bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sum of its Parts: How Supreme Court Justices Disparately Shape Attention to Their Opinions
Authors: Masood Ali S. , Kassow Benjamin J.
Published: February 2020

Objective

While studies frequently examine the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court as an institution, little is known about how individual justices influence attention to their opinions. We investigate whether inherent differences in the majority opinions of individual justices result in certain justices being systematically more influential than their peers.

Methods

We advance a theory in which Supreme Court adoption of prior opinions is influenced by factors that relate to the identity of the authoring justice. To test these propositions, we explore the universe of the Supreme Court's signed majority opinions from 1986 to 2000.

Results

We find that intricate tendencies in opinion writing vary systematically by justice in key dimensions relating to their opinions. We also discover that differences among the justices exert an asymmetric impact on citation and adherence to precedent.

Conclusion

The findings offer important theoretical and normative implications toward a better understanding of the impact of Supreme Court justices on attentiveness to precedent and doctrinal development.
Neuropsychological and neurophysiological aspects of brain‐computer‐interface (BCI) control in paralysis
Authors: Chaudhary Ujwal , Mrachacz‐Kersting Natalie , Birbaumer Niels
Published: February 2020

Brain‐computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to help paralysed patients to interact with their environment by controlling external devices using brain activity, thereby bypassing the dysfunctional motor system. Some neuronal disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), severely impair the communication capacity of patients. Several invasive and non‐invasive brain‐computer interfaces (BCIs), most notably using electroencephalography (EEG), have been developed to provide a means of communication to paralysed patients. However, except for a few reports, all available BCI literature for the paralysed (mostly ALS patients) describes patients with intact eye movement control, i.e. patients in a locked‐in state (LIS) but not a completely locked‐in state (CLIS). In this article we will discuss: (1) the fundamental neuropsychological learning factors and neurophysiological factors determining BCI performance in clinical applications; (2) the difference between LIS and CLIS; (3) recent development in BCIs for communication with patients in the completely locked‐in state; (4) the effect of BCI‐based communication on emotional well‐being and quality of life; and (5) the outlook and the methodology needed to provide a means of communication for patients who have none. Thus, we present an overview of available studies and recent results and try to anticipate future developments which may open new doors for BCI communication with the completely paralysed.

image
Oxidative ATP synthesis in human quadriceps declines during 4 minutes of maximal contractions
Authors: Bartlett Miles F. , Fitzgerald Liam F. , Nagarajan Rajakumar , Hiroi Yeun , Kent Jane A.
Published: February 2020

Key points

During maximal exercise, skeletal muscle metabolism and oxygen consumption remain elevated despite precipitous declines in power. Presently, it is unclear whether these responses are caused by an increased ATP cost of force generation (ATPCOST) or mitochondrial uncoupling; a process that reduces the efficiency of oxidative ATP synthesis (ATPOX).

To address this gap, we used 31‐phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure changes in ATPCOST and ATPOX in human quadriceps during repeated trials of maximal intensity knee extensions lasting up to 4 min.

ATPCOST remained unchanged. In contrast, ATPOX plateaued by ∼2 min and then declined (∼15%) over the final 2 min. The maximal capacity for ATPOX (Vmax), as well as ADP‐specific rates of ATPOX, were also significantly diminished.

Collectively, these results suggest that mitochondrial uncoupling, and not increased ATPCOST, is responsible for altering the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism and oxygen consumption during maximal exercise.

The relationship between skeletal muscle oxygen consumption and power output is augmented during exercise at workloads above the lactate threshold. Potential mechanisms for this response have been hypothesized, including increased ATP cost of force generation (ATPCOST) and mitochondrial uncoupling, a process that reduces the efficiency of oxidative ATP synthesis (ATPOX). To test these hypotheses, we used phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to non‐invasively measure changes in phosphate concentrations and pH in the vastus lateralis muscle of nine young adults during repeated trials of maximal, all‐out dynamic knee extensions (120°s−1, 1 every 2 s) lasting 24, 60, 120, and 240 s. ATPOX was measured at each time point from the initial velocity of PCr resynthesis, and ATPCOST was calculated as the sum of ATP synthesized by the creatine and adenylate kinase reactions, non‐oxidative glycolysis, ATPOX and net changes in [ATP]. Power output declined in a reproducible manner for all four trials. ATPCOST did not change over time (main effect P = 0.45). ATPOX plateaued from 60 to 120 s and then decreased over the final 120 s (main effect P = 0.001). The maximal capacity for oxidative ATP synthesis (Vmax), as well as ADP‐specific rates of ATPOX, also decreased over time (main effect P = 0.001, both). Collectively, these results demonstrate that prolonged maximal contraction protocols impair oxidative energetics and implicate mitochondrial uncoupling as the mechanism for this response. The causes of mitochondrial uncoupling are presently unknown but may offer a potential explanation for the dissociation between skeletal muscle power output and oxygen consumption during maximal, all‐out exercise protocols.
Using a regional ocean model to understand the structure and variability of acoustic arrivals in Fram Strait
Authors: Geyer Florian , Sagen Hanne , Cornuelle Bruce , Mazloff Matthew R. , Vazquez Heriberto J.
Published: February 2020

