bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EUS-guided pancreatic radiofrequency ablation: preclinical comparison of two currently available devices in a pig model
Authors: Barret Maximilien , Leblanc Sarah , Rouquette Alexandre , Chaussade Stanislas , Terris Benoit , Prat Frédéric
Published: January 2019

Introduction Two devices are currently available to perform pancreatic radiofrequency ablation (P-RFA). Potential clinical indications might extend from the treatment of pancreatic cystic lesions to ablation of small pancreatic solid lesions or cytoreduction of advanced pancreatic adenocarcinomas, but more preclinical data from animal models are needed to optimize P-RFA operation.

Methods P-RFA was performed under laparotomy and under endoscopic ultrasonographic guidance on the liver and pancreatic parenchyma of four live swine using the Habib EUS RFA (EMcision Ltd, London, UK) probe and the EUS-RA needle (Taewoong Medical, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea). Animals were sacrificed 2 hours after the procedure. Influence of tuning ablation time and power on tissue ablation were studied by histopathological assessment of the maximal depth of tissue damage on representative slides for each P-RFA shot.

Results The Habib probe in the liver parenchyma resulted in tissue necrosis increasing within the range of 1.9 ± 0.5 mm (Power = 8 W, Time = 120 s) to 2.5 ± 1 mm (Power = 10 W, Time = 120 s). In the pancreatic parenchyma, tissue damage ranged from 3.1 ± 0.4 mm (Power = 8 W, Time = 120 s) to 2.3 ± 0.1 mm (12 W, 120 s) in depth. EUS RFA ablation of the liver parenchyma resulted in tissue damage ranging from 1.6 ± 0.2 mm (Power = 30 W, Time = 11 s) to 1.5 ± 0.1 mm (Power = 70 W, Time = 9 s); in the pancreas, ablation depth ranged from 3.6 ± 0.5 mm (Power = 30 W, Time = 15 s) to 3.8 ± 0.4 mm (Power = 70 W, Time = 11 s).

Conclusion Both devices allow for effective ablation of pancreatic tissue within 1.5 to 3.8 mm around the RFA electrode, with a modest influence of tuning power settings. Specific settings are recommended for each of the devices studied. Ablation of larger lesions may require more repeat P-RFA shots in different locations rather than a simple modulation of ablation parameters.
Fertility After Ovarian Cystectomy: How Does Surgery Affect IVF/ICSI Outcomes?
Authors: Gomez Ruth , Schorsch Martin , Gerhold-Ay Aslihan , Hasenburg Annette , Seufert Rudolf , Skala Christine
Published: January 2019

Introduction For patients considering undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART), many concerns arise when persistent ovarian cysts are found. This large study aimed to determine how ovarian cyst removal affects success rates of IVF/ICSI therapies.

Methods 550 patients who underwent an IVF/ICSI treatment between 2002 and 2011 with a persistent ovarian cyst ≤ 5 cm before treatment were analyzed retrospectively. 328 patientsʼ preference was to undergo a laparoscopic cystectomy and 222 patients opted for a conservative management. Control subjects included 13 552 patients undergoing IVF/ICSI at the same period of time without an ovarian cyst.

Results After adjusting for age, patients with ovarian cysts without surgery needed a significant higher stimulation dose than the control group (2576.4 vs. 2207.5 IU, p < 0.001). However, on average, they had 1.13 (− 0.25 – 2.01) higher oocyte number retrieved compared to the operated patients (9.0 ± 5.5 vs. 8.2 ± 5.0) (p = 0.012). Patients after surgical cyst removal had a significant lower number of oocytes retrieved (MNOR) in comparison to the control group (8.2 ± 5.0 vs. 9.5 ± 5.4) (p = 0.00). Compared to controls, operated patients had similar clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) (34.2 vs. 33.5%) OR 1.031 (95% CI 0.817 – 1.302) (p = 0.815). Compared to controls, patients without surgery showed significant lower pregnancy rate (34.2 vs. 25,7%) OR 1.428 (95% CI 1.054 – 1.936) (p = 0.002) and lower live birth rate (LBR) (21.9 vs. 13.5%) OR 1.685 (95% CI 1.143 – 2.485) (p = 0.008).

Conclusions Ovarian cystectomy did not negatively impact the pregnancy rate or the live birth rate compared to controls.
Inadequate steroid injection after esophageal ESD might cause mural necrosis
Authors: Yamashita Satoshi , Kato Motohiko , Fujimoto Ai , Maehata Tadateru , Sasaki Motoki , Inoshita Naoko , Sato Hiroki , Suzuki Kenji , Yahagi Naohisa
Published: January 2019

Background and study aims Locoregional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) injection is increasingly used for prevention of stricture after extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for superficial esophageal neoplasia. However, the safety of intramural TAC injection has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical courses and histopathological changes after TAC injection into the muscle layer in a porcine model.

Methods Three pigs were subjected to ESD under general anesthesia. Two artificial 30-mm lesions were created at the oral and anal ends of the esophagus in each pig. TAC was injected into the muscle layer of the artificial oral ulcers (TAC group) and saline was injected into the muscle layer of the artificial anal ulcers (control group). Endoscopic, macroscopic, and histopathological evaluations were performed.

