bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mating genotypes and susceptibility profiles of clinical isolates of Candida glabrata from Turkey
Authors: Kaplan Engin , Aktaş Deniz , Önder Şükran , Metin Banu , Döğen Aylin , Oz Yasemin , Ilkit Macit
Published: May 2019

The sexual cycle of Candida glabrata is not known; however, genomic evidence is indicative of recombination among subpopulations and the genome harbours genes necessary for undergoing mating and meiosis, which may increase fitness. The relationship between specific mating type‐like (MTL) loci and antifungal susceptibility is not well understood in C. glabrata. We investigated different combinations of clinical C. glabrata isolate mating types and their antifungal susceptibility profiles. Allele profiles of the mating genes of 103 clinical C. glabrata isolates were identified, and their antifungal susceptibility to azoles, echinocandins and amphotericin B were compared. The majority (88.3%) of screened isolates harboured the a allele in the locus. The MTL1, MTL2 and MTL3 loci harboured a (88.3%), a (95.1%), and α (71.8%) alleles, respectively. The C. glabrata isolates were susceptible to echinocandins but displayed high minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for azoles. The MIC ranges and MIC90 values of all isolates were 1.0 to ≥64 and 8.0 μg mL−1 for fluconazole, 0.06 to ≥16.0 and 0.5 μg mL−1 for voriconazole, 0.06 to ≥16.0 and 1.0 μg mL−1 for posaconazole, ≤0.015 to 0.06, and 0.03 μg mL−1 for caspofungin, ≤0.015 to 0.06 and 0.015 μg mL−1 for anidulafungin and 0.5‐2 and 2.0 μg mL−1 for amphotericin B, respectively. The mating gene alleles of the clinical C. glabrata isolates were not associated with differences in the MICs of the tested antifungals, except for the MTL3 α‐allele and echinocandins. The mating genotypes of the clinical C. glabrata isolates had no recognisable common effect on antifungal susceptibility.
Enhancing our understanding of small bowel function using modern imaging techniques
Authors: Spiller Robin , Hoad Caroline
Published: May 2019

Small intestinal function is critical to digestive health and patients believe an abnormal reaction to food is responsible for many of their symptoms. Despite this, our ability to assess disturbed function in clinical practice has been limited, particularly after ingestion of the complex nutrients which make up normal food. Recent advances in both wireless capsules and magnetic resonance imaging have provided new insights. This review will briefly describe the limitations of past techniques and focus on how these newer techniques are changing our understanding, particularly of how patients' gastrointestinal tracts respond to food.
Niven and Scott (2003): Sixteen years of hindsight
Authors: Scott P. Anne
Published: May 2019

This paper revisits a 2003 publication in Nursing Philosophy: The need for accurate perception and informed judgement in determining the appropriate use of the nursing resource: hearing the patient's voice. The author suggests that the basic ideas and focus of this 16‐year‐old paper are still topical and relevant in considerations of nursing care. However, it is also suggested that greater attention to the importance of the nurse–patient relationship in considerations of resource allocation, and potential rationing of nursing care, would have strengthened the original paper.
Reading concept analysis: Why Draper has a point
Authors: Paley John
Published: May 2019

Peter Draper has offered a critique of concept analysis in nursing, suggesting that many concept analysis studies can be regarded as low‐grade literature reviews. Although I will argue en passant that he was right, defending Draper is not my main concern in this paper. Instead, I undertake a close reading of a single study, and identify a series of puzzles about what it says. The puzzles pertain to the distinction between concept and phenomenon; the function of definition; discriminating between the concept of interest and other concepts; how defining attributes are derived; in what sense concept analysis clarifies the concept; whether concept analysis can adjudicate current debates; the role of model cases. The point is to show how a precise and detailed interrogation of this kind sets an agenda of questions which can be asked about other examples of the same genre. The approach gives rise to concerns about the politics of reading in the current academic environment, and I refer to these concerns briefly at the end.
Authentic intention: Tempering the dehumanizing aspects of technology on behalf of good nursing care
Authors: Cuchetti Catherine , Grace Pamela J.
Published: May 2019

The nursing profession has a responsibility to ensure that nursing goals and perspectives as these have developed over time remain the focus of its work. Explored in this paper is the potential problem for the nursing profession of recognizing both the promises and pitfalls of informational technologies so as to use them wisely in behalf of ethical patient care. We make a normative claim that maintaining a critical stance toward the use of informational technologies in practice and in influencing the thought patterns of the younger generations of nurses is a moral imperative of the discipline, because without this practice can become subverted from professional goals in various ways. We use a synthesized concept we call “intentional authenticity” derived from the writing of Heidegger and Feminist care ethics to provide a foundation for the development of nurses who understand the importance of the nurse‐patient relationship and how the unthoughtful use of informational and other technologies can militate against effective or good nursing care.
Linear amyopathic dermatomyositis with calcinosis cutis responsive to topical sodium thiosulfate
Authors: Topham Christina , Haynes Dylan , Frigerio Alice , Hull Christopher
Published: May 2019

