bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban ecophysiology: beyond costs, stress and biomarkers
Authors: Isaksson Caroline
Published: November 2020

Natural habitats are rapidly declining due to urbanisation, with a concomitant decline in biodiversity in highly urbanised areas. Yet thousands of different species have colonised urban environments. These organisms are exposed to novel urban conditions, which are sometimes beneficial, but most often challenging, such as increased ambient temperature, chemicals, noise and light pollution, dietary alterations and disturbance by humans. Given the fundamental role of physiological responses in coping with such conditions, certain physiological systems such as the redox system, metabolism and hormones are thought to specifically influence organisms’ ability to persist and cope with urbanisation. However, these physiological systems often show mixed responses to urbanisation. Does this mean that some individuals, populations or species are resilient to the urban environmental challenges? Or is something missing from our analyses, leading us to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation? To understand the impact of urbanisation, I argue that a more integrated mechanistic and ecological approach is needed, along with experiments, in order to fully understand the physiological responses; without knowledge of their ecological and evolutionary context, physiological measures alone can be misinterpreted. Furthermore, we need to further investigate the causes of and capacity for individual plasticity in order to understand not only the impact of urbanisation, but also species resilience. I argue that abiotic and biotic urban factors can interact (e.g. pollution with micro- and macronutrients) to either constrain or relax individual physiological responses – and, thereby, plasticity – on a temporal and/or spatial scale, which can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation.
Case Report: Prostatitis tuberculosis mimicking prostate cancer
Authors: Warli Syah Mirsya , Kadar Dhirajaya Dharma , Warli Muhammad Haritsyah
Published: November 2020

A 56-year-old male who presented with recurrent gross hematuria and moderate lower urinary tract symptoms. After taking the patient’s medical history and performing a physical exam, suspicion of prostate cancer arose with prostate enlargement during rectal examination without tenderness and palpable nodes. Ultrasound showed estimated prostate volume of 95 gr and prostate specific antigen of 5.5. Transurethral resection of the prostate was performed and prostate tissue was checked by a pathologist, with histopathological examination showing active tuberculosis lesions. An interferon gamma release assay test was performed, which showed a positive result. The patient was diagnosed with prostatitis tuberculosis and treated with standard nine-month regimen for extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Prostate enlargement due to tuberculosis is rare and its presence may mimic prostate cancer presentation; however, due to its rarity, careful examination is needed in order to provide optimal management.
Learning Against the Wind: Diversity and Performance on the Ships of the Dutch East India Company
Authors: Wezel Filippo Carlo , Ruef Martin
Published: November 2020

Learning is of paramount importance to organizations, often hinging on the accumulation of experience among workers. The returns from experience, however, are far from certain in large groups, marked by complex interdependencies and composed of a demographically diverse workforce. How do organizations manage to learn and improve their performance under these conditions? We claim that the standardization of work practices and procedures provides two key advantages. First, it magnifies the positive returns that a unit reaps from the experience of its workers. Second, standardization anchors the accumulated experience of workers to organizational routines that transcend the individual units in which they have worked. Increasing experience eases coordination among workers and attenuates the negative effects of diversity on a unit’s performance. We test these arguments using data tracking the composition of ship crews in the Dutch East India Company, an organization that witnessed significant efforts at standardizing work practices and procedures in the face of increasing national diversity. We find preliminary support for our hypotheses from analyses of the time to completion of 2,200 voyages to Asia during the period between 1700 and 1796.
Behavior Changes in Paulo Coelho Veronika Decides to Die: A Psychological Approach
Authors: Prakoso Bagas Suryo , Daulay Resneri
Published: November 2020

This research entitled “Behavior Changes in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die: A Psychological Approach”. The purpose of this study is to analyze the personality of the main character presented in the novel. In addition, the aim of this research is to reveal the main character’s environments contribute to the character’s motivation to life. This novel conducted the struggle from Veronika as the main character for finding her motivation to life.This study used qualitative research; descriptive qualitative methods are used to analyze data. This study used three main concepts of social cognitive theory by Albert Bandura (1986), there are reciprocal determinism, therapy, and dysfunction behavior/depression. This study also applied the theory of social cognitive theory in the book entitled The Theory of Personality by Jess Feist as a tool to analyze the personality of the main character also the main character’s environments contribute to the character’s motivation to life in the novel Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho.In this study, the researcher found two main results. First, this study indicated personality of Veronika as the main character in the novel Veronika Decides to Die based on the social cognitive theory concept that is dysfunction behavior. Based on concept of dysfunction behavior, it shows that Veronika is an introvert person, fainthearted, and suffering from depression. Second, this study discovered the main character’s environments contribute to the character’s motivation to life based on the social cognitive concepts, they are reciprocal determinism and therapy. Based on that theoretical concept, it shows that Veronika’s environment really helps her to find her motivation to life. They are Mari, Zedka, and Edward.Keyword: Motivation to life, Dysfunction Behavior, Reciprocal Determinism and Therapy
Impact of thoracic aortic disease on quality of life
Authors: Palmer Sarah Jane
Published: November 2020

