bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L'économie des plateformes sous l'angle de la géographie ouvrière: comprendre les stratégies d'organisation collective dans le contexte du travail intermédié par les plateformes numériques
Authors: JOHNSTON Hannah
Published: April 2020

L'auteure analyse sous un angle géographique la lutte collective des travailleurs de plateforme. Distinguant deux formes de travail de plateforme (l'offre de services locaux et le microtravail), elle examine leurs caractéristiques spatiales respectives et les stratégies d'organisation collective spécifiques à chacune. À partir de trois démarches de dialogue social (comités d'entreprise, négociation collective et accords multientreprises), elle cherche à comprendre pourquoi chaque catégorie de travailleurs de plateforme choisit telle stratégie plutôt que telle autre. Elle analyse les cadres réglementaires dans lesquels s'inscrivent les luttes collectives de ces travailleurs et les chances de voir cette mobilisation améliorer leurs conditions de travail.
Is variable plot size a serious constraint in broad‐scale vegetation studies? A case study on fens
Authors: Peterka Tomáš , Syrovátka Vít , Dítě Daniel , Hájková Petra , Hrubanová Monika , Jiroušek Martin , Plesková Zuzana , Singh Patrícia , Šímová Anna , Šmerdová Eva , Hájek Michal
Published: April 2020

Question

Filtering vegetation plot records according to sampling size is an essential methodological step in vegetation studies. In fens, the variation of traditionally used plot sizes seems to limit continental‐scale syntheses following the Braun‐Blanquet approach. Which plot sizes harbour the analogous number of habitat specialists (i.e., diagnostic/indicator species) and capture the main compositional gradients identically?

Location

Scandinavia, central Europe.

Methods

The data set of fen vegetation plot records was compiled using large databases and categorised into four distinct habitats. For each habitat, semi‐log species–area curves of specialists and other species were fitted using generalised additive models (GAM). In addition, we surveyed 72 sites in a series of plot sizes (0.07, 0.25, 1, 4, 16 m2) where we applied, separately for each plot size, Non‐Metric Multi‐Dimensional Scaling (NMDS) and compared the resulting patterns with Procrustes analysis.

Results

Consistently across different fen habitats, the species–area curves of specialists increased steeply up to the plot size of 1 m2, while increasing negligibly in the plot size range of 1–25 m2. In contrast, the species–area curves of other species displayed mostly linear to linear‐exponential trends. NMDS ordinations of medium (1 and 4 m2) and large plots (16 m2) were the most congruent, while the patterns captured in the ordination of the smallest plots (0.07 m2) differed most from the others.

Conclusions

In fens, plot sizes of at least 1 m2 describe sufficiently the broad‐scale pattern in specialists’ diversity as well as the main environmental gradients. The range of plot sizes of 1–25 m2 may be safely merged in broad‐scale analyses of fen vegetation without introducing substantial bias, at least when compared with other possible uncertainty sources.
Procuring Snakes: Thomas Pennant and recent scholarship in Welsh writing of the long eighteenth century
Authors: Edwards Elizabeth
Published: April 2020

This article surveys recent developments in the field of Welsh writing in English in the long eighteenth century. Drawing on the findings of the research project “Curious Travellers: Thomas Pennant and the Welsh and Scottish Tour 1760‐1815”, it sets new work on Pennant and his networks in the context of ongoing research into a number of fields within eighteenth‐century Wales, including political history, literature and science, Wales's bilingual literary inheritance, place and cartography, gender and sexuality, visual culture, print and manuscript, and the digital turn. It proposes Pennant as a useful but underused point of entry to many of these fields, given the extraordinary range of his writing career.
The emergency department as a setting‐specific opportunity for population‐based hepatitis C screening: An economic evaluation
Authors: Mendlowitz Andrew B. , Naimark David , Wong William W. L. , Capraru Camelia , Feld Jordan J. , Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Krahn Murray
Published: April 2020

Background and Aims

The World Health Organization's hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategy recognizes the need for interventions that identify populations most affected by infection. The emergency department (ED) has been suggested as a setting for HCV screening. The study objective was to explore the health and economic impact of HCV screening in the ED setting.

Methods

We used a microsimulation model to conduct a cost‐utility analysis evaluating two ED setting‐specific strategies: no screening, and screening and subsequent treatment. Strategies were examined for two populations: (a) the general ED patient population; and (b) ED patients born between 1945 and 1975. The analysis was conducted from a healthcare payer perspective over a lifetime time horizon. A reference and high ED HCV seroprevalence measure were examined in the Canadian healthcare setting.US costs of chronic infection were used for a scenario analysis of screening in the US healthcare setting.

Results

For birth cohort screening, in comparison to no screening, one liver‐related death was averted for every 760 and 123 persons screened for the reference and high seroprevalence measures. For general population screening, one liver‐related death was averted for every 831 and 147 persons screened for the reference and high seroprevalence measures. In comparison to no screening, birth cohort screening was cost‐effective at CAN$25,584/quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) and US$42,615/QALY. General population screening was cost‐effective at CAN$19,733/QALY and US$32,187/QALY.

