bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body mapping chart for estimation of percentage of body surface area in mesocephalic dogs
Authors: Henriksson Andrea , Kuo Kendon , Gerken Katherine , Cline Kelsey , Hespel Adrien‐Maxence , Cole Robert , Moon Rachel
Published: December 2021

Objective

To create a chart for estimating body surface area (BSA) for use in canine burn victims, similar to the human Rule of Nines.

Design

Prospective study, from 2016 to 2017.

Setting

University teaching hospital.

Animals

Nine adult, medium‐sized, mesocephalic dogs (5 females, 4 males).

Interventions

Sedated dogs and fresh cadavers underwent full‐body computed tomography (CT) scans. A 3‐dimensional technique was used to calculate the surface area of specific body parts, as well as the surface area of the whole body. With the obtained measurements, a BSA chart was created.

Measurements and Main Results

Estimates for percent of total BSA obtained with CT images were as follows: head and abdomen 14%, respectively, neck and each of the thoracic limbs 9%, thorax 18%, pelvic limbs 11% each, and pelvis including the tail 5%. The most considerable differences between dogs and people in respect to the Rule of Nines chart were noticed in the head, the pelvic limbs, as well as in the groin region in people as compared with the pelvic/tail area in dogs. The surface areas of the front legs and thorax were the only body parts that corresponded with that of human body surfaces.

Conclusions

A chart for estimating canine body surface was created. Given the diversity of dog breeds, sizes, and body conformation, our results cannot be generalized to all dogs. Studies of more diverse populations are warranted.
Physiological control of fetal heart rate variability during labour: implications and controversies
Authors: Tournier Alexane , Beacom Michael , Westgate Jenny A. , Bennet Laura , Garabedian Charles , Ugwumadu Austin , Gunn Alistair J. , Lear Christopher A.
Published: December 2021

The interpretation of fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns is the only available method to continuously monitor fetal well‐being during labour. One of the most important yet contentious aspects of the FHR pattern is changes in FHR variability (FHRV). Some clinical studies suggest that loss of FHRV during labour is a sign of fetal compromise so this is reflected in practice guidelines. Surprisingly, there is little systematic evidence to support this observation. In this review we methodically dissect the potential pathways controlling FHRV during labour‐like hypoxaemia. Before labour, FHRV is controlled by the combined activity of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, in part regulated by a complex interplay between fetal sleep state and behaviour. By contrast, preclinical studies using multiple autonomic blockades have now shown that sympathetic neural control of FHRV was potently suppressed between periods of labour‐like hypoxaemia, and thus, that the parasympathetic system is the sole neural regulator of FHRV once FHR decelerations are present during labour. We further discuss the pattern of changes in FHRV during progressive fetal compromise and highlight potential biochemical, behavioural and clinical factors that may regulate parasympathetic‐mediated FHRV during labour. Further studies are needed to investigate the regulators of parasympathetic activity to better understand the dynamic changes in FHRV and their true utility during labour.

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Sliding Mode Analysis of a Counterbalance Valve Induced Instability in an Electrohydraulic Drive
Authors: Zagar Philipp , Scheidl Rudolf
Published: December 2021

This paper analyzes the dynamic effects of an electrohydraulic drive that uses a counterbalance valve for rod volume compensation. It shows that local stability analysis is not sufficient in this particular case to get general statements of the system's chattering properties. A reduced-order switched system is proposed to gain deeper insights in system dynamics with saturation effects such as the end-stop of a valve poppet and solutions are compared numerically to the full-system dynamics which incorporates pressure built-up, piston, and valve dynamics as well as motor dynamics. It is shown that in cases of, e.g., fast valves with small cracking pressures undesirable chattering of the full system exists which can be easily understood in terms of the reduced-order system in form of sliding mode solutions. The paper also describes under which conditions such sliding modes exist, how they behave, and how they can be interpreted in terms of the full system.
Momentum Preserving Simulation of Cooperative Multirotors With Flexible-Cable Suspended Payload
Authors: Kaya Uluhan Cem , Subbarao Kamesh
Published: December 2021

In this paper, a momentum-preserving integration scheme is implemented for the simulation of single and cooperative multirotors with a flexible-cable suspended payload by employing a Lie group–based variational integrator (VI), which provides the preservation of the configuration manifold and geometrical constraints. Due to the desired properties of the implemented VI method, e.g., symplecticity, momentum preservation, and the exact fulfillment of the constraints, exponentially long-term numerical stability, and good energy behavior are obtained for more accurate simulations of aforementioned systems. The effectiveness of Lie group VI method with the corresponding discrete systems are demonstrated by comparing the simulation results of two example scenarios for the single and cooperative systems in terms of the preserved quantities and constraints, where a conventional fixed-step Runge–Kutta 4 (RK4) and variable-step integrator are utilized for the simulation of continuous-time models. It is shown that the implemented VI method successfully performs the simulations with a long-time stable behavior by preserving invariants of the system and the geometrical constraints, whereas the simulation of continuous-time models by RK4 and variable step are incapable of satisfying these desired properties, which inherently results in divergent and unstable behavior in simulations.
Investigating the Effect of Real-Time Center of Pressure Feedback Training on the Swing Phase of Lower Limb Kinematics in Transfemoral Prostheses With SACH Foot
Authors: Tiwari Ashutosh , Kujur Abhijeet , Kumar Jyoti , Joshi Deepak
Published: December 2021