A regional ocean model for Fram Strait provides a framework for interpretation of the variability and structure of acoustic tomography arrivals. The eddy-permitting model (52 vertical levels and 4.5 km horizontal resolution) was evaluated using long-term moored hydrography data and time series of depth-range averaged temperature obtained from the inversion of acoustic tomography measurements. Geometric ray modeling using the ocean model fields reproduces the measured arrival structure of the acoustic tomography experiment. The combination of ocean and acoustic models gives insights into acoustic propagation during winter and spring. Moreover, overlapping arrivals coming from different vertical angles can be resolved and explained. The overlapping arrival of purely refracted rays and surface-reflected/bottom-reflected (SRBR) rays has implications for the inversion of tomography data in Fram Strait. The increased knowledge about the ray-length variations of SRBR rays is valuable for choosing appropriate observation kernels for the data assimilation of acoustic tomography data in Fram Strait.
Spectral aliasing in an acoustic spectral ripple discrimination task
Authors: Resnick Jesse M. , Horn David L. , Noble Anisha R. , Rubinstein Jay T.
Published: February 2020

Spectral ripple discrimination tasks are commonly used to probe spectral resolution in cochlear implant (CI), normal-hearing (NH), and hearing-impaired individuals. In addition, these tasks have also been used to examine spectral resolution development in NH and CI children. In this work, stimulus sine-wave carrier density was identified as a critical variable in an example spectral ripple–based task, the Spectro-Temporally Modulated Ripple (SMR) Test, and it was demonstrated that previous uses of it in NH listeners sometimes used values insufficient to represent relevant ripple densities. Insufficient carry densities produced spectral under-sampling that both eliminated ripple cues at high ripple densities and introduced unintended structured interference between the carriers and intended ripples at particular ripple densities. It was found that this effect produced non-monotonic psychometric functions for NH listeners that would cause systematic underestimation of thresholds with adaptive techniques. Studies of spectral ripple detection in CI users probe a density regime below where this source of aliasing occurs, as CI signal processing limits dense ripple representation. While these analyses and experiments focused on the SMR Test, any task in which discrete pure-tone carriers spanning frequency space are modulated to approximate a desired pattern must be designed with the consideration of the described spectral aliasing effect.
Estimation of angle-dependent absorption coefficients from spatially distributed in situ measurements
Authors: Nolan Mélanie
Published: February 2020

A method is proposed for measuring the angle-dependent absorption coefficient of a boundary material in situ. The method relies on decomposing a non-uniform three-dimensional pressure distribution, measured in the vicinity of a boundary, into plane-wave components (i.e., via estimation of its wavenumber transform). The incident and reflected plane-wave components at the boundary are separated in the wavenumber domain, from which it is possible to deduce an absorption coefficient for each angle of incidence simultaneously. The technique is used to verify theoretical predictions of the angle-dependent absorption coefficient of an absorbing ceiling, based on in situ measurements in a conventional room.
Effects of instructed timing on electric guitar and bass sound in groove performance
Authors: Câmara Guilherme Schmidt , Nymoen Kristian , Lartillot Olivier , Danielsen Anne
Published: February 2020

This paper reports on two experiments that investigated the expressive means through which musicians well versed in groove-based music signal the intended timing of a rhythmic event. Data were collected from 21 expert electric guitarists and 21 bassists, who were instructed to perform a simple rhythmic pattern in three different timing styles—“laid-back,” “on-the-beat,” and “pushed”—in tandem with a metronome. As expected, onset and peak timing locations corresponded to the instructed timing styles for both instruments. Regarding sound, results for guitarists revealed systematic differences across participants in the duration and brightness [spectral centroid (SC)] of the guitar strokes played using these different timing styles. In general, laid-back strokes were played with a longer duration and a lower SC relative to on-the-beat and pushed strokes. Results for the bassists indicated systematic differences in intensity (sound-pressure level): pushed strokes were played with higher intensity than on-the-beat and laid-back strokes. These results lend further credence to the hypothesis that both temporal and sound-related features are important indications of the intended timing of a rhythmic event, and together these features offer deeper insight into the ways in which musicians communicate at the microrhythmic level in groove-based music.
In Vitro
Screening of the Open-Source Medicines for Malaria Venture Malaria and Pathogen Boxes To Discover Novel Compounds with Activity against Balamuthia mandrillaris
Authors: Rice Christopher A. , Lares-Jiménez Luis Fernando , Lares-Villa Fernando , Kyle Dennis E.
Published: February 2020

