bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Concepts for Oligometastatic Gastrointestinal Tumours
Authors: Ricke Jens , Westphalen Christoph Benedikt , Seidensticker Max
Published: October 2020

Background: Clinical trials have proven a survival benefit from applying local therapies for oligometastatic cancers of various origin. Summary: Today, the definition of oligometa­static disease is based on limited lesion numbers and organ systems involved. Treatment guidelines by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and several other groups suggest a threshold of up to 5 tumours. Established biological markers indicating the aggressiveness of a given tumour (and therefore suggesting local treatment only or the addition of or complete switch to systemic therapies) are missing, except for disease-free survival, the only recommended parameter for patient selection beyond lesion count. Key Message: The following article discusses clinical implications as well as local techniques established for the treatment of oligometastatic disease.
“Stat Rosa Pristina Nomine, Nomina Nuda Tenemus”: The Many Syndromes, Diseases, and Anatomic Structures Bearing Jean-Martin Charcot’s Name
Authors: Pedro Matheus Kahakura Franco , De Souza Thiago Ferreira Simões
Published: October 2020

The sheer magnitude of Jean-Martin Charcot’s contributions to neurology, pathology, psychiatry, and internal medicine has allowed for the common usage of eponyms bearing the master’s name in recognition of his work. However, these are so numerous that confusion has naturally arisen concerning the exact nature of each eponym, allowing for different specialists to refer to completely different ailments or symptoms, while using the very same expression. Previous compilations of his eponyms were often incomplete. Therefore, the authors aimed to bring some clarification into the nature and origin of each known eponym with Charcot’s name.
Peritoneal Dialysis Is an Option for Acute Kidney Injury Management in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Rodríguez-Chagolla José M. , Vásquez Jiménez Enzo , Herrera Arellano Leticia , Villa Torres Alberto , Acosta García Nayeli , Aleman Quimbiulco Dolores , Armeaga Aguilar Sergio , Madero Magdalena
Published: October 2020

In December 2019, cases of acute respiratory illness of unknown origin were reported in Wuhan, China. The disease is caused by “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2”. After identifying severe lung damage, injury to other organs, such as the kidney, has been identified. Peritoneal dialysis is a renal replacement therapy (RRT) and is at least as effective as other extracorporeal therapy options, with significant cost-effective advantages. However, this strategy is rarely used for the management of acute kidney injury in severe lung disease. In this review, we explore PD as an RRT strategy that may be a key instrument in countries and hospitals with limited access to all RRTs.
Management of a Unique Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma Subtype in the Era of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Douglas Jennifer E. , Kaufman Adam C. , Rajasekaran Karthik
Published: October 2020

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has influenced the timeliness of care for patients with both common and rare conditions, particularly those affecting high-risk operative sites such as the upper aerodigestive tract. Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) represents a rare malignancy of the sinonasal tract, a unique subset of which has never been previously reported in the otolaryngology literature and is characterized by inactivation of the SMARCB (INI-1) tumor suppressor gene. This subtype exhibits a particularly poor prognosis and is characterized pathologically by its rhabdoid appearance. Here we present the case of an individual who was diagnosed with a sinonasal mass during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which was ultimately found to be SMARCB (INI-1)-deficient sinonasal carcinoma. Advanced imaging was deferred in the interest of limiting the patient’s exposure to the virus, and expedited operative management was performed which facilitated prompt referral for adjuvant chemoradiation. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presents unique challenges, but the work-up of high-risk lesions must be prioritized; this continues to be paramount as SARS-CoV-2 resurges in many cities across the USA.
Evaluation of Ki67 Index in Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Samples for the Assessment of Malignancy Risk in Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Authors: Seven Gulseren , Kochan Koray , Caglar Erkan , Kiremitci Sercan , Koker Ibrahim Hakki , Senturk Hakan
Published: October 2020

Background: The risk of malignancy in resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) depends on tumor size, location, and mitotic index. Reportedly, the Ki67 index has a prognostic value in resected GISTs. We aimed to analyze the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples with reference to Ki67 index, using surgical specimens as the gold standard. Methods: Fifty-five patients who underwent EUS-FNA followed by surgical resection for gastric GISTs were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ age and sex; tumors’ size and location; mitotic index, cell type, cellularity, pleomorphism, presence of ulceration, hemorrhage, necrosis, mucosal or serosal invasion, growth pattern, and Ki67 index based on pathology were investigated. Results: Location in fundus, ulceration, hemorrhage, mucosal invasion, and Ki67 index in surgical specimens were significant in predicting high-risk groups (p < 0.05) on univariate analysis. Frequency of bleeding (p = 0.034) and the Ki67 index (p = 0.018) were the only independent significant factors in multivariate analysis. The optimal cutoff level of Ki67 was 5%, with 88.2% sensitivity and 52.8% specificity (p = 0.021). The mean Ki67 index was lower in EUS-FNA samples than in surgical specimens (2% [1–15] versus 10% [1–70], p = 0.001). The rank correlation coefficient value of Ki67 was 0.199 (p = 0.362) between EUS-FNA and surgical samples and showed no reliability for EUS-FNA samples. Conclusion: The Ki67 index in resected specimens correlated with high-risk GISTs, although it had no additive value to the current criteria. The Ki67 index in EUS-guided FNA samples is not a reliable marker of proliferation in GISTs.
In Nature’s Cathedral: Caminoization and Cultural Critique in Swedish Pilgrim Spirituality
Authors: Gemzöe Lena
Published: October 2020

