bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in the CHA2DS2-VASC score as a predictor of incident atrial fibrillation in older Chinese individuals: the AF-CATCH study
Authors: Zhang Wei , Chen Yi , Hu Lei-Xiao , Xia Jia-Hui , Ye Xiao-Fei , Cheng Yi-Bang , Wang Ying , Guo Qian-Hui , Li Yan , Lowres Nicole , Freedman Ben , Wang Ji-Guang ,   for the AF-CATCH Investigators and Coordinators
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Aims
Incidence of atrial fibrillation is highly associated with age and cardiovascular co-morbidities. Given this relationship, we hypothesized that the dynamic changes resulting in an increase in the CHA2DS2-VASC score over time would improve the efficiency of predicting incident atrial fibrillation on repeated screening after a negative test.

Methods and results
We investigated in an analysis of the AF-CATCH trial [quarterly vs. annual electrocardiogram (ECG) screening for atrial fibrillation in older Chinese individuals] data, the association between the changes in the CHA2DS2-VASC score from baseline to end-of-study visit and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation. Participants without a history of atrial fibrillation and with a sinus rhythm at baseline were randomized to the annual (usual) or quarterly 30 s (intensive) single-lead ECG screening groups. During a median follow-up of 2.1 years in 6806 participants, the incidence rate of atrial fibrillation increased from 4.2 per 1000 person-years in participants with a change in the CHA2DS2-VASC score of 0 to 6.4 and 25.8 per 1000 person-years in participants with a change in the CHA2DS2-VASC score of 1 and ≥2, respectively. A change in the CHA2DS2-VASC score of ≥2 was associated with a significantly elevated risk of incident atrial fibrillation.

Conclusions
Patients with substantial changes in the CHA2DS2-VASC score were more likely to develop incident atrial fibrillation, and regular re-assessments of cardiovascular risk factors in the elderly are probably worthwhile to improve the detection of atrial fibrillation.

Registration
URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02990741.
Effect of density on Mediterranean pine seedlings using the Nelder wheel design: analysis of biomass production
Authors: Ruano Irene , Herrero de Aza Celia , Bravo Felipe 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe main objective of this study was to analyse biomass production and distribution among the constituent parts of 4-year-old Pinus pinaster and Pinus halepensis trees. Young trees were harvested from a Nelder wheel experimental site and their biomass weight was determined. With the Nelder design, the effect of stand density can be included in the biomass analysis. We analysed biomass production at test densities ranging from 1000 to 80 000 seedlings/ha by fitting two types of equations: (1) Dirichlet regressions to estimate the biomass proportions of constituent tree parts and (2) allometric equations to simultaneously predict the biomass content of constituent tree parts. Results from this innovative approach showed that the effect of stand density in tree-level biomass was significant for P. halepensis but not for P. pinaster. We observed a general increase of total biomass from P. halepensis at lower densities. More precisely, the proportion of root biomass increased at the expense of aboveground biomass, which is considered a positive effect in terms of resilience and adaptation. This new set of equations fills a fundamental knowledge gap for these species in central Spain and can readily be used by silviculturists and scientists to quantify carbon stocks for young planted forests.
High-density Surface Electromyography as Biomarker of Muscle Aging
Authors: Imrani Loubna , Boudaoud Sofiane , Lahaye Clément , Moreau Caroline , Ghezal Myriam , Ben Manaa Safa , Doulazmi Mohamed , Laforêt Jérémy , Marin Frédéric , Kinugawa Kiyoka 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Sarcopenia is a muscle disease with adverse changes that increase throughout the lifetime but with different chronological scales between individuals. Addressing “early muscle aging” is becoming a critical issue for prevention. Through the CHRONOS study, we demonstrated the ability of the high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG), a noninvasive, wireless, portable technology, to detect both healthy muscle aging and accelerated muscle aging related to a sedentary lifestyle, one of the risk factors of sarcopenia. The HD-sEMG signals were analyzed in 91 healthy young, middle-aged, and old subjects (25–75 years) distributed according to their physical activity status (82 active and 9 sedentary; International Physical Activity Questionnaire) and compared with current methods for muscle evaluation, including muscle mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA], ultrasonography), handgrip strength, and physical performance. The HD-sEMG signals were recorded from the rectus femoris during sit-to-stand trials, and 2 indexes were analyzed: muscular contraction intensity and muscle contraction dynamics. The clinical parameters did not differ significantly across the aging and physical activity levels. Inversely, the HD-sEMG indexes were correlated to age and were different significantly through the age categories of the 82 active subjects. They were significantly different between sedentary subjects aged 45–54 years and active ones at the same age. The HD-sEMG indexes of sedentary subjects were not significantly different from those of older active subjects (≥55 years). The muscle thicknesses evaluated using ultrasonography were significantly different between the 5 age decades but did not show a significant difference with physical activity. The HD-sEMG technique can assess muscle aging and physical inactivity-related “early aging,” outperforming clinical and DXA parameters.
Prospective Association Between Plasma Amino Acids and Multimorbidity in Older Adults
Authors: Caballero Francisco Félix , Lana Alberto , Struijk Ellen A , Arias-Fernández Lucía , Yévenes-Briones Humberto , Cárdenas-Valladolid Juan , Salinero-Fort Miguel Ángel , Banegas José R , Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando , Lopez-Garcia Esther 
Published: July 2022

