bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Traumatic bone cyst of mandible: a case series
Authors: Razmara Farnoosh , Ghoncheh Zahra , Shabankare Ghazal
Published: September 2019

Background

A traumatic bone cyst is an uncommon nonneoplastic lesion of the jaws that is considered as a “pseudocyst” because of the lack of an epithelial lining. This lesion is particularly asymptomatic and therefore is diagnosed by routine dental radiographic examination as a unilocular radiolucency with scalloped borders, mainly in the posterior mandibular region. The exact etiopathogenesis of the lesion remains uncertain, though it is often associated with trauma.

Case presentation

We report three Persian cases of traumatic bone cyst with different clinical and radiographic features, and we present a review of the literature to further discuss diagnostic and treatment challenges. Only one of the three patients reported a history of trauma, and despite the usual signs and symptoms of the lesion, extension of the defect to the ramus, swelling of the lingual cortex, and their unusual presence in the anterior mandible were noted in these patients.

Conclusions

Because features of this cyst can be varied, careful history taking and radiographic evaluation alongside the clinical signs and symptoms have a very significant role in definitive diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and accurate assessment of prognosis.
Voxel-based identification of local recurrence sub-regions from pre-treatment PET/CT for locally advanced head and neck cancers
Authors: Beaumont J. , Acosta O. , Devillers A. , Palard-Novello X. , Chajon E. , de Crevoisier R. , Castelli J.
Published: September 2019

Background

Overall, 40% of patients with a locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) treated by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) present local recurrence within 2 years after the treatment. The aims of this study were to characterize voxel-wise the sub-regions where tumor recurrence appear and to predict their location from pre-treatment18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) images.

Materials and methods

Twenty-six patients with local failure after treatment were included in this study. Local recurrence volume was identified by co-registering pre-treatment and recurrent PET/CT images using a customized rigid registration algorithm. A large set of voxel-wise features were extracted from pre-treatment PET to train a random forest model allowing to predict local recurrence at the voxel level.

Results

Out of 26 expert-assessed registrations, 15 provided enough accuracy to identify recurrence volumes and were included for further analysis. Recurrence volume represented on average 23% of the initial tumor volume. The MTV with a threshold of 50% of SUVmax plus a 3D margin of 10 mm covered on average 89.8% of the recurrence and 96.9% of the initial tumor. SUV and MTV alone were not sufficient to identify the area of recurrence. Using a random forest model, 15 parameters, combining radiomics and spatial location, were identified, allowing to predict the recurrence sub-regions with a median area under the receiver operating curve of 0.71 (range 0.14–0.91).

Conclusion

As opposed to regional comparisons which do not bring enough evidence for accurate prediction of recurrence volume, a voxel-wise analysis of FDG-uptake features suggested a potential to predict recurrence with enough accuracy to consider tailoring CRT by dose escalation within likely radioresistant regions.
In vivo long-lasting alterations of central serotonin transporter activity and associated dopamine synthesis after acute repeated administration of methamphetamine
Authors: Huang Wen-Sheng , Chen Guann-Juh , Tsai Tung-Han , Cheng Chen-Yi , Shiue Chyng-Yann , Ma Kuo-Hsing , Yeh Skye Hsin-Hsien
Published: September 2019

Background

Methamphetamine (METH)-associated alterations in the striatal dopamine (DA) system or dopamine transport (DAT) have been identified in clinical and preclinical studies with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging but have not been well correlated with in vivo serotonin transporter (SERT) availability due to the lack of appropriate imaging agents to assess SERTs. N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-[18F]-fluorophenylthio) benzylamine (4-[18F]-ADAM) has been developed by our group and validated for its high affinity and selectivity for SERTs, allowing the in vivo examination of SERT density, location, and binding function. The aims of this study were to investigate the potential of SERT imaging using 4-[18F]-ADAM PET to estimate the long-lasting effects of METH-induced serotonergic neurotoxicity, and further determine whether a correlative relationship exists between SERT availability/activity and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity in various brain regions due to the long-lasting consequences of METH treatment.

Results

Male rats received four administrations of METH (5 or 10 mg/kg, s.c.) or saline (1 ml/kg, s.c.) at 1-h intervals. At 30 days post-administration, in vivo SERT availability and activity were measured by 4-[18F]ADAM PET imaging. In contrast to the controls, the uptake of 4-[18F]ADAM in METH-treated mice was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner in the midbrain, followed by the hypothalamus, thalamus, striatum, hippocampus, and frontal cortex. The regional effects of METH on TH activity were assessed by quantitative immunohistochemistry and presented as integrated optical density (IOD). A significant decrease in TH immunostaining and IOD ratios was seen in the caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens, substantia nigra pars compacta, and substantia nigra pars reticulata in the METH-treated rats compared to controls.

