bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magna ease bioprosthetic aortic valve: mid-term haemodynamic outcomes in 1126 patients
Authors: Thorp Stephen D , Khazaal Jawad , Yu Grace , Parker Jessica L , Timek Tomasz A
Published: January 2021

OBJECTIVES

The Magna Ease aortic valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) is a third-generation bioprosthetic valve developed as a modification of the well-studied Perimount and Magna valve designs. This study’s objective is to evaluate a large, single-centre experience with Magna Ease aortic valve replacement (AVR) focusing on clinical outcomes and haemodynamic performance.

METHODS

All patients undergoing AVR between 8/2010 and 10/2018 at our institution implanted with the Magna Ease valve were included except those undergoing ventricular assist device or congenital aortic surgery. Primary outcomes were overall survival and freedom from reoperation. Mean transprosthetic gradient (mTPG) and structural valve deterioration (SVD) served as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Totally 1126 consecutive implantations of Magna Ease valves were included. Concomitant procedures were performed in 56.5% (n = 636). No severe patient–prosthesis mismatch (PPM) was present at implantation. Overall survival at 30 days, 1 year, 5 years and 9 years was 97.2%, 95.0%, 86.1% and 78.2%, respectively, with improved survival for isolated AVR. Total of 2.4% (n = 27) of patients required reoperation with 0.3% (n = 4) for SVD. Echocardiographic follow-up data revealed low mTPG throughout the study period. SVD occurred in 28.7% of patients at a mean of 3.9 years post implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Magna Ease AVR maintained low mean transprosthetic gradients throughout mid-term evaluation and was associated with excellent overall survival and freedom from reoperation at nine years post implantation.
Metastatic renal cell carcinoma extending to the left atrium through the inferior pulmonary vein
Authors: Dawson Alan G , Richards Cathy J , Hadjinikolaou Leonidas , Nakas Apostolos
Published: January 2021

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma with involvement through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium is very rare. We report the case of a 70-year-old male with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the right lower lobe of the lung abutting the inferior pulmonary vein with extension to the left atrium without pre-operative evidence. Surgical resection was achieved through a posterolateral thoracotomy. Lung masses that abut the pulmonary veins should prompt further investigation with a pre-operative transoesophageal echocardiogram to minimize unexpected intraoperative findings.
Economic, social and environmental impact analysis of an indigenously developed energy optimization system for German office and residential building types
Authors: Gökçe K Umut , Gökçe H Ufuk
Published: January 2021

This work addresses the economic, social and environmental analysis of an indigenously developed building energy optimization system for residential and office buildings in Germany. The developed system consists of 14 different wireless network embedded sensors, wireless communication protocol, multi-dimensional data warehouse, graphical user interfaces and energy optimization software with artificial intelligence-backed control algorithms. The R&D activity is accomplished in the ‘Intelligent Building Energy Management System’ research project, which is funded by the State of Lower Saxony—Germany in the frame of Innovation Support Program between the years 2014 and 2018. The system is tested in two appropriately selected test buildings in Germany. It has been recorded that the system provides energy efficiency levels between 29.34% and 38.18% under different seasonal and occupancy conditions in office and residential building types. The analysis is accomplished within the framework of four main indicators. These are economic indicators including calculations of lifetime cost and payback rate methods, resource use indicators including the calculation of reduced energy use as a result of the energy efficiency provided by the system, social indicator including additional expendable income calculations and environmental indicators including calculations depicting the benefits of reducing harmful emissions. Analysis results illustrate that building energy optimization systems provide a cost-effective method for promoting energy efficiency goals. Results of the indicators prove monetary benefits for the building occupants in terms of resource use, return on investment and social impact, as well as quantifiable benefits for easing the harmful effects of climate change phenomenon.
Robust and resource efficient identification of shallow neural networks by fewest samples
Authors: Fornasier Massimo , Vybíral Jan , Daubechies Ingrid
Published: January 2021

