bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The safety of morphine use in acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis
Authors: Ghadban Rugheed , Enezate Tariq , Payne Joshua , Allaham Haytham , Halawa Ahmad , Fong Hee Kong , Abdullah Obai , Aggarwal Kul
Published: March 2019

Background

Morphine is widely used for pain control in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Several studies have questioned the safety of morphine in this setting with a concern of interaction with and reduced efficacy of antiplatelet agents.

Objective

This study aims to systematically review the safety of morphine use in ACS.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were queried from inception through April 2018. Studies comparing morphine to nonmorphine use in ACS were included. Study endpoints included: in-hospital myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, stroke, major bleeding, minor bleeding and dyspnoea.

Results

A total of 64 323 patients with ACS were included from eight studies, seven of which were observational studies and one was a randomised controlled trial. The use of morphine was associated with increased risk of in-hospital recurrent MI (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.43, p < 0.00001). There was, however, no significant difference in terms of all-cause mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.22, p = 0.44), stroke (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.66, p = 0.57), major bleeding (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.00, p = 0.05), minor bleeding (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.41 to 2.34, p = 0.97), or dyspnoea (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.83, p = 0.33).

Conclusion

The use of morphine for pain control in ACS was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital recurrent MI. Randomised clinical trials are needed to further investigate the safety of morphine in ACS.
Coding the Everyday Discrimination Scale: implications for exposure assessment and associations with hypertension and depression among a cross section of mid-life African American women
Authors: Michaels Eli , Thomas Marilyn , Reeves Alexis , Price Melisa , Hasson Rebecca , Chae David , Allen Amani
Published: March 2019

Background

Studies suggest that racial discrimination impacts health via biological dysregulation due to continual adaptation to chronic psychosocial stress. Therefore, quantifying chronicity is critical for operationalising the relevant aetiological exposure and hence maximising internal validity. Using one of the most common discrimination scales in the epidemiological literature, we develop a novel approach for more accurately assessing chronicity and compare it with conventional approaches to determine whether coding influences differential exposure classification and associations with hypertension and depression among African American women.

Methods

Data are from a socioeconomically diverse cross section of 208 mid-life African American women in Northern California (data collection: 2012–2013). Racial discrimination was assessed using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (α=0.95), and was coded using two conventional approaches: (1)situation-based coding: number of different situations ever experienced; (2)frequency-based coding: sum of Likert scale responses ranging from 'never' to 'almost everyday'; and (3) a newchronicity-based codingapproach: sum of responses, weighted to capture annual chronicity (eg, ‘a few times a month’=3×12=36×/year). Outcomes are hypertension and depressive symptomatology (10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale).

Findings

Exposure classification differed by coding approach, by up to 41%. There was a positive association between racial discrimination and hypertension prevalence for chronicity coding only (prevalence ratio=1.61, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.49). For depressive symptoms, a dose–response relationship of similar magnitude was observed for all three coding approaches.

Conclusion

Scale coding is an important methodological consideration for valid exposure assessment in epidemiological research. Coding can impact exposure classification and associations with important indicators of African American women’s mental and physical health.
Prosthesis and the engineered imagination: reading augmentation and disability across cultural theory, representation and product design
Authors: Holt Raymond , Murray Stuart
Published: March 2019

This article argues for the value of considering the interaction of literary/cultural studies, disability studies and engineering/design studies in the ongoing development of a critical medical humanities research frame. With a specific focus on prosthesis, but also considerations of embodiment, technology and augmentation as concepts in both cultural/disability theory and engineering/design, we note how the shifting and plastic ideas of ‘the prosthetic’ as used within cultural studies have never been in conversation with scholars who work on prostheses in engineering design or the processes through which such technologies are produced. Additionally, we show that the increased use of systems engineering in the design and construction of prostheses creates fractured ideas of disabled bodies that frequently ignore both the cultural meaning and lived experience of technology use. In design and engineering, prostheses are literal objects, often made to order for a diverse range of clients and produced across different working platforms; in cultural studies, the word creates multiple resonances around both augmented bodies and non-embodied states increasingly understood in terms of assemblage and supplementarity. Working from this, we outline how questions of metaphor, materiality and systems weave through the different disciplines. The article claims that a critical dialogue between the working methods of literary/cultural studies and engineering/design, for all their obvious differences, possesses the potential to create informed and sophisticated accounts of disability embodiment. Our conclusion brings the strands of the enquiry together and points to the merits of engineering the imagination, and imagining engineering, as both a subject and method in future medical humanities research.
It is safe to use transdermal glyceryl trinitrate to lower blood pressure in patients with acute ischaemic stroke with carotid stenosis
Authors: Appleton Jason P , Woodhouse Lisa J , Belcher Andrew , Bereczki Daniel , Berge Eivind , Caso Valeria , Chang Hui Meng , Christensen Hanne K , Collins Ronan , Gommans John , Laska Ann C , Ntaios George , Ozturk Serefnur , Sare Gillian M , Szatmari Szabolcs , Wang Yongjun , Wardlaw Joanna M , Sprigg Nikola , Bath Philip M
Published: March 2019

Background

There is concern that blood pressure (BP) lowering in acute stroke may compromise cerebral perfusion and worsen outcome in the presence of carotid stenosis. We assessed the effect of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) in patients with carotid stenosis using data from the Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke (ENOS) Trial.