Results The artificial ulcers remained open at sacrifice on day 28 post-ESD in the three ulcers injected with TAC. Esophageal wall perforation and abscess spreading to the mediastinum were observed in two of the three ulcers in the TAC group. The abscesses involved the lungs, bronchi, and aortic adventitia. Severe inflammatory cell infiltration in the muscularis propria layer and significant muscularis propria degradation were observed in all three ulcers in the TAC group.

Conclusions This study suggests that TAC may cause deep mural damage when it is injected into the muscularis propria. Care should be taken not to inject TAC into the muscle layer when it is used to prevent post-ESD stricture formation.
Dual Infection with Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Correlated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Lin Ping-Yi , Chen Shu-Chu , Lo Tsai-Chang , Kuo Hsien-Wen
Published: January 2019

Background Conflicting data exist regarding the relationship between dual infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We assessed dual infection of HBV and HCV with the levels of blood glucose and development of DM.

Methods A total of 9621 participants in a community-based study were enrolled from 18 towns in Maoli county of Taiwan. Blood samples were collected and tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies (HBsAb), antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and fasting plasma glucose. DM was defined as fasting plasma glucose≥126 mg per 100 ml.

Results Only 0.7% of total participants had HBV/HCV coinfection. The prevalence of HBV and HCV monoinfection were 9.9  and 5.7%, respectively. Adjusted blood glucose levels and development risk of T2DM (odds ratio [OR], 2.55; p<0.001) were significantly high among HBV/HCV coinfection group using multivariate linear regression adjusted for age, gender, education, race and BMI. Furthermore, using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for covariates, HCV mono-and HBV/ HCV coinfection significantly increased on blood glucose levels.

Conclusions Our study shows HBV/HCV coinfection was significantly correlated with blood glucose levels. A significant proportion (28%) of participants with HBV/HCV coinfection developed T2DM. Although the precise mechanisms of dual positive infection of HBV and HCV are unclear, there is increasing evidence that dual infection of HCV and HBV is strongly associated with the development of T2DM.
Impact of metal and plastic stents on endoscopic ultrasound-guided aspiration cytology and core histology of head of pancreas masses
Authors: Bekkali Noor L. H. , Nayar Manu K. , Leeds John S. , Thornton Lucy , Johnson Sarah J. , Haugk Beate , Darné Antony , Howard-Tripp Nadia , Charnley Richard M. , Bassett Paul , Oppong Kofi W.
Published: January 2019

Background Stents are frequently placed in patients with biliary obstruction due to a mass in the head of the pancreas. The impact of plastic or self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue sampling is unclear. This study aimed to assess, using strict pathological criteria, whether stents impair fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or fine-needle biopsy (FNB).

Methods All patients with a solid mass in the head of the pancreas who underwent EUS-guided tissue sampling between 2010 and 2016 at our unit were included. Factors with possible impact on diagnostic performance were analyzed using logistic regression. Analysis was performed using both strict (malignant only) and less strict (suspicious for malignancy) cutoffs.

Results Of 631 individuals undergoing 698 procedures, 535 (84.8 %) had a final diagnosis of malignancy, 141 had SEMS, 149 had plastic stents, and 341 had no stent. Using strict criteria, SEMS were associated with an increased occurrence of incorrect diagnosis of EUS tissue sampling, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.96 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.24 – 3.10). Increasing tumor size (OR 0.72, 95 %CI 0.59 – 0.87), increasing number of passes (OR 0.84, 95 %CI 0.72 – 0.99), and fork-tip biopsy needle (OR 0.52, 95 %CI 0.31 – 0.86) were independently associated with a decrease in incorrect diagnosis. Repeat tissue sampling was more common with SEMSs (10.2 %) than with plastic stents (2.9 %) or no stents (4.5 %) (P < 0.02).

Conclusion SEMS use had a negative impact on tissue diagnosis in pancreatic head masses, whereas use of a fork-tip biopsy needle and increasing number of passes were independently associated with improved accuracy.
Intra-Arterial Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy for Neuroendocrine Tumor Liver Metastases
Authors: Ebbers Sander , Barentsz Maarten , Braat Arthur , Lam Marnix
Published: January 2019

Purpose Currently, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with lutetium-177 (177Lu)-DOTATATE is used in patients with progressive neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) as salvage therapy. The standard treatment schedule consists of multiple cycles of intravenous (IV) administration. However, patients with liver metastases suffer from reduced tumor targeting and worse response and survival. This review provides an overview of the available evidence on the intra-arterial (IA) administration of radionuclide-labeled somatostatin analogues.

Methods Databases of PubMed and Embase were searched systematically in May 2018 for studies that addressed IA PRRT. Included studies were original research publications focusing on absorbed tumor dose or tumor response after IA administration of PRRT for NEN. Publications on combined PRRT with other therapies or treatment of nonhepatic sites were excluded. Included publications were critically appraised on quality and their results reported accordingly.

Results Seven publications were included in this review, including a total of 114 patients treated IA with different types of radiopeptides. Objective response was seen in 13 to 69% of the patients and disease stabilization in 18 to 52%. Disease progression occurred in 0 to 29% of the patients. IA administration resulted in a 1.06 to 9.2-fold increase in tumor-to-nontumor dose ratios in liver tumors, while normal liver and kidney doses remained within expected ranges. The incidence of adverse events was comparable to IV administration.

