bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catheter ablation of the parahisian accessory pathways from the aortic cusps—Experience of 20 cases—Improving the mapping strategy for better results
Authors: Chokr Muhieddine O. , de Moura Lucas G. , Aiello Vera D. , dos Santos Sousa Ítalo B. , Lopes Hugo B. , do Carmo Andre A. L. , Pisani Cristiano F. , Hardy Carina A. , de Melo Sissy L. , Scanavacca Mauricio I.
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Catheter ablation of the parahisian accessory pathways (PHAP) has been established as the definitive therapy for this type of arrhythmia. However, the PHAP proximity to the normal atrioventricular conduction system makes the procedure technically challenging.

Here, we have reported a case series of 20 patients with PHAP who underwent aortic access ablation to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this approach in the PHAP ablation.

Methods and Results

The ablation through the aortic cusps was the successful approach in 13 of 20 (65%) of the cases. In 11 patients, the aortic approach was the initial strategy for ablation, and the accessory pathway was eliminated in seven (63.6%) of them. The aortic approach followed a failed right‐sided attempt in nine patients. In six (66.7%) patients, the ablation was successful with the aortic approach.

The only independent predictor for the successful ablation with each approach was the earliest ventricular activation before delta wave (predelta time) and a right‐sided earliest ventricular activation of more than 23 ms had high sensitivity and specificity for right‐sided success.

Systematically using the two strategies (right and left approaches), the ablation of the PHAP was successful in 18 (90%) patients.

Conclusion

The aortic approach seems to be a safe and effective strategy for the ablation of PHAP. It can be used when the right‐sided approach fails or even considered as an initial strategy when the predelta time is less than 23 ms in the right septal region. When combining the right‐ and left‐sided approaches, the success rate is high. We believe that the retrograde aortic approach remains a key tool for this challenging ablation.
Unique electrophysiological properties of fast‐slow atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia characterized by a shortening of retrograde conduction time via a slow pathway manifested during atrial induction
Authors: Tamura Shuntaro , Nakajima Tadashi , Iizuka Takashi , Hasegawa Hiroshi , Kobari Takashi , Kurabayashi Masahiko , Kaneko Yoshiaki
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Electrophysiological properties of reentry circuits of fast‐slow atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (F/S‐AVNRT) may contribute to cyclic variability after atrial induction.

Methods

In 156 atrial inductions of 33 patients with F/S‐AVNRT, we measured the atrio‐His (AH) and His‐atrial (HA) intervals in the first cycle after the induction (AH[1] and HA[1], respectively), those in the second cycle (AH [2] and HA [2], respectively), and those during tachycardia that maintained a stable cycle length AH[T] and HA[T], respectively), and calculated the value of AH(1) minus AH(T) [ΔAH] and the value of HA(1) minus HA(T) [ΔHA] in each induction. According to the sum of ΔAH and ΔHA, tachycardia variability was classified as incremental (<−20), balanced (−20 to 20), or decremental (>20).

Results

ΔAH and ΔHA were significantly different between the three responses: 6 ± 28 and −67 ± 39 in 55 inductions (35%) with an incremental response, 20 ± 10 and −23 ± 28 in 59 (38%) with a balanced response, and 54 ± 44 and 4 ± 50 in 42 (27%) with a decremental response, respectively. Incremental response was reproducibly and consistently observed in 33% of patients. HA(2) was similar to HA(T) in inductions with an incremental response. These results suggest that incremental response can be manifested only in the first cycle when HA(1) is excessively shortened, approximating a retrograde conduction time over a slow pathway, in contrast, and far superior to a decremental delay of AH(1).

Conclusion

In specific patients with F/S‐AVNRT, poorly recognized, electrophysiological properties of shortening a retrograde conduction time over a slow pathway was manifested during atrial induction.
Performance of modified blood pressure‐to‐height ratio for diagnosis of hypertension in children: The CASPIAN‐V study
Authors: Yazdi Maryam , Assadi Farahnak , Daniali Seyed S. , Heshmat Ramin , Mehrkash Mehryar , Motlagh Mohammad E. , Qorbani Mostafa , Kelishadi Roya
Published: April 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and performance of modified blood pressure‐to‐height ratio (MBPHR) for identifying high blood pressure (HBP) in a large population of children. This multicentric cross‐sectional study was conducted on a nationally representative sample of 7349 Iranian students aged 7‐12 years living in 30 provinces in Iran. High systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were defined according to the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. The BP‐to height ratio (BPHR) was calculated as BP (mmHg)/height (cm), MBPHR3 as BP (mmHg)/(height (cm) + 3 (13‐age)), and MBPHR7 as BP (mmHg)/(height (cm) + 7 (13‐age). The receiver‐operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the performance of these three ratios for identification of HBP in children compared to the 2017 AAP guidelines as the gold standard. Mean age of participants was 12.29 ± 3.15 years and 3736 (50.8%) were girls. The prevalence of HBP was 11.9% (11.5% in boys, 12.3% in girls). The area under the curve (AUC) was higher for MSBPHR3/MDBPHR3 (0.97/0.98) than MSBPHR7/MDBPHR7 (0.96/0.97) and SBPHR/DBPHR (0.96/0.95) for identifying high Systolic and diastolic BP. The optimal cut‐off points for MSBPHR3/MDBPH, MSBPHR7/MDBPHR7, and SBPHR/DBPHR were 0.76/0.50, 0.69/0.46, and 0.81/0.52 respectively. Negative predictive value was nearly perfect for three ratios (≥98%). Positive predictive value was higher for MBPHR3 (52.7%) than MBPHR7 (51.0%) and BPHR (39.8%). Overall, MBPHR3 had better performance than MBPHR7 and BPHR for identification of HBP in Iranian children and it may improve early hypertension recognition and control in primary screening.
Polydatin promotes the neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro and in vivo: Involvement of Nrf2 signalling pathway
Authors: Zhan Jiheng , Li Xing , Luo Dan , Hou Yu , Hou Yonghui , Chen Shudong , Xiao Zhifeng , Luan Jiyao , Lin Dingkun
Published: April 2020

