bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resiliencia. Diferencias entre estudiantes universitarios y jóvenes trabajadores
Authors: Hernández León José Alonso , Caldera Montes Juan Francisco , Reynoso González Oscar Ulises , Caldera Zamora Iván Alejandro , Salcedo Orozco Santiago
Published: November 2020

Objetivo. Comparar los niveles de resiliencia entre jóvenes universitarios y jóvenes trabajadores, e identificarposibles relaciones de dicha variable con la edad de los participantes. Método. La muestra, de tipo incidental,estuvo conformada por 188 jóvenes, cuya edad oscilaba entre los 18 y los 27 años. Al momento del estudio,138 cursaban una carrera profesional universitaria y 50 eran trabajadores. Para medir la variable del estudiose utilizó la Escala de Resiliencia traducida y adaptada al español. Resultados. El principal hallazgo es que losjóvenes universitarios obtienen puntajes significativamente mayores que los trabajadores, tanto en el total de la prueba de resiliencia (t(186) = -3.98, p = 0.000, d = 0.65) como en las dos dimensiones que la componen,Competencia personal (t(186) = -4.45, p = 0.000, d = 0.73) y Aceptación de sí mismo y de la vida (t(186) =-2.23, p = 0.026, d = 0.36). Conclusión. Un mayor nivel de estudios podría considerarse un factor protectorante la adversidad, al relacionarse con una mayor resiliencia.
Uso de heurísticos en la evaluación de las fuentes históricas en el aula de clase
Authors: Castellanos Páez Virgelina , Navarro Roldán Claudia Patricia
Published: November 2020

Objetivo. Describir cómo el uso de heurísticos en la evaluación de la evidencia histórica posibilita laconstrucción del conocimiento sobre la historia de los derechos humanos en una clase de Ciencias Sociales.Método. Estudio cualitativo, con método de análisis del discurso, para analizar cómo la maestra y sus estudiantes de 8º grado (n = 32) usan y evalúan la evidencia histórica. Cinco sesiones de clase fueron videograbadas (250 minutos), transcritas, segmentadas y codificadas con las categorías heurísticas de Sam Wineburg. Resultados. La categoría enunciación de fuentes históricas fue la más usada para ofrecer credibilidad al relato o incluir secuencialidad temporal a los eventos del relato. La formulación de preguntas orientó la interacción entre maestra y estudiantes, y las preguntas de tipo reflexivo posibilitaron la enunciación de fuentes históricas en los estudiantes. Conclusión. Se reconstruyó la historia haciendo uso de fuentes secundarias, particularmente los libros de texto, a los cuales la maestra y sus estudiantes otorgaron credibilidad, sin someterlos a evaluación ni contrastación. Ni la maestra ni los estudiantes relativizaron, analizaron o interpretaron el conocimiento histórico reproducido en ellas. Esto hizo evidente que desconocían la forma correcta de tratar la evidencia histórica. Se sugiere explicar en la instrucción escolar tanto el uso de la heurística, para evaluar las fuentes históricas, como el uso de preguntas reflexivas.
Contributions of Muscle Elasticity and Lateral Slide of the Transversus Abdominis to Lumbar Stability
Authors: Shimizu Itsuroh , Miaki Hiroichi , Mizuno Katsunori , Azuma Nobuhide , Nakagawa Takao , Yamazaki Toshiaki
Published: November 2020

Context: Lumbar instability can cause lumbar spondylolisthesis and chronic low-back pain in sports situation. Abdominal hollowing is commonly used in clinical practice to preferentially target the transversus abdominis (TrA) to stabilize the lumbar vertebrae; however, the contribution of muscle elasticity and lateral slide of the TrA to lumbar stability has not yet been clarified. Objective: To clarify the contribution of elasticity and lateral slide of the TrA to lumbar stability and to identify an effective exercise to stabilize the lumbar vertebrae. Design: Experimental study. Setting: Laboratory. Patients: A total of 29 healthy males participated in this study. Interventions: The participants performed hollowing during measurement of muscle elasticity of TrA and both knees extension from crook lying position for pelvic stability measurement. Main Outcome Measures: Lumbar stability, muscle elasticity change ratio, and lateral slide amount of TrA. Results: There was a significant correlation between elasticity of the TrA and lumbar stability; however, no relationship was observed between lateral slide and lumbar stability or elasticity of the TrA. Conclusion: Elasticity of the TrA and lumbar stability was significantly correlated; therefore, improving the tonicity of the TrA may stabilize the lumbar vertebrae in healthy individuals. Moreover, hollowing with maximum effort may be effective as training aimed to stabilize the lumbar vertebrae for physical dysfunction due to lumbar instability.
Vaccine wagers on coronavirus surface protein pay off
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: November 2020

Moderna reports early evidence of excellent efficacy, moving its mRNA candidate closer to widespread use.
‘Magic angle’ graphene's next trick: superconducting devices
Authors: Wood Charlie
Published: November 2020

Twisted carbon sheets turned into switches that could make quantum computers smaller and more controllable.
Like CRISPR, mystery gene editor began as a virus fighter
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

The genetic elements called retrons can only edit single-cell organisms, so far.
Seas are rising faster than ever
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: November 2020

