bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the complexity of socioeconomic disparities in smoking prevalence in Sweden: a cross-sectional study applying intersectionality theory
Authors: Axelsson Fisk Sten , Lindström Martin , Perez-Vicente Raquel , Merlo Juan
Published: February 2021

Objectives

Socioeconomic disparities in smoking prevalence remain a challenge to public health. The objective of this study was to present a simple methodology that displays intersectional patterns of smoking and quantify heterogeneities within groups to avoid inappropriate and potentially stigmatising conclusions exclusively based on group averages.

Setting

This is a cross-sectional observational study based on data from the National Health Surveys for Sweden (2004–2016 and 2018) including 136 301 individuals. We excluded people under 30 years of age, or missing information on education, household composition or smoking habits. The final sample consisted on 110 044 individuals or 80.7% of the original sample.

Outcome

Applying intersectional analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (AIHDA), we investigated the risk of self-reported smoking across 72 intersectional strata defined by age, gender, educational achievement, migration status and household composition.

Results

The distribution of smoking habit risk in the population was very heterogeneous. For instance, immigrant men aged 30–44 with low educational achievement that lived alone had a prevalence of smoking of 54% (95% CI 44% to 64%), around nine times higher than native women aged 65–84 with high educational achievement and living with other(s) that had a prevalence of 6% (95% CI 5% to 7%). The discriminatory accuracy of the information was moderate.

Conclusion

A more detailed, intersectional mapping of the socioeconomic and demographic disparities of smoking can assist in public health management aiming to eliminate this unhealthy habit from the community. Intersectionality theory together with AIHDA provides information that can guide resource allocation according to the concept proportionate universalism.
Health outcomes, healthcare use and development in children born into or growing up in single-parent households: a systematic review study protocol
Authors: Lut Irina , Woodman Jenny , Armitage Alice , Ingram Elizabeth , Harron Katie , Hardelid Pia
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Up to a quarter of all children globally live in single-parent households. Studies have concluded that children who grow up with continuously married parents have better health outcomes than children who grow up with single or separated parents. This is consistent for key health and development outcomes including physical health, psychological well-being and educational attainment. Possible explanations include higher poverty and time limitations of parental engagement within single-parent families, but these only represent a narrow range of mechanisms. We aim to identify and synthesise the evidence on how being born into and/or living in a single-parent household compared with living in a two-parent household as a child impacts health and development outcomes, healthcare use and factors that may be driving differences.

Methods and analysis

We will search PubMed, Scopus and ERIC and adapt our search terms for search engines and grey literature sites to include relevant conference abstracts and grey literature. We will restrict results to English language publications from 2000 to 2020 and screen against inclusion criteria. We will categorise main outcomes into five groups of outcomes: birth outcomes, mortality, physical health, mental health and development, and healthcare use. We will use the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the methodological quality of studies. Narrative synthesis will form the primary analysis in the review. Synthesis of effect estimates without meta-analysis will follow the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

All documents used are publicly accessible. We will submit results to a peer-reviewed journal and international social science conferences. We will communicate results with single-parent groups and relevant charitable organisations. This review will also be included in IL’s PhD thesis.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020197890.
Analysis of opacification patterns in intraocular lenses (IOL)
Authors: Mackert Marc , Muth Daniel Rudolf , Vounotrypidis Efstathios , Deger Constanze , Goldblum David , Shajari Mehdi , Hasler Pascal Willy , Priglinger Siegfried , Wolf Armin
Published: February 2021

Objective

Intraocular lens (IOL) opacification may cause severe visual impairment. The pathogenesis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to analyse opacification patterns in different IOLs. Therefore, this multicentre, retrospective, observational study was conducted at Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany and University-Hospital Basel, Switzerland.

Methods and analysis

In this study, 75 opacified IOLs were identified and classified after extraction. Macroscopical photo documentation, light and electron microscopic analysis were done.

Results

68 acrylic-hydrophilic single-piece-IOLs, 1 acrylic-hydrophilic 3-piece-IOL, 6 acrylic-hydrophobic 3-piece-IOLs were extracted. The dataset comprised IOLs known for opacification and IOLs not having been reported yet. 67 IOLs showed a fine-granular and 8 IOLs a crust-like opacification pattern. According to literature, 62 of the fine-granular opacified IOLs were graded into type 1 (processing/packaging-induced primary opacification) and 13 into type 2 (secondary opacification of unknown aetiology). The anterior surface of the IOLs was affected in all 75 IOLs, the posterior surface only in 23 cases. Of all 67 fine-granular IOLs, 43 had a central defect and 21 had a zone without opacification (clear islet).

