bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cardiometabolic risk factors for COVID-19 susceptibility and severity: A Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Leong Aaron , Cole Joanne B. , Brenner Laura N. , Meigs James B. , Florez Jose C. , Mercader Josep M. 
Published: March 2021

Background
Epidemiological studies report associations of diverse cardiometabolic conditions including obesity with COVID-19 illness, but causality has not been established. We sought to evaluate the associations of 17 cardiometabolic traits with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity using 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.

Methods and findings
We selected genetic variants associated with each exposure, including body mass index (BMI), at p < 5 × 10−8 from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). We then calculated inverse-variance-weighted averages of variant-specific estimates using summary statistics for susceptibility and severity from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative GWAS meta-analyses of population-based cohorts and hospital registries comprising individuals with self-reported or genetically inferred European ancestry. Susceptibility was defined as testing positive for COVID-19 and severity was defined as hospitalization with COVID-19 versus population controls (anyone not a case in contributing cohorts). We repeated the analysis for BMI with effect estimates from the UK Biobank and performed pairwise multivariable MR to estimate the direct effects and indirect effects of BMI through obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases. Using p < 0.05/34 tests = 0.0015 to declare statistical significance, we found a nonsignificant association of genetically higher BMI with testing positive for COVID-19 (14,134 COVID-19 cases/1,284,876 controls, p = 0.002; UK Biobank: odds ratio 1.06 [95% CI 1.02, 1.10] per kg/m2; p = 0.004]) and a statistically significant association with higher risk of COVID-19 hospitalization (6,406 hospitalized COVID-19 cases/902,088 controls, p = 4.3 × 10−5; UK Biobank: odds ratio 1.14 [95% CI 1.07, 1.21] per kg/m2, p = 2.1 × 10−5). The implied direct effect of BMI was abolished upon conditioning on the effect on type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. No other cardiometabolic exposures tested were associated with a higher risk of poorer COVID-19 outcomes. Small study samples and weak genetic instruments could have limited the detection of modest associations, and pleiotropy may have biased effect estimates away from the null.

Conclusions
In this study, we found genetic evidence to support higher BMI as a causal risk factor for COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. These results raise the possibility that obesity could amplify COVID-19 disease burden independently or through its cardiometabolic consequences and suggest that targeting obesity may be a strategy to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes.
Usefulness of right ventriculography compared with computed tomography for ruling out the possibility of lead perforation before lead extraction
Authors: Asada Saori , Nishii Nobuhiro , Shinya Takayoshi , Miyoshi Akihito , Morimoto Yoshimasa , Miyamoto Masakazu , Nakagawa Koji , Nakamura Kazufumi , Morita Hiroshi , Ito Hiroshi 
Published: March 2021

