bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nothingness in motion: Theorizing Bruce Lee’s action aesthetics
Authors: Wong Wayne
Published: October 2019

This article argues that Bruce Lee revolutionized kung fu cinema not only by increasing its authenticity and combativity but also by revealing its inherent connection to wuyi (武意), or martial ideation. Martial ideation refers to a specific negotiation of action and stasis in martial arts performance which contains a powerful overflow of emotion in tranquility. Since the early 1970s, Bruce Lee’s kung fu films have been labeled “chop-socky,” offering only fleeting visual and visceral pleasures. Subsequently, several studies explored the cultural significance and political implications of Lee’s films. However, not much attention has been paid to their aesthetic composition—in particular, how cinematic kung fu manifests Chinese aesthetics and philosophy on choreographic, cinematographic, and narrative levels. In Lee’s films, the concept of martial ideation is embodied in the Daoist notion of wu (nothingness), a metaphysical void that is invisible, nameless, and formless. Through a close reading of Laozi’s Daodejing (道德經), it is possible to discover two traits of nothingness—namely, reversal and return—which are characteristics of Lee’s representation of martial ideation. The former refers to a paradigmatic shift from concreteness to emptiness, while the latter makes such a shift reversible and perennial via the motif of circularity. The discussion focuses on films in which Lee’s creative influence is clearly discernible, such as Fist of Fury (1972), The Way of the Dragon (1972), and the surviving footage intended for The Game of Death featured in Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey (2000). These films shed light on the complicated relationship between the cinematic (action and stasis), the martial (Jeet Kune Do), the aesthetic (ideation), and the philosophical (Daoism). The goal is to stimulate a more balanced discussion of Lee’s films both from the perspective of global action cinema and Chinese culture.
Post-PISA Education Reforms in China: Policy Response Beyond the Digital Governance of PISA
Authors: Yang Wenjie , Fan Guorui
Published: October 2019

Purpose:

This study analyzes the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data, revealing that the test itself reflects China’s educational problems as well as the resultant effect of digital governance. Examining the root cause of these problems, this study demonstrates that the education reforms implemented in response to the PISA have gone beyond digital governance.

Design/Approach/Methods:

This study conducts a text analysis of materials related to China’s education system, including PISA data and analytical reports published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development since 2009.

Findings:

Reflected by PISA data, the main problems facing China’s educational sector include the overburdening of students at school, emphasis on knowledge acquisition during the teaching process, and the prevalence of extracurricular tuition. The digital governance effect triggered by PISA is highly consistent with China’s constant and excessive pursuit of efficiency, emphasis on scores, and the rate of students entering higher level schools. In the new era, China actively reflected on the disadvantages of digital governance before implementing a series of education reforms that go beyond it.

Originality/Value:

This study is based on China’s cultural background and the latest contexts. It examines the impact of the large-scale international assessment on China’s education governance and discusses the impact of digital governance on the education reforms in other countries. The implementation of China’s post-PISA education reforms demonstrates that different countries can implement rational education reforms based on their own cultural traditions and social realities as well as by referencing and using PISA data with care and prudence.
Side Effects of Large-Scale Assessments in Education
Authors: Emler Trina E. , Zhao Yong , Deng Jiayi , Yin Danqing , Wang Yurou
Published: October 2019

Purpose:

In line with a recent call for side effects research in education, this article aims to synthesize the major concerns that have been raised in the literature concerning large-scale assessments (LSAs) in education.

Design/Approach/Methods:

The researchers endeavored to complete a deep review of the literature on LSAs to synthesize the reported side effects. The review was synthesized thematically to understand and report the consequences of the ongoing push for the use of LSA in education.

Findings:

Thematic analysis indicated overarching side effects of LSA in education. We discuss why negative side effects exist and present evidence of the most commonly observed side effects of LSA in education, including distorting education, exacerbating inequity and injustice, demoralization of professionals, ethical corruption, and stifling of innovation in education.

Originality/Value:

While concerns about the use and misuse of LSA in education are not new and have been discussed widely in the literature, rarely have they been discussed as inherent qualities and consequences of LSAs that can do harm to education.
School Counseling Intervention Research: A 10-Year Content Analysis of ASCA- and ACA-Affiliated Journals
Authors: Griffith Catherine , Mariani Melissa , McMahon H. George , Zyromski Brett , Greenspan Scott B.
Published: October 2019

Authors performed a content analysis of school counseling–related intervention research in 21 journals affiliated with the American Counseling Association and the American School Counselor Association across the 10-year span of 2006–2016. Results indicated that minimal school counseling intervention research articles were published ( N = 53) in these 21 journals during that time period and that most studies were quasi-experimental, single-group, pre-/posttest design with a fairly small N, raising questions about validity and generalizability of findings. We discuss implications for practice and future research.
Didgeridoo Sound Meditation for Stress Reduction and Mood Enhancement in Undergraduates: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Philips Kamaira Hartley , Brintz Carrie E , Moss Kevin , Gaylord Susan A
Published: October 2019

Background

College students report feeling frequently stressed, which adversely impacts health. Meditation is one effective method for reducing stress, but program length and required effort are potential obstacles. Research on sound meditation, involving focused listening to sounds, is nascent but may appeal to undergraduates. The effects of listening to didgeridoo, an Australian wind instrument producing a low, resonant, droning sound, have not been studied.