Conclusion

In our series, the morphology of IOL opacification did not follow the existing pathogenetic classification that strictly discriminates between primary and secondary causes. Fine-granular IOL opacification occurs with similar patterns in both type 1 and type 2 IOL opacification, while a crust-like pattern was only detected in type 2 IOL opacifications. Consequently, susceptibility of an IOL to opacification is caused by a multifactorial combination of material and processing properties as well as individual (pathological) conditions of the patient.
Autoimmune susceptibility gene PTPN2 is required for clearance of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli by integrating bacterial uptake and lysosomal defence
Authors: Spalinger Marianne Rebecca , Shawki Ali , Chatterjee Pritha , Canale Vinicius , Santos Alina , Sayoc-Becerra Anica , Scharl Michael , Tremblay Michel L , Borneman James , McCole Declan F
Published: February 2021

Objectives

Alterations in the intestinal microbiota are linked with a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), where pathobionts penetrate the intestinal barrier and promote inflammatory reactions. In patients with IBD, the ability of intestinal macrophages to efficiently clear invading pathogens is compromised resulting in increased bacterial translocation and excessive immune reactions. Here, we investigated how an IBD-associated loss-of-function variant in the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2) gene, or loss of PTPN2 expression affected the ability of macrophages to respond to invading bacteria.

Design

IBD patient-derived macrophages with wild-type (WT) PTPN2 or carrying the IBD-associated PTPN2 SNP, peritoneal macrophages from WT and constitutive PTPN2-knockout mice, as well as mice specifically lacking PTPN2 in macrophages were infected with non-invasive K12 Escherichia coli, the human adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) LF82, or a novel mouse AIEC (mAIEC) strain.

Results

Loss of PTPN2 severely compromises the ability of macrophages to clear invading bacteria. Specifically, loss of functional PTPN2 promoted pathobiont invasion/uptake into macrophages and intracellular survival/proliferation by three distinct mechanisms: Increased bacterial uptake was mediated by enhanced expression of carcinoembryonic antigen cellular adhesion molecule (CEACAM)1 and CEACAM6 in PTPN2-deficient cells, while reduced bacterial clearance resulted from defects in autophagy coupled with compromised lysosomal acidification. In vivo, mice lacking PTPN2 in macrophages were more susceptible to mAIEC infection and mAIEC-induced disease.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal a tripartite regulatory mechanism by which PTPN2 preserves macrophage antibacterial function, thus crucially contributing to host defence against invading bacteria.
COVID-19 lung injury as a primer for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-related pneumonia in a patient affected by squamous head and neck carcinoma treated with PD-L1 blockade: a case report
Authors: Dipasquale Angelo , Persico Pasquale , Lorenzi Elena , Rahal Daoud , Santoro Armando , Simonelli Matteo
Published: February 2021

By the beginning of the global pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection has dramatically impacted on oncology daily practice. In the current oncological landscape, where immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of several malignancies, distinguishing between COVID-19 and immune-mediated pneumonitis can be hard because of shared clinical, radiological and pathological features. Indeed, their common mechanism of aberrant inflammation could lead to a mutual and amplifying interaction.

We describe the case of a 65–year-old patient affected by metastatic squamous head and neck cancer and candidate to an experimental therapy including an anti-PD-L1 agent. COVID-19 ground-glass opacities under resolution were an incidental finding during screening procedures and worsened after starting immunotherapy. The diagnostic work-up was consistent with ICIs-related pneumonia and it is conceivable that lung injury by SARS-CoV-2 has acted as an inflammatory primer for the development of the immune-related adverse event.

Patients recovered from COVID-19 starting ICIs could be at greater risk of recall immune-mediated pneumonitis. Nasopharyngeal swab and chest CT scan are recommended before starting immunotherapy. The awareness of the phenomenon could allow an easier interpretation of radiological changes under treatment and a faster diagnostic work-up to resume ICIs. In the presence of clinical benefit, for asymptomatic ICIs-related pneumonia a watchful-waiting approach and immunotherapy prosecution are suggested.
Executive dysfunction and risk of suicide in older adults: a population-based prospective cohort study
Authors: Oh Dae Jong , Han Ji Won , Bae Jong Bin , Kim Tae Hui , Kwak Kyung Phil , Kim Bong Jo , Kim Shin Gyeom , Kim Jeong Lan , Moon Seok Woo , Park Joon Hyuk , Ryu Seung-Ho , Youn Jong Chul , Lee Dong Young , Lee Dong Woo , Lee Seok Bum , Lee Jung Jae , Jhoo Jin Hyeong , Kim Ki Woong
Published: February 2021

Objective

It is uncertain what factors increases the risk of suicide in older adults without depression, and it is unknown whether executive dysfunction (ED) is one of those factors. We aimed to examine the effect of ED on the risk of suicide in non-demented older adults without depression.

Methods

In an ongoing population-based prospective cohort of Korean older adults, we identified suicide using the National Mortality Database and suicidal ideation or attempt (SIA) based on the Korean version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We defined ED as performing below −1.5 SD of age-adjusted, gender-adjusted and education-adjusted norms in any of following tests: Frontal Assessment Battery, Trail Making Test A, Digit Span Test or Verbal Fluency Test.

Results

The mean age of the 4791 participants at baseline was 69.7 (SD 6.4) years, and 57.1% of them were women (mean follow-up duration=4.9 years). ED at baseline increased the risk of suicide by about seven times (HR 7.20, 95% CI 1.84 to 28.12, p=0.005) but did not change the risk of SIA. However, cognitive impairment without ED did not change the risks of suicide and SIA. In participants with ED, being aged 75 years or above, living alone, and having a low socioeconomic status were associated with the risk of suicide.

