bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Survey of the Current Status of Visually Impaired Students in Secondary Mathematics
Authors: Rapp D.W. , Rapp A.J.
Published: March 2020

This survey of teachers of students who are visually impaired describes a group of students in grades 9–12 taking selected math courses. Teachers were questioned about services that were provided, mathematical teaching tools used, and additional related issues. The results of the survey reveal that teachers encounter continuing difficulties in providing materials and equipment and few students are participating in the more advanced math classes.
Upgrading the Academic and Job Skills of Bund and Visually Impaired Adults in a Public Secondary School
Authors: McEwan R.C. , Wier S. , McBride A.
Published: March 2020

Since 1987, 15 blind and visually impaired adults have enrolled in a public secondary school in London, Ontario, to upgrade their academic credentials and to learn new job skills. This article describes these students, the program, and the extent to which the students have been successful and discusses the potential importance of secondary schools for the education of blind and visually impaired adults.
Teaching in an Orientation and Mobility Program for Chinese Special Educators
Authors: Griffin-Shirley N.
Published: March 2020

Since China has a favored-nation status, there has been an increase in the exchange of information between the United States and China over the past few years. Through the joint efforts of these two countries, a training program for Chinese special educators was developed. This article describes the author's teaching experience and general impressions while lecturing in this special education program.
Performance of Blind Children on Digit-Span Tests
Authors: Hull T. , Mason H.
Published: March 2020

This article reports the results of digit-span tests that were administered to 314 children who are blind. The results showed that gender, first language, and educational setting had no effect on the children's scores and that the congenitally totally blind children scored higher than did the sighted children, whereas those who had had some sight did not.
Economic Aspects of Blindness and Low Vision: A New Perspective
Authors: Kirchner C.
Published: March 2020

This article presents a theoretical perspective on the economic aspects of disability that acknowledges that cultural value systems affect the definition of costs. It also illustrates the need for better measures of productive activity by persons with disabilities in paid and unpaid work; other personal characteristics that may account for dependence, such as old age or illness; and costs created by social barriers, rather than by impairments themselves.
Evolution in Local Traffic Impact Assessment Practices
Authors: Combs Tabitha S. , McDonald Noreen C. , Leimenstoll William
Published: March 2020

This study evaluates the state of traffic impact assessment (TIA) practice at the local level in North Carolina and the Washington D.C. metro area. Using semistructured interviews and surveys of staff involved in the development review process in sixty-three jurisdictions, we conclude that the conventional, automobile-oriented approach to TIA remains the dominant model in the study area, although our research reveals efforts to modify practice. Content analysis of interviews in thirty-six jurisdictions indicates lack of information and technical capacity are substantial barriers to change, highlighting areas in which planning education and research could better support practice.
How Resilient Is ASEAN-5 to Trade Shocks? A Comparison of Regional and Global Shocks
Authors: Raghavan Mala , Devadason Evelyn S.
Published: March 2020

This article studies the resilience of the ASEAN region to external shocks amid the unfolding effects of the USA–China trade war. It investigates and compares the effects of regional (ASEAN) and global (USA, China) shocks on ASEAN-5 using a Structural VAR (SVAR) framework. To identify the propagation of economic shocks and spillovers on ASEAN-5, the changing trade links between the economies considered are used to account for time variations spanning the period 1978Q1–2018Q2. Three major results follow from the analyses on trade links and output multiplier effects. First, the response of ASEAN-5 to shocks from the USA and China were more pronounced than regional shocks for the period after the Asian financial crisis. Second, the increasing cumulative impact of China’s shock on ASEAN was congruous to the growing trade links and trade intensities between ASEAN and China. Third, the USA and China were dominant growth drivers for the weaker trade-linked ASEAN partners. Taken together, the results suggest that global shocks matter for the region, and the economic resilience of the region to global shocks depends on indirect effects apart from the direct trade links.
Is Commitment to One’s Profession Always a Good Thing? Exploring the Moderating Role of Occupational Commitment in the Association Between Work Events and Occupational Health
Authors: Sawhney Gargi , Britt Thomas W. , Sinclair Robert R. , Mohr Cynthia D. , Wilson Chloe A.
Published: March 2020

Using a 12-week experience sampling design, this study examined the interaction between negative and positive events in predicting work engagement and burnout in a sample of nurses. Additionally, this study explored the moderating effect of affective occupational commitment as a moderator of work events and work engagement/burnout relation. Results indicated that positive and negative events, as well as their interactive effects significantly predicted both work engagement and burnout. In addition, occupational commitment moderated the association between negative events and burnout. Specifically, the association between negative events and burnout was stronger for nurses who reported high occupational commitment. Positive events did not interact with occupational commitment to predict work engagement or burnout. Similarly, occupational commitment did not moderate the link between negative events and work engagement. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Biventricular diastolic dysfunction, thrombocytopenia, and red blood cell macrocytosis in experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Lee Ji Young , Fagan Karen A. , Zhou Chun , Batten Lynn , Cohen Michael V. , Stevens Troy
Published: March 2020

