bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of negative and positive information on attitudes towards immigration
Authors: Igarashi Akira , Ono Yoshikuni
Published: August 2021

Existing research on immigration has highlighted the close relationship between the potential threat posed by immigrants and the development of anti‐immigrant sentiment among natives. However, immigrants also benefit the host society, and we know little about the effects of perceived benefits on attitudes towards immigration. We explore how exposure to negative and positive information about immigrants shapes people's attitudes towards immigrants through a vignette survey experiment. Our results revealed that respondents’ hostility towards immigrants decreased when exposed to positive information, but their attitudes did not necessarily change when they were exposed to negative information. Interestingly, these results were similarly observed in four major issue domains discussed in existing studies—jobs, financial burden, culture and physical safety. Furthermore, the effects of exposure to positive information were not modified by respondents’ partisanship, race, education or exposure to immigrants. These results suggest that pro‐immigrant rhetoric can be effective in changing people's attitudes towards immigration.
Form Development from 2D to 3D: The Basic Design Courses for Higher Education
Authors: Hsieh Ying‐Yi , Chen Chun‐Ching , Chen Wen‐Yin
Published: August 2021

The basic design course mainly focuses on training students in their form development ability, including two parts: graphic figure and three‐dimensional form. However, in terms of form development, it is not just to create a certain form arbitrarily, but to convey the creator’s intention based on this form. For students who are new to the field of design, it will be very difficult to convey their own ideas through creative forms. Therefore, this research combines abstract design with three‐dimensional composition to develop a new teaching method, which connects two parts of graphic figure and three‐dimensional form together, and divides them into three stages: abstract design, unit model and combined model. In addition to allowing students to learn comprehensively, they can also understand how to design a form that can convey their own views and lay a good foundation for future design courses. After the course, the three stages have a positive impact on students. Students will have a new understanding of design, have greater interest and confidence in design, and understand the entire process of design (data collection, analysis, ideation and production) and the importance of teamwork.
Private firms’ incentives and opportunities to manage earnings: Evidence from the use of inflation adjustments
Authors: Restrepo Felipe , Taillard Jérôme P.
Published: August 2021

We examine the behavior of a large sample of private firms before and after the elimination of an inflation adjustment system in Colombia in 2007. We find that firms avoid reporting small pre‐tax losses by exercising considerable discretion in their use of inflation adjustments and find that this discretion is greater for firms that rely more on bank financing. Furthermore, firms that manage earnings to report small positive profits issue more bank debt the year following the reporting. After the law change, firms resort to other means to report positive earnings. In particular, the use of non‐operating earnings increases, attributable in part to a higher incidence of tangible asset sales.
Adenosine revives catheter‐induced mechanical blocks in radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Tsukahara Keita , Oginosawa Yasushi , Yagyu Keishiro , Miyamoto Taro , Yamagishi Yasunobu , Ohe Hisaharu , Kohno Ritsuko , Kataoka Masaharu , Abe Haruhiko
Published: August 2021

Adenosine can hyperpolarize the atrial action potential, which helps rapidly re‐establish the membrane potential in ablated sites and unmask “dormant conduction.” It has been reported that pharmacological agents, including adenosine, were unable to revive traumatized tissues. We present the first case of the catheter‐induced mechanical block (“bump” phenomenon) that was unmasked with adenosine administration in the working myocardium of the superior vena cava. This result may be because, unlike before, we could determine the force of contact between the tip of the ablation catheter and the myocardial tissue. This case suggests the clinical usefulness of adenosine for unmasking bumped sites.
Specific features of amoxicillin‐associated Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms syndrome: a nationwide study
Authors: Largeau B. , Agier M.‐S. , Beau‐Salinas F. , Pariente A. , Maruani A. , Vial T. , Jonville‐Béra A.‐P.
Published: August 2021

Background

Growing evidence indicates that amoxicillin induces herpesvirus replication in vitro. As these play a central pathophysiological role in Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms syndrome (DRESS), amoxicillin could present with specific DRESS features.

Objective

To characterize the onset patterns of amoxicillin‐associated DRESS.

Methods

All cases of DRESS (Kardaun score ≥4) involving amoxicillin and reported in the French Pharmacovigilance Database between January 1, 2004 and November 30, 2019 were included. Onset circumstances for these cases were categorized considering the onset delay from amoxicillin initiation, and the presence of concomitant medications with a compatible time to onset.

Results

A total of 146 probable cases or definite cases of DRESS were included. Three onset circumstances were identified: (i) ‘amoxicillin clear culprit’ where amoxicillin was the sole suspect drug or when concomitant drugs of compatible time to onset were not reported to cause DRESS (n = 62); (ii) ‘amoxicillin possible culprit’ in the presence of other potentially culprit drugs in addition to amoxicillin (n = 44) and (iii) ‘flare’ where amoxicillin, used after DRESS onset, induced flare‐up reactions (n = 40). The median time to onset was 5 days (IQR 2–11) in ‘clear culprit’, and 18 days (IQR 7–26) in ‘possible culprit’ cases. In ‘flare’ cases, the median latency between amoxicillin initiation and flare‐up reactions was 3 days (IQR 2–5).

