bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of simulation debriefs with traditional needs assessment methods: a qualitative exploratory study in a critical care community setting
Authors: Sarti Aimee J , Ajjawi Rola , Sutherland Stephanie , Landriault Angele , Kim John , Cardinal Pierre
Published: October 2018

Objective

To better understand the potential of a needs assessment approach using qualitative data from manikin-based and virtual patient simulation debriefing sessions compared with traditional data collection methods (ie, focus groups and interviews).

Design

Original data from simulation debrief sessions was compared and contrasted with data from an earlier assessment of critical care needs in a community setting (using focus groups and interviews), thus undertaking secondary analysis of data. Time and cost data were also examined. Debrief sessions were coded using deductive and inductive techniques. Matrices were used to explore the commonalities, differences and emergent findings across the methods.

Setting

Critical care unit in a community hospital setting.

Results

Interviews and focus groups yielded 684 and 647 min of audio-recordings, respectively. The manikin-based debrief recordings averaged 22 min (total=130 min) and virtual patient debrief recordings averaged 31 min (total=186 min). The approximate cost for the interviews and focus groups was $13 560, for manikin-based simulation debriefs was $4030 and for the virtual patient debriefs was $3475. Fifteen of 20 total themes were common across the simulation debriefs and interview/focus group data. Simulation-specific themes were identified, including fidelity (environment, equipment and psychological) and the multiple roles of the simulation instructor (educative, promoting reflection and assessing needs).

Conclusions

Given current fiscal realities, the dual benefit of being educative and identifying needs is appealing. While simulation is an innovative method to conduct needs assessments, it is important to recognise that there are trade-offs with the selection of methods.
Experience of adopting faecal immunochemical testing to meet the NICE colorectal cancer referral criteria for low-risk symptomatic primary care patients in Oxfordshire, UK
Authors: Nicholson Brian D , James Tim , East James E , Grimshaw David , Paddon Maria , Justice Steve , Oke Jason L , Shine Brian
Published: October 2018

Objective

To compare the diagnostic performance of guaiac faecal occult blood (gFOB) testing with faecal immunochemical test (FIT) in a low-risk symptomatic primary care population to provide objective data on which to base local referral guidelines.

Design

Stool samples from routine primary care practice sent for faecal occult blood testing were analysed by a standard gFOB method and the HM-JACKarc FIT between January and March 2016. Symptoms described on the test request were recorded. Patients were followed up over 21 months for evidence of serious gastrointestinal pathology including colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Results

In 238 patients, the sensitivity and specificity for colorectal adenocarcinoma detection using gFOB were 85.7% and 65.8%, respectively, compared with 85.7% and 89.2% for FIT. The positive predictive value (PPV) for gFOB was 7.1% and negative predictive value (NPV) was 99.3%. Comparatively, the PPV for FIT was 19.4% and NPV 99.5%. The improved performance of FIT over gFOB was due to a lower false positive rate (10.8 vs 34.2, p≤0.01) with no increase in the false negatives rate. For any significant colorectal disease, the PPV for FIT increased to 35.5% with a reduction in NPV to 95.7%.

Conclusion

In this low-risk symptomatic patient group, the proportion of samples considered positive by FIT was considerably lower than gFOB with the same rate of colorectal adenocarcinoma detection. One in three of those with positive FIT had a significant colorectal disease. This supports National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommendation that FIT can be reliably used as a triage test in primary care without overburdening endoscopy resources.
Essential components in natriuretic peptide-guided management of heart failure: an intervention synthesis
Authors: Oke Jason , Clements Alison , McLellan Julie , Bankhead Clare , Taylor Clare J , Spence Graeme , Banerjee Amitava , Perera Rafael
Published: October 2018

Aim

To identify the key components of natriuretic peptide (NP)-guided treatment interventions which reduced hospitalisation in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods and results

We extracted detailed information on the components of interventions from studies of NP-guided treatment of HF identified in a previous systematic review. We used meta-regression techniques to assess univariate associations between components and the strength of the reduction in HF hospitalisations and all-cause mortality. A Bayesian meta-analysis approach was used to re-estimate study-level effects in order to identify the study with the most effective NP-guided monitoring intervention. Finally, we examined the intervention options common to the studies in which the 95% credible interval excluded no effect. We identified eight components of NP-guided treatment from ten studies. Univariate comparisons produced mainly equivocal results, but single trial choice and common components analysis led to similar conclusions. Using a predefined treatment protocol, setting a stringent NP target (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide of 1000 pg/mL or B-type natriuretic peptide 100 pg/mL) and including a relative targetwere potential key components to reducing HF hospitalisations using NP-guided therapy.

