bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When Too Many Vowels Impede Language Processing: An Eye-Tracking Study of Danish-Learning Children
Authors: Trecca Fabio , Bleses Dorthe , Højen Anders , Madsen Thomas O , Christiansen Morten H
Published: January 2020

Research has suggested that Danish-learning children lag behind in early language acquisition. The phenomenon has been attributed to the opaque phonetic structure of Danish, which features an unusually large number of non-consonantal sounds (i.e., vowels and semivowels/glides). The large number of vocalic sounds in speech is thought to provide fewer cues to word segmentation and to make language processing harder, thus hindering the acquisition process. In this study, we explored whether the presence of vocalic sounds at word boundaries impedes real-time speech processing in 24-month-old Danish-learning children, compared to word boundaries that are marked by consonantal sounds. Using eye-tracking, we tested children’s real-time comprehension of known consonant-initial and vowel-initial words when presented in either a consonant-final carrier phrase or in a vowel-final carrier phrase, thus resulting in the four boundary types C#C, C#V, V#C, and V#V. Our results showed that the presence of vocalic sounds around a word boundary—especially before—impedes processing of Danish child-directed sentences.
Chinese-English Speakers’ Perception of Pitch in Their Non-Tonal Language: Reinterpreting English as a Tonal-Like Language
Authors: Ortega-Llebaria Marta , Wu Zhaohong
Published: January 2020

Changing the F0-contour of English words does not change their lexical meaning. However, it changes the meaning in tonal languages such as Mandarin. Given this important difference and knowing that words in the two languages of a bilingual lexicon interact, the question arises as to how Mandarin-English speakers process pitch in their bilingual lexicon. The few studies that addressed this question showed that Mandarin-English speakers did not perceive pitch in English words as native English speakers did. These studies, however, used English words as stimuli failing to examine nonwords and Mandarin words. Consequently, possible pre-lexical effects and L1 transfer were not ruled out. The present study fills this gap by examining pitch perception in Mandarin and English words and nonwords by Mandarin-English speakers and a group of native English controls. Results showed the tonal experience of Chinese-English speakers modulated their perception of pitch in their non-tonal language at both pre-lexical and lexical levels. In comparison to native English controls, tonal speakers were more sensitive to the acoustic salience of F0-contours in the pre-lexical processing due to top-down feedback. At the lexical level, Mandarin-English speakers organized words in their two languages according to similarity criteria based on both F0 and segmental information, whereas only the segmental information was relevant to the control group. These results in perception together with consistently reported production patterns in previous literature suggest that Mandarin-English speakers process pitch in English as if it was a one-tone language.
Difficult texts: Matthew 23
Authors: Duffield Ian K.
Published: January 2020

Some Gospel verses have been criticized for engaging in hate speech or for being anti-Semitic: for example, the blood libel in Matthew and the categorization of Jews as ‘of the devil’ in John. However, the woes that Jesus declares upon scribes and Pharisees have received less attention. Although Matthew 23 is vulnerable to the accusation that it is anti-Semitic hate speech and should not be used in church, the criticism is misplaced as anachronistic and insensitive to the realities of the times and to the role the woes play in a prophetic critique of religious professionals. Furthermore, criticisms of the rhetoric tend to ignore the direction of the text against self-righteousness, including our own.
An Examination of Comorbid Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Chronic Pain on Substance Misuse in a Canadian Population-Based Survey
Authors: Bilevicius Elena , Sommer Jordana L. , Keough Matthew T. , El-Gabalawy Renée
Published: January 2020

Objectives:

Chronic pain and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are co-occurring, and both conditions are independently associated with substance misuse. However, limited research has examined the impact of comorbid GAD and chronic pain on substance misuse. The aim of this article was to examine the associations between comorbid GAD and chronic pain conditions compared to GAD only with nonmedical opioid use, drug abuse/dependence, and alcohol abuse/dependence in a Canadian, population-based sample.

Methods:

Data came from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health ( N = 25,113). Multiple logistic regressions assessed the associations between comorbid GAD and chronic pain conditions (migraine, back pain, and arthritis) on substance misuse.

Results:

Comorbid GAD + back pain and GAD + migraine were associated with increased odds of nonmedical opioid use compared to GAD only. However, the relationship was no longer significant after controlling for additional chronic pain conditions. No significant relationship was found between GAD + chronic pain conditions with drug or alcohol abuse/dependence.