Conclusion

ED is a strong risk factor of late life suicide independent from depression, particularly in very old adults living in disadvantaged environments.
A novel rabbit thromboembolic occlusion model
Authors: Ding Yong-Hong , Fitzgerald Seán , Liu Yang , Dai Daying , Jakaitis Daniel , Doyle Karen , Brinjikji Waleed , Kallmes David F , Savastano Luis , Kadirvel Ramanathan
Published: February 2021

Background

To develop a preclinical thromboembolic occlusion model for studying revascularization strategies.

Methods

Clot analog with barium sulfate was injected into the distal aorta in 9 New Zealand white rabbits. The situation of aorta occlusion was compared among fibrin-rich (n=4), red blood cell (RBC)-rich (n=3), and whole blood clot analogs (n=2) using digital subtraction angiography. Arterial geometries, histologic features and circumferential stretch of the distal aorta in rabbits were compared with the common carotid artery in swine and the distal internal carotid artery (ICA) in humans. Aspiration thrombectomy and mechanical thrombectomy using a stent retriever were performed in two rabbits.

Results

The aortic bifurcation was occluded after a single delivery of clot in 4 cases. It was occluded after the second clot injection in the 5 remaining rabbits. Fragmentation of RBC-rich clots occurred during clot injection in 2 cases. The mean diameters of the distal aorta and right common iliac artery in rabbits were 3.7±0.4 and 2.8±0.3 mm, respectively; the mean diameters of human ICA, and first and second segments of the middle cerebral artery (M1, M2) were 3.6±0.4, 3.1±0.4, and 2.4±0.4 mm, respectively. Arterial revascularization was achieved in both rabbits. Geometric, mechanical and histological factors of the distal aorta in rabbit were more close to human distal ICA than swine carotid artery.

Conclusion

Arterial occlusion can be achieved at the aortic bifurcation in rabbits, which is comparable to human ICA bifurcation. This thrombectomy model has the potential to be used for testing of thrombectomy devices.
Associations between left bundle branch block with different PR intervals, QRS durations, heart rates and the risk of heart failure: a register-based cohort study using ECG data from the primary care setting
Authors: Søndergaard Marc Meller , Riis Johannes , Bodker Karoline Willum , Hansen Steen Møller , Nielsen Jesper , Graff Claus , Pietersen Adrian Holger , Nielsen Jonas Bille , Tayal Bhupendar , Polcwiartek Christoffer , Torp-Pedersen Christian , Soegaard Peter , Kragholm Kristian Hay
Published: February 2021

Aim

Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure (HF). We assessed the impact of common ECG parameters on this association using large-scale data.

Methods and results

Using ECGs recorded in a large primary care population from 2001 to 2011, we identified HF-naive patients with a first-time LBBB ECG. We obtained information on sex, age, emigration, medication, diseases and death from Danish registries. We investigated the association between the PR interval, QRS duration, and heart rate and the risk of HF over a 2-year follow-up period using Cox regression analysis.

Of 2471 included patients with LBBB, 464 (18.8%) developed HF during follow-up. A significant interaction was found between QRS duration and heart rate (p<0.01), and the analyses were stratified on these parameters. Using a QRS duration <150 ms and a heart rate <70 beats per minute (bpm) as the reference, all groups were statistically significantly associated with the development of HF. Patients with a QRS duration ≥150 ms and heart rate ≥70 bpm had the highest risk of developing HF (HR 3.17 (95% CI 2.41 to 4.18, p<0.001). There was no association between the PR interval and HF after adjustment.

Conclusion

Prolonged QRS duration and higher heart rate were associated with increased risk of HF among primary care patients with LBBB, while no association was observed with PR interval. Patients with LBBB with both a prolonged QRS duration (≥150 ms) and higher heart rate (≥70 bpm) have the highest risk of developing HF.
Fringe effects: detecting bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) at distributional boundaries in a montane watershed
Authors: Mochnacz Neil J. , MacKenzie Darryl I. , Koper Nicola , Docker Margaret F. , Isaak Dan J.
Published: February 2021

Robust assessment and monitoring programs are critical for effective conservation, yet for many taxa we fail to understand how trade-offs in sampling design affect power to detect population trends and describe spatial patterns. We tested an occupancy-based sampling approach to evaluate design considerations for detecting watershed-scale population trends associated with juvenile bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) distributions. Electrofishing surveys were conducted across 275 stream sites from the Prairie Creek watershed, Northwest Territories, Canada. Site-level detectability of juvenile bull trout was not uniform, and imperfect detection affected modelled occupancy probabilities most in fringe habitats near distributional boundaries in steep reaches and large streams. We show that detecting a 30% change in watershed-level occupancy ≥78% of the time, as conservation guidelines suggest, may require three repeat surveys (i.e., temporal replicates) and increased spatial sampling intensity of fringe habitats. Additional sampling effort in fringe sites could be offset by sampling fewer sites in core habitats to optimize designs for detecting demographic shifts in bull trout, while still minimizing risk of nondetection for this cryptic species.
K-core decomposition in recommender systems improves accuracy of rating prediction
Authors: Ai Jun , Liu Yayun , Su Zhan , Zhao Fengyu , Peng Dunlu
Published: February 2021

