bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postextractive Alveolar Ridge Preservation Using L-PRF: Clinical and Histological Evaluation
Authors: Serafini Giorgio , Lollobrigida Marco , Fortunato Lorenzo , Mazzucchi Giulia , Lamazza Luca , Di Nardo Dario , Vozza Iole , Riminucci Mara , De Biase Alberto
Published: June 2020

Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) is an autologous platelet concentrate rich in growth factors and plasma proteins, obtained by centrifugation of patient whole blood, and widely used in oral surgery. This report describes a case of alveolar ridge preservation with L-PRF membranes. Postextractive alveolar healing was then assessed through a histologic and histomorphometric analysis. A patient requiring tooth extraction and subsequent implant rehabilitation was treated with simple extraction and socket filling with L-PRF membranes. Implant placement was performed at 3 months, and a bone biopsy was obtained for histomorphometric analysis. Histological examination of the grafted sites showed that the use of L-PRF could achieve good results in terms of bone dimension and quality and soft tissue healing. The results of this study support the use of L-PRF membranes to preserve hard and soft tissues after tooth extraction.
Galangin Inhibits Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Growth and Metastasis through Downregulation of MicroRNA‐21 Expression
Authors: Zou Yang , Li Rong , Kuang Dabin , Zuo Meiling , Li Wenqun , Tong Wei , Jiang Li , Zhou Min , Chen Yin , Gong Wencheng , Liu Lijuan , Tou Fangfang
Published: June 2020

Galangin, a natural flavonoid product derived from the root of galangal, is emerging as a promising anticancer agent against multiple cancers. Yet, whether it also has antitumor effects on cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that galangin exhibits multiple antitumor effects on CCA cells including decreases cell viability; inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion; and induces apoptosis. Moreover, those phenotypic changes are associated with downregulated microRNA‐21 (miR‐21) expression. To support, overexpression of miR‐21 blocks galangin‐mediated antisurvival and metastasis effects on CCA cells. Mechanically, galangin increases the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a direct target of miR‐21, resulting in decreased phosphorylation of AKT, a protein kinase which plays a critical role in controlling survival and apoptosis. In contrast, overexpression of miR‐21 abrogates galangin‐regulated PTEN expression and AKT phosphorylation. Taken together, these findings indicate that galangin inhibits CCA cell proliferation and metastasis and induces cell apoptosis through a miR‐21‐dependent manner, and galangin may provide a novel potential therapeutic adjuvant to treat CCA.
Simulation Analysis of Influencing Factors of Subsidence Based on Mining under Huge Loose Strata: A Case Study of Heze Mining Area, China
Authors: Zhu Xianxiang , Zhang Wenquan , Wang Zaiyong , Wang Chenghao , Li Wei , Wang Changhao
Published: June 2020

Based on the coal seam mining under the condition of thick soil layer, the mechanical mining subsidence process under the condition of thick soil layer was analyzed. Combined with the results of core drilling and laboratory test in the mining area, the mechanical analysis of the special transition strata of “hard soil-soft rock” at the bottom of the soil layer was carried out. Additionally, the characteristics of the shallow buried soil layer were compared and analyzed. Furthermore, the significance of this transitional font to the surface subsidence law was proposed. By using the numerical simulation software of FLAC3D and choosing the thickness of “hard soil-soft rock” transitional font as the influencing factor, a model was established and the surface subsidence characteristics of different stratum combinations were numerically simulated. The research results show that the transitional font is the special strata indicating that the hard soil is transiting to the soft rock, having a significant effect on the ground movement and deformation induced by coal mining. It cannot be designated into the loose strata. Also, it cannot be regarded as the bed rock to study the influence of it on the surface subsidence. The “hard soil-soft rock” transitional font has the support effect on the overlying strata during coal seam mining, which can restrict the surface subsidence. Furthermore, the larger the thickness of the transitional font is, the more obvious the restricting effect of it on the surface subsidence is. Meantime, this restricting effect will not be changed with the variation of the proportion between the loss bed and the bed rock thickness. Only the restricting extent is a little different.
Towards Energy-Efficient Framework for IoT Big Data Healthcare Solutions
Authors: Feng Chong , Adnan Muhammad , Ahmad Arshad , Ullah Ayaz , Khan Habib Ullah
Published: June 2020

The aim of the Internet of things (IoT) is to bring every object (wearable sensors, healthcare sensors, cameras, home appliances, smart phones, etc.) online. These different objects generate huge data which consequently lead to the need of requirements of efficient storage and processing. Cloud computing is an emerging technology to overcome this problem. However, there are some applications (healthcare) which need to process data in real time to improve its performance and require low latency and delay. Fog computing is one of the promising solutions which facilitate healthcare domain in terms of reducing the delay multihop data communication, distributing resource demands, and promoting service flexibility. In this study, a fog-based IoT healthcare framework is proposed in order to minimize the energy consumption of the fog nodes. Experimental results reveal that the performance of the proposed framework is efficient in terms of network delay and energy usage. Furthermore, the authors discussed and suggested important services of big data infrastructure which need to be present in fog devices for the analytics of healthcare big data.
Biomarkers and Strategy to Detect Preinvasive and Early Pancreatic Cancer: State of the Field and the Impact of the EDRN
Authors: Liu Ying , Kaur Sukhwinder , Huang Ying , Fahrmann Johannes F. , Rinaudo Jo Ann , Hanash Samir M. , Batra Surinder K. , Singhi Aatur D. , Brand Randall E. , Maitra Anirban , Haab Brian B.
Published: June 2020

