bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable fisheries are essential but not enough to ensure well‐being for the world’s fishers
Authors: Giron‐Nava Alfredo , Lam Vicky W. Y. , Aburto‐Oropeza Octavio , Cheung William W. L. , Halpern Benjamin S. , Sumaila U. Rashid , Cisneros‐Montemayor Andrés M.
Published: March 2021

Effective fisheries management is necessary for the long‐term sustainability of fisheries and the economic benefits that they provide, but focusing only on ecological sustainability risks disregarding ultimate goals related to well‐being that must be achieved through broader social policy. An analysis of global landings data shows that average fishing wages in 36%–67% of countries, home to 69%–95% of fishers worldwide, are likely below their nationally determined minimum living wage (which accounts for costs of food, shelter, clothing, health and education). Furthermore, even if all fisheries in every country were perfectly managed to achieve their Maximum Sustainable Yield, a common sustainability target, average incomes of fishers in up to 49 countries—70% of fishers worldwide—would still not meet minimum living wages. Access to decent work and livelihoods are fundamental human rights, including for all fisherfolk around the world, and strategies to support their well‐being must therefore integrate a much wider set of perspectives, disciplines and institutions. Key first steps for fisheries researchers are to more fully recognize and estimate fisheries benefits to households—including income from women and/or alternative employment, unreported landings, or shadow values of subsistence catch—and to help identify and learn from economic equity outcomes in rebuilt fisheries around the world.
Renal cell carcinoma sharply captured by imaging technology at an early stage in a hemodialysis patient: Usefulness of noninvasive monochrome superb microvascular imaging
Authors: Ohsawa Rie , Kadoya Hiroyuki , Obata Atsushi , Obata Takahiro , Tokuyama Atsuyuki , Sasaki Tamaki , Kashihara Naoki , Kaneto Hideaki
Published: March 2021

It has been drawing much attention that type 2 diabetes mellitus is closely associated with increased incidence of numerous cancers and their poor prognosis. Consequently, malignancy has been recently recognized as one of diabetic complications in addition to various conventional complications. Furthermore, it is well known that the prevalence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is drastically increased in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Therefore, screening of RCCs in HD patients is a very important and urgent issue as there are no highly sensitive tumor markers for RCCs. Monochrome superb microvascular imaging (mSMI) is a relatively new Doppler ultrasound technique and is useful especially when evaluating very slow blood flow state, because this allows for imaging microvessels with low velocity in the absence of a contrast agent. Thus, mSMI might be also useful when contrast enhancement is not obvious on CT and/or contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography using perflubutane or contrast agents are contraindicated. Moreover, it has been reported that mSMI could effectively detect vascularity of renal malignant tumor than benign renal mass in nondialysis patients. We propose that mSMI of ultrasonography could become one of the very useful methods for detecting RCCs at an early stage with high sensitivity in HD patients.
Effect of sintering regimes and thickness on optical properties of zirconia ceramics for dental applications
Authors: Pekkan Keriman
Published: March 2021

In dentistry, monolithic zirconia restorations have been preferred over all‐ceramic restorations in recent years. Translucency is an aesthetic demand in dental restorations, and it can be identified with translucency parameter (TP). Zirconia thickness, Y2O3 content, and sintering conditions are important parameters that influence the translucency of the restorations. It is crucial to investigate monolithic zirconia ceramics under different sintering regimes and reveal the critical parameters for dental restorations. The aim of this study was to determine the optical and microstructural behaviors of monolithic zirconia ceramics containing different amounts of yttria depending on various sintering regimes and thicknesses. Therefore, a conventional zirconia CopranZri (CZI) and two monolithic zirconia materials, CopraSupreme (CSP), CopraSmile (CSM) were used. Slow, normal, speed, and translucency sintering regimes with thicknesses of 0.7, 1.0, 1.3 mm were selected. TP of the specimens was calculated, and statistical analyses were performed by using one‐way ANOVA and Tukey‐Kramer post hoc tests. Characterization of the specimens was performed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) techniques. The results showed that the effect of different sintering programs is more critical for CSP and CSM in terms of translucency variations and translucency program led to the most grain growth.
Effect of dispersion states (electrostatic/electrosteric stabilization) on particles arrangement in the yttria‐stabilized zirconia sediments
Authors: Zerafati Shoja Fariba , Majidian Hudsa , Nikzad Leila
Published: March 2021

In the present work, particle arrangement and their packing in the sediment layer of zirconia suspension were studied. To evaluate the particle settling, aqueous suspensions of zirconia nanoparticles were prepared in different dispersion states. In one state, Dolapix CE64 was used as a dispersant to provide electrosteric mechanism. In another state, pH of the suspension was adjusted at 4 to provide electrostatic mechanism. The other state was the combination of dispersant and pH adjustment which resulted in the most stable suspension. First of all, the stability of all dispersion states was evaluated by zeta potential, sediment volume (SV) and height, viscosity, and packing density (PD). Then, the sediment layers of all suspensions were characterized. Incorporation of electrostatic mechanism was resulted in a main decrease in viscosity with high surface charges, while electrosteric mechanism caused lower sedimentation of particles. Fall velocities of particles/agglomerates were estimated, and the influences of dispersion states on the particles fall velocities were characterized. The microstructural observation revealed homogeneous packing of particles in the sediment layer of the stable suspension demonstrating the proper dispersion of particles. Dolapix CE64 and pH adjustment resulted in a uniform arrangement of particles without agglomeration and spherical and regular granules with a uniform shape.
Prosocial rule breaking on health information security at healthcare organisations in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jongwoo , Park Eun Hee , Park Young Soon , Chun Kyung Hee , Wiles Lynn L.
Published: March 2021

Regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), establish standards to protect patients' medical records from security breaches. Insiders' prosocial misbehaviour within healthcare organisations can cause significant damage to relevant stakeholders. Such behaviour without malicious intention needs to be better understood and carefully managed from the perspective of prosocial behaviour. For this study, a research model was developed that includes the factors influencing student nurses' intention to disclose patient health information. The model was empirically tested with nursing students in South Korea with a scenario‐based experiment. We find that both altruistic (impact on others) and egoistic (impact on the self) motivations are significantly important in raising situational empathy. On the other hand, an egoistic motivation (impact on the self) significantly affects people's perception of their responsibility, which mediates the relationship between situational empathy and prosocial intention to disclose. The implications of our findings are discussed.
Mediotrusive Occlusal Contacts: Best Evidence Consensus Statement
Authors: Walton Terry R , Layton Danielle M
Published: March 2021

Purpose

The impact of mediotrusive (MT) occlusal contacts has been a topic of controversy and confusion in both clinical practice and in the dental literature. The purpose of this Best Evidence Consensus Statement was to explore whether MT interferences are harmful in the natural or therapeutic occlusion directed by 4 focus questions relating to prevalence, jaw function, jaw dysfunction and biomechanical models.

Materials and Methods

An electronic search in October 2020 sought evidence in MEDLINE (Ovid) using (mediotrus* OR nonworking side OR nonworking contact OR balancing side OR interfer* side OR premature contact) in the multipurpose (.mp) search field; and in Google Scholar using permutations of the above. Supplementary articles were sourced from the associated reference lists. There was no language restriction. The search yield was reviewed in duplicate.

Results

The electronic search identified 420 articles. Following screening, 164 were selected for eligibility assessments. Of these, 47 were included in the current paper.

Conclusions

Non‐standardized nomenclature and methodology is used to identify MT interferences in patient populations, with resultant prevalence varying from 0% to 77%, (median = 16%). MT interferences may alter the biomechanics of mandibular function. Together with the presence of repeated high loads resultant strain can manifest as pathophysiology of the temporomandibular joint and associated muscle structures. MT interferences should be avoided in any therapeutic occlusal scheme to minimize pulpal, periodontal, structural and mechanical complications or exacerbation of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Naturally occurring molar MT interferences should be eliminated only if signs and symptoms of TMDs are present. Literature supports there being a biomechanical basis which can explain how MT interferences may affect temporomandibular joint morphology and jaw function.
Evaluation of Serum 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D3 and Bone Mineral Density in 268 Patients with Hip Fractures
Authors: Yu Shu‐jun , Yang Yang , Zang Jia‐cheng , Li Chen , Wang Yu‐min , Wang Jing‐bo
Published: March 2021

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship among vitamin D nutritional status, bone mineral density, and other factors in elderly patients with brittle hip fractures.

Methods

The present study was a retrospective analysis of 268 patients, 102 men (38.06%) and 166 women (61.94%), with brittle hip fractures admitted to the Hip Joint Center of Tianjin Hospital from February 2016 to June 2018. The median age of the patients was 74 years (range, 50–93 years). The patients were divided into three groups based on age: ≤69 years, 70–79 years, and ≥80 years. Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH) D3), parathyroid hormone (PTH), body mass index (BMI), and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and hip were measured and statistically analyzed.

Results

The median serum 25(OH)D3 level of patients was 9.90 (range, 2.60–42.70) ng/mL; the proportion of deficiency was 89.18% and the deficiency was severe in 136 cases (49.25%). The proportion of vitamin D deficiency was significantly lower in men than in women (P = 0.013). With the increase of age, 25(OH)D3 levels gradually decreased (P = 0.044) and PTH levels gradually increased (P < 0.001). There was significantly negative correlation (P < 0.001) between the levels of serum 25(OH)D3 and PTH. There were 200 cases (74.63%) in which T‐values of BMD were less than −2.5 in any part of the lumbar vertebrae, femoral neck, and hip. T‐values in 74 cases (27.61%) were less than −2.5 in all three parts. The T‐values of BMD in men were significantly higher than those in men (P < 0.001). With the increase of age, the femoral neck BMD in men gradually decreased (P = 0.016), and the femoral neck and hip BMD in female gradually decreased (P‐value was 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate analysis suggested that gender and BMI were independent risk factors for BMD, and vitamin D deficiency affected BMD.

