bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of life and healthcare utilisation improvements after atrial fibrillation ablation
Authors: Gupta Dhiraj , Vijgen Johan , Potter Tom De , Scherr Daniel , Van Herendael Hugo , Knecht Sebastien , Kobza Richard , Berte Benjamin , Sandgaard Niels , Albenque Jean-Paul , Széplaki Gábor , Stevenhagen Yorick , Taghji Philippe , Wright Matt , Duytschaever Mattias
Published: May 2021

Objective

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) guided by a standardised CLOSE (contiguous optimised lesions) protocol has been shown to increase clinical success after catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). This study analysed healthcare utilisation and quality of life (QOL) outcomes from a large multicentre prospective study, measured association between QOL and atrial fibrillation (AF) burden and identified factors associated with lack of QOL improvement.

Methods

CLOSE-guided ablation was performed in 329 consecutive patients (age 61.4 years, 60.8% male) with drug-refractory PAF in 17 European centres. QOL was measured at baseline and 12 months post-ablation via Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy of Life Survey (AFEQT) and EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L questionnaires. All-cause and cardiovascular hospitalisations and cardioversions over 12 months pre-ablation and post-ablation were recorded. Rhythm monitoring included weekly and symptom-driven trans-telephonic monitoring, plus ECG and Holter monitoring at 3, 6 and 12 months. AF burden was defined as the percentage of postblanking tracings with an atrial tachyarrhythmia ≥30 s. Continuous measures across multiple time points were analysed using paired t-tests, and associations between various continuous measures were analysed using independent sample t-tests. Each statistical test used two-sided p values with a significance level of 0.05.

Results

Both QOL instruments showed significant 12-month improvements across all domains: AFEQT score increased 25.1–37.5 points and 33.3%–50.8% fewer patients reporting any problem across EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L domains. Overall, AFEQT improvement was highly associated with AF burden (p=0.009 for <10% vs ≥10% burden, p<0.001 for <20% vs ≥20% burden). Cardiovascular hospitalisations were significantly decreased after ablation (42%, p=0.001). Patients without substantial improvement in AFEQT (55/301, 18.2%) had higher AFEQT and CHA2DS2-VASc scores at baseline, and higher AF burden following PVI.

Conclusions

QOL improved and healthcare utilisation decreased significantly after ablation with a standardised CLOSE protocol. QOL improvement was significantly associated with impairment at baseline and AF burden after ablation.

Trial registration number

NCT03062046.
Variation in predator diet and prey size affects perceived impacts to salmon species of high conservation concern
Authors: Nelson Benjamin W. , Pearson Scott F. , Anderson Joseph H. , Jeffries Steven J. , Thomas Austen C. , Walker William A. , Acevedo-Gutiérrez Alejandro , Kemp Iris M. , Lance Monique M. , Louden Amelia , Voelker Madelyn R.
Published: May 2021

Management of protected species is difficult when objectives include the recovery of both predator and its prey. Ideally, identifying trade-offs between competing objectives involves evaluating management alternatives with a quantitative model that integrates information on both species, but data are often limited. We used new predator diet data and simulation modeling to update our understanding of seal predation on juvenile Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Puget Sound. Under prey size assumptions used by previous studies, estimates suggest predation could be a significant source of mortality for Chinook salmon (mean: 37% of ocean age-0 juveniles), but varied considerably among years (range of median estimates: 22%–49%). However, when we estimated prey size from otoliths recovered from seal scats, the impact (numbers of fish consumed) decreased by 71%. Predation on coho salmon was estimated to be relatively low under both scenarios (6%–8% of ocean age-0 juveniles) with a 21% decrease in consumption using otolith-derived prey size. Our analysis highlights the importance of updating model inputs and re-evaluating assumptions of multi-species models used for ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Regimes of 3D Yang–Mills theory in the presence of a constant vector background
Authors: Granado D. R. , Carvalho A. J. G. , Petrov A. Yu. , Vercauteren David
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we take into account the Gribov copies present in 3D Yang–Mills–Higgs theory with a constant vector background whose presence breaks the Lorentz symmetry. The constant vector background is introduced within the non-Abelian aether term. Here, we show that this term arises as a one-loop correction. The influence of the aether coupling constant on the system is treated afterwards. As a result, we find that for some values of it the theory can be driven from a nonperturbative regime to a perturbative one. In this paper, we work with the Higgs field in the fundamental representation and in the Landau gauge.
Diverse Causality Inference in Foreign Exchange Markets
Authors: Wu Tao , Gao Xiangyun , An Sufang , Liu Siyao
Published: May 2021

