bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical findings and history of bone loss at implant sites
Authors: Berglundh Jessica , Romandini Mario , Derks Jan , Sanz Mariano , Berglundh Tord
Published: December 2020

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether clinical findings at implant sites are relevant as screening tests for a history of marginal bone loss.

Material and Methods

427 patients provided with implant‐supported reconstructions 9 years earlier were evaluated clinically (probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BoP)) and radiographically. A history of bone loss was confirmed through baseline documentation. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic curves and multi‐level regression analyses. Results were expressed as sensitivity/specificity, area under the curve, and odds ratios.

Results

While the sensitivity of PPD in regard to bone loss was low, specificity was generally high. Multi‐level modeling revealed that each additional millimeter of PPD corresponded to an additional bone loss of 0.30 mm (95% CI 0.27; 0.33). The sensitivity of BOP in regard to bone loss >2 mm was 80.9% (95% CI 73.9; 86.7), while the specificity was 42.2% (95% CI 39.6; 44.8).

Conclusions

Clinical parameters at implant sites obtained at a single time point were associated with a history of marginal bone loss. While BoP demonstrated a high level of sensitivity, the sensitivity of PPD was generally low. The present data suggest that BoP is a relevant screening test for history of bone loss.
Laparoscopic retrojejunal trans‐mesenteric anastomosis for extended left‐sided colorectal resections – a new solution to an old problem
Authors: Seow‐En Isaac , Ke Tao‐Wei , Chang Sheng‐Chi , Chen William Tzu‐Liang
Published: December 2020

Aim

Following extended left‐sided colorectal resection, creation of the anastomosis can be challenging due to insufficient length of the remaining proximal and distal bowel. Retroileal pull‐through and the Deloyers procedure are feasible but require ligation of the middle colic vessels and additional right colonic mobilization. The aim of this study was to describe our initial experience with an alternative technique for performing tension‐free anastomosis following minimally invasive left‐sided resection.

Method

This was a retrospective case series of all patients who underwent a retrojejunal trans‐mesenteric pull‐through following elective laparoscopic left‐sided colorectal surgery between September 2019 and September 2020. Placing the retrojejunal window 15–20 cm distal to the duodenojejunal junction allows the transverse colon to pass via the most direct route through the base of the proximal jejunal mesentery to the distal colon or rectal stump instead of passing over the small bowel, yielding additional length for the anastomosis. An accompanying video demonstrates this technique for three different case scenarios.

Results

Seven consecutive patients underwent this approach following colorectal resection; three had inherently shorter left colons, two had synchronous left‐sided tumours and two had inadvertent intraoperative marginal artery injury. There were no anastomotic complications or early postoperative morbidity related to the mesenteric window. The additional time taken for the procedure ranged from 5 to 35 min. The risk of complications related to extended left‐sided resections may possibly be reduced, although further studies are required to evaluate this.

Conclusion

Retrojejunal trans‐mesenteric pull‐through is a novel, but straightforward, safe and useful option for reducing tension in laparoscopic left‐sided colorectal anastomoses.
Size matching in heart transplantation: Is predicted heart mass the optimal method in a United Kingdom cohort?
Authors: Cheshire Caitlin , Kydd Anna , Nerlekar Nitesh , Catarino Pedro , Brown Adam , Parameshwar Jayan , Pettit Stephen
Published: December 2020

Predicted heart mass (PHM) equations have been proposed as an alternative method for size matching in heart transplantation. We assessed association between donor‐recipient size mismatch, defined using PHM equations, and survival post–heart transplant in the United Kingdom. Data from all adult patients who received a heart transplant between 1995 and 2017 were obtained from the United Kingdom Transplant Registry. PHM was calculated using published equations. Primary outcome was 1‐year survival post–heart transplantation. Recipients of undersized organs had reduced 1‐year survival (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03–1.67, p = .03). Oversizing had no impact on survival (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.78–1.26, p = .96). Gender mismatching had no impact on survival in the cohort matched by PHM (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.86–1.47, p = .4). In recipients without pulmonary hypertension, undersizing by PHM had no impact on 1‐year survival (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.61–1.49, p = .83). In recipients with pulmonary hypertension, oversizing donor RV by using PHM RV equation (PHMRV) results in improved survival at 1 year (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.5–0.83, p = .001). In conclusion, receiving an organ undersized by PHM was associated with decreased 1‐year survival. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that undersizing only impacted survival in recipients with pulmonary hypertension and that these recipients had improved outcomes if they received an organ with an RV oversized by >10% by PHMRV.
Evaluation of an alcohol policy measure employing a randomised controlled trial design: Why was it possible?
Authors: Rossow Ingeborg , Grøtting Maja Weemes
Published: December 2020