Conclusion There is limited evidence that IA application of PRRT results in higher tumor-to-non-tumor dose ratios compared with IV infusion. IA administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE seems to be a promising new improvement in current clinical practice, achieving a higher absorbed tumor dose in patients with hepatic metastases of NEN.
Adjustable pulse width and high repetition frequency electron beam extraction from vacuum arc plasma
Authors: Chen Jun , Chen Shixiu , Xiao Jixiong , Gao Shen , Cai Huafeng , Ji Zengchao
Published: January 2019

We investigate the generation of high repetition frequency electron beam from vacuum arc plasma source, which consists of Cu cathode and hollow anode. The frequency and pulse width of the extraction pulse power supply based on MOSFET can be adjusted continuously. A self-trigger circuit is designed to immediately reignite DC arc after its extinguishment and guarantee the discharge duration time and stability. The experimental results show that the repletion frequency and pulse width of the electron beam are controlled by the extraction pulse voltage parameters. With a certain discharge current, the beam current increases with the increasing extraction voltage and shows a saturation limit up to 1A. However, the extraction voltage with too high pulse frequency or pulse width is not conducive to the stability of the beam current.
Equilibrium configuration of self-gravitating charged dust clouds: Particle approach
Authors: Shukla Manish K. , Avinash K.
Published: January 2019

A three dimensional Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation is carried out to explore the equilibrium configurations of charged dust particles. These equilibrium configurations are of astrophysical significance for the conditions of molecular clouds and the interstellar medium. The interaction among the dust grains is modeled by Yukawa repulsion and gravitational attraction. The spherically symmetric equilibria are constructed which are characterized by three parameters: (i) the number of particles in the cloud, (ii) Γg (defined in the text) where Γg−1 is the short range cutoff of the interparticle potential, and (iii) the temperature of the grains. The effects of these parameters on dust cloud are investigated using a radial density profile. The problem of equilibrium is also formulated in the mean field limit where total dust pressure, which is the sum of kinetic pressure and the electrostatic pressure, balances the self-gravity. The mean field solutions agree well with the results of MD simulations. The astrophysical significance of the results is briefly discussed.
Penning collisions between supersonically expanded metastable He atoms and laser-cooled Li atoms
Authors: Grzesiak Jonas , Momose Takamasa , Stienkemeier Frank , Mudrich Marcel , Dulitz Katrin
Published: January 2019

We describe an experimental setup comprised of a discharge source for supersonic beams of metastable He atoms and a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for ultracold Li atoms that makes it possible to study Penning ionization and associative ionization processes at high ion count rates. The cationic reaction products are analyzed using a novel ion detection scheme which allows for mass selection, a high ion extraction efficiency, and a good collision-energy resolution. The influence of elastic He–Li collisions on the steady-state Li atom number in the MOT is described, and the collision data are used to estimate the excitation efficiency of the discharge source. We also show that Penning collisions can be directly used to probe the temperature of the Li cloud without the need for an additional time-resolved absorption or fluorescence detection system.
Adaptive-passive control of flow over a sphere for drag reduction
Authors: Chae Seokbong , Lee Seungcheol , Kim Jooha , Lee Jae Hwa
Published: January 2019

A new adaptive-passive control device is introduced to optimally reduce the drag on a sphere over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, Re = 0.4 × 105–4.4 × 105. The device, called an adaptive moving ring (AMR), is designed to change its size (i.e., protrusion height) adaptively depending on the wind speed (i.e., the Reynolds number) without energy input. An empirical model is formulated to accurately predict the drag coefficient as a function of the size of AMR and the Reynolds number. Based on the model, we estimate how the optimal size of AMR should vary with the Reynolds number to maximize the drag reduction. Following the estimation of the optimal size, the optimally tuned AMR reduces its protrusion height with increasing Reynolds number, and the drag decreases monotonically by up to 74% compared to that of a smooth sphere. The drag reduction by AMR is attributed to different mechanisms depending on the Reynolds number. For low Reynolds numbers, the locally separated flow at large AMR is energized by the disturbance induced by AMR and reattaches to the sphere surface, forming a large recirculation region. Then, the main separation is delayed downstream due to the increased near-wall momentum. On the other hand, at high Reynolds numbers, no recirculation zone is formed at AMR due to its low protrusion height, but a secondary separation bubble is generated on the rear sphere surface. Therefore, the boundary-layer flow becomes turbulent, and the main separation is significantly delayed, resulting in more drag reduction than for low Reynolds numbers.
Aerodynamic forces on projectiles used in various sports
Authors: Shah Kunjal , Shakya Ravi , Mittal Sanjay
Published: January 2019

