bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feline progressive histiocytosis: a retrospective investigation of 26 cases and preliminary study of Ki67 as a prognostic marker
Authors: Coste Margaux , Prata Daniela , Castiglioni Vittoria , Minoli Lucia , Etienne-Raffestin Claire-Lise , Boulouha Lilia , Moreau Stéphanie , Lagadic Marie
Published: October 2019

Feline progressive histiocytosis (FPH) is an uncommon and infrequently reported cutaneous histiocytic proliferative disorder, whose clinical presentation is solitary or multiple cutaneous nodules and papules, with late-course internal metastasis. We describe herein the clinical, epidemiologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical features of this entity, and document the outcome of FPH based on a retrospective study of 26 cases. Female and male cats were affected equally. Lesions were evident either as solitary (16 of 26 cases) or multiple (10 of 26 cases) nonpruritic and alopecic nodules or plaques, preferentially located on the legs and extremities (73%). Follow-up was complete for 19 cats, and ranged from 41 to 1,449 d. Nine died of FPH with a median overall survival of 96 d (range: 41–238 d). The disease recurred in 14 cats after surgical excision of the nodules, and the median disease-free survival was 175 d (range: 21–1,449 d). Five of the 26 cats were alive at the end of the study, and 4 had no progression of the disease. Histologically, lesions were characterized by poorly circumscribed, unencapsulated histiocytic infiltration of dermis and subcutis. Epitheliotropism was observed in 11 (42%) cats. Atypical histiocytes diffusely and consistently expressed MHC II, CD18, and Iba1. Statistically significant higher E-cadherin expression was observed in epitheliotropic cases compared to non-epitheliotropic cases. A negative correlation between overall survival and proliferation index was evident, thus suggesting Ki67 as a promising prognostic marker.
Prevalence of netB-positive Clostridium perfringens in Italian poultry flocks by environmental sampling
Authors: Profeta Francesca , Di Francesco Cristina E. , Di Provvido Andrea , Scacchia Massimo , Alessiani Alessandra , Di Giannatale Elisabetta , Marruchella Giuseppe , Orsini Massimiliano , Toscani Tonino , Marsilio Fulvio
Published: October 2019

Clostridium perfringens type G is one of the pathogens involved in enteric diseases in poultry. NetB, a pore-forming toxin, is considered the main virulence factor responsible for necrotic enteritis during C. perfringens infection. We carried out a field study involving 14 farms to evaluate the occurrence of netB-positive C. perfringens and the impact of infection in Italian poultry flocks. Environmental samples ( n = 117) and 50 carcasses were screened by microbiologic and molecular methods. Microbiologic investigations yielded 82 C. perfringens isolates. DNA was extracted from all samples and screened for α-toxin and NetB encoding genes by real-time PCR. The C. perfringens α-toxin gene was detected in 151 of 167 extracts (90.4%), and 31 of 151 (20.5%) were netB gene positive also. Sixteen isolates from a turkey flock with mild enteric disorders were also netB positive, demonstrating their occurrence not only in broiler but also in turkey flocks. A pulsed-field gel electrophoresis protocol was optimized to evaluate the diversity among isolates and revealed high genetic heterogeneity. The complete NetB toxin-coding gene of 2 C. perfringens isolates from turkey and broiler flocks were analyzed and showed very high relatedness with analogous sequences worldwide.
The Association Between Age at Palatoplasty and Speech and Language Outcomes in Children With Cleft Palate: An Observational Chart Review Study
Authors: Shaffer Amber D. , Ford Matthew D. , Losee Joseph E. , Goldstein Jesse , Costello Bernard J. , Grunwaldt Lorelei J. , Jabbour Noel
Published: October 2019

Objective:

To determine whether timing of palatoplasty (early, standard, or late) is associated with speech and language outcomes in children with cleft palate.

Design:

Retrospective case series.

Setting:

Tertiary care children’s hospital.

Participants:

Records from 733 children born between 2005 and 2015 and treated at the Cleft Craniofacial Clinic of a tertiary children’s hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Exclusion criteria were cleft repair at an outside hospital, intact secondary palate, absence of postpalatoplasty speech evaluation, syndromes, staged palatoplasty, and introduction to clinic after 12 months of age. Data from 232 children with cleft palate ± cleft lip were analyzed.

Interventions:

Palatoplasty.

Main Outcome Measures:

Speech/language delays and disorders at 20 months and 5 years of age based on formal hospital or community-based testing or screening evaluation in the Cleft Craniofacial Clinic; additional speech surgery.

Results:

Median age at palatoplasty was 12.6 months (range: 8.8-21.9 months). Age at palatoplasty was classified as early (<11 months, n = 28), standard (11-13 months, n = 158), or late (>13 months, n = 46). Late palatoplasty was associated with increased odds of speech/language delays and speech therapy at 20 months, and language delays at 5 years, compared with standard or early palatoplasty ( P < .05 for all comparisons). However, speech sound production disorders, velopharyngeal incompetence, tube replacement, and hearing loss were not significantly associated with age at palatoplasty.

