bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recommendations on how to provide cardiac rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Kemps H. M. C. , Brouwers R. W. M. , Cramer M. J. , Jorstad H. T. , de Kluiver E. P. , Kraaijenhagen R. A. , Kuijpers P. M. J. C. , van der Linde M. R. , de Melker E. , Rodrigo S. F. , Spee R. F. , Sunamura M. , Vromen T. , Wittekoek M. E. ,   Committee for Cardiovascular Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology, Kemps H. M. C. , Brouwers R. W. M. , Cramer M. J. , Jorstad H. T. , de Kluiver E. P. , Kraaijenhagen R. A. , Kuijpers P. M. J. C. , van der Linde M. R. , de Melker E. , Rodrigo S. F. , Spee R. F. , Sunamura M. , Vromen T. , Wittekoek M. E.
Published: July 2020

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis is having a large impact on acute and chronic cardiac care. Due to public health measures and the reorganisation of outpatient cardiac care, traditional centre-based cardiac rehabilitation is currently almost impossible. In addition, public health measures are having a potentially negative impact on lifestyle behaviour and general well-being. Therefore, the Working Group of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation of the Dutch Society of Cardiology has formulated practical recommendations for the provision of cardiac rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic, by using telerehabilitation programmes without face-to-face contact based on current guidelines supplemented with new insights and experiences.
A short review of green extraction technologies for rice bran oil
Authors: Fraterrigo Garofalo Silvia , Tommasi Tonia , Fino Debora
Published: July 2020

Rice is one of the most important crops throughout the world, as it contributes toward satisfying the food demand of much of the global population. It is well known that rice production generates a considerable number of by-products, among which rice bran deserves particular attention. This by-product is exceptionally rich in nutrients, since it contains a wide spectrum of macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) as well as dietary fibers and bioactive compounds. However, rice bran is usually wasted or just used for the production of low-cost products. The lipidic fraction of rice bran contains an unsaponifiable fraction that is rich in such functional components as tocopherols, γ-oryzanol, tocotrienols, and phytosterols. This lipidic fraction can be extracted to obtain rice bran oil (RBO), a high value-added product with unique health properties as a result of its high concentration in γ-oryzanol, a powerful antioxidant mixture of bioactive molecules. Conventional extraction methods employ hexane as the solvent, but these methods suffer from some drawbacks linked to the toxicity of hexane for humans and the environment. The aim of the review presented herein is to point out the new green technologies currently applied for the extraction of RBO, by highlighting reliable alternatives to conventional solvent extraction methods that are in line with the twelve principles of green chemistry and a circular economy.
Renal pathological analysis using galactose-deficient IgA1-specific monoclonal antibody is a strong tool for differentiation of primary IgA nephropathy from secondary IgA nephropathy
Authors: Lee Mingfeng , Suzuki Hitoshi , Kato Rina , Fukao Yusuke , Nakayama Maiko , Kano Toshiki , Makita Yuko , Suzuki Yusuke
Published: July 2020

In several cases with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), differential diagnosis is difficult due to the complication with other systemic diseases which can induce secondary IgAN. Recently, we demonstrated that immunostaining with galactose-deficient IgA1-specific monoclonal antibody (KM55 mAb) specifically showed positive in primary IgAN cases. Here, we report four cases which we could make definitive diagnosis by immunohistological analysis using KM55 mAb. The underlying systemic diseases are rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), hepatitis C (HCV) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Renal pathological findings in the four cases revealed mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with IgA and C3 deposits. Immunostaining with KM55 mAb was positive for three cases complicated with RA, SLE and CD, respectively. Thus, these three cases were diagnosed as primary IgAN and treated with tonsillectomy and steroid pulse therapy. These three cases finally achieved clinical remission. On the other hand, the case with HCV showed negative for KM55. Finally, we diagnosed as HCV-related nephropathy and successfully treated by antiviral agents. These cases suggested KM55 mAb is a strong tool to differentiate primary IgAN from secondary IgAN.
Sexual Dimorphism in Anthonomus santacruzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a Biological Control Agent of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae)
Authors: Sasa Archbold , Gosik Rafał , Witkowski Ed T. F. , Byrne Marcus J. , Mazur Miłosz A.
Published: July 2020

There is evident variation in body size amongst Anthonomus santacruzi Hustache, 1924, weevils. The aims of this study were to assess if the variation in body size in A. santacruzi weevils is a result of sexual dimorphism and what features can be used to distinguish males from females. The weevils were collected from field sites in Mpumalanga, South Africa, where they were introduced as biocontrol agents of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli. Body structures and the presence/absence of the tergal notch was examined under an optical stereomicroscope and SEM to assess differences between sexes. The morphometric analysis of the body structures included rostrum length (base–apex and antennal insertion–apex), elytral length and width, pronotum length and width, first tarsus length, first tibia length, funiculus length and total body length. Rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length were significantly larger in females than in males. A tergal notch in the 8th abdominal tergite was present in males and absent in females. The body structure; of rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length overlapped between sexes in some specimens. The abdominal tergal notch was found to be the most useful body structure to distinguish males from females in A. santacruzi.
Considering the Use of the Term ‘Rehab Potential’ within in-patient Mental Health Services: Its Usefulness and the Risks Associated with Getting it Wrong—A Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Edge Christopher Neil , Tilston-Roberts Neil
Published: July 2020

