bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Melatonin ameliorates PM2.5‐induced cardiac perivascular fibrosis through regulating mitochondrial redox homeostasis
Authors: Jiang Jinjin , Liang Shuang , Zhang Jingyi , Du Zhou , Xu Qing , Duan Junchao , Sun Zhiwei 
Published: July 2020

AbstractFine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is correlated with the risk of developing cardiac fibrosis. Melatonin is a major secretory product of the pineal gland that has been reported to prevent fibrosis. However, whether melatonin affects the adverse health effects of PM2.5 exposure has not been investigated. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate the protective effect of melatonin against PM2.5‐accelerated cardiac fibrosis. The echocardiography revealed that PM2.5 had impaired both systolic and diastolic cardiac function in ApoE−/− mice. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that PM2.5 induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis, particularly perivascular fibrosis, while the melatonin administration was effective in alleviating PM2.5‐induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis in mice. Results of electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscope confirmed that melatonin had restorative effects against impaired mitochondrial ultrastructure and augmented mitochondrial ROS generation in PM2.5‐treated group. Further investigation revealed melatonin administration could significantly reverse the PM2.5‐induced phenotypic modulation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. For the first time, our study found that melatonin effectively alleviates PM2.5‐induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis via inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative injury and regulating SIRT3‐mediated SOD2 deacetylation. Our findings indicate that melatonin could be a therapy medicine for prevention and treatment of air pollution‐associated cardiac diseases.
Lineage‐based functional types: characterising functional diversity to enhance the representation of ecological behaviour in Land Surface Models
Authors: Griffith Daniel M. , Osborne Colin P. , Edwards Erika J. , Bachle Seton , Beerling David J. , Bond William J. , Gallaher Timothy J. , Helliker Brent R. , Lehmann Caroline E. R. , Leatherman Lila , Nippert Jesse B. , Pau Stephanie , Qiu Fan , Riley William J. , Smith Melinda D. , Strömberg Caroline A. E. , Taylor Lyla , Ungerer Mark , Still Christopher J. 
Published: July 2020

SummaryProcess‐based vegetation models attempt to represent the wide range of trait variation in biomes by grouping ecologically similar species into plant functional types (PFTs). This approach has been successful in representing many aspects of plant physiology and biophysics but struggles to capture biogeographic history and ecological dynamics that determine biome boundaries and plant distributions. Grass‐dominated ecosystems are broadly distributed across all vegetated continents and harbour large functional diversity, yet most Land Surface Models (LSMs) summarise grasses into two generic PFTs based primarily on differences between temperate C3 grasses and (sub)tropical C4 grasses. Incorporation of species‐level trait variation is an active area of research to enhance the ecological realism of PFTs, which form the basis for vegetation processes and dynamics in LSMs. Using reported measurements, we developed grass functional trait values (physiological, structural, biochemical, anatomical, phenological, and disturbance‐related) of dominant lineages to improve LSM representations. Our method is fundamentally different from previous efforts, as it uses phylogenetic relatedness to create lineage‐based functional types (LFTs), situated between species‐level trait data and PFT‐level abstractions, thus providing a realistic representation of functional diversity and opening the door to the development of new vegetation models.
The Law Pandemics and Presidential Power: A Taxonomy
Authors: Rudalevige Andrew , Yu Victoria E. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPresidential power in a pandemic, as in other domestic crises, is largely a function of congressional delegation. A variety of statutes grant the president broad authority in times of emergency, including power over industrial production and quarantine power during outbreaks of communicable disease. Wide administrative discretion is spread across the U.S. Code more generally and may be implemented via executive order, regulations, or guidance documents. But while these powers may appear broad, they are hardly “total,” as President Donald Trump has asserted, and the president’s ability (or willingness) to use them is bounded by federalism, the potential constraints of legislative pushback, and political considerations.
