bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individual-level predictors of practices of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions for infants and young children in West and Central Africa: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Sagalova Vera , Zagre Noel Marie , Vollmer Sebastian
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To explore the role of individual-level and household-level characteristics for practice of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

Design

Secondary data analysis (cross-sectional).

Setting

West and Central Africa.

Participants

Data are from the Demographic and Health Surveys in the time period between 1986 and 2016. The final sample included between 116 325 and 272 238 observations depending on the outcome.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions were identified based on the UNICEF Conceptual Framework for child undernutrition. These were early breastfeeding initiation, minimum dietary diversity, full age-appropriate immunisation, iodised salt usage, vitamin A supplementation, iron supplementation, deworming in children aged 1 to 5, clean cooking fuel, safe drinking water and improved sanitation. Explanatory variables include household, mother and child characteristics. Linear probability models were fitted for each outcome, both unadjusted as well as fully adjusted including primary sampling unit fixed effects.

Results

Prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation was 54.31% (95% CI: 53.22% to 55.41%), minimum dietary diversity 13.89% (95% CI: 13.19% to 14.59%), full age-appropriate immunisation 13.04% (95% CI: 12.49% to 13.59%), iodised salt usage 49.66% (95% CI: 46.79% to 52.53%), vitamin A supplementation 52.87% (95% CI: 51.41% to 54.33%), iron supplementation 10.73% (95% CI: 10.07% to 11.39%), deworming 31.33% (95% CI: 30.06% to 32.60%), clean cooking fuel usage 3.02% (95% CI: 2.66% to 3.38%), safe drinking water 57.85% (95% CI: 56.10% to 59.59%) and improved sanitation 42.49% (95% CI: 40.77% to 44.21%). There was a positive education and wealth gradient for the practices of all interventions except deworming. Higher birth order was positively associated with the practice of early breastfeeding initiation, minimum dietary diversity, vitamin A supplementation and negatively associated with full immunisation and improved sanitation.

Conclusions

Household, maternal, and child-level characteristics explain practices of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions beyond intervention delivery at the regional level.
Holographic complexity of the electromagnetic black hole
Authors: Jiang Jie , Zhang Ming
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we use the “complexity equals action” (CA) conjecture to evaluate the holographic complexity in some multiple-horzion black holes for the gravitational theory coupled to a first-order source-free electrodynamics. Motivated by the vanishing result of the purely magnetic black hole founded by Goto et al., we investigate the complexity in a static charged black hole with source-free electrodynamics and find that this vanishing feature of the late-time rate is universal for a purely static magnetic black hole. But this result shows some unexpected features of the late-time growth rate. We show how the inclusion of a boundary term for the first-order electromagnetic field to the total action can make the holographic complexity be well-defined and obtain a general expression of the late-time complexity growth rate with these boundary terms. However, the choice of these additional boundary terms is dependent on the specific gravitational theory as well as the black hole geometries. To show this, we apply our late-time result to some explicit cases and show how to choose the proportional constant of the additional boundary term to make the complexity be well-defined in the zero-charge limit. Typically, we investigate the static magnetic black holes in Einstein gravity coupled to a first-order electrodynamics and find that there is a general relationship between the proper proportional constant and the Lagrangian function $$h(\mathcal {F})$$h(F) of the electromagnetic field: if $$h(\mathcal {F})$$h(F) is a convergent function, the choice of the proportional constant is independent on explicit expressions of $$h(\mathcal {F})$$h(F) and it should be chosen as 4/3; if $$h(\mathcal {F})$$h(F) is a divergent function, the proportional constant is dependent on the asymptotic index of the Lagrangian function.
ℤ2 and ℤ-graded central polynomials of the Grassmann algebra
Authors: Guimarães Alan De Araújo , Fidelis Claudemir , Koshlukov Plamen
Published: February 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be an infinite field of characteristic different from 2, and let [Formula: see text] be the Grassmann algebra of a countable of dimensional [Formula: see text]-vector space [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study the graded central polynomials of gradings on [Formula: see text] by the groups [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], where the basis of the vector space [Formula: see text] is homogeneous. More specifically, we provide a basis for the [Formula: see text]-space of graded central polynomials for [Formula: see text], where the group [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Mid North Sea High region of the UK Continental Shelf
Authors: Brackenridge Rachel E. , Underhill John R. , Jamieson Rachel , Bell Andrew
Published: February 2020

