bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Root Crack Identification of Sun Gear in Planetary Gear System Combining Fault Dynamics with VMD Algorithm
Authors: Fan Hongwei , Yang Yiqing , Ma Hongwei , Zhang Xuhui , Wan Xiang , Cao Xiangang , Mao Qinghua , Zhang Chao , Liu Qi
Published: May 2021

Planetary gearbox is widely used in various low‐speed machines due to its large transmission ratio. However, the gears in a planetary gearbox are prone to the mechanical faults due to the complex dynamic heavy load. Vibration frequencies caused by an early tooth root crack of sun gear are usually difficult to accurately extract, so its fault diagnosis is one of the main challenges of planetary gearbox reliability. In this paper, a simplified tooth root crack model of sun gear is proposed, and then a rigid‐flexible coupled dynamics model of the whole planetary gear system is constructed. By the numerical simulation, the fault frequencies caused by a tooth root crack of sun gear are obtained. A Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) algorithm for the vibration frequency extraction is proposed. The measured vibration signals are decomposed into the sparse Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) by the VMD, and then the IMFs are further analyzed by the spectral method to accurately extract the crack‐induced frequency components. The experimental results show that the proposed dynamics model and VMD method are feasible; an error between the characteristic frequencies from the tested signal analysis and the theoretical calculation is less than 1%.
Three-Dimensional Morphology and Connectivity of Organic Pores in Shale from the Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations at the Southeast Sichuan Basin in China
Authors: Jiang Tao , Jin Zhijun , Hu Zongquan , Du Wei , Liu Zhongbao , Zhao Jianhua
Published: May 2021

Organic pores play an important role in shale reservoirs. Organic pores occur where shale gas was produced and accumulated. However, there is little scientific understanding of the distribution and connectivity of organic pores. Organic pore types and their structural characteristics were studied using a total organic carbon (TOC), thin section, focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), and nano-CT. The samples were from the Wufeng Formation in the Upper Ordovician and Longmaxi Formations from the lower Silurian. The results show that organic matter is mainly concentrated in the Wufeng Formation and the bottom of the Longmaxi Formation and that the middle and upper parts of the Longmaxi Formation contain a low amount of organic matter. The shale of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation has high maturity, and its organic pores are well developed. There are three types of organic pores: algae, graptolite, and pyrobitumen pores. The pore connectivity of shale with a high organic content is better than that of shale with a low organic content. The volume of the organic pores accounts for more than 50% of the volume of the organic matter. Majority of the organic pores have an aperture smaller than 100 nm and are round, nearly circular, and elliptical in morphology. Most of the organic pores in a shale formation are developed in pyrobitumen, and most of the larger organic pores are concentrated at the center of solid pyrobitumen. The organic pores in pyrobitumen have the best connectivity and are the most favorable reservoir spaces and migration channels for shale gas, which is a crucial point of reference for future research of shale gas.
Towards a Smart Privacy-Preserving Incentive Mechanism for Vehicular Crowd Sensing
Authors: Wang Lingling , Cao Zhongda , Zhou Peng , Zhao Xueqin
Published: May 2021

Vehicular crowd sensing is a promising approach to address the problem of traffic data collection by leveraging the power of vehicles. In various applications of vehicular crowd sensing, there exist two burning issues. First, privacy can be easily compromised when a vehicle is performing a crowd sensing task. Second, vehicles have no incentive to submit high-quality data due to the lack of fairness, which means that everyone gets the same paid, regardless of the quality of the submitted data. To address these issues, we propose a smart privacy-preserving incentive mechanism (SPPIM) for vehicular crowd sensing. Specifically, we first propose a new SPPIM model for the scenario of vehicular crowd sensing via smart contract on the blockchain. Then, we design a privacy-preserving incentive mechanism based on budget-limited reverse auction. Anonymous authentication based on zero-knowledge proof is utilized to ensure the privacy preservation of vehicles. To ensure fairness, the reward payments of winning vehicles are determined by not only the bids of vehicles but also their reputation and the data quality. Then, any rewarded vehicle can get the fair payment; on the contrary, malicious vehicles or task initiators will be punished. Finally, SPPIM is implemented by using smart contracts written via Solidity on a local Ethereum blockchain network. Both security analysis and experimental results show that the proposed SPPIM achieves privacy preservation and fair incentives at acceptable execution costs.
A Method Combining Fractal Analysis and Single Channel ICA for Vibration Noise Reduction
Authors: Lu Quanbo , Li Mei
Published: May 2021

Aiming at the problem that real engineering vibration signals are interfered by strong noise, this paper proposes a method combining single channel‐independent component analysis (SCICA) and fractal analysis (FD) to reduce the effect of noise on the time‐frequency analysis of vibration signals. First, phase space reconstruction is performed on the vibration signal to make the proper input for ICA algorithm. The original is then decomposed into several component signals. The fractal dimension of each component signals is calculated to determine whether the signal should be considered noise. Noisy component signals are then processed by wavelet denoising. Finally, the output signal after noise reduction is reconstructed using the filtered “right” component signals. This paper uses the method to analyze real noisy vibration signal. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Simulation and Experiment of a Kind of Thin‐Walled Tube Crushing Member Used for Antiimpact Column
Authors: Wang Cheng‐long , Chen Yifang , Zeng QingLiang , Liu Guoming
Published: May 2021

