bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distributed Model Predictive Control for Platooning of Heterogeneous Vehicles with Multiple Constraints and Communication Delays
Authors: Yan Maode , Ma Wenrui , Zuo Lei , Yang Panpan
Published: June 2020

In this paper, the vehicle platoon control problems for a group of heterogeneous vehicles are investigated, where the multiple constraints of the vehicles and the communication delays among the vehicles are taken into consideration. A distributed model predictive control (DMPC) scheme is proposed to drive the heterogeneous vehicles into the desired platoon. In this DMPC framework, the multiple constraints, including the control constraints, state constraints, and jerk constraints, are employed to describe the practical characteristics of vehicles and the communication delays are time-varying and bounded. In this framework, a group of platoon control schemes is proposed based on the DMPC techniques. Furthermore, the feasibility and stability of the proposed vehicle platoon control system are strictly analyzed. Finally, numerical simulation and experiment with TurtleBot3 mobile robots are provided to validate the effectiveness of proposed approaches.
Clinical and Diagnostic Significance of Lactate Dehydrogenase and Its Isoenzymes in Animals
Authors: Klein Robert , Nagy Oskar , Tóthová Csilla , Chovanová Frederika
Published: June 2020

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is widely distributed enzyme in cells of various living systems where it is involved in carbohydrate metabolism catalyzing interconversion of lactate and pyruvate with NAD+/NADH coenzyme system. Cells of tissues are direct source of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes that are naturally distributed in blood plasma/serum of animals and humans producing characteristic profile. This profile depends on intracellular isoenzyme concentration in all tissues that contribute to the common pool of lactate dehydrogenases in plasma/serum as a consequence of natural cell degradation. LDH is widely distributed in the body, high activities are found in the heart, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and erytrocytes, whereas lesser amounts are found in the lung, smooth muscle, and brain. Because of its widespread activities in numerous body tissues, LDH is elevated in a variety of disorders. There are many conditions that contribute to increased activity of LDH. An elevated total LDH value is a rather nonspecific finding. Therefore, LDH assays assume a more clinical significance when separated into isoenzyme fractions. The activity of LDH and its serum and tissue patterns and composition show great variations between the species. These differences do not allow using catalytic activities of LDH isoenzymes from one species to another. Instead, the pattern of serum LDH isoenzymes should be interpreted in respect to its species origin that is important in particular in veterinary medicine. Determination of total LDH activity and its isoenzyme pattern in serum of mammals had become one of the biochemical indicators in the assessment of organ disorders. When the content of cells is released from tissue to plasma, as on cell injury, the LDH isoenzyme pattern of the serum changes in favour of the profile of the affected organ (tissue) that can be used in the diagnostic practice.
Resilient Schedule Coordination for a Bus Transit Corridor
Authors: Lai Xiongfei , Teng Jing , Schonfeld Paul , Ling Lu
Published: June 2020

Providing convenient transit services at reasonable cost is important for transit agencies. Timed transfers that schedule vehicles from various routes to arrive at some transfer stations simultaneously (or nearly so) can significantly reduce wait times in transit networks, while stochastic passenger flows and complex operating environments may reduce this improvement. Although transit priority methods have been applied in some high-density cities, operating delays may cause priority failures. This paper proposes a resilient schedule coordination method for a bus transit corridor, which analyzes link travel time, passenger loading delay, and priority signal intersection delay. It maximizes resilience based on realistic passenger flow volume, whether or not transit priority is provided. The data accuracy and result validity are improved with automatically collected data from multiple bus routes in a corridor. The Yan’an Road transit corridor in Shanghai is used as a case study. The results show that the proposed method can increase the system resilience by balancing operation cost and passenger-based cost. It also provides a guideline for realistic bus schedule coordination.
Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Identified Compound Heterozygous Mutations in MYO15A as the Probable Cause of Nonsyndromic Deafness in a Chinese Han Family
Authors: Wang Longhao , Zhao Lin , Peng Hu , Xu Jun , Lin Yun , Yang Tao , Wu Hao
Published: June 2020

Hearing loss is a highly heterogeneous disorder, with more than 60% of congenital cases caused by genetic factors. This study is aimed at identifying the genetic cause of congenital hearing loss in a Chinese Han family. Auditory evaluation before and after cochlear implantation and targeted next-generation sequencing of 140 deafness-related genes were performed for the deaf proband. Compound heterozygous mutations c.3658_3662del (p. E1221Wfs∗23) and c.6177+1G>T were identified in MYO15A as the only candidate pathogenic mutations cosegregated with the hearing loss in this family. These two variants were absent in 200 normal-hearing Chinese Hans and were classified as likely pathogenic and pathogenic, respectively, based on the ACMG guideline. Our study further expanded the mutation spectrum of MYO15A as the c.3658_3662del mutation is novel and confirmed that deaf patients with recessive MYO15A mutations have a good outcome for cochlear implantation.
A Case of Attempted Suicide by Cerbera odollam Seed Ingestion
Authors: Bernshteyn Michelle , Adams Steven H. , Gada Kunal
Published: June 2020