Interpretation of newly acquired seismic and legacy well data has led to a greater understanding of the Upper Paleozoic–Recent geological evolution of the Mid North Sea High (MNSH), an under-explored region of the North Sea. The position of granite-cored blocks controlled the distribution of Devono-Carboniferous highs and basins before Variscan uplift led to peneplanation and the creation of the Base Permian Unconformity. The MNSH became the dominant feature during the Permian when it formed a west–east-striking ridge between the Southern and Northern Permian basins. Following a period of non-deposition, sedimentation was renewed in the Late Permian–Triassic before Middle Jurassic doming caused uplift to the NE. Subsequent Late Jurassic North Sea rifting transected the MNSH to create the Western Platform between the Central Graben and Moray Firth rift arms. Following Cretaceous post-rift deposition, the area experienced a significant easterly tilt in the Cenozoic that led to the demise of the MNSH as a prominent topographical feature. The tectonic and stratigraphic evolution exerts a strong control over reservoir facies distribution, source-rock deposition and maturation. However, the area is not barren of petroleum potential. Despite the lack of Upper Carboniferous source rocks over large areas, hydrocarbon potential is evident through shows in legacy wells, indicating the Lower Carboniferous as a potential source rock. Cenozoic uplift to the west imparted a regional tilt, the effects of which remains key to unlocking the area's prospectivity since it reconfigured structures and formed remigration pathways from Lower Carboniferous and Jurassic source rocks.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Under-explored plays and frontier basins of the UK continental shelf collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/under-explored-plays-and-frontier-basins-of-the-uk-continental-shelf
Tunable FPGA Bitstream Obfuscation with Boolean Satisfiability Attack Countermeasure
Authors: Olney Brooks , Karam Robert
Published: February 2020

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are seeing a surge in usage in many emerging application domains, where the in-field reconfigurability is an attractive characteristic for diverse applications with dynamic design requirements, such as cloud computing, automotive, IoT, and aerospace. The security of the FPGA configuration file, or
bitstream
, is critical, especially for devices with long in-field lifetimes, where attackers may attempt to extract valuable Intellectual Property (IP) from within. In this article, we propose a tunable obfuscation approach that protects IP from typical bitstream attacks while enabling designers to trade off security with acceptable overhead. We also consider two potential attacks on this protection mechanism: Boolean SAT Attacks on the obfuscation and removal attacks on the protection circuitry. The obfuscation and SAT countermeasure are integrated in a custom CAD framework within a commercial FPGA toolflow and together provide mathematically strong protection against common bitstream attacks. Further, we quantify the difficulty of a removal attack on the protection circuitry through pattern matching and direct bitstream manipulation. The average area, power, and delay overhead for obfuscation with 95% mismatch probability are 18%, 16%, and 8%, respectively, for small combinational circuits, and 1%, 2%, and 5% for larger arithmetic modules.
Lagrangian Relaxation-Based Time-Division Multiplexing Optimization for Multi-FPGA Systems
Authors: Pui Chak-Wa , Young Evangeline F. Y.
Published: February 2020

To increase the resource utilization in multi-FPGA (field-programmable gate array) systems, time-division multiplexing (TDM) is a widely used technique to accommodate a large number of inter-FPGA signals. However, with this technique, the delay imposed by the inter-FPGA connections becomes significant. Previous research has shown that the TDM ratios of signals can greatly affect the performance of a system. In this article, to minimize the system clock period and support more practical constraints in modern multi-FPGA systems, we propose an analytical framework to optimize the TDM ratios of inter-FPGA nets. A Lagrangian relaxation-based method first gives a continuous result under relaxed constraints. A binary search--based discretization algorithm is then used to assign the TDM ratio of each net such that the resulting maximum displacement is optimal and all the constraints are satisfied. Finally, a swapping-based post refinement is performed to further optimize the TDM ratios. For comparison, we also solve the problem using linear programming (LP)--based methods, which have guaranteed error bounds to the optimal solutions. Experimental results show that our framework can achieve similar quality with much shorter runtime compared to the LP-based methods. Moreover, our framework scales for designs with over 45,000 inter-FPGA nets while the runtime and memory usage of the LP-based methods will increase dramatically as the design scale becomes larger.
In Situ Pore Self-Formed Strategy for the Preparation of Sulfur-Doped Hierarchical Porous Carbon Spheres for Supercapacitors
Authors: Liang Zhongguan , Xia Hui , Liu Hao , Zhang Luomeng , Zhao Yuefeng , Zhou Jianfei , Li Hongjian , Xie Wenke
Published: February 2020

Hierarchical porous carbon spheres (HPCSs) have been widely used in energy storage and conversion due to their open framework, high specific surface area and chemical stability. Here, we report a novel and facile method to synthesize porous phenolic resin spheres through an in situ pore self-formed strategy. The phenolic resin spheres can directly transform into sulfur-doped HPCSs by carbonization and activation. The hierarchical porous structure maximizes the specific surface area and facilitates ion diffusion and transport. Combine with the hierarchical porous structure, high specific surface area and suitable S doping content, the HPCSs-based symmetric supercapacitor presents high energy density of 12 Wh kg−1 and outstanding power output capability of 28 kW kg−1. This methodology provides a new way for the preparation of HPCSs and other functional porous carbon spheres with adjustable pore structure and surface properties.
MCMs in Cancer: Prognostic Potential and Mechanisms
Authors: Yu Si , Wang Guanqun , Shi Yue , Xu Haifeng , Zheng Yongchang , Chen Yang
Published: February 2020

Enabling replicative immortality and uncontrolled cell cycle are hallmarks of cancer cells. Minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) exhibit helicase activity in replication initiation and play vital roles in controlling replication times within a cell cycle. Overexpressed MCMs are detected in various cancerous tissues and cancer cell lines. Previous studies have proposed MCMs as promising proliferation markers in cancers, while the prognostic values remain controversial and the underlying mechanisms remain unascertained. This review provides an overview of the significant findings regarding the cellular and tumorigenic functions of the MCM family. Besides, current evidence of the prognostic roles of MCMs is retrospectively reviewed. This work also offers insight into the mechanisms of MCMs prompting carcinogenesis and adverse prognosis, providing information for future research. Finally, MCMs in liver cancer are specifically discussed, and future perspectives are provided.
Actinomycosis as a Rare Local Manifestation of Severe Periodontitis
Authors: Kaldas Moody , Barghorn André , Schmidlin Patrick R.
Published: February 2020

