bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data assimilation of flow-acoustic resonance
Authors: Wang Peng , He Chuangxin , Deng Zhiwen , Liu Yingzheng
Published: June 2021

A data assimilation (DA) strategy was developed for accurate prediction of the flow-acoustic resonant fields within a channel–branch system. The challenges of numerical simulation of such internal aeroacoustic systems are primarily associated with determination of the transfer loss between the acoustic waves and the shear layer vortices. Thus, a data-assimilated momentum loss model that comprises a viscous loss item and an inertial loss item was established and embedded into the Navier–Stokes equations. During the DA, the acoustic pressure pulsations measured from a dynamic pressure array served as the observational data, the ensemble Kalman filter served as the optimization algorithm, and a three-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamics method comprising an explicit algebraic Reynolds stress model (EARSM) served as the predictive model system. EARSM was used because its ability to predict internal flow-acoustic resonances was superior to that of other eddy viscosity models and Reynolds stress models. The data-assimilated flow-acoustic resonant fields were then comprehensively validated in terms of their acoustic fields, time-averaged flow fields, and phase-dependent flow fields. The time-averaged flow fields were obtained from planar particle-image velocimetry (PIV) measurements, and the phase-dependent flow fields were obtained from field programmable gate array-based phase-locking PIV measurements. The results demonstrate that the use of DA afforded an optimal simulation that efficiently decreased the numerical errors in the frequencies and amplitudes of the acoustic pressure pulsations, thereby achieving better agreement between time-averaged flow distributions and fluctuations. In addition, the data-assimilated numerical simulation completely reproduced the spatiotemporal evolution of the shear layer vortices, that is, their formation, developing, transport, and collapsing regions.
A Case Study to Overcome Barriers and Enhance Motivations Through Experience of a Variety of Exercises: Theory-Based Intervention on an Overweight and Physically Inactive Adult
Authors: Kang Heon Jin , Wang Chee Keng John , Burns Stephen Francis
Published: June 2021

A 5-month exercise intervention using self-determination theory was conducted for a physically inactive male adult with a body mass index >25 kg/m2 to overcome perceived exercise barriers and increase autonomous motivation to exercise through a variety of exercise programs. The participant underwent three different forms of exercise programs: trainer guided, self-guided via YouTube channels, and accustomed exercises for 3 hr weekly. The participant completed a questionnaire and body mass index measurement at baseline and during the second, fourth, and fifth months of intervention and kept an exercise log throughout the 5 months. Consultations were conducted during the second and fourth months. At the end of the program, a semistructured interview was conducted. The data showed that psychological needs satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and exercise behavior had improved, while perceived barriers had decreased. This case study provides insight into how a theory-based intervention could effectively promote exercise behavior by targeting psychological factors.
Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Lincosamide Therapy in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia
Authors: Guthridge Isabel , Smith Simon , Law Matthew , Binotto Enzo , Hanson Josh
Published: June 2021

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) bacteremia has a high case-fatality rate, but currently recommended antimicrobial therapies have many shortcomings. The efficacy and safety of lincosamide therapy for MRSA bacteremia is incompletely defined.
In Vivo
Evolution of GES β-Lactamases Driven by Ceftazidime/Avibactam Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
Authors: Fraile-Ribot Pablo A. , Fernández Javier , Gomis-Font María A. , Forcelledo Lorena , Mulet Xavier , López-Causapé Carla , Oliver Antonio
Published: June 2021

The mechanisms underlying an
in vivo
switch in the resistance phenotype of
P. aeruginosa
after ceftazidime-avibactam treatment was investigated. The initial isolate (a blood culture) was resistant to meropenem but remained susceptible to antipseudomonal cephalosporins and combinations with β-lactamase inhibitors.
Identification of Novel Mutations Contributing to Azole Tolerance of Aspergillus fumigatus through
In Vitro
Exposure to Tebuconazole
Authors: Toyotome Takahito , Onishi Kenji , Sato Mio , Kusuya Yoko , Hagiwara Daisuke , Watanabe Akira , Takahashi Hiroki
Published: June 2021

Azole resistance of
Aspergillus fumigatus
is a global problem. The major resistance mechanism is through cytochrome P
450
14-α sterol demethylase Cyp51A alterations such as a mutation(s) in the gene and the acquisition of a tandem repeat in the promoter.
MyD88-Dependent Glucose Restriction and Itaconate Production Control Brucella Infection
Authors: Lacey Carolyn A. , Ponzilacqua-Silva Bárbara , Chambers Catherine A. , Dadelahi Alexis S. , Skyberg Jerod A.
Published: June 2021

Brucellosis is one of the most common global zoonoses and is caused by facultative intracellular bacteria of the genus
Brucella
. Numerous studies have found that MyD88 signaling contributes to protection against
Brucella
; however, the underlying mechanism has not been entirely defined.
Reinvestigating the Coughing Rat Model of Pertussis To Understand
Bordetella pertussis
Pathogenesis
Authors: Hall Jesse M. , Kang Jason , Kenney Sophia M. , Wong Ting Y. , Bitzer Graham J. , Kelly Claire O. , Kisamore Caleb A. , Boehm Dylan T. , DeJong Megan A. , Wolf M. Allison , Sen-Kilic Emel , Horspool Alexander M. , Bevere Justin R. , Barbier Mariette , Damron F. Heath
Published: June 2021

