bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Routine use of both mammography and MRI surveillance in patients with previous ‘mammogram occult’ breast cancer: experience from a tertiary centre
Authors: Bansal Gaurav J , Purchase David , Wray Matthew
Published: October 2020

Background

To evaluate the role of combined MRI and mammogram follow-up in patients with previous ‘mammographically occult’ breast cancer.

Methods

Between 2011 and 2016, examinations of all patients undergoing routine surveillance following previous ‘mammogram occult’ breast cancer were evaluated. Patients had both MRI and mammograms on the same day with an interval of 12–18 months between consecutive pairs. Total number of recalls on both imaging modalities and the outcome of those recalls was recorded. There were six median examinations per patient.

Results

There were a total of 325 examinations of 54 patients. There were 96 mammograms/MRI pairs and 87 lone MRI and 46 lone mammograms. There were a total of 26 recalls in 21 patients. MRI had specificity (95% CI) of 89.99 (85.67 to 93.11) compared to mammograms 96.27 (92.53 to 98.25). The diagnostic OR with 95% CI was 19.40 (3.70 to 101.57) vs 6.72 (1.43 to 31.58) of mammograms and MRI, respectively. Three of seven cancers presented symptomatically.

Conclusions

MRI surveillance leads to higher recalls and false positives compared to mammograms in this specific subgroup of high-risk patients. Large proportion of cancers presented symptomatically, stressing the importance of remaining vigilant of breast symptoms despite imaging surveillance.
Impact of exposure to patients with COVID-19 on residents and fellows: an international survey of 1420 trainees
Authors: Cravero Anne L , Kim Nicole J , Feld Lauren D , Berry Kristin , Rabiee Atoosa , Bazarbashi Najdat , Bassin Sandhya , Lee Tzu-Hao , Moon Andrew M , Qi Xiaolong , Liang Peter S , Aby Elizabeth S , Khan Mohammad Qasim , Young Kristen J , Patel Arpan , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Kobeissy Abdallah , Hashim Almoutaz , Houser Allysia , Ioannou George N
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To determine how self-reported level of exposure to patients with novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) affected the perceived safety, training and well-being of residents and fellows.

Methods

We administered an anonymous, voluntary, web-based survey to a convenience sample of trainees worldwide. The survey was distributed by email and social media posts from April 20th to May 11th, 2020. Respondents were asked to estimate the number of patients with COVID-19 they cared for in March and April 2020 (0, 1–30, 31–60, >60). Survey questions addressed (1) safety and access to personal protective equipment (PPE), (2) training and professional development and (3) well-being and burnout.

Results

Surveys were completed by 1420 trainees (73% residents, 27% fellows), most commonly from the USA (n=670), China (n=150), Saudi Arabia (n=76) and Taiwan (n=75). Trainees who cared for a greater number of patients with COVID-19 were more likely to report limited access to PPE and COVID-19 testing and more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Compared with trainees who did not take care of patients with COVID-19 , those who took care of 1–30 patients (adjusted OR [AOR] 1.80, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.51), 31–60 patients (AOR 3.30, 95% CI 1.86 to 5.88) and >60 patients (AOR 4.03, 95% CI 2.12 to 7.63) were increasingly more likely to report burnout. Trainees were very concerned about the negative effects on training opportunities and professional development irrespective of the number of patients with COVID-19 they cared for.

Conclusion

Exposure to patients with COVID-19 is significantly associated with higher burnout rates in physician trainees.
Potential interactions between the pathways to diagnosis of HIV and other STIs and HIV self-testing: insights from a qualitative study of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Singapore
Authors: Tan Rayner Kay Jin , Chan Yin Ying , Bin Ibrahim Muhamad Alif , Ho Lai Peng , Lim Oliver Zikai , Choong Bryan Chee Hong , Chio Martin Tze-Wei , Chen Mark I-Cheng , Wong Christina Misa
Published: October 2020

Objectives

This study draws on qualitative insights on the barriers and facilitators to HIV testing, as well as perceptions of HIV self-testing (HIVST), to propose a framework to understand not only the benefits but also potential knock-on implications of introducing HIVST in the context of other STI testing.

Methods

We conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews with 30 gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men aged 18 and 39 years old in Singapore. Interview topics included barriers and facilitators to HIV and other STI testing, as well as perceptions of HIVST. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded and analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

For HIV testing, participants cited the perceived risk of acquiring, susceptibility to and symptoms of HIV as internal motivators, while social influence and accessibility of HIV testing services were external motivators. For STI testing, perceived symptoms and partner notification of STI were reported as internal and external motivators, respectively. Availability of bundle tests, starting a new relationship and instances of mandatory testing motivated both simultaneous HIV and other STI testing. The fear of a positive diagnosis and lack of confidentiality were cited as internal and external barriers to HIV testing, respectively, while low perceived severity of other STI and the cost of STI tests were cited as internal and external barriers to other STI testing, respectively. We identified pathways to HIV and other STI testing and discussed how the introduction of HIVST may reduce opportunities for other STI testing.

