bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High or low glycemic index (GI) meals at dinner results in greater postprandial glycemia compared with breakfast: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Haldar Sumanto , Egli Leonie , De Castro Carlos Antonio , Tay Shia Lyn , Koh Melvin Xu Nian , Darimont Christian , Mace Katherine , Henry Christiani Jeyakumar
Published: April 2020

Introduction

While circadian control of glucose metabolism is well known, how glycemic index (GI) of carbohydrate-rich meals interacts with time of consumption (breakfast or dinner) to influence postprandial (PP) glucose homeostasis is less well established. The objective of the study was to assess markers of PP glucose homeostasis following high or low GI test meals (TM) consumed either at breakfast or at dinner and following consumption of the subsequent standardized meals (SSM).

Research design and methods

Randomized crossover trial in 34 healthy, Chinese, elderly volunteers (mean±SEM age, 56.8±0.83 years), who completed 4 separate study sessions per-protocol, consisting of a high-GI breakfast, low-GI breakfast, high-GI dinner and low-GI dinner TM, followed by a SSM at the subsequent eating occasion. Blood samples were taken for 3 hours after each TM and SSM for glucose, insulin, glucagon, free fatty acids (FFA) and triglycerides (TG) measurements.

Results

Consuming TM at dinner produced greater PP glycemia than breakfast both after TM and SSM (both p<0.0001), irrespective of GI. High-GI TM also produced greater PP glycemia than low-GI TM, both after TM and SSM (both p<0.01), irrespective of time of consumption. No interaction between GI and time were found on PP glycemia, indicating parallel, but independent effects. Combined total areas under the curve of TM+SSM for PP glucose (p<0.0001), PP TG (p<0.0001) and PP FFA (p<0.0001) were all greater when TM taken during dinner compared with breakfast.

Conclusions

Carbohydrate-rich meals consumed at dinner leads to significantly worse PP glucose homeostasis than when consumed at breakfast, on top of the independent GI effect of the meal. This may have implications to future type 2 diabetes risk. Moreover, future studies investigating GI/glycemic load (GL) and disease risk associations should factor in timing of GL consumption as an additional variable.

Trial registration number

NCT02927600.
Reducing medicine-induced deterioration and adverse reactions (ReMInDAR) trial: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in residential aged-care facilities assessing frailty as the primary outcome
Authors: Lim Renly , Bereznicki Luke , Corlis Megan , Kalisch Ellett Lisa M , Kang Ai Choo , Merlin Tracy , Parfitt Gaynor , Pratt Nicole L , Rowett Debra , Torode Stacey , Whitehouse Joseph , Andrade Andre Q , Bilton Rebecca , Cousins Justin , Kelly Lan , Schubert Camille , Williams Mackenzie , Roughead Elizabeth Ellen
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Many medicines have adverse effects which are difficult to detect and frequently go unrecognised. Pharmacist monitoring of changes in signs and symptoms of these adverse effects, which we describe as medicine-induced deterioration, may reduce the risk of developing frailty. The aim of this trial is to determine the effectiveness of a 12-month pharmacist service compared with usual care in reducing medicine-induced deterioration, frailty and adverse reactions in older people living in aged-care facilities in Australia.

Methods and analysis

The reducing medicine-induced deterioration and adverse reactions trial is a multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial. Participants will be recruited from 39 facilities in South Australia and Tasmania. Residents will be included if they are using four or more medicines at the time of recruitment, or taking more than one medicine with anticholinergic or sedative properties. The intervention group will receive a pharmacist assessment which occurs every 8 weeks. The pharmacists will liaise with the participants’ general practitioners when medicine-induced deterioration is evident or adverse events are considered serious. The primary outcome is a reduction in medicine-induced deterioration from baseline to 6 and 12 months, as measured by change in frailty index. The secondary outcomes are changes in cognition scores, 24-hour movement behaviour, grip strength, weight, percentage robust, pre-frail and frail classification, rate of adverse medicine events, health-related quality of life and health resource use. The statistical analysis will use mixed-models adjusted for baseline to account for repeated outcome measures. A health economic evaluation will be conducted following trial completion using data collected during the trial.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approvals have been obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee of University of South Australia (ID:0000036440) and University of Tasmania (ID:H0017022). A copy of the final report will be provided to the Australian Government Department of Health.

Trial registration number

Australian and New Zealand Trials Registry ACTRN12618000766213.
Effect of time interval from diagnosis to treatment for non-small cell lung cancer on survival: a national cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Chang-Hung , Kung Pei-Tseng , Kuo Wei-Yin , Tsai Wen-Chen
Published: April 2020

Objectives

This study aimed to determine if treatment delay after non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis impacts patient survival rate.

Study design

This study is a natural experiment in Taiwan. A retrospective cohort investigation was conducted from 2004 to 2010, which included 42 962 patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC.

