bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Immunohistochemical Expression of Fascin in Breast Carcinoma: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Verma Priyanka , Marwah Nisha , Parshad Sanjeev , Rani Usha , Gupta Monika , Verma Renuka , Singh Sunita
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Fascin is an actin-binding protein that mediates invasion by modulating metastasis-associated genes. Fascin expression in breast carcinoma is correlated with clinical aggressiveness, metastasis, histological subtype and shorter disease-free survival.

Aim: To evaluate fascin expression through Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and its association with clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology and Surgery at Pandit B. D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India, from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022. A total of 80 cases of breast carcinoma were included in the study. The IHC detection of fascin expression was evaluated in relation to the molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma {luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Triple-Negative (TN)} and other clinicopathological factors, including age, grade, tumour size, stage, regional lymph node status and survival. The collected data were categorised, compiled, tabulated, and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. Associations were tested using Pearson’s Chisquare and Fisher’s exact tests. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 80 breast carcinoma patients were included in the study. The patients’ ages ranged from 28 to 82 years, with a mean age of 51.5 years. The maximum number of cases, 27 (33.75%), were in the age group of 41-50 years. Fascin was positive in 50 out of 80 cases, constituting 62.5% of all cases. A statistically significant relationship was observed between fascin and the age of the patient (p-value=0.032), tumour size (p-value=0.015), histological subtype of the tumour (p-value=0.047), Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), HER2/neu status of the tumour (p-value <0.001 for each), and TN molecular subtype of the tumour (p-value=0.051). However, no association was observed between fascin and the side of the breast involved (p-value=0.385), histological grade (p-value=0.891), lymph node status (p-value=0.781), and Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) (p-value=0.329). The majority of fascin-positive cases were negative for HER2/neu 41 (82%).

Conclusion: These results suggests a significant association of fascin expression with the TN subtype, with markedly increased intensity and extent of fascin expression (high score) compared to all other subtypes, indicating that fascin is a marker of the TN/ basal-like subtype. This may serve as a promising candidate for targeted therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Carcinoma (TNBC). Fascin antagonists have shown promising results in some studies involving advanced TNBC that were fascin-positive. Therefore, fascin may represent a target for therapy in TNBC.
Postoperative Superficial Thrombophlebitis of the Upper Limb: A Rare Complication following Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
Authors: Chugh Amey , Gupta Prashansa , Vadithala Varshini , Patel Janvi
Published: December 2024

Superficial Thrombophlebitis (STP) is an uncommon vascular condition that involves inflammation and blood clotting (thrombosis) of a superficial vein. It often presents with redness, swelling and localised pain. Although it can cause significant discomfort, it is usually less severe than Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and can sometimes lead to serious complications such as DVT or Pulmonary Embolism (PE). The three factors responsible for STP are venous stasis, injury to the endothelium, and hypercoagulability, collectively referred to as Virchow’s triad. The condition mainly affects the legs but can also occur in other parts of the body, such as the lower and upper limbs. Hereby, authors describe a case of a 51-year-old woman who developed STP in her left arm after a Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (TLH). Despite being uncommon, STP following gynaecological surgery necessitates early diagnosis and treatment to prevent its progression into life-threatening clotting disorders. This case demonstrates successful conservative management of uncomplicated STP and underscores the need for vigilance in postoperative care. Early diagnosis, risk stratification, and individualised treatment plans are essential for optimising patient outcomes and preventing serious complications.
A REVIEW ON ANTIDOTE AS PER AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE
Authors: . Suman , Tomar Brijendra Singh , Chawla Satbir Kumar
Published: December 2024

Agad tantra is a branch of Ayurevda that deals with study of poisons (animal, plant and mineral origin) and their management. Poison is a substance that destroys life and impairs the body functions. Ayurveda defines poison as Visha, the substance which causes sadness to the world is called Visha. If one attains immediate treatment, it may relieve the condition otherwise it may be fatal. Prativisha is the poison to be used as a treatment against another poison. In modern, Prativisha is comparable to an antidote. Antidotes can be defined as substances that counteract the effects of poison. The term antidote was ultimately derived from the Greek term pharmakon antidoton (medicine) given as a remedy. Many poisons and their antidotes are described in the Agad Tantra text. Common antidotes in Ayurveda are Swarna, Ghrita, Godudha and Madhu. A vaidya's primary goal is to save life of patients so the concept of antidotes is explained. In this review article, we will discuss antidotes as per Ayurvedic science.
Educational Awareness among Scheduled Caste Parents: A Case Study on Amguri Block of Sibsagar District, Assam, India
Authors: Das Punendra
Published: December 2024

