bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
1. Informationskompetenz-Tagung Deutschland / Österreich (Innsbruck, 16.–17. Februar 2017)
Authors: Zemanek Michaela
Published: April 2018

Die „1. Informationskompetenz-Tagung Deutschland/Österreich“ war die erste überregionale Tagung für BibliothekarInnen aus Österreich und Deutschland, die ganz dem Thema Informationskompetenz gewidmet war und fand von 16. bis 17. Februar 2017 an der ULB Tirol statt. Der Bericht informiert über Organisation, Themen und Veranstaltungsformate der Tagung.
Metadata for Research Data in Practice
Authors: Petritsch Barbara
Published: April 2018

What data is needed about data? Describing the process to answer this question for the institutional data repository IST DataRep.
Visualization of typed links in Linked Data
Authors: Neubauer Georg
Published: April 2018

The main subject of the work is the visualization of typed links in Linked Data. The academic subjects relevant to the paper in general are the Semantic Web, the Web of Data and information visualization. The Semantic Web, invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 2001, was announced as an extension to the World Wide Web (Web 2.0). The actual area of investigation concerns the connectivity of information on the World Wide Web. To be able to explore such interconnections, visualizations are critical requirements as well as a major part of processing data in themselves. In the context of the Semantic Web, representation of information interrelations can be achieved using graphs. The aim of the article is to primarily describe the arrangement of Linked Data visualization concepts by establishing their principles in a theoretical approach. Putting design restrictions into context leads to practical guidelines. By describing the creation of two alternative visualizations of a commonly used web application representing Linked Data as network visualization, their compatibility was tested. The application-oriented part treats the design phase, its results, and future requirements of the project that can be derived from this test.
Challenges of Building and Maintaining an Image Database: a use case based on the Digital Research Archive for Byzantium (DiFAB)
Authors: Rannharter Nina , Teetor Sarah
Published: April 2018

Due to the complex nature of archival images, it is an ongoing challenge to establish a metadata architecture and metadata standards that are easy to navigate and take into consideration future requirements. This contribution will present a use case in the humanities based on the Digital Research Archive for Byzantium (DiFAB) at the University of Vienna. Tracing one monument and its photographic documentation, this paper will highlight some issues concerning metadata for images of material culture, such as: various analog and digital forms of documentation; available thesauri – including problems of historical geography, multilingualism, and culturally specific terminologies –; and the importance of both precise and imprecise dating for cultural historians and their research archives.
Umgang mit Metadaten in Repositorien - Eine österreichweite Umfrage
Authors: Blumesberger Susanne , Zartl Alexander
Published: April 2018

Dieser Artikel enthält eine Auswertung der Telefonumfrage zum Thema „Metadaten“, die im Sommer 2015 unter den am Projekt e-Infrastructures Austria teilnehmenden Institutionen durchgeführt wurde. Ziel der Befragung war eine Bestandsaufnahme der an den einzelnen Universitäten im Einsatz befindlichen Repositorien, um einen Überblick über die wichtigsten Softwaresysteme und deren spezifische Einsatzzwecke, die am häufigsten verwendeten Metadatenstandards und die Gepflogenheiten bzw. Erwartungen der Nutzer und Nutzerinnen zu gewinnen. Zukünftige Planungen und Entwicklungen waren ebenfalls Gegenstand des Fragebogens.
Schwerpunktthema „Metadata – Metadaten“
Authors: Blumesberger Susanne , Schubert Bernhard , Zartl Alexander
Published: April 2018

Kein Abstract verfügbar.
Implementation of a Classification Server to Support Metadata Organization for Long Term Preservation Systems
Authors: Kopácsi† Sándor , Hudak Rastislav , Ganguly Raman
Published: April 2018

In this paper we describe the implementation of a classification server that helps in metadata organization for a long term reservation system of digital objects. After a short introduction to classifications and knowledge organization, the requirements of the system to be implemented are summarized. Some Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) management tools we have evaluated are briefly presented. These include Skosmos, the solution we have selected for implementation. Skosmos is an open source, web-based SKOS browser based on the Jena Fuseki SPARQL server. We present the main steps of the installation of the applied tools and some potential problems with the classifications used, as well as possible solutions.
Der Springer Compact-Deal – Ein erster Einblick in die Evaluierung einer Offsetting-Vereinbarung
Authors: Andrae Magdalena , Villányi Márton
Published: April 2018

Seit Anfang 2016 gilt zwischen 32 wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken in Österreich und dem Springer-Verlag eine gänzlich neuartige Vereinbarung, die neben der üblichen Lizenzierung von Inhalten auch die Möglichkeit bietet, in den Springer-Zeitschriften Open Access zu publizieren. Mehr als 1.000 Autorinnen und Autoren aus Österreich haben im ersten Jahr diese Möglichkeit genutzt. Die Daten dazu sind nun auf der Plattform OpenAPC einzusehen.1 Ein guter Anlass, eine Zwischenbilanz zur Evaluierung des Deals zu ziehen.
Mitteilungen der Vereinigung Österreichischer Bibliothekarinnen und Bibliothekare“ feiern ihren 70. Jahrgang sowie die Aufnahme ins DOAJ
Authors: Mitteilungen der VÖB Redaktion der
Published: April 2018

