bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Establishing a case definition of thiamine responsive disorders among infants and young children in Lao PDR: protocol for a prospective cohort study
Authors: Hess Sonja Y , Smith Taryn J , Fischer Philip R , Trehan Indi , Hiffler Laurent , Arnold Charles D , Sitthideth Dalaphone , Tancredi Daniel J , Schick Michael A , Yeh Jay , Stein-Wexler Rebecca , McBeth Christine N , Tan Xiuping , Nhiacha Kouyang , Kounnavong Sengchanh 
Published: February 2020

IntroductionDiagnosis of infantile thiamine deficiency disorders (TDD) is challenging due to the non-specific, highly variable clinical presentation, often leading to misdiagnosis. Our primary objective is to develop a case definition for thiamine responsive disorders (TRD) to determine among hospitalised infants and young children, which clinical features and risk factors identify those who respond positively to thiamine administration.Methods and analysisThis prospective study will enrol 662 children (aged 21 days to <18 months) seeking treatment for TDD symptoms. Children will be treated with intravenous or intramuscular thiamine (100 mg daily for a minimum of 3 days) alongside other interventions deemed appropriate. Baseline assessments, prior to thiamine administration, include a physical examination, echocardiogram and venous blood draw for the determination of thiamine biomarkers. Follow-up assessments include physical examinations (after 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours), echocardiogram (after 24 and 48 hours) and one cranial ultrasound. During the hospital stay, maternal blood and breast-milk samples and diet, health, anthropometric and socio-demographic information will be collected for mother–child pairs. Using these data, a panel of expert paediatricians will determine TRD status for use as the dependent variable in logistic regression models. Models identifying predictors of TRD will be developed and validated for various scenarios. Clinical prediction model performance will be quantified by empirical area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, using resampling cross validation. A frequency-matched community-based cohort of mother–child pairs (n=265) will serve as comparison group for evaluation of potential risk factors for TRD.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from The National Ethics Committee for Health Research, Ministry of Health, Lao PDR and the Institutional Review Board of the University of California Davis. The results will be disseminated via scientific articles, presentations and workshops with representatives of the Ministry of Health.Trial registration numberNCT03626337.
The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis
Authors: Grabovac Igor , Smith Lee , Yang Lin , Soysal Pinar , Veronese Nicola , Turan Isik Ahmet , Forwood Suzanna , Jackson Sarah 
Published: February 2020

BackgroundWe investigated sex-specific associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and several health outcomes in a large sample of older adults in England.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from 2537 men and 3185 women aged ≥50 years participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants reported the number of sexual partners they had had in their lifetime. Outcomes were self-rated health and self-reported limiting long-standing illness, cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. We used logistic regression to analyse associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and health outcomes, adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariates.ResultsHaving had 10 or more lifetime sexual partners was associated with higher odds of reporting a diagnosis of cancer than having had 0–1 sexual partners in men (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.83) and women (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.51), respectively. Women who had 10 or more lifetime sexual partners also had higher odds of reporting a limiting long-standing illness (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.35). No other statistically significant associations were observed.ConclusionsA higher lifetime number of sexual partners is associated with increased odds of reported cancer. Longitudinal research is required to establish causality. Understanding the predictive value of lifetime number of sexual partners as a behavioural risk factor may improve clinical assessment of cancer risk in older adults.
Hidden-bottom and -charm hexaquark states in QCD sum rules
Authors: Wan Bing-Dong , Tang Liang , Qiao Cong-Feng 
Published: February 2020

