bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gravity magnetic resonance imaging measurement of muscle pump change accompanied by aging and posture
Authors: Fujii Taiga , Ohno Naoki , Sawazaki Takuto , Ogura Kohei , Miyati Tosiaki , Sugama Junko
Published: January 2021

Aim

To date no age‐comparative study has been reported about effect of exercise on muscle pump action change, while its effect is suggested to differ in ages. This study aims to clarify the changes in muscle pump action with aging by measuring the muscle and vein area, and blood flow in lower legs.

Methods

Subjects were healthy volunteers and consisted of three groups: young age group (N = 20), middle age group (N = 20) and old age group (N = 16). The lower leg flexor muscle area and popliteal vein area were measured by using T1‐weighed magnetic resonance imaging at the condition pre‐ and post‐ankle exercise in three positions. Moreover, popliteal blood flow velocity was also measured using phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

The elderly had the highest number of individuals who had exercise habits (p < .001). In a multiple linear regression analysis, sitting posture, leg muscle volume, and rate of change in the soleus muscle were significantly related to blood flow velocity change.

Conclusions

No difference was found in the changes in muscle pump action with age. The study results suggested that elderly people with exercise habits might be able to maintain the muscle pump action.
“We’re just two people in a relationship”: A qualitative exploration of emotional bond and fairness experiences between transgender women and their cisgender partners
Authors: Coppola Jennifer , Gangamma Rashmi , Hartwell Erica
Published: January 2021

Trans‐including couples experience systemic marginalization impacting their relationships, yet studies on these relationships or narratives of strength are few. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore emotional bonding and perceptions of fairness between transgender women and their cisgender partners. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was utilized to answer the research question: What are the experiences of emotional bond and fairness between transgender women and their cisgender partners? This research was situated within frameworks of minority stress, romantic attachment, and contextual therapy. Seven couples of transgender women and cisgender partners were interviewed. Three themes emerged: Minority Stress Contexts and Relational Strengths; The Experience of Emotional Bond; and Negotiating Balance. Processes of boundary creation, attunement, affirmations, and balance of care were noted. Findings reframe partner relationships as opportunities to construct transphobia‐resistant and resilient narratives. Recommendations for clinicians include prioritizing the couple subsystem as an avenue for building resilience against minority stress.
Desmoplastic mesenteric lesions do not respond radiographically to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy
Authors: Pelle Eleonora , Al‐Toubah Taymeyah , Morse Brian , El‐Haddad Ghassan , Strosberg Jonathan
Published: January 2021

177Lu‐Dotatate treatment is indicated for progressive, well‐differentiated, small bowel neuroendocrine tumours) NETs. These tumours often metastasise to mesenteric lymph nodes and produce a desmoplastic reaction, consisting of tumour cells interspersed with fibrotic tissue. We hypothesised that, in patients treated with 177Lu‐Dotatate, mesenteric tumours would remain stable even as liver tumour size changes were observed. We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients treated with 177Lu‐Dotatate between April 2018 and December 2019. Among patients with desmoplastic mesenteric tumours and liver metastases, we evaluated changes in tumour size of mesenteric and liver lesions based on pre‐ and post‐treatment anatomic scans. As a result of the infrequency of objective radiographic response, any reported changes in tumour size were considered significant. Twenty‐one patients met the inclusion criteria: nine had evidence of shrinkage of liver lesion(s), one had mild progression of liver lesions, seven had stable hepatic disease and four had a mixed hepatic response. Two of the patients with hepatic tumour shrinkage met the criteria for a partial response via RECIST 1.1 (https://recist.eortc.org). Desmoplastic mesenteric lesions remained unchanged in size, regardless of the changes detected in liver lesions.

In conclusion, 177Lu‐Dotatate does not impact desmoplastic mesenteric tumours which are typically associated with midgut NETs. Patients whose disease is predominantly confined to desmoplastic mesenteric lesions are unlikely to respond radiographically to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. Moreover, the inclusion of desmoplastic mesenteric lesions as target lesions in RECIST measurements tends to increase rates of disease stability vs response or progression.
Characteristics of Advance Care Planning Interventions Across Dementia Stages: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kim Hyejin , Cho Jeonghyun , Park Won Seok , Kim Sang Suk
Published: January 2021

Purpose

Little is known regarding how advance care planning (ACP) interventions change with the progression of dementia. Thus, the primary purpose of this systematic review is to compare characteristics of ACP interventions across dementia stages. We also identify the role of nurses in implementing ACP interventions for persons with dementia and their surrogates.

Design

A systematic review of ACP intervention studies.

Methods

After searching PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycArticles, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literture (CINAHL), and Scopus, the final sample included 11 studies representing 10 interventions. We conducted a quality assessment and extracted data on dementia stage, intervention characteristics, and the role of nurses in the intervention. The extracted data were categorized according to stages of dementia, and analyzed to identify commonalities and differences between intervention characteristics.

