bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peritumoral administration of IFNβ upregulated mesenchymal stem cells inhibits tumor growth in an orthotopic, immunocompetent rat glioma model
Authors: Mao Jiaji , Cao Minghui , Zhang Fang , Zhang Jingzhong , Duan Xiaohui , Lu Liejing , Yang Zehong , Zhang Xiang , Zhu Wangshu , Zhang Qinyuan , Wang Zhe , Shen Jun
Published: March 2020

Background

Immunotherapy with IFNβ is a promising strategy for treating malignant glioma. However, systemic administration of IFNβ is inadequate because of low intratumoral concentration and major adverse effects. This study aimed to determine whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be used as cellular vehicles to locally deliver IFNβ for glioma therapy by using in vivo MRI tracking.

Methods

A recombinant lentiviral vector encoding IFNβ and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) reporter genes was constructed to transduce MSCs. The effectiveness and safety of transduction were assessed. After the IFNβ and FTH overexpressed MSCs (IFNβ-FTH-MSCs) were transplanted into intracranial orthotopic rat F98 gliomas via peritumoral, intracerebral, intratumoral or intra-arterial injection, MRI was performed to track IFNβ-FTH-MSCs and to evaluate their therapeutic effect on glioma in vivo, as validated by histologic analysis, quantitative PCR and ELISA assays.

Results

MSCs were efficiently and safely transduced to upregulate their IFNβ secretion and FTH expression by the constructed lentivirus. After peritumoral injection, IFNβ-FTH-MSCs appeared as hypointense signals on MRI, which gradually diminished but remained visible until 11 days. Compared with other administration routes, only peritumoral injection of IFNβ-FTH-MSCs showed a remarkable inhibition on the glioma growth. Nearly 30% of IFNβ-FTH-MSCs survived up to 11 days after peritumoral injection, while most of IFNβ-FTH-MSCs injected via other routes died within 11 days. IFNβ-FTH-MSCs grafted peritumorally secreted IFNβ persistently, leading to pronounced Batf3
+
dendritic cells and CD8
+
T lymphocyte infiltration within the glioma.

Conclusions

MSCs can be used as cellular vehicles of IFNβ to treat malignant glioma effectively via peritumoral injection.
A case of dual-mechanism immune-related anaemia in a patient with metastatic melanoma treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab
Authors: Olson Daniel J , Rajagopal Padma , Tjota Melissa Y , Venkataraman Girish , Luke Jason J , Gajewski Thomas F
Published: March 2020

Background

The combination of the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) ipilimumab and nivolumab is a mainstay of treatment for selected patients with metastatic melanoma. This combination also results in more frequent immune-related adverse events (irAEs) than either ICI alone. These irAEs can be severe and their pathogenesis is poorly understood.

Case presentation

We report a case of a woman with metastatic melanoma, treated with combined ipilimumab and nivolumab, who developed severe anaemia. While initial workup revealed autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, the anaemia persisted despite corticosteroids and paradoxical reticulocytopenia was observed. Bone marrow biopsy demonstrated a CD8+T cell-mediated destruction of the red cell precursors implying concurrent pure red cell aplasia. Both processes resolved after the addition of cyclosporine A.

Conclusions

This report describes a rare case of two concurrent mechanisms of haematological irAE in a patient treated with combined ICI therapy. Successful treatment resulted only after the second underlying mechanism of toxicity was uncovered. Prompt recognition of these unusual presentations of rare irAEs is now key to effective irAE management.
Cancer Variant Interpretation Group UK (CanVIG-UK): an exemplar national subspecialty multidisciplinary network
Authors: Garrett Alice , Callaway Alison , Durkie Miranda , Cubuk Cankut , Alikian Mary , Burghel George J , Robinson Rachel , Izatt Louise , Talukdar Sabrina , Side Lucy , Cranston Treena , Palmer-Smith Sheila , Baralle Diana , Berry Ian R , Drummond James , Wallace Andrew J , Norbury Gail , Eccles Diana M , Ellard Sian , Lalloo Fiona , Evans D Gareth , Woodward Emma , Tischkowitz Marc , Hanson Helen , Turnbull Clare
Published: March 2020

Advances in technology have led to a massive expansion in the capacity for genomic analysis, with a commensurate fall in costs. The clinical indications for genomic testing have evolved markedly; the volume of clinical sequencing has increased dramatically; and the range of clinical professionals involved in the process has broadened. There is general acceptance that our early dichotomous paradigms of variants being pathogenic–high risk and benign–no risk are overly simplistic. There is increasing recognition that the clinical interpretation of genomic data requires significant expertise in disease–gene-variant associations specific to each disease area. Inaccurate interpretation can lead to clinical mismanagement, inconsistent information within families and misdirection of resources. It is for this reason that ‘national subspecialist multidisciplinary meetings’ (MDMs) for genomic interpretation have been articulated as key for the new NHS Genomic Medicine Service, of which Cancer Variant Interpretation Group UK (CanVIG-UK) is an early exemplar. CanVIG-UK was established in 2017 and now has >100 UK members, including at least one clinical diagnostic scientist and one clinical cancer geneticist from each of the 25 regional molecular genetics laboratories of the UK and Ireland. Through CanVIG-UK, we have established national consensus around variant interpretation for cancer susceptibility genes via monthly national teleconferenced MDMs and collaborative data sharing using a secure online portal. We describe here the activities of CanVIG-UK, including exemplar outputs and feedback from the membership.
Comparison and validation of different models and variable selection methods for predicting survival after canine parvovirus infection
Authors: Franzo Giovanni , Corso Barbara , Tucciarone Claudia Maria , Drigo Michele , Caldin Marco , Cecchinato Mattia
Published: March 2020

