bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between systolic ejection time and outcomes in heart failure by ejection fraction
Authors: Patel Priyesh A. , Ambrosy Andrew P. , Phelan Matthew , Alenezi Fawaz , Chiswell Karen , Van Dyke Melissa K. , Tomfohr Jennifer , Honarpour Narimon , Velazquez Eric J.
Published: December 2019

Aims

Worsening heart failure (HF) is associated with shorter left ventricular systolic ejection time (SET), but there are limited data describing the relationship between SET and clinical outcomes. Thus, the objective was to describe the association between SET and clinical outcomes in an ambulatory HF population irrespective of ejection fraction (EF).

Methods and results

We identified ambulatory patients with HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF) who had an outpatient transthoracic echocardiogram performed between August 2008 and July 2010 at a tertiary referral centre. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between SET and 1‐year outcomes. A total of 545 HF patients (171 HFrEF, 374 HFpEF) met eligibility criteria. Compared with HFpEF, HFrEF patients were younger [median age 60 years (25th–75th percentiles 50–69) vs. 64 years (25th–75th percentiles 53–74], with fewer females (30% vs. 56%) and a similar percentage of African Americans (36% vs. 35%). Median (25th–75th percentiles) EF with HFrEF was 30% (25–35%) and with HFpEF was 54% (48–58%). Median SET was shorter (280 ms vs. 315 ms, P < 0.001), median pre‐ejection period was longer (114 ms vs. 89 ms, P < 0.001), and median relaxation time was shorter (78.7 ms vs. 93.3 ms, P < 0.001) among patients with HFrEF vs. HFpEF. Death or HF hospitalization occurred in 26.9% (n = 46) HFrEF and 11.8% (n = 44) HFpEF patients. After adjustment, longer SET was associated with lower odds of the composite of death or HF hospitalization at 1 year among HFrEF but not HFpEF patients.

Conclusion

Longer SET is independently associated with improved outcomes among HFrEF patients but not HFpEF patients, supporting a potential role for normalizing SET as a therapeutic strategy with systolic dysfunction.
Bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cell treatment in patients with ischaemic heart failure: final 4‐year follow‐up of the MSC‐HF trial
Authors: Mathiasen Anders B. , Qayyum Abbas A. , Jørgensen Erik , Helqvist Steffen , Kofoed Klaus F. , Haack‐Sørensen Mandana , Ekblond Annette , Kastrup Jens
Published: December 2019

Aims

The study assessed 4‐year outcomes of intramyocardial injections of autologous bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in patients with ischaemic heart failure.

Methods and results

The MSC‐HF trial was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. Patients were randomized 2:1 to intramyocardial injections of MSCs or placebo. The primary endpoint was change in left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVESV), measured by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Sixty patients aged 30–80 years with ischaemic heart failure, New York Heart Association class II–III, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <45% and no further treatment options were randomized. Patients were followed clinically for 12 months and in addition 4‐year data of hospitalizations and survival were retrieved. After 12 months, LVESV was significantly reduced in the MSC group and not in the placebo group, with difference between groups of 17.0 ± 16.2 mL (95% confidence interval 8.3–25.7, P = 0.0002). There were also significant improvements in LVEF of 6.2% (P < 0.0001), stroke volume of 16.1 mL (P < 0.0001) and myocardial mass (P = 0.009) between groups. A significant dose–response effect was also observed. Moreover, a significant reduction in the amount of scar tissue and quality of life score in the MSC group but not in the placebo group was observed. After 4 years, there were significantly fewer hospitalizations for angina in the MSC group and otherwise no differences in hospitalizations or survival. No side effects were identified.

Conclusions

Intramyocardial injections of autologous bone marrow‐derived MSCs improved myocardial function and myocardial mass in patients with ischaemic heart failure.
Efficiency Improvement of Planar Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells by Introducing Poly 9,9‐Dioctyfluorene‐co‐benzothiazole into Polytriarylamine as Mixed Hole‐Transport Layer
Authors: Oo Aye Min , Fan Pu , Zhang Xiaohua , Yu Junsheng
Published: December 2019

The hole‐transport layer (HTL) is a crucial component for influencing the crystallization of a perovskite layer, which has a close relationship with the photovoltaic efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). Herein, planar inverted PVSCs using polytriarylamine (PTAA) HTL mixed with a polymeric material of poly 9,9‐dioctyfluorene‐co‐benzothiazole (F8BT) are fabricated, and the effect of mixed polymer HTL on the device performance is investigated. After variation in the F8BT ratio in the mixed HTL, average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.88% with negligible hysteresis is achieved and the champion device exhibits a PCE of 15.41% due to the increased charge carrier extraction and transmission, and the optimized crystallization properties of the perovskite. Unsealed planar p‐i‐n PVSCs with mixed polymer HTL show a 28.8% increase in average PCE (14.88% vs 11.55%) and over 30% enhancement in stability at ambient conditions for 2 weeks with respect to control due to the improvement in the crystallinity of the perovskite layer and conductivity of the polymer layer. This work provides an effective strategy for the development of highly efficient planar PVSC fabricated on mixed polymer HTL.
Casein‐Derived Activated Carbon: Turning Expired Milk into Active Material for Electrochemical Capacitors
Authors: Schütter Christoph , Varzi Alberto , Lodovico Lucas , Ruschhaupt Peter , Balducci Andrea
Published: December 2019