Findings

Three ACP interventions focused on mild dementia and seven on advanced dementia. We observed four primary findings. First, we found a major difference in intervention recipients between the two dementia stages. Second, most ACP interventions included structured discussions regarding the person’s life goals and values, goals of care, and preferences concerning future care via individual, face‐to‐face interactions. Third, ACP interventions designed to promote ongoing discussions and documentation were lacking. Finally, nurses played important roles in implementing ACP interventions.

Conclusions

The findings suggest more nurse‐led, dementia‐related ACP interventions. In addition, ACP interventions should promote ongoing discussions and documentation and target persons with dementia and their surrogates in various countries.

Clinical Relevance

Many persons with dementia and their surrogates have limited knowledge about ACP; thus, more nurse‐led ACP programs that reflect dementia stages may help them prepare for the situations in which persons with dementia lack decision‐making capacity.
Association between polysomnographic parameters of sleep bruxism and attrition‐type tooth wear
Authors: Kapagiannidou Despoina , Koutris Michail , Wetselaar Peter , Visscher Corine Miriam , van der Zaag Jacques , Lobbezoo Frank
Published: January 2021

Background

Clinically, sleep bruxism is considered to be associated with the presence of tooth wear, but strong evidence is still lacking.

Objective

To examine whether an association exists between polysomnographic parameters, recorded from patients with possible sleep bruxism and tooth wear.

Methods

Sixty‐three possible sleep bruxers (19 males and 44 females, mean ± SD age = 38.5 ± 11.4 years) were recruited among patients attending the Clinic for orofacial pain and dysfunction of the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). The incisal/occlusal tooth wear was recorded for each tooth clinically, using a 5‐point ordinal scale. Subsequently, all patients underwent an one‐night ambulatory polysomnographic recording, during which the number of bruxism episodes per hour of sleep (Epi/h), the number of bruxism bursts per hour of sleep (Bur/h), and the bruxism time index (BTI) were recorded and analysed. Logistic regression analysis was performed using the presence of tooth wear as the dependent variable, the polysomnographic recordings as independent variables, and corrected for age and gender. The Bur/h and BTI were removed from the analyses due to collinearity with the Epi/h. Additionally, the polysomnographic recordings were also tested for possible association with self‐reported grinding of the teeth during sleep.

Results

No significant correlation was found between tooth wear and Epi/h (P = 0.381). In addition, the presence of tooth wear was not associated with self‐reported parafunctions.

Conclusion

Clinically measured tooth wear and self‐reported parafunction seem not be related to the polysomnographic parameters of possible sleep bruxism.
Critical coverage: How the media criticize supreme courts—Evidence from Israel
Authors: Bogoch Bryna , Holzman‐Gazit Yifat
Published: January 2021

This paper examines media criticism of the Israeli Supreme Court from 2002 to 2011 in two newspapers. We analyze the nature and patterns of press criticism in different contexts by 1) distinguishing between diffuse and specific criticism and 2) by analyzing criticism separately from political framing and the tone of the article. We find that the increase in diffuse criticism and political framing over time was often balanced with counter‐criticism, resulting in a neutral or even positive tone toward the Court. This complex picture enables a more sophisticated understanding of the nature and implications of criticism of supreme courts in the press.
Cerebral microcirculation in glioblastoma: A major determinant of diagnosis, resection, and drug delivery
Authors: Nagaraja Tavarekere N. , Lee Ian Y.
Published: January 2021

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor with a dismal prognosis. Current standard of treatment is safe maximal tumor resection followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Altered cerebral microcirculation and elevated blood‐tumor barrier (BTB) permeability in tumor periphery due to glioma‐induced vascular dysregulation allow T1 contrast‐enhanced visualization of resectable tumor boundaries. Newer tracers that label the tumor and its vasculature are being increasingly used for intraoperative delineation of glioma boundaries for even more precise resection. Fluorescent 5‐aminolevulinic acid (5‐ALA) and indocyanine green (ICG) are examples of such intraoperative tracers. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–based MR thermometry is being employed for laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for glioma debulking. However, aggressive, fatal recurrence always occurs. Postsurgical chemotherapy is hampered by the inability of most drugs to cross the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). Understanding postsurgical changes in brain microcirculation and permeability is crucial to improve chemotherapy delivery. It is important to understand whether any microcirculatory indices can differentiate between true recurrence and radiation necrosis. LITT leads to peri‐ablation BBB opening that persists for several weeks. Whether it can be a conduit for chemotherapy delivery is yet to be explored. This review will address the role of cerebral microcirculation in such emerging ideas in GBM diagnosis and therapy.
The reasonable patient – A Swedish discursive construction
Authors: Boman Åse , Dahlborg Elisabeth , Eriksson Henrik , Tengelin Ellinor
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to analyse how the patient is constructed and socially positioned in Swedish patient information. Corpus‐assisted critical discourse analysis methodology was utilised on a sample of 56 online patient information texts about cancer containing a total of 126,711 words. The findings show an overarching discourse of informed consent guided by specific features to produce a patient norm that we name “the reasonable patient”, who is receptive to arguments, emotionally restrained and makes decisions based on information. Through the discourse of informed consent, the norm of the reasonable patient emerges, apparently to even out the imbalance of power between patient and professional, but in reality, more likely to construct a patient who is easily controlled and managed. When the self‐responsibility towards health is incorporated into the everyday domestic spaces via digital health technologies, the ideas and concepts of the patient role need to be reconsidered based on these new conditions. We conclude that it is important for nursing researchers to broaden the research on patients to include the relationship of power created through language. This study demonstrates both methodological and empirical possibilities to do so.
Regulation of flowering time by ambient temperature: repressing the repressors and activating the activators
Authors: Jin Suhyun , Ahn Ji Hoon
Published: January 2021

