bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Electronic Cigarettes and Self-Reported Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Diagnosis in Adults
Authors: Xie Zidian , Ossip Deborah J , Rahman Irfan , Li Dongmei
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use (vaping) has increased in recent years. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death associated with smoking.

Aims and Methods

Based on 2016 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System national survey data on 891 242 adult participants who indicated their smoking and vaping status, the cross-sectional association of vaping with self-reported COPD diagnosis was investigated, using univariable and multivariable weighted logistic regression models.

Results

Compared to never users, while dual users showed the highest association with self-reported COPD diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.98 to 4.85), current vapers who were either ex-smokers or never smoked showed significantly higher association with self-reported COPD diagnosis (aOR = 3.24; 95% CI = 2.78 to 3.78 and aOR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.01 to 2.12, respectively). Current vapers who were ex-smokers showed higher association with self-reported COPD diagnosis than ex-smokers who do not vape (aOR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.48). Dual users showed higher association with self-reported COPD diagnosis than current smokers who do not vape (aOR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.27). Ex-smokers showed significantly less association with self-reported COPD diagnosis (aOR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.64 to 0.71) than current smokers. Current vapers who were either ex-smokers or never smoked had less association with self-reported COPD diagnosis compared to current smokers, with aOR = 0.85 (95% CI = 0.73 to 0.99) and aOR = 0.39 (95% CI = 0.27 to 0.56).

Conclusions

Vaping is significantly associated with self-reported COPD diagnosis in adults, even among vapers who never smoked. Whether there is a benefit for COPD of switching from smoking to vaping requires study of the long-term effects of vaping.

Implications

With the increase of e-cigarette use in recent years, the health effects of e-cigarettes need to be investigated. While several studies have examined the association of vaping with respiratory symptoms among adolescents, little is known about the association of vaping with susceptibility to COPD among US adults. Using cross-sectional national survey data in adults, our study showed that vaping was significantly associated with self-reported COPD diagnosis. Although our data did not establish the causal relationship between vaping and self-reported COPD diagnosis, this study raises concerns about the observed association between vaping and self-reported COPD diagnosis.
Extended treatment with MY-NEOVAX, personalized neoantigen-enhanced oncolytic viruses, for two end-stage cancer patients
Authors: Bouvet Michael , Reid Tony R , Larson Chris , Oronsky Bryan , Carter Corey , Morris John C
Published: December 2019

Neoantigen vaccines involving multi-peptides and poly-epitope-encoding RNA or DNA have undergone early phase clinical testing with modest reported antitumor effects [ 1]. The less-than-expected activity of these neoantigenic vaccines may correspond with the development of immune escape mechanisms. One permutation on neoantigen vaccines, which may counter or prevent these adaptive immune escape mechanisms, are ‘personalized’ oncolytic viruses that encode one or more tumor-specific transgenes. Herein, positive therapeutic effects for MY-NEOVAX™, personalized neoantigen-enhanced oncolytic adenoviruses, are described for two heavily pretreated end-stage patients, one with high-grade metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas and the other with colorectal cancer metastatic to the brain, liver and lungs. To date, treatment benefit has exceeded 12 months without dose-limiting toxicities or related serious adverse events and with documented radiologic stabilization and improved performance status.
Challenging case of ischemic colitis, necrotic cutaneous vasculitis and thromboembolic disease in an elderly patient with Sjogren’s syndrome
Authors: Boukadida Khalifa
Published: December 2019

Sjogren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by reduced lacrimal and salivary gland secretions. In a minority of the cases, patients can develop rarer complications, such as vasculitis and, even less commonly, ischemic colitis.

Herein, we present a challenging case of a 73-year-old woman with a background of Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) who initially presented with a purpuric rash on the right leg. She was initially managed with antibiotics and referred for an outpatient rheumatology review. A few days later, she was readmitted to the hospital generally unwell with a widespread rash. She developed deep vein thrombosis and per rectal bleeding secondary to ischemic colitis. She had excellent response to medical management including steroid therapy and azathioprine. This case highlights the very rare complications of SS. Whilecutaneous vasculitis is not uncommon in primary Sjogren’s, ischemic colitis is very rare and is a potentially serious complication, which requires prompt diagnosis and management.
Lime-induced phytophotodermatitis
Authors: Abugroun Ashraf , Gaznabi Safwan , Natarajan Arjun , Daoud Hussein
Published: December 2019

Phytophotodermatitis, also commonly known as phototoxic dermatitis, is a common skin condition that occurs after contact with certain plants and subsequent exposure to sunlight. It is often confused with skin burns due to the blistering nature of its lesions. We herein report a case of phytophotodermatitis that developed in a 26-year-old male following contact with lime and subsequent exposure to sunlight.
Fertility preservation before neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a premenopausal breast cancer patient: a case report
Authors: Kobayashi Arika , Matsunuma Ryoichi , Yamaguchi Kei , Hayami Ryosuke , Tsuneizumi Michiko , Nakagami Kazuhiko
Published: December 2019

