bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating causal relations between sleep traits and risk of breast cancer in women: mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Richmond Rebecca C , Anderson Emma L , Dashti Hassan S , Jones Samuel E , Lane Jacqueline M , Strand Linn Beate , Brumpton Ben , Rutter Martin K , Wood Andrew R , Straif Kurt , Relton Caroline L , Munafò Marcus , Frayling Timothy M , Martin Richard M , Saxena Richa , Weedon Michael N , Lawlor Debbie A , Smith George Davey
Published: June 2019

Objective

To examine whether sleep traits have a causal effect on risk of breast cancer.

Design

Mendelian randomisation study.

Setting

UK Biobank prospective cohort study and Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) case-control genome-wide association study.

Participants

156 848 women in the multivariable regression and one sample mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis in UK Biobank (7784 with a breast cancer diagnosis) and 122 977 breast cancer cases and 105 974 controls from BCAC in the two sample MR analysis.

Exposures

Self reported chronotype (morning or evening preference), insomnia symptoms, and sleep duration in multivariable regression, and genetic variants robustly associated with these sleep traits.

Main outcome measure

Breast cancer diagnosis.

Results

In multivariable regression analysis using UK Biobank data on breast cancer incidence, morning preference was inversely associated with breast cancer (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.93 to 0.98 per category increase), whereas there was little evidence for an association between sleep duration and insomnia symptoms. Using 341 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with chronotype, 91 SNPs associated with sleep duration, and 57 SNPs associated with insomnia symptoms, one sample MR analysis in UK Biobank provided some supportive evidence for a protective effect of morning preference on breast cancer risk (0.85, 0.70, 1.03 per category increase) but imprecise estimates for sleep duration and insomnia symptoms. Two sample MR using data from BCAC supported findings for a protective effect of morning preference (inverse variance weighted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 0.93 per category increase) and adverse effect of increased sleep duration (1.19, 1.02 to 1.39 per hour increase) on breast cancer risk (both oestrogen receptor positive and oestrogen receptor negative), whereas evidence for insomnia symptoms was inconsistent. Results were largely robust to sensitivity analyses accounting for horizontal pleiotropy.

Conclusions

Findings showed consistent evidence for a protective effect of morning preference and suggestive evidence for an adverse effect of increased sleep duration on breast cancer risk.
NZPrEP Demonstration Project: protocol for an open-label, single-arm trial of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to determine feasibility, acceptability, adverse and behavioural effects of PrEP provision to gay and bisexual men in publicly funded sexual health clinics in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Azariah Sunita , Saxton Peter , Franklin Richard , Forster Rose , Werder Suzanne , Jenkins Renee
Published: June 2019

Introduction

New Zealand has experienced a rise in HIV diagnoses in recent years and new interventions are required to address this.

Methods and analysis

NZPrEP (A demonstration project of HIV preexposure prophylaxis in Aotearoa New Zealand) is an open-label, single-arm treatment evaluation study to investigate feasibility, retention, adherence, and clinical and behavioural outcomes of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provision to gay and bisexual men (GBM) in a publicly funded secondary sexual health service in Auckland, New Zealand. The sample size is 150 GBM. Inclusion criteria were specific behavioural risk factors indicating an increased risk of HIV infection. Exclusion criteria were hepatitis B infection, any medical contraindications to prescribing tenofovir/emtricitabine or factors limiting ability to adhere to the study protocol. Eligible participants will be screened for HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and for any medical contraindications to PrEP, and enrolled for a maximum follow-up period of 96 weeks. They will be required to attend for 3-monthly testing for HIV and STIs and monitoring for renal and liver toxicity. Participants will also be required to complete an online behavioural survey after each study visit. The outcomes of interest are feasibility of PrEP provision in a sexual health clinic setting, PrEP acceptability, and adverse medical and behavioural effects of PrEP. The study sample is limited to 150 participants due to funding and service constraints. Statistical analysis of all primary and secondary outcomes will be performed using Stata V.14 at the University of Auckland. Results for primary and secondary endpoints will be reported after the conclusion of the study in March 2019.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committee on 15 September 2016 (16/NTA/112). Key findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. A summary report will be circulated to the study and community stakeholders, and to the Auckland District Health Board, Ministry of Health and Pharmac.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12616001387415; Pre-results.
Barriers to care for women with low-grade endometrial cancer and morbid obesity: a qualitative study
Authors: Cusimano Maria C , Simpson Andrea N , Han Angela , Hayeems Robin , Bernardini Marcus Q , Robertson Deborah , Kives Sari L , Satkunaratnam Abheha , Baxter Nancy N , Ferguson Sarah E
Published: June 2019

Objective

Obesity is a major risk factor for low-grade endometrial cancer. The surgical management of patients with obesity is challenging, and they may face unique barriers to accessing care. We completed a qualitative study to understand the experiences of low-grade endometrial cancer patients with morbid obesity, from symptom onset to diagnosis to surgery.

