bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Worldwide epidemiology of carbon monoxide poisoning
Authors: Mattiuzzi C , Lippi G
Published: December 2019

This article presents updated information on the worldwide burden of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. The worldwide epidemiologic data were obtained from the Global Health Data Exchange registry, a large database of health-related data maintained by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The worldwide cumulative incidence and mortality of CO poisoning are currently estimated at 137 cases and 4.6 deaths per million, respectively. The worldwide incidence has remained stable during the last 25 years, while both mortality and percentage of patients who died have declined by 36% and 40%, respectively. The incidence of CO poisoning does not differ between sexes, whilst mortality is double in men. The incidence shows two apparent peaks, between 0–14 years and 20–39 years. The percentage of patients who died constantly increases in parallel with aging, peaking in patients aged 80 years or older. The number of CO poisoning grows in parallel with the socio-demographic index (SDI), though more detailed analyses would be needed to confirm our findings. Mortality displays a similar trend, being approximately 2.1- and 3.6-fold higher in middle and middle-to-high than in low-to-middle SDI countries. In conclusion, while these data suggest that the worldwide burden of CO poisoning remains stable, and the number of fatal outcomes and percentage of patients who die have both consistently declined during the last 25 years, the unreliability of the primary data sources in many countries with respect to accurate diagnosis of CO poisoning means that caution is required, and that field studies, particularly in poorer countries, are required.
Successful treatment with hydroxychloroquine for systemic lupus erythematosus with cutaneous involvement accompanied by a xanthomatous reaction
Authors: Takezawa K , Ueda-Hayakawa I , Yamazaki F , Kambe N , Son Y , Okamoto H
Published: December 2019

Antimalarials are usually recommended for the first-line systemic treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Alopecia in patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is sometimes a refractory condition in spite of topical therapies. We herein described a case of DLE on the scalp with a pathological change of a xanthomatous reaction, which was successfully treated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). A 34-year-old woman presented with hair loss to the parietal region. She had been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) four years previously. Treatment with 30 mg/day of prednisolone (PSL) had been initiated, and the dose was gradually reduced. At 10 mg/day of PSL, she had noticed her hair loss. Physical examination revealed some small erythematous lesions to the parietal region with accompanying hair loss. Pathological findings of the erythematous lesion on her head revealed thickening of the basement membrane zone, the interface dermatitis with vacuolar degeneration, and both superficial perivascular and perifollicular infiltration of inflammatory cells in the dermis. In addition, there was an infiltrate of xanthomatous cells detected in the papillary dermis, which were positive for CD68 and CD163. The patient started treatment with HCQ at a dose of 200 mg/day. The skin lesions completely resolved within five months after initiation of HCQ without increase in the dose of PSL. Xanthomatous reactions are rarely recognized in lupus erythematosus. The chronic epithelial injury in DLE could be implicated in triggering the secondary reactive process of a xanthomatous reaction. We believe that the reaction seen in our patient was a secondary change to pathological alteration due to SLE. However, as yet unrecognized factors may play a role in the development of a xanthomatous reaction in DLE.
Users’ Participation in Facebook Brand Pages and Its Influence on Word-of-Mouth: The Role of Brand Knowledge and Brand Relationship
Authors: Langaro Daniela , de Fátima Salgueiro Maria , Rita Paulo , Del Chiappa Giacomo
Published: December 2019

Due to developments in social media, brands have integrated social networking sites (SNSs) as an important part of their communication mix. This change calls for studies that help to understand the role of SNS in the communication mix through further investigating their effects on brands and acknowledging their influencing triggers. Concerning that, previous studies have associated the use of SNS to effects on word-of-mouth (WoM), with SNS contributing as a tool skilled for generating conversations about the brand. The current study focusses on investigating the triggers of these effects. In previous research, WoM was accepted as being triggered by constructs related to the effects of SNS on increasing users’ knowledge of the brand and improving perceived relationship value. Despite their relevance, studies in SNS so far have not yet explored these approaches in an integrative manner. So researchers and managers could better understand how these dimensions behave in relation to each other in triggering WoM. The current study addresses this research gap, proposing an integrative perspective that combines brand knowledge and brand relationship constructs while investigating the effects of SNS on WoM. Direct and indirect effects are proposed with mediating relations being supported by the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and social exchange theory (SET). Two surveys were implemented, with 203 and 550 valid responses obtained. Results were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Findings support the relevance of brand relationship variables (trust and affective commitment) in influencing WoM, with trust assuming a pivotal role. Moreover, triggers related to brand knowledge also influence WoM, with brand awareness and attitude driving significant effects. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.
Socio-ecological analysis of trans people’s participation in physical activity and sport
Authors: López-Cañada Elena , Devís-Devís José , Pereira-García Sofía , Pérez-Samaniego Víctor
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study is to explore and provide understanding of trans people’s participation in physical activity and sport through the socio-ecological perspective. A total of 43 Spanish trans people (21 trans women, 17 trans men and 5 with ‘other self-identifications’), between 15 and 62 years old, participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified six main themes, which highlight the multidimensional relations between individual, social and environmental factors in trans people’s participation in physical activity and sport. Results reveal that the importance of body appearance for ‘passing’ and the fear of being unmasked affect their participation. Trans people also rely on physical activity and sport to accelerate or avoid the side effects of hormone treatment. Social support from family and close friends and health professionals are essential for engaging in physical activity and sport. Experiences in physical education also influence trans people’s attitudes towards physical activity and sport. Finally, spaces (e.g. swimming pools and changing rooms), legal requirements and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual teams and leagues are also identified as key socio-ecologic themes. These findings are relevant for health and physical activity professionals, educators, sports organizations and policymakers in facilitating trans people’s participation in physical activity and sport and improving promotion strategies.
Emerging Decolonialized Research Collaboration: The Max Planck Society and the Leibniz Association in Latin America
Authors: Pineda Pedro , Gregorutti Gustavo , Streitwieser Bernhard
Published: December 2019