We report a case of attempted suicide by Cerbera odollam seed ingestion by a transgender patient who was successfully treated at our hospital. While the C. odollam plant has multiple practical and ornamental functions, its seeds have traditionally been utilized for suicidal and homicidal purposes in many parts of the world. Physicians should be aware of the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of C. odollam ingestion given the current ease of availability of these seeds in the United States and the increased reports of suicide attempts.
Electrospinning of Cyclodextrin Nanofibers: The Effect of Process Parameters
Authors: Topuz Fuat , Uyar Tamer
Published: June 2020

Cyclodextrin (CD) nanofibers have recently emerged as high-performance materials owing to their large surface area-to-volume ratio, along with the presence of high active CD content for their applications in drug delivery and water treatment. Even though there are several studies on the polymer-free electrospinning of CD molecules of different types, the effects of electrospinning process parameters on the morphology and diameter of the resultant fibers have not addressed yet. In this study, the influence of electrospinning process variables on the morphology and diameter of the resultant CD nanofibers is systematically studied using two different solvent systems, i.e., water and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF). On adjusting the electrospinning process parameters (i.e., electrical field, flow rate, tip-to-collector distance (TCD), and needle diameter), uniform CD nanofibers could be produced from aqueous and DMF solutions. Generally, the electrospinning of thicker fibers was observed by increasing the applied voltage and flow rate due to higher mass flow. Increasing TCD boosted the fiber diameter. Likewise, the use of needles with larger diameters resulted in the electrospinning of thicker fibers from DMF solutions, which might be attributed to higher viscosity due to reduced shear rate.
A Survey on HIV/AIDS‐Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Risk Behaviors, and Characteristics of Men Who Have Sex with Men among University Students in Guangxi, China
Authors: Lai Jingzhen , Pan Peijiang , Lin Yulun , Ye Li , Xie Long , Xie Yuan , Liang Bingyu , Zheng Fangling , Chen Rongfeng , Wen Liufang , Luo Yuxin , Liang Hao , Jiang Junjun
Published: June 2020

In recent years, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among Chinese university students has increased significantly, and HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) comprises more than half of the new cases. There is still a lack of research investigating the incidence of male‐to‐male sex, the attitudes towards MSM, and the awareness of HIV/AIDS among university students in Guangxi, one of the HIV high‐risk areas in China. Therefore, we performed a cross‐sectional investigation among 578 male students, recruited by stratified sampling, in universities in Nanning, Guangxi, between January 2016 and March 2017. Researcher‐administered anonymous questionnaires were completed. Self‐recognition as MSM was found in 8.48% of the subjects. Compared with non‐MSM, university student MSM included more people over the age of 20 (OR = 4.95), had less migration from other districts of Guangxi (OR = 0.26), and the majority were nonmedical students (OR = 8.99). In total, 63.25% of the male student participants reported a lack of acceptance of MSM, while 35.47% acknowledged barriers between themselves and acquaintances who were MSM. Overall, 67.30% of the subjects correctly answered questions related to AIDS knowledge. The proportion of MSM subjects who answered the AIDS‐related questions completely correctly was significantly lower than that of non‐MSM subjects (42.86% vs. 69. 57%, respectively, OR: 0.33), but the self‐recognition risk of MSM was significantly higher than that of non‐MSM (OR = 2.59). Risky behaviors associated with HIV infections, including smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and inconsistent condom use, were significantly higher among the MSM participants. The percentages of student’s willingness to accept MC and PrEP were 70.93% and 77.51%, respectively. These results raise the alarm that university student MSM in Guangxi, China, require urgent public attention and more effective health education, including the education on MC and PrEP.
Design of Static Output Feedback Controller for Fractional-Order T-S Fuzzy System
Authors: Xia Zhile
Published: June 2020

This paper studies the design of fuzzy static output feedback controllers for two kinds of fractional-order T-S fuzzy systems. The fractional order α satisfies 0<α<1 and 1≤α<2. Based on the fractional order theory, matrix decomposition technique, and projection theorem, four new sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stability of the system and the corresponding controller design methods are given. All the results can be expressed by linear matrix inequalities, and the relationship between fuzzy subsystems is also considered. These have great advantages in solving the results and reducing the conservatism. Finally, a simulation example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
[Retracted] Predicting Risk of Insulin Resistance in a Chinese Population with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Designing and Testing a New Predictive Nomogram
Authors: Jiang Feng , Wei Ke , Lyu Wenjun , Wu Chuyan
Published: June 2020

Background. This research is aimed at establishing and internally validating the risk nomogram of insulin resistance (IR) in a Chinese population of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods. We developed a predictive model based on a training dataset of 145 PCOS patients, and data were collected between March 2018 and May 2019. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model was used to optimize function selection for the insulin resistance risk model. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to construct a prediction model integrating the function selected in the regression model of the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The predicting model’s characteristics of prejudice, disease, and lifestyle were analyzed using the C‐index, the calibration diagram, and the study of the decision curve. External validity was assessed using the validation of bootstrapping. Results. Predictors contained in the prediction nomogram included occupation, disease durations (years), BMI, current use of metformin, and activities. With a C‐index of 0.739 (95 percent confidence interval: 0.644–0.830), the model showed good differentiation and proper calibration. In the interval validation, a high C‐index value of 0.681 could still be achieved. Examination of the decision curve found that the IR nomogram was clinically useful when the intervention was determined at the 11 percent IR potential threshold. Conclusion. This novel IR nomogram incorporates occupation, disease durations (years), BMI, current use of metformin, and activities. This nomogram could be used to promote the estimation of individual IR risk in patients with PCOS.
Purkinje Fibers in Canine False Tendons: New Anatomical and Electrophysiological Findings
Authors: Liang Ming , Wang Zulu , Li Yi , Liang Yanchun , Zhang Yuji , Rong Jingjing , Lv Yang , Zhang Qi , Yang Guitang , Sun Mingyu , Wang Junqi , Li Sainan , Wang Xunzhang , Han Yaling
Published: June 2020

