Thirty-eight COs at a single large, Midwestern women’s prison completed an online survey, and eight of these COs participated in an individual, in-person qualitative interview. Results indicated that COs’ perspectives on MCH policies and programs were generally positive. Most COs strongly approved of the prison’s doula program and the practice of not restraining pregnant women. COs reported that MCH policies and programs did not interfere, and in some cases helped, with their primary job task of maintaining safety and security.

Conclusions

Findings support expansion of MCH programs and policies in prisons, while underscoring the need to offer more CO training and to gather more CO input during program development and implementation. MCH services that provide support to pregnant women that are outside the scope of COs’ roles may help reduce CO job demands, improve facility safety, and promote maternal and child health.
Rapid determination of aminoglycosides in pharmaceutical preparations by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Jariwala Freneil B. , Hibbs John A. , Zhuk Iryna , Sukhishvili Svetlana A. , Attygalle Athula B.
Published: January 2020

Aminoglycosides are broad-spectrum antibiotics often employed to combat Gram-negative bacterial infections. A technique based on electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was developed for rapid determination of aminoglycosides. This method, which does not require prior chromatographic separation, or derivatization and extensive sample preparation steps, was deployed to estimate gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin in pharmaceutical formulations. Upon gas-phase collisional activation, protonated gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin undergo a facile loss of their respective “C” ring moiety to produce characteristic ions of m/z 322, 324, and 425, respectively. The mass spectral peak intensities for these specific product ions were monitored either by a flow-injection analysis selected-ion monitoring (FIA-SIM) time-intensity method or by a mass spectrometric internal-standard method. The linear dynamic ranges of detection for both methods were evaluated to be 10–1000 ng/mL for gentamicin, 25–2500 ng/mL for tobramycin, and 10–1000 ng/mL for amikacin. The internal-standard mass spectrometric method afforded lower intra-day and inter-day variations (2.3–3.0% RSD) compared to those from FIA-SIM method (4.5–5.0% RSD). This method was applied as a potential alternative procedure to determine gentamicin in commercial pharmaceutical samples and to monitor the release of gentamicin from “self-defensive” tannic acid-based layer-by-layer films into phosphate buffer solutions at different pHs.
Global prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa and geographical variation—systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Phan Kevin , Charlton Olivia , Smith Saxon D.
Published: January 2020

Background

There is a significant variation in the reported prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), ranging from 0.03–4%. We hypothesized that this significant variation may be due to different prevalence rates of HS according to geographical location as well as sex.

Objective

We aimed to perform a meta-analysis to determine pooled overall prevalence of HS, prevalence stratified according to geographical region and sex.

Materials and methods

A systematic review was performed by searching Ovid Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, DARE, and Embase, from inception to August 2018. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed to determined pooled prevalence rates, with meta-regression based on geographic region. Prevalence in males versus females was also performed according to region.

Results

The overall pooled prevalence rate was 0.3% (0.2–0.6%) based on 118,760,093 HS cases available. Subgroup analysis demonstrated prevalence differences, with the highest being in Europe 0.8% (0.5–1.3%), compared to the USA 0.2% (0.1–0.4%), Asia-Pacific 0.2% (0.01–2.2%), and South America 0.2% (0.01–0.9%). Prevalence in males was lower compared to females in the USA (OR 0.403, 95% CI 0.37–0.439, P < 0.001) as well as in Europe (OR 0.635, 95% CI 0.397–1.015, P = 0.08) but not in the Asia-Pacific region (OR 0.936, 95% CI 0.319–2.751, P = 0.78).

Conclusion

Prevalence of HS varies significantly according to the geographical population. This variation is likely attributed to different ethnicity distributions amongst different continents.

Level of evidence

III
Adrenal Incidentalomas are Tied to Increased Risk of Diabetes: Findings from a Prospective Study
Authors: Reimondo Giuseppe , Castellano Elena , Grosso Maurizio , Priotto Roberto , Puglisi Soraya , Pia Anna , Pellegrino Micaela , Borretta Giorgio , Terzolo Massimo
Published: January 2020

Context

The frequency of adrenal incidentalomas and their association with comorbid conditions have been assessed mostly in retrospective studies that may be prone to ascertainment bias.