A new satellite will monitor coastal hot spots, where currents amplify global trends.
Control of long-distance motion of single molecules on a surface
Authors: Civita Donato , Kolmer Marek , Simpson Grant J. , Li An-Ping , Hecht Stefan , Grill Leonhard
Published: November 2020

Telegraphing molecules

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tips have long been used to manipulate atoms and molecules through direct interactions. Civita
et al.
now show that at cryogenic temperatures, the bias voltage from an STM tip can propel a large organic molecule, dibromoterfluorene, long distances—tens of nanometers along straight tracks on the flat silver (111) surface (see the Perspective by Esch and Lechner). This electrostatic effect requires the molecule to be oriented along the track, and derivatives lacking bromide groups would change direction. In a dual-tip setup, changing the bias voltage sent and received molecules between two specific points about 60 nanometers apart.

Science
, this issue p.
957
; see also p.
912
Recapitulation of HIV-1 Env-antibody coevolution in macaques leading to neutralization breadth
Authors: Roark Ryan S. , Li Hui , Williams Wilton B. , Chug Hema , Mason Rosemarie D. , Gorman Jason , Wang Shuyi , Lee Fang-Hua , Rando Juliette , Bonsignori Mattia , Hwang Kwan-Ki , Saunders Kevin O. , Wiehe Kevin , Moody M. Anthony , Hraber Peter T. , Wagh Kshitij , Giorgi Elena E. , Russell Ronnie M. , Bibollet-Ruche Frederic , Liu Weimin , Connell Jesse , Smith Andrew G. , DeVoto Julia , Murphy Alexander I. , Smith Jessica , Ding Wenge , Zhao Chengyan , Chohan Neha , Okumura Maho , Rosario Christina , Ding Yu , Lindemuth Emily , Bauer Anya M. , Bar Katharine J. , Ambrozak David , Chao Cara W. , Chuang Gwo-Yu , Geng Hui , Lin Bob C. , Louder Mark K. , Nguyen Richard , Zhang Baoshan , Lewis Mark G. , Raymond Donald D. , Doria-Rose Nicole A. , Schramm Chaim A. , Douek Daniel C. , Roederer Mario , Kepler Thomas B. , Kelsoe Garnett , Mascola John R. , Kwong Peter D. , Korber Bette T. , Harrison Stephen C. , Haynes Barton F. , Hahn Beatrice H. , Shaw George M.
Published: November 2020

Convergent HIV evolution across species

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has a highly diverse envelope protein that it uses to target human cells, and the complexity of the viral envelope has stymied vaccine development. Roark
et al.
report that the immediate and short-term evolutionary potential of the HIV envelope is constrained because of a number of essential functions, including antibody escape. Consequently, when introduced into humans as HIV or into rhesus macaque monkeys as chimeric simian-human immunodeficiency virus, homologous envelope glycoproteins appear to exhibit conserved patterns of sequence evolution, in some cases eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies in both hosts. Conserved patterns of envelope variation and homologous B cell responses in humans and monkeys represent examples of convergent evolution that may serve to guide HIV vaccine development.

Science
, this issue p.
eabd2638
Advancing new tools for infectious diseases
Authors: Gupta Rajesh
Published: November 2020

Therapeutics and vaccine development for infectious diseases could be transformed
The Human Adenovirus 2 Transcriptome: an Amazing Complexity of Alternatively Spliced mRNAs
Authors: Westergren Jakobsson Amanda , Segerman Bo , Wallerman Ola , Bergström Lind Sara , Zhao Hongxing , Rubin Carl-Johan , Pettersson Ulf , Akusjärvi Göran
Published: November 2020

Work in the adenovirus system led to the groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing and alternative RNA splicing in 1977. These mechanisms are essential in mammalian evolution, as they increase the coding capacity of a genome.
Endocytic Internalization of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 in Human Keratinocytes at Low Temperature
Authors: De La Cruz Nydia , Knebel-Mörsdorf Dagmar
Published: November 2020

The human pathogen herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) relies on multiple internalization pathways to initiate infection. Our focus is on the entry in human keratinocytes, the major
in vivo
target during primary and recurrent infection.
Supplemental Material: U-Pb Geochronology and paleogeography of the Valanginian–Hauterivian Neuquén Basin: Implications for Gondwana-scale source areas
Authors: Schwarz E. , al. et
Published: November 2020

Table S1: Detrital-zircon data.
High hopes: lower risk of death due to mental disorders and self-harm in a century-long US Olympian cohort compared with the general population
Authors: Duncombe Stephanie L. , Tanaka Hirofumi , De Larochelambert Quentin , Schipman Julien , Toussaint Jean-François , Antero Juliana
Published: November 2020

Objective

To determine the risk of death due to prominent mental disorders, substance abuse, and self-harm among US Olympians compared with the general population.

Methods

All female (n=2301) and male (n=5823) US Olympians who participated in the summer or winter Games between 1912 and 2012 were followed until 2016. The National Death Index certified their vital statuses and causes of death. We performed a Standard Mortality Ratio (SMR) analysis for all causes studied and applied the years-saved (YS) method to quantify differences in the risk of death for (1) anxiety, depression and self-harm and (2) substance abuse and eating disorders. Additionally, we examined the YS across sports with greater than 100 total deaths and between medalists and non-medalists.

