bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructure of early embryonic aortic arch and its reversibility following mechanically altered hemodynamic load release
Authors: Celik Merve , Goktas Selda , Karakaya Cansu , Cakiroglu Ayse Idil , Karahuseyinoglu Sercin , Lashkarinia S. Samaneh , Ermek Erhan , Pekkan Kerem
Published: April 2020

The present study undertakes comparative analyses of the mechanistic differences of the arterial matrix microstructure and dynamics in the three fundamental processes of control, conotruncal banded, and released conotruncal band in avian embryo. Among other findings, this study provides specific evidence on the restorative role of elastin during the early lumen growth process. During vascular development, a novel intermittent load-switching mechanism between elastin and collagen, triggered by a step increase in wall shear stress, governs the chronic vessel lumen cross-sectional area increase. Mimicking the fetal cardiovascular interventions currently performed in humans, the early release of the abnormal mechanical load rescues the arterial microstructure with time-lag.
Trimethylamine-N-oxide acutely increases cardiac muscle contractility
Authors: Oakley Carlee I. , Vallejo Julian A. , Wang Derek , Gray Mark A. , Tiede-Lewis LeAnn M. , Shawgo Tilitha , Daon Emmanuel , Zorn George , Stubbs Jason R. , Wacker Michael J.
Published: April 2020

We demonstrate for the first time that elevated concentrations of TMAO acutely augment myocardial contractile force ex vivo in both murine and human cardiac tissue. To gain mechanistic insight into the processes that led to this potentiation in cardiac contraction, we used two-photon microscopy to evaluate intracellular calcium in ex vivo whole hearts loaded with the calcium indicator dye Fluo-4. Acute treatment with TMAO resulted in increased Fluo-4 fluorescence, indicating that augmented cytosolic calcium plays a role in the effects of TMAO on force production. Lastly, TMAO did not show an effect on aortic smooth muscle contraction or relaxation properties. Our results demonstrate novel, acute, and direct actions of TMAO on cardiac function and help lay the groundwork for future translational studies investigating the complex multiorgan interplay involved in cardiovascular pathogenesis during CKD.
Abnormal sympathetic neural recruitment patterns and hemodynamic responses to cold pressor test in women with posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Yoo Jeung-Ki , Badrov Mark B. , Huang Mu , Bain Ryan A. , Dorn Raymond P. , Anderson Elizabeth H. , Wiblin Jessica L. , Suris Alina , Shoemaker J. Kevin , Fu Qi
Published: April 2020

The novel findings of the present study are that women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an augmented pressor response to the sympathoexcitatory stimulus of a cold pressor test (CPT) compared with healthy control subjects. Although integrated muscle sympathetic nerve activity burst responses were not significantly different between groups, total sympathetic action potential discharge in response to the CPT was markedly elevated in women with PTSD exhibiting increased firing of low-threshold axons as well as the recruitment of latent subpopulations of larger-sized axons that are otherwise silent at baseline. Aberrant autonomic circulatory control in response to sympathoexcitatory stimulus may in part explain the propensity toward developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease in this population.
Levels of Soluble CD30 and CD26 and Their Clinical Significance in Patients with Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia
Authors: Wang Honghui , Gu Xueping , Li Huiyuan , Yin Lingmei , Tao Wei , Yu Jingxing , Zhou Qiyuan , Mu Hongli , Shen Yu , Yao Jin , Liu Lin , Bi Hui , Yang Renchi , Zhou Zeping
Published: April 2020

Background. sCD30 and sCD26 are correlated with autoimmune diseases. However, little research has been done on the relationship between them and primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Methods. This study enrolled 47 patients diagnosed with ITP in the Institute of Hematology and Blood Disease Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Tianjin, China), from January 2015 to August 2015. The peripheral blood of all subjects was collected. The mRNA expression of CD30 was quantified by RT‐PCR, and concentrations of sCD30 and sCD26 were measured by ELISA. Patient characteristics, CD30 mRNA levels, and sCD30 and sCD26 concentrations were analyzed. Results. The concentration of sCD30 was higher in active ITP patients (median, 35.82 ng/mL) than in remission ITP patients (median, 23.12 ng/mL; P = 0.021) and healthy controls (median, 25.11 ng/mL; P = 0.002). Plasma sCD26 levels decreased in remission ITP patients compared with that in healthy controls (median, 599.4 ng/mL vs. 964.23 ng/mL; P = 0.004). Ratios of sCD26/sCD30 in active ITP patients decreased compared with those in controls (P = 0.005). Increased sCD30 was positively correlated with hemorrhage (r = 0.493, P = 0.017) in ITP patients while little relationship was identified between sCD26 and ITP. Conclusion. Since sCD30 levels and sCD26/sCD30 ratios may contribute to the activity of the disease, they may be used to assess ITP disease activity.
Dexmedetomidine Protects against Ischemia and Reperfusion-Induced Kidney Injury in Rats
Authors: Bao Naren , Dai Di
Published: April 2020

