bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
National Multicenter and Multiyear Review of Complications Following Fluoroscopic Gastrostomy in Patients Covered by Medicare and Medicaid
Authors: Khalid Syed , Wu Rita , Tasse Jordan , Tabriz David , Madassery Sreekumar , Turba Ulku , Arslan Bulent
Published: April 2019

Objective This study aims to assess the postoperative complication rates associated with fluoroscopically placed gastrostomy tubes.

Background Fluoroscopically placed gastrostomy tubes are a relatively common procedure performed by interventional radiologists. Few studies have been performed in the United States to access the complication profile of fluoroscopically placed gastrostomy tubes.

Methods Total 51 million Medicare Standard Analytic Patient Records derived from Medicare parts A and B records from 2007 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Only the patients undergoing fluoroscopic gastrostomy were included in this study. Patient demographics were stratified by age, sex, comorbidities, and peri- and postoperative complications as defined by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 codes.

Results Total 30,327 patients undergoing fluoroscopic gastrostomy were analyzed. Perioperative complications following these procedures were low, with 61 (0.02%) patients experiencing pneumoperitoneum, 130 (0.43%) experiencing ileus, 16 (0.05%) experiencing esophageal/gastric perforation, and 30 (0.09%) patients experiencing intra-abdominal injury. Most common postoperative complications included abdominal wall pain (n = 2,808, 9.25%), bleeding (n = 1,353, 4.46%), and mechanical complications (n = 1,435, 4.73%).

Conclusion Fluoroscopic guidance is a safe method for gastrostomy placement, with exceedingly low rates of peri- and postoperative complications.
Early Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention Improved Oral Feeding and Prognosis by Promoting Neurodevelopment
Authors: Li Xiao-Li , Liu Yun , Liu Miao , Yang Chun-Yan , Yang Qiao-Zhi
Published: April 2019

Objective This study aimed to explore the clinical significance of early premature infant oral motor intervention (PIOMI) in the prognosis of premature infants.

Study Design Infants were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 78) and a control group (n = 73). PIOMI was given to the intervention group 15 to 30 minutes before feeding once a day for 14 days. The whole procedure lasted 15 minutes, including oral stimulation and nonnutritive sucking. Oral feeding ability and neuromotor development were evaluated using the Preterm Infant Oral Feeding Readiness Assessment (PIOFRA) scale and Infant Neurological International Battery (Infanib) scale.

Results The PIOFRA score was higher in the intervention group and increased with time, showing a group–time interaction effect. The intervention group exhibited a higher feeding efficiency, a shorter transition time from assisted oral feeding to independent oral feeding, and lower body weight at achievement of independent oral feeding. The percentages of infants with a normal score on the Infanib scale were higher in the intervention group at 3 and 6 months of age, and an abnormal ratio was lower in the intervention group at 6 months (p < 0.01).

Conclusion PIOMI promoted neuromotor coordination by improving neurodevelopment, thereby improving the oral feeding ability and prognosis of preterm infants.
Non-adiabatic transitions in a tilted conical intersection
Authors: Wong Chieh-Lei
Published: April 2019

We consider the following Schrödinger equation: ℏidψ(t,z)dt=t zz −χtψ(t,z), where the parameters z and χ are assumed to be positive real constants. This equation is widely known as the Landau-Zener problem, and it serves as a paradigmatic model for non-adiabatic transitions that occur in conical intersections. Indeed, the role of the off-diagonal term z in the Hamiltonian is to couple the potential-energy surfaces in the neighborhood of the intersection. For the special value χ = 1, an explicit solution can be expressed in the form of the Weber function, and in its wake, the scattering matrix S(z) is entirely determined. The aim of this paper is to extend the classic transition probability aWeber(z)=exp−πz22ℏ for any arbitrary χ. Thus, in the strong coupling (large z), intermediate z=(1+χ)ℏ, and weak coupling (small z) regimes, we shall successively compute both components aχ(z) and bχ(z) of the S-matrix governing the transitions between the 2 eigenstates Ψ±.
Design and fabrication of robust broadband extreme ultraviolet multilayers
Authors: Kuang Shang-qi , Wang Jian-bo , Yang Hai-gui , Huo Tong-lin , Zhou Hong-jun
Published: April 2019

The robust designs of broadband extreme ultraviolet multilayers based on the multiobjective genetic algorithm are validated experimentally. In order to reduce the influence of random layer thickness fluctuations on the great deformation of the experimental reflection of extreme ultraviolet multilayer with a wide angular band, the multiobjective genetic algorithm has been improved to optimize the multilayer system composed by the layer thicknesses which can be controlled precisely. The robust designs of broadband Mo/Si multilayers were fabricated, and the experimental results were presented and analyzed, and then the advantage of robust multilayer designs was demonstrated.
On-chip cell mechanophenotyping using phase modulated surface acoustic wave
Authors: Wu Yanqi , Stewart Alastair G. , Lee Peter V. S.
Published: April 2019