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that introducing HIVST might weaken linkages to other STI testing if alternative strategies of promoting other STI testing are not simultaneously implemented. We recommend that future interventions address both the risks of HIV and other STI simultaneously, and that structural interventions promoting HIV and other STI preventions be balanced accordingly.
Risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in asthma due to oral and inhaled corticosteroids: two population-based nested case-control studies
Authors: Chalitsios Christos V , Shaw Dominick E , McKeever Tricia M
Published: October 2020

Background

Inhaled (ICS) and oral (OCS) corticosteroids are used widely in asthma; however, the risk of osteoporosis and fragility fracture (FF) due to corticosteroids in asthma is not well-established.

Methods

We conducted two nested case-control studies using linked data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) databases. Using an asthma cohort, we separately identified patients with osteoporosis or FF and gender-, age- and practice-matched controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the association between ICS and OCS exposure, and the risk of osteoporosis or FF. The prevalence of patients receiving at least one bisphosphonate was also calculated.

Results

There was a dose–response relationship between both cumulative dose and number of OCS/ICS prescriptions within the previous year, and risk of osteoporosis or FF. After adjusting for confounders, people receiving more OCS prescriptions (≥9 vs 0) had a 4.50 (95% CI 3.21 to 6.11) and 2.16 (95% CI 1.56 to 3.32) increased risk of osteoporosis and FF, respectively. For ICS (≥11 vs 0) the ORs were 1.60 (95% CI 1.22 to 2.10) and 1.31 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.68). The cumulative dose had a similar impact, with those receiving more OCS or ICS being at greater risk. The prevalence of patients taking ≥9 OCS and at least one bisphosphonate prescription was just 50.6% and 48.4% for osteoporosis and FF, respectively.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that exposure to OCS or ICS is an independent risk factors for bone health in patients with asthma. Steroid administration at the lowest possible level to maintain asthma control is recommended.
Biochemical adaptations of the stout razor clam (Tagelus plebeius) to changes in oxygen availability: resilience in a changing world?
Authors: Yusseppone M.S. , Noya Abad T. , Risoli M.C. , Sabatini S.E. , Ríos de Molina M.C. , Lomovasky B.J.
Published: October 2020

Climate change is producing sea level rise and deoxygenation of the ocean, altering estuaries and coastal areas. Changes in oxygen availability are expected to have consequences on the physiological fitness of intertidal species. In this work we analyze the coping response of the intertidal stout razor clam (Tagelus plebeius (Lightfoot, 1786)) to extreme environmental changes in oxygen concentration. Their biochemical responses to normoxia, hypoxia, and hyperoxia transition at different intertidal level (low–high) were measured through an in situ transplant experiment. The high intertidal level negatively affected the analyzed traits of the T. plebeius populations. The differences in reactive oxygen species production, total oxyradical scavenger capacities, and catalase activity also suggested more stressful conditions at the high level where long-term hypoxia periods occur. Both hypoxia and re-oxygenation provoked re-adjustments in the antioxidant responses and higher lipid oxidative damage (normoxia < hypoxia < re-oxygenation). The observed responses in transplanted clams at the opposite intertidal level suggested the potential acclimation of T. plebeius to cope with new environmental conditions. These findings are discussed within a global changing context where both increasing deoxygenation conditions and sea level rise are predicted to be exacerbated in the area driven by climate change.
Confining and compressing the atom
Authors: Connerade Jean-Patrick
Published: October 2020

A review of effects due to the confinement and compression of atoms is presented. It is argued that they provide new insights into the properties of atoms and, in particular, into their interactions with the microscopic environment. Studies of confined atoms allow one to understand better the changes of behaviour which occur under pressure. Some applications to practical situations are also suggested.

Graphical abstract
BEYOND THE DYAD: ROLE OF NON-COMPETITIVE PARTNERS IN COOPETITIVE R&D PROJECTS
Authors: SMILJIC SANJA
Published: October 2020

R&D projects between multiple partners have been examined by various disciplines at the macro-, micro- and meso-level. Even though scholars have acknowledged the possibility that both competitive and non-competitive partners participate in such projects, we still lack a holistic perspective on their complex interactions. This paper builds on open innovation and coopetition literature to explore the influence of research partners and clusters on the relationships between competing companies in different project phases of R&D projects. The study is based on insights from five coopetitive R&D projects in mature industries. Findings revealed the need for simultaneous involvement of research partners and clusters when establishing the collaboration in the pre-project phase, while research partners have dominant roles in balancing coopetition in both the pre-project and project implementation phases. Propositions are offered to inform future studies and managerial implications are discussed.
Evidentiality, Modality, and Speech Acts
Authors: Murray Sarah E.
Published: October 2020

Evidential constructions have two main semantic effects: They contribute information about an individual's source of evidence, and they potentially modify the force of a sentence. In this article, I review the at-issue status of the evidential information, the indexical and anaphoric properties of evidentials, their force-modifying effect, and the connection throughout to epistemic modality. In some languages, evidentials occur as part of the grammatical morphology, but evidential information can be expressed through a variety of constructions across languages. As such, the study of evidentiality highlights the important role of cross-linguistic semantics and the collaboration between language typology and linguistic semantics.
Linguistics Then and Now: Some Personal Reflections
Authors: Chomsky Noam
Published: October 2020

