bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wireless Sensor Network Applications in Healthcare and Precision Agriculture
Authors: Malik Naila Nawaz , Alosaimi Wael , Uddin M. Irfan , Alouffi Bader , Alyami Hashem
Published: November 2020

A wireless sensor network is a large sensor hub with a confined power supply that performs limited calculations. Due to the degree of restricted correspondence and the large size of the sensor hub, packets sent through the sensor network are based primarily on multihop data transmission. Current wireless sensor networks are widely used in a range of applications, such as precision agriculture, healthcare, and smart cities. The network covers a wide domain and addresses multiple aspects in agriculture, such as soil moisture, temperature, and humidity. Therefore, issues of precision agriculture at the output of the network are analyzed using a star and mesh topology with TCP as the transmission protocol. The system is equipped with two sensors: Arduino DFRobot for soil moisture and DHT11 for relative temperature and humidity. The experiments are performed using the NS2 simulator, which provides an improved interface to analyze the results. The results showed that the proposed mechanism has good performance and output.
Lessons from the Case History of a Massive Landslide Dam
Authors: Niazi Fawad S. , Pinan-Llamas Aranzazu , Akhtar Kamran
Published: November 2020

A massive landslide created a natural dam on two tributaries of Jhelum River near the town of Hattian Bala in Kashmir in October 2005. The landslide was triggered by a 7.6 Mw earthquake. The resulting unconsolidated dam and water impoundment upstream carried hazard potential of downstream damage to both infrastructure and population due to potential flooding caused by its breach. Comprehensive investigations and monitoring were implemented to analyse dam stability. Fresh topographic profiles were generated. Samples of the matrix materials were utilized in the laboratory investigations including grain-size analysis, laboratory electrical resistivity and permeability tests at varying densities and degrees of saturation, and sediment concentration assessment in the seepage discharge. A noninvasive geophysical method was employed together with new topographic information to develop transient subsurface pictures and to assess the advancement of seepage fronts within the dam body. Internal erosion/filtering potential of the matrix material was assessed by comparing grain size distributions with those of the earlier failed dams. Upstream inflows, downstream discharges, daily precipitation, and lake levels monitored during the study period were utilized in hydrological data analysis in an attempt to assess the potential seepage volume. A combination of empirical, analytical, and numerical methods and simulations, together with laboratory and field investigations, led to the interpretations regarding short- and long-term stability of the dam. This paper highlights alternative methods of investigation employed differently from those used by other national and international agencies in analysing the failure potential of this natural dam. It offers lessons learned from a case history that can be beneficial in future evaluation of seepage-induced failure of similar natural features.
Mixed-Level Neural Machine Translation
Authors: Nguyen Thien , Nguyen Huu , Tran Phuoc
Published: November 2020

Building the first Russian-Vietnamese neural machine translation system, we faced the problem of choosing a translation unit system on which source and target embeddings are based. Available homogeneous translation unit systems with the same translation unit on the source and target sides do not perfectly suit the investigated language pair. To solve the problem, in this paper, we propose a novel heterogeneous translation unit system, considering linguistic characteristics of the synthetic Russian language and the analytic Vietnamese language. Specifically, we decrease the embedding level on the source side by splitting token into subtokens and increase the embedding level on the target side by merging neighboring tokens into supertoken. The experiment results show that the proposed heterogeneous system improves over the existing best homogeneous Russian-Vietnamese translation system by 1.17 BLEU. Our approach could be applied to building translation bots for language pairs with different linguistic characteristics.
Expression and Prognostic Analysis of Integrins in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wang Jun-Fu , Wang Ye , Zhang Si-Wen , Chen Ye-Yang , Qiu Yue , Duan Shao-Yi , Li Bo-Pei , Chen Jun-Qiang
Published: November 2020

Background. Integrins are involved in the biological process of a variety of cancers, but their importance in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring the significance of ITG gene expression in GC to evaluate its diagnosis and prognosis. Methods. GEPIA data were used to evaluate the mRNA expression of ITG genes in GC patients. The prognostic value of these genes was assessed by analyzing their mRNA expression using the Kaplan–Meier curve. The biological function of ITG genes was evaluated by GC tissue sequencing combined with GSEA bioinformatics. Based on the sequencing data, ITGA5 with the largest expression difference was selected for verification, and RT-PCR was used to verify its mRNA expression level in 40 pairs of GC and normal tissues. Results. ITG (A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A11, AE, AL, AM, AV, AX, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, and B8) was highly expressed in GC tissues, while ITGA8 was low, compared with their expression in normal tissues. RNA-seq data shows that ITG (A2, A5, A11, AV, and B1) expression was associated with poor prognosis and overall survival. In addition, combined with the results of GC tissue mRNA sequencing, it was further found that the differentially expressed genes in the ITGs genes. ITGA5 was highly expressed in GC tissues compared with its expression in normal tissues, as evaluated by qRT–PCR (

