bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective crashworthiness optimization of vehicle body with negative Poisson’s ratio structure based on factorial analysis
Authors: Zou Songchun , Dai Shijuan , Zhao Wanzhong , Wang Chunyan , Zhang Han
Published: July 2020

To improve vehicle side crashworthiness, this paper first introduces the negative Poisson’s ratio structure to the traditional B-pillar and proposes a negative Poisson’s ratio B-pillar. Then, the performance of the negative Poisson’s ratio B-pillar is studied in detail by comparison with a traditional B-pillar and honeycomb B-pillar. Aiming at the problem that the side crashworthiness is also significantly affected by the side structure parameters of vehicle body, the factorial analysis theory is adopted to screen out the side structure parameters with significant effect. Based on this, by combining the optimal Latin hypercube design and response surface model, a multi-objective optimization design is conducted for those structure parameters based on non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II. Finally, the normal boundary intersection method is adopted to seek the Pareto optimal solution, and the simulation results show that compared with the traditional B-pillar, the negative Poisson’s ratio B-pillar optimized by non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II has better comprehensive crashworthiness. The results of this paper can provide some basis for the design and optimization of vehicle side crashworthiness.
Characterization of Type-I IFN subtype autoantibodies and activity in SLE serum and urine
Authors: Harris Bethany D , Kuruganti Srilalitha , Deshpande Ashlesha , Goepfert Paul A , Chatham W Winn , Walter Mark R
Published: July 2020

Background/objective

Type-I interferons contribute to pathogenesis in systemic lupus erythematosus, including nephritis. Interferons consist of a family of 16 proteins yet are often characterized in patients without knowledge of the specific interferon subtypes involved. Different interferons may function in the kidneys, and other organs, relative to what is often measured in patient blood. Moreover, antibodies to interferons may potentially modulate systemic or organ-specific interferon activity. The aim of this study was to characterize global interferon activity levels and identify autoantibodies to the 12 interferon α subtypes in patient serum and urine.

Methods

Interferon activity levels in serum and urine were measured using an interferon bioassay. Anti-interferon and anti-cytokine autoantibodies were measured by ELISA. Serum and urine samples were also characterized for their ability to neutralize the biological activity of exogenously added interferons.

Results

Serum interferon activity was increased in 62% of systemic lupus erythematosus patient samples, relative to healthy donor controls, whereas binding interferon α autoantibodies to at least one interferon α subtype were found in 68% of the samples evaluated. High Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index scores were significantly ( p = 0.001) associated with patient samples containing interferon α autoantibodies to three or more interferon α subtypes in their serum. Interferon α autoantibodies that potently block interferon activity were rare (∼5% of samples), but collectively bound to all 12 interferon α subtypes. Urine interferon activity and interferon α autoantibody profiles did not correlate with their serum counterparts, suggesting immune responses in systemic lupus erythematosus kidneys can be distinct from those measured in serum. Analysis of autoantibodies to 15 additional cytokines in serum identified higher frequencies of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 17A autoantibodies, suggesting these signaling pathways may potentially contribute, with interferons, to systemic lupus erythematosus pathogenesis.

Conclusions

The measurement of autoantibodies to multiple interferon subtypes in serum and urine may provide an alternative method for following interferon-mediated systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity. The results suggest autoantibodies might be used for patient monitoring and/or identifying additional cytokine signaling pathways that are functioning in different systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
Non-performing Loans and Moral Hazard in the Indian Banking Sector: A Threshold Panel Regression Approach
Authors: Thomas Robin , Singh Thakur Shailesh
Published: July 2020

This article attempts to examine the effect of non-performing assets (NPA) on behaviour of banks in India. The objectives of this article is to test if lending choices of Indian Banks demonstrate moral hazard and to test whether an increase in NPA ratio of banks raises riskier bank lending. We employ a threshold panel data regression model on a data set retrieved from the Reserve bank of India, which covered 45 commercial banks during the period 2009–2015, to test if lending choices of Indian banks demonstrate moral hazard. The results establish that the moral hazard hypothesis does not hold true for the given sample of India Banks, suggesting that an increase in the NPA ratio does not potentially increase riskier lending in sample banks. We find empirical evidence for the notion that ‘too-big-to-fail’ banks possibly have certain incentives to take higher risks and thus have higher NPA ratios. Graphical approach to NPA threshold explanation reveals presence of threshold; however, it could not be statistically established. Future implications of findings are evaluated. The study seminally adds to the empirical literature on use of fixed effects threshold panel data regression model in the context of Indian banks.
Corporate Governance and Performance of Audit Committee and Internal Audit Functions in an Emerging Economy’s Public Sector
Authors: Dzomira Shewangu
Published: July 2020

