bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcomes of 2nd- and 3rd-Line Regorafenib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Naruto Kensuke , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Amioka Kei , Ogawa Yutaro , Chihiro Kikukawa , Yoshikawa Yuki , Ando Yuwa , Suehiro Yosuke , Kosaka Yumi , Uchikawa Shinsuke , Kodama Kenichiro , Morio Kei , Fujino Hatsue , Murakami Eisuke , Nakahara Takashi , Yamauchi Masami , Tsuge Masataka , Hiramatsu Akira , Fukuhara Takayuki , Takaki Shintaro , Mori Nami , Tsuji Keiji , Nonaka Michihiro , Hyogo Hideyuki , Aisaka Yasuyuki , Masaki Keiichi , Honda Yoji , Kohno Hirotaka , Kohno Hiroshi , Moriya Takashi , Naeshiro Noriaki , Azakami Takahiro , Imamura Michio , Chayama Kazuaki , Aikata Hiroshi
Published: May 2021

Introduction: This study compared clinical outcomes of 2nd- and 3rd-line regorafenib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 48 patients were treated with regorafenib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Thirty-five and 13 patients were initiated on 2nd- and 3rd-line therapy, respectively. We assessed the responses to and safety of the therapy. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics at the start of 2nd- or 3rd-line regorafenib therapy. The overall response rate of 2nd- and 3rd-line regorafenib was 20 and 8%, respectively. The disease control rate was 57 and 54%, respectively. Median overall survival (mOS) from the start of 2nd-line regorafenib was 17.5 months. mOS from the start of 3rd-line regorafenib was not obtained. Median progression-free survival of 2nd- and 3rd-line regorafenib was 4.9 and 2.3 months, respectively. mOS from 1st-line therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitor plus sorafenib-regorafenib-lenvatinib was 29.5 months; that with lenvatinib-sorafenib-regorafenib was not obtained. Patients on 3rd-line therapy tended to have better Child-Pugh scores and tumor factors at the start of 1st-line therapy than other patients. Conclusion: Patients on 2nd- and 3rd-line regorafenib showed favorable responses. Good Child-Pugh scores and tumor factors may be associated with a better response rate and OS.
SYSTEMIC OXIDATIVE STRESS AS A SURROGATE OF CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE INSTABILITY AND RUPTURE PREDICTOR
Authors: Lominadze Z. , Chelidze K. , Chelidze L. , Lominadze E.
Published: May 2021

Background. Oxidative stress is crucial in developing broad spectrum of diseases, including atherosclerosis and related life-threatening conditions, such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) mainly caused by atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability.

Objective. To clarify the relation between oxidative stress and plaque instability we decided to compare oxidative profiles of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), evaluated at admission to the coronary care unit (CCU) of LTD Clinic-LJ (Kutaisi, Georgia) in April 2018 - June 2019, who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods. 191 patients were enrolled (100 patients with ACS in Group 1 and 91 patients with CCS in Group 2) into the study. Using the CR3000 FORM PLUS (Callegari Srl, Catellani Group, Italy) – Callegari Point of Care instrument we evaluated free oxygen radical test (FORT), free oxygen radicals defense (FORD), calculated REDOX Index and the overall Profile of oxidative stress.

Results. The mean/median concentration of Free Oxygen Radicals was significantly higher in the patients with ACS (404.37±9.83 Fort units/2.36 mmol/l H2O2 eq. vs 282.34±9.83 Fort units/2.36 mmol/l H2O2 eq., p<0.0001). Significant correlation was found between advanced oxidative stress and acute coronary syndrome (OR 14.42 95% CI (7.08-29.4), RR 3.26 95% CI (2.31-4.60) with high diagnostic characteristics (sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 92.3%; positive predictive value of 92% and positive likelihood ratio of 11).

Conclusion. Oxidative stress is crucial in life-threatening acute coronary events. Measurement of overall oxidative stress profile, as a surrogate of plaque instability and rupture predictor, could help the clinicians in risk stratification and prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy With or Without Defibrillation in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Patel Divyang , Kumar Anirudh , Black-Maier Eric , Morgan Rebecca L. , Trulock Kevin , Wilner Bryan , Nemer David , Donnellan Eoin , Tarakji Khaldoun G. , Cantillon Daniel J. , Varma Niraj , Saba Samir F. , Al-Khatib Sana M. , Wilkoff Bruce L. , Rickard John W.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) represents a major medical advance in patients with heart failure with electrical dyssynchrony to improve symptoms, reduce hospitalization, and increase survival both in the presence and absence of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. However, among CRT-eligible patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), the benefit of defibrillator therapy in addition to CRT remains unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing outcomes of patients with NICM and heart failure who underwent CRT with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D) versus CRT-pacemaker only (CRT-P) was, therefore, performed.

Methods:

A literature search from inception through February 2020 was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Review Databases for all studies reporting outcomes of CRT-D versus CRT-P in CRT-eligible patients with NICM. Studies reporting nonstratified outcomes, including patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, were excluded. The primary end point of interest was all-cause mortality. A random-effects model using hazards ratio (HR) was used to calculate a cumulative HR for all-cause mortality. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach assessed the certainty of evidence across outcomes.

