bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative evaluation of brain iron accumulation in different stages of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Li Kailyn R. , Avecillas‐Chasin Josue , Nguyen Thanh D. , Gillen Kelly M. , Dimov Alexey , Chang Eileen , Skudin Carly , Kopell Brian H. , Wang Yi , Shtilbans Alexander
Published: December 2021

Background and Purpose

Excessive brain iron deposition is involved in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. However, the correlation of iron accumulation in various brain nuclei is not well‐established in different stages of the disease. This cross‐sectional study aims to evaluate quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) as an imaging technique to measure brain iron accumulation in PD patients in different stages compared to healthy controls.

Methods

Ninety‐six PD patients grouped by their Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stages and 31 healthy controls were included in this analysis. The magnetic susceptibility values of the substantia nigra (SN), red nucleus (RN), caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus were obtained and compared.

Results

Iron level was increased in the SN of PD patients in all stages versus controls (p < .001), with no significant difference within stages. Iron in the RN was significantly increased in stage II versus controls (p = .013) and combined stages III and IV versus controls (p < .001). The iron levels in caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus were not different between any groups.

Conclusions

Our data suggest iron accumulation occurs early in the disease course and only in the SN and RN of these patients. This is a large cross‐sectional study of brain iron deposition in PD patients according to H&Y staging. Prospective studies are warranted to further validate QSM as a method to follow brain iron, which could serve as a disease biomarker and a therapeutic target.
Patent policy and economic growth: A survey
Authors: Chu Angus C.
Published: December 2021

This survey provides a selective review of the literature on patent policy, innovation and economic growth. The patent system is a useful policy tool for stimulating innovation given its importance on technological progress and economic growth. However, the patent system is a multidimensional system, which features multiple patent policy instruments. In this survey, we review some of the commonly discussed patent policy instruments, such as patent length, patent breadth and blocking patents, and also use a canonical Schumpeterian growth model to demonstrate their different effects on innovation and the macroeconomy.
Seasonal variation in maternal dietary diversity is reduced by small‐scale irrigation practices: A longitudinal study
Authors: Baye Kaleab , Mekonnen Dawit , Choufani Jowel , Yimam Seid , Bryan Elizabeth , Griffiths Jeffrey K. , Ringler Claudia
Published: December 2021

Some agricultural practices, such as irrigation, have the potential to buffer seasonal dietary gaps and through increased production and consumption improve diets, particularly of the rural poor relying on subsistence farming but also for rural and urban households purchasing irrigated produce on local markets. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of seasonality and irrigation on women's diet in rural Ethiopia. Using a longitudinal study design, three rounds of surveys were conducted among women of reproductive age (15–49 years). Data on socioeconomic status, food consumption and haemoglobin concentration was collected. Energy and nutrient intakes were estimated using an interviewer‐administered multiple‐pass 24‐h recall. Women's dietary diversity score (WDDS), the proportion of women meeting the minimum dietary diversity for women (MDDW), haemoglobin concentration, the prevalence of anaemia and energy and nutrients intakes were compared between irrigators and nonirrigators and by season. Associations between MDDW/WDDS and irrigation status were assessed using fixed‐effect models, after adjusting for covariates. WDDS was low (3–4 out of 10 food groups) and exhibited high seasonal variability (p < 0.05). Diets were predominantly cereal‐based, with little consumption of nutrient‐dense foods like fruits and animal source foods. High seasonal variability in energy, protein, vitamin C, calcium, iron and zinc intakes were observed (p < 0.01). Irrigators were more likely to meet the MDDW than women from non‐irrigating households (p < 0.05). No cases of malaria were reported from the three rounds of screening. There is a high seasonal variation in women's diet, but this could be partly offset by irrigation practices.
Validation of maternal report of nutrition‐related interventions and counselling during antenatal care in southern Nepal
Authors: Bryce Emily , Katz Joanne , Heidkamp Rebecca , Lama Tsering Pema , Khatry Subarna K. , LeClerq Steve , Munos Melinda
Published: December 2021

The delivery of nutrition‐related interventions and counselling during antenatal care is critical for a healthy pregnancy for both mother and child. However, the accuracy of maternal reports of many of these services during household surveys has not yet been examined. Our objectives were to assess the validity of the maternal reports of 10 antenatal nutrition interventions, including counselling, and examine associates between maternal characteristics and accuracy. Maternal report of services received collected during a post‐partum survey was compared to the gold standard, the direct observation of all women's antenatal care visits. Individual‐level validity was assessed by calculating indicator sensitivity, specificity and area under the operating curve (AUC). The inflation factor (IF) measured population‐level bias. For five indicators, the high true coverage limited our ability to assess the validity of the maternal reports. There were no indicators that had both high individual‐level validity (AUC > 0.70) and low population bias (0.75 < IF < 1.25). Indicators with greater true coverage estimates had higher sensitivity and lower specificity estimates compared to those indicators with lower true coverage. There were no maternal characteristics associated with the accuracy of the report. Maternal report of antenatal nutrition‐related interventions and counselling during household surveys was found to have variable validity across indicators. Additional research in settings with varying coverage levels should be considered to best inform antenatal care coverage measurement in household surveys.
Associations of sagittal malocclusions with dental arch characteristics and crowding in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966
Authors: Tervahauta Elisa , Nokela Jonna , Vuollo Ville , Pirttiniemi Pertti , Silvola Anna‐Sofia
Published: December 2021

