bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is the spleen stiffness value acquired using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology predictive of the presence of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis of various etiologies?
Authors: Park Jaehyung , Kwon Heejin , Cho Jinhan , Oh Jongyoung , Lee Sangyun , Han Sangyeong , Lee Sung Wook , Baek Yanghyun
Published: December 2016

Aim: This study’s aimwas to determine  the accuracy of the spleen stiffness value acquired using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) technology, to predict the presence of esophageal varices (EVs) in patients with liver cirrhosis of various etiologies.Material and methods: Of the 366 enrolled patients, 192 had hepatitis B virus, 74 had hepatitis C virus, and 100 had alcohol-related cirrhosis. All patients underwent biochemical tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, and liver and spleen elastography by ARFI. We evaluated the correlation between the presence of EVs and factors including liver and spleen stiffness measured by ARFI, biochemical tests, and other noninvasive measurements, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), platelet count (PLT), spleen diameter (SD), PLT to SD ratio, AST to ALT ratio (AAR) score, the AST to PLT ratio index (APRI) score. Result: A univariate analysis revealed that the AAR score, APRI score, PLT, PLT/SD ratio, and spleen elastography variables were all independently associated with EVs (p<0.05). On multivariate analysis, only spleen elastography was associated with EVs (p=0.001). However, in cases of alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis, spleen stiffness was not reliable for the prediction of EVs.Conclusion: Spleen elastography measured using ARFI may serve as a non-invasive method for determining the presence of EVs. However, it is not an appropriate predictor for EVs in alcoholic cirrhosis.
Perceived Benefits of Graduate-Level Professional Education in Athletic Training
Authors: Mazerolle Stephanie M. , Bowman Thomas G. , Barrett Jessica L.
Published: December 2016

The commissioners of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and the Board of Directors of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) have acted to move the professional degree in athletic training from a bachelor’s degree to a graduate degree. The decision was largely based upon growth of the profession and aligning with the face of healthcare education. Therefore, we wanted to understand the perceived benefits of the graduate model. Using a qualitative paradigm, we electronically interviewed 29 students and faculty members (13 athletic training faculty and program directors, 16 students) currently in Professional Masters Athletic Training Programs (PM ATP). These represented 13 of the 29 (45%) CAATE-accredited PM ATPs. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) engagement and time spent in clinical education allows students to prepare for their roles as athletic trainers, (2) faculty stress the importance of interprofessional education, (3) expecting prior foundational knowledge allows focused education training at the graduate level, (4) increased professional commitment to stay in athletic training rather than use the training/education as a stepping-stone to other career paths, and (5) higher student maturity facilitates deeper learning. Based on these results, the perceived benefits of the PM ATP model are multifactorial.
A Qualitative Exploration of the Professional Commitment of Athletic Trainers Employed in the Professional Sports Setting
Authors: Mazerolle Stephanie M. , Hunter Chantel
Published: December 2016

Professional commitment has been studied in multiple settings, yet little is known about the professional sport setting. A total of 27 male athletic trainers, employed full time in the professional sport setting, participated in this study. Our participants were 34 years old (range 30–58), with 21 ± 7 years of experience as a certified athletic trainer, and more than 17 ± 7 years of experience in the professional setting. We conducted online asynchronous interviews. All data were analyzed following an interpretative approach. Data saturation was met, and we used a peer review and researcher triangulation. Barriers to professional commitment included time away from family/home and negative work environment. The facilitators to professional commitment were competition, positive work environment, and off-season professional development. The professional sport setting is unique, much like the collegiate setting, and thus our findings highlight that time away and a negative workplace atmosphere can reduce an athletic trainer’s commitment. Commitment to the profession, however, is enhanced within this setting because of the chance to be around the high level of competition, as well as the chance to have time for professional development.
Activity Profiles in International Women’s Team Handball Using PlayerLoad
Authors: Wik Eirik H. , Luteberget Live S. , Spencer Matt
Published: December 2016

Team handball matches place diverse physical demands on players, which may result in fatigue and decreased activity levels. However, previous speed-based methods of quantifying player activity may not be sensitive for capturing short-lasting team-handball-specific movements.

Purpose:

To examine activity profiles of a women’s team handball team and individual player profiles, using inertial measurement units.

Methods:

Match data were obtained from 1 women’s national team in 9 international matches (N = 85 individual player samples), using the Catapult OptimEye S5. PlayerLoad/min was used as a measure of intensity in 5- and 10-min periods. Team profiles were presented as relative to the player’s match means, and individual profiles were presented as relative to the mean of the 5-min periods with >60% field time.

Results:

A high initial intensity was observed for team profiles and for players with ≥2 consecutive periods of play. Substantial declines in PlayerLoad/min were observed throughout matches for the team and for players with several consecutive periods of field time. These trends were found for all positional categories. Intensity increased substantially in the final 5 min of the first half for team profiles. Activity levels were substantially lower in the 5 min after a player’s most intense period and were partly restored in the subsequent 5-min period.

