bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and the Five Stages Model In Selected Social Work Textbooks
Authors: Corr Charles A.
Published: September 2020

Professional social work is a discipline in which practitioners often find themselves engaged in addressing issues related to illness, crises, and loss. Professional social work is also a discipline with links to many associated disciplines, especially those in the social sciences such as psychology, sociology, and gerontology, as well as provision of care in such fields as hospice/palliative care, bereavement support, and counseling. Exploring some aspects of educational programs for professional social workers may help illuminate how professionals are prepared to function in many of these disciplines and areas of human services. This article offers a critical analysis of one limited but important aspect of the education offered to social work students, namely how the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and her five stages model are presented in five recent social work textbooks. In each case, there is a description and critical analysis of what authors of these five books write about these subjects. These analyses lead to suggestions concerning how these subjects should or should not be presented in educational programs for students and as guidelines for practice in social work, associated disciplines, and related areas of human services.
Estimated Frequency of Psychodermatologic Conditions in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Turk Tarek , Dytoc Marlene , Youngson Erik , Abba-Aji Adam , Mathura Pamela , Fujiwara Esther
Published: September 2020

Background

Psychodermatologic disorders are difficult to identify and treat. Knowledge about the prevalence of these conditions in dermatological practice in Canada is scarce. This hampers our ability to address potential gaps and establish optimal care pathways.

Objectives

To provide an estimate of the frequencies of psychodermatologic conditions in dermatological practice in Alberta, Canada.

Methods

Two administrative provincial databases were used to estimate the prevalence of potential psychodermatological conditions in Alberta from 2014 to 2018. Province-wide dermatology claims data were examined to extract relevant International Classification of Disease codes as available. Claims were linked with pharmacy dispensation data to identify patients who received at least 1 psychoactive medication within 90 days of the dermatology claim.

Results

Of 243 963 patients identified, 28.6% had received at least 1 psychotropic medication (mean age: 47.9 years; 67.5% female). Rates of concurrent psychotropic medications were highest for pruritus and related conditions (46.7%), followed by urticaria (44.5%) and hyperhidrosis (32.8%). Among patients with psychotropic medications, rates of antidepressants were highest (56.3%), followed by anxiolytics (37.1%). Across billing codes, besides hyperhidrosis (71.2%), diseases of hair (61.4%) and psoriasis (59.1%) had the highest rates of antidepressant dispensations. Patients with atopic dermatitis had the highest rates for anxiolytic prescriptions (54.3%).

Conclusion

In a 5-year window, more than a quarter of the identified dermatology patients in Alberta received at least 1 psychotropic medication, pointing to high rates of potential psychodermatologic conditions and/or concurrent mental health issues in dermatology. Diagnostic and care pathways should include a multidisciplinary approach to better identify and treat these conditions.
Characteristic Clinical and Dermoscopic Features of Nonvolar Poroma
Authors: Ha Dae-Lyong , Lee Gi-Wook , Shin Kihyuk , Kim Hoon-Soo , Ko Hyun-Chang , Kim Byung-Soo , Kim Moon-Bum
Published: September 2020

Background

A poroma typically presents as a solitary, pink-to-red papule or nodule in acral volar areas. However, in nonvolar areas, this typical clinical feature (TCF) can be difficult to identify.

Objective

We aimed to compare clinical and dermoscopic characteristics between nonvolar poroma (NVP) and volar (ie, typical) poroma (VP).

Methods

We assessed the clinical and dermoscopic characteristics of 40 patients with poromas who were divided into the NVP and VP groups.

Results

Of the 40 patients, 20 (50.0%) were allocated to the NVP group and 20 (50.0%) to the VP group. Pigmented variants were more common in the NVP group than in the VP group (60.0% vs 5.0%). The TCF of poroma was observed less frequently in the NVP than the VP group (45.0% vs 85.0%). Approximately one-third (30.0%) of patients with NVP received an initial clinical diagnosis of skin cancer. Dermoscopic patterns associated with melanoma or basal cell carcinoma were more common in the NVP group than in the VP group (65% vs 30%).

Conclusions

Skin cancer-associated clinicodermoscopic features were more frequently observed in patients with NVP, who simultaneously lost dermoscopic patterns associated to poromas and acquired those associated with skin cancer, than those with VP.
Collaborative storytelling and canon fluidity in The Adventure Zone podcast
Authors: Wyld Jasper
Published: September 2020