Objective

To analyse the associations between the widths and forms of dental arches, malocclusions and crowding in middle‐aged adult population.

Materials and Methods

The study material is part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966); the subjects were examined at the age of 46 years. A total of 781 adults with full dentition and no orthodontic treatment history were included. Overjet, overbite, cross‐bite and scissor bite were examined during clinical examination. The widths and forms of dental arches, molar relationships and crowding were measured using three‐dimensional (3D) dental models.

Results

Dental arches were significantly larger in males than in females. Class II (CII) occlusion and increased overjet (≥6 mm) were associated with narrow maxilla (P < .001, P < .05 respectively). Subjects with lateral cross‐bite had significantly narrower maxilla and wider mandible (P < .05) than subjects with normal lateral occlusion. In subjects with CII occlusion, square or tapered maxilla and tapered or ovoid mandible were significantly more frequent compared to subjects with Class I (CI) occlusion (P < .05). CII occlusion was significantly associated with crowding in the maxilla (P < .01).

Conclusion

Narrow and tapered‐shaped maxilla was related to CII occlusion, which was associated with dental crowding in the maxilla. Malocclusions were more likely to be found together with other malocclusions than alone.
Biotic homogenisation in bird communities leads to large‐scale changes in species associations
Authors: Rigal Stanislas , Devictor Vincent , Gaüzère Pierre , Kéfi Sonia , Forsman Jukka T. , Kajanus Mira H. , Mönkkönen Mikko , Dakos Vasilis
Published: December 2021

The impact of global change on biodiversity is commonly assessed in terms of changes in species distributions, community richness and community composition. Whether and how much associations between species are also changing is much less documented. In this study, we quantify changes in large‐scale patterns of species associations in bird communities in relation to changes in species composition. We use network approaches to build three community‐aggregated indices reflecting complementary aspects of species association networks. We characterise the spatio–temporal dynamics of these indices using a large‐scale and high‐resolution dataset of bird co‐abundances of 109 species monitored for 17 years (2001–2017) from 1969 sites across France. We finally test whether spatial and temporal changes in species association networks are related to species homogenisation estimated as the spatio–temporal dynamics of species turnover (β‐diversity) and community generalism (community generalisation index). The consistency of these relationships is tested across three main habitats, namely woodland, grassland and human settlements. We document a directional change in association‐based indices in response to modifications in species turnover and community generalism in space and time. Weaker associations and sparser networks were related to lower spatial species turnover and higher community generalism, suggesting an overlooked aspect of biotic homogenisation affecting species associations and may also have an impact on species interactions. We report that this overall pattern is not constant across habitats, with opposite relationships between biotic homogenisation and change in species association networks in urban versus forest communities suggesting distinct homogenisation processes. Although species associations contain only partial signatures of species interactions, our study highlights that biotic homogenisation translates to finer changes in community structure by affecting the number, strength and type of species associations.
A new genetic linkage map in einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum) detects two major QTLs for heading date in chromosome 2A and 5A, probably corresponding to the photoperiod and vernalization genes
Authors: Sesiz Uğur , Özkan Hakan
Published: December 2021

Einkorn harbours a wide range of genetic diversity for agronomically important traits. Heading date is one of the important traits for the adaptation of wheat species to various climatic conditions and the cultivation in diverse regions and seasons. In this study, DArTseq and SSR marker‐based linkage map of einkorn wheat was constructed using 150 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between ID1623 and MONLIS. The linkage map involved 865 SNP, 787 Silico‐DArT and 16 SSR DNA markers mapped to 741 loci in seven linkage groups and covered 1158.54 cM with an average density of 1.56 cM/locus. Four QTLs associated with heading date, detected in all environments by composite interval mapping (CIM), were positioned across the 2A, 5A and 7A einkorn wheat chromosomes. Two major and stable QTLs, QThd‐2A.2 and QThd 5A.1, were identified on chromosomes 2A and 5A, respectively. These QTLs probably coincide with photoperiod and vernalization genes in accordance with previously published maps. The new map will facilitate quantitative trait locus mapping, map‐based cloning and comparative genomics in wheat species.
Hydrogen sulphide: an emerging regulator of plant defence signalling
Authors: Choudhary A. K. , Singh S. , Khatri N. , Gupta R.
Published: December 2021

