bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silencing microRNA-210 in Hypoxia-Induced HUVEC-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Inhibits Hemangioma
Authors: Ma Jingwen , Tao Xiaohua , Huang Youming
Published: September 2020

Background: Hemangioma (Hem) is a benign tumor commonly seen in infancy with a relative high morbidity. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are actively participated in Hem. Therefore, this study is designed to figure out the underlying mechanism of HUVEC-derived EVs in Hem. Methods: Initially, EVs were separated from HUVECs and identified. HUVEC-derived EVs in normoxia or hypoxia were then cultivated with Hem endothelial cells (HemECs) to test the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of HemECs. Microarray analysis was performed to select microRNAs (miRs) with differential expression. miR-210 in hypoxia-induced HUVECs was silenced, and the relevant EVs were extracted and then co-cultured with HemECs to perform biological effect experiments. Then, the target relation between miR-210 and homeobox A9 (HOXA9) was identified by the dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, xenograft transplantation was also applied to confirm the in vitro experiments. Results: Hypoxia-induced HUVECs promoted release of EVs, which were absorbed by HemECs. Hypoxia-induced HUVEC-EVs promoted HemEC proliferation and migration and inhibited apoptosis. miR-210 from the hypoxia-induced HUVEC-EVs was highly expressed and promoted HemEC growth. Silencing miR-210 expression in the hypoxia-induced HUVEC-EVs suppresses Hem development in vivo. In addition, miR-210 targeted HOXA9. Conclusion: Silencing miR-210 in HUVEC-derived EVs could suppress Hem by targeting HOXA9. This investigation may provide novel insights for Hem treatment.
Reduction in Tumor Stain at 2 Weeks after Treatment Initiation Is a Predictor of the Efficacy of Lenvatinib in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kunimoto Hideo , Shakado Satoshi , Tanaka Takashi , Takata Kazuhide , Yamauchi Ryo , Fukuda Hiromi , Tsuchiya Naoaki , Yokoyama Keiji , Morihara Daisuke , Takeyama Yasuaki , Hirai Fumihito , Sakisaka Shotaro
Published: September 2020

Background and Aims: Lenvatinib is an oral anticancer drug for patients with unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated whether a reduction in tumor stain at 2 weeks after lenvatinib treatment in patients with unresectable HCC is a predictor of early treatment efficacy at 12 weeks. Patients and Methods: Of the 23 patients who initiated lenvatinib treatment between April 2018 and January 2019, treatment efficacy was measured in 15 patients for more than 12 weeks after treatment. Changes in tumor stain, tumor size on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and serum levels of tumor markers were evaluated 2 weeks after lenvatinib treatment. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by tumor stain and tumor size by contrast-enhanced CT within the first 12 weeks, according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) guidelines. Results: At 12 weeks, efficacy evaluation of 15 patients revealed that 11 of them experienced partial responses, for a response rate of 73.3%. In the first 2 weeks, 13 patients (86.7%) experienced a decreased tumor stain, including 10 responders (90.9%) and 3 non-responders (75.0%). All patients in the non-responder group had required a lenvatinib dose reduction due to adverse events within 12 weeks. On contrast-enhanced CT, the change rate of tumor stain to HCC at 2 weeks after treatment was <0.8 among 10 responders (90.9%) and 1 non-responder (25.0%; p = 0.033). No significant differences between responders and non-responders were observed with regard to most characteristics at baseline and at 2 weeks after treatment initiation. However, significant differences were observed between groups in the presence or absence of a dose suspension period, the presence or absence of lenvatinib dose reduction from the maximum value during the first 2 weeks, and decreased tumor stain at 2 weeks after treatment initiation. Conclusion: Reduction in tumor stain at 2 weeks after lenvatinib treatment may be an early biomarker of efficacy at 12 weeks in patients with unresectable HCC.
A Parechovirus Type 3 Infection with a Presumed Intrauterine Onset: A Poor Neurodevelopmental Outcome
Authors: Salavati Sahar , Salavati Masoud , Coenen Maraike A. , ter Horst Hendrik J. , Bos Arend F.
Published: September 2020

Parechovirus type 3 (HPeV-3) infection is an important cause of illness in neonates. We present the first case of an infant with a HPeV-3 meningoencephalitis which presumably commenced in utero. Severe developmental delay was seen. In the case of inexplicable neonatal meningoencephalitis, an intrauterine onset of HPeV-3 infection might be the cause.
Introduction of a New Score to Assess Surgical Efficiency in Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate
Authors: Rosenhammer Bernd , Schönhärl Maximilian , Mayr Roman , Schnabel Marco J. , Burger Maximilian , Eichelberg Christian
Published: September 2020