Podcast fiction storytelling is an underdeveloped area of new media studies. There is a wealth of texts available suitable for exploration. The example of The Adventure Zone in particular presents a strong argument that the medium possesses its own singular strengths for storytelling. The Adventure Zone is a fictional, audio-only, serialised podcast in which a narrative of both considerable length and depth is constructed through the playing of tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. It is hosted by the McElroy brothers, Griffin, Justin, and Travis, along with their father, Clint. The Adventure Zone demonstrates the unique qualities and noteworthy potential the podcast medium possesses. The McElroy family collaborates utilising comedy improv practices, which are strengthened by the game’s mechanics and rules. The line between characters and players – along with the line between textual and metatextual, canonical and non-canonical, diegetic and non-diegetic data – is significantly blurred through instances such as self-reflexivity and popular culture references. The fourth wall is inapplicable to The Adventure Zone. It is necessary to re-imagine it instead as a permeable curtain separating the players from the characters. The listeners are provided with a clear view of not only the story of The Adventure Zone, but the construction of its creation. There are few mediums in which the audience can so effectively and candidly witness the storytelling process. Comparisons drawn from the original text – The Adventure Zone podcast – to its ongoing adaptations – The Adventure Zone graphic novels – illustrates this fact further. The collaborative, improvisational, metafictional qualities of the dynamic audio-only medium of podcasts are absent from static visual mediums.
Backlash against naming and shaming: The politics of status and emotion
Authors: Snyder Jack
Published: September 2020

The most prominent approach to promoting human rights features the naming and shaming of perpetrators of abuses and those who abet them, including the tactic of ranking non-compliant states relative to their peers to undermine their international status. Neither activists nor the scholars who study them have paid much attention to the emotional dynamics of the targeted group, and in particular to the emotions of shame and shaming, nor to the sociological mechanisms that underpin the politics of status and status competition. This article draws upon relatively ignored, yet mainstream theoretical literatures in psychology, social psychology, and sociology in arguing that naming and shaming tactics often lead to backlash by those who are targeted. Transnational human rights advocacy commonly appeals to the norms of exporting society. On the recipient side, this external outrage plays into the hands of elites in a traditional power structure, drawing energy from outrage at loss of status in a way that motivates widespread popular backlash. The backlash narrative alters public discourse, reinvigorates and reshapes traditional institutions, and in these ways locks in and perpetuates patterns that leave the progressive namers and shamers farther from their goals. Beyond arguing that this is a common pattern, I will also investigate the conditions and tactics that are less likely to spur counterproductive backlash.
Familial risk and heritability of ischemic heart disease and stroke in Danish twins
Authors: Osler Merete , Villumsen Martin Dalgaard , Jørgensen Martin Balslev , Hjelmborg Jacob V.B. , Christensen Kaare , Wium-Andersen Marie Kim
Published: September 2020

Aim: Our aim was to explore whether familial factors influence the risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, and their co-occurrence. Methods: In total, 23,498 monozygotic and 39,540 same-sex dizygotic twins from the Danish Twin Registry were followed from 1977 to 2011 in the Danish National Patient Registry for ischemic heart disease and stroke. Time-to-event analyses accounting for censoring and competing risk of death were used to estimate familial risk (casewise concordance relative to the cumulative incidence) and heritability of ischemic heart disease, stroke, and the co-occurrence by age. Results: During follow-up, we observed 5561 and 4186 twin individuals with ischemic heart disease and stroke respectively, with 936 twin pairs concordant for ischemic heart disease and stroke. Familial risks were significant for both, with higher cumulative risks in monozygotic than in dizygotic twins. Estimates for heritability were significant for ischemic heart disease as well as for stroke diagnosed after the age of 80. The casewise concordance of ischemic heart disease in twins whose co-twin was diagnosed with stroke did not differ for monozygotic and dizygotic twins; however, from age 55 it was 10% higher than the cumulative risk in the overall twin cohort and was 25% higher at age 90. A similar pattern was seen for stroke following the co-twin’s ischemic heart disease. Conclusions: As in previous studies, we found a higher heritability of ischemic heart disease than of stroke. There was a significant familial risk but no heritability for the co-occurrence of ischemic heart disease and stroke. The co-occurrence is therefore likely due to other shared familial than genetic factors, highlighting that preventive initiatives should target families rather than individuals.
The impact of workspace location and indoor environmental quality on employees' satisfaction within office buildings: A case study in Cairo
Authors: Aboulfotouh Ahmed Khaled , Tolba Osama , Ezzeldin Sherif
Published: September 2020

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) could influences employees' satisfaction and performance in office buildings. Previous research have suggested that factors such as gender, age, proximity from a window could influence employees' perceived satisfaction with IEQ. This study as a part of an ongoing research attempts to investigate the impact of workspace location on employees' satisfaction with IEQ parameters and overall satisfaction with personal workspace within office buildings in Cairo. Employees' subjective evaluation of satisfaction with IEQ parameters were collected using a questionnaire as a post occupancy evaluation survey. Responses were collected and quantitatively analysed using software package used for statistical analysis (SPSS). Diversity in levels of satisfaction among employees within the same building was found highly sensitive to their workspace location. Building orientation and external views could influence employees' satisfaction with IEQ parameters and overall satisfaction with personal workspace. Employees with highest perceived satisfaction with IEQ parameters and overall satisfaction with personal workspace seem to prefer their workspaces to be located on the ground floor, away from a window, either in the middle of the building or on the southern façade and not overlooking the courtyard. The study recommends that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification criteria should reconsider employees' satisfaction with IEQ parameters in developing IEQ credits and LEED certification process.
Use of an eHealth tool for exercise training and online contact in people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen treatment: A feasibility study
Authors: Sönnerfors Pernilla , Wadell Karin , Dohrn Ing-Mari , Nyberg André , Runold Michael , Halvarsson Alexandra
Published: September 2020