Balamuthia mandrillaris
is an under-reported, pathogenic free-living amoeba that causes
Balamuthia
amoebic encephalitis (BAE) and cutaneous skin infections. Although cutaneous infections are not typically lethal, BAE with or without cutaneous involvement is usually fatal. This is due to the lack of drugs that are both efficacious and can cross the blood-brain barrier. We aimed to discover new leads for drug discovery by screening the open-source Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box and MMV Pathogen Box, with 800 compounds total.
Critical Role for the Extended N Terminus of Chlamydial MreB in Directing Its Membrane Association and Potential Interaction with Divisome Proteins
Authors: Lee Junghoon , Cox John V. , Ouellette Scot P.
Published: February 2020

Chlamydia trachomatis
is an obligate intracellular pathogen, causing sexually transmitted diseases and trachoma. The study of chlamydial physiology is important for developing novel therapeutic strategies for these diseases. Chlamydiae divide by a unique MreB-dependent polarized cell division process. In this study, we investigated unique properties of chlamydial MreB and observed that chlamydial species harbor an extended N-terminal region possessing amphipathicity. MreB formed a ring at the septum, like FtsZ in
Escherichia coli
, and its localization was dependent upon the amphipathic nature of its extended N terminus. Furthermore, this region is crucial for the interaction of MreB with cell division proteins. Given these results, chlamydial MreB likely functions at the septum as a scaffold for divisome proteins to regulate cell division in this organism.
Draft Genome Sequences of Leptospira interrogans Serovar Copenhageni Strains Isolated from Patients with Weil’s Disease in Brazil
Authors: Trindade Camilla N. R. , Panzenhagen Pedro H. N. , Junqueira Ricardo M. , Silva Deyse C. V. , Conte-Junior Carlos A. , Balassiano Ilana T.
Published: February 2020

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic species of
Leptospira
. In Brazil, this disease is endemic, presenting epidemic potential in rainy seasons. Here, we announce the whole-genome sequences of two
L. interrogans
serovar Copenhageni strains isolated from blood samples from two icteric patients associated with severe leptospirosis in Brazil.
Unusual case of chylothorax with unilateral limb swelling
Authors: Jha Vishal , Jha Aditi
Published: February 2020

Here, we present an unusual case of 26-month male toddler who presented with swelling of right lower limb with painless hyperpigmented patch over right groin of 18 months duration associated with recent onset respiratory distress. Evaluation revealed right chylothorax and MRI revealed altered signal intensity in bones and muscles of right lower limb. Lymphoscintigraphy revealed absence of lymphatic channels in right lower limb. Skin biopsy from hyperpigmented patch was suggestive of vasoformative lesion favouring lymphangiomatosis. A diagnosis of Gorham’s syndrome was made, and our patient was managed with drainage of chylothorax followed by pleurodesis, parenteral nutrition and radiotherapy.
Predicting patient engagement in IAPT services: a statistical analysis of electronic health records
Authors: Davis Alice , Smith Theresa , Talbot Jenny , Eldridge Chris , Betts David
Published: February 2020

Background

Across England, 12% of all improving access to psychological therapy (IAPT) appointments are missed, and on average around 40% of first appointments are not attended, varying significantly around the country. In order to intervene effectively, it is important to target the patients who are most likely to miss their appointments.

Objective

This research aims to develop and test a model to predict whether an IAPT patient will attend their first appointment.

Methods

Data from 19 adult IAPT services were analysed in this research. A multiple logistic regression was used at an individual service level to identify which patient, appointment and referral characteristics are associated with attendance. These variables were then used in a generalised linear mixed effects model (GLMM). We allow random effects in the GLMM for variables where we observe high service to service heterogeneity in the estimated effects from service specific logistic regressions.

Findings

We find that patients who self-refer are more likely to attend their appointments with an OR of 1.04. The older a patient is, the fewer the number of previous referrals and consenting to receiving a reminder short message service are also found to increase the likelihood of attendance with ORs of 1.02, 1.10, 1.04, respectively.

Conclusions

Our model is expected to help IAPT services identify which patients are not likely to attend their appointments by highlighting key characteristics that affect attendance.

Clinical implications

This analysis will help to identify methods IAPT services could use to increase their attendance rates.
Rapid climate-driven evolution of the invasive species Mytilus galloprovincialis over the past century
Authors: Han Guo-Dong , Dong Yun-Wei
Published: February 2020

