bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase III, Randomized Study of Dual Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) Blockade With Lapatinib Plus Trastuzumab in Combination With an Aromatase Inhibitor in Postmenopausal Women With HER2-Positive, Hormone Receptor–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Updated Results of ALTERNATIVE
Authors: Johnston Stephen R. D. , Hegg Roberto , Im Seock-Ah , Park In Hae , Burdaeva Olga , Kurteva Galina , Press Michael F. , Tjulandin Sergei , Iwata Hiroji , Simon Sergio D. , Kenny Sarah , Sarp Severine , Izquierdo Miguel A. , Williams Lisa S. , Gradishar William J.
Published: August 2020

PURPOSE

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) targeting plus endocrine therapy (ET) improved clinical benefit in HER2-positive, hormone receptor (HR)–positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) versus ET alone. Dual HER2 blockade enhances clinical benefit versus single HER2 blockade. The ALTERNATIVE study evaluated the efficacy and safety of dual HER2 blockade plus aromatase inhibitor (AI) in postmenopausal women with HER2-positive/HR-positive MBC who received prior ET and prior neo(adjuvant)/first-line trastuzumab (TRAS) plus chemotherapy. This updated article reflects minor numerical corrections in some secondary efficacy analyses that resulted from programming errors and that do not change the major conclusions of the study.

METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive lapatinib (LAP) plus TRAS plus AI, TRAS plus AI, or LAP plus AI. Patients for whom chemotherapy was intended were excluded. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS; investigator assessed) with LAP plus TRAS plus AI versus TRAS plus AI. Secondary end points were PFS (comparison of other arms), overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR), and safety.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty-five patients were included in this analysis: LAP plus TRAS plus AI (n = 120), TRAS plus AI (n = 117), and LAP plus AI (n = 118). Baseline characteristics were balanced. The study met its primary end point; superior PFS was observed with LAP plus TRAS plus AI versus TRAS plus AI (median PFS, 11 v 5.6 months; hazard ratio, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.45 to 0.88]; P = .0063). A consistent PFS benefit was observed in predefined subgroups. ORR, CBR, and OS also favored LAP plus TRAS plus AI. The median PFS with LAP plus AI versus TRAS plus AI was 8.3 versus 5.6 months (hazard ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.62 to 1.17]; P = .3159). Common adverse events (AEs; ≥ 15%) with LAP plus TRAS plus AI, TRAS plus AI, and LAP plus AI were diarrhea (69%, 9%, and 51%, respectively), rash (36%, 2%, and 28%, respectively), nausea (22%, 9%, and 22%, respectively), and paronychia (30%, 0%, and 15%, respectively), mostly grade 1 or 2. Serious AEs were reported similarly across the 3 groups, and AEs leading to discontinuation were lower with LAP plus TRAS plus AI.

CONCLUSION

Dual HER2 blockade with LAP plus TRAS plus AI showed superior PFS benefit versus TRAS plus AI in patients with HER2-positive/HR-positive MBC. This combination offers an effective and safe chemotherapy-sparing alternative treatment regimen for this patient population.
Trastuzumab-mediated cardiotoxicity in the nontrial setting: Evaluation of patients receiving adjuvant trastuzumab at an academic centre
Authors: Withrow D. , Verma S. , Dent R. , Ahmed S. , Fralick J. , Dranitsaris G. , Petrella T.
Published: August 2020

