bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Oral Microbiome Signatures in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Oral Cancer
Authors: Chattopadhyay Indranil , Verma Mukesh , Panda Madhusmita
Published: August 2019

Despite advancement in cancer treatment, oral cancer has a poor prognosis and is often detected at late stage. To overcome these challenges, investigators should search for early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. More than 700 bacterial species reside in the oral cavity. The oral microbiome population varies by saliva and different habitats of oral cavity. Tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut, which are causative factors of oral cancer, may alter the oral microbiome composition. Both pathogenic and commensal strains of bacteria have significantly contributed to oral cancer. Numerous bacterial species in the oral cavity are involved in chronic inflammation that lead to development of oral carcinogenesis. Bacterial products and its metabolic by-products may induce permanent genetic alterations in epithelial cells of the host that drive proliferation and/or survival of epithelial cells. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum induce production of inflammatory cytokines, cell proliferation, and inhibition of apoptosis, cellular invasion, and migration thorough host cell genomic alterations. Recent advancement in metagenomic technologies may be useful in identifying oral cancer–related microbiome, their genomes, virulence properties, and their interaction with host immunity. It is very important to address which bacterial species is responsible for driving oral carcinogenesis. Alteration in the oral commensal microbial communities have potential application as a diagnostic tool to predict oral squamous cell carcinoma. Clinicians should be aware that the protective properties of the resident microflora are beneficial to define treatment strategies. To develop highly precise and effective therapeutic approaches, identification of specific oral microbiomes may be required. In this review, we narrate the role of microbiome in the progression of oral cancer and its role as an early diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for oral cancer.
Clinical Impact of Highly Purified, Whey Proteins in Patients Affected With Colorectal Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy: Preliminary Results of a Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Mazzuca Federica , Roberto Michela , Arrivi Giulia , Sarfati Elena , Schipilliti Francesca Matilde , Crimini Edoardo , Botticelli Andrea , Di Girolamo Marco , Muscaritoli Maurizio , Marchetti Paolo
Published: August 2019

Background and Aims: Sarcopenia, the loss of both lean body and skeletal muscle mass, may interfere in cancer patients outcome. As investigated, whey proteins could prevent the onset of sarcopenia. We have conducted a study to evaluate the effects of whey protein in colorectal cancer patients, undergoing 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Methods: After written informed consent, patients were blind randomized 1:1 to whey protein (ProLYOtin; arm A) versus placebo (arm B). The patients were assessed both physically and nutritionally before chemotherapy and after 3 (T2) and 6 months (T3) by body impedance assessment, L3-computed tomography scan, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) tests. Results: Forty-seven patients were included in this preliminary analysis. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between the 2 arms. During chemotherapy, 33 patients were reevaluated: anthropometric parameters (lean body mass from 68.5% to 71.2% vs 68.7% to 66.3%, and sarcopenia from 84% to 54% and 83% to 77% from baseline to T2 evaluation in arms A and B, respectively), nutritional status (MNA >24 = 100% [A] vs 73.7% [B]), and toxicity (no adverse effects in 86% [A] vs 29% [B] and 94% [A] vs 29% [B] for hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities, respectively) resulted to be significantly different. At univariate analysis, a condition of malnutrition risk according to MUST (relative risk [RR] = 7.5, P = .02) or MNA (RR = 1.45, P = .02) and ProLYOtin intake (RR = 0.12, P = .01) were found to be significantly predictive of chemotherapy toxicity. Conclusions: At present, our study shows how whey protein could be an important therapeutic option to improve nutritional status, and particularly to prevent severe toxicity during chemotherapy.
Deep learning–based fifth-generation millimeter-wave communication channel tracking for unmanned aerial vehicle Internet of things networks
Authors: Meng Shan , Dai Xin , Xiao Bicheng , Zhou Yimin , Li Yumei , Gao Chong
Published: August 2019

Using unmanned aerial vehicle as movable base stations is a promising approach to enhance network coverage. Moreover, movable unmanned aerial vehicle–base stations can dynamically move to the target devices to expand the communication range as relays in the scenario of the Internet of things. In this article, we consider a communication system with movable unmanned aerial vehicle–base stations in millimeter-Wave. The movable unmanned aerial vehicle–base stations are equipped with antennas and multiple sensors for channel tracking. The cylindrical array antenna is mounted on the movable unmanned aerial vehicle–movable base stations, making the beam omnidirectional. Furthermore, the attitude estimation method using the deep neural network can replace the traditional attitude estimation method. The estimated unmanned aerial vehicle attitude information is combined with beamforming technology to realize a reliable communication link. Simulation experiments have been performed, and the results have verified the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Longitudinal extensibility of the dorsal skin of the hand
Authors: Bağır Melih , Eskandari Metin Manouchehr
Published: August 2019

