bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Draft Genome Sequence of Lactobacillus paraplantarum OSY-TC318, a Producer of the Novel Lantibiotic Paraplantaracin TC318
Authors: Hussein Walaa E. , Huang En , Ozturk Ismet , Yousef Ahmed E.
Published: May 2019

Lactobacillus paraplantarum
OSY-TC318 was isolated from Turkish Tulum cheese and found to produce a potent anti-Gram-positive peptide. Sequencing of the OSY-TC318 genome revealed a genome size of 3,587,488 bp and an average GC content of 43.4%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Myophage Mutine
Authors: Gutierrez Jamie , Xie Yicheng , Gill Jason J. , Liu Mei
Published: May 2019

Mutine is a myophage ofSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium. Here, we present the complete genome of Mutine (161,502 bp) and show that it is similar to that of phage Vi01.
Electronic palliative care coordination systems (EPaCCS): a systematic review
Authors: Leniz Javiera , Weil Anna , Higginson Irene J , Sleeman Katherine E
Published: May 2019

Objectives

To systematically search, evaluate and report the state of the science of electronic palliative care coordination systems (EPaCCS).

Methods

We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library and grey literature for articles evaluating or discussing electronic systems to facilitate sharing of information about advance care plans. Two independent review authors screened full‐text articles for inclusion, assessed quality and extracted data.

Results

In total, 30 articles and reports were included. Of the 26 articles, 14 were ‘expert opinion’ articles (editorials, discussion papers or commentaries), 9 were observational studies (cross-sectional, retrospective cohort studies or service evaluations), 2 were qualitative studies and 1 a mixed-methods study. No study had an experimental design. Quantitative studies described the proportion of people with EPaCCS dying in their preferred place, and associations between EPaCCS use and hospital utilisation. Qualitative, mixed-methods studies and reports described the burden of inputting data and difficulties with IT systems as main challenges of implementing EPaCCS.

Conclusions

Much of the current scientific literature on EPaCCS comprises expert opinion, and there is an absence of experimental studies evaluating the impact of EPaCCS on end-of-life outcomes. Given the current drive for national roll-out of EPaCCS by 2020, it is essential that rigorous evaluation of EPaCCS is prioritised.
A convenient approach to 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline-3-oxides using active MnO2 as the oxidant
Authors: Ye Xinglin , Chen Zhiyuan , Zhang Zhipeng , Fu Yang , Deng Zhihong , Peng Yiyuan
Published: May 2019

Using cheap, readily available, and economic active MnO2 as an oxidant, a series of 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline-3-oxides were synthesized in good to excellent yields by oxidation of the corresponding 1,2-dihydroquinazoline-3-oxides under mild conditions. This novel approach is simple and convenient and provides a series of 2,4-disubstituted quinazoline-3-oxides.
Validation of a feedback harvest control rule in data-limited conditions for managing multispecies fisheries
Authors: Harlyan Ledhyane Ika , Wu Dengke , Kinashi Ryosuke , Kaewnern Methee , Matsuishi Takashi
Published: May 2019

Harvest control rules (HCRs) for sustainable fishery management have been developed for data-limited fish species for which stock assessments cannot be conducted. However, HCRs have largely not considered mixed-species catches, as when fishing-effort data are widely pooled for numerous minor species in a multispecies fishery. Presently, a feedback HCR has been successfully applied in Japanese fisheries management. By combining management strategy evaluation with a simulation to generate mixed-species data from a multispecies fishery that assume constant catchability (q) among species, we evaluated the performance of this feedback HCR and then compared its performance using species-specific data. In most cases, the biomass was controlled over that needed for maximum sustainable yield (MSY), and the fishing effort was under the fishing mortality consistent with achieving MSY (FMSY). However, for slow-growing species, the biomass might become lower than what is required to remain capable of producing MSY, even though fishing effort was controlled under FMSY. The results show that the feedback HCR is appropriate for multispecies fisheries management where only mixed-species data are available but with special monitoring for slow-growing minor species.
Improved Generalized Procedure for Determining Critical State of a Thin-Walled Beam Under Combined Symmetric Loads
Authors: Van Binh Phung , Duc Nguyen Viet , Sergeevich Prokopov Vladimir , Minh Dang Hoang
Published: May 2019

This paper presents an improved generalized procedure for dealing with the stability of thin-walled beams under combined symmetric loads based on the energy method. The differential equations for the case of complex loading conditions were developed using an axis transformation matrix. The work caused by external loads was related to the work of internal forces to simplify the computational procedure. The thin-walled beam subjected to axial force [Formula: see text], bending moment [Formula: see text] at both ends, and concentrated load [Formula: see text] at midspan was studied. The case of a concentrated load [Formula: see text] replaced by a distributed load [Formula: see text] over partial beam length was also examined. The stability region boundary of the beam was derived by two approaches: one was to estimate an approximate angle of twist prior to determination of the deflection and the other was to do it in the reverse way. Numerical results reveal that the first approach yields less error than the second; however, the outcome obtained by the former was more cumbersome than the latter. Above all, both approaches provided feasible results and are useful for further applications dealing with the stability analysis of thin-walled beams.
Design-Level and Code-Level Security Analysis of IoT Devices
Authors: Tabrizi Farid Molazem , Pattabiraman Karthik
Published: May 2019

The Internet of Things (IoT) is playing an important role in different aspects of our lives. Smart grids, smart cars, and medical devices all incorporate IoT devices as key components. The ubiquity and criticality of these devices make them an attractive target for attackers. Therefore, we need techniques to analyze their security so that we can address their potential vulnerabilities. IoT devices, unlike remote servers, are user-facing and, therefore, an attacker may interact with them more extensively, e.g., via physical access. Existing techniques for analyzing security of IoT devices either rely on a pre-defined set of attacks and, therefore, have limited effect or do not consider the specific capabilities the attackers have against IoT devices.

