bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature dependence on bandgap of semiconductor photocatalysts
Authors: Cho Y. , Yamaguchi A. , Uehara R. , Yasuhara S. , Hoshina T. , Miyauchi M.
Published: June 2020

Light irradiation onto a semiconductor generates heat; however, its electronic structure under high temperature has not yet been well investigated. In this study, we have carefully examined the temperature dependence on the bandgap of simple metal oxides, which are well-known photocatalysts, i.e., TiO2, CeO2, Nb2O5, SnO2 Ta2O5, WO3, ZnO, and ZrO2, using operando UV–visible spectroscopy under controlled temperature (from room temperature to 500 °C). Consequently, a linear decrease in bandgap was seen as a function of temperature with a different slope for each semiconductor. We found that the slope was dependent on the bonding distance between metal and oxygen. This finding is essential to develop a photocatalyst used under the condition involving photo-thermal effect.
Development and evaluation of a low-density single-nucleotide polymorphism chip specific to Bos indicus cattle
Authors: Ferraz J. B. S. , Wu X. -L. , Li H. , Xu J. , Ferretti R. , Simpson B. , Walker J. , Silva L. R. , Garcia J. F. , Tait Jr R. G. , Bauck S.
Published: June 2020

Context Genomic selection has been of increasing interest in the genetic improvement of Zebu cattle, particularly for quantitative traits that are difficult or expensive to measure, such as carcass traits and meat tenderness. The success of genomic selection depends on several factors, and at its core is the availability of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips that are appropriately designed for Bos indicus cattle. However, the currently available commercial bovine SNP chips are mostly designed for Bos taurus cattle. There are two commercial Bos indicus SNP chips; namely, GeneSeek genomic profiler high-density Bos indicus (GGP-HDi) SNP chip and a low-density (LD) Bos indicus SNP chip (Z chip), but these two Bos indicus SNP chips were built with mixed contents of SNPs for Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle, due to limited availability of genotype data from Bos indicus cattle. Aims To develop a new GGP indicus 35000 SNP chip specifically for Bos indicus cattle, which has a low cost, but high accuracy of imputation to Illumina BovineHD chips. Methods The design of the chip consisted of 34000 optimally selected SNPs, plus 1000 SNPs pre-reserved for those on the Y chromosome, ‘causative’ mutations for a variety of economically relevant traits, genetic health conditions and International Society for Animal Genetics globally recognised parentage markers for those breeds of cattle. Key results The present results showed that this new indicus LD SNP chip had considerably increased minor allele frequencies in indicus breeds than the previous Z-chip. It demonstrated with high imputation accuracy to HD SNP genotypes in five indicus breeds, and with considerable predictability on 14 growth and reproduction traits in Nellore cattle. Conclusions This new indicus LD chip represented a successful effort to leverage existing knowledge and genotype resources towards the public release of a cost-effective LD SNP chip specifically for Bos indicus cattle, which is expected to replace the previous GGP indicus LD chip and to supplement the existing GGP-HDi 80000 SNP chip. Implications A new SNP chip specifically designed for Bos indicus, with high power of imputation to Illumina BovineHD technology and with excellent coverage of the whole genome, is now available on the market for Bos indicus cattle, and Bos indicus and Bos taurus crosses.
Analysis of fire frequency on the Talladega National Forest, USA, 1998-2018
Authors: Stober Jonathan , Merry Krista , Bettinger Pete
Published: June 2020

Fire is an essential ecological process and management tool for many forested landscapes, particularly the pine (Pinus spp.) forests of the southern USA. Within the Talladega National Forest in Alabama, where restoration and maintenance of pine ecosystems is a priority, fire frequency (both wild and prescribed) was assessed using a geographical process applied to a fire history database. Two methods for assessing fire frequency were employed: (1) a simple method that utilised the entire range of years acknowledged in the database and (2) a conservative method that was applied only the date of the first and last fires recorded at each location. Analyses were further separated by (a) method of mean fire return interval calculation (weighted by area or Weibull) and (b) fire season interval with analyses conducted on growing season and dormant season fires. Analyses of fire frequency for national forest planning purposes may help determine whether a prescribed fire program mimics ecological and historical fire frequencies and meets intended objectives. The estimated fire return interval was between ~5 and 6.5 years using common, straightforward (simple) methods. About one-third of the forest receives no fire management and about half of the balance has sufficiently managed fuels.
‘Liking’ constructions in Spanish
Authors: Mojedano Batel Andrea
Published: June 2020

This study examines the diachronic change in
argument structure in Spanish psych-verbs of ‘liking’, with emphasis
on the change from nominative-experiencer gustar
‘to like’ to dative-experiencer gustar. While
previous studies have looked at factors pertaining to frequency and
semantics, this change must also be studied taking into account
certain syntactic factors, and especially the evolution of
prepositional finite clauses introduced by functional prepositions.
Results suggest that the subcategorization properties of the
preposition are grammatically relevant in determining the linguistic
encoding of the arguments of Spanish ‘liking’ constructions. This
study offers an extensive corpus study of ‘liking’ verbs, spanning
the 13th to the 17th centuries, and adopts a constructionist
usage-based view of syntactic productivity.
From noun to quantifier
Authors: Wood Johanna L.
Published: June 2020

