bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract 17248: The Role of microRNA-21 in Regulating the Coronary Microcirculation in Diabetes
Authors: Juguilon Cody , Wang Zhiyuan , Gadd James , Ohanyan Vahagn A , Jamaiyar Anurag , Enrick Molly , Wang Tao , Kolz Chris , Chilian William M , Yin Liya
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Coronary microvascular dysfunction is prevalent among diabetics and intersects with deficits in endothelial-dependent vasodilation. These deficits occur early in the progression of the disease, but the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Nitric oxide (NO) is the major endothelial-dependent mediator of vasodilation in the healthy coronary circulation, but the mediator switches to hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.
Diabetes is a risk factor for CAD, so we hypothesized that a similar switch would occur.

Methods:
Coronary arteries were isolated and endothelial-dependent vasodilation was assessed using myography. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed for gene expression analysis and myocardial blood flow (MBF) was measured by contrast echocardiography.

Results:
Nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (L-NAME) inhibited vasodilation in wild type (WT) mice, but the H
2
O
2
scavenger (PEG-catalase) had no effect. In contrast, vasodilation in diabetic mice was blunted by PEG-catalase, but not L-NAME. This suggests that the mediator of coronary vasodilation switched from NO to H
2
O
2
in diabetes. Importantly, we found that microRNA-21 (miR-21) is upregulated in diabetes and the deficiency modulates the mediator switch from NO to H
2
O
2
in diabetic mice.

Conclusions:
The switch in the mediator of coronary vasodilation from NO to H2O2 contributes to microvascular dysfunction in diabetes and miR-21 regulates this switch. Further genetic profiling will elucidate the pathways and mechanisms converging with miR-21 to regulate microvascular function in diabetes. This is the first mouse model that recapitulates the switch in mediator of coronary vasodilation from NO to H
2
O
2
seen in CAD patients.
Abstract 17260: In Hospital Outcomes and Prevalence of Comorbidities in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction With and Without Infective Endocarditis - Insight From National Inpatient Sample (2013-2014)
Authors: Jamal Shakeel , Wani farah , Khan Amina , Kichloo Asim , Bailey Beth , Khan Mahin , Soni Ronak G , Nandar Phoo Pwint , Ayub Muhammad Talha , Akhtar Tauseef , AJMAL MUHAMMAD , SINGH Jagmeet P , Hassan Hafeez , Sudhakar Rajeev , Al Jayyousi Bashar
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
In infective endocarditis (IE), embolization to the coronary arteries is an uncommon phenomenon but can contribute to transmural infarction presenting as ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Due to limited date, we intend to evaluate the clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with STEMI with and without underlying IE.

Hypothesis:
Morbidity and morbidity exponentiates in STEMI with comorbid IE when compared to without IE.

Methods:
Patients with primary diagnosis of STEMI with and without IE were identified by querying the Healthcare Cost and Utilization (HCUP) database, specifically, National Inpatient Sample for year 2013 and 2014 based on ICD9 codes

Results:
During 2013 and 2014, a total of 117, 386 patients were admitted with the principle diagnosis of STEMI, out of whom 305 had comorbid IE. There was an increased in-hospital mortality (27.5% vs 10.8%, increased length of stay (14 vs 5 days), acute kidney injury (44.9% vs 18.7%), stroke (23.6% vs 3%), aortic valve replacement (9.5% vs 0.3%), mitral valve replacement (0.2%-5.2%), sepsis (50% vs 6%) and acute respiratory failure (36.7% vs 16.7%) in patients with STEMI with IE when compared to patients with STEMI and without comorbid IE. STEMI without IE had higher number of angiographies (58.7% vs 25.9%) and percutaneous coronary interventions (50.7% vs 14.4%) during their hospital course when compared to STEMI with IE.

Conclusions:
We conclude that hospitalized STEMI patients with concomitant diagnosis of IE are at higher risk of in-hospital mortality, increased LOS, AKI, stroke, valve replacements, and acute respiratory failure. Clinical trials that compare optimal interventions in these patients would be needed in future.
Abstract 17264: Predictive Value of Plasma Ceramide C24:0/C16:0 Ratio in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction in the TOPCAT Study
Authors: Peterson Linda R , Jiang Xuntian , Campbell Hannah , Cresci Sharon
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is an “emerging epidemic” as nearly half of all patients with HF have HFpEF. However, most HF biomarkers, including plasma brain natriuretic peptide, have less robust utility in HFpEF than in those with HF with reduced ejection fraction. In order to better understand HFpEF and its associated morbidity and mortality, it is vital to identify robust biomarkers that predict outcomes in patients who suffer from HFpEF. Ceramides are bioactive lipids involved in signaling, cell death programs, mitochondrial function, and cell structure. Our group showed that the ratio of specific plasma ceramides (C24:0/C16:0) is inversely related to primary incident HF and to death in large community-based cohorts. Whether plasma C24:0/C16:0 has utility in prediction of secondary events/outcomes in patients with HFpEF is unclear.

Hypothesis:
We hypothesized that there is an association between plasma C24:0/16:0 ratio and outcomes in HFpEF.

Methods:
Data and plasma was obtained from 477 subjects in the TOPCAT study via the BioLINCC biobank. Plasma ceramides C24:0 and C16:0 were measured using targeted liquid chromatograph/tandem mass spectrometry.

