bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heritability of Caries Scores, Trajectories, and Disease Subtypes
Authors: Haworth S. , Esberg A. , Lif Holgerson P. , Kuja-Halkola R. , Timpson N.J. , Magnusson P.K.E. , Franks P.W. , Johansson I.
Published: January 2020

Previous studies report that dental caries is partially heritable, but there is uncertainty in the magnitude of genetic effects and little understanding of how genetic factors might influence caries progression or caries subtypes. This study aimed to estimate the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of different caries outcomes using a twin-based design. Analysis included up to 41,678 twins in the Swedish Twin Register aged 7 to 97 y, and dental data were obtained from preexisting dental records. The outcome measures were 1) summary indices of caries experience, 2) parameters representing trajectory in caries progression derived from longitudinal modeling, and 3) caries scores in groups of biologically similar tooth surfaces derived from hierarchical clustering of tooth surfaces (termed caries clusters). Additive genetic factors explained between 49.1% and 62.7% of variation in caries scores and between 50.0% and 60.5% of variation in caries trajectories. Seven caries clusters were identified, which had estimates of heritability lying between 41.9% and 54.3%. Shared environmental factors were important for only some of these clusters and explained 16% of variation in fissure caries in molar teeth but little variation in other clusters of caries presentation. The genetic factors influencing these clusters were only partially overlapping, suggesting that different biological processes are important in different groups of tooth surfaces and that innate liability to some patterns of caries presentation may partially explain why groups of tooth surfaces form clusters within the mouth. These results provide 1) improved quantification of genetic factors in the etiology of caries and 2) new data about the role of genetics in terms of longitudinal changes in caries status and specific patterns of disease presentation, and they may help lay the foundations for personalized interventions in the future.
Fetishising the Brussels roadscape
Authors: Pelgrims Claire
Published: January 2020

This explorative paper is an attempt to improve understanding of the material infrastructure and subjective affective investments into it. Building on the concept of “fetish”, it proposes a theoretical framework to analyse the entanglement of the functional, sensitive and social symbolic dimensions of Brussels’ “modern roads” to reinforce and stabilise a social imaginary of fast mobility. Examining technical reports, political discourses, press articles and cultural productions such as movies, TV broadcasts and photographs relating to the infrastructuring process, the paper reveals – beyond the case study – the aesthetic dimension of the modernisation of roads, which relates to symbolic investments in cars. The theoretical framework involves heuristic values when regarded beyond this specific Belgian context. It opens new possibilities for broader interpretations of the mobility infrastructure.
Effects of Spatial Location of Auditory Tones on Pitch Discrimination
Authors: Flagge Ashley G. , Estis Julie M. , Moore Robert E.
Published: January 2020

Pitch discrimination accuracy has been found to be affected by many factors, including handedness, musical training, interfering stimuli, and spatial location of the auditory stimulus. Separating the stimulus input location of interference tones from initial (reference) and final (comparison) tones leads to more accurate pitch discrimination, but the effects of spatial location relationships between the reference, interference, and comparison tones have not been fully explored. This study examined the impact of stimulus spatial location in 24 young, nonmusician females. Participants determined whether the pitch of reference and comparison tones were the same or different in 20 pitch discrimination conditions with varied interference, spatial relationships, and frequencies. Findings revealed that pitch discrimination accuracy was significantly better when (a) there was no interference, (b) the comparison tone was presented to the contralateral brain hemisphere from reference and interference tones, and (c) the comparison tone was presented to the left ear. We discussed the implications of these findings for therapy programs to strengthen pitch discrimination abilities.
The Intergenerational Elasticity of What? The Case for Redefining the Workhorse Measure of Economic Mobility
Authors: Mitnik Pablo A. , Grusky David B.
Published: January 2020

The intergenerational elasticity (IGE) has been assumed to refer to the expectation of children’s income when in fact it pertains to the geometric mean of children’s income. We show that mobility analyses based on the conventional IGE have been widely misinterpreted, are subject to selection bias, and cannot disentangle the different channels for transmitting economic status across generations. The solution to these problems—estimating the IGE of expected income or earnings—returns the field to what it has long meant to estimate. Under this approach, intergenerational persistence is found to be substantially higher, thus raising the possibility that the field’s stock results are misleading.
Safety of Outpatient Type 1 Thyroplasty
Authors: Patel Jena , Boon Maurits , Spiegel Joseph , Huntley Colin
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Type 1 thyroplasty is an established procedure for the treatment of vocal fold paralysis to improve voice and swallowing outcomes. At our institution, we commonly perform this procedure on an outpatient basis in medically stable patients. With this study, we assess the safety of outpatient thyroplasty by examining complication and readmission rates, need for revision surgery, and predictors of these outcome measures.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing outpatient type 1 thyroplasty for vocal fold paralysis between 2013 and 2018 at our institution. We documented the etiology of paralysis, comorbidities, and demographic data. Our primary outcome measures were complications, need for readmission, and need for revision surgery.

