bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First record of Fungitarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from India with description of three new species from the state of West Bengal
Authors: Mondal Priyankar , Karmakar Krishna
Published: October 2021

Three new species of Fungitarsonemus Cromroy, 1958 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Tarsonemidae), F. baganbilasae Karmakar & Mondal sp. nov., F. icchepaharicus Karmakar & Mondal sp. nov., F. rishyapensis Karmakar & Mondal sp. nov., are described based on the specimens collected from Bougainvillea glabra (Nyctaginaceae) in a part of the lower Gangetic plains located in Nadia district; Citrus reticulata (Rutaceae), Jasminum mesnyi (Oleaceae) and Prunus domestica (Rosaceae) in parts of the Central Himalayan biotic province spread across the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong district of West Bengal, India. This registers the first record of Fungitarsonemus from India.
Contribution to the knowledge of Mainothrus (Acari, Oribatida, Trhypochthoniidae), with description of two new species from Russia and Brunei
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G.
Published: October 2021

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Mainothrus (Oribatida, Trhypochthoniidae)—M. paratransaltaicus sp. nov. and M. davidmarshalli sp. nov.—are described on the basis of adult specimens sampled from Russia and Brunei (first record of the genus in the Oriental region). Supplementary description (SEM micrographs) for Mainothrus badius (Berlese, 1905) is presented. A revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to known species of Mainothrus are provided.
Coaches’ Experiences of Morality in English Professional Football Environments: Recommendations for Creating a Moral Atmosphere
Authors: Higham Andrew J. , Newman James A. , Stone Joseph A. , Rumbold James L.
Published: October 2021

Coaches are key socializing agents who influence the sociomoral context. A function of socialization in coaching is the imparting of values and ideology, which guide behavior. English professional football is known for authoritarian and subservient cultures whereby coaches will enforce cultural norms and values, which consequently shape their players’ moral development. Therefore, from a contextual viewpoint, professional football serves as a suitable site for exploring coaches’ views of morality. This study consisted of two aims: (a) explore English professional football coaches’ experiences of morality in football and (b) share coaches’ accounts of how they create and manage a moral atmosphere. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight male professional English football coaches. Thematic analysis resulted in two general dimensions: coaches’ experiences of morality and recommendations for creating and managing a moral atmosphere. Coaches shared accounts of the moral conflicts and antisocial behaviors they experienced. The findings suggest that coaches struggle to define morality while highlighting the lack of coach education on the topic. Furthermore, similarities were observed in relation to coaches’ recommendations for creating and managing a moral atmosphere. Therefore, the study concludes by providing a selection of guiding principles that professional football coaches could implement when creating and managing a moral atmosphere.
The Impact of a 12-Month Activity Tracker Intervention on Activity Behavior Across Body Mass Index Subgroups Among Recent Retirees: Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tuominen Miika , Suorsa Kristin , Pentti Jaana , Koski Pasi , Stenholm Sari , Leskinen Tuija
Published: October 2021

Background: This study examined the effectiveness of a 12-month activity tracker-based intervention on activity behavior among recent retirees (Enhancing physical ACTivity and healthy aging among recent REtirees [REACT]) in subgroups based on body mass index. Methods: REACT trial randomized 231 participants (mean age 65.2) into intervention and control groups. Main outcomes were accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) and sedentary time (SED) measured at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. As a post hoc analysis, the intervention effect was examined among participants with normal weight (n = 77), overweight (n = 89), and obesity (n = 61). Results: An intervention effect was observed among participants with obesity in LPA (time × group P = .045) mirrored by a similar, albeit nonsignificant, effect in SED (P = .067), but not in MVPA (P = .92). A transient increase of 41 minutes per day (95% confidence interval, 14 to 68) in LPA was observed at 6 months among the intervention group, with a concomitant decrease of 42 minutes per day (−72 to −12) in SED. However, these changes were not maintained at 12 months. No between-group differences in changes over time were observed among participants with normal or overweight. Conclusions: Activity trackers may be particularly suitable for promoting changes in LPA and SED among older adults with obesity. However, their long-term effectiveness might be limited.
Joint Stabilization Surgery for Chronic Ankle Instability and Medial Ankle Osteoarthritis: A Critically Appraised Topic
Authors: Kosik Kyle B. , Song Kyeongtak , Gribble Phillip A. , Hoch Matthew C. , Srinath Arjun
Published: October 2021

Clinical Scenario: Patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) who require surgical intervention are often diagnosed with medial ankle osteoarthritis (OA). Lateral joint stabilization procedures are commonly performed among this patient population to restore bony alignment and improve cartilage loading patterns to increase patient-reported function and mitigate further degenerative changes. Focused Clinical Question: What is the available evidence to support joint stabilization procedures on patient-reported outcomes and progression of radiographic OA among patients with CAI who have medial ankle OA? Summary of Key Findings: An electronic search of relevant databases was performed to identify peer-reviewed articles examining preoperative and postoperative clinical outcomes and radiographic evidence of ankle OA. A total of 3 peer-reviewed articles were retrieved. All 3 articles employed a retrospective case series study design. All 3 articles demonstrated improved patient-reported outcomes at the final follow-up visit. Two articles demonstrated that between 11% and 27% of patients progressed in at least 1stage of radiographic ankle OA between the preoperative assessment and the final follow-up visit (40–56 mo). Clinical Bottom Line: Joint stabilization surgery for patients with CAI and medial ankle OA is associated with improved clinical outcomes and a low rate of worsening radiographic joint degeneration within the first 5 years. Strength of Recommendation: Consistent evidence exists across all 3 articles. However, this evidence is based on a low-quality study design. Therefore, there is a grade-C level of evidence to support joint stabilization for improving patient-reported and radiographic outcomes within the first 5 years after surgery for patients with CAI and medial ankle OA.
Mental Health Literacy, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Outcomes in Women Rugby Players
Authors: Oftadeh-Moghadam Shakiba , Gorczynski Paul
Published: October 2021