Mit der aktuellen Ausgabe der „Mitteilungen der Vereinigung Österreichischer Bibliothekarinnen und Bibliothekare“ (VÖB) wird der 70. Jahrgang der bedeutendsten Fachzeitschrift für das wissenschaftliche Bibliothekswesen in Österreich abgeschlossen. Zeitgleich mit diesem Jubiläum konnte die Aufnahme der Mitteilungen in das Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) erreicht werden.
Provenienzforschung ins Museum: Ausstellungseröffnung und Restitution der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien im Technischen Museum Wien
Authors: Koll Johannes , Zodl Regina
Published: April 2018

Am 4. Oktober 2017 wurde die Integrierung der Privatbibliothek des österreichischen Petrochemikers Dr. Leopold Singer (1869–1942), die zwei Jahre vorher von der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien an dessen Erben und Erbinnen restituiert worden war, in die Dauerausstellung des Technischen Museums Wien gefeiert. Erstmalig werden damit Ergebnisse bibliothekarischer Provenienzforschung in einem international renommierten Museum der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht. Zugleich wurde ein Buch restituiert, das bis zum „Anschluss“ Österreichs Dr. Martin Singer (1874–1950) gehört hatte.
BAM Austria: Arbeitskreis Bibliotheken, Archive, Museen Österreichs – Aktivitäten 2017
Authors: Bauer Bruno , Feigl Markus , Fröschl Gabriele , Griesser Martina , Hubert Rainer , Mikoletzky Lorenz , Schmidt Alfred , Wendelin Harald
Published: April 2018

BAM Austria: Arbeitskreis Bibliotheken, Archive, Museen Österreichs trat 2017 mit zwei Aktivitäten an die Öffentlichkeit. Am 11. Mai 2017 fand in Wien ein Seminar zum Thema „Open Access und Linked Open Data“ (LOD) statt, zu dem 25 Vertreterinnen und Vertreter von Bibliotheken, Archiven und Museen eingeladen wurden. Am 13. September 2017 wurde im Rahmen des 33. Österreichischen Bibliothekartages in Linz ein Panel zum Thema „Digitalisierung an Bibliotheken, Archiven und Museen“ organisiert, an dem ca. 90 Personen teilgenommen haben.
Abstracts der Masterthesen des Interuniversitären Universitätslehrganges Library and Information Studies 2017
Authors: Pum Gabriele
Published: April 2018

Bei diesem Beitrag handelt es sich um eine Zusammenstellung der Abstracts der im Rahmen des Interuniversitären Universitätslehrganges Library and Information Studies an der Universität Wien in Kooperation mit der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek im Jahr 2017 abgeschlossenen Master Thesen.
Focus on Open Science – eine Woche, drei Stationen (Wien, Budapest & Ljubljana, 20.–24. November 2017)
Authors: Stummvoll Melanie
Published: April 2018

Die 47. Kalenderwoche des Jahres 2017 wurde von den Organisatoren der Focus on Open Science-Roadshow dazu genutzt in Wien, Budapest und Ljubljana Halt zu machen, um eine Vortragsreihe der etwas anderen Art zu den Herausforderungen und Änderungen, welche Bibliotheken im Rahmen der Open Science Bewegung zu erwarten haben, abzuhalten.
KONTAMINASI BAHAN PLASTIK PADA JAJANAN PASAR (GORENGAN) YANG BEREDAR DI KOTA MEDAN
Authors: Sari Dita , Riyanto Riyanto , Karim Abdul
Published: May 2018

This reseach aims to know the contamination of plastic materials that exist in market snacks (fried banana, fried tempe, fried tofu and bakwan goreng) that circulated in Medan City. This research uses the method of "Qualitative Description" that is by checking the plastic content in market snacks (gorengan) circulating in Medan City. The results of this study contained 12 positive samples contaminated with plastic materials and 48 samples were not contaminated with plastic materials. Plastic contaminated samples are tested by burning, if positive samples containing plastics will burn and a large flame is visible, black droplets and smell of burning plastic.
The Prognostic Role of the Change in Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Retrospective, Multi-Institutional Study
Authors: Kaiser Jeenan , Li Haocheng , North Scott A. , Leibowitz-Amit Raya , Seah Jo-An , Morshed Nisha , Chau Caroline , Lee-Ying Richard , Heng Daniel Y.C. , Sridhar Srikala , Crabb Simon J. , Alimohamed Nimira S.
Published: April 2018

Background:

The impact of the change in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on outcomes in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is poorly understood.

Objective:

To evaluate the prognostic impact of the change in NLR during NAC for patients with MIBC.

Methods:

Patients referred to academic, community, and quaternary referral centres in Alberta, Canada from 2005 to 2015, Ontario, Canada from 2005 to 2013, and Southampton, UK from 2004 to 2010 were evaluated. 376 eligible patients were treated with NAC for clinical T2-4aN0M0 disease, and 296 were evaluable for the change in NLR. A high NLR was defined as being an NLR > 3. Relationships between the change in NLR from baseline to mid-NAC (pre-cycle 3) and outcomes were analyzed using multivariable Cox regression. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used with the log-rank test for group comparisons.