We address the structure identification and the uniform approximation of sums of ridge functions $f(x)=\sum _{i=1}^m g_i(\langle a_i,x\rangle )$ on ${\mathbb{R}}^d$, representing a general form of a shallow feed-forward neural network, from a small number of query samples. Higher order differentiation, as used in our constructive approximations, of sums of ridge functions or of their compositions, as in deeper neural network, yields a natural connection between neural network weight identification and tensor product decomposition identification. In the case of the shallowest feed-forward neural network, second-order differentiation and tensors of order two (i.e., matrices) suffice as we prove in this paper. We use two sampling schemes to perform approximate differentiation—active sampling, where the sampling points are universal, actively and randomly designed, and passive sampling, where sampling points were preselected at random from a distribution with known density. Based on multiple gathered approximated first- and second-order differentials, our general approximation strategy is developed as a sequence of algorithms to perform individual sub-tasks. We first perform an active subspace search by approximating the span of the weight vectors $a_1,\dots ,a_m$. Then we use a straightforward substitution, which reduces the dimensionality of the problem from $d$ to $m$. The core of the construction is then the stable and efficient approximation of weights expressed in terms of rank-$1$ matrices $a_i \otimes a_i$, realized by formulating their individual identification as a suitable nonlinear program. We prove the successful identification by this program of weight vectors being close to orthonormal and we also show how we can constructively reduce to this case by a whitening procedure, without loss of any generality. We finally discuss the implementation and the performance of the proposed algorithmic pipeline with extensive numerical experiments, which illustrate and confirm the theoretical results.
Action potential propagation and block in a model of atrial tissue with myocyte–fibroblast coupling
Authors: Mortensen Peter , Gao Hao , Smith Godfrey , Simitev Radostin D
Published: January 2021

The electrical coupling between myocytes and fibroblasts and the spacial distribution of fibroblasts within myocardial tissues are significant factors in triggering and sustaining cardiac arrhythmias, but their roles are poorly understood. This article describes both direct numerical simulations and an asymptotic theory of propagation and block of electrical excitation in a model of atrial tissue with myocyte–fibroblast coupling. In particular, three idealized fibroblast distributions are introduced: uniform distribution, fibroblast barrier and myocyte strait—all believed to be constituent blocks of realistic fibroblast distributions. Primary action potential biomarkers including conduction velocity, peak potential and triangulation index are estimated from direct simulations in all cases. Propagation block is found to occur at certain critical values of the parameters defining each idealized fibroblast distribution, and these critical values are accurately determined. An asymptotic theory proposed earlier is extended and applied to the case of a uniform fibroblast distribution. Biomarker values are obtained from hybrid analytical-numerical solutions of coupled fast-time and slow-time periodic boundary value problems and compare well to direct numerical simulations. The boundary of absolute refractoriness is determined solely by the fast-time problem and is found to depend on the values of the myocyte potential and on the slow inactivation variable of the sodium current ahead of the propagating pulse. In turn, these quantities are estimated from the slow-time problem using a regular perturbation expansion to find the steady state of the coupled myocyte–fibroblast kinetics. The asymptotic theory gives a simple analytical expression that captures with remarkable accuracy the block of propagation in the presence of fibroblasts.
Lesion Heterogeneity and Long-Term Heteroresistance in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis
Authors: Chen Yiwang , Ji Lecai , Liu Qingyun , Li Jinli , Hong Chuangyue , Jiang Qi , Gan Mingyu , Takiff Howard E , Yu Weiye , Tan Weiguo , Gao Qian
Published: January 2021

Tuberculosis heteroresistance, in which only a fraction of the bacteria in a patient with tuberculosis contains drug-resistant mutations, has been a rising concern. However, its origins and prevalence remain elusive. Here, whole-genome sequencing was performed on 83 serial isolates from 31 patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and heteroresistance was detected in isolates from 21 patients (67.74%). Heteroresistance persisted in the host for long periods, spanning months to years, and was associated with having multiple tubercular lesions. Our findings indicate that heteroresistance is common and persistent in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and may affect the success of their treatment regimens.
Development and Validation of an Analytical Method for Quantitation of Alpha-Pinene Oxide in Rodent Blood and Mammary Glands by GC–MS
Authors: Fernando Reshan A , Fennell Timothy R , Watson Scott L , Silinski Melanie A Rehder , Blake James C , Robinson Veronica G , Waidyanatha Suramya
Published: January 2021

Alpha-pinene is a monoterpene found in the oil of coniferous trees and has a wide variety of applications. Alpha-pinene oxide (APO) is a potential reactive metabolite of alpha-pinene in rodents. The objective of this work is to validate a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method to quantitate APO in rat and mouse blood and mammary glands in support of studies investigating the toxicity and toxicokinetic behavior of alpha-pinene. The method was validated in male Sprague Dawley rat blood over the concentration range of 5–250 ng/mL. Matrix standard curves were linear (r ≥ 0.99), and accuracy (percent relative error, %RE) was ≤±15% for standards at all levels. Intra- and interday precision (percent relative standard deviation, %RSD) and accuracy (%RE) were evaluated at three concentration levels (10, 50 and 200 ng/mL) and were ≤6.3% and ≤±5.4%, respectively. The limit of detection, determined from the SD of the limit of quantitation (5 ng/mL), was 1.06 ng/mL. Standards as high as 25,000 ng/mL could be accurately quantified after diluting to the validated range (%RE ≤ ±7.1%; %RSD ≤ 5.8%). APO was stable in rat blood for at least 70 days in frozen storage (−80°C). APO could accurately be quantified in male and female Hsd:Sprague Dawley® SD® rat and B6C3F1 mouse blood (mean %RE ≤ ±5.3%; %RSD ≤ 7.8%) and female B6C3F1 and Sprague Dawley rat mammary glands (mean %RE ≤ ±14.6%; %RSD ≤ 8.1%) using a primary matrix standard curve. These results demonstrate that the method is suitable for the analysis of APO in rodent blood and mammary glands generated from toxicokinetic and toxicology studies.
Distance Learning in Higher Education: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment
Authors: Cacault M Paula , Hildebrand Christian , Laurent-Lucchetti Jérémy , Pellizzari Michele
Published: January 2021