The aerodynamics of projectiles used in various sports is investigated via experiments in a low speed wind tunnel. Force measurements are carried out on actual artifacts at speeds in the range of 15-75 m/s. The sports considered include golf, field hockey, soccer, baseball, tennis, cricket, volleyball, and badminton. Both synthetic and duck-feather models of shuttle-cocks used in badminton are considered. The variation of the coefficient of drag, CD, with Reynolds number, Re, is quite different for the two models. The deformation of the synthetic model increases significantly with an increase in speed, leading to a decrease in CD with an increase in Re. The duck-feather model, on the other hand, does not undergo such severe deformations. Force measurements for a baseball are carried out for three different orientations of its seam with the free-stream flow. Variation of CD with Re for two internationally approved brands of golf balls is presented for the first time in the open literature. The data are compared with those for a ball used in field hockey, which also has dimples on its surface, albeit of different sizes and distributions. Force measurements are carried out on a new cricket ball as well as one whose surface is manually roughened to resemble a ball that has been in play for about 40 overs (=240 deliveries). The study brings out the regimes of conventional- and reverse-swing and their dependence on the surface roughness of the ball. Experiments on balls with differential roughness of the two hemispheres of the ball are utilized to study the “contrast-swing.” Particle Image Velocimetry measurements are carried out for the 3D-printed model of a new cricket ball to explore the phenomena of conventional- and reverse-swing. Experiments on a tennis ball bring out the role of the fuzz in the transition of the boundary layer on its surface; a near-constant CD for the entire range of Re that is studied is observed. The brands of a soccer ball and volleyball that are tested exhibit very similar behaviour. In the supercritical regime, an increase in CD is followed by its decrease with an increase in Re.
Trapped Hg+ ion crystal generated by isotope-selective photoionization
Authors: Liu Qu , Zou Hongxin , He Xiaokang , Chen Guozhu , Shen Yong , Yuan Jianmin
Published: January 2019

We present studies on monoisotopic Hg+ ions generation and trapping at room temperature. An ultraviolet laser system, including a frequency-controlled 194 nm laser and a 254 nm laser, is constructed. Mercury atoms are isotope-selectively excited by the 254 nm laser. The spectrum of the 6s2–6s6p transition lines for natural mercury isotopes is measured, and the uncertainty is less than 100 MHz. Then, the selected mercury isotopes are ionized by the 194 nm laser and trapped in a linear Paul trap. The fluorescence of the ion crystal at 194 nm is detected, and the temperature of the ions is estimated to be less than 10 mK.
Effect of yaw angle on flow structure and cross-flow force around a circular cylinder
Authors: Wang Ran , Cheng Shaohong , Ting David S-K.
Published: January 2019

Flow around an inclined circular cylinder at yaw angles of α = 0°, 30°, 45°, and 60° has been numerically studied using the delayed detached eddy simulation at a Reynolds number of 1.4 × 104. Periodic boundary conditions are utilized to minimize the end effect. The focus is to explore the effect of yaw angle on the flow structure and the spatial distribution of the cross-flow forces. For the normal flow case, the modulation of the span-wise averaged lift force coefficient is found to be related to the unstable shear layer. For the inclined cases, contours of the sectional lift force coefficient show that the local vortex shedding staggers in time along the axial span at the early stage of the simulation, when the flow approaches the cylinder. After the flow reaches the quasi-periodic state, the axial difference disappears for α > 45° but not for α = 30°. In particular, the axial difference of the sectional lift force coefficient results in a near-zero value of the span-wise averaged lift force coefficient. The transition from a two-dimensional flow to a three-dimensional one is not captured in the current simulation. However, wake visualization indicates a mitigation of von Kármán vortex shedding when the yaw angle is greater than 30°. Although the Strouhal number is well predicted by the Independence Principle (IP), other flow properties are less agreeable with the prediction by IP.
A kinetic study of electron heating and plasma dynamics in microwave microplasmas
Authors: Alamatsaz Arghavan , Venkattraman Ayyaswamy
Published: January 2019

Microwave microplasmas ignited in argon are studied using a one-dimensional particle-in-cell with Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) approach. One-dimensional PIC-MCC simulations are performed at specified input power densities to determine the influence of the applied frequency (ranging from 1 to 320 GHz), pressure, and total deposited power on the plasma dynamics. The frequency response study performed at a fixed input power density shows the presence of off-axis peaks in the electron number density profile at intermediate frequencies. These peaks are attributed to the interplay between the production of hot electrons by the oscillating sheath and their inability to diffuse sufficiently at higher operating pressures, thereby resulting in enhanced ionization at off-axis locations. This is confirmed by the pressure dependence study which shows that the electron number density peaks at the mid-point when the microplasma is ignited at lower pressures. As the excitation frequency is increased further, the sheath oscillation heating decreases and eventually vanishes, thereby requiring the bulk plasma to couple power to the electrons which in turn leads to an increase in electron temperature in the plasma bulk and the electron number density peak appearing at the mid-point. When the power coupled to the microplasma is decreased, the sheath oscillation at a given frequency decreases, thereby leading to higher contribution from heating in the bulk plasma which leads to the disappearance of off-axis peaks even at intermediate frequencies. The microplasma dynamics at all conditions considered in this work demonstrate the interplay between the electron momentum transfer collision frequency, the angular excitation frequency, and the plasma frequency.
Efficient generation of broadband short-wave infrared vector beams with arbitrary polarization
Authors: Li Tong , Li Zhancheng , Chen Shuqi , Zhou Lyu , Zhang Nan , Wei Xin , Song Guofeng , Gan Qiaoqiang , Xu Yun
Published: January 2019