Some of the best evidence of effects of control policies on alcohol availability stems from controlled experimental studies in the Nordic state‐owned alcohol monopolies. Publications from these studies do not, however, explain the process leading up to the implementation of changes in policy measures under controlled experimental conditions. In September 2020, the Norwegian state alcohol monopoly started the implementation of extended trading hours, employing a randomised controlled trial design. In this commentary, we give an account of the process leading up to this implementation and how the monopoly considered various pro‐ and contra‐arguments in this regard. This case illustrates that willingness to contribute to strengthened scientific evidence on alcohol control policies can be embedded in the social responsibility of a state alcohol monopoly.
Plasma neurofilament light chain as a potential biomarker in Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease
Authors: Millere Elina , Rots Dmitrijs , Simrén Joel , Ashton Nicholas J. , Kupats Einars , Micule Ieva , Priedite Viktorija , Kurjane Natalja , Blennow Kaj , Gailite Linda , Zetterberg Henrik , Kenina Viktorija
Published: December 2020

Background and purpose

Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease is a chronic, slowly progressing disorder. The lack of specific disease progression biomarkers limits the execution of clinical trials. However, neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been suggested as a potential biomarker for peripheral nervous system disorders.

Methods

Ninety‐six CMT disease patients and 60 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Disease severity assessment included clinical evaluation with CMT Neuropathy Score version 2 (CMTNSv2). Blood plasma NfL concentrations were measured using the single‐molecule array NfL assay.

Results

The NfL concentration was significantly higher in the CMT disease patient group than in the controls (p < 0.001). Of the CMT disease patients, those with type CMTX1 had a higher NfL level than those in the two other analysed subgroups (CMT1A and other CMT disease types) (p = 0.0498). The NfL concentration had a significant but weak correlation with the CMTNSv2 (rs = 0.25, p = 0.012). In one CMT disease patient with an extremely elevated NfL level, overlap with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was suspected. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that an NfL concentration of 8.9 pg/ml could be used to discriminate CMT disease patients from controls, with an area under the curve of 0.881.

Conclusions

Our study confirmed that the plasma NfL concentration is significantly higher in CMT disease patients than in controls. Plasma NfL concentration was found to significantly, albeit weakly, reflect the clinical severity of CMT disease. In the future, NfL may be used, either individually or collaboratively, as a biomarker in the clinical context of suspected CMT disease; however, several issues need to be addressed first.
Fasting or feeding: A planktonic food web under lake ice
Authors: Perga Marie‐Elodie , Syarki Maria , Spangenberg Jorge E. , Frossard Victor , Lyautey Emilie , Kalinkina Natalia , Bouffard Damien
Published: December 2020

Zooplankton can spend winter actively under the ice cover of lakes. However, dietary resources under lake ice are both quantitatively and qualitatively limited, and feeding might not be energetically rewarding for most zooplankton species. Many zooplankters are expected to fast throughout the winter, exhausting their previously accumulated fat storage. We hypothesised that only a fraction of the actively overwintering zooplankton contributes to an active food web under lake ice, leading to few trophic linkages within the planktonic community.

Zooplankton habitats and feeding were investigated under the ice of Lake Onego. Zooplankton habitats and migrations were studied by coupling zooplankton sampling around the clock to measurements of particle movement using an acoustic Doppler current profiler. Secondly, fatty acid‐specific stable isotope compositions were used to determine whether and which zooplankton fatty acids ultimately came from the assimilation of under‐ice seston.

The algal biomass was low under ice and mostly dominated by large diatoms. Copepods dominated the zooplankton community. Species present as late copepodite and adult instars were confined to the deeper layers, while nauplii occupied the surface layer. Diel vertical migration by Cyclops was the most tangible observation of persistent feeding under the ice. Previously accumulated fat storage represented most of zooplankton fatty acids, with few, yet detectable, fatty acids recently acquired by feeding under the ice.

Although some zooplankton taxa maintained feeding activity under the ice of Lake Onego, the food source available beneath the ice was not sufficiently rewarding to leave an isotopic imprint upon the dominant fatty acids of bulk zooplankton. The seston fatty acids that were passed on to zooplankton from feeding under ice were not provided by diatoms, although they made up most of the phytoplankton biovolume. Instead, the zooplankton food web was supported by mixotrophic phytoplankton (i.e. cryptophytes and chrysophytes) that represented <5% of the under‐ice biovolume. Consequently, the planktonic food web under the ice of Lake Onego had few trophic linkages, and thereby low connectance.

Environmental conditions under the ice of Lake Onego do not depart significantly from those observed in lakes of similar latitudes. Therefore, low connectance food webs could be relatively common under ice for lakes above 60° latitude. Our methodological approach is applicable to other lakes and could thus disclose the variability of under‐ice food webs. This would provide a much more complete picture of annual dynamics of food webs in lakes that ice over.
Strategies for Managing Risk due to Back Diffusion
Authors: Brooks Michael C. , Yarney Eunice , Huang Junqi
Published: December 2020

