bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Iterative Positive Solution for a System of Fractional q-Difference Equations with Four-Point Boundary Conditions
Authors: Bai Chuanzhi , Yang Dandan
Published: March 2020

In this work, we investigate the following system of fractional q-difference equations with four-point boundary problems: Dqαut+ft,vt=0,0<t<1;Dqβvt+gt,ut=0,0<t<1;u0=0,u1=γ1uη1; and v0=0,v1=γ2uη2, where Dqα and Dqβ are the fractional Riemann–Liouville q-derivative of order α and β, respectively, 0<q<1, 1<β≤α≤2, 0<η1,η2<1, 0<γ1η1α−1<1, and 0<γ2η2β−1<1. By virtue of monotone iterative approach, the iterative positive solutions are obtained. An example to illustrate our result is given.
Comparison of Dosimetric Gains Provided by Intensity‐Modulated Radiotherapy, Volume‐Modulated Arc Therapy, and Helical Tomotherapy for High‐Grade Glioma
Authors: Liu Pei , Liu Gui , Wang Guihua , Zhou Weibing , Sun Yangqing , Chen Wen , Zeng Qian , Hong Jidong , Xie Qiongxuan , Ou Ludi , Wei Rui
Published: March 2020

Purpose. Because of the poor prognosis for high‐grade glioma (HGG) patients, it is important to increase the dose of the tumor to improve the efficacy while minimizing the dose of organs at risk (OARs). Thus, we evaluated the potential dosimetric gains of helical tomotherapy (HT) versus intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or volume‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for high‐grade glioma (HGG). Methods. A total of 42 HGG patients were retrospectively selected who had undergone helical tomotherapy; then, IMRT and VMAT plans were generated and optimized for comparison after contouring crucial neuronal structures for neurogenesis and neurocognitive function. IMRT and VMAT were optimized with the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) (Version 11.0.31) and HT using TomoTherapy Hi‐Art Software (Version 2.0.7) (Accuray, Madison, WI, USA). All three techniques were optimized for simultaneously delivering 60 Gy to planning target volume (PTV) 1 and 50‐54 Gy to PTV2. We also analyzed the homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of PTVs and organ at risk (OAR) sparing. Results. There was no significant difference in the PTV coverage among IMRT, VMAT, or HT. As for the HI, HT plans (PTV1 HI: 0.09 ± 0.03, PTV2 HI: 0.17 ± 0.05) had the best homogeneity when compared to IMRT plans (PTV1 HI: 0.10 ± 0.04, PTV2 HI: 0.18 ± 0.04) and VMAT plans (PTV1 HI: 0.11 ± 0.03, PTV2 HI: 0.20 ± 0.03). The CI value of HT (PTV1 CI: 0.98 ± 0.03, PTV2: 0.98 ± 0.05) was closest to the optimal value. Except for the IMRT and VMAT groups, there were statistically significant differences between the other two groups of the CI values in both PTV1 and PTV2. The other comparison values were statistically significant except for the optic nerve, and VMAT had the best sparing of the optic chiasm. The mean and max doses of OARs declined significantly in HT. Conclusions. For high‐grade glioma patients, HT had superior outcomes in terms of PTV coverage and OAR sparing as compared with IMRT/VMAT.
Deep Domain Adaptation Model for Bearing Fault Diagnosis with Domain Alignment and Discriminative Feature Learning
Authors: An Jing , Ai Ping , Liu Dakun
Published: March 2020

Deep learning techniques have been widely used to achieve promising results for fault diagnosis. In many real-world fault diagnosis applications, labeled training data (source domain) and unlabeled test data (target domain) have different distributions due to the frequent changes of working conditions, leading to performance degradation. This study proposes an end-to-end unsupervised domain adaptation bearing fault diagnosis model that combines domain alignment and discriminative feature learning on the basis of a 1D convolutional neural network. Joint training with classification loss, center-based discriminative loss, and correlation alignment loss between the two domains can adapt learned representations in the source domain for application to the target domain. Such joint training can also guarantee domain-invariant features with good intraclass compactness and interclass separability. Meanwhile, the extracted features can efficiently improve the cross-domain testing performance. Experimental results on the Case Western Reserve University bearing datasets confirm the superiority of the proposed method over many existing methods.
Mild Hypothermia Attenuates Hepatic Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury through Regulating the JAK2/STAT3-CPT1a-Dependent Fatty Acid β-Oxidation
Authors: Wang Wei , Hu Xiaoyan , Xia Zhiping , Liu Zhongzhong , Zhong Zibiao , Lu Zhongshan , Liu Anxiong , Ye Shaojun , Cao Qin , Wang Yanfeng , Zhu Fan , Ye Qifa
Published: March 2020