Results:

Median follow-up was 22.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.9–30.0). Patients with a sustained high NLR had a median disease-free survival (DFS) of 12.6 months, compared to 34.8 months for those with a sustained low NLR (log-rank test p = 0.0025; hazard ratio [HR] 0.61 [95% CI: 0.44–0.84]). Median overall survival (OS) was 19.4 months for patients with a sustained high NLR, compared to 44.0 months for patients with a sustained low NLR (log-rank test p = 0.0011; HR 0.54 [95% CI: 0.38–0.77]).

Conclusions:

A sustained high NLR from baseline to mid-NAC is an independent prognostic factor for patients with MIBC.
Naturally-Occurring Canine Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma: A Model for Emerging Therapies
Authors: Sommer Breann C. , Dhawan Deepika , Ratliff Timothy L. , Knapp Deborah W.
Published: April 2018

The development of targeted therapies and the resurgence of immunotherapy offer enormous potential to dramatically improve the outlook for patients with invasive urothelial carcinoma (InvUC). Optimization of these therapies, however, is crucial as only a minority of patients achieve dramatic remission, and toxicities are common. With the complexities of the therapies, and the growing list of possible drug combinations to test, highly relevant animal models are needed to assess and select the most promising approaches to carry forward into human trials. The animal model(s) should possess key features that dictate success or failure of cancer drugs in humans including tumor heterogeneity, genetic-epigenetic crosstalk, immune cell responsiveness, invasive and metastatic behavior, and molecular subtypes (e.g., luminal, basal). While it may not be possible to create these collective features in experimental models, these features are present in naturally-occurring InvUC in pet dogs. Naturally occurring canine InvUC closely mimics muscle-invasive bladder cancer in humans in regards to cellular and molecular features, molecular subtypes, biological behavior (sites and frequency of metastasis), and response to therapy. Clinical treatment trials in pet dogs with InvUC are considered a win-win scenario; the individual dog benefits from effective treatment, the results are expected to help other dogs, and the findings are expected to translate to better treatment outcomes in humans. This review will provide an overview of canine InvUC, the similarities to the human condition, and the potential for dogs with InvUC to serve as a model to predict the outcomes of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in humans.
Thromboembolism in Patients with Bladder Cancer: Incidence, Risk Factors and Prevention
Authors: Zareba Piotr , Duivenvoorden Wilhelmina C.M. , Pinthus Jehonathan H.
Published: April 2018

Patients with bladder cancer are at high risk of developing both venous and arterial thromboembolic events. Factors that contribute to this phenomenon include the hypercoagulable state induced by the malignancy itself, medical comorbidities that are common in this predominantly elderly patient population as well as treatments such as prolonged pelvic surgery and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. While formal guidelines address prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing radical cystectomy, consensus regarding the role of pharmacologic prophylaxis in patients with bladder cancer being treated with chemotherapy, either with neoadjuvant or adjuvant intent in conjunction with radical cystectomy, as part of bladder preservation protocols or for metastatic disease, has proved elusive. The present narrative review was undertaken to define the incidence of and identify risk factors for thromboembolism among patients with bladder cancer, as well as to assess the efficacy of pharmacologic prophylaxis in reducing the risk of thromboembolism in this patient population.
Prognostication in Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy for Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma: A New Simplified Model Incorporating Histological Variants
Authors: Ku Ja Hyeon , Yuk Hyeong Dong , Godoy Guiherme , Amiel Gilard E. , Lerner Seth P.
Published: April 2018

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of histological variants (HV) and to develop a new and simple prediction model incorporating variant forms in patients who underwent radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Materials and methods:

We analyzed the data of 365 patients. We evaluated whether HV were independent predictors of survival. A new scoring model was developed using the regression coefficients from the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the score: low-, intermediate- and high-risk. To evaluate the performance of the model, we assessed models in terms of discrimination and calibration.

Results:

Patients(median age; 68.5 years) with pure form and squamous differentiation did not differ significantly but statistical analysis of the survival curves of patients with pure form and other variants revealed a statistically significant difference in terms of cancer-specific survival (CSS) ( p = 0.005) and overall survival (OS) ( p = 0.010). According to the new scoring model HV, the 5-yr CSS rate in each group was 93.3%, 82.9% and 50.5%, respectively. The 5-yr OS rate in each group was 90.0%, 66.3% and 33.2%, respectively. Model discrimination was good for all year models. Calibration was also adequate for the model in all year models.

Conclusions:

HV were found to be important independent prognostic factors in urothelial bladder cancer. This paper presents a new prognostic model incorporating variant forms for predicting CSS and OS in these patients.
Transversus Abdominis Plane Blockade as Part of a Multimodal Postoperative Analgesia Plan in Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy
Authors: Matulewicz Richard S. , Patel Mehul , Jordan Brian J. , Morano Jacqueline , Frainey Brendan , Bhanji Yasin , Bux Mahreen , Nader Antoun , Kundu Shilajit D. , Meeks Joshua J.
Published: April 2018

Background:

Radical cystectomy (RC) is a morbid procedure with frequent complications that may benefit from implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol.

Objective:

To examine the benefits of a multimodal analgesic plan that uses continuous transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blockade as part of an ERAS protocol after RC.

