bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mimicking mountains: Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família and the mountain of Montserrat.
Authors: Garcia-Fuentes Josep-Maria
Published: October 2020

To chart the history of the integration of the ideological and political ideas behind the motivations and design of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this chapter examines the use of Montserrat's mountain as an ideological tool in Spain, Catalonia, and the Americas with the aim to trace the origin of the intricate and multiple ideological and religious symbolism of the mountain that was mobilized by Gaudí in his project for the Sagrada Família. Then, the chapter analyses Gaudí's architecture and its attempt to interpret architecturally the geological structure of Montserrat with the aim to make a bold statement on the religious symbolism of the Catalan mountain within the competing struggle between the different ideological groups that sought to capitalize both Montserrat's and the Sagrada Família's symbolism to suit their own political purposes. Ultimately the goal of this chapter is to discuss the entangled relations between religion, nature, and ideology, and to demonstrate the role that architecture and architectural interpretation of nature play within the mediation of these connections.
Disease- and health-related issues at mass religious gatherings.
Authors: Olsen Daniel H.
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the issue of diseases and other health-related issues as it concerns pilgrimage and religious tourism to mass religious events. First, this chapter reviews the academic literature on medicine, religion, and travel, and then discusses what constitutes a religious mass gathering. Then the chapter discusses the different types of infectious and non-infectious diseases and other health-risks that occur at religious mass gatherings with a particular emphasis on the Hajj. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how government, health, and religious officials are trying to mitigate the spread of diseases and other health-related issues at these religious mass gatherings and highlights the need for further research in this area.
The natural environment and waste management at the Hajj.
Authors: Qurashi Jahanzeeb
Published: October 2020

This chapter examines how the pilgrimage, hospitality, and tourism sectors are threatening the environment of the Hajj, how the Saudi authorities are managing waste during the Hajj, and what the government's future plans are for ensuring the sustainability of the environment during future Hajj events. The chapter is based on semi-structured interviews, supplemented by participant observation, during the 2016 Hajj.
Combining GNSS and accelerometer measurements for evaluation of dynamic and semi-static characteristics of bridge structures
Authors: Yu Lina , Xiong Chunbao , Gao Yang , Zhu Jinsong
Published: October 2020

With the increasing number of long span bridges, real-time, accurate and continuous monitoring of their safety is important at present. This study investigates the combination of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and accelerometer for monitoring dynamic and semi-static characteristics of bridge structures. A field experiment was conducted with the integration of a GNSS and accelerometer. Considering the noise interference of GNSS monitoring, performance tests were first conducted in different environments to investigate the noise characteristics. Next, complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise-wavelet packet (CEEMDAN-WP) algorithm was chosen for denoising, among which a double criterion based on the correlation coefficient and effective coefficient was proposed to sift the intrinsic mode functions. After the noise reduction process, structural dynamic displacements and modal frequencies were successfully extracted from the 50 Hz GNSS real-time kinematic (GNSS-RTK) and accelerometer data, in which the displacements presented a consistent trend and the first natural frequency was the same (i.e. 0.369 Hz). Structural semi-static characteristics were evaluated by using 1 Hz (RTK), post-processed kinematic, and precise point positioning data. With reference to relevant specifications, the structural failure probability of the bridge in the vertical direction was calculated to be 0.4319. The results indicate that GNSS-RTK is reliable in monitoring structural dynamic and semi-static displacements of the bridge. Additionally, the proposed improved CEEMDAN-WP with double criterion is effective for background noise reduction. In addition, there may be some non-adequate behaviors, such as heavy traffic and vehicle overload, leading to the critical operation of the bridge.
Three-dimensional characteristics of the quasi-single helical state in the KTX
Authors: Liu J. , Liu H. , Mao W. , Luo Y. , Yang L. , Li Y. , Zhang Y. , Zhang S. , Tang C. , Xu Y.
Published: October 2020

The characteristics of various quasi-single helicities (QSHs) in the Keda Torus eXperiment (KTX) are investigated in ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations with self-organized helical equilibria. It is found that in the core plasma region the negative magnetic shear imposes a substantial influence on the stabilization of interchange modes, which can enhance the magnetic fluctuations of the dominant single mode. The prominent reversal shear plays a critical role on the transition to the QSH phase. This paper shows that the QSH state with a toroidal field periodicity N
fp = 6 is expected to stably achieve by the negative magnetic shear in the future KTX experiments. In addition, the plasma confinement effected by subdominant modes is estimated using particle drift computations in the KTX. As the amplitude of residual subdominant modes increases the radial drift is significantly enhanced, which indicates a drastic loss of ions arises from the subdominant modes with sufficient amplitudes. The result appears to agree with experimental observations in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) (Bonofiglo 2019 Phys. Rev. Lett.
123 055001). This work may shed a light on the transition mechanism between the multiple helicities (MH) phase and the QSH phase in reversed-field pinch (RFP) facilities. Moreover, to improve the confinement of RFP in the QSH scenario, the critical importance of subdominant mode amplitudes on the ion confinement should be greatly considered.
New heat flux model for non-axisymmetric divertor infrared structures
Authors: Wingen A. , Orlov D. , Evans T.E. , Bykov I. , Wilks T.M.
Published: October 2020