Patients afflicted with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) face a dismal prognosis, but headway could be made if physicians could identify the disease earlier. A compelling strategy to broaden the use of surveillance for PDAC is to incorporate molecular biomarkers in combination with clinical analysis and imaging tools. This article summarizes the components involved in accomplishing biomarker validation and an analysis of the requirements of molecular biomarkers for disease surveillance. We highlight the significance of consortia for this research and highlight resources and infrastructure of the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN). The EDRN brings together the multifaceted expertise and resources needed for biomarker validation, such as study design, clinical care, biospecimen collection and handling, molecular technologies, and biostatistical analysis, and studies coming out of the EDRN have yielded biomarkers that are moving forward in validation. We close the article with an overview of the current investigational biomarkers, an analysis of their performance relative to the established benchmarks, and an outlook on the current needs in the field. The outlook for improving the early detection of PDAC looks promising, and the pace of further research should be quickened through the resources and expertise of the EDRN and other consortia.

See all articles in this CEBP Focus section, “NCI Early Detection Research Network: Making Cancer Detection Possible.”
Detection of Head and Neck Cancer Based on Longitudinal Changes in Serum Protein Abundance
Authors: Lee Ju Yeon , Shi Tujin , Petyuk Vladislav A. , Schepmoes Athena A. , Fillmore Thomas L. , Wang Yi-Ting , Cardoni Wayne , Coppit George , Srivastava Shiv , Goodman Joseph F. , Shriver Craig D. , Liu Tao , Rodland Karin D.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Approximately 85% of the U.S. military active duty population is male and less than 50 years of age, with elevated levels of known risk factors for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), including smoking, excessive use of alcohol, and greater numbers of sexual partners, and elevated prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV). Given the recent rise in incidence of OPSCC related to the HPV, the Department of Defense Serum Repository provides an unparalleled resource for longitudinal studies of OPSCC in the military for the identification of early detection biomarkers.

Methods:

We identified 175 patients diagnosed with OPSCC with 175 matched healthy controls and retrieved a total of 978 serum samples drawn at the time of diagnosis, 2 and 4 years prior to diagnosis, and 2 years after diagnosis. Following immunoaffinity depletion, serum samples were analyzed by targeted proteomics assays for multiplexed quantification of a panel of 146 candidate protein biomarkers from the curated literature.

Results:

Using a Random Forest machine learning approach, we derived a 13-protein signature that distinguishes cases versus controls based on longitudinal changes in serum protein concentration. The abundances of each of the 13 proteins remain constant over time in control subjects. The AUC for the derived Random Forest classifier was 0.90.

Conclusions:

This 13-protein classifier is highly promising for detection of OPSCC prior to overt symptoms.

Impact:

Use of longitudinal samples has significant potential to identify biomarkers for detection and risk stratification.
Advancing Rural Cancer Control Research: National Cancer Institute Efforts to Identify Gaps and Opportunities
Authors: Weaver Sallie J. , Blake Kelly D. , Vanderpool Robin C. , Gardner Brittany , Croyle Robert T. , Srinivasan Shobha
Published: June 2020

Cancer mortality rates are approximately 8% higher in rural populations and mortality rates are falling more slowly in rural communities, resulting in widening rural-urban health disparities in the United States. The NCI has a long history of supporting health disparities research, including research to understand the health needs, strengths, and opportunities in rural communities. However, the portfolio analysis described in this article underscores the need to significantly accelerate rural cancer control research in partnership with state and local communities. This commentary outlines NCI's efforts over the last four years to address gaps in rural cancer control research and improve cancer prevention, control, and care delivery in rural populations. Future directions, challenges, and opportunities are also discussed.
Plasma IL8 Is a Biomarker for TAK1 Activation and Predicts Resistance to Nanoliposomal Irinotecan in Patients with Gemcitabine-Refractory Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Merz Valeria , Zecchetto Camilla , Santoro Raffaela , Simionato Francesca , Sabbadini Fabio , Mangiameli Domenico , Piro Geny , Cavaliere Alessandro , Deiana Michela , Valenti Maria Teresa , Bazan Diana , Fedele Vita , Lonardi Sara , Melisi Davide
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal solid tumors, mainly because of its intrinsic chemoresistance. We identified TAK1 as a central hub sustaining this resistance. Nanoliposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI) is a novel treatment for metastatic gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer. We endeavored to identify circulating markers for TAK1 activation predicting chemoresistance in this setting.