Discussion:

Possible explanations for the observed declines in activity profiles for the team and individual players include fatigue, situational factors, and pacing. However, underlying mechanisms were not accounted for, and these assumptions are therefore based on previous team-sport studies.
Association Between Energy Balance and Metabolic Hormone Suppression During Ultraendurance Exercise
Authors: Geesmann Bjoern , Gibbs Jenna C. , Mester Joachim , Koehler Karsten
Published: December 2016

Ultraendurance athletes often accumulate an energy deficit when engaging in ultraendurance exercise, and on completion of the exercise, they exhibit endocrine changes that are reminiscent of starvation. However, it remains unclear whether these endocrine changes are a result of the exercise per se or secondary to the energy deficit and, more important, whether these changes can be attenuated by increased dietary intake. The goal of the study was to assess the relationship between changes in key metabolic hormones after ultraendurance exercise and measures of energy balance. Metabolic hormones, as well as energy intake and expenditure, were assessed in 14 well-trained male cyclists who completed a 1230-km ultraendurance cycling event. After completion of the event, serum testosterone (–67% ± 18%), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (–45% ± 8%), and leptin (–79% ± 9%) were significantly suppressed (P < .001) and remained suppressed after a 12-h recovery period (P < .001). Changes in IGF-1 were positively correlated with energy balance over the course of the event (r = .65, P = .037), which ranged from an 11,859-kcal deficit to a 3593-kcal surplus. The marked suppression of testosterone, IGF-1, and leptin after ultraendurance exercise is comparable to changes occurring during acute starvation. The suppression of IGF-1, but not that of other metabolic hormones, was strongly associated with the magnitude of the energy deficit, indicating that athletes who attained a greater energy deficit exhibited a more pronounced drop in IGF-1. Future studies are needed to determine whether increased dietary intake can attenuate the endocrine response to ultraendurance exercise.
Effects of 4 Weeks of β-Alanine Supplementation on Swim-Performance Parameters in Water Polo Players
Authors: Brisola Gabriel Motta Pinheiro , Milioni Fabio , Papoti Marcelo , Zagatto Alessandro Moura
Published: December 2016

In water polo, several high-intensity efforts are performed, leading to the fatigue process due to accumulation of hydrogen ions, and thus β-alanine supplementation could be an efficient strategy to increase the intramuscular acid buffer.

Purpose

To investigate whether 4 wk of β-alanine supplementation enhances parameters related to water polo performance.

Methods

Twenty-two highly trained male water polo players of national level were randomly assigned to receive 28 d of either β-alanine or a placebo (4.8 g/d of the supplement in the first 10 d and 6.4 g/d in the final 18 d). The participants performed 30-s maximal tethered swimming (30TS), 200-m swimming (P200m), and 30-s crossbar jumps (30CJ) before and after the supplementation period.

Results

The β-alanine group presented significant increases in 30TS for mean force (P = .04; Δ = 30.5% ± 40.4%) and integral of force (P = .05; Δ = 28.0% ± 38.0%), as well as P200m (P = .05; Δ = –2.2% ± 2.6%), while the placebo group did not significantly differ for mean force (P = .13; Δ = 24.1% ± 33.7%), integral of force (P = .12; Δ = 24.3% ± 35.1%), or P200m (P = .10; Δ = –1.6% ± 3.8%). However, there was no significant group effect for any variable, and the magnitude-based-inference analysis showed unclear outcomes between groups (Cohen d ± 95%CL mean force = 0.16 ± 0.83, integral of force = 0.12 ± 0.84, and P200m = 0.05 ± 0.30). For 30CJ the results were similar, with improvements in both groups (placebo, Δ = 14.9% ± 14.1%; β-alanine, Δ = 16.9% ± 18.5%) but with no significant interaction effect between groups and an unclear effect (0.14 ± 0.75).

Conclusion

Four weeks of β-alanine supplementation does not substantially improve performance of 30TS, P200m, or 30CJ in highly trained water polo athletes compared with a control group.
Starvation Resulting From Inadequate Dietary Planning for a 50-Day Rowing Expedition
Authors: Reid Hamish A.B. , Dennison Nicholas C. , Quayle Jonathan , Preston Tom
Published: December 2016

Meeting the energy demands of prolonged arduous expeditions and endurance sport may be a significant barrier to success. Expedition rowing is associated with high levels of body-mass loss, reflecting the challenge of meeting energy expenditure in this exacting environment.

Purpose:

To use the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique to calculate the total energy expenditure (TEE) and body-composition changes of two 28-y-old healthy male athletes during a 50-d continuous and unsupported row around Great Britain.

Methods:

A measured dose of DLW was taken at the start of 2 separate study periods (days 5–19 and 34–48) followed by sequential urine collection, which was analyzed on return to land.

Results:

Mean TEE was 15.3 MJ/d: athlete 1, 16.4 MJ/d; athlete 2, 14.9 MJ/d. Athlete 1 lost 11.2 kg and athlete 2 lost 14.9 kg of body mass during the row. Average energy provision was 19.1 MJ per 24-h ration pack.