A convective heat flux model for perturbed plasmas, based on guiding center ion drift in vacuum fields (Wingen, et al 2014 Phys. Plasmas 21 012509), has been updated. The old model only considered ion heat flux, while here also electron heat flux is included. The updated model predicts divertor heat flux distributions in non-axisymmetric (3D) plasmas with applied resonant magnetic perturbation fields, and includes electric scalar potentials. It is found that a radial electric field in the near scrape-off layer can considerably shift the footprints toroidally, leading to a smearing out effect of the incident heat flux, while a simple model for sheath potential has little impact on footprints. Various approaches to model electron heat flux are studied. A convective electron model, based on collisionless free streaming, is found to yield the best agreement with measurements, while a conductive model requires a flat temperature gradient inside lobes to yield acceptable peak heat flux values. A heuristic heat flux layer approach, based on a fixed layer width also requires a limited heat flux inside the last closed flux surface (LCFS); by selecting various locations of the LCFS, the results of the conductive or convective model can be recovered respectively. The sum of ion and electron heat fluxes, both obtained by the convective model, is compared to experimental data for multiple time slices in DIII-D. Strike point splitting is observed with peak heat fluxes and layer widths that compare well to infrared camera measurements.
Using strontium isotopes to trace dust from a drying Great Salt Lake to adjacent urban areas and mountain snowpack
Authors: Carling Gregory T , Fernandez Diego P , Rey Kevin A , Hale Colin A , Goodman Michael M , Nelson Stephen T
Published: October 2020

With the desiccation of saline lakes around the globe, it is increasingly important to quantify the impacts of playa dust on downwind urban areas and mountain snowpack. In this study, we used 87Sr/86Sr ratios of carbonate minerals to trace dust from playas to urban areas and mountain snowpack. We focused on dust contributions from Great Salt Lake (GSL), in northern Utah, USA, which recently reached historic lows in water levels exposing large areas of dry lakebed. We measured 87Sr/86Sr ratios in dust from GSL, Sevier Dry Lake (SDL), and other playas across western Utah and compared them to 87Sr/86Sr ratios in dust across the urban Wasatch Front and mountain snowpack collected seasonally from 2015–2018. Dust from GSL had unique 87Sr/86Sr ratios (∼0.715) relative to SDL (∼0.710) and other playas (∼0.711 to 0.712), providing a potentially powerful tool for tracing GSL dust to downwind areas. Dust deposition had 87Sr/86Sr ratios ranging from ∼0.710 to ∼0.712 in the urban area and snowpack, within the range of playa dust sources. Using a simple two-endmember mixing model considering only GSL and SDL as sources, GSL contributed 5% of the dust flux to the southern Wasatch Front (Provo) and between 30%–34% of the dust flux to the northern Wasatch Front (Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Logan). For mountain snowpack, GSL contributed 11% of the dust flux to the Uinta Mountains and 22% of the dust flux to the Wasatch Mountains. Dust transport modeling could be combined with 87Sr/86Sr fingerprints for source apportionment in northern Utah and other areas that are impacted by regional playa dust.
Comparison of results of an adaptive membrane structure with a numerical model
Authors: Kapolka L , Stulerova L , Kmet S
Published: October 2020

This paper discusses results of the adaptive membrane device compared to the model created in FEM software. The numerical model was created according to factory parameters of this device. The adaptive membrane device has to be properly set up, than the device is loaded by load piston with saddle and the adaptivity of this device consisted of two actuators used as anchor rods and another two anchor rods are fixed. The actuator is realised as a hydraulic piston. Based on the results obtained by these measurements and the load results in the numerical model, the comparison was evaluated in the conclusion of this paper.
Recycling of photovoltaic panels - A review of the current trends
Authors: Macalova K , Vaclavik V , Dvorsky T , Svoboda J , Charvat J , Gola L
Published: October 2020

Towards the end of the 20th century there was a huge boom in the development of solar energy, which led to an increase in the production of photovoltaic panels. The producers assume a lifetime of these panels of 30 years. Today, the life of this photovoltaic panels is ending and a large amount of waste is associated with it. This issue is also addressed by the Council of the European Union, which issued Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment. Photovoltaic panels are included in IV. category “Consumer electronics and photovoltaic panels”. This Directive mandates that at least 70% of photovoltaic panel materials must be reused or recycled. This paper presents a review of the current trends in recycling of photovoltaic panels and the possibilities of reuse in cement matrix.
Spatial-temporal statistical analysis of daily rainfall for Košice station in eastern Slovakia
Authors: Repel A. , Jothiprakash V , Hlavatá Helena , Galas S , Portela M M
Published: October 2020

Hydrologic processes, especially rainfall is characterized for their variability in time and space. These processes are known as stochastic processes. For engineering practice is very important to know the behavior of time series for long period. This paper is focused on spatial-temporal analysis of daily rainfall for Košice station in eastern Slovakia. Time series of daily rainfall from period 1951 to 2018 was analyzed by basic statistical analysis and also by descriptive statistical analysis. Results of basic statistical analysis showed the basic parameters of time series, such as average daily rainfall, maximum daily rainfall or total annual daily rainfall and other basic parameters. Descriptive analysis is used to describe behavior of a time series. Results showed, that time series of daily rainfall in Košice station is stationary, homogeneous and there is no noise in time series, which is good for using this time series in further research
Database of building information models - identification and design of parameter structure
Authors: Smetanková J
Published: October 2020