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a gaseous signalling molecule in plants, has gained considerable attention in recent years because of its emerging roles in the regulation of plant growth and development and responses to abiotic stressors. Although the involvement of H2S in biotic stress is not well documented in the literature, a growing body of evidence indicates its potential role in plant defence, particularly against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Recent reports have suggested that H2S participates in plant defence signalling potentially by (1) regulating glutathione metabolism, (2) inducing expression of pathogenesis‐related (PR) and other defence‐related genes, (3) modulating enzyme activity through post‐translational modifications, and (4) interacting with phytohormones such as jasmonic acid, ethylene and auxin. In this review, we discuss the biosynthesis, metabolism and interaction of H2S with phytohormones, and highlight evidence gathered so far to support the emerging roles of H2S in plant defence against invading pathogens.
Humoral and cellular immune responses to the SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT162b2 vaccine among a cohort of solid organ transplant recipients and healthy controls
Authors: Yanis Ahmad , Haddadin Zaid , Spieker Andrew J. , Waqfi Danya , Rankin Danielle A. , Talj Rana , Thomas Lora , Birdwell Kelly A. , Ezzell Lauren , Blair Marcia , Eason Joan , Varjabedian Rebekkah , Warren Christian M. , Nochowicz Cynthia H. , Olson Eric C. , Simmons Joshua D. , Yoder Sandra , Guy Madeline , Thomsen Isaac , Chappell James D. , Kalams Spyros A. , Halasa Natasha B.
Published: December 2021

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Despite exclusion from SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine clinical trials, these individuals were identified as high‐risk and prioritized for vaccination in public health guidelines.

Methods

We prospectively evaluated humoral and cellular immune responses to two doses of the SARS‐CoV‐2 mRNA vaccine, BNT162b2, in 56 SOT recipients and 26 healthy controls (HCs). Blood specimens collected from participants prior to each dose and following the second dose were tested for SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibodies, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cell responses.

Results

SOT recipients demonstrated lower mean anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody levels compared to HCs after each dose, and only 21.6% achieved an antibody response after the second dose within the range of HC responses. Similarly, the percentage of responsive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in SOT recipients was lower than in HCs. While most HCs showed notable humoral and cellular responses, responses were less concordant in SOT recipients, with some showing evidence of either humoral or cellular response, but not both.

Conclusion

Humoral and cellular immune responses to the BNT162b2 vaccine are markedly reduced in SOT recipients as compared to HCs, suggesting that SOT recipients may benefit from more tailored regimens such as higher dose and/or additional vaccinations.
Ultrasonic Doppler‐guided catheterization of the dorsal pedal artery in dogs and cats under general anesthesia
Authors: Koid Audrey E. , Lane William G. , Krein Stephanie , Sinnott‐Stutzman Virginia , Bracker Kiko
Published: December 2021

Background and Objective

Noninvasive blood pressure measurements are less accurate than direct measurements but arterial catheterization for direct blood pressure monitoring can be challenging especially in patients with a nonpalpable pulse. The purpose of this study is to describe a novel technique of locating the dorsal pedal arterial pulse using a portable ultrasonic Doppler for arterial catheter placement.

Key Findings

Using the described technique in anesthetized dogs and cats with strong (n = 13) to weak dorsal pedal pulses (n = 6), the overall success rate of arterial puncture was 70% (19/27) with successful catheterization in 53% (10/19) of those. The overall success rate of arterial catheterization was 37% (10/27). The pulse strength did not significantly affect the success rate. Neither were patient weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and premedication significantly different between the 2 groups.

Significance

This study describes a novel technique for locating the dorsal pedal artery for arterial catheterization. Having another technique of pulse detection may increase the likelihood of arterial catheter placement for direct blood pressure monitoring and aid in arterial puncture for obtaining a sample for blood gas analysis in critical patients.
Nanofluid Flow of Alumina–Copper/Water Through Isotropic Porous Arrays of Periodic Square Cylinders: Mixed Convection and Competent Array Shape
Authors: Asif Mohd , Dhiman Amit
Published: December 2021