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) microfluidic chip was designed to measure the compressibility of cells and to differentiate cell mechanophenotypes. Polystyrene microbeads and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) microbeads were first tested in order to calibrate and validate the acoustic field. We observed the prefocused microbeads being pushed into the new pressure node upon phase shift. The captured trajectory matched well with the equation describing acoustic radiation force. The compressibility of polystyrene microbeads and that of PMMA microbeads was calculated, respectively, by fitting the trajectory from the experiment and that simulated by the equation across a range of compressibility values. Following, A549 human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549 cells), human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells, and MCF-7 breast cancer cells were tested using the same procedure. The compressibility of each cell from the three cell types was measured also by fitting trajectories between the experiment and that from the equation; the size was measured by image analysis. A549 cells were more compressible than HASM and MCF-7 cells; HASM cells could be further distinguished from MCF-7 cells by cell size. In addition, MCF-7 cells were treated by colchicine and 2-methoxyestradiol to disrupt the cell microtubules and were found to be more compressible. Computer simulation was also carried out to investigate the effect of cell compressibility and cell size due to acoustic radiation force to examine the sensitivity of the measurement. The SAW microfluidic method is capable of differentiating cell types or cells under different conditions based on the cell compressibility and the cell size.
Characteristics of hydrogen jet combustion in a high-enthalpy supersonic crossflow
Authors: Liu Chaoyang , Yu Jiangfei , Wang Zhenguo , Sun Mingbo , Wang Hongbo , Grosshans Holger
Published: April 2019

The facilitation of a stable combustion process is of utmost importance for the realizability and performance of hypersonic propulsion systems. To elucidate the turbulent combustion characteristics, wall-modeled large eddy simulations of a transverse jet injection into a heated supersonic flow are conducted employing a detailed reaction mechanism. The computation framework utilizes an adaptive central-upwind weighted essentially nonoscillatory (WENO-CU) scheme to achieve the sixth-order accuracy in smooth flowfields, while keeping a good shock-capturing ability. The reacting zones agree well with experimental measurements in terms of the instantaneous distribution of OH radicals. And the flame penetration height has been predicted with an error of less than 17%. It is found that the turbulent reacting flow is dominated by nonpremixed combustion mainly taking place in the near-wall region and jet windward shear-layer. Moreover, the autoignition process, which plays a critical role in stabilizing supersonic combustion, shows to favor a fuel-lean or not very fuel-rich environment of a high enthalpy. Local scalar dissipation induced by turbulence gives rise to a rapid fuel mixing with the surrounding air. However, this effect may also lead to the decrease in local temperature.
Vibrational signatures of curcumin’s chelation in copper(II) complexes: An appraisal by IRMPD spectroscopy
Authors: Corinti Davide , Maccelli Alessandro , Chiavarino Barbara , Maitre Philippe , Scuderi Debora , Bodo Enrico , Fornarini Simonetta , Crestoni Maria Elisa
Published: April 2019

Curcumin (Cur) is a natural polyphenol with a wide spectrum of biological activities and appealing therapeutic potential. Herein, it has been delivered by electrospray ionization as gaseous protonated species, [Cur + H]+, and as a Cu(ii) complex, [Cu(Cur − H)]+, a promising antioxidant and radical scavenger. The gas phase structures were assayed by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in both the fingerprint (800–2000 cm−1) and hydrogen stretching (3100–3750 cm−1) ranges. Comparison between the experimental features and linear IR spectra of the lowest energy structures computed at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level reveals that bare [Cu(Cur − H)]+ exists in a fully planar and symmetric arrangement, where the metal interacts with the two oxygens of the syn-enolate functionality of deprotonated Cur and both OCH3 groups are engaged in H-bonding with the ortho OH. The effect of protonation on the energetic and geometric determinants of Cur has been explored as well, revealing that bare [Cur + H]+ may exist as a mixture of two close-lying isomers associated with the most stable binding motifs. The additional proton is bound to either the diketo or the keto-enol configuration of Cur, in a bent or nearly planar arrangement, respectively.
The effect of adding an axial magnetic field on the expansion of a laser-produced plasma
Authors: Antar G. , Bahja A. , Metni N. , Habchi C.
Published: April 2019

We use a pulsed ultraviolet laser to ablate a copper target in order to study the effects of adding a permanent and axial magnetic field on the plasma plume expansion. The laser pulse duration is 20 ns, its energy is 150 mJ, and it is focused on a surface of about 1 mm2. The target is inserted at the center of a ring permanent neodymium magnet as we compare data taken with and without the magnetic field using a Langmuir probe that is installed at 2.5 cm from the target but is capable of moving radially. The magnetic field, B, affects the plasma plume by reducing its expansion and by increasing the plasma temperature significantly. We report, and for the first time, the measurement of the average axial as well as the radial electric fields and show that both are enhanced in the presence of a magnetic field. This yields a strong increase in the plasma current and thus that of ohmic heating, which could help in explaining the temperature increase recorded by different groups when a magnetic field is added to the plasma plume expansion.
Theoretical and numerical study on high frequency vibrational convection: Influence of the vibration direction on the flow structure
Authors: Bouarab Samia , Mokhtari Faiza , Kaddeche Slim , Henry Daniel , Botton Valéry , Medelfef Abdessamed
Published: April 2019