Acute kidney injury (AKI), a clinical syndrome, is a sudden onset of kidney failure that severely affects the kidney tubules. One potential treatment is dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective α2-adrenoreceptor agonist that is used as an anesthetic adjuvant. It also has anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and sympatholytic qualities. The aim of this study was to establish whether DEX also offers protection against ischemia and reperfusion- (I/R-) induced AKI in rats. An intraperitoneal injection of DEX (25 μg/kg) was administered 30 min prior to the induction of I/R. The results indicate that in the I/R rats, DEX played a protective role by reducing the damage to the tubules and maintaining renal function. Furthermore, in response to I/R, the DEX treatment reduced the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1 in the kidney tissues and the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1. DEX also reduced the levels of oxidative stress and apoptosis in the tubular cells. These results indicate that in response to I/R kidney injury, DEX plays a protective role by inhibiting inflammation and tubular cell apoptosis, reducing the production of reactive oxygen species, and promoting renal function.
ACNNT3: Attention-CNN Framework for Prediction of Sequence-Based Bacterial Type III Secreted Effectors
Authors: Li Jie , Li Zhong , Luo Jiesi , Yao Yuhua
Published: April 2020

The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a special protein delivery system in Gram-negative bacteria which delivers T3SS-secreted effectors (T3SEs) to host cells causing pathological changes. Numerous experiments have verified that T3SEs play important roles in many biological activities and in host-pathogen interactions. Accurate identification of T3SEs is therefore essential to help understand the pathogenic mechanism of bacteria; however, many existing biological experimental methods are time-consuming and expensive. New deep-learning methods have recently been successfully applied to T3SE recognition, but improving the recognition accuracy of T3SEs is still a challenge. In this study, we developed a new deep-learning framework, ACNNT3, based on the attention mechanism. We converted 100 residues of the N-terminal of the protein sequence into a fusion feature vector of protein primary structure information (one-hot encoding) and position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM) which are used as the feature input of the network model. We then embedded the attention layer into CNN to learn the characteristic preferences of type III effector proteins, which can accurately classify any protein directly as either T3SEs or non-T3SEs. We found that the introduction of new protein features can improve the recognition accuracy of the model. Our method combines the advantages of CNN and the attention mechanism and is superior in many indicators when compared to other popular methods. Using the common independent dataset, our method is more accurate than the previous method, showing an improvement of 4.1-20.0%.
Mud Therapy Combined with Core Exercise for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Pilot, Single‐Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Hahm Suk-Chan , Shin Ho-Jin , Lee Min-Goo , Lee Sung Jae , Cho Hwi-Young
Published: April 2020

Background. Low back pain (LBP) is common in the elderly and an appropriate intervention for LBP management should be investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of mud‐heat intervention combined with core exercise as an alternative intervention for relieving pain and improving motor function in individuals with nonspecific chronic LBP. Methods. Thirty‐one individuals with chronic nonspecific LBP were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 16) or the control group (n = 15). The intervention group used a mud pack for 30 min and performed a core‐exercise program for 50 min twice a day for 4 days (8 sessions). The control group performed the core‐exercise program only, at the same time point as the intervention group. Pain intensity was assessed using a 100 mm visual analog scale and a pain pressure threshold (PPT) as the primary outcomes. The secondary outcome measures included functional disability by LBP (Oswestry Disability Index), muscle properties, and static/dynamic balance. Results. There was a significant group difference in pain intensity at rest (p = 0.048) and in the PPT at the two sites assessed (2 cm lateral to L3 spinous process, p = 0.045; 2 cm lateral to L5 spinous process, p = 0.015). No group differences were found in terms of muscle properties. Compared to core exercise only, moor‐heat therapy and core exercise showed a significant improvement in static balance (p = 0.026) and dynamic balance (p = 0.019). Conclusion. Mud therapy combined with core exercise is effective in relieving pain and improving motor function in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP. Further research is needed to underpin these preliminary results.
An Improved Collocation Approach of Euler Polynomials Connected with Bernoulli Ones for Solving Predator-Prey Models with Time Lag
Authors: Basirat Behrooz , Elahi Hamid Reza
Published: April 2020

This paper deals with an approach to obtaining the numerical solution of the Lotka–Volterra predator-prey models with discrete delay using Euler polynomials connected with Bernoulli ones. By using the Euler polynomials connected with Bernoulli ones and collocation points, this method transforms the predator-prey model into a matrix equation. The main characteristic of this approach is that it reduces the predator-prey model to a system of algebraic equations, which greatly simplifies the problem. For these models, the explicit formula determining the stability and the direction is given. Numerical examples illustrate the reliability and efficiency of the proposed scheme.
Rapalog-Mediated Repression of Tribbles Pseudokinase 3 Regulates Pre-mRNA Splicing
Authors: Stefanovska Bojana , Vicier Cecile Edith , Dayris Thibault , Ogryzko Vasily , Scott Veronique , Bouakka Ibrahim , Delaloge Suzette , Rocca Anna , Le Saux Olivia , Trédan Olivier , Bachelot Thomas , André Fabrice , Fromigué Olivia
Published: April 2020

Rapalogs have become standard-of-care in patients with metastatic breast, kidney, and neuroendocrine cancers. Nevertheless, tumor escape occurs after several months in most patients, highlighting the need to understand mechanisms of resistance. Using a panel of cancer cell lines, we show that rapalogs downregulate the putative protein kinase TRIB3 (tribbles pseudokinase 3). Blood samples of a small cohort of patients with cancer treated with rapalogs confirmed downregulation of TRIB3. Downregulation of TRIB3 was mediated by LRRFIP1 independently of mTOR and disrupted its interaction with the spliceosome, where it participated in rapalog-induced deregulation of RNA splicing. Conversely, overexpression of TRIB3 in a panel of cancer cell lines abolished the cytotoxic effects of rapalogs. These findings identify TRIB3 as a key component of the spliceosome, whose repression contributes significantly to the mechanism of resistance to rapalog therapy.