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation represents a promising repair strategy following spinal cord injury (SCI), although the therapeutic effects are minimal due to their limited neural differentiation potential. Polydatin (PD), a key component of the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, exerts significant neuroprotective effects in various central nervous system disorders and protects BMSCs against oxidative injury. However, the effect of PD on the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs, and the underlying mechanisms remain inadequately understood. In this study, we induced neuronal differentiation of BMSCs in the presence of PD, and analysed the Nrf2 signalling and neuronal differentiation markers using routine molecular assays. We also established an in vivo model of SCI and assessed the locomotor function of the mice through hindlimb movements and electrophysiological measurements. Finally, tissue regeneration was evaluated by H&E staining, Nissl staining and transmission electron microscopy. PD (30 μmol/L) markedly facilitated BMSC differentiation into neuron‐like cells by activating the Nrf2 pathway and increased the expression of neuronal markers in the transplanted BMSCs at the injured spinal cord sites. Furthermore, compared with either monotherapy, the combination of PD and BMSC transplantation promoted axonal rehabilitation, attenuated glial scar formation and promoted axonal generation across the glial scar, thereby enhancing recovery of hindlimb locomotor function. Taken together, PD augments the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs via Nrf2 activation and improves functional recovery, indicating a promising new therapeutic approach against SCI.
BTB/TAZ protein MdBT2 integrates multiple hormonal and environmental signals to regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in apple
Authors: An Jian‐Ping , Wang Xiao‐Fei , Hao Yu‐Jin
Published: April 2020

BT2 is a BTB/TAZ domain protein with key roles in multiple stress responses and the plant development of Arabidopsis (Figueroa et al. 2005; Ren et al. 2007; Mandadi et al. 2009). Recent studies have demonstrated that apple MdBT2 functions as a negative regulator in diverse hormonal and environmental signal‐induced anthocyanin biosynthesis, suggesting that MdBT2 integrates stress signals and anthocyanin biosynthesis.
Noncutaneous considerations of COVID‐19 for dermatology practices
Authors: Ali Faisal R. , Al‐Niaimi Firas
Published: April 2020

COVID‐19 presents many pressing challenges to the global dermatological community and our patients with ongoing skin needs, which must be considered by every dermatology provider. Many of these are logistical and administrative, distinct from physical manifestations, and could be summarized by the acronym COVID (Consultations, Operations, Videoconferencing, Immunosuppressive medications, Drug and equipment shortages). While the pandemic may represent a threat to many parts of our existence, dermatologists can help the patients we care for by considering noncutaneous implications of COVID‐19 upon our practice.
Rituximab in maintaining remission in adults with podocytopathy
Authors: Ramachandran Raja , Bharati Joyita , Nada Ritambhra , Minz Ranjana , Kohli Harbir S.
Published: April 2020

Rituximab is currently used after the conventional agents have failed in the management of steroid‐dependent (SD)/ steroid‐resistant (SR) podocytopathies and have a safer toxicity profile. We report 53 adults with podocytopathies who were managed effectively with CD19‐targeted rituximab therapy.

Methods

This was a prospective study carried out at a tertiary care centre in India between January 2014 and June 2019. Adults between 16 and 60 years with SD, frequently relapsing (FR), and SR nephrotic syndrome (NS) due to podocytopathy received rituximab in a CD19‐targeted approach. Primary outcome: Percentage of patients who were in remission at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcome: Percentage of patients in remission at the last follow‐up, rituximab dose and adverse events of rituximab therapy.

Results

Fifty‐three adults with SD/FR/SR NS received CD19‐targeted rituximab. The median age at the time of first rituximab injection was 30.09 ± 13.21 (16.53) years. At the time of first rituximab infusion, all patients were in remission with steroids and/or calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). Fifty (94.33%) patients were in remission at the end of 6 and 12 months and the last follow‐up (median: 36 months). The mean total dose of rituximab at 1 year was 788.7 ± 128.1 (6 001 100) mg. At last follow‐up (median 36 months), 42 (79%) patients did not require any additional CNI or steroids therapy. No serious adverse events to rituximab were noted.