Back diffusion of contaminants from secondary sources may hamper site remediation if it is not properly addressed in the remedial design. A review of all reported technologies and strategies that have been or could be applied to address plume persistence due to back diffusion as published in the peer‐reviewed literature is provided. We classify these into four major categories. The first category consists of those approaches that do not include active measures to specifically address contamination in the low permeable zones (LPZs) and can therefore be considered passive LPZ management approaches. A disadvantage of these approaches is the long duration that may be required to meet acceptable endpoints; however, this allows degradation to potentially play a significant part even at modest rates. The remaining three categories all use approaches to specifically address contaminants in the LPZ. The second category consists of strategies that promote contaminant destruction through the forward diffusion of amendments into the LPZ. A variety of laboratory tests indicate concentration or flux reductions range from no improvement, to reductions as high as four orders‐of‐magnitude depending on the evaluation metric. The third category consists of strategies that alter physical characteristics of the secondary source, and includes viscosity modification, fracturing, and soil mixing. Each of these offer unique advantages and are often used to deliver one or more amendments for contaminant treatment. The final category consists of thermal and electrokinetic remediation, both less susceptible to permeability contrast limitations. However, they are not routinely used for secondary‐source treatment.
Low‐cost synthesis of nano‐hydroxyapatite from carp bone waste: Effect of calcination time and temperature
Authors: Bahraminasab Marjan , Doostmohammadi Nesa , Alizadeh Akram
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to synthesize Hydroxyapatite (HA) from carp bone waste by calcination treatment. The effects of calcination temperature and time on crystallite size, crystallinity%, powder size and morphology, formed phases, and Ca/P ratio were analyzed. The XRD analyses indicated that for 1 h calcination time, HA was the only phase produced at all temperatures. However, for 5 h calcination time, temperatures other than 700ºC resulted in formation of TCP+HA. The HA obtained at 700ºC at both times had less crystallinity compared to other temperatures. Crystallite size increased by increase in temperature at 1 h calcination time. The smallest and largest particulate sizes were obtained at 800ºC for 1 h and 900ºC for 5 h, respectively. The Ca/P ratio close to theoretical value (1.67) was obtained for 5 h calcination time. Finally, the results showed the usefulness of the methodology used in natural HA production that can be used in orthopedics and dentistry.
Surface properties of Ca, Ti‐doped CeO2 and their influence on the reverse water‐gas shift reaction
Authors: Mordekovitz Yuval , Shelly Lee , Rosen Brian A. , Hayun Shmuel
Published: December 2020

CeO2‐based materials can be found in a variety of catalytic processes, including the reverse water‐gas shift (RWGS) reaction. Nevertheless, the interaction of molecular gases with the surfaces of such materials is still not clear. Recently, some progress was reported on the incorporation of neodymium (Nd) and calcium (Ca) into ceria and their effect on H2O and CO2 adsorption. Titanium (Ti), which has a much smaller ionic radius, has the ability to change the interaction landscape, both as a co‐dopant to Ca and as a sole dopant in the CeO2 system. In this study, the interactions of environmental gases (i.e., water vapor and CO2) on the surface of Ti‐doped CeO2 and Ca,Ti co‐doped CeO2 were investigated. Ti addition to CeO2 was shown to decrease water vapor uptake by up to 25% all while maintaining similar heats of adsorption. In the case of CO2 adsorption, Ti addition to CeO2 had lowered the uptake by more than 50% as well as lowering the heat of adsorption. Co‐doping with Ti and Ca showed small decrease in H2O uptake accompanied with increased heat of adsorption. For CO2, the changes to the uptake and energetics were small and did not indicate a specific trend. The RWGS catalytic performance showed improvement by the addition of Ti in certain levels. The relationship between the doping, surface properties, gas‐surface interactions, and catalytic performance is discussed.
Sintering parameter optimization of Tb3Al5O12 magneto‐optical ceramics by vacuum sintering and HIP post‐treatment
Authors: Li Xiaoying , Liu Qiang , Liu Xin , Zhu Danyang , Hu Dianjun , Tian Feng , Wu Lexiang , Yang Zhaoxiang , Xie Tengfei , Chen Haohong , Li Jiang
Published: December 2020

Transparent terbium aluminum garnet (TAG) ceramics were achieved by the vacuum sintering plus HIP post‐treating from the coprecipitated TAG nanoparticles. The influences of vacuum sintering temperature and sintering aid TEOS on the optical quality of the TAG ceramics were studied. The results show that with the increase of sintering temperature, the optical quality of TAG ceramics is improved gradually, and the in‐line transmittance of the TAG ceramics treated at 1720°C for 20 hours under vacuum and then HIP post‐treated at 1700°C for 3 hours under 200 MPa argon gas is 81.6% at 1064 nm. The sintering additive TEOS can improve the optical quality of TAG ceramics and inhibit the valence state change of Tb3+ ions to Tb4+ during the annealing process. The Verdet constant of the TAG ceramics at 632.8 nm is about −178 rad·T−1·m−1 at room temperature, which is 1.3 times that of the commercial TGG crystals (−134 rad·T−1·m−1).
Reply to: Comment on COVID‐19 in Nursing Homes: Calming the Perfect Storm
Authors: Ouslander Joseph G. , Grabowski David C.
Published: December 2020

See related Letter to the Editor by Zorowitz et al.
Activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling restores insulin sensitivity in insulin resistant neurons through transcriptional regulation of IRS‐1
Authors: Tian Shijiao , Tan Shichuan , Jia Wenming , Zhao Juan , Sun Xiulian
Published: December 2020