Technology developments and demand for flexibility in health care and in contact with the health care system are two factors leading to increased use of eHealth solutions. The use of eHealth has been shown to have positive effects in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but the full potential for this group needs to be explored. Therefore, the aim was to evaluate the feasibility of an eHealth tool used for exercise training and online contacts for people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The 10-week intervention included an eHealth tool for exercise training in home environment and regular online contacts, as well as weekly e-rounds for health care professionals. Seven of the nine participants completed the study. The eHealth tool was found to be feasible for e-rounds, exercise training and online contacts. Participants could manage the tool and adhere to training; positive effects were shown, and no adverse events occurred. Technical functions need to be improved.
Development and validation of a novel quasi-dimensional combustion model for un-scavenged prechamber gas engines with numerical simulations and engine experiments
Authors: Bardis Konstantinos , Kyrtatos Panagiotis , Xu Guoqing , Barro Christophe , Wright Yuri Martin , Boulouchos Konstantinos
Published: September 2020

Lean-burn gas engines equipped with an un-scavenged prechamber have proven to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and fuel consumption, while mitigating combustion cycle-to-cycle fluctuations and unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) emissions. However, the performance of a prechamber gas engine is largely dependent on the prechamber design, which has to be optimised for the particular main chamber geometry and the foreseen engine operating conditions. Optimisation of such complex engine components relies partly on computationally efficient simulation tools, such as quasi and zero-dimensional models, since extensive experimental investigations can be costly and time-consuming. This article presents a newly developed quasi-dimensional (Q-D) combustion model for un-scavenged prechamber gas engines, which is motivated by the need for reliable low order models to optimise the principle design parameters of the prechamber. Our fundamental aim is to enhance the predictability and robustness of the proposed model with the inclusion of the following: (i) Formal derivation of the combustion and flow submodels via reduction of the corresponding three-dimensional models. (ii) Individual validation of the various submodels. (iii) Combined use of numerical simulations and experiments for the model validation. The resulting model shows very good agreement with the numerical simulations and the experiments from two different engines with various prechamber geometries using a set of fixed calibration parameters.
Applying Sen’s Capabilities Approach to the Delivery of Positive Youth Justice
Authors: Williams Katherine S. , Daniel Heddwen
Published: September 2020

Since 2000 the Welsh Government’s (WG) policy has been to provide rights and entitlements to all children in Wales. However, this is not fully implemented partly due to an underspecified meaning of ‘children first’ and ‘well-being’ and their role in relation to ‘justice’. We propose that clarity could be achieved through a novel exploitation of Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach to achieving social justice. This would require the identification and mitigation of socio-structural barriers which undermine the ability of a child to live a positive life, a life where they can meet their full potential without harm to themselves or others.
Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the Arab Countries: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors
Authors: Mojahed Amera , Alaidarous Nada , Shabta Hanade , Hegewald Janice , Garthus-Niegel Susan
Published: September 2020