In this monthly feature, Sarah Jane Palmer delves into topical news, the latest research and what the experts are saying on subjects related to cardiology and cardiac nursing practice
“You Must Adhere Strictly to the Time and Days of Intake”: Medical Advice and Negotiations of Medical Authority in Nigerian HIV Consultations
Authors: Boluwaduro Eniola
Published: November 2020

Using the methodology of conversation analysis, this paper examines the practice of offering medical advice and its implication for negotiations of medical authority in Nigerian HIV consultations. Analyses of ninety treatment recommendation sequences from seventy audio-recorded interactions between doctors and HIV-positive patients reveal that doctors issue instructions as a form of medical advice on patients’ adherence to medical recommendations. During the advisory interactions, patients are held accountable for maintaining medical wellness, although the doctors’ reasons for offering medical advice, and the turn design and sequential distribution of the advice-giving sequence indicate that advice serves to enact authoritative roles. The findings are a counter-balance to the position, in existing conversation analysis research, that patients’ actions palliate medical authority. This paper calls for a broader conceptualisation of “adherence” and “medical authority” within medical institutional settings.
Zwischen den Welten: zur kognitiven und kommunikativen Ko-Konstruktion von Alteritätserfahrung
Authors: Schröder Ulrike
Published: November 2020

It is still hard to find the examination of real interaction from a cognitive, “embodied” and multimodal perspective in empirical practice, concurrently maintaining the operational framework of conversation analysis. The following article aims at showing how co-participants in talk-in-interaction co-construct intercultural experience multimodally, that is, on verbal, prosodic and gestural-corporal levels. Based on five sequences taken from the ICMI corpus of the research group Intercultural Communication in Multimodal Interactions, founded at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2010, it will be revealed how interactants narrate their intercultural experience based on reenactments, how (inter)cultural conceptualizations are (co-)built by means of iconic, metaphorical and beat gestures, by gaze, posture and body movements, as well as by prosodic cues such as pitch jumps and contours, accents, volume and tempo. Concurrently, all those means serve as contextualization cues to express the interlocutors’ involvement, stance, alignment as well as affiliation, and can be conceived as “points of access” to deeper entrenched schemata related to the participant’s (inter)cultural experiences. In this sense, the study aims to bridge the gap between conversational and interactional linguistics, on the one hand, and cognitive and cultural linguistics, on the other.
Fast, non-iterative algorithm for quantitative integration of X-ray differential phase-contrast images
Authors: Massimi Lorenzo , Buchanan Ian , Astolfo Alberto , Endrizzi Marco , Olivo Alessandro
Published: November 2020

X-ray phase contrast imaging is gaining importance as an imaging tool. However, it is common for X-ray phase detection techniques to be sensitive to the derivatives of the phase. Therefore, the integration of differential phase images is a fundamental step both to access quantitative pixel content and for further analysis such as segmentation. The integration of noisy data leads to artefacts with a severe impact on image quality and on its quantitative content. In this work, an integration method based on the Wiener filter is presented and tested using simulated and real data obtained with the edge illumination differential X-ray phase imaging method. The method is shown to provide high image quality while preserving the quantitative pixel content of the integrated image. In addition, it requires a short computational time making it suitable for large datasets.
Spectrally sparse optical coherence tomography
Authors: Atalar Okan , Millar David S. , Wang Pu , Koike-Akino Toshiaki , Kojima Keisuke , Orlik Phillip V. , Parsons Kieran
Published: November 2020

Swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) typically relies on expensive and complex swept-source lasers, the cost of which currently limits the suitability of OCT for new applications. In this work, we demonstrate spectrally sparse OCT utilizing randomly spaced low-bandwidth optical chirps, suitable for low-cost implementation with telecommunications grade devices. Micron scale distance estimation accuracy with a resolution of 40 μm at a standoff imaging distance greater than 10 cm is demonstrated using a stepped chirp approach with approximately 23% occupancy of 4 THz bandwidth. For imaging of sparse scenes, comparable performance to full bandwidth occupancy is verified for metallic targets.
Vector imaging of an in-plane electric current using a planar magneto-optical sensor
Authors: Tsuchiya Masahiro
Published: November 2020

This study proposes and successfully demonstrates an imaging technique to visualize in-plane electric current vector distributions using a plate-shape magneto-optical (MO) sensor. The technique is based on the method proposed by Roth et al. [J. Appl. Phys.65, 361 (1989)10.1063/1.342549] but configured with the original algorithm for the use of a planar sensor and for future prompt display. The division in the Fourier domain is avoided for the suppression of unnecessary noise enhancement. The signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range are evaluated, and the effects of the MO characteristics are discussed.
Fluorescence properties of hybridized thin films consisting of organic dye J-aggregates and titanium oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Yanagita Takuya , Onodera Tsunenobu , Sato Rodrigo , Takeda Yoshihiko , Oikawa Hidetoshi
Published: November 2020