Analyzing the number of publications and proportion of corresponding authors of Latin American scholars and scholars from the German Max Planck Society (MPS) and the Leibniz Association (LA; 1954–2018), this article asks if North–South partnerships continue to represent power imbalances. Our bibliometric analysis indicates that (a) in comparison with the LA, the MPS’s scientists published more articles with Latin American countries, led by Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico; (b) researchers from the MPS and the LA frequently took the role of corresponding author; (c) researchers from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico primarily controlled their region’s productivity, but (d) Brazil built its own multinational research networks; and (e) countries with less productivity, such as Colombia and Uruguay, are on peripheries of research networks. Our findings indicate that the decolonial perspective needs further development to identify multipolar relationships of dominance and collaboration have developed out of a dichotomy world of North–South relations.
Going Beyond “It Sounds Good”: Developing Student Capacity to Give Meaningful Feedback
Authors: Hatch Emily
Published: December 2019

National Core Arts Standards require students to use feedback from peers to refine both their performances and their compositions in the artistic processes of Create and Perform. When asked to give feedback to a peer, many students stop at comments like “It sounds good,” and do not naturally give specific, meaningful feedback. Therefore, teachers need to develop the capacity of students to give meaningful feedback to each other. This article outlines strategies and activities for building a classroom rich in meaningful student-provided feedback.
Odontogenic Carcinosarcoma: Clinicopathologic Features of 2 Cases
Authors: Soares Ciro Dantas , Delgado-Azañero Wilson , Morais Thayná Melo de Lima , de Almeida Oslei Paes , Ghersi Miranda Hugo
Published: December 2019

This study reports 2 odontogenic carcinosarcomas, including the clinicopathologic and immunoprofile characteristics of these rare tumors. The first case occurred in a 22-year-old male presenting a bilobular mass involving the gingiva and bone of the premolar region of the left mandible, with paresthesia of the lower lip. Microscopic examination revealed a tumor similar to ameloblastic fibrosarcoma, with atypical mesenchymal cells; however, the odontogenic epithelium also showed atypia. In the second case, a 16-year-old female had a painless, asymptomatic, large intraosseous mandibular lesion. The patient received radiotherapy to treat a rhabdomyosarcoma of the parotid 13 years before. The tumor was composed of atypical spindle cells, positive for vimentin and smooth muscle actin, intermingled with malignant odontogenic epithelium. Both epithelial and mesenchymal components of the tumors showed high index of p53- and Ki67-positive cells. The first case was diagnosed as odontogenic carcinosarcoma possibly originated from an ameloblastic fibrosarcoma, and the second as de novo odontogenic carcinosarcoma possibly caused by previous radiotherapy.
Metastatic “Ductal Carcinoma In Situ–Like” Lobular Carcinoma in a Lymph Node: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Tijani Sidiq , Sharma Kirti , Yuen Henry , Shaaban Abeer
Published: December 2019

Metastatic breast cancer resembling ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a rare phenomenon. In this article, we present a unique case of metastatic lobular carcinoma with DCIS-like morphology in the left axillary lymph nodes of a 52-year-old female. She presented with 2 lesions in the left breast on mammography, and a mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection was performed. Gross examination showed a 3.5 × 2.5 × 1.0 cm indistinct tumor in the lower outer quadrant and a 2.5 × 2.5 × 1.8 cm tumor in the upper outer quadrant. Microscopic assessment revealed a pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in the lower outer quadrant and a grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma in the upper outer quadrant. Sixteen of the 17 axillary lymph nodes showed metastatic lobular carcinoma with foci of solid and comedo-type DCIS-like features. Immunohistochemical analysis of the primary and metastatic lobular carcinoma showed no expression of E-cadherin and p63 antibodies. To our knowledge, metastatic lobular carcinoma exhibiting this pattern has not been reported. The case suggests that lobular carcinoma can morphologically recreate a primary microenvironment at a distant site and simulate in situ growth. Recognition of this pattern is important to avoid misdiagnosis.
Factors Associated With and Barriers to Disclosure of a Sexual Assault to Formal On-Campus Resources Among College Students
Authors: Mennicke Annelise , Bowling Jessamyn , Gromer Jill , Ryan Clare
Published: December 2019