Vector beams have shown great promise for applications ranging from near-field optics to nonlinear optics. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a highly efficient and broadband metasurface-based polarization converter that can realize linear polarization rotation with more than 0.9 conversion efficiency over a 1300 nm bandwidth in the short-wave infrared band. Building upon this broadband polarization converter, we design a meta-reflectarray that is capable of generating arbitrary vector beams with the efficiency of >0.8 from 1200 nm to 2500 nm and therefore enable a wide range of applications including optical imaging, optical communication, and data encryption.
Temperature-frequency drift suppression via electrostatic stiffness softening in MEMS resonator with weakened duffing nonlinearity
Authors: Chen Dongyang , Wang Yong , Chen Xuying , Yang Lei , Xie Jin
Published: January 2019

This paper reports a silicon micromechanical resonator with Duffing nonlinearity weakened and temperature-frequency drift suppressed by electrostatic tuning. By operating the resonator in an elastic mode via semicircular beams, we can weaken the instability of amplitude-frequency dependence to linearize the behavior of electrostatic stiffness softening. The mutual independence of linear frequency modulation by temperature and DC bias is theoretically modelled and experimentally verified. Based on this finding, an active temperature compensation model by slightly regulating DC bias voltage is established. The experimental results show that the resonator has a slight Duffing nonlinearity and a maximum frequency inaccuracy of only ±6 ppm during a temperature ramp across a testing span of 70 °C. This active technique does not need additional power consumption and is generic to a variety of electrostatic resonators.
Uterine double-conditional inactivation ofSmad2andSmad3in mice causes endometrial dysregulation, infertility, and uterine cancer
Authors: Kriseman Maya , Monsivais Diana , Agno Julio , Masand Ramya P. , Creighton Chad J. , Matzuk Martin M.
Published: January 2019

SMAD2 and SMAD3 are downstream proteins in the transforming growth factor-β (TGF β) signaling pathway that translocate signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus, bind DNA, and control the expression of target genes. While SMAD2/3 have important roles in the ovary, we do not fully understand the roles of SMAD2/3 in the uterus and their implications in the reproductive system. To avoid deleterious effects of global deletion, and given previous data showing redundant function ofSmad2andSmad3, a double-conditional knockout was generated using progesterone receptor-cre (Smad2/3 cKO) mice.Smad2/3cKO mice were infertile due to endometrial hyperproliferation observed as early as 6 weeks of postnatal life. Endometrial hyperplasia worsened with age, and allSmad2/3cKO mice ultimately developed bulky endometrioid-type uterine cancers with 100% mortality by 8 months of age. The phenotype was hormone-dependent and could be prevented with removal of the ovaries at 6 weeks of age but not at 12 weeks. Uterine tumor epithelium was associated with decreased expression of steroid biosynthesis genes, increased expression of inflammatory response genes, and abnormal expression of cell cycle checkpoint genes. Our results indicate the crucial role of SMAD2/3 in maintaining normal endometrial function and confirm the hormone-dependent nature of SMAD2/3 in the uterus. The hyperproliferation of the endometrium affected both implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. Our findings generate a mouse model to study the roles of SMAD2/3 in the uterus and serve to provide insight into the mechanism by which the endometrium can escape the plethora of growth regulatory proteins.
Silver route to cuprate analogs
Authors: Gawraczyński Jakub , Kurzydłowski Dominik , Ewings Russell A. , Bandaru Subrahmanyam , Gadomski Wojciech , Mazej Zoran , Ruani Giampiero , Bergenti Ilaria , Jaroń Tomasz , Ozarowski Andrew , Hill Stephen , Leszczyński Piotr J. , Tokár Kamil , Derzsi Mariana , Barone Paolo , Wohlfeld Krzysztof , Lorenzana José , Grochala Wojciech
Published: January 2019

Significance

Antiferromagnets can host strong quantum fluctuations in their ground state if they combine both low dimensionality and low spin. Materials based on copper oxides (spin-1/2 ions in layered or 1D structures) are unique in optimizing the tendency to strong quantum fluctuations. As a bonus, they show extremely large magnetic interactions, which lead to interesting quantum effects at relatively high temperatures as anomalous transport properties and high-

T

c

superconductivity in doped systems. Obtaining similar features with other ions has been a long-standing goal. We show that silver and fluorine (which are next to copper and oxygen in the periodic table) in the commercial compound

A
g
F

2

reach the goal, paving the way for a different generation of quantum materials.
Polar vacuolar distribution is essential for accurate asymmetric division of
Arabidopsis
zygotes
Authors: Kimata Yusuke , Kato Takehide , Higaki Takumi , Kurihara Daisuke , Yamada Tomomi , Segami Shoji , Morita Miyo Terao , Maeshima Masayoshi , Hasezawa Seiichiro , Higashiyama Tetsuya , Tasaka Masao , Ueda Minako
Published: January 2019

Significance

The vacuole is one of the largest plant organelles. It occupies the basal region of the zygote and is mostly inherited in the basal daughter cell after zygotic division. In spite of the obvious asymmetry, how dynamically the vacuole is distributed and whether it contributes to apical–basal axis formation are unknown. In the present study, we report that the vacuole actively changes its shape and size and positions along actin filaments. We further show that vacuolar distribution supports nuclear localization at the opposite cell end, and thus ensures asymmetric division of the zygote. These results provide insights into cooperative organelle positioning during zygote polarization and the crucial roles of vacuoles in the initial steps of plant ontogeny.
In vivo measurement of trabecular meshwork stiffness in a corticosteroid-induced ocular hypertensive mouse model
Authors: Li Guorong , Lee Chanyoung , Agrahari Vibhuti , Wang Ke , Navarro Iris , Sherwood Joseph M. , Crews Karen , Farsiu Sina , Gonzalez Pedro , Lin Cheng-Wen , Mitra Ashim K. , Ethier C. Ross , Stamer W. Daniel
Published: January 2019

