bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First case of mechanical compression by methylprednisolone crystals following transforaminal lumbar nerve root block for left sciatic pain leading to hyperesthesia and progressive weakness: A case report
Authors: Moghamis Isam Sami , El Ansari Walid , Abdelsalam Salahuddeen , Baco Abdul Moeen
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Lumbosacral nerve root blocks and epidural corticosteroid injections are commonly used for short-term pain relief among patients with degenerative spinal disc disease. Serious complications following these injections are rare, and there are only a few published papers on this subject. It is important that spine surgeons are aware of the potential complications, and the possible factors that contribute to such complications.

Presentation of case:

32-year-old Lebanese female presented with progressive weakness and hyperesthesia following a transforaminal lumbar nerve root corticosteroid particulate injection. The case was managed by surgical lumbar decompression.

Discussion:

Neurological complications following transforaminal/selective nerve root block are the most feared of all possible associated complications with epidurals blocks. It has been hypothesized that such a complication is mainly due to a spinal cord infarct from corticosteroid crystal. However, there are no previous reports that such progressive weakness and hyperesthesia could be due to the mechanical compression caused by corticosteroid particulate crystals themselves as confirmed in the current case.

Conclusions:

Progressive weakness and hyperesthesia following nerve root block could be due to the effect of the corticosteroid particles used in the injectate. Such complications could be simply avoided by the use of more dilutional volume of the local anaesthetic agent and/or using a non-particulate corticosteroid in order to avoid the adherence of the corticosteroid crystals to the nerve root sheath. This is the first case of post-nerve root block neurological complications due to mechanical compression caused by corticosteroid particulate crystals.

Highlights
Slavery and Sacred Texts
Authors: Watkins Jordan T.
Published: June 2021

In the decades before the Civil War, Americans appealed to the nation's sacred religious and legal texts - the Bible and the Constitution - to address the slavery crisis. The ensuing political debates over slavery deepened interpreters' emphasis on historical readings of the sacred texts, and in turn, these readings began to highlight the unbridgeable historical distances that separated nineteenth-century Americans from biblical and founding pasts. While many Americans continued to adhere to a belief in the Bible's timeless teachings and the Constitution's enduring principles, some antislavery readers, including Theodore Parker, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln, used historical distance to reinterpret and use the sacred texts as antislavery documents. By using the debate over American slavery as a case study, Jordan T. Watkins traces the development of American historical consciousness in antebellum America, showing how a growing emphasis on historical readings of the Bible and the Constitution gave rise to a sense of historical distance.
The Remaking of Republican Turkey
Authors: Danforth Nicholas
Published: June 2021

Between 1945 and 1960, the birth of a multi-party democracy and NATO membership radically transformed Turkey's foreign relations and domestic politics. As Turkish politicians, intellectuals and voters rethought their country's relationship with its past and its future to facilitate democratization, a new alliance with the United States was formed. In this book, Nicholas L. Danforth demonstrates how these transformations helped consolidate a consensus on the nature of Turkish modernity that continues to shape current political and cultural debates. He reveals the surprisingly nuanced and often paradoxical ways that both secular modernizers and their Islamist critics deployed Turkey's famous clichés about East and West, as well as tradition and modernity, to advance their agendas. By drawing on a diverse array of published and archival sources, Danforth offers a tour de force exploration of the relationship between democracy, diplomacy, modernity, Westernization, Ottoman historiography and religion in mid-century Turkey.
The Root Causes of Sudan's Civil Wars
Authors: Johnson Douglas H.
Published: June 2021

Expanded third edition of this key text on the complex underlying conditions of the civil war from the 1960s to the present day, including a new chapter on the current wars in Sudan's new south and South Sudan.
A Distinct Atmospheric Mode for California Precipitation
Authors: Chen Di , Norris Jesse , Goldenson Naomi , Thackeray Chad , Hall Alex
Published: June 2021

The hydrologic cycle in California is strongly influenced by wet‐season (November–April) precipitation. Here, we demonstrate the existence of an influential mode of North Pacific atmospheric pressure variability that regulates wet‐season precipitation variability over both northern and southern California. This mode, named as the “California precipitation mode” (CPM), is statistically distinct from other well‐known modes of pressure variability such as the Pacific‐North American pattern. In addition to controlling wet‐season mean precipitation, positive days of the CPM coincide with up to 90% of the extreme (>99th percentile) precipitation days and 76% of detected atmospheric rivers (ARs) days, while the negative days correspond with 60% of the dry days. CMIP6 models capture the CPM remarkably well, including its statistical separation from the other well‐known modes of pressure variability. The models also reproduce the CPM's strong association with California wet‐season precipitation, giving confidence in the models’ dynamics relating to regional hydrologic extremes. However, the models also exhibit biases in regional hydrologic extremes. The CPM is a useful way to understand the origins of those biases and select the more credible models for further analysis: Models with unrealistically strong gradients in the CPM pressure pattern generally oversimulate larger wet extremes and produce excessively long dry intervals in the historical period. Thus the hydrologic biases can be traced to the particular aspects of North Pacific atmospheric dynamics.
Consideration of Initial Cloud Droplet Size Distribution Shapes in Quantifying Different Entrainment‐Mixing Mechanisms
Authors: Luo Shi , Lu Chunsong , Liu Yangang , Gao Wenhua , Zhu Lei , Xu Xiaoqi , Li Junjun , Guo Xiaohao
Published: June 2021

