bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced social learning of threat in adults with autism
Authors: Espinosa Lisa , Lundin Kleberg Johan , Hofvander Björn , Berggren Steve , Bölte Sven , Olsson Andreas
Published: October 2020

Background

Recent theories have linked autism to challenges in prediction learning and social cognition. It is unknown, however, how autism affects learning about threats from others “demonstrators” through observation, which contains predictive learning based on social information. The aims of this study are therefore to investigate social fear learning in individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to examine whether typically developing social cognition is necessary for successful observational learning.

Methods

Adults with ASD (n= 23) and neurotypical controls (n= 25) completed a social fear learning (SFL) procedure in which participants watched a “demonstrator” receiving electrical shocks in conjunction with a previously neutral conditioned stimulus (CS+), but never with a safe control stimulus (CS−). Skin conductance was used to measure autonomic responses of learned threat responses to the CS+ versus CS−. Visual attention was measured during learning using eye tracking. To establish a non-social learning baseline, each participant also underwent a test of Pavlovian conditioning.

Results

During learning, individuals with ASD attended less to the demonstrator’s face, and when later tested, displayed stronger observational, but not Pavlovian, autonomic indices of learning (skin conductance) compared to controls. In controls, both higher levels of attention to the demonstrator’s face and trait empathy predicted diminished expressions of learning during test.

Limitations

The relatively small sample size of this study and the typical IQ range of the ASD group limit the generalizability of our findings to individuals with ASD in the average intellectual ability range.

Conclusions

The enhanced social threat learning in individuals with ASD may be linked to difficulties using visual attention and mental state attributions to downregulate their emotion.
Stem cell therapies for periodontal tissue regeneration: a network meta-analysis of preclinical studies
Authors: Li Qiang , Yang Guangwen , Li Jialing , Ding Meng , Zhou Na , Dong Heng , Mou Yongbin
Published: October 2020

Background

Periodontal tissue regeneration (PTR) is the ultimate goal of periodontal therapy. Currently, stem cell therapy is considered a promising strategy for achieving PTR. However, there is still no conclusive comparison that distinguishes clear hierarchies among different kinds of stem cells.

Methods

A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed using MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and Web of Science up to February 2020. Preclinical studies assessing five types of stem cells for PTR were included; the five types of stem cells included periodontal ligament-derived stem cells (PDLSCs), bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs), adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs), dental pulp-derived stem cells (DPSCs), and gingival-derived stem cells (GMSCs). The primary outcomes were three histological indicators with continuous variables: newly formed alveolar bone (NB), newly formed cementum (NC), and newly formed periodontal ligament (NPDL). We performed pairwise meta-analyses using a random-effects model and then performed a random-effects NMA using a multivariate meta-analysis model.

Results

Sixty preclinical studies assessing five different stem cell-based therapies were identified. The NMA showed that in terms of NB, PDLSCs (standardized mean difference 1.87, 95% credible interval 1.24 to 2.51), BMSCs (1.88, 1.17 to 2.59), and DPSCs (1.69, 0.64 to 2.75) were statistically more efficacious than cell carriers (CCs). In addition, PDLSCs were superior to GMSCs (1.49, 0.04 to 2.94). For NC, PDLSCs (2.18, 1.48 to 2.87), BMSCs (2.11, 1.28 to 2.94), and ADSCs (1.55, 0.18 to 2.91) were superior to CCs. For NPDL, PDLSCs (1.69, 0.92 to 2.47) and BMSCs (1.41, 0.56 to 2.26) were more efficacious than CCs, and PDLSCs (1.26, 0.11 to 2.42) were superior to GMSCs. The results of treatment hierarchies also demonstrated that the two highest-ranked interventions were PDLSCs and BMSCs.

Conclusion

PDLSCs and BMSCs were the most effective and well-documented stem cells for PTR among the five kinds of stem cells evaluated in this study, and there was no statistical significance between them. To translate the stem cell therapies for PTR successfully in the clinic, future studies should utilize robust experimental designs and reports.
Laccase-catalyzed derivatization of 6-aminopenicillanic, 7-aminocephalosporanic and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid
Authors: Mikolasch Annett , Hammer Elke , Witt Sabine , Lindequist Ulrike
Published: October 2020

Trametes spec. laccase (EC 1.10.3.2.) mediates the oxidative coupling of 6-aminopenicillanic, 7-aminocephalosporanic, and 7-aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid with 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid derivatives to form new penicillin and cephalosporin structures, respectively. The heteromolecular hybrid dimers are formed by nuclear amination of the p-hydroquinones with the primary amines and inhibited in vitro the growth of Staphylococcus species, including some multidrug-resistant strains.
On Hyers–Ulam stability of a multi-order boundary value problems via Riemann–Liouville derivatives and integrals
Authors: Ben Chikh Salim , Amara Abdelkader , Etemad Sina , Rezapour Shahram
Published: October 2020

