bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Admission Anemia and Poststroke Depression
Authors: Cheng Jian-Hua , Wang Qiong-Zhang , Luan Xiao-Qian , Zhu Jie , Feng Wen-Qian , Huang Gui-Qian , Lin Sha-Sha , He Jin-Cai
Published: March 2021

Poststroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent and important neuropsychiatric problem afflicting these patients. Anemia is common in many of these individuals presenting with acute stroke. This study determined whether there is a relationship between anemia on hospital admission and PSD. Two hundred eighty-four acute stroke patients were included in the study. Among them, there were 88 PSD patients, whereas another 196 were non-PSD patients. Clinical depression symptoms were diagnosed according to DSM-4 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) criteria and a HAMD-17 (the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale) score ≥8 at 1 month after stroke. In the PSD patients, 27.3% of them presented with anemia, whereas only 12.8% of the non-PSD patients had this condition. There was a negative correlation between hemoglobin level and HAMD-17 score in all patients. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that anemia was independently associated with PSD after adjustment for sex, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores, mRS (modified Rankin Scale) scores, BI (Barthel Index) scores, RBC (red blood cell), and hematocrit. In conclusion, anemia at admission is associated with PSD seen in these patients 1 month later. Therefore, anemia is a possible predictor of PSD.
DNP-Authored Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 2012-2018
Authors: Cortez Susan E. , Allen Sandra K. , Balevre Park S. , Rass Juanita Emily , Wechter Susan M.
Published: March 2021

Background

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse is recognized as a practice scholar in nursing and leadership; moreover, the volume of published scholarship from DNP authors is expanding.

Purpose

The aim of this research was to quantify and analyze DNP-authored peer-reviewed journal publications from 2012 through 2018.

Methods

This was a descriptive analysis of DNP graduate publications found in the WorldCat database from 2012 through 2018.

Results

Nearly 2000 (n = 1903) DNP-authored, peer-reviewed journal publications were extracted. Doctor of Nursing Practice–authored publications increased 136% from 2012 to 2018, including 1059 (56%) with DNP authors as first authors and 494 (26%) from DNP graduate solo authors. There were 1179 collaborative and interprofessional publications (62%).

Conclusions

The findings in this research demonstrate an increase in the number of DNP-authored scholarly publications since 2012. Scholarly publications by DNP authors expand the dissemination of knowledge and offer an avenue to improve health outcomes nationally and globally.
Geometric Distortion Correction of Renal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Using the Reversed Gradient Method
Authors: Lim Ruth P. , Lim Jeremy C. , Teruel Jose R. , Botterill Elissa , Seah Jas-mine , Farquharson Shawna , Ekinci Elif I. , Sigmund Eric E.
Published: March 2021

Renal echo planar diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has clinical potential but suffers from geometric distortion. We evaluated feasibility of reversed gradient distortion correction in 10 diabetic patients and 6 volunteers. Renal area, apparent diffusion coefficient, fractional anisotropy, and tensor eigenvalues were measured on uncorrected and distortion-corrected DTI. Corrected DTI correlated better than uncorrected DTI (r = 0.904 vs 0.840, P = 0.002) with reference anatomic T2-weighted imaging, with no significant difference in DTI metrics.
The Rate of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Change With Diffusion Time on Breast Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Depends on Breast Tumor Types and Molecular Prognostic Biomarker Expression
Authors: Iima Mami , Kataoka Masako , Honda Maya , Ohashi Akane , Ohno Kishimoto Ayami , Ota Rie , Uozumi Ryuji , Urushibata Yuta , Feiweier Thorsten , Toi Masakazu , Nakamoto Yuji
Published: March 2021

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the variation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with diffusion time according to breast tumor type and prognostic biomarkers expression.

Materials and Methods

A total of 201 patients with known or suspected breast tumors were prospectively enrolled in this study, and 132 breast tumors (86 malignant and 46 benign) were analyzed. Diffusion-weighted imaging scans with 2 diffusion times were acquired on a clinical 3-T magnetic resonance imaging scanner using oscillating and pulsed diffusion-encoding gradients (effective diffusion times, 4.7 and 96.6 milliseconds) and b values of 0 and 700 s/mm2. Diagnostic performances to differentiate malignant and benign breast tumors for ADC values at short and long diffusion times (ADCshort and ADClong), ΔADC (the rate of change in ADC values with diffusion time), ADC0–1000 (ADC value from a standard protocol), and standard reading including dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (BI-RADS) were investigated. The correlations of ADCshort, ADClong, and ΔADC values with hormone receptor expression and breast cancer subtypes were also analyzed.

Results

The ADC values were lower, and ΔADC was higher in malignant tumors compared with benign tumors. The specificity of ADC values at all diffusion times and ΔADC values for differentiating malignant and benign breast tumors was superior to that of BI-RADS (87.0%–95.7% vs 73.9%), whereas the sensitivity was inferior (87.2%–90.7% vs 100%). Lower ADCshort and ADC0–1000 in ER-positive compared with ER-negative cancers (false discovery rate [FDR]–adjusted P = 0.037 and 0.018, respectively) and lower ADCshort, ADClong, and ADC0–1000 in progesterone receptor–positive compared with progesterone receptor–negative cancers (FDR-adjusted P = 0.037, 0.036, and 0.018, respectively) were found. Ki-67–positive cancers had larger ΔADCs than Ki-67–negative cancers (FDR-adjusted P = 0.018).

