bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain Aging in Midlife: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study
Authors: Schubert Carla R. , Fischer Mary E. , Pinto A. Alex , Chen Yanjun , Klein Barbara E.K. , Klein Ronald , Tsai Michael Y. , Tweed Ted S. , Cruickshanks Karen J.
Published: April 2019

OBJECTIVES

Middle age has been identified as a critical time period for health later in life. Identifying factors associated with worse brain function in middle‐aged adults may help identify ways to preserve brain function with aging. Our objective was to evaluate factors associated with a novel measure of brain aging in middle‐aged and older adults.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study.

SETTING

Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) baseline (2005‐2008), 5‐year (2010‐2013), and 10‐year examinations (2015‐2017).

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 2285 adults, 22 to 84 years of age, with complete sensorineural and neurocognitive data at the 5‐year examination.

MEASUREMENTS

Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed combining 5‐year sensorineural (hearing, vision, olfaction) and cognitive (Trail Making Test A and B, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Auditory Verbal Learning Test) test data. Participants with a standardized PCA score less than −1 were classified as having brain aging. Incident brain aging was defined as a PCA score less than −1 at 10 years among participants who had a PCA score of −1 or higher at 5 years. Logistic regression and Poisson models were used to estimate associations between baseline factors and prevalent or incident brain aging, respectively.

RESULTS

Older age, being male, current smoking, larger waist circumference, not consuming alcohol, cardiovascular disease, and interleukin‐6 were associated with greater odds of prevalent brain aging, whereas more education and exercise were associated with decreased odds. In addition to age and sex, less than a college education, higher levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1, diabetes, depressive symptoms, and history of head injury were associated with an increased 5‐year risk of incident brain aging.

CONCLUSION

In the current study, vascular and inflammatory factors were associated with a new brain aging marker in middle‐aged and older adults. Many of these factors are modifiable, highlighting the importance of addressing health and lifestyle factors in midlife to potentially preserve function for better brain health later in life. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1610–1616, 2019
Infrastructure and the environment in the Anthropocene
Authors: Chester Mikhail V. , Markolf Samuel , Allenby Braden
Published: April 2019

For centuries, man‐made infrastructure has been viewed as separate from natural systems. Yet in the past few centuries, as the scale and scope of human activities have dramatically increased, there is accumulating evidence that natural systems are becoming increasingly, and in some cases entirely, managed by humans. The dichotomy between infrastructure and the environment is narrowing, and natural systems are increasingly becoming human design spaces. This is already apparent with the management of hydrologic systems for urban water supply, wildlife, agriculture, forests, and even the atmosphere, and we can expect management of the environment to become more so as human activities grow. Yet our infrastructure largely remains obdurate. They are designed to last for long times even as changes in the environment and technology accelerate. As such, our current infrastructure paradigms fail at the level of the complex, integrated systems and behaviors that characterize the Anthropogenic Earth. Infrastructure in the future will need to be designed for adaptive capacity and the complexities associated with techno‐environmental systems.
The role of industrial ecology in food and agriculture's adaptation to climate change
Authors: Kendall Alissa , Spang Edward S.
Published: April 2019

The food and agriculture sectors contribute significantly to climate change, but are also particularly vulnerable to its effects. Industrial ecology has robustly addressed these sectors’ contributions to climate change, but not their vulnerability to climate change. Climate change vulnerability must be addressed through development of climate change adaptation and resiliency strategies. However, there is a fundamental tension between the primary objectives of industrial ecology (efficiency, cyclic flows, and pollution prevention) and what is needed for climate change adaptation and resiliency. We develop here two potential ways through which the field can overcome (or work within) this tension and combine the tools and methods of industrial ecology with the science and process of climate change adaptation. The first layers industrial ecology tools on top of climate change adaptation strategies, allowing one to, for example, compare the environmental impacts of different adaptation strategies. The other embeds climate change adaptation and resiliency within industrial ecology tools, for example, by redefining the functional unit in life cycle assessment (LCA) to include functions of resiliency. In both, industrial ecology plays a somewhat narrow role, informing climate change adaptation and resilience decision‐making by providing quantitative indicators of environmental performance. This role for industrial ecology is important given the significant contributions and potential for mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from food and agriculture. However, it suggests that industrial ecology's role in climate adaptation will be as an evaluator of adaptation strategies, rather than an originator.
Closing the loop on platinum from catalytic converters: Contributions from material flow analysis and circularity indicators
Authors: Saidani Michael , Kendall Alissa , Yannou Bernard , Leroy Yann , Cluzel François
Published: April 2019