Using a randomized experiment in a public Swiss university, we study the impact of online live streaming of lectures on student achievement and attendance. We find that (i) attending lectures via live streaming lowers achievement for low-ability students and increases achievement for high-ability ones; (ii) students use the live streaming technology only occasionally, apparently when random events make attending in class too costly, and (iii) offering live streaming reduces in-class attendance only mildly. These findings have important implications for the effective design of education policies.
Extensive Linkage and Genetic Coupling of Song and Preference Loci Underlying Rapid Speciation inLaupalaCrickets
Authors: Xu Mingzi , Shaw Kerry L
Published: January 2021

In nature, closely related species commonly display divergent mating behaviors, suggesting a central role for such traits in the origin of species. Elucidating the genetic basis of divergence in these traits is necessary to understand the evolutionary process leading to reproductive barriers and speciation. The rapidly speciating Hawaiian crickets of the genus Laupala provides an ideal system for dissecting the genetic basis of mating behavior divergence. In Laupala, closely related species differ markedly in male song pulse rate and female preference for pulse rate. These behaviors play an important role in determining mating patterns. Previous studies identified a genetic architecture consisting of numerous small to moderate effect loci causing interspecific differences in pulse rate and preference, including colocalizing pulse rate and preference QTL on linkage group one (LG1). To further interrogate these QTL, we conduct a fine mapping study using high-density SNP linkage maps. With improved statistical power and map resolution, we provide robust evidence for genetic coupling between song and preference, along with two additional pulse rate QTL on LG1, revealing a more resolved picture of the genetic architecture underlying mating behavior divergence. Our sequence-based genetic map, along with dramatically narrowed QTL confidence intervals, allowed us to annotate genes within the QTL regions and identify several exciting candidate genes underlying variation in pulse rate and preference divergence. Such knowledge suggests potential molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of behavioral barriers.
Understorey plant community assemblage of AustralianEucalyptuswoodlands under elevated CO2 is modulated by water and phosphorus availability
Authors: Ochoa-Hueso Raúl , Carroll Rani , Piñeiro Juan , Power Sally A
Published: January 2021

Aims

Given the key functional role of understorey plant communities and the substantial extent of forest cover at the global scale, investigating understorey community responses to elevated CO2 (eCO2) concentrations, and the role of soil resources in these responses, is important for understanding the ecosystem-level consequences of rising CO2 concentrations for forest ecosystems. Here, we evaluated how experimentally manipulating the availabilities of the two most limiting resources in an extremely phosphorus-limited eucalypt woodland in eastern Australia (i.e. water and phosphorus) can modulate the response of the understorey community to eCO2 in terms of germination, phenology, cover, community composition and leaf traits.

Methods

We collected soil containing native soil seed bank to grow experimental understorey plant communities under glasshouse conditions.

Important Findings

Phosphorus addition increased total plant cover, particularly during the first 4 weeks of growth and under high water conditions, a response driven by the graminoid component of the plant community. However, the treatment differences diminished as the experiment progressed, with all treatments converging at ~80% plant cover after ~11 weeks. In contrast, plant cover was not affected by eCO2. Multivariate analyses reflected temporal changes in the composition of plant communities, from pots where bare soil was dominant to high-cover pots dominated by a diverse community. However, both phosphorus addition and the interaction between water availability and CO2 affected the temporal trajectory of the plant community during the experiment. eCO2 also increased community-level specific leaf area, suggesting that functional adaptation of plant communities to eCO2 may precede the onset of compositional responses. Given that the response of our seed bank-derived understorey community to eCO2 developed over time and was mediated by interactions with phosphorus and water availability, our results suggest a limited role of eCO2 in shaping plant communities in water-limited systems, particularly where low soil nutrient availability constrains productivity responses.
Variability in Ceftriaxone Dosing Across 32 US Acute Care Children’s Hospitals
Authors: Ferguson Rina A , Herigon Joshua C , Lee Brian R , Nakamura Mari M , Newland Jason G
Published: January 2021

