bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nano-Pore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Shale Gas Reservoirs: A Case Study of Longmaxi Formation in Southeastern Chongqing, China
Authors: Xie Wei-Dong , Wang Meng , Wang Xiao-Qi , Wang Yan-Di , Hu Chang-Qing
Published: November 2020

Pore structure and fractal dimensions can characterize the adsorption, desorption and seepage characteristics of shale gas reservoirs. In this study, pore structure, fractal characteristics and influencing factors were studied of the Longmaxi formation shale gas reservoir in southeastern
Chongqing, China. Scanning electron microscopy was used to describe the characteristics of various reservoirs. High pressure mercury intrusion and low temperature liquid N2 and CO2 adsorption experiments were used to obtain pore structure parameters. V–S
model, FHH model and Menger sponge model were selected to calculate the micropore, mesopore and macropore fractal dimensions, respectively. The results show that organic matter pores, inter-granular pores, intra-granular pores and micro-fractures are developed within the shale, and the pore
morphology is mostly ink pores and parallel plate pores with aperture essentially in the 1–2 nm and 2–50 nm ranges. Moreover, macropores are the most complex in these samples, with mesopores being less complex than macropores, and the micropores being the simplest. D1
(micropore fractal dimension) ranges from 2.31 to 2.50, D2 (mesopore fractal dimension) ranges from 2.74 to 2.83, D3 (macropore fractal dimension) ranges from 2.87 to 2.95, and Dt (comprehensive fractal dimension) ranges from 2.69 to 2.83
of fractal characteristics. D1 and D2 are mainly controlled by TOC content, while D3 and Dt are mainly controlled by brittle and clay mineral content. These results may be helpful for exploration and the development of
shale gas in southeastern Chongqing, China.
Simulation of Oil-Water Rock Wettability of Different Constituent Alkanes on Kaolinite Surfaces at the Nanometer Scale
Authors: Xue Haitao , Dong Zhentao , Chen Xiaodong , Tian Shansi , Lu Shuangfang , Lu Shudong
Published: November 2020

Kaolinite is widely distributed in shale formations. Kaolinite has two surface types, Si–O and Al–OH, and the two surfaces have different chemical properties. The surface wettability of kaolinite minerals is closely related to the occurrence of crude oil, the migration process
of crude oil, and the filling process of crude oil. In this paper, we focus on the oil-water rock wettability of different alkane hydrocarbons on the different surfaces of kaolinite and construct a model of oil and water with variation of the alkane components on the surface of tetrahedral
and octahedral kaolinite. Molecular dynamics methods were used to study the morphological changes in water clusters in different alkanes on different surfaces of kaolinite and to calculate the wetting angles. Studies have shown that the octahedral kaolinite surface is strongly hydrophilic,
and the water clusters become monolayers adsorbed on the surface. Water easily displaces the oil on the surface and preferentially drives low carbon number alkanes. The tetrahedral siloxane kaolinite surface is oleophilic, the water molecules in C6H14–C18H38
are clustered on the surface, and the wetting angle of the water cluster in the alkane increases with increasing carbon number. Water has difficulty displacing oil on this surface.
Nano/Micro Pore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Baliancheng Coalfield in Hunchun Basin
Authors: Wang Youzhi , Mao Cui
Published: November 2020

The pore structure characteristic is an important index to measure and evaluate the storage capacity and fracturing coal reservoir. The coal of Baliancheng coalfield in Hunchun Basin was selected for experiments including low temperature nitrogen adsorption method, Argon Ion milling
Scanning Electron Microscopy (Ar-SEM), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction method, quantitative mineral clay analysis method. The pore structure of coal was quantitatively characterized by means of fractal theory. Meanwhile, the influences of pores fractal dimension were discussed
with experiment data. The results show that the organic pores in Baliancheng coalfield are mainly plant tissue pores, interparticle pores and gas pores, and the mineral pores are corrosion pores and clay mineral pores. There are mainly slit pore and wedge-shaped pore in curve I of Low temperature
nitrogen adsorption. There are ink pores in curve II with characteristics of a large specific surface area and average pore diameter. The two peaks of NMR T2 spectrum indicate that the adsorption pores are relatively developed and their connectivity is poor. The three peaks
show the seepage pores and cracks well developed, which are beneficial to improve the porosity and permeability of coal reservoir. When the pore diameter is 2–100 nm, the fractal dimensions D1 and D2 obtained by nitrogen adsorption experiment. there
are positive correlations between water content and specific surface area and surface fractal dimension D1, The fractal dimension D2 was positively and negatively correlated with ash content and average pore diameters respectively. The fractal dimensions
DN1 and DN2 were obtained by using the NMR in the range of 0.1 μm˜10 μm. DN1 are positively correlated with specific surface area of adsorption pores. DN2 are positively correlated volume of seepage pores.
The fractal dimension DM and dissolution hole fractal dimension Dc were calculated by SEM image method, respectively controlled by clay mineral and feldspar content. There is a remarkable positive correlation between D1 and DN1 and Langmuir volume of coal,
so fractal dimension can effectively quantify the adsorption capacity of coal.
A Method for Evaluating the Methane Content of the Nanoscale Pores in Deep Coalbeds
Authors: Yang Yu , Guo Chunhua , Chen Wangang , Sun Hansen , Yan Ping , Wu Xiang
Published: November 2020