Two parallel, interrelated waves of interest in pilgrimage on foot has surged in Sweden since the 1990s: participation in the international Camino pilgrimage and a vernacular pilgrimage movement in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden. In this article, the interconnections between the two strands are explored. In both settings, attention is paid primarily to walking itself, illustrating a key facet of Caminoization: the stress on the journey rather than the destination. It is argued here that the pilgrimage walks in the Church of Sweden are modeled on a Caminoized notion of pilgrimage, built into the Swedish word pilgrimsvandring. This notion of pilgrimage functions as an open category that can connect to both religious heritages and social and cultural trends in new ways. A key outcome of the spread of Caminoized pilgrimage is the rise of a pilgrim spirituality that celebrates simplicity and communing with nature, and carries with it a cultural critique of postindustrial society, further accentuated in the pilgrimage movement’s recent turn to ecology and climate action.
Caminoization at Sea: The Fjord Pilgrim Route in Norway
Authors: Mikaelsson Lisbeth , Selberg Torunn
Published: October 2020

Based on official church and public-sector documents and texts related to the Fjord Pilgrim Route, we discuss how a process of Caminoization is expressed in Norway, both in relation to how this new invention relates to the medieval pilgrimage culture of the country, and how it inspires developments in the so-called pilgrimage renaissance in modern, Protestant Norway. The new construction of the Fjord Route demonstrates not only the Camino’s influence on contemporary pilgrimage in Europe, but also its scope for innovation in a broad field that encompasses state, church, country, and tourist organization actors. Focusing on the role of history and heritage in the Fjord Pilgrim Route, we argue that Caminoization, traditionalization, and heritagization are key factors that affected the establishment of the new Fjord Route and Norwegian pilgrim culture.
Reinventions of an Old Tradition: Orthodox Processions and Pilgrimage in Contemporary Finland
Authors: Vuola Elina
Published: October 2020

This article examines two cases of Finnish Orthodox traditions of procession and pilgrimage that are currently being reframed in response to physical, political, and religious disruption. Annual Orthodox processions are now held in Northern Karelia close to and across the Finnish-Russian border, while the pilgrimage of St. Tryphon of Pechenga, the patron saint of the Skolt Saami in northeastern Finland, crosses the border between Finland and Norway to visit their lost home area, as an act of remembrance and recognition of the history of the Skolt Saami. Here I argue that, contrary to some trends within pilgrimage studies to blur tourism and pilgrimage, these journeys are primarily religious, understood only with an appreciation of Orthodox theology and worldview. Each case demonstrates both continuity and change in Orthodox pilgrimage praxis and its theological underpinnings. It highlights the pragmatism of the priests and congregations involved in adapting traditional forms to complex new contexts involving the loss of tangible and intangible heritage. The analysis shows that both events include the active agency of both the institution and local participants and a significant amount of invention in relation to new contexts of loss.
Sweet Spot
Authors: Centeno Dave
Published: October 2020

This paper explores the shared cultural dimensions between Filipinos and Koreans through cross-cultural comparison. Filipinos identified and assessed potential cultural similarities and differences with Koreans and vice versa. A survey was designed and was used to dimensionalise cultural fit in terms of general values and practices integrated in their consumption behaviours. The study involved Filipinos who have substantial exposure and experience with Korea and Koreans who are living in the Philippines. Using a proposed constructed framework on comparative relativism or the idea of “comparisons of comparisons,” findings suggest that power distance and family orientation dimensions are shared by both cultures. In addition, the two cultures share consumer values and practices, such as emotional consumption, reference to social influences, and epistemic consumption (adherence to functionality). Implications are positioned on the practical and policy-oriented contextual motivations as well as potential alternatives and updates on existing cultural dimensions and intelligence models through the paradigm of comparative relativism.
What Is Palestine? The de jure Demarcation of Boundaries for the icc’s ratione loci Jurisdiction and Beyond
Authors: Qafisheh Mutaz M.
Published: October 2020

The boundaries between Palestine and Israel are legally demarcated under international law. The icc is entitled to exercise its ratione loci jurisdiction over Palestine’s territory that comprises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. Palestine’s borders have arisen from the lines drawn by the armistice agreements that Israel signed with both Jordan and Egypt in 1949. Although initially marked on de facto basis, these lines have been converted into de jure frontiers. By declaring that it possesses the power to adjudicate in Palestine, the Court will apply international law, not create it. Accepting the contention that the icc has no competence in a State owing to its unfixed borders may hinder the Court’s ability to prosecute perpetrators in other icc State Parties with disputed frontiers. It will hamper the Court’s authority regarding non-icc States with similar border issues that may join the Rome Statute in the future.
Custom in General International Law and International Criminal Law: A Survey of Selected Issues
Authors: Mejía-Lemos Diego
Published: October 2020

