bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning Exceptions in Phonological Alternations
Authors: Finley Sara
Published: December 2020

The present study explores learning phonological alternations that contain exceptions. Participants were exposed to a back/round vowel harmony pattern in which a regular suffix obeyed a vowel harmony rule, varying between /e/ and /o/ depending on the back/round phonetic features of the stem, and a non-alternating suffix that was always /o/ regardless of the features of the stem vowel. Participants in Experiment 1 learned the behavior of both suffixes, but correct performance for the non-alternating suffix was higher when the suffix happened to be in harmony with the stem. Participants in Experiment 2 were exposed to the non-alternating affix in harmonic contexts only, and continued to show a bias towards harmony. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 2 with minimal training on disharmonic cases of the non-alternating morpheme. However, participants were less likely to learn the alternating affix without exposure to morphological stem, stem + suffix alternations in Experiment 4, suggesting a bias towards morphophonological alternations in learning vowel harmony patterns.
Putting Parental Supervision Into Context: Taking an Assets-Based Approach in Examining the Role of Parental Supervision During Adolescence
Authors: Melton Theresa N. , Deutsch Nancy L.
Published: December 2020

Studies of parental supervision often fail to consider the broader ecology in which youth are developing. In this paper, moderation and mediation analysis were utilized to examine parental supervision along with the ecological asset of supportive relationships, which have been identified as especially powerful assets, in a sample of 289 adolescents from the United States. These factors are considered in relation to positive indicators that have specifically been associated with youth thriving: self-control and future aspiration. Results of a mediation analysis suggest that family support mediates the relationship between parental supervision and both indicators. Therefore, parents should ensure they are demonstrating support during attempts to supervise youth. In addition, supportive relationships with adults at school further promote the development of an important internal characteristic: self-control. Including aspects of the broader ecology in studies of youth development is essential to uncovering the role external assets play in promoting positive outcomes for adolescents.
Afterword: Contending With COVID-19 and Beyond: The 5Cs of Educational Evolution
Authors: St.Amant Kirk
Published: December 2020

Unexpected developments in an environment often drive the evolutionary process. This is as true for the evolution of societies as it is for species. The effective evolution of education will involve knowing what the key adaptation factors are and making them central to how educators respond to shifts in socio-pedagogical environments on local, regional, and global levels. Five factors seem central to addressing evolutionary change in higher education—particularly in relation to online environments. Understanding these 5C factors will be essential to educational success in today’s COVID-19 context and in adapting to future educational challenges that emerge.
Using Multimedia for Instructor Presence in Purposeful Pedagogy-Driven Online Technical Writing Courses
Authors: Harris Heidi S. , Greer Michael
Published: December 2020

Teaching and composing with multimedia humanizes online technical writing and communication classes. However, students do not always see the connection between multimedia instructional materials, multimedia assignments, and the course learning outcomes. Purposeful pedagogy-driven course design uses multimedia instructional materials to connect assignments, course materials, and assessments with course outcomes. Technical writing instructors can integrate synchronous and asynchronous multimedia elements to address not only the what and why of online technical writing instruction but also the how of multimedia instructional materials. Example multimedia instructional materials and student projects discussed in the article can increase student retention and promote engaged learning.
“You Will Not Replace Us”: The Melancholic Nationalism of Whiteness
Authors: Feola Michael
Published: December 2020

This article addresses recent strains of white nationalism rooted within anxieties over demographic replacement (e.g., “the Great Replacement”). More broadly, the article argues that the contemporary politics of white grievance cannot be reduced to an ahistorical desire for racial supremacy. Rather, these anxieties represent the political reflex to perceptions of loss on the part of historical white majorities—a loss that takes a distinctly melancholic form in both discourse and practice. To understand white nationalism as a melancholic politics is to recognize the pathologies that stem from its underlying psychodynamics. At the affectual level, for instance, the subject of white grievance is constituted as the subject of politicized rage through its organizing narratives. And ultimately, the politics of melancholic whiteness raises significant challenges for a democratic polity. Most fundamentally, the melancholic fixation upon loss forecloses the futurity required by a democratic politics. Upon diagnosing these destructive pathologies, the article goes on to propose alternatives to approach civic change in less destructive, more democratically generative fashion.
Exhalation Delivery Systems for Application of Intranasal Corticosteroids
Authors: Kovacs Alexander J. , Adappa Nithin D. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: December 2020

Background:

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common sinonasal disorder which results in significant inflammation in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Topical nasal steroids play an important role in the treatment of CRS. Exhalation delivery system with fluticasone (EDS-FLU) utilizes a patient’s forced exhalation to power the delivery of topical steroids to deeper areas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses most affected by CRS. This review focuses on evidence surrounding the safety and efficacy of the EDS-FLU system.

Methods:

Literature search was conducted of articles investigating the safety and efficacy of EDS-FLU. Relevant efficacy and safety data were examined and summarized from the studies.

