bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of safety and haemodynamic performance between the Avalus™ stented aortic valve bioprosthesis and Magna™ valve in Japanese patients
Authors: Tadokoro Naoki , Fukushima Satsuki , Shimahara Yusuke , Saito Tetsuya , Kawamoto Naonori , Kakuta Takashi , Minami Kimito , Fujita Tomoyuki
Published: January 2021

Objectives

A new stented bovine pericardial valve (Avalus™) has been proven safe and effective with good hemodynamic performance in Western populations. However, its use in Japanese patients is poorly understood. We retrospectively compared the feasibility, safety, and valve haemodynamics between the Avalus™ and Magna™ valves in patients who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Methods

This study included 87 patients receiving an Avalus™ valve and 387 receiving a Magna™ valve. We evaluated adverse events, outcomes, and valve haemodynamics within 1 year postoperatively. There were no significant differences in any surgical risk scores.

Results

No in-hospital mortality occurred in the Avalus™ group, but two mortality events occurred in the Magna™ group. No pacemaker implantation for complete atrioventricular block was required in the Avalus™ group. There was no significant difference in in-hospital or clinical outcomes between the two groups until 1 year postoperatively. Left ventricular mass index reduction appeared to predominate in the Avalus™ over Magna™ group. There was no significant difference in the mean pressure gradient or effective orifice area of each valve size at 1 week or 1 year between the two groups, apart from the mean pressure gradient of the 23-mm valve at 1 week. Three patients (3.4%) in the Avalus™ group and 39 (10.8%) in the Magna™ group (p = 0.12) had severe patient–prosthesis mismatch at 1 week postoperatively.

Conclusions

The new Avalus™ stented aortic valve bioprosthesis was associated with good in-hospital outcomes and good valve functionality post-SAVR in Japanese patients.
Early and mid-term outcomes of minimally invasive mitral valve repair via right mini-thoracotomy: 5-year experience with 129 consecutive patients
Authors: Nakayama Taisuke , Nakamura Yoshitsugu , Yasumoto Yuto , Yoshiyama Daiki , Kuroda Miho , Nishijima Shuhei , Ito Yujiro , Tsuruta Ryo , Hori Takaki
Published: January 2021

Objectives

This study analyzed the experience of a single institution with minimally invasive mitral valve repair (MIMVr) via a right mini-thoracotomy (RT), including short and mid-term morbidity and mortality as surgical outcomes, and rates of reoperation. Late follow-up findings regarding mitral regurgitation (MR) were also assessed.

Methods

Between January 2014 and January 2020, a total of 141 consecutive patients underwent MIMVr for mitral regurgitation at our institution via an RT, with late follow-up results (median 35 ± 15 months) available for 129 (91.4%). Findings regarding surgical approach, complications, reoperations, and late survival were examined. Late echocardiographic results showing recurrence of MR after mitral repair were also noted. Survival, freedom from reoperation, and recurrent MR (grade > 2) were evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis.

Results

Mean age was 63.9 ± 14.3 years, mean ejection fraction was 66.9 ± 10.4%, and 2 patients (1.6%) underwent a reoperation. Concomitant procedures included atrial fibrillation ablation (18%), tricuspid valve surgery (16%). None (0%) experienced intraoperative conversion to sternotomy. A learning curve was observed as the number of cases increased. Overall in-hospital mortality and stroke incidence were both 0%. Freedom from recurrent MR (grade > 2) at 1, 3, and 5 years was 99.2, 94.9, and 94.9%, respectively, while freedom from reoperation at 1, 3, and 5 years after mitral valve repair was 98.4, 98.4, and 98.4%, respectively.

Conclusions

Early and mid-term results of MIMVr were satisfactory, with low rates of perioperative morbidity and recurrent MR, as well as reoperation and death. Furthermore, the protocols for patient selection and surgical approach were considered to be appropriate.
The Struggle for Legitimacy in Business and Human Rights Regulation—a Consideration of the Processes Leading to the UN Guiding Principles and an International Treaty
Authors: Hamm Brigitte
Published: January 2021

After the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) were adopted in 2011, an international treaty has been being negotiated since 2014. The two instruments reveal similarities and also conflicts regarding the adequate organization of the global economy based on human rights. The focus in this article will be on the processes leading to these instruments, because they themselves mirror different understandings of governance in the field of business and human rights as well as the struggle over the power of definition and legitimacy. The UNGPs were developed on the basis of global multi-stakeholder consultations, underlining legitimacy through broad inclusion. There are varying judgements as to the success of this approach. The process towards the treaty follows the traditional path of negotiations at UN level. These negotiations reveal a struggle for recognition of the legitimacy of the process itself. Both procedures have shortcomings with regard to legitimacy and show the need for a revision concerning the inclusion of stakeholders. The complementarity of a soft and hard law instrument may enhance the creation of a level playing field in the global economy, thereby strengthening human rights.
LncRNA MAFG-AS1 regulates miR-125b-5p/SphK1 axis to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cells
Authors: Tang Chenye , Wu Yuntao , Wang Xiao , Chen Kean , Tang Zhiling , Guo Xiao
Published: January 2021