Introduction: While holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is accepted as safe and efficient, a long learning curve is considered the main reason for its slow adoption in clinical practice. So far, no standardized and easy-to-use parameter has been implemented to measure surgical experience or efficiency which could be useful for training and quality control purposes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the learning curves of 2 HoLEP beginners and to identify applicable efficiency outcome measures as well as potentially complicating factors in performing HoLEP. Patients and Methods: A total of 594 patients treated by HoLEP between September 2016 and May 2019 were enrolled. The procedures were initially performed by 1 HoLEP expert (reference surgeon); over time, 2 further surgeons were trained. Baseline characteristics, enucleation weight, morcellation and enucleation time, laser energy usage, and postoperative results were recorded prospectively. The learning curves of the 2 novices were analyzed and compared to the reference surgeon. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for postoperative grade ≥2 complications. Results: Median enucleation ratio and complication rates did not significantly alter along the learning curves. Median enucleation speed and laser energy application of the 2 novices significantly improved with growing experience. Combining these variables, we introduced the “HoLEP efficiency score” (HES) which demonstrated the most appropriate value to reflect the surgical experience and efficiency. The median HES for the reference surgeon was 82.8 min kJ/g. For the 2 novices, a drop from 130 and 124.4 min kJ/g by −57 and −30%, respectively, was observed. Among several tested clinical parameters, the presence of prostate cancer (p = 0.047) and the surgical caseload (p < 0.001) influenced the HES. On multivariable logistic regression, American Society of Anesthesiologists score and prostate cancer were independent predictors for grade ≥2 complications (p = 0.002, odds ratio [OR] 2.042 and p = 0.038, OR 1.940). Conclusion: We introduce the HES as an objective and measurable tool to quantify surgical efficiency. In clinical practice, the HES may find application in training and quality control purposes as well as in comparing surgical modifications and hardware. Patients with prostate cancer seem to be more challenging cases and have a higher risk for complications, and may preferably be treated by experienced surgeons.
Clinically Meaningful Change in Quality of Life and Associated Factors Among Older Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Abu Hawa O. , Saczynski Jane S. , Mehawej Jordy , Tisminetzky Mayra , Kiefe Catarina I. , Goldberg Robert J. , McManus David D.
Published: September 2020

Background

Among older patients with atrial fibrillation, there are limited data examining clinically meaningful changes in quality of life (QoL). We examined the extent of, and factors associated with, clinically meaningful change in QoL over 1‐year among older adults with atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results

Patients from cardiology, electrophysiology, and primary care clinics in Massachusetts and Georgia were enrolled in a cohort study (2015–2018). The Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality‐of‐Life questionnaire was used to assess overall QoL and across 3 subscales: symptoms, daily activities, and treatment concern. Clinically meaningful change in QoL (ie, difference between 1‐year and baseline QoL score) was categorized as either a decline (≤−5.0 points), no clinically meaningful change (−5.0 to +5.0 points), or an increase (≥+5.0 points). Ordinal logistic models were used to examine factors associated with QoL changes. Participants (n=1097) were on average 75 years old, 48% were women, and 87% White. Approximately 40% experienced a clinically meaningful increase in QoL and 1 in every 5 patients experienced a decline in QoL. After multivariable adjustment, women, non‐Whites, those who reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, fair/poor self‐rated health, low social support, heart failure, or diabetes mellitus experienced clinically meaningful declines in QoL.

Conclusions

These findings provide insights to the magnitude of, and factors associated with, clinically meaningful change in QoL among older patients with atrial fibrillation. Assessment of comorbidities and psychosocial factors may help identify patients at high risk for declining QoL and those who require additional surveillance to maximize important clinical and patient‐centered outcomes.
Regulator of G‐Protein Signaling 5 Maintains Brain Endothelial Cell Function in Focal Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Sladojevic Nikola , Yu Brian , Liao James K.
Published: September 2020

Background

Regulator of G‐protein signaling 5 (RGS5) is a negative modulator of G‐protein–coupled receptors. The role of RGS5 in brain endothelial cells is not known. We hypothesized that RGS5 in brain microvascular endothelial cells may be an important mediator of blood‐brain barrier function and stroke severity after focal cerebral ischemia.