Conclusion

This analysis provides a description of the key components of NP-guided treatment which could help policy makers develop specific recommendations for HF management. Our research suggests that NP-guided interventions could be simplified, but more research in relevant health settings, such as primary care, is required.
Maximal supergravity and the quest for finiteness
Authors: Ananth Sudarshan , Brink Lars , Majumdar Sucheta
Published: October 2018

We show that [Formula: see text] supergravity may possess an even larger symmetry than previously believed. Such an enhanced symmetry is needed to explain why this theory of gravity exhibits ultraviolet behavior reminiscent of the finite [Formula: see text] Yang–Mills theory. We describe a series of three steps that leads us to this result.
Large families of pseudorandom binary lattices by using the multiplicative inverse modulo P
Authors: Liu Huaning
Published: October 2018

Hubert, Mauduit and Sárközy introduced pseudorandom measures for finite pseudorandom binary lattices. Gyarmati, Mauduit, Sárközy and Stewart presented some natural and flexible constructions, which are the two-dimensional extensions and modifications of a few one-dimensional constructions. The upper estimates for the pseudorandom measures of their binary lattices are based on the principle that character sums or exponential sums in two variables can be estimated by fixing one of the variables.

In this paper, we constructed two large families of [Formula: see text] dimensional pseudorandom binary lattices by using the multiplicative inverse modulo [Formula: see text], and study the properties: pseudorandom measure, collision and avalanche effect.
Seismic Performance of the Buckling-Restrained Brace Central Buckle for Long-Span Suspension Bridges
Authors: Guo Wei , Li Jianzhong , Xiang Nailiang
Published: October 2018

In this paper, a novel central buckle composed of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) is developed for long-span suspension bridges, and its preliminary design procedure is presented. Seismic performance of suspension bridges equipped with BRB central buckles is investigated and compared with those with conventional central buckles (e.g. rigid or flexible central buckles). Furthermore, the effect of BRB yield force, as well as the effectiveness of BRB central buckles combined with viscous dampers, is evaluated using parametric analyses. The results indicate that the BRB central buckle is more effective than other central buckles in reducing both the longitudinal girder displacements and force demands on towers during an earthquake. Furthermore, the combination of BRB central buckles and viscous dampers is a superior option for mitigating the seismic response of long-span suspension bridges.
Movement Ecology of Pest Helicoverpa: Implications for Ongoing Spread
Authors: Jones Christopher M. , Parry Hazel , Tay Wee Tek , Reynolds Don R. , Chapman Jason W.
Published: October 2018

The recent introduction and spread of Helicoverpa armigera throughout South America highlight the invasiveness and adaptability of moths in the Helicoverpa genus. Long-range movement in three key members, H. armigera, H. zea, and H. punctigera, occurs by migration and international trade. These movements facilitate high population admixture and genetic diversity, with important economic, biosecurity, and control implications in today's agricultural landscape. This is particularly true for the spread of resistance alleles to transgenic crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins that are planted over vast areas to suppress Helicoverpa spp. The ability to track long-distance movement through radar technology, population genetic markers, and/or long-distance dispersal modeling has advanced in recent years, yet we still know relatively little about the population trajectories or migratory routes in Helicoverpa spp. Here, we consider how experimental and theoretical approaches can be integrated to fill key knowledge gaps and assist management practices.
Drug Targets for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Mechanistic Approach and Review of Contemporary Clinical Trials
Authors: Patel Ravi B. , Shah Sanjiv J.
Published: October 2018

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for over half of prevalent heart failure (HF) worldwide, and prognosis after hospitalization for HFpEF remains poor. Due, at least in part, to the heterogeneous nature of HFpEF, drug development has proved immensely challenging. Currently, there are no universally accepted therapies that alter the clinical course of HFpEF. Despite these challenges, important mechanistic understandings of the disease have revealed that the pathophysiology of HFpEF is distinct from that of HF with reduced ejection fraction and have also highlighted potential new therapeutic targets for HFpEF. Of note, HFpEF is a systemic syndrome affecting multiple organ systems. Depending on the organ systems involved, certain novel therapies offer promise in reducing the morbidity of the HFpEF syndrome. In this review, we aim to discuss novel pharmacotherapies for HFpEF based on its unique pathophysiology and identify key research strategies to further elucidate mechanistic pathways to develop novel therapeutics in the future.
Delay‐Dependent Stability in Uncalibrated Image‐Based Dynamic Visual Servoing Robotic System
Authors: Li Tao , Zhao Hui , Chang Yu
Published: October 2018

This paper addresses the stability problem of uncalibrated image‐based visual servoing robotic systems. Both the visual feedback delay and the uncalibrated visual parameters can be the sources of instability for visual servoing robotic systems. To eliminate the negative effects caused by kinematic uncertainties and delays, we propose an adaptive controller including the delay‐affected Jacobian matrix and design an adaptive law accordingly. Besides, the delay‐dependent stability conditions are provided to show the relationship between the system stability and the delayed time in order to obtain less conservative results. A Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional is constructed, and a rigorously mathematic proof is given. Finally, the simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Investigation on the Antibacterial and Anti‐T3SS Activity of Traditional Myanmar Medicinal Plants
Authors: Li Tianhong , Zhang Dongdong , Oo Thaung Naing , San Myint Myint , Mon Aye Mya , Hein Pyae Phyo , Wang Yuehu , Lu Chunhua , Yang Xuefei
Published: October 2018