Plants display remarkable developmental flexibility as they continuously sense and respond to changes in their environment. This flexibility allows them to select the optimal timing for critical developmental decisions such as when to flower. Ambient temperature is a major environmental factor that influences flowering; the mechanisms involved in ambient temperature‐responsive flowering have attracted particular attention as a consequence of the effects of global climate change on temperature. PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 and alternative splicing of FLOWERING LOCUS M affect temperature‐responsive flowering; however, the exact temperature‐sensing mechanism in plants remains elusive. Further study of these molecular mechanisms will contribute to our understanding of how plants sense ambient temperature and respond via diverse biological signaling cascades.
Stable, fertile lines produced by hybridization between allotetraploids Brassica juncea (AABB) and Brassica carinata (BBCC) have merged the A and C genomes
Authors: Katche Elvis , Gaebelein Roman , Idris Zurianti , Vasquez‐Teuber Paula , Lo Yu‐tzu , Nugent David , Batley Jacqueline , Mason Annaliese S.
Published: January 2021

Many flowering plant taxa contain allopolyploids that share one or more genomes in common. In the Brassica genus, crop species Brassica juncea and Brassica carinata share the B genome, with 2n = AABB and 2n = BBCC genome complements, respectively. Hybridization results in 2n = BBAC hybrids, but the fate of these hybrids over generations of self‐pollination has never been reported.

We produced and characterized B. juncea × B. carinata (2n = BBAC) interspecific hybrids over six generations of self‐pollination under selection for high fertility using a combination of genotyping, fertility phenotyping, and cytogenetics techniques.

Meiotic pairing behaviour improved from 68% bivalents in the F1 to 98% in the S5/S6 generations, and initially low hybrid fertility also increased to parent species levels. The S5/S6 hybrids contained an intact B genome (16 chromosomes) plus a new, stable A/C genome (18–20 chromosomes) resulting from recombination and restructuring of A and C‐genome chromosomes.

Our results provide the first experimental evidence that two genomes can come together to form a new, restructured genome in hybridization events between two allotetraploid species that share a common genome. This mechanism should be considered in interpreting phylogenies in taxa with multiple allopolyploid species.
Anxiety and cognitive load affect upper limb motor control in Parkinson's disease during medication phases
Authors: Nodehi Zahra , Mehdizadeh Hajar , Azad Akram , Mehdizadeh Maryam , Reyhanian Elham , Saberi Zakieh Sadat , Meimandi Mahsa , Soltanzadeh Akbar , Roohi‐Azizi Mahtab , Vasaghi‐Gharamaleki Behnoosh , Parnianpour Mohamad , Khalaf Kinda , Taghizadeh Ghorban
Published: January 2021

Anxiety is among the most debilitating nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study aimed to determine how PD patients with low and high levels of anxiety (LA‐PD and HA‐PD, respectively) compare with age‐ and sex‐matched controls at the level of motor control of reach‐to‐grasp movements during single‐ and dual‐task conditions with varying complexity. Reach‐to‐grasp movement kinematics were assessed in 20 LA‐PD, 20 HA‐PD, and 20 sex‐ and age‐matched healthy controls under single‐ as well as easy and difficult dual‐task conditions. Assessment of PD patients was performed during both the on‐ and off‐drug phases. The results obtained during dual‐task conditions reveal deficits in both reach and grasp components for all three groups (e.g., decreased peak velocity and delayed maximum hand opening). However, these deficits were significantly greater in the PD groups, especially in the HA‐PD group. Although dopaminergic medication improved reach kinematics, it had no effect on grasp kinematics. The results of our study indicated that high levels of anxiety may enhance the inefficiency of upper limb motor control in PD patients, especially during high demanding cognitive conditions, and should, therefore, be considered in the assessment and planning of interventions for upper limb function in these patients.
The Consumption Euler Equation or the Keynesian Consumption Function?*
Authors: Boug Pål , Cappelen Ådne , Jansen Eilev S. , Swensen Anders Rygh
Published: January 2021

We formulate a general cointegrated vector autoregressive (CVAR) model that nests both a class of consumption Euler equations and various Keynesian‐type consumption functions. Using likelihood‐based methods and Norwegian data, we find support for cointegration between consumption, income and wealth once a structural break around the time of the financial crisis is allowed for. The fact that consumption cointegrates with both income and wealth and not only with income points to the empirical irrelevance of an Euler equation. Moreover, we find that consumption equilibrium corrects to changes in income and wealth, but not that income equilibrium corrects to changes in consumption, which would follow from an Euler equation. We also find that most of the parameters stemming from the class of Euler equations are not corroborated by the data when conditional expectations of future consumption and income in CVAR models are considered. Only habit formation seems important in explaining Norwegian consumer behaviour. Our estimated conditional Keynesian‐type consumption function implies a first year marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of income of close to 40%.
Arthroscopic Reconstruction of Posterior Cruciate Ligament with Embedded Tibial Tendon Bolt
Authors: Li Hua‐zhe , Yu Cong , Zhang Zhi‐tao , Yan Shi , Liao Yun‐jian , Lu Dai‐feng
Published: January 2021

Objective

To evaluate the effect of newly designed arthroscopic reconstruction of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) using tibial tendon bolt.