‘Rehab potential’ is a term that is frequently used within in-patient mental health services as means of predicting one’s potential response to rehabilitation-focused interventions. However, there is no explicit and common understanding of the factors that contribute to concept of rehabilitation potential within the context of mental health rehabilitation, despite this being such a commonly used phrase. When accurate predictions are made about a person’s perceived rehabilitation potential, it has the power to enhance a person’s rehabilitation process. If these predictions are inaccurate, they can have negative consequences for the individuals involved. Consequences of inaccurately predicting an individual’s rehabilitation potential can include people being denied access to rehabilitation services or being confined to years of care and/or more restrictive services that may not promote independence or recovery from mental illness as effectively as rehabilitation-focused services. This can have significant implications for these individuals such as reduced feelings of well-being and quality of life. In other medical fields there is evidence that judgments of rehabilitation potential can also have negative implications for the members of staff expected to make these decisions on behalf of service users.
Nonnegative control of finite-dimensional linear systems
Authors: Lohéac Jérôme , Trélat Emmanuel , Zuazua Enrique
Published: July 2020

We consider the controllability problem for finite-dimensional linear autonomous control systems with nonnegative controls. Despite the Kalman condition, the unilateral nonnegativity control constraint may cause a positive minimal controllability time. When this happens, we prove that, if the matrix of the system has a real eigenvalue, then there is a minimal time control in the space of Radon measures, which consists of a finite sum of Dirac impulses. When all eigenvalues are real, this control is unique and the number of impulses is less than half the dimension of the space. We also focus on the control system corresponding to a finite-difference spatial discretization of the one-dimensional heat equation with Dirichlet boundary controls, and we provide numerical simulations.

Dans cet article, nous considérons la contrôlabilité d'un système linéaire avec des contrôles positifs. Malgré la condition du rang de Kalman, la condition de positivité des contrôles peut conduire à l'existence d'un temps minimal de contrôlabilité strictement positif. Lorsque tel est le cas, nous démontrons que si la matrice du système de contrôle possède une valeur propre réelle, alors il existe dans l'espace des mesures de Radon positives, un contrôle en le temps minimal et ce contrôle est nécessairement une somme finie de masse de Dirac. De plus, lorsque toutes les valeurs propres de la matrice sont réelles, ce contrôle est unique et le nombre de masses de Dirac le constituant est d'au plus la moitié de la dimension de l'espace d'état. Nous particularisons ces résultats sur l'exemple de l'équation de la chaleur unidimensionnelle, avec des contrôles frontières de type Dirichlet, discrétisée en espace et nous proposons quelques simulations numériques.
Tranexamic acid in otorhinolaryngology – A contemporary review
Authors: Fuzi Jordan , Budiono Gideon R. , Meller Catherine , Jacobson Ian
Published: July 2020

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an anti‐fibrinolytic agent which has been proven beneficial in multiple surgical specialties where significant bleeding can occur. Whilst it has been widely available for over 40 years its use within Otorhinolaryngology is still limited. Operations in Otorhinolaryngology are particularly varied with some such as tonsillectomy having the potential for significant life threatening bleeding. Other operations are performed within small confined surgical fields and even small amounts of bleeding can significantly detriment surgical field and increase technical difficulty and operative time. This review evaluated the current literature on the benefits of tranexamic acid within the field of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. Overall TXA was demonstrated to be a safe drug with no major adverse effects including thromboembolic events reported in any study. It has been shown to be of particular benefit in rhinology by improving surgical field, reducing operative time and reducing postoperative swelling and ecchymosis. The benefit in tonsillectomy is less clear and further studies are required to evaluate its potential use in the reduction of post tonsillectomy haemorrhage rates.
Endurance improvement by battery dumping strategy considering Peukert effect for electric-powered disposable UAVs
Authors: Feng X. , Sun Y. , Chang M. , Bai J.
Published: July 2020

Electric-powered disposable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have wide applications due to their advantages in terms of long time flight and load capacity. Thus, improving their endurance has become an important task to enhance the performance of these UAVs. To achieve this, we investigated a battery dumping strategy which splits the battery into several packs that are used and dumped in sequence to reduce the dead weight. The Peukert effect is also considered. In this paper, the sensitivity analysis method was employed to analyse the endurance benefits for different battery weight ratios, Peukert constants and capacities, quantitatively. The results show that the endurance benefits are significantly affected by all three parameters. For ideal batteries, the endurance can be improved by 20% and 28% respectively when employing a double-pack or triple-pack battery strategy (for a battery weight ratio of 0.4), but these benefits will fall rapidly if the Peukert constant exceeds 1.0 or the battery weight declines. Besides, the endurance will be 10% longer if the lift coefficient rather than the velocity remains constant after the battery packs are dumped at a Peukert constant of 1.2.
Factors Influencing Hospital Resilience
Authors: Khademi Jolgehnejad Afsaneh , Ahmadi Kahnali Reza , Heyrani ALi
Published: July 2020

