bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pollination of a bee‐dependent forb in restored prairie: no evidence of pollen limitation in landscapes dominated by row crop agriculture
Authors: Ritchie Alan D. , Lane Ian G. , Cariveau Daniel P.
Published: March 2020

Restoration is used to conserve biodiversity; however, it is unclear to what extent restoration impacts ecosystem functions. Pollination is an ecosystem function that is critical to plant reproduction and thus restoration success. Few studies have assessed whether pollination is restored within restoration areas themselves. Plant–animal interactions may be affected by factors beyond the scale of the restoration. For example, surrounding landscape context may influence pollinator abundance and consequently the amount of pollen deposited. Decreased pollen receipt might then limit seed set. We hypothesized that in restorations surrounded by more agriculture, pollinator‐dependent forbs would experience greater pollen limitation. This would likely be due to declines in pollinator abundance within the restorations with an increase in surrounding agriculture. We deployed potted Chamaecrista fasciculata (Fabaceae), an obligatorily bee‐pollinated forb, and sampled bee communities in restored prairies in Minnesota, U.S.A. We measured pollen limitation by comparing seed set among open and supplementally pollinated plants. We also sampled native bees in seven of the eight sites. We tested for a relationship between proportion row crop agriculture (corn and soy) surrounding a restoration and pollen limitation, as well as an effect of agriculture on bee abundance. We did not find evidence that increasing proportion of surrounding agriculture negatively affected pollen limitation or bee abundance. Our results indicate that greater surrounding agriculture may not influence pollination of C. fasciculata through declines in pollinator availability, and suggest for some plants that landscape context might not limit pollination in restorations.
Testimonial Injustice and a Case for Mindful Epistemology
Authors: Maitra Keya
Published: March 2020

In her 2007 book Epistemic Injustice Miranda Fricker identifies testimonial injustice as a case where a hearer assigns lower credibility to a speaker due to “identity prejudice.” Fricker considers testimonial injustice as a form of epistemic injustice since it wrongs the speaker “in her capacity as a knower.” Fricker recommends developing the virtue of “testimonial justice” to address testimonial injustice. She takes this virtue to involve training in a “distinctly reflexive critical social awareness.” The main goal of this article is to argue that Fricker's proposed training falls short of the target and that a cultivation of the capacity of being present—the ability to be mindful—would be necessary to develop the critical social awareness that Fricker requires. I want to explore the impact of compassion and open‐mindedness—virtues cultivated in mindfulness training—on testimonial justice specifically and virtue epistemology generally. In attempting to develop an epistemic account informed by mindfulness—a mindful epistemology—my primary goal is to bring Buddhist insights on how to anchor the mind by training it to be fully present and attentive into the focus of mainstream Western philosophy. More specifically, I argue that doing so allows us to appreciate the crucial role that a prediscursive level of cultivation plays in the development of testimonial justice.
The Epistemology of Justice
Authors: Anderson Elizabeth
Published: March 2020

In arguing about justice, different sides often accept common moral principles, but reach different conclusions about justice because they disagree about facts. I argue that motivated reasoning, epistemic injustice, and ideologies of injustice support unjust institutions by entrenching distorted representations of the world. Working from a naturalistic conception of justice as a kind of social contract, I suggest some strategies for discovering what justice demands by counteracting these biases. Moral sentiments offer vital resources to this end.
“What if There's Something Wrong with Her?”‐How Biomedical Technologies Contribute to Epistemic Injustice in Healthcare
Authors: Reynolds Joel Michael
Published: March 2020

While there is a steadily growing literature on epistemic injustice in healthcare, there are few discussions of the role that biomedical technologies play in harming patients in their capacity as knowers. Through an analysis of newborn and pediatric genetic and genomic sequencing technologies (GSTs), I argue that biomedical technologies can lead to epistemic injustice through two primary pathways: epistemic capture and value partitioning. I close by discussing the larger ethical and political context of critical analyses of GSTs and their broader implications for just and equitable healthcare delivery.
Identification of the novel HLA‐DRB1*09:40 allele in a Chinese individual
Authors: Chen Nanying , He Yizhen , Wang Wei , He Ji , Zhu Faming
Published: March 2020

HLA‐DRB1*09:40 differs from HLA‐DRB1*09:01:02:01 by one nucleotide substitution at position 214(G>A).
Growing interreligious and intercultural competence in the classroom
Authors: Lindsay Jenn
Published: March 2020

Building on various models for intercultural and interreligious competence (IC/IR competence), this essay argues that classroom learning about religious and cultural diversity will engage students' “sociological imaginations” and lead to increased IC/IR competence. The current strategy for increasing intercultural competence (attitude, skills and knowledge, to be developed in that order) does not reflect best practices for educating about social difference. Instead, knowledge acquisition about other cultures and religions is the “front line” task for increasing alterity competence, and the liberal arts classroom can represent a “safe space” for learning about cultural and religious differences in a depersonalized, sociological manner. Supporting this argument are self‐assessments of IC/IR competence collected from primarily European and white American students enrolled in “Religions of the World” or “Intercultural Communications,” allowing an analysis of IC/IR competence in light of the two distinct disciplines and contributing valuable data toward a broader theory of IC/IR pedagogy.
Parvovirus B19 infection in sickle cell disease: An analysis from the Centers for Disease Control haemoglobinopathy blood surveillance project
Authors: Majumdar Suvankar , Bean Christopher J. , De Staercke Christine , Bost James , Nickel Robert , Coates Thomas , Campbell Andrew , Thompson Alexis
Published: March 2020

Objective

In the multicentre Haemoglobinopathy Blood Surveillance Project, to evaluate the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 and DNA viral load in sickle cell disease (SCD).