Results

US Olympians had a 32% (SMR=0.68, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.91) lower risk of death compared with the general population, resulting in a longevity advantage of 0.21 YS (95% CI 0.14 to 0.29) for deaths by depression, anxiety and self-harm and 0.12 years (95% CI 0.08 to 0.15) for substance abuse and eating disorders. There were no significant differences between medalists and non-medalists, but findings varied by sports. Most sports (eg, athletics, swimming, rowing) had significantly lower risks of deaths than the general population with the exceptions of fencing and shooting. Shooting showed a trend towards a higher risk through suicide by firearm.

Conclusion

Olympians have a lower risk of death, favouring an increased longevity compared with the general population for mental disorders, substance abuse and suicides.
Injury incidence, severity and profile in Olympic combat sports: a comparative analysis of 7712 athlete exposures from three consecutive Olympic Games
Authors: Lystad Reidar P , Alevras Alexander , Rudy Iris , Soligard Torbjørn , Engebretsen Lars
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To describe and compare the epidemiology of competition injuries in unarmed combat sports (ie, boxing, judo, taekwondo and wrestling) in three consecutive Olympic Games.

Methods

Prospective cohort study using injury data from the IOC injury surveillance system and exposure data from official tournament records at three consecutive Olympic Games (ie, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016). Competition injury incidence rates per 1000 min of exposure (IIRME) were calculated with 95% CIs using standard formulae for Poisson rates.

Results

The overall IIRMEwas 7.8 (95% CI 7.0 to 8.7). The IIRMEin judo (9.6 (95% CI 7.8 to 11.7)), boxing (9.2 (95% CI 7.6 to 10.9)) and taekwondo (7.7 (95% CI 5.6 to 10.5)) were significantly higher than in wrestling (4.8 (95% CI 3.6 to 6.2)). The proportion of injuries resulting in >7 days absence from competition or training was higher in wrestling (39.6%), judo (35.9%) and taekwondo (32.5%) than in boxing (21.0%). There was no difference in injury risk by sex, weight category or tournament round, but athletes that lost had significantly higher IIRMEcompared with their winning opponents (rate ratio 3.59 (95% CI 2.68 to 4.79)).

Conclusion

Olympic combat sport athletes sustained, on average, one injury every 2.1 hours of competition. The risk of injury was significantly higher in boxing, judo and taekwondo than in wrestling. About 30% of injuries sustained during competition resulted in >7 days absence from competition or training. There is a need for identifying modifiable risk factors for injury in Olympic combat sports, which in turn can be targeted by injury prevention initiatives to reduce the burden of injury among combat sport athletes.
Caucasian and Asian difference in role of type 1 diabetes on large-for-gestational-age neonates
Authors: Guo Yanfang , Luo Rong , Corsi Daniel J , Retnakaran Ravi , Walker Mark C , Wen Shi Wu
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Racial differences in the association between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates remain unclear. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of T1DM on LGA neonates between Caucasian and Asian women.

Research design and methods

A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among Caucasian and Asian women who had prenatal screening and gave a singleton live birth in an Ontario hospital between April 2015 and March 2018. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to estimate the adjusted relative risks (aRRs) and 95% CIs of T1DM on LGA for Caucasian and Asian women. Relative contribution of T1DM to LGA was examined by multivariable logistic regression model, stratified by Caucasian and Asian women.

Results

A total of 232 503 women (69.4% Caucasians and 30.6% Asians) were included in the final analysis. The rate of T1DM was higher in Caucasians (0.5%) than in Asians (0.2%), and the rate of LGA neonates was also higher in Caucasians (11.0%) than in Asians (5.0%). The association between T1DM and LGA in Caucasians (aRR 4.18, 95% CI (3.84 to 4.55)) was more robust than that in Asians (aRR 2.11, 95% CI (1.24 to 3.59)). T1DM was the fourth strongest contributor to LGA in Caucasians, while T1DM was the seventh contributor to LGA in Asians.

Conclusions

T1DM plays a more substantial role in LGA among Caucasians than Asians. Clinicians should be aware of the Caucasian–Asian differences of effects of T1DM on LGA when developing pregnancy management strategies.
Life in lockdown: experiences of patients with IBD during COVID-19
Authors: Harris Richard James , Downey Louise , Smith Trevor R , Cummings J R Fraser , Felwick Richard , Gwiggner Markus
Published: November 2020

Objective

COVID-19 has disrupted the normal way of life in the UK, but for some patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the impact of this unprecedented global emergency was far greater. We aimed to assess the experience of patients with IBD during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Design

We designed a survey focused on the impact of COVID-19 on IBD healthcare, social and psychological well-being and quality of life. To capture those most likely to be affected we targeted survey invitations at our British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) defined high and moderate-risk IBD population. Access to the survey was also available via our trust’s social media pages.

