bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Convergence of exclusion processes and the KPZ equation to the KPZ fixed point
Authors: Quastel Jeremy , Sarkar Sourav
Published: February 2022

We show that under the 1:2:3 scaling, critically probing large space and time, the height function of finite range asymmetric exclusion processes and the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation converge to the KPZ fixed point, constructed earlier as a limit of the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process through exact formulas. Consequently, based on recent results of Wu [Tightness and local fluctuation estimates for the KPZ line ensemble, 2021], Dimitrov and Matetski [Ann. Probab. 49 (2021), pp. 2477–2529], the KPZ line ensemble converges to the Airy line ensemble.

For the KPZ equation we are able to start from a continuous function plus a finite collection of narrow wedges. For nearest neighbour exclusions, we can take (discretizations) of continuous functions with

|

h
(
x
)

|

≤
C
(
1
+

|

x

|

)

|h(x)|\le C(1+\sqrt {|x|})

for some

C
>
0

C>0

, or one narrow wedge. For non-nearest neighbour exclusions, we are restricted at the present time to a class of (random) initial data, dense in continuous functions in the topology of uniform convergence on compacts.

The method is by comparison of the transition probabilities of finite range exclusion processes and the totally asymmetric simple exclusion processes using energy estimates.
Induced model structures for higher categories
Authors: Hackney Philip , Rovelli Martina
Published: February 2022

We give a new criterion guaranteeing existence of model structures left-induced along a functor admitting both adjoints. This works under the hypothesis that the functor induces idempotent adjunctions at the homotopy category level. As an application, we construct new model structures on cubical sets, prederivators, marked simplicial sets and simplicial spaces modeling

∞
\infty

-categories and

∞
\infty

-groupoids.
The Gelfand problem on annular domains of double revolution with monotonicity
Authors: Aghajani A. , Cowan C. , Moameni A.
Published: February 2022

We consider the following Gelfand problem
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="left-parenthesis upper P right-parenthesis Subscript lamda Baseline StartLayout Enlarged left-brace 1st Row 1st Column minus normal upper Delta u equals lamda a left-parenthesis x right-parenthesis f left-parenthesis u right-parenthesis 2nd Column a m p semicolon in normal upper Omega comma 2nd Row 1st Column u greater-than 0 2nd Column a m p semicolon in normal upper Omega comma 3rd Row 1st Column u equals 0 2nd Column a m p semicolon on partial-differential normal upper Omega comma EndLayout">

(
P

)
λ

{

−
Δ
u
=
λ
a
(
x
)
f
(
u
)

a
m
p
;
 in 
Ω
,

u
>
0

a
m
p
;
 in 
Ω
,

u
=
0

a
m
p
;
 on 
∂
Ω
,

\begin{equation*} (P)_\lambda \qquad \left \{\begin {array}{ll} -\Delta u = \lambda a(x) f(u) & \text { in } \Omega , \\ u>0 & \text { in } \Omega , \\ u= 0 & \text { on } \partial \Omega , \end{array}\right . \end{equation*}

where

λ
>
0

\lambda >0

is a parameter and

f
(
u
)
=

e
u

f(u)=e^u

or

f
(
u
)
=
(
u
+
1

)
p

f(u)=(u+1)^p

where

p
>
1

p>1

and

a
(
x
)

a(x)

is a nonnegative function with certain monotonicity (we allow

a
(
x
)
=
1

a(x)=1

). Here

Ω
\Omega

is an annular domain which is also a double domain of revolution. Our interest will be in the question of the regularity of the extremal solution. We obtain improved compactness because of the annular nature of the domain and we obtain further compactness under some monotonicity assumptions on the domain.
Static and dynamical, fractional uncertainty principles
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Ponce Vanegas Felipe , Vega Luis
Published: February 2022

We study the process of dispersion of low-regularity solutions to the Schrödinger equation using fractional weights (observables). We give another proof of the uncertainty principle for fractional weights and use it to get a lower bound for the concentration of mass. We also consider the evolution when the initial datum is the Dirac comb in

R

\mathbb {R}

. In this case we find fluctuations that concentrate at rational times and that resemble a realization of a Lévy process. Furthermore, the evolution exhibits multifractality.
Regulation of integrin α5β1 conformational states and intrinsic affinities by metal ions and the ADMIDAS
Authors: Anderson Jordan M. , Li Jing , Springer Timothy A.
Published: February 2022

Mn2+ activates integrins by increasing the ligand-binding affinity of all three of its conformational states ∼30-fold. Mn2+ also increases the population of the high-affinity state, but other states still predominate. The ADMIDAS increases the affinity difference between high- and low- affinity states and the fidelity of conformational change.
Development of Hypertension Diagnostic Cutoff Values in 6–15 Years Old Children in Haikou City and Their Comparison With the National Standard
Authors: Ouyang Fan-Xian , Zhuo Yin , Li Xiao-Xue , Fang Gui-Yu , Bu Ping-Feng , Zhuo Jia-Ren , Huo Kai-ming , Yu Ren-He
Published: February 2022

Background

To develop the diagnostic criteria of childhood hypertension for different sex, age, and height in Haikou City and compare them with the national standard.