Transfemoral amputee often encounters reduced toe clearance resulting in trip-related falls. Swing-phase joint angles have been shown to influence the toe clearance; therefore, training intervention that targets shaping the swing phase joint angles can potentially enhance toe clearance. The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of the shift in the location of the center of pressure (CoP) during heel strike on modulation of the swing-phase joint angles in able-bodied participants (n = 6) and transfemoral amputees (n = 3). We first developed a real-time CoP-based visual feedback system such that participants could shift the CoP during treadmill walking. Next, the kinematic data were collected during two different walking sessions-baseline (without feedback) and feedback (shifting the CoP anteriorly/posteriorly at heel strike to match the target CoP location). Primary swing-phase joint angle adaptations were observed with feedback such that during the midswing phase, posterior CoP shift feedback significantly increases (p < 0.05) the average hip and knee flexion angle by 11.55 deg and 11.86 deg, respectively, in amputees, whereas a significant increase (p < 0.05) in ankle dorsiflexion, hip and knee flexion angle by 3.60 deg, 3.22 deg, and 1.27 deg, respectively, compared to baseline was observed in able-bodied participants. Moreover, an opposite kinematic adaptation was seen during anterior CoP shift feedback. Overall, results confirm a direct correlation between the CoP shift and the modulation in the swing-phase lower limb joint angles.
Singularity-Free Lie Group Integration and Geometrically Consistent Evaluation of Multibody System Models Described in Terms of Standard Absolute Coordinates
Authors: Müller Andreas
Published: December 2021

A classical approach to the multibody systems (MBS) modeling is to use absolute coordinates, i.e., a set of (possibly redundant) coordinates that describe the absolute position and orientation of the individual bodies with respect to an inertial frame (IFR). A well-known problem for the time integration of the equations of motion (EOM) is the lack of a singularity-free parameterization of spatial motions, which is usually tackled by using unit quaternions. Lie group integration methods were proposed as an alternative approach to the singularity-free time integration. At the same time, Lie group formulations of EOM naturally respect the geometry of spatial motions during integration. Lie group integration methods, operating directly on the configuration space Lie group, are incompatible with standard formulations of the EOM, and cannot be implemented in existing MBS simulation codes without a major restructuring. The contribution of this paper is twofold: (1) A framework for interfacing Lie group integrators to standard EOM formulations is presented. It allows describing MBS in terms of various absolute coordinates and at the same using Lie group integration schemes. (2) A method for consistently incorporating the geometry of rigid body motions into the evaluation of EOM in absolute coordinates integrated with standard vector space integration schemes. The direct product group SO(3)×ℝ3 and the semidirect product group SE(3) are used for representing rigid body motions. The key element is the local-global transitions (LGT) transition map, which facilitates the update of (global) absolute coordinates in terms of the (local) coordinates on the Lie group. This LGT map is specific to the absolute coordinates, the local coordinates on the Lie group, and the Lie group used to represent rigid body configurations.
A Numerically Stable Algorithm for Analytic Inverse Kinematics of 7-Degrees-of-Freedom Spherical-Rotational-Spherical Manipulators With Joint Limit Avoidance
Authors: Wang Junchen , Lu Chunheng , Zhang Yinghao , Sun Zhen , Shen Yu
Published: December 2021

This article presents a numerically stable algorithm for analytic inverse kinematics of 7-DoF S-R-S manipulators with joint limit avoidance. The arm angle is used to represent the self-motion manifold within a global arm configuration. The joint limits are analytically mapped to the arm angle space for joint limit avoidance. To profile the relation between the joint angle and arm angle, it is critical to characterize the singular arm angle for each joint. In the-state-of-the art methods, the existence of the singular arm angle is triggered by comparing a discriminant with zero given a threshold. This leads to numerical issues since the threshold is inconsistent among different target poses, leading to incorrect range of the arm angle. These issues are overcome by associating indeterminate joint angles of tangent joints with angles of 0 or ±π of cosine joints, rather than using an independent threshold for each joint. The closed-form algorithm in c++ code to perform numerically stable inverse kinematics of 7-DoF S-R-S manipulators with global arm configuration control and joint limit avoidance is also given.
The Mixed-Body Model: A Method for Predicting Large Deflections in Stepped Cantilever Beams
Authors: Sargent Brandon S. , Ynchausti Collin R. , Nelson Todd G. , Howell Larry L.
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a method for predicting endpoint coordinates, stress, and force to deflect stepped cantilever beams under large deflections. This method, the mixed-body model or MBM, combines small deflection theory and the pseudo-rigid-body model for large deflections. To analyze the efficacy of the model, the MBM is compared to a model that assumes the first step in the beam to be rigid, to finite element analysis, and to the numerical boundary value solution over a large sample set of loading conditions, geometries, and material properties. The model was also compared to physical prototypes. In all cases, the MBM agrees well with expected values. Optimization of the MBM parameters yielded increased agreement, leading to average errors of <0.01 to 3%. The model provides a simple, quick solution with minimal error that can be particularly helpful in design.
Toward the Design of Kresling Tower Origami As a Compliant Building Block
Authors: Berre J. , Geiskopf F. , Rubbert L. , Renaud P.
Published: December 2021