P
<
0.001

) and ROC (

P
<
0.001

, AUC (95% CI) = 0.747 (0.641–0.851)), and confirmed that ITGA5 expression was a potential diagnostic marker for GC. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the signaling pathway involved in ITGA5 was mainly enriched in focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and PI3K-AKT and was mainly involved in biological processes such as cell adhesion, extracellular matrix, and cell migration. Conclusion. This study suggested that ITGs were associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of GC and discovered the prognostic value and biological role of ITGA5 in GC. Thus, ITGA5 might be used as a potential diagnostic marker for GC.
A Fully Secure KP-ABE Scheme on Prime-Order Bilinear Groups through Selective Techniques
Authors: Obiri Isaac Amankona , Xia Qi , Xia Hu , Obour Agyekum Kwame Opuni-Boachie , Asamoah Kwame Omono , Sifah Emmanuel Boateng , Zhang Xiaosong , Gao Jianbin
Published: November 2020

Key-policy attribute-based encryption (KP-ABE) is the cryptographic primitive which enables fine grained access control while still providing end-to-end encryption. Although traditional encryption schemes can provide end-to-end encryption, users have to either share the same decryption keys or the data have to be stored in multiple instances which are encrypted with different keys. Both of these options are undesirable. However, KP-ABE can provide less key overhead compared to the traditional encryption schemes. While there are a lot of KP-ABE schemes, none of them simultaneously supports multiuse of attributes, adaptive security, monotone span programs, and static security assumption. Hence, we propose a fully secure KP-ABE scheme for monotone span programs in prime-order group. This scheme uses selective security proof techniques to obtain the requisite ingredients for full security proof. This strengthens the correlation between selective and full security models and enables the transition of the best qualities in selective security models to fully secure systems. The security proof is based on decisional linear assumption and three-party Diffie–Hellman assumption.
Settlement Behavior of Soft Subgrade Reinforced by Geogrid‐Encased Stone Column and Geocell‐Embedded Sand Cushion: A Numerical Analysis
Authors: Gao Jia-Jun , Xu Hui , Qian Jian-Wen , Gong Yi-Fan , Zhan Liang-Tong , Chen Ping
Published: November 2020

The geosynthetic‐encased vertical column and geosynthetic‐embedded horizontal cushion are recognized as the effective methods to reduce the settlement of the soft subgrade. This paper investigated the settlement behavior of a soft subgrade reinforced by geogrid‐encased stone column and geocell‐embedded sand cushion using the finite element analysis method (Plaxis 2D). The simulating settlement was in good agreement with the field monitoring data, indicating the reasonability of the designed model and adopted parameters. After that, the factors, geocell layer in sand cushion, encasement length around stone column, and standing time between embankment filling stages, were employed to study their influences on the subgrade settlement. The results showed that the embedment of geocell reduced construction settlement, postconstruction settlement, and differential settlement is attributed to the increase in stiffness of sand cushion and therefore the uniform distribution of additional stress on subgrade surface. When the encasement length of stone column increased from 1D (one time the column diameter) to 8D (full encasement), the settlement in construction stage and postconstruction stage decreased by 32.2% and 35.1%, respectively, which is benefited from the increase in the compression modulus of the column. The maximum lateral deformation occurred at the position of about 2D from the top of the stone column, and it decreased more significantly when the encasement length increased from 1D to 4D than that from 4D to 8D. The encasement length up to 4D is found to be adequate in reducing the subgrade settlement and the column lateral deformation based on the consideration of performance and economy. The extension of the filling interval increased the construction settlement caused by soil consolidation, while it decreased the postconstruction settlement.
Quantification of DNA through the NanoDrop Spectrophotometer: Methodological Validation Using Standard Reference Material and Sprague Dawley Rat and Human DNA
Authors: García-Alegría Alejandro Monserrat , Anduro-Corona Iván , Pérez-Martínez Cinthia Jhovanna , Guadalupe Corella-Madueño María Alba , Rascón-Durán María Lucila , Astiazaran-Garcia Humberto
Published: November 2020

This study aimed to validate an analytical method to determine DNA concentration using standard reference material (NIST SRM 2372) and Sprague Dawley rat and human DNA. Microvolumes were used to analyse DNA samples. Linearity showed correlation coefficients higher than R ≥ 0.9950, and the precision value was ≤2% CV. Trueness based on bias and the percentage of recovery showed bias values lower than Z-test with a 95% confidence level and a recovery percentage within the range (% Rec = 100% ± 5%), and the stability of the samples was 60 days (2–4°C).
Risk Prediction for Ship Encounter Situation Awareness Using Long Short-Term Memory Based Deep Learning on Intership Behaviors
Authors: Ma Jie , Li Wenkai , Jia Chengfeng , Zhang Chunwei , Zhang Yu
Published: November 2020