This article seeks to examine corporate governance and the performance of audit committee and internal audit functions in an emerging economy’s public sector. These two functions form a part of imperative corporate governance aspects, and their effective performance ensures better service delivery by public sector agencies. The study is premised on stakeholder theory, which has turned out to be the central point of public sector discourses. The study is based on qualitative content analysis, which aspires to present information about corporate governance and effectiveness of audit committees and internal audit units in South Africa’s public sector. The findings suggest that there is good corporate governance in terms of the existence of audit committees and internal audit functions in the public sector. However, the results suggest that the audit committees and internal audit units in South Africa’s public sector are not effective. Absence of advice, implementation of recommendations and inadequacy of resources have undermined the performance of audit committees and internal audit units in South Africa’s public sector. The leadership and other assurance bringers ought to consider the findings elevated by the audit committees and internal audit and execute their commendation. Their findings should be urbanised into action plans that are implemented by management. Audit committees must improve their oversight on internal audit functions so that both units would effectively perform. The subsistence of successful audit committee and internal audit components in the public sector certifies proficient and effectual exploitation of resources for the gain of all stakeholders.
Corporate Governance: An Insight into the Imposition and Implementation of Gender Diversity on Indian Boards
Authors: Singh Gagandeep
Published: July 2020

Prolific research on gender diversity invariably links it to the financial outcomes, responsible behaviour, stock movements and the like. Very few studies have tried to peep into the actual board composition of the companies to know the effective implementation status of the various impositions and regulations introduced by the legislators to embrace gender equality on board seats. The current study attempts to examine the implementation of three main governance reforms that have been introduced recently by the Indian market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Companies Act, 2013. In doing so, the study undertook content analysis of annual reports of top 200 Indian companies, constituting BSE200 index over a period of five years, that is, 2015–2019. The observations made about the board composition clearly indicate mere compliance and appointment of women as tokens on Indian boardrooms. The study makes some useful recommendations for the corporate managers and the policymakers.
The Influence of Game Character Appearance on Empathy and Immersion: Virtual Non-Robotic Versus Robotic Animals
Authors: Sierra Rativa Alexandra , Postma Marie , Van Zaanen Menno
Published: July 2020

Background. Empathic interactions with animated game characters can help improve user experience, increase immersion, and achieve better affective outcomes related to the use of the game.

Method. We used a 2x2 between-participant design and a control condition to analyze the impact of the visual appearance of a virtual game character on empathy and immersion. The four experimental conditions of the game character appearance were: Natural (virtual animal) with expressiveness (emotional facial expressions), natural (virtual animal) with non-expressiveness (without emotional facial expressions), artificial (virtual robotic animal) with expressiveness (emotional facial expressions), and artificial (virtual robotic animal) with non-expressiveness (without emotional facial expressions). The control condition contained a baseline amorphous game character. 100 participants between 18 to 29 years old (M=22.47) were randomly assigned to one of five experimental groups. Participants originated from several countries: Aruba (1), China (1), Colombia (3), Finland (1), France (1), Germany (1), Greece (2), Iceland (1), India (1), Iran (1), Ireland (1), Italy (3), Jamaica (1), Latvia (1), Morocco (3), Netherlands (70), Poland (1), Romania (2), Spain (1), Thailand (1), Turkey (1), United States (1), and Vietnam (1).

Results. We found that congruence in appearance and facial expressions of virtual animals (artificial + non-expressive and natural + expressive) leads to higher levels of self-reported situational empathy and immersion of players in a simulated environment compared to incongruent appearance and facial expressions.

Conclusions. The results of this investigation showed an interaction effect between artificial/natural body appearance and facial expressiveness of a virtual character’s appearance. The evidence from this study suggests that the appearance of the virtual animal has an important influence on user experience.
Gender Equality and the Usual Suspects: A Cross-National Study on Female and Male Homicide Victimization
Authors: Rogers Meghan L. , Alsleben Megan M.
Published: July 2020

Gender inequality is a central concept in cross-national feminist criminological literature. There is not a readily agreed-upon operationalization of gender inequality. The variation in the operationalization of gender inequality in cross-national research could be the cause for the inconsistent findings. We explored if the operationalization of gender inequality affects the association of the variables with gender-specific homicide across nations. Utilizing SUR and Wald Tests, our results indicate that measurement matters. When a measure of gender inequality includes an income competent, it has an association with gender-specific homicide. We conclude by situating our findings into the larger cross-national literature.
Corrective feedback: Beliefs and practices of Vietnamese primary EFL teachers
Authors: Ha Xuan Van , Murray Jill C.
Published: July 2020