Design

Semi-structured interviews were performed with endometrial cancer patients with morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI)>40 kg/m2) referred for primary surgery. Transcribed interviews were coded line-by-line and analysed using an interpretive descriptive approach that drew on labelling theory to understand patients’ experiences. Thematic sufficiency was confirmed after 15 interviews.

Setting

Two tertiary care centres in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Participants

Fifteen endometrial cancer patients with a median age of 61 years (range: 50–74) and a median BMI of 50 kg/m2(range: 44–70) were interviewed.

Results

Thematic analysis identified that (1) both patients and providers lack knowledge on endometrial cancer and its presenting symptoms and risk factors; (2) patients with morbid obesity are subject to stigma and poor communication in the healthcare system and (3, 4) although clinical, administrative, financial, geographic and facility-related barriers exist, quality care for patients with morbid obesity is an achievable goal.

Conclusions

Improved education on the prevention and identification of endometrial cancer is needed for both patients and providers. Delivery of cancer care to patients with morbid obesity may be improved through provider awareness of the impact of weight stigma and establishing streamlined care pathways at centres equipped to manage surgical complexity.
Sleep-Cognition Hypothesis In maritime Pilots, what is the effect of long-term work-related poor sleep on cognition and amyloid accumulation in healthy middle-aged maritime pilots: methodology of a case–control study
Authors: Thomas Jana , Ooms Sharon , Verbeek Marcel , Booij Jan , Rijpkema Mark , Kessels Roy P C , Overeem Sebastiaan , Claassen Jurgen
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Evidence indicates a bidirectional relationship between poor sleep and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While AD may lead to disruption of normal sleep, poor sleep in itself may play a causal role in the development of AD by influencing the production and/or clearance of the amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein. This led to the hypothesis that extended periods (>10 years) of sleep loss could lead to Aβ accumulation with subsequent cognitive AD-related decline. This manuscript describes the methodology of the SCHIP study, a cohort study in maritime pilots that aims at investigating the relationship between prolonged work-related sleep loss, cognitive function and amyloid accumulation among healthy middle-aged maritime pilots, to test the hypothesis that prolonged sleep loss increases the risk of AD-related cognitive decline.

Methods

Our study sample consists of a group of healthy middle-aged maritime pilots (n=20), who have been exposed to highly irregular work schedules for more than 15 years. The maritime pilots will be compared to a group of healthy, age and education-matched controls (n=20) with normal sleep. Participants will complete 10 days of actigraphy (Actiwatch 2, Philips Respironics) combined with a sleep-wake diary. They will undergo one night of polysomnography, followed by comprehensive assessment of cognitive function. Additionally, participants will undergo amyloid positron emission tomography-CT to measure brain amyloid accumulation and MRI to investigate atrophy and vascular changes.

Analysis

All analyses will be performed using IBM SPSS V.20.0 (SPSS). We will perform independent samples t-tests to compare all outcome parameters.

Ethics and dissemination

The study protocol was approved by our institutional ethical review board (NL55712.091.16, file number 2016–2337) and will be performed according to Good Clinical Practice rules. Data and results will be published in 2020.
Rate of normal lung function decline in ageing adults: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies
Authors: Thomas Elizabeth T , Guppy Michelle , Straus Sharon E , Bell Katy J L , Glasziou Paul
Published: June 2019

Objective

To conduct a systematic review investigating the normal age-related changes in lung function in adults without known lung disease.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

MEDLINE, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) were searched for eligible studies from inception to February 12, 2019, supplemented by manual searches of reference lists and clinical trial registries.

Eligibility criteria

We planned to include prospective cohort studies and randomised controlled trials (control arms) that measured changes in lung function over time in asymptomatic adults without known respiratory disease.

Data extraction and synthesis

Two authors independently determined the eligibility of studies, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies using the modified Newcastle–Ottawa Scale.

Results

From 4385 records screened, we identified 16 cohort studies with 31 099 participants. All included studies demonstrated decline in lung function—forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) with age. In studies with longer follow-up (>10 years), rates of FEV1decline ranged from 17.7 to 46.4 mL/year (median 22.4 mL/year). Overall, men had faster absolute rates of decline (median 43.5 mL/year) compared with women (median 30.5 mL/year). Differences in relative FEV1change, however, were not observed between men and women. FEV1/FVC change was reported in only one study, declining by 0.29% per year. An age-specific analysis suggested the rate of FEV1function decline may accelerate with each decade of age.

