bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in the Manifestation of Cell Pluripotence In Vivo and In Vitro in the Mutant Arabidopsis thaliana with the Phenotype of Cell Memory Disorder
Authors: Kupriyanova E. V. , Denisova E. R. , Baier M. A. , Ezhova T. A.
Published: February 2021

Plant cells cultivated in vitro are a convenient model for studying the genetic and physiological mechanisms necessary for the cells to acquire a state of pluripotency. Earlier studies on a model plantArabidopsis thaliana(L.) Heynh. have identified the key role of genes that determine the pluripotency of cells in the shoot apical meristem in de novo shoot regeneration in tissue culture. In accordance with this, cells of mutant plants with a higher level of expression of pluripotency genes were characterized by an increased potential for de novo shoot regeneration. Thetaemutant was the exception to this rule. The mutant resumed the expression of pluripotency genes and cell proliferation at the late stages of leaf development, which indicates a violation of the mechanisms for maintaining epigenetic cellular memory. At the same time, leaf cells cultured in vitro showed a lower proliferative activity compared to the wild type and were not capable of de novo regeneration of shoots. A decrease in the regenerative potential of cultured cells of thetaemutant indicates an important role of epigenetic memory in the response of cells to exogenous hormones. Impaired epigenetic memory of leaf cells of thetae mutant and differences in their proliferative and regenerative capacities in planta and in vitro make this mutant a unique model for studying the role of epigenetic modifications in the regulation of cell pluripotency.
Optimising prediction of early metastasis-free survival in uveal melanoma using a four-category model incorporating gene expression profile and tumour size
Authors: Roelofs Kelsey Andrea , Grewal Parampal , Lapere Steven , Larocque Matthew , Murtha Albert , Weis Ezekiel
Published: February 2021

Background

Largest basal diameter (LBD) appears to have independent prognostic value in uveal melanoma (UM).

Methods

All patients undergoing plaque brachytherapy or enucleation for UM involving the choroid and/or ciliary body between 2012 and 2019.

Results

A total of 348 patients with a mean age of 60±14 years were included and followed for a mean of 40±26 months (3.3±2.2 years). On multivariate analysis, LBD >12 mm remained a significant independent predictor of metastasis for both class 1 (HR 21.90; 95% CI 2.69 to 178.02; p=0.004) and class 2 (HR 2.45; 95% CI, 1.03 to 5.83; p=0.04) tumours. Four prognostic groups were created: group 1 (class 1, LBD <12 mm), group 2 (class 1, LBD ≥12 mm), group 3 (class 2, LBD <12 mm) and group 4 (class 2, LBD ≥12 mm). Life tables were used to calculate the 3-year and 5-year metastasis-free survival: group 1 (98 and 98%), group 2 (86 and 86%), group 3 (81 and 62%) and group 4 (54 and 47%). Compared with the reference category (group 1), the Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated a significant worsening of survival for each progressive category (group 2 (HR 21.59; p=0.004), group 3 (HR 47.12, p<0.001), and group 4 (HR 114.24; p<0.001)). In our dataset, the four-category Cox model performed poorer compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and gene expression profile (AJCC+GEP) in the Akaike’s information criteria (AIC) (297 vs 291), fit better with the Bayesian information criteria (BIC) (309 vs 313) and performed similarly with the Harrel’s C (0.86 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.91) vs 0.89 (0.84 to 0.94), respectively).

Conclusions

Combination of GEP and LBD allows separation of patients into four easy-to-use prognostic groups and was similar to a model combining AJCC stage with GEP.
Avoiding mask-related artefacts in visual field tests during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Gómez Mariscal Marta , Muñoz-Negrete Francisco José , Muñoz-Ramón Pablo Vicente , Aguado Casanova Victor , Jaumandreu Laia , Rebolleda Gema
Published: February 2021

Aims

To assess visual field (VF) pseudoprogression related to face mask use.

Methods

We reviewed a total of 307 VFs performed with a face mask (FPP2/KN95 or surgical masks) and compared them with prior VFs, performed before the pandemic. VFs with suspected pseudoprogression due to mask artefacts (VF test 1) were repeated with a surgical mask and an adhesive tape on its superior border (VF test 2) to distinguish from true VF loss. Several parameters including reliability indices, test duration, VF index (VFI), mean defect (MD) and pattern deviation probability plots were compared among last pre-COVID VFs, VF tests 1 and VF tests 2, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results

We identified 18 VFs with suspected progression artefact due to masks (5.8%). In all of them, the median VFI and MD significantly improved after fitting the superior border of the mask, showing no significant differences with pre-COVID tests. The median fixation losses were significantly higher when wearing the unfitted mask (13% vs 6%,p=0.047). The inferior hemifield was the most affected, either as a new scotoma or as an enlargement of a prior defect.