Introduction. Purkinje system and false tendons (FTs) are related to ventricular arrhythmia, but the association between Purkinje fibers and FTs is not clear. This study investigated the associations of anatomical and electrophysiological characteristics between Purkinje fibers and FTs. Methods and Results. We optimized the protocol of Lugol’s iodine solution staining of Purkinje fibers to study the anatomical structure and originated a novel electrophysiological mapping method, named the direct visual mapping (DVM) method, to study the electrophysiological characteristics. By using the above-mentioned innovations in 12 dogs, we found the following. (1) There was no Purkinje fiber found 0.5 cm–1.0 cm below the valve annulus or on the leaflets or chordae tendineae of the mitral valve or adjacent to the top 1/3 of the papillary muscle. (2) Purkinje fibers existed in all FTs, including smaller and tiny FTs. (3) The Purkinje fibers contained in the FTs extended from the proximal to the distal end, and their electrophysiological characteristics were similar to the fibers on the endocardium, including anterograde, retrograde, and decremental conduction and automaticity. Conclusions. Purkinje fibers are commonly found in FTs. The electrophysiological characteristics of the Purkinje fibers contained in FTs are similar to the fibers on the endocardium. FTs might have an anatomical and electrophysiological basis for ventricular arrhythmia.
Adaptive ADI Numerical Analysis of 2D Quenching-Type Reaction: Diffusion Equation with Convection Term
Authors: Zhu Xiaoliang , Ge Yongbin
Published: June 2020

An adaptive high-order difference solution about a 2D nonlinear degenerate singular reaction-diffusion equation with a convection term is initially proposed in the paper. After the first and the second central difference operator approximating the first-order and the second-order spatial derivative, respectively, the higher-order spatial derivatives are discretized by applying the Taylor series rule and the temporal derivative is discretized by using the Crank–Nicolson (CN) difference scheme. An alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme with a nonuniform grid is built in this way. Meanwhile, accuracy analysis declares the second order in time and the fourth order in space under certain conditions. Sequentially, the high-order scheme is performed on an adaptive mesh to demonstrate quenching behaviors of the singular parabolic equation and analyse the influence of combustion chamber size on quenching. The paper displays rationally that the proposed scheme is practicable for solving the 2D quenching-type problem.
The Use of Inner Retinectomy to Relieve Inner Retinal Foreshortening Causing Retinal Detachment in the Setting of Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Yagisawa Katsuya , Baba Takayuki , Kaiho Tomomi , Yokouchi Hirotaka , Yamamoto Shuichi
Published: June 2020

A 61-year-old Japanese woman presented with impairment of her left vision due to macular schisis secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. Her left vision was 20/50, and schisis was observed inferotemporally. She underwent phacoemulsification and aspiration, implantation of the intraocular lens, and removal of the epiretinal membrane and internal limiting membrane. Her visual acuity stabilized ~20/50 for two and a half years after the initial surgery. However, she developed macula-involving retinal detachment, and her visual acuity declined to counting fingers. She underwent pars plana vitrectomy and removal of the residual vitreous cortex together with the inner retina within the area of vein occlusion. After the removal of silicone oil and the addition of an encircling buckle, the retina remained attached and visual acuity improved to 20/60 at one year after the final surgery. The combination of rhegmatogenous and tractional detachment in the area of schisis was suspected, and vitrectomy with inner retinectomy was effective.
Sorafenib and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy: A Promising Approach for Treatment of HCC
Authors: Hajighasemlou Saieh , Nikbakht Mohsen , Pakzad Saeedreza , Muhammadnejad Samad , Gharibzadeh Safoora , Mirmoghtadaei Milad , Zafari Fariba , Seyhoun Iman , Ai Jafar , Verdi Javad
Published: June 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Sorafenib (Sora) is used as a targeted therapy for HCC treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are applied as a new approach to fight malignancies. Drug resistance and side effects are the major concerns with Sora administration. The effect of using the combination of sorafenib and MSCs on tumor regression in xenograft HCC models was evaluated in this study. Methods and Materials. Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2) were subcutaneously implanted into the flank of 18 nude mice. The animals were randomly divided into six groups (n = 3); each received Sora (oral), MSCs (IV injection), MSCs (local injection), Sora + MSCs (IV injection), Sora + MSCs (local injection), or no treatment (the control group). Six weeks after tumor implantation, the mice were scarified and tumoral tissues were resected in their entirety. Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluations were used to measure tumor proliferation and angiogenesis. Apoptotic cells were quantified using the TUNEL assay. Results. No significant difference was found in the tumor grade among the treatment groups. Differentiation features of the tumoral cells were histopathologically insignificant in all the groups. Tumor necrosis was highest in the hpMSC (local) + Sora group. Tumor cell proliferation was reduced in hpMSC (local) + Sora‐treated and hpMSC (IV) + Sora‐treated mice compared with the other groups. Apoptotic‐positive cells occupied a greater proportion in the Sora, hpMSC (IV) + Sora, and hpMSC (local) + Sora groups. Conclusion. A combination of chemotherapy and MSC can yield to more favorable results in the treatment of HCC.
Restoration of Foveal Bulge after Resolution of Diabetic Macular Edema with Coexisting Serous Retinal Detachment
Authors: Hu Yijun , Wu Qiaowei , Liu Baoyi , Huang Manqing , Peng Qingsheng , Zhong Pingting , Zeng Xiaomin , Xiao Yu , Li Cong , Fang Ying , Li Tao , Yu Honghua , Yang Xiaohong
Published: June 2020