Background

Although the epidemiology of parvovirus B19 seropositivity in SCD has been well documented, there are few studies that have assessed possible persistent parvovirus DNAemia and associated risk factors including blood transfusion.

Methods

A qualitative analysis of parvovirus B19 serology using ELISA and quantitative parvovirus B19 DNA by RT‐PCR was performed in patients with SCD.

Results

Of 322 patients, 113 (35%) were parvovirus IgG positive and 119 (37%) were IgM positive at enrolment. The prevalence of IgG positivity increased with age. 71/322 (22%) were parvovirus DNA positive at enrolment with a mean viral load of 15 227 ± 55 227 SD. (range 72‐329 238 IU/mL). Patients who were positive for parvovirus B19 DNA received a significantly higher red blood cell transfusion volume in the prior year compared to patients who were negative (mean RBC volume = 8310 mL vs 5435 mL, respectively; P = .0073). Seventy‐seven patients had follow‐up testing approximately 1 year after enrolment and 11/28 (39%) patients had persistently positive IgM.

Conclusion

Further studies are needed to better understand the natural history of parvovirus B19 infection in SCD especially in relation to RBC transfusion as a risk factor, as well as disease outcome and severity.
Editors' Review and Introduction: Learning Grammatical Structures: Developmental, Cross‐Species, and Computational Approaches
Authors: ten Cate Carel , Gervain Judit , Levelt Clara C. , Petkov Christopher I. , Zuidema Willem
Published: March 2020

Human languages all have a grammar, that is, rules that determine how symbols in a language can be combined to create complex meaningful expressions. Despite decades of research, the evolutionary, developmental, cognitive, and computational bases of grammatical abilities are still not fully understood. “Artificial Grammar Learning” (AGL) studies provide important insights into how rules and structured sequences are learned, the relevance of these processes to language in humans, and whether the cognitive systems involved are shared with other animals. AGL tasks can be used to study how human adults, infants, animals, or machines learn artificial grammars of various sorts, consisting of rules defined typically over syllables, sounds, or visual items. In this introduction, we distill some lessons from the nine other papers in this special issue, which review the advances made from this growing body of literature. We provide a critical synthesis, identify the questions that remain open, and recognize the challenges that lie ahead. A key observation across the disciplines is that the limits of human, animal, and machine capabilities have yet to be found. Thus, this interdisciplinary area of research firmly rooted in the cognitive sciences has unearthed exciting new questions and venues for research, along the way fostering impactful collaborations between traditionally disconnected disciplines that are breaking scientific ground.
Preoperative transfusion versus no transfusion policy in sickle cell disease patients: a randomized trial
Authors: Elshinawy Mohamed , Al Marhoobi Nada , Al Abri Rashid , Nazir Hanan F. , Khater Doaa , Maktoom Manar , Al‐Rawas Abdulhakim , Mevada Surekha T. , Elghamry Islam , Wali Yasser
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

Many children with sickle cell disease (SCD) indicated for adenotonsillectomy receive pre‐operative transfusion therapy, either simple or exchange transfusion, in order to reduce surgical and sickle cell disease‐related complications.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This is a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial aiming to compare between preoperative simple transfusion and no transfusion in pediatric patients with sickle SCD admitted in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman for adenotonsillectomy during the period from January 2014 through June 2018. They were randomly assigned into two arms (simple transfusion and no transfusion).

RESULTS

Postoperative SCD‐related complications have been encountered in 6 out of 138 patients (4.3%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two studied groups as regards the development of surgical or SCD‐related complications (p = 0.6 and 0.8 respectively). The length of postoperative hospital stay was comparable in the two groups. (p = 0.607). SCD‐related complications occurred exclusively in cases with homozygous sickle anemia (4 out of 81 = 4.9%).

CONCLUSION

Sickle cell disease patients with a hemoglobin level above 7.5 g/dL do not need PRBCs transfusion prior to adenotonsillectomy. This approach did not increase the risk of postoperative surgical or SCD‐related complications.
Racing performance after surgical repair of medial condylar fracture of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone in thoroughbred racehorses
Authors: Boorman Sophie , Richardson Dean W. , Hogan Patricia M. , Stefanovski Darko , Levine David G.
Published: March 2020

Objective

To report the performance of thoroughbred racehorses after surgical repair of a medial condylar fracture of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Sample population

Forty‐three horses surgically treated for medial condylar fractures, 30 with previous racing experience, 13 without previous racing experience (nonexperienced).

Methods

Medical records (2009‐2017) were reviewed for signalment, radiographic fracture characteristics, repair technique, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Each experienced horse was matched with two horses randomly selected from its most recent race to serve as healthy controls. Racing performance parameters (race rating, competitive level, speed rating, performance index) and career racing statistics were compared with multiple regression models between injured experienced horses and controls. The career racing statistics for nonexperienced horses were evaluated. Reasons for nonreturn to racing were obtained.