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative infection primarily caused by anaerobic gram-positive filamentous bacteria, primarily of the genus Actinomyces. Oral-cervicofacial actinomycosis is the localization found most often, presenting as a soft tissue swelling, an abscess, a mass lesion, or sometimes an ulcerative lesion. Periodontitis-like lesions, however, are rare findings. This report describes the case of a 41-year-old healthy female patient (nonsmoker), who was referred to the clinic with dull and throbbing pain in the second quadrant. Tooth 25 showed increased mobility and probing pocket depths up to 10 mm, with profuse bleeding upon probing. Radiographically, considerable interproximal horizontal bone loss was found, and the diagnosis of periodontitis stage 3, grade C was made. The situation was initially stabilized with adhesive splinting and local anti-infective therapy. Two weeks later, the bone defect was treated with guided tissue regeneration (GTR) using a xenogenic filler material (BioOss Collagen) and a resorbable membrane (Bio-Gide). Due to a suspicious appearance of the excised granulation tissue, the collected fragments were sent for histopathological evaluation. This evaluation revealed a chronic granulomatous inflammation with the presence of filamentous bacterial colonies, consistent with Actinomyces. The patient was successfully treated. While there are only few reports in the literature, actinomycotic lesions represent a rare but possible finding in cases with localized periodontal destruction. In conclusion, systematic biopsy of the infrabony tissue in localized periodontal lesions may help to provide a more accurate counting of Actinomyces-associated lesions, thereby improving diagnosis, therapy, and prevention.
In Vitro ELISA and Cell-Based Assays Confirm the Low Immunogenicity of VNAR Therapeutic Constructs in a Mouse Model of Human RA: An Encouraging Milestone to Further Clinical Drug Development
Authors: Ubah Obinna C. , Porter Andrew J. , Barelle Caroline J.
Published: February 2020

Anti-drug antibodies (ADAs), specific for biotherapeutic drugs, are associated with reduced serum drug levels and compromised therapeutic response. The impact of ADA on the bioavailability and clinical efficacy of blockbuster anti-hTNF-α monoclonal antibodies is well recognised, especially for adalimumab and infliximab treatments, with the large and complex molecular architecture of classical immunoglobulin antibody drugs, in part, responsible for the immunogenicity seen in patients. The initial aim of this study was to develop solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and an in vitro cell-based method to accurately detect ADA and estimate its impact on the preclinical in vivo efficacy outcomes of two novel, nonimmunoglobulin VNAR fusion anti-hTNF-α biologics (Quad-X™ and D1-NDure™-C4) and Humira®, a brand of adalimumab. Serum drug levels and the presence of ADA were determined in a transgenic mouse model of polyarthritis (Tg197) when Quad-X™ and Humira® were dosed at 1 mg/kg and D1-NDure™-C4 was dosed at 30 mg/kg. The serum levels of the Quad-X™ and D1-NDure™-C4 modalities were consistently high and comparable across all mice within the same treatment groups. In 1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg Quad-X™- and 30 mg/kg D1-NDure™-C4-treated mice, an average trough drug serum concentration of 8 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 350 μg/mL, respectively, were estimated. In stark contrast, Humira® trough serum concentrations in the 1 mg/kg treatment group ranged from <0.008 μg/mL to 4 μg/mL with trace levels detected in 7 of the 8 animals treated. Trough serum Humira® and Quad-X™ concentrations in 3 mg/kg treatment samples were comparable; however, the functionality of the detected Humira® serum was significantly compromised due to neutralising ADA. The impact of ADA went beyond the simple and rapid clearance of Humira®, as 7/8 serum samples also showed no detectable capacity to neutralise hTNF-α-mediated cytotoxicity in a murine fibrosarcoma (L929) cell assay. The neutralisation capacity of all the VNAR constructs remained unchanged at the end of the experimental period (10 weeks). The data presented in this manuscript goes some way to explain the exciting outcomes of the previously published preclinical in vivo efficacy data, which showed complete control of disease at Quad-X™ concentrations of 0.5 mg/kg, equivalent to 10x the in vivo potency of Humira®. This independent corroboration also validates the robustness and reliability of the assay techniques reported in this current manuscript, and while it comes with the caveat of a mouse study, it does appear to suggest that these particular VNAR constructs, at least, are of low inherent immunogenicity.
Genetic Background of Hypertension in Connective Tissue Diseases
Authors: Grygiel-Górniak Bogna , Ziółkowska-Suchanek Iwona , Kaczmarek Elżbieta , Puszczewicz Mariusz , Rozwadowska Natalia
Published: February 2020