Objective

The objective of this work is to evaluate the frequency of adrenal incidentalomas and their associated comorbid conditions.

Design

A prospective cohort study was conducted.

Setting

This study took place at a radiology department at a public hospital.

Participants

Unselected outpatients who underwent an abdominal computed tomography (CT) from January 2017 to June 2018. Patients with known or suspected adrenal disease or malignancy were excluded.

Exposure

All abdominal CT scans were evaluated by an experienced radiologist. Hormonal workup including a 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test was performed in patients bearing adrenal incidentalomas.

Main Outcome and Measure

Frequency of adrenal incidentalomas in abdominal CT of unselected patients; frequency of comorbid conditions, and hormonal workup in patients bearing adrenal incidentalomas.

Results

We recruited 601 patients, and in 7.3% of them an adrenal tumor was found serendipitously. The patients bearing an adrenal incidentaloma had higher body mass index (P = .009) and waist circumference (P = .004) and were more frequently diabetic (P = .0038). At multivariable regression analysis, diabetes was significantly associated with the presence of adrenal incidentalomas (P = .003). Autonomous cortisol secretion was observed in 50% of patients who did not suppress cortisol less than 50 nmol/L after 1 mg dexamethasone.

Conclusions

The frequency of adrenal incidentalomas is higher than previously reported. Moreover, adrenal incidentalomas are tied to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This finding is free from ascertainment bias because patients with adrenal incidentalomas were drawn from a prospective cohort with the same risk of diabetes as the background population.
Poor Sleep Is Related to Metabolic Syndrome Severity in Adolescents With PCOS and Obesity
Authors: Simon Stacey , Rahat Haseeb , Carreau Anne-Marie , Garcia-Reyes Yesenia , Halbower Ann , Pyle Laura , Nadeau Kristen J , Cree-Green Melanie
Published: January 2020

Context

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder and is associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). Development of MS in PCOS is likely multifactorial and may relate to poor sleep.

Objective

The objective of this research is to investigate differences in objective markers of sleep in adolescents with obesity and PCOS with and without MS. We also aimed to examine the relationships between markers of sleep with MS markers.

Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted.

Participants

Participants included adolescents with PCOS and obesity with MS (N = 30) or without MS (N = 36).

Outcome Measures

Hormone and metabolic measurements, abdominal magnetic resonance imaging for hepatic fat fraction, actigraphy to estimate sleep, and overnight polysomnography (PSG).

Results

Adolescents with obesity and PCOS who also had MS had significantly worse sleep-disordered breathing including higher apnea-hypopnea index (AHI, P = .02) and arousal index (P = .01) compared to those without MS. Actigraphy showed no differences in habitual patterns of sleep behaviors including duration, timing, or efficiency between groups. However, a greater number of poor sleep health behaviors was associated with greater number of MS components (P = .04). Higher AHI correlated with higher triglycerides (TG) (r = 0.49, P = .02), and poorer sleep efficiency correlated with higher percentage of liver fat (r = –0.40, P = .01), waist circumference (r = –0.46, P < .01) and higher TG (r = –0.34, P = .04).

Conclusions

Among girls with PCOS and obesity, sleep-disordered breathing was more prevalent in those with MS, and poor sleep behaviors were associated with metabolic dysfunction and more MS symptoms. Sleep health should be included in the assessment of adolescents with PCOS and obesity.
Nephrocalcinosis, Renal Dysfunction, and Calculi in Patients With Primary Hypoparathyroidism on Long-Term Conventional Therapy
Authors: Saha Soma , Kandasamy Devasenathipathy , Sharma Raju , Bal Chandrasekhar , Sreenivas Vishnubhatla , Goswami Ravinder
Published: January 2020

Context

There are concerns about the long-term safety of conventional therapy on renal health in patients with hypoparathyroidism. Careful audit of these would help comparisons with upcoming parathyroid hormone therapy.

