bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in Total Physical Activity Time, Walking, and Vigorous Physical Activity Time in Queensland Adults From 2004–2018
Authors: Griffin Alison , Roselli Tim , Clemens Susan L.
Published: May 2020

Background: Health benefits of physical activity (PA) accrue with small increases in PA, with the greatest benefits for those transitioning from inactivity to any level of PA. This study examined whether self-reported PA time in Queensland adults changed between 2004 and 2018. Methods: The Queensland government conducts regular cross-sectional telephone surveys. Between 2004 and 2018, adults aged 18–75 years answered identical questions about their weekly minutes of walking, moderate PA, and vigorous PA. Hurdle regression estimated the average annual change in weekly minutes of PA overall and by activity type, focusing on sociodemographic differences in trends. Results: The sample size averaged 1764 (2004–2008) and 10,188 (2009–2018), totaling 107,171 participants aged 18–75 years. Unadjusted PA increased by 10 minutes per week per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.8–11.1) overall, with increases for most subgroups. Adjusted PA increased by 10.5 minutes per week per year (95% CI, 9.4–11.7). Trends differed by employment—employed adults and those not in the labor force increased by 14.3 (95% CI, 12.8–15.8) and 2.2 minutes per week per year (95% CI, 0.4–4.0), respectively, with no increase for unemployed adults. The increases were due to both an increased prevalence of doing any activity and an increased average duration among active adults. Conclusions: Since 2004, PA time has increased for Queensland adults, with substantial variability by employment status.
Cumulative effects of triadic closure and homophily in social networks
Authors: Asikainen Aili , Iñiguez Gerardo , Ureña-Carrión Javier , Kaski Kimmo , Kivelä Mikko
Published: May 2020

Dynamic interplay of choice homophily and triadic closure amplifies homophily and creates core-peripheries in social networks.
Group A Streptococcus AdcR Regulon Participates in Bacterial Defense against Host-Mediated Zinc Sequestration and Contributes to Virulence
Authors: Makthal Nishanth , Do Hackwon , Wendel Brian M. , Olsen Randall J. , Helmann John D. , Musser James M. , Kumaraswami Muthiah
Published: May 2020

Colonization by pathogenic bacteria depends on their ability to overcome host nutritional defenses and acquire nutrients. The human pathogen group A streptococcus (GAS) encounters the host defense factor calprotectin (CP) during infection. CP inhibits GAS growthin vitroby imposing zinc (Zn) limitation. However, GAS counterstrategies to combat CP-mediated Zn limitation and thein vivorelevance of CP-GAS interactions to bacterial pathogenesis remain unknown. Here, we report that GAS upregulates the AdcR regulon in response to CP-mediated Zn limitation.
Autonomously Replicating RNAs of Bungowannah Pestivirus: E
RNS
Is Not Essential for the Generation of Infectious Particles
Authors: Dalmann Anja , Reimann Ilona , Wernike Kerstin , Beer Martin
Published: May 2020

The proteins N
PRO
and E
RNS
are unique for the genus
Pestivirus
, but only N
PRO
has been demonstrated to be nonessential for
in vitro
growth. While this was also speculated for E
RNS
, it has always been previously shown that pestivirus replicons with deletions of the structural proteins E
RNS
, E1, or E2 did not produce any infectious progeny virus in susceptible host cells. Here, we demonstrated for the first time that BuPV E
RNS
is dispensable for the generation of infectious virus particles but still important for efficient passaging. The E
RNS
-defective BuPV particles showed clearly limited growth in cell culture but were capable of several rounds of infection, expression of foreign genes, and highly efficient
trans
-complementation to rescue virus replicon particles (VRPs). The noncytopathic characteristics and the absence of preexisting immunity to BuPV in human populations and livestock also provide a significant benefit for a possible use, e.g., as a vector vaccine platform.
Cell Wall Composition Heterogeneity between Single Cells in Aspergillus fumigatus Leads to Heterogeneous Behavior during Antifungal Treatment and Phagocytosis
Authors: Bleichrodt Robert-Jan , Foster Peter , Howell Gareth , Latgé Jean-Paul , Read Nick D.
Published: May 2020

The fungus
Aspergillus fumigatus
can cause invasive lung diseases in immunocompromised patients resulting in high mortality. Treatment using antifungal compounds is often unsuccessful. Average population measurements hide what is happening at the individual cell level. We set out to test what impact individual differences between the cell walls of fungal conidia have on their behavior. We show that a population of cells having the same genetic background gives rise to subpopulations of cells that exhibit distinct behavior (phenotypic heterogeneity). This cell heterogeneity is dependent on the strain type, gene deletions, cell age, and environmental conditions. By looking at the individual cell level, we discovered subpopulations of cells that show differential fitness during antifungal treatment and uptake by immune cells.
Development and validation of the DIabetes Severity SCOre (DISSCO) in 139 626 individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zghebi Salwa S , Mamas Mamas A , Ashcroft Darren M , Salisbury Chris , Mallen Christian D , Chew-Graham Carolyn A , Reeves David , Van Marwijk Harm , Qureshi Nadeem , Weng Stephen , Holt Tim , Buchan Iain , Peek Niels , Giles Sally , Rutter Martin K , Kontopantelis Evangelos
Published: May 2020

Objective

Clinically applicable diabetes severity measures are lacking, with no previous studies comparing their predictive value with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). We developed and validated a type 2 diabetes severity score (the DIabetes Severity SCOre, DISSCO) and evaluated its association with risks of hospitalization and mortality, assessing its additional risk information to sociodemographic factors and HbA1c.

