bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct β-Lactam Inactivation Method: a New Low-Cost Assay for Rapid Detection of Carbapenemase- or Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing
Enterobacterales
Directly from Positive Blood Culture Bottles
Authors: Bianco Gabriele , Boattini Matteo , Iannaccone Marco , Fossati Lucina , Cavallo Rossana , Costa Cristina
Published: November 2019

We validate and evaluate a new phenotypic assay, named the direct β-lactam inactivation method (dBLIM), for the rapid and simultaneous detection of carbapenemase or extended-spectrum-cephalosporinase activity directly from
Enterobacterales
(EB)-positive blood cultures (BCs). It originates from the carbapenem inactivation method (CIM), an inexpensive and highly sensitive assay for carbapenemase activity detection.
Paternal Grandmother Age Affects the Strength of
Wolbachia
-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Layton Emily M. , On Jungmin , Perlmutter Jessamyn I. , Bordenstein Seth R. , Shropshire J. Dylan
Published: November 2019

Unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) results in a postfertilization incompatibility between
Wolbachia
-infected males and uninfected females. CI contributes to reproductive isolation between closely related species and is used in worldwide vector control programs to drastically lower arboviral vector population sizes or to replace populations that transmit arboviruses with those resistant to transmission. Despite decades of research on the factors that influence CI, penetrance is often variable under controlled laboratory conditions in various arthropods, suggesting that additional variables influence CI strength. Here, we demonstrate that paternal
D. melanogaster
grandmother age influences the strength of CI induced by their sons. Older
D. melanogaster
females have higher
Wolbachia
densities and produce offspring with higher
Wolbachia
densities that associate with stronger CI. This work reveals a multigenerational impact of age on CI and expands our understanding of host-
Wolbachia
interactions and the biology of CI induced by the
Wolbachia
strain infecting the most widely used arthropod model,
D. melanogaster
.
Photoferrotrophs Produce a PioAB Electron Conduit for Extracellular Electron Uptake
Authors: Gupta Dinesh , Sutherland Molly C. , Rengasamy Karthikeyan , Meacham J. Mark , Kranz Robert G. , Bose Arpita
Published: November 2019

Some anoxygenic phototrophs use soluble iron, insoluble iron minerals (such as rust), or their proxies (poised electrodes) as electron donors for photosynthesis. However, the underlying electron uptake mechanisms are not well established. Here, we show that these phototrophs use a protein complex made of an outer membrane porin and a periplasmic decaheme cytochrome (electron transfer protein) to harvest electrons from both soluble iron and poised electrodes. This complex has two unique characteristics: (i) it lacks an extracellular cytochrome
c
, and (ii) the periplasmic decaheme cytochrome
c
undergoes proteolytic cleavage to produce a functional electron transfer protein. These characteristics are conserved in phototrophs harboring homologous proteins.
Individual participant data validation of the PICNICC prediction model for febrile neutropenia
Authors: Phillips Bob , Morgan Jessica Elizabeth , Haeusler Gabrielle M , Riley Richard D
Published: November 2019

Background

Risk-stratified approaches to managing cancer therapies and their consequent complications rely on accurate predictions to work effectively. The risk-stratified management of fever with neutropenia is one such very common area of management in paediatric practice. Such rules are frequently produced and promoted without adequate confirmation of their accuracy.

Methods

An individual participant data meta-analytic validation of the ‘Predicting Infectious ComplicatioNs In Children with Cancer’ (PICNICC) prediction model for microbiologically documented infection in paediatric fever with neutropenia was undertaken. Pooled estimates were produced using random-effects meta-analysis of the area under the curve-receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), calibration slope and ratios of expected versus observed cases (E/O).

Results

The PICNICC model was poorly predictive of microbiologically documented infection (MDI) in these validation cohorts. The pooled AUC-ROC was 0.59, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.78, tau2=0, compared with derivation value of 0.72, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.76. There was poor discrimination (pooled slope estimate 0.03, 95% CI −0.19 to 0.26) and calibration in the large (pooled E/O ratio 1.48, 95% CI 0.87 to 2.1). Three different simple recalibration approaches failed to improve performance meaningfully.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis shows the PICNICC model should not be used at admission to predict MDI. Further work should focus on validating alternative prediction models. Validation across multiple cohorts from diverse locations is essential before widespread clinical adoption of such rules to avoid overtreating or undertreating children with fever with neutropenia.
EPICE cohort: two-year neurodevelopmental outcomes after very preterm birth
Authors: Draper Elizabeth S , Zeitlin Jennifer , Manktelow Bradley N , Piedvache Aurelie , Cuttini Marina , Edstedt Bonamy Anna-Karin , Maier Rolf , Koopman-Esseboom Corine , Gadzinowski Janusz , Boerch Klaus , van Reempts Patrick , Varendi Heili , Johnson Samantha J
Published: November 2019

Objective

To determine whether the variation in neurodevelopmental disability rates between populations persists after adjustment for demographic, maternal and infant characteristics for an international very preterm (VPT) birth cohort using a standardised approach to neurodevelopmental assessment at 2 years of age.