Myanmar has a rich pool of, but less known, medicinal plants with traditional knowledge. In this study, we aimed to investigate the inhibitory activity of traditional Myanmar medicinal plants against the type III secretion system (T3SS) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium UK‐1 χ8956 and the intestinal disease‐caused by microbes including S. enterica serovar Typhimurium UK‐1 χ8956, Proteusbacillus vulgaris CPCC 160013, Escherichia coli CICC 10003, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The EtOH extracts of 93 samples were used to screen the inhibitory activities against the secretion of T3SS effector proteins SipA/B/C/D of S. enterica and the antibacterial activity against S. enterica, P. vulgaris, E. coli, and S. aureus. Out of 71 crude drugs traditionally used, 18 were proofed to be effective either on the growth inhibition of tested bacteria and/or as inhibitors for the T3SS. The EtOH extracts of five plants, Luvunga scandens (Roxb.) Buch.‐Ham. ex Wight & Arn. (My7), Myrica nagi Thunb. (My11), Terminalia citrina Roxb. ex Fleming (My21), Thymus vulgaris L. (My49), and Cinnamomum bejolghota (Buch.‐Ham.) Sweet (My104), showed potent inhibitory activities against the secretion of T3SS proteins SipA/B/C/D of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium UK‐1 χ 8956. Mansonia gagei J.R.Drumm (My3) and Mesua ferrea (Roxb.) L. (My10) showed strong antibacterial activities against P. vulgaris and S. aureus. This study provided the first scientific evidence of T3SS prohibiting and antibacterial properties for the traditional knowledge in Myanmar of using plants as medicines for treating infections and gastrointestinal disease. Further researches are proposed to discover the active chemical compounds and mechanism of L. scandens (Roxb.) Buch.‐Ham. ex Wight & Arn, M. nagi Thunb., T. citrina Roxb. ex Fleming, T. vulgaris L., and C. bejolghota (Buch.‐Ham.) Sweet as antivirulence drugs and the potential of M. gagei J.R.Drumm and M. ferrea L. as new broad spectrum plant antibiotics.
Error Estimates for the Heterogeneous Multiscale Finite Volume Method of Convection‐Diffusion‐Reaction Problem
Authors: Yu Tao , Ouyang Peichang , Cao Haitao
Published: October 2018

Based on the heterogeneous multiscale method, this paper presents a finite volume method to solve multiscale convection‐diffusion‐reaction problem. The paper constructs an algorithm of the optimal order convergence rate in H1‐norm under periodic medias.
The Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Functional Impairments Caused by Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Rosario Emily R. , Kaplan Stephanie E. , Khonsari Sepehr , Vazquez Garrett , Solanki Niyant , Lane Melanie , Brownell Hiriam , Rosenberg Sheila S.
Published: October 2018

Background.While research suggests a benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for neurologic injury, controlled clinical trials have not been able to clearly define the benefits.Objective.To investigate the effects of HBOT on physical and cognitive impairments resulting from an ischemic stroke.Methods.Using a within-subject design a baseline for current functional abilities was established over a 3-month period for all subjects (n=7). Each subject then received two 4-week periods of HBOT for a total of 40 90-minute treatments over a 12-week period. Subjects completed a battery of assessments and had blood drawn six times over the 9-month total duration of the study.Results.We found improvements in cognition and executive function as well as physical abilities, specifically, improved gait. Participants reported improved sleep and quality of life following HBOT treatment. We also saw changes in serum levels of biomarkers for inflammation and neural recovery. In the functional domains where improvement was observed following HBOT treatment, the improvements were maintained up to 3 months following the last treatment. However, the physiological biomarkers showed a pattern of more transient changes following HBOT treatment.Conclusions.Findings from this study support the idea of HBOT as a potential intervention following stroke.
Laparoscopic Gastric Plication versus Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Perivoliotis Konstantinos , Sioka Eleni , Katsogridaki Georgia , Zacharoulis Dimitrios
Published: October 2018

Introduction. A meta-analysis was conducted in order to provide an up-to-date comparison of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic gastric plication (LGP) for morbid obesity.Materials and Methods. The PRISMA guidelines andthe Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventionswere used for the conduction of this study. A systematic literature search was performed in the electronic databases (MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science and Scopus). The fixed effects or random effects model was used according to the Cochran Q test.Results. Totally, 12 eligible studies were extracted. LSG displayed a statistically significant lower rate of overall complications (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.68;p=0.002) and a sustainable higher %EWL through all time endpoints (OR: 4.86,p=0.04; OR: 7.57,p<0.00001; and OR: 13.74;p<0.00001). There was no difference between the two techniques in terms of length of hospital stay (p=0.16), operative duration (p=0.81), reoperation rate (p=0.51), and cost (p=0.06).Conclusions. LSG was demonstrated to have a lower overall complications and a higher weight loss rate, when compared to LGP. Further RCTs of a higher methodological quality level, with a larger sample size, are required in order to validate these findings.
Modeling and Distribution Laws of Drilling Force for Staggered Teeth BTA Deep Hole Drill
Authors: Li Xubo , Zheng Jianming , Li Yan , Kong Lingfei , Shi Weichao , Guo Bian
Published: October 2018