Aberrant expression and phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS‐1) contribute to brain insulin resistance. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The insulin signaling and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling are two critical pathways for normal cellular function, which interact in both peripheral tissues and the brain and may contribute to insulin resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulation of IRS‐1 and its downstream insulin signaling by Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in primary neurons. We found that the Wnt agonist Wnt3a enhances the insulin signaling in neurons at the basal state via up‐regulation of IRS‐1. Moreover, Wnt3a up‐regulates IRS‐1 expression and effectively ameliorates insulin resistance in rat primary neurons induced by chronic high insulin exposure. The insulin‐mediated glucose uptake is also stimulated by Wnt3a at both basal and insulin resistant states. We observed that Wnt activation up‐regulates IRS‐1 gene transcription and the subsequent protein expression in SH‐SY5Y cells and rat primary neurons via different means of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling activation, including S33Y β‐catenin over‐expression, CHIR99021 and Wnt3a treatment. We further clarified the molecular mechanism of IRS‐1 transcriptional activation by Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. The Wnt transcription factor TCF4 binds to the −529 bp to −516 bp of the human IRS‐1 promoter fragment and activates IRS‐1 transcription. Overall, these data suggested that Wnt/β‐catenin signaling positively regulates IRS‐1 and insulin signaling and protects against insulin resistance in neurons.

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Vulnerability to warming in a desert amphibian tadpole community: the role of interpopulational variation
Authors: Sanabria E. A. , González E. , Quiroga L. B. , Tejedo M.
Published: December 2020

Current assessments of organismal vulnerability to global warming are focusing on physiological trait‐based indices that may allow biologically sounding estimates of heating risk at the local scale. However, intraspecific variability in both exposure and physiological performance may determine large heterogeneity in the distribution of heating risks through the overall species range compromising whole species risk assessments. We examine intra‐ and interspecific variability in two vulnerability indexes: warming tolerances (WT), or the extent that maximum temperatures (Tmax) reaching upper thermal tolerances (CTmax); and thermal safety margin (TSM), or the magnitude that average environmental temperatures (Tmean) exceeding the selected or preferred temperatures (Tsel), in a subtropical warm amphibian tadpole community, at the Monte Desert ecoregion, Argentina. Tadpole populations breeds in temporary ponds and permanent streams that exhibit high thermal heterogeneity. Those populations and species living in hot water bodies, although exhibiting higher CTmax, have lower WT and are more prone to suffer acute heat impacts, thus confirming the prediction of higher thermal risk in ectotherms exposed to higher temperatures. However, these hot pond breeders, although living closer to their CTmax, also preferred high temperatures, showing higher TSMs and being actually exposed to a lower proportion of stressful temperatures than cool selecting populations. Both WT and TSM indexes have significant interpopulational variation. Thus, our findings suggest that attempts to build mechanistic models to forecast species vulnerability to heat stress due to climate change have to include physiological variation among populations.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Immigration Detention
Authors: Ryo Emily
Published: December 2020

In a recent article, I called for the development of a systematic field of study devoted to investigating the causes, conditions, and consequences of immigration detention (Ryo 2019). The two articles in this special issue are cutting-edge studies that answer that call. They leverage multiple methods to overcome enormously difficult data challenges that plague this area of research. As I have argued, “immigration detention … is shrouded in secrecy and bureaucratic barriers that obstruct researchers' access to government data and detention facilities” (Ryo 2019: 98). The studies presented in this special issue illustrate how researchers can rise to this challenge with creativity and persistence to shine a light on largely hidden but critical aspects of immigration detention.
Remembering Sally Merry: Exemplary Teacher and Mentor
Authors: Şerban Mihaela
Published: December 2020

I am teaching Human Rights this fall, and like every time I teach this course, I assign at least one of Sally Merry's articles. The students' response to her work is always gratifying: they are better able to understand difficult concepts, they praise the clarity of her writing, and, by their own admission, they look at human rights from entirely new angles. Merry is not only a giant in human rights scholarship, but she has reshaped many other fields as well—legal pluralism, legal consciousness, indicators, and dispute resolution. Reflections on her life will rightly focus on the impact of her scholarship in law and society, legal anthropology, human rights, and other fields.
Analysis of amino acids, hydroxy acids, and amines in CR chondrites
Authors: Aponte José C. , Elsila Jamie E. , Hein Jason E. , Dworkin Jason P. , Glavin Daniel P. , McLain Hannah L. , Parker Eric T. , Cao Timothy , Berger Eve L. , Burton Aaron S.
Published: December 2020