Conclusions:

These results highlight the difficulty of maintaining energy balance during expedition rowing. A starvation state was observed despite dietary provision in excess of estimated energy expenditure, indicating that nutritional strategy rather than caloric availability was at fault. The authors recommend that future expeditions prioritize thorough testing and the individualization of rations to ensure that they are both palatable and practical during the weeks to months at sea.
Sled Towing: The Optimal Overload for Peak Power Production
Authors: Monte Andrea , Nardello Francesca , Zamparo Paola
Published: December 2016

Purpose:

The effects of different loads on kinematic and kinetic variables during sled towing were investigated with the aim to identify the optimal overload for this specific sprint training.

Methods:

Thirteen male sprinters (100-m personal best: 10.91 ± 0.14 s) performed 5 maximal trials over a 20-m distance in the following conditions: unloaded and with loads from 15% to 40% of the athlete’s body mass (BM). In these calculations the sled mass and friction were taken into account. Contact and flight times, stride length, horizontal hip velocity (vh), and relative angles of hip, knee, and ankle (at touchdown and takeoff) were measured step by step. In addition, the horizontal force (Fh) and power (Ph) and maximal force (Fh0) and power (Ph0) were calculated.

Results:

vh, flight time, and step length decreased while contact time increased with increasing load (P < .001). These variables changed significantly also as a function of the step number (P < .01), except between the 2 last steps. No differences were observed in Fh among loads, but Fh was larger in sled towing than in unloaded. Ph was unaffected by load up to +20%BM but decreased with larger loads. Fh0 and Ph0 were achieved at 20%BM. Up to 20%BM, no significant effects on joint angles were observed at touchdown and takeoff, while at loads >30%BM joint angles tended to decrease.

Conclusion:

The 20%BM condition represents the optimal overload for peak power production—at this load sprinters reach their highest power without significant changes in their running technique (eg, joint angles).
Enhancing the Student Experience in Online Sport Management Programs: A Review of the Community of Inquiry Framework
Authors: Martinez J. Michael , Barnhill Christopher R.
Published: December 2016

Although scholars have explored sense of community in both online and face-to-face education, there has been little research of this topic in online sport management education. The community of inquiry (CoI) framework focuses on three aspects of overall student engagement in online education: social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence. It is through the interaction of these areas that a community of learning can be developed in online courses, and effective higher levels of learning can be implemented. The purpose of this review is to provide an overall perspective of the CoI framework as a means to enhance the student experience through discussion of social, cognitive, and teaching presence. In addition, implications for practical application in sport management programs and directions for future research of the CoI framework within sport management education will be provided, and related outcomes will be explored.
Paper of note in
Science Translational Medicine
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: December 2016

This week’s article identifies a new mitochondrial target for treating Parkinson’s disease.
Rapidly inhibiting ethylene signaling with light
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: December 2016

A photoreceptor directly induces degradation of an ethylene-responsive transcription factor when seedlings are exposed to light.
Triggering neurodegeneration from the gut
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: December 2016

Metabolites released from gut microbiota promote α-synuclein aggregation and motor deficits in Parkinson’s disease.
PIK3CA
mutations enable targeting of a breast tumor dependency through mTOR-mediated MCL-1 translation
Authors: Anderson Gray R. , Wardell Suzanne E. , Cakir Merve , Crawford Lorin , Leeds Jim C. , Nussbaum Daniel P. , Shankar Pallavi S. , Soderquist Ryan S. , Stein Elizabeth M. , Tingley Jennifer P. , Winter Peter S. , Zieser-Misenheimer Elizabeth K. , Alley Holly M. , Yllanes Alexander , Haney Victoria , Blackwell Kimberly L. , McCall Shannon J. , McDonnell Donald P. , Wood Kris C.
Published: December 2016

Inhibitors of BCL-X
L
, combined with inhibition of the mTOR/4E-BP axis, drive regressions of
PIK3CA
mutant breast tumors.
The protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit PR70 is a gonosomal melanoma tumor suppressor gene
Authors: van Kempen Léon C. L. , Redpath Margaret , Elchebly Mounib , Klein Kathleen Oros , Papadakis Andreas I. , Wilmott James S. , Scolyer Richard A. , Edqvist Per-Henrik , Pontén Fredrik , Schadendorf Dirk , van Rijk Anke F. , Michiels Stefan , Dumay Anne , Helbling-Leclerc Anne , Dessen Philippe , Wouters Jasper , Stass Marguerite , Greenwood Celia M. T. , Ghanem Ghanem E. , van den Oord Joost , Feunteun Jean , Spatz Alan
Published: December 2016

A protein phosphatase regulator modulates tumorigenicity in a dose- and X chromosome–dependent manner.
Alzheimer’s medicine: β-Amyloid takes a siP
Authors: Martin Ian
Published: December 2016

Disrupting the binding of β-amyloid oligomers to EphB2 receptor using a small interfering peptide is neuroprotective in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
A new lease on half-life
Authors: Whitehead Kathryn A.
Published: December 2016