This study aims at investigating the influencing factors on hospital resilience. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature was conducted. Six databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, SAGE, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and PubMed were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2018. Sixteen studies were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Content analysis revealed 22 influencing factors were included in a framework with 2 dimensions: (1) phases of the hospital resilience process (preparation, response, and recovery/growth) and (2) the key components of the hospital (staff, infrastructure, management, and logistics). Considering the factors that emerged from this research, suggestions were made to improve hospital resilience. The results of this research will enable a hospital manager to develop better plans for hospital preparedness, as well as perform more effectively before, during, and after disasters.
The utility of chest computed tomography (CT) and RT-PCR screening of asymptomatic patients for SARS-CoV-2 prior to semiurgent or urgent hospital procedures
Authors: Shah Aditya S. , Walkoff Lara A. , Kuzo Ronald S. , Callstrom Matthew R. , Brown Michael J. , Kendrick Michael L. , Narr Bradly J. , Berbari Elie
Published: July 2020

Objective:

Presently, evidence guiding clinicians on the optimal approach to safely screen patients for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to a nonemergent hospital procedure is scarce. In this report, we describe our experience in screening for SARS-CoV-2 prior to semiurgent and urgent hospital procedures.

Design:

Retrospective case series.

Setting:

A single tertiary-care medical center.

Participants:

Our study cohort included patients ≥18 years of age who had semiurgent or urgent hospital procedures or surgeries.

Methods:

Overall, 625 patients were screened for SARS-CoV-2 using a combination of phone questionnaire (7 days prior to the anticipated procedure), RT-PCR and chest computed tomography (CT) between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020.

Results:

Of the 625 patients, 520 scans (83.2%) were interpreted as normal; 1 (0.16%) had typical features of COVID-19; 18 scans (2.88%) had indeterminate features of COVID-19; and 86 (13.76%) had atypical features of COVID-19. In total, 640 RT-PCRs were performed, with 1 positive result (0.15%) in a patient with a CT scan that yielded an atypical finding. Of the 18 patients with chest CTs categorized as indeterminate, 5 underwent repeat negative RT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab 1 week after their initial swab. Also, 1 patient with a chest CT categorized as typical had a follow-up repeat negative RT-PCR, indicating that the chest CT was likely a false positive. After surgery, none of the patients developed signs or symptoms suspicious of COVID-19 that would indicate the need for a repeated RT-PCR or CT scan.

Conclusion:

In our experience, chest CT scanning did not prove provide valuable information in detecting asymptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in our low-prevalence population.
Limit theory for unbiased and consistent estimators of statistics of random tessellations
Authors: Flimmel Daniela , Pawlas Zbyněk , Yukich J. E.
Published: July 2020

We observe a realization of a stationary weighted Voronoi tessellation of the d-dimensional Euclidean space within a bounded observation window. Given a geometric characteristic of the typical cell, we use the minus-sampling technique to construct an unbiased estimator of the average value of this geometric characteristic. Under mild conditions on the weights of the cells, we establish variance asymptotics and the asymptotic normality of the unbiased estimator as the observation window tends to the whole space. Moreover, weak consistency is shown for this estimator.
Body size correlates with discrete-character morphological proxies
Authors: Brougham Tom , Campione Nicolás E.
Published: July 2020

Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) is a statistical ordination technique commonly applied to morphology-based cladistic matrices to study macroevolutionary patterns, morphospace occupation, and disparity. However, PCoA-based morphospaces are dissociated from the original data; therefore, whether such morphospaces accurately reflect body-plan disparity or extrinsic factors, such as body size, remains uncertain. We collated nine character–taxon matrices of dinosaurs together with body-mass estimates for all taxa and tested for relationships between body size and both the principal axis of variation (i.e., PCo1) and the entire set of PCo scores. The possible effects of body size on macroevolutionary hypotheses derived from ordinated matrices were tested by reevaluating evidence for the accelerated accumulation of avian-type traits indicated by a strong directional shift in PCo1 scores in hypothetical ancestors of modern birds. Body mass significantly accounted for, on average, approximately 50% and 16% of the phylogenetically corrected variance in PCo1 and all PCo scores, respectively. Along the avian stem lineage, approximately 30% of the morphological variation is attributed to the reconstructed body masses of each ancestor. When the effects of body size are adjusted, the period of accelerated trait accumulation is replaced by a more gradual, additive process. Our results indicate that even at low proportions of variance, body size can noticeably affect macroevolutionary hypotheses generated from ordinated morphospaces. Future studies should thoroughly explore the nature of their character data in association with PCoA-based morphospaces and use a residual/covariate approach to account for potential correlations with body size.
Modelling and peeling extended sources with shapelets: A Fornax A case study
Authors: Line J. L. B. , Mitchell D. A. , Pindor B. , Riding J. L. , McKinley B. , Webster R. L. , Trott C. M. , Hurley-Walker N. , Offringa A. R.
Published: July 2020