e11550

Background: Trastuzumab is effective in the treatment of HER-2 positive breast cancer. Although clinical trials have shown an increased risk of cardiotoxicity associated with trastuzumab, this risk has not been well studied in the non-trial setting. This study aims to examine (1) the incidence of cardiotoxicity associated with trastuzumab in the clinical setting (2) the relationship, if any, between risk factors and incidence of cardiotoxicity and (3) cardiac monitoring practices. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients receiving adjuvant trastuzumab therapy between August 2005 and May 2008, at a Canadian academic centre. The incidence of cardiotoxicity, defined as a significant reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (drop of >10% leading to an ejection fraction of <50%) and/or New York Heart Association class III-IV CHF symptoms requiring trastuzumab delay or discontinuation was evaluated. Medical charts and patient surveys provided demographics, risk factors and cardiac toxicity for each patient. Results: 183 patients were included in the study. The average age of participating patients was 54.8 years and 51% of participants had node positive cancer. 72% were treated sequentially with Trastuzumab and 88% received anthracyclines. The incidence of cardiotoxicity was 6.0% (n=11). Upon univariate analysis, patient age was found to be the only variable significantly associated with the occurrence of cardiotoxicity (OR: 3.55, 95% CI 1.76–90.0). Left ventricular function was monitored by serial MUGA scan every 3.35 ±1.89 months as compared to the 3 month gold standard in clinical trials. Conclusions: In this study the incidence of cardiotoxicity was 6.0%. Patient age was the only significant variable associated with cardiotoxicity, as expected from previous studies. Clinically, this suggests that older patients may need more frequent monitoring for cardiac dysfunction via MUGA and/or ECHO scans. Future research needs to address the relationship between treatment regimens and the incidence of cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, we need to better define cardiotoxicity and the clinical significance of cardiac related symptoms.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Significance of CA 27.29 (MUC 1 glycoprotein) levels in patients with breast cancer
Authors: Ghai V. , Harvey H. A. , Abbi K. K. , Barochia A. , Bhardwaj C. , Demers L. M.
Published: August 2020

e11579

Background: ASCO guidelines do not support the use of CA 15–3 and CA 27.29 for monitoring patients for recurrence after primary breast cancer therapy. However, several well-designed studies have shown that an increase in CA 15–3 or CA 27.29 after primary and/or adjuvant therapy can predict recurrence an average of 5 to 6 months before other symptoms or tests. We wanted to assess the significance of measuring the tumor marker (CA 27.29 levels) to monitor the clinical progress of breast cancer. Methods: After IRB approval, we conducted a retrospective chart review of 392 patients with breast cancer who had regular monitoring of CA 27.29 levels following the diagnosis of breast cancer. A total of 2671 values of CA 27.29 were evaluated from our institution over the past 5 years (2003–2008). Patient CA 27.29 levels were correlated with clinical progression of the disease (diagnostic imaging and history and physical examinations). Results: Out of 330 patients with Stage I, II, and III after treatment with adjuvant therapy, 316 had no evidence of disease (NED) and had normal levels(<38) of CA 27.29. Out of the14 patients with clinical evidence of disease recurrence, 3 had persistently elevated levels. Of the 62 patients with stage IV breast cancer following cheomotherapy, 29 patients had clinical progression of disease with 20 (69%) patients showing increasing levels. Out of the 33 patients with no evidence of progression of disease only 4(12%) had increasing levels. Conclusions: Our trend analysis concludes that a normal CA 27.29 level in patients with Stage I, II, and III, after adjuvant treatment, correlates well with clinically NED status and might be of reassuring benefit to the patients. However, increasing levels of CA27.29 in metastatic disease correlate well with clinical progression of the disease. A large multicenter prospective study is warranted to further assess the role of CA 27.29 for disease monitoring in locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Sentinel node biopsy in Asian breast cancer patients: An observation study of 1,000 consecutive patients treated at a single institute
Authors: Kawaguchi H. , Shigematsu H. , Koga C. , Mori E. , Nishimura S. , Nakamura Y. , Nishiyama K. , Esaki T. , Ohno S.
Published: August 2020