Background

Canine parvovirus (CPV) represents one of the major infections in dogs. While supportive therapy significantly reduces mortality, other approaches have been reported to provide significant benefits. Unfortunately, the high cost of these treatments is typically a limiting factor. Consequently, a reliable prognostic tool allowing for an informed therapeutic approach would be of great interest. However, current methods are essentially based on ‘a priori’ selection of predictive variables, which could limit their predictive potential.

Methods

In the present study, the predictive performances in terms of CPV enteritis survival likelihood of an operator‐validated logistic regression were compared with those of more flexible methods featured by automatic variable selection. Several anamnestic, clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters were collected from 134 dogs at admission in a veterinary practice. Animal status was monitored until dismissal or death (mortality=21.6%).

Results

The best automatic variable selection method (random forest) showed excellent discriminatory capabilities (AUC=0.997, sensitivity=0.941 and specificity=1) compared with the logistic regression model (AUC=0.831, sensitivity=0.882 and specificity=0.652), when evaluated on a fully independent test data set. The implemented approaches allowed to identify antithrombin, serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum lipase, monocyte and lymphocyte count as the clinical parameter combination with the highest predictive capability, thus limiting the panel of required tests.

Conclusion

The model validated in the present study allows prompt prediction of disease severity at admission and provides objective and reliable criteria to support the clinician in selection of the therapeutic approach.
Connective Bieberbach groups
Authors: Dadarlat Marius , Weld Ellen
Published: March 2020

We prove that a Bieberbach group with trivial center is not connective and use this property to show that a Bieberbach group is connective if and only if it is poly-[Formula: see text].
Diameter-dependent structural and electronic property of fused porphyrin nanotubes: A density functional study
Authors: Chowdhury Somnath , Das Monoj , Mukherjee Prajna , Gupta Bikash C.
Published: March 2020

We have systematically carried out a density functional theory-based investigation to understand the structural and electronic properties of various fused metalloporphyrin nanotubes (MPNT; M = Sc and Ti) by varying their diameters ranging from 7.91 Å to 18.70 Å for ScPNT and 7.90 Å to 18.59 Å for TiPNT. Binding energies and curvature energies are calculated to access the binding strength and stability of the nanotubes (NTs). From band structure and density of states, it is observed that the ScPNTs are metallic in nature and TiPNTs are semiconductors with small band gaps. The energy gap increases with increasing tube diameter. Our study also indicates that the transition metal atoms play an important role in determining the electrical nature (metallic or semiconducting) of the NTs. Furthermore, work functions for the fused NTs are found to decrease with increasing tube diameter. These results may have direct relevance to the technological applications in terms of band gap engineering or controlled thermionic emission.
Synthesis and properties of a photochromic perinaphthothioindigo conjugated with two porphyrins
Authors: Ogawa Kazuya , Sato Masaki , Terao Kenta
Published: March 2020

In this study, we synthesized a new porphyrin-perinaphthothioindigo composite in which two porphyrins are connected to a perinaphthothioindigo dye through ethynyl linkages. The UV-vis absorption spectra of the composite showed an absorption peak originating from the trans-isomer at around 730 nm. Upon photoirradiation at 760 nm, the intensity of this absorption decreased with increasing absorption of the cis-isomer around 500 nm. The HOMO–LUMO absorption of the cis-isomer is blue-shifted by ˜230 nm compared to that of trans-isomer due to lack of [Formula: see text] conjugation. The shift by 230 nm is 100 nm larger than that observed for the monoporphyrin-substituted compound, indicating the expansion of [Formula: see text] conjugation by the additional porphyrin.
A Comparative Human-Centric Analysis of Virtual Reality and Dry Lab Training Tasks on the da Vinci Surgical Platform
Authors: Wang Ziheng , Kasman Michael , Martinez Marco , Rege Robert , Zeh Herbert , Scott Daniel , Fey Ann Majewicz
Published: March 2020