Intimate partner violence (IPV) profoundly damages physical, sexual, reproductive, and psychological health, as well as social well-being of individuals and families. We sought in this systematic review to examine the risk factors according to the integrative ecological theoretical framework for IPV for women living in the Arab countries. We searched Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS, supplemented by hand searching of reference lists. A research strategy was developed and observational studies were included if they considered female participants (age ≥13) in heterosexual relationships, estimates of potential risk factors of IPV, and IPV as a primary outcome. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the risk factors data from 30 cross-sectional studies. Factors associated with increased IPV against women were extracted and categorized into four levels according to the updated integrative ecological model. At the individual level, risk factors were either related to victims or perpetrators of IPV. Factors relating to marriage, conflict within the family, etc., were explored and included within the family level, whereas factors relating to the extended family and the nature of marriage were included in the community level. Finally, risk factors relating to the cultural context that are influenced by the political and religious backgrounds were included in the societal level. The complex structure of violence against women in the Arab world calls for socioculturally sensitive interventions, which should be accompanied by systematic and structured work aimed at improving Arab women’s status at all levels.
RASL11B gene enhances hyaluronic acid-mediated chondrogenic differentiation in human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells via the activation of Sox9/ERK/smad signals
Authors: Luo Yi , Wang Ai-Tong , Zhang Qing-Fang , Liu Ru-Ming , Xiao Jian-Hui
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, whereby hyaluronic acid, a main extracellular matrix component of articular cartilage, promotes the chondrogenic differentiation of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs). Our previous findings indicated that hyaluronic acid combined with hAMSCs showed a marked therapeutic effect against rat osteoarthritis. In the present study, hyaluronic acid markedly enhanced the expression of chondrocyte-specific markers including Col2α1, Acan, and Sox9 in hAMSCs, with strong synergistic effects on chondrogenic differentiation, in combination with the commonly used inducer, transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3). Microarray analysis showed that Ras-like protein family member 11B (RASL11B) played a pivotal role in the process of hyaluronic acid-mediated chondrogenesis of hAMSCs. This directional differentiation was significantly inhibited by RASL11B knockdown, but RASL11B overexpression dramatically promoted the expression of Sox9, a master chondrogenesis transcriptional factor, at the levels of transcription and translation. Increased Sox9 expression subsequently resulted in high expression levels of Col2α1 and Acan and the accumulation of cartilage-specific matrix components, such as type 2 collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Moreover, we observed that RASL11B activated the signal molecules such as ERK1/2, and Smad2/3 in the presence of hyaluronic acid during TGF-β3-induced chondrogenesis of hAMSCs. Taken together, these findings suggest that hyaluronic acid activates the RASL11B gene to potentiate the chondrogenic differentiation of hAMSCs via the activation of Sox9 and ERK/Smad signaling, thus providing a new strategy for cartilage defect repairing by hyaluronic acid-based stem cell therapy.
Naked mole-rats lack cold sensitivity before and after nerve injury
Authors: Poulson Sandra J , Aldarraji Ahmed , Arain Iqra I , Dziekonski Natalia , Motlana Keza , Riley Rachel , Holmes Melissa M , Martin Loren J
Published: September 2020

Neuropathic pain is a chronic disease state resulting from injury to the nervous system. This type of pain often responds poorly to standard treatments and occasionally may get worse instead of better over time. Patients who experience neuropathic pain report sensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli. Since the nociceptive system of African naked mole-rats contains unique adaptations that result in insensitivity to some pain types, we investigated whether naked mole-rats may be resilient to sensitivity following nerve injury. Using the spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain, we showed that sensitivity to mechanical stimuli developed similarly in mice and naked mole-rats. However, naked mole-rats lacked sensitivity to mild cold stimulation after nerve injury, while mice developed robust cold sensitivity. We pursued this response deficit by testing behavior to activators of transient receptor potential (TRP) receptors involved in detecting cold in naïve animals. Following mustard oil, a TRPA1 activator, naked mole-rats responded similarly to mice. Conversely, icilin, a TRPM8 agonist, did not evoke pain behavior in naked mole-rats when compared with mice. Finally, we used RNAscope to probe for TRPA1 and TRPM8 messenger RNA expression in dorsal root ganglia of both species. We found increased TRPA1 messenger RNA, but decreased TRPM8 punctae in naked mole-rats when compared with mice. Our findings likely reflect species differences due to evolutionary environmental responses that are not easily explained by differences in receptor expression between the species.
Verification of the accuracy and reliability of the TrackMan tennis radar
Authors: Murata Munenori , Takahashi Hiroo
Published: September 2020

TrackMan, a device used to measure the kinematics of a ball in flight, has recently been used for research and coaching purposes in tennis, and the number of studies on this device is expected to increase. This study is focused on verifying the accuracy of TrackMan; three participants performed services with various velocities and angular velocity combinations. TrackMan and a proven method based on computer vision were used to measure the speed, spin rate, and spin axis of the ball. The results obtained using each method were compared using regression analysis, intraclass correlation coefficients, and Bland–Altman analysis. The speed and spin rate of the two methods agreed well; the degree of error would not be problematic in practical applications. However, TrackMan underestimated the speed if it was unable to detect the hitting position. The spin axis measured by TrackMan was unstable under low spin rate conditions (<3000 rpm). Furthermore, the standard deviation of the spin axis measurement error exceeded the difference between the average slice and kick service spin axes reported in the previous study, so the spin axis measurement accuracy was very low for research purposes, even when the spin rate was above 3000 rpm. For those who are aware of the existence of outliers, TrackMan can be useful for coaching because it provides instant feedback. Similarly, the measured rotational speed and spin rate could be used in the study.
Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the 10-year Fracture Risk Assessment Tool into Filipino
Authors: del Rosario Pauline Melisse S , Ticman Misael Jonathan A , Caro Leo Daniel D
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

Screening tools for osteoporosis are relatively expensive and inaccessible to the general Filipino population. This study aims to develop a Filipino version of a validated measure, the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX), in order to facilitate improvement of fracture prevention care in the country.

Methods:

The FRAX was translated and culturally adapted into a Filipino version using established forward and backward translation methods and was succeedingly tested for equivalence to the original. The final version was administered to 120 outpatients and was tested for reliability using peripheral dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements of the distal radius.

Results:

To be better understood and reliably answered by the Filipino population, several qualifiers were added to items such as previous fracture and rheumatoid arthritis. This was to account for the high incidence of high-energy trauma in the country and the use of the same Filipino term for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as with other arthritides, respectively.