This article surveys selected decisions of international criminal courts and tribunals, and related literature, examining custom from a general standpoint. This article considers the place and nature of custom, with a particular focus on challenges levelled against custom’s suitability in international criminal law. This article also analyses custom’s ‘structure’, and, more specifically, the application of the ‘two-element approach’ by international criminal courts and tribunals. This articles then discusses claims that international criminal courts and tribunals engage in sui generis customary law-making, and revisits the distinction between custom in foro and in pays, examining that distinction’s pertinence to assessing such claims. Having emphasised the influence of general international law on international criminal law, this article lastly reverses its focus, and addresses custom’s wider functions as source for rules on custom’s identification and, more generally, other sources’ recognition, showing how some decisions of international criminal courts and tribunals elucidate those wider functions.
Strategic Application of the Tao 道 of Soft Power: The Key to Understanding China’s Expanding Influence in Africa
Authors: Nantulya Paul
Published: October 2020

Soft power has traditionally been viewed by China’s leaders as a fulcrum of international competition. The foundations were laid in the 1990s by Jiang Zemin’s Going Out Strategy (Chinese: 走出去战略; pinyin: Zǒuchūqū Zhànlüè) which encouraged Chinese enterprises to venture overseas to capture new markets. Soft power, however, has much older traditions dating back to the Warring States (Chinese: 戰國時代; pinyin: Zhànguó Shídài, 475–220 BC). It is from this era that China draws its theory and praxis of soft power, which it frames as “Cultural Soft Power,” literally meaning “Civilizational Soft Power” (Chinese: 文化软实力; pinyin: wén huà ruǎn shí lì). Drawing mostly on Chinese philosophical and strategic thought, this paper discusses the conceptual bases of Chinese soft power, examines the values and tools that shape it, how they are applied in Africa, as well as their limitations. The study finds that “Cultural Soft Power” is the thrust behind China’s strategic engagements in Africa which aim to generate sustained African support for Beijing’s vision to transform global governance institutions and norms. The Confucian concepts of “appeal” and “attraction” are central to Chinese soft power thought which is premised on the assumed uniqueness of Chinese culture and civilization and therefore the Chinese development model. This lies at the heart of the ideological alternative China is promoting on the world stage and its approach to strategic competition. Africa is a vitally important foundation in this quest.
Atlanticalymene, a new genus of Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) calymenine trilobites, and revision of the calymenoidean genus Protocalymene Ross
Authors: ADRAIN JONATHAN M. , KARIM TALIA S. , McADAMS NEO E.B.
Published: October 2020

Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) species representing early Laurentian occurrences of the Subfamily Calymeninae Milne Edwards, 1840 (=Flexicalymeninae Siveter, 1977) are assigned to Atlanticalymene n. gen. (type species: A. bardensis n. sp. from the Table Cove Formation, western Newfoundland, Canada). They have routinely been confused with the older (Dapingian) calymenoidean taxon Protocalymene Ross, 1967. Revision of the type species of Protocalymene, P. mcallisteri Ross, 1967, from the Antelope Valley Formation, Funeral Mountains, California, indicates that it is not a calymenine, and that while it is clearly a calymenoidean its close affinity is otherwise difficult to determine. A single genuine calymenine species is known from the Laurentian Dapingian, and revised here as “Calymeninae n. gen.? n. sp. A” from the Antelope Valley Formation, Nevada, USA. A species from the Dapingian of Tarim, known from a single partial cranidium, appears to represent an older, extra-Laurentian species of Atlanticalymene.
Frictionally Induced Feedback in a Reduced Dynamical Model of Tropical Cyclone Intensification
Authors: Kieu Chanh , Rotunno Richard , Wang Quan
Published: October 2020

This study examines the role of frictional feedback in the atmospheric boundary layer during tropical cyclone (TC) development. Using a reduced model of TC dynamics, it is shown that a feedback between frictional convergence and convective heating in the absence of slantwise moist neutrality is capable of producing a stable maximum-intensity limit, even without surface fluxes. However, the efficiency of this frictional-convergence feedback depends crucially on how effectively boundary layer moisture convergence is converted into convective heating, which decreases rapidly as the TC inner core approaches a state of moist neutrality. This decreasing efficiency during TC intensification explains why the effect of the frictional-convergence feedback is generally small compared to that of the wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) feedback under the strict conditions of slantwise moist neutrality. Examination of the reduced TC model with a constant-heating source reveals that TC intensification is not peculiar to any specific feedback mechanism but, rather, is a direct consequence of the inward advection of absolute angular momentum, regardless of feedback mechanism.
Impact of Annual Cycle on ENSO Variability and Predictability
Authors: Shin Sang-Ik , Sardeshmukh Prashant D. , Newman Matthew , Penland Cecile , Alexander Michael A.
Published: October 2020