In this paper, the use of the Kresling tower origami as a building block for compliant mechanism design is considered. To help building systems using this origami, models are derived to link the origami pattern geometry to the Kresling tower characteristics. This includes the position of stable configurations, the helical trajectory describing the motion and the orientation of panels during the tower deployment. The provided analytical expressions are helpful to adjust the tower geometry according to desired specification. In addition, an original modification of fold geometry is introduced to modify the tower stiffness. Material removal at specific locations, where maximum fold deformations occur, aims at reducing the actuation force without affecting the kinematics. Experimental evaluation is conducted to assess the relevance of the proposed models and evaluate the impact of fold line modification. The proposed simplified models are precise enough for the synthesis. The capacity to strongly reduce the actuation force, due to the fold line modification, is observed.
Race, Cardiovascular Disease, and Vascular Health
Authors: Brown Michael D. , Gomez Dulce H.
Published: December 2021

Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) have a greater prevalence cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors, and they appear at an earlier age compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Impaired vascular function is a major contributing factor to CVD risk, and NHB have impaired vascular function compared with non-Hispanic Whites. In addition to the known biological factors, socioeconomic and environmental determinants of CVD are particularly important for NHB. Chronic exposure to racial discrimination (racialized stress) throughout the lifespan represents an allostatic load whereby the stress-response mechanism is activated repeatedly. This activates the central nervous system and other physiological systems that can cause CVD. High allostatic scores are associated with being NHB or Hispanic. The purpose of this review article is to describe the racial health disparities in the CVDs, the social determinants of CVD disparities, and how racial discrimination impacts them.
Tracing fluid evolution in sedimentary basins with calcite geochemical, isotopic and U-Pb geochronological data: Implications for petroleum and mineral resource accumulation in the Nanpanjiang Basin, South China
Authors: Ge Xiang , Shen Chuanbo , Zhou Renjie , He Peng , Zhao Jianxin , Feng Yuexing
Published: December 2021

Fluid migration in sedimentary basins enable mass and energy transport and play critical roles in geochemical and geodynamical evolution of sedimentary basins. Moreover, reconstructing sedimentary basin fluid evolution from the geological record aids in constraining the evolution of associated petroleum and mineralization systems. As a relict of fluid flow activity, calcite is often a record of fluid flow and therefore can be used to characterize the fluids responsible for its precipitation.

Here we study the Nanpanjiang Basin in South China where petroleum reservoirs and Carlin-type gold deposits spatially coincide. Through in situ U-Pb dating and geochemical analysis (87Sr/86Sr, δ18OVienna standard mean ocean water, δ13CVienna Peedee belemnite, rare earth elements) of calcite, this work constrains the key times related to petroleum migration/accumulation and Carlin-type gold mineralization, defines the basin fluid evolution, and proposes a genetic model for petroleum accumulation and gold mineralization within the Nanpanjiang Basin. The U-Pb age (ca. 241.4 Ma) for the gray/black calcite related to bitumen indicates the petroleum migration/accumulation occurred during the Triassic. The U-Pb date (ca. 106–121 Ma) of the white calcite associated with the gold-bearing pyrite, realgar, and fluorite record the lower timing limit of the Carlin-type gold systems. The geochemical data suggest both calcite types are cogenetic but suffered complex evolution with the gray/black calcite precipitating under low temperatures related to the continuous basin burial and the white calcite affected by post formation alteration related to both hydrothermal and meteoric fluids. Combined with the regional tectonic history, the Early Triassic petroleum migration/accumulation and the Early Cretaceous secondary Carlin-type gold mineralization events are considered to be related to the collision between the Indo-China and South China blocks, and the subduction between the Paleo-Pacific and Eurasian plates, respectively.
Nothing But Depopulation? Lateral Rural Migration In The Old-Developed Forest Non-Chernozem Territories
Authors: Averkieva K. V.
Published: December 2021

