bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tracheal fistula in a patient after esophageal surgery confirmed by lung ultrasound: A new bedside tool for thoracic surgeons
Authors: Li Yi , Shen Cheng , Yin Wanhong
Published: September 2020

Tracheal fistula is a rare but severe complication following esophageal surgery. Here, we report the case of a tracheal fistula in a patient after esophageal surgery suggested by pneumothorax and confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and introduce lung ultrasound as a new bedside tool to sensitively detect pneumothorax.
Review of Orbitofrontal Cortex in Alcohol Dependence: A Disrupted Cognitive Map?
Authors: Shields Chloe N. , Gremel Christina M.
Published: September 2020

Alcoholism is a persistent worldwide problem associated with long‐lasting impairments to decision making processes. Some aspects of dysfunction are thought to reflect alcohol‐induced changes to relevant brain areas such as the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). In this review, we will examine how chronic alcohol exposure alters OFC function to potentially contribute to maladaptive decision making, and explore experimental behavioral approaches that may be better suited to test whether alcohol dependence disrupts OFC’s function. We argue that although past works suggest impairments in aspects of OFC function, more information may be gained by specifically targeting tasks to the broader function of OFC as put forth by the recent hypothesis of OFC as a “cognitive map” of task space. Overall, we suggest that such a focus could provide a better understanding of how OFC function changes in alcohol dependence, and could inform better assessment tools and treatment options for clinicians working with this population.
The investigation of calpain in human placenta with fetal growth restriction
Authors: Goto Shinobu , Ozaki Yasuhiko , Ozawa Fumiko , Mizutani Eita , Kitaori Tamao , Suzumori Nobuhiro , Blomgren Klas , Furuno Tadahide , Sugiura‐Ogasawara Mayumi
Published: September 2020

Problem

The mechanism of fetal growth restriction (FGR) is not fully understood. In this study, we explored the contribution of the calpain‐calpastatin system and the activated states of calpains in human FGR placenta.

Method of study

The placentas were collected from patients of FGR (n = 17) and controls (n = 23) at elective cesarean sections in Nagoya City University Hospital and used for experiments upon informed consent. The existence and the expression of calpains and calpastatin in human placenta were compared between FGR and controls using immunohistochemistry, SDS‐PAGE, and Western blotting.

Results

Staining of calpains (pre‐, post‐μ‐calpain, pre‐, post‐m‐calpain, and calpain‐6) and calpastatin was observed in cytoplasm of trophoblast cells, both in FGR and control placenta. Pre‐μ‐calpain was located in the cytoplasm, and post‐μ‐calpain was located mainly in proximity to the cytoplasmic membrane. The expression of pre‐μ‐calpain was significantly higher (P < .001) and calpain‐6 was significantly lower (P = .01) in FGR placentas. The inactive μ‐calpain (80 kDa) was significantly elevated (P < .01), and active μ‐calpain (76 kDa) was significantly decreased (P = .01) in FGR placentas.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate that activation of μ‐calpain is suppressed in FGR placentas and that calpain‐6 in human placenta is involved in the pathology of FGR.
Reliability of alternative devices for postoperative patient temperature measurement: two prospective, observational studies*
Authors: Aykanat V. M. , Broadbent E. , Peyton P. J.
Published: September 2020

Peri‐operative hypothermia is associated with significant morbidity, yet limitations exist regarding non‐invasive temperature assessment in the post‐anaesthesia care unit (PACU). In this prospective study of 100 patients, we aimed to determine the reliability of two commonly used temperature measurement devices, forehead temporal artery temperature and tympanic measurement, in addition to an indwelling urinary catheter with temperature probe, in comparison with the final nasopharyngeal core temperature at the end of surgery. Agreement of forehead measurement with nasopharyngeal temperature showed a mean bias (±95% limits of agreement) of 0.15 °C (±1.4 °C), with a steep slope of the relationship on the Bland–Altman plot of −0.8, indicating a tendency to normalise patient temperature readings to 36.4 °C. Only 54% of hypothermic cases were correctly detected by the forehead measurement device. Agreement of tympanic measurement with nasopharyngeal core temperature measurement was marginally improved with a mean bias of 0.13 °C (95% limits of agreement ±1.15 °C). In contrast, agreement of bladder temperature with nasopharyngeal temperature showed a mean (SD) bias of 0.19 (0.28) °C (95% limits of agreement ±0.54 °C), with a relatively flat line of best fit. We demonstrated that two commonly used temperature measurement devices, forehead temporal artery temperature and tympanic measurement, compared with nasopharyngeal core temperature, were imprecise and unreliable following major surgery. However, the indwelling catheter with temperature sensor was precise and acceptable for continuous core temperature measurement in the PACU.
Prognostic value of initial QRS analysis in anterior STEMI: Correlation with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, serum biomarkers, and cardiac outcomes
Authors: López‐Castillo Marta , Aceña Álvaro , Pello‐Lázaro Ana M. , Viegas Vanessa , Merchán Muñoz Beatriz , Carda Rocío , Franco‐Peláez Juan , Martín‐Mariscal Maria Luisa , Briongos‐Figuero Sem , Tuñón Jose
Published: September 2020