This study investigates Vietnamese EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding oral corrective feedback, exploring and seeking to explain some of the relationships between beliefs and classroom practices. Data were collected in primary schools in Vietnam, and consist of 24 classroom observations and interviews with six teachers. Overall, the teachers showed high levels of awareness of the benefits of oral corrective feedback. They nominated pronunciation errors as the most important target for correction in the primary context. In practice, although pronunciation and grammar accounted for the majority of the total errors, leading to the majority of total feedback moves, the frequency of feedback per error was much higher for vocabulary errors. Prompts were reported by teachers to be more effective and more favourable than reformulations, but this preference was not reflected in the classroom observations, in which a large number of didactic recasts were used. The observed discrepancies are interpreted in relation to contextual factors and the influence of different sets of beliefs on practices. It was also noted that the linguistic realizations of these teachers’ feedback moves contained some inaccuracies. Implications for educational practice are discussed.
Application of a zonal hybrid URANS/LES turbulence model to high and low-resolution grids for engine simulation
Authors: Iacovano Clara , d’Adamo Alessandro , Fontanesi Stefano , Di Ilio Giovanni , Krastev Vesselin Krassimirov
Published: July 2020

A zonal hybrid unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes/large eddy simulation (URANS-LES) Zonal detached-eddy simulation (ZDES) model is applied to internal combustion engine (ICE) simulation and comparisons of predicted flow morphology and variability are carried out against on the transparent combustion chamber (TCC-III) particle image velocimetry (PIV) data set for motored conditions. To this aim, a previously developed model derived from a standard seamless-detached eddy simulation (DES) formulation is adopted for two different grid resolutions. In particular, two zonalization choices are evaluated based on previous single-grid results, in order to assess the model outcomes based on the joint turbulence treatment/grid density: the seamless-DES mode is applied (1) only to the cylinder (TCC-Z1) and (2) to the cylinder and intake port (TCC-Z2). Multi-cycle simulations (50 samples) are carried out and the results are compared to experimental data in terms of PIV images using multiple quality indices on multiple planes ( Y = 0 and X = 0). Finally, comparison of predicted mean flow fields is extended to standard URANS mode. Results show that the use of a cylinder-only seamless-DES treatment on a relatively coarse grid results in a quantitative agreement between simulated and measured (PIV) flow fields, both in terms of average morphology and flow variability, whereas the extension of the DES mode to the intake port does not introduce relevant variations. Quality indicators seem to be moderately sensitive to the grid resolution, thus confirming the adaptive potential of a ZDES–like model and promoting the use of DES–type turbulence modelling even on relatively low-resolution grids. The analysis of average fields compared to URANS simulations highlights the benefit for both grids of a scale-resolving ZDES modelling when the same underlying turbulence model ( k-ε RNG) is used. This study reinforces the recommendation in the use of hybrid URANS-LES models to simulate ICE flows. The adopted ZDES formulation based on the two-equation k-ε RNG model shows that high-quality results can be obtained even on engineering-grade grids, both in terms of average and cycle-to-cycle variation. The numerical results obtained using the two grids with variable resolution are consistent, and this further promotes a wider adoption of this class of models to simulate engine flows in industrial applications.
Analysis of in-cylinder pressure oscillation and its effect on wall heat transfer
Authors: Kassa Mateos , Leroy Thomas , Robert Anthony , Vidal-Naquet Fabien
Published: July 2020

In-cylinder pressure oscillations in internal combustion engines have been associated with increased heat losses and damages to the engine components. The links between the acoustic waves and the increased heat transfer (and potentially ensuing engine damages) have not yet been well understood. In this study, a high-fidelity large eddy simulation model incorporating an auto-ignition model is used to simulate the combustion process and the associated pressure oscillation at various engine operating conditions. The study serves to develop a better understanding of the acoustic waves in a combustion chamber and their effect on wall heat transfer. First, a simplified model of the pressure oscillations is proposed and shown to accurately characterize the pressure in the combustion chamber. Second, the simplified pressure model and acoustic theory are leveraged to develop a model of the in-cylinder gas velocities. Finally, a heat transfer model is presented that takes into consideration the pressure/velocity oscillations and the inherent acoustic properties of the trapped gas. The increase in heat transfer is shown to primarily stem from an increased heat transfer coefficient due to the velocity oscillations of the trapped gas. The results are consistent with previously observed experimental measurements of the heat flux in the presence of pressure oscillations.
Outcomes and radiographic findings of symptomatic isolated mesenteric artery dissection with conservative management
Authors: Xu Yingjiang , Gao Xiujuan , Shang Dan , Liu Jianyong , Jin Bi , Chen Wei
Published: July 2020

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the computed tomography follow-up outcomes and radiographic findings of symptomatic isolated mesenteric artery dissection (IMAD) after conservative management.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 130 consecutive patients with symptomatic IMAD from three institutions were enrolled from January 2011 to December 2019. The general epidemiological data, clinical manifestations, first-episode symptoms, imaging findings, and treatment strategy selection were analyzed from the medical records.

