bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of acute respiratory illnesses in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis by a subgroup of the IOC consensus on ‘acute respiratory illness in the athlete’
Authors: Derman Wayne , Badenhorst Marelise , Eken Maaike Maria , Ezeiza-Gomez Josu , Fitzpatrick Jane , Gleeson Maree , Kunorozva Lovemore , Mjosund Katja , Mountjoy Margo , Sewry Nicola , Schwellnus Martin
Published: March 2022

Objective

To determine the incidence of acute respiratory illness (ARill) in athletes and by method of diagnosis, anatomical classification, ages, levels of performance and seasons.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

Electronic databases: PubMed-Medline, EbscoHost and Web of Science.

Eligibility criteria

Original research articles published between January 1990 and July 2020 in English reporting the incidence of ARill in athletes, at any level of performance (elite/non-elite), aged 15–65 years.

Results

Across all 124 studies (n=1 28 360 athletes), the incidence of ARill, estimated by dividing the number of cases by the total number of athlete days, was 4.7 (95% CI 3.9 to 5.7) per 1000 athlete days. In studies reporting acute respiratory infections (ARinf; suspected and confirmed) the incidence was 4.9 (95% CI 4.0 to 6.0), which was similar in studies reporting undiagnosed ARill (3.7; 95% CI 2.1 to 6.7). Incidences of 5.9 (95% CI 4.8 to 7.2) and 2.8 (95% CI 1.8 to 4.5) were found for studies reporting upper ARinf and general ARinf (upper or lower), respectively. The incidence of ARinf was similar across the different methods to diagnose ARinf. A higher incidence of ARinf was found in non-elite (8.7; 95% CI 6.1 to 12.5) vs elite athletes (4.2; 95% CI 3.3 to 5.3).

Summary/conclusions

These findings suggest: (1) the incidence of ARill equates to approximately 4.7 per athlete per year; (2) the incidence of upper ARinf was significantly higher than general (upper/lower) ARinf; (3) elite athletes have a lower incidence of ARinf than non-elite athletes; (4) if pathogen identification is not available, physicians can confidently use validated questionnaires and checklists to screen athletes for suspected ARinf. For future studies, we recommend that a clear diagnosis of ARill is reported.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020160472.
Cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude and prevalence of domestic violence among women in Kaduna, north-western Nigeria
Authors: Nmadu Awawu Grace , Jafaru Abubakar , Dahiru Tukur , Joshua Istifanus Anekoson , Nwankwo Bilkisu , Mohammed-Durosinlorun Amina
Published: March 2022

Background

Domestic violence is a global issue of public health concern with detrimental effects on women’s physical, mental and social well-being. There is a paucity of community-based studies assessing the knowledge and attitude of women towards domestic violence in Nigeria.

Objective

To assess knowledge, attitudes, prevalence and associated factors of domestic violence among women in a community in Kaduna, Nigeria.

Design

A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Setting

A selected community in Kaduna South Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

Participants

In total, 170 women aged 15–49 years participated in the study.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The outcomes were knowledge, attitude and prevalence of domestic violence.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 28.7+7.9 years. A total of 113 (66.5%) respondents had high level of knowledge about domestic violence with 114 (67.1%) having non-tolerant attitudes towards domestic violence. The lifetime prevalence and 12-month prevalence of domestic violence were 47.1% and 35.3%, respectively. The results of logistic regression identified the educational status of women as a significant predictor of knowledge of domestic violence (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.32; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.68), while marital status (aOR=0.21; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.96), occupation of women (aOR=2.49; 95% CI 1.13 to 5.49), their tolerance of wife beating (aOR=0.33; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.72) and their partners’ consumption habit of alcohol/substance use (aOR=7.91; 95% CI 3.09 to 20.27) were identified as significant predictors of the women’s experience of domestic violence.

Conclusion

Domestic violence was relatively high among women. Though a majority had high level of knowledge about domestic violence, a significant third had tolerant attitudes towards it. Appropriate health interventions need to be implemented by governmental and relevant stakeholders to target negative attitudes and address associated factors of domestic violence against women.
Comparative study of two birth cohorts: did the explanatory role of behavioural, social and psychological factors in educational inequalities in mortality change over time?
Authors: Klokgieters Silvia , Kok Almar , Rijnhart Judith , Visser Marjolein , Broese van Groenou Marjolein , Verschuren Monique , Picavet Susan , Huisman Martijn
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To investigate the contribution of behavioural, social and psychological factors to inequalities in mortality by educational level between birth cohorts.

Design

Cohort-sequential design.

Setting

Two population-based studies in the Netherlands: the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) and the Doetinchem Cohort Study (DCS).

Participants

Data from the LASA included 1990 individuals with birth years 1928–1937 (cohort 1) and 1938–1947 (cohort 2) and, for replication, data from the DCS included 2732 individuals with birth years 1929–1941 (cohort 1) and 1939–1951 (cohort 2).

Methods

Years of education, 15-year mortality, lifestyle factors, social factors and psychological factors were modelled using multiple-group accelerated failure time models based on structural equation modelling to compare indirect effects between cohorts.