Significance:

Independent of mTOR signaling, rapalogs induce cytoxicity by dysregulating spliceosome function via repression of TRIB3, the loss of which may, in the long term, contribute to therapeutic resistance.
Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Breast Cancer Is Associated with Indigenous American Ancestry in Latin American Women
Authors: Marker Katie M. , Zavala Valentina A. , Vidaurre Tatiana , Lott Paul C. , Vásquez Jeannie Navarro , Casavilca-Zambrano Sandro , Calderón Mónica , Abugattas Julio E. , Gómez Henry L. , Fuentes Hugo A. , Picoaga Ruddy Liendo , Cotrina Jose M. , Neciosup Silvia P. , Castañeda Carlos A. , Morante Zaida , Valencia Fernando , Torres Javier , Echeverry Magdalena , Bohórquez Mabel E. , Polanco-Echeverry Guadalupe , Estrada-Florez Ana P. , Serrano-Gómez Silvia J. , Carmona-Valencia Jenny A. , Alvarado-Cabrero Isabel , Sanabria-Salas María Carolina , Velez Alejandro , Donado Jorge , Song Sikai , Cherry Daniel , Tamayo Lizeth I. , Huntsman Scott , Hu Donglei , Ruiz-Cordero Roberto , Balassanian Ronald , Ziv Elad , Zabaleta Jovanny , Carvajal-Carmona Luis , Fejerman Laura
Published: April 2020

Women of Latin American origin in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and have a higher risk of mortality than non-Hispanic White women. Studies in U.S. Latinas and Latin American women have reported a high incidence of HER2 positive (+) tumors; however, the factors contributing to this observation are unknown. Genome-wide genotype data for 1,312 patients from the Peruvian Genetics and Genomics of Breast Cancer Study (PEGEN-BC) were used to estimate genetic ancestry. We tested the association between HER2 status and genetic ancestry using logistic and multinomial logistic regression models. Findings were replicated in 616 samples from Mexico and Colombia. Average Indigenous American (IA) ancestry differed by subtype. In multivariate models, the odds of having an HER2+ tumor increased by a factor of 1.20 with every 10% increase in IA ancestry proportion (95% CI, 1.07–1.35; P = 0.001). The association between HER2 status and IA ancestry was independently replicated in samples from Mexico and Colombia. Results suggest that the high prevalence of HER2+ tumors in Latinas could be due in part to the presence of population-specific genetic variant(s) affecting HER2 expression in breast cancer.

Significance:

The positive association between Indigenous American genetic ancestry and HER2+ breast cancer suggests that the high incidence of HER2+ subtypes in Latinas might be due to population and subtype-specific genetic risk variants.
Safety and Feasibility of PARP1/2 Imaging with 18F-PARPi in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Schöder Heiko , França Paula Demétrio De Souza , Nakajima Reiko , Burnazi Eva , Roberts Sheryl , Brand Christian , Grkovski Milan , Mauguen Audrey , Dunphy Mark P. , Ghossein Ronald A. , Lyashchenko Serge K. , Lewis Jason S. , O'Donoghue Joseph A. , Ganly Ian , Patel Snehal G. , Lee Nancy Y. , Reiner Thomas
Published: April 2020

Purpose:

We performed a first-in-human clinical trial. The aim of this study was to determine safety and feasibility of PET imaging with 18F-PARPi in patients with head and neck cancer.

Patients and Methods:

Eleven patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent oral and oropharyngeal cancer were injected with 18F-PARPi (331 ± 42 MBq), and dynamic PET/CT imaging was performed between 0 and 25 minutes postinjection. Static PET/CT scans were obtained at 30, 60, and 120 minutes postinjection. Blood samples for tracer concentration and metabolite analysis were collected. Blood pressure, ECG, oxygen levels, clinical chemistry, and complete blood count were obtained before and after tracer administration.