Results

The median duration of follow‐up was 6 years (minimum 2, maximum 10). Twenty‐one of 43 (49%) horses raced again as well as 18 of 30 (60%) experienced horses and three of 13 (23%) nonexperienced horses. Experienced horses were five times more likely than nonexperienced horses to return to racing (95% confidence interval = 0.07‐0.58,P = .003). Higher preoperative racing performance parameters were associated with return to racing. Racing performance parameters were lower after the date of fracture in injured horses compared with controls.

Conclusion

Experienced horses were more likely to return to racing after medial condylar fracture repair, although their performance was generally lower than that of comparably uninjured horses.

Clinical significance

Owners should be aware that horses with medial condylar fractures likely will race at a lower level than their uninjured peers.
Acoustic metamaterial capsule for reduction of stage machinery noise
Authors: Melnikov Anton , Maeder Marcus , Friedrich Niklas , Pozhanka Yan , Wollmann Alexander , Scheffler Michael , Oberst Sebastian , Powell David , Marburg Steffen
Published: March 2020

Noise mitigation of stage machinery can be quite demanding and requires innovative solutions. In this work, an acoustic metamaterial capsule is proposed to reduce the noise emission of several stage machinery drive trains, while still allowing the ventilation required for cooling. The metamaterial capsule consists of c-shape meta-atoms, which have a simple structure that facilitates manufacturing. Two different metamaterial capsules are designed, simulated, manufactured, and experimentally validated that utilize an ultra-sparse and air-permeable reflective meta-grating. Both designs demonstrate transmission loss peaks that effectively suppress gear mesh noise or other narrow band noise sources. The ventilation by natural convection was numerically verified, and was shown to give adequate cooling, whereas a conventional sound capsule would lead to overheating. The noise spectra of three common stage machinery drive trains are numerically modelled, enabling one to design meta-gratings and determine their noise suppression performance. The results fulfill the stringent stage machinery noise limits, highlighting the benefit of using metamaterial capsules of simple c-shape structure.
Active structural acoustic control using an experimentally identified radiation resistance matrix
Authors: Milton Joseph , Cheer Jordan , Daley Steve
Published: March 2020

Active structural acoustic control (ASAC) is a widely used active noise control technique that provides control of structurally radiated noise through actuation of the radiating structure. Typically, ASAC drives structural actuators to minimise a real-time measurement of the radiated sound field. However, it is often not practical to position error microphones in the radiated sound field. To overcome this limitation, a number of methods have previously been proposed. One such method utilises the radiation resistance matrix to map structural response measurements to the acoustic response and, thus, enable an estimate of the structurally radiated sound power from structural measurements alone. This has previously relied upon precise modelling of the radiating structure which, for practical structures, can lead to limitations in the accuracy of the estimate. In this paper, an ASAC strategy that utilises an experimentally identified radiation resistance matrix is presented. The robustness of both the sound power estimation and the ASAC controller to system uncertainties is investigated, and it has been shown that the proposed ASAC strategy is able to achieve effective control of the radiated sound power.
Variations of the Herschel–Bulkley exponent reflecting contributions of the viscous continuous phase to the shear rate-dependent stress of soft glassy materials
Authors: Caggioni Marco , Trappe Veronique , Spicer Patrick T.
Published: March 2020

We explore the flow behavior of concentrated emulsions for which the viscosity of the continuous phase can be significantly varied by changing the temperature. The exponents obtained by fitting the shear rate-dependent stress with the popular Herschel–Bulkley (HB) model display a systematic dependence on the viscosity of the continuous phase, revealing that viscous dissipation via the suspending fluid cannot be neglected in the description of the flow behavior of soft glassy systems. We thus propose a simple constitutive equation that accounts for three distinct dissipation mechanisms: elastic, plastic, and viscous dissipation. This three component model describes the flow behavior of soft glassy materials as accurately as the HB model, albeit maintaining a clear physical insight into the dissipation processes at work.
The Darcytron: A pressure-imposed device to probe the frictional transition in shear-thickening suspensions
Authors: Clavaud Cécile , Metzger Bloen , Forterre Yoël
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we present a new device called the Darcytron, allowing pressure-imposed rheological measurements on dense suspensions made of very small particles, like shear-thickening suspensions. The main idea is to impose and control the particle pressure using a vertical Darcy flow across the settled bed of particles. We first validate the proof of concept of the Darcytron on a standard (nonshear-thickening) suspension composed of large glass particles. We then use this new device to investigate the frictional behavior of a model shear-thickening suspension composed of small silica particles. These results provide direct evidence of a transition between a frictionless and a frictional state as the particle pressure is increased, providing support to the recent frictional transition scenario for shear thickening.
Controversial Topics in the Classroom: Debates on Ethical Issues in Sport
Authors: Shreffler Megan B.
Published: March 2020

A number of benefits have been associated with discussing controversial topics in the classroom. In this article, the author provides an example of using classroom debates on controversial issues in sport as a learning method in an introductory sport management class. Students were assigned to a side of a topic on which they did not agree. This required them to critically think about their stance and seek information to understand why others might feel the way they do. After the debate, students completed a debate reaction paper in which they outlined their opinions not only about the topic but also about the process.
Prevalence of critically endangered European eel (
Anguilla anguilla
) in Hong Kong supermarkets
Authors: Richards John L. , Sheng Victoria , Yi Chung Wing , Ying Chan Lai , Ting Ng Sin , Sadovy Yvonne , Baker David
Published: March 2020