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR gamma-2) and beta-3-adrenergic receptors (ADRB3) are involved in the risk of hypertension. But their exact role in blood pressure modulation in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) is still not well defined. In this study, 104 patients with CTD and 103 gender- and age-matched controls were genotyped for Pro12Ala and C1431T polymorphisms of the PPAR gamma-2 gene and Trp64Arg polymorphism of the ADRB gene. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were evaluated, followed by genotyping using TaqMan® SNP genotyping assays and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The prevalence of analyzed genotypes and alleles was comparable between patients with CTD and the control group, as well as hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Patients with CTD have lower body fat and higher body water amount, serum glucose, and triglyceride (TG) levels. Hypertensive subjects are older and have higher body mass, BMI, waist circumference (WC), body water content, glucose, and TG concentration. The multivariate analysis revealed that hypertensive subjects with Ala12/X or Trp64Trp have higher body mass and WC when compared to normotensive subjects. Trp64Trp polymorphism was also characterized by a higher TG level, while T1431/X subjects had higher WC. The presence of CTD, visceral fat distribution, and increased age are the predictors of hypertension development. Hypertensive patients with CTD and Trp64Trp polymorphism have an increased risk of visceral obesity development and metabolic complications, which in turn affects the value of blood pressure. In addition, either Ala12/X or T1431/X predicts the visceral body fat distribution in hypertensive subjects.
Screening Genes Promoting Exit from Naive Pluripotency Based on Genome-Scale CRISPR-Cas9 Knockout
Authors: Yang Bin , Kuang Junqi , Wu Chuman , Zhou Wenyi , Zhu Shuoji , Jiang Haodong , Zhai Ziwei , Wu Yue , Peng Junwei , Liu Nanbo , Hu Haiyan , Ide Nasser Moussa , Chen Ruiping , Zhao Mingyi , Zhu Ping
Published: February 2020

Two of the main problems of stem cell and regenerative medicine are the exit of pluripotency and differentiation to functional cells or tissues. The answer to these two problems holds great value in the clinical translation of stem cell as well as regenerative medicine research. Although piling researches have revealed the truth about pluripotency maintenance, the mechanisms underlying pluripotent cell self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation into specific cell lineages or tissues are yet to be defined. To this end, we took full advantage of a novel technology, namely, the genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 knockout (GeCKO). As an effective way of introducing targeted loss-of-function mutations at specific sites in the genome, GeCKO is able to screen in an unbiased manner for key genes that promote exit from pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) for the first time. In this study, we successfully established a model based on GeCKO to screen the key genes in pluripotency withdrawal. Our strategies included lentiviral package and infection technology, lenti-Cas9 gene knockout technology, shRNA gene knockdown technology, next-generation sequencing, model-based analysis of genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 knockout (MAGeCK analysis), GO analysis, and other methods. Our findings provide a novel approach for large-scale screening of genes involved in pluripotency exit and offer an entry point for cell fate regulation research.
Oncogenic ERG Represses PI3K Signaling through Downregulation of IRS2
Authors: Mao Ninghui , Gao Dong , Hu Wenhuo , Gadal Sunyana , Hieronymus Haley , Wang Shangqian , Lee Young Sun , Sullivan Patrick , Zhang Zeda , Choi Danielle , Rosen Neal , Sawyers Charles L. , Gopalan Anuradha , Chen Yu , Carver Brett S.
Published: February 2020

Genomic rearrangements leading to the aberrant expression of ERG are the most common early events in prostate cancer and are significantly enriched for the concomitant loss of PTEN. Genetically engineered mouse models reveal that ERG overexpression alone is not sufficient to induce tumorigenesis, but combined loss of PTEN results in an aggressive invasive phenotype. Here, we show that oncogenic ERG repressed PI3K signaling through direct transcriptional suppression of IRS2, leading to reduced RTK levels and activity. In accordance with this finding, ERG-positive human prostate cancers had a repressed AKT gene signature and transcriptional downregulation of IRS2. Although overexpression of IRS2 activated PI3K signaling, promoting cell migration in a PI3K-dependent manner, this did not fully recapitulate the phenotype seen with loss of PTEN as PI3K signaling is not as robust as observed in the setting of loss of PTEN. Importantly, deletions of the PTEN locus, which promotes active PI3K signaling, were among the most significant copy-number alterations that co-occurred with ERG genomic rearrangements. This work provides insight on how initiating oncogenic events may directly influence the selection of secondary concomitant alterations to promote oncogenic signaling during tumor evolution.

Significance:

This work provides insight on how initiating oncogenic events may directly influence the selection of secondary concomitant alterations to promote tumorigenesis.
The Canary in the Coal Mine: Biomaterial Implants to Monitor Cancer Recurrence
Authors: Wolf Matthew T. , Elisseeff Jennifer H.
Published: February 2020

Synthetic biomaterials implanted in the body induce a foreign body reaction characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis. In this issue of Cancer Research, Oakes and colleagues used biomaterial implants and their associated immunologic activity to develop a “metastasis sensor” for detection of tumor burden at distal sites. A scoring system was developed from computational analysis of gene expression patterns from implant biopsies that could predict the presence of tumor. This unexpected use of biomaterials for early detection of cancer provides a more accurate systemic sampling compared with blood or liquid biopsies and alleviates the need for inefficient imaging and biopsy sampling from potential metastatic target tissues.