Ceftriaxone is one of the most common antibiotics prescribed for hospitalized children in the United States. However, ceftriaxone is not dosed consistently. Sepsis/serious bacterial infection had high dosing variability. Dosing for central nervous system infection was frequently suboptimal. Future efforts should focus on optimizing and standardizing ceftriaxone dosing.
Seroprevalence and seroconversions for SARS-CoV-2 infections in workers at Bogota Airport, Colombia, 2020
Authors: Malagón-Rojas Jeadran N , Rubio Vivian , Parra-Barrera Eliana
Published: January 2021

Airport workers are a high-risk population for infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In a cohort of workers at the International Airport in Colombia, the accumulated incidence of SARS-CoV-2 and seroprevalence were 23.58% and 16.03%, respectively. A seroconversion rate of 60% was found among workers with COVID-19.
Spectral signature of atmospheric winds in high-resolution transit observations
Authors: Keles Engin
Published: January 2021

The study of exoplanet atmospheres showed large diversity compared to the planets in our Solar system. Especially Jupiter-type exoplanets orbiting their host star in close orbits, the so-called hot and ultra-hot Jupiters, have been studied in detail due to their enhanced atmospheric signature. Due to their tidally locked status, the temperature difference between the day- and nightside triggers atmospheric winds that can lead to various fingerprints in the observations. Spatially resolved absorption lines during transit such as sodium (Na) could be a good tracer for such winds. Different works resolved the Na absorption lines on different exoplanets which show different line widths. Assuming that this could be attributed to such zonal jet streams, this work models the effect of such winds on synthetic absorption lines. For this, transiting Jupiter-type planets with rotational velocities similar to hot and ultra-hot Jupiter are considered. The investigation shows that high wind velocities could reproduce the broadening of Na-line profiles inferred in different high-resolution transit observations. There is a tendency that the broadening values decrease for planets with lower equilibrium temperature. This could be explained by atmospheric drag induced by the ionization of alkali lines that slow down the zonal jet streams, favouring their existence on hot Jupiter rather than ultra-hot Jupiter.
Colonial and Modern Architecture in India
Authors: Sohoni Pushkar
Published: January 2021

In the colonial period, the term India was used in the traditional sense to describe the whole of South Asia from Afghanistan to Burma, and after 1947, the national boundaries of the nation of India were precisely defined. Of course, several colonial powers had held territories of what eventually became the Republic of India. Here we are concerned with colonial powers from the early modern period onward, which are all European, mainly the British, the French, and the Portuguese. They all shaped the architecture of the region, and their contributions are no less important than the indigenous architectural styles that had evolved over many more centuries. Eventually, in the 20th century, international movements such as Art Deco and Modernism came to India. The professionalization of architecture and the rise of Indian architects dominate the narrative of modern architecture in the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st.
Bayesian Epistemology
Authors: Landes Jürgen
Published: January 2021

Everyone agrees that it is good to know. We however believe many more things than we know, which has made the notion of belief a target of recent work in epistemology. Not only do we believe propositions, we also believe them to different degrees. That beliefs come in degrees is often taken as a psychological fact and as a normative principle of rationality. The most prominent normative approach to beliefs which come in degrees is Bayesian epistemology. Bayesian degrees of belief are postulated to be represented by numbers in the unit interval [0, 1] obeying the axioms of probability. The convention is that a greater number expresses a stronger belief. The second postulate of Bayesian epistemology governs the change of beliefs whenever new evidence becomes available via updating procedures, Bayesian updating for categorical evidence and the more general Jeffrey updating for uncertain evidence.
Milton Babbitt
Authors: Bernstein Zachary
Published: January 2021

Milton Babbitt (b. 1916–d. 2011) was one of 20th-century America’s leading composers and a foundational figure in contemporary music theory. His music introduced a number of serial techniques, including the development of contrapuntal arrays and the extension of twelve-tone procedures to the dimension of rhythm. He was an innovator in the realm of electronic music, composing works for the R.C.A. Mark II Sound Synthesizer. As a scholar, Babbitt set the program for the first generation of academic American music theory. Theory, in his view, would be empirically grounded, expressed in rigorous language, and informed by analytical philosophy, cognitive science, and mathematics; it would, in short, become a formal research discipline. His papers on the twelve-tone system exemplify his novel vision of the field. He also gained notoriety as a polemicist: if music theory and contemporary composition are to operate according to the standards of research, he claims, they belong in the university, accountable to the judgment of knowledgeable peers and not to the wider public. These developments in musical technique, theoretical approach, and social positioning have attracted a great deal of commentary. Many analysts have set themselves the task of deciphering his novel compositional techniques; almost as many have turned to the perhaps even more daunting challenge of characterizing how his music is heard. Babbitt’s vision of music theory, influential as it has been, has received spirited critique, both in general and as a tool to explicate his music. And as a historical figure, Babbitt has attracted interest as a paragon of high modernism, an influential shaper of music theory, and an exemplar of Cold War cultural politics. The sources below give an extensive survey of Babbitt’s own writings, lectures, and interviews along with a sampling of the best analytical, critical, and historical work on the composer.
How to Do It: Microsurgical DREZotomy for Pain After Brachial Plexus Injury: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Duraffourg Manon , Brinzeu Andrei , Sindou Marc
Published: January 2021