Methods

ENOS randomised 4011 patients with acute stroke and raised systolic BP (140–220 mm Hg) to transdermal GTN or no GTN within 48 hours of onset. Those on prestroke antihypertensives were also randomised to stop or continue their medication for 7 days. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at day 90. Ipsilateral carotid stenosis was split: <30%; 30–<50%; 50–<70%; ≥70%. Data are ORs with 95% CIs adjusted for baseline prognostic factors.

Results

2023 (60.5%) ischaemic stroke participants had carotid imaging. As compared with <30%, ≥70% ipsilateral stenosis was associated with an unfavourable shift in mRS (worse outcome) at 90 days (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.44, p<0.001). Those with ≥70% stenosis who received GTN versus no GTN had a favourable shift in mRS (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.93, p=0.024). In those with 50–<70% stenosis, continuing versus stopping prestroke antihypertensives was associated with worse disability, mood, quality of life and cognition at 90 days. Clinical outcomes did not differ across bilateral stenosis groups.

Conclusions

Following ischaemic stroke, severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis is associated with worse functional outcome at 90 days. GTN appears safe in ipsilateral or bilateral carotid stenosis, and might improve outcome in severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis.
Microplastics in the diet of nestling double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), an obligate piscivore in a freshwater ecosystem
Authors: Brookson Cole B. , de Solla Shane R. , Fernie Kim J. , Cepeda Monina , Rochman Chelsea M.
Published: March 2019

Anthropogenic debris, namely plastic, is a concern across aquatic ecosystems worldwide, with freshwater systems being understudied relative to marine systems. In this study, we quantified and characterized debris in the diet of double-crested cormorant chicks (Phalacrocorax auritus) from three sites in two of the Laurentian Great Lakes to (i) determine whether or not the diet of double-crested cormorants in the Laurentian Great Lakes includes anthropogenic debris, (ii) characterize the size, shape, and type of debris incorporated, and (iii) examine relationships between the amount of debris ingested and their proximity to industrial–urban centres. Overall, >86% of cormorants in our study had anthropogenic debris (mostly fibers) in their digestive tracts with no correlation between site and the amount of debris ingested. The ingested debris includes microplastics, natural fibres from textiles, and other anthropogenic materials (e.g., glass). To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine anthropogenic debris in a diving bird in the Laurentian Great Lakes and one of few studies investigating this in freshwater birds.
Characterization and expression analysis ofGPATgene family in maize
Authors: Xu Xiaoxuan , Yan Bowei , Zhao Ying , Wang Feng , Zhao Xunchao , He Lin , Xu Jingyu , Zhao Changjiang
Published: March 2019

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) catalyzes the initial step of glycerolipids biosynthesis and contributes to oil production, membrane stabilization, and stress responses in plants. In major field crops, little information on the GPAT gene family and their potential stress-related functions were available. In this study, 15 GPAT gene family members were identified from the maize genome and designated as ZmGPAT1–ZmGPAT14 and ZMS1. The ZmGPAT proteins contained 371–557 amino acids and had a molecular weight between 42.7 and 61.2 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZmGPATs fell into four clusters. All 15 ZmGPAT proteins possessed conserved PlsC/LPLAT (phosphate acyltransferases/lysophospholipid acyltransferases) domains and featured multiple acyltransferase motifs. The expression profiles of ZmGPAT genes were different in various tissues of maize and the elevated expression of several ZmGPAT genes occurred at early seed developmental stages. In response to environmental stresses, differential expression of ZmGPATs had been observed, highlighted by the significant induction of transcripts accumulation of some ZmGPATs under cold treatment. This study will help to better understand the potential roles of GPAT in oil production and development and abiotic stress responses in field crops.
Prevalence and consequences of ants and other arthropods in active nests of Midwestern birds
Authors: Gibson J.C. , Suarez A.V. , Qazi D. , Benson T.J. , Chiavacci S.J. , Merrill L.
Published: March 2019

Many organisms build nests which create unique microhabitats that are exploited by other animals. In turn, these nest colonizers may positively or negatively influence nest owners. Bird nests are known to harbor communities that include both harmful and possibly beneficial species. We quantified the nest arthropod communities of 10 bird species in Illinois, USA, along a land-use gradient, focusing on ant prevalence. We found eight ant species in nests, and for three species, at least part of their colonies inhabited nests. The odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile (Say, 1836)) was the most common species and maintained the largest colonies in nest material. Forest-cover percentage surrounding bird nests best predicted ant-colony presence. There was little evidence that ant presence influenced abundance or prevalence of other arthropods within nests with the exception of Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum (Linnaeus, 1758)) nests, where a negative association between T. sessile presence and abundance of fly larvae was found. Breeding success did not differ between nests with and without ant colonies for any bird species. Ant species that exhibit polydomy and nomadism may be more likely to occupy ephemeral resources like bird nests than other ants. How widespread this phenomenon is and the degree of commensalism that both parties experience is unclear and warrants further investigation.
Evaluation of second-order correlations adjusted with simulated annealing on physical properties of unidirectional nonoverlapping fiber-reinforced materials (UD Composites)
Authors: Lakhal L. , Brunet Y. , Kanit T.
Published: March 2019

