bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The dusty museum
Authors: Hakamies Inkeri
Published: August 2018

Dust is a significant problem for museums – not only from the point of view of conservation, but also because it has a negative effect on the museum’s image. In this paper, I analyse the cultural connotations of museum dust: Why is dust in a museum so appalling, and, consequently, what do people really mean by the word pair dusty museum? The empirical material of this study consists of interview and questionnaire material produced as part of a national Finnish museum history project between 2005 and 2011. In the analysis, museum dust has been treated as a material element of social practices. Tangible dust is a material element in many museum practices, but dust can also be a concept used to describe the wrong kind of museum. Museum dust and dusty museums are both discursive practices that reflect ideas of what museums should or shouldn’t be.
Museums and museology in Denmark in the twenty-first century
Authors: Nørskov Vinnie
Published: August 2018

The article discusses the role of the legal framework in Denmark in the development of Danish museums and identifies a shift in the administration through a new museum act implemented in 2002 as a turning point through the establishment of an agency under the Ministry of Culture. At the same time museology was strengthened at the universities and since then research, education and museum practices have been focusing on improving the role of museums for visitors and for society.
The development of Finnish museums over the last forty years
Authors: Vilkuna Janne
Published: August 2018

The focus of this article is the development of Finnish museums since the 1970s, when the Ministry of Education started to understand the social benefits of museums as social memory organizations with activities of research and education. At this point in time the Ministry began actively developing the preconditions for museum work, the main ”tools” being several political museum committees which created a museum hierarchy and network, ensured state subsidy through museum acts, established university studies of museology, and gave support to the Finnish Museums Association.
Fra Sami Yusuf til Harris J Om islamske verdier og tematisering av muslimsk identitet gjennom halal-pop
Authors: Farstad Mona Helen
Published: August 2018

Fear and suspicion towards Islam and Muslims have become increasingly prominent in the public debate. This represents a challenge for Muslim youth in their efforts to develop a positive religious identity. The point of departure in this article is how the new, Islamic pop industry, here represented by a selection of music and artists from Awakening Records, has responded to this situation by producing religious music specifically aimed at European/Western youth. The article analyses how musical genre, texts, images and videos work together and thematizes Muslim identity and Islamic values in different ways.  It is suggested that this material may serve as resources for the identity management of young European Muslims by offering alternative, positive narratives about Islam.Key words: Islamic pop-music, Muslim youth culture, Muslim identity, Awakening RecordsFrykt og mistenksomhet overfor islam og muslimer har blitt stadig mer fremtredende i den offentlige debatt. Dette representerer en utfordring for muslimsk ungdom i deres arbeid med å utvikle en positiv religiøs identitet. Denne artikkelen tar utgangspunkt i hvordan den nye, islamske pop-industrien, her representert ved et utvalg musikk og artister fra Awakening Records, har respondert på denne situasjonen ved å produsere religiøs musikk spesielt rettet mot europeisk/vestlig ungdom. Artikkelen analyserer hvordan musikalsk uttrykk, tekster, bilder og videoer virker sammen og tematiserer muslimsk identitet og islamske verdier på ulike måter.  Det pekes på at dette materialet kan tjene som ressurser for unge, europeiske muslimers identitetsarbeid ved å tilby alternative, positive narrativ om islam.Nøkkelord: islamsk pop-musikk, muslimsk ungdomskultur, muslimsk identitet, Awakening Records
Light-based patterning of bacterial cells through induction of biofilm formation processes
Authors: Ng Wenfa
Published: August 2018

Microbes live in communities known as biofilm on many surfaces. Thus, understanding the spatially-resolved intercellular communication and signalling link would be important to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms that govern the division of labour within biofilm as well as the differentiated roles of different species within the community. To this end, different cell patterning approaches ranging from streak plate inoculation to more spatially-defined methods utilizing microfluidics have been shown to be useful for patterning different types of cells on the same surface. However, these approaches suffer from one major limitation: the inability to control the cellular state of the cells patterned on the surface. For example, it was not possible to control the cellular differentiation pathways activated in cells patterned on a surface by the streak plate inoculation approach. A recent article in PNAS described the approach of biofilm lithography that utilized light illumination to control biofilm formation and thus patterning of cells on a surface. Specifically, a light-sensitive promoter, pDawn, was coupled to a biofilm formation gene, Ag43 that enabled the induction of biofilm formation and deposition of cells on a surface upon activation of a specific wavelength of light. The approach is amenable to the use of photomask common in photolithography and enables the formation of patterns with high spatial resolution of 25 µm. However, the method suffers from unexplained degradation of the patterned biofilm after a few days and this limits its utility in long duration experiments seeking to understand cellular behaviour due to intercellular signalling. In addition, the maximal spatial resolution achieved is still multiple cell lengths away from that necessary to understand intercellular communications of cells in close contact in a biofilm. However, by coupling the light sensitive promoter to other genes important to biofilm formation processes in other microbial species, the approach could be extended in future work to the formation of different patterns of multiple microbial species to understand how different localization of different microbial species impact on the ecology and functioning of biofilms. Collectively, the approach of biofilm lithography represents an important advance in the biologist’s toolkit for patterning spatially-resolved patterns of cells for understanding how spatial location influences cell-cell communications within the same community of cells.
Numerical treatment of floating conductors based on the traditional finite element formulation
Authors: Rincon D. J. , Aguilera E. , Chacón J. C.
Published: August 2018

