bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relation between right ventricular wall stress, fibrosis, and function in right ventricular pressure loading
Authors: Gold Jonathan , Akazawa Yohei , Sun Mei , Hunter Kendall S. , Friedberg Mark K. 
Published: December 2019

Right ventricle (RV) pressure loading can lead to RV fibrosis and dysfunction. We previously found increased RV, septal hinge-point and left ventricle (LV) fibrosis in experimental RV pressure loading. However, the relation of RV wall stress to biventricular fibrosis and dysfunction is incompletely defined. Rabbits underwent progressive pulmonary artery banding (PAB) over 3 wk with hemodynamics, echocardiography, and myocardial samples obtained at a terminal experiment at 6 wk. An additional group received PAB and treatment with an endothelin receptor antagonist. The endocardial and epicardial borders of short-axis echo images were traced and analyzed with invasive pressures to yield regional end-diastolic (ED) and end-systolic (ES) wall stress. To increase clinical translation, computer model-derived wall stress was compared with Laplace wall stress. The relation of wall stress with fibrosis (picrosirius red staining) and ventricular function was analyzed. ED wall stress in all regions and RV and LV free-wall ES wall stress were increased in PAB rabbits versus sham animals. Laplace wall stress correlated well with computational models. In PAB, fibrosis was highest in the RV free wall, then septal hinge regions, and lowest in the septum and LV free wall. Fibrosis was moderately related to ED ( r = 0.47, P = 0.0011), but not ES wall stress. RV ED wall stress was strongly related to echo indexes of function (strain rate: r = 0.71, P = 0.048; E′, r = −0.75, P = 0.0077; tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion: r = 0.85, P = 0.0038) and RV fractional area change ( r = 0.77, P = 0.027). ED, more than ES, wall stress is related moderately to fibrosis and strongly to function in experimental RV pressure loading, especially at the septal hinge-point regions, where fibrosis is prominent. This suggests that wall stress partially links RV pressure loading, fibrosis, and dysfunction and may be useful to follow clinically. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Biventricular fibrosis and dysfunction impact outcomes in RV pressure loading, but their relation to wall stress is poorly defined. Using a pulmonary artery band rabbit model, we entered echocardiography and catheter data into a computer model to yield regional end-diastolic (EDWS) and end-systolic (ESWS) wall stress. EDWS, more than ESWS, correlated with fibrosis and dysfunction, especially at the fibrosis-intense septal hinge-point regions. Thus, wall stress may be clinically useful in linking RV pressure loading to regional fibrosis and dysfunction.
Age-dependent changes in electrophysiology and calcium handling: implications for pediatric cardiac research
Authors: Swift Luther M. , Burke Morgan , Guerrelli Devon , Reilly Marissa , Ramadan Manelle , McCullough Damon , Prudencio Tomas , Mulvany Colm , Chaluvadi Ashika , Jaimes Rafael , Posnack Nikki Gillum 
Published: December 2019