There is a growing, widespread trend of adopting robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) in clinical care. Dry lab robot training and virtual reality simulation are commonly used to train surgical residents; however, it is unclear whether both types of training are equivalent or can be interchangeable and still achieve the same results in terms of training outcomes. In this paper, we take the first step in comparing the effects of physical and simulated surgical training tasks on human operator kinematics and physiological response to provide a richer understanding of exactly how the user interacts with the actual or simulated surgical robot. Four subjects, with expertise levels ranging from novice to expert surgeon, were recruited to perform three surgical tasks — Continuous Suture, Pick and Place, Tubes, with three repetitions — on two training platforms: (1) the da Vinci Si Skills Simulator and (2) da Vinci S robot, in a randomized order. We collected physiological response and kinematic movement data through body-worn sensors for a total of 72 individual experimental trials. A range of expertise was chosen for this experiment to wash out inherent differences based on expertise and only focus on inherent differences between the virtual reality and dry lab platforms. Our results show significant differences ([Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]) between tasks done on the simulator and surgical robot. Specifically, robotic tasks resulted in significantly higher muscle activation and path length, and significantly lower economy of volume. The individual tasks also had significant differences in various kinematic and physiological metrics, leading to significant interaction effects between the task type and training platform. These results indicate that the presence of the robotic system may make surgical training tasks more difficult for the human operator. Thus, the potentially detrimental effects of virtual reality training alone are an important topic for future investigation.
Polymer-in-Ceramic Nanocomposite Solid Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries Encompassing PEO-Grafted TiO2 Nanocrystals
Authors: Colombo Francesco , Bonizzoni Simone , Ferrara Chiara , Simonutti Roberto , Mauri Michele , Falco Marisa , Gerbaldi Claudio , Mustarelli Piercarlo , Ruffo Riccardo
Published: March 2020

Lithium Metal Batteries (LMB) require solid or quasi-solid electrolytes able to block dendrites formation during cell cycling. Polymer-in-ceramic nanocomposites with the ceramic fraction exceeding the one normally used as the filler (>10 ÷ 15 wt%) are among the most interesting options on the table. Here, we report on a new hybrid material encompassing brush-like TiO2 nanocrystals functionalized with low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The nanocomposite electrolyte membranes are then obtained by blending the brush-like nanocrystals with high molecular weight PEO and LiTFSI. The intrinsic chemical compatibility among the PEO moieties allows a TiO2 content as high as ∼39 wt% (90:10 w/w functionalized nanocrystals/PEO-LiTFSI), while maintaining good processability and mechanical resistance. The 50:50 w/w nanocomposite electrolyte (18.8 wt% functionalized TiO2) displays ionic conductivity of 3 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 70 °C. Stripping/plating experiments show an excellent long-term behavior even at relatively high currents of 200 μA cm−2. Upon testing in a lab-scale Li/electrolyte/LiFePO4 cell, the material delivers 130 mAh g−1 and 120 mAh g−1 after 40 and 50 cycles at 0.05 and 0.1 mA, respectively, with Coulombic efficiency exceeding 99.5%, which demonstrates the very promising prospects of these newly developed nanocomposite solid electrolyte for future development of LMBs.
Asymmetrical Contact Geometry to Reduce Forward-Bias Degradation in β-Ga2O3 Rectifiers
Authors: Xian Minghan , Fares Chaker , Ren Fan , Islam Zahabul , Haque Aman , Tadjer Marko , Pearton S. J.
Published: March 2020

We report a study of the effect of different Schottky contact orientations on maximum current achievable before failure and also temperature distributions in vertical geometry Ga2O3 rectifiers. Due to the strong anisotropy of thermal conductivity in Ga2O3, asymmetrical Schottky contacts are needed to provide higher current density with enhanced lateral thermal dissipation, symmetrical temperature profile and lower junction temperature at a specific diode current density compared to symmetrical contacts. Devices with rectangular contacts fabricated on (001) orientated wafers with their long axis perpendicular to the [010] crystallographic direction show much greater resistance to thermal degradation under forward bias conditions than either square contact rectifiers or those oriented with their long axis oriented perpendicular to the [100] direction. An optimized contact orientation can produce a 25% increase in maximum forward current. Practical operating conditions for Ga2O3 power devices will need to encompass all aspects of thermal management, including these geometric factors as well as active and passive cooling.
Research on Bending Rigidity at Flange Connections of UHV Composite Electrical Equipment
Authors: Wang Haibo , Cheng Yongfeng , Lu Zhicheng , Zhu Zhubing , Zhang Shujun
Published: March 2020

Pillar electrical equipment is an important part of substations. The application of composite materials in pillar equipment can facilitate the improvement of the seismic performance of electrical equipment. In this paper, the test of elastic modulus and bending rigidity was conducted for individual composite elements in insulators and arresters, and the calculation formula for bending rigidity at the composite flange cementing connections was put forward. The numerical simulation model for the earthquake simulation shaking table test of ±1,100 kV composite pillar insulators was established, in which the bending rigidity value for the flange cementing part was obtained by the test or calculation formula. The numerical simulation results were compared with the earthquake simulation shaking table test results, the dynamic characteristics and seismic response of the model were compared, respectively, the validity of the proposed calculation formula for flange bending rigidity of composite cementing parts was verified, and a convenient and effective means was provided for calculating the seismic performance of composite electrical equipment.
Factors Affecting Mortality in Patients Admitted to the Hospital by Emergency Physicians despite Disagreement with Other Specialties
Authors: Ozakin Engin , Cevik Arif Alper , Kaya Filiz Baloglu , Acar Nurdan , Abu-Zidan Fikri M.
Published: March 2020

