bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
B‐lines by lung ultrasound predict heart failure in hospitalized patients with acute anterior wall STEMI
Authors: Ye Xiao‐Jun , Li Nan , Li Jia‐Hui , Wu Wen‐Jing , Li Ai‐Li , Li Xian‐Lun
Published: July 2019

Objective

B‐line imaging by lung ultrasound (LUS) is a new tool for evaluating subclinical pulmonary congestion. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of B‐line number at admission in predicting symptomatic heart failure (HF) during hospitalization in acute anterior wall STEMI patients.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study which consecutively enrolled 96 anterior wall STEMI patients without dyspnea at admission. Pulmonary auscultation, NT‐proBNP test, LUS, and echocardiography were performed within 5 hours after primary PCI. Rale occurrence, plasma NT‐proBNP levels, B‐line number, LVEF, E/e’ were recorded, and their predictive value for HF in‐hospital was analyzed.

Results

A total of 19 patients developed symptomatic HF. Median B‐line number, NT‐proBNP levels, and E/e’ in the HF group were higher than those of the nonheart‐failure (NHF) group (P < 0.001) while LVEF was lower (P = 0.002). There was no statistical difference in rale occurrence between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that B‐lines, E/e’, and NT‐proBNP independently predicted HF during hospitalization. According to the area under the ROC curve, the strongest predictor is B‐lines (0.972), followed by NT‐proBNP (0.936) and E/e’ (0.928), and combining the three indicators was better than any single parameter (P = 0.048). B‐line cutoff ≥18 could well predict HF event with specificity and sensitivity of 94.7% and 94.8%, respectively.

Conclusion

Subclinical pulmonary congestion reflected by B‐lines can independently predict symptomatic HF during hospitalization in patients with anterior wall STEMI, LUS will act as a complementary tool for evaluating cardiac function.
Sudden ventricular fibrillation and death during ibrutinib therapy—A case report
Authors: Bernardeschi Paolo , Pirrotta Maria Teresa , Del Rosso Attilio , Fontanelli Giulia , Milandri Carlo
Published: July 2019

Ibrutinib is an oral inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase approved for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, mantle cell lymphoma and refractory Waldenstrom's disease. It increases progression‐free survival, overall survival, response rate. The most frequent adverse reactions, are increased risk in of bleeding and atrial fibrillation, but several reports of more dangerous rhythm disturbances have been recently reported in literature. A case of a patient with refractory Waldenstrom's disease, who developed ventricular fibrillation while taking ibrutinib, is reported, along with a concise literature review.
Ultrastructure of giant thalamic terminals in the auditory cortex
Authors: Saldeitis Katja , Richter Karin , Fischer Klaus‐Dieter , Ohl Frank W. , Mateos José M. , Budinger Eike
Published: July 2019

The auditory system comprises some very large axonal terminals like the endbulb and calyx of Held and “giant” corticothalamic synapses. Previously, we described a hitherto unknown population of giant thalamocortical boutons arising from the medial division of the medial geniculate body (MGm) in the Mongolian gerbil, which terminate over a wide cortical range but in a columnar manner particularly in the extragranular layers of the auditory cortex. As a first step towards an understanding of their potential functional role, we here describe their ultrastructure combining anterograde tract‐tracing with biocytin and electron microscopy. Quantitative ultrastructural analyses revealed that biocytin‐labelled MGm boutons reach much larger sizes than other, non‐labelled boutons. Also, mitochondria occupy more space within labelled boutons whereas synapses are of similar size. Labelled boutons are very heterogeneous in size but homogeneous with respect to their ultrastructural characteristics, with asymmetric synapses containing clear, round vesicles and targeting dendritic spines. Functionally, the ultrastructure of the MGm terminals indicates that they form excitatory contacts, which may transmit their information in a rapid, powerful and high‐fidelity manner onto strategically advantageous compartments of their cortical target cells.
Prosodic pitch processing is represented in delta‐band EEG and is dissociable from the cortical tracking of other acoustic and phonetic features
Authors: Teoh Emily S. , Cappelloni Madeline S. , Lalor Edmund C.
Published: July 2019

Speech is central to communication among humans. Meaning is largely conveyed by the selection of linguistic units such as words, phrases and sentences. However, prosody, that is the variation of acoustic cues that tie linguistic segments together, adds another layer of meaning. There are various features underlying prosody, one of the most important being pitch and how it is modulated. Recent fMRI and ECoG studies have suggested that there are cortical regions for pitch which respond primarily to resolved harmonics and that high‐gamma cortical activity encodes intonation as represented by relative pitch. Importantly, this latter result was shown to be independent of the cortical tracking of the acoustic energy of speech, a commonly used measure. Here, we investigate whether we can isolate low‐frequency EEG indices of pitch processing of continuous narrative speech from those reflecting the tracking of other acoustic and phonetic features. Harmonic resolvability was found to contain unique predictive power in delta and theta phase, but it was highly correlated with the envelope and tracked even when stimuli were pitch‐impoverished. As such, we are circumspect about whether its contribution is truly pitch‐specific. Crucially however, we found a unique contribution of relative pitch to EEG delta‐phase prediction, and this tracking was absent when subjects listened to pitch‐impoverished stimuli. This finding suggests the possibility of a separate processing stream for prosody that might operate in parallel to acoustic–linguistic processing. Furthermore, it provides a novel neural index that could be useful for testing prosodic encoding in populations with speech processing deficits and for improving cognitively controlled hearing aids.
Effects of β‐carotene on oxazolone‐induced atopic dermatitis in hairless mice
Authors: Kake Takamichi , Imai Masahiko , Takahashi Noriko
Published: July 2019

