bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of 24 GHz Multichannel FMCW Surveillance Radar with a Software-Reconfigurable Baseband
Authors: Hyun Eugin , Jin Young-Seok , Lee Jong-Hun
Published: May 2017

We designed and developed a 24 GHz surveillance FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar with a software-reconfigurable baseband. The developed radar system consists of transceiver, two selectable transmit antennas, eight parallel receive antennas, and a back-end module for data logging and to control the transceiver. The architecture of the developed radar system can support various waveforms, gain control of receive amplifiers, and allow the selection of two transmit antennas. To do this, we implemented the transceiver using a frequency synthesizer device and a two-step VGA (Variable Gain Amplifier) along with switch-controlled transmit antennas. To support high speed implementation features along with good flexibility, we developed a back-end module based on a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) with a parallel architecture for the real-time data logging of the beat signals received from a multichannel 24 GHz transceiver. To verify the feasibility of the developed radar system, signal processing algorithms were implemented on a host PC. All measurements were carried out in an anechoic chamber to extract a 3D range-Doppler-angle map and target detections. We expect that the developed software-reconfigurable radar system will be useful in various surveillance applications.
Using Wireless Sensor Networks to Achieve Intelligent Monitoring for High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor
Authors: Li Jianghai , Meng Jia , Kang Xiaojing , Long Zhenhai , Huang Xiaojin
Published: May 2017

High-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR) can incorporate wireless sensor network (WSN) technology to improve safety and economic competitiveness. WSN has great potential in monitoring the equipment and processes within nuclear power plants (NPPs). This technology not only reduces the cost of regular monitoring but also enables intelligent monitoring. In intelligent monitoring, large sets of heterogeneous data collected by the WSN can be used to optimize the operation and maintenance of the HTGR. In this paper, WSN-based intelligent monitoring schemes that are specific for applications of HTGR are proposed. Three major concerns regarding wireless technology in HTGR are addressed: wireless devices interference, cybersecurity of wireless networks, and wireless standards selected for wireless platform. To process nonlinear and non-Gaussian data obtained by WSN for fault diagnosis, novel algorithms combining Kernel Entropy Component Analysis (KECA) and support vector machine (SVM) are developed.
Comparison of DNA Extraction Protocols and Molecular Targets to Diagnose Tuberculous Meningitis
Authors: Palomo Flavia Silva , Rivero Martha Gabriela Celle , Quiles Milene Gonçalves , Pinto Fernando Pereira , Machado Antonia Maria de Oliveira , Carlos Campos Pignatari Antonio
Published: May 2017

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The aims of this study were to evaluate in-house molecular diagnostic protocols of DNA extraction directly from CSF samples and the targets amplified by qPCR as an accurate and fast diagnosis of TBM. One hundred CSF samples from 68 patients suspected of TBM were studied. Four DNA extraction techniques (phenol-chloroform-thiocyanate guanidine, silica thiocyanate guanidine, resin, and resin with ethanol) were compared and CSF samples were used to determine the best target (IS6110,MPB64,andhsp65 KDa) by qPCR. The extraction protocol using the phenol-chloroform-thiocyanate guanidine showed the best results in terms of quantification and sensitivity of PCR amplification, presenting up to 10 times more DNA than the second best protocol, the silica guanidine thiocyanate. The target that showed the best result for TBM diagnosis was theIS6110. This target showed 91% sensitivity and 97% specificity when we analyzed the results by sample and showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity when we analyzed the results by patient. The DNA extraction with phenol-chloroform-thiocyanate guanidine followed byIS6110 targetamplification has been shown to be suitable for diagnosis of TBM in our clinical setting.
Low Survival Rates of Oral and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Le Campion Anna Carolina Omena Vasconcellos , Ribeiro Camila Maria Beder , Luiz Ronir Raggio , da Silva Júnior Francisco Feliciano , Barros Herbert Charles Silva , dos Santos Karine de Cássia Batista , Ferreira Stefania Jeronimo , Gonçalves Lucio Souza , Ferreira Sonia Maria Soares
Published: May 2017

Aim. To assess the epidemiological and clinical factors that influence the prognosis of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods. One hundred and twenty-one cases of oral and oropharyngeal SCC were selected. The survival curves for each variable were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression model was applied to assess the effect of the variables on survival. Results. Cancers at an advanced stage were observed in 103 patients (85.1%). Cancers on the tongue were more frequent (23.1%). The survival analysis was 59.9% in one year, 40.7% in two years, and 27.8% in 5 years. There was a significant low survival rate linked to alcohol intake (p=0.038), advanced cancer staging (p=0.003), and procedures without surgery (p<0.001). When these variables were included in the Cox regression model only surgery procedures (p=0.005) demonstrated a significant effect on survival. Conclusion. The findings suggest that patients who underwent surgery had a greater survival rate compared with those that did not. The low survival rates and the high percentage of patients diagnosed at advanced stages demonstrate that oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients should receive more attention.
Monitoring of Cellular Changes in the Bone Marrow following PTH(1-34) Treatment of OVX Rats Using a Portable Stray-Field NMR Scanner
Authors: Hillel Inbar , Binderman Itzhak , Sarda Yifat , Nevo Uri
Published: May 2017