Sexual assault on college campuses occurs at high rates, but disclosure to formal on-campus resources remains low. This study used a mixed methodological survey to explore demographic and social characteristics of students who formally reported their assaults and those who did not and examined barriers to formal disclosure. Responses revealed that students who disclosed to formal on-campus resources suffered frequent polyvictimization, had high rates of physical and emotional consequences, and were mostly White women involved in campus organizations. Barriers to formal resource utilization were identified at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels.
The Effect of Organizational Values, Work-Related Compensation, and Benefits on Job Satisfaction of Home Health Aides
Authors: Yoon Seokwon , Khan M. Mahmud
Published: December 2019

Although the work of home health aides is very demanding physically and emotionally, they rarely receive support from peers or from the organizations for which they work. This study is aimed at examining the influence of organizational values and work-related compensation on job satisfaction of home health aides. A total of 3,377 home health aides and 1,036 home health agencies were selected from the nationally representative sample. The number of work-related fringe benefits was highly associated with job satisfaction of home health aides. Household income was found to be negatively associated with job satisfaction. Significant cross-level interaction effects revealed that hourly wage had a stronger relationship with job satisfaction when individual home health aides worked for agencies that were perceived to recognize the value of home health aides. We conclude that organizational values significantly moderate the relationship between work-related factors and job satisfaction. The findings suggest that home health care facility leaders need to recognize explicitly the value of home health workers, to provide them with additional fringe benefits so that workers feel valued and to adopt a patient assignment system that allows strengthening of patient-worker bonds for enhancing home health aides’ job satisfaction.
Development of a drug-eluting intraocular lens to deliver epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor gefitinib for posterior capsule opacification prophylaxis
Authors: Kassumeh Stefan , Kueres Alexander , Hillenmayer Anna , von Studnitz Annabel , Elhardt Carolin , Ohlmann Andreas , Priglinger Siegfried G , Wertheimer Christian M
Published: December 2019

Purpose:

Different molecular targets, such as the epidermal growth factor receptor, have been identified for the prophylaxis of posterior capsule opacification. This led to the proposal of several drugs, yet drug delivery into the capsular bag remains challenging. The intraocular lens as a drug delivery device would provide a convenient method to allow drug release in the location needed. This is to evaluate the effect of a drug-eluting intraocular lens using an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor.

Methods:

Hydrophobic and hydrophilic intraocular lenses were coated with gefitinib using the dip coating technique. The cellular response on the modified intraocular lenses was tested in a human lens epithelial cell line (FHL-124) in an anterior segment model. Furthermore, modified intraocular lenses were implanted into human capsular bags ex vivo. Drug release was determined as well as the biocompatibility on human corneal endothelial cells. Unmodified intraocular lenses served as controls. In addition, immunofluorescence staining with fibronectin as a marker for fibrotic response was conducted.

Results:

Both coated hydrophilic and hydrophobic intraocular lenses could attenuate the cell growth of FHL-124 cells in the human capsular bag in comparison to the unmodified controls. Furthermore, gefitinib-soaked intraocular lenses showed a constant drug release over the first 10 days. No reduction in cell viability of corneal endothelial cells occurred. A decrease in fibronectin expression under gefitinib treatment could be observed.

Conclusion:

In vitro epidermal growth factor receptor seems to be a valuable target for the prevention of posterior capsule opacification. The gefitinib-eluting intraocular lens in this study could inhibit cell growth in non-toxic concentrations.
Flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with pre-stressed and near surface mounted steel–basalt-fibre composite bars
Authors: Zhao Yajun , Huang Yimiao , Du Haiyang , Ma Guowei
Published: December 2019

Fibre-reinforced polymer bars have been widely used for strengthening concrete members due to their high strength, light weight and strong corrosion resistance. A near-surface mounted strengthening system has been adopted to protect the fibre-reinforced polymer bars from external hazards. To make up the lower stiffness and ductility of fibre-reinforced polymer bar compared to steel rebar, this study proposed to use a pre-stressed near-surface mounted steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bar. The steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bar is manufactured through wrapping a steel rod by a basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer cover. A total of nine reinforced concrete beams, including one control or calibration and eight others strengthened by pre-stressed near-surface mounted steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bars, are fabricated and tested. Results show that the proposed steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bar strengthening method can improve both the strength and ductility of the reinforced concrete beams. Pre-stressing of the steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bars further increases substantially the beams’ load-carrying capacity by restraining crack propagation in concrete. Standard-based load analysis correctly predicts the cracking load, however, underestimates the ultimate strength of the beams. Finite element method modelling is conducted to provide a more effective load-carrying capacity prediction and a case study is carried out with regard to the amount of the strengthening steel–basalt-fibre-reinforced polymer composite bars.
Periodic response characteristics on a piecewise hysteresis nonlinear system
Authors: Wang Mei-Qi , Chen En-Li , Liu Peng-Fei , Qi Zhuang , Wang Jun , Chang Yu-Jian
Published: December 2019

