bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety of In-Hospital Only Thromboprophylaxis after Fast-Track Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Follow-Up Study in 17,582 Procedures
Authors: Petersen Pelle , Kehlet Henrik , Jørgensen Christoffer ,   on behalf of the Lundbeck Foundation Centre for Fast-track Hip and Knee Replacement Collaborative Group
Published: November 2018

Most international guidelines recommend pharmacological thromboprophylaxis after total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) for 10 to 35 days. However, a recent cohort study on fast-track THA and TKA questioned the need for prolonged thromboprophylaxis when length of stay (LOS) is ≤ 5 days. We aimed at re-investigating the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in fast-track THA and TKA with in-hospital only thromboprophylaxis when LOS was ≤ 5 days. Prospective cohort study from 1 December 2011 to 30 October 2015 on elective unilateral THA/TKA with in-hospital only thromboprophylaxis if LOS was ≤ 5 days. Prospective information on co-morbidity and complete 90-day follow-up through the Danish National Patient Registry and medical records. Patients with pre-operative use of anticoagulants were excluded. In per protocol analysis, 17,582 (95.5%) had LOS of ≤ 5 days (median, 2 [interquartile range, 2–3]) and in-hospital thromboprophylaxis only. Incidence of symptomatic VTE was 0.40%, consisting of 28 (0.16%) pulmonary embolisms (PEs), 38 (0.22%) deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and 4 (0.02%) combined DVT and PE. Two PEs (0.01%) were fatal. VTE-associated risk factors with in-hospital only thromboprophylaxis were age > 85 years, odds ratio (OR) of 3.74 (95% confidence interval: 1.15–12.14, p = 0.028), body mass index (BMI) of 35 to 40, OR of 2.55 (1.02–6.35, p = 0.045) and BMI > 40, OR of 3.28 (1.02–10.56, p = 0.046). In conclusion, 90-day incidence of VTE after fast-track THA and TKA with in-hospital thromboprophylaxis only was 0.40%. Prolonged thromboprophylaxis may be reserved for LOS > 5 days or specific high-risk patients, but requires further studies regarding optimal type and duration of thromboprophylaxis.
A high-energy 1064-nm picosecond master oscillator laser with an optic-optic efficiency of 38%
Authors: He Huan , Liu Xuesheng , Song Yiheng , Wang Congcong , Cao Mingzhen , Wang Zhiyong
Published: November 2018

A high-energy high optic-optic efficiency 808-nm diode-end-pumped 1064-nm Nd:YVO4 picosecond master oscillator laser was demonstrated, and a 3×3×7 mm Nd:YVO4 crystal with a doped concentration of 0.5% was adopted. A maximum output power of 3.39 W was obtained with a pulse width of 16.3 ps and a repetition rate of 29.36 MHz under a pump power of 8.92 W, corresponding to an optic-optic efficiency of 38.0%. Compared to the previously reported picosecond master oscillator solid-state lasers, the optic-optic conversion efficiency of 38% is in the leading level among the reported lasers.
Electric field effect on magnetism in a MgO/Pd/Co system with a solid-state capacitor structure
Authors: Obinata Aya , Hirai Takamasa , Kotani Yoshinori , Toyoki Kentaro , Nakamura Tetsuya , Koyama Tomohiro , Chiba Daichi
Published: November 2018

The electric field effect on the magnetism in a MgO/Pd/Co system, in which a magnetic moment is induced in the Pd layer owing to the ferromagnetic proximity effect, has been investigated using various experimental methods. An electric field was applied to the surface of the Pd layer through a solid-state HfO2/MgO dielectric bilayer by applying a gate voltage with a back-gating configuration. Changes in the magnetic properties of the system as a result of gate voltage application were detected using magnetization and polar-Kerr effect measurements as well as X-ray absorption and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopies. A systematic change in the magnetic moment of the system by the application of a gate voltage is observed. The magnetic hysteresis loops obtained by the polar-Kerr effect measurement and the element-specific XMCD signal at the Co L3-edge clearly show a reproducible change in the coercivity that is dependent on the gate voltage.
Numerical simulation and structural optimization based on an elliptical and cylindrical raft wave energy conversion device
Authors: Dong Jianguo , Gao Jingwei , Zheng Peng , Zhang Yuanchao
Published: November 2018