AbstractBackgroundSome amino acids have been associated with aging-related disorders and risk of physical impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the association between plasma concentrations of 9 amino acids, including branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, and multimorbidity.MethodsThis research uses longitudinal data from the Seniors-ENRICA 2 study, a population-based cohort from Spain that comprises noninstitutionalized adults older than 65. Blood samples were extracted at baseline and after a follow-up period of 2 years for a total of 1 488 subjects. Participants’ information was linked with electronic health records. Chronic diseases were grouped into a list of 60 mutually exclusive conditions. A quantitative measure of multimorbidity, weighting morbidities by their regression coefficients on physical functioning, was employed and ranged from 0 to 100. Generalized estimating equation models were used to explore the relationship between plasma amino acids and multimorbidity, adjusting for sociodemographics, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle behaviors.ResultsThe mean age of participants at baseline was 73.6 (SD = 4.2) years, 49.6% were women. Higher concentrations of glutamine (coef. per mmol/l [95% confidence interval] = 10.1 [3.7, 16.6]), isoleucine (50.3 [21.7, 78.9]), and valine (15.5 [3.1, 28.0]) were significantly associated with higher multimorbidity scores, after adjusting for potential confounders. Body mass index could have influenced the relationship between isoleucine and multimorbidity (p = .016).ConclusionsAmino acids could play a role in regulating aging-related diseases. Glutamine and branched-chain amino acids as isoleucine and valine are prospectively associated and could serve as risk markers for multimorbidity in older adults.
Endovascular plugs to occlude proximal entries in chronic aortic dissection
Authors: Sandström Charlotte , Roos Håkan , Henrikson Olof , Fagman Erika , Johnsson Åse A , Jeppsson Anders , Falkenberg Mårten 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Patients with expanding chronic aortic dissection and patent proximal entries are sometimes poor candidates for open surgery or TEVAR. Occlusion of proximal entries with endovascular plugs has previously been suggested in selected patients, but clinical results over time are unknown. This study analyses aortic remodelling and clinical outcome after proximal entry occlusion.

METHODS
Between 2007 and 2016, 14 patients, with expanding chronic aortic dissection, considered poor candidates for standard treatment, were treated with endovascular plugs in proximal entries located in the arch (n = 6) or descending aorta (n = 8). The Amplatzer™ Vascular Plug II was used for entries ≤4 mm and the Amplatzer™ Septal Occluder or Amplatzer™ Muscular VSD Occluder for entries 5–16 mm. Patients were followed for 0.5–13 years (median 7.3) with clinical visits and computed tomography. Diameters and cross-sectional areas along the aorta were measured.

RESULTS
Occlusion of proximal entries was achieved in 10/14 patients (71%), including 4 patients with an adjunctive reintervention needed for complete seal in the segment. Unchanged or reduced maximum thoracic aortic diameter was observed in all 10 patients with successful occlusion. In 4 patients, proximal occlusion was not achieved and early conversion to FET (n = 1), FET/TEVAR (n = 2) or TEVAR (n = 1) was performed. Two aorta-related deaths occurred during follow-up, both after early conversion.