In this research paper, we introduce a general structure of a fractional boundary value problem in which a 2-term fractional differential equation has a fractional bi-order setting of Riemann–Liouville type. Moreover, we consider the boundary conditions of the proposed problem as mixed Riemann–Liouville integro-derivative conditions with four different orders which cover many special cases studied before. In the first step, we investigate the existence and uniqueness of solutions for the given multi-order boundary value problem, and then the Hyers–Ulam stability is another notion in this regard which we study. Finally, we provide two illustrative examples to support our theoretical findings.
Estimation of bulk permittivity of the Moon’s surface using Lunar Radar Sounder on-board Selenological and Engineering Explorer
Authors: Hongo Keigo , Toh Hiroaki , Kumamoto Atsushi
Published: October 2020

Site-dependent bulk permittivities of the lunar uppermost media with thicknesses of tens to hundreds meters were estimated based on the data from Lunar Radar Sounder onboard the Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE). It succeeded in sounding almost all over the Moon’s surface in a frequency range around 5 MHz to detect subsurface reflectors beneath several lunar maria. However, it is necessary to estimate the permittivity of the surface regolith of the Moon in order to determine the actual depths to those reflectors instead of apparent depths assuming a speed of light in the vacuum. In this study, we determined site-dependent bulk permittivities by two-layer models consisting of a surface regolith layer over a half-space with uniform, but different physical properties from the layer above. Those models consider the electrical conductivity as well as the permittivity, whose trade-off was resolved by utilizing the correlation between iron–titanium content and measured physical properties of lunar rock samples. Distribution of the iron–titanium content on the Moon’s surface had already been derived by spectroscopic observation from SELENE as well. Four lunar maria, Mare Serenitatis, Oceanus Procellarum, Mare Imbrium, and Mare Crisium, were selected as regions of evident reflectors, where we estimated the following four physical properties of each layer, i.e., bulk permittivity, porosity, loss tangent and electrical conductivity to conclude the actual depths of the reflectors are approximately 200 m on average. The bulk permittivity ranges from 2.96 at Mare Imbrium to 6.37 at Oceanus Procellarum, whereas the porosity takes the values between 1.8 and 41.1% in the respective maria. It was found that although the bulk permittivity of the four lunar maria differs from a mare to a mare, it shows a good correlation with their composition, viz., their iron–titanium content.
The application of texture quantification in hepatocellular carcinoma using CT and MRI: a review of perspectives and challenges
Authors: Masokano Ismail Bilal , Liu Wenguang , Xie Simin , Marcellin Dama Faniriantsoa Henrio , Pei Yigang , Li Wenzheng
Published: October 2020

Recently, radiomic texture quantification of tumors has received much attention from radiologists, scientists, and stakeholders because several results have shown the feasibility of using the technique to diagnose and manage oncological conditions. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, radiomics has been applied in all stages of tumor evaluation, including diagnosis and characterization of the genotypic behavior of the tumor, monitoring of treatment responses and prediction of various clinical endpoints. It is also useful in selecting suitable candidates for specific treatment strategies. However, the clinical validation of hepatocellular carcinoma radiomics is limited by challenges in imaging protocol and data acquisition parameters, challenges in segmentation techniques, dimensionality reduction, and modeling methods. Identification of the best segmentation and optimal modeling methods, as well as texture features most stable to imaging protocol variability would go a long way in harmonizing HCC radiomics for personalized patient care. This article reviews the process of HCC radiomics, its clinical applications, associated challenges, and current optimization strategies.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: LncRNA HCG11 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell through targeting miR-144-3p/FOXF1 axis in atherosclerosis
Authors: Liu Yi , Cui Xiyun , Wang Cong , Zhao Sihai
Published: October 2020

Background

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis of coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction and peripheral vascular disease, which seriously endanger people’s life and health. In recent years, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has been found to be involved in gene expression regulation, but the research on AS is still in the initial stage. In this study, we mainly studied the role of HCG11 in patients with AS. Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (QRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of HCG11 and miR-144 in the serum of AS patients and healthy volunteers. Oxidation Low Lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) radiation were used to establish human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro model. Cell proliferation was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry (FACS) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay (TUNEL) staining. The expression levels of Forkhead box protein F1 (FOXF1), B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and BCL2-Associated X (Bax) were detected by qRT-PCR. Luciferase gene reporter and RNA pull down experiments confirmed the relationship between HCG11 and miR-144, miR-144 and FOXF1.

Results

This study showed that HCG11 was significantly upregulated in patients with AS, while miR-144 was down-regulated in patients with AS. Ox-LDL and IL-6 in VSMCs induced up-regulation of HCG11 and down-regulation of miR-144. Overexpression of HCG11 promoted the proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of VSMCs. Luciferase gene reporter gene assay showed that HCG11 could bind to miR-144, and miR-144 could bind to FOXF1. Overexpression of miR-144 reversed the effect of HCG11 on VSMCs.

Conclusions

LncRNA HCG11 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cell through targeting miR-144-3p/FOXF1 axis.
Four cases of laparoscopic colectomy for sigmoid colon and rectal cancer with persistent descending mesocolon
Authors: Furuichi Yumi , Kumamoto Kensuke , Asano Eisuke , Kondo Akihiro , Uemura Jun , Suto Hironobu , Oshima Minoru , Kishino Takayoshi , Usuki Hisashi , Okano Keiichi , Suzuki Yasuyuki
Published: October 2020

Background

Persistent descending mesocolon (PDM) is a congenital anomaly associated with the failure of fixation of the descending colon to the lateral abdominal wall. In the laparoscopic colectomy for colorectal cancer, it has been noticed that there are extensive adhesions and a distinctive anatomy of colonic vessels in cases with PDM. Therefore, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge about PDM so that it can be appropriately treated during surgery.