Purpose. To evaluate the impact of restoration of foveal bulge (FB) in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images on visual acuity after resolution of diabetic macular edema with coexisting serous retinal detachment (SRD-DME). Methods. A total of 52 eyes with resolved SRD-DME and an intact ellipsoid zone at the central fovea were included. All eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) examination and OCT scanning at baseline and follow-up visits (1, 3, and 6 months). The eyes were divided into two groups according to the presence of FB at 6 months. BCVA, central foveal thickness (CFT), height of SRD (SRDH), outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness, photoreceptor inner segment (PIS), and outer segment (POS) length were compared between the two groups. Results. A FB was found in 25 of 52 (48%) eyes at 6 months. The FB (+) group had lower SRDH at baseline, and better BCVA, longer POS length at 6 months (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the CFT, ONL thickness, and PIS length at 6 months between the two groups (all P>0.05). More eyes in the FB (+) group had complete SRD resolution at 1 month (P=0.009) and 3 months (P=0.012). Eyes with complete SRD resolution at 1 month (P=0.009) or 3 months (P=0.012) were more likely to have a FB at 6 months. Conclusions. The Presence of the FB is associated with better BCVA after resolution of SRD-DME. Eyes with lower baseline SRDH or faster SRD resolution are more likely to have a FB at 6 months.
Mindful Exercise (Baduanjin) as an Adjuvant Treatment for Older Adults (60 Years Old and Over) of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ye JiaJia , Zheng Qikai , Zou Liye , Yu Qian , Veronese Nicola , Grabovac Igor , Stefanac Sinisa , Tzeng Huey-Ming , Yu Jane Jie
Published: June 2020

Background. The postural stability is a major factor that helps prevent developing knee osteoarthritis with aging. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Baduanjin qigong on postural control and physical function in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Methods. Fifty‐six individuals over 60 years of age with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 28) or a control group (n = 28). Participants in the experimental group received a 12‐week Baduanjin training, while those in the control group did not receive any additional physical exercise during the study period. The postural control was quantified by perimeter and ellipse area of center of pressure movement trajectory. The assessments were conducted three times (baseline, week 8, and week 12). Results. The perimeter and ellipse area with both open‐ and closed‐eyes conditions and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) function were significantly improved at week eight in the experimental group (p < 0.005). The ellipse area with open‐eyes condition, WOMAC index, and stiffness and physical function domains were significantly decreased after the 12 weeks of Baduanjin training compared to the control group (p < 0.005). Only the perimeter area with both open‐ and closed‐eyes conditions was not statistically significant at week 12 in the intervention group (p > 0.005). Conclusions. Baduanjin is an effective and adjuvant therapy for older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Regular Baduanjin training can improve postural control and WOMAC function of old individuals with knee osteoarthritis. More advanced techniques and biopsychological measurements are required for further understanding of Baduanjin exercise in this population. The trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-IOR-16010042).
Unbalanced Sample Size Introduces Spurious Correlations to Genome-Wide Heterozygosity Analyses
Authors: Liu Li , Caselli Richard J.
Published: June 2020

Excess of heterozygosity (H) is a widely used measure of genetic diversity of a population. As high-throughput sequencing and genotyping data become readily available, it has been applied to investigating the associations of genome-wide genetic diversity with human diseases and traits. However, these studies often report contradictory results. In this paper, we present a meta-analysis of five whole-exome studies to examine the association of H scores with Alzheimer’s disease. We show that the mean H score of a group is not associated with the disease status, but ot is associated with the sample size. Across all five studies, the group with more samples has a significantly lower H score than the group with fewer samples. To remove potential confounders in empirical data sets, we perform computer simulations to create artificial genomes controlled for the number of polymorphic loci, the sample size, and the allele frequency. Analyses of these simulated data confirm the negative correlation between the sample size and the H score. Furthermore, we find that genomes with a large number of rare variants also have inflated H scores. These biases altogether can lead to spurious associations between genetic diversity and the phenotype of interest. Based on these findings, we advocate that studies shall balance the sample sizes when using genome-wide H scores to assess genetic diversities of different populations, which helps improve the reproducibility of future research.
Migration of Silicone Oil into the Orbit and Eyelid as a Cyst
Authors: Sharifi Mohammad , Ansari Astaneh Mohammad Reza
Published: June 2020