e11584

Background: In woman with breast cancer, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) provides staging information and a favorable effect on quality of life if the SLN does not have metastasis. While many reports already showed safety and reliability about SLNB for breast cancer patients in Western countries, few reports have published from Asian countries. Our purpose of this study is to prove the technical success, accuracy and safety of this method for Asian population. Methods: We did feasibility study of 183 patients from 2000 to 2002. After that, we evaluated detection rate, positive rate, axillary relapse rate in 1,000 consecutive patients who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer at a single institute in Japan from 2002 to August 2008. In this series, both radioactive agent (technetium) and vital blue die (indigocarmine) were used to investigate the SLNs. Results: We could accurately predict SLNs in 994 (99.4%) of the 1,000 patients. The proportion of technical success was high regardless of surgeon's experience. Intraoperative frozen section histology showed that positive SLNs were found in 176 (17.7%) patients (13 micrometastasis and 163 macrometastasis). Defenitive histology found metastasis in 24 cases who defined as negative by the frozen section examination. 15 of 24 (62.5%) cases underwent delayed axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) after definitive histology. The histological concordance between frozen section and permanent sections of SLNs was 97.6%. Finally, 796 patients were followed up without ALND. With a median follow-up time of 3.5 years (0.5–5.2), axillary lymph node recurrence were occurred in 5 patients (5 of 796, 0.6%). The relapse time since SLNB ranged from 16 to 33 months. There were not any patients with allergic reactions. Conclusions: This is the report about observation study including more than 1,000 patients from Asian country. SLNB is seemed to be a safe and acceptably accurate method for Asian early breast cancer patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.
A phase III trial comparing mFOLFOX6 to mFOLFOX6 plus bevacizumab in stage II or III carcinoma of the colon: Results of NSABP Protocol C-08
Authors: Wolmark N. , Yothers G. , O'Connell M. J. , Sharif S. , Atkins J. N. , Seay T. E. , Feherenbacher L. , O'Reilly S. , Allegra C. J.
Published: August 2020

LBA4

The full, final text of this abstract will be available in Part II of the 2009 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings, distributed onsite at the Meeting on May 30, 2009, and as a supplement to the June 20, 2009, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Implementation of a High-Risk Breast Clinic for Comprehensive Care of Women With Elevated Breast Cancer Risk Identified by Risk Assessment Models in the Community
Authors: Laws Alison , Mulvey Therese M.
Published: August 2020

INTRODUCTION:

Many radiology centers perform risk assessment at time of screening mammography. The Massachusetts General Hospital North Shore Cancer Center (MGHNS) developed a nurse practitioner (NP)–led high-risk breast clinic (HRBC) to provide comprehensive care for patients with elevated breast cancer risk by a validated tool.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patient and administrative data from the MGHNS HRBC was collected to evaluate clinical and implementation outcomes. We compared patients from the HRBC with those identified as having ≥ 20% lifetime risk at 5 community imaging centers.

RESULTS:

From March 2018 to February 2019, 318 patients were seen in the HRBC; 264 (83%) had ≥ 20% lifetime risk, 13 (4%) had prior atypia/lobular carcinoma in situ, 9 (3%) had ≥ 1.7% 5-year risk, and 32 (10%) had no indication of elevated risk. Genetic testing was recommended for 159 patients (50%); 33 (21%) completed testing with 1 mutation identified. Chemoprevention was discussed with 99 patients (31%); 9 (9%) initiated treatment. Screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was recommended for 284 patients (89%); 184 (65%) had MRI performed with 2 mammographically occult cancers identified. During this time period, 215,112 patients had risk assessment performed at time of breast imaging; of these, 1,170 were found to have ≥ 20% lifetime risk. Compared with those identified as high risk in the community, patients seen in the HRBC were more likely to be white (94.3% v 85.4%; P < .001) and have a family history of ovarian cancer (16.4% v 9.4%; P < .001).

CONCLUSION:

We demonstrate the feasibility of an NP-led HRBC. Follow-through of recommendations by patients was highest for screening MRI; use of genetic testing and chemoprevention was lower than anticipated. In our community, uptake of the HRBC by referring providers remains a barrier, with only a minority of identified high-risk patients assessed in our clinic.
Probing Floquet modes in a time periodic system with time defects using Faraday instability
Authors: d'Hardemare Guillaume , Eddi Antonin , Fort Emmanuel
Published: August 2020

Time crystals are systems whose properties are periodically modulated in time. Among these, Floquet time crystals exhibit momentum gaps in their band structures, analogous to energy gaps in spatial crystals. Recently, time defects with a

-shift in the time modulation have been introduced theoretically as temporal analogues of spatial topological defects associated with localized edge modes. Here we perform experiments in a time periodic system using Faraday instability, a parametric excitation of a liquid bath by vertical shaking. Although time defects also trigger an exponentially decaying wave, we show that the analogy does not hold due to temporal causality and lack of energy conservation. However, these time defects provide an original way to explore momentum gaps and reveal their overdamped modes.
No QTc Prolongation in Girls and Women with Turner Syndrome
Authors: Noordman Iris D , Duijnhouwer Anthonie L , Coert Misty , Bos Melanie , Kempers Marlies , Timmers Henri J L M , Fejzic Zina , van der Velden Janiëlle A E M , Kapusta Livia
Published: August 2020

Context

Turner syndrome (TS) is a genetic condition that is reported to be associated with a prolonged rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval.