In order to solve the problem of poor antiimpact ability of hydraulic support under rock bursting, a kind of thin‐walled cylinder crushing component used in the composite spiral antiimpact device was developed, and different structural models were proposed and simulated. On this basis, the model was verified by experiments. The results show that the arrangement of the hollow structure can restrain the ring mode deformation and Euler instability of the tube member in the crushing yield and can carry out the buckling deformation according to the expected crushing force during the compression deformation process and effectively reduce the initial peak force. The arrangement of guide grooves can make the buckling deformation more stable and regular, which can effectively reduce the initial peak force and elastic displacement. With the smaller wall thickness and the smaller wall thickness of the induced groove, the effective deformation yield stroke of the crushing member increases, and the initial peak force, total energy absorption, average reaction force, and elastic displacement decrease. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental results which will be used in the future works.
Reference Values for DXA-Derived Visceral Adipose Tissue in Adults 40 Years and Older from a European Population: The Tromsø Study 2015–2016
Authors: Lundblad Marie W. , Jacobsen Bjarne K. , Johansson Jonas , De Lucia Rolfe Emanuella , Grimsgaard Sameline , Hopstock Laila A.
Published: May 2021

Background. Reference values for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) are needed and it has been advocated that body composition measures depend on both the technique and methods applied, as well as the population of interest. We aimed to develop reference values for VAT in absolute grams (VATg), percent (VAT%), and as a kilogram-per-meters-squared index (VATindex) for women and men, and investigate potential differences between these measures and their associations with cardiometabolic risk factors (including metabolic syndrome (MetS)). Methods. In the seventh survey of the population-based Tromsø Study, 3675 participants (aged 40–84, 59% women) attended whole-body DXA scans (Lunar Prodigy GE) from where VAT was derived. We used descriptive analysis, correlations, receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and logistic regression to propose reference values for VAT and investigated VAT’s association with cardiometabolic risk factors, MetS and single MetS components. Further, Youden’s index was used to suggest threshold values for VAT. Results. VATg and VATindex increased until age 70 and then decreased, while VAT% increased with age across all age groups. VAT (all measurement units) was moderate to highly correlated and significantly associated with all cardiometabolic risk factors, except for total cholesterol. Associations between MetS, single MetS components, and VATg and VATindex were similar, and VAT% did not contribute any further to this association. Conclusion. These VAT reference values and thresholds, developed in a sample of adults of Norwegian origin, could be applied to other studies with similar populations using the same DXA device and protocols. The associations between VAT and cardiometabolic risk factors were similar across different measurement units of VAT.
Optimize the Communication Cost of 5G Internet of Vehicles through Coherent Beamforming Technology
Authors: Wu Lan , Xu Juan , Shi Lei , Shi Yi , Zhou Wenwen
Published: May 2021

Edge computing, which sinks a large number of complex calculations into edge servers, can effectively meet the requirement of low latency and bandwidth efficiency and can be conducive to the development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). However, a large number of edge servers mean a big cost, especially for the 5G scenario in IoV, because of the small coverage of 5G base stations. Fortunately, coherent beamforming (CB) technology enables fast and long‐distance transmission, which gives us a possibility to reduce the number of 5G base stations without losing the whole network performance. In this paper, we try to adopt the CB technology on the IoV 5G scenario. We suppose we can arrange roadside nodes for helping transferring tasks of vehicles to the base station based on the CB technology. We first give the mathematical model and prove that it is a NP‐hard model that cannot be solved directly. Therefore, we design a heuristic algorithm for an Iterative Coherent Beamforming Node Design (ICBND) algorithm to obtain the approximate optimal solution. Simulation results show that this algorithm can greatly reduce the cost of communication network infrastructure.
Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection
Authors: Hassan Saber , Samuel Rohit , Starovoytov Andrew , Lee Carolyn , Aymong Eve , Saw Jacqueline
Published: May 2021