Conclusions

Amoxicillin can induce DRESS with a specific early onset and exacerbate DRESS from another drug.
Colour pattern variation forms local background matching camouflage in a leaf‐mimicking toad
Authors: Barnett James B. , Michalis Constantine , Scott‐Samuel Nicholas E. , Cuthill Innes C.
Published: August 2021

Optimal camouflage can, in principle, be relatively easily achieved in simple, homogeneous, environments where backgrounds always have the same colour, brightness and patterning. Natural environments are, however, rarely homogenous, and species often find themselves viewed against varied backgrounds where the task of concealment is more challenging. One result of variable backgrounds is the evolution of intraspecific phenotypic variation which may either begeneralized, with multiple similarly cryptic patterns, orspecialized, with each discrete colour form maximizing concealment against a single component of the background. We investigated the role of phenotypic variation in a highly variable population of the Neotropical toadRhinella margaritiferausing visual modelling and a computer‐based detection task. We found that phenotypic variation was not divided into discrete colour morphs, and all toads were well camouflaged against the forest floor. However, although the whole population may appear to consist of random samples from the background, the toads were a particularly close match to the leaf litter, suggesting that they masquerade as dead leaves, which are themselves variable. Furthermore, rather than each colour form being equally effective against a single background, each toad was specialized towards its own particular local surroundings, as suggested by a specialist strategy. Taken together, these data highlight the importance of background matching to a nominally masquerading species, as well as how habitat heterogeneity at multiple spatial scales may affect the evolution of camouflage and phenotypic variation.
Biochemically assisted rice whitening for improving head rice yield
Authors: Schefer Larissa , Conde‐Petit Béatrice , Müller Nadina
Published: August 2021

The maximum attainable head rice yield in conventional long grain rice milling is approximately 64%, with around 15% being lost as a result of broken rice kernels. The primary objective of this project was, therefore, to improve the milling yield. To achieve this goal, biochemically assisted whitening processes involving the application of different aqueous solutions were evaluated. Head rice yield was increased for all tested liquids (3.3–3.8% depending on liquid) for Gladio‐type brown rice treated with 0.5% liquid prior to whitening to 40 Kett using a lab‐scale horizontal friction‐type McGill whitener. However, the moistening led to increased caking in the McGill milling chamber. In comparative trials, the use of moistening solutions containing enzymes, sorbit, or sodium chloride instead of pure water delivered a slightly, but nevertheless, significantly higher degree of whiteness directly after milling while it did not result in a significant reduction in the number of broken kernels. Since average head rice yield has a 43% higher commercial value than broken kernels, the 3.6% improvement in milling yield achieved by adding 0.5% water would result in an estimated increase in profit for a 7.5 t/h rice mill of 0.83%.

Practical applications

Rice as a global staple food bears a critical role in human nutrition. At the same time, the quality of milled rice is a key buying and price criterion in rice‐consuming countries. One key quality criterion is the number of brokens in rice. Hence, it is critical for rice millers to minimize the degree of broken kernels. Biochemically assisted rice whitening for improving head rice yield is a combined biochemical and physical method to facilitate bran removal from brown rice. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of biochemically assisted rice whitening on the number of brokens and to assess potential technological challenges resulting from the liquid addition.
Efficacy of sonication–microfiltration hybrid process for the production of clarified bitter gourd extracts
Authors: Chakraborty Sushma , Uppaluri Ramagopal , Das Chandan
Published: August 2021

In this article, the efficacy of hybrid ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) and microfiltration (MF) process toward effective processing of bitter gourd extract has been addressed. The extracts obtained from the UAE process have been used as the feed for a microfiltration process using low‐cost ceramic membranes of variant morphologies (i.e., 1 [CM1], 0.75 [CM2], and 0.45 μm [CM3] membranes). Three different pressure differentials (103.4, 137.9, and 172.4 kPa) were considered to evaluate upon the optimality of applied pressure. Flux decline profiles, flux decay coefficients (FDC), and fouling characteristics of the ceramic membranes were considered to gain useful insights with respect to the pertinent morphological changes. Based on the investigations carried out, the hybrid process is inferred to considerably reduce membrane fouling (lower FDC). The membrane fouling was analyzed to be due to cake filtration followed by intermediate pore blocking. The nutrient characteristics indicated considerable protein rejection and retention of 46.47%, very low color (0.049 A), and high clarity (98.17%) for the optimal process conditions of 137.9 kPa applied pressure and CM2 membrane. The hybrid UAE–MF process proved to be a good alternative to the conventional processes and can be inferred to be at par with other nonthermal juice processing technologies.