Users’ ratings in recommender systems can be predicted by their historical data, item content, or preferences. In recent literature, scientists have used complex networks to model a user–user or an item–item network of the RS. Also, community detection methods can cluster users or items to improve the prediction accuracy further. However, the number of links in modeling a network is too large to do proper clustering, and community clustering is an NP-hard problem with high computation complexity. Thus, we combine fuzzy link importance and K-core decomposition in complex network models to provide more accurate rating predictions while reducing the computational complexity. The experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the prediction accuracy by 4.64[Formula: see text] to 5.71[Formula: see text] on the MovieLens data set and avoid solving NP-hard problems in community detection compared with existing methods. Our research reveals that the links in a modeled network can be reasonably managed by defining fuzzy link importance, and that the K-core decomposition can provide a simple clustering method with relatively low computation complexity.
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution protocols against collective noise
Authors: He Yefeng , Ma Wenping
Published: February 2021

In order to eliminate the influence of the channel noise, two new measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) protocols are proposed with logical quantum states. They can resist collective-dephasing noise and collective-rotation noise, respectively. This paper produces logical quantum states by adding the auxiliary light sources, the CNOT operations and the Hadamard transforms in the system model. The main light sources and auxiliary light sources are flexible and easily implemented, since they can be weak coherent state (WCS) sources, heralded single-photon sources (HSPSs) or heralded pair coherent state (HPCS) sources. To generate one key bit, the new MDI-QKD protocols only need one logical qubit with two particles so that they have high qubit efficiency. Moreover, the new protocols also use partial Bell-state measurement (BSM) which is very easily implemented with existing technologies.
Evaluation of the Coupling between the Brain and Facial Muscles Reactions to Moving Visual Stimuli
Authors: Soundirarajan Mirra , Krejcar Ondrej , Namazi Hamidreza
Published: February 2021

Since the brain regulates our facial reactions, there should be a relationship between their activities. Moving (dynamic) visual stimuli are an important type of visual stimuli that we are dealing with in our daily life. Since EMG and EEG signals contain information, we evaluated the coupling of the reactions of facial muscles and brain to various moving visual stimuli by analysis of the embedded information in these signals. We benefited from Shannon entropy to quantify the information. The results showed that a decrement in the information of visual stimulus is mapped on a decrement of the information of EMG and EEG signals, and therefore, the activities of facial muscles and the brain are correlated (Pearson correlation [Formula: see text]). Besides, the analysis of the Hurst exponent of EEG signals demonstrated that increasing the information of EEG signals causes the increment in its memory. This method can also be used to evaluate the coupling among other organs’ activity and brain activity by analysis of related physiological signals.
Unsupervised multi-instance learning for protein structure determination
Authors: Alam Fardina Fathmiul , Shehu Amarda
Published: February 2021

Many regions of the protein universe remain inaccessible by wet-laboratory or computational structure determination methods. A significant challenge in elucidating these dark regions in silico relates to the ability to discriminate relevant structure(s) among many structures/decoys computed for a protein of interest, a problem known as decoy selection. Clustering decoys based on geometric similarity remains popular. However, it is unclear how exactly to exploit the groups of decoys revealed via clustering to select individual structures for prediction. In this paper, we provide an intuitive formulation of the decoy selection problem as an instance of unsupervised multi-instance learning. We address the problem in three stages, first organizing given decoys of a protein molecule into bags, then identifying relevant bags, and finally drawing individual instances from these bags to offer as prediction. We propose both non-parametric and parametric algorithms for drawing individual instances. Our evaluation utilizes two datasets, one benchmark dataset of ensembles of decoys for a varied list of protein molecules, and a dataset of decoy ensembles for targets drawn from recent CASP competitions. A comparative analysis with state-of-the-art methods reveals that the proposed approach outperforms existing methods, thus warranting further investigation of multi-instance learning to advance our treatment of decoy selection.
Ultralow switching voltage and power consumption of GeS2 thin film resistive switching memory
Authors: Lyapunov N. , Suen C. H. , Wong C. M. , Tang Xiaodan , Ho Z. L. , Zhou K. , Chen X. X. , Liu H. M. , Zhou Xiaoyuan , Dai J. Y.
Published: February 2021

The coming Big Data Era requires progress in storage and computing technologies. As an emerging memory technology, Resistive RAM (RRAM) has shown its potential in the next generation high-density storage and neuromorphic computing applications, which extremely demand low switching voltage and power consumption. In this work, a 10 nm-thick amorphous GeS2 thin film was utilized as the functional layer of RRAM in a combination with Ag and Pt electrodes. The structure and memory performance of the GeS2-based RRAM device was characterized — it presents high on/off ratio, fast switching time, ultralow switching voltage (0.15 V) and power consumption (1.0 pJ and 0.56 pJ for PROGRAM and ERASE operations, respectively). We attribute these competitive memory characteristics to Ag doping phenomena and subsequent formation of Ag nano-islands in the functional layer that occurs due to diffusion of Ag from electrode into the GeS2 thin film. These properties enable applications of GeS2 for low energy RRAM device.
Practical Quantum Computing
Authors: Suau Adrien , Staffelbach Gabriel , Calandra Henri
Published: February 2021

