bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The translation strategies for Chinese diplomatic neologisms from the perspective of “Political Equivalence”
Authors: Yang Mingxing , Yan Da
Published: January 2017

With rich connotations and marked features, the translation theory of “Political Equivalence” has great significance in directing the standards, procedures and specific methods for diplomatic language translation. As a special form of discourse, diplomatic language is closely related to foreign policies and state interests, and has strong political inclination, thus inevitably concerning political issues. This paper, under the theoretical guidance of “Political Equivalence”, advances the strategies for translating the Chinese diplomatic neologism Buzheteng used by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the conference celebrating the 30th anniversary of the reform and opening policy. Its purpose is to analyze the literal meaning, political context and connotations of the localism Buzheteng, and to conduct an analytical contrast of different translations. It also aims to provide a critical evaluation of the “Zero Translation” theory proposed by Zhu Chunshen and Zhang Junfeng from the City University of Hong Kong. The translation of Buzheteng illustrates that the “Political Equivalence” theory is one of the major criteria and principles gauging the translation of diplomatic languages.
Japanese wh-phrases as operators with unspecified quantificational force
Authors: Saito Mamoru
Published: January 2017

Japanese wh-expressions appear in various kinds of operator-variable structures, including wh-questions and sentences with universal and existential quantification. The nature of the operator-variable relation is determined by an associated particle, such as the question markerkaor the universal particlemo. Given this, it has been widely assumed sinceKuroda (1965)that the wh-expressions are to be interpreted as variables bound by those quantificational particles. This paper argues against this prevailing view by proposing that these wh-expressions are operators with unspecified quantificational force. Building on an insight byNishigauchi (1990), I argue that they must covertly move to positions that allow them to probe particles and to acquire specific quantificational forces from them. I demonstrate that this analysis captures the main properties of Japanese wh-expressions as well as the differences between them and their Chinese counterparts.Huang (1982)proposed a covert movement analysis for argument wh-phrases in Chinese, which was extended to Japanese, for example, inLasnik & Saito (1984)andRichards (2001). ButTsai (1999)has convincingly shown that they are subject to unselective binding and are interpreted in situ as variables. If the analysis for Japanese in this paper is correct, it shows that Huang’s approach can be – and should be – maintained for wh-phrases in Japanese with some refinements.
Separation of electrically neutral non-metallic inclusions from molten steel by pulsed electric current
Authors: Zhang Xinfang , Qin Rongshan
Published: January 2017

Effect of a pulsed electric current on the distribution of Al2O3 inclusions in liquid steel is explored; these inclusions ranged in size from micrometres to nanometres. When no electric current was applied, the inclusions were randomly distributed in the steel. However, when an electric current was applied, the inclusions were found in highly populated regions near the various interfaces. Moreover, this process applies to a wide range of inclusion diameters, in contrast to conventional inclusion removal methods which tend to apply to larger (>20 μm) particles only. Consequently, the application of pulsed electric current provides a method of removing inclusions from the steel and thereby improving the mechanical, physical and corrosion resistance properties of the steel.

This paper is part of a themed issue on Materials in External Fields.
Ferulic acid suppresses expression of tryptophan metabolic key enzyme indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase via NFκB and p38 MAPK in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated microglial cells
Authors: Koshiguchi Manami , Komazaki Hitoshi , Hirai Shizuka , Egashira Yukari
Published: January 2017

Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenol compound found in plants that has anti-inflammatory properties. Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a tryptophan catabolic enzyme induced in immune cells, including glial cells, during inflammation. Enhanced IDO expression leads to reduced tryptophan levels and increased levels of toxic metabolites, including quinolinic acid. Therefore, inhibition of IDO expression may be effective in suppressing progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examined the effect of FA in microglial cells on IDO expression levels and related inflammatory signal molecules. FA suppressed LPS-induced IDO mRNA expression and also suppressed nuclear translocation of NF-κB and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. However, FA did not affect the production of LPS-induced inflammatory mediators and phosphorylation of JNK. Our results indicate that FA suppresses LPS-induced IDO mRNA expression, which may be mediated by inhibition of the NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathways in microglial cells.
Does the Predictive Validity of Psychopathy Ratings Depend on the Clinical Experience of the Raters?
Authors: Boccaccini Marcus T. , Rufino Katrina A. , Jeon Hyemin , Murrie Daniel C.
Published: January 2017

We compared the predictive validity of Psychopathy Checklist- Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003 ) scores assigned to 80 sexual offenders by two trained graduate students (using file review) and at least one licensed clinician (using file review and interview). There was more variability among the scores assigned by the licensed clinicians than those assigned by the graduate students, and the scores assigned by licensed clinicians were stronger predictors of future offending than those assigned by the graduate students. Findings raise questions about a possible association between clinical experience and PCL-R score validity and highlight the need for more research in this area.
Solutions of Stress Intensity Factors of Multiple Internal Axial Cracks in Hollow Cylinders
Authors: Ismail Al Emran
Published: January 2017