Practical applications

Contemporary lifestyle and habitat necessitate upon the production and utilization of nutritionally rich vegetable aqueous extracts with better shelf life and lower processing costs. The reported findings of this article can potentially influence the conventional thoughts associated to the deployment of low‐cost food processing technologies for the mentioned horticultural extract product system. Given that the article indicates cost‐effective production of bitter gourd juice extract with anticipated shelf life, the mentioned product can be considered as a low‐cost food supplement toward the yield of healthy and natural food products.
Novel use of poly‐L‐lactic acid filler for the treatment of facial cutaneous atrophy in patients with connective tissue disease
Authors: Pamatmat Jarod John , Gonzalez Cristian D. , Euwer Rebecca , Summers Erika , Smart David , Goff Heather W.
Published: August 2021

Background

Patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) often suffer from facial cutaneous defects and resultant facial asymmetry. Unfortunately, these issues have been known to be difficult‐to‐treat, and concern exists regarding the use of cosmetic procedures in this patient population due to the theoretical risk of disease flare‐up or reactivation. Injectable poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA) is one type of filler that has been used to treat skin atrophy in patients with morphea and lupus erythematous panniculitis. However, overall, there is a dearth in literature regarding the safety and efficacy of PLLA filler in patients with CTDs.

Aims

This case series intends to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PLLA filler in treating facial atrophy in patients with CTDs.

Patients/Methods

Three patients underwent various treatment courses involving the use of PLLA filler to treat facial atrophy.

Results

Two patients demonstrated significant improvement in facial atrophy following their treatment course. No patient experienced reactivation or exacerbation of their CTD following PLLA injection.

Conclusion

PLLA filler appears to have good viability as a safe and potentially effective treatment for facial atrophy in patients with CTDs.
Application of the national early warning score (NEWS) in patients with acute aortic dissection: A case–control study
Authors: Liu Yuwen , Li Qingyin , Zhang Yanjuan , Zhao Rui , Pang Ran , Ren Hua
Published: August 2021

Background

The vital‐sign monitoring strategy of patients with acute aortic dissection in the emergency department is mainly based on traditional experience. This study attempts to explore the significance of the national early warning score (NEWS) in monitoring the condition of patients with acute aortic dissection during emergency observation and to provide evidence for emergency nurses in optimal and scientific monitoring of patients.

Methods

The case–control method was used to continuously enrol patients with acute aortic dissection who had been in the emergency department; the STROBE checklist was used in this process. Based on patients’ clinical deterioration, they were divided into two groups: clinical deterioration and non‐clinical deterioration. The NEWS at each time point was compared by independent‐samples t‐test, and the predictive power of NEWS was evaluated according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Results

A total of 290 patients with acute aortic dissection were included: 46 patients showed clinical deterioration and 244 did not. There were significant differences in the NEW scores of the two groups at admission time and at 12, 8, 4 and 0.5 h before clinical deterioration. The NEW scores of the clinical deterioration group showed an upward trend, while the non‐clinical deterioration group showed a relatively stable trend. The NEWS can be used to predict the occurrence of clinical deterioration earlier at 4 h before clinical deterioration. Simultaneously, the patient's respiration rate and SpO2 had better predictive performance than other vital signs.

Conclusion

The NEWS can be used to triage patients with acute aortic dissection admitted to the emergency department. Continuous use of the NEWS for monitoring can play a vital role in early warning of clinical deterioration in patients with acute aortic dissection. In clinical care, attention should also be paid when patients with acute aortic dissection have abnormal respiration rate and SpO2.
A conceptual model of oro‐facial health with an emphasis on function
Authors: Schimmel Martin , Aarab Ghizlane , Baad‐Hansen Lene , Lobbezoo Frank , Svensson Peter
Published: August 2021

The individual inclination to lead an autonomous life until death is associated with requirements that may be of physiological, psychosocial and environmental nature. We aim to describe a conceptual oro‐facial health model with an emphasis on oro‐facial function, taking the domains of quality of life and patient‐centred values into account. In the context of oro‐facial function, the requirements of life are met when the oro‐facial system is in a fit state. ‘Fitness of the oro‐facial system, that is oro‐facial health, is a state that is characterised by an absence of, or positive coping with physical disease, mental disease, pain and negative environmental and social factors. It will allow natural oro‐facial functions such as sensing, tasting, touching, biting, chewing, swallowing, speaking, yawning, kissing and facial expression’. In the presented conceptual model of oro‐facial health, it is postulated that each individual has present and future potentials related to biological prerequisites and resources that are developed by an individual through the course of life. These potentials form the oro‐facial functional capacity. When the individual potentials together do not meet the requirements of life anymore, dysfunction and disease result. The oro‐facial system is subject to physiological ageing processes, which will inevitably lead to a decrease in the oro‐facial functional capacity. Furthermore, comorbid medical conditions might hamper oro‐facial function and, alongside with the ageing process, may lead to a state of oral hypofunction. Currently, there is a lack of widespread, validated, easy‐to‐use instruments that help to distinguish between states of oro‐facial fitness as opposed to oral hypofunction. Clearly, research is needed to establish adequate, validated instruments alongside with functional rehabilitation procedures.
Selective extension of cerebral vascular calcification in an autopsy case of Fahr's syndrome associated with asymptomatic hypoparathyroidism
Authors: Iwase Tamaki , Yoshida Mari , Iwasaki Yasushi , Suzuki Shugo , Yabata Hiroyuki , Koizumi Ryuichi , Moriyoshi Hideyuki , Yazawa Ikuru
Published: August 2021