By mid-twentieth century, a working consensus had been reached in the linguistics community, based on the great achievements of preceding years. Synchronic linguistics had been established as a science, a “taxonomic” science, with sophisticated procedures of analysis of data. Taxonomic science has limits. It does not ask “why?” The time was ripe to seek explanatory theories, using insights provided by the theory of computation and studies of explanatory depth. That effort became the generative enterprise within the biolinguistics framework. Tensions quickly arose: The elements of explanatory theories (generative grammars) were far beyond the reach of taxonomic procedures. The structuralist principle that language is a matter of training and habit, extended by analogy, was unsustainable. More generally, the mood of “virtually everything is known” became “almost nothing is understood,” a familiar phenomenon in the history of science, opening a new and exciting era for a flourishing discipline.
Editors’ Choice—Economic Considerations for Low-Temperature Electrochemical Ammonia Production: Achieving Haber-Bosch Parity
Authors: Fernandez Carlos A. , Hatzell Marta C.
Published: October 2020

Production of ammonia through coupling renewable energy with electrolysis cells will undoubtedly aid in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the ammonia production industry. However, if the cost for electrochemical routes does not reach a Haber-Bosch parity point, then it is unlikely that electrochemical ammonia synthesis will become industrially viable. This promotes a strong need for analyses that explore the economics of various system designs and production scales, to assess what systems and scales can attain Haber-Bosch price parity. Here, we aim to define the Haber-Bosch parity targets for various production scales. We then explore the economic considerations for two electrochemical systems for ammonia synthesis. The first system contains a single electrolysis cell where nitrogen and water are the sole reactants. The second system explores a two-staged electrolysis system. The first stage consists of a water electrolysis cell where water serves as the reactant and hydrogen and oxygen are the products. The second stage consists of a nitrogen electrolysis cell where the reactants are nitrogen and hydrogen and ammonia is the product. We emphasize the important role production scale plays in meeting Haber-Bosch price parity, and highlight the key challenges for electrochemical ammonia production.
The role of the tripartite synapse in the heart: how glial cells may contribute to the physiology and pathophysiology of the intracardiac nervous system
Authors: Tedoldi Angelo , Argent Liam , Montgomery Johanna M.
Published: October 2020

One of the major roles of the intracardiac nervous system (ICNS) is to act as the final site of signal integration for efferent information destined for the myocardium to enable local control of heart rate and rhythm. Multiple subtypes of neurons exist in the ICNS where they are organized into clusters termed ganglionated plexi (GP). The majority of cells in the ICNS are actually glial cells; however, despite this, ICNS glial cells have received little attention to date. In the central nervous system, where glial cell function has been widely studied, glia are no longer viewed simply as supportive cells but rather have been shown to play an active role in modulating neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. Pioneering studies have demonstrated that in addition to glia within the brain stem, glial cells within multiple autonomic ganglia in the peripheral nervous system, including the ICNS, can also act to modulate cardiovascular function. Clinically, patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing catheter ablation show high plasma levels of S100B, a protein produced by cardiac glial cells, correlated with decreased AF recurrence. Interestingly, S100B also alters GP neuron excitability and neurite outgrowth in the ICNS. These studies highlight the importance of understanding how glial cells can affect the heart by modulating GP neuron activity or synaptic inputs. Here, we review studies investigating glia both in the central and peripheral nervous systems to discuss the potential role of glia in controlling cardiac function in health and disease, paying particular attention to the glial cells of the ICNS.
Impaired 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D in liver injury suppresses intestinal Paneth cell defensins, leading to gut dysbiosis and liver fibrogenesis
Authors: Wu Pengfei , Zhang Ruofei , Luo Mei , Zhang Tianci , Pan Lisha , Xu Siya , Pan Liwei , Ren Feng , Ji Cheng , Hu Richard , Noureddin Mazen , Pandol Stephen J. , Han Yuan-Ping
Published: October 2020

Vitamin D deficiency is coprevalent with various liver diseases, indicating the role of vitamin D in maintaining liver homeostasis. In this study, we observed that the hepatic 25-hydroxylation of VD is critical for intestinal innate immunity through VD signaling in the small intestine for maintaining Paneth cell functions. Conversely, failure of biogenesis of VD in the liver impairs intestinal immunity, leading to gut dysbiosis and endotoxemia, which promotes liver fibrogenesis.
Aging and chronic high-fat feeding negatively affect kidney size, function, and gene expression in CTRP1-deficient mice
Authors: Rodriguez Susana , Little Hannah C. , Daneshpajouhnejad Parnaz , Fenaroli Paride , Tan Stefanie Y. , Sarver Dylan C. , Delannoy Michael , Talbot C. Conover , Jandu Sandeep , Berkowitz Dan E. , Pluznick Jennifer L. , Rosenberg Avi Z. , Wong G. William
Published: October 2020