MAFG-AS1 is an oncogenic lncRNA in multiple types of cancer. However, its role in bladder cancer (BC) remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the function of MAFG-AS1 in BC. BC and paired non-tumor tissues were collected. Two BC cell lines HT01197 and HT-1376 were used. Dual luciferase activity assay, RT-qPCR, western blot, CCK-8, transwell invasion assay, and wound healing assay were performed. We found that MAFG-AS1 was significantly up-regulated in BC tissues and predicted a poor survival rate. MAFG-AS1 interacted with miR-125b-5p. However, the expression levels of MAFG‑AS1 and miR-125b-5p were not obviously correlated in BC tissues, and MAFG‑AS1 and miR-125b-5p did not regulate the expression of each other. Interestingly, we found that SphK1, a downstream target of miR-125b-5p, was negatively correlated with miR-125b-5p, while it was positively correlated with MAFG-AS1 across BC tissues. In addition, overexpression of MAFG‑AS1 upregulated the expression of SphK1 in BC cells, and attenuated the inhibitory effects of miR-125b-5p on the expression of SphK1. Functional assays showed that overexpression of MAFG‑AS1 promoted BC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while its effects were attenuated by overexpression of miR-125b-5p. Moreover, overexpression of miR-125b-5p inhibited BC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while its effects were alleviated by overexpression of SphK1. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that MAFG-AS1 has an oncogenic role in BC by regulating the miR-125b-5p/SphK1 axis. MAFG-AS1 might serve as a good diagnostic marker and a potential therapeutic target of BC.
Image-based mains signal disaggregation and load recognition
Authors: Matindife Liston , Sun Yanxia , Wang Zenghui
Published: January 2021

The mains signal is a complex fusion of various electrical equipment load signals in a building. In the non-intrusive load monitoring recognition, our main aim is to be able to extract as much load features as possible from the complex aggregate mains signal in a simpler way through a computer vision-based approach as opposed to the powers series signal approach. Power series methods, which are one dimensional in nature, suffer from poor aggregate and load signal feature localization necessitating a larger training dataset spanning very long time periods and normally require signal formatting and pre-processing. We use Gramian angular summation fields to transform the power series into a reduced image dataset that contains a rich set of localized signal features. A computer vision approach allows us to capture as much information as possible, and then propose an image-based mains load recognition system with high performance. In this paper for the entire recognition system, we use convolutional neural networks that very well adapted to vision recognition. The load signal image disaggregation is achieved through the powerful stacked denoising autoencoder noise extraction network. To test the proposed system, some simulations and comparisons are carried out and the results show that our easier to handle method can achieve acceptable performance.
Industrial Internet of Learning (IIoL): IIoT based pervasive knowledge network for LPWAN—concept, framework and case studies
Authors: Qin Jian , Li Zhuoqun , Wang Rui , Li Li , Yu Zhe , He Xun , Liu Ying
Published: January 2021

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is performed based on the multiple sourced data collection, communication, management and analysis from the industrial environment. The data can be generated at every point in the manufacturing production process by real-time monitoring, connection and interaction in the industrial field through various data sensing devices, which creates a big data environment for the industry. To collect, transfer, store and analyse such a big data efficiently and economically, several challenges have imposed to the conventional big data solution, such as high unreliable latency, massive energy consumption, and inadequate security. In order to address these issues, edge computing, as an emerging technique, has been researched and developed in different industries. This paper aims to propose a novel framework for the intelligent IIoT, named Industrial Internet of Learning (IIoL). It is built using an industrial wireless communication network called Low-power wide-area network (LPWAN). By applying edge computing technologies in the LPWAN, the high-intensity computing load is distributed to edge sides, which integrates the computing resource of edge devices to lighten the computational complexity in the central. It cannot only reduce the energy consumption of processing and storing big data but also low the risk of cyber-attacks. Additionally, in the proposed framework, the information and knowledge are discovered and generated from different parts of the system, including smart sensors, smart gateways and cloud. Under this framework, a pervasive knowledge network can be established to improve all the devices in the system. Finally, the proposed concept and framework were validated by two real industrial cases, which were the health prognosis and management of a water plant and asset monitoring and management of an automobile factory.
Decolonizing Diplomacy: Senghor, Kennedy, and the Practice of Ideological Resistance
Authors: Ripert Yohann C.
Published: January 2021

At the turn of the 1960s, Léopold Sédar Senghor and John F. Kennedy vowed to radically transform African foreign policy. Through a close reading of a recently declassified correspondence and a historical analysis of two behind-the-scenes negotiations, Senghor’s first state visit to the U.S. and Kennedy’s support for the First World Festival of Negro Arts, Ripert examines the private and public concatenations that lead both statesmen to transform policymaking not by implementing new policies but by challenging inherited ideologies. Though their efforts did not always bring successful change in policymaking, the diplomatic correspondence between the two newly elected leaders reveals a more subtle and sustainable transformation: a decolonization of diplomacy.
COMPUTABILITY IN PARTIAL COMBINATORY ALGEBRAS
Authors: TERWIJN SEBASTIAAN A.
Published: January 2021