In the last few years, several quantum algorithms that try to address the problem of partial differential equation solving have been devised: on the one hand, “direct” quantum algorithms that aim at encoding the solution of the PDE by executing one large quantum circuit; on the other hand, variational algorithms that approximate the solution of the PDE by executing several small quantum circuits and making profit of classical optimisers. In this work, we propose an experimental study of the costs (in terms of gate number and execution time on a idealised hardware created from realistic gate data) associated with one of the “direct” quantum algorithm: the wave equation solver devised in [32]. We show that our implementation of the quantum wave equation solver agrees with the theoretical big-O complexity of the algorithm. We also explain in great detail the implementation steps and discuss some possibilities of improvements. Finally, our implementation proves experimentally that some PDE can be solved on a quantum computer, even if the direct quantum algorithm chosen will require error-corrected quantum chips, which are not believed to be available in the short-term.
Coordination of Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Mariani Stefano , Cabri Giacomo , Zambonelli Franco
Published: February 2021

In the near future, our streets will be populated by myriads of autonomous self-driving vehicles to serve our diverse mobility needs. This will raise the need to coordinate their movements in order to properly handle both access to shared resources (e.g., intersections and parking slots) and the execution of mobility tasks (e.g., platooning and ramp merging). The aim of this article is to provide a global view of the coordination issues and the related solutions in the field of autonomous vehicles. To this end, we firstly introduce the general problems associated with coordination of autonomous vehicles by identifying and framing the key classes of coordination problems. Then, we overview the different approaches that can be adopted to deal with such problems by classifying them in terms of the degree of autonomy in decision making that is left to autonomous vehicles during the coordination process. Finally, we overview some further research challenges to address before autonomous coordinated vehicles can safely hit our streets.
Uromodulin: Roles in Health and Disease
Authors: Schaeffer Céline , Devuyst Olivier , Rampoldi Luca
Published: February 2021

Uromodulin, a protein exclusively produced by the kidney, is the most abundant urinary protein in physiological conditions. Already described several decades ago, uromodulin has gained the spotlight in recent years, since the discovery that mutations in its encoding gene UMOD cause a renal Mendelian disease (autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease) and that common polymorphisms are associated with multifactorial disorders, such as chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, variations in uromodulin levels in urine and/or blood reflect kidney functioning mass and are of prognostic value for renal function, cardiovascular events, and overall mortality. The clinical relevance of uromodulin reflects its multifunctional nature, playing a role in renal ion transport and immunomodulation, in protection against urinary tract infections and renal stones, and possibly as a systemic antioxidant. Here, we discuss the multifaceted roles of this protein in kidney physiology and its translational relevance.
Altered lung metabolism and mitochondrial DAMPs in lung injury due to acute kidney injury
Authors: Hepokoski Mark , Wang Jing , Li Kefeng , Li Ying , Gupta Purva , Mai Tina , Moshensky Alex , Alotaibi Mona , Crotty Alexander Laura E. , Malhotra Atul , Singh Prabhleen
Published: February 2021

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common cause of mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Inflammatory crosstalk from the kidney to the lung has been shown to contribute to lung injury after AKI, but anti-inflammatory therapies have not been proven beneficial in human studies. Recently, AKI was shown to alter mitochondria and related metabolic pathways in the heart, but the impact of AKI on lung metabolism has not been investigated to our knowledge. In this study, we evaluated the metabolomic profile of the lung following renal ischemia and reperfusion to identify novel pathways that may be modifiable. We randomized C57BL/6 mice to 20 minutes of bilateral renal arterial clamping or sham operation under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. At 4 hours after reperfusion, we found a significant increase in markers of lung injury, as well as significant metabolomic changes across lung, kidney, plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared to shams. Comparative analyses revealed that the fatty acid oxidation pathway was the most significantly altered metabolic pathway, a finding which is consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction systemically and in the lung. These metabolomic changes correlated with the extracellular accumulation of the mitochondrial damage associated molecular patterns (mtDAMPs), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and transcription factor A, mitochondria (TFAM). Finally, we found that intraperitoneal injection of renal mtDAMPs caused metabolomic changes consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction in the lung in vivo. Mitochondrial function and mtDAMPs warrant further investigation as potential therapeutic targets in preventing lung injury because of AKI.
Neuromechanical adaptations of foot function to changes in surface stiffness during hopping
Authors: Birch Jonathon V. , Kelly Luke A. , Cresswell Andrew G. , Dixon Sharon J. , Farris Dominic J.
Published: February 2021