Background. Emergency physicians (EPs) face critical admission decisions, and their judgments are questioned in some developing systems. This study aims to define the factors affecting mortality in patients admitted to the hospital by EPs against in-service departments’ decision and evaluate EPs’ admission diagnosis with final discharge diagnosis.Methods. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of ten consecutive years (2008–2017) of an emergency department of a university medical center. Adult patients (≥18 years-old) who were admitted to the hospital by EPs against in-service departments’ decision were enrolled in the study. Significant factors affecting mortality were defined by the backward logistic regression model.Results. 369 consecutive patients were studied, and 195 (52.8%) were males. The mean (SD) age was 65.5 (17.3) years. The logistic regression model showed that significant factors affecting mortality were intubation (p<0.0001), low systolic blood pressure (p=0.006), increased age (p=0.013), and having a comorbidity (p=0.024). There was no significant difference between EPs’ primary admission diagnosis and patient’s final primary diagnosis at the time of disposition from the admitted departments (McNemar–Bowker test,p=0.45). 96% of the primary admission diagnoses of EPs were correct.Conclusions. Intubation, low systolic blood pressure on presentation, increased age, and having a comorbidity increased the mortality. EPs admission diagnoses were highly correlated with the final diagnosis. EPs make difficult admission decisions with high accuracy, if needed.
Characterization of Vertical Response of Asphalt Trackbed Concrete in Railway Substructure to External Loads
Authors: Yusupov Bekhzad , Qiu Yanjun , Sharipov Galibjon , Wu Chaoyang
Published: March 2020

Optimizing the dynamic responses of a slab track system is a key aspect to improve the quality of a railway track structure. In this paper, numerical modelling and simulation of vertical dynamics of the railway track structure engaging the asphalt concrete in substructures were carried out. Thus, a 3D finite element (FE) model was developed. The developed model was validated by comparing its outputs, that is, acceleration with the measured ones from realistic experimental data. The good agreement between the simulated and measured data which resulted from the validation confirmed that the proposed model has a capability of simulating the complex dynamic performances of the train‐track‐ground system under different loading conditions. Analyses of the determined results from the simulation model performances revealed that three specific factors, which were the speed of the train, the temperature, and thickness of the asphalt concrete trackbed, mainly influenced the dynamic behavior of the railway structure. Thereby, those factors were taken into consideration while evaluating the dynamic responses and designing the asphalt concrete trackbed in railway substructures.
Design of Flight Control System for a Novel Tilt-Rotor UAV
Authors: Chen Zaibin , Jia Hongguang
Published: March 2020

This paper presents the control system design process of a novel tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (TRUAV). First, a new configuration scheme with the tilting rotors is designed. Then, the detailed nonlinear mathematical model is established, and the parameters are acquired from designed experiments and numerical analyses. For control design purposes, the dynamics equation is linearized around the hovering equilibrium point, and a control allocation method based on trim calculation is developed. To deal with the actuator saturation and uncertain disturbance problems for the novel TRUAV, an improved flight control law based on the combination of the robust servo linear quadratic regulator (RSLQR) optimal control and the extended state observer (ESO) is proposed. The designed flight control law has a simple structure with a high reliability in engineering. Simulations and hovering flight tests are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the mathematical model and the proposed control strategy.
Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndromes in a Patient with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Iakovis Nikolaos , Xanthopoulos Andrew , Chamaidi Aikaterini , Papamichalis Michail , Dimos Apostolos , Triposkiadis Filippos , Skoularigis John
Published: March 2020

A 53-year-old man was admitted to a peripheral hospital with the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction without ST elevation. Due to the concomitant presence of first-diagnosed thrombocytopenia (platelet count 50.000/μL), it was decided to be treated conservatively with clopidogrel. Five days later, he developed an acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation (STEMI) and was transferred to our department for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Coronary angiography revealed three-vessel disease. The left anterior descending lesion was considered culprit, and PCI was successfully performed using a drug-eluting balloon. This approach was considered safer due to the risk of intolerance of prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy in case of stent implantation. Indeed, four days later, aspirin was discontinued, and the patient remained only on clopidogrel due to a platelet fall. Meanwhile, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was diagnosed by hematology consultation, and specific ITP treatment was initiated. Seven days following the procedure, the patient was transferred to the Hematology clinic, where a continuous rise of platelet count up to 115.000/μL while on clopidogrel was observed, and he was discharged from the hospital asymptomatic. Unfortunately, twenty days later, the patient died of a lung infection. In ITP patients with STEMI, primary PCI with drug-eluting balloon angioplasty may be a reasonable approach.
No Acoustic Correlates of Grammatical Class: A Critical Re-Examination of Sereno and Jongman (1995)
Authors: Lohmann Arne
Published: March 2020