Objectives. To compare outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) patients versus conservative therapy. Background. SCAD is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI) in young-to-middle-aged women. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is often pursued, but outcomes compared to conservative therapy are unclear. Methods. 403 nonatherosclerotic SCAD patients were enrolled between 2011 and 2017 and prospectively followed up in our Vancouver General Hospital registries. Detailed baseline, hospital, PCI, and outcomes were recorded. We explored the outcomes of SCAD patients who underwent PCI during their initial presentation. Results. PCI was performed in 75 patients, the average age was 48.9 ± 10.1 yrs, and 94.7% were women. All presented with MI; 50.7% STEMI, 49.3% NSTEMI, and 13.3% had VT/VF. PCI was successful in 34.7%, partially successful in 37.3%, and unsuccessful in 28.0%. Stents were deployed in 73.3%, 16.0% had balloon angioplasty alone, 10.7% had wiring attempts only, and 5.3% required bailout surgery. Major adverse cardiovascular event rates (MACE) were significantly higher with the PCI group in hospital (29.3% versus 2.8%,

p
<
0.001

), and at median follow-up of 3.7 yrs (58.7% versus 22.6% (

p
<
0.001

) compared to the non-PCI group. Conclusion. PCI in SCAD patients was associated with high failure rate and MACE in hospital and at long-term follow-up. These findings support the recommendation of conservative therapy as first-line management unless high-risk features are present.
Business Owners’ Feedback toward Adoption of Open Data: A Case Study in Kuwait
Authors: Alawadhi Nayef , Al Shaikhli Imad , Alkandari Abdulrahman , Kalaie Chab Siba
Published: May 2021

The world intention toward open data technology has increased in the past years, and governments started to explore open data technology in the public and private sectors and tried to check its advantages and disadvantages. However, in the Arab world and especially in Kuwait, there is no solid structured attention about the technology in both sectors. As a result, we tried in this paper to determine if business owners in Kuwait have enough knowledge of the open data (OD) concept and if they have the willingness to use it for enhancing their services. The purpose of this research is to measure the acceptance of OD technology in Kuwait and to gather business owners' opinions about the ability to adopt the OD concept. Making online and hardcopy survey was our method for gathering different reactions and points of view about this technology. We intended to focus on the private sector and we targeted people who own a business and wish to introduce better services for their customers. Overall, the results have shown clear features about open data technology in Kuwait and the substantial need of education and awareness of the importance of this technology. The results of this study may positively and directly affect the level of motivation for other existing studies.
Large‐Scale Evolutionary Strategy Based on Gradient Approximation
Authors: Jin Jin
Published: May 2021

For large‐scale optimization, CMA‐ES has the disadvantages of high complexity and premature stagnation. An improved CMA‐ES algorithm called GI‐ES was proposed in this paper. For the problem of high complexity, the method in this paper replaces the calculation of a covariance matrix with the modeling of expected fitting degrees for a given covariance matrix. At the same time, to solve the problem of premature stagnation, this paper replaces the historical information of elite individuals with the historical information of all individuals. The information can be seen as approximate gradients. The parameters of the next generation of individuals are generated based on the approximate gradients. The experimental results were tested using CEC 2010 and CEC2013 LSGO benchmark test suite, and the experimental results verified the effectiveness of the algorithm on a number of different tasks.
Fixed Point Results for Generalized Fuzzy Contractive Mappings in Fuzzy Metric Spaces with Application in Integral Equations
Authors: Mohammadi Babak , Hussain Azhar , Parvaneh Vahid , Saleem Naeem , Shahkoohi Rogheieh Jalal
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we introduce generalized

α

-

η

-fuzzy contractive mappings and generalized

β

-

ζ

-fuzzy contractive mappings and prove existence of fixed point for such mappings. Our results generalize and improve the recent work of Gopal and Vetro (Iranian journal of fuzzy systems, 11 (2014), 95–107). Some equivalent conditions of our results are presented. Also, an example is given to support our new results.
Machine Vision and Big Data-Driven Sports Athletes Action Training Intervention Model
Authors: Jiang Hui , Ping wang  , Peng Lei , Wang Xiaofeng
Published: May 2021

In recent years, athlete action recognition has become an important research field for showing and recognition of athlete actions. Generally speaking, movement recognition of athletes can be performed through a variety of modes, such as motion sensors, machine vision, and big data analysis. Among them, machine vision and big data analysis usually contain significant information which can be used for various purposes. Machine vision can be expressed as the recognition of the time sequence of a series of athlete actions captured through camera, so that it can intervene in the training of athletes by visual methods and approaches. Big data contains a large number of athletes’ historical training and competition data which need exploration. In-depth analysis and feature mining of big data will help coach teams to develop training plans and devise new suggestions. On the basis of the above observations, this paper proposes a novel spatiotemporal attention map convolutional network to identify athletes’ actions, and through the auxiliary analysis of big data, gives reasonable action intervention suggestions, and provides coaches and decision-making teams to formulate scientific training programs. Results of the study show the effectiveness of the proposed research.
The Effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza on Reproduction and Metabolism in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shen Wenjuan , Jin Bao , Han Yaguang , Wang Hongwei , Jiang Huan , Zhu Linlin , Han Mei , Zhang Jiao , Zhang Yang
Published: May 2021

Objective. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. As a traditional medicine, Salvia miltiorrhiza (S. miltiorrhiza) has been widely used in the treatment of many gynecological diseases, but the efficacy of S. miltiorrhiza in women with PCOS has not been assessed. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of S. miltiorrhiza in women with PCOS. Methods. We conducted searches in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and the Chinese BioMedical database from inception to December 23, 2020, to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the evidence was estimated using the Cochrane Reviewer Handbook 5.0.0, and the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3.5 software. Results. Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 390 patients with PCOS were included. The studies suggested that S. miltiorrhiza extract combined with letrozole (LET) was more effective in improving pregnancy rate (RR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.06 to 6.39,