The relationship between currencies in foreign exchange markets has been a topic of significance in economics. Previous studies have focused more on correlations between currencies. However, the detection of causality can reveal their inherent laws. Although the traditional Granger causality test can identify causality, it cannot take into account the nature and intensity of the causality. Thus, the objective of this paper is to identify the causalities of currencies from the perspective of dynamics. In this paper, we select 25 currencies (with the US dollar (USD) as the numeraire) from foreign exchange markets, as they occupy large shares in their regions. To detect the causalities of the foreign exchange markets, we combine PC (pattern causality) theory and complex networks to construct directed and weighted causality networks, in which the nodes represent the currencies and the directed edges represent the causal intensities. Furthermore, we study the symmetry of each causality and quantify the symmetry degree. The results demonstrate that causalities exist between currencies that differ in terms of nature and intensity. The positive causality network exhibits substantial robustness, which can be regarded as the dominant causal relationship in the foreign exchange markets, although a few exceptions are encountered, such as the dominant negative and disordered causalities between currency pairs. In addition, the dominant causalities between most currencies are symmetric in terms of nature, and they also exhibit symmetry in terms of intensity. Furthermore, by gradually deleting the network by thresholding according to the edge weights, we identify the important driving currencies of the markets. This paper may provide valuable information for investors and supervisory departments.
Some Methods Considering Multiplicative Consistency and Consensus in Group Decision Making with Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Preference Relations
Authors: Kim Yun-Gil , Yang Won-Chol , Choe Thae-Ryong
Published: May 2021

In decision making with interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations (IVIFPRs), the consistency and its improvement are key issues. The aim of this paper is to investigate a new multiplicative consistency of IVIFPRs based on interval arithmetic, and propose goal programming approach to improve consistency and consensus. Based on analysis of the drawbacks of the existing consistency definitions of IVIFPR, new definition for multiplicative consistent IVIFPR is introduced. Based on the proposed multiplicative consistency and analysis of the relationship between interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy weights and multiplicative consistent IVIFPR, goal programming-based model is developed for deriving interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy weights from IVIFPR. To measure the multiplicative consistency degree of IVIFPRs, a consistency index is introduced and then an acceptable consistency is defined. For an IVIFPR with unacceptable consistency, a mathematical programming approach is proposed to improve its consistency. By considering the experts’ subjective and consensus weights, the experts’ comprehensive weights are determined. Some numerical examples illustrate the proposed models.
A Novel Nonlinear Aerodynamic Model of Flutter and Buffeting Based on Condensed DOFs Technology
Authors: Jiang Hongsheng , Ge Yaojun , Li Ke , Liu Shiyi
Published: May 2021

This paper proposes a novel Inertial Coordinates Independent (ICI) aerodynamic model using the condensed degrees of freedom (DOFs) technology. Through a management of the ICI inputs, the aerodynamic forces will not be restricted by the selection of inertial coordinates and will have the same prediction effect for different coordinates. In addition, by including the self-excited force and the buffeting force, and by reducing the appropriate number of aerodynamic DOF, the ability of the proposed model to describe the nonlinear aerodynamic characteristics such as memory effect is enhanced. It can be directly applied to any non-stationary inputs in the time domain, and improve its applicability to structures with large deformations. With the self-developed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, the aerodynamic to-be-identified parameters can be identified by a data-driven method, and the correctness of each term of this model has been verified. Finally, the overall accuracy of the proposed method is examined by comparing both the self-excited force and the hysteresis patterns of ICI model with those results based on a series of CFD simulations of a streamlined bridge deck section.
Dynamic Instability Response of Soft Core Sandwich Plates Based on Higher-Order Plate Theory
Authors: Chen Chun-Sheng , Wang Hai , Yeh Chin-Chang , Chen Wei-Ren
Published: May 2021

The dynamic stability of the foam-filled sandwich plates under arbitrary periodic loads is studied by using Lo’s high-order shear deformation theory. The periodic load is simulated as a combination of axial stress and bending stress. The governing equations are established based on a perturbation method. Through the derived Mathieu-type equation and using the Bolotin method, the dynamic instability regions are determined by solving the eigenvalue problem. The effects of core thickness, static and dynamic load, and bending stress on the dynamic stability behavior of composite sandwich plates with stiff face sheets and soft foam core are studied. The results reveal that the presented higher-order plate theory adopted gives a better estimate of the dynamic stability of the foam-filled sandwich plate than the first-order plate theory.
Locomotion Adaption for Hydraulic Humanoid Wheel-Legged Robots Over Rough Terrains
Authors: Li Xu , Zhang Songyuan , Zhou Haitao , Feng Haibo , Fu Yili
Published: May 2021

Compared with the traditional hydraulic humanoid robots, the WLR-II, a novel hydraulic wheel-legged robot developed by using hose-less design, can significantly increase the reliability and maneuverability. The WLR-II combines the rough-terrain capability of legs with the efficiency of wheels. In this paper, a novel framework called rough-terrain adaption framework (RTAF) is presented which allows WLR-II to move on both flat terrains and terrains with unmodeled contact dynamics. RTAF is a hierarchical framework, which has a high-level balance controller and a low-level impedance controller that a high-performance nested torque controller with feed-forward velocity compensation is used. The low-level impedance controller for the hydraulic-driven unit can cancel out the load dynamics influence such as unexpected terrain disturbances and increase the force-tracking performance. With the high-level balance controller, the robot is able to handle unexpected terrain disturbances through wheel-ground force estimation, pitch/roll balance control and impedance parameter regulator. The proposed approach is suitable for a wheel-legged humanoid robot to manage balance through torque control at joints and regulate force-based interaction on rough terrains. The performance of the proposed RTAF is evaluated on variable gradient slopes and grassland which are the typical rough-terrain scenarios for real-world applications. The experimental results reveal that the maximum speed of grassland movement can reach 3 km/h.
Reaction, structure and spectroscopic properties of bis(cyano) cobalt(III) porphyrin complexes
Authors: Zhao Jianping , He Mingrui , Yao Zhen , Cao Hongli , Yuan Yiwen , Bian Yongzhong , Li Jianfeng
Published: May 2021