A method to model a conductor with undefined potential (commonly known as floating conductor), is sometimes required in the electric field analysis. This paper presentsand compares the main methods to deal with such issue, based on the traditional finite element formulation. The purpose is to guide the reader in the selection of a method under the following criteria: Accuracy, implementation and simplicity. The accuracy of each method was evaluated against the analytic solution of the capacitance matrix for a system of parallel cylindrical conductors. Based on the results of the simulations, the characteristics of the methods and this paper’s criteria, a qualification of each method performance is done. Additionally, particular cases in which a specific method could be the most suitable option to deal with floating conductors, are analyzed. In general, the Virtual Permittivity method exhibits the best performance. However, it is shown that the method’s accuracy is influenced by the rounding errors. This paper proposes an additional consideration on the method formulation in order to verify the accuracy of the results.
The appropriateness of ceftriaxone and metronidazole as empirical therapy in managing complicated intra-abdominal infection—experience from Western Health, Australia
Authors: Tan Andrew , Rouse Michael , Kew Natalie , Qin Sharon , La Paglia Domenic , Pham Toan
Published: August 2018

Purpose

This study aims to assess the microbiological profile, antimicrobial susceptibility and adequacy of intravenous ceftriaxone and metronidazole as empirical therapy for surgical patients presenting with complicated intra-abdominal infection.

Methods

This retrospective audit reviews the microbiological profile and sensitivity of intra-abdominal cultures from adult patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection who presented to the emergency department at Western Health (Melbourne, Australia) between November 2013 and June 2017. Using the hospital’s database, an audit was completed using diagnosis related group (DRG) coded data. Ethics approval has been granted by the Western Health Human Research Ethics Committee. Results are stratified according to surgical conditions (appendicitis, cholecystitis, sigmoid diverticulitis and bowel perforation). The antimicrobial coverage of ceftriaxone and metronidazole is evaluated against these microbial profiles.

Results

A total of 1,412 patients were identified using DRG codes for intra-abdominal infection. All patients with microscopy and sensitivity results were included in the study. Patients without these results were excluded. 162 patients were evaluable. 180 microbiological cultures were performed through surgical intervention or radiologically guided aspiration of the intra-abdominal infection. Single or multiple pathogens were identified in 137 cultures. The most commonly identified pathogens were mixed anaerobes (12.6%), Escherichia coli (E. coli) (12.1%), mixed coliforms (11.6%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7%). Other common pathogens (6% each) included Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus anginosus, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) and Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBL) producing E. coli. Organisms isolated in our study are consistent with existing literature. However, a significant proportion of antibiotic resistant organisms was identified in cases of perforated bowel and sigmoid diverticulitis. Broader spectrum antimicrobial therapy should therefore be considered in lieu of ceftriaxone and metronidazole in these cases. Ceftriaxone and metronidazole remain as appropriate empirical therapy for patients who presented with perforated appendicitis and cholecystitis.

Discussion

The empirical regime of ceftriaxone and metronidazole remains appropriate for intra-abdominal infection secondary to appendicitis and cholecystitis. In cases involving perforated small and large bowel, including complicated sigmoid diverticulitis, the judicious use of ceftriaxone and metronidazole is recommended.
Metabolomic profiling of human lung tumor tissues – nucleotide metabolism as a candidate for therapeutic interventions and biomarkers
Authors: Moreno Paula , Jiménez‐Jiménez Carla , Garrido‐Rodríguez Martín , Calderón‐Santiago Mónica , Molina Susana , Lara‐Chica Maribel , Priego‐Capote Feliciano , Salvatierra Ángel , Muñoz Eduardo , Calzado Marco A.
Published: August 2018

Although metabolomics has attracted considerable attention in the field of lung cancer (LC) detection and management, only a very limited number of works have applied it to tissues. As such, the aim of this study was the thorough analysis of metabolic profiles of relevant LC tissues, including the most important histological subtypes (adenocarcinoma and squamous cell lung carcinoma). Mass spectrometry‐based metabolomics, along with genetic expression and histological analyses, were performed as part of this study, the widest to date, to identify metabolic alterations in tumors of the most relevant histological subtypes in lung. A total of 136 lung tissue samples were analyzed and 851 metabolites were identified through metabolomic analysis. Our data show the existence of a clear metabolic alteration not only between tumor vs. nonmalignant tissue in each patient, but also inherently intrinsic changes in both AC and SCC. Significant changes were observed in the most relevant biochemical pathways, and nucleotide metabolism showed an important number of metabolites with high predictive capability values. The present study provides a detailed analysis of the metabolomic changes taking place in relevant biochemical pathways of the most important histological subtypes of LC, which can be used as biomarkers and also to identify novel targets.
Energy‐dependent OAR sparing and dose conformity for total marrow irradiation of obese patients
Authors: Cherpak Amanda J. , Monajemi Thalat , Chytyk‐Praznik Krista , Mulroy Liam
Published: August 2018

Purpose

To investigate the effect on target coverage and organs at risk sparing by using 10 versus 6 MV for VMAT total marrow irradiation of obese patients.