Since the sampling depth is large in deep coalbed methane wells, during the lifting process of coalbed cores, the core surface pressure drops nonlinearly with time, which is contradictory to the premise of the conventional United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) method and the Smith-Williams
method. In this paper, a desorption–diffusion model was established to quantitatively characterize the actual escape process of methane gas from nanoscale pores in coal cores in both the wellbore and desorption tank by considering the nonlinear relationship between the core surface pressure
and time. Based on the optimization method, the measured volume of the desorbed gas in the desorption tank was fitted, and then, the amount of lost gas in the wellbore was inferred. The calculation result of the USBM method was smaller than that of the method used in this paper. In the calculation
model of lost gas volume proposed in this paper, the lost gas time was corrected, and the non-uniform decreasing characteristics of the core surface pressure were considered. Therefore, the lost gas obtained by this model was more accurate than that obtained by the conventional method.
Micro-Nanopore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Tight Sandstone Gas Reservoirs in the Eastern Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Qiao Peng , Ju Yiwen , Cai Jianchao , Zhao Jun , Zhu Hongjian , Yu Kun , Qi Yu , Meng Shangzhi , Li Wuyang , Sun Ying , Huang Cheng , Feng Hongye
Published: November 2020

The complex pore system in tight sandstone reservoirs controls the storage and transport of natural gas. Thus, quantitatively characterizing the micro-nanopore structure of tight sandstone reservoirs is of great significance to determining the accumulation and distribution of tight
gas. The pore structure of reservoirs was determined through polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the combination of mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on Late Paleozoic conventional and tight sandstone samples
from the Linxing Block, Ordos Basin. The results show that in contrast to conventional sandstone, dissolution pores, with diameters less than 8 μm, are the main contributors to the gas storage space of tight sandstone reservoirs. The pore size distribution derived from the MICP experiment
demonstrates that the main peak of tight sandstones corresponds to a pore radius in the range of 247 nm to 371 nm, while the secondary peak usually corresponds to 18 nm. The results of the NMR test illustrate that the T2 spectra of tight sandstones are unimodal, bimodal and
multimodal, and the main NMR peak is highly related to the MICP peak. Fractal theory was proposed to quantitatively characterize the complex pore structure and rough porous surface. The sandstones show fractal characteristics including nanopore fractal dimension DN obtained
from the MICP and large pore fractal dimension DL obtained from the NMR experiment. Both DN and DL are positively correlated with porosity and negatively correlated with permeability, demonstrating that complex and heterogeneous pore structure
could increase the gas storage space and reduce the connectivity.
Fractal Characteristics of the Middle-Upper Ordovician Marine Shale Nano-Scale Porous Structure from the Ordos Basin, Northeast China
Authors: Liu Liang , Mo Wuling , Wang Min , Zhou Nengwu , Yan Yu , Xu Liang , Li Ming , Zhang Jinxu , Lu Shuangfang
Published: November 2020

The fractal characteristics of marine shale from the Middle-Upper Ordovician Wulalike Formation (O2w) in the southwest margin of the Ordos Basin are studied. Based on low-temperature nitrogen adsorption experiments, the FHH (Frenkel-Halsey-Hill) model was employed to investigate
the relationship between the marine shale composition, such as TOC, mineral content and shale gas content, and pore structure parameters, such as BET specific surface area, average pore diameter, porosity and fractal dimension. The results show that the pore size distribution curve of shale
slowly decreased after the pore size was greater than 50 nm, the pore size distribution showed multiple peaks, and the peak value was mainly in the range of 2–10 nm. Most pores are nanopores, although the pore type and shape are different. Two different fractal dimensions D1
and D2 are obtained from the two segments with relative pressures of 0–0.5 and 0.5–1.0, respectively: the D1 range is 2.77–2.82, and the D2 range is 2.63–2.66. As D1 is larger than D2,
the pore structure of small pores is more uniform than that of large pores in the shale samples. The relationship between the fractal dimensions D1 and D2 and the total organic carbon (TOC) content is a convex curve. Fractal dimension D reaches its
maximum when TOC is 0.53 wt.%. Fractal dimension D decreases with increasing specific surface area, porosity and average pore size. The fractal dimension has a different influence on the gas storage and migration in shale; the larger the fractal dimension is, the stronger the heterogeneity
and the more complex the pore structure, and this outcome is conducive to the storage of gas in shale but not beneficial to the permeability and production of gas.
Internal consistency and compatibility of the 3Rs and 3Vs principles for project evaluation of animal research
Authors: Eggel Matthias , Würbel Hanno
Published: November 2020