Results:

The efficacy and safety of EDS-FLU in CRS, both with and without polyps, has been established in open-label and placebo-controlled phase 3 trials. There was significant improvement in the cardinal symptoms of CRS and subjective patient-reported outcomes scores. Additionally, there was objective improvement in sinonasal inflammation as measured by polyp grade. Recent studies have also established significant improvement in health status and general quality of life following treatment using EDS-FLU. Emerging data have also examined patients who have previously had endoscopic sinus surgery and on appropriate medical therapy and noted improvement in polyp burden and overall Lund-Kennedy scores after using EDS-FLU.

Conclusion:

Exhalation delivery system with fluticasone demonstrates significant results in both patient-oriented outcomes and objective measures of sinonasal inflammation in patients with CRS with and without polyps. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term outcomes of EDS-FLU and to compare the effects of EDS-FLU with ESS. Exhalation delivery system with fluticasone provides an additional effective treatment modality for patients suffering from CRS.
Traditional Principals’ Reaction to a Charter School Opening
Authors: Bickmore Dana L.
Published: December 2020

Using multiple case studies, I examined how three traditional principals reacted and responded over time to the opening of a charter school in their attendance boundaries. Findings suggest principals’ reactions to competition shifted based on their perceptions of their status and competitive advantage in the market. These perceptual changes were the result of interactions with parents/guardians, staff, teachers, and students. This study has implications for how principals’ perceptions over time may affect engagement in competitive markets.
COVID-19’s Effect on Students: How School Counselors Rise to the Rescue
Authors: Pincus Robert , Hannor-Walker TeShaunda , Wright Leonis , Justice Judith
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought about many changes to our society, which will have long-term effects for our youth and adolescents. Due to social isolation and adverse childhood experiences, there are concerns of suicidality, technology addiction, and school safety as schools attempt to transition to a state of normalcy in the months to come. This crisis will require coordinated efforts to assist students in not only getting back on track academically but also in helping students cope with the trauma they have and are continuing to experience. As a result, insights from school counselors can be used to obtain a better understanding of the social and emotional effects of COVID-19 by collaborating with administrators to emphasize using school counselors as a mental health provider in schools. The authors highlight school counselors’ mental health training and their role in combating this issue and provide practical applications that can employed to create a systemic approach for social and emotional prevention and intervention during and after the pandemic.
Support for Marginalized Children: Influences of Micro and Meso Contexts on Socially Just Principal Practices
Authors: Oldham Alex N. , Flood Lee D. , Angelle Pamela S.
Published: December 2020

This qualitative case study research examines the perceptions of three U.S. principals as they work for social justice in the school level meso context as enacted through the lens of their micro contextual values and beliefs. Through interviews with three rural high school principals, we look to the influence of context on decision making through a study of the principals’ articulations of the role of context in supporting or hindering their work for marginalized children. Findings from this study point to the culture of the community in which the school was situated and the challenges sometimes associated with the community as the most mentioned meso factor that guided the principals’ practice. The micro context of the leader’s personal story was a testament to what they valued and how they enacted these values as a leader for social justice. The study concludes with a model which reconceptualizes the macro, meso, and micro relationships not as a directional relationship that indicates the influence of one context onto another, but as a structural bond suggesting interdependency.
Hypernegative Interpretation of Negatively Perceived Email at Work
Authors: Sillars Alan , Zorn Theodore E.
Published: December 2020

Extensive commentary cautions about the consequences of poor email etiquette, including emotional miscommunication and conflict escalation at work. This research considers the role of the receiver in negative email exchanges. Participants identified examples of negatively perceived emails received from coworkers, provided the text of these emails, and reported their perceptions and accounts of the messages. Results document a negative intensification bias in receiver perceptions of emails. Receivers perceived the emails more negatively than did observers, and receiver ratings had only weak relationships to characteristics of messages, including negative language and flaming. Negative intensification bias occurred more in poor communication climates and among individuals in subordinate positions. Qualitative results highlight the potential for ambiguous emails to be perceived in multiple ways leading to unanticipated consequences.
COVID-19 and Other Challenges: A Case Study of Certified Organic Green Tea Producers in China
Authors: Gerasimova Ksenia , Sheng Jiping , Zhao Jiang
Published: December 2020

This article explores how the western concept of “organic agriculture” has been applied in the traditional Chinese tea industry and how it has been tested during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using in-depth interviews and observations made during 2017–2020, we analyzed different meanings of organic agriculture and values that were given by Chinese farmers who are certified organic producers. Although organic agriculture, particular certified by international certification standards, is a foreign concept, producers invested efforts that go beyond the commercial pursuit for profit. Most importantly, the combination of the reiterated cultural meaning and health benefits of the certified organic tea with the visionary strategy has allowed these producers to shift in a timely manner from export to domestic markets and adapt to the pandemic’s barriers presented to the global trade.
Understanding Historical Trauma for the Holistic Care of Indigenous Populations: A Scoping Review
Authors: Joo-Castro Lucy , Emerson Amanda
Published: December 2020