DNA barcoding reveals the unexpected prevalence of illegally traded European eel in Hong Kong supermarkets.
Probing biophysical sequence constraints within the transmembrane domains of rhodopsin by deep mutational scanning
Authors: Penn Wesley D. , McKee Andrew G. , Kuntz Charles P. , Woods Hope , Nash Veronica , Gruenhagen Timothy C. , Roushar Francis J. , Chandak Mahesh , Hemmerich Chris , Rusch Douglas B. , Meiler Jens , Schlebach Jonathan P.
Published: March 2020

Sequence constraints associated with topological energetics restrict the evolution and mutational tolerance of membrane proteins.
A systematic approach to simultaneously evaluate safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of novel tuberculosis vaccination strategies
Authors: Muruganandah Visai , Sathkumara Harindra D. , Pai Saparna , Rush Catherine M. , Brosch Roland , Waardenberg Ashley J. , Kupz Andreas
Published: March 2020

We provide an empirical model to evaluate and rank data obtained from preclinical tuberculosis vaccine studies.
GABA neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius express GLP-1 receptors and mediate anorectic effects of liraglutide in rats
Authors: Fortin Samantha M. , Lipsky Rachele K. , Lhamo Rinzin , Chen Jack , Kim Eun , Borner Tito , Schmidt Heath D. , Hayes Matthew R.
Published: March 2020

The anorectic effects of liraglutide are mediated by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors expressed on GABAergic neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius.
suPAR news for acute kidney injury?
Authors: Nadkarni Girish N.
Published: March 2020

suPAR might serve as a biomarker for prediction of acute kidney injury with possible therapeutic implications.
Fluorescence-Reported Allelic Exchange Mutagenesis-Mediated Gene Deletion Indicates a Requirement for Chlamydia trachomatis Tarp during
In Vivo
Infectivity and Reveals a Specific Role for the C Terminus during Cellular Invasion
Authors: Ghosh Susmita , Ruelke Elizabeth A. , Ferrell Joshua C. , Bodero Maria D. , Fields Kenneth A. , Jewett Travis J.
Published: March 2020

The translocated actin recruiting phosphoprotein (Tarp) is a multidomain type III secreted effector used by
Chlamydia trachomatis
. In aggregate, existing data suggest a role of this effector in initiating new infections. As new genetic tools began to emerge to study chlamydial genes
in vivo
, we speculated as to what degree Tarp function contributes to
Chlamydia
’s ability to parasitize mammalian host cells. To address this question, we generated a complete
tarP
deletion mutant using the fluorescence-reported allelic exchange mutagenesis (FRAEM) technique and complemented the mutant in
trans
with wild-type
tarP
or mutant
tarP
alleles engineered to harbor in-frame domain deletions.
Fur-Dam Regulatory Interplay at an Internal Promoter of the Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Type VI Secretion
sci1
Gene Cluster
Authors: Brunet Yannick R. , Bernard Christophe S. , Cascales Eric
Published: March 2020

Bacteria use weapons to deliver effectors into target cells. One of these weapons, the type VI secretion system (T6SS), assembles a contractile tail acting as a spring to propel a toxin-loaded needle. Its expression and activation therefore need to be tightly regulated. Here, we identified an internal promoter within the
sci1
T6SS gene cluster in enteroaggregative
E. coli
. We show that this internal promoter is controlled by Fur and Dam-dependent methylation. We further demonstrate that Fur and Dam compete at the −10 transcriptional element to finely tune the expression of T6SS genes. We propose that this elegant regulatory mechanism allows the optimum production of the T6SS in conditions where enteroaggregative
E. coli
encounters competing species.
Experimental Evolution To Isolate Vaccinia Virus Adaptive G9 Mutants That Overcome Membrane Fusion Inhibition via the Vaccinia Virus A56/K2 Protein Complex
Authors: Hong Guan-Ci , Tsai Chi-Hang , Chang Wen
Published: March 2020

It remains unclear how the multiprotein entry fusion complex of vaccinia virus mediates membrane fusion. Moreover, vaccinia virus contains fusion suppressor proteins to prevent the aberrant activation of this multiprotein complex. Here, we used experimental evolution to identify adaptive mutant viruses that overcome membrane fusion inhibition mediated by the A56/K2 protein complex. We show that the H44Y mutation of the G9 protein is sufficient to overcome A56/K2-mediated membrane fusion inhibition. Treatment of virus-infected cells at different pHs indicated that the H44Y mutation lowers the threshold of fusion inhibition by A56/K2. Our study provides evidence that A56/K2 inhibits the viral fusion complex via the latter’s G9 subcomponent. Although the G9
H44Y
mutant protein still binds to A56/K2 at neutral pH, it is less dependent on low pH for fusion activation, implying that it may adopt a subtle conformational change that mimics a structural intermediate induced by low pH.
Palmitoylated Cysteines in Chikungunya Virus nsP1 Are Critical for Targeting to Cholesterol-Rich Plasma Membrane Microdomains with Functional Consequences for Viral Genome Replication
Authors: Bakhache William , Neyret Aymeric , Bernard Eric , Merits Andres , Briant Laurence
Published: March 2020

