bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Muscle Strength and Physical Performance Are Associated with Reaction Time Performance in Older People
Authors: Jiménez-García José Daniel , Martínez-Amat Antonio , Hita-Contreras Fidel , Fábrega-Cuadros Raquel , Álvarez-Salvago Francisco , Aibar-Almazán Agustín
Published: May 2021

Background: Functional mobility and muscle strength are well known risk factors for sarcopenia. Furthermore, possible associations have been suggested between predisposing factors of sarcopenia and reaction time among the elderly. This study aims to analyze possible associations of functional mobility and muscle strength and reaction times in a population of people aged >60 years. Methods: A total of 290 older people (69.35 ± 5.55 years) participated in this study. The following parameters were assessed: optoacoustic lower-limb reaction time (OALLRT); acoustic lower-limb reaction time (ALLRT); optic lower-limb reaction time (OLLRT, using an optical detection system), functional mobility (through the timed up-and-go test) and muscle strength (using a dynamometer). Results: Our results show that lower values of muscle strength were associated with increased reaction times in OALLRT (β = −0.170; 95% confidence interval −0.011–0.000; R2 = 0.237; p = 0.035) and in ALLRT (β = −0.228; 95% confidence interval −0.011–0.002; R2 = 0.199; p = 0.006). Conclusion: Increased muscle strength (which at low values are risk factors for sarcopenia) was associated with decreased reaction times in people >60 years of age.
The Rare, Unexpected Condition of a Twisted Leiomyoma in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome: Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis and Management. Our Experience and Narrative Review of the Literature
Authors: Romano Federico , Carlucci Stefania , Stabile Guglielmo , Mirenda Giuseppe , Mirandola Mariateresa , Mangino Francesco Paolo , Romano Andrea , Ricci Giuseppe
Published: May 2021

Uterine leiomyomas are a common finding in medical practice, but their frequency changes drastically when contextualized in a syndrome, as in the following case. A 50-year-old woman with a known Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome presented at our clinic with abdominal pain located in the lower quadrants and scarcely responsive to analgesic therapy. A twisted gynecological pelvic mass was diagnosed, and management for prompt resolution was adopted. Histologically the mass was described as a leiomyoma. The aim of the present study is to share our experience and to review the literature to compare different manifestation of the disease and different approach used in the various centers. The additional novelty of the paper is the immunohistochemical study we carried out on the leiomyoma that is contrasted with the current etiopathogenetic theories.
#Bitcoin, #COVID-19: Twitter-Based Uncertainty and Bitcoin Before and during the Pandemic
Authors: French Joseph J.
Published: May 2021

We investigated the differential impacts of a new Twitter-based Market Uncertainty index (TMU) and variables for Bitcoin before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that TMU is a leading indicator of Bitcoin returns only during the pandemic, and the effect of the TMU on Bitcoin’s conditional volatility is significantly greater during the pandemic. Furthermore, during the pandemic, the uncertainty content of people’s tweets is impacted by the highly salient Bitcoin market. Taken together, our results suggest that the information contained in virtual communities such as Twitter have a much larger impact on cryptocurrency markets following COVID-19.
FLT3 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Fit and Unfit Patients with FLT3-Mutated AML: A Systematic Review
Authors: Loschi Michael , Sammut Rinzine , Chiche Edmond , Cluzeau Thomas
Published: May 2021

FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia accounts for around 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The mutation carried a poor prognosis until the rise of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). New potent and specific inhibitors have successfully altered the course of the disease, increasing the complete response rate and the survival of patients with FLT3-mutated AML. The aim of this article is to review all the current knowledge on these game-changing drugs as well as the unsolved issues raised by their use for fit and unfit FLT3-mutated AML patients. To this end, we analyzed the results of phase I, II, III clinical trials evaluating FLT3-TKI both in the first-line, relapse monotherapy or in combination referenced in the PubMed, the American Society of Hematology, the European Hematology Association, and the Clinicaltrials.gov databases, as well as basic science reports on TKI resistance from the same databases. The review follows a chronological presentation of the different trials that allowed the development of first- and second-generation TKI and ends with a review of the current lines of evidence on leukemic blasts resistance mechanisms that allow them to escape TKI.
Centrifugal Compressor Polytropic Performance—Improved Rapid Calculation Results—Cubic Polynomial Methods
Authors: Taher Matt , Evans Fred
Published: May 2021

This paper presents a new improved approach to calculation of polytropic performance of centrifugal compressors. This rapid solution technique is based upon a constant efficiency, temperature-entropy polytropic path represented by cubic polynomials. New thermodynamic path slope constraints have been developed that yield highly accurate results while requiring fewer computing resources and reducing computing elapsed time. Applying this thermodynamically sound cubic polynomial model would improve accuracy and shorten compressor performance test duration at a vendor’s shop. A broad range of example case results verify the accuracy and ease of use of the method. The example cases confirm the cubic polynomial methods result in lower calculation uncertainty than other methods.
A Comprehensive Survey of Knowledge Graph-Based Recommender Systems: Technologies, Development, and Contributions
Authors: Chicaiza Janneth , Valdiviezo-Diaz Priscila
Published: May 2021

