bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sarcopenia in female patients with Alzheimer's disease are more likely to have lower levels of haemoglobin and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D
Authors: Lee Hsin Ning , Chang Yu San , Wu Yu Hsuan , Wu Chiu Hsiang , Wang Chin Jen 
Published: August 2020

AimFew studies have investigated sarcopenia in patients with cognitive impairment. However, identifying the characteristics and factors associated with sarcopenia in these patients may help to decrease the risk of falls, prevent disabilities, and maintain an independent life, all of which can affect the quality of life of both patient and caregiver. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate associated factors of sarcopenia in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study enrolled 125 outpatients aged 65 to 89 years (mean age 79.5 ± 7.9 years) from January 2018 to December 2018. In addition to demographic characteristics, cognitive status, depressive mood, activities of daily living, body mass index (BMI), handgrip strength, gait speed, muscle mass, and serum levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (Vit D), haemoglobin (Hb), albumin and creatinine were assessed. Sarcopenia was defined based on the presence of low muscle mass and either low muscle strength or low physical performance.ResultsOverall, 29.6% of the patients had sarcopenia. The patients with sarcopenia were mostly male, significantly older, and had a lower BMI and lower levels of Vit D. The female patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have lower levels of Hb. Multiple logistic regression showed that sarcopenia was associated with BMI in both genders. The level of Vit D was associated with sarcopenia in the female patients, whereas age was associated with sarcopenia in the male patients.ConclusionsA low BMI may be a dementia‐related risk factor for sarcopenia. The female patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have lower levels of Hb and Vit D. There may be different risk profiles for sarcopenia in men and women with Alzheimer's disease. Further studies are needed to devise different nutritional support for muscle weakness in patients with cognitive decline by gender.
Type D personality and cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress: The mediating effects of social support and negative social relationships
Authors: O’Riordan Adam , Howard Siobhán , Brown Eoin , Gallagher Stephen 
Published: August 2020

AbstractType D personality has been consistently associated with adverse cardiovascular health with atypical cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress one potential underlying mechanism. As Type D individuals have been noted to report lower social support and greater perceptions of negativity in social interactions, this study examined if the association between Type D personality and cardiovascular reactivity was mediated by these social relationships. A sample of 195 undergraduate students (138 female) participated in this observational study, where they completed measures assessing Type D personality (DS14), social support, and perceptions of negative social relationships (National Institute of Health social relationship scales), before undergoing a traditional cardiovascular reactivity protocol. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP; DBP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were monitored throughout. ANCOVAs and regressions indicated that Type D personality was associated with lower cardiovascular reactivity to a mental arithmetic stressor. Furthermore, mediation analyses (process macro) indicated that the relationship between Type D personality and cardiovascular reactivity was mediated via increased perceptions of negative social relationships, as well as lower levels of social support. Apart from a significant association between Type D personality and increased HR reactivity, all results failed to withstand adjustment for the individual effects of negative affect (NA) and social inhibition (SI) in controlled analyses. Overall, these findings suggest that the predictive utility of Type D personality on cardiovascular reactivity above and beyond the individual effects of NA and SI is limited, and may vary depending on the cardiovascular parameter of focus.
Evaluation of a workshop using verbatim theatre stimuli to address challenging workplace situations: a pilot study
Authors: Nash Louise , Scott Karen , Pit Sabrina , Barnes Elizabeth , Ivory Kimberley , Hooker Claire 
Published: August 2020

SUMMARYBackgroundChallenging workplace situations such as bullying, harassment, depression, suicide and fatigue exist in health care. The performing arts can generate dialogue and engagement with these difficult issues. This study evaluates a workshop for health care students that used filmed vignettes from a verbatim theatre play that used real stories of such situations. The workshop aimed to improve health professional students’ confidence in seeking help for depression, addressing mistreatment, understanding mandatory reporting laws and the impact of driver fatigue.MethodsTwo workshops were held: one with a mixture of professions, including nursing, medical and allied health students, and the other with medical students only. Participants completed questionnaires before and after each workshop, responding to four Likert questions on understanding and confidence about the issues discussed and free‐text responses about the perceived value of the workshop.ResultsSixty‐five people took part in the workshops, with a 100% response rate to the pre‐workshop survey and a 98% response rate (n = 64) to the post workshop survey. Students most frequently reported an improvement in understanding mandatory reporting laws (57%), followed by an increase in confidence in dealing with bullying and harassment (44%). Students in the workshop with a mix of professions noted the benefit of learning about these challenging issues alongside students from other health professions.DiscussionStudents valued the facilitated discussion of sensitive issues. Although many respondents increased their understanding or confidence in the four topics, a smaller proportion reported a reduction after the workshop. Perhaps this resulted from greater appreciation of the complexities of these issues. Health care students valued hearing from other professional groups in the mixed professions workshop.