Thermal convection induced simultaneously by horizontal temperature gradient and vibration in a rectangular cavity filled with molten silicon is investigated numerically and theoretically. The time averaged equations of convection are solved in the high-frequency vibration approximation. The Chebyshev spectral collocation method and a Newton-type method based on the Frechet derivative are used in the numerical solution of the streamfunction formulation of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Validation by comparison with previous studies has been performed. Different values of the Grashof number Gr and vibrational Grashof number Grv and all the possible orientations of the vibrations are considered. Numerical results show that depending on the vibration direction, the flow can be amplified or damped, with even the possibility of flow inversion which can occur between critical vibration angles α1 and α2. A general theoretical expression is derived relating these critical angles and the ratio of vibrational to buoyant convection parameters, Grv/Gr. A very good agreement between the theoretical and numerical results is obtained.
Valleytronic properties of monolayer WSe2 in external magnetic field
Authors: Liu Wenchao , Luo Chaobo , Tang Xudong , Peng Xiangyang , Zhong Jianxin
Published: April 2019

Valley pseudospin, a novel quantum degree of freedom, is expected to show valley Zeeman effect in analogy to real spin in magnetic field B. By performing first-principles calculations, we studied the magnetic effect on valley pseudospin in monolayer WSe2. With the application of B, the time reversal symmetry is broken. Our calculation shows that the valley energy degeneracy is broken and the valley Zeeman splitting varies linearly with B, agreeing well with the experiments. It is found that the valley Zeeman splitting is contributed mainly from the atomic orbital magnetic moment of W atom, but the valley contribution is still appreciable. The Berry curvatures of the two inequivalent valleys of monolayer WSe2 are opposite and their change induced by B also depends linearly on B. The calculated circular dichroism and dielectric function reveal that the optical valley-dependent selection rule is preserved and the original single peak in polarization-resolved photoluminescence spectrum will be split into two peaks after the application of B. Our studies demonstrate the possibility of magnetic manipulation of the valley pseudospin.
Branching corrected surface hopping: Resetting wavefunction coefficients based on judgement of wave packet reflection
Authors: Xu Jiabo , Wang Linjun
Published: April 2019

We present a new interpretation of the decoherence correction in surface hopping by examining the inconsistency of the traditional time-dependent Schrödinger equation and propose an elegant decoherence correction algorithm to deal with wave packet branching. In contrast to the widely used approaches based on decoherence rates, our branching corrected surface hopping (BCSH) resets the wavefunction directly after wave packet branching is identified through prediction of trajectory reflection. The appealing simplicity and reliability of BCSH are demonstrated in a series of widely studied one-dimensional and two-dimensional scattering models using exact quantum solutions and existing surface hopping approaches as references. The BCSH approach exhibits a high performance in all investigated systems, showing good potential for applications in general nonadiabatic dynamics simulations.
Quantum optimal control of multiple weakly interacting molecular rotors in the time-dependent Hartree approximation
Authors: Magann Alicia , Chen Linhan , Ho Tak-San , Rabitz Herschel
Published: April 2019

We perform quantum optimal control simulations, based on the Time-Dependent Hartree (TDH) approximation, for systems of three to five dipole-dipole coupled OCS rotors. A control electric field is used to steer all of the individual rotors, arranged in chains and regular polygons in a plane, toward either identical or unique objectives. The goal is to explore the utility of the TDH approximation to model the field-induced dynamics of multiple interacting rotors in the weak dipole-dipole coupling regime. A stochastic hill climbing approach is employed to seek an optimal control field that achieves the desired objectives at a specified target time. We first show that multiple rotors in chain and polygon geometries can be identically oriented in the same direction; these cases do not significantly depend on the presence of the dipole-dipole interaction. Additionally, in particular geometrical arrangements, we demonstrate that individual rotors can be uniquely manipulated toward different objectives with the same field. Specifically, it is shown that for a three rotor chain, the two end rotors can be identically oriented in a specific direction while keeping the middle rotor in its ground state, and for an equilateral triangle, two rotors can be identically oriented in a specific direction while the third rotor is oriented in the opposite direction. These multirotor unique objective cases exploit the shape of the field in coordination with dipole-dipole coupling between the rotors. Comparisons to numerically exact calculations, utilizing the TDH-determined fields, are given for all optimal control studies involving systems of three rotors.
A microfluidic design for desalination and selective removal and addition of components in biosamples
Authors: Cai Wei , Wang Edward , Chen Ping-Wei , Tsai Yi-Huan , Langouche Lennart , Lo Yu-Hwa
Published: April 2019