To make a power spectrum (PS) detection of the 21-cm signal from the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR), one must avoid/subtract bright foreground sources. Sources such as Fornax A present a modelling challenge due to spatial structures spanning from arc seconds up to a degree. We compare modelling with multi-scale (MS) CLEAN components to ‘shapelets’, an alternative set of basis functions. We introduce a new image-based shapelet modelling package, SHAMFI. We also introduce a new CUDA simulation code (WODEN) to generate point source, Gaussian, and shapelet components into visibilities. We test performance by modelling a simulation of Fornax A, peeling the model from simulated visibilities, and producing a residual PS. We find the shapelet method consistently subtracts large-angular-scale emission well, even when the angular resolution of the data is changed. We find that when increasing the angular resolution of the data, the MS CLEAN model worsens at large angular scales. When testing on real Murchison Widefield Array data, the expected improvement is not seen in real data because of the other dominating systematics still present. Through further simulation, we find the expected differences to be lower than obtainable through current processing pipelines. We conclude shapelets are worthwhile for subtracting extended galaxies, and may prove essential for an EoR detection in the future, once other systematics have been addressed.
‘Waiting and Wanting’: older peoples’ initial experiences of adapting to life in a care home: a grounded theory study
Authors: O'Neill Marie , Ryan Assumpta , Tracey Anne , Laird Liz
Published: July 2020

A grounded theory approach, consistent with the work of Strauss and Corbin, was used to undertake semi-structured interviews with 17 older people, to explore their experiences of living in a care home, during the four- to six-week period following the move. Purposive sampling was initially adopted, thereafter, theoretical sampling was employed to recruit individuals identified by care managers within older peoples’ community teams and care home managers within a large Health and Social Care Trust in the United Kingdom. Consistent with grounded theory methodology, data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously. Constant comparative analysis underpinned data analysis and data management techniques. Data analysis revealed five distinct categories that captured these experiences. These were: (a) wanting to connect – ‘I am so lost here’, (b) wanting to adapt – ‘Well mentally you have to make the best of it’, (c) waiting for assistance – ‘it's a frustration for me’, (d) ‘waiting on the end’ – I am making no plans’ and (e) wanting to re-establish links with family and home – ‘I love getting home and I like getting out to the town’. Together these five categories formed the basis of the core category, ‘Waiting and Wanting’, which encapsulates the initial adaptation experiences of the men and women in the study. Findings indicate that individuals were dependent on others to create a sense of belonging, independence and wellbeing. Moreover, risk aversive practices were perceived as a threat to individuals’ independence and autonomy. Recommendations include the need to amend policy and practice for the development of a bespoke induction programme for each resident facilitated by a senior member of the care home staff working in partnership with individuals and families, in addition to the health and social care team, to support a more positive transition for new residents, relatives and care home staff.
Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire for primary and secondary school students
Authors: Demir Dilek , Bektaş Murat , Bektaş İlknur , Demir Şenay , Bryant Eleanor J
Published: July 2020

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire for primary and secondary school students.

Design:

A methodological, descriptive and correlational study design was adopted.

Setting:

The study was conducted in the western and central regions of Turkey.

Participants:

This methodological–descriptive–correlational study was conducted with 351 children between July 2018 and August 2018. The mean age of children is 10·74 ± 1·79 (8–14).

Results:

The scale consists of seventeen items and three sub-dimensions (restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating), which explained 52·88 % of the total variance. All the factor loadings were >0·40 in both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In CFA, all of the fit indices were >0·85, and root mean square error of approximation was <0·08. For the whole of the scale, Cronbach’s α was 0·81 and it was found that Cronbach’s α values of all sub-dimensions were >0·70.

Conclusions:

The results of the study show that the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire for primary and secondary school students is a valid and reliable measurement tool for Turkish sampling.
Occurrence and Altitude of the Long‐Lived Nonspecular Meteor Trails During Meteor Showers at High Latitudes
Authors: Kozlovsky A. , Lukianova R. , Lester M.
Published: July 2020

Meteoroids entering the Earth's atmosphere produce ionized trails, which are detectable by radio sounding. Cylindrical underdense (and partly overdense) trails form a great majority of meteor echoes received by meteor radars (MRs). Additionally, the long‐lived nonspecular (LLNS) meteor echoes are received from irregularities of ionization generated along tracks of relatively large meteoroids. At high latitudes where the magnetic field is nearly perpendicular to the Earth's surface the LLNS echoes are possible only from non‐field‐aligned irregularities. The occurrence and height distributions of LLNS echoes are studied using MR observations at the high‐latitude Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory (SGO, 67°22′N, 26°38′E, Finland) during 2008–2019. Two parameters are analyzed: the percentage and height distribution of LLNS echoes. These LLNS echoes constitute about 3% of all MR detections. However, during certain meteor showers (i.e., the Geminids, Perseids, Quadrantids, Arietids or/and Daytime ζ‐Perseids, and Lyrids) the percentage of LLNS echoes is noticeably higher (about 10%, 8%, 7%, 7%, and 4%, respectively). Typically, the LLNSs occur ∼1–2 km higher than other echoes (in June–July the height difference is reduced to ∼0.5–1 km). Moreover, during the Lyrids, η‐Aquariids, Perseids, Orionids, and Leonids the LLNS echoes occur noticeably, up to 3–5 km, higher than the echoes from other types of trails.
A Framework for the Cross‐Validation of Categorical Geostatistical Simulations
Authors: Juda Przemysław , Renard Philippe , Straubhaar Julien
Published: July 2020