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is now a widely accepted treatment modality for operable breast cancer and therefore fertility preservation is an important component of care for young patients with breast cancer. It is critical that oocyte retrieval is completed without delays in the initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Here we report the case of a 34-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Stage IIA triple-negative breast cancer and underwent ovarian stimulation for fertility preservation prior to the initiation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Oocytes were retrieved and in vitro fertilization was conducted before neoadjuvant chemotherapy was started. Upon completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient underwent breast surgery. Subsequently, a pathological complete response was achieved. She received a frozen embryo transfer 10 months after breast surgery. The patient became pregnant and delivered a healthy baby.
12-Oxophytodienoic Acid Reductase 3 (OPR3) Functions as NADPH-Dependent α,β-Ketoalkene Reductase in Detoxification and Monodehydroascorbate Reductase in Redox Homeostasis
Authors: Maynard Daniel , Kumar Vijay , Spro� Jens , Dietz Karl-Josef
Published: December 2019

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) 12-oxophytodienoic acid reductase isoform 3 (OPR3) is involved in the synthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) by reducing the α,β-unsaturated double bond of the cyclopentenone moiety in 12-oxophytodienoic acid (12-OPDA). Recent research revealed that JA synthesis is not strictly dependent on the peroxisomal OPR3. The ability of OPR3 to reduce trinitrotoluene suggests that the old yellow enzyme homolog OPR3 has additional functions. Here, we show that OPR3 catalyzes the reduction of a wide spectrum of electrophilic species that share a reactivity toward the major redox buffers glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (ASC). Furthermore, we show that 12-OPDA reacts with ASC to form an ASC-12-OPDA adduct, but in addition OPR3 has the ability to regenerate ASC from monodehydroascorbate. The presented data characterize OPR3 as a bifunctional enzyme with NADPH-dependent α,β-ketoalkene double-bond reductase and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities (MDHAR). opr3 mutants showed a slightly less-reduced ASC pool in leaves in line with the MDHAR activity of OPR3 in vitro. These functions link redox homeostasis as mediated by ASC and GSH with OPR3 activity and metabolism of reactive electrophilic species.
Banach Spaces of Almost Universal Complemented Disposition
Authors: Castillo Jesús M F , Moreno Yolanda
Published: December 2019

We introduce and study the notion of space of almost universal complemented disposition (a.u.c.d.) as a generalization of Kadec space. We show that every Banach space with separable dual is isometrically contained as a $1$-complemented subspace of a separable a.u.c.d. space and that all a.u.c.d. spaces with $1$-finite dimensional decomposition (FDD) are isometric and contain isometric $1$-complemented copies of every separable Banach space with $1$-FDD. We then study spaces of universal complemented disposition (u.c.d.) and provide different constructions for such spaces. We also consider spaces of u.c.d. with respect to separable spaces.
The burden of osteoarthritis: self-reported severity in the KHOALA population-based cohort
Authors: Cross Marita , Ngueyon Sime Willy , March Lyn , Guillemin Francis
Published: December 2019

Objectives

Lay descriptions of mild, moderate and severe disease states have been utilized in Global Burden of Disease studies in the calculation of years lived with disability, and may be a useful brief starting point for clinical care. The primary aims of this study were to estimate the proportion of an OA cohort within each severity level, and to assess the validity of lay descriptions of OA.

Methods

During 2014 to 2016, participants in the KHOALA population-based cohort completed questionnaires including pain, function, and quality of life, in addition to indicating which of the lay descriptions devised for presenting to populations in GBD2010 they felt best described their current condition.

Results

569 participants comprising 152 with hip OA, 384 knee OA and 33 with both hip+knee OA participated. 10% of hip OA and 17% of knee OA participants classified themselves as having severe OA, a considerably higher proportion than the 2% reported for high-income countries in GBD2010.

The lay descriptions showed significant convergent and divergent validity: pain, function and stiffness scores increased as the rating of severity increased, with a significant trend for EQ5D and EUROQOL VAS to decline, also indicating worse health state, as level of severity increased.

Conclusion

Lay descriptions of levels of severity are understandable by participants and show convergent validity with standardized measure of physical and functional outcomes. The proportion of people with OA who align themselves with the severe category is considerably larger than that used in GBD estimates to estimate the impact of OA.
Is There a Cost-Effective Means of Training Microenterprises?
Authors: Brooks Wyatt , Donovan Kevin , Johnson Terence R
Published: December 2019