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the spectra of the prospective hidden-bottom and -charm hexaquark states with quantum numbers $$J^{PC }= 0^{++}$$JPC=0++, $$0^{-+}$$0-+, $$1^{++}$$1++ and $$1^{--}$$1-- in the framework of QCD sum rules. By constructing appropriate interpreting currents, the QCD sum rules analyses are performed up to dimension 12 of the condensates. Results indicate that there exist two possible baryonium states in b-quark sector with masses $$11.84 \pm 0.22$$11.84±0.22 GeV and $$11.72 \pm 0.26$$11.72±0.26 GeV for $$0^{++}$$0++ and $$1^{--}$$1--, respectively. The corresponding hidden-charm partners are found lying respectively at $$5.19 \pm 0.24$$5.19±0.24 GeV and $$4.78 \pm 0.23$$4.78±0.23 GeV. Note that these baryonium states are all above the dibaryon thresholds, which enables their dominant decay modes could be measured at BESIII, BELLEII, and LHCb detectors.
Transmural variation in microvascular remodeling following percutaneous revascularization of a chronic coronary stenosis in swine
Authors: Weil Brian R. , Suzuki Gen , Canty John M. 
Published: February 2020

Remodeling of the coronary microcirculation is known to occur distal to a chronic coronary stenosis, but the reversibility of these changes and their functional significance on maximum myocardial perfusion before and after revascularization is unknown. Accordingly, swine instrumented with a chronic silastic stenosis on the left anterior descending coronary artery to produce hibernating myocardium underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; n = 8) and were compared with animals with a persistent stenosis ( n = 8), as well as sham controls ( n = 6). Stenotic animals demonstrated an increased subendocardial arteriolar wall thickness-to-lumen ratio (37.8 ± 3.3 vs. 28.3 ± 1.3% in sham, P = 0.04), reduced lumen area per arteriole (597 ± 88 vs. 927 ± 113 μm2, P = 0.04), and a compensatory increase in arteriolar density (9.4 ± 1.0 vs. 5.3 ± 0.4 arterioles/mm2, P < 0.01). As a result, vasodilated flow immediately after PCI was similar to normally perfused remote regions (5.1 ± 1.0 vs. 4.8 ± 0.9 ml·min−1·g−1, P = 0.87). When assessed 1-mo after PCI, increases in wall thickness-to-lumen diameter (42.2 ± 3.3%) and reductions in lumen area per arteriole (638 ± 59 μm2) remained unchanged, but arteriolar density returned to normal (5.2 ± 0.5 arterioles/mm2). As a result, maximum subendocardial flow during adenosine declined and was lower than remote regions (2.6 ± 0.3 vs. 5.9 ± 1.1 ml·min−1·g−1, P = 0.01). There was no microvascular remodeling in subepicardial arterioles, and maximum perfusion remained unchanged. These data demonstrate that subendocardial microvascular remodeling occurs distal to a chronic epicardial stenosis. The regression of arteriolar density without increases in luminal area may precipitate stress-induced subendocardial ischemia in the absence of a physiologically significant stenosis. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Swine with a chronic coronary stenosis exhibit subendocardial microvascular remodeling distal to a critical stenosis characterized by an increase in arteriolar wall thickness and reduction in lumen area with a compensatory increase in arteriolar density. The present study is the first to demonstrate that subendocardial arteriolar density normalizes 1-mo after revascularization, but the lumen area of individual arterioles remains reduced. This leads to a reduction in maximal subendocardial perfusion at this time point despite initial normalization of vasodilator reserve after revascularization. This pattern of chronic microvascular structural remodeling could contribute to recurrent subendocardial ischemia in the absence of coronary restenosis during tachycardia and increases in myocardial oxygen demand.
Trends in Place of Death for Cardiovascular Mortality Related to Heart Failure in the United States From 2003 to 2017
Authors: Chuzi Sarah , Molsberry Rebecca , Ogunseitan Adeboye , Warraich Haider J. , Wilcox Jane E. , Grady Kathleen L. , Yancy Clyde W. , Khan Sadiya S. 
Published: February 2020

Background:
The location of death is an important component of end-of-life care. However, contemporary trends in the location of death for cardiovascular deaths related to heart failure (CV-HF) and comparison to cancer deaths have not been fully examined.

Methods:
We analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Control Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database between 2003 and 2017 to identify location of death for CV-HF and cancer deaths. The proportions of deaths that occurred in a hospice facility, home, and medical facility were tested for trends using linear regression. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the odds of death occurring in a hospice facility or home (versus a medical facility) stratified by sex and race.