Abstract—

In the article, the author poses the question of what migration processes took place in the post-Soviet period at the intraregional level against depopulation and spatial polarization inherent to areas of the old-developed Non-Chernozem Region, and how this influenced the current state of populated areas and the overall rural settlement pattern. Totemsky district of Vologda Oblast was chosen as the research site for the study. Field research materials and analysis of local-level statistics made it possible to trace the rural population dynamics and identify the resettlement of rural residents within the district. The territorial units considered by the author were administrative rural units (sel’sovets) within the old borders, before the municipal reform and consolidation of the 2010s, which corresponded to individual rural clusters or large logging centers. Territories with different geographic positions and economic conditions were selected. Depopulation in the post-Soviet period proceeded unevenly, but its territorial projection did not just obey the center–periphery logic. The rural population grew in size both in district center and village near gas compressor stations, as well as in a number of other settlements with different characteristics. The post-Soviet dynamics of population numbers and transformation of the economy of the settlements were influenced by the peculiarities of their microlocation, buildings development, neighborhoods, and other local and almost nonparameterizable factors. They also often affect the attractiveness of rural settlements for the seasonal population, which fosters temporary support of the historical settlement network and generates some small potential for the redevelopment of certain territories.
Evaluation of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness as a possible measure of diabetic retinal neurodegeneration in the EPIC-Norfolk Eye Study
Authors: Zafar Sidra , Staggers Kristen A , Gao Jie , Liu Yao , Patel Praveen J , Foster Paul J , Frankfort Benjamin J , Abramoff Michael , Minard Charles G , Warwick Alasdair , Khawaja Anthony P , Channa Roomasa
Published: December 2021

Background/aims

Markers to clinically evaluate structural changes from diabetic retinal neurodegeneration (DRN) have not yet been established. To study the potential role of peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness as a marker for DRN, we evaluated the relationship between diabetes, as well as glycaemic control irrespective of diabetes status and pRNFL thickness.

Methods

Leveraging data from a population-based cohort, we used general linear mixed models (GLMMs) with a random intercept for patient and eye to assess the association between pRNFL thickness (measured using GDx) and demographic, systemic and ocular parameters after adjusting for typical scan score. GLMMs were also used to determine: (1) the relationship between: (A) glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) irrespective of diabetes diagnosis and pRNFL thickness, (B) diabetes and pRNFL thickness and (2) which quadrants of pRNFL may be affected in participants with diabetes and in relation to HbA1c.

Results

7076 participants were included. After controlling for covariates, inferior pRNFL thickness was 0.94 µm lower (95% CI −1.28 µm to −0.60 µm), superior pRNFL thickness was 0.83 µm lower (95% CI −1.17 µm to −0.49 µm) and temporal pRNFL thickness was 1.33 µm higher (95% CI 0.99 µm to 1.67 µm) per unit increase in HbA1c. Nasal pRNFL thickness was not significantly associated with HbA1c (p=0.23). Similar trends were noted when diabetes was used as the predictor.

Conclusion

Superior and inferior pRNFL was significantly thinner among those with higher HbA1c levels and/or diabetes, representing areas of the pRNFL that may be most affected by diabetes.
Advanced portal venous access techniques for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement
Authors: Partovi Sasan , Li Xin , Shwaiki Omar , Rashwan Basem , Ruff Christer , Grozinger Gerd , Gadani Sameer , Szaflarski Diane , Thompson Dustin , D'Amico Guiseppe , Levitin Abraham , Kapoor Baljendra
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is a well-established but technically challenging procedure for the management of sequelae of end-stage liver disease. Performed essentially blindly, traditional fluoroscopically guided TIPS placement requires multiple needle passes and prolonged radiation exposure to achieve successful portal venous access, thus increasing procedure time and the risk of periprocedural complications. Several advanced image-guided portal access techniques, including intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)-guided access, cone-beam CT (CBCT)-guided access and wire-targeting access techniques, can serve as alternatives to traditional CO2portography-based TIPS creation.

Methods

A literature search was performed on the electronic databases including MEDLINE and Embase, from 2000 to the present to identify all relevant studies. The reference list also included studies identified manually, and studies referenced for other purposes.

Findings

The main benefit of these advanced access techniques is that they allow the operator to avoid essentially blind portal punctures, and the ability to visualise the target, thus reducing the number of required needle passes. Research has shown that ICE-guided access can decrease the radiation exposure, procedure time and complication rate in patients undergoing TIPS placement. This technique is particularly useful in patients with challenging portal venous anatomy. However, ICE-guided access requires additional equipment and possibly a second operator. Other studies have shown that CBCT-guided access, when compared with traditional fluoroscopy-guided access, provides superior visualisation of the anatomy with similar amount of radiation exposure and procedure time. The wire-targeting technique, on the other hand, appears to offer reductions in procedure time and radiation exposure by enabling real-time guidance. However, this technique necessitates percutaneous injury to the liver parenchyma in order to place the target wire.

Conclusion

Advanced portal access techniques have certain advantages over the traditional fluoroscopically guided TIPS access. To date, few studies have compared these advanced guided access options, and further research is required.
Association between egg consumption and metabolic syndrome in Chinese population: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Haochen , Wang Wanchun , Shen Minren , Yang Zidan , Wang Ning , Zhu Zhenglei , Wu Ziying , Xie Dongxing
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Metabolic syndrome (MS) comprises a constellation of symptoms that include abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia. Dietary intake is a crucial environmental risk factor for MS, but the exact association between MS and egg consumption, which accounts for more than half of the daily total cholesterol intake in Chinese population, has not been previously studied. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between dietary egg consumption and the prevalence of MS in the context of a large population.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Settings

Our study was conducted in a health examination centre in China.