C1q/TNF-related protein 1 (CTRP1) is an endocrine factor with metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal functions. We previously showed that aged Ctrp1-knockout (KO) mice fed a control low-fat diet develop renal hypertrophy and dysfunction. Since aging and obesity adversely affect various organ systems, we hypothesized that aging, in combination with obesity induced by chronic high-fat feeding, would further exacerbate renal dysfunction in CTRP1-deficient animals. To test this, we fed wild-type and Ctrp1-KO mice a high-fat diet for 8 mo or longer. Contrary to our expectation, no differences were observed in blood pressure, heart function, or vascular stiffness between genotypes. Loss of CTRP1, however, resulted in an approximately twofold renal enlargement (relative to body weight), ∼60% increase in urinary total protein content, and elevated pH, and changes in renal gene expression affecting metabolism, signaling, transcription, cell adhesion, solute and metabolite transport, and inflammation. Assessment of glomerular integrity, the extent of podocyte foot process effacement, as well as renal response to water restriction and salt loading did not reveal significant differences between genotypes. Interestingly, blood platelet, white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and eosinophil counts were significantly elevated, whereas mean corpuscular volume and hemoglobin were reduced in Ctrp1-KO mice. Cytokine profiling revealed increased circulating levels of CCL17 and TIMP-1 in KO mice. Compared with our previous study, current data suggest that chronic high-fat feeding affects renal phenotypes differently than similarly aged mice fed a control low-fat diet, highlighting a diet-dependent contribution of CTRP1 deficiency to age-related changes in renal structure and function.
Biokinetic modeling of nanoparticle interactions with lung alveolar epithelial cells: uptake, intracellular processing, and egress
Authors: Chen Wenbo , D’Argenio David Z. , Sipos Arnold , Kim Kwang-Jin , Crandall Edward D.
Published: October 2020

Studies on health effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the lung have provided information on ENM toxicity and translocation across airway and alveolar epithelial barriers. Various inhaled ENMs (e.g., gold and iridium nanoparticles) have been reported to partially cross the air-blood barrier in the lung, enter the vasculature, and distribute in several end organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, and kidney. Using an in vitro primary rat alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) monolayer model, we reported transport rates of relatively nontoxic polystyrene nanoparticles (PNPs), which appear to be taken up via nonendocytic processes into AECs. PNPs internalized into cytoplasm then trigger autophagy, followed by delivery of PNPs from autophagosomes into lysosomes, from where PNPs are exocytosed. We used the data from these experiments to perform biokinetic modeling that incorporates the processes associated with internalization and intracellular distribution of PNPs, autophagy, lysosomal exocytosis of PNPs, and several putative mechanisms of action that extend our previous understanding of AEC processing of PNPs. Results suggest that entry of PNPs into AECs, subsequent activation of autophagy by cytosolic PNPs, accumulation of PNPs in lysosomes, and lysosomal exocytosis are interwoven by proposed regulatory mechanisms.
Quantification of body fluid compartmentalization by combined time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance and bioimpedance spectroscopy
Authors: Segar Jeffrey L. , Balapattabi Kirthikaa , Reho John J. , Grobe Connie C. , Burnett Colin M.L. , Grobe Justin L.
Published: October 2020

The measurement of fluid compartmentalization, or the distribution of fluid volume between extracellular (ECF) and intracellular (ICF) spaces, historically requires complicated, burdensome, and often terminal methodologies that do not permit repeated or longitudinal experiments. New technologies including time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR)-based methods allow for highly accurate measurements of total body water (TBW) within minutes in a noninvasive manner, but do not permit dissection of ECF versus ICF reservoirs. In contrast, methods such as bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) allow dissection of ECF versus ICF reservoirs but are hampered by dependence on many nuanced details in data collection that undermine confidence in experimental results. Here, we present a novel combinatorial use of these two technologies (NMR/BIS) to improve the accuracy of BIS-based assessments of ECF and ICF, while maintaining the advantages of these minimally invasive methods. Briefly, mice undergo TD-NMR and BIS-based measures, and then fat masses as derived by TD-NMR are used to correct BIS outputs. Mice of the C57BL/6J background were studied using NMR/BIS methods to assess the effects of acute furosemide injection and diet-induced obesity on fluid compartmentalization, and to examine the influence of sex, body mass and composition, and diet on TBW, ECF, and ICF. We discovered that in mice, sex and body size/composition have substantial and interactive effects on fluid compartmentalization. We propose that the combinatorial use of NMR/BIS methods will enable a revisioning of the types of longitudinal, kinetic studies that can be performed to understand the impact of various interventions on body fluid homeostasis.
Combination of Exercise Training and SOD Mimetic Tempol Enhances Upregulation of Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Kidney of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Cao Pengyu , Ito Osamu , Ito Daisuke , Rong Rong , Zheng Yang , Kohzuki Masahiro
Published: October 2020