Historical trauma refers to the collective depredations of the past that continue to affect populations in the present through intergenerational transmission. Indigenous people globally experience poorer health outcomes than non-Indigenous people, but the connections between Indigenous people’s health and experiences of historical trauma are poorly understood. To clarify the scope of research activity on historical trauma related to Indigenous peoples’ health, we conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O’Malley’s method with Levac’s modifications. Seventy-five articles (1996-2020) were selected and analyzed. Key themes included (a) challenges of defining and measuring intergenerational transmission in historical trauma; (b) differentiating historical trauma from contemporary trauma; (c) role of racism, discrimination, and microaggression; (d) questing for resilience through enculturation, acculturation, and assimilation; and (e) addressing historical trauma through interventions and programs. Gaps in the research included work to establish mechanisms of transmission, understand connections to physical health, elucidate present and past trauma, and explore epigenetic mechanisms and effects ascribed to it. Understanding first what constitutes historical trauma and its effects will facilitate development of culturally safe holistic care for Indigenous populations.
Dynamics of American Giving: Descriptive Evidence
Authors: Rooney Patrick M. , Ottoni-Wilhelm Mark , Wang Xiaoyun , Han Xiao
Published: December 2020

Almost all of the scientific literature on charitable giving is implicitly based on a static paradigm which posits there are non-donors who never give and donors who habitually give year-in/year-out to a specific charitable purpose. This article presents evidence that charitable giving is not static, but dynamic: Few Americans never give, and among Americans that donate the majority are switchers—giving in some years but not others or switching from one charitable purpose to another. The implications are that a static perspective is misleading, and research questions should place more emphasis on the time dimension of charitable giving.
I Belong, Therefore, I Give? The Impact of Sense of Belonging on Graduate Student Alumni Engagement
Authors: Drezner Noah D. , Pizmony-Levy Oren
Published: December 2020

Although Sense of Belonging has long been an important construct in understanding student success in higher education, it has not been examined in the alumni context. In this article, we explore the association between graduate students’ Sense of Belonging and alumni engagement. We draw on an original data set ( n = 1,601) that combines administrative records on alumni giving and data from a 2017 survey. Using multivariate analyses, we show that alumni with a stronger Sense of Belonging are more likely to give to their alma mater and to hold pro-philanthropic attitudes. Furthermore, Sense of Belonging is positively associated with other forms of alumni engagement and participation, including volunteering. Our findings highlight the need to examine the link between unintentional social interactions and alumni engagement and giving.
CFD-CSD method for coupled rotor-fuselage vibration analysis with free wake-panel coupled model
Authors: Wang Siwen , Han Jinglong , Yun Haiwei , Chen Xiaomao
Published: December 2020

An efficient comprehensive vibration analysis method for a helicopter rotor–fuselage coupling system is presented. This loose computational fluid dynamics (CFD)/computational structural dynamics (CSD) coupling approach with a free wake–panel coupled model is used for system vibration response analysis. The CSD model of the helicopter consists of a fuselage model using a refined three dimensional (3 D) finite element model (FEM) and a rotor model consisting of nonlinear moderate deflection beam elements with 15 degrees of freedom. The unsteady Euler CFD solver is used for the flow field analysis of the entire vehicle. The induced inflow of the quasi-steady aerodynamic force is calculated with the free wake–panel coupled model, which is used to simulate rotor–fuselage aerodynamic interference. Using a full-scale helicopter as an example, the vibration responses of the typical fuselage position in hovering and level flights are analysed. When compared with the literature results and flight test data, the predictions of the proposed method are closer to the test data than those of the traditional method in hovering and low forward ratio flights, and the difference between the two methods is minimal in high forward ratio flight.
Evaluation of targeted next-generation sequencing for detection of equine pathogens in clinical samples
Authors: Anis Eman , Ilha Marcia R. S. , Engiles Julie B. , Wilkes Rebecca P.
Published: December 2020

