bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drought and heat wave impacts on grassland carbon cycling across hierarchical levels
Authors: Li Linfeng , Zheng Zhenzhen , Biederman Joel A. , Qian Ruyan , Ran Qinwei , Zhang Biao , Xu Cong , Wang Fang , Zhou Shutong , Che Rongxiao , Dong Junfu , Xu Zhihong , Cui Xiaoyong , Hao Yanbin , Wang Yanfen
Published: April 2020

Droughts and heat waves are increasing in magnitude and frequency, altering the carbon cycle. However, understanding of the underlying response mechanisms remains poor, especially for the combination (hot drought). We conducted a 4‐year field experiment to examine both individual and interactive effects of drought and heat wave on carbon cycling of a semiarid grassland across individual, functional group, community and ecosystem levels. Drought did not change below‐ground biomass (BGB) or above‐ground biomass (AGB) due to compensation effects between grass and non‐grass functional groups. However, consistently decreased BGB under heat waves limited such compensation effects, resulting in reduced AGB. Ecosystem CO2 fluxes were suppressed by droughts, attributed to stomatal closure‐induced reductions in leaf photosynthesis and decreased AGB of grasses, while CO2 fluxes were little affected by heat waves. Overall the hot drought produced the lowest leaf photosynthesis, AGB and ecosystem CO2 fluxes although the interactions between heat wave and drought were usually not significant. Our results highlight that the functional group compensatory effects that maintain community‐level AGB rely on feedback of root system responses, and that plant adjustments at the individual level, together with shifts in composition at the functional group level, co‐regulate ecosystem carbon sink strength under climate extremes.
Emerging strategies to treat rare and intractable subtypes of melanoma
Authors: Alicea Gretchen M. , Rebecca Vito W.
Published: April 2020

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, possessing a diverse landscape of subtypes with distinct molecular signatures and levels of aggressiveness. Although immense progress has been achieved therapeutically for patients with the most common forms of this disease, little is known of how to effectively treat patients with rarer subtypes of melanoma. These subtypes include acral lentiginous (the rarest form of cutaneous melanoma; AL), uveal, and mucosal melanomas, which display variations in distribution across (a) the world, (b) patient age‐groups, and (c) anatomic sites. Unfortunately, patients with these relatively rare subtypes of melanoma typically respond worse to therapies approved for the more common, non‐AL cutaneous melanoma and do not have effective alternatives, and thus consequently have worse overall survival rates. Achieving durable therapeutic responses in these high‐risk melanoma subtypes represents one of the greatest challenges of the field. This review aims to collate and highlight effective preclinical and/or clinical strategies against these rare forms of melanoma.
The brown clock: circadian rhythms in stramenopiles
Authors: Farré Eva M.
Published: April 2020

Circadian clocks allow organisms to anticipate environmental changes associated with the diurnal light/dark cycle. Circadian oscillators have been described in plants and green algae, cyanobacteria, animals and fungi, however, little is known about the circadian clocks of photosynthetic eukaryotes outside the green lineage. Stramenopiles are a diverse group of secondary endosymbionts whose plastid originated from a red alga. Photosynthetic stramenopiles, which include diatoms and brown algae, play key roles in biogeochemical cycles and are important components of marine ecosystems. Genome annotation efforts indicated the presence of a novel type of oscillator in these organisms and the first circadian clock component in a stramenopile has been recently discovered. This review summarizes the phenotypic characterization of circadian rhythms in stramenopiles and current efforts to determine the mechanisms of this ‘brown clock’. The elucidation of this brown clock will enable a deeper understanding of the role of self‐sustained oscillations in the adaptation to life in marine environments.
A nosocomial scabies outbreak originating from immunocompromised transplant patients in Turkey: Upholstery as a possible cause
Authors: Ozdamar Melda , Turkoglu Salih
Published: April 2020

Background

Inpatients with crusted scabies represent an important source of nosocomial transmission with consequent outbreaks among patients and healthcare workers. This study aimed to report the course of an institutional scabies outbreak, which progressed with infestation of immunosuppressed transplant patients, health care workers, and caregivers.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with scabies in a nosocomial outbreak in a 200‐bed, tertiary hospital were included. Following a diagnosis of scabies in the index patient, strict contact isolation measures were implemented. During the outbreak, a root cause analysis (RCA) was carried out by an infection prevention and control team.

Results

Forty‐two individuals were affected (7 patients, 25 health care workers, and 10 family members of the patients) during the outbreak consisting of three attacks. Index case was a multiple myeloma patient who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and presented with crusted scabies. A RCA suggested that upholstery could serve as a means of reservoir. All upholstery of the sofa and armchairs in patient rooms as well as in lounge areas were replaced by wipeable leather material. After the 19‐week course of the outbreak, no additional cases of scabies have been observed until now.