Both exercise training (Ex) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic tempol have antihypertensive and renal protective effects in rodent models of several hypertensions. We recently reported that Ex increases nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression levels of endothelial and neuronal NO synthase (eNOS and nNOS) in the kidney and aorta of the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKY). We also found that endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) upregulates the expression levels of eNOS and nNOS in SHR. To elucidate the mechanism of the Ex-upregulated NO system in the kidney, we examined the additive effect of Ex and tempol on the renal NO system in SHR and WKY. Our data showed that, in SHR, both Ex and tempol increase the levels of H2O2 and nitrate/nitrite (NOx) in plasma and urine. We also observed an increased renal NOS activity and upregulated expression levels of eNOS and nNOS with decreased NADPH oxidase activity. The effects of the combination of Ex and tempol on these variables were cumulate in SHR. On the other hand, we found that Ex increases these variables with increased renal NADPH oxidase activity, but tempol did not change these variables or affect the Ex-induced upregulation in the activity and expression of NOS in WKY. The SOD activity in the kidney and aorta was activated by tempol only in SHR, but not in WKY; whereas Ex increased SOD activity only in the aorta in both SHR and WKY. These results indicate that Ex-induced endogenous H2O2 produced in the blood vessel and other organs outside of the kidney may be carried to the kidney by blood flow and stimulates the NO system in the kidney.
Disturbance Elimination for the Modular Joint Torque Sensor of a Collaborative Robot
Authors: Zhang He , Qin Wenlei , Gao Yongsheng , Li Qiang , Chen Zhigang , Zhao Jie
Published: October 2020

The ability to obtain accurate torque information and detect collision information is the key demand for collaborative robots. Given the highly integrated modular joint, the joint torque-sensing system is disturbed by other elements during online measurement, affecting the accuracy of measurement. For example, the torque ripple caused by the periodic deformation of the flexspline of the harmonic driver and the temperature drift due to the heating of motor are the two main factors affecting the measurement of the torque sensor. In this study, a torque sensor suitable for a modular joint is developed. Moreover, a strain gauge configuration based on a specified phase difference for torque ripple cancelation and a temperature compensation method based on the combination of the Wheatstone bridge and a nonlinear model are proposed. Finally, the performance of the developed sensor is experimentally evaluated.
A Modified Social Spider Optimization for Economic Dispatch with Valve-Point Effects
Authors: Yang Wenqiang , Cheng Tingli , Guo Yuanjun , Yang Zhile , Feng Wei
Published: October 2020

Economic dispatch (ED) aims to allocate the generation of units to minimize the total production cost. This dispatch is generally formulated with nonsmooth and nonconvex cost function due to valve-point effects and various constraints, where the conventional methods are inapplicable. An improved social spider optimization algorithm, namely, ISSO, is proposed in this paper to solve the ED problem with valve-point effects. That is, dynamic updating mechanism of the subpopulations, Gaussian mating radius, and multimating strategy are introduced into the ISSO. These mechanisms facilitate a compromise between the global exploration and local exploitation of the search process. Numerical experiments are conducted on benchmark functions and different scale generation units commonly considered in the literature to validate the feasibility of the proposed ISSO. Computational results are analyzed in terms of solution quality by the statistical method, which shows the superiority of the ISSO algorithm in comparison with the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Tianma Gouteng Decoction Exerts Cardiovascular Protection by Upregulating OPG and TRAIL in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Deng Lin-hua , Li Lan , Zhai You , Michael Sarhene , Yang Chun-yang , Guo Rui , Chen Shan-fu , Fan Guan-wei , Zhao Ying-qiang , Liu Wei
Published: October 2020

Tianma Gouteng Decoction (TGD) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension and its related complications, but its mechanisms remain incompletely defined. We now aim to assess the protective effect of TGD against cardiovascular damage and to investigate its characteristics and underlying mechanisms. Blood pressure was determined in TGD‐treated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by noninvasive measurements. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac function and structure and sirius red staining to evaluate cardiac fibrosis, and the degree of vascular remodeling was evaluated. Additionally, vasoconstriction and relaxation factor expression changes were examined by means of ELISA. Protein expression changes were verified by western blot. Compared with untreated SHR, TGD‐treated SHR exhibited cardiovascular traits more akin to those of the normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. That is, they had lower diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure and mean BP, and increased expression of vasodilation factor. We also found that TGD reduces ventricular and vascular remodeling and improves cardiac function in SHR. Finally, we tested the antiapoptosis effect TGD exerts in SHR, ostensibly by upregulating the expression of OPG, TRAIL, and death receptor 5 (DR5) and downregulating caspases 8, 7, and 3. TRAIL may also exert antiapoptotic and prosurvival effects by upregulating AKT expression. Therefore, TGD may reverse cardiovascular remodeling in SHR by upregulating the expression of OPG and TRAIL, upregulating AKT, and inhibiting apoptosis, at least in part. For the first time, we have shown that OPG and TRAIL play complimentary cardioprotective roles in SHR.
Prevalence of Depression and Associated Factors among Diabetes Patients in East Shewa, Ethiopia: Bayesian Approach
Authors: Tusa Biruk Shalmeno , Alemayehu Mekuriaw , Weldesenbet Adisu Birhanu , Kebede Sewnet Adem , Dagne Getachew Asfaw
Published: October 2020