Cyanocobalamin and analogues have drawn much attention for the promising applications in photovoltaic and photocatalytic systems. In this study, two low spin bis(cyano) cobalt(III) porphyrin complexes [K(222)][Co[Formula: see text](TPP)(CN)2] and [K(222)][Co[Formula: see text](TMP)(CN)2] (222 = 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxo-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]hexacosane, TPP = meso-tetraphenylporphyrin dianion, TMP = meso-tetramesitylporphyrin dianion), which were isolated from the reactions between [Co[Formula: see text](Porph)] (Porph = Porphyrin) and [K(222)(CN)], are characterized by a single crystal X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopies. Combined UV-vis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigations have been conducted to understand the reaction mechanisms. The work gives new insights into the reactivities and spectroscopic properties of cyano cobalt macrocyclic complexes.
Environmental Issues Related to Refrigeration Technologies
Authors: Coulomb Didier
Published: May 2021

The impact of the refrigeration sector on climate change is important and growing, with four main issues: refrigerants used, energy consumption, food losses and the life cycle of materials. It is increasingly recognized at international level, but these environmental issues are complex, and most solutions are found at national and local levels. The issue of refrigerants is now well known; solutions have already been put in place, both for the stratospheric ozone layer and for climate change, even if these solutions are currently determined in a long-term perspective (mid-century). However, these timeframes may be shortened in the future. Conversely, energy issues (energy efficiency, use of renewable energies), which have so far been insufficiently addressed in most countries, have become an urgent challenge. The same applies to the implementation of cold chains in developing countries in order to reduce food losses and their carbon impact. The dramatic increase in the use of refrigeration, including air conditioning and the cold chain, makes truly sustainable development of this sector particularly important.
Update on Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Upper Extremity: A Descriptive Review
Authors: Pantaleoni Filippo , Petrella Giovanna , Colopi Stefano , Adani Roberto
Published: May 2021

Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (PNSTs) are extremely uncommon and it is almost certain that no individual upper limb surgeon will gain great experience in a lifetime with these lesions. Benign and malignant PNSTs are separately analyzed in this descriptive review and discussed focusing the attention towards the most important features. A comprehensive and summarized overview of this topic is offered to the reader in order to improve the complex management of these tumors from diagnosis to treatment. A systematic search in PubMed was carried out using the keywords (and synonyms) written below in order to find relevant and most cited papers. Reckoning the rarity of the pathology, few selected case reports were taken into account. A compendium of each PNST was created to sum up the personal experience of the Authors who wrote the articles, critically inspected and analyzed. Every section of the paper is meant to provide useful tips to the reader.
CARBON FOOTPRINT OF FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE PRACTICES IN DIFFERENT REGIONS ALONG THE BAY OF BENGAL, INDIA
Authors: ADHIKARI SUBHENDU , MAHANTY DURBADAL , IKMAIL SAROSH , SARKAR SUBHAS , RATHOD RAMESH , PILLAI BINDU RAMAN
Published: May 2021

Carbon footprint analysis for different freshwater aquaculture practices in different states of India along with Bay of Bengal was done. In West Bengal, the average inputs as carbon equivalent (CE) were [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg/ha with an average output of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg live weight/ha. In Odisha, the inputs as CE were [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg/ha with an output of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg live weight/ha. In Andhra Pradesh, the average inputs as CE was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg/ha with an average output of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg live weight/ha for Litopenaeus vannamei culture practices, while the same for Indian major carps culture was [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg/ha with an output of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg live weight/ha, respectively. The average Global Warming Potential (GWP) of all the carp culture practices in different study places was 1.57[Formula: see text]kg CO2-e/kg fish, while the same for [Formula: see text] vannamei culture was 1.87[Formula: see text]kg CO2-e/kg shrimp.
A review of mantle xenoliths in volcanic rocks from southern Victoria Land, Antarctica
Authors: Martin A. P. , Cooper A. F. , Price R. C. , Doherty C. L. , Gamble J. A.
Published: May 2021