A 7-year-old female presented with left upper eyelid swelling following pars plana deep vitrectomy and silicone oil injection 1 year before admission. The left upper eyelid had mechanical ptosis and on palpation there was a lobulated mobile mass in the lateral portion of eyelid. Computed topography scan showed multiple isodense masses with silicone oil in vitreous in the eyelid and orbit; histopathology after excisional biopsy proved the silicone oil migration. Silicone oil migration followed by vitrectomy may be due to leakage from the site of initial wounds or vitrectomy ports. It is important to suspect extraocular silicone oil migration in patients who presented with eyelid mass-like lesions with a history of silicone oil injection following pars plana deep vitrectomy.
KIM-1 and Kidney Disease Progression in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: HALT-PKD Results
Authors: Griffin Benjamin R. , You Zhiying , Noureddine Lama , Gitomer Berenice , Perrenoud Loni , Wang Wei , Chonchol Michel , Jalal Diana ,   the HALT Investigators
Published: June 2020

Background: Cyst compression of renal tubules plays a role in the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and may induce expression of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). Whether urinary KIM-1 indexed for creatinine (uKIM-1/Cr) is a prognostic marker of disease progression in ADPKD is unknown.In this secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study, we sought to determine whether patients with high as opposed to low uKIM-1/CR at baseline had greater rates of eGFR loss and height-adjusted total kidney volume (HtTKV) increase. Methods: Baseline uKIM-1/Cr values were obtained from 754 participants in Halt Progression of Polycystic Kidney Disease (HALT-PKD) studies A (early ADPKD) and B (late ADPKD). The predictor was uKIM-1/Cr, which was dichotomized by a median value of 0.2417 pg/g, and the primary outcomes were measured longitudinally over time. Mixed-effects linear models were used in the analysis to calculate the annual slope of change in eGFR and HtTKV. Results: Patients with high uKIM-1/Cr (above the median) had an annual decline in eGFR that was 0.47 mL/min greater than that in those with low uKIM-1/Cr (p = 0.0015) after adjustment for all considered covariates. This association was seen in study B patients alone (0.45 mL/min; p = 0.009), but not in study A patients alone (0.42 mL/min; p = 0.06). High baseline uKIM-1/Cr was associated with higher HtTKV in the baseline cross-sectional analysis compared to low uKIM-1/Cr (p = 0.02), but there was no difference between the groups in the mixed-effects model annual slopes. Conclusion: Elevated baseline uKIM-1/Cr is associated with a greater decline in eGFR over time. Further research is needed to determine whether uKIM-1/Cr improves risk stratification in patients with ADPKD.
Admission Bedside Lung Ultrasound Reclassifies Mortality Prediction in Patients With ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Araujo Gustavo N. , Silveira Anderson D. , Scolari Fernando L. , Custodio Julia L. , Marques Felipe P. , Beltrame Rafael , Menegazzo Wiliam , Machado Guilherme P. , Fuchs Felipe C. , Goncalves Sandro C. , Wainstein Rodrigo V. , Leiria Tiago L. , Wainstein Marco V.
Published: June 2020

Background:

Early risk stratification is essential for in-hospital management of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Acute heart failure confers a worse prognosis, and although lung ultrasound (LUS) is recommended as a first-line test to assess pulmonary congestion, it has never been tested in this setting. Our aim was to evaluate the prognostic ability of admission LUS in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods:

LUS protocol consisted of 8 scanning zones and was performed before primary percutaneous coronary intervention by an operator blinded to Killip classification. A LUS combined with Killip (LUCK) classification was developed. Receiver operating characteristic and net reclassification improvement analyses were performed to compare LUCK and Killip classifications.

Results:

We prospectively investigated 215 patients admitted with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction between April 2018 and June 2019. Absence of pulmonary congestion detected by LUS implied a negative predictive value for in-hospital mortality of 98.1% (93.1–99.5%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the LUCK classification for in-hospital mortality was 0.89 (
P
=0.001), and of the Killip classification was 0.86 (
P
<0.001;
P
=0.05 for the difference between curves). LUCK classification improved Killip ability to predict in-hospital mortality with a net reclassification improvement of 0.18.

Conclusions:

In a cohort of patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, admission LUS added to Killip classification was more sensitive than physical examination to identify patients at risk for in-hospital mortality. LUCK classification had a greater area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and reclassified Killip classification in 18% of cases. Moreover, absence of pulmonary congestion on LUS provided an excellent negative predictive value for in-hospital mortality.
Direct Comparison of Home Versus Ambulatory Defined Nocturnal Hypertension for Predicting Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Mokwatsi Gontse Gratitude , Hoshide Satoshi , Kanegae Hiroshi , Fujiwara Takeshi , Negishi Keita , Schutte Aletta Elisabeth , Kario Kazuomi
Published: June 2020

