bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thirty‐six‐month results of laparoscopic‐based renal denervation plus unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy for the treatment of patients with resistant hypertension caused by unilateral aldosterone‐producing adenoma
Authors: Liu Yahui , Zhu Binbin , Zhu Lijie , Zhao Linwei , Fan Zhiqiang , Ding Degang , Liu Zhonghua , Zhao Qiuping , Qi Datun , Zhang You , Wang Ji‐Guang , Gao Chuanyu
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to explore the long‐term clinical results of Renal denervation (RDN) from the adventitia of the renal artery plus unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy to treat patients with resistant hypertension caused by unilateral aldosterone‐producing adenoma (APA). Sixty patients with resistant hypertension caused by APA who were treated at Henan Provincial People's Hospital from December 2016 to March 2018 were selected and randomly assigned to undergo RDN from the adventitia of the renal artery plus adrenalectomy (RDN group, n = 30) or adrenalectomy alone (control group, n = 30). Office blood pressure (BP), antihypertensive medication usage and other laboratory characteristics were followed every 6 months through 36 months. Follow‐up data were available at 36 months for 23 of 30 subjects in the RDN group and for 21 of 30 subjects who were in the control group. At 36 months postprocedure, the reduction in the RDN group was 42.2 ± 21.6 mmHg and that in the control group was 29.8 ± 13.5 mmHg (p = .029 between the groups). During the follow‐up to 36 months postprocedure, no patients in either the RDN group or the control group died due to surgical complications, and the RDN group had no procedural complications, including renal artery dissection, perforation, and renal artery stenosis. There was no change in the mean eGFR of the two groups, and no serious adverse events were reported. In conclusion, RDN from the adventitia of the renal artery plus unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy resulted in sustained lowering of BP at 3 years in a selected population of subjects with resistant hypertension caused by unilateral APA without serious safety concerns.
Mesenchymal stromal cells protect hepatocytes from lipotoxicity through alleviation of endoplasmic reticulum stress by restoring SERCA activity
Authors: Li Linzhao , Zeng Xin , Liu Zhenzhen , Chen Xuanming , Li Lan , Luo Ruixi , Liu Xiaohong , Zhang Jie , Liu Jingping , Lu Yanrong , Cheng Jingqiu , Chen Younan
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate how mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modulate metabolic balance and attenuate hepatic lipotoxicity in the context of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In vivo, male SD rats were fed with high‐fat diet (HFD) to develop NAFLD; then, they were treated twice by intravenous injections of rat bone marrow MSCs. In vitro, HepG2 cells were cocultured with MSCs by transwell and exposed to palmitic acid (PA) for 24 hours. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stressor thapsigargin and sarco/ER Ca2+‐ATPase (SERCA2)–specific siRNA were used to explore the regulation of ER stress by MSCs. We found that MSC administration improved hepatic steatosis, restored systemic hepatic lipid and glucose homeostasis, and inhibited hepatic ER stress in HFD‐fed rats. In hepatocytes, MSCs effectively alleviated the cellular lipotoxicity. Particularly, MSCs remarkably ameliorated the ER stress and intracellular calcium homeostasis induced by either PA or thapsigargin in HepG2 cells. Additionally, long‐term HFD or PA stimulation would activate pyroptosis in hepatocytes, which may contribute to the cell death and liver dysfunction during the process of NAFLD, and MSC treatment effectively ameliorates these deleterious effects. SERCA2 silencing obviously abolished the ability of MSCs against the PA‐induced lipotoxicity. Conclusively, our study demonstrated that MSCs were able to ameliorate liver lipotoxicity and metabolic disturbance in the context of NAFLD, in which the regulation of ER stress and the calcium homeostasis via SERCA has played a key role.
Serum macrophage inhibitory cytokine‐1 as a clinical marker for non–small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Chunhua , Li Li , Wang Wei , Zhang Qian , Zhang Xiuwei , Yang Rusong
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the value of serum macrophage inhibitory factor‐1 (MIC‐1) level in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serum samples from 296 patients with NSCLC and 240 healthy controls were collected. The levels of serum MIC‐1 were determined by ELISA. The serum MIC‐1 levels in NSCLC patients were higher than that of the controls (P <.001). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that serum MIC‐1 was an independent prognostic indicator of OS and PFS. Serum MIC‐1 is a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC.
Unfamiliarity and Procedural Justice: Litigants' Attitudes Toward Civil Justice in Southern China
Authors: He Xin , Feng Jing
Published: February 2021

While procedural justice has been regarded as a distinct and essential factor shaping litigants' views on civil justice, few studies have focused on China, a country with a unique legal tradition and frequent legal reforms. Drawing on surveys and interviews with litigants in a basic-level court in Southern China, this study examines attitudes toward the civil justice system. Echoing several existing studies from China, our mixed methods analysis confirms that their views are dominated by outcomes—litigants with favorable outcomes are more likely to be satisfied, while those with unfavorable outcomes are more likely to be dissatisfied. Their unfamiliarity with the operation of the system constitutes a major reason for the dominance of substantive outcomes in their evaluations of the system. Many cannot distinguish between process and outcomes, nor do they feel control over the process. Moreover, they are dissatisfied with the process because it fails to meet their often-erroneous expectations. Our results do not necessarily challenge the importance of procedural justice, but they do suggest that China may be different. Litigants' perceptions of justice and fairness are situated and shaped by specific contexts.
How Migrations Affect Private Orders: Norms and Practices in the Fishery of Marseille
Authors: Grisel Florian
Published: February 2021