Conclusion

Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with brittle hip fractures, especially in women. With the increase of age, vitamin D continues to decrease and PTH increases. The decrease of BMD in patients with hip fractures is the result of a combination of age, gender, BMI, and vitamin D content.
Monoclonal and polyclonal immunoglobulin G deposits on tubular basement membranes of native and pretransplant kidneys: A retrospective study
Authors: Sawada Anri , Okumi Masayoshi , Horita Shigeru , Tamura Tomomi , Taneda Sekiko , Ishida Hideki , Hattori Motoshi , Tanabe Kazunari , Nitta Kosaku , Honda Kazuho , Koike Junki , Nagashima Yoji , Shimizu Akira
Published: March 2021

Monoclonal tubular basement membrane immune deposits (TBMID) are associated with progression of interstitial injury in renal allograft. However, the significance of monoclonal and polyclonal TBMID in the native kidney remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 1894 native kidney biopsies and 1724 zero‐hour biopsies performed between 2008 and 2018 in our institution. The rate of immunoglobulin G (IgG) TBMID was found to be 8.4% among native kidney biopsies and 0.4% among zero‐hour biopsies. Polyclonal TBMID is common in IgG4‐related tubulointerstitial nephritis (37.5%), diabetic nephropathy (31.3%) and lupus nephritis (25.5%). Monoclonal IgG TBMID was identified in seven cases, including three zero‐hour biopsies. The combination of IgG1κ was observed in two cases, IgG1λ in three, and IgG2κ in two. Electron microscopy revealed powdery electron‐dense deposits in all cases. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance was diagnosed in one case. Although one patient with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis developed renal failure, all others exhibited stable renal function. Monoclonal IgG TBMID in the native kidney is not associated with renal prognosis. However, this may be an interesting immunopathological finding that would help clarify the pathogenesis of TBM immune deposits. Further study for both monoclonal and polyclonal TBMID is required in the future.
Coronavirus infection: An immunologists' perspective
Authors: De Sanctis Juan Bautista , García Alexis Hipólito , Moreno Dolores , Hajduch Marián
Published: March 2021

Coronavirus infections are frequent viral infections in several species. As soon as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) appeared in the early 2000s, most of the research focused on pulmonary disease. However, disorders in immune response and organ dysfunctions have been documented. Elderly individuals with comorbidities exhibit worse outcomes in all the coronavirus that cause SARS. Disease severity in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is related to severe inflammation and tissue injury, and effective immune response against the virus is still under analysis. ACE2 receptor expression and polymorphism, age, gender and immune genetics are factors that also play an essential role in patients' clinical features and immune responses and have been partially discussed. The present report aims to review the physiopathology of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and propose new research topics to understand the complex mechanisms of viral infection and viral clearance.
Investigation on the Rolling Contact Fatigue Behaviors of Different Laser Cladding Materials on the Damaged Rail
Authors: Xie Tianxing , Zhou Liang , Ding Haohao , Zhu Yi , Yang Wenbin , Xiao Qian , Wang Wenjian , Guo Jun , Liu Qiyue
Published: March 2021

Surface damages on rail became severe with the increase in the axle load and speed. Laser cladding was used to repair the local damages on rail surfaces to ensure the service performance and prolong the life of rails. In the present study, five types of cladding materials (304, 314, 2Cr13, 316L, and 434L) were clad at a small part (trapezoidal shape) of the rail disc to simulate the defected rail in the field. Vickers hardness tester, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to investigate the service properties of the repaired rail discs. Results indicated that all these five clad rail discs had lower wear-rates than the unclad rail disc. The wear-rates decreased with the increase in the initial hardness of the clad layer. Cracks with large angles mainly propagated along the boundary at the front edge, while at the rear edge, the crack morphology was closely related to the hardness of clad layer. 434L would induce the minimum wear loss and the modest rolling contact fatigue (RCF) of the repaired rail disc, which could be the potential cladding material for repairing the damaged rail.
Continuum Modeling and Vibration Analysis of Cable-Harnessed Plate Structures of Periodic Patterns
Authors: Agrawal Pranav , Salehian Armaghan
Published: March 2021

Over the past decade, modeling of cable-harnessed space structures has received special attention due to the need for better accuracies than the existing models. As these structures become more lightweight upon the advancements in the materials science, it is imperative to further consider accurate models in which the dynamic effects of the added cables are better accounted for. Researchers have heavily focused on creating models for cable-harnessed beam-like structures, while very few studies have considered plate-like structures. The proposed research aims at the development of an analytical model for cable-harnessed plate-like structures. Cables are assumed to be periodic in geometry to allow for the application of an energy-equivalent homogenization technique. To begin with, a linear displacement field and a second-order Green-Lagrange strain tensor for strain–displacement relationships are considered. The strain and kinetic energies of the fundamental element are found using these relations. The repeated pattern of the fundamental element over the area of the plate structure allows for the employment of the homogenization approach in which the kinetic and strain energies per area of the fundamental element are found and assumed to remain the same as an equivalent homogenized solid plate-like element. The governing dynamic partial differential equations (PDEs) are found using the Hamilton's principle. The results are validated using the finite element analysis. A detailed parametric analysis is also performed to investigate the effects of various cable parameters and wrapping patterns on the dynamics of the host structure.
Experimental analysis of non-periodic sound regimes in flute-like musical instruments
Authors: Terrien Soizic , Vergez Christophe , de la Cuadra Patricio , Fabre Benoît
Published: March 2021