We report an autopsy case of Fahr's syndrome in an 85‐year‐old woman associated with asymptomatic hypoparathyroidism. The patient was diagnosed as having brain calcification at 65 years of age. She developed mild dementia at 75, parkinsonism at 76, and severe dementia at 82. Computed tomography revealed extensive, symmetric intracranial calcification, involving both sides of the basal ganglia and cerebellar dentate nuclei, and severe cerebral atrophy that developed afterwards. A neuropathological examination revealed intracranial calcification, particularly in the wall of the arterioles and capillaries having numerous calcium deposits. Severe vascular calcification and severe neuronal loss without α‐synuclein accumulation were found in the substantia nigra. There were high‐level neuropathological changes indicative of Alzheimer's disease. Although the colocalization of calcium and amyloid‐β deposits in the same arterial wall was rare, both of them were located in a similar layer of the arterial wall. The vascular calcification in the basal ganglia spread continuously through the corona radiata into the selective cerebral areas along the medullary arteries, but did not involve the corpus callosum or insular region. Stone formation was observed at the corona radiata adjacent to the superolateral angles of the lateral ventricles. We hypothesized that there would be a stereotypical extension pattern of vascular calcification related to the arrangement of penetrating arteries in Fahr's syndrome.
Modeling Descriptive and Deontic Cognition as Two Modes of Relation Between Mind and World
Authors: Stovall Preston
Published: August 2021

I use a distinction betweensingle‐mindedandindifferentchoice attitudes, modeled across maximally determinate plans of action, as a basis for interpreting deontic claims – about what ought, ought not, and may be done – as expressing a mode of relation between mind and world that gives voice to the exercise of practical rationality. At the same time, I use maximally determinate possible worlds to model descriptive claims in order to understand them as involving a mode of relation between mind and world that manifests our theoretical rationality. The result is of interest to both linguists looking for a formal treatment of deontic modality that captures the role prescriptive mental states play in our lives, and philosophers interested in substantive questions about action‐guiding and representational mental states as exercises of practical and theoretical rationality.
Cost‐effectiveness analyses of augmented cognitive behavioral therapy for pharmacotherapy‐resistant depression at secondary mental health care settings
Authors: Sado Mitsuhiro , Koreki Akihiro , Ninomiya Akira , Kurata Chika , Mitsuda Dai , Sato Yasunori , Kikuchi Toshiaki , Fujisawa Daisuke , Ono Yutaka , Mimura Masaru , Nakagawa Atsuo
Published: August 2021

Aim

Pharmacotherapy is the primary treatment strategy in major depression. However, two‐thirds of patients remain depressed after the initial antidepressant treatment. Augmented cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for pharmacotherapy‐resistant depression in primary mental health care settings proved effective and cost‐effective. Although we reported the clinical effectiveness of augmented CBT in secondary mental health care, its cost‐effectiveness has not been evaluated. Therefore, we aimed to compare the cost‐effectiveness of augmented CBT adjunctive to treatment as usual (TAU) and TAU alone for pharmacotherapy‐resistant depression at secondary mental health care settings.

Methods

We performed a cost‐effectiveness analysis at 64 weeks, alongside a randomized controlled trial involving 80 patients who sought depression treatment at a university hospital and psychiatric hospital (one each). The cost‐effectiveness was assessed by the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) that compared the difference in costs and quality‐adjusted life years, and other clinical scales, between the groups.

Results

The ICERs were JPY −15 278 322 and 2 026 865 for pharmacotherapy‐resistant depression for all samples and those with moderate/severe symptoms at baseline, respectively. The acceptability curve demonstrates a 0.221 and 0.701 probability of the augmented CBT being cost‐effective for all samples and moderate/severe depression, respectively, at the threshold of JPY 4.57 million (GBP 30 000). The sensitivity analysis supported the robustness of our results restricting for moderate/severe depression.

Conclusion

Augmented CBT for pharmacotherapy‐resistant depression is not cost‐effective for all samples including mild depression. In contrast, it appeared to be cost‐effective for the patients currently manifesting moderate/severe symptoms under secondary mental health care.
The effects of parenting styles and parental positivity on preschoolers’ self‐perception
Authors: Pali Emily C. , Marshall Riley L. , DiLalla Lisabeth Fisher
Published: August 2021