Encounter risk prediction is critical for safe ship navigation, especially in congested waters, where ships sail very near to each other during various encounter situations. Prior studies on the risk of ship collisions were unable to address the uncertainty of the encounter process when ignoring the complex motions constituting the dynamic ship encounter behavior, which may seriously affect the risk prediction performance. To fill this gap, a novel AIS data-driven approach is proposed for ship encounter risk prediction by modeling intership behavior patterns. In particular, multidimensional features of intership behaviors are extracted from the AIS trace data to capture spatial dependencies between encountering ships. Then, the challenging task of risk prediction is to discover the complex and uncertain relationship between intership behaviors and future collision risk. To address this issue, we propose a deep learning framework. To represent the temporal dynamics of the encounter process, we use the sliding window technique to generate the sequences of behavioral features. The collision risk level at a future time is taken as the class label of the sequence. Then, the long short-term memory network, which has a strong ability to model temporal dependency and complex patterns, is extended to establish the relationship. The benefit of our approach is that it transforms the complex problem for risk prediction into a time series classification task, which makes collision risk prediction reliable and easier to implement. Experiments were conducted on a set of naturalistic data from various encounter scenarios in the South Channel of the Yangtze River Estuary. The results show that the proposed data-driven approach can predict future collision risk with high accuracy and efficiency. The approach is expected to be applied for the early prediction of encountering ships and as decision support to improve navigation safety.
Major Bleeding Events Are Stronger Predictors of Long-Term Mortality Than Coronary Events in Secondary Prevention Therapy for Ischaemic Heart Disease
Authors: Kageyama Shigetaka , Murata Koichiro , Nawada Ryuzo , Onodera Tomoya , Maekawa Yuichiro
Published: November 2020

Background. Secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is an important aspect of healthcare. To improve the prognosis of and control risk factors for IHD patients, we created a unique referral system called the Shizuoka IHD patient registry. Methods. From 2009 to 2013, we enrolled 1240 patients; they participated in follow-up until 2018. The risk factor target values were as follows: low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, <100 mg/dl; glycated haemoglobin of diabetes patients, <7%; systolic blood pressure, <130 mmHg; and diastolic blood pressure, <80 mmHg (mean follow-up interval, 2001 ± 794 days). The cumulative incidence rates were 10.8% for all-cause death (cardiac death, 1.5%), 15.7% for coronary events, and 2.6% for major bleeding. Patients were separated into the major bleeding group (n = 32), coronary event group (n = 195), and event-free group (n = 1013) without overlapping. Results. We observed significant differences in age, rate antithrombotic drug use, and mortality. A Kaplan–Meier analysis of all-cause death showed significant differences between the event-free and major bleeding groups (

P
=
0.002

) and between the coronary event and major bleeding groups (

P
=
0.026

); there was no significant difference between the event-free and coronary event groups. Conclusion. Major bleeding events were stronger predictors of long-term mortality than coronary events during the long-term follow-up of stable IHD.
WORLD CANCER RESEARCH DAY: A Call to Action for a Coordinated International Research Effort to Prevent, Diagnose, and Treat Cancer
Authors: Puyol Marta , Seoane Joan , Aguilar Esther , Vozza Lisa B. , Orbe Isabel , Crawford Katherine H. , Fernández Ana , Bray Freddie , Johnson Sonali E. , Gopal Satish
Published: November 2020

Cancer is a major public health problem and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The burden of cancer continues to grow and is projected to double by 2040. This situation calls for coordinated action and emphasizes the need to join efforts on worldwide initiatives, including World Cancer Research Day (WCRD), which aims to create and consolidate a yearly momentum to raise awareness and commitment for research on cancer. Cancer research is a key driver of advances in prevention and therapeutic strategies that will benefit tomorrow's cancer patients. In 2016, 10 international organizations partnered to launch the WCRD initiative. Five years later, a total of 89 organizations and more than half a million people have joined this global movement that helps raise awareness of the importance of cancer research, demonstrating that a collaborative research culture is essential to address current challenges and create opportunities to accelerate impactful cancer research for a better future.
FDA Oncology Center of Excellence Project Renewal: Engaging the Oncology Community to Update Product Labeling for Older Oncology Drugs
Authors: Kluetz Paul G. , Keegan Patricia , Demetri George D. , Thornton Katherine , Sul Joohee , Kim Janice , Katzen Harvey , Burke Laurie Beth , Harvey R. Donald , Alebachew Elleni , Agrawal Sundeep , Nair Abhilasha , Donoghue Martha , Pierce William F. , Shord Stacy S. , Gao Jennifer J. , Pazdur Richard
Published: November 2020