Micro-variation in Germanic pseudo-partitives is
investigated, focusing on the syntax and morphology of expressions
where two nouns are juxtaposed without a linking preposition,
attested in Middle English. A standard measure
(pound), containers (gallon,
ton, pipe,
barrel, and sack) and a
collective (pair) are examined in detail. Few
similarities are found between the Middle English expressions and
other Germanic languages for standard measures and containers,
whereas the noun pair has syntactic, morphological
and semantic similarities.
Atomizing linguistic change
Authors: Stein Dieter
Published: June 2020

This paper discusses the pragmatic processes of
semiosis involved in real speaker-hearer interaction in the process
of an initial innovative form-function construal. This atomistic
view of the locus of linguistic change suggests that more prominence
needs to be given to motivations which are present at the point of
origin. Discussing two unrelated instances from the history of
English, the paper argues that the initial motivation can become
non-transparent in later stages of the process. Hypotheses based on
structural comparisons may therefore be quite different from
hypotheses of motivations effective at the point of origin.
Layilin augments integrin activation to promote antitumor immunity
Authors: Mahuron Kelly M. , Moreau Joshua M. , Glasgow Jeff E. , Boda Devi P. , Pauli Mariela L. , Gouirand Victoire , Panjabi Luv , Grewal Robby , Luber Jacob M. , Mathur Anubhav N. , Feldman Renny M. , Shifrut Eric , Mehta Pooja , Lowe Margaret M. , Alvarado Michael D. , Marson Alexander , Singer Meromit , Wells Jim , Jupp Ray , Daud Adil I. , Rosenblum Michael D.
Published: June 2020

Tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells mediate antitumor immune responses. However, the mechanisms by which T cells remain poised to kill cancer cells despite expressing high levels of inhibitory receptors are unknown. Here, we report that layilin, a C-type lectin domain–containing membrane glycoprotein, is selectively expressed on highly activated, clonally expanded, but phenotypically exhausted CD8+ T cells in human melanoma. Lineage-specific deletion of layilin on murine CD8+ T cells reduced their accumulation in tumors and increased tumor growth in vivo. Congruently, gene editing of LAYN in human CD8+ T cells reduced direct tumor cell killing ex vivo. On a molecular level, layilin colocalized with integrin αLβ2 (LFA-1) on T cells, and cross-linking layilin promoted the activated state of this integrin. Accordingly, LAYN deletion resulted in attenuated LFA-1–dependent cellular adhesion. Collectively, our results identify layilin as part of a molecular pathway in which exhausted or “dysfunctional” CD8+ T cells enhance cellular adhesiveness to maintain their cytotoxic potential.
Positive transversality via transfer operators and holomorphic motions with applications to monotonicity for interval maps
Authors: Levin Genadi , Shen Weixiao , van Strien Sebastian
Published: June 2020

In this paper we will develop a general approach which shows that generalized ‘critical relations’ of families of locally defined holomorphic maps on the complex plane unfold transversally. The main idea is to define a transfer operator, which is a local analogue of the Thurston pullback operator, using holomorphic motions. Assuming a so-called lifting property is satisfied, we obtain information about the spectrum of this transfer operator and thus about transversality. An important new feature of our method is that it is not global: the maps we consider are only required to be defined and holomorphic on a neighbourhood of some finite set. We will illustrate this method by obtaining transversality for a wide class of one-parameter families of interval and circle maps, for example for maps with flat critical points, but also for maps with complex analytic extensions such as certain polynomial-like maps. As in Tsujii’s approach (Tsujii M 1994 A note on Milnor and Thurston’s monotonicity theorem Geometry and Analysis in Dynamical System vol 14 (Singapore: World Scientific) pp 60–2; Tsujii M 2000 Ergod. Theor. Dyn. Syst.
20 925–933), for real maps we obtain positive transversality (where >0 holds instead of just ≠0), and thus monotonicity of entropy for these families, and also (as an easy application) for the real quadratic family. This method additionally gives results for unimodal families of the form x ↦ |x|
ℓ
+ c for ℓ > 1 not necessarily an even integer and c real.
The effects of cropping intensity and cropland expansion of Brazilian soybean production on green water flows
Authors: Flach Rafaela , Fader Marianela , Folberth Christian , Skalský Rastislav , Jantke Kerstin
Published: June 2020