P
=
0.04

) compared to LET alone. S. miltiorrhiza extract was associated with decreased fasting blood glucose (MD: –0.25, 95% CI: –0.37 to –0.13,

P
<
0.0001

), fasting insulin (MD: –1.16, 95% CI: –1.74 to –0.58,

P
<
0.0001

), total cholesterol (TC) (MD: –0.58, 95% CI: –0.72 to –0.43,

P
<
0.00001

), and triglycerides (TG) (MD: –0.31, 95% CI: –0.35 to –0.26,

P
<
0.00001

) compared with placebo, but not with improvements in body mass index or waist-to-hip ratio (MD: –1.41, 95% CI: –4.81 to 2.00,

P
=
0.42

; MD: –0.02, 95% CI: –0.05 to 0.01,

P
=
0.16

, respectively). There was a significant difference between S. miltiorrhiza extract combined with cyproterone acetate (CPA) and CPA alone in terms of decreasing TC (MD: –0.77, 95% CI: –0.89 to –0.65,

P
<
0.00001

), TG (MD: –0.43, 95% CI: –0.65 to –0.20,

P
<
0.0001

), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD: –0.49, 95% CI: –0.66 to –0.33,

P
<
0.00001

) and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.40,

P
<
0.00001

). In addition, S. miltiorrhiza extract also decreased testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. The studies did not mention any adverse events with S. miltiorrhiza extract. Conclusion. The current studies indicate that S. miltiorrhiza has beneficial effects on reproduction and glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with PCOS, and it is generally safe for clinical application. However, more prospective RCTs with large samples, multiple centers, and longer intervention duration are needed in the future to obtain more reliable conclusions.
Finite Element Analysis on Acoustic and Mechanical Performance of Flexible Perforated Honeycomb‐Corrugation Hybrid Sandwich Panel
Authors: Hu Jiaming , Wang Junyi , Xie Yu , Shi Chenzhi , Chen Yun
Published: May 2021

Since proposed, the perforated honeycomb‐corrugation sandwich panel has attracted a lot of attention due to its superior broadband sound absorption at low frequencies and excellent mechanical stiffness/strength. However, most existing studies have assumed a structure made of high‐strength materials and studied its performance based on the ideal rigid‐wall model with little consideration for acoustic‐structure interaction, thereby neglecting the structural vibrations caused by the material’s elasticity. In this paper, we developed a more realistic model considering the solid structural dynamics using the finite element method (FEM) and by applying aluminum and rubber as the structural material. The enhancement of the low‐frequency performance and inhibition of broadband absorption coexisted in low‐strength rubbers, implying a compromise in the selection of Young′s modulus to balance these two influences. Further analysis on thermal‐viscous dissipation, mechanical energy, and average structural stress indicated that the structure should work right below the resonant frequency for optimization. Based on these findings, we designed a novel aluminum‐rubber composite structure possessing enhanced low‐frequency absorption, high resistance to shear load, normal compression, and thermal expansion. Our research is expected to shed some light on noise control and the design of multifunctional acoustic metamaterials.
The Mechanism Underlying the Extreme Sensitivity of Duck to Aflatoxin B1
Authors: Wu Kuntan , Liu Minjie , Wang Huanbin , Rajput Shahid Ali , Shan Yajing , Qi Desheng , Wang Shuai
Published: May 2021

Most metabolites of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), especially exo‐AFB1‐8,9‐epoxide (AFBO), can induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to vary degrees, causing oxidative stress and liver damage, and ultimately induce liver cancer in humans and animals. Duck is one of the most sensitive animals to AFB1, and severe economic losses are caused by duck AFB1 poisoning every year, but the exact mechanism of this high sensitivity is still unclear. This review highlights significant advances in our understanding of the AFB1 metabolic activation, like cytochrome P450s (CYPs), and AFB1 metabolic detoxification, like glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs) in poultry. In addition, AFB1 may have other metabolic pathways in poultry, such as the mutual conversion of AFB1 and aflatoxicol (AFL) and the process of AFBO to produce AFB1‐8,9‐dihydrodiol (AFB1‐dhd) and further metabolize it into detoxification substances. This review also summarized some exogenous regulatory substances that can alleviate AFB1‐induced oxidative stress.
Integrating Electronic Health Record, Cancer Registry, and Geospatial Data to Study Lung Cancer in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Ethnic Groups
Authors: DeRouen Mindy C. , Thompson Caroline A. , Canchola Alison J. , Jin Anqi , Nie Sixiang , Wong Carmen , Jain Jennifer , Lichtensztajn Daphne Y. , Li Yuqing , Allen Laura , Patel Manali I. , Daida Yihe G. , Luft Harold S. , Shariff-Marco Salma , Reynolds Peggy , Wakelee Heather A. , Liang Su-Ying , Waitzfelder Beth E. , Cheng Iona , Gomez Scarlett L.
Published: May 2021

Background:

A relatively high proportion of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) females with lung cancer have never smoked. We used an integrative data approach to assemble a large-scale cohort to study lung cancer risk among AANHPIs by smoking status with attention to representation of specific AANHPI ethnic groups.