Hepatic ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is a clinical issue that can result in poor outcome and lacks effective therapies at present. Mild hypothermia (32–35°C) is a physiotherapy that has been reported to significantly alleviate IR injury, while its protective effects are attributed to multiple mechanisms, one of which may be the regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). The aim of the present study was to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of FAO in the protective effects of mild hypothermia. We used male mice to establish the experimental models as previously described. In brief, before exposure to in situ ischemia for 1 h and reperfusion for 6 h, mice received pretreatment with mild hypothermia for 2 h and etomoxir (inhibitor of FAO) or leptin (activator of FAO) for 1 h, respectively. Then, tissue and blood samples were collected to evaluate the liver injury, oxidative stress, and changes in hepatic FAO. We found that mild hypothermia significantly reduced the hepatic enzyme levels and the score of hepatic pathological injury, hepatocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial injury. In addition, the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme (CPT1a) of hepatic FAO was downregulated almost twofold by IR, while this inhibition could be significantly reversed by mild hypothermia. Experiments with leptin and etomoxir confirmed that activation of FAO could also reduce the hepatic enzyme levels and the score of hepatic pathological injury, hepatocyte apoptosis, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial injury induced by IR, which had the similar effects to mild hypothermia, while inhibition of FAO had negative effects. Furthermore, mild hypothermia and leptin could promote the phosphorylation of JAK2/STAT3 and upregulate the ratio of BCL-2/BAX to suppress hepatocyte apoptosis. Thus, we concluded that FAO played an important role in hepatic IR injury and mild hypothermia attenuated hepatic IR injury mainly via the regulation of JAK2/STAT3-CPT1a-dependent FAO.
Violence against Health-Care Workers in Governmental Health Facilities in Arar City, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Anazi Ruqayyah B. , AlQahtani Saeed M. , Mohamad Amal E. , Hammad Sabry M. , Khleif Hossam
Published: March 2020

Background. Violence against health-care workers (HCWs) showed increasing worldwide concern. No previous studies addressed violence against HCWs in the Northern region, Saudi Arabia.Objectives. To determine the prevalence of violence against HCWs in public hospitals and primary health-care centers in Arar city, KSA, and to identify its associated factors.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 352 HCWs in the Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities in Arar city from 1stOctober to 31stDecember 2018. Consented HCWs completed a structured self-administered questionnaire which was modified from the WHO questionnaire for violence.Results. Out of 352 health-care workers, 171 (48.6%) reported exposure to violence during work in the past year. The verbal violence was the most common form experienced (83%). Physicians were the main exposed group (59%). Being non-Saudi HCWs, older with longer duration of experience, working in hospitals, working in the emergency room, and working in evening or night shifts were significantly associated with more exposure to violence. The unmet demand for the patient and deficient staff number were the leading reasons for aggression. Only 16.4% of assaulted HCWs reported the violent acts to the higher health affairs authority with the most frequent reasons for nonreporting were their perception that it was useless and their fear of negative consequences.Conclusions. Violence against HCWs in Arar city, KSA, is a prevalent problem. Improving health security system and increasing staffing and their training on proper dealing with violence are highly recommended. Also, enforcing rules and regulations is an important demand to control and prevent violence against HCWs.
Research on Ceramic Spindle Loss Based on Ceramic Reverse Magnetic Effect
Authors: Zhang Ke , Wang Zinan , Bai Xiaotian , Shi Huaitao , Li Songhua
Published: March 2020

Ceramic motorized spindle is a multifield, nonlinear, and strong coupling system. The present model ignores the reverse magnetic effect and has a poor accuracy on the loss of the spindle system. In the paper, Park transformation was used to establish the electromagnetic physical model of ceramic motorized spindle. By combining with the Jiles–Atherton theory, an eccentric magnetization model of a ceramic motorized spindle considering reverse magnetic properties was established. Energy consumption parameters were calculated under various working conditions. The influence of ceramic reverse magnetic characteristics on the motorized spindle loss was analyzed and verified by experiments. The results show that the simulation of the ceramic motorized spindle loss model is in good agreement with the experimental results. Compared with the experimental results, the average loss error was 2.1%. Due to the reverse magnetic characteristics, the application of ceramic motorized spindle can help reduce the system loss. The ceramic motorized spindle model provides a theoretical basis for the development of ceramic spindle energy loss and efficiency.
Approximation of the Fixed Point of Multivalued Quasi-Nonexpansive Mappings via a Faster Iterative Process with Applications
Authors: Okeke Godwin Amechi , Abbas Mujahid , de la Sen Manuel
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we approximate the fixed points of multivalued quasi-nonexpansive mappings via a faster iterative process and propose a faster fixed-point iterative method for finding the solution of two-point boundary value problems. We prove analytically and with series of numerical experiments that the Picard–Ishikawa hybrid iterative process has the same rate of convergence as the CR iterative process.
Twelve‐Week Gait Retraining Reduced Patellofemoral Joint Stress during Running in Male Recreational Runners
Authors: Wang Baofeng , Yang Yang , Zhang Xini , Wang Junqing , Deng Liqin , Fu Weijie
Published: March 2020

Purpose. To explore the changes in knee sagittal angle and moment and patellofemoral joint (PFJ) force and stress before and after 12‐week gait retraining. Methods. A total of 30 healthy male recreational runners were randomized into a control group (n = 15) who ran in their original strike pattern using minimalist shoes or experimental group (n = 15) who ran in a forefoot strike pattern using minimalist shoes during the 12‐week gait retraining. The kinematic and kinetic data of the dominant leg of the participants during the 12 km/h running were collected by 3D motion capture systems and 3D force platforms. Besides, the biomechanical property of the PFJ was calculated on the basis of the joint force model and the regression equation of the contact area. Results. After the 12‐week gait retraining, 78% of the rearfoot strikers turned into forefoot strikers. Peak knee extension moment and peak PFJ stress decreased by 13.8% and 13.3% without altering the running speed, respectively. Meanwhile, no changes in maximum knee flexion angle/extension moment and PFJ force/stress were observed for the control group. Conclusion. The 12‐week gait retraining effectively reduced the PFJ stress, thereby providing a potential means of reducing the risk of patellofemoral pain syndrome while running.
Percutaneous Closure of PFO in Patients with Reduced Oxygen Saturation at Rest and during Exercise: Short- and Long-Term Results
Authors: De Cuyper Céline , Pauwels Tristan , Derom Eric , De Pauw Michel , De Wolf Daniël , Vermeersch Paul , Van Berendoncks An , Paelinck Bernard , Vermeersch Gaëlle
Published: March 2020