In recent years, the use of recommender systems has become popular on the web. To improve recommendation performance, usage, and scalability, the research has evolved by producing several generations of recommender systems. There is much literature about it, although most proposals focus on traditional methods’ theories and applications. Recently, knowledge graph-based recommendations have attracted attention in academia and the industry because they can alleviate information sparsity and performance problems. We found only two studies that analyze the recommendation system’s role over graphs, but they focus on specific recommendation methods. This survey attempts to cover a broader analysis from a set of selected papers. In summary, the contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) we explore traditional and more recent developments of filtering methods for a recommender system, (2) we identify and analyze proposals related to knowledge graph-based recommender systems, (3) we present the most relevant contributions using an application domain, and (4) we outline future directions of research in the domain of recommender systems. As the main survey result, we found that the use of knowledge graphs for recommendations is an efficient way to leverage and connect a user’s and an item’s knowledge, thus providing more precise results for users.
Product Customer Satisfaction Measurement Based on Multiple Online Consumer Review Features
Authors: Liu Yiming , Wan Yinze , Shen Xiaolian , Ye Zhenyu , Wen Juan
Published: May 2021

With the development of the e-commerce industry, various brands of products with different qualities and functions continuously emerge, and the number of online shopping users is increasing every year. After purchase, users always leave product comments on the platform, which can be used to help consumers choose commodities and help the e-commerce companies better understand the popularity of their goods. At present, the e-commerce platform lacks an effective way to measure customer satisfaction based on various customer comments features. In this paper, our goal is to build a product customer satisfaction measurement by analyzing the relationship between the important attributes of reviews and star ratings. We first use an improved information gain algorithm to analyze the historical reviews and star rating data to find out the most informative words that the purchasers care about. Then, we make hypotheses about the relevant factors of the usefulness of reviews and verify them using linear regression. We finally establish a customer satisfaction measurement based on different review features. We conduct our experiments based on three products with different brands chosen from the Amazon online store. Based on our experiments, we discover that features such as length and extremeness of the comments will affect the review usefulness, and the consumer satisfaction measurement constructed using the exponential moving average method can effectively reflect the trend of user satisfaction over time. Our work can help companies acquire valuable suggestions to improve product features, increase sales, and help customers make wise purchases.
The Conceptual Synthesis and Development of a Multifunctional Lawnmower
Authors: Kang Chun Quan , Ng Poh Kiat , Liew Kia Wai
Published: May 2021

This study aims to develop a novel, original and multifunctional lawnmower through reviews of patent literature, research literature and variants of existing lawnmowers. After a detailed conceptualisation process, Autodesk Inventor (version 2019) is used for the finalised design drawing and stress simulation. The prototype is fabricated and tested through several experiments for usability validation which included tests on sound intensity level, cutting ability, polishing performance and battery power durability. Using Minitab 19, the data for the sound intensity and cutting ability experiments are analysed with two-sample t-tests. The data for the polishing performance and battery power durability experiments are analysed through observations, mean comparisons, and manual calculations. Significant differences are found to exist between the tested and control parameters in the context of each experiment, with the outcomes supporting the usability and performance of the present study’s multifunctional lawnmower. This study showed that the prototype has the potential to solve not only some of the problems in conventional lawnmowers but also a few limitations in existing robotic lawnmowers. The outcome of this study intends to benefit society by advancing innovation in lawn maintenance and improving quality of life.
Association between Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Esophageal Cancer: An Asian Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Chu Yin-Yi , Cheng Jur-Shan , Wu Ting-Shu , Chen Chun-Wei , Chang Ming-Yu , Ku Hsin-Ping , Chien Rong-Nan , Chang Ming-Ling
Published: May 2021

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes many extrahepatic cancers, and whether HCV infection is associated with esophageal cancer development remains inconclusive. Methods: A nationwide population-based cohort study of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (TNHIRD) was conducted. Results: From 2003 to 2012, of 11,895,993 patients, three 1:1:1 propensity score-matched cohorts, including HCV-treated (interferon-based therapy ≧6 months, n = 9047), HCV-untreated (n = 9047), and HCV-uninfected cohorts (n = 9047), were enrolled. The HCV-untreated cohort had the highest 9-year cumulative incidence of esophageal cancer among the three cohorts (0.174%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.068–0.395) (p = 0.0292). However, no difference in cumulative incidences was identified between the HCV-treated (0.019%; 0.002–0.109%) and HCV-uninfected cohorts (0.035%; 0.007–0.133%) (p = 0.5964). The multivariate analysis showed that HCV positivity (hazard ratio (HR): 5.1, 95% CI HR: 1.39–18.51) and male sex (HR: 8.897; 95% CI HR: 1.194–66.323) were independently associated with the development of esophageal cancer. Of the three cohorts, the HCV-untreated cohort had the highest cumulative incidence of overall mortality at 9 years (21.459%, 95% CI: 18.599–24.460) (p < 0.0001), and the HCV-treated (12.422%, 95% CI: 8.653–16.905%) and HCV-uninfected cohorts (5.545%, 95% CI: 4.225–7.108%) yielded indifferent cumulative mortality incidences (p = 0.1234). Conclusions: Although HCV positivity and male sex were independent factors associated with esophageal cancer development, whether HCV infection is the true culprit or a bystander for developing esophageal cancer remains to be further investigated. Interferon-based anti-HCV therapy might attenuate esophageal risk and decrease overall mortality in HCV-infected patients.
Evaluation of the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Placement of Fully Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stents via Various Insertion Routes for Benign Biliary Strictures
Authors: Tomishima Ko , Ishii Shigeto , Fujisawa Toshio , Ikemura Muneo , Ushio Mako , Takahashi Sho , Yamagata Wataru , Takasaki Yusuke , Suzuki Akinori , Ito Koichi , Haga Keiichi , Ochiai Kazushige , Nomura Osamu , Saito Hiroaki , Shibuya Tomoyoshi , Nagahara Akihito , Isayama Hiroyuki
Published: May 2021