Methods

The effects of embedded tendon pin were observed by X‐ray of knee joint. From October 2010 to September 2015, 51 PCL injury patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this retrospective study. The arthroscopically assisted reconstruction of the PCL with tibial tendon bolt was performed on all patients. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, Tegner activity score, Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) assessment, posterior drawer test (PDT), and KT‐1000 activity score were evaluated preoperatively and at 1‐year postoperative and 3‐year postoperative.

Results

The preoperative, 1‐year postoperative, and 3‐year postoperative IKDC score (15.8% ± 14.8%, 89.6% ± 5.8%, and 86.8% ± 5.4%), Lysholm score (17.4 ± 10.7, 91.2 ± 2.8, and 88.2 ± 3.1), VAS score (5.8 ± 1.2, 1.3 ± 0.5, and 0.6 ± 0.5), Tegner activity score (1.2 ± 0.8, 8.1 ± 0.8, and 7.4 ± 0.8), and KT‐1000 score (15.6 ± 3.6, 4.5 ± 2.4, and 5.4 ± 1.8) were obtained. There were significant differences in these outcomes among preoperative, 1‐year postoperative, and 3‐year postoperative (all P < 0.0001). After 1‐ and 3‐year surgery, 31 (60.8%) and 26 (51.0%) patients had the negative PDT, indicating that the PCL injury was improved. There were no postoperative complications.

Conclusion

The application of tendon pin fixed by tibial inlay 8‐shaped tibial tunnel to reconstruct PCL was an effective, simple, and safe surgical procedure for PCL injury.
No impact of neonicotinoids on male solitary bees Osmia cornuta under semi‐field conditions
Authors: Strobl Verena , Bruckner Selina , Radford Sarah , Wolf Sarah , Albrecht Matthias , Villamar‐Bouza Laura , Maitip Jakkrawut , Kolari Eleonora , Chantawannakul Panuwan , Glauser Gaétan , Williams Geoffrey R. , Neumann Peter , Straub Lars
Published: January 2021

The ubiquitous use of agrochemicals is one driver for the ongoing loss of insect biomass and diversity. Data show that field‐realistic concentrations of neonicotinoid insecticides can negatively affect both population density and the fitness of solitary bees. However, the underlying mechanisms for these effects remain poorly understood. Here, using an established semi‐field experimental set‐up and Osmia cornuta as a solitary bee model, we examined the effects of field‐realistic concentrations of a common neonicotinoid insecticide (clothianidin) on male larvae and adults. Besides measuring lethal (i.e., overwintering success and adult survival) and sub‐lethal endpoints (i.e., emergence mass and emergence duration), we examined, for the first time, potential effects on the male reproductive physiology of a solitary bee (i.e., sperm quantity and viability). The data revealed no significant effects on any of the measured response variables. This may be due to the low degree of clothianidin exposure (0.56 ng g−1) and/or the apparent low susceptibility of solitary bee larvae to neonicotinoids. Furthermore, it is conceivable that ideal foraging conditions, combined with optimal weather and lack of other environmental stressors, may have improved the ability of bees to cope with the insecticide. To reliably assess and understand the environmental hazards of agrochemicals, a holistic approach, including laboratory, semi‐field and field data is required. Knowledge of underlying mechanisms will help to mitigate the current global declines of insect populations.
Why do humans have unique auditory event‐related fields? Evidence from computational modeling and MEG experiments
Authors: Hajizadeh Aida , Matysiak Artur , Brechmann André , König Reinhard , May Patrick J. C.
Published: January 2021

Auditory event‐related fields (ERFs) measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG) are useful for studying the neuronal underpinnings of auditory cognition in human cortex. They have a highly subject‐specific morphology, albeit certain characteristic deflections (e.g., P1m, N1m, and P2m) can be identified in most subjects. Here, we explore the reason for this subject‐specificity through a combination of MEG measurements and computational modeling of auditory cortex. We test whether ERF subject‐specificity can predominantly be explained in terms of each subject having an individual cortical gross anatomy, which modulates the MEG signal, or whether individual cortical dynamics is also at play. To our knowledge, this is the first time that tools to address this question are being presented. The effects of anatomical and dynamical variation on the MEG signal is simulated in a model describing the core‐belt‐parabelt structure of the auditory cortex, and with the dynamics based on the leaky‐integrator neuron model. The experimental and simulated ERFs are characterized in terms of the N1m amplitude, latency, and width. Also, we examine the waveform grand‐averaged across subjects, and the standard deviation of this grand average. The results show that the intersubject variability of the ERF arises out of both the anatomy and the dynamics of auditory cortex being specific to each subject. Moreover, our results suggest that the latency variation of the N1m is largely related to subject‐specific dynamics. The findings are discussed in terms of how learning, plasticity, and sound detection are reflected in the auditory ERFs. The notion of the grand‐averaged ERF is critically evaluated.
Efficacy of essential oil of cinnamon for the treatment of oral candidiasis: A randomized trial
Authors: de Araújo Maria Rejane Cruz , Maciel Panmella Pereira , Castellano Lúcio Roberto Cançado , Bonan Paulo Rogério Ferreti , Alves Danielle da Nóbrega , de Medeiros Ana Cláudia Dantas , de Castro Ricardo Dias
Published: January 2021