Objective

We investigated nephrocalcinosis, renal dysfunction, and calculi, their predictors and progression over long-term follow-up in patients with primary hypoparathyroidism (PH).

Design and Setting

An observational study at a tertiary care center was conducted.

Participants and Methods

A total of 165 PH patients receiving conventional therapy were evaluated by radiographs, ultrasonography, and computed tomography. Their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was measured by Tc-99m-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid clearance. Clinical characteristics, serum total calcium, phosphorus, creatinine, hypercalciuria, and fractional excretion of phosphorus (FEPh) at presentation and during follow-up were analyzed as possible predictors of renal complications. Controls were 165 apparently healthy individuals.

Results

Nephrocalcinosis was present in 6.7% of PH patients but not in controls. Patients younger than 15 years at presentation and with higher serum calcium-phosphorus product were at higher risk. Nephrocalcinosis showed no significant association with cataract and intracranial calcification. Prevalence of renal calculi was comparable between hypoparathyroid patients and controls (5% vs 3.6%, P = .58). Fourteen percent of patients had a GFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Increased FEPh during follow-up was the significant predictor of low GFR. Nephrocalcinosis developed in 9% of patients over 10 years of conventional therapy.

Conclusion

A total of 6.7% of PH patients had nephrocalcinosis, and 14% showed renal dysfunction. Prevalence of renal calculi was similar in patients and controls. Nine percent of patients developed nephrocalcinosis over 10 years of conventional therapy.
Postmenopausal Dense Breasts Maintain Premenopausal Levels of GH and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins in Vivo
Authors: Dabrosin Nina , Dabrosin Charlotta
Published: January 2020

Context

Dense breast tissue is associated with 4 to 6 times higher risk of breast cancer by poorly understood mechanisms. No preventive therapy for this high-risk group is available. After menopause, breast density decreases due to involution of the mammary gland. In dense breast tissue, this process is haltered by undetermined biological actions. Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like binding proteins (IGFBPs) play major roles in normal mammary gland development, but their roles in maintaining breast density are unknown.

Objective

To reveal in vivo levels of GH, IGFBPs, and other pro-tumorigenic proteins in the extracellular microenvironment in breast cancer, in normal breast tissue with various breast density in postmenopausal women, and premenopausal breasts. We also sought to determine possible correlations between these determinants.

Setting and Design

Microdialysis was used to collect extracellular in vivo proteins intratumorally from breast cancers before surgery and from normal human breast tissue from premenopausal women and postmenopausal women with mammographic dense or nondense breasts.

Results

Estrogen receptor positive breast cancers exhibited increased extracellular GH (P < .01). Dense breasts of postmenopausal women exhibited similar levels of GH as premenopausal breasts and significantly higher levels than in nondense breasts (P < .001). Similar results were found for IGFBP-1, -2, -3, and -7 (P < .01) and for IGFBP-6 (P <.05). Strong positive correlations were revealed between GH and IGFBPs and pro-tumorigenic matrix metalloproteinases, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, Interleukin 6, Interleukin 8, and vascular endothelial growth factor in normal breast tissue.

Conclusions

GH pathways may be targetable for cancer prevention therapeutics in postmenopausal women with dense breast tissue.
Genetic Risk, a Healthy Lifestyle, and Type 2 Diabetes: the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort Study
Authors: Han Xu , Wei Yue , Hu Hua , Wang Jing , Li Zhaoyang , Wang Fei , Long Tengfei , Yuan Jing , Yao Ping , Wei Sheng , Wang Youjie , Zhang Xiaomin , Guo Huan , Yang Handong , Wu Tangchun , He Meian
Published: January 2020

Objective

The objective of this study is to examine whether healthy lifestyle could reduce diabetes risk among individuals with different genetic profiles.

Design

A prospective cohort study with a median follow-up of 4.6 years from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort was performed.

Participants

A total of 19 005 individuals without diabetes at baseline participated in the study.