Self-sustained musical instruments are complex nonlinear dynamical systems that are known to produce a wealth of dynamical regimes. This includes different kinds of non-periodic sounds, which are either played on purpose or avoided depending on the cultural and musical context. We investigate non-periodic sounds produced by two types of flute-like instruments, namely, an alto recorder and traditional pan-like flutes from Central Chile. We adopt a nonlinear dynamics point of view to characterize the multiphonics produced by the alto recorder and the sonidos rajados produced by the Chilean flutes. Our results unveil the common quasiperiodic nature of the two types of sound regimes and suggest that they result from a similar physical sound production mechanism. This paves the way for a better control of non-periodic sound regimes by the instrument makers.
Operationalizing and Testing the Concept of a Physical Activity Desert
Authors: Pate Russell R. , Dowda Marsha , Saunders Ruth P. , Colabianchi Natalie , Clennin Morgan N. , Cordan Kerry L. , Militello Geena , Bucko Agnes , Porter Dwayne E. , Shirley Wm. Lynn
Published: March 2021

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity is higher in economically and socially deprived areas. Higher levels of physical activity reduce the risk of excessive weight gain in youth, and research has focused on environmental factors associated with children’s physical activity, though the term “physical activity desert” has not come into wide use. Methods: This exploratory study operationalized the term “physical activity desert” and tested the hypothesis that children living in physical activity deserts would be less physically active than children who do not. A cross-sectional study design was applied with 992 fifth-grade students who had provided objectively measured physical activity data. Five of 12 possible elements of the built environment were selected as descriptors of physical activity deserts, including no commercial facilities, no parks, low play spaces, no cohesion, and the presence of incivilities. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that only the absence of parks was associated with less physical activity in children. Conclusion: Children living in a “no park” zone were less active than their counterparts who lived near a park. This study contributes preliminary conceptual and operational definitions of “physical activity desert.” Future studies of physical activity deserts should be undertaken in larger and more diverse samples.
Accentuated Eccentric Loading is Superior to Traditional Loading for Improving Acute Countermovement Jump Performance in Adult, Resistance-Trained Males
Authors: Patus Jared
Published: March 2021

Clinical Scenario: Traditional loading (TL) is a common technique to employ when engaging in countermovement jumps (CMJ). Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) is a newer modality that is being explored for acute CMJ performance. Focused Clinical Question: In adult, resistance-trained males, will AEL have a superior impact on acute CMJ performance compared to TL? Summary of Key Findings: The literature was searched for studies that examined the influence of AEL on acute CMJ performance compared to a TL protocol. TL was defined as any loading condition that utilized an equivalent resistance during both the eccentric and concentric contractions. Three studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and were identified and included in the critically appraised topic. Each of the 3 studies found that various AEL conditions were either equal to or better than TL when examining subsequent CMJ performance. In no specific CMJ outcome measure was TL deemed to have a greater impact than AEL. Clinical Bottom Line: AEL provides more favorable acute CMJ performance than TL in adult, resistance-trained males. Strength of Recommendation: Consistent findings from 2 randomized crossover studies and one repeated-measured design investigation suggest level 2b evidence to support AEL as an ideal protocol for acute CMJ performance.
Emergence of Resistance to Ceftazidime-Avibactam in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolate Producing Derepressed
bla
PDC
in a Hollow-Fiber Infection Model
Authors: Drusano G. L. , Bonomo Robert A. , Marshall Steven M. , Rojas Laura J. , Adams Mark D. , Mojica Maria F. , Kreiswirth Barry N. , Chen Liang , Mtchedlidze Nino , Bacci Meredith , Vicchiarelli Michael , Bulitta Jürgen B. , Louie Arnold
Published: March 2021

Ceftazidime (CAZ)-avibactam (AVI) is a β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination with activity against type A and type C β-lactamases. Resistance emergence has been seen, with multiple mechanisms accounting for the resistance. We performed four experiments in the dynamic hollow-fiber infection model, delineating the linkage between drug exposure and both the rate of bacterial kill and resistance emergence by all mechanisms.
Normal-tension glaucoma is associated with cognitive impairment
Authors: Mullany Sean , Xiao Lewis , Qassim Ayub , Marshall Henry , Gharahkhani Puya , MacGregor Stuart , Hassall Mark M , Siggs Owen M , Souzeau Emmanuelle , Craig Jamie E
Published: March 2021

Background/aims

Recent research suggests an association between normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and dementia. This study investigated whether cognitive impairment is more strongly associated with NTG than high tension glaucoma (HTG) using cognitive screening within an Australiasian Glaucoma Disease Registry.