Methods:

We leveraged electronic health records (EHRs) from two healthcare systems—Sutter Health in northern California and Kaiser Permanente Hawai'i—that have high representation of AANHPI populations. We linked EHR data on lung cancer risk factors (i.e., smoking, lung diseases, infections, reproductive factors, and body size) to data on incident lung cancer diagnoses from statewide population-based cancer registries of California and Hawai'i for the period between 2000 and 2013. Geocoded address data were linked to data on neighborhood contextual factors and regional air pollutants.

Results:

The dataset comprises over 2.2 million adult females and males of any race/ethnicity. Over 250,000 are AANHPI females (19.6% of the female study population). Smoking status is available for over 95% of individuals. The dataset includes 7,274 lung cancer cases, including 613 cases among AANHPI females. Prevalence of never-smoking status varied greatly among AANHPI females with incident lung cancer, from 85.7% among Asian Indian to 14.4% among Native Hawaiian females.

Conclusion:

We have developed a large, multilevel dataset particularly well-suited to conduct prospective studies of lung cancer risk among AANHPI females who never smoked.

Impact:

The integrative data approach is an effective way to conduct cancer research assessing multilevel factors on cancer outcomes among small populations.
Association between Laryngopharyngeal Reflux and Vocal Fold Leukoplakia
Authors: Lu Guowei , Ding Xiu , Xu Wen
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Vocal fold leukoplakia (VFL) has a risk of malignant transformation, and the underlying mechanisms are currently unrecognized. Some clinical evidence has indicated that laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) probably plays a critical role. Objective: To explore the risk factors associated with the occurrence of VFL and to investigate the importance of LPR in VFL and its different pathological types using 24-h multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring. Materials and Methods: Eighty-one patients with VFL and 27 healthy volunteers were recruited. General information and LPR parameters were analyzed. Results: The monitoring showed that 35.8% (29/81) of patients had acidic LPR and that 43.2% (35/81) had weakly acidic LPR. Heavy drinking (odds ratio = 4.004, p = 0.037) and acidic LPR (odds ratio = 4.471, p = 0.029) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of VFL. Acidic LPR showed a strong correlation with the Reflux Finding Score (p < 0.05) in patients suspected of having LPR based on the scale score. Meanwhile, weakly acidic LPR parameters increased with the severity of pathological degrees which were higher in high-grade dysplasia (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study confirms the importance of LPR in VFL. Heavy drinking patients with VFL, particularly those with acidic LPR, should undergo intensive treatment. Meanwhile, weakly acidic LPR may play a critical role in the pathological changes in VFL.
Location, Location, Location: The Role of Objective Neighborhood Characteristics for Perceptions of Control
Authors: Drewelies Johanna , Eibich Peter , Düzel Sandra , Kühn Simone , Krekel Christian , Goebel Jan , Kolbe Jens , Demuth Ilja , Lindenberger Ulman , Wagner Gert G. , Gerstorf Denis
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Control beliefs can protect against age-related declines in functioning. It is unclear whether neighborhood characteristics shape how much control people perceive over their life. This article studies associations of neighborhood characteristics with control beliefs of residents of a diverse metropolitan area (Berlin, Germany). Methods: We combine self-report data about perceptions of control obtained from participants in the Berlin Aging Study II (N = 507, 60–87 years, 51% women) with multisource geo-referenced indicators of neighborhood characteristics using linear regression models. Results: Findings indicate that objective neighborhood characteristics (i.e., unemployment rate) are indeed tied to perceptions of control, in particular, how much control participants feel others have over their lives. Including neighborhood characteristics in part doubled the amount of explained variance compared with a reference model covarying for demographic characteristics only (from R2 = 0.017 to R2 = 0.030 for internal control beliefs; R2 = 0.056 to R2 = 0.102 for external control beliefs in chance; R2 = 0.006 to R2 = 0.030 for external control beliefs in powerful others). Discussion/Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of access to neighborhood resources for control beliefs across old age and can inform interventions to build up neighborhood characteristics which might be especially helpful in residential areas with high unemployment.
COVID-19 in Gastroenterology Departments: The Impact of the First Wave
Authors: Leal Tiago , Gonçalves Margarida , Mocanu Irina , Carvalho Rita , Glória Luísa ,   on behalf of the Núcleo de Gastroenterologia dos Hospitais Distritais
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has severely affected health care systems around the world. During the emergency state declared in Portugal in the months of March and April 2020, there was a severe reduction in medical activity in order to reduce the pressure on health systems. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 in gastroenterology departments across Portugal and the strategies developed to overcome this challenge. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on an online survey. A detailed questionnaire concerning different aspects of gastroenterology department activity was sent via e-mail to the heads of gastroenterology departments of Portuguese District Hospitals (Núcleo de Gastroenterologia dos Hospitais Distritais). Two periods were assessed, i.e., the emergency state and the recovery period between May and September. The responses were collected between September and October 2020. Results: A total of 21 hospitals were enrolled (80.8% response rate). Twenty-eight percent of the responders reported healthcare professionals from their unit infected with COVID-19. At least 1 member (mostly fellows) of the department was deployed to another workplace in 66.7% of the hospitals. During the emergency state, 47.6% of the hospitals only performed urgent/emergent endoscopic procedures. In 38.5% of the hospitals the need to ration personal protective equipment led to the suspension of endoscopic training. Regarding the recovery period, nonurgent procedures were restarted in almost all of the centers. The same was reported for the colorectal cancer screening program. Remarkably, 81% of the responders confirmed that they had postponed procedures at patients’ request for “fear of getting infected.” Remote consultation was maintained in 81% of the hospitals. Globally, the fellows had resumed their training. Discussion/Conclusion: This study provides a snapshot of the impact and consequences of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic across Portuguese hospitals. It is important to understand how the gastroenterology world dealt with the first impact of COVID-19 and what strategies were implemented in order to better prepare for what might follow.
The Geriatric Medication Game to Raise Community Pharmacists’ Awareness on Older Adults’ Day-to-Day Challenges
Authors: Badr Aisha F.
Published: May 2021