Osteoporosis is characterized by reduction in trabecular bone in conjunction with increased marrow cell adiposity. While these changes occur within weeks, monitoring of treatment efficacy as performed by DEXA is sensitive only to long-term changes. MRI is sensitive to bone marrow changes but is less affordable. In a recent study, we have shown that a stray-field NMR can monitor bone marrow cellular changes that are related to osteoporosis. Objectives. To demonstrate sensitivity of a low-field tabletop NMR scanner to bone marrow dynamics following hormonal treatment in rats. Methods. Two-month-old female rats (n=36) were ovariectomized (OVX) and dosed for the ensuing 3 or 5 weeks with 20 mg/kg of PTH(1-34). Hind limbs femurs and tibiae were isolated and underwent ex vivo microradiography and histology and NMR relaxometry at 6 weeks (preventive experiment) and 11 weeks (therapeutic treatment experiment) after OVX. Results. OVX rats developed osteoporotic changes including adipogenic marrow compared to Sham and PTH treated rats. T2 and ADC NMR relaxation coefficients were found to correlate with marrow composition. Conclusions. This study suggests that stray-field NMR, an affordable method that is sensitive to the rapid cellular changes in bone marrow, may have a clinical value in monitoring hormonal treatment for osteoporosis.
Osteoma Cutis of the Face in CBCT Images
Authors: Alhazmi Daniah , Badr Fatma , Jadu Fatima , Jan Ahmed M. , Abdulsalam Zainab
Published: May 2017

Osteoma cutis (OC) is a rare benign disorder where osseous nodules form in the reticular layer of normal skin. These nodules are formed by the deposition of lamellar bone and are characterized by osteocytes in the core and osteoclasts around the periphery. Interpretation of osteoma cutis cases has always been challenging especially using conventional two-dimensional (2D) radiographs, owing to difficulty in localization. Cone beam CT (CBCT), with its three-dimensional (3D) capabilities, offers a great tool to help detect and diagnose these calcific entities. We report a case of miliary type OC incidentally detected in the maxillofacial region using CBCT imaging.
Analysis of Clinical Characteristics of Immune-Related Dry Eye
Authors: Wang Hua , Wang Ping-Bao , Chen Ting , Zou Jing , Li Ya-Jia , Ran Xu-Fang , Li Qiang-Xiang
Published: May 2017

Aim. To discuss the clinical characteristics of immune-related dry eye. Methods. Simple dry eye (SDE) group: we selected 224 patients of simple dry eye with no systemic lesions. Immune-related dry eye (IRDE) group: we selected 207 patients of dry eye complicated with immune system diseases, including 70 cases of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), 72 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 65 cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The classification of all patients was performed. The difference between the two groups was compared, including age, gender, ocular surface fluorescein staining and inflammatory reaction, tear breakup time (TBUT), Shirmer I test, confocal microscopy scan, and dry eye grading. Results. Compared with the SDE group, the patients of IRDE group were younger (P<0.05). The female patients were significantly more than the male ones (P<0.05). Corneal staining counts and ocular surface inflammation were significantly increased (P<0.05). TBUT and Shirmer I test shortened significantly (P<0.05). Corneal nerve fibers were less, and the number of local lymphocyte was significant increased. The number of dry eye patients in the moderate or above IRDE group was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusions. The dry eye symptom and sign and ocular surface inflammation of IRDE were significantly more severe than those of the SDE.
Development and Validation of a Decision-Making Stratification Algorithm to Optimize the Use of Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Patients with Staphylococcus Bacteremia
Authors: Almangour Thamer A. , Alhifany Abdullah A. , Tabb Deanne E.
Published: May 2017

Purpose. To evaluate whether introducing rapid diagnostic testing in conjunction with implementing a stratification algorithm for testing eligibility would be an appropriate clinical and cost saving approach. Method. An internal concurrent 4-month observational study was performed. Positive blood cultures continued to be worked up in accordance with standard of care. An additional call to the infectious disease (ID) pharmacy service occurred for all positive blood cultures with Gram-positive cocci in clusters (GPCC). The ID pharmacy service investigated each case using a prespecified stratification algorithm to minimize unnecessary use of rapid identification testing. Results. 43 patients with GPCC were screened. Only nine patients met inclusion criteria for QuickFISH™ testing. The average expected time avoided to optimize antibiotic therapy is 35±16 hours. If the QuickFISH test had been indiscriminately implemented for all cases, the cost for performing this test would have been $5,590. However, using the prespecified algorithm, only 9 patients were tested for a projected cost of $1,170. Conclusion. Introducing rapid diagnostic testing in conjunction with implementing patient stratification algorithm for rapid identification of GPCC from blood cultures in addition to the ID pharmacy intervention will provide a positive impact on the clinical and economic outcomes in our health care setting.
Comment on “Heat and Mass Transfer Effect on MHD Flow of a Viscoelastic Fluid through a Porous Medium Bounded by an Oscillating Porous Plate in Slip Flow Regime”
Authors: Pantokratoras Asterios
Published: May 2017

The present comment concerns some doubtful results included in the above paper.
Successful Liver Transplantation for Transient Abnormal Myelopoiesis-Associated Liver Failure
Authors: Yasuoka Kazuaki , Inoue Hirosuke , Tanaka Koichi , Fujiyoshi Junko , Matsushita Yuki , Ochiai Masayuki , Koga Yuhki , Matsuura Toshiharu , Taguchi Tomoaki , Ohga Shouichi
Published: May 2017