Methods:

A retrospective comparison of consecutive patients undergoing RC over a 4-year period was conducted. Patients were designated as having surgery either before or after implementation of an ERAS protocol. A major component of the ERAS protocol was a multi-modal analgesia plan with TAP blockade. Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative details, and outcomes, including days to flatus, bowel movement (BM), narcotic usage, and length of stay (LOS) were compared.

Results:

In total, 171 patients were included: 100 pre-ERAS and 71 ERAS. There were no differences in age, smoking status, operative approach, or diversion type. The patients in the ERAS cohort were less likely to be male, had a higher median BMI, and more likely to have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Total and early postoperative narcotic use were lower in the ERAS cohort: 89 vs. 336 mg ( p < 0.001) and 62 vs 203 mg ( p = 0.001), respectively. The ERAS cohort had fewer days to flatus (3 vs. 4, p < 0.001) and fewer days to bowel movement (4 vs. 5, p < 0.001). Median LOS was shorter in the ERAS cohort (7 vs. 8.5d, p = 0.001). There were no differences in complications or readmission rates between the two cohorts.

Conclusions:

TAP blockade as part of an ERAS multi-modal pain plan is associated with low narcotic usage, and significant improvement in time to flatus, BM, and LOS compared to traditional post-RC pain management.
Bladder Cancer Genetic Susceptibility. A Systematic Review
Authors: de Maturana Evangelina López , Rava Marta , Anumudu Chiaka , Sáez Olga , Alonso Dolores , Malats Núria
Published: April 2018

Background:

The variant/gene candidate approach to explore bladder cancer (BC) genetic susceptibility has been applied in many studies with significant findings reported. However, results are not always conclusive due to the lack of replication by subsequent studies.

Objectives:

To identify all epidemiological investigations on the genetic associations with BC risk, to quantify the likely magnitude of the associations by applying metaanalysis methodology and to assess whether there is a potential for publication/reporting bias.

Methods:

To address our aims, we have catalogued all genetic association studies published in the field of BC risk since 2000. Furthermore, we metaanalysed all polymorphisms with data available from at least three independent case-control studies with subjects of Caucasian origin analyzed under the same mode of inheritance.

Results:

The characterization of the genetic susceptibility of BC is composed of 28 variants, GWAS contributing most of them. Most of the significant variants associated with BC risk are located in genes belonging to chemical carcinogenesis, DNA repair, and cell cycle pathways. Causal relationship was also provided by functional analysis for GSTM1-null, NAT2-slow, APOBEC-rs1014971, CCNE1-rs8102137, SLC14A1-rs10775480, PSCA-rs2294008, UGT1A-rs1189203, and TP63-rs35592567.

Conclusions:

Genetic susceptibility of BC is still poorly defined, with GWAS contributing most of the strongest evidence. The systematic review did not provide evidence of further genetic associations. The potential public health translation of the existing knowledge on genetic susceptibility on BC is still limited.
The Role of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer
Authors: Lewis Gary D. , Haque Waqar , Verma Vivek , Butler E. Brian , Teh Bin S.
Published: April 2018

Background:

The standard of care for locally advanced bladder cancer (LABC) is neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by cystectomy. However, the role of adjuvant therapy for locally advanced bladder cancer is unclear.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for patients with LABC, and to determine which risk factors best predict for patients who may best benefit from adjuvant RT.

Methods:

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried (2004– 2013) for patients with newly-diagnosed pT3-4N0-3M0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder that received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and cystectomy. Patients were divided into two groups based on the adjuvant therapy they received: RT or observation. Statistics included multivariable logistic regression to determine factors predictive of receiving adjuvant RT, Kaplan-Meier analysis to evaluate overall survival (OS), and Cox proportional hazards modeling to determine variables associated with OS.

Results:

Altogether, 1,646 patients met inclusion criteria; 59 (3.6%) patients received adjuvant RT, while 1,587 (96.4%) were observed. Patients treated with adjuvant RT were more likely to be female, have positive surgical margins, and receive treatment at a non-academic facility. There was no difference in median overall survival (OS) between patients treated with RT when compared to patients observed (17.7 months vs. 23.5 months; p = 0.085). However, an improvement in median OS with the use of adjuvant RT was observed among patients with positive surgical margins (20.3 months vs. 13.1 months; p = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, advancing age, pT4 stage, positive N stage, positive margins, and lower socioeconomic status were associated with worse OS.

Conclusions:

In the largest study to date evaluating efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced bladder cancer, use of RT was not associated with OS in all patients, while RT was associated with improvemed OS among patients with positive surgical margins. Prospective studies are recommended to confirm these findings.
Systematic Review: Characteristics and Preclinical Uses of Bladder Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Zuiverloon Tahlita C.M. , de Jong Florus C. , Costello James C. , Theodorescu Dan
Published: April 2018

Background:

Bladder cancer (BC) cell lines are indispensable in basic and preclinical research. Currently, an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of available BC cell lines is not available.

Objective:

To provide an overview and resources on the origin, pathological and molecular characteristics of commonly used human, murine and canine BC cell lines.