Design

Prospective standardised cohort study.

Setting

15 regions in 10 European countries.

Patients

VPT births: 22+0–31+6weeks of gestation.

Data collection

Standardised data collection tools relating to pregnancy, birth and neonatal care and developmental outcomes at 2 years corrected age using a validated parent completed questionnaire.

Main outcome measures

Crude and standardised prevalence ratios calculated to compare rates of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment between regions grouped by country using fixed effects models.

Results

Parent reported rates of moderate or severe neurodevelopmental impairment for the cohort were: 17.3% (ranging 10.2%–26.1% between regions grouped by country) with crude standardised prevalence ratios ranging from 0.60 to 1.53. Adjustment for population, maternal and infant factors resulted in a small reduction in the overall variation (ranging from 0.65 to 1.30).

Conclusion

There is wide variation in the rates of moderate to severe neurodevelopmental impairment for VPT cohorts across Europe, much of which persists following adjustment for known population, maternal and infant factors. Further work is needed to investigate whether other factors including quality of care and evidence-based practice have an effect on neurodevelopmental outcomes for these children.
Weaning from mechanical ventilation in people with neuromuscular disease: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Bernardes Neto Saint Clair Gomes , Torres Rodrigo , Lima Íllia , Resqueti Vanessa R , Fregonezi Guilherme A F
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Neuromuscular diseases (NMD) are characterised by progressive muscular impairment. The muscle weakness is directly related to respiratory muscles weakness, causing reduction in vital capacity, especially when associated with mechanical ventilation (MV). Conventional MV weaning in NMD is generally difficult. Weaning process can be conducted in protocols such as: ‘T’ piece or Pressure Support Ventilaton. Weaning failure is frequent because of muscle weakness. Protocol aim is to assess the effects of different weaning protocols in NMD patients receiving invasive MV in weaning success rate, duration of weaning, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital stay and ICU mortality.

Methods and analysis

A search will be carried in the Cochrane Neuromuscular Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, United States National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Protal, of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs. Inclusion criteria of individuals are adults (above 16 years old) and children (from 5 to 16 years old), with clinical diagnosis of NMD (muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, congenital myasthenia, myasthenia gravis, congenital myopathy, spinal muscular atrophy, Guillian Barré Syndrome, severe inherited neuropathies, metabolic myopathies, inflammatory myopathies, mitochondrial diseases) of any gender. All patients ventilated for at least 48 hours due to respiratory failure and clinically considered ready for weaning. Other respiratory or cardiovascular diagnosis associated will not be included. Intervention assessed will be weaning from MV using a protocol with 30 min to 2 hours of spontaneous breathing trial at the end point. All comparisons of different protocols will be considered.

Ethics and dissemination

Formal ethical approval is not required as primary data will not be collected, since it will be a systematic review. All studies included should have ethical committee approval. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and in conferences and congresses or symposia.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019117393.
Diagnosed prevalence of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorder in Wales, UK: a national electronic cohort study and case–control comparison
Authors: Demmler Joanne C , Atkinson Mark D , Reinhold Emma J , Choy Ernest , Lyons Ronan A , Brophy Sinead T
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To describe the epidemiology of diagnosed hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) using linked electronic medical records. To examine whether these conditions remain rare and primarily affect the musculoskeletal system.

Design

Nationwide linked electronic cohort and nested case–control study.

Setting

Routinely collected data from primary care and hospital admissions in Wales, UK.

Participants

People within the primary care or hospital data systems with a coded diagnosis of EDS or joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) between 1 July 1990 and 30 June 2017.

Main outcome measures

Combined prevalence of JHS and EDS in Wales. Additional diagnosis and prescription data in those diagnosed with EDS or JHS compared with matched controls.

Results

We found 6021 individuals (men: 30%, women: 70%) with a diagnostic code of either EDS or JHS. This gives a diagnosed point prevalence of 194.2 per 100 000 in 2016/2017 or roughly 10 cases in a practice of 5000 patients. There was a pronounced gender difference of 8.5 years (95% CI: 7.70 to 9.22) in the mean age at diagnosis. EDS or JHS was not only associated with high odds for other musculoskeletal diagnoses and drug prescriptions but also with significantly higher odds of a diagnosis in other disease categories (eg, mental health, nervous and digestive systems) and higher odds of a prescription in most disease categories (eg, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs) within the 12 months before and after the first recorded diagnosis.

Conclusions

EDS and JHS (since March 2017 classified as EDS or HSD) have historically been considered rare diseases only affecting the musculoskeletal system and soft tissues. These data demonstrate that both these assertions should be reconsidered.
Experiences and supportive care needs of UK patients with pancreatic cancer: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey
Authors: Watson Eila K , Brett Jo , Hay Harriet , Witwicki Cara , Perris Anna , Poots Alan J , Sizmur Steve , Soonawalla Zahir , Tallett Amy
Published: November 2019

Objectives

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have the poorest survival prognosis of any cancer. This survey aimed to describe their experiences of care and supportive care needs to inform future service provision.