The FDA conducts independent reviews of scientific data obtained with investigational drug products to ensure that they are safe and effective. As a result of this process, FDA-approved product labeling is generated that is considered one of the most trusted sources of information for use of an approved drug. But FDA approval is only the beginning of the life cycle of a new drug; the first oncology drugs now have more than 7 decades of clinical experience in the postmarketing setting. Due, in part, to lack of incentives, some companies may not seek inclusion of new data, other than new safety information, in FDA-approved product labeling. Ensuring that product labeling provides adequate directions for use is important for all drugs, including older therapies that may form the backbone of many standard combination regimens for pediatric and adult cancers. Project Renewal is an FDA Oncology Center of Excellence pilot program that leverages expertise from the clinical and scientific oncology communities to review published literature and generate a drug-specific product report summarizing data that may support updates to FDA-approved product labeling. This article provides a broad overview of Project Renewal's collaborative pilot process for identifying and assessing literature supporting potential labeling updates, while engaging the oncology community to increase awareness of FDA's evidentiary standards and deliberative processes used when considering the addition of new indications and dosing regimens to product labeling.
Oncologic Outcomes of Salvage Chemotherapy in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Lesions after Radical Nephroureterectomy: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Study
Authors: Ikeda Masaomi , Matsumoto Kazumasa , Hirayama Takahiro , Koguchi Dai , Murakami Yasukiyo , Matsuda Daisuke , Okuno Norihiko , Utsunomiya Takuji , Taoka Yoshinori , Irie Akira , Iwamura Masatsugu
Published: November 2020

Background: Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is the standard treatment for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). However, approximately 25% of patients experience recurrence or metastasis after RNU. This study evaluated the clinical outcome and efficacy of salvage chemotherapy (SC) after recurrence or metastasis. Patients and Methods: Of the 441 nonmetastatic UTUC patients who underwent RNU, 147 patients with recurrent or metastatic lesions were analyzed; patients with bladder cancer recurrence were excluded. Time from disease recurrence or metastasis to cancer-specific survival (CSS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analyses were performed with the Cox proportional hazards regression model, controlling for the effects of clinicopathological factors. Results: The median time from RNU to disease recurrence or metastasis was 13.2 months. In the recurrent or metastatic sites, 31 cases (21%) were liver. In multivariate analyses, pT stage (≥pT3), time to recurrence (<12 months), and liver metastasis were independently predictive factors. In the risk stratification model for CSS after recurrence, patients were categorized into 2 groups based on pT stage, time to recurrence, and liver metastasis. The low-risk group (0–1 risk factors) included 87 patients, and the high-risk group (2–3 risk factors) included 60 patients. In the high-risk group, 27 patients received SC. The probability of CSS after recurrence or metastasis was higher in patients in the SC group compared to the non-SC group (9.5 vs. 3.7 months; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Two or more risk factors defined the high-risk group for patients with recurrence or metastasis after RNU. SC was associated with improved survival in patients with high-risk UTUC.
Pulseless Electrical Activity: Detection of Underlying Causes in a Prehospital Setting
Authors: Van den Bempt Senne , Wauters Lina , Dewolf Philippe
Published: November 2020

The proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) as initial rhythm is increasing. PEA should be managed by identifying the underlying cause of the arrest and treating it accordingly. This often poses a challenge in the chaotic prehospital environment with only limited resources available. The aim of this study was to review the diagnostic tools available in a prehospital setting, and their interpretation during cardiac arrest (CA) with PEA as initial rhythm. A systematic literature search of the PubMed database was performed. Articles were assessed for eligibility by title, abstract, and full text. Ultrasonography has become a great asset in detecting underlying causes, and a variety of protocols have been proposed. There are currently no studies comparing these protocols regarding their feasibility and their effect on patient survival. Further research concerning the relationship between electrocardiogram characteristics and underlying causes is required. Limited evidence suggests a role for point-of-care testing in detecting hyperkalemia and a role for capnography in the diagnosis of asphyxia CA. Multiple studies describe a prognostic potential. Although evidence about the prognostic potential of cerebral oximetry in OHCA is accumulating, its diagnostic potential is still unknown. In the management of OHCA, anamnestic and clinical information remains the initial source of information in search for an underlying cause. Ultrasonographic evaluation should be performed subsequently, both for detecting an underlying cause and discriminating between true PEA and pseudo PEA. Comparative studies are required to identify the best ultrasonographic protocol, which can be included in resuscitation guidelines.
Antithrombotic Therapy for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Mitigation in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Capodanno Davide , Angiolillo Dominick J.
Published: November 2020

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are characterized by enhanced thrombotic risk attributed to multiple mechanisms including hyperreactive platelets, hypercoagulable status, and endothelial dysfunction. As such, they are more prone to atherosclerotic cardiovascular events than patients without DM, both before and after coronary artery disease (CAD) is established. In patients with DM without established CAD, primary prevention with aspirin is not routinely advocated because of its increased risk of major bleeding that largely offsets its ischemic benefit. In patients with DM with established CAD, secondary prevention with antiplatelet drugs is an asset of pharmacological strategies aimed at reducing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events and their adverse prognostic consequences. Such antithrombotic strategies include single antiplatelet therapy (eg, with aspirin or a P2Y
12
inhibitor), dual antiplatelet therapy (eg, aspirin combined with a P2Y
12
inhibitor), and dual-pathway inhibition (eg, aspirin combined with the vascular dose of the direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban) for patients with chronic ischemic heart disease, acute coronary syndromes, and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Because of their increased risk of thrombotic complications, patients with DM commonly achieve enhanced absolute benefit from more potent antithrombotic approaches compared with those without DM, which most often occurs at the expense of increased bleeding. Nevertheless, studies have shown that when excluding individuals at high risk for bleeding, the net clinical benefit favors the use of intensified long-term antithrombotic therapy in patients with DM and CAD. Several studies are ongoing to establish the role of novel antithrombotic strategies and drug formulations in maximizing the net benefit of antithrombotic therapy for patients with DM. The scope of this review article is to provide an overview of current and evolving antithrombotic strategies for primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in patients with CAD and DM.
Is There a Sex Gap in Surviving an Acute Coronary Syndrome or Subsequent Development of Heart Failure?
Authors: Ezekowitz Justin A. , Savu Anamaria , Welsh Robert C. , McAlister Finlay A. , Goodman Shaun G. , Kaul Padma
Published: November 2020