Aiming at a highly bright emitter, hybridized thin films consisting of organic dye TDBC J-aggregates (JA) and titanium oxide (TO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been fabricated successfully. The fluorescence intensity and the corresponding fluorescence quantum yield multiplied ca. 10 times and ca. twice, respectively. TO NPs have a high refractive index, and have no absorption loss like metal NPs. On the other hand, extinction (absorption) and fluorescence spectra are in general overlapped in organic dye JA, that is, so a small Stokes’ shift. Namely, the present phenomenon could be qualitatively explained by the simultaneously optical processes of both “excitation enhancement” induced directly by near-field effect from TO NPs and “emission enhancement” as a radiation of scattering field from TO NPs, which were polarized by the excitation energy from TDBC JA to TO NPs. In other words, the definite scattering peak in the extinction spectrum of TO NPs should be tuned efficiently with extinction (absorption) and fluorescence peak bands of TDBC JA.
System-on-a-chip-based special-purpose computer for phase electroholography
Authors: Yamamoto Yota , Shimobaba Tomoyoshi , Nakayama Hirotaka , Kakue Takashi , Masuda Nobuyuki , Ito Tomoyoshi
Published: November 2020

Electroholography can produce natural 3D scenes and has gained recognition as an ideal 3D technology. However, insufficient computational power has made it difficult to achieve real-time electroholography. In this paper, we developed a compact special-purpose system for calculating phase-only holograms. We implemented the developed system using a system on a chip embedded with a processor and logic circuit blocks. Our system successfully computed holograms of 1,920×1,080 pixels from a point-cloud with 32,500 points at 10 frames per second. The system is 147 times faster than a personal computer (with 6 CPU cores).
Digital quantum simulation of Floquet topological phases with a solid-state quantum simulator
Authors: Chen Bing , Li Shuo , Hou Xianfei , Ge Feifei , Zhou Feifei , Qian Peng , Mei Feng , Jia Suotang , Xu Nanyang , Shen Heng
Published: November 2020

Harnessing the dynamics of complex quantum systems is an area of much interest and a quantum simulator has emerged as a promising platform to probe exotic topological phases. Since the flexibility offered by various controllable quantum systems has helped gain insight into the quantum simulation of such complicated problems, an analog quantum simulator has recently shown its feasibility to tackle the problems of exploring topological phases. However, digital quantum simulation and the detection of topological phases still remain elusive. Here, we develop and experimentally realize the digital quantum simulation of topological phases with a solid-state quantum simulator at room temperature. Distinct from previous works dealing with static topological phases, the topological phases emulated here are Floquet topological phases. Furthermore, we also illustrate the procedure of digitally simulating a quantum quench and observing the nonequilibrium dynamics of Floquet topological phases. Using a quantum quench, the 0- and

π

-energy topological invariants are unambiguously detected through measuring time-averaged spin polarizations. We believe our experiment opens up a new avenue to digitally simulate and detect Floquet topological phases with fast-developed programmable quantum simulators.
West Nile virus in California, 2003–2018: A persistent threat
Authors: Snyder Robert E. , Feiszli Tina , Foss Leslie , Messenger Sharon , Fang Ying , Barker Christopher M. , Reisen William K. , Vugia Duc J. , Padgett Kerry A. , Kramer Vicki L.
Published: November 2020

The California Arbovirus Surveillance Program was initiated over 50 years ago to track endemic encephalitides and was enhanced in 2000 to include West Nile virus (WNV) infections in humans, mosquitoes, sentinel chickens, dead birds and horses. This comprehensive statewide program is a function of strong partnerships among the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the University of California, and local vector control and public health agencies. This manuscript summarizes WNV surveillance data in California since WNV was first detected in 2003 in southern California. From 2003 through 2018, 6,909 human cases of WNV disease, inclusive of 326 deaths, were reported to CDPH, as well as 730 asymptomatic WNV infections identified during screening of blood and organ donors. Of these, 4,073 (59.0%) were reported as West Nile neuroinvasive disease. California’s WNV disease burden comprised 15% of all cases that were reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during this time, more than any other state. Additionally, 1,299 equine WNV cases were identified, along with detections of WNV in 23,322 dead birds, 31,695 mosquito pools, and 7,340 sentinel chickens. Annual enzootic detection of WNV typically preceded detection in humans and prompted enhanced intervention to reduce the risk of WNV transmission. Peak WNV activity occurred from July through October in the Central Valley and southern California. Less than five percent of WNV activity occurred in other regions of the state or outside of this time. WNV continues to be a major threat to public and wild avian health in California, particularly in southern California and the Central Valley during summer and early fall months. Local and state public health partners must continue statewide human and mosquito surveillance and facilitate effective mosquito control and bite prevention measures.
Environmental rhythms orchestrate neural activity at multiple stages of processing during memory encoding: Evidence from event-related potentials
Authors: Hickey Paige , Barnett-Young Annie , Patel Aniruddh D. , Race Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