Security analysis techniques may operate at the design-level, leveraging abstraction to avoid state-space explosion, or at the code-level for ensuring accuracy. In this article, we introduce two techniques, one at the design-level, and the other at the code-level, to analyze security of IoT devices, and compare their effectiveness. The former technique uses model checking, while the latter uses symbolic execution, to find attacks based on the attacker’s capabilities. We evaluate our techniques on an open source smart meter. We find that our code-level analysis technique is able to find three times more attacks and complete the analysis in half the time, compared to the design-level analysis technique, with no false positives.
Correlation-robust mechanism design
Authors: Gravin Nick , Lu Pinian
Published: May 2019

In this letter, we discuss the correlation-robust framework proposed by Carroll [Econometrica 2017] and our new development [SODA 2018]. Consider a monopolist seller that has
n
heterogeneous items to sell to a single buyer with the objective of maximizing the seller's revenue. In the correlation-robust framework, the seller only knows marginal distribution of each item but has no information about the correlation across different items in the joint distribution. Any mechanism is then evaluated according to its expected profit in the worst-case over all possible joint distributions with the given marginal distributions. Carroll's main result states that when the buyer's value for any set of her items is the sum of the values of individual items in the set, the optimal correlation-robust mechanism should sell items separately. We extend this result to the case where the buyer has a budget constraint on her total payment. Namely, we show that the optimal robust mechanism splits the total budget in a fixed way across different items independent of the bids, and then sells each item separately with a per item budget constraint.

We highlight an alternative approach via a dual Linear Programming formulation for the optimal correlation-robust mechanism design problem. This LP can be used to compute optimal mechanisms in general (other than additive) settings. It also yields an alternative proof for the additive monopoly problem without constructing the worst-case distribution and allows us to extend the proof to the budget setting.
Doxorubicin induces detrusor smooth muscle impairments through myosin dysregulation, leading to a risk of lower urinary tract dysfunction
Authors: Iguchi Nao , Dönmez M. İrfan , Carrasco Alonso , Wilcox Duncan T. , Pineda Ricardo H. , Malykhina Anna P. , Cost Nicholas G.
Published: May 2019

Cytotoxic chemotherapy is the foundation for the treatment of the wide variety of childhood malignancies; however, these therapies are known to have a variety of deleterious side effects. One common chemotherapy used in children, doxorubicin (DOX), is well known to cause cardiotoxicity and cardiomyopathy. Recent studies have revealed that DOX impairs skeletal and smooth muscle function and contributes to fatigue and abnormal intestinal motility in patients. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that systemic DOX administration also affects detrusor smooth muscle (DSM) function in the urinary bladder, especially when administered at a young age. The effects on the DSM and bladder function were assessed in BALB/cJ mice that received six weekly intravenous injections of DOX (3 mg·kg−1·wk−1) or saline for the control group. Systemic DOX administration resulted in DSM hypertrophy, increased voiding frequency, and a significant attenuation of DSM contractility, followed by a slower relaxation compared with the control group. Gene expression analyses revealed that unlike DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, the bladders from DOX-administered animals showed no changes in oxidative stress markers; instead, downregulation of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+channels and altered expression of myosin light-chain kinase coincided with reduced myosin light-chain phosphorylation. These results indicate that in vivo DOX exposure caused DSM dysfunction by dysregulation of molecules involved in the detrusor contractile-relaxation mechanisms. Collectively, our findings suggest that survivors of childhood cancer treated with DOX may be at increased risk of bladder dysfunction and benefit from followup surveillance of bladder function.
Cross-limb dynamics of postural tremor due to limb loading to fatigue: neural overflow but not coupling
Authors: Morrison Steven , Kavanagh Justin J. , Newell Karl M.
Published: May 2019