Conclusions

ED screening may represent a cost‐effective component of population‐based strategies to eliminate HCV. Further studies are warranted to explore the feasibility and acceptability of this approach.
Selenoprotein genetic variants may modify the association between serum selenium and oral cancer risk
Authors: Bao Xiaodan , Yan Lingjun , Lin Jing , Chen Qing , Chen Lin , Zhuang Zhaocheng , Wang Rui , Hong Yihong , Qian Jiawen , Wang Jing , Chen Fa , Liu Fengqiong , Wang Jing , He Baochang
Published: April 2020

Objective

The relationship between selenium (Se) and oral cancer is still controversial, and the selenoprotein genes play crucial roles in selenium metabolism. We aim to investigate the potential effect of selenoprotein genes (including GPx and TXNRD) in the association of serum Se with oral cancer risk.

Methods

A case–control study including 235 oral cancer cases and 406 controls from September 2011 to December 2018 was conducted in Fujian, China. The peripheral blood samples were obtained from each participant. Genotyping was performed by MassARRAY system, and serum Se levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS).

Results

Compared with the lowest tertile of Se concentration, those with Se levels in the third tertile were associated with the lower risk of oral cancer (OR = 0.228; 95% CI: 0.135, 0.384). After additional adjustment for genetic risk score (GRS, derived from selenoprotein genetic variants), the model demonstrated the superior goodness of fit. When stratified by GRS, the negative correlation of serum Se was more pronounced among those with low risk (i.e., lower GRS). Moreover, there is a multiplicative interaction between serum Se and GRS for the risk of oral cancer (p = .001).

Conclusions

The present study suggests that serum Se levels may be significantly associated with oral cancer risk, yet the association may be modified by the effects of selenoprotein genetic variants.
OsSQD1 at the crossroads of phosphate and sulfur metabolism affects plant morphology and lipid composition in response to phosphate deprivation
Authors: Sun Yafei , Jain Ajay , Xue Yong , Wang Xiaowen , Zhao Gengmao , Liu Lu , Hu Zhi , Hu Siwen , Shen Xing , Liu Xiuli , Ai Hao , Xu Guohua , Sun Shubin
Published: April 2020

In phosphate (Pi)‐deprived Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is substituted by sulfolipid for maintaining Pi homeostasis. Sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol1 (AtSQD1) encodes a protein, which catalyzes uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPG) and sulfite (SO32−) to UDP‐sulfoquinovose, which is a key component in the sulfolipid biosynthetic pathway. In this study, a reverse genetics approach was employed to decipher the function of the AtSQD1 homolog OsSQD1 in rice. Differential expressions of OsSQD1 in different tissue and response to −P and −S also detected, respectively. The in vitro protein assay and analysis suggests that OsSQD1 is a UDP‐sulfoquinovose synthase. Transient expression analysis showed that OsSQD1 is located in the chloroplast. The analyses of the knockout (ossqd1) and knockdown (Ri1 and Ri2) mutants demonstrated reductions in Pi and total P concentrations, 32Pi uptake rate, expression levels of Pi transporters and altered developmental responses of root traits, which were accentuated during Pi deficiency. The inhibitory effects of the OsSQD1 mutation were also evident in the development of reproductive tissue. Furthermore, OsSQD1 differently affects lipid composition under different Pi regime affects sulfur (S) homeostasis. Together, the study revealed that OsSQD1 affects Pi and S homeostasis, and lipid composition in response to Pi deprivation.
A framework for covariate balance using Bregman distances
Authors: Josey Kevin P. , Juarez‐Colunga Elizabeth , Yang Fan , Ghosh Debashis
Published: April 2020

A common goal in observational research is to estimate marginal causal effects in the presence of confounding variables. One solution to this problem is to use the covariate distribution to weight the outcomes such that the data appear randomized. The propensity score is a natural quantity that arises in this setting. Propensity score weights have desirable asymptotic properties, but they often fail to adequately balance covariate data in finite samples. Empirical covariate balancing methods pose as an appealing alternative by exactly balancing the sample moments of the covariate distribution. With this objective in mind, we propose a framework for estimating balancing weights by solving a constrained convex program, where the criterion function to be optimized is a Bregman distance. We then show that the different distances in this class render identical weights to those of other covariate balancing methods. A series of numerical studies are presented to demonstrate these similarities.
Towards a new framework of personalized psychological interventions to improve intergroup relations and promote peace
Authors: Halperin Eran , Schori‐Eyal Noa
Published: April 2020

Recent increases in intergroup tensions and violence have global negative implications and underline the need for effective interventions to ameliorate conflictual relations. Despite the ongoing trend in social psychology toward an interventionist approach, there is still a theoretical and empirical gap in personalizing intergroup interventions to achieve optimal effectiveness. Integrating interventions aimed at prejudice reduction and promoting peace, we present a theoretical framework for personalizing these intergroup interventions. We propose a three‐layer model: personalization parameters, intergroup interventions, and mechanisms that link parameter and intervention. To illustrate the model, three sample parameters are described (ideology, dominant emotional sentiments, and Big Five personality types) and three corresponding mechanisms (level of intervention congruency; the degree to which an intervention addresses core appraisal theme; and a needs‐based mechanism). We demonstrate how the parameters and mechanisms map onto different established intergroup interventions, and suggest some empirical directions to test and later apply the theoretical framework. Finally, we discuss the potential of personalized interventions to substantially improve intergroup relations.
Strength Analysis of Buried Polyethylene Pipeline Under Ground Subsidence Considering Multivariate Influence
Authors: Wu Ying , Zhang Yuan , Zha Sixi , Qin Guojin
Published: April 2020