Conclusions

The ADC values vary with different diffusion time and vary in correlation with molecular biomarkers, especially Ki-67. Those results suggest that the diffusion time, which should be reported, might be a useful parameter to consider for breast cancer management.
Cytokine Drizzle—The Rationale for Abandoning “Cytokine Storm”
Authors: Stolarski Allan E. , Kim Jiyoun , Zhang Qiuyang , Remick Daniel G.
Published: March 2021

Background:

“Cytokine storm” has been used to implicate increased cytokine levels in the pathogenesis of serious clinical conditions. Similarities with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronoavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) and the 2012 Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome led early investigators to suspect a “cytokine storm” resulting in an unregulated inflammatory response associated with the significant morbidity and mortality induced by SARS CoV-2. The threshold of blood cytokines necessary to qualify as a “cytokine storm” has yet to be defined.

Methods:

A literature review was conducted to identify cytokine levels released during 11 assorted clinical conditions or diseases. Weighted averages for various cytokines were calculated by multiplying the number of patients in the paper by the average concentration of each cytokine. Correlation between cytokine levels for individual conditions or diseases were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results:

The literature was reviewed to determine blood levels of cytokines in a wide variety of clinical conditions. These conditions ranged from exercise and autoimmune disease to septic shock and therapy with chimeric antigen receptor T cells. The most frequently measured cytokine was IL-6 which ranged from 24,123 pg/mL in septic shock to 11 pg/mL after exercise. In patients with severe SARS CoV-2 infections, blood levels of IL-6 were only 43 pg/mL, nearly three magnitudes lower than IL-6 levels in patients with septic shock. The clinical presentations of these different diseases do not correlate with blood levels of cytokines. Additionally, there is poor correlation between the concentrations of different cytokines among the different diseases. Specifically, blood levels of IL-6 did not correlate with levels of IL-8, IL-10, or TNF. Septic shock had the highest concentrations of cytokines, yet multiple cytokine inhibitors have failed to demonstrate improved outcomes in multiple clinical trials. Patients with autoimmune diseases have very low blood levels of cytokines (rheumatoid arthritis, IL-6 = 34 pg/mL; Crohn's disease, IL-6 = 5 pg/mL), yet respond dramatically to cytokine inhibitors.

Conclusion:

The misleading term “cytokine storm” implies increased blood levels of cytokines are responsible for a grave clinical condition. Not all inflammatory conditions resulting in worsened disease states are correlated with significantly elevated cytokine levels, despite an association with the term “cytokine storm”. “Cytokine storm” should be removed from the medical lexicon since it does not reflect the mediators driving the disease nor does it predict which diseases will respond to cytokine inhibitors.
Tender Coconut Water Protects Mice From Ischemia-Reperfusion-Mediated Liver Injury and Secondary Lung Injury
Authors: Lakshmanan Jaganathan , Zhang Baochun , Wright Kalen , Motameni Amierreza T. , Herbst James L. , Harbrecht Brian G.
Published: March 2021

Organ injury by oxidative and inflammatory mediators occurs during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) of the liver. Remote organ injury secondary to liver I/R increases the systemic insult. Tender coconut water (TCW) has been studied in chemical and fructose-induced liver injury but its ability to decrease tissue injury in clinically relevant injury models is unknown. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of TCW in preventing liver I/R injury and associated remote organ injury. Mice were fed sugar water (SUG; control) or TCW for a week and then subjected to 60 min of liver ischemia followed by reperfusion for 6 h. Plasma alanine transaminase levels, tissue damage, and mRNA levels of Nos2, Tnf, and Il6 were significantly lower in mice fed TCW prior to I/R. Plasma cytokines followed liver cytokine patterns. TCW increased mRNA levels of the anti-oxidant genes Hmox1 and Ptgs2 in the liver of mice subjected to I/R. Remote lung injury from liver I/R was also decreased by TCW feeding as evident by less neutrophil infiltration, decreased pro-inflammatory Il6, and increased anti-inflammatory Il10 mRNA levels in the lung. To examine macrophage activation as a potential mechanism, TCW pretreatment decreased the amount of nitrite produced by RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated with LPS. The levels of Nos2, Il1b, Tnf, and Il6 were decreased while Il10 and Hmox1 mRNA levels were significantly up-regulated upon LPS stimulation of TCW pretreated RAW264.7 macrophages. Collectively, our results indicate that TCW decreased hepatic I/R-mediated damage to liver and lung and suggest that decreased macrophage activation contributes to this effect.
The Algorithm Examining the Risk of Massive Transfusion (ALERT) Score Accurately Predicts Massive Transfusion at the Scene of Injury and on Arrival to the Trauma Bay: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Chow Jonathan H. , Richards Justin E. , Galvagno Samuel M. , Coleman Patrick J. , Lankford Allison S. , Hendrix Cheralyn , Dunitz Jackson , Ibrahim Ikeoluwapo , Ghneim Mira , Tanaka Kenichi A. , Scalea Thomas M. , Mazzeffi Michael A. , Hu Peter
Published: March 2021

Background:

Massive transfusion (MT) is required to resuscitate traumatically injured patients with complex derangements. Scoring systems for MT typically require laboratory values and radiological imaging that may delay the prediction of MT.