Results:

During the study period, 160 patients met our inclusion criteria. Mean age at time of surgery was 62.1 ± 13.9 years; there were 82 (51%) males and 78 (49%) females. Nine (5.6%) patients experienced major complications after surgery and 7 (4.4%) patients required unplanned readmission. Mean time to complication was 6.9 ± 9.7 days. There were no instances of postoperative airway compromise requiring intervention. There were no mortalities. Of those who underwent primary surgery, 22 (14%) patients required revision surgery.

Conclusion:

Given that complications tend to occur in a delayed fashion rather than in the acute postoperative period, same-day discharge seems reasonable as compared to overnight observation in medically stable patients undergoing type 1 thyroplasty.

Level of Evidence:

IV
Worry, Behavior Change, and Daily Adversity: How US Latino/a Parents Experience Contemporary Immigration Actions and News
Authors: Roche Kathleen M. , Vaquera Elizabeth , Delbasso Claudia A. , Kuperminc Gabriel P. , Cordon Marisa , Rivera Maria Ivonne
Published: January 2020

The current study examines residency status differences in US Latino/a parents’ perceptions of how recent immigration actions and news have shaped their lives. Focus group data were collected during the fall of 2017 from 50 Central American parents of adolescents. Focus groups were homogenous with respect to one of four residency statuses: undocumented, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), permanent resident, and citizen. Three themes characterized parents’ perceptions: (a) worry and concern, (b) behavior change, and (c) daily life adversities. Within each theme, parents’ experiences included those that were universal across all residency status groups as well as those specific to residency status. Regardless of residency status, parents felt that President Trump’s rhetoric had led to heightened levels of fear among Latino/as, described reducing travel or plans to travel, and reported increases in discrimination against Latino/as. Other experiences of immigration actions and news varied depending upon parents’ residency status.
Application of a methodology to design a municipal waste pre-collection network in real scenarios
Authors: Cavallin Antonella , Rossit Diego Gabriel , Herrán Symonds Victoria , Rossit Daniel Alejandro , Frutos Mariano
Published: January 2020

The design of efficient municipal solid waste (MSW) pre-collection networks can contribute to the global efficiency and sustainability of the reverse logistic chain of MSW in modern cities. With this aim, in this paper a comprehensive methodology that involves making decisions in several stages, from waste fraction classification to the final optimization of waste bins’ location, was applied in two real cases of the city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. This city, does not have much available data about waste generation and, therefore, an important fieldwork had to be performed for applying this methodology, involving estimating population density per block and waste generation rate per inhabitant, identifying the location of commercial and institutional buildings and also estimating its generation rate, as well as performing a characterization of the MSW from similar studies in the literature and surveys performed to make decisions. The modelling of the urban characteristics was performed in a geographic information system. In the bins’ location problem, a mixed-integer optimization model was applied, seeking to minimize the investment costs, given the maximum area available and the capacity of the bins. Different scenarios were analysed, considering different collection frequencies and the maximum distance to be travelled by the user.
Chin Augmentation and Reshaping: Using Calcium Hydroxylapatite With Lidocaine (CaHA+) Filler
Authors: Hartstein Morris , Fezza John
Published: January 2020

Adequate chin projection is associated with strength in the male jawline, youth in a female face, and a harmonious balance with the nose. Calcium hydroxylapatite plus integral lidocaine (CaHA+; Merz North America, Inc.) is a filler that has demonstrated immediate volume improvement for midface augmentation and for filling facial folds. There is a paucity of reports of the use of CaHA+ in the chin. The objective of this study was to assess the use of moldable CaHA+ injections to improve the chin profile. Twelve patients with microgenia were treated with CaHA+ chin injections for improvement of the chin profile. Deep, pre-periosteal, serial injections of CaHA+ were performed on the chin. Efficacy was assessed by the treating physician using sagittal profile views at 1-week, 1-month and 6-month follow-ups. Patients were monitored for complications. In total, 5 male and 7 female patients were treated to optimal enhancement of their chin profile. Average age was 47 years (range of 22-64 years). Patients received a mean total volume of 4.8 mL CaHA+. All patients were satisfied, and results persisted at the 6-month assessment. No complications were noted. CaHA+ can be used to augment the chin to enhance a recessed chin profile. This procedure is quick and effective, providing immediate results. Patients seeking a less-invasive alternative to surgery without the associated downtime may be ideal candidates for CaHA+ injections into the chin.
Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile in animals
Authors: Weese J. Scott
Published: January 2020