The abundances, relative distributions, and enantiomeric and isotopic compositions of amines, amino acids, and hydroxy acids in Miller Range (MIL) 090001 and MIL 090657 meteorites were determined. Chiral distributions and isotopic compositions confirmed that most of the compounds detected were indigenous to the meteorites and not the result of terrestrial contamination. Combined with data in the literature, suites of these compounds have now been analyzed in a set of six CR chondrites, spanning aqueous alteration types 2.0–2.8. Amino acid abundances ranged from 17 to 3300 nmol g−1 across the six CRs; hydroxy acid abundances ranged from 180 to 1800 nmol g−1; and amine abundances ranged from 40 to 2100 nmol g−1. For amino acids and amines, the weakly altered chondrites contained the highest abundances, whereas hydroxy acids were most abundant in the more altered CR2.0 chondrite. Because water contents in the meteorites are orders of magnitude greater than soluble organics, synthesis of hydroxy acids, which requires water, may be less affected by aqueous alteration than amines and amino acids that require nitrogen‐bearing precursors. Two chiral amino acids that were plausibly extraterrestrial in origin were present with slight enantiomeric excesses: L‐isovaline (~10% excess) and D‐β‐amino‐n‐butyric acid (~9% excess); further studies are needed to verify that the chiral excess in the latter compound is truly extraterrestrial in origin. The isotopic compositions of compounds reported here did not reveal definitive links between the different compound classes such as common synthetic precursors, but will provide a framework for further future in‐depth analyses.
Effects of mutant huntingtin inactivation on Huntington disease‐related behaviours in the BACHD mouse model
Authors: Cheong Rachel Y. , Baldo Barbara , Sajjad Muhammad U. , Kirik Deniz , Petersén Åsa
Published: December 2020

Aims

Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with no disease‐modifying treatments approved so far. Ongoing clinical trials are attempting to reduce huntingtin (HTT) expression in the central nervous system (CNS) using different strategies. Yet, the distribution and timing of HTT‐lowering therapies required for a beneficial clinical effect is less clear. Here, we investigated whether HD‐related behaviours could be prevented by inactivating mutant HTT at different disease stages and to varying degrees in an experimental model.

Methods

We generated mutant BACHD mice with either a widespread or circuit‐specific inactivation of mutant HTT by using Cre recombinase (Cre) under the nestin promoter or the adenosine A2A receptor promoter respectively. We also simulated a clinical gene therapy scenario with allele‐specific HTT targeting by injections of recombinant adeno‐associated viral (rAAV) vectors expressing Cre into the striatum of adult BACHD mice. All mice were assessed using behavioural tests to investigate motor, metabolic and psychiatric outcome measures at 4–6 months of age.

Results

While motor deficits, body weight changes, anxiety and depressive‐like behaviours are present in BACHD mice, early widespread CNS inactivation during development significantly improves rotarod performance, body weight changes and depressive‐like behaviour. However, conditional circuit‐wide mutant HTT deletion from the indirect striatal pathway during development and focal striatal‐specific deletion in adulthood failed to rescue any of the HD‐related behaviours.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that widespread targeting and the timing of interventions aimed at reducing mutant HTT are important factors to consider when developing disease‐modifying therapies for HD.
Accurate calling of KIAA1549‐BRAF fusions from DNA of human brain tumours using methylation array‐based copy number and gene panel sequencing data
Authors: Stichel Damian , Schrimpf Daniel , Sievers Philipp , Reinhardt Annekathrin , Suwala Abigail K. , Sill Martin , Reuss David E. , Korshunov Andrey , Casalini Belén M. , Sommerkamp Alexander C. , Ecker Jonas , Selt Florian , Sturm Dominik , Gnekow Astrid , Koch Arend , Simon Michèle , Hernáiz Driever Pablo , Schüller Ulrich , Capper David , van Tilburg Cornelis M. , Witt Olaf , Milde Till , Pfister Stefan M. , Jones David T. W. , von Deimling Andreas , Sahm Felix , Wefers Annika K.
Published: December 2020

Aims

KIAA1549‐BRAF fusions occur in certain brain tumours and provide druggable targets due to a constitutive activation of the MAP‐kinase pathway. We introduce workflows for calling the KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion from DNA methylation array‐derived copy number as well as DNA panel sequencing data.

Methods

Copy number profiles were analysed by automated screening and visual verification of a tandem duplication on chromosome 7q34, indicative of the KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion. Pilocytic astrocytomas of the ICGC cohort with known fusion status were used for validation. KIAA1549‐BRAF fusions were called from DNA panel sequencing data using the fusion callers Manta, Arriba with modified filtering criteria and deFuse. We screened DNA methylation and panel sequencing data of 7790 specimens from brain tumour and sarcoma entities.

Results

We identified the fusion in 337 brain tumours with both DNA methylation and panel sequencing data. Among these, we detected the fusion from copy number data in 84% and from DNA panel sequencing data in more than 90% using Arriba with modified filters. While in 74% the KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion was detected from both methylation array‐derived copy number and panel sequencing data, in 9% it was detected from copy number data only and in 16% from panel data only. The fusion was almost exclusively found in pilocytic astrocytomas, diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumours and high‐grade astrocytomas with piloid features.