Infants with Down syndrome (DS) are at risk of developing a transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM). TAM occasionally involves liver fibrosis, which can be fatal. The management of liver disease in TAM has not yet been established and is mainly supportive. We report an infant with DS and TAM who developed end-stage liver failure. Liver dysfunction progressed even after blast cells disappeared from the circulation. He underwent a living-donor liver transplantation at 56 days of life without surgical complications. The explanted liver showed atrophy and severe fibrosis without leukemic cell infiltration. The posttransplant course was favorable with no hematological abnormality. He is doing well 8 months after transplantation. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first showing that liver transplantation might be a treatment option for TAM-related liver failure.
Development of an in vitro Test Procedure to Determine the Direct Infrared A Protection of Sunscreens and Non-Cosmetic Samples
Authors: Quistorf Jan Carlos , Kockott Dieter , Garbe Birgit , Heinrich Ulrike , Tronnier Hagen , Braun Nicole
Published: May 2017

Background: Every day human skin is exposed to infrared A (IRA) radiation as part of the natural sun rays. As IRA radiation accounts for around one third of the solar radiation, it has gained great attention concerning its effects on the human body and skin. In the past few years it has been discussed controversially whether IRA radiation (of solar origin) is harmful or not. Nonetheless, there are several sunscreens on the German market that claim IRA protection for themselves. Aims: The present study seeks to find an experimental set-up and a test procedure for the determination and quantification of direct IRA protection (realized via reflection or absorption of the IRA radiation), since to our knowledge these do not yet exist. Methods: In this study we proved the usability of a set-up consisting of a light source, an IRA-transmissible filter system and a sensor unit, for the determination and quantification of the IRA protection of cosmetic and non-cosmetic samples. Results/Conclusion: The applicability of the IRA emission of the light source, the spectral detector, transmissivity of the filter systems and the sample carriers could be validated. This experimental set-up can be used as an in vitro test procedure for the determination of direct IRA protection.
ZNF750 Expression as a Novel Candidate Biomarker of Chemoradiosensitivity in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Otsuka Ryota , Akutsu Yasunori , Sakata Haruhito , Hanari Naoyuki , Murakami Kentaro , Kano Masayuki , Takahashi Masahiko , Matsumoto Yasunori , Sekino Nobufumi , Yokoyama Masaya , Iida Keiko , Matsubara Hisahiro
Published: May 2017

Objective: ZNF750, an epidermal differentiation regulator, has been suggested to act as a tumor suppressor of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Although a correlation between the epidermal differentiation gene and resistance to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has been posited, no data regarding the ZNF750 status in ESCC have been reported. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between ZNF750 expression and response to CRT in ESCC. Methods: Eighty-seven patients who had been pathologically diagnosed with ESCC were evaluated in the present study. All patients underwent neoadjuvant CRT, followed by curative esophagectomy. The expression of ZNF750 in pretreatment biopsy samples was immunohistochemically investigated and compared to the histopathological effectiveness of CRT in surgical specimens. Results: High expression of ZNF750 was closely correlated with good sensitivity to CRT (p = 0.016). A univariate analysis showed that high/intermediate expression of ZNF750 was a significant predictive factor for good sensitivity to CRT (p = 0.006). High/intermediate expression of ZNF750 (30% or more) remained an independent predictive factor for sensitivity to CRT in a multivariate analysis (p = 0.033). Conclusions: ZNF750 expression predicts sensitivity to CRT and can be a biomarker that reliably predicts the response of ESCC to CRT.
O mundo estranho de Twin Peaks: um pequeno marco nos seriados de televisão
Authors: Ferraraz Rogério
Published: May 2017

O trabalho visa analisar Twin Peaks, programa criado por David Lynch e Mark Frost, em 1990, que se tornou um marco na televisão, estabelecendo novos rumos e modelos para as narrativas seriadas. A recorrência ao estranho e ao grotesco e as relações com obras de cineastas e artistas distintos, principalmente surrealistas e expressionistas, são alguns dos elementos estudados para demonstrar como é possível desenvolver com qualidade produtos midiáticos de entretenimento.
Refusing to be worn out
Authors: Ronsini Veneza M. , Dhein Gustavo
Published: May 2017

In this interview, Beverley Skeggs talks about her past and current research and explains her concern and approach to the subject of class. She also talks about value and values in contemporary society and the challenges and motivations for the academic field.
The Multifarious Nature of Care
Authors: gaskin keyon
Published: May 2017

A limited rumination on the practice of swaddling in relation to my general infatuation with death—as release, the only actual possibility of freedom for the spirit, allure of the unknown, comfort of inevitability, caring for others, catharsis of mourning, the possibilities in endings, generative destruction…

keyon gaskin prefers not to contextualize their art with their credentials.
No More Bystanders: Grandchildren of Hiroshima and the 70th Anniversary of the Atomic Bomb
Authors: Thompson James
Published: May 2017