Significance

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The primary and only modifiable risk factor for the development of glaucoma is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and lowering IOP effectively slows glaucomatous disease progression. Unfortunately, the majority of available treatments do not target, or intentionally bypass, the diseased and stiffened glaucomatous outflow tissues responsible for IOP elevation. We recently established that conventional outflow tissue stiffness reflects tissue function. Therefore, detection of outflow tissue stiffness using noncontact, noninvasive optical coherence tomography, as we here demonstrate in an animal model of glaucoma, represents a valuable tool for assessing outflow tissue functional status. Such technology has the potential to monitor recently approved treatments targeting the outflow tissues, and to inform glaucoma surgery decisions.
Pragmatic differentiation of negative markers in the early stages of Jespersen’s cycle in North Germanic
Authors: Blaxter Tam , Willis David
Published: January 2019

This article investigates the pragmatic function of new negative markers during incipient renewal of negation in ‘Jespersen’s cycle’. We outline a typology of these markers, suggesting a pathway by which they begin as specialized for use with discourse-old propositions and later expand to inferred propositions before finally becoming possible with discourse-new propositions. This framework is applied to an overlooked case of Jespersen’s cycle in North Germanic: replacement of early Norwegianei(gi) “not” byekki(originally “nothing”) from 1250 to 1550. We document a sharp rise in frequency ofekkiaround 1425, suggesting that, until then,ekkihad been restricted to negating discourse-old propositions. Once this constraint was lifted,ei(gi) andekkicompeted directly, resulting in rapid replacement ofei(gi) byekki. This typologically unusual direct replacement of a negator with no intervening doubling stage can be attributed to the new negator’s origin as a negative indefinite and the lack of negative concord in early Norwegian.
Competing motivations in the diachronic nominalization of English gerunds
Authors: Fonteyn Lauren , Maekelberghe Charlotte
Published: January 2019

The present study is an in-depth, corpus-based analysis of the rise and institutionalization of the indefinite nominal gerund in Late Modern English, considering the observed developments in light of their interactions with functionally related constructions. Based on historical data taken from the Corpus of Late Modern English Texts (version 3.1), we argue that the rise of indefinite nominal gerunds constitutes an instance ofdiachronic nominalization, in which the nominal gerund over time gradually comes to exploit a fuller range of paradigmatic properties associated with the nominal class. At the same time, this study investigates the potential influence ofisomorphismon the observed developments. While the results do support the frequently investigated claim that language systems have a (weak) preference for a one-form-one-meaning organization in later stages of their development, the initial emergence of indefinite nominal gerunds can more accurately be explained by allowingsystem pressureas an enabling force of linguistic innovation. The picture presented in this study serves as evidence that the long-term development of linguistic constructions can be the result ofcompeting –even maximally opposite –forces.
(Neuro-)Cognitive poetics and computational stylistics
Authors: Jacobs Arthur M.
Published: January 2019

This perspective paper discusses four general desiderata of current computational stylistics and (neuro-)cognitive poetics concerning the development of (a) appropriate databases/training corpora, (b) advanced qualitative-quantitative narrative analysis (Q2NA) and machine learning tools for feature extraction, (c) ecologically valid literary test materials, and (d) open-access reader-response data banks. In six explorative computational stylistics studies, it introduces a number of tools that provide QNA indices of the foregrounding potential at the sublexical, lexical, inter- and supralexical levels for poems by Shakespeare, Blake, or Dickens. These concern lexical diversity and aesthetic potential, sentiment analysis, sublexical sonority scores or phrase structure, and topics analysis. The results illustrate the complex interplay of stylistic features and the necessity for theoretical guidance and interdisciplinary cooperation in selecting adequate training corpora, QNA tools, test texts, and response measures.
Eye movements reveal readers’ sensitivity to deliberate metaphors during narrative reading
Authors: Vries Clarissa de , Reijnierse W. Gudrun , Willems Roel M.
Published: January 2019

Metaphors occur frequently in literary texts. Deliberate Metaphor Theory (DMT; e.g., Steen, 2017) proposes that metaphors that serve a communicative function as metaphor are
radically different from metaphors that do not have this function. We investigated differences in processing between deliberate
and non-deliberate metaphors, compared to non-metaphorical words in literary reading. Using the Deliberate Metaphor Identification
Procedure (Reijnierse et al., 2018), we identified metaphors in two literary stories.
Then, eye-tracking was used to investigate participants’ (N = 72) reading behavior. Deliberate metaphors were
read slower than non-deliberate metaphors, and both metaphor types were read slower than non-metaphorical words. Differences were
controlled for several psycholinguistic variables. Differences in reading behavior were related to individual differences in
reading experience and absorption and appreciation of the story. These results are in line with predictions from DMT and underline
the importance of distinguishing between metaphor types in the experimental study of literary reading.
Amplified Association Between Blood Pressure and Albuminuria in Overweight Patients With Biopsy-Proven Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis
Authors: Kohagura Kentaro , Furuichi Kengo , Kochi Masako , Shimizu Miho , Yuzawa Yukio , Hara Akinori , Toyama Tadashi , Kitamura Hiroshi , Suzuki Yoshiki , Sato Hiroshi , Uesugi Noriko , Ubara Yoshifumi , Hoshino Junichi , Hisano Satoshi , Ueda Yoshihiko , Nishi Shinichi , Yokoyama Hitoshi , Nishino Tomoya , Ogawa Daisuke , Mise Koki , Shibagaki Yugo , Kimura Kenjiro , Haneda Masakazu , Makino Hirofumi , Matsuo Seiichi , Wada Takashi ,   Research Group of Diabetic Nephropathy and Nephrosclerosis, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