Results:
Inclusion criteria for TOPCAT was age >50 years, ejection fraction of 45% or higher and diagnosis of HF. Subjects were randomized to treatment with spironolactone or placebo. In the 477 subjects who provided samples to BioLINCC, the mean age was 69.3 years; 47% were women; 43.9% were from the United States; 94.4% had hypertension; 31 were African American. Mean follow-up was 3.3 years. Univariate analysis showed that time to hospitalization for heart failure was inversely related to plasma C24:0/C16:0 concentration (Hazard ratio 0.901 [Confidence bounds 0.82,0.99], P = 0.026.

Conclusions:
Plasma ceramide (C24:0/C16:0) is inversely related to time to hospitalization in patients with HFpEF. Plasma C24:0/C16:0 may be a useful new biomarker in HFpEF and may point to novel, targetable pathophysiologic pathways .
Abstract 17265: Prognostic Value of Serial D-dimers in Severe COVID-19 Infections
Authors: Hwang Songhon , Gopal Mallika , Ilonzo Nicole , Faries Christopher , Rao Ajit , Faries Peter , Marin Michael , Ting Windsor
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
COVID-19 infection causes a thrombotic state and elevation in D-dimer. This study characterizes the contour and nature of D-dimer elevation during severe COVID-19 infections.

Methods:
Retrospective review of 100 consecutive COVID-19 patients selected for severe infection at a tertiary medical center in New York City admitted to four COVID units and three ICU units on 04/15/2020. Admission D-dimer and serial D-dimer values during hospitalization were obtained as were demographic data, major thrombotic complications, and other significant hospital events. Data was analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test, student’s t-test, and chi-squared test.

Results:
Hospital mortality was 28% among these 100 study subjects, ventilatory support 47%, ICU stay 40%, discharged in 61% and 11% remained hospitalized on 5/15/2020. Admission D-dimer elevated in 89% (mean D-dimer 3.36+/-4.84 mg/L) and 97% of hospitalized patients had elevated D-dimer (peaked mean D-dimer 7.33+/-7.34 mg/L). There was no significant difference in the admission D-dimers between patients who died versus those who survived (3.50+/-0.81 vs 3.02+/-0.55 mg/L, p=0.19), however; the contours of the subsequent D-dimers were significantly different between those who died versus survivors. Mean in hospital D-dimer remained without significant change in the survivor group but increased significantly in the deceased group (3.06+/-0.53 vs 4.62+/-0.48 mg/L, p<0.001). The final D-dimer measurement prior to a patients discharge or death was significantly higher in the deceased group vs the survivor group (5.53+/-0.86 vs 1.98+/-0.39 mg/L, p<0.001). There were 27 thrombotic complications (CVA 10, MI 4, PE 6, DVT 5, arterial thrombosis 2) diagnosed in 22 patients. Elevated peaked D-dimers were significantly associated with ICU (12.04 +/-6.96 mg/L, R 0.27-20, 95% CI 2.23) vs. no-ICU stay (5.13 +/- 6.49 mg/L, R 0.3-20, 95% CI 1.68, p<0.001), and thrombotic complications (12.60 +/- 7.62 mg/L, R 0.27-20, 95% CI 3.38) vs. no thrombotic complication (6.57 mg/L +/- 0.3-20, 95% CI 1.47, p<0.001).

Conclusions:
D-dimers were near universally elevated in severe COVID-19 infection but a marked upward trending of D-dimers presaged COVID-associated complications and a poor outcome.
Abstract 17276: Impact of Cardiovascular Comorbidities on COVID-19 Infection Risk
Authors: Tofovic David , Seok Minji , Schwarzman Logan S , Konda Sreenivas , Nazir Noreen T
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
A disproportionate amount of COVID-19 infections has occurred in minority populations and in individuals with comorbid disease. We sought to evaluate the impact of patient demographics, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and known CVD risk factors on the incidence of COVID-19 infection.

Methods:
Between April 1st to May 1st, 2020, 844 adult patients (mean age 51.4±17.7 years, mean BMI 29.6±8.3, 50% male) admitted for any reason and tested for COVID-19 based on CDC criteria were studied in this large, metropolitan, single-center retrospective cohort analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analysis between patient demographics, CVD, and CVD risk factors with COVID-19 were evaluated. The nonlinear effects of age on COVID-19 test results were further analyzed.

Results:
Prevalence of COVID-19 was 21.7%. African Americans, Latinos, and Caucasian were 463(55%), 216(25%), 165(20%) respectively. Unadjusted, diabetes mellitus (DM) was significantly related with the COVID-19 positivity (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.30-2.58, P=0.0005), but age adjusted DM was insignificant (OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.93-1.97, P=0.12). Similar results were found with other CVD risk factors (see Tables 1,2). Stratified analysis by age groups (18-40 years, ≥40 years), DM in the younger age group was the most significant risk factor for the COVID-19 positivity (OR 4.52, 95% CI 1.95-10.52, P=0.0002) but not in older inpatients (OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.85-1.81, P=0.2763). In the older age group, Latinos were significantly higher risk for COVID-19 compared to Caucasian (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.26-4.07, P=0.005).