The focus of this paper is on aligned fiber-reinforced composites, where fiber centers were randomly distributed in their cross-sections. The volume fractions of fibers were [Formula: see text]% and [Formula: see text]%. Samples were built with the help of the simulated annealing technique according to the chosen Radial Distribution Functions (RDFs). For each sample, the fields of local stresses and heat fluxes were simulated by finite element method. Then, homogenization by volume averaging was performed in order to investigate both the effective mechanical and thermal properties. The effect of RDF shape on elastic and thermal properties was quantified along with the influence of the probability of near neighbors of fibers on the physical properties. The more the fiber distributions deviate from Poisson’s Law, the higher the results compared to the lower bound of Hashin–Shtrikman.
Evolutionary dilemma game for conflict resolution at unsignalized traffic intersection
Authors: Bouderba Saif Islam , Moussa Najem
Published: March 2019

A dilemma game is presented to study the crossing conflicts at unsignalized intersection. Each driver has two possible strategies: cooperation (driver who respects the right-hand priority rule) or defection (driver who crosses quickly or aggressively the intersection without any caution). A evolutionary dilemma game is played when two drivers (left and right drivers) attempt to cross simultaneously the intersection. In this game, the left driver has a trade-off between crossing the intersection safely and doing it quickly. In addition, each driver, within a distance [Formula: see text] from the intersection, may be able to change his strategy, at time [Formula: see text], by imitating the driver in front of him and who got through the crossroad at time [Formula: see text]. We study the outcomes of these behavior strategies and their impacts on the traffic capacity of the system. An analysis of these results shows that the strategies adopted by drivers at unsignalized intersection are intrinsically linked to the occurrence of collisions between left and right drivers and can have subconscious effects on their decisions making. The traffic flow capacity is computed using computer simulations for various values of the system parameters and we found that it is extremely dependent on the decisions of drivers crossing the intersection.
INDUSTRIAL POLICY: CHINESE DEBATE TO TAIWANESE FOUNDRIES
Authors: TUNG AN-CHI , WAN HENRY
Published: March 2019

This study explores Chinese realities of industrial policy. These facts attract global interest. They also caused China’s Debate of the Century between prominent Chinese economists, Justin Lin and Weiying Zhang. After commenting on this exchange with evidential assessments, three questions are explored for technology-followers: (A) Can industrial policy against market failure also minimize government failure? (B) Can catching-up create win–win outcome by complementarity, rather than substitution? (C) Can leapfrogging trigger global innovation by co-evolution? TSMC from Taiwan suggests affirmative answers for all these three. Although its game-theory basis appears challenging for replication, exceptions may prove rules for further studies.
Optimization of neon soft X-ray yield in a low-energy dense plasma focus device
Authors: Malek M. A. , Islam M. K. , Akel M. , Salahuddin M. , Saw S. H. , Lee S.
Published: March 2019

The modified version of Lee model code is used in numerical experiments for characterizing and optimizing neon soft X-ray yield ([Formula: see text]) of the United Nations University/International Center for Theoretical Physics Plasma Focus Facility (UNU/ICTP PFF) device operated at 14 kV and 30 [Formula: see text]. In our present work, the neon yield [Formula: see text] is improved with an optimized UNU/ICTP PFF device by computing the optimum combination of static inductance ([Formula: see text]), anode length ([Formula: see text]), anode radius ([Formula: see text]) and cathode radius ([Formula: see text]), keeping fixed their ratio ([Formula: see text]) at 3.368, through a lot of numerical experiments at six operating pressures ([Formula: see text]). At lower [Formula: see text] (e.g. 2.0, 2.5 and 3.3 Torr), the optimum [Formula: see text] value, together with the corresponding optimum combination of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], is found to be 15 nH, whereas at higher [Formula: see text] (e.g. 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 Torr), it is obtained as 10 nH. Though the computed maximum neon yield [Formula: see text] (57.2 J with the corresponding efficiency of 1.94%) is found at [Formula: see text], assuming an achievable range of incorporating low-inductance technology, the best optimum combination of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is found to be at [Formula: see text], resulting in the computed optimum neon yield [Formula: see text] of 54.60 J with a corresponding efficiency of 1.9%. This computed neon yield [Formula: see text] is about 11 times higher than the measured value [Formula: see text] at optimum [Formula: see text] of UNU/ICTP PFF. It is also observed that our computed neon yield [Formula: see text] is improved by around six times from the previously computed value, which was 9.5 J at the optimum [Formula: see text] Torr for optimum anode configuration of this machine. In addition, neon yield [Formula: see text] is obtained with our optimized combination of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at 11.5 kV and compared with the measured neon yield [Formula: see text] of the NX2 machine.
An Intelligent Security Defensive Model of SCADA Based on Multi-Agent in Oil and Gas Fields
Authors: Yang Li , Liu Junlin , Zhang Yun
Published: March 2019