Evolution in the construction industry is constantly progressing. Many applications are currently being developed to track the building’s life cycle. Increasing emphasis is placed on managing the entire life cycle of buildings. New technologies are evolving, for example building information modelling. The output of this technology is a building information model. Building information model processes digital content related to the whole life cycle of a building. Developers create information models. These models are then archived to mass repositories such as databases and libraries. The databases contain models that contain graphical information and selected non-graphical information. The main aim of the article is to design and identify the structure of a database, that will be containing graphic models with selected non-graphical information based on the acquired knowledge.
Identification and risk assessment of historic and listed buildings
Authors: Stuchlík J
Published: October 2020

The article deals with the identification and evaluation of risks of publicly funded construction projects. The study presents a risk analysis, incl. draft measures to eliminate some of the most serious risks that may affect the completion date and contractual budget. Risks are qualified as the product of the probability of the occurrence of an adverse event and the potential damage caused by the event. Risk identification was based on a list of 30 publicly funded national heritage constructions. The most serious risks from the contractor’s point of view were identified as a poor-quality preparation and formulation of the contract agreement, climatic effects and shortcomings in the project documentation. Possible implementation of the proposed solutions to these risks in the construction process can eliminate the contractor’s failure to meet the deadline for completion of the construction and exceeding the contractual budget.
Testing of continuous shear connector
Authors: Vaňová P , Kvočák V
Published: October 2020

Composite steel-concrete bridges are one of the most recent additions to the bridge science. By joining the two of the most commonly used materials it is possible to use their strengths combined. This was firstly presented for composite ceilings. It was assembled by encasing the whole I-beams into the concrete deck. Nowadays, it can also be used for short span railway bridges. Ongoing research at Technical University of Košice (TUKE), Faculty of Civil Engineering, is currently trying to prove the unnecessity of usage of the entire I-beam as well as the entire block of concrete by encasing only part of the beam, the so called perforated steel strip, into the concrete.
Evaluation and modeling the static and free vibrational behaviours of AA3003/CFRP honeycomb sandwich structures
Authors: R Ragavan , P Pitchipoo
Published: October 2020

Honeycomb structures are widely applied to many aerospace applications nowadays. Research in the successful manufacturing of sandwich composites itself is a thrust area to many advanced materials researchers. Nevertheless, in real service conditions, all the produced sandwich structures are commissioned after many machining processes. Abrasive water jet machining is one of the exclusive methods of machining high brittle structures. Honeycomb structures layered with carbon and/or Kevlar taps possess very high brittle kind of behaviors. Henceforth, Abrasive Water Jet machining can be adopted for producing net designed shape. The present work investigates enhancing the mechanical response of AA3003 honeycomb of 0.4 mm cell-wall thickness after skinned with carbon fiber epoxy composite layers. Composite layers of 0.6 mm are staked on both sides and glued using Araldite. 12 h oven curing has been employed at 60 °C. Conditioned samples have proceeded for standard mechanical characterizations in addition to the free vibrational and damping properties. A novel approach to measure the sandwich panel’s damping is experimented with in this work by conducting impact hammer excitation to stimulate the possible modes in the integrated system. Finally, the mechanical properties of sandwich panels are investigated by simulation software along with the experimental methods. Further, the analytical results are compared, and the results reveal that an increase in core thickness enhanced the sandwich composites’ damping behavior. Coupons have been taken from various regions to balance the uncertainty. The experimental results show the significant enhancement of the aluminum core’s rigidity due to the composite lapping.
Topological factors of rank-one subshifts
Authors: Gao Su , Ziegler Caleb
Published: October 2020

We study topological factors of rank-one subshifts and prove that those factors that are themselves subshifts are either finite or isomorphic to the original rank-one subshifts. Thus, we completely characterize the subshift factors of rank-one subshifts.
Implication of sestrin3 in epilepsy and its comorbidities
Authors: Lovisari Francesca , Roncon Paolo , Soukoupova Marie , Paolone Giovanna , Labasque Marilyne , Ingusci Selene , Falcicchia Chiara , Marino Pietro , Johnson Michael , Rossetti Tiziana , Petretto Enrico , Leclercq Karine , Kaminski Rafal M , Moyon Ben , Webster Zoe , Simonato Michele , Zucchini Silvia
Published: October 2020