Discarded plasma obtained after cord blood volume reduction as an alternative for fetal calf serum in mesenchymal stromal cells cultures
Authors: Vlaski‐Lafarge Marija , Chevaleyre Jean , Cohen Julie , Ivanovic Zoran , Lafarge Xavier 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDUtilization of the fetal calf serum (FCS) carries a potential health risk and raises growing economic and ethical problems. Umbilical cord blood volume reduction, required for banking, provides clinical‐grade umbilical cord blood plasma (UCBP) discarded as a waste. The aim of this study was to test whether serum derived from UCBP could replace FCS for the amplification of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs).STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSTo this end, the amplification of the MSCs and mesenchymal progenitors was estimated in the presence of serum derived from UCBP and its cytokine content was determined by cytometric bead array and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay techniques. As a comparison, other sources of clinical‐grade human serum were tested in parallel: serum derived from solvent/detergent–treated fresh‐frozen plasma (S/D‐FFP) and from platelet (PLT)‐rich and PLT‐poor umbilical plasma.RESULTSSerum derived from UCBP‐supplemented culture sustains identical amplification of MSCs and their progenitors as in the case of FCS addition. Furthermore, the assays reveal the presence in the serum derived from UCBP of cytokines influencing the properties of MSCs (basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor‐β, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin‐8) or involved in the development of the myeloid lineage (thrombopoietin, erythropoietin, granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor, and granulocyte‐macrophage–colony‐stimulating factor). Also, our study indicates important differences between neonatal and adult‐derived serum. Poor cytokine content in the S/D‐FFP makes a less efficient replacement of FCS comparing to other human blood–derived supplements.CONCLUSIONOur work shows that the discarded human cord blood plasma from volume reduction is an easily obtainable and greatly available, xeno‐free source of serum that is a highly efficient replacement of FCS in sustaining MSC growth.
HIV incidence in South African blood donors from 2012 to 2016: a comparison of estimation methods
Authors: Vermeulen Marion , Chowdhury Dhuly , Swanevelder Ronel , Grebe Eduard , Brambilla Donald , Jentsch Ute , Busch Michael , Van Zyl Gert , Murphy Edward L ,   for the REDS‐III International Program South Africa
Published: August 2020

BackgroundMeasuring incidence is important for monitoring and maintaining the safety of the blood supply. Blood collected from repeat‐donors has provided the opportunity to follow blood donors over time and has been used to estimate the incidence of viral infections. These incidence estimates have been extrapolated to first‐time donors using the ratio of NAT yield cases in first‐time versus repeat‐donors. We describe a model to estimate incidence in first‐time donors using the limiting antigen (LAg) avidity assay and compare its results with those from established models.MethodsHIV‐positive first‐time donations were tested for recency using the LAg assay. Three models were compared; incidence estimated for (1) first‐time donors using LAg avidity, (2) first‐time and repeat‐donors separately using the NAT yield window period (WP) model and (3) repeat‐donors using the incidence/WP model.ResultsHIV incidence in first‐time donors was estimated at 3·32 (CI 3·11, 3·55) and 3·81 (CI 3·07, 4·73) per 1000 PY using the LAg assay and NAT yield WP models, respectively. Incidence in repeat‐donors was between 2·0‐ and 2·5‐fold lower than in first‐time donors estimated at 1·56 (CI 1·37, 1·77) and 1·94 (CI 1·86–2·01) per 1000 PY using the NAT yield/WP and incidence/WP models, respectively.ConclusionTesting HIV‐positive donations using the LAg assay provides a reliable method to estimate incidence in first‐time donors for countries that collect the majority of blood from first‐time donors and do not screen with NAT.
S100A4 is activated by RhoA and catalyses the polymerization of non‐muscle myosin, adhesion complex assembly and contraction in airway smooth muscle
Authors: Zhang Wenwu , Gunst Susan J. 
Published: August 2020

Key points
S100A4 is expressed in many tissues, including smooth muscle (SM), but its physiologic function is unknown. S100A4 regulates the motility of metastatic cancer cells by binding to non‐muscle (NM) myosin II.
Contractile stimulation causes the polymerization of NM myosin in airway SM, which is necessary for tension development. NM myosin regulates the assembly of adhesion junction signalling complexes (adhesomes) that catalyse actin polymerization.
In airway SM, ACh (acetylcholine) stimulated the binding of S100A4 to the NM myosin heavy chain, which was catalysed by RhoA GTPase via the RhoA‐binding protein, rhotekin. The binding of S100A4 to NM myosin was required for NM myosin polymerization, adhesome assembly and actin polymerization.