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge that prepares a thriving present and leads to a stable future. It improves social status, cultural and intellectual qualities- the means of generating civic society. Some sections of the Indian society are still struggling to attain education. The accessibility of quality education to all sections of the society is still a dream in the country. Scheduled caste population form a large section of the Indian population who are often marginalised and deprived of social, educational, economic and health benefits due to ignorance and socio-cultural milieu (Asha et al., 2024). Though the literacy rate among the Scheduled Castes increased 10.27% in 1961 to 63.89% in 2011 in national level but some Scheduled Castes communities still continue to remain educationally backward. Lack of educational awareness among the parents especially in rural areas is the prime problem in this regards. The poor economic condition of SC parents is also one of the barriers for their educational development (Kaur & Verma, 2017; Jain, 1981; Premi, 1974; Deka, 2016 & Das, 2017). The study is significant to know about the awareness of SC parents of Amguri block under Sibsagar district towards education. Descriptive method was applied to conduct the preset study. Total 45 Schedule Caste parents have been selected out of total 170 by using purposive sampling technique. A self constructed interview schedule was used to collect the required data for the study.
Echinococcosis in an Unusual Site: A Rare Case Report of a Primary Hydatid Cyst in the Thigh
Authors: Wani Ab Hamid , Iqbal Javid , Singh Gurbir
Published: December 2024

Background: Hydatid disease, caused by the Echinococcus granulosus parasite, primarily affects the liver and lungs. Muscular involvement is extremely rare. A primary hydatid cyst in the thigh is an unusual and rare presentation, as hydatid disease typically affects the liver (70%) and lungs (20%), with muscle involvement being extremely uncommon (0.5–5%). This report presents a case of a primary hydatid cyst in the thigh.
Case Presentation: A 30-year-old male patient presented with a swelling in the anterior thigh, which had been gradually enlarging. The patient reported no pain, fever, or trauma. On the basis of local examination, suspected of small cystic swelling, patient was planned for excision. Intra-operatively the swelling was diagnosed as a case of hydatid cyst with multiple cysts in the thigh. This case report marks the significance of preoperative radiological investigations in patients with rare clinical presentation of hydatid disease.
Conclusion: Primary hydatid cyst of the thigh is rare but should be considered in differential diagnoses of soft tissue masses, especially in endemic areas.
Protective Effect of Annona muricata Leaf Extract against Electrolytes Imbalance in Wistar Rats Induced with Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: A.A. Oladejo, , C.B. Okeke, , C.M. Okeke , E. L. Iloanya, , M. A. Adeyemi, , R. O. Anyanwu, , D. Apalowo, , O. G. Onyenweaku,
Published: December 2024

Annona muricata, a tropical fruit known for its medicinal properties, has been investigated for its potential cardioprotective effects, particularly in treating acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a critical condition caused by blocked coronary arteries. This study investigates protective effect of Annona muricata leaf extract against electrolytes imbalance in wistar rats induced with acute myocardial infarction. Thirty (30) wistar rats were randomly grouped into five classes (A, B, C, D and E) of six rats each. Groups A, B and C were pre-treated with 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg of Annona muricata extract respectively. Group D was administered 10 mg of lisinopril (standard drug), this served as the positive control group while group E was administered 0.2 mL distilled water, and this served as the negative control group. All the rats were intraperitoneally induced with 150 mg of isoproterenol after fourteen days (two weeks) of pretreatment. Serum electrolytes such as potassium and sodium were assayed using standard assay kit. Results showed that rats pre-treated with Annona muricata extract showed significant decrease (p>0.05) in the serum potassium and sodium levels in a dose dependent manner when compared to the untreated group; thereby suggesting that Annona muricata leaf extract may have a role in modulating sodium and potassium levels in animal models and may consequently help to mitigate the effect of cardiovascular disorders especially myocardial infarction.
Disordered Optics: Exploiting Multiple Light Scattering and Wavefront Shaping for Nonconventional Optical Elements
Authors: Park Jung‐Hoon , Park Jongchan , Lee KyeoReh , Park YongKeun
Published: September 2019

Advances in diverse areas such as inspection, imaging, manufacturing, telecommunications, and information processing have been stimulated by novel optical devices. Conventional material ingredients for these devices are typically made of homogeneous refractive or diffractive materials and require sophisticated design and fabrication, which results in practical limitations related to their form and functional figures of merit. To overcome such limitations, recent developments in the application of disordered materials as novel optical elements have indicated great potential in enabling functionalities that go beyond their conventional counterparts, while the materials exhibit potential advantages with respect to reduced form factors. Combined with wavefront shaping, disordered materials enable dynamic transitions between multiple functionalities in a single active optical device. Recent progress in this field is summarized to gain insight into the physical principles behind disordered optics with regard to their advantages in various applications as well as their limitations compared to conventional optics.
Synthesis of Cyclic N‐Hydroxylated Ureas and Oxazolidinone Oximes Enabled by Chemoselective Iodine(III)‐Mediated Radical or Cationic Cyclizations of Unsaturated N‐Alkoxyureas
Authors: Peilleron Laure , Retailleau Pascal , Cariou Kevin
Published: September 2019

In this study we describe the reactivity of unsaturated N‐alkoxyureas in the presence of different combinations of a hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and a bromide source or TEMPO. Three complementary cyclizations can be achieved depending on the reaction conditions. On the one hand, PIFA with pyridinium bromide leads to an oxybromination reaction. On the other hand, bis(tert‐butylcarbonyloxy)iodobenzene with tetrabutylammonium bromide or TEMPO triggers aminobromination or aminooxyamination reactions, respectively. Control experiments showed that the three reactions proceed through distinct mechanisms: the first process is ionic while the other two follow a radical manifold.