Climate-driven adaptive genetic variation is one of the most important ways for organisms to tolerate environmental change and succeed in altered environments. To understand rapid climate-driven evolution, and how this evolution might shift biogeographic distributions in response to global change, we measured the adaptive genetic variation to the local environment of a marine invasive species Mytilus galloprovincialis. The genetic structure of eight populations from the Mediterranean Sea, northeastern Atlantic, northeastern Pacific, and northwestern Pacific were determined using genome-wide screens for single nucleotide polymorphisms. The relationships of genetic variation to environmental (seawater and air) temperature were analyzed using redundancy analysis and BayeScEnv analysis to evaluate the impacts of temperature on the genetic divergences among these eight populations. We found that the genetic compositions were significantly different among populations and the adaptive genetic variation was associated with temperature variables. Further, we identified some genetic markers exhibiting signatures of divergent selection in association with environmental features that can be used in the future to closely monitor adaptive variation in this species. Our results suggest that divergent climatic factors have driven adaptive genetic variation in M. galloprovincialis over the past century. The rapid evolutionary adaptation has played a pivotal role in enabling this species to invade a wide range of thermal habitats successfully. Species like M. galloprovincialis that possess high levels of genetic variation may not only be especially capable of invading new habitats with different environmental conditions, but also poised to cope rapidly and successfully with rising global temperatures.
A novel hydrogen-bonded organic framework for the sensing of two representative organic arsenics
Authors: Liu Ting , Wang Bin , He Ru , Arman Hadi , Schanze Kirk S. , Xiang Shengchang , Li Dan , Chen Banglin
Published: February 2020

A novel fluorescent hydrogen-bonded organic framework with a double fold interpenetrated structure, HOF-22, has been successfully constructed and structurally characterized. HOF-22 is capable of sensitive detection of two representative organic arsenics from aqueous solution.
Revealing False Positive Features in Epileptic EEG Identification
Authors: Lian Jian , Shi Yunfeng , Zhang Yan , Jia Weikuan , Fan Xiaojun , Zheng Yuanjie
Published: February 2020

Feature selection plays a vital role in the detection and discrimination of epileptic seizures in electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The state-of-the-art EEG classification techniques commonly entail the extraction of the multiple features that would be fed into classifiers. For some techniques, the feature selection strategies have been used to reduce the dimensionality of the entire feature space. However, most of these approaches focus on the performance of classifiers while neglecting the association between the feature and the EEG activity itself. To enhance the inner relationship between the feature subset and the epileptic EEG task with a promising classification accuracy, we propose a machine learning-based pipeline using a novel feature selection algorithm built upon a knockoff filter. First, a number of temporal, spectral, and spatial features are extracted from the raw EEG signals. Second, the proposed feature selection algorithm is exploited to obtain the optimal subgroup of features. Afterwards, three classifiers including [Formula: see text]-nearest neighbor (KNN), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) are used. The experimental results on the Bonn dataset demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art techniques, with accuracy as high as 99.93% for normal and interictal EEG discrimination and 98.95% for interictal and ictal EEG classification. Meanwhile, it has achieved satisfactory sensitivity (95.67% in average), specificity (98.83% in average), and accuracy (98.89% in average) over the Freiburg dataset.
A Prototype of EEG System for IoT
Authors: Laport Francisco , Dapena Adriana , Castro Paula M. , Vazquez-Araujo Francisco J. , Iglesia Daniel
Published: February 2020

In this work, we develop open source hardware and software for eye state classification and integrate it with a protocol for the Internet of Things (IoT). We design and build the hardware using a reduced number of components and with a very low-cost. Moreover, we propose a method for the detection of open eyes (oE) and closed eyes (cE) states based on computing a power ratio between different frequency bands of the acquired signal. We compare several real- and complex-valued transformations combined with two decision strategies: a threshold-based method and a linear discriminant analysis. Simulation results show both classifier accuracies and their corresponding system delays.
An effective community detection method based on one-dimensional “attraction” in network science
Authors: Yu Yi-Yang , Xu Chuan-Yun , Cao Ke-Fei
Published: February 2020

Community detection has always been one of the most important issues in network science. With the arrival of the era of big data, it is necessary to develop new accurate and fast community detection methods for the study of many real complex networks (especially large networks). Based on the concept of strong community and the analogy between the edge and the attraction, this paper proposes an effective one-dimensional “attraction” (1DA) method for community detection. The 1DA method uses the number of edges as the measure of the “attraction”. The specific 1DA algorithm is also presented using two effective ways of vertex moving (i.e. the nearest moving and the median moving). After being randomly initialized at different positions on the (one-dimensional) number axis, all vertices will move under the action of the “attraction”; eventually, the vertices of the same community will naturally gather at the same position, while the vertices of different communities will gather at different positions, thus realizing the community division naturally. This method is tested in five typical real networks and one popular benchmark, and compared with several other popular community detection methods. Theoretical analysis and numerical experiments show that the 1DA method can accurately estimate the number of communities, with low (almost linear) time complexity ([Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the network size) and good performance in modularity and normalized mutual information in various networks (especially in the tests in large networks, the 1DA method has the best performance). The 1DA method in this paper provides a simple and practical solution to the problem of community detection.
Bi-slant submersions in complex geometry
Authors: Sayar Cem , Akyol Mehmet Akif , Prasad Rajendra
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we introduce bi-slant submersions from almost Hermitian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds as a generalization of invariant, anti-invariant, semi-invariant, slant, semi-slant and hemi-slant Riemannian submersions. We mainly focus on bi-slant submersions from Kaehler manifolds. We provide a proper example of bi-slant submersion, investigate the geometry of foliations determined by vertical and horizontal distributions, and obtain the geometry of leaves of these distributions. Moreover, we obtain curvature relations between the base space, the total space and the fibers, and find geometric implications of these relations.
Bouncing scenario in Brans–Dicke theory
Authors: Tripathy Sunil Kumar , Pandey Subingya , Sendha Alaka Priyadarsini , Behera Dipanjali
Published: February 2020