Bordetella pertussis
is a highly contagious bacterium that is the causative agent of whooping cough (pertussis). Currently, acellular pertussis vaccines (aP, DTaP, and Tdap) are used to prevent pertussis disease.
Topoisomerase I Essentiality, DnaA-Independent Chromosomal Replication, and Transcription-Replication Conflict in Escherichia coli
Authors: Leela J. Krishna , Raghunathan Nalini , Gowrishankar J.
Published: June 2021

In all life forms, double-helical DNA exists in a topologically supercoiled state. The enzymes DNA gyrase and topoisomerase I act, respectively, to introduce and to relax negative DNA supercoils in
Escherichia coli
.
Excess ice loads in the Indian Ocean sector of East Antarctica during the last glacial period
Authors: Ishiwa Takeshige , Okuno Jun'ichi , Suganuma Yusuke
Published: June 2021

An accurate reconstruction of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is essential in order to develop an understanding of ice-sheet responses to global climate changes. However, the erosive nature of ice-sheet expansion and the difficulty of accessing much of Antarctica make it challenging to obtain field-based evidence of ice-sheet and sea-level changes before the Last Glacial Maximum. Limited sedimentary records from Lützow-Holm and Prydz Bays in East Antarctica demonstrate that the sea level during Marine Isotope Stage 3 was close to the present level despite the global sea-level drop lower than −40 m. We demonstrate glacial isostatic adjustment modeling with refined Antarctic Ice Sheet loading histories. Our experiments reveal that the Indian Ocean sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet would have been required to experience excess ice loads before the Last Glacial Maximum in order to explain the observed sea-level highstands during Marine Isotope Stage 3. As such, we suggest that the Antarctic Ice Sheet partly reached its maximum thickness before the global Last Glacial Maximum.
New Ediacara-type fossils and late Ediacaran stratigraphy from the northern Qaidam Basin (China): Paleogeographic implications
Authors: Pang Ke , Wu Chengxi , Sun Yunpeng , Ouyang Qing , Yuan Xunlai , Shen Bing , Lang Xianguo , Wang Ruimin , Chen Zhe , Zhou Chuanming
Published: June 2021

Ediacara-type macrofossils characterize the late Ediacaran Period and are pivotal in understanding the early evolution of animals on the eve of the Cambrian explosion and useful in late Ediacaran biostratigraphy. They have been discovered on almost all major paleocontinents, except the North China and Tarim blocks, as well as on a series of northwest-west–oriented cratonic fragments between the two blocks, including the Olongbuluke terrane of the Qaidam block, where the terminal Ediacaran successions developed. We report a newly discovered terminal Ediacaran biotic assemblage, the Quanjishan assemblage, containing Ediacara-type fossils from the Zhoujieshan Formation of the Quanji Group in the Olongbuluke terrane, Qaidam Basin, northwestern China. The Quanjishan assemblage is dominated by the non-biomineralized tubular taxon Shaanxilithes, which has the potential to be a terminal Ediacaran index fossil, and by the iconic frondose rangeomorph Charnia, which represents the only unambiguous Ediacara-type fossil discovered in northwestern China. The co-occurrence of Charnia and Shaanxilithes from the Quanjishan assemblage likely constrains the depositional age of the Zhoujieshan Formation to be terminal Ediacaran (ca. 550–539 Ma) and the immediately underlying Hongtiegou diamictites to be late Ediacaran, probably representing post-Gaskiers glacial deposition. The occurrence of post-Gaskiers Ediacaran glaciation and similarities between the late Ediacaran – early Paleozoic lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic sequences in the Olongbuluke terrane of the Qaidam block and the North China block suggest that these two blocks may have been located close to each other during this time period, and situated in the middle to high latitudes instead of the equatorial region.
Reorienting the West African craton in Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna
Authors: Gong Zheng , Evans David A.D. , Youbi Nasrrddine , Lahna Abdelhak Ait , Söderlund Ulf , Malek Malika Ait , Wen Bin , Jing Xianqing , Ding Jikai , Boumehdi Moulay A. , Ernst Richard E.
Published: June 2021

The location of the West African craton (WAC) has been poorly constrained in the Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna (also known as Columbia). Previous Nuna reconstruction models suggested that the WAC was connected to Amazonia in a way similar to their relative position in Gondwana. By an integrated paleomagnetic and geochronological study of the Proterozoic mafic dikes in the Anti-Atlas Belt, Morocco, we provide two reliable paleomagnetic poles to test this connection. Incorporating our new poles with quality-filtered poles from the neighboring cratons of the WAC, we propose an inverted WAC-Amazonia connection, with the northern WAC attached to northeastern Amazonia, as well as a refined configuration of Nuna. Global large igneous province records also conform to our new reconstruction. The inverted WAC-Amazonia connection suggests a substantial change in their relative orientation from Nuna to Gondwana, providing an additional example of large-magnitude cumulative azimuthal rotations between adjacent continental blocks over supercontinental cycles.
Tectonic controls on basement exhumation in the southern Rocky Mountains (United States): The power of combined zircon (U-Th)/He and K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology
Authors: Ricketts Jason W. , Roiz Jacoup , Karlstrom Karl E. , Heizler Matthew T. , Guenthner William R. , Timmons J. Michael
Published: June 2021