Participants

Participants who aged ≥40 years and received routine physical examinations were included for analyses.

Main outcome measures

MS was diagnosed in accordance with the clinical diagnosis criteria specified in the American Heart Association Guidelines. Egg consumption was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

Results

A total of 11 529 participants (46.2% women) were included in the present study. On the basis of multivariable logistic regression analysis, egg consumption was negatively associated with the prevalence of MS after adjusting for dietary energy intake (OR=0.84, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.93, p value for trend=0.001). The above findings did not change with further adjustment for other potential confounders: model 2 was further adjusted for age, body mass index and sex (based on model 1) and model 3 was further adjusted for education level, physical activity level, smoking status, alcohol use status, dietary fat intake, dietary fibre intake and nutritional supplementation (based on model 2). Consistent results were obtained from the analysis in the female subgroup but not in male subjects.

Conclusions

A higher level of egg consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of MS in our study participants, and particularly in female subjects.
Melatonin for prevention of postoperative delirium after lower limb fracture surgery in elderly patients (DELIRLESS): study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sigaut Stéphanie , Couffignal Camille , Esposito-Farèse Marina , Degos Vincent , Molliex Serge , Boddaert Jacques , Raynaud-Simon Agathe , Durand-Zaleski Isabelle , Marcault Estelle , Jacota Madalina , Dahmani Souhayl , Paugam-Burtz Catherine , Weiss Emmanuel
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Postoperative delirium (POD) is one of the most frequent complication after surgery in elderly patients, and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged length of stay, cognitive and functional decline leading to loss of autonomy, and important additional healthcare costs. Perioperative inflammatory stress is a key element in POD genesis. Melatonin exhibits antioxidative and immune-modulatory proprieties that are promising concerning delirium prevention, but in perioperative context literature are scarce and conflicting. We hypothesise that perioperative melatonin can reduce the incidence of POD.

Methods and analysis

The DELIRLESS trial is a prospective, national multicentric, phase III, superiority, comparative randomised (1:1) double-blind clinical trial. Among patients aged 70 or older, hospitalised and scheduled for surgery of a severe fracture of a lower limb, 718 will be randomly allocated to receive either melatonin 4 mg per os or placebo, every night from anaesthesiologist preoperative consultation and up to 5 days after surgery. The primary outcome is POD incidence measured by either the French validated translation of the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) score for patients hospitalised in surgery, or CAM-ICU score for patients hospitalised in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Daily delirium assessment will take place during 10 days after surgery, or until the end of hospital stay if it is shorter. POD cumulative incidence function will be compared at day 10 between the two randomised arms in a competing risks framework, using the Fine and Grey model with death as a competing risk of delirium.

Ethics and dissemination

The DELIRLESS trial has been approved by an independent ethics committee the Comité de Protection des Personnes (CPP) Sud-Est (ref CPP2020-18-99 2019-003210-14) for all study centres. Participant recruitment begins in December 2020. Results will be published in international peer-reviewed medical journals.

Trial registration number

NCT04335968, first posted 7 April 2020.

Protocol version identifier

N°3–0, 3 May 2021.
Implications of using the GLI-2012, GOLD and Australian COPD-X recommendations in assessing the severity of airflow limitation on spirometry among an Indigenous population with COPD: an Indigenous Australians perspective study
Authors: Heraganahally Subash S , Howarth Timothy P , White Elisha , Ben Saad Helmi
Published: December 2021

Background

Assessment of airflow limitation (AFL) is crucial in the clinical evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, in the absence of normative reference values among adult Australian Indigenous population, the implications of utilising the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI-2012), Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and the Australian concise COPD-X recommended severity classifications is not known. Moreover, spirometry values (forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)) are observed to be 20%–30% lower in an apparently healthy Indigenous population in comparison to Caucasian counterparts.

Methods

Adult Indigenous patients diagnosed to have COPD on spirometry (postbronchodilator (BD) FEV1/FVC <0.7 ((GOLD, (COPD-X)) and ≤lower limit of normal (others/mixed reference equations) for GLI-2012) were assessed for AFL severity classifications on Post-BD FEV1values (mild, moderate, severe, very severe) as per the recommended classifications.

Results

From a total of 742 unique patient records of Indigenous Australians, 253 were identified to have COPD via GOLD/COPD-X criteria (n=238) or GLI-2012 criteria (n=238) with significant agreeance between criteria (96%, κ=0.901). Of these, the majority were classified as having moderate or severe/very-severe AFL with significant variability across classification criteria (COPD-X (40%–43%), GOLD (33%–65%), GLI-2012 (18%–75%)). The FVC and FEV1values also varied significantly between classification criterion (COPD-X/GOLD/GLI-2012) within the same AFL category, with COPD-X ‘moderate’ AFL almost matching ‘severe’ AFL categorisation by GOLD or GLI-2012.