Conclusions

Lung function—FEV1, FVC and PEFR—decline with age in individuals without known lung disease. The definition of chronic airway disease may need to be reconsidered to allow for normal ageing and ensure that people likely to benefit from interventions are identified rather than healthy people who may be harmed by potential overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The first step would be to apply age, sex and ethnicity-adjusted FEV1/FVC thresholds to the disease definition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018087066.
Pet owners’ awareness of animal blood banks and their motivations towards animal blood donation
Authors: Wilder Amelia , Humm Karen
Published: June 2019

The general public's awareness of, and attitude to, canine and feline blood donation is poorly understood. Increasing understanding of pet owners’ thoughts about donation may allow more effective blood donor recruitment. The aims of this study were to investigate pet owners’ awareness of small animal blood donation and their attitude and motivations regarding their pet being a blood donor. A mixed methods approach was used, with data collected from 158 pet owners attending a first‐opinion veterinary clinic using a written questionnaire of closed and open questions. Most owners were unaware that dogs and cats could donate blood (70 per cent). However, 89 per cent stated they would be willing to let their pet donate blood if they were suitable. This was more likely if the owner did not work full time and less likely if they were aged over 71 years. Thematic analysis of owners’ motivations and deterrents towards pet blood donation resulted in four key themes: ‘Beneficence’, the desire to help others; ‘Necessity of service’, a recognition of the requirement for blood products; ‘Reciprocity’, a hope that if they participated this would result in blood products being available for their pet; and ‘Reservations and concerns’.
Experimental investigation of forces along anchors subjected to dynamic loading under tension and compression in field tests
Authors: Platzer Katharina M. , Wendeler Corinna , Brändle Rico , Stolz Martin
Published: June 2019

Full-scale field tests of dynamic rockfall have been performed on a flexible SPIDER Avalanche system to study the dynamic force distribution along the foundations under dynamic loading. Therefore, an anchor to measure dynamic tensile forces and a pile to measure dynamic compressive forces were each equipped with strain gauges. Furthermore, a static pull loading test with load steps of 1 min duration was performed on the anchor to highlight the difference between dynamic and static loading. Effective kinetic energies applied on the net of the SPIDER Avalanche system range from 25 to 492 kJ with impact velocities between 17 and 25 m/s. The results show that the dynamic forces close to the pile- and anchor head are higher and that they are decreasing with increasing distance of pile and anchor. However, the dynamic tensile force distribution is nonlinear over the length of the anchor, whereas the dynamic compressive force distribution is linear along the pile length. The comparison of static and dynamic tensile forces shows that dynamic tensile forces are depleted within a shorter distance of the anchor compared to the static tensile forces. Dynamic tensile forces present 25% less in value than the static tensile forces.
A microfluidic antibody bioarray for fast detection of human interleukins in low sample volumes
Authors: Gharibi Mahsa , Haroun Samar , Choy Jonathan C. , Li Paul C.H.
Published: June 2019

The antibody bioarray is a promising tool for the detection of proteins, which can be used as disease biomarkers. Therefore, we have developed a sandwich immunoassay-type bioarray using a microfluidic method to detect human interleukins that have diagnostic values. In the method development, we studied the effect of different factors that affect capture antibody immobilization, antibody–antigen interactions, and detection methods on the bioarray surface. The fluorescence signal obtained from different detection strategies was compared based on the signal fold-increase. This comparison showed that the use of covalent immobilization of capture antibodies, as opposed to their physical adsorption on the bioarray surface, increases the signal by 1.5 fold. Moreover, the use of protein G to achieve a better oriented immobilized capture antibody has resulted in a more than 3-fold signal enhancement.
When the presence of a vateritic otolith has morphological effect on its aragonitic partner: trans-lateral compensation induces bias in microecological patterns in one-side-only vateritic otolith
Authors: Vignon Matthias
Published: June 2019

In many teleost species, aragonite is the normal form of calcium carbonate in sagittal otoliths. In the case of one-side-only (OSO) vateritic otoliths (abnormal crystalline structure), morphological investigations are systematically conducted on the other side. The implicit assumption is that the morphological information on the aragonitic side remains unaffected by the presence of vaterite on the other side. However, the extent to which this assumption is met has never been explored. Applying geometric morphometrics on experimentally maintained brown trout (Salmo trutta) revealed incongruent variational patterns and mean shape differences between OSO and two-sided aragonitic otoliths, possibly due to trans-lateral compensation to preserve their auditory function. More specifically, fully aragonitic pairs of otoliths are more prone to exhibit microecological variations compared with OSO vateritic pairs. Simulation emphasizes the relative robustness of both micro- and macroecological effects until a high proportion of OSO vateritic otoliths is used. Given that otolith shape analysis provides a useful basis for stock separation, care should be taken when interpreting otolith shape in the presence of vateritic otoliths.
Students’ mental models of wave–particle duality
Authors: Körhasan Nilüfer Didiş , Miller Kelly
Published: June 2019

In this study, we investigated students’ mental models of wave–particle duality. We interviewed six engineering and premedical students enrolled in a calculus-based physics course. We conducted a qualitative examination of student interviews and found that students displayed four different mental models: quantum model (QM), semi-quantum model (SQM), wave model (WM), and in-between model (IM). We also found that 2/3 of the students had difficulty discriminating between classical and quantum ideas and held mental models that were inconsistent and context-specific. This work provides a much-needed detailed exploration of students’ conceptions of quantum theory, which will help instructors understand conceptual barriers frequently encountered by introductory students.
Increased systolic blood pressure associated with hypertriglyceridemia in female Sprague-Dawley rats
Authors: Mogane Conrad , Mokotedi Lebogang P. , Millen Aletta M.E. , Michel Frederic S.
Published: June 2019