Objectives

To evaluate the prevalence of QTc prolongation in patients with TS, to compare their QTc intervals with healthy controls, and to investigate whether QTc prolongation is associated with a monosomy 45,X karyotype.

Method

Girls (n = 101) and women (n = 251) with TS visiting our center from 2004–2018 were included in this cross-sectional study. QT intervals of 12-leaded electrocardiograms were measured manually, using Bazett’s and Hodges formulas to correct for heart rate. A QTc interval of >450 ms for girls and >460 ms for women was considered prolonged. Corrected QT (QTc) intervals of patients with TS were compared to the QTc intervals of healthy girls and women from the same age groups derived from the literature.

Results

In total, 5% of the population with TS had a prolonged QTc interval using Bazett’s formula and 0% using Hodges formula. Mean QTc intervals of these patients were not prolonged compared with the QTc interval of healthy individuals from the literature. Girls showed shorter mean QTc intervals compared with women. We found no association between monosomy 45,X and prolongation of the QTc interval.

Conclusions

This study shows that the QTc interval in girls and women with TS is not prolonged compared with the general population derived from the literature, using both Bazett’s and Hodges formulas. Furthermore, girls show shorter QTc intervals compared with women, and a monosomy 45,X karyotype is not associated with QTc prolongation.
Arterial Stiffness Is Associated with Clinical Outcome and Cardiorenal Injury in Lateralized Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Chan Chieh-Kai , Yang Wei-Shiung , Lin Yen-Hung , Huang Kuo-How , Lu Ching-Chu , Hu Ya-Hui , Wu Vin-Cent , Chueh Jeff S , Chu Tzong-Shinn , Chen Yung-Ming
Published: August 2020

Context

The association between arterial stiffness and clinical outcome in lateralized primary aldosteronism (PA) patients after adrenalectomy has not been clearly identified.

Objective

We hypothesized that arterial stiffness estimated by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) before adrenalectomy was associated with the clinical outcomes and cardiorenal injury in lateralized PA patients after adrenalectomy.

Design and Patients

We designed a retrospective observational cohort study. We collected lateralized PA patients who had undergone adrenalectomy between 2013 and 2016 from the Taiwan Primary Aldosteronism Investigation database. The primary outcome was achieving complete clinical success at 1 year after adrenalectomy. The secondary outcome was estimated glomerular filtration rate declining over 20% and improved left ventricular mass index.

Results

We enrolled 221 patients with lateralized PA (50.7% men; mean age, 51.9 years), of whom 101 patients (45.7%) achieved complete clinical success at the 1-year follow-up assessment after adrenalectomy. Lower baPWV before adrenalectomy (odds ratio = 0.998; 95% confidence interval, 0.996-0.999; P = 0.003) correlated with higher likelihood of complete clinical success by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Multifactorial adjusted generalized additive model demonstrated that preoperative baPWV<1600 cm/sec was significantly associated with complete cure of hypertension. In addition, higher preoperative baPWV was associated with renal function decline and less left ventricular mass regression after adrenalectomy in lateralized PA patients during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that the preoperative severe arterial stiffness was associated with absent complete clinical success in lateralized PA patients after adrenalectomy, and this effect may contribute to cardiorenal injury, which at least partially explains kidney function deterioration and lessened regression of heart mass.
WELLNESS RIGHT FROM THE START
Authors: Faigenbaum Avery D. , Bruno Laura E.
Published: August 2020

Apply It!Summary

•Health and fitness professionals can protect young children from disease and other risks while making sure they reach their fullest potential by recognizing the effect of daily physical activity, positive childhood experiences, and family lifestyle habits on wellness.

