bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cumulative effects of photobleaching in volumetric STED imaging—artefacts and possible benefits
Authors: Srambickal Chinmaya Venugopal , Bergstrand Jan , Widengren Jerker
Published: November 2020

In stimulated emission depletion (STED) imaging, the excitation and depletion laser beams extend well beyond the focal plane in the imaged sample. We investigated how photobleaching resulting from this irradiation can affect STED images, by acquiring 3D images of fluorescent polystyrene beads using a 2D STED microscope, and applying different Z pixel sizes, scanning speeds, resulting in different laser light doses. While higher STED beam irradiances can increase the spatial resolution, they can also significantly increase photobleaching and thereby reduce signal-to-background levels. In 2D STED imaging, based on a single scan within the focal plane, scan parameters can often be selected to avoid photobleaching effects. Upon 3D optical sectioning experiments however, using the same scan parameters, additional cumulative effects of photobleaching may appear, due to the extension of the excitation and depletion laser beams beyond the focal planes being scanned. Apart from a reduction in signal-to-background levels, such photobleaching can lead to an apparent shift of the axial localization of the objects in the images, but also to an increased resolution in the axial dimension. These findings, confirmed by simulations based on a simplified model for photobleaching, suggests some caution in volumetric STED imaging experiments, but also a possibility for enhanced axial resolution in such experiments.
Dose perturbation caused by metallic port in breast tissue expander in proton beam therapy
Authors: Zhao Li , Moskvin Vadim P , Cheng Chee-Wai , Das Indra J
Published: November 2020

Proton beam treatment is being looked favourably now in breast treatment. Tissue expanders are often placed after mastectomy that contains metallic port for saline injection which produces dose perturbations in proton beam therapy with uncertain dosimetry. Dose perturbation for a stainless-steel injection port from a breast implant is investigated in this study. Measurements, Monte-Carlo simulation, and calculated dose distribution of plans based on kVCT and MVCT images are compared. Treatment plans are performed on kVCT and MVCT images to observe the effect of metal artifact from the breast implant. The kVCT based plan underestimates the beam range due to the overestimated water equivalent thickness of the metal ports as a result of image degradation. Compared to the measurement with metal port in the proton beam, the MVCT-based treatment planning provides more accurate dose calculation than the kVCT-based results. The dose perturbation factor calculated from MVCT planning is within 10% of the measurement results while HU corrected kVCT plan still shows dose difference as large as 100% due to the incorrect range pull back calculation caused by the misrepresentation of the volume between the plastic cap and the stainless-steel base. The dose enhancement observed at the metal and solid water interface is as large as 15%, which needs to be accounted for in the planning process if there is a clinical concern. Dose reduction as large as 16% is observed with depth from 1 cm to 4 cm underneath the thickest part of the metallic port whereas lateral dose perturbation is also seen up to 7 mm. The measurement data are supported by the Monte-Carlo simulated results with a maximum dose difference of 6%. It is concluded that if proton beam is used with metallic port, MVCT imaging data is recommended. In lieu of MVCT, DECT, CT scanner with metal artifact reduction software or in the very least, extended HU range should be used to reduce the streaking artifact as well as to produce a more accurate image of the metallic port.
Matrix and tensor completion using tensor ring decomposition with sparse representation
Authors: Asante-Mensah Maame G , Ahmadi-Asl Salman , Cichocki Andrzej
Published: November 2020

Completing a data tensor with structured missing components is a challenging task where the missing components are not distributed randomly but they admit some regular patterns, e.g. missing columns and rows or missing blocks/patches. Many of the existing tensor completion algorithms are not able to handle such scenarios. In this paper, we propose a novel and efficient approach for matrix/tensor completion by applying Hankelization and distributed tensor ring decomposition. Our main idea is first Hankelizing an incomplete data tensor in order to obtain high-order tensors and then completing the data tensor by imposing sparse representation on the core tensors in tensor ring format. We apply an efficient over-complete discrete cosine transform dictionary and sparse representation techniques to learn core tensors. Alternating direction methods of multiplier and accelerated proximal gradient approaches are used to solve the underlying optimization problems. Extensive simulations performed on image, video completions and time series forecasting show the validity and applicability of the method for different kinds of structured and random missing elements.
Addendum to “A new look at Bernoulli’s inequality”
Authors: Ferreira Rui
Published: November 2020

We provide here clarifications regarding some of the results contained in R. A. C. Ferreira, “A new look at Bernoulli’s inequality”, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 146 (2018), no. 3, 1123–1129.
On 0-th order pseudo-differential operators on the circle
Authors: Tao Zhongkai
Published: November 2020

In this paper we consider 0-th order pseudodifferential operators on the circle. We show that inside any interval disjoint from the critical values of the principal symbol, the spectrum is absolutely continuous with possibly finitely many embedded eigenvalues. We also give an example of embedded eigenvalues.
Lech’s inequality for the Buchsbaum-Rim multiplicity and mixed multiplicity
Authors: Nguyen Vinh , Walters Kelsey
Published: November 2020