The boring and trepanning association (BTA) deep hole drilling is a typical self-guiding machining method. The drilling force and its distribution laws along the cutting radius directly affect the stability of drilling and the quality of machined hole. Based on the oblique cutting theory, a novel drilling force model is developed to predict the thrust and torque for staggered teeth BTA deep hole drill with variable geometries. Using the constraint relationships between the cutting force components and cutting angles, combined with the measured drilling force during the drill entrance, the parameters of the model including normal shear angle, normal friction angle and shear stress involved in the cutting force coefficients along the cutting radius, and the axial and circumferential friction coefficients between the guide pads and the hole wall are obtained. The model-predicted drilling force is validated by experimental results.
Postmortem Analysis of Decayed Online Social Communities: Cascade Pattern Analysis and Prediction
Authors: Abufouda Mohammed
Published: October 2018

Recently, many online social networks, such as MySpace, Orkut, and Friendster, have faced inactivity decay of their members, which contributed to the collapse of these networks. The reasons, mechanics, and prevention mechanisms of such inactivity decay are not fully understood. In this work, we analyze decayed and alive subwebsites from the Stack Exchange platform. The analysis mainly focuses on the inactivity cascades that occur among the members of these communities. We provide measures to understand the decay process and statistical analysis to extract the patterns that accompany the inactivity decay. Additionally, we predict cascade size and cascade virality using machine learning. The results of this work include a statistically significant difference of the decay patterns between the decayed and the alive subwebsites. These patterns are mainly cascade size, cascade virality, cascade duration, and cascade similarity. Additionally, the contributed prediction framework showed satisfactorily prediction results compared to a baseline predictor. Supported by empirical evidence, the main findings of this work are (1) there are significantly different decay patterns in the alive and the decayed subwebsites of the Stack Exchange; (2) the cascade’s node degrees contribute more to the decay process than the cascade’s virality, which indicates that the expert members of the Stack Exchange subwebsites were mainly responsible for the activity or inactivity of the Stack Exchange subwebsites; (3) the Statistics subwebsite is going through decay dynamics that may lead to it becoming fully‐decayed; (4) the decay process is not governed by only one network measure, it is better described using multiple measures; (5) decayed subwebsites were originally less resilient to inactivity decay, unlike the alive subwebsites; and (6) network’s structure in the early stages of its evolution dictates the activity/inactivity characteristics of the network.
Complement System as a Target for Therapies to Control Liver Regeneration/Damage in Acute Liver Failure Induced by Viral Hepatitis
Authors: Melgaço Juliana Gil , Veloso Carlos Eduardo , Pacheco-Moreira Lúcio Filgueiras , Vitral Claudia Lamarca , Pinto Marcelo Alves
Published: October 2018

The complement system plays an important role in innate immunity inducing liver diseases as well as signaling immune cell activation in local inflammation regulating immunomodulatory effects such as liver damage and/or liver regeneration. Our aim is to evaluate the role of complement components in acute liver failure (ALF) caused by viral hepatitis, involving virus-induced ALF in human subjects using peripheral blood, samples of liver tissues, and ex vivo assays. Our findings displayed low levels of C3a in plasma samples with high frequency of C3a, C5a, and C5b/9 deposition in liver parenchyma. Meanwhile, laboratory assays using HepG2 (hepatocyte cell line) showed susceptibility to plasma samples from ALF patients impairingin vitrocell proliferation and an increase in apoptotic events submitting plasma samples to heat inactivation. In summary, our data suggest that the complement system may be involved in liver dysfunction in viral-induced acute liver failure cases using ex vivo assays. In extension to our findings, we provide insights into future studies using animal models for viral-induced ALF, as well as other associated soluble components, which need further investigation.
Numerical Uncoupling of Domains in Dam‐Reservoir Problem
Authors: Golchin Saba , Attarnejad Reza , Vahdani Shahram
Published: October 2018

Flexibility of dam structure affects the hydrodynamic pressure acting on the dam. Several approaches have been proposed to consider this effect. Most of these approaches are involved with an iterative scheme. Of course solving the total numerical model including the dam and the reservoir is the most accurate method, but it has certain deficiencies. Using the frontal solution method of total model, dam structure, and fluid domain and keeping the interface degrees of freedom in the front is proposed in the current study. Having the solution of the interface degrees of freedom, the structure and fluid may be analyzed separately. The main advantage of the method lies in the fact that the accuracy of the results is the same as analysis of the total model, no iteration is necessary, combination of Lagrangian and Eulerian formulations for solid and fluid may be used, and the unknown variables are of the same order. Performing the analysis in time domain extends the method to nonlinear analysis if required.
The Frequency of Resurgery after Percutaneous Lumbar Surgery Using Dekompressor in a Ten-Year Period
Authors: Klessinger Stephan
Published: October 2018