Rodent models are frequently employed in cardiovascular research, yet our understanding of pediatric cardiac physiology has largely been deduced from more simplified two-dimensional cell studies. Previous studies have shown that postnatal development includes an alteration in the expression of genes and proteins involved in cell coupling, ion channels, and intracellular calcium handling. Accordingly, we hypothesized that postnatal cell maturation is likely to lead to dynamic alterations in whole heart electrophysiology and calcium handling. To test this hypothesis, we employed multiparametric imaging and electrophysiological techniques to quantify developmental changes from neonate to adult. In vivo electrocardiograms were collected to assess changes in heart rate, variability, and atrioventricular conduction (Sprague-Dawley rats). Intact, whole hearts were transferred to a Langendorff-perfusion system for multiparametric imaging (voltage, calcium). Optical mapping was performed in conjunction with an electrophysiology study to assess cardiac dynamics throughout development. Postnatal age was associated with an increase in the heart rate (181 ± 34 vs. 429 ± 13 beats/min), faster atrioventricular conduction (94 ± 13 vs. 46 ± 3 ms), shortened action potentials (APD80: 113 ± 18 vs. 60 ± 17 ms), and decreased ventricular refractoriness (VERP: 157 ± 45 vs. 57 ± 14 ms; neonatal vs. adults, means ± SD, P < 0.05). Calcium handling matured with development, resulting in shortened calcium transient durations (168 ± 18 vs. 117 ± 14 ms) and decreased propensity for calcium transient alternans (160 ± 18- vs. 99 ± 11-ms cycle length threshold; neonatal vs. adults, mean ± SD, P < 0.05). Results of this study can serve as a comprehensive baseline for future studies focused on pediatric disease modeling and/or preclinical testing. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to assess cardiac electrophysiology and calcium handling throughout postnatal development, using both in vivo and whole heart models.
The Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Potential of Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Profiling in Cancer
Authors: Cowell Lindsay G. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractLymphocytes play a critical role in antitumor immune responses. They are directly targeted by some therapies, and the composition and spatial organization of intratumor T-cell populations is prognostic in some cancer types. A better understanding of lymphocyte population dynamics over the course of disease and in response to therapy is urgently needed to guide therapy decisions and to develop new therapy targets. Deep sequencing of the repertoire of antigen receptor–encoding genes expressed in a lymphocyte population has become a widely used approach for profiling the population's immune status. Lymphocyte antigen receptor repertoire deep sequencing data can be used to assess the clonal richness and diversity of lymphocyte populations; to track clone members over time, between tissues, and across lymphocyte subsets; to detect clonal expansion; and to detect the recruitment of new clones into a tissue. Repertoire sequencing is thus a critical complement to other methods of lymphocyte and immune profiling in cancer. This review describes the current state of knowledge based on repertoire sequencing studies conducted on human cancer patients, with a focus on studies of the T-cell receptor beta chain locus. The review then outlines important questions left unanswered and suggests future directions for the field.
Avaliação da repercussão dos sintomas depressivos na qualidade de vida de pacientes com DPOC
Authors: Alves Ana Cristina Guimarães Mendes , Ramos Ana Paula Vieira Machado , Paixão Bárbara Oliveira , Freitas Jéssica Faria , Garib Júnia Rios , Freitas Natália Costa 
Published: December 2019

A doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC) associa-se frequentemente a múltiplas comorbidades, sendo a depressão frequente e na maioria das vezes, subdiagnosticada. Sua prevalência em pacientes portadores de DPOC varia de 10 a 42% - uma proporção muito maior que na população geral - e está relacionada a maiores taxas de exacerbações e admissões hospitalares, a maior gravidade dos sintomas, a piora da funcionalidade e por fim, ao aumento da mortalidade. Nesse contexto, a detecção do quadro depressivo em pacientes portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica contribui para melhor qualidade de vida desses pacientes. Com o objetivo de avaliar a prevalência de sintomas depressivos em pacientes portadores de DPOC e analisar a repercussão desses sintomas na qualidade de vida, nas taxas de exacerbações, nas admissões hospitalares e na gravidade dos sintomas dos pacientes portadores dessa doença foi realizado um estudo não intervencional, descritivo e transversal no período de março de 2018 a outubro de 2018 no ambulatório de pneumologia da Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais. Entre os resultados, a prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi de 25%. Ao contrário do que se esperava os sintomas foram mais comuns na população idosa e não houve associação significativa entre sexo e índice da função pulmonar. Os indivíduos com DPOC e sintomas depressivos apresentaram piores desfechos relacionados à qualidade de vida, exacerbações e internações hospitalares. Não foi possível comprovar se pacientes com piores padrões respiratórios desenvolvem sintomas depressivos ou se portadores de sintomas depressivos desenvolvem mais exacerbações por possivelmente apresentarem sintomatologia mais grave. Sendo necessário novos estudos para elucidar essas hipóteses.
Critical Role of Cytosolic DNA and Its Sensing Adaptor STING in Aortic Degeneration, Dissection, and Rupture
Authors: Luo Wei , Wang Yidan , Zhang Lin , Ren Pingping , Zhang Chen , Li Yanming , Azares Alon R. , Zhang Michelle , Guo Jiao , Ghaghada Ketan B. , Starosolski Zbigniew A. , Rajapakshe Kimal , Coarfa Cristian , Li Yumei , Chen Rui , Fujiwara Keigi , Abe Jun-ichi , Coselli Joseph S. , Milewicz Dianna M. , LeMaire Scott A. , Shen Ying H. 
Published: December 2019