Despite billions of dollars spent by policy institutions and academics, very few programs designed to increase managerial skills among microenterprises are cost-effective. This short paper highlights a mentorship program designed to provide managerial skills to Kenyan microenterprises, and it provides a detailed cost-benefit analysis. For each dollar spent on a treated firm, average profit increases by 1.63 USD; the result stems from both a higher program impact and lower cost relative to existing training programs. Motivated by this increased cost-effectiveness, the study then compares the program to the large literature focusing on “supply-side” interventions designed to increase managerial capacity in small firms, and it highlights particular margins on which mentorship improves on classroom training and also where training should focus.
Radius and ulna locking intramedullary nails are safe and reliable after adolescent forearm fractures: a case-controlled study in adolescents
Authors: Özcan Çağri , Taylan Öz Tayyar , Türkmen İsmail
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study is to compare the radiological and functional results of newly designed radius and ulna intramedullary nails (IMNs) with those of titanium elastic nails (TENs) for forearm fractures in adolescents requiring surgery. Patients aged between 10 and 17 years who underwent surgery for forearm fractures between January 2011 and January 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Of the 45 patients who met the study criteria, 18 patients received IMNs and 27 patients received TENs. The clinical results were evaluated according to the Price criteria. The mean age, mean follow-up period, fracture type, postoperative period, length of hospital stay, surgical reduction type, union time, implant diameter and radiological findings were evaluated. No differences were found between the groups in terms of mean age, mean follow-up time, type of fracture, length of hospitalization, reduction quality, complications or union time (P > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in implant diameter, angulation on early radiological examination and the formation of large bone calluses (P < 0.05). According to the Price criteria, among the patients who received IMNs, 16 patients had excellent results, while two patients had good results, and among the patients who received TENs, 20 patients had excellent results, while seven patients had good results. According to our study, radius and ulna locked intramedullary nailing treatments for adolescent forearm fractures are as safe and reliable as TEN treatment.
Vascularized Pedicled Proximal Phalanx Flap for Spare Part for Reconstruction of Metacarpal Avulsion Injury
Authors: McLeod Graham J. , Peters Blair R. , Nguyen Christopher M. , Petropolis Christian J.
Published: December 2019

Traumatic injuries to the hand with significant loss of bone or soft tissue can be quite difficult to reconstruct and often require an innovative and flexible surgical plan for reconstruction. We present a case of a young manual laborer with a significant crush avulsion injury involving his third and fourth metacarpals. We were able to preserve his fourth metacarpophalangeal joint by utilizing a pedicled vascularized proximal phalanx flap from the nonsalvageable third digit to reconstruct and provide osseous stability to the fourth metacarpal. The patient had excellent functional and aesthetic outcomes with full return to work at his farm by less than 12 months postoperatively.
Postoperative MRI Surveillance of Vestibular Schwannomas: Is There a Standard of Care?
Authors: Bukoski Ronald S. , Appelbaum Eric N. , Coelho Daniel H.
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To examine current practices for postoperative imaging surveillance following vestibular schwannoma resection.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional survey of practicing neurotologists.

Setting:

Tertiary referral centers.

Patients:

Not applicable.

Intervention:

Two hundred seventy-six members of the American Neurotology Society were invited to participate. Using a web-based format, respondents self-reported demographic and practice details. Case scenarios were presented. For each scenario, both quantitative and qualitative data were recorded.

Main Outcome Measures:

Timing, frequency, duration, and modality of postoperative imaging.

Results:

For all scenarios, responses were widely disparate with respect to timing, frequency, number, and duration of follow-up imaging. Following gross total resection, respondents most commonly (46.5%) obtain the first magnetic resonance imaging 1 year after surgery, with the most common endpoint to discontinue surveillance imaging at 10 years (34.9%). Tumor beds with postoperative enhancement were generally followed longer than those without enhancement, but with wide variability in practice patterns. The majority of neurotologists do not change surveillance patterns regarding tumor size or completeness of initial resection. Lower volume surgeons appear to be more aggressive with initial surveillance postoperatively than higher volume surgeons.

Conclusion:

Wide variability exists amongst neurotologists concerning postsurgical tumor surveillance imaging. Despite recent data to suggest more standardized protocols, disparate practice patterns persist. Additional research is needed to this end, as the subsequent establishment of such evidence-based protocols could obviate substantial medical, medico-legal, and economic burdens concerning this patient population.
Functional Outcomes Following Temporomandibular Joint Dissection Performed During Surgery for Skull Base Tumors
Authors: Wei Xingmei , Gao Zhiqiang , Zhang Tao , Zhang Zhuhua , Tian Xu , Zhao Yang , Zhou Yalin , Feng Guodong
Published: December 2019

Background:

During skull base tumor surgery, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dissection is commonly performed. The impact of this procedure on patients’ postoperative diet and TMJ function is a matter of concern to surgeons.

Methods:

We reviewed the Craniomandibular Index (CMI) for 32 patients (15 men and 17 women) who underwent TMJ dissection during surgery for skull base tumors between August 2015 and May 2018.

Results:

Fifteen patients underwent removal of the mandibular condyle, and 17 had the condyle preserved. Twenty-one patients mainly underwent infratemporal fossa approach, and 11 underwent extended temporal bone resection. No significant difference between pre- and postoperative diet was observed in any group. Significant differences in CMI index were seen in all groups. The highest score was 0.115 of Dysfunction Index, observed postoperatively in the group that underwent condyle removal.