Conclusion

The present results suggested that the long-lasting response to METH decreased the uptake of 4-[18F]-ADAM and varied regionally along with TH immunoreactivity. In addition, 4-[18F]ADAM PET could be used to detect serotonergic neuron loss and to evaluate the severity of serotonergic neurotoxicity of METH.
Voxel-based statistical analysis and quantification of amyloid PET in the Japanese Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative (J-ADNI) multi-center study
Authors:   Japanese Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Akamatsu Go , Ikari Yasuhiko , Ohnishi Akihito , Matsumoto Keiichi , Nishida Hiroyuki , Yamamoto Yasuji , Senda Michio
Published: September 2019

Background

Amyloid PET plays a vital role in detecting the accumulation of in vivo amyloid-β (Aβ). The quantification of Aβ accumulation has been widely performed using the region of interest (ROI)-based mean cortical standardized uptake value ratio (mcSUVR). However, voxel-based statistical analysis has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of analyzing amyloid PET scans by voxel-based statistical analysis. The results were then compared to those with the ROI-based mcSUVR. In total, 166 subjects who underwent11C-PiB PET in the J-ADNI multi-center study were analyzed. Additionally, 18 Aβ-negative images were collected from other studies to form a normal database. The PET images were spatially normalized to the standard space using an adaptive template method without MRI. The mcSUVR was measured using a pre-defined ROI. Voxel-wiseZ-scores within the ROI were calculated using the normal database, after whichZ-score maps were generated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate whetherZ-sum (sum of theZ-score) and mcSUVR could be used to classify the scans into positive and negative using the central visual read as the reference standard. PET scans that were equivocal were regarded as positive.

Results

Sensitivity and specificity were respectively 90.8% and 100% byZ-sum and 91.8% and 98.5% by mcSUVR. Most of the equivocal scans were subsequently classified by bothZ-sum and mcSUVR as false negatives.Z-score maps correctly delineated abnormal Aβ accumulation over the same regions as the visual read.

Conclusions

We examined the usefulness of voxel-based statistical analysis for amyloid PET. This method provides objectiveZ-score maps andZ-sum values, which were observed to be helpful as an adjunct to visual interpretation especially for cases with mild or limited Aβ accumulation. This approach could improve the Aβ detection sensitivity, reduce inter-reader variability, and allow for detailed monitoring of Aβ deposition.

Trial registration

The number of the J-ADNI study isUMIN000001374
The first fungal laccase with an alkaline pH optimum obtained by directed evolution and its application in indigo dye decolorization
Authors: Yin Qiang , Zhou Gang , Peng Can , Zhang Yinliang , Kües Ursula , Liu Juanjuan , Xiao Yazhong , Fang Zemin
Published: September 2019

Engineering of fungal laccases with optimum catalytic activity at alkaline pH has been a long-lasting challenge. In this study, a mutant library containing 3000 clones was obtained by error-prone PCR to adapt the optimum pH of a fungal laccase Lcc9 from the basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea. After three rounds of functional screening, a mutant with three amino acid changes (E116K, N229D, I393T) named PIE5 was selected. PIE5 showed an optimum pH of 8.5 and 8.0 against guaiacol and 2,6-DMP when expressed in Pichia pastoris, representing the first fungal laccase that possesses an optimum pH at an alkaline condition. Site directed mutagenesis disclosed that N229D contributed the most to the optimum pH increment. A single N229D mutation caused an increase in optimum pH by 1.5 units. When used in indigo dye decolorization, PIE5 efficiently decolorized 87.1 ± 1.1% and 90.9 ± 0.3% indigo dye at the optimum conditions of pH 7.0–7.5 and 60 °C, and with either methyl 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzoate or 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothazoline-6-sulfonate) as the mediator. In comparison, the commercially available fungal laccase TvLac from Trametes villosa decolorized 84.3 ± 1.8% of indigo dye under its optimum conditions (opt. pH 5.0 and 60 °C). The properties of an alkaline-dependent activity and the high indigo dye decolorization ability (1.3-fold better than the parental Lcc9) make the new fungal laccase PIE5 an alternative for specific industrial applications.
X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein accelerates migration by inducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition through TGF-β signaling pathway in esophageal cancer cells
Authors: Jin Yuxiang , Lu Xinye , Wang Mingdong , Zhao Xuewei , Xue Lei
Published: September 2019

Background

The prognosis of esophageal cancer is still dismal because of its high probability of metastasis that is likely related to the cellular process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recent studies have shown a novel role of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in regulating the migration process of cancer cells and, therefore, linking to progression and poor prognosis of cancer.

Methods

The expression of XIAP in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry assay. Cell migration was analyzed by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. The expression of EMT markers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin) was revealed by immunofluorescence assay. Quantitative real‑time PCR analysis and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of XIAP and EMT markers as well as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) at mRNA and protein level, respectively.

Results

We found that the expression of XIAP closely correlated to the probability of lymphatic metastasis in patients and that ESCC patients with the high XIAP expression were associated with worse overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate analysis also revealed XIAP as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in ESCC patients. In both EC9706 and TE13 cell lines, knockdown of XIAP decreased the migration of cancer cells by inhibiting EMT process through regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway, pinpointing a regulatory role of XIAP in migratory process upon TGF-β activation.