Self‐esteem has implications for a wide variety of psychological problems. This study sought to determine whether parenting practices at ages 3 and 4 years contributed to 5‐year‐old children's self‐perception, a precursor to later self‐esteem. Data came from a longitudinal study in which preschool twin or triplet children were tested within a month of their birthdays; complete data were available for 263 children tested at ages 4 and 5 years and for 211 children tested at ages 3 and 5 years. As part of testing at ages 3 and 4, children and parents engaged in a puzzle task for 10 min; their behaviors were coded by trained raters. Parenting variables of verbal warmth, positive affect, permissive discipline, and sensitivity were coded. At age 5, children's self‐perception was assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children. Results showed that parental positive affect and sensitivity at age 4 predicted increased maternal acceptance at age 5, and permissive discipline predicted decreased peer acceptance scores for girls, but not boys. Additionally, parental verbal warmth at age 3 predicted higher peer acceptance scores at age 5. Finally, boys who experienced increases in parent positive affect from ages 3 to 4 showed higher peer acceptance scores at age 5. This study provides evidence that parenting is an important factor in the development of preschool children's self‐perception.
Ideology and compliance with health guidelines during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A comparative perspective
Authors: Becher Michael , Stegmueller Daniel , Brouard Sylvain , Kerrouche Eric
Published: August 2021

Objective

We measure the prevalence of noncompliance with public health guidelines in the COVID‐19 pandemic and examine how it is shaped by political ideology across countries.

Methods

A list experiment of noncompliance and a multi‐item scale of health‐related behaviors were embedded in a comparative survey of 11,000 respondents in nine OCED countries. We conduct a statistical analysis of the list experiment capturing degrees of noncompliance with social distancing rules and estimate ideological effect heterogeneity. A semiparametric analysis examines the functional form of the relationship between ideology and the propensity to violate public health guidelines.

Results

Our analyses reveal substantial heterogeneity between countries. Ideology plays an outsized role in the United States. No association of comparable magnitude is found in the majority of the other countries in our study. In many settings, the impact of ideology on health‐related behaviors is nonlinear.

Conclusion

Our results highlight the importance of taking a comparative perspective. Extrapolating the role of ideology from the United States to other advanced industrialized societies might paint an erroneous picture of the scope of possible nonpharmaceutical interventions. Heterogeneity limits the extent to which policymakers can learn from experiences across borders.
Decomposition of extensive and intensive margin impacts of trade policies
Authors: Zhao Xin , Luckstead Jeff , Devadoss Stephen
Published: August 2021

Using a multi‐region heterogeneous‐firm trade model, this paper develops a method to decompose volumes and values of domestic sales, bilateral trade, total production and consumption into their intensive and extensive margins. With the free‐entry condition, the extensive margin is further decomposed into two subcategories: operating‐extensive margin and entrance/exit‐extensive margin. This method can provide ex ante predictions on gains and losses in the margins of member and nonmember countries following a trade agreement. We apply our decomposition methods to quantitatively analyse the impacts of CETA between Canada and the European Union on the world processed food industry.
Global Value Chain Participation, Competition, and Markups: Evidence from Ethiopian Manufacturing Firms
Authors: Choi Jieun , Fukase Emiko , Zeufack Albert G.
Published: August 2021

This study uses detailed manufacturing census panel data for 2000 to 2014 to explore the relationship between Ethiopian firms’ global value chain (GVC) participation and markups. We find that GVC firms, defined as firms involved in both exporting and importing intermediate inputs, tend to have lower markups relative to non-trading firms and firms that are involved only in material imports. Moreover, the more intensely a firm is integrated into a GVC (measured by the share of export value added and imported inputs in total sales), the lower its markup is. Finally, we explore competition effects at the industry level and find that firms operating in industries with a relatively high GVC presence and suppliers selling inputs to such industries tend to have lower markups owing to horizontal competition and backward linkages, respectively. All of these findings suggest that GVC participation is associated with greater competition for Ethiopian firms.
Examining vocal attractiveness through articulatory working space
Authors: Stehr Daniel A. , Hickok Gregory , Ferguson Sarah Hargus , Grossman Emily D.
Published: August 2021

Robust gender differences exist in the acoustic correlates of clearly articulated speech, with females, on average, producing speech that is acoustically and phonetically more distinct than that of males. This study investigates the relationship between several acoustic correlates of clear speech and subjective ratings of vocal attractiveness. Talkers were recorded producing vowels in /bVd/ context and sentences containing the four corner vowels. Multiple measures of working vowel space were computed from continuously sampled formant trajectories and were combined with measures of speech timing known to co-vary with clear articulation. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) modeling was used to predict ratings of vocal attractiveness for male and female talkers based on the acoustic measures. PLS components that loaded on size and shape measures of working vowel space—including the quadrilateral vowel space area, convex hull area, and bivariate spread of formants—along with measures of speech timing were highly successful at predicting attractiveness in female talkers producing /bVd/ words. These findings are consistent with a number of hypotheses regarding human attractiveness judgments, including the role of sexual dimorphism in mate selection, the significance of traits signalling underlying health, and perceptual fluency accounts of preferences.
Cryogenian glaciostatic and eustatic fluctuations and massive Marinoan-related deposition of Fe and Mn in the Urucum District, Brazil
Authors: Freitas B.T. , Rudnitzki I.D. , Morais L. , Campos M.D.R. , Almeida R.P. , Warren L.V. , Boggiani P.C. , Caetano-Filho S. , Bedoya-Rueda C. , Babinski M. , Fairchild T.R. , Trindade R.I.F.
Published: August 2021