The development of high‐performing materials that, at the same time, can be synthesized from cheap precursors, such as biowaste, is of critical importance for the realization of advanced and sustainable electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Herein, reported for the first time, the use of casein extracted from expired milk for the realization of activated carbon (AC), suitable for EDLCs, is proposed. Utilizing this abundant and cheap precursor it is possible to obtain microporous AC that, in organic electrolytes (conventional and non), displays capacitance value comparable with those of commercially available ACs.
Spatiotemporal reconstructions of global CO2‐fluxes using Gaussian Markov random fields
Authors: Dahlén Unn , Lindström Johan , Scholze Marko
Published: December 2019

Atmospheric inverse modeling is a method for reconstructing historical fluxes of green‐house gas between land and atmosphere, using observed atmospheric concentrations and an atmospheric tracer transport model. The small number of observed atmospheric concentrations in relation to the number of unknown flux components makes the inverse problem ill‐conditioned, and assumptions on the fluxes are needed to constrain the solution. A common practice is to model the fluxes using latent Gaussian fields with a mean structure based on estimated fluxes from combinations of process modeling (natural fluxes) and statistical bookkeeping (anthropogenic emissions). Here, we reconstruct global CO2 flux fields by modeling fluxes using Gaussian Markov random fields (GMRFs), resulting in a flexible and computational beneficial model with a Matérn‐like spatial covariance and a temporal covariance arriving from an autoregressive model in time domain.

In contrast to previous inversions, the flux is defined on a spatially continuous domain, and the traditionally discrete flux representation is replaced by integrated fluxes at the resolution specified by the transport model. This formulation removes aggregation errors in the flux covariance, due to the traditional representation of area integrals by fluxes at discrete points, and provides a model closer resembling real‐life space–time continuous fluxes.
Bayesian spatial extreme value analysis of maximum temperatures in County Dublin, Ireland
Authors: O'Sullivan John , Sweeney Conor , Parnell Andrew C.
Published: December 2019

In this study, we begin a comprehensive characterization of temperature extremes in Ireland for the period 1981–2010. We produce return levels of anomalies of daily maximum temperature extremes for an area over Ireland, for the 30‐year period 1981–2010. We employ extreme value theory (EVT) to model the data using the generalized Pareto distribution (GPD) as part of a three‐level Bayesian hierarchical model. We use predictive processes in order to solve the computationally difficult problem of modeling data over a very dense spatial field. To our knowledge, this is the first study to combine predictive processes and EVT in this manner. The model is fit using Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms. Posterior parameter estimates and return level surfaces are produced, in addition to specific site analysis at synoptic stations, including Casement Aerodrome and Dublin Airport. Observational data from the period 2011–2018 are included in this site analysis to determine if there is evidence of a change in the observed extremes. An increase in the frequency of extreme anomalies, but not the severity, is observed for this period. We found that the frequency of observed extreme anomalies from 2011 to 2018 at the Casement Aerodrome and Phoenix Park synoptic stations exceed the upper bounds of the credible intervals from the model by 20% and 7%, respectively. Using predictive processes made possible a fourfold increase in the domain considered, while still allowing all data across the grid to be used to inform the posterior distributions.
Investigation of CO2/N2 injection in tight oil reservoirs with confinement effect
Authors: Wu Shouya , Li Zhaomin , Wang Zhuangzhuang , Sarma Hemanta K. , Zhang Chao , Wu Mingxuan
Published: December 2019

This paper investigates the CO2/N2 injection process in tight oil reservoirs considering the confinement effect. To study the microscopic physical mechanisms, the confinement effect is characterized by properties shift and capillarity and introduced into the flash calculation to obtain the phase equilibrium of mixture fluids (tight oil/CO2/N2) in tight porous media. The results indicate that the injected nitrogen gas could effectively maintain the reservoir pressure, while it also weakens the effects of the CO2 injection recovery mechanisms, notably diffusivity and viscosity reduction. In addition, a dual‐pore tight oil reservoir model is set up to investigate the CO2/N2 injection with ultra‐low permeability and hydraulic fracturing. The basic CO2 injection parameters are optimized by the orthogonal method. Based on CO2 injection process, three injection schemes of CO2/N2 injection, which are mixed‐gas injection, CO2‐alternating‐N2 (CAN) injection, and N2‐alternating‐CO2 (NAC) injection, were investigated and a comparative analysis was made for the pressure distribution, CO2 mole fraction distribution, and cumulative oil production. Based on this analysis, the CAN injection process proved to be the best injection scheme. A parametric analysis further suggested that the nitrogen gas injection rate was the most important factor. Besides, the effect of gravity drainage, reservoir permeability, nature fractures, and permeability heterogeneity on the oil production of CAN injection process were also investigated in detail. The results show that tight oil reservoir with better vertical connectivity, poor fracture growth, and higher heterogeneity is more favorable for the CO2/N2 injection process.
Sub‐arctic river bank dynamics and driving processes during the open‐channel flow period
Authors: Lotsari E. , Hackney C. , Salmela J. , Kasvi E. , Kemp J. , Alho P. , Darby S.E.
Published: December 2019

There is growing concern that rapidly changing climate in high latitudes may generate significant geomorphological changes that could mobilise floodplain sediments and carbon; however detailed investigations into the bank erosion process regimes of high latitude rivers remain lacking. Here we employ a combination of thermal and RGB colour time‐lapse photos in concert with water level, flow characteristics, bank sediment moisture and temperature, and topographical data to analyse river bank dynamics during the open‐channel flow period (the period from the rise of the spring snowmelt flood until the autumn low flow period) for a subarctic river in northern Finland (Pulmanki River). We show how variations of bank sediment temperature and moisture affect bank erosion rates and locations, how bank collapses relate to fluvial processes, and elucidate the seasonal variations and interlinkages between the different driving processes.