Methods

The authors completed a case–control cross-sectional cognitive screening involving 290 age-matched and sex-matched NTG participants and HTG controls aged ≥65 randomly sampled from the Australian and New Zealand Registry of Advanced Glaucoma. Cognitive screening was performed using the Telephone Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA). The T-MoCA omits points requiring visual interpretation, accounting for confounding factors related to vision loss in visually impaired participants. Cognitive impairment was defined by a T-MoCA score of <11/22. Cognition was compared between NTG and HTG participants using predetermined thresholds and absolute screening scores.

Results

A total of 290 participants completed cognitive assessment. There were no differences in NTG (n=144) and HTG (n=146) cohort demographics or ocular parameters at baseline. Cognitive impairment was more prevalent in the NTG cohort than the HTG cohort (OR=2.2; 95% CI 1.1 to 6.7, p=0.030). Though a linear trend was also observed between lower absolute T-MoCA scores in the NTG cohort when compared with the HTG cohort, this association was not statistically significant (p=0.108).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated an association between NTG status and poor cognition, supporting the hypothesis that there exists a disease association and shared pathoaetiological features between NTG and dementia.
Physical inactivity and non-communicable disease burden in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries
Authors: Katzmarzyk Peter T , Friedenreich Christine , Shiroma Eric J , Lee I-Min
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for premature mortality and several non-communicable diseases. The purpose of this study was to estimate the global burden associated with physical inactivity, and to examine differences by country income and region.

Methods

Population-level, prevalence-based population attributable risks (PAR) were calculated for 168 countries to estimate how much disease could be averted if physical inactivity were eliminated. We calculated PARs (percentage of cases attributable to inactivity) for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality and non-communicable diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, oesophagus, stomach and kidney.

Results

Globally, 7.2% and 7.6% of all-cause and cardiovascular disease deaths, respectively, are attributable to physical inactivity. The proportions of non-communicable diseases attributable to physical inactivity range from 1.6% for hypertension to 8.1% for dementia. There was an increasing gradient across income groups; PARs were more than double in high-income compared with low-income countries. However, 69% of total deaths and 74% of cardiovascular disease deaths associated with physical inactivity are occurring in middle-income countries, given their population size. Regional differences were also observed, with the PARs occurring in Latin America/Caribbean and high-income Western and Asia-Pacific countries, and the lowest burden occurring in Oceania and East/Southeast Asia.

Conclusion

The global burden associated with physical inactivity is substantial. The relative burden is greatest in high-income countries; however, the greatest number of people (absolute burden) affected by physical inactivity are living in middle-income countries given the size of their populations.
Artificial intelligence in percutaneous coronary intervention: improved risk prediction of PCI-related complications using an artificial neural network
Authors: Kulkarni Hemant , Amin Amit P
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are common and costly. Risk models for predicting the likelihood of acute kidney injury (AKI), bleeding, stroke and death are limited by accuracy and inability to use non-linear relationships among predictors. Our objective was to develop and validate a set of artificial neural networks (ANN) models to predict five adverse outcomes after PCI—AKI, bleeding, stroke, death and any adverse outcome.

Methods

We conducted a study of 28 005 patients (training and test cohorts of 21 004 and 7001 patients, respectively) undergoing PCI at five hospitals in the Barnes-Jewish Hospital system. We used an ANN multi-layer perceptron (MLP) architecture based on a set of 278 preprocessed variables. Model accuracy was tested using area under the receiver operating-characteristic curve (AUC). Improved prediction by the MLP model was assessed using integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and Brier score.

Results

The fully trained MLP model achieved convergence quickly (<10 epochs) and could accurately predict AKI (77.9%), bleeding (86.5%), death (90.3%) and any adverse outcome (80.6%) in the independent test set. Prediction of stroke was not satisfactory (69.9%). Compared with the currently used models for AKI, bleeding and death prediction, our models showed a significantly higher AUC, IDI and Brier score.

Conclusions

Using neural network-based models, we accurately predict major adverse events after PCI. Larger studies for replicability and longitudinal studies for evidence of impact are needed to establish these artificial intelligence methods in current PCI practice.
National database study of trends in bacteraemia aetiology among children and adults in Japan: a longitudinal observational study
Authors: Kusama Yoshiki , Ito Kenta , Fukuda Haruhisa , Matsunaga Nobuaki , Ohmagari Norio
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Domestic epidemiological studies are needed to ascertain the disease burden of bacteraemia in individual countries. This study aimed to evaluate the domestic trends in paediatric and adult bacteraemia in Japan.

Setting

Laboratory-based surveillance was used to obtain data from 592 hospitals located throughout Japan.

Participants

The study was conducted using the results of 827 780 and 3 512 524 blood culture tests obtained from children and adults, respectively, between January 2010 and December 2016.

Outcome measures

We analysed the temporal trends in specific bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes and Neisseria meningitidis) detected from the blood cultures of children and adults. For children aged ≤2 years, the data were analysed for each year of age. The proportions of bacteraemia-positive results among the patients were also evaluated.