Conclusion

A high index of suspicion should be maintained, particularly in immunocompromised patients, in order to achieve rapid diagnosis of scabies and to implement institutional infection control measures. It should also be borne in mind that the transmission may occur through direct contact as well as fomites, such as upholstery.
A comparison of compressive equivalent source methods for distributed sources
Authors: Hald Jørgen
Published: April 2020

Sparse sound-field reconstruction methods based on compressive sensing and the equivalent source method have gained a lot of interest in recent years, offering a wide frequency range. An irregular array must be employed, and the sound field must be representable by a sparse vector of source-model amplitudes. With few and concentrated physical sources, the sparsity assumption can be fulfilled, but distributed sources cause problems. Several methods have therefore been introduced to support sparse representation of distributed sources. One set of such methods represents the amplitude vector as a linear combination of modal amplitude distributions. In that case, the coefficient vector just has to be sparse. The present paper gives an overview of such methods, and the performance of the methods is compared based on a set of simulated measurements. Overall the modal representations work well if the true source distribution can be represented by relatively few modes. The results show that even for a vibrating plate this may not be the case if the source model size does not match the plate size and/or if a non-central plate excitation is applied. If, in addition, there are also compact sources, then the basic method without modes may be the best choice.
Histone deacetylases 1 and 2 silence cryptic transcription to promote mitochondrial function during cardiogenesis
Authors: Milstone Zachary J. , Saheera Sherin , Bourke Lauren M. , Shpilka Tomer , Haynes Cole M. , Trivedi Chinmay M.
Published: April 2020

Cryptic transcription antagonizes OXPHOS and cardiogenesis.
Thermionic junction devices utilizing phonon blocking
Authors: Mykkänen Emma , Lehtinen Janne S. , Grönberg Leif , Shchepetov Andrey , Timofeev Andrey V. , Gunnarsson David , Kemppinen Antti , Manninen Antti J. , Prunnila Mika
Published: April 2020

Controlling electron and phonon flows through a solid junction enables novel on-chip cooling and sensing functionalities.
The surface stress of biomedical silicones is a stimulant of cellular response
Authors: Cheng Zhu , Shurer Carolyn R. , Schmidt Samuel , Gupta Vivek K. , Chuang Grace , Su Jin , Watkins Amanda R. , Shetty Abhishek , Spector Jason A. , Hui Chung-Yuen , Reesink Heidi L. , Paszek Matthew J.
Published: April 2020

Cells feel the tension of implanted and injected silicone materials.
Correlation-driven eightfold magnetic anisotropy in a two-dimensional oxide monolayer
Authors: Cui Zhangzhang , Grutter Alexander J. , Zhou Hua , Cao Hui , Dong Yongqi , Gilbert Dustin A. , Wang Jingyuan , Liu Yi-Sheng , Ma Jiaji , Hu Zhenpeng , Guo Jinghua , Xia Jing , Kirby Brian J. , Shafer Padraic , Arenholz Elke , Chen Hanghui , Zhai Xiaofang , Lu Yalin
Published: April 2020

Tuning interlayer electron hopping in (SrRuO
3
)
1
/(SrTiO
3
)

N

superlattices leads to an eightfold magnetic anisotropy.
A sensitive and robust thin-film x-ray detector using 2D layered perovskite diodes
Authors: Tsai Hsinhan , Liu Fangze , Shrestha Shreetu , Fernando Kasun , Tretiak Sergei , Scott Brian , Vo Duc Ta , Strzalka Joseph , Nie Wanyi
Published: April 2020

Solution-processed 2D perovskite diodes with fully depleted junction enable highly sensitive and robust thin-film x-ray detectors.
Germline mutation of
MDM4
, a major p53 regulator, in a familial syndrome of defective telomere maintenance
Authors: Toufektchan Eléonore , Lejour Vincent , Durand Romane , Giri Neelam , Draskovic Irena , Bardot Boris , Laplante Pierre , Jaber Sara , Alter Blanche P. , Londono-Vallejo José-Arturo , Savage Sharon A. , Toledo Franck
Published: April 2020

We demonstrate a direct link between germline p53 activation and telomere dysfunction.
Many-body topological invariants from randomized measurements in synthetic quantum matter
Authors: Elben Andreas , Yu Jinlong , Zhu Guanyu , Hafezi Mohammad , Pollmann Frank , Zoller Peter , Vermersch Benoît
Published: April 2020

The quantities that classify certain many-body topological quantum phases can be measured with quantum simulators.
Transgene-free remote magnetothermal regulation of adrenal hormones
Authors: Rosenfeld Dekel , Senko Alexander W. , Moon Junsang , Yick Isabel , Varnavides Georgios , Gregureć Danijela , Koehler Florian , Chiang Po-Han , Christiansen Michael G. , Maeng Lisa Y. , Widge Alik S. , Anikeeva Polina
Published: April 2020

Remote magnetic modulation of adrenal cell calcium in the presence of nanoparticles enables on-demand hormone release.
Superaerophobic hydrogels for enhanced electrochemical and photoelectrochemical hydrogen production
Authors: Jeon Dasom , Park Jinwoo , Shin Changhwan , Kim Hyunwoo , Jang Ji-Wook , Lee Dong Woog , Ryu Jungki
Published: April 2020

A simple modification of electrodes with hydrogel can facilitate hydrogen evolution reactions by readily eliminating gas bubbles.
Trophic strategy and bleaching resistance in reef-building corals
Authors: Conti-Jerpe Inga E. , Thompson Philip D. , Wong Cheong Wai Martin , Oliveira Nara L. , Duprey Nicolas N. , Moynihan Molly A. , Baker David M.
Published: April 2020