Accumulating evidence suggests that rhythmic temporal structures in the environment influence memory formation. For example, stimuli that appear in synchrony with the beat of background, environmental rhythms are better remembered than stimuli that appear out-of-synchrony with the beat. This rhythmic modulation of memory has been linked to entrained neural oscillations which are proposed to act as a mechanism of selective attention that prioritize processing of events that coincide with the beat. However, it is currently unclear whether rhythm influences memory formation by influencing early (sensory) or late (post-perceptual) processing of stimuli. The current study used stimulus-locked event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the locus of stimulus processing at which rhythm temporal cues operate in the service of memory formation. Participants viewed a series of visual objects that either appeared in-synchrony or out-of-synchrony with the beat of background music and made a semantic classification (living/non-living) for each object. Participants’ memory for the objects was then tested (in silence). The timing of stimulus presentation during encoding (in-synchrony or out-of-synchrony with the background beat) influenced later ERPs associated with post-perceptual selection and orienting attention in time rather than earlier ERPs associated with sensory processing. The magnitude of post-perceptual ERPs also differed according to whether or not participants demonstrated a mnemonic benefit for in-synchrony compared to out-of-synchrony stimuli, and was related to the magnitude of the rhythmic modulation of memory performance across participants. These results support two prominent theories in the field, the Dynamic Attending Theory and the Oscillation Selection Hypothesis, which propose that neural responses to rhythm act as a core mechanism of selective attention that optimize processing at specific moments in time. Furthermore, they reveal that in addition to acting as a mechanism of early attentional selection, rhythm influences later, post-perceptual cognitive processes as events are transformed into memory.
Effects of music therapy on depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Tang Qishou , Huang Zhaohui , Zhou Huan , Ye Peijie
Published: November 2020

Background

We aimed to determine and compare the effects of music therapy and music medicine on depression, and explore the potential factors associated with the effect.

Methods

PubMed (MEDLINE), Ovid-Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Clinical Evidence were searched to identify studies evaluating the effectiveness of music-based intervention ondepressionfrom inception to May 2020. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were estimated with random-effect model and fixed-effect model.

Results

A total of 55 RCTs were included in our meta-analysis. Music therapy exhibited a significant reduction in depressive symptom (SMD = −0.66; 95% CI = -0.86 to -0.46;P<0.001) compared with the control group; while, music medicine exhibited a stronger effect in reducing depressive symptom (SMD = −1.33; 95% CI = -1.96 to -0.70;P<0.001). Among the specific music therapy methods, recreative music therapy (SMD = -1.41; 95% CI = -2.63 to -0.20;P<0.001), guided imagery and music (SMD = -1.08; 95% CI = -1.72 to -0.43;P<0.001), music-assisted relaxation (SMD = -0.81; 95% CI = -1.24 to -0.38;P<0.001), music and imagery (SMD = -0.38; 95% CI = -0.81 to 0.06;P= 0.312), improvisational music therapy (SMD = -0.27; 95% CI = -0.49 to -0.05;P= 0.001), music and discuss (SMD = -0.26; 95% CI = -1.12 to 0.60;P= 0.225) exhibited a different effect respectively. Music therapy and music medicine both exhibited a stronger effects of short and medium length compared with long intervention periods.

Conclusions

A different effect of music therapy and music medicine on depression was observed in our present meta-analysis, and the effect might be affected by the therapy process.
Musical emotions in the absence of music: A cross-cultural investigation of emotion communication in music by extra-musical cues
Authors: Susino Marco , Schubert Emery
Published: November 2020

Research in music and emotion has long acknowledged the importance of extra-musical cues, yet has been unable to measure their effect on emotion communication in music. The aim of this research was to understand how extra-musical cues affect emotion responses to music in two distinguishable cultures. Australian and Cuban participants (N = 276) were instructed to name an emotion in response to written lyric excerpts from eight distinct music genres, using genre labels as cues. Lyrics were presented primed with genre labels (original priming and a false, lured genre label) or unprimed. For some genres, emotion responses to the same lyrics changed based on the primed genre label. We explain these results as emotion expectations induced by extra-musical cues. This suggests that prior knowledge elicited by lyrics and music genre labels are able to affect the musical emotion responses that music can communicate, independent of the emotion contribution made by psychoacoustic features. For example, the results show a lyric excerpt that is believed to belong to the Heavy Metal genre triggers high valence/high arousal emotions compared to the same excerpt primed as Japanese Gagaku, without the need of playing any music. The present study provides novel empirical evidence of extra-musical effects on emotion and music, and supports this interpretation from a multi-genre, cross-cultural perspective. Further findings were noted in relation to fandom that also supported the emotion expectation account. Participants with high levels of fandom for a genre reported a wider range of emotions in response to the lyrics labelled as being a song from that same specific genre, compared to lower levels of fandom. Both within and across culture differences were observed, and the importance of a culture effect discussed.
A taxonomic and molecular survey of the pteridophytes of the Nectandra Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
Authors: Nitta Joel H. , Ebihara Atsushi , Smith Alan R.
Published: November 2020