We prove a number of elementary facts about computability in partial combinatory algebras (pca’s). We disprove a suggestion made by Kreisel about using Friedberg numberings to construct extensional pca’s. We then discuss separability and elements without total extensions. We relate this to Ershov’s notion of precompleteness, and we show that precomplete numberings are not 1–1 in general.
Value distribution of derivatives in polynomial dynamics
Authors: OKUYAMA YÛSUKE , VIGNY GABRIEL
Published: January 2021

For every$m\in \mathbb {N}$, we establish the equidistribution of the sequence of the averaged pullbacks of a Dirac measure at any given value in$\mathbb {C}\setminus \{0\}$under the$m$th order derivatives of the iterates of a polynomials$f\in \mathbb {C}[z]$of degree$d>1$towards the harmonic measure of the filled-in Julia set offwith pole at$\infty $. We also establish non-archimedean and arithmetic counterparts using the potential theory on the Berkovich projective line and the adelic equidistribution theory over a number fieldkfor a sequence of effective divisors on$\mathbb {P}^1(\overline {k})$having small diagonals and small heights. We show a similar result on the equidistribution of the analytic sets where the derivative of each iterate of a Hénon-type polynomial automorphism of$\mathbb {C}^2$has a given eigenvalue.
Consumer Wine Closure Preferences: The Role of Gender, Price, and Regional Preferences
Authors: Agnoli Lara , Outreville Jean-François
Published: January 2021

This paper analyzes buying decisions when consumers consider the risk that a bottle of wine may be cork-tainted. Drawing on a sample of 804 subjects, we examine the role of gender, price level, and subjects’ country of origin and their personal cork-taint risk assessments. We find that women assess the cork-taint risk higher than men but are still more likely to buy bottles with cork closures. Young consumers from Asia are more risk-averse than people from Western countries. Gender and regional differences vanish for wines in higher price brackets. (JEL Classifications: C90, D12, L66)
Government and Opposition in Legislative Speechmaking: Using Text-As-Data to Estimate Brazilian Political Parties’ Policy Positions
Authors: Izumi Mauricio Y. , Medeiros Danilo B.
Published: January 2021

This research note explores whether the government-opposition dimension that emerges from voting records of Brazilian legislatures also arises in legislative speechmaking. Since the earlier stages of the legislative process are innocuous to policy outcomes, party leaders would have fewer incentives to coerce their copartisans’ behavior in speeches than in roll calls. To test this expectation, this study estimates Brazilian political parties’ policy positions, relying on a sentiment analysis approach to classify 64,000 senators’ speeches. The results suggest that the president and the party leadership exert signiﬁcant inﬂuence not only over how legislators vote but also over how they speak. We speculate that these unforeseen ﬁndings are backed by the decisiveness of speeches in passing legislation, the importance leadership gives to party brand, and legislators’ need to signal their positions to leaders and the government.
‘We’re Not Doing It To Be Nasty’: Caregivers’ Ethical Dilemmas in Negotiating Driving Safety with Older Adults
Authors: Lafrance Michelle N. , Dreise Elizabeth , Gouliquer Lynne , Poulin Carmen
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this research was to investigate how informal caregivers of older adults cope with and negotiate driving safety when their loved one is no longer safe to drive. Fifteen informal caregivers of an older adult living at home took part in the present study. Participants cared for individuals with a range of health conditions that significantly impaired driving safety, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration, and stroke. A thematic analysis of participants’ accounts identified the complex interpersonal, social, and organisational context they encountered when their loved one did not recognise or acknowledge limitations in their ability to drive. This analysis highlights the ethical dilemma at the heart of caregivers’ experiences and identifies stake and blame as key considerations in the development of sensitive and effective policies and practices.
Serum lactate level predicts 6-months mortality in patients with hepatitis B virus-related decompensated cirrhosis: a retrospective study
Authors: Nie Yuan , Liu Lin-Xiang , Chen Tao , Zhang Yue , Zhu Xuan
Published: January 2021

The prediction of prognosis is an important part of management in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related decompensated cirrhosis patients with high long-term mortality. Lactate is a known predictor of outcome in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of lactate in HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients. We performed a single-centre, observational, retrospective study of 405 HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients. Individuals were evaluated within 24 h after admission and the primary outcome was evaluated at 6-months. Multivariable analyses were used to determine whether lactate was independently associated with the prognosis of HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients. The area under the ROC (AUROC) was calculated to assess the predictive accuracy compared with existing scores. Serum lactate level was significantly higher in non-surviving patients than in surviving patients. Multivariable analyses demonstrated that lactate was an independent risk factor of 6-months mortality (odds ratio: 2.076, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to evaluate the discriminative ability of lactate for 6-months mortality (AUROC: 0.716, P < 0.001). Based on our patient cohort, the new scores (Model For End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) + lactate score, Child–Pugh + lactate score) had good accuracy for predicting 6-months mortality (AUROC = 0.769, P < 0.001; AUROC = 0.766, P < 0.001). Additionally, the performance of the new scores was superior to those of existing scores (all P < 0.001). Serum lactate at admission may be useful for predicting 6-months mortality in HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients, and the predictive value of the MELD score and Child–Pugh score was improved by adjusting lactate. Serum lactate should be part of the rapid diagnosis and initiation of therapy to improve clinical outcome.
Parties Settle in HIV Claim under ADA
Authors: K.C.L.
Published: January 2021