Entrainment‐mixing process significantly affects cloud micro/macrophysics and the evaluation of aerosol indirect effects. However, it is still an open question as to how to quantify entrainment‐mixing mechanism for broad cloud droplet size distributions (CDSDs). Here, CDSDs with different spectral widths are used to initialize the Explicit Mixing Parcel Model to address this problem, and microphysical properties are compared for different CDSD widths. For relatively broad CDSDs, as the number concentration and liquid water content decrease, the volume‐mean radius and mean radius increase, which is opposite to the scenario for relatively narrow CDSDs and the homogeneous/inhomogeneous conceptual model. For the relatively broad CDSDs, such relationships could be mistaken as inhomogeneous mixing with subsequent ascent in analysis of the conventional microphysical mixing diagram. This then causes traditional homogenous mixing degrees to be unrealistically negative and not applicable for relatively broad CDSDs. New measures are introduced to explicitly account for the effect of CDSD spectral shapes on quantifying entrainment‐mixing mechanism. The new measures yield reasonable ranges of values that conform to the dynamical measures such as the Damköhler and transitional scale numbers, and their temporal variation can be explained physically. This study extends the measures of homogeneous mixing degrees from narrow to broad CDSDs, and sheds new light on the consideration of CDSD shapes in parameterizations of entrainment‐mixing mechanism.
The Effects of Ice Floe‐Floe Interactions on Pressure Ridging in Sea Ice
Authors: Damsgaard A. , Sergienko O. , Adcroft A.
Published: June 2021

The mechanical interactions between ice floes in the polar sea‐ice packs play an important role in the state and predictability of the sea‐ice cover. We use a Lagrangian‐based numerical model to investigate such floe‐floe interactions. Our simulations show that elastic and reversible deformation offers significant resistance to compression before ice floes yield with brittle failure. Compressional strength dramatically decreases once pressure ridges start to form, which implies that thicker sea ice is not necessarily stronger than thinner ice. The mechanical transition is not accounted for in most current sea‐ice models that describe ice strength by thickness alone. We propose a parameterization that describes failure mechanics from fracture toughness and Coulomb sliding, improving the representation of ridge building dynamics in particle‐based and continuum sea‐ice models.
Paleomagnetic Constraints on the India–Asia Collision and the Size of Greater India
Authors: Bian Weiwei , Yang Tianshui , Peng Wenxiao , Wang Suo , Gao Feng , Zhang Shihong , Wu Huaichun , Li Haiyan , Cao Liwan , Jiang Tian , Wang Huapei
Published: June 2021

The timing and location India–Asia collision is crucial to understanding the evolution of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen and global climate change; however, estimates of the timing of the India–Asia collision and the size of Greater India remain highly controversial. We report here the first reliable early Eocene paleomagnetic results from the Zhepure Formation limestone in the Tethyan Himalaya (TH). Both positive fold and reversal tests indicate a primary origin. The tilt‐corrected site‐mean direction is Ds = 332.6°, Is = 20.1°, ks = 90.9, α95 = 2.8° (N = 30). The site‐mean inclination increased from 20.1° to 27.5° after inclination shallowing correction, yielding a paleopole at 61.2°N, 337.3°E, A95 = 2.6° and a corresponding paleolatitude of 15.2° ± 2.6°N for the reference point (29.5°N, 91.0°E). Our new paleomagnetic results, together with the reliable Cretaceous to Paleogene paleomagnetic results from the TH, Lhasa terrane and Indian craton, suggest that there was ∼900–1,140 km north‐south crustal shortening occurred between the TH and the Indian craton, and that India collided with Asia at no later than ∼51–49.5 Ma.
Probabilistic Near‐Field Tsunami Source and Tsunami Run‐up Distribution Inferred From Tsunami Run‐up Records in Northern Chile
Authors: Lee Jun‐Whan , Irish Jennifer L. , Weiss Robert
Published: June 2021

Understanding a tsunami source and its impact is vital to assess a tsunami hazard. Thanks to the efforts of the tsunami survey teams, high‐quality tsunami run‐up data exist for contemporary events. Still, it has not been widely used to infer a tsunami source and its impact mainly due to the computational burden of the tsunami forward model. In this study, we propose a TRRF‐INV (Tsunami Run‐up Response Function‐based INVersion) model that can provide probabilistic estimates of a near‐field tsunami source and tsunami run‐up distribution from a small number of run‐up records. We tested the TRRF‐INV model with synthetic tsunami scenarios in northern Chile and applied it to the 2014 Iquique, Chile, tsunami event as a case study. The results demonstrated that the TRRF‐INV model can provide a reasonable tsunami source estimate to first order and estimate tsunami run‐up distribution well. Moreover, the case‐study results agree well with the United States Geological Survey report and the global Centroid Moment Tensor solution. We also analyzed the performance of the TRRF‐INV model depending on the number and the uncertainty of run‐up records. We believe that the TRRF‐INV model has the potential for supporting accurate hazard assessment by (1) providing new insights from tsunami run‐up records into the tsunami source and its impact, (2) using the TRRF‐INV model as a tool to support existing tsunami inversion models, and (3) estimating a tsunami source and its impact for ancient events where no data other than estimated run‐up from sediment deposit data exist.
Quantifying Nitrous Acid Formation Mechanisms Using Measured Vertical Profiles During the CalNex 2010 Campaign and 1D Column Modeling
Authors: Tuite Katie , Thomas Jennie L. , Veres Patrick R. , Roberts James M. , Stevens Philip S. , Griffith Stephen M. , Dusanter Sebastien , Flynn James H. , Ahmed Shaddy , Emmons Louisa , Kim Si‐Wan , Washenfelder Rebecca , Young Cora , Tsai Catalina , Pikelnaya Olga , Stutz Jochen
Published: June 2021