Main Variable Measure

A healthy lifestyle was determined based on 6 factors: nonsmoker, nondrinker, healthy diet, body mass index of 18.5 to 23.9 kg/m2, waist circumference less than 85 cm for men and less than 80 cm for women, and higher level of physical activity. Associations of combined lifestyle factors and incident diabetes were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression. A polygenic risk score of 88 single-nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with diabetes was constructed to test for association with diabetes risk among 7344 individuals, using logistic regression.

Results

A total of 1555 incident diabetes were ascertained. Per SD increment of simple and weighted genetic risk score was associated with a 1.39- and 1.34-fold higher diabetes risk, respectively. Compared with poor lifestyle, intermediate and ideal lifestyle were reduced to a 23% and 46% risk of incident diabetes, respectively. Association of lifestyle with diabetes risk was independent of genetic risk. Even among individuals with high genetic risk, intermediate and ideal lifestyle were separately associated with a 29% and 49% lower risk of diabetes.

Conclusion

Genetic and combined lifestyle factors were independently associated with diabetes risk. A healthy lifestyle could lower diabetes risk across different genetic risk categories, emphasizing the benefit of entire populations adhering to a healthy lifestyle.
Associations of Endogenous Sex Hormones with Carotid Plaque Burden and Characteristics in Midlife Women
Authors: Cortés Yamnia I , Barinas-Mitchell Emma , Suder Egnot Natalie , Bhasin Shalender , Jasuja Ravi , Santoro Nanette , Thurston Rebecca C
Published: January 2020

Context

Endogenous sex hormones may be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women. Carotid plaque characteristics, such as echogenicity, an ultrasound measure that reflects plaque composition, may identify unstable plaques that are more likely to rupture, precipitating a CVD event. However, few studies have considered sex steroids in relation to carotid plaque and its characteristics.

Objective

To evaluate estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and free T (FT) in relation to carotid plaque in women.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In MsHeart, a cross-sectional study of 304 women aged 40 to 60 years, participants underwent a carotid artery ultrasound assessment. The current analysis included MsHeart participants with carotid plaque (n = 141, 46%). E1, E2, and T were assayed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry; FT was estimated using ensemble allostery models. Regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and CVD risk factors.

Main Outcomes

Carotid plaque burden (number of plaques, total plaque area [TPA]) and characteristics (calcification, echogenicity) were determined using semi-automated software.

Results

SHBG was inversely related to TPA (odds ratio [OR] 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21, 0.74; multivariable) and higher FTs were associated with greater TPA (OR 2.89; 95% CI 1.31, 6.37; multivariable). Higher E1 was related to echogenicity (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.26, 4.33; multivariable), characteristic of more stable plaque.

Conclusions

SHBG and FT are related to TPA while E1 is related to plaque echogenicity, suggesting these hormones have different roles in the development of carotid plaque. Our findings highlight the importance of sex hormones in the development of carotid plaque in midlife women.
Inhibition of FGFR Signaling Partially Rescues Osteoarthritis in Mice Overexpressing High Molecular Weight FGF2 Isoforms
Authors: Xiao Liping , Williams Donyell , Hurley Marja M
Published: January 2020

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are key regulatory factors in osteoarthritis (OA). HMWTg mice overexpress the high molecular weight FGF2 isoforms (HMWFGF2) in osteoblast lineage and phenocopy both Hyp mice (which overexpress the HMWFGF2 isoforms in osteoblasts and osteocytes) and humans with X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH). We previously reported that, similar to Hyp mice and XLH subjects who develop OA, HMWTg mice also develop an OA phenotype associated with increased degradative enzymes and increased FGFR1 compared with VectorTg mice. Therefore, in this study, we examined whether in vivo treatment with the FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor NVP-BGJ398 (BGJ) would modulate development of the OA phenotype in knee joints of HMWTg mice. VectorTg and HMWTg mice (21 days of age) were treated with vehicle or BGJ for 13 weeks. Micro–computed tomography images revealed irregular shape and thinning of the subchondral bone with decreased trabecular number and thickness within the epiphyses of vehicle-treated HMWTg knees, which was partially rescued following BGJ treatment. Articular cartilage thickness was decreased in vehicle-treated HMWTg mice, and was restored to the cartilage thickness of VectorTg mice in the BGJ-treated HMWTg group. Increased OA degradative enzymes present in HMWTg vehicle-treated joints decreased after BGJ treatment. OA in HMWTg mice was associated with increased Wnt signaling that was rescued by BGJ treatment. This study demonstrates that overexpression of the HMWFGF2 isoforms in preosteoblasts results in osteoarthropathy that can be partially rescued by FGFR inhibitor via reduction in activated Wnt signaling.
CPT1A-mediated Fat Oxidation, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potential
Authors: Schlaepfer Isabel R , Joshi Molishree
Published: January 2020