In recent years, research on wave energy development and utilization has been a hot topic, and many scholars have intensively researched raft-type energy conversion devices. This paper considers an elliptical and cylindrical raft wave energy conversion device from the perspective of stability and bionics to determine the structural parameters that correspond to optimal energy conversion in a three-level sea state. This paper studies the theoretical wave energy capture efficiency of cylindrical floats by drawing an analogy from the theoretical model. In addition, this paper determines the float structural parameters corresponding to the optimum capture efficiency by formulating numerical simulations and optimizing the parameters, such as the axis ratio of the cross-section, the spacing, the draught, the number of floats, the length of the float, the height of float's center of gravity, and others. In the optimization process, these six parameters were briefly analyzed in reference to the design of the Pelamis. The length of the float and the axial ratio of the cross-section are the main factors affecting the capture efficiency of the device. Therefore, the optimization sequence of the six parameters was determined by first controlling the main factors and then controlling the other factors. Then, the values of all the parameters were determined. The structural parameters of the float were observed to significantly influence the energy capturing effect of the device, and its efficiency was increased by intelligently selecting the structural parameters. Finally, the structural parameters of the elliptical and cylindrical raft wave energy conversion device were determined by comparing the capture efficiency under five typical wave conditions (WT.1 to WT.5) in a three-level sea state.
para-Hydroxy Thiophenol-Coated CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots as a Turn-On Fluorescent Probe for H2O2 Detection in Aqueous Media
Authors: Wang Xiaomei , Luo Yong , Xu Hu , Li Dan , Wang Yuhong
Published: November 2018

Since hydrogen peroxide plays an important role in various fields, a facile, simple, highly selective, and stable analytic method for H2O2 is desirable. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have acted as a potential alternative for organic fluorophores in fluorescence analytical fields due to their superior optical properties. Herein, we report hydrophilic p-hydroxy thiophenol (p-HTP) coated CdSe/ZnS QDs (denoted as p-HTP-QDs) acting as a selective fluorescence ‘turn-on’ probe for H2O2 in aqueous media. The obtained p-HTP-QD probe exhibits weak fluorescence, which stems from hole transfer from the QDs to p-HTP. The presence of H2O2 induces an oxidative structural transformation of p-HTP in p-HTP-QDs from a phenol structure to an α-hydroxy ketone derivative, which extremely reduces the driving force for hole transfer. Thus, the QDs photoluminescence (PL) was re-switched on. Under optimized conditions, an excellent linear relationship between fluorescence response and H2O2 concentration could be produced with a linear range from 0.309 to 4.900mM. The limit of detection of this probe was found to be 0.135mM. Moreover, the present probe exhibited a high selectivity of H2O2 over other reactive oxygen species/reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and was successfully used in the detection of H2O2 in real water samples.
Redox dysregulation as a link between childhood trauma and psychopathological and neurocognitive profile in patients with early psychosis
Authors: Alameda Luis , Fournier Margot , Khadimallah Ines , Griffa Alessandra , Cleusix Martine , Jenni Raoul , Ferrari Carina , Klauser Paul , Baumann Philipp S. , Cuenod Michel , Hagmann Patric , Conus Philippe , Do Kim Q.
Published: November 2018

Significance

Early traumatic experiences interact with redox regulation and oxidative stress. Blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, involved in reducing peroxides, may reflect the oxidation status of the organism, thus allowing for the stratification of patients. Traumatized patients with psychosis who have a high blood oxidation status (high-GPx) have smaller hippocampal volumes (but not a smaller amygdala or intracranial volume), and this is associated with more severe clinical symptoms, while those with a lower oxidation status (low-GPx) showed better cognition and a correlated activation of the antioxidant thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system. Thus, in patients with psychosis, traumatic experiences during childhood may interact with various redox systems, leading to long-term neuroanatomical and clinical defects. This redox profile may represent important biomarkers for patient stratification, defining treatment strategies at early stages of psychosis.
TLR8: No gain, no pain
Authors: Barrat Franck J.
Published: November 2018

TLRs have been well characterized in the context of immunity, although TLR8 is understudied due to its controversial function in mice. In this issue of JEM, the new work by Zhang et al. (https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20180800) demonstrates that TLR8 activated by miR-21 controls neuropathic pain using a non-MyD88–dependent pathway.
Ion channels can be allosterically regulated by membrane domains near a de-mixing critical point
Authors: Kimchi Ofer , Veatch Sarah L. , Machta Benjamin B.
Published: November 2018

Ion channels are embedded in the plasma membrane, a compositionally diverse two-dimensional liquid that has the potential to exert profound influence on their function. Recent experiments suggest that this membrane is poised close to an Ising critical point, below which cell-derived plasma membrane vesicles phase separate into coexisting liquid phases. Related critical points have long been the focus of study in simplified physical systems, but their potential roles in biological function have been underexplored. Here we apply both exact and stochastic techniques to the lattice Ising model to study several ramifications of proximity to criticality for idealized lattice channels, whose function is coupled through boundary interactions to critical fluctuations of membrane composition. Because of diverging susceptibilities of system properties to thermodynamic parameters near a critical point, such a lattice channel’s activity becomes strongly influenced by perturbations that affect the critical temperature of the underlying Ising model. In addition, its kinetics acquire a range of time scales from its surrounding membrane, naturally leading to non-Markovian dynamics. Our model may help to unify existing experimental results relating the effects of small-molecule perturbations on membrane properties and ion channel function. We also suggest ways in which the role of this mechanism in regulating real ion channels and other membrane-bound proteins could be tested in the future.
Probing insulin secretion with a new tool
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: November 2018