Objective

This study compared the effect of a 30-minute didgeridoo sound meditation versus silent meditation with focus on one’s breath on acute self-perceived stress and mood in undergraduates without prior meditation experience.

Methods

Seventy-four undergraduates were randomized to 2 interventions: (1) didgeridoo meditation (n = 40) performed live by a musician or (2) silent meditation (n = 34) taught by a meditation instructor. Immediate pre–post effects of the session were examined using the 4-Dimension Mood Scale and an item assessing acute self-perceived stress. Intervention acceptability was assessed postintervention.

Results

Two-way mixed analyses of variance were performed. Both groups reported significantly increased relaxation after meditation (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .0005). Both groups reported decreased negative arousal (Group D, P = .02 and Group S, P = .02), energy (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .003), tiredness (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .005), and acute stress (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .0007). Group Didgeridoo experienced significantly more relaxation ( P = .01) and less acute stress ( P = .03) than Group Silent. Fifty-three percent of silent participants and 80% of didgeridoo participants agreed that they would attend that type of meditation again. Forty-seven percent of silent participants and 80% of didgeridoo participants enjoyed the meditation.

Conclusion

Didgeridoo sound meditation is as effective as silent meditation for decreasing self-perceived negative arousal, tiredness, and energy and more effective than silent meditation for relaxation and acute stress in undergraduates. Didgeridoo meditation participants reported higher levels of enjoyment and higher likelihood of attending another session. Further investigation into didgeridoo and sound meditation is warranted.
Use of Fondaparinux Following Elective Lumbar Spine Surgery Is Associated With a Reduction in Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Fourman Mitchell S. , Shaw Jeremy D. , Nwasike Chinedu O. , Boakye Lorraine A. T. , Dombrowski Malcolm E. , Vaudreuil Nicholas J. , Wawrose Richard A. , Lunardini David J. , Lee Joon Y.
Published: October 2019

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:

To assess the impact of fondaparinux on venous thromboembolism (VTE) following elective lumbar spine surgery in high-risk patients.

Methods:

Matched patient cohorts who did or did not receive inpatient fondaparinux starting postoperative day 2 following elective lumbar spine surgery were compared. All patients received 1 month of acetyl salicylic acid 325 mg following discharge. The primary outcome was a symptomatic DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or PE (pulmonary embolus) within 30 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included prolonged wound drainage, epidural hematoma, and transfusion.

Results:

A significantly higher number of DVTs were diagnosed in the group that did not receive inpatient VTE prophylaxis (3/102, 2.9%) compared with the fondaparinux group (0/275, 0%, P = .02). Increased wound drainage was seen in 18.5% of patients administered fondaparinux, compared with 25.5% of untreated patients ( P = .15). Deep infections were equivalent (2.2% with fondaparinux vs 4.9% control, P = .18). No epidural hematomas were noted, and the number of transfusions after postoperative day 2 and 90-day return to operating room rates were equivalent.

Conclusions:

Patients receiving fondaparinux had lower rates of symptomatic DVT and PE and a favorable complication profile when compared with matched controls. The retrospective nature of this work limits the safety and efficacy claims that can be made about the use of fondaparinux to prevent VTE in elective lumbar spine surgery patients. Importantly, this work highlights the potential safety of this regimen, permitting future high-quality trials.
Casteism and Marriage in Igbo Society: A Study of Buchi Emecheta’s The Bride Price
Authors: Ghosh (Paul) Anisha
Published: October 2019

The most prominent and pronounced form of casteism that prevails in the Nigerian society is the discrimination against Osus. Osu is a caste determined by heredity irrespective of the individual’s religious faith and practices. Though coming from a society where individual merit and achievement entitles one to the highest indigenous title and social prestige, Osus cannot aspire to one for their stigmatized caste status. Under the colonial influence, Osus became the first people to be educated, which made them the earliest Nigerian-Igbo elites, but this privileged class status too could not provide them an inroad into the mainstream of the Igbo society, which makes the Osu identity paradoxical. In this article, we attempt a reading of how the exclusionary practices of Igbo marriage ritual contribute in constructing the Osu identity as perpetually marginalized and, in doing so, how the Igbo society throws its preoccupation with individual merit and achievements as the keys to social respectability to the wind through Buchi Emecheta’s third novel The Bride Price. The novel is a study in different forms of marginalizations and liminalities, which raises questions about agency as it exposes the paradoxes on which the social life of a tribe is riveted.
Optical Coherence Tomography, Fluorescein Angiography, and Electroretinography Features of Niacin Maculopathy: New Insight Into Pathogenesis
Authors: Lee Jessica G. , Patel Anu , Bertolucci Alessandra , Rosen Richard B.
Published: October 2019

Purpose:

We describe the features of niacin maculopathy in a 61-year old man using ocular coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, and electroretinography (ERG).