In this study, material flow analysis (MFA) is applied to quantify and reduce the obstacles for advancing a circular economy (CE) of platinum (Pt) from catalytic converters (CC) in Europe. First, the value chain and related stakeholders are mapped out in an MFA‐like model to both facilitate the assessment of stocks and flows, and get a comprehensive view of potential action levers and resources to close‐the‐loop. Then, through the cross analysis of numerous data sources, two MFA are completed: (i) one general MFA, and (ii) one sector‐specific MFA, drawing a distinction between the fate of Pt from (a) light‐duty vehicles, under the European Union's End of Life Vehicle Directive 2000/EC/53, and (b) heavy‐duty and off‐road vehicles. Key findings reveal a leakage of around 15 tons of Pt outside the European market in 2017. Although approximately one quarter of the losses are due to in‐use dissipation, 65% are attributed to insufficient collection and unregulated exports. Comparing the environmental impact between primary and secondary production, it has been estimated that halving the leakage of Pt during usage and collection could prevent the energetic consumption of 1.3 × 103 TJ and the greenhouse gases emission of 2.5 × 102 kt CO2 eq. Through the lens of circularity indicators, activating appropriate action levers to enhance the CE performance of Pt in Europe is of utmost importance in order to secure future production of new generations of CC and fuel cells. Moreover, the growing stockpile of Pt from CC in use indicates the need for better collection mechanisms. Also, the CC attrition during use and associated Pt emissions in the environment appears non‐negligible. Based on the scarce and dated publications in this regard, we encourage further research for a sound understanding of this phenomenon that can negatively impact human health.
Comparative efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose and iron sucrose for the treatment of preoperative anemia in patients with menorrhagia: An open‐label, multicenter, randomized study
Authors: Lee Sanghoon , Ryu Ki‐Jin , Lee Eun Sil , Lee Keun Ho , Lee Jeong Jae , Kim Tak
Published: April 2019

Aim

To compare ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) with iron sucrose (IS) for the effective and timely treatment of preoperative iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in women with menorrhagia.

Methods

This open‐label, multicenter, two‐arm study randomized patients to receive either a single dose of FCM or multiple doses of IS. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who achieved hemoglobin (Hb) levels ≥10 g/dL within 2 weeks after the first administration. Secondary endpoints included mean Hb levels, time to reach Hb ≥10 g/dL and quality of life (QoL).

Results

In total, 101 patients (FCM n = 52; IS n = 49) were randomized to the study treatments. FCM was as effective as IS in achieving Hb ≥10 g/dL within 2 weeks after the first administration (78.8% vs 72.3%). The time to reach Hb ≥10 g/dL was significantly shorter in the FCM group than in the IS group (7.7 days vs 10.5 days). Mean Hb levels were higher in the FCM‐treated patients than in the IS‐treated patients with borderline significance. QoL scores did not differ between the two groups.

Conclusion

Ferric carboxymaltose is as effective as IS in correcting preoperative IDA among patients with menorrhagia. The added benefits of FCM over IS included significant rapid correction of IDA, replenishment of iron stores and reduced hospital visits.
Prenatal diagnosis of 5p deletion syndrome: Report of five cases
Authors: Mak Annisa S. L. , Ma Teresa W. L. , Chan Kelvin Y. K. , Kan Anita S. Y. , Tang Mary H. Y. , Leung Kwok Y.
Published: April 2019

It is difficult to prenatally identify 5p deletion (−) syndrome. Here, we report five cases of 5p‐ syndrome diagnosed by invasive prenatal diagnosis. Of them, three had a small cerebellum in the second trimester. In one case, a prominent renal pelvis and an absent nasal bone were also found in the first trimester. However, there were no abnormal ultrasound findings in the other two cases. Two cases had noninvasive prenatal testing and one showed a ‘5p‐ syndrome positive result’ because of reduced amount of cell‐free DNA in 5p. Two had combined first‐trimester screening performed where one had a high‐risk result for trisomy 18 and a low pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A level. Two cases of 5p‐ syndrome resulted from a parental balanced translocation. Prenatal diagnosis will only be made on invasive prenatal diagnosis for abnormal ultrasound findings with small cerebellum, abnormal prenatal screening or a parental reciprocal translocation involving 5p.
Of Monkeys, Men and Menstruation: Gendered Dualisms and the Absent Referent in Mid‐Twentieth Century British Menstrual Science
Authors: Duxbury Catherine
Published: April 2019

In this paper, I analyse the historical constructions of menstruation in mid‐twentieth century Britain. I examine the complex intertwining relations between the female human body and the female nonhuman body. My argument is twofold: firstly, I argue that endocrinological experiments on nonhuman animals' reproductive cycles were mobilised towards affirming a binary division of female/male, animal/human. This facilitated the perpetuation of patriarchal ideologies in British biomedical research. Secondly, I argue that as a result of these dualistic conceptualisations, the female nonhuman body intersected with the female human body in scientific discourses. These bodily transmutations in scientific research contributed towards a form of social control over women, strategically rendering them as ‘Other’ with nonhuman animals. I illustrate this using Carol J Adams' (2015) concept of the absent referent.
Using Process Evaluation for Implementation Success of Preschool‐Based Programs for Obesity Prevention: The TX Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study
Authors: Sharma Shreela V. , Chuang Ru‐Jye , Byrd‐Williams Courtney , Vandewater Elizabeth , Butte Nancy , Hoelscher Deanna M.
Published: April 2019

BACKGROUND

Through the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration study, we implemented and evaluated a system‐oriented model of primary and secondary prevention approaches to mitigate obesity among low‐income Texas children aged 2 to 12 years. Primary prevention included implementing the Coordinated Approach To Child Health Early Childhood (CATCH EC) program in Head Start preschools. In this paper, we describe the methods and results of CATCH EC program process evaluation over 2 years of implementation.