Mantle xenoliths from southern Victoria Land have been collected and extensively studied for over a century. In this chapter, chemical and petrological data are, for the first time, comprehensively collated, and petrogenetic models for the regional mantle are reviewed and assessed. The most common lithologies are spinel lherzolite and harzburgite; plagioclase lherzolite also occurs, and pyroxenite xenoliths found across the province comprise <20% of all mantle xenoliths. The lithospheric mantle in the region has Paleoproterozoic stabilization ages, although pockets of younger mantle may exist. This peridotite mantle comprises a HIMU (high
238
U/
204
Pb = high μ)-component
sensu stricto
, has been variably carbonated and has undergone multiple melt-depletion events. Regional variations in a sedimentary (EMI: Enriched Mantle I) component to the west, and iron-rich components to the east, reflect a complex history of refertilization and metasomatism. The sources of these fluids are likely to have been oceanic crust subducted during
c.
0.5 Ga and older events. Peridotites have been cross-cut by pyroxenite veins, probably in multiple episodes, with the geochemistry of some samples reflecting the involvement of an upper continental crust (EMII: Enriched Mantle II) component. Future research directions should apply advanced isotopic, noble gas and volatile techniques to better understand the upper mantle below this dynamic rifting environment.
Chinese Spelling Error Detection Using a Fusion Lattice LSTM
Authors: Wang Hao , Wang Bin , Duan Jianyong , Zhang Jiajun
Published: May 2021

Spelling error detection serves as a crucial preprocessing in many natural language processing applications. Unlike English, where every single word is directly typed by keyboard, we have to use an input method to input Chinese characters. The pinyin input method is the most widely used. By intuition, pinyin should be helpful in detecting spelling errors. However, when detect spelling errors, most of the current methods ignore the pinyin information and adopt a pipeline framework that leads to error propagation. In this article, we propose a fusion lattice-LSTM model under the end-to-end framework to integrate character, word, and pinyin features for error detection. Experiments on the SIGHAN Bake-off-2015 dataset show that pinyin is a discriminating feature, and our end-to-end model outperforms the baseline models obviously.
Layered Double Perovskites
Authors: Evans Hayden A. , Mao Lingling , Seshadri Ram , Cheetham Anthony K.
Published: May 2021

Successful strategies for the design of crystalline materials with useful function are frequently based on the systematic tuning of chemical composition within a given structural family. Perovskites with the formula ABX3, perhaps the best-known example of such a family, have a vast range of elements on A, B, and X sites, which are associated with a similarly vast range of functionality. Layered double perovskites (LDPs), a subset of this family, are obtained by suitable slicing and restacking of the perovskite structure, with the additional design feature of ordered cations and/or anions. In addition to inorganic LDPs, we also discuss hybrid (organic-inorganic) LDPs here, where the A-site cation is a protonated organic amine. Several examples of inorganic LDPs are presented with a discussion of their ferroic, magnetic, and optical properties. The emerging area of hybrid LDPs is particularly rich and is leading to exciting discoveries of new compounds with unique structures and fascinating optoelectronic properties. We provide context for what is important to consider when designing new materials and conclude with a discussion of future opportunities in the broad LDP area.
Early functional changes associated with alpha-synuclein proteinopathy in engineered human neural networks
Authors: Valderhaug Vibeke D. , Heiney Kristine , Ramstad Ola Huse , Bråthen Geir , Kuan Wei-Li , Nichele Stefano , Sandvig Axel , Sandvig Ioanna
Published: May 2021

A patterned spread of proteinopathy represents a common characteristic of many neurodegenerative diseases. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), misfolded forms of α-synuclein proteins accumulate in hallmark pathological inclusions termed Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Such protein aggregates seem to affect selectively vulnerable neuronal populations in the substantia nigra and to propagate within interconnected neuronal networks. Research findings suggest that these proteinopathic inclusions are present at very early time points in disease development, even before clear behavioral symptoms of dysfunction arise. In this study, we investigate the early pathophysiology developing after induced formation of such PD-related α-synuclein inclusions in a physiologically relevant in vitro setup using engineered human neural networks. We monitor the neural network activity using multielectrode arrays (MEAs) for a period of 3 wk following proteinopathy induction to identify associated changes in network function, with a special emphasis on the measure of network criticality. Self-organized criticality represents the critical point between resilience against perturbation and adaptational flexibility, which appears to be a functional trait in self-organizing neural networks, both in vitro and in vivo. We show that although developing pathology at early onset is not clearly manifest in standard measurements of network function, it may be discerned by investigating differences in network criticality states.
Exfoliated epithelial cell transcriptome reflects both small and large intestinal cell signatures in piglets
Authors: Yoon Grace , Davidson Laurie A. , Goldsby Jennifer S. , Mullens Destiny A. , Ivanov Ivan , Donovan Sharon M. , Chapkin Robert S.
Published: May 2021

The transcriptome of exfoliated epithelial cells in stool contain gene signatures from both small and large intestinal mucosa affording a noninvasive approach to assess gut health and function.
Patient personalized translational tools in cystic fibrosis to transform data from bench to bed-side and back
Authors: Arora Kavisha , Yang Fanmuyi , Brewington John , McPhail Gary , Cortez Alexander R. , Sundaram Nambirajan , Ramananda Yashaswini , Ogden Herbert , Helmrath Michael , Clancy John P. , Naren Anjaparavanda P.
Published: May 2021

In this study, we report an example of laboratory models informing clinical care for rare CF mutation patient, with subsequent recapitulation of clinical benefit in a unique and disease relevant, human-derived in vivo model, effectively translating data from the lab to the clinic and back. This extensive work outlines a potential platform to identify patient specific therapies and to understand relevant developmental abnormalities associated with CF disease.
Amygdala microglia modify neuronal plasticity via complement C1q/C3-CR3 signaling and contribute to visceral pain in a rat model
Authors: Yuan Tian , Orock Albert , Meerveld Beverley Greenwood-Van
Published: May 2021