More than three-quarters of victims of brachial plexus injury suffer from refractory neuropathic pain.
1-6
Main putative mechanism is paroxysmal hyperactivity in the dorsal horn neurons at the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) as demonstrated by microelectrode recordings in animal models
7
and patients.
8
Pain relief can be achieved by lesioning the responsible neurons in the spinal cord segments with avulsed rootlets.
9,10

 This video illustrates the technique for microsurgical DREZotomy.
11,12
A C3-C7 hemilaminectomy is performed to access the C4-Th1 medullary segments. After opening the dura and arachnoid, and freeing the cord from arachnoid adhesions, the dorsolateral sulcus is identified. Identification can be difficult when the spinal cord is distorted and/or has a loss of substance. The dorsolateral sulcus is then opened with a microknife, so that microcoagulations are performed: 4 mm deep, at 35° angle in the axis of the dorsal horn, every millimeter in a dotted fashion along the avulsed segments. Care should be taken not to damage the corticospinal tract, laterally, and the dorsal column, medially.

 The patient consents to the procedure. In the presented case, surgery led to complete disappearance of the paroxysmal pain and reduced the background of burning pain to a bearable level without the need of opioid medication. There was no motor deficit or ataxia in the ipsilateral lower limb postoperatively. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis at 10 yr follow-up, in our overall series, microsurgical DREZotomy achieved total pain relief without any medication in 60% of patients, and in 85% without the need for opioids.
10,13-15

 Microelectrode recording at 1:26 reproduced from Guenot et al
7
with permission from JNSPG.
The mechanism for brassinosteroids suppressing climacteric fruit ripening
Authors: Ji Yinglin , Qu Yi , Jiang Zhongyu , Yan Jijun , Chu Jinfang , Xu Mingyang , Su Xin , Yuan Hui , Wang Aide
Published: January 2021

The plant hormone ethylene is important for the ripening of climacteric fruit, such as pear (Pyrus ussuriensis), and the brassinosteroid (BR) class of phytohormones affects ethylene biosynthesis during ripening via an unknown molecular mechanism. Here, we observed that exogenous BR treatment suppressed ethylene production and delayed fruit ripening, whereas treatment with a BR biosynthesis inhibitor promoted ethylene production and accelerated fruit ripening in pear, suggesting BR is a ripening suppressor. The expression of the transcription factor BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1PuBZR1 was enhanced by BR treatment during pear fruit ripening. PuBZR1 interacted with PuACO1, which converts 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) to ethylene, and suppressed its activity. BR-activated PuBZR1 bound to the promoters of PuACO1 and of PuACS1a, which encodes ACC synthase, and directly suppressed their transcription. Moreover, PuBZR1 suppressed the expression of transcription factor PuERF2 by binding its promoter, and PuERF2 bound to the promoters of PuACO1 and PuACS1a. We concluded that PuBZR1 indirectly suppresses the transcription of PuACO1 and PuACS1a through its regulation of PuERF2. Ethylene production and expression profiles of corresponding apple (Malus domestica) homologs showed similar changes following epibrassinolide treatment. Together, these results suggest that BR-activated BZR1 suppresses ACO1 activity and the expression of ACO1 and ACS1, thereby reducing ethylene production and suppressing fruit ripening. This likely represents a conserved mechanism by which BR suppresses ethylene biosynthesis during climacteric fruit ripening.
Factors predicting staging and treatment initiation for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: insurance a key predictor
Authors: Lin Janet , Mauntel-Medici Cammeo , Maheswaran Anjana Bairavi , Baghikar Sara , Pugach Oksana , Stein Ellen M , Martin Michelle T , Nguyen Hai
Published: January 2021

Background

Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection affects over 2.4 million Americans and accounts for 18 000 deaths per year. Treatment initiation in this population continues to be low even after introduction of highly effective and shorter duration direct-acting antivirals. This study assesses factors that influence key milestones in the HCV care continuum.

Methods

Retrospective time-to-event analyses were performed to assess factors influencing liver fibrosis staging and treatment initiation among individuals confirmed with chronic HCV infection at University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System between 1 August 2015 and 24 October 2016 and followed through 28 January 2018. Cox regression models were utilized for multivariable analyses.

Results

Individuals tested at the liver clinic (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19–3.46) and at the federally qualified health center (HR = 3.51; 95% CI: 2.19–5.64) had higher instantaneous probability of being staged compared with individuals tested at the emergency department (ED) or inpatient setting. And probability of treatment initiation increased with advancing liver fibrosis especially for Medicaid beneficiaries (HR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.35–1.99).

