bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smartphone Use and Academic Performance: Correlation or Causal Relationship?
Authors: Baert Stijn , Vujić Sunčica , Amez Simon , Claeskens Matteo , Daman Thomas , Maeckelberghe Arno , Omey Eddy , De Marez Lieven
Published: November 2019

After a decade of correlational research, this study attempts to measure the causal impact of (general) smartphone use on educational performance. To this end, we merge survey data on general smartphone use, exogenous predictors of this use, and other drivers of academic success with the exam scores of first‐year students at two Belgian universities. The resulting data are analysed with instrumental variable estimation techniques. A one‐standard‐deviation increase in daily smartphone use yields a decrease in average exam scores of about one point (out of 20). When relying on ordinary least squares estimations, the magnitude of this effect is substantially underestimated. The negative association between smartphone use and exam results is more outspoken for students (i) with highly educated fathers, (ii) with divorced parents and (iii) who are in good health. Policy‐makers should at least invest in information and awareness campaigns of teachers and parents to highlight this trade‐off between smartphone use and academic performance.
The Diffusion of the Concept of Public Figure in China
Authors: Zhao Yi , Richards Mark
Published: November 2019

This article considers how and why the legal concept of public figure, which holds public figures to a higher standard that makes it more difficult for them to recover damages when suing for libel, has been diffused in China. The public figure concept developed in the U.S. context as an extension of New York Times v. Sullivan from public officials to public figures, reflecting the deeply embedded value of freedom of expression. Despite authoritarianism in China, the concept was adapted in the rulings of some local courts to define the limits of the right to reputation. The diffusion was a response to a stream of litigation against media organizations. In the process of diffusion and adaptation, courts have acted strategically to reshape the public figure concept and refashion its justifications. Given the political constraints on courts in authoritarian China, they have been careful to avoid applying the concept to public officials, and instead have applied the concept to public figures such as celebrities. The diffusion of the concept in China sheds light on theories of legal diffusion more broadly, by illustrating how the process of diffusion can be bottom-up and open-ended, and how it can occur even in a counter-intuitive case in which there are significant political and ideational differences between the two countries.
Increased cancer rates in patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Nyberg Anders H. , Sadikova Ekaterina , Cheetham Craig , Chiang Kevin M. , Shi Jiaxiao X. , Caparosa Susan , Younossi Zobair M. , Nyberg Lisa M.
Published: November 2019

Aims

As previous reports show an association of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non‐liver cancers, we examine the association of HCV with liver cancer and non‐liver cancers.

Methods

Retrospective cross‐sectional study at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) evaluating HCV and non‐HCV patients from 1 January 2008 to 12 December 2012. Cancer diagnoses were obtained from the KPSC‐SEER‐affiliated registry. Logistic regression analyses were used for rate ratios and time‐to‐event analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, gender, race, smoking and cirrhosis. Cancer rate ratios were stratified by tobacco, alcohol abuse, diabetes and body mass index (BMI).

Results

The initial population and final population of multivariable analysis were N = 5 332 903 and N = 2 080 335 respectively. Cancer burden (all sites) was significantly higher in HCV than in non‐HCV patients and HCV patients had a high rate of liver cancer. When liver cancer was excluded, cancer rates remained significantly increased in HCV. Unadjusted cancer rates were significantly higher in HCV compared to non‐HCV for oesophageal, stomach, colorectal, pancreas, myeloma, non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, head/neck, lung, renal and prostate cancer. After stratification for alcohol abuse, tobacco, diabetes and BMI, increased cancer rates remained significant for all cancer sites, liver cancer and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Multivariable analyses demonstrated a strong correlation between cirrhosis and cancer. Tobacco use and diabetes were also associated with cancer. In the absence of cirrhosis, HCV, tobacco use and diabetes significantly increased the cancer risk. Mediation analyses showed that cirrhosis was responsible for a large proportion on the effect of HCV on cancer risk.

Conclusion

This study supports the concept of HCV as a systemic illness and treating HCV regardless of disease severity and prior to progression to cirrhosis.
Araceae of Mulu National Park. I. Four new species of Schismatoglottis (Araceae)
Authors: Yeng Wong Sin , Boyce Peter C. , Wardi Aisahtul binti , Kian Chai Shong
Published: November 2019

Four new species of Schismatoglottis are described and illustrated from Mulu National Park in Malaysian Borneo: Schismatoglottis fossae (Patentinervia Clade), S. roseopedes and S. serratodentata (Calyptrata Clade) and S. pellucida (currently unplaced but likely in the Multinervia clade). A brief summary is provided of botanical exploration at Mulu, notably where pertinent to aroid botany.
European society of neurogastroenterology and motility guidelines on functional constipation in adults
Authors: Serra Jordi , Pohl Daniel , Azpiroz Fernando , Chiarioni Giuseppe , Ducrotté Philippe , Gourcerol Guillaume , Hungin A. Pali S. , Layer Peter , Mendive Juan‐Manuel , Pfeifer Johann , Rogler Gerhard , Scott S. Mark , Simrén Magnus , Whorwell Peter ,   The Functional Constipation Guidelines Working Group
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Chronic constipation is a common disorder with a reported prevalence ranging from 3% to 27% in the general population. Several management strategies, including diagnostic tests, empiric treatments, and specific treatments, have been developed. Our aim was to develop European guidelines for the clinical management of constipation.