Design

Cross-sectional questionnaire survey of patients with pancreatic cancer in the UK.

Setting

Individuals at any stage along the care pathway were recruited via five National Health Service sites in the UK, and online, from January to June 2018.

Participants

274 individuals completed the questionnaire (78% (215) were completed online). Approximately half of participants were diagnosed within the last year (133/274). Of 212 providing gender details, 82 were male and 130 were female. Ninety per cent (192/213) described themselves as White British.

Primary outcome measures

Experiences of communication and information; involvement in treatment decisions; supportive care needs.

Results

Communication with, and care received from, clinical staff were generally reported positively. However, 29% (75/260) of respondents did not receive enough information at diagnosis, and 10% (25/253) felt they were not involved in decisions about their treatment, but would have liked to be. Supportive care needs were greatest in psychological and physical/daily living domains. 49% (108/221) of respondents reported one or more moderate/high unmet needs within the last month, of which the most commonly reported were: dealing with uncertainty about the future; fears about the cancer spreading; not being able to do things they used to; concerns about those close to them; lack of energy; anxiety; feelings of sadness and feeling down/depressed. Experiences were poorer, and unmet supportive care needs greater, in patients with unresectable disease.

Conclusions

Patients with pancreatic cancer have unmet information and support needs across the cancer trajectory. Psychological and physical support appears to be the biggest gap in care. Needs should be assessed and supportive care interventions implemented from the point of diagnosis, and monitored regularly to help patients live as good a quality of life as possible.
Effect of psychosocial work factors on the risk of depression: a protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Duchaine Caroline S , Aubé Karine , Gilbert-Ouimet Mahee , Bruno Pena Gralle Ana Paula , Vezina Michel , Ndjaboue Ruth , Massamba Victoria K , Trudel Xavier , Lesage Alain , Moore Lynne , Laurin Danielle , Brisson Chantal
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Depression is a common and disabling health problem that contributes to an important social and economic burden, particularly among the working age population. The deleterious effect of psychosocial work factors on depression has been documented. However, the most recent systematic reviews had restrictive eligibility criteria and, since their publications, several original studies have been published. The proposed systematic review aims to update, evaluate and synthesise the effect of psychosocial work factors from three recognised theoretical models, the demand-control-support, effort-reward imbalance and organisational justice models, on the risk of depression among workers.

Method and analysis

A systematic literature search will be conducted in seven academic databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Sociological abstracts and IBSS) as well as three grey literature databases. The search strategy was first run on January 2017, updated in October 2017 and will be updated 6 months prior to submission for publication. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations, study selection will be carried out using a rigorous multistep screening process in duplicate by independent reviewers. Prospective studies evaluating the effect of at least one psychosocial work factor from the three theoretical models on depression or antidepressant medication use among working adults will be included. Extracted data will be used for evidence synthesis as well as to assess risk of bias and methodological quality. Meta-estimates will be provided after considering homogeneity and number of studies.

Ethics and dissemination

This study will only draw from published studies and grey literature available in electronic databases; ethics approval is not required. The results of this review will be published in a peer review journal and presented at relevant conferences. Given that psychosocial work factors are frequent and modifiable, the results can help reduce the social and economic burden of depression and support public policy-makers to improve occupational health standards.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018107666
Endotype-driven prediction of acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (EndAECOPD): protocol for a prospective cohort study
Authors: Xiao Wei , Du Long-yi , Mao Bing , Miao Ti-wei , Fu Juan-juan
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Current strategies for the prevention of acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are primarily based on clinical measurements but fail to target the pathophysiological mechanisms, namely endotypes, of the disease. Studies identifying endotypes underlying exacerbation susceptibility and discovering specific biomarkers may lead to the development of targeted therapeutics but are lacking. This study aims to assess a broad spectrum of biomarkers at multiple biological levels (genetics, airway inflammation and respiratory microbiome) for their ability in predicting acute exacerbations of COPD, thus enables high-resolution disease endotyping and may lead to precision treatment of the disease.