Background and aims: The goals of the management of benign biliary stricture (BBS) are to relieve symptoms and resolve short-/long-term stricture. We performed fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (hereafter, FCSEMS) placement for BBS using various methods and investigated the treatment outcomes and adverse events (AEs). Methods: We retrospectively studied patients who underwent FCSEMS placement for refractory BBS through various approaches between January 2017 and February 2020. FCSEMS were placed for 6 months, and an additional FCSEMS was placed if the stricture had not improved. Technical success rate, stricture resolution rate, and AE were measured. Results: A total of 26 patients with BBSs that were difficult to manage with plastic stents were included. The mean overall follow-up period was 43.3 ± 30.7 months. The cause of stricture was postoperative (46%), inflammatory (31%), and chronic pancreatitis (23%). There were four insertion methods: endoscopic with duodenoscopy, with enteroscopy, EUS-guided transmural, and percutaneous transhepatic. The technical success rate was 100%, without any AE. Stricture resolution was obtained in 19 (83%) of 23 cases, except for three cases of death due to other causes. Stent migration and cholangitis occurred in 23% and 6.3%, respectively. Stent fracture occurred in two cases in which FCSEMSs were placed for more than 6 months (7.2 and 10.3 months). Conclusion: FCSEMS placement for refractory BBS via various insertion routes was feasible and effective. FCSEMSs should be exchanged every 6 months until stricture resolution because of stent durability. Further prospective study for confirmation is required, particularly regarding EUS-guided FCSEMS placement.
Diabetic Retinopathy and Hearing Loss: Results from the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey
Authors: Shin Yong Un , Park Seung Hun , Chung Jae Ho , Lee Seung Hwan , Cho Heeyoon
Published: May 2021

We investigated the association between the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and hearing loss based on vascular etiology. We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2010–2012. Adults aged >40 years with diabetes were enrolled. Demographic, socioeconomic, general medical, noise exposure and biochemical data were used. Participants were classified into three groups: diabetes without DR, non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR); participants were also divided into two groups (middle age (40 ≤ age < 65 years) vs. old age (age ≥ 65 years)). The association between hearing loss and DR was determined using logistic regression analysis. A total of 1045 participants (n = 411, middle-aged group; n = 634, old-age group) were enrolled. Overall, the prevalence of hearing loss was 58.1%, 61.4%, and 85.0% in the no DR, NPDR, and PDR groups, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, the logistic regression model showed that there was no significant association between the prevalence of DR and hearing loss in the overall sample. However, the presence of PDR (OR 7.74, 95% CI 2.08–28.82) was significantly associated with hearing loss in the middle-aged group. Middle-aged people with diabetes may have an association between DR severity and hearing loss. The potential role of microvascular diseases in the development of hearing loss, especially in middle-aged patients, could be considered.
Risk Factors for the Structural Progression of Myopic Glaucomatous Eyes with a History of Laser Refractive Surgery
Authors: Lee Kwanghyun , Kim Bo Yi , Seong Gong Je , Kim Chan Yun , Bae Hyoung Won , Lee Sang Yeop
Published: May 2021

As laser refractive surgeries (LRS) have been widely performed to correct myopia, ophthalmologists easily encounter patients with glaucoma who have a history of LRS. It is well known that intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with glaucoma is not accurate when measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry. However, risk factors for glaucoma progression, particularly those associated with measured IOP, have rarely been studied. We analysed data for 40 patients with a history of LRS and 50 age-matched patients without a history of LRS. Structural progression was defined as significant changes in thickness in the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer as identified using optical coherence tomography event-based guided progression analysis. Risk factors were determined via Cox regression analysis. Disc haemorrhage (DH) was associated with glaucoma progression in both the non-LRS group and LRS group (hazard ratio (HR): 4.650, p = 0.012 and HR: 8.666, p = 0.019, respectively). However, IOP fluctuation was associated with glaucoma progression only in the LRS group (HR: 1.452, p = 0.023). Our results show that DH was a significant sign of progression in myopic glaucoma eyes. When treating patients with myopia and glaucoma, IOP fluctuation should be monitored more carefully, even if IOP seems to be well controlled.
Congenital Obstructive Müllerian Anomaly: The Pitfalls of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Diagnosis and the Importance of Intraoperative Biopsy
Authors: Kim Do Young , Nam Gina , Lee Sa Ra , Kim Sung Hoon , Chae Hee Dong , Kang Byung Moon
Published: May 2021

