bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insufficient quality of public automated external defibrillator recordings in the greater Paris area, a descriptive study
Authors: Derkenne Clément , Jost Daniel , Haruel Pierre Alexandre , Kedzierewicz Romain , Frattini Benoit , Frédéric Lemoine , Diegelmann Pascal , Gouze Jeremy , Roquet Florian , Travers Stéphane ,   Paris Fire Brigade Cardiac Arrest Task Force, Bihannic Rene , Prunet Bertrand
Published: September 2020

Background

Western countries report a significant increase in the proportion of patients who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) and benefit from a public automated external defibrillator (pAED) before the arrival of rescue teams. However, recordings of devices recovered after resuscitation are of variable quality. Analysis of these data may inform decisions of whether to implement an internal defibrillator for survivors, and provide useful information about the performance of pAED algorithms and the actions of bystanders.

Objective

To investigate the quality of the information recorded by pAEDs during OHCAs in the Paris area.

Methods

pAED files used for some of the 8629 OHCAs that occurred in the greater Paris area between 1 January 2017 and 31 April 2019 on the day of the arrest were collected. The presence and accuracy of 23 factors required to interpret the recording was noted, including readability of the ECG, the presence of an impedance curve and the accuracy of the date and time. The recordings were analysed to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic performance of the pAEDs used.

Results

A total of 258 patients with an OHCA received assistance from a pAED, and 182 recordings were recovered. The pAEDs were made by 12 different manufacturers. Data extraction required eight different transmission modes and 16 software programmes; recordings were of highly heterogeneous quality. Two per cent of the recordings were of such poor quality that they were not interpretable. Among the 98% remaining, only 43% included a thoracic impedance curve, 34% the intensity of the shocks delivered and 8% the patient name. The date and time were accurate in 68% and 48% of recordings, respectively. The pAEDs had 87.6% (95% CI 83.7% to 91.0%) sensitivity and 99.5% (99.5% to 99.5%) specificity for defibrillating shockable rhythms (positive predictive value 98.2% (96.4% to 99.0%), negative predictive value 96.4% (95.3% to 96.8%)). The absence of important variables prevented the analysis of approximately half of the inappropriate decisions made by pAEDs.

Conclusion

Collection of pAED recordings is a major challenge. Their analysis is compromised by heterogeneity and poor quality (incomplete maintenance records, patient details and logs). AED recordings are currently the most relevant resource to track pAED performance and bystander practices. The quality of these recordings needs to improve.
Implementation of differentiated service delivery for paediatric HIV care and treatment: opportunities, challenges and experience from seven sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Abelman Rebecca , Alons Catharina , Stockman Jeni , Teri Ivan , Grimsrud Anna , Ombija Maryanne , Makwindi Christopher , Odionyi Justine , Tumbare Esther , Longwe Barry , Bonou Mahoudo , Songoro Juma , Mugumya Lawrence , Cohn Jennifer
Published: September 2020

Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for HIV often exclude children and adolescents. Given that children and adolescents have lower rates of HIV diagnosis, treatment and viral load suppression, there is a need to use DSD to meet the needs of children and adolescents living with HIV. This commentary reviews the concept of DSD, examines the application of DSD to the care of children and adolescents living with HIV, and describes national guidance on use of DSD for children and adolescents and implementation of DSD for HIV care and treatment in children and adolescents in Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)–supported programmes in seven sub-Saharan countries between 2017 and 2019. Programme descriptions include eligibility criteria, location and frequency of care delivery, healthcare cadre delivering the care, as well as the number of EGPAF-supported facilities supporting each type of DSD model. A range of DSD models were identified. While facility-based models predominate, several countries support community-based models. Despite significant uptake of various DSD models for children and adolescents, there was variable coverage within countries and variability in age criteria for each model. While the recent uptake of DSD models for children and adolescents suggests feasibility, more can be done to optimise and extend the use of DSD models for children and adolescents living with HIV. Barriers to further DSD uptake are described and solutions proposed. DSD models for children and adolescents are a critical tool that can be optimised to improve the quality of HIV care and outcomes for children and adolescents.
Constructing authentic decisions: proxy decision making for research involving adults who lack capacity to consent
Authors: Shepherd Victoria , Sheehan Mark , Hood Kerenza , Griffith Richard , Wood Fiona
Published: September 2020

Research involving adults who lack capacity to consent relies on proxy (or surrogate) decision making. Proxy decisions about participation are ethically complex, with a disparity between normative accounts and empirical evidence. Concerns about the accuracy of proxies’ decisions arise, in part, from the lack of an ethical framework which takes account of the complex and morally pluralistic world in which proxy decisions are situated. This qualitative study explored the experiences of family members who have acted as a research proxy in order to develop an understanding of the ethical concepts involved, and the interactions between those concepts. Proxies described a complex process of respecting the wishes and preferences of the person they represented, whist integrating preferences with what they viewed as being in the interests of the person. They aimed to make a decision that was ‘best’ for the person and protected them from harm; they also aimed to make the ‘right’ decision, viewed as being authentic to the person’s values and life. Decisions were underpinned by the relationship between the person and their proxy, in which both trust and trustworthiness were key. Proxies’ decisions, based both on respect for the person and the need to protect their interests, arose out of their dual role as both proxy and carer. The findings raise questions about accounts which rely on existing normative assumptions with a focus on accuracy and discrepancy, and which fail to take account of the requirement for proxies to make authentic decisions that arise out of their caring obligations.
'Advice, not orders’? The evolving legal status of clinical guidelines
Authors: Metcalfe David , Pitkeathley Carole , Herring Jonathan
Published: September 2020