Methods

Stratified random cluster sampling method was used to sample 11,497 students from 227 classes of 29 primary and secondary schools at Haikou. Their height, weight, and blood pressure (BP) were measured during October 2013 to December 2014. The BP values were obtained with method of Korotkoff mercury sphygmomanometer by the trained examiners. Non-Haikou students and abnormal discrete samples were excluded. A total of 9,100 students of normal weight and height, aged 6–15 years, were enrolled. The sex-, age-, and height-specific BP percentile of 90%, 95%, and 99% (P90, P95, and P99) were calculated.

Results

The sex-, age-, and height-specific BP cutoff values of prehypertension (P90), grade 1 hypertension (P95), and grade 2 hypertension (P99) of children aged 6–15 years were developed. Compared with the 2017 national reference (“reference 2017”), the following characteristics were observed. The average height and height range of the same percentile in children at Haikou were lower. The P90 and P95 of systolic BP in Haikou were similar in most age groups of both sexes, but 4–5 mm Hg lower in 15-year-old males. Likewise, the P99 of systolic BP in Haikou was 1–8 mm Hg higher, except for 15-year-old males, which was 2 mm Hg lower. The difference of P90, P95, and P99 of diastolic BP between Haikou and “reference 2017” ranged from −1 to 5 mm Hg.

Conclusions

Hypertension of children aged 6–15 years in Haikou has its own characteristics and is different from the “reference 2017.”
Glutamate in the medium of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum FL-664 affects the production of IL-12(p40) on murine spleen cells
Authors: Kawamoto-Miyamoto Noriko , Hosoda Hiroshi , Miyoshi Kazuyuki , Nomoto Koji
Published: February 2022

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been attracting attention for their effects on innate immunity, and therefore, it is required to develop an efficient culturing method while maintaining their functionality. In this study, first, we compared the growth and functionality of LAB cultured on food grade (FG) medium with those on standard LAB medium and found that LAB cultured in the FG medium were smaller in cell size with high yield and had a higher ability to induce IL-12(p40) production by murine spleen cells in vitro. Moreover, the higher the glutamate concentration in the medium, the smaller the cell size, and the higher the yield and the higher the ability to induce IL-12 production. Addition of glutamate to the culture medium changes the size of LAB and affects their ability to induce IL-12(p40) production. In conclusion, regulating the concentration of glutamate would be important in the efficient culturing of functional LAB.
Identify connectome between genotypes and brain network phenotypes via deep self-reconstruction sparse canonical correlation analysis
Authors: Wang Meiling , Shao Wei , Hao Xiaoke , Huang Shuo , Zhang Daoqiang
Published: February 2022

Motivation

As a rising research topic, brain imaging genetics aims to investigate the potential genetic architecture of both brain structure and function. It should be noted that in the brain, not all variations are deservedly caused by genetic effect, and it is generally unknown which imaging phenotypes are promising for genetic analysis.

Results

In this work, genetic variants (i.e. the single nucleotide polymorphism, SNP) can be correlated with brain networks (i.e. quantitative trait, QT), so that the connectome (including the brain regions and connectivity features) of functional brain networks from the functional magnetic resonance imaging data is identified. Specifically, a connection matrix is firstly constructed, whose upper triangle elements are selected to be connectivity features. Then, the PageRank algorithm is exploited for estimating the importance of different brain regions as the brain region features. Finally, a deep self-reconstruction sparse canonical correlation analysis (DS-SCCA) method is developed for the identification of genetic associations with functional connectivity phenotypic markers. This approach is a regularized, deep extension, scalable multi-SNP-multi-QT method, which is well-suited for applying imaging genetic association analysis to the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative datasets. It is further optimized by adopting a parametric approach, augmented Lagrange and stochastic gradient descent. Extensive experiments are provided to validate that the DS-SCCA approach realizes strong associations and discovers functional connectivity and brain region phenotypic biomarkers to guide disease interpretation.

Availability and implementation

The Matlab code is available at https://github.com/meimeiling/DS-SCCA/tree/main.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with ductal carcinomain situ: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Davey Matthew G. , O’Flaherty Colm , Cleere Eoin F. , Nohilly Aoife , Phelan James , Ronane Evan , Lowery Aoife J. , Kerin Michael J.
Published: February 2022

Background

Axillary lymph node status remains the most powerful prognostic indicator in invasive breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive disease and does not spread to axillary lymph nodes. The presence of an invasive component to DCIS mandates nodal evaluation through sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Quantification of the necessity of upfront SLNB for DCIS requires investigation. The aim was to establish the likelihood of having a positive SLNB (SLNB+) for DCIS and to establish parameters predictive of SLNB+.

Methods

A systematic review was performed as per the PRISMA guidelines. Prospective studies only were included. Characteristics predictive of SLNB+ were expressed as dichotomous variables and pooled as odds ratios (o.r.) and associated 95 per cent confidence intervals (c.i.) using the Mantel–Haenszel method.