•By encouraging imaginative play with lots of expressive movement, young children can improve physical skills and other dimensions of wellness as they explore their environment, socialize with friends, learn from each other, create new games, and cope with challenges.

Wellness is not merely the absence of disease but rather a state of physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual well-being that optimizes development and provides an opportunity for young children to reach their fullest potential. Because early childhood is a time of rapid growth and a critical period for developing healthy behaviors, girls and boys should participate daily in developmentally appropriate physical activities that support all dimensions of wellness. The first responder program illustrates creative ways to meet the needs and interests of young children through imaginative firefighter play. Because emerging technologies are changing the way today’s youth play, socialize, and think, concerted efforts are needed to protect a young child from disease and other risks while providing opportunities that influence overall wellness throughout the growing years.
ENHANCING WELLNESS DURING YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Authors: Sforzo Gary A. , Diggin David
Published: August 2020

Apply It!

•Guiding young adult clients to adopt an active lifestyle has a positive effect on developing well-being.

•Identifying a client’s barriers to physical activity, and healthy living in general, is critical to long-term wellness.

•Barriers can be discovered during initial intake/screening or subsequent conversations.

•Personalizing habit-forming strategies can help clients to overcome barriers.

•Using technology, social media, games, challenges, and rewards create external motivators to jump start or motivate a client’s wellness behaviors.

•When a client is resistant to healthy behavior change, or is having trouble adhering to wellness programming, consider referring to a qualified health and wellness coach.
An assessment of the autism neuroimaging literature for the prospects of re-executability
Authors: Hodge Steven M. , Haselgrove Christian , Honor Leah , Kennedy David N. , Frazier Jean A.
Published: August 2020

Background: The degree of reproducibility of the neuroimaging literature in psychiatric application areas has been called into question and the issues that relate to this reproducibility are extremely complex. Some of these complexities have to do with the underlying biology of the disorders that we study and others arise due to the technology we apply to the analysis of the data we collect. Ultimately, the observations we make get communicated to the rest of the community through publications in the scientific literature.

Methods: We sought to perform a ‘re-executability survey’ to evaluate the recent neuroimaging literature with an eye toward seeing if our publication practices are helping or hindering the overall quest for a more reproducible understanding of brain development and aging. The topic areas examined include availability of the data, the precision of the imaging method description and the reporting of the statistical analytic approach, and the availability of the complete results. We applied the survey to 50 publications in the autism neuroimaging literature that were published between September 16, 2017 to October 1, 2018.

Results: The results of the survey indicate that for the literature examined, data that is not already part of a public repository is rarely available, software tools are usually named but versions and operating system are not, it is expected that reasonably skilled analysts could approximately perform the analyses described, and the complete results of the studies are rarely available. 

Conclusions: We have identified that there is ample room for improvement in research publication practices. We hope exposing these issues in the retrospective literature can provide guidance and motivation for improving this aspect of our reporting practices in the future.
Distribution of Anterolateral Thigh Flap Perforator Vessels and Its Clinical Applications in Malaysian Population
Authors: Suondoh Mohd Shahrul , Sulaiman Wan Azman Wan , Halim Ahmad Sukari , Mat Saad Arman Zaharil , Zain Mohammad Ali Mat , Basiron Normala
Published: August 2020

Purpose: Extensive studies regarding vascular anatomy and clinical applications of anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap has been conducted for many years. However, the ALT flap perforator vessels anatomy in the Malaysian population is not well-analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of ALT flap perforator vessels and its clinical applications in reconstructive surgery.Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in two main centers of reconstructive surgery. A total of 142 cases of ALT flaps that used as an option for soft tissue reconstruction was selected. Vascular anatomy of ALT flaps was studied precisely including the origin of vessels, location of perforators, and types of perforator vessels intraoperatively during the flap harvest.Results: The distribution of ALT flap perforator vessels can be found at three specific locations on the thigh namely perforators A, B, and C. The highest number of cutaneous perforator vessels that supplied the ALT flap was musculocutaneous perforator with 72.3%, and dominantly at perforators B and C. The remaining perforator vessels were septocutaneous perforator with 27.7%, presented mainly at perforator A. A majority of cases involved the reconstruction of wound defects following tumor resection and trauma. The most area of reconstruction was the lower limb with 33.8%.Conclusion: The distribution of ALT flap perforator vessels can be predicted during flap harvest and can be applied in numerous clinical applications for wound defect coverage. The knowledge regarding vascular anatomy of ALT flap perforator vessels can aid plastic surgeons in reconstructive surgery.
Kategoria jednokrotności w polskich czasownikach
Authors: Kleszczowa Krystyna
Published: August 2020