Conclusions:

For skull base tumor surgery, TMJ dissection has no significant impact on postoperative diet. Patients who underwent removal of the mandibular condyle have significantly worse postoperative TMJ function.
Antithrombotic regimen for patients with cardiac indication for dual antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation: a meta-analysis of randomized trials
Authors: Liao Yi Wen Becky , Wang Tom Kai Ming
Published: December 2019

Objectives

The optimal antithrombotic strategy for patients with a long-term indication for anticoagulation and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial. This meta-analysis aims to compare randomised trials’ outcomes of these patients, focussing on dual versus triple antithrombotic and non vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) versus vitamin K oral anticoagulants regimens.

Methods

Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched from January 1980 to March 2019 yielding 309 articles, and after careful screening, five randomized trials totalling 10 643 patients were included for analysis.

Results

Dual antithrombotic regimens were associated with significantly less thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) major and minor bleeding [odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40–0.71], with no significant difference in major adverse cardiovascular events (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.72–1.22) or all-cause mortality (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.61–1.19). NOAC regimens had significantly lower TIMI major and minor bleeding (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43–0.78) and intracranial bleeding (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16–0.66), with similar rates of major adverse cardiovascular events (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.86–1.16) and all-cause mortality (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.81–1.26).

Conclusion

Dual antithrombotic and NOAC regimens have reduced bleeding without compromising the risk of cardiovascular events or mortality, and should be preferred for patients with ACS or PCI also needing long-term anticoagulation.
The Rare Anomaly That Can Be Confused With Fracture: Os Odontoideum
Authors: Aydin Fahri , Bayraktutan Ummugulsum , Sade Recep , Polat Gokhan , Pirimoğlu Berhan
Published: December 2019

Os odontoideum is a rare anomaly of the second cervical vertebra. The odontoid process is separated by a wide gap from the vertebral body in this anomaly. It can be associated with atlantoaxial instability.
Inhibition of Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase 1 Improves the Outcome of Sepsis in Pregnant Mice
Authors: Zölner Julia , Lambden Simon , Nasri Noor Mohd , Johnson Mark R. , Leiper James
Published: December 2019

Sepsis is one of the most important causes of maternal mortality. In our previous work, we established a polymicrobial sepsis (cecal ligation and puncture [CLP]) model in murine pregnancy and found that pregnant mice had a greater susceptibility to septic shock. In this model, mortality seemed to be associated with the development of early hemodynamic dysfunction and although circulating cytokine levels were similar, “off target” lung inflammatory cell numbers were greater in pregnant mice.

Here, we have used the same CLP model to test the hypothesis that inhibiting the metabolism of the endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine would improve the outcome of sepsis in pregnancy. We used a dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1-selective inhibitor (L-257), which reduces vascular nitric oxide synthesis without impairing immune cell function, in combination with a broad-spectrum antibiotic (Imipenem) and studied the outcome of septic shock in pregnant mice. Treatments were administered 3 h after CLP and samples were taken 3 h later. Both Imipenem and L-257 treatment alone slightly improved mortality rates from 13% (NaCl) to 20% (Imipenem) and 33% (L-257), whereas the combination of Imipenem and L-257 significantly improved survival to 50%. Imipenem and L-257 together prevented cardiovascular collapse and improved both organ function and bacterial killing, but did not reduce lung inflammatory cell numbers and actually increased lung cytokine levels.

These data suggest that conventional management in combination with selective inhibition of DDAH1 may have therapeutic potential in the management of sepsis in pregnancy.
Glucose metabolism promotes neonatal heart regeneration
Authors: Martinez Viviana M Fajardo , Feng Iris , Chen Bao Ying , Perez Cesar A , Shi Baochen , Clark Peter , Tian Rong , Lien Ching-Ling , Pellegrini Matteo , Christofk Heather , Nakano Haruko , Nakano Atsushi
Published: December 2019

The mammalian heart switches its main metabolic substrate from glucose to fatty acids shortly after birth. This metabolic switch coincides with the loss of regenerative capacity in the heart. However, it is unknown whether glucose metabolism itself regulates heart regeneration. Here, we report that glucose metabolism is a determinant of regenerative capacity in the neonatal mammalian heart. Cardiac-specific overexpression of Glut1, the embryonic form of constitutively active glucose transporter, resulted in an increase in glucose uptake and concomitant glycogen storage in postnatal heart. Upon cryoinjury, Glut1 transgenic hearts showed higher regenerative capacity with less fibrosis than non-transgenic control hearts. Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis revealed two distinct populations of ventricular cardiomyocytes: Tnnt2-high and Tnnt2-low cardiomyocytes, the latter of which showed significantly higher mitotic activity in response to high intracellular glucose in Glut1 transgenic hearts. Metabolic profiling shows that Glut1-transgenic hearts have a significant increase in the glucose metabolites upon injury, and inhibition of the nucleotide biosynthesis abrogated the regenerative advantage of high intra-cardiomyocyte glucose level. Our data suggest that the increased in glucose metabolism promotes cardiac regeneration in neonatal mouse heart.
A head-fixation system for continuous monitoring of force generated during behavior
Authors: Hughes Ryan N. , Bakhurin Konstantin I. , Barter Joseph W. , Zhang Jinyong , Yin Henry H.
Published: December 2019