The Great Unconformity of the Rocky Mountain region (western North America), where Precambrian crystalline basement is nonconformably overlain by Phanerozoic strata, represents the removal of as much as 1.5 b.y. of rock record during 10-km-scale basement exhumation. We evaluate the timing of exhumation of basement rocks at five locations by combining geologic data with multiple thermochronometers. 40Ar/39Ar K-feldspar multi-diffusion domain (MDD) modeling indicates regional multi-stage basement cooling from 275 to 150 °C occurred at 1250–1100 Ma and/or 1000–700 Ma. Zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) dates from the Rocky Mountains range from 20 to 864 Ma, and independent forward modeling of ZHe data is also most consistent with multi-stage cooling. ZHe inverse models at five locations, combined with K-feldspar MDD and sample-specific geochronologic and/or thermochronologic constraints, document multiple pulses of basement cooling from 250 °C to surface temperatures with a major regional basement exhumation event 1300–900 Ma, limited cooling in some samples during the 770–570 Ma breakup of Rodinia and/or the 717–635 Ma snowball Earth, and ca. 300 Ma Ancestral Rocky Mountains cooling. These data argue for a tectonic control on basement exhumation leading up to formation of the Precambrian-Cambrian Great Unconformity and document the formation of composite erosional surfaces developed by faulting and differential uplift.
Partial superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland
Authors: Bhattacharya Auric , Singh Madhumati , Shah Anjan , Varghese Lynn Lilly
Published: June 2021

Pleomorphic adenoma, otherwise called as benign mixed tumour, is the most common salivary gland tumour which accounts for 60% of all benign salivary gland tumours. The clinical, radiological and histopathological presentations are varied. The tumour occurs in diverse anatomical sites and can consist of epithelial and mesenchymal components. In this case report, the patient reported with an asymptomatic swelling on the face. CT scan with contrast was advised. The clinical, roentgenographic findings and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology were indicative of pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. Treatment included partial superficial parotidectomy under general anaesthesia using the modified Blair’s incision. The facial nerve was not involved. Part of the gland along with the tumour was resected completely superficial to the facial nerve with a margin of normal tissue all around. Histopathologic examination of tissue specimen confirmed the lesion as pleomorphic adenoma. The patient was asymptomatic at 6-month follow-up.
Can PIMS-TS lead to a facial nerve palsy?
Authors: Hookham Lauren , Teoh Penelope , Stern William , Goodman Anna L
Published: June 2021

Paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome—temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) is a recently described syndrome. We describe the case of a 17-year-old man presenting with a recent illness consistent with COVID-19 who presented with fever, chest pain and anterior uveitis. He was treated with aspirin, pulsed methylprednisolone and tocilizumab followed by oral steroids. On day 16 from initial presentation, he developed a facial nerve palsy. He was managed with ongoing steroids and the addition of valaciclovir. PIMS-TS is an under-recognised condition among adult physicians and may not be well known in adult neurology. It is important for adult physicians and neurologists to be aware of PIMS-TS and its possible sequelae.
Characterising the background incidence rates of adverse events of special interest for covid-19 vaccines in eight countries: multinational network cohort study
Authors: Li Xintong , Ostropolets Anna , Makadia Rupa , Shoaibi Azza , Rao Gowtham , Sena Anthony G , Martinez-Hernandez Eugenia , Delmestri Antonella , Verhamme Katia , Rijnbeek Peter R , Duarte-Salles Talita , Suchard Marc A , Ryan Patrick B , Hripcsak George , Prieto-Alhambra Daniel
Published: June 2021

Objective

To quantify the background incidence rates of 15 prespecified adverse events
of special interest (AESIs) associated with covid-19 vaccines.

Design

Multinational network cohort study.

Setting

Electronic health records and health claims data from eight countries:
Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the United
Kingdom, and the United States, mapped to a common data model.

Participants

126 661 070 people observed for at least 365 days before 1 January 2017,
2018, or 2019 from 13 databases.

Main outcome measures

Events of interests were 15 prespecified AESIs (non-haemorrhagic and
haemorrhagic stroke, acute myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis,
pulmonary embolism, anaphylaxis, Bell’s palsy, myocarditis or pericarditis,
narcolepsy, appendicitis, immune thrombocytopenia, disseminated
intravascular coagulation, encephalomyelitis (including acute disseminated
encephalomyelitis), Guillain-Barré syndrome, and transverse myelitis).
Incidence rates of AESIs were stratified by age, sex, and database. Rates
were pooled across databases using random effects meta-analyses and
classified according to the frequency categories of the Council for
International Organizations of Medical Sciences.