We generalize an improved Lech bound, due to Huneke, Smirnov, and Validashti, from the Hilbert-Samuel multiplicity to the Buchsbaum-Rim multiplicity and mixed multiplicity. We reduce the problem to the graded case and then to the polynomial ring case. There we use complete reductions, studied by Rees, to prove sharper bounds for the mixed multiplicity in low dimensions before proving the general case.
Multidimensional analogues of refined Bohr’s inequality
Authors: Liu Ming-Sheng , Ponnusamy Saminathan
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we first establish a version of multidimensional analogues of the refined Bohr’s inequality. Then we establish two versions of multidimensional analogues of improved Bohr’s inequality with initial coefficient being zero. Finally we establish two versions of multidimensional analogues of improved Bohr’s inequality with the initial coefficient being replaced by absolute value of the function, and to prove that most of the results are sharp.
Non-local in time telegraph equations and very slowly growing variances
Authors: Alegría Francisco , Pozo Juan
Published: November 2020

In this paper we consider a class of non-local in time telegraph equations. Recently, the second author and Vergara proved that the fundamental solutions of such equations can be interpreted as the probability density function of a stochastic process. We study the asymptotic behavior of the variance of this process at large and short times. In this context, we develop a method to construct new examples such the variance has a slowly growth behavior, extending the earlier results. Finally, we show that our approach can be adapted to define new integro-differential operators which are interesting in sub-diffusion processes.
An algebraic characterization of 𝑘–colorability
Authors: Flores Ramón , Kahrobaei Delaram , Koberda Thomas
Published: November 2020

We characterize

k
k

–colorability of a simplicial graph via the intrinsic algebraic structure of the associated right-angled Artin group. As a consequence, we show that a certain problem about the existence of homomorphisms from right-angled Artin groups to products of free groups is NP–complete.
Smallerp-values in genomics studies using distilled auxiliary information
Authors: Bryan Jordan G , Hoff Peter D
Published: November 2020

Medical research institutions have generated massive amounts of biological data by genetically profiling hundreds of cancer cell lines. In parallel, academic biology labs have conducted genetic screens on small numbers of cancer cell lines under custom experimental conditions. In order to share information between these two approaches to scientific discovery, this article proposes a ”frequentist assisted by Bayes” (FAB) procedure for hypothesis testing that allows auxiliary information from massive genomics datasets to increase the power of hypothesis tests in specialized studies. The exchange of information takes place through a novel probability model for multimodal genomics data, which distills auxiliary information pertaining to cancer cell lines and genes across a wide variety of experimental contexts. If the relevance of the auxiliary information to a given study is high, then the resulting FAB tests can be more powerful than the corresponding classical tests. If the relevance is low, then the FAB tests yield as many discoveries as the classical tests. Simulations and practical investigations demonstrate that the FAB testing procedure can increase the number of effects discovered in genomics studies while still maintaining strict control of type I error and false discovery rate.
A Spatial Approach for Ending the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemic for the United States—A DC Model
Authors: Das Suparna , Allston Adam , Opoku Jenevieve , Kharfen Michael
Published: November 2020

Background

Mode of transmission–based hotspots is a smart approach to HIV mitigation, yet remains poorly evaluated and implemented in the United States. The primary aim was to identifying mode of transmission–based hotspots and populations at risk of lower viral suppression to assist in targeted planning and implementation of programs.

Methods

We implemented spatial statistics to identify global-local hotspots and regression analysis to find populations at risk of lower viral suppression within hotspots. Data were obtained from the District of Columbia’s (DC’s) active surveillance system, which were geocoded based on current residence address.

Results

The analysis identified 6001 HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) and 6077 HIV-positive non-MSM (N = 12 078) living in DC at the end of 2018. The hotspots for MSM were central DC and non-MSM in south DC. Trends of viral suppression within MSM hotspots showed plateauing and, among non-MSM, showed decline. Regression analysis showed MSM aged 21–25 (RR: 3.199; 95% CI: 1.832–5.586) and not linked to care (8.592; 2.907–25.398) were at higher risk of being virally unsuppressed within the hotspots. For non-MSM we found those aged 12–18 (9.025; 3.314–2.581) and with unknown linkages (6.087; 3.346–13.848) were at higher risk of being virally unsuppressed within the hotspots.

Conclusions

Our analysis provides a model that may be used by other jurisdictions to identify areas of priority and plan treatment-adherence programs using surveillance data. Attaining viral suppression is crucial in reducing new diagnoses; a spatial approach can be an important tool in Ending the HIV Epidemic.
A good gayOdyssey: Andrew Sean Greer’sLess
Authors: Fletcher Judith
Published: November 2020

Andrew Sean Greer’s comedic novel Less is a self-reflexive version of the Odyssey, featuring a gay love story in which the narrator and his subject merge to produce a postmodern homophrosyne that recapitulates the like-mindedness of Odysseus and Penelope. Although the novel makes explicit allusions to specific events and characters of the Homeric epic, its most significant intertextuality is not inscribed in Less’s events and characters, but rather in their telling, as if by a male Penelope to whom Odysseus recounted his tales. Using the device of the mise-en-abyme, and yet disrupting the conventions of novelistic story-telling, Greer aligns the recursive structures of his text in order to intertwine theories of narratology with sexual identity.
Case report of SARS Co-V2 infection, acute pulmonary embolism, and right ventricular thrombus
Authors: Vervaat Fabienne E , Houthuizen Patrick
Published: November 2020

Background

COVID-19 is a novel disease that has been associated with changes in haemostasis and increased risk of thrombosis, especially in patients who are critically ill.