Conclusions:

Late palatoplasty may be associated with short- and long-term delays in speech/language development. Future studies with standardized surgical technique/timing and outcome measures are required to more definitively describe the impact of age at palatoplasty on speech/language development.
Midline Cleft of Lip With Preaxial Polydactyly in One Hand: A Possible New Variation of Thurston Syndrome?
Authors: Jain Kriti , Singh Minerva
Published: October 2019

Oral-facial-digital syndromes are a group of disorders with various subtypes. Type V, also known as the Thurston syndrome, is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by median cleft of the upper lip, postaxial polydactyly of hands and feet, and oral manifestations. Majority of the cases reported in the literature have been of Indian ethnic origin. We report a case of a possible variation of this syndrome in a 5-month-old Indian girl who presented with severe midline clefting, cleft palate, and atypically, preaxial polydactyly of the right hand.
Subsequent Pain or Injury After Foot and Ankle Surgery in Patients Receiving Workers’ Compensation
Authors: Bui Gabrielle , Gao Yubo , Glass Natalie , Cychosz Christopher , Marsh John Lawrence , Phisitkul Phinit
Published: October 2019

Background:

Workers’ compensation (WC) has been associated with poor outcomes following a variety of injuries and surgeries, but rates of subsequent pain or injury (SPI) following surgery have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the rates, locations, and risk factors of SPI in WC patients and non-WC patients who underwent the same surgeries.

Methods:

With institutional review board approval, records from foot or ankle surgery performed by author P.P. from 2009 to 2015 were obtained. A retrospective chart review was performed on all WC and non-WC patients with at least 1 Current Procedural Terminology code of interest. SPI was defined as a new injury at a different anatomical location occurring 2 months to 2 years after the index surgery. Chi-square and 2-tailed t tests were used to compare risk factors and rates of SPI in both groups.

Results:

The WC population had higher rates of SPI than the non-WC population. Specifically, 13 of 56 WC patients (23.2%) vs 12 of 165 non-WC patients (7.3%) reported SPI ( P = .001). The hip, knee, and contralateral foot and ankle were common areas of SPI in both groups. Legal representation and increased age were risk factors for SPI in the WC population. Specifically, 10 of 13 WC patients with SPI had legal representation vs 16 of 43 WC patients without SPI ( P = .02). Female sex was a risk factor for SPI in the non-WC population.

Conclusions:

WC patients had higher rates of subsequent pain or injury than non-WC patients. Legal representation was a risk factor for SPI in the WC population.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, comparative series.
The Ambidextrous Sales Force: Aligning Salesperson Polychronicity and Selling Contexts for Sales-Service Behaviors and Customer Value
Authors: Mullins Ryan , Agnihotri Raj , Hall Zachary
Published: October 2019

While many firms are increasing salespeople’s service expectations alongside selling responsibilities, evidence suggests this strategy is difficult to implement. Yet research addressing this challenge for dual-role sales forces is limited. Utilizing matched, dyadic (salesperson-customer) data from business-to-business (B2B) selling firms across industries, we investigate the drivers and value-creation impact of salespeople tasked with performing sales and service activities—termed sales- service ambidextrous (SSA) behaviors. Given the importance of job fit in professional selling, we build from trait activation theory to identify salespeople’s preference for switching between multiple tasks within the same time period (i.e., polychronicity) as a key driver critical for enacting SSA behavior. Further, we illustrate contexts (i.e., task, social, and organizational) impacting the extent polychronic salespeople perform SSA behaviors. We also provide evidence that ambidextrous salespeople create increased value to customers through customers’ willingness to pay a price premium. Together, these findings help illustrate the practical considerations sales leaders should consider before initiating a dual-role sales force approach.
Women’s experiences of menopause at work and performance management
Authors: Beck Vanessa , Brewis Jo , Davies Andrea
Published: October 2019

Presenting findings from our global evidence review of menopause transition and economic participation emboldened us to establish a menopause policy at the university where we all worked at the time. Our report was published in July 2017 and the policy was in place by November that year. Our critical reflection on this activism focuses on issues that are not commonly recognized around such interventions, and which we ourselves have only been able to acknowledge through engaged action. Challenges remain in normalizing menopause in organizations, specifically around gendered ageism and performance management. In drawing on Meyerson and Kolb’s framework for understanding gender in organizations, we highlight how policies are both vital and yet insufficient in and of themselves in revising the dominant discourse around menopause at work. At the same time, we highlight the importance and shortcomings of academic activism within these processes.
The invisible paradox of inflammatory bowel disease: An analysis of men’s blogs
Authors: Prodgers Lucy , Gough Brendan
Published: October 2019