Methods and analysis

In this prospective cohort study, participants with stable COPD (n=600) will be recruited and assessed for demographics, symptom scores, spirometry, medication use and comorbidities at baseline. Blood will be obtained for genotyping variants in a panel of nine genes. Induced sputum will be collected for the profile of microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, quantification of bacterial load, inflammatory mediators assay and sputum cytometry. Participants will be followed up for their exacerbations till 12 months and reassessed for the clinical measurements as baseline. The primary outcomes are total number of exacerbations, severe exacerbations, moderate exacerbations and time to first exacerbation. The secondary outcomes are changes in lung function and symptom scores. The effect of biomarkers representing genetic variants, airway inflammation and respiratory microbiome on predicting the frequent exacerbator phenotype and exacerbation frequency will be analysed with multivariable modelling, and time to first exacerbation with a Cox regression model.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the Clinical Trial and Biomedical Ethics Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (No. 2018–298). The results of the study will be published on peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR1800019063.
Preoperative endoscopic tattooing technique improved lymph node retrieval in rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Chen Yi-Ting , Wang Jaw-Yuan , Wang Jiunn-Wei , Chai Chee-Yin
Published: November 2019

Aims

To describe the clinical utility of lymph node retrieval and prognostic value of tattooing in rectal cancer (RC) patients undergoing neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

Methods

A total 97 RC patients underwent preoperative CCRT, and 38 patients had preoperative endoscopic tattooing. Surgical intervention was performed after CCRT and the specimens were sampled as standard protocol in all patients. Other clinicopathological parameters correlated with lymph node retrieval status were also analysed.

Results

Fifteen patients (39.5%) of 38 RC patients in the tattooing group (TG) had adequate lymph node retrieval (>12) compared with 12 (20.3%) of 59 in the non-tattooing group. Higher lymph node retrieval rate was noted in the TG (p=0.04). In multivariable analysis, it showed tattooing was an independent predictive factor for higher lymph node retrieval in RC patients after CCRT (p=0.024) by logistic regression modelling. Besides histological grade, positive lymphovascular invasion, presence of lymph node metastasis, poor CCRT response and advanced pathological stage, inadequate lymph node retrieval was significantly associated with poor survival (all p<0.05) by Kaplan-Meier analysis. In multivariable analyses, the results revealed that lymph node retrieval (p=0.005), pathological stage (p=0.001) and tumour progression grade (p=0.02) were independent prognostic markers in RC patients receiving CCRT.

Conclusion

Preoperative endoscopic tattooing is a useful technique for RC patient receiving neoadjuvant CCRT. It can improve lymph node retrieval and provide an adequate diagnosis for proper treatment and prognosis.
Physical frailty and decline in general and specific cognitive abilities: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936
Authors: Gale Catharine , Ritchie Stuart J , Starr John M , Deary Ian J
Published: November 2019

Background

Physical frailty is associated with many adverse outcomes including disability, chronic disease, hospitalisation, institutionalisation and death. It is unclear what impact it might have on the rate of normal cognitive ageing. We investigated whether physical frailty was related to initial level of, and change in, cognitive abilities from age 70 to 79 years.

Method

Participants were 950 members of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. Physical frailty was assessed at age 70 years using the Fried criteria. Cognitive function was assessed at ages 70, 73, 76 and 79 years. We used linear regression to examine cross-sectional and prospective associations between physical frailty status at age 70 years and factor score estimates for baseline level of and change in four cognitive domains (visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed and crystallised ability) and in general cognitive ability.

Results

Physical frailty, but not prefrailty, was associated with lower baseline levels of visuospatial ability, memory, processing speed and general cognitive ability after control for age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, smoking and number of chronic illnesses. Physical frailty was associated with greater decline in each cognitive domain: age-adjusted and sex-adjusted standardised regression coefficients (95% CIs) were: −0.45 (−0.70 to –0.20) for visuospatial ability, −0.32 (−0.56 to –0.07) for memory, −0.47 (−0.72 to −0.22) for processing speed, −0.43 (−0.68 to –0.18) for crystallised ability and −0.45 (−0.70 to –0.21) for general cognitive ability. These associations were only slightly attenuated after additional control for other covariates.

Conclusion

Physical frailty may be an important indicator of age-related decline across multiple cognitive domains.
Relationship between interictal epileptiform discharges under medetomidine sedation and clinical seizures in canine idiopathic epilepsy
Authors: Utsugi Shinichi , Saito Miyoko , Sato Toshikazu , Kunimi Maki
Published: November 2019

Background

Electroencephalography (EEG) is required for the diagnosis of canine idiopathic epilepsy as a highest confidence level of diagnosis by the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force; however, EEG is seldom used and a standardised assessment method has not been reported.

Methods

Interictal EEG was performed under medetomidine sedation in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and in control dogs. Epileptiform discharge (ED) frequency was compared between dogs with more severe and less severe seizures during one month before EEG and control dogs.

Results

All 10 dogs with more severe seizures had ED, as had 7 of 11 with less severe seizures. All epileptic dogs without ED had good long‐term outcomes. ED frequency (number of ED per five minutes) was significantly higher in dogs with more severe (median, 4.5) than with less severe seizure (median, 0.46) and in the control dogs (median, 0.15). An ED frequency greater than 0.8 was considered to indicate epilepsy.