Background

The presence of pathologic Q waves on admission electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients with anterior ST‐elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been related to adverse cardiac outcomes. Our study evaluates the prognostic value of QRS complex and Q waves in patients with STEMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

We prospectively analyzed the specific characteristics of QRS complex and pathologic Q waves on admission and on discharge ECG in 144 patients hospitalized for anterior STEMI. We correlated these findings with the development of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), appearance of heart failure (HF) or death during follow‐up, and levels of several biomarkers obtained 6 months after the index event.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that QRS width (odds ratios [OR] 1.05, p = .001) on admission ECG and the sum of Q‐wave depth (OR 1.06, p = .002) on discharge ECG were independent predictors of LVSD development. Moreover, QRS width on admission ECG was related to an increased risk of HF or death (OR 1.03, p = .026). Regarding biomarkers, QRS width on admission ECG revealed a statistically significant relationship with the levels of NT‐pro‐BNP at 6 months (0.29, p = .004); the sum of Q‐wave depth (0.27, p = .012) and width (0.25, p = .021) on admission ECG was related to the higher levels of hs‐cTnI; the sum of the voltages in precordial leads both on admission ECG (−0.26, p = .011) and discharge ECG (0.24, p = .046) was related to the lower levels of parathormone.

Conclusions

Assessment of QRS complex width and pathologic Q waves on admission and discharge ECGs aids in predicting long‐term prognosis in patients with STEMI.
Changes in prenatal depression and anxiety levels in low risk pregnancy among Iranian women: A prospective study
Authors: Kazemi Ashraf , Dadkhah Aazam
Published: September 2020

Introduction

Increasing of depression and anxiety in high risk pregnancy is well known but there is limited information on the changes of psychological symptoms in low risk pregnancies and the aim of the study was evaluation depression and anxiety changes in pregnant women with high risk pregnancy.

Methods

This prospective study was performed on 256 pregnant women at the beginning of the first trimester of pregnancy. Inclusion criteria included the absence of pre‐pregnancy depression and anxiety and poor pregnancy history. Exclusion criteria were the incidence of pregnancy complications. The level of their depression and anxiety at the time of entering the study were completed by self‐report using the DASS questionnaire at 9‐10, 11‐12, 24‐25, and 33‐35 weeks of pregnancy.

Results

The results of the study indicated that the effect of time on the level of perinatal depression and anxiety was significant (P < .001). These findings showed that the level of depression increased significantly from 9 to 24 weeks of pregnancy and decreased in the 32‐34 weeks, but did not reach the level of depression at 9 weeks of pregnancy. Also, the anxiety level increased significantly from the onset of pregnancy to the 24 weeks gestation but did not change during the second and third trimesters.

Conclusion

The results of the study showed that the level of depression and anxiety of women in low risk pregnancies increase during pregnancy and psychological health screenings in the second trimester of pregnancy should be performed in pregnant women.
Duplicate left gastric artery identified during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy
Authors: Taki Yusuke , Watanabe Masaya , Sato Shinsuke , Higashizono Kazuya , Nagai Erina , Nishida Masato , Oba Noriyuki
Published: September 2020

The reported incidence of duplicate left gastric artery is not very low, with a rate of 0.4%. However, there have been no reports of the surgical management of patients with a duplicate left gastric artery. Here, we report a 60‐year‐old Japanese man diagnosed with clinical T1bN0M0 stage IA gastric cancer. Preoperative 5‐mm slice CT showed no anatomical abnormality, and the patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. When we dissected the nerve plexus around the left gastric artery with an ultrasonic vessel‐sealing device, pulsating bleeding was observed from a small vessel in the nerve plexus. The bleeding was stopped by suture and clipping. A 1.2‐mm vessel was identified on 1‐mm slice preoperative CT and postoperative CT angiography. The patient was discharged without any complications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient undergoing surgery for a duplicate left gastric artery.
The effectiveness of interventions to improve psychosocial outcomes in parents of children with appearance‐affecting health conditions: A systematic review
Authors: Costa Bruna , Thornton Maia , Guest Ella , Meyrick Jane , Williamson Heidi
Published: September 2020

Background

Although many cope well, the impact of supporting a child with an Appearance‐Affecting Health Condition (AAHC) can place a significant demand on parents. As such, it is vital that families have access to appropriate psychosocial support to reduce any potential difficulties. Although previous reviews have explored the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for parents of Children and Young People (CYP) with general health conditions, the evidence of effectiveness remains limited. Further, little is known about the effectiveness of such interventions specifically among parents of CYP with AAHCs. This review aimed to identify and assess the evidence of effectiveness of psychosocial interventions among parents of CYP with AAHCs.

Methods

Database searches were conducted using MEDLINE, PsychARTICLES, PsychINFO, CINAHL Plus, the British Nursing Database and the Cochrane Library. Results were reviewed against the inclusion criteria and data were extracted. Methodological quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool, and a narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results

Fifteen studies, evaluating 10 interventions, were included and overall seven interventions were found to be effective (effect sizes and methodological quality varied).