Results

Among 130 patients diagnosed with symptomatic IMAD, positive remodeling of the SMA was achieved in 75.38% (98/130), and negative remodeling of the SMA was achieved in 24.62% (32/130). In the positive remodeling group, complete remodeling was achieved 39.23% (51/130) (type I 6 patients, type IIa 10 patients, type IIb 35 patients), in which type IIb was the most ( p = 0.004). Moreover, of the 32 patients in whom negative remodeling of the SMA was achieved, significant differences were observed between the type IIa with respect to dissecting aneurysm formation ( p = 0.04).Of the seven factors analyzed with a logistic regression model identified three factors significantly associated with negative remodeling: length of dissection (Waldχ2 13.331; OR 6.945; 95% CI 2.762–10.498; p = 0.014), true lumen residual diameter (TLRD) (Waldχ2 9.626; OR 7.85; 95% CI 1.892–19.063; p = 0.022), and branch involvement (Waldχ2 11.812; OR 7.247; 95% CI 1.245–14.830; p = 0.011).

Conclusion

The prognosis of most symptomatic IMAD has a tendency to positive remodeling after conservative management, in which the initial type IIb classification is common. In contrast, risk factors for negative remodeling were type IIa, length of dissection, TLRD, and branch involvement. Patients with these morphological characteristics may not benefit from conservative management.
Over-expression of long non-coding RNA ZEB2-AS1 may predict poor prognosis and promote the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Hui , Yu Bengtong , Shen Weiyu , Jin Chenghua , Wang Lijie , Xi Yong
Published: July 2020

Background:

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most common cause of human cancer-related death worldwide, and the present study aims to explore the roles of long non-coding (lnc)RNA ZEB2-AS1 in NSCLC and the related mechanism.

Methods:

Quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction was performed to compare the expressions of ZEB2-AS1 in NSCLC cancer tissue and the adjacent non-tumorous tissues. The diagnostic and prognostic roles of ZEB2-AS1 in NSCLC were also evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. NSCLC cell line A549 cells were transfected with ZEB2-AS1 siRNA, and the cell viability, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the ZEB2-AS1 siRNA group and control group were compared.

Results:

ZEB2-AS1 was significantly increased in NSCLC tissues. The knockdown of ZEB2-AS1 markedly inhibited the cell viability, migration, invasion, and EMT of A549 cells in vitro.

Conclusion:

ZEB2-AS1 was up-regulated in NSCLC, and it may serve as a potential target for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of NSCLC.
Transformational leadership, leader–member exchange and school learning climate: Impact on teachers’ innovative behaviour in the Netherlands
Authors: Vermeulen Marjan , Kreijns Karel , Evers Arnoud T
Published: July 2020

Despite the fact that innovative behaviour of teachers is important for the quality of teaching in our knowledge society, there is still little research into leadership and organizational factors that influence teachers’ innovative behaviour. By combining self-concept leadership theory, social exchange theory and a hierarchical model of the distance of variables to human behaviour from an interactive perspective, we tried to unravel the relationships between school organization and teacher variables. Based on longitudinal data (2011, 2012, 2013) from a select sample of 597 teachers (being part of a research panel), a structural equation model (Mplus) was used for testing the relationship between transformational leadership, the school learning climate, the quality of teacher–leadership relationships (leader–member exchange), teachers’ inquiry habit of mind and teachers’ innovative behaviour. The findings show a very good fit for the model and contribute to confirmation of the combined used theories and concepts of leadership in education, leaderships’ influence on the organizational learning climate, the crucial mediating role of leader–member exchange between organizational variables and teacher variables, and the mediating dispositional variable of teachers’ inquiry habit of mind between leader–member exchange and innovative behaviour. This study adds to our insights into the complexity of innovation in school organizations.
‘Keeping busy’ as agency in early desistance
Authors: Goodwin Sarah
Published: July 2020

Agency in desistance research has often been understood as deliberate action undertaken in pursuit of a desisting identity. Through a micro-longitudinal approach, this research focuses on the early desistance experiences of a number of mainly White British female participants. Agency was exhibited not with a new identity in mind, but instead through ‘keeping busy’. The surprising lack of identity concerns may be due to the early stages of the participants’ desistance experiences, with new identities emerging later in the process. Alternatively, it may indicate a fundamental difference to the classic desistance narrative, linked to the differences between this sample and the frequently researched, Western, male, high-frequency offender. Finally, important aspects of the cultures surrounding desistance research may have shaped the narratives of desisters and the biases of researchers towards finding a concern for identity when this is not necessarily experienced in the everyday lives of desisters.
Infection after buried or exposed K-wire fixation of distal radial fractures: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Maradei-Pereira João Alberto R. , dos Santos Amanda P. , Martins Juliana R. , Maradei-Pereira Marcia R.
Published: July 2020

We treated 220 extra-articular distal radial fractures with closed reduction and percutaneous K-wire fixation and randomized K-wire placement to buried or exposed. We analysed the incidence and severity of infection and the mobility of the metacarpophalangeal joints. At 6 weeks postoperatively, 12 patients in the exposed group had infections versus two in the buried group, which was a statistically significant difference. Mobility was statistically but not clinically better in the buried group. One patient in each group had wires removed before fracture healing due to infection, which resulted in malunion. From this study we conclude that, in the treatment of distal radial fractures, it is better to bury the K-wires under the skin, especially when geographical conditions make it difficult to control the patients’ adherence to hygiene and postoperative care despite the higher costs incurred with removal of buried K-wires.