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Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Achillea tenuifoliaLam. Essential Oil at Different Phenological Stages from Khoy
Authors: Aminkhani Ali , Sharifi Roholah , Dorosti Reza
Published: September 2019

Achillea species and in particular Achillea tenuifolia Lam. is generally used as a food flavor and traditional remedies, especially in the initial developmental stage for medical conditions in the Mediterranean part of Iran. In this report, we extracted the essential oil from the aerial parts of A. tenuifolia (collected from Khoy), at various developmental stages (i. e., vegetative, flowering and fruiting), characterized them and studied their antibacterial activities. Of 46, 51 and 38 components found in the vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages, respectively, 35 were present in all three stages, including oxygenated terpenes such as carvacrol (30.85–34.11), germacrene C (16.21–17.87), spathulenol (7.26–8.96), β‐sesquiphellandrene (4.11–4.25), τ‐muurolol (2.27–3.25) and α‐cadinol (2.01–3.29). We witnessed that the composition of the essential oils varies with phenological stages and geographic regions. The essential oil demonstrated substantial antibacterial properties against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, indicated by disk method, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) assays. Except Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the essential oils of various phenological stages showed higher antibacterial activity against tested bacteria, with Bacillus anthracis as the most sensitive strain. Moreover, although antibacterial characteristics of the essential oil from the vegetative and flowering stages were similar (p=0.91), they were significantly different from those of fruiting stage (p<0.005 in both MIC and MBC tests). This emphasizes the importance of the developmental stage of the plant in the biological properties of its essential oil and justifies the widespread application of this plant in the vegetative stage.
Simultaneous Electro‐Click and Electrochemically Mediated Polymerization Reactions for One‐Pot Grafting from a Controlled Density of Anchor Sites
Authors: Wu Ting , Lankshear Ethan R. , Downard Alison J.
Published: September 2019

Grafting polymer brushes through electrochemically mediated surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐eATRP) has well‐known advantages including use of low concentrations of catalyst, no need for an inert atmosphere, and opportunities to control polymer composition and architecture. Preparation of materials with tailored properties also requires control of polymer density; this can be achieved by grafting from a substrate with a controlled density of anchor sites. Toward this aim, a sparse monolayer of ethynylphenyl groups, with known density, was immobilized on a carbon substrate via electroreduction of a protected aryldiazonium ion. Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was grafted from the substrate in a one‐pot solution comprising azido‐derivatized initiator, NIPAM and a Cu catalyst. Electroreduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) catalyzes both the clicking of initiator to surface ethynylphenyl groups, and SI‐eATRP. This novel method is simple and convenient, combining the advantages of SI‐eATRP with the key advantage of polymerization from a well‐defined layer of anchor sites.
Relative effects of breastfeeding intention and practice on maternal responsiveness
Authors: Jones Catherine L. , Culpin Iryna , Evans Jonathan , Pearson Rebecca M.
Published: September 2019

Our objective was to examine the differential effects of antenatal breastfeeding intention (BI) and breastfeeding practice (BP) on maternal postnatal responsiveness. We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from a subsample of 962 mother–infant dyads from a U.K.‐based birth cohort study the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Exposures were BI and BPs measured at 32 weeks of gestation and 18 months’ postpartum. The outcome was maternal responsiveness assessed at 12 months’ postpartum. We used logistic regression analyses unadjusted and adjusted for confounders. Intention to breastfeed was associated with increased odds of postnatal maternal responsiveness independent of BP, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.34, 95% CI [1.42, 3.86]. There was no evidence that BP was an independent predictor of maternal responsiveness, OR = 0.93, 95% CI [0.55, 1.57]. Life‐course epidemiology analyses demonstrated that maternal responsiveness is most positive when both BI and BP are present. This is the first population‐based study to provide evidence that BI during pregnancy is more strongly associated with maternal postnatal responsiveness than is BP. Further research is needed to understand the determinants of BI in pregnancy and its relationships with maternal responsiveness.
The Case for an Unblinded Modeler in Early Clinical Development
Authors: Krause Andreas , Henrich Andrea , Dingemanse Jasper
Published: September 2019