Functional alphavirus replication complexes are anchored to the host cell membranes through the interaction of nsP1 with the lipid bilayers. In this work, we investigate the importance of cholesterol for such an association. We show that nsP1 has affinity for cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains formed at the plasma membrane and identify conserved palmitoylated cysteine(s) in nsP1 as the key determinant for cholesterol affinity. We demonstrate that drug-induced cholesterol sequestration in late endosomes not only redirects nsP1 to this compartment but also dramatically decreases genome replication, suggesting the functional importance of nsP1 targeting to cholesterol-rich plasma membrane microdomains. Finally, we show evidence that nsP1 from chikungunya and Sindbis viruses displays different sensitivity to cholesterol sequestering agents that parallel with their difference in the requirement for nsP1 palmitoylation for replication. This research, therefore, gives new insight into the functional role of palmitoylated cysteines in nsP1 for the assembly of functional alphavirus replication complexes in their mammalian host.
Adalimumab as a potential cause of drug-induced thrombocytopaenic microangiopathy
Authors: Falsetti Lorenzo , Sampaolesi Mattia , Riccomi Francesca , Nitti Cinzia
Published: March 2020

We report the case of a 63-year-old male patient admitted to our emergency department for dyspnoea, peripheral oedema, severe diarrhoea and asthenia. History revealed Crohn’s disease (CD) submitted to several intestinal surgical resections in the previous years. He recently started a treatment with adalimumab for the control of CD. Laboratory tests at the admission revealed severe haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopaenia. Haptoglobin levels were low, schistocyte count was markedly increased. In the suspect of thrombotic microangiopathy, he was admitted to our internal medicine department where we urgently started plasma exchange (PEX). We observed normal ADAMTS-13 activity in absence of Shiga toxin or enterotoxicEscherichiacoliat stool tests. Despite a diagnosis of atypical haemolytic–uraemic syndrome, we observed full platelet count recovery and schistocytes normalisation after the fourth PEX. We then put a diagnosis of adalimumab-induced thrombocytopaenic microangiopathy. Adalimumab was withdrawn. We did not observe relapses in the following 3 months.
Use of point-of-care ultrasound in the management of patients presenting with shock: the treatment implications of an early bedside diagnosis of pulmonary embolism
Authors: Fadhlillah Fiqry , Ratneswaran Maiyuran
Published: March 2020

Point-of-care ultrasound has been used to identify real-time indicators of acute obstruction to right ventricular outflow and aid appropriate diagnosis and management of patients presenting with extensive pulmonary embolism in whom haemodynamic instability permits only bedside investigation. We present the case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with shock. A focused bedside echocardiography was performed and showed left ventricular septal wall flattening and a severely dilated right ventricle with impaired systolic function. The right atrium was dilated with a floating thrombus visible on the sub-xiphoid view. The patient was treated with intravenous systemic thrombolysis (alteplase) prior to undergoing CT pulmonary angiogram. This showed saddle pulmonary embolus, with extensive thrombus in the main and all lobar pulmonary arteries bilaterally, with evidence of right heart strain.
Bed rest: outdated following traumatic solid organ injury?
Authors: Ashcroft James , Khan M
Published: March 2020

Introduction

This systematic review aimed to evaluate early ambulation protocols implemented for traumatic solid organ injury.

Methods

The electronic databases PubMed, Medline (Ovid), Embase and Cochrane Library were searched without time constraint to identify prospective and retrospective analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, and case series that investigated early ambulation in solid organ trauma.

Results

Six studies met the predefined inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Three studies investigated early ambulation protocols in direct comparison with bed rest. The remaining three studies were early ambulation case series. In all studies there was no convincing evidence to suggest differences in clinical outcomes between early ambulation and bed rest protocols. In all studies early ambulation resulted in a reduced length of hospitalisation and decreased cost to national healthcare services.

Conclusions

This systematic review has found preliminary evidence that suggests bed rest has no clinical benefit in those with low-grade to mid-grade (grades 1–2) solid organ injury. Further studies are required to inform guidance to improve trauma patient outcomes.
Prediction of venous thromboembolism using clinical and serum biomarker data from a military cohort of trauma patients
Authors: Bradley Matthew , Shi A , Khatri V , Schobel S , Silvius E , Kirk A , Buchman T , Oh J , Elster E
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication of trauma associated with high mortality and morbidity. Clinicians lack appropriate tools for stratifying trauma patients for VTE, thus have yet to be able to predict when to intervene. We aimed to compare random forest (RF) and logistic regression (LR) predictive modelling for VTE using (1) clinical measures alone, (2) serum biomarkers alone and (3) clinical measures plus serum biomarkers.

Methods

Data were collected from 73 military casualties with at least one extremity wound and prospectively enrolled in an observational study between 2007 and 2012. Clinical and serum cytokine data were collected. Modelling was performed with RF and LR based on the presence or absence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE). For comparison, LR was also performed on the final variables from the RF model. Sensitivity/specificity and area under the curve (AUC) were reported.