Results

Background rates varied greatly between databases. Deep vein thrombosis
ranged from 387 (95% confidence interval 370 to 404) per 100 000 person
years in UK CPRD GOLD data to 1443 (1416 to 1470) per 100 000 person years
in US IBM MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid data among women aged 65 to 74
years. Some AESIs increased with age. For example, myocardial infarction
rates in men increased from 28 (27 to 29) per 100 000 person years among
those aged 18-34 years to 1400 (1374 to 1427) per 100 000 person years in
those older than 85 years in US Optum electronic health record data. Other
AESIs were more common in young people. For example, rates of anaphylaxis
among boys and men were 78 (75 to 80) per 100 000 person years in those aged
6-17 years and 8 (6 to 10) per 100 000 person years in those older than 85
years in Optum electronic health record data. Meta-analytic estimates of
AESI rates were classified according to age and sex.

Conclusion

This study found large variations in the observed rates of AESIs by age group
and sex, showing the need for stratification or standardisation before using
background rates for safety surveillance. Considerable population level
heterogeneity in AESI rates was found between databases.
Development and psychometric testing of a Learning Behaviour Questionnaire among Chinese undergraduate nursing students
Authors: Wu Yifan , Qi Li , Liu Yu , Hao Xinyi , Zang Shuang
Published: June 2021

Objective

This study aimed to develop and validate a new Learning Behaviour Questionnaire (LBQ) for the undergraduate nursing students.

Study design

This study was performed in two phases. Phase 1 of the study focused on questionnaire development to create a pool of items, while phase 2 focused on validity and reliability testing.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were used to explore nursing undergraduates’ perception of learning behaviour. A two-round modified Delphi method was used to test content validity and quantify the degree of consistency in questionnaire items. An item analysis, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and an internal consistency reliability check were conducted. Criterion-related validity was demonstrated through correlations with Self-Regulated Learning Scale for Undergraduates (SRLS-U). A sample of 114 nursing students was evaluated in test–retest reliability to confirm stability.

Results

The final LBQ consisted of four factors for the 19-item questionnaire with a 5-point rating from ‘1’ (Fully disagree) to ‘5’ (fully agree). The content validity was 0.890. EFA revealed the presence of four factors, including ‘strategy’, ‘attitude’, ‘motivation’ and ‘degree of satisfaction’. The CFA indicated good fit indexes for the proposed model (χ2/df=1.866, root mean square residual=0.037, comparative fit index =0.950, goodness-of-fit index =0.929, Tucker-Lewis index=0.941, adjusted goodness-of-fit index=0.907 and root mean square error of approximation=0.049). The LBQ correlated significantly with SRLS-U subscales (r=0.742–0.837, p<0.01). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the whole questionnaire was 0.936, while the Cronbach’s alphas of the four factors were 0.828, 0.826, 0.804 and 0.805, respectively. The test–retest reliabilities of the four factors were 0.886, 0.904, 0.852 and 0.875, respectively.

Conclusion

The validity and reliability of the LBQ were satisfying. The LBQ is a short, well-developed questionnaire that can serve as a generic assessment tool for measuring learning behaviour for Chinese undergraduate nursing students.Cite Now
When applying GRADE, how do we decide the target of certainty of evidence rating?
Authors: Zeng Linan , Brignardello-Petersen Romina , Guyatt Gordon
Published: June 2021

The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation’ (GRADE) offers a widely adopted, transparent and structured process for developing and presenting summaries of evidence, including the certainty of evidence, for systematic reviews and recommendations in healthcare. GRADE defined certainty of evidence as ‘the extent of our confidence that the estimates of the effect are correct (in the context of systematic review), or are adequate to support a particular decision or recommendation (in the context of guideline)’. Realising the incoherence in the conceptualisation, the GRADE working group re-clarified the certainty of evidence as ‘the certainty that a true effect lies on one side of a specified threshold, or within a chosen range’. Following the new concept, in the context of both systematic reviews and health technology assessments, it is desirable for GRADE users to specify the thresholds and clarify of which effect they are certain. To help GRADE users apply GRADE in accordance with the new conceptualisation, GRADE defines three levels of contextualisation: minimally, partially and fully contextualised approaches, and provides possible thresholds for each level of contextualisation. In this article, we will use a hypothetic systematic review to illustrate the application of the minimally and partially contextualised approaches, and discuss the application of a fully contextualised approach in deciding how we are rating our certainty (i.e.target of the rating of certainty of evidence).
Nephrosclerosis impacts time trajectory of renal function and outcomes in elderly individuals with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Zicarelli Maria Teresa , Patella Gemma , Bolignano Davide , Comi Alessandro , Cianfrone Paola , Comi Nicolino , Presta Pierangela , Fuiano Giorgio , Castagna Alberto , Ruotolo Giovanni , Andreucci Michele , Coppolino Giuseppe
Published: June 2021