Conclusion

Unfitted masks can simulate VF progression in around 6% of cases, mainly in the inferior hemifield, and increase significantly the rate of fixation losses. A similar rate of artefacts was observed using FPP2/KN95 or surgical masks. The use of a surgical mask with an adhesive tape covering the superior border may reduce mask-related artefacts, although concomitant progression cannot be ruled out in all cases.
Metabolomics-based multidimensional network biomarkers for diabetic retinopathy identification in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zuo Jingjing , Lan Yuan , Hu Honglin , Hou Xiangqing , Li Jushuang , Wang Tao , Zhang Hang , Zhang Nana , Guo Chengnan , Peng Fang , Zhao Shuzhen , Wei Yaping , Jia Chaonan , Zheng Chao , Mao Guangyun
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Despite advances in diabetic retinopathy (DR) medications, early identification is vitally important for DR administration and remains a major challenge. This study aims to develop a novel system of multidimensional network biomarkers (MDNBs) based on a widely targeted metabolomics approach to detect DR among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) efficiently.

Research design and methods

In this propensity score matching-based case-control study, we used ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry system for serum metabolites assessment of 69 pairs of patients with T2DM with DR (cases) and without DR (controls). Comprehensive analysis, including principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, generalized linear regression models and a 1000-times permutation test on metabolomics characteristics were conducted to detect candidate MDNBs depending on the discovery set. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was applied for the validation of capability and feasibility of MDNBs based on a separate validation set.

Results

We detected 613 features (318 in positive and 295 in negative ESI modes) in which 63 metabolites were highly relevant to the presence of DR. A panel of MDNBs containing linoleic acid, nicotinuric acid, ornithine and phenylacetylglutamine was determined based on the discovery set. Depending on the separate validation set, the area under the curve (95% CI), sensitivity and specificity of this MDNBs system were 0.92 (0.84 to 1.0), 96% and 78%, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that metabolomics-based MDNBs are associated with the presence of DR and capable of distinguishing DR from T2DM efficiently. Our data also provide new insights into the mechanisms of DR and the potential value for new treatment targets development. Additional studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Income-based inequalities in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among adolescents in England and the USA: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Scholes Shaun , Mindell Jennifer S
Published: February 2021

Objective

Quantify income-based inequalities in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in England and the USA by sex.

Design

Population-based cross-sectional study.

Participants

4019 adolescents aged 11–15 years in England (Health Survey for England 2008, 2012, 2015) and 4312 aged 12–17 years in the US (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2016).

Main outcome measures

Three aspects of MVPA: (1) doing any, (2) average min/day (MVPA: including those who did none) and (3) average min/day conditional on participation (MVPA active). Using hurdle models, inequalities were quantified using the absolute difference in marginal means (average marginal effects).

Results

In England, adolescents in high-income households were more likely than those in low-income households to have done any formal sports/exercise in the last 7 days (boys: 11%; 95% CI 4% to 17%; girls: 13%; 95% CI 6% to 20%); girls in high-income households did more than their low-income counterparts (MVPA: 6 min/day, 95% CI 2 to 9). Girls in low-income households spent more time in informal activities than girls in high-income households (MVPA: 21 min/day; 95% CI 10 to 33), while boys in low-income versus high-income households spent longer in active travel (MVPA: 21 min/week; 95% CI 8 to 34). In the USA, in a typical week, recreational activity was greater among high-income versus low-income households (boys: 15 min/day; 95% CI 6 to 24; girls: 19 min/day; 95% CI 12 to 27). In contrast, adolescents in low-income versus high-income households were more likely to travel actively (boys: 11%; 95% CI 3% to 19%; girls: 10%; 95% CI 3% to 17%) and do more.

Conclusions

Policy actions and interventions are required to increase MVPA across all income groups in England and the USA. Differences in formal sports/exercise (England) and recreational (USA) activities suggest that additional efforts are required to reduce inequalities.
Association of proton pump inhibitors and concomitant drugs with risk of acute kidney injury: a nested case–control study
Authors: Ikuta Keiko , Nakagawa Shunsaku , Momo Kenji , Yonezawa Atsushi , Itohara Kotaro , Sato Yuki , Imai Satoshi , Nakagawa Takayuki , Matsubara Kazuo
Published: February 2021

Objectives

This study aimed to assess whether the combined use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or antibiotics (penicillins, macrolides, cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones) was associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Design

A nested case–control study.

Setting

A health insurance claims database constructed by the Japan Medical Data Center.

Participants

Patients were eligible if they were prescribed a PPI, NSAID and antibiotic at least once between January 2005 and June 2017. The patients who were new PPI users and did not have any history of renal diseases before cohort entry were included (n=219 082). The mean age was 45 and 44% were women.

Interventions

Current use of PPIs, NSAIDs, or antibiotics.

Primary outcome measures

Acute kidney injury.