Study Design:

The Trauma ALgorithm Examining the Risk of massive Transfusion (Trauma ALERT) study was an observational cohort study. Prehospital and admission ALERT scores were constructed with logistic regression of prehospital and admission vitals, and FAST examination results. Internal validation was performed with bootstrap analysis and cross-validation.

Results:

The development cohort included 2,592 patients. Seven variables were included in the prehospital ALERT score: systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), SpO2, motor Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and penetrating mechanism. Eight variables from 2,307 patients were included in the admission ALERT score: admission SBP, HR, RR, GCS score, temperature, FAST examination result, and prehospital SBP and DBP.

The area under the receiving operator characteristic curve for the prehospital and admission models were 0.754 (95% bootstrapped CI 0.735–0.794, P < 0.001) and 0.905 (95% bootstrapped CI 0.867–0.923, P < 0.001), respectively. The prehospital ALERT score had equivalent diagnostic accuracy to the ABC score (P = 0.97), and the admission ALERT score outperformed both the ABC and the prehospital ALERT scores (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

The prehospital and admission ALERT scores can accurately predict massive transfusion in trauma patients without the use of time-consuming laboratory studies, although prospective studies need to be performed to validate these findings. Early identification of patients who will require MT may allow for timely mobilization of scarce resources and could benefit patients by making blood products available for treating hemorrhagic shock.
Thrombin Generation Following Severe Trauma: Mechanisms, Modulators, and Implications for Hemostasis and Thrombosis
Authors: Cardenas Jessica C.
Published: March 2021

Thrombin is the central coagulation enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fibrinogen to form insoluble fibrin blood clots. In vivo, thrombin production results from the concerted effort of plasma enzymatic reactions with essential contributions from circulating and vessel wall cells. The relative amount of thrombin produced directly dictates the structure and stability of fibrin clots; therefore, sufficient thrombin generation is essential for normal hemostasis to occur. Examination of thrombin generation phenotypes among severely injury trauma patients reveals important relationships between the potential for generating thrombin and risks of bleeding and thrombotic complications. Thus, understanding determinants of thrombin generation following traumatic injury is of high clinical importance. This review will focus on patterns and mechanisms of thrombin generation in severely injured patients, the role of fluid resuscitation in modulating thrombin generation and implications for outcomes.
Covid-19 impact on Parkinson’s Disease patients treated by drugs or deep brain stimulation
Authors: Salari Mehri , Etemadifar Masoud , Zali Alireza , Aminzade Zahra , Farsinejad Parsa , Fateh Sepand Tehrani
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Covid-19 has affected all people, especially those with chronic diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Covid-19 may affect both motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms of PD patients. We intend to evaluate different aspects of Covid-19 impact on PD patients.

Methods

647 PD patients were evaluated in terms of PD-related and Covid-19-related clinical presentations in addition to past medical history during the pandemic through an online questioner. They were compared with an age-matched control group consist of 673 individuals and a sample of the normal population consist of 1215 individuals.

Results

The prevalence of Covid-19 in PD patients was 11.28%. The mortality was 1.23% among PD patients. The prevalence of Covid-19 in PD patients who undergone DBS was 18.18%. No significant association was found between the duration of disease and the prevalence of Covid-19. A statistically significant higher prevalence of Covid-19 in PD patients who had direct contact with SARS-CoV-19 infected individuals was found. No statistically significant association has been found between the worsening of motor symptoms and Covid-19. PD patients and the normal population may differ in the prevalence of some psychological disorders, including anxiety and sleeping disorders, and Covid-19 may affect the psychological status.

Conclusion

PD patients possibly follow tighter preventive protocols, which lead to lower prevalence and severity of Covid-19 and its consequences in these patients. Although it seems Covid-19 does not affect motor and psychological aspects of PD as much as it was expected, more accurate evaluations are suggested in order to clarify such effects.
Efficient Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Using Chimeric Antisense Oligonucleotides through RNase L Activation
Authors: Su Xiaoxuan , Ma Wenxiao , Cheng Boyang , Wang Qian , Guo Zefeng , Zhou Demin , Tang Xinjing
Published: March 2021