We find that areas with high levels of groundwater content and loose sand layers were the most prone areas for bank erosion. Groundwater seeping caused continuous erosion throughout the study period, whereas erosion by flowing river water occurred during the peak of snowmelt flood. However, erosion also occurred during the falling phase of the spring flood, mainly due to mass failures. The rising phase of the spring flood therefore did not affect the river bank as much as its peak or receding phases. This is explained because the bank is resistant to erosion due to the prevalence of still frozen and drier sediments at the beginning of the spring flood. Overall, most bank erosion and deposition occurrences were observed during the low flow period after the spring flood. This highlights that spring melt, while often delivering the highest discharges, may not be the main driver of bank erosion in sub‐arctic meandering rivers. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Starved versus alluvial river bedforms: an experimental investigation
Authors: Porcile Gaetano , Blondeaux Paolo , Colombini Marco
Published: December 2019

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the formation of river bedforms under sediment supply‐limited conditions, i.e. when a motionless substratum is bared by the dynamics of the mobile sediments. Three series of experiments were organized in a laboratory flume by fixing all the hydrodynamic and morphodynamic parameters but varying the thickness
of the initial layer of mobile sediments which covers the rigid bottom of the flume. At the end of all the experiments, which lasted for the same amount of time, the formation of transverse sand dunes was observed. For decreasing
, the rigid bottom of the flume was bared progressively earlier during the experiment and the measurements showed a clear tendency of the bedforms to lengthen, i.e. to increase their crest‐to‐crest distance. Moreover, under strong supply limitation, the two‐dimensional transverse dunes turned into three‐dimensional barchanoid forms and into isolated barchan dunes characterized by an abrupt reduction in bedform heights. A two‐dimensional Fourier analysis of the bottom profile was performed, providing the amplitude of the main streamwise and spanwise harmonic components of the bottom morphology as a function of
. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Energy‐aware cluster‐based routing optimization for WSNs in the livestock industry
Authors: Awan Khalid Mahmood , Sherazi Hafiz Husnain Raza , Ali Ahmad , Iqbal Razi , Khan Zohaib Ashfaq , Mukherjee Mithun
Published: December 2019

The core objective of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in the livestock industry is monitoring the state and activities of different animals for their well‐being. Being energy‐constrained, the consumption of these tiny devices needs to be optimized. Several techniques have been developed for making clusters in WSNs. The sensor nodes attached to the animals are mobile and dynamic in nature. Cluster heads (CHs) are selected to manage communication within a cluster. For efficient working of a network, the lifetime of clusters should be longer and there must always be a minimum number of clusters to make a network operational. This paper presents a metaheuristic artificial intelligence technique based on the social behavior of gray wolves to reduce the energy consumption of WSNs in the livestock industry. This nature‐inspired clustering algorithm provides the robust and smooth communication for WSNs in the livestock industry. The grid size, energy level, direction, and transmission range are the key parameters used to measure the performance of algorithm. Results are compared with other well‐known similar nature‐inspired optimization algorithms such as comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization (CLPSO) and ant colony optimization–based clustering (CACONET). The simulation results exhibit the superiority of grey wolf optimizer in energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, and CH selection than CACONET and CLPSO.
Halogen‐free flame‐retardant flexible polyurethane for textile coating: Preparation and characterisation
Authors: Nguyen Tung Ngoc , Trinh Hung Tuan , Sam Lien Hoang , Nguyen Trung Quang , Le Giang Truong
Published: December 2019

A type of flexible polyurethane (FPU) based on renewable‐sourced polyol was prepared and then modified with halogen‐free flame retardants, namely, alumina trihydrate (ATH) and triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), to further increase its flame‐resistant properties. The optimum loading for additives was determined based on analysing the changes in physicomechanical properties, thermal properties, and flame‐retardant behaviours of modified FPU materials. An FPU‐coated textile was then prepared; its smoke‐generating behaviours and flammability were investigated in comparison with pristine fabric, pristine FPU, and respective modified FPU. The results confirmed good synergistic effect between ATH and TPhP, which helped increasing flame‐resistant properties of applied materials, while also maintained reasonable flexibility for fabric‐coating applications. However, the usage of modified FPU as coating material also proved to cause more toxic smoke emissions during the short burning duration of coated‐fabric, an issue that needed to be investigated more thoroughly in order to guarantee the safety of people during catastrophic events.
Petrogenesis of Carboniferous volcanic rocks from the Gangou area, Chinese North Tianshan: Constraints on the evolution of the North Tianshan Ocean
Authors: Yang Zheng‐Yu , Gong Xiao‐Han , Xu Ji‐Feng , Liu Xi‐Jun , Zhang Zhi‐Guo , Zhou Hai‐Long
Published: December 2019