Results

Overall, 16 studies including 4388 patients were included (mean patient age 54.8 (range 24 to 92) years). Of these, 72.5 per cent of patients underwent SLNB (3156 of 4356 patients) and 4.9 per cent had SLNB+ (153 of 3153 patients). The likelihood of having SLNB+ for DCIS was less than 1 per cent (o.r. <0.01, 95 per cent c.i. 0.00 to 0.01; P < 0.001, I2 = 93 per cent). Palpable DCIS (o.r. 2.01, 95 per cent c.i. 0.64 to 6.24; P = 0.230, I2 = 0 per cent), tumour necrosis (o.r. 3.84, 95 per cent c.i. 0.85 to 17.44; P = 0.080, I2 = 83 per cent), and grade 3 DCIS (o.r. 1.34, 95 per cent c.i. 0.80 to 2.23; P = 0.270, I2 = 0 per cent) all trended towards significance in predicting SLNB+.

Conclusion

While aggressive clinicopathological parameters may guide SLNB for patients with DCIS, the absolute and relative risk of SLNB+ for DCIS is less than 5 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to establish fully the necessity of SLNB for patients diagnosed with DCIS.

Registration number

CRD42021284194 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/)
Association of prenatal acetaminophen use and acetaminophen metabolites with DNA methylation of newborns: analysis of two consecutive generations of the Isle of Wight birth cohort
Authors: Eslamimehr Shakiba , Jones A Daniel , Anthony Thilani M , Arshad S Hasan , Holloway John W , Ewart Susan , Luo Rui , Mukherjee Nandini , Kheirkhah Rahimabad Parnian , Chen Su , Karmaus Wilfried
Published: February 2022

Acetaminophen is used by nearly two-thirds of pregnant women. Although considered safe, studies have demonstrated associations between prenatal acetaminophen use and adverse health outcomes in offspring. Since DNA methylation (DNAm) at birth may act as an early indicator of later health, assessments on whether DNAm of newborns is associated with gestational acetaminophen use or its metabolites are needed. Using data from three consecutive generations of the Isle of Wight cohort (F0-grandmothers, F1-mothers, and F2-offspring) we investigated associations between acetaminophen metabolites in F0 serum at delivery with epigenome-wide DNAm in F1 (Guthrie cards) and between acetaminophen use of F1 and F2-cord-serum levels with F2 cord blood DNAm. In epigenome-wide screening, we eliminated non-informative DNAm sites followed by linear regression of informative sites. Based on repeated pregnancies, indication bias analyses tested whether acetaminophen indicated maternal diseases or has a risk in its own right. Considering that individuals with similar intake process acetaminophen differently, metabolites were clustered to distinguish metabolic exposures. Finally, metabolite clusters from F1-maternal and F2-cord sera were tested for their associations with newborn DNAm (F1 and F2). Twenty-one differential DNAm sites in cord blood were associated with reported maternal acetaminophen intake in the F2 generation. For 11 of these cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites, an indication bias was excluded and five were replicated in F2 with metabolite clusters. In addition, metabolite clusters showed associations with 25 CpGs in the F0-F1 discovery analysis, of which five CpGs were replicated in the F2-generation. Our results suggest that prenatal acetaminophen use, measured as metabolites, may influence DNAm in newborns.
Comparison of chlorthalidone and spironolactone as additional diuretic therapy in patients with acute heart failure and preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Llàcer Pau , Núñez Julio , García Marina , Ruiz Raúl , López Genoveva , Fabregate Martín , Fernández Cristina , Croset François , Del Hoyo Beatriz , Gomis Antonio , Manzano Luis
Published: February 2022

Aims

Patients with acute heart failure (AHF) require intensification in the diuretic strategy. However, the optimal diuretic strategy remains unclear. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the effect of chlorthalidone compared with spironolactone on diuretic efficacy and safety profile in a cohort of patients with AHF and preserved ejection fraction (AHF-pEF).

Methods and results

It was a prospective observational study in a single centre in Spain, included 44 consecutive patients admitted between June 2020 and March 2021, with AHF-pEF in which an additional diuretic was prescribed. The primary endpoint was changes in urinary sodium at 24 and 72 h, and the secondary were urine output, and other security endpoints. Mixed linear regression models were used to analyse the endpoints. Estimates were reported as least squares mean with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The median age of the study population was 85 years (82.5–88.5), and 30 (68.2%) were women. After multivariate analysis, the linear mixed regression analysis confirmed a greater natriuretic response of chlorthalidone over spironolactone, especially at 24 h (P = 0.009). Multivariate analysis also showed a greater cumulative diuretic response in those treated with chlorthalidone (P = 0.001). We did not find significant differences in glomerular filtration rate, serum sodium, and serum potassium at 72 h, neither significant differences were found in 24 and 72 h in systolic blood pressure.

Conclusion

In patients with AHF and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% receiving intravenous loop diuretics, chlorthalidone administration was associated with a greater short-term natriuresis.
Comprehensive nutrient consumption estimation and metabolic profiling during ketogenic diet and relationship with myocardial glucose uptake on FDG-PET
Authors: Selvaraj Senthil , Seidelmann Sara B , Soni Meshal , Bhattaru Abhijit , Margulies Kenneth B , Shah Svati H , Dugyala Supritha , Qian Chenao , Pryma Daniel A , Arany Zolt , Kelly Daniel P , Chirinos Julio A , Bravo Paco E
Published: February 2022

Aims

The ketogenic diet (KD) is standard-of-care to achieve myocardial glucose suppression (MGS) for assessing inflammation using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). As KD protocols remain highly variable between centres (including estimation of nutrient intake by dietary logs for adequacy of dietary preparation), we aimed to assess the predictive utility of nutrient intake in achieving MGS.