Results

Both studies showed similar educational inequalities, with higher mortality among those with lower education. The indirect effects of education via smoking (LASA: difference in survival time ratio (TR)=1.0018, 95% CI 1.0000 to 1.0155, DCS: TR=1.0051, 95% CI 1.0000 to 1.0183), physical activity (LASA: TR=1.0056, 95% CI 1.00009 to 1.0132) and alcohol use (LASA: TR=1.0275, 95% CI 1.0033 to 1.0194) on mortality were stronger in cohort 2 than in cohort 1. In contrast to the other effects, alcohol use was the only factor that was associated positively with education and survival time, which effect increased in the most recent cohort. Emotional support, network size and cognitive functioning showed no difference between cohorts.

Conclusions

Smoking, physical activity and alcohol use contributed more to educational inequalities in mortality in recent cohorts. Hence, in addition to tackling fundamental social causes of inequality, policies focusing on intermediary mechanisms such as lifestyle need to adapt their targets to those that prove to be most important within a given time frame.
Switch from public to private retail pharmaceutical expenditures: evidence from a time series analysis in Italy
Authors: Lenzi Jacopo , Gianino Maria Michela
Published: March 2022

Objectives

To analyse trajectories of retail pharmaceutical expenditures from 2010 to 2019 in Italy to investigate whether there was a switch from public to private expenditure, how the composition of private and public expenditure changed, and whether there are correlations with supply/demand variables. Answering these questions is important to assure pharmaceutical care to all citizens in a public health system where expenditure containment is the issue of pharmaceutical policies.

Design and setting

Time-trend analysis was carried out in the Italian National Health System (NHS), between 2010 and 2019. We considered the following: public pharmaceutical expenditure with/without direct distribution of drugs, copayments, household out-of-pocket payments for drugs reimbursable/non-reimbursable by the NHS, and for drugs without prescription requirement. Correlations were tested between expenditure items and relevant statistics (Gini coefficient, resident population demographics, ages and categories of physicians, and current expenditure on health).

Results

The switch feared between public and private pharmaceutical expenditures was not found: private expenditure increased (average annual per cent change 1.5%; 95% CI 0.3% to 2.6%), but public spending remained stable (–1.0%; 95% CI –3.0% to 1.1%). Single items of expenditure exhibited significant pattern changes over the study period. A switch from public expenditure without direct distribution of drugs (–3.9%) to expenditure with direct distribution was found (+8.4%). Unexpected increases in household out-of-pocket payments for drugs reimbursable by the NHS (+6.1%) and in copayments (+4.9%) were shown. No notable correlations were found.

Conclusions

This study offers insights into Italian experience that can be applied to other contexts and the results provide policy-makers issues to reflect on. The findings suggest that policies of pharmaceutical-expenditure management may have multiple effects and unexpected combined effects over time that should be considered when they are designed, and suggest that health policies must be adopted with a systematic logic and a broad and unified vision.
Protocol for a phase 3 trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a heterologous, two-dose vaccine for Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Watson-Jones Deborah , Kavunga-Membo Hugo , Grais Rebecca F , Ahuka Steve , Roberts Natalie , Edmunds W John , Choi Edward M , Roberts Chrissy H , Edwards Tansy , Camacho Anton , Lees Shelley , Leyssen Maarten , Spiessens Bart , Luhn Kerstin , Douoguih Macaya , Hatchett Richard , Bausch Daniel G , Muyembe Jean-Jacques
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Ebola virus disease (EVD) continues to be a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Large-scale vaccination during outbreaks may reduce virus transmission. We established a large population-based clinical trial of a heterologous, two-dose prophylactic vaccine during an outbreak in eastern DRC to determine vaccine effectiveness.

Methods and analysis

This open-label, non-randomised, population-based trial enrolled eligible adults and children aged 1 year and above. Participants were offered the two-dose candidate EVD vaccine regimen VAC52150 (Ad26.ZEBOV, Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-BN-Filo), with the doses being given 56 days apart. After vaccination, serious adverse events (SAEs) were passively recorded until 1 month post dose 2. 1000 safety subset participants were telephoned at 1 month post dose 2 to collect SAEs. 500 pregnancy subset participants were contacted to collect SAEs at D7 and D21 post dose 1 and at D7, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months post dose 2, unless delivery was before these time points. The first 100 infants born to these women were given a clinical examination 3 months post delivery. Due to COVID-19 and temporary suspension of dose 2 vaccinations, at least 50 paediatric and 50 adult participants were enrolled into an immunogenicity subset to examine immune responses following a delayed second dose. Samples collected predose 2 and at 21 days post dose 2 will be tested using the Ebola viruses glycoprotein Filovirus Animal Non-Clinical Group ELISA. For qualitative research, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were being conducted with participants or parents/care providers of paediatric participants.