Conclusions

This review finds moderate to strong evidence of effectiveness of the Triple P Positive Parenting Program, the Early Family Intervention Program and general parent education/training interventions. These findings offer useful insights relating to the delivery of current support, as well as for the development of future parent and family interventions. Finally, recommendations for future intervention evaluation studies in this area are made.
The importance of Indigenous Peoples’ lands for the conservation of terrestrial mammals
Authors: O'Bryan Christopher J. , Garnett Stephen T. , Fa Julia E. , Leiper Ian , Rehbein Jose A. , Fernández‐Llamazares Álvaro , Jackson Micha V. , Jonas Harry D. , Brondizio Eduardo S. , Burgess Neil D. , Robinson Catherine J. , Zander Kerstin K. , Molnár Zsolt , Venter Oscar , Watson James E. M.
Published: September 2020

Indigenous Peoples’ lands cover over one‐quarter of Earth's surface, a significant proportion of which is still free from industrial‐level human impacts. As a result, Indigenous Peoples and their lands are crucial for the long‐term persistence of Earth's biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, information on species composition on these lands globally remains largely unknown. We conducted the first comprehensive analysis of terrestrial mammal composition across mapped Indigenous lands based on data on area of habitat (AOH) for 4460 mammal species assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. We overlaid each species’ AOH on a current map of Indigenous lands and found that 2695 species (60% of assessed mammals) had ≥10% of their ranges on Indigenous Peoples’ lands and 1009 species (23%) had >50% of their ranges on these lands. For threatened species, 473 (47%) occurred on Indigenous lands with 26% having >50% of their habitat on these lands. We also found that 935 mammal species (131 categorized as threatened) had ≥ 10% of their range on Indigenous Peoples’ lands that had low human pressure. Our results show how important Indigenous Peoples’ lands are to the successful implementation of conservation and sustainable development agendas worldwide.
Global patterns of comprehensive cardiovascular risk factor control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Insights from the DISCOVER study
Authors: Patel Krishna K. , Gomes Marilia B. , Charbonnel Bernard , Chen Hungta , Cid‐Ruzafa Javier , Fenici Peter , Hammar Niklas , Ji Linong , Kennedy Kevin F. , Khunti Kamlesh , Kosiborod Mikhail , Pocock Stuart , Shestakova Marina V. , Shimomura Iichiro , Surmont Filip , Watada Hirotaka , Arnold Suzanne V.
Published: September 2020

Aim

To investigate global patterns of cardiovascular risk factor control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).

Methods

DISCOVER is an international, observational cohort study of patients with T2D beginning second‐line glucose‐lowering therapy. Risk factor management was examined among eligible patients (ie, those with the risk factor) at study baseline. Inter‐country variability was estimated using median odds ratios (MORs).

Results

Among 14 343 patients with T2D from 34 countries, the mean age was 57.4 ± 12.0 years and the median (interquartile range) duration of T2D was 4.2 (2.0–8.0) years; 11.8% had documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Among eligible patients, blood pressure was controlled in 67.5% (9284/13756), statins were prescribed in 43.7% (5775/13208), angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers were prescribed in 55.6% (5292/9512), aspirin was prescribed in 53.3% of those with established ASCVD (876/1645), and 84.4% (12 102/14343) were non‐smoking. Only 21.5% of patients (3088/14343) had optimal risk factor management (defined as control of all eligible measures), with wide inter‐country variability (10%–44%), even after adjusting for patient and site differences (MOR 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.24–1.66).

Conclusion

Globally, comprehensive control of ASCVD risk factors is not being achieved in most patients, with wide variability among countries unaccounted for by patient and site differences. Better country‐specific strategies are needed to implement comprehensive cardiovascular risk factor control consistently in patients with T2D to improve long‐term outcomes.
Phenological delay despite warming in wood frog Rana sylvatica reproductive timing: a 20‐year study
Authors: Arietta A. Z. Andis , Freidenburg L. Kealoha , Urban Mark C. , Rodrigues Susan B. , Rubinstein Adriana , Skelly David K.
Published: September 2020

Across all taxa, amphibians exhibit some of the strongest phenological shifts in response to climate change. As climates warm, amphibians and other animals are expected to breed earlier in response to temperature cues. However, if species use fixed cues such as daylight, their breeding timing might remain fixed, potentially creating disconnects between their life history and environmental conditions. Wood frogs Rana sylvatica are a cold‐adapted species that reproduce in early spring, immediately after breeding ponds are free of ice. We used long‐term surveys of wood frog oviposition timing in 64 breeding ponds over 20 yr to show that, despite experiencing a warming of 0.29°C per decade in annual temperature, wood frog breeding phenology has shifted later by 2.8 d since 2000 (1.4 d per decade; 4.8 d per °C). This counterintuitive pattern is likely the result of changes in the timing of snowpack accumulation and melting. Finally, we used relationships between climate and oviposition between 2000 and 2018 to hindcast oviposition dates from climate records to model longer‐term trends since 1980. Our study indicates that species can respond to fine‐grained seasonal climate heterogeneity within years that is not apparent or counterintuitive when related to annual trends across years.
Testing the ability of species distribution models to infer variable importance
Authors: Smith Adam B. , Santos Maria J.
Published: September 2020