The effect of hyperlipidemia on the cardiovascular system is uncertain in females. The aim of the present study was to determine whether administration of a lipogenic diet alters cardiovascular parameters in female rats. Fifty female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into 2 groups of rats receiving a standard or a high-fat, high-sucrose diet (HFHS) for 6 weeks (n = 25 per group). Body mass, blood lipids concentrations, triglycerides clearance, blood pressures (BPs), systolic and diastolic functions, as well as vascular reactivity were assessed at the end of the diet intervention. At termination, body mass was similar between the 2 groups. Fasting blood triglycerides concentration (BTG) was greater in the HFHS group. Triglycerides clearance was impaired in the HFHS group. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration was lower in the HFHS group. The early-to-late diastolic filling velocity ratio (E/A) was lower in the HFHS group and negatively associated with BTG. The sensitivity (EC50) of mesenteric arteries to phenylephrine was greater in HFHS and was negatively associated with BTG, but not HDL. Systolic BP was higher in the HFHS group and was positively associated with BTG and HDL. The association between systolic BP and BTG was independent of other lipids measured. In conclusion, hypertriglyceridemia may have increased resistance arteries responsiveness to alpha-agonist and systolic BP in female rats.
Sex-biased gene expression and evolution of candidate reproductive transcripts in adult stages of salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis)
Authors: Michaud Dylan R. , Poley Jordan D. , Fast Mark D.
Published: June 2019

The salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer 1837) displays numerous sexually dimorphic characteristics. Insights into their underlying molecular components have only recently been explored, which serve to better understand both the basic biology of the louse, associated impacts on drug sensitivity, and evolution of resistance. Expression of 16 L. salmonis genes putatively involved in sexual dimorphism and reproduction were used to determine differences between sexes and better understand responses to mating using RT-qPCR of pre-adult and adult lice. Analysis of these genes revealed the dynamic nature of sex-biased expression across stages. However, female reception of a spermatophore did not appear to impact the expression of these particular genes. Furthermore six of these transcripts and 84 others identified previously in a large-scale louse transcriptomics experiment were used to estimate differences in evolutionary rates and codon-usage bias of sex-related genes using phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood (PAML) and codonW. Results suggest male-biased genes are evolving at significantly greater rates than female-biased and unbiased genes as evidenced by higher rates of non-synonymous substitutions and lower codon-usage bias in these genes. These analyses expand our understanding of interactions of sex-biased expression across the pre-adult and adult life stages and provide foundations for better understanding evolutionary differences in sex-biased genes of L. salmonis.
Heat engines at criticality for nonlinearly charged black holes
Authors: Yerra Pavan Kumar , Bhamidipati Chandrasekhar
Published: June 2019

Within the extended phase–space thermodynamics, we study heat engines in power Yang–Mills and power Maxwell black holes at criticality, as the corresponding nonlinearity power parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are varied. For the computation of efficiency of such engines, starting from power Maxwell black holes, a map is proposed for carrying out the computations in power Yang–Mills theories. On comparison, the approach of efficiency of heat engines to Carnot limit in both the systems is shown to coincide when [Formula: see text], but, for [Formula: see text], Maxwell (Yang–Mills) system dominates over Yang–Mills (Maxwell). Higher values of [Formula: see text] aid in improving the approach of efficiency to Carnot limit for Maxwell heat engines. On the contrary, efficiency in Yang–Mills heat engines approaches Carnot limit faster for lower values of the power [Formula: see text].
Optical solitons to the (n + 1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation with Kerr law and power law nonlinearities using two integration schemes
Authors: Inc Mustafa , Aliyu Aliyu Isa , Yusuf Abdullahi , Bayram Mustafa , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: June 2019

In this study, two integration techniques are employed to reach optical solitons to the [Formula: see text]-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation [Formula: see text]-NLSE[Formula: see text] with Kerr and power laws nonlinearities. These are the undetermined coefficient and Bernoulli sub-ODE methods. We acquired bright, dark, and periodic singular soliton solutions. The necessary conditions for the existence of these solitons are presented.
Fast optical wavefront engineering for controlling light propagation in dynamic turbid media
Authors: Xia Meiyun , Li Deyu , Wang Ling , Wang Daifa
Published: June 2019

While propagating inside the strongly scattering biological tissue, photons lose their incident directions beyond one transport mean free path (TMFP, [Formula: see text]1 millimeter (mm)), which makes it challenging to achieve optical focusing or clear imaging deep inside tissue. By manipulating many degrees of the incident optical wavefront, the latest optical wavefront engineering (WFE) technology compensates the wavefront distortions caused by the scattering media and thus is toward breaking this physical limit, bringing bright perspective to many applications deep inside tissue, e.g., high resolution functional/molecular imaging, optical excitation (optogenetics) and optical tweezers. However, inside the dynamic turbid media such as the biological tissue, the wavefront distortion is a fast and continuously changing process whose decorrelation rate is on timescales from milliseconds (ms) to microseconds ([Formula: see text]s), or even faster. This requires that the WFE technology should be capable of beating this rapid process. In this review, we discuss the major challenges faced by the WFE technology due to the fast decorrelation of dynamic turbid media such as living tissue when achieving light focusing/imaging and summarize the research progress achieved to date to overcome these challenges.
The perils of next-gen surveillance technology
Authors: Hourcade Juan Pablo
Published: June 2019