Conclusions

Health professionals caring for Indigenous patients with COPD should be aware of the clinical implications and consequences of utilising various recommended AFL classifications in the absence of validated spirometry reference norms among adult Indigenous patients.
Primary care providers should prescribe aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease based on benefit−risk ratio, not age
Authors: Kim Kyungmann , Hennekens Charles H , Martinez Lisa , Gaziano J Michael , Pfeffer Marc A , Biglione Bianca , Gitin Alexander , McCabe Jeanne Bell , Cook Thomas D , DeMets David L , Wood Sarah K
Published: December 2021

Recent guidelines restricted aspirin (ASA) in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to patients <70 years old and more recent guidance to <60.

In the most comprehensive prior meta-analysis, the Antithrombotic Trialists Collaboration reported a significant 12% reduction in CVD with similar benefit−risk ratios at older ages. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, four trials were added to an updated meta-analysis.

ASA produced a statistically significant 13% reduction in CVD with 95% confidence limits (0.83 to 0.92) with similar benefits at older ages in each of the trials.

Primary care providers should make individual decisions whether to prescribe ASA based on benefit−risk ratio, not simply age. When the absolute risk of CVD is >10%, benefits of ASA will generally outweigh risks of significant bleeding. ASA should be considered only after implementation of therapeutic lifestyle changes and other drugs of proven benefit such as statins, which are, at the very least, additive to ASA. Our perspective is that individual clinical judgements by primary care providers about prescription of ASA in primary prevention of CVD should be based on our evidence-based solution of weighing all the absolute benefits and risks rather than age. This strategy would do far more good for far more patients as well as far more good than harm in both developed and developing countries. This new and novel strategy for primary care providers to consider in prescribing ASA in primary prevention of CVD is the same as the general approach suggested by Professor Geoffrey Rose decades ago.
Cardiovascular safety profile of taxanes and vinca alkaloids: 30 years FDA registry experience
Authors: Batra Akshee , Patel Brijesh , Addison Daniel , Baldassarre Lauren A , Desai Nihar , Weintraub Neal , Deswal Anita , Hussain Zeeshan , Brown Sherry-Ann , Ganatra Sarju , Agarwala Vivek , Parikh Purvish M , Fradley Michael , Ghosh Arjun , Guha Avirup
Published: December 2021

Objective

Antimicrotubular agents are among the most commonly used classes of chemotherapeutic agents, but the risk of cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) remains unclear. Our objective was to study the CVAEs associated with antimicrotubular agents.

Methods

The Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System was used to study CVAEs in adults from 1990 to 2020. Reported single-agent (only taxane or vinca alkaloid) CVAEs were compared with combination therapy (with at least one of the four major cardiotoxic drugs: anthracycline, HER2Neu inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and checkpoint inhibitors) using adjusted polytomous logistic regression.

Results

Over 30 years, 134 398 adverse events were reported, of which 18 426 (13.4%) were CVAEs, with 74.1% due to taxanes and 25.9% due to vinca alkaloids. In 30 years, there has been a reduction in the proportion of reported CVAEs for taxanes from 15% to 11.8% (Cochran-Armitage P-trends <0.001) with no significant change in the proportion of reported CVAEs for vinca alkaloids (9.2%–11.7%; P-trends=0.06). The proportion of reported CVAEs was lower in both taxane and vinca alkaloid monotherapy versus combination therapy (reporting OR=0.50 and 0.55, respectively). Anthracyclines and HER2Neu inhibitor combinations with taxanes or vinca alkaloids primarily drove the higher burden of combination CVAEs. Hypertension requiring hospitalisation and heart failure was significantly lower in monotherapy versus combination antimicrotubular agent therapy.

Conclusions

Antimicrotubular agents are associated with CVAEs, especially in combination chemotherapy regimens. Based on this study, we suggest routine cardiovascular assessment of patients with cancer before initiating antimicrotubular agents in combination therapy.
CJT effective potential approach to analyze the nature of phase transition of thermal QED$$_3$$ at finite volume
Authors: Hu Yi , Feng Hong-tao
Published: December 2021

Based on the Cornwall–Jackiw–Tomboulis effective potential and the truncated Dyson–Schwinger equations, the nature of phase transition of thermal QED$$_3$$

3

at finite volume is investigated. We show that, with the rise of temperature, the system undergoes a second-order transition in the chiral limit, and remains exhibiting the second-order with small fermion mass, while it switches to a crossover when the fermion mass exceeds a critical value about $$m_{c}$$

m
c

, which diminishes with the increasing volume size and tends to zero in infinite volume.
Teleportation affected by fluctuating electromagnetic field with a boundary
Authors: Huang Zhiming , Rong Zhenbang , Ye Yiyong
Published: December 2021