Results

During a mean follow-up of 2.4 (SD, 1.7) years, 317 cases of AKI were identified (incidence rate of 6.1/10 000 person-years). The current use of PPIs was associated with a higher risk of AKI compared with past PPI use (unadjusted OR, 4.09; 95% CI, 3.09 to 5.44). The unadjusted ORs of AKI for the current use of PPIs with NSAIDs, cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, compared with the current use of PPIs alone, were 3.92 (95% CI, 2.40 to 6.52), 2.57 (1.43 to 4.62) and 3.08 (1.50 to 6.38), respectively. The effects of concurrent use of PPIs with NSAIDs, cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones remain significant in the adjusted model. The analyses on absolute risk of AKI confirmed the results from the nested case–control study.

Conclusions

Concomitant use of NSAIDs with PPIs significantly increased the risk for AKI. Moreover, the results suggested that concomitant use of cephalosporins or fluoroquinolones with PPIs was associated with increased risk of incident AKI.
Assessing the regional impact of Japan’s COVID-19 state of emergency declaration: a population-level observational study using social networking services
Authors: Yoneoka Daisuke , Shi Shoi , Nomura Shuhei , Tanoue Yuta , Kawashima Takayuki , Eguchi Akifumi , Matsuura Kentaro , Makiyama Koji , Uryu Shinya , Ejima Keisuke , Sakamoto Haruka , Taniguchi Toshibumi , Kunishima Hiroyuki , Gilmour Stuart , Nishiura Hiroshi , Miyata Hiroaki
Published: February 2021

Objective

On 7 April 2020, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. To estimate the impact of the declaration on regional cities with low numbers of COVID-19 cases, large-scale surveillance to capture the current epidemiological situation of COVID-19 was urgently conducted in this study.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Social networking service (SNS)-based online survey conducted in five prefectures of Japan: Tottori, Kagawa, Shimane, Tokushima and Okayama.

Participants

127 121 participants from the five prefectures surveyed between 24 March and 5 May 2020.

Interventions

An SNS-based healthcare system named COOPERA (COvid-19: Operation for Personalized Empowerment to Render smart prevention And care seeking) was launched. It asks questions regarding postcode, personal information, preventive actions, and current and past symptoms related to COVID-19.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Empirical Bayes estimates of age-sex-standardised incidence rate (EBSIR) of symptoms and the spatial correlation between the number of those who reported having symptoms and the number of COVID-19 cases were examined to identify the geographical distribution of symptoms in the five prefectures.

Results

97.8% of participants had no subjective symptoms. We identified several geographical clusters of fever with significant spatial correlation (r=0.67) with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, especially in the urban centres of prefectural capital cities.

Conclusions

Given that there are still several high-risk areas measured by EBSIR, careful discussion on which areas should be reopened at the end of the state of emergency is urgently required using real-time SNS system to monitor the nationwide epidemic.
Characteristics and practices of school-based cluster randomised controlled trials for improving health outcomes in pupils in the UK: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Parker Kitty , Nunns Michael P , Xiao ZhiMin , Ford Tamsin , Ukoumunne Obioha C
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Cluster randomised trials (CRTs) are studies in which groups (clusters) of participants rather than the individuals themselves are randomised to trial arms. CRTs are becoming increasingly relevant for evaluating interventions delivered in school settings for improving the health of children. Schools are a convenient setting for health interventions targeted at children and the CRT design respects the clustered structure in schools (ie, pupils within classrooms/teachers within schools). Some of the methodological challenges of CRTs, such as ethical considerations for enrolment of children into trials and how best to handle the analysis of data from participants (pupils) that change clusters (schools), may be more salient for the school setting. A better understanding of the characteristics and methodological considerations of school-based CRTs of health interventions would inform the design of future similar studies. To our knowledge, this is the only systematic review to focus specifically on the characteristics and methodological practices of CRTs delivered in schools to evaluate interventions for improving health outcomes in pupils in the UK.

Methods and analysis

We will search for CRTs published from inception to 30 June 2020 inclusively indexed in MEDLINE (Ovid). We will identify relevant articles through title and abstract screening, and subsequent full-text screening for eligibility against predefined inclusion criteria. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion. Two independent reviewers will extract data for each study using a prepiloted data extraction form. Findings will be summarised using descriptive statistics and graphs.

Ethics and dissemination

This methodological systematic review does not require ethical approval as only secondary data extracted from papers will be analysed and the data are not linked to individual participants. After completion of the systematic review, the data will be analysed, and the findings disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and scientific meetings.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020201792.
COPD-Lower Respiratory Tract Infection Visual Analogue Score (c-LRTI-VAS) validation in stable and exacerbated patients with COPD
Authors: Prins Hendrik Johannes , Duijkers Ruud , Daniels Johannes M A , van der Molen Thys , van der Werf Tjip S , Boersma Wim
Published: February 2021

Background

We developed the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-Lower Respiratory Tract Infection-Visual Analogue Score (c-LRTI-VAS) in order to easily quantify symptoms during exacerbations in patients with COPD. This study aimed to validate this score.

Methods

In our study, patients with stable COPD as well as those with an acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) were included. The results of c-LRTI-VAS were compared with other markers of disease activity (lung function parameters, oxygen saturation and two health related quality of life questionnaires (St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ)) and validity, reliability and responsiveness were assessed.

