bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diet Modifies Pioglitazone’s Influence on Hepatic PPARγ-Regulated Mitochondrial Gene Expression
Authors: Kulkarni Sakil , Huang Jiansheng , Tycksen Eric , Cliften Paul F. , Rudnick David A.
Published: September 2020

Pioglitazone (Pio) is a thiazolidinedione (TZD) insulin-sensitizing drug whose effects result predominantly from its modulation of the transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated-receptor-gamma (PPARγ). Pio is used to treat human insulin-resistant diabetes and also frequently considered for treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In both settings, Pio’s beneficial effects are believed to result primarily from its actions on adipose PPARγ activity, which improves insulin sensitivity and reduces the delivery of fatty acids to the liver. Nevertheless, a recent clinical trial showed variable efficacy of Pio in human NASH. Hepatocytes also express PPARγ, and such expression increases with insulin resistance and in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Furthermore, mice that overexpress hepatocellular PPARγ and Pio-treated mice with extrahepatic PPARγ gene disruption develop features of NAFLD. Thus, Pio’s direct impact on hepatocellular gene expression might also be a determinant of this drug’s ultimate influence on insulin resistance and NAFLD. Previous studies have characterized Pio’s PPARγ-dependent effects on hepatic expression of specific adipogenic, lipogenic, and other metabolic genes. However, such transcriptional regulation has not been comprehensively assessed. The studies reported here address that consideration by genome-wide comparisons of Pio’s hepatic transcriptional effects in wildtype (WT) and liver-specific PPARγ-knockout (KO) mice given either control or high-fat (HFD) diets. The results identify a large set of hepatic genes for which Pio’s liver PPARγ-dependent transcriptional effects are concordant with its effects on RXR-DNA binding in WT mice. These data also show that HFD modifies Pio’s influence on a subset of such transcriptional regulation. Finally, our findings reveal a broader influence of Pio on PPARγ-dependent hepatic expression of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins than previously recognized. Taken together, these studies provide new insights about the tissue-specific mechanisms by which Pio affects hepatic gene expression and the broad scope of this drug’s influence on such regulation.
IκB Kinase Inhibitor VII Modulates Sepsis-Induced Excessive Inflammation and Cardiac Dysfunction in 5/6 Nephrectomized Mice
Authors: Ding Mei , Lian Dede , Zhang Lirong , Jiang Tiechao , Wang Wei
Published: September 2020

Background. Chronic kidney disease condition requires regular dialysis; the patients have greater risk of sepsis and have high mortality rate compared to general people with sepsis. The adverse cardiac condition leads to mortality in subjects with sepsis. In the present work, we studied the consequences of chronic kidney damage by 5/6 nephrectomy on cardiac function in mice induced with sepsis and the mechanism involved. Methods. We used C57BL/6 mice and subjected them to 5/6 nephrectomy; after induction of chronic kidney damage, they were subjected to sepsis by either LPS treatment or by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. The cardiac function test was done by echocardiography. Protein expression was done by western blot analysis. Results. The 5/6 nephrectomized mice showed significant increase in blood creatinine and urea levels compared to sham-operated mice; the mice also showed decreased ejection fraction and increased levels of phosphorylated IkBα and nuclear translocation of the NF-κB and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). When subjected to CLP and LPS treatment, the 5/6 nephrectomized mice augmented cardiac abnormalities and lung inflammation and increased plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-12, and IL-18. Also, we evidenced increased levels of p-IKKα/β and Ikβα, NF-κβ, and iNOS. Treatment of IKK inhibitor VII in 5/6 nephrectomized mice after LPS administration or CLP attenuated these effects. Conclusion. Chronic kidney disease could lead to abnormal cardiac function caused by sepsis in mice; this may be due to increased expression of NF-κβ and iNOS in cardiac tissues.
Fractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy in Patients with Solitary Brain Metastases
Authors: Zhou Chong , Xia Youyou , Huang Pei , Guan Luan , Shen Xiaoming , Hao Dawei , Chen Meng , Ren Hongrong , Lian Lian , Yin Haitao
Published: September 2020

Purpose. To analyze retrospectively the clinical efficacy and safety for patients treated with fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (FSRT) using volumetric modulated arc therapy. Methods. Between 2016 and 2017, 46 patients with solitary brain metastasis who underwent FSRT consisting of 25‐40 Gy/5 fractions were recruited in this study. All targets within the same course received different prescriptions according to size. Toxicities were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Results. The median follow‐up was 11 months (3‐53 months). The 6‐month and 12‐month local control rate calculated by Kaplan‐Meier estimate was, respectively, 95% and 86%. Tumor diameter < 2.5 cm obtained 100% improved 12‐month local control rate compared with 66% in those with ≥2.5 cm (P < 0.001). The 12‐month local control calculated by Kaplan‐Meier estimate was 95% in tumors with >30 Gy treatment and only 60% in tumors with ≤30 Gy treatment (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the prescription dose ≤ 30 Gy resulted in increased local failure (hazard ratio (HR), 0.14 (range, 0.019‐0.95; P = .046)). Grade 3 or worse toxic effects were found in 5 (11%) patients, and no patient experienced surgical resection for symptomatic radioactive necrosis. Conclusions. FSRT for solid brain metastasis appears to have the advantages of a high rate of local control with a minimal risk of severe toxicity and deserves application in the clinical practice.
A Comparison of Two Operation Methods Revealed the Risk Factors and the Necessity of LN-prRLN Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study in FUSCC
Authors: Wang Yunjun , Wang Dezhi , Chen Lili , Guo Kai , Sun Tuanqi
Published: September 2020