Global Neoproterozoic glaciations are related to extreme environmental changes and the reprise of iron formation in the rock record. However, the lack of narrow age constraints on Cryogenian successions bearing iron-formation deposits prevents correlation and understanding of these deposits on a global scale. Our new multiproxy data reveal a long Cryogenian record for the Jacadigo Group (Urucum District, Brazil) spanning the Sturtian and Marinoan ice ages. Deposition of the basal sequence of the Urucum Formation was influenced by Sturtian continental glaciation and was followed by a transgressive interglacial record of >600 m of carbonates that terminates in a glacioeustatic unconformity. Overlying this, there are up to 500 m of shale and sandstone interpreted as coeval to global Marinoan glacial advance. Glacial outwash delta deposits at the top of the formation correlate with diamictite-filled paleovalleys and are covered by massive Fe and Mn deposits of the Santa Cruz Formation and local carbonate. This second transgression is related to Marinoan deglaciation. Detrital zircon provenance supports glaciostatic control on Cryogenian sedimentary yield at the margins of the Amazon craton. These findings reveal the sedimentary response to two marked events of glacioeustatic incision and transgression, culminating in massive banded iron deposition during the Marinoan cryochron.
Epidemiology of paediatric injuries in Nepal: evidence from emergency department injury surveillance
Authors: Magnus Dan , Bhatta Santosh , Mytton Julie , Joshi Elisha , Bhatta Sumiksha , Manandhar Sunil , Joshi Sunil
Published: August 2021

Background

Globally, injuries cause >5 million deaths annually and children and young people are particularly vulnerable. Injuries are the leading cause of death in people aged 5–24 years and a leading cause of disability. In most low-income and middle-income countries where the majority of global child injury burden occurs, systems for routinely collecting injury data are limited.

Methods

A new model of injury surveillance for use in emergency departments in Nepal was designed and piloted. Data from patients presenting with injuries were collected prospectively over 12 months and used to describe the epidemiology of paediatric injury presentations.

Results

The total number of children <18 years of age presenting with injury was 2696, representing 27% of all patients presenting with injuries enrolled. Most injuries in children presenting to the emergency departments in this study were unintentional and over half of children were <10 years of age. Falls, animal bites/stings and road traffic injuries accounted for nearly 75% of all injuries with poisonings, burns and drownings presenting proportionately less often. Over half of injuries were cuts, bites and open wounds. In-hospital child mortality from injury was 1%.

Conclusion

Injuries affecting children in Nepal represent a significant burden. The data on injuries observed from falls, road traffic injuries and injuries related to animals suggest potential areas for injury prevention. This is the biggest prospective injury surveillance study in Nepal in recent years and supports the case for using injury surveillance to monitor child morbidity and mortality through improved data.
Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
Authors: Zhong Toni , Mahajan Anisha , Cowan Katherine , Temple-Oberle Claire , Porter Geoff , LeBlanc Martin , Metcalfe Kelly
Published: August 2021

Background

Major improvements in breast cancer treatment in the last decade include advancements in postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). Unfortunately, the studies in PMBR are primarily researcher or industry led with minimal input from patients and caregivers. The aim of this study is to use the James Lind Alliance (JLA) approach to bring together the patients, caregivers and clinicians in a priority setting partnership to identify the most important unanswered research questions in PMBR.

Methods

The JLA priority setting methodology involved four key stages: gathering research questions on PMBR from patients, caregivers and clinicians; checking these research questions against existing evidence; interim prioritisation and a final consensus meeting to determine the top 10 unanswered research questions using the modified nominal group methodology.

Results

In stage 1, 3168 research questions were submitted from 713 respondents across Canada, of which 73% of the participants were patients or caregivers. Stage 2 confirmed that there were a total of 48 unique unanswered questions. In stage three, 488 individuals completed the interim prioritisation survey and the top 25 questions were taken to a final consensus meeting. In the final stage, the top 10 unanswered research questions were determined. They cover a breadth of topics including personalised surgical treatment, safety of implants and newer techniques, access to PMBR, breast cancer recurrence and rehabilitation.

Interpretation

Identification of the top 10 unanswered research questions is an important first step to generating relevant and impactful research that will ultimately improve the PMBR experience for patients with breast cancer.
Pulmonary thromboembolism in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a retrospective national study of patients managed in critical care and ward environments in Scotland
Authors: McGettrick Michael , MacLellan Alexander , McCaughey Paul , Bagot Catherine , Brewis Melanie J , Lang Ninian N , Johnson M K , Church Alistair Colin
Published: August 2021

Objectives

To assess for increase in pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in hospitalised patients with COVID-19, in both critical care and ward environments.

Setting

We reviewed all CT pulmonary angiograms (CTPA) performed in Scotland between 23 March 2020 and 31 May 2020 and identified those with COVID-19 using either classical radiological appearances or positive COVID-19 PCR swab.

Participants

All hospitalised patients in Scotland with COVID-19 between 23 March 2020 and 31 May 2020 who underwent a CTPA.

Primary outcome measure

To assess if the rate of PTE was increased in those with COVID-19 compared with previously published figures of hospitalised patients.