Conclusions

Taken together, our results suggest XIAP as a important prognostic and regulative factor in ESCC patients. XIAP may promote migration of esophageal cancer cells through the activation of TGF-β mediated EMT.
Attention-based Sentiment Reasoner for aspect-based sentiment analysis
Authors: Liu Ning , Shen Bo , Zhang Zhenjiang , Zhang Zhiyuan , Mi Kun
Published: September 2019

Aspect-based sentiment analysis (ABSA) is a powerful way of predicting the sentiment polarity of text in natural language processing. However, understanding human emotions and reasoning from text like a human continues to be a challenge. In this paper, we propose a model, named Attention-based Sentiment Reasoner (AS-Reasoner), to alleviate the problem of how to capture precise sentiment expressions in ABSA for reasoning. AS-Reasoner assigns importance degrees to different words in a sentence to capture key sentiment expressions towards a specific aspect, and transfers them into a sentiment sentence representation for reasoning in the next layer. To obtain appropriate importance degree values for different words in a sentence, two attention mechanisms we designed: intra attention and global attention. Specifically, intra attention captures the sentiment similarity between any two words in a sentence to compute weights and global attention computes weights by a global perspective. Experiments on all four English and four Chinese datasets show that the proposed model achieves state-of-the-art accuracy and macro-F1 results for aspect term level sentiment analysis and obtains the best accuracy for aspect category level sentiment analysis. The experimental results also indicate that AS-Reasoner is language-independent.
LY86, LRG1 and PDE9A genes overexpression in umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem progenitor cells by acute myeloid leukemia (M3) microvesicles
Authors: Razmkhah Farnaz , Ghasemi Sorayya , Soleimani Masoud , Amini Kafi-abad Sedigheh
Published: September 2019

Background

Microvesicles as a new device of cell–cell communication are potentially able to induce some phenotypes and genotypes of an origin cell in a target cell. We evaluate the role of leukemia microvesicles on the leukemia stem cells (LSCs)-specific genes expression in healthy hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs).

Methods

HL-60 and NB-4 cell lines were selected for microvesicles isolation by ultracentrifugation. Healthy HSPCs were obtained by magnetic association cell sorting (MACS) and CD-34 micro-beads from umbilical cord blood samples and then, were treated with 20 and 40 μg/ml leukemia microvesicles for 10 days, respectively. LY86, LRG1 and PDE9A genes expression as LSC specific genes were analyzed by QRT-PCR. Surface CD-34 antigen as stemness marker was measured by flow cytometry technique.

Results

Healthy HSPCs showed a significant increase in LSC specific genes expression after treatment with both 20 and 40 μg/ml leukemia microvesicles at day 10. All studied groups showed more than 70% surface CD-34 antigen at the last day of experiment which proved HSPCs stemness.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that healthy HSPCs can be transformed genetically by leukemia microvesicles to over express LSC specific genes. This may be further evidence of leukemia-like transformation by leukemia microvesicles.
Yoga intervention and reminder e-mails for reducing cancer-related fatigue - a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zetzl Teresa , Schuler Michael , Renner Agnes , Jentschke Elisabeth , van Oorschot Birgitt
Published: September 2019

Background

Almost 90% of cancer patients suffer from symptoms of fatigue during treatment. Supporting treatments are increasingly used to alleviate the burden of fatigue. This study examines the short-term and long-term effects of yoga on fatigue and the effect of weekly reminder e-mails on exercise frequency and fatigue symptoms.

Methods

The aim of the first part of the study will evaluate the effectiveness of yoga for cancer patients with mixed diagnoses reporting fatigue. We will randomly allocate 128 patients to an intervention group (N = 64) receiving yoga and a wait-list control group (N = 64) receiving yoga 9 weeks later. The yoga therapy will be performed in weekly sessions of 60 min each for 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be self-reported fatigue symptoms. In the second part of the study, the effectiveness of reminder e-mails with regard to the exercise frequency and self-reported fatigue symptoms will be evaluated. A randomized allocated group of the participants (“email”) receives weekly reminder e-mails, the other group does not. Data will be assessed using questionnaires the beginning and after yoga therapy as well as after 6 months.

Discussion

Support of patients suffering from fatigue is an important goal in cancer patients care. If yoga therapy will reduce fatigue, this type of therapy may be introduced into routine practice. If the reminder e-mails prove to be helpful, new offers for patients may also develop from this.