A piecewise hysteresis nonlinear dynamic model with nonlinear stiffness and damping is established for a system with alternating elastic constraints and hysteresis nonlinearity. First, the amplitude–frequency response equation of the system is solved by using the averaging method under periodic excitation. Two frequency regions with multiple solutions are then identified in the system, and the amplitude–frequency response characteristics under different system parameters are obtained. Thus, the influence law of different piecewise nonlinear factors on system stability is explored. Second, the bifurcation behavior of the system under different external disturbances is analyzed. Given the change of perturbation parameters, the system is found to be a complex dynamic system with alternating periodic, double periodic, and chaotic motions, and many other forms of movement. Moreover, lower buffer damping leads to the complex and unpredictable chaotic state of the system’s dynamic behavior.
Deep learning for bearing fault diagnosis under different working loads and non-fault location point
Authors: Wang Chongyu , Xie Yonghui , Zhang Di
Published: December 2019

Intelligent fault diagnosis using deep learning has achieved much success in recent years. Using deep learning method to diagnose bearing fault requires designing an appropriate neural network model and then train with a massive data. On the one hand, up to now, a variety of neural network structures have been proposed for different diagnostic tasks, but there is a lack of research of unified structure. On the other hand, the fault data of the training neural network are collected from the fault location point, which is quite different from the actual data, because the sensor cannot be located at the fault location point accurately. This paper attempts to design a unified neural network structure based on Resnet and improve the generalization performance by using transfer learning techniques. The effectiveness of the proposed method in this paper is verified using experiment under different working loads and non-fault location point.
Evaluation of urinary biomarkers for prediction of diabetic kidney disease: a propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Qin Yongzhang , Zhang Shuang , Shen Xiaofang , Zhang Shunming , Wang Jingyu , Zuo Minxia , Cui Xiao , Gao Zhongai , Yang Juhong , Zhu Hong , Chang Baocheng
Published: December 2019

Background:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of six urinary biomarkers for prediction of diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Methods:

The cross-sectional study recruited 1053 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who were categorized into the diabetes mellitus (DM) with normoalbuminuria (NA) group ( n = 753) and DKD group ( n = 300) according to 24-h urinary albumin excretion rate (24-h UAE). Data on the levels of six studied urinary biomarkers [transferrin (TF), immunoglobulin G (IgG), retinol-binding protein (RBP), β-galactosidase (GAL), N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), and β2-microglobulin (β2MG)] were obtained. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was applied to eliminate the influences of confounding variables.

Results:

Patients with DKD had higher levels of all six urinary biomarkers. All indicators demonstrated significantly increased risk of DKD, except for GAL and β2MG. Single RBP yielded the greatest area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.920 compared with the other five markers, followed by TF (0.867) and IgG (0.867). However, GAL, NAG, and β2MG were shown to have a weak prognostic ability. The diagnostic values of the different combinations were not superior to the single RBP.

Conclusions:

RBP, TF, and IgG could be used as reliable or good predictors of DKD. The combined use of these biomarkers did not improve DKD detection.
Aura Bengkang Enterprise: How a Tapioca Cake Business Taps Its Creativity to Stay Competitive
Authors: Bakar Lily Julienti Abu , Soon Jan-Jan
Published: December 2019

The case opens with the founding CEO of Aura Bengkang Enterprise, Hafiz, urgently assessing his sudden disruption of tapioca supply due to unforeseen massive floods. The unexpected disruption threatens Aura’s production of baked tapioca cakes, its main product. Hafiz is then confronted by one of his cake distributors pulling Aura’s products from her stall. The case is set against the backdrop of challenges faced by manufacturing small-and-medium enterprises in the food and beverages manufacturing sector. The case is an amalgamation of the entrepreneurship and economics disciplines. The case focuses on two particular areas within the two disciplines: (i) entrepreneurial creativity/innovation (ii) monopolistic competition. The marriage of these two disciplines has been found wanting, especially in Malaysian teaching cases. The case contributes to the pool of teaching cases which transcend multidisciplinary dimensions. The two issues facing Hafiz are aligned with the case’s three learning objectives. These objectives are themselves a step-by-step guide for the students to first explain the concepts of entrepreneurial creativity/innovation, and second, to explain the attributes of firms operating in a monopolistic competition market. The third learning objective is to help the students utilize their knowledge to recommend solutions to the issues.
Availability of Lifesaving Maternal and Child Health Commodities and Associated Factors in Public and Private Health Facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Damtew Dagim , Worku Fikru , Tesfaye Yonas , Jemal Awol
Published: December 2019

Background:

Inaccessible, unaffordable, and poor quality care are the key underlying reasons for the high burden of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.