Methods and results

Nineteen healthy participants underwent short-term KD, with FDG-PET performed after 1 and 3 days of KD (goal carbohydrate intake <20 g/day). Nutrient consumption was estimated from dietary logs using nutrition research software. The area under receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein intake) for predicting MGS was analysed. The association between 133 nutrients and 4 biomarkers [beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids, insulin, and glucagon] with myocardial glucose uptake was assessed using mixed effects regression with false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Median (25th–75th percentile) age was 29 (25–34) years, 47% were women, and 42% were non-white. Median (25th–75th percentile) carbohydrate intake (g) was 18.7 (13.1-30.7), 16.9 (10.4-28.7), and 21.1 (16.6-29.0) on Days 1–3. No macronutrient intake (carbohydrate, fat, or protein) predicted MGS (c-statistic 0.45, 0.53, 0.47, respectively). Of 133 nutrients and 4 biomarkers, only BHB was associated with myocardial glucose uptake after FDR correction (corrected P-value 0.003).

Conclusions

During highly supervised, short-term KD, approximately half of patients meet strict carbohydrate goals. Yet, in healthy volunteers, dietary review does not provide reassurance for adequacy of myocardial preparation since no clear thresholds for carbohydrate or fat intake reliably predict MGS.
Unexpected suicide left ventricle post-surgical aortic valve replacement requiring veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support despite gold-standard therapy: a case report
Authors: Lioufas Peter Andrew , Kelly Diane N , Brooks Kyle S , Marasco Silvana F
Published: February 2022

Background

Suicide left ventricle is a well-documented phenomenon occurring after valve replacement, however, it is most commonly described in the mitral valve replacement (MVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) population. Cases within the surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) population usually resolve with optimal medical and interventional therapies. We describe a case of left ventricular suicide following SAVR presenting with persistent haemodynamic instability despite currently accepted medical and surgical therapies.

Case summary

A 62-year-old male with severe aortic stenosis presented for SAVR and a MAZE procedure. There were no significant signs of ventricular hypertrophy on preoperative transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). Intraoperatively, there was mild chordal systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (SAM) which only occurred when underfilled. During recovery in the intensive care unit, the patient’s pulmonary arterial pressures were noted to rise with worsening cardiac output. Subsequent TTE showed severe dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction secondary to SAM. Due to refractory medical management, an alcohol septal ablation was performed. Despite resolution of obstruction, the patient exhibited biochemical signs of systemic hypoperfusion, and thus veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support was initiated. Following 72 h of VA-ECMO support, the patient was weaned with complete resolution of biochemical insults. He was subsequently discharged from the hospital without complication.

Discussion

Compared to the TAVR population, suicide ventricle post-SAVR is comparatively rare. Patients who exhibit persistent impaired cardiac output postoperatively should be investigated rapidly with echocardiography. Furthermore, resolution of a LVOT obstruction state from procedural intervention may not immediately follow with improved cardiac output, and may require further supportive management.
A novel Troponin I mutation associated with severe restrictive cardiomyopathy—a case report of a 27-year-old woman with fatigue
Authors: Gerhardt Teresa , Monserrat Lorenzo , Landmesser Ulf , Poller Wolfgang
Published: February 2022

Background

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is rare and heterogeneous in origin, clinical manifestation, and prognosis. Familial forms have, amongst others, been associated with mutations in the TNNI3 gene. We present a case of familial restrictive cardiomyopathy associated with a novel TNNI3 mutation including longitudinal follow-up.

Case summary

A 27-year-old woman was evaluated for fatigue in the context of a family history of sudden cardiac death. Echocardiography was normal except for mild left atrial dilatation. Focused genetic screening, limited to the most common genes associated with cardiomyopathy, was unremarkable in 2006. In biopsy, mild inflammatory cardiomyopathy was diagnosed, and the patient was discharged. Thirteen years later, rapid clinical deterioration occurred in the context of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). Echocardiography now showed gross bi-atrial dilatation and evidence of diastolic dysfunction. Based on haemodynamic tracings during angiography, a diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy was made. In 2018, next-generation sequencing revealed the hitherto undescribed Troponin I variant Lys193Glu in a functionally critical domain. Haemodynamic stabilization was achieved by pulmonary vein isolation. Until now, the patient remains symptom free under diuretic treatment.

Discussion

Diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy is complicated by often oligosymptomatic early presentation and a diverse clinical picture. Thorough medical and family history and early invasive haemodynamic tracing are indispensable in diagnosis. Therapy-refractory AF should raise suspicion. Reporting of longitudinal follow-up cases is essential to better understand the early symptoms, development, and prognosis of this rare disease. Broad genetic testing in unclear cases has become more available and affordable and should be considered early in the diagnostic workflow.
A case report of balloon-assisted tracking to overcome coronary sinus competent valve: a novel technique in left ventricular lead implantation
Authors: Samy Mohamed , Hamdy Rehab M
Published: February 2022

Background

Competent lateral and posterolateral valves showed proximal tortuosity that might hinder left ventricular (LV) lead implantation in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Case summary

A 57-year-old woman was diagnosed as non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy, no other comorbidities, complaining of dyspnoea [New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III], and on optimal medical therapy. Electrocardiogram showed left bundle branch block with QRS duration 150 ms. The patient was candidate for CRT. However, during LV lead implantation, a competent posterolateral vein valve and proximal tortuosity hindered LV lead implantation that was overcome by balloon-assisted tracking technique. At 9 months of follow-up, the patient had NYHA class II, ejection fraction improved to 38%, and all implanted leads were still in place.