Many experiments have shown independence of the index finger dynamics under bilateral postural tremor protocols. Here we investigated in young adults the dynamics of bilateral multidirectional postural tremor and forearm muscle activity under the progressively fatiguing conditions supporting an external weight to the point of induced postural failure. When no loads were applied, tremor in the vertical (VT) and mediolateral (ML) directions was similar with prominent peaks within 2- to 4-Hz and 8- to 12-Hz bandwidths. Contrastingly tremor in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction was characterized by a single peak between 0 and 2 Hz. Although no tremor coupling occurred cross limbs, strong within-limb coupling was found between ML and VT directions when no loads were applied (coherence range: 0.77–0.85), implying that these oscillations are related and likely derived from mechanical sources. Applying an external load to the index finger(s) led to significant increases in the amplitude of VT tremor and EMG activity within that limb but also caused increases in tremor directions not aligned with the gravitational vector (AP and ML). Significant increases in VT and ML tremor and EMG activity in the contralateral (unloaded) limb were also found when a single index finger was loaded; however, this bilateral increase did not align with increases in interlimb coupling (coherence <0.21). The effects of fatigue caused by prolonged loading were widespread, affecting tremor and muscle activity in both limbs through a combination of neural and mechanical mechanisms. The single- and dual-limb loading to fatigue increased neural overflow but not tremor coupling between the index fingers.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study investigated bilateral multidirectional tremor under unloaded and loaded conditions. We found that tremor in the mediolateral and vertical directions within a limb were strongly coupled, a result not reported previously. Furthermore, when holding a weight to failure, tremor in all directions increased. Tremor also increased in the contralateral (unloaded) limb despite no interlimb coupling. This contralateral increase in tremor following loading a limb until fatigue is hypothesized to stem from motor-overflow effects.
Effects of Model Horizontal Grid Resolution on Short- and Medium-Term Daily Temperature Forecasts for Energy Consumption Application in European Cities
Authors: Giunta G. , Salerno R. , Ceppi A. , Ercolani G. , Mancini M.
Published: May 2019

A short-term forecast of energy consumption is affected by different factors related to the demand in residential, commercial, thermoelectric, and industrial sectors. This demand can be strongly constrained by weather variables, especially temperatures, whose forecast may be very useful to predict the balances between supply and demand, minimizing the risk of price volatility. Energy companies use the relationship between meteorological forecast output and energy request to provide an effective scheduling of national gas and power grids and reduce operational costs in critical periods. This work reports a comparison analysis for short- and medium-term daily temperature forecasts during the period 2013-2014 by using the weather model e-kmf™ (eni-kassandra meteo forecast), currently adopted in gas and power applications where meteorological output has a key role. This weather forecast system uses different models and initial data to develop probabilistic predictions from a perspective of eleven days ahead. In particular, a set of model runs with horizontal grid spacing of 5.5, 8, 13, and 18 km with the same domain size are undertaken to assess the sensitivity of temperature to horizontal resolutions. A nonlinear Kalman filter has been also applied to postprocess forecasted data in eight European cities (Milano, Roma, Torino, Napoli, Munich, Paris, Brussels, and London). Filtered forecasts over these cities have been compared to local observations taken from SYNOP (surface synoptic observations) and METAR (meteorological Aerodrome Report) stations. Skill scores of performance have been used to generally assess the forecast reliability up to day +11. In order to understand the sensitivity to the horizontal resolution, investigations have been carried out even during four specific periods of two weeks with stable and unstable weather conditions.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Cancer: Clinical Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Lin Weiping , Huang Linfeng , Li Ying , Fang Bin , Li Gang , Chen Leilei , Xu Liangliang
Published: May 2019

Stem cell-based therapies exhibit profound therapeutic potential for treating various human diseases, including cancer. Among the cell types that can be used for this purpose, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered as promising source of stem cells in personalized cell-based therapies. The inherent tumor-tropic property of MSCs can be used to target cancer cells. Although the impacts of MSCs on tumor progression remain elusive, they have been genetically modified or engineered as targeted anticancer agents which could inhibit tumor growth by blocking different processes of tumor. In addition, there are close interactions between MSCs and cancer stem cells (CSCs). MSCs can regulate the growth of CSCs through paracrine mechanisms. This review aims to focus on the current knowledge about MSCs-based tumor therapies, the opportunities and challenges, as well as the prospective of its further clinical implications.
Trans-Cinnamaldehyde Inhibits IL-1β-Stimulated Inflammation in Chondrocytes by Suppressing NF-κB and p38-JNK Pathways and Exerts Chondrocyte Protective Effects in a Rat Model of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Xia Tianwei , Gao Runzi , Zhou Guowei , Liu Jinzhu , Li Jinsheng , Shen Jirong
Published: May 2019

Objective. Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TCA), a compound from Cinnamomum cassia Presl, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effect. However, its effect on cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis is unclear. This study is designed to examine the effects of TCA on cartilage in vitro and in vivo. Material and Methods. SW1353 cells and human primary chondrocytes were treated with varying concentrations of TCA (2-20 μg/ml) for 2 h followed by IL-1β stimulation. Cell viability was examined by the MTT assay. Expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5 was examined by Western blot and RT-qPCR. Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA was established in rats to assess the chondrocyte protective effects of intraperitoneal injection of TCA (50 mg/kg). Results. TCA at a concentration of 10 μg/ml had no significant effect on cell viability. MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5 were decreased by TCA 2-10 μg/ml in a dose-dependent manner (all P<0.05). Pretreatment with TCA decreased the degradation of IκBα and increased the expression of p-IκBα, indicating that NF-κB inactivation was induced by TCA in IL-1β-stimulated SW1353 cells. Pretreatment with TCA decreased the levels of p-p38 and p-JNK, while the levels of p-ERK were not significantly affected. TCA 10 μg/ml significantly decreased expression levels of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5. In vivo results showed that TCA alleviated cartilage destruction and the OARSI scores. Conclusion. TCA possesses anti-inflammatory effect in vitro and exerts chondrocyte protective effects in vivo, in which NF-κB and p38-JNK were involved.
Evolution Model of Seepage Characteristics in the Process of Water Inrush in Faults
Authors: Shao Jianli , Zhou Fei , Sun Wenbin
Published: May 2019