Case presentation

Case 1—a 79-year-old man underwent laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for rectal cancer. Preoperative barium enema (BE) revealed that the sigmoid colon was located at the right side of the abdomen. An enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed that the common trunk of the left colic artery (LCA) and the first sigmoid colonic artery (S1) branched from the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA). Case 2—a 68-year-old man underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer and laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer synchronously. BE showed that the descending colon ran from the splenic flexure to medial caudal side. An enhanced CT showed that the distance from the LCA to the marginal artery was 1.0 cm. Case 3—a 68-year-old man underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. BE showed that the descending colon ran to the medial caudal side. An enhanced CT showed that the mesentery of the descending colon was comparatively shortened. Case 4—a 60-year-old man underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer. An enhanced CT showed that the descending colon ran to the medial caudal side and predicted that the LCA and S1 formed a common trunk and branched radially from the IMA. We reported four cases with PDM recognized preoperatively as above. Three cases had a shortening of the mesocolon. While dissecting the vessels, although special attention was required to maintain the blood flow to the intestine, none of these cases developed any complications during the postoperative course.

Conclusions

We considered that it is important to have positional awareness of the LCA and the marginal artery to perform the laparoscopic surgery safely when a colorectal cancer with PDM is diagnosed preoperatively using imaging methods.
Simultaneous triple cancer of the esophagus, pancreas and rectum treated with multimodal strategies: a case report
Authors: Imamura Hiroki , Hirose Hajime , Endo Shunji , Hashimoto Yasuji , Takeda Masashi , Kidogami Shinya , Mokutani Yukako , Kishimoto Tomoya , Yoshioka Shinichi , Tamura Shigeyuki , Sasaki Yo
Published: October 2020

Background

Due to the development of diagnostic imaging technology, we have increased chance of detecting multiple primary cancers. However, simultaneous triple cancer is still a very rare finding whose frequency is not yet known. Treatment of simultaneous triple cancer is a clinical challenge because it requires multimodal strategies including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Case presentation

Here, we present the case of a 74-year-old male with triple cancer involving esophageal and pancreatic cancer, and rectal carcinoma. Each cancer was surgically resectable, but simultaneous resection of all cancers seemed to cause too much surgical stress for the patient. First, we performed a laparoscopic Hartmann’s operation for rectal cancer to minimize the risk of postoperative complications. Then treatment for pancreatic cancer was initiated by administering neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel. The pancreatic tumor shrank in size, so pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. We chose S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy. The esophageal cancer showed regression during the treatment of the other two cancers, likely because the chemotherapeutic agents administered for pancreatic cancer had some effect on the esophageal cancer. Definitive chemoradiotherapy was selected instead of esophagectomy because the patient had already undergone two major surgeries. The patient is still alive nine months after the whole course of treatment with no sign of recurrence.

Conclusions

The treatment of triple cancer requires an elaborate strategy to determine which cancer has to be dealt with first and which can be treated later. An aggressive multimodal treatment strategy may be an important option for a patient with triple cancer.
Can Physical Activity While Sedentary Produce Health Benefits? A Single-Arm Randomized Trial
Authors: Sackner Marvin A. , Lopez Jose R. , Banderas Veronica , Adams Jose A.
Published: October 2020

Background

Sedentary time poses a risk to health. Substituting physical activity for inactivity is obvious but this requires a behavior change. Interventions advocated to decrease uninterrupted physical inactivity (defined as Metabolic Equivalent of Task (METS) less than 1.5) are important. One such intervention is accomplished with the Gentle Jogger (GJ), a low risk motorized wellness device which produces effortless, rapid motion of the lower extremities simulating locomotion or fidgeting. GJ produces health benefits in type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The purpose of this trial was to ascertain whether GJ increases METS above 1.5 to explain its effectiveness despite sedentary behavior or whether tapping is responsible.

Methods

A randomized single-arm trial was conducted. Subjects were randomized to begin the study in either the supine or seated postures and on the same day crossed over with the starting posture reversed. Oxygen consumption was measured at rest and during GJ.

Results

Twenty-six subjects were studied (15 women and 11 men) with a mean age of 44 ± 15 years and BMI 27.9 ± 5.0, 19 were overweight or obese, and 7 had normal BMI. GJ increased oxygen consumption and METS 15% in the seated posture and 13% in the supine posture. No individual receiving GJ achieved METS exceeding 1.5.