Skin acts as a barrier, which protects internal tissues and promotes moisture retention. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease associated with a variety of genetic and environmental factors that involve helper T cells. β‐Carotene (provitamin A) exhibits antioxidant activity and activates the immune system. However, it is not clear whether inflammation in AD skin is improved by posttreatment with β‐carotene. In the current study, we investigated the effects of β‐carotene on the skin of hairless mice with oxazolone‐induced inflammation/oedema (Ox‐AD mice). We found that skin inflammation was significantly reduced by oral administration of β‐carotene. In addition, treatment with β‐carotene suppressed protein levels of TNF‐α, IL‐1β and MCP‐1, as well as mRNA expression associated with IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐4 and Par‐2 in skin tissues. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of filaggrin, a structural protein in the epidermal stratum corneum, were elevated by β‐carotene administration as compared with Ox‐AD mice. β‐Carotene significantly reduced the activity of proMMP‐9, but not proMMP‐2. These results suggest that in Ox‐AD mice, β‐carotene improves skin inflammation by suppressing the expression of inflammatory factors, promoting filaggrin expression and reducing MMP‐9 activity. β‐Carotene is a potent anti‐inflammatory agent that improves the barrier functions of AD skin.
Residual stress/strain evolution due to low‐cycle fatigue by removing local material volume and optical interferometric data
Authors: Matvienko Yury , Pisarev Vladimir , Eleonsky Svyatoslav , Chernov Andrey
Published: July 2019

Three experimental methods, based on optical interferometric measurements of deformation response to local material removing, have been implemented for residual stresses determination. Two first techniques are employed to characterize initial residual stress values and their evolution near welded joints of aluminium plates under low‐cycle fatigue. The hole‐drilling method gives high‐accurate dependencies between residual stress components and number of cycles. The second approach comprises cracks modelling by narrow notches to describe residual stress distributions in more wide spatial range near the weld. The results demonstrate residual stress evolution is of complex character and cannot be uniquely qualified as a gradual relaxation. Besides, the secondary hole drilling method is developed and used as a fast and reliable tool to quantify the redistribution of residual strains near cold‐expanded holes due to low‐cycle fatigue. Dependencies of circumferential residual strains along the secondary hole edge versus number of cycles are constructed.
Concordance between Optimal Care Pathways and colorectal cancer care: Identifying opportunities to improve quality and reduce disparities
Authors: Bergin Rebecca J. , Thomas Robert J. S. , Whitfield Kathryn , White Victoria
Published: July 2019

Rationale, aims, and objectives

Care pathway policies for cancer aim to reduce variation and improve the quality of patient care, and there is increasing evidence that adherence to such pathways is associated with improved survival and lower health care costs. Australia is implementing Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) for several cancers, including colorectal cancer, but studies evaluating how well care conforms to OCP recommendations are rare. This study examined concordance between OCP recommendations and colorectal cancer care prior to policy rollout and disparities for vulnerable populations.

Method

Cross‐sectional survey (2012‐2014) of cancer registry‐identified colorectal cancer patients aged ≥40 approached within 6 months of diagnosis (n = 433), their general practitioner (GP, n = 290), and specialist (n = 144) in Victoria, Australia. We measured concordance with 10 OCP recommendations and variation by geography, socio‐economic, and health insurance status using age‐ and sex‐adjusted logistic regression models.

Results

Use of recommended GP investigations varied from 66% for colonoscopy to 13% for digital rectal exam. Recommended waiting times to receive a colonoscopy, see a specialist after referral, and begin adjuvant chemotherapy were exceeded for around a third of patients. Twenty‐eight percent of specialists reported a pretreatment multidisciplinary meeting. Most patients received surgery in a hospital with an intensive care unit (92%) and chemotherapy for high risk disease (84%).

In general, care was similar across sociodemographic groups. However, receipt of GP investigations tended to be higher and waiting times longer for rural, low socio‐economic, and non‐privately insured patients. For example, receiving a colonoscopy within 4 weeks was significantly less likely for rural (51%) than urban (78%) patients (odds ratio = 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.11‐0.79).

Conclusion

Prior to implementation, a significant proportion of colorectal cancer patients received care that did not meet OCP recommendations. Low concordance and inequities for rural and disadvantaged populations highlight components of the pathway to target during policy implementation.
Investigation of different interactions between Staphylococcus aureus phages and pomegranate peel, grape seed, and black cumin extracts
Authors: Tayyarcan Emine K. , Acar Soykut Esra , Menteş Yılmaz Ozay , Boyaci Ismail H. , Khaaladi Maha , Fattouch Sami
Published: July 2019

Today, antibiotic resistance is one of the most crucial problems so that researchers have begun to search for alternatives to antibiotics. Among these alternatives, phage therapy and phytotherapy became prominent. The present study aims to put forward a different approach by combining these two methods. For this purpose, Staphylococcus aureus phages were isolated from commercial mixtures. After that, extraction of phenolic compounds from pomegranate peels (Ps), grape seeds (GSs), and black cumin (NS) was carried out and antimicrobial activities were determined. Phage‐phenolic interactions were investigated by examining the effect of phenolic extracts on phage plaque sizes and then on phage titer and bacteria count. As a result, it was found that only the NS extract had a positive effect on phage activity and increased the size of phage plaques. However, no synergistic effect was observed in experiments performed in liquid media. It was also found that P and GS extracts inhibited phage activity.