An overweight person is at high risk for hypertensive renal damage. The effect of weight on the association between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and albuminuria remains unknown in patients with histologically diagnosed hypertensive nephrosclerosis.

METHODS

A total of 97 patients with biopsy-confirmed hypertensive nephrosclerosis were recruited from 13 centers throughout Japan. We examined the relationship between SBP and proteinuria among those who were overweight, which is defined as a body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, and those who were not. We examined the interaction of weight and SBP with albuminuria at baseline and with the changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) during the observational period.

RESULTS

Our results included mean age (54 years old), blood pressure (138/80), eGFR (53 ml/min/1.73 m2), and urine albumin levels (0.2 g/day). SBP was significantly correlated with log-transformed urine albumin levels (r = 0.4, P = 0.01) in patients who were overweight (n = 38) compared with patients who were not overweight (n = 59). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the interaction between being overweight and SBP with respect to albuminuria was significantly correlated with the log-transformed urine albumin level (β = 0.39, P = 0.047) and was independent of age, sex, and potential confounding factors. The interaction between weight and SBP ≥140 mm Hg was significantly associated with a greater decrease in eGFR in the following 3 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Being overweight may enhance susceptibility to hypertensive glomerular damage and may eventually lead to renal progression in patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis.
Association of Orthostatic Hypotension Timing With Clinical Events in Adults With Diabetes and Hypertension: Results From the ACCORD Trial
Authors: Juraschek Stephen P , Lipsitz Lewis A , Beach Jennifer L , Mukamal Kenneth J
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of orthostatic hypotension (OH) measurement timing on its associations with dizziness, falls, fractures, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality.

METHODS

We analyzed OH measurements from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes BP trial, which evaluated two blood pressure (BP) goals (systolic BP [SBP] < 120 mm Hg vs. SBP < 140 mm Hg) and incident CVD among adults with diabetes and hypertension. Seated BP was measured after 5 minutes of rest at baseline and follow-up visits (12 months, 48 months, and exit). Standing BP was measured 3 consecutive times (M1–M3) after standing, starting at 1 minute with each measurement separated by 1 minute. Consensus OH was defined as a drop in SBP ≥ 20 mm Hg or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥ 10 mm Hg. Participants were asked about orthostatic dizziness, recent falls, and recent fractures, and underwent surveillance for CVD events and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

There were 4,268 participants with OH assessments over 8,450 visits (mean age 62.6 years [SD = 6.6]; 46.6% female; 22.3% black). Although all measures of consensus OH were significantly associated with dizziness, none were associated with falls, and only M2 (~3 minutes) was significantly associated with fractures. No measurements were associated with CVD events, but later measurements were significantly associated with mortality. BP treatment goal did not increase risk of OH regardless of timing. Associations were not consistently improved by the mean or minimum of M1–M3.

CONCLUSION

In this population of adults with hypertension and diabetes, neither single time nor set of measurements were clearly superior with regard to outcomes. These findings support the use of a flexibly timed, single measurement to assess OH in clinical practice.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

Trial Number NCT00000620
Intensive Care Admissions and Associated Severity of Influenza B Versus A During Influenza B Vaccine–mismatched Seasons
Authors: Korem Maya , Orenbuch-Harroch Efrat , Ben-Chetrit Eli , Israel Sarah , Cohen Matan J , Sviri Sigal , Levin Phillip D , Mandelboim Michal , Wolf Dana G
Published: January 2019

Patients admitted to hospital with influenza B and A in Jerusalem, Israel, during the 2015–2016 and 2017–2018 influenza seasons demonstrated similar rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and associated disease severity. Most (63%) influenza B ICU patients received influenza B–mismatched trivalent vaccine. These findings call into question the equivalence of trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines in preventing severe influenza B.
Destination Joint Spacers, Reinfection, and Antimicrobial Suppression
Authors: Valencia Jose Carlo B , Abdel Matthew P , Virk Abinash , Osmon Douglas R , Razonable Raymund R
Published: January 2019

In this cohort of 51 patients managed with retained “destination spacers” after the resection of infected joint prostheses, the presence of preoperative sinus drainage was significantly associated with reinfection. Chronic antimicrobial suppression after destination-spacer retention did not significantly prevent reinfections.
FoxO1 inhibits autophagosome-lysosome fusion leading to endothelial autophagic-apoptosis in diabetes
Authors: Zhang Hui , Ge Song , He Kesuai , Zhao Xin , Wu Ya , Shao Yongfeng , Wu Xiaohong
Published: January 2019

Aims

Inadequate autophagy contributed to endothelial dysfunction in diabetic patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between inadequate autophagy and endothelial cells (ECs) apoptosis in diabetes and its underlying mechanism.