Discussion

Balloon-assisted tracking technique can be used to cross coronary sinus and smaller veins with competent valves and coronary veins tortuosity.
Impact of pre-existing right or left bundle branch block on patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement
Authors: Ram Eilon , Peled Yael , Sarantsev Irena , Jamal Tamer , Kogan Alexander , Raanani Ehud , Sternik Leonid
Published: February 2022

OBJECTIVES

Contemporary data on the prognostic impact of pre-existing left or right bundle branch block on clinical outcomes after aortic valve (AV) replacement are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pre-existing bundle branch block on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing AV replacement.

METHODS

Data from patients who underwent AV replacement surgery between 2004 and 2020 were obtained from our departmental database.

RESULTS

Of the 2704 study patients, 203 (7.5%) had pre-existing bundle branch block and 2501 (92.5%) had normal atrioventricular conduction. The mean age was 68 (13) years, 1697 (63%) were male and 683 (25%) had a unicuspid or bicuspid AV. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with pre-existing bundle branch block compared to those without on admission (5.9% vs 2.9%, P = 0.032), and more frequent in patients with left compared with right bundle branch block (11.9% vs 4.3%, P = 0.003). New pacemaker implantation was most frequent in those patients with pre-existing left bundle branch block, followed by right and no bundle branch block on admission (28.6% vs 7.5% vs 2.8% respectively, P < 0.001; odds ratio 4.96 95% confidence interval 2.96–8.08, P < 0.001). The 10-year cumulative survival rate was lower in patients with bundle branch block compared with patients with no bundle branch block (76.8% vs 82.8%, log-rank P < 0.001; hazard ratio 0.73, confidence interval 0.54–0.99, P = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that patients with pre-existing bundle branch block have a higher incidence of pacemaker implantation and all-cause mortality after AV replacement compared with patients without a conduction disturbance.
Tertiary-level STEM and EMI: where EFL and content meet to potentiate each other
Authors: Ting Y-L Teresa
Published: February 2022

Tertiary-level English medium instruction (EMI) presents an opportunity for both EMI and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) pedagogies: tertiary STEM needs student-centred strategies familiar to EFL, whereas tertiary EFL can harness the innate complexity of STEM towards complex language production. With the aim of achieving coequal EFL–STEM collaborations, this article presents: (1) neuroscience findings demonstrating the shortcomings of teacher-centred lecturing common in tertiary STEM instruction, and thus the need for EFL expertise; (2) a schema which, by logically delineating the ‘language dilemma of content instruction’, positions language instruction within STEM education; (3) two grids for guiding instructional design—a two-dimensional grid that disentangles content from language, delineating the cognitive demands imposed by each and helping experts optimize the trajectory of instructional-tasks, and a three-dimensional translanguaging grid delineating all linguistic codes within the EMI space, allowing each EFL–STEM team member to participate in designing student-centred translanguaging tasks without leaving their respective comfort zones; (4) examples of EMI–STEM translanguaging tasks informed by the grids and which guarantee level-appropriate content instruction while supporting the mastery of disciplinary discourses, in both English and the L1.
Patient characteristics, treatment strategy, outcomes, and hospital costs of acute coronary syndrome: 3 years of data from a large high-volume centre in Central Europe
Authors: Toušek Petr , Bauer David , Neuberg Marek , Nováčková Markéta , Mašek Petr , Tu˚ma Petr , Kočka Viktor , Moťovská Zuzana , Widimský Petr
Published: February 2022

Managing patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in an ageing population with comorbidities is clinically and economically challenging. Well-conducted unselected registries are essential for providing information on real-day clinical practice. The aim was to create a long term, very detail-controlled registry of unselected patients admitted with ACS to a high-volume centre in Central Europe. Consecutive patients admitted with confirmed ACS were entered into the prospective registry from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2021. Data on 214 parameters, including clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, laboratory and therapeutic findings, financial costs, and in-hospital mortality, were obtained for all patients. Analyses were performed on the complete dataset of 1804 patients. Of these patients, 694 (38.5%) were admitted for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 1110 (61.5%) were admitted for non-ST-elevation (NSTE)-ACS [779 with NSTE myocardial infarction (NSTE-MI) and 331 with unstable angina (UA)]. Almost all patients (99%) underwent coronary angiography. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed in 93.4% of STEMI patients and 74.5% of NSTE-ACS patients. Patients with NSTE-MI had the longest total hospital stay (8.1 ± 9.1 days) and highest financial costs (8579.5 ± 7173.2 euros). In-hospital mortality was 1.2% in UA, 6.2% in NSTE-MI, and 10.9% in STEMI patients. Age older than 75 years, pre-hospital cardiac arrest and/or mechanical ventilation, subacute STEMI, and ejection fraction below 40% were the most powerful predictors of in-hospital mortality as assessed by multivariate analyses. The in-hospital mortality of unselected NSTE-MI and STEMI patients in daily practice is not low despite very good implementation of guideline-recommended therapy with a high rate of revascularization. The highest financial costs are associated with NSTE-MI.
Predictors allowing early discharge after interventional treatment of acute coronary syndrome patients
Authors: Bauer Dávid , Neuberg Marek , Nováčková Markéta , Mašek Petr , Kočka Viktor , Moťovská Zuzana , Toušek Petr
Published: February 2022