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) show altered amygdala activity. We showed previously that stress induces visceral hypersensitivity partially through microglia-modulated synaptic plasticity in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Our current data suggest that the C1q/C3-CR3 cascade initiates microglia-mediated synaptic remodeling in the CeA. Blocking C3-CR3 interaction attenuates stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity. These findings uncover a role of microglia-synapse signaling in the brain-gut regulation and support a future therapeutic target to treat visceral pain.
Metabolomic profiles are reflective of hypoxia-induced insulin resistance during exercise in healthy young adult males
Authors: Margolis Lee M. , Karl J. Philip , Wilson Marques A. , Coleman Julie L. , Ferrando Arny A. , Young Andrew J. , Pasiakos Stefan M.
Published: May 2021

Hypoxia-induced insulin resistance appears to suppress exogenous glucose oxidation during metabolically matched aerobic exercise during acute (<8 h) high-altitude (HA) exposure. However, a better understanding of this metabolic dysregulation is needed to identify interventions to mitigate these effects. The objective of this study was to determine if differences in metabolomic profiles during exercise at sea level (SL) and HA are reflective of hypoxia-induced insulin resistance. Native lowlanders ( n = 8 males) consumed 145 g (1.8 g/min) of glucose while performing 80-min of metabolically matched treadmill exercise at SL (757 mmHg) and HA (460 mmHg) after 5-h exposure. Exogenous glucose oxidation and glucose turnover were determined using indirect calorimetry and dual tracer technique ([13C]glucose and [6,6-2H2]glucose). Metabolite profiles were analyzed in serum as change (Δ), calculated by subtracting postprandial/exercised state SL (ΔSL) and HA (ΔHA) from fasted, rested conditions at SL. Compared with SL, exogenous glucose oxidation, glucose rate of disappearance, and glucose metabolic clearance rate (MCR) were lower ( P < 0.05) during exercise at HA. One hundred and eighteen metabolites differed between ΔSL and ΔHA ( P < 0.05, Q <  0.10). Differences in metabolites indicated increased glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid catabolism, oxidative stress, and fatty acid storage, and decreased fatty acid mobilization for ΔHA. Branched-chain amino acids and oxidative stress metabolites, Δ3-methyl-2-oxobutyrate ( r = −0.738) and Δγ-glutamylalanine ( r = −0.810), were inversely associated ( P < 0.05) with Δexogenous glucose oxidation. Δ3-Hydroxyisobutyrate ( r = −0.762) and Δ2-hydroxybutyrate/2-hydroxyisobutyrate ( r = −0.738) were inversely associated ( P < 0.05) with glucose MCR. Coupling global metabolomics and glucose kinetic data suggest that the underlying cause for diminished exogenous glucose oxidative capacity during aerobic exercise is acute hypoxia-mediated peripheral insulin resistance.
Vascular permeability of skeletal muscle microvessels in rat arterial ligation model: in vivo analysis using two-photon laser scanning microscopy
Authors: Shimotsu Rie , Hotta Kzuki , Ikegami Ryo , Asamura Tomoyo , Tabuchi Ayaka , Masamoto Kazuto , Yagishita Kazuyoshi , Poole David C. , Kano Yutaka
Published: May 2021

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the lower limb compromises oxygen supply due to arterial occlusion. Ischemic skeletal muscle is accompanied by capillary structural deformation. Therefore, using novel microscopy techniques, we tested the hypothesis that endothelial cell swelling temporally and quantitatively corresponds to enhanced microvascular permeability. Hindlimb ischemia was created in male Wistar rat’s by iliac artery ligation (AL). The tibialis anterior (TA) muscle microcirculation was imaged using intravenously infused rhodamine B isothiocyanate dextran fluorescent dye via two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) and dye extravasation at 3 and 7 days post-AL quantified to assess microvascular permeability. The TA microvascular endothelial ultrastructure was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Compared with control (0.40 ± 0.15 μm3 × 106), using TPLSM, the volumetrically determined interstitial leakage of fluorescent dye measured at 3 (3.0 ± 0.40 μm3 × 106) and 7 (2.5 ± 0.8 μm3 × 106) days was increased (both P < 0.05). Capillary wall thickness was also elevated at 3 (0.21 ± 0.06 μm) and 7 (0.21 ± 0.08 μm) days versus control (0.11 ± 0.03 μm, both P < 0.05). Capillary endothelial cell swelling was temporally and quantitatively associated with elevated vascular permeability in the AL model of PAD but these changes occurred in the absence of elevations in protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) its receptor (VEGFR2 which decreased by AL-7 day) or matrix metalloproteinase. The temporal coherence of endothelial cell swelling and increased vascular permeability supports a common upstream mediator. TPLSM, in combination with TEM, provides a sensitive and spatially discrete technique to assess the mechanistic bases for, and efficacy of, therapeutic countermeasures to the pernicious sequelae of compromised peripheral arterial function.
Sensitivity of unilateral- versus bilateral-onset spike-wave discharges to ethosuximide and carbamazepine in the fluid percussion injury rat model of traumatic brain injury
Authors: Tatum Sean , Smith Zachariah Z. , Taylor Jeremy A. , Poulsen David J. , Dudek F. Edward , Barth Daniel S.
Published: May 2021