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder affecting about 1% of the population worldwide. Epilepsy may arise as a result of acquired brain injury, or as a consequence of genetic predisposition. To date, genome-wide association studies and exome sequencing approaches have provided limited insights into the mechanisms of acquired brain injury. We have previously reported a pro-epileptic gene network, which is conserved across species, encoding inflammatory processes and positively regulated by sestrin3 (SESN3). In this study, we investigated the phenotype of SESN3 knock-out rats in terms of susceptibility to seizures and observed a significant delay in status epilepticus onset in SESN3 knock-out compared to control rats. This finding confirms previous in vitro and in vivo evidence indicating that SESN3 may favour occurrence and/or severity of seizures. We also analysed the phenotype of SESN3 knock-out rats for common comorbidities of epilepsy, i.e., anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. SESN3 knock-out rats proved less anxious compared to control rats in a selection of behavioural tests. Taken together, the present results suggest that SESN3 may regulate mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and its comorbidities.
Research note: Occurrence ofmcr-encoded colistin resistance inEscherichia colifrom pigs and pig farm workers in Vietnam
Authors: Dang Son Thi Thanh , Truong Duong Thi Quy , Olsen John Elmerdahl , Tran Nhat Thi , Truong Giang Thi Huong , Vu Hue Thi Kim , Dalsgaard Anders
Published: October 2020

WHO considers colistin as a highest priority critically important drug for human health, and occurrence of colistin-resistant bacteria in livestock is of health concern. The current study determined occurrence of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli in pigs and workers at pig farms in Vietnam, and investigated the genetic background for resistance. Colistin-resistant E. coli were detected from pigs in 53/116 (45.7%) farms, and from workers taking care of the pigs in 21/94 (22.3%) farms. Colistin-resistant isolates showed MIC to colistin between 4–16 mg/L, they were multidrug resistant (99%) and resistance was caused by the presence of mcr-1 genes in 97/102 (95.1%) E. coli from pigs and in 31/34 (91.1%) isolates from humans. mcr-1 is considered a plasmid-encoded gene, but this was not confirmed in the current investigation. In total, one pig isolate carried both mcr-1 and mcr-3 genes, whereas mcr-2, mcr-4 and mcr-5 genes were not detected. Shared resistance profiles between pig and human isolates on the same farm was only observed in four farms. The study showed that commensal E. coli from pigs in Vietnam constitute a reservoir for colistin-resitant E. coli, however, further studies are needed to confirm that mcr genes are associated with plasmids and their importance for human health.
Gene-set Enrichment with Mathematical Biology (GEMB)
Authors: Cochran Amy L , Nieser Kenneth J , Forger Daniel B , Zöllner Sebastian , McInnis Melvin G
Published: October 2020

Background

Gene-set analyses measure the association between a disease of interest and a “set" of genes related to a biological pathway. These analyses often incorporate gene network properties to account for differential contributions of each gene. We extend this concept further—defining gene contributions based on biophysical properties—by leveraging mathematical models of biology to predict the effects of genetic perturbations on a particular downstream function.

Results

We present a method that combines gene weights from model predictions and gene ranks from genome-wide association studies into a weighted gene-set test. We demonstrate in simulation how such a method can improve statistical power. To this effect, we identify a gene set, weighted by model-predicted contributions to intracellular calcium ion concentration, that is significantly related to bipolar disorder in a small dataset (P = 0.04; n = 544). We reproduce this finding using publicly available summary data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (P = 1.7 × 10−4; n = 41,653). By contrast, an approach using a general calcium signaling pathway did not detect a significant association with bipolar disorder (P = 0.08). The weighted gene-set approach based on intracellular calcium ion concentration did not detect a significant relationship with schizophrenia (P = 0.09; n = 65,967) or major depression disorder (P = 0.30; n = 500,199).

Conclusions

Together, these findings show how incorporating math biology into gene-set analyses might help to identify biological functions that underlie certain polygenic disorders.
Exact closed-form solutions for Lamb’s problem—III: the case for buried source and receiver
Authors: Feng Xi , Zhang Haiming
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we derive the exact closed-form solution for the displacement in the interior of an elastic half-space due to a buried point force with Heaviside step function time history. It is referred to as the tensor Green’s function for the elastic wave equation in a uniform half-space, also a natural generalization of the classical 3-D Lamb’s problem, for which previous solutions have been restricted to the cases of either the source or the receiver or both are located on the free surface. Starting from the complex integral solutions of Johnson, we follow the similar procedures presented by Feng and Zhang to obtain the closed-form expressions in terms of elementary functions as well as elliptic integrals. Numerical results obtained from our closed-form expressions agree perfectly with those of Johnson, which validates our explicit formulae conclusively.
Properties of the Null Distance and Spacetime Convergence
Authors: Allen Brian , Burtscher Annegret
Published: October 2020

The null distance for Lorentzian manifolds was recently introduced by Sormani and Vega. Under mild assumptions on the time function of the spacetime, the null distance gives rise to an intrinsic, conformally invariant metric that induces the manifold topology. We show when warped products of low regularity and globally hyperbolic spacetimes endowed with the null distance are (local) integral current spaces. This metric and integral current structure sets the stage for investigating convergence analogous to Riemannian geometry. Our main theorem is a general convergence result for warped product spacetimes relating uniform, Gromov–Hausdorff, and Sormani–Wenger intrinsic flat convergence of the corresponding null distances. In addition, we show that nonuniform convergence of warping functions in general leads to distinct limiting behavior, such as limits that disagree.
A bioengineered organotypic prostate model for the study of tumor microenvironment-induced immune cell activation
Authors: Kerr Sheena C , Morgan Molly M , Gillette Amani A , Livingston Megan K , Lugo-Cintron Karina M , Favreau Peter F , Florek Logan , Johnson Brian P , Lang Joshua M , Skala Melissa C , Beebe David J
Published: October 2020