Methods:

A case report is presented.

Results:

A 61-year-old male presented with decreased visual acuity. Cirrus OCT revealed bilateral cystic macular edema, without leakage on fluorescein angiography. Dark-adapted maximal-flash ERG demonstrated an absent b-wave. Light-adapted flicker responses revealed diminished amplitude and delayed implicit time (IT). Multifocal ERG demonstrated diffusely decreased amplitudes. Two months after discontinuation of niacin, OCT demonstrated complete resolution of the macular edema. Dark-adapted maximal-flash ERG showed improvement in the b-wave. Light-adapted flicker responses improved in amplitude and decreased IT.

Conclusions:

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this case is the first to demonstrate a reduced b-wave in niacin maculopathy. Discontinuation of niacin led to an improved b-wave response suggesting that niacin maculopathy is caused by niacin induced muller cell dysfunction.
Encounters in the ebb and flood: Knowing marine ecologies in the intertidal contact zone
Authors: Fredriksen Aurora
Published: October 2019

Shifting rhythmically between land and sea with the ebb and flood tides, shores are places where humans and nonhumans encounter one another in ambivalent relations of deep familiarity and enduring strangeness. In this article, I use the space of the intertidal contact zone to think through a series of uneven encounters between humans and marine wildlife that populate a dispute over tidal energy testing in the Bay of Fundy's Minas Passage. I trace two contact zones through which knowledge about marine wildlife in the Bay of Fundy is generated: first, the contact zone continually (re-)assembled through the encounters of small-scale and traditional fishers with marine wildlife, and second, the contact zone staged in remote encounters between marine scientists and marine wildlife. The article reflects on the role of bodies in and out of encounter in the different ways of knowing about marine wildlife in this case and considers ethical possibilities and limits of knowing through, versus without, contact with nonhuman animals in the intertidal contact zone.
Guest Introduction: More-than-human contact zones
Authors: Isaacs Jenny R , Otruba Ariel
Published: October 2019

Mary Louise Pratt used the term “contact zones” to describe those spaces where “cultures, meet, clash and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today”. Building on three sessions at the 2017 American Association of Geographers’ Annual Meeting, this special section features articles which apply Pratt’s concepts to environmental research. We argue that these articles demonstrate a “more-than-human ‘contact’ approach” to (1) better account for nonhuman agency by multiplying perspectives, (2) intervene in cases of violence and injustice, and (3) decolonize knowledge/production. Included are empirical case studies which describe encounters with the nonhuman; these include a postcolonial reading of the BBC’s Blue Planet II, a feminist science study of migratory shorebird conservation on New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore, and political ecologies of prescribed forest burns by Parks Canada and tidal energy production in the Bay of Fundy. These articles broaden the definitions of “contact” and “justice” as they direct critical attention to the politics of environmental knowledge production, technoscientific means of understanding and managing the living environment, and forms of resistance to the exclusive governance of “wild” spaces. They present sites of environmental management and exploration as places of transformation, co-presence, unpredictability, and often intimate violence. The section demonstrates how political ecologies and more-than-human geographies expand Pratt’s “contact” perspective. An afterword is provided by Mary Louise Pratt.
Transforming Classroom Learning Through Community Study Projects in Macro-Social Work Practice Courses
Authors: Thomas Madhavappallil
Published: October 2019

This article describes the use of an experiential community study project in teaching a macro-practice course with focus on community engagement in an advanced generalist practice Master of Social Work (MSW) programme in the USA. Implemented in stages, this project is designed to provide students an opportunity to develop community practice knowledge and skills. Quantitative and qualitative data collected from students show how this project developed in them the ability to analyse community characteristics and problems as well as helped them become more culturally sensitive. In developing community profiles and assessing community needs, students could also enhance their analytical and critical thinking skills. These experiential projects are very relevant and useful for social work students and programmes which do not have an opportunity for community practice in their field placement as part of their education. The author argues that such initiatives are likely to reduce the marginalisation of macro-practice courses in social work programmes. Pedagogical and practice implications for macro-practice courses and social work education are also discussed.
Border Securitisation and the Emerging Health Challenges at the Indo-Bangladesh Borderland
Authors: Jojo Bipin , Datta Abhimanyu
Published: October 2019

This article discuses some of the major health challenges and their impact on the Indian families living outside the Indo-Bangladesh border fence. Drawing on the qualitative data of 7 group interviews and 25 in-depth individual interviews conducted in the border area of Karimganj district of Assam, it analyses health issues experienced by people having no access to health services. The article argues that although the purpose of border fencing was to restrict the illegal activities across the border, it is causing serious problems for the Indian population who are left outside the border fence. The strict border rules and restriction in the movements across the border have led to lack of access to necessary health services, and people are experiencing a range of health issues without any treatment. Nevertheless, there is no proper intervention mechanism by the government. The article suggests some measures to address the problems of the border dwellers.
Ideas Old and New: Bharatiyakaran/Indianisation of Social Work
Authors: Kumar Ajit
Published: October 2019