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with stigmatising symptoms. Online support platforms eschew stigma, thus may appeal more to men who avoid traditional forms of health support. Using a critical realist netnographic approach and inductive thematic analysis, this study examined six blogs written by UK-based men to explore how inflammatory bowel disease was narrated. Three subthemes and one overarching theme – The (in)visible paradox of IBD – were developed. Findings suggest private aspects of inflammatory bowel disease risk experiential erasure, whereas public aspects lack control. Blogging facilitates the regaining of control, leading to important support connections and a re-imagining of the male inflammatory bowel disease body.
Family support and family and child-related outcomes among families impacted by disability in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review
Authors: Nuri Reshma Parvin , Batorowicz Beata , Aldersey Heather Michelle
Published: October 2019

There is a growing interest in understanding the relationship between family support and family or child-related outcomes in high-income countries. However, this has received little attention in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this review was to explore the relationship between family support and family and child-related outcomes among families affected by disability in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a scoping review of five databases using search terms related to ‘family’, ‘support’, ‘child’, and ‘disability’. A total of 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. Families of children with disabilities received most of their support from informal sources (e.g. immediate family members, friends, and parents support groups). Parental stress was most often evaluated as the family outcome and was negatively linked to emotional support and childcare assistance from immediate family members. Movement and mobility therapy offered by rehabilitation professionals was found to improve children’s walking patterns. Positive attitudes from community members were key facilitators to participation of children with disabilities in social activities. The review calls for urgent attention to research in low- and middle-income countries, particularly the extent of support families are receiving from government-led support systems.
Analytical approach to the nonlinear free vibration of a conservative oscillator
Authors: Lu Junfeng , Liang Yan
Published: October 2019

This paper applies the VIM-Padé technique for solving a nonlinear free vibration of a conservative oscillator. It is a combined method based on the variational iteration method, Laplace transformation and the Padé approximation. An approximated solution with extremely high accuracy can be obtained with ease. Runge-Kutta method is adopted to verify the efficiency of the technique.
Feminist activism in digital space: Postfeminist contradictions in #WhyIStayed
Authors: Linabary Jasmine R , Corple Danielle J , Cooky Cheryl
Published: October 2019

Scholars have argued that digital spaces are key sites for feminist activism, which can be seen in the emergence of “hashtag feminism,” or the use of social media hashtags to address feminist-identified issues through sharing personal experiences of inequality, constructing counter-discourses, and critiquing cultural figures and institutions. However, more empirical research is needed that examines both the possibilities and constraints of hashtag feminism. Through a qualitative analysis of 51,577 archived tweets and semi-structured interviews, we trace the ways #WhyIStayed creates a space for feminist activism in response to victim-blaming related to domestic violence through voice, multivocality, and visibility. More specifically, we critically analyze postfeminist discourses within #WhyIStayed in order to examine contradictions within the hashtag event as well as how these postfeminist contradictions shape possibilities for feminist activism online.
Making qualitative data more visible in policy: a critical appraisal of meta-synthesis
Authors: Horton Lynn
Published: October 2019

This article explores meta-synthesis, the systematic review, and integration of qualitative findings, as a tool to advance the visibility, accessibility, and policy and programmatic relevance of quantitative data in applied fields like international development. I draw on my experiences of synthesizing 30 qualitative cases for a book on microfinance and women’s empowerment to examine the benefits and challenges of this approach and to provide practical guidance. I identify the conditions where meta-synthesis can make the strongest contributions and ways in which it can enhance the robustness of qualitative research. I also detail the tensions of between meta-synthesis appeals to efficiency and standardization and the core epistemological and ethical commitments of qualitative methods. In practice, these tensions were most apparent in issues of primary case inclusion and selection, incorporation of context, and the ethics of voice and representation.
The Matrix in Context: Taking Stock of Police Gang Databases in London and Beyond
Authors: Densley James A. , Pyrooz David C.
Published: October 2019

Technology has ushered in a new era of intelligence-led and ‘big data’ policing, and police gang databases are part of this paradigmatic shift. In recent years, however, gang databases have come under intense public scrutiny. For example, Amnesty International and others argue that London’s Gangs Matrix is discriminatory and violates data-protection laws. This article draws on evidence and examples from a wide range of sources – gang legislation, surveys of young people, police gang records and research on gangs – to put the Matrix controversy into broader context, and to adjudicate between common validity and civil liberties critiques of gang databases.
A new chapter in the law of sexual harassment in Malaysia: The emergence of the torts of harassment and sexual harassment
Authors: Majid Abdul , Yogamalar Sri , Siah Audrey Kim Lan , Terpstra-Tong Jane L Y , Borrowman Luc
Published: October 2019

In a landmark case in 2016, Malaysia’s apex court, the Federal Court, explicitly recognised for the first time, the common law tort of sexual harassment. Actually, the Federal Court did more than that; its recognition of the common law tort of sexual harassment is built on its recognising the common law tort of harassment. The recognition of the tort of harassment has escaped notice because attention has been concentrated on the tort of sexual harassment. This article analyses the Federal Court’s exposition of the tort of sexual harassment to reveal that the exegesis itself acknowledges the existence of the tort of harassment per se. The tort of harassment that the Federal Court sent out into the world is largely a creature of its English common law ancestry.
An inclusive pedagogy in Arts and Humanities university classrooms: What faculty members do
Authors: Carballo Rafael , Cotán Almudena , Spinola-Elias Yolanda
Published: October 2019