Case summary

a 71-year-old patient presented to the emergency department with acute respiratory failure. The patient had been discharged from the hospital 1 day before, after apparent recovery of a proven COVID-19 infection. Relevant medical history reports polycythemia vera. The diagnostic work-up included a CT-scan of the thorax, revealing bilateral sub-segmental pulmonary embolism. An echocardiogram showed a dilated right ventricle with poor systolic function and a large multi-lobar thrombus. Forty-eight hours after initiation of treatment with therapeutic anticoagulation the thrombus was no longer seen on the echocardiogram.

Discussion

This case confirms the high risk of thrombosis in COVID-19 infection as has been described in recent literature. It demonstrates the severity of the coagulopathy given the presence of both bilateral sub-segmental pulmonary embolism and right ventricular thrombus, despite treatment with prophylactic anticoagulation. Remarkable in this case is the fact that the patient had a myeloproliferative neoplasm (polycythaemia vera). This is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, especially in the presence of erythrocytosis, leucocytosis, and/or inflammation.
Old unsolved problems: when and how to treat silent ischaemia
Authors: Indolfi Ciro , Polimeni Alberto , Mongiardo Annalisa , De Rosa Salvatore , Spaccarotella Carmen
Published: November 2020

Silent myocardial ischaemia (SMI) is defined as objective evidence of ischaemia without angina (or equivalent symptoms) in the presence of coronary artery disease, differing from silent coronary artery disease. Silent myocardial ischaemia represents the majority of episodes of myocardial ischaemia at Holter monitoring. During transient myocardial ischaemia, the symptoms appear after the contraction anomalies of the left ventricle and after the ECG changes. The cause of silent myocardial ischaemia is still not well established. The severity and duration of ischaemia have been theorized as important elements in the SMI mechanism. Another possible mechanism responsible for SMI is represented by changes in the perception of painful stimuli with an increased pain threshold. Finally, a neuronal dysfunction of the diabetic, in post-infarction or a cardiac neuronal ‘stunning’ could play a role in SMI. In the pre-stent era, the SMI was associated with a worse prognosis. In patients with diabetes mellitus, SMI seems to be more represented because autonomic dysfunction is present in this category of patients. In conclusion, SMI is more frequent than symptomatic ischaemia. However, despite the presence of countless studies on the subject, it is not clear today whether medical therapy has equalized the risk and what the real prognosis of SMI is.
The path of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: from compassionate to low-risk cases
Authors: Tamburino Corrado , Valvo Roberto , Criscione Enrico , Reddavid Claudia , Picci Andrea , Costa Giuliano , Barbanti Marco
Published: November 2020

Aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most common valvular diseases in developed countries. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as alternative to medical treatment or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in all symptomatic patients with severe AS. In 2002, Cribier performed the first human TAVI through a trans-septal approach in a 57-year-old man with severe AS. Since then, several trials have compared TAVI vs. SAVR over the years. Today, it is superior in terms of mortality to medical therapy in extreme-risk patients, non-inferior or superior to surgery in high-risk patients, and non-inferior to surgery and even superior when transfemoral access is possible in intermediate-risk patients. Interesting results emerged from the latest multicentre trials involving patients with severe AS who were at low risk for death from surgery, demonstrating that this therapy will be offered to younger people in the next future.
Active mitral valve endocarditis with widespread interventricular septal abscesses in a paediatric patient
Authors: Ishimaru Kazuhiko , Iwai Shigemitsu , Tsumura Sanae , Kawata Hiroaki
Published: November 2020

We present the case of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy with extensive infective mitral valve endocarditis, with 2 huge, mobile vegetations attached to the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve and to the left ventricular outflow tract, and interventricular septal abscesses extending into the left ventricular outflow tract without any septal defects. He underwent mitral valve repair and simultaneous drainage of the interventricular septal abscesses excluding the inlet portion to avoid postoperative complications.
In vitro pharmacodynamics of omadacycline against Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Noel A R , Attwood M , Bowker K E , MacGowan A P
Published: November 2020

Background

The pharmacodynamics of omadacycline have been extensively studied against Gram-positive pathogens but less information is available for Gram-negative pathogens. We describe the pre-clinical pharmacodynamics of omadacycline against Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Methods

An in vitro dilutional pharmacokinetic model was used. Exposure experiments with fAUC/MIC ratios ranging from 0 to 1200 were performed using five strains of E. coli and five strains of A. baumannii. Reduction in bacterial load and changes in population profiles were measured.