Methods and results

Aortic intima and ECs were isolated from diabetic patients. Cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were stimulated with advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The expression of autophagy and apoptosis-related proteins were determined by western blotting. Autophagosomes were observed by electron microscopy. The fusion of autophagosome and lysosomes was detected by immunofluorescence. Compared with non-diabetic subjects, the levels of LC3-II, p62, FoxO1, and Ac-FoxO1 were increased in ECs from diabetic patients, accompanied by the decreased expressions of Atg14, STX17, and co-localization of LC3-II/LAMP2 and Atg14/STX17. Long-term stimulation with AGEs up-regulated LC3-II and p62 expression and the number of autophagosomes with decreased level of Atg14, STX17, Ras-related protein 7 (Rab7), and co-localization of LC3-II/LAMP2 and Atg14/STX17 in HAECs. The apoptosis rates were increased with elevated cleaved-caspase-3 and declined Bcl-2 expression. Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine could reduce long-term AGEs-induced apoptosis. Higher levels of FoxO1, Ac-FoxO1, and Ac-FoxO1 binding to Atg7 were detected in AGEs-treated HAECs. AGEs-induced FoxO1 enhanced Akt activity, decreased SIRT1-deacetylase activity by phosphorylation and elevated Ac-FoxO1. Knockout of FoxO1 reduced AGEs-induced autophagy and promoted the expression of Atg14 and the co-localization of LC3-II/LAMP 2 and Atg14/STX17.

Conclusion

Inadequate autophagy with impaired autophagosome-lysosomal fusion exists in aortic intima and ECs from diabetic patients. FoxO1 mediates AGEs-induced ECs autophagic apoptosis through impairing autophagosome-lysosomes fusion by inhibiting Atg14 expression.
Precessing spherical shells: flows, dissipation, dynamo and the lunar core
Authors: Cébron D , Laguerre R , Noir J , Schaeffer N
Published: January 2019

Precession of planets or moons affects internal liquid layers by driving flows, instabilities and possibly dynamos. The energy dissipated by these phenomena can influence orbital parameters such as the planet’s spin rate. However, there is no systematic study of these flows in the spherical shell geometry relevant for planets, and the lack of scaling law prevents convincing extrapolation to celestial bodies. We have run more than 900 simulations of fluid spherical shells affected by precession, to systematically study basic flows, instabilities, turbulence and magnetic field generation. We observe no significant effects of the inner core on the onset of the instabilities. We obtain an analytical estimate of the viscous dissipation, mostly due to boundary layer friction in our simulations. We propose theoretical onsets for hydrodynamic instabilities, and document the intensity of turbulent fluctuations. We extend previous precession dynamo studies towards lower viscosities, at the limits of today’s computers. In the low viscosity regime, precession dynamos rely on the presence of large-scale vortices, and the surface magnetic fields are dominated by small scales. Interestingly, intermittent and self-killing dynamos are observed. Our results suggest that large-scale planetary magnetic fields are unlikely to be produced by a precession-driven dynamo in a spherical core. But this question remains open as planetary cores are not exactly spherical, and thus the coupling between the fluid and the boundary does not vanish in the relevant limit of small viscosity. Moreover, the fully turbulent dissipation regime has not yet been reached in simulations. Our results suggest that the melted lunar core has been in a turbulent state throughout its history. Furthermore, in the view of recent experimental results, we propose updated formulas predicting the fluid mean rotation vector and the associated dissipation in both the laminar and the turbulent regimes.
Stability of Pure Nilpotent Structures on Collapsed Manifolds
Authors: Jiang Zuohai , Xu Shicheng
Published: January 2019

The goal of this paper is to study the stability of pure nilpotent structures on an $n$-manifold for different collapsed metrics. We prove that if two metrics with bounded sectional curvature are $L_0$-bi-Lipschitz equivalent and sufficient collapsed (depending on $L_0$ and $n$), then up to a diffeomorphism, the underlying nilpotent Killing structures coincide with each other, or one is embedded into another as a subsheaf. It improves Cheeger–Fukaya–Gromov’s local compatibility of pure nilpotent Killing structures for one collapsed metric to two Lipschitz equivalent metrics. As an application, we prove that those pure nilpotent Killing structures constructed by various smoothing methods to a Lipschitz equivalent metric with bounded sectional curvature are uniquely determined by the original metric modulo a diffeomorphism.
Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Management
Authors: Woods Kendra , Bell Michael J.
Published: January 2019

TBI is the leading cause of death in children in the United States. The burden of pediatric TBI (pTBI) is expected to exceed $30 billion annually within the United States. in pTBI, the primary injury consists of damage to the brain itself, hematomas that occur around the brain and other damage to the cranium and blood vessels of the brain. After the primary injury, pathological processes evolve over hours to days that can lead secondary injury. These include alterations in cerebral blood flow, cerebral swelling, intracranial pressure, seizures, and altered brain metabolism. Currently mechanical therapies include surgical evacuation, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, therapeutic maneuvers: hyperventilation. Medication include hyperosmolar therapies, barbiturates and drug-induced coma and experimental therapy also include hypothermia. In summary, evidenced-based guidelines of pTBI care are still limited. Future research should focus on establishing higher levels of evidence and working toward personalizing the care of pTBI patients.