Clostridium ( Clostridioides) difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that is an important cause of disease in people, a variably important cause of disease in some animal species, and an apparently harmless commensal in others. Regardless of whether it is a known pathogen in a particular species, it can also be found in healthy individuals, sometimes at high prevalences and typically with higher rates of carriage in young individuals. As it is investigated in more animal species, it is apparent that this bacterium is widely disseminated in a diverse range of domestic and wild animal species. Although it can be found in most species in which investigations have been performed, there are pronounced intra- and inter-species differences in prevalence and clinical relevance. A wide range of strains can be identified, some that appear to be animal associated and others that are found in humans and animals. A large percentage of strains that cause disease in people can at least sporadically be found in animals. It is a potentially important zoonotic pathogen, but there is limited direct evidence of animal–human transmission. Although C. difficile has been studied extensively over the past few decades, it remains an enigmatic organism in many ways.
Regression-Based Normative Data for Children From Latin America: Phonological Verbal Fluency Letters M, R, and P
Authors: Rivera Diego , Olabarrieta-Landa Laiene , Van der Elst Wim , Gonzalez Isabel , Ferrer-Cascales Rosario , Peñalver Guia Ana Ivis , Rodriguez-Lorenzana Alberto , Galarza-del-Angel Javier , Irías Escher María José , Arango-Lasprilla Juan Carlos
Published: January 2020

This study is part of a larger project to generate norms for letter verbal fluency test (VFT) in 3,284 children from nine Latin American countries. The letter VFT (letters M, R, and P) was administered and multiple linear regressions, including age, age2, MPE (mean parental education), MPE2, sex, and interactions were used as predictors. Results showed significant differences across countries for all scores. Age affected scores linearly except for Ecuador (P-letter), in which a quadratic effect was found. Scores increased linearly as a function of MPE, with the exception of Mexico (R-letter), in which a quadratic effect was found. Age by MPE (M- and P-letters), and age by MPE2 (R-letter) interactions were found in Mexico. Sex had an impact on letter R in Cuba, and letter P in Ecuador and Paraguay. Age2 by sex interaction was found in Ecuador (P-letter). These norms will be useful for clinical neuropsychologists in these countries to evaluate their patients’ verbal fluency.
Numerical simulations for the dynamics of flexural shells
Authors: Shen Xiaoqin , Piersanti Luisa , Piersanti Paolo
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we study a model describing the displacement of a linearly elastic flexural shell subjected to given dynamic loads from the computational point of view. The model under consideration takes the form of a set of hyperbolic variational equations posed over the space of admissible linearised inextensional displacements, and a set of initial conditions. Since the original model is not suitable for the implementation of a finite element method, we conduct the experiments on the corresponding penalised model. It was recently shown that the solution to such a penalised model is a good approximation of the solution to the original model. Numerical tests are therefore conducted on the the penalised model; the approximation of the solution to the penalised model is obtained via Newmark’s scheme, which is then implemented and tested for shells having the following middle surfaces: a portion of a cylinder and a portion of a cone. For the sake of completeness, we also present the results of the numerical tests related to a model describing the displacement of a linearly elastic elliptic membrane shell under the action of given dynamic loads.
Infrastructure, Political Conflict, and Stakeholder Interests: The Case of a Public–Private Partnership in Bangladesh
Authors: Huque Ahmed Shafiqul
Published: January 2020

Public–private partnerships (P3s) offer an alternative for constructing public infrastructure by drawing upon private sector finance and expertise. This article explores the case of the construction of an inland container terminal in Bangladesh. Drawing upon a review of the literature on P3s, secondary publications, government documents, and interviews with relevant sources, the study reveals that diverse interests influenced the decision and implementation of an infrastructure project under a P3 model. The investment capacity of the private sector and its human and technological resources could not help overcome the strong obstacles created by political and social forces. The project took a long time to complete, and decisions on the location were frequently changed. The study finds that intense animosity between the two leading political parties that led to efforts to deny credit to competitors and conflicting stakeholder interests are formidable obstacles in the way of implementing P3 projects in Bangladesh.
Optical coherence tomography angiography findings in young β-thalassemia patients
Authors: Güler Kazancı Elif , Korkmaz Muhammet Furkan , Can Mehmet Erol
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

The purpose was to evaluate retinal vascular parameters by optical coherence tomography angiography in β-thalassemia major patients.

Methods:

Thirty-three patients with β-thalassemia major (study group) and 29 healthy children (control group) were enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent a complete ocular examination. The mean foveal avascular zone, non-flow area, foveal avascular zone perimeter, acircularity index of foveal avascular zone, foveal density, the superficial capillary plexus, and deep capillary plexus were scanned using 6 × 6 mm optical coherence tomography angiography scans centered on the macula. Superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus were also scanned centered on the optic disk. We collected data on histories of patients, and hemoglobin and ferritin were also studied from both groups.