Background. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a rare cause of hypoxemia and clinical symptoms of dyspnea. Due to a right-to-left shunt, desaturated blood enters the systemic circulation in a subset of patients resulting in dyspnea and a subsequent reduction in quality of life (QoL). Percutaneous closure of PFO is the treatment of choice. Objectives. This retrospective multicentre study evaluates short- and long-term results of percutaneous closure of PFO in patients with dyspnea and/or reduced oxygen saturation. Methods. Patients with respiratory symptoms were selected from databases containing all patients percutaneously closed between January 2000 and September 2018. Improvement in dyspnea, oxygenation, and QoL was investigated using pre- and postprocedural lung function parameters and two postprocedural questionnaires (SF-36 and PFSDQ-M). Results. The average follow-up period was 36 [12–43] months, ranging from 0 months to 14 years. Percutaneous closure was successful in 15 of the 16 patients. All patients reported subjective improvement in dyspnea immediately after device deployment, consistent with their improvement in oxygen saturation (from 90 ± 6% to 94 [92–97%] on room air and in upright position) (p<0.05). Both questionnaires also indicated an improvement of dyspnea and QoL after closure. The two early and two late deaths were unrelated to the procedure. Conclusion. PFO-related dyspnea and/or hypoxemia can be treated successfully with a percutaneous intervention with long-lasting benefits on oxygen saturation, dyspnea, and QoL.
The Matrix Revolution: Matricellular Proteins and Restructuring of the Cancer Microenvironment
Authors: Gerarduzzi Casimiro , Hartmann Ursula , Leask Andrew , Drobetsky Elliot
Published: March 2020

The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding cells is indispensable for regulating their behavior. The dynamics of ECM signaling are tightly controlled throughout growth and development. During tissue remodeling, matricellular proteins (MCP) are secreted into the ECM. These factors do not serve classical structural roles, but rather regulate matrix proteins and cell–matrix interactions to influence normal cellular functions. In the tumor microenvironment, it is becoming increasingly clear that aberrantly expressed MCPs can support multiple hallmarks of carcinogenesis by interacting with various cellular components that are coupled to an array of downstream signals. Moreover, MCPs also reorganize the biomechanical properties of the ECM to accommodate metastasis and tumor colonization. This realization is stimulating new research on MCPs as reliable and accessible biomarkers in cancer, as well as effective and selective therapeutic targets.
Assessment of the Efficacy of Therapies Following Venetoclax Discontinuation in CLL Reveals BTK Inhibition as an Effective Strategy
Authors: Mato Anthony R. , Roeker Lindsey E. , Jacobs Ryan , Hill Brian T. , Lamanna Nicole , Brander Danielle , Shadman Mazyar , Ujjani Chaitra S. , Yazdy Maryam Sarraf , Perini Guilherme Fleury , Pinilla-Ibarz Javier A. , Barrientos Jacqueline , Skarbnik Alan P. , Torka Pallawi , Pu Jeffrey J. , Pagel John M. , Gohil Satyen , Fakhri Bita , Choi Michael , Coombs Catherine C. , Rhodes Joanna , Barr Paul M. , Portell Craig A. , Parry Helen , Garcia Christine A. , Whitaker Kate J. , Winter Allison M. , Sitlinger Andrea , Khajavian Sirin , Grajales-Cruz Ariel F. , Isaac Krista M. , Shah Pratik , Akhtar Othman S. , Pocock Rachael , Lam Kentson , Voorhees Timothy J. , Schuster Stephen J. , Rodgers Thomas D. , Fox Christopher P. , Martinez-Calle Nicolas , Munir Talha , Bhavsar Erica B. , Bailey Neil , Lee Jason C. , Weissbrot Hanna B. , Nabhan Chadi , Goodfriend Julie M. , King Amber C. , Zelenetz Andrew D. , Dorsey Colleen , Bigelow Kayla , Cheson Bruce D. , Allan John N. , Eyre Toby A.
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

Venetoclax-based therapy is a standard-of-care option in first-line and relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Patient management following venetoclax discontinuation remains nonstandard and poorly understood.

Experimental Design:

To address this, we conducted a large international study to identify a cohort of 326 patients who discontinued venetoclax and have been subsequently treated. Coprimary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival for the post-venetoclax treatments stratified by treatment type [Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi), PI3K inhibitor (PI3Ki), and cellular therapies].

Results:

We identified patients with CLL who discontinued venetoclax in the first-line (4%) and relapsed/refractory settings (96%). Patients received a median of three therapies prior to venetoclax; 40% were BTKi naïve (n = 130), and 81% were idelalisib naïve (n = 263). ORR to BTKi was 84% (n = 44) in BTKi-naïve patients versus 54% (n = 30) in BTKi-exposed patients. We demonstrate therapy selection following venetoclax requires prior novel agent exposure consideration and discontinuation reasons.