The flow of hybrid alumina–copper/water nanofluid with mixed convection heat transfer from multiple square cylinders arranged in three different types of arrays, namely equilateral triangle (ET), rotated square (RS), and rotated rhombus (RR) in a heat exchanger, has never been studied before the present study. Navier–Stokes and energy equations with a periodic boundary condition in the transverse direction for all three array types having the same porosity are solved with the finite volume methodology. The combined effect of aiding buoyancy (Richardson number 0–2), the configuration of square cylinders, and hybrid nanoparticle volume fraction (0-0.06) on the flow dynamics and their impact on the overall heat transfer phenomenon through three different array configurations is thoroughly elucidated. The arrays’ overall drag and friction coefficient increases with an increase in the strength of aiding buoyancy and nanoparticle volume fraction. An increment in Richardson number, and nanoparticle volume fraction, causes thermal boundary layer thinning and results in higher heat transfer rates across all three arrays. With an increase in Ri from 0 to 2 at a nanoparticle volume fraction of 0.06, the mean Nusselt number of ET, RS, and RR arrays is increased by 161%, 5%, and 32%, respectively. While, with an increase in nanoparticle volume fraction from 0 to 0.06 at Ri = 2, the mean Nusselt number of ET, RS, and RR arrays is augmented by 17%, 6%, and 9%, respectively. Finally, the efficient array configuration in terms of fluid-thermal behavior is proposed to design various heat-exchange systems under differing operating conditions.
Investigation on Mode Characteristics of Rotating Instability and Rotating Stall in an Axial Compressor
Authors: Yang Zeyuan , Wu Yadong , Ouyang Hua
Published: December 2021

Rotating instability (RI) and rotating stall (RS) are two types of aerodynamic instability in axial compressors. The former features the side-by-side peaks below the blade passing frequency (BPF) in frequency spectra, and the latter represents one or more stall cells rotating in the compressor. This article presents an experiment on the nearfield pressure and farfield acoustic characteristics of RI phenomenon in a low-pressure axial compressor rotor, which endures both RI and RS at several working conditions. To obtain the high-order modes of RI and other aerodynamic instability, a total of 9 or 20 Kulites are circumferentially mounted on the casing wall to measure the nearfield pressure fluctuation using a mode order calibration method. Meantime in the farfield 16 microphones are planted to measure the acoustic mode order using the compressive sensing method. Through calibration, the experiments acquire the mode orders generated by RI and the interaction between RI and BPF, which are higher than the number of transducers. As for RS, the mode decomposition shows a mode order of 1, indicating one single stall cell rotating in the compressor. This experiment also shows that the amplitudes of RI modes are decreased when RS occurs, but both RS modes and RI modes will be enhanced if the flowrate is further reduced. This experiment reveals that RI experiences three stages of “strengthen-weaken-strengthen,” and hence, RI may not be regarded only as “prestall” disturbance.
Yaw-Rate-Tracking-Based Automated Vehicle Path Following: An MRAC Methodology With a Closed-Loop Reference Model
Authors: Zhou Xingyu , Wang Zejiang , Shen Heran , Wang Junmin
Published: December 2021

Concerning automated vehicles, various path-following controllers have been designed by the model reference adaptive control (MRAC) approach. Through appropriate Lyapunov redesigns, asymptotical stability and signal boundedness are ensured for the path-tracking control loops. However, transient behaviors of the closed-loop responses are seldom considered in the context of MRAC synthesis. To bridge the foregoing gap, a closed-loop-reference-model-based MRAC, which yields an improved transient performance compared with a traditional MRAC, is exploited to synthesize a vehicular path-following control law. Besides, an infinitely differentiable projection operator is complemented to the control parameters’ adaptation schemes for estimation speed-up and robustness enhancement. Hardware-in-the-loop experiments are used to evaluate the proposed method and to demonstrate its improvement over some conventional MRAC designs.
Nonlinear Acoustic Technique for Monitoring Porosity in Additively Manufactured Parts
Authors: Park SeHyuk , Alnuaimi Hamad , Hayes Anna , Sitkiewicz Madison , Amjad Umar , Muralidharan Krishna , Kundu Tribikram
Published: December 2021

Ultrasonic wave based techniques are widely used for damage detection and for quantitative and qualitative characterization of materials. In this study, ultrasonic waves are used for probing the response of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel samples as their porosity changes. The additively manufactured stainless steel specimens were fabricated using a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printer. Four different levels of porosity were obtained by suitably controlling the LPBF process parameters. For generating ultrasonic waves, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers were used. The signals were generated and propagated through the specimens in a transmission mode setup. Both linear and nonlinear analyses were used during the signal processing of the recorded signals for damage characterization. Linear ultrasonic parameters such as the time-of-flight (related to wave velocity) and signal amplitude (related to wave attenuation) were recorded. The nonlinear ultrasonic parameter, Sideband Peak Count—Index (SPC-I), was obtained by a newly developed nonlinear analysis technique. The experimental results obtained for the specimens were analyzed and compared for both linear and nonlinear ultrasonic analyses. Finally, the effectiveness of the SPC-I technique in monitoring porosity levels in additively manufactured specimens is discussed.
Preliminary Component Design and Cost Estimation of a Novel Electric-Thermal Energy Storage System Using Solid Particles
Authors: Ma Zhiwen , Wang Xingchao , Davenport Patrick , Gifford Jeffery , Martinek Janna
Published: December 2021