This article discusses the current development of Bharatiyakaran/Indianisation of social work education and practice in India. Drawing on relevant information from Bharatiyakaran workshops and conferences, it analyses mission and motives, and prospects and perils of Bharatiyakaran. The Indic-religions and emic approach are crafting a unique form of the Indian religio-cultural nationalism. The Bharatiyakaran advocates assert that their initiatives of de-colonisation, Indianisation and indigenisation would challenge the Eurocentric domination of the Indian social work. While indigenisation of social work in India is overdue, the current Bharatiyakaran trend raises more contradictions and questions.
T-cell phenotypes associated with effective CAR T-cell therapy in postinduction vs relapsed multiple myeloma
Authors: Garfall Alfred L. , Dancy Ehren K. , Cohen Adam D. , Hwang Wei-Ting , Fraietta Joseph A. , Davis Megan M. , Levine Bruce L. , Siegel Don L. , Stadtmauer Edward A. , Vogl Dan T. , Waxman Adam , Rapoport Aaron P. , Milone Michael C. , June Carl H. , Melenhorst J. Joseph
Published: October 2019

Key points

T cells from patients early in myeloma therapy exhibit better fitness for CAR T manufacturing than those from relapsed/refractory patients. CAR T cells may be more effective if manufactured from patients before onset of relapsed/refractory disease.
Exploring the ‘solution space’ is key: SOLUTIONS recommends an early-stage assessment of options to protect and restore water quality against chemical pollution
Authors: Posthuma Leo , Backhaus Thomas , Hollender Juliane , Bunke Dirk , Brack Werner , Müller Christin , van Gils Jos , Hollert Henner , Munthe John , van Wezel Annemarie
Published: October 2019

Present evaluations of chemical pollution in European surface and groundwater bodies focus on problem description and chemical classification of water quality. Surprisingly, relatively low attention has been paid to solutions of chemical pollution problems when those are encountered. Based on evaluations of current practices and available approaches, we suggest that water quality protection, monitoring, assessment and management of chemical pollution can be improved by implementing an early-stage exploration of the ‘solution space’. This follows from the innovative paradigm of solution-focused risk assessment, which was developed to improve the utility of risk assessments. The ‘solution space’ is defined as the set of potential activities that can be considered to protect or restore the water quality against hazards posed by chemical pollution. When using the paradigm, upfront exploration of solution options and selecting options that would be feasible given the local pollution context would result in comparative risk assessment outcomes. The comparative outcomes are useful for selecting optimal measures against chemical pollution for management prioritization and planning. It is recommended to apply the solution-focused risk assessment paradigm to improve the chemical pollution information for river basin management planning. To operationalize this, the present paper describes a still-growing database and strategy to find and select technical abatement and/or non-technical solution options for chemical pollution of surface waters. The solutions database and strategy can be applied to help prevent and reduce water quality problems. Various case studies show that implementing these can be effective, and how solution scenarios can be evaluated for their efficacy by comparative exposure and effect assessment.
The role of PI3K-mediated AMPA receptor changes in post-conditioning of propofol in brain protection
Authors: Wang Chenxu , Wei Ying , Yuan Yuan , Yu Yonghao , Xie Keliang , Dong Beibei , Shi Yuan , Wang Guolin
Published: October 2019

Background

We aimed to study the role of amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) glutamate receptor 2 (GluR2) subunit trafficking, and activity changes in short-term neuroprotection provided by propofol post-conditioning. We also aimed to determine the role of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) in the regulation of these processes.

Methods

Rats underwent 1 h of focal cerebral ischemia followed by 23 h of reperfusion were randomly divided into 6 groups (n = 36 per group): sham- operation (S), ischemia–reperfusion (IR), propofol (P group, propofol 20 mg/kg/h at the onset of reperfusion for 2 h after 60 min of occlusion), and LY294002 (PI3K non-selective antagonist) + sham (L + S, LY294002 of 1.5 mg/kg was infused 30 min before sham operation), LY294002+ ischemia–reperfusion (L + IR, LY294002 of 1.5 mg/kg was infused 30 min before middle cerebral artery occlusion), LY294002 + IR + propofol (L + P, LY294002 of 1.5 mg/kg was infused 30 min before middle cerebral artery occlusion and propofol 20 mg/kg/h at the onset of reperfusion for 2 h after 60 min of occlusion).

Results

Compared with group IR, rats in group P had significant lower neurologic defect scores and infarct volume. Additionally, consistent with enhanced expression of PI3K-AMPAR GluR2 subunit complex substances in ipsilateral hippocampus, GluR2 subunits showed increased levels in both the plasma and postsynaptic membranes of neurons, while pGluR2 expression was reduced in group P. Furthermore, LY294002, the PI3K non-selective antagonist, blocked those effects.