Aim

It was analyzed the efficacy of mouthwash and spray containing essential oil (EO) ofCinnamomum zeylanicumBlume for the treatment of oral candidiasis.

Methods and results

A randomized, controlled, and blinded clinical trial was conducted with 36 individuals (probabilistic sample) with oral candidiasis who were divided into two treatment groups:C. zeylanicum(0.5 mg/mL), n = 18; nystatin (100,000IU/mL), n = 18. The efficacy of the products was evaluated by two parameters: (a) clinical evolution recorded by calibrated examiners (Kappa = 0.822) according to Newton's classification and (b) reduction of colony‐forming units/mL. Mycological and clinical parameters were analyzed before and at 15 days after treatment. Clinical examination of the mucosa showed thatC. zeylanicum(p < 0.0339) and nystatin (p < .0139) had efficacy, resulting in a reduction of signs and symptoms (Mann‐Whitney test). Mycological analysis showed thatC. zeylanicumcaused a reduction of 61% and 33% ofCandidaspp., isolates oral mucosa and dentures, respectively.Candida tropicalisstrains were eliminated afterC. zeylanicum, in both sites. The participants reported a pleasant taste and few product‐related complaints.

Conclusion

C. zeylanicumEO and nystatin exhibited clinical efficacy, according to the Newton classification, and reducing inCandidaspp. The clinical trial has been registered (Registration number: NBR–33s6 × 5, ensaiosclinicos.gov.br).
Defying the Supreme Court: The Impact of Overt Resistance to Landmark Legal Rulings
Authors: Zilis Michael A. , Borne Xander
Published: January 2021

Objective

To explore the political impact of overt resistance to judicial rulings. Existing approaches to answering this question rely on a framework that overlooks important components of how resistance resonates in the modern era.

Methods

Focusing on the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges and resistance by local county clerks, we model the relationship between resistance and public opinion. We demonstrate that disobedience affected the media's framing of same‐sex marriage, changing it from an issue framed primarily around equal rights to one in which alternative, anti‐same‐sex marriage frames proliferated. We then use these frames to design an externally valid survey experiment, which we administer to a national sample.

Results

We find that resistance framing depresses support for same‐sex marriage and increases support for defying the Court.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that political resistance to the judiciary continues to resonate in the modern era, although not in the ways that many assume.
HLA‐A*11:77, a variant of HLA‐A*11, detected in a Taiwanese patient
Authors: Yang Kuo‐Liang , Wu Kang‐Hsi , Lin Py‐Yu
Published: January 2021

One nucleotide substitution in codon 268 of HLA‐A*11:02:01:01 results in a novel allele, HLA‐A*11:77.
Educational models of spiritual formation in theological education: Introspection‐based spiritual formation
Authors: Lu Jane I.
Published: January 2021

Given that spiritual formation of students is a key pursuit of theological training and in light of the evolving landscape of Christian spiritual formation, designing an effective educational model for the goal of students' formation is challenging. This article explores the educational means and factors of self‐awareness that enhance spiritual formation. Based on a review of the most recent literature, this article intends to synthesize their theories and findings to provide an introspection‐based spiritual formation model that focuses on students' self‐awareness development with the goal of spiritual formation in theological education.
ABO maternal‐child discordance: Evidence of variable allelic expression and considerations for investigation
Authors: McKnight Tristan F.P. , Strain Jonathan E. , Vege Sunitha , Lam Christina , Hubbard Eustratia M. , Kopko Patricia M. , Westhoff Connie M. , Allen Elizabeth S.
Published: January 2021

Background

We report a case of apparent mother‐child ABO group noninheritance. A Caucasian mother initially typed as group O and her infant group AB. Investigation ruled out preanalytical causes such as mislabeled samples and in vitro fertilization.

Materials and Methods

Red blood cells were characterized by routine serologic testing. Genomic data were analyzed by targeted polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism and Sanger sequencing. Transferase structures were modeled using PyMOL molecular visualization software.

Results

Serologic testing initially demonstrated the mother was group O, father group AB, and infant group AB. Further testing of the maternal sample with anti‐A,B demonstrated weak A expression. Molecular testing revealed the maternal sample had an ABO*O.01.01 allele in trans to an A allele, ABO*AW.29 (c.311T>A, p.Ile104Asn), determined by gene sequencing. The sample from the infant carried the same ABO*AW.29 allele in trans to a B allele, ABO*B.01.