Due to the combined effects of natural and human factors, the ground subsidence is aggravated, which brings potential hazards to the normal operation of buried polyethylene (PE) pipelines. A variety of variables influences the safety of buried pipelines, while the existing research lacks detailed analysis on the issue. A finite element model of buried PE pipeline was developed to analyze how various factors affected the strength of PE pipeline under ground subsidence. Furthermore, the orthogonal test combined with the gray correlation degree was used to analyze the significance of each influencing factor. The results show that (1) the strain rate of the pipe is different at different ground subsidence rates, and the maximum equivalent stress of the pipe increases with the increase of the strain rate; (2) the maximum equivalent stress diminishes with the increasing wall thickness of the pipeline and the length of the transition section; and (3) the factor that has the most significant influence on the maximum equivalent stress of the pipeline is the settlement, followed by the strain rate and the length of the transition section. The internal pressure has the least influence on the maximum equivalent stress in the context of ground subsidence induced stresses.
Numerical and Experimental Study of Plastic Deformation During Flash Butt Welding of X65 Pipeline Steel
Authors: Zhao P. C. , Hu Y. T. , Wang L. L. , Liu Z. W.
Published: April 2020

The plastic deformation during flash-butt welding (FBW) and its effects on weld quality are investigated by using numerical and experimental methods. The electro-thermo-mechanical coupling model of FBW is validated by comparing the calculated temperature and plastic deformation to measured one, obtaining reasonable agreement. The calculation results reveal that a thin liquid metal film forms at the contact interface during accelerating flash stage to provide temperature conditions for upsetting. The length of liquid metal (including burning and expelled losses) is 29.7 mm for one piece pipeline tube under the given condition. The stress and strain at contact surface are both almost zero at the initial stage of upsetting due to the thin liquid metal film existing at the contact interface, and they rapidly increase to 58.0 MPa and 17.7, respectively, while the liquid metal are excluded from the contact interface between two tubes to be welded. The maximum plastic deformation is 18.1 mm at the given condition under the action of upsetting force. The experimental results illustrate that the microstructure of X65 FBW joints consists of massive ferrite, grain boundary pre-eutectic ferrite, pearlite, and widmannstatten, while the microstructure in heat-affected zone is fine ferrite and pearlite. The coarse grain size and gray spots in the butt joint severely decrease the tension strength and impact toughness.
Cystic echinococcosis, review and illustration of non-hepatic manifestations
Authors: Dietrich Christoph F. , Douira-Khomsi Wiem , Gharbi Hassen , Sharma Malay , Cui Xin Wu , Sparchez Zeno , Richter Joachim , Kabaalioğlu Adnan , Atkinson Nathan S.S. , Schreiber-Dietrich Dagmar , Dong Yi
Published: April 2020

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) or hydatidosis (hydatid cysts), is an infection with a wide spectrum of manifestations, from asymptomatic infection to fatal disease. Ultrasound (US) allows screening, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment guidance and follow-up of CE under many circumstances. Hydatid cysts are predominantly observed in the liver but many other organs can be involved. As part of a series of publications, herewith we present a review describing the characteristic imaging features of the broad variety of organs which can be involved.
Immunomodulatory stromal cell interactions in the eye
Authors: Morris Gerald P.
Published: April 2020

Single-cell sequencing of eye stroma reveals cell-cell interactions essential for suppressing ocular inflammation.
Identification of a Putative
Salmonella enterica
Serotype Typhimurium Host Range Factor with Homology to IpaH and YopM by Signature-Tagged Mutagenesis
Authors: Tsolis Renée M. , Townsend Stacy M. , Miao Edward A. , Miller Samuel I. , Ficht Thomas A. , Adams L. Garry , Bäumler Andreas J.
Published: April 2020

The genetic basis for the host adaptation of
Salmonella
serotypes is currently unknown. We have explored a new strategy to identify
Salmonella enterica
serotype Typhimurium (
S. typhimurium
) genes involved in host adaptation, by comparing the virulence of 260 randomly generated signature-tagged mutants during the oral infection of mice and calves. This screen identified four mutants, which were defective for colonization of only one of the two host species tested. One mutant, which only displayed a colonization defect during the infection of mice, was further characterized. During competitive infection experiments performed with the
S. typhimurium
wild type, the mutant was defective for colonization of murine Peyer's patches but colonized bovine Peyer's patches at the wild-type level. No difference in virulence between wild type and mutant was observed when calves were infected orally with 10
10
CFU/animal. In contrast, the mutant possessed a sixfold increase in 50% lethal morbidity dose when mice were infected orally. The transposon in this mutant was inserted in a 2.9-kb pathogenicity islet, which is located between
uvrB
and
yphK
on the
S. typhimurium
chromosome. This pathogenicity islet contained a single gene, termed
slrP
, with homology to
ipaH
of
Shigella flexneri
and
yopM
of
Yersinia pestis
. These data show that comparative screening of signature-tagged mutants in two animal species can be used for scanning the
S. typhimurium
genome for genes involved in host adaptation.
Interaction of Cationic Peptides with Lipoteichoic Acid and Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Scott Monisha G. , Gold Michael R. , Hancock Robert E. W.
Published: April 2020