Results:

18F-PARPi was well-tolerated by all patients without any safety concerns. Of the 11 patients included in the analysis, 18F-PARPi had focal uptake in all primary lesions (n = 10, SUVmax = 2.8 ± 1.2) and all 18F-FDG–positive lymph nodes (n = 34). 18F-PARPi uptake was seen in 18F-FDG–negative lymph nodes of 3 patients (n = 6). Focal uptake of tracer in primary and metastatic lesions was corroborated by CT alone or in combination with 18F-FDG. The overall effective dose with 18F-PARPi PET was 3.9 mSv – 5.2 mSv, contrast was high [SUVmax(lesion)/SUVmax(trapezius muscle) = 4.5] and less variable than 18F-FDG when compared with the genioglossus muscle (1.3 vs. 6.0, P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Imaging of head and neck cancer with 18F-PARPi is feasible and safe. 18F-PARPi detects primary and metastatic lesions, and retention in tumors is longer than in healthy tissues.
Not So FASt: Tumor Cells Resisting Death Drive CAR T-cell Dysfunction
Authors: Green Michael R. , Neelapu Sattva S.
Published: April 2020

In this issue, Singh and colleagues describe a novel tumor-intrinsic mechanism of resistance to chimericantigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy targeting CD19 in B-cell malignancies. They show that reduced expression of death receptor genes in the tumors mediates resistance to killing by CAR T cells, leads to progressive CAR T-cell dysfunction, and is associated with unfavorable clinical outcome in patients.

See related article by Singh et al., p. 552.
Oral Lactobacilli Related to Caries Status of Children with Primary Dentition
Authors: Lapirattanakul Jinthana , Nomura Ryota , Okawa Rena , Morimoto Setsuyo , Tantivitayakul Pornpen , Maudcheingka Thaniya , Nakano Kazuhiko , Matsumoto-Nakano Michiyo
Published: April 2020

Oral lactobacilli are members of a group of bacteria implicated in caries progression, although information regarding their transmission, colonization, and caries-associated species is not well established. This study isolated oral lactobacilli from a group of children with primary dentition for determination of Lactobacillus prevalence, detection of Streptococcus mutans, a major pathogen of caries initiation, and dental caries status of the children. Species of Lactobacillus isolates were determined from examination of 16S rDNA sequences. Subsequently, the most prevalent species was evaluated for involvement in caries status, and binding ability to type I collagen of all Lactobacillus isolates was determined in association with caries status. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of eleven loci was carried out to study strains of the predominant Lactobacillus sp. The detection of oral lactobacilli together with S. mutans was significantly associated with the highest dental caries indices, but there was no involvement of collagen-binding properties of Lactobacillus isolates in caries status. Lactobacillus fermentum was the most prevalent, and its presence was related to high scores of caries indices. MLST analysis of L. fermentum population could not specify a particular clone associated with caries status, but revealed sharing of identical L. fermentum strains among children in the same classrooms. Taken together, the data contributed useful information on the role of oral lactobacilli, in particular L. fermentum in dental caries.
22q13 Microduplication Syndrome in Siblings with Mild Clinical Phenotype: Broadening the Clinical and Behavioral Spectrum
Authors: Ujfalusi Anikó , Nagy Orsolya , Bessenyei Beáta , Lente Györgyi , Kántor Irén , Borbély Ádám J. , Szakszon Katalin
Published: April 2020

Distal duplication 22q (22q13.3qter) is a rare condition with only 24 cases described so far. Parental balanced reciprocal translocations and pericentric inversions involving chromosome 22 predispose to the conception of an unbalanced offspring and are more frequently reported than de novo events. The clinical phenotype of patients is highly variable and does not necessarily correlate with the extent of the duplicated segment. Short stature, microcephaly, hypertelorism, cleft lip or palate, low-set ears, and intellectual disability seem to be the most consistent features. Familial reoccurrence is extremely rarely reported. Here, we report 2 siblings with a 22q13.3qter duplication detected by array CGH; their mother is a carrier of a pericentric inversion in chromosome 22. Their relatively mild phenotype and identical chromosomal breakpoints as well as duplication size are unique. This is the first case described so far.
Abordagem semântica e morfológica a termos informáticos num dicionário bilingue Português Europeu – Árabe Padrão
Authors: Okab Abdesslam
Published: April 2020

Este artigo aborda a semântica e a morfologia de termos de uso frequente na informática, numa perspetivação bilingue Português Europeu – Árabe Padrão. Nele foram tratadas 20 unidades terminológicas todas emprestadas à língua predominante neste domínio de experiência, o inglês, e traduzidas literalmente pelo árabe padronizado. Foi aplicada à estas unidades, previamente agrupadas em conjuntos terminológicos, a análise componencial de Pottier, para decompor a significação que revela a natureza semântica dos seus conceitos. A análise morfológica só constitui um aspeto formal que completa a parte semântica, no caso do português, com o intuito de descrever o grau do aportuguesamento quando existe variação de forma nos termos envolvidos. Quanto aos sintagmas terminológicos do árabe em foco, que correspondem aos empréstimos crudos do português como língua de partida e que são decalques semânticos, estes estão acompanhados, no corpus de exemplificação, das discrições gramaticais das bases de unidades simples das quais derivam.
Characterization, Pathogenesis, and Clinical Implications of Inflammation‐Related Atrial Myopathy as an Important Cause of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Packer Milton
Published: April 2020