Heterotrophic corals with large polyps bleach later than autotrophic corals with small polyps.
Semiconductor glass with superior flexibility and high room temperature thermoelectric performance
Authors: He Shiyang , Li Yongbo , Liu Lu , Jiang Ying , Feng Jingjing , Zhu Wei , Zhang Jiye , Dong Zirui , Deng Yuan , Luo Jun , Zhang Wenqing , Chen Gang
Published: April 2020

A semiconductor glass with superior flexibility, exceptional carrier mobility, and high room temperature thermoelectric properties.
Gut-resident CX3CR1
hi
macrophages induce tertiary lymphoid structures and IgA response in situ
Authors: Koscsó Balázs , Kurapati Sravya , Rodrigues Richard R. , Nedjic Jelena , Gowda Kavitha , Shin Changsik , Soni Chetna , Ashraf Azree Zaffran , Purushothaman Indira , Palisoc Maryknoll , Xu Sulei , Sun Haoyu , Chodisetti Sathi Babu , Lin Eugene , Mack Matthias , Kawasawa Yuka Imamura , He Pingnian , Rahman Ziaur S. M. , Aifantis Iannis , Shulzhenko Natalia , Morgun Andrey , Bogunovic Milena
Published: April 2020

Gut-resident CX3CR1
hi
macrophages drive formation of tertiary lymphoid structures that initiate IgA responses to
Salmonella
infection.
M2-like, dermal macrophages are maintained via IL-4/CCL24–mediated cooperative interaction with eosinophils in cutaneous leishmaniasis
Authors: Lee Sang Hun , Chaves Mariana M. , Kamenyeva Olena , Gazzinelli-Guimaraes Pedro H. , Kang Byunghyun , Pessenda Gabriela , Passelli Katiuska , Tacchini-Cottier Fabienne , Kabat Juraj , Jacobsen Elizabeth A. , Nutman Thomas B. , Sacks David L.
Published: April 2020

IL-4/CCL24–mediated interaction with eosinophils maintains dermis-resident macrophages as replicative niches for
Leishmania major
.
Compartment syndrome of the non-injured limb
Authors: Anwer Majid , Banerjee Niladri , Agarwal Harshit , Kumar Subodh
Published: April 2020

Compartment syndrome is a common limb-threatening entity in trauma. However, the occurrence of the same in the non-injured limb is rare. It seems to be multifactorial in origin, with abnormal positioning being the most common cause. We present such a case of well-leg compartment syndrome which was treated by an urgent fasciotomy. We emphasise on the fact that the diagnosis of compartment syndrome is clinical and the management remains the same irrespective of whether the limb has sustained an injury or not.
Hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance and acanthosis nigricans (HAIR-AN syndrome): an extreme subphenotype of polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: O'Brien Brooke , Dahiya Rachana , Kimble Rebecca
Published: April 2020

HAIR-AN—a syndrome of hyperandrogenism (HA), insulin resistance (IR) and acanthosis nigricans (AN)—is a specific subphenotype of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and it is seen in almost 5% of all women with hyperandrogenism. An adolescent girl aged 11 years old was referred with adrenarche, hyperandrogenism and obesity commencing at age 8. Clinical and biochemical investigations confirmed significant hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance, and a diagnosis of HAIR-AN syndrome was made after exclusion of other differential diagnoses. HAIR-AN syndrome is an important diagnosis for the adolescent gynaecologist to be aware of, and it requires a multidisciplinary approach, including endocrinology input, for optimal management. Weight loss, lifestyle modification and combined hormonal pill and metformin are considered first-line treatment.
Atraumatic idiopathic splenic rupture induced by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the treatment of pancytopenia, managed successfully by laparoscopic splenectomy
Authors: Chinaka Ugochukwu Chinyere , Fultang Joshua , Pereca Jelizaveta , Ali Abdulmajid
Published: April 2020

Splenic rupture is a potentially life-threatening condition and an uncommon short-term complication of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration. It may present as acute abdominal pain or suddenly precipitously worsening anaemia with haemodynamic instability that requires urgent operative intervention for survival. We present a case of an atraumatic idiopathic splenic rupture in University Hospital, Ayr in a patient who received G-CSF treatment for chemotherapy-induced (methotrexate) pancytopenia and was successfully managed by laparoscopic splenectomy.
Three female patients with a periurethral mass: from various complaints to rare pathology
Authors: Viester Marjon DM , Schotman Mirjam
Published: April 2020

In this case report, we will discuss three cases of women diagnosed with a periurethral mass. The specific diagnosis of a periurethral mass can vary and includes rare diseases. Therefore, they provide a challenge to medical professionals. All patients underwent diagnostic evaluation with cystoscopy and pelvic MRI followed by surgical removal. Based on the MRI and pathology report, different diagnoses were made for each patient. The three diagnoses will be discussed: subpubic cartilaginous cyst, leiomyoma and clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra. Our case report is useful for other medical professionals, and they can evaluate how to optimal approach a periurethral mass.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and risk of asthma in offspring: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Ping , Xiong Tao , Hu Yong
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), one of the most common obstetrical complications, has been reported to have a controversial relationship with the increased risk of asthma in offspring. No systematic review of this topic has been performed. The aim of this systematic review will be to summarise the available evidence examining the association between HDP and the risk of asthma in offspring.