Compounds with antiendotoxin properties have been extensively studied for their potential as therapeutic agents for sepsis attributable to gram-negative bacteria. However, with the increasing incidence of gram-positive sepsis, there is interest in identifying compounds with a broad spectrum of action against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A series of synthetic α-helical cationic peptides related to bee melittin and silk moth cecropin have previously been shown to bind lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with high affinity, inhibit LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production in vitro and in vivo, and kill gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we analyzed whether these peptides were active against gram-positive bacteria; whether they could bind to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), the major proinflammatory structure on gram-positive bacteria; and whether they could block the ability of LTA to promote the release of cytokines by the RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line. We found that the cationic peptides demonstrated moderate growth-inhibitory activity toward gram-positive bacteria. In addition, the peptides bound LTA with high affinity. This correlated with the ability of the peptides to block LTA-induced production of TNF and interleukin-6 by RAW 264.7 cells but did not correlate with their ability to kill the bacteria. The peptides also effectively inhibited LTA-induced TNF production in a whole human blood assay. The peptides were also able to partly block the ability of heat-killedStaphylococcus aureus, as well as soluble products of liveS. aureus, to stimulate cytokine production by macrophages. Our results indicate that these cationic peptides may be useful to prevent sepsis and inflammation caused by both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
Autoantibodies to Brain Components and Antibodies to
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
Are Present in Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Authors: Tiwana Harmale , Wilson Clyde , Pirt John , Cartmell William , Ebringer Alan
Published: April 2020

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a neurological disorder, predominantly of British cattle, which belongs to the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies together with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), kuru, and scrapie. Autoantibodies to brain neurofilaments have been previously described in patients with CJD and kuru and in sheep affected by scrapie. Spongiform-like changes have also been observed in chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, at least in rabbits and guinea pigs, and in these conditions autoantibodies to myelin occur. We report here that animals with BSE have elevated levels of immunoglobulin A autoantibodies to brain components, i.e., neurofilaments (
P
< 0.001) and myelin (
P
< 0.001), as well as to
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
(
P
< 0.001), saprophytic microbes found in soil which have sequences cross-reacting with bovine neurofilaments and myelin, but there were no antibody elevations against
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
or
Escherichia coli
. The relevance of such mucosal autoantibodies or antibacterial antibodies to the pathology of BSE and its possible link to prions requires further evaluation.
Fibronectin-Binding Proteins of
Staphylococcus aureus
Are Involved in Adherence to Human Airway Epithelium
Authors: Mongodin Emmanuel , Bajolet Odile , Cutrona Jérôme , Bonnet Noël , Dupuit Florence , Puchelle Edith , Bentzmann Sophie de
Published: April 2020

This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of
Staphylococcus aureus
adherence to human airway epithelium. Using a humanized bronchial xenograft model in the nude mouse and primary cultures of human airway epithelial cells (HAEC), we showed that
S. aureus
adhered mainly to undifferentiated HAEC whereas weak adherence (11- to 20-fold lower) to differentiated HAEC was observed (
P
< 0.01). A fibronectin (FN)-binding protein (FnBP)-deficient strain of
S. aureus
had a fivefold-lower adherence level to undifferentiated HAEC than did the parental strain (
P
< 0.005), suggesting that
S. aureus
FN-binding capacity is involved in the adherence to HAEC. We also showed that 97% of 32
S. aureus
clinical strains, isolated from the airway secretions of cystic fibrosis patients (
n
= 18) and patients with nosocomial pneumonia (
n
= 14), possessed the two
fnb
genes. The strains from pneumonia patients had a significantly (
P
< 0.05) higher FN-binding capacity than did the strains from CF patients. This result was confirmed by the expression of FnBPs, investigated by Western ligand affinity blotting. Our results suggest a major role of FnBPs in the colonization of the airways by
S. aureus
and point to the importance of the adhesin regulatory pathways in the staphylococcal infectious process.
Genome Sequence of the
Siphoviridae
Staphylococcus aureus Phage vB_SauS_BaqSau1
Authors: Lozano-Solano Dayan , Reales-González Jhonnatan , Catoe Heath W. , Raya Raul R. , Acosta-Hoyos Antonio J.
Published: April 2020

Here, we report the genome sequence of a
Siphoviridae
phage named vB_SauS_BaqSau1 (BaqSau1), infecting
Staphylococcus aureus
. Phage BaqSau1 was isolated from a sewage water treatment plant in Sahagún, Córdoba, Colombia. It has a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome of 44,384 bp with 67 predicted genes, including a lysin containing a CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) domain.
Complete Genome Sequences and Methylome Analysis of Two Environmental
Spirochaetes
Authors: Fomenkov Alexey , Grabovich Margarita Y. , Dubinina Galina , Leshcheva Natalia , Mikheeva Natalia , Vincze Tamas , Roberts Richard J.
Published: April 2020