Methods:

A PubMed search was performed for relevant articles published between 1980 and 2017 according to the following MeSH terms: cell line; cell line, tumor; urinary bladder neoplasms; carcinoma, transitional cell. The Cellosaurus database was searched, using the term “bladder” and/or “urothelial carcinoma”. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Results:

We provide information on 157 human, murine and canine BC cell lines. 103 human BC cell lines have molecular data available, of which 69 have been profiled by at least one “omic” technology. We outline how these cell lines are currently being used for in vitro and in vivo experimental models. These results allow direct comparison of BC cell lines to patient samples, providing information needed to make informed decisions on the most genomically appropriate cell line to answer research questions. Furthermore, we show that cross-contamination remains an issue and describe guidelines for prevention.

Conclusions:

In the BC field, multiple human, murine and canine BC cell lines have been developed and many have become indispensable for in vitro and in vivo research. High-throughput -omic technologies have dramatically increased the amount of molecular data on these cell lines. We synthesized a comprehensive overview of these data as a resource for the BC scientific community.
Effects of polymer-coated boron nitrides with increased hemorheological compatibility on human erythrocytes and blood coagulation
Authors: Kim Jeongho , Nafiujjaman Md , Nurunnabi Md , Lim Sinye , Lee Yong-Kyu , Park Hun-Kuk
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials are promising in biomedical research owing to their large surface area, graphene-like structure, and chemical and thermal properties. However, the toxicological effects of BN on erythrocytes and blood coagulation remain uninvestigated.

OBJECTIVE:

The aims of our study were to synthesize glycol chitosan (GC)- and hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated BNs, and to investigate the effects of these BNs on human cancer cells, erythrocytes, and whole blood.

METHODS:

We prepared hemocompatible forms of BN coated with GC and HA, and evaluated them using cell uptake/viability tests, hemolysis analysis and FE-SEM, as well as through hemorheological evaluation methods such as RBC deformability and aggregation, and blood coagulation.

RESULTS:

GC/BN and HA/BN were both ∼200 nm, were successfully taken into cells, and emitted blue fluorescence. Both BNs were less toxic than bare BN, even at higher concentrations. The aggregation index of human red blood cells (RBCs) after 2 h incubation with BN, GC/BN, and HA/BN was greatly influenced, whereas RBC deformability did not dramatically change.

CONCLUSIONS:

We found that GC/BN affected the intrinsic coagulation pathway, whereas both GC/BN and HA/BN affected the extrinsic pathway. Therefore, HA/BN is less detrimental to RBCs and blood coagulation dynamics than bare BN and GC/BN.
Comparative evaluation of Plateletworks, Multiplate analyzer and Platelet function analyzer-200 in cardiology patients
Authors: Kim Jeeyong , Cho Chi Hyun , Jung Bo Kyeung , Nam Jeonghun , Seo Hong Seog , Shin Sehyun , Lim Chae Seung
Published: April 2018

The objective of this study was to comparatively evaluate three commercial whole-blood platelet function analyzer systems: Platelet Function Analyzer-200 (PFA; Siemens Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), Multiplate analyzer (MP; Roche Diagnostics International Ltd., Rotkreuz, Switzerland), and Plateletworks Combo-25 kit (PLW; Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX, USA). Venipuncture was performed on 160 patients who visited a department of cardiology. Pairwise agreement among the three platelet function assays was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient and percent agreement within the reference limit. Kappa values with the same agonists were poor between PFA-collagen (COL; agonist)/adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and MP-ADP (–0.147), PFA-COL/ADP and PLW-ADP (0.089), MP-ADP and PLW-ADP (0.039), PFA-COL/ADP and MP-COL (–0.039), and between PFA-COL/ADP and PLW-COL (–0.067). Nonetheless, kappa values for the same assay principle with a different agonist were slightly higher between PFA-COL/ADP and PFA-COL/EPI (0.352), MP-ADP and MP-COL (0.235), and between PLW-ADP and PLW-COL (0.247). The range of percent agreement values was 38.7% to 73.8%. Therefore, various measurements of platelet function by more than one method were needed to obtain a reliable interpretation of platelet function considering low kappa coefficient and modest percent agreement rates among 3 different platelet function tests.
Application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of small breast lesions
Authors: Du Yan-Ran , Wu Yang , Chen Man , Gu Xin-Gang
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. The purpose of the study was to observe the features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and the combination with Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of conventional ultrasound for assessing small breast lesions.

OBJECTIVES:

The study was to explore the small breast lesions’ features of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and the combination with Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of conventional ultrasound, in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy of early breast cancer.

METHODS:

105 lesions were subject to conventional US (ultrasound) and CEUS before operations or biopsies. Among 105 breast lesions, six patient diagnoses were established by thick core-needle biopsy, while the rest were all confirmed by surgery and pathology.

RESULTS:

Significant differences were found between benign and malignant lesions in qualitative and quantitative indexes (peak) of CEUS ( P < 0.05). The qualitative features of malignant small breast lesions were as follows: (1) enhanced intensity within the lesion was not uniform (61/61,100%); (2) the speed of wash-in was earlier than the surrounding tissue (58/61, 95.1%); (3) lesion interior and the surrounding tissues had contrast vessel performance (61/61,100%). Peak of malignant lesions (35.77±11.45) was higher than that of benign lesions (31.96±10.76) ( P < 0.05). The diagnostic performance of BI-RADS-US plus qualitative indexes (method one) in terms of area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were the highest (i.e., AUROC = 0.817), in comparison with other combined diagnostic methods. The associated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 78.69%, 84.09% and 80.95%, respectively. With method one, however, was similar with US-BI-RADS in specificity, 11 malignant breast lesions were regarded as a higher classification of BI-RADS and classified into malignant group, which were identified as benign on US-BI-RADS originally.