Historically, atrial fibrillation has been observed in clinical settings of prolonged hemodynamic stress, eg, hypertension and valvular heart disease. However, recently, the most prominent precedents to atrial fibrillation are metabolic diseases that are associated with adipose tissue inflammation (ie, obesity and diabetes mellitus) and systemic inflammatory disorders (ie, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis). These patients typically have little evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy or dilatation; instead, imaging reveals abnormalities of the structure or function of the atria, particularly the left atrium, indicative of an atrial myopathy. The left atrium is enlarged, fibrotic and noncompliant, potentially because the predisposing disorder leads to an expansion of epicardial adipose tissue, which transmits proinflammatory mediators to the underlying left atrium. The development of an atrial myopathy not only leads to atrial fibrillation, but also contributes to pulmonary venous hypertension and systemic thromboembolism. These mechanisms explain why disorders of systemic or adipose tissue inflammation are accompanied an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, abnormalities of left atrium geometry and an enhanced risk of stroke. The risk of stroke exceeds that predicted by conventional cardiovascular risk factors or thromboembolism risk scores used to guide the use of anticoagulation, but it is strongly linked to clinical evidence and biomarkers of systemic inflammation.
Influence of chronic kidney disease and haemodialysis on stroke outcome
Authors: Pande SD , Morris J
Published: April 2020

INTRODUCTION Stroke patients with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those on haemodialysis have complex rehabilitation needs, and their survival and functional outcomes are limited. This study aimed to review post-stroke survival and functional outcomes following rehabilitation in patients with CKD and those on haemodialysis. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive stroke patients with underlying CKD (Stages G3b, G4 and G5; n = 30) and those on dialysis at the time of stroke (n = 7), who underwent in-patient rehabilitation between June 2008 and May 2017. The mean duration of follow-up was 56 months. Demographic details, associated comorbidities and laboratory parameters were reviewed. Baseline and follow-up scores of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and dates of death of the patients were analysed. RESULTS Of the 37 consecutive stroke patients (mean age 64.7 years), 34 had ischaemic stroke and three had haemorrhagic transformation. Significant improvements in NIHSS and FIM scores were observed from the time of admission to after discharge. Older age, longer duration of hospital stay, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and low haemoglobin levels were all significantly related to mortality. CONCLUSION Despite significant functional and neurological improvements following rehabilitation, stroke patients with underlying CKD had higher average duration of hospital stay, more recurrent hospitalisations and poorer survival outcomes than those without underlying CKD. This could be attributed to the complications associated with CKD rather than stroke. Multidisciplinary community rehabilitation may be an alternative to reduce recurrent hospitalisations and morbidity in this group of patients.
Thomas Berry and the Reshaping of Catholic Environmentalism
Authors: Graham Mark
Published: April 2020

This article criticizes the so-called “stewardship paradigm,” which forms the theological basis for Catholic environmentalism, and argues that Thomas Berry’s cosmology provides a more theologically palatable platform for developing Catholic environmentalism. The substantive ethical shift emerging from Berry’s cosmology is the displacement of human well-being as the proximate norm for human behavior in favor of promoting biodiversity on planet Earth. In other words, biodiversity is the primary ethical good, and human well-being is secondary.
US Drug Policy and Perpetual War against the Drug Trade in Mexico
Authors: Luna-Monsivais Alberto Omar , del Castillo-Mussot Marcelo , de la Lama García Alfredo , Montemayor Aldrete Jorge Antonio
Published: April 2020

Globalization of drug consumption has generated a highly lucrative market for illegal traffickers. The US launched a worldwide campaign against illicit drug use, forcing many countries to comply with the ‘War on Drugs.’ We describe this historical process as a perpetual war resulting in violence, criminality, forced displacement, and disappearances in Mexico and other countries. For instance, despite economic, political, and military coercion in Mexico, the “drug problem” shows little sign of going away, unless a new approach regarding drug production and trade is adopted.
Adjustments for Wind-Induced Undercatch in Snowfall Measurements Based on Precipitation Intensity
Authors: Colli Matteo , Stagnaro Mattia , Lanza Luca G. , Rasmussen Roy , Thériault Julie M.
Published: April 2020

Adjustments for the wind-induced undercatch of snowfall measurements use transfer functions to account for the expected reduction of the collection efficiency with increasing the wind speed for a particular catching-type gauge. Based on field experiments or numerical simulation, collection efficiency curves as a function of wind speed also involve further explanatory variables such as surface air temperature and/or precipitation type. However, while the wind speed or wind speed and temperature approach is generally effective at reducing the measurement bias, it does not significantly reduce the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the residuals, implying that part of the variance is still unexplained. In this study, we show that using precipitation intensity as the explanatory variable significantly reduces the scatter of the residuals. This is achieved by optimized curve fitting of field measurements from the Marshall Field Site (Colorado, United States), using a nongradient optimization algorithm to ensure optimal binning of experimental data. The analysis of a recent quality-controlled dataset from the Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE) campaign of the World Meteorological Organization confirms the scatter reduction, showing that this approach is suitable to a variety of locations and catching-type gauges. Using computational fluid dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that the physical basis of the reduction in RMSE is the correlation of precipitation intensity with the particle size distribution. Overall, these findings could be relevant in operational conditions since the proposed adjustment of precipitation measurements only requires wind sensor and precipitation gauge data.
Three-dimensional braided composites with zero, negative and isotropic thermal expansion behavior
Authors: Pottigar SA , Santhosh B , Nair RG , Punith P , Guruprasad PJ , Naik NK
Published: April 2020