Conclusions:

Comorbid GAD + back pain and GAD + migraine have a unique association with nonmedical opioid use in Canadians compared to GAD only, and chronic pain multimorbidity may be driving this relationship. Results emphasize the need for screening for substance misuse and prescription access in the context of GAD and comorbid chronic pain.
Lattice Boltzmann simulation of droplet condensation on a surface with wettability gradient
Authors: Shen Chaoqun , Liu Lingbo , Wu Suchen , Yao Feng , Zhang Chengbin
Published: January 2020

In this paper, a free energy lattice Boltzmann model of vapor condensation on a surface with a wettability gradient is developed and numerically analyzed to understand the microscopic behaviors of self-propelled droplet condensation. The effect of wettability gradient on droplet self-motion and coalescence as well as vapor condensation is examined and investigated. The condensation rate is presented during the whole droplet condensation process to analyze the role of wettability gradient on droplet condensation. The results indicate that the surface with wettability gradient is preferred for vapor condensation owing to the appearance of self-propelled droplet condensation. Condensate film is initially spread on the high surface energy region, and liquid nucleation sites form, grow and, subsequently, coalesce with other droplets on low surface energy regions. The condensation rate is higher on a surface with a larger wettability gradient due to the more effective removal of condensate. In addition, the condensation rate fluctuates with time at the quasi-steady-state stage. During the condensation process, the droplet coalescence triggers a sudden peak of condensation rate, and the generation of new nucleation results in a rapid increase in the condensation rate.
Holocene climate variability of the Western Mediterranean: Surface water dynamics inferred from calcareous plankton assemblages
Authors: Bazzicalupo Pietro , Maiorano Patrizia , Girone Angela , Marino Maria , Combourieu-Nebout Nathalie , Pelosi Nicola , Salgueiro Emília , Incarbona Alessandro
Published: January 2020

A high-resolution study (centennial scale) has been performed on the calcareous plankton assemblage of the Holocene portion of the Ocean Drilling Program Site 976 (Alboran Sea) with the aim to identify the main changes in the surface water dynamic. The dataset also provided a seasonal foraminiferal sea surface water temperatures (SSTs), estimated using the modern analog technique SIMMAX 28, and it was compared with available geochemical and pollen data at the site. Three main climate shifts were identified as (1) the increase in abundance of Syracosphaera spp. and Turborotalita quinqueloba marks the early Holocene humid phase, during maximum summer insolation and enhanced river runoff. It is concomitant with the expansion of Quercus, supporting high humidity on land. It ends at 8.2 ka, registering a sudden temperature and humidity reduction; (2) the rise in the abundances of Florisphaera profunda and Globorotalia inflata, at ca. 8 ka, indicates the development of the modern geostrophic front, gyre circulation, and of a deep nutricline following the sea-level rise; and (3) the increase of small Gephyrocapsa and Globigerina bulloides at 5.3 ka suggests enhanced nutrient availability in surface waters, related to more persistent wind-induced upwelling conditions. Relatively higher winter SST in the last 3.5 ka favored the increase of Trilobatus sacculifer, likely connected to more stable surface water conditions. Over the main trends, a short-term cyclicity is registered in coccolithophore productivity during the last 8 ka. Short periods of increased productivity are in phase with Atlantic waters inflow, and more arid intervals on land. This cyclicity has been related with periods of positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) circulations. Spectral analysis on coccolithophore productivity confirms the occurrence of millennial-scale cyclicity, suggesting an external (i.e. solar) and an internal (i.e. atmospheric/oceanic) forcing.
Natural frequency, damping and forced responses of sandwich plates with viscoelastic core and graphene nanoplatelets reinforced face sheets
Authors: Mohseni Ali , Shakouri Meisam
Published: January 2020

The free and forced vibration analysis of a sandwich plate with the viscoelastic core and face layers reinforced functionally with multilayered graphene nanoplatelets is presented. Different graphene nanoplatelet distributions are considered through the thickness, and the effective properties of the graphene reinforced nanocomposite are obtained by the rule of mixture. The equations of motion are extracted using Hamilton’s principle and assuming the classical thin plate theory for face layers and the first-order shear deformation theory for the thick viscoelastic core. Assuming the simply-supported boundary condition for all edges, the displacement components are proposed by Fourier series and the complex eigenvalue problem is solved to obtain the natural frequencies as well as the loss factors. The results are validated with available investigations, and effects of some important parameters on the free and forced responses of the sandwich plate are studied.
Do Negative Emotional States Play a Role in the Association Between Intimate Partner Violence and Poor Health-Related Quality of Life in Chinese Women From Low-Income Families?
Authors: Bedford Laura Elizabeth , Guo Vivian Yawei , Yu Esther Yee Tak , Wong Carlos King Ho , Fung Colman Siu Cheung , Lam Cindy Lo Kuen
Published: January 2020

A cross-sectional analysis of a dataset of 156 participants in a health assessment program explored whether negative emotional states mediated the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Compared with IPV screen-negative participants, those who screened positive had significantly lower HRQoL and significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The inverse associations between the presence of IPV and HRQoL were found to be mediated by depression, anxiety, and stress. Therefore, interventions to alleviate negative emotions in women suffering from IPV have the potential to be useful in improving their HRQoL.
African American Sexual Assault Survivors and Mental Health Help-Seeking: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Ullman Sarah E. , Lorenz Katherine
Published: January 2020