Here, we report the finished closed genomes of two environmental bacteria,
Oceanispirochaeta crateria
K2 and
Thiospirochaeta perfilievii
P (formally known as
Spirochaeta perfilievii
P). In addition, we provide methylation data and the associated enzymes predicted and confirmed to be responsible for each modified motif.
Blue LED phototherapy in preterm infants: effects on an oxidative marker of DNA damage
Authors: van der Schoor Lori W E , van Faassen Martijn H J R , Kema Ido , Baptist Dyvonne H , Olthuis Annelies J , Jonker Johan W , Verkade Henkjan J , Groen Henk , Hulzebos Christian V
Published: April 2020

Background

Phototherapy is used on the majority of preterm infants with unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia. The use of fluorescent tube phototherapy is known to induce oxidative DNA damage in infants and has largely been replaced by blue light-emitting diode phototherapy (BLP). To date, it is unknown whether BLP also induces oxidative DNA damage in preterm infants.

Objective

To determine whether BLP in preterm infants induces oxidative DNA damage as indicated by 8-hydroxy-2′deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).

Design

Observational cohort study.

Methods

Urine samples (n=481) were collected in a cohort of 40 preterm infants (24–32 weeks’ gestational age) during the first week after birth. Urine was analysed for the oxidative marker of DNA damage 8-OHdG and for creatinine, and the 8-OHdG/creatinine ratio was calculated. Durations of phototherapy and levels of irradiance were monitored as well as total serum bilirubin concentrations.

Results

BLP did not alter urinary 8-OHdG/creatinine ratios (B=0.2, 95% CI −6.2 to 6.6) at either low (10–30 µW/cm2/nm) or high (>30 µW/cm2/nm) irradiance: (B=2.3, 95% CI −5.7 to 10.2 and B=−3.0, 95% CI −11.7 to 5.6, respectively). Also, the 8-OHdG/creatinine ratios were independent on phototherapy duration (B=−0.1, 95% CI −0.3 to 0.1).

Conclusions

BLP at irradiances up to 35 µW/cm2/nm given to preterm infants ≤32 weeks’ gestation does not affect 8-OHdG, an oxidative marker of DNA damage.
Gene therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: rationale, clinical trials and future directions
Authors: Guimaraes Thales Antonio Cabral de , Georgiou Michalis , Bainbridge James W B , Michaelides Michel
Published: April 2020

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in the developed world. Antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy has transformed the management and outcome of neovascular AMD (nAMD), although the need for repeated intravitreal injections—even lifelong—and the related complications, high drug costs, frequent clinic visits and repeated imaging have resulted in an enormous burden both to healthcare systems and patients. The application of gene therapy approaches for sustained delivery of a range of antiangiogenic proteins has the promise of helping to address these aforementioned challenges. A number of early phase clinical trials of gene therapy in nAMD have provided encouraging results, with many more ongoing or anticipated. There remain significant areas of controversy, including regarding the optimal treatment targets, routes of administration and potential safety concerns. In this review we aim to provide an update of the current status of gene therapy for nAMD and briefly discuss future prospects.
Alterations to cardiac morphology and function among high-altitude workers: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Han Shurong , Zhao Lin , Ma Shiwei , Chen Zhangjian , Wu Shiping , Shen Min , Xia Guobin , Jia Guang
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Exposure to high altitude can affect human health, including the development of adverse cardiovascular effects. This study aimed to investigate alterations in cardiac morphology and function in high-altitude workers and to identify risk factors associated with cardiac abnormalities.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 286 Qinghai-Tibetan Railroad maintenance workers. Participant data were collected from company personnel records. Data on echocardiography and diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities were extracted from participants’ medical records. Time-to-event analysis was used to investigate the risk of cardiac abnormalities among participants with different baseline characteristics and identify risk factors associated with cardiac abnormalities that developed as a result of working at high altitude.

Results

A total of 173 participants had developed cardiac abnormalities during the follow-up period. The most common cardiac abnormality was right atrial enlargement, followed by left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation. Among participants with cardiac abnormalities, the median follow-up time was 17 months. Compared with participants who were younger than 20 years and working at altitude <4000 m, participants older at employment and working at extremely high altitude were more likely to develop cardiac abnormalities. Nearly 40% of the participants who worked at altitude <4000 m remained without cardiac abnormalities during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Over 60% of participants developed cardiac abnormalities after working at high altitude, predominantly right heart enlargement and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Age at employment and workplace altitude were significant risk factors for cardiac abnormalities. Enhanced regular physical examinations are recommended for high-altitude workers.
Educational differences in the influence of health on early work exit among older workers
Authors: De Breij Sascha , Mäcken Jana , Qvist Jeevitha Yogachandiran , Holman Daniel , Hess Moritz , Huisman Martijn , Deeg Dorly J H
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Previous research has shown that poor physical and mental health are important risk factors for early work exit. We examined potential differences in this association in older workers (50+) across educational levels.

Methods

Coordinated analyses were carried out in longitudinal data sets from four European countries: the Netherlands (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), Denmark (Danish Longitudinal Study of Ageing), England (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing) and Germany (German Ageing Survey). The effect of poor self-rated health (SRH), functional limitations and depression on different types of early work exit (early retirement, economic inactivity, disability and unemployment) was examined using Cox regression analysis. We examined educational differences in these effects by testing interaction terms.