Conclusions:

For BTKi-naïve patients, selection of covalently binding BTKis results in high ORR and durable remissions. For BTKi-exposed patients, covalent BTK inhibition is not effective in the setting of BTKi resistance. PI3Kis following venetoclax do not appear to result in durable remissions. We conclude that BTKi in naïve or previously responsive patients and cellular therapies following venetoclax may be the most effective strategies.

See related commentary by Rogers, p. 3501
Telomere Attrition in Childhood Cancer Survivors
Authors: Walsh Kyle M.
Published: March 2020

Childhood cancer survivors experience substantial treatment-related morbidity and biomarkers of long-term survivor health are needed. Leukocyte telomere length is shortened in childhood cancer survivors and associates with the occurrence of numerous chronic health conditions. Healthy lifestyle factors can attenuate telomere attrition in young-adult survivors, implicating critical windows for intervention.

See related article by Song et al., p. 2362
Lymphatic Vessels Enhancing Adaptive Immunity Deteriorates Renal Inflammation and Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Wu Jianliang , Pei Guangchang , Zeng Rui , Xu Gang
Published: March 2020

Background: Lymphatic vessels transport lymph away from microvascular beds into the cardiovascular system. The basic function of the lymphatic system include absorption of water and macromolecules in the interstitial fluid, which plays an important role in maintaining osmotic balance of the body. Recent studies have shown that lymphangiogenesis is associated with tumor metabolism, injury repair, and chronic inflammation, and deteriorates disease progression via immune cell trafficking. Summary: Renal interstitial lymph­angiogenesis is found in patients with chronic kidney disease and a series of animal models of renal fibrosis. Lymphatic vessels transfer antigen and antigen-presenting cells from peripheral tissues to lymph nodes, which initiates adaptive immunity and in turn deteriorates renal inflammation and renal fibrosis, even in non-autoimmune renal diseases. Key Messages: This review summarizes the latest findings on how lymphatics participate in the progression of chronic kidney disease. This discussion will serve to highlight the role of adaptive immunity in non-infectious and non-autoimmune nephropathy, in order to provide new ideas and methods for prevention and treatment of kidney diseases.
Application of Tris-HCl Allows the Specific Labeling of Regularly Prepared Chromosomes by CRISPR-FISH
Authors: Potlapalli Bhanu P. , Schubert Veit , Metje-Sprink Janina , Liehr Thomas , Houben Andreas
Published: March 2020

Visualizing the spatiotemporal organization of the genome will improve our understanding of how chromatin structure and function are intertwined. Here, we describe the further development of the RNA-guided endonuclease-in situ labeling (RGEN-ISL) method CRISPR-FISH. Using soybean and mouse chromosomes, we demonstrate that the treatment of conventionally fixed chromosomes (in ethanol or methanol:acetic acid) with 40 mM Tris-HCl (pH 9.0) for 30 minutes at 37°C prior to CRISPR-FISH allows the application of this method for the detection of high-copy sequences. Wheat, rye, maize, and Nicotiana benthamiana were used to confirm the applicability of the identified CRISPR-FISH conditions also in other species.
Use of Fluoride as a Marker Solute to Quantify the Current Effective Delivered Dose in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: An “in vitro” Study
Authors: Villa Gianluca , Bocciero Vittorio , Neri Mauro , Pomarè Montin Diego , Angeli Elena , Di Filippo Alessandro , Falsini Silvia , Adembri Chiara , De Gaudio Angelo Raffaele , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: March 2020

Background: The current effective delivered dose is a quality indicator for continuous renal replacement therapy. Its periodic assessment might enable physicians to deliver personalised treatments. Yet, its quantification as by extracorporeal urea clearance (Cl) is cumbersome and thus often neglected in routine practice. The aim of this in vitro study is to demonstrate the non-inferior effectiveness of assessing the current effective delivered dose using a simpler, cheaper and faster approach based on measurement of fluoride rather than urea extracorporeal Cl. Methods: We compared urea and fluoride removal in 3 post-dilution continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVH) and 3 continuous veno-venous haemodialysis (CVVHD) in vitro experimental models. Experiments ran for 180 min, using 3 L of human blood, heparin anticoagulation and a machine dose of 30 mL/kg/h. Urea and fluoride were measured in the inflow, outflow and effluent lines to compare sieving coefficients (SC), saturation coefficients (SA) and transmembrane Cls. Results: In CVVH, the median SC values were 1.06 (1.02–1.07) and 1.02 (1.01–1.04) for fluoride and urea, respectively (discrepancy of 4.3%), while transmembrane convective Cls were 31.28 (30.01–31.31) mL/kg/h and 30.30 (29–31.85) mL/kg/h (discrepancy of 3.13%), respectively. In CVVHD, the median SA values were 1.01 (0.96–1.02) and 1 (0.95–1.01) for fluoride and urea, respectively (discrepancy of 1.6%), while transmembrane dialytic Cls were 30.26 (29.52–31.32) mL/kg/h and 31.16 (30–31.75) mL/kg/h (discrepancy of –2.97%), respectively. Conclusion: Fluoride transmembrane removal was close to that observed with urea, in terms of SC, SA and transmembrane Cl. Fluoride seems as much accurate as urea in assessing the current effective delivered dose during both CVVH and CVVHD and might therefore be adopted for dose measurement. Besides accuracy, fluoride bedside assessment could present many advantages over urea, particularly in terms of availability, costs, time requirement and rapidity of assessment.
Novel Mutations and Decreased Expression of the Epigenetic Regulator
TET2
in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Potus François , Pauciulo Michael W. , Cook Elina K. , Zhu Na , Hsieh Alexander , Welch Carrie L. , Shen Yufeng , Tian Lian , Lima Patricia , Mewburn Jeffrey , D’Arsigny Christine L. , Lutz Katie A. , Coleman Anna W. , Damico Rachel , Snetsinger Brooke , Martin Ashley Y. , Hassoun Paul M. , Nichols William C. , Chung Wendy K. , Rauh Michael J. , Archer Stephen L.
Published: March 2020