Despite hypertension ranks among the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the impact of chronic hypertensive nephropathy, the so-called ‘nephrosclerosis’ (NS), on CKD progression is often unpredictable, particularly in elderly population. We have conducted a prospective, observational study to define renal function patterns and outcomes in elderly CKD individuals with or without NS. Three hundred four individuals with an already established CKD were categorized according to the etiology of CKD. NS was defined as the presence of CKD associated with long-term essential hypertension, hypertensive retinopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy and minimal proteinuria. Time trajectories in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (CKD-Epi) were computed over a 4-year follow-up. In addition, we analyzed the occurrence of a composite outcome of doubling of serum creatinine levels, eGFR reduction ≥25% and/or the need of chronic renal replacement therapy. CKD was secondary to nephrosclerosis (CKD-NS) in 220 (72.3%). In the whole cohort, the average estimated annual GFR slope was 1.8 mL/min/1.73 m2. eGFR decline was slower in CKD-NS as compared with others (1.4 vs 3.4 mL/min/1.73 m2; p<0.001). The composite renal outcome during follow-up occurred less frequently among elderly with CKD-NS (16/204 vs 14/70; p=0.01, crude HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.85) and was associated at logistic analyses with the etiology of CKD, background cardiovascular disease, total and low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol, and glycemia levels (p value was ranging from 0.01 to 0.05). Despite being highly prevalent in the elderly, NS is associated with a more favorable renal disease course as compared with other conditions.
Diagnosis values of IL-6 and IL-8 levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Liu Fang , Zhang Xin , Du Wenxiu , Du Junfeng , Chi Yumin , Sun Baohua , Song Zhan , Shi Jian
Published: June 2021

Among immunologically normal hosts, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are considered to be at high risk of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), and early diagnosis and treatment are the key to improving the prognosis of patients. Here we aimed to evaluate whether interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 might be used in the detection and diagnosis of IPA in patients with COPD. We prospectively collected 106 patients with COPD and divided them into non-IPA (n=74), probable/possible IPA (n=26) and proven IPA (n=6). Platelia Aspergillus kit was used to detect galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and serum and ELISA kit was used to detect IL-6 and IL-8 levels. Diagnostic efficiency of IL-6, IL-8 and galactomannan in serum and BALF was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve. Compared with the non-IPA group, the proven/probable IPA group showed significantly elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in both serum and BALF, which were positively correlated with galactomannan levels. The sensitivity and specificity of IL-6 for diagnosing IPA were 74.32% and 81.25% (cut-off at 92.82 pg/mL, area under the curve (AUC)=0.8366) in serum and 68.92% and 71.88% (cut-off at 229.4 pg/mL, AUC=0.7694) in BALF. The sensitivity and specificity of IL-8 for diagnosing IPA were 83.78% and 81.25% (cut-off at 93.46 pg/mL, AUC=0.8756) in serum and 85.14% and 75.00% (cut-off at 325.4 pg/mL, AUC=0.8252) in BALF. The elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in patients with IPA with COPD could be used as auxiliary indicators to diagnose IPA in addition to galactomannan.
Coagulation derangement and risk factors for valve thrombosis following transcatheter aortic valve implantation
Authors: Patterson Tiffany , Hurrell Harriet , Lee Jack , Esposito Giulia , Dutta Utkarsh , Grapsa Julia , Aroney Nicholas , Ahmed-Jushuf Fiyyaz , Allen Christopher , Rajani Ronak , Preston Rebecca , Young Christopher , Lucchese Gianluca , Parmar Kiran , Hunt Beverley , Prendergast Bernard D , Redwood Simon R
Published: June 2021

Aims

Durability of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is key to its expansion. We sought to identify incidence of valve thrombosis and predictors of valve thrombosis in our single centre with associated coagulation testing pre-TAVI and post-TAVI.

Methods and results

This single-centre observational study comprised patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI discussed in the Heart Team meeting . Patients were followed up with echocardiography at 120 days to identify incidence of elevated transvalvular gradient and multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with an increased odds of developing valve thrombosis. In addition, 11 patients underwent baseline, day 1 and day 120 post-TAVI coagulation testing. Between August 2017 and August 2019, 437 consecutive patients underwent transfemoral TAVI. Of these patients, 207/437 (47.4%) had 3-month follow-up echo data available and were analysed. Of these patients, 26/207 (12.6%) had elevated transvalvular gradients. These patients tended to be younger (80±14 vs 83±6 years; p=0.047) with a lower ejection fraction (49±13 vs 54%±11%; p=0.021), with a greater proportion of the population experiencing atrial fibrillation (14/21, 54% vs 68/181, 38%; p=0.067). Following multivariable analysis, there remained a trend towards higher eccentricity index associated with elevated gradients. Baseline (pre-TAVI) elevation of thrombin antithrombin levels (56±63; reference range 1.0–4.1 ng/L) and PF 1+2 (791±632; reference range 69–229 ng/mL) normalised at 120 days post-TAVI

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that in the cohort of patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI in our centre: younger age, poor ejection fraction, atrial fibrillation and increased baseline eccentricity of the aortic valve annulus were present to a greater extent in patients exhibiting elevated transvalvular gradients at 3-month follow-up. Further work is required to delineate the extent of coagulation derangement and confirm predictors of thrombosis.
Vascular comorbidities worsen prognosis of patients with heart failure hospitalised with COVID-19
Authors: Mok Jacob , Malpartida Juan Carlos , O'Dell Kimberly , Davis Joshua , Gao Cuilan , Manyam Harish
Published: June 2021

Background

Prior diagnosis of heart failure (HF) is associated with increased length of hospital stay (LOS) and mortality from COVID-19. Associations between substance use, venous thromboembolism (VTE) or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and its effects on LOS or mortality in patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19 remain unknown.