Conclusion

ABO genotyping revealed an A transferase encoded by ABO*AW.29, with apparent variable activity. Although A antigen expression is well known to be weak in newborns, it was robust on the red blood cells (RBCs) of the AB infant and undetectable with anti‐A on the mother. Variable expression of weak subgroups may reflect competition or enhancement by a codominant allele, as well as glycan chain maturation on red cells. Previous examples in group AB mothers with Aweak infants suggested that the decreased expression is primarily due to glycan immaturity. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of the ABO*AW.29 allele presenting with weak A expression in a group Aweak mother and robust A expression in a group AB infant, suggesting the in trans allele is an important factor in determining transferase activity and may override age‐related effects.
Fascial plane mapping for superficial tumor resection in dogs. Part I: Neck and trunk
Authors: Schroeder Mikayla M. , Skinner Owen T.
Published: January 2021

Objective

To provide qualitative fascial categories and classify the intersections of various fascial planes of the trunk of the dog to facilitate preoperative planning for superficial cancers.

Study design

Qualitative anatomical study.

Sample population

Two male and three female mixed breed canine cadavers weighing approximately 15 to 35 kg.

Methods

The skin and subcutaneous fat were excised. Fascial planes were incised and elevated to allow exploration of their quality and borders. Fascia was categorized as type I (discrete sheets), type II (tightly adhered to thin muscles), type III (tightly adhered to thick muscles), or type IV (associated with periosteum). Photographs of specimens were digitally modified with overlays to map tissue types.

Results

Differences between cadavers were largely associated with muscle mass or sex, with only minor anatomical differences and enough subjective similarity among specimens to allow mapping. The fasciae of the neck and trunk were predominantly type I or type II, with type III fascia at the shoulder and type IV fascia at the scapular spine, 13th rib, dorsal spinous processes, and the wing of the ilium.

Conclusion

The superficial fasciae of the canine trunk were consistent among the dogs evaluated and can be classified as four broad fascial types. The population used was small, and individual variation should be considered when using these images in a clinical setting.

Clinical significance

The images and categorization of fascia and transitions between fascial layers detailed here provide a visual and written reference for surgeons to facilitate preoperative planning and excision of superficial cancers.
Full‐thickness labial flaps to reconstruct facial defects in four dogs
Authors: Pavletic Michael M.
Published: January 2021

Objective

To describe the use of the upper lip for reconstruction of the external nose and closure of large facial defects in dogs.

Animals

Four dogs with facial defects with exposure of the underlying nasal cavity.

Study design

Short case series.

Methods

A variation of the lip‐to‐lid technique was used to reconstruct one‐half of the external nose after resection of a mast cell tumor in one dog. A full‐thickness labial transposition flap (upper lip) was used to reconstruct facial and nasal defects exposing the nasal cavity. A cylindrical mucosal graft was employed in the restoration of nostril patency in one dog.

Results

The lip‐to‐lid variation (also known as lip‐to‐nose) restored the right nostril and nasal planum after mast cell tumor resection in one dog. In three dogs, the nasal defects were reconstructed with full‐thickness upper labial transposition flaps. Restoration of nostril patency in one dog was also aided by the cylindrical mucosal graft.

Clinical significance

The full‐thickness labial transposition flap and the lip‐to‐lid flap variation were successfully used to reconstruct major defects of the external nose and facial defects involving the nasal cavity.

Conclusion

Composite flaps of the upper lip should be considered to close problematic nasocutaneous fistulas and restore function to the external nose. The upper lip provides a source of mucosa to restore patency of stenotic nares or obstructed nostrils.
Shaping Pedestrians’ Trust in Autonomous Vehicles: An Effect of Communication Style, Speed Information, and Adaptive Strategy
Authors: She Jinjuan , Neuhoff Jack , Yuan Qingcong
Published: January 2021

Compared with conventional vehicles, autonomous vehicles (AVs) are featured by increased energy efficiency and road safety, yet hardly meet with much success without enough human trust. Designing appropriate interactions between AV and human, such as communication with pedestrians, could help enhance trust and public acceptance. In this work, we examine design characteristics of AV interface, including communication style, explicit display of vehicle speed, and adaptive strategy, and study their effects on pedestrians’ trust behaviors. It is found that any communication style could improve pedestrians’ trust in AV and decision alignment with AV expectations. Among the three communication styles, commanding and advisory are significantly better than informative, in terms of trust improvement (commanding versus informative: t = 3.61 and p < 0.001; advisory versus informative: t = 2.78, p = 0.005) and decision alignment ((a) in expected cross scenarios, commanding versus informative: t = 0.35 and p < 0.001; advisory versus informative: t = 11.71, p < 0.001; (b) in expected not cross scenarios, commanding versus informative: t = −7.61, p < 0.001; advisory versus informative: t = −6.40, p < 0.001). Adding speed information on top of explicit message communication does not change the relative effectiveness of individual styles, even though the display of speed-only information has significantly improved both measures (trust: F = 9.39 and p = 0.002; decision: F = 6.04 and p = 0.015). In addition, applying an adaptive communication strategy when yielding would significantly improve pedestrians’ trust (t = 9.33 and p < 0.001) and decision alignment (t = 14.78 and p < 0.001). This study demonstrates the influence of design characteristics on the formation of trust relationships between pedestrians and autonomous vehicles and paves the ways for developing more advanced AV communication mechanisms.
Thermal Performance Optimization of a Parabolic Trough Collector Operating With Various Working Fluids Using Copper Nanoparticles
Authors: Abdullatif Yasser M. , Okonkwo Eric C. , Al-Ansari Tareq
Published: January 2021

