bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Locally Administered 1.2% Rosuvastatin Gel in Patients with Periodontitis: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Chatterjee Debopriya , Kapoor Anjali , Vijay Sharmistha , Sobti Geetika , Kara Dheeraj , Thanvi Jaishree
Published: June 2019

Objective Periodontitis initiation and progression are a result of host immune inflammatory response to oral pathogens. Several pharmacological agents are being delivered locally, to improve periodontal health. Hence, the present randomized placebo controlled clinical trial is designed to check the clinical and antimicrobial efficacy of locally delivered 1.2% rosuvastatin (RSV) in intrabony defects (IBD) in periodontitis patients.

Materials and Methods One-hundred patients were randomly allotted into two treatment groups: group A received 1. 2% RSV gel, scaling and root debridement and group B received placebo gel, scaling and root debridement. Clinical parameters, including modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and plaque index (PI), were recorded at baseline before phase 1 and after 6 months. Radiographic assessment of IBD was done by cone beam computed tomography at baseline and after 6 months. Anaerobic colony count was done at baseline and after 180 days.

Results On intragroup comparison, there is a significant improvement in periodontal parameters in both the groups. On intergroup comparison, there is significant gain in CAL in group A than group B (p = 0.04). There is significant decrease in PD in group A, compared to group B. There is significant bone fill in group A (p = 0.034), compared to group B. With respect to mSBI, PI, and anaerobic colony count, there is no significant difference between the two groups after 6 months. No adverse effect was noticed in any subjects.

Conclusion The author concludes that 1.2% RSV gel when delivered locally into IBD improved periodontal clinical parameters such as PD and CAL and showed significant bone fill.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem-Cell Therapy to Increase the Density of Osteoporotic Mandibular Bone
Authors: Hendrijantini Nike , Hartono Poedjo , Ari Muhammad Dimas Aditya , Rantan Fedik Abdul
Published: June 2019

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem-cell (hUCMSC) therapy in increasing osteoporotic mandibular bone density in a rat model by determining changes in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin, type 1 collagen, and trabecular bone area after treatment.

Materials and Methods This research adopted an experimental posttest-only control group design. Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups, namely, a control group with rats postsham surgery (T1), osteoporotic model postovariectomy rats (T2), postovariectomy rats 4 weeks after gelatin injection (T3), postovariectomy rats 8 weeks after gelatin injection (T4), postovariectomy rats 4 weeks after hUCMSC injection (T5), and postovariectomy rats 8 weeks after hUCMSC injection (T6). The rats were all sacrificed for histological and immunohistochemical examinations of ALP, osteocalcin, type 1 collagen, and trabecular bone area.

Results Increased expression of ALP, type 1 collagen, and osteocalcin, as well as increased trabecular bone area, was observed in the treatment groups compared with that in the osteoporotic groups.

Conclusion hUCMSCs produce significant osteogenic effects and increase osteoporotic mandibular bone density in the animal model. Increases in bone density are demonstrated by the higher levels of ALP, osteocalcin, and type 1 collagen, as well as increases in the trabecular bone area.
Effect of Different Neutralizing Agents on Feldspathic Porcelain Etched by Hydrofluoric Acid
Authors: Sriamporn Tool , Kraisintu Ploypim , See Lily Pachanin , Swasdison Somporn , Klaisiri Awiruth , Thamrongananskul Niyom
Published: June 2019

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of neutralizing agents on the shear bond strength of hydrofluoric (HF)–etched porcelain in nonaging and aging conditions.

Subjects and Methods One hundred and twenty feldspathic porcelain specimens were prepared and divided into six groups to undergo different surface conditioning methods—group 1: control; group 2: HF; group 3: HF + calcium hydroxide; group 4: HF + calcium carbonate; group 5: HF + calcium gluconate; and group 6: HF + ultrasonic. All samples were immersed in 37°C distilled water for 24 h. Half of the samples were thermocycled in water for 5,000 cycles. The shear bond strength test was performed using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Data were statistically analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison test at a 95% confidence level. The surface micromorphology and surface elements were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively.

Results The shear bond strengths of groups 2–6 were significantly higher than the control group in both aging and nonaging conditions (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences among all of the HF-etched porcelain groups (p > 0.05). SEM images of groups 2–6 illustrated similar patterns of irregularity on the specimen surfaces. Elemental analysis of EDX demonstrated identical elements on surfaces of specimens of groups 2–6.

Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, shear bond strength values between HF-etched porcelain, HF-etching followed by application of neutralizing agents, and HF-etching followed by ultrasonic cleaning were not significantly different in both nonaging and aging conditions.
Does Implant-Abutment Interface affect Marginal Bone Levels around Implants?
Authors: Elemek Eser , Urgancioglu Artun , Dincer Janberd , Cilingir Altug
Published: June 2019

Objective The use of dental implants with different types of surface roughness and implant-abutment interface has brought about a situation of marginal bone loss. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare marginal bone levels of different types of osseointegrated dental implants with platform switch (Group A: Ankylos, Mannheim, Germany) and platform match (Group B: Dentsply Xive, Mannheim, Germany, and Group C: MIS Implant Technologies, Karmiel, Israel).