Using animals for research raises ethical concerns that are addressed in project evaluation by weighing expected harm to animals against expected benefit to society. A harm–benefit analysis (HBA) relies on two preconditions: (a) the study protocol is scientifically suitable and (b) the use of (sentient) animals and harm imposed on them are necessary for achieving the study’s aims. The 3Rs (Replace, Reduce and Refine) provide a guiding principle for evaluating whether the use of animals, their number and the harm imposed on them are necessary. A similar guiding principle for evaluating whether a study protocol is scientifically suitable has recently been proposed: the 3Vs principle referring to the three main aspects of scientific validity in animal research (construct, internal and external validity). Here, we analyse the internal consistency and compatibility of these two principles, address conflicts within and between the 3Rs and 3Vs principles and discuss their implications for project evaluation. We show that a few conflicts and trade-offs exist, but that these can be resolved either by appropriate study designs or by ethical deliberation in the HBA. In combination, the 3Vs, 3Rs and the HBA thus offer a coherent framework for a logically structured evaluation procedure to decide about the legitimacy of animal research projects.
Correlates of Mental Health Symptoms Among US Adults During COVID-19, March–April 2020
Authors: Reading Turchioe Meghan , Grossman Lisa V. , Myers Annie C. , Pathak Jyotishman , Creber Ruth Masterson
Published: November 2020

Objectives

An understanding of mental health symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is critical to ensure that health policies adequately address the mental health needs of people in the United States. The objective of this study was to examine mental health symptoms among US adults in an early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in late March 2020 with a national sample of 963 US adults using an online research platform. Participants self-reported state of residence, psychosocial characteristics, and levels of anxiety, depression, anger, cognitive function, and fatigue in the context of COVID-19 using validated patient-reported outcomes scales in the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures. We used analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression to evaluate correlates of mental health symptoms.

Results

Overall, participants reported high levels of anxiety (mean [SD], 57.2 [9.3]) and depression (mean [SD], 54.2 [9.5]). Levels of anger, anxiety, cognitive function, depression, and fatigue were significantly higher among the Millennial Generation and Generation X (vs Baby Boomers), those with not enough or enough (vs more than enough) financial resources, females vs males), those with self-reported disability (vs no self-reported disability), and those with inadequate (vs adequate) health literacy. In adjusted models, being in Generation X and the Millennial Generation (vs Baby Boomer), having not enough or enough vs more than enough) financial resources, and having inadequate (vs adequate) health literacy were most strongly correlated with worse mental health symptoms.

Conclusions

Results suggest that mental health symptoms during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic were prevalent nationally, regardless of state of residence and especially among young, psychosocially vulnerable groups.
Negotiating LGBTQ rights in Singapore: The margin as a place of refusal
Authors: Ramdas Kamalini
Published: November 2020

The complex diversity of urban life in cities is often the cause of social friction but it can also spark change. Densely populated cities are places where individuals find community but they are also places where some communities become marginalised and excluded. In the city-state of Singapore community-based activism is an important strategy for minority groups claiming a right to their place in the city. Conceptualising the margin as a place of refusal, the paper focuses on how Singapore’s LGBTQ communities have contested and negotiated from their place at the margins of the city-state, calling into question the Singapore State’s hegemonic narratives of family and community for heteronormative nation-building. These contestations have resulted in strategies that both adopt and elide individual rights-based narratives that have centred primarily on the repeal of Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code. While the repeal of 377A remains critical, the paper focuses on three examples of Sayoni’s community advocacy, Pink Dot and education, which extend the discourse beyond the issue of repeal, and the single identity category of sexuality. Even as the fight for repeal continues, LGBTQ subjects are resisting, negotiating and advocating against violence, discrimination and making space for love and community in ways that co-opt and destabilise social norms in Singapore, thus occupying the margin as a place of radical openness.
Towards a rhetorical understanding of statistics in politics: Quantifying the National Health Service ‘Winter Crisis’
Authors: Lawson Brendan , Lovatt Matthew
Published: November 2020

Statistics are a central part of political communication, yet little is known about how they are used rhetorically by politicians. This article therefore develops a rhetorical understanding of statistics in political debate and explores how they function primarily as strategies of argumentation. Through an analysis of how British politicians use numbers in debates on the National Health Service ‘winter crisis’, it is argued that four tropes underpin the use of statistics as a rhetorical device. The trope of dehistoricisation is said to engender consensus over the facticity of statistical arguments, while the tropes of synecdoche, enthymeme and framing are said to enable contestation over their presentation and meaning. The article concludes that a rhetorical understanding of statistics is vital to elucidating the selective, contestable and strategic ways in which numbers function in political debate, thereby challenging the notion that quantification can be an objective or value-free means of establishing political claims.
The perspectives of children and young people affected by parental life-limiting illness: An integrative review and thematic synthesis
Authors: Marshall Steve , Fearnley Rachel , Bristowe Katherine , Harding Richard
Published: November 2020

Background:

Although the death of a parent during childhood is relatively commonplace, the voices of children affected by parental life-limiting illness are under-represented in research evidence. Guidance for healthcare professionals is largely based upon professional opinion rather than the experience of children themselves.