This paper solved numerically the stress intensity factors of multiple internal axial cracks in hollow cylinders under internal pressure. Semi-elliptical shaped cracks are modelled using ANSYS finite element program and the stress intensity factors are calculated using interaction domain integral which is based on the J-integral. There are two important parameters are considered such as crack aspect ratio, a/t is 0.2, 0.4 and 0.75 and crack spacing distance, d/c is 0.4, 0.7 and 1.1. For multiple internal axial cracks under internal pressure, stress intensity factors along the crack front decreased when crack aspect ratio, a/t is increased. It is also revealed that the role of crack spacing on the stress intensity factor is insignificant especially for the shallow cracks (a/t < 0.4). However, for the crack having a/t = 0.75, increasing the distance of d/c capable to increase the SIFs due to interaction effect.
Toenail as Non-invasive Biomarker in Metal Toxicity Measurement of Welding Fumes Exposure - A Review
Authors: Bakri S F Z , Hariri A , Ma’arop N F , Hussin N S A W
Published: January 2017

Workers are exposed to a variety of heavy metal pollutants that are released into the environment as a consequence of workplace activities. This chemical pollutants are incorporated into the human by varies of routes entry and can then be stored and distributed in different tissues, consequently have a potential to lead an adverse health effects and/or diseases. As to minimize the impact, a control measures should be taken to avoid these effects and human biological marker is a very effective tool in the assessment of occupational exposure and potential related risk as the results is normally accurate and reproducible. Toenail is the ideal matrix for most common heavy metals due to its reliability and practicality compared to other biological samples as well as it is a non-invasive and this appears as a huge advantage of toenail as a biomarker. This paper reviews studies that measure the heavy metals concentration in toenail as non-invasive matrix which later may adapt in the investigation of metal fume emitted from welding process. The development of new methodology and modern analytical techniques has allowed the use of toenail as non-invasive approach. The presence of a heavy metal in this matrix reflects an exposure but the correlations between heavy metal levels in the toenail must be established to ensure that these levels are related to the total body burden. These findings suggest that further studies on interactions of these heavy metals in metal fumes utilizing toenail biomarker endpoints are highly warranted especially among welders.
A feasibility study on the use of phantoms with statistical lung masses for determining the uncertainty in the dose absorbed by the lung from broad beams of incident photons and neutrons
Authors: Khankook Atiyeh Ebrahimi , Hakimabad Hashem Miri , Motavalli Laleh Rafat
Published: January 2017

Computational models of the human body have gradually become crucial in the evaluation of doses absorbed by organs. However, individuals may differ considerably in terms of organ size and shape. In this study, the authors sought to determine the energy-dependent standard deviations due to lung size of the dose absorbed by the lung during external photon and neutron beam exposures. One hundred lungs with different masses were prepared and located in an adult male International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantom. Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-particle code version 5 (MCNP5). Variation in the lung mass caused great uncertainty: ~90% for low-energy broad parallel photon beams. However, for high-energy photons, the lung-absorbed dose dependency on the anatomical variation was reduced to <1%. In addition, the results obtained indicated that the discrepancy in the lung-absorbed dose varied from 0.6% to 8% for neutron beam exposure. Consequently, the relationship between absorbed dose and organ volume was found to be significant for low-energy photon sources, whereas for higher energy photon sources the organ-absorbed dose was independent of the organ volume. In the case of neutron beam exposure, the maximum discrepancy (of 8%) occurred in the energy range between 0.1 and 5 MeV.
Diagnosing galactic feedback with line broadening in the low-redshift Lyα forest
Authors: Viel Matteo , Haehnelt Martin G. , Bolton James S. , Kim Tae-Sun , Puchwein Ewald , Nasir Fahad , Wakker Bart P.
Published: January 2017

We compare the low-redshift (z ≃ 0.1) Lyα forest from hydrodynamical simulations with data from the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph. We find the tension between the observed number of lines with b-parameters in the range of 25–45 km s−1 and the predictions from simulations that incorporate either vigorous feedback from active galactic nuclei or that exclude feedback altogether. The gas in these simulations is, respectively, either too hot to contribute to the Lyα absorption or too cold to produce the required linewidths. Matching the observed b-parameter distribution therefore requires feedback processes that thermally or turbulently broaden the absorption features without collisionally (over)ionizing hydrogen. This suggests that the Lyα forest b-parameter distribution is a valuable diagnostic of galactic feedback in the low-redshift Universe. We furthermore confirm that the low-redshift Lyα forest column density distribution is better reproduced by an ultraviolet background with the H$\,\small {I}\,$photoionization rate a factor of 1.5–3 higher than predicted by Haardt and Madau.
Epidemiological Surveillance of Poliomyelitis During the Military and Political Conflict in the Central African Republic, 2013 and 2014
Authors: Farra Alain , Gonofio Ella C. , Manirakiza Alexandre , Mazitchi Arthur , Mbaïlao Raphaël , Manengu Casimir , Gouandjika-Vasilache Ionela
Published: January 2017

Background

Since December 2012, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been undergoing a severe military and political conflict. This situation has resulted in general insecurity and total disorganization of surveillance activities, including those for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). In this study, we used laboratory data to evaluate surveillance of AFP in 2013 and 2014, the most critical period of the conflict.