Within rugby, a plethora of research has focused on male rugby players, with some recent attention being directed to examining their mental health. Such attention has not been evident for their female rugby counterparts. The aims of this study were to ascertain levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and explore demographic differences in United Kingdom semielite rugby players who identified as women, and examine whether MHL is associated with better mental health outcomes and general help-seeking intentions. In total, 208 semielite women rugby players completed an online multisection questionnaire measuring MHL, general help-seeking intentions, distress, and well-being. Overall, most players scored a low rating of well-being; however, those who indicated a previous mental health problem exhibited significantly higher levels of MHL. Players were more likely to display general help-seeking intentions toward an intimate partner or a friend than a health care professional. High levels of distress were reported in 64.4% of players, particularly those who had been previously medically diagnosed with a mental disorder and bisexual rugby players. MHL was significantly, positively correlated with general help-seeking intentions, but not significantly correlated with distress or well-being. This study is the first to examine MHL in women rugby players and suggests that strategies devised by multidisciplinary teams of experts to help promote, engage, and offer tailored mental health support to women rugby players would be beneficial. Further investigations exploring the determinants of, and barriers to, MHL among women rugby players would be worthwhile to better understand and support players throughout their sporting career.
Stressful memories
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: October 2021

STAT3, FOS, and JUN cooperate to establish, maintain, and reactivate inflammatory memory in epidermal stem cells.
Identification of driver genes for critical forms of COVID-19 in a deeply phenotyped young patient cohort
Authors: Carapito Raphael , Li Richard , Helms Julie , Carapito Christine , Gujja Sharvari , Rolli Véronique , Guimaraes Raony , Malagon-Lopez Jose , Spinnhirny Perrine , Lederle Alexandre , Mohseninia Razieh , Hirschler Aurélie , Muller Leslie , Bastard Paul , Gervais Adrian , Zhang Qian , Danion François , Ruch Yvon , Schenck Maleka , Collange Olivier , Chamaraux-Tran Thiên-Nga , Molitor Anne , Pichot Angélique , Bernard Alice , Tahar Ouria , Bibi-Triki Sabrina , Wu Haiguo , Paul Nicodème , Mayeur Sylvain , Larnicol Annabel , Laumond Géraldine , Frappier Julia , Schmidt Sylvie , Hanauer Antoine , Macquin Cécile , Stemmelen Tristan , Simons Michael , Mariette Xavier , Hermine Olivier , Fafi-Kremer Samira , Goichot Bernard , Drenou Bernard , Kuteifan Khaldoun , Pottecher Julien , Mertes Paul-Michel , Kailasan Shweta , Aman M. Javad , Pin Elisa , Nilsson Peter , Thomas Anne , Viari Alain , Sanlaville Damien , Schneider Francis , Sibilia Jean , Tharaux Pierre-Louis , Casanova Jean-Laurent , Hansmann Yves , Lidar Daniel , Radosavljevic Mirjana , Gulcher Jeffrey R. , Meziani Ferhat , Moog Christiane , Chittenden Thomas W. , Bahram Seiamak
Published: October 2021

The drivers of critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unknown. Given major confounding factors such as age and comorbidities, true mediators of this condition have remained elusive. We used a multi-omics analysis combined with artificial intelligence in a young patient cohort where major comorbidities were excluded at the onset. The cohort included 47 “critical” (in the intensive care unit under mechanical ventilation) and 25 “non-critical” (in a non-critical care ward) patients with COVID-19 and 22 healthy individuals. The analyses included whole-genome sequencing, whole-blood RNA sequencing, plasma and blood mononuclear cell proteomics, cytokine profiling, and high-throughput immunophenotyping. An ensemble of machine learning, deep learning, quantum annealing, and structural causal modeling were used. Patients with critical COVID-19 were characterized by exacerbated inflammation, perturbed lymphoid and myeloid compartments, increased coagulation, and viral cell biology. Among differentially expressed genes, we observed up-regulation of the metalloproteaseADAM9. This gene signature was validated in a second independent cohort of 81 critical and 73 recovered patients with COVID-19 and was further confirmed at the transcriptional and protein level and by proteolytic activity. Ex vivo ADAM9 inhibition decreased severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uptake and replication in human lung epithelial cells. In conclusion, within a young, otherwise healthy, cohort of individuals with COVID-19, we provide the landscape of biological perturbations in vivo where a unique gene signature differentiated critical from non-critical patients. We further identifiedADAM9as a driver of disease severity and a candidate therapeutic target.
Genome Streamlining, Plasticity, and Metabolic Versatility Distinguish Co-occurring Toxic and Nontoxic Cyanobacterial Strains of
Microcoleus
Authors: Tee Hwee Sze , Wood Susanna A. , Bouma-Gregson Keith , Lear Gavin , Handley Kim M.
Published: October 2021