Methods

We identified 42 962 patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC in the Taiwan Cancer Registry from 2004 to 2010. We calculated the time interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation. All patients were followed from the index date to death or the end of 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the relationship between mortality and time interval.

Results

We included 42 962 patients (15 799 men and 27 163 women) with newly diagnosed NSCLC. The mortality rate exhibited a significantly positive correlation to time interval from cancer diagnosis to treatment initiation. The adjusted HRs ranged from 1.04 to 1.08 in all subgroups time interval more than 7 days compared with the counterpart subgroup of the interval from cancer diagnosis to treatment ≤7 days. The trend was also noted regardless of the patients with lung cancer in stage I, stage II and stage III.

Conclusions

There is a major association between time to treat and mortality of patients with NSCLC, especially in stages I and II. We suggest that efforts should be made to minimise the interval from diagnosis to treatment while further study is ongoing to determine causation.
Trends in attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications among children and young adults in Ireland: a repeated cross-sectional study from 2005 to 2015
Authors: Mac Avin MaryJo , Teeling Mary , Bennett Kathleen E
Published: April 2020

Objective

This study examined the prescribing patterns of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications in Ireland between 2005 and 2015 in children, adolescents and young adults, and concomitant use of psychotropic medication.

Design

Repeated cross-sectional study.

Setting

Community setting using pharmacy claims data in Ireland.

Participants

Children and young adults aged 0–24 years.

Primary and secondary outcomes

Authorised medications used to treat ADHD during the study period, methylphenidate, dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate and atomoxetine were extracted from a national pharmacy claims database. Dispensing of concomitant psychotropic medications including antipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics/sedatives and antidepressants were examined.

Results

The number on any ADHD medication ranged from 1913 in 2005 to 4853 in 2015, and the prevalence rate per 1000 eligible population aged <25 years increased significantly over time from 5.61 (95% CI 5.36 to 5.86) in 2005 to 8.36 (95% CI 8.13 to 8.60) in 2015 (p<0.0001). Negative binomial regression showed significant changes over time for ADHD prescribing (p<0.001), with significantly higher rates across the different age groups. The rates overall were three to five times higher in males. There was a significant increase in the percentage on concomitant antidepressants from 2% in 2005 to 6% in 2015 (p<0.001).

Conclusions

There were significantly higher rates of ADHD prescribing in children/adolescents and a significant increase in the coprescribing of antidepressants. The reasons for the increase are unclear but may reflect increasing awareness and diagnosis of the condition.
[18F]DCFPyL PET-MRI/CT for unveiling a molecularly defined oligorecurrent prostate cancer state amenable for curative-intent ablative therapy: study protocol for a phase II trial
Authors: Glicksman Rachel M , Metser Ur , Valliant John , Chung Peter W , Fleshner Neil E , Bristow Robert G , Green David , Finelli Antonio , Hamilton Robert , Stanescu Teodor , Hussey Douglas , Catton Charles , Gospodarowicz Mary , Warde Padraig , Bayley Andrew , Breen Stephen , Vines Doug , Jaffray David A , Berlin Alejando
Published: April 2020

Introduction

The oligometastatic (OM) disease hypothesis of an intermediate metastatic state with limited distant disease deposits amenable for curative therapies remains debatable. Over a third of prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with radical prostatectomy and postoperative radiotherapy experience disease recurrence; these patients are considered incurable by current standards. Often the recurrence cannot be localised by conventional imaging (CT and bone scan). Combined anatomical imaging with CT and/or MR with positron emission tomography (PET) using a novel second-generation prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) probe, [18F]DCFPyL, is a promising imaging modality to unveil disease deposits in these patients. A new and earlier molecularly defined oligorecurrent (OR) state may be amenable to focal-targeted ablative curative-intent therapies, such as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) or surgery, thereby significantly delaying or completely avoiding the need for palliative therapies in men with recurrent PCa after maximal local treatments.

Methods and analysis

This ongoing single-institution phase II study will enrol up to 75 patients total, to include up to 37 patients with response-evaluable disease, who have rising prostate-specific antigen (range 0.4–3.0 ng/mL) following maximal local therapies with no evidence of disease on conventional imaging. These patients will undergo [18F]DCFPyL PET-MR/CT imaging to detect disease deposits, which will then be treated with SABR or surgery. The primary endpoints are performance of [18F]DCFPyL PET-MR/CT, and treatment response rates following SABR or surgery. Demographics and disease characteristics will be summarised and analysed descriptively. Response rates will be described with waterfall plots and proportions.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained from the institutional Research Ethics Board. All patients will provide written informed consent. [18F]DCFPyL has approval from Health Canada. The results of the study will be disseminated by the principal investigator. Patients will not be identifiable as individuals in any publication or presentation of this study.