Trial registration

German Clincial Trials Register (DRKS00016034, 12/2018), retrospectively registered.
Agricultural entrepreneurship in Lower Brahmaputra Valley, Assam
Authors: Choudhury Krishnakhi , Easwaran Kanagaraj
Published: September 2019

The present paper explores the role played by farmer entrepreneurs in making farming a profitable livelihood avenue in Lower Brahmaputra Valley in Assam. Agricultural entrepreneurship is often construed as a means for empowering the rural unemployed youth. In this context of Assam, the present paper attempts to understand the reasons for agriculture remaining unprofitable and the strategies used by the emerging agricultural entrepreneurs in promoting it as a profitable like a business venture. It is based on key informant interviews with 30 agricultural entrepreneurs in the Lower Brahmaputra Valley, Assam. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select districts, block, villages, and agripreneurs. The qualitative data was coded with the help of ATLAS ti software and analyzed with the help of SPSS. Results have shown that farmers in the Lower Brahmaputra Valley have more potential in the farming sector but self-motivation is highly required. Most of them were less educated and from the family background of farming. To promote the agripreneurship concept in Assam government, officials have to be free from corruption and partiality based on their political links. Middle man, low awareness, less knowledge about the crops, market facilities and most importantly demand and supply comes as a constraint in developing entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector. Results have also indicated that in lower Brahmaputra Valley, Assam farmers are facing lots of problems including human-wildlife conflict, irrigation, and improved variety of seeds. A common platform and unity amongst farmers regarding the prices of the product are very much important without which farmers fail to get the benefits. Societal recognition is more important in pursuing an occupation like agricultural entrepreneurship.
Electrical resistivity modeling around the Hidaka collision zone, northern Japan: regional structural background of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake (Mw 6.6)
Authors: Ichihara Hiroshi , Mogi Toru , Satoh Hideyuki , Yamaya Yusuke
Published: September 2019

The Hidaka collision zone, the collision boundary between the NE Japan and Kurile arcs, is known to be an ideal region to study the evolution of island arcs. The hypocenter of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake (Mw 6.6) in the western part of the Hidaka collision zone was unusually deep for an inland earthquake, and the reverse fault that caused the earthquake has an uncharacteristically steep dip. In this study, we used three-dimensional inversion to reanalyze broadband magnetotelluric data acquired in the collision zone. The inverted resistivity model showed a significant area of high resistivity around the center of the collision boundary. We also identified a conductive zone beneath an area of serpentinite mélange in a zone of high P–T metamorphic rocks west of the high-resistivity zone. The conductive zone possibly reflects areas rich in pore fluids related to the formation and elevation of the serpentinites. Sensitivity tests indicated the need for additional magnetotelluric survey data to delineate the resistivity distribution around the epicentral area of the 2018 earthquake although the resistivity model showed a conductive zone in this area.
Source rupture process of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake deduced from strong-motion data considering seismic wave propagation in three-dimensional velocity structure
Authors: Asano Kimiyuki , Iwata Tomotaka
Published: September 2019

The source rupture process of the 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake (MJMA6.7) was analyzed by a kinematic waveform inversion method using strong-motion data in 0.04–0.5 Hz. This earthquake occurred close to the Hidaka Collision Zone and the Ishikari depression, where the crustal structure is rather complex. Thus, we used a three-dimensional velocity structure model to compute the theoretical Green’s functions by the finite difference method. A source fault model with strike-angle variation was set based on the spatial distribution of the early aftershocks. The strong-motion stations used for the source inversion were selected based on the result of forward ground motion simulation of a moderate aftershock. The slip in the first 5 s was relatively small, but an area of significant slip with peak slip of 1.7 m was found in the depth range from 22 to 32 km. The rupture propagated upward mainly in the southwest direction. Based on the regional crustal structure and the configuration of the Moho discontinuity, the large-slip area was thought to be located in the lower crust, and its rupture did not reach the upper part of the continental crust. Most of the early aftershocks occurred around the large-slip area. The later aftershocks at the depth shallower than 20 km occurred outside the causative source fault of the mainshock. Three-dimensional ground motion simulation demonstrated that the heterogeneous source process and the three-dimensional basin and crustal velocity structure brought a large velocity pulse to an area to the southwest of the source fault, where the largest PGV was observed during the mainshock. The spatial distribution of the simulated PGV resembled the observed PGV distribution except some sites located inside the Ishikari depression where thick Quaternary soft low-velocity sediments exist at the top of the basin.
Comparison of cognitive profiles in spinocerebellar ataxia subtypes: a case series
Authors: Bolton Corey , Lacy Maureen
Published: September 2019

Background

The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are a heterogeneous group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with diffuse cerebellar atrophy. While the physical symptoms of this condition have long been studied, more attention has been given to cognitive changes in recent years. We describe a case series of four adults with various genetically-confirmed subtypes of SCA.

Case presentation

Patients with SCA types 2, 3, and 6 presented with impaired cognitive profiles consistent with the existing literature while the reported patient with SCA-14 showed notable impairment inconsistent with the only published case controlled study.

Conclusions

Comparisons were made between the four patients with a common pattern of slowed processing speed, poor memory retrieval, and reduced mental flexibility. Confrontation naming and consolidation-based memory were intact across all patients. These findings are discussed in light of the relevant literature on cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome.
A power law study of the edge influence on the perceived filling-in brightness magnitude
Authors: Costa Marcelo Fernandes , Gaddi Carlo Martins
Published: September 2019

Background

Edge plays a special role in spatial perception and as well as in determining the brightness of a surface within borders. The aim of our study was to measure threshold brightness in different levels of edges thickness.