The current trend for clinical pharmacology is toward more complex studies (eg, umbrella protocols covering single and multiple ascending doses, food effect, metabolism pathways), requiring many decisions to be made during their conduct. This article discusses guidance of such early clinical studies by modeling and simulation. The ability to make use of all available information each time new data become available during the study requires the modeling scientist to be unblinded. This must of course not jeopardize the blinding of the clinical team, and this article discusses how unblinding can be prevented. Although modeling and simulation are established for guidance of the drug development process overall, they are not frequently used for guidance on a small scale, that is, during studies with the largest uncertainty, the first‐in‐human studies. Application of a quantitative model backbone makes early clinical drug development a more efficient process and provides additional safety for healthy subjects and patients. Real clinical impact is illustrated by 3 case studies that show different contributions from unblinded modeling: dose escalation based on safety data, modeling and predicting with explicit incorporation of in vitro data, and dose escalation supported by unblinded analysis of adverse event data, which resulted in new insights of the clinical team without being unblinded and made it possible to proceed with dose escalation and to extend the study with an up‐titration group.
Synthesis and anticancer effects of conjugates of doxorubicin and unsaturated fatty acids (LNA and DHA)
Authors: Mielczarek-Puta Magdalena , Struga Marta , Roszkowski Piotr
Published: September 2019

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a leading cytostatic drug with many adverse effects in use. We are still looking for methods that will allow us to preserve the therapeutic effect against the tumor cells and reduce the toxicity to the normal cells. In our work, we obtained amide derivatives of DOX by reaction of the amino group with α-linolenic (LNA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids (2, 3), as well as double-substituted derivatives via amide and ester linkages (4, 5). The structures of the compounds were confirmed by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR), Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR), and High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) analyses. For all compounds 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effect on human cancer cell lines (SW480, SW620, and PC3) and Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79) that were used as a control. The cytotoxic activity was established by calculation of the inhibitory concentration IC50. In addition, a cytotoxic capacity against tumor cells for tested compounds was expressed as a selectivity factor (selectivity index, SI). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was performed for all compounds to assess the level of cell damage. To explain the basic mechanism of cell death induction the Annexin V-FITC/IP flow cytometry analysis was investigated. We found that all studied conjugates exhibit lower cytotoxicity but higher selectivity than DOX. Among the all derivatives, the conjugates formed by the amide and ester linkages (4, 5) were found to be more promising compared with conjugates (2, 3) formed only by the amide linkage. They show high cytotoxicity toward the tumor cell lines and moderate cytotoxicity towards the normal cell line.
Left ventricular remodeling and dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Yu Lei , Li Huajun , Liu Xianbao , Fan Jiaqi , Zhu Qifeng , Li Jing , Jiang Jubo , Wang Jian’an
Published: September 2019

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Several studies have reported that it affects the left ventricle; however, large randomized controlled trials are lacking. The current study aimed to summarize the association between OSAS and left ventricular (LV) structure and function.

Methods

Electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane) and references were searched for articles published until March 2018. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess LV structure and function in OSAS patients based on echocardiography.

Results

In total, 17 studies with 747 OSAS patients and 426 control participants were included. Patients with OSAS showed an increase in LV diastolic diameter (weighted mean difference [WMD], 95% CI: 1.24 [0.68, 1.80]; p < 0.001), LV systolic diameter (WMD, 95% CI: 1.14 [0.47, 1.81]; p = 0.001), and LV mass (WMD, 95% CI: 35.34 [20.67, 50.00]; p < 0.001). In addition, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) significantly decreased in the OSAS group compared with the controls (WMD, 95% CIs: −1.82 [−2.76, −0.87]; p < 0.001), and the reduction in LVEF was consistent with the severity of OSAS. The OSAS group also showed an increase in left atrial diameter (WMD, 95% CI: 2.13 [1.48, 2.77]; p < 0.001) and left atrial diameter volume index (WMD, 95% CIs: 3.96 [3.32, 4.61]; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome leads to atrial dilatation, left ventricular hypertrophy, enlargement, mass increase and reduction of systolic function. Treatments for OSAS might be beneficial for the preservation of left cardiac structure and function.
Stuck in the middle: Ideology, valence and the electoral failures of centrist parties
Authors: Zur Roi
Published: September 2019

In recent years centrist-liberal parties, such as the German Free Democratic Party (FDP) in 2013 and the British Liberal Democrats in 2015 and 2017, suffered enormous electoral defeats. These defeats highlight a prominent puzzle in the study of party competition and voting behavior; the empty center phenomenon. That is, empirical evidence suggests that most parties do not converge to the median voter's position, despite the centripetal force of the voters’ preference distribution. Using survey data from Canada, Finland, Germany and the United Kingdom, this article shows that deterioration of centrist parties’ valence image is followed by a collapse of their vote shares. Using mathematical simulations, this article shows that centrist parties have limited strategic opportunities to regain their support. Differently from other parties, centrist parties cannot alter their policy platforms to compensate for their deteriorated valence image. These results have important implications for political representation and voters–elite linkages.
Female Labor and Power in East Germany, 1945–1948
Authors: Pritchard Gareth
Published: September 2019