A case of a 15‐year‐old male patient with a 3‐year history of linear, segmental amyopathic dermatomyositis with calcinosis cutis is presented. The calcinosis was recalcitrant to treatment with topical steroids and hydroxychloroquine. Topical 10% sodium thiosulfate use for 8 weeks resulted in improvement. The use of topical sodium thiosulfate for patients in whom surgical extraction is not an option is detailed.
Exogenous Effects of Paths of Institutional Change and Adaptive Informal Institutions in China and North Korea
Authors: Lee Kayeon
Published: May 2019

China and North Korea's communist parties initially built their institutions with Soviet economic aid. Though these institutions facilitated the process of solidifying one‐party rule in China and North Korea, the two countries’ marketization has taken a different path. Unlike China, which had managed a gradual and stable marketization process, changes in North Korea's economic system have been driven by several unintended—but related—domestic factors such as a weakened central rationing system, the proliferation of black markets, and a weakened national pricing system. North Korea has attempted to absorb its informal markets into formal ones through some measures, but it has repeatedly returned to employing market control mechanisms. This article seeks to explain why the two socialist countries, China and North Korea, which were both receiving political and economic support from the Soviet Union when they established their respective institutions, pursue such different paths of institutional reform.

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Byrne, Caitlin. 2017. “Introduction to the Special Issue: Recasting Soft Power for the Indo‐Pacific.”Politics & Policy45 (5): 684‐705.https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12224

Cho, Sungik, and Yool Choi. 2017. “Convergent or Divergent? The Hidden Dynamics of Institutional Changes in the Labor Markets and Social Welfare Systems in South Korea and Japan.”Politics & Policy45 (4): 594‐625.https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12208

Holbig, Heike, and Bruce Gilley. 2010. “Reclaiming Legitimacy in China.”Politics & Policy38 (3): 395‐422.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00241.x
Managing the Risk of Aggressive Dog Behavior: Investigating the Influence of Owner Threat and Efficacy Perceptions
Authors: Williams Emma J. , Blackwell Emily
Published: May 2019

Aggressive behavior in pet dogs is a serious problem for dog owners across the globe, with bite injuries representing a serious risk to both people and other dogs. The effective management of aggressive behavior in dogs represents a challenging and controversial issue. Although positive reinforcement training methods are now considered to be the most effective and humane technique to manage the risk of aggression, punishment‐based methods continue to be used. Unfortunately, there has been little scientific study into the various factors influencing whether dog owners choose to use positive reinforcement techniques to manage aggression in their dogs. As such, current understanding of how best to encourage and support dog owners to use these methods remains extremely limited. This article uses a survey methodology based on protection motivation theory (PMT) to investigate the factors that influence owner use of positive reinforcement methods to manage aggressive behavior, in an attempt to understand potential barriers and drivers of use. In addition, the article provides an initial exploration of the potential role of wider psychological factors, including owner emotional state, social influence, and cognitive bias. Findings show that the perceived efficacy of positive reinforcement methods and the perceived ability of owners to effectively implement the technique are both key factors predicting future intentions and current reported use. Future interventions should focus on enhancing owner confidence in the effective use of positive reinforcement techniques across multiple scenarios, as well as helping owners manage their own emotional responses when they encounter challenging situations and setbacks.
Effects of plyometric training on jumping, sprint performance, and lower body muscle strength in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta‐analyses
Authors: Oxfeldt Mikkel , Overgaard Kristian , Hvid Lars G. , Dalgas Ulrik
Published: May 2019

Objective

To determine the effect of lower body plyometric training (PLY) on jumping, sprint performance, and lower body muscle strength in healthy adults.

Methods

A systematic literature search (PubMed, Embase) was performed. Studies were included if they (a) described a lower body PLY intervention lasting ≥4 weeks; (b) included measures of jumping, sprint, and/or lower body muscle strength; (c) included healthy individuals ≥18 years; (d) included a training or non‐training control group; and (e) were written in English. Meta‐analyses identifying the effects of PLY on jumping, sprint, and lower body muscle strength were conducted providing the standardized mean difference (SMD).

Results

A total of 826 records were identified of which 25 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, yielding 19, 11, and seven data points for the meta‐analyses of jumping, sprint performance, and lower body muscle strength, respectively. The data showed improvements for all three performance variables after 4‐12 weeks of PLY. The SMD (CI95%) across studies for jump height, sprint time, and muscle strength were 0.45 (0.16: 0.75), −0.59 (−1.01: −0.17), and 0.33 (0.03: 0.63), respectively, where the latter two showed within‐sample heterogeneity.