Background:

We hypothesized that disparities between sexes in the management of myocardial infarction (MI) may have changed over time, and thus altered the prognoses after MI, especially the risk for the development of heart failure.

Methods:

Using a large population-based cohort of patients with MI between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2016, we examined the incidence, angiographic findings, treatment (including revascularization), and clinical outcomes of patients with a first-time MI. To elucidate the differences between sexes, a series of multivariable models were created to explore all MI and non–ST-segment–elevation MI (NSTEMI) versus ST-segment–elevation MI (STEMI) over time.

Results:

Between 2002 and 2016, 45 064 patients (13 878 [30.8%] women) were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of first-time MI (54.9% NSTEMI and 45.1% STEMI). Women were older (median age, 72 versus 61 years), had more comorbidities, and had lower rates of diagnostic angiography than did men (women, 74%, versus men, 87%). When angiography was performed, women had a lower proportion of left main, 2-vessel disease with proximal left anterior descending or 3-vessel disease compared with men (33.4% versus 40.9%,
P
<0.0001), and a higher frequency of 1-vessel disease or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (39.6% versus 29.1%,
P
<0.0001). Women had a higher unadjusted rate of in-hospital mortality than did men in both patients with STEMI (women, 9.4%, versus men, 4.5%) and patients with NSTEMI (women, 4.7%, versus men, 2.9%). After adjustment, this difference remained significant in STEMI (adjusted odds ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.24–1.64]) but not in NSTEMI (adjusted odds ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.83–1.13]). After discharge, women developed heart failure after STEMI (women, 22.5%, versus men, 14.9%) as well as after NSTEMI (women, 23.2%, versus men, 15.7%). The adjusted relative risk for women versus men of developing the outcomes of mortality and heart failure remained similar across years, although the differences were nonsignificantly attenuated over 5 years of follow-up.

Conclusions:

Although some attenuation of differences in clinical outcomes over time has occurred, women remain at higher risk than men of dying or developing heart failure in the subsequent 5 years after STEMI or NSTEMI, even after accounting for differences in angiographic findings, revascularization, and other confounders.
Single‐Cell Immune Profiling in Coronary Artery Disease: The Role of State‐of‐the‐Art Immunophenotyping With Mass Cytometry in the Diagnosis of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Kott Katharine A. , Vernon Stephen T. , Hansen Thomas , de Dreu Macha , Das Souvik K. , Powell Joseph , Fazekas de St Groth Barbara , Di Bartolo Belinda A. , McGuire Helen M. , Figtree Gemma A.
Published: November 2020

Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death globally and is a major burden to every health system in the world. There have been significant improvements in risk modification, treatments, and mortality; however, our ability to detect asymptomatic disease for early intervention remains limited. Recent discoveries regarding the inflammatory nature of atherosclerosis have prompted investigation into new methods of diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. This article reviews some of the highlights of the important developments in cardioimmunology and summarizes the clinical evidence linking the immune system and atherosclerosis. It provides an overview of the major serological biomarkers that have been associated with atherosclerosis, noting the limitations of these markers attributable to low specificity, and then contrasts these serological markers with the circulating immune cell subtypes that have been found to be altered in coronary artery disease. This review then outlines the technique of mass cytometry and its ability to provide high‐dimensional single‐cell data and explores how this high‐resolution quantification of specific immune cell subpopulations may assist in the diagnosis of early atherosclerosis in combination with other complimentary techniques such as single‐cell RNA sequencing. We propose that this improved specificity has the potential to transform the detection of coronary artery disease in its early phases, facilitating targeted preventative approaches in the precision medicine era.
Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment Times for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Siegler James E. , Zha Alicia M. , Czap Alexandra L. , Ortega-Gutierrez Santiago , Farooqui Mudassir , Liebeskind David S. , Desai Shashvat M. , Hassan Ameer E. , Starosciak Amy K. , Linfante Italo , Rai Vivek , Thon Jesse M. , Then Ryna , Heslin Mark E. , Thau Lauren , Khandelwal Priyank , Mohammaden Mahmoud H. , Haussen Diogo C. , Nogueira Raul G. , Jillella Dinesh V. , Nahab Fadi , Kaliaev Artem , Nguyen Thanh N. , Zaidat Osama , Jovin Tudor G. , Jadhav Ashutosh P.
Published: November 2020

Background and Purpose:

The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to an unprecedented paradigm shift in medical care. We sought to evaluate whether the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to delays in acute stroke management at comprehensive stroke centers.