As land use change alters how green water is appropriated, cropland expansion is instrumental in re-allocating green water towards agriculture. Alongside cropland expansion, agricultural intensification practices modify crop water use and land and water productivity. Particularly, one form of agricultural intensification known as multi-cropping (the cultivation of a piece of land sequentially more than once a year) can result in greater agricultural output per unit of land, as well as more productive use of the available water throughout the annual rainfall cycle. We assess the influence of these two processes, cropland expansion and agricultural intensification, in agricultural green water use in Brazilian agriculture. We applied the biophysical crop model Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) to estimate green water use for single and double cropping of soybean (Glycine max) and maize (Zea mays) in Brazil. The first part of our study analyses changes in soybean green water use and virtual water content nationwide between 1990 and 2013, and in a second part we look into the effect of double-cropping on water use for soybean and maize in the Brazilian states of Paraná and Mato Grosso between 2003 and 2013. The results show that cropland expansion plays a more prominent effect in green water use for production of soybean than intensification, and harvested area increase was responsible for the appropriation of an additional 95 km3 of green water in 2013 when compared to 1990, an increase of 155%. We estimate that an additional green water use of around 26 km3 related to second season maize was appropriated through increase of cropping frequency, and without expansion of cropland, in 2013 in the selected states. We discuss the importance of considering multi cropping practices when assessing green water sustainability, and the importance of differentiating green water appropriation through expansion and through cropping frequency changes.
Mangrove development and carbon storage on an isolated coral atoll
Authors: Yamano Hiroya , Inoue Tomomi , Baba Shigeyuki
Published: June 2020

This study investigates the functions and vulnerability of mangroves in isolated atoll settings, by showing the mangrove development and carbon storage, based on the radiocarbon ages and detrital organic-carbon contents of cores collected on Fongafale Islet, Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu. The mangrove peat formed a thin veneer, several tens of centimeters thick, and mangrove development was constrained by the formation of the reef flat. The initial mangrove development (389 cal yr BP) was much more recent than on other islands, possibly because the island is remote and weakly connected to other source islands. However, the mangrove forests in Tuvalu have geomorphic developmental rates and carbon burial rates similar to those in other settings. The mean carbon sequestration rate is six times that calculated previously from land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) data for Tuvalu. High vulnerability of the mangroves is suggested by the small sediment thickness and recent development of the mangrove forests, as well as by the past vertical accumulation rates potentially smaller than those of future sea-levels rise. The conservation and restoration of mangrove forests should be one of the key issues in sustaining low-lying atoll countries under climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressures.
Prospect Theory and due process paranoia: what behavioural models say about arbitrators’ assessment of risk and uncertainty
Authors: Metsch Rutger , Gerbay Rémy
Published: June 2020

The term ‘due process paranoia’ is used to describe a perceived reluctance by arbitral tribunals to act decisively in certain situations for fear of the arbitral award being challenged on the basis of a party not having had the chance to present its case fully. This article approaches due process paranoia from the perspective of Prospect Theory, which is a behavioural model describing how individuals make decisions under risk and uncertainty. The authors examine how Prospect Theory’s insight that decision makers tend to overweight low-probability events in their decision-making (the ‘possibility effect’) affects decision-making by arbitrators when faced with the threat of challenge to their awards on due process grounds (the ‘enforcement risk’). The article concludes that the possibility effect is prone to contribute to an overweighting by arbitrators of the enforcement risk, thereby explaining the perceived tendency by tribunals to make sub-optimal decisions when faced with due process-related complaints or threats.
Compassionate Use of Tocilizumab for Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia
Authors: Jordan Stanley C , Zakowski Phillip , Tran Hai P , Smith Ethan A , Gaultier Cyril , Marks Gregory , Zabner Rachel , Lowenstein Hayden , Oft Jillian , Bluen Benjamin , Le Catherine , Shane Rita , Ammerman Noriko , Vo Ashley , Chen Peter , Kumar Sanjeev , Toyoda Mieko , Ge Shili , Huang Edmund
Published: June 2020

Background

Preliminary data from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia patients indicate that a cytokine storm may increase morbidity and mortality. Tocilizumab (anti-IL-6R) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of cytokine storm associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Here we examined compassionate use of tocilizumab in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Methods

We report on a single-center study of tocilizumab in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. All patients had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and oxygen saturations <90% on oxygen support with most intubated. We examined clinical and laboratory parameters including oxygen and vasopressor requirements, cytokine profiles, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels pre- and post-tocilizumab treatment.

Results

Twenty-seven SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients received one 400 mg dose of tocilizumab. Interleukin (IL)-6 was the predominant cytokine detected at tocilizumab treatment. Significant reductions in temperature and CRP were seen post-tocilizumab. However, 4 patients did not show rapid CRP declines, of whom 3 had poorer outcomes. Oxygen and vasopressor requirements diminished over the first week post-tocilizumab. Twenty-two patients required mechanical ventilation; at last follow-up, 16 were extubated. Adverse events and serious adverse events were minimal, but 2 deaths (7.4%) occurred that were felt unrelated to tocilizumab.

Conclusions

Compared to published reports on the morbidity and mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2, tocilizumab appears to offer benefits in reducing inflammation, oxygen requirements, vasopressor support, and mortality. The rationale for tocilizumab treatment is supported by detection of IL-6 in pathogenic levels in all patients. Additional doses of tocilizumab may be needed for those showing slow declines in CRP. Proof of efficacy awaits randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Video-assisted minimally invasive aortic valve replacement through left anterior mini-thoracotomy in a patient with situs inversus totalis
Authors: El-Sayed Ahmad Ali , Bakhtiary Farhad
Published: June 2020