Trial registration numbers

NCT03160794
Effectiveness and feasibility of internet-based and mobile-based interventions for individuals experiencing bereavement: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Luppa Melanie , Löbner Margrit , Pabst Alexander , Schlapke Christine , Stein Janine , Riedel-Heller Steffi G
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Internet-based and mobile-based interventions (IMIs) provide an innovative and efficient self-management tool for mental health problems. This systematic review aims to summarise and critically evaluate studies addressing the effectiveness and feasibility of IMIs for normal and complicated grief in bereaved adults.

Methods and analysis

The databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science and Google Scholar (for ‘grey’ literature) will be systematically searched for feasibility studies or randomised controlled trials of IMIs for bereaved adults who were experiencing normal/complicated grief. Data will be extracted and evaluated independently by two reviewers from studies eligible for inclusion. Quality of evidence will be assessed, and results will be synthesised qualitatively and pooled meta-analytically, if sufficient outcome data are available. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards and Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology will be used.

Ethics and dissemination

No primary data will be collected; thus, ethical approval is not required. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

CRD42019131428.
Clinician-recalled quoted speech in electronic health records and risk of suicide attempt: a case–crossover study
Authors: Jayasinghe Lasantha , Bittar André , Dutta Rina , Stewart Robert
Published: April 2020

Objective

Clinician narrative style in electronic health records (EHR) has rarely been investigated. Clinicians sometimes record brief quotations from patients, possibly more frequently when higher risk is perceived. We investigated whether the frequency of quoted phrases in an EHR was higher in time periods closer to a suicide attempt.

Design

A case–crossover study was conducted in a large mental health records database. A natural language processing tool was developed using regular expression matching to identify text occurring within quotation marks in the EHR.

Setting

Electronic records from a large mental healthcare provider serving a geographic catchment of 1.3 million residents in South London were linked with hospitalisation data.

Participants

1503 individuals were identified as having a hospitalised suicide attempt from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2017 with at least one document in both the case period (1–30 days prior to admission) and the control period (61–90 days prior to admission).

Outcome measures

The number of quoted phrases in the control as compared with the case period.

Results

Both attended (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.08) and non-attended (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.26) clinical appointments were independently higher in the case compared with control period, while there was no difference in mental healthcare hospitalisation (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.01). In addition, there was no difference in the levels of quoted text between the comparison time periods (OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.30).

Conclusions

This study successfully developed an algorithm to identify quoted speech in text fields from routine mental healthcare records. Contrary to the hypothesis, no association between this exposure and proximity to a suicide attempt was found; however, further evaluation is warranted on the way in which clinician-perceived risk might be feasibly characterised from clinical text.
Mapping the digital food environment: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Granheim Sabrina Ionata , Opheim Elin , Terragni Laura , Torheim Liv Elin , Thurston Miranda
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Food environments are the interface through which people interact with the broader food system. They are a key determinant of healthy and sustainable diets. The widespread use of digital technology in late modernity and the shift towards a digital society have posed new challenges for nutrition and health, with a concomitant surge in research on social media, digital health promotion interventions, and more recently, increasing interest in digital food marketing. While the literature is abundant on studies linking food, nutrition and digital technology, the effort to conceptualise and describe the digital food environment is new. This scoping review aims to support the development of a definition of the digital food environment and characterise it, along with key thematic research trends on this topic and potential consequences for nutrition and health.

Methods and analysis

The planned scoping review will be supported by the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and further developed by Levacet al. Development and reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses—Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist and guidelines. The development of the search strategy was guided by the food environment conceptual framework developed by Turneret al. Four databases will be searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science. Citation searching will be applied to identify additional studies, through checking of reference lists of primary studies and reviews. Studies in English, published from the year 2000 onwards, will be included. No geographical or population limits will be applied. Data will be extracted and analysed using a standardised charting tool.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical approval is required for this study. The results will be submitted to an international peer-reviewed journal and scientific conferences. They will be disseminated through digital science communication platforms, including academic social media, to amplify its reach and usefulness.
Concentration of dipotassium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid but not lithium heparin affects total protein determination in equine synovial fluid
Authors: Jimenez Rihuete Pablo , Villarino Nicolas , Pelisiak Alicja , Rubio‐Martinez Luis M
Published: April 2020

Background

Refractometric determination of total protein (TP) in synovial fluid (SF) is commonly used for diagnosis and monitoring of synovial sepsis in horses. Previous studies have shown that elevated concentrations of certain anticoagulants may overestimate refractometric determination of TP concentration.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of dipotassium EDTA (K2EDTA) and lithium heparin (LH) on TP determination by using a hand‐held refractometer in equine synovial fluid.

Study design

Cross‐section observational study.