Results:

Of a total of 1478 potential citations, the search yielded 8 citations that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. There was one randomized controlled trial which included a subgroup of 645 CRT-eligible patients with NICM (322 with CRT-D and 323 with CRT-P). Seven observational studies representing 9944 CRT-eligible patients with NICM (6865 CRT-D implantation and 3079 with CRT-P) were included in a pooled meta-analysis. The cumulative adjusted HR for all-cause mortality for CRT-D versus CRT-P was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.83–1.03);
I
2
=0 though with low certainty of evidence. There may be little difference in infection and cardiac mortality between CRT-D versus CRT-P devices (HR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.29–2.20] moderate certainty of evidence and HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.37–1.25], low certainty of evidence, respectively).

Conclusions:

In this meta-analysis, the addition of defibrillator therapy was not significantly associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality in CRT-eligible patients with NICM.
Association Between Myocardial Strain and Frailty in CHS
Authors: Tan Annabel X. , Shah Sanjiv J. , Sanders Jason L. , Psaty Bruce M. , Wu Chenkai , Gardin Julius M. , Peralta Carmen A. , Newman Anne B. , Odden Michelle C.
Published: May 2021

Background:

Myocardial strain, measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography, is a novel measure of subclinical cardiovascular disease and may reflect myocardial aging. We evaluated the association between myocardial strain and frailty—a clinical syndrome of lack of physiological reserve.

Methods:

Frailty was defined in participants of the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study) as having ≥3 of the following clinical criteria: weakness, slowness, weight loss, exhaustion, and inactivity. Using speckle-tracking echocardiography data, we examined the cross-sectional (n=3206) and longitudinal (n=1431) associations with frailty among participants who had at least 1 measure of myocardial strain, left ventricular longitudinal strain (LVLS), left ventricular early diastolic strain rate and left atrial reservoir strain, and no history of cardiovascular disease or heart failure at the time of echocardiography.

Results:

In cross-sectional analyses, lower (worse) LVLS was associated with prevalent frailty; this association was robust to adjustment for left ventricular ejection fraction (adjusted odds ratio, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.07–1.61] per 1-SD lower strain;
P
=0.007) and left ventricular stroke volume (adjusted OR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.08–1.61] per 1-SD lower strain;
P
=0.007). In longitudinal analyses, adjusted associations of LVLS and left ventricular early diastolic strain with incident frailty were 1.35 ([95% CI, 0.96–1.89]
P
=0.086) and 1.58 ([95% CI, 1.11–2.27]
P
=0.013, respectively). Participants who were frail and had the worst LVLS had a 2.2-fold increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 2.20 [95% CI, 1.81–2.66];
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions:

In community-dwelling older adults without prevalent cardiovascular disease, worse LVLS by speckle-tracking echocardiography, reflective of subclinical myocardial dysfunction, was associated with frailty. Frailty and LVLS have an additive effect on mortality risk.
Interleukin-6 Signaling and Anti-Interleukin-6 Therapeutics in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Ridker Paul M. , Rane Manas
Published: May 2021

IL (interleukin)-6 is a pivotal cytokine of innate immunity, which enacts a broad set of physiological functions traditionally associated with host defense, immune cell regulation, proliferation, and differentiation. Following recognition of innate immune pathways leading from the NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome to IL-1 to IL-6 and on to the hepatically derived clinical biomarker CRP (C-reactive protein), an expanding literature has led to understanding of the proatherogenic role for IL-6 in cardiovascular disease and thus the potential for IL-6 inhibition as a novel method for vascular protection. In this review, we provide an overview of the mechanisms by which IL-6 signaling occurs and how that impacts upon pharmacological inhibition; describe murine models of IL-6 and atherogenesis; summarize human epidemiological data outlining the utility of IL-6 as a biomarker of vascular risk; outline genetic data suggesting a causal role for IL-6 in systemic atherothrombosis and aneurysm formation; and then detail the potential role of IL-6 inhibition in stable coronary disease, acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, and the atherothrombotic complications associated with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure. Finally, we review anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic findings for ziltivekimab, a novel IL-6 ligand inhibitor being developed specifically for use in atherosclerotic disease and poised to be tested formally in a large-scale cardiovascular outcomes trial focused on individuals with chronic kidney disease and elevated levels of CRP, a population at high residual atherothrombotic risk, high residual inflammatory risk, and considerable unmet clinical need.
Pharmacological and Genetic Blockade of
Trpm7
in the Carotid Body Treats Obesity-Induced Hypertension
Authors: Shin Mi-Kyung , Mitrut Roxana , Gu Chenjuan , Kim Lenise J. , Yeung Bonnie H.Y. , Lee Rachel , Pham Luu , Tang Wan-Yee , Sham James S.K. , Cui Honggang , Polotsky Vsevolod Y.
Published: May 2021