The time duration and evolution of the major North Tianshan Ocean (also the Junggar Ocean) in the Chinese Tianshan orogenic collage remain poorly constrained. Here we report new geochronological and geochemical data of Carboniferous volcanic rocks documented from the North Tianshan accretionary complex in the Gangou area (Xinjiang, NW China). The studied rocks include basaltic andesites and andesites, with one andesite yielding a zircon U–Pb age of 332 ± 4 Ma. This reflects nearly synchronous eruption of the volcanics with the formation of host Early Carboniferous Yamansu Formation. These rocks are mostly tholeiitic in compositions, with a few samples transitioning to calcalkaline. All the samples show enriched LREE and LILE but depleted HFSE, a ubiquitous subduction signature observed in supra‐subduction zone volcanics. The positive εNd(t) (+5.2 to +6.7) and low initial87Sr/86Sr (0.7038 to 0.7040) in these rocks suggest derivation from a MORB‐depleted peridotite source. However, the overall low MgO contents (and Mg#) in these rocks compared with typical high‐Mg andesites indicate that they are less likely formed via simple melting of metasomatized mantle wedge peridotites. Instead, partial melting of mafic‐ultramafic metasomes (e.g., pyroxenites) formed by slab melts/fluids‐peridotite interactions may explain these rocks. The studied rocks share many geochemical similarities with those Early Carboniferous volcanic rocks widely documented from the Chinese Western Tianshan and those volcanics from typical continental arcs (e.g., the Gangdese arc). Therefore, we suggest the volcanic rocks, combining with recent results from the North Tianshan ophiolites, tend to support a continued southward subduction of the major North Tianshan Ocean from the Cambrian to the Carboniferous periods.
Geochronology, geochemistry, and Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotopes of the Zhongqiuyang rhyolitic tuff in eastern Guangdong, SE China: Constraints on petrogenesis and tectonic setting
Authors: Jia Lihui , Mao Jingwen , Zheng Wei
Published: December 2019

A‐type magmas generally occur in extension‐related environments and shed new light on the tectonic setting by metallogenic and petrological studies of A‐type felsic volcanic rocks. The Zhongqiuyang porphyry Cu deposit is located in eastern Guangdong, SE China. Here, we present zircon U–Pb geochronology of rhyolitic tuffs, which yields a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 164.7 ± 1.3 Ma, consistent with the age of the Jurassic porphyry Cu mineralization in the southeastern coastal metallogenic belt. The Zhongqiuyang rhyolitic tuffs are characterized by high FeOT/MgO ratios and low MgO, CaO, and TiO2 contents and enrichments in Rb, Th, and U and depletions in Ba, Nb, Ta, Sr, P, and Ti, showing an A2‐subtype affinity. The Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotopic compositions imply that the rhyolitic tuffs were generated by partial melting of the crustal melts (~90% of the Palaeoproterozoic metaigneous rocks and 10% of the Palaeoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks) in the Cathaysia Block, with input of 10~20% mantle‐derived materials. Element variations indicate that crystal fractionation was also required for the generation of the studied samples after partial melting. In combination with previous studies, we propose that a window or a break‐off of the subducted slab triggered by upwelling asthenosphere during the Middle to Late Jurassic underneath the Cathaysia Block, and the ascending mafic magmas not only supplied heat for crustal remelting but also added mantle‐derived melts, resulting in the formation of I‐ or A‐type felsic intrusions related to Cu–Au/Cu–Mo deposits along the active continental margin of SE China.
Climate change and tectonic implications during the Pliocene climate transition interval from lacustrine records in western Wei River Basin, central China
Authors: Zhang Tianyu , Fan Shuanghu , Chen Shue , Lu Yudong
Published: December 2019

The Earth's climate had undergone a global transition around 4–3 Ma, from warm to cool. The western Wei River Basin, its late Cenozoic tectonic evolution was mainly controlled by the expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, is affected by both Monsoon climate and Westerlies circulation. A set of lacustrine sediments between 4.2 and 3.6 Ma with clearly sedimentary rhythm are good materials for studying the palaeoclimate/palaeoenvironment changes and exploring the contained tectonic implications.

We present a high‐resolution grain‐sized, magnetic susceptible, and carbonate content records from the palaeolake sediments at the global climate transition interval (4.2–3.6 Ma) in the western Wei River Basin. The abrupt changes of climate indicators at about 4.14–4.16 Ma, which is a regional response to global cooling, indicate that both westerly and monsoonal circulations were enhanced and should be attributed to global cooling rather than the uplift of TibetanPlateau. From 4.14 to 3.6 Ma, the climate represented stepwise strengthening or weakening with frequent fluctuations on the millennium scale and extreme dry events at 3.77–3.80 Ma. Combined with regional geological environment and palaeoclimate evolution data, the palaeolake that rapidly receded at 3.6 Ma provides evidence for the understanding the major climatic and environmental changes produced by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in western Wei River Basin and surrounding areas.
MRP3‐Mediated Chemoresistance in Cholangiocarcinoma: Target for Chemosensitization Through Restoring SOX17 Expression
Authors: Lozano Elisa , Asensio Maitane , Perez‐Silva Laura , Banales Jesus M. , Briz Oscar , Marin Jose J.G.
Published: December 2019

Background and Aims

A limitation for the treatment of unresectable cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is its poor response to chemotherapy, which is partly due to reduction of intracellular levels of anticancer drugs through ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) pumps. Low expression of SOX17 (SRY‐box containing gene 17), a transcription factor that promotes biliary differentiation and phenotype maintenance, has been associated with cholangiocyte malignant transformation. Whether SOX17 is also involved in CCA chemoresistance is investigated in this study.