Methods

Thirty samples of synovial fluid obtained from 22 horses with different synovial conditions were collected. Synovial fluid samples were separated into different aliquots and placed in commercially available collection tubes containing K2EDTA or LH at four different concentrations (1.76, 3.52, 7.04 and 17.6 mg/ml for K2EDTA; 16, 32, 64 and 160 IU/ml for LH). Refractometric TP determination was performed on untreated and K2EDTA and LH aliquots with a hand‐held refractometer and by spectophotometric Biuret method as the gold standard.

Results

Refractometric TP determination was overestimated in SF samples containing 10 times the recommended K2EDTA concentrations. Lower concentrations of K2EDTA and LH concentrations did not affect refractometric TP determinations.

Main limitations

Limited number of samples mostly obtained from large synovial structures.

Conclusion

To avoid incorrect TP determination, the use of LH containing collection tubes may be an appropriate alternative when the SF volume available is not enough to fill the K2EDTA collection tube.
Impact of Higgs physics on the parameter space of the $$\mu \nu \mathrm{SSM}$$
Authors: Kpatcha Essodjolo , López-Fogliani Daniel E. , Muñoz Carlos , de Austri Roberto Ruiz
Published: April 2020

Given the increasing number of experimental data, together with the precise measurement of the properties of the Higgs boson at the LHC, the parameter space of supersymmetric models starts to be constrained. We carry out a detailed analysis of this issue in the framework of the $$\mu \nu $$μνSSM. In this model, three families of right-handed neutrino superfields are present in order to solve the $$\mu $$μ problem and simultaneously reproduce neutrino physics. The new couplings and sneutrino vacuum expectation values in the $$\mu \nu $$μνSSM induce new mixing of states, and, in particular, the three right sneutrinos can be substantially mixed with the neutral Higgses. After diagonalization, the masses of the corresponding three singlet-like eigenstates can be smaller or larger than the mass of the Higgs, or even degenerated with it. We analyze whether these situations are still compatible with the experimental results. To address it we scan the parameter space of the Higgs sector of the model. In particular, we sample the $$\mu \nu $$μνSSM using a powerful likelihood data-driven method, paying special attention to satisfy the constraints coming from Higgs sector measurements/limits (using and ), as well as a class of flavor observables such as B and $$\mu $$μ decays, while muon $$g-2$$g-2 is briefly discussed. We find that large regions of the parameter space of the $$\mu \nu $$μνSSM are viable, containing an interesting phenomenology that could be probed at the LHC.
On the regularity of Cauchy hypersurfaces and temporal functions in closed cone structures
Authors: Minguzzi Ettore
Published: April 2020

We complement our work on the causality of upper semi-continuous distributions of cones with some results on Cauchy hypersurfaces. We prove that every locally stably acausal Cauchy hypersurface is stable. Then we prove that the signed distance [Formula: see text] from a spacelike hypersurface [Formula: see text] is, in a neighborhood of it, as regular as the hypersurface, and by using this fact we give a proof that every Cauchy hypersurface is the level set of a Cauchy temporal (and steep) function of the same regularity as the hypersurface. We also show that in a globally hyperbolic closed cone structure, compact spacelike hypersurfaces with boundary can be extended to Cauchy spacelike hypersurfaces of the same regularity. We end the work with a separation result and a density result.
Novel soliton waves of two fluid nonlinear evolutions models in the view of computational scheme
Authors: Khater Mostafa M. A. , Attia Raghda A. M. , Alodhaibi Sultan S. , Lu Dianchen
Published: April 2020

This paper investigates the soliton wave on a free-moving fluid surface by studying the two-fluid model, which are the fourth-order Boussinesq and the modified Liouville equation. This study depends on one of the computational schemes to find exact and soliton wave solutions of these models. These solutions give novel physical properties of these waves, which enable their use in many fluid applications. In order to achieve our goal, the [Formula: see text]-expansion method is applied to these two models, and for more explanation of the physical properties of these models, some of the obtained solutions are sketched in different forms (two, three-dimensional and contour plots). Moreover, the obtained results are discussed for its novelty and how it changed from that achieved in the previous work.
Electronic structure and transport properties of graphene/h-BN controlled by boundary potential and magnetic field
Authors: Sun Jian , Xu Lei , Zhang Jun
Published: April 2020

We study the band structure of the lattice-matched graphene/[Formula: see text]-BN bilayer system in the most stable configuration. An effective way to individually manipulate the edge state by the boundary potentials is proposed. It is shown that the boundary potential can not only shift and deform the edge bands, but also modify the energy gap. We also explore the transport properties of graphene/[Formula: see text]-BN under a magnetic field. The boundary potential can change the distribution of the edge states, resulting in an interesting evolution of the quantized conductance.
The effect of UV irradiation on the dielectric properties of bionanocomposites with fillers of biological origin and metal nanoparticles
Authors: Gojayev E. M. , Aliyeva Sh. V. , Salimova V. V. , Jabarov S. H.
Published: April 2020

In this paper, information is given about the investigation of the dielectric properties of bionanocomposites modified with fish bones (FBs) and scales and metal nanoparticles (Al, Fe) with 50–80 nm dimension before and after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, depending on the temperature, the irradiation time and the volume content of fillers. The investigations of dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss were carried out in the temperature range 300–390 K, the time of irradiation with UV rays were 50, 100, 70 and 150 h, and the filler contents were 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 vol.% and nanoparticles 1 vol.% Al (Fe).