Results

The number of bacteraemia-positive samples over the study period was 47,125/827,855 (5.7%) in children and 959,765/3,513,885 (27.3%) in adults. S. pneumoniae was the most frequent cause of bacteraemia in children in 2010. However, after 2011, S. aureus bacteraemia was the most frequent, followed by S. pneumoniae and E. coli. E. coli bacteraemia showed significant increases in both children and adults. In children, S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae bacteraemia decreased from 2010 to 2013. However, S. pneumoniae bacteraemia case numbers stabilised from 2013, whereas H. influenzae bacteraemia cases continued to decrease until 2016.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine did not substantially affect disease occurrence. In contrast to the decreasing trends in H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae bacteraemia, S. aureus, E. coli and S. agalactiae bacteraemia showed increasing trends. These findings shed light on recent temporal trends in bacteraemia in both children and adults in Japan.
E-cigarette use and combustible tobacco cigarette smoking uptake among non-smokers, including relapse in former smokers: umbrella review, systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Baenziger Olivia Nina , Ford Laura , Yazidjoglou Amelia , Joshy Grace , Banks Emily
Published: March 2021

Objective

To review and summarise the current evidence on the uptake of combustible cigarette smoking following e-cigarette use in non-smokers—including never-smokers, people not currently smoking and past smokers—through an umbrella review, systematic review and meta-analysis.

Design

Umbrella review, systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsychINFO (Ovid), Medline (Ovid) and Wiley Cochrane Library up to April 2020.

Results

Of 6225 results, 25 studies of non-smokers—never, not current and former smokers—with a baseline measure of e-cigarette use and an outcome measure of combustible smoking uptake were included. All 25 studies found increased risk of smoking uptake with e-cigarette exposure, although magnitude varied substantially. Using a random-effects model, comparing e-cigarette users versus non-e-cigarette users, among never-smokers at baseline the OR for smoking initiation was 3.19 (95% CI 2.44 to 4.16, I2 85.7%) and among non-smokers at baseline the OR for current smoking was 3.14 (95% CI 1.93 to 5.11, I2 91.0%). Among former smokers, smoking relapse was higher in e-cigarette users versus non-users (OR=2.40, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.83, I2 12.3%).

Conclusions

Across multiple settings, non-smokers who use e-cigarettes are consistently more likely than those avoiding e-cigarettes to initiate combustible cigarette smoking and become current smokers. The magnitude of this risk varied, with an average of around three times the odds. Former smokers using e-cigarettes have over twice the odds of relapse as non-e-cigarettes users. This study is the first to our knowledge to review and pool data on the latter topic.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020168596.
Single-centre parental survey of paediatric rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Bican Rachel , Ferrante Rachel , Hendershot Sarah , Heathcock Jill C
Published: March 2021

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood motor disability. The dose of usual care for rehabilitation therapies is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe current dosage of rehabilitation services for children with CP recruited from a paediatric hospital system in the USA. 96 children with CP were included in this cross-sectional survey. Parents reported frequency, intensity, time and type of therapy services. Weekly frequency was the most common. Children with CP received 0.9–1.2 hours/month of each discipline in the educational setting and 1.5–2.0 hours/month in the clinical setting, lower than the recommendations for improvements in motor skills.
Microbiota engraftment after faecal microbiota transplantation in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes: a 24-week, double-blind, randomised controlled trial
Authors: Ng Siew C , Xu Zhilu , Mak Joyce Wing Yan , Yang Keli , Liu Qin , Zuo Tao , Tang Whitney , Lau Louis , Lui Rashid N , Wong Sunny H , Tse Yee Kit , Li Amy Y L , Cheung Kitty , Ching Jessica Y L , Wong Vincent W S , Kong Alice P S , Ma Ronald C W , Chow Elaine Y K , Wong Simon K H , Ho Ivan Chak Hang , Chan Paul K S , Chan Francis K L
Published: March 2021

Objective

The impact of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on microbiota engraftment in patients with metabolic syndrome is uncertain. We aimed to study whether combining FMT with lifestyle modification could enhance the engraftment of favourable microbiota in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Design

In this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, 61 obese subjects with T2DM were randomly assigned to three parallel groups: FMT plus lifestyle intervention (LSI), FMT alone, or sham transplantation plus LSI every 4 weeks for up to week 12. FMT solution was prepared from six healthy lean donors. Faecal metagenomic sequencing was performed at baseline, weeks 4, 16 and 24. The primary outcome was the proportion of subjects acquiring ≥20% of microbiota from lean donors at week 24.

Results

Proportions of subjects acquiring ≥20% of lean-associated microbiota at week 24 were 100%, 88.2% and 22% in the FMT plus LSI, FMT alone, and sham plus LSI groups, respectively (p<0.0001). Repeated FMTs significantly increased the engraftment of lean-associated microbiota (p<0.05). FMT with or without LSI increased butyrate-producing bacteria. Combining LSI and FMT led to increase in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus compared with FMT alone (p<0.05). FMT plus LSI group had reduced total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and liver stiffness at week 24 compared with baseline (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Repeated FMTs enhance the level and duration of microbiota engraftment in obese patients with T2DM. Combining lifestyle intervention with FMT led to more favourable changes in recipients’ microbiota and improvement in lipid profile and liver stiffness.