We describe herein the first experience with a surgical technique for aortic valve replacement using a video-assisted minimally invasive approach via a left anterior mini-thoracotomy in patient with dextrocardia and situs inversus totalis. This procedure was performed safely with good clinical and cosmetic results.
Visualizing mutagenic repair: novel insights into bacterial translesion synthesis
Authors: Joseph Asha Mary , Badrinarayanan Anjana
Published: June 2020

DNA repair is essential for cell survival. In all domains of life, error-prone and error-free repair pathways ensure maintenance of genome integrity under stress. Mutagenic, low-fidelity repair mechanisms help avoid potential lethality associated with unrepaired damage, thus making them important for genome maintenance and, in some cases, the preferred mode of repair. However, cells carefully regulate pathway choice to restrict activity of these pathways to only certain conditions. One such repair mechanism is translesion synthesis (TLS), where a low-fidelity DNA polymerase is employed to synthesize across a lesion. In bacteria, TLS is a potent source of stress-induced mutagenesis, with potential implications in cellular adaptation as well as antibiotic resistance. Extensive genetic and biochemical studies, predominantly in Escherichia coli, have established a central role for TLS in bypassing bulky DNA lesions associated with ongoing replication, either at or behind the replication fork. More recently, imaging-based approaches have been applied to understand the molecular mechanisms of TLS and how its function is regulated. Together, these studies have highlighted replication-independent roles for TLS as well. In this review, we discuss the current status of research on bacterial TLS, with emphasis on recent insights gained mostly through microscopy at the single-cell and single-molecule level.
Horizontally orthogonal distributed acoustic sensing array for earthquake- and ambient-noise-based multichannel analysis of surface waves
Authors: Luo Bin , Trainor-Guitton Whitney , Bozdağ Ebru , LaFlame Lisa , Cole Steve , Karrenbach Martin
Published: June 2020

A 2-D orthogonal distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) array designed for seismic experiments was buried horizontally beneath the Kafadar Commons Geophysical Laboratory on the Colorado School of Mines campus at Golden, Colorado. The DAS system using straight fibre-optic cables is a cost-efficient technology that enables dense seismic array deployment for long-term seismic monitoring, favouring both earthquake-based and ambient-noise-based surface wave analysis for subsurface characterization. In our study, the horizontally orthogonal DAS array records ambient noise data for a period of about two months from November 2018 to January 2019. During this time, the array also detected seismic signals from an ML3.6 earthquake at Glenwood Springs, Colorado, which exhibit opposite signal polarities in the orthogonal DAS section recordings. We derive the transformation matrix for DAS strain measurements in horizontally orthogonal cables to retrieve both Rayleigh and Love wave dispersion information from the single-component DAS signals using the 2-D multichannel analysis of surface waves method. In addition, ambient noise interferometry is applied to long-term DAS noise recordings. Our theoretical derivation demonstrates that Rayleigh and Love wave Green's functions are coupled in the noise cross-correlation functions (NCFs) of DAS receiver pairs. Stacking NCFs over the horizontally orthogonal DAS array can constructively recover the radial Rayleigh wave component but destructively suppress the Love wave component. The multimodal Monte Carlo inversion of the earthquake-based Rayleigh wave and Love wave dispersion measurements and the noise-based Rayleigh wave measurement reveals a 1-D layered structure that agrees qualitatively with geological surveys of the site. Our study demonstrates that although straight fibre-optic cables lack broadside sensitivity, using appropriate DAS array configuration and seismic array methods can extend the seismic acquisition ability of DAS and enable its application to a broad range of scenarios.
Review of canine dilated cardiomyopathy in the wake of diet-associated concerns
Authors: McCauley Sydney R , Clark Stephanie D , Quest Bradley W , Streeter Renee M , Oxford Eva M
Published: June 2020

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been in the literature and news because of the recent opinion-based journal articles and public releases by regulatory agencies. DCM is commonly associated with a genetic predisposition in certain dog breeds and can also occur secondary to other diseases and nutritional deficiencies. Recent communications in veterinary journals have discussed a potential relationship between grain-free and/or novel protein diets to DCM, citing a subjective increase in DCM in dog breeds that are not known to have a genetic predisposition for the disease. This literature review describes clinical presentations of DCM, common sequelae, treatment and preventative measures, histopathologic features, and a discussion of the varied etiological origins of the disease. In addition, current literature limitations are addressed, in order to ascertain multiple variables leading to the development of DCM. Future studies are needed to evaluate one variable at a time and to minimize confounding variables and speculation. Furthermore, to prevent sampling bias with the current FDA reports, the veterinary community should be asked to provide information for all cases of DCM in dogs. This should include cases during the same time period, regardless of the practitioner’s proposed etiology, due to no definitive association between diets with specific characteristics, such as, but not limited to, grain-free diets and those containing legumes, novel protein diets, and those produced by small manufacturers to DCM in dogs. In summary, in order to determine if certain ingredients, categories of diets, or manufacturing processes are related to an increased risk of DCM, further studies investigating these variables are necessary.
Mar Narsai and the Spirit Epicleses in the Acts of Thomas
Authors: Witkamp Nathan
Published: June 2020