Conclusion

Interictal EEG in a light sleep state under medetomidine sedation had a high detection rate of ED, and ED frequency had a positive correlation with the recent severity of epileptic seizures. This allows interictal EEG recordings to be used as a simplified and objective test that may help to diagnose epilepsy and to assess the recent severity of the disease in dogs.
Exploring the use of essential fatty acids in veterinary dermatology
Authors: Martinez Nicola , McDonald Beth , Martínez‐Taboada Fernando
Published: November 2019

Background

The aim of the study was to discover the extent of use of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in veterinary practice, conditions used in, preparation of EFA supplement used and rationale for their use and to investigate the awareness of the oxidation of some commercial fish oil supplement preparations.

Methods

A web‐based questionnaire was distributed via email to a dermatology list server and posted to veterinary Facebook groups with questions relating to the use of EFAs, supplement choice, conditions used in, the level of importance of various factors regarding their use and awareness of their oxidation.

Results

There were 309 responses from 32 countries. EFA supplements were used by 92.2 per cent of respondents. The most commonly used preparation of EFA supplementation was veterinary oral supplements (75.1 per cent), followed by veterinary diets (14.4 per cent), shop bought fish oil supplements (7.7 per cent), enhancing the diet with oily fish (2.5 per cent) and finally using a commercial pet food (0.3 per cent). Only 46.3 per cent of respondents who used them were aware of the oxidation of EFAs. Veterinary oral supplements were perceived to be the best preserved, followed by veterinary diets and lastly commercial fish oil supplements.

Conclusion

A large number of respondents advised the use of EFAs for veterinary dermatological conditions but less than 50 per cent were aware of the potential for EFAs to oxidise.
Women in veterinary leadership positions: their motivations and enablers
Authors: Tindell Charlotte , Weller Renate , Kinnison Tierney
Published: November 2019

Background

Despite now having higher numbers of women than men within the veterinary profession, there are substantially less women in leadership roles. Research, primarily in other professions, has focussed on barriers to leadership and sometimes overlooked facilitators and motivators. This study aimed to explore the motivating factors for female veterinary surgeons to become leaders, to identify potential strategies to increase female leadership.

Methods

Sixteen female leaders from academia, professional bodies, industry and clinical practice took part in semistructured interviews. Interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results

Two themes were developed: ‘Potential for positive influence’ and ‘Requirement of external enablers’. Participants wanted to influence change for themselves, including work‐life balance and developing their role, and for others through a position of influence. They wanted to inspire and mentor the future generation of leaders. External enablers allowed this transition to occur, including formal mentors and informal support systems, opportunities for growth and increased responsibility, and leadership training.

Conclusion

Potential strategies to increase female leaders include the promotion of female role models, increasing awareness of training and increasing work flexibility. The profession could improve its support of the next generation of leaders and celebrate the successful female leaders we already possess.
Using censored regression when estimating abundance with CPUE data to account for daily catch limits
Authors: Mace III Marvin M. , Wilberg Michael J.
Published: November 2019

In fisheries where there is a limit on total catch in a given period, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data may not be proportional to abundance because catches may be censored at the limit. Commonly used depletion estimators (e.g., Leslie method) could be biased when ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is used to estimate abundance with censored CPUE data. We used simulations to examine the performance of OLS regression and a censored regression approach when estimating abundance and exploitation using censored CPUE data over a range of known exploitation rates. We also applied the censored regression approach to data from a commercial fishery for the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). The censored regression approach always performed better than the OLS regression when estimating abundance and exploitation in our simulations. Harvest and abundance of oysters in Fishing Bay, Maryland, increased during 2009 to 2013 and then decreased through 2016, while exploitation rates had no substantial trend over time. The censored regression approach is useful for estimating abundance and exploitation when the distribution of CPUE is affected by daily catch limits.
Depolarization of pacemaker potentials by caffeic acid phenethyl ester in interstitial cells of Cajal from the murine small intestine
Authors: Kim Jeong Nam , Kim Byung Joo
Published: November 2019

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and generate pacemaker potentials. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the pacemaker potentials of ICCs from the mouse small or large intestine. Using the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration, we found that CAPE depolarized the pacemaker potentials of cultured ICCs from the murine small intestine in a dose-dependent manner. The estrogen receptor (ER) β antagonist PHTPP completely inhibited CAPE-induced depolarization, but the ERα antagonist BHPI did not. Intracellular GDP-β-S and pretreatment with Ca2+-free solution or thapsigargin also blocked CAPE-induced depolarization. To investigate the mechanisms of CAPE-mediated depolarization of ICCs, we used the nonselective cation channel (NSCC) inhibitor flufenamic acid, the Cl– channel blocker, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors PD98059, SB203580, or SP600125, and PI3 kinase inhibitor LY294002. All inhibitors blocked the CAPE-induced pacemaker potential depolarization of ICCs. These results suggest that CAPE induces pacemaker potential depolarization through ERβ in a G protein, NSCC, Cl– channel, MAPK- and PI3 kinase dependent manner via intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ regulation in the murine small intestine. CAPE may therefore modulate GI motility by acting on ICCs in the murine small intestine.
Thawing and freezing quintessence models: a thermodynamic consideration
Authors: Duary Tanima , Dasgupta Ananda , Banerjee Narayan
Published: November 2019