Conclusion

The systematic review and meta‐analyses showed that PLY elicits a small‐to‐moderate positive effect on jumping, sprint performance, and lower body muscle strength in healthy adults being recreationally active or athletes.
Efficacy and safety of one‐day offline extracorporeal photopheresis schedule processing one total blood volume for treating patients with graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Cid Joan , Carbassé Gloria , Suárez‐Lledó María , Moreno David F. , Martínez Carmen , Gutiérrez‐García Gonzalo , Fernández‐Avilés Francesc , Rosiñol Laura , Giavedoni Priscila , Mascaró José M. , Agustí Carles , Marín Pedro , Rovira Montserrat , Urbano‐Ispizua Álvaro , Lozano Miquel
Published: May 2019

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been increasingly used as a second‐line therapy for graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) but there is no consensus regarding the best therapeutic schedule.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Our offline ECP schedule for treating patients with GVHD was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with acute GVHD were treated on 2 days per week for the first 2 weeks, followed by 1 day per week for 2 more weeks. After the first month of treatment, patients received treatment 1 day every 2 weeks for a minimum of 16 ECP procedures. Patients with chronic GVHD were treated on 1 day per week for 4 weeks followed by 1 day every 2 weeks for a minimum of 14 ECP procedures.

RESULTS

Our series comprises 21 (45%) patients with acute GVHD and 26 (55%) patients with chronic GVHD who received 667 ECP procedures. A median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 1.0 (1.0‐1.12) total blood volume was processed. Patients with acute and chronic GVHD received ECP procedures during a median of 49 (IQR, 14‐103) and 180 (IQR, 111‐274) days, respectively. Mild citrate‐induced symptoms were present in 98 (46%) and 232 (51%) procedures in patients with acute and chronic GVHD, respectively. Overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) were 57 and 38% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17%‐59%), respectively, for patients with acute GVHD. For patients with chronic GVHD, ORR and OS were 77 and 61% (95% CI, 18%‐87%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our new offline ECP schedule for treating patients with acute and chronic GVHD was efficacious and safe.
The interest group theory of financial development in China: Openness and the role of interest groups
Authors: Zhang Chengsi , Zhu Yueteng
Published: May 2019

The interest group theory of financial development predicts that the incumbents' opposition to financial development will be weaker when an economy is open to both trade and capital flows. Based on regressions of financial development on trade and financial openness, existing studies only provide indirect tests of the hypothesis and deliver mixed findings. This paper proposes models for direct tests of interest group theory for China. Using Chinese cross‐province data, we define and measure interest groups based on the close tie between state‐owned enterprises and local government in China. The empirical results show that the opposition from interest groups to financial development cannot be weakened in provinces with high trade or financial openness alone. However, the opposition is indeed weakened in provinces with high levels of both trade and financial openness. These results provide robust support for interest group theory in accounting for cross‐province differences and time‐series variation in financial development in China.
A Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) and Algorithms Including NAATs for the Diagnosis of
Clostridioides
(
Clostridium
)
difficile
in Adults
Authors: Kraft Colleen S. , Parrott J. Scott , Cornish Nancy E. , Rubinstein Matthew L. , Weissfeld Alice S. , McNult Peggy , Nachamkin Irving , Humphries Romney M. , Kirn Thomas J. , Dien Bard Jennifer , Lutgring Joseph D. , Gullett Jonathan C. , Bittencourt Cassiana E. , Benson Susan , Bobenchik April M. , Sautter Robert L. , Baselski Vickie , Atlas Michel C. , Marlowe Elizabeth M. , Miller Nancy S. , Fischer Monika , Richter Sandra S. , Gilligan Peter , Snyder James W.
Published: May 2019

The evidence base for the optimal laboratory diagnosis of
Clostridioides
(
Clostridium
)
difficile
in adults is currently unresolved due to the uncertain performance characteristics and various combinations of tests. This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of laboratory testing algorithms that include nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) to detect the presence of
C. difficile
.
Aggravation and deliberation over lung herniation
Authors: Lee Michelle N , Surry Luke T , Ferraro David M
Published: May 2019

A Caucasian woman aged 58 years with history of asthma and surgically repaired congenital diaphragmatic hernia presented to the emergency department (ED) with persistent cough, pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, in spite of recent treatment for influenza A virus. On physical examination, a large bulge was protruding from her left posterior thorax. She was found to have a large abnormal radiographic lucency on lateral chest X-ray posterior to the thoracic cavity, confirmed with chest CT to represent a large lung herniation in between the left seventh and eighth ribs. The patient was evaluated by a thoracic surgeon and offered surgical repair but ultimately decided on conservative management which to date has been ineffective.
Socioeconomic and ethnic differences in children’s vigorous intensity physical activity: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Love Rebecca , Adams Jean , Atkin Andrew , van Sluijs Esther
Published: May 2019

Objective

To investigate if daily vigorous physical activity (VPA), adjusted for minutes of moderate physical activity (MPA) performed, differs by socioeconomic position or ethnicity in a large sample of UK children with objectively measured physical activity.