Ethics and dissemination

Approved by Comité National d’Ethique et de la Santé du Ministère de la santé de RDC, Comité d'Ethique de l'Ecole de Santé Publique de l’Université de Kinshasa, the LSHTM Ethics Committee and the MSF Ethics Review Board. Findings will be presented to stakeholders and conferences. Study data will be made available for open access.

Trial registration number

NCT04152486.
Perspective of geriatric patients on advance care planning in Denmark: a qualitative study
Authors: Dahmke Kirstine , Nielsen-Hannerup Elisabeth , Madsen Ida Søndergaard , Rerup Sofie , Ramberg Emilie , Lembeck Maurice A , Pedersen Hanne , Holm Ellen Astrid
Published: March 2022

Objective

Most previous studies on advance care planning (ACP) have focused on patients with specific diseases and only a few on frail ageing individuals. We therefore decided to examine the perspective of geriatric patients on ACP. Our research questions include if, when, with whom and with which content geriatric patients wish to have ACP conversations.

Design

Participants were interviewed either in the hospital or in their own home. The interviewer followed a semistructured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using the systemic text condensation method.

Setting

Geriatric department in a regional hospital in a rural area in Region Zealand, Denmark.

Participants

We included 11 geriatric patients aged above 65 who had been referred for geriatric inpatient or outpatient assessment. Participants were clinically judged by experienced geriatricians to have sufficient physical and mental capacity to take part in an interview.

Results

This study’s main finding is that geriatric patients have varying preferences and feelings towards ACP. Some expressed concerns about ACP, especially regarding personal fear to talk about end-of-life (EOL) decisions, and whether a busy healthcare system has the resources to conduct ACP. Proper timing of ACP seemed unrelated to specific age but related to perception of health situation. The health professional involved should be well trained and a person the participant could trust. Most participants wanted family members to participate. Concerning content, participants mentioned quality of life, fear of losing their spouse, earlier experience with death, and practical concerns regarding funeral and will.

Conclusion

Among geriatric patients, feelings towards ACP are mixed. Even participants who were generally positive towards the concept uttered concerns about the circumstances when talking about EOL topics. Health professionals therefore should approach ACP discussions with caution. Further studies aiming to develop guidelines describing the proper way to introduce and perform ACP in this patient group are needed.
Poisonings with ADHD medication in children under the age of 5 years in Australia: a retrospective study, 2004–2019
Authors: Arbaeen Abrar , Wheate Nial J , Cairns Rose
Published: March 2022

Objective

To describe the temporal relationships in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication poisoning exposures in children; describe patient demographics, medications involved, poisoning exposure reasons and disposition.

Design

A population-based, retrospective cohort study of calls to Australia’s largest Poisons Information Centre. Poisoning exposure counts and dispensing-adjusted rates were modelled with Poisson, quasi-Poisson and negative binomial regression where appropriate.

Setting

Calls to the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre and dispensings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Patients

Children under the age of 5 years.

Results

There were 1175 poisoning exposures to ADHD psychostimulants, 2004–2019; averaging 73 per year. Accidental poisonings accounted for 94% of cases. Methylphenidate was most frequently implicated (63%). Thirty-four per cent of cases were referred to hospital and a further 21% of calls were made by hospital staff. Poisoning exposure counts for all ADHD psychostimulants increased by 2.7% (95% CI=0.42% to 4.9%) per year; however, this differed by agent. Methylphenidate poisoning exposures increased by 5.2% per year (95% CI=4.3% to 6.1%), lisdexamfetamine increased by 62% per year (95% CI=48% to 76%), while dexamphetamine poisoning exposures decreased by 5.5% per year (95% CI=−9.5% to −1.4%). These trends are reflected in the number of dispensings; however, dispensings increased at a faster rate than exposures. When poisoning exposures were expressed as dispensing-adjusted rates, there was a 16% decrease (95% CI=−20% to −13%) per year.

Conclusions

ADHD medication use has increased, associated with an increased number of paediatric poisoning exposures. However, poisoning exposures per dispensed prescription has decreased. The majority of cases required hospitalisation, indicating the need for further poisoning prevention strategies.
Combination cancer immunotherapy targeting TNFR2 and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling reduces immunosuppressive effects in the microenvironment of pancreatic tumors
Authors: Zhang Xiaozhen , Lao Mengyi , Xu Jian , Duan Yi , Yang Hanshen , Li Muchun , Ying Honggang , He Lihong , Sun Kang , Guo Chengxiang , Chen Wen , Jiang Haitao , Zhang Xiaoyu , Bai Xueli , Liang Tingbo
Published: March 2022

Backgrounds

In advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), immune therapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, has limited efficacy, encouraging the study of combination therapy.

Methods

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) was analyzed via immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and ELISAs. The in vitro mechanism that TNFR2 regulates programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) was investigated using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, western blotting, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). In vivo efficacy and mechanistic studies, using C57BL/6 mice and nude mice with KPC cell-derived subcutaneous and orthotopic tumors, employed antibodies against TNFR2 and PD-L1. Survival curves were constructed for the orthotopic model and a genetically engineered PDAC model (LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre). Mass cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry analyzed local and systemic alterations in the immunophenotype.