Obesity increases levels of an adipocyte-produced hormone leptin, which activates the sympathetic nervous system leading to hypertension. We have recently reported that acute leptin infusion induces hypertension acting via the TRPM7 (transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 7) cation channel in the carotid bodies. We hypothesize that this mechanism causes hypertension when leptin levels are elevated chronically as observed in diet-induced obesity. We have developed a novel extended release preparation, hydrogel, of a TRPM7 inhibitor FTY720, which was administered to the carotid body area bilaterally and compared with control hydrogel in (1) male lean C57BL/6J mice treated with subcutaneous infusions of leptin; (2) diet-induced obese male C57BL/6J with hyperleptinemia at baseline. In the experiment (3), diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice, in which
Trpm7
was silenced in the carotid body areas by transfection with
Ad-Trpm7 shRNA
, were compared with control mice transfected with
Ad-CON-shRNA
. All mice were implanted in the left femoral artery with telemetry before the experiments for continuous blood pressure monitoring. In lean mice, leptin increased 24 hours mean arterial pressure from 101.2±1.2 to 112±1.5 mm Hg; Trpm7 inhibitor abolished leptin-induced hypertension. Obese mice had elevated mean arterial pressure of 115.3±1.7 mm Hg, which was lowered by 8.7±1.0 mm Hg on week 2 after Trpm7 inhibitor treatment (
P
<0.001), and this effect persisted by week 3.
Trpm7 shRNA
decreased blood pressure from 119.0±2.2 to 109.6±1.4 mm Hg (
P
<0.01), whereas scrambled
shRNA
had no effect. In conclusion, our study has shown that inhibition of TRPM7 in carotid bodies abolished leptin-induced hypertension in obese mice.
Male Sex Is Associated With Cervical Artery Dissection in Patients With Fibromuscular Dysplasia
Authors: Arnaud Charlotte , Boulanger Marion , Lorthioir Aurélien , Amar Laurence , Azarine Arshid , Boyer Louis , Chatellier Gilles , Di Monaco Silvia , Jeunemaitre Xavier , Kastler Adrian , Mousseaux Elie , Oppenheim Catherine , Thony Frédéric , Persu Alexandre , Olin Jeffrey W. , Azizi Michel , Touzé Emmanuel , Azarine Arshid , Azizi Michel , Chatellier Gilles , Chedid Antoine , Fiquet Béatrice , Jeunemaitre Xavier , Mousseaux Elie , Plouin Pierre‐François , Baguet Jean‐Philippe , Ormezzano Olivier , Thony Frédéric , Silhol François , Bodiguel Eric , Domigo Valérie , Oppenheim Catherine , Pasquini Marta , Touzé Emmanuel , Trystram Denis , Boyer Louis , Clavelou Pierre , Chamontin Bernard , Duly‐Bouhanick Béatrice , Hénon Hilde , Mounier‐Vehier Claire , Astarci Parla , Goffette Pierre , Hammer Frank , Lengelé Jean‐Philippe , Persu Alexandre , Severino Francesca , Verhelst Robert , Le Hello Claire , Gosse Philippe , Hervé Dominique , Pico Fernando , Kessler Michèle , Rossignol Patrick , Sanson Yves , Zuber Mathieu , Mazighi Mikael , Alamowitch Sonia
Published: May 2021

Background

Cervical artery dissection (CeAD) is a frequent manifestation of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). However, risk factors for CeAD are unknown. We investigated factors associated with CeAD in the ARCADIA (Assessment of Renal and Cervical Artery Dysplasia) registry.

Methods and Results

The ARCADIA registry includes women or men aged ≥18 years, with a diagnosis of renal, cervical, or intracranial artery FMD, who were prospectively recruited at 16 university hospitals in France and Belgium. Diagnosis of acute or past CeAD at inclusion was established on imaging according to standard diagnostic criteria. Associations between potential determinants and CeAD were assessed by logistic regression analyses. Among 469 patients (75 men) with FMD, 65 (13.9%) had CeAD. Patients with CeAD were younger, more likely to be men, have a history of migraine, and less likely to have a history of hypertension than patients without CeAD. In the multivariable analysis, male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.66; 95% CI, 1.34–5.25), history of migraine (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.06–3.39), age ≥50 years (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23–0.73), history of hypertension (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.20–0.64), and involvement of ≥3 vascular beds (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.15–5.40) were significantly associated with CeAD. To validate the association between CeAD and sex, we performed a systematic review. We collected additional data on sex from 2 published studies and unpublished data from the US Registry for Fibromuscular Dysplasia and the European/International FMD Registry. In the pooled analysis (289 CeAD, 1933 patients), male sex was significantly associated with CeAD (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.41–2.95;
I
2
=0%).

Conclusions

In patients with FMD, male sex and multisite involvement are associated with CeAD, in addition to other previously known risk factors.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02884141.
Transcatheter Device Closure of Perimembranous and Intracristal Ventricular Septal Defects in Children: Medium‐ and Long‐Term Results
Authors: Jiang Diandong , Han Bo , Zhao Lijian , Yi Yingchun , Zhang Jianjun , Fan Youfei , Lv Jianli , Wang Jing , Wang Yan
Published: May 2021

Background

In children, the practice of transcatheter closure of intracristal ventricular septal defect (icVSD) has been limited. Currently, there is a lack of comparison between device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) and icVSD, and long‐term clinical outcomes are rare.