Methods and Materials

Twenty‐six total marrow irradiation, TMI, treatment plans delivered between December 2014 and June 2017 were reviewed and 10 were chosen for replanning based on patient characteristics and plan metrics. Beam geometry and isocenter placement were conserved, energy was changed from 6 to 10 MV and plans were reoptimized. Resulting dose distributions were compared to original plans to evaluate any potential advantage of choosing one energy over the other.

Results

Target coverage and total monitor units were consistent between the 6 and 10 MV plans when averaged over all ten patients. Improvement in the conformity index (−11.0%, P = 0.009) when using 10 MV was statistically significant compared to the 6 MV plans. Volumes of normal tissue receiving 50%, 75%, and 90% Rx all decreased for the 10 MV plans compared to the original 6 MV plans. The mean dose to individual OARs decreased significantly for all investigated structures except for the lenses, oral cavity, and genitalia. The largest decreases in Dmean were found for the rectum (22.4%, P = 0.004) and bladder (18.1%, P = 0.005). The three highest priorities for sparing during plan optimization (lungs, liver, and heart), showed decreases of 7.6%, 16.1%, and 13.0%.

Conclusions

Use of a higher energy 10 MV beam provided similar dose to target while achieving increased OAR and normal tissue sparing for the patients reviewed in this study.
A quantitative assessment of the consequences of allowing dose heterogeneity in prostate radiation therapy planning
Authors: Sun Lingyue , Smith Wendy , Ghose Abhijit , Kirkby Charles
Published: August 2018

Target dose uniformity has been historically an aim of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning. However, for some sites, this may not be strictly necessary and removing this constraint could theoretically improve organ‐at‐risk (OAR) sparing and tumor control probability (TCP). This study systematically investigates the consequences of PTV dose uniformity that results from the application or removal of an upper dose constraint (UDC) in the inverse planning process for prostate VMAT treatments. OAR sparing, target coverage, hotspots, and plan complexity were compared between prostate VMAT plans with and without the PTV UDC optimized using the progressive resolution optimizer (PRO, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Removing the PTV UDC, the median D1cc reached 144.6% for the CTV and the PTV, and an average increase of 3.2% TCP was demonstrated, while CTV and PTV coverage evaluated by D99% was decreased by less than 0.6% with statistical significance. Moreover, systematic improvement in the rectum dose volume histograms was shown (a 5–10% decrease in the volume receiving 50% to 75% prescribed dose), resulting in an average decrease of 1.3% (P < 0.01) in the rectum normal tissue complication probability. Additional consequences included potentially increased dose to the urethra as evaluated by PTV D0.035cc (median: 153.4%), delivering 283 extra monitor units (MUs), and slightly higher degrees of modulation. In general, the results were consistent when a different optimizer (Photon Optimizer, Varian Medical Systems) was used. In conclusion, removing the PTV UDC is acceptable for localized prostate cases given the systematic improvement of rectal dose and TCP. It can be particularly useful for cases that do not meet the rectum dose constraints with the PTV UDC on. This comes with the foreseeable consequences of increased dose heterogeneity in the PTV and an increase in MUs and plan complexity. It also has a higher requirement for reproducing the position and size of the target and OARs during treatment. Finally, with the PTV UDC completely removed, in some cases the maximum doses within the PTV did approach levels that may be of concern for urethral toxicity and therefore in clinical implementation it may still be necessary to include a PTV UDC, but one based on limiting toxicity rather than enforcing dose homogeneity.
Decreased Pain and Improved Dynamic Knee Instability Mediate the Beneficial Effect of Wearing a Soft Knee Brace on Activity Limitations in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Cudejko Tomasz , van der Esch Martin , van den Noort Josien C. , Rijnhart Judith J. M. , van der Leeden Marike , Roorda Leo D. , Lems Willem , Waddington Gordon , Harlaar Jaap , Dekker Joost
Published: August 2018

Objective

To evaluate whether improvement of proprioception, pain, or dynamic knee instability mediates the effect of wearing a soft knee brace on activity limitations in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

We conducted an analysis of data for 44 patients with knee OA who were enrolled in a laboratory‐based trial evaluating the effect of wearing a commercially available soft knee brace. Activity limitations were assessed with the 10‐meter walk test and the Get Up and Go test. Knee joint proprioception was assessed by an active joint position sense test; pain was assessed on a numeric rating scale (NRS) (range 0–10); pressure pain threshold (PPT) was assessed with a hand‐held pressure algometer; dynamic knee instability was expressed by the perturbation response, i.e., a measure reflecting a deviation in mean knee varus–valgus angle after a controlled mechanical perturbation on a treadmill, with respect to level walking. Mediation analysis was conducted using the product of coefficients approach. Confidence intervals were calculated with a bootstrap procedure.