Objective:

To assess the availability of lifesaving maternal and child health (MCH) commodities and associated factors in public and private health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2016.

Methods:

Institutional-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the selected health facilities (29 publics and 6 private) in Addis Ababa. The data were collected through pretested, structured questionnaire, and in-depth interviews. For the quantitative analysis, data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software, SPSS Inc. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the variables, and the Spearman correlation test was run to determine the predictors of the outcome variables. For the qualitative data, the data were handled manually and transformed into categories related to the topics and coded on paper individually in order to identify themes and patterns for thematic analysis.

Result:

The overall availability of the lifesaving MCH commodities in the health facilities was 74.3%. There is a moderate, positive association between the availability of lifesaving MCH commodities with the adequacy of budget ( rs = 0.485, P < .001), use of more than 1 selection criteria during selection ( rs = 0.407, P = .015), and training given to health facilities on logistics management ( rs = 0.490, P = .003).

Conclusion:

The availability of the lifesaving MCH commodities in the health facilities was within the range of fairly high to high. Adequacy of budget, use of more than 1 selection criteria during selection, and training given on logistics management were the predictors of the availability of the commodities.
The immune landscape and response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy in lymphoma
Authors: Kline Justin , Godfrey James , Ansell Stephen M.
Published: December 2019

The clinical development of effective cancer immunotherapies, along with advances in genomic analysis, has led to the identification of tumor environmental features that predict for sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT). Early-phase clinical trial results have demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of CBT in specific lymphoma subtypes, including classical Hodgkin lymphoma and primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Conversely, CBT has been relatively disappointing in follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. These clinical observations, coupled with important scientific discoveries, have uncovered salient features of the lymphoma microenvironment that correlate with immunotherapy response in patients. For example, classical Hodgkin lymphoma is characterized by an inflammatory environment, genetic alterations that facilitate escape from immune attack, and sensitivity to PD-1 blockade therapy. On the other hand, for lymphomas in which measures of immune surveillance are lacking, including follicular lymphoma and most diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, anti-PD-1 therapy has been less effective. An improved understanding of the immune landscapes of these lymphomas is needed to define subsets that might benefit from CBT. In this article, we describe the immune environments associated with major B-cell lymphomas with an emphasis on the immune escape pathways orchestrated by these diseases. We also discuss how oncogenic alterations in lymphoma cells may affect the cellular composition of the immune environment and ultimately, vulnerability to CBT. Finally, we highlight key areas for future investigation, including the need for the development of biomarkers that predict for sensitivity to CBT in lymphoma patients.
Predictors of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in Indigenous adult residents of central Australia: results of a case–control study
Authors: Einsiedel Lloyd , Pham Hai , Au Virginia , Hatami Saba , Wilson Kim , Spelman Tim , Jersmann Hubertus
Published: December 2019

The human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with pulmonary inflammation. Indigenous Australians in central Australia have a very high prevalence of HTLV-1 infection and we hypothesised that this might contribute to high rates of bronchiectasis in this population.

80 Indigenous adults with confirmed bronchiectasis, each matched by age, sex and language to two controls without bronchiectasis, were recruited. Case notes and chest imaging were reviewed, HTLV-1 serology and the number of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) infected with HTLV-1 (pro-viral load (PVL)) were determined, and radiological abnormality scores were calculated. Participants were followed for a mean±sdof 1.14±0.86 years and causes of death were determined.

Median (interquartile range) HTLV-1 PVL for cases was 8-fold higher than controls (cases 213.8 (19.7–3776.3) copies per 105PBLsversuscontrols 26.6 (0.9–361) copies per 105PBLs; p=0.002). Radiological abnormality scores were higher for cases with HTLV-1 PVL ≥1000 copies per 105PBLs and no cause of bronchiectasis other than HTLV-1 infection. Major predictors of bronchiectasis were prior severe lower respiratory tract infection (adjusted OR (aOR) 17.83, 95% CI 4.51–70.49; p<0.001) and an HTLV-1 PVL ≥1000 copies per 105PBLs (aOR 12.41, 95% CI 3.84–40.15; p<0.001). Bronchiectasis (aOR 4.27, 95% CI 2.04–8.94; p<0.001) and HTLV-1 PVL ≥1000 copies per 105PBLs (aOR 3.69, 95% CI 1.11–12.27; p=0.033) predicted death.