Conclusions

The KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion can be reliably detected from either DNA methylation array or DNA panel data. The use of both methods is recommended for the most sensitive detection of this diagnostically and therapeutically important marker.
The experience of itch in children with psoriasis: A qualitative exploration of the Itch Numeric Rating Scale
Authors: Mannix Sally , Edson‐Heredia Emily , Paller Amy S. , Yosipovitch Gil , Burge Russel , Kleinman Leah
Published: December 2020

Background/Objectives

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune‐mediated dermatologic disorder with a prevalence among children estimated at 0.1%–0.45%, and a median age of onset at approximately 7–10 years. Pediatric psoriasis is known to have negative impacts on health‐related quality of life. Among the most bothersome symptoms, itch has been measured using the Itch Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). This study explored the symptom and impacts of itch with pediatric psoriasis patients and evaluated the content validity of the Itch NRS in children.

Methods

Semi‐structured qualitative interviews were conducted among a sample of pediatric patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis.

Results

Concept elicitation interviews were completed with 22 children (ages 7–17 years). When asked about most frequent symptoms, 61% reported itching (n = 14) and 65% reported flaking (n = 15). The majority reported itching as bothersome; about half described impacts on their regular activities. Cognitive interviews were completed with 25 children (ages 8–17 years). Most reported that independently completing the Itch NRS would be easy, and all described the meaning of the response options similar to the intended value. Overall, the Itch NRS was received favorably, with comments that the scale was easy or relevant to their experience with psoriasis.

Conclusions

This qualitative study supports the content validity of the Itch NRS for use in a pediatric psoriasis population aged 8–17. Given the established importance of itch to pediatric psoriasis patients, future research exploring the impact of itch on the lives of pediatric psoriasis patients may provide a valuable contribution to the field.
A case of hyperhaemolysis syndrome in a pregnant Chinese woman with β‐thalassemia during perinatal transfusion
Authors: Wu Yuanjun , Ji Yanli , Dai Bingmei , Guo Faliang , Wu Yong , He Ziyi , Mo Chunyan , Wu Shujie , Hu Yingming
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To report a case of hyperhaemolysis syndrome (HHS) that occurred during perinatal blood transfusion in a pregnant Chinese woman with β‐thalassemia to deepen the understanding of HHS and the risk of transfusion therapy for patients with thalassemia.

Background

Most HHS cases occur in people with sickle cell disease. So far, no cases of HHS have been reported in the Chinese population. Here, we report a pregnant Chinese women with β‐thalassemia experiencing HHS.

Methods

The patient received ABO‐ and RhD‐matched red blood cell transfusion from six blood donors in four perinatal transfusions. Haemoglobinuria and lower haemoglobin levels compared to those before transfusion were observed after each transfusion, and the lactate dehydrogenase was consistently elevated. The blood samples were collected at different time points during the hospitalisation for direct antiglobulin test (DAT), antibody screening test and acid elution test. The antigens of six blood donors were identified, and the cross‐matching tests were repeated using the blood sample of the patient with specific irregular antibodies after the last transfusion.

Results

The DAT of the patient was negative for anti‐IgG and positive (1+) for anti‐C3d, and no red blood cell antibodies were detected in the eluent before, between and after transfusions. Before and between transfusions, blood samples were negative for red blood cell irregular antibodies, whereas IgM anti‐P1 and IgG anti‐Jka were detected in blood samples the next day after the last transfusion. In the six donors, two were negative for P1 and Jka, one was positive for P1 and negative for Jka, and three were negative for P1 and positive for Jka. The tentative cross‐matching tests using the indirect antiglobulin method in saline showed that only agglutination occurred in the blood samples of the patient collected after last transfusion and the three Jka‐positive blood donors.

Discussion

The clinical manifestations and laboratory test results suggested that HHS occurred in this patient with β‐thalassemia after each transfusion. Clinicians should be aware that HHS can occur with compatible blood transfusion.
Determinants and patterns of antibiotic consumption for children under five in Nepal: analysis and modelling of Demographic Health Survey data from 2006 to 2016
Authors: Zheng Charlotte , Karkey Abilasha , Wang Tianyi , Makuka Gerald , van Doorn H. Rogier , Lewycka Sonia
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Our aims were to examine AMR‐specific and AMR‐sensitive factors associated with antibiotic consumption in Nepal between 2006 and 2016, to explore health care‐seeking patterns and the source of antibiotics.

Methods

Cross‐sectional data from children under five in households in Nepal were extracted from the 2006, 2011 and 2016 Demographic Health Surveys (DHS). Bivariable and multivariable analyses were carried out to assess the association of disease prevalence and antibiotic use with age, sex, ecological location, urban/rural location, wealth index, household size, maternal smoking, use of clean fuel, sanitation, nutritional status, access to health care and vaccinations.

Results

Prevalence of fever, acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhoea decreased between 2006 and 2016, whilst the proportion of children under five receiving antibiotics increased. Measles vaccination, basic vaccinations, nutritional status, sanitation and access to health care were associated with antibiotic use. Those in the highest wealth index use less antibiotics and antibiotic consumption in rural areas surpassed urban regions over time. Health seeking from the private sector has overtaken government facilities since 2006 with antibiotics mainly originating from pharmacies and private hospitals. Adherence to WHO‐recommended antibiotics has fallen over time.