The home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) method that measures blood pressure during sleep hours was reported to be comparable to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in measuring nighttime blood pressure and detecting nocturnal hypertension. The aim of this study was to directly compare the prognostic power of nocturnal hypertension detected by HBPM versus ABPM for predicting future cardiovascular events. We analyzed nighttime blood pressure (measured by HBPM and ABPM) data of 1005 participants who were included in the J-HOP study (Japan Morning Surge-Home Blood Pressure). During a follow-up period of 7.6±3.4 years, 80 cardiovascular disease events occurred. The majority (91.8%) of our study population were hypertensive, and 80.7% of participants were using antihypertensive medication. Nighttime home systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher compared to nighttime ambulatory SBP (123.0±14.6 versus 120.3±14.4 mm Hg,
P
<0.001). Nocturnal hypertension was defined as nighttime home or ambulatory SBP of ≥120 mm Hg. The number of participants with nocturnal hypertension defined by HBPM and ABPM was 564 (56.1%) and 469 (46.7%), respectively. Nocturnal hypertension defined by HBPM was associated with increased risk of future cardiovascular events: total cardiovascular events (coronary artery disease and stroke events; 1.78 [1.00–3.15]) and stroke (2.65 [1.14–6.20]), independent of office SBP. These results were absent with nocturnal hypertension defined by ABPM. This is the first comparison prospective study illustrating that uncontrolled nocturnal hypertension defined by HBPM (independent of office SBP) is a predictor of future cardiovascular events.
Mid- to Late-Life Time-Averaged Cumulative Blood Pressure and Late-Life Cardiac Structure, Function, and Heart Failure
Authors: Teramoto Kanako , Nadruz Junior Wilson , Matsushita Kunihiro , Claggett Brian , John Jenine E. , Skali Hicham , Solomon Scott , Cheng Susan , Shah Amil M.
Published: June 2020

Limited data exist regarding systolic blood pressure (SBP) through mid- to late-life and late-life cardiac function and heart failure (HF) risk. Among 4578 HF-free participants in the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) attending the fifth visit (2011–2013; age 75±5 years), time-averaged cumulative SBP was calculated as the sum of averaged SBPs from adjacent consecutive visits (visits 1–5) indexed to total observation time (24±1 years). Calculations were performed using measured SBPs and also incorporating antihypertensive medication specific effect constants (underlying SBP). Outcomes included comprehensive echocardiography at visit 5 and post-visit 5 incident HF, HF with preserved ejection fraction, and reduced ejection fraction. Higher cumulative SBP was associated with greater left ventricular mass and worse diastolic measures (all
P
<0.001), associations that were stronger with underlying compared with cumulative SBP (all
P
<0.05). At 5.6±1.2 years follow-up post-visit 5, higher cumulative measured and underlying SBP were associated with incident HF (hazard ratio per 10 mm Hg for measured: 1.12 [1.01–1.24]; underlying: 1.19 [95% CI, 1.10–1.30]) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (measured: 1.15 [1.00–1.33]; underlying: 1.28 [1.14–1.45]), but not HF with reduced ejection fraction (measured: 1.11 [0.94–1.32]; underlying: 1.11 [0.96–1.24]). Associations with HF and HF with preserved ejection fraction were more robust with cumulative underlying compared with measured SBP (all
P
<0.05). Time-averaged cumulative SBP in mid to late life is associated with worse cardiac function and risk of incident HF, especially HF with preserved ejection fraction, in late life. These associations were stronger considering underlying as opposed to measured SBP, highlighting the importance of prevention and effective treatment of hypertension to prevent late-life cardiac dysfunction and HF.
Sacubitril/Valsartan Improves Cardiac Function and Decreases Myocardial Fibrosis Via Downregulation of Exosomal miR‐181a in a Rodent Chronic Myocardial Infarction Model
Authors: Vaskova Evgeniya , Ikeda Gentaro , Tada Yuko , Wahlquist Christine , Mercola Marc , Yang Phillip C.
Published: June 2020

Background

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that function as intercellular messengers and effectors. Exosomal cargo contains regulatory small molecules, including mi
RNA
s,
mRNA
s, lnc
RNA
s, and small peptides that can be modulated by different pathological stimuli to the cells. One of the main mechanisms of action of drug therapy may be the altered production and/or content of the exosomes.

Methods and Results

We studied the effects on exosome production and content by neprilysin inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blockers, sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan alone, using human‐induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes under normoxic and hypoxic injury model in vitro
,
and assessed for physiologic correlation using an ischemic myocardial injury rodent model in vivo. We demonstrated that the treatment with sacubitril/valsartan and valsartan alone resulted in the increased production of exosomes by induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes in vitro in both conditions as well as in the rat plasma in vivo. Next‐generation sequencing of these exosomes exhibited downregulation of the expression of rno‐miR‐181a in the sacubitril/valsartan treatment group. In vivo studies employing chronic rodent myocardial injury model demonstrated that miR‐181a antagomir has a beneficial effect on cardiac function. Subsequently, immunohistochemical and molecular studies suggested that the downregulation of miR‐181a resulted in the attenuation of myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy, restoring the injured rodent heart after myocardial infarction.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that an additional mechanism of action of the pleiotropic effects of sacubitril/valsartan may be mediated by the modulation of the mi
RNA
expression level in the exosome payload.
All downhill from the PhD? The typical impact trajectory of U.S. academic careers
Authors: Thelwall Mike , Fairclough Ruth
Published: June 2020