We aimed to assess the longitudinal extensibility of the dorsal skin of the hand. Measurements were done in five hand positions on the dominant hands of 64 volunteers. The positions were full flexion of the wrist and fingers, drop hand, flat hand, hand with opposed thumb and full extension. Dorsal marks were made on the skin in full flexion. The marks were transferred to transparent parchment paper strips with the hand in the different positions. Skin extensibility was assessed by the change in the distance between two skin marks from the full extension position to the other positions. Opposition required the highest degree of skin extensibility in the dorsal radial region, followed orderly by ulnar and central regions. Generally, the extensibility increased from distal to proximal and from ulnar to radial. These findings may be useful in the management of dorsal hand soft tissue defects.
Effect of different positions of splinting on flexor tendon relaxation: a cadaver study
Authors: Athlani Lionel , Detammaecker Romain , Touillet Amélie , Dautel Gilles , Foisneau Anne
Published: August 2019

We performed a cadaver study to evaluate how six different static heat-moulded splints affect flexor tendon relaxation. Each splint positioned the wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints in different positions. We evaluated the tendon relaxation in 12 fresh adult cadaver forearms by measuring the flexor tendon displacement between two solid markers for each splint. The wrist position ranged from 30° flexion to 45° extension and the MCP joints from 30° to 60° flexion. For each splint, tendon relaxation was achieved relative to the neutral reference position. Tendon relaxation was greatest when the MCP joints were positioned in 60° flexion. We also noted the persistence of tendon relaxation when the wrist was positioned in extension (30° or 45°) as long as MCP joint flexion was maintained (30° or 60°). We conclude that the wrist extension with the MCP joints flexion may optimize tendon relaxation during immobilization after flexor tendon repairs.
Implicit motor imagery in chronic complex hand injury patients and its relation to upper extremity function: A pilot study
Authors: Verma Chhaya , Jadhav Kshitija , Kini Raveena , Mehta Amita , Puri Vinita
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Implicit motor imagery is the first step of graded motor imagery technique, which is known to be impaired in chronic pain conditions. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating implicit imagery in peripheral conditions like chronic complex hand injuries and its relation with upper extremity function.

Method

Thirty participants in the study group and 30 in the control group were included. Implicit imagery was assessed using hand laterality recognition task where participants identified 48 different hand images, as left- or right-hand images. Accuracy and response time were calculated and compared between the two groups. The Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was used to assess the upper extremity functional level and correlated with implicit imagery as secondary objective.

Results

Hand injured patients had a 76.18% accuracy and 2.30 seconds/card response time. There was a statistically significant difference in accuracy ( p <  0.0001) and response time ( p =  0.0066) between study group and control group. Disability level assessed by DASH was 40.5 and had no correlation with accuracy ( r =  0.004; 95% CI: 0.3663–0.3736) and response time ( r =  0.099; 95% CI: 0.2804–0.4531).

Conclusion

Implicit imagery was impaired in chronic complex hand injured patients and it had no relation with upper extremity functional level.
Effects of fragmentation on route charges
Authors: Pavlović Goran , Fichert Frank
Published: August 2019

The European Air Traffic Management (ATM) system is highly fragmented. It consists of 37 air navigation service providers (ANSPs) whose areas of responsibility are, in most cases, limited to national borders. ATM fragmentation impacts air traffic operations in Europe in several ways. One of them is reflected through the current route charging system, which is designed and adapted to the fragmented ATM system to recover air navigation service provision costs at the level of individual ANSPs. Differences in unit rates have led to the phenomenon of aircraft taking detours around expensive charging zones, resulting in additional fuel consumption and emissions, as well as traffic shifts caused by varying unit rates. In this article, we analyze the differences in the unit rates across Europe and their evolution over the past few years. The main focus of the article is the analysis of the route charge variability on an airport-pair level, measured by an airport-pair variability indicator, which we suggest as a metric. We show the route charge variability for different flight distances, geographic areas, and flight directions, and we also identify airport pairs with the highest route charge variability. Finally, we discuss selected alternatives to the current route charging system, such as the uniform charge method and different approaches to airport-pair charging.
Labor Reform in Brazil, Politics, and Sindicatos: Notes on the General Strikes of 2017
Authors: Carbonai Davide
Published: August 2019

On July 2017, Brazil’s Senate approved the country’s most extensive labor reform since the emergent 1943’s Consolidation of Labor Law (Consolidação das Leis Trabalhistas, CLT). The aforementioned reform provoked heated debates and its approval faced resistance. Unions, for instance, convened two general strikes: the first, on April 2017, garnered a significant amount of participation, while the latter, on June, ended with participation falling significantly below expectations. Despite the widespread rejection of Temer’s mandate and the content of the law, on June, unions were surprisingly unable to agree on a common strategy regarding a proposal on labor reform. The present research aims to explore this paradox. A survey-based analysis, along with a series of unstructured interviews with union leaders and protesters, establishes a solid empirical base from which to draw hypotheses about the Brazilian state corporatist union model and its evolution.
Prediction of disability in schizophrenia: Symptoms, cognition, and self-assessment
Authors: Harvey Philip D. , Strassnig Martin T. , Silberstein Juliet
Published: August 2019