The mapping of subsurface parameters and the quantification of spatial uncertainty requires selecting adequate models and their parameters. Cross‐validation techniques have been widely used for geostatistical model selection for continuous variables, but the situation is different for categorical variables. In these cases, cross‐validation is seldom applied, and there is no clear consensus on which method to employ. Therefore, this paper proposes a systematic framework for the cross‐validation of geostatistical simulations of categorical variables such as geological facies. The method is based on K‐fold cross‐validation combined with a proper scoring rule. It can be applied whenever an observation data set is available. At each cross‐validation iteration, the training set becomes conditioning data for the tested geostatistical model, and the ensemble of simulations is compared to true values. The proposed framework is generic. Its application is illustrated with two examples using multiple‐point statistics simulations. In the first test case, the aim is to identify a training image from a given data set. In the second test case, the aim is to identify the parameters in a situation including nonstationarity for a coastal alluvial aquifer in the south of France. Cross‐validation scores are used as metrics of model performance and quadratic scoring rule, zero‐one score, and balanced linear score are compared. The study shows that the proposed fivefold stratified cross‐validation with the quadratic scoring rule allows ranking the geostatistical models and helps to identify the proper parameters.
Evaluation of CERES and CloudSat Surface Radiative Fluxes Over Macquarie Island, the Southern Ocean
Authors: Hinkelman Laura M. , Marchand Roger
Published: July 2020

Many studies involving surface radiative fluxes rely on surface fluxes retrieved by the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project or derived from spaceborne cloud radar and lidar observations (CloudSat‐CALIPSO). In particular, most climate models that participated in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were found to have too little shortwave (SW) radiation being reflected back to space and excessive SW radiation reaching the surface over the Southern Ocean—an error with significant consequences for predicting both regional and global climate. There have been few evaluations of CERES or CloudSat retrievals over the Southern Ocean. In this article, CERES and CloudSat retrieved surface SW and longwave (LW) downwelling fluxes are evaluated using surface observations collected over the Southern Ocean during the Macquarie Island Cloud and Radiation Experiment (MICRE). Overall, biases (CERES—surface observations) in the CERES‐surface fluxes are found to be slightly larger over Macquarie Island than most other regions, approximately +10 W m−2 for the SW and −10 W m−2 for the LW in the annual mean, but with significant seasonal and diurnal variations. If the Macquarie observations are representative of the larger SO, these results imply that CMIP5 model errors in SW surface fluxes are (if anything) somewhat larger than previous evaluation studies suggest. The bias in LW surface flux shows a marked increase at night, which explains most of the total LW bias. The nighttime bias is due to poor representation of cloud base associated with low clouds.
Longitudinally Dependent Low‐Latitude Ionospheric Disturbances Linked to the Antarctic Sudden Stratospheric Warming of September 2019
Authors: Goncharenko L. P. , Harvey V. L. , Greer K. R. , Zhang S.‐R. , Coster A. J.
Published: July 2020

The strongest Southern Hemisphere minor sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in the last 40 years occurred in September 2019 and resulted in unprecedented weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex. Ionospheric total electron content (TEC) observations are used to provide an overview of statistically significant anomalies in the low‐latitude ionosphere during this event. Quasi‐semidiurnal perturbations of TEC are observed in response to the SSW, similar to those seen during Northern Hemisphere SSWs. Analysis indicates the existence of quasi‐periodic oscillations in TEC in the crests of the equatorial ionization anomaly, with strong 5‐ to 6‐day and 2‐ to 3‐day periodicities. Ionospheric anomalies from the combined effects of multiple mechanisms exceed a factor of 2, comparable to the strongest anomalies associated with Northern Hemisphere SSWs. These results also indicate a remarkable longitudinal variation in the character and magnitude of variations that could be related to a modulation of the non‐migrating diurnal tide.
Increased anticipatory brain response to pleasant touch in women remitted from bulimia nervosa
Authors: Wierenga Christina E. , Bischoff-Grethe Amanda , Berner Laura A. , Simmons Alan N. , Bailer Ursula , Paulus Martin P. , Kaye Walter H.
Published: July 2020