Research design and methods

We used UK primary and secondary care data for 139 626 individuals with type 2 diabetes between 2007 and 2017, aged ≥35 years, and registered in general practices in England. The study cohort was randomly divided into a training cohort (n=111 748, 80%) to develop the severity tool and a validation cohort (n=27 878). We developed baseline and longitudinal severity scores using 34 diabetes-related domains. Cox regression models (adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, and HbA1c) were used for primary (all-cause mortality) and secondary (hospitalization due to any cause, diabetes, hypoglycemia, or cardiovascular disease or procedures) outcomes. Likelihood ratio (LR) tests were fitted to assess the significance of adding DISSCO to the sociodemographics and HbA1cmodels.

Results

A total of 139 626 patients registered in 400 general practices, aged 63±12 years were included, 45% of whom were women, 83% were White, and 18% were from deprived areas. The mean baseline severity score was 1.3±2.0. Overall, 27 362 (20%) people died and 99 951 (72%) had ≥1 hospitalization. In the training cohort, a one-unit increase in baseline DISSCO was associated with higher hazard of mortality (HR: 1.14, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.15, area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC)=0.76) and cardiovascular hospitalization (HR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.43 to 1.46, AUROC=0.73). The LR tests showed that adding DISSCO to sociodemographic variables significantly improved the predictive value of survival models, outperforming the added value of HbA1cfor all outcomes. Findings were consistent in the validation cohort.

Conclusions

Higher levels of DISSCO are associated with higher risks for hospital admissions and mortality. The new severity score had higher predictive value than the proxy used in clinical practice, HbA1c. This reproducible algorithm can help practitioners stratify clinical care of patients with type 2 diabetes.
Determinants of and barriers to adoption of digital therapeutics for mental health at scale in the NHS
Authors: Williams Matt G , Stott Richard , Bromwich Nicki , Oblak Susie K , Espie Colin A , Rose James B
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Although it is widely acknowledged that digital therapeutics will play a significant role in the future delivery of healthcare, the method by which these innovations may be commissioned by the National Health Service, at scale, remains unclear. This study explores English health commissioners’ experiences of, and attitudes towards, adopting digital healthcare innovations.

Methods

37 commissioners and decision-makers from a range of sectors within the health profession were invited to participate in structured interviews to gather relevant examples of experience and opinions. 14 commissioners participated and the notes from the resulting interviews were interpreted using qualitative content analysis. Controlled interpretation was applied to the categorised responses, paraphrasing and classifying into themes.

Results

Common determinants and barriers to adoption of digital mental health expressed during the interview process included commissioners’ lack of familiarity with technology, information governance, digital literacy of users and decision-makers.

Conclusions

Recognition of identified barriers may be helpful for innovators when developing engagement and market access strategies and suggest areas for focus and further development within the commissioning process to accommodate digital health solutions.
Effect of PIFR-based optimised inhalation therapy in patients recovering from acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol of a prospective, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hua Jianlan , Zhang Wei , Cao Hui-fang , Du Chun-ling , Ma Jia-yun , Zuo Yi-hui , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Acute exacerbation (AE) is a major cause of disease progression and death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), accounting for majority of medical expenditures. Correct inhalation therapy is effective in preventing AE attacks. However, inappropriate usage of dry powder inhaler, partially due to the unrecovered peak inhalation flow rate (PIFR) after acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD), results in increased risk of early treatment failure. Therefore, we designed a multicentre, randomised clinical trial to determine whether PIFR-based optimised inhalation therapy and training on inhaler usage at discharge could effectively reduce early treatment failure events.

Methods and analysis

A total of 416 hospitalised patients just recovering from AECOPD will be recruited and equally randomised into the PIFR group and the control group at a 1:1 ratio. The PIFR group will receive additive support before discharge, including choice of PIFR-guided inhaler and education on its usage. PIFR is measured by InCheck DIAL. In comparison, the control group will receive inhalers based on judgement of the respiratory physician. The primary outcome of the study is 30-day treatment failure rate. Other endpoints include PIFR, error rate of inhalation device use, satisfaction with inhalation devices, 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, symptoms and quality of life of patients, and COPD-related treatment costs.

Ethics and dissemination

The trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University (B2019-142). Participants will be screened and enrolled from hospitalised patients with AECOPD by clinicians, with no public advertisement for recruitment. After the trial has completed, the results will be reported to the public through conference presentations and peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT04000958.
ehealth literacy and health literacy among immigrants and their descendants compared with women of Danish origin: a cross-sectional study using a multidimensional approach among pregnant women
Authors: Villadsen Sarah Fredsted , Hadi Hajer , Ismail Israa , Osborne Richard H , Ekstrøm Claus Thorn , Kayser Lars
Published: May 2020

Objective

To explore ehealth literacy, ability to actively engage with healthcare providers and health system navigation among pregnant immigrant women and their descendants compared with women of Danish origin.