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system in the modern industrial automation control network is facing an increasing number of serious security threats. In order to meet the security defense requirements of oil and gas SCADA system, an intelligent security defense model based on multi-agent was designed by analyzing the security risks in oil and gas SCADA system and combining the advantages of multi-agent technology in distributed intrusion detection system. First, the whole structure of this model was divided into three layers: monitoring layer, decision layer and control layer. Then, the defense model was verified by C4.5 decision tree algorithm, and obtained a good result. Finally, the security defense prototype system of large-scale oil and gas SCADA system based on this model was realized. Results demonstrate that the application of multi-agent technology in the security defense of oil and gas SCADA system can achieve more comprehensive defense, more accurate detection, which can handle large-scale distributed attacks and improve the robustness and stability of security defenses. This study makes full use of the multi-agent architecture and has the advantage of accurate detection, high detection efficiency and timely response.
A Hardware–Software Co-Design Framework for Real-Time Video Stabilization
Authors: Javed Hassan , Bilal Muhammad , Masud Shahid
Published: March 2019

Live digital video is a valuable source of information in security, broadcast and industrial quality control applications. Motion jitter due to camera and platform instability is a common artefact found in captured video which renders it less effective for subsequent computer vision tasks such as detection and tracking of objects, background modeling, mosaicking, etc. The process of algorithmically compensating for the motion jitter is hence a mandatory pre-processing step in many applications. This process, called video stabilization, requires estimation of global motion from consecutive video frames and is constrainted by additional challenges such as preservation of intentional motion and native frame resolution. The problem is exacerbated in the presence of local motion of foreground objects and requires robust compensation of the same. As such achieving real-time performance for this computationally intensive operation is a difficult task for embedded processors with limited computational and memory resources. In this work, development of an optimized hardware–software co-design framework for video stabilization has been investigated. Efficient video stabilization depends on the identification of key points in the frame which in turn requires dense feature calculation at the pixel level. This task has been identified to be most suitable for offloading the pipelined hardware implemented in the FPGA fabric due to the involvement of complex memory and computation operations. Subsequent tasks to be performed for the overall stabilization algorithm utilize these sparse key points and have been found to be efficiently handled in the software. The proposed Hardware–Software (HW–SW) co-design framework has been implemented on Zedboard FPGA platform which houses Xilinx Zynq SOC equipped with ARM A9 processor. The proposed implementation scheme can process real-time video stream input at 28 frames per second and is at least twice faster than the corresponding software-only approach. Two different hardware accelerator designs have been implemented using different high-level synthesis tools using rapid prototyping principle and consume less than 50% of logic resources available on the host FPGA while being at least 30% faster than contemporary designs.
Resource and Performance Tradeoff for Task Scheduling of Parallel Reconfigurable Architectures
Authors: Kao Chi-Chou
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we propose a resource/performance tradeoff algorithm for task scheduling of parallel reconfigurable architectures. First, it uses unlimited resources to generate an optimal scheduling algorithm. Then, a relaxation algorithm is applied to satisfy the number of resources under increasing minimum performance. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm, we not only compare the existing methods with standard benchmarks but also implement on physical systems. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithms satisfy the requirements of the systems with limited resources.
Advances of the FRIB project
Authors: Wei J. , Ao H. , Beher S. , Bultman N. , Casagrande F. , Cogan S. , Compton C. , Curtin J. , Dalesio L. , Davidson K. , Dixon K. , Facco A. , Ganni V. , Ganshyn A. , Gibson P. , Glasmacher T. , Hao Y. , Hodges L. , Holland K. , Hosoyama K. , Hseuh H.-C. , Hussain A. , Ikegami M. , Jones S. , Kanemura T. , Kelly M. , Knudsen P. , Laxdal R. E. , LeTourneau J. , Lidia S. , Machicoane G. , Marti F. , Miller S. , Momozaki Y. , Morris D. , Ostroumov P. , Popielarski J. , Popielarski L. , Prestemon S. , Priller J. , Ren H. , Russo T. , Saito K. , Stanley S. , Wiseman M. , Xu T. , Yamazaki Y.
Published: March 2019

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) Project has entered the phase of beam commissioning starting from the room-temperature front end and the superconducting linac segment of first 15 cryomodules. With the newly commissioned helium refrigeration system supplying 4.5[Formula: see text]K liquid helium to the quarter-wave resonators and solenoids, the FRIB accelerator team achieved the sectional key performance parameters as designed ahead of schedule accelerating heavy ion beams above 20[Formula: see text]MeV/u energy. Thus, FRIB accelerator becomes world’s highest-energy heavy ion linear accelerator. We also validated machine protection and personnel protection systems that will be crucial to the next phase of commissioning. FRIB is on track towards a national user facility at the power frontier with a beam power two orders of magnitude higher than operating heavy-ion facilities. This paper summarizes the status of accelerator design, technology development, construction, commissioning as well as path to operations and upgrades.
Relation between the NMR data and the pseudorotational free-energy profile for oxolane
Authors: Plazinski Wojciech , Gaweda Karolina , Plazinska Anita
Published: March 2019