It was found that the dielectric constant of UV-irradiated biocomposites with FB additives increases and the dielectric loss decreases. An increase in dielectric constant is also observed with an increase in the volume content of a biological origin filler. Note that the effect of UV irradiation causes the appearance of a new region of dielectric loss in the temperature-dependent tan[Formula: see text] of the polyethylene. However, in modified samples after irradiation, under the same conditions, the change in dielectric properties is much less pronounced than in the initial ones, i.e. the dielectric constant increases monotonically, and the value of tan[Formula: see text] in the maximum of the new loss region is much smaller. Moreover, the effect of the additive is manifested in slowing down the process of LDPE oxidation in the irradiation zone, since the main losses of the polyethylene are primarily caused by the relaxation of the carbonyl groups. Thus, the observed dependences of [Formula: see text] and tan[Formula: see text] on the time of exposure to UV rays are explained by a change in the physical structure of the polymer matrix and the boundary layer of the components composition under the action of charges formed during irradiation.
Synthesis, in vitro inhibition effect of novel phthalocyanine complexes as carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzyme inhibitors
Authors: Güzel Emre , Arslan Barış Seçkin , Çıkrıkçı Kübra , Ergün Adem , Gençer Nahit , Arslan Oktay , Şişman İlkay , Nebioğlu Mehmet
Published: April 2020

The preparation and assessment of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzyme inhibition properties of 3-(2-(5-amino-4-(4-bromophenyl)-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethoxy)phthalonitrile (2) and its nitrogen-containing non-peripheral phthalocyanine derivatives (3 and 4) are reported for the first time. The new phthalonitrile and its phthalocyanine derivatives have been elucidated by FT-IR spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, [Formula: see text]C-NMR, mass and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that all synthesized compounds moderately inhibited carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzymes. Among the compounds, the most active ones were found to be compound 4 for PON (Ki : 0.14 [Formula: see text]M), compound 3 for hCA I (Ki : 22.52 [Formula: see text]M) and compound 1 for hCA II (Ki : 13.62 [Formula: see text]M).
Droplet and Percolation Network Interactions in a Fuel Cell Gas Diffusion Layer
Authors: Mularczyk Adrian , Lin Qingyang , Blunt Martin J. , Lamibrac Adrien , Marone Federica , Schmidt Thomas J. , Büchi Felix N. , Eller Jens
Published: April 2020

Product water accumulations in polymer electrolyte fuel cells can cause performance losses and reactant starvation leading to cell degradation. Liquid water removal in the form of droplets, fed by percolation networks in the gas diffusion layer (GDL), is one of the main transport mechanisms by which the water is evacuated from the GDL. In this study, the effect of droplet detachment in the gas channel on the water cluster inside the GDL has been investigated using X-ray tomographic microscopy and X-ray radiography. The droplet growth is captured in varying stages over a sequence of consecutive droplet releases, during which an inflation and deflation of the gas-liquid interface menisci of the percolating water structure in the GDL has been observed and correlated to changes in pressure fluctuations in the water phase via gas-liquid curvature analysis.
Genetics of pulmonary hypertension and high-altitude pulmonary edema
Authors: Eichstaedt Christina A. , Benjamin Nicola , Grünig Ekkehard
Published: April 2020

Heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disease caused by mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 ( BMPR2) gene and/or genes of its signaling pathway in ~85% of patients. A genetic predisposition to high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) has long been suspected because of familial HAPE cases, but very few possibly disease-causing mutations have been identified to date. This minireview provides an overview of genetic analyses investigating common polymorphisms in HAPE-susceptible patients and the directed identification of disease-causing mutations in PAH patients. Increased pulmonary artery pressure is highlighted as an overlapping clinical feature of the two diseases. Moreover, studies showing increased pulmonary artery pressures in HAPE-susceptible patients during exercise or hypoxia as well as in healthy BMPR2 mutation carriers are illustrated. Finally, high-altitude pulmonary hypertension is introduced and future research perspectives outlined.
GIS-Based Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis of Housing Prices Oriented towards a View of Spatiotemporal Homogeneity and Nonstationarity: A Case Study of Guangzhou, China
Authors: Chen Shaopei , Zhuang Dachang , Zhang Huixia
Published: April 2020