Design and setting

A cross-sectional survey at antenatal clinics in 2016, Denmark.

Participants

Pregnant women attending antenatal care (n=405).

Outcome measures

The eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ) and two domains from the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ): ability to actively engage with healthcare providers and health system navigation. Range of response options for eHLQ (1–4) and HLQ (1–5). With mixed-effect linear regressions, eHLQ and HLQ among immigrants and their descendants compared with women of Danish origin were assessed.

Results

The response rate was 75%. The overall trend was lower ehealth literacy and HLQ domains among immigrants and their descendants compared with women of Danish origin. For ehealth literacy, the results suggest that challenges related more to digital abilities than motivation, trust and access to technology. The mean ability to engage with digital services was 3.20 (SD 0.44) for women of Danish origin. Non-Western descendants (−0.14, 95% CI −0.31 to 0.02), non-Western (−0.20, 95% CI −0.34 to −0.06) and Western (−0.22, 95% CI −0.39 to −0.06) immigrants had lower adjusted means of this outcome. No differences in motivation to engage with digital services were found for descendants (−0.00, 95% CI −0.17 to 0.17), non-Western (0.03, 95% CI −0.11 to 0.18) or Western (−0.06, 95% CI −0.23 to 0.10) immigrants compared with the mean of the reference (2.85, SD 0.45). Lower ability to engage with healthcare providers was found for non-Western born immigrants (−0.15, CI 95% −0.30 to −0.01) compared with the mean of women with Danish origin (4.15, SD 0.47).

Conclusion

Generally, descendant and immigrant women had lower levels of ehealth literacy and health literacy than women of Danish origin. These differences are potentially antecedents of adverse birth outcomes and could inform structural efforts to mitigate health inequalities.
Factors associated with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among medical students in Cameroon: a web-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Njuwa Karl Fai , Simo Larissa Pone , Ntani Limnyuy Loweh , Forchin Azumesi Nguni , Parviel Chirsir , Tianyi Tianyi Frank Leonel , Nsah Bernard , Agbor Valirie Ndip
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic mental disorder that is associated with poor productivity, with a significant impact on the quality of life.

Objectives

To determine factors associated with symptoms of ADHD among medical students in Cameroon.

Design

A web-based cross-sectional study.

Setting

Participants were recruited through a social media platform, WhatsApp, from 24 June to 2 September 2018.

Participants

Medical students aged 18 years and older from seven medical schools in Cameroon. All non-medical students and all medical residents were excluded.

Results

Data from a total of 491 eligible participants were analysed. The median age was 25 (IQR 21–25) years and 54% were of the participants were female. The prevalence of self-reported symptoms of ADHD was 24.4% (95% CI 20.6% to 28.3%). Histories of chronic disease (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.96; 95% CI 1.49 to 5.86, p=0.002), family history of ADHD (AOR 3.38; 95% CI 1.04 to 10.44, p=0.035), severe depression (AOR=3.49; 95% CI 1.82 to 6.77, p<0.001) and anxiety disorder (AOR 2.06; 95% CI 1.25 to 3.36, p=0.004) were found to be independently associated with the symptoms of ADHD.

Conclusion

ADHD may be a highly prevalent mental disorder among medical students, and is associated with severe depression, anxiety disorders and chronic diseases. There is a need to conduct a large-scale prospective cohort study with interviews to estimate the true prevalence and incidence of ADHD among medical students in Cameroon, and to determinant the risk factors associated with the disorder.
Managing dysmastication in horses: an update
Authors: Reardon Richard
Published: May 2020

Dysmastication (difficulty in mastication), colloquially referred to as ‘quidding’, is relatively common in equidae. The condition ranges in severity from mild, causing minor or chronic clinical signs such as slow or selective eating, to severe, resulting in quidding (a response to pain in the mouth in which the horse loses or spits out balls of semi‐chewed food), reduced feed intake and weight loss. There are a relatively small number of common causes of dysmastication, most of which are easy to diagnose and some are easily treatable; however, some cases require more detailed evaluation and their treatment can be challenging. This article discusses the most common causes of equine dysmastication and approaches to their diagnosis and management.
MHC-restricted phosphopeptide antigens: preclinical validation and first-in-humans clinical trial in participants with high-risk melanoma
Authors: Engelhard Victor H , Obeng Rebecca C , Cummings Kara L , Petroni Gina R , Ambakhutwala Angela L , Chianese-Bullock Kimberly A , Smith Kelly T , Lulu Amanda , Varhegyi Nikole , Smolkin Mark E , Myers Paisley , Mahoney Keira E , Shabanowitz Jeffrey , Buettner Nico , Hall Emily H , Haden Kathleen , Cobbold Mark , Hunt Donald F , Weiss Geoffrey , Gaughan Elizabeth , Slingluff, Jr Craig L
Published: May 2020

Background

Phosphorylated peptides presented by MHC molecules represent a new class of neoantigens expressed on cancer cells and recognized by CD8 T-cells. These peptides are promising targets for cancer immunotherapy. Previous work identified an HLA-A*0201-restricted phosphopeptide from insulin receptor substrate 2 (pIRS2) as one such target. The purpose of this study was to characterize a second phosphopeptide, from breast cancer antiestrogen resistance 3 (BCAR3), and to evaluate safety and immunogenicity of a novel immunotherapic vaccine comprising either or both of these phosphorylated peptides.