Results

685 responses were received. 76% of respondents categorised themselves in BSG defined moderate or high-risk groups, requiring stringent social distancing or shielding. 87% did not change their IBD medication, with most reported changes initiated by the IBD team. 39% were worried about their IBD care, but most services were largely uninterrupted. 90% received ‘at-risk’ notification often from multiple sources, but 17% not until May. The majority reported a negative impact of COVID-19 on their quality of life and significantly increased perceived stress. Patients expressed a strong wish of having future care delivered remotely.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has had a significant negative impact on psychological well-being of patients with IBD. Local IBD services must have a robust data set of vulnerable patients and be designated future responsibility for prompt communication of advice to avoid delayed and sometimes conflicting information. Remote patient management systems should be further developed and embedded in clinical practice.
Predeployment Collective Training under lockdown: lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Milne Grant
Published: November 2020

Completing meaningful and high-fidelity Collective Training during the COVID-19 pandemic presents an entirely new set of challenges to both the Chain of Command and supporting medical assets. Under Project PHOENIX, the Field Army will gradually phase the return of Collective Training, starting with Deployed Operation Force Generation. This article describes the personal experiences and challenges faced by 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards Battle Group and the Mission Training and Mobilisation Centre to enable the Operation SHADER 11 Mission Rehearsal Exercise, the first Collective Training the Field Army completed during the national lockdown.
Does a ketogenic diet lower a very high Lp(a)? A striking experiment in a male physician
Authors: Scholl Johannes Georg
Published: November 2020

The level of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), an important cardiovascular risk factor, is considered to be genetically determined. I am a 55-year-old male physician specialised in preventive medicine and a hobby triathlete with a body mass index of 24.9 kg/m2and a maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) of ~50 mL/(kg×min), with an average of 7–10 hours of exercise per week.

I discovered my own Lp(a) at 92–97 mg/dL in 2004 and measured a maximum Lp(a) of 108 mg/dL in 2013. Surprisingly, I observed a much lower Lp(a) of 65 mg/dL in 2018. This happened after I had adopted a very-low-carb ketogenic diet for long-term endurance exercise.

My n=1 experiment in July 2020 demonstrated an increase in Lp(a) back to 101 mg/dL on a very high-carb diet within 2 weeks, and a drop back to 74 mg/dL after 3 weeks on the ketogenic diet afterwards. The observed large changes in my Lp(a) were thus reproducible by a change in carbohydrate consumption and might have clinical relevance for patients as well as researchers in the field of Lp(a).
Weaning strategies for the withdrawal of non-invasive respiratory support applying continuous positive airway pressure in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: van Delft Brenda , Van Ginderdeuren Filip , Lefevere Julie , van Delft Christel , Cools Filip
Published: November 2020

Background

The optimal method to wean preterm infants from non-invasive respiratory support (NIVRS) with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or high-flow nasal cannula is still unclear, and methods used vary considerably between neonatal units.

Objective

Perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the most effective strategy for weaning preterm infants born before 37 weeks’ gestation from NIVRS.

Method

EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomised controlled trials comparing different weaning strategies of NIVRS in infants born before 37 weeks’ gestation.

Results

Fifteen trials (1.547 infants) were included. With gradual pressure wean, the relative risk of successful weaning at the first attempt was 1.30 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.83), as compared with sudden discontinuation. Infants were weaned at a later postmenstrual age (PMA) (median difference (MD) 0.93 weeks (95% CI 0.19 to 1.67)). A stepdown strategy to nasal cannula resulted in an almost 3-week reduction in the PMA at successful weaning (MD −2.70 (95% CI −3.87 to −1.52)) but was associated with a significantly longer duration of oxygen supplementation (MD 7.80 days (95% CI 5.31 to 10.28)). A strategy using interval training had no clinical benefits. None of the strategies had any effect on the risk of chronic lung disease or the duration of hospital stay.

Conclusion

A strategy of gradual weaning of airway pressure might increase the chances of successful weaning. Stepdown strategy from CPAP to nasal cannula is a useful alternative resulting in an earlier weaning, but the focus should remain on continued weaning in order to avoid prolonged oxygen supplementation. Interval training should probably not be used.
Acceptability of remote prescribing and postal delivery services for contraceptive pills and treatment of uncomplicatedChlamydia trachomatis
Authors: Nadarzynski Tom , Symonds Ynez , Carroll Robert , Gibbs Jo , Kidsley Sally , Graham Cynthia Ann
Published: November 2020

Objectives

The digitalisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services offers valuable opportunities to deliver contraceptive pills and chlamydia treatment by post. We aimed to examine the acceptability of remote prescribing and ‘medication-by-post’ in SRH.

Study design

An online survey assessing attitudes towards remote management was distributed in three UK SRH clinics and via an integrated sexually transmitted infection (STI) postal self-sampling service. Logistic regressions were performed to identify potential correlates.

Results

There were 1281 participants (74% female and 49% <25 years old). Some 8% of participants reported having received medication via post and 83% were willing to receive chlamydia treatment and contraceptive pills by post. Lower acceptability was observed among participants who were: >45 years old (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.23–0.81)), screened for STIs less than once annually (OR 0.63 (0.42–0.93)), concerned about confidentiality (OR 0.21 (0.90–0.50)), concerned about absence during delivery (OR 0.09 (0.02–0.32)) or unwilling to provide blood pressure readings (OR 0.22 (0.04–0.97)). Higher acceptability was observed among participants who reported: previously receiving medication by post (OR 4.63 (1.44–14.8)), preference for home delivery over clinic collection (OR 24.1 (11.1–51.9)), preference for home STI testing (OR 10.3 (6.16–17.4)), ability to communicate with health advisors (OR 4.01 (1.03–15.6)) and willingness to: register their real name (OR 3.09 (1.43–10.6)), complete online health questionnaires (OR 3.09 (1.43–10.6)) and use generic contraceptive pills (OR 2.88 (1.21–6.83)).