Conclusions

In a moderately obese population, GJ in seated or supine posture did not exceed 1.5 METS. The values are comparable to those reported for sit-stand interventions and cannot explain the health benefits of GJ.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03602365. Registered on July 26, 2018
On migration, geography, and epistemic communities
Authors: King Russell
Published: October 2020

This commentary paper starts by questioning the assumption that migration means international migration, and goes on to affirm that migration studies has indeed come of age as a coherent if highly diverse research field. Several emerging epistemic communities are identified: migration and development; gender and migration; lifestyle migration; and youth and student migrations. Finally, I argue that the role of geography in the study of migration has been under-valued.
An IMISCOE effect? The role of a network of excellence in developing European migration research in the twenty-first century
Authors: Levy Nathan
Published: October 2020

IMISCOE, it is argued, has played a key role in institutionalising migration studies. This commentary explores the bibliometric data from the opening article of this series to examine this claim more deeply, and finds indications of an ‘IMISCOE effect’. The network is increasingly prominent in the field; it has established a ‘citation community’ among its members; it has been a key part of the internationalisation of the field. Its influence is unlikely to decline, which is also a point of caution, namely, that the ‘IMISCOE effect’ does not belie the diversity of perspectives in migration research that exist within and beyond the network.
Severe COVID-19: what have we learned with the immunopathogenesis?
Authors: Bordallo Bruno , Bellas Mozart , Cortez Arthur Fernandes , Vieira Matheus , Pinheiro Marcelo
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global major concern. In this review, we addressed a theoretical model on immunopathogenesis associated with severe COVID-19, based on the current literature of SARS-CoV-2 and other epidemic pathogenic coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS. Several studies have suggested that immune dysregulation and hyperinflammatory response induced by SARS-CoV-2 are more involved in disease severity than the virus itself.

Immune dysregulation due to COVID-19 is characterized by delayed and impaired interferon response, lymphocyte exhaustion and cytokine storm that ultimately lead to diffuse lung tissue damage and posterior thrombotic phenomena.

Considering there is a lack of clinical evidence provided by randomized clinical trials, the knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 disease pathogenesis and immune response is a cornerstone to develop rationale-based clinical therapeutic strategies. In this narrative review, the authors aimed to describe the immunopathogenesis of severe forms of COVID-19.
Structure, stratigraphy, and petroleum potential of the deepwater Colombian Basin, offshore northern Colombia
Authors: Leslie Stephen C. , Mann Paul
Published: October 2020

We have defined the structure and stratigraphy of the central area of the Colombian Basin — offshore of the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia — using approximately 8400 line km of depth-converted 2D seismic data assembled from academic and industry sources. We integrate information from offset deep sea drilling program and ocean drilling program wells into a structural and stratigraphic model of the Colombian Basin, identifying the key elements of a petroleum system. These elements are (1) Upper Cretaceous marine shale source rock, (2) Middle to Upper Miocene (16–5.3 Ma) basin-floor fans associated with the Magdalena fan turbidite system, (3) structural traps and stratigraphic traps, and (4) sealing intervals formed by Miocene hemipelagic marine shale associated with sea-level high-stands. We extend a previously recognized trap type for the Colombian margin to include stratigraphic traps within the distal Miocene Magdalena fan section. We base our interpretations upon seismic observations of amplitude anomalies conformant with structures; fluid migration pathways along faults; and bright, laterally continuous, and low-impedance seismic reflectors. The primary risk for the exploration potential of the area is the presence of a laterally extensive Upper Cretaceous source rock within the main Colombian basin depocenter. The 1D burial history models and 3D basin modeling indicate that a source rock of this age and at this stratigraphic level would have expelled hydrocarbons during Middle to Late Miocene from the deepest part of the basin and may continue to expel hydrocarbons in the present day.
Are bright spots always hydrocarbons? A case study in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand
Authors: Reilly Peter , Clairmont Roberto , Bedle Heather
Published: October 2020

In the shallower regions of the 3D Nimitz seismic survey, there exist multiple interesting bright seismic amplitude anomalies. These anomalies, or funny looking things, occur in a confined spatial and temporal region of the seismic. They have a concave-up seismic appearance along the cross section. Bright seismic amplitudes can be a direct hydrocarbon indicator, or they can be representative of strong lithologic contrasts and/or acquisition artifacts. We have set out to investigate misinterpreted seismic anomalies along cross-sectional lines. Therefore, we apply seismic attributes to indicate that these bright spot features, which we interpret to be submarine gullies looking along time-slice intersections, can possibly be mistaken for hydrocarbon anomalies in a cross-sectional view. However, we cannot fully rule out the presence of hydrocarbons because it is common for gas sands to create similar anomalies. Previously drilled wells within the survey (Korimako-1 and Tarapunga-1) point to a lack of hydrocarbon potential in the subsurface. Although it is possible that these bright spots are due to hydrocarbon presence, we develop a more likely hypothesis: The lithology of the interfluve sediments is similar to the gully-margin drapes but differs from the gully sediment fill.