PurposeHigh-risk patients can be identified by preprocedural computed tomography (CT) before lead extraction. However, CT evaluation may be difficult especially for lead tip identification due to artifacts in the leads. Selective right ventriculography (RVG) may enable preprocedural evaluation of lead perforation. We investigated the efficacy of RVG for identifying right ventricular (RV) lead perforation compared with CT in patients who underwent lead extraction.MethodsNinety-five consecutive patients who were examined by thin-section non-ECG-gated multidetector CT and RVG before lead extraction were investigated retrospectively. Newly recognized pericardial effusion after lead extraction was used as a reference standard for lead perforation. We analyzed the prevalence of RV lead perforation diagnosed by each method. The difference in the detection rates of lead perforation by RVG and CT was evaluated.ResultsOf the 115 RV leads in the 95 patients, lead perforation was diagnosed for 35 leads using CT, but the leads for 29 (83%) of those 35 leads diagnosed as lead perforation by CT were shown to be within the right ventricle by RVG. Three patients with 5 leads could not be evaluated by CT due to motion artifacts. The diagnostic accuracies of RVG and CT were significantly different (p < 0.001). There was no complication of pericardial effusion caused by RV lead extraction.ConclusionRVG for identification of RV lead perforation leads to fewer false-positives compared to non-ECG-gated CT. However, even in cases in which lead perforation is diagnosed, most leads may be safely extracted by transvenous lead extraction.
Estimating force of infection from serologic surveys with imperfect tests
Authors: Alexander Neal , Carabali Mabel , Lim Jacqueline K. 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundThe force of infection, or the rate at which susceptible individuals become infected, is an important public health measure for assessing the extent of outbreaks and the impact of control programs.Methods and findingsWe present Bayesian methods for estimating force of infection using serological surveys of infections which produce a lasting immune response, accounting for imperfections of the test, and uncertainty in such imperfections. In this estimation, the sensitivity and specificity can either be fixed, or belief distributions of their values can be elicited to allow for uncertainty. We analyse data from two published serological studies of dengue, one in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with a single survey and one in Medellin, Colombia, with repeated surveys in the same individuals. For the Colombo study, we illustrate how the inferred force of infection increases as the sensitivity decreases, and the reverse for specificity. When 100% sensitivity and specificity are assumed, the results are very similar to those from a standard analysis with binomial regression. For the Medellin study, the elicited distribution for sensitivity had a lower mean and higher variance than the one for specificity. Consequently, taking uncertainty in sensitivity into account resulted in a wide credible interval for the force of infection.ConclusionsThese methods can make more realistic estimates of force of infection, and help inform the choice of serological tests for future serosurveys.
Network dynamics of momentary affect states and future course of psychopathology in adolescents
Authors: Kuranova Anna , Wigman Johanna T. W. , Menne-Lothmann Claudia , Decoster Jeroen , van Winkel Ruud , Delespaul Philippe , Drukker Marjan , de Hert Marc , Derom Catherine , Thiery Evert , Rutten Bart P. F. , Jacobs Nele , van Os Jim , Oldehinkel Albertine J. , Booij Sanne H. , Wichers Marieke 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundRecent theories argue that an interplay between (i.e., network of) experiences, thoughts and affect in daily life may underlie the development of psychopathology.ObjectiveTo prospectively examine whether network dynamics of everyday affect states are associated with a future course of psychopathology in adolescents at an increased risk of mental disorders.Methods159 adolescents from the East-Flanders Prospective Twin Study cohort participated in the study. At baseline, their momentary affect states were assessed using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). The course of psychopathology was operationalized as the change in the Symptom Checklist-90 sum score after 1 year. Two groups were defined: one with a stable level (n = 81) and one with an increasing level (n = 78) of SCL-symptom severity. Group-level network dynamics of momentary positive and negative affect states were compared between groups.ResultsThe group with increasing symptoms showed a stronger connections between negative affect states and their higher influence on positive states, as well as higher proneness to form ‘vicious cycles’, compared to the stable group. Based on permutation tests, these differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionAlthough not statistically significant, some qualitative differences were observed between the networks of the two groups. More studies are needed to determine the value of momentary affect networks for predicting the course of psychopathology.
Association ankle function and balance in community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Hernández-Guillén David , Tolsada-Velasco Catalina , Roig-Casasús Sergio , Costa-Moreno Elena , Borja-de-Fuentes Irene , Blasco José-María 
Published: March 2021

Background and purpose
Ankle function declines with age. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between ankle function and balance in older adults, with a focus on range of motion (ROM) and strength.

Methods
This was a cross-sectional study that included 88 healthy community-dwelling older adults. Ankle mobility was measured while bearing weight (lunge test) and not bearing weight. The plantar-flexor muscle strength was assessed using a hand-held dynamometer. Balance was measured in terms of dynamic balance and mobility (timed up and go test), monopodal and bipodal static balance with open and closed eyes (single-leg stand test and platform measures), and margins of stability (functional reach test). Linear correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted with a 95% CI.

Results and discussion
Most participants had limited ankle mobility (n = 75, 86%). Weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion ROM was the strongest predictor of dynamic balance and included general mobility and stability (Radj2 = [0.34]; β = [-0.50]). In contrast, plantar-flexor muscle strength was a significant predictor of static standing balance with open eyes (Radj2 = [0.16–0.2]; β = [0.29–0.34]). Overall, weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion ROM was a more representative measure of balance and functional performance; however, a non-weight-bearing mobility assessment provides complementary information. Therefore, both measures can be used in clinical practice.