Methods and analysis

We will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science databases will be performed using a detailed search strategy from database inception through 31 December 2019. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies that report a diagnosis of maternal HDP and asthma in offspring will be included. Studies will be limited to the English language and include only human participants. Two independent reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessments using a standardised data extraction form. A meta-analysis will be performed to calculate overall pooled estimates using the generic inverse variance method. The data will be synthesised by either fixed-effect or random effects models according to heterogeneity tests. All analyses will be performed in Stata 14 and RevMan 5.3. High-quality evidence of the relationship between HDP and the risk of asthma in exposed offspring will be identified through the synthesis of current studies. In addition, the results of subgroup analyses and related secondary outcomes will be reported. The following will be concluded: (i) whether HDP increases the risk of asthma in offspring, (ii) whether HDP affects the severity of asthma in exposed offspring and (iii) whether possible differences in the risk of asthma among different HDP subgroups exist.

Ethics and dissemination

There is no requirement for ethics approval because the meta-analysis and systematic review will be based on published data. It is anticipated that the dissemination of results will take place at conferences and through publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Translating the Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) into French and among French-speaking children receiving cancer treatments, evaluating understandability and cultural relevance in a multiple-phase descriptive study
Authors: Larouche Valérie , Revon-Rivière Gabriel , Johnston Donna , Adeniyi Oluwatoni , Giannakouros Panagiota , Loves Robyn , Tremblay Jenna-Lee , Plenert Erin , Dupuis Lee , Sung Lillian
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) is a validated approach to measuring bothersome symptoms for English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children with cancer and paediatric haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. Objectives were to translate SSPedi into French, and among French-speaking children receiving cancer treatments, to evaluate understandability and cultural relevance.

Methods

We conducted a multiphase, descriptive study to translate SSPedi into French. Forward translation was performed by four medical translators. After confirming that back translation was satisfactory, we enrolled French-speaking children with cancer and paediatric HSCT recipients at four centres in France and Canada.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Understandability was evaluated by children themselves who self-reported degree of difficulty, and by two adjudicators who rated incorrectness. Assessment of cultural relevance was qualitative. Participants were enrolled in cohorts of 10.

Results

There were 30 children enrolled. Participants were enrolled from Marseille (n=10, 33%), Ottawa (n=1, 3%), Quebec City (n=11, 37%) and Toronto (n=8, 27%). No child reported that it was hard or very hard to complete French SSPedi in the last cohort of 10 participants. Changes to the instrument itself were not required. After enrolment of 30 respondents, the French translation of SSPedi was considered finalised based on self-reported difficulty with understanding, adjudicated incorrect understanding and cultural relevance.

Conclusions

We translated and finalised SSPedi for use by French-speaking children and adolescents receiving cancer treatments. Future work should begin to use the translated version to conduct research and to facilitate clinical care.
Summarising and synthesising regression coefficients through systematic review and meta-analysis for improving hypertension prediction using metamodelling: protocol
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Ziaul Islam , Naeem Iffat , Quan Hude , Leung Alexander A , Sikdar Khokan C , O'Beirne Maeve , Turin Tanvir C
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Hypertension is one of the most common medical conditions and represents a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and mortality. The risk of progression to hypertension depends on several factors, and combining these risk factors into a multivariable model for risk stratification would help to identify high-risk individuals who should be targeted for healthy behavioural changes and/or medical treatment to prevent the development of hypertension. The risk prediction models can be further improved in terms of accuracy by using a metamodel updating technique where existing hypertension prediction models can be updated by combining information available in existing models with new data. A systematic review and meta-analysis will be performed of hypertension prediction models in order to identify known risk factors for high blood pressure and to summarise the magnitude of their association with hypertension.

Methods and analysis

MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and grey literature will be systematically searched for studies predicting the risk of hypertension among the general population. The search will be based on two key concepts: hypertension and risk prediction. The summary statistics from the individual studies will be the regression coefficients of the hypertension risk prediction models, and random-effect meta-analysis will be used to obtain pooled estimates. Heterogeneity and publication bias will be assessed, along with study quality, which will be assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool checklist.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required for this systematic review and meta-analysis. We plan to disseminate the results of our review through journal publications and presentations at applicable platforms.
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in Australian football: should women and girls be playing? You’re asking the wrong question
Authors: Fox Aaron , Bonacci Jason , Hoffmann Samantha , Nimphius Sophia , Saunders Natalie
Published: April 2020

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have been a rising concern in the early years of the women’s Australian Football League (AFLW), eliciting headlines of a ‘knee crisis’ surrounding the league. There has been a focus on female biology as the primary factor driving the high rate of ACL injuries in the AFLW. Emphasising Australian football (AF) as being dangerous predominantly due to female biology may be misrepresenting a root cause of the ACL injury problem, perpetuating gender stereotypes that can restrict physical development and participation of women and girls in the sport. We propose that an approach addressing environmental and sociocultural factors, along with biological determinants, is required to truly challenge the ACL injury problem in the AFLW. Sports science and medicine must therefore strive to understand the whole system of women in AF, and question how to address inequities for the benefit of the athletes.
Progression of carotid near-occlusion to complete occlusion: related factors and clinical implications
Authors: García-Pastor Andrés , Gil-Núñez Antonio , Ramírez-Moreno José María , González-Nafría Noelia , Tejada Javier , Moniche Francisco , Portilla-Cuenca Juan Carlos , Martínez-Sánchez Patricia , Fuentes Blanca , Gamero-García Miguel Ángel , Alonso de Leciñana María , Masjuan Jaime , Cánovas David , Aladro Yolanda , Parkhutik Vera , Lago Aida , De Arce Ana María , Usero-Ruiz María , Delgado-Mederos Raquel , Pampliega Ana , Ximénez-Carrillo Álvaro , Bártulos-Iglesias Mónica , Castro-Reyes Enrique
Published: April 2020