Results

Poor physical and mental health were more common among the lower educated. Poor SRH, functional limitations, and depression were all associated with a higher risk of early work exit. These health effects were strongest for the disability exit routes (poor SRH: HRs 5.77 to 8.14; functional limitations: HRs 6.65 to 10.42; depression: HRs 3.30 to 5.56). In the Netherlands (functional limitations) and England (functional limitations and SRH), effects were stronger in the lower educated.

Conclusions

The prevalence of health problems, that is, poor SRH, functional limitations and depression, was higher in the lower educated workers. All three health indicators increase the risk of early work exit. In some countries, health effects on early exit were stronger in the lower educated. Thus, lower educated older workers are an important target group for health policy and intervention.
Neuraxial anesthesia is associated with improved survival after total joint arthroplasty depending on frailty: a cohort study
Authors: Johnson Rebecca L , Frank Ryan D , Habermann Elizabeth B , Chamberlain Alanna M , Abdel Matthew P , Schroeder Darrell R , Mantilla Carlos B
Published: April 2020

Background

Frailty increases risk for complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Whether this association is influenced by anesthetic administered is unknown. We hypothesized that use of neuraxial (spinal or epidural) anesthesia is associated with better outcomes compared with general anesthesia, and that the effect of anesthesia type on outcomes differs by frailty status.

Methods

This single-institution cohort study included all patients (≥50 years) from January 2005 through December 2016 undergoing unilateral, primary and revision TJA. Using multivariable Cox regression, we assessed relationships between anesthesia type, a preoperative frailty deficit index (FI) categorized as non-frail (FI <0.11), vulnerable (FI 0.11 to 0.20), and frail (FI >0.20), and complications (mortality, infection, wound complications/hematoma, reoperation, dislocation, and periprosthetic fracture) within 1 year after surgery. Interactions between anesthesia type and frailty were tested, and stratified models were presented when an interaction (p<0.1) was observed.

Results

Among 18 458 patients undergoing TJA, more patients were classified as frail (21.5%) and vulnerable (36.2%) than non-frail (42.3%). Anesthesia type was not associated with complications after adjusting for age, joint, and revision type. However, in analyzes stratified by frailty, vulnerable patients under neuraxial block had less mortality (HR=0.49; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.89) and wound complications/hematoma (HR=0.71; 95% CI 0.55 to 0.90), whereas no difference in risk by anesthesia type was observed among patients found non-frail or frail.

Conclusions

Neuraxial anesthesia use among vulnerable patients was associated with improved survival and less wound complications. Calculating preoperative frailty prior to TJA informs perioperative risk and enhances shared-decision making for selection of anesthesia type.
Effects of an 80% cigarette price increase on quit attempts, successful quitting and smoking intensity among Korean adult smokers: results from nationally representative longitudinal panel data
Authors: Lee Boram , Seo Dong-Chul
Published: April 2020

Objectives

South Korea implemented an unprecedented cigarette tax increase in 2015, raising its cigarette price by 80%. This study evaluated the extent to which the 2015 cigarette tax increase affected Korean adult smokers in terms of quit attempts, successful quitting and smoking intensity.

Methods

Data were drawn from a nationally representative longitudinal study, the Korean Welfare Panel Study (waves 9–12, 2014–2017). Korean adults who smoked before the 2015 cigarette tax increase comprised the sample (n=2114). We used the multiple logistic regressions to examine factors of quit attempts and successful quitting and the generalised estimating equations to estimate changes in smoking intensity among continued smokers.

Results

After the cigarette tax increase, 60.9% (n=1334) of baseline smokers attempted to quit and 34.7% of the attempters succeeded in quitting. The smokers aged
≥
65 years and light smokers both attempted more (p<0.01) and succeeded more (p<0.05) in quitting than smokers aged 35–44 years and heavy smokers, respectively. The successful quitting was not significantly associated with income levels. Depressive symptoms, first cigarette use before age 19 and smoking a pack or more a day at baseline were associated with failures in quitting. Smoking intensity among continued smokers decreased after the cigarette tax increase (p<0.001), but such a decrease was not observed in light smokers, young smokers and high-income smokers.

Conclusion

The current study findings imply that the Korean government may consider implementing periodic increases in cigarette tax which should reflect the rate of inflation and income growth. Smoking cessation programmes need to address depressive symptoms.
miR-142-5p and miR-212-5p cooperatively inhibit the proliferation and collagen formation of cardiac fibroblasts by regulating c-Myc/TP53INP1
Authors: Wang Zhiqian , Fu Mingming , Li Yongjun
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-142-5p/212-5p on the proliferation and collagen formation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) after myocardial infarction (MI). The mouse MI model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. CFs were induced by transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) or angiotensin (Ang II). The molecule expressions were measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot. CF proliferation was detected by an MTT assay. The effect of miR-142-5p/212-5p on the luciferase activity of c-Myc 3′UTR was assessed by the luciferase reporter assay. miR-142-5p and miR-212-5p were downregulated in cardiac tissues of MI mice and in TGF-β1- or Ang II-induced CFs, while the protein levels of collagen I and III were upregulated. Moreover, simultaneous overexpression of miR-142-5p/212-5p inhibited the proliferation and collagen formation of TGF-β1- or Ang II-stimulated CFs to a greater extent than either miR-142-5p or miR-212-5p overexpression alone. MiR-142-5p/212-5p targeted c-Myc and negatively regulated its expression. The effects of miR-142-5p/212-5p overexpression on the TP53INP1 protein level and the proliferation and collagen formation of CFs were reversed by c-Myc overexpression. Moreover, overexpression of miR-142-5p/212-5p improved cardiac function and collagen formation of MI mice. Overexpression of miR-142-5p/212-5p cooperatively suppresses the proliferation and collagen formation after MI by regulating c-Myc/TP53INP1.
Blocking properties of terguride at the 5-HT2receptor subtypes mediating cardiovascular responses in the rat
Authors: Alcántara-Vázquez Oscar , Villamil-Hernández Ma. Trinidad , Sánchez-López Araceli , Pertz Heinz H. , Villalón Carlos M. , Centurión David
Published: April 2020