CONCLUSIONS
Endovascular occlusion of proximal dissection entries of expanding chronic aortic dissections can induce favourable aortic remodelling and may be considered in selected patients with expanding chronic aortic dissection who are poor candidates for open surgery or stent graft repair.
Hydraulic conductivity predictive model of RHA-ameliorated laterite for solving landfill liner leachate, soil and water contamination and carbon emission problems
Authors: Onyelowe Kennedy C , Ebid Ahmed M , de Jesús Arrieta Baldovino Jair , Onyia Michael E 
Published: July 2022

AbstractThe environment is seriously being affected by the leachate release at the unconstructed and badly constructed waste containment or landfill facilities around the globe. The worst hit is the developing world where there is little or totally no waste management system and facilities to receive waste released into the atmosphere. This research work is focused on the leachate drain into the soil and the underground water from landfills, which toxicifies both the soil and the water. Also, the construction of the liner or barrier with cement poses serious threat to the environment due to oxides of carbon release and this research also took this into account by replacing the utilization of cement with rice husk ash (RHA), which has proven to have the potentials of replacing cement as a supplementary binder. Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the hydraulic conductivity (K) of lateritic soil (LS) ameliorated with different dosages of RHA. Other hydromechanical properties of the treated blend were studied and multiple data were generated for the artificial neural network (ANN) back-propagation (-BP), genetic algorithm (GA) and gradual reducing gradient (GRG), genetic programming (GP) and evolutionary polynomial regression (EPR) prediction exercises. Results show that the LS was a poorly graded A-2 sandy silt soil, which was subjected to three different compaction energies with the minimum of the British standard light (BSL) and derived k of 6.95E-10, 50.75E-10 and 32.33E-10 for BSL, west African standard and British standard heavy, respectively. The RHA addition improved the studied properties of the ameliorated LS. Out of the five models, the ANN-GRG outclassed others with a performance of 99% with minimal error compared with the rest. Potentially, this research has shown that RHA with a pozzolanic chemical moduli of 81.47% can replace cement in the construction of ecofriendly and more efficient landfills and waste containemnt barriers to save the soil and the underground water as well as the environment from leachate contamination and carbon emissions.
Construction of highly hydrophobic and fast endothermic surfaces using candle soot and nano-TiO2
Authors: Liu Hao , Du Yangfan , Zhou Qianyu , Wang Shifeng , Gao Qi 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
This work combines hydrophobic and heat-absorbing materials to solve the problem of water and frost resistance in industrial and domestic scenarios in harsh environments. Here, highly hydrophobic and fast endothermic (HHFE) surfaces were prepared by applying candle soot (nanocarbon) as the template, slides as the carrier and nano-TiO2 as a backbone and a connecting layer. The resulting HHFE surface exhibited a coral-like porous structure, which is beneficial to hydrophobic performance. The contact angle between the water droplet and the glass with the HHFE coating was about 120°, thus implying that the prepared HHFE surface with a TiO2 skeleton layer has excellent hydrophobicity. The hydrophobic mechanism of the HHFE surface can be explained by the Cassie–Baxter model. Infrared thermography and thermometry were used to record the thermal capacity and heat-absorbing rate of the HHFE surface. The temperature of the glass covered with the HHFE coating rose from 16°C to 38°C within 5 minutes, which is 46.2% higher in capacity and 2.2 times faster in rate than ordinary glass under the same solar irradiation. The resulting HHFE thin film consists of nanocarbon materials, and nano-TiO2 particles were hydrophobic and good heat absorbers. They have great potential for anti-freezing and water-proofing applications, especially in harsh environments.
Research on the strategy of lithium-ion battery-supercapacitor hybrid energy storage to suppress power fluctuation of DC microgrid