Results

A decrease in pain (scored on an NRS) and a decrease in dynamic knee instability mediated the effect of wearing a soft knee brace on the reduction of activity limitations (P < 0.05), while changes in proprioception and PPT did not mediate this effect (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

This study shows that decreased pain and reduced dynamic knee instability are pathways by which wearing a soft knee brace decreases activity limitations in patients with knee OA.
Effects of Language, Insurance, and Race/Ethnicity on Measurement Properties of the PROMIS Physical Function Short Form 10a in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Izadi Zara , Katz Patricia P. , Schmajuk Gabriela , Gandrup Julie , Li Jing , Gianfrancesco Milena , Yazdany Jinoos
Published: August 2018

Objective

Most studies that have evaluated patient‐reported outcomes, such as those utilizing the Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function Short Form 10a (PF10a) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have been performed in white and English‐speaking populations. The aim of our study was to assess the measurement properties of the PF10a in a racially/ethnically diverse population with RA and to determine the effect of non‐English language proficiency, insurance status, and race/ethnicity on the validity and responsiveness of the PF10a.

Methods

Data were abstracted from electronic health records for all RA patients seen in a university‐based rheumatology clinic between 2013 and 2017. We evaluated the use of the PF10a, floor and ceiling effects, and construct validity across categories of language preference, insurance, and race/ethnicity. We used standardized response means and linear mixed‐effects models to evaluate the responsiveness of the PF10a to longitudinal changes in the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) across population subgroups.

Results

We included 595 patients in a cross‐sectional analysis of validity and 341 patients in longitudinal responsiveness analyses of the PF10a. The PF10a had acceptable floor and ceiling effects and was successfully implemented. We observed good construct validity and responsiveness to changes in CDAI among white subjects, English speakers, and privately insured patients. However, constructs evaluated by the PF10a were less correlated with clinical measures among Chinese speakers and Hispanic subjects, and less sensitive to clinical improvements among Medicaid patients and Spanish speakers.

Conclusion

While the PF10a has good measurement properties and is both practical and acceptable for implementation in routine clinical practice, we also found important differences across racial/ethnic groups and those with limited English proficiency that warrant further investigation.
High‐Performance Flexible Quasi‐Solid‐State Supercapacitors Realized by Molybdenum Dioxide@Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon and Copper Cobalt Sulfide Tubular Nanostructures
Authors: Liu Shude , Yin Ying , Hui Kwan San , Hui Kwun Nam , Lee Su Chan , Jun Seong Chan
Published: August 2018

Flexible quasi‐/all‐solid‐state supercapacitors have elicited scientific attention to fulfill the explosive demand for portable and wearable electronic devices. However, the use of electrode materials faces several challenges, such as intrinsically slow kinetics and volume change upon cycling, which impede the energy output and electrochemical stability. This study presents well‐aligned molybdenum dioxide@nitrogen‐doped carbon (MoO2@NC) and copper cobalt sulfide (CuCo2S4) tubular nanostructures grown on flexible carbon fiber for use as electrode materials in supercapacitors. Benefiting from the chemically stable interfaces, affluent active sites, and efficient 1D electron transport, the MoO2@NC and CuCo2S4 nanostructures integrated on conductive substrates deliver excellent electrochemical performance. A flexible quasi‐solid‐state asymmetric supercapacitor composed of MoO2@NC as the negative electrode and CuCo2S4 as the positive electrode achieves an ultrahigh energy density of 65.1 W h kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1 and retains a favorable energy density of 27.6 W h kg−1 at an ultrahigh power density of 12.8 kW kg−1. Moreover, it demonstrates good cycling performance with 90.6% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles and excellent mechanical flexibility by enabling 92.2% capacitance retention after 2000 bending cycles. This study provides an effective strategy to develop electrode materials with superior electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors.
A genetic portrait of the South‐Eastern Carpathians based on autosomal short tandem repeats loci used in forensics
Authors: Benvisto Alessandro , Messina Francesco , Finocchio Andrea , Popa Luis , Stefan Mihaela , Stefanescu Gheorghe , Mironeanu Catalin , Novelletto Andrea , Rapone Cesare , Berti Andrea
Published: August 2018

Objectives

This work aimed to describe the genetic landscape of the Balkan Peninsula, as revealed by STR markers commonly used in forensics and spatial methods specifically developed for genetic data.

Methods

We generated and analyzed 16 short tandem repeats (STRs) autosomal genotypes in 287 subjects from ten administrative/geographical regions of Eastern Europe (Romania and the Republic of Moldova). We report estimates of the allele frequencies in these sub‐populations, their fixation indexes, and use these results to complement previous spatial analyses of Southern Europe.

Results

In seven out of ten analyzed regional samples the heterozygosity, averaged across loci, was lower than expected. The average Fis was 0.011. Among the 16 loci, five returned a significant fixation index Fst. The composite Fst across the 16 loci, among the 10 regional samples, was 0.00417, a figure twice as large as that obtained with the same markers across the entire Northern Mediterranean. The first spatial principal component (sPC1) returned the picture of a Central‐European pattern of frequencies for the Carpathians, which extended to the Southern boundary of the Balkan Peninsula. However, the 8 alleles extracted by sPC1 returned a picture of a strong reduction of the migration rate in the Carpathian region, mostly between the inner locations.