Conclusion

These observations demonstrated that propofol post-conditioning revealed acute neuroprotective role against transient MCAO in rats. The short-term neuroprotective effect was contributed by enhanced GluR2 subunits trafficking to membrane and postsynaptic membranes of neurons, as well as down-regulated the expression of pGluR2 in damaged hippocampus. Finally, the above-mentioned protective mechanism might be contributed by increased combination of PI3K to AMPAR GluR2 subunit, thus maintained the expression and activation of AMPAR GluR2 in the ipsilateral hippocampus.
Pericoronary fat inflammation and Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) in prediabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction: effects of metformin
Authors: Sardu Celestino , D’Onofrio Nunzia , Torella Michele , Portoghese Michele , Loreni Francesco , Mureddu Simone , Signoriello Giuseppe , Scisciola Lucia , Barbieri Michelangela , Rizzo Maria Rosaria , Galdiero Marilena , De Feo Marisa , Balestrieri Maria Luisa , Paolisso Giuseppe , Marfella Raffaele
Published: October 2019

Background/objectives

Pericoronary adipose tissue inflammation might lead to the development and destabilization of coronary plaques in prediabetic patients. Here, we evaluated inflammation and leptin to adiponectin ratio in pericoronary fat from patients subjected to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Furthermore, we compared the 12-month prognosis of prediabetic patients compared to normoglycemic patients (NG). Finally, the effect of metformin therapy on pericoronary fat inflammation and 12-months prognosis in AMI-prediabetic patients was also evaluated.

Methods

An observational prospective study was conducted on patients with first AMI referred for CABG. Participants were divided in prediabetic and NG-patients. Prediabetic patients were divided in two groups; never-metformin-users and current-metformin-users receiving metformin therapy for almost 6 months before CABG. During the by-pass procedure on epicardial coronary portion, the pericoronary fat was removed from the surrounding stenosis area. The primary endpoints were the assessments of Major-Adverse-Cardiac-Events (MACE) at 12-month follow-up. Moreover, inflammatory tone was evaluated by measuring pericoronary fat levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), sirtuin 6 (SIRT6), and leptin to adiponectin ratio. Finally, inflammatory tone was correlated to the MACE during the 12-months follow-up.

Results

The MACE was 9.1% in all prediabetic patients and 3% in NG-patients. In prediabetic patients, current-metformin-users presented a significantly lower rate of MACE compared to prediabetic patients never-metformin-users. In addition, prediabetic patients showed higher inflammatory tone and leptin to adiponectin ratio in pericoronary fat compared to NG-patients (P < 0.001). Prediabetic never-metformin-users showed higher inflammatory tone and leptin to adiponectin ratio in pericoronary fat compared to current-metformin-users (P < 0.001). Remarkably, inflammatory tone and leptin to adiponectin ratio was significantly related to the MACE during the 12-months follow-up.

Conclusion

Prediabetes increase inflammatory burden in pericoronary adipose tissue. Metformin by reducing inflammatory tone and leptin to adiponectin ratio in pericoronary fat may improve prognosis in prediabetic patients with AMI.

Trial registration Clinical Trial NCT03360981, Retrospectively Registered 7 January 2018
Selecting short length nucleic acids localized in exosomes improves plasma EGFR mutation detection in NSCLC patients
Authors: Kim Yoonjung , Shin Saeam , Kim Boyeon , Lee Kyung-A
Published: October 2019

Background

Exosomal nucleic acid (exoNA) is a feasible target to improve the sensitivity ofEGFRmutation testing in non-small cell lung cancer patients with limited cell-free DNA (cfDNA) mutant copies. However, the type and size of target exoNA related to the sensitivity ofEGFRmutation testing has not been explored extensively.

Methods

The type and size of target exoNA related to the sensitivity ofEGFRmutation testing was evaluated using ddPCR. A total of 47 plasma samples was tested using short-length exoTNA (exosomal DNA and RNA) and cfDNA.

Results

The sensitivity of short-length exoTNA (76.5%) was higher than that of cfDNA (64.7%) for detectingEGFRmutations in NSCLC patients. InEGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with intrathoracic disease (M0/M1a) or cases with low-copy T790M, the positive rate was 63.6% (N = 7/11) and 45.5% (N = 5/11) for short-length exoTNA and cfDNA, respectively. On average, the number absolute mutant copies of short-length exoTNA were 1.5 times higher than that of cfDNA. The mutant allele copies (Ex19del and T790M) in short-length exoTNA were relatively well preserved at 4 weeks after storage. The difference (%) in absolute mutant allele copies (Ex19del) between 0 days and 4 weeks after storage was − 61.0% for cfDNA.

Conclusion

Target nucleic acids and their size distribution may be critical considerations for selecting an extraction method and a detection assay. A short-length exoTNA (200 bp) contained more detectable tumor-derived nucleic acids than exoDNA (~ 200 bp length or a full-length) or cfDNA. Therefore, a short-length exoTNA as a sensitive biomarker might be useful to detectEGFRmutants for NSCLC patients with low copy number of the mutation target.
Evaluation of the impacts of a district-level mental health care plan on contact coverage, detection and individual outcomes in rural Uganda: a mixed methods approach
Authors: Nakku J. E. M. , Rathod S. D. , Garman E. C. , Ssebunnya J. , Kangere S. , De Silva M. , Patel V. , Lund C. , Kigozi F. N.
Published: October 2019

Background

The burden of mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries is large. Yet there is a major treatment gap for these disorders which can be reduced by integrating the care of mental disorders in primary care.