A polymer-exenatide conjugate lowers blood glucose for 120 hours without inducing the antigenicity caused by PEGylated protein drugs.
In Vitro
Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of 12 Antifungal Drugs against 55 Trichophyton schoenleinii Isolates from Tinea Capitis Favosa Patients in Iran, Turkey, and China
Authors: Deng Shuwen , Ansari Saham , Ilkit Macit , Rafati Haleh , Hedayati Mohammad T. , Taghizadeh-Armaki Mojtaba , Nasrollahi-Omran Ayatollah , Tolooe Ali , Zhan Ping , Liao Wanqing , van der Lee Henrich A. , Verweij Paul E. , Seyedmousavi Seyedmojtaba
Published: December 2016

Trichophyton schoenleinii
is an anthropophilic dermatophyte mainly causing tinea favosa of the scalp in certain regions of the world, especially Africa and Asia. We investigated the
in vitro
susceptibilities of 55
T. schoenleinii
isolates collected over the last 30 years from Iran, Turkey, and China to 12 antifungals using the CLSI broth microdilution method. Our results revealed that terbinafine and ketoconazole were the most potent antifungal agents among those tested, independently of the geographic regions where strains were isolated.
Effects of Oritavancin on Coagulation Tests in the Clinical Laboratory
Authors: Belley Adam , Robson Richard , Francis John L. , Adcock Dorothy M. , Tiefenbacher Stefan , Rubino Christopher M. , Moeck Greg , Sylvester David , Dudley Michael N. , Loutit Jeffery
Published: December 2016

Previous studies have shown that some lipoglycopeptide and lipopeptide antimicrobial agents may cause falsely elevated values for some phospholipid-dependent coagulation tests. The effect of oritavancin, a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic, on coagulation test results was explored using pooled human plasma samples spiked with drug and in a clinical study after an infusion of a single 1,200-mg intravenous dose of oritavancin in normal healthy volunteers. Pooled plasma with oritavancin added
ex vivo
showed concentration-dependent prolongation of prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and dilute Russell viper venom time (DRVVT) test results. In contrast, oritavancin had no effect on the activated protein C resistance assay, chromogenic anti-factor Xa assay (anti-FXa), thrombin time, and an immunoassay for the laboratory diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. In participants that received a single dose of oritavancin, elevations in PT/INR result, aPTT, DRVVT, activated clotting time, and silica clotting time occurred, with the maximum times to resolution of test interference determined to be 12, 120, 72, 24, and 18 h, respectively. The anti-FXa assay was unaffected, whereas transient elevations in D dimer levels were observed in 30% of participants, with a maximum time to resolution of 72 h. Although oritavancin has no impact on the coagulation system
in vivo
, a single dose of oritavancin can produce falsely elevated values of some coagulation tests used to monitor hemostasis. The interference of oritavancin on affected tests is transient, and the test results revert to normal ranges within specified times after dosing.
The Lyme Disease Pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi Infects Murine Bone and Induces Trabecular Bone Loss
Authors: Tang Tian Tian , Zhang Lucia , Bansal Anil , Grynpas Marc , Moriarty Tara J.
Published: December 2016

Lyme disease is caused by members of the
Borrelia burgdorferi
sensu lato
species complex. Arthritis is a well-known late-stage pathology of Lyme disease, but the effects of
B. burgdorferi
infection on bone at sites other than articular surfaces are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether
B. burgdorferi
infection affects bone health in mice. In mice inoculated with
B. burgdorferi
or vehicle (mock infection), we measured the presence of
B. burgdorferi
DNA in bones, bone mineral density (BMD), bone formation rates, biomechanical properties, cellular composition, and two- and three-dimensional features of bone microarchitecture.
B. burgdorferi
DNA was detected in bone. In the long bones, increasing
B. burgdorferi
DNA copy number correlated with reductions in areal and trabecular volumetric BMDs. Trabecular regions of femora exhibited significant, copy number-correlated microarchitectural disruption, but BMD, microarchitectural, and biomechanical properties of cortical bone were not affected. Bone loss in tibiae was not due to increased osteoclast numbers or bone-resorbing surface area, but it was associated with reduced osteoblast numbers, implying that bone loss in long bones was due to impaired bone building. Osteoid-producing and mineralization activities of existing osteoblasts were unaffected by infection. Therefore, deterioration of trabecular bone was not dependent on inhibition of osteoblast function but was more likely caused by blockade of osteoblastogenesis, reduced osteoblast survival, and/or induction of osteoblast death. Together, these data represent the first evidence that
B. burgdorferi
infection induces bone loss in mice and suggest that this phenotype results from inhibition of bone building rather than increased bone resorption.
The Conserved Coronavirus Macrodomain Promotes Virulence and Suppresses the Innate Immune Response during Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection
Authors: Fehr Anthony R. , Channappanavar Rudragouda , Jankevicius Gytis , Fett Craig , Zhao Jincun , Athmer Jeremiah , Meyerholz David K. , Ahel Ivan , Perlman Stanley
Published: December 2016