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is characterized by affective instability and dysregulated behaviors (binge eating, fasting, self-induced vomiting) that disrupt bodily homeostasis. Mechanisms underlying dysregulation in BN are unclear, although altered reward responsivity, anticipatory processing of environmental cues, and interoception (detection and integration of body-state signals to regulate behavior) have been implicated in BN pathophysiology. We aimed to determine whether BN is associated with ineffectively predicting body state or integrating predicted experience with actual experience by examining neural response to anticipation and experience of affective touch, a pleasant interoceptive stimulus that acts on sensory and emotional systems to guide behavior. During fMRI, we administered soft strokes to the palm and forearm in women remitted from BN (RBN;N = 23) and control women (CW;N = 25). A Group (RBN/CW) × Condition (anticipation/touch) interaction was found in the right dorsal caudate; both CW and RBN had increased activation during touch compared with anticipation, with RBN demonstrating marginally greater anticipatory response than CW. For RBN, those individuals who showed greater anticipatory response in the dorsal caudate also reported higher levels of harm avoidance. RBN individuals relative to CW showed greater activation in left putamen and insula during the anticipation but not when experiencing an affective touch. This increase during anticipation rather than the actual experience of the affective touch is consistent with a top-down preparatory process which is associated with harm avoidance and is similar to what has been observed in anxious individuals. This aberrant signal integration could disrupt feedback processing, serving to maintain disordered behavior.
Survival in patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer treated with initial endocrine therapy versus initial chemotherapy. A French population-based study
Authors: Simon Julien , Chaix Marie , Billa Oumar , Kamga Ariane Mamguem , Roignot Patrick , Ladoire Sylvain , Coutant Charles , Arveux Patrick , Quantin Catherine , Dabakuyo-Yonli Tienhan Sandrine
Published: July 2020

Background

According to international guidelines, endocrine therapy (ET) is the preferred option for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) HER2-negative (HER2−) metastatic breast cancer. In spite of clear recommendations, these are not strictly followed in daily practice. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of the first anti-metastatic treatment therapy choice on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Methods

In this population-based study, we included patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer recorded in the Côte d’Or Breast Cancer Registry. Differences in PFS and OS between patients initially treated with chemotherapy (CT) or ET were analysed in Cox proportional hazards models. In a sensitivity analysis, we used a propensity score (PS) to limit the indication bias.

Results

Altogether, 557 cases were included, 280 received initial ET and 277 received initial CT. PFS and OS in patients initially treated with ET was improved significantly when compared to patients with initial CT (respectively, HR = 0.83 (95% CI 0.69–0.99) and HR = 0.71 (95% CI 0.58–0.86)). The results of the sensitivity analysis supported these findings.

Conclusion

This study shows that treating patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer with initial ET could provide a survival advantage in comparison with initial CT.
Quantitative Investigation into the influence of intravenous fluids on human immune and cancer cell lines
Authors: Karamahmutoglu Hande , Altay Alara , Vural Sumeyra , Elitas Meltem
Published: July 2020

The effect of intravenous fluids (IVF) has been investigated clinically through the assessment of post-treatment reactions. However, the responses to IVF vary from patient-to-patient. It is important to understand the response of IVF treatment to be able to provide optimal IVF care. Herein, we investigated the impact of commonly used IVFs, Dextrose, NaCl and Ringer on different human cancer (HepG2 (liver hepatocellular carcinoma) and MCF7 (breast adenocarcinoma)) and immune cell lines (U937 (lymphoma) monocyte and macrophages). The effect of IVF exposure on single cells was characterized using hemocytometer, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Quantitative data on the viability and morphology of the cells were obtained. Our results emphasize that different IVFs demonstrate important differences in how they influence distinct cell lines. Particularly, we observed that the lactated ringer and dextrose solutions altered the viability and nuclear size of cancer and immune cells differently. Our findings present valuable information to the knowledge of cellular-level IVF effects for further investigations in IVF usage on diverse patient populations and support the importance and necessity of developing optimal diluents not only for drug stability but also for patient benefits.
First Reports of Effects of Insulin, Human-like Insulin Receptors and Adapter Proteins in Acanthamoeba castellanii
Authors: Baig Abdul Mannan , Khaleeq Areeba
Published: July 2020

The insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1-R) play key roles in growth, regulation of nutrient metabolism and carbohydrate homeostasis. Insulin-like molecules in prokaryotes and other early life have been reported. However, an account of metabolic effects of insulin, transcriptomic evidence of expression of glucose transporting channels (GLUT) and homology modelling of IR and IGF1-R like proteins in unicellular life-forms have yet to be established. Acanthamoeba spp. has existed for about 2 billion years and is one of the earliest mitochondriate unicellular eukaryotic cells on Earth. Despite Acanthamoeba spp. being grown in a medium called peptone-yeast-glucose (PYG) for over 50 years, the mechanism and regulation of glucose uptake by IR or IGF1-R molecules in this microbe has not yet been reported. Several methods were utilized to validate the effects of insulin on trophozoites of A. castellanii, including: growth assays with insulin, estimation of glucose and potassium (K+) entry into the cell, and histology showing anabolic effects on proteins. Bioinformatic computational tools and homology modeling demonstrated the involvement of IR like proteins, GLUT, and adapter proteins in mediating the IR cascade. Growth assays showed proliferative effects in a dose range of 2.98–5.97 µmol/mL of insulin. After insulin exposure, A. castellanii trophozoites displayed enhanced Periodic acid-Sciff (PAS) staining. Amino acid sequence similarities and homology modelling revealed ACA1_163470 in Acanthamoeba spp. to be a homolog of human-IR. Acanthamoeba protein ACA1_336150 shares similarities with IGF1-R. Additionally, some proteins like ACA1_060920 have attributes of GLUT like channels on homology modelling and show similarity with human GLUT. Knowledge of IR and insulin effects in Acanthamoeba spp. contributes to its biology and advances current understanding behind the evolution of IR and IGF1-R signalling cascade.
A Preliminary Report on the Largest Ongoing Outbreak of Lead Toxicity in Iran
Authors: Zamani Nasim , Mehrpour Omid , Hassanian-Moghaddam Hossein , Jalali Maryam , Amirabadizadeh Alireza , Samie Saeed , Sabeti Shahram , Kolahi Ali-Asghar
Published: July 2020