A bouncing scenario is studied in the framework of generalized Brans–Dicke theory. In order to have a dark energy (DE) driven late time cosmic acceleration, we have considered a unified dark fluid simulated by a linear equation of state (EoS). The evolutionary behavior of the DE equation of parameter derived from the unified dark fluid has been discussed. The effect of the bouncing scale factor on the Brans–Dicke parameter, self-interacting potential and the Brans–Dicke scalar field is investigated.
INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE WITH THE MEDIATION OF INNOVATION: EVIDENCES FROM A STATE-OWNED ELECTRICITY COMPANY IN INDONESIA
Authors: PUTRA IRSYAM ASRI , ROFIATY ROFIATY , DJUMAHIR DJUMAHIR
Published: February 2020

The research findings regarding the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and transformational leadership on organisational performance are inconsistent. This research aims to investigate the direct influence of entrepreneurial orientation and transformational leadership on organisational performance and their indirect influence with the mediation of innovation. The population of this research is 301 business units of Indonesia’s State-Owned Electricity Company of Java and Bali distribution region, from which 168 were selected as the sample. The managerial or practical implications of this research are that it provides a better understanding, proposes suggestions to the organisation in maximising and optimising its intangible resources in relation with entrepreneurial orientation, and encourages activities related to its innovation in order to increase its organisational performance, especially in the specific nature of state-owned enterprise’s context and business model. In addition, the organisation needs to encourage transformational leadership among its leaders to enhance activities related to innovation.
A Smartphone-based Network Architecture for Post-disaster Operations Using WiFi Tethering
Authors: Pal Amitangshu , Raj Mayank , Kant Krishna , Das Sajal K.
Published: February 2020

Electronic communication is crucial for monitoring the rescue-relief operations and providing assistance to the affected people during and after disasters. Given the ubiquity of smartphones, we envision that smartphones with lost connection (due to damage) to the communications infrastructure are nevertheless integrated seamlessly into the network as far as possible. To achieve this, we propose to build ad hoc subnetworks of disconnected smartphones using the WiFi tethering technology and ultimately connect them to either the emergency communication equipment deployed in the disaster area or to other smartphones that have still the network connectivity. The proposed architecture for such integration and a defined software-based control through the emergency control center (ECC) enables battery aware collection of critical data through smartphone sensors. The developed solution supports mobility of all smartphones, including those that have lost direct cellular connectivity as well as those that have not and are willing to act as gateways. We demonstrate how the proposed scheme can be tied to the standardized wireless emergency alert service and how it can effectively handle mobility tolerant device discovery and data transfer.
T Cell Epitope Predictions
Authors: Peters Bjoern , Nielsen Morten , Sette Alessandro
Published: February 2020

Throughout the body, T cells monitor MHC-bound ligands expressed on the surface of essentially all cell types. MHC ligands that trigger a T cell immune response are referred to as T cell epitopes. Identifying such epitopes enables tracking, phenotyping, and stimulating T cells involved in immune responses in infectious disease, allergy, autoimmunity, transplantation, and cancer. The specific T cell epitopes recognized in an individual are determined by genetic factors such as the MHC molecules the individual expresses, in parallel to the individual's environmental exposure history. The complexity and importance of T cell epitope mapping have motivated the development of computational approaches that predict what T cell epitopes are likely to be recognized in a given individual or in a broader population. Such predictions guide experimental epitope mapping studies and enable computational analysis of the immunogenic potential of a given protein sequence region.
A Model accounting for Stiffness Weakening of Curvic Couplings under Various Loading Conditions
Authors: Liu Heng , Hong Jie , Ruan Shilun , Li Zheng , Cheng Gengdong
Published: February 2020