There is an urgent need for effective antiviral drugs to alleviate the current COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we rationally designed and developed chimeric antisense oligonucleotides to degrade envelope and spike RNAs of SARS-CoV-2. Each oligonucleotide comprises a 3’ antisense sequence for target recognition and a 5’-phosphorylated 2’-5’ poly(A)4 for guided ribonuclease L (RNase L) activation. Since RNase L can potently cleave single strand RNA during innate antiviral response, the improved degradation efficiency of chimeric oligonucleotides was twice as much as classic antisense oligonucleotides in Vero cells, for both SARS-CoV-2 RNA targets. In pseudovirus infection models, one of chimeric oligonucleotides targeting spike RNA achieved potent and broad-spectrum inhibition of both SARS-CoV-2 and its recently reported N501Y and/or ΔH69/ΔV70 mutants. These results showed that the constructed chimeric oligonucleotides could efficiently degrade pathogenic RNA of SARS-CoV-2 facilitated by immune activation, showing promising potentials as antiviral nucleic acid drugs for COVID-19.
A review on the interactions of robotic systems and lean principles in offsite construction
Authors: Gusmao Brissi Sara , Wong Chong Oscar , Debs Luciana , Zhang Jiansong
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The purpose is two-fold: (1) to explore the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction in the context of offsite construction (OC) that were addressed in the literature published between 2008 and 2019 and (2) to identify the gaps in such interactions while discussing how addressing those gaps can benefit not only OC but the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry as a whole.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a systematic literature review (SLR) identified journal papers addressing the interactions of automation and lean in OC. Then, the researchers focused the analysis on the under-researched subtopic of robotic systems. The focused analysis includes discussing the interactions identified in the SLR through a matrix of interactions and utilizing literature beyond the previously identified articles for future research directions on robotic systems and lean construction in OC.

Findings

The study found 35 journal papers that addressed automation and lean in the context of OC. Most of the identified literature focused on interactions of BIM and lean construction, while only nine focused on the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction. Identified literature related to robotic systems mainly addressed robots and automated equipment. Additional interactions were identified in the realm of wearable devices, unmanned aerial vehicles/automated guided vehicles and digital fabrication/computer numerical control (CNC) machines.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies dedicated to exploring the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction in OC. Also, it proposes a categorization for construction automation and a matrix of interactions between construction automation and lean construction.
Effets Potentiels de Court‐terme de la Pandémie de la COVID‐19 sur la Pauvreté dans les Pays de l'Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
Authors: Wonyra Kwami Ossadzifo , Lanie Tomgouani , Sanoussi Yacobou
Published: March 2021

Les conséquences socio‐économiques de la crise sanitaire liée à la COVID‐19 ont montré la nécessité de s'interroger sur les effets de cette crise sur les objectifs de développement comme la réduction de la pauvreté afin d'apporter aux décideurs les informations nécessaires pour la mise en œuvre des politiques efficaces. Dans cet article, nous apportons notre contribution à la littérature récente qui traite des effets de la COVID‐19 sur la pauvreté dans l'UEMOA. Nous avons estimé les effets potentiels de court‐terme de la COVID‐19 sur la pauvreté dans les pays de l'UEMOA suivant trois scénarios de réduction du revenu des ménages de 5%; 10% et 25% et en utilisant l'outil PovcalNet. Les résultats montrent que l'incidence de la pauvreté pourrait augmenter dans les pays de l'UEMOA et la dynamique de réduction de la pauvreté observée depuis les années 2000 risque d'être ébranlée par la pandémie. En effet, le nombre de nouveaux pauvres dans l'Union pourrait s'établir entre 4 et 21 millions au seuil de pauvreté de 1,9 $US. Cette situation qui constitue une véritable menace à l'élimination de la pauvreté d'ici 2030 est plus accentuée dans certains pays comme le Sénégal, la Côte d'Ivoire et le Bénin.
The role of Dock2 on macrophage migration and functions during Citrobacter rodentium infection
Authors: Ji L , Chen Y , Xie L , Liu Z
Published: March 2021

Dedicator of cytokinesis 2 (Dock2), an atypical guanine exchange factor, is specifically expressed on immune cells and mediates cell adhesion and migration by activating Rac and regulates actin cytoskeleton remodeling. It plays a crucial role in the migration, formation of immune synapses, cell proliferation, activation of T and B lymphocytes and chemotaxis of pDCs and neutrophils. However, in-vivo physiological functions of Dock2 have been relatively seldom studied. Our previous studies showed that Dock2−/− mice were highly susceptible to colitis induced by Citrobacter rodentium infection, and in early infection, Dock2−/− mice had defects in macrophage migration. However, the specific roles of Dock2 in the migration and functions of macrophages are not clear. In this study, we found that the expression of chemokines such as chemokine (C-C motif) ligand (CCL)4 and CCL5 and chemokine receptors such as chemokine (C-C motif) receptor (CCR)4 and CCR5 in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) of Dock2−/− mice decreased after infection, which were supported by the in-vivo infection experimental results; the Transwell experiment results showed that Dock2−/− BMDM had a defect in chemotaxis. The bacterial phagocytic and bactericidal experiment results also showed that Dock2−/− BMDM had the defects of bacterial phagocytosis and killing. Furthermore, the adoptive transfer of wild-type BMDM alleviated the susceptibility of Dock2−/− mice to C. rodentium infection. Our results show that Dock2 affects migration and phagocytic and bactericidal ability of macrophages by regulating the expression of chemokines, chemokine receptors and their responses to chemokine stimulation, thus playing an essential role in the host defense against enteric bacterial infection.
Prevalence of left atrial thrombus by real time three‐dimensional echocardiography in patients undergoing electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: A contemporary cohort study
Authors: Bursi Francesca , Santangelo Gloria , Ferrante Giulia , Massironi Laura , Carugo Stefano
Published: March 2021

Background

The prevalence of left atrial thrombi in patients scheduled for electrical cardioversion (ECV) of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unknown in contemporary real‐life practice.