To prevent open surgical procedures, minimally invasive techniques, like Dekompressor (PLDD), have been developed. The absence of reherniation is an important factor correlating with clinical success after lumbar surgery. In this retrospective, observational study, the frequency of additional open surgery after PLDD in a long time retrospective was examined. The correlation between clinical symptoms and outcome was assessed, and the time between PLDD and open surgery was analyzed. Consecutive patients after PLDD between 2005 and 2007 were included. MacNab’s outcome criteria were used to evaluate patient satisfaction. The need for additional open surgery of the lumbar spine, the period between Dekompressor and resurgery, and the treated levels were analyzed. In total, 73 patients were included in this study. The patients were seen one month after PLDD. The majority of patients (76.7%) had additional radicular pain. The most common level treated was L4-5 (58.9%). The follow-up time was longer than 5 years in 30.1% of the patients and longer than 10 years in 6.82%. The short-term success rate was 67.1%. Additional surgery was performed in 26.0% of patients, with 78.9% of the reoperations undertaken during the first year after PLDD. These patients had a statistically significant worse outcome (P = 0.025). Radicular pain was present in all patients with an early subsequent surgery, but only in 50% of patients with late surgery (P = 0.035). Significantly more patients with poor pain relief had radicular pain (P = 0.04). The short-term success rate was worsened by a resurgery rate of 26.0%. Subsequent surgery, a short time after PLDD, suggests that PLDD is not a replacement for open discectomy. Because patients with radicular pain had a worse outcome and more frequent resurgeries, whether radicular pain is an ideal indication for PLDD should be discussed.
A Novel Computer-Assisted Method of Bite Mark Analysis for Gender Determination
Authors: Maji Anirban , Khaitan Tanya , Sinha Rupam , Sarkar Soumyabrata , Verma Pratik , Shukla Anjani Kumar
Published: October 2018

Background. Bite mark analysis is an imperative area of forensic odontology and considered the commonest form of dental evidence presented in the criminal court. The process of comparing bite marks with a suspect’s dentition includes analysis and measurement of shape, size, and position of an individual’s teeth. The present study was aimed to evaluate the bite marks of males and females using a novel indirect computer-assisted method and explicate its application in forensic odontology. Materials and methods. 60 subjects (30 males and 30 females) with normal occlusion were included in the present study. Bite registrations were obtained with help of modelling waxes, and positive replicas were prepared with dental stone and barium powder. Intraoral periapical radiographs were taken for the same. The radiographs obtained were scanned and analyzed by measuring tools using Sidexis Next Generation software. Intercanine distance (ICD), line AB, angle ABX, and angle ABY were measured. The Kruskal–Wallis test was performed to compare the bite marks of males and females. Results. The mean ICD of males and females was found to be 32.95 mm and 29.84 mm, respectively, and was statistically highly significant with a p value <0.001. The mean ICD, line AB, and angle ABX were found to be higher in males when compared to females. Conclusion. Analysis of bite marks using this novel computer-assisted method is a simple, reliable, easily reproducible, and economical technique with confidentiality of the identity of the participants involved.
Behavior‐Interior‐Aware User Preference Analysis Based on Social Networks
Authors: Wang Can , Bo Tao , Zhao Yun Wei , Chi Chi-Hung , Lam Kwok-Yan , Wang Sen , Shu Min
Published: October 2018

There is a growing trend recently in big data analysis that focuses on behavior interiors, which concern the semantic meanings (e.g., sentiment, controversy, and other state‐dependent factors) in explaining the human behaviors from psychology, sociology, cognitive science, and so on, rather than the data per se as in the case of exterior dimensions. It is more intuitive and much easier to understand human behaviors with less redundancy in concept by exploring the behavior interior dimensions, compared with directly using behavior exteriors. However, they usually approach from a unidimensional perspective with a lack of a sense of interrelatedness. Thus, integrating multiple behavior dimensions together into some numerical measures to form a more comprehensive view for subsequent prediction processes becomes a pivotal issue. Moreover, these studies usually focus on the magnitude but neglect the associated temporal features. In this paper, we propose a behavior interior dimension‐based neighborhood collaborative filtering method for the top‐N hashtag adoption frequency prediction that takes into account the interdependence in temporal dynamics. Our proposed approach couples the similarity in user preference and their impact propagation, by integrating the linear threshold model and the enhanced CF model based on behavior interiors. Experiments on Twitter demonstrate that the behavior‐interior‐aware CF models achieve better adoption prediction results than the state‐of‐the‐art methods, and the joint consideration of similarity in user preference and their impact propagation results in a significant improvement than treating them separately.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hypertension in Two Communes in the Vietnam Northern Mountainous, 2017
Authors: Bui Van Nhon , Pham Van Quyet , Vo Hoang Long , Bui Van Tung , Nguyen Hoang Nguyen , Do Nam Khanh , Chu Dinh-Toi
Published: October 2018

Background. The aims were to characterize the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and explore its associations in the northern mountainous. Methods. We carried out a cross-sectional study in two communes in Chiem Hoa district, Tuyen Quang province, between June and November 2017. All subjects at the age of 18 years and over currently living in two communes. The usage of the descriptive statistics was to characterize the HTN prevalence. We used the univariate and multivariate models of logistic regression to determine the prevalence and related factors of HTN. Results. There were 319 people with overall HTN in the total of 675 participants. Among people with HTN, there were 101 ones with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH). The proportion of HTN among the Tay ethnic group was 47.6%. The factors related to HTN included group, body mass index (BMI), low physical fitness, and waist-hip ratio (WHR). These factors as well as the ethnicity were significantly associated with ISH. Conclusions. Two communes of Chiem Hoa district in Tuyen Quang province had a high prevalence of HTN. Age, BMI, WHR, and physical activity were the risk factors of overall HTN and ISH. In particular, ISH was affected by ethnicity.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Ischemic Tissues
Authors: Yong Kar Wey , Choi Jane Ru , Mohammadi Mehdi , Mitha Alim P. , Sanati-Nezhad Amir , Sen Arindom
Published: October 2018