High HTLV-1 PVLs are associated with bronchiectasis and with more extensive radiological abnormalities, which may result from HTLV-1-mediated airway inflammation.
Mold resistance of bamboo treated with copper complexes-grafted silica gel and its microdistribution in treated bamboo
Authors: Yang Shoulu , Luo Sha , Huang Anxiang , Luo Yang , Li Dan , Wu Yiqiang , Ji Ning
Published: December 2019

Bamboo is readily discolored by mold fungi, which greatly limits its applications. An effective antifungal agent, copper(II) chloride (CuCl2)-grafted silica gel, was prepared by a sol–gel process using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)/3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) mixtures. The elemental composition and the chemical combinations of homogeneous sol mixture (HSM) and bamboo were determined via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDS). The mold resistance of bamboo treated with HSM, alkaline copper quat (ACQ), chromated copper arsenate (CCA), and purified water was characterized by an indoor mold test. The micro-morphology of bamboo treated with HSM was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). HSM penetrated into the bamboo vessels, and formed xerogels, which was able to coordinate copper(II) cations. SEM–EDS investigations suggest that Si–O–Cu linkages may be formed through an exchange reaction between silanol groups and copper complexes. The bamboo samples treated with HSM showed highly efficient mold resistance due to a good penetration of HSM. Furthermore, no fungal hyphae were found in the structure of HSM-treated bamboo after a 5-week mold test. The copper complexes grafted to silica gel developed in this work provide an efficient antifungal agent for a wide range of potential applications in bamboo protection.
Experimental Demonstration of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency in a Conductively Coupled Flexible Metamaterial with Cheap Aluminum Foil
Authors: Hu Jie , Lang Tingting , Xu Weihang , Liu Jianjun , Hong Zhi
Published: December 2019

We propose a conductively coupled terahertz metallic metamaterial exhibiting analog of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), in which the bright and dark mode antennae interact via surface currents rather than near-field coupling. Aluminum foil, which is very cheap and often used in food package, is used to fabricate our metamaterials. Thus, our metamaterials are also flexible metamaterials. In our design, aluminum bar resonators and aluminum split ring resonators (SRRs) are connected (rather than separated) in the form of a fork-shaped structure. We conduct a numerical simulation and an experiment to analyze the mechanism of the proposed metamaterial. The surface current due to LSP resonance (bright mode) flows along different paths, and a potential difference is generated at the split gaps of the SRRs. Thus, an LC resonance (dark mode) is induced, and the bright mode is suppressed, resulting in EIT. The EIT-like phenomenon exhibited by the metamaterial is induced by surface conducting currents, which may provide new ideas for the design of EIT metamaterials. Moreover, the process of fabricating microstructures on flexible substrates can provide a reference for producing flexible microstructures in the future.
Joint between-sample normalization and differential expression detection through ℓ0-regularized regression
Authors: Liu Kefei , Shen Li , Jiang Hui
Published: December 2019

Background

A fundamental problem in RNA-seq data analysis is to identify genes or exons that are differentially expressed with varying experimental conditions based on the read counts. The relativeness of RNA-seq measurements makes the between-sample normalization of read counts an essential step in differential expression (DE) analysis. In most existing methods, the normalization step is performed prior to the DE analysis. Recently, Jiang and Zhan proposed a statistical method which introduces sample-specific normalization parameters into a joint model, which allows for simultaneous normalization and differential expression analysis from log-transformed RNA-seq data. Furthermore, an ℓ0 penalty is used to yield a sparse solution which selects a subset of DE genes. The experimental conditions are restricted to be categorical in their work.

Results

In this paper, we generalize Jiang and Zhan’s method to handle experimental conditions that are measured in continuous variables. As a result, genes with expression levels associated with a single or multiple covariates can be detected. As the problem being high-dimensional, non-differentiable and non-convex, we develop an efficient algorithm for model fitting.

Conclusions

Experiments on synthetic data demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing methods in terms of detection accuracy when a large fraction of genes are differentially expressed in an asymmetric manner, and the performance gain becomes more substantial for larger sample sizes. We also apply our method to a real prostate cancer RNA-seq dataset to identify genes associated with pre-operative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in patients.
Statistical modeling of STR capillary electrophoresis signal
Authors: Karkar Slim , Alfonse Lauren E. , Grgicak Catherine M. , Lun Desmond S.
Published: December 2019

Background

In order to isolate an individual’s genotype from a sample of biological material, most laboratories use PCR and Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) to construct a genetic profile based on polymorphic loci known as Short Tandem Repeats (STRs). The resulting profile consists of CE signal which contains information about the length and number of STR units amplified. For samples collected from the environment, interpretation of the signal can be challenging given that information regarding the quality and quantity of the DNA is often limited. The signal can be further compounded by the presence of noise and PCR artifacts such as stutter which can mask or mimic biological alleles. Because manual interpretation methods cannot comprehensively account for such nuances, it would be valuable to develop a signal model that can effectively characterize the various components of STR signal independent of a priori knowledge of the quantity or quality of DNA.