Healthcare professionals are expected to deliver care that is consistent with clinical guidelines. In this article, we show that the English courts are increasingly willing to be persuaded by written guidelines when determining the standard of care in cases of alleged clinical negligence. This reflects a wider shift in the approach taken by courts in a number of common law jurisdictions around the world. However, we argue that written guidelines are still only one element that courts should consider when determining the standard of care. It is possible to deliver perfect care that deviates from professional guidelines and even to deliver negligent care by uncritically following a guideline that is flawed. We further argue that written guidelines are relevant beyond defining the accepted standard of care. This is because the decision to deviate from a guideline suggests the existence of multiple approaches that should be discussed with patients as part of ensuring informed consent. It is therefore likely that written guidelines will become an even more prominent feature of the medicolegal landscape in future years.
Descriptive account of 18 adults with known HIV infection hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Madge Sara , Barber Tristan J , Hunter Alan , Bhagani Sanjay , Lipman Marc , Burns Fiona
Published: September 2020

Objective

To report on the clinical characteristics and outcome of 18 people living with HIV (PLWH) hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a London teaching hospital.

Methods

The hospital notes of 18 PLWH hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection were retrospectively reviewed alongside data concerning their HIV demographics from an established HIV Database.

Results

The majority (16/18) had positive PCR swabs for SARS-CoV-2, and two had negative swabs but typical COVID-19 imaging and history. Most were male (14/18, 78%), median age 63 years (range 47–77 years). Two-thirds were migrants, nine (50%) of Black, Asian and minority ethnicity (BAME). All were diagnosed with HIV for many years (range 8–31 years), and all had an undetectable HIV viral load (<40 copies/mL). The median CD4 prior to admission was 439 (IQR 239–651), and 10/16 (63%) had a CD4 nadir below 200 cells/mm3. Almost all (17/18) had been diagnosed with at least one comorbidity associated with SARS-CoV-2 prior to admission. 3/18 patients died. None received mechanical ventilation. Hospital stay and clinical course did not appear prolonged (median 9 days).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that PLWH may not necessarily have prolonged or complex admissions to hospital when compared with the general hospital and national population admitted with COVID-19. Many had low nadir CD4 counts and potentially impaired functional immune restoration. The PLWH group was younger than generally reported for COVID-19, and the majority were male with multiple complex comorbidities. These patients had frequent contact with hospital settings increasing potential for nosocomial acquisition and increased risk of severe COVID-19.
Damage control hip disarticulation: two-stage operation with index creation of a large medial flap for the septic hip
Authors: Colosimo Christina , Fredericks Charles , Yon James R , Kubasiak John C , Bokhari Faran , Poulakidas Stathis
Published: September 2020

Background

Although rarely performed, hip disarticulation (HD) is usually used for the patient with a non-viable leg who is also in extremis. HD was first used for trauma and infection; however, the technique was perfected during the age of hindquarter amputation for osteosarcomas. The operation performed by most surgeons today is still based on the oncological principles of high vessel control and ligation. When this approach has been used in the overwhelmingly infected or mangled extremity, it has resulted in high mortality rates. During the last 20 years, the concept of damage control operation has been embraced by emergency surgeons in all fields. We sought to extrapolate this concept and to apply it to the non-viable lower extremity.

Methods

We describe a new concept of damage control HD, review the technique and discuss our consecutive series of nine patients who underwent the procedure for trauma or necrotizing infection without flap dehiscence or mortality.

Results

All patients survived to hospital discharge. At time of discharge or at follow-up, six of the nine patients were able to transfer to a wheelchair.

Discussion

Proper disarticulations for infection need to address these two operative and postoperative issues: damage control debridement with creation of sufficient flap size and thorough postoperative wound care.

Level IV
An integrated multi-criteria decision analysis and optimization modeling approach to spatially operational road repair decisions
Authors: Ezzati Sättar , Palma Cristian D. , Bettinger Pete , Eriksson Ljusk Ola , Awasthi Anjali
Published: September 2020