Ischemic diseases such as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and critical limb ischemia are immense public health challenges. Current pharmacotherapy and surgical approaches are insufficient to completely heal ischemic diseases and are associated with a considerable risk of adverse effects. Alternatively, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been shown to exhibit immunomodulation, angiogenesis, and paracrine secretion of bioactive factors that can attenuate inflammation and promote tissue regeneration, making them a promising cell source for ischemic disease therapy. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of ischemic diseases, discusses the potential therapeutic effects and mechanisms of hMSCs for these diseases, and provides an overview of challenges of using hMSCs clinically for treating ischemic diseases.
Automatic Sleep Stage Classification Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Fine‐Grained Segments
Authors: Cui Zhihong , Zheng Xiangwei , Shao Xuexiao , Cui Lizhen
Published: October 2018

Sleep stage classification plays an important role in the diagnosis of sleep‐related diseases. However, traditional automatic sleep stage classification is quite challenging because of the complexity associated with the establishment of mathematical models and the extraction of handcrafted features. In addition, the rapid fluctuations between sleep stages often result in blurry feature extraction, which might lead to an inaccurate assessment of electroencephalography (EEG) sleep stages. Hence, we propose an automatic sleep stage classification method based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) combined with the fine‐grained segment in multiscale entropy. First, we define every 30 seconds of the multichannel EEG signal as a segment. Then, we construct an input time series based on the fine‐grained segments, which means that the posterior and current segments are reorganized as an input containing several segments and the size of the time series is decided based on the scale chosen depending on the fine‐grained segments. Next, each segment in this series is individually put into the designed CNN and feature maps are obtained after two blocks of convolution and max‐pooling as well as a full‐connected operation. Finally, the results from the full‐connected layer of each segment in the input time sequence are put into the softmax classifier together to get a single most likely sleep stage. On a public dataset called ISRUC‐Sleep, the average accuracy of our proposed method is 92.2%. Moreover, it yields an accuracy of 90%, 86%, 93%, 97%, and 90% for stage W, stage N1, stage N2, stage N3, and stage REM, respectively. Comparative analysis of performance suggests that the proposed method is better, as opposed to that of several state‐of‐the‐art ones. The sleep stage classification methods based on CNN and the fine‐grained segments really improve a key step in the study of sleep disorders and expedite sleep research.
Expression of AR-V7 and ARv567es in Circulating Tumor Cells Correlates with Outcomes to Taxane Therapy in Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treated in TAXYNERGY
Authors: Tagawa Scott T. , Antonarakis Emmanuel S. , Gjyrezi Ada , Galletti Giuseppe , Kim Seaho , Worroll Daniel , Stewart John , Zaher Atef , Szatrowski Ted P. , Ballman Karla V. , Kita Katsuhiro , Tasaki Shinsuke , Bai Yang , Portella Luigi , Kirby Brian J. , Saad Fred , Eisenberger Mario A. , Nanus David M. , Giannakakou Paraskevi
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

Biomarkers aiding treatment optimization in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are scarce. The presence or absence of androgen receptor (AR) splice variants, AR-V7 and ARv567es, in mCRPC patient circulating tumor cells (CTC) may be associated with taxane treatment outcomes.

Experimental Design: A novel digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) assay assessed AR-splice variant expression in CTCs from patients receiving docetaxel or cabazitaxel in TAXYNERGY (NCT01718353). Patient outcomes were examined according to AR-splice variant expression, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA)50 response and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results:

Of the 54 evaluable patients, 36 (67%) were AR-V7+, 42 (78%) were ARv567es+, 29 (54%) were double positive, and 5 (9%) were double negative. PSA50 response rates at any time were numerically higher for AR-V7− versus AR-V7+ (78% vs. 58%; P = 0.23) and for ARv567es− versus ARv567es+ (92% vs. 57%; P = 0.04) patients. When AR-V mRNA status was correlated with change in nuclear AR from cycle 1 day 1 to day 8 (n = 24), AR-V7+ patients (n = 16) had a 0.4% decrease versus a 12.9% and 26.7% decrease in AR-V7−/ARv567es− (n = 3) and AR-V7−/ARv567es+ (n = 5) patients, respectively, suggesting a dominant role for AR-V7 over ARv567es. Median PFS was 12.02 versus 8.48 months for AR-V7− versus AR-V7+ (HR = 0.38; P = 0.01), and 12.71 versus 7.29 months for ARv567es− versus ARv567es+ (HR = 0.37; P = 0.02). For AR-V7+, AR-V7−/ARv567es+, and AR-V7−/ARv567es− patients, median PFS was 8.48, 11.17, and 16.62 months, respectively (P = 0.0013 for trend).

Conclusions:

Although detection of both CTC-specific AR-V7 and ARv567es by ddPCR influenced taxane outcomes, AR-V7 primarily mediated the prognostic impact. The absence of both variants was associated with the best response and PFS with taxane treatment.