Models of species’ distributions and niches are frequently used to infer the importance of range‐ and niche‐defining variables. However, the degree to which these models can reliably identify important variables and quantify their influence remains unknown. Here we use a series of simulations to explore how well models can 1) discriminate between variables with different influence and 2) calibrate the magnitude of influence relative to an ‘omniscient’ model. To quantify variable importance, we trained generalized additive models (GAMs), Maxent and boosted regression trees (BRTs) on simulated data and tested their sensitivity to permutations in each predictor. Importance was inferred by calculating the correlation between permuted and unpermuted predictions, and by comparing predictive accuracy of permuted and unpermuted predictions using AUC and the continuous Boyce index. In scenarios with one influential and one uninfluential variable, models failed to discriminate reliably between variables when training occurrences were < 8–64, prevalence was > 0.5, spatial extent was small, environmental data had coarse resolution and spatial autocorrelation was low, or when pairwise correlation between environmental variables was |r| > 0.7. When two variables influenced the distribution equally, importance was underestimated when species had narrow or intermediate niche breadth. Interactions between variables in how they shaped the niche did not affect inferences about their importance. When variables acted unequally, the effect of the stronger variable was overestimated. GAMs and Maxent discriminated between variables more reliably than BRTs, but no algorithm was consistently well‐calibrated vis‐à‐vis the omniscient model. Algorithm‐specific measures of importance like Maxent's change‐in‐gain metric were less robust than the permutation test. Overall, high predictive accuracy did not connote robust inferential capacity. As a result, requirements for reliably measuring variable importance are likely more stringent than for creating models with high predictive accuracy.
Adult brain activation in response to pain is changed by neonatal painful stimulation according to sex: A manganese‐enhanced MRI study
Authors: Malheiros Jackeline M. , Andreeta Mariane B. , Polli Roberson S. , Paiva Fernando F. , Tannús Alberto , Guinsburg Ruth , Covolan Luciene
Published: September 2020

Although it is known that nociceptive stimulation in the first postnatal week in rats is useful to model preterm pain, resulting in activation of specific brain areas, as assessed in vivo using manganese‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI), little is known about its long‐term effects and sex specificity. Here we aimed to investigate whether inflammatory pain induced in male and female adult rats modify the pattern of brain activation between animals subjected or not to neonatal pain. For this, Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was injected into the left hind paw of rat pups on postnatal day 1 (P1) or P8 to induce inflammatory response. During adulthood, CFA‐treated and control animals were injected with CFA 1 hr prior MRI. MEMRI has the ability to enhance the contrast of selective brain structures in response to a specific stimulus, as the pain. MEMRI responses were consistent with activation of nociceptive pathways and these responses were reduced in animals treated with CFA on P1, but increased in animals treated on P8, mainly in the female group. In agreement, P8 female group showed exacerbated responses in the thermal nociceptive test. Using MEMRI, we conclude that the natural ability of adult rats to recognize and react to pain exposition is modified by neonatal painful exposition, mainly among females.
Does serum vitamin D level affect the association between cardiovascular health and cognition? Results of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center (CMERC) study
Authors: Jeon Y. J. , Jung S. J. , Kim H. C.
Published: September 2020

Background and purpose

Few studies have assessed the role of vitamin D in the association between cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive function. Here, the aim was to investigate the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) and cognitive function according to vitamin D level in a middle‐aged Korean population.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 840 men and 1811 women (mean age 57.2 years) from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center study baseline enrolment (2013–2018). Life's Simple 7 tools from the American Heart Association were used to assess CVH. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini‐Mental State Estimation for Dementia Screening (MMSE‐DS), and the serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D level was measured.

Results

In the adjusted generalized linear regression models, no significant association between a high Life’s Simple 7 score (4–7 metric at optimal level) and MMSE‐DS score (β = 0.01, P = 0.93) was found. Amongst men with a high vitamin D level, the high Life’s Simple 7 score group showed a significantly higher MMSE‐DS score (β = 0.48, P = 0.03). However, amongst men in the low vitamin D group, the association was opposite with no statistical significance (β = −0.23, P = 0.08). In women, the results were similar, but both strata according to vitamin D level showed no statistical significance.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that vitamin D is an effect modifier in the association between CVH and cognition, especially in men.
Changes in dental fear and its relations to anxiety and depression in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study
Authors: Hagqvist Outi , Tolvanen Mimmi , Rantavuori Kari , Karlsson Linnea , Karlsson Hasse , Lahti Satu
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to: (i) evaluate short‐term changes in dental fear during a 9‐month period among women and men, and (ii) evaluate whether the course and magnitude of changes in dental fear were associated with changes in depression and anxiety. The longitudinal data of the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study were used. Out of 3808 women and 2623 men, 1984 women and 1082 men filled in the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) at gestational weeks 14 and 34, and 3 months after childbirth. Other questionnaires used were the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the anxiety subscale of the Symptom Checklist‐90. All scales were analyzed as sum scores. The MDAS was also trichotomized to assess the stability of dental fear. Statistical significances of the changes in dental fear, depression, and general anxiety were evaluated using repeated‐measures Friedman tests. Correlation coefficients were used to describe the associations between measures (Spearman) and their changes (Pearson). Dental fear more often increased than decreased, but for the majority it was stable. On average, dental fear, depression, and anxiety symptoms correlated throughout the study. The correlations tended to be stronger with depressive symptoms. However, the relationships between changes in dental fear, depression, and anxiety were not systematic.
Diagnostic algorithm for children presenting with epilepsia partialis continua
Authors: Surana Snehal , Rossor Thomas , Hassell Jane , Boyd Stewart , D'Arco Felice , Aylett Sarah , Bhate Sanjay , Carr Lucinda , Das Krishna , DeVile Catherine , Eltze Christin , Hemingway Cheryl , Kaliakatsos Marios , O'Callaghan Finbar , Prabhakar Prab , Robinson Robert , Varadkar Sophia , Helen Cross J , Hacohen Yael
Published: September 2020