Methods

The laboratory data on AFP were analyzed retrospectively for the age, sex, vaccination status (oral poliovirus vaccines), and geographical origin of the samples. The χ2 test was used, with P < .05 as the threshold for significance.

Results

Decreased activity of AFP surveillance of 57% was registered in 2013 and 36% in 2014 compared with previous years. Only 37.3% and 49.7% of children with AFP were vaccinated in 2013 and 2014, respectively, but no wild poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) was isolated. Laboratory performance concerning the timeliness of cell culture and intratypic differentiation/VDPV results was only 65.5% and 66.7% of the target in 2013 but reached 95.5% and 100% in 2014.

Conclusions

All personnel involved in the monitoring of AFP must be mobilized to improve vaccination coverage and surveillance activities in the CAR.
Strategies to alter the natural history of childhood asthma
Authors: Lee-Sarwar K.A. , Bacharier L.B. , Litonjua A.A.
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

Asthma exhibits significant heterogeneity in occurrence and severity over the lifespan. Our goal is to discuss recent evidence regarding determinants of the natural history of asthma during childhood, and review the rationale behind and status of major efforts to alter its course.

Recent findings

Variations in microbial exposures are associated with risk of allergic disease, and the use of bacterial lysates may be a promising preventive strategy. Exposure to air pollution appears to be particularly damaging in prenatal and early life, and interventions to reduce pollution are feasible and result in clinical benefit. E-cigarette use may have a role in harm reduction for conventional cigarette smokers with asthma, but has undefined short-term and long-term effects that must be clarified. Vitamin D insufficiency over the first several years of life is associated with risk of asthma, and vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of severe exacerbations.

The identification of risk factors for asthma occurrence, persistence and severity will continue to guide efforts to alter the natural history of the disease. We have reviewed several promising strategies that are currently under investigation. Vitamin D supplementation and air pollution reduction have been shown to be effective strategies and warrant increased investigation and implementation.
Retesting the Hypothesis of a Clinical Randomized Controlled Trial in a Simulation Environment to Validate Anesthesia Simulation in Error Research (the VASER Study)
Authors: Merry Alan F. , Hannam Jacqueline A. , Webster Craig S. , Edwards Kylie-Ellen , Torrie Jane , Frampton Chris , Wheeler Daniel W. , Gupta Arun K. , Mahajan Ravi P. , Evley Rachel , Weller Jennifer M.
Published: January 2017

Background

Simulation has been used to investigate clinical questions in anesthesia, surgery, and related disciplines, but there are few data demonstrating that results apply to clinical settings. We asked “would results of a simulation-based study justify the same principal conclusions as those of a larger clinical study?”

Methods

We compared results from a randomized controlled trial in a simulated environment involving 80 cases at three centers with those from a randomized controlled trial in a clinical environment involving 1,075 cases. In both studies, we compared conventional methods of anesthetic management with the use of a multimodal system (SAFERsleep®; Safer Sleep LLC, Nashville, Tennessee) designed to reduce drug administration errors. Forty anesthesiologists each managed two simulated scenarios randomized to conventional methods or the new system. We compared the rate of error in drug administration or recording for the new system versus conventional methods in this simulated randomized controlled trial with that in the clinical randomized controlled trial (primary endpoint). Six experts were asked to indicate a clinically relevant effect size.

Results

In this simulated randomized controlled trial, mean (95% CI) rates of error per 100 administrations for the new system versus conventional groups were 6.0 (3.8 to 8.3) versus 11.6 (9.3 to 13.8; P = 0.001) compared with 9.1 (6.9 to 11.4) versus 11.6 (9.3 to 13.9) in the clinical randomized controlled trial (P = 0.045). A 10 to 30% change was considered clinically relevant. The mean (95% CI) difference in effect size was 27.0% (−7.6 to 61.6%).

