bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of Chronotropic Incompetence in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Sarma Satyam , Stoller Douglas , Hendrix Joseph , Howden Erin , Lawley Justin , Livingston Sheryl , Adams-Huet Beverley , Holmes Courtney , Goldstein David S. , Levine Benjamin D. 
Published: March 2020

Background:
Chronotropic incompetence is common in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and is associated with impaired aerobic capacity. We investigated the integrity of cardiac β–receptor responsiveness, an important mechanism involved in exertional increases in HR, in HFpEF and control subjects.

Methods:
Thirteen carefully screened patients with HFpEF and 13 senior controls underwent exercise testing and graded isoproterenol infusion to quantify cardiac β–receptor–mediated HR responses. To limit autonomic neural influences on heart rate (HR) during isoproterenol, dexmedetomidine and glycopyrrolate were given. Isoproterenol doses were increased incrementally until HR increased by 30 beats per minute. Plasma levels of isoproterenol at each increment were measured by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and plotted against HR.

Results:

Peak VO
2
and HR (117±15 versus 156±15 beats per minute;
P
<0.001) were lower in HFpEF than senior controls. Cardiac β–receptor sensitivity was lower in HFpEF compared to controls (0.156±0.133 versus 0.254±0.166 beats per minute/[isoproterenol ng/mL];
P
<0.001). Seven of 13 HFpEF subjects had β-receptor sensitivity similar to senior controls but still had lower peak HRs (122±14 versus 156±15 beats per minute;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions:
Contrary to our hypothesis, patients with HFpEF displayed impaired cardiac β–receptor sensitivity compared with senior controls. In the 7 out of 13 patients with HFpEF with age-appropriate β–receptor sensitivity, peak HR remained low, suggesting impaired sinus node β-receptor function may not fully account for low exercise HR response. Rather in some patients with HFpEF, chronotropic incompetence might reflect premature cessation of exercise before maximal sinus node activation.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT02524145.
CCR2 Positron Emission Tomography for the Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Inflammation and Rupture Prediction
Authors: English Sean J. , Sastriques Sergio E. , Detering Lisa , Sultan Deborah , Luehmann Hannah , Arif Batool , Heo Gyu Seong , Zhang Xiaohui , Laforest Richard , Zheng Jie , Lin Chieh-Yu , Gropler Robert J. , Liu Yongjian 
Published: March 2020

Background:

The monocyte chemoattractant protein-1/CCR2 (chemokine receptor 2) axis plays an important role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) pathogenesis, with effects on disease progression and anatomic stability. We assessed the expression of CCR2 in a rodent model and human tissues, using a targeted positron emission tomography radiotracer (
64
Cu-DOTA-ECL1i).

Methods:

AAAs were generated in Sprague-Dawley rats by exposing the infrarenal, intraluminal aorta to PPE (porcine pancreatic elastase) under pressure to induce aneurysmal degeneration. Heat-inactivated PPE was used to generate a sham operative control. Rat AAA rupture was stimulated by the administration of β-aminopropionitrile, a lysyl oxidase inhibitor. Biodistribution was performed in wild-type rats at 1 hour post tail vein injection of
64
Cu-DOTA-ECL1i. Dynamic positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging was performed in rats to determine the in vivo distribution of radiotracer.

Results:

Biodistribution showed fast renal clearance. The localization of radiotracer uptake in AAA was verified with high-resolution computed tomography. At day 7 post-AAA induction, the radiotracer uptake (standardized uptake value [SUV]=0.91±0.25) was approximately twice that of sham-controls (SUV=0.47±0.10;
P
<0.01). At 14 days post-AAA induction, radiotracer uptake by either group did not significantly change (AAA SUV=0.86±0.17 and sham-control SUV=0.46±0.10), independent of variations in aortic diameter. Competitive CCR2 receptor blocking significantly decreased AAA uptake (SUV=0.42±0.09). Tracer uptake in AAAs that subsequently ruptured (SUV=1.31±0.14;
P
<0.005) demonstrated uptake nearly twice that of nonruptured AAAs (SUV=0.73±0.11). Histopathologic characterization of rat and human AAA tissues obtained from surgery revealed increased expression of CCR2 that was co-localized with CD68
+
macrophages. Ex vivo autoradiography demonstrated specific binding of
64
Cu-DOTA-ECL1i to CCR2 in both rat and human aortic tissues.