JGP study explains how chromomycin A2 affects insulin secretion.
Empirical Study on the Predictive Power of Rotation Forest
Authors: Sartono Bagus , Raharjo Mulianto , Suhaeni Cici
Published: November 2018

This paper presents the comparison of the predictive power of rotation forest and other classification techniques in the case of classification problem. Rotation forest is an ensemble of many decision trees that utilizing principal component analysis to do some rotation to the original predictor variables before constructing the trees. An empirical study using fourteen different datasets was held to observe how good the prediction resulted by the rotation forest. The authors found that in most of the cases rotation forest perform better compared to logistic regression, tree, and discriminant analysis. We also revealed that the rotation forest fails to have excellent prediction when the predictors are dominated by categorical variables. In general, rotation forest could be a competitive approach to handle classification tasks.
Post-adoption of the candlenut agroforestry in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Umar S , Yodo S , Alam A S , Aslam D , Livawanti
Published: November 2018

This research examined the contribution and effect of socio-economic variables toward the post-adoption of the candlenut agroforestry by using Path Analysis to provide the magnitude and significance of the hypothesized causal connection between the variables. The target population in this research includes all farmers of the agroforestry in Sigimpu and Bakubakulu villages, Palolo sub-district, Sigi District, Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia (315 farmers) out of which a number of 164 farmers were selected by using Isaac and Michael Table. The path model shows the magnitude of the direct effects to post-adoption was 48.8% and the total effect was 66.5%. The variable of satisfaction on agroforestry inheritance was greater than the variable of satisfaction on income from the agroforestry, while the variable of a number of candlenut trees was the biggest contributor to the exogenous variables. The statistical evidence indicates not only the satisfaction variables affected the post-adoption, but also they sign an important of land tenure security for along term of the management.
Parallel or dependent? The state, chieftaincy and institutions of governance in Ghana
Authors: Adotey Edem
Published: November 2018

In recent policy frameworks, traditional authorities have been (re)assigned roles of directly representing civil society and local communities as key actors in development, leading to questions about the relationship between the chieftaincy institution and the state in governance. Using the example of a chieftaincy dispute between the Sokpoe and Tefle, a Tongu-Ewe people of Ghana, at the heart of which are claims to paramountcy status, this article argues that chieftaincy and the state are not always parallel institutions of governance that derive their legitimacy from different sources. Struggles over chieftaincy hierarchies have become struggles for the preferential recognition by and access to the state conveyed by membership in the Houses of Chiefs. In effect, the chieftaincy institution may be both parallel to and dependent on the state. The article draws attention to the importance of hierarchy in explaining state-chieftaincy relationships because an understanding of the nuances of legitimacy in chieftaincy will enrich how chiefs are engaged as key actors in development.
Imagination and Indigenous Sovereignty in the Trumpian Era
Authors: Mackay James
Published: November 2018

Tribal sovereignty, at the time of writing directly threatened by actions of the Trump Administration, expresses more than just a bare legal concept. Reviewing six recent texts in American Indian studies, this essay argues that imaginative sovereignty—that is to say, tribal peoples’ creative expression of lived experience of resistance to colonial assault and erasure—cannot be codified in legal terms, and indeed may at times exist in opposition to sovereignty as defined under US federal law. The legal tensions around sovereignty are traced in books by David J. Carlson and Cheryl Suzack and in collections edited by J. Kēhaulani Kauanui and Scott Richard Lyons, and then used as a hermeneutic for assessing works by Mark Rifkin and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.
Informal Caregiving and Network Turnover Among Older Adults
Authors: Roth Adam R
Published: November 2018

Objectives

Personal network turnover, a combination of lost and added network contacts, is suggested to affect health as well as moderate access to social support and resources. This article tests whether the caregiving process is associated with network turnover in later life and whether the process is different for men and women.

Methods

Network turnover was assessed using two waves of personal network data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Network contacts were uniquely identified in each wave making it possible to document contact loss and addition. Rates of change were modeled using Poisson regression.

Results

Respondents transitioning into caregiving lost and added network contacts at higher rates than non-caregivers. Conversely, respondents providing care during both waves and respondents transitioning out of the role saw no significant levels of network turnover. The analysis provided minimal evidence of gender differences.

Discussion

Findings suggest that the initial shift into the caregiving role is associated with notable personal network change. This is an important consideration given that long-term network instability may lead to poor health and limited access to social resources whereas adaptive network change tends to elicit more positive outcomes.
Intradialytic exercise preconditioning: an exploratory study on the effect on myocardial stunning
Authors: Penny Jarrin D , Salerno Fabio R , Brar Ranveer , Garcia Eric , Rossum Krista , McIntyre Christopher W , Bohm Clara J
Published: November 2018

Background

Exercise preconditioning provides immediate protection against cardiac ischemia in clinical/preclinical studies in subjects without chronic kidney disease. In individuals requiring renal replacement therapy, hemodialysis (HD) results in significant circulatory stress, causing acute ischemia with resultant recurrent and cumulative cardiac injury (myocardial stunning). Intradialytic exercise (IDE) has been utilized to improve functional status in individuals receiving HD. The objective of this study was to explore the role of IDE as a preconditioning intervention and assess its effect on HD-induced myocardial stunning.