Little research has focused on African American women’s sexual assault victimization and mental health seeking. A mixed methods study was conducted to explore African American women’s sexual assault in relationship to mental health seeking and experiences with mental health providers in a large community sample. Quantitative survey and qualitative interview data indicated unique correlates of immediate and longer term seeking of help from various mental health sources. Barriers and facilitators of African American women’s mental health seeking were identified and qualitative themes were uncovered relevant to this group of survivors. Implications for research and clinical practice with this population are provided.
Maximizing Response Rates to Ads for Free At-Home HIV Testing on a Men-for-Men Geosocial Sexual Networking App: Lessons Learned and Implications for Researchers and Providers
Authors: Grov Christian , Stief Matthew , Westmoreland Drew A. , MacCrate Caitlin , Mirzayi Chloe , Nash Denis , Golub Sarit A. , Patel Viraj V. , Pantalone David W. , Hoover Don , Millett Gregorio , Kulkarni Sarah , D’Angelo Alexa , Perez Gloria , Parker Irvin , Lopez-Rios Javier , Carneiro Pedro , Sharp Gerald , Lee Sonia , Stirratt Michael , Camacho Michael , Carrico Adam , Daskalakis Demetre , Hirshfield Sabina , Johnson Jeremiah , Mellins Claude , Santos Milo
Published: January 2020

Internet-based recruitment can be effective in reaching large numbers of geographically diverse individuals. Geosocial sexual networking apps on smartphones have emerged as the modal way in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet sex partners, and as venues for sexual health research. We report on the performance of three types of ads—text-only, text with male figure (no face), and text with male figure (with face)—used on a geosocial sexual networking app to advertise free at-home HIV testing and to enroll in an online study. We ran five 2-week-long ads on a popular MSM geosocial app between fall 2017 and spring 2018 (~2.19 million impressions). Ads were evaluated in terms of the click-through rate (CTR = advertisement clicks/advertisement impressions), conversion rates (CR = number of enrolled participants/ad-generated clicks), cost per enrolled participant, and demographic composition of survey respondents. We enrolled n = 4,023 individuals, n = 2,430 of whom completed HIV testing—$6.21 spent on advertising per participant enrolled and $10.29 spent for everyone who completed HIV testing. Cost per enrolled participant was associated with the content of the ad used—ads featuring male figures (with or without a face shown) were more cost efficient than ads featuring text alone. These ads also outperformed text-only ads across a range of metrics, including responsiveness among younger MSM as well as MSM of color. Advertising materials that combine text with images may have greater appeal among priority populations.
Tribological performance of positive deterministic textured surfaces in parallel sliding lubricated contacts: Effect of texture size and height
Authors: Panigrahi Dillip K , Sarangi Mihir
Published: January 2020

Recent studies in tribology show that deterministic surface texture enhances the tribological performance of parallel sliding lubricated contacts in terms of reduction in friction and an increase in load carrying capacity. This paper presents an experimental study to assess the effect of texture size and height on hydrodynamic performance of parallel sliding thrust bearing. Positive deterministic textures of different size and height with circular, elliptical, square and triangular cross-sections are fabricated for investigation. The experiments are performed using an in-house developed thrust bearing apparatus with constant flow lubrication system. The most important finding is that all the textured surfaces produce lower frictional torque and higher bearing clearance as compared to the untextured surface under varying load and speed. From the test results, it is found that with same texture height, specimens having small texture size perform better tribological characteristics followed by medium and large size textures. Furthermore, it is reported that with same texture size, a higher value of texture height is promising better hydrodynamic performance for all shapes.
In the Beginning and Still Today: Recent Publications on Genesis
Authors: Schneider Tammi J.
Published: January 2020

This article reviews the monographs and edited volumes on the book of Genesis published since 2015. As a means of organizing the material, the books reviewed are categorized into groupings that reflect different aspects of the study of Genesis as a book, as well as the field of biblical studies and its placement within the humanities writ large. The organizational process leads to examining who writes about Genesis, the perceived audience, and how publishers consider their task and role in the process of disseminating scholarship on the book. An apparent shift in biblical studies, or at least in research on the book of Genesis, is identified towards situating the material more into world history and contemporary issues than into the historical-critical method.
Order from Chaos: Comparing Approaches to Violence in Anthropology, Assyriology, and the Study of the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Lemos T. M.
Published: January 2020

This article compares the history of scholarship on violence in anthropology in the past one hundred years to major approaches to studying violence in the ancient Near East and ancient Near Eastern sources, including ancient Israel and Israelite literature. The article demonstrates that anthropology and ancient Near Eastern studies have diverged widely in their approaches to violence. In the past two to three decades, the concept of structural violence and new materialist approaches have dominated the study of violence in anthropology, while in Assyriology and the study of ancient Israel/Israelite literature, studies of violence have repeatedly turned to an order and chaos framework. The article ends by suggesting that scholars of ancient West Asia incorporate new materialist approaches more concertedly in studies of violence and either rethink or jettison the simplistic order/chaos dyad.
Hoarseness Caused by a Penetrating Proximal Descending Thoracic Aortic Ulcer and Pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Gupta Jaideep Das , Bham Nida , Osofsky Robin , Guliani Sundeep , Marek John , Olson Garth T. , Rana Muhammad Ali
Published: January 2020