Results

Eighty-eight patients with clinically stable COPD and 102 patients who had an AECOPD completed the c-LRTI-VAS questionnaire. When testing on two separate occasions for repeatability, no statistically significant difference between total scores was found 0.143 (SD 5.42) (p=0.826). Internal consistency was high across items (Cronbach’s apha 0.755). Correlation with SGRQ and CCQ total scores was moderate to high. After treatment for hospitalised AECOPD, the mean c-LRTI-VAS total score improved 8.14 points (SD 9.13; p≤0.001).

Conclusions

c-LRTI-VAS showed proper validity, responsiveness to change and moderate to high correlation with other questionnaires. It, therefore, appears a reliable tool for symptom measurement during AECOPD.

Trial registration number

NCT01232140.
Magnesium-induced ketamine toxicity
Authors: McConnell Robert , Pelham Anne , Dewhurst Felicity , Quibell Rachel
Published: February 2021

A 62-year-old man with metastatic duodenal cancer was admitted to a hospice for a trial of ketamine to manage complex neuropathic abdominal pain. The patient was incrementally established on a dose of 150 mg orally four times day with no adverse effects. Following treatment of hypomagnesaemia intravenously, the patient experienced marked symptoms of ketamine toxicity, known as a ‘K-hole’ amongst recreational users, following the next dose of ketamine. Ketamine and magnesium are both antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, which plays a part in central sensitisation to pain. There is some evidence that correction of hypomagnesaemia may improve analgesia and that there is synergism between ketamine and magnesium in analgesia, but this relationship is poorly understood. This is the first report suggesting that blood magnesium levels may affect the side effects of a stable dose of ketamine.
Impact of videolaryngoscopy introduction into prehospital emergency medicine practice: a quality improvement project
Authors: Steel Alistair , Haldane Charlotte , Cody Dan
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Advanced airway management is necessary in the prehospital environment and difficult airways occur more commonly in this setting. Failed intubation is closely associated with the most devastating complications of airway management. In an attempt to improve the safety and success of tracheal intubation, we implemented videolaryngoscopy (VL) as our first-line device for tracheal intubation within a UK prehospital emergency medicine (PHEM) setting.

Methods

An East of England physician–paramedic PHEM team adopted VL as first line for undertaking all prehospital advanced airway management. The study period was 2016–2020. Statistical process control charts were used to assess whether use of VL altered first-pass intubation success, frequency of intubation-related hypoxia and laryngeal inlet views. A survey was used to collect the team’s views of VL introduction.

Results

919 patients underwent advanced airway management during the study period. The introduction of VL did not improve first-pass intubation success, view of laryngeal inlet or intubation-associated hypoxia. VL improved situational awareness and opportunities for training but performed poorly in some environments.

Conclusion

Despite the lack of objective improvement in care, subjective improvements meant that overall PHEM clinicians wanted to retain VL within their practice.
Gut mucosa alterations and loss of segmented filamentous bacteria in type 1 diabetes are associated with inflammation rather than hyperglycaemia
Authors: Rouland Matthieu , Beaudoin Lucie , Rouxel Ophélie , Bertrand Léo , Cagninacci Lucie , Saffarian Azadeh , Pedron Thierry , Gueddouri Dalale , Guilmeau Sandra , Burnol Anne-Françoise , Rachdi Latif , Tazi Asmaa , Mouriès Juliette , Rescigno Maria , Vergnolle Nathalie , Sansonetti Philippe , Christine Rogner Ute , Lehuen Agnès
Published: February 2021

Objective

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of pancreatic β-cells producing insulin. Both T1D patients and animal models exhibit gut microbiota and mucosa alterations, although the exact cause for these remains poorly understood. We investigated the production of key cytokines controlling gut integrity, the abundance of segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) involved in the production of these cytokines, and the respective role of autoimmune inflammation and hyperglycaemia.

Design

We used several mouse models of autoimmune T1D as well as mice rendered hyperglycaemic without inflammation to study gut mucosa and microbiota dysbiosis. We analysed cytokine expression in immune cells, epithelial cell function, SFB abundance and microbiota composition by 16S sequencing. We assessed the role of anti-tumour necrosis factor α on gut mucosa inflammation and T1D onset.

Results

We show in models of autoimmune T1D a conserved loss of interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-22 and IL-23A in gut mucosa. Intestinal epithelial cell function was altered and gut integrity was impaired. These defects were associated with dysbiosis including progressive loss of SFB. Transfer of diabetogenic T-cells recapitulated these gut alterations, whereas induction of hyperglycaemia with no inflammation failed to do so. Moreover, anti-inflammatory treatment restored gut mucosa and immune cell function and dampened diabetes incidence.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that gut mucosa alterations and dysbiosis in T1D are primarily linked to inflammation rather than hyperglycaemia. Anti-inflammatory treatment preserves gut homeostasis and protective commensal flora reducing T1D incidence.
PD-L1 expression by Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) and Combined Positive Score (CPS) are similar in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: De Marchi Pedro , Leal Leticia Ferro , Duval da Silva Vinicius , da Silva Eduardo Caetano Albino , Cordeiro de Lima Vladmir Claudio , Reis Rui Manuel
Published: February 2021

Background

For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) the most used method for analysing programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is the Tumor Proportion Score (TPS). Nevertheless, for other tumour types, the Combined Positive Score (CPS) has been the method of choice.