The Acts of Thomas contains two unique epicleses of the Holy Spirit in chapters 27 and 50. The aim of the present contribution is to study the transmission and reception of some key concepts of these epicleses in the liturgical homilies of Mar Narsai, the renowned East Syrian poet–theologian. It is argued that Narsai’s use of ‘Come-phrases’, so distinctive for the epicleses under consideration, suggests that he had first-hand knowledge of the Acts. A close comparison between the third- and fifth-century texts shows both continuity and discontinuity. The latter is mainly caused by the shaping of orthodoxy.
Helium abundances and its radial gradient from the spectra of H ii regions and ring nebulae of the Milky Way
Authors: Méndez-Delgado J E , Esteban C , García-Rojas J , Arellano-Córdova K Z , Valerdi M
Published: June 2020

We determine the radial abundance gradient of helium in the disc of the Galaxy from published spectra of 19 H ii regions and ring nebulae surrounding massive O-type stars. We revise the Galactocentric distances of the objects considering Gaia DR2 parallaxes (Gaia Collaboration 2018) and determine the physical conditions and the ionic abundance of He+ in a homogeneous way, using between 3 and 10 He i recombination lines in each object. We estimate the total He abundance of the nebulae and its radial abundance gradient using four different ionization correction factor (ICF; He) schemes. The slope of the gradient is always negative and weakly dependent on the ICF(He) scheme, especially when only the objects with log(η) < 0.9 are considered. The slope values go from −0.0078 to −0.0044 dex kpc−1, consistent with the predictions of chemical evolution models of the Milky Way and chemodynamical simulations of disc galaxies. Finally, we estimate the abundance deviations of He, O, and N in a sample of ring nebulae around Galactic Wolf–Rayet stars, finding a quite similar He overabundance of about +0.24 ± 0.11 dex in three stellar ejecta ring nebulae.
The edge of the Galaxy
Authors: Deason Alis J , Fattahi Azadeh , Frenk Carlos S , Grand Robert J J , Oman Kyle A , Garrison-Kimmel Shea , Simpson Christine M , Navarro Julio F
Published: June 2020

We use cosmological simulations of isolated Milky Way (MW)-mass galaxies, as well as Local Group (LG) analogues, to define the ‘edge’ – a caustic manifested in a drop in density or radial velocity – of Galactic-sized haloes, both in dark matter and in stars. In the dark matter, we typically identify two caustics: the outermost caustic located at ∼1.4r200m, corresponding to the ‘splashback’ radius, and a second caustic located at ∼0.6r200m, which likely corresponds to the edge of the virialized material that has completed at least two pericentric passages. The splashback radius is ill defined in LG-type environments where the haloes of the two galaxies overlap. However, the second caustic is less affected by the presence of a companion, and is a more useful definition for the boundary of the MW halo. Curiously, the stellar distribution also has a clearly defined caustic, which, in most cases, coincides with the second caustic of the dark matter. This can be identified in both radial density and radial velocity profiles, and should be measurable in future observational programmes. Finally, we show that the second caustic can also be identified in the phase–space distribution of dwarf galaxies in the LG. Using the current dwarf galaxy population, we predict the edge of the MW halo to be 292 ± 61 kpc.
The Case for Feminist Legal History
Authors: Rackley Erika , Auchmuty Rosemary
Published: June 2020

While we may be witnessing a highpoint of interest in the lives of early women lawyers, and women’s legal history generally, feminist legal history remains largely undeveloped in the UK. Drawing on examples of women’s representation in and engagement with law and law reform in the UK and Ireland, this article delineates the method, scope and purpose of feminist legal history. It begins by exploring the place of women in traditional accounts of legal history, before going on to consider the methodological and substantive goals of feminist legal history. We argue that feminist legal history is a political project, requiring its authors to commit not only to uncovering untold stories, but also to challenging and revising dominant historical narratives. We conclude with a call for scholars to take up the insights and methods of feminist legal history as a means of acknowledging and celebrating the agency of those involved in past and ongoing struggles for justice and equality.
Case Series: Deep Brain Stimulation for Facial Pain
Authors: Kashanian Alon , DiCesare Jasmine A T , Rohatgi Pratik , Albano Luigi , Krahl Scott E , Bari Ausaf , De Salles Antonio , Pouratian Nader
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been used for chronic pain for decades, but its use is limited due to a lack of reliable data about its efficacy for specific indications.

OBJECTIVE

To report on 9 patients who underwent DBS for facial pain, with a focus on differences in outcomes between distinct etiologies.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 9 patients with facial pain who were treated with DBS of the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus and periventricular gray. We report on characteristics including facial pain etiology, complications, changes in pain scores using the visual analog scale (VAS), and willingness to undergo DBS again.

RESULTS

Nine patients underwent DBS for either poststroke, post-traumatic, postherpetic, or atypical facial pain. Eight patients (89%) were permanently implanted. Seven patients had sufficient follow-up (mean 40.3 mo). Of these 7 patients, average VAS scores decreased from 9.4 to 6.1 after DBS. The average decrease in VAS was 55% for post-traumatic facial pain (2 patients), 45% for poststroke (2 patients), 15% for postherpetic neuralgia (2 patients), and 0% for atypical facial pain (1 patient). Three of the 8 implanted patients (38%) had complications which required removal of hardware. Only 2 of 7 (29%) patients met classical criteria for responders (50% decrease in pain scores). However, among 4 patients who were asked about willingness to undergo DBS again, all expressed that they would repeat the procedure.