Curvic couplings are frequently used in aeroengine rotors. The stiffness of the curvic couplings is of guiding significance to the engineering design of aeroengine rotors as it is significantly different from that of continuous structures. In this paper, definitions and relations of the structure parameters for a curvic coupling are firstly introduced. Based on this proposed mechanical framework, a novel mechanical model accounting for the stiffness weakening under shearing, compression, bending, and torsion is developed for curvic couplings. In this model, a three-spring system, which consists of two types of springs, is adopted to describe the equivalent stiffness of a pair of meshing teeth of curvic couplings. The spring stiffness is obtained by employing the plane strain analysis of a discretized tooth with trapezoid pieces. Subsequently, the stiffness matrix of curvic couplings is deduced based on the deformation compatibility of each tooth and the force balance of the whole structure. A series of analyses of curvic couplings with various structure types are performed to demonstrate the mechanism behind the proposed model, and the results are verified against those obtained from finite element analyses. It is shown in this study that the pressure angle is the major factor affecting the stiffness of curvic couplings, while the compression stiffness and bending stiffness are more sensitive than other stiffnesses. Furthermore, the stiffness of curvic couplings is considerably smaller compared to that of continuous structures, indicating the importance of appropriate modelling of stiffness weakening in the design of aeroengine rotors.
Reaction of Lectin-Specific Antibody with Human Tissue: Possible Contributions to Autoimmunity
Authors: Vojdani Aristo , Afar Daniel , Vojdani Elroy
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to examine the direct reaction of specific lectin/agglutinin antibodies to different tissue antigens to confirm the theory that reactivity between them may contribute to autoimmunities. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins found in nearly all fruits and vegetables. Undigested lectins can penetrate the gut barriers, provoking an immune response that results in the production of antibodies against them. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we reacted lectin-specific antibodies with 62 different tissue antigens. Wheat germ agglutinin-specific antibody was the most reactive with the tissue antigens (37 tissues out of 62), followed by red kidney bean phytohemagglutinin-specific antibody (20), soybean agglutinin-specific antibody (20), and peanut agglutinin-specific antibody (15). This reaction between anti-lectin antibodies and many human tissue antigens may be due to possible molecular mimicry and cross-reactivity. After our results confirmed that anti-lectin antibodies bind with human tissues, we wanted to determine the prevalence of these antibodies in the blood of 500 nominally healthy donors. The percentage elevation of antibodies against different lectins ranged from 12 to 16% (Immunoglobulin G), 9.7-14.7% (Immunoglobulin A), 12-18% (Immunoglobulin M), and 7.8-14.6% (Immunoglobulin E). Serial dilutions and inhibition study confirmed that these reactions were specific. Finally, we tested the lectin-specific antibody level in sera both negative and positive for RF and ANA and found that IgM anti-lectin antibody levels were highly correlated with RF but not with ANA level. The reaction of anti-lectin antibodies with human tissue components and their detection in RF-positive samples may describe mechanisms by which the production of antibodies against undigested lectins may contribute to the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases.
Simultaneous Determination of Drugs Affecting Central Nervous System (CNS) in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Formulations Using Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS)
Authors: Shaaban Heba , Mostafa Ahmed , Al-Zahrani Bushra , Al-Jasser Bushra , Al-Ghamdi Raghad
Published: February 2020

The quality of medications is important to maintain the overall health care of patients. This study aims to develop and validate a spectrophotometric method using multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) with correlation constraint for simultaneous resolution and quantification of selected drugs affecting the central nervous system (imipramine, carbamazepine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and phenytoin) in different pharmaceutical dosage forms. Figures of merit such as root-mean-square error of prediction, bias, standard error of prediction, and relative error of prediction for the developed method were calculated. High values of correlation coefficients ranged between 0.9993 and 0.9998 reflected high predictive ability of the developed method. The results are linear in the concentration range of 0.3–5 μg/mL for carbamazepine, 0.3–15 μg/mL for chlorpromazine, 0.5–10 μg/mL for haloperidol, 0.5–10 μg/mL for imipramine, and 3–20 μg/mL for phenytoin. The optimized method was successfully applied for the analysis of the studied drugs in their pharmaceutical products without any separation step. The optimized method was also compared with a reported HPLC method using Student’sttest andFratio at 95% confidence level, and the results showed no significant difference regarding accuracy and precision. The proposed chemometric method is fast, reliable, and cost-effective and can be used as an eco-friendly alternative to chromatographic techniques for the analysis of the studied drugs in commercial pharmaceutical products.
Dipeptidyl Peptidase‐4 Is a Target Protein of Epigallocatechin‐3‐Gallate
Authors: Hou Huimin , Wang Ying , Li Chunshi , Wang Jian , Cao Yanli
Published: February 2020

Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG), a major active ingredient in green tea, has various health benefits. It affects glucose metabolism, but the mechanism is not well understood. This study aimed to identify targets of EGCG related to glucose metabolism. The core fragment of EGCG is a flavonoid. The flavonoid scaffold was used as a substructure to find proteins cocrystallized with flavonoids in the Protein Data Bank. The proteins identified were screened in PubMed for known relationships with diabetes. Dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP4; PDB 5J3J) was identified following this approach. By molecular docking, the interactions of EGCG and DPP4 were assessed. To test the stability of the interactions between EGCG and DPP4, molecular dynamics simulation for 100 ns was performed using Desmond software. In vitro, the concentration of EGCG required to inhibit DPP4 activity by 50% (the IC50 value) was 28.42 μM. These data provide a theoretical basis for intervention in glucose metabolism with EGCG.
Correlation between Urine N-Terminal Telopeptide and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Parameters: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Okano Ichiro , Salzmann Stephan N. , Ortiz Miller Courtney , Rentenberger Colleen , Schadler Paul , Sax Oliver C. , Shue Jennifer , Sama Andrew A. , Cammisa Frank P. , Girardi Federico P. , Hughes Alexander P.
Published: February 2020