Introduction: In Saudi Arabia; it is estimated that the elderly (aged 60 and above) would reach up to (22.9%) by 2050, compared to (5.6%) in 2017. Simulation games have proven to be a useful and effective method of education in pharmacy schools, as it actively involves participants in the learning process. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the modified geriatric medication game on community pharmacists’ awareness and attitudes toward older adults with common disabilities. Methods: A modified geriatric medication game was adopted to stimulate both physical and sensory disabilities in older adults. A total of 9 community pharmacists were gathered in 1 room and were asked to play 2 scenarios each. Self-reflection was assessed and ground theories were analyzed. Results: All pharmacists felt frustration and anger playing the game (100%), followed by becoming more aware of the extra time and guidance needed with older adults and realized how disabling chronic diseases could be, and felt they needed to improve common perceived attitude towards the elderly (88.89%). Pharmacists also felt empathy, sympathy, and compassion towards this population, needed improvement of common perceived attitude towards older adults, and felt the need to double check with older adults if they have any disabilities before counseling (77.78%). Finally, over half pharmacists (55.5%) wished they had more training on geriatrics during pharmacy school and the need for further review of Beer’s criteria. All pharmacists were satisfied with the game and recommended it to all community pharmacists. Conclusion: Simulation games are a great way to strengthen awareness and change practice accordingly. Pharmacists improved their awareness and attitude towards the elderly and reported a positive perceived value of this learning activity; with a 100% satisfaction rate. Adding a geriatric course with simulation component is recommended for better geriatric care.
Text Message Medication Adherence Reminders Automated and Delivered at Scale Across Two Institutions: Testing the Nudge System: Pilot Study
Authors: Luong Phat , Glorioso Thomas J. , Grunwald Gary K. , Peterson Pamela , Allen Larry A. , Khanna Amber , Waughtal Joy , Sandy Lisa , Ho P. Michael , Bull Sheana
Published: May 2021

Background:

Medication refill behavior in patients with cardiovascular diseases is suboptimal. Brief behavioral interventions called Nudges may impact medication refill behavior and can be delivered at scale to patients using text messaging.

Methods:

Patients who were prescribed and filled at least one medication for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease were identified for the pilot study. Patients eligible for the pilot (N=400) were enrolled with an opportunity to opt out. In phase I of the pilot, we tested text message delivery to 60 patients. In phase II, we tested intervention feasibility by identifying those with refill gap of ≥7 days and randomized them to intervention or control arms. Patients were texted Nudges and assessed whether they refilled their medications.

Results:

Of 400 patients sent study invitations, 56 (14%) opted out. In phase I, we successfully delivered text messages to 58 of 60 patients and captured patient responses via text. In phase II, 207 of 286 (72.4%) patients had a medication gap ≥7 days for one or more cardiovascular medications and were randomized to intervention or control. Enrolled patients averaged 61.7 years old, were primarily male (69.1%) and White (72.5%) with hypertension being the most prevalent qualifying condition (78.7%). There was a trend towards intervention patients being more likely to refill at least 1 gapping medication (30.6% versus 18.0%;
P
=0.12) and all gapping medications (17.8% versus 10.0%;
P
=0.27).