Conclusion:

The Filipino version of the FRAX appears to be an acceptable and reliable instrument, serving as a low-cost alternative to bone mineral density (BMD) and DXA scans which are generally inaccessible and unaffordable by majority of the populations.
‘Scheduled Tribe Dalit’ and the Recognition of Tribal Casteism
Authors: Christopher Stephen
Published: September 2020

While the term ‘tribalism’ in the West draws from outmoded anthropological theory to describe the hardening of partisan group boundaries, in Himachal Pradesh it describes the contested recognition of caste heterogeneity within Scheduled Tribes (ST). Based on 15 months of fieldwork among Gaddis, this article seeks to understand the intersectionality of low-caste groups embedded within tribal formations, partially assimilated, unevenly accepted and without legal protections afforded to other marginalised communities. I argue that recognising tribal casteism is the first step to theorise tribal multiculturalism and the ever-contested broadening of communal boundaries. By tracking the discourse of ‘Scheduled Tribe Dalit’ (STD) in the Western Himalayas, this article analyses the looping effect between emic belonging and the role of state ethnology in incentivising difference.
Shedding new light on residential property price variation in England: A multi-scale exploration
Authors: Chi Bin , Dennett Adam , Oléron-Evans Thomas , Morphet Robin
Published: September 2020

Exploring the nature of spatial and temporal variation in house prices is important because it can help better understand such issues as affordability and equity of access to housing. In the UK, research on house price variation has been hindered by a lack of extensive data linking the prices of properties at different places and times to their physical attributes. This paper addresses this gap through using a new dataset linking Land Registry Price Paid Data to attribute data from Ordnance Survey and Energy Performance Certificates datasets. The new data are used to investigate spatial disparities in England’s house prices at four geographical scales (from local authority to individual address) between 2009 and 2016 – a period of sustained price rises after the global financial crisis of 2008. We selected two housing price measures for comparison, namely transaction price and the house price per square metre. Multilevel variance components models are used to estimate variation in the two house price measures at four different spatial scales and we compare spatial disparities in the two measures at these different scales. Our results suggest that accounting for the size of properties by using house price per square metre offers a more accurate picture of house price variation than does the use of transaction prices at the same geographic scale. Spatial disparities in house price per square metre are more apparent and are seen to be clustered at local authority level and highly clustered at Middle Layer Super Output Area level, with imbalances increasing during this eight-year period and highlighting the strong and growing influence of London on the national housing market.
Independence in the Making: Using Makerspace Experiences to Build Foundational Entrepreneurial Competencies
Authors: Kennedy Elena Dowin , McMahon Sean R. , Reis Dan
Published: September 2020

This paper describes the makerspace challenge, an experiential assignment that builds foundational entrepreneurial competencies through the creation of artifacts within campus makerspaces. This assignment strengthens student ability to navigate ambiguity, learn new technologies, effectively utilize resources, and bring creative ideas to reality in a low stakes supportive environment. Students choose 3 out of 4 pre-identified projects to complete outside of class over a three week period, presenting a tangible artifact in-class each week. Grounded in constructionist pedagogy, this assignment is particularly appropriate for introductory entrepreneurship courses, but can easily be scaffolded to be applicable throughout the entrepreneurship curriculum.
An updated database for ground motion parameters for KiK-net records
Authors: Bahrampouri Mahdi , Rodriguez-Marek Adrian , Shahi Shrey , Dawood Haitham
Published: September 2020

This article presents a database of ground motions parameters for earthquakes recorded in Japan by the Kiban Kyoshin network (KiK-net). The database includes all earthquakes in the KiK-net website with magnitude larger than three and recorded between 1996 and the end of 2017. In addition to the information KiK-net provides for each event, we have enriched the database using moment tensor solutions provided by the F-net website and, when available, finite-fault source models from the literature. Various distance measures are computed for each ground motion, including estimates of rupture distance for sufficiently large events, including those with finite-fault source models. Each ground motion is processed using an automated algorithm. Several intensity measures (i.e. spectral acceleration, smoothed and down-sampled Fourier amplitude, Arias intensity, and duration measures) of the processed ground motions are presented in the database. Intensity measures are computed both for surface and borehole records. Finally, the database includes parameters for the recording sites based on shear wave velocity profiles provided by KiK-net.
Cigarette smoke-initiated autoimmunity facilitates sensitisation to elastin-induced COPD-like pathologies in mice
Authors: Zhou Jie-Sen , Li Zhou-Yang , Xu Xu-Chen , Zhao Yun , Wang Yong , Chen Hai-Pin , Zhang Min , Wu Yin-Fang , Lai Tian-Wen , Di Chun-Hong , Dong Ling-Ling , Liu Juan , Xuan Nan-Xia , Zhu Chen , Wu Yan-Ping , Huang Hua-Qiong , Yan Fu-Gui , Hua Wen , Wang Yi , Xiong Wei-Ning , Qiu Hui , Chen Tao , Weng Dong , Li Hui-Ping , Zhou Xiaobo , Wang Lie , Liu Fang , Lin Xin , Ying Song-Min , Li Wen , Imamura Mitsuru , Choi Mary E. , Stampfli Martin R. , Choi Augustine M.K. , Chen Zhi-Hua , Shen Hua-Hao
Published: September 2020

It is currently not understood whether cigarette smoke exposure facilitates sensitisation to self-antigens and whether ensuing auto-reactive T cells drive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-associated pathologies.