Materials and Methods One hundred and seven patients (52 men and 55 women) with a mean age of 54.79 (standard deviation ± 12.35) years and a total of 321 dental implants (Group A, n = 198; Group B, n = 58; and Group C, n = 65) placed in a private practice between April 2006 and May 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. In addition to demographic information and implant characteristics, marginal bone levels were evaluated by Image J (Wayne Rasband, National Institute of Health, Maryland) program.

Results The mean age of all patients was 54.79 ± 12.35 years, and 51.5% of them were women. Implants supporting fixed bridge were most commonly used in all groups (65%), whereas only 20% were restored with a single crown and 15% with overdentures. In total, 47.5% of all implants showed no marginal bone loss. Mean bone loss in Group A was significantly lower (0.81 ± 1.60 mm) as compared to Group B (1.58 ± 1.59 mm) and Group C (1.18 ± 1.36) (p < 0.005).

Conclusion Among different types of dental implants, platform switch seems to preserve marginal bone levels and increase the long-term success of dental implants.
In Vivo Measurement of Root Canal Wall Temperature at Different Stages Prior to Fiber Post Cementation
Authors: Caiado Ana Carolina Rocha Lima , Azevedo Cristiana Godoy Sartori , Giannini Marcelo , De Goes Mario Fernando , Rueggeberg Frederick Allen
Published: June 2019

Objective This study measured the in vivo temperature of prepared root canal walls during various stages of treatment prior to endodontic postcementation.

Materials and Methods One tooth each from five patients requiring endodontic treatment received conventional gutta-percha obturation. The coronal 4 mm of gutta-percha was removed by drilling and the canal wall temperature was measured. A sterile, saline rinse was applied, and another temperature value was recorded. Paper points were placed, and the wall temperature was recorded. A standardized period of 1.5 minute passed, simulating time needed to mix and place the resin cement and post (no resin was placed), after which the final wall temperature was obtained. The tooth was temporized and scheduled for prosthetic reconstruction. A one-way repeated measure analysis of variance (with Tukey's post hoc test) was performed among mean temperature values for each treatment stage (preset α 0.05).

Results Significant temperature differences were found among the treatment stages. Canal space drilling yielded the highest temperature (35.5 ± 0.8°C), while the lowest was obtained after saline rinsing (34.0 ± 0.9°C). The temperature of prepared root canal wall prior to postplacement (34.9 ± 1.2°C) and following paper point drying (34.8 ± 1.1°C) presented intermediate results, with no statistical difference between them.

Conclusions This study suggested that root canal wall temperature varied during various stages of preparation prior to endodontic post.
A Rare Case of Parietal Skull Fibrosarcoma: Reconstruction with Free Myocutaneous Flap and Infrared Thermography Monitoring
Authors: Romansky Roman , Naydenov Emanuil , Komitski Stefan
Published: June 2019

Fibrosarcoma of the skull is an extremely rare condition. We report a case of a male patient surgically treated by radical tumor excision and plastic reconstruction with a free myocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap. Revascularization on the side of the intervention was verified intraoperatively by using an infrared thermography camera in the follow-up period to evaluate flap vitality in addition to standard clinical monitoring. We observed no complications and achieved a good aesthetic result.
Root Anatomy and Canal Configuration of Maxillary Molars in a Brazilian Subpopulation: A 125-μm Cone-Beam Computed Tomographic Study
Authors: Mohara Nelson Tsutomu , Coelho Marcelo Santos , de Queiroz Nathalia Valle , Borreau Marcelle Louise Sposito , Nishioka Marko Massao , de Jesus Soares Adriana , Frozoni Marcos
Published: June 2019

Objective Knowledge of internal anatomy of the teeth is of great importance in endodontics, leading to success in root canal therapy (RCT). The aim of this study was to assess the root anatomy and canal configuration of maxillary molars in a Brazilian subpopulation using tomographic images using a voxel size of 125 μm.

Materials and Methods This in vivo retrospective study assessed 651 cone-beam computed tomographic scans from 328 maxillary first molars and 323 maxillary second molars. The images were assessed by two endodontists and an oral radiologist. Only permanent molars with fully developed roots and with no signs of RCT were included.

Results Maxillary first and second molars presented three separated roots in 99.39 and 90.09% of the cases, respectively. The presence of mesiolingual canals in the mesiobuccal roots was 64.22% for maxillary first molars and 33.56% for maxillary second molars. Distobuccal canals in the maxillary first and second molars presented Vertucci's Type I configuration in 99.39 and 99.66%, respectively, and palatal canals in the maxillary first and second molars presented Vertucci's Type I configuration in 99.69 and 99.68%, respectively. Maxillary second molars were more subjected to anatomical variations than first molars. Female patients presented higher prevalence of mesiolingual canals in the maxillary second molars.