We present the development of a microfluidic device that is able to selectively and nondisturbingly remove or add components to liquid samples, which allows control and conditioning of the samples for biomedical tests. The device consists of a series of chambers for sample retention and a through channel. Because smaller particles diffuse faster, small particles in the sample such as salt ions rapidly escape the chamber by diffusion and are subsequently removed by a carrier flow in the channel, leaving macromolecules of interest in the “desalted” solution. Conversely, components lacking in the sample can be diffused in by reversing the concentration gradient between the flow and the sample chamber. The ability to control the ionic strength of a sample offers many advantages in biological sample preparation as most biofluids contain high salt contents, making them unsuitable for downstream molecular analyses without additional sample treatments which could cause sample loss, contamination, and cost increase. Making use of the nature of laminar flow in a microfluidic device and mass transport by diffusion, we have developed an analytical model to calculate concentration profiles for different particles. Excellent agreements were found between the theory and the experiment, making the results highly reliable and predictable. Since the device and the principle is applicable to a wide range of biological samples, it can be incorporated into the workflow of various applications for research and in vitro diagnosis such as ion exchange, DNA sequencing, immuno assay, vesicle, cell secretion analysis, etc.
Thickness dependent correlation between structural and optical properties of textured CdSe thin film
Authors: Zubair M. A. , Chowdhury M. T. , Bashar M. S. , Sami M. A. , Islam M. F.
Published: April 2019

Nano-crystalline CdSe thin films of different thicknesses under sub-micron range were deposited on glass substrate via thermal evaporation route. A gradual deterioration in film crystallinity confirmed by XRD line profile analysis has been accompanied by a reduction in Cd to Se molar ratio as the film thickness decreases. A coordinated microstructural and crystallographic orientation distribution analysis explicitly demonstrated that CdSe tends to grow in nano-sized columns with hexagonal c-axis parallel to its growth direction on glass substrate. A thickness dependence of structural evolution was discussed in terms of aspect ratio of the columnar structure and dispersion in orientation of hexagonal (002) basal plane. The variation in the spectra of optical constants [n(λ), k(λ)] obtained from Swanepoel envelop method was interpreted in terms of crystallographic defects arising from stoichiometric disorder which was also accounted for the observed thickness dependent shifts in band gap and valence band split energy. The bathochromic shifts in dielectric and energy loss functions, optical conductivity, skin depth and cut-off energy were discussed in detail along with the variations in their spectral shapes in connection with the dispersion in the real and imaginary parts of complex refractive index, which might shed a new light upon holistic comprehension of thickness dependent optical properties of other chalcogenide semiconducting thin films.
The FireFlux II experiment: a model-guided field experiment to improve understanding of fire–atmosphere interactions and fire spread
Authors: Clements Craig B. , Kochanski Adam K. , Seto Daisuke , Davis Braniff , Camacho Christopher , Lareau Neil P. , Contezac Jonathan , Restaino Joseph , Heilman Warren E. , Krueger Steven K. , Butler Bret , Ottmar Roger D. , Vihnanek Robert , Flynn James , Filippi Jean-Baptiste , Barboni Toussaint , Hall Dianne E. , Mandel Jan , Jenkins Mary Ann , O'Brien Joseph , Hornsby Ben , Teske Casey
Published: April 2019

The FireFlux II experiment was conducted in a tall grass prairie located in south-east Texas on 30 January 2013 under a regional burn ban and high fire danger conditions. The goal of the experiment was to better understand micrometeorological aspects of fire spread. The experimental design was guided by the use of a coupled fire–atmosphere model that predicted the fire spread in advance. Preliminary results show that after ignition, a surface pressure perturbation formed and strengthened as the fire front and plume developed, causing an increase in wind velocity at the fire front. The fire-induced winds advected hot combustion gases forward and downwind of the fire front that resulted in acceleration of air through the flame front. Overall, the experiment collected a large set of micrometeorological, air chemistry and fire behaviour data that may provide a comprehensive dataset for evaluating and testing coupled fire–atmosphere model systems.
A neural signature of pattern separation in the monkey hippocampus
Authors: Sakon John J. , Suzuki Wendy A.
Published: April 2019

Significance

When a person experiences a stimulus similar to one held in recent memory, the brain is tasked to discriminate these overlapping representations. This process is termed pattern separation. We evoked this process in monkeys by having them serially view novel, repeat, and similar images, and could reliably predict which of these three stimuli they were viewing from electrophysiological responses of their hippocampal neurons. Neurons that best identify images fall into two stereotyped response patterns, with only one group able to distinguish similar vs. repeat images, the crucial pattern separation probe. These results show a neural signature in hippocampus indicative of pattern separation, which will contribute to our understanding of how the brain recognizes differences in the service of making memories.
Ethics and aesthetics are one
Authors: Kwok Virginia
Published: April 2019