Methods

Steven’s power law for circles modulating in luminance was estimated for 30 subjects (mean age 24 years, SD 3.3, 13 female). Stimuli were presented on the iMac display using the 11-bit graphic board and consisted of two circles of 3° of visual angle, separated by 10°. We tested 7 levels of Michelson contrast: 7, 8, 10, 15, 26, 50, and 100. Three edges filtering were tested (0.3, 0.8, and 1.5° of smoothing). The subjects’ task was to judge the brightness of the edge filtered circle compared with the circle of the hard edge which was considered the modulus and received an arbitrary level of 50, representing the amount of brightness perception. In each trial, the same contrast level was presented in both circles. Five judgments were performed for each contrast level in edge filtering.

Results

We found an increase in the power law exponent as the increase of the edge filtering (for sigma of 0.3 = 0.43, sigma of 0.8 = 0.73, and sigma 1.5 = 0.97). All power function fitting had high correlation coefficients (r2 = .94, r2 = .95, r2 = .97, respectively to sigma 0.3, 0.8, and 1.5) passing to the model’s adhesion criteria.

Conclusions

There was a progressive distortion on the figure brightness perception as increasing the edge filtering suggesting the control of edges on the polarity of the overall brightness. Also, perceived brightness was increasingly veridical with increased filtering, approaching 1:1 correspondence at 1.5 sigmas.
Historical fire in the Appalachian Plateau of Ohio and Kentucky, USA, from remnant yellow pines
Authors: Hutchinson Todd F. , Stambaugh Michael C. , Marschall Joseph M. , Guyette Richard P.
Published: September 2019

Background

Knowledge of historical fire regimes informs the restoration of woodland communities. In the Appalachian Plateau of Ohio and Kentucky, USA, little is known about the long-term history of fire in oak–pine communities, which are declining in the region. To address this knowledge gap, two sites with remnant fire-scarred yellow pines, Hatton Ridge in Kentucky and McAtee Run in Ohio, were studied to document aspects of the historical fire regime. Cross-sections from fire-scarred yellow pines were collected. Fire chronologies were constructed and fire intervals were calculated using standard dendrochronological methods.

Results

Fires, the great majority of which occurred in the dormant season, were frequent at both sites fromcirca1750 at Hatton and 1800 at McAtee, until the suppression period (1930 to present); only one fire was recorded after 1930. Mean fire intervals (MFI) for the entire period were nearly identical, 4.7 and 4.4 years at Hatton and McAtee, respectively. At both sites, MFIs were lowest in the industrial period (1850 to 1930). At Hatton, the MFI was 6.6 years before 1850 and 3.5 years from 1850 to 1930, while at McAtee, the MFI was 8.4 years before 1850 and 2.7 years from 1850 to 1930. At both sites, the occurrence of fire was not more frequent than expected in years associated with a drought. At McAtee, the majority of pine establishment occurred in pulses during two periods, 1770 to 1781 and 1853 to 1867, suggesting stand-scale canopy disturbances; the second pulse was associated with frequent burning. In contrast, large pulses of pine establishment were not found at Hatton.

Conclusions

Yellow pines were a component of these communities, which experienced frequent fire for at least 130 to 160 years. After more than 70 years with little or no fire, yellow pines are now a minor component of the overstory and pine regeneration is essentially absent. Although intensive management with partial harvesting and frequent fire would be required to restore oak–pine woodlands on appropriate sites, it would serve to sustain these increasingly uncommon communities.
Accuracy analysis of gradient reconstruction on isotropic unstructured meshes and its effects on inviscid flow simulation
Authors: Wang Nianhua , Li Ming , Ma Rong , Zhang Laiping
Published: September 2019

The accuracy of gradient reconstruction methods on unstructured meshes is analyzed both mathematically and numerically. Mathematical derivations reveal that, for gradient reconstruction based on the Green-Gauss theorem (the GG methods), if the summation of first-and-lower-order terms does not counterbalance in the discretized integral process, which rarely occurs, second-order accurate approximation of face midpoint value is necessary to produce at least first-order accurate gradient. However, gradient reconstruction based on the least-squares approach (the LSQ methods) is at least first-order on arbitrary unstructured grids. Verifications are performed on typical isotropic grid stencils by analyzing the relationship between the discretization error of gradient reconstruction and the discretization error of the face midpoint value approximation of a given analytic function. Meanwhile, the numerical accuracy of gradient reconstruction methods is examined with grid convergence study on typical isotropic grids. Results verify the phenomenon of accuracy degradation for the GG methods when the face midpoint value condition is not satisfied. The LSQ methods are proved to be at least first-order on all tested isotropic grids. To study gradient accuracy effects on inviscid flow simulation, solution errors are quantified using the Method of Manufactured Solutions (MMS) which was validated before adoption by comparing with an exact solution case, i.e., the 2-dimensional (2D) inviscid isentropic vortex. Numerical results demonstrate that the order of accuracy (OOA) of gradient reconstruction is crucial in determining the OOA of numerical solutions. Solution accuracy deteriorates seriously if gradient reconstruction does not reach first-order.
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant activities of three Thymus species grown in southeastern Morocco
Authors: Hmidani Abdelbassat , Bouhlali Eimad Dine Tariq , Khouya Tarik , Ramchoun Mhamed , Filali-Zegzouti Younes , Alem Chakib , Benlyas Mohamed
Published: September 2019

Background

Thyme has been used for centuries in southeastern Morocco to treat a wide range of diseases such as inflammation disorders. The aim of the current study is to examine and to compare in vitro the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticoagulant activities of three thyme species grown in southeastern Morocco.