Conclusions

The results of our simulated randomized controlled trial justified the same primary conclusion as those of our larger clinical randomized controlled trial, but not a finding of equivalence in effect size.
Midterm Radiographic and Functional Outcomes of the Anterior Subcutaneous Internal Pelvic Fixator (INFIX) for Pelvic Ring Injuries
Authors: Vaidya Rahul , Martin Adam Jonathan , Roth Matthew , Tonnos Frederick , Oliphant Bryant , Carlson Jon
Published: January 2017

Objective:

To describe our experience using the anterior internal pelvic fixator (INFIX) for treating pelvic ring injuries.

Design:

Case Series.

Setting:

Level 1 Trauma Center.

Patients:

Eighty-three patients with pelvic ring injuries were treated with INFIX. Follow-up average was 35 months (range 12–80.33).

Intervention:

Surgical treatment of pelvic ring injuries included reduction, appropriate posterior fixation, and INFIX placement.

Outcome Measurements:

Reduction using the pelvic deformity index and pubic symphysis widening, Majeed functional scores, complications; infection, implant failure, heterotopic ossification (HO), nerve injury, and pain.

Results:

All patients healed in an appropriate time frame (full weight bearing 12 weeks postoperation). The average pelvic deformity index reduction (injury = 0.0420 ± 0.0412, latest FU = 0.0254 ± 0.0243) was 39.58%. The average reduction of pubic symphysis injuries was 56.92%. The average Majeed score of patients at latest follow-up was 78.77 (range 47–100). Complications were 3 infections, 1 case of implant failure, 2 cases implantation too deep, 7 cases of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve irritation, and 3 cases of pain associated with the device. HO was seen in >50% of the patients, correlated with increased age (P < 0.007), injury severity score (P < 0.05) but only 1 case was symptomatic.

Conclusions:

The pelvic injuries had good functional and radiological outcomes with INFIX and the appropriate posterior fixation. The downside is removal requiring a second anesthetic, there is a learning curve, HO often occurs, the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve may get irritated which often resolves once the implants are removed. Surgery-specific implants need to be developed.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Can we define the optimal sequence of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant nonsmall cell lung cancer?
Authors: Sun Jong-Mu , Park Keunchil
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

The most common mechanism of resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is acquisition of the T790M gatekeeper mutation. Third-generation EGFR TKIs irreversibly inhibit EGFR mutants (EGFRm), especially T790M, while sparing wild-type EGFR. There are several third-generation EGFR TKIs under development, including osimertinib, CO-1686 (rociletinib), HM61713 (olmutinib), ASP8273, and EGF816. These third-generation EGFR TKIs have shown promising efficacy with favorable toxicity profiles in the management of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with an acquired T790M mutation (EGFRT790M). In the present review, we will discuss the evolving treatment landscape of EGFRm NSCLC.

Recent findings

The LUX-Lung 7 study demonstrated superior progression-free survival, time-to-treatment failure, and objective response rate with afatinib versus gefitinib, but no significant overall survival improvement in TKI-naïve EGFRm NSCLC patients. In EGFRm NSCLC patients harboring T790M after treatment with first-generation or second-generation EGFR TKIs, third-generation EGFR TKIs showed robust efficacy with tolerable toxicity. The updated results of phase I studies have demonstrated encouraging activity of first-line osimertinib in patients with EGFRm NSCLC.

Following progression with first-generation or second-generation EGFR TKIs, osimertinib was recently approved for the treatment of EGFRT790M NSCLC. Encouraging early results with osimertinib have sparked interest in first-line treatment of EGFRm NSCLC, and head-to-head comparison studies of third-generation versus first-generation EGFR TKIs are being developed.
Radiotherapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: De Ruysscher Dirk , Reynders Kobe , Van Limbergen Evert , Lambrecht Maarten
Published: January 2017

Purpose of review

The immunomodulatory effects of ionizing radiation have long been recognized; however, so far these have not been fully exploited in clinical practice. We review the rationale to combine radiation with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are used in standard practice.

Recent findings

Preclinical research suggests a synergy between radiotherapy and these immune checkpoint inhibitors. Whether or not this benefit translates into a clinical benefit is currently subject of ongoing research.

It is highly rational to combine radiation with immune therapy as in preclinical models and in proof of concept trials in humans it clearly can increase the antitumor immunity when given together with other immune interventions.
Comparison of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Seventh Edition and Brigham and Women's Hospital Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor Staging in Immunosuppressed Patients
Authors: Gonzalez Jessica L. , Cunningham Kiera , Silverman Rebecca , Madan Elena , Nguyen Bichchau M.
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

The American Joint Committee on Cancer 7th edition (AJCC-7) and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) staging criteria for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) have not been validated in immunosuppressed patients.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the AJCC-7 and BWH staging systems for cSCCs in immunosuppressed patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A single-institution retrospective cohort study of cSCCs in immunosuppressed patients. Risks of local recurrence (LR), nodal metastasis (NM), in-transit metastasis, and any poor outcome (PO) were compared among AJCC-7 and BWH tumor T stages.