Results:

We identified 2 940 920 CV-HF and 8 852 066 cancer deaths. Increases were noted in the proportion of CV-HF deaths in hospice facilities (0.2% to 8.2%;
P
trend
<0.001) and at home (20.6% to 30.7%;
P
trend
<0.001), whereas decreases were noted in the proportion of deaths in medical facilities (44.5% to 31.0%;
P
trend
<0.001) and nursing homes (30.8% to 25.7%;
P
trend
<0.001). The odds of dying in a hospice facility (odds ratio, 1.79 [1.75–1.82]) or at home (odds ratio, 1.55 [1.53–1.56]) versus a medical facility was higher for whites versus blacks. The rate of increase in proportion of deaths in hospice facilities was higher for cancer deaths (β=1.05 [95% CI, 0.97–1.12]) than for CV-HF deaths (β=0.61 [95% CI, 0.58–0.64]).

Conclusions:
The proportion of CV-HF deaths occurring in hospice facilities is increasing but remains low. Disparities are noted whereby whites are more likely to die in hospice facilities or at home versus medical facilities compared with blacks. More research is needed to determine end-of-life preferences for patients with HF and identify the basis for these differences in location of death.
Determinants of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function and Exertional Symptoms in Adults With Coarctation of Aorta
Authors: Egbe Alexander C. , Qureshi Muhammad Y. , Connolly Heidi M. 
Published: February 2020

Background:
Coarctation of aorta (COA) results in chronic left ventricular (LV) pressure overload and subsequently leads to LV diastolic dysfunction and heart failure over time. The goal of COA intervention is to prevent these complications. The timing of COA interventions is based on the presence of these COA severity indices: doppler mean COA gradient, systolic blood pressure, upper-to-lower-extremity SBP gradient, aortic isthmus ratio, presence of collaterals, and exercise-induced hypertension. Although these indices are physiologically intuitive, the relationship between these indices and LV diastolic dysfunction and exertional symptoms has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the indices of COA severity and LV diastolic function and symptoms.

Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the correlation between indices of COA severity, LV diastolic function (average e’ and E/e’), and exertional symptoms (NYHA II–IV and peak oxygen consumption).

Results:

Of all the COA indices analyzed in 546 adult COA patients, aortic isthmus ratio had the strongest correlation with e’ (β [95% CI]: 3.11 [2.02–4.31];
P
=0.014) per 1 cm/second; E/e’ (−13.4 [−22.3 to −4.81];
P
=0.009) per 1 unit; peak oxygen consumption (4.05 [1.97–6.59] per 1% change,
P
=0.019), and NYHA II to IV symptoms (odds ratio, 2.16 [1.65–3.18];
P
=0.006).

Conclusions:
Of all the COA severity indices stipulated in the guidelines, aortic isthmus ratio had the strongest correlation with LV diastolic function and exertional symptoms. As LV diastolic dysfunction typically precede heart failure symptoms, we anticipate that the results of this study will improve and simplify patient selection for COA intervention and potentially improve long-term outcomes.
Cocoa to Improve Walking Performance in Older People With Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: McDermott Mary M. , Criqui Michael H. , Domanchuk Kathryn , Ferrucci Luigi , Guralnik Jack M. , Kibbe Melina R. , Kosmac Kate , Kramer Christopher M. , Leeuwenburgh Christiaan , Li Lingyu , Lloyd-Jones Donald , Peterson Charlotte A. , Polonsky Tamar S. , Stein James H. , Sufit Robert , Van Horn Linda , Villarreal Francisco , Zhang Dongxue , Zhao Lihui , Tian Lu 
Published: February 2020

Rationale:
Cocoa and its major flavanol component, epicatechin, have therapeutic properties that may improve limb perfusion and increase calf muscle mitochondrial activity in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Objective:
In a phase II randomized clinical trial, to assess whether 6 months of cocoa improved walking performance in people with PAD, compared with placebo.