CONCLUSION

There is a trend towards improvement in pain scores following DBS for facial pain, most prominently with post-traumatic pain.
THE VALIDATION OF COMPREHENSIVE SOFTWARE FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF RADIOLOGICAL IMPACTS ON HUMANS THROUGH BENCHMARK ANALYSIS WITH RADIOLOGICAL CODES
Authors: Shad Ali Haghighi , Allaf Mitra Athari , Masti Darioush , Sepanloo Kamran , Feghhi Seyed Amir Hossein
Published: June 2020

In this paper, a novel domestic code called KIANA was developed for the assessment of radiological impacts on the population in normal and accident conditions including design basis accident (DBA) and beyond DBA (BDBA) for the nuclear power plants. The validation process of the KIANA code was performed using the results of the DOZA_M radiological code, whose results are presented in the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Unit One (BNPP-1). The calculations of KIANA are performed based on the Gaussian diffusion model. The developed KIANA code has the potential of calculating the concentration and radionuclide doses due to the pathways such as airborne, foodstuff, marine (both one and two boxes models), soils, animals, vegetation (with and without tritium) and other pathways without any restriction. In the current research, the individual dose from a cloud to the member of the public in the region of BNPP-1 in normal condition was calculated. Moreover, the total effective dose to the member of the public from the primary to the secondary leakage inside steam generators, large break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA) and small break loss-of-coolant accident was calculated. Thyroid gland equivalent dose for the infant (1–8 years) in the case of LBLOCA at the BNPP in DBA conditions was also evaluated. Finally, the prevented dose at the initial stage for the whole body of adults after BDBA, prevented dose at the initial stage for the thyroid gland of children after BDBA and the effective dose during the first year after the accident (external body irradiation from presence in the area) in the case of BDBA are assessed. The KIANA simulation results showed a good agreement with the FSAR data of BNPP.
Efficacy of Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis Intervention for Patients in Intensive Care: An Open-Label Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Coyer Fiona , Campbell Jill , Doubrovsky Anna
Published: June 2020

OBJECTIVE

To determine the feasibility of an adequately powered trial testing a long-acting cyanoacrylate skin protectant to prevent incontinence-associated dermatitis in critically ill patients.

METHODS

This open-label pilot randomized controlled feasibility study was conducted in the adult ICU of an Australian quaternary referral hospital. Patients were allocated to either an intervention group or a control group (usual care). The intervention was the application of a skin protectant (a durable, ultra-thin, transparent, waterproof, no-removal barrier film). Data collected by trained research nurses included demographic and clinical variables, skin assessment, and incontinence-associated dermatitis presence and severity. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Of the 799 patients screened, 85% were eliminated because of a short ICU stay or other exclusion criteria. The mean proportion of patients not meeting any of the exclusion criteria was 22% on each screening day. Protocol fidelity was followed for 90% of intervention participant study days. Retention of participants was 86% (31 participants out of 36), 15 in the intervention group and 16 in the control group. Enrolled patients had a mean age of 59 years, 50% were obese, 67% were male, and 36% were smokers. Two patients (11%) in the intervention group developed incontinence-associated dermatitis, compared with three (17%) in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reports no significant findings between the two groups. Difficulty in recruitment and feasibility issues might be overcome with changes to inclusion criteria and study design.
CE: The Effects of Smoking on Bone Health and Healing
Authors: Niu Stephanie , Lim Fidelindo
Published: June 2020

The number of orthopedic surgeries performed in the United States has increased substantially over the past several years. The most recent data available from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicate that five of the 10 operative procedures most commonly performed during inpatient stays involve the musculoskeletal system. Cigarette smoking is one of the most prevalent and preventable risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and orthopedic surgery complications. This article discusses the effects of smoking on bone health, the importance of smoking cessation among patients scheduled for or recovering from orthopedic surgery, and the vital role nurses play in supporting patient efforts to lead a tobacco-free life.
The Cost of a Cigarette: Opportunities to Engage Hospitalized Patients With Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Roy Payel Jhoom , Saitz Richard
Published: June 2020

Ensuring the safety of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder who inject substances frequently presents management challenges for hospital staff. This commentary expounds on those challenges and offers areas of opportunity to provide patient-centered care for these patients.
Discharges “Against Medical Advice” in Patients With Opioid-related Hospitalizations
Authors: Santos Charles J. , Shofer Frances S. , Lowenstein Margaret , Perrone Jeanmarie
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

We performed a descriptive analysis of patient and treatment characteristics in premature discharges “against medical advice” (AMA) in a cohort of patients with opioid-related hospitalizations.

Methods:

We abstracted data from 1152 opioid related hospitalizations of 928 adult patients in a large academic health system. Using electronic health record data, hospitalizations were categorized as AMA or conventional discharge (CD). To determine differences between AMA and CD regarding treatment characteristics, Fisher exact test, t tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression were performed.