A retrospective cohort study of the concordance between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis and final diagnosis in patients with Müllerian duct anomalies (MDAs) was conducted, and diagnostic clues were suggested. A total of 463 cases of young women who underwent pelvic MRIs from January 1995 to February 2019 at Seoul Asan Medical Center were reviewed. Interventions consisted of clinical examinations, abdominal or transvaginal/rectal ultrasound, MRI, and operative procedures, including hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. The concordance of the diagnosis between the results obtained with MRI and those obtained with surgeries was evaluated. It was found that a total of 225 cases (48.6%) showed genital tract anomalies on MRI. Among them, 105 cases (46.7%) underwent reconstructive surgery. Nineteen cases (8.4%) revealed discrepancies between the final diagnosis after surgery and the initial MRI findings and eleven cases (57.9%) had cervical anomalies. Incorrect findings associated with the MRIs were particularly evident in biopsied cases of cervical dysgenesis. A combination of physical examination, ultrasound, and MRI is suitable for preoperative work-up in the diagnoses of congenital obstructive anomalies. However, it is recommended that a pathologic confirmation of tissue at the caudal leading edge be made in obstructive genital anomalies, in cases of presumptive vaginal or cervical dysgenesis.
FibroTest for Evaluating Fibrosis in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Vali Yasaman , Lee Jenny , Boursier Jérôme , Spijker René , Verheij Joanne , Brosnan M. , Anstee Quentin , Bossuyt Patrick , Zafarmand Mohammad ,   on behalf of the LITMUS Systematic Review Team
Published: May 2021

(1) Background: FibroTest™ is a multi-marker panel, suggested by guidelines as one of the surrogate markers with acceptable performance for detecting fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A number of studies evaluating this test have been published after publication of the guidelines. This study aims to produce summary estimates of FibroTest™ diagnostic accuracy. (2) Methods: Five databases were searched for studies that evaluated FibroTest™ against liver biopsy as the reference standard in NAFLD patients. Two authors independently screened the references, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. Meta-analyses of the accuracy in detecting different levels of fibrosis were performed using the bivariate random-effects model and the linear mixed-effects multiple thresholds model. (3) Results: From ten included studies, seven were eligible for inclusion in our meta-analysis. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis of FibroTest™ in detecting advanced fibrosis and five in significant fibrosis, resulting in an AUC of 0.77 for both target conditions. The meta-analysis of three studies resulted in an AUC of 0.69 in detecting any fibrosis, while analysis of three other studies showed higher accuracy in cirrhosis (AUC: 0.92). (4) Conclusions: Our meta-analysis showed acceptable performance (AUC > 0.80) of FibroTest™ only in detecting cirrhosis. We observed more limited performance of the test in detecting significant and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Further primary studies with high methodological quality are required to validate the reliability of the test for detecting different fibrosis levels and to compare the performance of the test in different settings.
Pinless Navigation in Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Keuntje-Perka Sarah , von Roth Philipp , Worlicek Michael , Koch Matthias , Alt Volker , Kaiser Moritz
Published: May 2021

Purpose: In contrast to total knee arthroplasty (TKA), unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a true resurfacing procedure, as none of the ligaments are replaced or released, and the pre-arthritic leg alignment is the major goal. As such, the alignment of the tibial component plays a crucial role in postoperative knee function and long-term survival. Pinless navigation has shown reliable results in total knee arthroplasty. To the best of our knowledge, the use of pinless navigation has not been investigated for UKA. Therefore, the present study investigated whether implantation of the tibial component in 3° varus, which is closer to the anatomical axis, is feasible with a pinless optical navigation system. Methods: 60 patients with the diagnosis of an unicompartmental arthritis, were eligible for UKA and treated with implantation in 3° varus alignment of the tibial component. Two groups were established. In the treatment group the tibial component was aligned using a pinless navigation technique. In the control group, a conventional extramedullary alignment guide was used. A clinical and radiographic follow up took place within 1 year of operation. Results: 57 Patients were eligible for analysis. No clinical incidents were noted in the follow up period. The desired target value, the position of the tibial component, was accurately achieved with an average of 3° medial inclination using the pinless navigation as well as using the conventional technique. Mean incision to suture time was negligible between the two techniques. The mean suture time was 43.2 min with pinless navigation and 42.7 min with the conventional technique. Conclusions: With pinless navigation in UKA, a method was presented that made it possible to achieve sled prosthesis alignment at the level of a high-volume surgeon. These results were achieved with an irrelevant increase of surgical time and without placement of pins.
Paracetamol Intake and Hematologic Malignancies: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Prego-Domínguez Jesús , Takkouche Bahi
Published: May 2021