Background:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a lethal vasculopathy. Hereditary cases are associated with germline mutations in
BMPR2
and 16 other genes; however, these mutations occur in <25% of patients with idiopathic PAH and are rare in PAH associated with connective tissue diseases. Preclinical studies suggest epigenetic dysregulation, including altered DNA methylation, promotes PAH. Somatic mutations of Tet-methylcytosine-dioxygenase-2 (
TET2
), a key enzyme in DNA demethylation, occur in cardiovascular disease and are associated with clonal hematopoiesis, inflammation, and adverse vascular remodeling. The role of
TET2
in PAH is unknown.

Methods:

To test for a role of
TET2
, we used a cohort of 2572 cases from the PAH Biobank. Within this cohort, gene-specific rare variant association tests were performed using 1832 unrelated European patients with PAH and 7509 non-Finnish European subjects from the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) as control subjects. In an independent cohort of 140 patients, we quantified
TET2
expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. To assess causality, we investigated hemodynamic and histological evidence of PAH in hematopoietic
Tet2
-knockout mice.

Results:

We observed an increased burden of rare, predicted deleterious germline variants in
TET2
in PAH patients of European ancestry (9/1832) compared with control subjects (6/7509; relative risk=6;
P
=0.00067). Assessing the whole cohort, 0.39% of patients (10/2572) had 12
TET2
mutations (75% predicted germline and 25% somatic). These patients had no mutations in other PAH-related genes. Patients with
TET2
mutations were older (71±7 years versus 48±19 years;
P
<0.0001), were more unresponsive to vasodilator challenge (0/7 versus 140/1055 [13.2%]), had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (5.2±3.1 versus 10.5±7.0 Wood units;
P
=0.02), and had increased inflammation (including elevation of interleukin-1β). Circulating
TET2
expression did not correlate with age and was decreased in >86% of PAH patients.
Tet2
-knockout mice spontaneously developed PAH, adverse pulmonary vascular remodeling, and inflammation, with elevated levels of cytokines, including interleukin-1β. Long-term therapy with an antibody targeting interleukin-1β blockade resulted in regression of PAH.

Conclusions:

PAH is the first human disease related to potential
TET2
germline mutations. Inherited and acquired abnormalities of
TET2
occur in 0.39% of PAH cases. Decreased
TET2
expression is ubiquitous and has potential as a PAH biomarker.
Analysis of Outcomes in 8304 Patients Undergoing Lead Extraction for Infection
Authors: Aleong Ryan G. , Zipse Matthew M. , Tompkins Christine , Aftab Muhammad , Varosy Paul , Sauer William , Kao David
Published: March 2020

Background

Patients undergoing lead extraction for infected devices have worse outcomes compared with those with noninfected devices. We assessed predictors of in‐hospital mortality and procedure‐related major adverse events (
MAEs
) in a large cohort undergoing lead extraction.

Methods and Results

Deidentified hospital records procedure from 7 states between 1994 and 2013 were aggregated and
International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD‐9)
procedure codes were used to identify hospital records reporting lead extraction.
MAEs
included death, cardiac tamponade, hemothorax, and need for emergent cardiac surgery. Predictors of in‐hospital
MAEs
for infected compared with noninfected leads were identified using multivariate regression. Associations between outcomes and specific microbe were also assessed. In total, 57 220 discharges specified lead extraction. Infected leads accounted for the minority of total lead extractions compared with fractured leads (16.1 versus 59.8%, 25.7% not reported). There were 3298
MAE
s (5.8%) including 980 deaths (1.7%). Multivariate predictors of
MAE
included black race, atrial fibrillation, anemia, heart failure, and admission via either hospital transfer or emergency department versus home (all
P
<0.001). Infected leads were associated with an increased risk of death (4.6% versus 0.9%,
P
<0.001) compared with leads with fracture only. Among patients with microbial data, staphylococcal infection was most common, whereas streptococcal infection was associated with the worst outcomes.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing extraction of infected leads have higher in‐hospital mortality and adverse events compared with noninfected leads. Streptococcus, anemia, and heart failure are predictors of adverse outcomes.
Screening Piety, Class, and Romance in Indonesia
Authors: Fox Richard
Published: March 2020