Many scoring systems for predicting the outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been proposed. In some populations, a significant reduction in length of hospital stay may be achieved without compromising patient prognoses. However, the use of such scoring systems in clinical practice is limited. The aim of this study was to propose a universal list of predictors that can identify low-risk ACS patients who may be eligible for an earlier hospital discharge without increased short-term risk for major adverse cardiac events. A cohort of 1420 patients diagnosed with ACS were enrolled into a single-centre registry between October 2018 and December 2020. Clinical, laboratory, echocardiographic, and angiographic measurements were taken for each patient and entered into the study database. Using retrospective univariant analyses of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n = 932), we compared each predictor to 30-day mortality rate using the Czech national registry of dead people. Eleven predictors correlate significantly with 30-day survival: age <80 years, ejection fraction >50%, no cardiopulmonary resuscitation, no mechanical ventilation needed, Killip class I at admission, haemoglobin levels >110 g/L while hospitalized, successful PCI procedure(s), no residual stenosis over 90%, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 3 flow after PCI, no left main stem disease, and no triple-vessel coronary artery disease. In all, presence of all predictors applies to 328 patients (35.2% of the cohort), who maintained a 100% survival rate at 30 days. A combination of clinical, echocardiographic, and angiographic findings provides valuable information for predicting the outcomes of patients with all types of ACS. We created a simple, useful tool for selecting low-risk patients eligible for early discharge.
Sex-specific temporal trends in the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease in young adults: a population-based study using UK primary care data
Authors: Okoth Kelvin , Crowe Francesca , Marshall Tom , Thomas G Neil , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Adderley Nicola J
Published: February 2022

Aims

There is concern that cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young adults is rising. However, current trends in the UK are unknown. We investigated sex-specific trends in the incidence and prevalence of CVD in young UK adults.

Methods and results

A series of annual (1998–2017) cohort and cross-sectional studies were conducted to estimate incidence rates and prevalence in men and women aged 16–50. Joinpoint regression models were fitted to evaluate changes in trends. From 1998 to 2017, incidence and prevalence had an overall downward trend for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and angina, while coronary revascularization, stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA), and heart failure (HF) had an upward trend in both sexes. Myocardial infarction (MI) trends were stable in men and increased in women. For incidence, the average annual percentage change (AAPC) for men vs. women, respectively, was IHD −2.6% vs. −3.4%; angina −7.0% vs. −7.3%; MI 0.01% vs. 2.3%; revascularization 1.1% vs. 3.9%; stroke/TIA 1.9% vs. 0.6%; HF 5.6% vs. 5.0% (P for trend <0.05 for all except MI and revascularization in men and stroke/TIA in women). For prevalence, AAPCs for men vs. women, respectively, were IHD −2.8% vs. −4.9%; angina −7.2% vs. −7.8%; MI −0.2% vs. 2.0; revascularization 3.2% vs. 4.1%; stroke/TIA 3.1% vs. 3.6%; HF 5.0% vs. 3.0% (P for trend <0.05 for all except MI in men). In recent years, IHD and revascularization trends levelled off, while stroke/TIA and HF trends increased in both sexes.

Conclusion

Overall trends in incidence and prevalence of CVD are worsening in young adults. Factors behind unfavourable trends warrant investigation and public health intervention.
The guilds in green algal lichens—an insight into the life of terrestrial symbiotic communities
Authors: Peksa Ondřej , Gebouská Tereza , Škvorová Zuzana , Vančurová Lucie , Škaloud Pavel
Published: February 2022

Lichenized algae and cyanobacteria are known to be shared and selected by unrelated lichen-forming fungi coexisting in so-called photobiont-mediated guilds. Life in such a guild could be crucial for the survival of a large group of lichen fungi dependent on horizontal transmission of photobionts. Here, we investigate frequent lichen phycobionts of the genus Trebouxia in rock-dwelling lichen communities. We found intensive and repeated sharing of specific Trebouxia assemblages by co-occurring lichens across distant localities. Rock chemistry, expressed as pH, determined the composition of photobiont pools and separated three saxicolous lichen guilds, sharing environmentally specific photobiont groups. Moreover, unlike the majority of lichen fungi, many Trebouxia photobionts represented opportunists in the choice of general substrate form (soil-rock-tree bark/wood), maintaining their pH preferences. Thus, saxicolous communities form just a part of a complex guild system that is in principle mediated by environmentally conditioned groups of naturally co-occurring photobionts. The complexity of the system is influenced by diverse photobiont life strategies, including also dispersal style. The findings of photobionts strictly or predominantly associated with sexually reproducing fungi stimulated us to emphasize the role of free-dispersing photobionts in the establishment and maintenance of lichen guilds.
The microbial ecology ofEscherichia coliin the vertebrate gut
Authors: Foster-Nyarko Ebenezer , Pallen Mark J
Published: February 2022