RESULTS

One hundred six patients had 412 primary invasive cSCCs. Eighty-five percent were AJCC-7 T1, and 15% T2. Risks of NM and PO for AJCC-7 T1 versus T2 were 0.9% versus 5% and 12.8% versus 23.3%, respectively, p < .05. Eighty-one percent of tumors were BWH T1, 18% T2a, 1% T2b, and 0.2% T3. Risk of LR for BWH T1 versus T2a was 11.4% versus 20.3%, p < .01. Risk of NM increased from 0.3% for T1 to 4.1%, 25%, and 100% for T2a, T2b, and T3, p < .05. Ninety percent of PO occurred in low-stage BWH T1/T2a.

CONCLUSION

Low T-stage cSCCs account for most POs. Brigham and Women's Hospital staging criteria better risk stratifies cSCCs in immunosuppressed patients for risk of NM and LR.
NEOVASCULARIZATION SECONDARY TO HIGH MYOPIA IMAGED BY OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY
Authors: Bruyère Elsa , Miere Alexandra , Cohen Salomon Yves , Martiano David , Sikorav Anne , Popeanga Andrada , Semoun Oudy , Querques Giuseppe , Souied Eric H.
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To describe the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) characteristics of active myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and to compare its sensitivity versus fluorescein angiography and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Methods:

Consecutive highly myopic patients complicated with active myopic CNV were prospectively included. The OCTA features were analyzed and correlated with the findings of conventional imaging (spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography).

Results:

Twenty eyes of 19 patients (mean age: 59.6 ± 12.1 years, mean spherical equivalent: −13.5 ± 3.6 diopters) presenting with both treatment-naive CNV and recurrent CNV were included in the analysis. The OCTA showed a 90% sensitivity for myopic CNV detection in 18 of 20 eyes, revealing a high-flow neovascular network accurately visible using a 30-μm manual segmentation underneath Bruch membrane. Mean selected area of myopic CNV on OCTA images was 0.34 ± 0.45 mm2, whereas the mean vessel area was 0.22 ± 0.27 mm2. Two neovascular phenotypes prevailed in our series: disorganized vascular loops and organized interlacing patterns.

Conclusion:

The OCTA seems to be a valuable tool in detecting myopic CNV with a high sensitivity. However, its specificity needs to be investigated in further studies.
PNEUMATIC DISPLACEMENT OF LIMITED TRAUMATIC SUBMACULAR HEMORRHAGE WITHOUT TISSUE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR: A CASE SERIES
Authors: Balughatta Poornachandra , Kadri Venkatesh , Braganza Sherine , Jayadev Chaitra , Mehta Ruchir A. , Nakhate Vikram , Yadav Naresh K. , Shetty Rohit
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal gas (perfluoropropane, C3F8)–assisted displacement of submacular hemorrhage (SMH) secondary to recent or old blunt trauma.

Methods:

An interventional case series of three patients who presented with SMH after blunt trauma, ranging from 2 days to 2 weeks back. All three patients were treated with an intravitreal injection of 0.3 cc of 100% C3F8 with anterior chamber paracentesis. Strict prone position was advised for 2 weeks with a minimum of 6 to 8 hours per day. Documentation was done with serial recording of corrected distance visual acuity, fundus photographs, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography both before and after intervention.

Results:

The follow-up period ranged from 2 weeks to 3 months. All patients showed a significant displacement of SMH with recovery of the normal foveal contour; foveal thinning was noted in 2 cases. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity improved from counting finger at 1 m to 20/30 in Case 1 and counting finger 3 m to 20/40 in Case 2. In Case 3, the visual acuity remained unchanged from the preoperative 20/60 which could be attributed to the presence of a choroidal rupture in the foveal area that became evident after the displacement of SMH.

Conclusion:

Pneumatic displacement is an effective technique in the management of SMH due to recent or old blunt trauma.
Retrospective Comparative Study of Topical Interferon a2b Versus Mitomycin C for Primary Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia
Authors: Kusumesh Rakhi , Ambastha Anita , Kumar Shishir , Sinha Bibhuti Prasan , Imam Nazia
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To compare the efficacy and safety of topical interferon alpha 2b (IFNα2b) and mitomycin C (MMC) for ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

Methods:

In this retrospective study, medical records of 51 eyes of 50 patients with a diagnosis of primary ocular surface squamous neoplasia were included. All cases were treated with either topical IFNα2b (1 million IU/mL) or MMC (0.4 mg/mL) 4 times a day. The primary outcome measure was frequency of clinical resolution of tumors along with failure and recurrence rates after treatment. Other outcome measures included the duration of treatment and adverse effects associated with both topical therapies.