Unilateral-onset spike-wave discharges (SWDs) in rats have been used to model complex partial seizures in human posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE), compared to bilateral-onset SWDs thought to reflect human absence seizures. Here, we show that both unilateral- and bilateral-onset SWDs following traumatic brain injury are suppressed by the antiabsence drug ethosuximide and are unaffected by the antiseizure drug carbamazepine. We propose that unilateral-onset SWDs are not useful for studying mechanisms of, or treatments for, PTE.
Movement signaling in ventral pallidum and dopaminergic midbrain is gated by behavioral state in singing birds
Authors: Chen Ruidong , Gadagkar Vikram , Roeser Andrea C. , Puzerey Pavel A. , Goldberg Jesse H.
Published: May 2021

Neural signals in the limbic system have long been known to represent body movements as well as reward. Here we show that single neurons dramatically change their tuning from movement to song timing when a bird starts to sing.
Functional subgroups of cochlear inner hair cell ribbon synapses differently modulate their EPSC properties in response to stimulation
Authors: Niwa Mamiko , Young Eric D. , Glowatzki Elisabeth , Ricci Anthony J.
Published: May 2021

Data presented here provide the first direct functional evidence of late synaptic maturation of the hair cell- spiral ganglion neuron synapse, where pillar synapses mature after postnatal day 20. Data identify a presynaptic difference in release during stimulation. This difference may in part drive afferent firing properties.
The roles of the lateral intraparietal area and frontal eye field in guiding eye movements in free viewing search behavior
Authors: Mirpour Koorosh , Bisley James W.
Published: May 2021

The lateral intrapareital area (LIP) and frontal eye field (FEF) are known to contribute to guiding eye movements, but little is known about the unique roles that each area plays. Using a free viewing visual search task, we found that LIP provides a stable map of the visual world, integrating task rules and stimulus identity. FEF activity is consistently modulated by more complex information but, just before the saccade, integrates all the information to make the final decision about where to move.
Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA): Intravenous Administration (IV-PCA) versus Oral Administration (Oral-PCA) by Using a Novel Device (PCoA® Acute) for Hospitalized Patients with Acute Postoperative Pain—A Comparative Retrospective Study
Authors: Wirz Stefan , Seidensticker Stefanie , Shtrichman Ronit
Published: May 2021

Background. Acute postoperative pain delays recovery and increases morbidity and mortality. Opioid therapy is effective but is accompanied by adverse reactions. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) enables self-administration of analgesics. Oral-PCA is a safe and beneficial alternative to intravenous (IV) PCA. We have developed a novel Oral-PCA device, which enables self-administration of solid pills to the patient’s mouth. This is a retrospective study comparing the effectiveness and usability of this novel Oral-PCA with those of IV-PCA. Methods. Medical records of patients who received PCA following gynecology and orthopedic surgeries were analyzed. The control cohort (n = 61) received oxycodone by IV-PCA. The test cohort (n = 44) received oxycodone by Oral-PCA via the PCoA Acute device. Outcome measures include the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score at rest and movement, side effects, technical difficulties, bolus dose administered, and bolus dose requested. Results. Patient demographics, initial NRS, and PCA duration were comparable between cohorts. NRS reduction in rest and movement was stronger in the Oral-PCA cohort (rest: 1.61 and 2.27,P = 0.077; movement: 2.05 and 2.84,P = 0.039), indicating better pain control and mobility for Oral-PCA. Side effect rates were comparable between cohorts (9% and 11% of patients who experienced side effects,P = 1.000). The rate of technological difficulties was higher in the Oral-PCoA cohort (19.7% and 36.4%,P = 0.056). The mean total bolus dose administered to patients was comparable in both cohorts (18.32 mg and 21.14 mg oxycodone,P = 0.270). However, the mean total boluses requested by patients during lockout intervals were lower in the Oral-PCA cohort (12.8 mg and 6.82 mg oxycodone,P = 0.004), indicating better pain control. Conclusions. Oral-PCA by using PCoA® Acute provides pain control and usability which is noninferior to the IV-PCA, as well as superior to pain reduction in rest and movement. These results, along with the noninvasiveness, medication flexibility, and reduced cost, suggest the potential of Oral-PCA, by using PCoA Acute, to replace IV-PCA for postoperative analgesia.
Group Abnormal Behaviour Detection Algorithm Based on Global Optical Flow
Authors: Hao Yu , Liu Ying , Fan Jiulun , Xu Zhijie
Published: May 2021