In this study, we developed a generic cost-effective approach for spatially explicit decision support involving the allocation of road repair treatments. The approach begins with an assessment of the existing road condition to identify the extent of environmental impacts and to determine road repair regimes in a subjective manner using group-decision making efforts. An integer programming model is then formulated by combining expert opinions with operational costs to guide repair schedules required for each road segment at the operational planning level. To demonstrate model performance, we applied it to a 400 km2 landscape consisting of 289 km of paved roads in the mountainous region of the Hyrcanian forests in Iran. We assessed sensitivity of the inputs, such as weight verification, budgetary limitations, and rehabilitation weights. The results of the subjective analysis show that 76% of the roads analyzed in these forests must be prioritized to receive treatments as intended for logistical purposes. Incorporating the extent of environmental dimensions into operational costs allows us to generate an optimal tradeoff curve by selecting an appropriate treatment for segments of a road network. The approach demonstrated here can be used to design detailed alternative solutions for addressing spatially-informed road decisions under various terrain conditions.
Sensitivity of the DARWIN observatory to the neutrinoless double beta decay of $$^{136}$$Xe
Authors: Agostini F. , Maouloud S. E. M. Ahmed , Althueser L. , Amaro F. , Antunovic B. , Aprile E. , Baudis L. , Baur D. , Biondi Y. , Bismark A. , Breur P. A. , Brown A. , Bruno G. , Budnik R. , Capelli C. , Cardoso J. , Cichon D. , Clark M. , Colijn A. P. , Cuenca-García J. J. , Cussonneau J. P. , Decowski M. P. , Depoian A. , Dierle J. , Gangi P. Di , Giovanni A. Di , Diglio S. , Santos J. M. F. dos , Drexlin G. , Eitel K. , Engel R. , Ferella A. D. , Fischer H. , Galloway M. , Gao F. , Girard F. , Glück F. , Grandi L. , Größle R. , Gumbsheimer R. , Hansmann-Menzemer S. , Jörg F. , Khundzakishvili G. , Kopec A. , Kuger F. , Krauss L. M. , Landsman H. , Lang R. F. , Lindemann S. , Lindner M. , Lopes J. A. M. , Villalpando A. Loya , Macolino C. , Manfredini A. , Undagoitia T. Marrodán , Masbou J. , Masson E. , Meinhardt P. , Milutinovic S. , Molinario A. , Monteiro C. M. B. , Murra M. , Oberlack U. G. , Pandurovic M. , Peres R. , Pienaar J. , Pierre M. , Pizzella V. , Qin J. , García D. Ramírez , Reichard S. , Rupp N. , Sanchez-Lucas P. , Sartorelli G. , Schulte D. , Schumann M. , Lavina L. Scotto , Selvi M. , Silva M. , Simgen H. , Steidl M. , Terliuk A. , Therreau C. , Thers D. , Thieme K. , Trotta R. , Tunnell C. D. , Valerius K. , Volta G. , Vorkapic D. , Weinheimer C. , Wittweg C. , Wolf J. , Zopounidis J. P. , Zuber K. ,   DARWIN Collaboration
Published: September 2020

The DARWIN observatory is a proposed next-generation experiment to search for particle dark matter and for the neutrinoless double beta decay of $$^{136}$$

136

Xe. Out of its 50 t total natural xenon inventory, 40 t will be the active target of a time projection chamber which thus contains about 3.6 t of $$^{136}$$

136

Xe. Here, we show that its projected half-life sensitivity is $$2.4\times {10}^{27}\,{\hbox {year}}$$

2.4
×

10

27

year

, using a fiducial volume of 5 t of natural xenon and 10 year of operation with a background rate of less than 0.2 events/(t $$\cdot $$
·
 year) in the energy region of interest. This sensitivity is based on a detailed Monte Carlo simulation study of the background and event topologies in the large, homogeneous target. DARWIN will be comparable in its science reach to dedicated double beta decay experiments using xenon enriched in $$^{136}$$

136

Xe.
The color dipole picture for prompt photon production in pp and pPb collisions at the CERN-LHC
Authors: Sampaio dos Santos G. , Gil da Silveira G. , Machado M. V. T.
Published: September 2020

A study on the prompt photon production within the QCD color dipole picture with emphasis inppandpAcollisions at the LHC energy regimes is performed. We present predictions for the differential cross section as a function of photon transverse momentum at different rapidity bins considering updated phenomenological color dipole models, which take into account the QCD gluon saturation physics. The results are directly compared to the recent experimental measurements provided by CMS and ATLAS Collaborations, showing a reasonable agreement in all rapidity bins with no free parameters. Special attention is given to the IPSAT model given its good description of the data in all rapidity bins from low- to high-$$p_{T}$$pTranges. As a result, a free-parameter approach has succeeded in describing the LHC data for prompt photon production, while new predictions for the 13-TeV data is presented in view of new data to confirm such prospect.
Entanglement created in three-quantum dot system coupled to plasmonic waveguide
Authors: Ryom Ju-Song , Ko Myong-Chol , Kim Nam-Chol , Kim Gwang-Il , Choe Song-Il , Kim Son-Gyong
Published: September 2020

We investigate the entanglement properties of three-quantum dot (QD) system coupled to surface plasmonic waveguide by means of the concurrence with fully quantum-mechanical approach. High bipartite entanglement of three QDs could be achieved by adjusting the interparticle distance of the QDs, the detuning and the QD-waveguide coupling strength. We show that the bipartite entanglement of three-QD system is higher and its switching effect is better than the case of two-QD system. The discussed system with three QDs provides us rich way to realize the quantum entanglement used in the quantum information processing such as quantum computation and quantum communication.
Exploration on electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional GaN-doped with Be, Mg, Zn
Authors: Li Gang , Liu Lei , Tian Jian
Published: September 2020