Conclusions:

It is possible to set up automated processes within health care delivery systems to identify patients with gaps in medication adherence and send Nudges to facilitate medication refills. Text message Nudges could potentially be a feasible and effective method to facilitate medication refills. A large multi-site randomized trial to determine the impact of text-based Nudges on overall CVD morbidity and mortality is now underway to explore this further.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03973931.
Does Lowering Low‐Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Statin Restore Low Risk in Middle‐Aged Adults? Analysis of the Observational MESA Study
Authors: Liu Kiang , Wilkins John T. , Colangelo Laura A. , Lloyd‐Jones Donald M.
Published: May 2021

Background

It is unclear if statin therapy in midlife can restore low cardiovascular risk in hypercholesterolemic individuals.

Methods and Results

At baseline, we grouped 5687 MESA (Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) participants aged ≥50 years without clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) by Adult Treatment Panel III statin treatment recommendation and statin treatment status. We used Cox regression to compare the risks for coronary heart disease and CVD between the untreated group with low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) <100 mg/dL (reference) and other groups, adjusting for CVD risk factors. We also grouped participants by LDL‐C level (< or ≥100 mg/dL), coronary artery calcium score (0 or >0 Agatston units), and statin status (untreated or treated) with the untreated LDL‐C <100 mg/dL and coronary artery calcium=0 Agatston units as the reference. There were 567 coronary heart disease and 848 CVD events over 15 years of follow‐up. The hazard ratios (HRs) for coronary heart disease and CVD in the group with statin‐treated LDL‐C <100 mg/dL were 1.16 (95% CI, 0.85–1.58) and 1.02 (95% CI, 0.78–1.32), respectively. However, participants with coronary artery calcium >0 Agatston units, treated to LDL‐C <100 mg/dL had HRs of 2.6 (95% CI, 1.7–4.2) for coronary heart disease and 1.8 (95% CI, 1.2–2.6) for CVD.

Conclusions

Individuals treated with statins to LDL‐C <100 mg/dL had similar levels of risk for atherosclerotic CVD as individuals with untreated LDL‐C <100 mg/dL. However, individuals with coronary artery calcium >0 Agatston units have substantially higher risks despite lipid‐lowering therapy, suggesting that statin treatment in midlife may not restore a low‐risk state in primary prevention patients with established coronary atherosclerosis.
Factor V Leiden Does Not Modify the Phenotype of Acute Coronary Syndrome or the Extent of Myocardial Necrosis
Authors: Mahmoodi Bakhtawar K. , Eriksson Niclas , Vos Gerrit J. A. , Meijer Karina , Siegbahn Agneta , James Stefan , Wallentin Lars , ten Berg Jurriën M.
Published: May 2021

Background

The prothrombotic defect factor V Leiden (FVL) may confer higher risk of ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), compared with non–ST‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndrome, and may be associated with more myocardial necrosis caused by higher thrombotic burden.

Methods and Results

Patients without history of cardiovascular disease were selected from 2 clinical trials conducted in patients with acute coronary syndrome. FVL was defined as G‐to‐A substitution at nucleotide 1691 in the factor V (factor V R506Q) gene. Odds ratios were calculated for the association of FVL with STEMI adjusted for age and sex in the overall population and in the subgroups including sex, age (≥70 versus <70 years), and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The peak biomarker levels (ie, creatine kinase‐myocardial band and high‐sensitivity troponin I or T) after STEMI were contrasted between FVL carriers and noncarriers. Because of differences in troponin assays, peak high‐sensitivity troponin levels were converted to a ratio scale. The prevalence of FVL mutation was comparable in patients with STEMI (6.0%) and non–ST‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndrome (5.8%). The corresponding sex‐ and age‐adjusted odds ratio was 1.06 (95% CI, 0.86–1.30;
P
=0.59) for the association of FVL with STEMI. Subgroup analysis did not show any differences. In patients with STEMI, neither the median peak creatine kinase‐myocardial band nor the peak high‐sensitivity troponin ratio showed any differences between wild‐type and FVL carriers (
P
for difference: creatine kinase‐myocardial band=0.33; high sensitivity troponin ratio=0.54).

Conclusions

In a general population with acute coronary syndrome, FVL did not discriminate between a STEMI or non–ST‐segment–elevation acute coronary syndrome presentation and was unrelated to peak cardiac necrosis markers in patients with STEMI.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifiers: NCT00391872 and NCT01761786.
A new species of genus Trilocha Moore, [1860] from Great Nicobar Island, India (Lepidoptera, Bombycoidea, Bombycidae)
Authors: SINGH NAVNEET , AHMAD JALIL , CHANDRA KAILASH
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we describe a new bombycid, Trilocha nicobari N. Singh & Ahmad, sp. nov., distributed in Great Nicobar Island. The new species is diagnosed with all its congeners. A checklist and a taxonomic key to the known species of Trilocha is provided.
On the status and validity of the recently described Raorchestes kollimalai Gowande, Ganesh & Mirza 2020
Authors: NARAYANAN SURYA , SUYESH ROBIN , DAS SANDEEP
Published: May 2021