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important radical precursor that can impact secondary pollutant levels, especially in urban environments. Due to uncertainties in its heterogeneous formation mechanisms, models often under predict HONO concentrations. A number of heterogeneous sources at the ground have been proposed but there is no consensus about which play a significant role in the urban boundary layer. We present a new one‐dimensional chemistry and transport model which performs surface chemistry based on molecular collisions and chemical conversion, allowing us to add detailed HONO formation chemistry at the ground. We conducted model runs for the 2010 CalNex campaign, finding good agreement with observations for key species such as O3, NOx, and HOx. With the ground sources implemented, the model captures the diurnal and vertical profile of the HONO observations. Primary HOx production from HONO photolysis is 2–3 times more important than O3 or HCHO photolysis at mid‐day, below 10 m. The HONO concentration, and its contribution to HOx, decreases quickly with altitude. Heterogeneous chemistry at the ground provided a HONO source of 2.5 × 1011 molecules cm−2 s−1 during the day and 5 × 1010 molecules cm−2 s−1 at night. The night time source was dominated by NO2 hydrolysis. During the day, photolysis of surface HNO3/nitrate contributed 45%–60% and photo‐enhanced conversion of NO2 contributed 20%–45%. Sensitivity studies addressing the uncertainties in both photolytic mechanisms show that, while the relative contribution of either source can vary, HNO3/nitrate is required to produce a surface HONO source that is strong enough to explain observations.
A New Messinian87Sr/86Sr Curve for the Ain El Beida Section (Morocco): An Atlantic Perspective of the Mediterranean Salinity Crisis
Authors: Manzi Vinicio , Gennari Rocco , Lugli Stefano , Reghizzi Matteo , Roveri Marco
Published: June 2021

We present a new87Sr/86Sr curve for the time interval between 6.5 and 5.5 Ma of the Ain El Beida section (AEB, Atlantic side of Morocco). The location and the precessional‐scale resolution of our curve allow to investigate the possible relationships between global paleoclimatic and palaeoceanographic trends and the high‐amplitude hydrological changes of the Mediterranean during the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). The values, obtained from planktic foraminifers, plot in the upper portion of the global ocean curve and show long‐ (at eccentricity scale) and short‐term (precessional scale) oscillations; the latter are more evident during the maximum of eccentricity for both the 100 and 400 ka components, between 6.00 and 5.85 Ma. Negative87Sr/86Sr anomalies are observed at insolation minima in phase with δ18O maxima, marking the glacial stages from TG34 to TG26. It is unclear whether these oscillations originated from local (river runoff) or global (glacial/interglacial) climatic forcing. Conversely, the evaporites of the coeval Primary Lower Gypsum (5.97–5.62 Ma) accumulated in the Mediterranean at insolation minima show positive anomalies at glacial stages TG32, 30, 28, and 26. Such an opposite trend is possibly related to the greater sensitivity of the Mediterranean Sea to river runoff during insolation maxima compared to the global ocean, as recorded at the Moroccan Atlantic margin. These observations and the deviation toward lower values of the Mediterranean Sr isotope curve starting at around 6.5 Ma, support the hypothesis of a progressive restriction of the Atlantic connections since the early Messinian, leading to the MSC.
Assembly of multicomponent structures from hundreds of micron-scale building blocks using optical tweezers
Authors: Melzer Jeffrey E. , McLeod Euan
Published: June 2021

The fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microscale structures is critical for many applications, including strong and lightweight material development, medical device fabrication, microrobotics, and photonic applications. While 3D microfabrication has seen progress over the past decades, complex multicomponent integration with small or hierarchical feature sizes is still a challenge. In this study, an optical positioning and linking (OPAL) platform based on optical tweezers is used to precisely fabricate 3D microstructures from two types of micron-scale building blocks linked by biochemical interactions. A computer-controlled interface with rapid on-the-fly automated recalibration routines maintains accuracy even after placing many building blocks. OPAL achieves a 60-nm positional accuracy by optimizing the molecular functionalization and laser power. A two-component structure consisting of 448 1-µm building blocks is assembled, representing the largest number of building blocks used to date in 3D optical tweezer microassembly. Although optical tweezers have previously been used for microfabrication, those results were generally restricted to single-material structures composed of a relatively small number of larger-sized building blocks, with little discussion of critical process parameters. It is anticipated that OPAL will enable the assembly, augmentation, and repair of microstructures composed of specialty micro/nanomaterial building blocks to be used in new photonic, microfluidic, and biomedical devices.
Dapagliflozin increases the lean-to total mass ratio in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Wolf Vaneza Lira W. , Breder Ikaro , de Carvalho Luiz Sérgio F. , Soares Alexandre A. S. , Cintra Riobaldo M. , Barreto Joaquim , Munhoz Daniel B. , Kimura-Medorima Sheila T. , Nadruz Wilson , Guerra-Júnior Gil , Quinaglia Thiago , Muscelli Elza , Sposito Andrei C. ,   on behalf of Addenda-BHS2 trial investigators
Published: June 2021