Conclusions

With rising wealth, there has been a decline in disease prevalence but an increase in antibiotic use and more access to unregulated sources. Understanding factors associated with antibiotic use will help to inform interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use whilst ensuring access to those who need them.
A review of glaucoma surgical therapy
Authors: Webb Terah E. R.
Published: December 2020

Glaucoma is a disorder of all species due to a rise of intraocular pressure (IOP) beyond which is compatible with ganglion cell and axon function, often resulting in optic nerve degeneration and irreversible blindness. Glaucoma treatment with surgical intervention aimed at either reducing aqueous production, or increasing or altering aqueous outflow has evolved over preceding decades, but there remains no cure. The present article is intended to provide a concise review of glaucoma surgical therapies in veterinary ophthalmology.
Accuracy and safety of three‐dimensionally printed animal‐specific drill guides for thoracolumbar vertebral column instrumentation in dogs: Bilateral and unilateral designs
Authors: Guevar Julien , Bleedorn Jason , Cullum Thomas , Hetzel Scott , Zlotnick Josh , Mariani Christopher L.
Published: December 2020

Objective

To evaluate the safety and accuracy of a unilateral three‐dimensionally printed animal‐specific drill guide (3DASDG) design for unilateral stabilization in the thoracolumbar vertebral column of dogs compared to a bilateral design.

Study design

Cadaveric study.

Sample population

Fifty‐two corridors in one canine cadaver.

Methods

Two 3DASDG designs with 2 drilling tubes each were created from T8 to L7 vertebrae. Fifty‐two corridors were drilled on the right and the left sides by using unilateral and bilateral designs, respectively. Planned and postoperative trajectories (entry point, exit point, angle) were compared to establish the accuracy. Statistical analysis was used for accuracy comparison between designs. Safety was evaluated by using Zdichavsky classification.

Results

Unilateral and bilateral drill guide designs were not different for entry point and angle deviations; however, they were different for the exit point deviations. Two corridors breached outside the vertebra. For all guides, mean entry and exit point deviations were less than 1 and 2 mm, respectively. The maximum entry or exit point deviation in both groups was 4.7 mm. The mean angle deviation was <3.5°, and the maximum angle deviation was 9.3°.

Conclusion

No difference was detected in accuracy of entry points and angle deviations between drill guide designs tested in normal vertebrae. The technique was classified as highly safe.

Clinical significance

A unilateral drill guide design may be a safe alternative to bilateral guides for unilateral stabilization of the thoracolumbar vertebral column in dogs.
Automatic Extraction and Geospatial Analysis of Lineaments and their Tectonic Significance in South Cameroon Area using Remote Sensing Techniques and GIS
Authors: Shandini Yves , Mouzong Marcelin Pemi , Onguene Raphael , Tomedi Minette Eyango , Etame Jacques , Essimbi Bernard Zobo
Published: December 2020

This study investigates the dominant orientations of lineament features and the relationship between these trends and the spatial orientation of tectonic structures in the transition zone of the Congo craton and the Pan African belt in South Cameroon area. Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS and hill-shaded images, constructed from 30 m-resolution SRTM-DEM data, were used for automatically extracting and mapping geological lineaments. Lineament features were analyzed by means of azimuth frequency and length density distributions. Three major sets of lineaments trending W–E, ENE-WSW and WNW-ESE are identified in the South Cameroon area. These trends are probably related to repeated reactivation of pre-existing crustal structures during Eburnean and Pan-African tectonic episodes. The lineaments were formed under the compressional tectonic stress regimes generated during these tectonic events.
Multiscale Validation of Multiple Human Body Model Functional Spinal Units
Authors: Draper Dustin , Newell Nicolas , Masouros Spyros , Peldschus Steffen
Published: December 2020

A validation comparing five human body model (HBM) lumbar spines is carried out across two load cases, with the objective to use and apply HBMs in high strain rate applications such as car occupant simulation. The first load case consists of an individual intervertebral disc (IVD) loaded in compression at a strain rate of 1/s by a material testing machine. The second load case is a lumbar functional spine unit (FSU) loaded in compression using a drop tower setup, producing strain rates of up to 48/s. The IVD simulations were found to have a better agreement with the experiments than the FSU simulations, and the ranking of which HBMs matched best to the experiment differed by load case. These observations suggest the need for more hierarchical validations of the lumbar spine for increasing the utility of HBMs in high strain rate loading scenarios.
Guided Waves Measurement Techniques in Pitch–Catch Configuration
Authors: Cordella Francesco , Bertoncini Francesco , Cappelli Mauro
Published: December 2020

Guided waves (GWs) testing allows a long-range screening in pipes of different types and represents an effective and powerful nondestructing technique for defect detections using a limited number of points of measures. After the characterization through a general theoretical analysis, the focus is set to a real steam discharge pipe with a high mechanical complexity used for many years in a research plant now decommissioned. The experimental method applied here is the pitch–catch configuration of two magnetostrictive sensors. This paper aims to establish a strong theoretical background to pave the way for a robust experimental investigation. Preliminary experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analysis.
Uniaxial High-Speed Microscale Three-Dimensional Surface Topographical Measurements Using Fringe Projection
Authors: Zheng Yi , Li Beiwen
Published: December 2020