Conclusions:
CCR2 positron emission tomography is a promising new biomarker for the noninvasive assessment of AAA inflammation that may aid in associated rupture prediction.
The Religion-Environment (Climate Change) Connection
Authors: Nche George C. 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Following Lynn White’s thesis of 1967 which indicted some Christian values for the current ecological crisis, many studies have been conducted on the connection between religion and environment/ecological crisis. These studies have sought to know whether religious beliefs and values influence environmental/climate change perceptions of people. However, while these studies have been geographically biased, their results have remained inconclusive. This study therefore examined this age-long debate with evidence from Nigeria. The study involved 30 church leaders drawn from Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches in five geographical zones in Nigeria. The data was analyzed using descriptive analytical method. Findings show that religious values/schemas in forms of Eschatological/End-Time beliefs, Dominion beliefs, Theological fatalism, Pessimism etc. influenced climate change perceptions among the church leaders. The study also found that religious affiliation and theology mattered with respect to the influence of some religious beliefs. The implications of findings for the research on religion-environmental/climate change connection are discussed.
“This Was Not Supposed to Happen!”
Authors: Giurlando Philip 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
This paper argues that the “feeling of betrayal” thoroughly entangles feeling and narration into a single subjective impression. When felt by large numbers of citizens in the political realm, it motivates the desire to reassert national control over a realm where such control is perceived to have been lost. Expressions of “feeling betrayed” can be observed in the aftermath of the Great Recession and the consequent populist insurgencies impacting many Western countries, suggesting links between economic insecurity, feelings of betrayal, and the willingness to support non-mainstream political movements which demand a reassertion of national control. The paper attempts to demonstrate these links by analyzing Italy and Greece, two countries which saw a surge in support for populist groups after the Eurozone’s debt crisis.
Social Media and the Emergence, Establishment and Transformation of the Right-Wing Populist Finns Party
Authors: Ylä-Anttila Tuukka 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
This paper assesses the significance of social media for the Finns Party and the related anti-immigration movement from 2007 to the present day, in light of theories on the relationship of populism and social media. These include people-centrism, disenfranchisement, homophily, the attention economy, media elitism, and (lack of) communicative resources. Tracing the historical trajectory of the Finnish anti-immigration movement and the Finns Party, I argue that the Finnish case is an example of a movement being born online and using social media to build a political identity and strategically gain influence through a party, eventually transforming it from the inside out—rather than the party strategically using social media for its purposes, as is sometimes assumed in party-centric literature. While acknowledging the continued importance of parties, research on contemporary populist movements must take into account the political engagement of citizens facilitated by online media.
Blotting Out the Name
Authors: Gordon Nehemia 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Early rabbinic interpretation of Deut 12:4 prohibited erasure of the Tetragrammaton, which required Jewish scribes to employ creative methods to resolve extraneous instances of the divine name. This may be foreshadowed in the writing of divine appellations in Paleo-Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Medieval Jewish scribes employed diverse methods to deal with errors involving the Tetragrammaton. In codices this involved marking God’s name with dots, rectangles (also used in liturgical scrolls), lines, and supralinear circelli. Some scribes indicated the Tetragrammaton’s erasure by leaving it unpointed and recording a correction (usually Adonai) in the margin, without any additional notation. A special procedure involved a nonstandard usage of the Qere notation. All of these methods were performed in accordance with rabbinic strictures. Part 2 of this study will consider exceptions to the rule and the special case of liturgical Torah scrolls.
Energetics of Seamount Wakes. Part I: Energy Exchange
Authors: Perfect B. , Kumar N. , Riley J. J. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSeamounts have been theorized to act as “stirring rods,” converting barotropic flow into an unsteady wake, turbulence, and diapycnal mixing. The energetics of these processes are not well understood, but they may have implications for basin-scale mixing calculations. This study presents the results of a series of simulations for idealized seamounts in steady barotropic flow, with varying degrees of stratification and rotation. The kinetic energy within each simulation domain is decomposed into the mean kinetic energy, unsteady eddy energy, and turbulent kinetic energy; evolution equations are derived for each. Within the evolution equations, energy exchange terms arise, which relate the various forms of kinetic energy and potential energy. Key exchange terms, such as the rate at which the mean flow is converted into eddy energy, are compared across the Froude–Rossby parameter space. It is shown that the conversion terms associated with mesoscale motions are a function of the Burger number, which is consistent with a quasigeostrophic flow regime. Conversely, conversion terms associated with turbulent processes scale with the product of the Froude and Rossby number. The amount of energy extracted from the mean flows suggests that wake effects may be significant for the parameter range and model assumptions studied. These results suggest that some seamounts may indeed act as oceanic stirring rods.
A Novel Set of Geometric Verification Test Fields with Application to Distance Measures
Authors: Gilleland Eric , Skok Gregor , Brown Barbara G. , Casati Barbara , Dorninger Manfred , Mittermaier Marion P. , Roberts Nigel , Wilson Laurence J. 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
As part of the second phase of the spatial forecast verification intercomparison project (ICP), dubbed the Mesoscale Verification Intercomparison in Complex Terrain (MesoVICT) project, a new set of idealized test fields is prepared. This paper describes these new fields and their rationale and uses them to analyze a number of summary measures associated with distance and geometric-based approaches. The results provide guidance about how they inform about performance under various scenarios. The new case comparisons are grouped into four categories: (i) pathological situations such as when a variable is zero valued at all grid points; (ii) circular events aimed at evaluating how different methods handle contrived situations, such as equal but opposite translations, the presence of multiple events of same/different size, boundary effects, and the influence of the positioning of events in the domain; (iii) elliptical events representing simplified scenarios that mimic commonly encountered weather phenomena in complex terrain; and (iv) cases aimed at analyzing how the verification methods handle small-scale scattered events, very large events with holes (e.g., a small portion of clear sky on a cloudy overcast day), and the presence of noise in one or both fields. Results show that all analyzed measures perform poorly in the pathological setting. They are either not able to provide a result at all or they instigate a special rule to prescribe a value resulting in erratic results. The analysis also showed that methods provide similar information in many situations, but that each has its positive properties along with certain unique limitations.
The Role of Moisture Pathways on Snowfall Amount and Distribution in the Payette Mountains of Idaho
Authors: Cann Matthew D. , Friedrich K. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractThe pathways air travels from the Pacific Ocean to the Intermountain West of the United States are important for understanding how air characteristics change and how this translates to the amount and distribution of snowfall. Recent studies have identified the most common moisture pathways in the Intermountain West, especially for heavy precipitation events. However, the role of moisture pathways on snowfall amount and distribution in specific regions remains unclear. Here, we investigate 24 precipitation events in the Payette Mountains of Idaho during January–March 2017 to understand how local atmospheric conditions are tied to three moisture pathways and how it impacts snowfall amount and distribution. During one pathway, southwesterly, moist, tropical air is directed into the Central Valley of California where the air is blocked by the Sierra Nevada, redirected northward and over lower terrain north of Lake Tahoe into the Snake River Plain of Idaho. Other pathways consist of unblocked flows that approach the coast of California from the southwest and then override the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades, and zonal flows approaching the coast of Oregon overriding the Oregon Cascades. Air masses in the Payette Mountains of Idaho associated with Sierra-blocked flow were observed to be warmer, moister, and windier compared to the other moisture pathways. During Sierra-blocked flow, higher snowfall rates, in terms of mean reflectivity, were observed more uniformly distributed throughout the region compared to the other flows, which observed lower snowfall rates that were predominantly collocated with areas of higher terrain. Of the total estimated snowfall captured in this study, 67% was observed during Sierra-blocked flow.
Evaluation of Recent NCEP Operational Model Upgrades for Cool-Season Precipitation Forecasting over the Western Conterminous United States
Authors: Caron Marcel , Steenburgh W. James 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
In August 2018 and June 2019, NCEP upgraded the operational versions of the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) and Global Forecast System (GFS), respectively. To inform forecasters and model developers about changes in the capabilities and biases of these modeling systems over the western conterminous United States (CONUS), we validate and compare precipitation forecasts produced by the experimental, preoperational HRRRv3 and GFSv15.0 with the then operational HRRRv2 and GFSv14 during the 2017/18 October–March cool season. We also compare the GFSv14 and GFSv15.0 with the operational, high-resolution configuration of the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (HRES). We validate using observations from Automated Surface and Weather Observing System (ASOS/AWOS) stations, which are located primarily in the lowlands, and observations from Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations, which are located primarily in the uplands. Changes in bias and skill from HRRRv2 to HRRRv3 are small, with HRRRv3 exhibiting slightly higher (but statistically indistinguishable at a 95% confidence level) equitable threat scores. The GFSv14, GFSv15.0, and HRES all exhibit a wet bias at lower elevations and neutral or dry bias at upper elevations, reflecting insufficient terrain representation. GFSv15.0 performance is comparable to GFSv14 at day 1 and superior at day 3, but lags HRES. These results establish a baseline for current operational HRRR and GFS precipitation capabilities over the western CONUS and are consistent with steady or improving NCEP model performance.
Relationship Between Interface Pressures and Pneumatic Cuff Inflation Pressure at Different Assessment Sites of the Lower Limb to Aid Soft Exoskeleton Design
Authors: Kermavnar Tjaša , O’Sullivan Kevin J. , de Eyto Adam , O’Sullivan Leonard W. 
Published: March 2020