The major aim of this article is to examine how migrations affect private governance, taking as a case study thePrud'homie de pêche, a private order that has governed the fishery of Marseille for the past six centuries. Scholarship generally argues that social norms guarantee the efficiency of private orders and their ability to resist the arrival of newcomers. My data suggest that thePrud'homiehas failed to accommodate social changes prompted by migratory flows, notdespitebutbecauseof its social norms. This paper suggests that social norms are not only powerful tools of governance for private orders, but also forces of inertia that can prevent these orders from accommodating social changes.
Measuring Congressional Partisanship and Its Consequences
Authors: Gelman Jeremy , Wilson Steven Lloyd
Published: February 2021

We develop a method for measuring a legislator’s partisanship using their Twitter rhetoric. To do so, we classify over 2.1 million tweets sent during two congressional terms (2015 through 2018) to determine how often members use explicitly partisan language. Since lawmakers are strategic in how they communicate with the public, we argue our approach captures a member’s partisan intensity, the time and effort they devote to supporting their party. After validating our measure, we examine how partisanship affects commonly studied legislative behaviors. We show it predicts, independent of ideology, a lawmaker’s party‐unity voting and expressed bipartisanship. Additionally, we find that presidential support is principally driven by partisanship, not ideology. Our findings offer two contributions. First, we show that a member’s partisanship, based on how they talk about Democrats and Republicans online, is associated with their legislative behavior. Second, we measure a concept that is difficult to operationalize.
Generalized statistical arbitrage concepts and related gain strategies
Authors: Rein Christian , Rüschendorf Ludger , Schmidt Thorsten
Published: February 2021

The notion of statistical arbitrage introduced in Bondarenko (2003) is generalized to statistical ‐arbitrage corresponding to trading strategies which yield positive gains on average in a class of scenarios described by a ‐algebra . This notion contains classical arbitrage as a special case. Admitting general static payoffs as generalized strategies, as done in Kassberger and Liebmann (2017) in the case of one pricing measure, leads to the notion of generalized statistical ‐arbitrage. We show that even under standard no‐arbitrage there may exist generalized gain strategies yielding positive gains on average under the specified scenarios. In the first part of the paper we prove that the characterization in Bondarenko (2003), no statistical arbitrage being equivalent to the existence of an equivalent local martingale measure with a path‐independent density, is not correct in general. We establish that this equivalence holds true in complete markets and we derive a general sufficient condition for statistical ‐arbitrages. As a main result we derive the equivalence of no statistical ‐arbitrage to no generalized statistical ‐arbitrage. In the second part of the paper we construct several classes of profitable generalized strategies with respect to various choices of the ‐algebra . In particular, we consider several forms of embedded binomial strategies and follow‐the‐trend strategies as well as partition‐type strategies. We study and compare their behavior on simulated data and also evaluate their performance on market data.
Evolution of dosage compensation does not depend on genomic background
Authors: Rovatsos Michail , Kratochvíl Lukáš
Published: February 2021

Organisms have evolved various mechanisms to cope with the differences in the gene copy numbers between sexes caused by degeneration of Y and W sex chromosomes. Complete dosage compensation or at least expression balance between sexes has been reported predominantly in XX/XY systems, but rarely in ZZ/ZW systems. However, this often‐reported pattern is based on comparisons of lineages where sex chromosomes evolved from nonhomologous genomic regions, potentially differing in sensitivity to differences in gene copy numbers. Here we document that two reptilian lineages (XX/XY iguanas and ZZ/ZW softshell turtles), which independently co‐opted the same ancestral genomic region for the function of sex chromosomes, evolved different gene dose regulatory mechanisms. The independent co‐option of the same genomic region for the role of sex chromosomes as in the iguanas and the softshell turtles offers great opportunity for testing evolutionary scenarios on sex chromosome evolution under the explicit control of the genomic background and gene identity. We show that the parallel loss of functional genes from the Y chromosome of the green anole and the W chromosome of the Florida softshell turtle led to different dosage compensation mechanisms. Our approach controlling for genetic background thus does not support that the variability in the regulation of gene dose differences is a consequence of ancestral autosomal gene content.
Founder effects shape linkage disequilibrium and genomic diversity of a partially clonal invader
Authors: Flanagan Ben A. , Krueger‐Hadfield Stacy A. , Murren Courtney J. , Nice Chris C. , Strand Allan E. , Sotka Erik E.
Published: February 2021