Results

The fAUC/MIC targets against E. coli for 24 h static and −1 log reduction in load were 25.3 ± 17.2 and 42.7 ± 32.5, respectively. For A. baumannii the fAUC/MIC for 24 h static effect was 108.1 ± 38.6. Changes in population profiles were observed for E. coli at fAUC/MIC ratios of ≤200 and for A. baumannii up to 1200. MICs were increased 2–32 fold.

Conclusions

fAUC/MIC targets for A. baumannii are greater than for E.coli and changes in population profiles more likely. E. coli fAUC/MIC targets align with in vivo data and will be useful in determining omadacycline dosing for this pathogen.
A multiple-phenotype imputation procedure as a method for prediction of cheese-making efficiency in Spanish Assaf sheep
Authors: Marina Héctor , Reverter Antonio , Gutiérrez-Gil Beatriz , Alexandre Pamela Almeida , Pelayo Rocío , Suárez-Vega Aroa , Esteban-Blanco Cristina , Arranz Juan José
Published: November 2020

Sheep milk is mainly intended to manufacture a wide variety of high-quality cheeses. The ovine cheese industry would benefit from an improvement, through genetic selection, of traits related to the milk coagulation properties (MCPs) and cheese yield-related traits, broadly denoted as “cheese-making traits.” Considering that routine measurements of these traits needed for genetic selection are expensive and time-consuming, this study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of a cheese-making phenotype imputation method based on the information from official milk control records combined with the pH of the milk. For this study, we analyzed records of milk production traits, milk composition traits, and measurements of cheese-making traits available from a total of 1,145 dairy ewes of the Spanish Assaf sheep breed. Cheese-making traits included five related to the MCPs and two cheese yield-related traits. The milk and cheese-making phenotypes were adjusted for significant effects based on a general linear model. The adjusted phenotypes were used to define a multiple-phenotype imputation procedure for the cheese-making traits based on multivariate normality and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. Five of the seven cheese-making traits considered in this study achieved a prediction accuracy of 0.60 computed as the correlation between the adjusted phenotypes and the imputed phenotypes. Particularly the logarithm of curd-firming time since rennet addition (logK20) (0.68), which has been previously suggested as a potential candidate trait to improve the cheese ability in this breed, and the logarithm of the ratio between the rennet clotting time and the curd firmness at 60 min (logRCT/A60) (0.65), which has been defined by other studies as an indicator trait of milk coagulation efficiency. This study represents a first step toward the possible use of the phenotype imputation of cheese-making traits to develop a practical methodology for the dairy sheep industry to impute cheese-making traits only based on the analysis of a milk sample without the need of pedigree information. This information could be also used in future planning of specific breeding programs considering the importance of the cheese-making efficiency in dairy sheep and highlights the potential of phenotype imputation to leverage sample size on expensive, hard-to-measure phenotypes.
Evaluation of Botanicals for Management of Piercing–Sucking Pests and the Effect on Beneficial Arthropod Populations in Tea Trees Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae)
Authors: Tian Yueyue , Chen Zejun , Huang Xiaoqin , Zhang Lixia , Zhang Zhengqun
Published: November 2020

The tea green leafhopper Empoasca onukii Matsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), the orange spiny whitefly, Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintanca) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the green plant bugs Apolygus lucorum Meyer-Dür (Hemiptera: Miridae) are the important piercing–sucking herbivores in tea trees Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae). The goal of this study was to evaluate the laboratory toxicities and field control efficacies of botanical insecticides including matrine, azadirachtin, veratrine, and pyrethrin to three tea pests. Via leaf-dip bioassay, toxicity tests with botanical insecticides indicated that there were significant differences between the LC50 values for botanical insecticides within the same insect species. Matrine had the highest toxicity to E. onukii, A. spiniferus, and A. lucorum with the LC50 values of 2.35, 13.10, and 44.88 mg/liter, respectively. Field tests showed that, among four botanical insecticides, matrine at dose of 9 g a.i. ha−1 can significantly reduce the numbers of E. onukii and A. spiniferus and the infestation of A. lucorum on the tea plants. Furthermore, botanical insecticides matrine and azadirachtin had no obvious influence on the coccinellids, spiders, and parasitoids densities in tea plantations. The results of this study indicated that use of botanical insecticides, such as matrine, has the potential to manipulate the population of E. onukii, A. spiniferus, and A. lucorum and will be an effective and environmentally compatible strategy for the control of tea pests.
Successful surgical treatment of a patient with primary insulinoma of the liver
Authors: Kriger A , Berelavichus S , Gorin D , Galkin G , Yukina M , Ilovayskaya I , Zektser V , Nuralieva N , Kaldarov A R
Published: November 2020

Insulinoma is the most frequent functional neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas, which causes organic hyperinsulinism with severe hypoglycemia. There are no cases of primary insulinoma of the liver described. A 63-year-old female was admitted to our center presenting symptoms of severe hypoglycemia due to confirmed endogenic hyperinsulinism. None of the performed diagnostic procedures could reveal a pancreatic tumor. However, a pathologic mass in the sixth segment of the liver was detected. We performed arterial calcium stimulation that showed increased levels of insulin and c-peptide in almost all stimulated arteries. The highest and most prolonged peaks were detected at the points of the common hepatic artery and the right hepatic artery. After the surgical removal of the liver tumor, the blood glucose level was stabilized within the normal range. Post-operative pathomorphological investigation confirmed the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine tumor. The long-term survival results show correct treatment tactics without any signs of disease recurrence.
HIV- and hypertension-related knowledge and medication adherence in HIV seropositive persons with hypertension
Authors: Jackson I L , Okonta J M , Ukwe C V
Published: November 2020

Background

There is increasing prevalence of diseases associated with ageing such as hypertension, among people living with HIV (PLWHV). This study sought to assess: (1) knowledge related to HIV infection and hypertension, (2) adherence to prescribed medications and (3) clinical outcomes among HIV-positive persons with hypertension at a Nigerian hospital.