S100A4 plays a critical function in the regulation of airway SM contraction by catalysing NM myosin filament assembly. The interaction of S100A4 with NM myosin may also play an important role in the physiologic function of other tissues.
AbstractS100A4 binds to the heavy chain of non‐muscle (NM) myosin II and can regulate the motility of crawling cells. S100A4 is widely expressed in many tissues including smooth muscle (SM), although its role in the regulation of their physiologic function is not known. We hypothesized that S100A4 contributes to the regulation of contraction in airway SM by regulating a pool of NM myosin II at the cell cortex. NM myosin II undergoes polymerization in airway SM and regulates contraction by catalysing the assembly of integrin‐associated adhesome complexes that activate pathways that catalyse actin polymerization. ACh stimulated the interaction of S100A4 with NM myosin II in airway SM at the cell cortex and catalysed NM myosin filament assembly. RhoA GTPase regulated the activation of S100A4 via rhotekin, which facilitated the formation of a complex between RhoA, S100A4 and NM myosin II. The depletion of S100A4, RhoA or rhotekin from airway SM tissues using short hairpin RNA or small interfering RNA prevented NM myosin II polymerization as well as the recruitment of vinculin and paxillin to adhesome signalling complexes in response to ACh, and inhibited actin polymerization and tension development. S100A4 depletion did not affect ACh‐stimulated SM myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation. The results show that S100A4 plays a critical role in tension development in airway SM tissue by catalysing NM myosin filament assembly, and that the interaction of S100A4 with NM myosin in response to contractile stimulation is activated by RhoA GTPase. These results may be broadly relevant to the physiologic function of S100A4 in other cell and tissue types.
Estimation of Radiological Consequences at a Proposed Nuclear Power Plant Site Using Atmospheric Dispersion Code
Authors: Gyamfi Kwame , Birikorang Sylvester Attakorah , Ampomah-Amoako Emmanuel , Fletcher John Justice 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Atmospheric dispersion modeling and radiation dose calculation have been performed for a generic 1000 MW water-water energy reactor (VVER-1000) assuming a hypothetical loss of coolant accident (LOCA). Atmospheric dispersion code, International Radiological Assessment System (InterRAS), was employed to estimate the radiological consequences of a severe accident at a proposed nuclear power plant (NPP) site. The total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) and the ground deposition were calculated for various atmospheric stability classes, A to F, with the site-specific averaged meteorological conditions. From the analysis, 3.7×10−1 Sv was estimated as the maximum TEDE corresponding to a downwind distance of 0.1 km within the dominating atmospheric stability class (class A) of the proposed site. The intervention distance for evacuation (50 mSv) and sheltering (10 mSv) were estimated for different stability classes at different distances. The intervention area for evacuation ended at 0.5 km and that for sheltering at 1.5 km. The results from the study show that designated area for public occupancy will not be affected since the estimated doses were below the annual regulatory limits of 1 mSv.
Automating Model Generation for Image-Based Cardiac Flow Simulation
Authors: Kong Fanwei , Shadden Shawn C. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of left ventricle (LV) flow combined with patient medical imaging data has shown great potential in obtaining patient-specific hemodynamics information for functional assessment of the heart. A typical model construction pipeline usually starts with segmentation of the LV by manual delineation followed by mesh generation and registration techniques using separate software tools. However, such approaches usually require significant time and human efforts in the model generation process, limiting large-scale analysis. In this study, we propose an approach toward fully automating the model generation process for CFD simulation of LV flow to significantly reduce LV CFD model generation time. Our modeling framework leverages a novel combination of techniques including deep-learning based segmentation, geometry processing, and image registration to reliably reconstruct CFD-suitable LV models with little-to-no user intervention.1 We utilized an ensemble of two-dimensional (2D) convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for automatic segmentation of cardiac structures from three-dimensional (3D) patient images and our segmentation approach outperformed recent state-of-the-art segmentation techniques when evaluated on benchmark data containing both magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography(CT) cardiac scans. We demonstrate that through a combination of segmentation and geometry processing, we were able to robustly create CFD-suitable LV meshes from segmentations for 78 out of 80 test cases. Although the focus on this study is on image-to-mesh generation, we demonstrate the feasibility of this framework in supporting LV hemodynamics modeling by performing CFD simulations from two representative time-resolved patient-specific image datasets.
Thermoviscoplasticity in Body-Centered Cubic Metals: A Two-Temperature Model With Grain Boundary Evolution
Authors: Kar Gurudas , Roy Debasish , Reddy J. N. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
In this work, we develop a thermo-viscoplasticity model for body-centered cubic (BCC) metals based on a two-temperature theory of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Modeling the plastic deformation here involves two subsystems, viz., a configurational subsystem related to grain growth, dislocation motion, and a kinetic vibrational subsystem describing the vibration of atoms. Due to a separation of the time scales, the two subsystems are described by two different temperatures. In this study, we introduce a grain boundary density, in addition to the mobile and forest dislocation densities, as an internal variable. The focus in this paper is on how large plastic deformation is affected by the evolving grain boundaries. In order to check the predictive quality of the model, numerical simulations are conducted and validated against available experimental evidence wherever possible.