Experimental Design:

In vivo activity of nal-IRI was validated in an orthotopic nude murine model expressing TAK1-specific shRNA. Plasma concentration of 20 different cytokines were measured by a multiplex xMAP/Luminex technology in patients prospectively enrolled to receive nal-IRI plus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV). The optimal cutoff thresholds able to significantly predict patients' outcome were obtained on the basis of the maximization of the Youden's statistics.

Results:

Differential expression profiling revealed the gene coding for IL8 as the most significantly downregulated in shTAK1 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Mice bearing shTAK1 tumors had significantly lower plasma levels of IL8 and experienced a significant reduction in tumor growth if treated with nal-IRI, whereas those bearing TAK1-proficient tumors were resistant to this agent. In a discovery cohort of 77 patients, IL8 was the circulating factor most significantly correlated with survival (plasma levels lower vs higher than cutoff: mPFS 3.4 months vs 2.8 months; hazard ratio [HR], 2.55; 95% CI, 1.39–4.67; P = 0.0017; median overall survival 8.9 months vs 5.3 months; HR, 3.51; 95% CI, 0.84–6.68; P = 4.9e−05). These results were confirmed in a validation cohort of 50 patients.

Conclusions:

Our study identified IL8 as the most significant circulating factor for TAK1 pathway activation and candidates IL8 as a potential predictive biomarker of resistance to nal-IRI in gemcitabine-refractory patients with pancreatic cancer.
Immunotherapy of Ipilimumab and Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Subgroup Analysis of the CA209-538 Clinical Trial for Rare Cancers
Authors: Klein Oliver , Kee Damien , Markman Ben , Michael Michael , Underhill Craig , Carlino Matteo S. , Jackett Louise , Lum Caroline , Scott Clare , Nagrial Adnan , Behren Andreas , So Jane Y. , Palmer Jodie , Cebon Jonathan
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

Combination immunotherapy with anti–CTLA-4 and anti–PD-1 blockade has demonstrated significant clinical activity across several tumor types. Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are a heterogeneous group of rare tumors with limited treatment options. CA209-538 is a clinical trial of combination immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab in rare cancers, including advanced NETs.

Patients and Methods:

CA209-538 is a prospective multicenter clinical trial in patients with advanced rare cancers. Patients received treatment with nivolumab at a dose of 3 mg/kg and ipilimumab at 1 mg/kg every three weeks for four doses, followed by nivolumab 3 mg/kg every two weeks and continued for up to 96 weeks, until disease progression or the development of unacceptable toxicity. Response was assessed every 12 weeks by RECIST 1.1. The primary endpoint was clinical benefit rate (CBR; complete remission + partial remission + stable disease).

Results:

Twenty-nine patients with advanced NETs received treatment. Three (10%) patients had low-, 13 (45%) had intermediate-, and 13 (45%) had high-grade tumors; lung was the most common primary site (39%). The objective response rate was 24% with a CBR of 72%; 43% of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN), and 33% of patients with atypical bronchial carcinoid achieved an objective response. The median progression-free survival was 4.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7–10.5] and overall survival was 14.8 months (95% CI: 4.1–21.3). Immune-related toxicity was reported in 66% of patients with 34% experiencing grade 3/4 events.

Conclusions:

Combination immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab demonstrated significant clinical activity in subgroups of patients with advanced NETs including patients with atypical bronchial carcinoid and high-grade pancreatic NENs.
TargetingMETDysregulation in Cancer
Authors: Recondo Gonzalo , Che Jianwei , Jänne Pasi A. , Awad Mark M.
Published: June 2020

Aberrant MET signaling can drive tumorigenesis in several cancer types through a variety of molecular mechanisms including MET gene amplification, mutation, rearrangement, and overexpression. Improvements in biomarker discovery and testing have more recently enabled the selection of patients with MET-dependent cancers for treatment with potent, specific, and novel MET-targeting therapies. We review the known oncologic processes that activate MET, discuss therapeutic strategies for MET-dependent malignancies, and highlight emerging challenges in acquired drug resistance in these cancers.

Significance:

Increasing evidence supports the use of MET-targeting therapies in biomarker-selected cancers that harbor molecular alterations in MET. Diverse mechanisms of resistance to MET inhibitors will require the development of novel strategies to delay and overcome drug resistance.
Comparison of Platinum/S-1 and Platinum/5-Fluorouracil as First-Line Chemotherapy for Advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Luo Dongyi , Wang Li , Chen Xinling , Xiong Yiting , Yi Fengming , Ding Jingli , Ding Hao , Wei Yiping , Zhang Wenxiong
Published: June 2020