See related commentary by Dehm et al., p. 1696
Monitoring Tumor Burden in Response to FOLFIRINOX Chemotherapy Via Profiling Circulating Cell-Free DNA in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Wei Tao , Zhang Qi , Li Xiang , Su Wei , Li Guogang , Ma Tao , Gao Shunliang , Lou Jianying , Que Risheng , Zheng Lei , Bai Xueli , Liang Tingbo
Published: October 2018

We aimed to explore the application of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) profiling in monitoring tumor burden in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thirty-eight patients with advanced PDAC receiving first-line FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy were prospectively enrolled. Next-generation sequencing for a panel of 560 genes covering a wide range of cancer-related loci was performed to profile cfDNA. In total, 25 patients (65.8%) had at least one common driver gene alterations (KRAS, TP53, SMAD4, CDKN2A) detected within cfDNA. In contrast, no above tumor-related recurrent mutations were found in plasma from 13 healthy individuals. Concordant alterations in plasma cfDNA and tumor tissue DNA was confirmed in two of three patients with available tissues. Further analysis showed that mutant allele fraction (MAF) for altered loci in cfDNA correlated with tumor stage, metastatic burden, and overall survival. Serial blood samples were collected from 17 patients after chemotherapy. We found that allele fraction for specific altered loci declined in chemotherapy-responding subjects. For cases who were resistant to this therapeutic regimen, increased ctDNA MAF was observed at the time of disease progression. Meanwhile, the dynamics of total cfDNA concentration correlated with tumor burden following chemotherapy. Collectively, we provide evidence that pretreatment ctDNA level correlates with tumor burden in PDAC, and serial cfDNA analysis is a robust tool for monitoring cancer response to chemotherapy.
Arzneipflanzen im Berner Pferdestall: Erfahrungswissen von Pferdehaltern
Authors: Ryhner Thea , Meier Beat , Walkenhorst Michael
Published: October 2018

Hintergrund: Während über den traditionellen Einsatz von Arzneipflanzen durch Landwirtinnen und Landwirte beim Nutztier sowohl in Südeuropa als auch in der Schweiz zunehmend wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichungen vorliegen, fehlen gezielte Studien mit Pferdebesitzern weitestgehend. Mit der vorliegenden Studie sollte dieses Wissen exemplarisch für den Schweizer Kanton Bern erfasst werden. Probanden und Methoden: Methodisch an vorhergehende Studien in der Schweiz angelehnt, wurden von 2011-2012 7 Pferdehalter im Alter von 24-65 Jahren anhand eines semistrukturierten Fragebogens zum Einsatz von Arzneipflanzen bei ihren Pferden interviewt. Neben Informationen zu Pflanzenarten und Pflanzenteilen wurden die Zubereitung und Anwendung (inklusive Dosierung) der Rezepturen detailliert dokumentiert. Ergebnisse: Insgesamt wurden 21 Rezepturen von den Berner Pferdehaltern genannt, von denen 4 Mischungen aus 2-5 verschiedenen Pflanzenarten waren. In den Rezepturen wurden 27 Pflanzenarten aus 22 Pflanzenfamilien verwendet. Für mehr als 50% der Rezepte wurden die Arzneipflanzen in der Apotheke gekauft, jedoch lediglich für 1 (4%) beim Tierarzt; für ein weiteres Drittel der Rezepte wurden Pflanzen gesammelt. Für die 21 Rezepturen wurden 30 Anwendungen beschrieben, vor allem zur Behandlung der Haut, des Bewegungsapparats und der Atemwege. Am häufigsten wurden Anwendungen von Ingwer (Zingiber officinale) und Johanniskraut (Hypericum perforatum) genannt. Beide Pflanzen werden überwiegend zur innerlichen (Ingwer) bzw. äußerlichen Behandlung (Johanniskrautblütenöl) von Erkrankungen des Bewegungsapparats eingesetzt. Schlussfolgerungen: Gemessen an der Zahl der interviewten Pferdehalter kommt im Kanton Bern traditionell ein breites Spektrum von Arzneipflanzen beim Pferd zum Einsatz. Auch wenn Tierärzte aktuell kaum als Bezugsquelle für Arzneipflanzen dienen, dürfte das Potenzial für die tierärztliche Phytotherapie in der Pferdemedizin groß sein.
O Acordo de Cooperação e Facilitação de Investimentos entre Brasil e Chile: uma análise acerca da contribuição do instrumento para a promoção dos Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável da Organização das Nações Unidas
Authors: Moreira Natali Francine Cinelli
Published: October 2018

Em 2015, Brasil e Chile celebraram o Acordo de Cooperação e Facilitação de Investimentos e as Nações Unidas apresentaram os Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável, verdadeiro plano de ação para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Sabendo-se da relevância do investimento privado para a promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável, este artigo tem como objeto a análise do ACFI à luz dos ODS, para verificar se o instrumento contribui para alcançá-los. Ao final, concluir-se-á que o ACFI, o qual traduz a proposta brasileira para a nova geração de acordos internacionais de investimento, pode auxiliar na promoção dos ODS.
CUERPO, ENVEJECIMIENTO Y ESPACIO. UNA GEOGRAFÍA DEL ENVEJECIMIENTO EN EL ESPACIO RURAL LATINO-AMERICANO
Authors: Hernandez Lara Oscar Gerardo , Suzuki Júlio César
Published: October 2018