Conclusions

The study demonstrates a need for improving access for patients with early stages of the disease in order to reduce HCV-related morbidity and mortality, especially those tested at nontraditional care locations such as the ED or the inpatient setting.
Understanding patterns of adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Denford Sarah , Morton Kate S , Lambert Helen , Zhang Juan , Smith Louise E , Rubin G James , Cai Shenghan , Zhang Tingting , Robin Charlotte , Lasseter Gemma , Hickman Mathew , Oliver Isabel , Yardley Lucy
Published: January 2021

Background

Evidence highlights the disproportionate impact of measures that have been introduced to reduce the spread of coronavirus on individuals from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, and among those on a low income. An understanding of barriers to adherence in these populations is needed. In this qualitative study, we examined the patterns of adherence to mitigation measures and reasons underpinning these behaviors.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants from BAME and low-income White backgrounds. The topic guide was designed to explore how individuals are adhering to social distancing and self-isolation during the pandemic and to explore the reasons underpinning this behavior.

Results

We identified three categories of adherence to lockdown measures: (i) caution-motivated super-adherence (ii) risk-adapted partial-adherence and (iii) necessity-driven partial-adherence. Decisions about adherence considered potential for exposure to the virus, ability to reduce risk through use of protective measures and perceived importance of/need for the behavior.

Conclusions

This research highlights a need for a more nuanced understanding of adherence to lockdown measures. Provision of practical and financial support could reduce the number of people who have to engage in necessity-driven partial-adherence. More evidence is required on population level risks of people adopting risk-adapted partial-adherence.
Estimating the effects of public subsidies on the performance of supported enterprises across firm sizes
Authors: Dvouletý Ondřej , Blažková Ivana , Potluka Oto
Published: January 2021

Only a few studies consider heterogeneity in the effects of investment grants (subsidies) across firm size. Therefore, we investigate the effects of particular public policy on firm-level performance with a focus on firm size heterogeneity as an important determinant. We aim to investigate whether the larger-sized firms benefit from the direct financial assistance to a lesser extent when compared with micro- and small-sized firms. Specifically, we study the microeconomic effects of the Czech Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovation (OPEI) that was implemented during the period of 2007–13. Compared to previous studies, we work with a large firm-level dataset, consisting of 13,924 firms, of which 3,572 are supported firms (57% of beneficiaries of the OPEI programme). We implement the propensity score matching in combination with a difference in differences approach. We measure the overall financial performance of firms by using tangible fixed assets and their depreciation, sales, return on assets, and total factor productivity. While there are improvements in all evaluated indicators for microenterprises 2 years after the end of the programme, there are only minor positive effects of subsidies for larger enterprises.
Debt Maturity and the Dynamics of Leverage
Authors: Dangl Thomas , Zechner Josef
Published: January 2021

This paper shows that short debt maturities commit equityholders to leverage reductions when refinancing expiring debt in low-profitability states. However, shorter maturities lead to higher transaction costs since larger amounts of expiring debt need to be refinanced. We show that this trade-off between higher expected transaction costs against the commitment to reduce leverage in low-profitability states motivates an optimal maturity structure of corporate debt. Since firms with high costs of financial distress and risky cash flows benefit most from committing to leverage reductions, they have a stronger motive to issue short-term debt. Evidence supports the model’s predictions.
Risk of serious infections in arthritis patients treated with biological drugs: a matched cohort study and development of prediction model
Authors: Krabbe Simon , Grøn Kathrine L , Glintborg Bente , Nørgaard Mette , Mehnert Frank , Jarbøl Dorte E , Østergaard Mikkel , Hetland Merete L
Published: January 2021

Objectives

Serious infection is a concern for patients with inflammatory joint diseases treated with biological drugs (bDMARDs). The objectives were to compare risk of serious infection, defined as infection leading to hospitalization, in patients initiating bDMARD treatment with the general population and, second, to develop a simple clinical prediction model and to obtain risk estimates for individual patients.

Methods

Matched-cohort study based on nationwide registries in Denmark. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis initiating first bDMARD monitored in the DANBIO registry were matched 1:10 by age, gender and postal code with controls from the general population. The risk of serious infection during 12 months’ follow-up was assessed with Cox regression. Prediction models were developed using logistic regression and compared using area under the ROC curve (AUC).

Results

We included 11 372 patients and 113 715 controls. During follow-up, 522 patients (4.6%) and 1,434 controls (1.3%) developed a serious infection (hazard ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval: 3.4–4.1). Age-stratified risk was largely similar across diagnoses. A simple prediction model, the “DANBIO infection risk score” based on age and a count of six clinical risk factors had moderate discriminative power (internal validation: AUC 0.69), which was comparable to that of the existing RABBIT risk score (external validation: AUC 0.68).