Conclusion

CD19‐targeted rituximab therapy is safe and efficacious in the management of SD/SR adult podocytopathy. Also, rituximab is effective in maintaining remission in treatment naïve adult SD or FR podocytopathy.
A systematic review of lifestyle patterns and their association with adiposity in children aged 5–12 years
Authors: D'Souza Ninoshka J. , Kuswara Konsita , Zheng Miaobing , Leech Rebecca , Downing Katherine L. , Lioret Sandrine , Campbell Karen J. , Hesketh Kylie D.
Published: April 2020

Diet, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep are typically examined independently with childhood adiposity; however, their combined influence remains uncertain. This review aims to systematically summarize evidence on the clustering of these behaviours through lifestyle patterns and evaluate associations with adiposity in children aged 5–12 years. Search strategies were run in six databases. Twenty‐eight papers met the inclusion criteria, six of which included all four behaviours. A range of lifestyle patterns were identified (healthy, unhealthy and mixed). Mixed patterns were most frequently reported. Unhealthy patterns comprising low physical activity and high sedentary behaviour were also frequently observed. Mixed patterns comprising healthy diets, low physical activity and high sedentary behaviour were more commonly seen in girls, whereas boys were more physically active, similarly sedentary and had unhealthier diets. Children from lower socio‐economic backgrounds tended to more frequently display unhealthy patterns. Unhealthy lifestyle patterns were more often associated with adiposity risk than healthy and mixed patterns. With few studies including all four behaviours, it is difficult to establish a clear picture of their interplay and associations with adiposity. Nonetheless, reliance on lifestyle patterns is likely more beneficial than individual behaviours in targeting adiposity and improving understanding of how these behaviours influence health.
Physical activity interventions promoted in the Arabic‐speaking region: A review of the current literature
Authors: Benajiba Nada , Mahrous Lana , Janah Kaoutar , Alqabbani Samiah F. , Chavarria Enmanuel A. , Aboul‐Enein Basil H.
Published: April 2020

The Arabic‐speaking region suffers from insufficient levels of physical activity (PA). Assessing the effectiveness of PA interventions presents a scientifically evaluated method to reduce and prevent the current high burden of noncommunicable diseases affecting this region. This review examined implemented PA interventions and corresponding measured health outcomes in this region. The review was limited to studies prior to January 2020 using nine electronic academic databases. Only intervention‐focused articles incorporating PA as the primary intervention or as a component of a multibehavioural intervention were included. Thirty‐nine PA intervention studies were identified. Published PA interventions were implemented among 50% of the countries in the region. Seventy percent of the studies were conducted in the Gulf region and 25% in North Africa. A third of the studies was designed for children and adolescents. Accordingly, 40% of interventions were for patients living with comorbidities. Seventy percent of the studies included PA as part of a multidisciplinary intervention. Most studies included body mass index as an outcome parameter. Significant improvement (P < .05) in measured health outcomes was seen in 97% of studies. Thorough analysis includes social and culturally congruent aspects of the PA interventions and discussion of resultant health outcomes. This information furthers the understanding of effective PA interventions that can be adapted to target sedentary lifestyle behaviours in this region.
Clinical factors associated with baseline history of atrial fibrillation and subsequent clinical outcomes following initial implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator placement
Authors: Giancaterino Shaun , Nishimura Marin , Birgersdotter‐Green Ulrika , Hoffmayer Kurt S. , Han Frederick T. , Raissi Farshad , Ho Gordon , Krummen David , Feld Gregory K. , Hsu Jonathan C.
Published: April 2020

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently present in patients with heart failure (HF) and an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD). This study aims to identify clinical factors associated with a baseline history of AF in ICD recipients, and compares subsequent clinical outcomes in those with and without a baseline history of AF.

Methods

We studied 566 consecutive first‐time ICD recipients at an academic center between 2011 and 2018. Logistic regression multivariable analyses were used to identify clinical factors associated with a baseline history of AF at the time of ICD implant. Cox‐proportional hazard regression models were constructed for multivariate analysis to examine associations between a baseline history of AF with subsequent clinical outcomes, including ICD therapies, HF readmission, and all‐cause mortality.

Results

Of all patients, 201 (36%) had a baseline history of AF at the time of ICD implant. In multivariate analyses, clinical factors associated with a baseline history of AF included hypertension, valvular heart disease, body weight, PR interval, and serum creatinine level. After multivariate adjustment for potential confounders, a baseline history of AF was associated with an increased risk of anti‐tachycardia pacing (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.19‐2.85, P = .006), appropriate ICD shocks (HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.05‐3.09, P = .032), and inappropriate ICD shocks (HR = 3.72, 95% CI = 1.7‐7.77, P = .0001), but not other adverse outcomes.