Methods

Phosphorylated BCAR3 protein was evaluated in melanoma and breast cancer cell lines by Western blot, and recognition by T-cells specific for HLA-A*0201-restricted phosphorylated BCAR3 peptide (pBCAR3126-134) was determined by51Cr release assay and intracellular cytokine staining. Human tumor explants were also evaluated by mass spectrometry for presentation of pIRS2 and pBCAR3 peptides. For the clinical trial, participants with resected stage IIA–IV melanoma were vaccinated 6 times over 12 weeks with one or both peptides in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant and Hiltonol (poly-ICLC). Adverse events (AEs) were coded based on National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) V.4.03, with provision for early study termination if dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rates exceeded 33%. The enrollment target was 12 participants evaluable for immune response to each peptide. T-cell responses were assessed by interferon-γ ELISpot assay.

Results

pBCAR3 peptides were immunogenic in vivo in mice, and in vitro in normal human donors, and T-cells specific for pBCAR3126-134controlled outgrowth of a tumor xenograft. The pIRS21097-1105peptide was identified by mass spectrometry from human hepatocellular carcinoma tumors. In the clinical trial, 15 participants were enrolled. All had grade 1 or 2 treatment-related AEs, but there were no grade 3–4 AEs, DLTs or deaths on study. T-cell responses were induced to the pIRS21097-1105peptide in 5/12 patients (42%, 90% CI 18% to 68%) and to the pBCAR3126-134peptide in 2/12 patients (17%, 90% CI 3% to 44%).

Conclusion

This study supports the safety and immunogenicity of vaccines containing the cancer-associated phosphopeptides pBCAR3126-134and pIRS21097-1105, and the data support continued development of immune therapy targeting phosphopeptides. Future studies will define ways to further enhance the magnitude and durability of phosphopeptide-specific immune responses.

Trial registration number

NCT01846143
O5C.4 The armed services trauma rehabilitation outcome study (ADVANCE): a cohort study of physical battlefield trauma casualties
Authors: Fear Nicola , Dyball Daniel , Chesnokov Melanie , Boos Christopher , Bull Anthony , Cullinan Paul ,   Group Captain Alex Bennett
Published: May 2020

The recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts represent a unique time in UK battlefield medicine; with more service personnel surviving complex traumas than any previous time. During these recent conflicts, approximately 830 UK service personnel were very seriously or seriously injured, and over 9000 were aero-medially evacuated. Little is known about the long-term health of these injured personnel. The Armed Services Trauma Rehabilitation Outcome Study (ADVANCE) is a longitudinal cohort study investigating the long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes of physical battlefield trauma casualties. 1200 male subjects who deployed to Afghanistan (600 injured and 600 non-injured individuals’ frequency-matched by age, rank, service and role-in-theatre) will be followed up over a 20 year period. Primary objectives are to assess cardiovascular risk, cardiovascular events and osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Secondary objectives are: musculoskeletal disease; pain; mental health; employment outcomes; functional status; quality of life; relationship status; sexual functioning; lung function; hearing loss and all-cause mortality. Data collection started in August 2015 and 705 participants have been recruited (376 non-injured and 329 injured). Most common injuries include single leg amputation, bilateral leg amputation (below knee), genital injuries and shrapnel injuries. Approximately 83% of participants are from the Army, 14% from Naval Services (including Royal Marines) and 3% from the Royal Air Force. The sample overall is comprised of approximately 14% Officers – with the other 86% holding lower ranks. Median age of the sample is 33 years at point of recruitment. Baseline data collection is due to be completed by the end of 2019, when follow data collection will commence. There are no other studies of this type currently being conducted and the results will have far reaching implications for the military and veteran community but also for members of the general population who have experienced a severe physical trauma.
O2A.3 Increased risk of central nervous system tumors with carbamate insecticide use in the prospective cohort agrican
Authors: Piel Clément , Pouchieu Camille , Migault Lucile , Béziat Beatrix , Boulanger Mathilde , Bureau Mathilde , Carles Camille , Grüber Anne , Lecluse Yannick , Rondeau Virginie , Schwall Xavier , Tual Séverine ,   the AGRICAN group, Lebailly Pierre , Baldi Isabelle
Published: May 2020

Background

Pesticide exposures are suspected to be implicated in the excess of Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors observed in farmers, but evidence concerning individual pesticides remains limited. Carbamate insecticides, used on a wide range of crops, have shown evidence of carcinogenicity in some experimental studies. In the cohort AGRICAN (AGRIculture and CANcer), we assessed the associations between potential exposures to carbamate insecticides and the incidence of CNS tumors, overall and by histological subtype.