On October 31, 1994, it was announced that a confidential settlement had been reached in Doe v. Kohn, Nast & Graf, P.C., et al. (No. 93-4510 (E.D. Pa. filed Aug. 19, 1993), 862F. Supp. 1310 (E.D. Pa. 1994)). The settlement in ths widely publicized AIDS discrimination case came three weeks after the trial began in the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (“Philadelphia Lawyer Settles AIDS Discrimination Claims Against Firm,” Daily Lab. Rep. (BNA), Nov. 2, 1994, at 10).

Plaintiff Doe, an associate employed at Kohn, Nast & Graf, a prominent law firm in Philadelphia, filed an AIDS discrimination case under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against his employer claiming that the firm fired him in March 1993 because he was HIV-positive. Doe's complaint also cited claims under ERISA and other Pennsylvania employment laws.
Michigan Court Clarifies Liability for COB Provisions in ERISA and Auto Plans
Authors: S.C.
Published: January 2021

In Campbell Soup Co. v. Allstate Insurance Co. (913 F. Supp. 451 (W.D. Mich. Jan. 9, 1996)), the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division, held that a health plan's coordination of benefits (COB) clause, covered under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), does not preempt a similar no-fault automobile insurance clause in the absence of irreconcilable conflict. The court found that ERISA's policy of shielding plans from unanticipated claims could only be furthered when the plan had expressly disavowed such claims. Because the ERISA plan in this case did not specifically subordinate itself to the no-fault policy, the district court found that the no-fault COB clause controlled. However, to escape this ruling, ERISA plans need only redraft their COB clauses specifically to disclaim liability in case of conflict with provisions of no-fault insurance policies. This caveat substantially limits the scope of the court's ruling.
Seventh Circuit Holds that HMOs Not Separate Market Under Antitrust Law
Authors: R.L.M.
Published: January 2021

On September 18, 1995, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit handed down a decision in Blue Cross & Blue Shield United of Wisconsin v. Marshfield Clinic (65 F.3d 1406 (7th Cir. 1995)) that sets two important precedents regarding the status of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) under antitrust law. Chief Judge Posner, writing for the court, concluded that HMOs do not constitute a market separate from the general market for medical services and that agreements, between HMOs in a region, to operate in separate areas constitute a prohibited form of market splitting.

This case primarily involves two HMOs in north central Wisconsin: one a subsidiary of Blue Cross, the other a subsidiary of the Marshfield Clinic. The Blue Cross HMO claimed that the Marshfield HMO had an illegal monopoly in the region's HMO market and therefore violated the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. § 2 (1990)).
Duty of Care: No Higher Standard of Tort Liability for Incapacitated Patients
Authors: Kaufman Robert
Published: January 2021

In NX v. Cabrini Medical Center, New York's highest court overruled a divided Appellate Division and held that, as a matter of law, a jury could find a hospital negligent for its failure to protect a patient from sexual assault. The court refused, however, to adopt a higher standard of tort liability for health-care providers who treat incapacitated patients.
Contracts: Third Circuit Upholds Limited Immunity of Peer Review Actions Under HCQIA
Authors: Rosenfeld Mary-Rachel
Published: January 2021

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held, in Brader v. Allegheny General Hospital, 167 E3d 832 (3rd Cir. 1990), that the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 11101-11152 (1986), shields a Pennsylvania hospital from a surgeon's claims of contract violations.

The plaintiff, Alan Brader, M.D., joined Allegheny General Hospital's (AGH) provisional medical staff in July 1988. During the next two years, he performed several abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repairs and various other operations. Several of Brader's patients sustained serious injuries or died during surgery from complications. In 1989, Brader's supervisors, Drs. Daniel Diamond and George Magovern, met to discuss their dissatisfaction with Brader's behavior, his departures from hospital protocol, as well as his disruptive presence in the hospital. From 1989 to 1990, Brader continued to perform surgical procedures on incoming patients, and he continued to violate hospital notification protocol and lost a patient during surgery. In spring 1990, the Quality Assurance Department (QAD) compiled data on AAA procedures for the hospital's physicians.
Development and validation of the Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale to assess irreversible terminal delirium
Authors: Uchida Megumi , Akechi Tatsuo , Morita Tatsuya , Shima Yasuo , Igarashi Naoko , Miyashita Mitsunori ,   J-HOPE group
Published: January 2021

Objective

There is no tool to appropriately assess terminal delirium, including the natural terminal course. The objective of this study was to develop an evaluation scale to assess distress from irreversible terminal delirium and to examine the validity of the scale.