Conclusion
This study supports the concept that ankle mobility contributes to the performance of dynamic tasks, while the plantar-flexor muscle strength helps to develop a standing static balance. Identification of alterations in ankle function is warranted and may assist in the design of tailored interventions. These interventions can be used in isolation or to augment conventional balance training in order to improve balance performance in community-dwelling older adults.
Exercise Only Works If You Do It! The Holy Grail of Adherence
Authors: Kok Beverley , McNeely Margaret , Watt Makayla , Tandon Puneeta 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Exercise interventions in patients with cirrhosis have been shown to improve muscle mass and strength, aerobic capacity, fatigue, and quality of life. There are gaps, however, including limited data on patients with decompensated cirrhosis and home-based routines. This editorial comments on the randomized controlled trial by Lai et al. investigating a home-based exercise intervention in patients with cirrhosis and its impact on physical frailty. Although the trial yielded negative results, the lessons learned should help refine and propel future work.
Theoretical background on semiconducting polymers and their applications to OSCs and OLEDs
Authors: Luscombe Christine K. , Maitra Uday , Walter Michael , Wiedmer Susanne K. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Organic electronics has developed rapidly over the past 40 years. In 1977, a seminal discovery was reported that showed that a polymer known as polyacetylene could conduct electricity as well as metals could. This was a groundbreaking discovery that led to a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000. The polymers that are used in organic electronics have now been widely studied for use in organic solar cells (OSCs), organic field effect transistors (OFETs), printable electronics, flexible electronics, antistatic coatings, actuators, and more recently in bioelectronics. In particular, the utility of organic electronics is seen in the commercial success of using organic electronic materials in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) where OLED displays can be seen in mobile phones and as flat panel displays. In this paper, we provide a tutorial targeting upper secondary students describing how these special classes of polymers function, and how they can be synthesized. The paper further discusses the use of these materials in two applications: organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes. The paper ends with a brief discussion about hands-on activities that can be carried out in the upper secondary student science classroom.
Is the beta estradiol receptor receiving enough attention for its metabolic importance in postmenopause?
Authors: Rocha Débora Santos , Kucharski Luiz Carlos 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe relationship between menopause and the development of metabolic diseases is well established. In postmenopause women, there is an expansion of visceral white adipose tissue (WATv), which highly contributes to the rise of circulating lipids. Meanwhile, muscle glucose uptake decreases and hepatic glucose production increases. Consequently, in the pancreas, lipotoxicity and glycotoxicity lead to deficient insulin production. These factors initiate an energy imbalance and enhance the probability of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Although the activation of estradiol receptors (ER) has been shown to be beneficial for the WAT stock pattern, leading to the insulin-sensitive phenotype, authors have described the risk of these receptors’ activation, contributing to neoplasia development. The selective activation of beta-type ER (ERβ) seems to be a promising strategy in the treatment of energy imbalance, acting on several tissues of metabolic importance and allowing an intervention with less risk for the development of estrogen-dependent neoplasia. However, the literature on the risks and benefits of selective ERβ activation still needs to increase. In this review, several aspects related to ERβ were considered, such as its physiological role in tissues of energy importance, beneficial effects, and risks of its stimulation during menopause. PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane, and Medline/Bireme databases were used in this study.
An uncommon cause of headache and dizziness after cruise travel: case report of Mal De Debarquement syndrome
Authors: Ampomah Kwasi K. , Clark Brian C. , Arnold William D. , Burwell Daniel 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Mal de Debarquement syndrome (MdDS), also known as disembarkment syndrome, is a benign neurological condition characterized by a feeling of rocking, bobbing, or swaying, usually presenting after an individual has been exposed to passive motion as from being on a cruise, long drive, turbulent air travel, or train. Clinical awareness about this condition is limited, as is research; thus, many patients go undiagnosed. In this case report, the authors describe a case of a severe headache as a major presenting symptom of MdDS in a 46-year-old woman who eventually attained full resolution of symptoms. This report aims to highlight this unique presentation and make practitioners more aware of the cardinal clinical features, to assist in prompt diagnosis of this disorder.
Identifying the Explanatory Domain of the Looping Effect: Congruent and Incongruent Feedback Mechanisms of Interactive Kinds
Authors: Vesterinen Tuomas 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIan Hacking uses the looping effect to describe how classificatory practices in the human sciences interact with the classified people. While arguably this interaction renders the affected human kinds unstable and hence different from natural kinds, realists argue that also some prototypical natural kinds are interactive and human kinds in general are stable enough to support explanations and predictions. I defend a more fine-grained realist interpretation of interactive human kinds by arguing for an explanatory domain account of the looping effect. First, I argue that knowledge of the feedback mechanisms that mediate the looping effect can supplement, and help to identify, the applicability domain over which a kind and its property variations are stably explainable. Second, by applying this account to cross-cultural case studies of psychiatric disorders, I distinguish between congruent feedback mechanisms that explain matches between classifications and kinds, and incongruent feedback mechanisms that explain mismatches. For example, congruent mechanisms maintain Western auditory experiences in schizophrenia, whereas exporting diagnostic labels inflicts incongruence by influencing local experiences. Knowledge of the mechanisms can strengthen explanatory domains, and thereby facilitate classificatory adjustments and possible interventions on psychiatric disorders.
Betrayal through obedience: on the history of the unusual inflectional chain in Siyuewu Khroskyabs
Authors: Lai Yunfan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis paper focuses on the verbal inflection chain of Siyuewu Khroskyabs, a Gyalrongic language (Trans-Himalayan). Siyuewu Khroskyabs goes against two general typological tendencies: first, as an SOV language, it shows an overwhelming preference for prefixes, which is rarely reported typologically; second, the inflectional prefixes in the outer slots are older than those in the inner slots, which is the reverse case of most languages. In this paper, I will first identify distinct historical layers within the inflectional prefixes, and then focus on two of the prefixes,də-‘even’ andɕə-‘q’ whose evolutionary pathways are relatively clear. The essential part of the hypotheses is that the prefixes originate from enclitics which could be attached to the end of a preverbal chain, originally loosely attached to the verb stem. The preverbal chain later became tightly attached to the verbal stem and eventually became a part of it as a chain of prefixes. As a result, the original enclitics are reanalysed as prefixes. The integration of preverbal morphemes is responsible for the prefixing preference in Modern Siyuewu Khroskyabs. However, despite this superficial prefixing preference, Siyuewu Khroskyabs underlyingly favours postposed morphemes. By following the general suffixing tendency, this language finally managed to create a typologically rare, overwhelmingly prefixing verbal template.
Crystal structure of 1‐tert‐butyl‐3‐(2,6‐diisopropyl‐4‐phenoxyphenyl)‐2-methylisothiourea, C24H34N2OS
Authors: Zhao Benbo , Fu Kai , Xun Miao-Miao , Yuan Changchun 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
C24H34N2OS, M = 398.59, orthorhombic, P212121 (no. 19), a = 11.0576(3) Å, b = 11.8406(3) Å, c = 18.0061(5) Å, V = 2357.51(11) Å3, Z = 4, R