The prostate tumor microenvironment (TME) is strongly immunosuppressive; it is largely driven by alteration in cell phenotypes (i.e. tumor-associated macrophages and exhausted cytotoxic T cells) that result in pro-tumorigenic conditions and tumor growth. A greater understanding into how these altered immune cell phenotypes are developed and could potentially be reversed would provide important insights into improved treatment efficacy for prostate cancer. Here, we report a microfluidic model of the prostate TME that mimics prostate ducts across various stages of prostate cancer progression, with associated stroma and immune cells. Using this platform, we exposed immune cells to a benign prostate TME or a metastatic prostate TME and investigated their metabolism, gene and cytokine expression. Immune cells exposed to the metastatic TME showed metabolic differences with a higher redox ratio indicating a switch to a more glycolytic metabolic profile. These cells also increased expression of pro-tumor response cytokines that have been shown to increase cell migration and angiogenesis such as Interleukin-1 (IL-1) a and Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Lastly, we observed decreased TLR, STAT signaling and TRAIL expression, suggesting that phenotypes derived from exposure to the metastatic TME could have an impaired anti-tumor response. This platform could provide a valuable tool for studying immune cell phenotypes in in vitro tumor microenvironments.
Higher order and scale-dependent micro-inertia effect on the longitudinal dispersion based on the modified couple stress theory
Authors: Soltani Delara , Akbarzadeh Khorshidi Majid , Sedighi Hamid M
Published: October 2020

The conventional modified couple stress theory cannot model the correct behavior of the longitudinal dispersion and acts the same as the classical theory in the face of such problems. In this paper, the micro-inertia-based couple stress theory is used to triumph over this deficiency. The developed theory is imposed to tackle the longitudinal dispersion of aluminum beams in two distinct scales. Convenient available experimental data obtained for a macro-scale aluminum rod and aluminum crystals are utilized to determine the corresponding micro-inertia length scale parameters and show the scale-dependent nature of this parameter for the first time. In addition, a higher order micro-rotation relation is employed to describe the higher order micro-inertia effects. This relation leads to a developed equation of motion containing an additional term compared with the first-order relation. The obtained results indicate that only higher order micro-inertia effect that is proposed in this study for the first time is able to capture the highly nonlinear behavior of dispersion curves (including an extremum/inflection point), which has experimentally been observed for phonons propagating in the longitudinal direction in an aluminum crystal.
Induced Hatching of Quiescent Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Eggs by Labile Glutathione-Stabilizable Compounds From Yeast Extract
Authors: Ng Soon Hwee , Zhang Heng , Goh Feng Guang , Ng Lee-Ching , Ji Lianghui , Cai Yu
Published: October 2020

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) is the insect vector that transmits several deadly human diseases. Although the egg stage is an important phase of its life cycle, the biology of mosquito egg remains poorly understood. Here, we report our investigations on the chemical factors that induced hatching of Ae. aegypti eggs. Commercial yeast extracts were able to increase egg hatching rate in a dose-dependent manner, with a hatching rate that ranged from approximately 10% with 1 g/liter to 80% with 20 g/liter of yeast extract. Notably, the addition of glutathione, a reducing agent that showed no significant effect on egg hatching by itself, enhanced and stabilized the activity of yeast extract for at least 70 h. Because dissolved oxygen in different treatments was maintained at high levels in a narrow range (92–95%), we proposed that yeast extract contains hatching inducing compound (HIC) which is able to trigger egg hatching independent of dissolved oxygen level. The HIC in yeast extract could prove to be a potential starting point to design an effective tool to forcefully induce mosquito eggs to hatch under unfavorable conditions, functioning as a novel method for vector control.
JASTRO/JCS Guidelines for radiotherapy in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices
Authors: Ohno Toshiki , Soejima Toshinori , Sekiguchi Yukio , Hashimoto Takayuki , Koike Izumi , Matsubara Hiroaki , Nakamura Kazuhiko , Nitta Kazunori , Takahashi Shigeo , Tsujino Kayoko , Wakatsuki Masaru , Yoden Eisaku
Published: October 2020

This publication is an English version of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology (JASTRO) and The Japanese Circulation Society official guidelines for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Several radiotherapy-associated malfunctions have been reported for CIEDs such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. Accordingly, guidelines for radiotherapy in patients with CIEDs have been issued by other countries and societies. In August 2010, JASTRO published the ‘Radiotherapy Guidelines for Patients with Pacemakers and Implantable Defibrillators’ (hereafter referred to as the former guidelines). Given new findings in this decade, a multidisciplinary working group of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiation therapists and cardiologists jointly reviewed and revised the former guidelines.
Retrograde intussusception post Roux-en-y gastric bypass
Authors: Rockliff Aaron , Loveluck Maree , Yeoh Adrian
Published: October 2020