To address this question, mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 2 weeks. Following a 2-week period of rest, mice were challenged intratracheally with elastin for 3 days or 1 month.Rag1−/−,Mmp12−/−, andIl17a−/−mice and neutralising antibodies against active elastin fragments were used for mechanistic investigations. Human GVAPGVGVAPGV/HLA-A*02:01 tetramer was synthesised to assess the presence of elastin-specific T cells in patients with COPD.

We observed that 2 weeks of cigarette smoke exposure induced an elastin-specific T cell response that led to neutrophilic airway inflammation and mucus hyperproduction following elastin recall challenge. Repeated elastin challenge for 1 month resulted in airway remodelling, lung function decline and airspace enlargement. Elastin-specific T cell recall responses were dose dependent and memory lasted for over 6 months. Adoptive T cell transfer and studies in T cells deficientRag1−/−mice conclusively implicated T cells in these processes. Mechanistically, cigarette smoke exposure-induced elastin-specific T cell responses were matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)12-dependent, while the ensuing immune inflammatory processes were interleukin 17A-driven. Anti-elastin antibodies and T cells specific for elastin peptides were increased in patients with COPD.

These data demonstrate that MMP12-generated elastin fragments serve as a self-antigen and drive the cigarette smoke-induced autoimmune processes in mice that result in a bronchitis-like phenotype and airspace enlargement. The study provides proof of concept of cigarette smoke-induced autoimmune processes and may serve as a novel mouse model of COPD.
A Survey of Mathematical Tools in Topology and Performance Integrated Modeling and Design of Robotic Mechanism
Authors: Huo Xinming , Yang Shuofei , Lian Binbin , Sun Tao , Song Yimin
Published: September 2020

Topology and performance are the two main topics dealt in the development of robotic mechanisms. However, it is still a challenge to connect them by integrating the modeling and design process of both parts in a unified frame. As the properties associated with topology and performance, finite motion and instantaneous motion of the robot play key roles in the procedure. On the purpose of providing a fundamental preparation for integrated modeling and design, this paper carries out a review on the existing unified mathematic frameworks for motion description and computation, involving matrix Lie group and Lie algebra, dual quaternion and pure dual quaternion, finite screw and instantaneous screw. Besides the application in robotics, the review of the work from these mathematicians concentrates on the description, composition and intersection operations of the finite and instantaneous motions, especially on the exponential-differential maps which connect the two sides. Furthermore, an in-depth discussion is worked out by investigating the algebraical relationship among these methods and their further progress in integrated robotic development. The presented review offers insightful investigation to the motion description and computation, and therefore would help designers to choose appropriate mathematical tool in the integrated design and modeling and design of mechanisms and robots.
Anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties of four pioneer species in Malaysia
Authors: Hamdan H. , Nordahlia A. S. , Anwar U. M. K. , Iskandar M. Mohd , Omar M. K. Mohamad , K Tumirah
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties of four pioneer species, i.e., batai (Paraserianthes moluccana), ludai (Sapium baccatum), mahang (Macaranga gigantea), and sesendok (Endospermum malaccense). Correlation of factors influencing density, shrinkage, and mechanical properties were also discussed. Samples were obtained from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) campus. From the result obtained, these four pioneer species characterised by medium-to-large vessel with absent of tyloses and gum deposit, fine ray, thin walled fibre, runkel ratio less than 1.0, low in density, and mechanical properties. Sesendok has significantly higher value in fibre length, fibre diameter, fibre lumen diameter, fibre wall thickness, vessel diameter, density, MOR, MOE, compression parallel to grain, and shear parallel to grain compared to the other three pioneer species which were 2001 µm, 45 µm, 35 µm, 5.1 µm, 300 µm, 514 kg/m3, 79.5 N/mm2, 9209 N/mm2, 38.7 N/mm2, and 10.1 N/mm2, respectively. Between these four pioneer species, ludai has significantly higher in runkel ratio which was 0.57, whereas mahang shows significantly higher in slenderness ratio and number of vessels/mm2 which were 50.2 and 5 vessel/mm2, respectively. On the other hand, batai has higher tangential, radial and longitudinal shrinkage compared to ludai, mahang, and sesendok which were 3.0%, 2.4%, and 0.8%, respectively. Based on the basic property study, batai, ludai, mahang, and sesendok could be suitable for pulp and paper, plywood, light construction, furniture, interior finishing, and general utility. Fibre length, fibre wall thickness, and vessel diameter correlated significantly with density and mechanical properties. Shrinkage and mechanical properties were significantly influenced by density.
LDNFSGB: prediction of long non-coding rna and disease association using network feature similarity and gradient boosting
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Ye Fei , Xiong Dapeng , Gao Xieping
Published: September 2020

Background

A large number of experimental studies show that the mutation and regulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with various human diseases. Accurate prediction of lncRNA-disease associations can provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The main function of many lncRNAs is still unclear and using traditional experiments to detect lncRNA-disease associations is time-consuming.