Results:

The mean age was 13.85 ± 4.69 years (range: 4–21 years) in β-thalassemia major group and 12.59 ± 3.66 years (range: 6–18 years) in the control group. The mean foveal avascular zone value was 0.265 ± 0.11 mm2 in the study group and 0.296 ± 0.12 mm2 in the control group. The mean non-flow area value was 0.468 ± 0.12 mm2 in the study group and 0.479 ± 0.14 mm2 in the control group ( p > 0.05). Differences in the mean values for foveal density and acircularity index were statistically significant between the study group and control group ( p < 0.05, p = 0.026, and p = 0.026, respectively). Superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus were not a significant difference between the study and control groups in 6 × 6 mm scans on macula and 4.5 × 4.5 mm scans on optic disk area ( p > 0.05). Acircularity index was negatively correlated ( r = −0.292, p = 0.026), and foveal density was positively correlated with hemoglobin ( r = 0.292, p = 0.026).

Conclusion:

By using optical coherence tomography angiography, we detected foveal microvascular changes in young β-thalassemia patients before significant ocular anomalies development.
Collective Efficacy, Group Threat, and Urban Change: Examining Informal Social Control Forces in Areas of Gentrification
Authors: Kozey Kathryn
Published: January 2020

Since the term gentrification was first coined in the 1960s, scholars have had an interest in understanding how this process of change can impact neighborhoods. Empirical research focusing on the relationship between gentrification and crime has yielded varying results, with little examination of the contextual mechanisms that may influence the relationship. This research combines data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods with several other sources, and employs multilevel modeling techniques to examine two such contextual mechanisms – collective efficacy and group threat, conceptualized as perceived neighborhood change. The results offer preliminary support for the moderating roles of collective efficacy and perceived neighborhood change mechanisms on the relationship between gentrification and crime. While there is an overall negative association between gentrification and crime, this effect is strengthened with collective efficacy, but reversed with rising levels of perceived neighborhood change.
Validity and usability of a smart ball–driven serious game to monitor grip strength in independent elderlies
Authors: Lunardini Francesca , Borghese N. Alberto , Piccini Luca , Bernardelli Giuseppina , Cesari Matteo , Ferrante Simona
Published: January 2020

Telemonitoring is one of the most expedient answers to the strong need for preventive care imposed by the rapidly aging society. We propose an innovative solution to the detection of early signs of frailty by presenting a serious game controlled by a smart sensorized soft plastic ball, designed to achieve continuous home-based monitoring of muscle weakness in older adults. Design, development, and testing of the smart ball and of the game interface devised to guide the monitoring procedure are presented. Reliability and concurrent validity of the system in measuring maximal grip strength against the clinical standard Jamar® were evaluated. Serious game usability and acceptance were investigated on 26 elderlies. Smart ball and Jamar measurements were well correlated (0.76 and 0.80 for dominant and non-dominant hands) and test–retest reliability of pressure measurements was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.94). The serious game was well accepted by the 96.1 percent of participants, who provided a strongly positive usability score (87.7/100). The smart ball–driven serious game demonstrated excellent reliability and good validity in measuring grip strength. The proposed smart ball–driven serious game can be used for home self-monitoring of grip strength in elderlies.
Optimization of ultrasonic guided wave inspection in structural health monitoring based on thermal sensitivity evaluation
Authors: Abbas Saqlain , Li Fucai , Qiu Jianxi , Zhu Yanping , Tu Xiaotong
Published: January 2020

Damage detection in a mechanical structure using ultrasonic guided waves becomes even more problematic when the effect of variation in environmental and operating conditions, such as mechanical noise, temperature, flow rate, inner pressure, etc. is taken into account. The variation in these environmental and operating conditions can degrade the accuracy of the damage inspection process. The basic purpose of current research work is to propose a finite element model–based simulation model to identify and estimate the influence of environmental temperature on the measured signal and meanwhile perceive the temperature invariant points to provide an optimal baseline for thermal attenuation in real-time ultrasonic guided wave inspections. This model signifies the variation in material elastic properties, thermal sensitivities, and the abrupt changes in group and phase velocities of S0 wave mode with temperature. A low bandpass filter is used to keep the excitation frequency in a certain range and remove the noise from it. The numerical investigation is achieved in [Formula: see text] on the basis of six parameters, including variation in strain rate and stress, the amplitude of displacement, symmetric and anti-symmetric dispersion curves, time of flight, group velocity, and natural frequency of the beam. A wave velocity function has been generated in the Matlab® environment to calculate the group velocity of guided waves considering the effect of both temperature and excitation frequency. A linear fit curve (first-degree polynomial) is utilized in this function to analyze the effect of temperature on group velocity. An analytical estimation has also been applied to evaluate the impact of temperature on the material properties and damage detection. The simulation model is validated against the analytical group velocity results and experimental wave amplitude results. The comparison with minute percentage error is achieved in a convincing manner. The proposed thermal sensitivity simulation model is more efficient and reliable as compared to optimal baseline selection and baseline signal stretch. It detects not only the occurrence of damage but also examines the influence of environmental temperature on ultrasonic guided wave propagation and perceives the temperature invariant points to provide an optimal baseline for thermal attenuation in real-time ultrasonic guided wave inspections. This model can also be implemented practically in transportation and industrial applications to ensure structural reliability.
Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Thalamus in Complete Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Karunakaran Keerthana Deepti , Yuan Rui , He Jie , Zhao Jian , Cui Jian-Ling , Zang Yu-Feng , Zhang Zhong , Alvarez Tara L. , Biswal Bharat B.
Published: January 2020