A 72-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a short history of abdominal pain and vomiting, having undergone laparoscopic Roux-en-y gastric bypass (RYGBP) 3 years earlier. Computed tomography imaging revealed intussusception causing small bowel obstruction, so she was taken emergently to theatre. Intra-operative findings were of a retrograde intussusception at the jejunojejunostomy. Retrograde intussusception in patients post RYGBP has a unique pathophysiology and management.
The medium-size noncoding RNA transcriptome of Ostreococcus tauri, the smallest living eukaryote, reveals a large family of small nucleolar RNAs displaying multiple genomic expression strategies
Authors: Bousquet Laurie , Hemon Claire , Malburet Paul , Bucchini François , Vandepoele Klaas , Grimsley Nigel , Moreau Hervé , Echeverria Manuel
Published: October 2020

The small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), essential for ribosome biogenesis, constitute a major family of medium-size noncoding RNAs (mncRNAs) in all eukaryotes. We present here, for the first time in a marine unicellular alga, the characterization of the snoRNAs family in Ostreococcus tauri, the smallest photosynthetic eukaryote. Using a transcriptomic approach, we identified 131 O. tauri snoRNAs (Ot–snoRNA) distributed in three classes: the C/D snoRNAs, the H/ACA snoRNAs and the MRP RNA. Their genomic organization revealed a unique combination of both the intronic organization of animals and the polycistronic organization of plants. Remarkably, clustered genes produced Ot–snoRNAs with unusual structures never previously described in plants. Their abundances, based on quantification of reads and northern blots, showed extreme differences in Ot–snoRNA accumulation, mainly determined by their differential stability. Most of these Ot–snoRNAs were predicted to target rRNAs or snRNAs. Seventeen others were orphan Ot–snoRNAs that would not target rRNA. These were specific to O. tauri or Mamiellophyceae and could have functions unrelated to ribosome biogenesis. Overall, these data reveal an ‘evolutionary response’ adapted to the extreme compactness of the O. tauri genome that accommodates the essential Ot–snoRNAs, developing multiple strategies to optimize their coordinated expression with a minimal cost on regulatory circuits.
Law as an Enduring ConceptSpace, Time, and Power
Authors: Griffiths Anne
Published: October 2020

The concept of law raises questions about how law is constituted, how it is located, and the forms that it takes. This chapter adopts a multispatial perspective towards law, highlighting the diverse ways in which law is contextualized. The enduring power of the Westphalian model of law and sovereignty is foregrounded and contested with reference to forms of legal analysis that are based on social-scientific and empirical studies and that focus on international intervention in war-making, peace-building, and humanitarian aid. Such studies argue for empirically grounded research that goes beyond the state/non-state dichotomy in acknowledging complex relationships in assemblages of global actors. These include international agencies, governments, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector. Such an approach requires a broad understanding of governance that takes account of the multiple spaces of law existing in everyday life. These spaces, however, are subject to the temporal power of global outreach that is instantiated in transnational projects, such as the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The chapter explores how the outsourcing of governance from states, through the worldwide use of audits and other measures, reflects a linear model of time and space that affects the way in which countries are assessed as ‘developed’ or ‘developing’, with all the consequences that ensue. The chapter argues for dismantling the legal myth of a single global vision in favour of an approach to law that captures the reality of what is occurring on the ground, making visible the inequalities that arise from marginalization and from hierarchies of privilege and control.
COVID-19 and rheumatic musculoskeletal disease patients: infection rates, attitudes and medication adherence in an Irish population
Authors: Murray Kieran , Quinn Sean , Turk Matthew , O’Rourke Anna , Molloy Eamonn , O’Neill Lorraine , Mongey Ann Barbara , Fearon Ursula , Veale Douglas J
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To establish, amongst Irish rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (RMD) patients, rates of COVID-19 symptoms and positive tests, DMARD adherence and attitudes to virtual clinics.

Methods

An online survey assessing COVID-19 status, RMD diagnoses, adherence and information sources was disseminated via the Arthritis Ireland website and social media channels.

Results

There were 1381 respondents with 74.8% on immunosuppressive medication. Symptoms of COVID-19 were reported by 3.7% of respondents of which 0.46% tested positive, consistent with the general Irish population. The frequency of COVID-19 symptoms was higher for respondents with spondyloarthropathy [odds ratio (OR) 2.06, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.70] and lower in those on immunosuppressive medication (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.88), and those compliant with health authority (HSE) guidance (OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.89). Adherence to RMD medications was reported in 84.1%, with 57.1% using health authority guidelines for information on medication use. Importantly, adherence rates were higher amongst those who cited guidelines (89.3% vs 79.9%, P <0.001), and conversely lower in those with COVID-19 symptoms (64.0% vs 85.1%, P =0.009). Finally, the use of virtual clinics was supported by 70.4% of respondents.

Conclusion

The rate of COVID-19 positivity in RMD patients was similar to the general population. COVID-19 symptoms were lower amongst respondents on immunosuppressive medication and those adherent to medication guidelines. Respondents were supportive of HSE advice and virtual clinics.
Increased expression of interleukin-21-inducible genes in minor salivary glands are associated with primary Sjögren’s syndrome disease characteristics
Authors: Chen Xiaomin , Jiang Shan , Zhou Zihao , Xu Xin , Ying Senhong , Du Lifeng , Qiu Kairui , Xu Yesha , Wu Jinyu , Wang Xiaobing
Published: October 2020

Objective

To determine the upregulation of IL-21-inducible genes in minor salivary glands (MSGs) in 28 primary SS (pSS) patients and 12 non-pSS subjects and correlate it with disease characteristics.