Equine infectious disease outbreaks may have profound economic impact, resulting in losses of millions of dollars of revenue as a result of horse loss, quarantine, and cancelled events. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to limit the spread of infectious diseases. However, laboratory detection of infectious agents, especially the simultaneous detection of multiple agents, can be challenging to the clinician and diagnostic laboratory. Next-generation sequencing (NGS), which allows millions of DNA templates to be sequenced simultaneously in a single reaction, is an ideal technology for comprehensive testing. We conducted a proof-of-concept study of targeted NGS to detect 62 common equine bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens in clinical samples. We designed 264 primers and constructed a bioinformatics tool for the detection of targeted pathogens. The designed primers were able to specifically detect the intended pathogens. Results of testing 27 clinical samples with our targeted NGS assay compared with results of routine tests (assessed as a group) yielded positive percent agreement of 81% and negative percent agreement of 83%, overall agreement of 81%, and kappa of 0.56 (moderate agreement). This moderate agreement was likely the result of low sensitivity of some primers. However, our NGS assay successfully detected multiple pathogens in the clinical samples, including some pathogens missed by routine techniques.
Communication in Transactive Memory Systems: A Review and Multidimensional Network Perspective
Authors: Yan Bei , Hollingshead Andrea B. , Alexander Kristen S. , Cruz Ignacio , Shaikh Sonia Jawaid
Published: December 2020

The comprehensive review synthesizes 64 empirical studies on communication and transactive memory systems (TMS). The results reveal that (a) a TMS forms through communication about expertise; (b) as a TMS develops, communication to allocate information and coordinate retrieval increases, promoting information exchange; and (c) groups update their TMS through communicative learning. However, direct interpersonal communication is not necessary for TMS development or utilization. Nor do high-quality information-sharing processes always occur within developed TMS structures. For future research, we propose a multidimensional network approach to TMS that incorporates technologies, addresses member characteristics, considers multiple communication types, and situates groups in context.
Just slack it: A study of multidisciplinary teamwork based on ethnography and data from online collaborative software
Authors: Azarova Mayya , Hazoglou Michael , Aronoff-Spencer Eliah
Published: December 2020

New digital technologies for team communication have changed how people work and solve complex problems. Now, millions of people use Online Collaborative Software (OCS) daily, exchanging messages and files in diverse contexts. This article presents a case study of teamwork through the lens of a popular OCS called Slack. Slack was used by a multidisciplinary academic team of designers, social scientists, and engineers working on new biomedical technology. In this work, we investigate whether activity in Slack mirrors social interactions and project progress. We compare team activity in Slack: frequencies of public messages, replies, explicit mentions, membership changes to the 18-month ethnography of the team offline. Our analysis shows team engagement around important project milestones, correlation of meeting attendance, and activity in online public discussions. We visualize the team’s multidisciplinary collaboration throughout the project and discuss the limitations of technology to reflect team interactions.
Inclusion/exclusion: Educational closure and social differentiation in world society
Authors: Emmerich Marcus
Published: December 2020

Niklas Luhmann’s late concept of inclusion/exclusion in world society compensates for the lack of a systems theory of social differentiation, but ultimately remains incomplete. Moreover, it is remarkable that Luhmann apparently never linked the inclusion/exclusion concept to his late theory of the education system. The following considerations seek this missing link, assuming that both functional and social differentiation constitute a double-sided form of societal structuring generated by the polycontextural operation of social closure mechanisms. The term ‘educational closure’ refers to the autopoietic form of inclusion/exclusion processed by an education system internally coupling operational and social closure. The article argues that organised education worldwide operates as an observing system autopoietically generating categorical differences, as well as inequalities between persons. While grouping, sorting, and tracking pupils, the education system seeks to maintain the recursion of educational communication, but also generates unequal social differentiation as a far-reaching side effect. Finally, reconstructing Weber’s theory of social closure as an earlier inclusion/exclusion concept may provide a theoretical basis for further empirical research into the social consequences of educational inclusion/exclusion in a world society.
The nature and role of morality in situational action theory
Authors: Barton-Crosby Jennifer
Published: December 2020

For situational action theory (SAT), morality is key to the definition of crime and the explanation for why and how acts of crime happen: acts of crime are acts of moral rule-breaking and personal morality guides individuals’ perception of moral rule-breaking as an option before controls become relevant. However, the nature and role of morality in SAT can be misread. Within this article I respond to misinterpretations of the theory by elaborating and adding further context to the concept of morality in SAT. I contend that the root of misunderstanding is grounded in alternative assumptions regarding human nature: SAT assumes a fundamentally rule-guided human nature, whereas the prevailing view within criminology is that people are primarily self-interested. In this article I delineate SAT’s assumption of a rule-guided human nature and set out how this assumption informs the definition of crime and personal morality in the theory. I further specify the nature and role of morality in the perception of action alternatives, and in so doing distinguish SAT from theories that view constraint as the measure of morality. Finally, I develop and clarify SAT’s position on the relationship between morality and the law.
Spindle cell carcinoma of the breast managed with neoadjuvant AIM: A case report
Authors: Choi April , Carpenter Philip M , Chopra Shefali , Lara Kristi M , Tseng William W , Patel Dakshesh B , Hu James
Published: December 2020