Although the mechanism and influence of fault water inrush have been widely studied, there are still few studies on the migration of filling particles and the evolution process of seepage characteristics within faults. In this work, the coupling effects of water flow, particle migration, and permeability evolution are considered synthetically, and the evolution model of seepage characteristics with multifield coupling is established. This model was used to investigate the evolution process of water inrush within faults and the effects of water pressure, initial effective porosity, and initial permeability on water flow rate. The results show that the evolution of seepage characteristics can be divided into three phases: (i) low velocity seepage, (ii) drastic changes with substantial particle migration, and (iii) steady-state water flow. The multifield coupling causes the effective porosity, permeability, flow velocity, and particle concentration to accelerate each other during the dramatic phase. Moreover, the increases in initial water pressure, initial porosity, and initial permeability have different degrees of promotion on the water flow rate. Finally, the simulation results are approximately the same as the data of water inrush in the mining area, which verifies the correctness of the evolution model established in this work. This work provides new approaches to the evolution process and prevention of water inrush in faults.
Oxidative Stress-Driven Autophagy acROSs Onset and Therapeutic Outcome in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ciccarone Fabio , Castelli Serena , Ciriolo Maria Rosa
Published: May 2019

Reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) mediated autophagy physiologically contributes to management of cell homeostasis in response to mild oxidative stress. Cancer cells typically engage autophagy downstream of ROS signaling derived from hypoxia and starvation, which are harsh environmental conditions that need to be faced for cancer development and progression. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a solid tumor for which several environmental risk factors, particularly viral infections and alcohol abuse, have been shown to promote carcinogenesis via augmentation of oxidative stress. In addition, ROS burst in HCC cells frequently takes place after administration of therapeutic compounds that promote apoptotic cell death or even autophagic cell death. The interplay between ROS and autophagy (i) in the disposal of dysfunctional mitochondria via mitophagy, as a tumor suppressor mechanism, or (ii) in the cell survival adaptive response elicited by chemotherapeutic interventions, as a tumor-promoting event, will be depicted in this review in relation to HCC development and progression.
A Statistical Similarity/Dissimilarity Analysis of Protein Sequences Based on a Novel Group Representative Vector
Authors: Abd Elwahaab Marwa A. , Abo-Elkhier Mervat M. , Abo el Maaty Moheb I.
Published: May 2019

Similarity/dissimilarity analysis is a key way of understanding the biology of an organism by knowing the origin of the new genes/sequences. Sequence data are grouped in terms of biological relationships. The number of sequences related to any group is susceptible to be increased every day. All the present alignment-free methods approve the utility of their approaches by producing a similarity/dissimilarity matrix. Although this matrix is clear, it measures the degree of similarity among sequences individually. In our work, a representative of each of three groups of protein sequences is introduced. A similarity/dissimilarity vector is evaluated instead of the ordinary similarity/dissimilarity matrix based on the group representative. The approach is applied on three selected groups of protein sequences: beta globin, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5), and spike protein sequences. A cross-grouping comparison is produced to ensure the singularity of each group. A qualitative comparison between our approach, previous articles, and the phylogenetic tree of these protein sequences proved the utility of our approach.
The Role of Supportive Treatment in the Management of Hyperammonemia in Neonates and Infants
Authors: Demirkol Demet , Aktuğlu Zeybek Çiğdem , Karacabey Burçin Nazlı , Cesur Yaşar , Ataman Yasemin , Soysal Elif
Published: May 2019

Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), mainly continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), and evaluate vasoactive requirements in hyperammonemic neonates and infants. Methods: Patients who underwent CRRT for hyperammonemia were retrospectively analyzed. Measurements and Main Results: Patients in 7 of the encounters were treated solely by CVVHDF. During 3 encounters, patients who received continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) were transitioned to CVVHDF. CVVHD was used in 3 encounters. The median 50% reduction time for ammonia was 8 h (range 3–15 h). The median duration of CRRT treatment was 40 h (range 24–89 h). Survival to hospital discharge occurred in 12 encounters (92.3%). Eleven encounters (84.6%) were treated with different vasoactive agents. In those encounters, the median vasoactive medications’ start time was the 6th hours (range 2–60 h) of CRRT. There was no association between the vasoactive index score and pre-dialysis ammonia concentration. Conclusions: CRRT achieves timely control of hypeammonemic states. Hemodynamic instability necessitating intervention with vasoactive medications is a common finding in patients with hyperammonemia.
Genetic Variations rs859, rs4646, and rs372883 in the 3′-Untranslated Regions of Genes Are Associated with a Risk of IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Yang Xiaohong , Jin Gang , Zhang Yin , Xie Maowei , Li Wenning , Zhang Daofa , Wang Ru , Zhang Pei , Han Yeguang , Wei Jiali
Published: May 2019