In situ inspection has drawn many attention in manufacturing due to the importance of quality assurance. Having an accurate and robust in situ monitoring can assist corrective actions for a closed-loop control of a manufacturing process. The fringe projection technique, as a variation of the structured light technique, has demonstrated significant potential for real-time in situ monitoring and inspection given its merits of conducting simultaneous high-speed and high-accuracy measurements. However, high-speed three-dimensional (3D) scanning methods like fringe projection technique are typically based on triangulation principle, meaning that the depth information is retrieved by analyzing the triangulation relationship between the light emitter (i.e., projector), the image receiver (i.e., camera) and the tested sample surface. Such measurement scheme cannot reconstruct 3D surfaces where large geometrical variations are present, such as a deep hole or a stair geometry. This is because large geometrical variations will block the auxiliary light used in the triangulation-based methods, which will resultantly cause a shadowed area to occur. In this paper, we propose a uniaxial fringe projection technique to address such limitation. We measured a stair model using both conventional triangulation-based fringe projection technique and the proposed method for comparison. Our experiment demonstrates that the proposed uniaxial fringe projection technique can perform high-speed 3D scanning without shadows appearing in the scene. Quantitative testing shows that an accuracy of 1.15% can be obtained using the proposed uniaxial fringe projection system.
Experimental Investigation and Plasticity Modeling of SS316 L Microtubes Under Varying Deformation Paths
Authors: Mamros Elizabeth M. , Ha Jinjin , Korkolis Yannis P. , Kinsey Brad L.
Published: December 2020

In this paper, results for SS316 L microtube experiments under combined inflation and axial loading for single and multiloading segment deformation paths are presented along with a plasticity model to predict the associated stress and strain paths. The microtube inflation/tension machine, utilized for these experiments, creates biaxial stress states by applying axial tension or compression and internal pressure simultaneously. Two types of loading paths are considered in this paper, proportional (where a single loading path with a given axial:hoop stress ratio is followed) and corner (where an initial pure loading segment, i.e., axial or hoop, is followed by a secondary loading segment in the transverse direction, i.e., either hoop or axial, respectively). The experiments are designed to produce the same final strain state under different deformation paths, resulting in different final stress states. This difference in stress state can affect the material properties of the final part, which can be varied for the intended application, e.g., biomedical hardware, while maintaining the desired geometry. The experiments are replicated in a reasonable way by a material model that combines the Hill 1948 anisotropic yield function and the Hockett–Sherby hardening law. Discussion of the grain size effects during microforming impacting the ability to achieve consistent deformation path results is included.
Vibration Response-Based Intelligent Non-Contact Fault Diagnosis of Bearings
Authors: Goyal Deepam , Dhami S. S. , Pabla B. S.
Published: December 2020

Accelerometers, used as vibration pickups in machine health monitoring systems, need physical connection to the machine tool through cables, complicating physical systems. A non-contact laser based vibration sensor has been developed and used for bearing health monitoring in this article. The vibration data have been acquired under speed and load variation. Hilbert transform (HT) has been applied for denoising the vibration signal. An extraction of condition monitoring indicators from both raw and envelope signals has been made, and the dimensionality of these extracted indicators was deducted with principal component analysis (PCA). Sequential floating forward selection (SFFS) method has been implemented for ranking the selected indicators in order of significance for reduction in the input vector size and for finalizing the most optimal indicator set. Finally, the selected indicators are passed to k-nearest neighbor (kNN) and weighted kNN (WkNN) for diagnosing the bearing defects. The comparative analysis of the effectiveness of kNN and WkNN has been executed. It is evident from the experimental results that the vibration signals obtained from developed non-contact sensor compare adequately with the accelerometer data obtained under similar conditions. The performance of WkNN has been found to be slower compared to kNN. The proposed fault detection methodology compares very well with the other reported methods in the literature. The non-contact fault detection methodology has an enormous potential for automatic recognition of defects in the machine, which can provide early signals to avoid catastrophic failure and unplanned equipment shutdowns.
Approximate Relations for Optimum Turbine Operating Parameters in Allam Cycle
Authors: Haseli Y.
Published: December 2020

This article explores the relations between the cycle performance and the main operating parameters of the Allam cycle with uncooled turbine through a simplified thermodynamic analysis. The cycle efficiency is maximized with respect to turbine parameters. Expressions are derived for the estimation of optimum turbine inlet temperature (TIT) and pressure as well as optimum turbine exhaust pressure. The cryogenic air separation process developed by Allam is employed, which produces supercritical oxygen at combustion pressure. Typical numerical results are presented using the new expressions for optimum turbine parameters. The highest cycle efficiency is found to be 66.4% at a TIT/inlet pressure/exhaust pressure of 1306 K/300 bar/39.4 bar and a CO2 compressor exit pressure of 60 bar. The newly derived relationships for the key process parameters allow a better understanding of the operation of the Allam cycle.