Escherichia coli has a rich history as biology's ‘rock star’, driving advances across many fields. In the wild, E. coli resides innocuously in the gut of humans and animals but is also a versatile pathogen commonly associated with intestinal and extraintestinal infections and antimicrobial resistance—including large foodborne outbreaks such as the one that swept across Europe in 2011, killing 54 individuals and causing approximately 4000 infections and 900 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Given that most E. coli are harmless gut colonizers, an important ecological question plaguing microbiologists is what makes E. coli an occasionally devastating pathogen? To address this question requires an enhanced understanding of the ecology of the organism as a commensal. Here, we review how our knowledge of the ecology and within-host diversity of this organism in the vertebrate gut has progressed in the 137 years since E. coli was first described. We also review current approaches to the study of within-host bacterial diversity. In closing, we discuss some of the outstanding questions yet to be addressed and prospects for future research.
Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses reveal the molecular mechanisms of red-light on carotenoids biosynthesis in tomato fruit
Authors: Tang Jun , Li Yan , Liu Zhongliang , Wei Min , Shi Qinghua , Yang Fengjuan
Published: February 2022

Carotenoids are the main pigments responsible for the coloration and account for the major antioxidant activity of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit. Significant increments in total carotenoids and lycopene levels were observed in tomato fruit illuminated by red light relative to white light in previous studies, but the mechanism of carotenoid biosynthesis regulated by red light is still unclear. In the present study, the influence of red light on carotenoid biosynthesis in postharvest tomato fruit was conducted using targeted metabolomics and transcriptomic methods. A total of 25 differentially accumulated carotenoids and 1939 differentially expressed genes were isolated and identified. The results illustrated that the contents of phytoene and lycopene were considerably higher in fruit treated with red light than those with white light at 12 h. These differentially expressed genes are mainly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, photosynthesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and plant circadian rhythm. Moreover, from the results of coexpression network analysis, 15 transcription factors from red light-treated fruit were screened; among these, transcription factors of SlERF4, SlbHLH93 and SlIAA29, which are involved in signal transduction of light and hormones, respectively, may also play important roles in carotenoid biosynthesis regulated by red light in tomato fruit. It is concluded that red light enhanced carotenoid biosynthesis in postharvest tomato fruit and the mechanisms of enhanced carotenoid biosynthesis were not only associated with the direct regulation by red light signalling, but also with the indirect regulation by hormonal signalling.
A de novo reference assembly of the yellow mangrove Ceriops zippeliana genome
Authors: Pootakham Wirulda , Sonthirod Chutima , Naktang Chaiwat , Kongkachana Wasitthee , U-thoomporn Sonicha , Phetchawang Phakamas , Maknual Chatree , Jiumjamrassil Darunee , Pravinvongvuthi Tamanai , Tangphatsornruang Sithichoke
Published: February 2022

Mangroves are of great ecological and economical importance, providing shelters for a wide range of species and nursery habitats for commercially important marine species. Ceriops zippeliana (yellow mangrove) belongs to Rhizophoraceae family and is commonly distributed in the tropical and subtropical coastal communities. In this study, we present a high-quality assembly of the C. zippeliana genome. We constructed an initial draft assembly of 240,139,412 bases with an N50 contig length of 564,761 bases using the 10x Genomics linked-read technology. This assembly was further scaffolded with RagTag using a chromosome-scale assembly of a closely related Ceriops species as a reference. The final assembly contained 243,228,612 bases with an N50 scaffold length of 10,559,178 Mb. The size of the final assembly was close to those estimated using DNA flow cytometry (248 Mb) and the k-mer distribution analysis (246 Mb). We predicted a total of 23,474 gene models and 21,724 protein-coding genes in the C. zippeliana genome, of which 16,002 were assigned gene ontology terms. We recovered 97.1% of the highly conserved orthologs based on the Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analysis. The phylogenetic analysis based on single-copy orthologous genes illustrated that C. zippeliana and Ceriops tagal diverged approximately 10.2 million years ago (MYA), and their last common ancestor and Kandelia obovata diverged approximately 29.9 MYA. The high-quality assembly of C. zippeliana presented in this work provides a useful genomic resource for studying mangroves’ unique adaptations to stressful intertidal habitats and for developing sustainable mangrove forest restoration and conservation programs.
Optimism, Daily Stressors, and Emotional Well-Being Over Two Decades in a Cohort of Aging Men
Authors: Lee Lewina O , Grodstein Francine , Trudel-Fitzgerald Claudia , James Peter , Okuzono Sakurako S , Koga Hayami K , Schwartz Joel , Spiro Avron , Mroczek Daniel K , Kubzansky Laura D
Published: February 2022

Objectives

Growing evidence supports optimism as a health asset, yet how optimism influences well-being and health remains uncertain. We evaluated 1 potential pathway—the association of optimism with daily stress processes—and tested 2 hypotheses. The stressor exposure hypothesis posits that optimism would preserve emotional well-being by limiting exposure to daily stressors. The buffering hypothesis posits that higher optimism would be associated with lower emotional reactivity to daily stressors and more effective emotional recovery from them.