The
Interactions
website (interactions.acm.org) hosts a stable of bloggers who share insights and observations on HCI, often challenging current practices. Each issue we'll publish selected posts from some of the leading and emerging voices in the field.
Twice-a-day training improves mitochondrial efficiency, but not mitochondrial biogenesis, compared with once-daily training
Authors: Ghiarone Thaysa , Andrade-Souza Victor A. , Learsi Sara K. , Tomazini Fabiano , Ataide-Silva Thays , Sansonio Andre , Fernandes Mariana P. , Saraiva Karina L. , Figueiredo Regina C.B.Q. , Tourneur Yves , Kuang Jujiao , Lima-Silva Adriano E. , Bishop David J.
Published: June 2019

Exercise training performed with lowered muscle glycogen stores can amplify adaptations related to oxidative metabolism, but it is not known if this is affected by the “train-low” strategy used (i.e., once-daily versus twice-a-day training). Fifteen healthy men performed 3 wk of an endurance exercise (100-min) followed by a high-intensity interval exercise 2 (twice-a-day group, n = 8) or 14 h (once-daily group, n = 7) later; therefore, the second training session always started with low muscle glycogen in both groups. Mitochondrial efficiency (state 4 respiration) was improved only for the twice-a-day group (group × training interaction, P < 0.05). However, muscle citrate synthase activity, mitochondria, and lipid area in intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal regions, and PGC1α, PPARα, and electron transport chain relative protein abundance were not altered with training in either group ( P > 0.05). Markers of aerobic fitness (e.g., peak oxygen uptake) were increased, and plasma lactate, O2cost, and rating of perceived exertion during a 100-min exercise task were reduced in both groups, although the reduction in rating of perceived exertion was larger in the twice-a-day group (group × time × training interaction, P < 0.05). These findings suggest similar training adaptations with both training low approaches; however, improvements in mitochondrial efficiency and perceived effort seem to be more pronounced with twice-a-day training.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We assessed, for the first time, the differences between two “train-low” strategies (once-daily and twice-a-day) in terms of training-induced molecular, functional, and morphological adaptations. We found that both strategies had similar molecular and morphological adaptations; however, only the twice-a-day strategy increased mitochondrial efficiency and had a superior reduction in the rating of perceived exertion during a constant-load exercise compared with once-daily training. Our findings provide novel insights into skeletal muscle adaptations using the “train-low” strategy.
Effects of dynamic arm and leg exercise on muscle sympathetic nerve activity and vascular conductance in the inactive leg
Authors: Doherty Connor J. , King Trevor J. , Incognito Anthony V. , Lee Jordan B. , Shepherd Andrew D. , Cacoilo Joseph A. , Slysz Joshua T. , Burr Jamie F. , Millar Philip J.
Published: June 2019

The influence of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) responses on local vascular conductance during exercise are not well established. Variations in exercise mode and active muscle mass can produce divergent MSNA responses. Therefore, we sought to examine the effects of small- versus large-muscle mass dynamic exercise on vascular conductance and MSNA responses in the inactive limb. Thirty-five participants completed two study visits in a randomized order. During visit 1, superficial femoral artery (SFA) blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) was assessed at rest and during steady-state rhythmic handgrip (RHG; 1:1 duty cycle, 40% maximal voluntary contraction), one-leg cycling (17 ± 3% peak power output), and concurrent exercise at the same intensities. During visit 2, MSNA (contralateral fibular nerve microneurography) was acquired successfully in 12/35 participants during the same exercise modes. SFA blood flow increased during RHG ( P < 0.0001) and concurrent exercise ( P = 0.03) but not cycling ( P = 0.91). SFA vascular conductance was unchanged during RHG ( P = 0.88) but reduced similarly during concurrent and cycling exercise (both P < 0.003). RHG increased MSNA burst frequency ( P = 0.04) without altering burst amplitude ( P = 0.69) or total MSNA ( P = 0.26). In contrast, cycling and concurrent exercise had no effects on MSNA burst frequency (both P ≥ 0.10) but increased burst amplitude (both P ≤ 0.001) and total MSNA (both P ≤ 0.007). Across all exercise modes, the changes in MSNA burst amplitude and SFA vascular conductance were correlated negatively ( r = −0.43, P = 0.02). In summary, the functional vascular consequences of alterations in sympathetic outflow to skeletal muscle are most closely associated with changes in MSNA burst amplitude, but not frequency, during low-intensity dynamic exercise.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Low-intensity small- versus large-muscle mass exercise can elicit divergent effects on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). We examined the relationships between changes in MSNA (burst frequency and amplitude) and superficial femoral artery (SFA) vascular conductance during rhythmic handgrip, one-leg cycling, and concurrent exercise in the inactive leg. Only changes in MSNA burst amplitude were inversely associated with SFA vascular conductance responses. This result highlights the functional importance of measuring MSNA burst amplitude during exercise.
Polysaccharides of Fructus corni Improve Ovarian Function in Mice with Aging-Associated Perimenopause Symptoms
Authors: Wang Yong , Wu Jing-zhen , Li Yu , Qi Xu
Published: June 2019