Conclusions The most prevalent morphology in the maxillary first and second molars was three root canals. The presence of only one or two roots is more likely to occur in the maxillary second molars than in the maxillary first molars. Mesiolingual canals in mesiobuccal roots are more frequent in the maxillary first molars than in the maxillary second molars, and the occurrence of two distobuccal or two palatal canals is rare.
Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet C Light-Induced Reduction of Surface Hydrocarbons on Titanium Implants
Authors: Naauman Zaheer , Rajion Zainul Ahmad Bin , Maliha Shahbaz , Hariy Pauzi , Muhammad Q. Saeed , Noor H. A. Razak
Published: June 2019

Objective The carbon, titanium, and oxygen levels on titanium implant surfaces with or without ultraviolet (UV) pretreatment were evaluated at different wavelengths through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Materials and Methods This interventional experimental study was conducted on nine Dio UFII implants with hybrid sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) surface treatments, divided equally into three groups. Control group A samples were not given UV irradiation, while groups B and C samples were given UVA (382 nm, 25 mWcm2) and UVC (260 nm, 15 mWcm2) irradiation, respectively. The atomic ratio of carbon, titanium, and oxygen was compared through XPS.

Results Mean carbon-to-titanium ratio and C1 peaks considerably increased in Group A compared to those in experimental Groups B and C. The intensity of Ti2p and O1s peaks was more pronounced for group C compared to that for groups A and B.

Conclusions Although the decrease in surface hydrocarbons was the same in both UV-treated groups, the peak intensity of oxygen increased in the UVC-treated group. Thus, it can be concluded that compared with UVA irradiation, UVC irradiation has the potential to induce more hydrophilicity on SLA-coated implants.
Comparative Effect of Calcium Phosphate Biocomposite Materials on the Healing of Experimental Defect of Compact Bone Tissue
Authors: Korenkov Oleksii
Published: June 2019

Introduction For the treatment of bone defects, a considerably large number of biocomposite calcium-phosphate materials has been developed and used. However, in the scientific literature, there is no information about the comparative effect of biocomposite materials based on β-tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, and collagen on the dynamics of healing of the defect of compact bone tissue.

Materials and Methods The experiment was performed on 48 white Wistar rats. In the middle third of the femoral shaft, a perforated defect 2.5 mm in diameter was reproduced in the bone marrow canal, which was filled with the calcium phosphate material Collapan (Intermedapatit, Moscow, Russia) (hydroxyapatite/collagen/antibiotics) in the animals of the first group, and with Guidor easy-graft Crystal (Sunstar S.A., Etoy, Switzerland) (hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate) in the animals of the second group. Fragments of the injured bones were examined on the 15th and 30th days by light microscopy with morphometry and scanning electron microscopy.

Results It was found that, in the area of implantation of Collapan and of Guidor easy-graft Crystal, signs of inflammation were not detected, and osteogenic cells exhibited high topism to biocomposite materials. The biomaterials during the entire period of the experiment are subjected to resorption and replacement by the bone tissue of the regenerate. On the 15th and 30th days of the experiment, the predominance in the rate of biomaterial resorption (of 35.04% and 53.47%, respectively) and the formation of regenerate bone tissue (of 58.67% and 50.47%, respectively) was in the area of implantation of Collapan.

Conclusion The biocomposite materials tested exhibit a high biocompatibility, osteoconductive properties, and good integration with the tissues of the regenerate. However, the biocomposite material Collapan undergoes resorption and replacement by the bone tissue of the regenerate much faster, and Guidor easy-graft Crystal provides stability of the defect volume of compact bone tissue due to full resorption and good integration with the tissues of the regenerate.
Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation of LVAD Patients—Updated Recommendations from the Working Group of the German Society for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Reiss Nils , Schmidt Thomas , Langheim Eike , Bjarnason-Wehrens Birna , Marx Roger , Sindermann Jürgen R. , Knoglinger Ernst
Published: June 2019

Cardiac rehabilitation physicians are faced to an increasing number of heart failure patients supported by left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Many of these patients have complex medical issues and prolonged hospitalizations and therefore need special cardiac rehabilitation strategies including psychological, social, and educational support which are actually poorly implemented.

Cardiac rehabilitation with clear guidance and more evidence should be considered as an essential component of the patient care plan especially regarding the increasing number of destination patients and their long-term follow-up.

In this article the working group for postimplant treatment and rehabilitation of LVAD patients of the German Society for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases has summarized and updated the recommendations for the cardiac rehabilitation of LVAD patients considering the latest literature.
Ko-Konstruktion erkennen und verstehen – eine Analyse verschiedener Ko-Konstruktionstechniken in der Unterstützten Kommunikation
Authors: Renner Gregor , Hörmeyer Ina , Hoffer Lena
Published: June 2019

Die gemeinsame Entwicklung einer Äußerung durch mindestens 2 Gesprächsteilnehmerinnen oder -teilnehmer – die sogenannte Ko-Konstruktion – ist für Menschen mit schwer verständlicher oder fehlender Lautsprache eine häufig verwendete Kommunikationsstrategie. Eine genaue Analyse zeigt, dass es verschiedene Arten der Ko-Konstruktion gibt, die sich in Form und Funktion unterscheiden. 2 häufig auftretende Muster sind die verständnissichernden Reparaturen sowie Hint und Guess-Sequenzen. Bei verständnissichernden Reparaturen zeigt die Gesprächspartnerin, dass zum Verständnis eine weitere Information notwendig ist, die von der unterstützt kommunizierenden Person gegeben wird. Bei einer Hint und Guess-Sequenz macht die Gesprächspartnerin auf der Grundlage der gegebenen unvollständigen Information und des eigenen Kontextwissens Vorschläge, die von der unterstützt kommunizierenden Person verworfen oder bestätigt werden.
Optimisation of CT thorax protocol for obese paediatric patients: A phantom study
Authors: Pham T N , Wong J H D , Chan W Y , Ng K H
Published: June 2019