Three-dimensional braided composites with zero, negative and isotropic coefficient of thermal expansion are presented based on an analytical homogenization technique. The configuration of the braided composites is worked out considering the exact jamming condition leading to higher fiber volume fraction. A total of four configurations of three-dimensional-braided composite representative unit cells were analyzed. Among these, two arrangements are 4-axes and the other two are 5-axes. Special emphasis is given on the detailed description of the representative unit cells. Analysis reveals that a three-dimensional-braided composite configuration with thermoelastic isotropic properties having same coefficient of thermal expansion along x-, y-, and z-axes is achievable. As a special case, the homogenization model is used to predict, for the first time, a configuration of braided architecture and material leading to zero coefficient of thermal expansion along x-, y- and z-directions.
Surface Electrical Stimulation for Persistent Stuttering and Concomitant Orofacial Disorders: A Multiple Case Study
Authors: Merlo Sandra
Published: April 2020

This multiple case study analysis describes the immediate effects on speech fluency of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to participants with persistent stuttering and concomitant orofacial disorders. Study participants were 14 adolescents and adults who stuttered and had jaw clenching bruxism or mouth breathing. Participants experienced low-frequency TENS applied at mild motor level for 20 minutes with electrodes placed at the lower third of the face (Area A), submandibular region (Area B), posterior neck (Area C), or shoulder girdle (Area D), with speech fluency assessed immediately before and after each stimulation.For participants with stuttering and bruxism, AB stimulation reduced the median frequency of syllables stuttered by 27% and reduced the median duration of the three highest stuttering moments by 29%. In addition, for participants with stuttering and mouth breathing, CD stimulation reduced the median duration of the three highest stuttering moments by 28% and increased their median speech rate by 113%. As a single session of TENS may help participants with stuttering and concomitant orofacial disorders better use fluency shaping techniques, the therapeutic potential of TENS for treating stuttering should be further investigated.
Lexical Features of Reading Passages in English-language Textbooks for Vietnamese High-school Students: Do they Foster both Content and Vocabulary Gain?
Authors: Nguyen Chi-Duc
Published: April 2020

This study examined whether the reading passages in the new series of English-language textbooks for high-school students in Vietnam fostered reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading by looking at four factors: the number of unfamiliar words in the texts, the importance of these words for text comprehension, the usefulness of contextual clues for interpreting the meanings of these words, and the frequency of these words within and across the texts. Results showed that most of the reading passages were overloaded with novel words and few of these words were important for text comprehension. Rarely did these words reoccur in the texts and the chance for successful lexical inferencing was extremely slim due to the paucity of useful contextual clues. These findings provide useful implications for both second language (L2) instructors and textbook writers inside and outside of this context.
Sulfur and peroxide curing of rubber magnetic composites with the application of zinc methacrylate
Authors: Kruželák Ján , Kvasničaková Andrea , Dosoudil Rastislav , Tomanová Katarína , Hudec Ivan , Vilčáková Jarmila
Published: April 2020

Rubber magnetic composites based on acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and strontium ferrite were cured with standard sulfur-based vulcanization systems as well as an organic peroxide. Zinc methacrylate (ZDMA) as a coagent was applied in both sulfur and peroxide vulcanization of rubber magnets. The aim was to evaluate the influence of ZDMA on curing characteristics and cross-link density of the prepared materials. Subsequently, physical-mechanical and magnetic properties were investigated. The results showed that ZDMA takes an active part in the cross-linking process of composites cured with an organic peroxide. Due to the presence of free radicals formed from peroxide decomposition, molecules of ZDMA polymerize into the nanostructures which can be physically adsorbed or chemically grafted onto rubber chains. Moreover, owing to zinc ions, ZDMA exhibits strong adhesion to ferrite filler and thus it contributes to the improvement of adhesion between the rubber and the filler on the interphase. The overall reinforcement of rubber magnetic composites was subsequently achieved. In the case of rubber magnets cured with the sulfur-based system, ZDMA acts as a conventional filler with a slight reinforcing effect due to the lack of free radicals required for its polymerization.
A review of air filter test standards for particulate matter of general ventilation
Authors: Yit Jing Ee , Chew Bee Teng , Yau Yat Huang
Published: April 2020

Air filters play an important role in a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to maintain good indoor air quality of a building. The air filter test standards act as a guideline to evaluate the air filter performance. The current global test standard, ISO 16890:2016 adopts particulate matter classification which can be easily understood. The European standard, EN 779:2012 is obsolete and replaced by ISO 16890:2016 in June 2018. ASHRAE 52.2:2017 which adopts the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) classification is still widely used in the United States. Some countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore are applying different standards: EN779, ASHRAE 52.2 and ISO 16890. A standardization of the air filter testing and classification is undoubtedly important in the global air filtration market. This paper can act as a reference and assist these developing countries in adopting the suitable air filter testing standard to develop their national standard. As all three standards have no specifications on energy efficiency classification, the energy rating system can be obtained using Eurovent 4/21-2018. The HVAC-system-supplied air quality can be further improved with the consideration of WHO annual mean pollutant limits and EN 16798-3 air classification to determine the supply air cleanliness.