Results

First, we seek to mathematically characterize the quality of the profile by measuring changes in the signal with respect to amplicon size. Next, we examine the noise, allele, and stutter components of the signal and develop distinct models for each. Using cross-validation and model selection, we identify a model that can be effectively utilized for downstream interpretation. Finally, we show an implementation of the model in NOCIt, a software system that calculates the a posteriori probability distribution on the number of contributors.

Conclusion

The model was selected using a large, diverse set of DNA samples obtained from 144 different laboratory conditions; with DNA amounts ranging from a single copy of DNA to hundreds of copies, and the quality of the profiles ranging from pristine to highly degraded. Implemented in NOCIt, the model enables a probabilisitc approach to estimating the number of contributors to complex, environmental samples.
DeepEP: a deep learning framework for identifying essential proteins
Authors: Zeng Min , Li Min , Wu Fang-Xiang , Li Yaohang , Pan Yi
Published: December 2019

Background

Essential proteins are crucial for cellular life and thus, identification of essential proteins is an important topic and a challenging problem for researchers. Recently lots of computational approaches have been proposed to handle this problem. However, traditional centrality methods cannot fully represent the topological features of biological networks. In addition, identifying essential proteins is an imbalanced learning problem; but few current shallow machine learning-based methods are designed to handle the imbalanced characteristics.

Results

We develop DeepEP based on a deep learning framework that uses the node2vec technique, multi-scale convolutional neural networks and a sampling technique to identify essential proteins. In DeepEP, the node2vec technique is applied to automatically learn topological and semantic features for each protein in protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Gene expression profiles are treated as images and multi-scale convolutional neural networks are applied to extract their patterns. In addition, DeepEP uses a sampling method to alleviate the imbalanced characteristics. The sampling method samples the same number of the majority and minority samples in a training epoch, which is not biased to any class in training process. The experimental results show that DeepEP outperforms traditional centrality methods. Moreover, DeepEP is better than shallow machine learning-based methods. Detailed analyses show that the dense vectors which are generated by node2vec technique contribute a lot to the improved performance. It is clear that the node2vec technique effectively captures the topological and semantic properties of PPI network. The sampling method also improves the performance of identifying essential proteins.

Conclusion

We demonstrate that DeepEP improves the prediction performance by integrating multiple deep learning techniques and a sampling method. DeepEP is more effective than existing methods.
Transcriptomic and microstructural analyses in Liriodendron tulipifera Linn. reveal candidate genes involved in nectary development and nectar secretion
Authors: Liu Huanhuan , Ma Jikai , Li Huogen
Published: December 2019

Background

Nectar is a major floral attractant and reward for insects that ensures pollination. Liriodendron, a genus of the Magnoliaceae family, includes only two relict species, L. chinense and L. tulipifera, which are considered “basal angiosperms” according to plant evolutionary history. The flowers of Liriodendron plants are insect pollinated and secrete nectar to attract pollinators. To date, the morphology and anatomy of nectaries, the mechanism of nectar secretion and the molecular mechanism of nectary development in Liriodendron remain poorly understood.

Methods

In this study, we examined the nectary surface cells and change in starch in L. tulipifera by using scanning electron microscopy and periodic acid-Schiff techniques to select appropriate samples for subsequent research. Transcriptome sequencing was of the top and middle parts of immature nectaries and the middle part of mature and postsecretory nectaries in L. tulipifera was performed. We evaluated the expression profiles of 21 DEGs that are closely related to nectary development and nectar secretion for real-time quantitative PCR analysis.

Results

L. tulipifera nectaries are starch-storing nectaries and are located in the top and middle parts of L. tulipifera petals. After analyzing the RNA-seq data, we obtained 115.26 Gb of clean data in 12 libraries and mapped the results to the L. chinense reference genome with 71.02–79.77% efficiency. In total, 26,955 DEGs were identified by performing six pairwise comparisons. The flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, anthocyanin biosynthesis and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways were enriched and related to nectar secretion and pigment change. We identified 56 transcription factor families, and members of the TCP, Trihelix, C2H2, ERF, and MADS families changed dynamically during nectary development. Moreover, to further verify the accuracy of the RNA-seq results, we validated the expression profiles of 21 candidate genes.

Conclusions

We evaluated the nectary development and secretion processes comprehensively and identified many related candidate genes in L. tulipifera. These findings suggest that nectaries play important roles in flavonoid synthesis and petal color presentation.
Relationship between early proteinuria and long term outcome of kidney transplanted patients from different decades of donor age
Authors: Diena Davide , Messina Maria , De Biase Consuelo , Fop Fabrizio , Scardino Edoardo , Rossetti Maura M. , Barreca Antonella , Verri Aldo , Biancone Luigi
Published: December 2019

Background

Proteinuria after kidney transplantation portends a worse graft survival. However the magnitude of proteinuria related to patient and graft survival and its correlation with donor and recipient characteristics are poorly explored.