Methods

Participants were 233 men from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Revised Optimism–Pessimism scale in 1986/1991 and participated in up to three 8-day daily diary bursts in 2002–2010 (age at first burst: M = 76.7, SD = 6.5). Daily stressor occurrence, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were assessed nightly. We evaluated the hypotheses using multilevel structural equation models.

Results

Optimism was unrelated to emotional reactivity to or recovery from daily stressors. Higher optimism was associated with higher average daily PA (B = 2.31, 95% Bayesian credible interval [BCI]: 1.24, 3.38) but not NA, independent of stressor exposure. Lower stressor exposure mediated the association of higher optimism with lower daily NA (indirect effect: B = −0.27, 95% BCI: −0.50, −0.09), supporting the stressor exposure hypothesis.

Discussion

Findings from a sample of older men suggest that optimism may be associated with more favorable emotional well-being in later life through differences in stressor exposure rather than emotional stress response. Optimism may preserve emotional well-being among older adults by engaging emotion regulation strategies that occur relatively early in the emotion-generative process.
Long-term outcomes of transaxillary versus video-assisted first rib resection for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome
Authors: Nuutinen Henrik , Kärkkäinen Jussi M , Kimmo Mäkinen , Voitto Aittola , Teemu Riekkinen , Petri Saari , Janne Pesonen
Published: February 2022

OBJECTIVES

This study compared the long-term outcomes in terms of clinical examinations and patient-reported outcome measures, between transaxillary and video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques for first rib resection in patients with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

METHODS

The study population comprised patients who underwent first rib resection for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome at our institution between 2009 and 2016. All patients were recruited in a follow-up assessment in 2019, and those who agreed to participate were included in this study. Outcomes included examinations at the outpatient clinic and patient-reported outcome measures: Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand Score and Cervical Brachial Symptom Questionnaire. The completeness of the rib resection was assessed on chest X-rays.

RESULTS

:A total of 60 first rib resections (30 transaxillary + 30 video-assisted fully thoracoscopic approaches) were performed for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome in 47 patients between 2009 and 2016. Of these, 32 patients participated in the study including 18 who had transaxillary and 22 who had video-assisted thoracoscopic procedures. The mean follow-up was 5.9 (standard deviation: 2.2) years. The outcome was good or excellent after 15 (83.3%) and 17 (77.3%) procedures in the transaxillary and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery groups, respectively (P = 0.709). There were no differences in patient-reported outcome measures between the 2 groups. Furthermore, the length of the residual first rib stump was similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no differences in the long-term outcomes between the study groups. These results indicate that both transaxillary and purely thoracoscopic approaches offer favourable long-term outcomes following first rib resection in patients with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.
Numerical solution of anH(curl)-elliptic hemivariational inequality
Authors: Han Weimin , Ling Min , Wang Fei
Published: February 2022

This paper is concerned with the analysis and numerical solution of an $\boldsymbol {H}({\textbf {curl}})$-elliptic hemivariational inequality (HVI). One source of the HVI is through a temporal semidiscretization of a related hyperbolic Maxwell equation problem. An equivalent minimization principle is introduced, and the solution existence and uniqueness of the $\boldsymbol {H}({\textbf {curl}})$-elliptic HVI are proved. Numerical analysis of the HVI is provided with a general Galerkin approximation, including a Céa’s inequality for convergence and error estimation. When the linear edge finite element method is employed, an optimal-order error estimate is derived under a suitable solution regularity assumption. A fully discrete scheme based on the backward Euler difference in time and a mixed finite element method in space is also analyzed, and stability estimates are derived for first-order terms of the fully discrete solution. Numerical results are reported on linear edge finite element solutions of the $\boldsymbol {H}({\textbf {curl}})$-elliptic HVI for numerical evidence of the theoretically predicted convergence order.
Autophagy-independent cytoprotection by optineurin from toxicity of aggregates formed by mutant huntingtin and mutant ataxin-3
Authors: Moharir Shivranjani C , Raghawan Akhouri Kishore , Ramaswamy Rajashree , Swarup Ghanshyam
Published: February 2022

An important feature of several neurodegenerative diseases is the formation of pathological structures containing aggregated proteins. The autophagy receptor optineurin/OPTN is frequently observed in these structures. The role played by optineurin in these aggregates is not clear. In this study, we explored whether optineurin has a cytoprotective role in the cells having mutant protein aggregates. We overexpressed mutant huntingtin having 97 glutamine repeats (mHtt) and mutant ataxin-3 having 130 glutamine repeats (mAtax-3) in wild-type and optineurin-deficient neuronal (N2A) and non-neuronal cells (Optn−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts) and determined the percentage of dead cells with mutant protein aggregates. Optineurin-deficient cells having mHtt or mAtax-3 aggregates showed higher cell death as compared to wild-type cells having mutant protein aggregates. Confocal microscopy revealed that optineurin formed a shell around mHtt and mAtax-3 aggregates through its C-terminal domain. The C-terminal domain of optineurin, which lacks LC3-interacting region required for autophagy, was necessary and sufficient to reduce cytotoxicity of mHtt and mAtax-3 aggregates. Our results show that in the absence of optineurin, mutant protein aggregates are highly toxic, revealing an autophagy-independent cytoprotective function of optineurin, which is mediated by its C-terminal domain.