Energy storage will become indispensable to complement the uncertainty of intermittent renewable resources and to firm the electricity supply as renewable power generation becomes the mainstream new-built energy source and fossil fuel power plants are phased out to meet carbon-neutral utility targets. Current energy storage methods based on pumped storage hydropower or batteries have many limitations. Thermal energy storage (TES) has unique advantages in scale and siting flexibility to provide grid-scale storage capacity. A particle-based TES system is projected to have promising cost and performance characteristics to meet the future growing energy storage needs. This paper introduces the system and components required for particle TES to become technically and economically competitive. The system integrates electric particle heaters, particle TES within insulated concrete silos, and an efficient air-Brayton combined-cycle power system to provide power for storage durations up to several days via low-cost, high-performance storage cycles. Design specifications and cost estimation of major components in a commercial-scale system are presented in this paper. A techno-economic analysis based on preliminary component designs and performance indicates that particle TES integrated with an air-Brayton combined-cycle power system has a path to achieve the targeted levelized cost of storage of 5 ¢/kWh-cycle at a round-trip efficiency of 50% when taking low-cost energy-specific components and leveraging basic assets from existing thermal power plants. The cost model provides insights for further development and economic potentials for long-duration energy storage.
Assessment of Wind Field Generation Methods on Predicted Wind Turbine Power Production Using a Free Vortex Filament Wake Approach
Authors: Abedi Hamidreza , Nebenführ Bastian , Davidson Lars
Published: December 2021

The generated power and thrust of a wind turbine strongly depend on the flow field around the turbine. In the present study, three different inflow methods, i.e., a time series (TS) from large eddy simulation (LES) of atmospheric boundary layer flow field, a synthetic turbulent flow field using the Mann model (MM), and a steady-state mean wind profile with shear, are integrated with the free vortex filament wake method to investigate the effect of wind field generation methods on the wind turbine performance where the impact of the turbine and the trailing wake vortices on the turbulent flow fields is ignored. For this purpose, an in-house vortex lattice free wake (VLFW) code is developed and used to predict the aerodynamic loads on rotor blades. The NREL 5-MW reference wind turbine is used for the VLFW simulations. For a fair assessment of different inflow generation methods on power production of a wind turbine, it is not sufficient that the generated wind fields employed in the TS and MM methods have the same streamwise mean velocity and turbulence intensity at hub height. Instead, the generated inflows must have equivalent power-spectral densities especially at low frequencies since the rotor blades essentially respond to the large-scale fluctuations (macroscopic scales) rather than small-scale fluctuations (microscopic scales). A faster energy decay rate of LES inflow leads to a higher energy content in the TS method at low frequencies (associated with the macroscopic dynamics of the rotor blades). This extra kinetic energy results in a slightly higher mean power production while using the TS method although the inflow conditions at hub height/rotor plane are the same for both the TS and MM methods. Moreover, the impact of simulation time (the length of time integration) on the power production of a wind turbine (exposed to an unsteady inflow) must be taken into account. A short simulation time remarkably affects the mean wind speed over the rotor area for identical turbulent inflows. For Taylor’s hypothesis application using a single LES flow field, the results show a significant difference in the mean powers corresponding to the different realizations due to large turbulent fluctuations.
Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Vibro-impact Motions of a Gear Pair Subjected to Torque Fluctuations to Define a Rattle Noise Severity Index
Authors: Donmez Ata , Kahraman Ahmet
Published: December 2021

Vibro-impacts are common in various automotive engine and transmission gear applications. They are known to cause excessive noise levels, often called rattling or hammering. Input and output fluctuations acting on such systems cause tooth separations and sequences of impacts allowed by backlash at the gear mesh interfaces. The fluctuations leading gear rattling have often been studied for specific applications with the excitations produced typically by an internal combustion engine. As such, rattle evaluations have been often empirical and specific to the systems considered. In this study, an experimental test setup of a gear pair is developed to emulate the same torque fluctuations in a laboratory environment. This setup is used to establish an impact velocity-based rattle severity index defined by the measured torsional behavior of the drive train that is shown to correlate well with the measured sound pressure levels. With that, a validated dynamic model of the experimental setup is employed to predict the same index to allow estimation of rattle noise outcome solely from a torsional dynamic model of the drivetrain. Predicted rattle severity indexes are shown to agree well with the measured ones within wide ranges of torque fluctuations and backlash magnitudes, allowing an assessment of rattle performance of a drivetrain solely from a torsional model.
Acoustic radiation from a cylindrical shell with a voided soft elastic coating
Authors: Sharma Gyani Shankar , Marsick Adrien , Maxit Laurent , Skvortsov Alex , MacGillivray Ian , Kessissoglou Nicole
Published: December 2021