Conclusion

Patients with inflammatory joint diseases initiating bDMARD treatment had four times increased risk of serious infection compared with the general population. A simple prediction model, feasible for shared decision-making, was developed to obtain risk estimates for individual patients.
APPLICABILITY OF A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ACTIVE EXTREMITY DOSE-RATE METER TO EYE LENS DOSE MONITORING
Authors: Kowatari Munehiko , Zutz Hayo , Hupe Oliver
Published: January 2021

A commercially available active extremity dosemeter is a promising candidate for medical staff aid individual monitoring of the eye lens. We investigated the applicability of the newly developed active extremity dosemeter, which uses a low-energy photon probe, to eye lens dose monitoring by performing a complete characterization of the dosemeters. Performance tests revealed that the active extremity dosemeter would overestimate personal dose equivalent, Hp(3), when the probe is worn close to the lens of the eye of a medial worker without any improvement in the response. Introducing an appropriate filter into the probe for low-energy photon has proven to improve the response. The dosemeter then satisfies the criteria of the personal dosemeter for eye lens dosimetry and can be applicable to individual monitoring of eye lens dose. This article also discusses the applicability of the dosemeter to area monitoring for decision making regarding additional monitoring of the eye lens and the extremities.
Transformative innovation policy approach to e-waste management in Ghana: Perspectives of actors on transformative changes
Authors: Akon-Yamga Gordon , Daniels Chux U. , Quaye Wilhemina , Ting Blanche M. , Asante Adelaide A.
Published: January 2021

Ghana, as in many African countries, is faced with the challenge of sustainably managing electronic waste (e-waste). The country has a legal framework and is in the process of developing a public policy for e-waste management. However, e-waste management remains a major challenge due to weaknesses in the country’s innovation and policymaking process that include inability to cater for the informal sector. This article argues that the current approach to innovation policymaking in Ghana would be inadequate in delivering the goal of sustainable e-waste management. We examine the country’s evolving e-waste management regime and the multiple perspectives of actors with respect to their perceived transformative changes and show that these perspectives and expectations are critical for an e-waste policymaking process. We conclude that policy processes adopted in developing countries for e-waste management should be guided by inclusive policymaking approaches that consider perspectives from informal actors to co-create solutions.
The hunt for red flags: cybervetting as morally performative practice
Authors: McDonald Steve , Damarin Amanda K , McQueen Hannah , Grether Scott T
Published: January 2021

Cybervetting refers to screening job candidates by evaluating information collected from internet searches and social media profiles. Relatively little is known about how organizational actors use this practice in hiring decisions. Interviews with 61 human resource (HR) professionals reveal that they cybervet in order to minimize hiring risks and maximize organizational fit. Their judgments are deeply rooted in assessments of job candidates’ moral character and how it might affect workplace interactions. Because it involves the construction of moral criteria that shape labor market actions and outcomes, we describe cybervetting as a morally performative practice. HR professionals express enthusiasm for cybervetting, but also concerns about privacy, bias and fairness. Importantly, cybervetting practices and policies vary substantially across different types of organizations. These findings deepen our understanding of how organizational actors define and regulate moral behavior and how their actions are moderated by market institutions.
Surveillance-based estimation of the malaria disease burden in a low endemic state of Punjab, India, targeted for malaria elimination
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet , Kaura Taruna , Sharma Ayush , Kumar Ashish , Pangotra M K , Upadhyay A K , Anvikar Anupkumar , Grover Gagandeep S , Chaturvedi H K , Sharma Surya K
Published: January 2021

Background

The state of Punjab in India qualifies for malaria elimination because the number of cases reported through routine surveillance is in decline. However, surveillance system prevalence mainly provides malaria trends. Therefore, a prospective epidemiological study was designed to estimate the malaria burden in the state.

Methods

District-wise annual parasite incidence (API) was used for identification of three strata, representing high, moderate and low API zones. A total of 0.9 million people from nine districts was under malaria surveillance for 1 y. The weighted estimates of API for the three regions was calculated and combined to give an estimate of API for the total population of the state.

Results

Based upon the primary data generated, malaria cases from high, moderate and low malaria-endemic areas were estimated to be 3727, 904 and 106, respectively. Further, the total number of malaria cases in the state was estimated to be 4737 (95% CI 4006 to 5469) cases per annum.