Methods

We performed a single-center cross-sectional exploratory study in adults on chronic HD participating in a clinical IDE program. HD-induced cardiac stunning was evaluated over two HD sessions within the same week: a control visit (no exercise) and an exposure visit (usual intradialytic cycling). Echocardiography was performed at the same three time points for each visit. Longitudinal strain values for 12 left ventricular segments were generated using speckle-tracking software to assess the presence of HD-induced regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs), defined as a ≥20% reduction in strain; two or more RWMAs represent myocardial stunning.

Results

A total of 19 patients were analyzed (mean age 57.2 ± 11.8 years, median dialysis vintage 3.8 years). The mean number of RWMAs during the control visit was 4.5 ± 2.6, falling to 3.6 ± 2.7 when incorporating IDE (a reduction of −0.95 ± 2.9; P = 0.17). At peak HD stress, the mean number of RWMAs was 5.8 ± 2.7 in the control visit versus 4.0 ± 1.8 during the exposure visit (a reduction of −1.8 ± 2.8; P = 0.01).

Conclusion

We demonstrated for the first time that IDE is associated with a significant reduction in HD-induced acute cardiac injury.
Multidisciplinary Authorship Among Infectious Diseases Society of America Clinical Practice Guidelines: Examining the Contributions of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
Authors: Freeman Lauren K , Lindsay Jasmine N , Davis Sarah Elizabeth B , Norman Brian F , Thompkins April W , Luther Vera P , Ohl Christopher A , Bookstaver P Brandon
Published: November 2018

We describe the proportion of pharmacist representation among current and corresponding prior editions of Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Pharmacist representation was 13% and 21% in previous and current editions, respectively, increasing significantly since 2011. We advocate for continued collaborations between IDSA and pharmacy organizations to enhance multidisciplinary representation in CPGs.
Serum Albumin Is Associated With Higher Inflammation and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Dirajlal-Fargo Sahera , Kulkarni Manjusha , Bowman Emily , Shan Lingpeng , Sattar Abdus , Funderburg Nicholas , McComsey Grace A
Published: November 2018

Background

This study was conducted to explore the associations between serum albumin and markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults.

Methods

We conducted a nested study within in the SATURN-HIV trial in which 147 HIV+ adults on stable antiretroviral therapy were (1) virally suppressed, (2) had a low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol level <130 mg/dL, and (3) were randomized to 10 mg daily rosuvastatin or placebo. Measures of serum albumin, carotid intima media thickness ([cIMT] surrogate marker of atherosclerosis), inflammation, T cells, monocyte activation, and gut integrity were assessed at baseline, 48 and 96 weeks later. Spearman correlations and linear mixed-effect models were used to assess associations with serum albumin.

Results

Mean age was 45 years, 80% of participants were male, and 69% were African American. Mean serum albumin was similar between the groups at all time points (4.01–4.09 g/dL in statin arm vs 4.02–4.11 g/dL in placebo arm; P = .08–0.35). Lower baseline serum albumin significantly predicted larger changes in cIMT, interleukin 6, D-dimer, tumor necrosis factor α receptor 1, fibrinogen, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P ≤ .03) over 96 weeks independently of statin therapy. After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, creatinine clearance, and LDL cholesterol, every 1 g/dL decrease in serum albumin at baseline remained associated with a 0.05-mm increase in cIMT over 96 weeks (P = .05).

Conclusions

Lower serum albumin in controlled HIV is associated with higher markers of chronic inflammation and hypercoagulation, which could explain the prior observation that serum albumin predicts nonacquired immune deficiency syndrome events in HIV. Serum albumin may predict progression of carotid atherosclerosis independent of traditional risk factors.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Trends Observed in Urinary Pathogens Obtained From New York State
Authors: Rank Elliot L , Lodise Thomas , Avery Lisa , Bankert Eve , Dobson Erica , Dumyati Ghinwa , Hassett Stephen , Keller Marina , Pearsall Matthew , Lubowski Teresa , Carreno Joseph J
Published: November 2018

International guidelines recommend using local susceptibility data to direct empiric therapy for acute uncomplicated cystitis. We evaluated outpatient urinary isolate susceptibility trends in New York State. Nitrofurantoin had the lowest resistance prevalence whereas trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and fluoroquinolones had higher prevalences. This study highlights the need for local outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs.
Repeat Infective Endocarditis in Persons Who Inject Drugs: “Take Another Little Piece of my Heart”*
Authors: Huang Glen , Barnes Erin W , Peacock James E
Published: November 2018

Background

Injection drug use (IDU) is a major risk factor for infective endocarditis (IE). Few data exist on repeat IE (rIE) in persons who inject drugs (PWID).