The conformation of five-membered furanose rings is a crucial issue for the structural analysis of many biologically-relevant molecules, including DNA and RNA. Oxolane can be treated as a prototypical furanose, composed only of saturated unsubstituted ring. In spite of its structural simplicity, providing the accurate quantitative description of the oxolane conformational features remains a great challenge for both the experimental and theoretical techniques. Here we show the method of recovering the free-energy profiles describing the conformational equilibrium in the oxolane ring (i.e. pseudorotation) based on the experimentally-inferred NMR data ([Formula: see text] coupling constants). The results remain in agreement with the quantum-mechanical-based molecular dynamics simulations and emphasize the large contributions of all ring conformers, even those located at the free-energy barriers. This includes the significant populations of limiting 3T2/2T3 and OE/EO shapes. Our findings provide another example of a poor applicability of the two-state model, which is routinely applied to analyze the NMR data in terms of population of different ring conformers.
Revisiting the von Neumann–Wigner noncrossing rule and validity of a dynamic correlation diagram method
Authors: Nohira Hiroyuki , Nohira Toshiyuki
Published: March 2019

The noncrossing rule for potential energy surfaces can be applied only, as originally postulated by von Neumann and Wigner, to slowly occurring changes; it has, however, over many years, been widely used to rationalize fast chemical reactions. Taking the conversion of Dewar benzene to benzene as an example, we demonstrate a reaction that has a timescale for which crossings are allowed. Since it is now established that elementary chemical reactions proceed over ca. 10–100[Formula: see text]fs, as revealed experimentally by Zewail, the noncrossing rule cannot any longer be said to be valid for most chemical reactions. We further demonstrate that the mechanism of the chemiluminescent conversion of Dewar benzene to benzene is explained by an electronic state diagram derived using a dynamic correlation diagram method which allows crossings, whereas the reaction is not explained by a conventional approach, applying the noncrossing rule using a static correlation diagram method.
Thermodynamics in loop quantum cosmology with non-canonical scalar field model
Authors: Iqbal Ayesha , Jawad Abdul
Published: March 2019

The cosmological scenario is built up within the framework of scalar field model possessing a noncanonical kinetic term in loop quantum gravity. The noncanonical scalar field is permitted to interact with dark matter field by assuming a specific form of coupling term. The equation of state parameter is set to be constant as well as variable (Chevallier–Polarski–Linder parametrization) and evaluated the behavior of universe through deceleration parameter and weak energy condition. These parameters favor the accelerated expansion of the universe for three values of equation of state parameter in both cases allowed by observational data. The squared speed of sound leads to the stability of the underlying models in both forms of equation of state parameter. Moreover, the validity of generalized second law of thermodynamics is analyzed by using first law of thermodynamics and assume the universe to be enclosed by apparent horizon. The Bekenstein, logarithmic and power-law entropy is being considered as entropy of horizon. The thermodynamic equilibrium condition is also discussed for all three cases of entropies. The generalized second law of thermodynamics and thermal equilibrium condition is satisfied for all the three types of entropies.
Facile Preparation of Holey Anderson-type Polyoxometalate/Polyaniline/Graphene Nanocomposites for Supercapacitors
Authors: Lin Jingjing , Yan Song , Zhang Xiaojie , Liu Yueran , Lian Jun , Lin Hualin , Wei Wei , Lu Deli , Han Sheng
Published: March 2019

Holey Fe-Anderson-type polyoxometalate/polyaniline/graphene (PPG) hybrid materials were first prepared by anchoring Anderson-type polyoxometalates [FeMo6O[Formula: see text]H6][Formula: see text] (FeMo[Formula: see text] onto graphene modified with polyaniline via a facile hydrothermal treatment. The as-prepared materials exhibited an excellent electrochemical performance with a high specific capacitance of 1366 F g[Formula: see text] at 1 A g[Formula: see text] and outstanding cycling stability (97.6% capacitance retention after 5000 cycle times). The uptake of polyaniline/FeMo6 nanoparticles on graphene not only provided the pseudocapacitance but also weakened the aggregation between the graphene layers, resulting in a higher surface area compared with pure graphene. In addition, the AC//PPG-15 asymmetric supercapacitor device showed a high energy density of 24.65[Formula: see text]W h kg[Formula: see text] at a low power density of 326.25[Formula: see text]W kg[Formula: see text] and good cycling stability (94.82% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles). Hence, the as-prepared PPG hybrid materials in this work possess tremendous potential as electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.
Synergistic effects of carbon-encapsulated cobalt/tricobalt tetroxide nanocapsules on hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol
Authors: Yang Xi , Chen Yan , Xu Xinchao , Liu Haopeng , Zhang Xuefeng , Li Song , Zhou Jun , Cao Feng , Qin Gaowu
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we fabricated carbon-encapsulated cobalt/tricobalt tetroxide complex nanomaterials (Co/Co3O4@C) by a simple arc-discharged method and controlled annealing in air. Controlled annealing can solve the problem of poor hydrophilicity of materials prepared by arc-discharged method, and what’s more, a large number of Co/Co3O4 heterointerfaces can be constructed. Carbon-encapsulated Co/Co3O4 exhibited excellent catalytic performance in the catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), even better than that of the reported precious metal catalysts in the literature. Excellent catalytic performance not only contributed to improved hydrophilicity, but also contributed to the synergistic effects of Co and Co3O4 on the catalytic 4-NP hydrogenation. The preparation process is appropriate for synthesizing various defective-rich metals or alloy@carbon electrocatalysts.
Determinants of Water Market Prices in the Western United States
Authors: Toll Kris , Broadbent Craig D. , Beeson Quinn
Published: March 2019