Methods and Results:

Six-month double-blind, randomized clinical trial in which participants with PAD were randomized to either cocoa beverage versus placebo beverage. The cocoa beverage contained 15 g of cocoa and 75 mg of epicatechin daily. The identical appearing placebo contained neither cocoa nor epicatechin. The 2 primary outcomes were 6-month change in 6-minute walk distance measured 2.5 hours after a study beverage at 6-month follow-up and 24 hours after a study beverage at 6-month follow-up, respectively. A 1-sided
P
<0.10 was considered statistically significant. Of 44 PAD participants randomized (mean age, 72.3 years [±7.1]; mean ankle brachial index, 0.66 [±0.15]), 40 (91%) completed follow-up. Adjusting for smoking, race, and body mass index, cocoa improved 6-minute walk distance at 6-month follow-up by 42.6 m ([90% CI, +22.2 to +∞]
P
=0.005) at 2.5 hours after a final study beverage and by 18.0 m ([90% CI, −1.7 to +∞]
P
=0.12) at 24 hours after a study beverage, compared with placebo. In calf muscle biopsies, cocoa improved mitochondrial COX (cytochrome c oxidase) activity (
P
=0.013), increased capillary density (
P
=0.014), improved calf muscle perfusion (
P
=0.098), and reduced central nuclei (
P
=0.033), compared with placebo.

Conclusions:
These preliminary results suggest a therapeutic effect of cocoa on walking performance in people with PAD. Further study is needed to definitively determine whether cocoa significantly improves walking performance in people with PAD.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02876887.

Visual Overview:
An online visual overview is available for this article.
User Behavior and the Importance of Stereo for Depth Perception in Fish Tank Virtual Reality
Authors: Kongsilp Sirisilp , Dailey Matthew N. 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
Since one of the most important aspects of a Fish Tank Virtual Reality (FTVR) system is how well it provides the illusion of depth to users, we present a study that evaluates users' depth perception in FTVR systems using three tasks. The tasks are based on psychological research on human vision and depth judgments common in VR applications. We find that participants do not perform well under motion parallax cues only, when compared with stereo only or a combination of both kinds of cues. Measurements of participants' head movement during each task prove valuable in explaining the experimental findings. We conclude that FTVR users rely on stereopsis for depth perception in FTVR environments more than they do on motion parallax, especially for tasks requiring depth acuity.
Effects of Throughput Delay on Perception of Robot Teleoperation and Head Control Precision in Remote Monitoring Tasks
Authors: Orlosky Jason , Theofilis Konstantinos , Kiyokawa Kiyoshi , Nagai Yukie 
Published: February 2020

Abstract
For robot teleoperators, replicating head motion in a remote environment is often necessary to complete monitoring and face-to-face service tasks. Especially in the case of a stereoscopic camera rig, remote cameras need to be moved to match the operator's head position and optical axes in order to interact with a remote entity, follow targets, or reorient. However, mechanical, computational, and network delay in such teleoperation can cause intersensory conflict, perceptual deficits, and reduction in performance, especially during activities that require head rotation. In this article, we evaluate the effects of view reconstruction on performance and perception for remote monitoring tasks. To do so, we first implemented a panoramic reconstruction method to reduce perceived latency in a humanoid robot, which allows us to compare and contrast latency. Next, we designed a bidirectional remote control system for the robot and set up a series of experiments where participants had to conduct focused head control tasks through the perspective of the robot. This allowed us to compare the effects of latency on head movement, accuracy, and subjective perception of the interface and remote teleoperation. Results showed that panoramic reconstruction significantly improved perception and comfort during teleoperation, but that performance only improved for tasks requiring slower head movements.
The Importance of Relative Wind Speed in Estimating Air–Sea Turbulent Heat Fluxes in Bulk Formulas: Examples in the Bohai Sea
Authors: Song Xiangzhou 
Published: February 2020