Method

Based on previous qualitative analysis and systematic literature searches, we carried out a survey regarding the views of bereaved families and developed a questionnaire. We extracted items that bereaved families regarded as important and constructed an evaluation scale of terminal delirium. Then, we applied the questionnaire in a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of bereaved relatives of cancer patients who were admitted to a hospice or a palliative care unit.

Results

We developed the Terminal Delirium-Related Distress Scale (TDDS), a 24 item questionnaire consisting of five subscales (support for families and respect for a patient, ability to communicate, hallucinations and delusions, adequate information about the treatment of delirium, and agitation and restlessness). Two hundred and eighty-one bereaved relatives participated in the validation phase. The construct validity was shown to be good by repeated factor analysis. Convergent validity, confirmed by the correlation between the TDDS and the Care Evaluation Scale (r = 0.651, P < 0.001), was also good. The TDDS had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all 24 items = 0.84).

Significance of results

This study showed that the TDDS is a valid and feasible measure of irreversible terminal delirium.
Racial Projections in Perspective: Public Reactions to Narratives about Rising Diversity
Authors: Levy Morris , Myers Dowell
Published: January 2021

Threatened reactions to news about the approach of a racial majority-minority society have profoundly influenced Americans’ political attitudes and electoral choices. Existing research casts these reactions as responses to changing demographic context. We argue instead that they are driven in large part by the dominant majority-minority narrativeframingof most public discussion about rising racial diversity. This narrative assumes the long-run persistence of a white-nonwhite binary in which the growing number of Americans with both white and non-white parents are classified exclusively as non-white, irrespective of how they identify themselves. Alternative narratives that take stock of trends toward mixed-race marriage and multiracial identification also reflect demographic fundamentals projected by the Census Bureau and more realistically depict the country’s twenty-first century racial landscape. Using three survey experiments, we examine public reactions to alternative narratives about rising diversity. The standard majority-minority narrative evokes far more threat among whites than any other narrative. Alternative accounts that highlight multiracialism elicit decidedly positive reactions regardless of whether they foretell the persistence of a more diverse white majority. Non-white groups respond favorably to all narratives about rising diversity, irrespective of whether they include the conventional majority-minority framing.
Seasonal nonstructural carbohydrate patterns in dewberry (Rubus spp.) roots
Authors: Ghantous Katherine M. , Sandler Hilary A.
Published: January 2021

Applying control measures when carbohydrate levels are low can decrease the likelihood of plant survival, but little is known about the carbohydrate cycles of dewberry (Rubus spp.), a problematic weed group on cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) farms. Weedy Rubus plants were collected from areas adjacent to production beds on commercial cranberry farms in Massachusetts, two locations per year for 2 yr. For each site and year, four entire plants were collected at five phenological stages: budbreak, full leaf expansion, flowering, fruit maturity, and after onset of dormancy. Root sections were analyzed for total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC; starch, sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Overall trends for all sites and years showed TNC were lowest at full leaf expansion or flowering; when sampled at dormancy, TNC concentrations were greater than or equal to those measured at budbreak. Starch, a carbohydrate form associated with long-term storage, had low levels at budbreak, leaf expansion, and/or flowering with a significant increase at fruit maturity and the onset of dormancy, ending at levels higher than those found at budbreak. The concentration of soluble sugars, carbohydrate forms readily usable by plants, was highest at budbreak compared with the other four phenological samplings. Overall, our findings supported the hypothesis that TNC levels within the roots of weedy Rubus plants can be predicted based on different phenological growth stages in Massachusetts. However, recommendations for timing management practices cannot be based on TNC cycles alone; other factors such as temporal proximity to dormancy may also impact Rubus plants recovery, and further research is warranted. Late-season damage should allow less time for plants to replenish carbohydrate reserves (before the onset of dormancy), thereby likely enhancing the effectiveness of weed management tactics over time. Future studies should consider tracking the relationship between environmental conditions, phenological stages, and carbohydrate trends.
Trends and patterns of the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) in Peru: a pooled analysis of 129,159 mother–child dyads
Authors: Pomati Marco , Mendoza-Quispe Daniel , Anza-Ramirez Cecilia , Hernández-Vásquez Akram , Carrillo Larco Rodrigo M. , Fernandez Gabriela , Nandy Shailen , Miranda J. Jaime , Bernabé-Ortiz Antonio
Published: January 2021

Background

This study aims to evaluate trends of DBM in Peru over the last 20 years.

Methods

Using individual-level data collected in nationally representative household surveys from Peru between 1996 and 2017, we analysed trends in the prevalence and patterning of the DBM. We classified the nutritional status of children and their mothers as undernourished (either underweight, stunted or wasted for children), normal, overweight or obese. Children classified as experiencing the DBM were those undernourished and living with an overweight or obese mother. We also fitted logistic regression models to evaluate the probability of children having an overweight/obese mother across subgroups of socioeconomic status, place of residence and education.