Methods and Results

Patients scheduled for ECV underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) regardless of AF duration and type of anticoagulant. Of 277 consecutive patients (65% men, mean age 71 ± 10 years, CHA2DS2‐VASc 3.1 ± 1.4), 92 were on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and 99 on antivitamin K (AVK) oral agents for at least 3 weeks before and 4 after ECV. Eighty‐five patients with paroxysmal AF on low‐molecular‐weight heparin were also considered. Real time three‐dimensional TEE detected left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in 7% of patients, without significant difference among three groups (P = .334). Anticoagulation was ineffective in eight patients on AVK oral agents, two of them had thrombus. Eight patients assumed incorrectly DOACs, four of them had thrombus. Among the 175 patients on effective anticoagulation, five showed thrombus, three on AVK oral agents, and two on DOACs (P = .716). Effective anticoagulation was associated with reduced risk of thrombosis (OR: 0.16, 95%CI: 0.06‐0.45, P = .001). In patients with correct anticoagulation, predictors of thrombus were CHA2DS2VASc (for each point of increment OR: 1.97, 95%CI: 1.08‐3.61, P = .029), low left ventricular ejection fraction (OR: 0.92, 95%CI: 0.86‐0.99, P = .026), and degree of spontaneous echo‐contrast (for each point increase OR: 10, 95%CI: 2‐39, P < .0001).

Conclusion

Patients with AF, on effective anticoagulation, had a prevalence of thrombus not negligible regardless of type of anticoagulant. TEE is prudent before ECV and mandatory if unsuccessful anticoagulation is proved or suspected.
Transformative Education
Authors: Paul L. A. , Quiggin John
Published: March 2021

Universities aspire to offer students a transformative experience, but rarely spell out the nature of this transformation. In this essay, L. A. Paul and John Quiggin frame the successful university education as transformative in the philosophical sense. They explain the way that a successful college education can be understood as generating an individual conceptual revolution, and thus, as a transformative experience. Education can create epistemically transformative change through the process of developing critical thinking skills, leading to conceptual replacement and the discovery of new intellectual frameworks. This epistemic transformation, if deep enough, scales up into a personal transformation. After explicating the nature and structure of transformative education, Paul and Quiggin show how understanding transformation in terms of personal change and awareness of unawareness clarifies the debate over its value.
Physiological determinants of biogeography: The importance of metabolic depression to heat tolerance
Authors: Liao Ming‐ling , Li Gao‐yang , Wang Jie , Marshall David J. , Hui Tin Yan , Ma Shu‐yang , Zhang Yi‐min , Helmuth Brian , Dong Yun‐wei
Published: March 2021

A quantitative understanding of physiological thermal responses is vital for forecasting species distributional shifts in response to climate change. Many studies have focused on metabolic rate as a global metric for analyzing the sublethal effects of changing environments on physiology. Thermal performance curves (TPCs) have been suggested as a viable analytical framework, but standard TPCs may not fully capture physiological responses, due in part to failure to consider the process of metabolic depression. We derived a model based on the nonlinear regression of biological temperature‐dependent rate processes and built a heart rate data set for 26 species of intertidal molluscs distributed from 33°S to ~40°N. We then calculated physiological thermal performance limits with continuous heating using , the temperature at which heart rate is decreased to 50% of the maximal rate, as a more realistic measure of upper thermal limits. Results indicate that heat‐induced metabolic depression of cardiac performance is a common adaptive response that allows tolerance of harsh environments. Furthermore, our model accounted for the high inter‐individual variability in the shape of cardiac TPCs. We then used these TPCs to calculate physiological thermal safety margins (pTSM), the difference between the maximal operative temperature (95th percentile of field temperatures) and of each individual. Using pTSMs, we developed a physiological species distribution model (pSDM) to forecast future geographic distributions. pSDM results indicate that climate‐induced species range shifts are potentially less severe than predicted by a simple correlative SDM. Species with metabolic depression below the optimum temperature will be more thermal resistant at their warm trailing edges. High intraspecific variability further suggests that models based on species‐level vulnerability to environmental change may be problematic. This multi‐scale, mechanistic understanding that incorporates metabolic depression and inter‐individual variability in thermal response enables better predictions about the relationship between thermal stress and species distributions.
Identification of CD56dim subpopulation marked with high expression of GZMB/PRF1/PI‐9 in CD56+ interferon‐α‐induced dendritic cells
Authors: Watanabe Asuka , Togi Misa , Koya Terutsugu , Taniguchi Makoto , Sakamoto Takuya , Iwabuchi Kuniyoshi , Kato Tomohisa , Shimodaira Shigetaka
Published: March 2021