To explore the variation on p-type-doped two-dimensional GaN, we calculate electronic and optical properties of buckled two-dimensional GaN-doped with p-type doping elements including Be, Mg and Zn atom by using first-principles. The results indicate that doping process of two-dimensional GaN after Be is most easily compared with Mg- and Zn-doped models. Band of doped two-dimensional GaN moves toward high energy end and it becomes a p-type semiconductor from the results of band structure and density of states, which may be caused by orbitals hybridization from dopants. Band gap and work function of doped two-dimensional GaN are both declined, which is beneficial for escape of electrons. Analysis of optical properties shows that they are sensitive and adjustable in doped two-dimensional GaN. Doping of Be, Mg and Zn atoms would have an important effect on optical characteristics of two-dimensional GaN at low-energy region.
Pannotia under prosecution
Authors: Evans David A. D.
Published: September 2020

Pannotia is a hypothetical supercontinent that may have existed briefly during the Proterozoic–Cambrian transition. Various lines of evidence used to argue for its existence include global orogenesis in Ediacaran–Cambrian time, the development of Cambrian passive margins and some (but not all) tectonic reconstructions. Indirect measures used to infer Pannotia's veracity include patterns of biological diversity, palaeoclimate, sea level, magmatism and other palaeoenvironmental proxies. It is shown herein that neither the direct records nor the indirect proxies provide compelling support for Pannotia. If that ephemeral contiguous landmass existed at all, its effects on the broader Earth system are inextricably tied to the more fundamental processes of Gondwanaland assembly. This perspective emphasizes the remarkable consolidation of Gondwanaland as a semi-supercontinent within the early stages of the Pangaea cycle. Gondwanaland's size combined with its
c.
300 myr longevity might have greater significance for mantle dynamics than the larger, but shorter-lived, Pangaea landmass.
Pairwise Link Prediction Model for Out of Vocabulary Knowledge Base Entities
Authors: Zhang Richong , Mensah Samuel , Kong Fanshuang , Hu Zhiyuan , Mao Yongyi , Liu Xudong
Published: September 2020

Real-world knowledge bases such as DBPedia, Yago, and Freebase contain sparse linkage connectivity, which poses a severe challenge to link prediction between entities. To cope with such data scarcity issues, recent models have focused on learning interactions between entity pairs by means of relations that exist between them. However promising, some relations are associated with very few tail entities or head entities, resulting in poor estimation of the relation interaction between entities. In this article, we break the sole dependency of modeling relation interactions between entity pairs by associating a triple with pairwise embeddings, i.e., distributed vector representations for pairs of word-based entities and relation of a triple. We capture the interactions that exist between pairwise embeddings by means of a Pairwise Factorization Model that employs a factorization machine with relation attention. This approach allows parameters for related interactions to be estimated efficiently, ensuring that the pairwise embeddings are discriminative, providing strong supervisory signals for the decoding task of link prediction. The Pairwise Factorization Model we propose exploits a neural bag-of-words model as the encoder, which effectively encodes word-based entities into distributed vector representations for the decoder. The proposed model is simple and enjoys efficiency and capability, showing superior link prediction performance over state-of-the-art complex models on benchmark datasets DBPedia50K and FB15K-237.
Mitigating Negative Impacts of Read Disturb in SSDs
Authors: Li Jun , Huang Bowen , Sha Zhibing , Cai Zhigang , Liao Jianwei , Gerofi Balazs , Ishikawa Yutaka
Published: September 2020

Read disturb is a circuit-level noise in solid-state drives (SSDs), which may corrupt existing data in SSD blocks and then cause high read error rate and longer read latency. The approach of read refresh is commonly used to avoid read disturb errors by periodically migrating the hot read data to other free blocks, but it places considerable negative impacts on I/O (Input/Output) responsiveness. This article proposes scheduling approaches on write data and read refresh operations, to mitigate the negative effects caused by read disturb. To be specific, we first construct a model to classify SSD blocks into two categories according to the estimated read error rate by referring to the factors of block’s P/E (Program/Erase) cycle and the accumulated read count to the block. Then, the data being intensively read will be redirected to the block having a small read error rate, as it is not sensitive to read disturb even though the data will be heavily requested. Moreover, we take advantage of reinforcement learning to predict the idle interval between two I/O requests for purposely conducting (partial) read refresh operations. As a result, it is able to minimize negative impacts toward subsequent incoming I/O requests and to ensure I/O responsiveness. Through a series of emulation tests on several realistic disk traces, we demonstrate that the proposed mechanisms can noticeably yield performance improvements on the metrics of read error rate and I/O latency.
An OpenGL Compliant Hardware Implementation of a Graphic Processing Unit Using Field Programmable Gate Array–System on Chip Technology
Authors: Beasley Alexander E. , Clarke C. T. , Watson R. J.
Published: September 2020