Methods

RNA sequencing was utilized to compare IL-21-inducible genes expression in the MSGs between pSS and non-pSS subjects. The subgroups were characterized according to the IL-21 score calculated by seven IL-21-inducible genes. Furthermore, the disease characteristics and transcripts implicated in hypoxia and interferon signalling were assessed in two pSS subgroups.

Results

We observed that the expression of the IL-21-inducible genes (IL-21, IL-21R, JAK3, STAT1, HLA-B, CCR7 and CXCL10), the so-called IL-21 signature genes, was significantly increased in pSS patients. The upregulation of JAK3 expression may be induced by hypomethylation of the JAK3 promoter in pSS patients and putatively associated with POU2F2. The patients with increased IL-21 signature gene expression showed an increased EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index score and increased enrichment of B cells, memory B cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the IL-21 scores in the anti-SSA+, SSB+, ANA+ and high IgG samples were higher than those in the respective antibody-negative samples and normal IgG. In addition, we found both hypoxia and IFN-relevant genes showed strong correlation with IL-21 signature gene expression, indicating their interaction in pSS.

Conclusion

IL-21 signature gene was associated with typical disease characteristics in pSS, which provides insight into the contribution of the IL-21 signalling pathway to the pathogenesis of the disease and might provide a novel treatment strategy for this subtype of pSS.
Tacit knowledge, localization push, and diffusion of science: Evidence from Singapore
Authors: Hu Albert G Z , Ly Vu Thinh
Published: October 2020

We propose localization push, as an alternative to tacit knowledge, to explain the localization of knowledge diffusion. Sponsors of scientific research enact policies and create institutions for locally-produced knowledge spillovers. We hypothesize that localization necessitated by tacit knowledge renders the local diffusion of such knowledge more productive than distant commercialization. However, this is not the case when the localization push is the primary reason for the localization. We empirically investigate the hypothesis using data on knowledge diffusion in SingaporeOur main findings are as follows: (1) The diffusion of basic research, measured by journal articles cited in patents, is localized, but this is almost exclusively accounted for by Singaporean public institutions; (2) Local patents citing papers authored by Singaporeans are less significant than foreign patents citing such papers; and (3) Singaporean public patent applicants are more willing to seek multijurisdiction patent protection despite the ineffectiveness of their commercialization efforts.
MRI changes in calf muscles of two children with cerebral palsy following Botulinum Toxin Type A injections: a preliminary report
Authors: de Coulon Geraldo , Canavese Federico , Armand Stéphane , Bonnefoy-Mazure Alice , Merlini Laura
Published: October 2020

Intramuscular injections of Botulinum Toxin Type A (BoNT-A) in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) have been introduced in clinical practice with the aim of reducing muscle tone, preventing muscle contractures and, ultimately, improving function. The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively the MRI changes in the calf muscles, gastrocnemius (GN) and soleus (S) of two children with unilateral spastic CP (US-CP), prior and more than 1-year following BoNT-A injections. Two male patients with US-CP were injected at the level of the GN and S muscles. Patients underwent a first lower extremity MRI prior to the first BoNT-A injection at the level of GN and S muscles of the affected side. A second MRI was perfomed 34 and 22 months after the index procedure, respectively. Both legs were investigated together symmetrically, to allow a precise comparison between muscles and structures. The MRI protocol included three sequences: axial-T2 weighted tse, SPACE and axial-T1 weighted. We found that BoNT-A injected GN and S muscles had increased signal intensity on the MRI performed 22 and 34 months after index procedure, when compared to the contralateral, not placebo injected (NaCl) leg. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have investigated the changes induced in muscle structures in ambulatory children with US-CP managed by BoNT-A injections. Level of evidence: II.
Is the numerical rating scale an adequate predictor for assessing MRI underlying pathologies among painful adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients?
Authors: Olivella Gerardo , Guzmán Humberto , Marrero-Ortiz Pablo , Torres Yashira , Rosado Edwin , Perez-Lopez José C. , Monasterio Diego , Rivera Claribel , Ramírez Norman
Published: October 2020

The use of constant pain and night pain as clinical markers for predicting the presence of underlying pathology in painful adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients has been questioned. Pain intensity has been recognized as an important domain in pain assessment. The numerical rating scale (NRS) is one of the most commonly validated tools to assess pain intensity in children above 8 years of age. The aim of this study was to assess the NRS as a predictor of underlying pathologies found by MRI in painful AIS patients. A cross-sectional study comprising of all AIS patients with back pain lasting >4 weeks from April 2015 to April 2019 was performed. An MRI was performed on each AIS patient presenting with back pain after a nondiagnostic history, physical examination and spinal X-ray. The pain was graded using the NRS, ranging from 0 to 10. Patients were divided into three groups: NRS (1–3), NRS (4–6) and NRS (7–10). Variables, including gender, age, scoliosis magnitude and presence of underlying pathology, were compared between the groups. A total of 186 AIS patients were evaluated in the study, were 66/186 (35.5%) of them had underlying pathologies. The mean age of subjects was 14.7 years, 85% being female. An underlying pathology was identified in 4/11 (36.4%) with NRS (1–3), 28/82 (34.2%) with NRS (4–6) and 34/93 (36.6%) with NRS (7–10) (P = 0.94). The use of an NRS was not found to be an adequate predictor for identifying an underlying pathology via MRI in painful AIS patients.
Asymptomatic Degenerative Changes in the Lumbar Spine Among Professional Soccer Players
Authors: Bezuglov Eduard , Lazarev Artemii , Petrov Arseniy , Brodskaia Alesia , Lyubushkina Anastasiya , Kubacheva Kamila , Achkasov Evgeny , Nikolenko Vladimir
Published: October 2020