We present a case of an 87-year-old female with new-onset hoarseness of unclear etiology. Imaging demonstrated a penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU) in the proximal descending thoracic aorta with an associated pseudoaneurysm that enlarged to a depth of 32 mm over 2 years. This patient was diagnosed with hoarseness being secondary to left recurrent laryngeal nerve (LRLN) palsy, a variant of Ortner syndrome. Patient was treated with endovascular stent-grafting successfully covering of the PAU and pseudoaneurysm with zone 3 proximal landing zone. The patient had moderate improvement in hoarseness after 1 year of follow-up. Endovascular repair is indicated for symptomatic patients with PAUs complicated by enlarging pseudoaneurysms or rupture. Endovascular treatment is effective with low procedural morbidity and mortality. In this case, the PAU and associated pseudoaneurysm at the level of the ligamentum arteriosum caused compression on the LRLN, resulting in a nerve palsy and hoarseness. This case highlights the importance of vascular imaging for patients presenting with unclear etiology of hoarseness or other signs of LRLN palsy. Therefore, aortic arch abnormalities, a variant of Ortner syndrome, even though rare, should be on the differential diagnosis of new onset hoarseness.
Hygrothermal evaluation of hemp concrete at wall and room scales: Impact of hysteresis and temperature dependency of sorption curves
Authors: Costantine Georges , Maalouf Chadi , Moussa Tala , Kinab Elias , Polidori Guillaume
Published: January 2020

In the context of global warming associated with the excess of energy consumption, energy saving and environmental sustainability in buildings have become significant issues at both national and European levels. Therefore, the adoption of energy-efficiency measures in new and renovated dwellings will increase the demand for thermal insulation, which is crucial to improve the housing comfort by reducing the heat loss through the building envelope. Over the past two decades, several bio-based materials have been used in building thermal insulation, such as hemp concrete. Promoting the use of hemp concrete in new constructions and restoration of existing buildings first requires a validation of its hygrothermal behavior at both wall and building scales. For this, several models dealing with various physical aspects of hemp concrete were developed to understand their impact on the prediction of changes in temperature and relative humidity. These physical phenomena include hemp concrete hygroscopic hysteresis and thermal dependency of sorption curves. The preliminary results show that hysteresis has a significant influence on the numerical prediction in the short-term, while temperature dependency has less influence at the wall scale. The next part of this article is devoted to the study of these phenomena at the room scale by monitoring the internal conditions and energy consumption of a virtual hemp concrete office. The results highlight the fact that hysteresis and thermal dependency have low impact on indoor conditions, which could probably be related to the other parameters at the room scale.
Reliability analysis of network systems subject to probabilistic propagation failures and failure isolation effects
Authors: Su Peng , Wang Guanjun
Published: January 2020

In this article, the reliability of network systems subject to probabilistic propagation failure and failure isolation effects is considered. Probabilistic propagation failure is the failure of some components in a system, which will cause other components to fail with certain probabilities. Probabilistic propagation failure exists in various network systems, such as computing network system and nuclear power generating network system. Failure isolation means that the failure of a trigger component will lead to its corresponding dependent components being isolated from the network system. Since the failure isolation effect is activated only when the failure of trigger components occurs before the occurrence of probabilistic propagation failure, there exists a competing failure in the time domain between the failure of a trigger component and the components with probabilistic propagation failure effect. If a trigger component failure occurs first, the system is insensitive to any failures of components being isolated. In this article, a combinatorial method based on binary decision diagram is proposed to analyze the reliability of the network systems subject to probabilistic propagation failure and failure isolation effects. The method can be applied to any network system and any type of lifetime distribution of the system components. As an example, a wide area network system is analyzed. Some numerical results about reliability indexes are provided to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method.
Religious—And Other Beliefs: How Much Specificity?
Authors: Oviedo Lluis , Szocik Konrad
Published: January 2020

The scientific study of beliefs, including religious beliefs, is thriving. The focus of this research is broad, but notably includes attempts at classifying different kinds of beliefs and their contrasting traits. Religious beliefs appear as more or less specific depending on chosen approaches and criteria. This paper intends to bring the discussion to a different level applying two strategies that yield a similar result. The first tries to reframe the debate about the nature of religious beliefs by connecting it with the current wave of “belief studies,” to test their potential utility. The second critically reviews the epistemological and cognitive dimensions that are involved. Our research points in some distinctive directions: religious beliefs belong to a broad category or class whose structure and function are more related to meaning and purpose provision; at that level, there is no clear way to distinguish religious and non-religious beliefs except possibly by their content.
Space syntax visibility graph analysis is not robust to changes in spatial and temporal resolution
Authors: Ericson Jonathan D , Chrastil Elizabeth R , Warren William H
Published: January 2020