Objective

This study identified risk factors associated with poor in-hospital outcomes among patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19.

Methods

Case–control study was conducted of patients with prior diagnosis of HF hospitalised with COVID-19 at an academic tertiary care centre from 1 January 2020 to 28 February 2021. Patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19 with risk factors were compared with those without risk factors for clinical characteristics, LOS and mortality. Multivariate regression was conducted to identify multiple predictors of increased LOS and in-hospital mortality in patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19.

Results

Total of 211 patients with HF were hospitalised with COVID-19. Women had longer LOS than men (9 days vs 7 days; p<0.001). Compared with patients without PAD or ischaemic stroke, patients with PAD or ischaemic stroke had longer LOS (7 days vs 9 days; p=0.012 and 7 days vs 11 days, p<0.001, respectively). Older patients (aged 65 and above) had increased in-hospital mortality compared with younger patients (adjusted OR: 1.04; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.07; p=0.036). Prior diagnosis of VTE increased mortality more than threefold in patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19 (adjusted OR: 3.33; 95% CI 1.29 to 8.43; p=0.011).

Conclusion

Vascular diseases increase LOS and mortality in patients with HF hospitalised with COVID-19.
Breathlessness across generations: results from the RHINESSA generation study
Authors: Ekström Magnus , Johannessen Ane , Abramson Michael J , Benediktsdottir Bryndis , Franklin Karl , Gislason Thorarinn , Gómez Real Francisco , Holm Mathias , Janson Christer , Jogi Rain , Lowe Adrian , Malinovschi Andrei , Martínez-Moratalla Jesús , Oudin Anna , Sánchez-Ramos José Luis , Schlünssen Vivi , Svanes Cecilie
Published: June 2021

Background

Breathlessness is a major cause of suffering and disability globally. The symptom relates to multiple factors including asthma and lung function, which are influenced by hereditary factors. No study has evaluated potential inheritance of breathlessness itself across generations.

Methods

We analysed the association between breathlessness in parents and their offspring in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study. Data on parents and offspring aged ≥18 years across 10 study centres in seven countries included demographics, self-reported breathlessness, asthma, depression, smoking, physical activity level, measured Body Mass Index and spirometry. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression accounting for clustering within centres and between siblings.

Results

A total of 1720 parents (mean age at assessment 36 years, 55% mothers) and 2476 offspring (mean 30 years, 55% daughters) were included. Breathlessness was reported by 809 (32.7%) parents and 363 (14.7%) offspring. Factors independently associated with breathlessness in parents and offspring included obesity, current smoking, asthma, depression, lower lung function and female sex. After adjusting for potential confounders, parents with breathlessness were more likely to have offspring with breathlessness, adjusted OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.9). The association was not modified by sex of the parent or offspring.

Conclusion

Parents with breathlessness were more likely to have children who developed breathlessness, after adjusting for asthma, lung function, obesity, smoking, depression and female sex in both generations. The hereditary components of breathlessness need to be further explored.
Soil-water retention curve model for fine-grained soils accounting for void ratio–dependent capillarity
Authors: Qian Jiangu , Lin Zhiqiang , Shi Zhenhao
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a soil-water retention curve (SWRC) model for fine-grained soils. Compared with existing studies, the proposed model accounts for the distinct roles of the volume change of soils on capillarity and adsorption mechanisms. The capillary water is described by a relation that includes the characteristics of the pore-size distributions as parameters, while the absorbed water is modeled by a novel proposition that both considers the phenomenon of capillary condensation and allows for the decoupling between the degree of capillary and adsorptive saturation. Based on this feature, the void ratio effects are considered in a way in which they only affect capillary water, i.e., consistent with how volume change influences soil microstructures. The relative contributions of void ratio effects and hydraulic hysteresis on the path- and history-dependence of a SWRC in Sr–s–e space, where Sr is degree of saturation, s is matric suction, e is void ratio, for deformable unsaturated soils are examined. The significance of discriminating the effects of volume change on capillary and adsorptive water is illustrated by applying the SWRC model to computing the shear strength of unsaturated soils with different void ratios. The model performance is assessed by comparing against test data reported for four types of fine-grained soils in the literature and those tested for natural loess in this work.
An experimental comparison of the effects of jet fuel (F-34) and diesel (F-54) on the wear of fuel system components and fuel consumption of an internal combustion diesel engine
Authors: Durmuşoğlu Şenol , Kosa Ergin
Published: June 2021

The logistics of maintaining a fuel supply is a significant consideration for the military. Members of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) prefer to use a single fuel to avoid problems with fuel transport and storage. Thus, we chose the kerosene-based F-34 jet fuel as the “single fuel” for testing on a land-based vehicle. We examined the feasibility of using F-34 jet fuel in a diesel engine and compared the performance of the jet fuel with a conventional F-54 diesel fuel. We compared the power and torque characteristics of an M52 diesel engine, as well as fuel consumption as a function of engine speed and torque using F-34 jet fuel and F-54 diesel fuel. Moreover, wear of the fuel pumps in Magirus Unimog and MAN trucks was measured during long-term tests operating with F-34 and F-54 fuels, respectively. We found that there was no obvious difference in engine power and torque using F-34 or F-54 fuel.
Lotty – The loop-tree duality automation
Authors: Torres Bobadilla William J.
Published: June 2021