Background

The clinical consequences and factors related to the progression from a carotid near-occlusion (CNO) to a complete occlusion are not well established. Our aim is to describe the rate, predictive factors and clinical implications of the progression to complete carotid occlusion (PCCO) in a population of patients with symptomatic CNO.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter, nationwide, prospective study from January 2010 to May 2016. Patients with angiography-confirmed CNO were included. We collected information on demographic data, clinical manifestations, radiological and hemodynamic findings, and treatment modalities. A 24 month carotid-imaging follow-up of the CNO was performed.

Results

141 patients were included in the study, and carotid-imaging follow-up was performed in 122 patients. PCCO occurred in 40 patients (32.8%), and was more frequent in medically-treated patients (34 out of 61; 55.7%) compared with patients treated with revascularization (6 out of 61; 9.8%) (p<0.001). 7 of the 40 patients with PCCO (17.5%) suffered ipsilateral symptoms. Factors independently related with PCCO in the multivariate analysis were: age ≥75 years (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.05 to 8.13), revascularization (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.20), and collateral circulation through the ipsilateral ophthalmic artery (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.01 to 10.48).

Conclusions

PCCO occurred within 24 months in more than half of the patients under medical treatment. Most episodes of PCCO were not associated with ipsilateral symptoms. Revascularization reduces the risk of PCCO.
Presumptive buprenorphine associated intraoperative apnoea and prolonged recovery in a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) during castration for testicular neoplasia
Authors: Lord Samuel , Girling Simon Justin , Eivers Caroline , Pizzi Romain , Panti Ambra
Published: April 2020

A 14‐year‐old giant panda presented with unilateral scrotal swelling. Palpation and conscious ultrasound were suggestive of testicular neoplasia. Anaesthesia was required to obtain radiographs and MRI. Immobilisation was achieved with ketamine and medetomidine, and anaesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. Tumours were discovered in both testes and castration was performed. before surgery buprenorphine was administered by slow intravenous injection. Apnoea occurred after approximately 10 mcg/kg had been injected so administration was discontinued. Manual ventilation was required for the majority of the general anaesthetic duration. Spontaneous ventilation returned shortly before transfer to the recovery area. Intramuscular atipamezole administration did not induce a normal recovery; the panda remained profoundly sedated. Further atipamezole had no effect. Due to the apnoea associated with buprenorphine administration during general anaesthesia naltrexone was administered resulting in the panda standing within 5 min post injection.
The conformal anomaly and a new exact RG
Authors: Rosten Oliver J.
Published: April 2020

For scalar field theory, a new generalization of the Exact RG to curved space is proposed, in which the conformal anomaly is explicitly present. Vacuum terms require regularization beyond that present in the canonical formulation of the Exact RG, which can be accomplished by adding certain free fields, each at a non-critical fixed-point. Taking the Legendre transform, the sole effect of the regulator fields is to remove a divergent vacuum term and they do not explicitly appear in the effective average action. As an illustration, both the integrated conformal anomaly and Polyakov action are recovered for the Gaussian theory in $$d=2$$d=2.
A new set of cluster driven composite development indicators
Authors: Verma Anshul , Angelini Orazio , Di Matteo Tiziana
Published: April 2020

Composite development indicators used in policy making often subjectively aggregate a restricted set of indicators. We show, using dimensionality reduction techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and for the first time information filtering and hierarchical clustering, that these composite indicators miss key information on the relationship between different indicators. In particular, the grouping of indicators via topics is not reflected in the data at a global and local level. We overcome these issues by using the clustering of indicators to build a new set of cluster driven composite development indicators that are objective, data driven, comparable between countries, and retain interpretabilty. We discuss their consequences on informing policy makers about country development, comparing them with the top PageRank indicators as a benchmark. Finally, we demonstrate that our new set of composite development indicators outperforms the benchmark on a dataset reconstruction task.
Ca2+release-activated Ca2+channels are responsible for histamine-induced Ca2+entry, permeability increase, and interleukin synthesis in lymphatic endothelial cells
Authors: Si Hongjiang , Wang Jian , Meininger Cynthia J. , Peng Xu , Zawieja David C. , Zhang Shenyuan L.
Published: April 2020