Energy homeostasis during fasting or prolonged exercise depends on mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO). This pathway is crucial in many tissues with high energy demand and its disruption results in inborn FAO deficiencies. More than 15 FAO genetic defects have been currently described, and pathological variants described in circumpolar populations provide insights into its critical role in metabolism. The use of fatty acids as energy requires more than 2 dozen enzymes and transport proteins, which are involved in the activation and transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria. As the key rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1) regulates FAO and facilitates adaptation to the environment, both in health and in disease, including cancer. The CPT1 family of proteins contains 3 isoforms: CPT1A, CPT1B, and CPT1C. This review focuses on CPT1A, the liver isoform that catalyzes the rate-limiting step of converting acyl-coenzyme As into acyl-carnitines, which can then cross membranes to get into the mitochondria. The regulation of CPT1A is complex and has several layers that involve genetic, epigenetic, physiological, and nutritional modulators. It is ubiquitously expressed in the body and associated with dire consequences linked with genetic mutations, metabolic disorders, and cancers. This makes CPT1A an attractive target for therapeutic interventions. This review discusses our current understanding of CPT1A expression, its role in heath and disease, and the potential for therapeutic opportunities targeting this enzyme.
The function of communication via email in the treatment as usual of patients with schizophrenia. Evacuation talk, remedial talk, or a creative search for understanding?
Authors: Walczewski Krzysztof
Published: January 2020

Rozmowa rozumiana jako proces komunikacji pacjenta z lekarzem jest podstawowym narzędziem pracy psychiatry i narzędziem diagnozy przebiegów procesu myślowego pacjenta — jak dotychczas nie dysponujemy innym sposobem do prowadzenia psychiatrycznych diagnoz. Niniejsza praca przedstawia proces leczenia pacjenta z zaburzeniami schizofrenicznymi, z przetrwałymi, lekoopornymi objawami i z wyuczonym krytycyzmem do objawów. W procesie tym pacjent spontanicznie utrzymywał kontakt mejlowy, który zawierał opis jego przeżyć psychotycznych. Mejle wysyłał do oddziału zamkniętego, gdzie były odczytywane oraz poddawane superwizji koleżeńskiej z udziałem starszego stażem pracy lekarza psychiatry-superwizora. W dyskusji omówiono funkcje komunikacji nierzeczowej, opartej o nieprzetrawione treści psychiczne: „gaworzenia mentalnego”. Postawiono tezę o leczącej funkcji tego typu komunikacji, jeśli zostaną spełnione pewne warunki leczenia i odbywa się ono w ustalonej ramie opartej o: (1) ciągłość kontaktu, (2) regularność wizyt i — co najważniejsze — (3) receptywność obiektu, do którego komunikacja pacjenta jest kierowana. W prezentowanym przypadku był to obiekt dziwny, składający się ze zdolności słuchania lekarza i superwizora, szpitala oraz „przestrzeni internetowej” pomiędzy dwiema skrzynkami: nadawczą pacjenta i odbiorczą lekarza.
Ellipsometric characterization of highly non-uniform thin films with the shape of thickness non-uniformity modeled by polynomials
Authors: Vohánka Jiří , Franta Daniel , Čermák Martin , Homola Vojtěch , Buršíková Vilma , Ohlídal Ivan
Published: January 2020