When seeking to understand how humans adapt their movement to changes in substrate, the role of the human foot has been neglected. Using multi-segment foot modeling, we highlight the importance of adaptable foot mechanics in adjusting to surfaces of different compliance. We also show, via electromyography, that the adaptations are under active muscular control.
Intermittent compression induces transitory hypoxic stimuli, upstream vasodilation and enhanced perfusion of skin capillaries, independent of age and diabetes
Authors: Thorn Clare E. , Adio Aminat O. , Fox Roger H. , Gardner A. Michael , Winlove C. Peter , Shore Angela C.
Published: February 2021

This study demonstrates that hand intermittent pneumatic compression evokes transitory hypoxic stimuli in distal finger skin microcirculation inducing vasodilation of arterial inflow vessels, enhanced perfusion, and maximum capillary recruitment in young and older subjects and older subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Enhanced shear stress in the microcirculation did not appear to induce local skin vasodilation.
Effects of postexercise blood flow occlusion on quadriceps responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation
Authors: Latella Christopher , Pinto Matheus D. , Nuzzo James L. , Taylor Janet L.
Published: February 2021

Maintained exercise-induced firing of group III/IV quadriceps muscle afferents counteracts known reductions in corticospinal excitability that occur with fatigue. However, the results suggest that this increased excitability is not underpinned by changes in intracortical facilitatory or inhibitory networks. These findings are not consistent with previous findings for hand muscle, which reported preserved intracortical facilitation with fatigue-related sustained group III/IV muscle afferent firing.
Evidence of intermediate reticular formation involvement in swallow pattern generation, recorded optically in the neonate rat sagittally sectioned hindbrain
Authors: Pitts Teresa , Huff Alyssa , Reed Mitchell , Iceman Kimberly , Mellen Nicholas
Published: February 2021

For the first time, medullary networks that control breathing and swallow are recorded optically. Episodic swallows are induced via electrical stimulation along the dorsal medulla, in and near the NTS, during spontaneously occurring fictive respiration. These findings establish that networks regulating both orofacial behaviors and breathing are accessible for optical recording at the surface of the sagittally sectioned rodent hindbrain preparation.
Right parietotemporal activity predicts sense of agency under uncertain delays of sensory outcomes
Authors: Rashidi Mahmoud , Schmitgen Mike Michael , Weisbrod Matthias , Schnell Knut , Wolf Robert Christian , Whittington Miles Adrian
Published: February 2021

According to the optimal cue integration theory, the formation of sense of agency relies on both predictive and postdictive agency cues and how they are weighted based on their availability and reliability. Using a novel paradigm, we show for the first time a possible existence of a prediction signal prior to voluntary movement, which appears when postdictive agency cues (i.e., the judgment of the time between voluntary movement and a subsequent flash) are not reliable.
Mechanisms of severe acute intermittent hypoxia-induced phrenic long-term facilitation
Authors: Nichols Nicole L. , Mitchell Gordon S.
Published: February 2021

Distinct mechanisms give rise to pLTF induced by moderate and severe AIH. We demonstrate that, unlike moderate AIH, severe AIH-induced pLTF requires EPAC and PI3K/Akt and is marginally constrained by NADPH oxidase activity. Surprisingly, sAIH-induced pLTF requires MEK/ERK activity similar to moderate AIH-induced pLTF and is reduced by PKA inhibition. We suggest sAIH-induced pLTF arises from complex interactions between dominant mechanisms characteristic of moderate versus severe AIH-induced pLTF.
Carotid body chemoreceptors: physiology, pathology, and implications for health and disease
Authors: Iturriaga Rodrigo , Alcayaga Julio , Chapleau Mark W. , Somers Virend K.
Published: February 2021

The carotid body (CB) is the main peripheral chemoreceptor for arterial respiratory gases O2and CO2and pH, eliciting reflex ventilatory, cardiovascular, and humoral responses to maintain homeostasis. This review examines the fundamental biology underlying CB chemoreceptor function, its contribution to integrated physiological responses, and its role in maintaining health and potentiating disease. Emphasis is placed on 1) transduction mechanisms in chemoreceptor (type I) cells, highlighting the role played by the hypoxic inhibition of O2-dependent K+channels and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, and their modification by intracellular molecules and other ion channels; 2) synaptic mechanisms linking type I cells and petrosal nerve terminals, focusing on the role played by the main proposed transmitters and modulatory gases, and the participation of glial cells in regulation of the chemosensory process; 3) integrated reflex responses to CB activation, emphasizing that the responses differ dramatically depending on the nature of the physiological, pathological, or environmental challenges, and the interactions of the chemoreceptor reflex with other reflexes in optimizing oxygen delivery to the tissues; and 4) the contribution of enhanced CB chemosensory discharge to autonomic and cardiorespiratory pathophysiology in obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, resistant hypertension, and metabolic diseases and how modulation of enhanced CB reactivity in disease conditions may attenuate pathophysiology.
A Note on a Lower Bound on the Minimum Rank of a Positive Semidefinite Hankel Matrix Rank Minimization Problem
Authors: Xu Yi , Ren Xiaorong , Yan Xihong
Published: February 2021