In the past decades, the booming growth of housing markets in China triggers the urgent need to explore how the rapid urban spatial expansion, large-scale urban infrastructural development, and fast-changing urban planning determine the housing price changes and spatial differentiation. It is of great significance to promote the existing governing policy and mechanism of housing market and the reform of real-estate system. At the level of city, an empirical analysis is implemented with the traditional econometric models of regressive analysis and GIS-based spatial autocorrelation models, focusing in examining and characterizing the spatial homogeneity and nonstationarity of housing prices in Guangzhou, China. There are 141 neigborhoods in Guangzhou identified as the independent individuals (named as area units), and their values of the average annual housing prices (AAHP) in (2009–2015) are clarified as the dependent variables in regressing analysis models used in this paper. Simultaneously, the factors including geographical location, transportation accessibility, commercial service intensity, and public service intensity are identified as independent variables in the context of urban development and planning. The integration and comparative analysis of multiple linear regression models, spatial autocorrelation models, and geographically weighted regressing (GWR) models are implemented, focusing on exploring the influencing factors of house prices, especially characterizing the spatial heterogeneity and nonstationarity of housing prices oriented towards the spatial differences of urban spatial development, infrastructure layout, land use, and planning. This has the potential to enrich the current approaches to the complex quantitative analysis modelling of housing prices. Particularly, it is favorable to examine and characterize what and how to determine the spatial homogeneity and nonstationarity of housing prices oriented towards a microscale geospatial perspective. Therefore, this study should be significant to drive essential changes to develop a more efficient, sustainable, and competitive real-estate system at the level of city, especially for the emerging and dynamic housing markets in the megacities in China.
Preventive Electroacupuncture Ameliorates D‐Galactose‐Induced Alzheimer’s Disease‐Like Pathology and Memory Deficits Probably via Inhibition of GSK3β/mTOR Signaling Pathway
Authors: Yu Chao-Chao , Wang Jia , Ye Si-Si , Gao Shan , Li Jia , Wang Li , Jiang Tao , Wang Xue-Song , Li Bo-Cun , Shu Qing , Lu Wei , Du Yan-Jun , Kong Li-Hong
Published: April 2020

Acupuncture has been practiced to treat neuropsychiatric disorders for a thousand years in China. Prevention of disease by acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, guided by the theory of Chinese acupuncture, gradually draws growing attention nowadays and has been investigated in the role of the prevention and treatment of mental disorders such as AD. Despite its well‐documented efficacy, its biological action remains greatly invalidated. Here, we sought to observe whether preventive electroacupuncture during the aging process could alleviate learning and memory deficits in D‐galactose‐induced aged rats. We found that preventive electroacupuncture at GV20‐BL23 acupoints during aging attenuated the hippocampal loss of dendritic spines, ameliorated neuronal microtubule injuries, and increased the expressions of postsynaptic PSD95 and presynaptic SYN, two important synapse‐associated proteins involved in synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, we observed an inhibition of GSK3β/mTOR pathway activity accompanied by a decrease in tau phosphorylation level and prompted autophagy activity induced by preventive electroacupuncture. Our results suggested that preventive electroacupuncture can prevent and alleviate memory deficits and ameliorate synapse and neuronal microtubule damage in aging rats, which was probably via the inhibition of GSK3β/mTOR signaling pathway. It may provide new insights for the identification of prevention strategies of AD.
Influence of Temperature-Dependent Tensile Strength on Gun Barrel Life Prediction
Authors: Geng Xuehao , Zhou Kedong , He Lei
Published: April 2020

With comprehensive application of the theories of coating shear failure mechanism and fatigue cumulative damage, a life prediction method of a gun barrel is proposed based on the shear fatigue damage accumulation at the coating-substrate interface. The life of a small-caliber gun barrel is predicted by use of constant tensile strength at normal temperature and temperature-dependent tensile strength, respectively. The influence of the two kinds of tensile strength on barrel life prediction results is analyzed. Life test proves that the prediction method proposed here is credible and practical. The research results show that the reduction of interface tensile strength due to temperature rise in the firing process is an important inducement of interface damage and gun barrel failure. When the temperature-dependent tensile strength is considered in life prediction model, the prediction results are smaller than that predicted by use of constant tensile strength and well matched with the life test results. Therefore, the temperature-dependent tensile strength should be incorporated in the model of gun barrel life prediction.
Circadian Clock and OxInflammation: Functional Crosstalk in Cutaneous Homeostasis
Authors: Frigato Elena , Benedusi Mascia , Guiotto Anna , Bertolucci Cristiano , Valacchi Giuseppe
Published: April 2020