Results

Of the 73 patients (median Injury Severity Score=16), nine (12.3%) developed VTE, four (5.5%) with DVT, four (5.5%) with PE, and one (1.4%) with both DVT and PE. In all sets of predictive models, RF outperformed LR. The best RF model generated with clinical and serum biomarkers included five variables (interleukin-15, monokine induced by gamma, vascular endothelial growth factor, total blood products at resuscitation and presence of soft tissue injury) and had an AUC of 0.946, sensitivity of 0.992 and specificity of 0.838.

Conclusions

VTE may be predicted by clinical and molecular biomarkers in trauma patients. This will allow the development of clinical decision support tools which can help inform the management of high-risk patients for VTE.
Using the prescribing cascade in equine practice
Authors: Redpath Adam , Bowen Mark
Published: March 2020

Background: The prescribing cascade is one of most discussed parts of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013. It is referred to in guidance notes from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and forms part of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons. However, the dual role of horses as either food‐ or non‐food‐producing animals further complicates its application to everyday equine practice.

Aim of the article: This review aims to illustrate ways in which the authors apply the prescribing cascade using clinical scenarios. It will also highlight differences between guidance from the RCVS and VMD, as well as aspects that may change as a result of changes in UK and EU regulations.
Flow in groovy curved channels with thin gap
Authors: Okechi Nnamdi Fidelis , Asghar Saleem
Published: March 2020

A pressure-driven viscous flow through groovy curved channels of small width compared to the groove wavelength is studied. The Reynolds number is assumed to be very small, such that the flow is dominated by the viscous and the pressure-gradient forces. The effects of the channel geometry on the inertial free flow are analyzed. Two distinct flow directions are considered: (i) flow transverse to the grooves and (ii) flow longitudinal to the grooves. The velocities for both flow directions are obtained, and their distributions are found to be significantly affected by the grooves and channel curvature. The axial pressure gradient for the transverse flow is examined as a function of the amplitude and the phase difference. The results further indicate that the flow rate can be increased by the grooves for longitudinal flow, irrespective of the phase difference, unlike transverse flow This is because the latter is more affected by grooves for the same radius of curvature and phase difference.
Radiation damping of a Yang–Mills particle revisited
Authors: Arquez Sair , Cordero Rubén , García-Compeán Hugo
Published: March 2020

The problem of a colour-charged point particle interacting with a four-dimensional Yang–Mills gauge theory is revisited. The radiation damping is obtained inspired in Dirac’s computation. The difficulties in the non-abelian case were solved by using an ansatz for the Liénard–Wiechert potentials already used in the literature (Ö. Sarıoğlu. Phys. Rev. D, 66, 085005 (2002). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevD.66.085005 ) for finding solutions to the Yang–Mills equations. Three non-trivial examples of radiation damping for a non-abelian particle are discussed in detail.
Violations of the weak cosmic censorship conjecture in the higher dimensional f(R) black holes with pressure
Authors: He Ke-Jian , Li Guo-Ping , Hu Xin-Yun
Published: March 2020

We adopt the energy momentum relation of charged particles to study the thermodynamics laws and weak cosmic censorship conjecture of D-dimensional f(R) AdS black holes in different phase spaces by considering charged particle absorption. In the normal phase space, it turns out that the laws of thermodynamic and the weak cosmic censorship conjecture are valid. In the extended phase space, though the first law of thermodynamics is valid, the second law of thermodynamics is invalid. More interestingly, the weak cosmic censorship conjecture is shown to be violated only in higher-dimensional near-extremal f(R) AdS black holes. In addition, the magnitudes of the violations for both the second law and weak cosmic censorship conjecture are dependent on the charge Q, constant scalar curvature $$f'(R_0)$$f′(R0), AdS radius l, dimension parameters p, and their variations.
Holographic complexity of Born–Infeld gravity
Authors: Bakhtiarizadeh Hamid R. , Jafari Ghadir
Published: March 2020

We investigate the duality conjecture “Complexity=Action” (CA) for Born–Infeld (BI) gravity model and derive the growth rate of its action within the Wheeler–DeWitt (WDW) patch, which is believed to be dual to the growth rate of quantum complexity of holographic boundary state. In order to find the correct on-shell action, we use direct variational procedure to find proper boundary and corner terms. We find out that the late-time behavior of holographic complexity is the well-known two times of energy, as expected.
Universality of the Poincaré gravitational form factor constraints
Authors: Lorcé Cédric , Lowdon Peter
Published: March 2020

Relativistic spin states are convention dependent. In this work we prove that the zero momentum-transfer limits of the leading two form factors in the decomposition of the energy–momentum tensor matrix elements are independent of this choice. In particular, we demonstrate that these constraints are insensitive to whether the corresponding states are massive or not, and that they arise purely due to the Poincaré covariance of the states.
Chaos to multiple mappings from a set-valued view
Authors: Zeng Hongbo , Wang Lidong , Sun Tao
Published: March 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a compact metric space and [Formula: see text] be an [Formula: see text]-tuple of continuous maps from [Formula: see text] to itself. In this paper, we investigate the multiple mappings dynamical system [Formula: see text] with Hausdorff metric Li–Yorke chaos, distributional chaos and distributional chaos in a sequence properties from a set-valued view. On the basis of this research, we draw main conclusions as follows: (i) two topological conjugacy dynamical systems to multiple mappings have simultaneously Hausdorff metric Li–Yorke chaos or distributional chaos. (ii) Hausdorff metric Li–Yorke [Formula: see text]-chaos is equivalent to Hausdorff metric distributional [Formula: see text]-chaos in a sequence. (iii) By giving two examples, we show that there is non-mutual implication between that the multiple mappings [Formula: see text] is Hausdorff metric Li–Yorke chaos and that each element [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] is Li–Yorke chaos. (iv) For the multiple mappings, weakly mixing implies the Hausdorff metric strongly Li–Yorke chaos and Hausdorff metric distributional chaos in a sequence.
Lumps, breathers, rogue waves and interaction solutions to a (3+1)-dimensional Kudryashov–Sinelshchikov equation
Authors: Tang Xianglong , Chen Yong
Published: March 2020