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a fatal disease, where death is associated with right heart failure and reduced cardiorespiratory reserve. The Sugen 5416, hypoxia and normoxia Fischer rat model mimics human pulmonary arterial hypertension, although the cause(s) of death remains incompletely understood. Here, we hypothesized that these animals develop biventricular diastolic dysfunction that contributes to tissue hypoperfusion coincident with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension. We performed comprehensive echocardiographic and hematologic assessments. Serial echocardiogram at 3–5 weeks was performed followed by blood sampling via aortic or cardiac puncture. Echocardiogram revealed pulmonary arterial hypertension in pulmonary artery Doppler waves, including notched wave envelopes, and decreased pulmonary artery acceleration time/pulmonary artery ejection time ratio and right ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral. Impaired right ventricular systolic function, assessed by decreased tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and tricuspid tissue Doppler systolic positive wave velocity, was observed in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Tricuspid and mitral pulsed wave and tissue Doppler findings suggested biventricular diastolic dysfunction, with dynamic changes in early and late diastolic filling waves, their fusion patterns, and a decrease in e' velocity. Heart rate and ejection fraction did not change, but cardiac output, stroke volume, and end‐diastolic volume were decreased, and inferior vena cava respiratory variation was decreased. Blood electrolyte values were suggestive of intravascular volume expansion early in the disease followed by volume contraction and tissue hypoperfusion in the latter stages of disease. Complete blood count showed thrombocytopenia and non‐anemic macrocytosis with reticulocytosis and an increase in red blood cell distribution width. Thus, pulmonary, cardiac, and hematological findings in Fischer animals with pulmonary arterial hypertension are characteristic of humans and provide an insightful experimental platform to resolve mechanisms of disease progression.
Obesity, overweight and risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality in young women
Authors: Dikaiou Pigi , Björck Lena , Adiels Martin , Lundberg Christina E , Mandalenakis Zacharias , Manhem Karin , Rosengren Annika
Published: March 2020

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between body mass index (BMI) in young women, using weight early in pregnancy as a proxy for pre-pregnancy weight, and risk for early cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.

Methods and results

In this prospective, registry-based study, we used weight data in early pregnancy from women, registered in the Swedish Medical Birth Registry, and who gave birth between 1982 and 2014 (n = 1,495,499; median age 28.3 years). Of the women, 118,212 (7.9%) were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and 29,630 (2.0%) severely obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2). After a follow-up of median 16.3 years, we identified 3295 and 4375 cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic stroke (IS) corresponding to 13.4 and 17.8 per 100,000 observation years, respectively, occurring at mean ages of 49.8 and 47.3 years. Compared to women with a BMI 20–<22.5 kg/m2, the hazard ratio (HR) of AMI increased with higher BMI from 1.40 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27–1.54) among women with BMI 22.5–<25.0 kg/m2 to 4.71 (95% CI 3.88–5.72) among women with severe obesity, with similar findings for IS and CVD death, after adjustment for age, pregnancy year, parity and comorbidities at baseline. Women with BMI 30–<35.0 and ≥35 kg/m2 had increased all-cause mortality with adjusted HR 1.53 (95% CI 1.43–1.63) and 1.83 (95% CI 1.63–2.05), respectively.

Conclusion

A significant increase in the risk for early AMI, IS and CVD death was noticeable in overweight young women, with a marked increase in obese women.
Locking and loading the bullet against micro-calcification
Authors: Florea Alexandru , Morgenroth Agnieszka , Bucerius Jan , Schurgers Leon J , Mottaghy Felix M
Published: March 2020

Aims

Despite recent medical advances, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. As (micro)-calcification is a hallmark of atherosclerosis, this review will elaborately discuss advantages of sodium fluoride positron emission tomography (PET) as a reliable cardiovascular imaging technique for identifying the early onset of vascular calcification (i.e. locking onto the target). We assess state-of-the-art meta-analysis and clinical studies of possible treatment options and evaluate the concept of vitamin K supplementation to preserve vascular health (i.e. loading the bullet).

Methods and results

After a structured PubMed search, we identified 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) PET as the most suitable technique for detecting micro-calcification. Presenting the pros and cons of available treatments, vitamin K supplementation should be considered as a possible safe and cost-effective option to inhibit vascular (micro)-calcification.

Conclusion

This review demonstrates need for more extensive research in the concept of vitamin K supplementation (i.e. loading the bullet) and recommends monitoring the effects on vascular calcification using 18F-NaF PET (i.e. locking onto the target).
Fingolimod after a first unilateral episode of acute optic neuritis (MOVING) – preliminary results from a randomized, rater-blind, active-controlled, phase 2 trial
Authors: Albert Christian , Mikolajczak Janine , Liekfeld Anja , Piper Sophie K. , Scheel Michael , Zimmermann Hanna G. , Nowak Claus , Dörr Jan , Bellmann-Strobl Judith , Chien Claudia , Brandt Alexander U. , Paul Friedemann , Hoffmann Olaf
Published: March 2020

Background

Neuroprotection and promotion of remyelination represent important therapeutic gaps in multiple sclerosis (MS). Acute optic neuritis (ON) is a frequent MS manifestation. Based on the presence and properties of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors (S1PR) on astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, we hypothesized that remyelination can be enhanced by treatment with fingolimod, a S1PR modulator currently licensed for relapsing-remitting MS.