Hematologic malignancies cause more than half a million deaths every year worldwide. Analgesics were suggested as chemopreventive agents for several cancers but so far, results from individual studies about the relationship between paracetamol (acetaminophen) use and hematologic malignancies are conflicting. Therefore, we decided to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis. We retrieved studies published in any language by systematically searching Medline, Embase, Conference Proceedings Citation Index, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, and the five regional bibliographic databases of the World Health Organization until December 2020. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated according to the inverse of their variances. We performed separate analyses by histologic type. We also evaluated publication bias and assessed quality. A total of 17 study units met our inclusion criteria. The results show an association of hematologic malignancies with any paracetamol intake (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.23–1.80) and with high paracetamol intake (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.45–2.16). By subtype, risk was higher for multiple myeloma (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.54–2.94) for any use and OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.96–5.10 for high intake, while risk was lower and non-significant for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This meta-analysis provides evidence that paracetamol intake may be associated with hematologic malignancies and suggests that a dose–response effect is plausible. These results are unlikely to be due to publication bias or low quality of studies. Future research should focus on assessing the dose–response relationship.
Effectiveness of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Water Exercise during Pregnancy on Quality of Life and Postpartum Depression: A Multi-Center, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Navas Araceli , Carrascosa María del Carmen , Artigues Catalina , Ortas Silvia , Portells Elena , Soler Aina , Yañez Aina M. , Bennasar-Veny Miquel , Leiva Alfonso
Published: May 2021

Background: The global prevalence of postpartum depression is about 20%. This disease has serious consequences for women, their infants, and their families. The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to analyze the effectiveness and safety of a moderate-intensity aerobic water exercise program on postpartum depression, sleep problems, and quality of life in women at one month after delivery. Methods: This was a multi-center, parallel, randomized, evaluator blinded, controlled trial in a primary care setting. Pregnant women (14–20 weeks gestational age) who had low risk of complications and were from five primary care centers in the area covered by the obstetrics unit of Son Llatzer Hospital (Mallorca, Spain) were invited to participate. A total of 320 pregnant women were randomly assigned to two groups, an intervention group (moderate aquatic aerobic exercise) and a control group (usual prenatal care). One month after birth, sleep quality (MOS sleep), quality of life (EQ-5D), and presence of anxiety or depression (EPDS) were recorded. Findings: Women in the intervention group were less likely to report anxiety or depression on the EQ5D (11.5% vs. 22.7%; p < 0.05) and had a lower mean EPDS score (6.1 ± 1.9 vs. 6.8 ± 2.4, p < 0.010). The two groups had no significant differences in other outcomes, maternal adverse events, and indicators of the newborn status. Conclusion: Moderate-intensity aquatic exercise during pregnancy decreased postpartum anxiety and depressive symptoms in mothers and was safe for mothers and their newborns.
Elderly Suffering from ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction—Results from a Database Analysis from Two Mediterranean Medical Centers
Authors: Perl Leor , Franzé Alfonso , D’Ascenzo Fabrizio , Golomb Noa , Levi Amos , Vaknin-Assa Hana , Greenberg Gabriel , Assali Abid , De Ferrari Gaetano M. , Kornowski Ran
Published: May 2021

Background: Little is known regarding primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the elderly. Methods: Data on 319 octogenarians, 641 septuagenarians, and 2451 younger patients was collected from an ongoing prospective registry of patients treated with pPCI for STEMI at two Mediterranean-area medical centers in 2009–2017. Results: More octogenarian patients were female (40.8 vs. 31.9 septuagenarians and 26.5% under 70 y, p < 0.01), had hypertension (79.5 vs. 69.5 and 45.9%, p < 0.01), renal failure (32.5 vs. 20.1 and 5.2%, p < 0.01), and a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction (42.0 vs. 44.9 and 47.6%, p = 0.012). At 1 month and 3 years after intervention, mortality was higher in the octogenarian patients (12.2 vs. 7.9%, p = 0.01; and 36.7 vs. 23.1%, p < 0.01, respectively), with no significant differences in the rates of recurrent myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, coronary artery bypass surgery, and cardiovascular death. Following adjustment for confounders, 3-year mortality was significantly higher in the octogenarians (HR 3.89 vs. 3.19 for septuagenarians, p < 0.01), but rates of major adverse cardiac events or cardiovascular death were not. Conclusions: Despite suffering from higher all-cause mortality, octogenarian patients treated with pPCI for STEMI do not suffer an increased risk of ischemic cardiac events relative to younger patients.
Cataract Surgery with Intraocular Lens Implantation in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-Associated Uveitis: Outcomes in the Era of Biological Therapy
Authors: Bolletta Elena , Coassin Marco , Iannetta Danilo , Mastrofilippo Valentina , Aldigeri Raffaella , Invernizzi Alessandro , de Simone Luca , Gozzi Fabrizio , De Fanti Alessandro , Cappella Michela , Adani Chantal , Neri Alberto , Moramarco Antonio , De Maria Michele , Salvarani Carlo , Fontana Luigi , Cimino Luca
Published: May 2021