Practical Applications

The present study was focused on effects of extracts obtained from pomegranate peel, grape seed, and black cumin on Staphylococcus aureus phage activity. It is known that antibiotic resistance constitutes a major obstacle to the pathogen elimination. In this study, phage therapy and phytotherapy, which are prominent methods in pathogen elimination, have been combined and the effect of phenolic compounds isolated from natural sources on phage activity and bacteria count have been examined. Given the results of the current study, it has been demonstrated that the combined use of phages and antimicrobial compounds could be an important alternative to combating pathogens. It is thought that this combined method should be taken into consideration both in the practice of phage therapy on humans and animals, and in applications in the food industry.
Statin Use Over 65 Years of Age and All‐Cause Mortality: A 10‐Year Follow‐Up of 19 518 People
Authors: Eilat‐Tsanani Sophia , Mor Elad , Schonmann Yochai
Published: July 2019

OBJECTIVES

As life expectancy continues to rise, the burden of cardiovascular disease among older people is expected to increase, making cardiovascular prevention in older people an issue of growing interest and public health importance. We aimed to explore the long‐term effects of adherence to statins on mortality and cardiovascular morbidity among older adults.

DESIGN

A historical population‐based cohort study using routinely collected data.

SETTING

Clalit Health Services Northern District.

PARTICIPANTS

We followed members of Clalit Health Services aged 65 years or older who were eligible for primary cardiovascular prevention for a period of 10 years.

MEASUREMENTS

We fitted Cox regression models to assess the association between the adherence to statin therapy and all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular morbidity, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors and associated morbidity as time‐updated variables.

RESULTS

The analysis included 19 518 older adults followed during 10 years (median = 9.7 y). All‐cause mortality rates were 34% lower among those who had adhered to statin treatment, compared with those who had not (hazard ratio [HR] = .66; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .56‐.79). Adherence to statins was also associated with fewer atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events (HR = .80; 95% CI = .71‐.81). The benefit of statin use did not diminish among beyond age 75 and was evident for both women and men.

CONCLUSION

Adherence to statins may be associated with reduced mortality and cardiovascular morbidity among older adults, regardless of age and sex. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2038–2044, 2019
Modeling hard and soft facts for SMEs: Some international evidence
Authors: Matthias Massimo , Giammarino Michele , Gabbi Giampaolo
Published: July 2019

This paper asks how well the use of quantitative and qualitative variables can improve the assessment of companies' creditworthiness and how this result can be influenced by the economic and financial peculiarities of countries. We harden qualitative variable measures to model soft information aimed at scoring microfirms, small, and medium‐sized firms. The structural survey covers Germany, Italy, and the UK in a sample of about 17 thousand companies observed during the financial crisis. Soft facts are determined within the balanced scorecard framework in order to find out the impact of customers, business processes, learning and growth, and financial perspectives. Our findings show that credit models integrating soft variables optimize the risk estimation, but estimates are country‐specific and should be tailored to the characteristics of each economic system.
General stopping behaviors of naïve and noncommitted sophisticated agents, with application to probability distortion
Authors: Huang Yu‐Jui , Nguyen‐Huu Adrien , Zhou Xun Yu
Published: July 2019

We consider the problem of stopping a diffusion process with a payoff functional that renders the problem time‐inconsistent. We study stopping decisions of naïve agents who reoptimize continuously in time, as well as equilibrium strategies of sophisticated agents who anticipate but lack control over their future selves' behaviors. When the state process is one dimensional and the payoff functional satisfies some regularity conditions, we prove that any equilibrium can be obtained as a fixed point of an operator. This operator represents strategic reasoning that takes the future selves' behaviors into account. We then apply the general results to the case when the agents distort probability and the diffusion process is a geometric Brownian motion. The problem is inherently time‐inconsistent as the level of distortion of a same event changes over time. We show how the strategic reasoning may turn a naïve agent into a sophisticated one. Moreover, we derive stopping strategies of the two types of agent for various parameter specifications of the problem, illustrating rich behaviors beyond the extreme ones such as “never‐stopping” or “never‐starting.”
Identifying loci with breeding potential across temperate and tropical adaptation via EigenGWAS and EnvGWAS
Authors: Li Jing , Chen Guo‐Bo , Rasheed Awais , Li Delin , Sonder Kai , Zavala Espinosa Cristian , Wang Jiankang , Costich Denise E. , Schnable Patrick S. , Hearne Sarah J. , Li Huihui
Published: July 2019