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhong Ming , Han Junfei , Sun Yumei , Wang Yang 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
The wide application of clean energy has promoted the development of microgrids. For direct current (DC) microgrids, power fluctuations are inevitable, because photovoltaics, wind power and other clean energy sources are very unstable, which will bring great trouble to DC microgrids. Hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) are an effective solution to suppress power fluctuations. For a HESS composed of battery and supercapacitor (SC), a low-pass filter is usually used to allocate energy and power requirements to each energy storage unit, but the filter constant of the filter cannot be dynamically adjusted to adapt to different situations. The low-pass filter compensation coefficient used in this paper will change with the state of charge and discharge, and dynamically change and allocate different power requirements to the battery and SC according to the actual operating conditions of the HESS. The objective function of DC bus power fluctuation is established, and the optimized particle swarm algorithm (PSO) is used to obtain the output power coefficient of each energy storage unit. The output coefficient of the HESS control strategy has the characteristics of fast convergence speed and high computational efficiency in the optimization process, and it will not fall into the local optimal solution. Through the design experiment, the SC can withstand more high-frequency components, fully utilize the advantages of SC with fast response to power fluctuations, improve the performance of HESS, and have great engineering application value.
Quantifying thermal strain of steel plate subjected to constant temperature by distributed fiber optic sensors
Authors: Zhu Yanping , Chen Genda 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Effective strain measurement tools for steel structure at high temperature are limited due to a significant gap in measurement science. This study aims to experimentally and numerically investigate the effectiveness and limitation of Rayleigh scattering based, distributed fiber optic sensors (DFOS) without coatings for measuring the temperature and strain of a steel plate subjected to a local constant temperature. The DFOS were bonded to the steel plate by an epoxy with different bond lengths to measure coupled strain and temperature effect, while the DFOS near the end of the epoxied segment measured the temperature effect only for temperature discrimination. It was found that the DFOS accurately measured the temperature and strain of the steel plate with different bond lengths of the epoxy, as compared to the thermocouple temperature and thermal-induced strain, respectively. The maximum strain (or temperature) that the DFOS without coatings could measure for the steel plate was less than 1600 $\mu \varepsilon$ (or 150${}^{\circ}\textrm{C}$). Moreover, a local finite element model with the calibrated elastic modulus of the epoxy subjected to a uniform temperature field well captured optical fiber strains in the elastic stage. From parametric studies, the effect of the thermal expansion coefficients and elastic moduli of the optical fiber, epoxy, and host material as well as any initial defect between the optical fiber and epoxy on the strain transfer coefficient was investigated. The elastic modulus of epoxy within 100 MPa and the rectangular cross-section of epoxy (0.5 mm thick and 4 mm wide) could achieve a strain transfer coefficient of 0.997, while the initial defect had a similar effect on the strain transfer to the protective coating. The normal-distribution epoxy shape was designed for guiding robot assisted intelligent instrumentation and construction in the future.
Clinical decision support improves blood culture collection before intravenous antibiotic administration in the emergency department
Authors: Dutta Sayon , McEvoy Dustin S , Rubins David M , Dighe Anand S , Filbin Michael R , Rhee Chanu 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Objective
Surviving Sepsis guidelines recommend blood cultures before administration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics for patients with sepsis or moderate to high risk of bacteremia. Clinical decision support (CDS) that reminds emergency department (ED) providers to obtain blood cultures when ordering IV antibiotics may lead to improvements in this process measure.