Aim

We aimed to evaluate the impact of a district mental health care plan (MHCP) on contact coverage for and detection of mental disorders, as well as impact on mental health symptom severity and individual functioning in rural Uganda.

Results

For adults who attended primary care facilities, there was an immediate positive effect of the MHCP on clinical detection at 3 months although this was not sustained at 12 months. Those who were treated in primary care experienced significant reductions in symptom severity and functional impairment over 12 months. There was negligible change in population-level contact coverage for depression and alcohol use disorder.

Conclusion

The study found that it is possible to integrate mental health care into primary care in rural Uganda. Treatment by trained primary care workers improves clinical and functioning outcomes for depression, psychosis and epilepsy. Challenges remain in accessing the men for care, sustaining the improvement in detection over time, and creating demand for services among those with presumed need.
Discovery, activity and characterisation of an AA10 lytic polysaccharide oxygenase from the shipworm symbiont Teredinibacter turnerae
Authors: Fowler Claire. A. , Sabbadin Federico , Ciano Luisa , Hemsworth Glyn R. , Elias Luisa , Bruce Neil , McQueen-Mason Simon , Davies Gideon J. , Walton Paul H.
Published: October 2019

Background

The quest for novel enzymes for cellulosic biomass-degradation has recently been focussed on lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs/PMOs), Cu-containing proteins that catalyse the oxidative degradation of otherwise recalcitrant polysaccharides using O2 or H2O2 as a co-substrate.

Results

Although classical saprotrophic fungi and bacteria have been a rich source of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), we were interested to see if LPMOs from less evident bio-environments could be discovered and assessed for their cellulolytic activity in a biofuel context. In this regard, the marine shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus represents an interesting source of new enzymes, since it must digest wood particles ingested during its natural tunnel boring behaviour and plays host to a symbiotic bacterium, Teredinibacter turnerae, the genome of which has revealed a multitude of enzymes dedicated to biomass deconstruction. Here, we show that T. turnerae encodes a cellulose-active AA10 LPMO. The 3D structure, at 1.4 Å resolution, along with its EPR spectrum is distinct from other AA10 polysaccharide monooxygenases insofar as it displays a “histidine-brace” catalytic apparatus with changes to the surrounding coordination sphere of the copper. Furthermore, TtAA10A possesses a second, surface accessible, Cu site 14 Å from the classical catalytic centre. Activity measurements show that the LPMO oxidises cellulose and thereby significantly augments the rate of degradation of cellulosic biomass by classical glycoside hydrolases.

Conclusion

Shipworms are wood-boring marine molluscs that can live on a diet of lignocellulose. Bacterial symbionts of shipworms provide many of the enzymes needed for wood digestion. The shipworm symbiont T. turnerae produces one of the few LPMOs yet described from the marine environment, notably adding to the capability of shipworms to digest recalcitrant polysaccharides.
Genomic analysis of the tryptome reveals molecular mechanisms of gland cell evolution
Authors: Babonis Leslie S. , Ryan Joseph F. , Enjolras Camille , Martindale Mark Q.
Published: October 2019

Background

Understanding the drivers of morphological diversity is a persistent challenge in evolutionary biology. Here, we investigate functional diversification of secretory cells in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis to understand the mechanisms promoting cellular specialization across animals.

Results

We demonstrate regionalized expression of gland cell subtypes in the internal ectoderm of N. vectensis and show that adult gland cell identity is acquired very early in development. A phylogenetic survey of trypsins across animals suggests that this gene family has undergone numerous expansions. We reveal unexpected diversity in trypsin protein structure and show that trypsin diversity arose through independent acquisitions of non-trypsin domains. Finally, we show that trypsin diversification in N. vectensis was effected through a combination of tandem duplication, exon shuffling, and retrotransposition.

Conclusions

Together, these results reveal the numerous evolutionary mechanisms that drove trypsin duplication and divergence during the morphological specialization of cell types and suggest that the secretory cell phenotype is highly adaptable as a vehicle for novel secretory products.
Ethics of artificial intelligence in radiology: summary of the joint European and North American multisociety statement
Authors: Geis J. Raymond , Brady Adrian , Wu Carol C. , Spencer Jack , Ranschaert Erik , Jaremko Jacob L. , Langer Steve G. , Kitts Andrea Borondy , Birch Judy , Shields William F. , van den Hoven van Genderen Robert , Kotter Elmar , Gichoya Judy Wawira , Cook Tessa S. , Morgan Matthew B. , Tang An , Safdar Nabile M. , Kohli Marc
Published: October 2019

This is a condensed summary of an international multisociety statement on ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology produced by the ACR, European Society of Radiology, RSNA, Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics, Canadian Association of Radiologists, and American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

AI has great potential to increase efficiency and accuracy throughout radiology, but also carries inherent pitfalls and biases. Widespread use of AI-based intelligent and autonomous systems in radiology can increase the risk of systemic errors with high consequence, and highlights complex ethical and societal issues. Currently, there is little experience using AI for patient care in diverse clinical settings. Extensive research is needed to understand how to best deploy AI in clinical practice.