Secondary outcome measures

To assess the effect of right heart strain or requirement for critical care on mortality.

Results

3401 CTPAs were reviewed. 192 were positive for PTE in patients with evidence of COVID-19 either real-time PCR swab positive for SARS-CoV-2 (n=104) or having radiological changes consistent with COVID-19 (n=88). The total number of hospital admissions in Scotland between 23rd March 2020 and 31st May 2020 with COVID-19 was 5195. The incidence of PTE during this time was 3.7% in all patients admitted to all hospitals in Scotland with COVID-19 during this period. 475 hospitalised patients were managed in critical care (both level 2 and level 3 care), in whom the incidence of PTE was 6% (n=29). 4720 patients did not require admission to critical care, in whom the incidence of PTE was 3.5% (n=163). There was increased risk of death with right heart strain (25/52 vs 128/140 (p<0.01)) and in critical care (15/29 vs 146/163 (p<0.01)).

Conclusions

We have demonstrated an increased risk of PTE in critical care and ward-based environments. Further studies are required to establish effective prophylactic anticoagulation in this group.
Development of a patient decision aid on subacromial decompression surgery and rotator cuff repair surgery: an international mixed-methods study
Authors: Zadro Joshua , Jones Caitlin , Harris Ian , Buchbinder Rachelle , O'Connor Denise A , McCaffery Kirsten , Thompson Rachel , Karunaratne Sascha , Teng Min Jiat , Maher Christopher , Hoffmann Tammy
Published: August 2021

Objective

To develop and user test a patient decision aid for people with subacromial pain syndrome that presents evidence-based information on the benefits and harms of subacromial decompression surgery and rotator cuff repair surgery.

Design

Mixed-methods study outlining the development of a patient decision aid.

Setting

We assembled a multidisciplinary steering group, and used existing decision aids and decision science to draft the decision aid. Participants were recruited through social media (not restricted by country nor setting), local hospitals and the authors’ collaboration network.

Participants

People with shoulder pain and health professionals who manage people with shoulder pain.

Primary and secondary outcomes

We interviewed participants to gather feedback on the decision aid, assessed useability and acceptability (using qualitative and quantitative methods) and performed iterative cycles of redrafting the decision aid and reinterviewing participants as necessary. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively.

Results

We interviewed 26 health professionals (11 physiotherapists, 7 orthopaedic surgeons, 4 general practitioners, 3 chiropractors and 1 osteopath) and 14 people with shoulder pain. Most health professionals and people with shoulder pain rated all aspects of decision aid acceptability as adequate-to-excellent (eg, length, presentation, comprehensibility). Interviews highlighted agreement among health professionals and people with shoulder pain on most aspects of the decision aid (eg, treatment options, summary of benefits, harms and practical issues, questions to ask a health professional, graphics, formatting). However, some aspects of the decision aid elicited divergent views among health professionals (eg, causes and symptoms of shoulder pain, evidence on benefits and harms).

Conclusion

This decision aid could be an acceptable and valuable tool for helping people with subacromial pain syndrome make informed treatment choices. A randomised controlled trial evaluating whether this decision aid reduces people’s intentions to undergo shoulder surgery and facilitates informed treatment choices is underway.

Trial registration numberACTRN12621000992808
Assessing tumor heterogeneity: integrating tissue and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis in the era of immuno-oncology - blood TMB is not the same as tissue TMB
Authors: Fridland Stanislav , Choi Jaeyoun , Nam Myungwoo , Schellenberg Samuel Joseph , Kim Eugene , Lee Grace , Yoon Nathaniel , Chae Young Kwang
Published: August 2021

Tissue tumor mutational burden (tTMB) is calculated to aid in cancer treatment selection. High tTMB predicts a favorable response to immunotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Blood TMB (bTMB) from circulating tumor DNA is reported to have similar predictive power and has been proposed as an alternative to tTMB. Across many studies not only are tTMB and bTMB not concordant but also as reported previously by our group predict conflicting outcomes. This implies that bTMB is not a substitute for tTMB, but rather a composite index that may encompass tumor heterogeneity. Here, we provide a thorough overview of the predictive power of TMB, discuss the use of tumor heterogeneity alongside TMB to predict treatment response and review several methods of tumor heterogeneity assessment. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical method of estimating tumor heterogeneity and touch on its clinical implications.
CXCR6 is required for antitumor efficacy of intratumoral CD8+T cell
Authors: Wang Binglin , Wang Yi , Sun Xiaofan , Deng Guoliang , Huang Wei , Wu Xingxin , Gu Yanghong , Tian Zhigang , Fan Zhimin , Xu Qiang , Chen Hongqi , Sun Yang
Published: August 2021

Background

Increasing infiltration of CD8+T cells within tumor tissue predicts a better prognosis and is essential for response to checkpoint blocking therapy. Furthermore, current clinical protocols use unfractioned T cell populations as the starting point for transduction of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)-modified T cells, but the optimal T cell subtype of CAR-modified T cells remains unclear. Thus, accurately identifying a group of cytotoxic T lymphocytes with high antitumor efficacy is imperative. Inspired by the theory of yin and yang, we explored a subset of CD8+T cell in cancer with the same phenotypic characteristics as highly activated inflammatory T cells in autoimmune diseases.