Objective. Perimenopause symptoms have an extremely high incidence in aging women. Development of new strategies to improve perimenopause symptoms is important topic in clinical context. Increasing studies have shown that the polysaccharides of Fructus corni (PFC) have many pharmacological activities including antiaging effects. Here, we evaluated the effects of PFC on the ovarian function in natural aging-associated perimenopause symptoms in mice. Methods. Natural aging mice (16-month old) were orally administrated with PFC at 1.11 g/kg daily for 24 days with none-treated young mice (3-month old) as control. Blood samples were collected for measurements of serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Ovaries were isolated for histopathological and molecular exanimations. Results. We found that the aging mice had decreased number of growing follicles and corpus luteum in ovary, but treatment with PFC restored their amounts. Measurement of hormones showed that there were low serum levels of estradiol and progesterone but high levels of LH and FSH in aging mice; however PFC restored estradiol and progesterone levels but reduced LH and FSH levels. Immunohistochemical analysis with ovarian tissues also revealed that the expression of inhibin and insulin-like growth factor 1 was reduced in the ovary of aging mice but was restored by PFC. These data indicated that PFC regulated ovarian function-associated hormone levels in aging mice. Furthermore, there was reduced expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and increased expression of proapoptotic molecules Bax and cleaved-caspase-3 in the ovary of aging mice. However, treatment with PFC upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated Bax and cleaved-caspase-3, suggesting that PFC inhibited apoptosis of granulosa cells in the ovary of aging mice. Conclusion. PFC improved the ovarian function in mice, which had high potential to be developed as a safe and effective therapeutic remedy for aging-associated perimenopause symptoms.
Effects of Xingnaojing Injection on Adenosinergic Transmission and Orexin Signaling in Lateral Hypothalamus of Ethanol-Induced Coma Rats
Authors: Chen Xiao-Tong , Wang Xiao-Ge , Xie Li-Yuan , Huang Jia-Wen , Zhao Wei , Wang Qi , Yao Li-Mei , Li Wei-Rong
Published: June 2019

Acute alcohol exposure induces unconscious condition such as coma whose main physical manifestation is the loss of righting reflex (LORR). Xingnaojing Injection (XNJI), which came from Chinese classic formulaAn Gong Niu HuangPill, is widely used for consciousness disorders in China, such as coma. Although XNJI efficiently shortened the duration of LORR induced by acute ethanol, it remains unknown how XNJI acts on ethanol-induced coma (EIC). We performed experiments to examine the effects of XNJI on orexin and adenosine (AD) signaling in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) in EIC rats. Results showed that XNJI reduced the duration of LORR, which implied that XNJI promotes recovery form coma. Microdialysis data indicated that acute ethanol significantly increased AD release in the LHA but had no effect on orexin A levels. The qPCR results displayed a significant reduction in the Orexin-1 receptors (OX1R) expression with a concomitant increase in the A1receptor (A1R) and equilibrative nucleoside transporter type 1 (ENT1) expression in EIC rats. In contrast, XNJI reduced the extracellular AD levels but orexin A levels remained unaffected. XNJI also counteracted the downregulation of the OX1R expression and upregulation of A1R and ENT1 expression caused by EIC. As for ADK expression, XNJI but not ethanol, displayed an upregulation in the LHA in EIC rats. Based on these results, we suggest that XNJI promotes arousal by inhibiting adenosine neurotransmission via reducing AD level and the expression of A1R and ENT1.
Short to Midterm Follow-Up of Periprosthetic Bone Mineral Density after Total Hip Arthroplasty with the Ribbed Anatomic Stem
Authors: Wu Xiang-Dong , Tian Mian , He Yao , Chen Hong , Chen Yu , Mishra Rahul , Liu Wei , Huang Wei
Published: June 2019