Within academia, mature researchers tend to be more senior, but do they also tend to write higher impact articles? This article assesses long-term publishing (16+ years) United States (U.S.) researchers, contrasting them with shorter-term publishing researchers (1, 6, or 10 years). A long-term U.S. researcher is operationalized as having a first Scopus-indexed journal article in exactly 2001 and one in 2016–2019, with U.S. main affiliations in their first and last articles. Researchers publishing in large teams (11+ authors) were excluded. The average field and year normalized citation impact of long- and shorter-term U.S. researchers’ journal articles decreases over time relative to the national average, with especially large falls for the last articles published, which may be at least partly due to a decline in self-citations. In many cases researchers start by publishing above U.S. average citation impact research and end by publishing below U.S. average citation impact research. Thus, research managers should not assume that senior researchers will usually write the highest impact papers.
An overview of the Chloropidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia
Authors: DAWAH HASSAN A. , ABDULLAH MOHAMMED A. , DEEMING JOHN C.
Published: June 2020

Chloropidae are of major economic importance, since the larvae of some species are pests of cereals and grasses, some are parasitoids and predators, and adults of some Hippelates spp. visit and transmit or are suspected of transmitting yaws sores in man and animals and by feeding around the eyes are vectors of Brazilian Purpuric Fever. Within the framework of the exploration of the biodiversity of Diptera in Southwest Saudi Arabia a survey of the grass flies fauna in 18 sites in Jazan, Asir, and Najran in south-western Saudi Arabia was performed mainly using Malaise traps and sweep nets from 2010– to 2016. Sixty six species of 43 genera and three subfamilies of Chloropidae were identified and are recorded from Saudi Arabia, 20 of them for the first time and three are described as new species: Elachiptera arabica Deeming sp. n.; Kwarea ismayi Deeming sp.n. and Tricimba turneri Deeming sp.n.. This makes the total number of Chloropidae species in Saudi Arabia 95 (including 29 species previously recorded). Seventy images are presented. The species of Chloropidae listed are predominantly of Afrotropical/ Palaearctic origin. An updated checklist of Chloropidae species of Saudi Arabia is presented.This study adds new records of Chloropidae to the Saudi Arabian Diptera fauna, which will become reference points for research detailing the systematic geographic distribution and for identifying other specimens submitted for identification. Further species will undoubtedly be discovered with more research involving collecting and rearing methods.
Anguillosyllis (Annelida: Syllidae) from multiple deep-water locations in the northern and southern hemispheres
Authors: MACIOLEK NANCY J.
Published: June 2020

Numerous specimens belonging to the syllid genus Anguillosyllis Day were collected during several deep-sea studies conducted between 1970 and 2011 in depths ranging from 180 to nearly 5000 m. These quantitative studies demonstrated that members of this genus are not as uncommon as once thought but can be among the 10 most common infaunal species at some deep-sea locations. Study areas included Georges Bank (New England), the North, Mid, and South Atlantic Continental Slope and Rise (east coast of North America), the Gulf of Mexico (off Louisiana), off San Francisco, California, the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (Pacific Ocean), the South China Sea (off Brunei), the abyssal plain in the South Atlantic Ocean, and Antarctica (Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea). Sixteen new species are described, bringing the total number of described Anguillosyllis species to 20; one additional species that cannot be fully characterized is also noted. The new species include eight with palps that are entirely or partially free (Anguillosyllis aciculata n. sp., A. acsara, n. sp., A. carolina n. sp., A. denaria n. sp., A. hadra, n. sp., A. hampsoni n. sp., A. taleola n. sp., and A. truebloodi n. sp.) and eight species with completely fused palps (A. andeepia n. sp., A. blakei n. sp., A. bruneiensis n. sp., A. elegantissima n. sp., A. enneapoda n. sp., A. hessleri n. sp., A. inornata n. sp., and A. sepula n. sp.). Type specimens of A. palpata (Hartman) from off Cape Horn and A. pupa (Hartman) from off New England were examined; A. capensis Day from South Africa and A. lanai Barroso, Paiva, Nogueira & Fukuda from Brazil are discussed. All adult Anguillosyllis have a fixed number of setigers, either 8, 9, 10, or 11, with 11 setigers being the most common. Species differ in the number of setigers, degree of fusion of the palps, degree of development of parapodial lobes, structure and number of internal and external glands, number of setae in anterior setigers, shape and size of proventricle, and annulation of the dorsum. All species for which the anal cirri had not been lost were found to have four, including two long, thin, ventromedial ones and two shorter, usually oval, lateral ones. Reproduction is poorly known in the genus; the present study shows eggs are found in the posterior (post-proventricle) setigers of most species and enter the parapodia from the coelom of several specimens; egg diameters generally ranged from 50–85 µm with A. sepula n. sp. having eggs up to 120 µm, the largest reported for the genus.
Adverse childhood experiences in families with multiple members diagnosed to have psychiatric illnesses
Authors: Someshwar Amala , Holla Bharath , Pansari Agarwal Preeti , Thomas Anza , Jose Anand , Joseph Boban , Raju Birudu , Karle Hariprasad , Muthukumaran M , Kodancha Prabhath G , Kumar Pramod , Reddy Preethi V , Kumar Nadella Ravi , Naik Sanjay T , Mitra Sayantanava , Mallappagiri Sreenivasulu , Sreeraj Vanteemar S , Balachander Srinivas , Ganesh Suhas , Murthy Pratima , Benegal Vivek , Reddy Janardhan YC , Jain Sanjeev , Mahadevan Jayant , Viswanath Biju , Rao Naren P. , Narayanaswamy Janardhanan C. , Sivakumar Palanimuthu T. , Kandasamy Arun , Kesavan Muralidharan , Mehta Urvakhsh Meherwan , Venkatasubramanian Ganesan , John John P. , Mukherjee Odity , Purushottam Meera , Kannan Ramakrishnan , Mehta Bhupesh , Kandavel Thennarasu , Binukumar B. , Saini Jitender , Jayarajan Deepak , Shyamsundar A. , Moirangthem Sydney , Vijay Kumar K. G. , Thirthalli Jagadisha , Chandra Prabha S. , Gangadhar Bangalore N. , Panicker Mitradas M. , Bhalla Upinder S. , Chattarji Sumantra , Varghese Mathew , Raghu Padinjat , Rao Mahendra
Published: June 2020