The present article describes an extended replication of a reading study by Sereno and Jongman (1995) that reported acoustic differences between noun and verb pronunciations of English disyllabic, non-stress-shifting homophone pairs, for example, answer (v) versus answer (n). The original findings point to a gradual influence of the typical stress patterns of both grammatical categories, with noun readings exhibiting a tendency toward trochaic and verb readings toward iambic pronunciation. However, the effects found by Sereno and Jongman (1995) did not consistently reach statistical significance and were based on a very small sample size. Employing a considerably larger group of speakers, the current replication fails to find the reported effects of the grammatical category. The null result obtained can be accounted for within speech production models that assume identical metrical templates for the homophone pairs tested and no direct influence of the grammatical category on the phonetics of stress assignment.
Validity of the Use of a Triaxial Accelerometer and a Physical Activity Questionnaire for Estimating Total Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity Level among Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: CLEVER-DM Study
Authors: Nishida Yuki , Tanaka Shigeho , Nakae Satoshi , Yamada Yosuke , Morino Katsutaro , Kondo Keiko , Nishida Kaori , Ohi Akiko , Kurihara Mika , Sasaki Masaya , Ugi Satoshi , Maegawa Hiroshi , Ebine Naoyuki , Sasaki Satoshi , Katsukawa Fuminori
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Evaluation of total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity level (PAL) is important for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the validity of accelerometers (ACC) and physical activity questionnaires (PAQ) for estimating TEE and PAL remains unknown in elderly populations with T2DM. We evaluated the accuracy of TEE and PAL results estimated by an ACC (TEEACC and PALACC) and a PAQ (TEEPAQ and PALPAQ) in elderly patients with T2DM. Methods: Fifty-one elderly patients with T2DM (aged 61–79 years) participated in this study. TEEACC was calculated with PALACC using a triaxial ACC (Active style Pro HJA-750c) over 2 weeks and predicted basal metabolic rate (BMR) by Ganpule’s equation. TEEPAQ was estimated using predicted BMR and the PALPAQ from the ­Japan Public Health Center Study-Long questionnaire. We compared the results to TEEDLW measured with the doubly labeled water (DLW) method and PALDLW calculated with BMR using indirect calorimetry. Results: TEEDLW was 2,165 ± 365 kcal/day, and TEEACC was 2,014 ± 339 kcal/day; TEEACC was strongly correlated with TEEDLW (r = 0.87, p < 0.01) but significantly underestimated (–150 ± 183 kcal/day, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in TEEPAQ and TEEDLW (–49 ± 284 kcal/day), while the range of difference seemed to be larger than TEEACC. PALDLW, PALACC, and PALPAQ were calculated to be 1.71 ± 0.17, 1.69 ± 0.16, and 1.78 ± 0.24, respectively. ­PALACC was strongly correlated with PALDLW (r = 0.71, p < 0.01), and there was no significant difference between the 2 values. PALPAQ was moderately correlated with PALDLW (r = 0.43, p < 0.01) but significantly overestimated. Predicted BMR was significantly lower than the BMR ­measured by indirect calorimetry (1,193 ± 186 vs. 1,262 ± 155 kcal/day, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The present ACC and questionnaire showed acceptable correlation of TEE and PAL compared with DLW method in elderly patients with T2DM. Systematic errors in estimating TEE may be improved by the better equation for predicting BMR.
“He Gave Us the Cornerstone of Sexual Medicine”: A Nobel Plan but No Nobel Prize for Eugen Steinach
Authors: Hansson Nils , Krischel Matthis , Södersten Per , Moll Friedrich H. , Fangerau Heiner
Published: March 2020

This paper reviews the files in the archive of the Nobel Prize Committee for Physiology or Medicine on the Austrian physiologist and pioneering researcher in the emerging fields of urology and sexual medicine: Eugen Steinach (1861–1944). It reconstructs and analyzes why and by whom Steinach was nominated for the Nobel Prize between 1920 and 1938 and discusses the reasons why he never received the award, although the Nobel Committee judged him as prizeworthy. Steinach’s Nobel nominee career is extraordinary – not only because of his strong support by renowned international nominators from different scientific and medical disciplines, but also because of the controversial discussions within the Nobel Committee on his achievements, colored by the debates in the international scientific community. The Nobel Prize story adds a new perspective on how contemporary international scholars evaluated Steinach’s research on reproduction, “male-making” females, “female-making” males, homosexuality, and the concept of rejuvenation.
Can You Understand Your Child? Reliability and Validity of a Parent Questionnaire: The Intelligibility in Context Scale: Italian
Authors: Piazzalunga Silvia , Salerni Nicoletta , Limarzi Sofia , Fassina Selene , Schindler Antonio
Published: March 2020