Methods

AGRICAN enrolled 181 842 participants involved in agriculture. Incident CNS tumors were identified by linkage with cancer registries from enrolment (2005–2007) until 2013. Carbamate exposure was assessed by combining information on lifetime periods of pesticide use on crop or livestock and the French crop-exposure matrix PESTIMAT, individually for each of the 19 carbamate insecticides registered in France since 1950. Associations were estimated using proportional hazards models with age as the underlying timescale, adjusting for gender, educational level and smoking.

Results

During a 6.9 year average follow-up, 381 incident cases of CNS tumors occurred, including 164 gliomas and 134 meningiomas. Analyses showed increased risks of CNS tumors with overall exposure to carbamate insecticides and linear trends with duration of use of each carbamate. Considering tumor subtypes, hazard ratios for gliomas ranged from 1.18 for thiofanox to 4.60 for formetanate and for meningiomas from 1.51 for carbaryl to 3.67 for thiofanox.

Conclusions

Findings reinforce carcinogenicity evidence for already suspected active ingredients and draw attention to additional active ingredients, notably used on fruit trees, vineyards, potatoes and beets.
Undifferentiated connective tissue disease: state of the art on clinical practice guidelines
Authors: Antunes Margarida , Scirè Carlo Alberto , Talarico Rosaria , Alexander Tobias , Avcin Tadej , Belocchi Chiara , Doria Andrea , Franceschini Franco , Galetti Ilaria , Govoni Marcello , Hachulla Eric , Launay David , Lepri Gemma , Macieira Carla , Matucci-Cerinic Marco , Montecucco Carlo Maurizio , Moraes-Fontes Maria Francisca , Mouthon Luc , Paolino Sabrina , Ramoni Veronique , Tani Chiara , Tas Sander W , Tincani Angela , Van Vollenhoven Ronald , Zen Margherita , Fonseca Joao , Bombardieri Stefano , Fonseca João Eurico , Schneider Matthias , Smith Vanessa , Cutolo Maurizio , Mosca Marta , Beretta Lorenzo
Published: May 2020

The term ‘undifferentiated connective tissue disease’ (UCTD) is generally used to describe clinical entities characterised by clinical and serological manifestations of systemic autoimmune diseases but not fulfilling the criteria for defined connective tissue diseases (CTDs). In this narrative review, we summarise the results of a systematic literature research, which was performed as part of the ERN ReCONNET project, aimed at evaluating existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) or recommendations.

No specific CPG on UCTD were found, potential areas of intervention are absence of a consensus definition of UCTD, need for specific monitoring and therapeutic protocols, stratification of UCTD based on the risk of developing a defined CTD and preventive measure for the future development of a more severe condition.

Patients feel uncertainty regarding the name of the disease and feel the need of a better education and understanding of these conditions and its possible changes over time.
Fully open-flavor tetraquark states $$bc\bar{q}\bar{s}$$ and $$sc\bar{q}\bar{b}$$ with $$J^{P}=0^{+},1^{+}$$
Authors: Wang Qi-Nan , Chen Wei
Published: May 2020

We have studied the masses for fully open-flavor tetraquark states $$bc\bar{q}\bar{s}$$bcq¯s¯ and $$sc\bar{q}\bar{b}$$scq¯b¯ ($$q=u, d$$q=u,d) with quantum numbers $$J^{P}=0^{+},1^{+}$$JP=0+,1+. We systematically construct all diquark–antiquark interpolating currents and calculate the two-point correlation functions and spectral densities in the framework of QCD sum rule method. Our calculations show that the masses are about $$7.1-7.2$$7.1-7.2 GeV for the $$bc\bar{q}\bar{s}$$bcq¯s¯ tetraquark states and $$7.0-7.1$$7.0-7.1 GeV for the $$sc\bar{q}\bar{b}$$scq¯b¯ tetraquarks. The masses of $$bc\bar{q}\bar{s}$$bcq¯s¯ tetraquarks are below the thresholds of $$\bar{B}_{s}D$$B¯sD and $$\bar{B}_{s}^{*}D$$B¯s∗D final states for the scalar and axial-vector channels respectively. The $$sc\bar{q}\bar{b}$$scq¯b¯ tetraquark states with $$J^{P}=1^{+}$$JP=1+ lie below the $$B_{c}^{+}K^{*}$$Bc+K∗ and $$B_{s}^{*}D$$Bs∗D thresholds. Such low masses for these possible tetraquark states indicate that they can only decay via weak interaction and thus are very narrow and stable.
Evolution of spherical overdensity in Chaplygin gas model
Authors: Akbarieh Amin Rezaei , Ahmadi Mohammad , Izadi Yousef , Aslmarand Shahabeddin M. , Miller Warner A.
Published: May 2020