N-terminal telopeptide (NTX) is a bone resorption marker that is commonly referenced in clinical practice. Bone remodeling is also associated with changes in mineral components. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is utilized in the assessment of bone material properties and some parameters are reported to have associations with bone remodeling. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the relationship between uNTX levels and FTIR parameters, utilizing prospectively collected study data for patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery. Bone specimens were taken from iliac crest (IC) and vertebrae (V). Cortical (C) and trabecular (T) bones were separately analyzed. 22 patients (mean age 60.0 years (35.9–73.3), male : female 9 : 13) were included in the final analysis. Women showed significantly higher uNTX levels (male : female, median [range] 21.0 [11.0–39.0] : 36.0 [15.0–74.0] nM·BCE/mM, p=0.033). Among women, a significant positive correlation was observed between uNTX and mineral-to-matrix ratio in IC-C. Among men, uNTX demonstrated significant negative correlation with collagen crosslinks (XLR: ratio of mature to immature collagen crosslinks) in IC-C, V-T, and V-C. In addition, uNTX was positively correlated with acid phosphate substitution (HPO4, a parameter of new bone formation) in IC-C, IC-T, and V-C. After age adjustment, HPO4 in IC-T and V-C among men showed significant positive associations with uNTX (IC-T: p=0.018, R2 = 0.544; V-C: p=0.007, R2 = 0.672). We found associations between FTIR parameters and uNTX in men, but not in women. The correlations between uNTX and FTIR parameters in men might suggest a better balance of bone breakdown (uNTX) and new bone formation (FTIR parameters: XLR, HPO4) than in women.
Thunder‐Fire Moxibustion for Cervical Spondylosis: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Huang Ruina , Huang Yunxuan , Huang Ruijia , Huang Shaofen , Wang Xiaojun , Yu Xiaojiang , Xu Danghan , Chen Xinghua
Published: February 2020

Background. Cervical spondylosis (CS) refers to the degenerative changes in the cervical spinal column, which affect the majority of middle‐aged and elderly people. Thunder‐fire moxibustion originated from thunder‐fire miraculous needle, which has been applied widely for treating pain syndromes for thousands of years. The aim of our research is to provide evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of thunder‐fire moxibustion in treating CS. Methods and analysis. Retrieved literature databases included Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EBSCO, EBASE, Springer, PubMed, WFDP, CNKI, VIP, and CBM. The period of retrieval was from the establishment of the database to December 2018. Randomized controlled trials which compared thunder‐fire moxibustion and other therapies in CS were included. The quality of inclusive trials was accessed though a Cochrane risk of bias tool. According to the test results of heterogeneity, a random effect model or fixed effect model was used to analyze the data. Results. Meta‐analysis was conducted for the total effective rate of thunder‐fire moxibustion, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score, pain score, satisfaction score, and score of the symptoms and functional rehabilitation of cervical vertigo. The analysis results were as follows: compared with other therapies, the efficacy of thunder‐fire moxibustion was statistically significant, total effective rate increased (OR = 2.48; 95% CI [1.80, 3.41]; P < 0.00001), traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score decreased (SMD = −3.05; 95% CI[−4.18, −1.93]; P < 0.00001), pain score decreased (SMD = −0.91; 95% CI [−1.79, −0.03]; P = 0.004), satisfaction score increased (SMD = 5.35, 95% CI [2.72, 7.98]; P < 0.0001), and score of the symptoms and functional rehabilitation of cervical vertigo increased (SMD = 4.10, 95% CI [2.34, 5.87]; P < 0.00001). The level of evidence was very low. Conclusion. Based on the existing evidence, the curative effect and safety of thunder‐fire moxibustion on CS were statistically significant. We should interpret the results scrupulously because of the low evidence level. Large‐scale, high‐quality, rigorous RCTs with long‐term follow‐up should be performed in the future.
Acute Hospital Admission for Stroke Is Characterised by Inactivity
Authors: Sheedy R. , Kramer S. F. , Johnson L. , Shields N. , Churilov L. , Cadilhac D. A. , Bernhardt J.
Published: February 2020