Aim:

To synthesise and appraise the literature from primary research with children about their experience of having a parent with a life-limiting illness.

Design:

Integrative review and thematic synthesis. Registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019094581).

Data sources:

PsychINFO, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science were searched, supplemented by searches of grey literature and systematic reviews. There were no restrictions on publication date, and study quality was appraised using the Hawker checklist. Studies reporting the findings of primary research with participants under 18, whose parent has a life-limiting illness, were eligible for inclusion.

Results:

Twenty-one papers met the inclusion criteria ( n = 13 qualitative; n = 8 quantitative), reporting on n = 18 studies from high-income countries. Findings reveal that throughout parental life-limiting illness, children strive for agency, but are often shielded and excluded by adults. The experience of living with a dying parent is emotionally demanding for children and involves significant caregiving responsibilities. However these children are not passive, developing strategies to cope with the situation and wanting to be involved.

Conclusions:

The review has enabled the voices of children affected by parental life-limiting illness to be heard and will inform the development of guidance for parents and professionals.
Pancreatoduodenectomy for paraduodenal pancreatitis: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge
Authors: Jiang Chao , Liu Xueyan , Yao Weikai , Wang Meng
Published: November 2020

Paraduodenal pancreatitis (PP) is a rare type of focal pancreatitis involving the groove space. It mimics pancreatic head carcinoma, and its diagnosis and treatment are challenging. Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) has traditionally been the primary surgical treatment for duodenal stenosis or suspected cancer.

We herein report a case of PP in a 65-year-old man. The patient was admitted to the hospital for postprandial epigastric pain and vomiting. A low-density mass between the uncinate process of the pancreas and the horizontal segment of the duodenum was suspected based on computed tomography findings. Both upper gastrointestinal radiography and gastrointestinal endoscopy showed an obstruction of the distal part of the descending duodenum. An operation was performed to release the obstruction and obtain a definitive diagnosis. A 3-cm mass in the groove area was compressing the third part of the duodenum, and PD was empirically performed. The final histopathological diagnosis was PP. Postoperatively, the patient developed anastomotic leakage of the gastrojejunostomy site with bleeding and was eventually discharged on postoperative day 51 after emergency surgery.

PP should be considered as a differential diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or duodenal stenosis, and accurate preoperative diagnosis preserves the opportunity for conservative or endoscopic management.
The Diagnostic Experiences of Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Soucie Kendall , Samardzic Tanja , Schramer Kristin , Ly Cindy , Katzman Rachel
Published: November 2020

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine syndrome that disproportionally affects women of childbearing age (~8% to 13% of women worldwide). If unmanaged, it can lead to chronic, lifelong complications. Over the past decade, improvements in diagnostic guidelines have not produced an expected reduction in the diagnostic timeframe. We examined the potential reasons underlying this diagnosis delay. Participants first constructed a diagnostic timeline and then charted and reflected on their diagnosis journeys. Through a reflexive thematic analysis, five themes represented the most common diagnostic trajectory: (a) dismissal of adolescents’ early symptoms, (b) negative diagnostic encounters, (c) wariness of treatment options, (d) uncertainty for the future, and (e) self-education and advocacy. Our findings lead us to argue for education of physicians and allied professionals to strengthen patient-centered care delivery to women with a focus on building in training supports that include critically informed, social justice foundations.
A Review of β-Lactam–Associated Neutropenia and Implications for Cross-reactivity
Authors: Cimino Christo , Allos Ban M. , Phillips Elizabeth J.
Published: November 2020

Objective:

To review the incidence, management, and current understanding of the pathophysiology of β-lactam–induced neutropenia and to critically evaluate the practicality and safety of direct substitution to an alternative β-lactam in the setting of this reaction.

Data Sources:

A literature analysis using the PubMed and Ovid search engines (July 1968 to October 2020) was performed using the search terms neutropenia, leukopenia, β-lactam, nonchemotherapy, agranulocytosis, and G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor).

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

The included English-language studies evaluated the incidence, mechanism, and/or management of β-lactam–induced neutropenia in pediatric or adult patients.

Data Synthesis:

Drug-induced neutropenia is a well-documented adverse reaction of β-lactam antibiotics, with an incidence of approximately 10% following at least 2 weeks of intravenous therapy. However, multiple gaps in knowledge remain in the mechanism of pathophysiology and optimal management of this reaction. Both direct toxic and immune-mediated mechanisms have been implicated. Although the cornerstone of management includes cessation of the offending agent, controversy exists on the appropriateness of direct substitution or future use of an alternative β-lactam.

Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice:

Given the frequency of use and superiority of β-lactams over alternative therapy for several infectious disease states, practical recommendations are needed on the management and safe use of β-lactams following β-lactam–induced neutropenia.