As water markets continue to evolve throughout the western U.S., understanding what factors influence the price of water is informative to water users seeking to engage in transactions. Using 690 water lease transactions and 1,351 water rights transactions from the journal Water Strategist we analyze and provide insights into the effect of user type in the transaction process, hydrologic conditions, geographic location and lease length upon water prices. This analysis is conducted for both a rights transfer and leasing marketplace.
Using Collection Shards to Study Retrieval Performance Effect Sizes
Authors: Ferro Nicola , Kim Yubin , Sanderson Mark
Published: March 2019

Despite the bulk of research studying how to more accurately compare the performance of IR systems, less attention is devoted to better understanding the different factors that play a role in such performance and how they interact. This is the case of shards, i.e., partitioning a document collection into sub-parts, which are used for many different purposes, ranging from efficiency to selective search or making test collection evaluation more accurate. In all these cases, there is empirical knowledge supporting the importance of shards, but we lack actual models that allow us to measure the impact of shards on system performance and how they interact with topics and systems. We use the general linear mixed model framework and present a model that encompasses the experimental factors of system, topic, shard, and their interaction effects. This detailed model allows us to more accurately estimate differences between the effect of various factors. We study shards created by a range of methods used in prior work and better explain observations noted in prior work in a principled setting and offer new insights. Notably, we discover that the topic*shard interaction effect, in particular, is a large effect almost globally across all datasets, an observation that, to our knowledge, has not been measured before.
Genomic Research Through an Indigenous Lens: Understanding the Expectations
Authors: Garrison Nanibaa’ A. , Hudson Māui , Ballantyne Leah L. , Garba Ibrahim , Martinez Andrew , Taualii Maile , Arbour Laura , Caron Nadine R. , Rainie Stephanie Carroll
Published: March 2019

Indigenous scholars are leading initiatives to improve access to genetic and genomic research and health care based on their unique cultural contexts and within sovereign-based governance models created and accepted by their peoples. In the past, Indigenous peoples’ engagement with genomicresearch was hampered by a lack of standardized guidelines and institutional partnerships, resulting in group harms. This article provides a comparative analysis of research guidelines from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States that pertain to Indigenous peoples. The goals of the analysis are to identify areas that need attention, support Indigenous-led governance, and promote the development of a model research policy framework for genomic research and health care that has international relevance for Indigenous peoples.
Paving the Way to Tospovirus Infection: Multilined Interplays with Plant Innate Immunity
Authors: Zhu Min , van Grinsven Irene Louise , Kormelink Richard , Tao Xiaorong
Published: March 2019

Tospoviruses are among the most important plant pathogens and cause serious crop losses worldwide. Tospoviruses have evolved to smartly utilize the host cellular machinery to accomplish their life cycle. Plants mount two layers of defense to combat their invasion. The first one involves the activation of an antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) defense response. However, tospoviruses encode an RNA silencing suppressor that enables them to counteract antiviral RNAi. To further combat viral invasion, plants also employ intracellular innate immune receptors (e.g., Sw-5b and Tsw) to recognize different viral effectors (e.g., NSm and NSs). This leads to the triggering of a much more robust defense against tospoviruses called effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Tospoviruses have further evolved their effectors and can break Sw-5b-/Tsw-mediated resistance. The arms race between tospoviruses and both layers of innate immunity drives the coevolution of host defense and viral genes involved in counter defense. In this review, a state-of-the-art overview is presented on the tospoviral life cycle and the multilined interplays between tospoviruses and the distinct layers of defense.
Activation of the mTORC1/PGC-1 axis promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and induces cellular senescence in the lung epithelium
Authors: Summer Ross , Shaghaghi Hoora , Schriner DeLeila , Roque Willy , Sales Dominic , Cuevas-Mora Karina , Desai Vilas , Bhushan Alok , Ramirez Maria I. , Romero Freddy
Published: March 2019