Many studies in neuroscience use head-fixed behavioral preparations, which confer a number of advantages, including the ability to limit the behavioral repertoire and use techniques for large-scale monitoring of neural activity. But traditional studies using this approach use extremely limited behavioral measures, in part because it is difficult to detect the subtle movements and postural adjustments that animals naturally exhibit during head fixation. Here we report a new head-fixed setup with analog load cells capable of precisely monitoring the continuous forces exerted by mice. The load cells reveal the dynamic nature of movements generated not only around the time of task-relevant events, such as presentation of stimuli and rewards, but also during periods in between these events, when there is no apparent overt behavior. It generates a new and rich set of behavioral measures that have been neglected in previous experiments. We detail the construction of the system, which can be 3D-printed and assembled at low cost, show behavioral results collected from head-fixed mice, and demonstrate that neural activity can be highly correlated with the subtle, whole-body movements continuously produced during head restraint.
Dietary restriction transforms the protein sulfhydrome in a tissue-specific and cystathionine γ-lyase-dependent manner
Authors: Bithi Nazmin , Link Christopher , Wang Rui , Willard Belinda , Hine Christopher
Published: December 2019

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a cytoprotective redox-active metabolite that signals through protein sulfhydration (R-SSnH). Despite the known importance of sulfhydration on relatively few identified proteins, tissue-specific sulfhydrome profiles and their associated functions are not well characterized, specifically under conditions known to modulate H2S production. We hypothesized that dietary restriction (DR), which increases lifespan and boosts endogenous H2S production, expands functional tissue-specific sulfhydromes. Here, we found that 50% DR enriched total sulfhydrated proteins in liver, kidney, muscle, and brain but decreased these in heart of adult male mice. DR promoted sulfhydration in numerous metabolic and aging-related pathways. Mice lacking the H2S producing enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL) had decreased liver and kidney protein sulfhydration and failed to functionally augment their sulfhydrome in response to DR. Overall, we defined tissue- and CGL-dependent sulfhydromes and how diet transforms their makeup, underscoring the breadth for DR and H2S to impact biological processes and organismal health.

One Sentence Summary

Dietary restriction altered the tissue-specific enrichment of sulfhydrated proteins and their downstream signaling pathways in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, brain, heart, and plasma that was partly dependent on the hydrogen sulfide producing enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase.
AdaReg: Data Adaptive Robust Estimation in Linear Regression with Application in GTEx Gene Expressions
Authors: Wang Meng , Jiang Lihua , Snyder Michael P.
Published: December 2019

With the development of high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology, the Genotype Tissue-Expression (GTEx) project (Consortium et al., 2015) generated a valuable resource of gene expression data from more than 11,000 samples. The large-scale data set is a powerful resource for understanding the human transcriptome. However, the technical variation, sequencing background noise and unknown factors make the statistical analysis challenging. To eliminate the possibility that outliers might affect the estimation of population distribution, we need a more robust estimation method, a method that will adapt to heterogeneous genes and further optimize the estimate for each gene. We followed the approach of the robust estimation based on γ-density-power-weight (Fujisawa and Eguchi, 2008; Windham, 1995), where γ is the exponent of density weight which controls the balance between bias and variance. As far as we know, our work is the first to propose a procedure to tune the parameter γ to balance the bias-variance trade-off under the mixture distributions. We constructed a robust likelihood criterion based on weighted densities in the mixture model of Gaussian population distribution mixed with unknown outlier distribution, and developed a data-adaptive γ-selection procedure embedded into the robust estimation. We provided a heuristic analysis on the selection criterion and found that our practical selection trend under various γ’s in average performance has similar capability to capture minimizer γ as the inestimable Mean Squared Error (MSE) trend from our simulation studies under a series of settings. Our data-adaptive robustifying procedure in the linear regression problem (AdaReg) shows a significant advantage in both simulation studies and real data application of heart samples from the GTEx project compared to the fixed γ procedure and other robust methods. This paper discusses some limitations of this method, and future work.
Differential rapid plasticity in auditory and visual responses in the primarily multisensory orbitofrontal cortex
Authors: Sharma Sudha , Bandyopadhyay Sharba
Published: December 2019