Background. Although the American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines indicate that central lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LN-prRLN) should be routinely dissected, pr-RLN dissection is often neglected due to the high risk of injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with LN-prRLN metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) by preoperative examination and the indications for LN-prRLN dissection. Methods. A total of 1487 consecutive patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy or right lobectomy plus isthmic resection with central LN dissection (CLND) were divided into two groups: patients with LN-prRLN dissection (group A) and patients without LN-prRLN dissection (group B). Clinicopathologic data were reviewed of the patients who were operated on by the same thyroid surgery team in the Department of Head Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) between August 2011 and May 2019. The relationships of LN-prRLN metastasis with clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results. The incidence of LN-prRLN metastasis was 34.1% (129/378). Univariate analysis showed that sex (P≤0.001), tumor size (P≤0.001), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.002), concurrent Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (P=0.009), cLNMa (central lymph nodes anterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve) (P≤0.001), cLNMa number (P≤0.001), and lateral LN metastasis (LLNM) (P≤0.001) were significantly associated with LN-prRLN metastasis in PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that tumor size (P=0.039), cLNMa (P=0.001), and LLNM (P=0.025) were independent risk factors for LN-prRLN metastasis in patients with PTC. Although there was no significant difference between the two groups in recurrence, we found that 4 cases relapsed in the LN-prRLN compartment in group B, while none relapsed in group A. Conclusion. LN-prRLN metastasis is often identified in patients with PTC. Patients with large tumor sizes, cLNMa and LLNM are at a high risk of LN-prRLN metastasis and should be recommended for careful LN-prRLN dissection.
Effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Fatigue and Activities of Daily Living in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Study
Authors: Abasi Amirabas , Raji Parvin , Friedman Joseph H. , Hadian Mohammad-Reza , Hoseinabadi Reza , Abbasi Somaye , Baghestani Ahmadreza
Published: September 2020

One of the most disabling nonmotor symptoms in persons with Parkinson’s disease is fatigue, which can decrease the quality of life by restricting the function and activities of daily living (ADL). Nonetheless, sufficient evidence for treating fatigue, including drug or nondrug treatment, is not available. In this study, we evaluated the probable effects of vestibular rehabilitation on fatigue and ADL in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Methods. This was a single-blind clinical trial study in which patients with Parkinson’s disease voluntarily participated based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients were randomly assigned to the case and control groups. The case group received 24 sessions of vestibular rehabilitation protocol, and conventional rehabilitation was performed in the control group (i.e., 3 sessions each week, each lasted about 60 minutes). Both groups were also given fatigue management advice. Fatigue was measured by the Parkinson Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). ADL was measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). All changes were measured from the baseline at the completion of the intervention. Results. Both fatigue (P≤0.001) and ADL (P≤0.001) improved significantly more in the vestibular intervention group than in the control one. Conclusion. Vestibular rehabilitation may improve fatigue and ADL and therefore can be used as an effective intervention for patients with Parkinson’s disease, which was also found to be well tolerated.
Uniaxial Experimental Study of the Deformation Behavior and Energy Evolution of Conjugate Jointed Rock Based on AE and DIC Methods
Authors: Pan Jiliang , Wu Xu , Guo Qifeng , Xi Xun , Cai Meifeng
Published: September 2020

Conjugate joint is one of the most common joint forms in natural rock mass, which is produced by different tectonic movements. To better understand the preexisting flaws, it is necessary to investigate joint development and its effect on the deformation and strength of the rock. In this study, uniaxial compression tests of granite specimens with different conjugate joints distribution were performed using the GAW‐2000 compression‐testing machine system. The PCI‐2 acoustic emission (AE) testing system was used to monitor the acoustic signal characteristics of the jointed specimens during the entire loading process. At the same time, a 3D digital image correlation (DIC) technique was used to study the evolution of stress field before the peak strength at different loading times. Based on the experimental results, the deformation and strength characteristics, AE parameters, damage evolution processes, and energy accumulation and dissipation properties of the conjugate jointed specimens were analyzed. It is considered that these changes were closely related to the angle between the primary and secondary joints. The results show that the AE counts can be used to characterize the damage and failure of the specimen during uniaxial compression. The local stress field evolution process obtained by the DIC can be used to analyze the crack initiation and propagation in the specimen. As the included angle increases from 0° to 90°, the elastic modulus first decreases and then increases, and the accumulative AE counts of the peak first increase and then decrease, while the peak strength does not change distinctly. The cumulative AE counts of the specimen with an included angle of 45° rise in a ladder‐like manner, and the granite retains a certain degree of brittle failure characteristics under the axial loading. The total energy, elastic energy, and dissipation energy of the jointed specimens under uniaxial compression failure were significantly reduced. These findings can be regarded as a reference for future studies on the failure mechanism of granite with conjugate joints.
Flexion Angles of Finger Joints in Two-Finger Tip Pinching Using 3D Bone Models Constructed from X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) Images
Authors: Shimawaki Satoshi , Nakamura Yoshiaki , Nakabayashi Masataka , Sugimoto Hideharu
Published: September 2020