Approach and Results

SOX17 expression in human CCA cells (EGI‐1 and TFK‐1) selectively potentiated cytotoxicity of SN‐38, 5‐fluorouracil and mitoxantrone, but not that of gemcitabine, capecitabine, cisplatin, or oxaliplatin. The analysis of the resistome by TaqMan low‐density arrays revealed changes affecting primarily ABC pump expression. Single‐gene quantitative real‐time PCR, immunoblot, and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed that MRP3 (multidrug resistance associated protein 3), which was highly expressed in CCA human tumors, was down‐regulated in SOX17‐transduced CCA cells. The substrate specificity of this pump matched that of SOX17‐induced in vitro selective chemosensitization. Functional studies showed lower ability of SOX17‐expressing CCA cells to extrude specific MRP3 substrates. Reporter assay of MRP3 promoter (ABCC3pr) revealed that ABCC3pr activity was inhibited by SOX17 expression and SOX2/SOX9 silencing. The latter was highly expressed in CCA. Moreover, SOX2/9, but not SOX17, induced altered electrophoretic mobility of ABCC3pr, which was prevented by SOX17. The growth of CCA tumors subcutaneously implanted into immunodeficient mice was inhibited by 5‐fluorouracil. This effect was enhanced by co‐treatment with adenoviral vectors encoding SOX17.

Conclusions

SOX9/2/17 are involved in MRP3‐mediated CCA chemoresistance. Restored SOX17 expression, in addition to its tumor suppression effect, induces selective chemosensitization due to MRP3 down‐regulation and subsequent intracellular drug accumulation.
A State-of-the-Art Review of Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Pollution
Authors: Fernández-Llamazares Álvaro , Garteizgogeascoa María , Basu Niladri , Brondizio Eduardo Sonnewend , Cabeza Mar , Martínez-Alier Joan , McElwee Pamela , Reyes-García Victoria
Published: December 2019

Indigenous peoples (IPs) worldwide are confronted by the increasing threat of pollution. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature (n = 686 studies), we present the current state of knowledge on: 1) the exposure and vulnerability of IPs to pollution; 2) the environmental, health, and cultural impacts of pollution upon IPs; and 3) IPs' contributions to prevent, control, limit, and abate pollution from local to global scales. Indigenous peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development, including agricultural, mining, and extractive industries, as well as urban growth, waste dumping, and infrastructure and energy development. Nevertheless, IPs are contributing to limit pollution in different ways, including through environmental monitoring and global policy advocacy, as well as through local resistance toward polluting activities. This work adds to growing evidence of the breadth and depth of environmental injustices faced by IPs worldwide, and we conclude by highlighting the need to increase IPs' engagement in environmental decision-making regarding pollution control. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:324–341. © 2019 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)

KEY POINTS

This review maps out the worldwide impacts of environmental pollution on Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples experience large burdens of environmental pollution linked to the expansion of commodity frontiers and industrial development. Indigenous Peoples are amongst the populations at highest risk of impact by pollution of water, land and biota through both exposure and vulnerability. Indigenous Peoples actively contribute to develop innovative strategies to limit, prevent and abate pollution from local to global levels
Urinary tract infections and risk of squamous cell carcinoma bladder cancer: A Danish nationwide case–control study
Authors: Pottegård Anton , Kristensen Kasper B. , Friis Søren , Hallas Jesper , Jensen Jørgen B. , Nørgaard Mette
Published: December 2019

Schistosoma haematobium infection can lead to squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the bladder. Whether this also applies to more common urinary tract infections (UTIs) is unclear. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between UTIs, reflected by the use of specific antibiotics and risk of SCC of the bladder. We conducted a Danish nationwide case–control study and identified histologically verified bladder cancer cases (2000–2015; n = 12,271) and age‐ and sex‐matched cancer‐free controls. We computed odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) associating the use of UTI‐specific antibiotics with SCC bladder cancer, using conditional logistic regression. We applied a 2‐year lag‐time to minimize reverse causation. To aid interpretation, similar analyses were performed for other bladder cancer types and other antibiotics. We identified 333 SCC cases (2.7% of all bladder cancers). Compared to no use (0–1 prescription), high‐use (≥10 prescriptions) of UTI‐specific antibiotics was associated with SCC with an OR of 11.4 (CI 7.6–17.2) and a clear dose–response pattern (ptrend < 0.001). Use of phenoxymethylpenicillin, an antibiotic not used against UTIs, was not associated with SCC after adjustment for use of UTI‐specific antibiotics (OR 0.5). Furthermore, UTI‐specific antibiotic use was not associated with urothelial carcinomas (n = 11,029; OR 1.13; CI 0.97–1.32). Excluding patients with known urogenital disease did not influence the SCC estimates (overall OR 10.8; CI 6.2–18.9). Data on smoking were lacking, however, a quantitative bias analysis suggested this to be of limited importance. In conclusion, common UTIs are strong, dose‐dependent and specifically associated with risk of SCC of the bladder.
Endogenous sex hormones and colorectal cancer survival among men and women
Authors: Yang Wanshui , Giovannucci Edward L. , Hankinson Susan E. , Chan Andrew T. , Ma Yanan , Wu Kana , Fuchs Charles S. , Lee I‐Min , Sesso Howard D. , Lin Jennifer H. , Zhang Xuehong
Published: December 2019