Practical application: Although EN 779 is replaced by ISO 16890, some developing countries are still in the transition period. Manufacturers and consumers apply different standards which are EN 779, ASHRAE 52.2 and ISO 16890; therefore, a global filter testing standardization is important. This paper can act as a reference and assist the countries in other regions especially in Southeast Asia to develop respective national standard. Besides, some recommendations are given to improve the air filtration and ventilation system by referring to the WHO guidelines for the air pollutant limits, EN 16798-3 for the supply air quality and Eurovent 4/21 for the air filter energy rating.
Complex Role of Touch in Social Relationships for Older Adults’ Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Authors: Lee Jeong Eun , Cichy Kelly E.
Published: April 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the links among relationship quality (RQ) and predictors of cardiovascular risks and consider the role of physical touch as a moderator. The sample includes 2,731 adults who participated in the National Social Life Health and Aging Project (NSHAP). Results indicate that positive RQ and negative RQ are associated with systolic blood pressure (BP) and pulse pressure (PP) depending on the level of physical touch. Participants who reported highly positive RQ had lower systolic BP and PP with higher physical touch with others. Conversely, participants who reported highly negative RQ had higher systolic BP when reporting higher physical touch. The findings offer preliminary evidence for how physical touch in the context of social relationships may have nuanced implications for older adults’ cardiovascular outcomes.
A retrospective survey on evaluating an enrichment program for socioeconomically disadvantaged gifted students
Authors: Yu Chien-Hong , Kuo Ching-Chih , Chen Yen-Wei , Chu Chien-Chi
Published: April 2020

The Bright Mind Project, sponsored by Morgan Stanley Taiwan and Chinese Association of Gifted Education, was launched in 2004 and ended in 2018. With scholarships, living subsidies, enrichment courses, and counseling provided, this project was tailored for gifted senior high students of socioeconomically disadvantaged families in Taiwan. After the project ended in 2018, a retrospective tracking study was conducted to understand the students’ feedback on the project. The findings suggest that students hold a positive attitude toward the project and think it is of great help to their academic performances at school and future careers. They also believe that, with the resources obtained from the project, they have broadened their horizons, enriched their life experiences, and adopted a positive attitude toward life. Finally, students also provided suggestions for the future project like this based on their personal experiences.
Sexual violence during research: How the unpredictability of fieldwork and the right to risk collide with academic bureaucracy and expectations
Authors: Schneider Luisa T
Published: April 2020

In a contradictory fashion, researchers, their departments and universities simultaneously recognize the unpredictability of fieldwork experiences and outcomes and help establish a bureaucratic system of planning every component of their research. Ethnographic unpredictability and its consequences are a fact of fieldwork and it is essential that researchers and institutions are prepared to view these as part of interpretable data, to learn from them and not mask them. This article examines ethnographic unpredictability through the lens of sexual violence which I experienced during my doctoral fieldwork in Sierra Leone. I show how I redirected my research and renegotiated my position as an academic. I discuss the culture of risk and analyse the influence of neoliberalism on the university. I describe how ‘market logic’ conceptualizes unpredictability as competitive disadvantage. I show the impact that the imaginary ‘perfect academic’ has on early career researchers and the complicity of mainstream academic (re-)presentation in nourishing the image of the ‘in-control academic’ through muting personal field experiences and vulnerabilities and silencing unpredictable occurrences in academic writing. I conclude with recommendations on how personal situatedness, vulnerabilities, and transformations can be approached as factors in every research endeavour which must not pose threats to an institution’s competitive advantage.
Advantages of immediate excision of burn eschar
Authors: Greenwood John E
Published: April 2020

Early excision of deep burn eschar and the expeditious closure of the resultant wounds have become established as gold standard burn care. However, early burn excision has been accepted as up to four days post injury based on a series of misconceptions, not least that the patient is too unwell to undergo surgery and tolerate anaesthesia too soon after injury. There are several reasons why immediate burn excision yields superior survival outcomes, and these are expounded in this article. The systemic pathophysiology following major burn injury, especially when complicated by the respiratory pathophysiology accompanying smoke inhalation, evolves. The hours immediately after burn injury offer several windows of surgical opportunity, windows closed by the pathophysiological events that peak 24 hours later and make surgery and anaesthesia at that time both dangerous and ill-advised.
Flexural performance of composite grid panels with deep ribs
Authors: Chen Jiye , Fang Hai , Gao Feng , Liu Weiqing
Published: April 2020