Space syntax is an influential framework for quantifying the relationship between environmental geometry and human behavior. Although many studies report high syntactic–behavioral correlations, previous pedestrian data were collected at low spatiotemporal resolutions, and data transformations and sampling strategies vary widely; here, we systematically test the robustness of space syntax’s predictive strength by examining how these factors impact correlations. We used virtual reality and motion tracking to correlate 30 syntactic measures with high resolution walking trajectories downsampled at 10 grid resolutions and subjected to various log transformations. Overall, correlations declined with increasing grid resolution and were sensitive to data transformations. Moreover, simulations revealed spuriously high correlations (e.g. R2 = 1) with sparsely sampled data (<23 locations). These results strongly suggest that syntactic–behavioral correlations are not robust to changes in spatiotemporal resolution, and that high correlations obtained in previous studies could be inflated due to transformations, data resolution, or sampling strategies.
An Atypical Presentation of Propionibacterium Acnes Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery
Authors: Livnat Itamar , Daniels Jay , Labriola Leanne T. , Tsipursky Michael S.
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

To describe a case with an unusual presentation of Propionibacterium acnes ( P acnes) with ultimately a good visual outcome.

Methods:

A case report with review of approaches to P acnes endophthalmitis.

Results:

We describe a patient with an unusual presentation of P acnes of panuveitis with white, circular preretinal lesions without intracapsular deposits. Diagnosis was made from cultures from pars plana vitrectomy. Eventually, she was definitively managed with capsulectomy, repositioning of her intraocular lens via sutureless intrascleral fixation, and intravitreal vancomycin injection.

Conclusion:

This is a report of P acnes endophthalmitis presenting with discrete preretinal lesions where surgical and medical management lead to a complete resolution of uveitis and symptoms after a 3-year follow up where the patient’s final visual acuity was Snellen 20/20 OU.
Prospective evaluation of prognostic impact of KIT mutations on acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and CBFB-MYH11
Authors: Ishikawa Yuichi , Kawashima Naomi , Atsuta Yoshiko , Sugiura Isamu , Sawa Masashi , Dobashi Nobuaki , Yokoyama Hisayuki , Doki Noriko , Tomita Akihiro , Kiguchi Toru , Koh Shiro , Kanamori Heiwa , Iriyama Noriyoshi , Kohno Akio , Moriuchi Yukiyoshi , Asada Noboru , Hirano Daiki , Togitani Kazuto , Sakura Toru , Hagihara Maki , Tomikawa Tatsuki , Yokoyama Yasuhisa , Asou Norio , Ohtake Shigeki , Matsumura Itaru , Miyazaki Yasushi , Naoe Tomoki , Kiyoi Hitoshi
Published: January 2020

Key Points

KIT exon 17 mutation is a poor prognostic factor in AML patients with RUNX1-RUNX1T1, but not in those with CBFB-MYH11. NRAS mutation is a poor prognostic factor in AML patients with CBFB-MYH11.
Criterion validity for step counting in four consumer-grade physical activity monitors among older adults with and without rollators
Authors: Larsen Rasmus Tolstrup , Korfitsen Christoffer Brun , Juhl Carsten Bogh , Andersen Henning Boje , Langberg Henning , Christensen Jan
Published: January 2020

Background

Few studies have investigated the measurement properties of consumer-grade physical activity monitors (PAMs) in older adults. Therefore, we investigated the criterion validity of consumer-grade PAMs in older adults and whether the measurement properties differed between older adults with and without rollators and whether worn on the hip or at the wrist.

Methods

Consumer-grade PAMs were eligible for inclusion in this study if they: 1) could be fastened at the hip as well as on the wrist, 2) were simple in function and design and thus easy to use for participants with minimal technical skills, 3) included step-counting as outcome measure and 4) were powered by a button cell battery. Participants performed self-paced walking for six minutes while two physiotherapists counted their steps with a click-counter. The average of the two counts was used as criterion. The participants wore 16 monitors, four located bilaterally on both hips and wrists. Our prior expectation was that all monitors would have at least moderate criterion validity for all participants, good criterion validity for participants walking without a rollator and poor criterion validity for participants walking with a rollator.

Results

Four physical activity monitors were included in this study; Misfit Shine, Nokia GO, Jawbone UP Move and Garmin Vivofit 3. A total of 103 older adults participated.

Nokia GO was excluded from this study due to technical issues. Therefore, we present results on the frequency of data loss, ICC (1, 2) and percentage measurement error for Misfit Shine, Garmin Vivofit 3 and Jawbone UP Move located on four different positions.

Conclusions

The hip-worn PAMs did not differ significantly in terms of measurement error or criterion validity. Wrist-worn monitors cannot adequately measure number of steps in a population of older adults using rollators. The hip-worn PAMs were superior to wrist-worn PAMs among older adults with and without rollators.
3A-Amino-3A-Deoxy-(2AS, 3AS)-β-Cyclodextrin Hydrate/Tin Disulfide Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode for the Electrochemical Detection of Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Authors: Liu Xinke , Sakthivel Rajalakshmi , Cheng Chia-Yin , Luo Jiangliu , Song Lijun , Wu Jianhua , He Wei , Younis Usman , Chung Ren-Jei
Published: January 2020