Conclusion

Among first‐time ICD recipients, specific clinical characteristics were associated with a baseline history of AF at the time of ICD implant. After adjustment for potential confounders, a baseline history of AF was associated with a higher risk of all ICD therapies in follow‐up.
Antibody combinations for optimized staining of macrophages in human lung tumours
Authors: Frafjord Astri , Skarshaug Renate , Hammarström Clara , Stankovic Branislava , Dorg Linda T. , Aamodt Henrik , Woldbæk Per Reidar , Helland Åslaug , Brustugun Odd Terje , Øynebråten Inger , Corthay Alexandre
Published: April 2020

The analysis of tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs) has a high potential to predict cancer recurrence and response to immunotherapy. However, the heterogeneity of TAMs poses a challenge for quantitative and qualitative measurements. Here, we critically evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry two commonly used pan‐macrophage markers (CD14 and CD68) as well as some suggested markers for tumour‐promoting M2 macrophages (CD163, CD204, CD206 and CD209) in human non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tumour, non‐cancerous lung tissue and blood were investigated. For immunohistochemistry, CD68 was confirmed to be a useful pan‐macrophage marker although careful selection of antibody was found to be critical. The widely used anti‐CD68 antibody clone KP‐1 stains both macrophages and neutrophils, which is problematic for TAM quantification because lung tumours contain many neutrophils. For TAM counting in tumour sections, we recommend combined labelling of CD68 with a cell membrane marker such as CD14, CD163 or CD206. In flow cytometry, the commonly used combination of CD14 and HLA‐DR was found to not be optimal because some TAMs do not express CD14. Instead, combined staining of CD68 and HLA‐DR is preferable to gate all TAMs. Concerning macrophage phenotypic markers, the scavenger receptor CD163 was found to be expressed by a substantial fraction (50%‐86%) of TAMs with a large patient‐to‐patient variation. Approximately 50% of TAMs were positive for CD206. Surprisingly, there was no clear overlap between CD163 and CD206 positivity, and three distinct TAM sub‐populations were identified in NSCLC tumours: CD163+CD206+, CD163+CD206− and CD163−CD206−. This work should help develop macrophage‐based prognostic tools for cancer.
Health effects of active commuting to work: The available evidence before GISMO
Authors: Schäfer Christine , Mayr Barbara , Fernandez La Puente de Battre Maria Dolores , Reich Bernhard , Schmied Christian , Loidl Martin , Niederseer David , Niebauer Josef
Published: April 2020

Sedentary lifestyle is a major modifiable risk factor for many chronic diseases. Global guidelines recommend for maintaining health in adults, at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity of physical activity throughout the week, but compliance is insufficient and health problems arise. One obvious way to overcome this is to integrate physical activity into the daily routine for example by active commuting to work. Scientific evidence, however, is scarce and therefore we set out to perform this systematic review of the available literature to improve understanding of the efficiency of active commuting initiatives on health. Literature searches were performed in PubMed and Cochrane database. Altogether, 37 studies were screened. Thereof, eight publications were reviewed, which included 555 participants. The mean study duration of the reviewed research was 36 ± 26 (8‐72) weeks. Overall, active commuting in previously untrained subjects of both sexes significantly improved exercise capacity, maximal power, blood pressure, lipid parameters including cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein, and waist circumference. Improvement was independent of the type of active commuting. Despite relatively few studies that were previously performed, this review revealed that active commuting has health beneficial effects comparable to those of moderate exercise training.
Preface: Foresight in 2020: Race and Gender in the Upcoming Election
Authors: Hughey Matthew W.
Published: April 2020

This essay introduces contributions to a special issue of Sociological Forum titled “Foresight in 2020: Race and Gender in the Upcoming Election.” All articles in the issue can be accessed at the journal’s website, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15737861. They will first appear under the “Early View” tab, and later in volume 35, supplement I.
Prospects of Agrarian Populism and Food Sovereignty Movement in Post‐Socialist Romania
Authors: Hajdu Anna , Mamonova Natalia
Published: April 2020

Progressive agrarian populism and food sovereignty have recently been discussed as having the potential to erode the right‐wing populist agitation that is currently widespread in rural areas. However, these ideas are unpopular in post‐socialist Eastern Europe. This paper studies the Romanian ‘new peasant’ movement ‘Eco Ruralis’ – a member organisation of La Vía Campesina. It argues that there is a critical mismatch between the progressive objectives of Eco Ruralis and the main worries of villagers in Romania. It also demonstrates the ways in which communist legacies influence societal attitudes towards capitalism and socialism, making the adoption of La Vía Campesina’s anti‐capitalist and pro‐socialist ideologies problematic. Finally, it shows that the concept of ‘food sovereignty’ can be misleading, as this concept is alien to the Romanian countryside. Instead, we reveal that other sustainable practices, such as seed sovereignty, are more culturally appropriate and may play an important role in eroding right‐wing sentiments in the countryside.
Empirical perspectives on English as a lingua franca (ELF) grammar
Authors: Laitinen Mikko
Published: April 2020

This article focuses on grammatical variation in English as a lingua franca (ELF). Calling for more systematic corpus studies, it presents three empirical perspectives that broaden and deepen the study of grammatical variability in ELF. These approaches focus on tracing how ongoing grammatical change in core and emergent modal auxiliaries is adopted in ELF. The empirical evidence is drawn from various ELF corpora that cover multiple genres. Utilizing the quantitative paradigm and building on corpus‐based variationist methods, the three perspectives highlight and call for more studies (1) in which the object of study consists of broad grammatical categories and which compare quantitative patterns between ELF and other types of Englishes, (2) that combine quantitative methods with close‐up qualitative analyses, and (3) that investigate probabilistic constraints in ELF grammar. The results show that ELF is shaped by the same natural evolutionary processes that affect the established varieties.
Vandal Glass Heat Distribution and the Effect of Glass Gap Adjustments in Outdoor Digital Display Components
Authors: Kim Jeho , Michael Brown J. , Joshi Yogendra , O'Connor Kevin , Diaz Marcos , Zhang Zhuomin , Yang Peiyan
Published: April 2020