Thawing and freezing quintessence models are compared thermodynamically. Both of them are found to disobey the generalized second law of thermodynamics. However, for freezing models, there is still a scope as this breakdown occurs in the past, deep inside the radiation dominated era, when a standard scalar field model with a pressureless matter is not a correct description of the matter content. The thawing model has a pathological breakdown in terms of thermodynamics in a finite future.
TAYLOR SERIES SOLUTION FOR FRACTAL BRATU-TYPE EQUATION ARISING IN ELECTROSPINNING PROCESS
Authors: HE CHUN-HUI , SHEN YUE , JI FEI-YU , HE JI-HUAN
Published: November 2019

Electrospinning is a complex process, and it can be modeled by a Bratu-type equation with fractal derivatives by taking into account the solvent evaporation. Though there are many analytical methods available for such a problem, e.g. the variational iteration method and the homotopy perturbation method, a straightforward method with a simple solution process and high accurate results is much needed. This paper applies the Taylor series technology to fractal calculus, and an analytical approximate solution is obtained. A fractal variational principle is also discussed. As the Taylor series is accessible to all non-mathematicians, this paper sheds a bright light on practical applications of fractal calculus.
A NUMERICAL STUDY OF EQUIVALENT PERMEABILITY OF 2D FRACTAL ROCK FRACTURE NETWORKS
Authors: WANG XIAOSHAN , JIANG YUJING , LIU RICHENG , LI BO , WANG ZAIQUAN
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a numerical study on the equivalent permeability of a fractured rock. A series of two-dimensional discrete fracture network (DFN) models for the calculation of equivalent permeability are generated based on discrete element method (DEM). A sufficient large “parent” DFN model is generated based on the data obtained from a site investigation result of Three Gorges Project in China. Smaller DFN models are extracted from the large “parent” DFN model to calculate the equivalent permeability with an interval of rotation angle of [Formula: see text]. Fluid flow through fractures in both horizontal and vertical directions is simulated. The results show that when the side length of DFN models are larger than 40[Formula: see text]m, the equivalent permeability of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] become stable, indicating that a DFN model size of 40[Formula: see text]m can be approximated as a representative elementary volume (REV) for those studied rocks. Penetration ellipses are fitted using the least square method on the basis of the calculated equivalent permeability tensor and the main seepage directions of this fractured rock were determined as 63–67[Formula: see text]. Fractal characteristics of DFN models are analyzed with box-counting method by changing the fracture trace length and fracture density, and the results show that equivalent permeability exhibits a logarithmic increasing trend with the increment of fractal dimension.
A CLASS OF SPECTRAL MORAN MEASURES ON ℝ
Authors: LIU ZONG-SHENG , DONG XIN-HAN , ZHANG PENG-FEI
Published: November 2019

Let [Formula: see text] be an arithmetic digit set for each [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], and let [Formula: see text] be a sequence of integers larger than 1. In this paper, we prove that the Moran measure [Formula: see text] generated by infinite convolution of finite atomic measures [Formula: see text] is a spectral measure if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
The potential use of mine water for a district heating scheme at Caerau, Upper Llynfi valley, South Wales, UK
Authors: Brabham Peter , Manju Manju , Thomas Hywel , Farr Gareth , Francis Robert , Sahid Ramsha , Sadasivam Sivachidambaram
Published: November 2019

The feasibility of recovering heat energy from mine water contained within an abandoned coal mine in South Wales is assessed for a proposed district heating scheme. The study area is the village of Caerau, in the Upper Llynfi valley, Bridgend County Borough, South Wales, UK, comprising around 750 residential houses, a primary school and 17 commercial properties. This paper describes an archival geological and mining desk study focused on Caerau colliery, consideration of regional mine linkages, geographical information system (GIS) techniques used to create a 3D initial conceptual geological mine model of Caerau workings, permitting and licencing requirements, community engagement activities undertaken and the findings of a single exploratory borehole. The borehole intersected a void space in flooded mine workings around the horizon of the Six Foot seam at a depth of 224 m below ground level, as predicted by the conceptual mine model. The rest water level within the borehole lies at 92 m below ground level and the measured
in situ
temperature of the mine water at the base of the borehole was 20.3°C. An unexpectedly high and sustained geothermal gradient of
c.
53°C km
−1
was calculated from repeated measured temperature profiles.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Keeping lessons alive in engineering geology collection available at
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/keeping-lessons-alive-in-engineering-geology
Efficient Signal Reconstruction for a Broad Range of Applications
Authors: Asudeh Abolfazl , Augustine Jees , Nazi Azade , Thirumuruganathan Saravanan , Zhang Nan , Das Gautam , Srivastava Divesh
Published: November 2019