Level of evidence: II
A Relational Conception of Emotional Development
Authors: Mascolo Michael
Published: July 2020

In this article, I outline a relational-developmental conception of emotion that situates emotional activity within a broader conception of persons as holistic, relational beings. In this model, emotions consist of felt forms of engagement with the world. As felt aspects of ongoing action, uninhibited emotional experiences are not private states that are inaccessible to other people; instead, they are revealed directly through their bodily expressions. As multicomponent processes, emotional experiences exhibit both continuity and dramatic change in development. Building on these ideas, I describe an intersubjective methodology for studying developmental changes in the structure of emotional experience. I illustrate the approach with an analysis of developmental changes in the structure of anger from birth to adulthood.
The Effect of Intraarticular Insulin on Chondral Defect Repair
Authors: Yildiz Eren , Ersen Ali , Yener Emre , Comunoglu Nil , Sen Cengiz
Published: July 2020

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of intraarticular insulin on the treatment of chondral defects.

Design

Twenty-four mature New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups as control (Group 1), microfracture (Group 2), and microfracture and insulin (Group 3). Four-millimeter full-thickness cartilage defects were created to the weight-bearing surface on the medial femoral condyles of each rabbit. In the first group, any additional interventions were not performed. Microfracture was performed on defects in groups 2 and 3. Additionally, 10 IU of insulin glargine was administrated into the knee joints of the third group. Three months after surgery, the knee joints were harvested and cartilage quality was assessed according to Wakitani and ICRS (International Cartilage Repair Society) scores histopathologically. Insulin injections were performed into the knees of 2 additional rabbits without creating a cartilage defect to evaluate the potential adverse effects of insulin on healthy cartilage (Group 4).

Results

The total ICRS and Wakitani scores of the insulin group were found to be significantly lower than the microfracture group but similar to the control group. No negative effects of insulin on healthy cartilage were detected. Intraarticular insulin after surgery has led to a statistically significant decrease in systemic blood sugar levels whereas the decrease observed after administration to intact tissues was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Insulin had a negative influence on the quality of cartilage regeneration and had no effect on healthy cartilage. Intraarticular insulin administration does not cause significant systemic effects in intact tissue.
Right ventricular reserve post mitral valve repair is associated with heart failure hospitalization
Authors: Chang Wei‐Ting , Wu Nan‐Chun , Shih Jhih‐Yuan , Hsu Chih‐Hsin , Chen Zhih‐Cherng , Cheng Bor‐Chih
Published: July 2020

Right ventricular impairment is a predictor of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation. However, the time course of right ventricular functional changes post‐surgical mitral valve repair remains largely unknown. Herein, using right ventricular‐focused echocardiography, we aimed to investigate right ventricular reserve and its impact on hospitalization for heart failure after mitral valve repair. In this prospective study, we enrolled 108 patients scheduled to undergo surgical repair of degenerative mitral regurgitation. Echocardiography, including right ventricular strain analysis, was performed prior to, and one month and six months post mitral valve repair. Right ventricular strain that improved one month post‐surgery was defined as reserved right ventricular. In addition, any cardiovascular outcomes comprising heart failure that required admission were recorded. The median follow‐up duration is 31 months. Despite a significant improvement in mitral valve regurgitant volume post‐operatively, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at six months was similar to LVEF at baseline. There was a transient decrease in LV longitudinal strain at one month that was recovered six months post mitral valve repair. Regarding the right ventricular, in contrast with conventional right ventricular parameters, including right ventricular tissue Doppler S′, fractional area change and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), only resolution of right ventricular strain at one month predicted the subsequent myocardial recovery. Furthermore, patients with reserved right ventricular had a lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure compared to those with non‐reserved right ventricular. Collectively, the early resolution of right ventricular strain is associated with the improvement in right ventricular function (measured by TAPSE) and in heart failure hospitalization in patients who had undergone surgical mitral valve repair for degenerative mitral regurgitation.
The effects of transitions in metabolic health and obesity status on incident cardiovascular disease: Insights from a general Chinese population
Authors: Guo Xiaofan , Li Zhao , Zhou Ying , Yu Shasha , Yang Hongmei , Sun Guozhe , Zheng Liqiang , Afzal Junaid , Liu Yamin , Sun Yingxian
Published: July 2020

Background

Recent studies have investigated the association of transitions in metabolic health and obesity status over time with the risk of cardiovascular disease, focusing on the subgroup demonstrating metabolically healthy obesity. However, these studies have produced inconsistent results. This study evaluates the relation in a general Chinese population.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study in a general population in Northeast China, with examinations of cardiovascular health from 2012–2015 and follow-up for incident cardiovascular disease until 2018. Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association of baseline metabolic health and obesity status and transitions in those statuses with cardiovascular disease risk.