Cellular senescence is a biological process by which cells lose their capacity to proliferate yet remain metabolically active. Although originally considered a protective mechanism to limit the formation of cancer, it is now appreciated that cellular senescence also contributes to the development of disease, including common respiratory ailments such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. While many factors have been linked to the development of cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction has emerged as an important causative factor. In this study, we uncovered that the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway driven by the mammalian target of rapamycin/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ complex 1α/β (mTOR/PGC-1α/β) axis is markedly upregulated in senescent lung epithelial cells. Using two different models, we show that activation of this pathway is associated with other features characteristic of enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, including elevated number of mitochondrion per cell, increased oxidative phosphorylation, and augmented mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Furthermore, we found that pharmacological inhibition of the mTORC1 complex with rapamycin not only restored mitochondrial homeostasis but also reduced cellular senescence to bleomycin in lung epithelial cells. Likewise, mitochondrial-specific antioxidant therapy also effectively inhibited mTORC1 activation in these cells while concomitantly reducing mitochondrial biogenesis and cellular senescence. In summary, this study provides a mechanistic link between mitochondrial biogenesis and cellular senescence in lung epithelium and suggests that strategies aimed at blocking the mTORC1/PGC-1α/β axis or reducing ROS-induced molecular damage could be effective in the treatment of senescence-associated lung diseases.
Two nights of recovery sleep restores the dynamic lipemic response, but not the reduction of insulin sensitivity, induced by five nights of sleep restriction
Authors: Ness Kelly M. , Strayer Stephen M. , Nahmod Nicole G. , Chang Anne-Marie , Buxton Orfeu M. , Shearer Gregory C.
Published: March 2019

Chronic inadequate sleep is associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The mechanisms involved are poorly understood but involve changes in insulin sensitivity, including within adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of sleep restriction on nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) suppression profiles in response to an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and to assess whether 2 nights of recovery sleep (a “weekend”) is sufficient to restore metabolic health. We hypothesized that sleep restriction impairs both glucose and lipid metabolism, specifically adipocyte insulin sensitivity, and the dynamic lipemic response of adipocyte NEFA release during an IVGTT. Fifteen healthy men completed an inpatient study of 3 baseline nights (10 h of time in bed/night), followed by 5 nights of 5 h of time in bed/night and 2 recovery nights (10 h of time in bed/night). IVGTTs were performed on the final day of each condition. Reductions in insulin sensitivity without a compensatory change in acute insulin response to glucose were consistent with prior studies (insulin sensitivity P = 0.002; acute insulin response to glucose P = 0.23). The disposition index was suppressed by sleep restriction and did not recover after recovery sleep ( P < 0.0001 and P = 0.01, respectively). Fasting NEFAs were not different from baseline in either the restriction or recovery conditions. NEFA rebound was significantly suppressed by sleep restriction ( P = 0.01) but returned to baseline values after recovery sleep. Our study indicates that sleep restriction impacts NEFA metabolism and demonstrates that 2 nights of recovery sleep may not be adequate to restore glycemic health.
Angiotensin type 1a receptors in the median preoptic nucleus support intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension
Authors: Shell Brent , Farmer George E. , Nedungadi T. Prashant , Wang Lei A. , Marciante Alexandria B. , Snyder Brina , Cunningham Rebecca L. , Cunningham J. Thomas
Published: March 2019

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is a model of the hypoxemia from sleep apnea that causes a sustained increase in blood pressure. Inhibition of the central renin-angiotensin system or FosB in the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) prevents the sustained hypertensive response to CIH. We tested the hypothesis that angiotensin type 1a (AT1a) receptors in the MnPO, which are upregulated by CIH, contribute to this hypertension. In preliminary experiments, retrograde tract tracing studies showed AT1a receptor expression in MnPO neurons projecting to the paraventricular nucleus. Adult male rats were exposed to 7 days of intermittent hypoxia (cycling between 21% and 10% O2 every 6 min, 8 h/day during light phase). Seven days of CIH was associated with a FosB-dependent increase in AT1a receptor mRNA without changes in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in the MnPO. Separate groups of rats were injected in the MnPO with an adeno-associated virus containing short hairpin (sh)RNA against AT1a receptors to test their role in intermittent hypoxia hypertension. Injections of shRNA against AT1a in MnPO blocked the increase in mRNA associated with CIH, prevented the sustained component of the hypertension during normoxia, and reduced circulating advanced oxidation protein products, an indicator of oxidative stress. Rats injected with shRNA against AT1a and exposed to CIH had less FosB staining in MnPO and the rostral ventrolateral medulla after intermittent hypoxia than rats injected with the control vector that were exposed to CIH. Our results indicate AT1a receptors in the MnPO contribute to the sustained blood pressure increase to intermittent hypoxia.
Plasma miRNA profile is a biomarker associated with urothelial carcinoma in chronic hemodialysis patients
Authors: Chen Chien-Lung , Lin Chen-Huan , Li An-Lun , Huang Chiu-Ching , Shen Biing-Yir , Chiang Yun-Ru , Fang Pei-Luen , Chang Huan-Cheng , Li Kay-Lun , Yang Wu-Chang , Horng Jorng-Tzong , Ma Nianhan
Published: March 2019