Methods

MOVING was an investigator-driven, rater-blind, randomized clinical trial. Patients with acute unilateral ON, occurring as a clinically isolated syndrome or MS relapse, were randomized to 6 months of treatment with 0.5 mg oral fingolimod or subcutaneous IFN-β 1b 250 μg every other day. The change in multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) latency of the qualifying eye was examined as the primary (month 6 vs. baseline) and secondary (months 3, 6 and 12 vs. baseline) outcome. In addition, full field visual evoked potentials, visual acuity, optical coherence tomography as well as clinical relapses and measures of disability, cerebral MRI, and self-reported visual quality of life were obtained for follow-up. The study was halted due to insufficient recruitment (n = 15), and available results are reported.

Results

Per protocol analysis of the primary endpoint revealed a significantly larger reduction of mfVEP latency at 6 months compared to baseline with fingolimod treatment (n = 5; median decrease, 15.7 ms) than with IFN-β 1b treatment (n = 4; median increase, 8.15 ms) (p <  0.001 for interaction). Statistical significance was maintained in the secondary endpoint analysis. Descriptive results are reported for other endpoints.

Conclusion

Preliminary results of the MOVING trial argue in support of a beneficial effect of fingolimod on optic nerve remyelination when compared to IFN-β treatment. Interpretation is limited by the small number of complete observations, an unexpected deterioration of the control group and a difference in baseline mfVEP latencies. The findings need to be confirmed in larger studies.

Trial registration

The trial was registered as EUDRA-CT 2011–004787-30 on October 26, 2012 and as NCT01647880 on July 24, 2012.
Abacavir versus Zidovudine-based regimens for treatment of HIV-infected children in resource limited settings: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Mega Teshale Ayele , Usamo Firehiwot Belayneh , Negera Getandale Zeleke
Published: March 2020

Background

Abacavir (ABC) and Zidovudine (AZT) based regimens are the preferred first line nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NRTIs) backbones being widely utilized for managing HIV infection in children. However, there is a dearth of data regarding the clinical outcomes and associated risk factors in Ethiopia. We compared the proportion of mortality and the rate of occurrence of Opportunistic Infections (OIs) with ABC versus AZT -based regimens in a cohort of HIV-infected children.

Methods

A 42 months retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 179 records were reviewed by including data from October 2014 to April 2017. Data were collected on socio-demographic, clinical characteristics of patients and drug related variables. Data were analyzed using STATA13.1. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were used to compare survival experience and identify independent predictors. Propensity score matching analysis was conducted to elucidate the average treatment effects of each regimen over OIs.

Result

Of 179 patients, 98 (54.7%) were females. The mean (+SD) age of the study subjects was 6.53 ± 2.83 years. Through 42 months analysis, a total of 4 patients (1 (1.14%) from ABC group and 3 (3.3%) from AZT group (p = 0.339)) were died. The incidence of opportunistic infections attributed to ABC group was 8.77/100,000 person years (py) and that of AZT was 6.9/100,000py. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for OIs was (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.49–1.53] (p = 0.304). Baseline CD4 count (AHR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.98–0.99]), Severe acute malnutrition (AHR = 15.92, 95% CI [5.34–47.50]), and exposure to tuberculosis treatment (AHR = 2.93, 95% CI [1.39–6.17]) were the independent predictors for the development of OIs.

Conclusion

ABC and AZT based ART regimens seem to have comparable survival benefit among HIV-infected children in Ethiopia. Therefore, both regimens might be used as an alternative in resource limited settings.
Decreasing the number of arthroscopies in knee osteoarthritis – a service evaluation of a de-implementation strategy
Authors: Barlow Timothy , Rhodes-Jones Timothy , Ballinger Sue , Metcalfe Andrew , Wright David , Thompson Peter
Published: March 2020

Background

The Personalised Knee Improvement Programme (P-KIP) was developed based on previously published work, with the hypothesis that surgeons would refer patients to a well-structured conservative management intervention instead of for arthroscopy (de-implementation of arthroscopy by substitution with P-KIP). This meets NICE guidelines and international recommendations but such programmes are not widely used in the UK. Our aim was to determine whether P-KIP would reduce the number of arthroscopies performed for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

P-KIP is a conservative care pathway including a group education session followed by individually tailored one-to-one dietician and physiotherapy sessions. Virtual clinic follow-up is conducted three to 6 months after completion of the programme. The service began in July 2015.