The motion analysis of two-finger tip pinching using the thumb and index finger provides crucial data for designing the motion mechanism of electric prosthetic hands. The purpose of this study is to determine the joints that have high mobility during two-finger tip pinching by measuring the flexion angle of each joint. Ten Japanese men with normal hand were selected. CT images were obtained while the hands adopted the following four postures: a basic posture not pinching a cylinder, and three postures pinching wooden cylinders with different diameters (2, 10, and 30 mm). Three-dimensional bone models of the thumb and index finger were created using the CT images and used to measure the flexion angles of the joints. The flexion angles of the proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints of the index finger significantly decreased as the diameter of the cylinder increased. However, even when the diameter of the cylinder changed, the flexion angle of the distal interphalangeal joint of the index finger, and the flexion and rotation angles of all of the thumb joints did not change. When pinching objects of different sizes with a two-finger tip pinch, the posture of the thumb is fixed, and only the posture of the index finger changes. When designing the two-finger tip pinch motion for an electric prosthetic hand, it is sufficient to drive the joints of the index finger only.
Phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐Biphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) Is Required for Rapid Endocytosis in Chromaffin Cells
Authors: Azizi Fouad
Published: September 2020

Objective. Phosphoinositides play a regulatory role in clathrin‐mediated endocytosis. However, their involvement in clathrin‐independent endocytosis termed rapid endocytosis (RE), which is the mode of vesicle recycling during neurotransmitter release by transient fusion (known as kiss‐and‐run), has not been investigated. Here, we used patch‐clamp recording of whole‐cell membrane capacitance in adrenal chromaffin cells (ACC) to monitor changes of RE kinetics in response to pharmacological alteration of phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐biphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) level by phenylarsine oxide (PAO) or antibody against phosphatidylinositol 4‐kinase (AbPI4K). Results. We found that PAO and AbPI4K significantly abrogated RE kinetics. Infusion of PI(4,5)P2 through the patch pipette potentiated RE kinetics and reversed PAO‐ and AbPI4K‐induced blockade of RE. Similarly, the application of the bifunctional thiol dithiothreitol (DTT) to PAO‐treated cells completely prevented the inhibitory effect of PAO on RE. These findings indicate that PI(4,5)P2 is implicated in the signaling (mechanistic) process of RE in ACC.
Hypertension-Related Cerebral Microbleeds
Authors: Reddy Sujan T. , Savitz Sean I.
Published: September 2020

Hypertension and cerebral amyloid angiopathy are the most common causes of cerebral microbleeds. The pattern of microbleeds on T2*-weighted gradient echo sequence of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can be indicative of the etiology of intracerebral hemorrhage. We describe a case of cerebellar hemorrhage with cerebral microbleeds secondary to chronic hypertension.
Height Is Associated with Dyslipidemia in Korean Premenopausal Women: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Hwang In Cheol , Park Young Min , Kang Woong Chol , Moon Jeonggeun
Published: September 2020

Background: The association between height and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported in epidemiological studies for decades; however, the mechanism for this relationship is still unclear. We previously reported that dyslipidemia was associated with adult height in Korean men without CVD. Objectives: This study explored the potential ­relationship between height and dyslipidemia in premenopausal women. Methods: This study used data from the 2007–2016 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES). We identified 16,361 premenopausal women aged ≥19 years without a history of CVD (myocardial infarction/stroke) or cancer. Fasting total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured. Dyslipidemia was further classified as hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol level ≥240 mg/dL or treatment with lipid-lowering medications), hypertriglyceridemia (triglyceride level ≥200 mg/dL), and low HDL-C (HDL-C level <40 mg/dL). Subjects were divided into four groups by their height (<155, 155–159.9, 160–164.9, and ≥165 cm), and the prevalence of dyslipidemia was compared. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that short premenopausal women had a higher likelihood of hypercholesterolemia (ptrend = 0.002), hypertriglyceridemia (ptrend = 0.010), and low HDL-C (ptrend = 0.002) when adjusted for age, comorbidities, waist circumference, health-related habits, and economic status. Conclusion: There was a dose-dependent correlation between adult height and adverse lipid profile in premenopausal Korean women who did not have CVD. This finding could serve as further evidence that dyslipidemia can be a link between shortness and CVD.
Calcium Influx Kinetics and the Characteristics of Potassium Channels in Peripheral T Lymphocytes in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Toldi Gergely , Legány Nóra , Ocsovszki Imre , Balog Attila
Published: September 2020