Background. Depression is one of the most pressing public health problems and also highly prevalent comorbid condition among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Depression may impact lifestyle decisions and ability to poorly perform tasks which are risk factors for DM. For reducing the impact of depression among DM patients in developing countries, it is crucial to identify and assess associated risk factors of depression among DM patients, thereby designing effective management techniques. In line with this, the current study applies the Bayesian framework, which pools prior information and current data, to find factors associated with depression among DM patients. Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Adama Hospital and Medical College (AHMC) from March to April 2019. Data was entered into the Epi-data 3.1 then exported to the R software 3.4.4. Bayesian logistic regression models were fitted to the data using the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm. Estimates of model parameters including adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% credible intervals (CI) were calculated. Results. A total of 359 adults with DM were included in the analysis. The prevalence of depression among diabetic patients was 9.22% (95% CI: 6.4% to 12.7%). Higher fasting blood sugar level (

AOR
=
−
1.012

; HPD CI: (1.0020, 1.025)), having diabetic complication (

AOR
=
0.1876

; HPD CI: (0.0214, 0.671)), history of hospital admission (

AOR
=
0.2865

; HPD CI: (0.0711, 0.7318)), low medication adherence (

AOR
=
29.29

; HPD CI: (3.383, 92.26)), and taking both insulin and oral antidiabetic medication (

AOR
=
24.46

; HPD CI: (15.20, 49.37) were significantly and strongly associated with depression among DM patients. Conclusions. Prevalence of depression among diabetes patients in the catchment area of Adama Hospital, Ethiopia, was found to be very low. Higher fasting blood sugar level, diabetic complication, history of hospital admission, low medication adherence, and taking both insulin and oral antidiabetic medication were found to be strong predictors of prevalence of depression among DM patients. Based on the findings, we recommend that integrating screening and treating of depression, early detection and management of diabetic complication, and giving counseling to improve medication adherence is an effective approach for lowering the impact of depression on DM patients.
Expression of SASH1 in Preeclampsia and Its Effects on Human Trophoblast
Authors: Liu Shisan , Jiang Sijia , Huang Liping , Yu Yanhong
Published: October 2020

Aim. To explore the involvement of SASH1 in preeclampsia. Methods. Expression of SASH1 was determined by qPCR, WB, and immunohistochemistry in the placenta of both normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. The SASH1 gene of human HTR‐8/SVneo cells was overexpressed by transfection of pEZ‐Lv206‐SASH1. After that, the CCK‐8 assay, EdU assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to examine the cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Results. Higher expression of SASH1 was detected in placental tissues collected from patients with preeclampsia, compared with those from gestational age‐matched control samples. The expression of SASH1 was significantly enhanced by transfection with pEZ‐Lv206‐SASH1 in HTR‐8/SVneo cells. In addition, the HTR‐8/SVneo cells transfected with pEZ‐Lv206‐SASH1 exhibited significantly reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion ability compared to the cells in the empty vector group and normal group. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the apoptosis rate of cells transfected with pEZ‐Lv206‐SASH1 was significantly higher than that of cells transfected with empty vector and untreated cells. Conclusions. SASH1 is significantly upregulated in the placenta of preeclampsia, and overexpression of SASH1 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion, but induce apoptosis of trophoblast cells in vitro.
Differences in Physical Activity between Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease and Healthy Subjects
Authors: Shiba Sumiko , Shiba Akiko , Hatada Atsutoshi
Published: October 2020

Objectives. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a significant prognostic marker of poor long-term survival due to limited physical activity associated with various functional problems, such as intermittent claudication. A physically active lifestyle has the potential to modify peripheral artery risk factors and promote general health. While low daily physical activity levels have been recognized in the population of PAD, the exact level has yet to be quantified due to lack of research. The aim of the present study was to compare physical activity level (PAL) and time spent at activities of different intensity levels between patients with PAD and healthy individuals. The study subjects were 10 patients with PAD and 10 age-matched healthy control subjects. We measured the time spent at light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity using triaxial accelerometer and calculated PAL. Intermittent claudication onset distance and maximum walking distance were defined as the distance walked at which the subject first reported leg pain and the distance at which the subject was unable to continue walking because of leg pain, respectively. Results. Our results showed (i) lower PAL in patients with PAD compared with the controls; (ii) while there was no significant difference in the high-intensity activity between the two groups, the light- and moderate-intensity activities of the PAD group were significantly lower than the controls, the time spent at moderate-intensity activity was approximately 50% less; and (iii) among patients with PAD, low PAL did not correlate directly with intermittent claudication. Conclusions. PAD patients limit the amount of their physical activity, especially light and moderate intensities. Our study highlights the importance of spending more time walking in daily life.
Hydrodynamic Analysis of the Flow inside the Submerged Entry Nozzle
Authors: Gonzalez-Trejo Jesus , Real-Ramirez Cesar Augusto , Carvajal-Mariscal Ignacio , Sanchez-Silva Florencio , Cervantes-De-La-Torre Francisco , Miranda-Tello Raul , Gabbasov Ruslan
Published: October 2020