Although previous studies have suggested a potential role of sex hormones in the etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC), no study has yet examined the associations between circulating sex hormones and survival among CRC patients. We prospectively assessed the associations of prediagnostic plasma concentrations of estrone, estradiol, free estradiol, testosterone, free testosterone and sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG) with CRC‐specific and overall mortality among 609 CRC patients (370 men and 239 postmenopausal women not taking hormone therapy at blood collection) from four U.S. cohorts. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression. We identified 174 deaths (83 CRC‐specific deaths) in men and 106 deaths (70 CRC‐specific deaths) in women. In men, higher circulating level of free testosterone was associated with lower risk of overall (the highest vs. lowest tertiles, HR = 0.66, 95% CI, 0.45–0.99, ptrend = 0.04) and possibly CRC‐specific mortality (HR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.41–1.29, ptrend = 0.27). We generally observed nonsignificant inverse associations for other sex steroids, and a positive association for SHBG with CRC‐specific mortality among male patients. In women, however, we found a suggestive positive association of estrone with overall (HR = 1.54, 95% CI, 0.92–2.60, ptrend = 0.11) and CRC‐specific mortality (HR = 1.96, 95% CI, 1.01–3.84, ptrend = 0.06). Total estradiol, free estradiol and free testosterone were generally suggestively associated with higher risk of mortality among female patients, although not statistically significant. These findings implicated a potential role of endogenous sex hormones in CRC prognosis, which warrant further investigation.
The impact of alcohol consumption and physical activity on breast cancer: The role of breast cancer risk
Authors: Rainey Linda , Eriksson Mikael , Trinh Thang , Czene Kamila , Broeders Mireille J.M. , van der Waal Daniëlle , Hall Per
Published: December 2019

High alcohol consumption and physical inactivity are known breast cancer risk factors. However, whether the association between these lifestyle factors and breast cancer is modified by a woman's additional breast cancer risk factors has never been studied. Therefore, a population‐based prospective cohort study of 57,654 Swedish women aged 40–74 years, including 957 breast cancer cases, was performed. Alcohol consumption and physical activity were measured with validated web‐based self‐report questionnaires. The Tyrer–Cuzick risk prediction model was used to determine a woman's 10‐year risk of developing breast cancer. Logistic regression models were used to explore whether the effect of alcohol consumption and physical activity on breast cancer was modified by additional breast cancer risk factors. Findings showed that increased alcohol consumption was associated with a higher breast cancer risk (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.01, 1.59). However, the association between lifestyle factors (alcohol consumption and physical activity) and breast cancer was generally the same for women at below average, average and above average risk of developing breast cancer. Therefore, additional breast cancer risk factors do not appear to modify the association between lifestyle (alcohol consumption and physical activity) and breast cancer. Considering the general health benefits, preventative lifestyle recommendations can be formulated about alcohol consumption and physical activity for women at all levels of breast cancer risk.
Nanodiamond in composite: Biomedical application
Authors: Rehman Aisha , Houshyar Shadi , Wang Xin
Published: December 2019

The biocompatibility of materials is the determining factor for them to be applied in biomedical areas. Nanodiamond (ND) has gained increasing interest in this area due to its biocompatibility, ease of surface functionalization and excellent mechanical performance. ND has been widely used to reinforce biopolymers, and the resultant biocomposites have found applications in bone tissue engineering, chemotherapeutic drug delivery, and wound healing. Fluorescent ND, when combined with biopolymers, is serving for bioimaging and sensing applications. Herein, we contribute a description of ND, recent trends in its adoption for biopolymers, functionalization methods, amalgamation techniques of ND with biopolymers, potential applications of these composites in the biomedical field and future perspectives.
Characteristics of sarcopenia by European consensuses and a phenotype score
Authors: Jang Il‐Young , Lee Eunju , Lee Heayon , Park Hyungchul , Kim Sunyoung , Kim Kwang‐il , Jung Hee‐Won , Kim Dae Hyun
Published: December 2019

Background

We aimed to assess the clinical characteristics of sarcopenia by the original and revised European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP 1 and 2), and to propose a new sarcopenia phenotype score (SPS) to improve relevance of clinical outcomes.

Methods

Analyses were performed in 1408 older adults of the Aging Study of PyeongChang Rural Area, a community‐based cohort in Korea. For sarcopenia definitions, we used EWGSOP 1, EWGSOP 2, and SPS, a new index counting number of abnormal domains among components of grip strength, gait speed, or muscle mass. Frailty status by the frailty index and the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty score was compared with sarcopenia measures. Prediction ability for composite outcome combining death and institutionalization due to functional decline was assessed among sarcopenia measures.