Power in the workplace is almost always conceptualized in terms of the line-management hierarchy. Managers are said to sit at the “top” of the pyramid, whilst shop-floor workers are located at the “bottom.” The language that we use to describe the social organization of the workplace is saturated with words that assign people to ranks within hierarchies. Scholarly analysis of the sociology of the workplace takes the pyramidality of power as a given. This article, by contrast, argues that it is more useful to see power in the workplace as a dynamic but horizontal matrix within which the distribution of power is continually in flux. If we are to understand the workplace experiences of any specific social group, it is necessary to reconstruct the position of that group relative to the overall system of power relations within the matrix, and not just to individual kinds of power relationship. To demonstrate the point, this article explores the case study of female workers in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany. Between 1945 and 1948, the experiences of women on the shop floor in East Germany were shaped by wider trends in the distribution of power. These included the transfer of power from German nationals to Soviet occupiers, the devolution of power from the center to the periphery and from the manager's office to workers on the shop floor, and the shift of relative power from wage earners to black marketeers. To make sense of the contradictory experiences of female workers, we must situate them in the context of wider shifts in, and conflicts over, the distribution of power within a matrix.
The Coming Surge of Rocket Emissions
Authors: Ross Martin , Toohey Darin
Published: September 2019

With the space industry’s rapid growth, rocket exhaust will increasingly accumulate in the atmosphere. How this accumulation might affect the planet is unknown—because we’re not taking it seriously.
Alcohol solvothermal reduction for commercial P25 to harvest weak visible light and fabrication of the resulting floating photocatalytic spheres
Authors: Wang Ting , Li Yao , Pan Jia-hao , Zhang Yan-ling , Wu Li-guang , Dong Chun-ying , Li Chun-juan
Published: September 2019

In this study, to fabricate stable floating photocatalytic spheres, facile alcohol solvothermal reduction was first employed to modify commercial TiO2 (P25) photocatalysts to harvest visible light and improve their performances for photodegrading phenol in seawater exciting by visible light. Floating photocatalytic spheres were then prepared by loading reduced P25 photocatalysts on inner and outer surfaces of acrylic hollow spheres. The structural characterizations showed that reduction of P25 introduced disorder–crystalline shell–core structures with present Ti3+ in reduced P25 photocatalysts. These features facilitated visible light response and phenol degradation in seawater under visible light irradiation. As reduction time or temperature of alcohol solvothermal process rose, more Ti3+ and shell–core structures were introduced into reduced P25, resulting in higher performances towards phenol degradation in seawater. However, extended periods of time and elevated temperatures decreased disordered layer of reduced P25, deteriorating the photocatalytic performances. Thanks to good light transmission of the hollow spheres and the high performance of the reduced P25, the photocatalytic performances of spheres loaded with reduced P25 could effectively degrade phenol in seawater even at low concentrations. The removal rate of phenol by floating spheres reached more than 95% after 8 h. In addition, the floating spheres displayed good stability and convenient reusability after six repeated photocatalytic degradation for phenol in seawater, promising features for future treatment of organic pollutants in oceans.
Parsing the Flanker task to reveal behavioral and oscillatory correlates of unattended conflict interference
Authors: Brunetti Marcella , Zappasodi Filippo , Croce Pierpaolo , Di Matteo Rosalia
Published: September 2019

Stimulus-Response conflict is generated by an overlap between stimulus and response dimensions, but the intrinsic nature of this interaction is not yet deeply clarified. In this study, using a modified Eriksen flanker task, we have investigated how flankers have to be incongruent to target in order to produce an interference and whether and how this interference interacts with the one produced by Stimulus features overlap. To these aims, an Eriksen-like task employing oriented hands\arrows has been designed to distinguish between two types of Stimulus-Response (S-R) interferences: one derived by a short-term association and one based on automatic processes. Stimulus-Stimulus (S-S) conflict has been also included in the same factorial design. Behavioral, Event Related Potential (ERP) and oscillatory activity data have been measured. Results revealed distinct S-S and automatic S-R effects on behavioral performance. ERP and Theta band power modulation results suggested an early frontal S-S conflict processing followed by a posterior simultaneous S-S and automatic S-R conflict processing. These findings provide evidence that, in presence of different conflicts, the sequence of stimulus identification and response selection could not move forward in a linear serial direction, but it may involve further effort, mirrored in posterior late components and response time prolongation.
High-performance water desalination of heteroatom nitrogen- and sulfur-codoped open hollow tubular porous carbon electrodes via capacitive deionization
Authors: Zhang Qing , Huang Yajing , Xia Dehua , Hu Lingling , Li Ping , Tan Li , Wang Yongyi , He Chun , Shu Dong , Xie Xi
Published: September 2019

Heteroatom nitrogen- and sulfur-codoped porous carbon with a unique open hollow tubular structure is a promising electrode material for water desalination in CDI systems.
Achieving high rate and high energy density in an all-solid-state flexible asymmetric pseudocapacitor through the synergistic design of binder-free 3D ZnCo2O4 nano polyhedra and 2D layered Ti3C2Tx-MXenes
Authors: Javed Muhammad Sufyan , Lei Hang , Shah Hidayat Ullah , Asim Sumreen , Raza Rizwan , Mai Wenjie
Published: September 2019