The quality of steel produced by continuous casting depends mainly on the characteristics of the liquid steel flow pattern within the mold. This pattern depends on the flow dynamics of the nozzle that is immersed in liquid steel. This work characterizes the fluid dynamics within two separate submerged entry nozzle models with a square cross section bore. The Froude similarity criterion and water as working fluid have been used. The models consist of a square-shaped tube with one inlet and two lateral squared exits at the bottom. To enhance the flow visualization, the models do not have exit ports. Moreover, one of the models has a “pool,” a volume at the bottom, and the other prescinds of it. The geometrical parameters and operational conditions of physical experiments were reproduced in the numerical simulations. The turbulence model used in this work is large eddy simulation (LES) with dynamic k-equation filtering. It was found that transient numerical simulations reproduce the dynamic nature of the internal flow pattern seen in physical experiments. The results show that the flow pattern within the pool nozzle is defined by only one large vortex; on the other hand, in the nozzle, without the pool, the flow pattern achieves a complex behavior characterized by two small vortexes. This study will allow to build nozzles that produce a symmetric, regular fluid flow pattern inside the mold, which leads to improvements on the process such as low energy consumption and finally in cost reductions.
Calibrating a Local Civil Airport Runway Residual Life Prediction Model Using Random Effects and Joint Estimation
Authors: Wei Baoli , Guo Chengchao , Wang Fuming
Published: October 2020

Existing runway residual life prediction models need to be modified using the historical data of evaluated airports during evaluation and management for civil airports in China. If the data measured in the field and the historical data used for model calibration do not represent the actual historical performance of the evaluated airport, the predicted performance of the revised model might be poor. This study used measured pavement performance data for local civil airports in Henan Province from 2007 to 2017. The joint-estimation method was used to establish a functional residual life prediction model for local civil airport pavement with another dataset. A functional residual life prediction model for airport pavement was proposed in consideration of the influence of aircraft traffic and the thickness of the pavement surface layer. Taking into account the differences between samples in the two datasets, nonlinear regression with random-effect analysis and joint estimation were used to explain unobserved heterogeneity at the sample level and heteroscedasticity in the dataset. Based on the results of the established residual life prediction model, the marginal effect of the model parameters and the prediction performance of the entire model were analyzed with the measured data from the local airport pavement. Finally, the engineering applicability of the calibrated prediction model for pavement residual life was further evaluated.
Comparison of Statistical, Graphical, and Wavelet Transform Analyses for Rainfall Trends and Patterns in Badulu Oya Catchment, Sri Lanka
Authors: Ruwangika Ashika M. , Perera Anushka , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: October 2020

Climate change has adversely influenced many activities. It has increased the intensified precipitation events in some places and decreased the precipitation in some other places. In addition, some research studies revealed that the climate change has moved seasons in the temporal scale. Therefore, the changes can be seen in both spatial and temporal scales. Thus, analyzing climate change in the localized environments is highly essential. Rainfall trend analysis in a localized catchment can improve many aspects of water resource management not only to the catchment itself but also to some of the related other catchments. This research is carried to identify the rainfall trends in Badulu Oya catchment, Sri Lanka. The catchment is important as it is in the intermediate climate zone and rich in agricultural productions. Four rain gauges (namely, Badulla, Kandekatiya, Lower Spring Valley, and Ledgerwatte Estate) were used to analyze the rainfalls in the resolutions of monthly, seasonally, and annually. 30-year monthly cumulative rainfall data for the above four gauging stations are analyzed using various standard tests. Nonparametric tests including Mann–Kendall test and sequential Mann–Kendall test and innovative trend analysis methods are used to identify the potential rainfall trends in Badulu Oya catchment. In addition, continuous wavelet transforms and discrete wavelet transforms tests are carried out to check the patterns on rainfall to the catchment. The trend analysis methods are compared against each other to identify the better technique. The results reveal that the nonparametric Mann–Kendall test is powerful to produce the statistically significant rainfall trends in qualitative and quantitative manner. Mann–Kendall analysis shows a positive trend to Ledgerwatte Estate in monthly (3.7 mm in February and 7.4 mm in October), seasonal (6.9 mm in the 2ndintermonsoon), and annual (3 mm annually) scales. However, the analysis records one decreasing rainfall trend to Kandekatiya (8.1 mm in December) only in monthly scale. Nevertheless, it was found that the graphical method can be easily used in qualitative analysis, while discrete wavelet transformations are efficient in identifying the rainfall patterns effectively.
Online Sequential DV-Hop Localization Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Messous Sana , Liouane Hend
Published: October 2020