This article shows the educational strategies developed by faculty members that their students with disabilities considered as excellent for carrying out an inclusive pedagogy in Higher Education. One hundred and nineteen faculty members from 10 Spanish public universities participated in the study, 24 of whom were from the field of Arts and Humanities. Through a qualitative methodology, individual semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The data were analyzed inductively through a categories and codes system. The results show how the participants considered students' opinions when designing their methods. Moreover, the study shows the teaching strategies that the participants used to ensure the participation of all their students. Lastly, the article describes how the participants attended to the concerns of students with disabilities. Finally, we discuss these results with previous studies, and we consider the main elements for an inclusive pedagogy that may serve as an example for other faculty members.
Including children with chronic health conditions in early childhood education and care settings
Authors: Musgrave Jackie , Levy Rachael
Published: October 2019

This article sheds light on how chronic health conditions impact upon concepts of inclusion in children’s early childhood education and care in England; it draws upon findings from a small-scale research project which highlights the need to consider health, in particular, the impact of chronic health conditions on early childhood education and care. The study was conducted in two stages: Stage 1 involved a postal questionnaire to 60 early childhood settings and Stage 2 included interviews with 6 practitioners in 4 settings, interviews with parents and observations of a child (called DJ) in his setting over the course of a year. The findings from this study indicate that in an attempt to be inclusive, practitioners may be unintentionally exclusive in their practice. The data suggest that this may be as a consequence of practitioners having different understandings and definitions of what is meant by the term inclusion, leading to confusion about the aims of inclusion. The findings indicate that there is a need to identify what effective pedagogy is for children with chronic health conditions, as well as a need to redefine inclusion in relation to their needs.
Sylvia Wynter: Science Studies and Posthumanism as Praxes of Being Human
Authors: Adams Jennifer D. , Weinstein Matthew
Published: October 2019

Through dialogue, this article explores the works of Sylvia Wynter to elicit some implications for science studies. In particular, we explore her analysis of the ideological construction of Man as the paradigm for humanity and how this structures the Othering or exclusion of non-White-cis-straight-men from the definition of human in the extant Western Colonial period. We also explore the ways such ideologies find expression in the logics of some central work of science studies. We discuss the ways her oeuvre articulates with science studies, especially research conducted from a postcolonial frame, especially in her notion of a “new science” or scientia. The article also explores her notion of the “pieza,” the standardized black body of the slave trade, in relation to theories of objectivity and objectification. Finally, the dialogue considers the need to start with the writing, thinking, and scholarship of those writing from positions of exclusion, in struggle for liberation, and freedom, to recover the human within science studies.
Temperature-dependent thermo-elastic parameter identification for composites using thermal modal data
Authors: Jiang Dong , Xu Yu , Zhu Donghui , Cao Zhifu
Published: October 2019

To accurately determine the temperature-dependent parameters of composites, a thermo-elastic parameter identification approach using thermal modal data is proposed in this article. The investigation is based on two hypotheses: (1) the structure is at steady-state temperature field, which means the temperature distribution is time independent; (2) temperature distribution can be determined in advance of thermo-elastic parameter identification, and thermal-related large deformation is not considered. The thermal-dependent elastic constants and thermal expansion coefficients are expressed as intermediate functions with the independent variable of temperature, perturbation method is adapted to calculate the sensitivity of thermal modal frequencies with respect to the intermediate variables, and variables with high sensitivity are selected as the identifying parameters. By constructing the intermediate function and calculating the relative sensitivity, thermo-elastic parameters are identified by minimizing the residual between experimental and analytical natural frequencies under thermal circumstance. Two different types of composite models are employed to verify the strategies of parameter identification. Results show that on the basis of the intermediate function, the proposed approach can be applied to identify the thermo-elastic parameters effectively.
Wind tunnel test analysis to determine pantograph noise contribution on a high-speed train
Authors: Noh Hee-Min
Published: October 2019

In this study, we investigated the characteristics and the influence of the aero-acoustic noise generated from a pantograph using various experimental approaches in a wind tunnel. First, the noise generated at various flow velocities was measured and analyzed using a full-scale pantograph model. Then, the noise generated from the main position of the pantograph was derived using a microphone array attached to one side of a wind tunnel. The noise contributions of the main components of the pantograph were derived from the noise measurements obtained from a step-by-step disassembly of the full-scale model. In addition, the noise reduction achieved by panhead collectors, which are some of the most important noise sources on a pantograph, was examined by studying the results obtained when varying their geometry. In order to analyze the noise-reduction effect achieved by varying the height of the collector, different types of collectors were fabricated and wind tunnel tests were conducted. Through this study, we have investigated the aero-acoustic noise contribution of the major components of a pantograph, and we have developed effective noise-reduction measures for the panhead collector.
Bubble population balance modelling for stationary and rotating columns under zero-gravity environment: Numerical study
Authors: Alhendal Yousuf , Turan Ali , Kalendar Abdulrahim , Abou-Ziyan Hosny
Published: October 2019