See related article by Oakes et al., p. 602
On Reproducible and Replicable Gerontology
Authors: Estabrook Ryne
Published: February 2020

Gerontological research focuses on longer timescales and different data sources than many other areas of behavioral and medical science. It is further important that gerontology rise to respond to the reproducibility revolution and engage in open and replicable science. However, most of the recent emphases on replication come from fields where data collection takes weeks or months, not the years or decades common to gerontological studies. The goal of this paper is to review existing recommendations for carrying out open science and tailor them to the needs of gerontological and longitudinal research. By being more transparent in our procedures and analytic decisions, replicating internally and externally to existing data, and better integrating our work with that of cutting-edge statistical methods, we can create more open and reproducible gerontological research. In doing so, our conclusions will be more accurate, more interpretable, and easier to disseminate to researchers and practitioners.
Specific Genomic Alterations in High-Grade Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumours with Carcinoid Morphology
Authors: Cros Jerôme , Théou-Anton Nathalie , Gounant Valérie , Nicolle Remy , Reyes Cécile , Humez Sarah , Hescot Ségolène , Thomas de Montpréville Vincent , Guyétant Serge , Scoazec Jean-Yves , Guyard Alice , de Mestier Louis , Brosseau Solenn , Mordant Pierre , Castier Yves , Gentien David , Ruszniewski Philippe , Zalcman Gérard , Couvelard Anne , Cazes Aurélie
Published: February 2020

Introduction: High-grade lung neuroendocrine tumours with carcinoid morphology have been recently reported; they may represent the thoracic counterparts of grade 3 digestive neuroendocrine tumours. We aimed to study their genetic landscape including analysis of tumoral heterogeneity. Methods: Eleven patients with high-grade (>20% Ki-67 and/or >10 mitoses) lung neuroendocrine tumours with a carcinoid morphology were included. We analysed copy number variations, somatic mutations, and protein expression in 16 tumour samples (2 samples were available for 5 patients allowing us to study spatial and temporal heterogeneity). Results: Genomic patterns were heterogeneous ranging from “quiet” to tetraploid, heavily rearranged genomes. Oncogene mutations were rare and most genetic alterations targeted tumour suppressor genes. Chromosomes 11 (7/11), 3 (6/11), 13 (4/11), and 6–17 (3/11) were the most frequently lost. Altered tumour suppressor genes were common to both carcinoids and neuroendocrine carcinomas, involving different pathways including chromatin remodelling (KMT2A, ARID1A, SETD2, SMARCA2, BAP1, PBRM1, KAT6A), DNA repair (MEN1, POLQ, ATR, MLH1, ATM), cell cycle (RB1, TP53, CDKN2A), cell adhesion (LATS2, CTNNB1, GSK3B) and metabolism (VHL). Comparative spatial/temporal analyses confirmed that these tumours emerged from clones of lower aggressivity but revealed that they were genetically heterogeneous accumulating “neuroendocrine carcinoma-like” genetic alterations through progression such as TP53/RB1 alterations. Conclusion: These data confirm the importance of chromatin remodelling genes in pulmonary carcinoids and highlight the potential role of TP53 and RB1 to drive the transformation in more aggressive high-grade tumours.
Performances coordenadas e experiências compartilhadas na mobilização do direito em conflitos ambientais
Authors: Losekann Cristiana
Published: February 2020

No presente artigo revisitamos os estudos da Teoria do Processo Político e da Teoria da Mobilização Legal, apontando os esquemas analíticos promissores dessas duas abordagens, mas também observando os problemas e ausências dessas teorias frente às observações que temos apreendido do nosso trabalho de campo em conflitos ambientais. Assim, propomos a introdução da perspectiva pragmatista de John Dewey e do aprofundamento do conceito de performance para compreender como ocorrem as interações entre atores nesses conflitos e como elas podem criar coalizões de enfrentamento. Pensar as interações de litigância a partir da formação de performances coordenadas constituídas por experiências compartilhadas do problema pode ser útil para entendermos a realização do confronto através de mecanismos relacionais que criam processos de contestação importantes no Brasil das últimas décadas.
Resenha de 'Operação Lava Jato e a democracia brasileira', de Fábio Kerche e João Feres Jr. (Orgs.)
Authors: Pilau Lucas E Silva Batista
Published: February 2020

Referência completa da obra: Kerche, Fábio; Feres Jr., João (Orgs). Operação Lava Jato e a democracia brasileira. São Paulo: Editora Contracorrente, 2018.
Prenatal care in the Brazilian public health services
Authors: Leal Maria do Carmo , Esteves-Pereira Ana Paula , Viellas Elaine Fernandes , Domingues Rosa Maria Soares Madeira , Gama Silvana Granado Nogueira da
Published: February 2020