El objetivo del artículo es presentar una propuesta teórica llamada geografía del envejecimiento en el espacio rural. El cuerpo es tomado como un paradigma para la comprensión del espacio, retomando los argumentos que Lefebvre ofreció en su monumental La Producción del Espacio, en relación al cuerpo como síntesis de la tríada de lo percibido-concebido-vivido. Paralelamente, el proceso de envejecimiento se considera un proceso espacial. En los países latinoamericanos, la cuestión del cuerpo como productor de espacio y producido por el espacio, lleva relevancia en medio de una coyuntura demográfica sin precedentes y el avance del agronegocio y agroindustrias frente a poblaciones tradicionales, agrarias o campesinas.
Impact of Apolipoprotein(a) Isoform Size on Lipoprotein(a) Lowering in the HPS2-THRIVE Study
Authors: Parish Sarah , Hopewell Jemma C. , Hill Michael R. , Marcovina Santica , Valdes-Marquez Elsa , Haynes Richard , Offer Alison , Pedersen Terje R. , Baigent Colin , Collins Rory , Landray Martin , Armitage Jane
Published: October 2018

Background:

Genetic studies have shown lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) to be an important causal risk factor for coronary disease. Apolipoprotein(a) isoform size is the chief determinant of Lp(a) levels, but its impact on the benefits of therapies that lower Lp(a) remains unclear.

Methods:

HPS2-THRIVE (Heart Protection Study 2–Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) is a randomized trial of niacin–laropiprant versus placebo on a background of simvastatin therapy. Plasma Lp(a) levels at baseline and 1 year post-randomization were measured in 3978 participants from the United Kingdom and China. Apolipoprotein(a) isoform size, estimated by the number of kringle IV domains, was measured by agarose gel electrophoresis and the predominantly expressed isoform identified.

Results:

Allocation to niacin–laropiprant reduced mean Lp(a) by 12 (SE, 1) nmol/L overall and 34 (6) nmol/L in the top quintile by baseline Lp(a) level (Lp[a] ≥128 nmol/L). The mean proportional reduction in Lp(a) with niacin–laropiprant was 31% but varied strongly with predominant apolipoprotein(a) isoform size (
P
Trend
=4×10
−29
) and was only 18% in the quintile with the highest baseline Lp(a) level and low isoform size. Estimates from genetic studies suggest that these Lp(a) reductions during the short term of the trial might yield proportional reductions in coronary risk of ≈2% overall and 6% in the top quintile by Lp(a) levels.

Conclusions:

Proportional reductions in Lp(a) were dependent on apolipoprotein(a) isoform size. Taking this into account, the likely benefits of niacin–laropiprant on coronary risk through Lp(a) lowering are small. Novel therapies that reduce high Lp(a) levels by at least 80 nmol/L (≈40%) may be needed to produce worthwhile benefits in people at the highest risk because of Lp(a).

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00461630.
Functionally Conserved Noncoding Regulators of Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Regeneration in Mouse and Human
Authors: Adamowicz Martyna , Morgan Claire C. , Haubner Bernhard J. , Noseda Michela , Collins Melissa J. , Abreu Paiva Marta , Srivastava Prashant K. , Gellert Pascal , Razzaghi Bonnie , O’Gara Peter , Raina Priyanka , Game Laurence , Bottolo Leonardo , Schneider Michael D. , Harding Sian E. , Penninger Josef , Aitman Timothy J.
Published: October 2018

Background:

The adult mammalian heart has little regenerative capacity after myocardial infarction (MI), whereas neonatal mouse heart regenerates without scarring or dysfunction. However, the underlying pathways are poorly defined. We sought to derive insights into the pathways regulating neonatal development of the mouse heart and cardiac regeneration post-MI.

Methods and Results:

Total RNA-seq of mouse heart through the first 10 days of postnatal life (referred to as P3, P5, P10) revealed a previously unobserved transition in microRNA (miRNA) expression between P3 and P5 associated specifically with altered expression of protein-coding genes on the focal adhesion pathway and cessation of cardiomyocyte cell division. We found profound changes in the coding and noncoding transcriptome after neonatal MI, with evidence of essentially complete healing by P10. Over two-thirds of each of the messenger RNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and miRNAs that were differentially expressed in the post-MI heart were differentially expressed during normal postnatal development, suggesting a common regulatory pathway for normal cardiac development and post-MI cardiac regeneration. We selected exemplars of miRNAs implicated in our data set as regulators of cardiomyocyte proliferation. Several of these showed evidence of a functional influence on mouse cardiomyocyte cell division. In addition, a subset of these miRNAs, miR-144-3p, miR-195a-5p, miR-451a, and miR-6240 showed evidence of functional conservation in human cardiomyocytes.

Conclusions:

The sets of messenger RNAs, miRNAs, and long noncoding RNAs that we report here merit further investigation as gatekeepers of cell division in the postnatal heart and as targets for extension of the period of cardiac regeneration beyond the neonatal period.