FPGA-SoC technology provides a heterogeneous platform for advanced, high-performance systems. The System on Chip (SoC) architecture combines traditional single and multiple core processor topologies with flexible FPGA fabric. Dynamic reconfiguration allows the hardware accelerators to be changed at run-time. This article presents a novel OpenGL compliant GPU design implemented on an FPGA. The design uses an FPGA-SoC environment allowing the embedded processor to offload graphics operation onto a more suitable architecture. To the authors’ knowledge, this is a first. The graphics processor consists of GLSL compliant shaders, an efficient Barycentric Rasterizer, and a draw mode manager. Performance analysis shows the throughput of the shaders to be hundreds of millions of vertices per second. The design uses both pipelining and resource reuse to optimise throughput and resource use, allowing implementation on a low-cost, FPGA device. Pixel processing rates from this implementation are almost 80% higher than other FPGA implementations. Power consumption compared with comparative embedded devices shows the FPGA consuming as little as 2% of the power of a Mali device, and an up to 11.9-fold increase in efficiency compared to an Nvidia RTX 2060 - Turing architecture device.
Monocyte recruitment and fate specification after myocardial infarction
Authors: Mentkowski Kyle I. , Euscher Lindsey M. , Patel Akshar , Alevriadou B. Rita , Lang Jennifer K.
Published: September 2020

Monocytes are critical mediators of the inflammatory response following myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemia-reperfusion injury. They are involved in both initiation and resolution of inflammation and play an integral role in cardiac repair. The antagonistic nature of their function is dependent on their subset heterogeneity and biphasic response following injury. New advancements in single-cell transcriptomics and mass cytometry have allowed us to identify smaller, transcriptionally distinct clusters that may have functional relevance in disease and homeostasis. Additionally, recent insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of monocytes following ischemic injury and their subsequent interactions with the endothelium and other immune cells reveal a complex interplay between monocytes and the cardiac milieu. In this review, we highlight recent findings on monocyte functional heterogeneity, present new mechanistic insight into monocyte recruitment and fate specification following MI, and discuss promising therapeutic avenues targeting monocytes for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.
Single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies extensive heterogeneity in the cellular composition of mouse Achilles tendons
Authors: De Micheli Andrea J. , Swanson Jacob B. , Disser Nathaniel P. , Martinez Leandro M. , Walker Nicholas R. , Oliver David J. , Cosgrove Benjamin D. , Mendias Christopher L.
Published: September 2020

Tendon is a dense connective tissue that stores and transmits forces between muscles and bones. Cellular heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the biological basis of tissue homeostasis and disease, yet little is known about the diversity of cell types that populate tendon. To address this, we determined the heterogeneity of cell populations within mouse Achilles tendons using single-cell RNA sequencing. In assembling a transcriptomic atlas of Achilles tendons, we identified 11 distinct types of cells, including three previously undescribed populations of tendon fibroblasts. Prior studies have indicated that pericytes, which are found in the vasculature of tendons, could serve as a potential source of progenitor cells for adult tendon fibroblasts. Using trajectory inference analysis, we provide additional support for the notion that pericytes are likely to be at least one of the progenitor cell populations for the fibroblasts that compose adult tendons. We also modeled cell-cell interactions and identified previously undescribed ligand-receptor signaling interactions involved in tendon homeostasis. Our novel and interactive tendon atlas highlights previously underappreciated heterogeneity between and within tendon cell populations. The atlas also serves as a resource to further the understanding of tendon extracellular matrix assembly and maintenance and in the design of therapies for tendinopathies.
Protein biomarkers and risk scores in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with ventricular septal defect: integration of multi-omics and validation
Authors: Yuan Chao , Chen Huan-Xin , Hou Hai-Tao , Wang Jun , Yang Qin , He Guo-Wei
Published: September 2020

The molecular mechanisms underlying pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in congenital ventricular septal defects (VSD) are unclear. We aimed to reveal molecular pathways and potential biomarkers by multi-omics analysis in VSD-PAH. Plasma from 160 children, including 120 VSD patients with/without PAH and 40 healthy children was studied by integrated proteomics, metabolomics, and bioinformatics analyses. Proteomics identified 107 differential proteins (DPs) between patients with/without PAH including significantly increased adiponectin (ADIPO), dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH), alanyl membrane aminopeptidase (ANPEP), transferrin receptor 1, and glycoprotein Ib platelet α-subunit and decreased guanine nucleotide-binding protein Gs in VSD-PAH. Metabolomics discovered 191 differential metabolites between patients with/without PAH, including elevation of serotonin, taurine, creatine, sarcosine, and 2-oxobutanoate, and decrease of vanillylmandelic acid, 3,4-dihydroxymandelate, 15-keto-prostaglandin F2α, fructose 6-phosphate, l-glutamine, dehydroascorbate, hydroxypyruvate, threonine, l-cystine, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate. The DPs were validated in a new cohort of patients ( n = 80). Integrated analyses identified key pathways, including cAMP, ECM receptor interaction, AMPK, hypoxia-inducible factor 1, PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, and amino acid metabolisms. Increased plasma protein levels of DBH, ADIPO, and ANPEP were found to be independently associated with the occurrence of PAH, with a new total risk score from these three proteins developed for clinical diagnosis. In this integrated multi-omics analysis in VSD-PAH patients, we have, for the first time, found that VSD-PAH patients present important differential proteins, metabolites, and key pathways. We have developed a total risk score (based on the plasma concentration of DBH, ANPEP, and ADIPO) as a predictor of development of PAH in CHD-VSD patients. Therefore, these proteins may be used as biomarkers, and the new total risk score has significant clinical implications in the diagnosis of PAH.
Attenuation of relaxing response induced by pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide in bronchial smooth muscle of experimental asthma
Authors: Chiba Yoshihiko , Ueda Chihiro , Kohno Naoko , Yamashita Michio , Miyakawa Yui , Ando Yusuke , Suto Wataru , Hirabayashi Takahiro , Takenoya Fumiko , Takasaki Ichiro , Kamei Junzo , Sakai Hiroyasu , Shioda Seiji
Published: September 2020