The lymphatic functions in maintaining lymph transport, and immune surveillance can be impaired by infections and inflammation, thereby causing debilitating disorders, such as lymphedema and inflammatory bowel disease. Histamine is a key inflammatory mediator known to trigger vasodilation and vessel hyperpermeability upon binding to its receptors and evoking intracellular Ca2+([Ca2+]i) dynamics for downstream signal transductions. However, the exact molecular mechanisms beneath the [Ca2+]idynamics and the downstream cellular effects have not been elucidated in the lymphatic system. Here, we show that Ca2+release-activated Ca2+(CRAC) channels, formed by Orai1 and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) proteins, are required for the histamine-elicited Ca2+signaling in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (HDLECs). Blockers or antagonists against CRAC channels, phospholipase C, and H1R receptors can all significantly diminish the histamine-evoked [Ca2+]idynamics in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), while short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous Orai1 or STIM1 also abolished the Ca2+entry upon histamine stimulation in LECs. Furthermore, we find that histamine compromises the lymphatic endothelial barrier function by increasing the intercellular permeability and disrupting vascular endothelial-cadherin integrity, which is remarkably attenuated by CRAC channel blockers. Additionally, the upregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-8, after histamine stimulation was abolished by silencing Orai1 or STIM1 with RNAi in LECs. Taken together, our data demonstrated the essential role of CRAC channels in mediating the [Ca2+]isignaling and downstream endothelial barrier and inflammatory functions induced by histamine in the LECs, suggesting a promising potential to relieve histamine-triggered vascular leakage and inflammatory disorders in the lymphatics by targeting CRAC channel functions.
Translation and Validation of the Arrhythmia-Specific Questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA) to the Brazilian Context: An Instrument Focusing on Arrhythmia Symptoms
Authors: Cannavan Priscila M. S. , Cannavan Fernando P. S. , Walfridsson Ulla , Lopes Maria H. B. M.
Published: April 2020

Introduction. The wide variety of symptoms in patients with cardiac arrhythmias can affect daily living activities. The evaluation of symptoms with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), with validated instruments, can provide information that contributes to clinical decisions and treatment. In Brazil, however, there is no available scale that evaluates symptoms in different types of arrhythmias. Purpose. This study aimed to translate the Arrhythmia-Specific Questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia symptom scale (ASTA-symptom scale) and then validate the questionnaire in terms of Brazilian culture. Method. The methodological process of cultural adaptation used was based on international literature guidelines consisting of forward translation, synthesis, back translation, review by an expert committee, and pretest. Psychometric analyses were conducted with 140 patients. These included measuring internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), construct validity with item-total correlations, and convergent construct validity with correlations with the quality of life questionnaire for patients with atrial fibrillation-version 2 (QVFA-v2). Usability and understandability were evaluated through the usability evaluation of instruments. Results. The translation and adaptation processes were performed by obtaining the Brazilian Portuguese version of the original Swedish instrument. This version presented the internal consistency of items, evaluated through Cronbach’s α (0.79). Construct validity was demonstrated by item-total correlations for the nine items, all except one reached the level of >0.30 (0.24). Convergent validity showed a high correlation with QVFA-v2 (0.89). As for the evaluation of usability and understanding, after two small suggested changes, no additional alterations were necessary. Conclusion. The psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of ASTA-symptom scale evaluated in this study were satisfactory, and the scale was proved to be a valid and reliable tool to assess the symptom burden in patients with different forms of tachyarrhythmia. The ASTA-Br-symptom scale questionnaire can be an important addition to PROMs for patients with arrhythmias and could help healthcare professionals in decision-making.
Electroacupuncture Treatment Suppresses Transcription Factor IRF8 in Spinal Cord of Rats with Spared Nerve Injury
Authors: Wang Ying , Xue Meng , Xia Yang-yang , Jiang Qian , Huang Zhi-hua , Huang Cheng
Published: April 2020

Objective. Neuropathic pain with complex mechanisms has become a major public health problem that greatly impacts patients’ quality of life. Therefore, novel and more effective strategies against neuropathic pain need further investigation. Electroacupuncture (EA) has an ameliorating effect on neuropathic pain following spared nerve injury (SNI), but the underlying mechanism remains to be fully clarified. Interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8), a critical transcription factor, was reported to be involved in the modulation of neuropathic pain. Here, we focused on exploring whether 2 Hz EA stimulation exerts an inhibitory action on spinal IRF8 in SNI rats.Methods. In this study, SNI rats were treated with 2 Hz EA once every other day for 21 days. Paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) was applied to determine the analgesic effect of 2 Hz EA on SNI rats. The spinal IRF8 and CX3CRl expressions were detected with qRT-PCR and western blot, and immunofluorescence staining was used to evaluate colocation of IRF8 or CX3CRl with microglial activation marker CD11b in the spinal cord.Results. It was found that SNI induced significant elevation of spinal IRF8 and CX3CRl mRNA and protein expression. Additionally, immunofluorescence results showed that SNI elicited the coexpression of IRF8 with CD11b, as well as CX3CRl with CD11b in the spinal cord. Meanwhile, 2 Hz EA treatment of SNI rats not only reduced IRF8 and CX3CRl mRNA and protein expression, but also reversed the coexpression of IRF8 or CX3CRl with CD11b in the spinal cord, along with an attenuation of SNI-evoked mechanical hypersensitivity.Conclusion. This experiment highlighted that 2 Hz EA can inhibit IRF8 expression and microglial activation in the spinal cord of SNI rats. Hence, targeting IRF8 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for 2 Hz EA treatment of neuropathic pain.
Robust Time-Varying Output Formation Control for Swarm Systems with Nonlinear Uncertainties
Authors: Chai Xiaofeng , Wang Qing , Yu Yao , Sun Changyin
Published: April 2020