The genomic variation of an invasive species may be affected by complex demographic histories and evolutionary changes during the invasion. Here, we describe the relative influence of bottlenecks, clonality, and population expansion in determining genomic variability of the widespread red macroalga Agarophyton vermiculophyllum. Its introduction from mainland Japan to the estuaries of North America and Europe coincided with shifts from predominantly sexual to partially clonal reproduction and rapid adaptive evolution. A survey of 62,285 SNPs for 351 individuals from 35 populations, aligned to 24 chromosome‐length scaffolds indicate that linkage disequilibrium (LD), observed heterozygosity (Ho), Tajima's D, and nucleotide diversity (Pi) were greater among non‐native than native populations. Evolutionary simulations indicate LD and Tajima's D were consistent with a severe population bottleneck. Also, the increased rate of clonal reproduction in the non‐native range could not have produced the observed patterns by itself but may have magnified the bottleneck effect on LD. Elevated marker diversity in the genetic source populations could have contributed to the increased Ho and Pi observed in the non‐native range. We refined the previous invasion source region to a ~50 km section of northeastern Honshu Island. Outlier detection methods failed to reveal any consistently differentiated loci shared among invaded regions, probably because of the complex A. vermiculophyllum demographic history. Our results reinforce the importance of demographic history, specifically founder effects, in driving genomic variation of invasive populations, even when localized adaptive evolution and reproductive system shifts are observed.
Margolis as Columbia Naturalist
Authors: Cahoone Lawrence
Published: February 2021

Is Joseph Margolis a member of the often neglected school of “Columbia naturalism”? Columbia naturalism promoted a distinctive non‐reductive nationalism in mid‐twentieth‐century America. Inspired by pragmatism, and Dewey in particular, its members included Ernest Nagel, John Herman Randall, Joseph Blau, Herbert Schneider, and Justus Buchler. Margolis received his degree from Columbia in 1953. Neither his early work in aesthetics nor his mature attempt to justify pragmatic themes in an uncompromising dialogue with analytic and continental philosophy seems particularly “Columbian.” Neither does his radical endorsement of a kind of relativism. However, Margolis is after all some kind of naturalist. Furthermore, the Columbians shared a forgotten doctrine, called “objective relativism.” If the combination of naturalism and relativism is a Columbian fruit, Margolis may have has fallen closer to the tree than first appears.
Chemical restraint: A qualitative synthesis review of adult service user and staff experiences in mental health settings
Authors: Muir‐Cochrane Eimear , Oster Candice
Published: February 2021

With an imperative to reduce or eliminate the use of coercive practices in mental health care it is important to understand the experience of service users and staff. This review aimed to synthesize qualitative studies, published between 1996 and 2020, reporting on mental health service users' and staff's experiences of chemical restraint. The databases PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Three analytic themes were identified from 17 included articles, synthesizing the experiences of service users and staff. These were “Unjustified versusjustified,” “Violence versus necessity,” and “Reflecting back: Positives and negatives.” Service users viewed chemical restraint as an unjustified response to “behaviors of concern” and experienced it as a violent act with negative outcomes, although some saw it as necessary in retrospect and preferred it to other forms of coercion. Staff generally viewed it as a justified response to “behaviors of concern” and experienced it as appropriate within the constraints of staff numbers and limited alternatives. These findings identify nuances not apparent in the literature, which has generally conflated all forms of coercive practices.
Diagnostic ability of the primary second molar crown‐to‐root length ratio and the corresponding underlying premolar position in estimating future expander anchoring teeth exfoliation
Authors: Primozic Jasmina , Federici Canova Fabio , Rizzo Fiorella Alessandra , Marzo Giuseppe , Quinzi Vincenzo
Published: February 2021

Objectives

The aim was to assess the diagnostic ability of the crown‐to‐root length ratio of the primary second molar and the position of the corresponding underlying premolar in estimating future anchoring teeth exfoliation during maxillary expansion.

Setting and Sample Population

Fifty‐four subjects (30 females, 24 males; 108 teeth) aged 8.2 ± 1.0 years that underwent palatal expansion.

Methods

The upper second premolar position of the corresponding expander anchoring primary molar was determined in relation to the ipsilateral first permanent molar half‐pulp chamber (HPC) line on panoramic radiographs. Subjective and objective (based on measurements) assessments of the crown‐to‐root length ratio of anchoring primary molars were performed. Exfoliation after the expansion was recorded over a retention period of 12 months. All the assessments were performed individually by three examiners at two 3‐week‐apart sessions, trained and calibrated before enrolment. The intra‐/inter‐examiner agreements were evaluated, and the diagnostic accuracy of the methods was calculated.

Results

All methods exhibited almost perfect intra‐ and at least substantial inter‐examiner agreement (Kappa >0.8 and ≥0.63, respectively). Good diagnostic accuracy was seen for the premolar position to the HPC line (0.7‐0.8), while the crown‐to‐root length ratio methods exhibited hardly sufficient accuracy. The diagnostic agreement of the methods was fair.

Conclusions

When primary molars are considered as anchoring teeth for maxillary expansion, the premolar position in relation to the HPC line appears to be the most valid and reliable method for predicting their stability. Despite high repeatability values, the crown‐to‐root length ratio needs a cut‐off point re‐definition to increase its predicting ability.
Training results in increased practitioner confidence and identification of depression in people with low vision: a mixed methods study
Authors: Bartlett Rebecca , Acton Jennifer H , Ryan Barbara , Man Ryan , Pickles Timothy , Nollett Claire
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The prevalence of depression in people with low vision is high and often goes undiagnosed. There is the potential for those who provide low vision services to perform concurrent depression screening. However, prior training in depression identification and suitable referral pathways is required. The aims of this study were: (1) to assess the impact of a training programme on practitioners’ confidence and behaviour in addressing depression in patients with low vision, and (2) to review the training programme and identify areas for further development.