In a dynamic environment with rapidly changing contingencies, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) guides flexible behavior through coding of stimulus value. Although stimulus-evoked responses in the OFC are known to convey outcome, baseline sensory response properties in the mouse OFC are poorly understood. To understand mechanisms involved in stimulus value/outcome encoding it is important to know the response properties of single neurons in the mouse OFC, purely from a sensory perspective. Ruling out effects of behavioral state, memory and others, we studied the anesthetized mouse OFC responses to auditory, visual and audiovisual/multisensory stimuli, multisensory associations and sensory-driven input organization to the OFC. Almost all, OFC single neurons were found to be multisensory in nature, with sublinear to supralinear integration of the component unisensory stimuli. With a novel multisensory oddball stimulus set, we show that the OFC receives both unisensory as well as multisensory inputs, further corroborated by retrograde tracers showing labeling in secondary auditory and visual cortices, which we find to also have similar multisensory integration and responses. With long audiovisual pairing/association, we show rapid plasticity in OFC single neurons, with a strong visual bias, leading to a strong depression of auditory responses and effective enhancement of visual responses. Such rapid multisensory association driven plasticity is absent in the auditory and visual cortices, suggesting its emergence in the OFC. Based on the above results we propose a hypothetical local circuit model in the OFC that integrates auditory and visual information which participates in computing stimulus value in dynamic multisensory environments.

Significance Statement

Properties and modification of sensory responses of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) involved in flexible behavior through stimulus value/outcome encoding are poorly understood. Such responses are critical in providing the framework for the encoding of stimulus value based on behavioral context while also directing plastic changes in sensory regions. The mouse OFC is found to be primarily multisensory with varied nonlinear interactions, explained by unisensory and multisensory inputs. Audio-visual associations cause rapid plastic changes in the OFC, which bias visual responses while suppressing auditory responses. Similar plasticity was absent in the sensory cortex. Thus the observed intrinsic visual bias in the OFC weighs visual stimuli more than associated auditory stimuli in value encoding in a dynamic multisensory environment.
Quantifying exploration in reward-based motor learning
Authors: van Mastrigt Nina M. , Smeets Jeroen B.J. , van der Kooij Katinka
Published: December 2019

Exploration in reward-based motor learning is observable in experimental data as increased variability. In order to quantify exploration, we compare three methods for estimating other sources of variability: sensorimotor noise. We use a task in which participants could receive stochastic binary reward feedback following a target-directed weight shift. Participants first performed 6 baseline blocks without feedback, and next twenty blocks alternating with and without feedback. Variability was assessed based on trial-to-trial changes in movement endpoint. We estimated sensorimotor noise by the median squared trial-to-trial change in movement endpoint for trials in which no exploration is expected. We identified three types of such trials: trials in baseline blocks, trials in the blocks without feedback, and rewarded trials in the blocks with feedback. We estimated exploration by the median squared trial-to-trial change following non-rewarded trials minus sensorimotor noise. As expected, variability was larger following non-rewarded trials than following rewarded trials. This indicates that our reward-based weight-shifting task successfully induced exploration. Most importantly, our three estimates of sensorimotor noise differed: the estimate based on rewarded trials was significantly lower than the estimates based on the two types of trials without feedback. Consequently, the estimates of exploration also differed. We conclude that the quantification of exploration depends critically on the type of trials used to estimate sensorimotor noise. We recommend the use of variability following rewarded trials.
Opposing patterns of abnormal D1 and D2 receptor dependent cortico-striatal plasticity explain increased risk taking in patients with DYT1 dystonia
Authors: Gilbertson Tom , Arkadir David , Steele J. Douglas
Published: December 2019

Patients with dystonia caused by the mutated TOR1A gene exhibit a risk neutral behaviour compared to controls who are risk averse in the same reinforcement learning task. We hypothesised this increased risk taking could be reproduced by a reinforcement learning model which included biologically realistic striatal plasticity learning rules. We aimed to test whether a specific combination of cortico-striatal plasticity abnormalities at D1 and D2 receptors could explain the abnormal behaviour. We found a model of cortico-striatal plasticity could generate simulated behaviour indistinguishable from patients only when both D1 and D2 plasticity was abnormally increased in opposite directions: specifically when D1 synaptic potentiation and D2 depotentiation were both increased. This result is consistent with previous observations in rodent models of cortico-striatal plasticity at D1 receptors, but contrasts with the pattern reported in vitro for D2 synapses. This suggests that additional factors in patients who manifest motor symptoms may lead to divergent effects on D2 synaptic plasticity that are not apparent in rodent models of this disease.
Prognostic significances of interleukin-17-producing cells and Th17 cells in malignant cancers: a meta-analysis of the literatures
Authors: Luo Yong , Yu Ting , Yi Cheng , Shi Huashan
Published: December 2019

Background and purpose

As a proinflammatory factor, interleukin-17 (IL-17) can play a role in both tumor promotion and suppression. IL-17 is traditionally regarded as secreting mainly by CD4+T helper cells (Th17 cells), while other immune subsets have been proved to produce IL-17, called IL-17+cells. Considerable studies have drawn controversial conclusions about association between IL-17+/Th17 cells and prognosis of cancer patients. This meta-analysis was performed to systematically and quantitatively analyze prognostic values of IL-17+cells and Th17 cells in cancer patients.