METHODS

We used a quasi‐experimental design with serial cross‐sectional data collected from Head Start centers across intervention and comparison catchment areas in Houston and Austin, Texas (intervention: N = 12 centers in 2012‐2013 [Year 1], N = 12 in 2013‐2014 [Year 2]; comparison: N = 13 centers in Year 1, N = 12 in Year 2). Process evaluation included center director and teacher surveys conducted in both years of implementation. We developed indices for implementation of CATCH EC and non‐CATCH health events at the centers.

RESULTS

Implementation scores were higher among intervention centers as compared to comparison centers across both years of implementation, and these differences were statistically significant (p < .01). There was also high variability in program implementation in intervention centers across both years ranging from 55% to 95%.

CONCLUSION

These implementation index strategies may inform future evaluation of preschool‐based obesity prevention program implementation.
N‐Acetyl‐d‐galactosamine prevents soya bean agglutinin‐induced intestinal barrier dysfunction in intestinal porcine epithelial cells
Authors: Zhao Bao , Che Dongsheng , Adams Seidu , Guo Nan , Han Rui , Zhang Chun , Qin Guixin , Farouk Mohammed Hamdy , Jiang Hailong
Published: April 2019

Soya bean agglutinin (SBA) is a glycoprotein and the main anti‐nutritional component in most soya bean feedstuffs. It is mainly a non‐fibre carbohydrate‐based protein and represents about 10% of soya bean‐based anti‐nutritional effects. In this study, we sought to determine the effects of N‐Acetyl‐D‐galactosamine (GalNAc or D‐GalNAc) on the damage induced by SBA on the membrane permeability and tight junction proteins of piglet intestinal epithelium (IPEC‐J2) cells. The IPEC‐J2 cells were pre‐cultured with 0, 0.125 × 10−4, 0.25 × 10−4, 0.5 × 10−4, 1.0 × 10−4 and 2.0 × 10−4 mmol/L GalNAc at different time period (1, 2, 4 and 8 hr) before being exposed to 0.5 mg/ml SBA for 24 hr. The results indicate that pre‐incubation with GalNAc mitigates the mechanical barrier injury as reflected by a significant increase in trans‐epithelial electric resistance (TEER) value and a decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in cell culture medium pre‐treated with GalNAc before incubation with SBA as both indicate a reduction in cellular membrane permeability. In addition, mRNA levels of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin‐3 were lower in the SBA‐treated groups without pre‐treatment with GalNAc. The mRNA expression of occludin was reduced by 17.3% and claudin‐3 by 42% (p < 0.01). Moreover, the corresponding protein expression levels were lowered by 17.8% and 43.5% (p < 0.05) respectively. However, in the GalNAc pre‐treated groups, occludin and claudin‐3 mRNAs were reduced by 1.6% (p > 0.05) and 2.7% (p < 0.01), respectively, while the corresponding proteins were reduced by 4.3% and 7.2% (p < 0.05). In conclusion, GalNAc may prevent the effect of SBA on membrane permeability and tight junction proteins on IPEC‐J2s.
Practical wisdom, a dormant character in medical education?
Authors: Paes Paul
Published: April 2019

The author stresses the importance of re‐balancing the theory versus practice axis. “Practical wisdom” (phronesis) and praxis are put forward as an underutilized frame that binds theory and practice together.
Surrogate‐based toll optimization in a large‐scale heterogeneously congested network
Authors: Gu Ziyuan , Waller S. Travis , Saberi Meead
Published: April 2019

Toll optimization in a large‐scale dynamic traffic network is typically characterized by an expensive‐to‐evaluate objective function. In this paper, we propose two toll‐level problems (TLPs) integrated with a large‐scale simulation‐based dynamic traffic assignment model of Melbourne, Australia. The first TLP aims to control the pricing zone (PZ) through a time‐varying joint distance and delay toll such that the network fundamental diagram (NFD) of the PZ does not enter the congested regime. The second TLP is built upon the first TLP by further considering the minimization of the heterogeneity of congestion distribution in the PZ. To solve the two TLPs, a computationally efficient surrogate‐based optimization method, that is, regressing kriging with expected improvement sampling, is applied to approximate the simulation input–output mapping, which can balance well between local exploitation and global exploration. Results show that the two optimal TLP solutions reduce the average travel time in the PZ (entire network) by 29.5% (1.4%) and 21.6% (2.5%), respectively. Reducing the heterogeneity of congestion distribution achieves higher network flows in the PZ and a lower average travel time or a larger total travel time saving in the entire network.
Experience of neonatal intensive care unit nurses in providing developmentally‐supportive care: A qualitative study
Authors: Austin Betina , Downing Charlene , Hastings‐Tolsma Marie
Published: April 2019