Background: Previous studies indicate that genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). To evaluate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of genes and IgAN risk, we performed a case-control study in a Chinese Han population. Materials: Twelve SNPs were selected and genotyped in 384 IgAN patients and 357 healthy controls. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by logistic regression adjusted for age and gender. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was used to analyze the interaction of SNP-SNP with IgAN risk. Results: Our study demonstrated that IL-16 rs859 (OR = 0.75, p = 0.040) and CYP19A1 rs4646 (OR = 2.58, p = 0.017) polymorphism were related to the risk of IgAN. In stratified analyses by gender, CYP19A1 rs4646 (OR = 2.96, p = 0.015) and BACH1 rs372883 (OR = 1.81, p = 0.038) polymorphisms conferred susceptibility to IgAN in males. Besides, rs372883 reduced IgAN risk in females (OR = 0.44, p = 0.042). We also found rs859 polymorphism was correlated with grade I-II (OR = 0.42, p = 0.028) in subgroup analysis of Lee’s classification. Additionally, we found rs4646 polymorphism was correlated with serum creatinine (p = 0.035). Conclusion: Our results suggested that the IL-16 rs859, CYP19A1 rs4646, and BACH1 rs372883 polymorphisms have potential roles in the genetic susceptibility to IgAN in Chinese Han population.
Oral Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Does Not Affect Serum Calcification Propensity in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Chronic Metabolic Acidosis
Authors: Aigner Christof , Cejka Daniel , Sliber Christopher , Fraunschiel Melanie , Sunder-Plassmann Gere , Gaggl Martina
Published: May 2019

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and metabolic acidosis might accelerate vascular calcification. The T50 calcification inhibition test (T50-test) is a global functional test analyzing the overall propensity of calcification in serum, and low T50-time is associated with progressive aortic stiffening and with all-cause mortality in non-dialysis CKD, dialysis, and transplant patients. Low serum bicarbonate is associated with a short T50-time and alkali supplementation could be a simple modifier of calcification propensity. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of oral sodium bicarbonate supplementation on T50-time in CKD patients. Material and Methods: The SoBic-study is an ongoing randomized-controlled trial in CKD-G3 and G4 patients with chronic metabolic acidosis (serum HCO3– ≤21 mmol/L), in which patients are randomized to either achieve serum HCO3– levels of 24 ± 1 mmol/L (intervention group) or 20 ± 1 mmol/L (rescue group). The effect of bicarbonate treatment on T50-time was assessed. Results: The study cohort consisted of 35 (14 female) patients aged 57 (±15) years, and 18 were randomized to the intervention group. The mean T50-time was 275 (± 64) min. After 4 weeks, the mean change of T50-time was 4 (±69) min in the intervention group and 18 min (±56) in the rescue group (β = –25; 95% CI: –71 to 22; p = 0.298). Moreover, change of serum bicarbonate in individual patients was not associated with change in T50-time, analyzed by regression analysis. Change of serum phosphate had a significant impact on change of T50-time (β = –145; 95% CI: –237 to –52). Conclusion: Oral sodium bicarbonate supplementation showed no effect on T50-time in acidotic CKD patients.
Single-Field Non-Mydriatic Fundus Photography for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hu Jiying , Chen Ruiting , Lu Ying , Dou Xiaoyan , Ye Baikang , Cai Zhiming , Pu Zuhui , Mou Lisha
Published: May 2019

Purpose: Single-field non-mydriatic fundus photography (NMFP) has been used to detect diabetic retinopathy (DR) in many studies; however, its value in a general clinical setting has not been established. Here we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate its diagnostic effectiveness. Method: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for candidate studies published through May 19, 2018. A random-effect model was used to calculate the diagnostic indicators including the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), area under the curve (AUC), and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Ten prospective studies were ultimately included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 0.68, 0.94, 11.2, 0.34 and 33, respectively. The AUC was 0.88. Subgroup analysis showed that single-field NMFP had a respective sensitivity and specificity of 0.73 and 0.91 when compared to standard 7-field mydriatic stereoscopic photography (7SF), and 0.54 and 0.98 when compared to slit-lamp biomicroscopy as reference standard. Conclusions: Single-field NMFP is inadequate to detect DR. Additionally, it showed higher sensitivity and lower specificity when 7SF was used as reference standard, as compared to slit-lamp biomicroscopy, suggesting that different reference standards used in DR screening might have affected the diagnostic results.
Unusual Pattern of Reading Errors in a Patient with Posterior Cortical Atrophy
Authors: Pavisic Ivanna M. , Yong Keir X.X. , Primativo Silvia , Crutch Sebastian J. , Suarez Gonzalez Aida
Published: May 2019

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a degenerative condition characterized by a progressive deterioration of visual processing. Dyslexia constitutes an early and frequent visual symptom of the disease and previous comprehensive investigations in series of individuals have extensively documented a characteristic abundance of visual errors as the most prevalent error category in this population. Here we describe the profile of a patient with PCA, C.P., who presents an unusual prevalence of phonological, instead of purely visual, errors in his reading, in the context of an otherwise classic PCA phenotype. In keeping with the well-known PCA profile, C.P. exhibited deficits at the pre-lexical level with elements of crowding and defective early visual processing impairments but additionally showed an unusually prominent disruption of phonological processing. We also argue that our patient may have a refractory access type deficit in reading given that accuracy doubled with the introduction of a five-second response-stimulus interval. To our knowledge, no previous case of a refractory deficit affecting word reading has been reported in PCA. Our examination builds on previous knowledge about reading behaviour in PCA and describes a singular example of the rich phenotypic heterogeneity within the syndrome.
Utility of Mesalazine in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: Clinical Report of Reduction of Polyp Size in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis, and Safety Examination in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Patients
Authors: Ishikawa Hideki , Mutoh Michihiro , Abe Takashi , Nakajima Takeshi , Takeuchi Yoji , Ezoe Yasumasa , Wakabayashi Keiji , Doyama Hisashi , Sakai Toshiyuki
Published: May 2019