Spindle cell carcinoma (SpC), also known as metaplastic carcinoma—spindle cell type, is a subtype of metaplastic carcinoma. Metaplastic carcinomas of the breast are rare but are thought to be more aggressive than invasive ductal carcinomas. Due to their rarity, there are few randomized trials that can inform any standardized approaches to treatment. Treatment is instead extrapolated from other types of breast cancer or metaplastic carcinomas of different locations. Here we present the first known case report of a patient with spindle cell carcinoma of the breast successfully treated with a standard sarcoma neoadjuvant regimen of doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and mesna (AIM) that resulted in >99% necrosis of the tumor and negative margins at the time of resection.
Receptive Arts Engagement for Health: A Holistic and Trans-Disciplinary Approach to Creating a Multisensory Environment
Authors: Cavanagh Bliss , Haracz Kirsti , Lawry Miranda , James Carole
Published: December 2020

Multisensory environments are increasingly being used in health care settings with reported benefits including relaxation, supporting self-regulation, enhancing mood, and reducing chronic pain. However, limited research exists that explores the impact of multisensory environment design on engagement.

In response, this article presents a qualitative study exploring the creative design attributes that cultivated participant engagement and shaped their overall experience of spending time in an artistically created multisensory environment: the Sensory-Art Space (SAS).

A maximum variation approach to sampling was used to select 18 participants. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim before being analyzed thematically.

Our findings produced three key themes. The first two themes were: the ambience of everything and variation: it’s always my choice, which identified aspects of the artistic design that fostered engagement and the sense of connection and ownership of the SAS captured in the third theme, a space that’s yours.

Based on analysis of participant responses, creative design considerations were identified that could assist the development of future multisensory spaces and highlighted the importance of a holistic and curatorial approach to enhance engagement value.
Modeling Binaural Unmasking of Speech Using a Blind Binaural Processing Stage
Authors: Hauth Christopher F. , Berning Simon C. , Kollmeier Birger , Brand Thomas
Published: December 2020

The equalization cancellation model is often used to predict the binaural masking level difference. Previously its application to speech in noise has required separate knowledge about the speech and noise signals to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Here, a novel, blind equalization cancellation model is introduced that can use the mixed signals. This approach does not require any assumptions about particular sound source directions. It uses different strategies for positive and negative SNRs, with the switching between the two steered by a blind decision stage utilizing modulation cues. The output of the model is a single-channel signal with enhanced SNR, which we analyzed using the speech intelligibility index to compare speech intelligibility predictions. In a first experiment, the model was tested on experimental data obtained in a scenario with spatially separated target and masker signals. Predicted speech recognition thresholds were in good agreement with measured speech recognition thresholds with a root mean square error less than 1 dB. A second experiment investigated signals at positive SNRs, which was achieved using time compressed and low-pass filtered speech. The results demonstrated that binaural unmasking of speech occurs at positive SNRs and that the modulation-based switching strategy can predict the experimental results.
The evolution of factor XI and the kallikrein-kinin system
Authors: Ponczek Michał B. , Shamanaev Aleksandr , LaPlace Alec , Dickeson S. Kent , Srivastava Priyanka , Sun Mao-fu , Gruber Andras , Kastrup Christian , Emsley Jonas , Gailani David
Published: December 2020

Factor XI (FXI) is the zymogen of a plasma protease (FXIa) that contributes to hemostasis by activating factor IX (FIX). In the original cascade model of coagulation, FXI is converted to FXIa by factor XIIa (FXIIa), a component, along with prekallikrein and high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK), of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system (KKS). More recent coagulation models emphasize thrombin as a FXI activator, bypassing the need for FXIIa and the KKS. We took an evolutionary approach to better understand the relationship of FXI to the KKS and thrombin generation. BLAST searches were conducted for FXI, FXII, prekallikrein, and HK using genomes for multiple vertebrate species. The analysis shows the KKS appeared in lobe-finned fish, the ancestors of all land vertebrates. FXI arose later from a duplication of the prekallikrein gene early in mammalian evolution. Features of FXI that facilitate efficient FIX activation are present in all living mammals, including primitive egg-laying monotremes, and may represent enhancement of FIX-activating activity inherent in prekallikrein. FXI activation by thrombin is a more recent acquisition, appearing in placental mammals. These findings suggest FXI activation by FXIIa may be more important to hemostasis in primitive mammals than in placental mammals. FXI activation by thrombin places FXI partially under control of the vitamin K-dependent coagulation mechanism, reducing the importance of the KKS in blood coagulation. This would explain why humans with FXI deficiency have a bleeding abnormality, whereas those lacking components of the KKS do not.
CAR T cells or allogeneic transplantation as standard of care for advanced large B-cell lymphoma: an intent-to-treat comparison
Authors: Dreger Peter , Dietrich Sascha , Schubert Maria-Luisa , Selberg Lorenz , Bondong Andrea , Wegner Mandy , Stadtherr Peter , Kimmich Christoph , Kosely Florentina , Schmitt Anita , Pavel Petra , Liebers Nora , Luft Thomas , Hegenbart Ute , Radujkovic Aleksandar , Ho Anthony Dick , Müller-Tidow Carsten , Schmitt Michael
Published: December 2020

CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment has evolved as standard of care (SOC) for multiply relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). However, its potential benefit over allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) remains unclear. We compared outcomes with both types of cellular immunotherapy (CI) by intention to treat (ITT). Eligble were all patients with R/R LBCL and institutional tumor board decision recommending SOC CAR T-cell treatment between July 2018 and February 2020, or alloHCT between January 2004 and February 2020. Primary end point was overall survival (OS) from indication. Altogether, 41 and 60 patients for whom CAR T cells and alloHCT were intended, respectively, were included. In both cohorts, virtually all patients had active disease at indication. CI was recommended as part of second-line therapy for 21 alloHCT patients but no CAR T-cell patients. Median OS from indication was 475 days with CAR T cells vs 285 days with alloHCT (P = .88) and 222 days for 39 patients for whom alloHCT beyond second line was recommended (P = .08). Of CAR T-cell and alloHCT patients, 73% and 65%, respectively, proceeded to CI. After CI, 12-month estimates for nonrelapse mortality, relapse incidence, progression-free survival, and OS for CAR T cells vs alloHCT were 3% vs 21% (P = .04), 59% vs 44% (P = .12), 39% vs 33% (P = .97), and 68% vs 54% (P = .32), respectively. In conclusion, CAR T-cell outcomes were not inferior to alloHCT outcomes, whether measured by ITT or from CI administration, supporting strategies preferring CAR T cells over alloHCT as first CI for multiply R/R LBCL.
Intrabone transplantation of CD34+ cells with optimized delivery does not enhance engraftment in a rhesus macaque model
Authors: Stringaris Kate , Hoyt Robert F. , Davidson-Moncada Jan K. , Pantin Jeremy M. , Tisdale John F. , Uchida Naoya , Raines Lydia N. , Reger Robert , Sato Noriko , Dunbar Cynthia E. , Hunt Timothy J. , Clevenger Randall R. , Krouse Allen , Metzger Mark E. , Bonifacino Aylin C. , Telford William , Choyke Peter L. , Engels Theresa , Donahue Robert E. , Childs Richard W.
Published: December 2020

Intrabone (IB) injection of umbilical cord blood has been proposed as a potential mechanism to improve transplant engraftment and prevent graft failure. However, conventional IB techniques produce low retention of transplanted cells in the marrow. To overcome this barrier, we developed an optimized IB (OIB) injection method using low-volume, computer-controlled slow infusion that promotes cellular retention in the marrow. Here, we compare engraftment of CD34+ cells transplanted in a myeloablative rhesus macaque (RM) model using the OIB method compared with IV delivery. RM CD34+ cells obtained by apheresis were split equally for transduction with lentiviral vectors encoding either green fluorescent protein or yellow fluorescent protein reporters. Following conditioning, one marked autologous population of CD34+ cells was injected directly IB using the OIB method and the other was injected via slow IV push into the same animal (n = 3). Daily flow cytometry of blood quantified the proportion of engrafting cells deriving from each source. Marrow retention was examined using positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of 89Zirconium (89Zr)-oxine–labeled CD34+ cells. CD34+ cells injected via the OIB method were retained in the marrow and engrafted in all 3 animals. However, OIB-transplanted progenitor cells did not engraft any faster than those delivered IV and contributed significantly less to hematopoiesis than IV-delivered cells at all time points. Rigorous testing of our OIB delivery system in a competitive RM myeloablative transplant model showed no engraftment advantage over conventional IV infusion. Given the increased complexity and potential risks of IB vs IV approaches, our data do not support IB transplantation as a strategy to improve hematopoietic engraftment.
Climate change causes changes in biochemical markers of kidney disease
Authors: Ephraim Richard Kobina Dadzie , Asamoah Christopher Amey , Abaka-Yawson Albert , Kwadzokpui Precious Kwablah , Adusei Samuel
Published: December 2020

Background

Climate change is a significant threat to the health of the Ghanaian people. Evidence abounds in Ghana that temperatures in all the ecological zones are rising, whereas rainfall levels have been generally reducing and patterns are increasingly becoming erratic. The study estimated the impact of climate variation between seasons on biochemical markers of kidney disease.

Methods

This study conveniently recruited 50 apparently healthy peasant farmers and hawkers at Wa in the Upper West Region of Ghana. A pre-study screening for hepatitis A and C, Diabetes mellitus, hypertension was done. Serum creatinine and urea levels were analyzed to rule out kidney preexisting kidney disease. Baseline data was collected by estimating urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) as well as for hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) concentrations. Anthropometric data such as height, weight and blood pressure were measured by trained personnel. The study participants were closely followed and alerted deep in the dry season for the second sampling (urea, creatinine, hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood pressure, anthropometry).