Schizophrenia is associated with wide-ranging disability across multiple functional domains. There are several determinants of disability that have been identified to date, including cognitive and social cognitive impairments, impairments in everyday functional skills and social skills, difficulties in self-assessment of abilities, and negative symptoms. These impairments are related to different elements of disability, and disability and its predictors are not a single global dimension. Further, although psychotic symptoms have limited cross-sectional correlations with everyday functioning, emerging evidence suggests that long-term clinical stability, often induced through treatment with long-acting antipsychotic medications, is also associated with improvements in everyday functioning. This review addresses the characteristics and origins of disability, with treatment implications noted in each disability domains.
Academic Harms of Missing High School and the Accuracy of Current Policy Thresholds: Analysis of Preregistered Administrative Data From a California School District
Authors: Kirksey J. Jacob
Published: August 2019

Currently, the state of California has dedicated much focus to reducing absenteeism in schools through the In School + On Track initiative, which revitalizes efforts made to keep accurate and informative attendance data. Additionally, absenteeism has been integrated into California’s Local Control and Accountability Plan to monitor district performance and improvement. Given the heightened policy concern surrounding absenteeism and truancy, this study seeks to improve researchers’ understanding of the impacts of missing school for high school students. This study will be the first known study to use preregistered secondary data from a school district, let alone the first preregistered study that seeks to address student attendance in schools.
Adolescent males in out-of- home care: Past adversity and current functioning
Authors: Romano Elisa , Moorman Jessie , Bonneville Véronique , Newton Carl , Flynn Robert
Published: August 2019

Adolescent males comprise a significant number of youth in out-of-home care, yet our understanding of their past adverse experiences and current functioning remains relatively limited. The current study relied on data from the Assessment and Action Record—second Canadian version for a representative sample of 508 12- to 17-year-olds in out-of-home care across the province of Ontario (Canada). Findings indicated high rates of maltreatment (especially emotional abuse) as the primary reason for child welfare entry, with an elevated occurrence of multiple exposure to different types of maltreatment (71.6% of youth). Once in care, male youth appeared vulnerable to continuing adverse experiences, with 23.8% experiencing maltreatment (emotional abuse and neglect) and non-maltreatment adversity primarily in the form of school changes and suspensions. Results on current functioning suggested some relative strengths (e.g., developmental assets) but also challenges in the areas of substance use, mental health, caregiver relationship, and academic performance. Past emotional abuse and neglect, as well as greater maltreatment exposure, significantly predicted greater substance use, while greater past-year individual adversities (e.g., school changes and suspensions) predicted poorer academic performance. Findings point to the importance of child welfare’s continued monitoring of adolescent males’ safety and well-being across home and school settings, as well as the reliance on trauma-informed practices to address the multiple needs of male youth in out-of-home care. Our findings also highlight the importance of using data in child welfare practice to regularly assess the well-being of youth in out-of-home care for purposes of service planning and delivery.
History of the Growing Burden of Cancer in India: From Antiquity to the 21st Century
Authors: Smith Robert D. , Mallath Mohandas K.
Published: August 2019

This review traces the growing burden of cancer in India from antiquity. We searched PubMed, Internet Archive, the British Library, and several other sources for information on cancer in Indian history. Paleopathology studies from Indus Valley Civilization sites do not reveal any malignancy. Cancer-like diseases and remedies are mentioned in the ancient Ayurveda and Siddha manuscripts from India. Cancer was rarely mentioned in the medieval literature from India. Cancer case reports from India began in the 17th century. Between 1860 and 1910, several audits and cancer case series were published by Indian Medical Service doctors across India. The landmark study by Nath and Grewal used autopsy, pathology, and clinical data between 1917 and 1932 from various medical college hospitals across India to confirm that cancer was a common cause of death in middle-aged and elderly Indians. India’s cancer burden was apparently low as a result of the short life expectancy of the natives in those times. In 1946, a national committee on health reforms recommended the creation of sufficient facilities to diagnose and manage the increasing cancer burden in all Indian states. Trends from the Mumbai population-based cancer registry revealed a four-fold increase in patients with cancer from 1964 to 2012. Depending on the epidemiologic transition level, wide interstate variation in cancer burden is found in India. We conclude that cancer has been recognized in India since antiquity. India’s current burden of a million incident cancers is the result of an epidemiologic transition, improved cancer diagnostics, and improved cancer data capture. The increase in cancer in India with wide interstate variations offers useful insights and important lessons for developing countries in managing their increasing cancer burdens.
A refinement to the formalin test in mice
Authors: Lopes Douglas M , Cater Heather L , Thakur Matthew , Wells Sara , McMahon Stephen B
Published: August 2019