Background. Neuroimaging studies of spinal cord injury (SCI) have mostly examined the functional organization of the cortex, with only limited focus on the subcortical substrates of the injury. However, thalamus is an important modulator and sensory relay that requires investigation at a subnuclei level to gain insight into the neuroplasticity following SCI. Objective. To use resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the functional connectivity (FC) of thalamic subnuclei in complete SCI patients. Methods. A seed-based connectivity analysis was applied for 3 thalamic subnuclei: pulvinar, mediodorsal, and ventrolateral nucleus in each hemisphere. A nonparametric 2-sample t test with permutations was applied for each of the 6 thalamic seeds to compute FC differences between 22 healthy controls and 19 complete SCI patients with paraplegia. Results. Connectivity analysis showed a decrease in the FC of the bilateral mediodorsal nucleus with right superior temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex in the SCI group. Similarly, the left ventrolateral nucleus exhibited decreased FC with left superior temporal gyrus in SCI group. In contrast, left pulvinar nucleus demonstrated an increase in FC with left inferior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule in SCI group. Our findings also indicate a negative relationship between postinjury durations and thalamic FC to regions of sensorimotor and visual cortices, where longer postinjury durations (~12 months) is associated with higher negative connectivity between these regions. Conclusion. This study provides evidence for reorganization in the thalamocortical connections known to be involved in multisensory integration and affective processing, with possible implications in the generation of sensory abnormalities after SCI.
Application of Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation in Medical Therapies
Authors: Cuttler Jerry M.
Published: January 2020

The discovery of X-rays and radioactivity in 1895/1896 triggered a flood of studies and applications of radiation in medicine that continues to this day. They started with imaging fractures/organs and progressed to treating diseases by exposing areas to radiation from external and internal sources. By definition, low-dose treatments stimulate damage control (or adaptive protection) systems that remedy diseases. Publications are identified on low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) therapies for different cancers, infections, inflammations, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. The high rate of endogenous DNA damage, due to leakage of oxygen from aerobic metabolism, and the damage control systems that deal with this are discussed. Their stimulation and inhibition by radiation are described. The radium dial painter studies revealed the radium ingestion threshold for malignancy and the dose threshold for bone sarcoma. The radiation scare that misled the medical profession and the public is a barrier to LDIR therapies. Many studies on nasal radium irradiation demonstrated that children are not unduly radiation sensitive. Omissions in the medical textbooks misinform physicians about the effects of LDIR therapy, which blocks clinical trials to determine optimal doses, efficacy, and thresholds for onset of harm. Information from many recent case reports on LDIR therapies, including successes with radon therapy, is provided.
Buoyancy effects on nanoliquids film flow through a porous medium with gyrotactic microorganisms and cubic autocatalysis chemical reaction
Authors: Zuhra Samina , Khan Noor Saeed , Alam Muhammad , Islam Saeed , Khan Aurangzeb
Published: January 2020

This article is based on the mathematical model constructed to analyze the simultaneous flow and heat transfer of two nanoliquids (Casson and Williamson) in the presence of gyrotactic microorganisms and cubic autocatalysis chemical reaction through a porous medium under the potentiality of buoyancy forces. Heterogeneous reaction existing on the surface is described by isothermal cubic autocatalytic chemical reaction, whereas homogeneous reaction is taking place at far field described by first-order kinetics. Similarity transformations are used to get the different order differential equations from the governing equations which are solved via an efficient technique namely homotopy analysis method. The effects of all the non-dimensional parameters on velocity, temperature, concentration, and density of motile microorganisms are shown through graphs and elucidated. Velocity increases with the Weissenberg parameter and decreases with the Casson nanofluid parameter in the presence of magnetic field and porous medium. Temperature decreases with the high values of slip condition. The dual behavior of concentration profile for the strength of homogeneous reaction parameter is observed. Flow of microorganisms decreases based on the parameters of porous medium, magnetic field, and heterogeneous chemical reaction. There exists an excellent agreement between the present and published work.
Fractional-order internal model control algorithm based on the force/position control structure of redundant actuation parallel robot
Authors: Wen Shuhuan , Hu Xueheng , Zhang Baowei , Sheng Miao , Lam HK , Zhao Yongsheng
Published: January 2020