Design

After a thorough review of the literature by experts in relevant fields, including gastroenterologists, surgeons, general practitioners, radiologists, and experts in gastrointestinal motility testing from various European countries, a Delphi consensus process was used to produce statements and practical algorithms for the management of chronic constipation.

Key Results

Seventy‐three final statements were agreed upon after the Delphi process. The level of evidence for most statements was low or very low. A high level of evidence was agreed only for anorectal manometry as a comprehensive evaluation of anorectal function and for treatment with osmotic laxatives, especially polyethylene glycol, the prokinetic drug prucalopride, secretagogues, such as linaclotide and lubiprostone and PAMORAs for the treatment of opioid‐induced constipation. However, the level of agreement between the authors was good for most statements (80% or more of the authors). The greatest disagreement was related to the surgical management of constipation.

Conclusions and Inferences

European guidelines on chronic constipation, with recommendations and algorithms, were developed by experts. Despite the high level of agreement between the different experts, the level of scientific evidence for most recommendations was low, highlighting the need for future research to increase the evidence and improve treatment outcomes in these patients.
Comparison of iASSIST Navigation System with Conventional Techniques in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Li Jun‐tan , Gao Xiang , Li Xu
Published: November 2019

The iASSIST navigation system is a handheld accelerometer‐based navigation system that has been applied in clinical practice in recent five years. This meta‐analysis aimed to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes of iASSIST navigation with conventional surgical techniques for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to compare the surgery time between an iASSIST group and a conventional treatment group. This systematic review and meta‐analysis included all comparative prospective and retrospective studies published in Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Web of Science and the CNKI databases over the past 20 years. Inclusion criteria were studies that compared the iASSIST navigation system with conventional TKA. The primary outcomes were mechanical axis (MA) and outliers, which means postoperative MA varus or valgus of more than 3°. Secondary outcomes were coronal femoral angle (CFA) and coronal tibial angle (CTA). Knee Society Score (KSS) was used to evaluate functional outcome. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Eight studies involving 558 knees were included in this meta‐analysis. Of these, 275 patients used the iASSIST navigation system and 283 used conventional surgical techniques. A total of 5 studies were considered high quality and the other 3 were considered to be of moderate quality. The occurrence of malalignment of >3° in the iASSIST group was 13.3%, compared with 29.04% in the conventional group. Postoperative MA of the iASSIST group was significantly better than that of the conventional group (I2 = 19%, OR = −0.92, 95% CI = −1.09 to −0.75, P < 0.00001). The iASSIST navigation system provided significantly increased accuracy in the coronal femoral angle (I2 = 79%, OR = −0.88, 95% CI = −1.21 to −0.54, P < 0.00001) and the coronal tibial angle (I2 = 34%, OR = 0.39, 95% CI = −0.48 to −0.30, P < 0.00001) compared with conventional techniques. However, the duration of surgery using the iASSIST procedure was longer and there was no significant difference in the short‐term KSS in the iASSIST group compared with the conventional group. We found that when pooling the data of included studies, the number of outliers was fewer in the iASSIST group, and compared with conventional TKA techniques, the iASSIST system significantly improved the accuracy of lower limb alignment but the duration of surgery was prolonged in addition to there being no apparent advantage in terms of short‐term functional score.
Improving Tibial Component Coronal Alignment During Total Knee Arthroplasty with the Use of a Double‐Check Technique
Authors: Ma De‐si , Wang Zhi‐wei , Wen Liang , Ren Shi‐xiang , Lin Yuan , Zhang Bo
Published: November 2019

Objective

To compare the efficacy of the restoration of tibial component coronal alignment with a double‐check technique and the conventional surgical technique during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in knee osteoarthritis patients, and to investigate the distribution of the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) after TKA.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed of 151 patients (179 knees) with knee osteoarthritis undergoing primary TKA in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from February 2013 to January 2015 to evaluate the differences in MPTA in patients undergoing the conventional TKA and those undergoing a modified TKA with a double‐check technique after the surgery. All patients were evaluated by MPTA, range of motion (ROM), Knee Society Clinical Rating System (KSS) clinical scores, and KSS functional scores. An MPTA deviation of 3° or greater was considered malalignment.

Results

A total of 130 TKA procedures in 119 patients were included in the study: 64 knees treated with conventional TKA and 66 knees treated with the double‐check technique TKA. The mean postoperative MPTA was 88.6° ± 2.2° in the conventional TKA group and 89.1° ± 1.5° in the double‐check TKA group. The mean postoperative MPTA between the two groups was not significantly different. In the conventional TKA group, 79.7% (51 knees) had a postoperative MPTA deviation within 3° and 20.3% (13 knees) had a MPTA deviation greater than 3°. In the double‐check TKA group, 93.9% (62 knees) had a postoperative MPTA deviation within 3°and 6.1% (4 knees) had a MPTA deviation greater than 3°. The postoperative MPTA deviation within 3° showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. In the double‐check TKA group, a 21.2% (14 knees) tibial malalignment was detected after the first check and a 9.1% (6 knees) tibial malalignment was detected after the second check. The mean postoperative ROM was 118.1° ± 9.2° in the conventional TKA group and 115.7° ± 10.1° in the double‐check TKA group. The mean postoperative KSS clinical score was 89.3 ± 3.5 in the conventional TKA group and 89.0 ± 3.7 in the double‐check TKA group. The mean postoperative KSS functional score was 84.8 ± 10.0 in the conventional TKA group and 84.9 ± 9.0 in the double‐check TKA group. The mean postoperative ROM, KSS clinical scores, and KSS functional scores between the two groups were not statistically significantly different.