Microcoleus autumnalis
, and closely related
Microcoleus
species, compose a geographically widespread group of freshwater benthic cyanobacteria. Canine deaths due to anatoxin-a poisoning, following exposure to toxic proliferations, have been reported globally.
Metagenomic Sequencing for Identification of Xylella fastidiosa from Leaf Samples
Authors: Román-Reyna Verónica , Dupas Enora , Cesbron Sophie , Marchi Guido , Campigli Sara , Hansen Mary Ann , Bush Elizabeth , Prarat Melanie , Shiplett Katherine , Ivey Melanie L. Lewis , Pierzynski Joy , Miller Sally A. , Peduto Hand Francesca , Jacques Marie-Agnes , Jacobs Jonathan M.
Published: October 2021

Destructive
Xylella fastidiosa
(
Xf
) outbreaks in Europe highlight this pathogen’s capacity to expand its host range and geographical distribution. The current disease diagnostic approaches are limited by a multiple-step process, biases to known sequences, and detection limits.
Building Natural Product Libraries Using Quantitative Clade-Based and Chemical Clustering Strategies
Authors: Anderson Victoria M. , Wendt Karen L. , Najar Fares Z. , McCall Laura-Isobel , Cichewicz Robert H.
Published: October 2021

Natural product drug discovery efforts rely on libraries of organisms to provide access to diverse pools of compounds. Actionable strategies to rationally maximize chemical diversity, rather than relying on serendipity, can add value to such efforts.
Transcriptomic and rRNA:rDNA Signatures of Environmental versus Enteric Enterococcus faecalis Isolates under Oligotrophic Freshwater Conditions
Authors: Suttner Brittany , Kim Minjae , Johnston Eric R. , Orellana Luis H. , Ruiz-Perez Carlos A. , Rodriguez-R Luis M. , Hatt Janet K. , Brown Joe , Santo Domingo Jorge W. , Konstantinidis Konstantinos T.
Published: October 2021

Enterococci are commonly used worldwide to monitor environmental fecal contamination and public health risk for waterborne diseases. However, closely related enterococci strains adapted to living in the extraenteric environment may represent a lower public health risk and confound water quality estimates.
Looking beyond: complex holistic care needs of Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and adolescents
Authors: Lindsay Kristen , Hanes Gemma , Mutch Raewyn , McKinnon Elizabeth , Cherian Sarah
Published: October 2021

Objective

Protracted international conflict has seen escalating numbers of displaced and resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugees, raising concerns for their health and well-being. This paper describes the demographic and clinical profiles of recently resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and adolescents across physical, psychosocial, developmental and educational domains using standardised multidisciplinary assessments.

Design

A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken of initial specialist paediatric multidisciplinary Refugee Health Service assessments completed at the tertiary paediatric hospital (Western Australia) between June 2015 and September 2019.

Results

Three hundred and twenty-seven children and adolescents (264 Syrian, 63 Iraqi) were assessed following resettlement. Witnessed trauma (86%) and disclosed adversity (median Refugee Adverse Childhood Experiences score 3, range 1–14) were universally high. Almost all patients had health issues identified across physical (99%), psychosocial (76%) and developmental/educational (75%) domains. Interrupted education (65%) and death of a family member (16%) were significantly associated with psychological morbidities. Common comorbidities included dental caries (78%), non-infectious disease (76%), vitamin D deficiency (72%), malnutrition (46%; overweight/obesity 23%), and psychological (32%; post-traumatic stress disorder 4.3%) and developmental (9.5%) concerns. Emerging and alarming child protection concerns were prevalent (17%), with females demonstrating especially high risks.

Conclusion

This is the largest comprehensive study demonstrating the complex and cross-dimensional health needs and specific vulnerabilities of resettled Syrian and Iraqi refugee children and adolescents. Early comprehensive standardised multidisciplinary paediatric assessments, and culturally safe, trauma-informed interventions and follow-up are required to optimise resettlement outcomes and promote well-being.
Incorporating future unrelated medical costs in cost-effectiveness analysis in China
Authors: Jiang Shan , Wang Yitong , Zhou Junwen , Jiang Yawen , Liu Gordon G , Wu Jing
Published: October 2021