2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the American atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Amidst the commemorations in Hiroshima, London Bubble Theatre staged a performance created by an intergenerational Japanese cast from interviews with elders who experienced the day. Grandchildren of Hiroshima, in its performance and devising, troubled the idea of a nuclear war “bystander,” proposing that in fact there are no more bystanders, and all are participants in the history of the bombs’ performative power.
Learning Recruits Neurons Representing Previously Established Associations in the Corvid Endbrain
Authors: Veit Lena , Pidpruzhnykova Galyna , Nieder Andreas
Published: May 2017

Crows quickly learn arbitrary associations. As a neuronal correlate of this behavior, single neurons in the corvid endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) change their response properties during association learning. In crows performing a delayed association task that required them to map both familiar and novel sample pictures to the same two choice pictures, NCL neurons established a common, prospective code for associations. Here, we report that neuronal tuning changes during learning were not distributed equally in the recorded population of NCL neurons. Instead, such learning-related changes relied almost exclusively on neurons which were already encoding familiar associations. Only in such neurons did behavioral improvements during learning of novel associations coincide with increasing selectivity over the learning process. The size and direction of selectivity for familiar and newly learned associations were highly correlated. These increases in selectivity for novel associations occurred only late in the delay period. Moreover, NCL neurons discriminated correct from erroneous trial outcome based on feedback signals at the end of the trial, particularly in newly learned associations. Our results indicate that task-relevant changes during association learning are not distributed within the population of corvid NCL neurons but rather are restricted to a specific group of association-selective neurons. Such association neurons in the multimodal cognitive integration area NCL likely play an important role during highly flexible behavior in corvids.
“Companionable Being”
Authors: Gilpin W. Clark
Published: May 2017

American religious thinkers of the mid-twentieth century regularly included appreciative comments about Martin Buber’s thought in their books and essays, but they seldom stated specifically what they were drawing from Buber. Their comments did, however, tend to circle around a single issue: modern social, political, and technological changes were destabilizing both the sense of “the uniqueness of human selfhood” and the possibility of its distinctively “religious existence.” They sought a third way through the modern cultural and religious problem of the self, and they took Martin Buber as their guide.
The Hard and the Soft
Authors: Brody Samuel Hayim
Published: May 2017

Politics has never been considered Martin Buber’s forte. This paper considers the range of Buber’s reception as a political thinker by considering it in the form of three “moments,” each from a different point in his career, and each through the eyes of a different figure who either read or worked with Buber politically: Theodor Herzl, Gustav Landauer, and Hans Kohn. The three moments are structured around a discussion of the classic criticism that Buber’s politics are naïve or utopian; the paper seeks to respond, as Buber did, in a way that raises questions about the borders of politics itself.
From Genius to Taste
Authors: Scott Sarah
Published: May 2017

I reconstruct the aestheticism of Martin Buber in order to provide a new way of framing his moral philosophy and development as a thinker. The evolution of Buber’s thought does not entail a shift from aesthetics to ethics, but a shift from one aspect of aesthetics to another, namely, from taking genius to be key to social renewal, to taking taste to be key. I draw on Kantian aesthetics to show the connection between Buber’s aesthetic concerns and his moral concerns, and to defend the notion that a certain aesthetic orientation may be just what is needed for moral response.
Sacramental Existence and Embodied Theology in Buber’s Representation of Ḥasidism
Authors: Shonkoff Sam Berrin
Published: May 2017

Martin Buber denied consistently that he was a theologian because he repudiated abstract discourse about God. However, he did affirm that intersubjective events in the world express theological truth, even if that truth cannot be possessed or professed thereafter as noetic content. In this paper I introduce a concept of “embodied theology” to elucidate this nuance in Buber’s religious thought, and I show how his Ḥasidic writings shed unique light on these matters. Through hermeneutical investigations of his Ḥasidic tales vis-à-vis the original sources, I illuminate Buber’s conviction that genuine sages convey theological meaning through the very spiritual-corporeal dynamics of their lives—or what Buber calls their “sacramental existence.”
Wrestlers on the Awasena Path: Wrestling, Fertility, and Rites of Passage among the Diola of Southern Senegal
Authors: Baum Robert M.
Published: May 2017

The existing literature on religion and sport focuses on the ways that sporting events take on many aspects of religious events, fostering a sense of community and reinforcing a sense of opposition to external groups. This article focuses on a different aspect, the use of ritual to reduce the uncertainties of athletic competition in wrestling matches and its role in socializing boys and girls into the religious obligations that they will assume as adults. Utilizing a case study from the southern Diola of the Casamance area of Senegal, it builds on the author’s participation in wrestling rituals to analyze the ways in which rituals surrounding wrestling matches socialize boys and girls into ritual life, while providing individual wrestlers with a sense of protection against spiritual attacks and the uncertainties of individual competitions.
Intuition in Mathematics: a Perceptive Experience
Authors: Van-Quynh Alexandra
Published: May 2017

This study applied a method of assisted introspection to investigate the phenomenology of mathematical intuition arousal. The aim was to propose an essential structure for the intuitive experience of mathematics. To achieve an intersubjective comparison of different experiences, several contemporary mathematicians were interviewed in accordance with the elicitation interview method in order to collect pinpoint experiential descriptions. Data collection and analysis was then performed using steps similar to those outlined in the descriptive phenomenological method that led to a generic structure that accounts for the intuition surge in the experience of mathematics which was found to have four irreducible structural moments. The interdependence of these moments shows that a perceptualist view of intuition in mathematics, as defended by Chudnoff (Chudnoff, 2014), is relevant to the characterization of mathematical intuition. The philosophical consequences of this generic structure and its essential features are discussed in accordance with Husserl’s philosophy of ideal objects and theory of intuition.
Summits Where Souls Gather
Authors: Dahl Shayne A.P.
Published: May 2017