Aim

Evaluate and compare the predictive value of both CPS and TPS as predictors of immunotherapy response in NSCLC, and to evaluate the agreement intra-observer between both methods and inter-observer between two expert lung pathologists.

Methods

56 NSCLC patients who were treated with anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 therapy were included. Two pathologists evaluated all cases independently, considering the sample’s adequacy for analysis, and the PD-L1 expression by TPS and CPS.

Results

The Kappa coefficient for adequacy was 0.82 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.97). There was a high agreement between TPS and CPS and a high agreement between pathologists concerning the two methods. The Kappa coefficient between TPS and CPS was 0.85 for both pathologists, and between pathologists was 0.94 and 0.93 for TPS and CPS, respectively.

Conclusions

Both methods proved to be equally predictive of response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. There was both a high intra-observer agreement between the two methods and a high inter-observer agreement between pathologists. This study suggests that CPS could also be used in a routine setting for immunotherapy decision in NSCLC.
Non-canonical PD-1 signaling in cancer and its potential implications in clinic
Authors: Zha Haoran , Jiang Ying , Wang Xi , Shang Jin , Wang Ning , Yu Lei , Zhao Wei , Li Zhihua , An Juan , Zhang Xiaochun , Chen Huoming , Zhu Bo , Li Zhaoxia
Published: February 2021

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-based immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of various cancers. However, only a certain group of patients benefit from PD-1 blockade therapy and many patients succumb to hyperprogressive disease. Although, CD8 T cells and conventional T cells are generally considered to be the primary source of PD-1 in cancer, accumulating evidence suggests that other distinct cell types, including B cells, regulatory T cells, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, tumor-associated macrophages and cancer cells, also express PD-1. Hence, the response of patients with cancer to PD-1 blockade therapy is a cumulative effect of anti-PD-1 antibodies acting on a myriad of cell types. Although, the contribution of CD8 T cells to PD-1 blockade therapy has been well-established, recent studies also suggest the involvement of non-canonical PD-1 signaling in blockade therapy. This review discusses the role of non-canonical PD-1 signaling in distinct cell types and explores how the available knowledge can improve PD-1 blockade immunotherapy, particularly in identifying novel biomarkers and combination treatment strategies.
Interventions that improve adherence to antihypertensive medications in coronary heart disease patients: a systematic review
Authors: Hong Jialin , Tiu Yuen Chak , Leung Po Yat Bowie , Wong Man Fai , Ng Wing Yan , Cheung Dawn , Mok Hiu Yan , Lam Wai Yan , Li Kwan Yu , Wong Carlos K H
Published: February 2021

A systematic review is conducted to identify effective interventions that improved adherence to antihypertensive drugs among patients with coronary heart diseases (CHDs). Primary studies designed to measure interventions to improve adherence on antihypertensive drugs in patients with CHD were included. Three online databases, COCHRANE, EMBASE and MEDLINE, were searched for primary studies published in English from 2005 to 2019. Studies were screened independently for eligibility. Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used for quality assessment of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised studies, respectively. Of the 2000 entries identified, seven articles, including one cross-sectional study and six RCTs, met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. One of the articles evaluated two interventions, so eight interventions were evaluated in total. Quality of the included studies was generally high, with the cross-sectional study rated as having good quality under Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, while four and two RCTs were rated as having low and some risk of bias under Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, respectively. Six of the intervention programmes were considered effective. An intervention was considered effective if it is associated with a significant (p≤0.05) and non-trivial (Cohen's d≥0.2) improvement in compliance-related outcomes such as in terms of the Morisky 8-item Medication Adherence Scale. Medication education, disease education, health education, constant reminders and medications dispensed using blister packs were identified to be effective in improving patients' compliance to medications. The importance of the continuity of interventions was also established. It is recommended that health service institutions should provide continuous education programmes, daily reminders and regular follow-ups for their patients who have CHD. It is recommended that further research ought to be carried out by using only one intervention in each trial with a standardised outcome measure, or using factorial designs, so that further cost-effectiveness evaluation of each intervention can be carried out independently, leading to the formulation of a comprehensive, optimised intervention programme for patients with CHD taking antihypertensives.
Association between fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity and outcome varies with different lesion patterns in patients with intravenous thrombolysis
Authors: Wang Erling , Wu Chuanjie , Yang Dandan , Zhao Xihai , Zhao Jie , Chang Hong , Yang Qi
Published: February 2021

Background and purpose

To evaluate relationship between fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity (FVH) after intravenous thrombolysis and outcomes in different lesion patterns on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Methods

Patients with severe internal carotid or intracranial artery stenosis who received intravenous thrombolysis from March 2012 to April 2019 were analysed. They were divided into four groups by DWI lesion patterns: border-zone infarct (BZ group), multiple lesions infarct (ML group), large territory infarct (LT group), and single cortical or subcortical lesion infarct (SL group). Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for outcome (unfavourable outcome, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥2; poor outcome, mRS ≥3).