Elaborating on the novel formulation of the loop-tree duality, we introduce the Mathematica package Lotty that automates the latter at multi-loop level. By studying the features of Lotty and recalling former studies, we discuss that the representation of any multi-loop amplitude can be brought in a form, at integrand level, that only displays physical information, which we refer to as the causal representation of multi-loop Feynman integrands. In order to elucidate the role of Lotty in this automation, we recall results obtained for the calculation of the dual representation of integrands up-to four loops. Likewise, within Lotty framework, we provide support to the all-loop causal representation recently conjectured by the same author. The numerical stability of the integrands generated by Lotty is studied in two-loop planar and non-planar topologies, where a numerical integration is performed and compared with known results.
The hubble tension as a hint of leptogenesis and neutrino mass generation
Authors: Escudero Miguel , Witte Samuel J.
Published: June 2021

The majoron, a neutrinophilic pseudo-Goldstone boson conventionally arising in the context of neutrino mass models, can damp neutrino free-streaming and inject additional energy density into neutrinos prior to recombination. The combination of these effects for an eV-scale mass majoron has been shown to ameliorate the outstanding$$H_0$$H0tension, however only if one introduces additional dark radiation at the level of$$\Delta N_{\mathrm{eff}} \sim 0.5$$ΔNeff∼0.5. We show here that models of low-scale leptogenesis can naturally source this dark radiation by generating a primordial population of majorons from the decays of GeV-scale sterile neutrinos in the early Universe. Using a posterior predictive distribution conditioned on Planck2018+BAO data, we show that the value of$$H_0$$H0observed by the SH$$_0$$0ES collaboration is expected to occur at the level of$$\sim 10\%$$∼10%in the primordial majoron cosmology (to be compared with$$\sim 0.1\%$$∼0.1%in the case of$$\Lambda $$ΛCDM). This insight provides an intriguing connection between the neutrino mass mechanism, the baryon asymmetry of the Universe, and the discrepant measurements of$$H_0$$H0.
On the choice of the collapse operator in cosmological Continuous Spontaneous Localisation (CSL) theories
Authors: Martin Jérôme , Vennin Vincent
Published: June 2021

The Continuous Spontaneous Localisation (CSL) theory in the cosmological context is subject to uncertainties related to the choice of the collapse operator. In this paper, we constrain its form based on generic arguments. We show that, if the collapse operator is even in the field variables, it is unable to induce the collapse of the wavefunction. Instead, if it is odd, we find that only linear operators are such that the outcomes are distributed according to Gaussian statistics, as required by measurements of the cosmic microwave background. We discuss implications of these results for previously proposed collapse operators. We conclude that the cosmological CSL collapse operator should be linear in the field variables.
Revisiting the concept of activation in supercooled liquids
Authors: Baity-Jesi Marco , Biroli Giulio , Reichman David R.
Published: June 2021

In this work, we revisit the description of dynamics based on the concepts of metabasins and activation in mildly supercooled liquids via the analysis of the dynamics of a paradigmatic glass former between its onset temperature $$T_{\mathrm{o}}$$

T
o

and mode-coupling temperature $$T_{\mathrm{c}}$$

T
c

. First, we provide measures that demonstrate that the onset of glassiness is indeed connected to the landscape, and that metabasin waiting time distributions are so broad that the system can remain stuck in a metabasin for times that exceed $$\tau _{\alpha }$$

τ
α

by orders of magnitude. We then reanalyze the transitions between metabasins, providing several indications that the standard picture of activated dynamics in terms of traps does not hold in this regime. Instead, we propose that here activation is principally driven by entropic instead of energetic barriers. In particular, we illustrate that activation is not controlled by the hopping of high energetic barriers and should more properly be interpreted as the entropic selection of nearly barrierless but rare pathways connecting metabasins on the landscape.
Climate-induced hysteresis of the tropical forest in a fire-enabled Earth system model
Authors: Drüke Markus , Bloh Werner von , Sakschewski Boris , Wunderling Nico , Petri Stefan , Cardoso Manoel , Barbosa Henrique M. J. , Thonicke Kirsten
Published: June 2021

Tropical rainforests are recognized as one of the terrestrial tipping elements which could have profound impacts on the global climate, once their vegetation has transitioned into savanna or grassland states. While several studies investigated the savannization of, e.g., the Amazon rainforest, few studies considered the influence of fire. Fire is expected to potentially shift the savanna-forest boundary and hence impact the dynamical equilibrium between these two possible vegetation states under changing climate. To investigate the climate-induced hysteresis in pan-tropical forests and the impact of fire under future climate conditions, we employed the Earth system model CM2Mc, which is biophysically coupled to the fire-enabled state-of-the-art dynamic global vegetation model LPJmL. We conducted several simulation experiments where atmospheric CO$$_2$$

2

concentrations increased (impact phase) and decreased from the new state (recovery phase), each with and without enabling wildfires. We find a hysteresis of the biomass and vegetation cover in tropical forest systems, with a strong regional heterogeneity. After biomass loss along increasing atmospheric CO$$_2$$