Many challenges have been noted in the implementation of developmentally‐supportive care principles in neonatal intensive care units, despite evidence that adhering to such care principles achieves positive results for the neonate. The aim of this study was to explore and describe compliance in adhering to developmentally‐supportive care principles implemented in one neonatal intensive care unit in South Africa. An exploratory design was used in this qualitative study with purposive sampling to select eligible neonatal intensive care registered nurses (n = 14) as participants. Participants all worked in a 10 bed neonatal intensive care unit at a large tertiary care public hospital. Six audio‐recorded interviews were conducted, with recordings subsequently transcribed and analyzed. Three main themes were identified: value of developmentally‐supportive care, nature of developmentally‐supportive care, and barriers to developmentally‐supportive care. One of the main themes had subthemes, which substantiated the findings, and included parent involvement, nurse engagement, and holistic care. Study outcomes offer insight into the development or revision of policies and practices, which are crucial when implementing developmentally‐supportive care, particularly in resource‐poor settings where challenges are magnified.
Ecological responses to heavy rainfall depend on seasonal timing and multi‐year recurrence
Authors: Li Linfeng , Zheng Zhenzhen , Biederman Joel A. , Xu Cong , Xu Zhihong , Che Rongxiao , Wang Yanfen , Cui Xiaoyong , Hao Yanbin
Published: April 2019

Heavy rainfall events are expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future. However, their effects on natural ecosystems are largely unknown, in particular with different seasonal timing of the events and recurrence over multiple years.

We conducted a 4 yr manipulative experiment to explore grassland response to heavy rainfall imposed in either the middle of, or late in, the growing season in Inner Mongolia, China. We measured hierarchical responses at individual, community and ecosystem levels.

Surprisingly, above‐ground biomass remained stable in the face of heavy rainfall, regardless of seasonal timing, whereas heavy rainfall late in the growing season had consistent negative impacts on below‐ground and total biomass. However, such negative biomass effects were not significant for heavy rainfall in the middle of the growing season. By contrast, heavy rainfall in the middle of the growing season had greater positive effects on ecosystem CO2 exchanges, mainly reflected in the latter 2 yr of the 4 yr experiment. This two‐stage response of CO2 fluxes was regulated by increased community‐level leaf area and leaf‐level photosynthesis and interannual variability of natural precipitation.

Overall, our study demonstrates that ecosystem impacts of heavy rainfall events crucially depend on the seasonal timing and multiannual recurrence. Plant physiological and morphological adjustment appeared to improve the capacity of the ecosystem to respond positively to heavy rainfall.
Tradeoffs among root morphology, exudation and mycorrhizal symbioses for phosphorus‐acquisition strategies of 16 crop species
Authors: Wen Zhihui , Li Hongbo , Shen Qi , Tang Xiaomei , Xiong Chuanyong , Li Haigang , Pang Jiayin , Ryan Megan H. , Lambers Hans , Shen Jianbo
Published: April 2019

Plant roots exhibit diverse root functional traits to enable soil phosphorus (P) acquisition, including changes in root morphology, root exudation and mycorrhizal symbioses. Yet, whether these traits are differently coordinated among crop species to enhance P acquisition is unclear.

Here, eight root functional traits for P acquisition were characterized in 16 major herbaceous crop species grown in a glasshouse under limiting and adequate soil P availability.

We found substantial interspecific variation in root functional traits among species. Those with thinner roots showed more root branching and less first‐order root length, and had consistently lower colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), fewer rhizosheath carboxylates and reduced acid phosphatase activity. In response to limiting soil P, species with thinner roots showed a stronger response in root branching, first‐order root length and specific root length of the whole root system, Conversely, species with thicker roots exhibited higher colonization by AMF and/or more P‐mobilizing exudates in the rhizosheath.

We conclude that, at the species level, tradeoffs occur among the three groups of root functional traits we examined. Root diameter is a good predictor of the relative expression of these traits and how they change when P is limiting.
Frozen sections and complete resection in oral cancer surgery
Authors: Tirelli Giancarlo , Hinni Michael L. , Fernández‐Fernández Mario M. , Bussani Rossana , Gatto Annalisa , Bonini Pierluigi , Giudici Fabiola , Boscolo Nata Francesca
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Although the reliability of frozen sections for the intraoperative assessment of complete tumour excision has been established, the best location for collection and the impact of the type of sampling are still debated. We retrospectively investigated the reliability of frozen sections when collected from the surgical bed as tissue strips representative of the whole superficial margin and as a bowl of tissue underlying the resection site for deep margin, and the possibility of relying on frozen section negativity to consider resections complete.

Materials and Methods

Frozen section reliability was calculated by comparing histology before and after formalin embedding and then categorised by sampling type, in 182 patients undergoing transoral resection of oral cancer.

Results

Comparing frozen and permanent histology, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 69%, 98% and 96%, respectively; categorisation by sampling type failed to produce statistically significant differences. Based on frozen section negativity after formalin embedding, complete resections were obtained in 91.7% of patients with multiple‐strip and bowl frozen sections.

Conclusion

Frozen sections collected as tissue strips and bowl are as reliable as point sampling in the intraoperative guidance of surgical resections. They effectively provide for margin enlargement, thereby increasing the surgeon's confidence that negative margins are clear.
Roles of microRNA‐22 in Suppressing Proliferation and Promoting Sensitivity of Osteosarcoma Cells via Metadherin‐mediated Autophagy
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhao Zhen‐qun , Guo Shi‐bing , Yang Tie‐yi , Chang Zhi‐qiang , Li Dai‐he , Zhao Wei , Wang Yu‐xin , Sun Chao , Wang Yong , Feng Wei
Published: April 2019

Objective

To analyze the effect of microRNA‐22 on autophagy and proliferation and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of osteosarcoma cell chemotherapy sensitivity.