The occurrence of future unrelated medical costs is a direct consequence of life-prolonging interventions, but most pharmacoeconomic guidelines recommend the exclusion of these costs. The Chinese guidelines were updated in 2020, taking an exclusion approach for the future unrelated medical cost. We notice the research surrounding this issue continues in other countries and leads to an inclusion recommendation in some guidelines. Meanwhile, this issue has not been discussed in China, reflecting an urgent need for extensive research on its impact. We reviewed the theoretical and practical studies surrounding the inclusion of future unrelated medical costs, summarised the landscape of guidelines in other jurisdictions. We found that the inclusion would increase the internal and external consistency of economic evaluation and the comparability of results between different jurisdictions. However, more research is needed surrounding this issue. We proposed a future research agenda to inform the update of Chinese guidelines. We recommend research on individual-level healthcare reimbursement data and end-of-life costs from hospital administrative data to generate the age-specific, sex-specific and condition-specific costs. We also recommend establishing a formal process to evaluate the ethical and economic impact of including future unrelated medical costs and adjust the threshold accordingly in the guidelines.
N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide is an Independent Predictor of Mortality in Patients with Sepsis
Authors: Biswas Sagnik , Soneja Manish , Makkar Nayani , Farooqui Faraz Ahmed , Roy Ambuj , Kumar Arvind , Nischal Neeraj , Biswas Ashutosh , Wig Naveet , Sood Rita , Sreenivas Vishnubhatla
Published: October 2021

This study aims to evaluate the role of cardiac enzymes N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin-I (CTnI) as predictors of outcomes in patients with sepsis.

78 cases with a diagnosis of sepsis were enrolled over a 2-year period. Baseline demographic, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II (APACHE-II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score-II (SAPS-II), hematologic and biochemical parameters were noted. Serum NT-proBNP and CTnI were evaluated at 24 and 72 hours of admission along with echocardiography. Patients were prospectively followed up until death or discharge.

Mean APACHE-II score was 19.8±9.6 and SAPS-II was 44.8±17.2. Survival rate in the study was 47.5% (36 of 78 patients). NT-proBNP was significantly higher in non-survivors with values over 4300 pg/mL at 24 hours and 5229 pg/mL at 72 hours associated with poor outcomes (p<0.05). CTnI was higher among non-survivors than in survivors, but the difference was not significant. APACHE-II score combined with NT-proBNP predicted a poor outcome in 51.2% cases compared with 14.6% cases with APACHE-II alone (p<0.05), while SAPS-II combined with NT-proBNP predicted a poor outcome in 53.6% cases as compared with 9.6% cases with SAPS-II alone (p<0.05). SAPS-II greater than 45 and NT-proBNP values at 72 hours were independent predictors of mortality in patients with sepsis.

NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with sepsis and its combination with APACHE-II and SAPS-II improves the predictive values of the scoring systems.
Treatment and Outcomes among Patients ≥85 Years Hospitalized with Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Rastogi Radhika , Yu Pei-Chun , Deshpande Abhishek , Hashmi Ardeshir Z , Herzig Shoshana J , Rothberg Michael B
Published: October 2021

Our objective was to describe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among patients ≥85 years and compare them to patients aged 65–74. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study setting included 638 hospitals in the USA participating in the Premier database from 2010 to 2015. The study participants were 488,382 adults aged ≥65 years hospitalized with CAP. Patients ≥85 years were more likely to be white (79.8% vs 76.2%), female (58.1% vs 48.3%), and admitted with aspiration pneumonia (17.1% vs 7.0%) as compared with those aged 65–75 years. They had higher rates of dementia (30.4% vs 7.8%), but lower rates of diabetes (11.2% vs 17.6%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.5% vs 54.7%). While Staphylococcus aureus (33.4%) was the most common pathogen across all age groups, patients aged ≥85 were more likely to have Escherichia coli pneumonia (16.1% vs 10.7%) compared with those aged 65–74. In adjusted models, patients aged ≥85 had greater in-hospital mortality (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.18), but were less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.55) and receive mechanical ventilation (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.48). They also had lower rates of acute kidney injury (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.00) and Clostridium difficile infection (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.99), shorter lengths of stay (mean multiplier 0.93, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.93) and lower cost (mean multiplier 0.81, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.81), and were more likely to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.15 to 2.24) or hospice (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.11 to 2.27). In conclusion, patients aged ≥85 have different comorbidities and etiologies of CAP, receive less intense treatment, and have greater mortality than patients between 65 and 75 years.
Humoral immunogenicity of the seasonal influenza vaccine before and after CAR-T-cell therapy: a prospective observational study
Authors: Walti Carla S , Loes Andrea N , Shuey Kiel , Krantz Elizabeth M , Boonyaratanakornkit Jim , Keane-Candib Jacob , Loeffelholz Tillie , Wolf Caitlin R , Taylor Justin J , Gardner Rebecca A , Green Damian J , Cowan Andrew J , Maloney David G , Turtle Cameron J , Pergam Steven A , Chu Helen Y , Bloom Jesse D , Hill Joshua A
Published: October 2021