Trial registration number

NCT03127696.
Agonist that activates the µ-opioid receptor in acidified microenvironments inhibits colitis pain without side effects
Authors: Jiménez-Vargas Nestor Nivardo , Yu Yang , Jensen Dane D , Bok Diana Daeun , Wisdom Matthew , Latorre Rocco , Lopez Cintya , Jaramillo-Polanco Josue O , Degro Claudius , Guzman-Rodriguez Mabel , Tsang Quentin , Snow Zachary , Schmidt Brian L , Reed David E , Lomax Alan Edward , Margolis Kara Gross , Stein Christoph , Bunnett Nigel W , Vanner Stephen J
Published: March 2021

Objective

The effectiveness of µ-opioid receptor (MOPr) agonists for treatment of visceral pain is compromised by constipation, respiratory depression, sedation and addiction. We investigated whether a fentanyl analogue, (±)-N-(3-fluoro-1-phenethylpiperidine-4-yl)-N-phenyl propionamide (NFEPP), which preferentially activates MOPr in acidified diseased tissues, would inhibit pain in a preclinical model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) without side effects in healthy tissues.

Design

Antinociceptive actions of NFEPP and fentanyl were compared in control mice and mice with dextran sodium sulfate colitis by measuring visceromotor responses to colorectal distension. Patch clamp and extracellular recordings were used to assess nociceptor activation. Defecation, respiration and locomotion were assessed. Colonic migrating motor complexes were assessed by spatiotemporal mapping of isolated tissue. NFEPP-induced MOPr signalling and trafficking were studied in human embryonic kidney 293 cells.

Results

NFEPP inhibited visceromotor responses to colorectal distension in mice with colitis but not in control mice, consistent with acidification of the inflamed colon. Fentanyl inhibited responses in both groups. NFEPP inhibited the excitability of dorsal root ganglion neurons and suppressed mechanical sensitivity of colonic afferent fibres in acidified but not physiological conditions. Whereas fentanyl decreased defecation and caused respiratory depression and hyperactivity in mice with colitis, NFEPP was devoid of these effects. NFEPP did not affect colonic migrating motor complexes at physiological pH. NFEPP preferentially activated MOPr in acidified extracellular conditions to inhibit cAMP formation, recruit β-arrestins and evoke MOPr endocytosis.

Conclusion

In a preclinical IBD model, NFEPP preferentially activates MOPr in acidified microenvironments of inflamed tissues to induce antinociception without causing respiratory depression, constipation and hyperactivity.
Intracranial arterial stenosis in Caucasian versus Chinese patients with TIA and minor stroke: two contemporaneous cohorts and a systematic review
Authors: Leng Xinyi , Hurford Robert , Feng Xueyan , Chan Ka Lung , Wolters Frank J , Li Linxin , Soo Yannie OY , Wong Ka Sing Lawrence , Mok Vincent CT , Leung Thomas W , Rothwell Peter M
Published: March 2021

Background

Intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) is an important cause of stroke worldwide. Separate reports in Caucasians and Asians with stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) have suggested lower ICAS prevalence in Caucasians, but there has been no direct comparisons of the two ethnic groups with the same criteria to define ICAS.

Methods

Acute minor stroke or TIA patients in two cohorts respectively recruiting patients in Oxford (2011–2018, predominantly Caucasians) and Hong Kong (2011–2015, predominantly Chinese) were compared. ICAS was defined as ≥50% stenosis/occlusion in any major intracranial artery in MR/CT angiography. Prevalence, distribution and risk factors of ICAS were compared between the two cohorts. We also systematically reviewed literature on ICAS prevalence in stroke/TIA patients in different populations.

Results

Among 1287 patients from Oxford and 691 from Hong Kong (mean age 69 vs 66), ICAS prevalence was higher in Chinese than in Caucasians (43.0% vs 20.0%; OR 3.02; 95% CI 2.47 to 3.70; p<0.001), independent of age (age-adjusted OR 3.73; 95% CI 3.00 to 4.63; p<0.001) and vascular risk factors (multivariable-adjusted OR 3.21; 95% CI 2.56 to 4.02; p<0.001). This ethnic difference was greater (p interaction=0.005) at age <70 years (OR 5.33; 95% CI 3.79 to 7.50; p<0.001) than at ≥70 years (OR 2.81; 95% CI 2.11 to 3.74; p<0.001). ICAS prevalence increased with age and with vascular risk factors in both cohorts, with equivalent prevalence in Chinese aged <60 years and Caucasians aged ≥80, and in Chinese with no vascular risk factor and Caucasians with two vascular risk factors. ICAS locations also differed between Chinese and Caucasian patients.