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic, immune-mediated, connective tissue disease causing microvascular abnormalities and fibrosis. The cytoplasmic calcium influx kinetics in T lymphocytes governs lymphocyte activation in this inflammatory process. The inhibition of Kv1.3 and IKCa1 potassium channels reduces calcium influx. Methods: This study aimed to analyze cytoplasmic calcium influx kinetics following activation in Th1, Th2, and CD8 cells in peripheral blood of 12 healthy individuals and 16 patients with systemic sclerosis using flow cytometry. We also evaluated the effect of the specific inhibition of the Kv1.3 and IKCa1 potassium channels. Results: We observed higher levels of activation in CD8 compared with Th1 cells in SSc. However, the activation of CD8 cells was lower in SSc compared to healthy controls. Moreover, activation of Th1 lymphocytes was slower in SSc than in healthy controls. The inhibition of IKCa1 channels decreased the activation of Th1 cells, while the inhibition of Kv1.3 channels modified the dynamics of activation of Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes in SSc. Conclusion: Th1 and CD8 cells demonstrate specific activation dynamics and sensitivity to potassium channel inhibition in SSc, distinguishing this condition both from healthy controls and other autoimmune diseases.
Organisierende Pneumonie als seltene, unerwünschte Wirkung von Tocilizumab bei der Therapie von rheumatoider Arthritis
Authors: Kahn Nicolas Carlos
Published: September 2020

Interstitial lung disease is a significant extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, due to its prevalence, morbidity and mortality. Biological therapies are widely used for rheumatoid arthritis treatment. However, some biological agents have been related to the induction or exacerbation of interstitial lung disease. We report a 51-year-old woman with knee arthralgia, hand and foot joint deformities. Although there were no respiratory symptoms, rheumatoid arthritis and interstitial lung disease were diagnosed. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) detected a radiological pattern of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia. After tocilizumab therapy for nine months, a second HRCT detected a worsening of interstitial lung disease, presenting a pattern of organizing pneumonia. Tocilizumab was discontinued and prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) was introduced. After two months, a further HRCT detected a significant improvement in organizing pneumonia. There are few similar cases in the literature of tocilizumab-induced organizing pneumonia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Despite being a rare adverse effect, knowledge of this association is important for monitoring the use of tocilizumab.
Efeitos do debate do sistema de mensuração de desempenho e do conflito cognitivo na inovação ambidestra
Authors: Monteiro Januário José , Beuren Ilse Maria
Published: September 2020

Este estudo segue o fluxo de pesquisas que investigaram a relação entre o sistema de mensuração de desempenho e a inovação, mas difere ao considerar a inovação um construto multidimensional. Este estudo analisa os efeitos do debate do sistema de mensuração de desempenho e do conflito cognitivo na inovação ambidestra. Uma pesquisa de levantamento foi realizada com gestores de empresas listadas na Brasil Bolsa Balcão (B3), conforme o ranking dos valores de pesquisa e desenvolvimento e do ativo intangível, e obteve-se 124 respostas válidas. Para testar as hipóteses utilizou-se a técnica de modelagem de equações estruturais. Os resultados revelaram que o debate do sistema de mensuração de desempenho influencia positivamente na inovação ambidestra e que o conflito cognitivo modera essa relação. Conclui-se que as discussões entre os gestores sobre as medidas de desempenho permitem a resolução de problemas, busca pela aprendizagem, criatividade e inovação, principalmente quando intensificado pelo conflito cognitivo.
A Nação como horizonte estratégico em José Carlos Mariátegui
Authors: Leblanc Jean Ganesh
Published: September 2020

Estudar a questão da nação no pensamento de José Carlos Mariátegui nos leva a explorar o método mais largo de interpretação no qual ela se insere. Partindo da análise do mundo no qual o autor escreve, este artigo pretende demostrar o caráter profundamente historicista e estratégico do marxismo de Mariátegui. A primeira parte foca na dimensão de diagnóstico da sua obra, para desenvolver na segunda a sua vertente propriamente estratégica. A nação aparece assim como uma categoria medular da perspectiva revolucionária que ele prega, condição e meio de um futuro socialista por criar.
O problema da objetivação do capitalismo no Brasil: uma revisão teórica
Authors: Santos Flávio Magalhães Piotto
Published: September 2020

O artigo procura discutir a questão das formas de objetivação do sistema capitalista, em especial no que se refere ao caso brasileiro. Discutimos quais são os problemas teórico-metodológicos que concernem este tipo de pesquisa histórica. Em seguida, passamos à análise de dois importantes historiadores brasileiros que trataram deste problema, Ciro Flamarion Cardoso e Jacob Gorender. A partir da crítica destes autores, chegamos à concepção desta questão e à solução apresentada por Caio Prado Júnior, a qual acreditamos ser a mais fértil para orientar as futuras pesquisas sobre esta temática.
O Pensamento Econômico Católico
Authors: Mamede Bruno Fernandes Dantas
Published: September 2020