Results

Finally, 203 participants (63.3±10.2 years old; BZ group, n=72; ML group, n=64; LT group, n=37; SL group, n=30) from 1190 patient cohorts were analysed. After adjusting for confounding factors, FVH (+) was associated with unfavourable outcome in total group (OR 3.02; 95% CI 1.49 to 6.13; p=0.002), BZ group (OR 4.22; 95% CI 1.25 to 14.25; p=0.021) and ML group (OR 5.44; 95% CI 1.41 to 20.92; p=0.014) patients. FVH (+) was associated with poor outcome in total group (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.01 to 4.97; p=0.046), BZ group (OR 5.52; 95% CI 0.98 to 31.07; p=0.053) and ML group (OR 4.09; 95% CI 1.04 to 16.16; p=0.045) patients, which was marginal significance. FVH (+) was not associated with unfavourable or poor outcome in LT and SL groups.

Conclusion

This study suggests that association between FVH and outcome varies with different lesion patterns on DWI. The presence of FVH after intravenous thrombolysis may help to identify patients who require close observations in the hospitalisation in patients with border-zone and multiple lesion infarcts.
Remodeling of ipsilateral ulnar artery after radial artery harvesting for coronary artery bypass graft
Authors: Lima Melchior L. , Silva Héber S.M. , Lougon Lourival N. , Barros Fanilda S. , Gomes Walter J.
Published: February 2021

There are controversies in the literature on the blood supply to the forearm after surgical removal of the radial artery in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The objective was to investigate the arterial remodeling of the ulnar artery after the removal of the radial artery in myocardial revascularization by means of ultrasound examination with color Doppler in the pre- and post-operative periods. This paper describes an observational prospective study of the remodeling of the left brachial and ulnar arteries (donor arm) in 103 right-handed non-consecutive adult patients undergoing CABG with removal of the ipsilateral radial artery using the color Doppler ultrasound examination. In the ulnar artery, a significant increase (P < 0.05) was seen in the following measurements: lumen diameter by 13%, lumen area by 26%, peak systolic flow by 40%, and average flow by 46%. Intima-media thickness measured in the ulnar artery did not show a statistically significant difference (P = 0.22), except in diabetic patients (P = 0.007). We conclude that the ulnar artery undergoes positive physiological remodeling, adapting to the new requirements of chronic increase in flow after the ipsilateral removal of the radial artery to serve as a graft in CABG. There was no evidence of increased intima-media thickness, except in diabetic patients.
Non-uniform nonlinear cellular automata with large cycles and their application in pseudo-random number generation
Authors: Mukherjee Sukanya , Adak Sumit , Bhattacharjee Kamalika , Das Sukanta
Published: February 2021

This paper reports a stochastic method of synthesizing three-neighborhood two-state nonlinear non-uniform reversible cellular automata (CAs) having large cycle(s). To develop this method, we propose a parameter which measures the dependency of each cell on its neighbors. Using this parameter, we classify the possible rules of reversible CAs into four classes — completely dependent, partially dependent, weakly dependent and independent. A CA is expected to have larger cycle length if most of the rules of the CA are sensitive to their neighbors; hence, possess higher parameter value. It is shown that our synthesis algorithm, where rules are selected from the first three classes based on Gaussian distribution, can successfully generate CAs having desired length cycle. We empirically show that most of the synthesized CAs have a cycle at least as large as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the lattice size. Then, as an application of such CAs, a scheme is developed to design window-based pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) using (some of) them. These PRNGs are easily implementable on hardware and are highly portable. Finally, when compared on the same platform, our PRNGs outperform most of the well-known PRNGs existing today.
MRN: Moment Relation Network for Natural Language Video Localization with Transfer Learning
Authors: Jiang Siyu , Wu Guobin
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we tackle the task of natural language video localization (NLVL): given an untrimmed video and a description language query, the goal is to localize the temporal segment within the video that best describes the natural language description. NLVL is challenging at the intersection of language and video understanding because a video may contain multiple segments of interests and the language may describe complicated temporal dependencies. Though existing approaches have achieved good performance, most of them did not fully consider the inherent differences between language and video modalities. Here, we propose Moment Relation Network (MRN) to reduce the divergence of the probability distribution of these two modalities. Specifically, MRN trains video and language subnets, and then uses transfer learning techniques to map the extracted features into an embedding-shared space where we calculate the similarity of two modalities using Mahalanobis distance metric, which is used to localize moments. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets show that the proposed MRN significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art under the widely used metrics by a large margin.
EDITORIAL: AN INTRODUCTION TO FRACTALS IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Authors: WANG LEI , TANG SHENGWEN
Published: February 2021