Results:

74 / 1152 (6%) of opioid-related hospitalizations were discharged AMA. Hospitalizations that resulted in AMA discharge had shorter median length of stay (AMA vs CD 3.5 vs 5.5 days, P < 0.001) and received fewer of any type of opioid agonist treatment (AMA vs CD 73% vs 84%, P = 0.03). Although the number of hospitalizations in which methadone was administered did not differ between the AMA and CD groups, hospitalizations that resulted in AMA had more dose reductions and lesser quantities of methadone overall before discharge. Buprenorphine use was low overall in AMA and CD (0% and 2.1%, respectively)

Conclusion:

In this sample of opioid related hospitalizations, admissions that resulted in AMA discharge had fewer opioid agonist administrations and lower methadone dosing. These findings support efforts to initiate opioid agonist therapy during hospital admissions, and further studies should determine whether this practice mitigates AMA discharges.
Emotion Regulation, Impulsivity, and Personality Profile Among Egyptian Patients With Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Okasha Tarek , Abdelsamie Afaf , Azzam Hanan , Elserafi Doha , Shorub Eman M. , ElHawary Yomna , Morsy Mahmoud
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

Emotion regulation deficits and impulsivity and personality profile as well play a role in the development and maintenance of substance use disorder (SUD). We aimed to examine the emotion regulation and both impulsivity and personality profile among patients with SUDs and its correlates.

Patients and Methods:

One hundred male patients with SUDs were selected from the inpatient and outpatient departments compared with 100 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education. Structured Clinical Interview for the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (SCID-I); Temperement and Character Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Version 11 (BIS-11); and Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS) were used.

Results:

Emotional repair was significantly lower in cases compared with control group (P<0.05). Novelty seeking was significantly higher in patients with substance use. Meanwhile, cases had significantly lower scores in harm avoidance and persistence (P<0.01). In addition, cases showed significantly higher total, motor, attention, and nonplan scores of BIS compared with the control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between attention to feeling, clarity of feeling, and repair of mood, and motor, attention, nonplan, and total scores of BIS. Meanwhile, there was a negative correlation between emotional repair and novelty seeking, harm avoidance, persistence, and self-transcendence.

Conclusion:

Deficits in emotional repair correlated with certain personality traits and impulsiveness may place individuals at more risk for SUD and are important variables to attend for proper management of SUD patients.
Better Hearing in Norway: A Comparison of Two HUNT Cohorts 20 Years Apart
Authors: Engdahl Bo , Strand Bjørn Heine , Aarhus Lisa
Published: June 2020

Objective:

To obtain updated robust data on a age-specific prevalence of hearing loss in Norway and determine whether more recent birth cohorts have better hearing compared with earlier birth cohorts.

Design:

Cross-sectional analyzes of Norwegian representative demographic and audiometric data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT)—HUNT2 Hearing (1996–1998) and HUNT4 Hearing (2017–2019), with the following distribution: HUNT2 Hearing (N=50,277, 53% women, aged 20 to 101 years, mean = 50.1, standard deviation = 16.9); HUNT4 Hearing (N=28,339, 56% women, aged 19 to 100 years, mean = 53.2, standard deviation = 16.9). Pure-tone hearing thresholds were estimated using linear and quantile regressions with age and cohort as explanatory variables. Prevalences were estimated using logistic regression models for different severities of hearing loss averaged over 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz in the better ear (BE PTA4). We also estimated prevalences at the population-level of Norway in 1997 and 2018.

Results:

Disabling hearing loss (BE PTA4 ≥ 35 dB) was less prevalent in the more recent born cohort at all ages in both men and women (p < 0.0001), with the largest absolute decrease at age 75 in men and at age 85 in women. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of disabling hearing loss was 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.5 to 7.9) and 5.3% (95% CI 5.0 to 5.5) in HUNT2 and HUNT4, respectively. Hearing thresholds were better in the more recent born cohorts at all frequencies for both men and women (p < 0.0001), with the largest improvement at high frequencies in more recent born 60- to 70-year old men (10 to 11 dB at 3 to 4 kHz), and at low frequencies among the oldest.

Conclusions:

The age- and sex-specific prevalence of hearing impairment has decreased in Norway from 1996–1998 to 2017–2019.
Uncertainties in Radiation Doses for a Case-control Study of Thyroid Cancer among Persons Exposed in Childhood to 131 I from Chernobyl Fallout
Authors: Drozdovitch Vladimir , Kesminiene Ausrele , Moissonnier Monika , Veyalkin Ilya , Ostroumova Evgenia
Published: June 2020