This study compared the outcomes of cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated chronic anterior uveitis treated with antimetabolite drugs and systemic corticosteroids (Non-Biological Group) versus patients treated with antimetabolites and biological drugs (Biological Group). A cohort of patients with cataract in JIA-associated uveitis undergoing phacoemulsification with IOL implantation was retrospectively evaluated. The main outcome was a change in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) in the two groups. Ocular and systemic complications were also recorded. The data were collected preoperatively and at 1, 12, and 48 months after surgery. Thirty-two eyes of 24 children were included: 10 eyes in the Non-Biological Group and 22 eyes in the Biological Group. The mean CDVA improved from 1.19 ± 0.72 logMAR preoperatively to 0.98 ± 0.97 logMAR at 48 months (p = 0.45) in the Non-Biological Group and from 1.55 ± 0.91 logMAR preoperatively to 0.57 ± 0.83 logMAR at 48 months (p = 0.001) in the Biological Group. The postoperative complications, including synechiae, cyclitic membrane, IOL explantation, glaucoma, and macular edema, were not statistically different between the two groups. An immunosuppressive treatment with biological drugs can improve the visual outcome after cataract surgery in patients with JIA-associated uveitis, but it does not significantly reduce postoperative ocular complications.
Is Male Sex A Prognostic Factor in Papillary Thyroid Cancer?
Authors: Gajowiec Aleksandra , Chromik Anna , Furga Kinga , Skuza Alicja , Gąsior-Perczak Danuta , Walczyk Agnieszka , Pałyga Iwona , Trybek Tomasz , Mikina Estera , Szymonek Monika , Gadawska-Juszczyk Klaudia , Kuchareczko Artur , Suligowska Agnieszka , Jaskulski Jarosław , Orłowski Paweł , Chrapek Magdalena , Góźdź Stanisław , Kowalska Aldona
Published: May 2021

Identifying risk factors is crucial for predicting papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with severe course, which causes a clinical problem. The purpose of this study was to assess whether male sex can be such a predictive factor and to verify whether including it as a predictive factor of high initial risk of recurrence/persistence would help to enhance the value of the American Thyroid Association initial risk stratification system (ATA). We retrospectively analyzed 1547 PTC patients (1358 females and 189 males), treated from 1986 to 2018. The relationship between sex and clinicopathological features, response to therapy, and disease status was assessed. Men with PTC showed some adverse clinicopathological features more often than women, including angioinvasion, lymph node metastases, and tumor size > 40 mm. There were sex-related disparities with respect to response to initial therapy and final follow-up. Male sex is associated with some unfavorable clinicopathological features of PTC, which may affect response to initial therapy or final disease status. In our study, modification of the ATA system by including male sex as a risk factor does not enhance its value. Thus, further studies are needed to assess whether males require treatment modalities or oncological follow-up protocols that are different from those of females.
Preadmission Statin Prescription and Inpatient Myocardial Infarction in Geriatric Hip Fracture
Authors: Tarrant Seth M. , Kim Raymond G. , McDonogh Jack M. , Clapham Matthew , Palazzi Kerrin , Attia John , Balogh Zsolt J.
Published: May 2021

Statins have been shown to reduce myocardial infarction (MI) in cardiac and vascular surgery. MI is common in hip fracture. This study aims to investigate whether statins decrease MI in hip fracture surgery and reduce mortality resulting from MI. Patients aged 65 years and above with a low-energy hip fracture were identified between January 2015 and December 2017. Demographics, comorbidities, predictive scores, medications and outcomes were assessed retrospectively. The primary outcome was inpatient MI. The secondary outcome was inpatient mortality resulting from MI, for which fatal and non-fatal MI were modelled. Regression analysis was conducted with propensity score weighting. Hip fracture occurred in 1166 patients, of which 391 (34%) were actively taking statins. Thirty-one (2.7%) patients were clinically diagnosed with MI. They had a higher inpatient mortality than those who did not sustain an MI (35% vs. 5.3%, p < 0.0001). No reduction was seen between statin use and the occurrence of MI (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.45–2.11; p = 0.942) including Fluvastatin-equivalent dosage (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.96–1.03, p = 0.207). Statins were not associated with having a non-fatal MI (OR 1.47, 95% CI: 0.58-3.71; p = 0.416) or preventing fatal MI (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.08–1.93; p = 0.255). Preadmission statin use and associations with clinically diagnosed inpatient MI or survival after inpatient MI were not able to be established.
Stress-Strain Behaviour and Mechanical Strengths of Concrete Incorporating Mixed Recycled Plastics
Authors: Abu-Saleem Mahmoud , Zhuge Yan , Hassanli Reza , Ellis Mark , Rahman Md Mizanur , Levett Peter
Published: May 2021