Improving medical students’ confidence in end‐of‐life consultations
Authors: Bansal Aarti , Monk Alice , Norman Megan , Fingas Samuel 
Published: July 2020

SummaryBackgroundEnd‐of‐life discussions are associated with improved quality of care for patients. In the UK, the General Medical Council outlines a requirement for medical graduates to involve patients and their families in discussions on their care at the end‐of‐life. However medical students feel ill‐equipped to conduct these discussions.MethodsIn 2018, Sheffield Medical School introduced a small group role‐play session on end‐of‐life discussions for all final year medical students. Scenarios were devised to improve confidence in the following learning domains: communicating prognosis with patients and family; ascertaining patient’s goals, values and preferred place of death; discussing escalation of treatment, discussing do not attempt resuscitation orders, care in the dying phase of illness and pre‐emptive prescribing. Evaluation was conducted over 16 weeks with a before and after questionnaire. Students rated their confidence in the above learning domains on a Likert‐style scale and explained their ratings in free‐text boxes.ResultsThere was a 76% response rate to the questionnaire and analysis showed statistically significant improvements in confidence across all learning domains following the session. Qualitative analysis of free‐text responses showed that prior to the sessions, students expressed low confidence due to lack of experience and fear of upsetting patients. After the session students felt they had gained skills but expressed persistent anxiety and a desire for further practice.ConclusionsOur innovation suggests that the opportunity to experience End‐of‐life discussions through role‐play can significantly improve students’ confidence in conducting these conversations. However, repeated sessions are likely necessary for students to feel prepared upon graduation.
Tourmaline composition and boron isotopes record lateritic weathering during the Great Oxidation Event
Authors: Cabral Alexandre Raphael , DeFerreira Tiago Henrique , Lana Cristiano , de Castro Marco P. , Queiroga Gláucia 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIdentifying evidence of oxidative weathering in the geological record is essential to trace the evolution of Earth's atmosphere oxygenation. Metamorphosed residues of lateritic weathering have been identified as two rock types in the 2.1‐Ga‐old Cercadinho Formation, Piracicaba Group, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais. One is tourmaline–hematite–sillimanite–kyanite quartzite; the other is rutile–tourmaline–hematite–muscovite phyllite. Both rocks have abundant tourmaline with δ11B values between about −17‰ and −13‰. The Cercadinho tourmaline is roughly parallel to the povondraite–“oxy‐dravite” join of meta‐evaporitic tourmaline, in its more aluminous segment, offset to higher contents of iron. These compositional and isotopic characteristics of the Cercadinho tourmaline indicate that continental evaporitic brines interacted with aluminium‐ and iron‐rich residues of lateritic weathering. The abundance of disseminated tourmaline, a mineral poorly reported from palaeosols worldwide, implies a boron‐rich brine overprint on the lateritic profile before the onset of metamorphism, reflecting a climatic change from humid to arid conditions in a continental setting. The recognition of lateritic weathering in the Cercadinho Formation contributes to the amount of evidence for increased levels of atmospheric oxygen between 2.22 and 2.06 Ga ago.
Vaso‐occlusive crisis in a sickle cell patient after transfusion‐transmitted dengue infection
Authors: Santos Flávia L. S. , Slavov Svetoslav N. , Bezerra Rafael S. , Santos Elaine V. , Silva‐Pinto Ana C. , Morais Ana L. L. , Sá Mariana B. , Ubiali Eugênia M. A. , De Santis Gil C. , Covas Dimas T. , Kashima Simone 
Published: July 2020

AbstractCase ReportA 26‐year‐old woman with sickle cell disease (SCD) on chronic transfusion therapy complained of severe arthralgia, myalgia, abdominal pain, headache, and fever 24 hours after transfusion of a red blood cells (RBCs). Dengue virus (DENV) infection was suspected and the patient was hospitalized for clinical support and RBC transfusion, to lower the hemoglobin S to less than 30%. The patientʼs clinical condition improved approximately 8 days after the onset of symptoms.ResultsDENV type 2 (DENV‐2) TaqMan real‐time polymerase chain reaction was negative in the patient's pretransfusion sample while the posttransfusion sample was positive (Ct, 27.8), suggesting a high viral load and an acute infection. To investigate DENV transfusion transmission (TT‐DENV) the stored donor serum was tested and was also positive (Ct, 25.8). Molecular typing confirmed the presence of DENV‐2. The phylogenetic analysis of the DENV‐2 strains obtained from both donor and patient samples were classified as the Southeast Asia‐American genotype (Genotype III) and demonstrated 100% genomic identity, indicating TT‐DENV.ConclusionThis is the first description of TT‐DENV in a SCD patient. A presumed high viral load in the transfused RBC unit probably determined the early clinical manifestation. In endemic regions dengue fever should be considered as differential diagnosis in SCD patients with fever and acute pain crisis, mainly during DENV outbreaks.