Methods and Results

Using a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model, we found that mice with global and endothelial‐specific deletion of
Rgs5
exhibited larger cerebral infarct size, greater neurological motor deficits, and increased brain edema. In our in vitro models, we observed increased G
q
activity and elevated intracellular Ca
2+
levels in brain endothelial cells. Furthermore, the loss of endothelial RGS5 leads to decreased endothelial NO synthase expression and phosphorylation, relocalization of endothelial tight junction proteins, and increased cell permeability. Indeed, RGS5 deficiency leads to increased Rho‐associated kinase and myosin light chain kinase activity, which were partially reversed in our in vitro model by pharmacological inhibition of G
q
, metabotropic glutamate receptor 1, and ligand‐gated ionotropic glutamate receptor.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that endothelial RGS5 plays a novel neuroprotective role in focal cerebral ischemia. Loss of endothelial RGS5 leads to hyperresponsiveness to glutamate signaling pathways, enhanced Rho‐associated kinase– and myosin light chain kinase–mediated actin‐cytoskeleton reorganization, endothelial dysfunction, tight junction protein relocalization, increased blood‐brain barrier permeability, and greater stroke severity. These findings suggest that preservation of endothelial RGS5 may be an important therapeutic strategy for maintaining blood‐brain barrier integrity and limiting the severity of ischemic stroke.
Diapycnal Transport near a Sloping Bottom Boundary
Authors: Holmes R. M. , McDougall Trevor J.
Published: September 2020

The diapycnal motion in the stratified ocean near a sloping bottom boundary is studied using analytical solutions from one-dimensional boundary layer theory. Bottom-intensification of the diapycnal mixing intensity ensures that in the stratified mixing layer (SML), where isopycnals are relatively flat, the diapycnal motion is downward toward denser fluid. In contrast, convergence of the diffusive buoyancy flux near the seafloor drives diapycnal upwelling in what we define as the bottom boundary layer (BBL). Much of the one-dimensional BBL is characterized by a stratification only slightly reduced from that in the SML because the maximum in the buoyancy flux at the top of the BBL, where the diapycnal velocity changes sign, must occur in well-stratified fluid. The diapycnal upwelling in the BBL is determined by variations not only in the magnitude of the buoyancy gradient but also in the curvature of isopycnals. The net diapycnal upwelling is concentrated in the bottom half of the BBL where the magnitude of the buoyancy gradient changes most rapidly. The curvature effect drives upwelling near the seafloor that only makes a significant contribution to the net upwelling for steep slopes. The structure of the diapycnal velocity in this stratified BBL differs from the case of a turbulent well-mixed BBL that has been assumed in some recent theoretical studies on bottom-intensified mixing. This work therefore extends recent theories in a way that should be more applicable to abyssal ocean observations where well-mixed BBLs are not common.
Parameter Estimation Accuracy of the Effort-Moderated Item Response Theory Model Under Multiple Assumption Violations
Authors: Rios Joseph A. , Soland James
Published: September 2020

As low-stakes testing contexts increase, low test-taking effort may serve as a serious validity threat. One common solution to this problem is to identify noneffortful responses and treat them as missing during parameter estimation via the effort-moderated item response theory (EM-IRT) model. Although this model has been shown to outperform traditional IRT models (e.g., two-parameter logistic [2PL]) in parameter estimation under simulated conditions, prior research has failed to examine its performance under violations to the model’s assumptions. Therefore, the objective of this simulation study was to examine item and mean ability parameter recovery when violating the assumptions that noneffortful responding occurs randomly (Assumption 1) and is unrelated to the underlying ability of examinees (Assumption 2). Results demonstrated that, across conditions, the EM-IRT model provided robust item parameter estimates to violations of Assumption 1. However, bias values greater than 0.20 SDs were observed for the EM-IRT model when violating Assumption 2; nonetheless, these values were still lower than the 2PL model. In terms of mean ability estimates, model results indicated equal performance between the EM-IRT and 2PL models across conditions. Across both models, mean ability estimates were found to be biased by more than 0.25 SDs when violating Assumption 2. However, our accompanying empirical study suggested that this biasing occurred under extreme conditions that may not be present in some operational settings. Overall, these results suggest that the EM-IRT model provides superior item and equal mean ability parameter estimates in the presence of model violations under realistic conditions when compared with the 2PL model.
Study on the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid based on CFD
Authors: Gao Song , Du Xinwu , Jin Shengjie , Liu Qiaohong , Ma Hao
Published: September 2020

In the paper industry, to determine the installation positions of concentration sensor and flow sensor of pulp pipe transportation system, the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid must be determined. In order to solve the problem that it is difficult to determine the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid, the paper presents a method to determine the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid, and the relationship between the length of inlet section and pulp fluid parameters is studied by this method. Firstly, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method is applied to obtain flow velocity and solid phase concentration distribution data of pulp fluid at different axial positions in the pipe. Then, Pearson correlation coefficient method is applied to analyze these data. Finally, the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid is determined according to the obtained correlation coefficient, and the relationship between the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid and initial average flow velocity and solid phase concentration is obtained. The conclusion shows that the method can well obtain the length of pipe inlet section of pulp fluid, which provide some theoretical basis for the design of pulp pipe transportation system.
The Influence of Compassion Meditation on the Psychotherapist’s Empathy and Clinical Practice: A Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Bibeau Marc , Dionne Frédérick , Riera Anaïs , Leblanc Jeannette
Published: September 2020