A common approach to non-uniformity is to assume that the local thicknesses inside the light spot are distributed according to a certain distribution, such as the uniform distribution or the Wigner semicircle distribution. A model considered in this work uses a different approach in which the local thicknesses are given by a polynomial in the coordinates x and y along the surface of the film. An approach using the Gaussian quadrature is very efficient for including the influence of the non-uniformity on the measured ellipsometric quantities. However, the nodes and weights for the Gaussian quadrature must be calculated numerically if the non-uniformity is parameterized by the second or higher degree polynomial. A method for calculating these nodes and weights which is both efficient and numerically stable is presented. The presented method with a model using a second-degree polynomial is demonstrated on the sample of highly non-uniform polymer-like thin film characterized using variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. The results are compared with those obtained using a model assuming the Wigner semicircle distribution.
High accuracy determination of copper in copper concentrate with double genetic algorithm and partial least square in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Li Haochen , Huang Meizhen , Xu Huidi
Published: January 2020

There are many challenges in the determination of elements in complex matrix such as soil, coal and minerals by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) method. Due to the influence of matrix effect, instability of laser plasma and fluctuation of laser parameters, the repeatability and accuracy of quantitative results are always not satisfactory. In order to improve the accuracy, high-energy laser (30mJ-100mJ) with precise control was utilized in many laboratories. In this paper, quantitative analysis of copper in copper concentrate by low-energy (10µJ) LIBS is studied. In order to reduce the influence of matrix effect and other factors, a partial least square regression method based on double genetic algorithm (DGA-PLS) is proposed. The detail operations are as follow: the reference spectral lines are automatically selected by GA as the optimal internal standard for spectral normalization. Then the GA is used to select variables from the normalized spectra for PLS. The results showed that, for univariate model, the coefficient of determination (R2) was improved from 0.6 to 0.97 by the optimal internal standard normalization. Compared with tradition PLS, the root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of PLS trained by the normalized spectral data decreased from 1.4% and 0.42% to 0.9% and 0.29% respectively. Compared with the normalized PLS, the RMSECV and RMSEP of the DGA-PLS trained by the normalized and feature selected spectral data decreased from 0.9% and 0.29% to 0.26% and 0.21% respectively. The results show that DGA-PLS can significantly reduce matrix effect, improve prediction accuracy and reduce the risk of overfitting in determination of copper in copper concentrate.
Tailoring the magnetic field induced by the first higher order mode of an optical fiber
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqiang , Rui Guanghao , Xu Yong , Zhang Fan , Du Yinchang , Lian Mingtao , Wang Anting , Ming Hai , Zhao Weishneg
Published: January 2020

In this paper, according to the inverse Faraday effect (IFE), the amplitude, phase, polarization and field distribution of the first higher order mode of an optical fiber are tailored carefully, and a magnetic field with arbitrary orientation is generated in the focal region. Compared with traditional strategies to generate a magnetic field with arbitrary orientation, where the configurations are complicated and the components employed for the system are costly, the first higher order mode of a fiber, which has two lobes with opposite instantaneous electric fields, draws more attention for generating a magnetic field with arbitrary orientation. We believe that such an arbitrary orientation state of magnetic field can be applied in the field of confocal and magnetic resonance microscopy and spin dynamics, especially for the use of optical magnetic recording, where laser pulses are used to trigger the magnetization switching.
Temporal dynamics of zero-delay second order correlation function and spectral entanglement of two photons emitted from ladder-type atomic three-level systems
Authors: Ahn Kwang Jun
Published: January 2020

We theoretically investigate temporal dynamics of the second order cross correlation function at zero delay time (

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12

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) and spectral entanglement of two photons emitted from an atomic three-level cascade. In Heisenberg’s picture, a closed set of quantum kinetic equations of motion for

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is derived within density matrix formalism with cluster expansion rule.