Methods

Combination of single-cell RNA sequencing, general transcriptome sequencing data and multiparametric cytometric techniques allowed us to map CXCR6 expression on specific cell type and tissue. We appliedCxcr6−/−mice, immune checkpoint therapies and bone marrow chimeras to identify the function of CXCR6+CD8+T cells. TransgenicCxcr6−/−OT-I mice were employed to explore the functional role of CXCR6 in antigen-specific antitumor response.

Results

We identified that CXCR6 was exclusively expressed on intratumoral CD8+T cell. CXCR6+CD8+T cells were more immunocompetent, and chimeras with specific deficiency on CD8+T cells showed weaker antitumor activity. In addition,Cxcr6−/−mice could not respond to anti-PD-1 treatment effectively. High tumor expression of CXCR6 was not mainly caused by ligand-receptor chemotaxis of CXCL16/CXCR6 but induced by tumor tissue self. Induced CXCR6+CD8+T cells possessed tumor antigen specificity and could enhance the effect of anti-PD-1 blockade to retard tumor progression.

Conclusions

This study may contribute to the rational design of combined immunotherapy. Alternatively, CXCR6 may be used as a biomarker for effective CD8+T cell state before adoptive cell therapy, providing a basis for tumor immunotherapy.
Effect of obstacle height on the nanofluid convection patterns inside a hollow square enclosure
Authors: Mohebbi Rasul , Babamir Mohsen , Amooei Mohammad Mahdi , Ma Yuan
Published: August 2021

This paper contains natural convection of Ag–MgO/water micropolar hybrid nanofluid in a hollow hot square enclosure equipped by four cold obstacles on the walls. The simulations were performed by the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The influences of Rayleigh number and volume fraction of nanoparticle on the fluid flow and heat transfer performance were studied. Moreover, the effects of some geometric parameters, such as cold obstacle height and aspect ratio, were also considered in this study. The results showed that when the aspect ratio is not large ([Formula: see text] or 0.4), at low Rayleigh number (103), the two secondary vortices are established in each main vortex and this kind of secondary vortex does not form at high Rayleigh number (106). However, at [Formula: see text], these secondary vortices occur again in the middle two vortices at [Formula: see text], which is similar to that at [Formula: see text]. At [Formula: see text], the critical Rayleigh number, when the dominated mechanism of heat transfer changes from conduction to convection, is 104. However, the critical Rayleigh number becomes 105 at [Formula: see text] or 0.6. When the cold obstacle height increases, the shape of the vortices inside the enclosure changes due to the different spaces. Besides, at [Formula: see text], for different cold obstacle heights, the location of the thermal plume is different, owing to the different shapes of vortices. Accordingly, the average Nusselt number increases by increment of the Rayleigh number, nanoparticle volume fraction, cold obstacle height and aspect ratio.
Feynman’s propagator in Schwinger’s picture of Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Ciaglia F. M. , Di Cosmo F. , Ibort A. , Marmo G. , Schiavone L. , Zampini A.
Published: August 2021

A novel derivation of Feynman’s sum-over-histories construction of the quantum propagator using the groupoidal description of Schwinger picture of Quantum Mechanics is presented. It is shown that such construction corresponds to the GNS representation of a natural family of states called Dirac–Feynman–Schwinger (DFS) states. Such states are obtained from a q-Lagrangian function [Formula: see text] on the groupoid of configurations of the system. The groupoid of histories of the system is constructed and the q-Lagrangian [Formula: see text] allows us to define a DFS state on the algebra of the groupoid. The particular instance of the groupoid of pairs of a Riemannian manifold serves to illustrate Feynman’s original derivation of the propagator for a point particle described by a classical Lagrangian L.
CNTFET Circuit-Based Wide Fan-In Domino Logic for Low Power Applications
Authors: Sharma Vijay Kumar
Published: August 2021

Carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFETs) are the best alternative option for the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) in the ultra-deep submicron (ultra-DSM) regime. CNTFET has numerous benefits such as lower off-state current, high current density, low bias potential and better transport property as compared to MOSFET. A rolled graphene sheet-based cylindrical tube is constructed in the channel region of the CNTFET structure. In this paper, an improved domino logic (IDL) configuration is proposed for domino logic circuits to improve the different performance metrics. An extensive comparative simulation analysis is provided for the different performance metrics for different circuits to verify the novelty of the proposed IDL approach. The IDL approach saves the leakage power dissipation by 95.61% and enhances the speed by 87.10% for the 4-bit full adder circuit as compared to the best reported available domino method. The effects of the number of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), temperature, and power supply voltage variations are estimated for leakage power dissipation for the 16-input OR (OR16) gate. The reliability of different performance metrics for different circuit is calculated in terms of uncertainty by running the Monte Carlo simulations for 500 samples. Stanford University’s 32[Formula: see text]nm CNTFET model is applied for circuit simulations.