Methods and Results

This study included a total of 633 children (39 with icVSD and 594 with pmVSD), aged 18 months to 16 years, who underwent transcatheter closure of ventricular septal defect between January 2014 and December 2018. All patients were followed up until September 2020, with a median follow‐up of 46 months in the pmVSD group and 52 months in the icVSD group. The procedural success rate was 96.3% and 84.6% in pmVSD and icVSD groups, respectively (
P
=0.002). The median of age, weight, procedure time, fluoroscopic time, and radiation dose were greater in the icVSD group compared with the pmVSD group. More eccentric ventricular septal defect occluders were used in the icVSD group. Most adverse events were minor without any intervention, with cardiac rhythm/conduction abnormalities being the most common. In the pmVSD group, 2 patients experienced complete atrioventricular block, with one implanting a permanent pacemaker and the other dying of cardiac arrest secondary to reversible complete atrioventricular block 40 days postprocedure. Complete left bundle‐branch block occurred in 14 patients, and 12 cases were transient. In the icVSD group, no complete atrioventricular block or death occurred, and one patient developed transient complete left bundle‐branch block.

Conclusions

In selected patients, transcatheter device closure of pmVSD and icVSD can be performed safely and successfully, with excellent medium‐ and long‐term results in children.
Association Between Uric Acid, Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness, and Cardiovascular Events: Prospective Results From the IMPROVE Study
Authors: Mannarino Massimo R. , Pirro Matteo , Gigante Bruna , Savonen Kai , Kurl Sudhir , Giral Philippe , Smit Andries , Veglia Fabrizio , Tremoli Elena , Baldassarre Damiano , Amato M. , Frigerio B. , Ravani A. , Sansaro D. , Coggi D. , Tedesco C. , Capra N. , Bonomi A. , Calabresi Laura , Sirtori C. R. , Eriksson Per , Silveira Angela , Leander Karin , Laguzzi Federica , Hamsten Anders , de Faire Ulf , Humphries Steve E. , Cooper J. , Acharya J. , Huttunen K. , Rauramaa E. , Penttila I. M. , Törrönen J. , van Gessel A. I. , van Roon A. M. , Nicolai A. , Mulder D. J. , Smeets G. H. , Kontush Anatole , Carrié Alain , Gallo Antonio , Karppi J. , Nurmi T. , Nyyssönen K. , Tuomainen T. P. , Tuomainen J. , Kauhanen J. , Vaudo G. , Bianconi V. , Siepi D. , Lupattelli G.
Published: May 2021

Background

The association between elevated serum uric acid (SUA), cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, and carotid atherosclerosis has long been explored, and contrasting results have been reported. Therefore, the role of SUA as an independent risk factor for vascular events (VEs) and carotid atherosclerosis deserves further attention. We investigated the relationship between SUA, incident VEs, carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT), and cIMT progression in subjects at moderate‐to‐high CVD risk.

Methods and Results

In the IMPROVE (IMT‐Progression as Predictors of VEs) study, 3686 participants (median age 64 years; 48% men) with ≥ 3 vascular risk factors, free from VEs at baseline, were grouped according to SUA quartiles (division points: 244–284–328 µmol/L in women, 295–336–385 µmol/L in men). Carotid‐IMT and its 15‐month progression, along with incident VEs, were recorded. A U‐shaped association between SUA and VEs was observed in men, with 2.4‐fold (
P
= 0.004) and 2.5‐fold (
P
= 0.002) increased CVD risk in the first and fourth SUA quartiles as compared with the second. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for cerebro‐VEs in men were the highest (first and fourth quartile versus second: HR, 5.3,
P
= 0.010 and HR, 4.4,
P
= 0.023, respectively). SUA level was independently associated with cIMT progression in men (β = 0.068,
P
= 0.014). No significant association between SUA levels, CVD end points, and cIMT progression were found in women.

Conclusions

Both low and high SUA levels are associated with an increased risk of VEs in men at moderate‐to‐high CVD risk but not in women. Only elevated SUA levels predict cIMT progression and at a lesser but not significant extent in women.
Diagnostic Thresholds for Pre–Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetes Mellitus and Subclinical Cardiac Disease in the General Population:
Data From the ACE 1950 Study
Authors: Myhre Peder L. , Lyngbakken Magnus N. , Berge Trygve , Røysland Ragnhild , Aagaard Erika N. , Pervez Osman , Kvisvik Brede , Brynildsen Jon , Norseth Jon , Tveit Arnljot , Steine Kjetil , Omland Torbjørn , Røsjø Helge
Published: May 2021

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with left ventricular remodeling and incident heart failure, but the association between glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and subclinical cardiac disease is not established. We aimed to determine the associations between HbA1c and (1) echocardiographic measures of left ventricular structure and function, and (2) cardiovascular biomarkers: cardiac troponin T, NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide), and CRP (C‐reactive protein).

Methods and Results

Participants (n=3688) born in 1950 from the population‐based ACE (Akershus Cardiac Examination) 1950 Study were classified as DM (HbA1c≥6.5% or self‐reported DM), pre‐DM (HbA1c 5.7%–6.5%), and no‐DM (HbA1c<5.7%). DM, pre‐DM, and no‐DM were classified in 380 (10%), 1630 (44%), and 1678 (46%) participants, respectively. Mean age was 63.9±0.7 years, mean body mass index was 27.2±4.4 kg/m
2
, and 49% were women. Higher HbA1c was associated with worse left ventricular systolic (ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain) and diastolic (E/e'‐ratio) function, myocardial injury (cardiac troponin T), inflammation (CRP), and impaired neurohormonal homeostasis (NT‐proBNP) (
P
<0.001 in unadjusted and
P
<0.01 in adjusted analysis for all). The associations between HbA1c and cardiovascular biomarkers were independent of the echocardiographic variables, and vice versa. Associations were nonlinear (
P
<0.05 for nonlinearity) and appeared stronger in the pre‐DM range of HbA1c than the no‐DM and DM range.