Conclusion

Malalignment of the tibial component can occur after conventional TKA, and the double‐check technique is an effective method to improve tibial component coronal alignment.
Distributing global health resources: Contemporary issues in political philosophy
Authors: Hassoun Nicole , Herlitz Anders
Published: November 2019

How should states and international organizations allocate global health resources? This paper examines proposals for distributing these resources in the literature. First, we look at the literature on the metrics for measuring what matters and consider how they might be modified to avoid some common objections—e.g., that these measures discriminate against the disabled or fail to give due weight to helping the young (or old) or those in present (or future) generations. Second, we canvas existing approaches to evaluating allocations of health‐related resources utilizing such measures and advance a new way of doing so. We suggest that it is important to provide substantive arguments for directly evaluating alternative allocations, but there is also room for deliberation about fair procedures for selecting allocation criteria and securing just outcomes.
Ruling under a shadow of moral hierarchy: Regulatory intermediaries in the governance of prostitution
Authors: Euchner Eva‐Maria
Published: November 2019

A key to understanding regulation through private intermediaries is how third‐party actors are selected and controlled. This paper examines the question in prostitution policy, a value‐loaded policy field that stimulates regulators to carefully select private intermediaries to avoid regulatory capture. By means of a novel data set on prostitution policy in 25 OECD countries (1960–2010) as well as with a comparative case study on two German states, the paper discovers that the responsibilization of private intermediaries is a slowly diffusing phenomenon, accompanied by strong public oversight. Moreover, the selection of private regulatory intermediaries is an ideology‐driven process in which the congruence in (moral) goals is key for the establishment of any relationship, while regulatory capacities are secondary. Thus, private intermediaries generally rule under a “shadow of moral hierarchy” in prostitution policy. This emphasis on shared moral goals enriches the young research on regulatory intermediaries with a largely disregarded selection criterion, which is able to reduce the risk of regulatory capture by private actors in delicate regulatory areas.
People, Pipelines, and Probabilities: Clarifying Significance and Uncertainty in Environmental Impact Assessments
Authors: Gregory Robin , Satterfield Theresa , Boyd David R.
Published: November 2019

Determinations of significance play a pivotal role in environmental impact assessments because they point decision makers to the predicted effects of an action most deserving of attention and further study. Impact predictions are always subject to uncertainty because they rely on estimates of future consequences. Yet uncertainty is often neglected or treated in a perfunctory manner as part of the characterization, evaluation, and communication of anticipated consequences and their significance. Proposals to construct fossil fuel pipelines in North America provide a highly visible example; casual treatment of how uncertainty affects significance determinations has resulted in poorly informed stakeholders, frustrated industry proponents, and inconsistent choices on the part of public decision makers. Using environmental assessments for recent pipeline proposals as examples, we highlight five ways in which uncertainty is often neglected when determining impact significance and suggest that a mix of known methods, new guidelines, and appropriate oversight could greatly improve current practices.
Belonging and the Self as Enterprise: Place, Relationships and the Formation of Occupation‐Based Identities
Authors: Cook Julia , Woodman Dan
Published: November 2019

Research considering young adults’ experiences of place is characterised by two focal points: the relationship between place, education and employment; and immaterial aspects of place such as experiences of belonging and relationality. Previous research has worked across these focal points considering, for instance, how symbolic and immaterial factors and social ties can inform mobility choices and experiences. We extend this work by drawing on longitudinal qualitative data to show three ways that place attachment can be a part of the formation of contemporary occupation‐based identities. Using the concept of the self as enterprise (Kelly 2013), we mark out this development as part of a broader generational shift in occupational identities. We ultimately find that some young adults can remain in or return to meaningful rural and regional places by developing an occupational identity or ‘personal brand’ informed by changing occupational demands and enabled by social ties linked to specific places.
Platelet vesicles are potent inflammatory mediators in red blood cell products and washing reduces the inflammatory phenotype
Authors: Almizraq Ruqayyah J. , Kipkeu Betty J. , Acker Jason P.
Published: November 2019

BACKGROUND

Studies suggest that washing red cell concentrates (RCCs) to remove soluble mediators and/or inflammatory components, such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), may lead to better clinical outcomes. This study tested the hypothesis that non‐red blood cell (RBC) generated vesicles in RCC are potent inflammatory mediators in vitro and washing RCCs can reduce these vesicles and subsequently decrease the inflammatory activity of RCCs.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixteen RCCs were pooled and split into four groups based on pre‐wash storage time (Day 2 or 14; n = 4/group). Each group was tested 24 hours and 7 days post‐wash. Characteristics of RBCs and EVs, cytokines released by monocytes, and expression of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) adhesion molecules were assessed.