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shows qualitatively distinctive features depending on the spectral entanglement of two photons. Although incoherent photon pairs generated from spontaneous radiation of the excited electron are not entangled, their correlation and anti-correlation properties can be found in

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2
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(
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depending on the radiative decay rates. In the coherent excitation regime where the light emitter is located in a high Q-cavity, and its atomic polarizations are predominantly initialized, spectral entanglement between two coherent photons is established. We show that

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is well fitted by the entanglement criterion by Duan-Giedke-Cirac-Zoller and explain the close relationship between them by means of the optically forbidden transition in the three-level cascade.
Zoom system by rotation of toroidal lenses
Authors: Bregenzer Nicola , Bawart Martin , Bernet Stefan
Published: January 2020

In a recent publication [Appl. Opt. 57, 8087 (2018).] a zoom system based on rotating toroidal lenses had been theoretically suggested. Here we demonstrate two different experimental realizations of such a system. The first consists of a set of four individually rotatable cylindrical lenses, and the second of four rotatable diffractive optical elements with phase structures corresponding to "saddle-lenses". It turns out that image aberrations produced by the refractive zoom system are considerably reduced by the diffractive system.
Curved terahertz surface plasmonic waveguide devices
Authors: Yuan Mingrui , Lu Yongchang , Zhang Ying , Zhang Ziying , Li Yanfeng , Liu Hongchao , Zhang Xixiang , Han Jiaguang , Zhang Weili
Published: January 2020

Strongly confined surface waves can be achieved on periodically structured metal surfaces and are known as spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). In this work, several terahertz SPP devices based on curved waveguides are demonstrated. The transmittance and bending loss of 90-degree curved spoof SPP waveguides with a radius of curvature ranging from 200 to 2300 µm are investigated to identify the regime for high transmission. A commutator is designed and experimentally demonstrated. Furthermore, coupling equations are derived and verified for efficient coupling between bend-straight waveguides and between bend-bend waveguides. The results will be of great value for future integrated terahertz plasmonic systems.
Numerical investigation on the device performance of electron blocking layer free AlInN nanowire deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes
Authors: Velpula Ravi Teja , Jain Barsha , Bui Ha Quoc Thang , Pham Tan Thi , Le Van Thang , Nguyen Hoang-Duy , Lenka Trupti Ranjan , Nguyen Hieu Pham Trung
Published: January 2020

We report on the illustration of the first electron blocking layer (EBL) free AlInN nanowire light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating in the deep ultraviolet (DUV) wavelength region (sub-250 nm). We have systematically analyzed the results using APSYS software and compared with simulated AlGaN nanowire DUV LEDs. From the simulation results, significant efficiency droop was observed in AlGaN based devices, attributed to the significant electron leakage. However, compared to AlGaN nanowire DUV LEDs at similar emission wavelength, the proposed single quantum well (SQW) AlInN based light-emitters offer higher internal quantum efficiency without droop up to current density of 1500 A/cm2 and high output optical power. Moreover, we find that transverse magnetic polarized emission is ∼ 5 orders stronger than transverse electric polarized emission at 238 nm wavelength. Further research shows that the performance of the AlInN DUV nanowire LEDs decreases with multiple QWs in the active region due to the presence of the non-uniform carrier distribution in the active region. This study provides important insights on the design of new type of high performance AlInN nanowire DUV LEDs, by replacing currently used AlGaN semiconductors.
High energy efficient and thermally stable solar selective absorber constructed with TiNxOy based multilayers
Authors: Wu Zhiyong , Chen Feiliang , Xuan Zhiyi , Chen Yuwei , Shi Wangzhou , Liu Xingxing , Wang Shaowei
Published: January 2020

Solar selective absorbers are the most critical part of solar water heaters that can be integrated into architecture. A high-performance absorber with a solar absorptance α higher than 95% and an infrared emissivity ɛ below 4% is fabricated by sputtering using TiNxOy based multilayers. The highest absorptance is 97.5% and the corresponding energy utilization efficiency (α/ɛ) value is as high as 26.2. The absorber has excellent thermal stability that can maintain its property after heating at 400 °C for 100 hr in air. It can even be tempered on the glass substrate, which is of great significance for lowering the cost and expanding its applications.
Architectural Competitions: Creating Dialogues and Promoting Excellence?
Authors: Khan Hasan-Uddin
Published: January 2020