Results

In this paper, we develop a novel and effective method for the prediction of lncRNA-disease associations using network feature similarity and gradient boosting (LDNFSGB). In LDNFSGB, we first construct a comprehensive feature vector to effectively extract the global and local information of lncRNAs and diseases through considering the disease semantic similarity (DISSS), the lncRNA function similarity (LNCFS), the lncRNA Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity (LNCGS), the disease Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity (DISGS), and the lncRNA-disease interaction (LNCDIS). Particularly, two methods are used to calculate the DISSS (LNCFS) for considering the local and global information of disease semantics (lncRNA functions) respectively. An autoencoder is then used to reduce the dimensionality of the feature vector to obtain the optimal feature parameter from the original feature set. Furthermore, we employ the gradient boosting algorithm to obtain the lncRNA-disease association prediction.

Conclusions

In this study, hold-out, leave-one-out cross-validation, and ten-fold cross-validation methods are implemented on three publicly available datasets to evaluate the performance of LDNFSGB. Extensive experiments show that LDNFSGB dramatically outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. The case studies on six diseases, including cancers and non-cancers, further demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in real-world applications.
Retinal layers and visual conductivity changes in a case series of microangiopathic ischemic stroke patients
Authors: Lee John-Ih , Gemerzki Lena , Weise Margit , Boerker Laura , Graf Jonas , Jansen Lea , Guthoff Rainer , Aktas Orhan , Gliem Michael , Jander Sebastian , Hartung Hans-Peter , Albrecht Philipp
Published: September 2020

Background

It is unknown whether microangiopathic ischemic strokes outside the visual pathway go along with subclinical changes of the retinal structure or the visual system. The objectives of this prospective non-interventional case series were to investigate if spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) or multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEPs) can detect structural retinal changes or functional impairment of the visual system in patients with microangiopathic ischemic stroke.

Methods

We used SD-OCT to cross-sectionally analyze the retinal morphology of 15 patients with microangiopathic ischemic stroke according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification not affecting the visual pathway. We employed semi-automated segmentation of macular volume scans to analyze the thickness of the macular retinal layers and peripapillary ring scans to investigate the retinal morphology in comparison to a control group without stroke. Visual function was assessed by the mfVEP technique in 13 microangiopathic ischemic stroke patients.

Results

First peak latency of mfVEPs was significantly delayed in the microangiopathic ischemic stroke group compared to the control patients. Neither the retinal layers nor the mfVEPs’ amplitude differed between the microangiopathic ischemic stroke patients and the control group.

Conclusions

In conclusion, microangiopathic ischemic stroke patients presented a delayed first peak latency in mfVEPs as a sign of subclinical functional impairment of the visual pathway. However, our case series suggests no influence on retinal structure resulting from microangiopathic ischemic stroke outside the visual system. Larger and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these mfVEP findings.
Long non-coding RNA SNHG3 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by binding to microRNA-154-3p and activating the notch signaling pathway
Authors: Jiang Hongnan , Li Xiaojun , Wang Wei , Dong Honglin
Published: September 2020

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the epithelial tissue of the breast gland. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 (SNHG3) has been found to promote BC cell proliferation and invasion by regulating the microRNA (miR)-101/zinc-finger enhancer binding axis in BC. Herein, the objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of lncRNA SNHG3 on BC cell proliferation and metastasis with the Notch signaling pathway.

Methods

Differentially expressed lncRNA in BC tissues and normal breast tissues was analyzed. SNHG3 si-RNA-1 and SNHG3 si-RNA-2 were constructed to detect the mechanism of SNHG3 interference in BC cell proliferation, viability, migration and invasion. Then, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was utilized to verify the binding relation between SNHG3 and miR-154-3p as well as miR-154-3p and Notch2. Moreover, xenograft transplantation was applied to confirm the in vitro experiments.