Even though many scalar field models of dark energy have been considered in the literature, there is another interesting class of dark energy models involving a fluid known as a Chaplygin gas. In addition to describing the dark energy, both scalar-tensor model and the Chaplygin gas model are suitable candidates for explaining the spherical cosmological collapse. One of the most well-known scalar field models is the quintessence model, which was first introduced to explain an accelerating expanding universe. Using a special form of the quintessence model that is equivalent to Chaplygin gas, we describe evolution of a spherical collapse. We study the cosmological properties of the quintessence field with a special potential. In addition to the quintessence model, that can be converted into a Chaplygin gas model in a particular case, we claim that the fixed-potential tachyonic model is equivalent to the Chaplygin gas model. In this work, we obtain the spherical collapse parameters: the virialized over density parameters, radius, the energy density at the turnaround moment, etc. We compare the results of the proposed model with the standard model of cosmology and the Einstein–de Sitter model. We show that the formation of the large-scale structures within the framework of a Chaplygin gas model happens earlier than predicted in the standard model.
Comparative Performance Analysis of Enhancement Methods Applied to Arabic Manuscripts
Authors: Omari Mohammed , Jaafri Yamina Ouled , Dlim Rekia
Published: May 2020

The ancient Arabic manuscripts are considered to be more complex regarding enhancement compared to others written in other languages. Complexity comes from character degradation, stains, low-quality images, curves of the text, character overlapping, etc. To facilitate the restoration, a set of well-known binarization techniques designed for historical document images is presented in this paper. Existing binarization techniques focus on either finding an appropriate global threshold for the whole image or adapting a local threshold for each area to achieve better enhancement quality. This improvement aims to remove noises, strains, uneven illumination, etc. The goal of our work is to assess these methods when applied to Arabic manuscripts in terms of readability, elimination of original spots and production of unwanted noise. Results show that no techniques work well for all types of manuscripts, but some techniques work better than others for particular types. Experimental results also indicate that Nick and Wolf techniques performed the best in terms of readability in most of the processed manuscripts.
Accounting for Confounding in Observational Studies
Authors: D'Onofrio Brian M. , Sjölander Arvid , Lahey Benjamin B. , Lichtenstein Paul , Öberg A. Sara
Published: May 2020

The goal of this review is to enable clinical psychology researchers to more rigorously test competing hypotheses when studying risk factors in observational studies. We argue that there is a critical need for researchers to leverage recent advances in epidemiology/biostatistics related to causal inference and to use innovative approaches to address a key limitation of observational research: the need to account for confounding. We first review theoretical issues related to the study of causation, how causal diagrams can facilitate the identification and testing of competing hypotheses, and the current limitations of observational research in the field. We then describe two broad approaches that help account for confounding: analytic approaches that account for measured traits and designs that account for unmeasured factors. We provide descriptions of several such approaches and highlight their strengths and limitations, particularly as they relate to the etiology and treatment of behavioral health problems.
Climate Change and Work: Politics and Power
Authors: Iskander Natasha N. , Lowe Nichola
Published: May 2020

Climate warming is the fundamental challenge of our time, not only because it will radically transform our natural environment but also because it will redefine jobs and livelihoods. This article builds an interpretive bridge for understanding the political consequences of how climate change pressures will affect work, production, and technology. We organize this review along three themes: commodification and the processes through which costs and resources are made visible; the production of knowledge and the politics of representing the future; and just transitions and how to distribute the costs and the opportunities of change equitably. These themes all address the ways that the dominance of the market—both in rhetoric and in policy—eclipses the materiality of economic production and social exchange. Together, however, the three themes also allow us to contemplate new political and institutional actions for tackling the twinned challenges of mitigating climate change and safeguarding our livelihoods.
Sociology, Genetics, and the Coming of Age of Sociogenomics
Authors: Mills Melinda C. , Tropf Felix C.
Published: May 2020

Recent years have seen the birth of sociogenomics via the infusion of molecular genetic data. We chronicle the history of genetics, focusing particularly on post-2005 genome-wide association studies, the post-2015 big data era, and the emergence of polygenic scores. We argue that understanding polygenic scores, including their genetic correlations with each other, causation, and underlying biological architecture, is vital. We show how genetics can be introduced to understand a myriad of topics such as fertility, educational attainment, intergenerational social mobility, well-being, addiction, risky behavior, and longevity. Although models of gene-environment interaction and correlation mirror agency and structure models in sociology, genetics is yet to be fully discovered by this discipline. We conclude with a critical reflection on the lack of diversity, nonrepresentative samples, precision policy applications, ethics, and genetic determinism. We argue that sociogenomics can speak to long-standing sociological questions and that sociologists can offer innovative theoretical, measurement, and methodological innovations to genetic research.
Dietary fructose enhances angiotensin II-stimulated Na+transport via activation of PKC-α in renal proximal tubules
Authors: Yang Nianxin , Hong Nancy J. , Garvin Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2020