Methods

A convergent mixed methods approach was used. Questionnaires were completed by practitioners pre‐, immediately post‐ and 6 months post‐ training (n = 40) to assess practitioner confidence in approaching depression in patients with low vision. Qualitative interviews were performed with a subset of practitioners 6 months post‐training (n = 9). Additionally, routine data from the Low Vision Service Wales (LVSW) database was used to determine the change in the number of practitioners identifying depression in patients, and the change in the number of patients identified at risk of depression 6 months post‐training.

Results

Of the 148 practitioners who completed low vision assessments pre‐ and post‐training, 28 (18.9%) documented risk of depression in their patients pre‐training, which increased substantially to 65 (43.9%) post‐training (p < 0.0001). Mixed methods analysis confirmed increased documentation of depressive symptoms by practitioners. Practitioner confidence increased following training, with 92.3% feeling more confident to approach emotional issues with patients and 92.2% intending to use the recommended screening tool to identify depression. Interviews provided insight into areas where confidence was still lacking. Quantitative questionnaires revealed that training content was considered appropriate by 91% of participants. Interviews confirmed these findings while expanding upon possibilities for programme improvement.

Conclusions

Training for depression screening was found to be time‐efficient and acceptable for LVSW practitioners and shown to increase practitioner confidence in the identification of depression. Additionally, the programme changed behaviour, resulting in an increase in the identification of depression in patients with low vision. However, this is a complex topic and ongoing development is required to embed depression screening as an integral part of low vision services.
Adolescent with physiologic striae atrophicae of the thighs
Authors: Leung Alexander K. C. , Lam Joseph M.
Published: February 2021

Physiologic striae atrophicae of adolescence occur mainly in healthy nonobese adolescents in association with the adolescent growth spurt. The striae typically present as erythematous, purple, or violaceous, horizontal linear plaques in the lumbar area. Occurrence of striae elsewhere on the body exclusively is rare. A PubMed search of the English literature using the key terms “physiological striae atrophicae of adolescence” OR “physiological striae atrophicae of puberty” AND “thigh” did not yield any prior report. We report a teenager with physiologic striae atrophicae of adolescence with striae restricted to the thighs.
A guide to minimize contamination issues in microbiome restoration studies
Authors: Cando‐Dumancela Christian , Liddicoat Craig , McLeod Daphne , Young Jennifer M. , Breed Martin F.
Published: February 2021

Many restoration ecology studies now incorporate an environmental microbiome component, made possible mainly via advanced DNA sequencing technologies. Environmental microbiomes are important for successful restoration as they support many ecosystem functions and services that are a target of restoration interventions. However, since microbes are ubiquitous in most environments, including laboratories and researchers, there are contamination risks. If these risks are not adequately managed, the conclusions drawn from these microbiome restoration studies could be compromised. Here, we provide a user guide for restoration ecologists on how to navigate microbiome contamination risks at each stage of a study, from planning and sampling to data analysis and publishing. The two main categories of contamination we discuss are cross‐contamination—contamination between samples—and external contamination—contamination from reagents and environmental sources. We also consider the impact of batch effects, where sampling and/or processing order could leave a signal in the data. Without adequate control, these contamination issues can undermine the results of microbiome restoration studies. We hope that this guide will help minimize the effect of contamination and improve the quality of data and studies going forward.
Similarity analyses in restoration ecology and how to improve their utility
Authors: Gerwing Travis G. , Hawkes Virgil C.
Published: February 2021

Use of multivariate and nonparametric statistical analyses such as similarity percentages analysis has increased in the past decade within restoration studies. While very useful to compare community composition of restored habitats to reference areas, the ease in which these analyses can be applied, coupled with their power, can result in interpretation errors that could have negative ramifications upon restoration projects. Primarily, similarity measures are often used without stipulating similarity or dissimilarity targets. Despite these drawbacks, the benefits of these methods far outweigh the risks, especially if practitioners take care to specify their community similarity targets a priori and base these targets upon a representative range of reference conditions. However, restoration practitioners should remain focused on fulfilling the objectives of ecological restoration, by ensuring the development of functional habitat that is informed, but not dictated by, statistical analyses. As such, practitioners should take steps to ensure that meaningful univariate trends (e.g. an important species at risk or invasive species) and the overall functionality of the habitat should not be neglected, in favor of these methods of data analysis.
Regulatory T cell monitoring in severe eosinophilic asthma patients treated with mepolizumab
Authors: Bergantini Laura , d’Alessandro Miriana , Cameli Paolo , Bono Clara , Perruzza Marco , Biagini Marco , Pini Laura , Bigliazzi Caterina , Sestini Piersante , Dotta Francesco , Bargagli Elena
Published: February 2021

Severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) has been associated with T‐helper type 2 (Th2) inflammatory response. A good understanding of T cell functions in asthma is important for therapy, especially in the choice of biological treatments for severe cases. Mepolizumab, an IL‐5 antagonist, is indicated for the treatment of severe asthma. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress inflammation by secreting cytokines that inhibit Th2 cell proliferation. We investigated peripheral Treg, CD4, CD8, CD19 and NK cell percentages and their relationship to clinical and functional parameters, including peripheral eosinophils, before and after anti‐IL5 treatment. Subjects were 14 adult SEA patients (9 male, 54.1 ± 11.6 years), treated with mepolizumab, and 10 controls. T cells (CD4 and CD8), CD19, NK and Tregs were evaluated by flow cytometry. Comparison of lung function parameters before and after treatment with mepolizumab (T0 and T1) showed an increase in FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio and a reduction in blood eosinophil percentages. CD8 and CD16/56+CD3+ were significantly higher in SEA patients than controls (P = .04 and P = .03, respectively). A decrease in CD45+, CD8 + and CD16/56+CD3+ cell percentages was observed between T0 and T1 (P = .02, P = .04, P = .03, respectively). A significant increase in Treg percentages (P = .0001) was recorded between T0 and T1. Mepolizumab therapy was found to modulate immune response, restoring immune balance in patients with SEA.
Analysis of the morphometric parameters of pig ear hair follicles
Authors: Zambrano Alexandra , Klein Anna Lena , Patzelt Alexa
Published: February 2021

Background

Porcine ear skin is used in studies of percutaneous penetration as a substitute for human skin. The objective of the present study was to determine the structure of the hair follicles on the dorsal area of porcine ear skin and make a morphometric comparison with the hair follicles of human skin.

Materials and Methods

Sections of frozen biopsies were cut vertically to the skin surface in longitudinal sections using a cryotome and were investigated using microscopy. For each hair follicle, various parameters were determined.

Results

The follicular density in porcine ear skin varies according to the area studied, and the length of most of the follicles was approximately 1458 ± 286 μm. The size of the follicular orifice was also determined in a total of 305 follicles. It showed a diameter of roughly 113 ± 43 μm.

Conclusion

The results showed a very good similarity between human and pig hair follicles. Therefore, porcine ear skin can be considered as a very suitable model of human skin in dermal and especially follicular penetration studies.
Prediction of heavy metals removal by polymer inclusion membranes using machine learning techniques
Authors: Yaqub Muhammad , Eren Beytullah , Eyupoglu Volkan
Published: February 2021

This study predicts heavy metals removal from aqueous solution by polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) process using machine learning (ML) techniques such as multiple layer perceptron neural networks (MLPNN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) after data analysis. The removal efficiency (RE) of the PIMs process is predicted for cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) by changing operating conditions including time, carrier type, carrier rate, film thickness, plasticizer type and plasticizer rate. The MLPNN model presents reliable results with lower mean square error (MSE) for an unseen testing dataset, whereas the MLR model shows higher MSE values. The coefficient of determination (R2) of the MLPNN model for the testing dataset is 0.93, 0.90 and 0.86 for Co, Cd and Cr, respectively, whereas MLR shows poor results. Therefore, the MLPNN model can be a competitive, robust and fast alternate to optimize the PIMs process with minimum experimental work.
Heat Transfer in Rotating, Trailing Edge, Converging Channels With Partial Length Pin-Fins
Authors: Sahin Izzet , Chen I-Lun , Wright Lesley M. , Han Je-Chin , Xu Hongzhou , Fox Michael
Published: February 2021

In the current study, the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of a rotating, partial pin-finned, cooling channel that has a trapezoidal cross section and converges from the hub to tip in both the streamwise and spanwise directions are experimentally investigated. To model the geometry of an internal trailing edge cooling passage, the channel is oriented with respect to the direction of rotation (β = 120 deg). Isolated copper plates are used to obtain regionally averaged heat transfer coefficients on the leading and trailing surfaces. Pressure drop is measured using pressure taps placed at the inlet and outlet of the channel. Utilizing Dp = 5 mm diameter pins, a staggered array is created. For this array, the streamwise pin-spacing, Sy/Dp = 2.1, was kept constant; however, the spanwise pin-spacing, Sx/Dp, was varied from the hub to tip between 3 and 2.6 due to the channel convergence. Experiments were conducted for two partial pin-fin sets having pin length-to-diameter ratios of Sz/Dp = 0.4 and 0.2. The rotation number was varied from 0 to 0.21 by ranging the inlet Reynolds number from 10,000 to 40,000 and rotation speed from 0 to 300 rpm. A significant decrease in pressure loss and a slight reduction in heat transfer enhancement are observed with the use of partial pin-fins compared with the previously reported full pin-fin converging channel study. This provides better thermal performances of the partial pin-fin arrays compared with the full pin-fin array, in the converging channels.
Spherical oscillations of encapsulated microbubbles: Effect of shell compressibility and anisotropy
Authors: Chabouh Georges , Dollet Benjamin , Quilliet Catherine , Coupier Gwennou
Published: February 2021