Design

Nationally representative prospective cohort study.

Setting

UK children born between 2000 and 2002.

Participants

5172 children aged 7–8 with valid accelerometer data for ≥10 hour on ≥3 days, including 1 weekend day.

Main outcome measures

Time spent in VPA (>3841 counts per min).

Explanatory measures

Maternal education, annual household Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development equivalised income, ethnicity.

Results

Multivariable linear regression models fitted to explore differences in average daily minutes of VPA (adjusted for MPA, mean accelerometer wear time, season of measurement, age and sex), revealed significantly higher amounts of VPA accumulated as a child’s socioeconomic position increased (highest vs lowest level of maternal education: β: 2.96, p: 0.00; annual household equivalised income: β: 0.58, p: 0.00, per £10 000 annual increase). Additionally, children from certain minority ethnicities (Bangladeshi and Pakistani: β: −3.34, p: 0.00; other ethnic groups: β:−2.27, p: 0.02) accrued less daily VPA compared with their white British counterparts.

Conclusions

The socioeconomic and ethnic patterning of vigorous activity observed in this study mirrors parallel inequalities in rates of childhood obesity. Given the stronger association of VPA with adiposity than of MPA, intensity specific differences may be contributing to widening inequalities in obesity. Accordingly, these findings suggest that the current global focus on overall moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity may mask important behavioural inequalities.
Comparing rates and characteristics of ambulance attendances related to extramedical use of pharmaceutical opioids in Australia: a protocol for a retrospective observational study
Authors: Nielsen Suzanne , Crossin Rose , Middleton Melissa , Martin Catherine , Wilson James , Lam Tina , Scott Debbie , Smith Karen , Lubman Dan
Published: May 2019

Introduction and aims

Extramedical use of, and associated harms with pharmaceutical opioids are common. Analysis of coded ambulance clinical records provides a unique opportunity to examine a national population-level indicator of relative harms. This protocol describes an observational study with three aims: (1) to compare supply adjusted rates of pharmaceutical opioid-related ambulance attendances for buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl, oxycodone, oxycodone-naloxone, morphine, pethidine, tramadol and tapentadol; (2) to compare presentation characteristics for these commonly used pharmaceutical opioids and (3) to describe the context surrounding ambulance presentations related to oxycodone, a widely used opioid with an established abuse liability, and tapentadol, a more recent ‘atypical’ opioid on the Australian market, with fewer studies that have directly examined signals of extramedical use.

Method

Trained coders extract data from clinical records for ambulance presentations relating to extramedical use of commonly used pharmaceutical opioids. These data form the basis of a large, national database that captures alcohol-related and drug-related harms. Supply adjusted rates of presentations will be examined using Poisson regression. Multinomial logistic regression will be used to compare severity and other characteristics of attendances relating to different pharmaceutical opioids. Tapentadol-related and oxycodone-related cases will be qualitatively examined to understand the situationally specific contexts of the ambulance attendances outside of the characteristics captured in routinely coded variables.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval related to analysis of ambulance attendance data was obtained from the Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee (E122 08–09), with an amendment specific to the qualitative analysis. Findings will be submitted for peer review in 2019. The understanding of risk profiles in real-world settings is of international public health importance. The analysis and publication of findings from this national dataset of clinical records will provide one of the most nuanced analyses to date of relative harms across nine pharmaceutical opioids over a 6-year period.
Destress 9-1-1—an online mindfulness-based intervention in reducing stress among emergency medical dispatchers: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lilly Michelle , Calhoun Rebecca , Painter Ian , Beaton Randal , Stangenes Scott , Revere Debra , Baseman Janet , Meischke Hendrika
Published: May 2019

Objectives

Emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) experience significant stress in the workplace. Yet, interventions aimed at reducing work-related stress are difficult to implement due to the logistic challenges associated with the relatively unique EMD work environment. This investigation tested the efficacy of a 7-week online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) tailored to the EMD workforce.

Methods

Active-duty EMDs from the USA and Canada (n=323) were randomly assigned to an intervention or wait list control condition. Participants completed surveys of stress and mindfulness at baseline, post intervention, and 3 months follow-up. Repeated measures mixed effects models were used to assess changes in stress and mindfulness.

Results

Differences between the intervention group and control group in pre–post changes in stress using the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory were statistically significant, with a difference of −10.0 (95% CI: −14.9, −5.2, p<0.001) for change from baseline to post intervention, and a difference of −6.5 (95% CI: −11.9, −1.1, p=0.02) for change from baseline to 3 months follow-up. Change in mindfulness scores did not differ between groups. However, increases in mindfulness scores were correlated with greater reductions in stress for all participants, regardless of group (r=−0.53, p<0.001).