We compared the effect of dapagliflozin versus glibenclamide on the ratio of lean-to total mass in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, carotid subclinical atherosclerosis, HbA1c 7.0–9.0% and 40–70 years-old. Ninety-eight patients (61% male; mean age 57 ± 7 years) were randomized into dapagliflozin 10 mg/day or glibenclamide 5 mg/day on top of metformin. Body composition was measured by Dual Energy X-Ray at randomization and after 12 weeks of treatment. Glycemic control was equivalent in both groups. Dapagliflozin decreased total body mass (−2741 g [95% CI: −3360 to 1945]; p < 0.001) and lean mass (−347 g [95% CI: −761 to −106]; p < 0.001), while glibenclamide increased total body mass (1060 g [95% CI: 140 to 1836]; p < 0.001) and lean mass (929 g [95% CI: 575 to 1283]; p < 0.001) for the differences between arms. The lean-to-total mass ratio increased by 1.2% in the dapagliflozin group and 0,018% in the glibenclamide group (p < 0.001). Dapagliflozin reduced the risk of a negative balance in the lean-to total mass ratio [OR: 0.16 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.45); p < 0.001] even after adjustment for baseline lean-to total mass ratio, waist circumference, HOMAIR, HbA1c, mean of the two hands handgrip strength and gait speed [OR: 0.13 (95% CI: 0.03–0.57); p < 0.007]. In conclusion, under equivalent glycemic control, dapagliflozin reduced total body mass but increased the ratio of lean-to-total mass when compared with glibenclamide.
Critical requirement of SOS1 RAS-GEF function for mitochondrial dynamics, metabolism, and redox homeostasis
Authors: García-Navas Rósula , Liceras-Boillos Pilar , Gómez Carmela , Baltanás Fernando C. , Calzada Nuria , Nuevo-Tapioles Cristina , Cuezva José M. , Santos Eugenio
Published: June 2021

SOS1 ablation causes specific defective phenotypes in MEFs including increased levels of intracellular ROS. We showed that the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant MitoTEMPO restores normal endogenous ROS levels, suggesting predominant involvement of mitochondria in generation of this defective SOS1-dependent phenotype. The absence of SOS1 caused specific alterations of mitochondrial shape, mass, and dynamics accompanied by higher percentage of dysfunctional mitochondria and lower rates of electron transport in comparison to WT or SOS2-KO counterparts. SOS1-deficient MEFs also exhibited specific alterations of respiratory complexes and their assembly into mitochondrial supercomplexes and consistently reduced rates of respiration, glycolysis, and ATP production, together with distinctive patterns of substrate preference for oxidative energy metabolism and dependence on glucose for survival. RASless cells showed defective respiratory/metabolic phenotypes reminiscent of those of SOS1-deficient MEFs, suggesting that the mitochondrial defects of these cells are mechanistically linked to the absence of SOS1-GEF activity on cellular RAS targets. Our observations provide a direct mechanistic link between SOS1 and control of cellular oxidative stress and suggest that SOS1-mediated RAS activation is required for correct mitochondrial dynamics and function.
Long-term, low-dose macrolide antibiotic treatment in pediatric chronic airway diseases
Authors: Sun Jialiang , Li Yanan
Published: June 2021

Macrolide antibiotics are one of the most commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics. They have an inhibitory effect on a variety of respiratory pathogens; besides, they have non-anti-infective effects, including anti-inflammatory, regulating airway secretion, immune regulation, and other effects. A growing number of studies have shown that the non-anti-infective effects of macrolides have important and potential value in the treatment of pediatric chronic airway diseases; the therapy was described as “long-term, low-dose usage”; unfortunately, there is no guideline or consensus that applies to children. To better carry out the mechanism and clinical research of non-anti-infective effect and promote its rational use in children, the authors summarize the evidence of the usage of long-term, low-dose macrolide antibiotic therapy (LLMAT) in the treatment of chronic airway diseases in children and the progress in recent years.

Impact

This review summarizes the evidence (mostly in recent 5 years) of the usage of long-term, low-dose macrolide antibiotic therapy in the treatment of chronic airway diseases.

The recent studies and guidelines support and enrich the point that long-term, low-dose macrolide antibiotic therapy has potential benefit for children with severe asthma, CF, non-CF bronchiectasis, and BO, which provides clinical references and is of clinical interest.