Conclusions:
Increased resources for testing in younger individuals with DM and the Hispanic population may be merited.
Abstract 17283: The Impact of Fetal Congenital Heart Disease on
In Vivo
Regional Brainstem Development
Authors: Lu Yuanchiao , Carroll Lily , Kapse Kushal , Lopez Catherine , Quistorff Jessica , Krishnan Anita , Vezina Gilbert , Donofrio Mary , Limperopoulos Catherine
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Brain injury and delayed brain development have been reported in fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD). While reduced volumes of fetal brain structures have been discovered, the shape alternations of the brainstem affected by CHD were not fully investigated.

Hypothesis:
We assessed the hypothesis that the morphology of the brainstem in CHD fetuses was altered when compared to healthy controls.

Methods:
A total of 146 pregnant women were recruited for this longitudinal observational study (99 controls and 47 CHD; median gestational age (GA) and range: 33.4 [24.4-39.1] weeks), in which 207 MRI scans were performed. Single shot fast spin echo T2-weighted images were acquired on a 1.5T GE MRI scanner. Anatomical landmarks of brainstem were manually identified on 1 mm
3
isotropic 3D reconstructed images using RView software. Anterior-posterior and transverse diameters of mesencephalon, pons, and medullary were determined based on 12 landmarks on the midsagittal and coronal planes correspondingly. The inter-landmark distances and 2D areas enclosed by landmarks on the midsagittal plane of the two groups were analyzed using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for GA and fetal gender.

Results:
Results indicated lower regional anterior-posterior diameters of the pons in CHD fetuses [landmarks 2-3, 2-6, 3-4, and 4-6 (
p-values
<0.05)]. The 2D areas enclosed by landmarks on the midsagittal plane were overall smaller in CHD fetuses (control: 183±10 mm
2
; CHD: 175±10 mm
2
;
p
=0.016). No differences in transverse diameters were observed between control and CHD fetuses on the three coronal planes. All measured diameters and areas were significantly increased with advancing GA (
p-values
<0.05), while no gender differences were detected.

Conclusions:
We report for the first time impaired regional growth of the pons in fetuses with CHD. The pons may play a role in altered emerging cerebral-cerebellar structure and functional connections in fetal CHD.
Abstract 17289: NSAID Use and Clinical Outcomes in COVID-19
Authors: Pan Michael , Azam Tariq , Shadid Husam , Berlin Hanna , Meloche Chelsea , Feroze Rafey , Leya Jeff , O'Hayer Patrick , Anderson Elizabeth , Kaakati Rayan , bitar abbas , Padalia Kishan , Perry Daniel , Blakely Pennelope , Zhao Peiyao , Zhao Lili , Hayek Salim
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
There have been concerns that NSAID use may worsen outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through upregulation of the ACE2 receptor used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus for cell entry.

Hypothesis:
We sought to determine whether prior use of NSAIDs in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is associated with worse in-hospital outcomes.

Methods:
The Michigan Medicine Covid-19 Cohort (M
2
C
2
) is an ongoing prospective observational study in which detailed clinical, laboratory and outcomes data were collected from chart review of consecutive adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Patients who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection but without symptoms of COVID-19 were not included in this cohort. We identified 553 patients who presented to University of Michigan Hospital between March 1
st
and May 1
st
for COVID-19, of whom 519 had data on whether they took NSAIDs prior to hospitalization. We examined the association between NSAID use and outcomes during their hospitalization.

Results:
52 (10.0%) patients were taking NSAIDs prior to hospitalization (NSAID group; mean age 55.8 [SD 15.2]; 46.2% men) and 467 (90.0%) were not taking NSAIDs (non-NSAID group; mean age 61 [SD 16.0]; 57.7% men). There was no significant difference between the inflammatory markers on presentation to hospital between groups including CRP (median 8.0 vs median 9.7, p-value 0.79), procalcitonin (median 0.18 vs median 0.21, p-value 0.66), d-dimer (median 0.90 vs median 1.25, p-value 0.12), and IL-6 (median 36.7 vs median 49.3, p-value 0.43). All-cause mortality was not significantly different between the NSAID and non-NSAID groups (11.5% vs 16.8%, p-value 0.36) and neither was the risk of ICU admission (46.2% vs 48.9%, p-value 0.62).

Conclusions:
Among patients presenting to hospital with COVID-19, prior use of NSAIDs was not associated with significantly different levels of inflammatory markers on admission and was also not associated with significantly different mortality or rates of ICU admission.
Abstract 17296: Arrhythmia Recurrence and Subsequent Heart Failure Hospitalization in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation: A Landmark Analysis From the Kansai Plus Atrial Fibrillation (KPAF) Registry
Authors: Tanaka Nobuaki , INOUE KOICHI , Kobori Atsushi , Kaitani Kazuaki , Morimoto Takeshi , Kurotobi Toshiya , Morishima Itsuro , Matsui Yumie , YAMAJI HIROSUKE , Nakazawa Yuko , F. Kusano Kengo , Okada Masato , Tanaka Koj , Hirao Yuko , Koyama Yasushi , OKAMURA ATSUNORI , IWAKURA Katsuomi , Fujii Kenshi , Kimura Takeshi , Shizuta Satoshi
Published: November 2020

Background:
Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of death in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of AF is effective for maintaining sinus rhythm though its impact on heart failure still remains controversial.

Purpose:
We sought to elucidate whether AF recurrence following RFCA was associated with subsequent HF hospitalizations.