Conclusions

Development of tailored online MBIs for employees working in challenging work environments offer a promising direction for prevention and intervention. This study found that a short, weekly online MBI for EMDs resulted in reductions in reports of stress. Implications of online MBIs in other emergency responding populations and directions for future research are discussed.
Coherent nuclear fusion
Authors: Lo Shui Yin
Published: May 2019

Nuclear fusion reaction is greatly enhanced by the coherent properties of bosons in its product. A simple model calculation yields an enhancement factor [Formula: see text] for each coherent boson in its product. Explicit calculation is carried out for [Formula: see text]. Its coherent reaction rate is shown to increase as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the number of coherent nuclear reactions among deuterons. The number [Formula: see text] must be greater than a certain critical value before coherent nuclear fusions occur. Several decoherent effects need to be minimized so that the nuclear reaction can become coherent. Current technical levels for extreme ultraviolet lasers, ultrashort laser pulse, the strongest transient magnetic field and nanotechnology are found sufficient to construct the first nuclear coherent fusion experiment.
Sediment delivery and depositional processes along the eastern Aleutian Trench
Authors: Dobson Maxwell Richard , O'Leary Dennis
Published: May 2019

The Aleutian Trench contains vast volumes of clastic sediment sourced mainly from the glacial erosion of Alaska and controlled by allocyclic influences. GLORIA (Geologic Long Range Inclined Asdic) and multi-channel seismic surveys conducted by the US Geological Survey revealed details of both the geometry and distribution of the trench sediments and their associated supply systems. Milankovitch-induced climatic cycles cause the episodic release of sediment transported as both unconfined and confined turbid flows, the latter routed along submarine channels that cross the abyssal plain of the Gulf of Alaska and discharge into the trench. Small volumes of sediment enter the trench directly from glacier snouts at the transform trough-end of the trench and from the Chugach Mountains in the north. A major channel system extends along the trench axis, which acts as a conduit for turbid sediment flows. The channel also reworks and redistributes material supplied from the accretionary prism and the oceanic plate. Subduction of seamount chains coupled with the westward-increasing obliquity of plate collision and accretionary prism-sourced slump, which may be seismically triggered, segment the trench environment, dividing the axial channel system into discrete flow patterns. This effect of compartmentalization creates petrographically distinct segments of fill partly owing to the primary source landscape of accreted terranes formed of ancient island arcs. This serves to emphasize the cyclic nature of Earth processes.
Is Education Consumption or Investment? Implications for School Competition
Authors: MacLeod W. Bentley , Urquiola Miguel
Published: May 2019

Milton Friedman argued that giving parents freedom to choose schools would improve education. His argument was simple and compelling because it extended results from markets for consumer goods to education. We review the evidence, which yields surprisingly mixed results on Friedman's prediction. A key reason is that households often seem to choose schools based on their absolute achievement rather than their value added. We show that this can be rational in a model based on three ingredients that economists have highlighted since Friedman worked on the issue. First, education is an investment into human capital. Second, labor markets can feature wage premia: Individuals of a given skill level may receive higher wages if they match to more productive firms. Third, distance influences school choice and the placements that schools produce. These factors imply that choice alone is too crude a mechanism to ensure the effective provision of schooling.
AlGaN Based High Electron Mobility Transistors
Authors: Yun Yu , Xiejia
Published: May 2019

High electron mobility AlGaN/GaN have been successfully grown on low cost and high challenges AlN/Si substrates. By inserting a thin SiN layer between GaN and AlN to improve the quality of GaN, the result showed that the thin SiN layer could greatly increase the mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas formed at the interface of AlGaN and GaN layers. This suggests that it is possible to grow high-quality GaN on silicon as well as on sapphire for many applications
Review and performance comparison of mechanical-chemical degradation models for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Reniers Jorn , Howey David , Mulder Grietus
Published: May 2019

The maximum energy that lithium-ion batteries can store decreases as they are used because of various irreversible degradation mechanisms. Many models of degradation have been proposed in the literature, sometimes with a small experimental data set for validation. However, a thorough comparison betweendifferent model predictions is lacking, making it difficult to select modelling approaches which can explain the degradation trends actually observed from data. Here various degradation models from literature are implemented within a single article model framework and their behaviour compared. It is shown that many different models can be ?fitted to a small experimental data set. The interactions between different models are simulated, showing how some of the models accelerate degradation in other models, altering the overall degradation trend. The effects of operating conditions on the various degradation models is simulated. Thisidentifies which models are enhanced by which operating conditions and might therefore explain specific degradation trends observed in data. Finally, it is shown how a combination of different models is needed to capture different degradation trends observed in a large experimental data set. Vice versa, only a large data set enables to properly select the models which best explain the observed degradation.
Dual Wavelet Frame Transforms on Manifolds and Graphs
Authors: Cui Lihong , Wu Qiaoyun , Liu Jiale , Sun Jianjun
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we consider the dual wavelet frames in both continuum setting, i.e., on manifolds, and discrete setting, i.e., on graphs. Firstly, we give sufficient conditions for the existence of dual wavelet frames on manifolds by their corresponding masks. Then, we present the formula of the decomposition and reconstruction for the dual wavelet frame transforms on graphs. Finally, we give a numerical example to illustrate the validity of the dual wavelet frame transformation applied to the graph data.
Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Falls among Rural Community-Dwelling Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study from Southern Sri Lanka
Authors: Gamage Nirmala , Rathnayake Nirmala , Alwis Gayani
Published: May 2019