Funny looking thing (FLT): Submarine gullies Seismic appearance: High-amplitude spotted features Alternative interpretations: Lithologic anomalies, gas seeps, bright spots Features with a similar appearance: Gas accumulation, sediment fills in limestone paleocaves Formation: Giant Foresets Formation Age: Pleistocene Location: Taranaki Basin, New Zealand Seismic data: Nimitz 3D (cropped volume) Analysis tools: Curvature, instantaneous frequency, and sweetness attributes; well reports
Timing, Costs, and Survival Outcome of Specialty Palliative Care in Medicare Beneficiaries With Metastatic Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Huo Jinhai , Hong Young-Rock , Turner Kea , Diaby Vakaramoko , Chen Cheng , Bian Jiang , Grewal Reetu , Wilkie Diana J.
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE:

ASCO recommends early integration of palliative care in treating patients diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. Our study sought to examine utilization of timely specialty palliative care (SPC) and its association with survival and cost outcomes in patients diagnosed with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS:

The 2001-2015 SEER-Medicare data were used to determine the baseline characteristics and outcomes of 79,253 patients with metastatic NSCLC. The predictors of early SPC use were examined using logistic regression. Mean and adjusted total and SPC-related costs were calculated using generalized linear regression. We used Cox regression model to determine the survival outcomes by SPC service settings. All statistical tests were two sided.

RESULTS:

The time from cancer diagnosis to the first SPC use has reduced significantly, from 13.7 weeks in 2001 to 8.3 weeks in 2015 ( P < .001). SPC use was associated with lower health care costs compared with those who had no SPC, from −$3,180 in 2011 ( P < .001) to −$1,285 in 2015 ( P = .059). Outpatient SPC use was associated with improved survival compared with patients who received SPC in other settings (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.88; P < .001).

CONCLUSION:

Patients diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC now have more timely SPC service utilization, which was demonstrated to be a cost-saving treatment. Strategies to improve outpatient palliative care use might be associated with longer survival in patients with metastatic NSCLC.
Immune-Related Adverse Events Associated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
Authors: Ho Adrienne K. , Ho Anthony M.-H. , Cooksley Tim , Nguyen Giang , Erb Jason , Mizubuti Glenio B.
Published: October 2020

As part of immune surveillance, killer T lymphocytes search for cancer cells and destroy them. Some cancer cells, however, develop escape mechanisms to evade detection and destruction. One of these mechanisms is the expression of cell surface proteins which allow the cancer cell to bind to proteins on T cells called checkpoints to switch off and effectively evade T-cell–mediated destruction. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are antibodies that block the binding of cancer cell proteins to T-cell checkpoints, preventing the T-cell response from being turned off by cancer cells and enabling killer T cells to attack. In other words, ICIs restore innate antitumor immunity, as opposed to traditional chemotherapies that directly kill cancer cells. Given their relatively excellent risk–benefit ratio when compared to other forms of cancer treatment modalities, ICIs are now becoming ubiquitous and have revolutionized the treatment of many types of cancer. Indeed, the prognosis of some patients is so much improved that the threshold for admission for intensive care should be adjusted accordingly. Nevertheless, by modulating immune checkpoint activity, ICIs can disrupt the intricate homeostasis between inhibition and stimulation of immune response, leading to decreased immune self-tolerance and, ultimately, autoimmune complications. These immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) may virtually affect all body systems. Multiple IRAEs are common and may range from mild to life-threatening. Management requires a multidisciplinary approach and consists mainly of immunosuppression, cessation or postponement of ICI treatment, and supportive therapy, which may require surgical intervention and/or intensive care. We herein review the current literature surrounding IRAEs of interest to anesthesiologists and intensivists. With proper care, fatality (0.3%–1.3%) is rare.
Keratin 17 regulates nuclear morphology and chromatin organization
Authors: Jacob Justin T. , Nair Raji R. , Poll Brian G. , Pineda Christopher M. , Hobbs Ryan P. , Matunis Michael J. , Coulombe Pierre A.
Published: October 2020

Keratin 17 (KRT17; K17), a non-lamin intermediate filament protein, was recently found to occur in the nucleus. We report here on K17-dependent differences in nuclear morphology, chromatin organization, and cell proliferation. Human tumor keratinocyte cell lines lacking K17 exhibit flatter nuclei relative to normal. Re-expression of wild-type K17, but not a mutant form lacking an intact nuclear localization signal (NLS), rescues nuclear morphology in KRT17-null cells. Analyses of primary cultures of skin keratinocytes from a mouse strain expressing K17 with a mutated NLS corroborated these findings. Proteomics screens identified K17-interacting nuclear proteins with known roles in gene expression, chromatin organization and RNA processing. Key histone modifications and LAP2β (an isoform encoded by TMPO) localization within the nucleus are altered in the absence of K17, correlating with decreased cell proliferation and suppression of GLI1 target genes. Nuclear K17 thus impacts nuclear morphology with an associated impact on chromatin organization, gene expression, and proliferation in epithelial cells.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
A Genome-wide Association Study for Concussion Risk
Authors: KIM STUART K. , ROCHE MEGAN D. , FREDERICSON MICHAEL , DRAGOO JASON L. , HORTON BRANDON H. , AVINS ANDY L. , BELANGER HEATHER G. , IOANNIDIS JOHN P. A. , ABRAMS GEOFFREY D.
Published: October 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to screen the entire genome for genetic markers associated with risk for concussion.

Methods

A genome-wide association analyses was performed using data from the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank and the UK Biobank. Concussion cases were identified based on electronic health records from the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank and the UK Biobank from individuals of European ancestry. Genome-wide association analyses from both cohorts were tested for concussion using a logistic regression model adjusting for sex, height, weight, and race/ethnicity using allele counts for single nucleotide polymorphisms. Previously identified genes within the literature were also tested for association with concussion.