Understanding the genomic basis of adaptation in maize is important for gene discovery and the improvement of breeding germplasm, but much remains a mystery in spite of significant population genetics and archaeological research. Identifying the signals underpinning adaptation are challenging as adaptation often coincided with genetic drift, and the base genomic diversity of the species in massive. In this study, tGBS technology was used to genotype 1,143 diverse maize accessions including landraces collected from 20 countries and elite breeding lines of tropical lowland, highland, subtropical/midaltitude and temperate ecological zones. Based on 355,442 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphisms, 13 genomic regions were detected as being under selection using the bottom‐up searching strategy, EigenGWAS. Of the 13 selection regions, 10 were first reported, two were associated with environmental parameters via EnvGWAS, and 146 genes were enriched. Combining large‐scale genomic and ecological data in this diverse maize panel, our study supports a polygenic adaptation model of maize and offers a framework to enhance our understanding of both the mechanistic basis and the evolutionary consequences of maize domestication and adaptation. The regions identified here are promising candidates for further, targeted exploration to identify beneficial alleles and haplotypes for deployment in maize breeding.
Seeking trust in entrustment: shifting from the planning of entrustable professional activities to implementation
Authors: Hauer Karen E
Published: July 2019

Hauer comments on Shorey et al.'s scoping review of EPAs in healthcare education, supporting the widespread enthusiasm for this assessment framework and highlighting critical EPA implementation questions.
Activation of the extracytoplasmic function σ factor σV by lysozyme
Authors: Ho Theresa D. , Ellermeier Craig D.
Published: July 2019

σV is an extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factor that is found exclusively in Firmicutes including Bacillus subtilis and the opportunistic pathogens Clostridioides difficile and Enterococcus faecalis. σV is activated by lysozyme and is required for lysozyme resistance. The activity of σV is normally inhibited by the anti‐σ factor RsiV, a transmembrane protein. RsiV acts as a receptor for lysozyme. The binding of lysozyme to RsiV triggers a signal transduction cascade which results in degradation of RsiV and activation of σV. Like the anti‐σ factors for several other ECF σ factors, RsiV is degraded by a multistep proteolytic cascade that is regulated at the step of site‐1 cleavage. Unlike other anti‐σ factors, site‐1 cleavage of RsiV is not dependent upon a site‐1 protease whose activity is regulated. Instead constitutively active signal peptidase cleaves RsiV at site‐1 in a lysozyme‐dependent manner. The activation of σV leads to the transcription of genes, which encode proteins required for lysozyme resistance.
Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life Scale utility in community home care
Authors: McDonald Tracey , Russell Frances
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to test the utility of the Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life assessment scale within community home care contexts and to compare the scale against the World Health Organization Quality‐of‐Life scale in terms of reliability and validity. Both scales were administered concurrently to 109 older adults receiving home care. Analysis revealed the Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life scale to have good test–retest reliability, modest but acceptable internal consistency, and pairwise comparison between the Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life and World Health Organization Quality‐of‐Life scales' scores suggesting moderate‐to‐strong correlation of criterion validity and comparability between scales. The results showed that the assessment of individual perceptions of life quality within home care contexts can be monitored and recorded, and that Long‐Term Care Quality‐of‐Life scale monitoring in home and residential care can identify opportunities for quality‐of‐life support and care continuity, even with transitions between care services and systems. The implications of the present study lie in having access to a validated quality‐of‐life assessment scale that can be used across care contexts to support evidence‐based practice, continuity of care, and acknowledgement of individual circumstances in services and care planning.
Horizontal Mergers under Yield Uncertainty
Authors: Xiao Yixuan
Published: July 2019

We study a horizontal merger in an oligopolistic market in which firms compete on production quantities. Each firm has its own in‐house manufacturing facility, and the production is subject to random yield. After the consolidation of two firms, the merged entity can use both manufacturing facilities that belong to the merging firms. It is well known that diversification can reduce the aggregate supply uncertainty of a firm, but this diversification benefit has not been explored in a merger analysis. We model the effects of reduced competition, cost synergy, and supply diversification from a merger and characterize their combined impact on firms’ production quantities and expected profits. Our analysis highlights the importance of yield correlation. In the postmerger model, although an increase in yield correlation intensifies end‐market competition and lowers the diversification benefit, it can increase the merged firm's expected profit. This is more likely to occur as the synergy effect increases, the number of competing firm increases, and the yield variance decreases. We also compare the premerger and postmerger equilibrium production quantity and expected profit of each firm. We show that there exists threshold levels of cost synergy above (or below) which the postmerger equilibrium profits or quantities exceed their premerger counterparts. We also show that, under yield uncertainty, firms may have an incentive to merge even without cost synergy due to the diversification benefit. With deterministic demand, cost synergy is necessary to justify a merger.
Effect of nicotinic acid on the plasma membrane function and polyunsaturated fatty acids composition during cryopreservation in boar sperm
Authors: Lee Sang‐Hee , Kim Yu‐Jin , Ho Kang Byeong , Park Choon‐Keun
Published: July 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nicotinic acid on plasma membrane integrity and fatty acid composition in frozen–thawed boar sperm. Boar semen was cryopreserved using freezing extender containing nicotinic acid (NA), then plasma membrane integrity, osmotic equilibration, lipid peroxidation and fatty acid were analysed. The plasma membrane integrity of frozen–thawed sperm was significantly higher in the 10 mM NA than in the 0 and 20 mM NA treatment groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, the osmotic equilibration ability was not different in treatment groups, but lipid peroxidation was significantly decreased in the 10 mM NA treatment group (p < 0.05). The saturated fatty acids were significantly decreased in the 10 mM NA treatment group, and C18:1n‐9, C18:2n‐6, C20:4n‐6, C22:5n‐6 and C22:6n‐3, and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were significantly increased in the 10 mM NA treatment groups (p < 0.05). In summary, 10 mM NA improved plasma membrane integrity, inhibited lipid peroxidation and increased PUFAs in frozen–thawed boar sperm. These results suggest that NA may be useful to protect the plasma membrane and inhibit the loss of PUFAs for sperm cryopreservation in pigs.
Impact of educational (sign language/video modeling) and therapeutic (Glycyrrhiza glabra––liquorice mouth wash) interventions on oral health pertaining to children with hearing impairment: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Saikiran Kanamarlapudi Venkata , Kamatham Rekhalakshmi , Sahiti Putta Sai , Nuvvula Sivakumar
Published: July 2019