Mindfulness and compassion meditation practices have repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on empathy and prosocial behavior. This study examines the perceived influence of compassion meditation on the psychotherapist’s empathy and clinical practice, beyond benefits already gained from a practice of mindfulness meditation. Three psychotherapists, who had already been practicing regular mindfulness meditation, engaged in compassion meditation training over a 4-week period. Repeated semistructured interviews were conducted before and after the 4-week period, as well as 1 month later. Phenomenological analysis of the interview data showed a perceived influence of compassion meditation on four main aspects labelled as follows: (a) The therapist’s relation to self, (b) Experiencing empathy, (c) Living a therapeutic relationship, and (d) Integrating change. Challenges and other stumbling blocks on these practices on compassion were also addressed by participants. These findings provide evidence for the inclusion of compassion meditation training in psychotherapy training curricula, as well as in burnout-prevention workshops.
Grain legume seed systems for smallholder farmers: Perspectives on successful innovations
Authors: Ojiewo Chris O , Omoigui Lucky O , Pasupuleti Janila , Lenné Jillian M
Published: September 2020

Grain legumes are nutritionally important components of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, limited access to quality seed of improved varieties at affordable prices due to inadequate seed systems has reduced their contribution to improving nutrition and reducing poverty in these regions. This paper analyses four seed systems case studies: chickpea in Ethiopia and Myanmar; cowpea in Nigeria; and tropical grain legumes in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda highlighting outcomes, lessons learned, and the enabling factors which supported the successful innovations. All four case studies highlighted at least some of the following outcomes: increased adoption of improved varieties and area planted; increased productivity and income to farmers; improved market access and growth; and significant national economic benefits. Important lessons were learned including the value of small seed packets to reach many farmers; the value of innovative partnerships; capacity building of value chain actors; and continuity and coherence of funding through Tropical Legumes projects II and III and the recently funded Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project. Successful adoption of innovations depends not just on the right technologies but also on the enabling environment. The case studies clearly showed that market demand was correctly identified, establishment of successful partners and institutional linkages overcame constraints in production and delivery of improved seed to smallholders, and fostered conducive policies supported national seed systems. All were integral to seed system viability and sustainability. It is hoped that these examples will provide potential models for future grain legume seed systems efforts. In addition, the analysis identified a number of areas that require further research.
Numerical simulations of concealed residential sprinkler head activation time in a standard thermal response room test
Authors: Hopkin Charlie , Spearpoint Michael
Published: September 2020

It is common for sprinkler heads in residential buildings to be of the concealed type. Key parameters for the thermal sensitivity of sprinkler heads are the response time index (m½s½) and conductivity factor (C factor, m½s−½). BS 9252:2011 and BS EN 12259-14:2020 outline test methods to determine whether sprinkler heads achieve adequate thermal sensitivity, stipulating that a room test be undertaken for concealed heads. In carrying out this test, neither the response time index nor C factor is defined. This paper uses computational modelling tools Fire Dynamics Simulator and B-RISK to simulate the room test. In running these simulations, maximum values for the ‘effective’ response time index and C factor needed to pass the room test can be estimated, assuming concealed heads can be represented as equivalent pendent heads. Initial deterministic simulations are used to calibrate results between Fire Dynamics Simulator and B-RISK. Monte Carlo modelling is then utilised within B-RISK, with variable parameters for the response time index and C factor (C), to estimate the relationship between the two parameters necessary to pass the room test. As a result, it is proposed that this relationship can be represented using a simple, empirical power law equation of response time index = 100 (5.4–C)2/3, where C < 5.4.

Practical application: The results indicate that the minimum RTI and C factor values needed to pass the room test are greater than those needed to pass wind tunnel testing methods. In observing that equivalency is not demonstrated by the room test, and by defining the RTI/C factor relationship needed to pass the test, this paper provides fire safety engineers with amended values for concealed heads to be adopted in future assessments. In the absence of any detailed specification for sprinkler heads, it is recommended that an RTI of 290 m½s½ and a C factor of 0.5 m½s−½ may be applied.
Domestic contestation over foreign policy, role-based and otherwise: Three cautionary cases
Authors: McCourt David M
Published: September 2020

Foreign policy role theorists have recently placed domestic role contestation central to their accounts of foreign policy continuity and change. Yet, contestation over national role conceptions is only one aspect of domestic competition over political power that can impact the roles states play in world politics. Frequently, foreign policies are an outgrowth of political struggle over matters only indirectly related to a state’s international role. In this article, I draw role theorists’ attention to cases where non-role-based political competition affects role performance, urging them to trace empirically the connections between role contestation, non-role-based political competition with role implications, and role performance. To make this case, I develop three plausibility probes: America’s embrace of the hegemon role after 1945, Britain’s 2016 Brexit vote, and the United States’ recent turn towards a more transactional foreign policy. Highlighting non-role political competition with role implications offers a productive challenge that promises to enrich role theory in foreign policy analysis (FPA) by bringing it a step closer to domestic political competition.
Information Technology and the Management of Change
Authors: Aleksander Igor
Published: September 2020