We study the quantum teleportation under fluctuating electromagnetic field in the presence of a perfectly reflecting boundary. The noisy scheme of quantum teleportation affected by electromagnetic fluctuation is proposed. Then we calculate and investigate the behaviors of entanglement and fidelity, which are closely related to the plane boundary and atomic polarization. After a period of evolution, entanglement and fidelity evolve to zero and nonzero stable value respectively. Fidelity is closely related to the weight parameter and phase parameter of the teleported state. Besides, small two-atom separation makes entanglement and fidelity have better enhancement. Furthermore, the presence of boundary, atomic polarization and two-atom separation offers us more freedom to adjust the performance of the quantum teleportation. The results would give us new insight into quantum communication in an open quantum system since quantum teleportation plays an important role in quantum communication and quantum information.
Region-specific distribution of transversal-axial tubule system organization underlies heterogeneity of calcium dynamics in the right atrium
Authors: Lang Di , Medvedev Roman Y. , Ratajczyk Lucas , Zheng Jingjing , Yuan Xiaoyu , Lim Evi , Han Owen Y. , Valdivia Hector H. , Glukhov Alexey V.
Published: December 2021

Mouse and human atrial myocardium demonstrate high variability in the organization of the transversal-axial tubule system (TATS), with more organized TATS expressed in the right atrial appendage. TATS distribution governs anatomical heterogeneity of Ca2+ dynamics and thus could contribute to integral atrial contractility, mechanics, and arrhythmogenicity.
Analysis of Drosophila cardiac hypertrophy by microcomputerized tomography for genetic dissection of heart growth mechanisms
Authors: Petersen Courtney E. , Tripoli Benjamin A. , Schoborg Todd A. , Smyth Jeremy T.
Published: December 2021

Genetic analysis of Drosophila cardiac hypertrophy holds immense potential for the discovery of new therapeutic targets to prevent and treat heart failure. This potential has been hindered by a lack of rapid and effective methods for analyzing heart size in flies. Here, we demonstrate that analysis of the Drosophila heart with microcomputerized tomography yields accurate and highly reproducible heart size measurements that can be used to analyze heart growth and cardiac hypertrophy in Drosophila.
Optimal Allocation and Control of Magnetorheological Dampers for Enhancing Seismic Performance of the Adjacent Structures Using Whale Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Lin Xiufang , Lin Weiqing
Published: December 2021

The control strategy for protecting adjacent structures from earthquake excitations is gaining increasing significance. In this study, to improve the seismic performance, a semiactive control strategy using magnetorheological (MR) dampers to couple the adjacent structures is proposed. In this control strategy, to fully exploit the performance of MR dampers, the allocation (including the locations and the number) and fuzzy logic controller (FLC) system of MR dampers are simultaneously optimally designed by whale optimization algorithm (WOA) with a special encoding scheme. Simulation results verify that WOA provides competitive performance compared with the other three metaheuristic algorithms in terms of solution quality and robustness. Compared with other semiactive control methods including on‐off, linear quadratic regulator‐clipped voltage law, and WOA‐FLC (optimal allocation is not considered) methods, by using much less MR dampers, the proposed control strategy can exhibit more excellent overall performance in terms of reducing the seismic responses and mitigating pounding.
Analysis of Security Attacks and Taxonomy in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ahmad Irfan , Rahman Taj , Zeb Asim , Khan Inayat , Ullah Inam , Hamam Habib , Cheikhrouhou Omar
Published: December 2021

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSN) have gained more attention from researchers in recent years due to their advancement in marine monitoring, deployment of various applications, and ocean surveillance. The UWSN is an attractive field for both researchers and the industrial side. Due to the harsh underwater environment, own capabilities, and open acoustic channel, it is also vulnerable to malicious attacks and threats. Attackers can easily take advantage of these characteristics to steal the data between the source and destination. Many review articles are addressed some of the security attacks and taxonomy of the Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks. In this study, we have briefly addressed the taxonomy of the UWSNs from the most recent research articles related to the well‐known research databases. This paper also discussed the security threats on each layer of the Underwater Wireless sensor networks. This study will help the researchers design the routing protocols to cover the known security threats and help industries manufacture the devices to observe these threats and security issues.
Optimal Strategy for Colorectal Cancer Patients’ Diagnosis Based on Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor Endothelial Cells by Subtraction Enrichment and Immunostaining-Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Combining with CEA and CA19-9
Authors: Luo Shimu , Ou Yanghang , Zheng Tingjin , Jiang Huihui , Wu Yibo , Zhao Jiangman , Zhang Zhishan
Published: December 2021

Background. Cancerous embryo antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) are commonly used in clinical practice to assist in diagnosing CRC. However, their sensitivity is very low. This study aims to investigate the clinical significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor endothelial cells (CTECs) compared with CEA and CA19-9 in the auxiliary diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods. 115 pathologically confirmed CRC patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. CTCs and CTECs were enriched and identified by subtraction enrichment and immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH). A logistic regression was used to establish a model for the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and the diagnostic efficacy of CTCs, CTECs, CEA, CA19-9, and their combinations was analyzed. Results. The CTC (