Purpose

To compare the effect of educational (sign language and video modeling) and therapeutic intervention (liquorice) on oral hygiene status of children with hearing impairment (CHI).

Methods

Ninety‐three CHI, in the age range of 5‐15 years, were recruited in to the study. Children were assigned to two educational intervention groups: sign language and video modeling. Each group was again randomly divided into two: with one subgroup receiving therapeutic intervention using liquorice as a mouth wash and the other group receiving no intervention. For all children, baseline oral hygiene, gingival, and plaque index scores were recorded and oral prophylaxis was performed. Based on the subgroup to which the child was assigned, oral hygiene instructions were given on a weekly basis, whereas therapeutic intervention was performed twice daily for 28 days. Reassessment was done after the completion of interventions and after 3 months, followed by statistical analysis.

Results

There was a significant mean reduction in oral hygiene, gingival, and plaque scores in all the children. The educational intervention could not influence the scores recorded, but the therapeutic intervention with liquorice led to a reduction in all the oral health parameters during the follow‐up periods.

Conclusion

Therapeutic intervention using liquorice as mouth wash along with educational intervention can be suggested in CHI.
Effects of ibrutinib on proliferation and histamine release in canine neoplastic mast cells
Authors: Gamperl Susanne , Stefanzl Gabriele , Peter Barbara , Smiljkovic Dubravka , Bauer Karin , Willmann Michael , Valent Peter , Hadzijusufovic Emir
Published: July 2019

The Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor ibrutinib is effective in the treatment of human chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and mantle cell lymphoma. Recent data have shown that ibrutinib also blocks IgE‐dependent activation and histamine release in human basophils (BAs) and mast cells (MCs). The aim of this study was to investigate whether BTK serves as a novel therapeutic target in canine mast cell tumours (MCTs). We evaluated the effects of ibrutinib on two canine MC lines, C2 and NI‐1 and on primary MCs obtained from canine MCTs (n = 3). Using flow cytometry, we found that ibrutinib suppresses phosphorylation of BTK and of downstream STAT5 in both MC lines. In addition, ibrutinib decreased proliferation of neoplastic MCs, with IC50 values ranging between 0.1 and 1 μM in primary MCT cells and between 1 and 3 μM in C2 and NI‐1 cells. In C2 cells, the combination “ibrutinib + midostaurin” produced synergistic growth‐inhibitory effects. At higher concentrations, ibrutinib also induced apoptosis in both MC lines. Finally, ibrutinib was found to suppress IgE‐dependent histamine release in primary MCT cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 μM in NI‐1 cells, and from 0.05 to 1 μM in primary MCT cells. In summary, ibrutinib exerts anti‐proliferative effects in canine neoplastic MCs and counteracts IgE‐dependent histamine release in these cells. Based on our data, ibrutinib may be considered as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of canine MCT. The value of BTK inhibition in canine MCT patients remains to be elucidated in clinical trials.
English in South Asia: Lessons and parallels
Authors: Hock Hans Henrich
Published: July 2019

Braj B. Kachru's work on South Asian English, part of his larger research framework of ‘World Englishes’, is recognized as a significant contribution to linguistics, especially contact linguistics. In 1979, he also dealt with the ‘Englishization of Hindi’, an issue more fully pursued by Yamuna Kachru. A first discussion of the significance of the two‐way interaction between English and South Asian languages for contact linguistics was presented in Hock (2015). This paper further explores these implications – for Language Contact in general, for the prehistoric ‘Indianization’ of Sanskrit, and for Sanskrit as pan‐Indian link language under the Guptas.
Philippine English in retrospect and prospect
Authors: Martin Isabel Pefianco
Published: July 2019

In this article, I survey studies about English in the Philippines, many of which have been heavily influenced by the world Englishes paradigm. It was Braj Kachru himself who brought world Englishes to the Philippines in 1996, at a conference in Manila. About a hundred wide‐eyed Filipino teachers, who grew up believing that only American English existed, were never the same again. This contribution to a special issue in honor of Braj Kachru is an expression of utang na loob, our debt of gratitude to him for changing the course of English language studies and scholarship in the Philippines.
Pseudomonas syringae Increases Water Availability in Leaf Microenvironments via Production of Hygroscopic Syringafactin
Authors: Hernandez Monica N. , Lindow Steven E.
Published: July 2019