In the post-modern world where thinking of pluralism and relativism is prevalent (Honeysett 2002), fundamental values such as respect for life pertinent to the health and welfare of
humanity should remain unchanged in order to preserve the culture from corrosion. In this paper, through examining creativity in
translation and creative writing (Zawawy 2008; Perteghella and Loffredo 2006), macro- and micro- strategies of translating a Chinese prose into an English play will
be discussed, with the aim to explore the notion, “creativity is culturally variable” (Carter
2016) in literary translation. I would concur with Ludwig Wittgenstein who stated, “ethics and aesthetics are one” (1961), and argue that genres and forms of expression might vary in cross-cultural translation, semantic content and message
should still be unaltered. Literary translators can act as cultural mediators to advocate peace. So to “develop an understanding
of translation strategies and of the vital role that creativity plays throughout the translation/interpreting process” (Levý in
Beylard-Ozeroff, Králová and Moser-Mercer 1998) can help translators build bridges
rather than promote violence, to foster diversity rather than divisiveness. As such, I would explore how a translator can
translate cultures with respect, integrity and creativity in the midst of tensions, confrontations and conflicts due to
misunderstandings linguistically and culturally. As Vezzaro (2010: 10) put it, “to come
closer to feeling compassion, which is what writing and translating is ultimately all about.” This will call for efforts to
translate texts with faithfulness and the right degree of creativity (Grassilli 2014),
making good decisions at individual levels and beyond. This will also require cultural understanding and collaboration at national
and even international levels.
Into the deep blue sea: A review of the safety of recreational diving in people with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Koufakis Theocharis , Karras Spyridon N. , Mustafa Omar G. , Karangelis Dimos , Zebekakis Pantelis , Kotsa Kalliopi
Published: April 2019

People with diabetes, particularly those being insulin treated, have been for many years considered ineligible for diving, because of the high risk of adverse events. Blood glucose levels tend to decline during diving, probably because of changes in insulin requirements and resistance, due to increased physical activity and effects of hyperbaric environment on glucose tolerance. Strict adherence to safety protocols, in conjunction with optimal physical status, lack of diabetic complications (especially impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia) and satisfactory baseline glycaemic control, seem to minimise the risk of complications during diving. The integration of modern technology into diabetes management, providing potential for underwater continuous glucose monitoring, can be useful in optimising metabolic control before, during and after diving. Despite the significant progress been made on safety issues, there is still a need to implement the relevant recommendations into divers’ everyday practice. Existing evidence is mainly derived from small studies and there is a wide heterogeneity in terms of study designs and explored outcomes, rendering the extraction of definitive conclusions challenging. The aim of this review is to present and critically evaluate available evidence, use of technology, and gaps in existing knowledge that deserve further evaluation by future studies.
The Cochrane 2018 Review on Brief Interventions in Primary Care for Hazardous and Harmful Alcohol Consumption: A Distillation for Clinicians and Policy Makers
Authors: Beyer F R , Campbell F , Bertholet N , Daeppen J B , Saunders J B , Pienaar E D , Muirhead C R , Kaner E F S
Published: April 2019

Aims

An updated Cochrane systematic review assessed effectiveness of screening and brief intervention to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption in general practice or emergency care settings. This paper summarises the implications of the review for clinicians.

Methods

Cochrane methods were followed. Reporting accords with PRISMA guidance. We searched multiple resources to September 2017, seeking randomised controlled trials of brief interventions to reduce hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption in people attending general practice, emergency care or other primary care settings for reasons other than alcohol treatment. Brief intervention was defined as a conversation comprising five or fewer sessions of brief advice or brief lifestyle counselling and a total duration of less than 60 min. Our primary outcome was alcohol consumption, measured as or convertible to grams per week. We conducted meta-analyses to assess change in consumption, and subgroup analyses to explore the impact of participant and intervention characteristics.

Results

We included 69 studies, of which 42 were added for this update. Most studies (88%) compared brief intervention to control. The primary meta-analysis included 34 studies and provided moderate-quality evidence that brief intervention reduced consumption compared to control after one year (mean difference −20 g/wk, 95% confidence interval −28 to −12). Subgroup analysis showed a similar effect for men and women.