Results

TNFR2 showed high expression and is a prognostic factor in CD8+ T cell-enriched pancreatic cancer. TNFR2 promotes tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer via dual effect: suppressing cancer immunogenicity and partially accelerating tumor growth. TNFR2 positivity correlated with PD-L1, and in vitro and in vivo, it could regulate the expression ofPDL1at the transcription level via the p65 NF-κB pathway. Combining anti-TNFR2 and PD-L1 antibodies eradicated tumors, prolonged overall survival in pancreatic cancer, and induced strong antitumor immune memory and secondary prevention by reducing the infiltration of Tregs and tumor-associated macrophages and inducing CD8+ T cell activation in the PDAC microenvironment. Finally, the antitumor immune response derived from combination therapy is mainly dependent on CD8+ T cells, partially dependent on CD4+ T cells, and independent of natural killer cells.

Conclusions

Anti-TNFR2 and anti-PD-L1 combination therapy eradicated tumors by inhibiting their growth, relieving tumor immunosuppression, and generating robust memory recall.
Risk-related standards of competence are a nonsense
Authors: Pickering Neil John , Newton-Howes Giles , Walker Simon
Published: March 2022

If a person is competent to consent to a treatment, is that person necessarily competent to refuse the very same treatment? Risk relativists answer no to this question. If the refusal of a treatment is risky, we may demand a higher level of decision-making capacity to choose this option. The position is known as asymmetry. Risk relativity rests on the possibility of setting variable levels of competence by reference to variable levels of risk. In an excellent 2016 article inJournal of Medical Ethics(JME), Rob Lawlor defends asymmetry of this kind by defending risk relativity, using and developing arguments and approaches found in earlier work such as that of Wilks. He offers what we call the two-scale approach: a scale of risk is to be used to set a standard of competence on a scale of decision-making difficulty. However, can this be done in any rational way? We argue it cannot, and in this sense, and to this extent, risk relativity is a nonsense.
Opportunistic screening for asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Zhou Mi , Huang Duo , Cheng Yangyang , Lau Yee Man , Lai Wing Hon , Lau Yuk-Ming , Hai JoJo , Lau Chu Pak , Chan Esther W , Yue Wen Sheng , Zuo Ming-Liang , Yin Li Xue , Feng Yingqing , Tan Ning , Chen Jiyan , Li Xin Li , Tse Hung Fat , Lee Chi Ho , Chow Wing-Sun , Siu Chung Wah , Wong Chun Ka
Published: March 2022

Background

International guidelines recommend natriuretic peptide biomarker-based screening for patients at high heart failure (HF) risk to allow early detection. There have been few reports about the incorporation of screening procedure to existing clinical practice.

Objective

To implement screening of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Method

A prospective screening study at the DM complication screening centre was performed.

Results

Between 2018 and 2019, 1043 patients (age: 63.7±12.4 years; male: 56.3%) with mean glycated haemoglobin of 7.25%±1.34% were recruited. 81.8% patients had concomitant hypertension, 31.1% had coronary artery disease, 8.0% had previous stroke, 5.5% had peripheral artery disease and 30.7% had chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3–5. 43 patients (4.1%) had an elevated N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration above the age-specific diagnostic thresholds for HF, and 43 patients (4.1%) had newly detected atrial fibrillation (AF). The prevalence of elevated NT-proBNP increased with age from 0.85% in patients aged <50 years to 7.14% in those aged 70–79 years and worsening kidney function from 0.43% in patients with CKD stage 1 to 42.86% in CKD stage 5. In multivariate logistic regression, male gender (OR: 3.67 (1.47–9.16), p = 0.005*), prior stroke (OR: 3.26 (1.38–7.69), p = 0.007*), CKD (p<0.001*) and newly detected AF (OR: 7.02 (2.65–18.57), p<0.001*) were significantly associated with elevated NT-proBNP. Among patients with elevated NT-proBNP, their mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 51.4%±14.7%, and 45% patients had an LVEF <50%.

Conclusion

NT-proBNP and ECG screening could be implemented with relative ease to facilitate early detection of cardiovascular complication and improve long-term outcomes.
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis exhibits T cell activation and IgG4 immune response in the tissue; comparison with IgG4-related disease
Authors: Kubo Satoshi , Kanda Ryuichiro , Nawata Aya , Miyazaki Yusuke , Kawabe Akio , Hanami Kentaro , Nakatsuka Keisuke , Saito Kazuyoshi , Nakayamada Shingo , Tanaka Yoshiya
Published: March 2022

Objective

To study the pathophysiological differences of EGPA and IgG4-related disease (RD) by clarifying their clinical, pathological and immunological features.

Methods

Clinical and pathological findings were compared in patients with EGPA and IgG4-RD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used for comprehensive flow cytometric analysis.