This article proposes a new control structure for the complex redundant actuation parallel robot based on force/position hybrid control structure. The traditional proportional–integral–derivative control method, integer-order internal model control method and fractional-filter internal model control–proportional–derivative control method are used in the position structure of force/position hybrid control. The fractional-filter internal model control–proportional–derivative control method is used in the position loop of the permanent magnet synchronous motor to reduce the position error. A fractional-order theory with the internal model control method is used in redundant actuation force control structure, which can improve the control precision of the driving force of the parallel robot. The Admas/Matlab simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms other methods and can obtain good robustness and tracking performance.
A model-free fuzzy adaptive trajectory tracking control algorithm based on dynamic surface control
Authors: Tong Mingsi , Lin Weiyang , Huo Xiang , Jin Zishu , Miao Chengzong
Published: January 2020

According to the robot’s dynamics, a high performance algorithm based on dynamic surface control is introduced to track desired trajectory, and simulations are conducted on a selective compliance assembly robot arm-type manipulator to verify the algorithm. The traditional dynamic surface control is designed based on dynamic model, which requires exact model information. Due to the model uncertainty and complex environments, the tracking performance of the controller can be significantly decreased. Therefore, a model-free fuzzy adaptive dynamic surface controller is designed, by adopting a fuzzy system with Lyapunov self-adaptation law. The new controller efficiently improves the dynamic quality. The simulation results prove that the designed model-free controller ensures that all the states and signals of the closed-loop system are bounded, the system has a faster response speed and smaller steady-state error comparing with the traditional dynamic surface control using the selective compliance assembly robot arm model, and the tracking error converge to a very small scale. Besides, the proposed algorithm can track the desired trajectory with high performance without the prior knowledge of specific parameters from the experimental manipulator, which simplifies the complexity of building the control system.
Characterization and Quantification of Phenolic Constituents in Peach Blossom by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS and UPLC-DAD
Authors: Fu Yu , Sun Ruiqin , Yang Jingfan , Wang Lili , Zhao Peng , Chen Suiqing
Published: January 2020

Peach blossom comes from the flower of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, which is used as herbal tea and medicine in China and Korea. It could promote defecation and alleviate the abdominal pain. In this paper, the methods, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method coupled with electrospray ionization hybrid linear trap quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry (LTQ OrbitrapMS) and UPLC system coupled with a diode array detector (DAD), were developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the flavonoids and phenolic acids in peach blossoms. Eight standards were divided into 3 types according to their basic skeletons: phenolic acids, quercetin-type flavonoids, and kaempferol-type flavonoids. The MSn fragmentation behaviors and diagnostic ions of these 3 types of compounds were proposed to aid the structural identification of components in peach blossom extract. By extracting the diagnostic ions from the mass spectrum in negative mode, a total of 25 compounds, including 8 phenolic acids and 17 flavonoids, were screened out. Among these compounds, 5 compounds (chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, hyperoside, and isoquercetrin) were quantitated by UPLC-DAD. The linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, and limit of quantitation were validated for the quantification method. The validated method was applied to assay 9 batches of peach blossoms from different regions. This study was the first report on the systematic qualitative analysis of compounds in peach blossom, providing insights into the quality control of peach blossom.
Lesson Plan Basics: Teaching in the Classroom With Confidence
Authors: Yonkaitis Catherine F.
Published: January 2020

The ability to confidently teach a lesson to students, staff, or families is a skill all school nurses need to have. When a lesson plan is developed, a clear “road map” is created that guides the lesson and documents what is taught. Using the eight components described in this article, school nurses can develop a comprehensive lesson plan and teach with confidence.
Bariatric Biosociality: Pushed Together, Pulled Apart
Authors: Meleo-Erwin Zoë C.
Published: January 2020

This article explores the postoperative experiences of weight loss surgery patients. More specifically, it investigates why bariatric patients seek out and form connection to similarly situated others in online and in-person support forums. Based on a thematic analysis of 30 semi-structured interviews with individuals who have had bariatric surgery, it is argued that the experience of having been medically classified as obese or severely obese, a long history of failed dieting attempts, fears of future morbidity and mortality, and then undergoing bariatric surgery serve as an axis around which some individuals interact, create identity, and form community. The perceived lack of postoperative support from home bariatric clinics, inadequate provider knowledge about the particularities of bariatric bodies, and the fact that patients must “work with” their surgeries to avoid postoperative adverse events are additional drivers for the formation of such bariatric kinship. It is argued that Paul Rabinow’s concept of “biosociality” provides a helpful theoretical frame for understanding these processes. However, just as the aforementioned factors push bariatric patients together, tensions around the type of bariatric procedure undergone, the amount of weight loss, and economic access to reconstructive plastic surgery cause conflict, leading to the formation of subgroups within bariatric communities. It is argued that, ultimately, bariatric biosocialities are spaces in which bariatric patients collectively work to achieve normative health and aesthetic standards. However, these spaces also reflect highly complex, sometimes divergent and conflictual, and often ambivalent frameworks of understanding and experience.
Overexpression of a modified eIF4E regulates potato virus Y resistance at the transcriptional level in potato
Authors: Gutierrez Sanchez Pablo A. , Babujee Lavanya , Jaramillo Mesa Helena , Arcibal Erica , Gannon Megan , Halterman Dennis , Jahn Molly , Jiang Jiming , Rakotondrafara Aurélie M.
Published: January 2020