The constant refinement of tests used in animal research is crucial for the scientific community. This is particularly true for the field of pain research, where ethical standards are notably sensitive. The formalin test is widely used in pain research and some of its mechanisms resemble those underlying clinical pain in humans. Immediately upon injection, formalin triggers two waves (an early and a late phase) of strong, nociceptive behaviour, characterised by licking, biting, lifting and shaking the injected paw of the animal. Although well characterised at the behaviour level, since its proposal over four decades ago, there has not been any significant refinement to the formalin test, especially those combining minimisation of animal distress and preservation of behavioural outcomes of the test.  Here, we propose a modified and improved method for the formalin test. We show that anaesthetising the animal with the inhalable anaesthetic sevoflurane at the time of the injection can produce reliable, robust and reproducible results whilst animal distress during the initial phase is reduced. Importantly, our results were validated by pharmacological suppression of the behaviour during the late phase of the test with gabapentin, the anaesthetic showing no interference with the drug. In addition, we demonstrate that this is also a useful method to screen for changes in pain behaviour in response to formalin in transgenic lines.
Clinical prognostic models for severe dengue: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Dao Phuoc Thang , Khuong Quynh Long , Vien Dang Khanh Linh , Ong Phuc Thinh , Le Sy Hieu , Le Ngoc Tu , Phung Khanh Lam
Published: August 2019

Background: Dengue is a common mosquito-borne, with high morbidity rates recorded in the annual. Dengue contributes to a major disease burden in many tropical countries. This demonstrates the urgent need in developing effective approaches to identify severe cases early. For this purpose, many multivariable prognostic models using multiple prognostic variables were developed to predict the risk of progression to severe outcomes. The aim of the planned systematic review is to identify and describe the existing clinical multivariable prognostic models for severe dengue as well as examine the possibility of combining them. These findings will suggest directions for further research of this field.

Methods: This protocol has followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta – Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P). We will conduct a comprehensive search of Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria include being published in peer-review journals, focusing on human subjects and developing the multivariable prognostic model for severe dengue, without any restriction on language, location and period of publication, and study design. The reference list will be captured and removed from duplications. We will use the Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies (CHARMS) checklist to extract data and Prediction study risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST) to assess the study quality.

Discussion: This systematic review will describe the existing prediction models, summarize the current status of prognostic research on dengue, and report the possibility to combine the models to optimize the power of each paradigm.

PROSPERO registration: CRD42018102907
Neisseria meningitidis has acquired sequences within the capsule locus by horizontal genetic transfer
Authors: Clemence Marianne E. A. , Harrison Odile B. , Maiden Martin C. J.
Published: August 2019

Background:Expression of a capsule from one of serogroups A, B, C, W, X or Y is usually required forNeisseria meningitidis(Nme) to cause invasive meningococcal disease. The capsule is encoded by the capsule locus,cps, which is proposed to have been acquired by a formerly capsule null organism by horizontal genetic transfer (HGT) from another species. Following identification of putative capsule genes in non-pathogenicNeisseriaspecies, this hypothesis is re-examined.

Methods:Whole genome sequence data fromNeisseriaspecies, includingNmegenomes from a diverse range of clonal complexes and capsule genogroups, and non-Neisseriaspecies, were obtained from PubMLST and GenBank. Sequence alignments of genes from the meningococcalcps, and predicted orthologues in other species, were analysed using Neighbor-nets, BOOTSCANing and maximum likelihood phylogenies.

Results:The meningococcalcpswas highly mosaic within regions B, C and D. A subset of sequences within regions B and C were phylogenetically nested within homologous sequences belonging toN. subflava, consistent with HGT event in whichN. subflavawas the donor. In thecpsof 23/39 isolates, the two copies of region D were highly divergent, withrfbABC’sequences being more closely related to predicted orthologues in the proposed speciesN. weixii (GenBank accession numberCP023429.1) than the same genes inNmeisolates lacking a capsule. There was also evidence of mosaicism in therfbABC’sequences of the remaining 16 isolates, as well asrfbABCfrom many isolates.

Conclusions:Data are consistent with theen blocacquisition ofcpsin meningococci fromN. subflava, followed by further recombination events with otherNeisseriaspecies. Nevertheless, the data cannot refute an alternative model, in which native meningococcal capsule existed prior to undergoing HGT withN. subflavaand other species. Within-genus recombination events may have given rise to the diversity of meningococcal capsule serogroups.
Does Superposition Influence the Success of FLOSS Projects? An Examination of Open-Source Software Development by Organizations and Individuals
Authors: Medappa Poonacha K. , Srivastava Shirish C.
Published: August 2019

Does the task work orchestration in free (Libre) and open-source (FLOSS) software projects influence the project’s success? Does satisfying the psychological needs of the contributors effectively scale up to the level of the project and manifest as project success? For answers, we developed an innovative approach to operationalize and study the degree to which a project’s task work consisted of sequential layering of individually developed tasks, referred to as "superposed organization of tasks." Using this measure on a large sample of FLOSS projects hosted on GitHub, we found that the degree of superposition exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with project success, indicating the presence of an optimal value for the project’s work structures. Further, organizational ownership of projects introduced practices that tended to influence the nature of this relationship. The greater the organization owner was willing to invest in the project by contributing code and employees’ time, the lesser was the overall influence of superposed work structures on the success of the project. The greater the organization owner invested in the support activities of the FLOSS project, greater was the time-cost of money—creating a higher need for efficient development practices in lieu of superposition.
Tangled narratives of poverty in early childhood: othering, work, welfare and ‘curveballs’
Authors: Lyndon Sandra
Published: August 2019