ADP-ribosylation is a common posttranslational modification that may have antiviral properties and impact innate immunity. To regulate this activity, macrodomain proteins enzymatically remove covalently attached ADP-ribose from protein targets. All members of the
Coronavirinae
, a subfamily of positive-sense RNA viruses, contain a highly conserved macrodomain within nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3). However, its function or targets during infection remain unknown. We identified several macrodomain mutations that greatly reduced nsp3’s de-ADP-ribosylation activity
in vitro
. Next, we created recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) strains with these mutations. These mutations led to virus attenuation and a modest reduction of viral loads in infected mice, despite normal replication in cell culture. Further, macrodomain mutant virus elicited an early, enhanced interferon (IFN), interferon-stimulated gene (ISG), and proinflammatory cytokine response in mice and in a human bronchial epithelial cell line. Using a coinfection assay, we found that inclusion of mutant virus in the inoculum protected mice from an otherwise lethal SARS-CoV infection without reducing virus loads, indicating that the changes in innate immune response were physiologically significant. In conclusion, we have established a novel function for the SARS-CoV macrodomain that implicates ADP-ribose in the regulation of the innate immune response and helps to demonstrate why this domain is conserved in CoVs.

IMPORTANCE
The macrodomain is a ubiquitous structural domain that removes ADP-ribose from proteins, reversing the activity of ADP-ribosyltransferases. All coronaviruses contain a macrodomain, suggesting that ADP-ribosylation impacts coronavirus infection. However, its function during infection remains unknown. Here, we found that the macrodomain is an important virulence factor for a highly pathogenic human CoV, SARS-CoV. Viruses with macrodomain mutations that abrogate its ability to remove ADP-ribose from protein were unable to cause lethal disease in mice. Importantly, the SARS-CoV macrodomain suppressed the innate immune response during infection. Our data suggest that an early innate immune response can protect mice from lethal disease. Understanding the mechanism used by this enzyme to promote disease will open up novel avenues for coronavirus therapies and give further insight into the role of macrodomains in viral pathogenesis.
Probiotic Diversity Enhances Rhizosphere Microbiome Function and Plant Disease Suppression
Authors: Hu Jie , Wei Zhong , Friman Ville-Petri , Gu Shao-hua , Wang Xiao-fang , Eisenhauer Nico , Yang Tian-jie , Ma Jing , Shen Qi-rong , Xu Yang-chun , Jousset Alexandre
Published: December 2016

Bacterial communities associated with plant roots play an important role in the suppression of soil-borne pathogens, and multispecies probiotic consortia may enhance disease suppression efficacy. Here we introduced defined
Pseudomonas
species consortia into naturally complex microbial communities and measured the importance of
Pseudomonas
community diversity for their survival and the suppression of the bacterial plant pathogen
Ralstonia solanacearum
in the tomato rhizosphere microbiome. The survival of introduced
Pseudomonas
consortia increased with increasing diversity. Further, high
Pseudomonas
diversity reduced pathogen density in the rhizosphere and decreased the disease incidence due to both intensified resource competition and interference with the pathogen. These results provide novel mechanistic insights into elevated pathogen suppression by diverse probiotic consortia in naturally diverse plant rhizospheres. Ecologically based community assembly rules could thus play a key role in engineering functionally reliable microbiome applications.

IMPORTANCE
The increasing demand for food supply requires more-efficient control of plant diseases. The use of probiotics, i.e., naturally occurring bacterial antagonists and competitors that suppress pathogens, has recently reemerged as a promising alternative to agrochemical use. It is, however, still unclear how many and which strains we should choose for constructing effective probiotic consortia. Here we present a general ecological framework for assembling effective probiotic communities based on
in vitro
characterization of community functioning. Specifically, we show that increasing the diversity of probiotic consortia enhances community survival in the naturally diverse rhizosphere microbiome, leading to increased pathogen suppression via intensified resource competition and interference with the pathogen. We propose that these ecological guidelines can be put to the test in microbiome engineering more widely in the future.
Association of sleep duration with rheumatoid arthritis in Korean adults: analysis of seven years of aggregated data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)
Authors: Kim Jae-Hyun , Park Eun-Cheol , Lee Kwang Soo , Lee Yunhwan , Shim Sungkeun , Kim Jinhee , Chon Doukyoung , Lee Sang-Gue
Published: December 2016

Objectives

To investigate the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and self-reported sleep duration.

Setting

The present study analysed 7 years of aggregated cross-sectional data (2007–2013) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES).

Participants

A total of 37 979 individuals were selected for the analyses.

Interventions

RA.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Sleep duration.

Results

After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of short-duration sleepers (≤6 hours/day) and long-duration sleepers (≥9 hours/day) for RA were 1.23-fold (95% CI 1.101 to 1.51) and 1.27-fold (95% CI 0.85 to 1.88) higher, respectively, than those for persons with sleep duration of 7–8 hours/day. A subgroup analysis according to the extent of pain in RA revealed that the strong relationship between RA and sleep disturbances was observed in those with high pain from RA (OR: 1.28 CI 1.04 to 1.58).