Background: Platinum/S-1 (PS) and platinum/5-fluorouracil (PF) as first-line chemotherapies are extensively used for the treatment of advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer (AGC); however, there is no definite consensus on which regimen is best. In our meta-analysis, we compared PS with PF in terms of their efficacy and safety in AGC patients. Methods: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and CNKI were systematically searched for pertinent literature. We analyzed overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse effects (AEs) as major end points. Results: A total of 3,225 studies were identified, among which 6 randomized controlled trials, including 1,736 participants, were ultimately included in our analysis. Our results showed that PS and PF were comparable in terms of OS (p = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84–1.06), PFS (p = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.87–1.09), ORR (p = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.91–1.28), DCR (p = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.86–1.43), total AEs (p = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.98–1.01), and grade ≥3 AEs (p = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.82–1.41). However, those who received PF had a shorter time to failure (TTF) (p = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.77–0.97), and a significantly higher rate and more severe cases of stomatitis, nausea, and hypokalemia were reported in the PF group. Conclusions: PF and PS show similar antitumor efficacy (OS, PFS, ORR, and DCR), but patients receiving PS exhibit longer TTF and fewer AEs (stomatitis, nausea, and hypokalemia) than those receiving PF.
Effects of Combined Physical Movement Activity and Multifaceted Cognitive Training in Older People with Mild Neurocognitive Disorder in a Rural Community: A Randomized Control Trial
Authors: Griffiths Jiranan , Thaikruea Lakkana , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Munkhetvit Peeraya , Kittisares Adisak , Varnado Pairada
Published: June 2020

Introduction: Cognitive deterioration in older people with mild neurocognitive disorders (mNCD) increases the risk of progress to major NCD. Health professionals worldwide are trying to find strategies for prevention. There is a limited number of studies that deal with cultural conditions in northern Thailand. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combination of physical movement activity and multifaceted cognitive training on cognitive function in older people with mNCD. Methods: A randomized control trial involving 70 mNCD people, according to DSM-5 criteria, was conducted on an intervention group and a control group (n = 35 each). The program for the intervention group included 24 sessions (twice a week). The outcome measures on cognitive function were assessed before and after the intervention by means of composite cognitive measures for older people, i.e., the Trail-Making Test (TMT), Digit Span (DS), Verbal Fluency (VF), Word-List Learning (WLL), and Block Design (BD). Results: The combined intervention enhanced cognitive function. TMT-A was significantly improved in the intervention group. There were significant improvements in DS sequence scores, letter verbal fluency (LVF), and category verbal fluency (CVF). Comparing the groups, there were significant differences in LVF including immediate and delayed recall. BD improved significantly in the intervention group. Conclusions: The combined intervention appeared to be effective in delaying/preventing cognitive deterioration and cognitive functional decline in people with mNCD. Further studies on a variation of treatments suited to cultural conditions and their effects are needed. Trials in other communities are also recommended.
Preoperative Liver Function Guiding HCC Resection in Normal and Cirrhotic Liver
Authors: Anger Friedrich , Klein Ingo , Löb Stefan , Wiegering Armin , Singh Gurinder , Sperl Dominique , Götze Oliver , Geier Andreas , Lock Johan Friso
Published: June 2020

Background: Liver resection is the most effective available therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The accurate selection of patients for surgery requires determination of technical resectability and the risk of recurrence, as well as assessment of liver function and functional reserve to avoid postoperative liver failure. Previous studies have underlined the effectiveness and reliability of the LiMAx® test to evaluate liver function preoperatively. Nevertheless, data concerning HCC evaluation are lacking. Methods: From 2014 to 2019, 92 patients with HCC underwent additional assessment of liver function using the LiMAx test prior to decision for or against liver resection. Preoperative LiMAx results were compared between cirrhotic and noncirrhotic liver. The clinical decision for surgery was evaluated applying the various liver function parameters available. Results: Forty-six patients underwent liver resection. The LiMAx results were higher in resected patients (388 vs. 322 µg/kg/h; p = 0.004). LiMAx values were an independent risk factor for the presence of liver cirrhosis in multivariate analysis. In 17 patients, surgical treatment was cancelled due to major impairment of liver function. Only 4 out of 46 resected patients presented with post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) grade ≥B. Histologic assessment revealed liver cirrhosis in 10 resected patients without PHLF. Conclusion: Preoperative determination of liver function by the LiMAx test enables effective and safe patient selection for HCC resection in both cirrhotic and noncirrhotic liver.
Severe Leukoaraiosis Is Associated with Poor Outcome after Successful Recanalization of M1 Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Strokes
Authors: Mutzenbach Johannes Sebastian , Müller-Thies-Broussalis Erasmia , Killer-Oberpfalzer Monika , Griessenauer Christoph Johannes , Hecker Constantin , Moscote-Salazar Luis Rafael , Paradaiser Pia , Pikija Slaven
Published: June 2020