The number of arthroscopies saved, measured from hospital level coding data, is the primary outcome measure. Interrupted time series analysis of coding data was conducted. As a quality assurance process, patient reported outcome measures (Oxford Knee Score; Euroqol 5D) were collected at baseline and at follow up.

Results

Time series analysis demonstrates that the programme saved 15.4 arthroscopies a month (95% confidence interval 9–21; p < 0.001), equating to 184 arthroscopies a year in a single hospital. The PROMs data demonstrated improvements in patient reported outcome scores consistent with previous published reports of conservative interventions in similar patient populations.

Conclusions

Results suggest that P-KIP reduces the number of arthroscopies performed, and patients who took part in P-KIP had an improvement in their knee and general health outcomes. P-KIP has the potential to deliver efficiency savings and relive pressure on operative lists, however replication in other sites is required.
The impact of PM2.5 on mortality in older adults: evidence from retirement of coal-fired power plants in the United States
Authors: Fan Maoyong , Wang Yi
Published: March 2020

Background

Evidence of causal relationship between mortality of older adults and low- concentration PM2.5remains limited.

Objectives

This study investigates the effects of low-concentration PM2.5on the mortality of adults older than 65 using the closure of coal-fired power plants in the Eastern United States as a natural experiment.

Methods

We investigated power plants in the Eastern United States (US) that had production changes through unit shutdown or plant retirement between 1999 and 2013. We included only non-clustered power plants without scrubbers and with capacities greater than 50 MW. We used instrumental variable (IV) and difference-in-differences (DID) approaches to estimate the causal impact of PM2.5concentrations on mortality among Medicare beneficiaries. We compared changes in monthly age-adjusted mortality before and after the retirement of coal-fired plants between the treated and control counties; we accounted for annual wind direction in our selection of treated and control counties. In the models, we initially included only county and monthly fixed effects, and then adjusted for covariates including: 1) only weather variables (temperature, dew point, pressure); and 2) weather variables and socio-economic variables (median household income and poverty rate).

Results

The monthly age-adjusted mortality rate averaged across all plants was approximately 423 per 100,000 (SD = 69) and was higher for males than females. Mean PM2.5concentrations across all counties were 12 μg/m3(SD = 3.78). Using the IV method, we found that reductions in PM2.5concentrations significantly decreased monthly mortality among older adults. IV results show that a 1-μg/m3reduction in PM2.5concentrations leads to 7.17 fewer deaths per 100,000 per month, or a 1.7% lower monthly mortality rate among people older than 65 years. Using the DID approach, we found that power plant retirement significantly decreased: 1) monthly PM2.5levels by 2.1 μg/m3, and 2) monthly age-adjusted mortality by approximately 15 people per 100,000 (or 3.6%) in treated counties relative to control counties. The mortality effects were higher among males than females and its impact was the greatest among people older than 75 years.

Conclusion

These findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of local, plant-level control measures in reducing near-plant PM2.5and mortality among U.S. Medicare beneficiaries.
Impacts of food contact chemicals on human health: a consensus statement
Authors: Muncke Jane , Andersson Anna-Maria , Backhaus Thomas , Boucher Justin M. , Carney Almroth Bethanie , Castillo Castillo Arturo , Chevrier Jonathan , Demeneix Barbara A. , Emmanuel Jorge A. , Fini Jean-Baptiste , Gee David , Geueke Birgit , Groh Ksenia , Heindel Jerrold J. , Houlihan Jane , Kassotis Christopher D. , Kwiatkowski Carol F. , Lefferts Lisa Y. , Maffini Maricel V. , Martin Olwenn V. , Myers John Peterson , Nadal Angel , Nerin Cristina , Pelch Katherine E. , Fernández Seth Rojello , Sargis Robert M. , Soto Ana M. , Trasande Leonardo , Vandenberg Laura N. , Wagner Martin , Wu Changqing , Zoeller R. Thomas , Scheringer Martin
Published: March 2020