Recipients of chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR-T) cell therapies for B cell malignancies have profound and prolonged immunodeficiencies and are at risk for serious infections, including respiratory virus infections. Vaccination may be important for infection prevention, but there are limited data on vaccine immunogenicity in this population. We conducted a prospective observational study of the humoral immunogenicity of commercially available 2019–2020 inactivated influenza vaccines in adults immediately prior to or while in durable remission after CD19-, CD20-, or B cell maturation antigen-targeted CAR-T-cell therapy, as well as controls. We tested for antibodies to all four vaccine strains using neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assays. Antibody responses were defined as at least fourfold titer increases from baseline. Seroprotection was defined as a HAI titer ≥40. Enrolled CAR-T-cell recipients were vaccinated 14–29 days prior to (n=5) or 13–57 months following therapy (n=13), and the majority had hypogammaglobulinemia and cellular immunodeficiencies prevaccination. Eight non-immunocompromised adults served as controls. Antibody responses to ≥1 vaccine strain occurred in 2 (40%) individuals before CAR-T-cell therapy and in 4 (31%) individuals vaccinated after CAR-T-cell therapy. An additional 1 (20%) and 6 (46%) individuals had at least twofold increases, respectively. One individual vaccinated prior to CAR-T-cell therapy maintained a response for >3 months following therapy. Across all tested vaccine strains, seroprotection was less frequent in CAR-T-cell recipients than in controls. There was evidence of immunogenicity even among individuals with low immunoglobulin, CD19+B cell, and CD4+T-cell counts. These data support consideration for vaccination before and after CAR-T-cell therapy for influenza and other relevant pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, irrespective of hypogammaglobulinemia or B cell aplasia. However, relatively impaired humoral vaccine immunogenicity indicates the need for additional infection-prevention strategies. Larger studies are needed to refine our understanding of potential correlates of vaccine immunogenicity, and durability of immune responses, in CAR-T-cell therapy recipients.
Open notes in patient care: confining deceptive placebos to the past?
Authors: Blease Charlotte , DesRoches Catherine M
Published: October 2021

Increasing numbers of health organisations are offering some or all of their patients access to the visit notes housed in their electronic health records (so-called ‘open notes’). In some countries, including Sweden and the USA, this innovation is advanced with patients using online portals to access their clinical records including the visit summaries written by clinicians. In many countries, patients can legally request copies of their records; however, open notes are different because this innovation offers patients rapid, real-time access via electronic devices. In this brief report, we explore what open notes might mean for placebo use in clinical care. Survey research into patient access to their clinical notes shows that increased transparency enhances patients’ understanding about their medications and augments engagement with their care. We reflect on the consequences of access for placebo prescribing, particularly for the common practice of deceptive placebo use, in which patients are not aware they are being offered a placebo. In addition, we explore how open notes might facilitate placebo and nocebo effects among patients. Bridging placebo studies with medical ethics, we identify a range of empirical research gaps that now warrant further study.
Prevalence of iatrogenic atrial septal defects (iASD) after mitral valve (MV) transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) in the long-term follow-up
Authors: Paukovitsch Michael , Schneider Leonhard Moritz , Reichart Christine , Nita Nicoleta , Rottbauer Wolfgang , Keßler Mirjam , Markovic Sinisa
Published: October 2021

Objectives

To investigate prevalence of iatrogenic atrial septal defects (iASDs) after mitral valve (MV) transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) with the MitraClip in the long-term follow-up.

Background

MV TEER requires transseptal puncture using a large 22 F sheath. Prevalence, impact and haemodynamic effects of these iASDs remain unknown in the long-term follow-up.

Methods

This prospective study enrolled patients who had undergone first-time TEER at our university hospital between January 2017 and June 2018 for a clinical long-term follow-up study. Prevalence of iASD was investigated 12 months post-TEER using transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Study protocol further consisted of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and exercise testing. Incidence of all-cause death was compared 12 months post-TEE follow-up. This study was approved by local ethics committee.

Results

48 patients participated in clinical follow-up examinations. Median time between TEER and clinical follow-up examination (TEE, TTE, exercise testing) was 19.5 (IQR: 7.0) months after TEER. Persistent iASD was found in 41.7% of patients. TEER was found to be equally effective in reducing MR and clinical symptoms in both groups at baseline as well as follow-up. Procedural fluoroscopy and device times were significantly longer in the iASD group. MR reduction and functional status (New York Heart Association Class, 6 Minute Walking Test distance) were similar in both groups. Nevertheless, a significant decrease in systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) and significantly smaller atrial diameters were observed in patients with iASD at follow-up.

Conclusion

Prevalence of iASDs after TEER in long-term follow-up was about 41%. Although a significant reduction of sPAP and better left atrial reverse remodelling were accomplished in patients with iASD, clinical impact appears low. Manipulation at the atrial septum might play a key role in creating persisting iASD.
Risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with transient global amnesia: a propensity-matched cohort study
Authors: Lee Sang Hun , Kim Keon-Yeup , Lee Jeong-Woo , Park So-Jeong , Jung Jin-Man
Published: October 2021

Background

The exact pathophysiological mechanism of transient global amnesia (TGA) is unknown. It is debatable whether TGA is a risk factor for stroke. Therefore, here we investigated the possibility of TGA as a risk factor for stroke in a real-world setting using large-scale nationwide health claims data.

Methods

We used health claims data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). Patients diagnosed with TGA between 2007 and 2013 were selected. We initially extracted patients without TGA who were preferentially matched for age and sex with the patients with TGA at a ratio of 10:1 from the whole dataset. Further, we performed 1:2 propensity score matching analysis to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups. In the propensity score-matched dataset, we performed multivariable Cox regression analysis to investigate the association between TGA and stroke type, including ischaemic, haemorrhagic and all stroke types.

Results

Patients with TGA (n=14 673) were selected from the NHIS database. After extracting from the whole database (n=140 486) and propensity score matching their data at a 1:2 ratio, a total of 10 448 and 20 442 patients were finally assigned to the TGA and control groups, respectively. The multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the TGA group had a higher risk of ischaemic stroke and all types of stroke (adjusted HR=1.194; 95% CI: 1.043 to 1.368; and HR=1.197; 95% CI: 1.056 to 1.357, respectively).