The objective of this research was to obtain the optimal automatic exposure control (AEC) settings for CT thorax examinations for obese paediatric patients. This was to ensure lower radiation dose for this special cohort while maintaining diagnostic image quality. A layer of fat tissue equivalent material was used to wrap around the torso of a paediatric phantom to simulate an obese patient. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs) were inserted at different positions within the thorax region. Three sets of CT images were acquired at DoseRight Indices (DRI) of 13, 15 and 17. The CT images were used for qualitative and quantitative assessments. The contrast to noise ratio (CNR) of images with DRI of 13 (211.08 ± 21.35) were significantly lower than CNR of images with DRI of 15 (231.67 ± 20.35) and 17 (245.10 ± 25.44; p < 0.01). For signal to noise ratio (SNR), there were significant differences among images with all DRI settings (p < 0.01). The mean absorbed dose received by the phantom at DRI of 13, 15 and 17 were 1.07 ± 0.05 mSv, 1.16 ± 0.07 mSv and 1.75 ± 0.08 mSv, respectively. In this study, DRI of 15 was determined as the optimal setting for obese paediatric patients for the age group of 5 to 14 years old. We have demonstrated that there is scope to reduce radiation dose to obese paediatric patients in CT thorax examinations while still maintaining diagnostic quality images.
Two-dimensional electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for characterization of body tissue using a gauss-newton algorithm
Authors: Hikmah I , Rubiyanto A , Endarko
Published: June 2019

The gauss-newton algorithm is applied to reconstruct a two-dimensional image of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) using python program. The study aimed to determine the characteristics of body tissues either conductive or resistive properties through the tissue structure which is displayed in the form of images so we can distinguish between one tissue and another. In this study, it was a fabricated hardware system, phantom, and software system. The EIT technique is performed by injecting a low constant electrical current of 1 mA at 50 kHz frequency on a pair of electrodes on 16 copper electrodes (Cu) surrounding a phantom filled with ground meat as conductor of electricity, flat bone, and cord bone of chicken as anomalies. The principle of the neighboring method achieved voltage measurements from the other electrode pair. The measurement data is processed with the python program using gauss-newton algorithm to obtain a reconstructed image of the tissue structure. The characteristics of body tissue can be identified from the color distribution, position, shape, and size of the object in the reconstructed image so it can distinguish between one tissue and another. The original analysis of body tissue either conductive or resistive properties could be reconstructed by two-dimensional electrical impedance tomography conjunction with the gauss-newton algorithm.
Axial absorbed dose distributions during abdominal computed tomography acquisitions: Measurement and the Monte Carlo simulation study
Authors: Matsubara K , Nagata H , Okubo R , Ogawa Y , Chusin T , Hirosawa A
Published: June 2019

We aimed to validate Monte Carlo (MC) simulation models against measurements and evaluate the effect of object size on axial absorbed dose distributions during abdominal computed tomography (CT) acquisitions based on MC simulations. A medium-sized abdominal phantom, with holes to insert a pencil ionization chamber, was acquired using a 192-slice dual-source CT scanner at a tube voltage of 120 kVp and a displayed volume CT dose index of 5.0 mGy. Absorbed doses were measured using the pencil ionization chamber and an electrometer, and normalized absorbed doses to center were calculated for all measurement locations. The Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System version 3.02 was used to simulate normalized absorbed doses of 19 locations through small-, medium-, and large-sized abdominal phantom models with a tube voltage of 120 kVp. In the measurement and MC simulation, the normalized absorbed dose to center in the medium-sized abdominal phantom was 1.48 ± 0.28 and 1.62 ± 0.35, respectively. Higher normalized doses were observed at peripheral regions when the phantom size was larger.
Characterization of the changes in electroencephalogram power spectra due to sound stimulation
Authors: Khotimah S N , Suwandi G R F , Handayani N , Pratama S H , Putri S S M I , Haryanto F , Arif I
Published: June 2019

Music has an important role in our life nowadays. Music can affect emotions and brain activity that can be measured through brain waves as electrical signals produced by neurons to carry sensory and cognitive information. In this study, brain waves for 10-12 normal male-non musician undergraduate students under three kinds of treatment are read using wireless electroencephalography (EEG) with 14 channels. For the first treatment, EEGs data are recorded when the subjects are in relax condition, i.e. rest and listening music. For the second treatment, subjects were stimulated with music in two loudness levels and for the last treatment subjects were stimulated with two different tempos of a song. From all subjects of this work, it was obtained that the right brain hemisphere is more active when listening music (significance level of 0.02). The average power spectra slightly increase with increasing music loudness (significance level of 0.35-0.45). Changes in musical tempo cause a decrease of the power spectra of alpha and beta bands (significance level of 0.25-0.30).
Brain responses to frequency changes due to vibratory stimulation of human fingertips: An fMRI study
Authors: Seri FAS , Abd Hamid AI , Abdullah JM , Idris Z , Omar H
Published: June 2019