The signal reconstruction problem (SRP) is an important optimization problem where the objective is to identify a solution to an under-determined system of linear equations AX = b that is closest to a given prior. It has a substantial number of applications in diverse areas including network traffic engineering, medical image reconstruction, acoustics, astronomy and many more. Most common approaches for solving SRP do not scale to large problem sizes. In this paper, we propose a dual formulation of this problem and show how adapting database techniques developed for scalable similarity joins provides a significant speedup when the A matrix is sparse and binary. Extensive experiments on real-world and synthetic data show that our approach produces a significant speedup of up to 20x over competing approaches.
Technical Perspective
Authors: Yi Ke
Published: November 2019

Randoms sampling from data streams is a problem with a long history of studies, starting from the famous reservoir sampling algorithm that is at least 50 years old [2]. The reservoir sampling algorithm maintains a random sample over all data items that have ever been received from the stream. This is not suitable for many of today's applications on evolving data streams, where recent data is more important than older ones.
Succinct Range Filters
Authors: Zhang Huanchen , Lim Hyeontaek , Leis Viktor , Andersen David G. , Keeton Kimberly , Pavlo Andrew
Published: November 2019

We present the Succinct Range Filter (SuRF), a fast and compact data structure for approximate membership tests. Unlike traditional Bloom filters, SuRF supports both single-key lookups and common range queries. SuRF is based on a new data structure called the Fast Succinct Trie (FST) that matches the point and range query performance of state-of-the-art order-preserving indexes, while consuming only 10 bits per trie node. The false positive rates in SuRF for both point and range queries are tunable to satisfy different application needs. We evaluate SuRF in RocksDB as a replacement for its Bloom filters to reduce I/O by filtering requests before they access on-disk data structures. Our experiments on a 100 GB dataset show that replacing RocksDB's Bloom filters with SuRFs speeds up open-seek (without upper-bound) and closed-seek (with upper-bound) queries by up to 1.5× and 5× with a modest cost on the worst-case (all-missing) point query throughput due to slightly higher false positive rate.
Recent Progress on Mg- and Zn-Based Alloys for Biodegradable Vascular Stent Applications
Authors: Liu Ying , Lu Bingheng , Cai Zhixiong
Published: November 2019

Currently, biodegradable metals for implantation applications are widely investigated to replace biodegradable polymeric implantations, which may cause inflammatory or adverse local tissue reactions. Amongst these metals, magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) alloys with good biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance are being widely investigated. In this review, the criteria for biodegradable vascular stents, and the advantages and limitations of biodegradable Mg and Zn vascular stents, are summarized and evaluated. By summarizing and discussing recent research on Mg- and Zn-based alloys used as biodegradable vascular stents, this review considered many alloys that can potentially serve as biodegradable vascular stents and suggests future research directions for the development of Mg- and Zn-based alloys as biodegradable metal stents.
Study of rs12532, rs8670 Polymorphism of Msh Homeobox 1 (MSX1), rs61754301, rs4904155 Polymorphism of Paired Box Gene 9 (PAX9), and rs2240308 Polymorphism of Axis Inhibitor Protein 2 (AXIN2) Genes in Nonsyndromic Hypodontia
Authors: Mártha Krisztina , Kerekes Máthé Bernadette , Moldovan Valeriu George , Bănescu Claudia
Published: November 2019

The etiology of hypodontia is complex, in which both genetic and environmental factors can be related. The main objective of our study was to contribute to elucidating the genetic background of nonsyndromic hypodontia (NSH). In this order, we selected 97 NSH subjects (70 females and 27 males) from patients referred to orthodontic treatment, and we matched to each NSH subject a control by age and sex. DNA was obtained from epithelial cells from the oral mucosa. Genotyping of the PAX9 (rs4904155 and rs61754301), MSX1 (rs8670 and rs12532), and AXIN2 (rs2240308) SNPs was performed by using TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays on a real-time PCR system. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were studied for the whole NSH group and for frontal and lateral agenesis NSH subjects separately. Our results showed that the variant genotype (p=0.0008, OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.58–5.3) and variant T allele (p=0.0002, OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.6–4.39) of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP increased the risk of hypodontia in the studied population when the whole NSH group was compared with controls. The variant genotype of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP was the most frequent in frontal agenesis; meanwhile in the lateral agenesis NSH group, the AXIN2 rs2240308 SNP showed a higher frequency of the variant genotype, with a trend towards statistical significance. In conclusion, the results of the present study showed that the variant genotype and variant T allele of the MSX1 rs8670 SNP increased the risk of hypodontia in the studied population. The presence of the variant A allele of AXIN2 rs2240308 is associated with frontal agenesis but not with lateral agenesis.
The Effect of Immigration on Adverse Perinatal Outcomes: Analysis of Experiences at a Turkish Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Col Madendag Ilknur , Eraslan Sahin Mefkure , Madendag Yusuf , Sahin Erdem , Demir Mustafa Bertan , Ozdemir Fatma , Acmaz Gokhan , Muderris Iptisam Ipek
Published: November 2019