Conclusions

Brief interventions can reduce harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption in men and women. Short, advice-based interventions may be as effective as extended, counselling-based interventions for patients with harmful levels of alcohol use who are presenting for the first time in a primary care setting.
‘Other Spaces’: Constructing the Legal Architecture of a Cold War Commons and the Scientific-Technical Imaginary of Outer Space
Authors: Craven Matt
Published: April 2019

In this article, I seek to develop the argument that the law of outer space, as it was to be developed during the 1960s and 1970s, configured outer space as a ‘commons’ in order to displace two prevailing ‘dystopic’ socio-technical imaginaries that were to be associated with the Cold War. One of these was that outer space might become a place of warfare – and, more specifically, a warfare of annihilatory proportions between the two main protagonists of the Cold War; the other, that it might be the object of ‘primitive accumulation’. Drawing upon the work of Herbert Marcuse, I argue that, whilst the nascent code of outer space visibly sought to repress both of these possibilities, it did so by bringing into play a particular ‘technological rationality’, in which each of these aversions were to reappear as sustaining configurations – as what might be called the rational irrationalities of a Cold War commons.
Examining differences in out-of-hours primary care use in Belgium and the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Smits Marleen , Colliers Annelies , Jansen Tessa , Remmen Roy , Bartholomeeusen Stephaan , Verheij Robert
Published: April 2019

Background

The organizational model of out-of-hours primary care is likely to affect healthcare use. We aimed to examine differences in the use of general practitioner cooperatives for out-of-hours care in the Netherlands and Belgium (Flanders) and explore if these are related to organizational differences.

Methods

A cross-sectional observational study using routine electronic health record data of the year 2016 from 77 general practitioner cooperatives in the Netherlands and 5 general practitioner cooperatives in Belgium (Flanders). Patient age, gender and health problem were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

The number of consultations per 1000 residents was 2.3 times higher in the Netherlands than in Belgium. Excluding telephone consultations, which are not possible in Belgium, the number of consultations was 1.4 times higher. In Belgium, the top 10 of health problems was mainly related to infections, while in the Netherlands there were a larger variety of health problems. In addition, the health problem codes in the Dutch top 10 were more often symptoms, while the codes in the Belgian top 10 were more often diagnoses. In both countries, a relatively large percentage of GPC patients were young children and female patients.

Conclusion

Differences in the use of general practitioner cooperatives seem to be related to the gatekeeping role of general practitioners in the Netherlands and to organizational differences such as telephone triage, medical advice by telephone, financial thresholds and number of years of experience with the system. The information can benefit policy decisions about the organization of out-of-hours primary care.
Harnessing biomolecular condensates in living cells
Authors: Nakamura Hideki , DeRose Robert , Inoue Takanari
Published: April 2019

As part of the ‘Central Dogma’ of molecular biology, the function of proteins and nucleic acids within a cell is determined by their primary sequence. Recent work, however, has shown that within living cells the role of many proteins and RNA molecules can be influenced by the physical state in which the molecule is found. Within living cells, both protein and RNA molecules are observed to condense into non-membrane-bound yet distinct structures such as liquid droplets, hydrogels and insoluble aggregates. These unique intracellular organizations, collectively termed biomolecular condensates, have been found to be vital in both normal and pathological conditions. Here, we review the latest studies that have developed molecular tools attempting to recreate artificial biomolecular condensates in living cells. We will describe their design principles, implementation and unique characteristics, along with limitations. We will also introduce how these tools can be used to probe and perturb normal and pathological cell functions, which will then be complemented with discussions of remaining areas for technological advance under this exciting theme.
Living abroad, voting as if at home? Electoral motivations of expatriates
Authors: Goldberg Andreas C. , Lanz Simon
Published: April 2019

The share of voters participating in national elections from abroad is evergrowing. Despite this, expatriates constitute one of the most understudied groups of electors. Some existing analyses have shown that expatriates support different parties than voters residing at home. However, the reasons for this effect remain in the dark. In this article, we test common electoral theories—socio-structural, socio-psychological, and issue voting—and their relevance for voters at home and abroad. Additionally, we test if differences in voting behaviour are due to compositional or behavioural reasons. In line with previous studies, we show that expatriates support other parties, in the Swiss case left parties, than voters at home. We further show that this gap cannot be explained by the different composition of the expatriate community but rather by their different behavioural motivations. Expatriates more often base their vote choice on their social class and religious beliefs. Partisanship voting and, to some extent, issue voting are less important in the expatriate community. The findings are based on the Swiss National Election Study 2011 and additional interviews conducted among Swiss residing abroad.
IntFOLD: an integrated web resource for high performance protein structure and function prediction
Authors: McGuffin Liam J , Adiyaman Recep , Maghrabi Ali H A , Shuid Ahmad N , Brackenridge Danielle A , Nealon John O , Philomina Limcy S
Published: April 2019