Neste artigo[1] buscamos fazer um compêndio das principais ideias que nortearam o chamado Pensamento Econômico Católico, do seu surgimento, fruto da reflexão escolástica, a sua fragmentação, ligada às circunstâncias impostas pela Segunda Guerra Mundial. A reflexão católica sobre o funcionamento da economia constitui um capítulo pouco explorado pelo campo da História das Ideias e, especificamente, pela História do Pensamento Econômico. As primeiras contribuições sistemáticas, nesse sentido, são feitas pelos escolásticos, de Santo Tomás de Aquino até os intelectuais da Escola de Salamanca, buscando, de forma geral, posicionar a moral católica frente às transformações econômicas geradas pelo Renascimento Comercial e Urbano, entre os séculos XI e XIII. A sequência de acontecimentos históricos, como as grandes navegações, o surgimento de novas rotas de comércio, a colonização da América, e a consolidação do capitalismo mercantil exigiu que a Igreja Católica continuasse a pensar sobre os problemas advindos dessas novas dinâmicas econômicas. De acordo com a necessidade, as elites intelectuais do catolicismo se revezaram na busca da “cristianização” da economia, ora de forma mais intensa, ora com longos intervalos de silêncio, até que se estrutura de formas mais palpáveis entre os séculos XIX e XX.

 

[1] O texto a seguir compõe uma parte do primeiro capítulo da dissertação que defendemos no Programa de Pós-Graduação em História Econômica da USP em 2019, intitulada “O Pensamento Econômico Católico e a Doutrina Social da Igreja: As contribuições de Joseph Ratzinger-Bento XVI”.
Machine Learning Strategy for Gut Microbiome-Based Diagnostic Screening of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Aryal Sachin , Alimadadi Ahmad , Manandhar Ishan , Joe Bina , Cheng Xi
Published: September 2020

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one leading cause for human mortality. Besides genetics and environmental factors, in recent years, gut microbiota has emerged as a new factor influencing CVD. Although cause-effect relationships are not clearly established, the reported associations between alterations in gut microbiota and CVD are prominent. Therefore, we hypothesized that machine learning (ML) could be used for gut microbiome–based diagnostic screening of CVD. To test our hypothesis, fecal 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing data of 478 CVD and 473 non-CVD human subjects collected through the American Gut Project were analyzed using 5 supervised ML algorithms including random forest, support vector machine, decision tree, elastic net, and neural networks. Thirty-nine differential bacterial taxa were identified between the CVD and non-CVD groups. ML modeling using these taxonomic features achieved a testing area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.0, perfect antidiscrimination; 0.5, random guessing; 1.0, perfect discrimination) of ≈0.58 (random forest and neural networks). Next, the ML models were trained with the top 500 high-variance features of operational taxonomic units, instead of bacterial taxa, and an improved testing area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of ≈0.65 (random forest) was achieved. Further, by limiting the selection to only the top 25 highly contributing operational taxonomic unit features, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was further significantly enhanced to ≈0.70. Overall, our study is the first to identify dysbiosis of gut microbiota in CVD patients as a group and apply this knowledge to develop a gut microbiome–based ML approach for diagnostic screening of CVD.
Rhodeus caspius, a new bitterling from Iran (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Acheilognathidae)
Authors: ESMAEILI HAMID REZA , SAYYADZADEH GOLNAZ , JAPOSHVILI BELLA , EAGDERI SOHEIL , ABBASI KEIVAN , MOUSAVI-SABET HAMED
Published: September 2020

A new bitterling from the Rhodeus amarus group is described based on morphological and molecular data. Rhodeus caspius sp. nov. from the Caspian Sea, Urmia Lake and the upper Tigris River drainages in Iran, is distinguished from its closest congeners (R. amarus and R. colchicus) by having short post-dorsal distance and caudal peduncle length and long head length. It is also characterized by one fixed diagnostic nucleotide substitutions and a K2P nearest neighbor distance of 1% to R. amarus and R. colchicus in the mtDNA COI barcode region.
2. Until I Hear from You
Authors: DeFreitas Erika
Published: September 2020

In an artistic practice steeped in process, gesture, performance, and documentation, Canadian-born artist Erika DeFreitas generously mines her family archive of photographs and letters throughout her oeuvre. In her art essay, ‘Until I Hear from You,’ she turns to old letters and photos sent from Guyana to construct memories with a grandmother she’s never met and to piece together a motherland she’s never known. Her grandmother, a skilled baker in British Guiana in the 1950s, passed down the practice to DeFreitas’ mother who then migrated to Canada in 1970. In sharing her family album, DeFreitas illustrates how the act of passing on sacred crafts through two geographies and three generations of DeFreitas women has shaped her connection to Guyana. In her essay, she expands on how she uses cake icing—perfected so beautifully by her grandmother that she taught classes in cake décor to the women in her neighborhood—as an important symbol in her work as well as in her poetic language. The icing is both material and process—meant to decorate and to preserve. DeFreitas leaves us to ponder the question: Even when we commit to preserving a motherland’s memories, rites, and traditions, how do we navigate the inevitable loss that pervades?
5. Transplantation
Authors: Hunter Dominique
Published: September 2020