Temporal trends and geographical disparities in comprehensive stroke centre capabilities in Japan from 2010 to 2018
Authors: Kurogi Ai , Nishimura Ataru , Nishimura Kunihiro , Kada Akiko , Onozuka Daisuke , Hagihara Akihito , Ogasawara Kuniaki , Shiokawa Yoshiaki , Kitazono Takanari , Arimura Koichi , Iihara Koji 
Published: August 2020

ObjectivesComprehensive stroke centre (CSC) capabilities are associated with reduced in-hospital mortality due to acute stroke. However, it remains unclear whether there are improving trends in the CSC capabilities or how hospital-related factors determine quality improvement. This study examined whether CSC capabilities changed in Japan between 2010 and 2018 and and whether any changes were influenced by hospital characteristics.DesignA hospital-based cross-sectional study.SettingWe sent out questionnaires to the training institutions of the Japan Neurosurgical Society and Japan Stroke Society in 2010, 2014 and 2018.Participants749 hospitals in 2010, 532 hospitals in 2014 and 786 hospitals in 2018 participated in the J-ASPECT study, a nationwide survey of acute stroke care capacity for proper designation of a comprehensive stroke centre in Japan.Main outcome measuresCSC capabilities were assessed using the validated scoring system (CSC score: 1–25 points) in 2010, 2014 and 2018 survey. The effect of hospital characteristics was examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong the 323 hospitals that responded to all surveys, the implementation of 13 recommended items increased. The CSC score (median and IQR) was 16 (13–19), 18 (14–20) and 19 (15–21) for 2010, 2014 and 2018, respectively (p<0.001). There was a ≥20% increase in six items (eg, endovascular physicians, stroke unit and interventional coverage 24/7), and a ≤20% decrease in community education. A lower baseline CSC score (OR: 0.82, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.9), the number of beds≥500 (OR: 3.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 13.0) and the number of stroke physicians (7–9) (OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.3) were associated with improved CSC capabilities, independent of geographical location.ConclusionsThere was a significant improvement in CSC capabilities between 2010 and 2018, which was mainly related to the availability of endovascular treatment and multidisciplinary care. Our findings may be useful to determine which hospitals should be targeted to improve CSC capabilities in a defined area.
Mangomoments - preconditions and impact on patients and families, healthcare professionals and organisations: a multi-method study in Flemish hospitals
Authors: Vanhaecht Kris , Van Bael Elly , Coeckelberghs Ellen , Van der Auwera Charlotte , Claessens Fien , Bruyneel Luk , De Ridder Dirk , Panella Massimiliano , Bisognano Maureen , Delgado Pedro L , Seys Deborah 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveUnderstanding how small unexpected acts or gestures by healthcare professionals, known as Mangomoments, are translated into practice, what their preconditions are and what their impact is on patients and families, healthcare professionals and organisations.DesignA multi-method design was used based on four phases: (1) A (media)campaign to collect Mangomoment stories (n=1045), of which 94% (n=983) were defined as Mangomoments; (2) Semi-structured interviews (n=120); (3) Focus group interviews (n=3); and (4) A consensus meeting.SettingRespondents from a hospital and primary care setting.ParticipantsPatients, family, healthcare professionals, managers, researchers and a policymaker participated.ResultsMangomoments are mainly classified in the dimensions ‘Respect for values, preferences and needs’ and ‘Emotional support’. Differences in importance of the dimensions were found between healthcare professionals, oncological patients and family and non-oncological patients and family. The results of the interviews, focus groups and consensus meeting were visualised by the Mangomoment model. It identifies several preconditions on the level of patients, healthcare professionals and leadership. For each of these preconditions a catalyst was identified to increase the prevalence of Mangomoments. In general, Mangomoments improved the patient and family experience and facilitated adherence to therapy and led to a positive perception on the healing process. Positive effects for professionals include personal accomplishment and anti-burnout, joy in work and a positive team atmosphere. This led to positive resonance by a relationship of trust between the patient and the healthcare professionals, feelings of tolerance during negative experiences and open communication and a safe climate. Overall, patients and healthcare workers concluded that Mangomoments led to loyalty to the healthcare organisation.ConclusionMangomoments do not only have a positive impact on patient and family but also on the healthcare professional. Leadership should shape several preconditions and catalysts which can lead to positive resonance and loyalty of patients and professionals.