Conclusions

HbA1c was associated with indexes of subclinical cardiovascular disease, and this was more pronounced in pre‐DM. Our results suggest that cardiovascular preventive measures should be considered also in subjects with hyperglycemia and HbA1c below the established DM cutoff.

Registration

clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT01555411.
Three new peculiar species of the genus Miltochrista Hübner, [1819] from China (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae)
Authors: VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , HUANG SI-YAO
Published: May 2021

Three new species of the genus Miltochrista are described from southwestern China: Miltochrista xihe Volynkin & Huang, sp. n., Miltochrista dongi Huang & Volynkin, sp. n. and Miltochrista huashen Volynkin & Huang, sp. n. Adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated.
Observed impact of meso-scale vertical motion on cloudiness
Authors: George Geet , Stevens Bjorn , Bony Sandrine , Klingebiel Marcus , Vogel Raphaela
Published: May 2021

We use estimates of meso-scale vertical velocity and co-located cloud measurements from the second Next-Generation Aircraft Remote Sensing for Validation campaign (NARVAL2) in the tropical North Atlantic to show the observed impact of meso-scale vertical motion on tropical clouds. Our results not only confirm previously untested hypotheses about the role of dynamics being non-negligible in determining cloudiness, but go further to show that at the meso-scale, the dynamics has a more dominant control on cloudiness variability than thermodynamics. A simple mass-flux estimate reveals that meso-scale vertical velocity at the sub-cloud layer top explains much of the variations in peak shallow cumulus cloud fraction. In contrast, we find that thermodynamic cloud-controlling factors, such as humidity and stability, are unable to explain the variations in cloudiness at the meso-scale. Thus, capturing the observed variability of cloudiness may require not only a consideration of thermodynamic factors, but also dynamic ones such as the meso-scale vertical velocity.
A multimodel investigation of atmospheric mechanisms for driving Arctic amplification in warmer climates
Authors: Dutta Deepashree , Sherwood Steven C. , Meissner Katrin J. , Sen Gupta Alex , Lunt Daniel J. , Tourte Gregory J. L. , Colman Robert , Narsey Sugata , Fuchs David , Brown Josephine R.
Published: May 2021

When simulating past warm climates, such as the early Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, general circulation models (GCMs) underestimate the magnitude of warming in the Arctic. Additionally, model intercomparisons show a large spread in the magnitude of Arctic warming for these warmer-than-modern climates. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain these disagreements, including the unrealistic representation of polar clouds or underestimated poleward heat transport in the models. This study provides an intercomparison of Arctic cloud and atmospheric heat transport (AHT) responses to strong imposed polar-amplified surface ocean warming across four atmosphere-only GCMs. All models simulate an increase in high clouds throughout the year; the resulting reduction in longwave radiation loss to space acts to support the imposed Arctic warming. The response of low and mid-level clouds varies considerably across the models, with models responding differently to surface warming and sea ice removal. The AHT is consistently weaker in the imposed warming experiments due to a large reduction in dry static energy transport that offsets a smaller increase in latent heat transport, thereby opposing the imposed surface warming. Our idealised polar amplification experiments require very large increases in implied ocean heat transport (OHT) to maintain steady state. Increased CO2 or tropical temperatures that likely characterised past warm climates, reduces the need for such large OHT increases.
Relative Contribution of Trend and Interannually Varying SST Anomalies to the 2018 Heat Waves in the Extratropical Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Hong Chi-Cherng , Tseng Wang-Ling , Hsu Huang-Hsiung , Lee Ming-Ying , Chang Chi-Chun
Published: May 2021

The northern extratropics—including regions in northern Europe, northeast Asia, and North America—experienced extremely prolonged heat waves during May–August 2018. Record-breaking surface temperatures, which caused numerous deaths, were observed in several cities. The 2018 heat waves exhibited a circumglobal characteristic owing to a circumpolar perturbation (CCP) in the middle–upper troposphere of the Northern Hemisphere (NH). The CCP had two parts: a wavelike perturbation and a hemispheric perturbation that was almost zonally symmetric. Singular-value decomposition analysis revealed that the zonally symmetric perturbation was coupled to the SST warming trend, whereas the wavelike perturbation was primarily coupled to the interannually varying SST anomaly (SSTA), particularly in the tropical North Pacific, which reached an extreme in 2018. Numerical experiments confirmed that the zonally symmetric component primarily resulted from the SSTA associated with the warming trend, whereas the interannually varying SSTAs in the NH contributed mostly to the wavelike perturbation. The warming trend component of SSTA, especially that in the tropics, compounded by the unusually large SSTAs in 2018, was hypothesized to have contributed to inducing the circumpolar circulation anomaly that caused the record-breaking heat waves in the extratropical NH in 2018.
The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) and College Academic Outcomes
Authors: Samlan Hillel , Hawley McWhirter Ellen , Clark Brian A. M.
Published: May 2021