The incidence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) is higher in patients undergoing chronic dialysis than in the general population. This study investigated plasma miRNA profiling as the ancillary diagnosis biomarker associated with UC in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. We successfully screened out and detected miRNA expression from plasma in eight patients undergoing dialysis through quantitative real-time PCR array analysis and identified eight candidate miRNAs. The candidate miRNAs were then validated using single quantitative RT-PCR assays from 52 plasma samples. The miRNA classifier for ancillary UC detection was developed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Moreover, we validated the classifier by testing another nine samples. Expression levels of miR-150-5p, miR-150-5p/miR-155-5p, miR-378a-3p/miR-150-5p, miR-636/miR-150-5p, miR-150-5p/miR-210-3p, and miR-19b-1–5p/miR-378a-3p were shown to be significantly different between UC and non-UC samples ( P = 0.035, 0.0048, 0.016, 0.024, 0.038, and 0.048). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis also showed that low miR-19b-1-5p expression was associated with a worse prognosis ( P = 0.0382). We also developed a miRNA classifier based on five miRNA expression levels to predict UC and found that the area under curve was 0.882. The classifier had a sensitivity of 80% (95% confidence interval: 0.5191% to 0.9567%) and a specificity of 83.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.6799% to 0.9381%). This classifier was tested by nine samples with 100% accuracy. The miRNA classifier offers higher sensitivity and specificity than the existing makers. Thus, this approach will improve the prospective diagnosis of UC in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.
Astrocytic modulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission is reduced in NTS of rats submitted to short-term sustained hypoxia
Authors: Accorsi-Mendonça Daniela , Bonagamba Leni G. H. , Machado Benedito H.
Published: March 2019

Sustained hypoxia (SH) activates chemoreceptors to produce cardiovascular and respiratory responses to bring the arterial partial pressure of O2back to the physiological range. We evaluated the effect of SH (fraction of inspired O2 = 0.10, 24 h) on glutamatergic synaptic transmission and the interaction neuron-astrocyte in neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). Tractus solitarius (TS) fiber stimulation induced glutamatergic currents in neurons and astrocytes. SH increased α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid/kainate (AMPA/kainate) [−183 ± 122 pA ( n = 10) vs. −353 ± 101 pA ( n = 10)] and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) current amplitude [61 ± 10 pA ( n = 7) vs. 102 ± 37 pA ( n = 10)]. To investigate the effects of SH, we used fluoroacetate (FAC), an astrocytic inhibitor, which revealed an excitatory modulation on AMPA/kainate current and an inhibitory modulation of NMDA current in control rats. SH blunted the astrocytic modulation of AMPA [artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF): −353 ± 101 pA vs. aCSF + FAC: −369 ± 76 pA ( n = 10)] and NMDA currents [aCSF: 102 ± 37 pA vs. aCSF + FAC: 108 ± 32 pA ( n = 10)]. SH increased AMPA current density [control: −6 ± 3.5 pA/pF ( n = 6) vs. SH: −20 ± 12 pA/pF ( n = 7)], suggesting changes in density, conductance, or affinity of AMPA receptors. SH produced no effect on astrocytic resting membrane potential, input resistance, and AMPA/kainate current. We conclude that SH decreased the neuron-astrocyte interaction at the NTS level, facilitating the glutamatergic transmission, which may contribute to the enhancement of cardiovascular and respiratory responses to baro- and chemoreflexes activation in SH rats.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using an electrophysiological approach, we have shown that in nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) from control rats, astrocytes modulate the AMPA and NMDA currents in NTS neurons, changing their excitability. Sustained hypoxia (SH) increased both glutamatergic currents in NTS neurons due to 1) a reduction in the astrocytic modulation and 2) an increase in the density of AMPA receptors. These new findings show the importance of neuron-astrocyte modulation in the excitatory synaptic transmission in NTS of control and SH rats.
Direction of action of presynaptic GABAA receptors is highly dependent on the level of receptor activation
Authors: Khatri Shailesh N. , Wu Wan-Chen , Yang Ying , Pugh Jason R.
Published: March 2019

Many synapses, including parallel fiber synapses in the cerebellum, express presynaptic GABAA receptors. However, reports of the functional consequences of presynaptic GABAA receptor activation are variable across synapses, from inhibition to enhancement of transmitter release. We find that presynaptic GABAA receptor function is bidirectional at parallel fiber synapses depending on GABA concentration and modulation of GABAA receptors in mice. Activation of GABAA receptors by low GABA concentrations enhances glutamate release, whereas activation of receptors by higher GABA concentrations inhibits release. Furthermore, blocking GABAB receptors reduces GABAA receptor currents and shifts presynaptic responses toward greater enhancement of release across a wide range of GABA concentrations. Conversely, enhancing GABAA receptor currents with ethanol or neurosteroids shifts responses toward greater inhibition of release. The ability of presynaptic GABAA receptors to enhance or inhibit transmitter release at the same synapse depending on activity level provides a new mechanism for fine control of synaptic transmission by GABA and may explain conflicting reports of presynaptic GABAA receptor function across synapses.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY GABAA receptors are widely expressed at presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system. However, previous reports have produced conflicting results on the function of these receptors at different synapses. We show that presynaptic GABAA receptor function is strongly dependent on the level of receptor activation. Low levels of receptor activation enhance transmitter release, whereas higher levels of activation inhibit release at the same synapses. This provides a novel mechanism by which presynaptic GABAA receptors fine-tune synaptic transmission.