Long-term, low-dose macrolide antibiotic therapy has good safety, and no serious events have been reported; however, potential cardiac side effects and macrolide resistance should be clinically noted.
H2A.Z acetylation by lincZNF337-AS1 via KAT5 implicated in the transcriptional misregulation in cancer signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yuan Yin , Cao Wen , Zhou Hongbing , Qian Haixin , Wang Honggang
Published: June 2021

In eukaryotes, histones and their variants are essential for chromatin structure and function; both play important roles in the regulation of gene transcription, as well as the development of tumors. We aimed to explore the genomics data of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), combined with literature analysis, in terms of the histone variant H2A.Z. Cell phenotype assay confirmed the effect of H2A.Z on the proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, and cell cycle of HCC cells. H2A.Z was shown to function via the tumor dysregulation signaling pathway, with BCL6 as its interacting protein. In addition, the acetylation level of H2A.Z was higher in HCC and was related to tumor formation. We found the acetylation of H2A.Z to be related to and regulated by lincZNF337-AS1. LincZNF337-AS1 was found to bind to H2A.Z and KAT5 at different sites, promoting the acetylation of H2A.Z through KAT5. We concluded that, in HCC, H2A.Z is an oncogene, whose acetylation promotes the transcription of downstream genes, and is regulated by lincZNF331-AS1.
Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts derived exosomes modulate breast cancer cell stemness through exonic circHIF1A by miR-580-5p in hypoxic stress
Authors: Zhan Yanxia , Du Junxian , Min Zhihui , Ma Li , Zhang Wei , Zhu Wei , Liu Yonglei
Published: June 2021

Hypoxia is a common phenomenon in solid tumors. The roles of exosomes from hypoxic breast cancer stroma are less studied. So, the study was aimed to investigate the role of exosomes from hypoxic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) cells in breast cancer. The circRNA array analysis was performed to screen differential expressed circRNAs between hypoxic and normoxic CAFs exosomes. Candidate circHIF1A (circ_0032138) was screened out and it was confirmed that circHIF1A was up-regulated in the exosomes from hypoxic CAFs and their exosomes. Through investigating cellular functions including cell proliferation and stem cell features, it was demonstrated that hypoxic CAFs exosomes transferred circHIF1A into breast cancer cells, which played an important role in cancer stem cell properties sponging miR-580-5p by regulating CD44 expression. In a summary, circHIF1A from hypoxic CAFs exosomes played an important role in stem cell properties of breast cancer. CircHIF1A may act as a target molecule of breast cancer therapy.
Well-dispersed Te-doped mesoporous carbons as Pt-free counter electrodes for high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Ji Jung-Min , Kim Chang Ki , Kim Hwan Kyu
Published: June 2021

The newly developed tellurium-doped carbon materials outperformed the Pt counter electrode (CE)-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and showed remarkable electrochemical stability in both cobalt and iodide electrolytes compared to Pt CE.
Hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticle assisted catanionic surfactant supramolecular solvent microextraction of multiresidue antibiotics in water samples
Authors: Xu Jia , Li Cao , Li Xiao , Xiao Yuxiu
Published: June 2021

A novel extraction technique based on hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticles and catanionic surfactant SUPRAS microextraction was proposed for the rapid extraction and sensitive detection of SAs and FQs in water samples.
Promoting effect of MXenes on 1T/2H–MoSe2 for hydrogen evolution
Authors: Shao Zhitao , Wu Lili , Ye Hongfeng , Ma Xinzhi , Zhang Xitian , Li Lu
Published: June 2021

The 1T/2H–MoSe2/Ti3C2 composites integrated via a facile hydrothermal method exhibit an optimal overpotential of 150 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, indicating that Ti3C2 is an ideal conductive support for building highly efficient electrocatalysts.
Poly(methylhydrosiloxane) as a reductant in the catalytic base-free Wittig reaction
Authors: Tönjes Jan , Longwitz Lars , Werner Thomas
Published: June 2021

PMHS proved to be a suitable terminal reductant for P(iii)/P(v) redox cycling with a methyl-substituted phosphetane as catalyst and BuOAc as solvent. The formation of water by silanol condensation was identified as main pathway of siloxane formation.
The intimate coupling of photocatalysis and biodegradation for the degradation and mineralization of atrazine in water
Authors: Zhang Linchao , Zhang Yu , Xiao Kefeng , Shi Jinsheng , Du Xiuxiu , Wang Lili , Wu Xia
Published: June 2021

A Bi2WO6/CN heterojunction can produce active species to break atrazine into biodegradable intermediates, which are quickly mineralized by biofilms.
Supramolecular assemblies involving biologically relevant antiparallel π-stacking and unconventional solvent driven structural topology in maleato and fumarato bridged Zn(ii) coordination polymers: antiproliferative evaluation and theoretical studies
Authors: Das Amal , Sharma Pranay , Frontera Antonio , Barcelo-Oliver Miquel , Verma Akalesh K. , Ahmed Ruksana Sultana , Hussain Sahid , Bhattacharyya Manjit K.
Published: June 2021

In vitro anticancer activities have been explored in solvent driven maleato and fumarato bridged Zn(ii) coordination polymers involving energetically significant antiparallel π-stacking and enclathrated guest MeOH/H2O moieties.
A general approach to nitrile- and sulfonyl fluoride-substituted cyclopropanes
Authors: Zhang Zai-Wei , Rakesh K. P. , Liu Jing , Qin Hua-Li , Tang Haolin
Published: June 2021

A method for the synthesis of nitrile- and sulfonyl fluoride-substituted cyclopropanes through cyclization of 2-arylethensulfonyl fluorides with sulfur salt, is developed.
Head Impulse Test Paradigm and Suppression Head Impulse Test Paradigm in Individuals With and Without Motion Sickness
Authors: Kumar Rakesh T. , Sinha Sujeet Kumar
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) gain using both the Head Impulse Test Paradigm (HIMP) and Suppressive Head Impulse Test Paradigm (SHIMP) in individuals with motion sickness.