In vitro studies have suggested that terguride blocks the contractile and relaxant responses produced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) via 5-HT2A/2Breceptors. This study has now investigated terguride’s blocking properties on central/peripheral 5-HT2receptors in anaesthetized or pithed rats. Male Wistar anaesthetized/pithed rats were cannulated for recording blood pressure and heart rate and for i.v. administration of several compounds. In both groups of rats, i.v. bolus injections of 5-HT or (±)-DOI (a 5-HT2receptor agonist; 1–1000 μg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. These responses were dose-dependently antagonized by terguride (10–3000 μg/kg). In anaesthetized rats, i.v. bolus injections of BW723C86 (a 5-HT2Breceptor agonist; 1–1000 μg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in diastolic blood pressure and not dose-dependent increases in heart rate, while in pithed rats, these responses were attenuated. The vasopressor responses elicited by BW723C86 in anaesthetized rats were dose-dependently blocked by terguride (10–300 μg/kg), whereas its the tachycardic responses were dose-independently blocked. These results, taken together, suggest that terguride behaved as an antagonist at the 5-HT2receptors located in the central nervous system and (or) the systemic vasculature. This is the first evidence demonstrating that terguride can block central/peripheral 5-HT2receptors mediating cardiovascular responses in anaesthetized or pithed rats.
Localization of Elko spinor fields in tachyonic de Sitter braneworld models
Authors: Moazzen Sorkhi Masoumeh , Ghalenovi Zahra
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we investigate the localization of a five-dimensional (5D) Elko spinor field in de Sitter tachyonic braneworld models. These branes are generated by gravity coupled to a tachyonic bulk scalar field and include a de Sitter cosmological background induced on the 3D-brane. Using Yukawa-type coupling mechanism we show that a free massless Elko spinor field cannot be localized on tachyonic de Sitter branes while massive Elko fields are localized if their bulk mass obeys an upper bound. Also by introducing a tachyonic function F(T) as Yukawa interaction term between the Elko spinor and the background tachyonic scalar field we find that localized massless zero modes are given in terms of general Heun functions. Furthermore, it is shown that employing a new derivative coupling term in the action of Elko spinor fields leads to the Elko field localization on tachyonic de Sitter branes.
Effect of State-of-Charge and Air Exposure on Tensile Mechanical Properties of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes
Authors: Pan Zhexin , Sedlatschek Tobias , Xia Yong
Published: April 2020

The large deformation and failure behaviors of electrodes under various SOC conditions are essential for understanding the battery impact response and reconstructing battery impact scenarios with numerical methods. Depending on the chemical activity, the electrodes may react with oxygen if exposed to air, which leads to change of mechanical properties to some extent. To obtain the real mechanical properties of electrodes as they are sealed inside a battery, an argon-protected testing method was developed to test the electrodes. In this way, we identified the SOC sensitivities of tensile behaviors for the electrodes extracted from a pouch cell for electronic devices. The mechanical properties of anode change with SOC but the cathode does not present apparent difference. By comparing test results of anode and anode current collector under different SOCs, we inferred that anode current collector is responsible for the SOC effect of anode. We further evaluated the influence of oxidation on the tensile behaviors of electrodes at different SOCs after exposing them in the air for different durations. For anodes from charged batteries, we come up with a couple of competing mechanisms to explain the non-monotonic change of mechanical properties along with air exposure.
Electrochemical Behavior of Ti(III) Ions in Molten LiF–LiCl: Comparison with the Behavior in Molten KF–KCl
Authors: Norikawa Yutaro , Yasuda Kouji , Nohira Toshiyuki
Published: April 2020

Ti(III) ions has been prepared by the addition of 0.50 mol% of Li2TiF6 and 0.33 mol% of Ti sponge to LiF–LiCl melt, and their electrochemical behavior has been investigated using cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry at 923 K. The reduction of Ti(III) ions to metallic Ti is observed around 1.2 V vs Li+/Li, whereas the oxidation to Ti(IV) ions is observed at 2.78 V as a reversible electrochemical process. The diffusion coefficient of Ti(III) ions is determined to be 3.2 × 10−5 cm2 s−1. The electrochemical behavior of Ti(III) ions in LiF–LiCl melt is compared to that in KF–KCl melt. The potentials for Ti(IV)/Ti(III) and Ti(III)/Ti(0) couples based on the F2/F− potential in LiF–LiCl melt are more positive than those in KF–KCl melt by 0.41 V and 0.31 V, respectively. Such differences in potential are explained by the difference in interactions between Li+–F− and K+–F−.
Resveratrol restores intracellular transport in cystic fibrosis epithelial cells
Authors: Lu Binyu , Corey Deborah A. , Kelley Thomas J.
Published: April 2020