This statement highlights our consensus that ethical use of AI in radiology should promote well-being, minimize harm, and ensure that the benefits and harms are distributed among stakeholders in a just manner. We believe AI should respect human rights and freedoms, including dignity and privacy. It should be designed for maximum transparency and dependability. Ultimate responsibility and accountability for AI remains with its human designers and operators for the foreseeable future.

The radiology community should start now to develop codes of ethics and practice for AI which promote any use that helps patients and the common good and should block use of radiology data and algorithms for financial gain without those two attributes.
Identification and molecular characterization of a psychrophilic GH1 β-glucosidase from the subtropical soil microorganism Exiguobacterium sp. GXG2
Authors: Yin Bangqiao , Gu Hengsen , Mo Xueyan , Xu Yue , Yan Bing , Li Quanwen , Ou Qian , Wu Bo , Guo Chen , Jiang Chengjian
Published: October 2019

The products of bacterial β-glucosidases with favorable cold-adapted properties have industrial applications. A psychrophilic β-glucosidase gene namedbglGfrom subtropical soil microorganismExiguobacteriumsp. GXG2 was isolated and characterized by function-based screening strategy. Results of multiple alignments showed that the derived protein BglG shared 45.7% identities with reviewed β-glucosidases in the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot database. Functional characterization of the β-glucosidase BglG indicated that BglG was a 468 aa protein with a molecular weight of 53.2 kDa. The BglG showed the highest activity in pH 7.0 at 35 °C and exhibited consistently high levels of activity within low temperatures ranging from 5 to 35 °C. The BglG appeared to be a psychrophilic enzyme. The values ofKm,Vmax,kcat, andkcat/Kmof recombinant BglG towardρNPG were 1.1 mM, 1.4 µg/mL/min, 12.7 s−1, and 11.5 mM/s, respectively. The specific enzyme activity of BglG was 12.14 U/mg. The metal ion of Ca2+and Fe3+could stimulate the activity of BglG, whereas Mn2+inhibited the activity. The cold-adapted β-glucosidase BglG displayed remarkable biochemical properties, making it a potential candidate for future industrial applications.
Multiple integration of the gene ganA into the Bacillus subtilis chromosome for enhanced β-galactosidase production using the CRISPR/Cas9 system
Authors: Watzlawick Hildegard , Altenbuchner Josef
Published: October 2019

The ganA gene from Bacillus subtilis encoding a β-galactosidase for degradation of the galactomannan was integrated in different loci of the B. subtilis chromosome employing the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Hereby a total of five copies of ganA cassettes in which the ganA gene was fused with the glucitol-promoter were inserted in the recipient chromosome wherein hypothetical, sporulation and protease genes were deleted. The strain with five copies of ganA expression cassette showed a β-galactosidase activity similar to the one with the same gene on a pUB110 derived multi-copy plasmid and under the same regulatory control of the glucitol promoter and GutR activator. The production of β-galactosidase in the strain with the multi-copy plasmid decreased rapidly when growth was performed under induced conditions and without antibiotic selection. In contrast, the strain with the five copies of ganA in the chromosome produced β-galactosidase for at least 40 generations. This demonstrates that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is a valuable and easy tool for constructing stable producer strains. The bigger efforts that are needed for the multiple target gene integration into the chromosome compared to cloning in expression vectors were justified by the higher stability of the target genes and the lack of antibiotic resistance genes.
Histamine H4 receptor regulates IL-6 and INF-γ secretion in native monocytes from healthy subjects and patients with allergic rhinitis
Authors: Peng Hua , Wang Jian , Ye Xiao Yan , Cheng Jie , Huang Cheng Zhi , Li Li Yue , Li Tian Ying , Li Chun Wei
Published: October 2019

Histamine H1 receptor (H1R) and histamine H4 receptor (H4R) are essential in allergic inflammation. The roles of H4R have been characterized in T cell subsets, whereas the functional properties of H4R in monocytes remain unclear. In the current study, the responses of H4R in peripheral monocytes from patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) were investigated. The results confirmed that H4R has the functional effects of mediating cytokine production (i.e., down-regulating IFN-γ and up-regulating IL-6) in cells from a monocyte cell line following challenge with histamine. We demonstrated that when monocytes from AR patients were stimulated with allergen extracts of house dust mite (HDM), IFN-γ secretion was dependent on H4R activity, but IL-6 secretion was based on H1R activity. Furthermore, a combination of H1R and H4R antagonists was more effective at blocking the inflammatory response in monocytes than treatment with either type of antagonist alone.
15 years journey of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension with BMPR2 mutation
Authors: Ahn Kyung Jin , Jang Albert Youngwoo , Park Su Jung , Chung Wook-Jin
Published: October 2019