Conclusions

Postal treatment and entering information online to allow remote prescribing were acceptable methods for SRH services and should be considered alongside medication collection in pharmacies. These methods could be particularly useful for patients facing barriers in accessing SRH. The cost-effectiveness and implementation of these novel methods of service delivery should be further investigated.
Provider perspectives in implementing the Postpartum Intrauterine Device Initiative in Sri Lanka: a qualitative study
Authors: de Silva Ranjith , Huber-Krum Sarah , Samarasekera Arnjali , Karra Mahesh , Pearson Erin , Senanayake Hemantha , Canning David , Shah Iqbal
Published: November 2020

Background

Integration of maternal care and family planning services has the potential to reduce unintended pregnancies and closely spaced births, leading to reductions in maternal mortality and morbidity. However, few models exist detailing how to implement/integrate such services. This study explored the implementation of the Postpartum Intrauterine Device (PPIUD) Initiative in Sri Lanka, which trained healthcare providers on how to counsel women about contraception during routine antenatal care and insert PPIUD immediately following delivery.

Methods

We applied a qualitative design to ascertain the perspectives of maternal health service providers who participated in the PPIUD Initiative. We conducted 12 in-depth interviews with providers. We used thematic analysis to analyse the data and the results were interpreted within the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

Results

Findings indicated that providers were willing to adopt the intervention and reiterated the importance of postpartum family planning. However, the intervention was not consistently implemented as intended, including provider bias in counselling and lack of attention to women’s preferences. Organisational barriers to implementation included time constraints and inadequate training. Providers suggested that a range of paramedical staff be trained in counselling and PPIUD insertion to mitigate barriers and to facilitate scaling up the intervention.

Conclusions

To improve and scale up the PPIUD Initiative, training efforts should be expanded to primary and secondary care facilities and implementation strategies better utilised (eg, on-the-job training). The training can be strengthened by improving providers’ knowledge of all types of methods and interpersonal communication skills, and emphasising the importance of unbiased, evidence-based contraceptive counselling techniques.
Artificial intelligence-based pathology for gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cancers
Authors: Calderaro Julien , Kather Jakob Nikolas
Published: November 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) can extract complex information from visual data. Histopathology images of gastrointestinal (GI) and liver cancer contain a very high amount of information which human observers can only partially make sense of. Complementing human observers, AI allows an in-depth analysis of digitised histological slides of GI and liver cancer and offers a wide range of clinically relevant applications. First, AI can automatically detect tumour tissue, easing the exponentially increasing workload on pathologists. In addition, and possibly exceeding pathologist’s capacities, AI can capture prognostically relevant tissue features and thus predict clinical outcome across GI and liver cancer types. Finally, AI has demonstrated its capacity to infer molecular and genetic alterations of cancer tissues from histological digital slides. These are likely only the first of many AI applications that will have important clinical implications. Thus, pathologists and clinicians alike should be aware of the principles of AI-based pathology and its ability to solve clinically relevant problems, along with its limitations and biases.
MRE combined with FIB-4 (MEFIB) index in detection of candidates for pharmacological treatment of NASH-related fibrosis
Authors: Jung Jinho , Loomba Rohan R , Imajo Kento , Madamba Egbert , Gandhi Sanil , Bettencourt Ricki , Singh Seema , Hernandez Carolyn , Valasek Mark A , Behling Cynthia , Richards Lisa , Fowler Katie , Sirlin Claude B , Nakajima Atsushi , Loomba Rohit
Published: November 2020

Objective

Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with ≥stage 2 fibrosis are at increased risk for liver-related mortality and are candidates for pharmacological therapies for treatment of NAFLD. The aim of this prospective cohort study is to examine the diagnostic accuracy of MR elastography (MRE) combined with fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) in diagnosing ≥stage 2 fibrosis (candidates for pharmacological therapies).

Design

This is a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort (University of California at San Diego (UCSD)-NAFLD) including 238 consecutive patients with contemporaneous MRE and biopsy-proven NAFLD. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis-Clinical Research Network-Histologic Scoring System was used to assess histology. The radiologist and pathologist were blinded to clinical, pathological and imaging data, respectively. Receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) were determined to examine the diagnostic accuracy of MRE and FIB-4 for diagnosis of ≥stage 2 fibrosis in NAFLD. We then validated these findings in an independent validation cohort derived from Yokohama City University in Japan (Japan-NAFLD Cohort; N=222 patients).

Results

In the UCSD-NAFLD (training) Cohort, MRE demonstrated a clinically significant diagnostic accuracy for the detection of ≥stage 2 fibrosis with an area under the ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.93 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.97) vs FIB-4 with an AUROC of 0.78 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.85), which was both clinically and statistically significant (p<0.0001). We then combined MRE with FIB-4 (MRE ≥3.3 kPa and FIB-4 ≥1.6) to develop a clinical prediction rule to rule in ≥stage 2 fibrosis patients which had positive predictive value (PPV) of 97.1% (p<0.02) in the UCSD-NAFLD cohort (AUROC of 0.90 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.95)) which remained significant at PPV of 91.0% (p<0.003) in the Japan-NAFLD Cohort (AUROC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.89)).