Angiotensin II (ANG II) stimulates proximal nephron transport via activation of classical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. Acute fructose treatment stimulates PKC and dietary fructose enhances ANG II’s ability to stimulate Na+transport, but the mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that dietary fructose enhances ANG II’s ability to stimulate renal proximal tubule Na+reabsorption by augmenting PKC-α activation and increases in intracellular Ca2+. We measured total and isoform-specific PKC activity, basal and ANG II-stimulated oxygen consumption, a surrogate of Na+reabsorption, and intracellular Ca2+in proximal tubules from rats given either 20% fructose in their drinking water (fructose group) or tap water (control group). Total PKC activity was measured by ELISA. PKC-α, PKC-β, and PKC-γ activities were assessed by measuring particulate-to-soluble ratios. Intracelluar Ca2+was measured using fura 2. ANG II stimulated total PKC activity by 53 ± 15% in the fructose group but not in the control group (−15 ± 11%, P < 0.002). ANG II stimulated PKC-α by 0.134 ± 0.026 but not in the control group (−0.002 ± 0.020, P < 0.002). ANG II increased PKC-γ activity by 0.008 ± 0.003 in the fructose group but not in the control group ( P < 0.046). ANG II did not stimulate PKC-β in either group. ANG II increased Na+transport by 454 ± 87 nmol·min−1·mg protein−1in fructose group, and the PKC-α/β inhibitor Gö6976 blocked this increase (−96 ± 205 nmol·min−1·mg protein−1, P < 0.045). ANG II increased intracellular Ca2+by 148 ± 53 nM in the fructose group but only by 43 ± 10 nM in the control group ( P < 0.035). The intracellular Ca2+chelator BAPTA blocked the ANG II-induced increase in Na+transport in the fructose group. We concluded that dietary fructose enhances ANG II’s ability to stimulate renal proximal tubule Na+reabsorption by augmenting PKC-α activation via elevated increases in intacellular Ca2+.
Functional genomics analysis of human colon organoids identifies key transcription factors
Authors: Yin Shiyi , Ray Greeshma , Kerschner Jenny L. , Hao Shuyu , Perez Aura , Drumm Mitchell L. , Browne James A. , Leir Shih-Hsing , Longworth Michelle , Harris Ann
Published: May 2020

Organoids are a valuable three-dimensional (3D) model to study the differentiated functions of the human intestinal epithelium. They are a particularly powerful tool to measure epithelial transport processes in health and disease. Though biological assays such as organoid swelling and intraluminal pH measurements are well established, their underlying functional genomics are not well characterized. Here we combine genome-wide analysis of open chromatin by ATAC-Seq with transcriptome mapping by RNA-Seq to define the genomic signature of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). These data provide an important tool for investigating key physiological and biochemical processes in the intestinal epithelium. We next compared the transcriptome and open chromatin profiles of HIOs with equivalent data sets from the Caco2 colorectal carcinoma line, which is an important two-dimensional (2D) model of the intestinal epithelium. Our results define common features of the intestinal epithelium in HIO and Caco2 and further illustrate the cancer-associated program of the cell line. Generation of Caco2 cysts enabled interrogation of the molecular divergence of the 2D and 3D cultures. Overrepresented motif analysis of open chromatin peaks identified caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) as a key activating transcription factor in HIO, but not in monolayer cultures of Caco2. However, the CDX2 motif becomes overrepresented in open chromatin from Caco2 cysts, reinforcing the importance of this factor in intestinal epithelial differentiation and function. Intersection of the HIO and Caco2 transcriptomes further showed functional overlap in pathways of ion transport and tight junction integrity, among others. These data contribute to understanding human intestinal organoid biology.
SLC22A1 rs622342 Polymorphism Predicts Insulin Resistance Improvement in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Metformin: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wu Kunrong , Li Xiaoli , Xu Yuedong , Zhang Xiaoqian , Guan Ziwan , Zhang Shufang , Li Yan
Published: May 2020

Background. Metformin is the most widely used oral antidiabetic agent and can reduce insulin resistance (IR) effectively. Organic cation transporter 1 (encoded by SLC22A1) is responsible for the transport of metformin, and ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) is a gene relating to the DNA repair and cell cycle control. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the genetic variants in SLC22A1 rs622342 and ATM rs11212617 could be effective predictors of islet function improvement in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on metformin treatment. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 111 patients with T2DM treated with metformin. Genotyping was performed by the dideoxy chain-termination method. The homeostatic indexes of IR (HOMA-IR) and beta-cell function (HOMA-BCF) were determined according to the homeostasis model assessment. Results. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, HbA1c levels, and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in patients with the rs622342 AA genotype than in those with C allele (P<0.05). However, these significant differences were not observed between rs11212617 genotype groups. Further data analysis revealed that the association between the rs622342 polymorphism and HOMA-IR was gender related, and so was rs11212617 polymorphism and HOMA-BCF. HOMA-IR was significantly higher in males with rs622342 AA genotype than in those with C allele (P=0.021), and HOMA-BCF value was significantly higher in females carrying rs11212617 CC genotype than in those with A allele (P=0.038). The common logarithm (Lg10) of HOMA-BCF was positively correlated with the reciprocal of HbA1c (r = 0.629, P<0.001) and negatively associated with Lg10 FPG (r = −0.708, P<0.001). Conclusions. The variant of rs622342 could be a predictor of insulin sensitivity in patients with T2DM treated with metformin. The association between the rs622342 polymorphism and HOMA-IR and the association between the rs11212617 polymorphism and HOMA-BCF were both gender related.
Sizing Optimization and Experimental Verification of a Hybrid Generation Water Pumping System in a Greenhouse
Authors: Li Dan , Zhu Delan , Wang Ruixin , Ge Maosheng , Wu Shoujun , Cai Yaohui
Published: May 2020