Background

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a major pathogen of potatoes with major impact on global agricultural production. Resistance to PVY can be achieved by engineering potatoes to express a recessive, resistant allele of eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E, a host dependency factor essential to PVY replication. Here we analyzed transcriptome changes in eIF4E over-expressing potatoes to shed light on the mechanism underpinning eIF4E-mediated recessive PVY resistance.

Results

As anticipated, modified eIF4E-expressing potatoes demonstrated a high level of resistance, eIF4E expression, and an unexpected suppression of the susceptible allele transcript, likely explaining the bulk of the potent antiviral phenotype. In resistant plants, we also detected marked upregulation of genes involved in cell stress responses.

Conclusions

Our results reveal a previously unanticipated second layer of signaling attributable to eIF4E regulatory control, and potentially relevant to establishment of a broader, more systematic antiviral host defense.
HpaXpm, a novel harpin of Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis, acts as an elicitor with high thermal stability, reduces disease, and promotes plant growth
Authors: Liu Yue , Zhou Xiaoyun , Liu Wenbo , Huang Jiamin , Liu Qinghuan , Sun Jianzhang , Cai Xinfeng , Miao Weiguo
Published: January 2020

Background

Harpins are proteins secreted by the type III secretion system of Gram-negative bacteria during pathogen–plant interactions that can act as elicitors, stimulating defense and plant growth in many types of non-host plants. Harpin-treated plants have higher resistance, quality and yields and, therefore, harpin proteins may potentially have many valuable agricultural applications. Harpins are characterized by high thermal stability at 100 °C. However, it is unknown whether harpins are still active at temperatures above 100 °C or whether different temperatures affect the activity of the harpin protein in different ways. The mechanism responsible for the heat stability of harpins is also unknown.

Results

We identified a novel harpin, HpaXpm, from the cassava blight bacteria Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. manihotis HNHK. The predicted secondary structure and 3-D structure indicated that the HpaXpm protein has two β-strand domains and two major α-helical domains located at the N- and C-terminal regions, respectively. A phylogenetic tree generated using the maximum likelihood method grouped HpaXpm in clade I of the Hpa1 group along with harpins produced by other Xanthomonas spp. (i.e., HpaG-Xag, HpaG-Xcm, Hpa1-Xac, and Hpa1Xm). Phenotypic assays showed that HpaXpm induced the hypersensitive response (HR), defense responses, and growth promotion in non-host plants more effectively than Hp1Xoo (X. oryzae pv. oryzae). Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that HpaXpm proteins subjected to heat treatments at 100 °C, 150 °C, or 200 °C were still able to stimulate the expression of function-related genes (i.e., the HR marker genes Hin1 and Hsr203J, the defense-related gene NPR1, and the plant growth enhancement-related gene NtEXP6); however, the ability of heat-treated HpaXpm to induce HR was different at different temperatures.

Conclusions

These findings add a new member to the harpin family. HpaXpm is heat-stable up to 200 °C and is able to stimulate powerful beneficial biological functions that could potentially be more valuable for agricultural applications than those stimulated by Hpa1Xoo. We hypothesize that the extreme heat resistance of HpaXpm is because the structure of harpin is very stable and, therefore, the HpaXpm structure is less affected by temperature.
Non-selective beta blocker use is associated with improved short-term survival in patients with cirrhosis referred for liver transplantation
Authors: Ngwa Taiwo , Orman Eric , Gomez Eduardo Vilar , Vuppalanchi Raj , Kubal Chandrashekhar , Chalasani Naga , Ghabril Marwan
Published: January 2020

Background

Recent evidence cautions against the use of non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) in patients with refractory ascites or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis while other data suggests a survival benefit in patients with advanced liver disease. The aim of this study was to describe the use and impact of NSBB in patients with cirrhosis referred for liver transplantation.

Methods

A single-center cohort of patients with cirrhosis, who were referred and evaluated for liver transplantation between January and June 2012 were studied for baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes. Patients were grouped according to the use of NSBB at initial evaluation, with the endpoint of 90-day mortality.