Low-order linear inverse models (LIMs) have been shown to be competitive with comprehensive coupled atmosphere–ocean models at reproducing many aspects of tropical oceanic variability and predictability. This paper presents an extended cyclostationary linear inverse model (CS-LIM) that includes the annual cycles of the background state and stochastic forcing of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) anomalies. Compared to a traditional stationary LIM that ignores such annual cycles, the CS-LIM is better at representing the seasonal modulation of ENSO-related SST anomalies and their phase locking to the annual cycle. Its deterministic as well as probabilistic hindcast skill is comparable to the skill of the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) of comprehensive global coupled models. The explicit inclusion of annual-cycle effects in the CS-LIM improves the forecast skill of both SST and SSH anomalies through SST–SSH coupling. The impact on the SSH skill is particularly marked at longer forecast lead times over the western Pacific and in the vicinity of the Pacific North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC), consistent with westward propagating oceanic Rossby waves that reflect off the western boundaries as eastward propagating Kelvin waves and influence El Niño development in the region. The higher CS-LIM skill is thus associated with the improved representation of both ENSO phase-locking and Pacific NECC variations. These improvements result from explicitly accounting for not only the annual cycle of the background state, but also that of the stochastic forcing.
Phenotypic characterisation of early COPD: a prospective case–control study
Authors: Cosío Borja G. , Pascual-Guardia Sergi , Borras-Santos Alicia , Peces-Barba Germán , Santos Salud , Vigil Laura , Soler-Cataluña Juan José , Martínez-González Cristina , Casanova Ciro , Marcos Pedro J. , Alvarez Carlos J. , López-Campos José Luis , Gea Joaquim , Garcia-Aymerich Judith , Molina Jesús , Román Miguel , Moises Jorge , Szabo Viktoria , Reagan Elizabeth A. , San José Estépar Raúl , Washko George , Agustí Alvar , Faner Rosa
Published: October 2020

The phenotypic characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in individuals younger than 50 years of age (early COPD) are not well defined. This prospective, multicentre, case–control study sought to describe these characteristics and compare them with those of smokers (≥10 pack-years) of similar age with normal spirometry (controls).

We studied 92 cases (post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) <0.7) and 197 controls. Results were contrasted with participants with similar inclusion criteria recruited into the ECLIPSE and COPDGene cohorts.

Cases had moderate airflow limitation (FEV171.3±20.8%) but were often symptomatic, used healthcare resources frequently, had air trapping (residual volume 150.6±55.5% ref.), had reduced diffusing capacity (84.2±20.7% ref.) and had frequent evidence of computed tomography (CT) emphysema (61%). Of note, less than half of cases (46%) had been previously diagnosed with COPD. Interestingly, they also often reported a family history of respiratory diseases and had been hospitalised because of respiratory problems before the age of 5 years more frequently than controls (12%versus3%, p=0.009). By and large, these observations were reproduced when available in the ECLIPSE and COPDGene cohorts.

These results show that early COPD is associated with substantial health impact and significant structural and functional abnormalities, albeit it is often not diagnosed (hence, treated). The fact that a sizeable proportion of patients with early COPD report a family history of respiratory diseases and/or early-life events (including hospitalisations before the age of 5 years) renders further support to the possibility of early-life origin of COPD.
Clinical predictors and explant lung pathology of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Dotan Yaniv , Shapiro William B. , Male Eneida , Dominguez Eduardo C. , Aneja Amandeep , Huaqing Zhao , Dass Chandra , Shenoy Kartik , Marchetti Nathaniel , Cordova Francis C. , Criner Gerard J. , Mamary A. James
Published: October 2020

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterised by constant threat of acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF). It would be significant to identify risk factors of AE-IPF. We sought to determine the prognostic value of lung transplantation candidacy testing for AE-IPF and describe explant pathology of recipients with and without AE-IPF before lung transplantation.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of 89 IPF patients listed for lung transplantation. Data included pulmonary function testing, echocardiography, right heart catheterisation, imaging, oesophageal pH/manometry and blood tests. Explanted tissue was evaluated by pulmonary pathologists and correlated to computed tomography (CT) findings.

Results

Out of 89 patients with IPF, 52 were transplanted during stable IPF and 37 had AE-IPF before transplantation (n=28) or death (n=9). There were no substantial differences in candidacy testing with and without AE-IPF. AE-IPF had higher rate of decline of forced vital capacity (FVC) (21±22%versus4.8±14%, p=0.00019). FVC decline of >15% had a hazard ratio of 7.2 for developing AE-IPF compared to FVC decline of <5% (p=0.004). AE-IPF had more secondary diverse histopathology (82%versus29%, p<0.0001) beyond diffuse alveolar damage. There was no correlation between ground-glass opacities (GGO) on chest CT at any point to development of AE-IPF (p=0.077), but GGO during AE-IPF predicted secondary pathological process beyond diffuse alveolar damage.