Methods

Patients ≥18 years old seen at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center from 2004 to 2017 who met Duke criteria for IE and who self-reported IDU in the 3 months before admission were identified. The subset of PWID who developed rIE, defined as another episode of IE at least 10 weeks after diagnosis of the first episode, was then reviewed.

Results

Of the 87 PWID who survived their first episode of IE, 22 (25.3%) experienced rIE and 77.3% had rIE within a year of the first episode. All patients who experienced rIE resumed IDU between episodes of IE. Of the patients with rIE, 54.5% had an infection caused by S. aureus and 22.7% required surgical intervention. Mortality at 1 year was 36.3%. Compared with their first IE episode, patients with rIE had fewer S. aureus infections (P = .01). Compared with PWID who experienced single-episode IE, intravenous prescription opioid use (P = .01), surgery (P < .01), tricuspid valve involvement (P = .02), and polymicrobial infection (P = .03) occurred more often during first episodes of IE in individuals who then developed rIE.

Conclusions

rIE is common among IDU-related IE and confers a high 1-year mortality rate. The microbiology of rIE is varied, with S. aureus being less frequently isolated. More studies on modification of social and clinical risk factors are needed to prevent rIE.
The Safety and Efficacy of an Oral Penicillin Challenge Program in Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Pilot Study
Authors: Trubiano Jason A , Smibert Olivia , Douglas Abby , Devchand Misha , Lambros Belinda , Holmes Natasha E , Chua Kyra Y , Phillips Elizabeth J , Slavin Monica A
Published: November 2018

Antibiotic allergies are reported by up to 1 in 4 cancer patients, almost 50% of which are considered low risk and precede the cancer diagnosis. We demonstrate the successful and safe implementation of a pilot oral penicillin challenge program for cancer patients with low-risk penicillin allergies, increasing the use of penicillin and narrow-spectrum beta-lactams post-testing.
Duration of Colonization by Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Healthy Newborns and Associated Risk Factors: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rodríguez-Revuelta María Jesús , López-Cerero Lorena , Serrano Lara , Luna-Lagares Salud , Pascual Alvaro , Rodríguez-Baño Jesús
Published: November 2018

Duration of colonization by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and factors associated with it were studied in 20 newborns in Seville, Spain. Median duration of colonization was 7.5 months; factors associated with prolonged colonization were delivery by caesarean section, colonization of the mother, and phylogroup B2 Eschericha coli isolate.
Sepsis in Intensive Care Unit Patients: Worldwide Data From the Intensive Care over Nations Audit
Authors: Sakr Yasser , Jaschinski Ulrich , Wittebole Xavier , Szakmany Tamas , Lipman Jeffrey , Ñamendys-Silva Silvio A , Martin-Loeches Ignacio , Leone Marc , Lupu Mary-Nicoleta , Vincent Jean-Louis ,   ICON Investigators
Published: November 2018

Background

There is a need to better define the epidemiology of sepsis in intensive care units (ICUs) around the globe.

Methods

The Intensive Care over Nations (ICON) audit prospectively collected data on all adult (>16 years) patients admitted to the ICU between May 8 and May 18, 2012, except those admitted for less than 24 hours for routine postoperative surveillance. Data were collected daily for a maximum of 28 days in the ICU, and patients were followed up for outcome data until death, hospital discharge, or for 60 days. Participation was entirely voluntary.

Results

The audit included 10069 patients from Europe (54.1%), Asia (19.2%), America (17.1%), and other continents (9.6%). Sepsis, defined as infection with associated organ failure, was identified during the ICU stay in 2973 (29.5%) patients, including in 1808 (18.0%) already at ICU admission. Occurrence rates of sepsis varied from 13.6% to 39.3% in the different regions. Overall ICU and hospital mortality rates were 25.8% and 35.3%, respectively, in patients with sepsis, but it varied from 11.9% and 19.3% (Oceania) to 39.5% and 47.2% (Africa), respectively. After adjustment for possible confounders in a multilevel analysis, independent risk factors for in-hospital death included older age, higher simplified acute physiology II score, comorbid cancer, chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association Classification III/IV), cirrhosis, use of mechanical ventilation or renal replacement therapy, and infection with Acinetobacter spp.