Method

Fifty eight participants (58 females) in the age range of 18–25 years were recruited for the study. The participants were divided into two groups, Group A had 29 participants with no motion sickness, and Group B consisted of 29 individuals who had motion sickness. All the participants underwent HIMP and SHIMP testing.

Results

None of the participants had a presence of saccades in the HIMP technique, and all the participants in both the groups had anticompensatory saccades in SHIMP technique. Also, there was no difference in VOR gain or VOR gain asymmetry between individuals with and without motion sickness using HIMP and SHIMP Techniques.

Conclusions

The results of the study show no differences in VOR gain between individuals with and without motion sickness. It has been reported that only low frequencies trigger the motion sickness. Since the Video Head Impulse Test assesses the high frequency, it may not be an ideal technique to evaluate the vestibular system in individuals with motion sickness.
Intraword Variability in French-Speaking Monolingual and Bilingual Children
Authors: Kehoe Margaret M. , Cretton Emilie
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study examines intraword variability in 40 typically developing French-speaking monolingual and bilingual children, aged 2;6–4;8 (years;months). Specifically, it measures rate of intraword variability and investigates which factors best account for it. They include child-specific ones such as age, expressive vocabulary, gender, bilingual status, and speech sound production ability, and word-specific factors, such as phonological complexity (including number of syllables), phonological neighborhood density (PND), and word frequency.

Method

A variability test was developed, consisting of 25 words, which differed in terms of phonological complexity, PND, and word frequency. Children produced three exemplars of each word during a single session, and productions of words were coded as variable or not variable. In addition, children were administered an expressive vocabulary test and two tests tapping speech motor ability (oral motor assessment and diadochokinetic test). Speech sound ability was also assessed by measuring percent consonants correct on all words produced by the children during the session. Data were entered into a binomial logistic regression.

Results

Average intraword variability was 29% across all children. Several factors were found to predict intraword variability including age, gender, bilingual status, speech sound production ability, phonological complexity, and PND.

Conclusions

Intraword variability was found to be lower in French than what has been reported in English, consistent with phonological differences between French and English. Our findings support those of other investigators in indicating that the factors influencing intraword variability are multiple and reflect sources at various levels in the speech processing system.
Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives of Siblings of Children With Cochlear Implants
Authors: Warner-Czyz Andrea D. , Wiseman Kathryn B. , Nelson Jackie A.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The sibling relationship teaches children to navigate social interactions with their peers. However, the presence of an exceptionality, such as hearing loss, in one child can affect the dynamic of this relationship. This article examines quantitative and qualitative effects of having a brother or sister with a cochlear implant (CI) on siblings with typical hearing (TH) to determine how children with TH perceive their sibling with a CI and how having a CI user in the family affects the sibling's activities, emotions, and parental attention.

Method

Participants include 36 siblings with TH (
M
age
= 11.6 years) of CI users (
M
age
= 11.9 years) who completed quantitative measures of their perspectives of their brother/sister with CIs and the effect of hearing loss on themselves. Siblings with TH also could express their opinions via open-ended prompts.

Results

Overall, siblings with TH express positive perspectives of their brother/sister with CIs and report having a CI user in the family does not affect them much, particularly if the CI user has adequate communication skills. Responses to both quantitative and qualitative items converge on the close relationship between siblings but diverge relative to differential attention from parents (i.e., open-ended responses suggest parents spend more time with the CI user than the sibling with TH). Additionally, siblings acknowledge the presence of social communication deficits of the CI user in real-world situations.

Conclusion

This nuanced look at relationships among the parent, CI user, and sibling with TH highlights the importance of understanding the family system when working with children with hearing loss.
Restoration Strategies Following Short-Term Vocal Exertion in Healthy Young Adults
Authors: Fujiki Robert Brinton , Huber Jessica E. , Sivasankar M. Preeti
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of a 10-min vocal exertion task on voice and respiratory measures, to determine whether restorative strategies can mitigate these effects after cessation of exertion, and to assess whether these strategies continue to reduce these detrimental effects when vocal exertion is resumed.

Method

A prospective, repeated-measures design was used. On consecutive days, 20 participants (equal men and women) completed two vocal exertion tasks separated by 10 min of restoration strategies: vocal rest or controlled phonation (low-level tissue mobilization using straw phonation). Voice and respiratory data were collected at baseline, following the first exertion task, after restoration strategies, and after the second exertion task. Outcome measures included (a) vocal effort, (b) phonation threshold pressure, (c) maximum and minimum fundamental frequencies, (d) cepstral peak prominence of connected speech, (e) lung volume initiation and termination, (f) percent vital capacity expended per syllable, and (g) number of syllables per breath group.