The IntFOLD server provides a unified resource for the automated prediction of: protein tertiary structures with built-in estimates of model accuracy (EMA), protein structural domain boundaries, natively unstructured or disordered regions in proteins, and protein–ligand interactions. The component methods have been independently evaluated via the successive blind CASP experiments and the continual CAMEO benchmarking project. The IntFOLD server has established its ranking as one of the best performing publicly available servers, based on independent official evaluation metrics. Here, we describe significant updates to the server back end, where we have focused on performance improvements in tertiary structure predictions, in terms of global 3D model quality and accuracy self-estimates (ASE), which we achieve using our newly improved ModFOLD7_rank algorithm. We also report on various upgrades to the front end including: a streamlined submission process, enhanced visualization of models, new confidence scores for ranking, and links for accessing all annotated model data. Furthermore, we now include an option for users to submit selected models for further refinement via convenient push buttons. The IntFOLD server is freely available at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/bioinf/IntFOLD/.
Multiple Influenza Virus Infections in 4 Consecutive Epidemiological Seasons: A Retrospective Study in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Möst Johannes , Redlberger-Fritz Monika , Weiss Günter
Published: April 2019

Background

Recent observations provide evidence for group-specific immunity toward influenza A infections and raise the question of how often we can get the flu.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 2308 cases of children and adolescents with clinically manifested influenza and a positive PCR-test during the last 4 epidemiological seasons (2014–15 through 2017–18).

Results

In the 2015–16 epidemiological season, almost 12% of patients had experienced an influenza infection during the previous season; in the 2016–17 season, more than 14% had at least 1 infection during the previous 2 seasons, and in 2017–18 season, over 18% had 1 or more infections during the previous 3 seasons. The majority of these repetitive infections occurred in children between 3–8 years of age. 29 patients experienced 3 or 4 infections during these seasons, whereas 38 children had 2 influenza episodes within the same season. Epidemiological pattern of circulating viral strains changed yearly; however, we identified 5 patients with confirmed influenza B infections during the 2014–15 and 2017–18 seasons, when only subtype Yamagata was circulating in Austria.

Conclusions

Repetitive influenza infections in consecutive epidemiological seasons occurred quite frequently in children and adolescents. Observations like ours contribute to a better understanding of the immunity against influenza virus infections and could have implications for future vaccination strategies.
The Yin and Yang of Iron in Plants and Beyond: 19th International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interactions in Plants (ISINIP) in Taiwan
Authors: Schmidt Wolfgang
Published: April 2019

The19th edition of the International Symposium on Iron Nutrition and Interactions in Plants, a biannual meeting initiated in 1981, took place in Taiwan for the first time. The five-day event was held at the Academia Sinica campus in the Southeast of Taiwan’s capital city Taipei, and hosted around 200 scientists from around the world. The meeting covered a diverse array of topics centered around iron nutrition, including but not limited to soil processes, biofortification, transport, signaling and molecular processes regulating the cellular homeostasis of iron. Here, I review the research foci highlighted during the meeting by oral and poster presentations.
Hopf invariants for sectional category with applications to topological robotics
Authors: González Jesús , Grant Mark , Vandembroucq Lucile
Published: April 2019

We develop a theory of generalized Hopf invariants in the setting of sectional category. In particular, we show how Hopf invariants for a product of fibrations can be identified as shuffle joins of Hopf invariants for the factors. Our results are applied to the study of Farber’s topological complexity for two-cell complexes, as well as to the construction of a counterexample to the analogue for topological complexity of Ganea’s conjecture on Lusternik–Schnirelmann category.
Understanding the process of implementing nutrition and physical activity policies in a large national child care organization: a mixed-methods study
Authors: McKee Sarah L , Cooksey-Stowers Kristen , St. Louis Rebecca , Schwartz Marlene B
Published: April 2019

Learning Care Group made a three-year commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America to implement several evidence-based nutrition and physical activity policies in over 900 child care centers. New practices included serving more fruits and vegetables; eliminating sugary drinks and juice; family-style dining; healthier celebrations; limiting screen time; increasing outdoor play time; and supporting breastfeeding. A sequential convergent mixed-methods design was used to describe changes in center practices over time; organizational support for changes; and center director perceptions of the implementation process. Data were collected through an interview with organizational leadership; document review; and online center director surveys at 6, 18, and 36 months. The final center director survey included open-ended questions about policy implementation. Written responses were coded and overall themes were extracted by integrating the qualitative and quantitative data. The five overall themes were to: take a comprehensive approach; build the initiative over time; provide structural supports; replace old practices with new ones; and communicate thoroughly. Center leaders reported primarily positive reactions to healthier menus, juice removal, and increased physical activity. The most controversial policy concerned healthier celebrations. Center directors reported that the staff and children adapted quickly to changes, while some families required more assistance. The experience of this large child care organization can inform other efforts to implement early care and education wellness policies.
The Ethics of Perinatal Care for Black Women
Authors: Scott Karen A. , Britton Laura , McLemore Monica R.
Published: April 2019