Falls may cause devastating consequences in older people. Conducting surveys on falls and factors associated with falls will inform better preventive health practices among older people to improve their quality of life. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of falls and recurrent falls among rural community-dwelling older people in Southern Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Nagoda Divisional Secretariat area, Galle, with 300 participants (females=175) aged 65 years and above. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. To assess the prevalence of falls, participants were asked if they had fallen in the past year, and if so how many times. If any individual reported two or more falls, it was considered a recurrent fall. Biological, behavioral, environmental, and socioeconomic factors were documented as potential risk factors for falls. Multivariate logistic regression was performed with adjusted Odds Ratio (OR). Mean (SD) age was 73 (6.7) years. The prevalence of falls and recurrent falls were reported as 34.3% (95%CI; 29.03-40.04) (n=103) and 9.6% (95%CI; 6.68-13.73) (n=29), respectively. Out of 103 fallers, 37 (35.9%) had sustained injuries, with 40.5% affecting the wrist and 24.3% the hip. The associated factors for falls were age (OR=0.1), gender (OR=3.0), diabetes mellitus (OR=2.7), balance or gait problems (OR=4.2), use of antihypertensive medication (OR=0.2), and use of at least one long-term medication (OR=3.5). Associated factors for recurrent falls were age (OR=0.3), hypertension (OR=3.7), balance or gait problems (OR=3.8), sleep disturbances (OR=2.0), use of antihypertensive medication (OR=0.1), and use of at least one long-term medication (OR=3.4). A high prevalence of falls and low prevalence of recurrent falls among older people were observed. Biological and behavioral factors were reported as associated risk factors. This information is important to inform strategies to prevent falls in older people in Sri Lanka.
Osteosarcomatous Transformation in the Setting of Mazabraud’s Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Multani Iqbal , Popovic Snezana , Parasu Naveen , Ghert Michelle
Published: May 2019

Introduction. Mazabraud’s Syndrome is a rare condition that is defined by the presence of fibrous dysplasia lesions in the bone and intramuscular myxomas in the soft tissue. Malignant transformation, in the setting of Mazabraud’s Syndrome, of the fibrous dysplasia lesions into a sarcomatous neoplasm occurs in less than 1% of cases—with only six previously reported cases. Case Presentation. Here, we present a 62-year-old Caucasian female who developed an osteosarcoma in a fibrous dysplasia lesion of the proximal femur in the background of Mazabraud’s Syndrome. The patient was treated with wide excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction. She declined adjuvant chemotherapy. She is alive without evidence of disease one-year postoperatively. Conclusion. Patients with Mazabraud’s Syndrome remain at low risk for malignant transformation. However, close monitoring of asymptomatic patients with this condition for radiographic changes in their lesions and/or clinical symptoms is recommended.
A Convolution Theorem Related to Quaternion Linear Canonical Transform
Authors: Bahri Mawardi , Ashino Ryuichi
Published: May 2019

We introduce the two-dimensional quaternion linear canonical transform (QLCT), which is a generalization of the classical linear canonical transform (LCT) in quaternion algebra setting. Based on the definition of quaternion convolution in the QLCT domain we derive the convolution theorem associated with the QLCT and obtain a few consequences.
Extraoral Osseous Choristoma in the Head and Neck Region: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Arens Philipp , Ullrich Andrea , Olze Heidi , Uecker Florian Cornelius
Published: May 2019

An osseous choristoma is a benign tumor consisting of regular bone tissue in an irregular localization. Choristomas in the head and neck region are rare. Most frequently, they are found in the region of the tongue or oral mucosa. There are also very few reports on osseous choristomas in the submandibular region. We present the case of a woman with a large, caudal osseous choristoma within the lateral cervical triangle. Literature review is given about all of the reported cases in the region of the neck. The pathogenesis is yet unexplained. Our case supports the theory that the development of an osseous choristoma is a reaction to a former trauma. Cervical osseous choristomas are seldom, but they represent an important differential diagnosis when dealing with a cervical tumor.
Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants in Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province of Sri Lanka
Authors: Napagoda Mayuri Tharanga , Sundarapperuma Thamudi , Fonseka Diroshi , Amarasiri Sachinthi , Gunaratna Prabath
Published: May 2019