The Category of Semelfactivity in Polish Verbs

Iterativity occurs in opposition to semelfactivity; when no contrast is present, these terms lose their meaning. Iterativity may be difficult to perceive in verbs such as robić ‘to do’, smucić się ‘to be sad’, malować ‘to paint’, which can be used both in an iterative and a semelfactive capacity. It is therefore worthwhile to consider the problem of the opposition between iterativity and semelfactivity; it is worthwhile to investigate the morphological form of verbs which refer to actions that only happen once; it is worthwhile to examine the role of the aspect in those verbs, and to analyse their semantic marking (apart from semelfactivity). The issue is important for the Polish language, and yet it is commonly said that iterativity is in Polish in a state of decline. It is, however, only one certain type of the iterative : semelfactive pairs that is in decline; the emergence of the aspect changed the morphological nature of these pairs.

The final part of the article (Section 6) poses the problem of word formation properties of verbs that refer to one-time acts. In those verbs in which the prefix only has an inchoative or final value in reference to the base (pomyśleć ‘to think’, zrobić ‘to do’), a blocking of the formation of iterativa can be observed. It might be even said that if such a verb is formed, it is an indication that the prefix introduced not only the value of perfectiveness, but perhaps another meaning as well. The peculiarity of semelfactivity has further consequences for the derivational system. It turns out that verbs which refer to actions that happen only once are incapable of creating substantive derivatives apart from names of actions, e.g. kopnięcie ‘a kick’, przewrócenie się ‘falling over’, zmartwienie się ‘becoming worried’. The problem is illustrated on the basis of examples furnished by dictionaries of word formation nests edited and developed by Mirosław Skarżyński.
Polityka językowa w Polsce a wpływ języka angielskiego na polszczyznę
Authors: Mańczak-Wohlfeld Elżbieta
Published: August 2020

Language Policy in Poland in the Context of the Impact of English on Polish

The paper examines the way and the extent to which language policies have affected the development of the Polish language. However, the purpose of the present paper is to highlight the change in attitude towards the increasing impact of English on Polish. The influence of English became more prominent in Poland after the change in the political system in 1989, and has for the most part been in the area of lexical borrowings. However, the influence of English is not only restricted to the inflow of English loanwords, but also extends to their relatively high frequency of usage. In addition, there is evidence of other types of influence that are non-lexical. However, the impact of English on Polish has not been as extensive as is claimed by some Polish linguists who since the early 1990s have lamented over the decline of the Polish language caused by the ”flood” of British and American English borrowings. Indeed, the status of English as a lingua franca was considered itself to be a threat to Polish, with even the possibility of the extinction of the tongue. This concern about language purity led to the creation of the Polish Language Council in 1996, whose aim has been to advise on and describe (rather than prescribe) linguistic behaviours among Polish language users. This legislative body was behind the Polish Language Act passed in 1999. Its purpose, however, has been to protect Polish rather than to purify it and to minimize the foreign influences (which mainly refer to English) rather than to eradicate them. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Polish linguists’ attitude towards the ”Anglicization” of the Polish language has changed dramatically and it is now believed that the influence of English makes Polish richer and more globalized.
Too Much Trust in Group Decisions: Uncovering Hidden Profiles by Groups and Markets
Authors: Maciejovsky Boris , Budescu David V.
Published: August 2020