Many microorganisms, including the plant pathogen
Pseudomonas syringae
, produce amphiphilic compounds known as biosurfactants. While biosurfactants are known to disperse hydrophobic compounds and to reduce water tension, they have other properties that can benefit the cells that produce them. Leaf-colonizing bacteria experience frequent water stress, since liquid water is present only transiently on or in leaf sites that they colonize. The demonstration that syringafactin, a biosurfactant produced by
P. syringae
, is sufficiently hygroscopic to increase water availability to cells, thus relieving water stress, reveals that
P. syringae
can modify its local habitat both on leaf surfaces and in the leaf apoplast. Such habitat modification may be a common role for biosurfactants produced by other bacterial species that colonize habitats (such as soil) that are not always water saturated.
Anopheles gambiae
Lacking
AgTRIO
Inefficiently Transmits
Plasmodium berghei
to Mice
Authors: Chuang Yu-Min , Freudzon Marianna , Yang Jing , Dong Yuemei , Dimopoulos George , Fikrig Erol
Published: July 2019

Antibodies to AgTRIO, a mosquito salivary protein, partially reduce the initial
Plasmodium
burden in mice. We therefore silenced
AgTRIO
in mosquitoes and determined the relative contribution of AgTRIO to the ability of
Anopheles gambiae
to transmit
Plasmodium berghei
to mice. RNA interference-mediated silencing of
AgTRIO in
A. gambiae
resulted in a 60% reduction in
AgTRIO
expression. The decrease in
AgTRIO
expression did not alter the burden of
Plasmodium
sporozoites in mosquito salivary glands.
Two Verticillium dahliae MAPKKKs, VdSsk2 and VdSte11, Have Distinct Roles in Pathogenicity, Microsclerotial Formation, and Stress Adaptation
Authors: Yu Jun , Li Tianyu , Tian Longyan , Tang Chen , Klosterman Steven J. , Tian Chengming , Wang Yonglin
Published: July 2019

These data provide insights into the distinctive functions of VdSsk2 and VdSte11 in pathogenicity, stress adaptation, and microsclerotial formation in
V. dahliae
.
Detrital zircon U-Pb ages and whole-rock geochemistry of early Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks in the Mongolian Altai: Insights into the tectonic affinity of the whole Altai-Mongolian terrane
Authors: Long Xiaoping , Luo Jin , Sun Min , Wang Xuan-ce , Wang Yujing , Yuan Chao , Jiang Yingde
Published: July 2019

The tectonic affinity of the terranes and microcontinents within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) remains controversial. The Altai-Mongolian terrane (AMT), as a representative tectonic unit in the Mongolian collage, plays a vital role in reconstructing evolution history of the CAOB. The well-preserved early Paleozoic sedimentary sequence covering in this terrane could be considered as a fingerprint to track its provenance and tectonic affinity. Here, we present new whole-rock geochemistry, detrital zircon U-Pb dating, and Hf isotopic analysis for the metasedimentary rocks from the Mongolian Altai in order to shed new light on the tectonic affinity of the AMT. The youngest detrital zircon ages and the regional intrusions constrain the depositional time of the Mongolian Altai sequence to between Late Silurian and Early Devonian, which is consistent with the Habahe group in the western Chinese Altai. The features of whole-rock geochemistry and the cumulative distribution curves of the detrital zircon age spectra indicate that the Mongolian Altai sequence was probably deposited in an active continental setting during early Paleozoic. The zircon age spectra of our samples are all characterized by a main age group in the early Cambrian (peak at 541 Ma, 522 Ma, 506 Ma and 496 Ma, respectively), subdominant age populations during the Tonian, as well as rare older zircons. The nearby Lake Zone of Ikh-Mongol Arc most likely provided plenty of early Paleozoic materials, the subdominant Neoproterozoic detrital zircons could be supplied by the felsic intrusions along the western margin of the Tuva-Mongol microcontinent, and the sparse older zircons may be derived from its basement material. The Precambrian age distribution of the AMT is quite similar to both the Tarim and Siberia cratons, but the Siberia Craton displays a closer resemblance in Hf isotopic composition with the AMT. Thus, we believe that the Siberia Craton contains a closer tectonic affinity with the AMT, and that the Tuva-Mongol microcontinent possibly rifted from the western margin of this craton after the Tonian. To the south of the AMT, recent studies indicated the Yili and Central Tianshan blocks in the Kazakhstan collage of the western CAOB likely have a closer affinity with Gondwana. Therefore, the microcontinents in the CAOB most likely derived bilaterally from both the Siberia Craton and the Gondwana supercontinent. Moreover, our Hf isotopic compositions indicate two significant continental growth events in the Tonian and early Paleozoic, respectively.
Гистерезисные преобразователи со случайными параметрами
Authors: Борзунов Сергей Викторович , Borzunov Sergei Viktorovich , Семенов Михаил Евгеньевич , Semenov Mikhail Yevgen'evich , Сельвесюк Н И , Sel'vesyuk N I , Мелешенко Петр Александрович , Meleshenko Petr Aleksandrovich
Published: July 2019