College students experiencing psychological distress are at risk for negative academic outcomes. The Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms-62 (CCAPS-62) is a symptom inventory designed for and widely used in college counseling centers. However, the relationships between the CCAPS-62 and functional outcomes in the college environment have not been examined. This study examined the validity of the CCAPS-62 in predicting term grade point average (GPA) and dropout. Data from 297 first-year students at a university’s counseling center were analyzed using multiple regression to determine associations between CCAPS-62 subscales, term GPA, and dropout within the subsequent three academic years. Results show that academic distress was predictive of all academic outcomes in the expected directions, social anxiety was associated with higher term GPA and retention, and hostility was associated with lower term GPA and dropout. Results demonstrated support for the instrument’s predictive validity in the identification of students at academic risk.
Intensity of Poverty and Work Diversification: A Study of Female Domestic Workers’ Household
Authors: Bhattacharjee Sanghita , Goswami Bhaskar
Published: May 2021

It is now a recognized fact that the earning from a single source does not provide a sufficient means of survival for a majority of poor households in developing countries. Accordingly, most of the poor households depend on a diverse portfolio of activities and income sources. This study is based on a primary survey of 334 female domestic workers in the district of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India from January to June 2016. The results of intensity of poverty show that 49% of these households are multi-dimensionally poor with 36.4% intensity of poverty. The severity and acuteness of deprivation is addressed by diversification into non-agricultural employment. The wage of the female domestic worker is not only an important determinant of livelihood strategy it is also a motivating factor for diversification. Large sections of the male workforce diversify into various non-farm activities such as manufacturing and construction in the secondary sector or hotel and restaurant, transport and so on in the services sector. Our findings reveal that diversification into non-farm informal sector is a vital option for livelihood sustenance irrespective of landless or land poor households.

JEL Codes: J160, J460, J310, R23
Comparing Phonetic Convergence in Children and Adults
Authors: Paquette-Smith Melissa , Schertz Jessamyn , Johnson Elizabeth K.
Published: May 2021

Observations by sociolinguists suggest that when children relocate to a new community, they rapidly learn to imitate their peers, adopting the new local accent faster and more effectively than adults. However, few well-controlled laboratory experiments have been conducted comparing speech or accent imitation across ages. Here, we investigated Canadian English-speaking children’s and adults’ imitation of three model speakers: a Canadian English talker, an Australian English talker, and a non-native Mandarin English talker who learned English later in life. The speech of all three talkers was manipulated to have elongated voice onset time (VOT) on word initial stop consonants. The dependent measure was how much participants would lengthen their VOTs after exposure to one of the talkers in two paradigms: delayed shadowing (Experiment 1) and immediate shadowing (Experiment 2). We predicted that overall children would show more imitation than adults, particularly when imitating the Canadian English talker, given previous work on children’s social preferences. Although we did not observe age differences in either study, when shadowing was immediate, we found that imitation was influenced by the accent of the speaker, but not in the manner we predicted: both age groups imitated the Mandarin-accented model more strongly than the Canadian model. When shadowing was delayed, we observed no evidence of imitation. We discuss our findings in light of other recent work, and conclude that the development of speech imitation is an area ripe for further investigation.
The Anglican Church’s sexual abuse defence playbook
Authors: Macfarlane Julie
Published: May 2021

This article is written by a law professor who is also a survivor of sexual abuse by the Anglican priest Meirion Griffiths. In her attempt to get restitution, she recounts her experience of the adversarial tactics used against sexual abuse claimants by the Church of England through the Ecclesiastical Insurance Company. She argues, from her own experience, that the reliance on rape myth, the defence of limitations and the use of biased ‘expert’ medical witnesses are deeply offensive, especially when used by the Church.
In the shadow of the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM): clergy experiences of ‘informal’ and safeguarding complaints
Authors: Horsman Sarah , Nash Alena , Wright Maureen , Barley Lynda , Senior Carl
Published: May 2021

The Sheldon Community collaborated with Aston University to undertake the first ever systematic survey into the lived experience of the Church of England Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (CDM). Criticisms of the CDM have already been well rehearsed, and this research has contributed to the fact that the measure is now believed to be formally slated for replacement. However, the impact of the CDM’s flaws on the research participants needs to be understood if the scope of its replacement is to be adequately framed. The research highlights a subgroup of clergy who went through the ‘informal’ stages of the CDM, or an associated process such as safeguarding assessment. The psychosocial impact of these experiences was found to be on a par with those of the formal stages of the CDM. The results deserve to be considered carefully by those tasked with creating a new system for complaints against clergy.
Power in romantic relationships: How positional and experienced power are associated with relationship quality
Authors: Körner Robert , Schütz Astrid
Published: May 2021