Conclusions

Sepsis remains a major health problem in ICU patients worldwide and is associated with high mortality rates. However, there is wide variability in the sepsis rate and outcomes in ICU patients around the globe.
On large values of L(σ,χ)
Authors: Aistleitner Christoph , Mahatab Kamalakshya , Munsch Marc , Peyrot Alexandre
Published: November 2018

In recent years, a variant of the resonance method was developed which allowed to obtain improved Ω-results for the Riemann zeta function along vertical lines in the critical strip. In the present paper, we show how this method can be adapted to prove the existence of large values of |L(σ,χ)| in the range σ∈(1/2,1], and to estimate the proportion of characters for which |L(σ,χ)| is of such a large order. More precisely, for every fixed σ∈(1/2,1), we show that for all sufficiently large q, there is a non-principal character χ(modq) such that log|L(σ,χ)|≥C(σ)(logq)1−σ(loglogq)−σ. In the case σ=1, we show that there is a non-principal character χ(modq) for which |L(1,χ)|≥eγ(log2q+log3q−C). In both cases, our results essentially match the prediction for the actual order of such extreme values, based on probabilistic models.
Are U.S. adults reporting less sleep?: Findings from sleep duration trends in the National Health Interview Survey, 2004–2017
Authors: Sheehan Connor M , Frochen Stephen E , Walsemann Katrina M , Ailshire Jennifer A
Published: November 2018

Study Objectives

To document trends in self-reported sleep duration for the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population from 2004 to 2017 and examine how sleep trends vary by race/ethnicity.

Methods

We use data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for U.S. noninstitutionalized adults aged 18–84 from 2004 to 2017 (N = 398 382). NHIS respondents were asked how much they slept in a 24-hour period on average, which we categorized as ≤6 hr (short sleep), 7–8 hr (adequate sleep), and ≥9 hr (long sleep). We used multinomial logistic regression models to examine trends in self-reported sleep duration and assess race/ethnic differences in these trends. Our models statistically adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, familial, behavioral, and health covariates.

Results

The prevalence of short sleep duration was relatively stable from 2004 to 2012. However, results from multinomial logistic regression models indicated that there was an increasing trend toward short sleep beginning in 2013 (b: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.05–0.14) that continued through 2017 (b: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.13–0.23). This trend was significantly more pronounced among Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks, which resulted in widening racial/ethnic differences in reports of short sleep.

Conclusions

Recent increases in reports of short sleep are concerning as short sleep has been linked with a number of adverse health outcomes in the population. Moreover, growing race/ethnic disparities in short sleep may have consequences for racial and ethnic health disparities.
Use of thermal imaging in dairy calves: exploring the repeatability and accuracy of measures taken from different anatomical regions1
Authors: Scoley Gillian E , Gordon Alan W , Morrison Steven J
Published: November 2018

Three experiments were undertaken to 1) quantify the repeatability and reproducibility of thermal imaging across day and operator experience and 2) assess the correlation between descriptive infrared (IR) temperature parameters from different anatomical areas and core body temperature in dairy calves under 12 wk of age. In experiment 1, a single operator captured 30 replicate images of both the left and right eyes (defined as the whole eye + 1 cm margin) and the rectal area (defined as the anus +1.5 cm margin) from each of 16 calves. In experiment 2, three operators of varying experience captured images from both the left and right eyes and the rectal area of each of 12 calves. In experiment 3, a single operator captured images of the right eye and rectal area for a period of 5 consecutive days for each of 205 calves. All images were captured between 0900 and 1300 h. Core body temperature, obtained via rectal thermometer, was recorded every day for each of the 205 calves following completion of IR image capture. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were adjusted for each thermal image prior to manual extraction of maximum, minimum, and average temperature parameters. In experiment 1, lowest error variance was found within the maximum temperature parameter and the right eye was determined as the most repeatable anatomical area, with 80.48% of the total proportion of variance attributed to the calf. Results indicated that capturing at least three replicate images would provide the precision required to identify ill-health in calves. In experiment 2, operator variance was low across anatomical areas, with values of ≤0.01°C2 for the right and left eyes and ≤0.04°C2 for the rectal area. In experiment 3, day to day variation of thermal image measurements and core body temperature were minimal across anatomical areas with values of ≤0.008°C2. Correlations ranging from 0.16 to 0.32, and from 0.31 to 0.47 were found between maximum eye and core body temperature and maximum rectal area and core body temperature, respectively. Results of the present study indicate a low level of variability and high level of repeatability within IR temperature measurements in calves under 12 wk of age, particularly within maximum temperature parameters. Providing operators of varying abilities with a basic standardized protocol is sufficient to limit between-operator variation. Further research is required to investigate whether correlation between IR and core body temperature can be improved.
Formative, multimethod case studies of learn to quit, an acceptance and commitment therapy smoking cessation app designed for people with serious mental illness
Authors: Vilardaga Roger , Rizo Javier , Ries Richard K , Kientz Julie A , Ziedonis Douglas M , Hernandez Kayla , McClernon Francis J
Published: November 2018