Time-varying output formation control problems for high-order time-invariant swarm systems are studied with nonlinear uncertainties and directed network topology in this paper. A robust controller which consists of a nominal controller and a robust compensator is applied to achieve formation control. The nominal controller based on the output feedback is designed to achieve desired time-varying formation properties for the nominal system. And the robust compensator based on the robust signal compensator technology is constructed to restrain nonlinear uncertainties. The time-varying formation problem is transformed into the stability problem. And the formation errors can be arbitrarily small with expected convergence rate. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Calculation of Stress Intensity Factors at Both Ends of the Indenter under Eccentric Loads
Authors: Yang Xuefeng , Duo Yili
Published: April 2020

During rock breaking by drill, cone rolls on the rock surface and contact between gear teeth and surface is basically positive Mode-I plane indentation and bias Mode-I plane indentation. During bias action, there will be an asymmetrical Mode-I singular stress field at both ends of the indenter. The stress field singularity is of the same order as Mode-I crack tip and with the same function distribution. In this paper, based on the J2 integral conservation law, a new method is established for solving stress intensity factor of bias Mode-I plane indentation, which not only provides respective stress intensity factor of both ends of the indenter but also compares relations between eccentricity, partial load, and stress intensity factor. The study not only provides a method for establishment of new cone drill engineering design but also improves rock layer boring efficiency.
Positive Definite Advection Transport Algorithm for Conservation Law Equations on Nonuniform Irregular Grids
Authors: Yuan Xinpeng , Xiong Chunguang
Published: April 2020

The multidimensional positive definite advection transport algorithm (MPDATA) is an important numerical method for the computation of atmospheric dynamics. MPDATA is second-order accurate, positive definite, conservative, and computationally efficient. However, the method is problematic in which it results in a loss of precision when computing a nonuniform irregular grid. Furthermore, research revealed two reasons for this problem. On the one hand, numerical discretization of boundary derivatives of the finite-volume method is incompatible with nonuniform meshes (or grids); on the other hand, the up-wind scheme of staggered grids is not applicable to the calculation of irregular grids. We overcome these two problems by using the multipoint Taylor expansion method to obtain a boundary derivative numerical approximation scheme that does not depend on the grid structure. Furthermore, combined with the well-balance central-upwind scheme, a positive definite advection scheme for irregular meshes is proposed. Then, the positivity of the new numerical scheme is analyzed. Finally, the result of this study is verified by numerical simulation.
Incidence and Predictors of Maternal and Perinatal Mortality among Women with Severe Maternal Outcomes: A Tanzanian Facility-Based Survey for Improving Maternal and Newborn Care
Authors: Lilungulu Athanase , Bintabara Deogratius , Mujungu Simon , Chiwanga Enid , Chetto Paulo , Nassoro Mzee
Published: April 2020

Introduction. Maternal and perinatal mortality is still a major public health challenge in Tanzania, despite the ongoing government efforts to improve maternal and newborn care. Among the contributors to these problems is the high magnitude of severe maternal outcomes (maternal near-miss). The current study, therefore, aimed to identify the magnitude and predictors of maternal and perinatal mortality among women with severe maternal outcomes admitted to Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital. Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to January 2016 at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital in Dodoma City. All maternal deaths and maternal near-misses based on WHO criteria were included in this study. Three outcome variables have been identified: maternal mortality, perinatal mortality, and neonatal complications. To examine the predictors for the three predetermined outcome variables, the three logit models each containing unadjusted and adjusted findings were fitted. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered indicative of statistically significant. Results. A total of 3600 pregnant women were admitted for obstetric reasons during the mentioned period. 140 of them were diagnosed with severe maternal outcomes; hence, they were included in this study. The severe maternal outcome incidence ratio was 40.23 per 1000 live births, the institutional maternal mortality ratio was 459.77 per 100000 live births, and the perinatal mortality rate was 10.83 per 1000 total births. Most of the maternal morbidity and mortality were due to direct causes in which postpartum hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders were the leading causes. In adjusted analysis, per-protocol management, maternal age, and mode of birth were predictors of maternal mortality, perinatal mortality, and neonatal complications, respectively. Conclusion. Establishing and strengthening obstetric ICUs will help reduce maternal mortality as the response time from the onset of obstetric complications, while the provision of high-quality care will be substantially reduced. Furthermore, the study recommends regular provision of in-service refresher training to emphasize the practice and compliance of per-protocol case management through a team approach in order to reduce the burden of maternal and perinatal mortality in Tanzania.
Cryoablation Combined with Left Atrial Appendage Closure: A Safe and Effective Procedure for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Patients
Authors: Ren Zhongyuan , Zhang Jun , Zhu Mengyun , Zhao Dongdong , Li Shuang , Yang Haotian , Zheng Yixing , Meng Weilun , Zhang Jingying , Xu Yawei
Published: April 2020