We introduce a model that describes spherical oscillations of encapsulated microbubbles in an unbounded surrounding fluid. A Rayleigh–Plesset-like equation is derived by coupling the Navier–Stokes equation that describes fluid dynamics with the Navier equation that describes solid dynamics via the internal/external boundary conditions. While previous models were restricted to incompressible isotropic shells, the solid shell is modeled here as a compressible viscoelastic isotropic material and then generalized to an anisotropic material. The exact value of the resonance frequency is calculated analytically, and the damping constant is computed in the approximation of weak damping. A correction of the widely used Church model for incompressible shells is evidenced, and the effects of shell compressibility and anisotropy are discussed.
Repeatability of the Individual Response to the Use of Active Recovery the Day After High-Intensity Interval Training: A Double-Crossover Trial
Authors: Wiewelhove Thimo , Thase Constantin , Glahn Marcel , Hessel Anthony , Schneider Christoph , Hottenrott Laura , Meyer Tim , Kellmann Michael , Pfeiffer Mark , Ferrauti Alexander
Published: February 2021

Purpose: To identify whether the use of active recovery (ACT) the day after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) benefits recovery and to assess whether individual responses to ACT are repeatable. Methods: Eleven well-trained, male intermittent-sport athletes (age: 25.5 ± 1.8 y) completed 4 HIIT sessions, each separated by a 2-week washout period. Of the 4 sessions, 2 were followed by passive recovery (PAS) and 2 by 60 minutes of moderate biking (ACT) 24 hours postexercise in the following sequences: ACT→PAS→ACT→PAS or PAS→ACT→PAS→ACT. Before and after HIIT and after 24 and 48 hours of recovery, maximal voluntary isometric strength (MVIC), countermovement jump height (CMJ), tensiomyographic markers of muscle fatigue (TMG), serum concentration of creatine kinase (CK), muscle soreness (MS), and perceived stress state (PS) were determined. Results: A 3-way repeated-measure analysis of variance with a triple-nested random effects model revealed a significant (P < .05) fatigue-related time effect of HIIT on markers of fatigue (MVIC↓; CMJ↓; TMG↑; CK↑; MS↑; PS↑). No significant (P > .05) main effect of recovery strategy was detected. In 9 subjects, the individual results revealed inconsistent and nonrepeatable responses to ACT, while a consistent and repeatable positive or negative response to ACT was found in 2 individuals. Conclusions: The repeated failure of ACT to limit the severity of fatigue was found both at the group level and with most individuals. However, a small percentage of athletes may be more likely to benefit repeatedly from either ACT or PAS. Therefore, the use of ACT should be individualized.
Kauri trees mark magnetic flip 42,000 years ago
Authors: Voosen Paul
Published: February 2021

Researchers say cosmic ray bombardment unleashed by weaker field drove climate shift.
Microbial single-cell RNA sequencing by split-pool barcoding
Authors: Kuchina Anna , Brettner Leandra M. , Paleologu Luana , Roco Charles M. , Rosenberg Alexander B. , Carignano Alberto , Kibler Ryan , Hirano Matthew , DePaolo R. William , Seelig Georg
Published: February 2021

Bacterial cell gene expression

Single-cell genomics in bacteria has lagged relative to in eukaryotes because of their tough bacterial cell walls, low messenger RNA content, and lack of many posttranscriptional modifications. To tackle this challenge, Kuchina
et al.
developed microbial split-pool ligation transcriptomics, or microSPLiT, a single-cell sequencing method for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Sequencing both
Escherichia coli
and
Bacillus subtilis
showed differences in the heat shock response. Examining
B. subtilis
transcriptional patterns revealed that a small fraction of cells grown in laboratory medium express a myo-inositol catabolism pathway, which the cell could use in nonlaboratory environments, thus highlighting how microSPLiT can identify rare cellular states.

Science
, this issue p.
eaba5257
How many genetic changes create new species?
Authors: Nosil Patrik , Feder Jeffrey L. , Gompert Zachariah
Published: February 2021

Speciation in plants and animals can involve differentiation across many genetic regions
Emerging cell therapy for biliary diseases
Authors: Kurial Simone N. T. , Willenbring Holger
Published: February 2021

Gallbladder organoids repair bile ducts in mouse and human liver
SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV Spike-Mediated Cell-Cell Fusion Differ in Their Requirements for Receptor Expression and Proteolytic Activation
Authors: Hörnich Bojan F. , Großkopf Anna K. , Schlagowski Sarah , Tenbusch Matthias , Kleine-Weber Hannah , Neipel Frank , Stahl-Hennig Christiane , Hahn Alexander S.
Published: February 2021

Cell-cell fusion allows viruses to infect neighboring cells without the need to produce free virus and contributes to tissue damage by creating virus-infected syncytia. Our results demonstrate that the S2′ cleavage site is essential for activation by TMPRSS2 and unravel important differences between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, among those, greater dependence of SARS-CoV-2 on ACE2 expression and activation by metalloproteases for cell-cell fusion.
SRP-positive necrotising myopathy: takes more than just the muscles
Authors: Below Samantha , Bashir Maaman
Published: February 2021

Necrotising myopathy is an autoimmune disease that commonly affects muscles. Here we examine a case of a middle-aged women presenting with a chief report of shortness of breath, who subsequently developed muscle weakness. Her clinical course was complicated by respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension likely due to the underlying pathology of signal recognition particle-positive necrotising myopathy. After further evaluation, her shortness of breath was thought to be secondary to muscle pathology rather than cardiopulmonary pathology. She was transferred to our institution for workup by rheumatology. At the time of admission, 6 months after initial presentation, her weakness progressed, so that she was unable to lift her arms and legs against gravity. Furthermore, neurological examination revealed mild facial and nuchal weakness, severe proximal weakness, more moderate distal weakness and global areflexia.
Rare case of a patient with symptomatic Meckel’s diverticulum enteroliths
Authors: Callan Rory , Assaf Nazrin , Shaikh Muhammad Imtiaz , Chattopadhyay Dipankar
Published: February 2021