Factors associated with rabies vaccination of dog shelter staff in the United States
Authors: Cain Cassie J. , Woodruff Kimberly A. , Loftin Christina M. , Smith David R. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractUS animal shelters house and care for dogs with unknown medical histories. Such unknown medical backgrounds pose concern for zoonotic transmission of diseases to the shelter staff. One important zoonotic exposure is to rabies virus which is almost always fatal after the onset of symptoms. The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics of dog shelters associated with the probability that the shelter had a policy to vaccinate shelter personnel against rabies. Five states with an established shelter registry were selected from each geographic region of the United States. A list of shelters within those states was developed from the registry list, through Internet searches and comparisons with other known lists. At least two forms of direct communication were used to ensure that humane organizations met the study definition of a dog shelter. In total, 342 of 461 (73%) shelters that met the study definition were visited by a team of students. Forty‐two of 332 (13%) shelters responding to the question required staff to be vaccinated against rabies. Logistic regression was utilized to test shelter characteristics for association with the probability that they have a rabies vaccination policy for shelter staff. Municipally funded shelters were more likely to vaccinate staff for rabies than shelters funded privately (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.40–6.39). These results demonstrate that shelter funding source may influence rabies control programmes in shelters.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Walter Andrew 
Published: July 2020

Studies in Engineering and Technology (SET) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether SET publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 7, Number 1Alexander Medvedev, Transport and Telecommunication Institute (TTI), LatviaAlexander Pisarevskiy, Bauman Moscow State Tecnnical University, RussiaArnaud Duchosal, University of Montpellier, FranceGirish Upreti, Methodist University, USAHala Abd El Megeed, National Institute for Standards, EgyptHassan Shaaban, Egyption Atomic Authority (EAEA), EgyptHossam Zaqoot, Ministry of Environmental Affairs, GazaHossein Moayedi, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, MalaysiaJose Hernandez, Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, ChileMahdieh Zabihimayvan, Wright State University, USAMarco A Ruano, Economics Department Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, SpainMohammad Reza Barati, Flinders University, AustraliaPau Redon, Fundación Hospital General de Valencia, SpainSimona Rainis, RARDARFVG, ItalyTangming Yuan, University of York, UKTony di Feo, Natural Resources Canadanior Engineer, CanadaWael Salah, Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie, PalestineYao Liu, University Malaysia Pahang, MalaysiaYi Zheng, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), USA Andrew WalterEditorial AssistantStudies in Engineering and Technology-------------------------------------------Redfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USATel: 1-503-828-0536 ext. 504Fax: 1-503-828-0537E-mail: set@redfame.comURL: http://set.redfame.com
Disproportionate loss of excitatory inputs to smaller phrenic motor neurons following cervical spinal hemisection
Authors: Rana Sabhya , Zhan Wen‐Zhi , Mantilla Carlos B. , Sieck Gary C. 
Published: July 2020

Key points
Motor units, comprising a motor neuron and the muscle fibre it innervates, are activated in an orderly fashion to provide varying amounts of force.