Two axisymmetric dimensional Eulerian/Eulerian simulation of two-phase (gas/liquid) transient flow was performed for both stationary and rotating columns under zero gravity. Multiphase flow simulation is modelled using flow algorithm based on the finite-volume method to simulate bubble population balance modelling. Two coalescence kernels, one for laminar flow and the other for laminar shear flow, are experimented under zero gravity using special user defined functions. Effects of rotation speed are investigated at angular velocities of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 rad/s, and effects of air inlet velocity are conducted at 1, 2, 3 and 4 cm/s. The numerical results show that the centrifugal force is pulling the bubbles towards the axis of rotation and shifts them away from the wall. Also, rotation could accelerate the moving bubbles throughout the column under zero-gravity conditions. Increasing the inlet air velocity accelerates the coalescence rate with a decrease in the inlet bubble diameter. Under zero gravity, the bubbles are formed with limited size distribution and may not be represented by an equivalent phase with Sauter mean diameter. Coalescence and break-up phenomena must be considered under normal gravity and coalescence phenomenon only under zero gravity.
Surgical Treatment of Severe Ptosis by Modified Brow Suspension Technique
Authors: Ali Ali Adawal , Hassan Abdulhameed Abdul Majeed , Salman Marwan Salah
Published: October 2019

Background:

Blepharoptosis can occur at any age. Its surgical correction may be indicated for functional and cosmetic purposes. Blepharoptosis treatment in children <3 years old may be required on an urgent basis to prevent amblyopia. The type of surgery depends on the severity of ptosis. The purpose of the study is to assess the functional results and complications of frontalis sling operation using double-threaded prolene as a suspensory material to correct severe ptosis with minimal or no levator muscle function.

Methods:

In total, 72 lids of 59 patients (both male and female) having severe unilateral or bilateral ptosis were included. Frontalis sling with double-threaded prolene using cannula for introducing prolene was used to correct severe ptosis in these patients. Patients were followed up for an average of 21 (range: 12-24) months postoperatively for evaluating the functional and cosmetic results as well as possible complications.

Results:

Favourable long-term functional and cosmetic results were achieved in most patients. The overall recurrence rate of ptosis was in 5 lids, most of which were in <5-year-old patients. Other complications were incomplete closure in 2 lids, overcorrection in 1 lid, and corneal exposure and exposure keratitis in 1 eye. Infection, wound problems, and supratarsal sulcus obliteration were not observed in any case during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

Frontalis sling operation using double-threaded prolene as a suspensory material is an effective technique to correct severe ptosis.
Organizing Shared Digital Reading in Groups: Optimizing the Affordances of Text and Medium
Authors: Hoel Trude , Tønnessen Elise Seip
Published: October 2019

Children develop their language when they explore and talk about literary texts. In this study, we explore the design of shared digital reading as a basis for critical reflection on the reading situation in an institutional context with its given opportunities and limitations. We examine six videotaped readings of one specific picture book app, with a focus on the strategies used by teachers in early childhood education and care institutions to control children’s access to the medium and the types of verbal engagement (about the story and about the medium) that are generated by these different strategies. We use qualitative and quantitative analysis of video data. A qualitative categorization of the readings reveals the strategies Show, Show & Share, and Share. In analyzing the participants’ verbal and multisensory engagement, we find that the Show strategy generates more utterances, especially about the story, as well as more time spent on dialogue.
White Blood Cell and Neutrophil Counts and Response to Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Muto Taichiro , Masuda Yu , Numoto Shingo , Kodama Shunsuke , Yamakawa Kiyoshi , Takasu Michihiko , Hayakawa Tomohito , Miyata Kenji , Miyamoto Ryosuke , Akaihata Mitsuko , Iwayama Hideyuki , Kitagawa Yoshiro , Kurahashi Hirokazu , Shimomura Yasuto , Hori Toshinori , Okuda Masumi , Agata Hiroatsu , Okumura Akihisa
Published: October 2019

We explored parameters to predicting the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy for patients with Kawasaki disease (KD). We retrospectively analyzed the laboratory data of 77 children with KD treated with IVIG. Data obtained before and within 24 hours after IVIG therapy were compared between responders and nonresponders. The white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts were significantly lower in responders than nonresponders within 24 hours after IVIG. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves of the WBC and neutrophil counts were 0.846 and 0.754, respectively. The WBC and neutrophil counts differed significantly between responders and nonresponders (the latter developed recurrent pyrexia after transient fever resolution). In conclusion, WBC and neutrophil counts within 24 hours after IVIG usefully predict the efficacy of IVIG therapy for those with KD, and identify nonresponders to such therapy.
Effects and side effects of plasmonic photothermal therapy in brain tissue
Authors: He Yue , Laugesen Kristoffer , Kamp Dana , Sultan Salik A. , Oddershede Lene B. , Jauffred Liselotte
Published: October 2019