Early years practitioners are integral to government policy on addressing child poverty in the UK. Drawing on findings from a qualitative study this paper seeks to contribute new understandings about how practitioners’ narratives are shaped by discourses of poverty. Overall practitioners’ understandings of poverty reflected a moral discourse of deserving and undeserving poor. However, the complexity of interconnections between morality, gender and motherhood (and fatherhood) reveals how understandings were also broad, nuanced and at times contradictory. The study highlights the need for further research into how understandings of poverty are formed together with the need for new narratives of poverty.
Optimal location of laminated beech production plants within the solid hardwood supply network in Austria
Authors: Kühle Sebastian , Teischinger Alfred , Gronalt Manfred
Published: August 2019

Due to changes in forest management in various European countries, hardwood forest areas and amounts will increase. Sustainable and individual utilization concepts have to be developed for the upcoming available resource. Studies conclude that there is low potential for hardwoods in the traditional appearance market thus the application areas have to be extended to new structural innovative products. This paper examines the extension to a future laminated beech wood supply network which would be a combination of already existing and new production facilities. For a better future use of hardwood raw materials it is necessary to consider the entire supply chain. This also better shows a total hardwood value chain. Therefore, this paper provides data to the solid hardwood business and develops a mixed integer linear programming to design a laminated beech wood supply network. The model is applied to Austria as the sample region. It covers the important strategic decisions where to locate a downstream facility within the existing production network with the lowest supply network cost. Fourteen scenarios are developed to examine various future network configurations. Results about optimal material flows and used sawmills as well as downstream production facilities are presented in form of material and financial performances. Two optimal laminated beech production locations are determined by the calculated scenarios results, and the impact of a new sawmill is analyzed which is focused on beech.
TA’WIL TERHADAP AYAT AL-QUR’AN MENURUT AL-TUSTARI
Authors: Abidin Umar
Published: August 2019

The article that is written by Umar Abidin discusses al-Tustari’s theory of ta’wīl and his interpretation of certain verses, which can be called ta’wīl. According al-Tustari, every word of the Qur’an has four kinds of meaning: zahir (exoteric meaning), batin (essoteric/hidden meaning), hadd (legal meaning) and matla‘ (deepest meaning). An attempt to grasp the hidden and deepest meaning is called ta’wīl . In order to elaborate al-Tustari’s ta’wīl, the author of this article also discusses his interpretation of Surat al-Nur: 35. In conclusion, Abidin says that al-Tustari had made a significant contribution to the sufistic interpretation of the Qur’an.
Berkenalan dengan Andrew Rippin, Spesialis Kajian Sejarah Tafsir Al-Qur’an
Authors: Mardhatillah Masyithah
Published: August 2019

Andrew Rippin is one of contemporary orientalists who is interested in Islamic teaching as well as its implementation in Muslim’s daily life. He focuses on development of tafsir in Islamic society especially the modern period with its basic assumptions and exegesis result which are, in some degree, different enough with what traditional exegete understood about Qur’an. Unlike most of traditional orientalists, Rippin seemed to be academically fair and neutral in revealing and analyzing the data related with his concern. Additionally, he tended to map the data under some categories he made and not interested in making any comment about the data including agreement, complement or critique as well. Unfortunately, Rippin is not still well-known as other modern orientalists that this paper is trying to introduce little thing about him and his academic findings on Islami, Qur’an, Qur’anic exegesis and contemporary Muslim word including its exegetical traditions.Keywords: Andrew Rippin, Sejarah Tafsir Al-Qur’an, Tafsir Al-Qur’an modern.
Multilingualism and mixed language in the mines of Potosí (Bolivia)
Authors: Muysken Pieter
Published: August 2019

Using the methodology of historical sociolinguistics, this article explores multilingualism and language contact in the mines of Potosí (Bolivia) in the colonial period. Potosí was the destination of massive migration during its economic heydays around 1610 and one of the largest cities in the Western hemisphere at the time. In the mines special codes were developed, with a specialized lexicon that contains words from different languages. This lexicon was so different that the first vocabulary of the mining language was written in 1610, and many have followed from that date onward. Quechua most probably played a key role as intermediary language between two forms of speaking: the indigenous mining language of the free workers, yanaconas and mingas, probably a mix of Spanish and Quechua, and the language of the forced workers, mitayos, possibly a mix of Aymara and Quechua. The similarities between Aymara and Quechua must have contributed to this possibility of an intermediary language.
Performance assessment of the Allplex™ STI Essential real-time PCR assay for the diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in genital and extra-genital sites
Authors: Robinet Sylvain , Parisot François
Published: August 2019

Background

Commercial kits performing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for genital samples are recommended in association with culture, but the majority of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods have not received regulatory approval for diagnostics in extra-genital sites. Since 2017, only the Hologic® Aptima Combo2 assay has an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) certification from the European Medicine Evaluation Agency.