Bronchomotor tone is regulated by contraction and relaxation of airway smooth muscle (ASM). A weakened ASM relaxation might be a cause of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), a characteristic feature of bronchial asthma. Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is known as a mediator that causes ASM relaxation. To date, whether or not the PACAP responsiveness is changed in asthmatic ASM is unknown. The current study examined the hypothesis that relaxation induced by PACAP is reduced in bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) of allergic asthma. The ovalbumin (OA)-sensitized mice were repeatedly challenged with aerosolized OA to induce asthmatic reaction. Twenty-four hours after the last antigen challenge, the main bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) tissues were isolated. Tension study showed a BSM hyperresponsiveness to acetylcholine in the OA-challenged mice. Both quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses revealed a significant decrease in PAC1receptor expression in BSMs of the diseased mice. Accordingly, in the antigen-challenged group, the PACAP-induced PAC1receptor-mediated BSM relaxation was significantly attenuated, whereas the relaxation induced by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide was not changed. These findings suggest that the relaxation induced by PACAP is impaired in BSMs of experimental asthma due to a downregulation of its binding partner PAC1receptor. Impaired BSM responsiveness to PACAP might contribute to the AHR in asthma.
Central and peripheral modulation of exercise pressor reflex sensitivity after nonfatiguing work
Authors: Stavres Jon , Luck J. Carter , Ducrocq Guillaume P. , Cauffman Aimee E. , Pai Samuel , Sinoway Lawrence I.
Published: September 2020

Autonomic blood pressure control is fundamentally altered during a single bout of exercise, as evidenced by the downward resetting of the baroreflex following exercise (postexercise hypotension). However, it is unclear if an acute bout of exercise is also associated with a change in the sensitivity of the exercise pressor response to a controlled stimulus, such as a static contraction. This study tested the hypothesis that the blood pressure response to a controlled static contraction would be attenuated after unilateral cycling of the contralateral (opposite) leg, but preserved after cycling of the ipsilateral (same) leg. To test this, the blood pressure response to 90 s of isometric plantar flexion [50% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)] was compared before and after 20 min of contralateral and ipsilateral single-leg cycling at 20% peak oxygen consumption and rest (control) in 10 healthy subjects (three males and seven females). The mean arterial pressure response was significantly attenuated after contralateral single-leg cycling (+9.8 ± 7.5% ∆mmHg vs. +6.7 ± 6.6% ∆mmHg pre and postexercise, respectively, P = 0.04) and rest (+9.0 ± 7.5% ∆mmHg vs. +6.6 ± 5.2% ∆mmHg pre and postexercise, respectively, P = 0.03). In contrast, the pressor response nonsignificantly increased following ipsilateral single-leg cycling (+5.5 ± 5.2% ∆mmHg vs. +8.9 ± 7.2% ∆mmHg pre and postexercise, respectively, P = 0.08). The heart rate, leg blood flow, and leg conductance responses to plantar flexion were not affected by any condition ( P ≥ 0.12). These results are consistent with the notion that peripheral, but not central mechanisms promote exercise pressor reflex sensitivity after exercise.
Inability to increase the neural drive to muscle is associated with task failure during submaximal contractions
Authors: Martinez-Valdes Eduardo , Negro Francesco , Falla Deborah , Dideriksen Jakob Lund , Heckman C. J. , Farina Dario
Published: September 2020

Motor unit firing and contractile properties during a submaximal contraction until failure were assessed with a new tracking technique. Two distinct phases in firing behavior were observed, which compensated for changes in twitch area and predicted time to failure. However, the late increase in firing rate was below the rates attained in the absence of fatigue, which points to an inability of the central nervous system to sufficiently increase the neural drive to muscle with fatigue.
Small RNA Sequencing Reveals Differentially Expressed miRNAs in Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Rats
Authors: Yu Ren-qiang , Wang Min , Jiang Shan-yu , Zhang Ying-hui , Zhou Xiao-yu , Zhou Qin
Published: September 2020