Methods:
We conducted a large-scale, prospective, multicenter, observational study. A total of 4931 consecutive patients who underwent an initial RFCA for AF with longer than 1-year of follow-up in 26 centers were enrolled (average age, 64±10 years; non-paroxysmal AF, 35.7%). The median follow-up duration was 2.9 years. The primary endpoint was an HF hospitalization more than 1-year after the index RFCA. We compared the patients without AF recurrences (group A) to those with AF recurrences within 1-year post RFCA (group B).

Results:
The 1-year cumulative incidence of AF recurrences after a single procedure was 30.7% (group A=3418, group B=1513 patients). Group B had a lower body mass index (group A vs. group B,24.1±3.6 vs. 23.8±3.4 kg/m
2
, p=0.014), longer history of AF (1.9 vs. 3.1 years, p<0.0001), higher prevalence of non-paroxysmal AF (32.1% vs. 33.9%, p<0.0001), and valvular heart disease (5.9% vs. 7.8%, p=0.013). They also had a lower ejection fraction (63.7±9.4% vs. 62.8±9.6%, p=0.0043) and larger left atrial dimeter (39.7±6.6 vs. 40.6±7.0 mm, p<0.0001) on echocardiography. Hospitalizations for HF were observed in 57 patients (1.14%) more than 1-year after the RFCA and were significantly higher in group B than group A (group A vs. group B, 0.91% vs 1.72%, log-rank p=0.019).

Conclusions:
Among AF patients receiving RFCA, those with AF recurrences were at a greater risk of subsequent heart failure hospitalizations than those without AF recurrences. Recognition that AF recurrence following RFCA is a risk factor for a subsequent HF-related hospitalization is appropriate in clinical practice.
Abstract 192: Comparative Clinical Effectiveness of Population-based Atrial Fibrillation Screening Using Wearable Devices: A Decision-Analytic Model
Authors: Khurshid Shaan , Chen Wanyi , Singer Daniel , Atlas Steven , Ashburner Jeffrey M , Ellinor Patrick T , McManus David D , Chhatwal Jagpreet , Lubitz Steven A
Published: November 2020

Introduction:
Early diagnosis of AF via screening might prevent strokes. AF screening is endorsed in certain guidelines for individuals aged ≥65 years, yet many modalities and strategies exist. Determining the comparative effectiveness of contemporary screening strategies is critical to inform population-based screening interventions.

Methods:
We developed a decision-analytic model to evaluate 45 distinct AF screening strategies (defined using different modalities and screening intervals), and compared them to no screening within 50 million individuals matching the United States population aged ≥65 years. The primary outcome was quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), with incident stroke, major bleeding, and AF true and false positive rates as secondary outcomes.

Results:
A total of 11 AF screening strategies were effective when compared to no screening (100-1200 QALYs gained per 100,000 individuals screened,
Figure
). Of 11 effective strategies, 7 (63.6%) utilized wrist-worn wearables. Effective strategies reduced stroke incidence by 0.1-0.2/1,000 person-years [PY] (number needed to screen to prevent stroke 5,000-10,000), but increased major bleeding by 0.2-0.6/1,000 PY (number needed to screen to cause major bleed 1,667-5,000). Repeated screening with discrete modalities tended to reduce effectiveness by accruing false positives without substantial gain in true AF diagnoses, while increasing the monitoring duration using wrist-worn wearables increased effectiveness as long as a confirmatory test was utilized. Sensitivity analyses identified test specificity as a highly influential parameter on screening effectiveness.

Conclusions:
Population-based AF screening is likely effective when specific strategies are utilized. Wrist-worn wearables appear to be an important modality for effective clinician-guided AF screening. Future technological development should focus on maximizing specificity for AF detection.
Toward a Dialectic of Discrepant Cosmopolitanisms
Authors: El Zein Rayya
Published: November 2020

The opening of dozens of pubs, cafés and bars catering to an alternative ‘youth’ clientele illustrates how Ramallah, Beirut and Amman have benefited from a post-2008 investment boom that curates leisure and cultural production with bohemian, DIY and other ‘counterculture’ aesthetics. Yet, social expectations and price points in these venues often betray the supposedly progressive politics of these ventures. In this article, I acknowledge that it would be easy to dismiss this cosmopolitan growth and the patterns of policing behavior they impose as an exclusionary and problematic ‘gentrification-as-liberation.’ But such a critique would miss the opportunity to engage the affective and social struggle over visions of a social future enacted by urban Arab youth in their choices of leisure consumption. I argue that being able to cogently critique gentrifying processes in these cities means we must first understand the development of counterculture and counter discourse as necessarily dialectical. The micro-negotiations between competing or discrepant cosmopolitanisms offer important insight into sociopolitical discourse and cosmopolitan feeling in urban centers that did not, in large part, witness sustained mass protests in the years following the Arab uprisings.
The Theory of Peasant Economy and Involution and De-involution
Authors: Huang Philip C. C.
Published: November 2020