OBJECTIVE: To verify regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care in Brazilian public health services and associated perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Birth in Brazil was a national hospital-based survey conducted between 2011 and 2012, which included 19,117 women with public-funded births. Regional differences in socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, as well as differences in access and quality of prenatal and birth care were tested by the χ2 test. The following outcomes were assessed: spontaneous preterm birth, provider-initiated preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, Apgar in the 5th min < 8, neonatal and maternal near miss. Multiple and non-conditional logistic regressions were used for the analysis of the associated perinatal outcomes, with the results expressed in adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care among users of public services are still evident in Brazil. Pilgrimage for birth associated with all perinatal outcomes studied, except for intrauterine growth restriction. The odds ratios ranged between 1.48 (95%CI 1.23–1.78) for neonatal near miss and 1.62 (95%CI 1.27–2.06) for provider-initiated preterm birth. Among women with clinical or obstetric complications, pilgrimage for birth associated with provider-initiated preterm birth and with Apgar in the 5th min < 8, odds ratio of 1.98 (95%CI 1.49–2.65) and 2.19 (95%CI 1.31–3.68), respectively. Inadequacy of prenatal care associated with spontaneous preterm birth in both groups of women, with or without clinical or obstetric complications. CONCLUSION: Improvements in the quality of prenatal care, appropriate coordination and comprehensive care at the time of birth have a potential to reduce prematurity rates and, consequently, infant morbidity and mortality rates in the country.
Health outcomes of the Bolsa Família program among Brazilian Amazonian children
Authors: Ford Katherine J , Lourenço Barbara Hatzlhoffer , Cobayashi Fernanda , Cardoso Marly Augusto
Published: February 2020

OBJECTIVE: One of the primary objectives of Brazil’s conditional cash transfer program, Bolsa Família, is to break the intergenerational transmission of poverty by improving human capital via conditionalities. In this study, we hypothesized that health indicators of Bolsa Família participants would be comparable to those of other local children who were nonparticipants after two years of follow-up in the city of Acrelândia, Acre state, Western Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: Data from a population-based longitudinal study were analyzed to examine school enrollment, vaccination coverage, height and body mass index for age z-scores, and biomarkers of micronutrient deficiencies (iron and vitamin A) between Bolsa Família participants (n = 325) and nonparticipants (n = 738). RESULTS: Out of 1063 children 10 years and younger included in the 2007 baseline survey, 805 had anthropometric measurements and 402 had biochemical indicators in the 2009 follow-up survey. Prevalence rate ratio (PRR) for non-enrollment in school at 4 years of age was 0.58 (95%CI: 0.34–1.02) when comparing Bolsa Família participants with nonparticipants. No difference was found for vaccination coverage, which was insufficient for most vaccine-preventable diseases. Bolsa Família participants were less likely to show a positive change in body mass index for age z-scores compared with nonparticipants (PRR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.70–0.95), while a positive change in height for age z-scores was similar in the groups. No differences in micronutrient deficiencies were found between groups after 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Early school enrollment and consistent nutritional indicators between Bolsa Família participants and nonparticipants suggest Bolsa Família was facilitating similarities between groups over time.
Local Peroxynitrite Impairs Endothelial Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 Channels and Elevates Blood Pressure in Obesity
Authors: Ottolini Matteo , Hong Kwangseok , Cope Eric L. , Daneva Zdravka , DeLalio Leon J. , Sokolowski Jennifer D. , Marziano Corina , Nguyen Nhiem Y. , Altschmied Joachim , Haendeler Judith , Johnstone Scott R. , Kalani Mohammad Y. , Park Min S. , Patel Rakesh P. , Liedtke Wolfgang , Isakson Brant E. , Sonkusare Swapnil K.
Published: February 2020

Background:

Impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation is a hallmark of obesity-induced hypertension. The recognition that Ca
2+
signaling in endothelial cells promotes vasodilation has led to the hypothesis that endothelial Ca
2+
signaling is compromised during obesity, but the underlying abnormality is unknown. In this regard, transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) ion channels are a major Ca
2+
influx pathway in endothelial cells, and regulatory protein AKAP150 (A-kinase anchoring protein 150) enhances the activity of TRPV4 channels.

Methods:

We used endothelium-specific knockout mice and high-fat diet–fed mice to assess the role of endothelial AKAP150-TRPV4 signaling in blood pressure regulation under normal and obese conditions. We further determined the role of peroxynitrite, an oxidant molecule generated from the reaction between nitric oxide and superoxide radicals, in impairing endothelial AKAP150-TRPV4 signaling in obesity and assessed the effectiveness of peroxynitrite inhibition in rescuing endothelial AKAP150-TRPV4 signaling in obesity. The clinical relevance of our findings was evaluated in arteries from nonobese and obese individuals.

Results:

We show that Ca
2+
influx through TRPV4 channels at myoendothelial projections to smooth muscle cells decreases resting blood pressure in nonobese mice, a response that is diminished in obese mice. Counterintuitively, release of the vasodilator molecule nitric oxide attenuated endothelial TRPV4 channel activity and vasodilation in obese animals. Increased activities of inducible nitric oxide synthase and NADPH oxidase 1 enzymes at myoendothelial projections in obese mice generated higher levels of nitric oxide and superoxide radicals, resulting in increased local peroxynitrite formation and subsequent oxidation of the regulatory protein AKAP150 at cysteine 36, to impair AKAP150-TRPV4 channel signaling at myoendothelial projections. Strategies that lowered peroxynitrite levels prevented cysteine 36 oxidation of AKAP150 and rescued endothelial AKAP150-TRPV4 signaling, vasodilation, and blood pressure in obesity. Peroxynitrite-dependent impairment of endothelial TRPV4 channel activity and vasodilation was also observed in the arteries from obese patients.