Conclusions

Lung transplantation candidacy testing including reflux studies did not predict AE-IPF besides FVC absolute decline. CT did not predict clinical or pathological AE-IPF. Secondary diverse lung pathology beyond diffuse alveolar damage was present in most AE-IPF, but not in stable IPF.
Blood eosinophil level and lung function trajectories: cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in European cohorts
Authors: Mogensen Ida , Vonk Judith M. , Wijnant Sara R.A. , Zhou Xingwu , Boezen H. Marike , Brusselle Guy , Lahousse Lies , Janson Christer , Malinovschi Andrei
Published: October 2020

Background

Elevated blood eosinophils have been associated with lower lung function and are believed to be associated with accelerated lung function decline.

Method

Blood eosinophils were measured in four cohorts: <45 years cohort within the Vlagtwedde–Vlaardingen (V&V) study, the Uppsala cohort of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS-Uppsala; <45 years), ≥45 years cohort within the V&V study, and the Rotterdam study (≥45 years). Blood eosinophils at baseline were classified as normal (<300 cells·μL−1) or elevated (≥300 cells·μL−1). Lung function was measured at baseline and follow-up with spirometry: forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), vital capacity (VC) and their ratio FEV1/VC. The association between blood eosinophils and lung function was tested cross-sectionally using linear regression and longitudinally using a mixed model, both adjusted for age, sex, height, pack-years smoking and smoking status. Stratified analyses were done for asthma.

Results

Elevated blood eosinophils were associated with lower FEV1(regression coefficient −147 mL (95% CI −188 to −105 mL)), VC (−120 mL (−165 to −75 mL)) and FEV1/VC (−1.3% (−1.9% to −0.6%)) at baseline in the two <45 years cohorts, and with lower FEV1(−70 mL (−112 to −27 mL)) and FEV1/VC (−1.8% (−2.6% to −1.0%)) in the two ≥45 years cohorts. Elevated blood eosinophils were associated with an accelerated decline in FEV1(−5.5 mL·year−1(95% CI −10.5 to −0.5 mL·year−1)) and VC (−6.4 mL·year−1(−11.26 to −1.5 mL·year−1)) compared to normal blood eosinophils in the younger asthmatic subjects in the longitudinal studies.

Conclusion

Elevated blood eosinophils are associated with lower lung function in the general population and with an accelerated lung function decline among asthmatic individuals.
Tomography-based definition of keratoconus for Down syndrome patients
Authors: Asgari Soheila , Mehravaran Shiva , Aghamirsalim Mohammadreza , Hashemi Hassan
Published: October 2020

Background

To assess the diagnostic ability of Pentacam HR (Oculus Optikgeräte, GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany) tomographic indices in discriminating keratoconus (KC) and KC suspect (KCS) in 10- to 30-year-old patients with Down syndrome (DS).

Methods

In this study, DS patients were enrolled through special needs schools, the National Down Syndrome Society, and relevant non-profit organizations. Diagnoses were made independently by two experienced specialists. Forty Pentacam indices related to corneal thickness, volume, density, keratometry, power, shape, aberration, and elevation were extracted. For each index, the accuracy for KC and KCS diagnosis was evaluated using discriminant analysis and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). From each enrolled case, data from only one eye was entered in the analyses.

Results

Analyses were performed on data from 25 KC, 46 KCS, and 154 non-ectatic DS eyes. The best discriminants for KC were anterior higher order aberrations (HOA) (cutoff > 0.643, AUROC = 0.879), posterior vertical coma (cutoff > 0.0702 μm, AUROC = 0.875), anterior vertical coma (cutoff > 0.4124 μm, AUROC = 0.868), and total HOA (cutoff > 0.608, AUROC = 0.867). The difference between AUROCs were not statistically significant (allP > 0.05). For KCS, the best discriminants were minimum corneal thickness (cutoff ≤ 480.0 μm, AUROC = 0.775), corneal volume (cutoff ≤ 55.3 μm, AUROC = 0.727) and Belin Ambrosio display-total deviation (BAD-D) (cutoff > 2.23, AUROC = 0.718) with no significant difference between AUROCs (allP > 0.05).

Conclusions

In this sample of DS patients, best KC discriminators were HOA and coma which showed good diagnostic ability. For KCS, best predictors were minimum corneal thickness, corneal volume, and BAD-D with relatively good diagnostic ability. Defining a new set of KC diagnostic criteria for DS patients is suggested.
Preventive health behaviours during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic based on health belief model among Egyptians
Authors: Barakat Ayah M. , Kasemy Zeinab A.
Published: October 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly in the world, and on 11 March 2020, WHO announced the outbreak a global pandemic. Given the severity of this major outbreak and the importance of prevention and protection against the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the predictors of engaging in the preventive behaviours could potentially be of great practical importance as it could help us identify high-risk groups and take the necessary steps towards improving their health behaviour. As the health behavioural response of the Egyptian population during COVID-19 is unknown and the health belief model constructs can be used to explain health behaviour, this study was conducted to assess the preventive behaviours to COVID-19 and the associated role of health belief model constructs over three periods of time; at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic then 4 weeks and10 weeks later.