Power dynamics have been described as being constitutive of romantic relationships and can impact outcomes such as relationship quality. Yet, in relationships nowadays, power may be less important than in the past due to changes in gender roles and society’s expectations. We analyzed four power characteristics and their effects on a multidimensional measure of relationship quality using an actor-partner interdependence model framework with 181 heterosexual couples. There was usually a balance of power in the couples with respect to a personal sense of power but an imbalance in positional power. We found actor and partner effects: Personal sense of power and satisfaction with power predicted actors’ and partners’ relationship quality. By contrast, positional power, the general power motive, and the balance of power were not associated with relationship quality. There were hardly any differences in actor or partner effects between men and women. Apparently, it is not objective, positional power but subjective, experienced power that is relevant to overall relationship quality. Furthermore, what matters most for satisfaction with the relationship is not the balance of power but rather the perceived personal level of power. Future research may extend these findings by using domain-specific power measures and behavioral power indicators.
Local financial development and cash holdings in Italian SMEs
Authors: Fasano Francesco , Deloof Marc
Published: May 2021

In this article, we investigate the effect of local financial development on cash holdings of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Consistent with the hypothesis that local financial development reduces the need to hold precautionary cash because it facilitates access to bank debt, we find that local financial development measured by the density of bank branches in Italian provinces has a negative effect on corporate cash holdings. This effect is driven by SMEs with bank debt. Furthermore, the negative effect of local financial development on cash holdings only exists for younger and smaller SMEs, which are more likely to benefit from increased local financial development. Our work highlights that local financial development is an important driver of policies on holding cash by SMEs and is particularly relevant during crisis periods, such as the recent COVID-19 crisis.
The Effect of Antiosteoporosis Therapy With Risedronate on Rotator Cuff Healing in an Osteoporotic Rat Model
Authors: Xu Junjie , Su Wei , Chen Jiebo , Ye Zipeng , Wu Chenliang , Jiang Jia , Yan Xiaoyu , Cai Jiangyu , Zhao Jinzhong
Published: May 2021

Background:

Osteoporosis increases the revision rate of rotator cuff repair (RCR). Weak fixation might not be the only cause of high RCR failure rates. The biological mechanism associated with tendon-to-bone healing after RCR in osteoporosis should be investigated.

Hypothesis:

(1) Osteoporosis would impair rotator cuff healing through the high osteoclastic activity at the repaired interface. (2) Risedronate would promote rotator cuff healing by reducing osteoclastic activity at the repaired interface.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

A total of 84 female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly treated using ovariectomy or sham surgeries to establish osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic rat models. After confirming osteoporosis, a chronic rotator cuff tear model was created and RCR was performed. Postoperatively, osteoporotic rats were randomly divided into osteoporosis (OP) and osteoporosis with risedronate administration (OP+RIS) groups. Nonosteoporotic rats were used as the control (CON) group. Osteoclastic activity was measured at 1 and 3 weeks after RCR, and histologic analysis of the tendon-to-bone interface, bone morphometric evaluation, and biomechanical tests were performed at 4 and 8 weeks.

Results:

At the early healing stages of 1 and 3 weeks after RCR, the OP group showed the highest osteoclast density at the repaired interface. Compared with the OP group, risedronate administration significantly decreased osteoclast density in the OP+RIS group. At 8 weeks, histologic scores were greater in the OP+RIS group than in the OP group but still lower than in the CON group. Histologic scores at 8 weeks were negatively correlated with osteoclast density at the early healing stage. Additionally, the OP+RIS group showed better bone morphometric parameters and biomechanical properties than did the OP group.

Conclusion:

Osteoporosis impaired rotator cuff healing, which might be related to the high osteoclast density at the repaired interface at the early healing stage. Postoperative risedronate administration decreased osteoclast density and enhanced rotator cuff healing in osteoporotic rats, although the effect was inferior to that in nonosteoporotic rats.

Clinical Relevance:

Postoperative risedronate administration can be considered a potential therapy to enhance rotator cuff healing in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, this needs to be verified in a clinical setting.
Minimum 5-Year Outcomes for Revision Hip Arthroscopy With a Prospective Subanalysis Against a Propensity-Matched Control Primary Group
Authors: Maldonado David R. , Kyin Cynthia , Rosinsky Philip J. , Shapira Jacob , Diulus Samantha C. , Lall Ajay C. , Domb Benjamin G.
Published: May 2021

Background:

There is a paucity of midterm outcome data on hip revision arthroscopic surgery.

Purpose:

(1) To report minimum 5-year patient-reported outcome measurement scores (PROMSs) in patients who underwent revision hip arthroscopy, (2) to compare minimum 5-year PROMSs with a propensity-matched control group that underwent primary hip arthroscopy, and (3) to compare the rate of achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) at minimum 5-year follow-up between the revision group and the propensity-matched control primary group.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Data were prospectively collected between June 2008 and April 2014. Patients were included who underwent revision hip arthroscopy with preoperative and minimum 5-year follow-up scores for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score–Sports Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Patients with Tönnis grade >1 or with hip conditions such as avascular necrosis, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and pigmented villonodular synovitis were excluded. A subanalysis was performed against a propensity-matched control group that underwent primary surgery. Groups were propensity matched in a 1:2 ratio for sex, age, body mass index, and follow-up time.