Vibratory (e.g., piezoelectric) devices can stimulate cortical responses from the somatosensory area during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Twelve healthy, right-handed subjects (7 males and 5 females) were scanned with a 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging scanner and stimulated at 30-240 Hz using a piezoelectric vibrator attached to the subjects’ index fingers. The functional images were analysed to determine the brain activation region by performing random effects analyses at the group level. One-way analysis of variance was used to measure changes in frequency on brain activity. The activated regions were identified with WFU PickAtlas software, and the images were thresholded at Puncorrected < 0.001 for multiple comparisons. The average effect of frequency revealed significant activations in the right insula and right middle frontal gyrus; the corresponding region in the somatosensory area may act as a top-down control signal to improve sensory targets. Results revealed significant differences between frequencies; 90 Hz > 120 Hz activated right inferior parietal gyrus, 120 Hz > 150 Hz activated right cerebellum, and 60 Hz > 90 Hz activated right supramarginal gyrus and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis. Findings indicated the role of secondary somatosensory areas and the cerebellum in performing higher-order functions and discriminating various frequencies during vibratory stimulation. Increasing the patient sample size and testing higher frequencies in future experiments will contribute to furthering brain mapping of somatosensory areas.
Double low-dose computed tomography pulmonary angiography in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism
Authors: Aldosari S , Al-Mantshari A , AlQahtani T , Almoudi M , Al-Amary A , Sun Z
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of double low-dose (low radiation and low contrast medium doses) computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. This retrospective study involved analysis of 59 patients undergoing 64- and 128-slice CTPA examinations which were scanned with a pitch of 0.9 and 100 and 120 kVp, respectively, while flash mode of CTPA was done with a pitch of 3.2 and 120 kVp. There were no significant differences in image quality assessment between the low kVp and standard kVp or high-pitch CTPA protocols (p=0.181-0.186). The mean effective dose for the 100 kVp protocol was significantly lower than that for the120 kVp and the flash mode protocols (p < 0.001). The contrast medium was between 35-45 ml for the 100 and 120 kVp protocols, and 20-30 ml for the 120 kVp flash mode protocol. Double low-dose CT pulmonary angiography is feasible for detection of pulmonary embolism with acquisition of diagnostic images.
The development of Arduino-based low-cost wireless modular device for brainwave acquisition
Authors: Pratama S H , Rahmadhani A , Bramana A , Oktivasari P , Handayani N , Haryanto F , Suprijadi  , Khotimah S N
Published: June 2019

Brainwave is widely used as an indicator of brain activity and can be detected by electroencephalography (EEG). The development of EEG device has become more advanced along with the invention of low-cost tiny electronic modules and wireless technology. This research aimed to develop a low-cost wireless modular device for brainwave acquisition based on Arduino microcontroller. The system was designed into sensor block for brainwave receiver and conditioning, and mainboard block for data processing. Dry-active electrode was developed as the sensor, followed by preamplifier module which was also installed at the sensor block. Active filter and DRL circuits were developed on the mainboard part. Arduino UNO was used as the main processor of the device. The developed modules were then evaluated using signal generator to examine the module characteristics and consistency. As the result, the preamplifier module was detected to reach 40.34 dB on gain ability. The cutoff frequency on the active filter module was calculated on 31 Hz. Furthermore, Arduino UNO was identified to have a consistency on input and output voltage.
Investigating the aberration found in 4.438 MeV 12C photo peak of the Geant4 simulated prompt gamma spectrum
Authors: Ramanathan V , Peterson S
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the broad 4.438 MeV 12C photo-peak found in the Geant4 simulated prompt gamma spectrum from proton beam collision on a thin carbon target. The broad 4.438 MeV 12C peak has been reported in previous work using the AFRODITE clover detector performing an absolute comparison of measured and simulated prompt gamma production for a carbon target in the proton therapeutic range. The simulated prompt gamma spectrum was obtained for a 95 MeV proton beam collision on the carbon target by counting the emitted prompt gammas over a 4ˇ solid angle using a Geant4(v10.01.p3) cross-section code with the suggested physics list for inelastic scattering in the proton therapeutic range (binary cascade model). This result was compared to prompt gamma spectra from other Geant4 inelastic scattering physics models. First, the default inelastic cross-section data set (Geisha) was compared to the Tripathi data set, producing basically identical spectra, indicating that the cross-section data set has no bearing on the binary cascade inelastic scatter model. Second, comparisons of the precompound model using an exciton number of 1 and the Geisha cross-section data set provides a 4.438 MeV photo peak that is closer to the experimental result. The precompound model with an exciton number of 1 and the default (Geisha) cross-section data set significantly narrowed the 4.438 MeV photo peak, giving the peak that most closely resembled measured data.
Comprehensive external audit for HDR brachytherapy systems – the national experience
Authors: Koniarova Irena , Horakova Ivana , Zackova Helena
Published: June 2019