RESULTS

All RCCs meet quality standards for hemolysis, hematocrit, and hemoglobin. Washing did not remove residual platelets from RCCs but led to a significant reduction in platelet‐EV count regardless of the group. Supernatant of RCCs washed on Day 14 and stored for 24 hours had significantly lower concentrations of RBC‐EVs and white blood cell EVs compared to unwashed controls. Supernatant of unwashed RCCs showed higher production of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines MCP‐1, IL‐8, and TNF‐α, and heightened expression of HUVEC VCAM‐1, which were significantly reduced by washing. Spiking washed RCC supernatants with platelet‐EVs showed significant increase in IL‐8, MCP‐1, VCAM‐1, and E‐selection in groups washed on Day 14.

CONCLUSIONS

Platelet‐EVs in RCCs are associated with pro‐inflammatory activity. As washing significantly reduced RCC immunomodulatory activity, implementation of this process may improve transfusion outcomes.
A new species of Brevipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from the Azores Islands, with remarks on the B. cuneatus species group

Authors: Alves Jorge Laerson Dos Santos , Ferragut Francisco , Mendonça Renata Santos , Tassi Aline Daniele , Navia Denise
Published: November 2019

Brevipalpus contains about 290 species, some of which are considered of economic importance. In spite of their agricultural importance, the species diversity is scarcely known in several regions around the world, notably on wild plants. In this work a new species collected on an endemic ivy of the Azores Archipelago, Hedera azorica Carrière (Araliaceae), is described based on an integrative approach using morphological traits of the adults, obtained through electron and light microscopy, and molecular characters based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted in order to produce reliable phylogenetic placement of the new species, which is tentatively classified in the B. portalis species group. Morphological similarities between the new species and B. cuneatus Canestrini and Fanzago point out to some inconsistencies in the current morphological classification of Brevipalpus species, especially in the definition of the B. cuneatus group, herein discussed.
Sidewall channel fabrication using membrane projection lithography and metal assisted chemical etching
Authors: Chaudhary Rimjhim , Kim Gyuseok , Yamamoto Hiromichi , Watson George Patrick
Published: November 2019

Channels that run parallel and beneath the surface of an Si substrate are fabricated by first forming submicrometer sized disks of Au onto etched sidewall features in Si. The disks are formed by fabricating a patterned membrane mask of electron beam resist and evaporating Au at a 45° angle with respect to the substrate surface. Metal assisted chemical etching is then applied to remove the Si beneath the Au disks to form channels that lie perpendicular to these disk surfaces. Channels on the order of 300 nm in diameter have been fabricated by the combination of these techniques.
Evolution of carnivorous traps from planar leaves through simple shifts in gene expression
Authors: Whitewoods Christopher D. , Gonçalves Beatriz , Cheng Jie , Cui Minlong , Kennaway Richard , Lee Karen , Bushell Claire , Yu Man , Piao Chunlan , Coen Enrico
Published: November 2019

Subtle origin for complex shapes

The cup-shaped leaves of carnivorous plants have evolved multiple times from ancestors with flat leaves. Studying development of the carnivorous trap in the humped bladderwort,
Utricularia gibba
, Whitewoods
et al.
identified genes similar to those expressed in surfaces of flat leaves (see the Perspective by Moulton and Goriely). Ectopic expression and computational modeling reveals how slight shifts in gene expression domains make the difference between a flat leaf and a convoluted trap structure. Flexibility in growth rates in orthogonal polarity fields allows for diversity in shapes formed through development.

Science
, this issue p.
91
; see also p.
24
Linker Editing of Pneumococcal Lysin ClyJ Conveys Improved Bactericidal Activity
Authors: Yang Hang , Luo Dehua , Etobayeva Irina , Li Xiaohong , Gong Yujing , Wang Shujuan , Li Qiong , Xu Poshi , Yin Wen , He Jin , Nelson Daniel C. , Wei Hongping
Published: November 2019

Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a leading human pathogen uniquely characterized by choline moieties on the bacterial surface. Our previous work reported a pneumococcus-specific chimeric lysin, ClyJ, which combines the CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) enzymatically active domain (EAD) from the PlyC lysin and the cell wall binding domain (CBD) from the phage SPSL1 lysin, which imparts choline binding specificity.
An Alu Element Insertion in Intron 1 Results in Aberrant Alternative Splicing of APOBEC3G Pre-mRNA in Northern Pig-Tailed Macaques (
Macaca leonina
) That May Reduce APOBEC3G-Mediated Hypermutation Pressure on HIV-1
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Liang , Luo Meng-Ting , Song Jia-Hao , Pang Wei , Zheng Yong-Tang
Published: November 2019

APOBEC3 family members, particularly APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G, are important cellular antiviral factors. Recently, more attention has been paid to targeting APOBEC3G for AIDS therapy. To appropriately utilize macaque animal models for the study of APOBEC3-related issues, it is important that the differences between human and macaque APOBEC3s are clarified. In this study, we identified a novel and conserved APOBEC3G pre-mRNA alternative splicing pattern in macaques, which differed from that in humans and which may reduce the APOBEC3G-mediated hypermutation pressure on HIV-1 in northern pig-tailed macaques (NPMs). Our work provides important information for the proper application of macaque animal models for APOBEC3-related issues in AIDS research and a better understanding of the biological functions of APOBEC3 proteins.
The role of impacts on Archaean tectonics
Authors: O’Neill C. , Marchi S. , Bottke W. , Fu R.
Published: November 2019