This study presents a thermal performance comparison of various working fluids operating in a parabolic trough collector. Fluids such as gases (helium, carbon dioxide, and air), liquid sodium, and liquids (pressurized water, Therminol VP1, and Syltherm 800) are evaluated. This study also examines the efficiency enhancement obtained from the dispersion of copper nanoparticles in water, Therminol VP1, and Syltherm 800 base fluids. The optimum parameters for nanoparticle concentration, volume flowrate, and inlet temperature to obtain the maximum efficiencies for each working fluid were evaluated in this study. The thermal model used in this study was modeled after the commercially available LS-2 collector, which is designed in the engineering equation solver (EES) and validated with results found in the literature. The results of the study show that the Cu/Syltherm 800 nanofluid showed the most enhancement in thermal efficiency with 0.141%, while Cu/water and Cu/Therminol VP1 had enhancements of 0.037% and 0.088% respectively.
Inertial Measurement Unit-Based Optimization Control of a Soft Exosuit for Hip Extension and Flexion Assistance
Authors: Chen Qiang , Guo Shijie , Sun Lei , Liu Qiming , Jin Shanhai
Published: January 2021

The optimization of the assistive force of a soft exosuit is crucial to the assistive effect. In this paper, an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based optimization controller was designed to provide effective hip extension and flexion assistance for a soft hip-assistive exosuit. The parameters of the assistive profiles that were defined by two functions were approximatively estimated based on an analysis of biological hip power, and then optimized in real time using the hip angles measured by two IMUs bound to the thighs of the wearer. The peak and offset timings were determined using the parameters of the previous gait, while the start and stop points were determined from those of the current gait. Confirmation experiment was conducted in which four subjects were tested to demonstrate the validity of the optimization by applying the optimized parameters to the soft exosuit developed by the authors' group. Two of the subjects completed the outdoor walking test at a self-determined pace while carrying a load of 15 kg. All the subjects conducted the walking test on a treadmill at a constant speed of 1.53 m/s with the same load. The results showed that the proposed optimization controller worked well without considering individual differences. In the outdoor walking test, the wearer's natural gait could be maintained by applying the optimized assistive forces. In the treadmill walking test, metabolic rate with assistance turned on was reduced by 8.53 ± 2.65% (average ± SEM) compared with the result of assistance turned off.
Introducing SU(3) color charge in undergraduate quantum mechanics
Authors: Inscoe Brandon L. , Lancaster Jarrett L.
Published: January 2021

We present a framework for investigating effective dynamics of SU(3) color charge. Two- and three-body effective interaction terms inspired by the Heisenberg spin model are considered. In particular, a toy model for a three-source “baryon” is constructed and investigated analytically and numerically for various choices of interactions. vpython is used to visualize the nontrivial color charge dynamics. The treatment should be accessible to undergraduate students who have taken a first course in quantum mechanics, and suggestions for independent student projects are proposed.
Investigating t∞ for bouncing balls
Authors: Hatchell Paul J.
Published: January 2021

A simple experiment carried out with readily available equipment is used to investigate the interesting physics that occurs when a ball is bounced on a flat surface and left to continue bouncing until it stops. A solution well known from introductory physics courses is that if a ball loses a fraction of its energy on each bounce, then it will bounce infinitely many times in a finite time interval. A convolutional model of the sound a bouncing ball makes is created using an impulse response function and a prediction based on energy loss that the sound amplitudes will decay linearly to zero as the ball stops bouncing. Strategies for data analysis using correlation and deconvolution with the impulse response function are shown to simplify the picking of bounce times. Observations from several data examples show that the convolutional model is a good description of the real data and that we observe a linear decrease in sound amplitude consistent with the model prediction.
Interactions among talker sex, masker number, and masker intelligibility in speech-on-speech recognition
Authors: Thomas Mathew , Galvin John J. , Fu Qian-Jie
Published: January 2021

In competing speech, recognition of target speech may be limited by the number and characteristics of maskers, which produce energetic, envelope, and/or informational masking. In this study, speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) were measured with one, two, or four maskers. The target and masker sex was the same or different, and SRTs were measured with time-forward or time-reversed maskers. SRTs were significantly affected by target-masker sex differences with time-forward maskers, but not with time-reversed maskers. The multi-masker penalty was much greater with time-reversed maskers than with time-forward maskers when there were more than two talkers.
Binaural advantages in a real-world environment on speech intelligibility, response time, and subjective listening difficulty
Authors: Yancey Calli M. , Barrett Mary E. , Gordon-Salant Sandra , Brungart Douglas S.
Published: January 2021