Abnormal behaviour detection algorithm needs to conduct behaviour analysis on the basis of continuous video inclination tracking, and the robustness of the algorithm is reduced for the occlusion of moving targets, the occlusion of the environment, and the movement of targets with the same colour. For this reason, the optical flow information between RGB (red, green, and blue) images and video frames is used as the input of the network in view of group behaviour. Then, the direction, velocity, acceleration, and energy of the crowd were weighted and fused into a global optical flow descriptor. At the same time, the crowd trajectory map is extracted from the original image of a single frame. Following, in order to realize the detection of large displacement moving target and solve the problem that the traditional optical flow algorithm is only suitable for the detection of displacement moving target, a video abnormal behaviour detection algorithm based on the double‐flow convolutional neural network is proposed. The network uses two network branches to learn spatial dimension information and temporal dimension information, respectively, and uses short‐ and long‐time neural network to model the dependency relationship between long‐time video frames, so as to obtain the final behaviour classification results. Simulation test results show that the proposed method can achieve good recognition effect on multiple datasets, and the performance of abnormal behaviour detection can be significantly improved by using interframe motion information.
Automatic Integrated Scoring Model for English Composition Oriented to Part‐Of‐Speech Tagging
Authors: Chen Fei
Published: May 2021

Part‐of‐speech tagging for English composition is the basis for automatic correction of English composition. The performance of the part‐of‐speech tagging system directly affects the performance of the marking and analysis of the correction system. Therefore, this paper proposes an automatic scoring model for English composition based on article part‐of‐speech tagging. First, use the convolutional neural network to extract the word information from the character level and use this part of the information in the coarse‐grained learning layer. Secondly, the word‐level vector is introduced, and the residual network is used to establish an information path to integrate the coarse‐grained annotation and word vector information. Then, the model relies on the recurrent neural network to extract the overall information of the sequence data to obtain accurate annotation results. Then, the features of the text content are extracted, and the automatic scoring model of English composition is constructed by means of model fusion. Finally, this paper uses the English composition scoring competition data set on the international data mining competition platform Kaggle to verify the effect of the model.
A Mixture of Regular Vines for Multiple Dependencies
Authors: Alanazi Fadhah Amer
Published: May 2021

To uncover complex hidden dependency structures among variables, researchers have used a mixture of vine copula constructions. To date, these have been limited to a subclass of regular vine models, the so-called drawable vine, fitting only one type of bivariate copula for all variable pairs. However, the variation of complex hidden correlations from one pair of variables to another is more likely to be present in many real datasets. Single-type bivariate copulas are unable to deal with such a problem. In addition, the regular vine copula model is much more capable and flexible than its subclasses. Hence, to fully uncover and describe complex hidden dependency structures among variables and provide even further flexibility to the mixture of regular vine models, a mixture of regular vine models, with a mixed choice of bivariate copulas, is proposed in this paper. The model was applied to simulated and real data to illustrate its performance. The proposed model shows significant performance over the mixture of R-vine densities with a single copula family fitted to all pairs.
Importance in the Occurrence Distribution of Minimum Oropharyngeal Cross‐Sectional Area in the Different Skeletal Patterns Using Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Chen Ying-Sheng , Chou Szu-Ting , Cheng Jung-Hsuan , Chen Shis-Chieh , Pan Chin-Yun , Tseng Yu-Chuan
Published: May 2021

Purpose. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition involving repetitive partial or complete collapse of the pharyngeal airway, especially in patient with mandibular hypoplasia. The present study investigated the differences between the volume of the oropharyngeal airway and the minimum axial area in three skeletal patterns through the use of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods. CBCT scans of 147 patients were collected to measure the upper oropharyngeal airway volume (UOV), lower oropharyngeal airway volume (LOV), upper oropharyngeal airway area (UOA), minimum upper oropharyngeal airway area (MUOA), lower oropharyngeal airway area (LOA), minimum lower oropharyngeal airway area (MLOA), anatomical structures (orbitale, Or; porion, Po; pogonion, Pog; hyoid, H; second cervical vertebra, C2; fourth cervical vertebra, C4), and relevant angles. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Pearson’s test. Results. Compared with patients in Class II, those in Class III and Class I exhibited a significantly anterior position of H and Pog. The vertical positions of H and Pog revealed no significant difference between the three skeletal patterns. Patients in skeletal Class III exhibited significantly larger oropharyngeal area (UOA, MUOA, LOA, MLOA) and oropharyngeal airway (UOV and LOV) than those in skeletal Class II did. The horizontal position of Pog had a moderately significant correlation with UOA (r = 0.471) and MUOA (r = 0.455). Conclusion. Patients in skeletal Class II had significantly smaller oropharyngeal airway areas and volumes than those in Class III did. The minimum oropharyngeal cross‐sectional area had a 67% probability of occurrence in the upper oropharyngeal airway among patients in Class I and Class II and a 50% probability of occurrence among patients in Class III.
Research on Real-Time Anomaly Detection of Fishing Vessels in a Marine Edge Computing Environment
Authors: Huang Jie , Zhu Fengwei , Huang Zejun , Wan Jian , Ren Yongjian
Published: May 2021