A unilateral C2 spinal hemisection (C2SH) disrupts predominant excitatory input from medulla, causing cessation of inspiratory‐related diaphragm muscle activity, whereas higher force, non‐ventilatory diaphragm activity persists.
In this study, we show a disproportionately larger loss of excitatory glutamatergic innervation to small phrenic motor neurons (PhMNs) following C2SH, as compared with large PhMNs ipsilateral to injury.
Our data suggest that there is a dichotomy in the distribution of inspiratory‐related descending excitatory glutamatergic input to small vs. large PhMNs that reflects their differential recruitment.
AbstractExcitatory glutamatergic input mediating inspiratory drive to phrenic motor neurons (PhMNs) emanates primarily from the ipsilateral ventrolateral medulla. Unilateral C2 hemisection (C2SH) disrupts this excitatory input, resulting in cessation of inspiratory‐related diaphragm muscle (DIAm) activity. In contrast, after C2SH, higher force, non‐ventilatory DIAm activity persists. Inspiratory behaviours require recruitment of only smaller PhMNs, whereas with more forceful expulsive/straining behaviours, larger PhMNs are recruited. Accordingly, we hypothesize that C2SH primarily disrupts glutamatergic synaptic inputs to smaller PhMNs, whereas glutamatergic synaptic inputs to larger PhMNs are preserved. We examined changes in glutamatergic presynaptic input onto retrogradely labelled PhMNs using immunohistochemistry for VGLUT1 and VGLUT2. We found that 7 days after C2SH there was an ∼60% reduction in glutamatergic inputs to smaller PhMNs compared with an ∼35% reduction at larger PhMNs. These results are consistent with a more pronounced impact of C2SH on inspiratory behaviours of the DIAm, and the preservation of higher force behaviours after C2SH. These results indicate that the source of glutamatergic synaptic input to PhMNs varies depending on motor neuron size and reflects different functional control – perhaps separate central pattern generator and premotor circuits. For smaller PhMNs, the central pattern generator for inspiration is located in the pre‐Bötzinger complex and premotor neurons in the ventrolateral medulla, sending predominantly ipsilateral projections via the dorsolateral funiculus. C2SH disrupts this glutamatergic input. For larger PhMNs, a large proportion of excitatory inputs appear to exist below the C2 level or from contralateral regions of the brainstem and spinal cord.
Incremental Model Predictive Control of Active Suspensions With Estimated Road Preview Information From a Lead Vehicle
Authors: Song Siyang , Wang Junmin 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
In preview-based vehicle suspension applications, the preview of the road profile is highly dependent on the preview sensors. In some scenarios such as heavy traffic situations, the preview of road profile can only be estimated by other vehicles because the view of the preview sensors may be blocked by other vehicles. The estimated preview road information can contain errors, which thus requires the controller to have a good robust performance. In this paper, an incremental model predictive control (MPC) strategy for active suspension systems along with a road profile estimator using preview information from a lead vehicle is proposed. The efficacy of the proposed strategy is experimentally validated on two scaled-down active suspension stations with comparison to two conventional active suspension control approaches.
A Subject-Specific Analysis of the Kinematic Constraint Imposed by the Relink Trainer
Authors: Ward Sarah , Wiedemann Lukas , Kora Kazuto , McDaid Andrew 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
The relink trainer (RLT) is a novel end-effector device designed for gait-retraining poststroke. The user's foot is constrained to a specific kinematic trajectory relative to the trainer, while the hip and knee are unconstrained. As the RLT only fixes the footplate trajectory, the expected constraint on the hip and knee angles will be subject-specific due to individual lower limb geometries. This study had two objectives (1) to calculate the subject-specific theoretical joint angle trajectories, the RLT should constrain the hip and knee angle to using computer simulation, assuming a fixed hip position relative to the RLT, and (2) experimentally determine the actual hip and knee joint angle trajectories of healthy users walking in the RLT, and compare them to the theoretical joint angle trajectories. The root-mean-square (RMS) error between joint trajectories obtained from motion capture and simulation ranged from 4.31 deg to 20.51 deg for the hip and between 4.48 deg and 22.58 deg for the knee, suggestive of moderate to poor accuracy and distinct kinematic adaptation strategies when using the RLT. A linear fit method (LFM) was used to determine the similarity between the obtained and simulated joint angle trajectories. LFM results would suggest that users' hip and knee joint angles follow the simulated joint angle trajectories when walking in the RLT; however, the actual joint angle trajectories are offset from the simulation trajectories. Post hoc analyses suggest hip motion when using the RLT influences the hip and knee angle trajectory differences for participants.