Results

Sixty-five (38%) of 170 consecutive patients evaluated for liver transplantation were taking NSBB. Patients taking NSBB had higher MELD and Child Pugh score. NSBB use was associated with lower 90-day mortality (6% vs. 15%) with a risk adjusted hazard ratio of 0.27 (95%CI .09–0.88, p = .03). Patients taking NSBB developed acute kidney injury (AKI) within 90 days more frequently than patients not taking NSBB (22% vs 11%), p = 0.048). However, this was related to increased stage 1 AKI episodes, all of which resolved. Twelve (27%) of 45 patients with > 90 day follow up discontinued NSBB, most commonly for hypotension and AKI, had increased subsequent MELD and mortality.

Conclusions

NSBB use in patients with cirrhosis undergoing liver transplant evaluation is associated with better short-term survival. Nevertheless, ongoing tolerance of NSBB in this population is dynamic and may select a subset of patients with better hemodynamic reserve.
Repeated false reactive ADVIA centaur® and bio-rad Geenius™ HIV tests in a patient self-administering anabolic steroids
Authors: Tsybina Polly , Hennink Maurice , Diener Tania , Minion Jessica , Lang Amanda , Lavoie Stephanie , Kim John , Wong Alexander
Published: January 2020

Background

An individual is considered HIV positive when a confirmatory HIV-1/HIV-2 differentiation test returns positive following an initial reactive antigen/antibody combination screen. Falsely reactive HIV screens have been reported in patients with various concomitant infectious and autoimmune conditions. Falsely positive confirmatory HIV differentiation assays are seen less frequently, but have been observed in cases of pregnancy, pulmonary embolism, and malaria.

Case presentation

A healthy 27 year-old man was referred after a reactive ADVIA Centaur® HIV Ag/Ab screen and positive Bio-Rad Geenius™ HIV 1/2 Confirmatory assay, suggesting HIV-1 infection. The patient’s HIV viral load was undetectable prior to initiation of antiretroviral therapy, and remained undetectable on subsequent testing after initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Both Centaur® and Geenius™ tests were repeated and returned reactive. As this patient was believed to be at low risk of acquiring HIV infection, samples were additionally run on Genscreen™ HIV-1 Ag assay and Fujirebio Inno-LIA™ HIV-1/2 score, with both returning non-reactive. For confirmation, the patient’s proviral HIV DNA testing was negative, confirming the initial results as being falsely positive. The patient disclosed that he had been using a variety of anabolic steroids before and during the time of HIV testing.

Discussion and conclusions

The erroneous diagnosis of HIV can result in decreased quality of life and adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy if initiated, hence the importance of interpreting the results of HIV testing in the context of an individual patient. This reports suggests a potential association between the use of anabolic steroids and falsely-reactive HIV testing.
Effect of prior receipt of antibiotics on the pathogen distribution: a retrospective observational cohort study on 27,792 patients
Authors: Li Leiqing , Xu Lingcheng , Zhu Rongsheng , Song Jiaojiao , Wang Xuanding
Published: January 2020

Background

There have been no systematic studies of microbiological differences before and after antibiotics treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of prior receipt of antibiotics on the microorganism distribution.

Methods

A retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted in a 3200-bed tertiary, referral, teaching hospital in eastern China. During a 2-year period, all hospitalized patients treated with antimicrobial agents were enrolled in this study. Among 48,692 patients evaluated, the 27,792 (57.1%) who were sampled within 2 days before or after administration of the first dose of antimicrobial agents were included. Distribution of clinical specimens and the microorganism were compared between before and after antibiotic drug treatment groups.

Results

Compared to specimens taken after antibiotics exposure, specimens taken before antibiotics exposure had a higher proportion of blood and urine specimens and a higher culture positive rate (allP < 0.001). Higher percentages ofStaphylococcus aureus(9.9% vs. 8.5%,P = 0.041), non-fermenting bacteria (27.7% vs. 19.9%,P < 0.001), and fungi (8.4% vs. 4.0%,P < 0.001) were isolated from the group after antibiotics exposure, while the percentages ofStreptococcus spp.(4.8% vs. 2.7%,P < 0.001),Haemophilus influenzae(2.3% vs. 0.8%,P < 0.001), andMoraxella catarrhalis(0.7% vs. 0.1%,P < 0.001) were higher in the group before antibiotics exposure. Further analysis found significant differences of microbes derived from respiratory secretions, blood or urine samples. We found, after antibiotics exposure, the separation rate of non-fermenting bacteria was significantly increased (allP < 0.05), and the separation rate ofCandida spp. was higher, with statistical significance in airway secretion and urine samples (bothP < 0.05), but the separation rate ofStaphylococcus aureusamong the three groups was not affected by antibiotics. In addition, the isolation rate ofStreptococcus spp.in blood and urine samples decreased significantly (bothP < 0.05) after antibiotics exposure. Interestingly, no statistical difference was found for microbes isolated from body fluid specimens between the two groups.

Conclusions

The outcome revealed that antibiotic-insensitive organisms such as non-fermentative bacteria and fungi were more frequently isolated after antibiotics exposure. However, this trend might be specimen dependent and was not obvious in body fluid specimens.