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is known as one of diseases with the worst prognosis. Recently, targeted PAH drugs have been developed and approved for use; therefore, the treatment strategy and goals have changed, and the prognosis has improved over two decades. We reviewed the case of a female who showed the natural disease course of heritable PAH in treatment with the targeted PAH drugs under the Korean Health Insurance policy. At the age of 15, she visited the outpatient clinic for dyspnea on exertion that occurred 3 years ago. At that time, severe pulmonary hypertension was revealed by an echocardiography and there was no evidence of significant shunt lesion or embolism. After 4 years of loss to follow-up, her performance was WHO functional class III and she still suffered from dyspnea. The initial monotherapy using an endothelin receptor antagonist was started in 2008. After 2 years, BMPR 2 mutation was detected. Her clinical symptoms gradually worsened because of poor compliance. To escalate therapy, combination therapy was given, and finally, triple maximal therapy was maintained. The next step is to consider intravenous prostanoids. Various combinations of targeted therapy have been tried, and several trials have been confirmed that improve the prognosis. Initial upfront combination therapy and a more enthusiastic approach make good a better prognosis. In this area, active support of the government insurance policy is indispensable in Korea.
Polymorphism in natural alleles of the avirulence gene Avr1c is associated with the host adaptation of Phytophthora sojae
Authors: Yang Jin , Wang Xiaomen , Guo Baodian , Huang Jie , Ye Wenwu , Dong Suomeng , Wang Yan , Zheng Xiaobo , Wang Yuanchao
Published: October 2019

Phytophthora sojae is a destructive pathogen of soybean that is widely distributed in the world. The interaction between P. sojae and soybean follows the gene-for-gene model. The use of resistant soybean cultivars is the primary and most effective method to combat the disease. However, variation in the Avr genes of the pathogen enables it to evade host defenses. We collected 81 isolates from four major soybean-production areas in China to analyze the polymorphism of Avr genes in P. sojae field population. The virulence of these isolates towards 14 differential soybean lines indicated complex pathotypes in P. sojae field population in China. In this study we found that Rps1c, which is cognate with Avr1c, could be deployed in Heilongjiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu Provinces but not in Anhui Province. To determine the mechanism by which Avr1c escapes recognition by Rps1c, we analyzed the polymorphism of Avr1c gene in 50 isolates of a field population of P. sojae and found multiple novel genotypes related to virulence and avirulence. By performing infection assays and gene co-bombardment, we showed that the K105 amino-acid residue was under strong positive selection and was a determinant of the avirulence of Avr1c. Structural analysis showed that K105 was exposed on the surface of the protein, suggesting it to be a critical site for interacting with Rps genes or their associated proteins.
Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) as a screening tool: initial experience
Authors: Mostafa Amera Abd Elsalam , Eltomey Mohamed Adel , Elaggan Ashraf Mohammed , Hashish Amel A.
Published: October 2019

Background

Breast cancer is a major health problem, being the most common cancer in women. Early detection of breast cancer aims to the reduction of mortality and morbidity rates. Conventional screening methods include mammography and ultrasonography; however, both modalities have their limitations. Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a recent technological advancement in the field of breast imaging having the benefit of standardization of the scans and lack of operator dependence as in conventional handheld ultrasound scans. The aim of this work was to report our initial experience of the added value of ABUS as a breast screening tool. The study included 200 patients who had screening mammograms, ultrasound, and ABUS.

Results

A significant difference was found between the number of lesions detected by ABUS and conventional ultrasound. A significant difference was found between lesions detected by ABUS and mammography which was most evident in patients with dense breasts.

Conclusions

ABUS is a valuable tool in the screening of the breast with improved lesion detection, especially in patients with dense breasts.
Next-Generation Sequencing and the Clinical Oncology Workflow: Data Challenges, Proposed Solutions, and a Call to Action
Authors: Conway Jake R. , Warner Jeremy L. , Rubinstein Wendy S. , Miller Robert S.
Published: October 2019

PURPOSE

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tumor and germline DNA is foundational for precision oncology, with rapidly expanding diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications. Although few question the importance of NGS in modern oncology care, the process of gathering primary molecular data, integrating it into electronic health records, and optimally using it as part of a clinical workflow remains far from seamless. Numerous challenges persist around data standards and interoperability, and clinicians frequently face difficulties in managing the growing amount of genomic knowledge required to care for patients and keep up to date.

METHODS

This review provides a descriptive analysis of genomic data workflows for NGS data in clinical oncology and issues that arise from the inconsistent use of standards for sharing data across systems. Potential solutions are described.

RESULTS

NGS technology, especially for somatic genomics, is well established and widely used in routine patient care, quality measurement, and research. Available genomic knowledge bases play an evolving role in patient management but lack harmonization with one another. Questions about their provenance and timeliness of updating remain. Potentially useful standards for sharing genomic data, such as HL7 FHIR and mCODE, remain primarily in the research and/or development stage. Nonetheless, their impact will likely be seen as uptake increases across care settings and laboratories. The specific use case of ASCO CancerLinQ, as a clinicogenomic database, is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Because the electronic health records of today seem ill suited for managing genomic data, other solutions are required, including universal data standards and applications that use application programming interfaces, along with a commitment on the part of sequencing laboratories to consistently provide structured genomic data for clinical use.