Background:
Sporadic aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD), caused by progressive aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) loss and extracellular matrix degradation, is a highly lethal condition. Identifying mechanisms that drive aortic degeneration is a crucial step in developing an effective pharmacologic treatment to prevent disease progression. Recent evidence has indicated that cytosolic DNA and abnormal activation of the cytosolic DNA sensing adaptor STING (stimulator of interferon genes) play a critical role in vascular inflammation and destruction. Here, we examined the involvement of this mechanism in aortic degeneration and sporadic AAD formation.

Methods:

The presence of cytosolic DNA in aortic cells and activation of the STING pathway were examined in aortic tissues from patients with sporadic ascending thoracic AAD. The role of STING in AAD development was evaluated in
Sting
-deficient (
Sting

gt/gt

) mice in a sporadic AAD model induced by challenging mice with a combination of a high-fat diet and angiotensin II. We also examined the direct effects of STING on SMC death and macrophage activation in vitro.

Results:

In human sporadic AAD tissues, we observed the presence of cytosolic DNA in SMCs and macrophages and significant activation of the STING pathway. In the sporadic AAD model,
Sting

gt/gt

mice showed significant reductions in challenge-induced aortic enlargement, dissection, and rupture in both the thoracic and abdominal aortic regions. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that aortic challenge in wild-type mice induced the DNA damage response, the inflammatory response, dedifferentiation and cell death in SMCs, and matrix metalloproteinase expression in macrophages. These changes were attenuated in challenged
Sting

gt/gt

mice. Mechanistically, nuclear and mitochondrial DNA damage in SMCs and the subsequent leak of DNA to the cytosol activated STING signaling, which induced cell death through apoptosis and necroptosis. In addition, DNA from damaged SMCs was engulfed by macrophages in which it activated STING and its target interferon regulatory factor 3, which directly induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression. We also found that pharmacologically inhibiting STING activation partially prevented AAD development.

Conclusions:
Our findings indicate that the presence of cytosolic DNA and subsequent activation of cytosolic DNA sensing adaptor STING signaling represent a key mechanism in aortic degeneration and that targeting STING may prevent sporadic AAD development.
Safety of Intravenous Thrombolysis Among Patients Taking Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Authors: Shahjouei Shima , Tsivgoulis Georgios , Goyal Nitin , Sadighi Alireza , Mowla Ashkan , Wang Ming , Seiffge David J. , Zand Ramin 
Published: December 2019

Background and Purpose—
There are scarce data regarding the safety of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke among patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

Methods—
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature. Data regarding all adult patients pretreated with DOAC who received IVT for acute ischemic stroke were recorded. Meta-analysis was performed by comparing the rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in these patients with (1) stroke patients without prior anticoagulation therapy and (2) patients on warfarin with international normalized ratio <1.7. Meta-analyses were further conducted in subgroups as follows: (1) administration of DOAC within 48 hours versus an unknown interval before IVT, (2) consideration of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage outcome according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders (NINDS) versus the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II (ECASS-II) criteria.