Study Design.

Cross-sectional study

Objective.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the actual prevalence of degenerative spinal changes and their association with age in a cohort of professional soccer players.

Summary of Background Data.

Presently, there are data that athletes have more degenerative changes than nonathletes; however, the research examining the prevalence of degenerative spinal conditions among professional elite soccer players is scarce.

Methods.

Professional male soccer players were included in the study (n = 40, average age 26,6 ± 4,5 years, average height 18 ± 0.07 m, weight 76.7 ± 7.1 kg). Lumbosacral spine MRI scanning at the L1-S1 level has been performed. Two radiologists with at least 7 years of experience of working with athletes evaluated all images independently of each other

Results.

92.5% (n = 37) of soccer players had ≥1 spinal degenerative condition. Thirty-five percent (n = 14) of players had three to five, and 50% (n = 20) had six or more conditions. The average age of players who had six or more conditions was significantly higher than those who had zero to five or three to five conditions—28.1 ± 4.8 years versus 25.1 ± 3.6 years (P = 0.029), and 24.8 ± 3.6 years, respectively.

Kruskal-Wallis test has shown no association between the number of degenerative conditions and weight (P = 0.98) as well as body mass index (P = 0.99). The age was associated with degenerative changes (P = 0.008).

Disc desiccation was the most common pathologic condition, which was found in 82.5% of athletes. Facet joint arthropathy and spondylosis were present in 70, and 50% of the studied lumbar spine MRI scans, respectively. The spondylolysis prevalence of 20% was noted.

Conclusion.

Elite professional soccer players demonstrate a high prevalence of asymptomatic degenerative lumbar spinal degenerative changes, which are significantly associated with age. These conditions might lead to the development of symptomatic lower back pain, given the high-intensity exercise required in professional soccer. It is presently unclear what measures might be applied for the primary prevention of these degenerative spinal conditions.

Level of Evidence: 4
Predictive Probability of the Global Alignment and Proportion Score for the Development of Mechanical Failure Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery in Asian Patients
Authors: Yagi Mitsuru , Daimon Kenshi , Hosogane Naobumi , Okada Eijiro , Suzuki Satoshi , Tsuji Osahiko , Nagoshi Narihito , Fujita Nobuyuji , Nakamura Masaya , Matsumoto Morio , Watanabe Kota
Published: October 2020

Study Design.

This is a multicenter retrospective review of 257 surgically treated consecutive ASD patients who had a minimum of five fused segments, completed a 2-year follow-up (53 ± 19 yrs, females: 236 [92%]).

Objective.

This study aimed to validate the predictive probability of the GAP score in an Asian ASD patient cohort.

Summary of Background Data.

The GAP score is a recently established risk stratification model for MF following ASD surgery. However, the predictive ability of the GAP score is not well studied. This study aimed to validate the predictive probability of the GAP score in an Asian ASD patient cohort.

Methods.

Comparisons of the immediate postoperative GAP scores between MF the and MF-free groups were performed. We evaluated the discriminative ability of the GAP score based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The Cuzick test was performed to determine whether there is a trend between the GAP score and the incidence of MF or revision surgery. Univariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the associations between the GAP score and the incidence of MF or revision surgery.

Results.

No difference was observed in the GAP score between the MF and MF-free groups (MF vs. MF-free; GAP: 5.9 ± 3.3 vs. 5.2 ± 2.7, P = 0.07). The Cuzick analysis showed no trend between the GAP score and the risk for MF or revision surgery. Likewise, the MF rate was not correlated with the GAP score, as shown by the ROC curve (AUC of 0.56 [95% CI 0.48–0.63], P = 0.124). Univariate logistic regression confirmed no associations between the GAP score and the incidence of MF or revision surgery (MF; moderately disproportioned [MD]: OR: 0.6 [95% CI: 0.3–1.2], P = 0.17, severely disproportioned [SD]: OR: 1.2 [95% CI: 0.6–2.3], P = 0.69, revision surgery; MD: OR: 0.8 [95% CI: 0.2–2.8], P = 0.71, SD: OR: 1.2 [95% CI: 0.9–8.7], P = 0.08).

Conclusion.

In this multicenter study, in an Asian ASD patient cohort, the GAP score was not associated with the incidence of MF or revision surgery. Additional studies on the predictive ability of the GAP score in different patient cohorts are warranted.

Level of Evidence: 3