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that are widely distributed in the environment. It is noteworthy that the PCBs are endocrine-disrupting substances, and their toxicity induces cancer and damage to the mammalian reproductive system, immune system, stomach, skin, liver, etc. This work aimed to synthesize 3A-amino-3A-deoxy-(2AS, 3AS)-β-cyclodextrin hydrate/tin disulfide composite material and to study its material properties, electrochemical properties, and application to PCB detection. The nanostructured tin disulfide (SnS2) synthesized by hydrothermal technique and 3A-amino-3A-deoxy-(2AS, 3AS)-β-cyclodextrin hydrate were sequentially modified onto the disposable screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) via titration using a micropipette. The 3A-amino-3A-deoxy-(2AS, 3AS)-β-cyclodextrin hydrate (β-CD) improved the selectivity of the modified electrode. The fabricated β-CD/SnS2/SPCE was employed to determine the presence of PCBs by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The detection range was 0.625–80 μM, with a limit detection of approximately 5 μM. The electrodes were as stable as 88% after 7 days’ storage. The results showed that the β-CD successfully encapsulated PCBs to achieve an electrochemical sensor that reduced the time and increased the convenience of PCBs detection.
Evaluation of the patient acceptable symptom state following hip arthroscopy using the 12 item international hip outcome tool
Authors: Robinson Patrick G. , Maempel Julian F. , Rankin Conor S. , Gaston Paul , Hamilton David F.
Published: January 2020

Background

The International Hip Outcome Tool 12 (iHOT-12) is a shorter version of the iHOT-33 which measures health related quality of life following treatment of hip disorders in young, active patients. The purpose of this study was identify a PASS threshold for a UK population undergoing hip arthroscopy for intra-articular hip pathology.

Methods

Data was identified retrospectively from a prospective database of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy under the care of a single surgeon within the date range January 2013 to March 2017. All patients with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingment (FAI) undergoing arthroscopic treatment were included. iHOT-12, EuroQol 5D-5 L (EQ-5D-5 L) and a satisfaction questionnaire were available pre and post-operatively. PASS was calculated using an anchor-based approach and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Results

171 patients underwent hip arthroscopy in the study period. Linked longitudinal follow-up data was available for 122 patients (71.3%) at a median of 24.3 months (740 days, interquartile range 576–1047). The PASS threshold for the iHOT-12 was 59.5 (sensitivity 81.1%, specificity 83.9%; area under the curve (AUC) 0.92, 95% CI 0.87–0.97). 64% of patients achieved this score. The median postoperative iHOT-12 score was 72.5 (IQR 44) and the mean change in score was 35 (SD 25, p < 0.001). The EQ-5D Index improved by 0.18 (SD 0.25, p < 0.001) and there was a mean change of 7.67 (SD 24.82) on the EQ-5D VAS (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

We report a PASS threshold of the iHOT-12 following hip arthroscopy for FAI as a measurable benchmark for clinicians using this outcome measure.
Drug-resistant enteric fever worldwide, 1990 to 2018: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Browne Annie J. , Kashef Hamadani Bahar H. , Kumaran Emmanuelle A. P. , Rao Puja , Longbottom Joshua , Harriss Eli , Moore Catrin E. , Dunachie Susanna , Basnyat Buddha , Baker Stephen , Lopez Alan D. , Day Nicholas P. J. , Hay Simon I. , Dolecek Christiane
Published: January 2020

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing threat to global health. There are > 14 million cases of enteric fever every year and > 135,000 deaths. The disease is primarily controlled by antimicrobial treatment, but this is becoming increasingly difficult due to AMR. Our objectives were to assess the prevalence and geographic distribution of AMR in Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A infections globally, to evaluate the extent of the problem, and to facilitate the creation of geospatial maps of AMR prevalence to help targeted public health intervention.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the literature by searching seven databases for studies published between 1990 and 2018. We recategorised isolates to allow the analysis of fluoroquinolone resistance trends over the study period. The prevalence of multidrug resistance (MDR) and fluoroquinolone non-susceptibility (FQNS) in individual studies was illustrated by forest plots, and a random effects meta-analysis was performed, stratified by Global Burden of Disease (GBD) region and 5-year time period. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistics. We present a descriptive analysis of ceftriaxone and azithromycin resistance.

Findings

We identified 4557 articles, of which 384, comprising 124,347 isolates (94,616 S. Typhi and 29,731 S. Paratyphi A) met the pre-specified inclusion criteria. The majority (276/384; 72%) of studies were from South Asia; 40 (10%) articles were identified from Sub-Saharan Africa. With the exception of MDR S. Typhi in South Asia, which declined between 1990 and 2018, and MDR S. Paratyphi A, which remained at low levels, resistance trends worsened for all antimicrobials in all regions. We identified several data gaps in Africa and the Middle East. Incomplete reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and lack of quality assurance were identified.

Interpretation

Drug-resistant enteric fever is widespread in low- and middle-income countries, and the situation is worsening. It is essential that public health and clinical measures, which include improvements in water quality and sanitation, the deployment of S. Typhi vaccination, and an informed choice of treatment are implemented. However, there is no licenced vaccine for S. Paratyphi A. The standardised reporting of AST data and rollout of external quality control assessment are urgently needed to facilitate evidence-based policy and practice.