Objective

To characterize a cohort of children with epilepsia partialis continua(EPC) and develop a diagnostic algorithm incorporating key differential diagnoses.

Methods

Children presenting with EPC to a tertiary pediatric neurology center between 2002 and 2019 were characterized.

Results

Fifty‐four children fulfilled EPC criteria. Median age at onset was 7 years (range 0.6‐15), with median follow‐up of 4.3 years (range 0.2‐16). The diagnosis was Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) in 30 of 54 (56%), a mitochondrial disorder in 12 of 54 (22.2%), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesion‐positive focal epilepsy in 6 of 54 (11.1%). No diagnosis was made in 5 of 54 (9%). Children with mitochondrial disorders developed EPC earlier; each additional year at presentation reduced the odds of a mitochondrial diagnosis by 26% (P = .02). Preceding developmental concerns (odds ratio [OR] 22,P < .001), no seizures prior to EPC (OR 22,P < .001), bilateral slowing on electroencephalogram (EEG) (OR 26,P < .001), and increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein level (OR 16) predicted a mitochondrial disorder. Asymmetry or hemiatrophy was evident on MRI at presentation with EPC in 18 of 30 (60%) children with RE, and in the remainder at a median of 6 months (range 3‐15) after EPC onset. The first diagnostic test is brain MRI. Hemiatrophy may permit a diagnosis of RE with unilateral clinical and EEG findings. For children in whom a diagnosis of RE cannot be made on first scan but the clinical and radiological presentation resembles RE, repeat imaging every 6 months is recommended to detect progressive unicortical hemiatrophy, and brain biopsy should be considered. Evidence of intrathecal inflammation (oligoclonal bands and raised neopterin) can be supportive. In children with bihemispheric EPC, rapid polymerase gamma testing is recommended and if negative, sequencing mtDNA and whole‐exome sequencing on blood‐derived DNA should be performed.

Significance

Children presenting with EPC due to a mitochondrial disorder show clinical features distinguishing them from RE and structural epilepsies. A diagnostic algorithm for children with EPC will allow targeted investigation and timely diagnosis.
Knowledge based approach to ground refuelling optimization of commercial airplanes
Authors: Plaza Elías , Santos Matilde
Published: September 2020

This work aims to establish a general and optimized procedure for the initial refuelling of commercial airplanes, as this loading process is strongly related to safety and energy saving issues. The on‐ground refuelling is addressed as an optimization problem whose cost function involves expert knowledge about constraints and factors that influence the aircraft stability and performance. Several heterogeneous criteria (fuelling time, structural load, flow transfers, etc.) have been considered and weighted accordance to its importance in terms of stability. This allows us to adapt the strategy to any type and planned trip of the airplane. The priority is the positioning of the centre of mass of the civil aircraft within safety and manoeuvrability margins, and near the optimal position. Evolutive algorithms are applied, keeping feasible solutions by modifying genetic operators. As a case of study, the initial refuelling of a long range type commercial aircraft, the Airbus A330‐200, is analysed. Simulation results have proved this methodology to be efficient and optimal. Even more, this heuristic and general approach improves the traditional solution that follows a set of pre‐defined rules that are specific for each type of aircraft.
Regulation of fish stocks without stock–recruitment relationships: The case of small pelagic fish
Authors: Canales T. Mariella , Delius Gustav W. , Law Richard
Published: September 2020

Small pelagic fish lack clear stock–recruitment relationships. This is a problem because such relationships are taken to be the primary descriptors of density dependence, responsible for regulating population density. In this paper, we show that small pelagic fish species, anchovy (Engraulis spp., Engraulidae), living in a stochastic environment, can be strongly regulated without a stock–recruitment relationship emerging. This is done through numerical analysis of a size‐spectrum model, in which fish grow by eating and die in part from being eaten, with the result that birth, growth and death are all density‐dependent. The model includes cannibalism, and growth‐dependent larval mortality, both of which have been suggested as regulatory mechanisms in anchovy, together with growth and reproduction later in life. Despite the lack of a clear stock–recruitment relationship in the presence of stochasticity, signals of density dependence in the vital rates remain clear, suggesting that they might prove to be better indicators of density dependence than stock–recruitment relationships in small pelagic fish.
Fatigue characterization study of CFRP under hygrothermal environment based on continuum damage mechanics model
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Xiao Mingqing , Ding Junliang , Zhu Haizhen , Chen Yaojun
Published: September 2020