Field evidence from the Pilbara craton (Australia) and Kaapvaal craton (South Africa) indicate that modern tectonic processes may have been operating at ca. 3.2 Ga, a time also associated with a high density of preserved Archaean impact indicators. Recent work has suggested a causative association between large impacts and tectonic processes for the Hadean. However, impact flux estimates and spherule bed characteristics suggest impactor diameters of <100 km at ca. 3.5 Ga, and it is unclear whether such impacts could perturb the global tectonic system. In this work, we develop numerical simulations of global tectonism with impacting effects, and simulate the evolution of these models throughout the Archaean for given impact fluxes. We demonstrate that moderate-size (∼70 km diameter) impactors are capable of initiating short-lived subduction, and that the system response is sensitive to impactor size, proximity to other impacts, and also lithospheric thickness gradients. Large lithospheric thickness gradients may have first appeared at ca. 3.5–3.2 Ga as cratonic roots, and we postulate an association between Earth’s thermal maturation, cratonic root stability, and the onset of widespread sporadic tectonism driven by the impact flux at this time.
Metasomatized lithospheric mantle for Mesozoic giant gold deposits in the North China craton
Authors: Wang Zaicong , Cheng Huai , Zong Keqing , Geng Xianlei , Liu Yongsheng , Yang Jinhui , Wu Fuyuan , Becker Harry , Foley Stephen , Wang Christina Yan
Published: November 2019

The origin of giant lode gold deposits of Mesozoic age in the North China craton (NCC) is enigmatic because high-grade metamorphic ancient crust would be highly depleted in gold. Instead, lithospheric mantle beneath the crust is the likely source of the gold, which may have been anomalously enriched by metasomatic processes. However, the role of gold enrichment and metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle remains unclear. Here, we present comprehensive data on gold and platinum group element contents of mantle xenoliths (n = 28) and basalts (n = 47) representing the temporal evolution of the eastern NCC. The results indicate that extensive mantle metasomatism and hydration introduced some gold (<1–2 ppb) but did not lead to a gold-enriched mantle. However, volatile-rich basalts formed mainly from the metasomatized lithospheric mantle display noticeably elevated gold contents as compared to those from the asthenosphere. Combined with the significant inheritance of mantle-derived volatiles in auriferous fluids of ore bodies, the new data reveal that the mechanism for the formation of the lode gold deposits was related to the volatile-rich components that accumulated during metasomatism and facilitated the release of gold during extensional craton destruction and mantle melting. Gold-bearing, hydrous magmas ascended rapidly along translithospheric fault zones and evolved auriferous fluids to form the giant deposits in the crust.
How shear helps lava to flow
Authors: Harris A. , Mannini S. , Thivet S. , Chevrel M.O. , Gurioli L. , Villeneuve N. , Di Muro A. , Peltier A.
Published: November 2019

Understanding the thermo-rheological regime and physical character of lava while it is flowing is crucial if we are to adequately model lava flow emplacement dynamics. We present measurements from simultaneous sampling and thermal imaging across the full width of an active channel at Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion, France). Our data set involves measurements of flow dynamics at three sites down-channel from the vent. Quantification of flow velocities, cooling rates, sample texture, and rheology allows all thermo-rheological parameters to be linked, and down- as well as cross-channel variations to be examined. Within 150 m from the vent, we recorded an unexpected velocity increase (from 0.07 to 0.1 m/s), in spite of cooling rates of 0.19–0.29 °C/m and constant slope. This change requires a switch from a Newtonian-dominated regime to a Bingham plug–dominated regime. Sample analysis revealed that the plug consists of foam-like lava, and the shear zones involve vesicle-poor (low-viscosity) lava. With distance from the vent, shear zones develop, carrying the vesicular plug between them. This causes flow to initially accelerate, helped by bubble shearing in narrow lateral shear zones, until cooling takes over as the main driver for viscosity increase and, hence, velocity decrease.
Temporal variation in the diagnosis of resolved atrial fibrillation and the influence of performance targets on clinical coding: cohort study
Authors: Adderley Nicola , Nirantharakumar Krishnarajah , Marshall Tom
Published: November 2019

Objectives

To investigate whether the introduction of performance targets for anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF) was associated with a change in use of the ‘resolved AF’ code.

Design

Retrospective cohort studies.

Setting

Data from The Health Improvement Network, a UK database of electronic patient records, from 2000 to 2016.

Participants

250 788 adult patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of AF, including 14 757 with an incident diagnosis of ‘resolved AF’.

Main outcome measures

Annual and monthly incidence of ‘resolved AF’ from 2000 to 2016. Among patients with ‘resolved AF’, for each year we calculated median duration of the preceding AF diagnosis and the proportion prescribed anticoagulants prior to ‘resolved AF’.