Background: Severe leukoaraiosis (LA) is an established risk factor for poor outcome after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large vessel occlusion stroke. There is uncertainty whether this association also applies to successfully recanalized patients with M1 segment middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions. Methods: A retrospective single-centre study of patients with successful reperfusion (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction, TICI 2b or 3) after MT for an M1 MCA occlusion was performed over a 7-year period. LA score (LAS) was assessed using the age-related white matter change scale on pre-interventional brain imaging. Results: A total of 209 patients (median age 75.0 years) were included. LAS was assessed on pre-interventional imaging by computed tomography in 177 (84.7%) patients and magnetic resonance imaging in 32 (15.3%) patients. The median LAS was 1 (IQR 0–8), and severe LA consisted of the top 25 percentile, ranging from 9 to 24. Multivariable analysis demonstrated an association of severe LA (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12–0.88, p = 0.023), higher NIHSS on admission (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.94, p < 0.001), advanced age (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–1.00, p = 0.039), good leptomeningeal collaterals (OR 3.65, 95% CI 1.46–8.15, p = 0.001), and TICI 3 score (OR 3.26, 95% CI 10.52–7.01) with good clinical outcome after 3 months as measured with the modified Rankin scale. Conclusion: Severe LA is associated with poor clinical outcome at 3 months in acute stroke patients undergoing MT due to emergent M1 MCA occlusion.
Hemoperitoneum following a Motor Vehicle Accident in a Patient with 20 Uterine Leiomyomas
Authors: Wu Gregory , Urayeneza Olivier , Hinika Gudata
Published: June 2020

Uterine leiomyomas are neoplasms of the smooth muscle that can cause complications such as severe bleeding and infertility in women of reproductive age. While many individuals may be asymptomatic, others may present with anemia secondary to heavy bleeding, cyclical abdominal pain, pelvic pressure, and urinary or bowel symptoms. A rare complication of uterine leiomyomas is avulsion due to blunt abdominal trauma resulting in hemoperitoneum. We present a 49-year-old female with no pertinent medical history who presented to the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident. Computed tomography scan revealed extensive hemoperitoneum and the patient was taken to the operating room where the source of bleeding was identified as multiple avulsed leiomyomas. The patient underwent an emergency hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy. Pathology reported a uterus weighing 6,000 g and the presence of 20 leiomyomas, with the largest measuring 29 cm. Knowledge of leiomyoma symptoms, presentation, and complications by both the patient and clinicians may help identify diagnoses and expedite intervention in the emergency setting.
Genetic Basis and Prognostic Value of Exercise QT Dynamics
Authors: van Duijvenboden Stefan , Ramírez Julia , Young William J. , Mifsud Borbala , Orini Michele , Tinker Andrew , Munroe Patricia B. , Lambiase Pier D.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Abnormal QT interval responses to heart rate (QT dynamics) is an independent risk predictor for cardiovascular disease in patients, but its genetic basis and prognostic value in a population-based cohort have not been investigated.

Methods:

QT dynamics during exercise and recovery were derived in 56 643 individuals from UK Biobank without a history of cardiovascular events. Genome-wide association studies were conducted to identify genetic variants and bioinformatics analyses were performed to prioritize candidate genes. The prognostic value of QT dynamics was evaluated for cardiovascular events (death or hospitalization) and all-cause mortality.

Results:

Heritability of QT dynamics during exercise and recovery were 10.7% and 5.4%, respectively. Genome-wide association studies identified 20 loci, of which 4 loci included genes implicated in mendelian long-QT syndrome. Five loci did not overlap with previously reported resting QT interval loci; candidate genes included
KCNQ4
and
KIAA1755
. Genetic risk scores were not associated with cardiovascular events in 357 882 unrelated individuals from UK Biobank. We also did not observe associations of QT dynamics during exercise and recovery with cardiovascular events. Increased QT dynamics during recovery was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in the univariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.05–1.13],
P
=2.28×10
-5
), but the association was not significant after adjusting for clinical risk factors.

Conclusions:

QT interval dynamics during exercise and recovery are heritable markers but do not carry independent prognostic information for clinical outcomes in the UK Biobank, a population-based cohort. Their prognostic importance may relate to cardiovascular disease cohorts where structural heart disease or ischemia may influence repolarization dynamics. The strong overlap between QT dynamics and resting QT interval loci suggests common biological pathways; however, nonoverlapping loci suggests alternative mechanisms may exist that underlie QT interval dynamics.
Autonomic Activity during a Daytime Nap Facilitates Working Memory Improvement
Authors: Chen Pin-Chun , Whitehurst Lauren N. , Naji Mohsen , Mednick Sara C.
Published: June 2020

Recent investigations have implicated the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system in higher-order executive functions. These actions are purported to occur through autonomic nervous system's modulation of the pFC, with parasympathetic activity during wake associated with working memory (WM) ability. Compared with wake, sleep is a period with substantially greater parasympathetic tone. Recent work has reported that sleep may also contribute to improvement in WM. Here, we examined the role of cardiac parasympathetic activity during sleep on WM improvement in healthy young adults. Participants were tested in an operation span task in the morning and evening, and during the intertest period, participants experienced either a nap or wake. We measured high-frequency heart rate variability as an index of cardiac, parasympathetic activity during both wake and sleep. Participants showed the expected boost in parasympathetic activity during nap, compared with wake. Furthermore, parasympathetic activity during sleep, but not wake, was significantly correlated with WM improvement. Together, these results indicate that the natural boost in parasympathetic activity during sleep may benefit gains in prefrontal executive function in young adults. We present a conceptual model illustrating the interaction between sleep, autonomic activity, and prefrontal brain function and highlight open research questions that will facilitate understanding of the factors that contribute to executive abilities in young adults as well as in cognitive aging.
Sequence Memory in the Hippocampal–Entorhinal Region
Authors: Bellmund Jacob L. S. , Polti Ignacio , Doeller Christian F.
Published: June 2020