Results

An elevation of the IgG4 level was found in all EGPA cases, with the accompanying pathological findings of lymphocytic infiltration and fibrosis observed in 30.8% patients, and the elevation of IgG4/IgG ratio in 61.5% patients. However, actual IgG4 levels, as well as the degree of the infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells, were still higher in patients with IgG4-RD than patients with EGPA. Examination by ACR/EULAR classification criteria showed only 13.6% of the EGPA patients met entry criteria, while all of them met the exclusion criteria. In regard to the immunophenotyping, EGPA patients had increases in activated CD4 and CD8 T cells compared with the healthy controls. However, no such similar changes occurred in IgG4-RD patients. On the other hand, both the EGPA and IgG4-RD patient groups had correlated increased plasmablasts and Tfh. These results indicate the presence of two axes: namely, the activation of T cells and that of B cells. Both axes are present in EGPA, but the T cell activation axis was not observed in IgG4-RD.

Conclusions

The elevation of serum IgG4 as well as pathological IgG4 infiltration are not specific. Meanwhile, EGPA and IgG4-RD differ in immunological phenotypes, indicating the possible importance of the predominant activation of T cells in the development of vasculitis.
Difference between delayed anastomosis and early anastomosis in damage control laparotomy affecting the infusion volume and NPWT output volume: is infusion restriction necessary in delayed anastomosis? A single-center retrospective analysis
Authors: Tanahashi Yohta , Sato Hisaho , Kawakami Akiko , Sasaki Shusaku , Nishinari Yutaka , Ishida Kaoru , Kojika Masahiro , Endo Shigeatsu , Inoue Yoshihiro , Sasaki Akira
Published: March 2022

Objectives

During temporary abdominal closure (TAC) with damage control laparotomy (DCL), infusion volume and negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) output volume are associated with the success and prognosis of primary fascial closure. The same may also hold true for anastomosis. The aim of this research is to evaluate whether the difference between early anastomosis and delayed anastomosis in DCL is related to infusion volume and NPWT output volume.

Methods

This single-center retrospective analysis targeted patients managed with TAC during emergency surgery for trauma or intra-abdominal sepsis between January 2011 and December 2019. It included patients who underwent repair/anastomosis/colostomy in the first surgery and patients who underwent intestinal resection in the first surgery followed by delayed anastomosis with no intestinal continuity.

Results

Seventy-three patients were managed with TAC using NPWT, including 19 cases of repair, 17 of colostomy, and 37 of anastomosis. In 16 patients (trauma 5, sepsis 11) with early anastomosis and 21 patients (trauma 16, sepsis 5) with delayed anastomosis, there was no difference in the infusion volume (p=0.2318) or NPWT output volume (p=0.7128) 48 hours after surgery. Additionally, there was no difference in the occurrence of suture failure (p=0.8428). During the second-look surgery after 48 hours, the anastomosis was further postponed for 48% of the patients who underwent delayed anastomosis. There was no difference in the infusion volume (p=0.0783) up to the second-look surgery between the patients whose delayed anastomosis was postponed and those who underwent delayed anastomosis, but there was a tendency toward a large NPWT output volume (p=0.024) in the postponed delayed anastomosis group.

Conclusion

Delayed anastomosis may be managed with the same infusion volume as that used for early anastomosis. There is also the option of postponing anastomosis if the planned delayed anastomosis is complicated.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic/Care Management, Level IV.
On extreme ground snow depth and ground snow load at Canadian sites
Authors: Tang Q. , Hong H.P. , Jarrett P.
Published: March 2022

The roof snow load in the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) is expressed as the sum of the snow and rain components. A probabilistic analysis of the components was carried out by using the recorded historical meteorological data. Probabilistic characterizations of the annual maximum ground snow depth SA, ground snow load SL, and snowpack bulk density were given. By considering the commonly adopted probabilistic models for SA, it was found that the use of the lognormal distribution, Gumbel distribution, and generalized extreme value distribution (GEVD) for SA is preferred for 46%, 35%, and 19% of the considered meteorological stations. A similar observation was made for SL. Snow hazard maps in terms of return period values of SA and SL were developed. Also, the hazard maps of (winter) rain load, SR, were developed. It was found that the correlation coefficient between SA and SR is negligible; the implication of this is discussed.
Subsidence drives habitat loss in a large permafrost delta, Mackenzie River outlet to the Beaufort Sea, western Arctic Canada
Authors: Forbes D.L. , Craymer M.R. , James T.S. , Whalen D.
Published: March 2022