Conclusions

Our results revealed an unexpected heterogeneity in the area. We believe that populations from some regions will require treatment as distinct entities when considered in forensic applications.
Child participation in sports is influenced by patterns of lifestyle‐related behaviors
Authors: Rodrigues Daniela , Padez Cristina , Machado‐Rodrigues Aristides M.
Published: August 2018

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of child and family characteristics and behaviors, and to determine the association of those patterns with child participation in sports.

Methods

A questionnaire and anthropometric measures were used to collect data on 834 parents and their 6‐ to 10‐year‐old children. A principal component analysis identified child and parental patterns, which were tested for association with child participation in extracurricular sports (ES).

Results

Seven patterns were identified: (1) socio‐economic, (2) child obesity, (3) parental TV viewing, (4) father's physical activity (PA), (5) mother's PA, (6) child screen time, and (7) parental reported barriers. After adjustment, patterns 1 and 7 (P < .001), pattern 2 (P = .01), and patterns 5 and 6 (P = .04) were significantly associated with the number of sports practiced by children while, patterns 1 and 7 (P < .001), pattern 2 (P = .03), and patterns 4 and 5 (P = .01) were significantly associated with frequency of participation in ES.

Conclusion

Future interventions to promote children's participation in sports should be based on a socio‐ecological model and targeted to high‐risk populations showing multiple risks such as a lower socio‐economic status, inactive parents, or obese children.
Body adiposity from childhood to adolescence in boys: Interaction with somatic maturity
Authors: Werneck André O. , Silva Danilo R. , Bueno Maria R.O. , Fernandes Rômulo A. , Ronque Enio R.V.
Published: August 2018

Objectives

To investigate the longitudinal relationship between adiposity and maturity status throughout the transition between childhood and adolescence in boys, and the moderation effect of maturation on adiposity trajectories.

Methods

This was a longitudinal study conducted with 197 boys who were followed over 3 years (from childhood to adolescence). Body adiposity was estimated through the subcutaneous skinfold method, with measures of triceps and subscapular skinfolds. Skinfolds were analyzed singly and aggregated through the sum of skinfolds. Maturity status was estimated through Moore's method of estimated peak of height velocity, which uses an algorithm with stature and chronological age values and was categorized according to mean and SD. Analysis of covariance was used to test moderation effects. All analyses were conducted in STATA 14.0, at a 0.05 level of significance.

Results

Early maturing adolescents presented higher values of body adiposity at all moments when compared with on‐time and late maturing adolescents (P < .05). Moreover, maturity status moderated the association between sum of skinfolds at childhood and sum of skinfolds at adolescence (F = 2.49; P = .045).

Conclusion

Somatic maturation moderates the relationship between adiposity in childhood and adolescence, with earlier maturation associated with a greater increase in adiposity. Future tracking studies should consider the effects of maturity status when analyzing body adiposity.
The influences of genes, the environment, and social factors on the evolution of skin color diversity in India
Authors: Iliescu Florin Mircea , Chaplin George , Rai Niraj , Jacobs Guy S. , Basu Mallick Chandana , Mishra Anshuman , Thangaraj Kumarasamy , Jablonski Nina G.
Published: August 2018

Objectives

Skin color is a highly visible and variable trait across human populations. It is not yet clear how evolutionary forces interact to generate phenotypic diversity. Here, we sought to unravel through an integrative framework the role played by three factors—demography and migration, sexual selection, and natural selection—in driving skin color diversity in India.

Methods

Skin reflectance data were collected from 10 diverse socio‐cultural populations along the latitudinal expanse of India, including both sexes. We first looked at how skin color varies within and between these populations. Second, we compared patterns of sexual dimorphism in skin color. Third, we studied the influence of ultraviolet radiation on skin color throughout India. Finally, we attempted to disentangle the interactions between these factors in the context of available genetic data.

Results

We found that the relative importance of these forces varied between populations. Social factors and population structure have played a stronger role than natural selection in shaping skin color diversity across India. Phenotypic overprinting resulted from additional genetic mutations overriding the skin lightening effect of variants such as theSLC24A5rs1426654‐A allele in some populations, in the context of the variable influence of sexual selection. Furthermore, specific genotypes are not associated reliably with specific skin color phenotypes. This result has relevance for DNA forensics and ancient DNA research.

Conclusions

India is a crucible of macro‐ and micro‐evolutionary forces, and the complex interactions of physical and social forces are visible in the patterns of skin color seen today in the country.
Longitudinal associations of android and gynoid fat mass on cardiovascular disease risk factors in normal weight and overweight boys during puberty
Authors: Lätt E , Mäestu J , Jürimäe J
Published: August 2018

Objectives

The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess associations between android and gynoid fat distribution and different cardiovascular disease risk factors in normal weight as well as overweight/obese boys during the pubertal period.