Introduction: The Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) is a parent-report scale by which parents can rate their child’s functional speech intelligibility according to seven different communicative partners. Translations, linguistic adaptations, and psychometric and norming data for ICS have been achieved in different languages. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the ICS (ICS-I) in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, criterion validity (correlation with speech measures), and construct validity, and to investigate potential differences between mothers’ and fathers’ subjective ratings in ICS-I. Methods: Italian-speaking children aged 3.0–5.11 years (n = 364), without major developmental impairment, were recruited in kindergartens. All children were independently rated by their mothers (ICS-Im) and fathers (ICS-If). A subsample of parents (n = 127) rated ICS-I twice after 3 weeks (test-retest reliability). Children were administered a naming and a word repetition task, by which speech measures were calculated: percentage of phonemes correct (PPC), percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and percentage of vowels correct (PVC). Results: High internal consistency (α = 0.92) and good test-retest reliability (rs = 0.78) were found. A high (r > 0.67) correlation between the ICS-I total scores and single-item scores was found (construct validity), except for parental perception in ICS-Im and ICS-If. Moderate correlations (rs > 0.38) between the ICS-I and the PPC and PCC tasks suggested adequate criterion validity. Mothers’ and fathers’ ratings showed an appropriate agreement in the items acquaintances and teachers, but overall parent ratings were significantly different, with higher mean scores in ICS-Im (median = 4.57) than in ICS-If (median = 4.46), Z = –2.852, p < 0.01. Conclusions: As for other previous international studies, ICS-I presents good psychometric properties, but some differences in mothers’ and fathers’ scores suggest a potential parental influence in rating a child’s intelligibility. Findings support cross-linguistic research, and further investigation could promote the application of ICS-I as an outcome measure in children with speech sound disorders.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Improved by Enteral Nutritional Therapy: A Retrospective Case-Series Study in a Single Institution
Authors: Wan Songlin , Zhang Li , Yang Jianbo , Gao Xuejin , Wang Xinying
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a relatively rare cause of chronic duodenal obstruction, owing to the compression of the third portion of the duodenum. Objectives: This retrospective study aims to discuss the efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) therapy in nutritional status and symptom improvement at a short-term follow-up for SMAS patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of patients diagnosed as SMAS and treated with EN from September 2012 to January 2019. Results: Twenty-six patients were included (16 women; mean age 24.96 ± 11.77 years), none was excluded, and one was lost to follow-up. The patients’ mean body weight was 40.94 ± 10.16 kg, mean weight loss 11.73 ± 7.58 kg, and mean body mass index (BMI) 14.82 ± 2.52 kg/m2. The mean duration of EN therapy was 10.10 ± 4.66 months. Serum level of nutritional indicators, BMI and body weight increased after EN therapy. During a median follow-up of 24 months (9–44) after EN therapy, the mean symptom score decreased from 24.28 ± 9.57 to 8.06 ± 8.29 (p < 0.0001), and 65% of patients’ symptoms resolved and 15% of patients’ symptoms improved. In total, 16 complications occurred, including tube blockage, peristomal wound infections, peristomal leakage, granulomas, and nasopharyngeal pain. Conclusion: EN therapy may be an effective option for SMAS patients. While it might not remove all symptoms, it can improve the nutritional status to support subsequent treatments.
Problematic Smartphone Use, Screen Time and Chronotype Correlations in University Students
Authors: Randjelovic Pavle , Stojiljkovic Nenad , Radulovic Niko , Stojanovic Nikola , Ilic Ivan
Published: March 2020

Background: Besides numerous advantages and commodities offered by smartphones, there are obvious unhealthy effects. The global trend of an increase in the frequency of usage of smartphones, that is, prolonged screen time, is closely related to problematic smartphone use. The aim of our study was to measure the level of problematic smartphone use in a student population through the assessment of the smartphone screen time and the determination of the student chronotype, as well as through the correlation between these variables. Methods: The participants were students of medicine of both sexes. Problematic smartphone use was measured by the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale. Smartphone screen time was assessed by the free Android application Quality Time. Chronotype was established by the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Results: Almost one quarter (22.7%) of students involved in our study could be classified as being “smartphone-addicted”. The students with problematic smartphone use more frequently (statistical significance) belonged to the evening chronotype. Those students spent significantly more time on their phones compared to the non-addicted ones. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of male and female students with problematic smartphone use. The best predictors of problematic smartphone use were longer daily smartphone screen time and evening chronotype personality. Conclusions: The results of our study showed that a significant number of students of medicine showed problematic smartphone use. There was a strong correlation between extensive screen time and the level of problematic smartphone use in the studied population.
Control system design of duct cleaning robot capable of overcoming L and T-shaped ducts
Authors: Seo Myeong In , Jang Woo Jin , Ha Junhwan , Park Kyongtae , Kim Dong Hwan
Published: March 2020

This study introduces the control method of duct cleaning robot that enables real-time position tracking and self-driving over L-shaped and T-shaped duct sections. The developed robot has three legs and is designed to flexibly respond to duct sizes. The position of the robot inside the duct is identified using the UWB communication module and the location estimation algorithm. Although UWB communication has relatively large distance error within the metal, the positional error was reduced by introducing appropriate filters to estimate the robot position accurately. TCP/IP communication allows commands to be sent between the PC and the robot and to receive live images of the camera attached to the robot. Using Haar-like and classifiers, the robot can recognize the type of duct that is difficult to overcome, such as L-shaped and T-shaped duct, and it moves successfully inside the duct according to the corresponding moving algorithms.
Inverse kinematic analysis of 3 DOF 3-PRS PM for machining on inclined prismatic surfaces
Authors: Patel Hishantkumar Rashmikantbhai , Patel Yashavant
Published: March 2020

Parallel Manipulators (PMs) are family members of modern manipulators based on the closed loop structural architecture. 3-PRS (prismatic, revolute, spherical) manipulator with 3DOF is investigated for its machining capability on prismatic surfaces as it possesses greater structural stiffness, higher pay load caring capacity, more precision compare to serial manipulators as well as less accumulation of errors at joints within a constrained workspace. The said manipulator can be utilized in various fields of application such as precise manufacturing, medical surgery, space technology and many more. In this paper, the primary focus on usage of parallel manipulator in industrial applications such as drilling and grooving on inclined work part surface. Inverse kinematic solutions are used for drilling, square and round profiles on inclined surface using parallel manipulator.
Designing and testing of a smart firefighting device system (LAHEEB)
Authors: Samkari Yousef , Guedri Kamel , Oreijah Mowffaq , Munshi Shadi , Azam Sufyan
Published: March 2020