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of death due to gastrointestinal disease in preterm infants. The role of miRNAs in NEC is still unknown. The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in rats with NEC and analyze their possible roles. In this study, a NEC rat model was established using Sprague‐Dawley rat pups. Small RNA sequencing was used to analyze the miRNA expression profiles in the NEC and control rats. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were carried out to identify target mRNAs for the DE miRNAs and to explore their potential roles. The DE miRNAs were verified by real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR). The status of intestinal injury and the elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines in the NEC group confirmed that the NEC model was successfully established. The 16 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between the NEC group and the control group of rats. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the parental genes of the DE miRNAs were predominantly implicated in the phosphorylation, cell migration, and protein phosphorylation processes. Moreover, the DE miRNAs were mainly found to be involved in the pathways of axon guidance, endocytosis, and focal adhesion, as well as in the Wnt signaling pathway, which is related to colitis. The expression patterns of the candidate miRNAs (rno‐miR‐27a‐5p and rno‐miR‐187‐3p), as assessed by RT‐qPCR, were in accordance with the expression patterns obtained by miRNA‐sequencing. The miRNA/mRNA/pathway network revealed that rno‐miR‐27a‐5p and rno‐miR‐187‐3p might be involved in NEC via the Wnt signaling pathway. We found an altered miRNA expression pattern in rats with NEC. We hypothesize that rno‐miR‐27a‐5p and rno‐miR‐187‐3p might mediate the NEC pathophysiological processes via the Wnt signaling pathway.
Modified Least Squares Algorithm for Three-Dimensional Target Location Based on Wireless Communication Base Stations
Authors: Zhang Zhaohui , Li Jing , Liu Qian
Published: September 2020

The observed values of time of arrival (TOA) for the radio signals between the target and the wireless communication base stations are mainly affected by signal non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation in target location. TOA with NLOS makes a lot of signal noises and propagation delays, that is, location errors. For the first time, this paper focuses on the problem of modifying the Z-axis location coordinates in three-dimensional (3D) target location. A novel algorithm is proposed by establishing the modified least squares 3D location model for the accurate target location. Meanwhile, an optimal base station selection strategy is proposed by using the spectral clustering algorithm, which is based on the spatial distribution of the base stations. Compared with the existing algorithms, the proposed algorithm in this paper has better performance on the accurate target 3D location in real scenes, which has a high value of practical application. The simulations illustrate that the location error of the proposed algorithm is smaller than those of other existing algorithms based on the same simulation data and conditions.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa: An Uncommon Cause of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in an Immunocompetent Ambulatory Adult
Authors: Hoff Ryan T. , Patel Ami , Shapiro Alan
Published: September 2020

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen known to cause enterocolitis in children, amongst other types of infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been widely reported as a cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adult immunocompromised hosts. We present an 81-year-old previously healthy female as the first reported case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotic-associated diarrhea in an immunocompetent host in the United States.
A Parametric Method for Ranking Intuitionistic Fuzzy Numbers and Its Application to Solve Intuitionistic Fuzzy Network Data Envelopment Analysis Models
Authors: Shakouri B. , Abbasi Shureshjani R. , Daneshian B. , Hosseinzadeh Lotfi F.
Published: September 2020

In this study, a new parametric method is proposed to rank intuitionistic fuzzy numbers in a general form. One of the advantages of the proposed method is that the decision maker’s idea is taken into account by selecting appropriate amounts of decision level and hesitation degree parameters. In some illustrative examples, the superiority of the proposed method over some other approaches is demonstrated. Furthermore, to show the ability of the method to solve intuitionistic fuzzy optimization problems, the proposed method is applied to solve intuitionistic fuzzy network data envelopment analysis (IFNDEA) problems. Also, in three appropriate examples, the validity of the suggested method and its capacity to solve real-world problems are illustrated.
Solid-Liquid Phase Diagram of the Binary System Octadecanoic Acid and Octadecanol and the Thermal Chemical Property of the Composition at Eutectic Point
Authors: Liu Can , Zhao Kaiyu , Guo Yafei , Guo Liping , Deng Tianlong
Published: September 2020

Phase diagram is a powerful tool to guide the exploitation of thermal energy materials. Heat storage technology of phase-change material (PCM) was widely used to solve major energy utilization problems on large energy consumption and low utilization efficiency. In this work, a novel solid-liquid phase diagram of the binary system octadecanoic acid (C18-acid) + octadecanol (C18-OH) was investigated using the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The phase-change temperature and phase-change enthalpies against the composition of C18-acid and C18-OH were determined experimentally, and then the binary phase diagram of T–X (X expresses the mass fraction of C18-OH in the two components of C18-acid and C18-OH) was established for the first time. The phase diagram belongs to a binary simple system with one eutectic point, and the content of C18-OH at eutectic point is 0.4 in mass fraction. Neither solid solution nor copolymer was formed. The thermal chemical properties on the phase-change latent heat (Q), phase-change temperature (Tp), and the thermal conductivity (λ) for the composition at the eutectic point of the binary system are 198.7 J·g−1, 44.2°C, and 0.2352 W·m−1·K−1, respectively. This result indicates that the material at eutectic point has a great potential to be used as energy storage material for supply of heat and scouring bath.
Prediction Model and Experimental Study on Braking Distance under Emergency Braking with Heavy Load of Escalator
Authors: Li Zhongxing , Ma Haixia , Xu Peng , Peng Qifeng , Huang Guojian , Liu Yingjie
Published: September 2020