Results

A worsening of phonation threshold pressure (p< .001), vocal effort (p< .001), and increase of minimum fundamental frequency (p= .007) were observed after vocal exertion. Lung volume initiation (p< .001) and lung volume termination (p< .001) increased. These changes were largely reversed by restoration strategies, but only controlled phonation prevented exertion-induced changes in respiratory kinematic measures on a subsequent vocal exertion task.

Conclusions

Exertion-induced voice changes occur rapidly and may be mitigated by either controlled phonation or vocal rest. Controlled phonation is recommended as a superior strategy due to evidence of a protective effect on a successive vocal exertion task.
Low‐voltage linear bootstrapped sampling switch with a‐InGaZnO TFTs
Authors: Tiwari Bhawna , Bahubalindruni Pydi Ganga , Pedda Sujit
Published: June 2021

This letter presents a novel linear bootstrapped sampling switch using amorphous indium‐gallium‐zinc‐oxide thin‐film transistors, which is designed using all enhancement n‐type transistors. The switch is simulated at a low supply voltage and a small transistor channel length of 2V and 2m, respectively. The simulation results across the process corners have shown a maximum variation of 2.2% in the on‐resistance of the switch. Moreover, the worst‐case signal to‐noise‐and‐distortion‐ratio, spurious‐free‐dynamic‐range, and total‐harmonic‐distortion across the process corners have been observed as 66, 70 and −68dB, respectively, at a sampling frequency of 50 kHz. This circuit finds potential applications in implementing an analogue‐to‐digital converter with oxide thin‐film transistors technology, which is an essential block in flexible sensing systems.
Trip destination prediction based on a deep integration network by fusing multiple features from taxi trajectories
Authors: Tang Jinjun , Liang Jian , Yu Tianjian , Xiong Yong , Zeng Guoliang
Published: June 2021

Trip destination prediction plays an important role in exploring urban travel patterns. Accurate prediction can improve the efficiency of traffic management and the quality of location‐based services. Here, a deep learning structure that contains three components: travel information extraction, classification learning mechanism, and output module is proposed. Three types of information (the partial trajectory of on‐going trips, historical trajectories, and related external information) are extracted in the first component. Then, the classification learning mechanism chooses different methods (i.e. Long Short‐Term Memory network and Embedding technology) according to the characteristic of variables. Finally, an output layer that integrates the prior information about destinations is constructed. Two open‐source trajectory datasets are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Results show that the proposed model outperforms benchmark models using only part of the information or using all of the information but ignore the classification learning mechanism. The performance of the proposed model under different call types and travel durations is further explored. The result of this study will help understand travel behaviour in urban cities.
The performance of in‐building measurement‐based path loss modelling using kriging
Authors: Diago‐Mosquera M. E. , Aragón‐Zavala A. , Vargas‐Rosales C.
Published: June 2021

An accuracy evaluation analysis of a novel in‐building measurement‐based path loss prediction narrowband model is presented here, comparing the performance of Kriging‐aided shadowing prediction against the most traditional assumption of slow fading as a random variable and a classical estimation derived from linear interpolation. Extensive radio measurements were employed using distinct samples to calibrate (tuning dataset) and validate (testing dataset) the model. Path loss predictions are made over the testing dataset locations to compare it against the measured values, thus obtaining an error in the prediction from the difference between measurements and predictions. The results in the seven buildings evaluated show the potential of Kriging‐aided channel modelling with a higher level of confidence than other modelling approaches compared hereafter.
Research on the Safety Monitoring Scheme for Old Building under Limited Funds
Authors: Huang Xiaocai , Shi Yuanfeng , Mao Ling , Yang Luyu , Wang Mohan
Published: June 2021

The importance of ensuring the security of old buildings in unsatisfying and worrying safety state is definitely certain. As it is of high cost to implement comprehensive safety monitoring, it is necessary to establish an optimization model of old housing safety monitoring scheme combined with technology and economy. To obtain the relatively most efficient means of choosing specific schemes of the safety monitoring of old housing, analytic hierarchy process is selected, which is capable of reducing complexity.
Primary Bone Lymphoma: An Experience of a Regional Cancer Center from India
Authors: Mahajan Rohit , Yadav Budhi Singh , Sharma Suresh Chander , Gupta Ankita , Kumar Shikhar
Published: June 2021

Background Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease, representing <5% of all extranodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs). The optimal treatment strategy is still unclear. Here, we report our institutional outcome analysis of patients diagnosed with PBL.

Materials and Methods From 2007 to 2014, the medical records of 22 patients with PBL were reviewed. Analysis was done for symptom-, patient-, disease-, and treatment-related characteristics. All patients were treated with chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Treatment response and impact of different prognostic factors on clinical outcome were analyzed.