Results

Generally, sarcopenia spectrum by both EWGSOP 1 and 2 was associated with worse functional status in parameters of geriatric assessments. However, population who were considered as sarcopenic by EWGSOP 1, but not by EWGSOP 2, showed increased risk of composite outcome and worse frailty status, compared with people who were classified as not sarcopenic by both EWGSOP 1 and 2. With SPS, dose–response relationship was observed with both frailty status and outcome prediction. Prediction for composite outcome was better in SPS than in EWGSOP 2 classification.

Conclusions

A new SPS might be used to classify sarcopenic burden in older adults to resolve possible inconsistencies in phenotype correlation and outcome prediction of EWGSOP 2 criteria.
Resurgence of previously taught academic responses
Authors: Williams Catherine L. , St. Peter Claire C.
Published: December 2019

Resurgence is often discussed in relation to the relapse of undesirable behavior. However, resurgence may also describe the recurrence of socially appropriate behavior, including academic responding. The recurrence of academic responses following periods of extinction may aid in the solution of novel problems. The aims of this study were to evaluate the resurgence of complex, desirable behavior related to college‐level instruction and to explore problem form as an aspect of environmental context. Each participant was taught 2 response chains to solve quadratic equations across experimental phases, followed by a phase in which neither chain resulted in the correct solution (extinction). During Experiment 1, the equations presented during extinction resembled those presented during reinforcement of the alternative response. Of the 8 participants in Experiment 1, 4 attempted to use the first‐taught chain to solve an equation in the extinction phase. During Experiment 2, the equations presented during extinction resembled those presented during reinforcement of the target response. Of the 8 participants in Experiment 2, 6 attempted to use the first‐taught chain to solve an equation in the extinction phase. Results demonstrate the resurgence of academic responses and suggest that the form of the problem may constitute a context that affects resurgence.
Cascade CN and CO bond constructions for the synthesis of dibenzoimidazo[1,4]oxazepines catalyzed by CuI/o‐phen
Authors: Li Zhuo‐Huan , Li Tuan‐Jie , Liu Jian‐Quan , Wang Xiang‐Shan
Published: December 2019

A novel method for the synthesis of dibenzo[b,f]imidazo[1,2‐d][1,4]oxazepine derivatives was described via cascade Csp2N and Csp2O bond constructions. It was a crossed double Ullmann reactions using 4,5‐diaryl‐2‐(2‐hydroxylphenyl)‐1H‐imidazole as the double nucleophilic centers in the presence of Cs2CO3, while 1‐bromo‐2‐iodobenzene was used as a substrate catalyzed by CuI and o‐phenanthroline in good yields.
Avoiding or embracing social relationships? A conservation of resources perspective of leader narcissism, leader–member exchange differentiation, and follower voice
Authors: Huang Lei , Krasikova Dina V. , Harms Peter D.
Published: December 2019

In this study, we draw from the conservation of resources theory and the narcissism literature to examine why and when narcissistic leaders develop and maintain differentiated social relationships with followers in a group setting, therefore demotivating follower voice. Using data from 457 employees and their 95 supervisors working at a large Chinese consulting company, we tested and found support for our hypotheses that leader narcissism had a negative direct effect on employee voice, as well as a negative indirect effect on voice via group‐level leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation. Our findings further showed that leaders' upward exchange, leader–leader exchange (LLX), with their own supervisor moderated the negative indirect effect of narcissism on voice such that this negative indirect effect was stronger in the presence of low leader LLX but turned nonsignificant in the presence of high leader LLX. Theoretical and practical implications of our research are discussed. Limitations and directions for future research are also offered.
Supervisor‐Directed Emotional Labor as Upward Influence: An Emotions‐as‐Social‐Information Perspective
Authors: Deng Hong , Walter Frank , Guan Yanjun
Published: December 2019

To access organizational resources, subordinates often strive to influence supervisors' impressions. Moreover, subordinates' interactions with supervisors are known to be ripe with emotions. Nevertheless, research on upward impression management has rarely examined how subordinates' emotion regulation in supervisor interactions may shape their tangible outcomes. The present study introduces subordinates' emotional labor toward supervisors as a novel means of upward influence. Building on the emotions‐as‐social‐information model, we propose that supervisor‐directed emotional labor indirectly relates with supervisory reward recommendations by shaping supervisors' liking and perceived competence of subordinates. Moreover, we cast supervisors' epistemic motivation as a boundary condition for these indirect relations. We tested these notions using time‐lagged data from 377 subordinates and 91 supervisors. When supervisors' epistemic motivation was higher (but not lower), (1) supervisor‐directed surface acting related negatively with supervisors' liking and perceived competence of subordinates and (2) supervisor‐directed deep acting related positively with supervisors' liking of subordinates. Liking and perceived competence, in turn, related positively with supervisors' willingness to recommend subordinates for organizational rewards. These findings highlight supervisor‐directed emotional labor as an upward impression management strategy with both beneficial (deep acting) and detrimental (surface acting) implications, and they illustrate important mechanisms and a key contingency factor for these consequences.
“Killing them with kindness”? A study of service employees' responses to uncivil customers
Authors: Robertson Kirsten , O'Reilly Jane
Published: December 2019