Episodic memories are constructed from sequences of events. When recalling such a memory, we not only recall individual events, but we also retrieve information about how the sequence of events unfolded. Here, we focus on the role of the hippocampal–entorhinal region in processing and remembering sequences of events, which are thought to be stored in relational networks. We summarize evidence that temporal relations are a central organizational principle for memories in the hippocampus. Importantly, we incorporate novel insights from recent studies about the role of the adjacent entorhinal cortex in sequence memory. In rodents, the lateral entorhinal subregion carries temporal information during ongoing behavior. The human homologue is recruited during memory recall where its representations reflect the temporal relationships between events encountered in a sequence. We further introduce the idea that the hippocampal–entorhinal region might enable temporal scaling of sequence representations. Flexible changes of sequence progression speed could underlie the traversal of episodic memories and mental simulations at different paces. In conclusion, we describe how the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus contribute to remembering event sequences—a core component of episodic memory.
Love and Death: Theoretical and Practical Examination of Human-Animal Relations in Creating Wild Animal Osteobiography
Authors: Hull Emily H.
Published: June 2020

Osteobiographies are a common form of presenting the archaeological analysis of the life history of an individual. This form of analysis, however, is usually reserved for human subjects. Writing an osteobiography of a nonhuman person is complicated by the lack of human understanding of animal thought and experience. Such analysis is further complicated when the subject is not a companion animal, and isolated from human funerary rituals which may shed light on the animal’s life. The skeletal remains of an injured wild caribou from Alberta who was collected as a museum specimen presents a unique opportunity to understand an individual animal’s life, as well presents an example of the complexities of human-animal relationships in an analytical setting. This study examines both the life of an extraordinary nonhuman person and the impact of reconstructing nonhuman life histories on the analyst.
2. Public Investment and Capital in France
Authors: Plane Mathieu , Saraceno Francesco
Published: June 2020

In chapter 2, Mathieu Plane and Francesco Saraceno take up the case of France, where public investment has seen contrasting trends in recent decades. Although it was rather dynamic until the 2000s, a real inflection took place at the turn of 2010 when the government turned to austerity, and a large part of fiscal adjustment was achieved by reducing capital expenditure. Their chapter starts by looking at the evolution of general government net wealth from the late 1970s. While still positive, the consolidated net wealth is today at an all-time low. Indeed, after reaching a record level in 2007 (58.1% of GDP) it has lost 45 points of GDP in the space of eleven years. Plane and Saraceno then focus on the evolution of the stock of non-financial assets held by the general government. Most of this is non-produced (land), and it has fluctuated greatly because of changes in prices. The stock of fixed assets, which represents the accumulation of public productive capital, has been much more stable, and it is owned mostly by local governments. The authors then focus on flows (investment), to conclude that, with the exception of intellectual property rights, all components of public investment are today at historic lows and it is "civil engineering works" that have experienced the greatest decline. For the last three years, public net investment was negative, meaning that France does not accumulate public capital anymore. In fact, since 2009 the increase of debt has not been used to finance new investment but mostly current expenditure. Finally, the chapter analyses, by means of a multi-sector macroeconomic model, the impact on growth in different macro sectors, of a permanent increase of public investment. Based on this analysis, the chapter concludes with an assessment of the public investment needs of the French economy, and, like other chapters of the Report, pleads for the introduction of a Golden Rule of public finances aimed at preserving capital expenditure.
3. Public Investment in Germany
Authors: Dullien Sebastian , Jürgens Ekaterina , Watzka Sebastian
Published: June 2020

Chapter 3, by Sebastian Dullien, Ekaterina Jürgens and Sebastian Watzka, reports on German debates about public investment. As with France, underinvestment by the public sector over the past two decades has led to a severe deterioration of the public capital stock. Moreover, demographic change, decarbonization and digitalization pose significant challenges for the German economy which imply additional public investment needs. A detailed sector-by-sector overview of investment requirements concludes that investment requirements add up to at least €450 bn over the next decade. Through a macroeconomic simulation, it is shown that a debt-financed increase of public expenditure of this magnitude would be compatible with keeping the debt-to-GDP-ratio below 60% and would have a positive impact on potential growth
9. Ecological Transition
Authors: Coffman D’Maris , Cardinale Roberto , Meng Jing , Mi Zhifu
Published: June 2020