Conclusions:

These data suggest that a spatially restricted impairment of endothelial TRPV4 channels contributes to obesity-induced hypertension and imply that inhibiting peroxynitrite might represent a strategy for normalizing endothelial TRPV4 channel activity, vasodilation, and blood pressure in obesity.
Renal Denervation in Asia
Authors: Kario Kazuomi , Kim Byeong-Keuk , Aoki Jiro , Wong Anthony Yiu-tung , Lee Ying-Hsiang , Wongpraparut Nattawut , Nguyen Quang Ngoc , Ahmad Wan Azman Wan , Lim Soo Teik , Ong Tiong Kiam , Wang Tzung-Dau
Published: February 2020

The Asia Renal Denervation Consortium consensus conference of Asian physicians actively performing renal denervation (RDN) was recently convened to share up-to-date information and regional perspectives, with the goal of consensus on RDN in Asia. First- and second-generation trials of RDN have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of this treatment modality for lowering blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension. Considering the ethnic differences of the hypertension profile and demographics of cardiovascular disease demonstrated in the SYMPLICITY HTN (Renal Denervation in Patients With Uncontrolled Hypertension)-Japan study and Global SYMPLICITY registry data from Korea and Taiwan, RDN might be an effective hypertension management strategy in Asia. Patient preference for device-based therapy should be considered as part of a shared patient-physician decision process. A practical population for RDN treatment could consist of Asian patients with uncontrolled essential hypertension, including resistant hypertension. Opportunities to refine the procedure, expand the therapy to other sympathetically mediated diseases, and explore the specific effects on nocturnal and morning hypertension offer a promising future for RDN. Based on available evidence, RDN should not be considered a therapy of last resort but as an initial therapy option that may be applied alone or as a complementary therapy to antihypertensive medication.
Interpretation of Population Health Metrics
Authors: Staessen Jan A. , Thijs Lutgarde , Yang Wen-Yi , Yu Cai-Guo , Wei Fang-Fei , Roels Harry A. , Nawrot Tim S. , Zhang Zhen-Yu
Published: February 2020

Our objective was to gain insight in the calculation and interpretation of population health metrics that inform disease prevention. Using as model environmental exposure to lead (ELE), a global pollutant, we assessed population health metrics derived from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988 to 1994), the GBD (Global Burden of Disease Study 2010), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the hazard ratio relating mortality over 19.3 years of follow-up to a blood lead increase at baseline from 1.0 to 6.7 µg/dL (10th–90th percentile interval) was 1.37 (95% CI, 1.17–1.60). The population-attributable fraction of blood lead was 18.0% (10.9%–26.1%). The number of preventable ELE-related deaths in the United States would be 412 000 per year (250 000–598 000). In GBD 2010, deaths and disability-adjusted life-years globally lost due to ELE were 0.67 million (0.58–0.78 million) and 0.56% (0.47%–0.66%), respectively. According to the 2017 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development statistics, ELE-related welfare costs were $1 676 224 million worldwide. Extrapolations from the foregoing metrics assumed causality and reversibility of the association between mortality and blood lead, which at present-day ELE levels in developed nations is not established. Other issues limiting the interpretation of ELE-related population health metrics are the inflation of relative risk based on outdated blood lead levels, not differentiating relative from absolute risk, clustering of risk factors and exposures within individuals, residual confounding, and disregarding noncardiovascular disease and immigration in national ELE-associated welfare estimates. In conclusion, this review highlights the importance of critical thinking in translating population health metrics into cost-effective preventive strategies.
Thiazide Exposure and Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Smith Steven M. , Winterstein Almut G. , Pepine Carl J. , Cooper-DeHoff Rhonda M.
Published: February 2020

A recently published analysis in
Hypertension
suggests that thiazide use, versus nonuse, is associated with excess risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus enrolled in the ACCORD trial (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes). Here, we replicate these findings using the same publicly available datasets and following their reported methods. We further show that possible misclassification of thiazide exposure exists in the original analysis. We perform alternative analyses that correct for this misclassification to highlight the impact that misclassification can have on observed associations between an exposure (eg, thiazides) and outcomes (eg, stroke and major adverse cardiovascular events).
Safety and Utility of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/Dysplasia
Authors: Scheel Paul J. , Florido Roberta , Hsu Steven , Murray Brittney , Tichnell Crystal , James Cynthia A. , Agafonova Julia , Tandri Harikrishna , Judge Daniel P. , Russell Stuart D. , Tedford Ryan J. , Calkins Hugh , Gilotra Nisha A.
Published: February 2020

Background

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (
ARVC
/D) is characterized by high arrhythmic burden and progressive heart failure, which can prompt referral for heart transplantation. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (
CPET
) has an established role in risk stratification for advanced heart failure therapies, but has not been described in
ARVC
/D. This study sought to determine the safety and prognostic utility of
CPET
in patients with
ARVC
/D.