Conclusion:

Future use of β-lactams with differing R1 side chains, particularly those from a separate class, should not be deemed contraindicated following β-lactam–induced neutropenia and may be considered when indicated, with close laboratory monitoring.
A retrospective review of the real-world experience of the Pegfilgrastim biosimilar (Lapelga®) to the reference biologic (Neulasta®)
Authors: Wong Gina , Zhang Liying , Majeed Habeeb , Razvi Yasmeen , DeAngelis Carlo , Lam Emily , McKenzie Erin , Wang Katie , Pasetka Mark
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy are vulnerable to febrile neutropenia (FN) which contributes to poor treatment outcomes. The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors is administered to prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The introduction of biosimilars has allowed for greater cost-savings while maintaining safety and efficacy. This retrospective study assessed the incidence of FN and related treatment outcomes and the cost minimization of a pegfilgrastim biosimilar and its reference.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of breast cancer patients receiving (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy from February 2017 to May 2020 was conducted. The endpoints included the incidence of FN, the occurrence of dose reduction (DR), dose delay (DD) and pain. A cost minimization analysis was performed from a third-party payer perspective.

Results

One hundred Neulasta® and 74 Lapelga® patients were included in the first-cycle analysis. The rate of FN in cycle 1 for Neulasta® and Lapelga® was 2/100 and 4/74, respectively; risk difference (RD)  =  3.4%; 95% CI: –2.4 to 9.2%. Eighty-three Neulasta® and 59 Lapelga® patients were included in the all-cycle analyses, where DR was reported in 76 (15%) Neulasta® cycles vs 33 (10%) Lapelga® cycles (RD = –3.6, 95% CI: –10.2 to 2.9). DD was reported in 20 (4%) Neulasta® cycles vs. 11 (3.5%) Lapelga® cycles (RD = –0.3; 95% CI: –2.7 to 2.0). Adverse events were similar between groups. Cost minimization using a cohort of 20,000 patients translated into an incremental savings of $21,606,800 CAD for each cycle.

Conclusion

The biosimilar pegfilgrastim was non-inferior to the reference biologic based on FN incidence in addition to related outcomes including DR and DD.
A singular case of iatrogenic gas-filled double anterior chamber after DALK
Authors: Franco Fabrizio Gaetano Saverio , Vicchio Lidia , Branchetti Marco , Vignapiano Roberto , Giansanti Fabrizio
Published: November 2020

Aim:

To present a case of double anterior chamber after DALK and its surgical management.

Case description:

A 67-year-old healthy woman underwent deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in her right eye for keratoconus with the big-bubble technique. About 7 days after surgery a partial detachment of the Descemet membrane from the posterior corneal stroma was revealed using AS-OCT (double anterior chamber appearance). In spite of two injections in the anterior chamber of air and gas on the 7th and 9th post-operative days respectively, the double anterior chamber still persisted. Furthermore, both air and gas passed through the little perforation of the host Descemet membrane-endothelium complex and enlarged the space between the stroma and Descemet membrane. About 10 weeks after DALK, a spontaneous resolution of the double anterior chamber was observed.

Conclusion:

This case suggests that an injection of air or gas into the anterior chamber, to deal with a Descemet membrane detachment following perforation during DALK procedure, can enlarge the double anterior chamber by increasing the space between stroma and Descemet membrane. These cases can be managed with a “wait and see” strategy for a spontaneous resolution to Descemet membrane detachment.
Survival rate of total hip replacements with matched and with mixed components with 10.7 years mean follow-up
Authors: Trebše Rihard , Valič Matej , Savarin Denia , Milošev Ingrid , Levašič Vesna
Published: November 2020

Background:

Mixing and matching components from different manufacturers in total hip arthroplasty is a frequently used off-label praxis. The clinical consequences of this procedure have not been studied in detail.

Methods:

860 patients with matched and 1067 patients with mixed primary total hip replacement (THR) components carried out between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2004, were selected from our Institution registry. The analysis endpoint was set at 1 January 2016. THRs with poorly performing components were excluded from study groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for both groups were calculated and compared using the Log-Rank test and the demographic data using the chi-square test. Correlations between demographic data and revisions were calculated using bivariate correlation.

Results:

28 revisions were carried out in the matched group and 67 in the mixed group. The 14-year overall survival probability was significantly better in the former (96.0%) than in the mixed group (92.7%) ( p = 0.002). Survival, free of aseptic and septic failures, was statistically, significantly higher in the matched group ( p = 0.026 and p = 0.007, respectively). The survival of the mixed subgroup with heads and stems from the same manufacturer did not differ statistically from that of the matched group ( p = 0.079).