Rituals have played a vital role in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters that struck northeastern Japan on 11 March 2011 (subsequently referred to as “3.11”). Rituals have enabled survivors to differentiate social order from the immediate chaos of disaster, to mourn, to overcome grief, and to exorcise the spirits of the disaster dead. Yet, much remains to be learned about the transformative potential of ritual after 3.11. The significance of pilgrimage, for instance, which is a prominent aspect of religious practice in Japan, has received minimal attention. In this article, I draw on ethnographic fieldwork carried out in Dewa Sanzan, a sacred mountain range in Yamagata Prefecture, to discuss mountain pilgrimage for post-disaster memorialization. I argue that the event of 3.11 expanded the ontological meaning of the summit of Gassan 月山 (Mount Moon), thought to be an axis between the world of the living and that of the ancestral dead. Pilgrimage to the peak of Gassan has become a path of remembrance and overcoming, a formula for posthumous care, and an act of hope in post-disaster Japan.
Typification of the name Sedum monregalense (Crassulaceae) with notes on the correct publication date
Authors: GALLO LORENZO
Published: May 2017

Sedum monregalense (Balbis, 1804: 339) is a well-known French-Italian endemic mountain taxon (Jalas et al. 1999: 104), described from plants collected in Piedmont (NW Italy) by I. Molineri (gardener at the Botanical Garden of Turin). However, a specimen of this taxon was already present in the herbarium of C. Allioni (1728–1804) stored at TO; the label reports the polynomial “Sedum montanum, tetraphyllum, floribus albis, foliis planis”. This name had been used by Tilli (1723: 157) and Micheli (1748: 88) who discovered this taxon in the Apennines (C Italy); however, Tilli (op.cit.) cited an earlier manuscript by Micheli named: “Catalogus Plantarum Agri Florentini” (cf. Parlatore 1844: 46). At last, it was already present in the Herbarium of U. Aldrovandi (1502–1605) (SMA Bologna 2017), there named “Sedum sive Sempervivum flore albo calice herbaceo sexaphyllo”.
Thalictrum callianthum (Ranunculaceae) is merged with T. diffusiflorum
Authors: YUAN QIONG , YANG QIN-ER
Published: May 2017

Critical examination of herbarium specimens (including type material) indicates that Thalictrum callianthum (Ranunculaceae), described from Mainling, south-east Xizang (Tibet), China, is conspecific with T. diffusiflorum, a species described from Nyingchi closely contiguous to Mainling and fairly common in south-east Xizang. We therefore place the former in synonymy with the latter.
A new genus and subgenus of Alysiini from China, with the description of two new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Alysiinae)
Authors: ZHU JIACHEN , ACHTERBERG CORNELIS VAN , CHEN XUE-XIN
Published: May 2017

A new alysiine genus (Braconidae, Alysiinae, Alysiini) from SE China, Dacnulysia gen. nov. (type species: D. chaenomastax sp. nov.) with aberrant mandible and head shape is described and illustrated. A new species of the genus Phaenocarpa Foerster, 1863, with an aberrant ovipositor, P. platychora sp. nov., from SE China is included as type species in a new subgenus, Clistalysia nov. A key to the subgenera of Phaenocarpa Foerster is included; Idiolexis Foerster, 1863, and Kahlia Ashmead, 1900, are recognised as valid subgenera.
Two new species of Parandrinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the genera Parandra and Acutandra from South America
Authors: LINGAFELTER STEVEN W. , TISHECHKIN ALEXEY K.
Published: May 2017

Two new species of high-elevation Parandrinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are described from Bolivia and Ecuador, South America. Both species are unusual in having piceous coloration over most of the dorsal surface. Parandra (Tavandra) santossilvai Lingafelter & Tishechkin, new species, is described from Achira, Santa Cruz Province, Bolivia, a site at 2,000 meters elevation. Acutandra caterinoi Lingafelter & Tishechkin, new species, is described from Pichincha Province, Ecuador, from sites between 1,900–2,500 meters. Illustrations, descriptions, diagnoses, and discussion of their generic and subgeneric placements are included.
A new species of Gynacantha Rambur, 1842 from Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam (Odonata: Aeshnidae)
Authors: KOMPIER TOM , HOLDEN JAMES
Published: May 2017

Gynacantha cattienensis spec. nov. is described from Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, on the basis of male and female specimens. This species is close in structure to G. khasiaca McLachlan, 1896, and differs in details of cerci, auricles and thorax coloration. Historical records of G. khasiaca from Vietnam may refer to this new species. Some information on its biology is provided.
Taxonomic changes of some neotropical species of Arctiini Leach (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae)
Authors: BECCACECE HERNÁN MARIO , ZAPATA ADRIANA INÉS
Published: May 2017