2

concentrations and accompanied mean surface temperature increase of about 4 $$^\circ $$

∘

C (impact phase), the system does not recover completely into its original state on its return path, even though atmospheric CO$$_2$$

2

concentrations return to their original state. While not detecting large-scale tipping points, our results show a climate-induced hysteresis in tropical forest and lagged responses in forest recovery after the climate has returned to its original state. Wildfires slightly widen the climate-induced hysteresis in tropical forests and lead to a lagged response in forest recovery by ca. 30 years.
Why the future of rock mass classification systems requires revisiting their empirical past
Authors: Yang Beverly , Mitelman Amichai , Elmo Davide , Stead Doug
Published: June 2021

Despite recent efforts, digitization in rock engineering still suffers from the difficulty in standardizing and statistically analysing databases that are created by a process of quantification of qualitative assessments. Indeed, neither digitization nor digitalization have to date been used to drive changes to the principles upon which, for example, the geotechnical data-collection process is founded, some of which have not changed in several decades. There is an empirical knowledge gap that cannot be bridged by the use of technology alone. In this context, this paper presents the results of what the authors call a rediscovery of rock mass classification systems, and a critical review of their definitions and limitations in helping engineers to integrate these methods and digital acquisition systems. This discussion has significant implications for the use of technology as a tool to directly determine rock mass classification ratings and for the application of machine learning to address rock engineering problems.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Digitization and Digitalization in engineering geology and hydrogeology collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/digitization-and-digitalization-in-engineering-geology-and-hydrogeology
Security and Privacy of Patient Information in Medical Systems Based on Blockchain Technology
Authors: Wu Hongjiao , Dwivedi Ashutosh Dhar , Srivastava Gautam
Published: June 2021

The essence of “blockchain” is a shared database in which information stored is un-falsifiable, traceable, open, and transparent. Therefore, to improve the security of private information in medical systems, this article uses blockchain technology to design a method to protect private information in medical systems and effectively realize anti-theft control of private information. First, the Patient-oriented Privacy Preserving Access Control model is introduced into the access control process of private information in medical systems. Next, a private information storage platform is built by using blockchain technology, and information transmission is realized using standard cryptographic algorithms. In this process, file authorization contracts are also used to guarantee the security of private information and further prevent theft of medical private information. Our simulation results show that the storage response time of this method is kept below 1,000 ms, and the maximum information throughput rate reaches 550 kbit/s, which indicates that this method has strong performance in information storage and transmission efficiency. Moreover, the reliability and bandwidth utilization of data transmission across domains is higher, so the method has higher information security control performance and superior overall performance.
eDiaPredict: An Ensemble-based Framework for Diabetes Prediction
Authors: Singh Ashima , Dhillon Arwinder , Kumar Neeraj , Hossain M. Shamim , Muhammad Ghulam , Kumar Manoj
Published: June 2021

Medical systems incorporate modern computational intelligence in healthcare. Machine learning techniques are applied to predict the onset and reoccurrence of the disease, identify biomarkers for survivability analysis depending upon certain health conditions of the patient. Early prediction of diseases like diabetes is essential as the number of diabetic patients of all age groups is increasing rapidly. To identify underlying reasons for the onset of diabetes in its early stage has become a challenging task for medical practitioners. Continuously increasing diabetic patient data has necessitated for the applications of efficient machine learning algorithms, which learns from the trends of the underlying data and recognizes the critical conditions in patients. In this article, an ensemble-based framework named e
DiaPredict
is proposed. It uses ensemble modeling, which includes an ensemble of different machine learning algorithms comprising XGBoost, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Neural Network, and Decision tree to predict diabetes status among patients. The performance of
eDiaPredict
has been evaluated using various performance parameters like accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Gini Index, precision, area under curve, area under convex hull, minimum error rate, and minimum weighted coefficient. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by its application on the PIMA Indian diabetes dataset wherein an accuracy of 95% is achieved.
Sampling Graphlets of Multiplex Networks: A Restricted Random Walk Approach
Authors: Jiao Simiao , Xue Zihui , Chen Xiaowei , Xu Yuedong
Published: June 2021

Graphlets are induced subgraph patterns that are crucial to the understanding of the structure and function of a large network. A lot of effort has been devoted to calculating graphlet statistics where random walk-based approaches are commonly used to access restricted graphs through the available application programming interfaces (APIs). However, most of them merely consider individual networks while overlooking the strong coupling between different networks. In this article, we estimate the graphlet concentration in
multiplex
networks with real-world applications. An inter-layer edge connects two nodes in different layers if they actually belong to the same node. The access to a multiplex network is restrictive in the sense that the upper layer allows random walk sampling, whereas the nodes of lower layers can be accessed only through the inter-layer edges and only support random node or edge sampling. To cope with this new challenge, we define a suit of two-layer graphlets and propose novel random walk sampling algorithms to estimate the proportion of all the three-node graphlets. An analytical bound on the sampling steps is proved to guarantee the convergence of our unbiased estimator. We further generalize our algorithm to explore the tradeoff between the estimated accuracy of different graphlets when the sample budget is split into different layers. Experimental evaluation on real-world and synthetic multiplex networks demonstrates the accuracy and high efficiency of our unbiased estimators.