Flexible ZCO‖MXene-ASC exhibits excellent electrochemical performance in a KOH/PVA hydrogel electrolyte with outstanding cycling stability in an enlarged potential window of 0.0–1.6 V with high flexibility.
Advanced liquid biopsy technologies for circulating biomarker detection
Authors: Soda Narshone , Rehm Bernd H. A. , Sonar Prashant , Nguyen Nam-Trung , Shiddiky Muhammad J. A.
Published: September 2019

In this review, we have summarised the biogenesis, biological significance, isolation and detection technologies of four widely known circulating biomarkers namely circulating tumour cells, circulating tumor specific DNA, microRNA, and exosomes.
Modelling of ambient air quality, Coimbatore, India
Authors: Eswaran Sarojini. , L.T Bharathiraj. , S Jayanthi.
Published: September 2019

Air pollution is dispersion of the particulates, biological molecules, or other harmful materials into the Earth’s atmosphere, possibly causing diseases. Air pollutants can be either particles, liquids or gaseous. In the recent era, air pollution has become a major environmental issue because of the enhanced anthropogenic activities such as burning fossil fuels, natural gases, coal and oil, industrial process, advanced technologies and motor vehicles. The proposed project focused on air pollution study of North Coimbatore region (11° 0’ 16.4016’’ N and 76° 57’ 41.8752’’ E), Tamilnadu, India. The area comprises of industries, residential and commercial areas, where plenty of pollution occurs due to emissions from automobiles also. The main aim of the project is to develop models using GIS for the air pollutant concentration of Coimbatore region. In order to run the model, the concentration details of PM2.5 (Particulate mass) were collected. Prediction models have been evolved for the monitoring station to predict the concentration of pollutants (PM2.5) based on the different meteorological parameters and also vice versa. The project concludes that highly polluted places are Koundampalayam and Thudiyalur compared to all other monitoring stations.
Environmental Sustainability Approaches Adopted for Anhsin Bridge Construction of Ankeng Metro System in New Taipei City in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Tai-Yi , Chen Po-Han , Chou Nelson N.S. , Chou Mao-Yi , Lin Jui-Jiun , Lo Han-Ting
Published: September 2019

The Ankeng Light Rail Metro System (ALRMS) is a Design-Build (DB) construction project located in New Taipei City. The Anhsin Bridge (AB) is one of the major parts of ALRMS. The original concept from the client, the Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DRTS), New Taipei City Government, was to design Anhsin Bridge as a steel arch bridge, which inevitably would require construction of some piers in the river reservation zone. Also, a temporary access bridge would be necessary during the erection of the steel frame. All these would pose a harmful situation for the river flow. Considering environmental sustainability, the contractor proposed a sustainable construction method, the unbalanced cable-stayed design with truss frames (UBCSTF), to build the Anhsin Bridge. Without constructing piers in the river reservation zone, the pylon of the Anhsin Bridge was laid on a 5.5m thickness foundation supported by 42 2m-diameter bored piles. A friendly environmental achievement was made by adopting UBCSTF. In this paper, the authors will share the rare construction experiences with the Anhsin Bridge construction, and present the detailed design concept, construction, and environmental sustainability achievements in this project.
Motion planning optimization of trajectory path of space manipulators
Authors: Qiao Dong
Published: September 2019

With the development of the aerospace industry, the work carried out inside and outside the weightless space station is becoming more and more complicated. In order to ensure the safety of astronauts, space manipulators are used for operation, but it will disturb the space station that is a base during work. In order to solve the above problems, in this paper, the planning method of the motion trajectory of manipulators, the motion model of manipulators and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm used for optimizing the trajectory are briefly introduced, the multi-population co-evolution method is used to improve the PSO algorithm, and the above two algorithms are used to optimize the motion trajectory of the floating pedestal space manipulator with three free degrees of rotation in the same plane by the matrix laboratory (MATLAB) software. It is compared with genetic algorithm. The results show that the improved PSO algorithm can converge to a better global optimal fitness with fewer iterations compared with the traditional PSO algorithm and genetic algorithm. The obtained motion trajectory optimized by the improved PSO algorithm has less disturbances to the pedestal posture, and less time is required to achieve the target motion; moreover the changes of mechanical arm joint are more stable during the motion.
ACUTE LEUKEMIAS 2019: Risikofaktor MRD eröffnet neue Perspektiven
Authors: Röper Ulrike
Published: September 2019

Weiterentwicklungen in der Molekulardiagnostik ermöglichen zuverlässigere Aussagen zur Differenzialdiagnostik maligner Erkrankungen. Sie sind Meilensteine für eine individualisierte Therapie. Darüber hinaus zeigt sich ihre zunehmende Bedeutung für prognostische Einschätzungen. Die Kontrolle der minimalen Resterkrankung (Minimal Residual Disease; MRD) rückt zunehmend in den Fokus, auch wenn noch viele Fragen zu klären sind.
Nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in self-assembled quantum dots
Authors: Geller M.
Published: September 2019