Background

Heat generated from plasmonic nanoparticles can be utilized in plasmonic photothermal therapy. A combination of near-infrared laser and plasmonic nanoparticles is compelling for the treatment of brain cancer, due to the efficient light-to-heat conversion and bio-compatibility. However, one of the challenges of plasmonic photothermal therapy is to minimize the damage of the surrounding brain tissue. The adjacent tissue can be damaged as a result of either absorption of laser light, thermal conductivity, nanoparticles diffusing from the tumor, or a combination hereof. Hence, we still lack the full understanding of the light–tissue interaction and, in particular, the thermal response.

Results

We tested the temperature change in three different porcine cerebral tissues, i.e., the stem, the cerebrum, and the cerebellum, under laser treatment. We find that the different tissues have differential optical and thermal properties and confirm the enhancement of heating from adding plasmonic nanoparticles. Furthermore, we measure the loss of laser intensity through the different cerebral tissues and stress the importance of correct analysis of the local environment of a brain tumor.

Conclusions

Our results stress the conclusion that a personalized analysis of the local environment is needed to balance the effect and side effects prior to plasmonic photothermal therapy.
MicroRNAs and their regulatory networks in Chinese Gushi chicken abdominal adipose tissue during postnatal late development
Authors: Chen Yi , Zhao Yinli , Jin Wenjiao , Li Yuanfang , Zhang Yanhua , Ma Xuejie , Sun Guirong , Han Ruili , Tian Yadong , Li Hong , Kang Xiangtao , Li Guoxi
Published: October 2019

Background

Abdominal fat is the major adipose tissue in chickens. The growth status of abdominal fat during postnatal late development ultimately affects meat yield and quality in chickens. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Studies have shown that miRNAs play an important role in the biological processes involved in adipose tissue development. However, few studies have investigated miRNA expression profiles and their interaction networks associated with the postnatal late development of abdominal adipose tissue in chickens.

Results

We constructed four small RNA libraries from abdominal adipose tissue obtained from Chinese domestic Gushi chickens at 6, 14, 22, and 30 weeks. A total of 507 known miRNAs and 53 novel miRNAs were identified based on the four small RNA libraries. Fifty-one significant differentially expressed (SDE) miRNAs were identified from six combinations by comparative analysis, and the expression patterns of these SDE miRNAs were divided into six subclusters by cluster analysis. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that the SDE miRNAs were primarily involved in the regulation of fat cell differentiation, regulation of lipid metabolism, regulation of fatty acid metabolism, and unsaturated fatty acid metabolism in the lipid metabolism- or deposition-related biological process categories. In addition, we constructed differentially expressed miRNA–mRNA interaction networks related to abdominal adipose development. The results showed that miRNA families, such as mir-30, mir-34, mir-199, mir-8, and mir-146, may have key roles in lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation and differentiation, and cell junctions during abdominal adipose tissue development in chickens.

Conclusions

This study determined the dynamic miRNA transcriptome and characterized the miRNA–mRNA interaction networks in Gushi chicken abdominal adipose tissue for the first time. The results expanded the number of known miRNAs in abdominal adipose tissue and provide novel insights and a valuable resource to elucidate post-transcriptional regulation mechanisms during postnatal late development of abdominal adipose tissue in chicken.
Knee septic arthritis caused by α-hemolytic Streptococcus in a patient with a recent history of knee arthroscopy: a case report
Authors: Balato Giovanni , Ascione Tiziana , Iorio Paolino , De Franco Cristiano , De Matteo Vincenzo , D’Addona Alessio , Tammaro Nicola , Pellegrino Achille
Published: October 2019

Background

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is a common procedure in orthopedic practice. Infections are uncommon complications of this procedure with an incidence rate of 0,01% - 3,4%. Staphylococcus spp are the predominant causative agents in such cases. We present a case of knee septic arthritis caused by α-hemolytic Streptococcus.

Case presentation

A 22-year-old woman diagnosed with obesity (body mass index [BMI] 35 kg/m2) but with no other major comorbidities underwent an arthroscopic selective meniscectomy with administration of intravenous cefazolin for antibiotic prophylaxis. After an uneventful period of 2 months, the patient returned with pain, fever and a discharging sinus at the site of anterolateral arthroscopic portal. Blood tests and magnetic resonance imaging revealed osteomyelitis involving the tibial plate. Cultures of synovial fluid obtained from the knee and a pharyngeal swab yielded α-hemolytic Streptococcus. Five days later, the patient underwent arthroscopic debridement with partial synovectomy. Intraoperative specimens yielded α-hemolytic Streptococcus. The patient received intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam, followed by an associative regimen of amoxicillin and clindamycin with clinical, laboratory and instrumental evidence of symptom resolution.