Uncertainties in thyroid doses due to 131I intake were evaluated for 2,239 subjects in a case-control study of thyroid cancer following exposure to Chernobyl fallout during childhood and adolescence carried out in contaminated regions of Belarus and Russia. Using new methodological developments that became available recently, a Monte Carlo simulation procedure was applied to calculate 1,000 alternative vectors of thyroid doses due to 131I intake for the study population of 2,239 subjects accounting for sources of shared and unshared errors. An overall arithmetic mean of the stochastic thyroid doses in the study was estimated to be 0.43 Gy and median dose of 0.16 Gy. The arithmetic mean and median of deterministic doses estimated previously for 1,615 of 2,239 study subjects were 0.48 Gy and 0.20 Gy, respectively. The geometric standard deviation of individual stochastic doses varied from 1.59 to 3.61 with an arithmetic mean of 1.94 and a geometric mean of 1.89 over all subjects of the study. These multiple sets of thyroid doses were used to update radiation-related thyroid cancer risks in the study population exposed to 131I after the Chernobyl accident.
Outcomes of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty in Aphakic and Aniridic Patients
Authors: Santaella Gisella , Sorkin Nir , Mimouni Michael , Trinh Tanya , Cohen Eyal , Chan Clara C. , Rootman David S.
Published: June 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate the outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in aphakic and aniridic eyes.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of either aphakic or aniridic patients who underwent DMEK at Toronto Western Hospital, Canada, between 2015 and 2019 was performed. Demographic characteristics, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were analyzed.

Results:

Nine eyes of 9 patients, aged 51.0 ± 8.6 years, were included (3 aniridic, 5 aphakic, and 1 combined). The average follow-up was 15.7 ± 12.7 months. The best corrected visual acuities before surgery and 3 and 6 months after surgery were 1.28 ± 0.47, 1.33 ± 0.98, and 1.03 ± 0.56 LogMAR, respectively. Six eyes (67%) had graft detachment, with 3 of them larger than 30% of the graft area. One eye (11%) developed hyphema. The overall failure rate was 88% (8 of 9 eyes), meaning only one was viable at the last follow-up. Primary graft failure was seen in 4 eyes (44%) after detachment (n = 3) and intraoperative hyphema (n = 1). Secondary failure occurred in 4 eyes (44%) at 7, 12, 15, and 36 months. The secondary failure at 36 months was after rejection. Failures were managed with penetrating keratoplasty (n = 2), repeat DMEK (n = 3), Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (n = 1), and observation because of poor vision potential (n = 2). Cumulative graft survival probabilities at 12 and 24 months were 44% and 17%, respectively.

Conclusions:

Aniridic and aphakic patients experienced unacceptably high detachment and failure rates after DMEK. Before performing DMEK, the risks and benefits should be carefully weighed and perhaps other keratoplasty techniques should be used.
Peripheral tetrahydrobiopterin is involved in the pathogenesis of mechanical hypersensitivity in a rodent postsurgical pain model
Authors: Arai Hirokazu , Takahashi Rina , Sakamoto Yoshiaki , Kitano Tatsuya , Mashita Okishi , Hara Satoshi , Yoshikawa Satoru , Kawasaki Koh , Ichinose Hiroshi
Published: June 2020

Because treatment for postsurgical pain (PSP) remains a major unmet medical need, the emergence of safe and innovative nonopioid drugs has been strongly coveted. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an interesting molecule for gaining a better understanding the pathological mechanism of neuropathic pain. However, whether BH4 and its pathway are involved in the pathogenesis of PSP remains unclear. In this study, we found that early in a rat paw incision model, the gene expression of GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTPCH) and sepiapterin reductase (SPR), BH4-producing enzymes in the de novo pathway, were significantly increased in incised compared with naive paw skin. Although a significant increase in GTPCH protein levels was observed in incised paw skin until only 1 day after incision, a significant increase in BH4 levels was observed until 7 days after incision. In vivo, Spr-knockout mice showed an antinociceptive phenotype in the hind paw incision compared with the wild-type and Spr heterozygote groups. Furthermore, QM385, the SPR inhibitor, showed a significant dose-dependent, antinociceptive effect, which was supported by a reduction in BH4 levels in incised skin tissues, with no apparent adverse effects. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that macrophages expressing GTPCH protein were increased around the injury site in the rat paw incision model. These results indicate that BH4 is involved in the pathogenesis of PSP, and that inhibition of the BH4 pathway could provide a new strategy for the treatment of acute PSP.
A Fast-Track Care by a Nursing Case Management Concept Improved Status Epilepticus Outcomes
Authors: Pranboon Sineenard , Tiamkao Somsak , Chainirun Nanthaphan , Sawanyawisuth Kittisak
Published: June 2020

BACKGROUND

Status epilepticus (SE) is an emergency neurological condition, which is life-threatening, results in high morbidity and mortality rates, and needs to be diagnosed and promptly cared for. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the SE fast-track care using a nursing case management concept on SE outcomes.

METHODS

Quasi-experimental study conducted in adult patients with SE admitted in 15 emergency and intensive critical/intermediate care wards. SE outcomes were evaluated and compared between preintervention and postintervention.

RESULTS

Time to treatment was reduced from 30 minutes to 3.5 minutes (P < .001). Similarly, the seizure control rate increased from 65.7% to 94.4% (P = .009). The mortality rate was reduced but did not reach statistical significance (8.6% vs 0%; P = .115). The intervention also reduced average waiting time for receiving antiepileptic drugs from the pharmacy department from 13.09 minutes to < 1 minute.

CONCLUSION

The development of the fast-track care system for SE patients by nursing case management is at the core of management for coordinating multidisciplinary teams. This can improve outcomes by reducing the time to diagnosis and treatment time, therefore reducing mortality rates in SE patients.