Methods and Results

Using the Johns Hopkins
ARVC
/D Registry, we examined patients with
ARVC
/D undergoing
CPET
. Baseline characteristics and transplant‐free survival were compared on the basis of peak oxygen consumption (pVO2) (≤14 or >14 mL/kg per minute) and ventilatory efficiency (Ve/
VCO
2
slope ≤34 or >34). Thirty‐eight patients underwent 50
CPET
s. There were no sustained arrhythmic events. Twenty‐nine patients achieved a maximal test. Patients with pVO2 ≤14 mL/kg per minute were more often men (
P
=0.042) compared with patients with pVO2 >14 mL/kg per minute. Patients with Ve/
VCO
2
slope >34 tended to have more moderate/severe right ventricular dilation (7/9 [78%] versus 10/26 [38%];
P
=0.060) and clinical heart failure (8/9 [89%] versus 13/26 [50%];
P
=0.056) compared with patients with Ve/
VCO
2
slope ≤34. Patients who underwent heart transplantation were more likely to have clinical heart failure (10/10 [100%] versus 13/28 [46%];
P
=0.003). Patients with Ve/
VCO
2
slope >34 had worse transplant‐free survival compared with patients with Ve/
VCO
2
slope ≤34 (n=35; hazard ratio, 6.57 [95%
CI
, 1.28–33.72]; log‐rank
P
=0.010), whereas transplant‐free survival was similar on the basis of pVO2 groups (n=29; hazard ratio, 3.38 [95%
CI
, 0.75–15.19]; log‐rank
P
=0.092).

Conclusions

CPET
is safe to perform in patients with
ARVC
/D. Ve/
VCO
2
slope may be used for risk stratification and guide referral for heart transplantation in
ARVC
/D.
Angiogenesis‐Related Genes in Endothelial Progenitor Cells May Be Involved in Sickle Cell Stroke
Authors: Ito Mirta T. , da Silva Costa Sueli M. , Baptista Letícia C. , Carvalho‐Siqueira Gabriela Q. , Albuquerque Dulcinéia M. , Rios Vinicius M. , Ospina‐Prieto Stephanie , Saez Roberta C. , Vieira Karla P. , Cendes Fernando , Ozelo Margareth C. , Saad Sara Teresinha O. , Costa Fernando F. , Melo Mônica B.
Published: February 2020

Background

The clinical aspects of sickle cell anemia (
SCA
) are heterogeneous, and different patients may present significantly different clinical evolutions. Almost all organs can be affected, particularly the central nervous system. Transient ischemic events, infarcts, and cerebral hemorrhage can be observed and affect ≈25% of the patients with
SCA
. Differences in the expression of molecules produced by endothelial cells may be associated with the clinical heterogeneity of patients affected by vascular diseases. In this study, we investigated the differential expression of genes involved in endothelial cell biology in
SCA
patients with and without stroke.

Methods and Results

Endothelial progenitor cells from 4
SCA
patients with stroke and 6
SCA
patients without stroke were evaluated through the polymerase chain reaction array technique. The analysis of gene expression profiling identified 29 differentially expressed genes. Eleven of these genes were upregulated, and most were associated with angiogenesis (55%), inflammatory response (18%), and coagulation (18%) pathways. Downregulated expression was observed in 18 genes, with the majority associated with angiogenesis (28%), apoptosis (28%), and cell adhesion (22%) pathways. Remarkable overexpression of the

MMP
1

(matrix metalloproteinase 1) gene in the endothelial progenitor cells of all
SCA
patients with stroke (fold change: 204.64;
P
=0.0004) was observed.

Conclusions

Our results strongly suggest that angiogenesis is an important process in sickle cell stroke, and differences in the gene expression profile of endothelial cell biology, especially

MMP
1

, may be related to stroke in
SCA
patients.
Dependence of Probabilistic Quantitative Precipitation Forecast Performance on Typhoon Characteristics and Forecast Track Error in Taiwan
Authors: Teng Hsu-Feng , Done James M. , Lee Cheng-Shang , Kuo Ying-Hwa
Published: February 2020

This study investigates the probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecast (PQPF) performance of typhoons that affected Taiwan during 2011–16. In this period, a total of 19 typhoons with a land warning issued by the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) are analyzed. The PQPF is calculated using the ensemble precipitation forecast data from the Taiwan Cooperative Precipitation Ensemble Forecast Experiment (TAPEX), and the verification data, verification thresholds, and typhoon characteristics are obtained from the CWB. The overall PQPF performance of TAPEX has an acceptable reliability and discrimination ability, and the higher probability error is distributed at the mountainous area of Taiwan. The PQPF performance is significantly influenced by typhoon characteristics (e.g., typhoon tracks, sizes, and forward speeds). The PQPFs for westward-moving, large, or slow typhoons have higher reliability and discrimination ability, and lower-probability error than those for northward-moving, small, or fast typhoons, except for similar reliability between fast and slow typhoons. Because northward-moving or small typhoons have larger forecast track error, and their PQPF performance is sensitive to the accuracy of the forecast track, a higher probability error occurs than that for westward-moving or large typhoons. Furthermore, because there is no difference in track error between fast and slow typhoons, the larger track spread for slow typhoons increases the rainfall forecast spread and reduces the probability error. The orientation of Taiwan’s topography and the topographic effect also influence and increase the distribution and value of probability error for northward-moving, small, or fast typhoons. In summary, forecast track characteristics are influenced by typhoon characteristics and further affect the PQPF performance.