Today, thirty-five years after this author first wrote about involution, and at a time when that term and concept have come to be commonly used by many people, this article revisits that term to explain more clearly and succinctly its meaning and also to add to it contributions made by other scholars as well as by this author’s own further research, including new research on the de-involution of the past few decades in China, and analyses of the mechanisms and theoretical logics contained therein. Because China’s peasant economy has been the longest-lasting and largest in the world, perhaps also the most highly involuted, and its recent changes, including de-involution, make up the most dramatic example of the modernization of a peasant economy, it serves to explain most clearly the principles and mechanisms of change, and shows just how different those are from the Western historical experience of transition from feudalism to capitalism. Furthermore, peasant economy, not just in China but also in many other developing countries, has been the source most recently of the rise globally of an enormous informal economy—of labor that has little or no legal protection or benefits, according to the definition of the International Labor Organization—now reaching one-half to three-quarters of all urban employment in many developing countries, and more in China than anywhere else. That too is directly connected to the peasant economy and its background of involution and de-involution. At the moment, China’s future direction on this matter is at once full of uncertainties and of exciting promises.
Informal Economy in Shanghai’s Suburban Villages: Local Society and the Dilemma of Governance
Authors: Zhang Jianlei , Xiong Wansheng
Published: November 2020

The rise of the informal economy has profoundly changed the social structure of rural society in Shanghai’s suburbs, leading to the phenomenon of the “defamiliarization” of the “society of the familiar.” As a result, local governments have lost the conventional resources and means to govern the risks posed by migrants working in the informal economy and, what is more, the model of minimalist governance itself has failed. In order to deal effectively with the risks to governance posed by the informal economy, local governments have tried persistently to strengthen their control over rural society through the expansion of administrative power and village organizations under their high-pressure system of governance. The goal of governance has been to compress and transform the production space of the informal economy, and integrate the large number of informal workers into the formal administrative management system. However, informal workers, who cannot be formalized because of the inherently informal nature of their work, face the prospect of eventually losing their livelihood space. Their lives have become more precarious and unstable since informal economic activity has continued to shrink.
Reading Strategies and Interpretation
Authors: Finta Gábor
Published: November 2020

I suggest a reconsidered approach to a certain group of poems in my paper through reinterpreting Attila József’s “Consciousness”, a poem of twelve numbered stanzas without titles. In my opinion such poems cannot be satisfactorily described as either organic poems or cycles. My proposition is that this kind of poetry is worth approaching from the angle of the tradition of the (avant-garde) themeless poetry.
Ordinary Language Philosophy in Aarhus
Authors: Christensen Martin Ejsing , Bohl Thomas
Published: November 2020

This paper examines the way in which Ordinary Language Philosophy came to exert an important influence on the work done at Aarhus University’s department of philosophy in the latter half of the 20th century. The first section depicts the rise of Ordinary Language Philosophy as an international movement centered around Oxford in the wake of World War ii. The second section goes on to describe how it was brought to Aarhus by Professor Justus Hartnack, who had been deeply influenced by the movement during stays abroad in the UK and the US. The following three sections move on to describe some of the important ways in which Ordinary Language Philosophy has influenced the work of three of Hartnack’s most prominent students (Hans Fink, Uffe Juul Jensen and Jørgen Husted), who have influenced the life of the department in crucial ways from the 1970s until recently. Finally, the paper ends by briefly assessing the legacy and contemporary influence of Ordinary Language Philosophy in Aarhus.
Validation of the name Mitreola crystallina (Loganiaceae), a new species endemic to southwestern China

Authors: YOU JIAN-RONG , RAN JUAN , LIU CHENG , SHUI YU-MIN , LI JIA-XIANG , WU LEI
Published: November 2020

Mitreola crystallina was proposed in 2006, but not valid. Here, we validate the name by giving a complete description, diagnosis, and illustration as a new species of Loganiaceae. Morphologically, it is most similar to M. pedicellata, but can be distinguished by its stems erect (vs. creeping), corolla lobes blue (vs. white), and stamens inserted at or near base of the corolla tube (vs. middle to nearly mouth of corolla tube). It is endemic to the shady cliffs of limestone forests of Malipo County, southwest China. The conservation status was assessed as data deficient (DD) according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. And a key to species of Mitreola in China is provided.
Checklist of Benthic Cnidaria in the SW Atlantic Ocean (54ºS–56ºS)
Authors: SCHEJTER L. , GENZANO G. , PÉREZ C.D. , ACUÑA F. , CORDEIRO R.T.S. , SILVA R.A. , GARESE A. , BREMEC C. S.
Published: November 2020

In this study we provide an updated checklist of benthic Cnidaria from SW Atlantic Ocean that comprised the Marine Protected Areas Namuncurá I and II, located at Burdwood bank, and other neighbouring locations. A total of 88 taxa was recorded: 36 hydrozoans and 52 anthozoans from which 32 were octocorals, 10 scleractinian corals, 8 sea anemones and 2 zoanthids. Burdwood bank presented the highest richness considering that 87% of the recorded species inhabit this plateau or its slope. Besides some common species widely distributed in the studied sub-areas, at least 24 species represent new distributional records while few were exclusively recorded at Burdwood bank. The inventory here provided will help to identify key habitat-forming species in a complex habitat where marine animal forests and vulnerable marine ecosystems were previously detected. It will be also a very valuable tool for the management and monitoring of the sub-areas under protection.
Review of the genus Eurypteryx C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874 from China, with a first description of the male E. dianae (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)
Authors: JIANG ZHUO-HENG , WANG CHENG-BIN
Published: November 2020

The two species of the genus Eurypteryx C. Felder & R. Felder, 1874 known from China, E. bhaga and E. dianae (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae, Macroglossinae, Macroglossini) were examined and compared with E. geoffreyi from Thailand. The male E. dianae is described for the first time based on a single specimen from an evergreen broad-leaf forest in Maolan Nature Reserve, Libo, Guizhou, China. The diagnostic features and a distribution map of the species of Eurypteryx in China are provided. A list of all Eurypteryx species presently known worldwide is also given.
Inside the Black Box of Organizational Life: The Gendered Language of Performance Assessment
Authors: Correll Shelley J. , Weisshaar Katherine R. , Wynn Alison T. , Wehner JoAnne Delfino
Published: November 2020