Trial registration

PROSPERO CRD42018029432.
Genome-wide analysis of aberrant methylation of enhancer DNA in human osteoarthritis
Authors: Lin Xiaozong , Li Li , Liu Xiaojuan , Tian Jun , Zheng Weizhuo , Li Jin , Wang Limei
Published: January 2020

Background

Osteoarthritis is a chronic musculoskeletal disease characterized by age-related gradual thinning and a high risk in females. Recent studies have shown that DNA methylation plays important roles in osteoarthritis. However, the genome-wide pattern of methylation in enhancers in osteoarthritis remains unclear.

Methods

To explore the function of enhancers in osteoarthritis, we quantified CpG methylation in human enhancers based on a public dataset that included methylation profiles of 470,870 CpG probes in 108 samples from patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis and hip tissues from healthy individuals. Combining various bioinformatics analysis tools, we systematically analyzed aberrant DNA methylation of the enhancers throughout the genome in knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis.

Results

We identified 16,816 differentially methylated CpGs, and nearly half (8111) of them were from enhancers, suggesting major DNA methylation changes in both types of osteoarthritis in the enhancer regions. A detailed analysis of hip osteoarthritis identified 2426 differentially methylated CpGs in enhancers between male and female patients, and 84.5% of them were hypomethylated in female patients and enriched in phenotypes related to hip osteoarthritis in females. Next, we explored the enhancer methylation dynamics among patients with knee osteoarthritis and identified 280 differentially methylated enhancer CpGs that were enriched in the human phenotypes and disease ontologies related to osteoarthritis. Finally, a comparison of enhancer methylation between knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis revealed organ source-dependent differences in enhancer methylation.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that aberrant methylation of enhancers is related to osteoarthritis phenotypes, and a comprehensive atlas of enhancer methylation is useful for further analysis of the epigenetic regulation of osteoarthritis and the development of clinical drugs for treatment of osteoarthritis.
12q14 microduplication: a new clinical entity reciprocal to the microdeletion syndrome?
Authors: Dória Sofia , Alves Daniela , Pinho Maria João , Pinto Joel , Leão Miguel
Published: January 2020

Background

12q14 microdeletion syndrome is characterized by low birth weight and failure to thrive, proportionate short stature and developmental delay. The opposite syndrome (microduplication) has not yet been characterized. Our main objective is the recognition of a new clinical entity - 12q14 microduplication syndrome. - as well as confirming the role of HMGA2 gene in growth regulation.

Case presentation

Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH), Karyotype, Fluorescence in situ Hybridization, Quantitative-PCR analysis and Whole exome sequencing (WES) were performed in a girl presenting overgrowth and obesity. Array CGH identified a 1.5 Mb 12q14.3 microduplication involving HMGA2, GRIP1, IRAK3, MSRB3 and TMBIM4 genes. Karyotype and FISH showed that duplication was a de novo insertion of 12q14.3 region on chromosome 9p resulting in an interstitial microduplication. Q-PCR confirmed the duplication only in the proband. WES revealed no pathogenic variants.

Conclusions

Phenotypic comparison with patients with 12q14 microdeletion syndrome showed a reciprocal presentation, suggesting a phenotypically recognizable 12q14 microduplication syndrome as well as confirming the role of HMGA2 gene in growth regulation. It is also indicative that other genes, such as IRAK3 and MSRB3 might have of role in weight gain and obesity.
Co-introduction of plasmids harbouring the carbapenemase genes, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-232, increases fitness and virulence of bacterial host
Authors: Lee Haejeong , Shin Juyoun , Chung Yeun-Jun , Park Myungseo , Kang Kyeong Jin , Baek Jin Yang , Shin Dongwoo , Chung Doo Ryeon , Peck Kyong Ran , Song Jae-Hoon , Ko Kwan Soo
Published: January 2020

Background

Bacterial isolates with multiple plasmids harbouring different carbapenemase genes have emerged and been identified repeatedly, despite a general notion that plasmids confer fitness cost in bacterial host. In this study, we investigated the effects of plasmids with carbapenemase genes on the fitness and virulence of bacteria.

Methods

Different plasmids harbouring the carbapenemase genes, blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-232, were isolated from a carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strain. Each plasmid was conjugated into the Escherichia coli strain DH5α, and a transconjugant with both plasmids was also obtained by transformation. Their in vitro competitive ability, biofilm formation, serum resistance, survival ability within macrophage and fruit fly, and fly killing ability were evaluated.