Conclusions

Analysis of the nationwide claims database showed that TGA could be an important risk factor for stroke, especially for ischaemic stroke.
Clinician’s perspectives in using head impulse-nystagmus-test of skew (HINTS) for acute vestibular syndrome: UK experience
Authors: Warner Charlotte L , Bunn Lisa , Koohi Nehzat , Schmidtmann Gunnar , Freeman Jennifer , Kaski Diego
Published: October 2021

Background

Acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) features continuous dizziness and may result from a benign inner ear disorder or stroke. The head impulse-nystagmus-test of skew (HINTS) bedside assessment is more sensitive than brain MRI in identifying stroke as the cause of AVS within the first 24 hours. Clinicians’ perspectives of the test in UK secondary care remains unknown. Here, we explore front-line clinicians’ perspectives of use of the HINTS for the diagnosis of AVS.

Methods

Clinicians from two large UK hospitals who assess AVS patients completed a short online survey, newly designed with closed and open questions.

Results

Almost half of 73 total responders reported limited (n=33), or no experience (n=19), reflected in low rates of use of HINTS (n=31). While recognising the potential utility of HINTS, many reported concerns about subjectivity, need for specialist skills and poor patient compliance. No clinicians reported high levels of confidence in performing HINTS, with 98% identifying training needs. A lack of formalised training was associated with onward specialist referrals and neuroimaging (p=0.044).

Conclusions

Although the low sample size in this study limits the generalisability of findings to wider sites, our preliminary data identified barriers to the application of the HINTS in AVS patients and training needs to improve rapid, cost-effective and accurate clinical diagnosis of stroke presenting with vertigo.
An assessment of various nanoadditives and tribocorrosion with waste cooking biodiesel fueled in a diesel engine
Authors: Yogaraj D. , Jaichandar S.
Published: October 2021

The steady-state coefficient of friction rate of waste cooking biodiesel fuel blends is higher for B90 (18.2%), B60 (7.2%), B20 (16.72%), B10 (30.8%), and diesel (38.77%) than for the B40 fuel blend, and the wear scar diameter of the B40 to B100 fuel blends has a minimal range of 0.5 mm. The flash temperature parameter was the highest for the B40 to B100 fuel blends, and the corrosion rate was the lowest for the B40 and B50 fuel blends. Subsequently, the B40 (40% waste cooking oil + 60% diesel fuel) fuel blend was chosen, along with cerium (25 ppm), zinc (25 ppm), and titanium nanoparticles (25 ppm) as fuel additives. The B40 + D60 + titanium (25 ppm) fuel blend resulted in an improved thermal break efficiency and 3.83% lower brake thermal energy consumption than diesel fuel. The B40 + D80 + titanium (25 ppm) fuel blend resulted in a 2.08% reduction in HC, 36.36% reduction in CO, and 16.25% reduction in smoke emissions, along with marginally higher (8.5%) NOx emissions than diesel fuel. In addition, for the B40 + D80 + titanium (25 ppm) fuel blend, the combustion characteristics of cylinder pressure (58.82 bar) and HRR (66.65 J/deg CA) were the same as those of diesel fuel at peak load.
Theoretical investigations on structural and optoelectronic properties of Bismuth oxyhalides
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Aamir , Malik Maria , Shahid Wajeehah
Published: October 2021

Density functional theory’s (DFT) full potential linearized augmented plane wave method has been used to explore the structural and optoelectronic properties of bismuth-based tetragonal BiOCl, BiOBr and BiOI semiconductors. The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) has been used for structural optimization to approximate lattice constants and bulk moduli, which are found to be consistent with the current literature. Electronic band structures are computed using the modified Becke and Johnson generalized gradient approximation (mBJ) and within the Engel and Vosko generalized gradient approximation (EV-GGA), respectively. Based on the band structure analysis, these functional materials are indirect bandgap semiconductors with a wide range of potential applications. In addition, optical properties are also computed within mBJ and found to be appealing for optoelectronics and photocatalysis.
An extended (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa equation: Symmetry reductions, invariant solutions and dynamics of different solitary waves
Authors: Dhiman Shubham Kumar , Kumar Sachin , Kharbanda Harsha
Published: October 2021

The Lie symmetry method is used to obtain a variety of closed-form wave solutions for the extended (3[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa (JM) Equation, which describes certain interesting higher-dimensional waves in ocean studies, marine engineering, and other fields. By applying the Lie symmetry technique, we explicitly investigate all the possible vector fields, commutation relations of the considered vectors, and various symmetry reductions of the equation. Based on three stages of Lie symmetry reductions, the JM equation is reduced to several nonlinear ordinary differential equations (NLODEs). Consequently, abundant closed-form wave solutions are achieved, including arbitrary functional parameters. Evolutionary dynamics of some analytic wave solutions are demonstrated through three-dimensional plots based on numerical simulation. Consequently, singular soliton, kink waves, periodic oscillating wave profiles, combined singular soliton profiles, curved-shaped multiple solitons, and periodic multiple solitons with parabolic wave profiles are demonstrated by taking advantage of symbolic computation work. The obtained analytical wave solutions, which include arbitrary independent functions and other constants of the governing equation, could be used to enrich the advanced dynamical behaviors of solitary wave solutions. Furthermore, the study of conservation laws is investigated via the Ibragimov technique for Lie point symmetries.
Multiplicative connections and their Lie theory
Authors: Pugliese Fabrizio , Sparano Giovanni , Vitagliano Luca
Published: October 2021