Предложен новый класс моделей гистерезисных преобразователей, обобщающий классическое определение люфта на случай, когда геометрическое расположение определяющих его кривых зависит от случайного параметра. Выход стохастического преобразователя в этой ситуации трактуется как случайный процесс. Доказана корректность определения соответствующего преобразователя в терминах специальной предельной конструкции, позволяющей определить выход на произвольном непрерывном входе. Исследованы свойства введенного преобразователя, получены аналитические соотношения, определяющие первую и вторую моментные функции выхода, приведены иллюстративные примеры.
Методы решения теоретико-игровых моделей согласования интересов при управлении рыболовством
Authors: Сухинов Александр Иванович , Sukhinov Alexander Ivanovich , Угольницкий Геннадий Анатольевич , Ougolnitsky Gennady Anatolievich , Усов Анатолий Борисович , Usov Anatolii Borisovich
Published: July 2019

Исследуются динамические теоретико-игровые модели согласования частных и общественных интересов агентов в рамках концепции устойчивого развития управляемой ими динамической системы. В рамках этой концепции механизмы иерархического управления - методы принуждения и побуждения - формализованы как решения иерархических дифференциальных игр с фазовыми ограничениями, отражающими требования к состоянию управляемой динамической системы, обеспечивающему условия устойчивого развития. Принуждение предполагает воздействие ведущего игрока (субъекта управления устойчивым развитием) на множество допустимых управлений ведомого (субъекта воздействия на управляемую динамическую систему), а побуждение - на его функцию выигрыша. Механизмы административного и экономического управления формализованы как сценарии компьютерной имитации. Рассмотренные в статье динамические модели являются развитием моделей согласования общественных и частных интересов, предложенных Ю.Б. Гермейером и И.А. Вателем. Проведены численные расчеты и выполнен сравнительный анализ эффективности указанных механизмов управления для модели рыболовства.
Молекулярно-динамический расчет макропараметров технических газов на примере аргона, азота, водорода и метана
Authors: Подрыга Виктория Олеговна , Podryga Viktoriya Olegovna , Вихров Евгений Владимирович , Vikhrov Evgenii Vladimirovich , Поляков Сергей Владимирович , Polyakov Sergey Vladimirovich
Published: July 2019

Данная работа посвящена молекулярно-динамическим расчетам свойств технических газов, исследование которых является традиционной проблемой физики вещества. В настоящее время наблюдается повышенный интерес к данной проблеме в связи с развитием нанотехнологий и их внедрением в различные отрасли промышленности. Необходимые для моделирования свойства газа выражаются в виде набора макропараметров, включающих кинетические коэффициенты, параметры уравнения состояния, величины кинетической, потенциальной, полной и внутренней энергий. Исследование выполнено для технических газов: аргон, водород, азот и метан при давлении 1 атм, в диапазоне температур 100-400 К. Полученные расчетные данные по макропараметрам газов хорошо согласуются с известными теоретическими оценками и данными экспериментов.
A challenging presentation of invasive nasopharyngeal sarcomatoid carcinoma
Authors: Yao Alexander , Saeed Haroon , Udall Gavin , Kaushik Vivek , Lee Lip Wai
Published: July 2019

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare clinical entity, especially when presenting in the nasopharynx. We describe the first documented case of nasopharyngeal sarcomatoid carcinoma with intracranial extension in a 59-year-old Caucasian man presenting with severe bifrontal headache and diplopia, secondary to left abducens nerve palsy. We highlight some of the major diagnostic challenges and describe its unusual histological appearance. We outline the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to his management, which includes input from the medicine, neurosurgery, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), pathology, radiology, oncology and respiratory teams. In the context of limited evidence, we then describe the rationale to proceed with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Although there was a partial response to treatment, it was not sufficient enough to allow subsequent surgical clearance. The plan going forward is to palliate with chemotherapy as and when the disease progresses.
Normal male external genitalia do not rule out CYP11A1 deficiency
Authors: Sarathi Vijaya , Nagalingam Chithambaram
Published: July 2019

Defects in the initial steps of steroidogenesis usually present with female external genitalia in both 46,XX and 46,XY. Hence, they are not often considered in the differential diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency children with normal male external genitalia. Here, we report a boy with normal male external genitalia who presented with hyperpigmentation since the age of 2 years but diagnosis was delayed till 11 years of age. Evaluation revealed low-serum cortisol with elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone and direct renin level confirming primary adrenal insufficiency. Clinical exome sequencing analysis revealed a homozygous c.1351C>T (p.R451W) mutation in exon 8 of theCYP11A1gene which was confirmed on Sanger sequencing. Both parents were heterozygous for the variation. To conclude, we report the first case of CYP11A1 deficiency from India. The report reiterates the existence of non-classic CYP11A1 deficiency characterised by primary adrenal insufficiency and normal male external genitalia in 46,XY.
Fungal appendicitis in a non-immunocompromised woman
Authors: Choy Kay Tai , Chiam Heng-Chin , Zardawi Ibrahim
Published: July 2019