Results

The transconjugants with a single plasmid showed identical phenotypes to the plasmid-free strain, except that they decreased fly survival after infection. However, significantly increased fitness, virulence and biofilm production were observed consistently for the transconjugant with both plasmids, harbouring blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-232.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that bacteria carrying multiple plasmids encoding different carbapenemases may have increased fitness and virulence, emphasizing the need for diverse strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Circ-SOX4 drives the tumorigenesis and development of lung adenocarcinoma via sponging miR-1270 and modulating PLAGL2 to activate WNT signaling pathway
Authors: Gao Nan , Ye Baoguo
Published: January 2020

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a widespread histopathological subtype of lung cancer, is deemed as a malignant tumor with a peak risk of mortality. Emerged as RNA with a loop structure that depleted protein coding ability, circular RNA (circRNA) has been identified as a regulator in cancer progression. Circ-SOX4, identified as a novel circRNA, has not been studied in any cancer yet. Thus, the regulatory function that circ-SOX4 exerts on LUAD development remains obscure.

Aim of the study

This study aimed to investigate the biological function and molecular mechanism of circ-SOX4 in LUAD.

Methods

The expression of circ-SOX4 was detected by qRT-PCR. CCK-8, colony formation, transwell and wound healing assays were performed to explore the biological function of circ-SOX4 in LUAD. The interaction between miR-1270 and circ-SOX41 (or PLAGL2) was confirmed by RNA pull down, luciferase reporter and RIP assays.

Results

Circ-SOX4 was found to be obviously upregulated in LUAD tissues and cells, and knockdown of it inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and migration in LUAD. Furthermore, silenced circ-SOX4 also inhibited LUAD tumor growth. Molecular mechanism assays revealed that circ-SOX4 interacted with miR-1270 in LUAD. Besides, PLAGL2 was confirmed as a downstream gene of miR-1270. Rescue assays validated that miR-1270 suppression or PLAGL2 overexpression countervailed circ-SOX4 depletion-mediated inhibition on cell proliferation, invasion and migration in LUAD. Additionally, it was discovered that circ-SOX4/miR-1270/PLAGL2 axis activated WNT signaling pathway in LUAD.

Conclusions

Circ-SOX4 boosted the development of LUAD and activate WNT signaling pathway through sponging miR-1270 and modulating PLAGL2, which provided a valuable theoretical basis for exploring underlying therapeutic target in LUAD.
Tumor microenvironment differences between primary tumor and brain metastases
Authors: Cacho-Díaz Bernardo , García-Botello Donovan R. , Wegman-Ostrosky Talia , Reyes-Soto Gervith , Ortiz-Sánchez Elizabeth , Herrera-Montalvo Luis Alonso
Published: January 2020

The present review aimed to discuss contemporary scientific literature involving differences between the tumor microenvironment (TME) in melanoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer in their primary site and TME in brain metastases (BM). TME plays a fundamental role in the behavior of cancer. In the process of carcinogenesis, cells such as fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, natural killer cells, and other cells can perpetuate and progress carcinogenesis via the secretion of molecules. Oxygen concentration, growth factors, and receptors in TME initiate angiogenesis and are examples of the importance of microenvironmental conditions in the performance of neoplastic cells. The most frequent malignant brain tumors are metastatic in origin and primarily originate from lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma. Metastatic cancer cells have to adhere to and penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB). After traversing BBB, these cells have to survive by producing various cytokines, chemokines, and mediators to modify their new TME. The microenvironment of these metastases is currently being studied owing to the discovery of new therapeutic targets. In these three types of tumors, treatment is more effective in the primary tumor than in BM due to several factors, including BBB. Understanding the differences in the characteristics of the microenvironment surrounding the primary tumor and their respective metastasis might help improve strategies to comprehend cancer.
Risk factors influencing survival of acellular porcine corneal stroma in infectious keratitis: a prospective clinical study
Authors: Li Saiqun , Li Meng , Gu Li , Peng Lulu , Deng Yuqing , Zhong Jing , Wang Bowen , Wang Qian , Xiao Yichen , Yuan Jin
Published: January 2020

Background

A worldwide lack of donor corneas demands the bioengineered corneas be developed as an alternative. The primary objective of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) transplantation in various types of infectious keratitis and identify risk factors that may increase APCS graft failure.

Methods

In this prospective interventional study, 39 patients with progressive infectious keratitis underwent therapeutic lamellar keratoplasty using APCS and were followed up for 12 months. Data collected for analysis included preoperative characteristics, visual acuity, graft survival and complications. Graft survival was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.

Results

The percentage of eyes that had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better increased from 10.3% preoperatively to 51.2% at 12 months postoperatively. Twelve patients (30.8%) experienced graft failure within the follow-up period. The primary reasons given for graft failure was noninfectious graft melting (n = 5), and the other causes included recurrence of primary infection (n = 4) and extensive graft neovascularization (n = 3). No graft rejection was observed during the follow-up period. A higher relative risk (RR) of graft failure was associated with herpetic keratitis (RR = 8.0, P = 0.046) and graft size larger than 8 mm (RR = 6.5, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

APCS transplantation is an alternative treatment option for eyes with medically unresponsive infectious keratitis. Despite the efficacy of therapeutic lamellar keratoplasty with APCS, to achieve a good prognosis, restriction of surgical indications, careful selection of patients and postoperative management must be emphasized.

Trial registration Prospective Study of Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty Using Acellular Porcine Cornea, NCT03105466. Registered 31 August 2016, ClinicalTrails.gov