Results:

A total of 127 revision arthroscopies (113 patients) were included, and the mean ± SD follow-up time was 72.8 ± 23.3 months. The revision group was 74.0% female, and the average age and body mass index were 34.9 ± 12.4 years and 24.8 ± 4.2, respectively. The revision group demonstrated improvement for all PROMSs and reached the MCID for the mHHS (66.1%), HOS-SSS (68.4%), NAHS (66.9%), and VAS (80.0%). All revision cases were propensity matched to 254 primary arthroscopy cases. PROMSs in the revision group were lower than those of the control group before and after surgery. Delta values were similar between groups for all PROMSs. There were no differences in rates of achieving the MCID. The relative risk of arthroplasty conversion was 2.6 (95% CI, 1.5-4.6) for the revision group as compared with the primary group.

Conclusion:

Significant improvement in all PROMSs, including the VAS, and high patient satisfaction at minimum 5-year follow-up were reported after revision hip arthroscopy. A high proportion of patients in the revision cohort reached the MCID for the mHHS, HOS-SSS, NAHS, and VAS, with similar rates and magnitudes of improvement relative to the control group. As expected, these data indicate that patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy have higher PROMSs before and after surgery and lower rates of conversion to arthroplasty.
The federal spending power: Building forward after the pandemic
Authors: Miller Fiona A.
Published: May 2021

The phrase, “the federal spending power,” identifies the federal government’s ability to spend in areas beyond its constitutional authority to legislate—a power that has supported the development of a national system of universal healthcare coverage in Canada. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, this power was critical to the expansion of Canada’s narrow but deep basket of universally covered services. The challenges exposed by the pandemic mean that still more federal investment will be required. Yet for traditionalists, the material basis of this power is now constrained: the federal government may possess the constitutional authority to invest, but it lacks the fiscal capacity; some form of belt tightening—even austerity—will be necessary. As debates over public spending intensify, health leaders will need to address these questions. Depending on how they do so, health leaders will either support or detract from a healthy recovery.
Distinguishing simple and residual consistencies in functionally equivalent and non-equivalent situations: Evidence from experimental and observational longitudinal data
Authors: Horstmann Kai T , Rauthmann John F , Sherman Ryne A , Ziegler Matthias
Published: May 2021

The current work examines consistencies of personality state scores across functionally equivalent and non-equivalent situations. We argue that simple consistency, defined as the correlation between state scores without taking people’s straits into account, needs to be distinguished from residual consistency that does account for traits. The existence of residual consistency reflects systematic interindividual differences in how people respond to situations, above and beyond what is expected from their traits. We examine the level and individual differences in all of these forms of consistency. In four micro-longitudinal studies (total N = 671), participants first provided trait self-ratings and then state ratings, either in response to two situation vignettes presented at separate testing occasions (Studies 1 and 2) or during experience sampling in daily life (Studies 3 and 4). In all studies, simple consistency was substantial, and the level of residual consistency varied with the level of functional equivalence of the situations. Further, individual differences in both simple and residual consistencies were only weakly correlated, suggesting no underlying general factor but only trait-specific consistencies. We conclude that there are consistent individual differences in how people respond to equivalent situations, even when their personality trait scores have been taken into account.
Impact of Upper and Lower Body Functional Ability on Affect in Older Couples
Authors: Heid Allison R. , Wilson-Genderson Maureen , Pruchno Rachel , Cartwright Francine P.
Published: May 2021

Objective: We explore how upper and lower body functional ability of older adults and their partners relate to affect in later life. Methods: Data regarding own and partner’s upper and lower body functional abilities were reported by 1767 married/partnered persons aged 57–83. Using multilevel modeling to account for nesting within couples, we examined the impact of a respondent’s own functional abilities, their perception of their partner’s abilities, and the interaction of respondent’s and perceived partner’s abilities on respondent’s positive and negative affect. Results: Higher upper and lower body ability of both respondents and partners were associated with higher positive and lower negative affect. Moderating effects demonstrated a protective role of respondents’ ability on affect when their partners experienced lower ability. Discussion: There is a potential compensatory relationship between older couples adapting to functional changes; it is important to support the functional abilities of both partners in couples to maximize psychological well-being.
Pressure pulsation investigation in an electrical submersible pump based on Morlet continuous wavelet transform
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhou Ling , Han Yong , Hang Jianwei , Lv Wanning , Shi Weidong , He Zhaoming , Pan Bo
Published: May 2021

Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) are one of the most reliable and efficient ways to lift oil or water from the ground or deep-sea to the surface. How to reduce the pressure pulsation and increase reliability is a challenging issue in the ESP design processes. In this study, a typical three-stage ESP model was selected as the research object. Based on numerical calculations and validation tests, the flow-field distribution mechanism within the dynamic and static interference zones of multi-stage ESP was investigated. Meanwhile, the inter-stage variability of pressure pulsation characteristics within the main hydraulic components was explored by Morlet continuous wavelet transform. The results showed that the numerical predicted performance has an excellent agreement with the experimental results, which confirms the accuracy of the numerical calculations. The time-domain characteristics of pressure pulsation at each monitoring location within the ESP showed high disorder due to the inter-stage propagation and coupling of the pressure pulsations. The low-frequency signal in the pressure pulsation signal had not only a cascading superposition of intensity, but also a significant phase difference. It was found that the main form of propagation between pulsating signal levels is the low-frequency signal. This work may facilitate the reduction or control of the pressure pulsations and thus improve the operation stability of ESP.