Results

Incidence of ‘resolved AF’ increased from 5.7 to 26.3 per 1000 person-years between 2005 and the introduction of AF performance targets in 2006. Compared with the years prior to the introduction of the performance targets, incidence has remained higher in every year since their implementation. Since 2007, monthly incidence has been highest between January and March. Between 2005 and 2006, median duration between AF and ‘resolved AF’ diagnoses increased from 276 days (9 months) to 1343 days (3 years 8 months). Among ‘resolved AF’ patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥1, 81.9% (95% CI 81.1 to 82.6) had no current anticoagulant prescription, and 62.3% (95% CI 61.4 to 63.2) had no record of any anticoagulant prescription.

Conclusion

The introduction of AF performance targets was followed by a large increase in use of the ‘resolved AF’ code, particularly in the months immediately before practices make their anticoagulant performance target submissions. Although most AF patients are prescribed anticoagulants, few patients diagnosed with ‘resolved AF’ are prescribed anticoagulants and most have never been prescribed them. Untreated patients are much more likely to be coded as having ‘resolved AF’.
Risk of aortic dissection, congestive heart failure, pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with clinical vertebral fracture: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Feng-You , Chen Wei-Kung , Lin Cheng-Li , Kao Chia-Hung , Yang Tse-Yen , Lai Ching-Yuan
Published: November 2019

Objective

Studies on the association between clinical vertebral fractures (CVFs) and the subsequent risk of cardiopulmonary diseases, including aortic dissection (AD), congestive heart failure (CHF), pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are scarce. Therefore, we used the National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate whether patients with CVF have a heightened risk of subsequent AD, CHF, pneumonia and ARDS.

Design

The National Health Insurance Research Database was used to investigate whether patients with CVFs have an increased risk of subsequent AD, CHF, pneumonia and ARDS.

Participants

This cohort study comprised patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of CVF and were hospitalised at any point during 2000–2010 (n=1 08 935). Each CVF patient was frequency-matched to a no-CVF hospitalised patients based on age, sex, index year and comorbidities (n=1 08 935). The Cox proportional hazard regressions model was used to estimate the adjusted effect of CVF on AD, CHF, pneumonia and ARDS risk.

Results

The overall incidence of AD, CHF, pneumonia and ARDS was higher in the CVF group than in the no-CVF group (4.85 vs 3.99, 119.1 vs 89.6, 283.3 vs 183.5 and 9.18 vs 4.18/10 000 person-years, respectively). After adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities and Charlson comorbidity index score, patients with CVF had a 1.23-fold higher risk of AD (95% CI=1.03–1.45), 1.35-fold higher risk of CHF (95% CI=1.30–1.40), 1.57-fold higher risk of pneumonia (95% CI=1.54–1.61) and 2.21-fold higher risk of ARDS (95% CI=1.91–2.57) than did those without CVF. Patients with cervical CVF and SCI were more likely to develop pneumonia and ARDS.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that CVFs are associated with an increased risk of subsequent cardiopulmonary diseases. Future investigations are encouraged to delineate the mechanisms underlying this association.
Evaluation of prolonged ‘Permissive Hypotension’: results from a 6-hour hemorrhage protocol in swine
Authors: Morgan Clifford G , Neidert Leslie E , Hathaway Emily N , Rodriguez Gerardo J , Schaub Leasha J , Cardin Sylvain , Glaser Jacob J
Published: November 2019

Background

Tactical Combat Casualty Care guidelines for hemorrhage recommend resuscitation to systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 85±5 mm Hg during prehospital care. Success depends on transport to definitive care within the ‘golden hour’. As future conflicts may demand longer prehospital/transport times, we sought to determine safety of prolonged permissive hypotension (PH).

Methods

Adult male swine were randomized into three experimental groups. Non-shock (NS)/normotensive underwent anesthesia only. NS/PH was bled to SBP of 85±5 mm Hg for 6 hours of prolonged field care (PFC) with SBP maintained via crystalloid, then recovered. Experimental group underwent controlled hemorrhage to mean arterial pressure 30 mm Hg until decompensation (Decomp/PH), followed by 6 hours of PFC. Hemorrhaged animals were then resuscitated with whole blood and observed for 24 hours. Physiologic variables, blood, tissue samples, and neurologic scores were collected.

Results

Survival of all groups was 100%. Fluid volumes to maintain targeted SBP in PFC were significantly higher in the hemorrhage group than sham groups. After 24 hours’ recovery, no significant differences were observed in neurologic scores or cerebrospinal fluid markers of brain injury. No significant changes in organ function related to treatment were observed during PFC through recovery, as assessed by serum chemistry and histological analysis.

Conclusions

After 6 hours, a prolonged PH strategy showed no detrimental effect on survival or neurologic outcome despite the increased ischemic burden of hemorrhage. Significant fluid volume was required to maintain SBP—a potential logistic burden for prehospital care. Further work to define maximum allowable time of PH is needed.

Study type

Translational animal model.