Methods

The Patient’s HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (PHKQ), Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale (HK-LS) and Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale (ARMS) were administered to 220 eligible patients through the HIV clinic. Demographic and clinical data were also obtained.

Results

Participants were predominantly females (57.3%), with a median (IQR) age of 46 (38–58) years; majority were married (67.8%) and employed (60.8%). Participants reported a higher hypertension-related knowledge compared with HIV-related knowledge (63.6% versus 33.3%, Z = −10.263, P < 0.001), but better adherence to antiretroviral medications compared to antihypertensives (100.0% versus 89.3%, Z = −9.118, P < 0.001). Of the 98 participants with documented viral load, 55 (56.1%) had undetectable (<40 copies/ml) values; however, only four (2.0%) of the entire sample had controlled (<140/90 mmHg) blood pressure.

Conclusions

Despite having a higher hypertension-related knowledge, adherence to antihypertensive medications and blood pressure control were poor. There is a need for increased attention to HIV education and comorbidities in PLWHV.
Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency among Exclusively Breast Fed Term Infants in South India
Authors: Kadiyala Apurva , Palani Anitha , Rajendraprasath Sasitharan , Venkatramanan Padmasani
Published: November 2020

Objective

Vitamin B12 is not synthesized in the body and its only dietary sources are non-vegetarian. The breast milk of mothers in resource poor countries who are on predominantly vegetarian diets is deficient in vitamin B12. Hence exclusive breast feeding (EBF) may result in B12 deficiency in the infant, which can affect the neurodevelopmental outcome. Our aim was to study the serum vitamin B12 levels among EBF infants and identify the risk factors for B12 deficiency.

Method

This cross-sectional study was done among EBF, term, otherwise healthy infants, 1–6 month of age in the well-baby clinic .The sociodemographic data of mother and the infants’ anthropometric measurements were noted and blood samples were sent for complete blood count and serum vitamin B12 levels. The data were analysed using SPSS software version 16.

Results

We enrolled 149 EBF infants, aged 1–6 months and the mean age was 3.1 (±1.03) months. The mean serum vitamin B12 level was 199.91 (±112.523) pg/ml. Low serum vitamin B12 levels (<200 pg/ml) was seen in 95 (63.7%) infants. On multivariate analysis, there were no other significant risk factors for B12 deficiency in the infants.

Conclusion

The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among EBF infants is 63.7%. Because of its importance in neurological development during infancy, there is an urgent need to address this issue while promoting exclusive breast feeding.
Resistance to Azoxystrobin and Thiophanate-Methyl Is Widespread in Colletotrichum spp. Isolates From the Mid-Atlantic Strawberry Fields
Authors: Luo Qiuchen , Schoeneberg Anita , Hu Mengjun
Published: November 2020

Multiple Colletotrichum species have been found to be responsible for strawberry anthracnose, and prevalence of each species seems to vary by regions and/or host tissues. In this study, a total of 200 Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from different strawberry cultivars displaying anthracnose symptoms in the mid-Atlantic fields. Analysis of g3pdh, tub2, and/or internal transcribed spacer sequences revealed four Colletotrichum species, including C. nymphaeae, C. fioriniae, C. siamense, and C. lineola. C. nymphaeae was the predominant species, representing 90% of all isolates collected. This species was found from all strawberry organs/tissues examined, whereas C. siamense and C. fioriniae were limited to the crown and fruit, respectively. Further, all Colletotrichum isolates were screened for resistance to azoxystrobin in vitro, and all C. siamense isolates were additionally screened for resistance to thiophanate-methyl. The overall frequency of resistance to azoxystrobin and thiophanate-methyl was 48 and 67%, respectively. G143A in the cytochrome b gene was found in all C. nymphaeae and C. siamense isolates with high level of resistance, with EC50 >100 µg/ml, while F129L was found in two of the five C. nymphaeae isolates with moderate resistance, with EC50 values ranging from 2.6 to 7.8 µg/ml. All C. fioriniae isolates tested were found to be less sensitive to azoxystrobin, with EC50 values ranging from 9.7 to 14.4 µg/ml, despite no mutations detected in the cytochrome b gene. Moreover, E198A in tub2 was linked with C. siamense isolates resistant to thiophanate-methyl (EC50 >100 µg/ml). These results revealed that resistance in Colletotrichum spp. to primary fungicides is widespread in the mid-Atlantic strawberry fields.
Effect of Oral Carbohydrate Intake During Labor on the Rate of Instrumental Vaginal Delivery: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Simonet T. , Gakuba C. , Desmeulles I. , Corouge J. , Beucher G. , Morello R. , Gérard J.L. , Ducloy-Bouthors A.S. , Dreyfus M. , Hanouz J.L.
Published: November 2020