Results

Perceived severity and benefits of health belief model constructs showed significant decrease in the 2nd interview, followed by an increase in the 3rd interview (P < 0.001). Perceived barriers showed a significant increase in the 2nd interview followed by a significant decrease in the 3rd interview (P < 0.001). Knowledge score was significantly lower at the start, then a surge happened in the next interview followed by a slight drop in the 3rd interview (P < 0.001). Preventive behaviours were significantly lower in the 2nd interview then significantly higher in the 3rd interview (P < 0.001). On the analysis of the factors associated with preventive behaviours using multivariate regression, the results determined age, high education, being a health care worker, perceived susceptibility, benefits, barriers and self-efficacy.

Conclusions

Perceptions of benefits could be increased by tailoring communication strategies to various groups, emphasizing how different people can engage in effective preventive behaviours. Policy makers should pay attention to lower-educated persons living in rural areas being a group with the least engagement in health-protective actions.
Intermittent Fasting Improves Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Alters Gut Microbiota in Metabolic Syndrome Patients
Authors: Guo Yi , Luo Shiyun , Ye Yongxin , Yin Songping , Fan Jiahua , Xia Min
Published: October 2020

Context

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an effective strategy to improve cardiometabolic health.

Objective

The objective of this work is to examine the effects of IF on cardiometabolic risk factors and the gut microbiota in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Design and Setting

A randomized clinical trial was conducted at a community health service center.

Patients

Participants included adults with MS, age 30 to 50 years.

Intervention

Intervention consisted of 8 weeks of “2-day” modified IF.

Main Outcome Measure

Cardiometabolic risk factors including body composition, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and endothelial function were assessed at baseline and at 8 weeks. The diversity, composition, and functional pathways of the gut microbiota, as well as circulating gut-derived metabolites, were measured.

Results

Thirty-nine patients with MS were included: 21 in the IF group and 18 in the control group. On fasting days, participants in the IF group reduced 69% of their calorie intake compared to nonfasting days. The 8-week IF significantly reduced fat mass, ameliorated oxidative stress, modulated inflammatory cytokines, and improved vasodilatory parameters. Furthermore, IF induced significant changes in gut microbiota communities, increased the production of short-chain fatty acids, and decreased the circulating levels of lipopolysaccharides. The gut microbiota alteration attributed to the IF was significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors and resulted in distinct genetic shifts of carbohydrate metabolism in the gut community.

Conclusion

IF induces a significant alteration of the gut microbial community and functional pathways in a manner closely associated with the mitigation of cardiometabolic risk factors. The study provides potential mechanistic insights into the prevention of adverse outcomes associated with MS.
Regioselective 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Nitriles with Nitrile Imines Generated from Tetrazoles
Authors: Miura Tomoya , Hagiwara Kohei , Nakamuro Takayuki , Nagata Yuuya , Oku Naoki , Murakami Masahiro
Published: October 2020

A synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazoles from nitriles and 5-aryltetrazoles is reported. When 5-aryltetrazoles are triflylated in the presence of nitriles, the resulting 5-aryl-2-triflyltetrazoles thermally generate N-triflyl-nitrile imines through a sequence of ring-chain tautomerization and denitrogenation. The N-triflyl-nitrile imines immediately undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with nitriles in a regioselective manner, forming the corresponding 1,2,4-triazoles.
Λειψανοθήκες και λείψανα της εκκλησίας του Αγλιου Φραγκίσκου στην Κέρκυρα από την εποχή της εποχή της Βενετοκρατίας
Authors: Γαούτσης Σπύρος
Published: October 2020

no abstract available
Lipidomics reveal the protective effects of a vegetable-derived isothiocyanate against retinal degeneration
Authors: Kwa Faith A. , Dulull Nabeela K. , Roessner Ute , Dias Daniel A. , Rupasinghe Thusitha W.
Published: October 2020

Background:Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the ageing population. Without effective treatment strategies that can prevent disease progression, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic interventions to reduce the burden of vision loss and improve patients’ quality of life. Dysfunctional innate immune responses to oxidative stress observed in AMD can be caused by the formation of oxidised lipids, whilst polyunsaturated fatty acids have shown to increase the risk of AMD and disease progression in affected individuals. Previously, our laboratory has shown that the vegetable-derived isothiocyanate, L-sulforaphane (LSF), can protect human adult pigment epithelial cells from oxidative damage by upregulating gene expression of the oxidative stress enzyme Glutathione-S-Transferase µ1. This study aims to validate the protective effects of LSF on human retinal cells under oxidative stress conditions and to reveal the key players in fatty acid and lipid metabolism that may facilitate this protection.

Methods:Thein vitrooxidative stress model of AMD was based on the exposure of an adult retinal pigment epithelium-19 cell line to 200µM hydrogen peroxide. Percentage cell proliferation following LSF treatment was measured using tetrazolium salt-based assays. Untargeted fatty acid profiling was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Untargeted lipid profiling was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results:Under hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress conditions, LSF treatment induced dose-dependent cell proliferation. The key fatty acids that were increased by LSF treatment of the retinal cells include oleic acid and eicosatrienoic acid. LSF treatment also increased levels of the lipid classes phosphatidylcholine, cholesteryl ester and oxo-phytodienoic acid but decreased levels of phosphatidylethanolamine lipids.