Mesalazine is the gold standard drug for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we describe 4 cases of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients with UC that showed reduction of intestinal polyp diameter by mesalazine treatment. Of note, the effects of mesalazine on the development of intestinal polyps in FAP patients have not been reported, and we further investigated whether the short-term use of high-dose mesalazine (4 g/day) has harmful effects on FAP patients or not. The authors found that the treatment showed slightly adverse events in FAP patients. However, mesalazine tended to reduce the number of colon polyps in male subjects with FAP. This report provides basic information for planning a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial that aims to show mesalazine’s potential to suppress intestinal polyp development in FAP.
MRI Metal Artifact Reduction Sequence for Auditory Implants: First Results with a Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Implant
Authors: Wimmer Wilhelm , Hakim Arsany , Kiefer Claus , Pastore-Wapp Manuela , Anschuetz Lukas , Caversaccio Marco D. , Wagner Franca
Published: May 2019

Objective: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often limited in patients with auditory implants because of the presence of metallic components and magnets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a customized MRI sequence for metal artifact suppression for patients with implants in the temporal bone region, specifically patients with a transcutaneous bone conduction implant. Methods: Two whole head specimens were unilaterally implanted with a transcutaneous bone conduction implant. MRI examinations with and without a primarily self-build sequence (SEMAC-VAT WARP) for metal artifact suppression were performed. The diagnostic usefulness of the acquired MRI scans was rated independently by two neuroradiologists. The sequence was also used to acquire postimplantation follow-up MRI in a patient with a transcutaneous bone conduction implant. Results: The customized SEMAC-VAT WARP sequence significantly improved the diagnostic usefulness of the postimplantation MRIs. The image acquisition time was 12 min and 20 s for the T1-weighted and 12 min and 12 s for the T2-weighted MRI. There was good agreement between the two blinded raters (Cohen’s κ = 0.61, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The sequence for metal artifact reduction optimized in Bern enables MRI at 1.5 T in patients with active transcutaneous bone conduction implants without sacrificing diagnostic imaging quality. Particularly on the implanted side, imaging of intracranial and supra- and infratentorial brain pathologies is clinically more valuable than standard diagnostic MRI without any artifact reduction sequences.
ФАРМАКОЛОГІЧНЕ ОБҐРУНТУВАННЯ ВИБОРУ АКТИВНИХ ФАРМАЦЕВТИЧНИХ ІНГРЕДІЄНТІВ ДЛЯ МІСЦЕВОГО ЛІКУВАННЯ ОПІКІВ НА МОДЕЛІ АСЕПТИЧНОЇ ОПІКОВОЇ РАНИ В ЩУРІВ
Authors: Vons B. V. , Grochovuy T. A.
Published: May 2019

Вступ. Опіки – ушкодження тканин, викликані дією високої температури, хімічних речовин (кислот, лугів, солей важких металів), електричного струму, сонячних і рентгенівських променів, а також деяких медикаментозних засобів. Проблема лікування опікових ран як в Україні, так і в всьому світі є актуальною на сьогодні. Питома вага опіків становить від 5,6 до 10 %, вони займають третє місце в структурі загального травматизму. В Україні щорічно реєструють приблизно 80 тисяч опечених, з яких діти складають 10 % (так, у 2017 р. від опіків в Україні постраждало 7605 дітей). Тому створення нової групи оригінальних вітчизняних лікарських засобів, які б стимулювали регенераторні процеси шкіри та покращували загоєння опікових ран, актуальним на даний час.

Мета дослідження – вивчити лікувальну ефективність вибраних активних фармацевтичних інгредієнтів при опіковій травмі.

Методи дослідження. Експерименти проводили на статевозрілих щурах лінії Вістар обох статей. Термічні опіки II ступеня (відповідно до клінічної класифікації) відтворювали на поголеній ділянці шкіри спини в асептичних умовах під тіопенталовим наркозом. З метою створення м’якого лікарського засобу для місцевого лікування опіків проведено скринінг вибраних зразків з різними активними фармацевтичними інгредієнтами хімічного, природного та біологічного походження.

Результати й обговорення. У результаті проведення біологічних досліджень на моделі поверхневої опікової рани встановлено високу ранозагоювальну активність м’якої лікарської форми на основі водного витягу з кріоліофілізованої ксенодерми шкіри свині. Процес загоєння триває в середньому 17 днів. Цей діючий компонент сприяв скороченню термінів загоєння опіків на 4 доби порівняно з групою контрольної патології та на 2–3 доби порівняно з іншими субстанціями, які підлягали експериментальному дослідженню.