As the sentinels of innate and adaptive immune system, dendritic cells (DCs) have been considered to hold a great promise for medical application. Among the diverse types of DCs, monocyte‐derived DCs (mo‐DCs) generated in vitro have been most commonly employed. We have been improving the culture protocol and devised a protocol to produce mature interferon‐α‐induced DCs (IFN‐DCs), hereinafter called (mat)IFN‐DCs. While exploring the relationship between the expression of CD56 and the cytotoxic activity of (mat)IFN‐DCs, we unexpectedly found that sorting of (mat)IFN‐DCs with CD56 antibody‐coated microbeads (MB) resulted in fractionating cells with tumoricidal activity into the flow‐through (FT) but not MB‐bound fraction. We uncovered that the FT fraction contains cells expressing low but substantial level of CD56. Moreover, those cells express granzyme B (GrB), perforin (PFN), and serpin B9 at high levels. By employing a specific inhibitor of PFN, we confirmed that direct tumoricidal activity relies on the GrB/PFN pathway. We designated subpopulation in FT fraction as CD56dim and that in CD56 positively sorted fraction as CD56bright, respectively. This is the first time, to our knowledge, to identify subpopulations of CD56‐positive IFN‐DCs with distinct tumoricidal activity which is ascribed to high expression of the components of GrB/PFN pathway.
Retracted: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Psychological Distress, and Fathering Behaviors
Authors: Shafer Kevin , Easton Scott D.
Published: March 2021

Objective

This study examines the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), internalized and externalized psychological distress, and six measures of parenting behavior among fathers in the United States.

Background

Prior research on ACEs and parenting has focused almost exclusively on mothers, specific types of childhood adversity, and the intergenerational transmission of abuse, neglect, and other traumatic experiences. This study extends the literature by considering ACEs in fathers, using a multidimensional measure of ACEs, and multiple measures of positive and negative fathering behavior.

Method

Using the ecological model of father involvement, this study is based on a national sample of more than 2,000 fathers with children between 2 and 18 years old in the United States. Seemingly unrelated regression models were used to analyze the relationship between ACEs and each fathering behavior, with two measures of psychological distress included as mediators of this relationship.

Results

ACEs are significantly associated with both internalized and externalized psychological distress. Experiencing multiple ACEs was negatively associated with paternal warmth, engagement, caregiving, and father–child relationship quality. Multiple ACEs were also positively associated with the use of harsh discipline. High ACE scores were mediated by internalized distress for five fathering behaviors and by externalized distress for warmth and harsh discipline.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of ACEs and psychological distress for fathering. These results have implications for future research and public health approaches to childhood trauma.
Shift‐to‐shift nursing handover interventions associated with improved inpatient outcomes—Falls, pressure injuries and medication administration errors: An integrative review
Authors: Hada Adriana , Coyer Fiona
Published: March 2021

The aim of this integrative review was to identify which nursing handover interventions were associated with improved patient outcomes, specifically patients’ falls, pressure injuries and medication administration errors, in the hospital setting. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement was used to guide the review. A systematic search of seven electronic databases was conducted, and retrieved articles were assessed by two independent reviewers. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings of this review indicate that improvements in handover communication had a clinically important positive effect on patient outcomes. Across the studies, reductions in falls varied from 9.3 to 80%, pressure injuries from 45 to 75%, and medication errors from 11.1 to greater than 50%. This review highlights that the implementation of bedside nursing handover and the adoption of standardized handover tools to improve nursing handover communication reduce patient adverse events, specifically falls, pressure injuries, and medication errors. These findings should be considered by clinicians to inform their clinical handover practice.
Valvular changes after aortic valve neo‐cuspidization in children: A case series
Authors: Watanabe Fumio , Go Kiyotaka , Kojima Taiki
Published: March 2021

Background

Aortic valve neo‐cuspidization (AVNeo), a procedure wherein the aortic valve is reconstructed utilizing an autologous pericardium, has recently been more commonly performed in children. However, the postoperative morphological changes in the aortic valve of pediatric patients remain unknown. The current study aimed to describe the intraoperative and postoperative findings of aortic regurgitation (AR) and stenosis (AS) after AVNeo in children.

Methods

This case series describes the morphological changes in AR and AS, and their severity, between the perioperative period and 3 months postoperative period after AVNeo in children (<18 years) who underwent AVNeo between April 2016 and March 2020. Data were collected at two measurement points: (i) intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (io‐TEE); (ii) postoperative transthoracic echocardiography 3 months after the procedure (po‐TTE).

Results

Seven patients were included in this case series. The number of postoperative AR sites and the ratio of AR jet area to the left ventricular outflow tract area showed a tendency to decrease between io‐TEE and po‐TTE. All AR sites were integrated during the postoperative period. One patient identified developed intraoperative AS, which maintained its severity after AVNeo.