Conclusions:We propose that retinal cells at risk of oxidative damage and apoptosis can be pre-conditioned with LSF to regulate levels of selected fatty acids and lipids known to be implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of AMD.
The impact of liver disease on mortality in cystic fibrosis - a systematic review protocol
Authors: Sasame Ao , Connolly Lucy , Fitzpatrick Emer , Stokes Diarmuid , Bourke Billy , Rowland Marion
Published: October 2020

Background Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multiorgan disease affecting the lungs pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. Pulmonary complications are the most common manifestation of the disease. Recent advances in the treatment of pulmonary complications have resulted in substantial improvement in life expectancy. Less than 10% of persons with CF (PWCF) develop liver disease (CFLD). There is conflicting evidence about impact of liver disease on mortality in CF, with evidence suggesting that CFLD contributes to increased mortality in CF, while other studies suggest that the impact on mortality is limited. Understanding the contribution of liver disease to mortality in CF is essential if further improvements in life expectancy are to be achieved.

Objective: To document the impact of liver disease on life expectancy for PWCF.

Methods: This systematic review will be conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P 2015). PubMed, Medline and Embase will be searched for English language publications (1949-2020). Studies reporting the outcome for CFLD will be included where the definition of CFLD is outlined clearly in a CF population. Studies with and without a comparator will be evaluated. Clinical trials of ursodeoxycholic acid will be excluded as well as organ transplantation outcome studies. We will examine all-cause and specific causes of mortality.We will include transplantation in our estimates of all-cause mortality. The Axis  Risk of Bias tool for observational will be used to evaluate the quality of studies. We will provide a narrative synthesis of our findings using tabular formats to highlight any impact of liver disease on mortality in CF.

Conclusion: It is anticipated that this review will bring clarity to the question of whether CFLD shortens life expectancy in PWCF and stimulate new approaches to the management of CFLD.
Cost and cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment for child undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Authors: Njuguna Rebecca G , Berkley James A , Jemutai Julie
Published: October 2020

Background: Undernutrition remains highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, with sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia accounting for majority of the cases. Apart from the health and human capacity impacts on children affected by malnutrition, there are significant economic impacts to households and service providers. The aim of this study was to determine the current state of knowledge on costs and cost-effectiveness of child undernutrition treatment to households, health providers, organizations and governments in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies in LMICs up to September 2019. We searched online databases including PubMed-Medline, Embase, Popline, Econlit and Web of Science. We identified additional articles through bibliographic citation searches. Only articles including costs of child undernutrition treatment were included.

Results:We identified a total of 6436 articles, and only 50 met the eligibility criteria. Most included studies adopted institutional/program (45%) and health provider (38%) perspectives. The studies varied in the interventions studied and costing methods used with treatment costs reported ranging between US$0.44 and US$1344 per child. The main cost drivers were personnel, therapeutic food and productivity loss. We also assessed the cost effectiveness of community-based management of malnutrition programs (CMAM). Cost per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted for a CMAM program integrated into existing health services in Malawi was $42. Overall, cost per DALY averted for CMAM ranged between US$26 and US$53, which was much lower than facility-based management (US$1344).

Conclusion: There is a need to assess the burden of direct and indirect costs of child undernutrition to households and communities in order to plan, identify cost-effective solutions and address issues of cost that may limit delivery, uptake and effectiveness. Standardized methods and reporting in economic evaluations would facilitate interpretation and provide a means for comparing costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions.
Methodological Approaches to External Independent Assessment of Quality Assurance in Higher Education
Authors: Izmaylova Marina , Korneva Evgeniya
Published: October 2020

The article presents the results of the author's research of the principles on which the criterion base of the standard of external independent assessment of the quality of education is based. The substantiation of the applicability of the principles in the real process of evaluating the quality of educational programs is given.
A Theory of Dissimilarity Between Stochastic Discount Factors
Authors: Bakshi Gurdip , Gao Xiaohui , Panayotov George
Published: October 2020

This paper proposes a measure of dissimilarity between stochastic discount factors (SDFs) in different economies. The SDFs are made comparable using the respective bond prices as the numeraire. The measure is dimensionless, synthesizes features of the risk-neutral moments of excess currency returns, and can be extracted from currency option prices. Linking theory to data, we provide evidence gathered from (i) the cross section of 45 currency option prices, (ii) the time series of currency returns, (iii) estimated SDFs using model-free restrictions, and (iv) structural models in international finance.

This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, finance.
Multiplayer Allocations in the Presence of Diminishing Marginal Contributions: Cooperative Game Analysis and Applications in Management Science
Authors: Leng Mingming , Luo Chunlin , Liang Liping
Published: October 2020

We use cooperative game theory to investigate multiplayer allocation problems under the almost diminishing marginal contributions (ADMC) property. This property indicates that a player’s marginal contribution to a non-empty coalition decreases as the size of the coalition increases. We develop ADMC games for such problems and derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the non-emptiness of the core. When the core is non-empty, at least one extreme point exists, and the maximum number of extreme points is the total number of players. The Shapley value may not be in the core, which depends on the gap of each coalition. A player can receive a higher allocation based on the Shapley value in the core than based on the nucleolus, if the gap of the player is no greater than the gap of the complementary coalition. We also investigate the least core value for ADMC games with an empty core. To illustrate the applications of our results, we analyze a code-sharing game, a group buying game, and a scheduling profit game.