Methods

A comprehensive retrieval was conducted in Pubmed (MEDLINE) and EMBASE databases. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) or hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to evaluate the prognostic values of IL-17+cells and Th17 cells in cancer patients.

Results

A total of 42 studies with 5039 patitents were included. High IL-17+cells was significantly associated with tumor recurrence (RR = 4.23, 95% CI [1.58, 11.35]), worse disease free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.84, 95% CI [1.22, 2.77]) and overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.04, 1.87]), especially in cancers of digestive system. Besides, no significant difference was observed between high IL-17+cells and histological grade, lymph node metastasis, tumor volume, clinical stages or distant metastasis. Moreover, there was no significant difference in OS between high and low Th17 cells in cancer patients (HR = 0.93, 95% CI [0.58, 1.49]).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests high IL-17+cells could be an indicator for worse survival in patients with malignant cancers, especially with cancers of digestive system. Although high Th17 cells appears to have non-statistically significance on prognosis, more clinical studies should be implemented to investigate the underlying function of Th17 cells within tumor microenvironment. This study put forward a new insight for potential application of anti-IL-17 target therapy in cancer therapeutics.
Crystal and molecular structures of a binuclear mixed ligand complex of silver(I) with thiocyanate and 1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione
Authors: Kreaunakpan Janjira , Chainok Kittipong , Halcovitch Nathan R. , Tiekink Edward R. T. , Pirojsirikul Teerapong , Saithong Saowanit
Published: December 2019

The complete molecule of the binuclear title complex, bis[μ-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione-κ2
S:S]bis{(thiocyanato-κS)[1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-thione-κS]silver(I)}, [Ag2(SCN)2(C2H3N3S)4], is generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry. The independent triazole-3-thione ligands employ the exocyclic-S atoms exclusively in coordination. One acts as a terminal S-ligand and the other in a bidentate (μ2) bridging mode to provide a link between two AgI centres. Each AgI atom is also coordinated by a terminal S-bound thiocyanate ligand, resulting in a distorted AgS4 tetrahedral coordination geometry. An intramolecular N—H...S(thiocyanate) hydrogen bond is noted. In the crystal, amine-N—H...S(thione), N—H...N(triazolyl) and N—H...N(thiocyanate) hydrogen bonds give rise to a three-dimensional architecture. The packing is consolidated by triazolyl-C—H...S(thiocyanate), triazolyl-C—H...N(thiocyanate) and S...S [3.2463 (9) Å] interactions as well as face-to-face π–π stacking between the independent triazolyl rings [inter-centroid separation = 3.4444 (15) Å]. An analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surfaces shows the three major contributors are due to N...H/H...N, S...H/H...S and C...H/H...C contacts, at 35.8, 19.4 and 12.7%, respectively; H...H contacts contribute only 7.6% to the overall surface.
Diethyl 4-(3-chlorophenyl)-2,6-diphenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate
Authors: Ameen K. K. Mohammed , Ahamed F. M. Mashood , Padusha M. Syed Ali , Gunasekaran B.
Published: December 2019

In the title compound, C29H26ClNO4, the dihydropyridine ring adopts a shallow boat conformation. The mean plane of the dihydropyridine ring (all atoms) subtends dihedral angles of 66.54 (1), 73.71 (1) and 79.47 (1)° with the two phenyl rings and the chlorophenyl ring, respectively. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into [001] chains.
Electrodeposition of Ni-W and Ni-W-P films using a pulse current technique and their application for hydrogen evolution in an acidic solution
Authors: Abdel Hamid Zeinab , Hassan H.B. , Sultan Mohamed
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The improvement of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance requires more efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts. The purpose of this study is to prepare Ni-W and Ni-W-P thin films using the electrodeposition technique using a pulse current and investigate their behaviors toward HER in an acidic solution.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim is to prepare Ni-W and Ni-W-P films by the electrodeposition technique using a pulse current and estimate their performance for the HER. The surface morphologies and chemical compositions of the deposited films were assessed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction. Linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry, Tafel plots and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to evaluate the prepared electrodes toward the hydrogen evolution process.