Background. Femoral bone remodeling around hip prosthesis after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is definite but unpredictable in time and place. This study aimed to investigate the implant-specific remodeling and periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) changes after implantation of the Ribbed anatomic cementless femoral stem. Methods. After power analysis, 41 patients who had undergone primary unilateral THA with the Ribbed anatomic cementless stem were included. BMD of the seven Gruen zones was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and the contact, fitness, and fixation of the femoral stem and proximal femur were analyzed by X-ray. Additional clinical outcome parameters were also recorded. Results. Compared with the contralateral unoperated side, significant reductions of BMD were detected in the distal zone (Gruen zone 4: 1.665±0.198 versus 1.568±0.242 g/cm2, P=0.001) and middle distal zone (Gruen zone 5: 1.660±0.209 versus 1.608±0.215 g/cm2, P=0.026) on the prosthetic side, but no significant differences in BMD were detected in other zones (Gruen zones 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7). Subgroups analyses indicated no significant correlation between periprosthetic BMD changes and clinical factors including primary disease and body mass index. Visible areas of bone ingrowth indicated solid fixation of the femoral stem and there was no case of loosening. Clinical and functional outcome scores were excellent with mean HHS of 93.13 points and mean WOMAC score of 5.20 points, and three patients described intermittent mild thigh pain at the final follow-up. Conclusions. For the Ribbed femoral stem, the periprosthetic BMD was well maintained in the proximal femur, while periprosthetic BMD was significantly reduced in the distal and middle distal zones of the femur. Further clinical investigations are required to examine the efficacy of the Ribbed stem, particularly with regard to long-term survival. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800017750.
Molecular and Phenotypic Characteristics ofEscherichia coliIsolates from Farmed Minks in Zhucheng, China
Authors: Qiu Jianhua , Jiang Zhiyu , Ju Zijing , Zhao Xiaonan , Yang Jie , Guo Huijun , Sun Shuhong
Published: June 2019

In this study, the prevalence, phenotypes, and clonal relationships ofEscherichia coli(E. coli) strains isolated from minks were investigated. In July 2017, a total of 62 fresh faecal swab samples were randomly collected from one large-scale mink farm in Zhucheng, Shandong Province, China. In all the samples, 50E. colistrains were isolated and then assigned to serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility test, detection of antimicrobial resistance genes and the Class 1 integrons, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Four pathogenic serotypes were identified among all the isolates, while the most common serotype was enterohemorrhagicE. coliO104:H4 (6.0 %). Antimicrobial sensitivity testing revealed that most isolates were susceptible to cefoxitin (96.0 %) and amikacin (82.0 %), while most isolates were resistant to ampicillin (92.0 %) and tetracycline (90.0 %). An analysis of the nucleotide sequences revealed that 7 isolates (14.0%) carried 4 types of Class 1 integron cassette, includingdfrA27+aadA2+qnrA(57.1%),dfrA17+aadA5(14.3%),dfrA12+aadA2(14.3%), anddfrA1+aadA1(14.3%). PCR screening showed that 14 antibiotic resistance genes were presented in 50 isolates, while the most prevalent resistance gene wasqnrS, which was detected in 60.0 % of isolates, followed bysul2(40.0%) andoqxA(38.0%). MLST analysis showed that 32 sequence types (STs) were identified, while ST46 was the predominant genotype among all isolates. Clonal complex 3 (CC3) was dominant. Compared with 340 humanE. coliSTs reported in China, the ST10 clonal complex, known as the largest human clonal complex, was also found in the 50 minkE. coliisolates. Meanwhile, mink-derived strain ST206 formed a new clonal complex, CC206, which was different from human ST strains. Our results showed that farmed minks could be reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistantE. coliwith Class 1 integron cassettes and resistance genes, which were likely to pose a threat to public health. Therefore, continuous inspections and monitoring ofE. coliin minks are essential for detecting and controlling emergingE. coliwith different serovars as well as antibiotic resistance.
Electrochemical Corrosion Prevention in Oilfield Wastewater for Effective Dissolved Oxygen Removal Using a Novel Upflow Bioelectrochemical System
Authors: Wu Weilin
Published: June 2019

Towards the corrosion issues of oilfield wastewater for water recycling, the dissolved oxygen (DO) is a subsequent corrosive factor after the air desulfurization tower for high-efficiency removal of sulfides. However, an in situ biological technology for efficient DO removal has not been well developed by using organics in oilfield wastewater. A novel upflow bioelectrocatalytic system assembled with three electrodes (cathode-anode-cathode) was designed in this study, in which waste organic matter of oil wastewater was degraded by a bioanode for electron production and dissolved oxygen was efficiently reduced by a biocathode under an assistant external voltage. The results showed that the average current was kept over 6 mA by applying a fixed voltage of 0.8 V to treat oil wastewater with DO as high as 3–5 mg/L. The bottom cathode contributed the largest to DO removal rate, reaching 67%; contribution of the middle anode and the upper cathode for DO removal was 11% and 9%, respectively. The whole DO removal rate by the bioelectrocatalytic system was up to about 90%, and the effluent DO was reduced to below 0.6 mg/L by removing 40–50% COD.
Circulating ANGPTL8 Is Associated with the Presence of Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Young Women
Authors: Pu Danlan , Li Ling , Yin Jingxia , Liu Rui , Yang Gangyi , Liao Yong , Wu Qinan
Published: June 2019