A 61-year-old man presented with non-specific abdominal symptoms, including left groin pain and change in bowel habits. Investigations revealed a cystic lesion, containing numerous irregular calcifications, with the primary differential being a dermoid cyst containing teeth-like calcifications. At laparoscopy it was found to be a Meckel’s diverticulum, containing a large number of enteroliths. This case revealed the importance of considering enteroliths in patients with imaging showing intra-abdominal calcifications, and laparoscopy for diagnosis and treatment.
Reinforcing locally led solutions for universal health coverage: a logic model with applications in Benin, Namibia and Uganda
Authors: Kiendrébéogo Joël Arthur , Thoumi Andrea , Mangam Keith , Touré Cheickna , Mbaye Seyni , Odero Patricia , Owino Edward , Jones Claire , Kiwanuka Grace Ssali , Audi Zilper , Bloom Danielle , Kinter Amelia , Gamble Kelley Allison
Published: February 2021

Development assistance for health programmes is often characterised as donor-led models with minimal country ownership and limited sustainability. This article presents new ways for low-income and middle-income countries to gain more control of their development assistance programming as they move towards universal health coverage (UHC). We base our findings on the experience of the African Collaborative for Health Financing Solutions (ACS), an innovative US Agency for International Development-funded project. The ACS project stems from the premise that the global health community can more effectively support UHC processes in countries if development partners change three long-standing paradigms: (1) time-limited projects to enhancing long-lasting processes, (2) fly-in/fly-out development support to leveraging and strengthening local and regional expertise and (3) static knowledge creation to supporting practical and co-developed resources that enhance learning and capture implementation experience. We assume that development partners can facilitate progress towards UHC if interventions follow five action steps, including (1) align to country demand, (2) provide evidence-based and tailored health financing technical support, (3) respond to knowledge and learnings throughout activity design and implementation, (4) foster multi-stakeholder collaboration and ownership and (5) strengthen accountability mechanisms. Since 2017, the ACS project has applied these five action steps in its implementing countries, including Benin, Namibia and Uganda. This article shares with the global health community preliminary achievements of implementing a unique, challenging but promising experience.
Factors influencing allied health professionals’ implementation of upper limb sensory rehabilitation for stroke survivors: a qualitative study to inform knowledge translation
Authors: Cahill Liana S , Carey Leeanne M , Mak-Yuen Yvonne , McCluskey Annie , Neilson Cheryl , O'Connor Denise A , Lannin Natasha A
Published: February 2021

Objectives

Somatosensory loss is common after stroke with one-in-two individuals affected. Although clinical practice guidelines recommend providing somatosensory rehabilitation, this impairment often remains unassessed and untreated. To address the gap between guideline recommendations and clinical practice, this study sought to understand the factors influencing delivery of evidence-based upper limb sensory rehabilitation after stroke.

Design

Qualitative study involving focus groups and interviews. Data analysis used an inductive approach (thematic analysis) and deductive analysis using implementation theory (the Theoretical Domains Framework and Normalisation Process Theory).

Setting

Eight healthcare organisations in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.

Participants

Eighty-seven rehabilitation therapists (79% occupational therapists and 21% physiotherapists) were purposively sampled and participated in a knowledge translation study with staggered recruitment from 2014 to 2018.

Results

Three types of factors influenced therapists’ delivery of upper limb somatosensory rehabilitation: individual (‘The uncertain, unskilled therapist’), patient (‘Patient understanding and priorities’) and organisational (‘System pressures and resources’). Deductive analysis using implementation theory identified key determinants of practice change, such as opportunities to consolidate new skills, the anticipated benefits of upskilling as a therapy team and the work anticipated by therapists to incorporate a new somatosensory rehabilitation approach.

Conclusions

Occupational therapists and physiotherapists hold valuable insights towards practice change in somatosensory rehabilitation from the ‘frontline’. Therapists experience barriers to change including a lack of knowledge and skills, lack of resources and organisational pressures. Facilitators for change were identified, including social support and therapists’ perceived legitimacy in using new somatosensory rehabilitation approaches. Results will inform the design of a tailored implementation strategy to increase the use of evidence-based somatosensory rehabilitation in Australia.

Trial registration number

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000933550).
Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic during the first lockdown in the Netherlands on the number of trauma-related admissions, trauma severity and treatment: the results of a retrospective cohort study in a level 2 trauma centre
Authors: van Aert Gijs J.J. , van der Laan Lijckle , Boonman-de Winter Leandra J.M. , Berende Cornelis A.S. , de Groot Hans G.W. , Boele van Hensbroek Pieter , Schormans Philip M.J. , Winkes Michiel B. , Vos Dagmar I.
Published: February 2021

Objectives

To determine the impact of the first lockdown in the Netherlands’ measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on the number and type of trauma-related injuries presenting to the emergency department (ED).

Design

A single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Setting

A level 2 trauma centre in Breda, The Netherlands.