Methods

MG‐63 cells were divided into four groups, including a control group, a negative control (NC) group, a cisplatin group, and a cisplatin + miR‐22 group. Proliferation of MG‐63 cells that had been treated with cisplatin and transfected with miR‐22 mimics was determined using MTT assay and colony formation assay. We assessed the degree of autophagy using flow cytometry through cellular staining of the autophagy lysosomal marker monodansylcadaverine (MDC). The effect of microRNA‐22 on autophagy was observed along with the expression levels of Beclin1, LC3, metadherin (MTDH) and ATG5 by western blot and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Luciferase reporter assay revealed the targeted binding site between miR‐22 and the 3′‐untranslated region (3′‐UTR) of MTDH mRNA. Western blot and qRT‐PCR were used to explore the level of MTDH in the control group, the NC group, the cisplatin group, and the miR‐22 group for 6, 12, and 24 h.

Results

In the in vitro study, the MTT results indicated that the MG‐63 cells with overexpression of miR‐22 exhibited a significant decline in the proliferation capacity compared with the control group (0.513 ± 0.001, P < 0.0005). Similar to the MTT results, MG‐63 cells that were transfected with miR‐22 mimic (101.0 ± 10.58) formed fewer colonies compared with the cisplatin group (129.7 ± 4.163). MDC staining revealed that miR‐22‐overexpressing osteosarcoma (OS) cells treated with cisplatin showed a significant decrease in the expression of autophagy (7.747 ± 0.117, P < 0.0001). Our data revealed that miR‐22 could regulate not only autophagy but also proliferation in the chemosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells. We found that miR‐22 sensitized osteosarcoma cells to cisplatin treatment by regulating autophagy‐related genes. In addition, Luciferase Reporter Assay revealed that miR‐22 negatively regulated autophagy through direct targeting of MTDH. We performed western blot analysis to detect the MTDH expression level. The results revealed that the overexpression of miR‐22 obviously decreased the expression of MTDH (1.081 ± 0.023, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Inhibition of miR‐22 ameliorated the anticancer drug‐induced cell proliferation decrease in osteosarcoma cells. MTDH was identified as the miR‐22 target in OS cells and MTDH‐triggered autophagy played a key function in the miR‐22‐associated chemotherapy sensitivity.
Incidence of Low‐energy Upper Extremity Fractures and the Risk Factors in Chinese People 50 years or Older
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐juan , Zhu Yan‐bin , Liu Song , Chen Wei , Liu Bo , Zhang Fei , Lv Hong‐zhi , Ji Chen‐ni , Zhang Xiao‐lin , Zhang Ying‐ze
Published: April 2019

Objective

To investigate the incidence of low‐energy upper extremity fractures and identify the associated risk factors in Chinese people aged 50 years or older.

Methods

This study was a part of the Chinese National Fracture Survey, which was performed between January and May 2015 and aimed to investigate the epidemiology of traumatic fractures in China in 2014. The China National Fracture Study (CNFS) was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (number ChiCTR‐EPR‐15005878). A stratified multistage cluster randomized sampling method was used to recruit subjects and the survey was conducted through a questionnaire. The relevant results have been published elsewhere. In the current study, 154 099 Chinese men and women aged 50 years or older were included for data collection and analysis. Low‐energy fractures were defined as fractures that were caused by simple falls from standing height. Individuals who had low‐energy upper extremity fractures were included in the case group and the remainder were included in the control group. Univariate and multivariate logistics regression analysis models were constructed to investigate the independent risk factors, after adjustment for confounding variables.

Results

In total, 184 patients sustained low‐energy upper extremity fractures in 2014, indicating that the overall incidence was 119.4/100 000 persons, with 57.4 and 180.9/100 000 person‐years in men and women. Approximately 80% of fractures occurred at home and on the common road (other than high way). In men, alcohol consumption (OR, 2.12; 95%CI, 1.11–4.06), residence at ≥2nd floor without an elevator (OR, 2.86; 95%CI, 1.16–7.06), sleep duration<7 h/day (OR, 2.77; 95%CI, 1.42–5.37), and history of past fractures (OR, 3.10; 95%CI, 1.21–7.93) were identified as significant risk factors. In women, obesity (BMI ≥ 28.0) (OR, 1.86; 95%CI, 1.31–2.66), living in the central region in China (OR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.01–2.31), living at a higher latitude (40°–49.9°N) (OR, 1.79; 95%CI, 1.02–3.14), alcohol consumption (OR, 2.40; 95%CI, 1.58–3.63), more births (OR, 1.45; 95%CI, 1.15–1.83), sleep duration <7 h/day (OR, 2.21; 95%CI, 1.53–3.20), and history of past fracture (OR, 2.70; 95%CI, 1.52–4.80) were identified as significant risk factors.