Conclusions

Individuals with RA may be at a higher risk for sleep disturbances compared with individuals without RA. Therefore, the provision of comprehensive care for patients with RA by healthcare professionals should include assessments of sleep duration and patients with RA should be encouraged to report sleep problems.
Association of perceived ethnic discrimination with general and abdominal obesity in ethnic minority groups: the HELIUS study
Authors: Schmengler Heiko , Ikram Umar Z , Snijder Marieke B , Kunst Anton E , Agyemang Charles
Published: December 2016

Background

Discrimination is associated with obesity, but this may differ according to the type of obesity and ethnic group. This study examines the association of perceived ethnic discrimination (PED) with general and abdominal obesity in 5 ethnic minority groups.

Methods

We used cross-sectional data from the HELIUS study, collected from 2011 to 2015. The study sample included 2297 Ghanaians, 4110 African Surinamese, 3021 South-Asian Surinamese, 3562 Turks and 3868 Moroccans aged 18–70 years residing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Body mass index (BMI) was used as a measure for general obesity, and waist circumference (WC) for abdominal obesity. PED was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale. We used linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographics, psychosocial stressors and health behaviours. In additional analysis, we used standardised variables to compare the strength of the associations.

Results

In adjusted models, PED was significantly, positively associated with BMI in the South-Asian Surinamese (β coefficient 0.338; 95% CI 0.106 to 0.570), African Surinamese (0.394; 0.171 to 0.618) and Turks (0.269; 0.027 to 0.510). For WC, a similar pattern was seen: positive associations in the South-Asian Surinamese (0.759; 0.166 to 1.353), African Surinamese (0.833; 0.278 to 1.388) and Turks (0.870; 0.299 to 1.440). When stratified by sex, we found positive associations in Surinamese women, Turkish men and Moroccan men. The strength of the associations with BMI and WC was comparable in the groups. Among the Ghanaians, no significant associations were observed.

Conclusions

Ethnic and sex variations are observed in the association of PED with both general and abdominal obesity. Further research on psychosocial buffers and underlying biological mechanisms might help in understanding these variations.
Causes of progressive cerebellar ataxia: prospective evaluation of 1500 patients
Authors: Hadjivassiliou M , Martindale J , Shanmugarajah P , Grünewald R A , Sarrigiannis P G , Beauchamp N , Garrard K , Warburton R , Sanders D S , Friend D , Duty S , Taylor J , Hoggard N
Published: December 2016

Background

Cerebellar ataxias are the result of diverse disease processes that can be genetic or acquired. Establishing a diagnosis requires a methodical approach with expert clinical evaluation and investigations. We describe the causes of ataxia in 1500 patients with cerebellar ataxia.

Methods

All patients were referred to the Sheffield Ataxia Centre, UK, and underwent extensive investigations, including, where appropriate genetic testing using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Patients were followed up on a 6-monthly basis for reassessment and further investigations if indicated.

Results

A total of 1500 patients were assessed over 20 years. Twenty per cent had a family history, the remaining having sporadic ataxia. The commonest cause of sporadic ataxia was gluten ataxia (25%). A genetic cause was identified in 156 (13%) of sporadic cases with other causes being alcohol excess (12%) and cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy (11%). Using NGS, positive results were obtained in 32% of 146 patients tested. The commonest ataxia identified was EA2. A genetic diagnosis was achieved in 57% of all familial ataxias. The commonest genetic ataxias were Friedreich's ataxia (22%), SCA6 (14%), EA2 (13%), SPG7 (10%) and mitochondrial disease (10%). The diagnostic yield following attendance at the Sheffield Ataxia Centre was 63%.

Conclusions

Immune-mediated ataxias are common. Advances in genetic testing have significantly improved the diagnostic yield of patients suspected of having a genetic ataxia. Making a diagnosis of the cause of ataxia is essential due to potential therapeutic interventions for immune and some genetic ataxias.
Stability analysis of a deep buried elliptical tunnel in cohesive–frictional (c–ϕ) soils with a nonassociated flow rule
Authors: Yang Feng , Sun Xinlei , Zheng Xiangcou , Yang Junsheng
Published: December 2016

The stabilities and associated collapse mechanisms of deep buried unlined elliptical tunnels in cohesive–frictional (c–[Formula: see text]) soils with the action of soil weight are investigated by the “upper-bound finite element method with rigid translatory moving elements” (UBFEM–RTME). The soil masses are assumed to obey the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion and a nonassociated flow rule. Upper-bound stability coefficients (γcrD/c, where γcr is critical unit weight; D is tunnel height; c is cohesion) are deduced for different values of friction angles ([Formula: see text]), dilatancy coefficients (ψ/[Formula: see text], where ψ is dilation angle), and dimensionless spans (B/D, where B is span). The obtained collapse mechanisms do not extend to the ground surface and are primarily composed of a series of mutually movable rigid blocks. The γcrD/c values increase while the collapse zones decrease with an increasing [Formula: see text] and ψ/[Formula: see text] and a decreasing B/D.
Structural modification of open-cage fullerene C60 derivatives having a small molecule inside their cavities
Authors: Hashikawa Yoshifumi , Murata Michihisa , Wakamiya Atsushi , Murata Yasujiro
Published: December 2016