Carbon fibre‐reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are now widely used for high‐performance fields such as aircraft structures. On average, these structural components are subjected with more than 108 cycles during their lifetime. To make full use of the mechanical performance of CFRP, the fatigue behaviour needs to be well studied. Nevertheless, at present, fatigue behaviour and failure mechanisms of CFRP under hygrothermal environment are not sufficiently investigated. To obtain comprehensive knowledge about fatigue behaviour and failure mechanisms of CFRP, hygrothermal tests and ultrasonic three‐point bending fatigue experiments are designed. Besides, a damage variable is proposed as the function of stiffness to evaluate the fatigue degradation of the composite. A nonlinear continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model is compared with three models and employed for fatigue damage evolution under cyclic loading. Compared with the other three models, the experimental results show a better consistency between the result of the CDM model and the measured damage. Meanwhile, the damage variable expresses the damage state of the composite effectively. The damage variable and the CDM model provide a reference for fatigue characterization analysis and further life prediction of CFRP.
Taxonomic and functional homogenisation of macroinvertebrate communities in recently intermittent Alpine watercourses
Authors: Piano Elena , Doretto Alberto , Mammola Stefano , Falasco Elisa , Fenoglio Stefano , Bona Francesca
Published: September 2020

Mountain streams in southwestern European Alps are currently shifting from perennial to intermittent flow due to the combined effects of climate change and local anthropogenic pressures. Given that flow intermittency is a recently documented phenomenon in the Alps, only scattered studies have investigated functional and taxonomical diversity of benthic invertebrate communities in recently intermittent Alpine streams.

We used a hierarchical sampling design to investigate patterns in taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrate communities in 13 recently intermittent Alpine streams in north‐west Italy. in April 2017, we sampled benthic communities in two reaches of each stream with different hydrological conditions: a control reach, with permanent flow; and an intermittent reach, which recently experienced non‐flow periods in summer.

We tested for the response of taxonomic richness at multiple spatial scales by partitioning total diversity into the average richness of local communities and the richness due to variation among local communities both within and among reaches. By partitioning total diversity (γ) into its local (α) and turnover (β) components we showed a decrease in local and regional species richness both within and among reaches, whereas variation among communities was significantly lower in intermittent reaches at the reach scale only.

The analysis of multidimensional trait space of macroinvertebrate communities in reaches with different hydrological conditions revealed a significant reduction of functional diversity, dispersion, and evenness in intermittent reaches. There was trait overdispersion in intermittent reaches, as these hosted both typical Alpine taxa and organisms adapted to flow intermittency. In particular, we observed the replacement of taxa with aquatic respiration and those preferring medium‐ to fast‐flowing oligotrophic waters by taxa adapted to lentic habitats, air breathing and with larval dormancy phases.

These results indicate that recent flow intermittency has caused drastic changes in benthic invertebrate communities in Alpine streams. Our work highlights the importance of integrating taxonomic and functional diversity to thoroughly assess the impacts of flow intermittency.
An agenda for the study of Public Administration in Developing Countries
Authors: Bertelli Anthony M. , Hassan Mai , Honig Dan , Rogger Daniel , Williams Martin J.
Published: September 2020

Developing nations demand a different scholarly approach in the field of public administration. We advance an agenda for research that stands on four pillars. First, in the absence of easily accessible data scholars of developing world public administration must assemble it for themselves. Second, building and testing theory plays a paramount role because researchers face limited information. Third, in developing countries, multi‐national and non‐governmental organizations are often crucial and must be considered in studying public administration. Fourth, given the novelties and ambiguities researchers face, qualitative information must be integrated throughout the research process. Our article—and the articles in this volume—constitute a call for developing country research to contribute to the study of public administration writ large, informing our understanding of both developing and developed states.
Patient‐reported outcomes from the investigational device exemption study of the Tablo hemodialysis system
Authors: Chertow Glenn M. , Alvarez Luis , Plumb Troy J. , Prichard Sarah S. , Aragon Michael
Published: September 2020

Introduction

We recently completed an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study in which 30 patients were enrolled (13 patients previously on home hemodialysis (HHD) and 17 patients new to HHD) and treated with the Tablo Hemodialysis System (Outset Medical, Inc., San Jose, CA) for 8 weeks in‐center and 8 weeks in‐home with an interim 2–4 week transition period for home training.

Methods

In addition to assessments of urea kinetics, events related to safety, and operational issues (e.g., alarm resolution), we obtained data on several parameters of health‐related quality of life, including time to recovery (TTR), the EQ‐5D‐5L (a well‐validated measure of general health status), and the quality of sleep and related symptoms, to further assess the safety of HHD with Tablo. We compared results obtained during the in‐center and in‐home phases of the trial.