Methods

In total, 146 boys (baseline age 11.9 ±0.6 years) were recruited for a 2‐year longitudinal study. Total body fat percentage and android–gynoid fat distribution were measured using DXA. In addition, waist and hip circumference was measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and glucose were measured, and homeostatic model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) was calculated. Tanner stage and physical activity were assessed as covariates.

Results

Overweight subjects had worse values for most of the measured blood parameters (P <0.05). Higher android, gynoid fat mass (FM), and android/gynoid FM ratio were longitudinally associated with higher insulin and HOMA‐IR values in both normal weight and overweight boys (P <0.05). In addition, higher android FM and gynoid FM were associated with worse values in HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in overweight boys (P <0.05).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that higher android as well as gynoid fat have a strong impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors in both normal weight and overweight boys during the pubertal period. It can be suggested that measurement of fat distribution as android and gynoid fat is important for the assessment of the development or burden of metabolic diseases in boys with different weight statuses.
Automated classification of osteomeatal complex inflammation on computed tomography using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Chowdhury Naweed I. , Smith Timothy L. , Chandra Rakesh K. , Turner Justin H.
Published: August 2018

Background

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are advanced artificial intelligence algorithms well suited to image classification tasks with variable features. These have been used to great effect in various real‐world applications including handwriting recognition, face detection, image search, and fraud prevention. We sought to retrain a robust CNN with coronal computed tomography (CT) images to classify osteomeatal complex (OMC) occlusion and assess the performance of this technology with rhinologic data.

Methods

The Google Inception‐V3 CNN trained with 1.28 million images was used as the base model. Preoperative coronal sections through the OMC were obtained from 239 patients enrolled in 2 prospective chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) outcomes studies, labeled according to OMC status, and mirrored to obtain a set of 956 images. Using this data, the classification layer of Inception‐V3 was retrained in Python using a transfer learning method to adapt the CNN to the task of interpreting sinonasal CT images.

Results

The retrained neural network achieved 85% classification accuracy for OMC occlusion, with a 95% confidence interval for algorithm accuracy of 78% to 92%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis on the test set confirmed good classification ability of the CNN with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.87, significantly different than both random guessing and a dominant classifier that predicts the most common class (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Current state‐of‐the‐art CNNs may be able to learn clinically relevant information from 2‐dimensional sinonasal CT images with minimal supervision. Future work will extend this approach to 3‐dimensional images in order to further refine this technology for possible clinical applications.
Fluorescence Probes for ALKBH2 Allow the Measurement of DNA Alkylation Repair and Drug Resistance Responses
Authors: Wilson David L. , Beharry Andrew A. , Srivastava Avinash , O'Connor Timothy R. , Kool Eric T.
Published: August 2018

The DNA repair enzyme ALKBH2 is implicated in both tumorigenesis as well as resistance to chemotherapy in certain cancers. It is currently under study as a potential diagnostic marker and has been proposed as a therapeutic target. To date, however, there exist no direct methods for measuring the repair activity of ALKBH2 in vitro or in biological samples. Herein, we report a highly specific, fluorogenic probe design based on an oligonucleotide scaffold that reports directly on ALKBH2 activity both in vitro and in cell lysates. Importantly, the probe enables the monitoring of cellular regulation of ALKBH2 activity in response to treatment with the chemotherapy drug temozolomide through a simple fluorescence assay, which has only previously been observed through indirect means such as qPCR and western blots. Furthermore, the probe provides a viable high‐throughput assay for drug discovery.
Elite universities, fields of study and top salaries: Which degree will make you rich?
Authors: Sullivan Alice , Parsons Samantha , Green Francis , Wiggins Richard D. , Ploubidis George
Published: August 2018

This article assesses the chances of entering the top 5% of earners for a British cohort currently in their 40s. We assess the difference made by a university degree from an elite (Russell Group) or non‐elite university, and from different undergraduate fields of study. Our study uses rich longitudinal data from the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). This allows us to control for an unusually large range of potential confounding factors, including childhood socio‐economic circumstances, cognitive scores, secondary schooling and prior qualifications. We find that large raw differences in the chances of achieving a top salary are strongly attenuated by our controls, but substantial differences between degree subject areas remain. The large gap between men and women in the chance of gaining a top salary is not explained by the type of degree achieved, and we found no evidence of gender differences in the gains from institutional prestige or particular fields of study.
Hand selection in a preferential reaching task: The effects of object location, orientation, and task intention in preadolescent children
Authors: Scharoun Benson Sara M. , Forsyth Amanda , Bryden Pamela J.
Published: August 2018

Introduction and Methods

Hand selection was assessed in preadolescent children (ages 9–11) within a preferential reaching task to delineate the effects of object location, orientation, and task intention on the assessment procedure and compared to data previously acquired from young adults.

Results

The observed differences support the notion that children are still in a process of refining their movements in attempt to discern the most efficient and effective patterns of behavior. Notwithstanding differences in performance, similarities between preadolescents and young adults also emerged. Greater right‐hand selection in right space and when the handle was oriented to the right indicate that object proximity and orientation influence efficiency and thus constrain hand selection in unimanual object manipulation and role‐differentiated bimanual manipulation.