We describe a previously fit and well 54-year-old woman who presented with 3 weeks of right-sided lower abdominal pain with CT showing a non-specific thickening of the caecal/appendiceal wall. Although initially concerning for a neoplastic process, histology demonstrated yeast-like organisms colonising and invading into the appendiceal wall, confirming the diagnosis of fungal appendicitis. Fungal appendicitis is an important clinical entity that has previously been reported to affect immunocompromised individuals. Although uncommon among the non-immunocompromised individuals, it should not be neglected as a possible diagnosis in patients presented with non-specific abdominal pain.
Tuberculosis of lunate as an isolated intraosseous osteolytic lesion in an adult: a diagnostic challenge
Authors: Kumar Prasoon , Aggarwal Sameer , Rajnish Rajesh Kumar , Agarwal Saurabh
Published: July 2019

In an endemic zone of tuberculosis (TB), osseous involvement is a relatively common presentation. Spine and long bones are the the most common nidus of TB. Smaller bones and joints are relatively less involved. Thorough clinical examination and history of typical constitutional symptoms like weight loss, fever and loss of appetite are the diagnostic aids for initiating early treatment. Wrist and hand involvement is a rare occurrence and often presents atypically without any obvious symptoms or signs. This results in delayed diagnosis and worse outcome. TB of lunate without articular involvement is a very rare subset and we present such an isolated case of TB involving the lunate, without any typical symptoms, with the patient complaining of vague pain without any restriction of joint mobility. TB was diagnosed with the aid of radiology, haematology and histopathology. 18 months of multidrug antitubercular treatment was given, to which the patient responded well.
Diencephalic syndrome: an anaesthetic challenge
Authors: Roncall Bhim Raju , Bellapukonda Snigdha , Mohanty Chitta Ranjan
Published: July 2019

Diencephalic syndrome is one of the rare causes of failure to thrive in infants and young children. It is caused by a tumour in diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus), characterised by profound emaciation with uniform loss of body weight despite normal or slightly decreased appetite, locomotor hyperactivity, euphoria and visual symptoms. Anaesthetic considerations due to decreased body fat include positioning to avoid pressure necrosis, measures to avoid hypothermia, proper drug dosing, treating electrolyte imbalances and delayed recovery. We report successful anaesthetic management of a child with diencephalic syndrome scheduled for an endoscopic biopsy of suprasellar space occupying lesion under general anaesthesia.
Internal exposure risk due to radiocesium and the consuming behaviour of local foodstuffs among pregnant women in Minamisoma City near the Fukushima nuclear power plant: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Yamamoto Kana , Nomura Shuhei , Tsubokura Masaharu , Murakami Michio , Ozaki Akihiko , Leppold Claire , Sawano Toyoaki , Takita Morihito , Kato Shigeaki , Kanazawa Yukio , Anbe Hiroshi
Published: July 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the internal cesium (Cs) level among pregnant women in Minamisoma City (the area straddling the evacuation zones) over a 5-year period after Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident and assess the status and transition of their food-acquiring preferences during this period.

Design

A retrospective observational study of a screening along with a questionnaire survey.

Setting

This study was conducted in an obstetrics and gynaecology service in Minamisoma City in Fukushima, Japan.

Participants

Participants included pregnant women who applied for the voluntary internal radiation exposure screening programme.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Internal radiation exposure was evaluated using the whole-body counter (WBC) in the screening programme. Data from a food acquisition preference questionnaire administered to the participants were analysed and compared across the 5-year period after adjusting for covariates.

Results

Overall, 804 screening programmes were conducted with 579 participants during the study period. All participants had internal contamination levels below the detection limit of the WBC unit (220 and 250 Bq/body for Cs-134 and Cs-137, respectively). Based on the most conservative assumption, their maximum annual effective doses by Cs-134 and Cs-137 together were estimated at 16 µSv/year. Contrary to limited internal contamination risks and counter-dose initiatives by the government, a considerable number of pregnant women were still concerned about consuming potentially contaminated local food products when purchasing them at supermarkets between 2012 (78.4%) and 2015 (75.0%).

Conclusions

Health effects from post-accident internal radiation exposure were likely to be insignificant in pregnant women. National/local action is urgently needed to promote scientific understanding in pregnant women regarding limited internal exposure risks from local food products in the market. However, few mothers chose to participate in the internal radiation exposure screening programme, and thus, caution is required in interpreting the results of analyses.
Effect of diet, exercise and sleep on tic severity: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Nosratmirshekarlou Elaheh , Shafiq Samreen , Goodarzi Zahra S , Martino Davide , Pringsheim Tamara
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Tourette syndrome is a common childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder, with tics that wax and wane in frequency and severity over time. The purpose of the proposed scoping review is to map the types of evidence available pertaining to the effect of diet, sleep and exercise on tic severity and identify key concepts and gaps in research.

Methods

Our scoping review will use the six-step framework recommended by Arksey and O’Malley, with enhancements from Levacet aland Joanna Briggs Institute. We will attempt to identify all the relevant literature regardless of study design. We will search six electronic databases, the reference lists of all selected studies and the grey literature for studies examining an association between dietary factors, sleep or physical exercise and tics, or studies of interventions targeting diet, sleep or exercise to reduce tics. Our analysis plan includes description of the reported associations among dietary factors, sleep and physical exercise and tics, the effects of interventions, the research methodologies and how outcomes are measured.

Ethics and dissemination

An approval from a recognised committee is not required to conduct the proposed review, as the study entails secondary analysis of the literature available publicly. For dissemination of the study, the results will be submitted for publication to peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at relevant public forums and conferences.