Objective:

Adverse childhood experiences are linked to the development of a number of psychiatric illnesses in adulthood. Our study examined the pattern of adverse childhood experiences and their relation to the age of onset of major psychiatric conditions in individuals from families that had ⩾2 first-degree relatives with major psychiatric conditions (multiplex families), identified as part of an ongoing longitudinal study.

Methods:

Our sample consisted of 509 individuals from 215 families. Of these, 268 were affected, i.e., diagnosed with bipolar disorder ( n = 61), obsessive–compulsive disorder ( n = 58), schizophrenia ( n = 52), substance dependence ( n = 59) or co-occurring diagnoses ( n = 38), while 241 were at-risk first-degree relatives who were either unaffected ( n = 210) or had other depressive or anxiety disorders ( n = 31). All individuals were evaluated using the Adverse Childhood Experiences – International Questionnaire and total adverse childhood experiences exposure and severity scores were calculated.

Results:

It was seen that affected males, as a group, had the greatest adverse childhood experiences exposure and severity scores in our sample. A Cox mixed effects model fit by gender revealed that a higher total adverse childhood experiences severity score was associated with significantly increased risk for an earlier age of onset of psychiatric diagnoses in males. A similar model that evaluated the interaction of diagnosis revealed an earlier age of onset in obsessive–compulsive disorder and substance dependence, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Conclusion:

Our study indicates that adverse childhood experiences were associated with an earlier onset of major psychiatric conditions in men and individuals diagnosed with obsessive–compulsive disorder and substance dependence. Ongoing longitudinal assessments in first-degree relatives from these families are expected to identify mechanisms underlying this relationship.
Partisanship and Autocratization: Polarization, Power Asymmetry, and Partisan Social Identities in Turkey
Authors: Laebens Melis G. , Öztürk Aykut
Published: June 2020

Although theories of partisanship were developed for the democratic context, partisanship can be important in electoral autocracies as well. We use survey data to analyze partisanship in an electoral autocracy, Turkey, and find that partisanship is pervasive, strong, and consequential. Using the Partisan Identity Scale to measure partisanship, we show that, like in democracies, partisanship strength is associated with political attitudes and action. Unlike in democracies, however, the ruling party’s superior ability to mobilize supporters through clientelistic linkages makes the association between partisanship and political action weaker for ruling party partisans. We find that partisan identities are tightly connected to the perception that other parties may threaten one’s well-being, and that such fears are widespread on both sides of the political divide. We interpret our findings in light of the autocratization process Turkey went through. Our contribution highlights the potential of integrating regime dynamics in studies of partisanship.
Slaves and slavery in the Smṛticandrikā
Authors: Davis Donald R.
Published: June 2020

This article contains both a study and a translation of the laws relating to slavery found in the thirteenth-century Hindu law digest called the Smṛticandrikā. By focusing on a single text, we can clearly see the ideology of slavery in the view of one important author of medieval India. First, slaves formed one end of a categorical continuum of workers, all of whom laboured for the benefit of others as they were denied legal autonomy. While not equivalent, slavery and other forms of work formed a unified topic under what is often called Master and Servant law. Second, slaves were frequently likened to both Śūdras and wives in the text, indicating the persistent relevance of caste and gender to slave status. As a result, the characterisation of slavery as ‘social death’ is less helpful in this case than the unsettling idea that slavery is an intensified form of work in general. All work, including slavery, is affected by a loss of freedom and personal benefit, as well as the biases of social stratification.
Workplace Safety and Worker Productivity: Evidence from the MINER Act
Authors: Li Ling
Published: June 2020

This study examines the effect of safety enforcement on workplace injuries and worker productivity in coal mines. The author exploits the introduction of a “flagrant” violation standard—with penalties of up to 0.22 million dollars per violation—established by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006. Using an event-study model, the author finds that after the issuance of a flagrant violation, the workplace injuries decreased significantly by 20% and miner productivity decreased by 6%. The results suggest that the monetary value of the productivity loss is 1.3 times the costs saved from fewer injuries, which highlights the costs of workplace safety regulations.