We define and study multiplicative connections in the tangent bundle of a Lie groupoid. Multiplicative connections are linear connections satisfying an appropriate compatibility with the groupoid structure. Our definition is natural in the sense that a linear connection on a Lie groupoid is multiplicative if and only if its torsion is a multiplicative tensor in the sense of Bursztyn–Drummond [Lie theory of multiplicative tensors, Mat. Ann. 375 (2019) 1489–1554, arXiv:1705.08579] and its geodesic spray is a multiplicative vector field. We identify the obstruction to the existence of a multiplicative connection. We also discuss the infinitesimal version of multiplicative connections in the tangent bundle, that we call infinitesimally multiplicative (IM) connections and we prove an integration theorem for IM connections. Finally, we present a few toy examples.
Ce and F Dual-Doping Strategy for High Cycle Performance of Lithium-Rich Layered Oxide Materials
Authors: Xie Jianlong , Qian Yan , Duan Jidong , Li Jing , Ding Haiyang
Published: October 2021

Li-rich layered oxides (LrLOs) attracted much attention due to their high specific capacity. However, LrLOs have disadvantages such as fast voltage decay and poor cycle stability. In this work, we propose a dual-doping strategy based on Ce and F ions to respond to the defects of LrLOs. This work shows that Ce and F have a strong synergistic effect in LrLOs cathode materials. Dual-doping makes the structure of the cathode materials more stable, which is mainly manifested by inhibiting the extraction of lattice oxygen, reducing the migration of cations during the cycle, and reducing the corrosion of the electrolyte to the cathode materials. Thereby, the work improves the cycle performance of the cathode materials. The capacity retention rate is 84.3% for 200 cycles at 1[Formula: see text]C (versus 59.6%). The median discharge voltage is 3.2155[Formula: see text]V after 200 cycles at 1[Formula: see text]C (versus 2.9485[Formula: see text]V). The voltage decay is 0.4706[Formula: see text]V for 200 cycles at 1[Formula: see text]C (versus 0.6923[Formula: see text]V). Interestingly, our research found that Ni[Formula: see text] of the Li layer also plays an important role in the process of improving cycle performance. This work provides new ideas for solving the cycle stability of LrLOs cathode materials and suppressing voltage decay.
Local Constraint and Label Embedding Multi-layer Dictionary Learning for Sperm Head Classification
Authors: Ni Tongguang , Ding Yan , Xue Jing , Xia Kaijian , Gu Xiaoqing , Jiang Yizhang
Published: October 2021

Morphological classification of human sperm heads is a key technology for diagnosing male infertility. Due to its sparse representation and learning capability, dictionary learning has shown remarkable performance in human sperm head classification. To promote the discriminability of the classification model, a novel local constraint and label embedding multi-layer dictionary learning model called LCLM-MDL is proposed in this study. Based on the multi-layer dictionary learning framework, two dictionaries are built on the basis of Laplacian regularized constraint and label embedding term in each layer, and the two dictionaries are approximated to each other as much as possible, so as to well exploit the nonlinear structure and discriminability features of the morphology of human sperm heads. In addition, to promote the robustness of the model, the asymmetric Huber loss is adopted in the last layer of LCLM-MDL, which approximates the misclassification error by using the absolute error function. Finally, the experimental results on HuSHeM dataset demonstrate the validity of the LCLM-MDL.
On the Reproducibility and Replicability of Deep Learning in Software Engineering
Authors: Liu Chao , Gao Cuiyun , Xia Xin , Lo David , Grundy John , Yang Xiaohu
Published: October 2021

Context:Deep learning (DL) techniques have gained significant popularity among software engineering (SE) researchers in recent years. This is because they can often solve many SE challenges without enormous manual feature engineering effort and complex domain knowledge.

Objective:Although many DL studies have reported substantial advantages over other state-of-the-art models on effectiveness, they often ignore two factors:(1) reproducibility—whether the reported experimental results can be obtained by other researchers using authors’ artifacts (i.e., source code and datasets) with the same experimental setup; and(2) replicability—whether the reported experimental result can be obtained by other researchers using their re-implemented artifacts with a different experimental setup. We observed that DL studies commonly overlook these two factors and declare them as minor threats or leave them for future work. This is mainly due to high model complexity with many manually set parameters and the time-consuming optimization process, unlike classical supervised machine learning (ML) methods (e.g., random forest). This study aims to investigate the urgency and importance of reproducibility and replicability for DL studies on SE tasks.

Method:In this study, we conducted a literature review on 147 DL studies recently published in 20 SE venues and 20 AI (Artificial Intelligence) venues to investigate these issues. We also re-ran four representative DL models in SE to investigate important factors that may strongly affect the reproducibility and replicability of a study.