Conclusion

Based on these results, health policies that focus on decreasing alcohol consumption and encouraging individuals to improve their quality and duration of sleep should be implemented in China. The significance of moving to a ground floor or to a building equipped with an elevator for men, and maintaining a healthy body weight for women should be emphasized to prevent upper extremity fractures.
Quality of life benefits from arrhythmia ablation: A longitudinal study using the C‐CAP questionnaire and EQ5D
Authors: Evans James M. , Withers Kathleen L. , Lencioni Mauro , Carolan‐Rees Grace , Wood Kathryn A. , Patrick Hannah , Griffith Michael
Published: April 2019

Aims

To investigate long‐term efficacy of cardiac ablation for symptomatic arrhythmia by gathering generic and arrhythmia‐related quality of life data using patient‐reported outcome measures before and after ablation.

Methods

Consecutive patients undergoing cardiac ablation procedures at three sites in the United Kingdom were enrolled (n = 561). Data were collected at baseline, at 8–16 weeks, and 12 months after the ablation with responses from 390 patients received at all three time points. Nonparametric tests were used to identify any changes in patient outcomes due to nonnormal data.

Results

There were significant improvements in symptom severity, impact on life scores, EQ‐5D‐5L indices, and visual analogue score (VAS) scores at pre‐ versus 3 months and at preablation versus 1 year. Impact on life score showed additional improvement at 1 year versus 3 months, while improvements in symptom severity, EQ‐5D‐5L indices, and VAS scores continued to be maintained between 3 months and 1 year.

Conclusion

Cardiac ablation provides patients with arrhythmias relief from symptoms, and results in an improvement in quality of life. Improvements observed at 3 months are maintained at 1 year follow‐up.
Dental root abnormalities in four children with PHACE syndrome
Authors: Youssef Molly J. , Siegel Dawn H. , Chiu Yvonne E. , Drolet Beth A. , Hodgson Brian D.
Published: April 2019

PHACE(S) syndrome is a condition characterized by posterior fossa malformations, hemangiomas, arterial anomalies, cardiac defects, eye abnormalities, sternal cleft, and supraumbilical raphe. We present four children with PHACE(S) syndrome who have absence of or severe malformation of the roots of their permanent first molars (PFMs). Root abnormalities in the children's molars were bilateral and not restricted to the segments affected by cutaneous hemangioma. The reason for root abnormalities is unknown, but given the rarity of these findings in healthy children, it is likely an additional dental manifestation of PHACE syndrome. The absence of functional roots in the PFMs can result in significant consequences. Therefore, we recommend a panoramic dental radiograph during transitional dentition for children with PHACE syndrome to screen for dental root abnormalities.
Investigation of Different Prototropic Forms of Biologically Active Flavin Lumichrome in the Presence of Liposome
Authors: Bapli Aloke , Gautam Rajesh Kumar , Jana Rabindranath , Seth Debabrata
Published: April 2019

Herein, we reported the photophysical behavior of lumichrome (LC), one of the biologically active flavin molecules, in the presence of small unilamellar vesicle of anionic lipid 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DMPC). With the help of different spectroscopic techniques, we have proposed that anionic DMPC liposome interacts with the cationic form LC in ground state and in excited state and modulate the spectral properties of LC. Photophysical study reveals that different prototropic forms of LC are present in DMPC liposome medium. In the presence of DMPC liposome, fluorescence emission properties of LC vary with change in excitation and emission wavelengths. This indicates switch over between different structural forms of LC. From fluorescence lifetime measurements and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) study, it was revealed that emission decay profile of LC was fitted biexponentially in the presence of liposome. It suggests that in the presence of liposome, more than one form of LC is present. We have constructed the time‐resolved area‐normalized emission spectra (TRANES) of LC in the liposome and found one isoemissive point. This confirmed that two emissive species of LC are present in liposome. FLIM study and FE‐SEM study give an idea about the structural feature of the complex between LC and liposome.
Nocturnal hypoxaemia is associated with adverse outcomes in interstitial lung disease
Authors: Troy Lauren K. , Young Iven H. , Lau Edmund M.T. , Wong Keith K.H. , Yee Brendon J. , Torzillo Paul J. , Corte Tamera J.
Published: April 2019

Background and objective

Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) has been reported as highly prevalent in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other interstitial lung disease (ILD) populations. Nocturnal oxygen desaturation (NOD), or the total sleep time spent with SpoO2 < 90% (TST < 90), can occur both with and without associated apnoeas, and is common in ILD. This study aimed to characterize abnormal SDB and extent of TST < 90 in ILD patients and evaluate relationships between TST < 90 and markers of disease severity, development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and mortality.

Methods

Consecutive, newly referred ILD patients attending a specialist clinic underwent polysomnography (PSG). Serial lung function tests, echocardiography and other clinical variables were recorded. Predictors of PH and mortality were evaluated using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses.

Results

A total of 92 ILD patients (including 44 with IPF) underwent PSG. At least mild obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) was observed in 65.2%, with rapid eye movement (REM)‐related events occurring frequently. At least 10% TST < 90 (designated ‘significant NOD’) was present in 35.9% of patients, and was associated with PH at baseline echocardiography. Multiple indices of hypoxaemia during sleep, including significant NOD, predicted the development of new or worsening PH. TST < 90 predicted overall and progression‐free survival.