In remote agricultural areas, electrical energy is usually deficient for pumping water into greenhouses. Photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind generators are considered suitable options for power supply. The reliability of hybrid generation water pumping depends primarily on the number of system components, which should be adapted to the local climatic conditions and crop irrigation schedule. In this study, a universal size optimization model is established to optimize the configuration of a hybrid PV-wind-battery (PWB) generation system. The climatic conditions and crop irrigation schedule are parameterized in the model. Minimization of the annual cost of the hybrid PWB system is the objective function. The constraints include the battery state of charge (SOC) and the power supply reliability, which consists of the loss of power supply (δLPS) and the excess energy (δEX). The numbers of PV panels and batteries, as well as the rated power of the wind generator, are the decision variables. The optimization model of the PWB generation system is solved using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm based on penalty function. The model is then applied to determine the optimal configuration of a water pumping system for a greenhouse used to grow tomatoes. Measured climatic data are used in the optimization process, which is conducted in the month of maximum irrigation water requirement (August). The optimal results for this greenhouse are two PV panels and two batteries, and the rated power of the wind generator is 375 W. Furthermore, field experiments are performed to validate the optimization model. The field experiment results show that the total output power of the PV panels and wind generator during 15 d are 41.478 kW and 6.235 kW, respectively. The total load power of the pump is 36.965 kW. The field experiments demonstrate that the optimal results are able to meet the power requirements of the water pumping system and the sizing optimization model is appropriate.
Heavy Metals Nanofiltration Using Nanotube and Electric Field by Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Arouche Tiago da Silva , Cavaleiro Rosely Maria dos Santos , Tanoue Phelipe Seiichi Martins , Pereira Tais Sousa de Sa , Filho Tarciso Andrade , Neto Antonio Maia de Jesus Chaves
Published: May 2020

Heavy metal contamination in the world is increasing the impact on the environment and human life. Currently, carbon nanotubes and boron are some possible ideals for the nanofiltration of heavy metals due to the property of ion selectivity, optimized by the applications of the surface and the application of an external electric field. In this work, molecular dynamic was used to transport water with heavy metals under the force exerted by the electric field action inside nanotubes. This external electric field generates a propelling electrical force to expel only water molecules and retain ions. These metal ions were retained to pass through only water molecules, under constant temperature and pressure, for a time of 100 ps under the action of electric fields with values from 10-8 to 10-1 au. Each of the metallic contaminants evaluated (Pb2+, Cd2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Hg2+) was subjected to molecular test simulations in the water. It was found that the measurement of the intensity of the electric field increased or the percentage of filtered water reduced (in both nanotubes), in which the intramolecular and intermolecular forces intensified by the action of the electric field contribute to retain the heavy metal ions due to the evanescent effect. The best results for nanofiltration in carbon and boron nanotubes occur under the field 10-8 au. Since the filtration in the boron nitride nanotubes, a small difference in the percentage of filtered water for the boron nitride nanotube was the most effective (90 to 98%) in relation to the carbon nanotube (80 to 90%). The greater hydrophobicity and thermal stability of boron nanotubes are some of the factors that contributed to this result.
Study on Evaluation Model of Chinese P2P Online Lending Platform Based on Hybrid Kernel Support Vector Machine
Authors: Pan Shuang , Wei Jianguo , Pan Hao
Published: May 2020

Accurate evaluation of the risk level and operation performances of P2P online lending platforms is not only conducive to better functioning of information intermediaries but also effective protection of investors’ interests. This paper proposes a genetic algorithm (GA) improved hybrid kernel support vector machine (SVM) with an index system to construct such an evaluation model. A hybrid kernel consisting of polynomial function and radial basis function is improved, specifically kernel parameters and the weight of two kernels, by GA method with excellent global optimization and rapid convergence. Empirical testing based on cross-sectional data from Chinese P2P lending market demonstrates the superiority of the improved hybrid kernel SVM model. The classification accuracy of credit risk level and operation quality is higher than the single kernel SVM model as well as the hybrid kernel model with empirical parameter values.
High-Dimensional Hybrid Data Reduction for Effective Bug Triage
Authors: Ge Xin , Zheng Shengjie , Wang Jiahui , Li Hui
Published: May 2020

Owing to the ever-expanding scale of software, solving the problem of bug triage efficiently and reasonably has become one of the most important issues in software project maintenance. However, there are two challenges in bug triage: low quality of bug reports and engagement of developers. Most of the existing bug triage solutions are based on the text information and have no consideration of developer engagement, which leads to the loss of bug triage accuracy. To overcome these two challenges, we propose a high-dimensional hybrid data reduction method that combines feature selection with instance selection to build a small-scale and high-quality dataset of bug reports by removing redundant or noninformative bug reports and words. In addition, we also study the recent engagement of developers, which can effectively distinguish similar bug reports and provide a more suitable list of the recommended developers. Finally, we experiment with four bug repositories: GCC, OpenOffice, Mozilla, and NetBeans. We experimentally verify that our method can effectively improve the efficiency of bug triage.