Organizations implement formalized procedures to eliminate the biasing effects of gender and other characteristics on evaluations. Prior work shows managers play a key role, but researchers have been unable to observe the thought processes guiding managers’ evaluations. This article takes a first step in examining managers’ sensemaking as they interpret and evaluate employee behaviors. Our data include managers’ written performance reviews and numeric ratings of employees at a Fortune 500 technology company. Our theoretical model—the Viewing and Valuing Social Cognitive Processing Model—explains how and when gender beliefs frame managers’ evaluations, affecting what behaviors managers notice (i.e., view) and rate highly (i.e., value). After conducting a detailed coding of the language in reviews, we assess whether there are gender differences in (1) the language used to describe performance (i.e., viewing differences) and (2) the correlations between that language and numeric ratings (i.e., valuing differences). Our analysis of 88 language attributes reveals where gender frames managers’ evaluations and where the process instead operates gender-neutrally. For example, men and women are equally likely to be described as having technical ability, while women are viewed as too aggressive and men as too soft. Furthermore, some behaviors, such as “taking charge,” are more valued for men than for women: “taking charge” is associated with the highest performance ratings for men but not for women. Overall, our analysis identifies novel ways that gender biases emerge in a process intended to be meritocratic.
Cuba and the Soviet Bloc: Searching for the Last Guardians of Socialism
Authors: Yordanov Radoslav
Published: November 2020

Based on a wide array of original documents from over 20 archives in Eastern Europe, the US, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, this paper traces the complex interplay between Havana’s revolutionary ideology and pragmatic state instincts which governed Cuba’a relations with the Soviet bloc from the ouster of Fulgencio Batista until the collapse of the Berlin Wall. It overviews their relations by hearing the candid voices of Moscow’s closest East European allies (Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia) regarding Cuba’s continuous transformations. Additionally, the views of the other East European socialist states, which were not among Moscow’s closes backers, namely Albania, Yugoslavia and Romania, are also taken into account. In so doing, this paper seeks to enrich our understanding of the complex trajectory Cuba, the Soviet Union and the remaining East European socialist states underwent in their struggle against the common enemy, the United States. It also seeks to paint a more nuanced picture of the interplay between the realist imperative of state survival and the ideological drive of revolutionary expansionism, which marked Havana’s relations with the East, the West and the South throughout the Cold War.
Use of a Multitheoretic Model to Understand and Classify Juvenile Computer Hacking Behavior
Authors: Fox Bryanna , Holt Thomas J.
Published: November 2020

Criminological inquiry has identified a range of risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency. However, little research has assessed juvenile computer hacking, despite the substantial harm and opportunities for delinquent behavior online. Therefore, understanding the applicability of criminological risk factors among a cross-national sample of juvenile hackers is important from a theoretical and applied standpoint. This study aimed to address this gap using a logistic regression and latent class analysis (LCA) of risk factors associated with self-reported hacking behavior in a sample of more than 60,000 juveniles from around the globe. Results demonstrated support for individual- and structural-level predictors of delinquency, although distinct risk factors for hacking among three subtypes are identified in the LCA. This study examines criminological risk factors for juvenile hacking in a cross-national sample and provides insight into the distinct risk factors of hacking, so more tailored prevention and treatment modalities can be developed.
The Making of the Experimental Subject: Apparatus, Automatism, and the Anxiety of the Early Avant-Garde
Authors: Hookway Branden
Published: November 2020

This essay presents the experimental subject as a figure of modernity. It addresses notions of control, sensory thresholds, automatism, and human agency through a study of experimental psychology and psychological apparatus from the late 19th century to the First World War, juxtaposing this with notions of experimentation in early 20th-century avant-garde movements. The human subject of experimental psychology, defined by its inexpression as it awaits the stimuli of testing and measurement, is treated as a prototype for the present-day user of technological interfaces.
CT findings after left renal vein division during abdominal aortic surgery
Authors: Lee Hyoung Nam , Hyun Dongho , Park Kwang Bo , Do Young Soo , Kim Dong-Ik , Kim Hyun-joo , Heo Nam Hun
Published: November 2020

Background

The rationale behind left renal vein division (LRVD) is the assumption that adequate collateral draining channels will develop.

Purpose

To describe computed tomography (CT) findings after LRVD during aortic surgery.

Material and Methods

Among 61 consecutive patients who underwent LRVD during aneurysm repair or revascularization for aortic occlusive disease between January 2003 and December 2017, 51 patients (40 men, mean age 71.4 ± 8.4 years) were enrolled. Contrast-enhanced CT images were analyzed to evaluate collateral drainage, patency, left renal vein diameter, and left renal parenchymal thickness. A total of 115 radiologic reports were reviewed to check whether these findings were accurately mentioned.