Conclusions

Most cases exhibited spontaneous improvement in AR, while one developed postoperative AS. Further prospective investigation is, therefore, needed to explore surgical outcomes following AVNeo among children.
Implementation of DFA in Conceptual and Embodiment Design Using Decision Support Problems
Authors: Simpson Timothy W. , Bauer Matthew D. , Allen Janet K. , Mistree Farrokh
Published: March 2021

How can Design for Assembly be implemented when the conceptual form of a product being designed is known but the information defining its physical form is vague and incomplete? In this paper, we answer the preceding question from a decision-based perspective. Specifically, we adapt Boothroyd and Dewhurst’s Design for Assembly method for use in conceptual and embodiment design. We achieve this adaptation through the use of Decision Support Problems, and we illustrate our adaptation through an example, namely, the design of an aircraft evacuation system. Our emphasis in this paper is on presenting the conceptual framework used to make suitable Boothroyd and Dewhurst’s Design for Assembly to conceptual design and not the numerical results per se.
Concurrent Subspace Optimization Using Design Variable Sharing in a Distributed Computing Environment
Authors: Wujek Brett A. , Renaud John E. , Batill Stephen M. , Brockman Jay B.
Published: March 2021

This paper reviews recent implementation advances and modifications in the continued development of a Concurrent Subspace Optimization (CSSO) algorithm for Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO). The CSSO-MDO algorithm implemented in this research incorporates a Coordination Procedure of System Approximation (CP-SA) for design updates. Implementation studies detail the use of a new discipline based decomposition strategy which provides for design variable sharing across discipline design regimes (i.e., subspaces). The algorithm is implemented in a distributed computing environment, providing for concurrent discipline design. Implementation studies introduce a new multidisciplinary design test problem, the optimal design of a high performance, low cost structural system. A graphical user interface is developed which provides for menu driven execution and results display; this new programming environment highlights the modularity of the algorithm. Significant time savings are observed when using distributed computing for concurrent design across disciplines. The use of design variable sharing across disciplines does not introduce any difficulties in implementation as the design update in the CSSO-MDO algorithm is generated in the coordination procedure of system approximation (CP-SA).
Integration of the Response Surface Methodology With the Compromise Decision Support Problem in Developing a General Robust Design Procedure
Authors: Chen Wei , Tsui Kwok-Leung , Allen Janet K. , Mistree Farrokh
Published: March 2021

In this paper we introduce a comprehensive and rigorous robust design procedure to overcome some limitations of the current approaches. A comprehensive approach is general enough to model the two major types of robust design applications, namely,

• robust design associated with the minimization of the deviation of performance caused by the deviation of noise factors (uncontrollable parameters), AND

• robust design due to the minimization of the deviation of performance caused by the deviation of control factors (design variables).

We achieve mathematical rigor by using, as a foundation, principles from the design of experiments and optimization. Specifically, we integrate the Response Surface Method (RSM) with the compromise Decision Support Problem (DSP). Our approach is especially useful for design problems where there are no closed-form solutions and system performance is computationally expensive to evaluate. The design of a solar powered irrigation system is used as an example. Our focus in this paper is on illustrating our approach rather than on the results per se.
Design-in-Modularity With Conceptual Robustness
Authors: Chang Tzyy-Shuh , Ward Allen C.
Published: March 2021

Modular design can be achieved by taking the variations of the surrounding components as conceptual noise and designing the part to be conceptually robust. Design-in-modularity, which has demonstrated its success in electrical/electronic industry, receives less attention in the other engineering disciplines. Previous work focuses on descriptive discussions as well as coding and classifying designs based on product features; none has outlined a design method for modular design. This paper articulates a procedure for design-in-modularity based on the idea of conceptual robustness. We claim that, by properly defining the conceptual noise, the conceptually robust design is the modular design. Issues on how to generate the minimum number of modular designs for a given set of systems are included. An algorithmic procedure is outlined for the practitioners to follow. This paper also discusses future research issues in this new research area of interest. The entire concept is illustrated by an example.
Analysis of Barriers to Control of Manipulators Within Accessible Output Sets
Authors: Haug Edward J. , Adkins Frederick A. , Qiu Chaoxin Charles , Yen Jeng
Published: March 2021

Barriers to output control of manipulators, both in the interior and at the boundary of accessible output sets, are analyzed using first and second order Taylor approximations of the output in selected directions as functions of manipulator input. The formulation is valid for both planar and spatial manipulators, with open chain and closed loop structures, and accounts for the effects of unilateral constraints on the range of admissible control inputs. Criteria defining curves and surfaces associated with singular output control of manipulators are extended to define normals to such curves and surfaces. It is shown that output velocity in the direction normal to such curves and surfaces must be zero, so they arc barriers to velocity control in the associated manipulator configuration. Second order Taylor expansion of normal output with respect to input parameters yields quantitative information regarding barriers to output position control. Definiteness properties of the resulting quadratic approximation define directions of admissible and inadmissible outputs. Algorithms for automatically computing the associated quadratic forms and eigenvalues that determine their definiteness properties are presented and illustrated using planar examples.
A Parallel Multi-Attribute Transformation Model of Design
Authors: McMahon Chris A. , Xianyi Meng , Brown Ken N. , Sims Williams Jon H.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a model of the engineering design process as sequences of transformations between states of the information models describing the design, the functional requirements on which it is based, and the constraints in which it is defined. The design itself is considered to be described by explicit attributes which are the definitive or descriptive properties which affect the manufacture of the object, and implicit, properties which are judgements, performance-related assessments, or emergent properties. The paper first considers the required characteristics of a design model and reviews the use of transformation in design. It then presents an overall transformation model followed by an overview of the use of Petri nets for modelling the detail of the processes.
Representation of Design Object Based on the Functional Evolution Process Model
Authors: Shimomura Yoshiki , Takeda Hideaki , Yoshioka Masaharu , Umeda Yasushi , Tomiyama Tetsuo
Published: March 2021