Results The median age of presentation was 44 years (range: 18–70 years). A total of 19 (86.4%) patients were ≤60 years of age and 3 (13.6%) patients were >60 years. Out of all, 18 were males and 4 were females. Ann Arbor clinical staging at diagnosis was Stage I in 13 (59.1%), Stage II in 3 (13.6%), Stage III in 2 (9.1%), and Stage IV in 4 (18.2%) patients. Spine was the most common site of involvement seen in 12 (54.5%) patients. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma histology was seen in 8 (36.4%) patients and 8 (36.4%) had high-grade NHL. Chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone was given to 20 (90.9%) patients, whereas 2 (9.1%) patients received cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab. Radiotherapy (30-40 Gy) was delivered to 19 (86.4%) patients. The median follow-up period was 40 months (range: 8–105 months). The overall response rate was 86.3% with complete response (CR) in 15 (68.1%) and partial response in 4 (18.2%) patients. Relapses were seen in three (13.5%) patients: two nodal, and one in the bone. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) at 5 years were 56.6 and 72.7%, respectively. CR after initial treatment was associated with a significant better OS, 80 and 25%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Age, sex, stage, International Prognostic Index, histologic subtype, and number of sites had no significant influence on OS. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy (with or without rituximab) also did not improve the OS or DFS of patients.

Conclusion In spite of small number of patients reported in this study, conventional chemotherapy remains an effective treatment option for patients with PBL. OS was found to be affected by the initial response to treatment.
Role of Maintenance Gemcitabine in Advanced Carcinoma Gallbladder
Authors: Sharma Manish , Talwar Vineet , Maheshwari Udip , Koyyala Venkata Pradeep Babu , Goel Varun , Goyal Sumit , Dash Prasanta Kumar , Batra Ullas , Bajaj Rajat , Yadav Abhishek , Goyal Pankaj , Doval Dinesh Chandra
Published: June 2021

Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of gemcitabine maintenance on progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with metastatic gallbladder cancer (GBC).

Materials and Methods Sixty patients with unresectable or metastatic GBC having ongoing response to treatment with initial six cycles of gemcitabine and a platinum-based doublet chemotherapy were prospectively randomized on day 21 of the 6th cycle in 1:1 fashion to receive either maintenance gemcitabine 1 g/m2 intravenously on day 1 and day 8 of three weekly cycle or observation. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and comparisons by the log-rank test. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results Of 60 patients, a total of 56 were available for final analysis. The median PFS was 4.7 months (3.1–6.3) in gemcitabine arm and 2.6 months (2.4–2.8) in observation arm, hazard ratio (HR) 0.196 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.1–0.39), p < 0.001. Median overall survival in gemcitabine arm was 12.4 months (9.15–15.6) as opposed to 9.9 months (8.29–11.5) in observation arm, HR 0.76 (95% CI: 0.43–1.35), p = 0.354. The grade 3 or 4 side effects in maintenance arm were transaminitis (17.9%), thrombocytopenia (17.8%), neutropenia (14.2%), and febrile neutropenia (7.1%).

Conclusions Maintenance gemcitabine therapy in unresectable/metastatic GBC patients responding to first-line gemcitabine and platinum treatment contributes to increase PFS with minimal and manageable side effects.
Tuberculosis Coexistence in Pediatric Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A Tropical Country Experience
Authors: Padma Maneya , Kumar Nuthan , Munireddy Jyothi , Kumar Arun , Gujjal Pooja Chebbi , Premalata S. Chennagiri
Published: June 2021

Introduction Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), being one of the common cancers among children, may occasionally masquerade as an infectious illness. Similarly, an underlying infection like tuberculosis (TB) may be missed in cases of HL because of similarity in clinical and radiological features. Here, we present our data of association of HL with histopathologically proven TB lymph node, their clinical presentation, treatment details, and outcome.

Materials and Methods A retrospective review of all the cases of HL diagnosed between January 2007 and December 2016 was done. The cases which had an association of TB, based on the histopathology, were reviewed separately.

Results A total of 262 children with HL were treated at our institute from January 2007 to December 2016. Of these cases, 42 children had received empirical antitubercular therapy (ATT) (due to suspicion of TB) before presenting to us, and only five cases had histopathologically proven TB lymph node. Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) stain for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) was positive in the biopsy specimen of all the five cases, proving TB lymph node coexistence with HL. They were treated with six-drug ATT as per the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) guidelines along with chemotherapy with adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine regimen. All the five patients are healthy and disease free until their last follow-up.

Conclusion A high-end suspicion for concomitant TB and HL is needed, especially in our country where TB is still rampant. Biopsy with immunohistochemistry and demonstration of AFB can enable a definite diagnosis of both the entities.
Violence against Health Care Professionals and Facilities—Local Insights about a Global Malady
Authors: Nagpal Neeraj , Nagpal Nimisha , Kataria Nilanshu , Parikh Purvish
Published: June 2021

Acts of violence against health care professionals (especially doctors) as well as facilities are a growing global problem. In our country, it has taken an unfortunate dramatic turn of the involvement of a mob—a ragtag group of persons who organize and perpetrate the crime based on community, caste, religion, or political affiliations. This crucial factor is the fundamental difference in what we face as compared with the so-called Yi Nao phenomenon of China. In India, the mob gathers and indulges in acts of violence, intimidation, and blackmail at the behest of its “leader,” often having no direct relationship with the deceased patient. It is premeditated and systematic vandalism. Often it is also associated with financial gain to the perpetrators through extortion and blackmail, adding to the woes of the health care professionals and hospital facility. We discuss what is the primary goal and what is a byproduct in this cycles of violence against the people who are doing their best to save the lives of patients. Unless the governments and the courts take this matter seriously as well as follow-up with corrective measures, the future looks bleak for all stakeholders.