Results

The median time period of the first postoperative follow-up CT was 36 days (range 7–1351 days). The gonadal vein (n = 47) was the most common collateral draining channel, followed by the retroperitoneal veins (n = 42) and adrenal vein (n = 33). Thrombosis occurred in five patients between postoperative days 7 and 17 in the remnant renal vein (n = 3), remnant renal vein plus gonadal and adrenal veins (n = 1), and gonadal vein (n = 1). There was a significant decrease in renal vein diameter (–0.48 ± 2.12 mm, P = 0.006). There was no significant difference in parenchymal thickness (−0.25 ± 1.27 mm, P = 0.193). Neither LRVD nor any associated findings were correctly stated on radiologic reports.

Conclusion

Postoperative contrast-enhanced CT can delineate collateral draining channels and complications following LRVD. However, these findings tend to be either missed or misinterpreted.
Predictors of inflammatory activity in treatment-naive hepatitis B e-antigen-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B infection
Authors: Hu Jianhua , Wang Yong , Jiang Gongying , Zheng Jie , Chen Tuxiang , Chen Zhiping , Yang Meifang , Zhang Xuan , Zhao Hong , Li Lanjuan
Published: November 2020

Objective

Liver inflammatory activity staging is critical to guide the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection. Here, we aimed to identify practical clinical biomarkers of moderate inflammatory activity in hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB patients.

Methods

Treatment-naïve HBeAg-negative CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy at our hospital from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016 were enrolled. Markers of inflammatory activity were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROCC) was used to assess diagnostic accuracy.

Results

A total of 106 HBeAg-negative treatment-naive CHB patients were enrolled. According to their METAVIR inflammatory scores, 30.2% of patients were in stage ≥A2. Total triiodothyronine (TT3) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were predictors of moderate inflammatory activity (A ≥ 2). The AUROCCs of TT3 and HBV DNA levels were 0.651 and 0.797, respectively. The optimal cut-off values for TT3 and HBV DNA were 1.755 nmol/L and 4.61 log10 IU/mL, respectively.

Conclusions

A sizable proportion of treatment-naive HBeAg-negative CHB patients required antiviral treatment (30.2%) after undergoing liver biopsy. TT3 and HBV DNA helps identify patients with moderate inflammatory activity (A ≥ 2), potentially reducing the need for liver biopsies and helping guide treatment of CHB patients.
3-D Thermomechanical Tire–Pavement Interaction Model for Evaluation of Pavement Skid Resistance
Authors: Anupam K. , Tang T. , Kasbergen C. , Scarpas A. , Erkens S.
Published: November 2020

Skid resistance is known to be affected by environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and pavement temperature. Finite element (FE) modeling has been an effective and efficient way to study the effects of temperature on skid resistance. However, existing FE models either are not able to incorporate the pavement surface characteristics or only perform heat transfer analysis per the two-dimensional (2-D) cross-section of the tire, which could lead to inaccurate predictions of skid resistance. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop a three-dimensional, coupled thermomechanical tire–pavement interaction model to investigate the variations in skid resistance as a function of ambient temperature and pavement temperature. The advantages and capability of the proposed model were highlighted by comparing the tire temperature profiles predicted by the proposed model and by the existing 2-D staggered model. Parametric studies of various factors that affect skid resistance were carried out. On the basis of the output results, a relationship between skid resistance and different parameters is proposed.
Prevalence and associated factors of medication nonadherence among Thai patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Sae-lim Orawan , Laobandit Intouch , Kitchanwit Punyawee , Laichapis Manthana , Siripaitoon Boonjing
Published: November 2020

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease requiring complex treatment strategies to prevent disease flare ups and to reduce hospitalizations. Medication adherence is the main concern for improving patient outcomes. Although various studies on medication nonadherence for SLE have been conducted, no definite conclusions have been reached.

Objective

To quantify the prevalence of medication nonadherence among patients with SLE and to analyse the associated factors.

Methods

A prospective, self-reported questionnaire study was conducted in Songklanagarind Hospital. Patient aged 18 years or older, who had an established diagnosis of SLE, and who had been receiving medications for at least 6 months, were included in the study. Medication adherence was assessed through a visual analogue scale (VAS) and through the medication-taking behaviour measure for Thai patients (MTB-Thai) scale.

Results

One hundred and seventy-two SLE patients were enrolled in the study. Most SLE patients were young to middle aged (56.40%) and had no clinical disease activity (67.4%), as assessed by a clinical SLEDAI score. Nonadherence rates were 32% and 25.3% by VAS and the MTB-Thai scale, respectively. Patients aged 55 years or older, who used the universal coverage of health care system, who used multiple medications (>10 pills/day), and who had a good attitude towards the disease were associated with a low risk of nonadherence.

Conclusion

Up to 25% SLE patients poorly adhered to their prescriptions. Age, reimbursement scheme, pill number, and attitude towards SLE were associated with nonadherence in our patients with SLE.
Different Strokes for Different Folks: The Roles of Religion and Tradition for Transgenerational Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses
Authors: Eze Nonyelum Lina , Nordqvist Mattias , Samara Georges , Parada Maria José
Published: November 2020

This study explores how differences originating in religion and traditions imbue family features and business practices that affect the capacity of family businesses to continue being entrepreneurial across generations; that is, to maintain transgenerational entrepreneurship. Building on an in-depth qualitative study of family businesses, we show how differences in religion and traditions within three subregions of a developing country shape the family structure, the functioning of the family, and the family mindset with concomitant implications on the business practices that foster or hinder transgenerational entrepreneurship. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed in the context of entrepreneurship and family business.
Customized Pre-Epiglottic Baton Plate—A Practical Guide for Successful, Patient-Specific, Noninvasive Treatment of Neonates With Robin Sequence
Authors: Schmidt Gül , Hirschfelder Anke , Heiland Max , Matuschek Carsten
Published: November 2020

Objective:

Despite its efficiency and benefits in treating patients with Robin sequence (RS), the pre-epiglottic baton plate (PEBP) is not widely used. However, its acceptance might improve with specific defined parameters for indication and proper design of the velar extension. We present our 13-year, single-center experience in treating infants with RS using PEBP, focusing on the description and insertion of an endoscopically guided PEBP design along with its complications and limitations.