(Anesth Analg. 2020;30:1670–1677)

Mendelson’s description of gastric fluid inhalation led to the practice of starving pregnant women during labor. Contrary to this practice, however, fluid consumption during labor has been shown to be safe and feasible. No definitive evidence exists to support food and fluid restriction during low-risk labors, unless a cesarean delivery (CD) becomes likely. In fact, the food and fluid restriction has been shown to create a shift toward the anaerobic pathway of glucose metabolism, despite a high glycogen content and turnover in the myometrium, thereby suggesting a relative energy shortage. This shortage may explain a commonly observed production of ketone bodies during labor, which results from fat metabolism following glycogen storage depletion. Ketosis during labor can be prevented by either allowing women in labor a light diet, or by allowing caloric intake via isotonic sports drinks. Ketosis and exhaustion can lead to a need for instrumental vaginal delivery when fatigue or inadequate progress develop during labor. The authors of this study hypothesized that carbohydrate intake, such as consuming isotonic sports drinks during labor, could reduce the instrumental vaginal delivery rate.
Transcatheter closure of a rare congenital left ventricle to right atrium shunt using the amplatzer duct occluder II
Authors: Shi Xiaoqing , Wang Kaiyang , Li Jinhui , Wu Jinlin , Zhou Kaiyu , Hua Yimin , Li Yifei
Published: November 2020

Rationale:

Left ventricle-right atrium (LV-RA) shunt is a rare case and surgical repair has been the routine procedure to correct this defect. With the rapid development of transcatheter technology, some of the cases can be closed with transcatheter technique. Here, we would like to report a congenital LV-RA case who received transcatheter closure using the Amplazter duct occluder II (ADO II) and the short-term outcomes of this procedure.

Patient concerns:

A 2-year-old female presented a systolic murmur between the 2nd to 3rd sternal rib during the routine examination before kindergarten administration.

Diagnosis:

The patient denied any cardiac surgery, endocarditis, trauma or cardiomyopathy. The echocardiography confirmed an abnormal shunt between left ventricle and right atrium located in the superior part of ventricular septum which is closed to septal tricuspid valve and anterior mitral valve, and the diameter of this shunt is 2 mm. Besides, the dilation of right atrium (40 mm) has been identified which was not a common clinical manifestation of typical ventricular septal defect. Angiography demonstrated the shunt driven from left ventricle to right atrium.

Intervention:

An AGA ADO II device had been delivered to close the defect.

Outcome:

Follow-up kept for 3 months. Echocardiography revealed completed closure of the shunt with normal movement and function valves. And no complication of arrhythmia has been recorded.

Lessons:

This case report highlighted the administration of ADO II in some ventricular septal defect with superior location, and provided an essential experience of using ADO II to close long tunnel type LV-RA shunt.
Comprehensive analysis of the expression and prognosis for S100 in human ovarian cancer
Authors: Xu Hong-Yu , Song Hua-Mei , Zhou Quan
Published: November 2020

S100 family members are frequently deregulated in human malignancies, including ovarian cancer. However, the prognostic roles of each individual S100 family member in ovarian cancer (OC) patients remain elusive. In the present study, we assessed the prognostic roles and molecular function of 20 individual members of the S100 family in OC patients using GEPIA, Kaplan–Meier plotter, SurvExpress, GeneMANIA and Funrich database. Our results indicated that the mRNA expression levels of S100A1, S100A2, S100A4, S100A5, S100A11, S100A14, and S100A16 were significantly upregulated in patients with OC, and high mRNA expression of S100A1, S100A3, S100A5, S100A6, and S100A13 were significantly correlated with better overall survival, while increased S100A2, S100A7A, S100A10, and S100A11 mRNA expressions were associated with worse prognosis in OC patients. In stratified analysis, the trends of high expression of individual S100 members were nearly the same in different pathological grade, clinical stage, TP53 mutation status, and treatment. More importantly, S100 family signatures may be useful potential prognostic markers for OC. These findings suggest that S100 family plays a vital role in prognostic value and could potentially be an S100-targeted inhibitors for OC patients.
Comparative efficacy and safety of injection therapies for knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Yu Ting , Yan ShiFan , Chi ZhenHai , Zhu DaoCheng , Cheng Pan , Li HaiYan , Qin SiYu , Zhong GenPing , Ouyang XiLin , Chen RiXin , Jiao Lin
Published: November 2020

Introduction:

There are many injection methods for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, but there is no comprehensive comparison, based on the fixed effect model.

Methods:

According to the retrieval strategy, we searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) randomly from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database from their inceptions to August 2020, and 2 members of us selected literatures and extracted data independently. Methodological quality was assessed by using the Cochrane bias risk tool, and meta-analysis was performed by using the Stat.14.0.