The use of computational fluid dynamics/heat transfer (CFD/HT) software has become common in exploring the thermal and hydrodynamic behavior of many electronic products. Well-designed CFD/HT models are very valuable for driving the product design, but accurate models can be difficult to develop in some cases for a practical use. In CFD/HT modeling of outdoor digital displays, both the surrounding ambient temperature and solar irradiance are the major contributors to temperature rise, but most software packages are limited in simulating solar irradiance through semitransparent materials and multiple surfaces. In this study, a methodology to replace the solar irradiance with a power that should be imposed on the sun-exposed exterior glass (vandal glass) is described. As outdoor digital displays face harsher thermal challenges compared to the displays that are deployed indoors, it is necessary to come up with a display design that can best benefit from the cooling effect. There are numerous parameters that can be adjusted to optimize the display in terms of its thermal performance but in particular, this study explores the effect of adjusting the gap distance between the vandal glass and the liquid crystal display (LCD) to see how the maximum LCD temperature and fan performance are influenced.
Systematical and Numerical Investigations on InGaN-Based Green Light-Emitting Diodes: Si-Doped Quantum Barriers, Engineered p-Electron Blocking Layer and AlGaN/GaN Structured p-Type Region
Authors: Li Tie , Cao Guan-Long , Xie Hong-Juan , Wang Jing-Qin , Zhang Zi-Hui
Published: April 2020

Here, we numerically prove that the severe polarization-induced electric field in the active region for [0001]-oriented InGaN-based green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is reduced when heavily Si-doped GaN quantum barriers are adopted. However, the electron injection is accordingly sacrificed for the insufficient confinement capability of the p-type electron blocking layer (p-EBL). Hence, p-EBL structures with/without gradient AlN alloys are discussed to reduce the electron leakage, and the importance of the positive sheet polarization charges at the interface between the last quantum barrier (LQB) and the p-EBL on affecting the blocking barrier height for electrons is especially highlighted. Moreover, we also suggest utilizing specially designed p-AlGaN/p-GaN structure instead of p-GaN structure to serve as the p-type hole supplier, which is able to increase the kinetic energy of holes, thus assisting holes to overcome the energy band barrier height in p-EBL and increasing the hole concentration within the quantum wells.
Compensatory and adaptive responses to real-time formant shifts in adults and children
Authors: van Brenk Frits , Terband Hayo
Published: April 2020

Auditory feedback plays an important role in speech motor learning, yet, little is known about the strength of motor learning and feedback control in speech development. This study investigated compensatory and adaptive responses to auditory feedback perturbation in children (aged 4–9 years old) and young adults (aged 18–29 years old). Auditory feedback was perturbed by near-real-time shifting F1 and F2 of the vowel /ɪː/ during the production of consonant-vowel-consonant words. Children were able to compensate and adapt in a similar or larger degree compared to young adults. Higher token-to-token variability was found in children compared to adults but not disproportionately higher during the perturbation phases compared to the unperturbed baseline. The added challenge to auditory-motor integration did not influence production variability in children, and compensation and adaptation effects were found to be strong and sustainable. Significant group differences were absent in the proportions of speakers displaying a compensatory or adaptive response, an amplifying response, or no consistent response. Within these categories, children produced significantly stronger compensatory, adaptive, or amplifying responses, which could be explained by less-ingrained existing representations. The results are interpreted as both auditory-motor integration and learning capacities are stronger in young children compared to adults.
Automatic alignment for New Englishes: Applying state-of-the-art aligners to Trinidadian English
Authors: Meer Philipp
Published: April 2020

While forced alignment has become an essential part of data processing in phonetic research, state-of-the-art aligners are often exclusively tailor-made for majority dialects, such as American English(es). This paper provides the first in-depth investigation into the reliability of popular pre-trained aligners in New Englishes—the nativized, postcolonial Englishes spoken world-wide. Using manually aligned data from Trinidadian English, the paper examines popular aligners [Forced Alignment and Vowel Extraction (FAVE), Munich Automatic Segmentation (MAUS), and the Montreal Forced Aligner (MFA)] and their performances in automatically segmenting Trinidadian speech. Results show that, first, only specific aligners (FAVE and MFA) can provide alignment that is comparable to that in the training varieties and, to a smaller degree, general human inter-rater uncertainty. Second, even well-performing aligners introduce bias toward their training varieties: the aligners systematically produce more erroneous alignments of Trinidadian English-specific vowels, for which they have no acoustic models. The findings suggest that phonetic research on New Englishes can benefit from pre-trained, state-of-the-art aligners, but that further manual data processing may generally be required to minimize errors in the analysis of non-majority dialect data.
Deep deficit
Authors: Stokstad Erik
Published: April 2020

Droughts highlighted California's unsustainable use of groundwater. Now, the state is trying to refill its aquifers.
Harnessing rhizosphere microbiomes for drought-resilient crop production
Authors: de Vries Franciska T. , Griffiths Rob I. , Knight Christopher G. , Nicolitch Oceane , Williams Alex
Published: April 2020