Floristic surveys are crucial to the conservation of biodiversity, but the vast majority of such surveys are limited to listing species names, and few take into account the evolutionary history of species. Here, we combine classical taxonomic and molecular phylogenetic (DNA barcoding) approaches to catalog the biodiversity of pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) of the Nectandra Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica. Surveys were carried out over three field seasons (2008, 2011, and 2013), resulting in 176 species representing 69 genera and 22 families of pteridophytes. Our literature survey of protected areas in Costa Rica shows that Nectandra has an exceptionally diverse pteridophyte flora for its size. Plastid rbcL was selected as a DNA barcode marker and obtained for >95% of pteridophyte taxa at this site. Combined molecular and morphological analyses revealed two previously undescribed taxa that appear to be of hybrid origin. The utility of rbcL for species identification was assessed by calculating minimum interspecific distances and found to have a failure rate of 18%. Finally we compared the distribution of minimum interspecific rbcL distances with two other areas that have been the focus of pteridophyte molecular surveys: Japan and Tahiti. The comparison shows that Nectandra is more similar to Japan than Tahiti, which may reflect the biogeographic history of these floras.
Biophysical and X-ray structural studies of the (GGGTT)3GGG G-quadruplex in complex with N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX
Authors: Lin Linda Yingqi , McCarthy Sawyer , Powell Barrett M. , Manurung Yanti , Xiang Irene M. , Dean William L. , Chaires Brad , Yatsunyk Liliya A.
Published: November 2020

The G-quadruplex (GQ) is a well-studied non-canonical DNA structure formed by G-rich sequences found at telomeres and gene promoters. Biological studies suggest that GQs may play roles in regulating gene expression, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Small molecule ligands were shown to alter GQ structure and stability and thereby serve as novel therapies, particularly against cancer. In this work, we investigate the interaction of a G-rich sequence, 5’-GGGTTGGGTTGGGTTGGG-3’ (T1), with a water-soluble porphyrin, N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) via biophysical and X-ray crystallographic studies. UV-vis and fluorescence titrations, as well as a Job plot, revealed a 1:1 binding stoichiometry with an impressively tight binding constant of 30–50 μM-1 and ΔG298 of -10.3 kcal/mol. Eight extended variants of T1 (named T2 –T9) were fully characterized and T7 was identified as a suitable candidate for crystallographic studies. We solved the crystal structures of the T1- and T7-NMM complexes at 2.39 and 2.34 Å resolution, respectively. Both complexes form a 5’-5’ dimer of parallel GQs capped by NMM at the 3’ G-quartet, supporting the 1:1 binding stoichiometry. Our work provides invaluable details about GQ-ligand binding interactions and informs the design of novel anticancer drugs that selectively recognize specific GQs and modulate their stability for therapeutic purposes.
Factors associated with disease severity and mortality among patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chidambaram Vignesh , Tun Nyan Lynn , Haque Waqas Z. , Majella Marie Gilbert , Sivakumar Ranjith Kumar , Kumar Amudha , Hsu Angela Ting-Wei , Ishak Izza A. , Nur Aqsha A. , Ayeh Samuel K. , Salia Emmanuella L. , Zil-E-Ali Ahsan , Saeed Muhammad A. , Sarena Ayu P. B. , Seth Bhavna , Ahmadzada Muzzammil , Haque Eman F. , Neupane Pranita , Wang Kuang-Heng , Pu Tzu-Miao , Ali Syed M. H. , Arshad Muhammad A. , Wang Lin , Baksh Sheriza , Karakousis Petros C. , Galiatsatos Panagis
Published: November 2020

Background

Understanding the factors associated with disease severity and mortality in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is imperative to effectively triage patients. We performed a systematic review to determine the demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological factors associated with severity and mortality in COVID-19.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase and WHO database for English language articles from inception until May 8, 2020. We included Observational studies with direct comparison of clinical characteristics between a) patients who died and those who survived or b) patients with severe disease and those without severe disease. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by two authors independently.

Results

Among 15680 articles from the literature search, 109 articles were included in the analysis. The risk of mortality was higher in patients with increasing age, male gender (RR 1.45, 95%CI 1.23–1.71), dyspnea (RR 2.55, 95%CI 1.88–2.46), diabetes (RR 1.59, 95%CI 1.41–1.78), hypertension (RR 1.90, 95%CI 1.69–2.15). Congestive heart failure (OR 4.76, 95%CI 1.34–16.97), hilar lymphadenopathy (OR 8.34, 95%CI 2.57–27.08), bilateral lung involvement (OR 4.86, 95%CI 3.19–7.39) and reticular pattern (OR 5.54, 95%CI 1.24–24.67) were associated with severe disease. Clinically relevant cut-offs for leukocytosis(>10.0 x109/L), lymphopenia(< 1.1 x109/L), elevated C-reactive protein(>100mg/L), LDH(>250U/L) and D-dimer(>1mg/L) had higher odds of severe disease and greater risk of mortality.