In order to study the relationship between the braking distance and the load of escalator and realize the prediction of the rated load braking distance with a little load, the method of combining theoretical analysis and experimental research is used. First, the dynamic characteristics of the escalator during emergency braking are analyzed, and the prediction model of the braking distance of the escalator under different loads is derived based on the law of conservation of energy. Furthermore, the influence coefficients under different loads were determined through experimental studies, the model was revised, and the concept of equivalent no-load kinetic energy (ENKE) was proposed. The research shows that the braking distance of the escalator increases nonlinearly with the increase in load. When the no-load braking distance and the 25% rated load braking distance change greatly, the braking distance increases faster as the load increases; the escalators with large brake force have a small ENKE and are easy to stop. Otherwise, it is difficult to stop. The test results show that the comparison between the predicted value of the prediction model and the measured value has a maximum error of 2.7%, and the maximum error at rated load is only 2.0%, which fully meets the needs of engineering measurement. And the prediction method reduces test costs, enhances test security, and improves test coverage.
Solution of the Bloch Equations including Relaxation
Authors: Johnston Eric R.
Published: September 2020

The magnetization differential equations of Bloch are integrated using a matrix diagonalization method. The solution describes several limiting cases and leads to compact expressions of wide validity for a spin ensemble initially at equilibrium.
Emission of Noble Gases Binary Mixtures under Excitation by the Products of the 6Li (n, α)3 H Nuclear Reaction
Authors: Samarkhanov Kuanysh , Khasenov Mendykhan , Batyrbekov Erlan , Kenzhina Inesh , Sapatayev Yerzhan , Bochkov Vadim
Published: September 2020

The luminescence of Kr-Xe, Ar-Kr, and Ar-Xe mixtures was studied in the spectral range 300–970 nm when excited by 6Li (n, α)3 H nuclear reaction products in the core of a nuclear reactor. Lithium was deposited on walls of experimental cell in the form of a capillary-porous structure, which made it possible to measure up to a temperature of 730 K. The temperature dependence of the radiation intensity of noble gas atoms, alkali metals, and heteronuclear ionic noble gas molecules was studied. Also, as in the case of single-component gases, the appearance of lithium lines and impurities of sodium and potassium is associated with vaporization during the release of nuclear reaction products from the lithium layer. The excitation of lithium atoms occurs mainly as a result of the Penning process of lithium atoms on noble gas atoms in the 1s states and subsequent ion-molecular reactions. Simultaneous radiation at transitions of atoms of noble gases and lithium, heteronuclear ion molecules of noble gases allows us to increase the efficiency of direct conversion of nuclear energy into light.
Menin-mediated Repression of Glycolysis in Combination with Autophagy Protects Colon Cancer Against Small-molecule EGFR Inhibitors
Authors: Katona Bryson W. , Hojnacki Taylor , Glynn Rebecca A. , Paulosky Kayla E. , Szigety Katherine M. , Cao Yan , Zhang Xuyao , Feng Zijie , He Xin , Ma Jian , Hua Xianxin
Published: September 2020

Menin serves both tumor suppressor and promoter roles in a highly tumor-specific manner. In colorectal cancer, menin is overexpressed and plays a critical role in regulating transcription of SKP2, and combined treatment with a menin inhibitor and small-molecule EGFR inhibitor (EGFRi) leads to synergistic killing of colorectal cancer cells. However, the full spectrum of menin function in colorectal cancer remains uncertain. Herein, we demonstrate that menin inhibition increases glycolysis in colorectal cancer cells. This menin inhibitor–induced increase in glycolysis occurs in an mTOR-independent manner and enhances the sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to EGFRis. In addition, we show that EGFRis induce autophagy in colorectal cancer cells, which is important for cell survival in the setting of combined treatment with an EGFRi and menin inhibitor. Inhibition of autophagy with chloroquine further sensitizes colorectal cancers to treatment with the combination of an EGFRi and menin inhibitor. Together, these findings uncover a novel role for menin in colorectal cancer as a repressor of glycolysis and demonstrate that menin inhibitor–induced increases in glycolysis sensitize colorectal cancer cells to EGFRis. In addition, these findings illustrate the importance of autophagy as a protective mechanism against EGFRis, especially in the presence of menin inhibition. Ultimately, these data open the possibility of using menin-mediated regulation of glycolysis to potentially improve treatment modalities for colorectal cancer.
Clinical Analysis of Laryngeal Spindle Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Le , Chen Qi , Li Cai , Zhou Liang , Wang Shuyi , Zhang Ming
Published: September 2020

Aims: To investigate the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of laryngeal spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC). Methods: Between 2005 and 2014, patients from our hospital with SpCC of the larynx were retrospectively analyzed alongside patient data from the SEER database of America. Results: A total of 11 patients with SpCC of the larynx were diagnosed and underwent surgery in our hospital. All patients were male and all tumors were located in the glottis. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were both 54.5%. In the SEER database, 148 patients were diagnosed with SpCC of the larynx. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 72.8 and 63.2%, respectively. According to the comparison of propensity score-matched analysis, the OS was longer in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: SpCC of the larynx is rare and typically originates in the glottis. Its prognosis is worse than that of laryngeal SCC, and surgery is a reasonable treatment strategy.