Висновок. Доведено ефективність використання біологічного матеріалу, а саме кріоліофілізованої ксенодерми шкіри свині, як активного фармацевтичного інгредієнта для місцевого лікування опіків.
Description of the first marine interstitial ingolfiellid from Philippines, Ingolfiella alba sp. nov., with some remarks on the systematic of the genus (Amphipoda: Ingolfiellidae)
Authors: IANNILLI VALENTINA , BERERA RAFFAELLA , COTTARELLI VEZIO
Published: May 2019

The description of a new Ingolfiella of littoral interstitial water, the first finding among Ingolfiellidea for Philippines is presented. Male and female specimens are investigate and the new species seems close to the species group before included into the marine interstitial Tethydiella group. The new taxon shares a high number of features with I. xarifae Ruffo, 1966, described from Maldive Islands. The new species is characterized for the peculiar oosteogites morphology and for the presence in both sexes of spines and setae variously modified. Finally some data on species ecology and sampling sites are given.
The tadpole of the Narrow-mouthed Frog Microhyla fissipes from Vietnam (Anura: Microhylidae)
Authors: HENDRIX RALF , GAWOR ANNA , VENCES MIGUEL , ZIEGLER THOMAS
Published: May 2019

Based on recent mtDNA analyses, Microhyla fissipes Boulenger was removed from the synonymy  with M. ornata (Duméril & Bibron) by Matsui et al. (2005),where previously it had been placed by Parker (1934). M. fissipes inhabits southern China (type locality: Taiwan) and large parts of Southeast Asia, including the north-ern Malay Peninsula (Matsui et al. 2005). As a contribution to future comprehensive revisions of larval mor-phology of Microhyla Tschudi, we here provide a detailed description of external morphology of reliably identified tadpoles recently collected from the Truong Son mountain range, central Vietnam.
Tadpole and vocalizations of Chiasmocleis hudsoni (Anura, Microhylidae) in Central Amazonia, Brazil
Authors: RODRIGUES DOMINGOS J. , MENIN MARCELO , LIMA ALBERTINA P. , MOKROSS KARL S.
Published: May 2019

The genus Chiasmocleis is distributed from Panama to southern South America and contains 21 recognized species (Frost 2007). Eight of them are associated with Amazonian rainforests (Frost 2007). However, only the larvae of four species and the vocalization of three species have been described for species occurring in this region (Nelson 1973; Duellman 1978; Zimmerman & Bogart 1988; Hero 1990; Schlüter & Salas 1991; Lescure & Marty 2000; Vera Candioti 2006). The tadpole of C. hudsoni has not been formally described; it was mentioned briefly (diagrammatic drawings and larval color notes) in Hero´s tadpole identification key from Central Amazonia (Hero 1990), as Chiasmocleis cf. ventrimaculata. In this paper we describe the tadpole and the vocalizations of C. hudsoni and also provide comments on the spawning sites, clutch size and breeding periods.
First record of rare dasydytid gastrotrich Setopus tongiorgii (Balsamo, 1982) from central Europe with some biological data
Authors: KIENEKE ALEXANDER , RIEMANN OLE
Published: May 2019

Members of the freshwater family Dasydytidae belong to the rarest gastrotrichs although some species like Stylochaeta scirtetica may develop high population densities (Schwank 1990). The taxon Dasydytidae is characterised by several apomorphic features correlated to a semi-planktonic lifestyle. Species of Dasydytidae have, for example, completely lost their caudal adhesive tubes, they possess a system of ciliary bands in the head region with which they swim like ciliated larvae of annelids, and most species have motile spines to perform saltatory movements in the water column. So far, our knowledge on the biology, life cycle and their distribution is very limited. This is probably due to the rareness and difficult preparation and handling of Dasydytidae.
Literature analysis and present state of knowledge of benthic Medusozoa (Cnidaria) from the Bay of Biscay and nearby areas (northeastern Atlantic), with emphasis on biodiversity
Authors: ALTUNA AVARO
Published: May 2019

The literature on benthic Medusozoa (Cnidaria) from the Bay of Biscay and nearby areas (roughly between 42º–48º30’ N and 2°–10º W) is reviewed. Some 213 papers have been inventoried and classified in 17 groups based on their main contents. The present state of knowledge is analyzed, and papers covering each administrative territory of both adjacent countries, Spain and France, are listed. Around 2000, the accumulative curve of new papers and new records reached its ceiling. Some 205 species are known, with the suborder Conica (class Hydrozoa, order Leptothecata) accounting for the highest number of species (110), while the Proboscoida (Hydrozoa: Leptothecata), Filifera and Capitata (both Hydrozoa: Anthoathecata) account for much fewer species (21, 32 and 27 respectively). Only a few species are referable to the remaining subtaxa of Medusozoa, i.e. four to class Staurozoa, six to class Scyphozoa, four to subclass Trachylina (Hydrozoa), and one to order Limnomedusae (Hydrozoa). Species of suborders Capitata and Filifera (Hydrozoa, order Anthoathecata) will probably monopolize new discoveries of species. Knowledge of biodiversity is uneven amongst the different administrative provinces, with Guipúzcoa having the highest number of reported species (111 species, 54% of those known from the whole study area). Little information is available for certain areas, especially the French coasts. The fauna of every Spanish province has been the subject of MSc or PhD taxonomy-targeted research, but no such studies have been undertaken along the French coast. In Spain, the littoral fauna of Cantabria merits more intensive study because it represents an interface between the “cold” southwestern (from Asturias to Pontevedra) and “warm” southeastern (from Vizcaya to Gironde) areas of the Bay of Biscay.
Redescription of Culex (Culex) dolosus (Lynch Arribálzaga) (Diptera: Culicidae), based on specimens from Pico do Itapeva, Serra da Mantiqueira, São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: SENISE LUANA VALENTE , SALLUM MARIA ANICE MUREB
Published: May 2019