Introduction. In literature, it is well documented that migration is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in many countries over the world. But in Turkey, health care providers and obstetricians had to face the effects of migration for the first time after civil war in Syria. Hence, this situation motivated us to conduct the current research in Turkey. Also we aimed to evaluate the effect of immigration on adverse perinatal outcomes, comparing the obstetric results of a native population and an immigrant population, and focusing on relevant indicators of perinatal health. Methods. Information from the hospital database of pregnant women who had vaginal or cesarean delivery was evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups, native women and immigrant women, according to their ethnic origin. Adverse perinatal outcomes were compared between groups using multivariate regression models. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results. A total of 6311 patients were evaluated, of which 4271 were classified as native and 2040 were classified as immigrants. Mean hemoglobin level before delivery was significantly lower in the immigrant group. Preterm delivery (aOR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.19–1.65), stillbirth (aOR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.09–3.23), red blood cell transfusion requirement (aOR: 3.12; 95% CI: 2.02–3.98), unplanned birth rates before hospital arrival (aOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.53–3.31), and postpartum infection rates (aOR:2.12; 95% CI: 1.48–3.08) were significantly increased in the immigrant group compared with native group, even considering adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusion. The immigration may be an important and independent risk factor for some adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Antagonizing Effects of Clematis apiifolia DC. Extract against Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Damage to Human Keratinocytes
Authors: Lee Seung Eun , Park See-Hyoung , Yoo Ju Ah , Kwon Kitae , Kim Ji Woong , Oh Sae Woong , Park Se Jung , Kim Jangsoon , Yu Eunbi , Han Byung Seok , Cho Jae Youl , Lee Jongsung
Published: November 2019

Background. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon present in the atmosphere, has cytotoxic and carcinogenic effects. There have been no reports to demonstrate involvement of Clematis apiifolia DC. extract (CAE) in B[a]P-induced effects. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of CAE on B[a]P-induced effects and to elucidate its mechanism of action in HaCaT human keratinocytes. CAE inhibited aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling by decreasing both XRE reporter activity and expression of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) induced by B[a]P treatment in HaCaT cells. We also found that B[a]P-induced nuclear translocation of AhR and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proinflammatory cytokines were attenuated by CAE treatment. CAE treatment suppressed B[a]P-induced phosphorylation of Src (Tyr416). In addition, dasatinib, a Src inhibitor, also inhibited B[a]P-induced nuclear translocation of AhR, similar to CAE treatment. In addition, CAE activated antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling by increasing ARE luciferase reporter activity and expression of ARE-dependent genes such as nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Nuclear translocation of Nrf2 by CAE was demonstrated by Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. The effects of CAE on ARE signaling were attenuated by knockdown of the Nrf2 gene. Inhibition of AhR signaling and activation of antioxidant activity by CAE operated in a reciprocally independent manner as evidenced by AhR and Nrf2 siRNA experiments. These findings indicate that CAE exerts protective effects against B[a]P by inhibiting AhR signaling and activating Nrf2-mediated signaling, suggesting its potential in protection from harmful B[a]P-containing pollutants.
Investigation of Acoustic Cardiographic Parameters before and after Hemodialysis
Authors: Tsai Hui-Ju , Tsai Yi-Chun , Huang Jiun-Chi , Wu Pei-Yu , Chen Szu-Chia , Chiu Yi-Wen , Chang Jer-Ming , Chen Hung-Chun
Published: November 2019

Patients with end-stage renal disease are at an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and associated mortality. Acoustic cardiography is a technique in which cardiac acoustic data is synchronized with electric information to detect and characterize heart sounds and detect heart failure early. The aim of this study was to investigate acoustic cardiographic parameters before and after hemodialysis (HD) and their correlations with ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ratio of brachial preejection period to ejection time (bPEP/bET) obtained from an ABI-form device in HD patients. This study enrolled 162 HD patients between October 2016 and April 2018. Demographic, medical, and laboratory data were collected. Acoustic cardiography was performed before and after HD to assess parameters including third heart sound (S3), fourth heart sound (S4), systolic dysfunction index (SDI), electromechanical activation time (EMAT), and left ventricular systolic time (LVST). The mean age of the enrolled patients was60.4±10.9years, and 86 (53.1%) patients were male. S4 (p<0.001) and LVST (p<0.001) significantly decreased after HD, but EMAT (p<0.001) increased. Multivariate forward linear regression analysis showed that EMAT/LVST before HD was negatively associated with albumin (unstandardized coefficientβ=‐0.076;p=0.004) and ABI (unstandardized coefficientβ=‐0.115;p=0.011) and positively associated with bPEP/bET (unstandardized coefficientβ=0.278;p=0.003). Screening HD patients with acoustic cardiography may help to identify patients at a high risk of malnutrition, peripheral artery disease, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.