This paper investigates the problem of approximating the global minimum of a positive semidefinite Hankel matrix minimization problem with linear constraints. We provide a lower bound on the objective of minimizing the rank of the Hankel matrix in the problem based on conclusions from nonnegative polynomials, semi-infinite programming, and the dual theorem. We prove that the lower bound is almost half of the number of linear constraints of the optimization problem.
Si Miao San Attenuates Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Rats with CIA via the Modulation of the Nrf2/ARE/PTEN Pathway
Authors: Shen Pan , Huang Yao , Ba Xin , Lin Weiji , Qin Kai , Wang Hui , Du Maotao , Haung Ying , Wang Yu , Chen Zhe , Tu Shenghao
Published: February 2021

Objective. Si Miao San (SMS) is a traditional Chinese formula used in China to treat rheumatic diseases. To date, its mechanism in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment is uncertain. Our study aims to assess the antiarthritic effects of SMS in experimental arthritic rats. Materials and Methods. SMS (8.63, 4.31, and 2.16 g/kg/day) was orally administered after the first immunization from day 14 to day 53. The effects of SMS on rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were evaluated by arthritis score and histological assessment. The levels of cytokines and anti-CII antibodies in rat serum were measured by ELISAs. The expression of oxidative stress parameters was detected by biochemical assay kits. The levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, and PTEN were determined by western blotting. Results. Medium- and high-dose SMS treatment significantly decreased arthritis scores and alleviated ankle joint histopathology in the rats with CIA. It inhibited the production of IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and PGE2 in rat serum. SMS also suppressed the expression of anti-CII antibodies IgG1 and IgG2a. Moreover, SMS significantly suppressed the levels of MDA and MPO in the synovial tissues while increasing the levels of SOD and CAT in the rats with CIA. The levels of Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, and PTEN were upregulated by SMS in rat synovial tissues. Conclusions. This study demonstrated that SMS effectively alleviated the disease progression of CIA by decreasing the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and reducing oxidative stress damage, as indicated by IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and PGE2 levels; inhibiting the overproduction of MDA and MPO; and enhancing antioxidant enzymes by upregulating the Nrf2/ARE/PTEN signalling pathway.
Response Time Threshold for Predicting Outcomes of Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Huang Ling Hsuan , Ho Yu-Ni , Tsai Ming-Ta , Wu Wei-Ting , Cheng Fu-Jen
Published: February 2021

Ambulance response time is a prognostic factor for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but the impact of ambulance response time under different situations remains unclear. We evaluated the threshold of ambulance response time for predicting survival to hospital discharge for patients with OHCA. A retrospective observational analysis was conducted using the emergency medical service (EMS) database (January 2015 to December 2019). Prehospital factors, underlying diseases, and OHCA outcomes were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with Youden Index was performed to calculate optimal cut-off values for ambulance response time that predicted survival to hospital discharge. In all, 6742 cases of adult OHCA were analyzed. After adjustment for confounding factors, age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.983, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.975–0.992,

p
<
0.001

), witness (OR = 3.022, 95% CI: 2.014–4.534,

p
<
0.001

), public location (OR = 2.797, 95% CI: 2.062–3.793,

p
<
0.001

), bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR, OR = 1.363, 95% CI: 1.009–1.841,

p
=
0.044

), EMT-paramedic response (EMT-P, OR = 1.713, 95% CI: 1.282–2.290,

p
<
0.001

), and prehospital defibrillation using an automated external defibrillator ([AED] OR = 3.984, 95% CI: 2.920–5.435,

p
<
0.001

) were statistically and significantly associated with survival to hospital discharge. The cut-off value was 6.2 min. If the location of OHCA was a public place or bystander CPR was provided, the threshold was prolonged to 7.2 min and 6.3 min, respectively. In the absence of a witness, EMT-P, or AED, the threshold was reduced to 4.2, 5, and 5 min, respectively. The adjusted OR of EMS response time for survival to hospital discharge was 1.217 (per minute shorter, CI: 1.140–1299,

p
<
0.001

) and 1.992 (<6.2 min, 95% CI: 1.496–2.653,

p
<
0.001

). The optimal response time threshold for survival to hospital discharge was 6.2 min. In the case of OHCA in public areas or with bystander CPR, the threshold was prolonged, and without witness, the optimal response time threshold was shortened.
Study on Occurrence Mechanism of Coal Pillar in L‐Shaped Zone during Fully Mechanized Mining Period and Prevention Technology
Authors: Yang Zeng-qiang , Wang Hong-mei , Sun De-quan , Ma Xian-jian , Xu Ming-bao , Si Nai-xin
Published: February 2021