Utilizing the Hirota bilinear method, the lump solutions, the interaction solutions with the lump and the stripe solitons, the breathers and the rogue waves for a (3[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional Kudryashov–Sinelshchikov equation are constructed. Two types of interaction solutions between the lumps and the stripe solitons are exhibited. Some different breathers are given by choosing special parameters in the expressions of the solitons. Through a long wave limit of breathers, the lumps and rogue waves are derived.
Effect of the Se → Te substitutions on thermal properties of binary Bi2Se3 semiconductor
Authors: Azimova S. R. , Abdullayev N. M. , Aliyev Y. I. , Mirzayev M. N.
Published: March 2020

[Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] compounds were synthesized and the thermophysical properties were investigated by differential thermal analysis. It was determined that the DSC spectrum of the [Formula: see text] compounds is divided into three regions. The first region was explained by the splitting of water and hydroxide groups in the compound, and the second and third regions with phase transitions. The DSC spectrum of the [Formula: see text] compound was somewhat simpler. The spectrum, divided into two regions, consisted of the first region observed by the decomposition of the water and hydroxide group, and the second region corresponding to the phase transition. Thermodynamic parameters of phase transitions, enthalpy and free energy, were determined.
Don't Panic, Be Cautious, and Together We Can Stop the Coronavirus Epidemic!
Authors: Lau Lawrence J. , Xiong Yanyan
Published: March 2020

China is currently in the midst of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, which originated in Wuhan, the capital of the Province of Hubei, in early December 2019. The cumulative total number of confirmed coronavirus cases on the Mainland of China reached 68,500 as of midnight of 15 February, out of which 56,249 cases, or 82 percent, were in Hubei. Thus far, the cumulative total number of deaths attributable to the coronavirus reached 1665 for the Mainland as a whole, but with the overwhelming bulk, 1596, or 96 percent, in Hubei. In the meantime, the coronavirus has also spread to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as twenty-five foreign countries. The urgent questions are: (1) Can the coronavirus epidemic be controlled? (2) What measures should be taken? And (3) When will it all end? We attempt to provide tentative answers to these questions in this paper.
Regulation and Evolution of C4Photosynthesis
Authors: Schlüter Urte , Weber Andreas P.M.
Published: March 2020

C4photosynthesis evolved multiple times independently from ancestral C3photosynthesis in a broad range of flowering land plant families and in both monocots and dicots. The evolution of C4photosynthesis entails the recruitment of enzyme activities that are not involved in photosynthetic carbon fixation in C3plants to photosynthesis. This requires a different regulation of gene expression as well as a different regulation of enzyme activities in comparison to the C3context. Further, C4photosynthesis relies on a distinct leaf anatomy that differs from that of C3, requiring a differential regulation of leaf development in C4. We summarize recent progress in the understanding of C4-specific features in evolution and metabolic regulation in the context of C4photosynthesis.
Computational Modeling of Heterogeneity of Stress, Charge, and Cyclic Damage in Composite Electrodes of Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Xu Rong , Liu Yijin , Lin Feng , Zhao Kejie
Published: March 2020

Charge heterogeneity is a prevalent feature in many electrochemical systems. In a commercial cathode of Li-ion batteries, the composite is hierarchically structured across multiple length scales including the sub-micron single-crystal primary-particle domains up to the macroscopic particle ensembles. The redox kinetics of charge transfer and mass transport strongly couples with mechanical stresses. This interplay catalyzes substantial heterogeneity in the charge (re)distribution, stresses, and mechanical damage in the composite electrode during charging and discharging. We assess the heterogeneous electrochemistry and mechanics in a LiNixMnyCozO2 (NMC) cathode using a fully coupled electro-chemo-mechanics model at the cell level. A microstructure-resolved model is constructed based on the synchrotron X-ray tomography data. We calculate the stress field in the composite and then quantitatively evaluate the kinetics of surface charge transfer and Li transport biased by mechanical stresses. We further model the cyclic behavior of the cell. The repetitive deformation of the active particles and the weakening of the interfacial strength cause gradual increase of the interfacial debonding. The mechanical damage impedes electron transfer, incurs more charge heterogeneity, and results in the capacity degradation in batteries over cycles.
Electrochemical Preparation of Cobalt-Samarium Nanoparticles in an Aprotic Ionic Liquid
Authors: Manjum Marjanul , Serizawa Nobuyuki , Ispas Adriana , Bund Andreas , Katayama Yasushi
Published: March 2020