Results

The overall percentage of children experiencing the DBM in 2016 was 7%, and constitutes ~203,600 children (90% of whom were stunted). Between 1996 and 2016, undernourished children have seen the largest relative increase in the risk of having an overweight mother (31% vs. 37%) or obese mother (6% vs. 17%); however, due to the substantial decrease in the absolute number of undernourished children, the DBM has not grown. Moreover, all children, irrespective of their own nutritional status, are now more likely to live with an overweight or obese mother, a consistent pattern across wealth, location and education subgroups, and all regions of Peru.

Conclusions

DBM prevalence in Peru has decreased, although the number of DBM cases is estimated to be above 200,000. In addition, all children are now more likely to live with overweight or obese mothers. The basic pattern has shifted from one of undernourished children whose mothers have a ‘normal’ BMI, to one where now most children have a ‘normal’ or healthy anthropometric status, but whose mothers are overweight or obese. This suggest that Peru is on the cusp of a major public health challenge requiring significant action.
Therapeutic anti-glioma effect of the combined action of PCSK inhibitor with the anti-tumoral factors secreted by Poly (I:C)-stimulated macrophages
Authors: Rose Mélanie , Duhamel Marie , Aboulouard Soulaimane , Kobeissy Firas , Tierny Dominique , Fournier Isabelle , Rodet Franck , Salzet Michel
Published: January 2021

Macrophages plasticity is a key feature in cancer progression. Neoplastic cells can alter their immune functions and orient them into a pro-tumoral phenotype. In this context, we developed a new therapeutic strategy to switch macrophages phenotype and reactivate their anti-tumoral functions. We showed a dual activity of a proprotein convertases inhibitor as anti-glioma drug and anti-tumoral macrophages’ reactivation drug. Proprotein convertases are proteases that cleave proteins into functional proteins. Several of their substrates are involved in tumorigenesis and immunosuppression. We combine here proprotein convertases inhibitor with Poly (I:C), a TLR3 ligand, to increase the anti-tumoral activity of macrophages. With mass spectrometry-based proteomics, system biology, combined with biological assays, we established that a stimulation of macrophages with Poly (I:C) increased their secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-tumoral factors. 3D invasion assay showed the efficacy of these anti-tumoral factors against mixed glioma cells and macrophages spheroids. Besides, immunofluorescence and proliferation assays showed an additive effect of the proprotein convertases inhibitor and the anti-tumoral factors secreted by Poly (I:C)-treated macrophages on both anti-glioma activity and macrophages anti-tumoral orientation directly in tumor microenvironment, leading to an innovative glioma therapy.
Convolutional neural network-assisted recognition of nanoscale L12 ordered structures in face-centred cubic alloys
Authors: Li Yue , Zhou Xuyang , Colnaghi Timoteo , Wei Ye , Marek Andreas , Li Hongxiang , Bauer Stefan , Rampp Markus , Stephenson Leigh T.
Published: January 2021

Nanoscale L12-type ordered structures are widely used in face-centered cubic (FCC) alloys to exploit their hardening capacity and thereby improve mechanical properties. These fine-scale particles are typically fully coherent with matrix with the same atomic configuration disregarding chemical species, which makes them challenging to be characterized. Spatial distribution maps (SDMs) are used to probe local order by interrogating the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of atoms within reconstructed atom probe tomography (APT) data. However, it is almost impossible to manually analyze the complete point cloud (>10 million) in search for the partial crystallographic information retained within the data. Here, we proposed an intelligent L12-ordered structure recognition method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The SDMs of a simulated L12-ordered structure and the FCC matrix were firstly generated. These simulated images combined with a small amount of experimental data were used to train a CNN-based L12-ordered structure recognition model. Finally, the approach was successfully applied to reveal the 3D distribution of L12–type δ′–Al3(LiMg) nanoparticles with an average radius of 2.54 nm in a FCC Al-Li-Mg system. The minimum radius of detectable nanodomain is even down to 5 Å. The proposed CNN-APT method is promising to be extended to recognize other nanoscale ordered structures and even more-challenging short-range ordered phenomena in the near future.
Multimodal phenotypic axes of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Markello Ross D. , Shafiei Golia , Tremblay Christina , Postuma Ronald B. , Dagher Alain , Misic Bratislav
Published: January 2021