Results

There were a total of 4064 cases of concussion and 291,472 controls within the databases, with two single nucleotide polymorphisms demonstrating a genome-wide significant association with concussion. The first polymorphism, rs144663795 (P = 9.7 × 10−11; OR = 2.91 per allele copy), is located within the intron of SPATA5. Strong, deleterious mutations in SPATA5 cause intellectual disability, hearing loss, and vision loss. The second polymorphism, rs117985931 (P = 3.97 × 10−9; OR = 3.59 per allele copy), is located within PLXNA4. PLXNA4 plays a key role is axon outgrowth during neural development, and DNA variants in PLXNA4 are associated with risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Previous investigations have identified five candidate genes that may be associated with concussion, but none showed a significant association in the current model (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Two genetic markers were identified as potential risk factors for concussion and deserve further validation and investigation of molecular mechanisms.
Changes in Optical Path Length Reveal Significant Potential Errors of Muscle Oxygenation Evaluation during Exercise in Humans
Authors: Endo Tasuki , Kime Ryotaro , Fuse Sayuri , Murase Norio , Kurosawa Yuko , Hamaoka Takafumi
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), performed with a commonly available noninvasive tissue oxygenation monitoring device, is based on the modified Beer–Lambert law (MBLL). Although NIRS based on MBLL (NIRSMBLL) assumes that the optical path length (PL) is constant, the effects of changes in PL during exercise on muscle oxygenation calculated by MBLL are still incompletely understood. Thus, the purposes of this study were to examine the changes in optical properties during ramp incremental exercise and to compare muscle oxygen dynamics measured by time-resolved NIRS with those calculated based on MBLL.

Methods

Twenty-two healthy young men performed ramp incremental cycling exercise until exhaustion. Optical properties (reduced scattering coefficient and PL) and absolute oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin and myoglobin concentrations (oxy[Hb + Mb], deoxy[Hb + Mb], and total[Hb + Mb], respectively) at the vastus lateralis were continuously monitored by a three-wavelength (763, 801, and 836) time-resolved NIRS device. The values of oxy-, deoxy-, and total[Hb + Mb] were then recalculated by assuming constant PL.

Results

PL at all wavelengths statistically significantly shortened during exercise. In particular, PL at 763 nm was greatly shortened, and the average changes during exercise were a 9.8% ± 3.1% reduction. In addition, significant differences in the kinetics of oxy-, deoxy-, and total[Hb + Mb] between directly measuring PL and assuming constant PL were found. The average changes in measured PL and assuming constant PL-deoxy[Hb + Mb] were increases of 28.8 ± 16.0 μM and increases of 16.4 ± 9.3 μM, respectively.

Conclusion

Assuming constant PL in NIRSMBLL significantly underestimated actual muscle oxy/deoxygenation as compared with measurements obtained by real-time PL determination. The percent degree of the underestimated oxy/deoxygenation was greater than the percent degree of the changes in PL.
Mutations in domain IV of elongation factor EF-G confer −1 frameshifting
Authors: Niblett Dustin , Nelson Charlotte , Leung Calvin S. , Rexroad Gillian , Cozy Jake , Zhou Jie , Lancaster Laura , Noller Harry F.
Published: October 2020

A recent crystal structure of a ribosome complex undergoing partial translocation in the absence of elongation factor EF-G showed disruption of codon–anticodon pairing and slippage of the reading frame by −1, directly implicating EF-G in preservation of the translational reading frame. Among mutations identified in a random screen for dominant-lethal mutations of EF-G were a cluster of six that map to the tip of domain IV, which has been shown to contact the codon–anticodon duplex in trapped translocation intermediates. In vitro synthesis of a full-length protein using these mutant EF-Gs revealed dramatically increased −1 frameshifting, providing new evidence for a role for domain IV of EF-G in maintaining the reading frame. These mutations also caused decreased rates of mRNA translocation and rotational movement of the head and body domains of the 30S ribosomal subunit during translocation. Our results are in general agreement with recent findings from Rodnina and coworkers based on in vitro translation of an oligopeptide using EF-Gs containing mutations at two positions in domain IV, who found an inverse correlation between the degree of frameshifting and rates of translocation. Four of our six mutations are substitutions at positions that interact with the translocating tRNA, in each case contacting the RNA backbone of the anticodon loop. We suggest that EF-G helps to preserve the translational reading frame by preventing uncoupled movement of the tRNA through these contacts; a further possibility is that these interactions may stabilize a conformation of the anticodon that favors base-pairing with its codon.
Diabetes mellitus and urinary tract infection: Causative uropathogens, their antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the effects of glycemic status
Authors: Ahmad Shahzad , Hussain Arshad , Khan Mohammad Sajjad Ali , Shakireen Najmush , Ali Iftikhar
Published: October 2020

Objective: To determine causative uropathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern among Type-2 diabetics (T2D) with good and suboptimal glycemic control.

Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out in Peshawar from April–October, 2019. Four hundred consecutive T2D patients with symptomatic UTI or showing numerous pus cells on routine urinary examination attending outpatient clinic were included. As per the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), the urine samples collected were checked for identification of uropathogen by culture. Disc diffusion method was used to determined antimicrobial susceptibility.

Results: Of the total (n=400) T2D patients, 205 (51.25%) showed microbial growth. Mean age of patients with UTI was 63.26 ±12.30 years. About two-third (63.9%) of the patients were females. Mean HbA1c was 8.80±2.20%. The frequency of patients with UTI was noticeably greater in the suboptimal glycemic control group 178(86.3%) compared to good control glycemic patients 27(13.7%). Significant mean difference in glycemic levels were observed (HbA1c = 5.86±0.48 and HbA1c = 9.25±2.02, respectively, P < 0.001). E. coli was the predominant pathogen isolated 120(71%), followed by Klebsiella pneumonia Spp (K. pn) 35(17.1%), Pseudomonas auregonosa (P. aeruginosa) 14(6.83%), Enterococcus 12 (5.85%) and Candida Spp were 2(0.98%). Both gram positive and negative-bacteria were highly susceptible to imipenem, meropenem, fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin.

Conclusion: The frequency of UTI in diabetics was higher in female in comparison to male, and was significantly greater in the suboptimal glycemic control group. E. coli was the most typical isolate followed by K. pn. Imipenem, meropenem, fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin had high susceptibility profile against the isolated pathogens.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2881

How to cite this:Ahmad S, Hussain A, Khan MSA, Shakireen N, Ali I. Diabetes mellitus and urinary tract infection: Causative uropathogens, their antibiotic susceptibility pattern and the effects of glycemic status. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1550-1557. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.2881

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Propaedeutics (basics of composition)
Authors: Tuhbatullina Leysan , Safina Lyudmila , Hammatova Venera
Published: October 2020

The textbook presents the theoretical foundations of building a harmonious composition, describes the three main laws of composition (the law of integrity, the law of balance and the law of dominance), and considers the elements and means of harmonizing the composition. A separate Chapter is devoted to the issues of color in the composition, and offers options for creating harmonious color solutions. Semiotic aspects are considered, characteristics and features of creating signs-icons, signs-indexes and signs-symbols are given. One of the chapters is devoted to visual illusions in composition.
It is intended for University students studying in the direction 54.03.01 "Design", teachers, as well as for a wide range of artists, designers and Amateurs interested in creating a harmonious composition.
Practical basics of accounting for an organization's assets
Authors: Kachan Natal'ya , Tresnickiy Aleksey
Published: October 2020

The tutorial covers the practical basics of accounting for an organization's assets.

Meets the requirements of the Federal state educational standards of secondary professional education of the latest generation.

It is intended for students in the specialty 38.02.01 Economics and accounting (by industry)
State and municipal administration system
Authors: Akmalova Al'fiya , Kapicyn Vladimir
Published: October 2020

The textbook discusses the concept of the state and municipal management system, its formation and development in Russia, scientific, legal, organizational, competence and information bases of the activities of state and municipal management bodies. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the General principles of state and municipal administration and the specifics of their implementation in certain territories and under special legal regimes, the role of control and Supervisory bodies in ensuring the legality and responsibility of public authorities and officials.
Meets the requirements of Federal state educational standards of higher education of the latest generation.
For bachelors and masters of higher education organizations studying in the direction 38.03.04 "State and municipal management", as well as all those who study the basics of the organization of state and municipal management and are interested in the problems of development of the state and society.
The Effect of Home-Sharing on House Prices and Rents: Evidence from Airbnb
Authors: Barron Kyle , Kung Edward , Proserpio Davide
Published: October 2020

We assess the impact of Airbnb on residential house prices and rents: using a data set of Airbnb listings from the entire United States and an instrumental variables estimation strategy, we show that Airbnb has a positive impact on house prices and rents.
DISFARCES, ESCONDERIJOS E GEOSSIMBOLISMOS NA VENEZA AMERICANA: OS “CATIMBOLADOS” NO RECIFE (1937-1945)
Authors: Halley Bruno Maia
Published: October 2020

No regime de Estado Novo (1937-1945) no Brasil enalteceu-se o negro como elemento nacional. Contudo, frente à ameaça comunista, não se aceitara a formação de grupos sociais “diferentes” no Brasil. Em Pernambuco, o Interventor Agamenon Magalhães foi incisivo no combate às práticas afrorreligiosas, e, assim, aos xangôs da Catimbolândia, situados nos arredores do Recife, às margens do rio Beberibe, na divisa com Olinda. Neste período, a capital pernambucana mostrava-se um espaço disciplinar, imersa em reformas urbanas e na reeducação dos citadinos diante do novo, distanciando-se das marcas colonial-africanas de tempos passados. Desejava-se a materialização da Veneza Americana – branca, sã, católica e moderna. Malgrado a estrutura rígida de dominação, os negros dos terreiros não foram agentes passivos à repressão, buscaram assegurar suas casas e costumes fazendo uso de variadas estratégias de resistência, construindo suas territorialidades dentro e fora dos xangôs. Os “catimbolados” criaram múltiplos disfarces, esconderijos e geossimbolismos dentro dos terreiros e nos espaços públicos da Veneza Americana.
Yet another black box: brokering agencies in the evolving market for live-in migrant care work in Austria and Germany
Authors: Leiber Simone , Rossow Verena , Österle August , Frerk Timm
Published: October 2020