Results

Twenty‐eight of 30 patients (93%) completed all trial periods. Adherence to the prescribed four treatments per week schedule was 96% in‐center and 99% in‐home. Median TTR was 1.5 hours (10th, 90th percentile range 0.17 to 12, mean TTR 3.68 ± 5.88 hours) during the in‐center and 2 hours (10th, 90th percentile range 0 to 6.0, mean TTR 3.04 ± 5.14 hours) during the at‐home phase (Wilcoxon signed rank p = 0.57). Median index values on the EQ‐5D‐5L were similar during the in‐center (0.832, 10th, 90th percentile range 0.617 to 1, mean 0.817 ± 0.165) and in‐home (0.826, 10th, 90th percentile range 0.603 to 1, mean 0.821 ± 0.163) trial phases (Wilcoxon signed rank p = 0.36). Patients reported feeling alert or well‐rested with little difficulty falling or staying asleep or feeling tired and worn out when using Tablo in either environment.

Conclusion

When using Tablo in‐home, patients reported similar TTR, general health status, and sleep quality and related symptoms compared to using Tablo in‐center. (294 words).
Instructional leadership in higher education: The case of Israel
Authors: Shaked Haim
Published: September 2020

Instructional leadership demands educational leaders to become intensely involved in improving teaching and learning. While extensive research found this approach to be beneficial in school settings, it was insufficiently explored in higher education. Therefore, the current study explored how Israeli higher education leaders perceive their leadership role in relation to teaching and learning. Participants were 22 heads of departments in higher education institutions in Israel. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, and analysed in a four‐stage process—condensing, coding, categorising and theorising. Findings indicated that higher education leaders in Israel demonstrated very little instructional leadership, based on three perceptions: regarding the autonomy of faculty members, the low priority of teaching quality in higher education, and the style of teaching required in academia. To enable the borrowing of instructional leadership from the school system context to the higher education context, a customised version of instructional leadership is needed.
4. TECHNOPOLITICS IN THE ARCHIVE: SOVEREIGNTY, RESEARCH, AND EVERYDAY LIFE
Authors: ÖZDEN‐SCHILLING TOM
Published: September 2020

This article explores the place of the archive in the context of land claims research. This essay develops a critical approach to identity technopolitics with the aim of helping historians working with indigenous communities to ask new kinds of questions about the relationships and subject positions opened up by archivization and the myriad other technologies of land claims research. Since researchers first began preparing for the Canadian case, Delgamuukw’ and Gisday'wa v. The Queen, four decades ago, the immense stores of documentary evidence generated for the trial have given ground to numerous new claims and conflicts. Tracing the experiences of one prominent Gitxsan historical researcher who has leveraged his own archive and expertise to build genealogies for hundreds of individuals, I explore the intimate disappointments and impossible obligations that indigenous historians must mediate.
7. TOWARD A GENEALOGY OF THE RESEARCHER AS SUBJECT IN POST/DECOLONIAL PACIFIC HISTORIES
Authors: JOHNSON MIRANDA
Published: September 2020

Recent discussion has drawn out some important differences between postcolonial and decolonial theories. The former are associated primarily with the work of South Asian scholars working in cultural, literary, or historical studies; decolonial scholarship, by contrast, is located in Latin America and has emerged from sociological critiques of dependency theory. Shifting the locus of debate to the Pacific centers another subject in globalizing critiques of colonialism: the historian in indigenous communities. In this article, I examine how the role of the researcher is conceptualized in Linda Tuhiwai Smith's landmark work Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (1999). Revealing tensions between objectivity and intersubjectivity, on the one hand, and between essentialist identity and hybridity, on the other, I ask why Smith's book hinges on dichotomizing nonindigenous and indigenous researchers, who are by turn enabled or constrained in a colonial present. I situate this late twentieth‐century subject in a genealogy of indigenous engagement with history and anthropology in New Zealand and contemporary problems of historical justice.
WONDER: FROM POETICS TO POLITICS
Authors: Aurell Jaume
Published: September 2020

Marnie Hughes‐Warrington's book, History as Wonder: Beginning with Historiography, invites readers to reconsider the power of wonder as a critical concept whose theoretical implications go far beyond its evident ability to inspire historical research. Wonder is supposedly a neutral weapon for historians, one that is limited to promoting incessant curiosity about the past. Attempting to move from a poetic and aesthetic vision of wonder to a consideration of the concept's ethical and political uses, Hughes‐Warrington claims that “historians since Herodotus have engaged with or responded to the efforts of thinkers who attempt to make general sense of the world, metaphysicians” (xii). In what follows, I challenge Hughes‐Warrington's approach by emphasizing and exploring the epistemological questions History as Wonder raises about who holds the power to establish a conventional sense of the world and to what extent historical research may offer general explanations of the world without succumbing to precritical assumptions or metahistorical reductionisms.
Association between genetic polymorphisms in the promoter region of the defensin beta 1 gene and persistent apical periodontitis
Authors: Antunes L. S. , Carvalho L. , Petean I. B. F. , Antunes L. A. , Freitas J. V. , Salles A. G. , Olej B. , Oliveira D. S. B. , Küchler E. C. , Sousa‐Neto M. D.
Published: September 2020

Aim

To evaluate the association between the promoter region of defensin beta 1 (DEFB1) genetic polymorphisms and persistent apical periodontitis (PAP) in Brazilian patients.