Experiencing uncivil customers is a frequent reality for many people working in the service industry. Past research has established that dealing with uncivil customers can be distressing for employees and can sometimes lead them to engage in reciprocal, discourteous behavior. The purpose of our research is to delve deeper into the experience of customer incivility from the perspective of service employees in order to better understand the various ways in which they respond to customer incivility. We conducted 64 interviews with service employees across an array of occupations and developed a typology of responses to customer incivility. These responses fell into four categories based on the extent to which service employees' actions were intended to promote social harmony (and therefore could broadly be considered civil or uncivil), as well as their perceived agency in the situation. We describe how each response was associated with different interpersonal and intrapersonal consequences and explain the implications of our typology for management theory and practice.
NORA10EI: A revised regional atmosphere‐wave hindcast for the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea
Authors: Haakenstad Hilde , Breivik Øyvind , Reistad Magnar , Aarnes Ole J.
Published: December 2019

NORA10EI, a new atmosphere and wave hindcast for the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea and the Barents Sea is presented. The hindcast uses ERA‐Interim as initial and boundary conditions and covers the period 1979–2017. The earlier NORA10 hindcast used ERA‐40 as initial and boundary conditions before September 2002 and operational analyses from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in the continuation. This change in initial and boundary conditions may lead to non‐stationarities in bias and random errors, and it is a question of some concern whether this also leads to spurious trends. We investigate this by comparing the two hindcasts. We find only minor differences in the statistics of means and upper percentiles, but somewhat larger differences in the extremes (100‐year return values) of significant wave height and 10‐m winds. Generally, NORA10EI outperforms NORA10 in the ERA‐40 period (before September 2002) since ERA‐Interim outperforms ERA‐40. Conversely, NORA10 outperforms NORA10EI after 2006, since the operational ECMWF analyses here outperform ERA‐Interim. Years 2002–2006 is a transition period with minor differences between the NORA10 and NORA10EI where the resolution of ERA‐Interim is lower than that of the ECMWF analyses, but its physics are from a more recent model (2006). An important finding is that the regional hindcasts appear quite insensitive to changes in the host reanalysis with no statistically significant differences in mean and upper percentile trends of wind speed and wave height. A comparison of four polar low cases confirms that using ERA‐Interim as host reanalysis yields a slightly better representation of evolution and intensity of polar lows than NORA10 in the ERA‐40 period and the opposite after 2006.
Solar wind signal in the wintertime North Atlantic oscillation and Northern Hemispheric circulation
Authors: Zhu Zhipeng , Zhou Limin , Zheng Xiangmin
Published: December 2019

The impact of the solar wind on sea level pressure (SLP), sea surface temperature (SST), zonal mean zonal wind (U) and air temperature (T) was examined using multiple linear regression analysis. Our analysis of the December–January–February (DJF) mean fields indicates that significant links between the solar wind speed (SWS) and the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), SST tripolar structure and polar stratospheric temperature. The monthly reanalysis data (November to March) show that high SWS is associated with a poleward‐ and downward‐ propagating solar wind signal from December to February. The response of the Eliassen‐Palmer (EP) flux shows that more planetary wave activity is refracted equatorward in the upper stratosphere under higher SWS conditions, corresponding to an enhanced EP flux convergence in early winter. Enhanced EP flux divergence occurs in the stratosphere starting in January and propagates poleward and downward from January to February. For the coupling mechanism between the stratosphere and troposphere, in addition to chemical‐dynamical processes, cloud microphysical processes associated with the global electric circuit (GEC) might play a role in the downward propagation of the solar wind signal and the modulation of the NAO.
Seasonal variations in the surface energy and CO2 flux over a high‐rise, high‐population, residential urban area in the East Asian monsoon region
Authors: Hong Je‐Woo , Lee Sang‐Dae , Lee Keunmin , Hong Jinkyu
Published: December 2019

Using the eddy covariance method, this study reports the one‐year turbulent fluxes of momentum, energy, and CO2, and their seasonal variations over a recently redeveloped high‐rise, high‐population, residential area in the metropolitan city of Seoul, Korea. The study area is affected by the Asian monsoon, which is accompanied by long rain spells and a related mid‐season depression of solar radiation in the summer. Our analysis shows that the urban surface energy balance and turbulence characteristics demonstrate typical urban properties. Unstable conditions dominate all day, and the storage heat flux (night‐time and morning) and sensible heat flux (afternoon) significantly affect the diurnal variations in the urban surface energy balance. Owing to the rough urban surface, the turbulence intensities are higher than those reported previously in other cities. The annual CO2 emission rate is approximately 13.1 kg CO2 m−2⋅year−1 with traffic, which is the major source of CO2 (+2.3 μmol⋅m−2⋅s−1 per 100 vehicles). Ecosystem respiration, including that by vegetation, soil, and humans, becomes dominant in the night‐time (00:00–05:00), thus contributing significantly to the annual CO2 budget. Further analysis indicates a unique coupling of urban surface energy partitioning and CO2 emission rates with the seasonal progression of the Asian monsoon: (a) surface albedo has annual minima in late summer when the sun elevation angle, is relatively higher and the urban surface condition is wetter than in other seasons; (b) the Bowen ratio ranges from 1.7 (summer) to 7.0 (winter); and (c) CO2 emission rates show seasonal variations with the progress of the summer monsoon.