Results:

This study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different injectable drugs for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and rank the efficacies of drugs, then to determine the optimal treatment.

Conclusion:

This study will provide evidence for the choice of injection therapy for knee osteoarthritis.

INPLASY registration number:

INPLASY202080099.
Improving segmentation accuracy of CT kidney cancer images using adaptive active contour model
Authors: Hsu Wei-Yen , Lu Chih-Cheng , Hsu Yuan-Yu
Published: November 2020

In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the records of surgical confirmed kidney cancer with renal cell carcinoma pathology in the database of the hospital. We evaluated the significance of cancer size by assessing the outcomes of proposed adaptive active contour model (ACM). The aim of our study was to develop an adaptive ACM method to measure the radiological size of kidney cancer on computed tomography in the hospital patients. This paper proposed a set of medical image processing, applying images provided by the hospital and select the more obvious cases by the doctors, after the first treatment to remove noise image, and the kidney cancer contour would be circled by using the proposed adaptive ACM method. The results showed that the experimental outcome has highly similarity with the medical professional manual contour. The accuracy rate is higher than 99%. We have developed a novel adaptive ACM approach that well combines a knowledge-based system to contour the kidney cancer size in computed tomography imaging to support the clinical decision.
Characteristics and risk factors for extrauterine growth retardation in very-low-birth-weight infants
Authors: Zhao Xingli , Ding Li , Chen Xiaoqian , Zhu Xueping , Wang Jian
Published: November 2020

Background:

To investigate the characteristics and risk factors for extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) in very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs).

Methods:

The medical records of 137 VLBWIs admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between June 2015 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into EUGR (n = 92) and non-EUGR (n = 45) groups. This study collected data on demographic and clinical characteristics and analyzed the risk factors for EUGR with multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

Gestational age (OR = 0.573, P < .01), SGA (OR = 3.887, P = .022), feeding intolerance (OR = 4.632, P = .002), and calories supplied by amino acids at the 7th day (OR = 0.786, P = .006) were high-risk factors for EUGR.

Conclusion:

Feeding intolerance reduction and amino acid nutrition support should be applied to prevent delayed extrauterine growth for VLBWIs.
A bibliometric analysis of the 100 most influential papers on peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Yuan Xinke , Li Hui , Zhou Luting , Huang Yinghong
Published: November 2020

Background:

We aimed to identify the 100 most cited articles published on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and analyze their characteristics to provide information on the achievements and developments of PD research over the past decades.

Methods:

The Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) in the Web of Science Core Collection was comprehensively searched from 2000 to 2018, using the keywords “Peritoneal dialysis” or “Dialyses, Peritoneal” or “Dialysis, Peritoneal” or “Peritoneal Dialyses”. The top 100 cited articles were retrieved by reading titles and abstracts. Significant information was further elicited, including the authors, journals, countries, institutions, and publication year.

Results:

The United States was the most productive country (n = 51), Li Pkt published the highest number of papers (n = 7), the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology produced the highest number of contributions (n = 28), and Baxter International Inc., the University of California System, and the University of Toronto were the institutions with the highest number of articles (n = 10).

Conclusions:

This is the first bibliometric study to identify the most influential papers in PD research. This report describes the major changes and advances in research regarding PD as a guide for writing a citable article.
Zhisou powder in treatment of postinfectious cough
Authors: Cai Haiyang , Li Weihong , Kang Shixin , He Jing , Yu Peng , Li Han
Published: November 2020

Background:

The pathogensis of postinfectious cough (PIC) is unkown, unsatisfactory clinical curative effects of conventional western medicine have been shown. Zhisou powder (ZP) is one of the most common prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of PIC. However, the effects and safety also remain uncertain. We aim to systematically review the effectiveness and safety of ZP for PIC.

Methods:

We will search the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure , the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Cqvip Database, and Wanfang Data. The studies published from the inception of the database to May 2020 will be retrieved. The randomized controlled trials on ZP for PIC will be included. The primary outcomes were cough relief rate and cough resolution rate. We will perform the analyses using RevMan V.5.3 software.

Results:

This study will provide high-quality evidence of ZP for PIC in the effectiveness and safety.

Conclusions:

This systematic review will assess whether ZP is an effective and safe prescription for PIC.
A retrospective study of in-hospital mortality in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis between 2015 and 2018
Authors: Durheim Michael T. , Judy Jennifer , Bender Shaun , Neely Megan L. , Baumer Dorothy , Robinson Scott B. , Conoscenti Craig S. , Leonard Thomas B. , Lazarus Howard M. , Palmer Scott M.
Published: November 2020

Hospitalizations are common in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and are associated with high mortality. We used data from the Premier Healthcare Database to determine in-hospital mortality rates and the factors associated with in-hospital mortality in patients with IPF in the era of approved antifibrotic drugs.

The Premier Healthcare Database is a detailed and broadly representative database of hospital admissions and discharges in the US. Patients with IPF who were hospitalized between 1 January 2015 and 28 February 2018 were identified using a diagnostic algorithm comprising International Classification of Diseases -9 and International Classification of Diseases -10 diagnostic codes and billing data. Associations between patient-, hospital- and treatment-related factors and a composite outcome of death during the index visit, lung transplant during the index visit but >1 day after admission, or death during a readmission within 90 days of the index visit were analyzed using logistic regression.