This study examined the speech-related advantages of binaural listening for individuals conversing in a noisy restaurant. Young, normal-hearing adults were tested in groups of four during monaural and binaural listening conditions. Monosyllabic word stimuli were presented in a closed-set format. Speech intelligibility, response time (RT), and self-reported difficulty were measured. Results showed a speech intelligibility advantage of 17%, a 0.26 s decrease in RT, and a reduction in reported difficulty in binaural compared to monaural listening. These data suggest the binaural advantage obtained in real-world settings compares favorably with that observed in the laboratory, indicating that speech testing in laboratories approximates real-world performance.
Semantic predictability and adaptation to nonnative speech
Authors: Baese-Berk Melissa M. , Bent Tessa , Walker Kayla
Published: January 2021

Listeners improve their ability to understand nonnative speech through exposure. The present study examines the role of semantic predictability during adaptation. Listeners were trained on high-predictability, low-predictability, or semantically anomalous sentences. Results demonstrate that trained participants improve their perception of nonnative speech compared to untrained participants. Adaptation is most robust for the types of sentences participants heard during training; however, semantic predictability during exposure did not impact the amount of adaptation overall. Results show advantages in adaptation specific to the type of speech material, a finding similar to the specificity of adaptation previously demonstrated for individual talkers or accents.
The effect of Mandarin listeners' musical and pitch aptitude on perceptual learning of Cantonese level-tones
Authors: Qin Zhen , Zhang Caicai , Wang William Shi-yuan
Published: January 2021

Contrary to studies on speech learning of consonants and vowels, the issue of individual variability is less well understood in the learning of lexical tones. Whereas existing studies have focused on contour-tone learning (Mandarin) by listeners without experience of a tonal language, this study addressed a research gap by investigating the perceptual learning of level-tone contrasts (Cantonese) by learners with experience of a contour-tone system (Mandarin). Critically, we sought to answer the question of how Mandarin listeners' initial perception and learning of Cantonese level-tones are affected by their musical and pitch aptitude. Mandarin-speaking participants completed a pretest, training, and a posttest in the level-tone discrimination and identification (ID) tasks. They were assessed in musical aptitude and speech and nonspeech pitch thresholds before training. The results revealed a significant training effect in the ID task but not in the discrimination task. Importantly, the regression analyses showed an advantage of higher musical and pitch aptitude in perceiving Cantonese level-tone categories. The results explained part of the level-tone learning variability in speakers of a contour-tone system. The finding implies that prior experience of a tonal language does not necessarily override the advantage of listeners' musical and pitch aptitude.
Physiological and Metabolic Responses to Exercise on Treadmill, Elliptical Trainer, and Stepper: Practical Implications for Training
Authors: Bosch Andrew N. , Flanagan Kirsten C. , Eken Maaike M. , Withers Adrian , Burger Jana , Lamberts Robert P.
Published: January 2021

Elliptical trainers and steppers are proposed as useful exercise modalities in the rehabilitation of injured runners due to the reduced stress on muscles and joints when compared to running. This study compared the physiological responses to submaximal running (treadmill) with exercise on the elliptical trainer and stepper devices at three submaximal but identical workloads. Authors had 18 trained runners (male/female: N = 9/9, age: mean ± SD = 23 ± 3 years) complete randomized maximal oxygen consumption tests on all three modalities. Submaximal tests of 3 min were performed at 60%, 70%, and 80% of peak workload individually established for each modality. Breath-by-breath oxygen consumption, heart rate, fuel utilization, and energy expenditure were determined. The value of maximal oxygen consumption was not different between treadmill, elliptical, and stepper (49.3 ± 5.3, 48.0 ± 6.6, and 46.7 ± 6.2 ml·min−1·kg−1, respectively). Both physiological measures (oxygen consumption and heart rate) as well as carbohydrate and fat oxidation differed significantly between the different exercise intensities (60%, 70%, and 80%) but did not differ between the treadmill, elliptical trainer, and stepper. Therefore, the elliptical trainer and stepper are suitable substitutes for running during periods when a reduced running load is required, such as during rehabilitation from running-induced injury.
Separation anxiety
Authors: Leslie Mitch
Published: January 2021

Phase separation, an idea about how cells organize their contents and functions into dropletlike compartments, has divided biologists.
Novel Lytic Phages Protect Cells and Mice against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection
Authors: Chen Feng , Cheng Xingjun , Li Jianbo , Yuan Xiefang , Huang Xiuhua , Lian Mao , Li Wenfang , Huang Tianfang , Xie Yaliu , Liu Jie , Gao Pan , Wei Xiawei , Wang Zhenling , Wu Min
Published: January 2021

Novel lytic phages isolated from various environmental settings were systematically characterized for their critical genetic traits, morphology structures, host ranges against laboratory strains and clinical multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates, and antibacterial capacity both
in vitro
and in mouse models. First, we characterized the genetic traits and compared them with those of other existing phages.
The Time for COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Domingo Esteban , Perales Celia
Published: January 2021

The composition and dynamics of viral mutant spectra in infected individuals advise that to avoid selection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) escape mutants, vaccination campaigns for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be launched when disease incidence is low.