No countrywide data exists on the patients’ characteristics of lead exposure in Iran. We aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics and blood lead level (BLL) of these patients in the country scale during five consecutive years, including the epidemic outbreak year (2016). Between 2014 and 2018, records of all patients who had referred to two reference laboratories in Tehran, Iran, to check BLL were evaluated. Of 58,642 patients, 48,589 were male. Mean age was 44.9 ± 20.7 years. Males had higher BLLs and were significantly older. Median BLL was 16 µg/dL (0.3 to 263 µg/dL). Median BLL was significantly higher in 45- to 60-year-old patients. The highest median BLL was reported in May 2016 confirming our records about the peak of the epidemic. Although the frequency of high BLL declined after 2016, it never returned to the measures before that. Considering the ongoing high prevalence of increased BLLs after 2016 and similar environmental and occupational exposures as before, lead-contaminated opium still seems to persist in the Iranian opium black market. Substitution of this lead-contaminated opium by Opioid Maintenance Therapy (OMT)-prescribed opium tincture is recommended.
Neural feedback strategies to improve grasping coordination in neuromusculoskeletal prostheses
Authors: Mastinu Enzo , Engels Leonard F. , Clemente Francesco , Dione Mariama , Sassu Paolo , Aszmann Oskar , Brånemark Rickard , Håkansson Bo , Controzzi Marco , Wessberg Johan , Cipriani Christian , Ortiz-Catalan Max
Published: July 2020

Conventional prosthetic arms suffer from poor controllability and lack of sensory feedback. Owing to the absence of tactile sensory information, prosthetic users must rely on incidental visual and auditory cues. In this study, we investigated the effect of providing tactile perception on motor coordination during routine grasping and grasping under uncertainty. Three transhumeral amputees were implanted with an osseointegrated percutaneous implant system for direct skeletal attachment and bidirectional communication with implanted neuromuscular electrodes. This neuromusculoskeletal prosthesis is a novel concept of artificial limb replacement that allows to extract control signals from electrodes implanted on viable muscle tissue, and to stimulate severed afferent nerve fibers to provide somatosensory feedback. Subjects received tactile feedback using three biologically inspired stimulation paradigms while performing a pick and lift test. The grasped object was instrumented to record grasping and lifting forces and its weight was either constant or unexpectedly changed in between trials. The results were also compared to the no-feedback control condition. Our findings confirm, in line with the neuroscientific literature, that somatosensory feedback is necessary for motor coordination during grasping. Our results also indicate that feedback is more relevant under uncertainty, and its effectiveness can be influenced by the selected neuromodulation paradigm and arguably also the prior experience of the prosthesis user.
DNA methylation of the long intergenic noncoding RNA 299 gene in triple-negative breast cancer: results from a prospective study
Authors: Manoochehri Mehdi , Jones Michael , Tomczyk Katarzyna , Fletcher Olivia , Schoemaker Minouk J. , Swerdlow Anthony J. , Borhani Nasim , Hamann Ute
Published: July 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype associated with a high rate of recurrence and poor prognosis. Recently we identified a hypermethylation in the long noncoding RNA 299 (LINC00299) gene in blood-derived DNA from TNBC patients compared with healthy controls implying that LINC00299 hypermethylation may serve as a circulating biomarker for TNBC. In the present study, we investigated whether LINC00299 methylation is associated with TNBC in a prospective nested breast cancer case–control study within the Generations Study. Methylation at cg06588802 in LINC00299 was measured in 154 TNBC cases and 159 breast cancer-free matched controls using MethyLight droplet digital PCR. To assess the association between methylation level and TNBC risk, logistic regression was used to calculate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for smoking status. We found no evidence for association between methylation levels and TNBC overall (P = 0.062). Subgroup analysis according to age at diagnosis and age at blood draw revealed increased methylation levels in TNBC cases compared with controls in the young age groups [age 26–52 (P = 0.0025) and age 22–46 (P = 0.001), respectively]. Our results suggest a potential association of LINC00299 hypermethylation with TNBC in young women.
Bayesian method for inferring the impact of geographical distance on intensity of communication
Authors: Ozga Fei , Onnela Jukka-Pekka , DeGruttola Victor
Published: July 2020