Electrochemical preparation of Co-Sm nanoparticles was conducted in an aprotic room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (BMPTFSA) containing Co(TFSA)2 and Sm(TFSA)3. The cyclic voltammetry on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode indicated the electrochemically generated Sm(II) reacted with Co(II) at 25 °C. Potentiostatic cathodic reduction on a GC electrode in BMPTFSA containing 30 mM Co(TFSA)2 and 5 mM Sm(TFSA)3 at 25 °C gave the deposits, which were found to be composed of Co and Sm by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The deposits were found to be the aggregates of SmCo7 nanoparticles by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The formation of SmCo7 nanoparticles dispersed in the ionic liquid was also confirmed by TEM. SmCo7 nanoparticles were considered to form by the disproportionation reaction of Sm(II) in the presence of elementary Co, which was formed by the reduction of Co(II) by Sm(II).
Transient Receptor Potential Channel Canonical Type 3 Deficiency Antagonizes Myofibroblast Transdifferentiation In Vivo
Authors: Xia Weijie , Wang Qianran , Lu Yuangang , Hu Yingru , Zhang Xingcun , Zhang Junbo , Liu Dongfang , Song Jinlin , Zhu Zhiming , Liu Daoyan , Zhang Hengshu
Published: March 2020

Objective. Myofibroblast transformation has been shown to be associated with the reactive oxygen species‐ (ROS‐) producing enzyme NADPH oxidase (Nox4). Inhibition of transient receptor potential channel canonical type 3 (TRPC3) attenuates mitochondrial calcium handling and ROS production in the vasculature of hypertensive rats. However, it remains elusive whether TRPC3 regulates mitochondrial calcium and ROS production and participates in myofibroblast transdifferentiation during wound healing. Methods and Results. In this study, we demonstrated that activation of TRPC3 by transforming growth factor β (TGFβ1) elevated myofibroblast transdifferentiation by upregulating the myofibroblast marker alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA). Inhibition of TRPC3 with its specific inhibitor, Pyr3, significantly decreased TGFβ1‐induced αSMA expression, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence. Real‐time PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed higher TRPC3 and TGFβ1 mRNA expression levels in fibroblasts from hypertrophic scar (HTS) tissue than in those from normal skin tissue. TGFβ1 treatment increased TRPC3‐mediated mitochondrial calcium uptake and ROS production but decreased ATP content in human fibroblasts, whereas inhibition of TRPC3 significantly reversed these effects. The beneficial effects were associated with improvements in mitochondrial respiratory function mediated by recovery of the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). In vivo, Trpc3-/- mice exhibited significantly attenuated myofibroblast transdifferentiation, as demonstrated by decreased αSMA, TGFβ1, fibronectin, and collagen‐1 (Col1a1) protein expression in wound granulation tissues. Furthermore, TGFβ1‐induced store‐operated calcium entry (SOCE) was significantly decreased in fibroblasts from Trpc3-/- mice compared with those from Trpc3+/+ mice. In addition, Trpc3-/- mice exhibited significantly decreased Nox4 and phosphorylated Smad2/3 protein expression in wound granulation tissues. Conclusions. Our data indicate that TGFβ1‐mediated activation of TRPC3 enhances mitochondrial calcium and ROS production, which promotes myofibroblast transdifferentiation and HTS formation. Inhibition of the TRPC3‐mediated Nox4/pSmad2/3 pathway may be a useful strategy to limit HTS formation after injury.
The Toll-Like Receptor 3 Agonist Polyriboinosinic Polyribocytidylic Acid Increases the Numbers of NK Cells with Distinct Phenotype in the Liver of B6 Mice
Authors: Salem Mohamed L. , El-Naggar Sabry A. , Mobasher Maysa A. , Elgharabawy Rehab M.
Published: March 2020

One of the activating factors of the cells of the innate immune system is the agonists of toll-like receptors (TLRs). Our earlier publications detailed how poly(I:C), a TLR3 agonist, elevates the NK cell population and the associated antigen-specific CD8+T cell responses. This study involved a single treatment of the B6 mice with poly(I:C) intraperitoneally. To perform a detailed phenotypic analysis, mononuclear cells were prepared from each of the liver, peripheral blood, and spleen. These cells were then examined for their NK cell population by flow cytometric analysis following cell staining with indicated antibodies. The findings of the study showed that the NK cell population of the liver with an NK1.1highCD11bhighCD11chighB220+Ly6G-phenotype was elevated following the treatment with poly(I:C). In the absence of CD11b molecule (CR3-/-mice), poly(I:C) can still increase the remained numbers of NK cells with NK1.1+CD11b-and NK1.1+Ly6G-phenotypes in the liver while their numbers in the blood decrease. After the treatment with anti-AGM1 Ab, which induced depletion of NK1.1+CD11b+cells and partial depletion of CD3+NK1.1+and NK1.1+CD11b-cell populations, poly(I:C) normalized the partial decreases in the numbers of NK cells concomitant with increased numbers of NK1.1-CD11b+cell population in both liver and blood. Regarding mice with a TLR3-/-phenotype, their injection with poly(I:C) resulted in the partial elevation in the NK cell population as compared to wild-type B6 mice. To summarise, the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) results in the elevation of a subset of liver NK cells expressing the two myeloid markers CD11c and CD11b. The effect of poly(I:C) on NK cells is partially dependent on TLR3 and independent of the presence of CD11b.