gt
(F) = 0.0334, wR

ref
(F
2) = 0.0780, T = 170 K.
Advances in absorbents and techniques used in wet and dry FGD: a critical review
Authors: Kumar Lokesh , Jana Susanta Kumar 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Sulfur dioxide is considered as an extremely harmful and toxic substance among the air pollutants emitted from the lignite- and other high-sulfur-coal based power plants, old tires processing units, smelters, and many other process industries. Various types of absorbents and desulfurization technologies have been developed and adopted by the industries to reduce the emission rate of SO2 gas. The present paper focuses on the ongoing advances in the development of varieties of regenerative and non-regenerative absorbents viz., Ca-based, Mg-based, Fe-based, Na-based, N2-based, and others along with various FGD technology, viz., wet, dry or semi-dry processes. Additionally, different types of contactors viz., packed column, jet column, spray tower, and slurry bubble columns along with their significant operational and design features have also been discussed. In the existing or newly installed limestone-based FGD plants, an increasing trend of the utilization of newly developed technologies such as limestone forced oxidation (LSFO) and magnesium-enhanced lime (MEL) are being used at an increasing rate. However, the development of low-cost sorbents, particularly suitable solid wastes, for the abatement of SO2 emission needs to be explored sincerely. Many such wastes cause air pollution by way of entrainment of fine particulate matter (PM), groundwater contamination by its leaching, or brings damage to crops due to its spreading onto the cultivation land. One such pollutant is marble waste and in this work, this has been suggested as a suitable substitute to limestone and cost-effective sorbent for the desulfurization of flue gases. The product of this process being sellable in the market or may be used as a raw material in several industries, it can also prove to be an important route of recycling and reuse of one of the air and water-polluting solid wastes.
Indexicals and essential demonstrations
Authors: Penco Carlo 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this paper, I discuss some of Maximilian de Gaynesford’s arguments regarding indexicals. Although I agree with his treatment of the first singular personal pronoun as a prototype of demonstrative expressions, I challenge his refusal to treat indexicals as complex demonstratives. To offer an alternative to this refusal I try to develop a common ground from different theories that consider indexicals as linguistic constructions that embed a nonlinguistic element, following an original idea in Frege’s latest writings. These views form the backdrop on which we can put forward the claim of treating all indexicals as complex demonstratives. In the central part of the paper, I criticize each of de Gaynesford’s arguments against the reduction of indexicals to complex demonstratives. Besides, I propose a new definition of the concept of “demonstration” as a nonlinguistic feature of all indexicals in their referential uses, to contrast de Gaynesford’s rejection of the idea that demonstrations are an essential feature of indexicals. Eventually, I strengthen my claim by distinguishing indexicals from proper names and definite descriptions on the ground that only perceptual indexicals necessarily require an accompanying demonstration. However, the main point of the paper is a negative one, that is the rejection of de Gaynesford’s arguments against the reduction of indexicals to complex demonstratives. More work is needed to reach a positive conclusion on this topic.