The collapse of the New Order ushered in what many had hoped would be a new era of openness and transparency for Indonesia. The loosening of laws pertaining to broadcast and print publication gave rise to a proliferation of new media and cultural production. This had a profound effect on everything, from politics, religion, and the economy to popular conceptions of romantic intimacy and personal accomplishment. The question is whether prevailing approaches to media and popular culture are adequate to the task of accounting for these oft-cited transformations in Indonesian public life. Focusing on issues of piety, class, and romance, this article examines a sequence of films, pop songs, and YouTube parody videos to offer a presuppositional critique of the current scholarship. Its central contention is that closer attention to pop culture as a form of ‘argument’ offers an important corrective to the reifying tendencies of prevailing approaches.
Biodiversity of the aculeate wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of the Arabian Peninsula: Vespoidea, Mutillidae
Authors: GADALLAH NEVEEN S. , LELEJ ARKADY S. , BROTHERS DENIS J.
Published: March 2020

An updated checklist of the Arabian species of Mutillidae is provided here. The list includes 64 identified species in 21 genera and five subfamilies: Dasylabrinae (2 genera, 16 species), Mutillinae (14 genera, 37 species), Myrmillinae (3 genera, 6 species), Pseudophotopsidinae (1 genus, 4 species), and Ticoplinae (1 genus, 1 species). Distributions, both on the Peninsula and extra-limital, are provided for each species; 31 species (50%) are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.
Biodiversity of the aculeate wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of the Arabian Peninsula: Vespoidea, Pompilidae
Authors: GADALLAH NEVEEN S. , SCHMID-EGGER CHRISTIAN , BROTHERS DENIS J.
Published: March 2020

An updated checklist of the Arabian species of Pompilidae is provided here. The list includes 119 identified valid species in 35 genera and three subfamilies: Ceropalinae (1 genus, 6 species), Pepsinae (6 genera, 26 species) and Pompilinae (28 genera, 87 species). Distributions, both on the Peninsula and extra-limital, are provided for each species and subspecies; 22 species (18%) are confined to the Arabian Peninsula.
Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter with Cross Validation
Authors: Buehner Mark
Published: March 2020

Many ensemble data assimilation (DA) approaches suffer from the so-called inbreeding problem. As a consequence, there is an excessive reduction in ensemble spread by the DA procedure, causing the analysis ensemble spread to systematically underestimate the uncertainty of the ensemble mean analysis. The stochastic EnKF used for operational NWP in Canada largely avoids this problem by applying cross validation, that is, using an independent subset of ensemble members for updating each member. The goal of the present study is to evaluate two new variations of the local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) that also incorporate cross validation. In idealized numerical experiments with Gaussian-distributed background ensembles, the two new LETKF approaches are shown to produce reliable analysis ensembles such that the ensemble spread closely matches the uncertainty of the ensemble mean, without any ensemble inflation. In ensemble DA experiments with highly nonlinear idealized forecast models, the deterministic version of the LETKF with cross validation quickly diverges, but the stochastic version produces better results, nearly identical to the stochastic EnKF with cross validation. In the context of a regional NWP system, ensemble DA experiments are performed with the two new LETKF-based approaches with cross validation, the standard LETKF, and the stochastic EnKF. All approaches with cross validation produce similar ensemble spread at the first analysis time, though the amplitude of the changes to the individual members is larger with the stochastic approaches. Over the 10-day period of the experiments, the fit of the ensemble mean background state to radiosonde observations is statistically indistinguishable for all approaches evaluated.
Satellite-Based Observations of Nonlinear Relationships between Vertical Wind Shear and Intensity Changes during the Life Cycle of Hurricane Joaquin (2015)
Authors: Elsberry Russell L. , Buholzer Natasha , Velden Christopher S. , Jordan Mary S.
Published: March 2020

A CIMSS vertical wind shear (VWS-C) dataset based on reprocessed GOES-East atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) at 15-min intervals has a −0.36 correlation with the CIMSS Satellite Consensus (SATCON) intensity changes at 30-min intervals over the life cycle of Hurricane Joaquin (2015). Correlations are then calculated for four intensity change events including two rapid intensifications (RIs) and two decays, and four intensity change segments immediately before or after these events. During the first RI, the peak intensity increase of 16 kt (6 h)−1 (1 kt ≈ 0.51 m s−1) follows a small VWS-C decrease to a moderate 8 m s−1 value (negative correlation). A 30-h period of continued RI following the first peak RI occurred under moderate magnitude VWS-C (negative correlation), but with a rotation of the VWS-C direction to become more aligned with the southwestward heading of Joaquin. During the second RI, the peak intensity increase of 15 kt (6 h)−1 leads the rapid VWS-C increase (positive correlation), which the horizontal plots of VWS-C vectors demonstrate is related to an upper-tropospheric cyclone to the northeast of Joaquin. A conceptual model of ocean cooling within the anticyclonic track loop is proposed to explain a counterintuitive decreasing intensity when the VWS-C was also decreasing (positive correlation) during the Joaquin track reversal. These alternating negative and positive correlations during the four events and four segments of intensity change demonstrate the nonlinear relationships between the VWS-C and intensity changes during the life cycle of Joaquin that must be understood, analyzed, and modeled to improve tropical cyclone intensity forecasts, and especially RI events.
Facial Paralysis and Communicative Participation: The Importance of Facial Symmetry at Rest
Authors: Ayoub Noel F. , Abdelwahab Mohamed , Zhang Michelle , Ma Yifei , Stranberg Sarah , Okland Tyler S. , Pepper Jon-Paul
Published: March 2020

Objective:

There is a paucity of research devoted to understanding the communication restrictions encountered by facial paralysis patients. We aim to explore the relationship between patient-reported restrictions in communicative participation and objective facial paralysis severity using validated scales of facial movement.