Perinatal and neonatal nurses have a critical role to play in effectively addressing the disproportionate prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes experienced by black childbearing families. Upstream inequities in maternal health must be better understood and addressed to achieve this goal. The importance of maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy is illustrated with the growing and inequitable prevalence of 2 common illnesses, pregestational diabetes and chronic hypertension, and 2 common conditions during and after pregnancy, gestational diabetes and preterm birth. New care models are needed and must be structured on appropriate ethical principles for serving black families in partnership with nurses. The overarching purpose of this article is to describe the ethics of perinatal care for black women; to discuss how social determinants of health, health disparities, and health inequities affecting women contribute to poor outcomes among their children; and to provide tools to dismantle structural racism specific to “mother blame” narratives.” Finally, strategies are presented to enhance the provision of ethical perinatal care for black women by nurses.
First case report of pulmonary and cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia mexicana in Iran
Authors: Shokri Darioush , Motalebirad Tahereh , Jafarinia Morteza , Azadi Davood , Ghaffari Kazem
Published: April 2019

Background
.

Nocardia

are aerobic partially acid-fast bacteria that are environmentally ubiquitous. This group of bacteria causes a rare bacterial infection of either the lungs (pulmonary) or body (systemic) that usually affects immunocompromised individuals.

Nocardia mexicana

was first isolated in 2004 from a patient with chronic bronchitis. However, there have been few reports on the clinical significance of this organism up to now. We herein report the first cases of

N. mexicana

in patients with pulmonary and cutaneous infection from Iran.

Case presentation. A 57-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to a cutaneous wound on his left foot, fever, weakness, persistent cough and chest pain. At first, due to clinical examination and laboratory test, the patient was diagnosed as having tuberculosis. However, PCR of

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

was negative from broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) samples. Direct PCR of BAL was performed for this patient and according to the clinical examinations and microbiological evaluations; the micro-organism was identified as

N. mexicana

and was isolated from both BAL and the wound. Finally, the patient was treated with linezolid and amikacin.

Conclusions. The infections, with actinomycetes such as

Nocardia

, are easily neglected or misdiagnosed due to the fastidious nature of the organism and the inadequate microbiological experience of laboratories in the hospitals of developing countries. This case shows that hospitals should consider a better laboratory protocol to deal with the clinical cases in which fastidious organisms, and in particular

Nocardia

, are involved.
Advanced titanium dioxide-polytetrafluorethylene (TiO2-PTFE) nanocomposite coatings on stainless steel surfaces exhibit significant antibacterial and anti-corrosion properties
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Liang Xinjin , Gadd Geoffrey , Csetenyi Laszlo , Zhao Qi
Published: April 2019

Bacterial infection and corrosion are the two of the most significant causes of metallic implant failure. In our study, we innovated a facile two-step approach to synthesising a TiO2-PTFE nanocomposite coating on stainless steel, which endows the implant surface with both antibacterial and anticorrosion properties. By harnessing the adhesion and reactivity of bioinspired polydopamine, the TiO2-PTFE coating was uniformly deposited onto substrates by using a sol-gel dip coating technique. The TiO2-PTFE coating exhibited minimal bacterial adhesion against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli WT F1693 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus auerus F1557. Moreover, it was observed that an increasing TiO2 concentration in the bath enhanced antibacterial activity. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between TiO2 and PTFE, the TiO2-PTFE coating showed improved corrosion resistance in artificial body fluids comparing with the sole TiO2 and PTFE coatings. The TiO2-PTFE coating also demonstrated extraordinary biocompatibility with fibroblast cells in culture, making it a prospective useful strategy to overcome current challenges in the use of metallic implants.
PSX: Protein-Solvent Exchange - Software for calculation of deuterium-exchange effects in SANS measurements from protein coordinates
Authors: Pedersen Martin Cramer , Wang Yong , Tidemand Frederik Grønbæk , Martel Anne , Lindorff-Larsen Kresten , Arleth Lise
Published: April 2019

Recent developments in neutron scattering instrumentation and sample handling have enabled studies of more complex biological samples and measurements at shorter exposure times. The experiments are typically conducted in D2O-based buffers to emphasize or diminish scattering from a particular components or to minimize background noise in the experiment. To extract most information from such experiments it is thus desirable to determine accurate estimates of how and when closely bound hydrogen atoms from the biomolecule exchange with the deuterium in the solvent. We introduce and document software, PSX, for exploring the effect of hydrogen-deuterium exchange for proteins solubilized in D2O as well as the underlying bioinformatical models. The software aims to be generally applicable for any atomistic structure of a protein and its surrounding environment, and thus captures effects of both heterogenous exchange rates throughout the protein structure and by varying the experimental conditions such as pH and temperature. The paper concludes with examples of applications and estimates of the effect in typical scenarios emerging in small-angle neutron scattering on biological macromolecules in solution. Our analysis suggests that the common assumption of 90% exchange is in many cases an overestimate with the rapid sample handling systems currently available, which leads to fitting and calibration issues when analysing the data. Source code for the presented software is available from an online repository in which it is published under version 3 of the GNU publishing license.