Fishing vessel monitoring systems (VMSs) play an important role in ensuring the safety of fishing vessel operations. Traditional VMSs use a cloud centralized computing model, and the storage, processing, and visualization of all fishing vessel data are completed in the monitoring center. Due to the limitation of maritime communications, the data generated by fishing vessels cannot be fully utilized, and communication delays lead to inadequate warnings in cases of fishing vessel abnormalities. In this paper, we present a real-time anomaly detection model (RADM) for fishing vessels based on edge computing. The model runs in the edge layer, making full use of the information of moving edge nodes and nearby nodes, and combines a historical trajectory extraction detection model with an online anomaly detection model to detect anomalies. The detection model of historical trajectory extraction mines frequent patterns in historical trajectories through multifeature clustering and identifies trajectories that are different from the frequent patterns as anomalies. Online anomaly detection algorithms detect anomalous behavior in specific scenarios based on the spatiotemporal neighborhood similarity and reduce the impact of anomaly evolution. Experiments show that RADM was more effective than traditional methods in real-time anomaly detection of fishing vessels, which provides a new method for upgrading the technology of traditional VMS.
Pleiotropic Effect of Hormone Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I in Immune Response and Pathogenesis in Leishmaniases
Authors: Reis Luiza C. , Ramos-Sanchez Eduardo Milton , Araujo Fernanda N. , Leal Ariane F. , Ozaki Christiane Y. , Sevillano Orlando R. , Uscata Bernardina A. , Goto Hiro
Published: May 2021

Leishmaniases are diseases caused by several Leishmania species, and many factors contribute to the development of the infection. Because the adaptive immune response does not fully explain the outcome of Leishmania infection and considering that the initial events are crucial in the establishment of the infection, we investigated one of the growth factors, the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), found in circulation and produced by different cells including macrophages and present in the skin where the parasite is inoculated. Here, we review the role of IGF-I in leishmaniasis experimental models and human patients. IGF-I induces the growth of different Leishmania species in vitro and alters the disease outcome increasing the parasite load and lesion size, especially in L. major- and L. amazonensis-infected mouse leishmaniasis. IGF-I affects the parasite interacting with the IGF-I receptor present on Leishmania. During Leishmania-macrophage interaction, IGF-I acts on the arginine metabolic pathway, resulting in polyamine production both in macrophages and Leishmania. IGF-I and cytokines interact with reciprocal influences on their expression. IL-4 is a hallmark of susceptibility to L. major in murine leishmaniasis, but we observed that IGF-I operates astoundingly as an effector element of the IL-4. Approaching human leishmaniasis, patients with mucosal, disseminated, and visceral diseases presented surprisingly low IGF-I serum levels, suggesting diverse effects than parasite growth. We observed that low IGF-I levels might contribute to the inflammatory response persistence and delayed lesion healing in human cutaneous leishmaniasis and the anemia development in visceral leishmaniasis. We must highlight the complexity of infection revealed depending on the Leishmania species and the parasite’s developmental stages. Because IGF-I exerts pleiotropic effects on the biology of interaction and disease pathogenesis, IGF-I turns up as an attractive tool to explore biological and pathogenic processes underlying infection development. IGF-I pleiotropic effects open further the possibility of approaching IGF-I as a therapeutical target.
Maternal Probiotic or Synbiotic Supplementation Modulates Jejunal and Colonic Antioxidant Capacity, Mitochondrial Function, and Microbial Abundance in Bama Mini‐piglets
Authors: Wang Kai , Kong Xiangfeng , Azad Md. Abul Kalam , Zhu Qian , Xiong Liang , Zheng Yuzhong , Hu Zhangli , Yin Yulong , He Qinghua
Published: May 2021

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of maternal probiotic or synbiotic supplementation during gestation and lactation on antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function, and intestinal microbiota abundance in offspring weaned piglets. A total of 64 pregnant Bama mini‐sows were randomly allocated into the control group (basal diet), antibiotic group (basal diet + 50 g/t virginiamycin), probiotic group (basal diet + 200 mL/d probiotics per pig), or synbiotic group (basal diet + 200 mL/d probiotics per pig + 500 g/t xylo‐oligosaccharides). On day 30 of post‐weaning, eight piglets per group with average body weight were selected for sample collection. The results showed that maternal probiotic supplementation increased the catalase (CAT) activity in plasma and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in plasma, jejunum, and colon of piglets while decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 concentrations in plasma compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal synbiotic supplementation increased the plasma CAT activity, jejunal glutathione and GSH‐Px activities, jejunal and colonic total antioxidant capacity activity, and plasma and colonic SOD activity while decreased the colonic MDA concentration of offspring piglets compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The mRNA levels of antioxidant enzyme‐related genes (copper‐ and zinc‐containing superoxide dismutase, nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 1, and nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2) and mitochondrial‐related genes (adenosine triphosphate synthase alpha subunit, adenosine triphosphate synthase β, and mitochondrial transcription factor A) in the jejunal mucosa were significantly upregulated, while the level of colonic peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ coactivator‐1α was downregulated by maternal synbiotic supplementation (P < 0.05). Maternal probiotic supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the Bacteroidetes abundance in the jejunum and Bifidobacterium abundance in the jejunum and colon, and synbiotic supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the abundances of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that intestinal microbiota abundances were significantly correlated with antioxidant enzyme activities and mitochondrial‐related indexes. These findings indicated that maternal probiotic or synbiotic supplementation might be a promising strategy to improve the antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function of offspring weaned piglets by altering the intestinal microbiota.