Results

Data showed that all studied species possess an important antioxidant activity: Thymus atlanticus (IC50 = 16.59 μg/mL), Thymus zygis (IC50 = 15.43 μg/mL), and Thymus satureioides (IC50 = 14.65 μg/mL). Concerning the anti-inflammatory activity, the highest effect was depicted in Thymus atlanticus followed by Thymus zygis and Thymus satureioides. With regard to the anticoagulant activity, the aqueous extract of these species prolongs activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time significantly (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner.

Conclusion

Our results provide evidence that thymus extract exhibits marked antioxidant, anticoagulant, and anti-inflammatory effects, thus justifying the popular uses of these plants to treat some inflammatory and cardiovascular illnesses.
Exchanging Perspectives
Authors: de Castro Eduardo Viveiros
Published: September 2019

Originally published in 2004 in the Common Knowledge symposium “Talking Peace with Gods,” this article elaborates the nature and consequences of the perspectivist cosmologies of Amerindian societies. Contemporary Western cosmologies regard humans as ex-animals who became differentiated from other nonhuman species through the acquisition of advanced cognitive capacities. Amerindian cultures, by contrast, regard animals as ex-humans who became differentiated from both modern humans and other animal species via a series of physical adaptations. Underneath these physical differences, both humans and nonhumans retain a shared human soul; what is more, each species perceives its own kind as human and all other kinds—including humans—as animals. Viveiros de Castro distinguishes this “perspectivism” from relativism: whereas Western relativism assumes multiple valid cultural models, Amerindian perspectivism holds that human and nonhuman species possess a common values system and cultural framework. While this commonality is ordinarily obscured by biologically grounded, perceptual differences, the gap in perspective may be bridged by shamans, whose gift of adopting nonhuman subjectivities enables them to see other species as they see themselves—namely, as humans partaking in human culture. Perspectivism influences both the practices that Amerindian peoples adopt toward nonhuman species and their attitudes toward other human groups, especially in the context of warfare. The Amerindian warrior’s capacity to overcome an enemy ultimately depends on a shaman-like entry into the subjectivity of another: rather than denying the personhood of his enemy, the Amerindian warrior must acknowledge the affinity between them.
Martin Luther, Martin Guerre, and Ways of Knowing
Authors: Davis Natalie Zemon
Published: September 2019

Responding to a quip by a fellow historian, who feared that Martin Guerre might become better known than Martin Luther, this guest column, by the author of The Return of Martin Guerre, affirms that they are part of the same universe of historical inquiry. Knowing about Martin Guerre brings understanding of the peasant world, which is also important for the trajectory of Luther’s Reformation. Knowing about Martin Luther brings knowledge of major religious change essential to understanding Martin Guerre’s village world and what happened in it. Themes of “imposture” and “dissimulation” and the fashioning of identity are central to social conflicts and social and personal aspiration across the spectrum in the sixteenth century: they are found in the actual lives of both men and in Martin Luther’s sermons as well as in the Martin Guerre trial.
Comparison as a Matter Of Concern
Authors: Stengers Isabelle
Published: September 2019

The question of universalism versus relativism is often taken to be a matter of critical reflexivity. This article attempts to present the question instead as a matter of practical, political, and always situated concern. The attempt starts from consideration of modern experimental sciences. These sciences usually serve as the stronghold for universalist claims and as such are a target of relativism. It is argued here that the specificity of these sciences is not a method but a concern. To be able to claim that they have not unilaterally imposed their definitions on the phenomena they study is the leading concern of experimenters and should be understood in terms of the following achievement: the creation of a very particular “rapport” that authorizes claiming that what is operationally defined “lends itself” to this correlation. Linking knowledge production with a creation of rapports entails a pluralization of sciences along with the pluralization of modes of concern associated with the rapport. However, resisting unilaterally imposed definitions is not enough because with the coming “knowledge economy,” the questions that this essay raises will soon be part of a romantic past. Thus it concludes with a speculative touch, or perhaps it is a requiem, relating the creation of rapports to an ecology of practices akin to William James’s always-under-construction pluriverse.
“The Period After 1989”
Authors: Havel Václav , Michnik Adam , Cavanagh Translated by Clare
Published: September 2019