An analytical framework for sound radiation from a fluid-loaded cylindrical shell covered with an acoustic coating is presented. The coating is composed of a soft elastic material embedded with a circumferential layer of equispaced voids. The layer of voids is modeled as an effective fluid medium sandwiched between two layers of the host material. Expressions for the effective impedance of the coating, radial displacement of the elastic shell, and the structure-borne radiated pressure for harmonic excitation of the shell are derived. Results show that the coating design can be tuned to reduce the radiated sound in a broad frequency range.
Aberrant Ca
2+
signaling by IP
3
Rs in adipocytes links inflammation to metabolic dysregulation in obesity
Authors: Guney Ekin , Arruda Ana Paula , Parlakgul Günes , Cagampan Erika , Min Nina , Lee Grace Yankun , Greene Lily , Tsaousidou Eva , Inouye Karen , Han Myoung Sook , Davis Roger J. , Hotamisligil Gökhan S.
Published: December 2021

Inhibiting IP
3
Rs in adipocytes may prevent the development of obesity-induced metabolic complications.
Uveal melanoma–associated mutations in PLCβ4 are constitutively activating and promote melanocyte proliferation and tumorigenesis
Authors: Phan Hoa T. N. , Kim Nam Hoon , Wei Wenhui , Tall Gregory G. , Smrcka Alan V.
Published: December 2021

Mutant forms of a phospholipase C isoform mediate oncogenic signaling in uveal melanoma.
Redirected Stress Responses in a Genome-Minimized ‘midi
Bacillus
’ Strain with Enhanced Capacity for Protein Secretion
Authors: Aguilar Suárez Rocío , Antelo-Varela Minia , Maaß Sandra , Neef Jolanda , Becher Dörte , van Dijl Jan Maarten
Published: December 2021

Our present study showcases a genome-minimized nonpathogenic bacterium, the so-called midi
Bacillus
, as a chassis for the development of future industrial strains that serve in the production of high-value difficult-to-produce proteins. In particular, we explain how midi
Bacillus
, which lacks about one-third of the original genome, effectively secretes a protein of the major human pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus
that cannot be produced by the parental
Bacillus subtilis
strain.
Comparative Analysis of Lithium First Wall Concepts for Tokamak with Reactor Technologies
Authors: Vertkov A. V. , Zharkov M. Yu. , Lyublinskii I. E. , Safronov V. A.
Published: December 2021

When developing the stationary fusion reactor, an unresolved issue is the design of its intra-chamber plasma-facing elements. It has now become obvious that among the materials conventionally used for intra-chamber elements, there are no solid structural materials that would meet the requirements for the long-term operation under the effect of the flux of fusion neutrons (14 MeV) with a density of ~1014 cm–2 s–1 and the heat flux with a power density of 10–20 MW/m2. An alternative solution to this problem is the use of liquid metals as a plasma-facing materials, and, first of all, the use of lithium, which has a low atomic number (low charge number Z). Other easily-melting metals are also considered, which have higher Z number, but lower saturation vapor pressure than lithium. This will make it possible to create the long-lived, heavy-to-damage and self-renewing surface of the intra-chamber elements, which will not contaminate the plasma. The main ideas of the alternative concept of the intra-chamber elements can be formulated based on the comprehensive analysis of the problems and requirements arising during the development of intra-chamber elements of the stationary reactor, for example, the DEMO-type reactor. The article presents the analysis of the possible design of the lithium-coated intra-chamber elements and discusses the main ideas of the lithium first wall concept for the tokamak with reactor technologies.
‘I’m too busy to teach’. Tips for teaching when time is tight
Authors: McLaughlin Diarmuid , Mulholland Melissa , McKenna Dearbhla , Mallett Peter , Lewis Julie
Published: December 2021

Prioritising teaching when clinical practice is hectic can be difficult. Often teaching is seen to be confined to formal structured events. This article aims to highlight the abundance of learning opportunities that arise outside of such formal teaching events in daily clinical practice. It first discusses the qualities and skills of a time-efficient, yet effective, teacher. Practical suggestions are then provided in order to maximise learning from important opportunities that occur daily from handovers, ward rounds, clinics to tea-trolley teaching aiming to give encouragement to all that valuable teaching is possible even when time is limited.
Innocuous presentation of ameloblastic carcinoma
Authors: Panda Swagatika , Das Rupsa , Mohapatra Diksha , Mohanty Neeta
Published: December 2021