Design and Innovation:

We recommend PEBP as primary treatment for RS, suggesting a new approach of design adjustment based on endoscopic findings of multilevel upper airway obstruction.

Setting:

Department of cleft lip and palate.

Patients:

Infants with isolated or syndromic RS, period 2010 to 2019.

Interventions:

Pre-epiglottic baton plate treatment, intravelar veloplasty, and hard palate closure after initial PEBP treatment.

Results:

We treated 132 infants (isolated RS, 111; syndromic RS, 21) with PEBP. All infants with isolated RS were discharged within an average of 8 days of PEBP therapy. For them, no tracheotomy or tongue–lip adhesion procedures were needed. Only 4 of the 20 infants discharged with a nasogastric tube needed it for >2 weeks. Intravelar veloplasty and palate closure were performed after 3 and 6 months of initiating PEBP treatment, respectively.

Conclusions:

Application of an orthodontic device in RS therapy has not been accepted worldwide. We hope that our learning curve and recommendations about PEBP will help the implementation of this highly effective and nonsurgical treatment option.
Understanding Children’s Emotions: Differences in Mothers With a History of Childhood Maltreatment
Authors: Milan Stephanie , Carlone Christina , Printz Destiny , Perez Sophia Dominguez
Published: November 2020

Experiencing maltreatment in childhood can have a lasting impact on how individuals identify and understand emotions in others. Research in this area has not examined parents’ understanding of children’s emotions, although emotion processing deficits may be one mechanism linking childhood maltreatment to subsequent parenting problems. In a matched case-control design, we test whether mothers with ( n = 50) and without ( n = 96) childhood maltreatment differ in their understanding of children’s emotions on self-report measures and computer-based tasks. Compared to the control group, mothers who experienced maltreatment labeled more children with sad or angry emotions when given limited facial information and made different interpersonal inferences about children they labeled angry. They also reported more subjective difficulty interpreting emotions in unknown children and their own child. Results provide further evidence of emotion processing biases associated with childhood maltreatment. Interventions aimed at improving parental emotion understanding and mentalization may be particularly useful for mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment.
Dural venous sinus thrombosis after lumbar puncture in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Authors: Garg Anubhav , Rajendram Phavalan , Muccilli Alexandra , Noel de tilly Lyne , Micieli Jonathan A
Published: November 2020

Introduction:

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is one of the most common causes of papilloedema seen by ophthalmologists and neurologists. Patients with IIH routinely undergo lumbar puncture (LP) for diagnosis. Dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) is a rare complication of cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSF)-lowering procedures such as lumbar puncture and epidural and may be an intracranial complication of IIH.

Case Description:

A 29-year-old obese woman was diagnosed with severe idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) after she presented with new-onset headache, pulsatile tinnitus and blurred vision. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and venography (MRV) were normal apart from signs of intracranial hypertension. Lumbar puncture (LP) revealed an opening pressure of 40 cm of water. Due to the severity of the papilloedema and vision loss, she was referred for a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and found to have venous sinus thrombosis involving the superior sagittal sinus on the pre-operative computed tomography (CT) head 5 days after the LP. CT venography (CTV) one day later and MRV 3 days later showed significant worsening as the thrombosis extended into the deep venous system. She was started on therapeutic heparin and her symptoms and vision improved and she did not develop any neurological complications.

Conclusions:

DVST should be considered in IIH patients who have worsening papilloedema or symptoms of intracranial hypertension. Repeat venous imaging can prevent devastating consequences such as venous infarcts of haemorrhage in these patients.
Conjunctival bleb tearing by XEN gel stent after conjunctival compression sutures
Authors: Montolío-Marzo Santiago , Lanzagorta-Aresti Aitor , Piá-Ludeña Jose Vicente , Davó-Cabrera Juan María
Published: November 2020

Purpose:

As minimally invasive glaucoma surgery devices emerge, newer complications are reported. XEN gel stent is safer than classic glaucoma surgery but may also lead to severe adverse effects as hypotony. Compression conjunctival sutures are a useful treatment for overfiltration hypotony after XEN gel stent implantation, but might force bleb tearing by the implant as it gets tightly close to the sutured conjunctiva. This complication has not been previously reported.

Methods:

We report a patient with overfiltration hypotony after XEN gel implantation. Conjunctival compression sutures and implant relocation ab interno were performed obtaining a good outcome. As conjunctiva got tightly close to the stent, the device eroded the bleb so leakage and implant extrusion were found.

Results:

Bleb reconstruction by conjunctival autograft was performed in order to avoid hypotony due to continuous conjunctival leakage.

Conclusion:

Conjunctival compression sutures may be used for overfiltration control after XEN gel implantation but we must be aware of potential conjunctival damage due to implant erosion even if it is correctly positioned. Close follow-up and early suture release may be convenient in these patients.