Food packaging is of high societal value because it conserves and protects food, makes food transportable and conveys information to consumers. It is also relevant for marketing, which is of economic significance. Other types of food contact articles, such as storage containers, processing equipment and filling lines, are also important for food production and food supply. Food contact articles are made up of one or multiple different food contact materials and consist of food contact chemicals. However, food contact chemicals transfer from all types of food contact materials and articles into food and, consequently, are taken up by humans. Here we highlight topics of concern based on scientific findings showing that food contact materials and articles are a relevant exposure pathway for known hazardous substances as well as for a plethora of toxicologically uncharacterized chemicals, both intentionally and non-intentionally added. We describe areas of certainty, like the fact that chemicals migrate from food contact articles into food, and uncertainty, for example unidentified chemicals migrating into food. Current safety assessment of food contact chemicals is ineffective at protecting human health. In addition, society is striving for waste reduction with a focus on food packaging. As a result, solutions are being developed toward reuse, recycling or alternative (non-plastic) materials. However, the critical aspect of chemical safety is often ignored. Developing solutions for improving the safety of food contact chemicals and for tackling the circular economy must include current scientific knowledge. This cannot be done in isolation but must include all relevant experts and stakeholders. Therefore, we provide an overview of areas of concern and related activities that will improve the safety of food contact articles and support a circular economy. Our aim is to initiate a broader discussion involving scientists with relevant expertise but not currently working on food contact materials, and decision makers and influencers addressing single-use food packaging due to environmental concerns. Ultimately, we aim to support science-based decision making in the interest of improving public health. Notably, reducing exposure to hazardous food contact chemicals contributes to the prevention of associated chronic diseases in the human population.
Pathological modeling of TBEV infection reveals differential innate immune responses in human neurons and astrocytes that correlate with their susceptibility to infection
Authors: Fares Mazigh , Cochet-Bernoin Marielle , Gonzalez Gaëlle , Montero-Menei Claudia N. , Blanchet Odile , Benchoua Alexandra , Boissart Claire , Lecollinet Sylvie , Richardson Jennifer , Haddad Nadia , Coulpier Muriel
Published: March 2020

Background

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family, Flavivirus genus, which includes several important human pathogens. It is responsible for neurological symptoms that may cause permanent disability or death, and, from a medical point of view, is the major arbovirus in Central/Northern Europe and North-Eastern Asia. TBEV tropism is critical for neuropathogenesis, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms that govern the susceptibility of human brain cells to the virus. In this study, we sought to establish and characterize a new in vitro model of TBEV infection in the human brain and to decipher cell type-specific innate immunity and its relation to TBEV tropism and neuropathogenesis.

Method

Human neuronal/glial cells were differentiated from neural progenitor cells and infected with the TBEV-Hypr strain. Kinetics of infection, cellular tropism, and cellular responses, including innate immune responses, were characterized by measuring viral genome and viral titer, performing immunofluorescence, enumerating the different cellular types, and determining their rate of infection and by performing PCR array and qRT-PCR. The specific response of neurons and astrocytes was analyzed using the same approaches after enrichment of the neuronal/glial cultures for each cellular subtype.

Results

We showed that infection of human neuronal/glial cells mimicked three major hallmarks of TBEV infection in the human brain, namely, preferential neuronal tropism, neuronal death, and astrogliosis. We further showed that these cells conserved their capacity to mount an antiviral response against TBEV. TBEV-infected neuronal/glial cells, therefore, represented a highly relevant pathological model. By enriching the cultures for either neurons or astrocytes, we further demonstrated qualitative and quantitative differential innate immune responses in the two cell types that correlated with their particular susceptibility to TBEV.

Conclusion

Our results thus reveal that cell type-specific innate immunity is likely to contribute to shaping TBEV tropism for human brain cells. They describe a new in vitro model for in-depth study of TBEV-induced neuropathogenesis and improve our understanding of the mechanisms by which neurotropic viruses target and damage human brain cells.
Silence of miR-32-5p promotes endothelial cell viability by targeting KLF2 and serves as a diagnostic biomarker of acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Dai Yunxiang , Yan Tingguo , Gao Yuming
Published: March 2020

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been investigated in various cardiovascular diseases. As a fatal disease, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a serious global health burden. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of miR-32-5p in AMI patients and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to explore novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for AMI.

Methods

A target prediction tool miRanda and the luciferase activity assay were used to confirm the interaction of miR-32-5p with Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2). Effect of miR-32-5p on HUVECs viability was examined using CCK-8 assay. Serum miR-32-5p expression was measured using quantitative Real-Time PCR, and its correlation with myocardial damage and endothelial injury markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines was assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-32-5p in AMI patients.

Results

miR-32-5p, as a direct regulator of KLF2, could suppress the cell proliferation of HUVECs. Serum miR-32-5p expression was elevated in AMI patients and positively correlated with the biomarker levels of myocardial damage and endothelial injury and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The area under the ROC curve for miR-32-5p was 0.949, indicating the relatively high diagnostic accuracy of miR-32-5p in AMI patients.

Conclusion

The data of this study revealed that the increased serum miR-32-5p expression serves as a candidate diagnostic biomarker of AMI, and that miR-32-5p may be involved in the myocardial damage, endothelial injury and inflammatory responses of AMI by targeting KLF2, indicating the potential of miR-32-5p as a diagnostic biomarker and molecular target to improve the treatment of AMI.
Longitudinal survey of microbiome associated with particulate matter in a megacity
Authors: Qin Nan , Liang Peng , Wu Chunyan , Wang Guanqun , Xu Qian , Xiong Xiao , Wang Tingting , Zolfo Moreno , Segata Nicola , Qin Huanlong , Knight Rob , Gilbert Jack A. , Zhu Ting F.
Published: March 2020

Background

While the physical and chemical properties of airborne particulate matter (PM) have been extensively studied, their associated microbiome remains largely unexplored. Here, we performed a longitudinal metagenomic survey of 106 samples of airborne PM2.5 and PM10 in Beijing over a period of 6 months in 2012 and 2013, including those from several historically severe smog events.