Self-assembled quantum dots are still one of the best model systems for artificial atoms in a solid-state environment, where the electronic states can be accessed by electrical and optical means. This article focuses on nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in these quantum dots, using the ability of recent developments in electrical and optical spectroscopy techniques. All-electrical transconductance spectroscopy is introduced, where a two-dimensional electron gas serves as a fast and sensitive detector for the electron/hole dynamics and charge/spin state preparation and relaxation in an ensemble of dots. Latest results on single electron tunneling and nonequilibrium Auger recombination in a single quantum dot using a high-resolution optical experiment (the time-resolved resonance fluorescence) are summarized. This article concludes with a perspective view on a future combination of both techniques toward an electro-optical measurement toolbox to link the coherent control of quantum states by optical means with an electrical preparation of electron charge and spin states.
Functional variation in the Spoken BNC2014 and the potential for register analysis
Authors: Love Robbie , Brezina Vaclav , McEnery Tony , Hawtin Abi , Hardie Andrew , Dembry Claire
Published: September 2019

This article focuses on how register considerations informed and guided the design of the spoken component of the
British National Corpus 2014 (Spoken BNC2014). It discusses why the compilers of the corpus sought to gather recordings from just
one broad spoken register – ‘informal conversation’ – and how this and other design decisions afforded contributors to the corpus
much freedom with regards to the selection of situational contexts for the recordings. This freedom resulted in a high level of
diversity in the corpus for situational parameters such as recording location and activity type,
each of which was captured in the corpus metadata. Focussing on these parameters, this article provides evidence for functional
variation among the texts in the corpus and suggests that differences such as those observed presently could be analysable within
the existing frameworks for analysis of register variation in spoken and written language, such as multidimensional analysis.
Syntgen: a system to generate temporal networks with user-specified topology
Authors: Pereira Luis Ramada , Lopes Rui J , Louçã Jorge
Published: September 2019

In the last few years, the study of temporal networks has progressed markedly. The evolution of clusters of nodes (or communities) is one of the major focus of these studies. However, the time dimension increases complexity, introducing new constructs and requiring novel and enhanced algorithms. In spite of recent improvements, the relative scarcity of timestamped representations of empiric networks, with known ground truth, hinders algorithm validation. A few approaches have been proposed to generate synthetic temporal networks that conform to static topological specifications while in general adopting an ad hoc approach to temporal evolution. We believe there is still a need for a principled synthetic network generator that conforms to problem domain topological specifications from a static as well as temporal perspective. Here, we present such a system. The unique attributes of our system include accepting arbitrary node degree and cluster size distributions and temporal evolution under user control, while supporting tunable joint distribution and temporal correlation of node degrees. Theoretical contributions include the analysis of conditions for graphic sequences of inter- and intracluster node degrees and cluster sizes and the development of a heuristic to search for the cluster membership of nodes that minimizes the shared information distance between clusterings. Our work shows that this system is capable of generating networks under user controlled topology with up to thousands of nodes and hundreds of clusters with strong topology adherence. Much larger networks are possible with relaxed requirements. The generated networks support algorithm validation as well as problem domain analysis.
Effects of different levels of solar radiation and depth-varying vertical diffusion on the dynamics of a reaction–diffusion NPZ model
Authors: Cowall Seth T , Oliver Matthew J , Cook L Pamela
Published: September 2019

Although the effects of solar radiation, diffusion and mixed layer depths on plankton populations have been studied extensively, it is not intuitive what the equilibrium states of a plankton system should be in the absence of seasonal forcing, nor what are the prime determiners of the attracting equilibrium states. In this study, the linear stability of a nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton (NPZ) model in reaction–diffusion form is analyzed to understand how solar radiation, diffusion and mixed layer depth influence the predicted equilibrium states. We incorporate parameters that control the response of the phytoplankton growth rate to solar radiation, control the depth of the upper mixed layer and control the strength of the diffusion. The combined effect of the constant in time parameters for these quantities is shown to significantly influence the stability properties of the NPZ reaction–diffusion model. In our parameter range, we find that diffusion and light are stronger determinants of the equilibrium state than mixed layer depth. This linear stability study gives insight into how these quantities affect the stability states of marine planktonic ecosystems and reinforces the importance of understanding light and upper mixed layer turbulence as important factors in determining the state of the plankton system.
An immersive clinical experience to create sustainable clinical learning opportunities for nurse practitioner students
Authors: Davis Lindsay , Fathman Amy , Colella Christine
Published: September 2019