Circadian rhythms are biological oscillations that occur with an approximately 24 h period and optimize cellular homeostasis and responses to environmental stimuli. A growing collection of data suggests that chronic circadian disruption caused by novel lifestyle risk factors such as shift work, travel across time zones, or irregular sleep-wake cycles has long-term consequences for human health. Among the multiplicity of physiological systems hypothesized to have a role in the onset of pathologies in case of circadian disruption, there are redox-sensitive defensive pathways and inflammatory machinery. Due to its location and barrier physiological role, the skin is a prototypical tissue to study the influence of environmental insults induced OxInflammation disturbance and circadian system alteration. To better investigate the link among outdoor stressors, OxInflammation, and circadian system, we tested the differential responses of keratinocytes clock synchronized or desynchronized, in an in vitro inflammatory model exposed to O3. Being both NRF2 and NF-κB two key redox-sensitive transcription factors involved in cellular redox homeostasis and inflammation, we analyzed their activation and expression in challenged keratinocytes by O3. Our results suggest that a synchronized circadian clock not only facilitates the protective role of NRF2 in terms of a faster and more efficient defensive response against environmental insults but also moderates the cellular damage resulting from a condition of chronic inflammation. Our results bring new insights on the role of circadian clock in regulating the redox-inflammatory crosstalk influenced by O3 and possibly can be extrapolated to other pollutants able to affect the oxinflammatory cellular processes.
Modeling of the Complex Modulus of Asphalt Mastic with Biochar Filler Based on the Homogenization and Random Aggregate Distribution Methods
Authors: Wu Yushuai , Cao Peng , Shi Feiting , Liu Ketong , Wang Xuhao , Leng Zhen , Tan Zhifei , Zhou Changjun
Published: April 2020

The disposal of agricultural straw has been a severe environmental concern in China and many other countries. In this study, the complex modulus of using biochar converted from straw as an alternative mineral filler in asphalt mastic was investigated through both laboratory tests and modeling. The experimental results indicated that the biochar can provide asphalt mastic higher stiffness than the conventional granite mineral filler. It was believed that the special porous structure of biochar providing a thicker coating layer of mineral filler increases the stiffness modulus of asphalt mastic. To consider this factor into the micromechanical model, a modified generalized self‐consistent model (MGSCM) with a coating layer was proposed. Besides, the finite element (FE) microstructural model with a coating layer generated by random aggregate distribution method was used to numerically evaluate the effect of the coating layer on the complex modulus of asphalt mastics. The predicted results indicated that the generalized self‐consistent model (MGSCM) with a coating layer is an efficient and accurate model for predicting the complex modulus of asphalt mastics. Moreover, the FE modeling proved that the coating layer can significantly improve the complex modulus of asphalt mastics. Therefore, the experiments and modeling carried out in this study provided insight for biochar applications to improve the performance of asphalt mixtures.
The Adenosine A2A Receptor Agonist Accelerates Bone Healing and Adjusts Treg/Th17 Cell Balance through Interleukin 6
Authors: Zheng Xi , Wang Dong
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of adenosine A2A receptor agonists on fracture healing and the regulation of the immunity system after bone fracture. We implanted fibrin gel containing adenosine A2A receptor agonist CGS 21680/inhibitor ZM 241385/saline locally in rat tibial fracture models, finding that the adenosine A2A receptor agonist could promote fracture healing. At the same time, the adenosine A2A receptor agonist decreased the level of IL‐6 in blood and the fracture area, increased Treg cells, and decreased Th17 cells in blood of bone fracture rats. Further, tibial fracture rats implanted with the adenosine A2A receptor agonist gel were injected with IL‐6. We found that IL‐6 could reverse the effect of adenosine A2A receptor agonists on fracture healing and Treg/Th17 cells in blood. Through the above results, we believe that the adenosine A2A receptor agonist can promote fracture healing and regulate Treg/Th17 cells in blood of rats with fractures. These effects are related to IL‐6.
Improved Landmark Dynamic Prediction Model to Assess Cardiovascular Disease Risk in On‐Treatment Blood Pressure Patients: A Simulation Study and Post Hoc Analysis on SPRINT Data
Authors: Sayadi Mehrab , Zare Najaf , Attar Armin , Ayatollahi Seyyed Mohammad Taghi
Published: April 2020

Landmark model (LM) is a dynamic prediction model that uses a longitudinal biomarker in time‐to‐event data to make prognosis prediction. This study was designed to improve this model and to apply it to assess the cardiovascular risk in on‐treatment blood pressure patients. A frailty parameter was used in LM, landmark frailty model (LFM), to account the frailty of the patients and measure the correlation between different landmarks. The proposed model was compared with LM in different scenarios respecting data missing status, sample size (100, 200, and 400), landmarks (6, 12, 24, and 48), and failure percentage (30, 50, and 100%). Bias of parameter estimation and mean square error as well as deviance statistic between models were compared. Additionally, discrimination and calibration capability as the goodness of fit of the model were evaluated using dynamic concordance index (DCI), dynamic prediction error (DPE), and dynamic relative prediction error (DRPE). The proposed model was performed on blood pressure data, obtained from systolic blood pressure intervention trial (SPRINT), in order to calculate the cardiovascular risk. Dynpred, coxme, and coxphw packages in the R.3.4.3 software were used. It was proved that our proposed model, LFM, had a better performance than LM. Parameter estimation in LFM was closer to true values in comparison to that in LM. Deviance statistic showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two models. In the landmark numbers 6, 12, and 24, the LFM had a higher DCI over time and the three landmarks showed better performance in discrimination. Both DPE and DRPE in LFM were lower in comparison to those in LM over time. It was indicated that LFM had better calibration in comparison to its peer. Moreover, real data showed that the structure of prognostic process was predicted better in LFM than in LM. Accordingly, it is recommended to use the LFM model for assessing cardiovascular risk due to its better performance.
A Novel Linear Sparse Array with Reconfigurable Pixel Antenna Elements
Authors: Li Ming , Wei Haiping , Zhao Jiahao , Tao Qingchang , You Zheng
Published: April 2020