On-site audits in brachytherapy are performed for all HDR units after commissioning in the Czech Republic. Air-kerma strength, source positioning accuracy, dose calculation accuracy by treatment planning system, and reconstruction algorithm in terms of geometry accuracy are verified. Results obtained in 2003 – 2018 for 24 audited HDR brachytherapy sources are described in the paper. Weak points in HDR brachytherapy process are emphasized. The audited centres often failed in good knowledge of applicators, especially of needles with different blind tip lengths.
Evaluation of Delta 4 system in patient specific QA for VMAT technique: Retrospective lung VMAT cases
Authors: Khaophong J , Yongvithisatid P , Pairat K , Dechsupa P , Tangboonduangjit P , Asavaphatiboon S
Published: June 2019

The objective of this study was to evaluate the Delta 4 system for lung VMAT technique. The standard fields and VMAT plans were generated into the homogeneous and heterogeneous phantoms and were evaluated using 2%/2 mm criterion to validate the Delta 4 system. For retrospective study, five lung VMAT plans were evaluated using 2%/2 mm criterion. The point dose was measured to ensure the accuracy of beam delivery. Moreover, the 1.0 mm MLC position error was introduced into the VMAT plan of homogeneous phantom and was evaluated using 2%/2 mm and 1%/1 mm criteria to evaluate the small error detection. The range of percentage gamma passing rate for standard fields and VMAT in both phantoms was 94.6% to 99.8%. For five retrospective lung VMAT plans, the range of percentage gamma passing rate was 96.6% to 99.5%. The point dose differences were within ± 3%. For 1.0 mm MLC position error, the percentage gamma passing rate for 2%/2 mm and 1%/1 mm were 99.1% and 83.6%, respectively. In conclusion, the Delta 4 system can be used in patient specific QA for lung VMAT cases using 2%/2 mm criterion. The error magnitude 1.0 mm can be detected by 1%/1 mm criterion.
The impact of flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams to ion recombination correction factor
Authors: Hentihu F K , Ryangga D , Pawiro S A
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to evaluate ion recombination correction for ionization chamber in flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams and compare it to the flattened (with-flattening-filter) photon beams. The evaluation of ion recombination correction factor was performed for FC65-G, SNC600c, and CC13 ionization chambers. The measurements of three ionization chambers were performed using the water phantom and the Varian Trilogy linac with FFF capability. The ion recombination correction factor values for the three ionization chambers were obtained from the calculation using the simple two-voltage method and Jaffe plot curve fitting. The ion recombination correction factor value obtained from all three ionization chambers were higher for unflattened (FFF) photon beams than the flattened (WFF) photon beams with discrepancy less than 3%. The ion recombination correction value obtained from the linear Jaffe plot curve fitting had the highest discrepancy at about 7.67% when compared to the two-voltage method. On the contrary, the ion recombination correction value obtained from the Jaffe plot with quadratic and exponential quadratic curve fitting had discrepancies less than 2% when compared to the two-voltage method.
Using Google trends data to study public interest in radiation
Authors: Mohamad M , Jee S M
Published: June 2019

This study evaluates the correlation and cycle of public interest in radiation worldwide with radiation-related incidents between countries using Google Trends from 2008 to 2018. Google trends was employed to normalise traffic data on a scale of 0 to 100, and were presented as monthly relative search volume (RSV) using radiation, radioactive, nuclear medicine and x-ray as a search term. A remarkable peak was identified in March 2011 during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. In conclusion, public interest towards radiation is correlated with radiation-related incidents or events.
Synthesis of Magnesium-Hydroxyapatite Crystal via microwave irradiation
Authors: Hariowibowo F N , Nurlely  , Sari Y W
Published: June 2019

Magnesium-Hydroxyapatite (MgHA) is synthesized by substituting magnesium (Mg) into hydroxyapatite (HA). The study’s aim was to synthesize MgHA nano-powder via microwave irradiation and determine the effects of the microwave irradiation’s power and irradiation time variation on the synthesis of the MgHA crystal. The synthesis of MgHA was done by titrating solutions of diammonium hydrogen phosphate and magnesium hydroxide into a solution of calcium hydroxide. The microwave irradiation was done with variations of irradiation power and time. The phase composition, functional groups, morphology, particle size, and the element composition of the MgHA powder was evaluated using the following characterization method; XRD, FTIR, and SEM-EDX. The XRD patterns show that lattice parameters a and c, crystallinity index, and crystallite size of MgHA decreases as the irradiation time increases. The FTIR results show that a stretching mode is caused by the bonding of Mg2+ and the hydroxyl group. The SEM and EDX results shows that the substitution of Mg2+ causes the particles to agglomerate and the Ca/P value of MgHA was determined to be lesser than 1.67, showing that some Ca2+ was released from the apatite. The results show that higher irradiation power and longer irradiation time is more effective in MgHA synthesis.
Formation and characterization of collagen and hydroxyapatite composite
Authors: Julia S , Sari Y W , Nurlely  , Soejoko D S
Published: June 2019