CONCLUSIONS:

CEUS was useful to differentiate benign from malignant small breast lesions, and the combination of CEUS and BI-RADS-US can improve the early diagnosis of breast cancers.
Pulmonary hemodynamic effects and pulmonary arterial compliance during hypovolemic shock and reinfusion with human relaxin-2 (serelaxin) treatment in a sheep model
Authors: Schiffner René , Lehmann Thomas , Bischoff Sabine J. , Zippelius Timo , Nistor Marius , Schmidt Martin
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Previous studies on the recombinant form of human relaxin-2 (serelaxin) have shown a decrease of pulmonary hemodynamics after serelaxin injection. Currently, the effect of serelaxin treatment during hypovolemia in a large animal model remains mostly unknown.

METHODS:

12 sheep were randomly assigned to a sham or serelaxin (30μg/kg serelaxin) group and underwent right heart catheterization. 50% of the estimated total blood volume were removed to induce hypovolemia, and subsequently retransfused 20 min later (reinfusion). Blood gases, heart rate, peripheral and pulmonary arterial oxygen saturation, systolic, diastolic and mean values of both pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCW) were measured. Cardiac output (CO), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), pulmonary arterial compliance (PAcompl) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) were calculated.

RESULTS:

Hypovolemia and shock led to a similar decrease of PAP and PCW in both groups ( p≤0.001). CO, SV and PAcompl decreased only in the control group ( p≤0.05) and remained higher in the serelaxin-treated group. The results of this study suggest that serelaxin treatment did not negatively influence hemodynamic parameters during hypovolemic shock.

CONCLUSION:

The main conclusion of this study is that cardiopulmonary adaption mechanisms are not critically altered by serelaxin administration during severe hypovolemia and retransfusion.
The combined effects of the microcirculatory status and cardiopulmonary bypass on platelet count and function during cardiac surgery
Authors: Di Dedda Umberto , Ranucci Marco , Porta Alberto , Bari Vlasta , Ascari Alice , Fantinato Angela , Baryshnikova Ekaterina , Cotza Mauro
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with important changes in the microcirculation, usually attributed to endothelial dysfunction. Another common finding of cardiac surgery is postoperative thrombocytopenia and platelet loss of function.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between microvascular flow pattern and postoperative changes in platelet count and function in cardiac surgery patients.

METHODS:

Twelve adult cardiac surgery patients received microvascular circulation (sidestream darkfield sublingual mucosa analysis) and platelet count and function (multiple electrode aggregometry ADPtest and TRAPtest) assessment before and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

RESULTS:

After cardiopulmonary bypass, sublingual microcirculation showed a significantly ( P = 0.001) decreased microvascular flow index and increased heterogeneity index ( P = 0.006). Platelet function significantly decrease after cardiopulmonary bypass both at ADPtest ( P = 0.011) and TRAPtest ( P = 0.002). Preoperative patterns of poor microvascular perfusion (low perfused vessels density and total vessels density) were significantly associated with lower values of post-cardiopulmonary bypass platelet function (ADPtest, P = 0.009, TRAPtest, P = 0.031) and count ( P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS:

A preoperative disturbance of the microcirculation is associated with a greater postoperative platelet dysfunction. Endothelial damage, chemical and mechanical stimuli are the possible link between the two patterns.
Beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol enhance RBC deformability dependent on their blood concentration
Authors: Farber Paulo L. , Freitas Teresa , Saldanha Carlota , Silva-Herdade Ana Santos
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND:

Natural and synthetic estrogens seems to have opposite effects on thrombosis and female cardiovascular system, since natural estrogen was supposed to be protective against cardiovascular diseases and synthetic estrogen has been related to thrombosis and cardiovascular diseases. In this work we have investigated if these differences could be related with the effects on those hormones on some hemorheological parameters.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this work was to investigate the hemorheological changes of different concentrations of beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol, on RBC aggregation and RBC deformability.

METHODS:

Samples of blood of healthy donors were added with different concentrations of natural beta-estradiol or synthetic ethinylestradiol and were analyzed for red blood cell (RBC) aggregation and RBC deformability.

RESULTS:

There were no significant changes in RBC aggregation. Both beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol increase the RBC deformability in shear stresses above 3.0 Pa accordingly with the hormone’s concentration.

CONCLUSIONS:

Beta-estradiol and ethinylestradiol enhance RBC deformability dependent of their concentration. These findings may explain the different patterns of thrombotic and cardiovascular effects in different phases of the menstrual cycle or different dosages of oral contraceptive or hormonal replacement therapy.
Two-dimensional shear wave elastography for differential diagnosis between mastitis and breast malignancy
Authors: Liu Shui-Qing , Liu Yan-Ping , Zhou Bang-Guo , Deng Xiao-Hong , Li Xiao-Long , Xiang Li-Hua , Ren Wei-Wei , Xu Hui-Xiong
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the diagnostic performance of conventional ultrasound (US) and two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D SWE) in the differential diagnosis between mastitis and breast malignancy.