Conclusions

Together, findings add to our understanding of hand preference, unimanual and bimanual object manipulation.
Clinical and laboratory factors related to acute isolated vertigo or dizziness and cerebral infarction
Authors: Zuo Lian , Zhan Yiqiang , Liu Feifeng , Chen Chen , Xu Luran , Calic Zeljka , Cordato Dennis , Cappelen‐Smith Cecilia , Hu Yunfeng , Li Gang
Published: August 2018

Objective

To clarify the relationship of clinical factors with isolated vertigo or dizziness of cerebrovascular origin.

Methods

Clinical data of patients admitted in East Hospital from Jan. 2015 to Apr. 2016, whose complaint were acute vertigo or dizziness were retrospectively collected. All patients arrived at the emergency department within 24 hr of symptom onset, had no acute ischemic lesion first CT and NIHSS score of 0. Patients were divided into cerebral infarction group and noncerebral infarction group according to subsequent cerebral imaging results and clinical and laboratory factors related to cerebral infarction were analyzed.

Result

51.6% of patients were female (n = 141). 46 patients (16.8%) were diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction. Baseline demographic data of the two groups was not significantly different. Univariate analysis found that history of smoking (p = 0.009), headache (p = 0.028), unsteadiness (p = 0.009), neuron specific enolase (p = 0.001), and vertebral artery abnormalities found on imaging (p = 0.009) were the significant difference between two groups. Increased neuron specific enolase (p = 0.005) and an abnormal vertebral artery (p = 0.044) were significant on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

16.8% of acute isolated vertigo or dizziness presentations were diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction. Increased serum neuron specific enolase and vertebral artery abnormalities were the strongest indicators of acute cerebral infarction.
The anatomy of transanal minimally invasive surgery: Perineal distances and transanal angles
Authors: Dean Meara , Church James
Published: August 2018

The recent interest in transanal, minimally invasive surgery has highlighted the importance of an in depth understanding of this complex region. We applied data from an anatomical study of the perineum to the concept of transanal minimally invasive surgery with the aim to describe more accurately anatomy relevant to this surgical technique. A consecutive series of adult patients undergoing colonoscopy were approached for consent to measure dimensions and angles of the perineum before the examination. Distances from the posterior margin of the anus to the coccyx, and the anterior margin of the anus to the posterior edge of the scrotum or introitus were measured. Then, using a pediatric proctoscope and a protractor, the anoperineal angle and the recto perineal angles were measured. The anorectal angle was derived from these measurements. Data is described using means and standard deviations. Measurements were obtained from 106 patients undergoing elective colonoscopy for average risk screening with no history of defecatory disorder. Posterior perineal length was similar in both sexes (4.5 cm ± 0.9 in women and 4.6 cm ±0.7 in men) but the anterior perineum was significantly shorter in women (2.5 ± 0.8). The mean anoperineal angle was 93° (±9), and mean rectoperineal angle was 73° (±9). These angles varied significantly between the sexes. The mean anorectal angle (derived) was 160° (±9), and did not differ significantly between the sexes. There was no correlation between the posterior perineal length and ano perineal, recto perineal, or anorectal angles. Limitations: small sample size. Anoperineal and recto perineal differ significantly between the sexes. Surgeons using transanal minimally invasive surgical techniques should expect to alter the alignment of their dissection accordingly. This study shows the magnitude of the differences that can exist. Clin. Anat. 32:68–72, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Twist of the Achilles Tendon – Associations of Torsions in the Lower Extremity
Authors: Prosenz Julian , Rath Claus , Hadrovic‐Avdic Merisa , Hirtler Lena
Published: August 2018

Achilles tendinopathy and rupture of the Achilles tendon (AT) are frequent pathologies. Even though they may be associated with the twisted morphology of the AT, quantitative data on the extent of the twist of the entire AT are not available. The aim of this study was to investigate the torsion of the AT based on its individual parts and to evaluate a possible correlation with the torsion of the long bones of the lower extremity. Forty embalmed lower extremities were included in this study. The lateral deviation of the AT and its torsional angle as well as the angles of the individual parts in trans‐section were measured. Thereafter, the torsions of femur and tibia were evaluated. Measuring the lateral deviation of the fibers resulted in an average torsion of the AT of 34.59° (SD 16.8°). The angles of the different parts of the AT in trans‐section resulted in a median AT torsion of 15.73°, showing various patterns of rotations of the individual muscles. A statistically significant correlation between the torsions of the lower extremity and the AT (P =0.0242, r = 0.40) as well as a correlation between the femoral torsion and the AT torsion (P = 0.0127, r = 0.44) were found. This study adds to the morphological understanding of the torsion of the AT and its correlation with the torsions of the long bones of the lower extremity. Especially, the torsion of the femur seems to be connected to the torsion of the tendon. Clin. Anat. 31:1085–1091, 2018. © 2018 The Authors. Clinical Anatomy published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Clinical Anatomists.
Programmed environmental illumination during autologous stem cell transplantation hospitalization for the treatment of multiple myeloma reduces severity of depression: A preliminary randomized controlled trial
Authors: Valdimarsdottir Heiðdís B. , Figueiro Mariana G. , Holden William , Lutgendorf Susan , Wu Lisa M. , Ancoli‐Israel Sonia , Chen Jason , Hoffman‐Peterson Ariella , Granski Julia , Prescott Nina , Vega Alejandro , Stern Natalie , Winkel Gary , Redd William H.
Published: August 2018