Conclusion

Knowledge of the factors associated of disease severity and mortality identified in our study may assist in clinical decision-making and critical-care resource allocation for patients with COVID-19.
Factors associated with successful completion of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy in an area with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria: 30-day hospital admission and mortality rates
Authors: Salles Thais Cristina Garbelini , Cerrato Santiago Grau , Santana Tatiana Fiscina , Medeiros Eduardo Alexandrino
Published: November 2020

Objectives

To identify factors associated with hospital admission and mortality within the first 30 days after enrolment in an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program, also analysing adequacy of the treatment regimen and clinical outcomes.

Patients and methods

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted between October 2016 and June 2017 in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Variables related to hospital admission and mortality were subjected to bivariate analysis, and those with aP<0.05 were subjected to multivariate analysis as risk factors.

Results

We evaluated 276 patients, of whom 80.5% were ≥60 years of age and 69.9% had more than one comorbidity. Of the patients evaluated, 41.3% had pneumonia and 35.1% had a urinary tract infection. The most common etiological agent, isolated in 18 (31.6%) cases, wasKlebsiella pneumoniae, and 13 (72,2%) strains were carbapenem resistant. The OPAT was in accordance with the culture results in 76.6% of the cases and with the institutional protocols in 76.4%. The majority (64.5%) of the patients were not admitted, and a cure or clinical improvement was achieved in 78.6%. Multivariate analysis showed that, within the first 30 days after enrolment, the absence of a physician office visit was a predictor of hospital admission (P<0.001) and mortality (P= 0.006).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the viability of OPAT in elderly patients with pulmonary or urinary tract infections in an area with a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and that a post-discharge physician office visit is protective against hospital admission and mortality.
Introducing platform surface interior angle (PSIA) and its role in flake formation, size and shape
Authors: McPherron Shannon P. , Abdolahzadeh Aylar , Archer Will , Chan Annie , Djakovic Igor , Dogandžić Tamara , Leader George M. , Li Li , Lin Sam , Magnani Matthew , Reeves Jonathan , Rezek Zeljko , Weiss Marcel
Published: November 2020

Four ways archaeologists have tried to gain insights into how flintknapping creates lithic variability are fracture mechanics, controlled experimentation, replication and attribute studies of lithic assemblages. Fracture mechanics has the advantage of drawing more directly on first principles derived from physics and material sciences, but its relevance to controlled experimentation, replication and lithic studies more generally has been limited. Controlled experiments have the advantage of being able to isolate and quantify the contribution of individual variables to knapping outcomes, and the results of these experiments have provided models of flake formation that when applied to the archaeological record of flintknapping have provided insights into past behavior. Here we develop a linkage between fracture mechanics and the results of previous controlled experiments to increase their combined explanatory and predictive power. We do this by documenting the influence of Herztian cone formation, a constant in fracture mechanics, on flake platforms. We find that the platform width is a function of the Hertzian cone constant angle and the geometry of the platform edge. This finding strengthens the foundation of one of the more influential models emerging from the controlled experiments. With additional work, this should make it possible to merge more of the experimental results into a more comprehensive model of flake formation.
Novel use of XSTAT 30 for mitigation of lethal non-compressible torso hemorrhage in swine
Authors: Bonanno Alicia M. , Graham Todd L. , Wilson Lauren N. , Ross James D.
Published: November 2020

Background

Management of Non-Compressible Torso Hemorrhage (NCTH) consists primarily of aortic occlusion which has significant adverse outcomes, including ischemia-reperfusion injury, in prolonged field care paradigms. One promising avenue for treatment is through use of RevMedx XSTAT 30™ (an FDA approved sponge-based dressing utilized for extremity wounds). We hypothesized that XSTAT 30™ would effectively mitigate NCTH during a prolonged pre-hospital period with correctable metabolic and physiologic derangements.

Methods and findings

Twenty-four male swine (53±2kg) were anesthetized, underwent line placement, and splenectomy. Animals then underwent laparoscopic transection of 70% of the left lobe of the liver with hemorrhage for a period of 10min. They were randomized into three groups: No intevention (CON), XSTAT 30™-Free Pellets (FP), and XSTAT 30™-Bagged Pellets (BP). Animals were observed for a pre-hospital period of 180min. At 180min, animals underwent damage control surgery (DCS), balanced blood product resuscitation and removal of pellets followed by an ICU period of 5 hours. Postoperative fluoroscopy was performed to identify remaining pellets or bags. Baseline physiologic and injury characteristics were similar. Survival rates were significantly higher in FP and BP (p<0.01) vs CON. DCS was significantly longer in FP in comparison to BP (p = 0.001). Two animals in the FP group had pellets discovered on fluoroscopy following DCS. There was no significant difference in blood product or pressor requirements between groups. End-ICU lactates trended to baseline in both FP and BP groups.