This paper was accepted by Chung Piaw Teo, optimization.
The Joint Network Vehicle Routing Game
Authors: van Zon Mathijs , Spliet Remy , van den Heuvel Wilco
Published: October 2020

Collaborative transportation can significantly reduce transportation costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. However, allocating the cost to the collaborating companies remains difficult. We consider the cost-allocation problem, which arises when companies, each with multiple delivery locations, collaborate by consolidating demand and combining delivery routes. We model the corresponding cost-allocation problem as a cooperative game: the joint network vehicle routing game (JNVRG). We propose a row generation algorithm to either determine a core allocation for the JNVRG or show that no such allocation exists. In this approach, we encounter a row generation subproblem, which we model as a new variant of a vehicle routing problem with profits. Moreover, we propose two main acceleration strategies for the row generation algorithm. First, we generate rows by relaxing the row generation subproblem, exploiting the tight linear programming (LP) bounds for our formulation of the row generation subproblem. Secondly, we propose to also solve the row generation subproblem heuristically and to only solve it to optimality when the heuristic fails. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed row generation algorithm and the acceleration strategies by means of numerical experiments for both the JNVRG as well as the traditional vehicle routing game, which is a special case of the JNVRG. We create instances based on benchmark instances of the capacitated vehicle routing problem from the literature. We are able to either determine a core allocation or show that no core allocation exists, for instances ranging from 5 companies with a total of 79 delivery locations to 53 companies with a total of 53 delivery locations.
Nine-segment laminectomy is safe for the resection of a schwannoma extending from C-2 to T-3: a rare case report
Authors: Saekhu Mohamad , Siregar Nuryati Chairani , Gunawan Kevin , Nugroho Setyo Widi
Published: October 2020

Cervical spine schwannoma, which is long and entirely intracanal, is rare to be found. Its rarity and atypical feature leads to difficulty in diagnosing and managing cases because of the scarcity of available literature. The surgical removal of this type of schwannomas via multisegment laminectomy is a great challenge because of various risks of postoperative complications. This report describes cervical spine schwannoma that was initially was not suspected as schwannoma and was subject to surgical removal via nine-segment laminectomy. In one year after surgery, motor function returned to normal strength, no new neurological deficits occurred, and no kyphotic deformity, which is a common complication of multisegment laminectomy.
Validation of OMI-DOAS total ozone column amounts against ground-based measurements at an African equatorial belt site
Authors: Ssenyonga Taddeo , Muyimbwa Dennis , Dahlback Arne , Stamnes Jakob J. , Hamre Børge , Ssebiyonga Nicolausi , Frette Øyvind
Published: October 2020

The total ozone column amount (TOCA) values from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) derived from OMI/Aura ozone (O3) differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) V003 (OMDOAO3) have been validated against the ground-based TOCA values derived from Dobson and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research UV measurements in Kampala (0.31º N, 32.58º E, 1200 m), Uganda, for the period between 2005 and 2018. Under all-sky conditions, the OMI retrieval algorithm was found to underestimate the TOCA values with mean bias (MnB), root mean square error (RMSE), and correlation coefficient (

r

) values ranging from about

−

3.4

%

to

−

1.7

%

, 2.4% to 4.9%, and 0.73 to 0.90, respectively. When only days with a radiation modification factor greater than or equal to 65% were considered, the MnB, RMSE, and

r

values between TOCA values derived from ground-based and OMI measurements improved, and they ranged from

−

2.5

%

to

−

1.3

%

, 1.4% to 3.8%, and 0.8 to 0.91, respectively. A good agreement was found between TOCA values derived from Dobson measurements and those derived from OMI satellite measurements with MnB, RMSE, and

r

values of about

−

1.8

%

, 1.4%, and 0.91, respectively. This was due to the fact that Dobson measurements were taken only when the sky was perceived clear. The underestimation of TOCA values by the OMI retrieval algorithm was found to be due mainly to clouds and aerosols.
Broadband omnidirectional near-infrared reflector based on an angle-insensitive photonic band gap
Authors: Wu Feng , Chen Mingyuan , Liu Dejun , Chen Ying , Long Yang
Published: October 2020

Owing to the Bragg interference mechanism, band gap in all-dielectric one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) is strongly sensitive to the incident angle, which limits the width of omnidirectional band gap. Based on the angle-insensitive Bragg band gap in 1DPC composed of alternating dielectric and hyperbolic metamaterial layers, we design a broadband omnidirectional near-infrared mirror with the bandwidth of 943 nm (52.3% relative bandwidth) without using the conventional cascade method. In addition, we show that the angle-insensitive property of the band gap is robust against the layer thickness disturbance. This multilayer-based broadband omnidirectional reflector will possess potential applications for omnidirectional filters within broad stopbands and photonic crystal fibers with broad operating bandwidths.