Results

We observed that the microbiome composition and functional potential were conserved between PM2.5 and PM10, although considerable temporal variations existed. Among the airborne microorganisms, Propionibacterium acnes, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Lactobacillus amylovorus, and Lactobacillus reuteri dominated, along with several viral species. We further identified an extensive repertoire of genes involved in antibiotic resistance and detoxification, including transporters, transpeptidases, and thioredoxins. Sample stratification based on Air Quality Index (AQI) demonstrated that many microbial species, including those associated with human, dog, and mouse feces, exhibit AQI-dependent incidence dynamics. The phylogenetic and functional diversity of air microbiome is comparable to those of soil and water environments, as its composition likely derives from a wide variety of sources.

Conclusions

Airborne particulate matter accommodates rich and dynamic microbial communities, including a range of microbial elements that are associated with potential health consequences.
Antibiofilm activity of symbiotic Bacillus species associated with marine gastropods
Authors: Viju Nadarajan , Punitha Satniuslas Mary Josephine , Satheesh Sathianeson
Published: March 2020

Purpose

Generally, symbiotic marine bacteria are renowned for the synthesis of compounds with bioactive properties, and this has been documented in many previous studies. Therefore, the present study was aimed to isolate novel bacterial symbionts of gastropods that have the ability to synthesize bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds could be used effectively as antibiofilm agents in order to overcome the problems associated with biofilm.

Methods

The bacteria associated with the surface of marine gastropods were isolated and characterized. Following this, the bacterial metabolites were extracted and their antibiofilm effect was evaluated on biofilm-forming bacteria on artificial substrates. Moreover, the biofilm-forming bacterium Alteromonas sp. was treated with the extracts of symbiotic bacteria in order to evaluate the influence of extracts over the synthesis of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Besides, the biologically active chemical constituents of the extracts were separated using thin-layer chromatography and subjected to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis for characterization.

Results

Three bacterial strains belonging to the species Bacillus firmus, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis were identified from the bacterial community associated with the gastropods. The antibiofilm assays revealed that the extract of three symbiotic bacteria significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the biofilm formation by the marine bacterium Alteromonas sp. on artificial materials. Also, the EPS synthesis by Alteromonas sp. was significantly inhibited due to symbiotic bacterial extract treatment. The chemical composition of the bioactive fraction isolated from the symbiotic bacteria extract revealed that most of the detected compounds were belonging to aromatic acid, fatty acid and carboxylic acid.

Conclusion

The results of this study clearly revealed that the bacteria belonging to the above listed Bacillus species can be considered as a promising source of natural antibiofilm agents.
Correction to: Changes in the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients treated for severe malaria in a referral French university intensive care unit from 2004 to 2017
Authors: Lebut Jordane , Mourvillier Bruno , Argy Nicolas , Dupuis Claire , Vinclair Camille , Radjou Aguila , de Montmollin Etienne , Sinnah Fabrice , Patrier Juliette , Le Bihan Clément , Magalahes Eric , Smonig Roland , Kendjo Eric , Thellier Marc , Ruckly Stéphane , Bouadma Lila , Wolff Michel , Sonneville Romain , Houzé Sandrine , Timsit Jean-François
Published: March 2020

After publication of the original article [1], we were notified that family names have been exchanged with the first names for all authors. Below the name are tagged correctly:
Extended versus inpatient thromboprophylaxis with heparins following major open abdominopelvic surgery for malignancy: a systematic review of efficacy and safety
Authors: Heijkoop B. , Nadi S. , Spernat D. , Kiroff G.
Published: March 2020

Background

Patients undergoing open abdominopelvic procedures for malignancy are at high risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE). This risk can be mitigated with prophylaxis; however, optimum duration in this population remains unknown. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of contemporary literature on the use of heparin thromboprophylaxis following major open pelvic surgery for malignancy, comparing the efficacy and safety of extended duration to inpatient treatment.

Methods

A study protocol describing search strategy and inclusion and exclusion criteria was developed and registered with PROSPERO. A literature review was conducted in accordance with the protocol.

Results

Literature review identified only 4 studies directly comparing extended and inpatient duration prophylaxis, with a combined population of 3198 and 3135 patients for VTE rate and bleeding events, respectively. Despite many studies reporting lower VTE rates in patients receiving extended prophylaxis, no statistically significant difference in rates of postoperative VTE (p = 0.18) or bleeding complications (p = 0.43) was identified between patients receiving extended duration prophylaxis and those receiving inpatient only prophylaxis.

Conclusion

On the review of contemporary literature, no significant difference was found in rates of postoperative VTE or bleeding complications between patients receiving extended duration heparin VTE prophylaxis and those receiving inpatient prophylaxis after open abdominopelvic surgery for malignancy.