Conclusion

Actual burden of malaria in the state of Punjab, India, is about seven to eight times higher than that reported by routine surveillance activities. However, the state still qualifies for malaria elimination but needs vigorous efforts to strengthen the active surveillance and reporting system along with implementation of effective control strategies to achieve malaria elimination.
The Effect of Group Counseling Therapy Approach to Psychological Well-Being of Adolescent Girls Treated With Methadone in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Naeim Mahdi , Rezaeisharif Ali , Ghobadi Bagvand Samira
Published: January 2021

Background:

Today, because of the increasing prevalence of addiction in society, there are many costs for treating addicts and returning them to normal life. This will not be possible except for new and effective methods.

Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the group counseling approach on the psychological well-being of adolescent girls treated with methadone.

Methods:

This is a quasiexperimental study with a pretest and post-test with a control group. For this purpose, 50 people were purposefully selected, then randomly divided into 2 groups of 25 students of control and experimental group and in 10 sessions, twice a week for 2 hours they underwent group therapy counseling. The instrument used in this study was the psychological well-being scale as pretest and post-test. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and multivariate analysis of covariance.

Results:

The results showed that the intervention with the therapeutic approach of group counseling in psychological well-being has a significant effect on the lives of target people in the experimental group (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

According to the results of the study, it is recommended that this type of education be considered along with medication to improve the psychological well-being of adolescents treated with methadone. Therapeutic approach group counseling as part of corrective action can reduce the anxious thoughts of patients receiving methadone treatment.
Stroke in Surgical Patients
Authors: Vlisides Phillip E. , Moore Laurel E.
Published: January 2021

Stroke is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The aim of this review is to provide an evidence-based synthesis of the literature related to perioperative stroke, including its etiology, common risk factors, and potential risk reduction strategies. In addition, the authors will discuss screening methods for the detection of postoperative cerebral ischemia and how multidisciplinary collaborations, including endovascular interventions, should be considered to improve patient outcomes. Lastly, the authors will discuss the clinical and scientific knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to reduce the incidence and improve outcomes after perioperative stroke.
Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures
Authors: Hughes Hannah , Carthy Andrea Mc , Sheridan Gerard Anthony , Donnell Jake Mc , Doyle Frank , Butler Joseph
Published: January 2021

Study Design.

Meta-analysis.

Objective.

To compare the clinical, functional, and radiological outcomes of posterior-only versus combined anterior-posterior instrumentation in order to determine the optimal surgical intervention for thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Summary of Background Data.

Unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures warrant surgical intervention to prevent neurological deterioration and progressive kyphosis, which can lead to significant pain and functional morbidity. The available literature remains largely inconclusive in determining the optimal instrumentation strategy.

Methods.

Electronic searches of MEDLINE (1948–May 2020), EMBASE (1947–May 2020), The Cochrane Library (1991–May 2020), and other databases were conducted. Cochrane Collaboration guidelines were used for data extraction and quality assessment. Outcomes of interest were divided into three categories: radiological (degree of postoperative kyphosis correction; loss of kyphosis correction at final follow-up), functional (visual analogue scale [VAS] pain score; Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] score), and clinical (intraoperative blood loss; length of stay [LOS]; operative time; the number and type of postoperative complications).

Results.

Four randomized control trials (RCTs) were retrieved, including 145 randomized participants. Seventy-three patients underwent posterior-only instrumentation and 72 underwent combined instrumentation. No significant difference was found in the degree of postoperative kyphosis correction (P = 0.39), VAS (centimeters) at final follow-up (P = 0.67), ODI at final follow-up (P = 0.89) or the number of postoperative complications between the two approaches (P = 0.49). Posterior-only instrumentation was associated with lower blood loss (P < 0.001), operative time (P < 0.001), and LOS (P = 0.01). Combined instrumentation had a lower degree of kyphosis loss at final follow-up (P = 0.001). There was heterogeneity in the duration of follow-up between the included studies (mean follow-up range 24–121 months).

Conclusion.

The available literature remains largely inconclusive. In order to reliably inform practice in this area, there is a need for large, high-quality, multicenter RCTs with standardized reporting of outcomes, with a particular focus on outcomes relating to patient function and severe complications causing long-term morbidity.

Level of Evidence: 2
GLUT1: a promising drug target for cancer treatment
Authors: Chen Xiaotong , Zhao Yunshuo , Gao Yanfeng , Qi Yuanming , Du Jiangfeng
Published: January 2021

Glucose homeostasis maintains the physiological functions for cells. Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is one of the main glucose transporter proteins, which is located in almost all cell membrane and transport extracellular glucose into cytoplasm for energy metabolism. The dysfunction of GLUT1 impairs the glucose homeostasis, which eventually causes various metabolic diseases including cancers. Several preclinical assays indicate that GLUT1 is a promising drug target for cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetic nephropathy. Herein, we deliberately introduce the discovery and the evolution of GLUT family, the biological functions of GLUT1, the current progress of the structural biology for this target and the related diseases. Next, we conclude the currently reported GLUT1 inhibitors, bioactivity, the applications in drug discovery and the future directions.