Methods

This study investigated the impact of post transplant proteinuria in the first year in 1127 kidney transplants analyzing the impact of different donor ages. Proteinuria cut off was set at 0.5 g/day.

Results

Transplants with proteinuria> 0.5 g/day correlated with poor graft and patient outcome in all donor age groups. In addition, 6-month-1-year proteinuria increase was significantly associated with graft outcome, especially with donors> 60 years old (p <  0.05; Odd Ratio 1.8). 1-year graft function (eGFR < or ≥ 44 ml/min) had similar impact to proteinuria (≥ 0.5 g/day) on graft failure (Hazard Ratio 2.77 vs Hazard Ratio 2.46). Low-grade proteinuria (0.2–0.5 g/day) demonstrated a trend for worse graft survival with increasing donor age. Also in kidney-paired analysis proteinuria ≥0.5 effect was more significant with donors> 50 years old (Odd Ratio 2.3).

Conclusions

Post-transplant proteinuria was increasingly harmful with older donor age. Proteinuria ≥0.5 g/day correlates with worse outcomes in all transplanted patients. Prognostic value of proteinuria and eGFR for graft and patient survival was comparable and these two variables remain significant risk factors even in a multivariate model that take into consideration the most important clinical variables (donor age, rejection, delayed graft function and cytomegalovirus viremia among others).
Great auricular nerve schwannoma in neck region: a case report with the risk of medical disputes
Authors: Xu Chunling , Sun Qingjia
Published: December 2019

Background

Great auricular nerve schwannoma is extremely rare. Herein, we reported the first case of schwannoma arising from great auricular nerve trunk.

Case presentation

A 29 year-old female complained of a slowly-growing superfacial neck mass for 6 months. MRI revealed a high possibility of schwannoma. Although the patient underwent successfully surgical removal of the tumor, ipsilateral numbness of both auricle and peripheral skin developed due to traction of the nerve. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. And the patient has been followed regularly.

Conclusion

For superficial cervical tumors, the cervical plexus cutaneous nerve should be considered if MRI and other imaging findings suggest neurogenic tumors.
Correction to: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in two brothers with DNA ligase IV deficiency: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Schober Sarah , Schilbach Karin , Doering Michaela , Cabanillas Stanchi Karin M. , Holzer Ursula , Kasteleiner Patrick , Schittenhelm Jens , Schaefer Juergen F. , Mueller Ingo , Lang Peter , Handgretinger Rupert
Published: December 2019

After publication of the original article (1), it was brought to our attention that references 24 and 31 are inappropriately cited in the article.
A new decompression technique for upper lumbar fracture with neurologic deficit-comparison with traditional open posterior surgery
Authors: Zhang Bangke , Zhou Fengjin , Wang Liang , Wang Haibin , Jiang Jiayao , Guo Qunfeng , Lu Xuhua
Published: December 2019

Background

Surgery is usually recommended for thoracolumbar fracture with neurologic deficit. However, traditional open posterior approach requires massive paraspinal muscles stripping, and the canal decompression may be limited and incomplete. We aimed to investigate a new approach via the Wiltse approach and the Kambin’s Triangle.

Methods

Twenty-one consecutive patients with traumatic upper lumbar fracture who received this new approach surgery between January 2015 and January 2016 constituted the new approach group. Twenty-nine patients received the traditional open posterior surgery between January 2014 and January 2015 were classified as the traditional posterior surgery group. Surgical informations including operative time, blood loss, drainage volume, hospitalization days were collected and compared among the two groups. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and Visual Analog Score (VAS) were evaluated preoperatively, postoperatively and at 12 months follow-up.

Results

Patients in the new approach group had fewer operation time (128.3 ± 25.1 vs 151 ± 32.2 min, P = 0.01), less blood loss (243.8 ± 135.5 vs 437.8 ± 224.9 ml, P = 0.001) and drainage volume (70.7 ± 57.2 vs 271.7 ± 95.5 ml, P < 0.001), as well as shorter hospitalization stay than the traditional posterior surgery group (6.6 ± 1.8 vs 8.5 ± 2.4 d, P = 0.004). Similar neurologic recovery according to ASIA grade was achieved in both groups (Recovery index: 0.90 ± 0.53 vs 0.86 ± 0.51, P = 0.778). While the pain level was significantly lower in the new approach group postoperatively (2.6 ± 0.7 vs 3.5 ± 0.9, P < 0.001) and at 12 months follow-up (1.4 ± 0.9 vs 2.4 ± 0.8, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The present new approach was successfully applied in the treatment of upper lumbar fracture with neurologic deficit. It can reduce iatrogenic trauma and achieve similar or better outcomes compared to the traditional posterior surgery.