Results:

Twenty-six eyes were treated with topical IFNα2b and 25 eyes were treated with topical MMC. A complete response was achieved in 23 (89%) and 23 (92%) eyes with topical IFNα2b and MMC, respectively (P = 0.67). The median time to lesion resolution was significantly different between the groups (median 3.5 months in the IFNα2b group and 1.5 months in the MMC group) with an average difference of 1.7 months (P < 0.005). Five (10%) of 51 patients showed no or partial response to topical therapy. Subsequently, they underwent surgical excision. Adverse effects occurred in 3 (12%) patients using IFNα2b and 22 (88%) patients using MMC (P < 0.005).

Conclusions:

Both IFNα2b and MMC seemed to be equally effective topical monotherapies. Despite a prolonged time to lesion resolution, IFNα2b-treated eyes had better safety and tolerance in comparison with MMC-treated eyes.
The cif Virulence Factor Gene Is Present in Isolates From Patients With Pseudomonas aeruginosa Keratitis
Authors: Bahl Christopher D. , St. Laurent Jessica D. , Karthikeyan R. Siva Ganesa , Priya J. Lakshmi , Prajna Lalitha , Zegans Michael E. , Madden Dean R.
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To determine whether the cif gene is present in pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from patients with bacterial keratitis at Aravind Eye Hospital, a referral eye care center in southern India, and from corresponding environmental isolates.

Methods:

Polymerase chain reaction amplification was performed on strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from ocular infections and environmental soil samples were collected from the area surrounding Aravind Eye Hospital. DNA sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA amplicons was performed to verify strain identity.

Results:

We determined that 45 of 48 patient isolates carry a genomic copy of cif. Analysis of a catalog of environmental strains previously isolated from the surrounding area revealed that only 4 of 10 P. aeruginosa strains and 1 of 14 strains of related species carry the cif gene.

Conclusions:

This is the first study to show that P. aeruginosa strains with ocular pathogenicity carry the cif gene and that the presence of this gene may be enriched over its prevalence in the environment. Taken together, these results suggest a potential role for Cif in acute bacterial keratitis.
Lemierre’s Syndrome as a Trigger for Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Kumral Abigail V.W. , Petersen William C. , Heitz Christopher , Waggoner-Fountain Linda A. , Belyea Brian C.
Published: January 2017

Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a rare hyperinflammatory disorder caused by an aberrant immune response to a number of infectious or inflammatory conditions. Successful treatment of this potentially fatal condition requires early recognition and prompt therapy directed at the underlying trigger. In this report, we describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, management, and outcome of a child with Lemierre’s syndrome-associated sHLH. This is the first reported association of these 2 rare conditions and expands the number of known triggers for sHLH.
The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) to Identify Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Survivors At Risk for Neurocognitive Impairment
Authors: Viola Adrienne , Balsamo Lyn , Neglia Joseph P. , Brouwers Pim , Ma Xiaomei , Kadan-Lottick Nina S.
Published: January 2017

Neurocognitive problems, including executive dysfunction, are potential late effects of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment. Surveillance for neurocognitive impairment in a timely and efficient manner is imperative to ongoing clinical care. We sought to determine if the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Parent Form identified leukemia survivors with cognitive impairment. In this 28-site cross-sectional study, parents of 256 children, a mean of 8.9±2.2 years after treatment for standard-risk precursor-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia and in first remission, completed the BRIEF. We used a multivariate logistic regression to calculate the association between elevated scores on 3 composite BRIEF indices (Behavioral Regulation Index, Metacognition Index, Global Executive Composite [GEC]) and special education and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) outcomes. All BRIEF index scores were significantly associated with receipt of special education services or ADHD. The BRI was most strongly associated with ADHD (odds ratios=4.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.72-10.9). The GEC was most strongly associated with ADHD (odds ratios=4.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.77-11.22). Elevated scores on the BRIEF GEC were associated with low sensitivity (24.1 to 39.1) for detecting the outcomes but better specificity (range, 87.7 to 89.3). These results suggest that the parent-completed BRIEF is associated with clinical outcomes but is not a sensitive tool to identify leukemia survivors that require a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment.
Parent-perceived Facilitators in the Transition of Care for Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: DiNofia Amanda , Shafer Kate , Steacy Katarina , Sadak Karim Thomas
Published: January 2017

Most childhood cancer survivors need life-long care with specialized late-effects surveillance and screening. As these children age into adulthood, it is imperative to continue their survivor-focused care. To do so, health care systems must be prepared to care for this growing and aging population. This includes creating models of care that take into account the needs and desires of all key stakeholders: survivors, parents, pediatric providers, and adult providers. This clinical observation describes that parents desire comprehensive and highly accessible survivorship care that promotes survivor independence; yet, they also want to have a central role in their child’s survivorship care.
Long-Term Survival and Causes of Late Death in Children Treated With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation*
Authors: von Bahr Viktor , Hultman Jan , Eksborg Staffan , Gerleman Roxana , Enstad Øyvind , Frenckner Björn , Kalzén Håkan
Published: January 2017

Objective:

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been used in patients with severe circulatory or respiratory failure since the 1970s, but the knowledge on long-term survival in this group is scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the 10-year survival rates and causes of late death in children treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Design:

Single-center, retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Tertiary referral center for extracorporeal life support.