Methods:

We performed a pilot retrospective study using a consecutive series of adult patients with a diagnosis of unilateral facial paralysis. In addition to baseline demographics, subjects were evaluated using the Communicative Item Participation Bank Short Form (CPIB), Electronic Facial Assessment by Computer Evaluation (eFACE), and Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (SFGS).

Results:

Twenty patients were included, 10 (50%) of whom were female with a mean age of 61 ± 13 years and mean duration of facial paralysis of 53 ± 82 months. The mean CPIB score was 14.6 ± 10.0 (range 0-29) and was comparable to scores of patients with conditions known to cause significant communicative disability. The mean eFACE scores were 67.4 ± 29.2, 44.2 ± 30.1, and 73.8 ± 30.0 for the static, dynamic, and synkinesis domains, respectively, with a composite smile score of 58.5 ± 16.9. After adjusting for age, gender, and duration of facial paralysis, significant moderate correlations were observed between the CPIB and the static eFACE domain ( r = –0.51, P = .03) and smile composite score ( r = 0.48, P = 0.0049), in addition to between the CPIB and SFGS synkinesis domain ( r = 0.48, P = 0.04).

Conclusions:

Patients with unilateral facial paralysis experience significant limitations in communicative participation. These restrictions demonstrate moderate to strong correlations with objective assessments of facial paralysis and quality of life measures. Communicative participation may be a helpful means of tracking response to treatment.

Level of Evidence:

IV
Who Trusts? Ethnicity, Integration, and Attitudes Toward Elected Officials in Urban Nigeria
Authors: LeBas Adrienne
Published: March 2020

In the developing world, politicians often use public office to redistribute resources to their core constituencies. This form of clientelistic exchange motivates ethnic voting in Africa and may also shape broader attitudes toward the state. But does clientelism retain its power as cross-ethnic contact increases, or might new forms of political linkage emerge? This article uses public opinion data from urban Nigeria to investigate how social position affects trust in elected local officials. The article finds that local ethnic minorities are less trusting of local officials, but this trust deficit does not diminish as cross-ethnic contact rises. For members of locally dominant ethnic groups, however, greater cross-ethnic contact and lessened ethnic attachment dampen expressed trust in local elected officials. The article argues that ethnic clientelism is resilient in urban contexts but that scholarship must take a more nuanced approach to assessing membership in clientelistic coalitions.
Mode-dependent event-triggered tracking control for uncertain semi-Markov systems with application to vertical take-off and landing helicopter
Authors: Ji Yidao , Li Yinlin , Wu Wei , Fu Hang , Qiao Hong
Published: March 2020

The aim of this manuscript is to tackle the tracking problem for uncertain semi-Markov systems. More precisely, the mode-dependent event-triggering communication approach is introduced for networked controller design procedure, which can considerably increase the signal transmission efficiency. Based on the Lyapunov–Krasovski method, mode-dependent sufficient conditions are derived and the tracking errors could achieve the asymptotic mean-square stability, and mode-dependent controllers could be further calculated by convex optimization. A numerical simulation with application to vertical take-off and landing helicopter would be performed for verifying the availability and usefulness.
Pain Sensitivity Modifies Risk of Injury-Related Temporomandibular Disorder
Authors: Sharma S. , Ohrbach R. , Fillingim R.B. , Greenspan J.D. , Slade G.
Published: March 2020

This study evaluates contributions of jaw injury and experimental pain sensitivity to risk of developing painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Data were from the Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment (OPPERA) nested case-control study of incident painful TMD. Injury and subsequent onset of painful TMD were monitored prospectively for ≤5 y in a community-based sample of 409 US adults who did not have TMD when enrolled. At baseline, thermal-pressure and pinprick pain sensitivity, as potential effect modifiers, were measured using quantitative sensory testing. During follow-up, jaw injury from any of 9 types of potentially traumatic events was determined using quarterly (3-monthly) health update questionnaires. Study examiners classified incident painful TMD, yielding 233 incident cases and 176 matched controls. Logistic regression models, estimated incidence odds ratios (IORs), and 95% confidence limits (CLs) were used for the association between injury and subsequent onset of painful TMD. During follow-up, 38.2% of incident cases and 13.1% of controls reported 1 or more injuries that were 4 times as likely to be intrinsic (i.e., sustained mouth opening or yawning) as extrinsic (e.g., dental visits, whiplash). Injuries due to extrinsic events (IOR = 7.6; 95% CL, 1.6–36.2), sustained opening (IOR = 5.4; 95% CL, 2.4–12.2), and yawning (IOR = 3.4; 95% CL, 1.6–7.3) were associated with increased TMD incidence. Both a single injury (IOR = 6.0; 95% CL, 2.9–12.4) and multiple injuries (IOR = 9.4; 95% CL, 3.4,25.6) predicted greater incidence of painful TMD than events perceived as noninjurious (IOR = 1.9; 95% CL, 1.1–3.4). Injury-associated risk of painful TMD was elevated in people with high sensitivity to heat pain (IOR = 7.4; 95% CL, 3.1–18.0) compared to people with low sensitivity to heat pain (IOR = 3.9; 95% CL, 1.7–8.4). Jaw injury was strongly associated with elevated painful TMD risk, and the risk was amplified in subjects who had enhanced sensitivity to heat pain at enrollment. Commonly occurring but seemingly innocuous events, such as yawning injury, should not be overlooked when judging prognostic importance of jaw injury.
How Ethnicity, Expression, and Study Design Influence First Impressions of Approachability
Authors: Trent Jason , Ferguson Yuna
Published: March 2020