We studied the chemical modifications of open-cage fullerene C60 derivatives encapsulating a small molecule such as H2 and H2O. In these reactions, the entrapped molecules can be used as a probe for monitoring the reactions. The solubilizing group (methoxyethyl group) was successfully introduced on the bis(hemiketal) moiety in the open-cage C60 derivative. Further specific reactions were also investigated for 2-methoxyethoxymethyl (MEM)-substituted C60 derivatives.
Effects of forest conservation and management on volume growth, harvested amount of timber, carbon stock, and amount of deadwood in Finnish boreal forests under changing climate
Authors: Alrahahleh L. , Ikonen V.-P. , Kilpeläinen A. , Torssonen P. , Strandman H. , Asikainen A. , Kaurola J. , Venäläinen A. , Peltola H.
Published: December 2016

We employed a forest ecosystem model (SIMA) to study how the changes in forest conservation area and management affect the volume growth, harvested amount of timber, carbon stock, and amount of deadwood in Finnish boreal upland forests under current and changing climates (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) over 2010–2099. Simulations were carried out on National Forest Inventory plots using three different forest conservation scenarios (baseline and 10% and 20% increases of conservation area) and three thinning regimes (baseline and maintenance of ±20% stocking in thinning compared with recommendations). An increase of forest conservation area increased the volume growth, carbon stock, and quantity of deadwood in forests, as did the maintenance of 20% higher stocking in thinning. Maintenance of 20% lower stocking in thinning increased, in general, the amount of harvested timber, but it could not compensate for the decrease of harvested timber due to increase of conservation area. Climate warming greatly increased all of the studied variables in northern Finland but decreased them in southern Finland, the most under the strongest climate warming scenario, RCP8.5. Climate warming also increased the quantity of deadwood throughout Finland. To conclude, we found clear trade-offs for production of different ecosystem services.
Orbital magneto-electronic heat capacity of hydrogenated graphene in the presence of dilute charged impurity
Authors: Yarmohammadi Mohsen , Kazzaz Houshang Araghi , Feali Mohammad Saeed
Published: December 2016

In this paper, the effect of dilute charged impurity and external magnetic field on orbital-resolved density of states (DOS) and electronic heat capacity (EHC) of a monolayer hydrogenated graphene which is called chair-like graphane is investigated within the Harrison model and Green’s function technique. The self-consistent Born approximation has been implemented to describe the effect of scattering between electrons and dilute charged impurities. Our results show that the graphane is a semiconductor and its band gap decreases with impurity and magnetic field. EHC reaches almost linearly to Schottky anomaly and does not change at low temperatures in the presence of impurity and magnetic field. Generally, EHC increases with the mentioned parameters. Surprisingly, impurity doping only affects the salient behavior of [Formula: see text] orbital contribution of carbon atoms due to the symmetry breaking.
Phase stability, mechanical properties and lattice thermal conductivity of Ti2(AlxSn1−x)C solid solutions: A DFT study
Authors: Wang Xue-Fei , Ma Jing-Jie , Jiao Zhao-Yong
Published: December 2016

The phase stability, mechanical properties and lattice thermal conductivity of the ternary layered ceramic Ti2(Al[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text])C solid solutions are systematically investigated using the first-principles calculation. Present calculated results indicate that all the Ti2(Al[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text])C solid solutions are thermodynamic and elastically stable and all these compounds are identified as brittle materials. The temperature dependence of lattice thermal conductivity and the minimum thermal conductivity of the Ti2(Al[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text])C compounds are reported. Moreover, Debye temperature and melting point of these compounds are also obtained. Present results predict that all Ti2(Al[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text])C compounds have a relative high melting point and Debye temperature, indicating that all Ti2(Al[Formula: see text]Sn[Formula: see text])C compounds possess a rather stiff lattice and good thermal conductivity.
An Adaptive Demand-Based Caching Mechanism for NAND Flash Memory Storage Systems
Authors: Wang Yi , Qin Zhiwei , Chen Renhai , Shao Zili , Yang Laurence T.
Published: December 2016

During past decades, the capacity of NAND flash memory has been increasing dramatically, leading to the use of nonvolatile flash in the system’s memory hierarchy. The increasing capacity of NAND flash memory introduces a large RAM footprint to store the logical to physical address mapping. The demand-based approach can effectively reduce and well control the RAM footprint. However, extra address translation overhead is also introduced which may degrade the system performance.

In this article, we present CDFTL, an adaptive Caching mechanism for Demand-based Flash Translation Layer, for NAND flash memory storage systems. CDFTL adopts both the fine-grained entry-based caching mechanism to exploit temporal locality and the coarse-grained translation-page-based caching mechanism to exploit spatial locality of workloads. By selectively caching the on-demand address mappings and adaptively changing the space configurations of two granularities, CDFTL can effectively utilize the RAM space and improve the cache hit ratio. We evaluate CDFTL under a real hardware embedded platform using a variety of I/O traces. Experimental results show that our technique can achieve an 11.13% reduction in average system response time and a 35.21% reduction in translation block erase counts compared with the previous work.
Impact of Intrinsic Profiling Limitations on Effectiveness of Adaptive Optimizations
Authors: Jantz Michael R. , Robinson Forrest J. , Kulkarni Prasad A.
Published: December 2016

Many performance optimizations rely on or are enhanced by runtime profile information. However, both offline and online profiling techniques suffer from intrinsic and practical limitations that affect the quality of delivered profile data. The
quality
of profile data is its ability to accurately predict (relevant aspects of) future program behavior. While these limitations are known, their impact on the effectiveness of profile-guided optimizations, compared to the ideal performance, is not as well understood. We define
ideal
performance for adaptive optimizations as that achieved with a precise profile of
future
program behavior.