One of the crucial issues for developing computer aided conceptual design system is representation of functions which represent designers’ intention. Representing functions is also crucial not only for representing design objects but also for describing conceptual design processes, in which designers operate mainly functional concepts. Namely, function is a key concept to integrate object modeling and process modeling in design.

In this paper, first we extend the FBS (Function-Behavior-State) diagram, which we have already proposed, by introducing three additional concepts for representing a function; namely, function body that represents designers’ intention directly, function modifier that qualifies a function body, and objective entity on which the function body occurs. This extended FBS diagram, called FBS/m (modifier) diagram, enables us to represent designers’ intention more precisely than the original FBS diagram. Then, we propose an FEP (Functional Evolution Process) model to represent design processes. In the FEP model, the FBS model of a design object is evolved through three steps, i.e., functional actualization, functional evaluation and functional operation. Functional actualization depicts a process to obtain physical descriptions from functional description. Functional evaluation is a process to measure realizability of functions of the design object. Functional operation is a process to operate functions to improve the design. Based on the FEP model, we analyze some actual design processes, and show that the FEP model is suitable for representing designers’ intention along with design processes.
A Virtual Environment for Interactive Assembly Planning and Evaluation
Authors: Kuehne Robert P. , Oliver James H.
Published: March 2021

An interactive synthetic environment is presented which allows direct use of geometric component models and hierarchical assembly data in assembly planning and evaluation. The system allows the human designer to exploit inherent knowledge of assembly ordering, design parallelism, and other assembly factors to evaluate and visualize candidate assembly plans. The designer interacts with both geometric and abstract representations of the assembly using virtual environment peripherals such as a head-coupled display, six-degree-of-freedom trackers, and an instrumented glove. The system addresses several problems inherent in algorithmic assembly planning.
A Numerical Investigation of Phase-Locked and Chaotic Behavior of Coupled Van Der Pol Oscillators
Authors: Reinhall Per G. , Storti Duane W.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents the results of numerical simulations of the dynamics of a pair of linearly coupled van der Pol oscillators. A four-dimensional parameter space (including the displacement and velocity coupling strengths and the detuning in addition to the usual non-linearity parameter of the uncoupled van der Pol oscillator) is explored. In addition to corroboration of analytical results for the existence and stability of the in-phase and out-of-phase modes, regions in the parameter space are obtained where stable phase-locked motions exist with phase differences other than 0° or 180°. The dependence of stable phase lag on parameter values is presented for representative portions of the parameter space. A region is also located where trajectories are obtained which provide the first evidence of chaotic behavior and strange at tractors in this system of unforced non-conservative oscillators.
Identification of Structural Dynamics Models Using Wavelet-Generated Impulse Response Data
Authors: Robertson A. N. , Park K. C. , Alvin K. F.
Published: March 2021

This paper addresses the use of discrete wavelet tranforms for the identification of structural dynamics models. First, the discrete temporal impulse response functions are obtained from vibration records by the discrete wavelet transforms (DWTs), which are then utilized for system realizations. From the realized state space models, structural modes, mode shapes and damping parameters are extracted. Attention has been focused on a careful comparison of the present DWT system identification approach to the FFT-based approach and a rational criterion for truncating realized singular values. Numerical examples demonstrate that the present DWT-based structural system identification procedure outperforms the FFT-based procedure.
The Landweber Iteration for an Inverse Scattering Problem
Authors: Hanke Martin , Hettlich Frank , Scherzer Otmar
Published: March 2021

A Landweber iteration scheme is presented for the numerical solution of an inverse obstacle problem. The method uses a recently obtained characterization of the Fréchet derivative of the far field operator and its adjoint. The performance of the method is illustrated by some numerical examples. Some theoretical aspects are pointed out to motivate the use of nonlinear Landweber iteration.
Effective Antibacterial and Antihemolysin Activities of Ellipticine Hydrochloride against Streptococcus suis in a Mouse Model
Authors: Wang Chenchen , Lu Hao , Liu Manli , Wang Gaoyan , Li Xiaodan , Lu Wenjia , Dong Wenqi , Wang Xiangru , Chen Huanchun , Tan Chen
Published: March 2021

In recent years, the inappropriate use of antibiotics has unnecessarily caused the continuous emergence of resistant bacteria. The antimicrobial resistance of
Streptococcus suis
has also become an increasingly serious problem.