Findings

The main conclusion is that the surface morphology of Ni–W deposited film is a crystalline structure, while that of Ni-W-P deposit is an amorphous structure. HER activity on Ni-W electrodes increases with decreasing the Wt.% of W to 7.83 Wt.% in the prepared electrodes. In addition, the presence of P enhances HER activity, which increases with increasing the Wt.% of P in the prepared Ni-W-P electrodes. Both Ni-W (7.83 Wt.% W) and Ni-W-P (20.34 Wt.% P), which have been prepared at 8 A dm−2 display the best performance toward HER compared to the other prepared electrodes. They exhibit high catalytic activities toward HER, which is evidenced by high hydrogen evolution current density values of 9.52 and 33.98 mA cm−2, low onset potentials of −0.73 and −0.63 V, low Tafel slopes of −125 mV/dec, high exchange current densities of 0.058 and 0.20 mA cm−2, low charge transfer resistances (Rct) of 226.28 and 75.8 ohm·cm2 for Ni-W (7.83  Wt.% W) and Ni-W-P (20.34  Wt.% P), respectively; moreover, they exhibited considerable stabilities too.

Originality/value

The results presented in this work are an insight into understanding the performance of the prepared Cu electrodes coated by Ni-W and Ni-W-P films toward HER. In this work, a consistent assessment of the results achieved on laboratory scale has been conducted.
Age and tenure diversity on the work floor
Authors: Thommes Kirsten , Klabuhn Janny
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Past research on how to compose a team is ambiguous, especially with respect to diversity dimensions. The authors argue that previous inconsistencies in results have arisen for two main reasons. First, there is a lack of clarity about the concept of age diversity, as age separation, age variety and age disparity are frequently used synonymously, but capture very different aspects of diversity. Second, in many research settings, age and tenure diversity have been intertwined. When staffing teams, many staff managers ask for staffing advise concerning staff diversity in order to enhance efficiency. This staffing problem is mainly a question how homogeneous and heterogeneous teams should be composed. In this paper, the authors capture both – age and tenure diversity – as well as their interaction and argue that age separation and tenure variety are most likely to affect team performance in a routine task. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors are testing the hypothesis using rich quantitative field data from a steel company.

Findings

The results show that age separation decreases performance while tenure variety increases performance. Moreover, the beneficial effects of tenure variety cannot arise when age separation is too large.

Research limitations/implications

The authors show that diversity research is very sensitive to the operationalization of diversity.

Practical implications

Managers can benefit from the study by learning how to optimally staff teams: while age diversity should be low, tenure diversity can be high.

Originality/value

Due to the unique data set, the authors can separate the influence of tenure and age diversity.
Numerical analysis of pump-signal-direction effect on the performance of EDFA systems
Authors: Parali Ufuk , Pinar Cahit
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop new tandem configurations of erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) using all possible pump-signal-direction schemes in simulation to identify a system configuration with the best performance in the means of the highest gain with the lowest noise figure (NF) output.

Design/methodology/approach

The spatial evolution of the physical properties such as gain, NF, population density and amplified spontaneous emission along the total length of the double-stage single-pass EDFA and single-stage double-pass EDFA configurations under all possible pumping direction schemes was investigated. Giles and Desurvire method was used for the mathematical modeling of these configurations where the two level coupled system model equations was solved in MATLAB. In the simulation of the all proposed configurations, an input signal of −35 dBm at the wavelength of 1550 nm and a total of 14 mW pump power at the wavelength of 1480 nm was used for a consistent analysis.

Findings

The numerical value of the results obtained is specific to the input parameter values used in the simulations; however, configuration-wise, the EDFA systems found with the best performance are not parameter specific.

Originality/value

The results of this numerical work will help future experimental research of designing and developing ultra-efficient EDFA systems.
Prescriptivism, linguicism and pedagogical coercion in primary school UK curriculum policy
Authors: Cushing Ian
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper is a critical reflection on the linguistic conservatism as found within current curriculum policies and assessment regimes in the UK, arguing that they represents a form of linguicism which serves to entrench linguistic social injustices. This paper aims to trace the “trajectory” of policy across different levels, discourses and settings, with a particular focus on how linguicism is conceptualised, defended and resisted by teachers. The author draws connections between language ideologies within policy discourse, language tests and teacher interviews.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a critical approach to examining educational language policies and assessments. It begins with the assumption that policies and tests are powerful political and ideological tools, which can steer teachers into making certain decisions in the classroom, some of which they may not believe in or agree with. Data are drawn from policy documents, test questions and teacher interviews, with a focus on how teachers talk about language and pedagogies in their classrooms. In total, 22 teachers were interviewed, with this data being transcribed and thematically indexed.

Findings

The findings reveal how linguicism is embedded within UK education policy, and how this comes to be replicated within teachers’ discourse and practice. There are three main findings: that teachers can come to operate under a form of “pedagogical coercion”, whereby language policies and tests have a powerful hold on their practice; that teachers see current policy as championing standard English at the expense of non-standardised varieties, and that teachers often see and talk about language as a proxy for other social factors such as education and employability.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a critical perspective on language education policies in the UK, arguing for greater awareness about the nature and dangers of linguicism across all levels of policy. Data generated from classroom interaction would be a useful avenue for future work.

Originality/value

This paper offers an original, discursively critical examination of language education policy in the UK, with a particular focus on the current curriculum and using original data generated from teacher interviews and associated policy documents.