One of the main issues of wireless sensor networks is localization. Besides, it is important to track and analyze the sensed information. The technique of localization can calculate node position with the help of a set of designed nodes, denoted as anchors. The set density of these anchors may be incremented or decremented because of many reasons such as maintenance, lifetime, and breakdown. The well-known Distance Vector Hop (DV-Hop) algorithm is a suitable solution for localizing nodes having few neighbor anchors. However, existing DV-Hop-based localization methods have not considered the problem of anchor breakdown which may happen during the localization process. In order to avoid this issue, an Online Sequential DV-Hop algorithm is proposed in this paper to sequentially calculate positions of nodes and improve accuracy of node localization for multihop wireless sensor networks. The algorithm deals with the variation of the number of available anchors in the network. We note that DV-Hop algorithm is used in this article to process localization of nodes by a new optimized method for the estimation of the average distance of hops between nodes. Our proposed localization method is based on an online sequential computation. Compared with the original DV-Hop and other localization methods from the literature, simulation results prove that the proposed algorithm greatly minimizes the average of localization error of sensor nodes.
Comparative Analysis of Cutting Forces, Torques, and Vibration in Drilling of Bovine, Porcine, and Artificial Femur Bone with Considerations for Robot Effector Stiffness
Authors: Orelaja Oluseyi Adewale , Wang Xingsong , Shen Donghua , Ibrahim Dauda Sh. , Zhao Tianzheng , Sharif Umer , Afiz Ishola A.
Published: October 2020

Bone drilling is known as one of the most sensitive milling processes in biomedical engineering field. Fracture behavior of this cortical bone during drilling has attracted the attention of many researchers; however, there are still impending concerns such as necrosis, tool breakage, and microcracks due to high cutting forces, torques, and high vibration while drilling. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the cutting forces, torques, and vibration resulted on different bone samples (bovine, porcine, and artificial femur) using a 6dof Robot arm effector with considerations of its stiffness effects. Experiments were conducted on two spindle speeds of 1000 and 1500 rpm with a drill bit diameter of 2.5 mm and 6 mm depth of cut. The results obtained from the specimens were processed and analyzed using MATLAB R2015b and Visio 2000 software; these results were then compared with a prior test using manual and conventional drilling methods. The results obtained show that there is a significant drop in the average values of maximum drilling force for all the bone specimens when the spindle speed changes from 1000 rev/min to 1500 rev/min, with a drop from (20.07 to 12.34 N), approximately 23.85% for bovine, (11.25 to 8.14 N) with 16.03% for porcine, and (5.62 to 3.86 N) with 33.99% for artificial femur. The maximum average values of torque also decrease from 41.2 to 24.2 N·mm (bovine), 37.0 to 21.6 N·mm (porcine), and 13.6 to 6.7 N·mm (artificial femur), respectively. At an increase in the spindle speed, the vibration amplitude on all the bone samples also increases considerably. The variation in drilling force, torque, and vibration in our result also confirm that the stiffness of the robot effector joint has negative effect on the bone precision during drilling process.
Attribute-Based User Revocable Data Integrity Audit for Internet-of-Things Devices in Cloud Storage
Authors: Wang Yaowei , Chen Chen , Chen Zhenwei , He Jiangyong
Published: October 2020

Mobile crowdsensing (MCS) is a sensing paradigm exploiting the capabilities of mobile devices (Internet-of-Things devices, smartphones, etc.) to gather large volume of data. MCS has been widely used in cloud storage environment. However, MCS often faces the challenge of data integrity and user revocation issues. To solve these challenges, this paper uses attribute-based revocable signature mechanisms to construct a data integrity auditing scheme for IoT devices in the cloud storage environment. Users use attribute private keys to generate attribute signatures, and limit the user’s permission to use shared data through access policy control. Only when the user attribute is included in the global attribute set, and the attribute threshold is not less than the specified number, the user can use the attribute key for the data to generate a valid signature that can be authenticated under the control of the signature strategy. At the same time, the group manager (GM) can send secret information to a third-party auditor (TPA) to track the creator of the signature, to withdraw the user’s access to data when the business changes, and realize the safe revocation of user group membership. Formal security analysis and experimental results show that the proposed data-auditing solution is suitable for IoT devices in the cloud storage environment with respect to security and performance.
Experimental Study on Energy Evolution and Storage Performances of Rock Material under Uniaxial Cyclic Compression
Authors: Gong Fengqiang , Yan Jingyi , Wang Yunliang , Luo Song
Published: October 2020

To investigate the energy evolution and storage performances of rock under uniaxial cyclic compression, a series of uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading compression tests were conducted on Green sandstone and Yueyang granite. Two methods for calculating the total input energy of the specimen under each cycle were proposed. One is based on the actual stress-strain curve of the specimen (ASC method); the other is based on the stress-strain envelope curve during the loading process (SEC method). The experimental results show that, for those two methods, the total input energy, elastic energy, and dissipated energy of the specimen show a quadratic function increasing trend with the increase of stress levels. Besides, the elastic energy increases linearly with the increase of total input energy for both methods, which confirms that the linear energy storage law is also applicable to rock materials under uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading compression conditions. Moreover, the uniaxial compression energy storage coefficient calculated by the SEC method is highly close to that obtained based on the single cycle loading and unloading test, which indicates that the uniaxial compression energy storage coefficient of rock can also be calculated by multiple cyclic loading and unloading test. In conclusion, the linear energy storage law is a basic physical property of rock materials, and the uniaxial compression energy storage coefficient is a physical index reflecting the energy storage capacity of rock materials.