Methods

We assessed the Allplex™ STI-Essential Assay (EA) for the diagnosis of NG and CT in both genital and extra-genital sites. The performance of the extraction step was studied by means of a standard curve between the concentration of expected cultivable gonococci and the cycle threshold (Ct). Three later-generation NAATs were used as comparators, particularly to assess the specificity (Sp).

Results

A relation between the gonococcal concentration, expressed as colony-forming unit (CFU) per milliliter logarithm, and the Ct was shown to be linear irrespective of the matrices (95% confidence interval [CI]). The detection limit was 10 CFU/mL, contrasting with the relatively poor sensitivity of culture due to inhibitory effects such as pH and the overgrowth of the commensal flora. NG molecular diagnostic is complex and the method comparisons showed some discrepancies when Ct was above 34. We decided to include interpretative comments on our reports on the basis of the Ct result. For CT, comparisons displayed a satisfactory agreement, and the detection limit was 50 copies/mL.

Conclusions

The Seegene Allplex™ STI-EA showed acceptable performance characteristics for the detection of genital and extra-genital NG and CT.
Crystal structure of 2-(2-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)naphthalen-1-yl)pyrimidine, C20H15N3
Authors: Lou Xin-Hua
Published: August 2019

C20H15N3, orthorhombic, Pbca (no. 61), a = 11.0487(4) Å, b = 13.5000(6) Å, c = 21.1032(10) Å, V = 3147.7(2) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0448, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1136, T = 293(2) K.
Crystal structure of diaqua[5,5′-dicarboxy-2,2′-(propane-1,3-diyl)bis(1H-imidazole-4-carboxylato-κ4O,O′,N,N′)]zinc(II) dihydrate, C13H18N4O12Zn
Authors: Li Xiao-Fei , Ma Li-Gang , Guo Wen-Feng , Zhao Wen-Feng
Published: August 2019

C13H18N4O12Zn, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 9.0311(3) Å, b = 9.4464(3) Å, c = 12.6951(5) Å, α = 109.2790(11)°, β = 92.6348(12)°, γ = 116.2514(10)°, V = 892.97(5) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0263, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0712, T = 293(2) K.
Crystal structure of 3-methyl-N-(pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)pyridin-2-amine, C11H12N4
Authors: Shi Yun-Lian , Nie Xu-Liang , Huang Tao , Xie Jin-Hui , Peng Da-Yong , Shi Xu-Gen , Li Bao-Tong
Published: August 2019

[C11H12N4], triclinic, P1̄, a = 6.6939(10) Å, b = 8.8034(13) Å, c = 9.1140(13) Å, α = 97.749(2)°, β = 99.285(2)%, γ = 95.917(2)°, V = 520.90(13) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0381, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1030, T = 296(2) K.
Spinal and Pelvic Kinematics During Prolonged Rowing on an Ergometer vs. Indoor Tank Rowing
Authors: Trompeter Katharina , Weerts Jeronimo , Fett Daniela , Firouzabadi Ali , Heinrich Kai , Schmidt Hendrik , Brüggemann Gert-Peter , Platen Petra
Published: August 2019

Trompeter, K, Weerts, J, Fett, D, Firouzabadi, A, Heinrich, K, Schmidt, H, Brüggemann, GP, and Platen, P. Spinal and pelvic kinematics during prolonged rowing on an ergometer vs. indoor tank rowing. J Strength Cond Res 35(9): 2622–2628, 2021—This investigation aimed to compare spinopelvic kinematics during rowing on an ergometer vs. in a rowing tank and to evaluate changes with progressing fatigue. Spinal and pelvic kinematics of 8 competitive scull rowers (19.0 ± 2.1 years, 179.9 ± 7.6 cm, and 74.8 ± 8.1 kg) were collected during 1 hour of rowing on an ergometer and in a rowing tank using a routine training protocol. Kinematics of the upper thoracic spine, lower thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and pelvis were determined using an infrared camera system (Vicon, Oxford, United Kingdom). There was a greater lumbar range of motion (ROM) and less posterior pelvic tilt at the catch during rowing on the ergometer compared with in the rowing tank (p = 0.001–0.048), but no differences in pelvic ROM. In the rowing tank, the pelvic ROM increased over time (p = 0.002) and the ROM of the lower thoracic spine decreased (p = 0.002). In addition, there was an extended drive phase (when the rower applies pressure to the oar levering the boat forward) and an abbreviated recovery phase (setting up the rower's body for the next stroke) in the rowing tank (p = 0.032). Different rowing training methods lead to differences in spinopelvic kinematics, which may lead to substantially different spinal loading situations. Greater pelvic rotation and lesser lumbar ROM are considered ideal; therefore, the present results indicate that rowing in the rowing tank might facilitate the maintenance of this targeted spinopelvic posture, which might help protect the lower back. Rowers, coaches, and researchers should consider the differences between rowing training methods, especially when giving training recommendations.
Impact of Cognitive Measures and Sleep on Acute Squat Strength Performance and Perceptual Responses Among Well-Trained Men and Women
Authors: Haischer Michael H. , Cooke Daniel M. , Carzoli Joseph P. , Johnson Trevor K. , Shipherd Amber M. , Zoeller Robert F. , Whitehurst Michael , Zourdos Michael C.
Published: August 2019