Enhancing the Accuracy of Vertical Ground Reaction Force Measurement During Walking Using Pressure-Measuring Insoles
Authors: DeBerardinis Jessica , Trabia Mohamed B. , Dufek Janet S. , Le Gall Yann , Da Silva Sacoto Nicolas 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Pressure-measuring insoles can be an attractive tool for measuring ground reaction force (GRF) since they are portable and can record multiple consecutive steps. Several researchers have, however, observed that these insoles are less accurate than instrumented force platforms. To address this issue, the authors identified transfer functions that best described each insole size to enhance the measurements of the vertical component of GRF during walking. GRF data were collected from 29 participants (6/23 male/female, 24.3 ± 6.7 yrs, 70.4 ± 23.9 kg, 1.66 ± 0.11 m) using Medilogic® pressure-measuring insoles and Kistler® force platforms for three walking trials. Participants provided the institutionally approved written consent (IRB #724468). The data from both instruments were preprocessed. A subset of the data was used to train the system identification toolbox (matlab) to identify the coefficients of several candidate transfer functions for each insole size. The resulting transfer functions were compared using all available data for each insole to assess which one modified the insole data to be closer to that of the force platform. All tested transfer functions moved the vertical component of GRF closer to the corresponding force platform data. Each insole size had a specific transfer model that that yielded the best results. Using system identification techniques produced transfer functions that, when using insole data of the vertical component of GRF as input, produced output that is comparable to the corresponding measurement using an instrumented force platform.
Acute Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) With Blood Flow Restriction: The Effect of Restriction Pressures
Authors: Head Paul , Waldron Mark , Theis Nicola , Patterson Stephen David 
Published: July 2020

Context: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) combined with blood flow restriction (BFR) has been shown to improve muscular strength and size better than NMES alone. However, previous studies used varied methodologies not recommended by previous NMES or BFR research. Objective: The present study investigated the acute effects of NMES combined with varying degrees of BFR using research-recommended procedures to enhance understanding and the clinical applicability of this combination. Design: Randomized crossover. Setting: Physiology laboratory. Participants: A total of 20 healthy adults (age 27 [4] y; height 177 [8] cm; body mass 77 [13] kg). Interventions: Six sessions separated by at least 7 days. The first 2 visits served as familiarization, with the experimental conditions performed in the final 4 sessions: NMES alone, NMES 40% BFR, NMES 60% BFR, and NMES 80% BFR. Main Outcome Measures: Maximal voluntary isometric contraction, muscle thickness, blood pressure, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and pain were all recorded before and after each condition. Results: The NMES 80% BFR caused greater maximal voluntary isometric contraction decline than any other condition (−38.9 [22.3] N·m, P < .01). Vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscle thickness acutely increased after all experimental conditions (P < .05). Pain and ratings of perceived exertion were higher after NMES 80% BFR compared with all other experimental conditions (P < .05). No cardiovascular effects were observed between conditions. Conclusion: The NMES combined with 80% BFR caused greater acute force decrement than the other conditions. However, greater perceptual ratings of pain and ratings of perceived exertion were observed with NMES 80% BFR. These acute observations must be investigated during chronic interventions to corroborate any relationship to changes in muscle strength and size in clinical populations.