METHODS:

Between January 2016 and March 2017, 105 patients with 105 pathologically proven breast lesions were enrolled. All the lesions were subject to conventional US and 2D SWE examinations. In 2D SWE, the qualitative parameter of stiff rim sign and quantitative parameter of maximal shear wave velocity (SWV) were obtained. The diagnosis performances of US and combination of US and 2D SWE were evaluated, including sensitivity, specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The AUROC of US and the combined method were also evaluated in subgroups with different diameters.

RESULTS:

Pathologically, 26 breast lesions were confirmed to be mastitis and 79 were malignant. The cut-off value for maximal SWV was 6.75 m/sec. The AUROC of stiff rim sign and maximal SWV were 0.701 (95% CI: 0.587–0.815) and 0.753 (95% CI: 0.659–0.832) respectively. Compared with US, the specificity and AUROC of the combined method increased significantly (specificity: 11.5% vs. 96.1%, AUROC: 0.520 vs. 0.752; both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

The combination of US and 2D SWE improved the diagnostic performance in the differential diagnosis between mastitis and breast malignancy in comparison with the conventional US alone.
Loss in PKC Epsilon Causes Downregulation of MnSOD and BDNF Expression in Neurons of Alzheimer’s Disease Hippocampus1
Authors: Sen Abhik , Nelson Thomas J. , Alkon Daniel L. , Hongpaisan Jarin
Published: April 2018

Oxidative stress and amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers have been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The growth and maintenance of neuronal networks are influenced by brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, which is promoted by protein kinase C epsilon (PKCɛ). We investigated the reciprocal interaction among oxidative stress, Aβ, and PKCɛ levels and subsequent PKCɛ-dependent MnSOD and BDNF expression in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Reduced levels of PKCɛ, MnSOD, and BDNF and an increased level of Aβ were also found in hippocampal neurons from autopsy-confirmed AD patients. In cultured human primary hippocampal neurons, spherical aggregation of Aβ (amylospheroids) decreased PKCɛ and MnSOD. Treatment with t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) increased superoxide, the oxidative DNA/RNA damage marker, 8-OHG, and Aβ levels, but reduced PKCɛ, MnSOD, BDNF, and cultured neuron density. These changes were reversed with the PKCɛ activators, bryostatin and DCPLA-ME. PKCɛ knockdown suppressed PKCɛ, MnSOD, and BDNF but increased Aβ. In cultured neurons, the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with reduced PKCɛ during neurodegeneration was inhibited by the SOD mimetic MnTMPyP and the ROS scavenger NAc, indicating that strong oxidative stress suppresses PKCɛ level. Reduction of PKCɛ and MnSOD was prevented with the PKCɛ activator bryostatin in 5–6-month-old Tg2576 AD transgenic mice. In conclusion, oxidative stress and Aβ decrease PKCɛ expression. Reciprocally, a depression of PKCɛ reduces BDNF and MnSOD, resulting in oxidative stress. These changes can be prevented with the PKCɛ-specific activators.
Assuring BetterTimes
Authors: Hallgren Per , Kishore Ravi , Ochoa Martín , Sabelfeld Andrei
Published: April 2018

We present a privacy-assured multiplication protocol using which an arbitrary arithmetic formula with inputs from two parties over a finite field can be jointly computed on encrypted data using an additively homomorphic encryption scheme. Our protocol is secure against malicious adversaries. To motivate and illustrate applications of this technique, we demonstrate an attack on a class of known protocols showing how to compromise location privacy of honest users by manipulating messages in protocols with additively homomorphic encryption. We demonstrate how to apply the technique in order to solve different problems in geometric applications. We evaluate our approach using a prototypical implementation. The results show that the added overhead of our approach is small compared to insecure outsourced multiplication.
New applications of survival analysis modeling: Examining intercollegiate athletic donor relationship dissolution
Authors: Wanless Liz , Jensen Jonathan A. , Poliakoff Parker
Published: April 2018

Despite the increased adoption of data-driven strategies to enhance sport business operations, academic scholarship leveraging advanced analytics to inform sport customer relationship management lags behind. Thus, this project applies survival analysis modeling to quantitatively analyze and predict the potential dissolution of the intercollegiate athletic department-donor relationship, utilizing 10 years of data from a mid-sized National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic program. Results indicate donors are most susceptible to dissolution within the first two years, while the probability of persistence increases over time. When controlling for economic conditions and the amount donated, residing in the same state as the institution and the act of retiring decrease the probability of the donor relationship ending. The frequency of contact from the athletic department and the advancement of men’s basketball into post-season play also decrease the probability of relationship dissolution, while football post-season success was non-significant. Study results inform a data-driven approach to donor relationship marketing and provide meaningful implications for athletic donor retention strategy.
Limitations of an automated embolism segmentation method in clinical practice
Authors: Wang Ruifeng , Yu Nan , Zhou Sheng , Dong Fuwen , Wang Jun , Yin Nan , Bai Lu , Shen Cong , Guo Youmin
Published: April 2018

PURPOSE:

Automated pulmonary embolism (PE) segmentation is frequently used as a preprocessing step in the quantitative analysis of pulmonary embolism. Objective of this study is to analyze the potential limitation in automated PE segmentation using clinical cases.