Results

Highly expressed SNHG3 was observed in BC tissues. The growth of BC cells in vivo and in vitro was evidently repressed after silencing SNHG3. BC cell invasion and migration were inhibited by silencing SNHG3 in vitro. SNHG3 could act as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-154-3p and upregulate the Notch signaling pathway to promote BC cell development. Activation of the Notch signaling pathway can partly reverse the inhibition of cell activity induced by silencing SNHG3.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that interfered lncRNA SNHG3 promoted BC cell proliferation and metastasis by activating the Notch signaling pathway. This investigation may offer new insight for BC treatment.
Chronic loss of STAG2 leads to altered chromatin structure contributing to de-regulated transcription in AML
Authors: Smith James S. , Lappin Katrina M. , Craig Stephanie G. , Liberante Fabio G. , Crean Clare M. , McDade Simon S. , Thompson Alexander , Mills Ken I. , Savage Kienan I.
Published: September 2020

Background

The cohesin complex plays a major role in folding the human genome into 3D structural domains. Mutations in members of the cohesin complex are known early drivers of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), with STAG2 the most frequently mutated complex member.

Methods

Here we use functional genomics (RNA-seq, ChIP-seq and HiChIP) to investigate the impact of chronic STAG2 loss on three-dimensional genome structure and transcriptional programming in a clinically relevant model of chronic STAG2 loss.

Results

The chronic loss of STAG2 led to loss of smaller loop domains and the maintenance/formation of large domains that, in turn, led to altered genome compartmentalisation. These changes in genome structure resulted in altered gene expression, including deregulation of the HOXA locus and the MAPK signalling pathway, resulting in increased sensitivity to MEK inhibition.

Conclusions

The altered genomic architecture driven by the chronic loss of STAG2 results in altered gene expression that may contribute to leukaemogenesis and may be therapeutically targeted.
HLA-B*35 as a new marker for susceptibility to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in patients living in Argentina
Authors: Benencio Paula , Fraile Gonzalez Sindy A. , Ducasa Nicolás , Page Kimberly , Berini Carolina A. , Biglione Mirna M.
Published: September 2020

Background

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of HTLV associated myelopathy/ Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), in around 2–5% of the infected individuals. Host genetic background might play a role in disease progression. Several previous studies across many countries report HLA haplotype to be one such factor. Here, we sequenced HLA-A, -B and -C of 66 individuals by Sequence-Based Typing (SBT), and compared the frequency of different alleles among ATLL patients, HAM/TSP patients, asymptomatic carriers and non-infected individuals living in Argentina.

Results

The frequency of HLA-A, -B and -C alleles largely matched that of the general population in Argentina. We identified HLA-A*02, HLA-B*35 and HLA-C*07 as associated to protection from ATLL (p = 0.031), susceptibility to HAM/TSP (p < 0.001) and susceptibility to ATLL (p = 0.017), respectively. We also found a strong correlation between high proviral load (PVL) and disease (p = 0.008), but were unable to identify any particular allele associated with high or low PVL.

Conclusions

We have found HLA-A*02, HLA-B*35 and HLA-C*07 to be associated to protection from ATLL (HLA-A*02) and susceptibility to HAM/TSP (HLA-B*35) or to ATLL (HLA-C*07), respectively. Whereas HLA-A*02 protection from ATLL has already been extensively described in other regions of the world, this is the first report that links HLA-B*35 and an increased susceptibility to HAM/TSP. As for HLA-C*07 it has previously been associated to susceptibility to HAM/TSP in other countries but in our population it has been linked to ATLL.
Positive association between physical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes in late-onset Pompe disease: a cross sectional study
Authors: Yuan Meng , Andrinopoulou Eleni-Rosalina , Kruijshaar Michelle E. , Lika Aglina , Harlaar Laurike , van der Ploeg Ans T. , Rizopoulos Dimitris , van der Beek Nadine A. M. E.
Published: September 2020

Background

Pompe disease is a rare, progressive metabolic myopathy. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations of physical outcomes with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in late-onset Pompe disease.

Methods

We included 121 Dutch adult patients with Pompe disease.

Physical outcomes comprised muscle strength (manual muscle testing using Medical Research Council [MRC] grading, hand-held dynamometry [HHD]), walking ability (6-min walk test [6MWT]), and pulmonary function (forced vital capacity [FVC] in upright and supine positions).

PROMs comprised quality of life (Short Form 36 health survey [SF-36]), participation (Rotterdam Handicap Scale [RHS]) and daily-life activities (Rasch-Built Pompe-Specific Activity [R-PAct] Scale).

Analyses were cross-sectional: the time-point before, and closest to, start of Enzyme Replacement Therapy was chosen. Associations between PROMs and physical outcomes were investigated using linear regression models.

Results

RHS and R-PAct scores were better in patients with higher FVC supine and upright, HHD, MRC and 6MWT scores, accounting for the effect of sex, disease duration, use of wheelchair and ventilator support. While the SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) was correlated positively with FVC upright, HHD, MRC and 6MWT scores, there was no significant relationship between the SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) and any of the physical outcomes.

Conclusions

Participation, daily-life activities, and the physical component of quality of life of adult Pompe patients are positively correlated to physical outcomes. This work serves as a first step towards assessing how changes over time in physical outcomes are related to changes in PROMs, and to define the minimal change in physical outcomes required to make an important difference for the patient.