This paper examines both the technological nature of expected changes in information technology and ways in which these can be harnessed to make commercial and industrial enterprises more effective.
Information Technology Consultancy from the Accounting Viewpoint
Authors: Braithwaite Michael
Published: September 2020

Accounting practices are large, influential and growing rapidly. This chapter reviews very briefly the activities in a major accounting practice. The contribution of information technology to our work is discussed and some of the particular features of an information technology consultancy within that environment are reviewed.
An Introduction to Integrated Project Support Environments
Authors: Brown Alan W.
Published: September 2020

In the last few years the rapidly expanding application of computer technology has brought the problems of software production increasingly to the fore, and it is widely accepted that current software development techniques are unable to produce high quality software at the rate required to keep pace with this. To try to improve this imbalance, the field of software engineering has been advanced as a possible solution, attempting to apply the formal methods of an engineering discipline to software design and implementation. One of the most promising areas to be developed in this field is that of integrated project support environments (IPSEs), which attempt to spread the focus of attention during software development from the coding stage to embrace the whole development cycle, from initial requirements specification through to operational maintenance. These environments hope to improve production efficiency and quality by providing a complete set of support tools to help with each stage of software development, and to supply the necessary tool integration to ensure a smooth transition of use between these tools.

This paper provides an introduction to IPSEs through analysing the motivation for providing integrated support for the production of software, and describing something of the evolution of environments for software development. This provides the context for describing current and future research trends in this area.
The Business Benefits of PC Office Systems and End-user Computing at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals 1984–88
Authors: Wynn Martin
Published: September 2020

Since 1984, Glaxo Pharmaceuticals has seen a dramatic expansion in the use of desktop personal computers. The use of these machines for spreadsheet modelling and data analysis, databases, graphics, wordprocessing, project planning and statistical analysis, computer-based training and expert systems has transformed the nature of computing within the company and provided a platform for significant new co-processing developments. Over 1,300 personal computers have been installed in the company's four sites, providing a range of business benefits in terms of improved efficiency and effectiveness. Case studies of how these benefits have been provided are described, and a number of key issues for managing such change are discussed.
Managing Data in a Complex Systems Environment
Authors: Moreton R.
Published: September 2020

This paper was produced as the result of a research project funded by the Butler Cox Foundation. The Butler Cox Foundation is an exclusive service for managers responsible for computing, communications and office systems. It helps them to keep abreast of major developments in the technology and to identify the related implications for technical and general managers.
IT Systems Implementation: Research Findings from the Public Sector
Authors: Willcocks Leslie P. , Mark Annabelle L.
Published: September 2020

The National Health Service has embarked upon major initiatives to bring in management and financial information systems capable of relating resource usage to cost and to underpin better management and effective delivery of health care. This paper identifies a range of weaknesses and impending problem areas in implementation practice. Recent research evidence from several NHS regions is utilized to support the detailed case made for changes in how computer-based projects are developed, managed and implemented within the organization. It is suggested that the evidence and analysis would seem to have implications for all those studying, experiencing, or anticipating computerization.
Determinants of Citizens’ Perceptions of Police Behavior During Traffic and Pedestrian Stops
Authors: Carmichael Jason , David Jean-Denis , Helou Ann-Marie , Pereira Colby
Published: September 2020

A large body of research has examined public perceptions of police behavior. Many of these studies have raised concerns about perceptions of unequal treatment of citizens by law enforcement and the effects such disparate treatment might have on police–community relations. This scholarship has largely examined global perceptions of police behavior rather than asking about actual encounters with officers. Relying on global opinions of police, however, tends to distort perceptions as it tends to illicit prejudiced and stereotypical views about law enforcement rather than lived experiences. This article offers a more precise approach to measuring police behavior during encounters with citizens by assessing views of those who have had recent contact with law enforcement. Specifically, we examine how perceptions of police behavior during both traffic stops and street stops of pedestrians might vary according to a citizen’s sociodemographic background and geographic location and how such factors might influence perceptions of the legitimacy of their encounter with the officer. Results from our multivariate analyses suggest that youth, African Americans, the poor, and those living in large urban areas are significantly more likely than others to believe they were treated outside of the scope of acceptable police conduct. Furthermore, ethnic minorities, the poor, and those in urban areas are much more likely to perceive the stop as illegitimate. Our results suggest that much of this might be explained by differences in police behavior according to the size of the place and across different social groups.
Genotoxic analysis of nickel–iron oxide in Drosophila
Authors: Nas Burhan , Çolak Deniz Altun
Published: September 2020