This guest column amounts to a conversation between two of the most crucial Soviet bloc dissidents about developments since the 1989 overthrow of communismin their part of the world. They agree that a “creeping coup d’état” is underway in which not only the government administrations of their countries have changed but also their systems of governance—and changed for the worse. “It is not,” they agree, “what the democratic opposition spent twenty-five years fighting for.” Their apprehension is that, under new forms, the old authoritarian impulses are returning to East-Central Europe as well as to Russia.
Romania—Between Continuity and Change
Authors:   His Majesty King Michael of Romania
Published: September 2019

This essay presents a critical account of the social and political history of postcommunist Romania from the time of the violent overthrow of Nicolae Ceauşescu’s communist dictatorial regime in 1989 to the writing of the essay in 1995. King Michael chronicles the processes through which power in Romania following 1989 was quickly seized by representatives of the former Communist Party and the communist secret police (Departamentul Securităţii Statului or Securitate). Led by Ion Iliescu, a former communist leader and one-time protégé of Ceauşescu, a powerful group of politicians came to dominate the National Salvation Front, an originally anticommunist political organization that held power following the coup. Through manipulation of the media and voting processes and imposition of a flawed new constitution, Iliescu ensured the ascendancy of his Party of Social Democracy during the first half of the 1990s. The essay critiques the course of events and laments the faltering pace of both economic and political reform resulting from the stagnant Romanian political situation and the persistence of former communist leaders in government. Additionally, although not as its central focus, King Michael argues that a restoration of the Romanian monarchy could help to stabilize and improve the country’s political fortunes.
Experimental model of peri-prosthetic infection of the knee caused by Staphylococcus aureus using biomaterials representative of modern TKA
Authors: Morris Jodie L. , Letson Hayley L. , Grant Andrea , Wilkinson Matthew , Hazratwala Kaushik , McEwen Peter
Published: September 2019

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains the leading cause for revision surgery, with Staphylococcus aureus the bacterium most frequently responsible. We describe a novel rat model of implant-associated S. aureus infection of the knee using orthopaedic materials relevant to modern TKA. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent unilateral knee implant surgery, which involved placement of a cementless, porous titanium implant into the femur, and an ultra-highly cross-linked polyethyelene (UHXLPE) implant into the proximal tibia within a mantle of gentamicin-laden bone cement. S. aureus biofilms were established on the surface of titanium implants prior to implantation into the femur of infected animals, whilst control animals received sterile implants. Compared to controls, the time taken to full weight-bear and recover pre-surgical body weight was greater in the infected group. Neutrophils and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in infected compared to control animals at day 5 post surgery, returning to baseline levels for the remainder of the 28-day experimental period. Blood cultures remained negative and additional plasma inflammatory markers were comparable for control and infected animals, consistent with the clinical presentation of delayed-onset PJI. S. aureus was recovered from joint tissue and implants at day 28 post surgery from all animals that received pre-seeded titanium implants, despite the use of antibiotic-laden cement. Persistent localised infection was associated with increased inflammatory responses and radiological changes in peri-implant tissue. The availability of a preclinical model that is reproducible based on the use of current TKA materials and consistent with clinical features of delayed-onset PJI will be valuable for evaluation of innovative therapeutic approaches.
Feedback loops in the Plk4–STIL–HsSAS6 network coordinate site selection for procentriole formation
Authors: Takao Daisuke , Watanabe Koki , Kuroki Kanako , Kitagawa Daiju
Published: September 2019

Centrioles are duplicated once in every cell cycle, ensuring the bipolarity of the mitotic spindle. How the core components cooperate to achieve high fidelity in centriole duplication remains poorly understood. By live-cell imaging of endogenously tagged proteins in human cells throughout the entire cell cycle, we quantitatively tracked the dynamics of the critical duplication factors: Plk4, STIL and HsSAS6. Centriolar Plk4 peaks and then starts decreasing during the late G1 phase, which coincides with the accumulation of STIL at centrioles. Shortly thereafter, the HsSAS6 level increases steeply at the procentriole assembly site. We also show that both STIL and HsSAS6 are necessary for attenuating Plk4 levels. Furthermore, our mathematical modeling and simulation suggest that the STIL-HsSAS6 complex in the cartwheel has a negative feedback effect on centriolar Plk4. Combined, these findings illustrate how the dynamic behavior of and interactions between critical duplication factors coordinate the centriole-duplication process.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
WDR62 is involved in spindle assembly by interacting with CEP170 in spermatogenesis
Authors: Qin Yan , Zhou Yang , Shen Zhiming , Xu Binyang , Chen Min , Li Yaqiong , Chen Min , Behrens Axel , Zhou Jingjing , Qi Xin , Meng Wenxiang , Wang Yaqing , Gao Fei
Published: September 2019