Background. ANGPTL8 has been reported to be a regulator of lipid metabolism, and it is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). We investigated whether ANGPTL8 plays a role in MetS. Methods. ANGPTL8 and adiponectin concentrations were measured in PCOS patients with or without MetS and in their corresponding healthy controls. The association of circulating ANGPTL8 with adiponectin and other parameters was also examined. Results. Circulating ANGPTL8 concentrations were higher in PCOS women with MetS than in those without MetS and in the controls (P<0.01). ANGPTL8 was positively correlated with age, BMI, FAT%, WHR, SBP, TG, FBG, HbA1c, Fins, and HOMA-IR (all P<0.01) in the study populations and negatively associated with adiponectin and M-values (P<0.001). In addition, ANGPTL8 was positively correlated with PRL, LH, TEST, and FAI and negatively correlated with SHBG (all P<0.01). ROC curve analyses showed that the AUCMetS was 0.87 (P<0.001), with a sensitivity of 92.4% and specificity of 75.4%, and the AUCIR was 0.82 (P<0.01), with a sensitivity of 76.4% and specificity of 75.6%. Conclusion. ANGPTL8 levels progressively decrease from PCOS patients with MetS to those without MetS and may be a serum marker associated with the degree of metabolic disorders.
Antibiotic Use in Poultry Production in Grenada
Authors: Glasgow Lindonne , Forde Martin , Brow Darren , Mahoney Catherine , Fletcher Stephanie , Rodrigo Shelly
Published: June 2019

Objective. Research is often lacking in low-income countries to substantiate the regulation of antibiotics in poultry production. Nonregulation of antibiotics in food animal industries has implications for human health. This study was conducted to provide an understanding of farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of antibiotics in poultry production in Grenada.Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted in August-September, 2016, surveying 30 poultry farmers each having 500 or more chickens grown for commercial purposes.Results. More than 1000 birds were kept on 18 (60.0%) farms. Antibiotics were used on the majority of farms (25, 83.3%). More than half of the respondents, 19 (63.3%), stated they were only somewhat aware of issues related to the use of antibiotics and the majority, 21 (70.0%), were also unable to define antimicrobial resistance. There was inconsistency in the farmers’ knowledge about how and when to use antibiotics. There was also a high level of noncompliance with manufacturers’ recommendations for use of antibiotics. The respondents were not aware of local programs to monitor antibiotic use or manage antibiotic resistance in the poultry industry.Conclusion. Generally, the farmers’ knowledge and practices were inconsistent with recommendations by the World Health Organization for antibiotic stewardship. While low-income countries, such as Grenada, are challenged with the lack of resources to undertake research and implement responsive actions, this research highlights the need for some immediate measures of remedy, such as education of farmers and monitoring procurement and use of antibiotics, to reduce risk to public health.
Recommendation and Classification Systems: A Systematic Mapping Study
Authors: Enríquez J. G. , Morales-Trujillo L. , Calle-Alonso Fernando , Domínguez-Mayo F. J. , Lucas-Rodríguez J. M.
Published: June 2019

Today, recommendation algorithms are widely used by companies in multiple sectors with the aim of increasing their profits or offering a more specialized service to their customers. Moreover, there are countless applications in which classification algorithms are used, seeking to find patterns that are difficult for people to detect or whose detection cost is very high. Sometimes, it is necessary to use a mixture of both algorithms to give an optimal solution to a problem. This is the case of the ADAGIO, a R&D project that combines machine learning (ML) strategies from heterogeneous data sources to generate valuable knowledge based on the available open data. In order to support the ADAGIO project requirements, the main objective of this paper is to provide a clear vision of the existing classification and recommendation ML systems to help researchers and practitioners to choose the best option. To achieve this goal, this work presents a systematic review applied in two contexts: scientific and industrial. More than a thousand papers have been analyzed resulting in 80 primary studies. Conclusions show that the combination of these two algorithms (classification and recommendation) is not very used in practice. In fact, the validation presented for both cases is very scarce in the industrial environment. From the point of view of software development life cycle, this review also shows that the work being done in the ML (for classification and recommendation) research and industrial environment is far from earlier stages such as business requirements and analysis. This makes it very difficult to find efficient and effective solutions that support real business needs from an early stage. It is therefore that the article suggests the development of new ML research lines to facilitate its application in the different domains.
An Efficient Framework for Sharing a File in a Secure Manner Using Asymmetric Key Distribution Management in Cloud Environment
Authors: Pradeep K. V. , Vijayakumar V. , Subramaniyaswamy V.
Published: June 2019

Cloud computing is a platform to share the data and resources used among various organizations, but the survey shows that there is always a security threat. Security is an important aspect of cloud computing. Hence, the responsibility underlines to the cloud service providers for providing security as the quality of service. However, cloud computing has many challenges in security that have not yet been addressed well. The data accessed or shared through any devices from the cloud environment are not safe because they are likely to have various attacks like Identity Access Management (IAM), hijacking an account or a service either by internal/external intruders. The cryptography places a major role to secure the data within the cloud environment. Therefore, there is a need for standard encryption/decryption mechanism to protect the data stored in the cloud, in which key is the mandatory element. Every cloud provider has its own security mechanisms to protect the key. The client cannot trust the service provider completely in spite of the fact that, at any instant, the provider has full access to both data and key. In this paper, we have proposed a new system which can prevent the exposure of the key as well as a framework for sharing a file that will ensure security (CIA) using asymmetric key and distributing it within the cloud environment using a trusted third party. We have compared RSA with ElGamal and Paillier in our proposed framework and found RSA gives a better result.