Methods:

Pooled clinical data of consecutive adult stroke patients from 14 US comprehensive stroke centers (January 1, 2019, to July 31, 2020) were queried. The rate of thrombolysis for nontransferred patients within the Target: Stroke goal of 60 minutes was compared between patients admitted from March 1, 2019, and July 31, 2019 (pre–COVID-19), and March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020 (COVID-19). The time from arrival to imaging and treatment with thrombolysis or thrombectomy, as continuous variables, were also assessed.

Results:

Of the 2955 patients who met inclusion criteria, 1491 were admitted during the pre–COVID-19 period and 1464 were admitted during COVID-19, 15% of whom underwent intravenous thrombolysis. Patients treated during COVID-19 were at lower odds of receiving thrombolysis within 60 minutes of arrival (odds ratio, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.38–0.98];
P
=0.04), with a median delay in door-to-needle time of 4 minutes (
P
=0.03). The lower odds of achieving treatment in the Target: Stroke goal persisted after adjustment for all variables associated with earlier treatment (adjusted odds ratio, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.35–0.85];
P
<0.01). The delay in thrombolysis appeared driven by the longer delay from imaging to bolus (median, 29 [interquartile range, 18–41] versus 22 [interquartile range, 13–37] minutes;
P
=0.02). There was no significant delay in door-to-groin puncture for patients who underwent thrombectomy (median, 83 [interquartile range, 63–133] versus 90 [interquartile range, 73–129] minutes;
P
=0.30). Delays in thrombolysis were observed in the months of June and July.

Conclusions:

Evaluation for acute ischemic stroke during the COVID-19 period was associated with a small but significant delay in intravenous thrombolysis but no significant delay in thrombectomy time metrics. Taking steps to reduce delays from imaging to bolus time has the potential to attenuate this collateral effect of the pandemic.
NMDA Receptor Alterations After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Induce Deficits in Memory Acquisition and Recall
Authors: Gabrieli David , Schumm Samantha N. , Vigilante Nicholas F. , Meaney David F.
Published: November 2020

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) presents a significant health concern with potential persisting deficits that can last decades. Although a growing body of literature improves our understanding of the brain network response and corresponding underlying cellular alterations after injury, the effects of cellular disruptions on local circuitry after mTBI are poorly understood. Our group recently reported how mTBI in neuronal networks affects the functional wiring of neural circuits and how neuronal inactivation influences the synchrony of coupled microcircuits. Here, we utilized a computational neural network model to investigate the circuit-level effects of N-methyl D-aspartate receptor dysfunction. The initial increase in activity in injured neurons spreads to downstream neurons, but this increase was partially reduced by restructuring the network with spike-timing-dependent plasticity. As a model of network-based learning, we also investigated how injury alters pattern acquisition, recall, and maintenance of a conditioned response to stimulus. Although pattern acquisition and maintenance were impaired in injured networks, the greatest deficits arose in recall of previously trained patterns. These results demonstrate how one specific mechanism of cellular-level damage in mTBI affects the overall function of a neural network and point to the importance of reversing cellular-level changes to recover important properties of learning and memory in a microcircuit.
Enhanced Equivalence Projective Simulation: A Framework for Modeling Formation of Stimulus Equivalence Classes
Authors: Mofrad Asieh Abolpou , Yazidi Anis , Mofrad Samaneh Abolpour , Hammer Hugo L. , Arntzen Erik
Published: November 2020

Formation of stimulus equivalence classes has been recently modeled through equivalence projective simulation (EPS), a modified version of a projective simulation (PS) learning agent. PS is endowed with an episodic memory that resembles the internal representation in the brain and the concept of cognitive maps. PS flexibility and interpretability enable the EPS model and, consequently the model we explore in this letter, to simulate a broad range of behaviors in matching-to-sample experiments. The episodic memory, the basis for agent decision making, is formed during the training phase. Derived relations in the EPS model that are not trained directly but can be established via the network's connections are computed on demand during the test phase trials by likelihood reasoning. In this letter, we investigate the formation of derived relations in the EPS model using network enhancement (NE), an iterative diffusion process, that yields an offline approach to the agent decision making at the testing phase. The NE process is applied after the training phase to denoise the memory network so that derived relations are formed in the memory network and retrieved during the testing phase. During the NE phase, indirect relations are enhanced, and the structure of episodic memory changes. This approach can also be interpreted as the agent's replay after the training phase, which is in line with recent findings in behavioral and neuroscience studies. In comparison with EPS, our model is able to model the formation of derived relations and other features such as the nodal effect in a more intrinsic manner. Decision making in the test phase is not an ad hoc computational method, but rather a retrieval and update process of the cached relations from the memory network based on the test trial. In order to study the role of parameters on agent performance, the proposed model is simulated and the results discussed through various experimental settings.
Information literacy instruction in public libraries
Authors: Matteson Miriam Louise , Gersch Beate
Published: November 2020