Arctiini (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) is the most speciose tribe of tiger moths. In this study, the taxonomy of some Neotropical species of this tribe is reviewed based on habitus and, in some cases, genitalia of type specimens. Lectotypes are designated for two names. Four new combinations are proposed: Agaraea sericeum (Zerny, 1931) comb. n., Biturix nigrostriata (Rothschild, 1909) comb. n., Carales fasciatus (Rothschild, 1909) comb. n. and Opharus pallida (Dognin, 1910) comb. n. Six new synonymies are proposed: Agaraea nigrotuberculata Bryk, 1953 (=Agaraea klagesi (Rothschild, 1909)), Opharus ochracea Joicey & Talbot, 1918 and Pelochyta fergusoni Watson & Goodger, 1986 (=Opharus pallida (Dognin, 1910)), Melese flavescens Joicey & Talbot, 1918 (=Melese paranensis Dognin, 1911), Leucanopsis infucata (Berg, 1882) (=Pareuchaetes aurata aurata (Butler, 1875)) and Tessellota pura Breyer, 1957 (=Tessellota cancellata (Burmeister, 1878)). Moreover, Opharus ochracea Joicey & Talbot, 1918 comb. rev. is returned to the original genus. For each rearrangement, both remarks and information about type specimens are provided.
Analysis of National Weather Service Stage Forecast Errors
Authors: Zalenski Grace , Krajewski Witold F. , Quintero Felipe , Restrepo Pedro , Buan Steve
Published: May 2017

This paper explores the skill of river stage forecasts produced by the National Weather Service (NWS). Despite the importance of the verification process in establishing a reference that allows advancement in river forecast technology, there is relatively little literature on this topic. This study aims to contribute to this subject. The study analyzed the North Central River Forecast Center’s river stage forecasts for 51 gauges in eastern and central Iowa between 1999 and 2014. The authors explored forecast skill dependence characteristics such as upstream area, water travel time, and the number of gauges located upstream of each forecasting point. They also assessed the influence of rainfall uncertainty on stage error by examining the relationship between the forecast skill and its antecedent 24-h observed rainfall. The results show that when using persistence as a reference for comparison with NWS actual forecasts, the NWS forecasts are better for predictions below and above flood stage. The difference in root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the actual and persistence forecasts ranges between 0.04 and 1.24 ft, and it increases with lead time. Locations with fewer upstream gauges exhibit greater variation in forecast skill than locations that are well gauged, especially at high flood levels. Strong predictive relationships between the physical characteristics of a basin (travel time, upstream drainage area), rainfall quantities, and forecast skill have not been identified.
Image-Guided Endoscopic Orbital Decompression for Graves' Orbitopathy
Authors: Dubin Marika R. , Tabaee Abtin , Scruggs Jennifer T. , Kazim Michael , Close Lanny Garth
Published: May 2017

Objectives: We studied the efficacy and safety of image-guided balanced orbital decompression for Graves' orbitopathy.

Methods: The data of 24 patients (45 orbits) were reviewed for demographics, ophthalmologic outcomes, and complications in regard to image-guided (18 orbits) versus non-image-guided surgery (27 orbits).

Results: Overall, all patients had a reduction in proptosis (mean reduction, 6.2 mm in proptosis) as measured by Hertel exophthalmometry. There was improvement in the visual acuity of all 12 orbits with preoperative acuity of 20/40 or worse and either complete resolution (38%) or improvement (62%) in the 16 orbits with optic neuropathy. These measures reached statistical significance. Despite subjective improvement in surgeon confidence, the use of image guidance did not result in a statistically significant difference in postoperative ophthalmologic outcomes. Medical and sinonasal complications were experienced by 11.1% and 18.5% of patients who underwent image-guided and non-image-guided orbital decompression, respectively.

Conclusions: Image guidance may be a useful adjunct to balanced orbital decompression for Graves' orbitopathy, but it was not associated with a statistically significant improvement in outcomes in this study.
Change of External Auditory Canal pH in Acute Otitis Externa
Authors: Kim Jin Kook , Cho Jae Hoon
Published: May 2017

Objectives

We investigated 1) the correlation between the degree of acute otitis externa (AOE) and a change of pH and 2) the recovery of pH after acidification compared to an antibiotic otic solution in AOE. A change of pH in the external auditory canal (EAC) is very important for the pathogenesis of otitis externa. Therefore, not only an antibiotic otic solution, but also acidification, is known to be a good treatment for AOE. However, pH has only been investigated in chronic otitis externa, and not in AOE.

Methods

This was a prospective randomized control study. Forty adult patients (56 ears) with AOE and 40 normal control subjects (80 ears) participated in this study. The severity of disease was graded as mild, moderate, or severe. The pH of each EAC was then measured. The patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups: one for vinegar irrigation and the other for topical antibiotics. The pH of the diseased ears was measured at 1 and 2 weeks after the treatment.

Results

The mean (±SD) pH for the normal control subjects was 5.4 ± 0.48, and the EAC lost its acidity proportionately to the degree of disease (p < 0.05). For both the vinegar irrigation and topical antibiotic groups, the acidity was restored dramatically (p < 0.05) at 1 and 2 weeks for the moderate and severe grades of otitis, but not for the mild grade. There was no difference in recovery between the 2 groups.