METHODS:

A database of 304 computer tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) examinations was collected and confirmed to be PE. After processing using an automated scheme, two radiologists classified these cases into four groups of A, B, C and D, which represent 4 different segmentation results namely, (1) entire pulmonary artery identified without motivation artifacts, (2) entire pulmonary artery identified with motivation artifacts, (3) part of the pulmonary artery identified, and (4) none of the pulmonary artery identified. Then, the possible failed reasons in PE segmentation were analyzed and determined based on the image characterization of the diseases and the applied CTPA scanning protocols.

RESULTS:

In the study, 143 (47.0%., 30 (9.9%., 110 (36.2%. and 21 (6.9%. examinations were classified into groups A, B, C and D, respectively. Group C and D included the cases with failed segmentation. Fifteen failure reasons, including intrapulmonary abnormalities, extra-pulmonary abnormalities, diffuse pulmonary diseases, enlarged heart, absolute occluded vessels, embolism attached to artery wall, delayed scan time, skewed location, low scan dose, obvious artifact of superior vena cava, previous chest surgery, congenital deformities of the chest, incorrect positioning, missed images and other unknown reasons, were determined with corresponding case percentages ranging from 0.3%.o 9.2%.

CONCLUSIONS:

Automated segmentation failures were caused by specific lung diseases, anatomy varieties, improper scan time, improper scan dose, manual errors or other unknown reasons. Realization of those limitations is crucial for developing robust automated schemes to handle these issues in a single pass when a large number of CTPA examinations need to be analyzed.
miR-185 Inhibits the Proliferation and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Targeting KLF7
Authors: Zhao Lili , Zhang Yao , Liu Jiaoxia , Yin Wei , Jin Dan , Wang Dandan , Zhang Wei
Published: May 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short endogenous noncoding RNAs that frequently play vital roles in many cancer types. Herein we demonstrated that miR-185 was remarkably downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. A lower level of miR-185 was associated with lymph node
metastasis. Functional assays showed that upregulation of miR-185 inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, and invasion capacities of NSCLC cells in vitro. Furthermore, we found that miR-185 suppressed the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Bioinformatics analysis
and luciferase reporter gene assays revealed that Kruppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) was the target of miR-185. Overexpression of miR-185 reduced the expression of KLF7 in NSCLC cells. Upregulation of KLF7 partly neutralized the inhibitory effects of miR-185 on the proliferation and invasion of
NSCLC. Additionally, we confirmed that miR-185 suppressed the tumor growth of NSCLC A549 cells in vivo. Taken together, these results demonstrate that miR-185 acts as a suppressor by targeting KLF7 in NSCLC.
Carpinus tibetana (Betulaceae), a new species from southeast Tibet, China
Authors: Lu Zhiqiang , Li Ying , Yang Xiaoyue , Liu Jianquan
Published: May 2018

A new species Carpinustibetana Z. Qiang Lu & J. Quan Liu from southeast Tibet is described and illustrated. The specimens of this new species were previously identified and placed under C.monbeigiana Hand.-Mazz. or C.mollicoma Hu. However, the specimens from southeast Tibet differ from those of C.monbeigiana from other regions with more lateral veins (19–24 vs 14–18) on each side of the midvein and dense pubescence on the abaxial leaf surface, while from those of C.mollicoma from other regions differ by nutlet with dense resinous glands and glabrous or sparsely villous at apex. Principal Component Analyses based on morphometric characters recognise the Tibetan populations as a separate group. Nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence variations show stable and distinct genetic divergences between the Tibetan populations and C.monbeigiana or C.mollicoma by two or three fixed nucleotide mutations. Phylogenetic analysis also identified three respective genetic clusters and the C.mollicoma cluster diverged early. In addition, the Tibetan populations show a disjunct geographic isolation from the other two species. Therefore, C.tibetana, based on the Tibetan populations, is here erected as a new species, distinctly different from C.monbeigiana and C.mollicoma.
Forcing Mechanisms of the Terdiurnal Tide
Authors: Lilienthal Friederike , Jacobi Christoph , Geißler Christoph
Published: May 2018

Abstract. Using a nonlinear mechanistic global circulation model we analyze the migrating terdiurnal tide in the middle atmosphere with respect to its possible forcing mechanisms, i.e. the absorption of solar radiation in the water vapor and ozone band, nonlinear tidal interactions, and gravity wave-tide interactions. In comparison to the forcing mechanisms of diurnal and semidiurnal tides, these terdiurnal forcings are less well understood and there are contradictory opinions about their respective relevance. In our simulations we remove the wavenumber 3 pattern for each forcing individually and analyze the remaining tidal wind and temperature fields. We find that the direct solar forcing is dominant and explains most of the migrating terdiurnal tide's amplitude. Nonlinear interactions due to other tides or gravity waves are most important during local winter. Further analyses show that the nonlinear forcings are locally counteracting the solar forcing due to destructive interferences. Therefore, tidal amplitudes can become even larger for simulations with removed nonlinear forcings.