The formation of composite of collagen and hydroxyapatite (HA) was investigated by ex-situ precipitation method. Synthesis of HA was carried out by precipitation of Ca(OH)2 1 M and (NH4)2.HPO4 0.6 M with the molar ratio of Ca/P 1.67, the mixture was exposed to microwave irradiation (450 W) for 45 min. Subsequently, the result was sintered to produce the powders of HA. Verification of HA powders was performed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Chicken collagen was prepared in our laboratory (Physics Department, Universitas Indonesia). Composite was synthesized by ex-situ precipitation method with a mass fraction of collagen and HA was 2:1. The mixture was stirring continuously for 2 h and aged for 20 h at room temperature. The precipitate was dried by freeze-drying method. The composite result was examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). XRD pattern of sintered powder shown as HA crystal. The unit cell of HA crystals was evaluated by High Score Plus Program (a=b=9.425 and c=6.884) with the accuracy 98.175% for a and b lattice and 98.406% for c lattice. The collagen had been verified by SDS PAGE as type 1 collagen and the micrograph illustrated the presence of micropores. Based on SEM examination, the composite revealed that HA had been deposited onto collagen and filled part of void space of collagen. The preliminary study will be beneficial for leading the formation of composites of collagen-HA as biomaterials.
Application of high resolution DLP stereolithography for fabrication of tricalcium phosphate scaffolds for bone regeneration
Authors: Schmidleithner Christina , Malferrari Sara , Palgrave Robert , Bomze Daniel , Schwentenwein Martin , Kalaskar Deepak M
Published: June 2019

Bone regeneration requires porous and mechanically stable scaffolds to support tissue integration and angiogenesis, which is essential for bone tissue regeneration. With the advent of additive manufacturing processes, production of complex porous architectures has become feasible. However, a balance has to be sorted between the porous architecture and mechanical stability, which facilitates bone regeneration for load bearing applications. The current study evaluates the use of high resolution digital light processing (DLP) -based additive manufacturing to produce complex but mechanical stable scaffolds based on β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for bone regeneration. Four different geometries: a rectilinear Grid, a hexagonal Kagome, a Schwarz primitive, and a hollow Schwarz architecture are designed with 400 μm pores and 75 or 50 vol% porosity. However, after initial screening for design stability and mechanical properties, only the rectilinear Grid structure, and the hexagonal Kagome structure are found to be reproducible and showed higher mechanical properties. Micro computed tomography (μ-CT) analysis shows <2 vol% error in porosity and <6% relative deviation of average pore sizes for the Grid structures. At 50 vol% porosity, this architecture also has the highest compressive strength of 44.7 MPa (Weibull modulus is 5.28), while bulk specimens reach 235 ± 37 MPa. To evaluate suitability of 3D scaffolds produced by DLP methods for bone regeneration, scaffolds were cultured with murine preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Short term study showed cell growth over 14 d, with more than two-fold increase of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity compared to cells on 2D tissue culture plastic. Collagen deposition was increased by a factor of 1.5–2 when compared to the 2D controls. This confirms retention of biocompatible and osteo-inductive properties of β-TCP following the DLP process. This study has implications for designing of the high resolution porous scaffolds for bone regenerative applications and contributes to understanding of DLP based additive manufacturing process for medical applications.
Immunogenicity and Safety of the Measles Vaccine in HIV-Infected Children: An Updated Systematic Review
Authors: Mehtani Nicky J , Rosman Lori , Moss William J
Published: June 2019

Children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at increased risk of measles morbidity and mortality. We searched abstracts from the PubMed, Embase, and Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information databases for articles published from the earliest date available through September 26, 2017. The primary outcome of interest was serological responses to measles vaccine, stratified by HIV infection status. A total of 2,858 potentially eligible articles were identified, and the final review included 12 studies published between 1992 and 2013, 9 of which reported data on vaccine safety. The studies we included represented 3,573 children, of whom at least 335 were infected with HIV, 788 were HIV-exposed but not infected, and 1,478 were unexposed to HIV. Four of the 12 studies found statistically significant reductions in seropositivity among HIV-infected children compared with HIV-uninfected children within 4 months of vaccination (prevalence ratio range, 0.44–0.70), and forest plots provided visual trends of decreasing immunity over time among HIV-infected children in 2 additional studies. No vaccine-related deaths or serious adverse events were reported. This updated review demonstrated limitations of the existing published literature but supported evidence of reduced immunogenicity of measles vaccine among HIV-infected children, supporting the World Health Organization recommendation to revaccinate HIV-infected children against measles following immune reconstitution with combination antiretroviral therapy.
MOLI: multi-omics late integration with deep neural networks for drug response prediction
Authors: Sharifi-Noghabi Hossein , Zolotareva Olga , Collins Colin C , Ester Martin
Published: June 2019

Motivation

Historically, gene expression has been shown to be the most informative data for drug response prediction. Recent evidence suggests that integrating additional omics can improve the prediction accuracy which raises the question of how to integrate the additional omics. Regardless of the integration strategy, clinical utility and translatability are crucial. Thus, we reasoned a multi-omics approach combined with clinical datasets would improve drug response prediction and clinical relevance.