Haischer, MH, Cooke, DM, Carzoli, JP, Johnson, TK, Shipherd, AM, Zoeller, RF, Whitehurst, M, and Zourdos, MC. Impact of cognitive measures and sleep on acute squat strength performance and perceptual responses among well-trained men and women. J Strength Cond Res 35(2S): S16–S22, 2021—This study assessed the efficacy of currently used assessments for sleep, anxiety, and stress in predicting 1-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat performance. Fifty-three men (age, 23 ± 3 years; body mass, 86.67 ± 13.93 kg; training age, 6.0 ± 2.5 years; 1RM = 163.5 ± 39.5 kg) and 15 women (age, 21 ± 1.5 years; body mass, 63.34 ± 9.6 kg; training age, 4 ± 1.5 years; 1RM = 81.5 ± 12.5 kg) participated. Subjects completed the Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes (DALDA), the revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R), and Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire (OSQ) to evaluate stress, anxiety, and sleep, respectively. Subjects then completed the perceived self-efficacy (PSE) scale, to predict what loads they were 100, 75, and 50% confident that they could lift for a 1RM; then completed 1RM testing with rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and average concentric velocity (ACV) obtained on each attempt. The performance-dependent variable was calculated by subtracting the PSE responses from the actual 1RM (1RM-PSE difference). Bootstrapping with 1,000 replicate samples was used with linear regression to increased robustness of the statistical analyses, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Hours of sleep was an inverse predictor of ACV (p = 0.014; 95% CI = 0.046 to−0.011) and a positive predictor of RPE (p = 0.005; 95% CI = 0.068–0.342). Furthermore, the hypersomnia subscale of the OSQ was a negative predictor of 1RM-PSE difference at 50% confidence (p = 0.028; 95% CI = −3.507 to −0.528), and CSAI-2R total score was a negative predictor of RPE at 1RM (p = 0.043; 95% CI = −0.041 to −0.003); however, the DALDA did not exhibit any significant relationships. These data highlight the importance of monitoring anxiety and sleep when assessing readiness for maximal strength performance.
Internal and External Loads During Hockey 5's Competitions Among U16 Players
Authors: Konarski Jan M. , Konarska Agata , Strzelczyk Ryszard , Skrzypczak Mateusz , Malina Robert M.
Published: August 2019

Konarski, JM, Konarska, A, Strzelczyk, R, Skrzypczak, M, and Malina, RM. Internal and external loads during Hockey 5's competitions among U16 players. J Strength Cond Res 35(11): 3199–3206, 2021—The purpose of the study was to characterize the external and internal loads associated with Hockey 5's, the modified small-sided format of competition for U16 field hockey introduced in 2014. Subjects were 10 males, 15.2–16.3 years, who were field players on the U16 Polish National Team. A GPSports Athlete Tracking System was used to estimate external loads (sprints, total distance), and a Polar Team2 unit was used to monitor internal loads (heart rate [HR] and energy expenditure [EE]) during active time of play for 8 field players in 2 international matches. Players covered, on average, a distance of 2,217 ± 178 m during a match including 614 ± 12 m sprinting at 8.1 ± 0.8 km·h−1 with a speedmax of 23.1 ± 1.1 km·h−1. HRmean was 170.5 ± 6.6 b·min−1, whereas HRmax was 184.9 ± 6.4 b·min−1. Speed, sprinting, and distance covered did not differ among periods, whereas HR was greater during the second and third periods. HRmax, %HRmax, and EE varied between forwards and defenders, and among periods. Effort expended by field players during Hockey 5's games can be characterized as heavy. The results highlight the need for preparation in both aerobic and anaerobic activities, which include a major speed component and adequate time for rapid recovery to facilitate the adaptation of youth players to the demands of the modified game. Although not directly comparable, comparison of internal loads during Hockey 5's and 11-a-side matches suggests more intensive activity of field players in the former.
Effects of Different Training Interventions on the Recovery of Physical and Neuromuscular Performance After a Soccer Match
Authors: Trecroci Athos , Porcelli Simone , Perri Enrico , Pedrali Magda , Rasica Letizia , Alberti Giampietro , Longo Stefano , Iaia F. Marcello
Published: August 2019