Different types of recycled plastic have been used in concrete and most studies have focused on the behaviour of a single type of plastic. However, separating plastic wastes increases the cost and time of processing. To tackle this problem, this research presents an experimental investigation to determine the effect of incorporating different combinations of three types of recycled plastic waste aggregates—Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP)—at different replacement ratios of coarse aggregate on physical and mechanical properties of concrete. The combinations include two plastic types at 10% and 20% replacement ratios and three plastic types at 15% and 30% replacement ratios. The performance of the plastic concrete was assessed based on various physical and mechanical properties including workability, fresh and dry densities, air content, compressive, indirect tensile and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, stress-strain behaviour and ultrasonic pulse velocity. It is found that the workability of Mixed Recycled Plastic Concrete (MRPC) at a low replacement rate is independent of the type of plastic. The minimum reduction in the compressive strength, indirect tensile and modulus of elasticity were achieved by R3 (PET + PP) at 10% replacement, while R5 (HDPE + PP) at 10% replacement achieved the highest flexural strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity values. The findings suggest that the mixed recycled plastics have a good possibility to partially replace coarse aggregates in concrete which will benefit the plastics recycling community and environment. Furthermore, the study will provide guidance to the concrete industry concerning the effect of the implementation of unsorted mixed types of plastic as coarse aggregates in the production of concrete.
Design of Low-Voltage FO-[PD] Controller for Motion Systems
Authors: Malatesta Rafailia , Kapoulea Stavroula , Psychalinos Costas , Elwakil Ahmed S.
Published: May 2021

Fractional-order controllers have gained significant research interest in various practical applications due to the additional degrees of freedom offered in their tuning process. The main contribution of this work is the analog implementation, for the first time in the literature, of a fractional-order controller with a transfer function that is not directly constructed from terms of the fractional-order Laplacian operator. This is achieved using Padé approximation, and the resulting integer-order transfer function is implemented using operational transconductance amplifiers as active elements. Post-layout simulation results verify the validity of the introduced procedure.
Influence of Constitutive Models and the Choice of the Parameters on FE Simulation of Ti6Al4V Orthogonal Cutting Process for Different Uncut Chip Thicknesses
Authors: Kugalur Palanisamy Nithyaraaj , Rivière Lorphèvre Edouard , Arrazola Pedro-José , Ducobu François
Published: May 2021

The constitutive model and its pertinent set of parameters are important input data in finite element modeling to define the behavior of Ti6Al4V during machining process. The present work focusses on comparing different constitutive models and the parameters sets available in literatures and investigating the quality of the predictions when varying uncut chip thickness (40 µm, 60 µm, 100 µm and 280 µm). In addition, temperature-dependent strain hardening factor along with strain softening phenomenon based reconstructed material model is proposed. The results from the numerical simulations are compared with experimental results available in literature. The comparison shows that the force values are highly influenced by constitutive models and the choice of parameters sets, whereas the chip morphologies are mainly influenced by the uncut chip thickness and constitutive models. This work justifies the need for an appropriate set of parameters and constitutive model that replicate the machining behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy for different cutting conditions.
Model Simulation of M2 Internal Tide at the Mariana Double Ridges
Authors: Chen Qi’an , Yu Liu , Yang Qingxuan , Vetter Philip Adam , Xu Hongzhou , Xie Qiang , Jiang Huichang , Ni Zekai
Published: May 2021

In this study, M2 tidal energy and tide-induced mixing in the Mariana double ridges are investigated with a high-resolution three-dimensional non-hydrostatic numerical model and baroclinic energy budget analysis. The interference effect of the double ridges on the internal tide in the Mariana is examined by omitting either the eastern or the western ridge. Our results show that the baroclinic velocity on the sides of the interior facing slopes of the double ridges is larger than that on the other sides. In the double ridges, high values of dissipation reaching O (10−6 W kg−1) are accompanied by diapycnal diffusivity reaching O (10−1 m2 s−1), which is several orders of magnitude higher than the mixing of the open ocean. The bottom diapycnal mixing in the inner region between the two ridges is one order of magnitude larger than the mixing outside the ridges, indicating the important role of the interference of the double-ridge topography on the mixing in the Mariana Arc. Omitting either the eastern or the western ridge would have a significant impact on tide current, baroclinic energy flux and dissipation, and diapycnal mixing. The internal tide conversion, dissipation, and flux divergence are amplified by the double ridge topography, especially in the central part of the double ridges. Through energy budgets analysis, we conclude that the eastern ridge is the main source of the baroclinic tide in the Mariana double ridges.
Flooding Conditions at Aveiro Port (Portugal) within the Framework of Projected Climate Change
Authors: Ribeiro Américo Soares , Lopes Carina Lurdes , Sousa Magda Catarina , Gomez-Gesteira Moncho , Dias João Miguel
Published: May 2021