WDR62 is the second most common genetic alteration associated with microcephaly. Our previous study demonstrates that Wdr62 is required for germ cell meiosis initiation and the majority of male germ cells are lost as the meiotic defect of first wave spermatogenesis. Strikingly, in this study, we found that the initiation of meiosis of following spermatogenesis was not affected and the germ cells were gradually repopulated at later developmental stages. However, most germ cells were arrested at metaphase of meiosis I and no mature sperm were detected in epididymides. Further studies demonstrated that metaphase I arrest of Wdr62-deficient spermatocytes was caused by asymmetrical distribution of the centrosome and aberrant spindle assembly. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that WDR62 interacted with centriole-associated protein CEP170, and deletion of Wdr62 caused downregulation of the CEP170 protein which in turn led to the aberrant spindle assembly. In summary, this study indicates that the meiosis of first wave spermatogenesis and the following spermatogenesis started from spermatogonium is probably regulated by different mechanisms. We also demonstrated a new function of WDR62 in germ cell meiosis by interacting with CEP170.
Escape responses of fish: a review of the diversity in motor control, kinematics and behaviour
Authors: Domenici Paolo , Hale Melina E.
Published: September 2019

The study of fish escape responses has provided important insights into the accelerative motions and fast response times of these animals. In addition, the accessibility of the underlying neural circuits has made the escape response a fundamental model in neurobiology. Fish escape responses were originally viewed as highly stereotypic all-or-none behaviours. However, research on a wide variety of species has shown considerable taxon-specific and context-dependent variability in the kinematics and neural control of escape. In addition, escape-like motions have been reported: these resemble escape responses kinematically, but occur in situations that do not involve a response to a threatening stimulus. This Review focuses on the diversity of escape responses in fish by discussing recent work on: (1) the types of escape responses as defined by kinematic analysis (these include C- and S-starts, and single- versus double-bend responses); (2) the diversity of neuromuscular control; (3) the variability of escape responses in terms of behaviour and kinematics within the context of predator−prey interactions; and (4) the main escape-like motions observed in various species. Here, we aim to integrate recent knowledge on escape responses and highlight rich areas for research. Rapidly developing approaches for studying the kinematics of swimming motion both in the lab and within the natural environment provide new avenues for research on these critical and common behaviours.
The MELFO Study: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effects of a Reduced Stage-Adjusted Follow-Up Schedule on Cutaneous Melanoma IB–IIC Patients—Results After 3 Years
Authors: Deckers Eric A. , Hoekstra-Weebers Josette E. H. M. , Damude Samantha , Francken Anne Brecht , ter Meulen Sylvia , Bastiaannet Esther , Hoekstra Harald J.
Published: September 2019

Background

This study compares well-being, recurrences, and deaths of early-stage cutaneous melanoma patients in follow-up, as recommended in the Dutch guideline, with that of patients in a stage-adjusted reduced follow-up schedule, 3 years after diagnosis, as well as costs.

Methods

Overall, 180 eligible pathological American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IB–IIC, sentinel node staged, melanoma patients (response rate = 87%, 48% male, median age 57 years), randomized into a conventional (CSG, n = 93) or experimental (ESG, n = 87) follow-up schedule group, completed patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at diagnosis (T1): State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–State version (STAI-S), Cancer Worry Scale (CWS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), and RAND-36 (Mental and Physical Component scales [PCS/MCS]). Three years later (T3), 110 patients (CSG, n = 56; ESG, n = 54) completed PROMs, while 42 declined (23%).

Results

Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) showed a significant group effect on the IES (p = 0.001) in favor of the ESG, and on the RAND-36 PCS (p = 0.02) favoring the CSG. Mean IES and CWS scores decreased significantly over time, while those on the RAND-36 MCS and PCS increased. Effect sizes were small. Twenty-five patients developed a recurrence or second primary melanoma, of whom 13 patients died within 3 years. Cox proportional hazards models showed no differences between groups in recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.71 [0.32–1.58]; p = 0.400) and disease-free survival (HR 1.24 [0.42–3.71]; p = 0.690). Costs per patient after 3 years (computed for 77.3% of patients) were 39% lower in the ESG.

Conclusion

These results seemingly support the notion that a stage-adjusted reduced follow-up schedule forms an appropriate, safe, and cost-effective alternative for pathological AJCC stage IB–IIC melanoma patients to the follow-up regimen as advised in the current melanoma guideline.
Recent advances in MRI of the head and neck, skull base and cranial nerves: new and evolving sequences, analyses and clinical applications
Authors: Touska Philip , Connor Steve E. J.
Published: September 2019

MRI is an invaluable diagnostic tool in the investigation and management of patients with pathology of the head and neck. However, numerous technical challenges exist, owing to a combination of fine anatomical detail, complex geometry (that is subject to frequent motion) and susceptibility effects from both endogenous structures and exogenous implants. Over recent years, there have been rapid developments in several aspects of head and neck imaging including higher resolution, isotropic 3D sequences, diffusion-weighted and diffusion-tensor imaging as well as permeability and perfusion imaging. These have led to improvements in anatomic, dynamic and functional imaging. Further developments using contrast-enhanced 3D FLAIR for the delineation of endolymphatic structures and black bone imaging for osseous structures are opening new diagnostic avenues. Furthermore, technical advances in compressed sensing and metal artefact reduction have the capacity to improve imaging speed and quality, respectively. This review explores novel and evolving MRI sequences that can be employed to evaluate diseases of the head and neck, including the skull base.