Architectural competitions have become a major way of commissioning buildings, especially for corporate and government structures. They belong to a practice that dates back to ancient Greece. This editorial essay ponders some of the critical issues raised by the two major types – project competitions and ideas competitions – through representative case studies of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the recent competition for master plan and buildings for the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science. The notions discussed are based on the author's personal experiences over four decades, and the roles played by the major players involved in the process – the client or sponsor, the competition organizers, the designers/architects, and the architectural juries. The article ends with a consideration of why architectural competitions are valuable in the lessons they offer and the discourses they raise, and their significance for architects and architecture more broadly.
Framing 'Islamic Art' for Aesthetic Interiors: Revisiting the 1878 Paris Exhibition
Authors: Carey Moya , Volait Mercedes
Published: January 2020

The 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris is known for the substantial scope and content of its Islamic art displays – the most extensive offered to an international audience by that date. A renewed analysis of this influential event demonstrates that it featured a network of distinct – though often interlinked – installations that come under the label of 'Islamic art', situated across a complex site. These included national initiatives, such as L'Égypte des Khalifes, sponsored by the ruling Khedive of Egypt, and the purpose-built Pavillon de la Perse, constructed by master-builders dispatched from Qajar Tehran. Commercial undertakings included a display of Vincent Robinson's Iranian carpets in the British India section. At the Galerie orientale curated by Albert Goupil in the Palais du Trocadéro, other objects loaned from private collections were presented. Common across these various displays was persuasively staged architecture. This article argues for the centrality of architectural salvage and reconstruction in the early history of private and public displays of Islamic art. By examining the different individuals who created both L'Égypte des Khalifes and the Galerie orientale, article proposes a new assessment of an elite domestic culture, pursued by affluent bachelor aesthetes of the period, with many modern resonances.
Barbarism Begins at Home: Islamic Art on Display in Palermo's Museo Nazionale and Sicilian Ethnography at the 1891–92 Esposizione Nazionale
Authors: Katz Dana
Published: January 2020

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Palermo's Museo Nazionale (National Museum) displayed one of the earliest institutional collections of Islamic art in Western Europe. The museum's director, Antonino Salinas, exhibited objects demonstrating the island's material heritage, including its two-and-a-half centuries of rule by North African dynasties during the medieval period. The prevailing perception elsewhere in post-unification Italy – that Sicily was ungovernable and barbaric in nature – heightened the display's significance. Another exhibition that many Italians would have perceived as representing the 'other' was the Mostra Etnografica Siciliana (Sicilian Ethnographic Exhibition), which the folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè created for the 1891–92 Palermo Esposizione Nazionale (National Exposition). Highlighting Sicily's volatile image, the Italian press implicitly equated Pitrè's show with the so-called Abyssinian Village, which stood in the exposition fairgrounds and marked the establishment of Italy's first colony in Eritrea at a time of unprecedented imperial expansion. At the National Museum, Salinas remained undeterred, and despite associations of the island's conditions with Africa, he expanded its Islamic holdings. Likewise, Pitrè exhibited costumes, tools, and devotional objects that further accentuated regional differences at the National Exposition. In both displays, Salinas and Pitrè presented what they conceived as Sicily's unique cultural and historical patrimony.
The Masjid al-Haram: Balancing Tradition and Renewal at the Heart of Islam
Authors: Martens Muhsin Lutfi
Published: January 2020

The following article presents a brief history of some of the building campaigns undertaken at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah al-Mukarramah (the Great Mosque in Mecca) during the past sixteen centuries, with a particular focus on Mimar Sinan's still-extant sixteenth-century Ottoman arcade within the mosque's central courtyard. It compares a selection of historic and contemporary responses to the appropriation of land, destruction, and rebuilding undertaken by successive Muslim rulers in and around the sanctuary, before attempting to ascertain recurrent themes and issues that have characterized this dialogue over the past 1600 years.