In this paper, on the basis of multifunctional reconfigurable pixel antenna (RPA) elements, a novel linear sparse array with an attractive compound reconfigurability is presented. It has the potential advantages of its beam scanning with low gain fluctuation, low sidelobe in two orthogonal planes, and polarization reconfigurable performance. Specifically, an RPA with simultaneous polarization and pattern reconstruction capabilities, consisting of the driven patch and the parasitic pixels on the same layer of dielectric substrate, is firstly designed, which can work in several operation modes corresponding to steerable beam directions θ=0°;θxoz=25°, 45°;θyoz=15° with two circular polarizations in X-band. Cross-slot coupling feed is used to improve polarization reconstruction capability and reduce the complexity of hybrid reconstruction topology optimization. Then, those RPAs are integrated into the 1×8 linear sparse array to realize the reconfiguration of two circular polarizations and beam steering in xoz- and yoz-plane. Simulation results show that the gain fluctuation and sidelobe level of the array during beam scanning have significant advantages over the previous phased array, and the generation of antenna grating lobes is avoided. Moreover, both RPA element and RPA array prototypes have been fabricated and measured to testify the efficiency. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones, which indicates the application potential in the field of modern wireless communication system of the proposed linear sparse array.
Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Activities of Bitter Gourd Fruit Extracts at Three Different Cultivation Stages
Authors: Naqvi Syed Ali Raza , Ali Shafaqat , Sherazi Tauqir A. , Haq Atta-Ul , Saeed Muhammad , Sulman Muhammad , Rizwan Muhammad , Alkahtani Saad , Abdel-Daim Mohamed M.
Published: April 2020

In this study, we are presenting the effect of three ripening stages of air-dried bitter gourd fruit extracts on phenolic acid composition, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. The results showed mature bitter gourd fruit extract in 100% methanol showing 78% DPPHº scavenging activity. Immature dried fruit extract in 80% and 100% methanol showed promising antibacterial activities, i.e., >18.5 ± 0.21 mm zone-of-inhibition againstStaphylococcus aureus, while mature dried fruit extract in 80% methanol showed 18.4 ± 0.17 mm zone-of-inhibition againstEscherichia coli. Anticancer activity results of 100% methanol extracts of ripened fruit possess showed 6.72 ± 1.81 and 3.55 ± 0.51 mg/mL IC50values with HeLa and MDBK cancer cell lines, respectively. The overall results indicate that the immature and ripen fruits of BG could be extracted in pure methanol as an antibacterial and anticancer phytomedicine.
Omega‐3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation for Reducing Muscle Soreness after Eccentric Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Lv Zheng-tao , Zhang Jin-ming , Zhu Wen-tao
Published: April 2020

Purpose. This systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to determine the effectiveness of Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n‐3 PUFA) supplement on muscle soreness after eccentric exercise. Methods. PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and ISI Web of Science were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy of n‐3 PUFA on muscle soreness after eccentric exercise. Mean difference (MD) and the associated 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated by RevMan 5.3 to indicate delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that measured two days after eccentric trainings. Subgroup analyses according to duration and daily dosage of n‐3 PUFA supplements before eccentric exercises were performed to determine whether these factors will influence the overall effect size. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. The protocol of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42018085869). Results. 12 RCTs containing 145 subjects and 156 controls were included in this study. Meta‐analysis revealed a significantly decreased DOMS (MD ‐0.93; 95% CI ‐1.44, ‐0.42; P = 0.0004) in n‐3 PUFA supplement groups, while no significant differences in isometric muscle strength and range of motion (ROM) were detected. However, the pooled effect size for DOMS was lower than the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 1.4 on the 10‐unit VAS, suggesting that the effect size of less muscle soreness with n‐3 PUFA supplements did not appear to be clinically relevant. Conclusion. There is low‐quality evidence that n‐3 PUFA supplementation does not result in a clinically important reduction of muscle soreness after eccentric exercise. Isometric muscle soreness and range of motion were not improved by n‐3 PUFA supplementation either (low‐quality evidence). To further elucidate the overall role of n‐3 PUFA on muscle damage in this area, large‐scale RCTs are still needed.