Methodology

Seventy‐three patients with post‐treatment PAP (PAP group) and 89 patients with root filled teeth with healed and healthy periradicular tissues (healed group) were included (all teeth had apical periodontitis lesions at the beginning of the treatment). Patients who had undergone at least 1 year of follow‐up after root canal treatment were recalled, and their genomic DNA was extracted from saliva. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DEFB1 at the g. −52G>A (rs1799946) and g. −20G>A (rs11362) positions were analysed using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The chi‐squared test was performed, and the odds ratios were calculated using Epi Info 3.5.2. Logistic regression analysis in the codominant model, using the time of follow‐up as a variable, was used to evaluate the SNP‐SNP interaction. All tests were performed with an established alpha of 0.05 (P = 0.05).

Results

For the rs11362 polymorphism in the codominant and recessive models, patients who carried two copies of the T allele had a significantly lower risk of developing PAP (P = 0.040 and P = 0.031, respectively). For the rs1799946 polymorphism in DEFB1 in the codominant and recessive models, carrying one copy of the T allele significantly increased the risk of developing PAP (P = 0.007 and P = 0.031, respectively). In the logistic regression, both polymorphisms were associated with PAP as well as the SNP–SNP interaction (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Polymorphisms in DEFB1 genes were associated with the development of post‐treatment persistent apical periodontitis.
Follicular mucinosis: a review
Authors: Khalil Joanna , Kurban Mazen , Abbas Ossama
Published: September 2020

Follicular mucinosis (FM) is an epithelial reaction pattern characterized by follicular mucin accumulation. It has been described in association with various inflammatory and neoplastic cutaneous disorders. FM is generally divided into a primary benign idiopathic form and a secondary form usually occurring in association with cutaneous lymphomas (especially mycosis fungoides), among other entities. Distinction between the two forms can be challenging as they share many overlapping features and the lack of a single diagnostic tool to differentiate between the two. Making the distinction may require evaluating and correlating the clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular studies together. Long‐term clinical follow‐up also remains very important. In this review, we describe the different entities associated with FM, its pathogenesis, and possible therapeutic options.
Relationship between post‐void residual urine volume, preoperative pyuria and intravesical recurrence after transurethral resection of bladder carcinoma
Authors: Sazuka Tomokazu , Sakamoto Shinichi , Imamura Yusuke , Nakamura Kazuyoshi , Yamamoto Satoshi , Arai Takayuki , Takeuchi Nobuyoshi , Komiya Akira , Teishima Jun , Ichikawa Tomohiko
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To evaluate the relationship between residual urine volume, pyuria and bladder carcinoma recurrence.

Methods

The clinical data of 305 patients who had post‐void residual urine volume measured and preoperative pyuria were retrospectively collected. The patients were classified into three risk groups based on the presence of residual urine and pyuria: good (negative residual urine and pyuria), intermediate (positive residual urine or pyuria) and poor (positive residual urine and pyuria). Predictive factors for intravesical recurrence‐free survival were statistically analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan–Meier methods. The propensity score matching method was used to adjust the patients’ backgrounds.

Results

The median follow‐up period for all patients was 44 months. The presence of residual urine (P = 0.0164) and pyuria (P = 0.0233) were two independent prognostic factors for recurrence. After patients were classified into risk groups, the poor‐risk group showed significantly shorter recurrence‐free survival compared with that of the good‐ (P = 0.0002) and intermediate‐risk groups (P = 0.0090). Even after matching, the presence of residual urine was related to short recurrence‐free survival in male patients (P = 0.0012). When stratified by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer risk groups, the presence of pyuria was related to short recurrence‐free survival, especially for intermediate‐risk patients without bacillus Calmette–Guérin treatment.

Conclusions

Post‐void residual urine and preoperative pyuria are two risks for recurrence‐free survival in non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer.
Impact of smoking habit on overactive bladder symptoms and incontinence in women
Authors: Kawahara Takashi , Ito Hiroki , Yao Masahiro , Uemura Hiroji
Published: September 2020

Objective

To examine the correlation between smoking habit and lower urinary tract symptoms in women.

Methods

We first screened 10 000 female patients to examine their smoking habit. A total of 7004 samples were successfully collected for further analysis through a urinary continence survey. The ratio of current smoking to non‐smoking participants was set as 1:3 to allow thorough assessment of the impact of cigarette smoking on lower urinary tract symptoms.

Results

A total of 4756 complete responses were obtained for the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Short Form questionnaire. The current smokers (2.54 ± 2.91, 2.48 ± 4.01) and ex‐smokers (2.27 ± 2.50, 2.25 ± 3.50) showed significantly higher Overactive Bladder Symptom Score and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Short Form scores than the non‐smokers (1.70 ± 2.05, 1.49 ± 2.73) (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, respectively). The prevalence of urgency was affected by the smoking status. Younger participants (aged 20–39 years) showed a stronger influence of their smoking habit than older participants (aged ≥40 years). Urgency urinary incontinence was also affected by the smoking status.

Conclusions

The prevalence of urgency and urgency urinary incontinence is correlated with age and smoking habit, and both current and ex‐smokers show an increased prevalence of urgency and urgency urinary incontinence compared with non‐smokers, especially younger women.