Patients:

Neonatal and pediatric patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation from 1987 to December 2013.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Survival status was obtained from the national Causes of Death registry. Patient background data along with data on survival and causes of death were collected. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Of 400 subjects, 76% survived to discharge. The median follow-up time in survivors was 7.2 years. There was a high mortality rate within the first months after discharge. In the group of patients who survived the first 90 days after treatment, the 10-year survival rates were 93% in neonates and 89% in pediatric patients and were particularly beneficial in patients whose indication for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was meconium aspiration syndrome, trauma, or infectious diseases. Late deaths were seen in some diagnostic groups, but the Kaplan-Meier curves plateaued over time.

Conclusions:

Children who survive the first months after treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have a high long-term survival rate. The prognosis is especially favorable in patients with reversible conditions.
An Evaluation of a Competency-Based Public Health Training Program for Public Health Professionals in Kansas
Authors: Brown Kyrah K. , Maryman J'Vonnah , Collins Tracie
Published: January 2017

Context:

Less than one-third of the US public health workforce has formal training in public health. Academic-public health agency partnerships aimed at addressing the nation's workforce challenges have shown great promise.

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of a piloted competency-based public health training program formed out of an academic-public health agency partnership.

Design:

Mixed-methods design using pre- and postworkshop surveys and quizzes, open-ended questions, and document review.

Setting:

Large, urban local health department located in south central Kansas.

Main Outcome Measures:

Participant satisfaction with training, knowledge change, self-report application of new knowledge, and organizational change.

Results:

Participants reported high satisfaction with the training program and valued the hands-on, practical approach used. Participation increased knowledge and confidence in public health competency areas covered in the program. At 3-month follow-up, 90% of participants reported applying new knowledge and skills in their primary job duties. At the organizational level, 3 major policy changes aimed at sustaining the program were implemented following its launch.

Conclusion:

Incorporating tailored, theory-driven approaches to trainings and collaborating with health department leadership to identify policy opportunities that help sustain the training program within the agency is recommended. Findings from this evaluation demonstrate the success of an academic-agency partnership's effort to develop and implement at a large, urban local health department.
Citicoline Combination Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Roohi-Azizi Mahtab , Arabzadeh Somaye , Amidfar Meysam , Salimi Samrand , Zarindast Mohammad Reza , Talaei Ali , Akhondzadeh Shahin
Published: January 2017

Objective

Residual symptoms of major depressive disorder are a source of long-term morbidity. New therapeutic strategies are required to alleviate this morbidity and enhance patient quality of life. Citicoline has been used for vascular accidents and has been effective in cognitive rehabilitation. It has been used successfully to reduce craving in patients with substance abuse disorder and for mood management of bipolar disorder. Here, we test citicoline effectiveness as an adjuvant therapy in major depression.

Method

A double-blind randomized trial was designed on 50 patients with major depressive disorder who were under treatment with citalopram. Patients were allocated to 2 groups and received citicoline (100 mg twice a day) or placebo as an adjuvant treatment for 6 weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, and 6.

Results

Significantly greater improvement was observed in the HDRS scores of the citicoline group compared with the placebo group from baseline to weeks 2, 4, and 6 (Ps = 0.030, 0.032, and 0.021, respectively). Repeated-measures general linear model demonstrated a significant effect for time × treatment interaction on the HDRS score (F
2.10,101.22 = 3.12, P = 0.04). Remission rate was significantly higher in the citicoline group compared with the placebo group (P = 0.045).

Conclusions

Citicoline was an effective adjuvant to citalopram in the therapy of major depressive disorder.
Chromobacterium violaceum infection in chronic granulomatous disease: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Meher-Homji Zaal , Mangalore Rekha Pai , D. R. Johnson Paul , Y. L. Chua Kyra
Published: January 2017

Introduction.
Chromobacterium violaceum is an opportunistic human pathogen, associated with significant mortality, and has been reported in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), a genetic condition causing impaired phagocytosis.