This paper reports on the flexural performance of an innovative composite grid panel composed of glass fiber-reinforced polymer face skins and deep glass fiber-reinforced polymer ribs with a trapezoidal cross-section. Three-point and four-point bending experiments were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of the composite grid panels under concentrated loads. Compared with the composite grid panels without skins, maximum increases in the ultimate load, and initial bending stiffness of the composite grid panels of approximately 68.2% and 306.7%, respectively, were achieved with the existence of both upper and lower skins. Furthermore, an analytical analysis was carried out to predict the initial bending stiffness and mid-span deflection of the composite grid panels. A comparison of the analytical and experimental results showed that the analytical model accurately predicted the flexural performance of the composite grid panels subjected to three-point and four-point bending. Failure mechanism maps were constructed to predict the mechanical response and failure modes of the composite grid panels. Moreover, the validated model was used in a parametric analytical study to further estimate the effects of various parameters on the flexural performance of the composite grid panels. The results demonstrated that the initial bending stiffness can be significantly improved by increasing the trapezoidal section ratio, face skin thickness, and grid height.
How Psychosocial Factors Contribute to Japanese Older Adults’ Initiation of Advance Care Planning Discussions: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Miyashita Jun , Kohno Ayako , Yamamoto Yosuke , Shimizu Sayaka , Azuma Teruhisa , Takada Toshihiko , Hayashi Michio , Fukuhara Shunichi
Published: April 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to reveal the features of older adults’ advance care planning (ACP) discussions by identifying psychosocial factors related to their discussions in Japan, where people value family-centered decision making. Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with 39 participants (aged ≥65 years) recruited from the outpatient department of a community hospital in Fukushima, Japan. Data were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Results: Through experiences of family caregiving, participants became aware of their own feelings about the end of life. Equal relationship with family members was important for lowering the threshold for having discussions. Some participants and their families in the same generation reached agreements on ACP; however, they were willing to yield to children’s decision making despite these discussions. Discussions: These findings provide insights into the psychosocial factors in relation to ACP discussions and support for the role of ACP discussions in the family-centered decision-making culture.
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Children With Tourette Syndrome
Authors: Patel Himadri , Nguyen KieuHanh , Lehman Erik , Mainali Gayatra , Duda Laura , Byler Debra , Kumar Ashutosh
Published: April 2020

Introduction:

Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric condition defined by motor and phonic tics with onset in childhood. Many families have concerns regarding potential side effects of pharmacologic treatments, and often have difficulty accessing comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics. Patients and caregivers may turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as they perceive these as “natural” and therefore “safe.” Although there are anecdotal reports of an increased use of CAM in Tourette syndrome patients, the exact prevalence is unknown.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to identify commonly used CAM therapies for children with Tourette syndrome at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

Methods:

A questionnaire was administered to the caregivers of children (<18 years old) via telephone. The data pertaining to demographics, type of CAM use, duration of use, adverse effects, and caregiver’s perception of the effectiveness were collected.

Results:

A total of 110 patients participated in this survey. When inquired about the different CAM methods, 69.1% of the participants reported using 1 or more CAM therapies, and 58% of those who used CAM informed the doctor about their use. Ninety-three percent of those who used CAM therapy reported a decrease in tic frequency. The most commonly used CAM therapies were stress management (44.6%), herbal medicine (18.2%), homeopathy (12.7%), and meditation (9.1%). In total, 46% of the participants said that CAM helped more than medication.

Conclusion:

The majority of patients interviewed were using CAM therapies, and a significant portion reported benefit greater than medication. More than half of all participants discussed CAM therapies with their physicians, and 63% of participants felt that their physicians would support their use of CAM therapies.
Comparison of Low- Versus High-Dose Four-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (4F-PCC) for Factor Xa Inhibitor–Associated Bleeding: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Wilsey H Andrew , Bailey Abby M. , Schadler Aric , Davis George A. , Nestor Melissa , Pandya Komal
Published: April 2020

Background:

Although andexanet alfa was recently approved as a specific reversal agent for apixaban and rivaroxaban, some providers still elect to administer 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) instead, due to concerns surrounding efficacy, thrombotic risk, administration logistics, availability, and cost. Previous studies have described success with 4F-PCC doses ranging from 25 to 35 U/kg, with some guidelines recommending 50 U/kg.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to compare hemostasis between patients receiving low- (20-34 U/kg) versus high-dose (35-50 U/kg) 4F-PCC for the urgent reversal of apixaban and rivaroxaban.

Patients/Methods:

We performed a retrospective cohort study at a level one trauma center and comprehensive stroke center between January 2015 and December 2018. Main exclusion criteria included patients receiving less than 20 U/kg or if postreversal imaging were unavailable. Outcomes assessed included hemostasis for critical bleeding associated with apixaban or rivaroxaban and postoperative bleeding for reversal for emergent procedures.

Results:

The low-dose strategy was administered to n = 57 (57.6%) patients at a mean dose of 26.6 U/kg. The high-dose strategy was used in n = 42 (42.4%) patients at a mean dose of 47.6 U/kg. There was no difference in hemostasis by dosing strategy (75.4% vs 78.6%, P = .715) or hospital mortality (19.3% vs 35.7%, P = .067). No difference was found for secondary end points, including thrombotic events (5.3% vs 2.4%, P = .635) and hospital length of stay (11.3 vs 12.5 days, P = .070).

Conclusions:

Our comparison addresses a gap in the literature surrounding optimal dosing and supports a similar efficacy profile between dosing low- versus high-dose treatment.