Results

A total of 7472 participants aged ≥35 years who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline were included in this analysis. Over a median follow-up of 4.66 years, a total of 344 cardiovascular disease events occurred. Among the 3380 participants who were obese at baseline, 37.1% were metabolically healthy. Metabolically healthy obesity was associated with a 48% increased risk of cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio: 1.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–2.06) compared with the metabolically healthy non-obese group at baseline. Transition from metabolically healthy obesity to metabolically unhealthy obesity was associated with elevated cardiovascular disease risk with an odds ratio of 1.82 (95% confidence interval: 1.06–3.14) compared with metabolically healthy non-obesity throughout after adjustment. Even maintaining metabolically healthy obesity over time was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (odds ratio: 1.72; 95% confidence interval: 1.00–2.97).

Conclusions

Weight control and management of existing metabolic disorders should be prioritized in all obese population.
Long-Term Residual-Mobility and Adjacent Segment Disease After Total Lumbar Disc Replacement
Authors: Kitzen Joep , Vercoulen Timon F. G. , Schotanus Martijn G. M. , van Kuijk Sander M. J. , Kort Nanne P. , van Rhijn Lodewijk W. , Willems Paul C. P. H.
Published: July 2020

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives:

Total disc replacement (TDR) has been introduced in order to preserve segmental motion and thus reduce adjacent segment disease (ASD) as seen after spinal fusion. However, it is uncertain whether these presumed beneficial effects remain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term incidence of ASD and residual-mobility in relation to clinical outcome.

Methods:

A total of 210 patients treated with lumbar TDR for degenerative disc disease were invited for follow-up. ASD was reported in case of severe degeneration in an adjacent disc at latest follow-up, or if an increase in disc degeneration was observed in these adjacent segments as compared to direct postoperative radiographs. Residual-mobility of the TDR was defined as a minimal rotation of 4.6° on flexion-extension radiographs. Patient-reported outcome measures were obtained.

Results:

Fifty-seven patients (27.1%) were lost to follow-up. In 32 patients (15.3%) a revision by spinal fusion had been performed. In 20 patients this revision had occurred ≥5 years after TDR and were included. Consequently, 141 patients were available for analysis (mean follow-up of 16.7 years). Residual-mobility was noted in 38.0%. No significant associations were observed between residual-mobility and the occurrence of ASD, or with clinical outcome. In addition, ASD and clinical outcome were not related either.

Conclusions:

It appears that long-term preservation of motion after TDR is met for only a third of patients. However, residual-mobility is not associated with the occurrence of ASD, and both residual-mobility and ASD do not appear to be related to long-term clinical outcome.
Agglomeration and Productivity: Evidence from Indian Manufactuaring
Authors: Ramachandran Renjith , Reddy Ketan , Sasidharan Subash
Published: July 2020

This study analyses the impact of industrial agglomeration on the total factor productivity (TFP) of Indian manufacturing. We employ plant-level data from the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) to measure TFP and industrial agglomeration. Our econometric analysis discerns a positive impact of industrial agglomeration on plant productivity. In addition, we find that the larger plants are the beneficiaries of productivity gains associated with agglomeration. Further, our findings are robust to alternate measures of TFP.
Estimating Bilateral Remittances in a Macroeconomic Framework: Evidence from top Remittance-Receiving Countries
Authors: Mallela Keerti , Singh Sunny Kumar , Srivastava Archana
Published: July 2020