Results:Our statistics show the urgency of investigating these two factors in SE, where only 10.2% of the studies investigate any research question to show that their models can address at least one issue of replicability and/or reproducibility. More than 62.6% of the studies do not even share high-quality source code or complete data to support the reproducibility of their complex models. Meanwhile, our experimental results show the importance of reproducibility and replicability, where the reported performance of a DL model could not be reproduced for an unstable optimization process. Replicability could be substantially compromised if the model training is not convergent, or if performance is sensitive to the size of vocabulary and testing data.

Conclusion:It is urgent for the SE community to provide a long-lasting link to a high-quality reproduction package, enhance DL-based solution stability and convergence, and avoid performance sensitivity on different sampled data.
Dog Models of Aging
Authors: Ruple Audrey , MacLean Evan , Snyder-Mackler Noah , Creevy Kate E. , Promislow Daniel
Published: October 2021

As the most phenotypically diverse mammalian species that shares human environments and access to sophisticated healthcare, domestic dogs have unique potential to inform our understanding of the determinants of aging. Here we outline key concepts in the study of aging and illustrate the value of research with dogs, which can improve dog health and support translational discoveries. We consider similarities and differences in aging and age-related diseases in dogs and humans and summarize key advances in our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for morbidity and mortality in dogs. We address health outcomes ranging from cancer to cognitive function and highlight emerging research opportunities from large-scale cohort studies in companion dogs. We conclude that studying aging in dogs could overcome many limitations of laboratory models, most notably, the ability to assess how aging-associated pathways influence aging in real-world environments similar to those experienced by humans.
Inherited Autoinflammatory Syndromes
Authors: Rood Julia E. , Behrens Edward M.
Published: October 2021

Autoinflammation describes a collection of diverse diseases caused by indiscriminate activation of the immune system in an antigen-independent manner. The rapid advancement of genetic diagnostics has allowed for the identification of a wide array of monogenic causes of autoinflammation. While the clinical picture of these syndromes is diverse, it is possible to thematically group many of these diseases under broad categories that provide insight into the mechanisms of disease and therapeutic possibilities. This review covers archetypical examples of inherited autoinflammatory diseases in five major categories: inflammasomopathy, interferonopathy, unfolded protein/cellular stress response, relopathy, and uncategorized. This framework can suggest where future work is needed to identify other genetic causes of autoinflammation, what types of diagnostics need to be developed to care for this patient population, and which options might be considered for novel therapeutic targeting.
Mechanisms Underlying Calcium Nephrolithiasis
Authors: Alexander R.T. , Fuster D.G. , Dimke H.
Published: October 2021

Nephrolithiasis is a worldwide problem with increasing prevalence, enormous costs, and significant morbidity. Calcium-containing kidney stones are by far the most common kidney stones encountered in clinical practice, and thus, hypercalciuria is the greatest risk factor for kidney stone formation. Hypercalciuria can result from enhanced intestinal absorption, increased bone resorption, or altered renal tubular transport. Kidney stone formation is complex and driven by high concentrations of calcium-oxalate or calcium-phosphate in the urine. After discussing the mechanism mediating renal calcium salt precipitation, we review recent discoveries in renal tubular calcium transport from the proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, and distal convolution. Furthermore, we address how calcium is absorbed from the intestine and mobilized from bone. The effect of acidosis on bone calcium resorption and urinary calcium excretion is also considered. Although recent discoveries provide insight into these processes, much remains to be understood in order to provide improved therapies for hypercalciuria and prevent kidney stone formation.
Cerebral Vascular Dysfunctions Detected in Human Small Vessel Disease and Implications for Preclinical Studies
Authors: Wardlaw Joanna M. , Benveniste Helene , Williams Anna
Published: October 2021

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is highly prevalent and a common cause of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and dementia, yet the pathophysiology is poorly understood. Its clinical expression is highly varied, and prognostic implications are frequently overlooked in clinics; thus, treatment is currently confined to vascular risk factor management. Traditionally, SVD is considered the small vessel equivalent of large artery stroke (occlusion, rupture), but data emerging from human neuroimaging and genetic studies refute this, instead showing microvessel endothelial dysfunction impacting on cell–cell interactions and leading to brain damage. These dysfunctions reflect defects that appear to be inherited and secondary to environmental exposures, including vascular risk factors. Interrogation in preclinical models shows consistent and converging molecular and cellular interactions across the endothelial-glial-neural unit that increasingly explain the human macroscopic observations and identify common patterns of pathology despite different triggers. Importantly, these insights may offer new targets for therapeutic intervention focused on restoring endothelial-glial physiology.
Mechanisms of Lung Injury Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Upadhya Samsara , Rehman Jalees , Malik Asrar B. , Chen Shuibing
Published: October 2021

The lung is the major target organ of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes COVID-19. Here, we outline the multistep mechanisms of lung epithelial and endothelial injury induced by SARS-CoV-2: direct viral infection, chemokine/cytokine-mediated damage, and immune cell-mediated lung injury. Finally, we discuss the recent progress in terms of antiviral therapeutics as well as the development of anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches. This review also provides a systematic overview of the models for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection and discusses how an understanding of mechanisms of lung injury will help identify potential targets for future drug development to mitigate lung injury.