In recent years, the application of fractal theory in construction materials has drawn tremendous attention worldwide. This special issue section containing seven papers publishes the recent advances in the investigation and application of fractal-based approaches implemented in construction materials. The topics covered in this introduction mainly include: (1) the fractal characterization of construction materials from nano- to micro-scales; (2) combining fractals methods with other theoretical, numerical and/or experimental methods to evaluate or predict the macroscopic behavior of construction materials; (3) the relationship of fractal dimension with the macro-properties (i.e. mechanical property, shrinkage behavior, permeability, frost resistance, abrasion resistance, etc.) of construction materials.
POSTEROMEDIAL ELBOW DISLOCATION WITH IPSILATERAL DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURE
Authors: Tan Cheryl Marise Peilin , Wang Bryan De Hao
Published: February 2021

Distal radius fractures with concomitant ipsilateral elbow dislocation are a rare injury pattern. Only a few cases of a distal radius fracture with ipsilateral elbow dislocation have been reported. We discuss the case of a 46-year-old gentleman presenting with posteromedial elbow dislocation with an ipsilateral closed extra-articular fracture of the distal radius. Plain radiographs showed a right posterior-medial elbow dislocation and ipsilateral distal radius fracture. CT scans of the elbow showed impaction fractures of the coronoid and trochlea, suggesting a concomitant posteromedial varus elbow dislocation injury. CT scans of the wrist showed the presence of a comminuted, extra-articular distal radius fracture. Surgical fixation of the distal radius was performed, as well as repair of the right elbow lateral capsule-ligamentous complex with suture anchors. Proper recognition of the posteromedial varus instability type injury to the elbow, as in this case is important, should be addressed. If VPMRI is missed, it can lead to ulno-humeral osteoarthritis of the elbow joint.
DQR: An Efficient Deep Q-Based Routing Approach in Multi-Controller Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN)
Authors: MAJDOUB MANEL , EL KAMEL ALI , YOUSSEF HABIB
Published: February 2021

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a promising paradigm in the field of network technology. This paradigm suggests the separation between the control plane and the data plane which brings flexibility, efficiency and programmability to network resources.

SDN deployment in large scale networks raises many issues which can be overcame using a collaborative multi-controller approaches. Such approaches can resolve problems of routing optimization and network scalability. In large scale networks, such as SD-WAN, routing optimization consists of achieving a trade-off between per-flow QoS, the load balancing in each domain as well as the resource utilization in inter-domain links. Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning paradigm(MARL) is one of the most popular solutions that can be used to optimize routing strategies in SD-WAN.

This paper proposes an efficient approach based on MARL which is able to ensure a load balancing among each network as well as optimized resource utilization of inter-domain links. This approach profits from our previous work, denoted SPFLR, and tries to balance the load of the whole network using Deep Q-Networks (DQN) algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed solution performs better than parallel solutions such as BGP-based routing and random routing.
Vibration Characteristics of Unsaturated Runways Under Moving Aircraft Loads
Authors: Tang Chuxuan , Lu Zheng , Yao Hailin , Guo Shuan , Han Yukun
Published: February 2021

The dynamic vibrations of airport runways induced by moving aircraft loads are semi-analytically studied in this paper. The airport runway consists of an infinite Kirchhoff plate, an elastic base course, and an unsaturated poroelastic half-space. The aircraft loads are modeled according to the mechanical properties of the main landing gear of the A380 civil airliner. The governing equations of the whole system are solved in the wavenumber domain using the double Fourier transform. Then the results in the spatial domain are obtained by applying the inverse double Fourier transform. Various parameters including the observation location, soil saturation, load speed, load frequency, and pavement rigidity on the vibration characters of the whole system are investigated. It is found that all these effects are crucial, and the increase of soil saturation leads to a larger maximum vertical displacement and lower critical speed.
Improvement in CNN-Based Multifocus Image Fusion Algorithm with Triangulated Fuzzy Filter
Authors: Manchanda Meenu , Gambhir Deepak
Published: February 2021

Multifocus image fusion is a demanding research field due to the utilization of modern imaging devices. Generally, the scene to be captured contains objects at different distances from these devices and so a set of multifocus images of the scene is captured with different objects in-focus. However, to improve the situational awareness of the captured scene, these sets of images are required to be fused together. Therefore, a multifocus image fusion algorithm based on Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and triangulated fuzzy filter is proposed. A CNN is used to extract information regarding focused pixels of input images and the same is used as fusion rule for fusing the input images. The focused information so extracted may still need to be refined near the boundaries. Therefore, asymmetrical triangular fuzzy filter with the median center (ATMED) is employed to correctly classify the pixels near the boundary. The advantage of using this filter is to rely on precise detection results since any misdetection may considerably degrade the fusion quality. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the state-of-art image fusion algorithms, both subjectively and objectively. Various parameters such as edge strength ([Formula: see text]), fusion loss (FL), fusion artifacts (FA), entropy ([Formula: see text]), standard deviation (SD), spatial frequency (SF), structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and feature similarity index measure (FSIM) are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Experimental results proved that the proposed fusion algorithm produces a fused image that contains all-in-one focused pixels and is better than those obtained using other popular and latest image fusion works.
Multiple Machining Performance Optimization in Drilling of MWCNT/Epoxy Nanocomposites Using TOPSIS and Grey Theory
Authors: Kharwar Prakhar Kumar , Verma Rajesh Kumar
Published: February 2021