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease present with a complex clinical phenotype, encompassing sleep, motor, cognitive, and affective disturbances. However, characterizations of PD are typically made for the “average” patient, ignoring patient heterogeneity and obscuring important individual differences. Modern large-scale data sharing efforts provide a unique opportunity to precisely investigate individual patient characteristics, but there exists no analytic framework for comprehensively integrating data modalities. Here we apply an unsupervised learning method—similarity network fusion—to objectively integrate MRI morphometry, dopamine active transporter binding, protein assays, and clinical measurements from n = 186 individuals with de novo Parkinson’s disease from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative. We show that multimodal fusion captures inter-dependencies among data modalities that would otherwise be overlooked by field standard techniques like data concatenation. We then examine how patient subgroups derived from the fused data map onto clinical phenotypes, and how neuroimaging data is critical to this delineation. Finally, we identify a compact set of phenotypic axes that span the patient population, demonstrating that this continuous, low-dimensional projection of individual patients presents a more parsimonious representation of heterogeneity in the sample compared to discrete biotypes. Altogether, these findings showcase the potential of similarity network fusion for combining multimodal data in heterogeneous patient populations.
Nematic fluctuations in iron-oxychalcogenide Mott insulators
Authors: Freelon B. , Sarkar R. , Kamusella S. , Brückner F. , Grinenko V. , Acharya Swagata , Laad Mukul , Craco Luis , Yamani Zahra , Flacau Roxana , Swainson Ian , Frandsen Benjamin , Birgeneau Robert , Liu Yuhao , Karki Bhupendra , Alfailakawi Alaa , Neuefeind Joerg C. , Everett Michelle , Wang Hangdong , Xu Binjie , Fang Minghu , Klauss H.-H.
Published: January 2021

Nematic fluctuations occur in a wide range physical systems from biological molecules to cuprates and iron pnictide high-Tc superconductors. It is unclear whether nematicity in pnictides arises from electronic spin or orbital degrees of freedom. We studied the iron-based Mott insulators La2O2Fe2OM2M = (S, Se), which are structurally similar to pnictides. Nuclear magnetic resonance revealed a critical slowing down of nematic fluctuations and complementary Mössbauerr spectroscopy data showed a change of electrical field gradient. The neutron pair distribution function technique detected local C2 fluctuations while neutron diffraction indicates that global C4 symmetry is preserved. A geometrically frustrated Heisenberg model with biquadratic and single-ion anisotropic terms provides the interpretation of the low temperature magnetic fluctuations. The nematicity is not due to spontaneous orbital order, instead it is linked to geometrically frustrated magnetism based on orbital selectivity. This study highlights the interplay between orbital order and spin fluctuations in nematicity.
Sparsely-connected autoencoder (SCA) for single cell RNAseq data mining
Authors: Alessandri Luca , Cordero Francesca , Beccuti Marco , Licheri Nicola , Arigoni Maddalena , Olivero Martina , Di Renzo Maria Flavia , Sapino Anna , Calogero Raffaele
Published: January 2021

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) is an essential tool to investigate cellular heterogeneity. Thus, it would be of great interest being able to disclose biological information belonging to cell subpopulations, which can be defined by clustering analysis of scRNAseq data. In this manuscript, we report a tool that we developed for the functional mining of single cell clusters based on Sparsely-Connected Autoencoder (SCA). This tool allows uncovering hidden features associated with scRNAseq data. We implemented two new metrics, QCC (Quality Control of Cluster) and QCM (Quality Control of Model), which allow quantifying the ability of SCA to reconstruct valuable cell clusters and to evaluate the quality of the neural network achievements, respectively. Our data indicate that SCA encoded space, derived by different experimentally validated data (TF targets, miRNA targets, Kinase targets, and cancer-related immune signatures), can be used to grasp single cell cluster-specific functional features. In our implementation, SCA efficacy comes from its ability to reconstruct only specific clusters, thus indicating only those clusters where the SCA encoding space is a key element for cells aggregation. SCA analysis is implemented as module in rCASC framework and it is supported by a GUI to simplify it usage for biologists and medical personnel.
Estimating and explaining the spread of COVID-19 at the county level in the USA
Authors: Ives Anthony R. , Bozzuto Claudio
Published: January 2021

The basic reproduction number, R0, determines the rate of spread of a communicable disease and therefore gives fundamental information needed to plan public health interventions. Using mortality records, we estimated the rate of spread of COVID-19 among 160 counties and county-aggregates in the USA at the start of the epidemic. We show that most of the high among-county variance is explained by four factors (R2 = 0.70): the timing of outbreak, population size, population density, and spatial location. For predictions of future spread, population density and spatial location are important, and for the latter we show that SARS-CoV-2 strains containing the G614 mutation to the spike gene are associated with higher rates of spread. Finally, the high predictability of R0allows extending estimates to all 3109 counties in the conterminous 48 states. The high variation of R0argues for public health policies enacted at the county level for controlling COVID-19.
The F + HD(v = 0, 1; j = 0, 1) reactions: stereodynamical properties of orbiting resonances
Authors: Sáez-Rábanos V. , Verdasco J. E. , Aoiz F. J. , Herrero V. J.
Published: January 2021

The polarization of the angular momentum with respect to the initial velocity reveals intrinsic directional properties in the F + HD(v = 0.1; j = 1) reactions that are manifested in the resonance patterns.
Investigating the mapping of chromophore excitations onto the electron detachment spectrum: photodissociation spectroscopy of iodide ion–thiouracil clusters
Authors: Uleanya Kelechi O. , Dessent Caroline E. H.
Published: January 2021