Ameloblastic carcinoma is a rare malignant odontogenic neoplasm that exhibits diverse clinical and radiological presentations. In fact there are several differential diagnoses during histopathological evaluation too. Lack of adequate reports could not establish the predominant demographic, clinical and radiological presentations. For the same reasons, the role of adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy is also unsubstantiated yet. This case discusses the innocuous clinical and radiological presentation of ameloblastic carcinoma in a 55-year-old man where the diagnostic confirmation was achieved through histopathological evaluation. The differential diagnoses, treatment and follow-up details of this case are discussed in light of the previous published case reports and systematic reviews of case reports in an attempt to increase the sensitisation among dentists towards ameloblastic carcinoma.
Does undernutrition increase the risk of lost to follow-up in adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa? Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Alebel Animut , Demant Daniel , Petrucka Pammla , Sibbritt David
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Undernutrition is considered a marker for poor prognosis among people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where undernutrition and HIV are both highly prevalent. Evidence suggests that undernutrition (body mass index <18.5 kg/m2) is one of the main factors that significantly increases the risk of lost to follow-up (LTFU) in PLHIV. However, primary studies in SSA have reported inconsistent findings on the relationship between undernutrition and LTFU among adults living with HIV. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic review which aimed to summarise the available evidence. Hence, this review aims to determine the pooled effect of undernutrition on LTFU among adults living with HIV in SSA.

Methods and analysis

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and, for grey literature, Google Scholar will be systematically searched to include relevant articles published since 2005. Studies reporting the effect of undernutrition on LTFU in adults living with HIV in SSA will be included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale will be used for quality assessment. Data from eligible studies will be extracted using a standardised data extraction tool. Heterogeneity between included studies will be assessed using Cochrane Q-test and I2statistics. The Egger’s and Begg’s tests at a 5% significance level will be used to evaluate publication bias. As heterogeneity is anticipated, the pooled effect size will be estimated using a random-effects model. The final effect size will be reported using the adjusted HR with a 95% CI.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for a protocol for a systematic review. The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be publicly available.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021277741.
Quality assessment of clinical practice guidelines for perioperative care and use of GRADE: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Kantorová Lucia , Kantor Jiří , Búřil Jiří , Búřilová Petra , Slezáková Simona , Nečas Tomáš , Klugar Miloslav
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Perioperative care is a broad field covering an array of elective and emergency procedures. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for perioperative care exist with various degrees of methodological quality. We intend to critically appraise them using AGREE II instrument and investigate the use of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE).

Methods and analysis

We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), Epistemonikos, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and PROSPERO and did not identify any similar systematic review in this area. We will search databases, repositories and websites of guideline developers and medical societies, including MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), DynaMed, the GIN international guideline library and registry of guidelines in development, BIGG international database of GRADE guidelines, ECRI Guideline Trust or National Institute for Clinical Evidence to identify all CPGs for perioperative care in an adult population in a general clinical setting. We will include CPGs, expert guidance, position papers, guidance documents and consensus statements published in the last 5 years by experts or international organisations that provide guidance or recommendations in the available full text with no geographical or language limitation. Excluded will be those containing only good practice statements. Two independent reviewers will perform critical appraisal using the AGREE II tool. The data presented in a narrative and tabular form will include the results of the critical appraisal for all identified CPGs for all AGREE II domains and an assessment of the use of the GRADE approach.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required. We will disseminate the findings through professional networks and conference presentations and will publish the results.
Impact of a health campaign on Chinese public awareness of stroke: evidence from internet search data
Authors: Cao Man , Guan Tianjia , Han Xueyan , Shen Bingjie , Chao Baohua , Liu Yuanli
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Health campaigns have the potential to improve public awareness, but their impact can be difficult to assess. Internet search data provide information concerning online health information-seeking behaviour in the population and may serve as a proxy for public awareness to evaluate health campaigns. This study aimed to measure the impact of World Stroke Day (WSD) in China using Baidu search data.

Methods

Daily search index values (SIV) for the term ‘stroke’ were collected from January 2011 to December 2019 using the Baidu Index platform. We examined the mean difference in SIV between the 4 weeks surrounding WSD (period of interest) and the rest of the year (control period) for each year by t-test analysis. The mean difference between the period of interest and the control period was also calculated. The joinpoint regression model was used to analyse the trends of internet search activity 30 days before and after WSD for each year (2011–2019). Finally, the top and rising queries related to stroke during the week of the campaign in 2020 were summarised.

Results

A significant mean increase in SIV of 418.5 (95% CI: 298.8 to 538.2) for the period of interest surrounding WSD was observed, 36.2% greater than the SIV during the control period (2011–2019). Short-term joinpoint analysis showed a significant increase in SIV 3 days before WSD, a peak on WSD and a decrease to the precampaign level 3 days after WSD. The rising related queries suggested that the public had increasing concerns about stroke warning signs, stroke prevention and stroke recovery during the campaign.

Conclusions

The WSD campaign increased internet search activity. These research techniques can be applied to evaluation of other health campaigns. Advancing understanding of public demand will enable tailoring of the campaign and strengthen health management.
Development and testing of the Stakeholder Quality Improvement Perspectives Survey (SQuIPS)
Authors: Fris Eric , Sedlock Emily , Etchegaray Jason , Ottosen Madelene J , Pucio Ronald , Mistry Tejal , Saunders Tamara , Tomoaia-Cotisel Andrada , Thomas Eric J
Published: December 2021

Background

To create a theory-informed survey that quality improvement (QI) teams can use to understand stakeholder perceptions of an intervention.