Results—

After reviewing 13 392 reports and communicating with certain authors of 12 published studies, a total of 52 823 acute ischemic stroke patients from 6 studies were enrolled in the present meta-analysis: DOACs: 366, warfarin: 2133, and 50 324 patients without prior anticoagulation. We detected no additional risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage following IVT among patients taking DOACs within 48 hours—DOACs-warfarin: NINDS (odds ratio [OR], 0.53 [95% CI, 0.18–1.52]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.28–2.16]); DOACs-no-anticoagulation: NINDS (OR, 1.23 [95% CI, 0.46–3.31]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.33–2.55]). Similarly, no additional risk was detected with no time limit between last DOAC intake—DOACs warfarin: NINDS (OR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.49–1.45]), ECASS-II (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.67–1.85]); DOACs-no-anticoagulation: NINDS (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.43–3.15]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.33–2.41]). There was no evidence of heterogeneity across included studies (
I
2
=0%). We also provided the details of 123 individual cases with or without reversal agents before IVT. There was no significant increase in the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (OR, 1.48 [95% CI, 0.50–4.38]), symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.09–2.55]), or early mortality (OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.11–3.43]) between cohorts who did or did not receive prethrombolysis idarucizumab.

Conclusions—
The results of our study indicated that prior intake of DOAC appears not to increase the risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in selected AIS patients treated with IVT.
Development of a Novel Prognostic Model to Predict 6-Month Swallowing Recovery After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Lee Woo Hyung , Lim Min Hyuk , Seo Han Gil , Seong Min Yong , Oh Byung-Mo , Kim Sungwan 
Published: December 2019

Background and Purpose—
The aim of this study was to explore clinical and radiological prognostic factors for long-term swallowing recovery in patients with poststroke dysphagia and to develop and validate a prognostic model using a machine learning algorithm.

Methods—
Consecutive patients (N=137) with acute ischemic stroke referred for swallowing examinations were retrospectively reviewed. Dysphagia was monitored in the 6 months poststroke period and then analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model for clinical and radiological factors. Bayesian network models were developed using potential prognostic factors to classify patients into those with good (no need for tube feeding or diet modification for 6 months) and poor (tube feeding or diet modification for 6 months) recovery of swallowing function.

Results—

Twenty-four (17.5%) patients showed persistent dysphagia for the first 6 months with a mean duration of 65.6 days. The time duration of poststroke dysphagia significantly differed by tube feeding status, clinical dysphagia scale, sex, severe white matter hyperintensities, and bilateral lesions at the corona radiata, basal ganglia, or internal capsule (CR/BG/IC). Among these factors, tube feeding status (
P
<0.001), bilateral lesions at CR/BG/IC (
P
=0.001), and clinical dysphagia scale (
P
=0.042) were significant prognostic factors in a multivariate analysis using Cox regression models. The tree-augmented network classifier, based on 10 factors (sex, lesions at CR, BG/IC, and insula, laterality, anterolateral territory of the brain stem, bilateral lesions at CR/BG/IC, severe white matter hyperintensities, clinical dysphagia scale, and tube feeding status), performed better than other benchmarking classifiers developed in this study.

Conclusions—
Initial dysphagia severity and bilateral lesions at CR/BG/IC are revealed to be significant prognostic factors for 6-month swallowing recovery. The prediction of 6-month swallowing recovery was feasible based on clinical and radiological factors using the Bayesian network model. We emphasize the importance of bilateral subcortical lesions as prognostic factors that can be utilized to develop prediction models for long-term swallowing recovery.
Reaching “the Southern Wilderness”: Expansion and the Formation of the Lingnan Transportation Network during the Qin and Han Dynasties
Authors: Demandt Michèle H.S. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThis article will focus on the incorporation of the Lingnan region into the territory of the Qin and Han Empire and will provide a deeper exploration of the role of “transportation networks” in expansionist politics and its effect on local socioeconomics. Through the study of historical and archaeological categories of evidence, the formation of the Lingnan transportation network and the specifics of Qin-Han frontier politics in the south will be discussed. It is argued that expansion and transport building were inspired by the same determinants, and transformed a selection of traffic “hot-spots” into socially-complex urban landscapes.
Subcloud and Cloud-Base Latent Heat Fluxes during Shallow Cumulus Convection
Authors: Lareau Neil P. 
Published: December 2019