It is known that nickel–iron oxide nanocomposite (NiFe2O4NP) is used in many important areas such as modern industry, biomedical applications, magnetic resonance imaging, construction of sensors, targeted drug treatment, and photoelectric devices in our life. In this study, we have carried out a genotoxic evaluation of NiFe2O4NP (30 nm) in Drosophila melanogaster by using the wing somatic mutation and recombination assay. For this purpose, third instar larvae carrying the recessive genes ( flr3) and multiple wing hairs ( mwh) in their third chromosomes were used. The larvae were fed at concentrations ranging from 25 µg/mL to 200 µg/mL. The genotoxic effects of NiFe2O4NPs were evaluated according to mutant trichomes resulting from genetic changes (mitotic recombination, deletion, point mutation, nondisjunction) on development of the wing imaginal discs. Mutant clone evaluations were performed based on small single spots, large single spots, and twin spots classifications. The results showed that significant increases were observed in the frequency of all spots, indicating that the highest concentration of nanoparticles was able to induce genotoxic activity in the wing spot assay of D. melanogaster.
Accounting for Time: Circadian Rhythms in the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Sengupta Shaon , Brooks Thomas G. , Grant Gregory R. , FitzGerald Garret A.
Published: September 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated novel approaches and collaborative efforts across multiple disciplines. It is known that various aspects of our physiology and response to pathogens are under tight clock control. However, the assimilation of circadian biology into our clinical and research practices is still evolving. Using a focused review of the literature and original analyses of the UK Biobank, we discuss how circadian biology may inform our diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in this pandemic.
Exposition to glucose-based peritoneal dialysis fluids exacerbates adipocyte lipolysis and glycogen storage in rat adipose cells
Authors: Soulage Christophe O , Egziabher Fitsum Guebre
Published: September 2020

Glucose absorption during peritoneal dialysis (PD) is suspected to promote visceral fat accretion and weight gain in PD patients. The current study was designed to test the impact of glucose-based PD fluids on adipose cell lipolysis and glycogen content. Rat adipose cells, isolated from epididymal fat pad, were exposed to a 30 vol./70 vol. mixture of glucose-based dialysis solutions (containing 1.36% and 3.86% glucose, Physioneal 35®; Baxter) or Krebs–Henseleit buffer for 4 h. Adipose cells were further incubated with laboratory-made solutions containing 1.36% and 3.86% glucose or mannitol as an osmotic control. Baseline and noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis was measured, and glycogen content assayed. The glucose-based commercial PD fluids as well as the laboratory-manufactured high glucose solutions exacerbated lipolysis in baseline and noradrenaline conditions and increased glycogen stores in adipose cells. Mannitol solutions (1.36% and 3.86%) used as an osmotic control did not produce such effects. This study provides the first evidence that glucose-based dialysis solutions increase basal as well as stimulated lipolysis in adipocytes, an effect that is directly attributable to high concentrations of glucose per se.
Passive vibration isolation of flexure jointed hexapod: A geometry design method
Authors: Zuo Zongyu , Wang Jiahao , Wang Heng , Wang Qiang
Published: September 2020

This paper presents the passive vibration isolation problem for a specific kind of Stewart Platform called flexure jointed hexapod (FJH). For purpose of analyzing the relationship between passive vibration isolation and parameters of the FJH, an existing dynamic model of the hexapod is re-cast appropriately to obtain the transfer function matrix from disturbance to generalized coordinates of the payload. Then, the system natural frequencies and the corresponding damping ratios are derived analytically. To guarantee the effective disturbance attenuation and isolation, a lower bound of the disturbance frequency with respect to the geometric parameters of the FJH is identified. Based on the identified sufficient conditions for disturbance isolation, a new design algorithm for geometry structure of the FJH and coefficients of the parallel spring-damping mechanism in struts is proposed. Finally, numerical simulation results are provided to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed design algorithm.
The influence of fibre orientation and chemical treatment on the performance of unsaturated polyester/chrysanthemum stem fibre composites
Authors: Islam Maydul , Yeng Chan Ming , Chun Koay Seong , Huey Ho Shuh
Published: September 2020

Chrysanthemum flowers are usually used for cultural and religious ceremonies however, the chrysanthemum stems are left for open burning or landfilling on many farmlands. These stems are one of the sources of agricultural waste in Malaysia that cause environmental impacts. In order to reduce the impact of chrysanthemum stems, this research study has utilised these valuable chrysanthemum stems in producing a new polymer composite. Hence, the present research study focuses on the preparation of non-woven and woven chrysanthemum stem fibre (CSF) reinforced unsaturated polyester (UPs) composites via simple hand lay-up method. The results showed the tensile properties (tensile strength and modulus of elasticity) of woven fibre filled UPs was higher than non-woven fibre filled UPs composites. However, non-woven fibre filled UPs presented higher water absorption and elongation at break as compared to woven fibre filled UPs composites. Furthermore, bleaching treatment with hydrogen peroxide is carried out in order to improve the tensile properties and water resistance of UPs/CSF composites. The functional groups of unbleached and bleached fibres were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. Some lignin, hemicellulose and impurities of CSF have been removed after the bleaching treatment on CSF, as proven by FTIR results.
Measurement of Multidimensional Poverty in India: A State-level Analysis
Authors: Tripathi Sabyasachi , Yenneti Komali
Published: September 2020