A significant increase in nurse practitioner program enrollment has resulted in a critical need for committed preceptors willing to offer clinical learning opportunities for students. Academic practice partnerships have been proposed as a strategy to address the preceptorship crisis. This project evaluated the impact of a longitudinal immersive clinical experience designed for nurse practitioner students in collaboration with two federally qualified health centers and an underserved clinic within an academic health center. The study used a pre- and postsurvey method to determine the impact of an immersive clinical experience on preceptor perceptions of benefits and rewards, support, and commitment to the role. A statistically significant increase in preceptor perception of support was noted in three areas. Participants reported increased opportunity to share information with other preceptors, improved support from nursing faculty to help identify students' performance problems, and greater clarity in faculty responsibilities related to the preceptor role. Increases in perceptions of benefits and rewards and commitment to the preceptor role did not reach statistical significance. Immersive clinical experiences have the potential to improve the levels of preceptor support, commitment, and perceived opportunities for benefits and rewards, which may facilitate the development of high-quality, sustainable clinical learning opportunities for nurse practitioner students.
Endometrial Polyp of the Placental Fetal Membranes: Report of a Case
Authors: Policarpio-Nicolas Maria Luisa C. , Hou Yanjun , Rabinowitz Laura O. , Valente Philip T.
Published: September 2019

Endometrial polyps embedded in the fetal membranes have only rarely been described. A review of the English literature showed only one abstract describing this occurrence and to the best of our knowledge, there have been no other publications of this entity. Herein we present a case of a 37-yr-old woman with a history prior abortion and complicated pregnancy (type 2 diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia) who delivered by cesarean section. Although the placenta did not show hypertensive vasculopathic changes or other pathologic findings, an endometrial polyp embedded within the fetal membranes was present. Recognition of this rarely reported entity is important in order to avoid confusion with a significant neoplastic process.
Emergency Department Use After Outpatient Surgery Among Dually Enrolled VA and Medicare Patients
Authors: Mull Hillary J. , Rosen Amy K. , Charns Martin P. , O'Brien William J. , Hawn Mary T. , Itani Kamal M. F. , Pizer Steven D.
Published: September 2019

Background:

Emergency department (ED) use following outpatient surgery may be associated with a surgery-related patient safety problem. We characterized ED use within 7 days of general, urology, orthopedic, ear/nose/throat, and podiatry surgical procedures and assessed factors associated with these visits by specialty.

Methods:

We calculated the 2011-2013 postoperative ED visit rate for Veterans older than 65 years dually enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and Medicare, examined diagnoses, and used logistic regression to model patient, procedure, and facility factors associated with ED care.

Results:

Among 63 279 outpatient surgical procedures, 2778 (4.4%) resulted in an ED visit within 7 days; 23% of these were to non-VA facilities. Rates varied from more than 5% for urology and ear/nose/throat, to less than 3% for orthopedic and podiatry specialties. Genitourinary symptoms and surgical complications were common diagnoses across specialties. No patient, procedure, or facility factors were associated with ED use for every specialty.

Conclusions:

A small proportion of VA outpatient surgical procedures result in ED use. Notably, nearly one-fourth of the postoperative ED visits may be missed by the VA because they occur in non-VA facilities. ED visits for urinary issues or surgical complications may be preventable; however, factors associated with ED use vary by specialty, suggesting different approaches may be needed to improve outcomes.
Procedural Surgical RCTs in Daily Practice
Authors: Oberkofler Christian E. , Hamming Jacob F. , Staiger Roxane D. , Brosi Philippe , Biondo Sebastiano , Farges Olivier , Legemate Dink A. , Morino Mario , Pinna Antonio D. , Pinto-Marques Hugo , Reynolds John V. , Campos Ricardo Robles , Rogiers Xavier , Soreide Kjetil , Puhan Milo A. , Clavien Pierre-Alain , Rinkes Inne Borel
Published: September 2019

Objective:

To assess the adoption of recommendation from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and investigate factors favoring or preventing adoption.

Background:

RCT are considered to be the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine by representing the highest level of evidence. As such, we expect RCT's recommendations to be followed rigorously in daily surgical practice.

Methods:

We performed a structured search for RCTs published in the medical and surgical literature from 2009 to 2013, allowing a minimum of 5-year follow-up to convincingly test implementation. We focused on comparative technical or procedural RCTs trials addressing the domains of general, colorectal, hepatobiliary, upper gastrointestinal and vascular surgery. In a second step we composed a survey of 29 questions among ESA members as well as collaborators from their institutions to investigate the adoption of surgical RCTs recommendation.

Results:

The survey based on 36 RCTs (median 5-yr citation index 85 (24–474), from 21 different countries, published in 15 high-ranked journals with a median impact factor of 3.3 (1.23–7.9) at the time of publication. Overall, less than half of the respondents (47%) appeared to adhere to the recommendations of a specific RCT within their field of expertise, even when included in formal guidelines. Adoption of a new surgical practice was favored by watching videos (46%) as well as assisting live operations (18%), while skepticism regarding the methodology of a surgical RCT (40%) appears to be the major reason to resist adoption.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, surgical RCTs appear to have moderate impact on daily surgical practice. While RCTs are still accepted to provide the highest level of evidence, alternative methods of evaluating surgical innovations should also be explored.