Participants

All patients with trauma seen at the ED between 11 March and 10 May 2020 (the first Dutch lockdown period) were included in this study. Comparable groups were generated for 2019 and 2018.

Main outcome measures

Primary outcomes were the total number of patients with trauma admitted to the ED and the trauma mechanism. Secondary outcomes were triage categories, time of ED visit, trauma severity (Injury Severity Score (ISS) >12), anatomical region of injury and treatment.

Results

A total of 4674 patients were included in this study. During the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease of 32% in traumatic injuries at the ED (n=1182) compared with the previous years 2019 (n=1717) and 2018 (n=1775) (p<0.001). Sports-related injuries decreased most during the lockdown (n=164) compared with 2019 (n=386) and 2018 (n=367) (p<0.001). We observed more frequent injuries due to a fall from standing height (p<0.001) and work-related injuries (p<0.05). The mean age was significantly higher (mean 48 years vs 42 and 43 years). There was no difference in anatomical place of injury or ISS >12. The amount of patients admitted for emergency surgery was significantly higher (14.6% vs 9.4%; 8.6%, p<0.001). Seven patients (0.6%) tested positive for COVID-19.

Conclusions

Measures taken in the COVID-19 outbreak result in a predictable decrease in the total number of patients with trauma, especially sports-related trauma. Although the trauma burden on the emergency room appears to be lower, more people have been admitted for trauma surgery, possibly due to increased throughput in the operating theatres.
Impact of point-of-care testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis on genital tract inflammatory cytokines in a cohort of young South African women
Authors: Garrett Nigel , Mtshali Andile , Osman Farzana , Masson Lindi , McKinnon Lyle R , Singh Ravesh , Mitchev Nireshni , Ngobese Hope , Kharsany Ayesha B M , Abdool Karim Salim , Mlisana Koleka , Passmore Jo-Ann , Rompalo Anne , Mindel Adrian , Liebenberg Lenine
Published: February 2021

Objectives

STIs cause inflammation that is detrimental for both HIV risk and reproductive health. We assessed the impact of point-of-care (POC) STI testing, immediate treatment and expedited partner therapy (EPT) on genital tract cytokines among a cohort of young South African women.

Methods

HIV-negative women underwent POC testing forChlamydia trachomatis(CT),Neisseria gonorrhoeae(NG) andTrichomonas vaginalis(TV) by Xpert CT/NG and OSOM TV, and for bacterial vaginosis (BV) by microscopy. Women with STIs and/or BV received immediate treatment, EPT for STIs and retested after 6 and 12 weeks. Concentrations of 48 cytokines were measured in cervicovaginal fluid at each visit using multiplex ELISA technology. The impact of STI treatment on cytokine concentrations was assessed by multivariable linear mixed models and principal component analysis.

Results

The study enrolled 251 women with median age of 23 years (IQR 21–27). The prevalence of CT, NG and TV were 14.3%, 4.4% and 4.0%, and 34.3% had BV. Women with STIs or BV at baseline (n=94) had significantly higher concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, TNF-β, IL-18 and macrophage inflammatory factor (MIF)) and chemokines (IL-8, IL-16, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, IFN-α2, monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-3, regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted and eotaxin) compared with women without (n=157). STI treatment was strongly associated with reduced concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (p=0.004), IL-1β (p=0.013), TNF-α (p=0.018) and chemokines MIG (p=0.008) and growth-related oncogene (GRO)-α (p=0.025). A lower Nugent score was associated with a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1α (p=0.003), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (p=0.004), MIF (p=0.010) and IL-18 (p<0.001), but an increase in chemokines MIG (p=0.020), GRO-α (p<0.001), IP-10 (p<0.001), MIP-1β (p=0.008) and MCP-1 (p=0.005). Principal component analysis showed differences in STI and BV-related inflammatory profiles, but that resolution restored a profile consistent with vaginal health.

Conclusions

A comprehensive STI intervention effectively reduced genital inflammation among young women, thereby improving vaginal health and potentially reducing HIV risk.
$$\alpha $$-attractors from supersymmetry breaking
Authors: Aldabergenov Yermek , Chatrabhuti Auttakit , Isono Hiroshi
Published: February 2021

We construct new models of inflation and spontaneous supersymmetry breaking in de Sitter vacuum, with a single chiral superfield, where inflaton is the superpartner of the goldstino. Our approach is based on hyperbolic Kähler geometry, and a gauged (non-axionic) $$U(1)_R$$

U

(
1
)

R

symmetry rotating the chiral scalar field by a phase. The $$U(1)_R$$

U

(
1
)

R

gauge field combines with the angular component of the chiral scalar to form a massive vector, and single-field inflation is driven by the radial part of the scalar. We find that in a certain parameter range they can be approximated by simplest Starobinsky-like (E-model) $$\alpha $$
α
-attractors, thus predicting $$n_s$$

n
s

and r within $$1\sigma $$

1
σ

CMB constraints. Supersymmetry (and R-symmetry) is broken at a high scale with the gravitino mass $$m_{3/2} > rsim 10^{14}$$

m

3
/
2

≳

10
14

GeV, and the fermionic sector also includes a heavy spin-1/2 field. In all the considered cases the inflaton is the lightest field of the model.