Extending from existing research on how public libraries offer information literacy (IL) instruction through classes or programs, the purpose of this research was to explore how public librarians provide IL instruction through individual interactions with patrons. US public librarians recorded their impressions of instructional interactions over a five-day period using an online diary instrument. Key findings were that public librarians incorporate a range of IL concepts in their interactions with patrons, across a wide variety of expressed information needs, with most of the instruction directed toward helping patrons plan their information tasks, access information, and judge information. Secondary themes showed that although librarians believed strongly in the value and importance of providing instruction, individual and situational factors presented barriers to effective instruction. This research contributes to an understanding of how IL instruction in public library settings differs from school and academic library settings and raises some questions around the need for instructional resources focused more specifically around the needs of the public library to facilitate effective instruction.
Information literacy outreach between universities and schools
Authors: Wagg Sharon , McKinney Pam
Published: November 2020

Research shows that students starting higher education (HE) often lack an essential level of information literacy (IL). To address this issue, a growing number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) engage with schools through Information Literacy Outreach Programmes (ILOPs). This paper explores the forces and motivations behind how and why HEIs engage with schools through ILOPs, and discusses their impact on beneficiaries. Using a UK research-led university in the North of England as a single case study (hitherto XXXX), this research project adopted a qualitative case study approach and used Situational Analysis to explore and analyse the data collected. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with key staff that participated in the IL outreach programme, and a model was developed to illustrate diagrammatically the key outcomes and phases of the IL Outreach Programme. Key findings revealed that the IL Outreach Programme at XXXX is an effective mechanism for bridging the social worlds of schools and HE; for creating partnerships and knowledge sharing between institutions; for breaking down social barriers and inequalities; and for developing critically aware, independent learners. The significance of this paper is that it helps us understand the impact of IL outreach programmes, and how such programmes provide schools and HEIs with an opportunity to work collaboratively and share knowledge and best practice. It also provides a valuable addition to IL literature.
Description of a new diatom (Bacillariophyta) species—Craticula anatoliana sp. nov.—and the first ultrastructure characteristic for Craticula vixvisibilis var. distinctior
Authors: SOLAK CÜNEYT NADIR , RYBAK MATEUSZ , PESZEK ŁUKASZ , YILMAZ ELIF , ERTORUN NESIL
Published: November 2020

This paper presents the first scanning electron microscope documentation and valve ultrastructure description of the rare species Craticula vixvisibilis var. distinctior Lange-Bertalot, and a description of the new species Craticula anatoliana sp. nov. Both species occurred in high electrolyte content, brackish maar-type lakes in the Inner Anatolia region of Turkey. The most similar species to this newly described species is Craticula buderi (Hustedt) Lange-Bertalot, from which it can be easily distinguished based on valve outline and striae density. Additionally, comparisons of C. vixvisiblis var. distinctior to most morphologically similar species were given based on literature data.
Burmeistera andakiana and B. boyacensis (Campanulaceae, Lobelioideae), two new species from the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia
Authors: GONZÁLEZ FAVIO , GARZÓN-VENEGAS JAVIER
Published: November 2020

Burmeistera andakiana and B. boyacensis are described as new species primarily from the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. The first species, closely related to B. brachyandra and B. ramosa, grows in sub-Andean forests at the eastern slopes of the Cordillera in the departments of Caquetá and Putumayo, with a few lowland populations, being the only Colombian species of the genus that reaches Amazonian forests. The second species, closely related to B. orientalis, has been collected at edges of Andean forests in both flanks of the Eastern Cordillera in the department of Boyacá. The new species are illustrated and their relationships are discussed. Both species differ from their relatives by a number of vegetative and reproductive traits related to the indumentum of the stem, the architecture and size of leaves, the morphology and indumentum of floral organs, and the shape of the fruits. We suggest that both species be considered as critically endangered.
The New World ant parasitoid genus Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae)
Authors: BAKER AUSTIN J. , HERATY JOHN M.
Published: November 2020