We have demonstrated previously that intracellular transport is impaired in cystic fibrosis (CF) epithelial cells. This impairment is related to both growth and inflammatory regulation in CF cell and animal models. Understanding how transport in CF cells is regulated and identifying means to manipulate that regulation are key to identifying new therapies that can address key CF phenotypes. It was hypothesized that resveratrol could replicate these benefits since it interfaces with multiple pathways identified to affect microtubule regulation in CF. It was found that resveratrol treatment significantly restored intracellular transport as determined by monitoring both cholesterol distribution and the distribution of rab7-positive organelles in CF cells. This restoration of intracellular transport is due to correction of both microtubule formation rates and microtubule acetylation in cultured CF cell models and primary nasal epithelial cells. Mechanistically, the effect of resveratrol on microtubule regulation and intracellular transport was dependent on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ signaling and its ability to act as a pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. Resveratrol represents a candidate compound with known anti-inflammatory properties that can restore both microtubule formation and acetylation in CF epithelial cells.
The Construction and Analysis of the Aberrant lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA Network in Adipose Tissue from Type 2 Diabetes Individuals with Obesity
Authors: Hu Wei , Ding Yuanlin , Wang Shu , Xu Lin , Yu Haibing
Published: April 2020

Background. The prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become the most serious global public health issue. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the occurrence and development of obesity and T2DM. The aim of this work was to find new lncRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers or therapeutic targets for obesity and T2DM. Methods. In this study, we identified significant differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) between adipose tissue of individuals with obesity and T2DM and normal adipose tissue (absolute log2FC≥1 and FDR<0.05). Then, the lncRNA-miRNA interactions predicted by miRcode were further screened with a threshold of MIC>0.2. Simultaneously, the mRNA-miRNA interactions were explored by miRWalk 2.0. Finally, a ceRNA network consisting of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs was established by integrating lncRNA-miRNA interactions and mRNA-miRNA interactions. Results. Upon comparing adipose tissue from individuals with obesity and T2DM and normal adipose tissues, 364 significant DEmRNAs, including 140 upregulated and 224 downregulated mRNAs, were identified in GSE104674; in addition, 231 significant DEmRNAs, including 146 upregulated and 85 downregulated mRNAs, were identified in GSE133099. GO and KEGG analyses have shown that downregulated DEmRNAs in GSE104674 and GSE133099 were associated with obesity- and T2DM-related biological pathways, such as lipid metabolism, AMPK signaling, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, 28 significant DElncRNAs, including 14 upregulated and 14 downregulated lncRNAs, were found. Based on the predicted lncRNA-miRNA and mRNA-miRNA relationships, we constructed a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network, including five lncRNAs, ten miRNAs, and 15 mRNAs. KEGG-GSEA analysis revealed that four lncRNAs (FLG-AS1, SNAI3-AS1, AC008147.0, and LINC02015) in the ceRNA network were related to the biological pathways of metabolic diseases. Conclusions. Through ceRNA network analysis, our study identified four new lncRNAs that may be used as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of obesity and T2DM, thus laying a foundation for future clinical studies.
Interaction of Ziziphus mucronata subsp. mucronata Methanol Extract and First-Line Antibiotics is Synergistic In Vitro through Production of Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Olajuyigbe Aderonke Ariyike , Olajuyigbe Olufunmiso Olusola , Coopoosamy Roger Murugas
Published: April 2020

With the increased incidence of antibacterial resistance in microorganisms, combining natural products from plants with antibiotics may be considered interesting alternatives for synergy to attain multitarget effects. In this study, the antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Ziziphus mucronata and its interactions with antibiotics against bacteria of clinical importance were investigated. While its phytochemicals and antioxidant activities were determined by free radical scavenging assays, the antibacterial activities of the extract and its interactions with the antibiotics were determined by macrobroth dilution and the checkerboard methods. From the results, total phenolic content was 29.67 ± 1.90 mg GAE/100 g, total flavonoid content was 8.72 ± 0.08 mg QE/100 g, and total proanthocyanidin content was 1.94 ± 0.00 mg CE/100 g of dry plant material. The inhibition concentration 50% (IC50) of DPPH, BHT, and ascorbic acid was equal to 0.04 ± 0.02 mg/ml, respectively. Those of the ABTS, BHT, and ascorbic acid were equal to 0.02 ± 0.02, 0.04 ± 0.03, and 0.04 ± 0.02 mg/ml, respectively. The checkerboard assay showed that combining the extract with different antibiotics resulted in synergistic (38.75%), indifferent (30%), additive (28.75%), and antagonistic (2.5%) interactions. The interactions between the extract and antibiotics resulting in enhanced antibacterial activities could have resulted from the antioxidant activities of the extract mopping up the ROS generated by the antibiotics or the ability of both extract and antibiotics simultaneously producing reactive oxygen species with deleterious effects resulting in synergistic antibacterial effects.