Root-associated microbes can improve plant growth, and they offer the potential to increase crop resilience to future drought. Although our understanding of the complex feedbacks between plant and microbial responses to drought is advancing, most of our knowledge comes from non-crop plants in controlled experiments. We propose that future research efforts should attempt to quantify relationships between plant and microbial traits, explicitly focus on food crops, and include longer-term experiments under field conditions. Overall, we highlight the need for improved mechanistic understanding of the complex feedbacks between plants and microbes during, and particularly after, drought. This requires integrating ecology with plant, microbiome, and molecular approaches and is central to making crop production more resilient to our future climate.
On the essentials of drought in a changing climate
Authors: Ault Toby R.
Published: April 2020

Droughts of the future are likely to be more frequent, severe, and longer lasting than they have been in recent decades, but drought risks will be lower if greenhouse gas emissions are cut aggressively. This review presents a synopsis of the tools required for understanding the statistics, physics, and dynamics of drought and its causes in a historical context. Although these tools have been applied most extensively in the United States, Europe, and the Amazon region, they have not been as widely used in other drought-prone regions throughout the rest of the world, presenting opportunities for future research. Water resource managers, early career scientists, and veteran drought researchers will likely see opportunities to improve our understanding of drought.
Balancing volumetric and gravimetric uptake in highly porous materials for clean energy
Authors: Chen Zhijie , Li Penghao , Anderson Ryther , Wang Xingjie , Zhang Xuan , Robison Lee , Redfern Louis R. , Moribe Shinya , Islamoglu Timur , Gómez-Gualdrón Diego A. , Yildirim Taner , Stoddart J. Fraser , Farha Omar K.
Published: April 2020

Delivering methane and hydrogen

The pressure for onboard storage of methane and hydrogen on vehicles is usually limited to 100 bar for the use of lightweight containers, but the amount stored can be increased with the use of absorbent materials. Efficient storage and delivery require a balance of volumetric and gravimetric storage. Chen
et al.
designed a metal-organic framework with trialuminum nodes and a large hexadentate aromatic linker that optimizes both parameters. This material surpassed the U.S. Department of Energy targets for methane and had a deliverable capacity of 14% by weight for hydrogen.

Science
, this issue p.
297
Rare giant inguinal hernia causing end-stage dialysis-dependent renal failure
Authors: Levi Jacob , Chopra Karl , Hussain Mubashar , Chowdhury Shafiul
Published: April 2020

A 72-year-old man presented with urinary retention, weight loss, haematuria and severe acute kidney injury. He had never before been admitted to hospital and his past medical history included only an inguinal hernia. On examination, he appeared uraemic and had a right-sided painful hernia. A three-way catheter was inserted, bladder washouts performed and irrigation started. An ultrasound showed severe bilateral hydronephrosis and a ‘thickened bladder’ and this was thought to be obstructive uropathy secondary to bladder cancer. Twenty-four hours later his hernia doubled in diameter, became incarcerated and a CT of the abdomen and pelvis showed an inguinal hernia of both bladder and bowel, with the catheter tip inside the bladder hernia. He was taken to theatres and an open mesh repair was performed with a rigid cystoscopy to assist in locating and reducing the bladder. He required intensive care and dialysis postoperatively and remains on regular dialysis following discharge.
Puberty could regulate the effects of outdoor time on refractive development in Chinese children and adolescents
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Cheng Tianyu , Zhang Bo , Xiong Shuyu , Zhao Huijuan , Li Qiangqiang , He Xiangui
Published: April 2020

Aim

To explore the impact of puberty on refractive development and its interaction with outdoor time in children and adolescents.

Methods

In this 2-year observational study, students aged 7–13 years were selected with cluster sampling. All participants underwent cycloplegic refraction and axial length measurements once every year. Information of related factors was acquired through proper questionnaire or inquiry. The level of testosterone/estradiol was detected from the saliva of the subjects using the ELISA kit. Multiple linear regression and generalised estimating equation (GEE) were used to analyse the relationship among puberty, outdoor activities and refractive indicators.

Results

A total of 776 children and adolescents were included, with an average baseline age of 9.64±1.54 years and 53.6% boys. There were 350 myopes (55.2% of the 634 cyclopleged subjects) at baseline. There was a significant difference in the mean axial length changes and outdoor time among different puberty groups (for axial length: p=0.017, for outdoor time: p=0.015). Myopic parents, less outdoor time and more changes in estradiol were associated with greater changes in axial length and spherical equivalent (SE) (axial length changes: parental myopia β=0.230, outdoor time β=−0.250, changes in estradiol β=0.261; SE changes: parental myopia β=−0.267, outdoor time β=0.256, changes in estradiol β=−0.297). In the GEE model, the interaction between outdoor time and puberty was significantly associated with axial length (p=0.024, β=1.199).

Conclusions

This study implies puberty may play a regulating role on the relationship between outdoor time and refractive development among Chinese children and adolescents, which provides clues for in-depth mechanism interpretation and efficient intervention strategies.
Frequent attendances at emergency departments in England
Authors: Greenfield Geva , Blair Mitch , Aylin Paul P , Saxena Sonia , Majeed Azeem , Hoffman Maurice , Bottle Alex
Published: April 2020

Background

A small proportion of patients referred to as ‘frequent attenders’ account for a large proportion of hospital activity such as ED attendances and admissions. There is a lack of recent, national estimates of the volume of frequent ED attenders. We aimed to estimate the volume and age distribution of frequent ED attenders in English hospitals.