Conclusion

MRE combined with FIB-4 (MEFIB) index may be used for non-invasive identification of candidates for (≥stage 2 fibrosis) pharmacological therapy among patients with NAFLD with a high PPV.
Long-term outcomes of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Queensland, Australia (2002–2014): incidence and temporal trends
Authors: Pemberton Katherine , Franklin Richard C , Bosley Emma , Watt Kerrianne
Published: November 2020

Objective

To describe annual incidence and temporal trends (2002–2014) in incidence of long-term outcomes of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) of presumed cardiac aetiology attended by Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics, by age, gender, geographical remoteness and socioeconomic status (SES).

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study. Cases were identified using the QAS OHCA Registry and were linked with entries in the Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection and the Queensland Registrar General Death Registry. Population data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to calculate incidence. Inclusion criteria were adult (18+ years) residents of Queensland who suffered OHCA of presumed cardiac aetiology and survived to hospital admission. Analyses were undertaken by three mutually exclusive outcomes: (1) survival to less than 30 days (Surv<30 days); (2) survival from 30 to 364 days (Surv30–364 days); and (3) survival to 365 days or more (Surv365+ days). Incidence rates were calculated for each year by gender, age, remoteness and SES. Temporal trends were analysed.

Results

Over the 13 years there were 4393 cases for analyses. The incidence of total admitted events (9.72–10.13; p<0.01), Surv30–364 days (0.18–0.42; p<0.05) and Surv365+ days (1.94–4.02; p<0.001) increased significantly over time; no trends were observed for Surv<30 days. An increase in Surv365+ days over time was observed in all remoteness categories and most SES categories.

Conclusion

Evidence suggests that implemented strategies to improve outcomes from OHCA have been successful and penetrated groups living in more remote locations and the lower socioeconomic groups. These populations still require focus. Ongoing reporting of long-term outcomes from OHCA should be undertaken using population-based incidence.
Clinical features which predict neuronal surface autoantibodies in new-onset focal epilepsy: implications for immunotherapies
Authors: McGinty Ronan N , Handel Adam , Moloney Teresa , Ramesh Archana , Fower Andrew , Torzillo Emma , Kramer Holger , Howell Stephen , Waters Patrick , Adcock Jane , Sen Arjune , Lang Bethan , Irani Sarosh R
Published: November 2020

Objective

To generate a score which clinically identifies surface-directed autoantibodies in adults with new-onset focal epilepsy, and evaluate the value of immunotherapy in this clinical setting.

Methods

Prospective clinical and autoantibody evaluations in a cohort of 219 consecutive patients with new-onset focal epilepsy.

Results

10.5% (23/219) of people with new-onset focal epilepsy had detectable serum autoantibodies to known or novel cell surface antigenic targets. 9/23 with autoantibodies were diagnosed with encephalitis, by contrast to 0/196 without autoantibodies (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified six features which predicted autoantibody positivity (area under the curve=0.83): age ≥54 years, ictal piloerection, lowered self-reported mood, reduced attention, MRI limbic system changes and the absence of conventional epilepsy risk factors. 11/14 (79%) patients with detectable autoantibodies, but without encephalitis, showed excellent long-term outcomes (modified Rankin Score=0) despite no immunotherapy. These outcomes were superior to those of immunotherapy-treated patients with confirmed autoantibody-mediated encephalitis (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Seizure semiology, cognitive and mood phenotypes, alongside inflammatory investigation findings, aid the identification of surface autoantibodies among unselected people with new-onset focal epilepsy. The excellent immunotherapy-independent outcomes of autoantibody-positive patients without encephalitis suggests immunotherapy administration should be guided by clinical features of encephalitis, rather than autoantibody positivity. Our findings suggest that, in this cohort, immunotherapy-responsive seizure syndromes with autoantibodies largely fall under the umbrella of autoimmune encephalitis.
Isoflurane maintenance of neuroanaesthesia in two dogs with hydrocephalus and syringohydromyelia undergoing ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery
Authors: Pohlin Friederike , Boustead Keagan John , Grace Justin Frederick , Zeiler Gareth
Published: November 2020

A two‐year‐old spayed female great dane crossbreed dog and a three‐year‐old spayed female Yorkshire terrier were presented for surgical correction of hydrocephalus and syringohydromyelia. Obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid flow and associated increase in cerebrospinal fluid volume commonly result in an elevated intracranial pressure. During anaesthesia, maintaining an optimal balance between intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion is crucial to avoid neuronal damage. Volatile anaesthetics are the most commonly used drugs for maintaining anaesthesia in veterinary practice but have the potential to cause an increase in intracranial pressure through vasodilation. This case series describes inhalational maintenance of neuroanaesthesia for ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery with isoflurane. Interventions applied to manipulate the anaesthetic drug’s effects on intracranial pressure to maintain optimal cerebral perfusion are described.
Plants and mushrooms associated with animal poisoning incidents in South Africa
Authors: Moshobane Moleseng Claude , Bertero Alessia , Marks Carine , Stephen Cindy , Mothapo Natasha Palesa , Middleton Lorraine , Caloni Francesca
Published: November 2020

Background

There is extensive literature on animal poisoning from plants and mushrooms worldwide; however, there is limited account of poisoning from South Africa.