Method

We created the survey then performed a cross-sectional survey of QI stakeholders of three QI projects. The projects sought to: (1) reduce unplanned extubations in a neonatal intensive care unit; (2) maintain normothermia during colorectal surgery and (3) reduce specimen processing errors for ambulatory gastroenterology procedures. We report frequencies of responses to survey items, results of exploratory factor analysis, and how QI team leaders used the results.

Results

Overall we received surveys from 319 out of 386 eligible stakeholders (83% response rate, range for the three QI projects 57%–86%). The QI teams found that the survey results confirmed existing concerns (eg, the intervention would not make work easier) and revealed unforeseen concerns such as lack of consensus about the overall purpose of the intervention and its importance. The results of our factor analysis indicate that one 7-item scale (Cronbach’s alpha 0.9) can efficiently measure important aspects of stakeholder perceptions, and that two additional Likert-type items could add valuable information for leaders. Two QI team leaders made changes to their project based on survey responses that indicated the intervention made stakeholders’ jobs harder, and that there was no consensus about the purpose of the intervention.

Conclusions

The Stakeholder Quality Improvement Perspectives Survey was feasible for QI teams to use, and identified stakeholder perspectives about QI interventions that leaders used to alter their QI interventions to potentially increase the likelihood of stakeholder acceptance of the intervention.
Retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 among children in Fulton County, Georgia, March 2020–June 2021
Authors: Barrera Chloe M , Hazell Mallory , Chamberlain Allison T , Gandhi Neel R , Onwubiko Udodirim , Liu Carol Y , Prieto Juliana , Khan Fazle , Shah Sarita
Published: December 2021

Objective

To describe case rates, testing rates and percent positivity of COVID-19 among children aged 0–18 years by school-age grouping.

Design

We abstracted data from Georgia’s State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System on all 10 437 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among children aged 0–18 years during 30 March 2020 to 6 June 2021. We examined case rates, testing rates and percent positivity by school-aged groupings, namely: preschool (0–4 years), elementary school (5–10 years), middle school (11–13 years), and high school (14–18 years) and compared these data among school-aged children with those in the adult population (19 years and older).

Setting

Fulton County, Georgia.

Main outcome measures

COVID-19 case rates, testing rates and percent positivity.

Results

Over time, the proportion of paediatric cases rose substantially from 1.1% (April 2020) to 21.6% (April 2021) of all cases in the county. Age-specific case rates and test rates were consistently highest among high-school aged children. Test positivity was similar across school-age groups, with periods of higher positivity among high-school aged children.

Conclusions

Low COVID-19 testing rates among children, especially early in the pandemic, likely underestimated the true burden of disease in this age group. Despite children having lower measured incidence of COVID-19, we found when broader community incidence increased, incidence also increased among all paediatric age groups. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it remains critical to continue learning about the incidence and transmissibility of COVID-19 in children.
Health-related marketing messages on product labels of commercial infant and toddler food packaging in Australia: a cross-sectional audit
Authors: Simmonds Lucy , Brownbill Aimee L , Zee Anthea , Netting Merryn J
Published: December 2021

Background

Proper nutrition in early childhood is essential to ensure optimal growth and development. Use of ‘better-for-you’ features on food packaging position products as healthier for children. This study aims to systematically explore the use of better-for-you labelling on infant and toddler food packaging.

Methods

A cross-sectional audit of health and nutrition claims, text and images used as ‘better-for-you’ features present on infant and toddler food packaging. Data on infant and toddler food packaging were collected from five large grocery stores in Adelaide, Australia in 2019. The content of 282 unique commercial products (n=215 infant foods, n=67 toddler foods) were analysed for explicit and implicit features positioning them as better-for-you, including health and nutrition claims as well as text and images representing ‘natural.’

Results

At least one feature of better-for-you positioning was identified on all food packaging coded. All products had characteristics coded as ‘natural’. Almost one-fifth (17%) of the products included statements in addition to mandatory allergen labelling that their products were ‘free from’ certain allergens, or gluten. One-third of the labels had statements related to enhancing development of taste, oro-motor skills and other aspects of childhood development. Of the fruit and vegetable-based infant foods displaying a sugar statement suggesting a low sugar content, 85% were sweetened with fruit puree.

Conclusions

The use of better-for-you features on infant and toddler food packaging is common and pervasive. Allergen-free and developmental claims are being used to position infant and toddler foods as better-for-you. Regulation of toddler food products separately from adult food is required, as is tighter regulation of the appropriate use of sugar and fruit puree statements on infant and toddler food packaging.