Background. Catheter ablation combined with left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) was reported as a feasible strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with high risk of stroke or contraindications of oral anticoagulants. We aimed to observe the short-term safety and efficacy of combining cryoballoon ablation (CBA) with LAAC in paroxysmal (PAF) patients. Method and Results. From Jan 2016 to Dec 2017, 304 patients diagnosed with nonvalvular, drug-refractory PAF were included, who underwent either CBA alone (n = 262) or combined procedure (n = 42). Instant pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with CBA was achieved in all patients, while successful LAAC achieved in 41 (97.6%) of combined procedure patients. 1-year freedom of AF rate was lower in combined procedure group (84.7% vs 70.7%, p=0.04), with unadjusted hazard ratio (HR = 1.97) and 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–3.77. However, the multivariate COX model revealed left atrial diameter (p=0.002, HR = 1.10, and 95% CI 1.04, 1.17), rather than procedure type (p=0.51, HR = 1.34, and 95% CI 0.57, 3.17), was the predictor for freedom of AF. Only 2 patients in the CBA group had stroke, contributing to the nonsignificant higher stroke incidence (p=1.00). Transoesophageal echochardiography (TEE) achieved in 35 patients (83.3%) showed complete occlusion with no obvious residual flow (>3 mm), Device-related thrombosis, or pericardial perfusion. All-cause mortality, rehospitalization, and complication rates were similar. Conclusion. Combining CBA with LAAC in a single procedure is a feasible strategy for PAF patients, with comparable short-term safety and efficacy to CBA alone.
Finite-Element Method for Calculating the Sound Field in a Tank with Impedance Boundaries
Authors: Li Qi , Xing Junhua , Tang Rui , Zhang Yiming
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a finite-element method for calculating the sound field in a water tank with impedance boundaries is proposed based on the theory of standing waves in a tube. The equivalent acoustic impedance of the tank walls is calculated by establishing a three-dimensional axisymmetric virtual standing-wave tube in finite-element software, whereupon boundaries with that impedance are used as the tank boundaries. Since the impedance is the property of the material itself, the calculated impedance value can be used for the calculation of the three-dimensional sound field. The sound field due to a point source in a glass tank is calculated using the proposed method, the correctness of which is assessed experimentally. By comparing the experimental and numerical results, the proposed method is shown to be correct.
β‐Asarone Increases Chemosensitivity by Inhibiting Tumor Glycolysis in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Tao Heyun , Ding Xuelian , Wu Jian , Liu Shenlin , Sun Wei , Nie Mengjun , Pan Xiaoting , Zou Xi
Published: April 2020

β‐asarone is the main active ingredient of the Chinese herb Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii, which exhibits a wide range of biological activities. It was confirmed to be an efficient cytotoxic agent against gastroenteric cancer cells. However, the exact mechanism of β‐asarone in gastric cancer (GC) remains to be elucidated. The present study showed the inhibitory effect of β‐asarone on three types of different differentiation stage GC cell lines (MGC803, SGC7901, and MKN74) in a dose‐dependent manner. Meanwhile, the synergistic sensitivity of β‐asarone and cisplatin was confirmed by using the median‐effect principle. Flow cytometry assay revealed that under both normoxia and CoCl2‐induced hypoxia conditions, β‐asarone can induce apoptosis of GC cells, which can block GC cells in the cell cycle G2/M phase, showing obvious subdiploid peak. Moreover, the activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme that plays an important role in the final step of tumor glycolysis, was significantly decreased in GC cells following treatment with β‐asarone. Mechanistically, β‐asarone can reduce pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) 1, phospho(p)‐PDK1, PDK4, hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐α (HIF1α), c‐myc, STAT5, and p‐STAT5 expression, which revealed how β‐asarone affects tumor glycolysis. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence in support of the hypothesis that the increase of chemotherapy sensitization by β‐asarone is associated with the inhibition of tumor glycolysis.
Study on Treatment of Salicylhydroxamic Acid Wastewater from Tungsten Molybdenum Mineral Processing
Authors: Zhang Liping , Zhang Xin , Xiang Jun , Xue Jingwen , Song Xuejing
Published: April 2020

Salicylhydroxamic acid is an excellent collector of oxidizing ore, and it has an efficient collection performance for tungsten molybdenum ore. However, the utilization ratio of salicylhydroxamic acid is relatively low in the flotation process, and a large amount of flotation wastewater discharged might cause damage to the water environment. This study mainly compared the effects of natural sunlight degradation, ozonation, and Fenton oxidation processes on the treatment of salicylchydroxamic acid wastewater from W–Mo mineral processing. The results showed after 30 hours degradation by natural sunlight, the CODcr removal rate of wastewater was only 25.99%. When the initial pH was 8, the dosage of O3 was 1.3 mg/L and the reaction time was 60 minutes; O3 oxidation could remove 40.37% CODcr from wastewater, and the BOD5/CODcr value increased to higher than 0.3 after 15 min reaction. Under the Fenton oxidation conditions such as initial pH 3, H2O2 dosage 0.96 g/L, and the molar ratio of H2O2 to Fe2+ 2 : 1, 90.43% CODcr could be removed from flotation wastewater after 90 min reaction, and the BOD5/CODcr value was obviously improved. Fenton oxidation was a high efficient processing technology for salicylhydroxamic acid wastewater, and the effluent could meet the discharge and reuse emission standard requirements in China.