Methods

This study sought to describe and provide an overview of animal poison exposures in South Africa. Poisoning episodes reported to the Poisons Information Helpline of the Western Cape, jointly run by the Poisons Information Centres at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital over a period of approximately 2.5 years, from June 2015 to November 2017, were analysed to identify exposure patterns, severity and clinical outcomes.

Results

Alien plant species accounted for most cases (n=10) of reported poison exposures. Among the 26 recorded animal poisoning episodes, the dog was the most commonly implicated species (n=24), whereas just two enquiries were related to other animals (one rabbit and one cow). There were 20 plant cases and 6 mushroom cases (all dogs). There was only one fatal case involving cycad in a dog.

Conclusion

Features of animal poisoning in South Africa were similar to those in other countries. The reported cases of animals exposed to poisonous plants and mushrooms could represent only a fraction of the actual exposures. Since most reported cases involved taxa that could not be identified to species level, more attention should be paid in case reporting and in animal poisoning prevention, engaging the public to enable people to recognise potentially hazardous plants and reduce the risk of poisoning in animals.
Protein consumption in Canadian habitual diets: usual intake, inadequacy, and the contribution of animal- and plant-based foods to nutrient intakes
Authors: Auclair Olivia , Burgos Sergio A.
Published: November 2020

The 2019 Canada’s Food Guide (CFG) emphasizes consumption of plant protein with implications for protein adequacy and nutrient intakes, yet a baseline with which to compare future dietary trends that may result from its adoption is not available. The objectives were to assess usual protein intake, inadequacy, and the contribution of animal- and plant-based foods to intake of protein, nutrients, and energy in Canada. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey – Nutrition were used to assess dietary intake among adults (n = 13 616). The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate usual protein intake and inadequacy. Population ratios were used to determine the contribution of animal- and plant-based foods to intake of protein, nutrients, and energy. Usual protein intake averaged 79.47 ± 0.70 g/d; inadequacy was highest for females ≥71 y (9.76 ± 2.04%). Top protein contributors were red and processed meat (21.6 ± 0.55%), poultry and eggs (20.1 ± 0.81%), cereals, grains, and breads (19.5 ± 0.31%), and dairy (16.7 ± 0.38%). Dairy contributed most to calcium (53.4 ± 0.61%), vitamin D (38.7 ± 1.01%), but also saturated fat (40.6 ± 0.69%), whereas cereals, grains, and breads contributed most to iron (46.5 ± 0.57%) and vegetables and fruit to potassium (32 ± 0.45%). Given that animal sources contributed overwhelmingly to protein intake in 2015, dietary shifts towards plant protein needed to meet the 2019 CFG recommendations may pose a challenge, particularly for populations most at risk of inadequacy.

Novelty: Older adults and females are most at risk of not meeting protein recommendations. Animal sources contribute two-thirds of the protein consumed by Canadian adults.
Vibration noise suppression approach based on random switching frequency control for permanent magnet motor
Authors: Li Yong , Wu Hao , Si Qiaorui , Liu Yonggang
Published: November 2020

The vibration noise of the distributed drive autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) is mainly produced by the inverter-fed brushless DC permanent magnet in-wheel motor (PMIWM). It is necessary to reduce the vibration noise level of the PMIWM driven by pulse width modulation (PWM). A suppression approach of electromagnetic vibration noise for the PMIWM is investigated. First, the air gap magnetic field of the inverter-fed PMIWM was analyzed. The electric current harmonics and the unbalanced magnetic force (UMF) were investigated. The natural frequency and noise of the PMIWM were presented. Then, a flux-weaken approach was employed to maintain the robustness of the PMIWM when a sudden drop of DC bus voltage. The random switching frequency (RSF) PWM control method based on a two-state Markov chain is proposed to decrease the amplitude of the harmonics caused by the switching frequency and the multiple switching frequencies. The experimental results show that the RSFPWM can not only effectively reduce the vibration noise and the inverter losses, but also improve the robustness of the PMIWM control system under unpredictable uncertainties.
Charged particle motion around non-singular black holes in conformal gravity in the presence of external magnetic field
Authors: Narzilloev Bakhtiyor , Rayimbaev Javlon , Abdujabbarov Ahmadjon , Bambi Cosimo
Published: November 2020

We consider electromagnetic fields and charged particle dynamics around non-singular black holes in conformal gravity immersed in an external, asymptotically uniform magnetic field. First, we obtain analytic solutions of the electromagnetic field equation around rotating non-singular black holes in conformal gravity. We show that the radial components of the electric and magnetic fields increase with the increase of the parameters L and N of the black hole solution. Second, we study the dynamics of charged particles. We show that the increase of the values of the parameters L and N and of magnetic field causes a decrease in the radius of the innermost stable circular orbits (ISCO) and the magnetic coupling parameter can mimic the effect of conformal gravity giving the same ISCO radius up to $$\omega _{\mathrm{B}}\le 0.07$$