Near threshold photoexcitation of iodide–thiouracil clusters explores the coupling of nucleobase centred excitations onto the electron detachment spectrum.
Stability and superconductivity of Ca-intercalated bilayer blue phosphorene
Authors: Durajski Artur P. , Skoczylas Kamil M. , Szczęśniak Radosław
Published: January 2021

Superconductivity attracts much attention in two-dimensional (2D) compounds due to their potential application in nano-superconducting devices.
Enabling large-scale hydrogen storage in porous media – the scientific challenges
Authors: Heinemann Niklas , Alcalde Juan , Miocic Johannes M. , Hangx Suzanne J. T. , Kallmeyer Jens , Ostertag-Henning Christian , Hassanpouryouzband Aliakbar , Thaysen Eike M. , Strobel Gion J. , Schmidt-Hattenberger Cornelia , Edlmann Katriona , Wilkinson Mark , Bentham Michelle , Stuart Haszeldine R. , Carbonell Ramon , Rudloff Alexander
Published: January 2021

This article identifies and discusses the scientific challenges of hydrogen storage in porous media for safe and efficient large-scale energy storage to enable a global hydrogen economy.
Electronic transitions of SWCNTs in comparison to GO on Mn3O4/TiO2nanocomposites for hydrogen energy generation and solar photocatalysis
Authors: Noor Saima , Sajjad Shamaila , Leghari Sajjad Ahmed Khan , Flox Cristina , Kallio Tanja , Kauppinen Esko. I. , Ahmad Saeed
Published: January 2021

The conductivity of metal/metal oxide-doped TiO2nanomaterials is enhanced by the incorporation of carbonaceous materials,e.g.single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene oxide (GO).
Field analysis of Cr(vi) in water samples by using a smartphone-based ultralong absorption path reflection colorimetric device
Authors: Chen Xiaolan , Ma Cheng , Kang Qi , Chen Yuqin , Shen Dazhong
Published: January 2021

Hexavalent chromium is highly toxic and regarded as one of the main pollutants in the environment. A multiple reflection colorimetric cell is designed to improve the sensitivity in field analysis for Cr(vi).
Synergistic effects of the zinc acetate additive on the performance enhancement of Sn-based perovskite solar cells
Authors: Tang Guanqi , Li Sihua , Cao Jiupeng , Wang Tianyue , You Peng , Tai Qidong , Yan Feng
Published: January 2021

Zinc acetate (ZnAc2) is employed as an additive for the first time to form a FAI·SnI2·ZnAc2intermediate phase to enlarge grain size and suppress Sn2+vacancies of FASnI3films due to the synergetic effects of Zn and Ac ions.
Facile access to benzofuran-fused tetrahydropyridines via catalytic asymmetric [4 + 2] cycloaddition of aurone-derived 1-azadienes with 3-vinylindoles
Authors: Koay Wai Lean , Mei Guang-Jian , Lu Yixin
Published: January 2021

A highly enantioselective [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of 1-azadienes with 3-vinylindoles, catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acid has been developed to furnish a range of benzofuran-fused tetrahydropyridines with three contiguous stereogenic centers.
Click activated protodrugs against cancer increase the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy through local capture and activation
Authors: Wu Kui , Yee Nathan A. , Srinivasan Sangeetha , Mahmoodi Amir , Zakharian Michael , Mejia Oneto Jose M. , Royzen Maksim
Published: January 2021

The Click Activated Protodrugs Against Cancer (CAPAC) platform uses click chemistry to activate cytotoxic drugs directly at a target site with minimal toxicity, overcoming limitations of conventional chemotherapy and traditional targeted therapies.
A green synthesis of PEI@nano-SiO2 adsorbent from coal fly ash: selective and efficient CO2 adsorption from biogas
Authors: Shen Xuehua , Yan Feng , Li Chunyan , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Zuotai
Published: January 2021

As an alternative renewable energy, upgraded biogas by separating CH4 and CO2 can be used to replace natural gas in automobiles and power grids.
Speech and Anxiety Management With Persistent Stuttering: Current Status and Essential Research
Authors: Lowe Robyn , Menzies Ross , Onslow Mark , Packman Ann , O'Brian Sue
Published: January 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of the current evidence base for the behavioral management of stuttering and associated social anxiety.

Method

We overview recent research about stuttering and social anxiety in the context of contemporary cognitive models of social anxiety disorder. That emerging evidence for self-focused attention and safety behavior use with those who stutter is considered in relation to current treatment approaches for stuttering: speech restructuring and social anxiety management.

Results

The emerging information about social anxiety and stuttering suggests a conflict between the two clinical approaches. For those clients who wish to control their stuttering and where speech restructuring is deemed the most suitable approach, it is possible that speech restructuring may (a) induce or increase self-focused attention, (b) promote the use of safety behaviors, and (c) become a safety behavior itself. This conflict needs to be explored further within clinical and research contexts.

Conclusions

The issues raised in this review article are complex. It appears that evidence-based speech treatment procedures are in conflict with current best-practice treatment procedures that deal with social anxiety. In this review article, we propose directions for future research to inform the development of improved treatments for those who stutter and recommendations for interim clinical management of stuttering.