The motivation behind this project is that firefighter's death. Many firefighters are struggling to perform their duty which causes much death while on a mission and the circumstances related to each incident. Firefighters are our heroes and our sense of security in times of trouble. They put themselves on dangerous situations to protect us. At present, the world is moving toward the use of technologies software and hardware. This paper proposed a smart firefighting device system (LAHEEB) which designed to detect the source of fire, extinguish it, and increase the knowledge about fire behavior from incident area. This device can extinguish different types of fire A, B, C, D, F/K, electric and metal fire without spreading in the shortest time. This device will reduce the risk of injury for firefighters and possible victims and decrease the monetary losses which increase considerably as fire duration increases. LAHEEB device is consists of two parts. The first part is called the mid-cap which presented the body of the device that has most of the components such as sensors, relays, battery, servo motor, liquid tank, push-button, and Arduino. The second part is called the bottom-cap which presented the moving part of the device that has the significant components of LAHEEB such as servo motor, sprayer, and thermal camera. It also makes use of liquid-tank and spray mechanism for extinguishing the fire. The spraying nozzle is mounted on a servo motor to cover maximum area. Liquid-extinguisher is pumped from the main tank to the nose with the help of a pump. The whole system is programmed using an Arduino DUE board which forms the brain of the system.
Fuzzy logic controller design for PUMA 560 robot manipulator
Authors: Abdel-Salam Abdel-Azim S. , Jleta Ibrahim N.
Published: March 2020

The dynamic model of the robot manipulator contain from equations, these equations are nonlinear and contained from variations parameters due to variations in load, friction, and disturbance. The conventional computed torque (PD and PID) controllers are not highly suitable for nonlinear, complex, time-variant systems with delay. In this paper, the fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) has been used because it is efficient tools for control of nonlinear and uncertain parameters systems. This paper aims to design a fuzzy logic controller for position control of a PUMA 560 robot manipulator. Based on simulation results we conclude that the performance of the fuzzy logic controller in term of position tracking error in case of disturbance or load is better than the conventional computed torque (PD-CTC and PID-CTC) controllers.
Association Between Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in Stroke Patients
Authors: Castello‐Branco Renan C. , Cerqueira‐Silva Thiago , Andrade Alisson L. , Gonçalves Beatriz M. M. , Pereira Camila B. , Felix Iuri F. , Santos Leila S. B. , Porto Louise M. , Marques Maria E. L. , Catto Marilia B. , Oliveira Murilo A. , de Sousa Paulo R. S. P. , Muiños Pedro J. R. , Maia Renata M. , Schnitman Saul , Oliveira‐Filho Jamary
Published: March 2020

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (
OSA
) is present in 60% to 70% of stroke patients. Cerebral vasoreactivity in patients with stroke and
OSA
has not been well studied and could identify a new pathophysiologic mechanism with potential therapeutic intervention. We aimed to determine whether risk categories for
OSA
are associated with cerebral vasoreactivity in stroke patients.

Methods and Results

In this cross‐sectional study of a cohort of patients with stroke, we used clinical questionnaires (Sleep Obstructive Apnea Score Optimized for Stroke [
SOS
] and snoring, tiredness, observed, pressure, bmi, age, neck, gender [
STOP
‐
BANG
] scores) to assess the risk of
OSA
and transcranial Doppler to assess cerebral vasoreactivity (breath‐holding index and visual evoked flow velocity response). Of the 99 patients included, 77 (78%) had medium or high risk of
OSA
and 80 performed transcranial Doppler. Mean breath‐holding index was 0.52±0.37, and median visual evoked flow velocity response was 10.8% (interquartile range: 8.8–14.5); 54 of 78 (69%) showed impaired anterior circulation vasoreactivity (breath‐holding index <0.69) and 53 of 71 (75%) showed impaired posterior circulation vasoreactivity (visual evoked flow velocity response ≤14.0%). There was a significant negative correlation between the risk of
OSA
calculated by
STOP
‐
BANG
and the breath‐holding index (

r
S

=−0.284,
P
=0.012). The following variables were associated with low anterior circulation vasoreactivity: dyslipidemia (odds ratio: 4.7; 95%
CI
, 1.5–14.2) and
STOP
‐
BANG
score (odds ratio: 1.7 per 1‐point increase; 95%
CI
, 1.1–1.5).