Method

We included all attendances at all major EDs across England in the financial year 2016–2017. Patients who attended three times or more were classified as frequent attenders. We used a logistic regression model to predict the odds of being a frequent attender by age group.

Results

14 829 519 attendances were made by 10 062 847 patients who attended at least once. 73.5% of ED attenders attended once and accounted for 49.8% of the total ED attendances. 9.5% of ED attenders attended three times or more; they accounted for 27.1% of the ED attendances. While only 1.2% attended six times or more, their contribution was 7.6% of the total attendances. Infants and adults aged over 80 years were significantly more likely to be frequent attenders than adults aged 30–59 years (OR=2.11, 95% CI 2.09 to 2.13, OR=2.22, 95% CI 2.20 to 2.23, respectively). The likelihood of hospital admission rose steeply with the number of attendances a patient had.

Conclusion

One in 10 patients attending the ED are frequent attenders and account for over a quarter of attendances. Emergency care systems should consider better ways of reorganising health services to meet the needs of patients who attend EDs frequently.
Patent foramen ovale
Authors: Alakbarzade Vafa , Keteepe-Arachi Tracey , Karsan Nazia , Ray Robin , Pereira Anthony C
Published: April 2020

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is the most common anatomical cause of an interatrial shunt. It is usually asymptomatic but may cause paradoxical embolism, manifesting as stroke, myocardial infarction or visceral/peripheral ischaemia. PFO is a risk factor for stroke and may be associated with migraine with aura. New evidence suggests PFO closure reduces the risk of recurrent ischaemic stroke in a highly selected population of stroke survivors: those aged 60 years or younger with a cryptogenic stroke syndrome, a large right-to-left shunt, an atrial septal aneurysm and no evidence of atrial fibrillation. They benefit from percutaneous PFO closure in addition to antiplatelet therapy, rather than antiplatelet therapy alone. Current evidence does not support PFO closure in the treatment of migraine.
Do JUUL and e-cigarette flavours change risk perceptions of adolescents? Evidence from a national survey
Authors: Strombotne Kiersten , Buckell John , Sindelar Jody L
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Use of JUULs and e-cigarettes is growing rapidly, particularly among adolescents. Research suggests that flavours may increase the appeal of these products, but little is known about how flavours influence perception. We examined whether youth perceptions about the health risks of JUULs and e-cigarettes vary with flavours.

Methods

We conducted a national survey in 2018 of 1610 high-school students aged 14–18 who had ever heard of either JUULs or e-cigarettes. Respondents were asked to rate the lung cancer risk, the harm of second-hand vapour, potential for addiction and healthiness of differently flavoured JUUL and e-cigarette products. We investigated the relationship among flavour, risk perception and socio-demographic information.

Results

We found that risk perceptions for both JUULs and e-cigarettes differ significantly by flavour type. Youths perceive fruit flavours to be less likely to lead to lung cancer (−0.909 (0.065)), have harmful second-hand vapour (−0.933 (0.060)) and be more addictive (1.104 (0.094)) relative to tobacco flavours. Candy, menthol/mint and alcohol flavours show similar patterns of risk association, although the magnitude is slightly smaller than for fruit flavours.

Conclusions

Youths believe that flavours are related to the health risks of both JUULs and e-cigarettes despite the fact that these differences in risk by flavour have not been scientifically or systematically established. A policy concern is that misperceptions based on flavour may result in increased vaping by youths. The findings from this study support the assertion that banning fruit, menthol or mint and sweet flavours could reduce the appeal of JUULs and e-cigarettes to youth, with concomitant health protections.
Interpolations between Jordanian twists, the Poincaré–Weyl algebra and dispersion relations
Authors: Meljanac Daniel , Meljanac Stjepan , Škoda Zoran , Štrajn Rina
Published: April 2020

We consider a two-parameter family of Drinfeld twists generated from a simple Jordanian twist further twisted by 1-cochains. Twists from this family interpolate between two simple Jordanian twists. Relations between them are constructed and discussed. It is proved that there exists a one-parameter family of twists identical to a simple Jordanian twist. The twisted coalgebra, star product and coordinate realizations of the [Formula: see text]-Minkowski noncommutative space–time are presented. Real forms of Jordanian deformations are also discussed. The method of similarity transformations is applied to the Poincaré–Weyl Hopf algebra and two types of one-parameter families of dispersion relations are constructed. Mathematically equivalent deformations, that are related to nonlinear changes of symmetry generators and linked with similarity maps, may lead to differences in the description of physical phenomena.
Gauged Dirac operator on the quantum sphere in instanton sector
Authors: Lotfizadeh M.
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we construct the [Formula: see text]-deformed fuzzy Dirac and chirality operators on quantum fuzzy Podles sphere [Formula: see text]. Using the [Formula: see text]-deformed fuzzy Ginsparg–Wilson algebra, we study the [Formula: see text]-deformed gauged fuzzy Dirac and chirality operators in instanton sector. We will show the correct fuzzy sphere limit in the limit case [Formula: see text] and the correct commutative limit in the limit case when [Formula: see text] and noncommutative parameter [Formula: see text] tends to infinity.
Review—Review of Safety Aspects of Calendar Aged Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Geisbauer Christian , Wöhrl Katharina , Mittmann Christoph , Schweiger Hans-Georg
Published: April 2020