Despite public health efforts, individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) still have very high rates of tobacco smoking. Innovative approaches to reach this population are needed. These series of case studies aimed to descriptively evaluate the usability, user experience (UX), and user engagement (UE) of Learn to Quit (LTQ), an acceptance and commitment therapy smoking cessation app designed for people with SMI, and to compare it with an app designed for the general population, NCI (National Cancer Institute) QuitGuide (QG). Both apps were combined with nicotine replacement therapy and technical coaching. Inspired by the ORBIT model, we implemented two case studies with crossover AB interventions, two B-phase training designs, and three bi-phasic AB single-case designs with Start-Point and Order randomization (A = QG, B = LTQ). Study outcomes were measured using the System Usability Scale, UX interviews, and background analytics. LTQ’s usability levels were above the standard cutoff and on average higher than QG. UX outcomes suggested the relative benefits of LTQ’s visual design, gamification and simple design structure. LTQ’s overall UE was high; the app was opened for an average of 14 min per day (vs. QG: 7 min). However, users showed low levels of UE with each of the app’s tracking feature. Measures of psychiatric functioning suggested the safety of LTQ in people with SMI. LTQ appears to be a usable and engaging smoking cessation app in people with SMI. An optimized version of LTQ should be tested in a Phase II study.
Varus Posteromedial Rotatory Instability of the Elbow: Injury Pattern and Surgical Experience of 27 Acute Consecutive Surgical Patients
Authors: McLean James , Kempston Michael P. , Pike Jeffrey M. , Goetz Thomas J. , Daneshvar Parham
Published: November 2018

Objectives:

To identify associated injuries that occur in varus posteromedial rotatory instability (VPMRI) of the elbow and present their surgical management.

Design:

Level II retrospective study.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center.

Patient/Participants:

Twenty-seven patients with VPMRI injuries treated surgically over an 8-year period.

Intervention:

Open reduction and internal fixation of anteromedial coronoid facet fracture, lateral collateral ligament repair, and associated injured soft-tissue repairs.

Main Outcome Measured:

Radiographic classification, associated medial and lateral bony and soft-tissue injuries, surgical fixation method, and complications were recorded.

Results:

According to the O'Driscoll classification, there were 15 (55%) type 2-2, 11 (41%) type 2-3, and 1 (4%) type 3-1 fractures. Lateral and medial collateral ligament tears were found in 100% and 63%, respectively. Common extensor and flexor origin injuries occurred in 19 (70%) and 2 (7%) elbows, respectively. A marginal radial head fracture was found in 1 patient. Most patients were treated with a combination of fixation methods. Complications occurred in 7 (26%) patients.

Conclusions:

This study documents both associated findings and surgical fixation methods. In all cases, the lateral collateral ligament was disrupted, often in association with an injured common extensor origin. Medial collateral ligament injuries are commonly involved. Radial head fractures are rarely associated. The surgeon should have a high index of suspicion if an isolated coronoid fracture is encountered. Clinical and functional outcome scores are needed in future studies to further inform treatment of VPMRI of the elbow.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Endoscopic Ultrasound Assessment of Pancreatic Duct Diameter Predicts Neuroendocrine Tumors and Other Pancreas Masses
Authors: Gupta Nikhil , Kankotia Ravi , Sahakian Ara , Jayaram Preeth , Shindel Alex , Dong Elizabeth , Korc Paul , Eloubeidi Mohamad , Buxbaum James
Published: November 2018

Objectives

Distinguishing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and other pancreas lesions from adenocarcinomas via endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) requires additional tissue for special staining and processing. Our aim was to determine if main pancreatic duct (PD) diameter on EUS helps to differentiate NET and other unusual tumors from adenocarcinoma.

Methods

We evaluated 30 consecutive patients diagnosed with NET or other pancreas lesions by EUS with 90 matched patients who were found to have adenocarcinoma. Dilated PD was defined as greater than 3 mm. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between lesion type and PD diameter.

Results

Among the 30 patients with NET/other pancreas lesions, 21 had NETs, 7 had metastases, and 2 had lymphomas. A dilated PD was demonstrated in only 3.3% of pancreatic NET/other lesions but present in 88.9% of cases of primary adenocarcinoma (P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, a normal PD diameter and absence of clinical symptoms strongly predicted the presence of pancreatic NET/other versus adenocarcinoma (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The absence of PD dilation upstream of the lesion suggests NET or other lesions rather than adenocarcinoma. This finding should prompt endosonographers to obtain additional tissue at the time of EUS to send for special studies.
Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene
Authors: Meineke Emily K. , Davies T. Jonathan , Daru Barnabas H. , Davis Charles C.
Published: November 2018

Global change has become a central focus of modern biology. Yet, our knowledge of how anthropogenic drivers affect biodiversity and natural resources is limited by a lack of biological data spanning the Anthropocene. We propose that the hundreds of millions of plant, fungal and animal specimens deposited in natural history museums have the potential to transform the field of global change biology. We suggest that museum specimens are underused, particularly in ecological studies, given their capacity to reveal patterns that are not observable from other data sources. Increasingly, museum specimens are becoming mobilized online, providing unparalleled access to physiological, ecological and evolutionary data spanning decades and sometimes centuries. Here, we describe the diversity of collections data archived in museums and provide an overview of the diverse uses and applications of these data as discussed in the accompanying collection of papers within this theme issue. As these unparalleled resources are under threat owing to budget cuts and other institutional pressures, we aim to shed light on the unique discoveries that are possible in museums and, thus, the singular value of natural history collections in a period of rapid change.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.
Fossil Atmospheres: a case study of citizen science in question-driven palaeontological research
Authors: Soul Laura C. , Barclay Richard S. , Bolton Amy , Wing Scott L.
Published: November 2018