A recent addition to the Indian herpetofauna is Roarchestes kollimalai Gowande, Ganesh & Mirza 2020, a bush frog species, described based on a type series of three specimens from the Kolli hills in the lesser-known Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India (Gowande et al. 2020). The authors attempted to resolve the status of the previously ambiguously identified R. cf. leucolatus from this region (Ganesh & Arumugam 2016) through an integrated approach using morphology, molecular DNA and call acoustics. Gowande et al. (2020) described the new species based on their morphology, biogeographic and acoustic data, for a shallow divergent lineage differing with 1.2–1.9% in the mitochondrial 16S gene from a closely related species R. charius. After a thorough reading of Gowande et al. (2020), we found serious flaws in the publication, as the authors overlooked many errors and misrepresented their own data, leaving their new taxon questionable with respect to its validity and status. In this work, despite pointing out these errors made by the authors, we also discuss the validity of their new taxon based on their results and suggest the way forward to resolving the issue. ­­
Volcanic Aerosol Impacts on Hawai‘i Island Rainfall
Authors: Zuo Tianqi , Nugent Alison D. , Thompson Gregory
Published: May 2021

In recent decades, a significant rainfall decline over the island of Hawai‘i has been noted, with many hypothesizing that the drying is associated with the volcanic aerosols emitted from the Kīlauea volcano. While it is clear that volcanic emissions can create hazardous air quality for Hawaiian communities, the impacts on rainfall are less clear. Here we investigate the impact of volcanic aerosol emissions on Hawai‘i Island rainfall. Based on observed daily rainfall and SO2 emissions, it is found that days with high SO2 emissions have on average 8 mm day−1 less rainfall downstream of the Kīlauea volcano. Sensitivity studies with varying volcanic aerosol emission sources from the Kīlauea vent locations have also been conducted by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model in order to examine the detailed physical processes. Consistent with SO2 air quality observations, it is found that the diurnal change in aerosol number concentration is strongly dependent on the diurnal variation of local circulations. The added aerosols are lofted into the orographic convection where they modify the microphysical properties of the warm clouds by increasing the cloud droplet number concentration, decreasing the cloud droplet size, increasing cloud water content, and enhancing cloud evaporation. The volcanic aerosols also delay precipitation production and modify the spatial distribution of rainfall on the downstream mountainside. The modification of precipitation on an island has far-reaching consequences. For this reason, we work to quantify the sensitivity of the orographic precipitation to volcanic aerosols and move beyond hypothesized relationships to work toward understanding the underlying problem.
A data assimilation approach to last millennium temperature field reconstruction using a limited high-sensitivity proxy network
Authors: King Jonathan M. , Anchukaitis Kevin J. , Tierney Jessica E. , Hakim Gregory J. , Emile-Geay Julien , Zhu Feng , Wilson Rob
Published: May 2021

We use theNorthern Hemisphere Tree-RingNetwork Development (NTREND) tree-ring database to examine the effects of using a small, highly-sensitive proxy network for paleotemperature data assimilation over the last millennium. We first evaluate our methods using pseudo-proxy experiments. These indicate that spatial assimilations using this network are skillful in the extratropical Northern Hemisphere and improve on previous NTREND reconstructions based on Point-by-Point regression. We also find our method is sensitive to climate model biases when the number of sites becomes small. Based on these experiments, we then assimilate the real NTREND network. To quantify model prior uncertainty, we produce 10 separate reconstructions, each assimilating a different climate model. These reconstructions are most dissimilar prior to 1100 CE, when the network becomes sparse, but show greater consistency as the network grows. Temporal variability is also underestimated before 1100 CE. Our assimilation method produces spatial uncertainty estimates and these identify treeline North America and eastern Siberia as regions that would most benefit from development of new millennial-length temperature-sensitive tree-ring records. We compare our multi-model mean reconstruction to five existing paleo-temperature products to examine the range of reconstructed responses to radiative forcing. We find substantial differences in the spatial patterns and magnitudes of reconstructed responses to volcanic eruptions and in the transition between the Medieval epoch and Little Ice Age. These extant uncertainties call for the development of a paleoclimate reconstruction intercomparison framework for systematically examining the consequences of proxy network composition and reconstruction methodology and for continued expansion of tree-ring proxy networks.
How are Neighborhood and Street-Level Walkability Factors Associated with Walking Behaviors? A Big Data Approach Using Street View Images
Authors: Koo Bon Woo , Guhathakurta Subhrajit , Botchwey Nisha
Published: May 2021

The built environment characteristics associated with walkability range from neighborhood-level urban form factors to street-level urban design factors. However, many existing walkability indices are based on neighborhood-level factors and lack consideration for street-level factors. Arguably, this omission is due to the lack of a scalable way to measure them. This paper uses computer vision to quantify street-level factors from street view images in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Correlation analysis shows that some streetscape factors are highly correlated with neighborhood-level factors. Binary logistic regressions indicate that the streetscape factors can significantly contribute to explaining walking mode choice and that streetscape factors can have a greater association with walking mode choice than neighborhood-level factors. A potential explanation for the result is that the image-based streetscape factors may perform as proxies for some macroscale factors while representing the pedestrian experience as seen from eye-level.