P
<
0.0001

) and CTEC (

P
=
0.0009

) level was significantly higher in CRC patients than that in healthy controls. For CRC patients, CTC and CTEC level was significantly correlated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis status, but not with sex, age, tumor location, and degree of differentiation. The positive rate of CTCs, CTECs, CEA, and CA19-9 in CRC patients was 87.8%, 39.1%, 28.7%, and 26.1%, respectively. To distinguish CRC patients from controls, the area under the curve (AUC) of CTC was 0.889, which was much higher than 0.695 of CTEC, 0.696 of CEA, and 0.695 of CA19-9. Establishing ROC curve by logistic regression algorithm, the highest AUC was 0.935, which combined CTCs with CTEC, CEA, and CA19-9. Conclusions. CTCs combined with CTEC, CEA, and CA19-9 are useful to improve the diagnostic efficiency, which has high clinical significance in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Enriched Environment Regulates Dendritic Cells to Alleviate Inflammation in Cerebral Infarction Lesions
Authors: Zhong Zhenzhen , Xu Ping , Wen Jun , Li Xiangdong , Zhang Xiaobo
Published: December 2021

Objective. The aim was to investigate the role that enriched environment (EE) plays in the regulation of inflammation in cerebral infarction (CI) lesions and further explore the relationship between this regulation and dendritic cells (DCs). Methods. 72 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (CON group,

n
=
24

) and CI model group (

n
=
48

). On completion of the establishment of CI rat models by Longa’s method, rats in the models group were further assigned to standard environment group (NC group,

n
=
24

) and EE group (

n
=
24

). HE staining was utilized for evaluation of neuronal injury in the lesions. The number of CD74- and integrin αE-positive cells was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of the IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the brain tissue and serum of rats was measured by immunohistochemistry and ELISA, respectively. Results. In comparison with the CON group, the NC and EE groups showed significant increases in neuronal injury, CD74- and Integrin αE-positive cells, DC content, as well as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α expression in brain tissue and serum. According to the further comparison between the NC group and EE group, the latter showed decreases in each indicator, and these decreases were in a time-dependent manner. Conclusion. EE avoids the accumulation of DCs in the lesions and reduces the contents of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, consequently promoting the recovery of CI. And better recovery results can be obtained through increasing the time to stay in EE.
A Quasioppositional-Chaotic Symbiotic Organisms Search Algorithm for Distribution Network Reconfiguration with Distributed Generations
Authors: Nguyen Hoang Minh-Tuan , Truong Bao-Huy , Hoang Khoa Truong , Dang Tuan Khanh , Vo Ngoc Dieu
Published: December 2021

This study suggests an enhanced metaheuristic method based on the Symbiotic Organisms Search (SOS) algorithm, namely, Quasioppositional Chaotic Symbiotic Organisms Search (QOCSOS). It aims to optimize the network configuration simultaneously and allocate distributed generation (DG) subject to the minimum real power loss in radial distribution networks (RDNs). The suggested method is developed by integrating the Quasiopposition-Based Learning (QOBL) as well as Chaotic Local Search (CLS) approaches into the original SOS algorithm to obtain better global search capacity. The proposed QOCSOS algorithm is tested on 33-, 69-, and 119-bus RDNs to verify its effectiveness. The findings demonstrate that the suggested QOCSOS technique outperformed the original SOS and provided higher-quality alternatives than many other methods studied. Accordingly, the proposed QOCSOS algorithm is favourable in adapting to the DG placement problems and optimal distribution network reconfiguration.
Spatial Pattern of Underground Space Development in Major Cities in China: Evaluation and Analysis
Authors: Hong Xiaochun , Ji Xiang
Published: December 2021

Underground space development has gradually become an organic part of China’s urban development and construction. Comprehensively developing underground space scientifically and rationally to give full play to its comprehensive benefits is the main problem faced by China’s underground space development at this stage. This research starts with the measurement of the level of urban underground space (UUS) development. This paper constructs a UUS development level measurement indicator system, which is composed of Construction of UUS (D1), urban economic development indicators (D2), and urban population development indicators (D3), which has 12 secondary indicators, and then we use entropy-TOPSIS method to quantitatively evaluate the development level of underground public space in 39 prefecture-level cities and above in my country and analyze its spatial differentiation. The results show that the urban agglomeration has the characteristics of “high-high” cluster distribution with the development level of underground space. However, the overall level of underground space development in China’s major cities is not high and there are apparent differences in the level of UUS development. In terms of spatial distribution, the sustainable development level of cities in the eastern coastal regions of China is relatively high, with towns in the central and northeastern areas ranking second and western towns and northeastern cities ranking the lowest. At the same time, we found that there is a mismatch between the underground space development index and the economic population development index in the evaluation index. Finally, some suggestions are put forward to realize the balanced development of UUS development in our country.