Palaeontologists increasingly use large datasets of observations collected from museum specimens to address broad-scale questions about evolution and ecology on geological timescales. One such question is whether information from fossil organisms can be used as a robust proxy for atmospheric carbon dioxide through time. Here, we present the citizen science branch of ‘Fossil Atmospheres’, a project designed to refine stomatal index of
Ginkgo
leaves as a palaeo-CO
2
proxy by involving citizen scientists in data collection through the Zooniverse website. Citizen science helped to overcome a barrier presented by the time taken to count cells in
Ginkgo
samples; however, a new set of challenges arose as a result. A beta-testing phase with Zooniverse volunteers provided an opportunity to improve instructions to ensure high fidelity data. Exploration of citizen scientists' estimates shows that volunteer counts of stomata are accurate with respect to counts made by the project's lead scientist. However, counts of epidermal cells have a wide range, and mean values tend to underestimate expert counts. We demonstrate a variety of approaches to reducing the inaccuracy in the calculated stomatal index that this variation causes. Zooniverse serves as an ideal tool for collection of palaeontological data where the distribution of fossils would be impossible, but where specimens can be easily imaged. Such an approach facilitates the collection of a large palaeontological dataset, as well as providing an opportunity for citizens to engage with climate research.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.
Historical collections as a tool for assessing the global pollination crisis
Authors: Bartomeus I. , Stavert J. R. , Ward D. , Aguado O.
Published: November 2018

There is increasing concern about the decline of pollinators worldwide. However, despite reports that pollinator declines are widespread, data are scarce and often geographically and taxonomically biased. These biases limit robust inference about any potential pollinator crisis. Non-structured and opportunistic historical specimen collection data provide the only source of historical information which can serve as a baseline for identifying pollinator declines. Specimens historically collected and preserved in museums not only provide information on where and when species were collected, but also contain other ecological information such as species interactions and morphological traits. Here, we provide a synthesis of how researchers have used historical data to identify long-term changes in biodiversity, species abundances, morphology and pollination services. Despite recent advances, we show that information on the status and trends of most pollinators is absent. We highlight opportunities and limitations to progress the assessment of pollinator declines globally. Finally, we demonstrate different approaches to analysing museum collection data using two contrasting case studies from distinct geographical regions (New Zealand and Spain) for which long-term pollinator declines have never been assessed. There is immense potential for museum specimens to play a central role in assessing the extent of the global pollination crisis.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.
Botanic gardens are an untapped resource for studying the functional ecology of tropical plants
Authors: Perez Timothy M. , Valverde-Barrantes Oscar , Bravo Catherine , Taylor Tyeen C. , Fadrique Belén , Hogan J. Aaron , Pardo Christine J. , Stroud James T. , Baraloto Christopher , Feeley Kenneth J.
Published: November 2018

Functional traits are increasingly used to understand the ecology of plants and to predict their responses to global changes. Unfortunately, trait data are unavailable for the majority of plant species. The lack of trait data is especially prevalent for hard-to-measure traits and for tropical plant species, potentially owing to the many inherent difficulties of working with species in remote, hyperdiverse rainforest systems. The living collections of botanic gardens provide convenient access to large numbers of tropical plant species and can potentially be used to quickly augment trait databases and advance our understanding of species' responses to climate change. In this review, we quantitatively assess the availability of trait data for tropical versus temperate species, the diversity of species available for sampling in several exemplar tropical botanic gardens and the validity of garden-based leaf and root trait measurements. Our analyses support the contention that the living collections of botanic gardens are a valuable scientific resource that can contribute significantly to research on plant functional ecology and conservation.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.
The history and impact of digitization and digital data mobilization on biodiversity research
Authors: Nelson Gil , Ellis Shari
Published: November 2018

The first two decades of the twenty-first century have seen a rapid rise in the mobilization of digital biodiversity data. This has thrust natural history museums into the forefront of biodiversity research, underscoring their central role in the modern scientific enterprise. The advent of mobilization initiatives such as the United States National Science Foundation's Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC), Australia's Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), Mexico's National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), Brazil's Centro de Referência em Informação (CRIA) and China's National Specimen Information Infrastructure (NSII) has led to a rapid rise in data aggregators and an exponential increase in digital data for scientific research and arguably provide the best evidence of where species live. The international Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) now serves about 131 million museum specimen records, and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) in the USA has amassed more than 115 million. These resources expose collections to a wider audience of researchers, provide the best biodiversity data in the modern era outside of nature itself and ensure the primacy of specimen-based research. Here, we provide a brief history of worldwide data mobilization, their impact on biodiversity research, challenges for ensuring data quality, their contribution to scientific publications and evidence of the rising profiles of natural history collections.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.