The cohort comprised 9667 hospitalized patients with IPF. In total, 1414 patients (14.6%) met the composite outcome: 1036 (10.7%) died during the index visit, 371 (3.8%) died during a readmission within 90 days; 7 (0.1%) underwent lung transplant >1 day after admission. Factors significantly associated with a higher risk of the composite outcome included mechanical ventilation (odds ratio 6.41 [95% CI: 5.24, 7.84]), admission to the intensive care unit (1.73 [1.49, 2.00]), attendance by a critical care physician (2.12 [1.33, 3.38]), older age (1.20 [1.12, 1.28] per 10-year increase), and use of intravenous steroids (1.16 [1.00, 1.34]), intravenous antibiotics (1.49 [1.22, 1.83]) and opioids (3.41 [2.95, 3.93]). Factors significantly associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome included female sex (0.70 [0.61, 0.80]), comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (0.69 [0.60, 0.78]), attendance by a family medicine physician (0.67 [0.48, 0.94]) or internal medicine physician (0.59 [0.46, 0.75]), and use of oral steroids (0.62 [0.51, 0.77]), statins (0.76 [0.67, 0.87]) and proton pump inhibitors (0.80 [0.70, 0.92]).

In conclusion, patients with IPF are at risk of mortality during a hospital stay or readmission within 90 days, particularly those who receive mechanical ventilation.
Efficacy of belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation on muscle flexibility of lower limbs
Authors: Tomida Kouki , Nakae Hajime
Published: November 2020

Background:

Muscular contracture may be caused by immobility-induced muscle atrophy and skeletal muscle hypoxia. Belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation (B-SES) is a new type of neuromuscular electrical stimulation that can simultaneously contract the lower limb muscle groups, in contrast to the conventional pad-type electrodes. B-SES can suppress muscular atrophy and relieve hypoxia of the skeletal muscle and is considered an appropriate strategy for preventing muscular contracture. However, the effect of B-SES on muscle flexibility has not been verified. This study aimed to compare the immediate effects of B-SES on skeletal muscle flexibility using different stimulation modes before the clinical study.

Methods:

We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial with cross-over analysis of 10 healthy subjects. The participants were subjected to three stimulus conditions (Disuse B-SES, Metabolic B-SES, and Control) with a minimal interval of 1 day between interventions, and the lower limb flexibility before and after the B-SES intervention was evaluated. Lower extremity flexibility was evaluated based on the hamstring muscle stiffness and sit-and-reach distance. For each endpoint, within-group comparisons were performed before and after the intervention and were compared between the groups using paired t-tests. Changes in each endpoint before and after the intervention were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and the Bonferroni method. The significance level was 0.05.

Results:

Ten healthy individuals participated in all three interventions with a washout period between each intervention. In the Metabolic B-SES group, the sit-and-reach distance after the intervention was significantly higher than that before the intervention (P < 0.05). A comparison of the change in the sit-and-reach distance among the three groups before subsequent tests showed that the Metabolic B-SES group had a significantly increased sit-and-reach distance compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Metabolic B-SES was effective for the immediate improvement of flexibility of the lower limb muscles. Therefore, Metabolic B-SES may be useful as a strategy for preventing muscular contracture.
Review of psychiatric comorbidities and their associations with opioid use in elective lumbar spine surgery
Authors: Mezzacappa Frank M. , Schmidt Kyle P. , Tenny Steven O. , Samson Kaeli K. , Agrawal Sandeep K. , Hellbusch Leslie C.
Published: November 2020

The opioid epidemic is an ongoing concern in the United States and efforts to ameliorate this crisis are underway on multiple fronts. Opiate use is an important consideration for patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery with concurrent psychiatric diagnoses and more information is needed regarding the factors involved in these patients. That information may help guide opioid prescribing practices for individual patients with certain psychiatric conditions that are undergoing these procedures. This study was done to identify psychiatric conditions that are associated with preoperative and postoperative opioid use in this cohort of veteran patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery.

A 3 month preoperative and 3 month postoperative chart review was conducted on 25 patients per year who underwent elective lumbar spine surgery over a 16-year period at the Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Healthcare Center (n = 376 after exclusion criteria applied). The association between psychiatric comorbidities and use of opioids during the 90-day period after surgery was assessed using a linear model that adjusted for surgical type, opioid use prior to surgery, and other relevant comorbidities.

Patients are more likely to use opioids preoperatively if they have major depression (P = .02), hepatitis C (P = .01), or musculoskeletal disorders (P = .04). PTSD (P = .02) and lumbar fusion surgery (P < .0001) are associated with increased postoperative use, after adjusting for preoperative use and other comorbidities.

Certain psychiatric comorbidities are significantly correlated with opioid use for this cohort of lumbar spine surgery patients in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Awareness of an individual's psychiatric comorbidity burden may help guide opioid prescription use.