Conclusions

The EAC lost its acidity proportionately to the degree of disease in AOE. Vinegar irrigation and topical antibiotics were equally effective for restoration of pH.
Hearing Loss Progression and Contralateral Involvement in Children with Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Uwiera Trina C. , Dealarcon Alessandro , Meinzen-Derr Jareen , Cohen Aliza P. , Rasmussen Brian , Shott Gordon , Greinwald John
Published: May 2017

Objectives

We undertook this study to determine the rate of hearing loss progression in the affected ear of children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and without an enlarged vestibular aqueduct, and the rate of new-onset hearing loss in the contralateral ear.

Methods

We searched the database at our pediatric tertiary care center to identify patients who met the inclusion criteria, examining demographic variables, audiometric data, and presumptive causes.

Results

We identified 198 patients. At presentation, they showed slight left-sided and male predominances. Of 142 patients who had sufficient audiometric follow-up for us to evaluate progression, 21% showed ipsilateral progression and 10.6% developed new-onset hearing loss in the contralateral ear. Isolated high-frequency loss was identified in 11 patients (5.6%), 8 of whom had sufficient follow-up for us to identify progression. Two showed progression; 4 others with progression in the ipsilateral ear developed new-onset high-frequency loss in the contralateral ear. Temporal bone anomalies were identified in 26 children (13%), and these children were more likely to have profound hearing loss than were those without temporal bone anomalies (46% versus 23%).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that unilateral sensorineural hearing loss may not always be a unilateral process, but that it may be the initial manifestation of bilateral auditory dysfunction.
Predictors of Aspiration Pneumonia following Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Purkey Michael T. , Levine Marc S. , Prendes Brandon , Norman M. Frank , Mirza Natasha
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Aspiration following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) is a common event, but not all patients with aspiration will develop pneumonia. Our aim was to identify predictors of pneumonia in patients with aspiration following radiotherapy for HNC.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of 52 patients referred for modified videofluoroscopic barium swallow (MVBS) testing at our institution from 2003 to 2007 in order to identify clinical variables associated with the diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia.

Results

Independent risk factors for the development of pneumonia were tracheobronchial aspiration on MVBS testing (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 20.5; p = 0.025), malnutrition (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.3 to 14.7; p = 0.018), and smoking history (OR, 1.04 per pack-year; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.07; p = 0.011). Through logistic regression analysis, we developed a bivariate predictive model with a sensitivity of 58%, a specificity of 90%, a positive predictive value of 79%, and a negative predictive value of 77% for the development of aspiration pneumonia in our patient population.

Conclusions

Depth of aspiration on MVBS testing, malnutrition, and smoking history were strongly associated with the development of aspiration pneumonia in our patient population. The use of clinical variables to determine the risk of aspiration pneumonia is feasible and may help identify high-risk patients.
Review of Floor of Mouth Dysontogenic Cysts
Authors: Macneil S. Danielle , Moxham J. Paul
Published: May 2017

Objectives

We report the common surgical approaches, incidence of sinus tracts, and recurrence rates of floor of mouth dysontogenic (epidermoid, dermoid, and teratoid) cysts in the pediatric population.

Methods

Data were derived from PubMed, Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, and manual searches. Three cases from the senior author's (J.P.M.) practice were included. All English-language studies consisting of floor of mouth dysontogenic cysts were included. Case reports of tongue dysontogenic cysts, mandibular dysontogenic cysts, maxillary dysontogenic cysts, and dysontogenic cysts in the neck below the hyoid bone were excluded.

Results

There are 198 case reports, including those presented here, of floor of mouth dysontogenic cysts. They are more common in male patients (55.1%), and the most common location is in the sublingual space (104 or 52.5%). Most floor of mouth dysontogenic cysts can be excised by an intraoral approach. There are 5 reported cases in the literature of recurrent dysontogenic cysts and 11 cases of multiple floor of mouth dysontogenic cysts.

Conclusions

Floor of mouth dysontogenic cysts most commonly present in the sublingual space, and most can be excised by an intraoral approach. Multiple dysontogenic cysts often require a combination of intraoral and extraoral approaches. Recurrence of a dysontogenic cyst may be secondary to a tract not identified at the time of surgery.
Actinomycosis of the Temporal Bone and Brain: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Budenz Cameron L. , Tajudeen Bobby A. , Roehm Pamela C.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Actinomycosis is a rare disease with a typically indolent course in the head and neck. During the modern era, only 12 cases within the ear and temporal bone and 75 intracranial cases have been reported. We present a case of actinomycosis of the petrous apex that led to meningitis and encephalitis.

Methods

The patient was a 12-year-old girl who presented with mental status changes. After 48 hours of treatment with empiric antibiotics for meningitis without improvement, imaging revealed an enhancing mass in the right petrous apex, destruction of the cochlea, meningeal enhancement, and left temporoparietal encephalitis.

Results

The initial therapy included broad-spectrum antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agents, as well as myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement. When the patient's clinical status worsened, she underwent subtotal petrosectomy with drainage of the petrous apex. The final pathologic findings were consistent with actinomycosis.