Guyanese-born artist Dominique Hunter, based in the nation’s capital city of Georgetown, moves in and out of several geographic spaces within the Caribbean and North America for various artist residencies and opportunities. They are what she calls ‘mini migrations.’ Yet, she is vocal about rooting her artistic practice in Guyana, even while it is subjected to the ebb and flow of departure. In her art essay, ‘Transplantation,’ Hunter tells us that from a very young age, the Guyanese citizen is indoctrinated with the charge to leave their country. ‘There is an expectation once you have reached a certain age: pack what you can and leave. I am well past that age, yet I remain, stubbornly rooted in the land my parents spent their lives cultivating,’ she writes. What a spectacular thing for any citizen of any place to grapple with—to be, from birth, dispossessed of one’s own land. As both artist and citizen in Guyana, we are shown how she shoulders the personal, political, and economic consequences of Guyanese leaving their native land in droves. In her essay, Hunter uses a dictionary definition of ‘transplantation’ as a metaphorical device to engage ideas of migration and rootedness. She shepherds us through what she deems, ‘A guide to surviving transplantation and other traumas.’ In both her words and collages, Hunter layers organic imagery reminiscent of Guyana’s lush vegetation found in its interior Amazon as well as on its riverbeds and the famous Sea Wall on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Embedded in her visual imagery is a silhouetted self-referential figure. Its haunting presence among the flora and fauna thrives amidst Guyana’s extreme elements of temperature wind, water, and sand. In this symbolic artistic gesture, Hunter insists that the act of staying, of being rooted, of choosing not to be transplanted, is its own kind of agency.
Patient-Reported Factors Associated with the Onset of Hyperfunctional Voice Disorders
Authors: Kridgen Samantha , Hillman Robert E. , Stadelman-Cohen Tara , Zeitels Steven , Burns James A. , Hron Tiffiny , Krusemark Carol , Muise Jason , Van Stan Jarrad H.
Published: September 2020

Objectives:

Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hyperfunctional voice disorders would be improved by better understanding their etiological contributing factors. Therefore, this study estimated the prevalence of etiological factors using self-reported data about disorder onset from a large cohort of patients with Phonotraumatic Vocal Hyperfunction (PVH) and Non-Phonotraumatic Vocal Hyperfunction (NPVH).

Methods:

Retrospective chart review extracted the self-reported rate (gradual, sudden) and events associated (voice use, anxiety/stress, upper respiratory infection [URI]) with disorder onset from 1,577 patients with PVH and 979 patients with NPVH.

Results:

Both patient groups reported a gradual onset more than a sudden onset. Voice use was the most frequently reported event for PVH and the NPVH group self-reported all three events at equal frequency. The largest PVH subgroups were associated with voice use while the NPVH subgroups were associated with only voice use, only URI, or only anxiety/stress.

Conclusion:

The results support the general clinical view that PVH is most strongly related to the gradual accumulated effects of phonotrauma, while NPVH has a more heterogeneous etiology. The identified PVH and NPVH subgroups may have clinical relevance and future work could investigate differences in treatment and outcomes among these subgroups.
Columbia in the Nation’s Service: Warner Burke and the Education of U.S. Army Leaders
Authors: Spain Everett , Reed Brian
Published: September 2020

In 1969, Columbia University banned Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) from campus. In 2004, Teachers College’s Warner Burke, a senior professor of psychology and Army officer veteran, saw an opportunity to close this civil–military gap. Burke partnered with West Point to educate West Point cadets’ primary leader developers, its 36 company tactical officers, through hosting them annually in a world-class Master of Social-Organizational Psychology. In 2010, Burke welcomed the Army Fellows program to campus, bringing in one or two senior Army officers a year to study under his mentorship. Since Burke courageously showed the way, Columbia has welcomed ROTC back to campus and now boasts the largest numbers of veteran students in the Ivy League. Most recently, Burke built a third program, this one to educate critical Army leaders who historically did not have access to elite higher education, its noncommissioned officer corps.
They Drive Me Crazy: Difficult Social Ties and Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Offer Shira
Published: September 2020

Using egocentric network data from the University of California Social Networks Study (1,136 respondents; 11,536 alters), this study examines how difficult ties—an unexplored form of social negativity—are associated with well-being. Findings show that well-being is affected by the quality of the relationship rather than its presence in the network. Having a nondifficult partner is associated with lower loneliness compared to having no partner, but having no partner and having a difficult partner are related to similar levels of loneliness. Likewise, having difficult adult children and having no adult children are associated with reporting greater psychological distress than having nondifficult adult children. Consistent with the stress process model, the negative association of a difficult partner with well-being is buffered when that partner is otherwise supportive and when the other ties in the network are supportive. However, that association is amplified when the other ties are also difficult.
Impact narratives of agricultural innovations and their implication on rural livelihoods in south west Zimbabwe
Authors: Mutsvangwa-Sammie EP
Published: September 2020