Results

We propose MOLI, a multi-omics late integration method based on deep neural networks. MOLI takes somatic mutation, copy number aberration and gene expression data as input, and integrates them for drug response prediction. MOLI uses type-specific encoding sub-networks to learn features for each omics type, concatenates them into one representation and optimizes this representation via a combined cost function consisting of a triplet loss and a binary cross-entropy loss. The former makes the representations of responder samples more similar to each other and different from the non-responders, and the latter makes this representation predictive of the response values. We validate MOLI on in vitro and in vivo datasets for five chemotherapy agents and two targeted therapeutics. Compared to state-of-the-art single-omics and early integration multi-omics methods, MOLI achieves higher prediction accuracy in external validations. Moreover, a significant improvement in MOLI’s performance is observed for targeted drugs when training on a pan-drug input, i.e. using all the drugs with the same target compared to training only on drug-specific inputs. MOLI’s high predictive power suggests it may have utility in precision oncology.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/hosseinshn/MOLI.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
MetOSite: an integrated resource for the study of methionine residues sulfoxidation
Authors: Valverde Héctor , Cantón Francisco R , Aledo Juan Carlos
Published: June 2019

Motivation

The oxidation of protein-bound methionine to form methionine sulfoxide has traditionally been regarded as an oxidative damage. However, growing evidences support the view of this reversible reaction also as a regulatory post-translational modification. Thus, the oxidation of methionine residues has been reported to have multiple and varied implications for protein function. However, despite the importance of this modification and the abundance of reports, all these data are scattered in the literature. No database/resource on methionine sulfoxidation exists currently. Since this information is useful to gain further insights into the redox regulation of cellular proteins, we have created a primary database of experimentally confirmed sulfoxidation sites.

Results

MetOSite currently contains 7242 methionine sulfoxide sites found in 3562 different proteins from 23 species, with Homo sapiens, Arabidopsis thaliana and Bacillus cereus as the main contributors. Each collected site has been classified according to the effect of its sulfoxidation on the biological properties of the modified protein. Thus, MetOSite documents cases where the sulfoxidation of methionine leads to (i) gain of activity, (ii) loss of activity, (iii) increased protein–protein interaction susceptibility, (iv) decreased protein–protein interaction susceptibility, (v) changes in protein stability and (vi) changes in subcellular location.

Availability and implementation

MetOSite is available at https://metosite.uma.es.
iTUPA: an online automated application to perform Topographic-Unit Parsimony Analysis
Authors: Hammoud Muhsen , Santos Charles Morphy D , Gois João Paulo
Published: June 2019

iTUPA is a free online application for automatizing the Topographic-Unit Parsimony Analysis (TUPA), which identifies areas of endemism based on topography. iTUPA generates species-occurrences matrices based on user-defined topographic units (TUs) and provides a parsimony analysis of the generated matrix. We tested iTUPA after a proposal of regionalization for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. iTUPA can handle millions of species registers simultaneously and uses Google Earth high-definition maps to visually explore the endemism data. We believe iTUPA is a useful tool for further discussions on biodiversity conservation.

Availability and implementation

iTUPA is hosted on Google cloud and freely available at http://nuvem.ufabc.edu.br/itupa. iTUPA is implemented using R (version 3.5.1), with RStudio 1.1.453 used as the implementation IDE, Shiny 1.1.0 web framework, and Google Maps® API version 3.36.
Foodborne Botulism Outbreak Associated With Commercial Nacho Cheese Sauce From a Gas Station Market
Authors: Rosen Hilary E , Kimura Akiko C , Crandall John , Poe Alyssa , Nash June , Boetzer Jason , Tecle Selam , Mukhopadhyay Rituparna , Mcauley Kate , Kasirye Olivia , Garza Alvaro , Shahkarami Mahtab , Chaturvedi Vishnu , Kiang David , Vidanes Jeff , Mccoy Kelly , Barcellos Mark , Derby Tammy , Jain Seema , Vugia Duc J
Published: June 2019

Background

Botulism is a rare and potentially fatal paralytic disease caused by botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). In April 2017, 4 California residents from 2 adjacent counties were hospitalized with suspected foodborne botulism, precipitating an investigation by state and local public health departments in California.

Methods

We interviewed suspected botulism patients and their families, inspected the suspect establishment, and collected suspect food. We tested patient sera, stool, and gastric aspirates using mouse bioassay for BoNT and/or culture for Clostridium botulinum. We tested suspect food and environmental samples for BoNT and confirmed presumptive positives using direct mouse bioassay and culture. We performed whole-genome sequencing on food and clinical isolates.

Results

From April 2017 through May 2017, 10 patients in the Sacramento area were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed botulism; 7 required mechanical ventilation, and 1 died. Of 9 patients with information, all had visited Gas Station X before illness onset, where 8 reported consuming a commercial cheese sauce. BoNT/A and/or BoNT/A-producing C. botulinum were detected from each patient and from leftover cheese sauce. Clostridium botulinum isolates from 4 patients were closely related to cheese sauce isolates by whole-genome high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis. No other botulism cases associated with this cheese sauce were reported elsewhere in the United States.

Conclusions

This large foodborne botulism outbreak in California was caused by consumption of commercial cheese sauce dispensed at a gas station market. The epidemiologic and laboratory evidence confirmed the cheese sauce as the outbreak source. The cheese sauce was likely locally contaminated, although the mechanism is unclear.