Spatially-embedded networks represent a large class of real-world networks of great scientific and societal interest. For example, transportation networks (such as railways), communication networks (such as Internet routers), and biological networks (such as fungal foraging networks) are all spatially embedded. Both the density of interactions (presence of edges) and intensity of interactions (edge weights) are typically found to decrease as a function of spatial separation of nodes in these networks. Communication and mobility of groups of individuals have also been shown to decline with their spatial separation, and the so-called gravity model postulates that this decline takes the form of a power-law holding at all distances. There is however some evidence that the rate of decline might change as the distance increases beyond a certain value, called a change point, but there have been few statistically principled methods for determining the existence and location of change points or assessing the change in intensity of interactions associated with them. We introduce such a method within the Bayesian paradigm and apply it to anonymized mobile call detail records (CDRs). Our results are potentially useful in settings where understanding social and spatial mixing of people is important, such as in the design of cluster randomized trials for studying interventions for infectious diseases, but we also anticipate the method to be useful for investigating more generally how distance may affect tie strengths in general in spatially embedded networks.
The anti-glioblastoma effect of cold atmospheric plasma treatment: physical pathway v.s. chemical pathway
Authors: Yan Dayun , Wang Qihui , Malyavko Alisa , Zolotukhin Denis B. , Adhikari Manish , Sherman Jonathan H. , Keidar Michael
Published: July 2020

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), a near room temperature ionized gas, has shown potential application in many branches of medicine, particularly in cancer treatment. In previous studies, the biological effect of CAP on cancer cells and other mammalian cells has been based solely on the chemical factors in CAP, particularly the reactive species. Therefore, plasma medicine has been regarded as a reactive species-based medicine, and the physical factors in CAP such as the thermal effect, ultraviolet irradiation, and electromagnetic effect have been regarded as ignorable factors. In this study, we investigated the effect of a physical CAP treatment on glioblastoma cells. For the first time, we demonstrated that the physical factors in CAP could reinstate the positive selectivity on CAP-treated astrocytes. The positive selectivity was a result of necrosis, a new cell death in glioblastoma cells characterized by the leak of bulk water from the cell membrane. The physically-based CAP treatment overcomed a large limitation of the traditional chemically based CAP treatment, which had complete dependence on the sensitivity of cells to reactive species. The physically-based CAP treatment is a potential non-invasive anti-tumor tool, which may have wide application for tumors located in deeper tissues.
Respective influence of vertical mountain differentiation on debris flow occurrence in the Upper Min River, China
Authors: Ding Mingtao , Huang Tao , Zheng Hao , Yang Guohui
Published: July 2020

The generation, formation, and development of debris flow are closely related to the vertical climate, vegetation, soil, lithology and topography of the mountain area. Taking in the upper reaches of Min River (the Upper Min River) as the study area, combined with GIS and RS technology, the Geo-detector (GEO) method was used to quantitatively analyze the respective influence of 9 factors on debris flow occurrence. We identify from a list of 5 variables that explain 53.92%% of the total variance. Maximum daily rainfall and slope are recognized as the primary driver (39.56%) of the spatiotemporal variability of debris flow activity. Interaction detector indicates that the interaction between the vertical differentiation factors of the mountainous areas in the study area is nonlinear enhancement. Risk detector shows that the debris flow accumulation area and propagation area in the Upper Min River are mainly distributed in the arid valleys of subtropical and warm temperate zones. The study results of this paper will enrich the scientific basis of prevention and reduction of debris flow hazards.
Trends in cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients in comparison to general population in Iran: findings from National Surveys 2007–2016
Authors: Malekzadeh Hamid , Lotfaliany Mojtaba , Ostovar Afshin , Hadaegh Farzad , Azizi Fereidoun , Yoosefi Moein , Farzadfar Farshad , Khalili Davood
Published: July 2020

To determine levels of change in risk factors for cardiovascular disease among people with and without a previous diagnosis of diabetes from 2007 to 2016 in Iran. Data were obtained from five rounds of the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) cross-sectional surveys. Participants were 7665 and 93,733 adults with and without known diabetes, respectively, aged 25–65 years. We used logistic and linear regressions to assess the trends of risk factors. Individuals with known diabetes compared to those without the condition, experienced greater reductions in mean levels of systolic blood pressure (3.0 vs. 0.5 mmHg among women and 3.9 vs. 1.6 mmHg among men), diastolic blood pressure (6.4 vs. 5.11 mmHg in women and 3.3 vs. 1.8 mmHg in men), and non-HDL cholesterol (42.4 vs. 27.2 mg/dL among women and 30.3 vs. 21.0 mg/dL among men) throughout these years. Men with diabetes also showed a greater reduction in the prevalence of daily cigarette smoking compared to their non-diabetic counterparts (7.3% vs. 2.3%). Fasting plasma glucose decreased among subjects with diabetes but increased among those without diabetes. Significant increases were observed in proportions who met goals for blood pressure, triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in both groups; however, almost half of diabetic subjects did not achieve risk factor goals in 2016. Secondary prevention in diabetic patients was more effective than primary prevention in the general population; however, the rate of diabetic patients who met the designated goals for each risk factor was still suboptimal.