Conclusion

The incidence of knee septic arthritis after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is 0.01–3.4%. This infection is usually caused by Staphylococcus spp. and in rare cases by commensal bacteria, such as α-hemolytic streptococci, secondary to transient bacteremia. Screening of the colonized area is important to prevent possible transient bacteremia. Diagnosis is based on isolation of the causative organisms from synovial fluid cultures, and treatment comprises arthroscopic debridement with individualized systemic antibiotic therapy based on the results of an antibiogram.
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure with head cap fixation as a contributing factor to extensive scalp necrosis in a preterm neonate with early-onset sepsis and scalp hematoma
Authors: Zachhau P. , Gravergaard A. E. , Christesen H. T.
Published: October 2019

Background

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is widely used in the treatment and prevention of respiratory distress in preterm neonates, with only few severe adverse skin effects reported.

Case presentation

A preterm neonate was born at 34 + 1 weeks of gestation, birth weight 1860 g, and presented with early-onset sepsis (EOS) and scalp hematoma. He developed respiratory distress day 2 after birth. Antibiotics, nasal CPAP and other supportive treatment were initiated. A scalp hematoma in the occipital region was complicated by nasal CPAP cap pressure leading to an extensive scalp necrosis equaling 6% of the total body surface. Debridement and skin grafting were performed day 11, and 51, respectively. The boy survived with good healing of the skin graft.

Conclusion

The nasal CPAP head cap contributed to the development of severe, but potentially preventable, scalp necrosis in a preterm with birth-related scalp skin injury and EOS.
Retraction Note: An evaluation of the potential consequences of drilling titanium and tantalum implants during surgery - a pilot study
Authors: Skowronek Paweł , Olszewski Paweł , Święszkowski Wojciech , Sibiński Marcin , Synder Marek , Polguj Michał
Published: October 2019

The authors have retracted this article [1] because it constitutes redundant publication [2].
Correction to: Transcriptional factor six2 promotes the competitive endogenous RNA network between CYP4Z1 and pseudogene CYP4Z2P responsible for maintaining the stemness of breast cancer cells
Authors: Zheng Lufeng , Guo Qianqian , Xiang Chenxi , Liu Shijia , Jiang Yuzhang , Gao Lanlan , Ni Haiwei , Wang Ting , Zhao Qiong , Liu Hai , Xing Yingying , Wang Yaohui , Li Xiaoman , Xi Tao
Published: October 2019

The original article [1] contained an error in Fig. 7c whereby the same flow image was accidentally misused for the second and fourth group.
Hybrid liquid biphasic system for cell disruption and simultaneous lipid extraction from microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana CY-1 for biofuel production
Authors: Yew Guo Yong , Chew Kit Wayne , Malek Marlinda Abdul , Ho Yeek-Chia , Chen Wei-Hsin , Ling Tau Chuan , Show Pau Loke
Published: October 2019

Background

The extraction of lipids from microalgae requires a pretreatment process to break the cell wall and subsequent extraction processes to obtain the lipids for biofuels production. The multistep operation tends to incur high costs and are energy intensive due to longer process operations. This research work applies the combination of radicals from hydrogen peroxide with an organic solvent as a chemical pretreatment method for disrupting the cell wall of microalgae and simultaneously extracting lipids from the biomass in a one-step biphasic solution.

Result

Several parameters which can affect the biphasic system were analyzed: contact time, volume of solvent, volume ratio, type of organic solvent, biomass amount and concentration of solvents, to extract the highest amount of lipids from microalgae. The results were optimized and up to 83.5% of lipid recovery yield and 94.6% of enhancement was successfully achieved. The results obtain from GC-FID were similar to the analysis of triglyceride lipid standard.

Conclusion

The profound hybrid biphasic system shows great potential to radically disrupt the cell wall of microalgae and instantaneously extract lipids in a single-step approach. The lipids extracted were tested to for its comparability to biodiesel performance.
Whole genome analysis of Black Bengal goat from Savar Goat Farm, Bangladesh
Authors: Chowdhury Shah Md. Ziqrul Haq , Nazir K. H. M. Nazmul Hussain , Hasan Saam , Kabir Ajran , Mahmud Md. Muket , Robbani Mahdi , Tabassum Tahmina , Afroze Tamanna , Rahman Aura , Islam Md. Rafiqul , Hossain Maqsud
Published: October 2019

Objectives

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play critical roles in genetic diversity and disease. Many traits and diseases are linked with exonic SNPs that are significant for gene function, regulation or translation. This study focuses on SNPs that potentially act as the genetic basis for desirable traits in the Black Bengal Goat. This variety of goat is native to South Asia, and is identified as one of the most commercially important meat producing animals in the world. The aim of this study was to sequence the genome of Black Bengal Goats and identify SNPs that might play a significant role in determining meat quality in the organism. The study focuses on exonic SNPs for their greater likelihood of affecting the final translated protein product.