Conclusions

A high risk of
OSA
and impaired vasoreactivity exists in the population that has had stroke. Dyslipidemia and
STOP
‐
BANG
sleep apnea risk categories were independently associated with impaired anterior circulation vasoreactivity.
The Tree-Hugger Who Went on a Date: The Meaning of sansan
Authors: Eichler Raanan
Published: March 2020

The biblical hapax legomenon סַנְסִנָּיו (Song 7:9) seems to denote a part of the date palm, but readers have disagreed widely on which part. Most scholars today follow Immanuel Löw, who concluded from Syriac and Akkadian cognates that the word denotes the spadices, which are the branched stalks that hold the clusters of flowers and fruit. Eran Viezel has recently argued on morphological grounds that it denotes a “fruit-laden cluster of dates”. It is proposed here that the word denotes the projecting leaf bases that line the trunk of the date palm and that it is cognate with the Arabic word sinsin, “edge of a spinal vertebra”, to which these leaf bases bear a close visual resemblance.
Deuteronomy 28:58, CTH 53, and the Rhetoric of Self-Reference
Authors: Lester Mark
Published: March 2020

This article revisits the long perceived referential difficulty in the phrase “this sēper” in Deut 28:58. It introduces phraseology drawn from the 14th century BCE Hittite treaty of Šuppiluliuma I with Tette of Nuḫašši (CTH 53) parallel to the expression “all the words of this sēper written in this tôrâ” (Deut 28:58). In light of this comparative evidence it argues that it is probable that “this sēper” had a self-referential function: the expression “this sēper” in Deut 28:58 indicates for audiences the material text-object on which the verse was written, and does not merely point to a text-object that exists within the world of the narrative. Finally, it considers the analogy of treaty performance to understand how the spatial relationship created between audiences and physical text-objects through deictic self-reference functions within the literary context of the Deuteronomic source.
Proverbs 8, Christological Controversies, and the Pre-existence of the Son and Torah in the Third and Fourth Centuries
Authors: Edwards Robert G. T
Published: March 2020

This article argues that the opening of Genesis Rabbah 1 can be read productively in conversation with Christian controversies which raged from the middle of the third century to the fourth century. In rabbinic literature, it is not until the Amoraic period, in Palestine, that Proverbs 8 began to be employed as a proof of Torah’s pre-existence. This is precisely the same time that Christians engaged in heated debate as to the pre-existence of the Son, also based on Proverbs 8, not least in Palestine. By way of a broad reading of the christological controversies of this era, and a close reading of the exegesis of Proverbs 8 in Genesis Rabbah 1, the obscure debate partners of Genesis Rabbah 1 come to light: Christians who were debating the pre-existence of Wisdom.
The Right Transmission: Understanding Global Diffusion of the Far-Right
Authors: Ramos Jennifer M. , Torres Priscilla
Published: March 2020

Around the globe, a growing group of politicians are drawing on far-right sentiments to win elections and pursue their policy agendas. Such trends have the potential to undermine established democratic principles within states and reverse trends towards democracy on a global scale. Global public opinion polls in democracies show that citizens no longer find it essential to live in a democracy (Foa and Mounk 2016; Levitsky and Ziblatt 2018). Furthermore, some see events such as the election of US President Trump and Brexit as catalysts for the diffusion of ultra-right-wing policies. In this article, we seek to explain the rise of the far-right beyond socio-economic and immigration concerns. We propose that not only do such politicians rely on domestic networks of support, but they are also aided by transnational far-right communities. These communities reinforce one another through the sharing of ideas, frames, and strategies to form an epistemic community. By examining political leaders’, parties’, and movements’ actions and rhetoric in our case studies of the U.S., Germany and the U.K., we illustrate the mutually supportive global communities of right-wing demagoguery. We conclude with a discussion of the findings and considerations for future research.
The Dates of the 587/6 BCE Capture and Destruction of Jerusalem
Authors: de Waard Henk
Published: March 2020

The present article examines the dates of the 587/6 BCE capture and destruction of Jerusalem, which differ across the parallel accounts in 2 Kgs 24:18–25:21 and Jer 52:1–30. I argue that the Masoretic Text of Jer 52:6 gives the correct date of Jerusalem’s capture, even though the relevant phrase is a later insertion. In addition, I propose a new solution for the problem of the variant dates of the city’s destruction. According to this solution, the original date has been preserved by 2 Kgs 25:8, while the date given in Jer 52:12 has been influenced by an incorrect assumption about the date of the capture.
Magnetic Resonance Image Analysis of Ankle Joint Motion Injury in Athletes
Authors: Cui Bo , Liu Yan , Liu Xiaohua , Jie Mufu , Chen Lijun , Chen Shuxiang
Published: March 2020

Objective: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which is used to analyze common sports injuries in the ankle joint, provides guidance for clinical treatment. Methods: MRI of the ankle joint was performed in 53 athletes with ankle joint injury. The MRI features of the ankle
ligament injury, the combined ligament injury characteristics and the ligament injury characteristics of the ankle were evaluated. Results: 53 athletes with a total of 74 ligament injuries, partial tear or complete rupture of the ligament, high-signal effusion shadow, soft tissue edema
and adjacent bone marrow edema around the boundary, chronic injury is mainly characterized by irregular thickening or thinning of the ligament and uneven signal. There were 32 cases of lateral collateral ligament injury, the main ligament injury was 42. Conclusions: MRI is used to examine
athletes with acute and chronic ligament injury, and the clinical impact characteristics are quite different. Therefore, MRI analysis can be used as the main diagnostic basis for athletes with acute and chronic ankle ligament injury. It provides reference and reference value for the determination
of clinical treatment plan.