Sri Lanka harbors over 3000 plant species, and most of these plants have been of immense importance in the traditional systems of medicine in the country. Although there is a rich reserve of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants, in-depth studies have not been pursued yet to compile the ethnoflora with traditional medicinal applications for the scientific community. Thus, as a continuation of our ethnobotanical inventory work in different regions in the country, the present study was carried out in one of the administrative districts in the North Central area of Sri Lanka known as Polonnaruwa district. The information on the significance of medicinal plants as curative and preventive agents of diseases was collected through semistructured and open-ended interviews from 284 volunteers who were randomly recruited for the study. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using relative frequency of citation (RFC), family importance value (FIV), and use value (UV). Out of the total participants, 53.7% claimed the use of herbal remedies. A total of 64 medicinal plants belonging to 42 plant families were recorded, out of whichCoriandrum sativumL. (RFC = 0.163) was the most cited species. Out of the 42 plant families recorded, the FIV was highest in Zingiberaceae.Coscinium fenestratum(Goetgh.) Colebr. was found as the plant with the highest use value. Furthermore, the majority of the nonusers of the herbal remedies were willing to adopt herbal products upon the scientific validation of their therapeutic potential. This study revealed that the indigenous herbal remedies are still popular among the local communities in the study area.
Strain Monitoring of Combustible Gas Implosion Test Based on Fiber Bragg Grating
Authors: Gao Lei , Zhang Qinghua , Li Erbing , Sun Yangyang , Zhang Zhenglin , Pu Shikun , Cheng Xiejun , Rong Fengjuan
Published: May 2019

Strain measurement is an important component in model tests of combustible internal explosions. Strain gauges are used to measure strain in traditional electrical measurement methods and have some limitations, such as susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, short life, and inability to distribute. Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are developing into useful sensing tools that can respond to changes in stress, strain, and temperature by changing wavelengths. FBGs have excellent sensing performance, such as long life, antielectromagnetic interference, easy networking, and good reusability. In this paper, FBG sensors are applied to strain monitoring in ethylene flammable implosion experiments. In the ethylene flammable implosion tests, an FBG was placed on the inner surface of the bottom plate of the rectangular steel test device near the detonation vent by the sticking method. The reliability and repeatability of the strain change of the FBG affected by detonation overpressure and combustion were tested at this point. Four explosion tests were carried out. The test results showed that FBG sensors could obtain stable and reliable strain data in all four tests. The strain variation reflects the development of overpressure and combustion in the whole process from ignition. For the strain amplitude formed by overpressure, the minimum was 1.449 με (the third test), and the maximum was 48.181 με (the fourth test).For the strain amplitude step change formed by the deflagration flame front passing the measurement points, the minimum was 1.673 με (the second test), and the maximum was 19.724 με (the fourth test).The strain amplitude produced by the deflagration temperature effect in the four tests ranged from 72.803 με (the first test) to 143.381 με (the fourth test).The results show that FBG sensors can provide reliable and effective strain monitoring data for the experimental study of flammable implosions.
Bortezomib Stabilizes and Activates p53 in Proliferative Compartments of Both Normal and Tumor Tissues In Vivo
Authors: Xue Yuezhen , Barker Nick , Hoon Shawn , He Pingping , Thakur Teena , Abdeen Shifana Raja , Maruthappan Priadarsini , Ghadessy Farid J. , Lane David P.
Published: May 2019

p53 protein, activated and stabilized by posttranslational modifications, performs its major functions by inducing DNA repair, cell-cycle arrest, or apoptosis through transcriptional activation. Here, we determined the ability of p53 protein stabilized via proteasome inhibition to perform similar functions as p53 induced by stresses such as DNA damage. Treating mice with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib stabilized p53 in stem/progenitor cells of the intestine and stomach, in other proliferating tissues, and in intestinal tumors. Robust basal p53 mRNA levels were observed in the same compartments where p53 was stabilized. Spatial activation of p53 target genes in response to bortezomib in the small intestine demonstrated that CDKN1A and BAX were upregulated in the proliferative crypts but not in the differentiated villi of the small intestine; PUMA was specifically activated at the crypt base of p53 wild-type mice. Thus, cellular context determines the p53 transcriptional target selection. p53-dependent apoptosis was induced in Lgr5-expressing stem cells of the small intestine and high p53 transcriptional activity and apoptosis was induced in intestinal adenomas and in xenograft tumors. Bortezomib inhibited the growth of intestinal adenomas and xenograft tumors with wild-type p53, indicating the importance of p53 in the response to proteasome inhibitors in tissue homeostasis and in cancer therapy.