The impact narratives of agricultural innovations and rural livelihoods have attracted the attention of both policy makers and development practitioners, especially on whether introduced innovations have the envisaged positive change on communities, and how that change can be measured. The paper explores the narratives around impacts of agricultural innovations and rural livelihoods in south west Zimbabwe. Data was collected through household questionnaires, review of project reports and key informant interviews, conducted between April 2012 and June 2018. Results showed there were differences in how success was defined by the various actors. Despite the vast efforts in promoting agricultural innovations, less than 12% of households depended on agriculture only, while the majority of households engaged in diverse livelihood strategies. This implied that recognizing the diversity of rural livelihoods is an important step toward understanding the beneficiaries of agricultural innovations and to ensure their success. The different perceptions in defining success reflected self-interests and/or pursuit of self-actualization of the various actors and how they sought to make the most out of the prevailing situation. I conclude that true ascription of success requires understanding the complexity and richness of livelihood goals of farmers, taking into account power, beliefs and values within a society.
An efficient multi-factor geometry optimization based on motion analysis and resonance response for hinged double-body floating wave energy converter
Authors: Li Biao , Sui Fangfang , Yang Bingsong
Published: September 2020

In the practical engineering applications of multi-body floating wave energy converter (WEC), the traditional geometric optimization is always expensive and time-consuming. This study aim to propose a more efficient geometry optimization strategy with a hinged double-body floating WEC as the study object. The influences of geometric parameters of the buoys on the pitching motion and energy conversion ability are analyzed by numerical simulation. Simulation results show that the resonance state of the pitching motion of the buoys mainly depends on their radius and draft rather than the length; But the length of the buoys, rather than the radius and draft, always has a significant effect on the pitching phase difference of the adjacent buoys. Based on the motion analysis and resonance response, an efficient multi-factor geometry optimization strategy is put forwarded. By the strategy, the sub-optimal and optimal geometrical parameters are solved out quickly at several typical wave conditions of China Seas. The results indicate that the optimal total length of WEC is approximately equal to the wave length. The optimal diameter of buoys is about 25% of the length of buoys. And the optimal draft should attain about 61% of the diameter.
Dynamic characteristic analysis of vertical screw conveyor in variable screw section condition
Authors: Yuan Jianming , Li Mingzhi , Ye Fangping , Zhou Zhenhui
Published: September 2020

Vertical screw conveyors are used widely in industry for elevating bulk materials over relatively short distances, but the problem of insufficient feeding and low conveying efficiency always exist in the vertical conveying process. In this paper, a vertical screw conveyor with variable screw section is presented, and the characteristics of vertical screw conveyor are investigated under the variable screw sections using discrete element method (DEM). The results show that the particle volume fraction in the inlet and the mass flow rate increase in the condition of variable screw section, and the screw rotational speed has a significant influence on mass flow rate. It is evident that the design of variable screw section provides an effective way in improving the particle feeding rate and the conveying efficiency.
Care and affective relations: Social justice and sociology
Authors: Lynch Kathleen , Kalaitzake Manolis , Crean Mags
Published: September 2020

This article examines the ways in which the care-indifferent and gendered character of much political egalitarian theory has contributed to a disregard for the care-relational dimensions of social injustice within the social sciences. It demonstrates how the lack of in-depth engagement with affective relations of love, care and solidarity has contributed to an underestimation of their pivotal role in generating injustices in the production of people in their humanity. While humans are political, economic and cultural beings, they are also what Tronto has termed homines curans. Yet, care, in its multiple manifestations, is treated as a kind of ‘cultural residual’, an area of human life that the dominant culture neglects, represses and cannot even recognize for its political salience. If sociology takes the issue of relational justice as seriously as it takes issues of redistribution, recognition and political representation, this would provide an intellectual avenue for advancing scholarship that recognizes that much of life is lived, and injustices are generated, outside the market, formal politics and public culture. A new sociology of affective care relations could enhance a normatively-led sociology of inequality, that is distinguishable from, but intersecting with, a sociology of inequality based on class (redistribution), status (recognition) and power (representation). It would also help change public discourse about politics by making affective in/justices visible intellectually and politically, and in so doing, identifying ways in which they could be a site of resistance to capitalist values and processes.
Projected spending for brand-name drugs in English primary care given US prices: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Liu Michael , MacKenna Brian , Feldman William B , Walker Alex J , Avorn Jerry , Kesselheim Aaron S , Goldacre Ben
Published: September 2020

Summary

Objectives

To estimate additional spending if NHS England paid the same prices as US Medicare Part D for the 50 single-source brand-name drugs with the highest expenditure in English primary care in 2018.

Design

Retrospective analysis of 2018 drug prescribing and spending in the NHS England prescribing data and the Medicare Part D Drug Spending Dashboard and Data. We examined the 50 costliest drugs in English primary care available as brand-name-only in the US and England. We performed cost projections of NHS England spending with US Medicare Part D prices. We estimated average 2018 US rebates as 1 minus the quotient of net divided by gross Medicare Part D spending.