Trecroci, A, Porcelli, S, Perri, E, Pedrali, M, Rasica, L, Alberti, G, Longo, S, and Iaia, FM. Effects of different training interventions on the recovery of physical and neuromuscular performance after a soccer match. J Strength Cond Res 34(8): 2189–2196, 2020—In competitive soccer, players are frequently required to play in periods with congested fixtures in which they have limited time to recover between matches (3–4 days). Thus, finding the most appropriate intervention strategy to limit players' neuromuscular (muscle function of lower limbs) and physical (running performance) impairments in this short period becomes crucial. The aim of the study was to examine how muscle function of knee extensors and flexors and sprint performance recovered +72 hours after match in relation to different field-based training sessions. Using a crossover design, 9 subelite players (age 17.6 ± 0.5 years, height 1.77 ± 0.02 m, body mass 66.4 ± 5.8 kg) underwent a soccer-specific training (SST) session or an active recovery regime (AR) on the second day after a match. Immediately after (0 hour) and +72 hours after match, 30-m sprint and repeated sprint ability (RSA) were assessed. Maximum isometric voluntary force (MVF) of knee extensors and flexors was determined at 120° and 90° (with 180° being full extension), respectively. SST and AR promoted similar effects on the recovery kinetics of sprint, RSA, and MVF of knee extensors (p > 0.05). However, compared with SST, AR promoted a significantly better restoration of MVF of knee flexors (p < 0.05) after +72 hours from the match. Because muscle fatigue has been related with increased hamstring injury risk, a training based on AR can be a valid intervention to promote the recovery of muscle force production of knee flexors and reduce hamstring injury risk in the postmatch period.
Development of a Drop Weight Machine for Adhesive Joint Testing
Authors: Antunes Diogo P. C. , Lopes António M. , Moreira da Silva Carlos M. S. , da Silva Lucas F. M. , Nunes Paulo D. P. , Marques Eduardo A. S. , Carbas Ricardo J. C.
Published: August 2019

Adhesive materials are increasingly being considered as one of the best methods for joining parts with dissimilar characteristics. This is mostly due to the advantages they offer when compared with other joining processes, such as fastening, riveting, or welding. Adhesives provide high mechanical strength, contribute to lighter structures, and can be applied on surfaces with complex geometries. This set of properties is highly sought out in the automotive and aerospace industries. However, to ensure vehicle safety, the crashworthiness of adhesively bonded structures must be assessed to guarantee that they can withstand high impact loads and also absorb the energy involved. Therefore, it is important to follow the rising interest in this type of bonding with experimental data that help to understand adhesives’ behavior under impact conditions. In this article, a new drop weight impact test machine is proposed and its main features are highlighted, namely, the rotational anti-rebound subsystem and the U-shaped impactor, which are specifically designed to test adhesive joints. Experimental results of impact tests are presented, and the drop weight machine behavior is validated using numerical data.
Alpha Neurofeedback Has a Positive Effect for Participants Who Are Unable to Sustain Their Alpha Activity
Authors: Biswas Ankan , Ray Supratim
Published: August 2019

Alpha rhythm (8–13 Hz) is linked to relaxed mental state in humans. Earlier reports have shown that individuals can increase their alpha power if provided with a valid feedback, compared to controls who are provided invalid feedback. However, these results remain controversial, partly because controls may be in a different behavioral state, making it difficult to directly compare their alpha power with the valid group. We here address this issue by using an experimental paradigm in which an invalid feedback is given on a fraction of trials, such that both valid and invalid conditions can be obtained from the same participant. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we recorded alpha power from the occipital area from 24 humans (nine females) and played a feedback tone which could be valid (tone frequency proportional to alpha power), invalid (tone sequence from a previous valid trial; participants were unaware of this condition), or neutral (constant tone frequency). We found that during eyes closed-state, neurofeedback did not enhance alpha activity beyond pre-trained state within the experimental duration, probably because of saturation of alpha rhythmicity. However, for participants whose alpha power decreased over time within a trial, valid feedback helped them to sustain alpha more than invalid feedback. Further, alpha increase showed a weak negative correlation with their self-reported attentional load but was uncorrelated with relaxation levels. Our results reconcile many conflicting reports in the neurofeedback literature, and show that even under most stringent control, valid neurofeedback can help participants who are otherwise unable to sustain their alpha activity.
Bootstraps and Turbans
Authors: Elsberg Constance
Published: August 2019

Food—enjoying it, preparing it, serving it, distributing it, and using it for healing purposes—is central to life in the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO). In 3HO’s early years, food beliefs and practices were instrumental in creating community, shaping members’ identities, and establishing group boundaries. Over time, members created a variety of organizations linked to 3HO, and many members became Sikhs. They created businesses, several involving food production and sales, and some quite successful. In 2010 representatives of one of their organizations, Sikh Dharma International, sued the managers of one of the businesses, Golden Temple Bakery, accusing the managers of “misappropriation of valuable assets.” This paper examines the growth of 3HO businesses within the context of national food production and distribution, and it considers the internal stresses of 3HO institutions revealed via the trial.