Results

This study recruited more males (58.82%) than females (41.15%), majority (52.92%) of which were aged 25–29 years with the youngest being 22 years and the eldest being 35 years. The study found body mass index (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.019), creatinine (p < 0.001), urea (p = 0.013) and eGFR (p < 0.001) to be significantly influenced by climate change. Stage 1 hypertension was predominant among the study participants during the dry season, 8 (15.69%) than was observed during the rainy season, 4 (7.84%) nonetheless the number of participants with normal BMI rose from 49.02% in the rainy season to 62.75% during the dry reason. Additionally, the study observed that the impact of climate change on systolic blood pressure and urea varied based on age and sex.

Conclusion

This study revealed that climatic changes cause variations in various biochemical parameters used to assess kidney function. Public health education on climatic changes and its implication including precautionary measures should be done among inhabitants of Wa and its environs to reduce its effect. Additionally, appropriate dietary patterns should also be advised to avoid the development of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and obesity that are known principal causes of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Wheeze and cough measurements at night in children with respiratory symptoms
Authors: Lindenhofer Markus , Roth Lena , Mädel Clemens , Götzinger Florian , Kainz Katharina , Lex Christiane , Frischer Thomas , Reinweber Matthias , Zacharasiewicz Angela
Published: December 2020

Background

Nocturnal cough and wheeze are important symptoms when diagnosing any respiratory disease in a child, but objective measurements of these symptoms are not performed.

Methods

The aim of our study was to analyze the use of an automated detection system to assess breath sounds objectively in comparison to cough and wheeze questionnaires and to evaluate its feasibility in clinical practice.

Results

Forty-nine recordings of thirty-nine children were processed (asthma n = 13; cystic fibrosis n = 2; pneumonia n = 5; suspicion of habit cough n = 7; prolonged, recurrent or chronic cough n = 13), and cough and asthma scores were compared to the objective nocturnal recordings. Time for audio-validation of recordings took between 2 and 40 min (mean: 14.22 min, (SD): 10.72). Accuracy of the automated measurement was higher for cough than for wheezing sounds. Nocturnal cough readings but not wheeze readings correlated with some of the corresponding scores.

Conclusion

To our knowledge this is the first study using a new device to assess nocturnal cough and obstructive breath sounds objectively in children with a wide variety of respiratory diseases. The assessment proved user friendly. We obtained additional information on nighttime symptoms, which would otherwise have remained obscure. Further studies to assess possible diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of this device are needed.
Identification of KRAS mutation in a patient with linear nevus sebaceous syndrome: a case report
Authors: Pan Chun , Zhou Xiaowei , Hong Anlan , Fang Fang , Wang Yan
Published: December 2020

Background

Linear nevus sebaceous syndrome (LNSS) is a rare genetic disease characterized by large linear sebaceous nevus typically on the face, scalp, or neck. LNSS could be accompanied by multisystem disorders including the central nervous system. Herein, we report gene mutational profile via whole exome sequencing of both lesional and non-lesional skin samples in a LNSS patient.

Case presentation

A 17-year-old girl presented with multisystem abnormalities, including large skin lesions, ocular disorders, abnormal bone development and neurological symptoms. A diagnosis of LNSS was established based on clinical manifestations, histopathological and imaging findings. The skin lesions were resected and no recurrence was noted at the time of drafting this report. Whole exome sequencing of genomic DNA revealed the following 3 mutations in the lesions of the index patient: KRAS (c.35G > A, p.G12D), PRKRIR (c.A1674T, p.R558S), and RRP7A (c. C670T, p.R224W), but no mutation was found in the healthy skin and peripheral blood sample of the index patient, or in the blood samples of her parents and sibling. PCR-mediated Sanger sequencing of DNA derived from lesional skin sample of the index patient verified KRAS mutation, but not PRKRIR (c.A1674T, p.R558S) and RRP7A (c. C670T, p.R224W). None of the 3 mutations was found in Sanger sequencing in skin lesions of 60 other cases of nevus sebaceous patients.

Conclusions

Our findings show the relevance of KRAS mutation to LNSS, providing new clues in understanding related genetic heterogeneity which could aid genetic counselling for LNSS patients.
Age dependency of EQ-5D-Youth health states valuations on a visual analogue scale
Authors: Retra Jim G. A. , Essers Brigitte A. B. , Joore Manuela A. , Evers Silvia M. A. A. , Dirksen Carmen D.
Published: December 2020

Background

Examine whether the use of different ages has an impact on the valuation of EQ-5D-Y health states for a hypothetical child or adolescent.

Methods

A survey was administered during regular classes among a convenience sample of university students in the Netherlands. Respondents first valued 6 EQ-5D-Y health states (2 mild, 2 moderate, 2 severe) describing a hypothetical child/adolescent of a certain age on a visual analogue scale (VAS). After 1 h respondents valued the same six health states again but this time the age of the child was different. Age differed between 4, 10 and 16 year old.