Level of evidence

N/A.
Reversal of sustained ventricular tachycardia with magnesium but not with lidocaine in a dog during the perianaesthetic period
Authors: Ranninger Elisabeth , Bartoszuk Urszula , Kutter Annette
Published: November 2019

A one‐and‐a‐half‐year‐old, male neutered Pyrenean mountain dog was presented with bleeding after orchiectomy at a private veterinary practice. Drops of blood were emerging from the surgical site. Clinical evaluation evidenced slightly pale mucous membranes and a mildly elevated heart rate. Preoperative blood testing revealed a mild hyperlactataemia. Due to the haemorrhage, anaesthesia was induced for surgical ligation of the vessel. During dissection of the testicular vessels, repeated episodes of sudden sustained ventricular tachycardia (heart rate >190 beats per minute, lasting about one minute) and hypotension were observed. Despite repeated intravenous lidocaine boluses (8 mg/kg total) and a constant rate infusion (80 μg/kg/minute), the ventricular tachycardia did not cease. After an intravenous magnesium infusion, a sinus rhythm returned within 20 minutes of administration. In view of ventricular tachycardia resistant to conventional therapies, magnesium administration might be a safe adjuvant pharmacological option, as described in the case herein.
Rabbit welfare: determining priority welfare issues for pet rabbits using a modified Delphi method
Authors: Rioja‐Lang Fiona , Bacon Heather , Connor Melanie , Dwyer Cathy Mary
Published: November 2019

Background

Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK, but little research into their welfare needs has been conducted.

Methods

A modified Delphi method was used to generate expert consensus on the most important welfare issues for rabbits in the UK. The study involved 11 experts, recruited from a range of disciplines. The experts generated an initial broad list of welfare issues via an online discussion board. Two rounds of online surveys were conducted to prioritise these issues. The final round was a workshop with a subsection of experts. The experts decided that welfare issues should be ranked considering: (1) severity, (2) duration, and (3) prevalence.

Results

Experts considered that rabbits were often kept in inadequate housing, were not handled or socialised properly, were fed inappropriate diets and owners failed to vaccinate their rabbits against preventable diseases. Rabbits were thought to experience a reduced life expectancy. Lack of owner knowledge of rabbit husbandry and behaviour and, in some cases, also lack of veterinary knowledge, contributed to poor rabbit welfare.

Conclusions

The Delphi process resulted in consensus on the most significant welfare challenges faced by rabbits and can help guide future research and education priority decisions.
Complex time route to quantum backreaction
Authors: Rajeev Karthik
Published: November 2019

We consider the backreaction of a quantum system q on an effectively classical degree of freedom C that is interacting with it. The backreaction equation based on the standard path integral formalism gives the so-called ‘in-out’ backreaction equation, which has several serious pathologies. One can use a different backreaction prescription, referred to as the ‘in-in’ approach, which resolves all the issues of ‘in-out’ backreaction equation. However, this procedure is usually invoked in a rather ad hoc manner. Here we provide a rigorous path integral derivation of the ‘in-in’ approach by exploiting the concept of quantum evolution along complex time contours. It turns out that, this approach can also be used to study both the ‘in-in’ and ‘in-out’ backreaction equations in a unified manner.
Calculation of the $$B\rightarrow K_{0,2}^*(1430)f_0(980)/\sigma $$ decays in the perturbative QCD approach
Authors: Li Qi-Xin , Yang Lei , Zou Zhi-Tian , Li Ying , Liu Xin
Published: November 2019

Motivated by the observations of the decays $$B^0 \rightarrow K_0^{*}(1430)^0 f_0(980)$$B0→K0∗(1430)0f0(980) and $$ B^0 \rightarrow K_2^{*}(1430)^0 f_0(980)$$B0→K2∗(1430)0f0(980) from BaBar collaboration, we study the $$B^{0(+)} \rightarrow K_{0,2}^{*}(1430)^{0(+)} f_0(980)/\sigma $$B0(+)→K0,2∗(1430)0(+)f0(980)/σ decays in the perturbative QCD approach for the first time. In the absence of reliable nonperturbative wave functions we only assume the scalar meson $$f_0(980)$$f0(980) and $$\sigma $$σ are two-quark ground states. In our calculations, these decays are all dominated by the hard-scattering emission and annihilation diagrams, while the factorizable emission diagrams are forbidden or suppressed heavily by the vector decay constants. Furthermore, the branching fractions are sensitive to the mixing between $$f_0(980)$$f0(980) and $$\sigma $$σ. Comparing our results with the experimental data, a large mixing angle $$\theta $$θ is favored. Taking $$\theta =145^\circ $$θ=145∘, the orders of branching fractions of $$B \rightarrow K_0^{*}(1430)^0 \sigma $$B→K0∗(1430)0σ, $$B \rightarrow K_{2}^{*}(1430)^0 \sigma $$B→K2∗(1430)0σ and $$B \rightarrow K_{0,2}^{*}(1430)^0 f_0(980)$$B→K0,2∗(1430)0f0(980) are predicted to be $$10^{-4}$$10-4, $$10^{-5}$$10-5 and $$10^{-6}$$10-6, respectively, which can be measured in the current experiments such as LHCb and Belle-2. In addition, although these decays are penguin dominant, the mixing also leads to large direct CP asymmetries in these decays. With the precise data in future, our results could shed light on the inner structure of the scalar mesons and can be used to determine the mixing angle of the $$\sigma -f_0(980)$$σ-f0(980) system.
Descurainia sophia Ameliorates Eosinophil Infiltration and Airway Hyperresponsiveness by Reducing Th2 Cytokine Production in Asthmatic Mice
Authors: Ting Nai-Chun , Huang Wen-Chung , Chen Li-Chen , Yang Sien-Hung , Kuo Ming-Ling
Published: November 2019