Based on Ratha and Shaw’s (2007) model for estimating bilateral remittances, this study attempts to develop a new method for computing bilateral and aggregate remittances for the top five remittances-receiving countries for the period 2010-16. Considering tempered altruism as a motive for sending remittances, we develop an analytical framework based on the lifecycle hypothesis of saving to compute bilateral and aggregate remittances. We compare our bilateral and aggregate remittance values with the World Bank's values based on Ratha and Shaw’s (2007) model. Our analytical framework seems to be an improvement over the Ratha and Shaw model in several ways. First, our model considers several theoretical aspects of motivations to remit like saving, investment and wealth accumulation. Second, it addresses the issues of underestimation and overestimation, i.e. inaccuracy, of bilateral and aggregate remittances in various ways (for instance, by considering GDP per capita instead of GNI per capita we control for overestimation of remittances whereas by considering every kind of migrants from all destination countries we control for underestimation) and mitigates the probability of both these issues through the proposed model. Third, it compares regional bilateral remittances between the new model and the Ratha and Shaw model, delving on the reasons behind underestimation and overestimation, i.e. inaccuracy. We conclude that our analytical model has the potential to provide a general framework for computing bilateral and aggregate remittances which can be used for most of the remittance-receiving countries.
Unmasking Parkinson’s Disease: The Relationship of Grit, Exercise, and Quality of Life
Authors: Klappa Susan G , Thompson Julie A I , Blatt Stuart
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate grit, exercise, and quality of life (QOL) among individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A sample of convenience was used. A survey which included the grit scale, QOL scale, and open-ended questions was distributed to participants (n = 101, 51 male and 50 female) who are members of online PD support groups across the United States. Data were analyzed by SPSS 25. Grit values averaged 3.65 ± 0.51 for participants (n = 101). When divided into groups, mean grit score for community-based exercisers was 3.78 ± 0.42 and 3.10 ± 0.48 for home-based exercisers. Grit was positively correlated to higher QOL on the Parkinson’s disease quality of life (PDQL; r = +0.293, P = .004). Grit was positively correlated to the emotional component of the PDQL ( r = +0.462, P < .001). Participants with higher grit levels had higher emotional coping responses after being diagnosed with PD, exercised more, and were more willing to self-advocate. With limited rehabilitation visits allowed, physical therapists should be aware of community-based programs to redefine participation roles after diagnosis.
Disciplinary Literacy and the 4Es: Rigorous and Substantive Responses to Interdisciplinary Standards
Authors: Hayden H. Emily , Eades-Baird Michelle
Published: July 2020

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have described discipline-specific literacy skills needed to successfully engage with science concepts, and science assessments ask students to use language in many and varied forms to mediate their science thought and actions and prove mastery of content. Yet many science teachers have not been prepared with skills that help them recognize the ways literacy is integral to the discipline of science, much less integrate it. This research explored the experiences of three classroom science teachers as they worked to enact overlapping English Language Arts and science standards inherent in CCSS and NGSS through inquiry-based instruction. The 4Es’ heuristic framed analysis of classroom observations of instruction, teacher interviews, and surveys. Ways the teachers utilized inquiry-based instruction to Engage their students, Elicit/Engineer their literacies, and Examine and Evaluate discipline-specific language practices are analyzed, with recommendations for specific, interdisciplinary, and ongoing support teachers will need in order to realize the disciplinary literacy goals of the CCSS and NGSS.
Revisiting power and powerlessness: Speculating on West Virginia’s energy future and the externalities of the socioecological fix
Authors: Harris Dylan M , McCarthy James
Published: July 2020

China is positioning itself as a global leader in both renewable energy research, development, and deployment, and fossil fuel investment, exploration, and consumption. The newly merged mega-company, China Energy Investment Corp., has agreed to invest an unprecedented $83.7 billion into shale gas, power, and chemical projects in West Virginia. This decision comes after a visit to China by the United States’ President Trump, during which he secured professed commitments for over $250 billion in energy investments across the United States. While investment and dispossession in Appalachia have long been international in scope, the scale of this investment, as well as its particular political-historical context, makes this case unique. This paper analyzes two key processes central to this conjuncture in West Virginia’s recent history. First, building on recent scholarship, it argues that the ways in which the social and environmental costs of meeting China’s energy needs are increasingly being externalized into global “sacrifice zones” at global scales, even as China is making massive domestic investments in renewable energy, may constitute a sort of regional “socioecological fix” to the environmental effects of capitalist development. Second, via a consideration of Gaventa’s classic and more recent analyses of power and powerlessness in an Appalachian coal community, it explores why and how political assent to such development—which seems to reprise so many historical patterns that local critics decry—is secured in West Virginia. In doing so, it pays particular attention to the ways in which these familiar processes are playing out in a distinctive contemporary context, one characterized by a combination of populist and authoritarian politics that, in the United States, have touted false promises to “bring back coal” and rejuvenate a struggling local economy, and in China have led an authoritarian state to maintain economic growth for the nation at all costs.
The microbe-derived short-chain fatty acids butyrate and propionate are associated with protection from chronic GVHD
Authors: Markey Kate A. , Schluter Jonas , Gomes Antonio L. C. , Littmann Eric R. , Pickard Amanda J. , Taylor Bradford P. , Giardina Paul A. , Weber Daniela , Dai Anqi , Docampo Melissa D. , Armijo Gabriel K. , Slingerland Ann E. , Slingerland John B. , Nichols Katherine B. , Brereton Daniel G. , Clurman Annelie G. , Ramos Ruben J. , Rao Arka , Bush Amy , Bohannon Lauren , Covington Megan , Lew Meagan V. , Rizzieri David A. , Chao Nelson , Maloy Molly , Cho Christina , Politikos Ioannis , Giralt Sergio , Taur Ying , Pamer Eric G. , Holler Ernst , Perales Miguel-Angel , Ponce Doris M. , Devlin Sean M. , Xavier Joao , Sung Anthony D. , Peled Jonathan U. , Cross Justin R. , van den Brink Marcel R. M.
Published: July 2020