Nowadays, lithium ion batteries have found their place in a various field of portable applications. With the upcoming of electrically propelled vehicles, it is mandatory to guarantee a safe and predictable behavior during the whole lifetime and not only after manufacturing during performance tests. To gain a general overview of the abuse behavior, research on the topic of abusive tests on calendar-aged cells is being investigated, split up depending on the electrode composition and lined up against each other. It can be shown, that almost all abuse experiments have been performed with external heating tests in the past, still leaving research gaps that need to be filled.
Exploring University Students’ Attitudes towards Primary Care: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Voglino Gianluca , Lo Moro Giuseppina , Gualano Maria Rosaria , Bert Fabrizio , Siliquini Roberta
Published: April 2020

The general practitioner (GP) has a significant role in primary care, being more than a gatekeeper to health services access. In Italy, if a citizen moves for studies for at least 3 months, he/she can choose temporarily another GP in the new city (the so-called “Healthcare Domicile” (HD)). The aims were to estimate the university students’ knowledge about the HD, evaluate the frequency of the transition to another GP, and assess the university students’ attitudes towards the primary care services. In 2018, a cross-sectional pilot study was performed in study rooms among students attending the University of Turin Participation was voluntary, anonymous, and without compensation. A 25-item questionnaire collected information about the sociodemographic characteristics, health services use, health conditions and medications, HD knowledge, and HD use. The outcomes were having the GP far away, knowing HD, and not moving the GP even if aware of HD. Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and logistic regression analyses were performed. The significance level was p≤0.05. Participants were 388 and those who knew HD were 45.36%. Among those who moved to Turin (44.85%), 77.67% knew HD but did not move the GP anyway. The 72.68% used medications without prescription (the most taken: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics). Age, nationality, and degree course type could be predictors for outcomes considered. HD knowledge was associated with a different use of healthcare resources. The data of the present paper suggest that further studies are required to better understand the framework connected with the university students’ access to primary healthcare. Our results highlighted the need to implement campaigns targeted to university students to spread information about the HD and a more appropriate use of the healthcare services and medications.
The Role of Rho GTPases in VEGF Signaling in Cancer Cells
Authors: El Baba Nada , Farran Mohammad , Khalil Elie Abi , Jaafar Leila , Fakhoury Isabelle , El-Sibai Mirvat
Published: April 2020

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) consist of five molecules (VEGFA through D as well as placental growth factor) which are crucial for regulating key cellular and tissue functions. The role of VEGF and its intracellular signaling and downstream molecular pathways have been thoroughly studied. Activation of VEGF signal transduction can be initiated by the molecules’ binding to two classes of transmembrane receptors: (1) the VEGF tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGF receptors 1 through 3) and (2) the neuropilins (NRP1 and 2). The involvement of Rho GTPases in modulating VEGFA signaling in both cancer cells and endothelial cells has also been well established. Additionally, different isoforms of Rho GTPases, namely, RhoA, RhoC, and RhoG, have been shown to regulate VEGF expression as well as blood vessel formation. This review article will explore how Rho GTPases modulate VEGF signaling and the consequences of such interaction on cancer progression.
Decreased Plasma Maresin 1 Concentration Is Associated with Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Authors: Miao Tian , Huang Bangliang , He Niexia , Sun Lihua , Du Guangsheng , Gong Xiaoli , Xu Yong , Zheng Yi , Zheng Hongting , Qu Hua
Published: April 2020

Aims. To assess the maresin 1 (MaR1) contents in type 2 diabetic patients with or without diabetic foot ulcer and to analyze the association of MaR1 concentrations with several metabolism-related parameters. Methods. Plasma MaR1 concentrations were analyzed in 96 subjects with normal glucose tolerant (NC, n=43), type 2 diabetes (T2DM, n=40), or diabetic foot ulcer (DFU, n=13). The intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and biochemical parameters were measured in all participants. Results. Plasma MaR1 concentrations were significant decreased in type 2 diabetes patient with or without DFU compared with NC (both P<0.001) and were lowest in DFU patients among these 3 groups. (DFU vs. T2DM, P<0.05). Plasma MaR1 concentrations were negatively correlated with BMI, waist circumference (Wc), waist hip ratio (WHR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), LDL-c, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (all P<0.05) and were positively correlated with HDL-c, acute insulin response (AIR), area under the curve of the first-phase (0-10 min) insulin secretion (AUC), and homeostasis model assessment for beta-cell function (HOMA-β) (all P<0.05). After adjusting for age and sex, Wc, WHR, TG, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, AIR, AUC, and HOMA-β remain statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions. Plasma MaR1 concentration were decreased in T2DM with or without DFUs and were the lowest in DFU patients. The decreased plasma MaR1 strongly associated with obesity, impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, reduced first-phase of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and enhanced insulin resistance.