Ports constitute a significant influence in the economic activity in coastal areas through operations and infrastructures to facilitate land and maritime transport of cargo. Ports are located in a multi-dimensional environment facing ocean and river hazards. Higher warming scenarios indicate Europe’s ports will be exposed to higher risk due to the increase in extreme sea levels (ESL), a combination of the mean sea level, tide, and storm surge. Located on the west Iberia Peninsula, the Aveiro Port is located in a coastal lagoon exposed to ocean and river flows, contributing to higher flood risk. This study aims to assess the flood extent for Aveiro Port for historical (1979–2005), near future (2026–2045), and far future (2081–2099) periods scenarios considering different return periods (10, 25, and 100-year) for the flood drivers, through numerical simulations of the ESL, wave regime, and riverine flows simultaneously. Spatial maps considering the flood extent and calculated area show that most of the port infrastructures’ resilience to flooding is found under the historical period, with some marginal floods. Under climate change impacts, the port flood extent gradually increases for higher return periods, where most of the terminals are at high risk of being flooded for the far-future period, whose contribution is primarily due to mean sea-level rise and storm surges.
Botrytis cinerea G Protein β Subunit Bcgb1 Controls Growth, Development and Virulence by Regulating cAMP Signaling and MAPK Signaling
Authors: Tang Jiejing , Wu Mingde , Zhang Jing , Li Guoqing , Yang Long
Published: May 2021

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus that causes gray mold disease in many crops. To better understand the role of G protein signaling in the development and virulence of this fungus, the G protein β subunit gene Bcgb1 was knocked out in this study. The ΔBcgb1 mutants showed reduced mycelial growth rate, but increased aerial hyphae and mycelial biomass, lack of conidiation, failed to form sclerotia, increased resistance to cell wall and oxidative stresses, delayed formation of infection cushions, and decreased virulence. Deletion of Bcgb1 resulted in a significant reduction in the expression of several genes involved in cAMP signaling, and caused a notable increase in intracellular cAMP levels, suggesting that G protein β subunit Bcgb1 plays an important role in cAMP signaling. Furthermore, phosphorylation levels of MAP kinases (Bmp1 and Bmp3) were increased in the ΔBcgb1 mutants. Yeast two-hybrid assays showed that Bcgb1 interacts with MAPK (Bmp1 and Bmp3) cascade proteins (BcSte11, BcBck1, BcMkk1, and BcSte50), and the Bmp1-regulated gene Bcgas2 was up-regulated in the ΔBcgb1 mutant. These results indicated that Gβ protein Bcgb1 is involved in the MAPK signaling pathway in B. cinerea. In summary, our results revealed that Gβ protein Bcgb1 controls development and virulence through both the cAMP and MAPK (Bmp1 and Bmp3) signaling pathways in B. cinerea.
Antifungal Peptides
Authors: Diamond Gill
Published: May 2021

Fungal infections represent an increasing public health crisis [...]
Effect of MACC1 Genetic Polymorphisms and Environmental Risk Factors in the Occurrence of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Rei-Hsing , Chuang Chun-Yi , Lin Chiao-Wen , Su Shih-Chi , Chang Lun-Ching , Wu Ssu-Wei , Liu Yu-Fan , Yang Shun-Fa
Published: May 2021

MACC1 (Metastasis Associated in Colon Cancer 1) is found to regulate the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/Met signal pathway, and plays an important role in tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. However, the relationships between MACC1 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and oral cancer are still blurred. In this study, five SNPs (rs3095007, rs1990172, rs4721888, rs975263, and rs3735615) were genotyped in 911 oral cancer patients and 1200 healthy individuals by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the associations of oral cancer with the SNP genotypes, environmental risk factors, and clinicopathological characteristics were further analyzed. Our results showed that individuals who had GC genotype or C-allele (GC + CC) in rs4721888 would have a higher risk for oral cancer incidence than GG genotype after adjustment for betel quid chewing, cigarette smoking, and alcohol drinking. Moreover, the 715 oral cancer patients with a betel quid chewing habit, who had C-allele (TC + CC) in rs975263, would have a higher risk for lymph node metastasis. Further analyses of the sequences of rs4721888 revealed that the C-allele of rs4721888 would be a putative exonic splicing enhancer. In conclusion, MACC1 SNP rs4721888 would elevate the susceptibility for oral cancer, and SNP rs975263 would increase the metastasis risk for oral cancer patients with a betel quid chewing habit. Our data suggest that SNP rs4721888 could be a putative genetic marker for oral cancer, and SNP rs975362 may have the potential to be a prognostic marker of metastasis in an oral cancer patient.
Activity, Social Relationships, and Maternal Care in a Bottlenose Dolphin Group under Professional Care
Authors: Lauderdale Lisa K. , Miller Lance J.
Published: May 2021

Defining the activity patterns and social relationships of animals can provide valuable information related to animal welfare. Bottlenose dolphins under professional care engage in a variety of social and solitary activities, which may be influenced by conspecifics, time of day, and maternal behaviors. This study examined the social, solitary, and maternal behaviors of eight dolphins at one zoological facility. Data about social and solitary behaviors, nursing occurrences, and mother–calf pair swimming were collected five days per week over a ten-month period. The simple ratio index was used to calculate association rates for all dyads. Affiliative behaviors were the dominant behavior class and all behavior categories and swim states showed temporal oscillations throughout the day. The high association values within the mother–calf dyads suggested these ties remain strong through the second and third years of life. Preferred associates remained the same for some individuals in both social group compositions, while they differed for others. However, no large reductions in associations were recorded, suggesting strong relationships in the subgroups continued when other individuals were present. Examining sociality and activity levels may be a useful tool in continuing to improve welfare as they may be related to social groupings and environmental factors.