In this work, we study and quantify the performance impact of fundamental profiling limitations by comparing the effectiveness of typical adaptive optimizations when using the best profiles generated by offline and online schemes against a
baseline
where the adaptive optimization is given access to profile information about the future execution of the program. We model and compare the behavior of three adaptive JVM optimizations—heap memory management using object usage profiles, code cache management using method usage profiles, and selective just-in-time compilation using method hotness profiles—for the Java DaCapo benchmarks. Our results provide insight into the advantages and drawbacks of current profiling strategies and shed light on directions for future profiling research.
COIP—Continuous, Operable, Impartial, and Privacy-Aware Identity Validity Estimation for OSN Profiles
Authors: Bahri Leila , Carminati Barbara , Ferrari Elena
Published: December 2016

Identity validation of Online Social Networks’ (OSNs’) peers is a critical concern to the insurance of safe and secure online socializing environments. Starting from the vision of empowering users to determine the validity of OSN identities, we suggest a framework to estimate the trustworthiness of online social profiles based only on the information they contain. Our framework is based on learning identity correlations between profile attributes in an OSN community and on collecting ratings from OSN community members to evaluate the trustworthiness of target profiles. Our system guarantees utility, user anonymity, impartiality in rating, and operability within the dynamics and continuous evolution of OSNs. In this article, we detail the system design, and we prove its correctness against these claimed quality properties. Moreover, we test its effectiveness, feasibility, and efficiency through experimentation on real-world datasets from Facebook and Google+, in addition to using the Adults UCI dataset.
Embedded Device Forensics and Security
Authors: Choo Kim-Kwang Raymond , Fei Yunsi , Xiang Yang , Yu Yu
Published: December 2016

While the increasing digitalization of our society and amalgamation of embedded devices into the ever-increasing facets of our daily life (e.g., in smart and intelligent vehicles, smart cities and smart nations, and critical infrastructure sectors) have resulted in improved productivity and quality of life, the trend has also resulted in a trend of increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber exploitation and cyber threats. Hence, there is a need for coordinated efforts from the research community to address resulting concerns using both cryptographic and non-cryptographic solutions, such as those presented in this special section.
Managing uncertainty of large spatial databases
Authors: Cheng Reynold
Published: December 2016

Spatial data are prevalent in location-based services (LBS), sensor networks, and RFID monitoring systems. Data readings collected in these applications are often imprecise. The uncertainty in the data can arise from multiple sources, including measurement errors due to the sensing instrument and discrete sampling of the measurements. It is often important to record the imprecision and also to take it into account when processing the spatial data. The challenges of handling the uncertainty in spatial data includes modeling, semantics, query operators and types, efficient execution, and user interfaces. Probabilistic models have been proposed for handling the uncertainty. In this paper, we examine the modeling and querying issues of this kind of databases.
Sketchnoting
Authors: Dimeo Robert
Published: December 2016

In the last decade, a method of notetaking incorporating hand-drawn visual elements has become an increasingly popular technique for recording information from meetings and presentations at conferences. Why has it become so popular? Proponents and practitioners describe benefits including enhanced information retention and recall as compared with conventional, text-only notes. In a time when laptops appear to be the preferred method of notetaking from the classroom to the boardroom, it is curious that an analog skill like handwritten notetaking incorporating typography and sketches of simple figures would gain such popularity. Moreover, while simple notebooks and pens are all that is needed to create visual notes, tablets with drawing apps are becoming an increasingly popular mode for making visual notes. In this article, I will discuss the elements of sketchnotes, the benefits of sketchnoting as described by its proponents, and how sketchnotes are being used. In addition, I will describe my own personal 30-day experiment begun two years ago in which I made one sketchnote daily - and why I have not stopped this practice.
Physicochemical Property Variation in Spider Silk: Ecology, Evolution, and Synthetic Production
Authors: Blamires Sean J. , Blackledge Todd A. , Tso I-Min
Published: December 2016

The unique combination of great stiffness, strength, and extensibility makes spider major ampullate (MA) silk desirable for various biomimetic and synthetic applications. Intensive research on the genetics, biochemistry, and biomechanics of this material has facilitated a thorough understanding of its properties at various levels. Nevertheless, methods such as cloning, recombination, and electrospinning have not successfully produced materials with properties as impressive as those of spider silk. It is nevertheless becoming clear that silk properties are a consequence of whole-organism interactions with the environment in addition to genetic expression, gland biochemistry, and spinning processes. Here we assimilate the research done and assess the techniques used to determine distinct forms of spider silk chemical and physical property variability. We suggest that more research should focus on testing hypotheses that explain spider silk property variations in ecological and evolutionary contexts.