Significance:

These findings show that bortezomib is less active in p53-defective tumors, yet its success in treating multiple myeloma suggests its use can be extended to p53-proficient solid tumors.
Physiological Roles of Mast Cells: Collegium Internationale Allergologicum Update 2019
Authors: Varricchi Gilda , Rossi Francesca Wanda , Galdiero Maria Rosaria , Granata Francescopaolo , Criscuolo Gjada , Spadaro Giuseppe , de Paulis Amato , Marone Gianni
Published: May 2019

Mast cells are immune cells which have a widespread distribution in nearly all tissues. These cells and their mediators are canonically viewed as primary effector cells in allergic disorders. However, in the last years, mast cells have gained recognition for their involvement in several physiological and pathological conditions. They are highly heterogeneous immune cells displaying a constellation of surface receptors and producing a wide spectrum of inflammatory and immunomodulatory mediators. These features enable the cells to act as sentinels in harmful situations as well as respond to metabolic and immune changes in their microenvironment. Moreover, they communicate with many immune and nonimmune cells implicated in several immunological responses. Although mast cells contribute to host responses in experimental infections, there is no satisfactory model to study how they contribute to infection outcome in humans. Mast cells modulate physiological and pathological angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, but their role in tumor initiation and development is still controversial. Cardiac mast cells store and release several mediators that can exert multiple effects in the homeostatic control of different cardiometabolic functions. Although mast cells and their mediators have been simplistically associated with detrimental roles in allergic disorders, there is increasing evidence that they can also have homeostatic or protective roles in several pathophysiological processes. These findings may reflect the functional heterogeneity of different subsets of mast cells.
Effects and Mechanisms of Vitamin C Post-Conditioning on Platelet Activation after Hypoxia/Reoxygenation
Authors: Liu Demin , Pei Dongguo , Hu Haijuan , Gu Guoqiang , Cui Wei
Published: May 2019

Background: Platelet activation occurs upon ischemia/reperfusion and is related to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during this process. Vitamin C (VC) is a powerful antioxidant. VC scavenges ROS, reduces platelet activation, and attenuates reperfusion injury. However, the effects of VC on platelets undergoing hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) remain unclear. Objectives: Herein, we evaluated the effects of VC on platelets in vitro following H/R and the related mechanisms. Method: Fresh platelets were collected from 67 volunteers at the Blood Center of Hebei Province. Platelets were diluted with saline to a concentration of 2.00 × 1011/L. Aggregation and the curve slope were evaluated within 4 h with a whole-blood impedance analyzer. To determine the optimal experimental time, platelets were treated with hypoxia or reoxygenation for different times, and impedance aggregometry was carried out by measuring changes in electrical impedance induced by arachidonic acid (0.5 mM) and adenosine diphosphate (10 µM), thereby establishing the H/R model. Three antioxidants (VC, melatonin, and probucol) were used to treat platelets after H/R, and impedance aggregometry was used to determine their effects on platelet aggregation. The influence of VC on apoptosis-related indicators was detected. ROS and the mitochondrial membrane potential were observed by inverted fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. Related protein levels were detected by Western blotting. Results: ROS scavengers inhibited platelet activation and aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. VC post-conditioning scavenged ROS, downregulated cytochrome C, Bax, and caspase-9 proteins, and upregulated Bcl-2 protein. These effects collectively blocked platelet apoptosis and inhibited platelet aggregation. Conclusions: VC inhibited platelet aggregation by blocking apoptosis. Thus, VC may have applications in the treatment of platelet-related diseases.
Hypoglycemic Agents and Changes in Oxidative Stress Indices, Electrolytes, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Nsonwu-Anyanwu Augusta Chinyere , Nsonwu Magnus Chinonye , Usoro Chinyere Adanna Opara
Published: May 2019

Background: Metabolic complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), including dyslipidemia, electrolyte imbalance, and oxidative stress, have been shown to be modulated by hypoglycemic agents. Objective: The lipid profile, electrolytes, and oxidative stress indices were evaluated in T2DM. Methods: Fifty T2DM patients on metformin (n = 23), insulin (n = 17), and insulin/metformin (n = 10) and 40 controls were studied. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total plasma peroxide (TPP), and total calcium (Ca) values were determined colorimetrically, sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) levels were determined by flame photometry, chloride (Cl–) and bicarbonate (HCO3–) levels were determined by titration, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), and the oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined by calculation. Data were analyzed using t test, analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation at p < 0.05. Results: T2DM patients had higher lipid peroxidation (TPP and OSI), atherogenic lipids (higher LDL-C and AIP and lower HDL-C), and lower antioxidants compared to controls (p < 0.05). T2DM patients with poor glycemic control had higher lipid peroxidation (higher TPP) and atherogenic lipids (TG and AIP) compared to those with good control (p < 0.05). Patients with T2DM for >5 years had higher protein glycosylation (higher HBA1c) and TC compared to those with T2DM for <5 years (p < 0.05). The class of hypoglycemic agent has no effect on the levels of all of the biochemical indices studied (p > 0.05). HDL-C correlated negatively with TG (r = –0.347, p = 0.013), LDL-C (r = –0.322, p = 0.018), and AIP (r = –0.714, p = 0.000) in T2DM. Conclusion: Chronic T2DM and poor glycemic control are associated with reduced antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Different hypoglycemic agents exert no differential effects on the metabolic indices of T2DM studied.