The Mackenzie Delta is an extensive river-mouth depocentre, the second largest delta on the Arctic Ocean, and lies in the zone of continuous permafrost. We report the first measurements of natural consolidation subsidence in a high-latitude delta with ice-bonded sediments. Several years of episodic GPS records on a network of 15 stable monuments throughout the central and outer delta reveal downward motion between 1.5 ± 0.7 and 5.3 ± 1.1 mm/year relative to a nearby monument on bedrock. Additional shallow subsidence results from loss of near-surface excess ice with deeper seasonal thaw in a warming climate. Isostatic adjustment is a third component of subsidence, captured in the NAD83v70VG crustal velocity model. Sedimentation rates over much of the outer delta are less than the rate of subsidence combined with rising sea level. Scenarios for future inundation are evaluated using interpolated IPCC AR5 projections, NAD83v70VG, and a LiDAR DEM with realistic consolidation, thaw subsidence, and sedimentation rates, on time scales of 40 and 90 years. These reveal increases in area flooded at mean water level from 33% in 2010 to 65% or as much as 85% in 2100, depending on the emissions scenario, driving delta-front retreat and removing a large proportion of avian nesting habitat. The three components of subsidence together increase the relative sea-level rise by a factor of two to eight, depending on the scenario. Consolidation subsidence may also contribute to rising low-flow water levels in the central delta, increasing river-lake connectivity, with negative impacts on aquatic biodiversity and productivity.
Diluting quark flavor hierarchies using dihedral symmetry
Authors: Srivastava Ayushi , Levy Miguel , Das Dipankar
Published: March 2022

We present a $$D_4$$

D
4

flavored extension of the SM which provides an intuitive reasoning for the masses and mixing patterns in the quark sector. In our model, the Cabibbo mixing angle becomes related to the ratio of two vacuum expectation values. In fact, the orders of magnitude of the CKM matrix elements are readily obtained from the hierarchical nature of the vacuum expectation values. Moreover, we also show that the smallness of the off-Cabibbo elements in the CKM matrix is strongly connected to the heaviness of the third generation of quarks.
Online Batch Scheduling of Incompatible Job Families with Variable Lookahead Interval
Authors: Li Wenhua , Wang Libo , Yuan Hang
Published: March 2022

We consider online parallel-batch scheduling of [Formula: see text] incompatible unit-length job families with variable lookahead interval to minimize the maximum completion time, where [Formula: see text] is the number of job families which is known in advance. Incompatible job family means that a batch only contains the jobs from the same job family. At any time [Formula: see text], an online algorithm can foresee the information of the jobs arriving in the time interval [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is variable. When the batch capacity [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we provide a best possible online algorithm with competitive ratio [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a positive root of [Formula: see text]. When the batch capacity [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we give an online algorithm with competitive ratio [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and prove that it is the best possible for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Prediction of Early Compressive Strength of Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete Using Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Zhu Hailiang , Wu Xiong , Luo Yaoling , Jia Yue , Wang Chong , Fang Zheng , Zhuang Xiaoying , Zhou Shuai
Published: March 2022

In this study, a new prediction model is proposed to predict the 7-day compressive strength of ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) with different mix proportions using artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM). The predicted results are compared with the experimental results to verify the proposed model. Then, the importance of each component and the sensitivity of parameters are investigated. The research proves that the proposed model can estimate the 7-day compressive strength of UHPC based on the mix proportions.
Asymptotic properties of words in semi-Markov sequences
Authors: Garcia-Maya Brenda Ivette , Karaliopoulou Margarita , Limnios Nikolaos
Published: March 2022

It is well known that some enzymes, proteins, amino-acids between other biological molecules have more than one way to be coded in the DNA. That means, there are some biological molecules that can be identified by a set of sequences. For instance, the enzyme SmaI can be recognized by the words [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we count the number of times that a biological sequence occurs through the DNA by any of its configurations, i.e. we provide the strong law of large numbers for a word sequence. To achieve our goal, we consider that DNA is modeled by an ergodic semi-Markov chain. We also present the Central Limit Theorem. Additionally, we compute the first hitting position of a set of words.
Random matrices with independent entries: Beyond non-crossing partitions
Authors: Bose Arup , Saha Koushik , Sen Arusharka , Sen Priyanka
Published: March 2022

The scaled standard Wigner matrix (symmetric with mean zero, variance one i.i.d. entries), and its limiting eigenvalue distribution, namely the semi-circular distribution, have attracted much attention. The [Formula: see text]th moment of the limit equals the number of non-crossing pair-partitions of the set [Formula: see text]. There are several extensions of this result in the literature. In this paper, we consider a unifying extension which also yields additional results. Suppose [Formula: see text] is an [Formula: see text] symmetric matrix where the entries are independently distributed. We show that under suitable assumptions on the entries, the limiting spectral distribution exists in probability or almost surely. The moments of the limit can be described through a set of partitions which in general is larger than the set of non-crossing pair-partitions. This set gives rise to interesting enumerative combinatorial problems. Several existing limiting spectral distribution results follow from our results. These include results on the standard Wigner matrix, the adjacency matrix of a sparse homogeneous Erdős–Rényi graph, heavy tailed Wigner matrix, some banded Wigner matrices, and Wigner matrices with variance profile. Some new results on these models and their extensions also follow from our main results.
High-Level Synthesis Implementation of an Embedded Real-Time HEVC Intra Encoder on FPGA for Media Applications
Authors: Sjövall Panu , Lemmetti Ari , Vanne Jarno , Lahti Sakari , Hämäläinen Timo D.
Published: March 2022