In Chinese medicine, Descurainia sophia is used to treat cough by removing the phlegm in asthma and inflammatory airway disease, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we evaluated whether D. sophia water extract (DSWE) can alleviate airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the lungs of a murine asthma model. Female BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: normal controls, ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized asthmatic mice, and OVA-sensitized mice treated with DSWE (2, 4, 8 g/day) by intraperitoneal injection. After sacrificing the mice, serum was collected to detect OVA-specific antibodies by ELISA, as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) to detect cytokine levels. We also detected gene expression and histopathologically evaluated the lungs of asthmatic mice. DSWE reduced AHR, goblet cell hyperplasia, eosinophil infiltration, and collagen aggregation in the lungs of asthmatic mice. DSWE also suppressed the gene expression of Th2-associated cytokines and chemokines in lung tissue and inhibited serum OVA-IgE and Th2-associated cytokine levels in the BALF of OVA-sensitized mice. Our findings suggest that DSWE is a powerful immunomodulator for ameliorated allergic reactions by suppressing Th2 cytokine expression in asthmatic mice.
Inhibitory Effect of Corilagin on miR-21-Regulated Hepatic Fibrosis Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Xiong Jun , Lu Shi , Luo Lei , Chen Zhi-Lin , Yang Fan , Jin Feng , Wang Yao , Ma Qian , Luo Ying-Ying , Wang Yu-Jie , Zhou Jia-Bin , Liu Pan , Zhao Lei
Published: November 2019

Corilagin is a polyphenol that can be extracted from many medicinal plants and shows multiple pharmacological effects. We aimed to investigate the role of corilagin on miR-21-regulated hepatic fibrosis, especially miR-21-regulated TGF-[Formula: see text]1/Smad signaling pathway, in hepatic stellate LX2 cell line and Sprague–Dawley rats. The mRNA or protein levels of miR-21, Smad7, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), [Formula: see text]-smooth muscle actin ([Formula: see text]-SMA), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), Smad2, Smad3, Smad2/3, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, p-Smad2/3, and transforming growth factor-[Formula: see text]1 (TGF-[Formula: see text]1) in LX2 cells and liver tissues were determined. Furthermore, gain-of and loss-of function of miR-21 in miR-21-regulated TGF-[Formula: see text]1/Smad signaling pathway were analyzed in LX2 cells. Liver tissues and serum were collected for pathological analysis, immunohistochemical staining, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Corilagin treatment reduced mRNA or protein levels of miR-21, CTGF, [Formula: see text]-SMA, TIMP-1, TGF-[Formula: see text]1, COL1A1, p-Smad2, p-Smad3, and p-Smad2/3 both in vitro and in vivo. While corilagin increased mRNA and protein levels of Smad7 and MMP-9. After gain-of and loss-of function of miR-21, the downstream effectors of miR-21-regulated TGF-[Formula: see text]1/Smad signaling pathway in LX2 cells changed accordingly, and the changes were inhibited by corilagin. Simultaneously, administration of corilagin not only ameliorated pathological manifestation of liver fibrosis but also reduced levels of [Formula: see text]-SMA and COL1A1 in liver tissues and TGF-[Formula: see text]1, ALT levels in serum. Corilagin is able to potentially prevent liver fibrosis by blocking the miR-21-regulated TGF-[Formula: see text]1/Smad signaling pathway in LX2 cells and CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rats, which may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for liver fibrosis.
Computational study on unconventional superconductivity and mechanical properties of novel antiferrromagnetic (Ca,Sr,Ba)Fe2Bi2compounds
Authors: Jayalakshmi D. S. , Sundareswari M. , Viswanathan E. , Hemanand D. , Pranesh Venkat
Published: November 2019

The ab initio calculation is performed to investigate about the structural and the electron transport properties of the experimentally reported (parent) compounds viz., BaFe2As2, SrFe2As2, CaFe2As2and the novel compounds which are anticipated from our computational work namely BaFe2Bi2, SrFe2Bi2, CaFe2Bi2with different magnetic order. The space group of the reported compounds is I4/mmm (139) and belong to ThCr2Si2type. The formation energies of the reported compounds are compared in the anti-ferromagnetic (AFM), nonmagnetic (NM) and ferromagnetic (FM) orders. From the comparison, it reveals that the anti-ferro magnetism is the stabled state for the reported compounds. At ambient temperature with constant relaxation time, the resistivity, power factor, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity are computed by using BoltzTraP transport theory code. To explain the superconducting nature of the novel compounds the transition temperature (T[Formula: see text]), electron–phonon coupling factor and Debye temperature are calculated and presented. The mechanical stability of the compounds is examined by using Young’s, bulk and shear modulus, anisotropy constant and Poisson’s ratio which are calculated by using Tetra-elastic code. The Mechanical Temperament of these compounds is analyzed by using Pugh’s ratio. The ELATE tool is used to visualize the elastic properties of these compounds. The thermodynamical stability of the compounds is examined by using Gibbs free energy, vibrational Helmholtz free energy and entropy which are calculated by using Gibbs2 code. All the properties of the theoretically predicted (novel) compounds are analyzed and compared with their parent (experimentally reported) compounds.