Objective The aim was to develop a means of predicting interface pressure from cuff inflation pressure during circumferential compression at the lower limb, in order to inform the design of soft exoskeletons. Background Excessive mechanical loading of tissues can cause discomfort and soft tissue injury. Most ergonomic studies on exoskeletons are of interface pressure, but soft exoskeletons apply circumferential pressures similar to tourniquet cuffs by way of cuff inflation pressure. This study details the relationship between interface and cuff inflation pressures for pneumatic tourniquet cuffs. Method Pneumatic cuffs of different widths were inflated to target pressures on (A) a rigid cylinder, (B) the dominant thigh and calf, and (C) knee of healthy participants standing still. Interface pressures were measured under the cuffs using a pressure-sensing mat. Average interface pressures were then compared to cuff inflation pressures. The influence of cuff width, cuff inflation pressure, and participants’ anthropometric data on pressure transmission was assessed. Results A strong linear relationship between cuff inflation pressures and interface pressures was observed. Interface pressures were generally higher than cuff inflation pressures. The efficiency of pressure transmission to the lower limb depended on assessment site, adipose tissue thickness, cuff size, cuff inflation pressure, and possibly limb circumference. Regression equations were developed to predict interface pressures at the thigh, calf, and knee. Conclusion Interface pressures under pneumatic cuffs are influenced by the cuff size, cuff inflation pressure, and tissue compressibility. Predicted interface pressure from cuff inflation pressure and vice versa can be used to aid the design of soft exoskeletons.
Multisectoral Integration of Nutrition, Health, and Agriculture: Implementation Lessons From Ethiopia
Authors: Bach Ashley , Gregor Erin , Sridhar Shela , Fekadu Habtamu , Fawzi Wafaie 
Published: March 2020