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is the key enabling technology for numerous modern media applications. Overcoming its computational complexity and customizing its rich features for real-time HEVC encoder implementations, calls for automated design methodologies. This article introduces the first complete High-Level Synthesis (HLS) implementation for HEVC intra encoder on FPGA. The C source code of our open-source Kvazaar HEVC encoder is used as a design entry point for HLS that is applied throughout the whole encoder design process, from data-intensive coding tools like intra prediction and discrete transforms to more control-oriented tools such as context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC). Our prototype is run on Nokia AirFrame Cloud Server equipped with 2.4 GHz dual 14-core Intel Xeon processors and two Intel Arria 10 PCIe FPGA accelerator cards with 40 Gigabit Ethernet. This proof-of-concept system is designed for hardware-accelerated HEVC encoding and it achieves real-time 4K coding speed up to 120 fps. The coding performance can be easily scaled up by adding practically any number of network-connected FPGA cards to the system. These results indicate that our HLS proposal not only boosts development time, but also provides previously unseen design scalability with competitive performance over the existing FPGA and ASIC encoder implementations.
Subdivision-based Mesh Convolution Networks
Authors: Hu Shi-Min , Liu Zheng-Ning , Guo Meng-Hao , Cai Jun-Xiong , Huang Jiahui , Mu Tai-Jiang , Martin Ralph R.
Published: March 2022

Convolutionalneural networks (CNNs) have made great breakthroughs in two-dimensional (2D) computer vision. However, their irregular structure makes it hard to harness the potential of CNNs directly on meshes. A subdivision surface provides a hierarchical multi-resolution structure in which each face in a closed 2-manifold triangle mesh is exactly adjacent to three faces. Motivated by these two observations, this article presents
SubdivNet
, an innovative and versatile CNN framework for three-dimensional (3D) triangle meshes with Loop subdivision sequence connectivity. Making an analogy between mesh faces and pixels in a 2D image allows us to present a mesh convolution operator to aggregate local features from nearby faces. By exploiting face neighborhoods, this convolution can support standard 2D convolutional network concepts, e.g., variable kernel size, stride, and dilation. Based on the multi-resolution hierarchy, we make use of pooling layers that uniformly merge four faces into one and an upsampling method that splits one face into four. Thereby, many popular 2D CNN architectures can be easily adapted to process 3D meshes. Meshes with arbitrary connectivity can be remeshed to have Loop subdivision sequence connectivity via self-parameterization, making SubdivNet a general approach. Extensive evaluation and various applications demonstrate SubdivNet’s effectiveness and efficiency.
Weaving Synchronous Reactions into the Fabric of SSA-form Compilers
Authors: Pompougnac Hugo , Beaugnon Ulysse , Cohen Albert , Butucaru Dumitru Potop
Published: March 2022

We investigate the programming of reactive systems combining closed-loop control with performance-intensive components such as Machine Learning (ML). Reactive control systems are often safety-critical and associated with real-time execution requirements, a domain of predilection for synchronous programming languages. Extending the high levels of assurance found in reactive control systems to computationally intensive code remains an open issue. We tackle it by unifying concepts and algorithms from synchronous languages with abstractions commonly found in general-purpose and ML compilers. This unification across embedded and high-performance computing enables a high degree of reuse of compiler abstractions and code. We first recall commonalities between dataflow synchronous languages and the static single assignment (SSA) form of general-purpose/ML compilers. We highlight the key mechanisms of synchronous languages that SSA does not cover—denotational concepts such as synchronizing computations with an external time base, cyclic and reactive I/O, as well as the operational notions of relaxing control flow dominance and the modeling of absent values. We discover that initialization-related static analyses and code generation aspects can be fully decoupled from other aspects of synchronous semantics such as memory management and causality analysis, the latter being covered by existing dominance-based algorithms of SSA-form compilers. We show how the SSA form can be seamlessly extended to enable all SSA-based transformations and optimizations on reactive programs with synchronous concurrency. We derive a compilation flow suitable for both high-performance and reactive aspects of a control application, by embedding the Lustre dataflow synchronous language into the SSA-based MLIR/LLVM compiler infrastructure. This allows the modeling of signal processing and deep neural network inference in the (closed) loop of feedback-directed control systems. With only minor efforts leveraging the MLIR infrastructure, the generated code matches or outperforms state-of-the-art synchronous language compilers on computationally intensive ML applications.
Outcome of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Combined with Intraaortic Balloon Pump Hemodynamic Support during the Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Process for Patients with Cardiac Shock Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Luo Minghua , Zhou Jing , Qiu Chengjie , Wang He , Guan Huaimin , Tang Yida , Chen Yushan , Xie Jinhong , Zong Yonghua , Dong Wenjie , Shang Shasha , Liu Gang , Si Chunying
Published: March 2022