Conclusions:

In contrast to the results listed in the National Joint Registry and the New Zealand Joint Registry, the survival probability in our study was, statistically, significantly higher in total hip replacements using components of the same manufacturer. Importantly, mixing and matching the components of different manufacturers led to similar survival providing the head and the stem were from the same manufacturer.
Experimental study on double-headed screw joints and their application in bamboo shear walls
Authors: Lv Qingfang , Ding Yi , Liu Ye
Published: November 2020

Due to the weak withdrawal capacities of conventional nail joints, using double-headed screw joints as reliable connections in bamboo structures is investigated for the first time. A two-step test program is presented in this paper. In the first step, a double shear test is carried out to investigate the influences of the end distance and bamboo grain direction on the performance of double-headed screw joints. The test shows that there are four main failure modes of double-headed screw joints: double-headed screw shear failure, bearing failure of the hole wall, tensile failure of the bamboo cover panel and shear failure of the cover panel end. In the second step of test, the proposed double-headed screw joints are applied to three single-layer single-span bamboo shear walls, and low-cycle reversed loading tests are applied to the walls with double-headed screw spacings of 50 mm, 100 mm and 150 mm. The failure mode, hysteretic behaviour and energy dissipation performance of the shear walls are discussed. Test results show that the two main failure modes of the bamboo shear walls are the tensile failure of the edge of the wall and shear failure of the double-headed screws. Among the different spacings, the bearing capacity and effective stiffness of the wall with a double-headed screw spacing of 50 mm are the largest, the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the bamboo shear wall with a double-headed screw spacing of 100 mm are the largest, and the bearing capacity and ductility of the bamboo shear wall with a double-headed screw spacing of 150 mm are the worst.
Scenting the Anosmic Cube: On the Use of Ambient Scent in the Context of the Art Gallery or Museum
Authors: Spence Charles
Published: November 2020

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the possibility of augmenting the visitor’s experience of the exhibits in various art galleries and museums by means of the delivery of a genuinely multisensory experience, one that engages more than just the visual sense. This kind of approach both holds the promise of increasing engagement while, at the same time, also helping to address, in some small way, issues around accessibility for the visually impaired visitor. One of the increasingly popular approaches to enhancing multisensory experience design involves the use of scents that have been chosen to match, or augment, the art or museum display in some way. The various different kinds of congruency between olfaction and vision that have been investigated by researchers and/or incorporated into art/museum displays already are reviewed. However, while the laboratory research does indeed appear to suggest that people’s experience of the paintings (or rather reproductions or photos of the works of art) may well be influenced by the presence of an ambient odour, the results are by no means guaranteed to be positive, either in terms of the emotional response while viewing the display or in terms of the viewer’s subsequent recall of their multisensory experience. As such, caution is advised for those who may be considering whether to augment their multisensory displays/exhibits with ambient scent.
Postacute administration of the GABAA α5 antagonist S44819 promotes recovery of peripheral limb fine motor skills after permanent distal middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats
Authors: Pace Marta , Falappa Matteo , Machado Patricia , Facchin Laura , Hermann Dirk M , Bassetti Claudio L
Published: November 2020

Background:

Ischemic stroke causes hypoexcitability in the peri-infarct motor neocortex that stems from increased tonic γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) activity in neurons. This hypoexcitability, while neuroprotective in the acute phase, may impair neuroplasticity and functional recovery in the subacute phase of stroke. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of delayed and prolonged administration of S44819, which is a potent and competitive selective antagonist of GABAA receptors, on the skilled reaching function in a rodent model of stroke.

Methods:

Male Sprague–Dawley rats ( n = 15) were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Starting 3 days after stroke, a vehicle or S44819 (3 or 10 mg/kg, BID) was delivered orally twice a day for 28 days. All animals were euthanized 2 weeks later after the washout period. A single pellet reaching task (SPR) was performed before (baseline value) and after the ischemic surgery at several time points (3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 38, and 45 days) to assess the motor deficit. Infarct volume and body changes were also evaluated.

Results:

S44819, administered at 10 but not 3 mg/kg, significantly improves SPR results over the 45 days after the ischemic surgery. No effect was observed in the infarct size and in the body weight over time between the groups investigated.

Conclusion:

S44819 at 10 mg/kg significantly enhances motor recovery on a skilled reaching task after sensory-motor cortex lesion. Additionally, our study, in light of the results of the RESTORE BRAIN (Randomized Efficacy and Safety Trial of Oral GABAA α5 antagonist S44819 after Recent ischemic Event) trial, may help clinicians to design clinical studies and stratify variables and patients adequately.
Final results of a phase 1 study of loncastuximab tesirine in relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Hamadani Mehdi , Radford John , Carlo-Stella Carmelo , Caimi Paolo F. , Reid Erin , O’Connor Owen A. , Feingold Jay M. , Ardeshna Kirit M. , Townsend William , Solh Melhem , Heffner Leonard T. , Ungar David , Wang Luqiang , Boni Joseph , Havenith Karin , Qin Yajuan , Kahl Brad S.
Published: November 2020