Conclusion

Nocturnal oxygen saturation is associated with poorer prognosis in ILD patients and may contribute towards the pathogenesis of pulmonary vascular disease.
A REVIEW OF MALAYSIA SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICIES TO IMPROVE RECYCLING PRACTICE AND WASTE SEPARATION AMONG HOUSEHOLDS
Authors: Razali Fitriyah , Weng Wai Choong , Daud Dzurllkanian@Zulkarnain
Published: April 2019

Households are the primary source that contributes to the municipal solid waste and thus, it is well justified that they should be targeted in waste recycling policies for the improvement of recycling rates in this nation. Aware of the significant role among the household, Malaysia has taken a series of initiative to improve the national policies for solid waste management to foster waste separation practices among household. These waste management policies focused on waste separation and waste recycling behaviour among households in Malaysia. This is because a well-managed and planned waste policy is one of the vital factors that will enhance waste separation and recycling behaviour among households. This paper attempts to summarise the waste management policies in Malaysia, chronologically and summarise the solid waste management and transformation plans in a timeline table for the ease of reference among future researcher and policymaker. This is to provide them with a better understanding of the progression of waste management policies and regulations in Malaysia.
THE FORMATION OF KANGKAR AS THE FRONTIER CHINESE SETTLEMENT IN JOHOR, MALAYSIA
Authors: Hui Ching Low , Raja Shahminan Raja Nafida , Mursib Gurupiah
Published: April 2019

In the 19th century, Chinese immigrants were drawn to Johor via the entirely unique Kangchu system that was only adapted in the state, later contributed significantly to its economic progress. The Chinese came for pepper and gambier plantation and settled at riverside which formed the frontier Chinese settlement called “Kangkar”. It is also believed that kangkar is the earliest established Chinese settlement in Johor, then many of them substituted by New Village in 1950s, and today’s modern housing in the 20th century. Irony the kangkar settlements are declining while some already abandoned. Furthermore, study of Chinese settled at Johor in kangkar settlement is still lacking, which severely constrain the preservation of such historical settlement. To help fill this gap, this paper aims to delineate the kangkar settlement which represents strong historical significance to Chinese architectural paradigm in Johor. It is crucial to start paying attention on this Chinese heritage to avoid irreversible loss of humanity’s heritage as well as diversity. As the formation of kangkar settlement was mainly ranged from 1844 to 1917, historical data was collected through content analysis of archival documents, literature reviews, and interviews of scholars. The special terms used were revealed such as Kangchu, kangkar, and “surat sungai”. Kangkar as a unique Chinese living settlement which existed due to Kangchu system, plays important and positive roles in Johor development in terms of economy, co-existence, and identity. It is hence crucial to preserve the kangkar settlements by providing insight of guideline to sustain and avoid further decline.
MEASURING URBAN GOVERNANCE USING GOVERNANCE AND LEGISLATION INDEX: A CASE STUDY OF KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
Authors: Po Xuan Soo , Hoh Teck Ling Gabriel
Published: April 2019

It was recognized that good governance is important to achieve the equitable and sustainable development which secure the common future. This is because active, effective and fair governance helps promotes the business development by putting in place integrated policymaking capacity and ensuring stable and secure societies towards sustainable development. Seeing this, hundreds of governance-indicator datasets have emerged. Stakeholders have relied heavily on these data in making cross-border decisions. Nevertheless, it is argued that most of these data are perception-based indicators; therefore, the decision made is bias and incorrect. On this ground, this paper attempts to identify and explain the quality of governance for the Kuala Lumpur city using an objective data-driven index, the City Prosperity Index (CPI). This paper employed content analysis of secondary data and literature, relying on statistical data from Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Election Commission of Malaysia and The World Bank. Results have shown that governance in Kuala Lumpur is a moderate solid factor (65.0) in contributing to the city’s prosperity. Comparing to other cities, Kuala Lumpur ranked 20 out of 47 selected cities. There is still plenty of room Kuala Lumpur to improve its governance to remain competitive and sustainable. In conclusion, objective data is good as data produced will not be bias. Nevertheless, it should not be generalized to reflect the overall quality of governance. This is because there are many other governance related variables can only be obtained via perception-based data. It is recommended that the GLI measured in this paper should be use together with other subjective data to give a most complete coverage of the overall quality of governance of a city.
ASSESSMENT OF THE INTERPOLATION TECHNIQUES ON TRAFFIC NOISE POLLUTION MAPPING FOR THE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY
Authors: Nejad Parviz Ghojogh , Ahmad Anuar , Zen Irina Safitri
Published: April 2019

Mapping traffic noise pollution from an increasing number of vehicles facilitate better land use planning in order to measures the environment sustainability performances of institution in higher education. The aim of this research is to analyse the relationship on the increasing number of the motorized vehicles recorded as noise pollution data for further geostatistical analysis. Hence, by using the interpolation techniques, Kriging and IWD, the comparison performed to particularly create the noise pollution map for Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM. With average noise of the collected sample, the performance of two methods; inverse distance weighting, IDW and Kriging evaluated based on the magnitude and distribution of errors where the cross-validation statistics with plots shows IDW better representation of reality for the means of Noise pollution levels measurement. then, other the noise map generated based on the maximum noise level recorded with the indicator Kriging Noise method. Further, these studies can be useful to conduct regular assessments to identify noise pollution level with multiple locations in the study area.
A PRELIMINARY REVIEW ON TRANSACTION COST COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BIM ADOPTED PROCUREMENTS
Authors: Ka Bean Toh , Mustapa Muzani , Mustapa Fara Diva
Published: April 2019