In order to study the occurrence mechanism of rock burst in L‐shaped zone during a fully mechanized mining period, the No. 705 working face which is located in Baojishan Colliery is taken as a typical engineering background. By means of in situ investigation, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, in situ tests, and relevant monitoring methods, the occurrence mechanism of rock burst and corresponding prevention technology are studied. The results show that a coal pillar with some confining pressure in the L‐shaped zone is established by FLAC3D numerical simulation software, and the numerical simulation results indicate that the change in static load has a greater effect than dynamic load on coal pillar unstable failure; the static load plays a role in storing energy, and dynamic load plays a role in inducing rock burst; the bolt‐mesh‐cable support and high‐pressure water jet unloading combined technology is put forward to prevent rock burst in roadways, and the numerical simulation results show that stress distribution of surrounding rock meets the model of strong‐soft‐strong (3S) structure, and the moment distribution is reasonable. In the follow‐up mining, a limit value of coal fines is used to determine that this measure is a reasonable method to prevent rock burst. The study conclusions provide theoretical foundation and new guidance for preventing rock burst by synergistic effect technology in roadways.
A New Statistical Parameter for Determining Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) considering the Shear Direction and Contribution of Different Protrusions
Authors: Huan Jiu-yang , Zhang Zhi-qiang , He Ming-ming , Li Ning
Published: February 2021

The mechanical properties of joints are important factors affecting the safety and stability of rock mass. The joint roughness coefficient (JRC) is a parameter for describing the roughness morphology of the joint surface, and its accurate quantification is very important to predict the shear strength. In the current statistical parameter methods for the estimation of joint roughness, the size of different protrusions on the joint surface was completely ignored, which did not correspond to the real failure mechanism of rock joint during the shear process. In this study, a new statistical parameter WPA was proposed for the estimation of JRC considering the shear direction and the contributions of different protrusions. First, the 10 standard roughness joint profiles were digitized based on image processing technology, and the obtained coordinate data were proved to be reliable by the calculation results of existing parameters. Secondly, the WPA value of 10 standard roughness joint profiles was calculated at a 0.5 mm sampling interval in two directions. The functional relationship between WPA and JRC indicated that they should be established in the same shear direction to maintain a high correlation. The JRC values of 10 standard roughness joint profiles in direction 2 were obtained based on the functional relationship established between WPA and JRC in direction 1, and the roughness of these 10 joint profiles was confirmed to be influenced by direction. Next, the effect of sampling interval on WPA was investigated. As the sampling interval increases, the WPA values gradually decreased and the correlation between them and JRC gradually declined. In practical application, a smaller sampling interval was recommended for more accurate prediction. Finally, the geometric coordinate data of 21 joint profiles given in the literature and 4 natural joint surfaces were obtained by graphics processing technology and 3D scanning technology, respectively. The JRC values of them were separately estimated by WPA in different directions. The results showed that the new statistical parameter WPA proposed in this paper can well describe the joint roughness considering the shear direction and the contribution of different protrusions.
Oxidative Imbalance as a Crucial Factor in Inflammatory Lung Diseases: Could Antioxidant Treatment Constitute a New Therapeutic Strategy?
Authors: Victoni Tatiana , Barreto Emiliano , Lagente Vincent , Carvalho Vinicius F.
Published: February 2021

Inflammatory lung disease results in a high global burden of death and disability. There are no effective treatments for the most severe forms of many inflammatory lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, corticosteroid‐resistant asthma, and coronavirus disease 2019; hence, new treatment options are required. Here, we review the role of oxidative imbalance in the development of difficult‐to‐treat inflammatory lung diseases. The inflammation‐induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) means that endogenous antioxidants may not be sufficient to prevent oxidative damage, resulting in an oxidative imbalance in the lung. In turn, intracellular signaling events trigger the production of proinflammatory mediators that perpetuate and aggravate the inflammatory response and may lead to tissue damage. The production of high levels of ROS in inflammatory lung diseases can induce the phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases, the inactivation of phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) signaling and histone deacetylase 2, a decrease in glucocorticoid binding to its receptor, and thus resistance to glucocorticoid treatment. Hence, antioxidant treatment might be a therapeutic option for inflammatory lung diseases. Preclinical studies have shown that antioxidants (alone or combined with anti‐inflammatory drugs) are effective in the treatment of inflammatory lung diseases, although the clinical evidence of efficacy is weaker. Despite the high level of evidence for the efficacy of antioxidants in the treatment of inflammatory lung diseases, the discovery and clinical investigation of safer, more efficacious compounds are now a priority.
Stability Analysis of Milling Process with Variable Spindle Speed and Pitch Angle considering Helix Angle and Process Phase Difference
Authors: Jin Gang , Jiang Haotian , Han Jianxin , Li Zhanjie , Li Hua , Yan Bing
Published: February 2021

Suppression of milling chatter by disrupting regenerative effect is a well-known method to obtain higher cutting stability domain. In this paper, a dynamic model of the milling process with variable spindle speed and pitch angle considering helix angle and process phase difference is presented. Then, an updated semidiscretization method is applied to obtain the stability chart. After the effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by comparisons with the previously published works and the time-domain simulations, lots of analyses are conducted to deeply evaluate the influence of the helix angle, the process phase difference, and feed per tooth on milling stability. Results show that the change of helix angle can result in significant stability discrepancies for both high-speed and low-speed regions. Though the process phase difference has the randomness and immeasurability in the practical application, it has an important influence on the stability and will result in a periodic evolution of the stability with a period π. Also, its recommended values are given for the practical milling process.