Background

Over a third of multiple myeloma (MM) patients report clinical levels of depression during autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) hospitalization. We report preliminary results from a randomized clinical trial investigating the effect of Programmed Environmental Illumination (PEI) of hospital rooms on depression.

Methods

Patients (N = 187) scheduled to receive an ASCT were assessed for eligibility. Those who met study eligibility criteria (n = 44) were randomly assigned to one of two PEI conditions involving delivery of either circadian active bright white light (BWL) or circadian inactive dim white light (DWL) throughout the room from 7 to 10 am daily during hospitalization. Patients completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) prior to hospitalization, at days 2 and 7 post‐transplant, and on the third day of engraftment.

Results

General linear model analyses revealed no difference between the groups in CES‐D total score at baseline (P = 0.7859). A longitudinal linear mixed model analysis revealed a significant interaction between time of assessment and light condition [F(3,107) = 2.90; P = 0.0386; ɳ2 = 0.08)], indicating that PEI prevented the development of depression during hospitalization, with effects reaching significance by the third day of engraftment. At the third day of engraftment, 68.4% of the participants in the DWL comparison condition met the criteria for clinically significant depression compared to 42.1% in the BWL condition.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that PEI using BWL during MM ASCT hospitalization is effective in reducing the development of depression. Future studies should examine the mechanisms whereby PEI improves depression.
Dynamics of circulating microRNAs as a novel indicator of clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer
Authors: Zhu Wenjie , Liu Mei , Fan Ying , Ma Fei , Xu Ningzhi , Xu Binghe
Published: August 2018

Background

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been indicated as predictive biomarkers in breast cancer. We aimed to explore the association of plasma miRNA dynamics with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) and disclose early markers for predicting sensitivity.

Methods

One hundred and nine patients with operable or locally advanced breast cancer, who participated in a prospective clinical trial and received NCT, were analyzed. Blood samples were collected before random assignment, after two cycles of chemotherapy (C2) and before surgery. Based on their clinical response, the patients were defined as chemo‐sensitive or insensitive. First, baseline and preoperative samples of selected cases from both groups were screened via TaqMan miRNA array for candidate miRNAs. Afterward all the biospecimens were tested for the candidate miRNAs (miR‐222, miR‐20a, miR‐451, miR‐9, miR‐34a, miR‐155, and miR‐145) by quantitative real‐time PCR. Finally, logistic regression model was utilized to determine the predictive value of baseline/C2 expression of these miRNAs.

Results

Based on the results of microRNA profiling, seven miRNAs were selected for further validation. In the HR+/HER2‐ cohort (n = 51) dynamics of three miRNAs, including miR‐222, miR‐20a, and miR‐451, were associated with chemo‐sensitivity. Importantly, across all the three subtypes we consistently identified chemo‐induced decrease in plasma miR‐34a in the insensitive patients. Finally, baseline miR‐222 overexpression (OR = 6.422, P = 0.049), C2 miR‐20a up‐regulation (OR = 0.144, P = 0.021) and C2 miR‐451 down‐regulation (OR = 8.213, P = 0.012) were predictive markers of response to NCT in HR+/HER2‐ breast cancer.

Conclusions

We described that dynamics of circulating miRNAs might help predict clinical response to NCT in breast cancer.
Labeling of Phosphatidylinositol Lipid Products in Cells through Metabolic Engineering by Using a Clickable myo‐Inositol Probe
Authors: Ricks Tanei J. , Cassilly Chelsi D. , Carr Adam J. , Alves Daiane S. , Alam Shahrina , Tscherch Kathrin , Yokley Timothy W. , Workman Cameron E. , Morrell‐Falvey Jennifer L. , Barrera Francisco N. , Reynolds Todd B. , Best Michael D.
Published: August 2018

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) lipids control critical biological processes, so aberrant biosynthesis often leads to disease. As a result, the capability to track the production and localization of these compounds in cells is vital for elucidating their complex roles. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and application of clickable myo‐inositol probe 1 a for bioorthogonal labeling of PI products. To validate this platform, we initially conducted PI synthase assays to show that 1 a inhibits PI production in vitro. Fluorescence microscopy experiments next showed probe‐dependent imaging in T‐24 human bladder cancer and Candida albicans cells. Growth studies in the latter showed that replacement of myo‐inositol with probe 1 a led to an enhancement in cell growth. Finally, fluorescence‐based TLC analysis and mass spectrometry experiments support the labeling of PI lipids. This approach provides a promising means for tracking the complex biosynthesis and trafficking of these lipids in cells.