Background: The Government of Ethiopia and development partners have invested heavily in nutrition through multisectoral nutrition programs and the recently announced Food and Nutrition Policy. By making nutrition a political priority, the government has enabled multisectoral collaboration. Objective: To trace the development of multisectoral nutrition policy in Ethiopia and identify lessons learned from implementation. Methods: We utilize the literature and stakeholder interviews across government ministries, donors, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to analyze Ethiopia’s progress toward multisectoral nutrition governance through 5 lenses: coordination and structural accountability, political commitment, financing, human resources, and data monitoring and transparency. Results: Despite significant progress, coordination and structural accountability for nutrition activities and outcomes across and within sectors remain challenges. While political will is strong, financing is often insufficient. Ethiopia has a shortage of nutrition policy makers and experts but is investing in education to close this gap. Finally, wider sharing of data across ministries and partners would enable enhanced feedback and improvement upon existing programs. Several lessons are notable for policy makers and partners: (1) making nutrition a national political priority is key to fostering multisectoral collaboration and improving nutrition outcomes; (2) nutrition champions are critical for political prioritization of nutrition; (3) multisectoral collaboration has helped reduce undernutrition in Ethiopia, due to expansion from nutrition-specific to nutrition-sensitive strategies; and (4) accountability structures are vital to effective coordination, monitoring, and evaluation in multisectoral nutrition governance. Conclusions: Ethiopia has made significant progress toward multisectoral integration for nutrition. Despite contextual differences, lessons learned from Ethiopia may guide other countries aiming to reduce malnutrition.
The Past and Future of Econ 101: The John R. Commons Award Lecture
Authors: Mankiw N. Gregory 
Published: March 2020

The introductory economics course, often called Econ 101, is where most economists get their start and where many students receive their only exposure to the field. This essay discusses the course’s evolution. It first looks back at how economics was taught at Harvard University in the 19th century, based on a textbook by Professor Francis Bowen. It then looks ahead at how the introductory course may change as pedagogical tools improve, as society confronts new challenges, and as the field accumulates new knowledge. JEL Classification: A2
Analysis of factors for post–percutaneous transluminal angioplasty primary patency rate in hemodialysis vascular access
Authors: Miyamoto Kanyu , Sato Takashi , Momohara Keisuke , Ono Sumihisa , Yamaguchi Makoto , Katsuno Takayuki , Sakurai Hiroshi , Imai Hirokazu , Ito Yasuhiko 
Published: March 2020

Background: Although percutaneous transluminal angioplasty has been established as a first-line therapy for access failure in dialysis, there are few reports on primary patency after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. We investigated factors associated with primary patency following the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty performed after vascular access construction in patients with arteriovenous fistula, including blood flow volume before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and previously reported factors. Methods: We used medical records at six dialysis centers to retrospectively identify and analyze prognostic factors for primary patency after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in 159 patients with arteriovenous fistula who underwent initial percutaneous transluminal angioplasty after vascular access construction. Results: Multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazard model showed that primary patency after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in patients with arteriovenous fistula was significantly associated with lesion length (hazard ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–3.07; P = 0.045), and blood flow volume after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–0.84; P < 0.001). When blood flow volume after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was classified into three categories, risks of outcome events defining the end of primary patency after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty were significantly lower for 400–630 mL/min (hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.21–0.68; P = 0.001) and >630 mL/min (hazard ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.40; P < 0.001) compared with <400 mL/min. Conclusion: Our study showed that blood flow volume after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is an important prognostic factor for primary patency after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in patients with arteriovenous fistula.