The use of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced polymer nanocomposites have significant importance since MWCNT enhances the aspect ratio and interface conditions of polymer materials. However, the machining aspects of carbon nanofillers are still a potential area of research. The mechanical and electrical properties of MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposites makes it a suitable alternative to conventional engineering materials. This work focused the machining characteristics optimization during drilling of MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposites using TOPSIS and GRA theory. The machining characteristics are considered which are surface roughness, torques and thrust. By using both the multi-criteria optimization techniques, all the machining characteristics aggregated into the single objective function. The effects of drilling parameters have been investigated by variance analysis. The outcomes of both the proposed module give different optimal conditions of process parameters. The confirmatory experiment carried out to validate the obtained results, and it has been observed that GRA is more feasible than TOPSIS. During machining, the cutting force rises with the high feed rate, and the lower value of feed rate reduces the surface roughness. The achieved improvements in drilling performances are highly required for an efficient machining environment. Further, a microstructural investigation was done to check the quality of the machined samples.
The Parallel Machine Scheduling with Considering the Due Date Assignment, Earliness, Weighted Number of Tardy Jobs and Batch Delivery
Authors: Fakhrzad M. B. , Shamsadini Saber , Jafari-Nodoushan Abbasali
Published: February 2021

In this paper, parallel machine scheduling problem is considered under due date assignment, earliness, weighted number of tardy jobs, facilities costs and shipping products by limited vehicle capacity. The orders of the customer are presented with a due date. Each order is scheduled and assigned to one of the machines according to due date, delay weight and penalty of increasing of due date and shipped in the batch. The problem is known as NP-hardness, therefore a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is proposed to solve the problem. The results are also compared with the CPLEX solver in the GAMS. Finally, sensitivity analysis for the problem parameters is performed in relation to the objective function. The results showed a direct relationship between objective function with the weighted tardiness and processing time, also an inverse relationship with the number of machines and vehicle capacity.
The Response Analysis and Vibration Control of Flexible Arms With Two Nonlinear Factors
Authors: Ma Guoliang , Xu Minglong , Chen Liqun
Published: February 2021

The space flexible arm has the characteristics of large flexibility and size, and external excitation will cause harmful vibration. In this paper, the dynamic response of flexible arms is analyzed, and the vibration control is studied when nonlinear factors are considered. First, the vibration equation is established according to the Hamilton’s principle, and the generalized force is derived by using rod model and beam model, respectively. Then the Runge–Kutta method is used to solve the vibration equation, and the dynamic response is obtained. Finally, the PD and fuzzy control simulations of three arms are established, and the dead zone and saturation nonlinearities are applied in the programs. The numerical results show that the external force causes significant response, and the vibration control method is effective. Besides, in order to achieve vibration control effect, it is necessary to reduce the dead zone nonlinear range.
Developing MCQA Framework for Basic Science Subjects using Distributed Similarity Model and Classification Based Approaches
Authors: Sarkar Sandip , Das Dipankar , Pakray Partha , Avendano David Eduardo Pinto
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we proposed a novel approach to improve the performance of multiple choice question answering (MCQA) system using distributed semantic similarity and classification approach. We mainly focus on science-based MCQ which is really difficult to handle. Our proposed method is based on the hypothesis that the relation between question and answer of that question will be high in distributional semantic model rather than other options of that question. We are using IJCNLP shared Task 5 and SciQ dataset for our experiments. We have built three Models (i.e., Model 1, Model 2, Model 3) based on the dataset format. The basic difference between IJCNLP Task 5 and SciQ datasets is that SciQ dataset contains supporting text with questions whereas IJCNLP Task 5 dataset does not contain supporting text. Model 1 and Model 2 are mainly built to deal with IJCNLP Task 5 dataset whereas Model 3 is mainly built for SciQ dataset. Model 2 is mainly built to deal with the dependencies between options (i.e., all of these, two of them, none of them) whereas Model 1 is the basic model for MCQA and it cannot capture the dependencies between options. We also compare the result of SciQ dataset with supporting text (i.e., using Model 3) and without supporting text (i.e., using Model 1). We also compared our system with other existing methods. Though in some cases the performance of our proposed method is not satisfactory, we have noted that our submission is simple and robust that allows it to be more easily integrated into complex applications. This work investigates different techniques for choosing the correct answer of a given question in MCQA system. These experiments may therefore be useful to improve the performance of current science-based question answering (QA) systems. For IJCNLP Task 5 dataset, we achieved 44.5% using Model 2 and PubMed Dataset. Similarly for SciQ dataset we achieved 82.25% using Model 3 and PubMed dataset.