Conclusions

While these results are promising, further study will be required to better understand the role for XSTAT in the management of NCTH.
Pessimistic dairy calves are more vulnerable to pain-induced anhedonia
Authors: Lecorps Benjamin , Nogues Emeline , von Keyserlingk Marina A. G. , Weary Daniel M.
Published: November 2020

Pain induces deficits in appreciation of rewards (i.e. anhedonia) and variation in response to pain may be partly explained by individual differences in general expectations (i.e. optimism). Dairy calves are routinely subjected to painful procedures such as hot-iron disbudding. We tested if female Holstein calves (n = 17) display signs of anhedonia (as evidenced by reduced consumption of a sweet solution) after hot-iron disbudding (performed under general and local anesthesia), and whether individual differences in optimism explain the variation in this response. Individual variation in optimism was measured using responses to two judgment bias tests (performed when calves were 25 d old), and anhedonia was measured by comparing consumption of a sweet solution before and after hot-iron disbudding. We found that intake of the sweet solution declined (by mean ± SD: 48.4 ± 44.3%) on the day after disbudding, and that more pessimistic calves were more affected. Sweet solution consumption did not return to baseline for the duration of the study (i.e. 5 days). Calves reduced their intake of a sweet solution after hot-iron disbudding, consistent with pain-induced anhedonia, and more pessimistic calves showed stronger evidence of anhedonia, suggesting that they were more affected by the procedure. However, our results cannot rule out the possibility that calf responses were driven by anorexia.
Hepatitis B and HIV coinfection in Northern Uganda: Is a decline in HBV prevalence on the horizon?
Authors: Chiesa Annacarla , Ochola Emmanuel , Oreni Letizia , Vassalini Paolo , Rizzardini Giuliano , Galli Massimo
Published: November 2020

Background

The available data concerning hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Uganda are limited, particularly in the case of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). HBV is not routinely tested when starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to determine the prevalence, the correlates of the risk of HBV infection, and the association with outcomes of ART among PLWH attending a busy HIV clinic in a referral hospital in Northern Uganda.

Patients and methods

From April to June 2016, a random sample of 1000 PLWH attending the outpatients’ clinic of St. Mary’s Hospital, Gulu, Uganda were systematically selected to undergo a rapid hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test after administering a questionnaire in this cross-sectional study. HIV care parameters were obtained from client files. Multivariate logistic regression and general linear model were used for the analysis.

Results

950 of the 985 evaluable patients (77% females; mean age 42.8 years) were receiving ART. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 7.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2–9.6%), and was significantly lower among the females (6.8% vs 11.7%; p = 0.020). The factors independently associated with higher HBV infection were having lived in an internally displaced persons’ camp (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.76, 95% CI 1.03–2.98; p = 0.036) and having shared housing with HBV-infected people during childhood (aOR 3.30, 95% CI 1.49–7.32; p = 0.003). CD4+ T cell counts were significantly lower in HBV patients (p = 0.025), and co-infection was associated with a poorer CD4+ T cell response to ART (AOR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79–0.98; p = 0.030).

Conclusions

The observed prevalence of HBV among the PLWH may be underestimated or a signal of HBV decline in the region. The factors favouring horizontal HBV transmission identified suggest extending HBV screening and vaccine prophylaxis among PLWH.
Suppression of mutually incompatible proprioceptive and visual action effects in tool use
Authors: Liesner Marvin , Kunde Wilfried
Published: November 2020

Movements of a tool typically diverge from the movements of the hand manipulating that tool, such as when operating a pivotal lever where tool and hand move in opposite directions. Previous studies suggest that humans are often unaware of the position or movements of their effective body part (mostly the hand) in such situations. It has been suggested that this might be due to a “haptic neglect” of bodily sensations to decrease the interference of representations of body and tool movements. However, in principle this interference could also be decreased by neglecting sensations regarding the tool and focusing instead on body movements. While in most tool use situations the tool-related action effects are task-relevant and thus suppression of body-related rather than tool-related sensations is more beneficial for successful goal achievement, we manipulated this task-relevance in a controlled experiment. The results showed that visual, tool-related effect representations can be suppressed just as proprioceptive, body-related ones in situations where effect representations interfere, given that task-relevance of body-related effects is increased relative to tool-related ones.
The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on public transit demand in the United States
Authors: Liu Luyu , Miller Harvey J. , Scheff Jonathan
Published: November 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions led to major transit demand decline for many public transit systems in the United States. This paper is a systematic analysis of the dynamics and dimensions of this unprecedented decline. Using transit demand data derived from a widely used transit navigation app, we fit logistic functions to model the decline in daily demand and derive key parameters: base value, the apparent minimal level of demand and cliff and base points, representing the initial date when transit demand decline began and the final date when the decline rate attenuated. Regression analyses reveal that communities with higher proportions of essential workers, vulnerable populations (African American, Hispanic, Female, and people over 45 years old), and more coronavirus Google searches tend to maintain higher levels of minimal demand during COVID-19. Approximately half of the agencies experienced their decline before the local spread of COVID-19 likely began; most of these are in the US Midwest. Almost no transit systems finished their decline periods before local community spread. We also compare hourly demand profiles for each system before and during COVID-19 using ordinary Procrustes distance analysis. The results show substantial departures from typical weekday hourly demand profiles. Our results provide insights into public transit as an essential service during a pandemic.
Fragile heroes. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-care workers in Italy
Authors: Conti Chiara , Fontanesi Lilybeth , Lanzara Roberta , Rosa Ilenia , Porcelli Piero
Published: November 2020