The global climate emergency is the main concern of chapter 9, by D’Maris Coffman, Roberto Cardinale, Jing Meng and Zhifu Mi. Anthropogenic climate change is widely understood to be the greatest existential threat to human societies in the coming centuries. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 to coordinate a global response to the coming crisis. The IPCC’s publication of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15) in October 2018 has helped to galvanize public opinion and has given rise to unprecedented climate activism. State actors now recognise a need for immediate action. Broadly speaking, possible responses to climate change fall into three categories: mitigation, adaptation and remediation. Mitigation means measures to reduce carbon and methane emissions or to enhance carbon sinks; adaptation means measures that ameliorate the effects of climate change on human populations; and remediation means intentional measures to counteract the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including global warming and ocean acidification. There are inevitable trade-offs between the costs of mitigation and those of adaptation over decadal time horizons. Nevertheless, with all three responses, large-scale infrastructure investment is required, with varying degrees of involvement by state actors, multilateral organizations, other non-governmental organizations (including religious groups) and, most significantly, private capital markets. In the current climate, multilateral development banks (MDBs) have taken a leading role. The EIB particularly is in the process of rebranding itself as a Climate Bank for Europe following Emmanuel Macron’s call. The authors then explore the investment opportunities that arise as a result of the growing urgency of the low carbon transition.
10. Contemplative Studies of the 'Natural' World
Authors: Prota Francesco , Viesti Gianfranco , Bux Mauro
Published: June 2020

The Cohesion Policy is the EU’s main investment policy and – in the wake of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis – the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund became the major sources of finance for investment in many countries. Francesco Prota, Gianfranco Viesti and Mauro Bux, in chapter 10, review how this policy has evolved over time in terms of financial size and geographical coverage. Firstly, in the programming period 2000–2006, the centre of gravity in Structural Funds allocation shifted from the Southern regions too the Eastern regions of Europe. What is interesting is that, looking at the expenditure composition by types, 'transport infrastructure' and 'environmental infrastructure' are the main expenditure items. The investments in transport infrastructure financed by the Cohesion Policy have changed the accessibility of EU regions. In particular, many regions in Eastern Europe have significantly benefitted from the Cohesion Policy financed transport infrastructure investments in terms of improved accessibility. Also, as result of the 2008 crisis, the Cohesion Policy has been the major source of finance for public investment for many Member States of the European Union. In 2015–2017 it represents around 14% of the total; this figure is larger than 50% in some small Central and Eastern European countries, in Portugal and Croatia; larger than 40% in Poland; larger than 30% in most of the other Central and Eastern European countries. In the EU-15, the figure is lower in most Member States (7% for Spain, 4.4% for Italy and 2.5 % for Germany). However, it has reached 20% of total capital expenditures in Convergence regions in Spain, 15% in Italy and 10% in Germany.
For a comparative sociology of home: Relationships, cultures, structures
Authors: Boccagni Paolo , Kusenbach Margarethe
Published: June 2020

Home matters, for people’s everyday life and for social research, in ways that are still lacking a systematic sociological framework of analysis. As a contribution toward this framework, we define home as an emplaced relationship that prioritizes certain socio-material contexts over others, by virtue of the emotional, affective and practical values attached to them, in forms and degrees that change over space and time. This understanding highlights the interdependence between relational, cultural and structural aspects of home as a distinctive social experience. We then connect the sociological debate with the discourse on home across social sciences more broadly, with a particular emphasis on the heuristics, practices and multiscalarity of home. In terms of practical research, the methodological bases of ‘home studies’ are still in development, also regarding the prospects of translating and comparing home across socio-cultural and spatial contexts. Nonetheless, this Special Issue of Current Sociology opens up new ways to advance the field of home studies – theoretically in our opening paper, and empirically in the six articles that follow.
Family matters: The impact of family functioning on co-worker outcomes
Authors: Thompson Merideth J , Carlson Dawn S , Michele Kacmar K
Published: June 2020

Does family really matter when it comes to work? To answer this question, we tested the relationships between a job incumbent’s family life and a co-worker’s work life and found that one person’s family may impact another person’s work. We hypothesized that job incumbent family functioning influences workplace outcomes through work–family balance (WFB) to shape a co-worker’s job attitudes and experiences. Further, we proposed that task interdependence moderates the mediated effects of WFB on the relationship between family functioning and these outcomes. Our sample was 226 married job incumbents living in the United States who work full time, along with responses from both their spouses and co-workers. We found that WFB mediates family functioning’s relationship with the co-worker’s job satisfaction, job incumbent’s incivility, and job incumbent’s task-focused organizational citizenship behaviors. Task interdependence moderated family functioning’s indirect effect on co-worker job satisfaction and the incumbent’s incivility through WFB. There were no significant effects of job incumbent family functioning on co-worker organizational commitment. Thus, family does matter as positive family functioning not only allows the employee to reap the benefit of WFB, but also co-workers benefit through increased job satisfaction and the job incumbent performing more helpful and collegial behavior toward the co-worker.
Beneficent destinations: Global pharmaceuticals and the consolidation of the modern Indian opium regime, 1907–2002
Authors: Siegel Benjamin
Published: June 2020