The prognosis for patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) remains poor, with a need for alternatives to current salvage therapies. Loncastuximab tesirine (ADCT-402) is an antibody-drug conjugate comprising a humanized anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer toxin. Presented here are final results of a phase 1 dose-escalation and dose-expansion study in patients with R/R B-NHL. Objectives were to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose(s) for expansion and evaluate safety, clinical activity, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity of loncastuximab tesirine. Overall, 183 patients received loncastuximab tesirine, with 3 + 3 dose escalation at 15 to 200 µg/kg and dose expansion at 120 and 150 µg/kg. Dose-limiting toxicities (all hematologic) were reported in 4 patients. The MTD was not reached, although cumulative toxicity was higher at 200 µg/kg. Hematologic treatment-emergent adverse events were most common, followed by fatigue, nausea, edema, and liver enzyme abnormalities. Overall response rate (ORR) in evaluable patients was 45.6%, including 26.7% complete responses (CRs). ORRs in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma were 42.3%, 46.7%, and 78.6%, respectively. Median duration of response in all patients was 5.4 months and not reached in patients with DLBCL (doses ≥120 µg/kg) who achieved a CR. Loncastuximab tesirine had good stability in serum, notable antitumor activity, and an acceptable safety profile, warranting continued study in B-NHL. The recommended dose for phase 2 was determined as 150 µg/kg every 3 weeks for 2 doses followed by 75 µg/kg every 3 weeks. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02669017.
What matters to people with severe asthma? Exploring add-on asthma medication and outcomes of importance
Authors: Clark Vanessa L. , Gibson Peter G. , McDonald Vanessa M.
Published: November 2020

There is an increasing number of new therapies for severe asthma; however, what outcomes people with severe asthma would like improved and what aspects they prioritise in new medications remain unknown. This study aimed to understand what outcomes are important to patients when prescribed new treatments and to determine the characteristics of importance to patients in their choice of asthma treatments.

Participants with severe asthma (n=50) completed a cross-sectional survey that ranked 17 potential hypothetical outcomes of treatment using a seven-point Likert scale, as well as selecting their top five overall outcomes. Participants also completed hypothetical scenarios trading off medication characteristics for four hypothetical add-on asthma treatments.

Participants (58% male), had a mean±sdage of 62.2±13.5 years. Their top three prioritised outcomes were: to improve overall quality of life (selected by 83% of people), reduce number and severity of asthma attacks (72.3%), and being able to participate in physical activity (59.6%) When trading off medication characteristics, the majority of patients with severe asthma chose the hypothetical medication with the best treatment efficacy (68%). However, a subgroup of patients prioritised the medication's side-effect profile and mode of delivery to select their preferred medication.

People with severe asthma value improved quality of life as an important outcome of treatment. Shared decision-making discussions between clinicians and patients that centre around medication efficacy and side-effect profile can incorporate patient preferences for add-on therapy in severe asthma.
Lung ultrasound patterns in paediatric pneumonia in Mozambique and Pakistan
Authors: Ginsburg Amy Sarah , Vitorino Pio , Qasim Zunera , Lenahan Jennifer L. , Hwang Jun , Lamorte Alessandro , Valente Marta , Balouch Benazir , Muñoz Almagro Carmen , Nisar M. Imran , May Susanne , Jehan Fyezah , Bassat Quique , Volpicelli Giovanni
Published: November 2020

Objective

Improved pneumonia diagnostics are needed, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a promising point-of-care imaging technology for diagnosing pneumonia. The objective was to explore LUS patterns associated with paediatric pneumonia.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, observational study among children aged 2 to 23 months with World Health Organization Integrated Management of Childhood Illness chest-indrawing pneumonia and among children without fast breathing, chest indrawing or fever (no pneumonia cohort) at two district hospitals in Mozambique and Pakistan. We assessed LUS and chest radiograph (CXR) examinations, and viral and bacterial nasopharyngeal carriage, and performed a secondary analysis of LUS patterns.

Results

LUS demonstrated a range of distinctive patterns that differed between children with and without pneumonia and between children in MozambiqueversusPakistan. The presence of LUS consolidation or interstitial patterns was more common in children with chest-indrawing pneumonia than in those without pneumonia. Consolidations were also more common among those with only bacterial but no viral carriage detected (50.0%) than among those with both (13.0%) and those with only virus detected (8.3%; p=0.03). LUS showed high interrater reliability among expert LUS interpreters for overall determination of pneumonia (κ=0.915), consolidation (κ=0.915) and interstitial patterns (κ=0.901), but interrater reliability between LUS and CXR for detecting consolidations was poor (κ=0.159, Pakistan) to fair (κ=0.453, Mozambique).

Discussion

Pattern recognition was discordant between LUS and CXR imaging modalities. Further research is needed to define and standardise LUS patterns associated with paediatric pneumonia and to evaluate the potential value of LUS as a reference standard.
Telehealth-enabled behavioral treatment for problem behaviors in boys with fragile X syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Hall Scott S. , Monlux Katerina D. , Rodriguez Arlette Bujanda , Jo Booil , Pollard Joy S.
Published: November 2020

Background

Children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) are at increased risk for exhibiting problem behaviors such as aggression and self-injury. However, many children with FXS have limited access to behavioral treatments that have known efficacy due to the low availability of treatment providers and the wide geographical dispersion of families with FXS across the country. Telehealth may offer a cost-effective and practical solution to overcome these significant barriers. We examined the effect of administering an established behavior analytic intervention called functional communication training (FCT) via telehealth on levels of problem behaviors exhibited by boys with FXS. We also examined treatment acceptability, as well as the effect of the treatment on levels of parenting stress.