This survey-based study aimed to explore the mental health status and psychological care needs of 933 health-care workers in Italy during the COVID-19 outbreak. Sociodemographic data, exposure to COVID-19, perception of psychological care needs, depression, anxiety, somatization, and post-traumatic symptoms were concurrently assessed. The majority of the sample (71%) suffered from somatization and 55% of distress. Female care workers experienced higher levels of anxiety (d = 0.50) and somatization symptoms (d = 0.82) and stated they needed psychological care more than men (p < .001). Younger participants (aged <40 years-old) reported higher levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic symptoms (effects size range from d = 0.22 to d = 0.31). Working in a high infected area (red-zones) and directly with COVID-19 patients (front-line) affected the psychological health of participants to a smaller degree. Health-care workers who lost one of their patients reported higher levels of depression (d = 0.22), anxiety (d = 0.19), post-traumatic symptoms (d = 0.30), and psychological care needs than those who did not have the same experience (p < .01). Health-care workers who perceived the need for psychological support scored above the clinical alarming level (cut-off scores) in all the psychological scales, ranging from 76% to 88%. Psychological distress (p < .01), anxiety (p < .05), depression (p < .05), and being women (p < .01) contribute to explain the need for psychological care and accounted for 32% of the variance in this sample. These findings point out the importance to consider the psychological impact of COVID-19 on Italian health-care workers and strongly suggest establishing psychological support services for providing adequate professional care.
Similar rates of fat oxidation during graded submaximal exercise in women of different body composition
Authors: Kerhervé Hugo A. , Harvey Leonie M. , Eagles Alexander N. , McLellan Chris , Lovell Dale
Published: November 2020

Background

Moderate intensity exercise ranging 40–60% of maximum oxygen uptake is advised to promote energy expenditure and fat oxidation in overweight and obese people. Although fat oxidation has been shown to be highly variable among individual, there is still a relative uncertainty regarding exercise prescription for women specifically. This article aimed to determine whether indicators of body composition can be used to narrow the exercise intensity range for exercise prescription in women.

Methods

A total of 35 healthy women (age 30.8±9.5 yr) classified according to their BMI in normal weight (NOR; ≤24.9 kg·m2), overweight (OVW; 25–29.9 kg·m2) and obese groups (OBE; ≥30 kg·m2) completed a submaximal graded test (intensities eliciting ~30%, 40%, 50% and 60% of maximum oxygen uptake). Blood lactate, perceived exertion and absolute and relative substrate oxidation for fat (OXFAT) and carbohydrates (OXCHO) were measured at each stage.

Results

Perceived exertion and blood lactate increased as a function of exercise but did not differ across groups. There were no significant changes in absolute and relative OXFATacross groups, or as a function of exercise intensity. Peak OXFAToccurred at the 40%, 50% and 40% stages for NOR, OVW and OBE groups, respectively, with no significant differences across groups.

Conclusion

We measured no differences, but considerable inter-individual variation, in fat oxidation in women of different body composition. This result is in agreement with previous research based on exercise performed at constant rate and in independent participant groups. Our findings do not support the fat oxidation hypothesis, and further emphasise the perspective that exercise prescription should be individualised and likely be based on considerations other than substrate oxidation.
TGF-β-induced activation of conjunctival fibroblasts is modulated by FGF-2 and substratum stiffness
Authors: Matsumura Tomoyo , Fujimoto Tomokazu , Futakuchi Akiko , Takihara Yuji , Watanabe-Kitamura Fumika , Takahashi Eri , Inoue-Mochita Miyuki , Tanihara Hidenobu , Inoue Toshihiro
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the effects of substratum stiffness on the sensitivity of human conjunctival fibroblasts to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and to explore the molecular mechanism of action.

Methods

Human conjunctival fibroblasts were cultured on collagen-coated plastic or silicone plates. The stiffness of the silicone plates was 0.2 or 64 kPa. Cells were treated by 2.5 ng/mL TGF-β2 with or without fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 (0–100 ng/mL) for 24 h or 48 h. The protein expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was assessed using the WST-8 assay.

Results

FGF-2 suppressed the TGF-β-induced expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and collagen type I (Col I), but not fibronectin (FN). Both FGF-2 and TGF-β2 increased cell proliferation without an additive effect. The induction of α-SMA by TGF-β2 was decreased on the soft substratum, without any change in the expression level or subcellular location of Yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ). FGF-2 suppressed TGF-β-induced α-SMA expression even on the soft substratum.

Conclusions

FGF-2 treatment and a soft substratum suppressed TGF-β-induced transdifferentiation of conjunctival fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. FGF-2 attenuated the TGF-β-induced expression of α-SMA, even on a soft substratum.