This article measures Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in India using National Sample Survey (NSS) data on “Consumption Expenditure” for the period 2004–2005 and 2011–2012, adopting Alkire and Foster’s (2011, Journal of Public Economics, vol. 95, pp. 476–487) methodology. It considers three main indicators, namely standard of living, education and income at the level of households or persons. The results show that multidimensional poverty head count has declined from 62.2 per cent in 2004–2005 to 38.4 per cent in 2011–2012. However, separate rural and urban regional analysis clearly indicates a sharp decline in rural poverty compared to urban poverty reduction. Lack of education of the household members made the highest contribution to poverty, followed by income and standard of living in India. A state-level analysis shows that Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh have a higher poverty head count ratio, while Kerala, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have a lower poverty rate.
Globalisation, Economic Growth and Income Inequality in Nigeria
Authors: Ifeakachukwu NWOSA Philip
Published: September 2020

This article examines the link between globalisation, economic growth and income inequality in Nigeria using annual secondary data over the period 1981–2018. Specifically, it attempts to examine the following questions: (a) What is the direction of causation among globalisation, economic growth and inequality? (b) What is the impact of globalisation and economic growth on inequality? (iii) Do trade globalisation and financial globalisation have differential impacts on inequality in Nigeria? The article used both vector error correction modelling (VECM) and auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) techniques. The VECM results show a unidirectional causality from inequality and globalisation to economic growth in the long run, whereas a unidirectional causation was observed from inequality to economic growth in the short run. The ARDL estimate shows that globalisation and economic growth are significant determinants of inequality in Nigeria. Furthermore, it is observed that trade and financial globalisation influenced income inequality differently. In the light of these findings, the article recommends that the foreign direct investment should be channelled towards empowering the poor, and the dividends of economic growth should be evenly distributed to reduce the income inequality gap.
How does thinking relate to tool making?
Authors: Malafouris Lambros
Published: September 2020

How the boundaries of the mind should be drawn with respect to action and the material world is a core research question that cognitive archaeology shares with contemporary cognitive sciences. The study of hominin technical thinking, as in the case of stone tool making, is a good way to bring that question to the fore. This article argues that archaeologists who study lithic artefacts and their transformations over the course of human evolution are uniquely well positioned to contribute to the ongoing debate about the marks of the mental. Adopting the material engagement approach, I propose to replace the internalist vision of mentality, that is, the vision of a brain-bound mind that is using the body to execute and externalise preconceived mental plan through the stone, with an ecological-enactive vision of participatory mentality where bodily acts and materials act together to generate rather than merely execute thought processes. I argue that the latter participatory view changes the geography of the cognitive and offers a better description for the continuity of mind and matter that we see in the lithic record.
The Power of Equality? Polarization and Collective Mis-representation on Gay Rights in Congress, 1989–2019
Authors: Bishin Benjamin G. , Freebourn Justin , Teten Paul
Published: September 2020

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent application of employment protections to gays and lesbians in Bostock v. Clayton County highlights the striking absence of policy produced by the U.S. Congress despite two decades of increased public support for gay rights. With the notable exceptions of allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military, and passing hate crimes legislation, every other federal policy advancing gay rights over the last three decades has been the product of a Supreme Court ruling or Executive Order. To better understand the reasons for this inaction, we examine the changing preferences of members of Congress on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) issues. Examining scores from the Human Rights Campaign from 1989 to 2019, we find a striking polarization by the parties on LGBTQ issues, as Democrats have become much more supportive and Republicans even more opposed to gay rights. This change has been driven not by gerrymandering, mass opinion polarization, or elite backlash, but among Republicans by a mix of both conversion and replacement, and among Democrats primarily of replacement of more moderate members. The result is a striking lack of collective representation that leaves members of the LGBTQ community at risk to the whims of presidents and jurists.
Reassessing the Variables Used to Measure Public Perceptions of Scientists
Authors: Besley John C. , Lee Nicole M. , Pressgrove Geah
Published: September 2020