This article traces the twentieth-century ‘afterlife’ of Indian opium, following the global trajectories of the commodity beyond the decades of prohibition, when its international trade was broadly viewed as being in terminal decline. The article demonstrates how opium from Malwa, Bengal and Bihar was brought into the ambit of Western pharmaceuticals during the two World Wars. In spite of the scepticism of temperance-minded nationalists, it foregrounds the crop’s regular integration into these commodity chains in the early decades of Indian independence and its ascent as the key raw material in the USA’s expanding painkiller market. Yet this putative success, this article suggests, was temporary, and Indian opium would fuel a burgeoning domestic narcotics crisis, before being felled, again, by pharmacological, botanical and geopolitical transformations at the century’s end. In offering a history of Indian opium which stretches beyond the traditional ending point offered by prohibition, this article locates opium within a broader connective history of Indian commodities, demonstrating how one particularly electric commodity was integrated within a widening purview of Western economic power, and American pharmaceutical hegemony in particular.
Sparse Fourier transform and amplitude–frequency characteristics analysis of vortex street signal
Authors: Chen Jie , Cao Yun , Wang Chengyi , Li Bin
Published: June 2020

Vortex flowmeter is a commonly used flow measurement device. It is almost not affected by the density and viscosity of the fluid, so the vortex flowmeter can be used for the detection of various medium, such as gas, liquid and steam. When dealing with vortex street signal, we usually use fast Fourier transform to calculate the signal frequency, but this traditional vortex street signal processing method is not only inefficient, but also difficult to filter out noise signals in the same frequency band as the vortex signal. The sparse Fourier transform utilizes the sparsity of the signal to efficiently calculate the signal spectrum, and the computational complexity is lower than that of the fast Fourier transform algorithm. In this paper, the amplitude and frequency of the vortex signal is analyzed by sparse Fourier transform and the noise signal is removed based on the amplitude–frequency characteristics of the vortex signal. Finally, by comparing with the other methods, we found that the time complexity of our algorithm is one-tenth of others’ methods. This means that our approach is 10 times faster than others.
Targeting NLRP3 Inflammasome Reduces Age-Related Experimental Alveolar Bone Loss
Authors: Zang Y. , Song J.H. , Oh S.H. , Kim J.W. , Lee M.N. , Piao X. , Yang J.W. , Kim O.S. , Kim T.S. , Kim S.H. , Koh J.T.
Published: June 2020

The cause of chronic inflammatory periodontitis, which leads to the destruction of periodontal ligament and alveolar bone, is multifactorial. An increasing number of studies have shown the clinical significance of NLRP3-mediated low-grade inflammation in degenerative disorders, but its causal linkage to age-related periodontitis has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the therapeutic potential of NLRP3 inhibition in age-related alveolar bone loss by using in vivo and in vitro models. The poor quality of alveolar bones in aged mice was correlated with caspase-1 activation by macrophages and elevated levels of IL-1β, which are mainly regulated by the NLRP3 inflammasome, in periodontal ligament and serum, respectively. Aged mice lacking Nlrp3 showed better bone mass than age-matched wild-type mice via a way that affects bone resorption rather than bone formation. In line with this finding, treatment with MCC950, a potent inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome, significantly suppressed alveolar bone loss with reduced caspase-1 activation in aged mice but not in young mice. In addition, our in vitro studies showed that the addition of IL-1β encourages RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis from bone marrow–derived macrophages and that treatment with MCC950 significantly suppresses osteoclastic differentiation directly, irrelevant to the inhibition of IL-1β production. Our results suggest that the NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical mediator in age-related alveolar bone loss and that targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome could be a novel option for controlling periodontal degenerative changes with age.
Sources Cited in the Journal of Research in Music Education: 1953 to 2015
Authors: Hancock Carl B. , Price Harry E.
Published: June 2020

The Journal of Research in Music Education ( JRME) is the longest running serial dedicated to music education research, and its articles are widely considered exemplars in the field worldwide. This is a bibliometric study of the sources cited in articles published in the JRME from its inception in 1953 to 2015. We extracted 31,679 references from 1,341 the JRME articles; rank-ordered those frequently cited journals, articles, and authors; investigated the interdisciplinarity of cited journals; observed the age density of cited sources; and studied the proportional distribution of reference types. Results were then compared across 10-year spans, except for the first, which was 12 years, and discussed in light of known parameters for research in other fields. These analyses have revealed several interesting trends reflecting the evolution and maturation of the journal and music education research.
A Comparison of Virginia Band Performance Assessments in Relation to Director Gender
Authors: Shouldice Heather Nelson , Eastridge Jessica L.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to compare the concert band assessments of male-directed ensembles and female-directed ensembles in the state of Virginia. Data included overall ratings of male-directed and female-directed bands ( N = 3,229) that performed at District Concert Assessments held across the state in the past 6 years (2013–2018), which were publicly available on the website of the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association. Results showed a statistically significant association between ratings and director gender at both the middle school and high school levels. In both instances, male-directed ensembles were more likely to receive a I rating, whereas female-directed ensembles were more likely to receive a II rating. This association was more pronounced at the high school level. Implications include a need for further exploration of possible bias in band festival rating systems as well as increased sensitivity to equitable hiring and representation of women in the field of secondary band teaching.