A key is provided to 16 recognized species groups, plus several species not assigned to species group, of Orasema Cameron (Eucharitidae), a widespread New World genus of myrmicine ant (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) parasitoids ranging from northern Argentina to southern Canada. Eight of the species groups are revised, of which five are newly established; keys are given to the species of each treated group, 22 species are newly described, and detailed life histories of several well-documented species are discussed. Revised are the Orasema coloradensis group (four species: O. coloradensis Wheeler, O. iridescens n. sp., O. scaura n. sp., and O. violacea Ashmead), the Orasema bakeri group (six species: O. bablyi n. sp., O. bakeri Gahan, O. dubitata n. sp., O. polymyrmex n. sp., O. taii Chien & Heraty, and O. texana Gahan), the Orasema tolteca group (two species: O. castilloae n. sp. and O. tolteca Mann), the Orasema sixaolae group (newly established, with four species: O. brachycephala n. sp., O. nebula n. sp., O. sixaolae Wheeler & Wheeler, and O. tinalandia n. sp.), the Orasema acuminata group (newly established, with two species: O. acuminata n. sp. and O. cerulea n. sp.), the Orasema peraltai group (newly established, with two species: O. chrysozona n. sp. and O. peraltai n. sp.), the Orasema johnsoni group (newly established, with two species: O. johnsoni n. sp. and O. spyrogaster n. sp.), and the Orasema heacoxi group (newly established, with two species: O. heacoxi n. sp. and O. masonicki n. sp.). Newly described or treated species not placed to species group are O. brasiliensis (Bréthes), O. cirrhocnemis n. sp., O. monstrosa n. sp., O. mutata n. sp., O. psarops n. sp., and O. roppai n. sp. Species concepts and relationships are based on morphology and a recently published molecular phylogeny.
Advancing health-enhancing physical activity at workplace: Sport4Heath 2020 scientific forum
Authors: Todorovic Nikola , Stajer Valdemar , Harrison Bojana , Korovljev Darinka , Maksimovic Neboja , Ostojic Sergej M.
Published: November 2020

Physical activity at workplace can positively impact various wellbeing outcomes yet developing and implementing exercise programs that are straightforward, time-efficient and widely applicable remains a notable public health challenge. Sport4Health Network (SPORT4H) project co-funded by the European Union Erasmus+ programme unites health and sport professionals in an effort to encourage participation in physical activity among working population and reduce health risk factors for lifestyle diseases. A two-day SPORT4H scientific forum on non-traditional types of work-place exercise interventions was organized from 14th to 15th September 2020, to critically evaluate evidence on stretching and resistance exercise programs targeted to working population in aim to identify knowledge gaps and future areas of research and application. Evidence on traditional interventions (e.g., walking initiatives, active travel) appears more robust while only few studies evaluated the applicability of non-traditional PA programs in working population. However, we identified a moderate-to-strong link between non-traditional PA programs at the workplace and several health-related physical fitness indices, with resistance exercise turned out to be superior to other exercise interventions analyzed. It appears that low-volume high-repetition resistance exercise favorably affects musculoskeletal disorders, work performance and health-related quality of life in employees who exercised at least 3 times per week for over 8 weeks. In terms of safety, screening protocols should employ health-related questionnaires, adopting a progressive training load, and prescribing training programs to individual participants’ needs. Implementing non-traditional PA programs aimed to improve health-related physical fitness and counteract sedentary behavior at workplace might be therefore of utmost importance to contribute to health promotion in this sensible population.
Serum surfactant protein D as a predictive biomarker for the efficacy of pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a post-hoc analysis of the phase 3 trial in Japan
Authors:   Pirfenidone Clinical Study Group in Japan, Ikeda Kimiyuki , Chiba Hirofumi , Nishikiori Hirotaka , Azuma Arata , Kondoh Yasuhiro , Ogura Takashi , Taguchi Yoshio , Ebina Masahito , Sakaguchi Hiroki , Miyazawa Shogo , Suga Moritaka , Sugiyama Yukihiko , Nukiwa Toshihiro , Kudoh Shoji , Takahashi Hiroki
Published: November 2020

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fatal disorder with a variable disease course. The recent advancement of antifibrotic therapy has increased the need for reliable and specific biomarkers. This study aimed to assess alveolar epithelial biomarkers as predictors for the efficacy of the antifibrotic drug pirfenidone.

Methods

We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the prospective, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial of pirfenidone in Japan (total, n = 267; pirfenidone, n = 163; placebo, n = 104). Logistic regression analysis was performed to extract parameters that predicted disease progression, defined by a ≥ 10% relative decline in vital capacity (VC) from baseline and/or death, at week 52. For assessment of serum surfactant protein (SP)-D, SP-A and Krebs von den Lungen (KL)-6, all patients were dichotomized by the median concentration of each biomarker at baseline to the high and low biomarker subgroups. Associations of these concentrations were examined with changes in VC at each time point from baseline up to week 52, along with progression-free survival (PFS). Additionally, the effect of pirfenidone treatment on serial longitudinal concentrations of these biomarkers were evaluated.

Results

In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, body mass index (BMI), %VC and SP-D in the pirfenidone group, and BMI and %VC in the placebo group were indicated as predictors of disease progression. Pirfenidone treatment reduced the decline in VC with statistical significance in the low SP-D and low SP-A subgroups over most of the treatment period, and also prolonged PFS in the low SP-D and low KL-6 subgroups. Furthermore, SP-D levels over time course were reduced in the pirfenidone group from as early as week 8 until the 52-week treatment period compared with the placebo group.

Conclusions

Serum SP-D was the most consistent biomarker for the efficacy of pirfenidone in the cohort trial of IPF. Serial measurements of SP-D might have a potential for application as a pharmacodynamic biomarker.

Trial registration The clinical trial was registered with the Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center (JAPIC) on September 13, 2005 (registration No. JapicCTI-050121; http://Clinicaltrials.jp)