Setting

England and US

Participants

NHS England and US Medicare systems

Main outcome measures

Total spending, prescriptions and claims in NHS England and Medicare Part D. All spending and cost measures were reported in 2018 British pounds.

Results

NHS England spent £1.39 billion on drugs in the cohort. All drugs were more expensive under US Medicare Part D than NHS England. The US–England price ratios ranged from 1.3 to 9.9 (mean ratio 4.8). Accounting for prescribing volume, if NHS England had paid US Medicare Part D prices after adjusting for estimated US rebates, it would have spent 4.6 times as much in 2018 on drugs in the cohort (£6.42 billion).

Conclusions

Spending by NHS England would be substantially higher if it paid US Medicare Part D prices. This could result in decreased access to medicines and other health services.
Paul’s Absence from Corinth as Voluntary Exile: Reading 2 Corinthians 1.1–2.13 and 7.5-16 as a Letter from Exile
Authors: White Adam G.
Published: September 2020

At some point between the writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians, there has been a signiﬁcant falling out between Paul and some in the Corinthian Christian community. As a result, Paul leaves Corinth with the intention of returning to deal with it at a later date. He then changes his mind, instead writing a letter known to us as the ‘painful letter’. This letter was effective in bringing about reconciliation, but questions still lingered as to why he did not return in person, instead staying away and sending a harsh letter. The section of letter found in 2 Cor. 1.1–2.13 and 7.5-16 seeks to address these concerns. It is the contention of this article, however, that Paul does more than simply recount recent events. Instead, he reframes his behaviour as something akin to voluntary exile. By comparing the letter to exilic writings from Cicero, Ovid, Seneca and Demosthenes, it will be proposed that 1.1–2.13 and 7.5-16 resembles a letter from exile.
Developing an Indoor Navigation Application: Identifying the Needs and Preferences of Users Who Are Visually Impaired
Authors: Ponchillia Paul E. , Jo Song-Jae , Casey Kim , Harding Sheri
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

This study identified users’ indoor navigation concerns, prototype feature preferences, and perceptions of the relative importance and difficulty of certain building types in order to guide the development of an accurate and user-friendly indoor navigation application.

Methods:

Six-hundred fourteen adult volunteers who are legally blind from the 7,000-member Sendero global positioning system (GPS) electronic discussion group completed a 27-item survey instrument using Survey Monkey Pro online. Data were analyzed using chi-square and cross tabulation statistics.

Results:

Participants felt points of interest were the most important type of indoor information, that ability to know their location at any time the most important application feature, and verbal output with auditory and vibrational cues, the best output mode. Airports and bus or rail transit facilities scored highest as important buildings for navigation systems, and sports arenas and airports scored highest as difficult buildings to navigate. Chi-square analyses demonstrated that gender and GPS use were related to travel confidence. In addition, GPS use was related to user age, degree of reading vision, and employment.

Discussion:

The findings demonstrate user preferences for an indoor wayfinding application and high-priority building types. Regardless of stated preferences, it is important to allow the user to customize the application settings. The judgments on building importance of participants provide data on which to prioritize future site development. The chi-square analyses were exploratory in nature and designed to discover possible relationships.

Implications for practitioners:

Vision education and rehabilitation professionals can use the findings to understand the process of accessible indoor navigation and structure lessons accordingly. Developers can improve their products. Both groups can know and understand the indoor wayfinding perceptions and opinions of more than 600 individuals who are legally blind.
The 2019 Bo Lindell Laureate Lecture: On the use of interdisciplinary, stakeholder-driven, radiation protection research in support of medical uses of ionising radiation
Authors: Ainsbury E.A.
Published: September 2020

Medical exposures form the largest manmade contributor to total ionising radiation exposure of the UK population. In recent years, new technologies have been developed to improve treatment and prognosis of individuals treated with radiation for diseases such as cancer. However, there is evidence of public, patient, and medical professional concern that radiation protection regulations and practices, as well as understanding of potential long-term adverse health effects of radiation exposure (in the context of other health risks), have not always ‘kept pace’ with technological developments in this field. This is a truly complex, multi-disciplinary problem for the modern world.

The ‘Radiation Theme’ of the Public Health England and Newcastle University Health Protection Research Unit on ‘Chemical and Radiation Threats and Hazards’ is addressing this need, with a key focus on a genuinely interdisciplinary approach bringing together world-leading epidemiologists, radiation biologists, clinicians, statisticians, and artists. In addition, the project has a strong grounding in public, patient, and medical professional involvement in research. Similarly, the EU-CONCERT-funded LDLensRad project seeks to understand the mechanisms of action of low-dose ionising radiation in the lens of the eye, and the potential contribution to the development of cataract – in contemporary research, such projects will only be considered successful when they make use of expertise from a variety of fields and when they are able to demonstrate that the outputs are not only of benefit to society, but that society understands and welcomes the benefits. Finally, successful engagement, training, and retention of early career scientists within this field is crucial for sustainability of the research. Herein, the contribution of embedded interdisciplinary working, stakeholder involvement, and training of early career scientists to recent advancements in the field of medical (and wider) radiation protection research is discussed and considered.