Conclusions

Actinomycosis is a rare infection in the temporal bone and central nervous system that can have a high mortality risk if not treated appropriately. Often, these bacteria do not grow well in culture, and diagnosis must be made on the basis of histopathologic features. Good clinical outcomes can be obtained with surgical debridement followed by long-term antibiotic treatment.
Bioactive Glass S53P4 in the Filling of Cavities in the Mastoid Cell Area in Surgery for Chronic Otitis Media
Authors: Stoor Patricia , Pulkkinen Jaakko , Grénman Reidar
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Chronic infection of the middle ear and cholesteatoma can be treated surgically by exenteration of the mastoid air cells behind the ear. After a procedure with the canal wall–down technique, a cavity remains that is sometimes difficult to clean, collects crust, and becomes repeatedly infected. Such problematic mastoid cavities can be eliminated by filling the created cavity surgically after thorough removal of mucous membranes and cleaning of the bone.

Methods

We treated 7 patients with cavities after canal wall–down surgery for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media or cholesteatoma by filling the difficult-to-clean cavity in the mastoid cell area with granules of bioactive glass (BAG) S53P4 to avoid further retraction formation. The area with BAG was carefully closed with a musculoperiosteal flap.

Results

After the canal wall–down tympanomastoidectomy, the mastoid cavities were successfully filled in all 7 patients. No biomaterial-associated infection was seen, and no disadvantages for the patients due to the BAG were observed. The cavity in the mastoid cell area decreased in size in all patients treated.

Conclusions

This BAG seems to be a promising material for filling mastoid cavities after canal wall–down tympanomastoidectomy.
Use of ICF in Assessing the Effects of Meniere's Disorder on Life
Authors: Levo Hilla , Stephens Dafydd , Poe Dennis , Kentala Erna , Pyykkö Ilmari
Published: May 2017

Objectives

We sought to determine the value of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in subjects with Meniere's disorder in relation to their quality of life.

Methods

We asked 228 members of the Finnish Meniere Federation to report the effects that Meniere's disorder had on their lives. The replies were classified on the basis of the ICF classification and related to the EuroQol 5D score and disease-specific impact. Logistic regression and decision tree analyses were used to determine the relationships.

Results

Seventy percent of the patients listed impairments, 39% activity limitations, 47% participation restrictions, 16% effects on environmental contextual factors, and 28% effects on personal contextual factors. The EuroQol 5D score was explained by reported vertigo, anxiety, fatigue, restriction of life, and communication problems. The disease-specific impact was explained by episodes of vertigo, fatigue, communication problems, inability to work, restriction of life, and uncertainty of life. Both analysis models provided the same outcome variables, although the decision tree separated the results better (80%) into correct classes than did logistic regression analysis (60%).

Conclusions

Self-reported participation restriction, activity limitation, and personal contextual factors describe the limitations of general life in subjects with Meniere's disorder. The use of the ICF classification provides an instrument that can be used in enablement of subjects with Meniere's disorder.
Forestier Disease: Single-Center Surgical Experience and Brief Literature Review
Authors: Presutti Livio , Alicandri-Ciufelli Matteo , Piccinini Alessia , Trebbi Marco , Marchioni Daniele , Ghidini Angelo , Ruberto Marco
Published: May 2017

Objectives

We describe the experience of our otolaryngology department in the treatment of Forestier disease, particularly regarding the diagnostic process, surgical treatment, and postoperative outcomes.

Methods

The charts of 12 patients who underwent surgical treatment of Forestier disease between January 1, 2003, and January 1, 2009, were analyzed. All patients were subjected to clinical, radiologic, and endoscopic evaluation that confirmed the presence of cervical osteophytes. All patients were treated by a right-sided prevascular transcervical approach to remove cervical osteophytes. A literature review on Forestier disease was also carried out.

Results

One case of immediate postoperative hemorrhage was reported. During the postoperative follow-up, ranging from 1 to 5 years, all patients underwent cervical radiography and fiberoptic laryngoscopy that confirmed no evidence of recurrence, and all patients remained asymptomatic.

Conclusions

A prevascular transcervical right-sided approach seems to be an effective treatment for surgical removal of hyperostosis in Forestier disease, with an acceptable rate of complications and recurrence.
Potential of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for the Regeneration of the Tracheal Wall
Authors: Imaizumi Mitsuyoshi , Nomoto Yukio , Sugino Takashi , Miyake Masao , Wada Ikuo , Nakamura Tatsuo , Omori Koichi
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Our previous studies focused on basic research and the clinical applications of an artificial trachea. However, the prefabricated artificial trachea cannot be utilized for pediatric airways, because the tracheal frame needs to expand as the child develops. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for the regeneration of the tracheal wall.

Methods

We cultured iPS cells in a 3-dimensional (3-D) scaffold in chondrocyte differentiation medium (bioengineered scaffold model), and the results were compared with those in a 3-D scaffold without iPS cells (control scaffold model). The 3-D scaffolds were implanted into tracheal defects in 8 nude rats. After 4 weeks, the regenerated tissue was histologically examined.

Results

Implanted iPS cells were confirmed to exist in all 5 rats implanted with bioengineered scaffolds. Cartilage-like tissue was observed in the regenerated tracheal wall in 2 of the 5 rats in the bioengineered scaffold model, but in none of the 3 rats in the control scaffold model.

Conclusions

Implanted iPS cells were confirmed to exist in the bioengineered scaffold. Cartilage-like tissue was regenerated in the tracheal defect. This study demonstrated the potential of iPS cells in the regeneration of the tracheal wall.