Both academics and science communication practitioners have long been interested in the public’s perceptions of scientists, impacts of those perceptions, and how communication tactics can affect them. Despite this interest, perceptual variables (e.g., trustworthiness, credibility, and fairness) are inconsistently conceptualized and operationalized within the literature. Through an examination of existing scales and a national survey ( N = 605), this study suggests that communication researchers and practitioners should consider focusing on four distinct dimensions of trust. We label these competence, integrity, benevolence, and openness.
Anti-drug antibodies anti-trastuzumab in the treatment of breast cancer
Authors: Padrón Ivette Mourani , García Jonathan González , Díaz Ruth Ramos , Lenza Isaac Ceballos , Nicolás Fernando Gutiérrez
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody which could induce the activation of a humoral immune response generating anti-drug antibodies (ADAs). Such response depends of the protein nature and the route of administration (intravenous or subcutaneous). The formation of these antibodies could block the action of trastuzumab (ADA-Tras) and forming immune complexes which decrease its efficacy, so it would be interesting to determine the presence of ADA-Tras in patients treated with trastuzumab.

Material and methods

The blood samples were centrifuged to separate the plasma. The presence of ADA-Tras in plasma was determined using an ELISA-type automated immunoassay.

Results

Fifty-one women with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab were included. Two groups were studied: patients treated intravenously and subcutaneously. In neither case was there any presence of ADA-Tras.

Discussion

This study may be the first ever conducted under usual clinical practice conditions to detect the presence of ADA-Tras in patients with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. We have wanted to show the antibodies anti-trastuzumab determination as a possible tool that would enable comparison of potential differences in immunogenic behavior between trastuzumab and its biosimilars.
Flutter analysis of a sandwich composite beam using an analytical method
Authors: Ashktorab Maryam , Taheri-Behrooz Fathollah , Zamani Zahra
Published: September 2020

In this paper, the aeroelastic behavior of a composite wing is investigated in the compressible flow using the analytical method. The composite wing is simulated as a thin-walled single-cell closed cross-section beam with circumferentially asymmetric stiffness (CAS) configuration. The best layup configuration for the maximum flutter speed is determined by analyzing four layups configuration where the fiber orientation angle varies within the range of 0–90 degrees. Moreover, an included foam layer between composite layers resulted in higher bending stiffness and improved stability characteristics of the wing. It was shown that there is a significant improvement in the flutter speed for [Formula: see text] layup. Numerical results demonstrate the advantages of foam filled model over the model without foam in terms of the flutter speed to the weight ratio.
Prolonging the flush-lock interval of totally implantable venous access ports in patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Xiaohong , Zhang Tiantian , Chen Lichan , Chen Xisui
Published: September 2020

Background:

Recently, some studies have shown that prolonging flush interval is safe and feasible for patients who complete chemotherapy. However, there is no consensus about the optimal flush interval for those patients.

Objective:

The purpose of this review was to evaluate whether the flush interval could be prolonged based on monthly interval for regular maintenance and to explore the optimal flush interval.

Data sources:

We searched the following databases for articles published between 1 January 1982 and 21 February 2020: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Ovid.

Study eligibility criteria:

Randomized controlled trials, retrospective and prospective cohort studies of flush interval less than 4 weeks versus longer than 4 weeks for patients who completed chemotherapy, were included.

Results:

Two reviewers extracted information and assessed the quality of the articles independently. In total, 389 articles were retrieved, and 4 studies including 862 cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was no statistical heterogeneity ( I2 = 0, p > 0.05) among the included studies. Hence, the fixed-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the total complication rate associated with longer than 4-week interval was higher than that associated with less than 4-week interval. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between the two groups (7.2% vs 7.6%, p = 0.83). Moreover, the meta-analysis showed that the total complication and catheter occlusion rates associated with the 4-week interval were higher than those associated with the 8-week interval. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (total complications: 11.4% vs 9.5%, p = 0.68; catheter occlusions: 4.9% vs 4.1%, p = 0.89).

Limitations:

Only four non-randomized controlled studies were included, and the outcomes of the included studies were reported incompletely.

Conclusion:

Extending the flush interval to longer than 4 weeks is safe and feasible. Based on previous studies, extending the flush interval to 8 weeks might not increase the incidence of total complications and catheter occlusions. However, there is no conclusion on whether the flush interval could be extended to 3 months or longer.
Media narratives of kindness − a critique
Authors: Dutta Mohan , Elers Phoebe
Published: September 2020

Since the coronavirus outbreak, various media outlets across the globe have disseminated and promoted stories of kindness as registers for COVID-19 response. These narratives of kindness appeal to the human capacity to do good, inviting the public to ‘make a difference’ by performing altruistic acts of helping those who are less fortunate or in a time of need. However, there is a dark side to these narratives, one that does not serve those who are precarious, underprivileged or marginalised, by obfuscating and erasing necessary conversations on the transformative policies and infrastructure changes needed to address fundamental structural issues underlying the deep inequalities we inhabit in a COVID world.