Studies of the relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiota and outcomes in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) have thus far largely focused on early complications, predominantly infection and acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We examined the potential relationship of the microbiome with chronic GVHD (cGVHD) by analyzing stool and plasma samples collected late after allo-HCT using a case-control study design. We found lower circulating concentrations of the microbe-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) propionate and butyrate in day 100 plasma samples from patients who developed cGVHD, compared with those who remained free of this complication, in the initial case-control cohort of transplant patients and in a further cross-sectional cohort from an independent transplant center. An additional cross-sectional patient cohort from a third transplant center was analyzed; however, serum (rather than plasma) was available, and the differences in SCFAs observed in the plasma samples were not recapitulated. In sum, our findings from the primary case-control cohort and 1 of 2 cross-sectional cohorts explored suggest that the gastrointestinal microbiome may exert immunomodulatory effects in allo-HCT patients at least in part due to control of systemic concentrations of microbe-derived SCFAs.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome: a multicentre cohort study from China
Authors: Wang Jieying , Li Mengtao , Wang Qian , Zhang Xiao , Qian Junyan , Zhao Jiuliang , Xu Dong , Tian Zhuang , Wei Wei , Zuo Xiaoxia , Zhang Miaojia , Zhu Ping , Ye Shuang , Zhang Wei , Zheng Yi , Qi Wufang , Li Yang , Zhang Zhuoli , Ding Feng , Gu Jieruo , Liu Yi , Wang Yanhong , Zhao Yan , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: July 2020

Objectives

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an important cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which remains insufficiently studied and needs attention. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, risk factors, prognosis and risk assessment of pSS-PAH.

Methods

We established a multicentre cohort of pSS-PAH diagnosed by right heart catheterisation. The case–control study was conducted with pSS-non-PAH patients as a control group to identify the risk factors for PAH. In the cohort study, survival was calculated, and risk assessment was performed at both baseline and follow-up visits.

Results

In total, 103 patients with pSS-PAH were enrolled, with 526 pSS-non-PAH patients as controls. The presence of anti-SSB (p<0.001, OR 4.095) and anti-U1RNP antibodies (p<0.001, OR 29.518), the age of pSS onset (p<0.001, OR 0.651) and the positivity of corneal staining (p=0.003, OR 0.409) were identified as independent risk factors for PAH. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 94.0%, 88.8% and 79.0%, respectively. Cardiac index (p=0.010, hazard ratio (HR) 0.161), pulmonary vascular resistance (p=0.016, HR 1.105) and Sjögren's syndrome disease damage index (p=0.006, HR 1.570) were identified as potential predictors of death in pSS-PAH. Long-term outcomes were improved in patients in the low-risk category at baseline (p=0.002) and follow-up (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The routine screening of PAH is suggested in pSS patients with early onset and positivity for anti-SSB or anti-U1RNP antibodies. Patient prognosis might be improved by improving reserved cardiopulmonary function, by achieving a damage-free state and especially by achieving low-risk category, which supports the treat-to-target strategy for pSS-PAH.
Accounting for grouped predictor variables or pathways in high-dimensional penalized Cox regression models
Authors: Belhechmi Shaima , Bin Riccardo De , Rotolo Federico , Michiels Stefan
Published: July 2020

Background

The standard lasso penalty and its extensions are commonly used to develop a regularized regression model while selecting candidate predictor variables on a time-to-event outcome in high-dimensional data. However, these selection methods focus on a homogeneous set of variables and do not take into account the case of predictors belonging to functional groups; typically, genomic data can be grouped according to biological pathways or to different types of collected data. Another challenge is that the standard lasso penalisation is known to have a high false discovery rate.

Results

We evaluated different penalizations in a Cox model to select grouped variables in order to further penalize variables that, in addition to having a low effect, belong to a group with a low overall effect; and to favor the selection of variables that, in addition to having a large effect, belong to a group with a large overall effect. We considered the case of prespecified and disjoint groups and proposed diverse weights for the adaptive lasso method. In particular we proposed the product Max Single Wald by Single Wald weighting (MSW*SW) which takes into account the information of the group to which it belongs and of this biomarker. Through simulations, we compared the selection and prediction ability of our approach with the standard lasso, the composite Minimax Concave Penalty (cMCP), the group exponential lasso (gel), the IntegrativeL1-Penalized Regression with Penalty Factors (IPF-Lasso), and the Sparse Group Lasso (SGL) methods. In addition, we illustrated the methods using gene expression data of 614 breast cancer patients.

Conclusions

The adaptive lasso with the MSW*SW weighting method incorporates both the information in the grouping structure and the individual variable. It outperformed the competitors by reducing the false discovery rate without severely increasing the false negative rate.