Methods
This was a multicenter causal impact analysis comparing timely blood culture collections prior to IV antibiotics for adult ED patients 1 year before and after a CDS intervention implementation in the electronic health record. A Bayesian structured time-series model compared daily timely blood cultures collected compared to a forecasted synthetic control. Mixed effects models evaluated the impact of the intervention controlling for confounders.

Results
The analysis included 54 538 patients over 2 years. In the baseline phase, 46.1% had blood cultures prior to IV antibiotics, compared to 58.8% after the intervention. Causal impact analysis determined an absolute increase of 13.1% (95% CI 10.4–15.7%) of timely blood culture collections overall, although the difference in patients with a sepsis diagnosis or who met CDC Adult Sepsis Event criteria was not significant, absolute difference 8.0% (95% CI −0.2 to 15.8). Blood culture positivity increased in the intervention phase, and contamination rates were similar in both study phases.

Discussion
CDS improved blood culture collection before IV antibiotics in the ED, without increasing overutilization.

Conclusion
A simple CDS alert increased timely blood culture collections in ED patients for whom concern for infection was high enough to warrant IV antibiotics.
Constructing foldable cylindrical surfaces via unfolded waterbomb origami units
Authors: Zhao Yan , Wei Yinglei , Jia Yiyang , Li Shiling , Zhang Mingyue , Zeng Lanling , Yang Yang , Mitani Jun 
Published: July 2022

Abstract
Origami tessellations have shown the potential to be utilized for approximating curved target surfaces by folding a set of elemental units. As those units are in partially folded states, the origami approximation captures the outline of the target while demonstrating a corrugated surface. In this paper, we focus on the cylindrical surface and propose a method for constructing its discrete version via square or rectangular units with crease patterns inspired by the waterbomb tessellation. We unify the unit size through optimization to realize cost-efficient constructions. Three-dimensional curved structures are deployed by folding collinear creases between adjacent rows of units and the other creases in each row are remained unfolded. The deployed structure can still be folded to a compact state by folding all creases. To flexibly approximate the outline of the target surface, we analyse relationships between the width and height of the rectangular unit and utilize variations of the waterbomb tessellation to control the region of the origami structure when fully folded. The proposed method provides a novel solution to the so-called inverse-origami-design problem for generating foldable cylindrical surfaces using unfolded waterbomb origami units.
Docetaxel for Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Survival Outcomes in the STAMPEDE Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: James Nicholas D , Ingleby Fiona C , Clarke Noel W , Amos Claire L , Attard Gerhardt , Brawley Christopher D , Chowdhury Simon , Cross William , Dearnaley David P , Gilbert Duncan C , Gillessen Silke , Jones Robert J , Langley Ruth E , Macnair Archie , Malik Zafar I , Mason Malcolm D , Matheson David J , Millman Robin , Parker Chris C , Rush Hannah L , Russell J Martin , Au Carly , Ritchie Alastair W S , Mestre Ricardo Pereira , Ahmed Imtiaz , Birtle Alison J , Brock Susannah J , Das Prantik , Ford Victoria A , Gray Emma K , Hughes Robert J , Manetta Caroline B , McLaren Duncan B , Nikapota Ashok D , O’Sullivan Joe M , Perna Carla , Peedell Clive , Protheroe Andrew S , Sundar Santhanam , Tanguay Jacob S , Tolan Shaun P , Wagstaff John , Wallace Jan B , Wylie James P , Zarkar Anjali , Parmar Mahesh K B , Sydes Matthew R 
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Background
STAMPEDE previously reported adding upfront docetaxel improved overall survival for prostate cancer patients starting long-term androgen deprivation therapy. We report long-term results for non-metastatic patients using, as primary outcome, metastatic progression-free survival (mPFS), an externally demonstrated surrogate for overall survival.

Methods
Standard of care (SOC) was androgen deprivation therapy with or without radical prostate radiotherapy. A total of 460 SOC and 230 SOC plus docetaxel were randomly assigned 2:1. Standard survival methods and intention to treat were used. Treatment effect estimates were summarized from adjusted Cox regression models, switching to restricted mean survival time if non-proportional hazards. mPFS (new metastases, skeletal-related events, or prostate cancer death) had 70% power (α = 0.05) for a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.70. Secondary outcome measures included overall survival, failure-free survival (FFS), and progression-free survival (PFS: mPFS, locoregional progression).

Results
Median follow-up was 6.5 years with 142 mPFS events on SOC (3 year and 54% increases over previous report). There was no good evidence of an advantage to SOC plus docetaxel on mPFS (HR = 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.66 to 1.19; P = .43); with 5-year mPFS 82% (95% CI = 78% to 87%) SOC plus docetaxel vs 77% (95% CI = 73% to 81%) SOC. Secondary outcomes showed evidence SOC plus docetaxel improved FFS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.55 to 0.88; P = .002) and PFS (nonproportional P = .03, restricted mean survival time difference = 5.8 months, 95% CI = 0.5 to 11.2; P = .03) but no good evidence of overall survival benefit (125 SOC deaths; HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.64 to 1.21; P = .44). There was no evidence SOC plus docetaxel increased late toxicity: post 1 year, 29% SOC and 30% SOC plus docetaxel grade 3-5 toxicity.

Conclusions
There is robust evidence that SOC plus docetaxel improved FFS and PFS (previously shown to increase quality-adjusted life-years), without excess late toxicity, which did not translate into benefit for longer-term outcomes. This may influence patient management in individual cases.