ω
B

≤
0.07

when $$N=3$$

N
=
3

.
New Constructions of Codebooks Nearly Meeting the Welch Bound
Authors: Shi Zexia , Sun Lei , Fu Fang-Wei
Published: November 2020

Optimal codebooks meeting the Welch bound with equality are desirable in many areas, such as direct spread code division multiple access communications, compressed sensing and so on. However, it is difficult to construct such optimal codebooks. There have been a number of attempts to construct codebooks nearly meeting the Welch bound. In this paper, we introduce a generic construction of codebooks using generalized bent functions from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a prime and [Formula: see text] is a positive integer with [Formula: see text]. With this construction, we obtain two new families of codebooks nearly meeting the Welch bound. These codebooks have new parameters and could have a small alphabet size. In particular, a class of regular generalized bent functions from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] is presented.
Discontinuous Galerkin method for a nonlinear age-structured tumor cell population model with proliferating and quiescent phases
Authors: Sharma Dipty , Singh Paramjeet
Published: November 2020

We propose a nonlinear age-structured model of tumor cell population with proliferating and quiescent phases. We apply the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method to study its dynamical behavior. The DG numerical approximation is used for the spatial discretization and then the strong-stability-preserving explicit Runge–Kutta (SSPERK) method is performed for the temporal discretization. This paper aims to establish more efficient results in the sense of computational approach and compare these with analogous estimates for Weighted Essentially and Non-Oscillatory (WENO) scheme. Finally, some test examples and numerical simulations are given to illustrate theoretical results and to examine the behavior of the solution.
Isovector pair correlations in analytically solvable models
Authors: Nikoghosyan G. , Balabekyan A. , Kolganova E. A. , Jolos R. V. , Sazonov D. A.
Published: November 2020

The eigensolutions of the collective Hamiltonian with different potentials suggested for description of the isovector pair correlations are obtained, analyzed and compared with the experimental energies. It is shown that the isovector pair correlations in nuclei around [Formula: see text]Ni can be described as anharmonic pairing vibrations. The results obtained indicate the presence of the [Formula: see text]-particle type correlations in these nuclei and the existence of the interaction different from isovector pairing which also influences on the isospin dependence of the energies.
INFINITE ORTHOGONAL EXPONENTIALS OF A CLASS OF SELF-AFFINE MEASURES
Authors: WANG ZHI-MIN , DONG XIN-HAN , WANG YE
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we study infinite families of orthogonal exponentials of some self-affine measures. The digit set [Formula: see text] and any [Formula: see text] expanding integer matrix [Formula: see text] can generate a self-affine measure [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] be the transposed conjugate of [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and the elements of [Formula: see text] come from [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we prove the following results. For [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is a spectral measure. For [Formula: see text], there are infinite families of orthogonal exponentials, but none of them forms an orthogonal basis in [Formula: see text].
FRACTIONAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC FLOW OF A SECOND GRADE FLUID IN A POROUS MEDIUM WITH VARIABLE WALL VELOCITY AND NEWTONIAN HEATING
Authors: ANWAR TALHA , KUMAM POOM , KHAN ILYAS , THOUNTHONG PHATIPHAT
Published: November 2020

In this study, two different fractional models are developed for a second grade fluid coupled with the energy equation. These two fractional models are based on the definitions of Caputo–Fabrizio (CF) and Atangana–Baleanu (ABC) fractional derivatives. The fluid transport is considered over an infinite upright plate, that is nested in a permeable medium under the influence of an imposed magnetic field. The variable wall velocity and Newtonian heating boundary conditions are simultaneously applied for the very first time. Based on two different fractional derivatives, double fractional analysis is accomplished to evaluate the resulting two models. The momentum and energy solutions are separately established for each model by employing Laplace transform and Durbin’s numerical Laplace inversion. The verification analysis of these obtained solutions is performed with the aid of Zakian’s and Stehfest’s algorithms. The rise and fall in momentum and energy profiles due to variation of incipient parametric values are elucidated graphically and physical arguments behind these behaviors are interpreted. The velocity and temperature gradients are evaluated at the boundary to estimate the wall shear stress and heat transfer rate in terms of the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number. The noteworthy physical impacts of incipient parameters on shear stress and heat transfer rate are analyzed through tabular study. In comparison, it is found that the energy profile for the ABC model is higher than CF model and ordinary model, respectively. Similarly, for velocity distribution, the ABC model exhibits the highest profile as compared to CF and ordinary models in the case of ramped velocity. However, an exactly opposite pattern of velocity profiles is observed for an isothermal velocity case. On the basis of this comparative analysis, it can be stated that the ABC model is the best choice to appropriately explain the memory effect of energy and momentum distributions.
A NEW FRACTAL TRANSFORM FREQUENCY FORMULATION FOR FRACTAL NONLINEAR OSCILLATORS
Authors: WANG KANG-LE
Published: November 2020

In this study, a new fractal derivative is employed to describe the nonlinear oscillator model. A variational principle of the fractal model is successfully established by using the fractal semi-inverse transform method, and its approximate frequency is obtained by a new fractal transform frequency formulation. The numerical example shows that the proposed technique is simple and accurate for fractal nonlinear oscillators.