Results

Number of respondents was 311. No significant differences in valuation of the six health states were found between the age of 10 and 16. One moderate health state was valued significantly better for a 4-year old compared to a 10 and a 16 year old. The same applied for one severe health state that was valued higher for a 4-year old compared to a 16-year old.

Conclusion

Our study shows that, except for one moderate and one severe health state, other EQ-5D-Y health states were not valued significantly different when description of age differed. It is possible that problems in specific health domains are considered more severe for older children/adolescents compared to younger children who might still be dependent on their caregivers. Future research should examine whether our findings are also present in a broader set of EQ-5D-Y health states, with a choice-based method like TTO or DCE, and a more heterogeneous sample.
Sulforaphane induces colorectal cancer cell proliferation through Nrf2 activation in a p53-dependent manner
Authors: Gwon Yunjeong , Oh Jisun , Kim Jong-Sang
Published: December 2020

Sulforaphane is a well-known phytochemical that stimulates nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant cellular response. In this study, we found that sulforaphane promoted cell proliferation in HCT116 human colon cancer cells expressing a normal p53 gene in a dose-dependent but biphasic manner. Since p53 has been reported to contribute to cell survival by regulating various metabolic pathways to adapt to mild stress, we further examined cellular responses in both p53-wild-type (WT) and p53-knockout (KO) HCT116 cells exposed to sulforaphane in vitro and in vivo. Results demonstrated that sulforaphane treatment activated Nrf2-mediated antioxidant enzymes in both p53-WT and p53-KO cells, decreased apoptotic protein expression in WT cells but increased in KO cells in a dose-dependent manner, and increased the expression of a mitochondrial biogenesis marker PGC1α in WT cells but decreased in KO cells. Moreover, a low dose of sulforaphane promoted tumor growth, upregulated the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and decreased apoptotic cell death in p53-WT HCT116 xenografts compared to that in p53-KO HCT116 xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. These findings suggest that sulforaphane can influence colon cancer cell proliferation and mitochondrial function through a crosstalk between the Nrf2 signaling pathway and p53 axis.
Advanced monopole and dipole sonic log data processing — Part 1: Real time
Authors: Wang Ruijia , Hornby Brian , Walker Kristoffer , Chang Chung , Kainer Gary , Granville John , Sun Baichun , Kim JoonShik
Published: December 2020

Real-time open-hole wireline sonic logging data processing becomes a nontrivial task to accurately, automatically, and efficiently evaluate the compressional and shear slowness of a borehole rock formation when human interaction is not possible and the signal processing time is limited to the elapsed time between different transmitter excitations. To address real-time sonic data processing challenges, we have developed self-adaptive, data-driven methods to accurately measure the formation P- and S-wave slowness from monopole and dipole waveforms in all types of formations. These new real-time processing techniques take advantage of the fact that advanced wireline sonic logging tools have wide frequency responses and little to no detectable tool body arrivals. These technology improvements provide an opportunity to implement a first-motion-detection technique that detects the onset of P-waves in the monopole array waveforms. The knowledge of compressional arrival time and corresponding slowness are then used to project an appropriate slowness-time window to identify the monopole refracted S-wave and its slowness based on the range of possible compressional to shear velocity ratio ([Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]) for earth rock formation. To process the borehole dipole flexural waves, we develop a new, data-driven frequency-domain method that enables the evaluation of the full flexural-wave dispersion response and its corresponding low-frequency shear slowness asymptote. Field data processing results indicate that our methods provide high-quality compressional slowness (delta-T compressional) and shear slowness measurements that are not affected by other borehole modes or dispersion complications in most formation types.
Time-lapse detection using raypath interferometry
Authors: Henley David C. , Lawton Donald C.
Published: December 2020

The objective of most seismic time-lapse studies is to detect rock-property changes in a subsurface formation caused by fluid withdrawal or injection, often by comparing seismic reflection images of the subsurface before and after the operation. Because rock-property changes can affect the amplitudes of seismic reflection events associated with the boundaries of the formation, amplitude anomalies are the usual target of time-lapse experiments. Sometimes, however, particularly in harder, less porous rocks, a seismic amplitude anomaly can be relatively small and difficult to detect. There is a secondary time-lapse effect, however, which may be detectable even in the absence of a significant reflectivity anomaly: the time delay of reflections from layers beneath a formation whose wave propagation velocity has been altered by the pore-fluid change. We have developed a near-surface correction technique for land data, which we call joint raypath interferometry, to specifically enhance and detect small time delays between corresponding events on two or more comparable time-lapse seismic images. We demonstrate the technique first on a numerical model, and then on an actual time-lapse field survey in which a reflection amplitude anomaly is difficult to detect.