This raises the question of how extended duration prophylaxis has become common practice in this population, and whether this needs to be re-evaluated.
Development of a 3D Printer for Concrete Structures: Laboratory Testing of Cementitious Materials
Authors: Jo Jun Ho , Jo Byung Wan , Cho Woohyun , Kim Jung-Hoon
Published: March 2020

This study deals with (a) the development of a prototype 3D printer for concrete structures having a bed size of 1 × 1 × 1 m for a laboratory testing and (b) laboratory testing of cementitious materials with different design mixes to find their suitability and efficacy for the developed 3D printer. In this printer, a program with the concept of computer numerical controlled milling was adopted to control the nozzle motion using an easy graphic user interface program. The experiment was carried out to test mechanical control and proper material properties of the printer. Thus, the optimum values of water-cement ratio of cementitious materials for the 3D concrete printer were determined by experimental trials. Also, the adequate viscosity of the material for layering and dispensing is determined by a slump-flow test. The suitable size of sands for the dispensing system was found through the trials. However, shrinkage cracks occurred during the hardening process for the paste and mortar that polyvinyl alcohol fibers are added to prevent the cracking and build an improved quality 3D printed structure. After suitable and efficient mix ratio is found, compressive strength is measured for the mechanical property. The experiments demonstrated possibility of printing concrete structure using the 3D printer.
Leveraging emergency department visits to connect older adults at risk for malnutrition and food insecurity to community resources: design and protocol development for the BRIDGE study
Authors: Morris Andrea M. , Engelberg Anderson Jessa K. , Schmitthenner Brenda , Aylward Aileen F. , Shams Rayad B. , Hurka-Richardson Karen , Platts-Mills Timothy F.
Published: March 2020

Background

Malnutrition is a complex and costly condition that is common among older adults in the United States (US), with up to half at risk for malnutrition. Malnutrition is associated with several non-medical (i.e., social) factors, including food insecurity. Being at risk for both malnutrition and food insecurity likely identifies a subset of older adults with complex care needs and a high burden of social vulnerability (e.g., difficulty accessing or preparing meals, lack of transportation, and social isolation). US emergency departments (EDs) are a unique and important setting for identifying older patients who may benefit from the provision of health-related social services. This paper describes the protocol development for the Building Resilience and InDependence for Geriatric Patients in the Emergency Department (BRIDGE) study. BRIDGE was designed to assess the feasibility of an ED-based screening process to systematically identify older patients who are at risk for malnutrition and food insecurity and link them to health-related social services to address unmet social needs and support their health and well-being.

Methods

Phase 1 efforts will be formative and focused on identifying screening tools, establishing screening and referral workflows, and conducting initial feasibility testing with a cohort of older patients and ED staff. In phase 2, which includes process and outcome evaluation, the screening and referral process will be piloted in the ED. A partnership will be formed with an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) identified in phase 1, to assess resource needs and identify community-based social services for older ED patients who screen positive for both malnutrition risk and food insecurity. Data on screening, referrals, linkage to community-based social services, and patient-reported quality of life and healthcare utilization will be used to assess feasibility.

Discussion

The tools and workflows developed and tested in this study, as well as learnings related to forming and maintaining cross-sector partnerships, may serve as a model for future efforts to utilize EDs as a setting for bridging the gap between healthcare and social services for vulnerable patients.
Correction to: Genotoxicity assessment of titanium dioxide nanoparticle accumulation of 90 days in the liver of gpt delta transgenic mice
Authors: Suzuki Tetsuya , Miura Nobuhiko , Hojo Rieko , Yanagiba Yukie , Suda Megumi , Hasegawa Tatsuya , Miyagawa Muneyuki , Wang Rui-Sheng
Published: March 2020

In the original publication of this article [1], the author made a correction but wasn’t carried out.
Does a ban on trans fats improve public health: synthetic control evidence from Denmark
Authors: Spruk Rok , Kovac Mitja
Published: March 2020

We examine the impact of the trans fat ban on a variety of public health outcomes. To this end, we consider a de facto trans fat ban that was introduced by Denmark in 2001. Using the synthetic control method, parallel trends between Denmark and countries in a control group in the years prior to the ban are used to construct a “synthetic Denmark” without any such trans fat ban. Our synthetic control estimates suggest the ban led to substantial improvements in public health. Following the ban, cardiovascular mortality dropped considerably, while the trends of adolescent and child obesity came to a halt and decreased significantly compared to the synthetic control group. Our findings provide new insights into the benefits for public health arising from the banning of trans fats.
Off the Margins
Authors: Yongbai Tao
Published: March 2020