This article analyses the new market for live-in migrant care work in Germany and Austria, focusing on brokering agencies as intermediary actors. The analysis presents unique data on the field by combining an online survey of brokerage agencies with semi-structured qualitative expert interviews. We show that the sector is growing swiftly and dominated by small businesses in both countries but is quite diverse in terms of regional presence, corporate strategies and the relationship with established welfare organisations. Despite different legal settings, malpractices at the household level seem to be constitutive of the brokerage market in Germany as well as in Austria.
¿Un ibero entre los eduos? Nota a CIL XIII 2690
Authors: Siles Jaime
Published: October 2020

El CIL XIII 2690 recoge una inscripción, encontrada en Autun y publicada en 1848 y recogida posteriormente en diferentes publicaciones, en la que hay un nombre que, aunque las lecturas difieren, podría ser el de un ibero, ATOBILES. Sin embargo, la información fotográfica más reciente inclina a leer NOBILIS.
Foraminifera of shallow and very shallow facies from the upper Eocene–lower Oligocene Kazandere Member, Soğucak Formation, Thrace Basin, northwest Turkey
Authors: Sirel E. , Ayyıldız T. , Deveciler A.
Published: October 2020

The middle−upper Eocene to lower Oligocene Kazandere Limestone Member of the Soğucak Formation is widely represented in the Thrace Basin and rich in shallow-water marine foraminifera. Very shallow-water Priabonian facies described here include Borelis vonderschimitti, Borelis laxispira sp. nov., Chapmanina gassinensis, Chapmanina elongate sp. nov., Pfendericonusglobulus sp. nov., Orbitolites minimus,Coscinospira sp. Last occurrences of the aforementioned Priabonian species and first appearances of the shallow-water marine Rupelian species Nummulites fichteli, Nummulites vascus and Operculina complanata define the Eocene−Oligocene boundary in the new Kazandere Member at the northeast Thrace Basin.
Raman suppression within the gain fiber of high-power fiber lasers
Authors: Lin Weixuan , Desjardins-Carrière Maxime , Sévigny Benoit , Magné Julien , Rochette Martin
Published: October 2020

We report the effective suppression of Raman emission in a monolithic ytterbium-doped fiber laser by the insertion of a chirped and tilted fiber Bragg grating (CTFBG) directly within the gain fiber of the laser. In comparison with a non-compensated filtered laser cavity for which the Raman threshold occurs at an output power of 1.54 kW, the insertion of a CTFBG within the gain medium leads to an increase in the Raman threshold by 260 W. We also demonstrate that the insertion of a CTFBG in between a laser cavity and a passive beam delivery fiber leads to an increase in the Raman threshold by 100 W with respect to the non-compensated case.
Electromagnetically induced transparency metamaterial with polarization independence and multi-transmission windows
Authors: Liu Guo-Biao , Zhang Haifeng , Li Hai-Ming
Published: October 2020

In this paper, an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) metamaterial with the performances of polarization independence and multi-transmission windows is proposed. First, we design an EIT with a single transmission window, which is composed of an H-shaped structure and two split-ring resonators (SRRs). Then, by sequentially rotating the unit by 90°, a new EIT structure with rotational symmetry is obtained. The results show that the new EIT structure has the characteristics of polarization independence and multiple transmission windows, and each transmission window has a high maximum transmittance and group index. The first transmission window has a maximum group index of 88.9 and 98.9% maximum transmission. The maximum group indices of the second and third transmission windows are 117.9 and 215.3, and the peak transmissions are 89.9% and 97.4%, respectively. The multiple transmission windows with polarization independence widen the application scope of the proposed EIT metamaterial and are suitable for high-performance slow-wave devices with the above two requirements.
Theoretical model of a subwavelength grating polarization beam splitter
Authors: Masui Shuzo , Kadoya Shotaro , Michihata Masaki , Takahashi Satoru
Published: October 2020

This study presents a theoretical model of a subwavelength grating polarization beam splitter (SWGPBS) using a combination of the theory of thin-film interference and the effective medium theory for guided-mode resonance. The structural parameters of SWGPBSs at oblique incidence calculated by our theoretical models and electromagnetic wave simulation were in good agreement within the range of the predicted approximation error. Feasibility of the oblique incidence SWGPBSs was verified, and the physical limitations of the SWGPBSs were clarified. Because the design procedure of SWGPBSs was simplified with our theoretical analysis, the range of their applications can be expanded to other fields.
High-order DBR semiconductor lasers: effect of grating parameters on
grating performance: publisher’s note
Authors: E Siyu , Zhou Yinli , Zhang Xing , Zhang Jianwei , Huang Youwen , Zeng Yugang , Cui Jinjiang , Liu Yun , Ning Yongqiang , Wang Lijun
Published: October 2020

This publisher’s note amends the author listing in Appl. Opt.
59, 8789 (2020)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.402699.