Conclusions

Chinese are more susceptible to ICAS than Caucasians, with an earlier onset age and a higher prevalence, independent of vascular risk factors.
Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on emergency asthma admissions and deaths: national interrupted time series analyses for Scotland and Wales
Authors: Davies Gwyneth A , Alsallakh Mohammad A , Sivakumaran Shanya , Vasileiou Eleftheria , Lyons Ronan A , Robertson Chris , Sheikh Aziz
Published: March 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on people with asthma is poorly understood. We hypothesised that lockdown restrictions were associated with reductions in severe asthma exacerbations requiring emergency asthma admissions and/or leading to death.

Methods

Using data from Public Health Scotland and the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank in Wales, we compared weekly counts of emergency admissions and deaths due to asthma over the first 18 weeks in 2020 with the national averages over 2015–2019. We modelled the impact of instigating lockdown on these outcomes using interrupted time-series analysis. Using fixed-effect meta-analysis, we derived pooled estimates of the overall changes in trends across the two nations. We also investigated trends in asthma-related primary care prescribing and emergency department (ED) attendances in Wales.

Results

Lockdown was associated with a 36% pooled reduction in emergency admissions for asthma (incidence rate ratio, IRR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.83, p value 0.001) across both countries. There was no significant change in asthma deaths (pooled IRR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.17 to 1.94, p value 0.37). ED asthma attendances in Wales declined during lockdown (IRR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.99, p value 0.03). A large spike of 121% more inhaled corticosteroids and 133% more oral corticosteroid prescriptions was seen in Wales in the week before lockdown.

Conclusions

National lockdowns were associated with substantial reductions in severe asthma exacerbations leading to hospital admission across both Scotland and Wales, with no corresponding increase in asthma deaths.
Retarded resonance Casimir–Polder interaction of a uniformly rotating two-atom system
Authors: Saha Saptarshi , Singha Chiranjeeb , Chatterjee Arpan
Published: March 2021

We consider a two-atom system uniformly moving through a circular ring at an ultra-relativistic speed and weakly interacting with the common quantum fields. Two kinds of fields are introduced here: a massive free scalar field and electromagnetic (EM) vector fields. The vacuum fluctuations of the quantum fields give rise to the resonance Casimir–Polder interaction (RCPI) in the system. Using the quantum master equation formalism, we calculate the second-order energy shift of the entangled states of the system. We find two major aspects of RCPI in a circular trajectory. The first one is the presence of the centripetal acceleration, which gives rise to non-thermality in the system, and secondly, due to the interaction with the above fields, the energy shift for RCPI is retarded in comparison with the massless scalar field. The retardation effect can die out by decreasing the centripetal acceleration and increasing the Zeeman frequency of the atoms. We also show that this phenomenon can be observed via the polarization transfer technique. The coherence time for the polarization transfer is calculated, which is different for the different fields.
Orbuculum - Predicting When Users Intend to Leave Large Public Displays
Authors: Alt Florian , Buschek Daniel , Heuss David , Müller Jörg
Published: March 2021

We present a system, predicting the point in time when users of a public display are about to leave. The ability to react to users' intention to leave is valuable for researchers and practitioners alike: users can be presented additional content with the goal to maximize interaction times; they can be offered a discount coupon for redemption in a nearby store hence enabling new business models; or feedback can be collected from users right after they have finished interaction without interrupting their task. Our research consists of multiple steps: (1) We identified features that hint at users' intention to leave from observations and video logs. (2) We implemented a system capable of detecting such features from Microsoft Kinect's skeleton data and subsequently make a prediction. (3) We trained and deployed a prediction system with a Quiz game which reacts when users are about to leave (N=249), achieving an accuracy of 78%. The majority of users indeed reacted to the presented intervention.
Urban Map Inference by Pervasive Vehicular Sensing Systems with Complementary Mobility
Authors: Fang Zhihan , Wang Guang , Xie Xiaoyang , Zhang Fan , Zhang Desheng
Published: March 2021

Accurate and up-to-date digital road maps are the foundation of many mobile applications, such as navigation and autonomous driving. A manually-created map suffers from the high cost for creation and maintenance due to constant road network updating. Recently, the ubiquity of GPS devices in vehicular systems has led to an unprecedented amount of vehicle sensing data for map inference. Unfortunately, accurate map inference based on vehicle GPS is challenging for two reasons. First, it is challenging to infer complete road structures due to the sensing deviation, sparse coverage, and low sampling rate of GPS of a fleet of vehicles with similar mobility patterns, e.g., taxis. Second, a road map requires various road properties such as road categories, which is challenging to be inferred by just GPS locations of vehicles. In this paper, we design a map inference system called coMap by considering multiple fleets of vehicles with Complementary Mobility Features. coMap has two key components: a graph-based map sketching component, a learning-based map painting component. We implement coMap with the data from four type-aware vehicular sensing systems in one city, which consists of 18 thousand taxis, 10 thousand private vehicles, 6 thousand trucks, and 14 thousand buses. We conduct a comprehensive evaluation of coMap with two state-of-the-art baselines along with ground truth based on OpenStreetMap and a commercial map provider, i.e., Baidu Maps. The results show that (i) for the map sketching, our work improves the performance by 15.9%; (ii) for the map painting, our work achieves 74.58% of average accuracy on road category classification.