This article offers a chronological survey of the development of women’s art in China between 1990 and 2010. Outlining the historical circumstances that first resulted in the dearth of a female consciousness in Chinese art until the end of the twentieth century, this article touches on the divergent roots of the women’s liberation movement and western feminism, the Maoist era’s negation of femininity, and the lingering patriarchal structure of art institutions. It was only after a series of groundbreaking exhibitions exploring the female psyche in the 1990s that women artists found a space to voice their female subjectivities, and still they struggled to resist the slippery essentialism of a “women’s art” fad. The new millennium saw women artists expanding their thematic horizons, breaching important political and social issues as well as such subjects as ecology, astronomy, gemology, and urbanization, with many forgoing the label of feminist—or even women’s—art. Each sought to transcend the limitations of personal experience and achieve a greater human resonance. This study examines the work of thirteen women artists whose careers are relatively unknown in the English language, ultimately delving into the complex relationships among sex, gender, humanity, and art in contemporary China.
Metropolis Ecologies
Authors: Cheng Meiling
Published: March 2020

This article takes an ecological approach to Beijing-based artist Yin Xiuzhen’s cross-media artworks, which comprise installations, performances, and inhabitable sculptures. Yin’s creative outputs—from her earliest installations that bemoan the vanishing old Beijing, through her Portable Cities series that uses fabric architecture to convey her impressions of world cities, to her latest “ecoengineering” projects that provide contemplative spaces for viewers to temporarily inhabit—delineate the career trajectory of an individual female artist establishing her position within the contemporary art world. The author’s inquiry suggests that Yin’s reluctance to embrace her gender identity as central to her ecological art reflects her species-based environmental ethics that goes beyond identity politics. Yin’s ecological focus manifests her situated knowledge as a metropolitan resident living and traveling in a glocalized era. While we may debate about the feasibility of (en)gendering her art, many of Yin’s ecology-leaning solutions point to urgent ecological imperatives that are much less negotiable for our continued terrestrial survival.
Defining a Female Subjectivity
Authors: Blanchard Lara C. W.
Published: March 2020

Cui Xiuwen (b. 1970) and Yu Hong (b. 1966) are contemporary Chinese artists whose images of women reflect a complicated gendered perspective. This article focuses on Cui’s Ladies’ Room (2000) and Yu’s Female Writer (2004, from the series She). Both can be construed as feminist reinterpretations of Chinese works of the imperial era that represented idealized female figures from a male perspective. Ladies’ Room, a video that shows behind-the-scenes images of sex workers in a nightclub washroom, brings to mind earlier paintings that depict women in feminine space. Ladies’ Room, however, incorporates multiple female gazes: not only that of the artist but also those of the subjects, who look at each other and at their own mirror reflections. Female Writer, a diptych consisting of a photograph and painting of the writer Zhao Bo, recalls paintings from the “beautiful women” genre. Though both photograph and painting reflect Yu Hong’s point of view, Zhao Bo was permitted to select her photograph, and thus the work engages with both author’s and subject’s gaze. Ladies’ Room and Female Writer both reclaim female subjectivity as they present images of contemporary Chinese women while also grappling with problems of authenticity, the public/private dichotomy, identity, and self-expression.
Wrapped Body and Masked Face
Authors: Cui Shuqin
Published: March 2020

Taking Liu Manwen’s self-portraiture series, especially her Ordinary Life and Monologue, as examples, this article argues that the self-subject via self-portraiture comes to terms through social-cultural constitution and visual articulation. With face masked and body wrapped, Liu Manwen’s self-portraiture locates a troubled self against familial relations and social-cultural confinement and searches for self-expression through mirror reflection and spatial articulation. Issues specific to the discussion include spatial anxiety, where the self reconciles familial place and social space; psychological exploration, where the split self negotiates between the symbolic and the semiotic through mirror reflection; and bodily disguise, where the self conceals and reveals troubled identity through a masked face and bandage-wrapped body.
Temperature affects susceptibility of intertidal limpets to bird predation
Authors: Pound Rachel J. , Miller Luke P. , King Felicia A. , Burnaford Jennifer L.
Published: March 2020

High temperatures resulting in physiological stress and the reduced ability to resist predation can have life-or-death consequences for an organism. We investigated the effects of temperature on the susceptibility to predation for an ectothermic intertidal mollusc (the owl limpet, Lottia gigantea Sowerby) and its predator, the black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani Audubon). The ability of L. gigantea to resist bird predation during low tide is determined by the tenacity of attachment to the rock. We developed a transducer to measure the force of predatory attacks on limpets by a captive black oystercatcher and tested the hypothesis that exposure to warm temperatures during low tide emersion would affect the limpet's ability to resist dislodgement in trials with a morphometrically accurate beak mimic and a live bird. In beak mimic trials, four times as many limpets exposed to warm low tides were removed, as compared to limpets exposed to cool low tides or in ‘no low tide’ submerged conditions. Minimum time before limpet removal in captive bird trials was more than six times longer for limpets in cool low tide or no low tide treatments compared to limpets in the warm low tide treatment. We measured shear forces up to 36.63 N during predatory strikes. These direct measurements of the forces exerted by a living oystercatcher provide context for interactions with multiple prey species. Our data suggest that naturally occurring variation in body temperatures among individual prey items in the field could be an important driver of predator-prey interactions and subsequently community patterns.