AbstractSea surface currents are commonly neglected when estimating the air–sea turbulent heat fluxes in bulk formulas. Using buoy observations in the Bohai Sea, this paper investigated the effects of near-coast multiscale currents on the quantification of turbulent heat fluxes, namely, latent heat flux (LH) and sensible heat flux (SH). The maximum current reached 1 m s−1 in magnitude, and a steady northeastward current of 0.16 m s−1 appeared in the southern Bohai Strait. The predominant tidal signal was the semidiurnal current, followed by diurnal components. The mean absolute surface wind was from the northeast with a speed of approximately 3 m s−1. The surface winds at a height of 11 m were dominated by the East Asian monsoon. As a result of upwind flow, the monthly mean differences in LH and SH between the estimates with and without surface currents ranged from 1 to 2 W m−2 in July (stable boundary layer) and November (unstable boundary layer). The hourly differences were on average 10 W m−2 and ranged from 0 to 24 W m−2 due to changes in the relative wind speed by high-frequency rotating surface tidal currents. The diurnal variability in LH/SH was demonstrated under stable and unstable boundary conditions. Observations provided an accurate benchmark for flux comparisons. The newly updated atmospheric reanalysis products MERRA-2 and ERA5 were superior to the 1° OAFlux data at this buoy location. However, future efforts in heat flux computation are still needed to, for example, consider surface currents and resolve diurnal variations.
Influence of depression and self-esteem on oral health-related quality of life in students
Authors: Oancea Roxana , Timar Bogdan , Papava Ion , Cristina Bredicean Ana , Ilie Adrian Cosmin , Dehelean Liana 
Published: February 2020

Objective We aimed to investigate the influence of depression and self-esteem on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in students. Methods Among the 67 included participants, we measured self-esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, severity of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), personality dimensions with the Neuroticism–Extraversion–Openness Five-Factor Inventory, and OHRQoL using the Oral Health Impact Profile 49 (OHIP-49). Results Among all participants, 7.5% (n = 5) had the dominant personality trait openness to experience, 11.9% (n = 8) presented a neurotic personality type, and 64.% (n = 11) had an extraverted personality type. The most frequent was conscientious personality type, accounting for 64.2% (n = 43) of participants. Our results showed a significant correlation between increased PHQ-9 scores and OHIP scores (Spearman’s r = 0.280); thus, participants with poorer oral health tended to have more severe depression. An increase in depression severity was significantly and positively correlated with increased scores across the other two OHIP subcategories, physical pain (Spearman’s r = 0.314) and physical disability (Spearman’s r = 0.290). Conclusion The presence and severity of depression influences OHRQoL. An important factor in the presence of depression and level of self-esteem is the personality type, especially the neuroticism dimension.
Salusin-β is superior to salusin-α as a marker for evaluating coronary atherosclerosis
Authors: Wang Yuxue , Wang Songjiao , Zhang Jun , Zhang Maona , Zhang Hong , Gong Guofu , Luo Min , Wang Teng , Mao Xiaolu 
Published: February 2020

Objective This study was performed to evaluate the interaction effect of salusin-α and salusin-β on coronary artery injury or stenosis. Methods The salusin-α and salusin-β concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 256 patients who underwent coronary angiography for chest pain, and coronary artery stenosis was assessed by the SYNTAX scoring system. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between variables and coronary artery stenosis. The interaction of salusin-α and salusin-β on coronary artery stenosis was further explored by multiple linear regression. Results The model goodness of fit ( R) for the interaction effect of salusin-α and salusin-β on coronary artery stenosis was 0.863, and the adjusted R value revealed that the interaction could explain 74.3% of the variation in SYNTAX scores. The F-statistic exceeded F0.05 (3.031485935) and P < 0.001, further showing that salusin-α and salusin-β had a significant interaction effect on coronary artery stenosis. The standard coefficient for salusin-β (0.797) was higher than that for salusin-α (−0.367, indicating an inhibitory effect), showing that salusin-β had a greater effect on coronary artery stenosis. Conclusions Salusin-β, a potential marker for assessing coronary atherosclerosis, was superior to salusin-α, contributing to our understanding of the etiology of coronary artery stenosis.