Background. Measuring physical activity behaviours of stroke survivors in the inpatient setting is challenging. Authors of observational studies of early poststroke report that stroke survivors are “inactive and alone”. Using activity monitoring devices may help refine clinical practice and inform therapeutic activity targets. Aim. To measure the physical activity behaviour of stroke survivors during acute inpatient hospitalisation. We hypothesized that greater levels of inactivity would be positively associated with stroke severity and age. Method. Using a cross-sectional study design, consecutive stroke patients admitted to an acute stroke unit (Geelong, Australia) and recruited within 48 hours of admission had their physical activity recorded using an ActivPAL™ accelerometer device over a minimum of 3 days. Activity was categorised as time spent inactive (lying or sitting), standing, or stepping. The number of steps per day was recorded. Demographic and ActivPal™ data are described. Results. Seventy-eight stroke survivors were recruited of whom 54 had complete data for 3 days, all starting within 2 days poststroke. Of the 54 participants, 32 had a mild stroke, 17 moderate, and five severe stroke. Nine were able to walk independently at admission. The median age was 82.5 years (interquartile range (IQR) 74-86), 26 were female. On average, during their inpatient stay, participants spent a median of 98% of their admission inactive. A median of 18 minutes per day was spent standing and less than a minute per day was spent walking amounting to a median of 169 steps taken per day. Conclusion. The ActivePal™ device was feasible to use in an acute stroke setting. We observed high levels of inactivity in the first days post-stroke, highlighting the ongoing challenge of promoting activity in the acute stroke period. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to provide objective data on time spent upright, walking, and sedentary using accelerometer data in an acute stroke setting.
Power Optimization in Mobile Robots Using a Real-Time Heuristic
Authors: Abukhalil Tamer , Almahafzah Harbi , Alksasbeh Malek , Alqaralleh Bassam A. Y.
Published: February 2020

Mobile robots typically run using finite energy resources, supplied by finite batteries. The limitation of energy resources requires human intervention for recharging the batteries. To reduce human intervention, this work focuses on coordinating power in a group of robots. A power optimization subroutine provides some sense of distribution of power by the control unit (CU). A variety of on-board sensors, actuators, and communication modules are controlled by a heuristic-based controller class allowing such components to conserve the current taken from the attached power source. Using the proposed approach, autonomous robots will be aware of their power system, especially regarding battery life. The new approach takes advantage of a heuristic function which uses evaluation values calculated at different times for the different robots. An experimental setup is applied on the team of robots. The optimization module is evaluated on each robot. The results show that the team of mobile robots consumes less energy and more efficient power regulation during their duties. Finally, the application of the proposed optimization technique in a distributed manner achieves good power saving figures when performing the particular task.
Morphological and Functional Outcomes after Intravitreal Dexamethasone Injection for Macular Edema in Patients with Central Vein Occlusion at 48-Week Follow-Up
Authors: Nicula Cristina , Nicula Dorin , Rednik Anca , Bulboaca Adriana , Crișan Ovidiu
Published: February 2020

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI: Ozurdex®) injection in eyes with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. Material and Method. A retrospective, nonrandomized study was conducted in patients with macular edema (ME) due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) who undertook intravitreal Ozurdex® as first-line treatment. We performed a complete ocular exam including macular OCT. Results. The mean BCVA (logMar) improved from 0.420.42 ± 0.23 logMar at baseline to 0.21 ± 0.23 logMar at 48 weeks in the BRVO group and from 0.72 ± 0.16 logMar at baseline to 0.31 ± 0.23 logMar at 48 weeks in the CRVO group. In both groups, CFT values decreased significantly compared to baseline (p<0.0001 at each timepoint). Reinjection for recurrent macular edema after 18 weeks was indicated in five eyes (41.67%) in the BRVO group and in six eyes (25%) in the CRVO group. Cataract developed in two eyes (16.67%) in the BRVO group and in one eye (4.17%) in the CRVO group. The IOP was higher than 25 mmHg in two cases in the BRVO group (16.66%) and in three cases (8.33%) in the CRVO group. Conclusion. Ozurdex® injected intravitreally significantly improved the mean CFT and BCVA in eyes with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.
Severe Pulmonary Infection in a 20-Month-Old Female
Authors: Mann Yasmeen , Zeller Paul , Carrillo-Kappus Kristen , Victor Melissa , Moore Mary
Published: February 2020

Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is a common reason for hospitalization of a pediatric patient. We report a 20-month-old female admitted for suspected CAP. History included a week-long cough, fever, dyspnea, single occurrence of seizure-like activity, and a sick contact. Initial chest X-ray (CXR) showed left lower lobe pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion with a complex left pleural effusion. Ultrasound findings prompted the need for contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the chest. Contrast-enhanced CT of the chest confirmed a large pleural effusion with major atelectasis and mediastinal shift. The patient was treated with empiric antibiotics, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) decortication of empyema, and chest tube placement. Due to intraoperative complications, the VATS decortication was aborted and patient was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A thoracentesis with culture failed to isolate a bacterial organism. Dexamethasone was started after repeat CXR showed persistent infiltrate. Subsequent contrast-enhanced CT of the chest showed a large collection of air and persistent consolidation. The patient received repeat VATS decortication and reinsertion of a chest tube. Repeat pleural fluid cultures failed to isolate a bacterial organism. Infectious disease (ID) consult recommended linezolid 140 mg Q8H for 4 weeks. Seven days after second VATS, a respiratory pathogen panel was positive for rhinovirus/enterovirus. With resolution of leukocytosis and clinical improvement, the patient was discharged with the chest tube in place and pediatric surgery outpatient follow-up. After three months, sequalae from both the infection and interventions presented .