Results

Approximately 76,000 exonic variants were identified in the study. After filtration using a Wilcoxon test based score, the number came down to 49, 965 which were found to be distributed in 11,568 genes. The functional pathways affected by these variations included fatty acid metabolism and degradation, which are important processes that influence meat quality.
Comprehensive anatomic ontologies for lung development: A comparison of alveolar formation and maturation within mouse and human lung
Authors:   On behalf of the Ontology Subcommittee, Pan Huaqin ,   NHLBI Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program Consortium, Deutsch Gail H. , Wert Susan E.
Published: October 2019

Background

Although the mouse is widely used to model human lung development, function, and disease, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in alveolarization of the peripheral lung is incomplete. Recently, the Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to develop an integrated open access database (known as BREATH) to characterize the molecular and cellular anatomy of the developing lung. To support this effort, we designed detailed anatomic and cellular ontologies describing alveolar formation and maturation in both mouse and human lung.

Description

While the general anatomic organization of the lung is similar for these two species, there are significant variations in the lung’s architectural organization, distribution of connective tissue, and cellular composition along the respiratory tract. Anatomic ontologies for both species were constructed as partonomic hierarchies and organized along the lung’s proximal-distal axis into respiratory, vascular, neural, and immunologic components. Terms for developmental and adult lung structures, tissues, and cells were included, providing comprehensive ontologies for application at varying levels of resolution. Using established scientific resources, multiple rounds of comparison were performed to identify common, analogous, and unique terms that describe the lungs of these two species. Existing biological and biomedical ontologies were examined and cross-referenced to facilitate integration at a later time, while additional terms were drawn from the scientific literature as needed. This comparative approach eliminated redundancy and inconsistent terminology, enabling us to differentiate true anatomic variations between mouse and human lungs. As a result, approximately 300 terms for fetal and postnatal lung structures, tissues, and cells were identified for each species.

Conclusion

These ontologies standardize and expand current terminology for fetal and adult lungs, providing a qualitative framework for data annotation, retrieval, and integration across a wide variety of datasets in the BREATH database. To our knowledge, these are the first ontologies designed to include terminology specific for developmental structures in the lung, as well as to compare common anatomic features and variations between mouse and human lungs. These ontologies provide a unique resource for the LungMAP, as well as for the broader scientific community.
Feasibility of radioguided occult lesion localization of clip-marked lymph nodes for tailored axillary treatment in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy
Authors: Hellingman Daan , Donswijk Maarten L. , Winter-Warnars Gonneke A. O. , de Koekkoek-Doll Petra , Pinas Marilyn , Budde-van Namen Yvonne , Westerga Johan , Vrancken Peeters Marie-Jeanne T. F. D. , Kimmings Nikola , Stokkel Marcel P. M.
Published: October 2019

Background

Selective removal of initially tumor-positive axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) improves the accuracy of nodal staging and provides the opportunity for more tailored axillary treatment. This study evaluated whether radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) of clip-marked lymph nodes is feasible in clinical practice.

Methods

Prior to NST, a clip marker was placed inside a proven tumor-positive lymph node in all breast cancer patients (cTis-4N1-3 M0). After NST, technetium-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin was injected in the clip-marked lymph nodes. The next day, these ROLL-marked nodes were selectively removed at surgery to evaluate the pathological response of the axilla.

Results

Thirty-seven patients (38 axillae) underwent clip insertion. After NST, the clip was visible by ultrasound in 36 procedures (95%). In the other two patients, the ROLL-node injection was performed in a sonographically suspicious unclipped node (1), and near the clip under computed tomography guidance (1). Initial surgery successfully identified the ROLL-marked node with clip in 33 procedures (87%). Removed specimens in the other five procedures contained only the sonographically suspicious tumor-positive unclipped node (1), a node with signs of complete response but no clip (2), a clip without node (1), and tissue without node nor clip, and a second successful ROLL-node procedure was performed (1). Overall, 10 ROLL-marked nodes had no residual disease.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the ROLL procedure to identify clip-marked lymph nodes is feasible. This facilitates selective removal at surgery and may tailor axillary treatment in patients treated with NST.
Customized one-step preparation of sgRNA transcription templates via overlapping PCR Using short primers and its application in vitro and in vivo gene editing
Authors: Hu Zheng , Wang Li , Shi Zhaoying , Jiang Jing , Li Xiangning , Chen Yonglong , Li Kai , Luo Dixian
Published: October 2019

Overlap extension polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful technology for DNA assembly. Based on this technology, we synthesized DNA templates, which were transcribed into sgRNA in vitro, and further detected their efficiency of purified sgRNAs with Cas9 nuclease. The sgRNAs synthesized by this approach can effectively cleave the DNA fragments of interest in vitro and in vivo. Compared with the conventional method for generating sgRNA, it does not require construction of recombinant plasmids and design of primers to amplify sgRNA core fragment. Only several short primers with overlapped sequences are needed to assemble a DNA fragment as the template of sgRNA. This modified and simplified method is highly applicable and less time-consuming.