Methods

Boys with FXS, aged 3 to 10 years, who displayed problem behaviors daily, were randomized to receive FCT via telehealth (n = 30) or treatment as usual (n = 27) over 12 weeks. Outcome measures included in-session observations of problem behavior, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist—Community (ABC-C), the Treatment Acceptability Rating Form—Revised (TARF-R), and the Parenting Stress Index, 4th edition (PSI-4).

Results

Intention-to-treat analyses indicated that scores on the irritability subscale of the ABC-C, our primary outcome measure, decreased significantly for boys who received FCT via telehealth compared to boys who received treatment as usual (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 0.65). In-session observations conducted for those who received treatment showed that levels of problem behavior decreased by 91% from baseline. Levels of parenting stress related to child behavioral problems were also lower following FCT treatment, and caregivers reported that the intervention was acceptable.

Conclusions

These findings support telehealth-enabled FCT as a framework for expanding access to behavioral treatments for problem behaviors in children with FXS. Expanded delivery of behavior analytic treatment via telehealth also has the potential to lower healthcare costs, improve child and family quality of life, and lead to advances in the treatment of problem behavior in the broader population of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03510156. Registered 27 April 2018
Identification of biomarkers for the accurate and sensitive diagnosis of three bacterial pneumonia pathogens using in silico approaches
Authors: Bakare Olalekan Olanrewaju , Keyster Marshall , Pretorius Ashley
Published: November 2020

Background

Pneumonia ranks as one of the main infectious sources of mortality among kids under 5 years of age, killing 2500 a day; late research has additionally demonstrated that mortality is higher in the elderly. A few biomarkers, which up to this point have been distinguished for its determination lack specificity, as these biomarkers fail to build up a differentiation between pneumonia and other related diseases, for example, pulmonary tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Infection (HIV). There is an inclusive global consensus of an improved comprehension of the utilization of new biomarkers, which are delivered in light of pneumonia infection for precision identification to defeat these previously mentioned constraints. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been demonstrated to be promising remedial specialists against numerous illnesses. This research work sought to identify AMPs as biomarkers for three bacterial pneumonia pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii using in silico technology. Hidden Markov Models (HMMER) was used to identify putative anti-bacterial pneumonia AMPs against the identified receptor proteins of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The physicochemical parameters of these putative AMPs were computed and their 3-D structures were predicted using I-TASSER. These AMPs were subsequently subjected to docking interaction analysis against the identified bacterial pneumonia pathogen proteins using PATCHDOCK.

Results

The in silico results showed 18 antibacterial AMPs which were ranked based on their E values with significant physicochemical parameters in conformity with known experimentally validated AMPs. The AMPs also bound the pneumonia receptors of their respective pathogens sensitively at the extracellular regions.

Conclusions

The propensity of these AMPs to bind pneumonia pathogens proteins justifies that they would be potential applicant biomarkers for the recognizable detection of these bacterial pathogens in a point-of-care POC pneumonia diagnostics. The high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity of the AMPs likewise justify the utilization of HMMER in the design and discovery of AMPs for disease diagnostics and therapeutics.
Transoral intraarticular cage distraction and C-JAWS fixation for revision of basilar invagination with irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation
Authors: Zou Xiaobao , Wang Binbin , Yang Haozhi , Ge Su , Ouyang Bieping , Chen Yuyue , Ni Ling , Zhang Shuang , Xia Hong , Ma Xiangyang
Published: November 2020

Background

The revision surgery of basilar invagination (BI) with irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation (IAAD) after a previous occipitocervical fusion (OCF) is challenging. Transoral revision surgery has more advantages than a combined anterior and posterior approach in addressing this pathology. The C-JAWS is a cervical compressive staple that has been used in the lower cervical spine with many advantages. Up to now, there is no report on the application of C-JAWS in the atlantoaxial joint. We therefore present this report to investigate the clinical outcomes of transoral intraarticular cage distraction and C-JAWS fixation for revision of BI with IAAD.

Methods

From June 2011 to June 2015, 9 patients with BI and IAAD were revised by this technique after previous posterior OCF in our department. Plain cervical radiographs, computed tomographic scans and magnetic resonance imaging were obtained pre- and postoperatively to assess the degree of atlantoaxial dislocation and compression of the cervical cord. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score was used to evaluate the neurological function.

Results

The revision surgeries were successfully performed in all patients. The average follow-up duration was 18.9 ± 7.3 months (range 9–30 months). The postoperative atlas-dens interval (ADI), cervicomedullary angle (CMA), distance between the top of the odontoid process and the Chamberlain line (CL) and JOA score were significantly improved in all patients (P < 0.05). Bony fusion was achieved after 3–9 months in all cases. No patients developed recurrent atlantoaxial instability.

Conclusions

Transoral revision surgery by intraarticular cage distraction and C-JAWS fixation could provide a satisfactory outcome for BI with IAAD after a previous unsuccessful posterior operation.