Over two studies, participants (total N = 642) rated a community sample of photographs of Black, East Asian, and White males who were smiling or portraying a neutral expression to see how participant ethnicity, target ethnicity, and target expression influence judgments of approachability (i.e., trustworthiness, friendliness, and threat). We also examined how a commonly used study design, in which each participant is asked to evaluate different groups of people, may motivate participants to adjust their ratings in an effort to avoid appearing biased. Results showed that the White participant group tended to rate smiling targets as friendlier (Studies 1 and 2) and more trustworthy (Study 1) than did the non-White participant group, which could be due to cultural differences based on majority versus minority status among the participants. In addition, the White participant group tended to rate White targets more positively than did the non-White participant group, suggesting an in-group bias. Finally, differences in results between Studies 1 and 2 suggest that study design can influence the degree of bias responding, highlighting the importance of incorporating a diversity of methods to better understand first impression judgments.
A starting point for understanding James Cone: A primer for White readers
Authors: Caldwell Joseph W.
Published: March 2020

James Cone can be difficult for any reader, but for White Christians he can be exceedingly difficult. Often White readers have a problem understanding both his agenda and the rhetorical arguments he uses. This article examines Cone within his context, seeking to help White readers better understand Cone’s agenda and his very prominent persona, while also suggesting ways that Cone might inform and help White theologians, pastors, and laypeople better understand themselves and their own theological traditions.
The significance of truth and love in authentic racial reconciliation: A black evangelical’s appreciation of the theological contributions of James Cone
Authors: Anderson Frank
Published: March 2020

Racial reconciliation, far from being about civil conversation, requires whites to listen to the painful truths blacks have to tell about race in the United States. James Cone’s critique of the white church is held up as a truth that the white community must embrace even if it has substantial objections to the rest of Cone’s theology. Reconciliation means listening to the kind of hard truths Cone has to offer.
The birth of the blues and the birth of biblical law in parallel: A dialogue with James Cone’s theology of the cross
Authors: Glanville Mark R.
Published: March 2020

This article seeks to learn from James Cone’s theology of the cross as articulated in his book, The Cross and the Lynching Tree, by bringing Cone’s theology into conversation with the theology and ethics of the book of Deuteronomy. It proceeds by first discerning the ways in which the birth of the blues may in some ways parallel the birth of biblical law. Blues and jazz music were birthed in the agonizing suffering of the black community during the era of lynching, expressing both the grief and the resilience and hope of African Americans. Perhaps with some similarity, biblical law is a divine–human response to ancient Israel’s experience of enslavement and genocide in Egypt. This law is an ancient invitation into authentic community. Next, the article discerns core themes in Cone’s theology of the cross, namely solidarity with the oppressed, redemptive suffering, and victory over oppression. Cone unfolds these themes by seeking to understand the cross through the experience of the torturous suffering of blacks in the South. The article then finds these same themes in the theology and ethics of Deuteronomy through an examination of the social law, feasting texts, covenant texts, and laws concerning slavery in this book. We learn from Cone that the horrific barbarity of white supremacy in a culture of lynching is a vital corrective lens through which to see and understand the cross of Christ for US Christians. Indeed, Deuteronomy forces us to conclude that a theology of the cross that ignores dynamics of oppression and liberation is theologically myopic. The argument, by extension, is that the suffering of blacks in the United States is also a fresh and vital lens through which to view and understand biblical law.
Combined concentrated solar power plant with low-temperature multi-effect distillation
Authors: Al-Addous Mohammad , Jaradat Mustafa , Bdour Mathhar , Dalala Zakariya , Wellmann Johannes
Published: March 2020

This study analyzes a technological concept for simultaneously generating power and desalinating water in a Middle East and North Africa country. An innovative, low-temperature, multi-effect desalination (LT-MED) process integrated with a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant was assessed and analyzed. A combined power and seawater desalination plant was modeled for the city of Aqaba by the Red Sea in Jordan. Parabolic-trough collectors using indirect steam generation with thermal energy storage connected with power and desalination blocks were designed. The designed plant was modeled and simulated using EBSILON Professional, a discrete energy balance simulation software, under several operating conditions, to analyze the results. An economic feasibility analysis of the combined CSP+LT-MED plant was also conducted. The simulation results showed the broad variability of the cogeneration system in terms of electricity generation and water production. The output power of the CSP plant without water production reached 58.7 MWel in June. The output power accompanied with distilled-water production with a mass flow rate of 170 m3/h was approximately 49.5 MWel. Furthermore, the number of desalination stages had the strongest influence on distillate production but limited the operational flexibility of the power plant due to the temperature gradients within the desalination stages. The distilled-water mass flow reached 498 m3/h for 10 stages. The research showed that the design successfully worked with up to €78.84 million, earned from selling the produced electricity. However, owing to highly subsidized water tariffs in Jordan (80% less than the actual cost), the integration of water desalination into the CSP plant was not economically feasible.