Abstract
Doppler and Raman lidar observations of vertical velocity and water vapor mixing ratio are used to probe the physics and statistics of subcloud and cloud-base latent heat fluxes during cumulus convection at the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Oklahoma, United States. The statistical results show that latent heat fluxes increase with height from the surface up to ~0.8Zi (where Zi is the convective boundary layer depth) and then decrease to ~0 at Zi. Peak fluxes aloft exceeding 500 W m−2 are associated with periods of increased cumulus cloud cover and stronger jumps in the mean humidity profile. These entrainment fluxes are much larger than the surface fluxes, indicating substantial drying over the 0–0.8Zi layer accompanied by moistening aloft as the CBL deepens over the diurnal cycle. We also show that the boundary layer humidity budget is approximately closed by computing the flux divergence across the 0–0.8Zi layer. Composite subcloud velocity and water vapor anomalies show that clouds are linked to coherent updraft and moisture plumes. The moisture anomaly is Gaussian, most pronounced above 0.8Zi and systematically wider than the velocity anomaly, which has a narrow central updraft flanked by downdrafts. This size and shape disparity results in downdrafts characterized by a high water vapor mixing ratio and thus a broad joint probability density function (JPDF) of velocity and mixing ratio in the upper CBL. We also show that cloud-base latent heat fluxes can be both positive and negative and that the instantaneous positive fluxes can be very large (~10 000 W m−2). However, since cloud fraction tends to be small, the net impact of these fluxes remains modest.
Direct Variational Assimilation of Radar Reflectivity and Radial Velocity Data: Issues with Nonlinear Reflectivity Operator and Solutions
Authors: Liu Chengsi , Xue Ming , Kong Rong 
Published: December 2019

AbstractRadar reflectivity (Z) data are either directly assimilated using 3DVar, 4DVar, or ensemble Kalman filter, or indirectly assimilated using, for example, cloud analysis that preretrieves hydrometeors from Z. When directly assimilating radar data variationally, issues related to the highly nonlinear Z operator arise that can cause nonconvergence and bad analyses. To alleviate the issues, treatments are proposed in this study and their performances are examined via observing system simulation experiments. They include the following: 1) When using hydrometeor mixing ratios as control variables (CVq), small background Z can cause extremely large cost function gradient. Lower limits are imposed on the mixing ratios (qLim treatment) or the equivalent reflectivity (ZeLim treatment) in Z observation operator. ZeLim is found to work better than qLim in terms of analysis accuracy and convergence speed. 2) With CVq, the assimilation of radial velocity (Vr) is ineffective when assimilated together with Z data due to the much smaller cost function gradient associated with Vr. A procedure (VrPass) that assimilates Vr data in a separate pass is found very helpful. 3) Using logarithmic hydrometeor mixing ratios as control variables (CVlogq) can also avoid extremely large cost function gradient, and has much faster convergence. However, spurious analysis increments can be created when transforming the analysis increments back to mixing ratios. A background smoothing and a lower limit are applied to the background mixing ratios, and are shown to be effective. Using CVlogq with associated treatments produces better reflectivity analysis that is much closer to the observation without resorting to multiple analysis passes, and the cost function minimization also converges faster. CVlogq is therefore recommended for variational radar data assimilation.
Post-crisis India’s Merchandise Export Growth: What Has Changed?
Authors: Barik Anirudha 
Published: December 2019

This article comprehensively examines the growth and pattern of India’s merchandise exports during and following the financial crisis period (2007–08 to 2016–17) using Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics and United Nations Commodity Trade/World Integrated Trade Solution trade data. The entire analysis is based on leading trade indices and indicators and the results confirm that significant change in India’s trading structure is associated with the fast growth of foreign trade. The composition of exports has undergone changes overtime, bearing a strong influence of factor endowments and technology in favour of both human capital intensive and technology intensive sectors. The magnitude of product diversification shows that India’s export basket is poorly diversified but more diversified than BRICS countries except China. India’s export destinations showed a major shift from the developed countries market to the emerging markets in Asia and Africa. However, India holds more increased trade intensity with USA and Hong Kong. Dynamism in labour-intensive manufacturing sector is vital to promote India’s exports of agricultural value-added products and enable more competitive at the world. Also, the development of new markets should be viewed as part of a wider effort to enlarge the India’s foreign trade. JEL Code: F10, F14, F19