Culex (Culex) dolosus (Lynch Arribálzaga, 1891) is re-described and compared with Cx. eduardoi Casal & Garcia (1968) based on morphological characteristics. Both species are morphologically similar, and they have been largely misidentified throughout Brazil. Adult male and female, fourth instar larvae, and pupae of Cx. dolosus were examined, based on specimens from Pico do Itapeva, Pindamonhangaba Municipality, Serra da Mantiqueira, São Paulo State, southern Brazil. Male genitalia, larvae and pupae are illustrated. Geographical distribution is summarized from published records, and information on bionomics is based on the literature and field data.
Taxonomic studies on three marine species of Frontonia from northern China: F. didieri n. sp., F. multinucleata n. sp. and F. tchibisovae Burkovsky, 1970 (Ciliophora: Peniculida)
Authors: LONG HONGAN , SONG WEIBO , AL-RASHEID KHALED A. S. , WANG YANGANG , YI ZHENZHEN , Al-QURAISHY SALEH A. , LIN XIAOFENG , AL-FARRAJ SALEH A.
Published: May 2019

The morphology and infraciliature of three marine ciliates, Frontonia didieri n. sp., F. multinucleata n. sp. and F. tchibisovae, isolated from northern China seas, were investigated using living observation and silver impregnation methods. Frontonia didieri n. sp. is recognized by: in vivo ca. 100–150 × 45–80 µm; 61–71 somatic, 3 vestibular and 3–5 postoral kineties; 4-rowed peniculus 1 and 2; peniculus 3 three-rowed; contractile vacuole centrally-located, with about eight conspicuous collecting canals. Frontonia multinucleata n. sp. is characterized by: 70–120 × 40–75 µm in vivo, dorsoventrally flattened about 2:1; 58–67 somatic, 3 vestibular and 4–5 postoral kineties; 3 peniculi each with 4 kineties; 2–4 globular macronuclear nodules; contractile vacuole located in posterior 1/3 of cell length. Based on both original and the Qingdao population, the poorly-defined Frontonia tchibisovae is redefined and a new diagnosis is supplied.
A review of Soaresia H. Soares, 1945, with the description of a new species from Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil (Opiliones, Gonyleptidae, Pachylinae)
Authors: KURY ADRIANO B.
Published: May 2019

Soaresia forficula sp. nov. is described from the Mantiqueira Mountain Range, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. The genus Soaresia H. Soares, 1945 previously included only Soaresia uncina H. Soares, 1945, hitherto recorded only from the type locality, Penedo, Rio de Janeiro State, in the same mountain range. A second record of S. uncina is given from a nearby locality, Serrinha do Alambari. The combined distribution of the species of Soaresia is restricted to elevations between 700 and 1300 m, in the Tropical & Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests biome. An emended diagnosis of the genus is given and complements are given to the description of S. uncina, including the first illustrations and description of the male genitalia.
A revision of the South American bee genus Leptometriella Roig-Alsina (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Emphorini)
Authors: ROIG-ALSINA A.
Published: May 2019

A revision of the emphorine bee genus Leptometriella Roig-Alsina is presented. These bees occur mostly in xeric areas of South America, from Cochabamba in Bolivia to northern Patagonia in Argentina. Seven species are recognized, four of which are described as new: L. boliviana and L. minima from Bolivia, and L. hirsutula and L. monteana from Argentina. Lectotypes are designated for Teleutemnesta separata Holmberg, 1903, and Ancyloscelis minuta Friese, 1908. Ancyloscelis humilis Vachal, 1904, Ancyloscelis minuta Friese, 1908, and Melitoma specularis Vachal, 1909, are new synonyms of L. separata (Holmberg). A key to the species, descriptions, and illustrations are provided.
A revision of the genus Phellopsis LeConte (Coleoptera: Zopheridae)
Authors: FOLEY IAN A. , IVIE MICHAEL A.
Published: May 2019

The world species of Phellopsis LeConte are revised based on the examination of all available material. Phellopsis obcordata (Kirby) and P. porcata (LeConte) are found to be valid vicariant species isolated in old growth boreal forest habitats of eastern and western North America, respectively. Phellopsis robustula Casey and P. montana Casey are placed as junior synonyms of P. porcata NEW SYNONYMIES. On the Asian continent, P. imurai Masumoto is placed in synonymy with P. amurensis (Heyden) NEW SYNONYMY. Phellopsis amurensis (Heyden) now has a documented range that extends from the coastal mountains of Russia’s Primorskii Krai into the Korean peninsula. The other two described species found to be valid are P. suberea Lewis, known only from Japan, and P. chinense (Semenow) from west central China. Phellopsis yulongensis NEW SPECIES is described from the Yunnan Province of western China. Redescriptions of all valid species are provided, with comments on the history of the genus, biology and biogeography of the group. A key and illustrations are provided for the identification of all known Phellopsis species.