The Malaysian construction industry although it plays a crucial function in stimulating the economy, is lagging behind other economic sectors. This is due to its unique characteristics such as fragmentation and slow technology adoption. These very characteristics make the industry susceptible to construction disputes. Construction disputes were found to incur high transaction costs (TCs), affect the parties involved, and subsequently increase overall project costs. Because TCs measure the costs that incur from transaction activities, they can be used to better understand the benefits within each transaction. Additionally, TCs are the best mechanism for analysing the ‘unseen’ costs of construction procurement. Previous studies on the traditional, design-and-build, and public private partnership (PPP) procurement methods have demonstrated TCs affect the organizational dynamics of construction and selection of procurement. The emerging Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology is said to be beneficial in addressing the problems associated with disputes and overall project costs. Consequently, many projects embark on BIM adoption in procurement. Hence, this preliminary study seeks to identify the TCs of BIM-adopted procurement by employing a structured literature review to determine the components and activities within the BIM procurement within the BIM implementation. The initial framework for the components of TCs of BIM procurement was drafted by referring to RIBA Plan of Work with BIM overlay. The components are categorised into pre-contract and post-contract components. These components can serve as the basis for developing a framework that can serve as a guideline for construction players involved in managing the TCs of BIM procurement.
A New Hybrid Distance-Based Similarity Measure for Refined Neutrosophic sets and its Application in Medical Diagnosis
Authors: Ulucay Vakkas , Kılıç Adil , Şahin Memet , Deniz Harun
Published: April 2019

In recent times, refined neutrosophic sets introduced by Deli [6] has been one of the most powerful and flexible approaches for dealing with complex and uncertain situations of real world. In particular, the decision making methods between refined neutrosophic sets are important since it has applications in various areas such as image segmentation, decision making, medical diagnosis, pattern recognition and many more. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new distance-based similarity measure for refined neutrosophic sets. The properties of the proposed new distance-based similarity measure have been studied and the findings are applied in medical diagnosis of some diseases with a common set of symptoms.
Inventory Routing Problem with Carbon Emission Consideration
Authors: Aziz Nur Arina Bazilah , Jing Yee Choong
Published: April 2019

Inventory Routing Problem (IRP) has been continuously developed and improved due to pressure from global warming issue particularly related to greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission. The burning of fossil fuel for transportations such as cars, trucks, ships, trains, and planes primarily emits GHGs. Carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning of fossil fuel to power transportation and industrial process is the largest contributor to global GHGs emission. Therefore, the focus of this study is on solving a multi-period inventory routing problem (MIRP) involving carbon emission consideration based on carbon cap and offset policy. Hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) based on allocation first and routing second is used to compute a solution for the MIRP in this study. The objective of this study is to solve the proposed MIRP model with HGA then validate the effectiveness of the proposed HGA on data of different sizes.  Upon validation, the proposed MIRP model and HGA is applied on real-world data. The HGA is found to be able to solve small size and large size instances effectively by providing near optimal solution in relatively short CPU execution time.
British Colonial Policy “Divide and Rule”: Fanning Arab Rivalry in Palestine
Authors: Fildis Ayse Tekdal , Nisanci Ensar
Published: April 2019

The 2nd November 2017 is the centenary of the Balfour Declaration which is Britain’s public acknowledgement and support of the Zionist movement and the commitment to a Jewish National Home. The Declaration is identified by the Palestinian narrative as the source of their tragedy whilst the British side its motive was the consideration of who would be most useful to the British interest under the given circumstances. The main characteristics of the Palestinian politics and society after the Balfour Declaration and during the Mandate period was the pervasiveness of factionalism. These divisions were based on family, kinship, and clan. As for their politics, they were mainly shaped by the notable families who helped to intensify this fragmentation in the Palestinian society. The notable families pervaded local politics during the Ottoman period and continued to do so in the early part of the British administration. The mandate administration, although denied the effective Palestinian self-government, it toughened the notability stratification by giving it recognition and legitimacy in social and religious affairs. The British administration refused to accept or recognize the Palestinian Arabs as a national entity, because of the lack of a central authority, Palestinians did not have the social resources to organize and unite themselves. Although the British did not recognize the Palestinians as a national entity they accepted its notables as the leaders and representatives of the Palestinians. The British policy of alliance with the notables helped those notable families achieve decisive pre-eminence in the Palestinian politics. The notability was at the forefront of the nationalist sentiment. They suppressed the existence of independent nationalist parties and groups. The same traditional elite helped intensify fragmentation in the society, especially as the external challenges became more severe. They became an impediment to the wider national integration. Following the historical background of the area until the establishment of the Mandate, this paper will focus on the analysis of the British policies feeding the inter-Arab rivalries and animosity between the notable families and conclude with the study of the valuation of the Palestinian Arab leadership until 1936-1939 Arab revolt.