Case presentation. A 28-year-old man with a history of CGD presented with fever, pharyngitis, cervical lymphadenopathy and internal jugular vein thrombosis, following travel to the rural Solomon Islands. C. violaceum was recovered from his blood. The patient recovered after treatment with meropenem and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis (Lemierre’s syndrome) caused by C. violaceum in a patient with CGD. A review of the literature demonstrated that the diagnosis of C. violaceum preceded the diagnosis of CGD in the majority of cases. This case emphasizes the importance of this organism in patients with CGD who live in or visit tropical areas.
Mapping and explaining wolf recolonization in France using dynamic occupancy models and opportunistic data
Authors: Louvrier Julie , Duchamp Christophe , Marboutin Eric , Cubaynes Sarah , Choquet Rémi , Miquel Christian , Gimenez Olivier
Published: January 2017

While large carnivores are recovering in Europe, assessing their distributions can help to predict and mitigate conflicts with human activities. Because they are highly mobile, elusive and live at very low density, modeling their distributions presents several challenges due to i) their imperfect detectability, ii) their dynamic ranges over time and iii) their monitoring at large scales consisting mainly of opportunistic data without a formal measure of the sampling effort. Not accounting for these issues can lead to flawed inference about the distribution.

Here, we focused on the wolf (Canis lupus) that has been recolonizing France since the early 90’s. We evaluated the sampling efforta posteriorias the number of observers present per year in a cell based on their location and professional activities. We then assessed wolf range dynamics from 1993 to 2014, while accounting for species imperfect detection and time- and space-varying sampling effort using dynamic site-occupancy models.

Ignoring the effect of sampling effort on species detectability led to underestimating the number of occupied sites by 50% on average. Colonization increased with increasing number of occupied sites at short and long-distances, as well as with increasing forest cover, farmland cover and mean altitude. Colonization decreased when high-altitude increased. The growth rate, defined as the number of sites newly occupied in a given year divided by the number of occupied sites in the previous year, decreased over time, from over 100% in 1994 to 5% in 2014. This suggests that wolves are expanding in France but at a rate that is slowing down. Our work shows that opportunistic data can be analyzed with species distribution models that control for imperfect detection, pending a quantification of sampling effort. Our approach has the potential for being used by decision-makers to target sites where large carnivores are likely to occur and mitigate conflicts.
Capturingin vivoRNA transcriptional dynamics from the malaria parasiteP. falciparum
Authors: Painter Heather J. , Carrasquilla Manuela , Llinás Manuel
Published: January 2017

To capture the transcriptional dynamics within proliferating cells, methods to differentiate nascent transcription from pre-existing mRNAs are desired. One approach is to label newly synthesized mRNA transcriptsin vivothrough the incorporation of modified pyrimidines. However, the human malaria parasite,Plasmodium falciparum, is incapable of pyrimidine salvage for mRNA biogenesis. To capture cellular mRNA dynamics duringPlasmodiumdevelopment, we have engineered parasites that can salvage pyrimidines through the expression of a single bifunctional yeast fusion gene, cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (FCU). We show that expression of FCU allows for the direct incorporation of thiol-modified pyrimidines into nascent mRNAs. Using developmental stage-specific promoters to express FCU-GFP enables the biosynthetic capture and in-depth analysis of mRNA dynamics from subpopulations of cells undergoing differentiation. We demonstrate the utility of this method by examining the transcriptional dynamics of the sexual gametocyte stage transition, a process that is essential to malaria transmission between hosts. We find that sexual stage commitment is governed by transcriptional reprogramming and the stabilization of a subset of essential gametocyte transcripts. This new method for biosynthetic labeling ofPlasmodiummRNAs is incredibly versatile and can be used to measure transcriptional dynamics at any stage of parasite development, and thiol-modified RNAs will allow for future applications to measure RNA-protein interactions in the malaria parasite.
Association between urinary biomarkers of total sugars and sucrose intake and BMI in a cross-sectional study
Authors: Campbell Rachel , Tasevska Natasha , Jackson Kim G , Sagi-Kiss Virag , di Paolo Nick , Mindell Jennifer S , Lister Susan J. , Khaw Kay-Tee , Kuhnle Gunter G. C.
Published: January 2017

Obesity is an important modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases. While there is increasing focus on the role of dietary sugars, there remains a paucity of data establishing the association between sugar intake and obesity in the general public. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of estimated sugar intake with odds for obesity in a representative samples of English adults. We used data from 434 participants of the 2005 Health Survey of England. Biomarkers for total sugar intake were measured in 24h urine samples and used to estimate intake. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations between estimated intake and measures of obesity (BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) and obesity risk., respectively. Estimated sugars intake was significantly associated with BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, and these associations remained significant after adjustment for estimated protein intake. Estimated sugars intake was also associated with increased odds for obesity based on BMI (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00; 1.04 per 10 g), waist-circumference (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01; 1.05) and waist-to-hip ratio (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02; 1.06); all OR estimates remained significant after adjusting for estimated protein intake. Our results show a significant association between biomarker-estimated total sugars intake and both measures of obesity and obesity risk, confirming positive associations between total sugar intake, measures of obesity and obesity risk. This biomarker could be used to monitor the efficacy of public health interventions.