We evaluate the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intraaortic balloon pump mechanical circulatory support for patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction during the PCI process. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intraaortic balloon pump hemodynamic support during the percutaneous coronary intervention process for patients with cardiac shock complicating acute myocardial infarction might play a complementary role. Yet, evidence of application of both devices at the same time remains unclear. Patients with cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction who underwent PCI in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2018 were screened. Those who were under hemodynamic support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation combined with intraaortic balloon pump were enrolled as the ECMO&IABP group, and the patients only under support of intraaortic balloon pump were enrolled as the IABP group. The differences of clinical prognosis between the two groups were compared. A total of 39 patients were enrolled into the study: 10 were in the ECMO&IABP group and 29 in the IABP group. Compared with the IABP group, more patients were complicated with old myocardial infarction (5/10 vs. 2/29,

p
=
0.002

), more patients were diagnosed as non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (8/10 vs. 11/29,

p
=
0.002

) and left ventricular ejecting fraction was lower (41.1 ± 9.86 vs. 48.55 ± 8.86,

p
=
0.03

) in the ECMO&IABP group. Mechanical complications were higher in the ECMO&IABP group (5/10 vs. 5/29,

p
=
0.048

), The survive rate in the ECMO&IABP group is higher than that in the IABP group (90.00% vs. 47.83%,

p
=
0.042

) at one-year follow-up. Compared with only IABP, ECMO combined with IABP hemodynamic support during the PCI process for patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction enjoys better mortality outcome.
Analysis of Ice and Snow Path Planning System Based on MNN Algorithm
Authors: Jin YinZhe , Li Bai
Published: March 2022

Traditional ice and snow path planning methods still have internal environmental problems in intelligent path planning, such as weak innovation ability, imperfect management, long planning path, unreasonable security structure, and low degree of specialization. Therefore, more and more ice and snow sports lovers are eager to solve this problem. This paper designs a path planning method based on three-dimensional ice and snow model. The path planning method of moving snow and ice based on MNN (Multiclass Neural Networks) algorithm is studied from many aspects. MNN algorithm is used for comprehensive analysis and evaluation. The mobile phone provides data information on key nodes, air resistance, momentum change, ice and snow movement track, and so on. The results show that the ice and snow path planning system based on MNN algorithm designed in this paper has the advantages of high feasibility, high data accuracy, and good prediction effect and can effectively improve the efficiency of ice and snow path planning.
Animation Education Innovation of Big Data in the New Media Environment
Authors: Zhang Lu , Zhang Zhuoran
Published: March 2022

Animation education is an essential part of art education. Animation education in China started late, and its development was intermittent. After entering the 21st century, animation education has developed at an unreasonably high speed and has formed layers of animation education bubbles. There are many problems and drawbacks behind the rapid development of animation education, but it has been slowly improved and some results have been achieved. In today’s multimedia age, the digital revolution has brought a brand new environment and space for contemporary animation, and a large cross-field animation industry is gradually taking shape. China’s animation industry should actively respond to the overall innovation of the global animation industry and build a new animation industry development model that adapts to the era of big data. And it builds an animation education system that adapts to the big data environment and continuously supplies talents for the animation industry. This article will study the innovation of animation education based on big data. This article introduces innovative methods of animation education based on big data and designs an animation education platform based on big data. It also conducted a questionnaire survey of learners using the platform based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and concluded: among the four-dimensional options of TAM, the average proportion of people who choose to agree is 49.5%, and the proportion of people who choose to disagree is 1.81%. This proves that most learners think that the animation learning platform in this article is useful and satisfied with the platform, and only a very small number of people have a poor experience of using the platform.
Short- and Long-Term Complications of Free Anterolateral Thigh Flap Reconstructions: A Single-Centre Experience of 92 Consecutive Cases
Authors: Kidd Thomas , Platt Nicholas , Kidd Daniel , Grobbelaar Adriaan O.
Published: March 2022

Background. The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap has been amongst the most versatile components of the reconstructive surgeon’s armamentarium. The authors utilise these flaps for a variety of reconstructive procedures including lower limb reconstruction; postsarcoma excision; and open fractures. Few studies have discussed the extent of recipient site morbidity and subsequent revisional procedures. We will report our experience of the ALT flap in 92 consecutive reconstructions with focus on recipient site complications and revisional procedures. Methods. Retrospective data collection was done from 92 patients who underwent ALT flap reconstruction—for various large soft tissue defects—at our unit at the Royal Free Hospital, London. We evaluated primary recipient site complications and the requirements for secondary operations after flap transfer. Results. All flaps survived with the exception of 3 cases (97% survival rate) in which irreversible venous thrombosis was encountered. 16 of 92 patients (17%) required a second recipient site operation for the following: 7 patients experienced major recipient site complications that warranted early return to theatre and 9 patients required a secondary revision thinning procedure(s). 8 of the 16 patients (50%) requiring second operations had construction on their lower leg/ankle/feet (p value = 0.10). Conclusions. Our data demonstrated effective use of the ALT flap in the management of soft tissue reconstructive surgery. Partial flap necrosis was the main complication at the recipient site. In future work, secondary thinning procedures, particularly at the ankle/foot, should be separated from flap-specific complications. Furthermore, we demonstrate tailoring ALT thickness can be performed safely without compromising flap viability.