A crucial challenge for organizations is to pool and aggregate information effectively. Traditionally, organizations have relied on committees and teams, but recently many organizations have explored the use of information markets. In this paper, the authors compared groups and markets in their ability to pool and aggregate information in a hidden-profiles task. In Study 1, groups outperformed markets when there were no conflicts of interest among participants, whereas markets outperformed groups when conflicts of interest were present. Also, participants had more trust in groups to uncover hidden profiles than in markets. Study 2 generalized these findings to a simple prediction task, confirming that people had more trust in groups than in markets. These results were not qualified by conflicts of interest. Drawing on experienced forecasters from Good Judgment Open, Study 3 found that familiarity and experience with markets increased the endorsement and use of markets relative to traditional committees.
Effect of Grain Inverters in Cross-Flow Dryers on Kernel Fissuring and Head Rice Yield Reduction
Authors: Odek Zephania R. , Prakash Bhagwati , Siebenmorgen Terry J.
Published: August 2020

Highlights

Grain inverters minimized fissuring of rice kernels closest to the heated air plenum at plenum air temperatures =55°C.

Grain inverters had no effect on rice kernel fissuring across a grain column at plenum air temperatures <55°C.

Grain inverters decreased head rice yield reduction of samples dried at plenum air temperatures >55°C but had no effect on head rice yield reduction at plenum air temperatures =55°C.

One or two grain inverters in a cross-flow dryer can help reduce kernel fissuring and minimize head rice yield reduction.

Abstract. Industrial-scale cross-flow dryers are commonly equipped with grain inverters to facilitate uniform drying across the column thickness, but limited information is available on the effect of grain inverters on rice milling quality. In this study, lab-scale drying experiments were performed to investigate the effect of grain inverters on kernel fissuring and head rice yield reduction. Rice samples of long-grain cultivar Roy J were dried for 60 min at plenum air temperatures of 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, and 60°C. The number of grain inversions during a 60 min drying period were 0, 1, and 2. After drying, a portion of the sample was tempered at a final bulk-rice temperature (heated tempering), while the other portion was tempered at ambient room temperature (ambient tempering). At plenum air temperatures of 55°C or 60°C, grain inversion (1 or 2 inversions) minimized fissuring of kernels closest to the heated-air plenum compared to 0 grain inversion. At 45°C and 50°C, grain inversion did not affect kernel fissuring. Similarly, at plenum air temperatures greater than 55°C for both ambient tempering and heated tempering approaches, 1 or 2 grain inversions significantly minimized head rice yield reductions compared to 0 grain inversion. These findings may be valuable for designing cross-flow dryers by informing decisions on the number of grain inverters needed to reduce fissuring and minimize head rice yield reduction. Keywords: Column dryer, Milling yields, Reversed airflow, Rice quality, Tempering, Turnflow, X-ray imaging.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Moxibustion Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Park Jang Mi , Lee Cham Kyul , Kim Kyung Ho , Kim Eun Jung , Jung Chan Yung , Seo Byung-Kwan , Goo Bon Hyuk , Baek Yong Hyeon , Lee Eun Yong
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of moxibustion treatment for osteoarthritis. There were 9 databases used to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that used moxibustion as treatment for osteoarthritis. The quality of methodology for the RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool [Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.3 Windows, The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark]. The inclusion criteria for this review was met by 27 RCTs. All studies were conducted in China. A 4-week moxibustion treatment period was the most common. EX-LE4 and SP10 and GB34 acupoints were most frequently selected in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The most commonly used evaluation index was the visual analog scale (VAS). All studies, including a meta-analysis showed that moxibustion treatments were statistically significantly effective at treating knee osteoarthritis. However, welldesigned randomized RCTs without a high risk of bias should be designed in the future.
Teacher Continuing Professional Development and Team-Working Competences: A Case Study From Italy
Authors: Urbani Chiara
Published: August 2020

Context: European policies describe the key role of teachers’ Vocational Education and Training (VET) in improving students’ learning outcomes. In order to improve teacher education, Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) policies identify competency models as the main framework for understanding teacher professionalism and designing VET policies. By reinterpreting these models through the capability approach, this article aims to identify more relevant competences of preschool teachers in the public and private services of northern and central Italy.Methods: The research began with a comparative analysis of VET policies for preschool teachers to outline more common competences used to define their professional profile. This led to the creation of a new, re-thought competency model used to design a quantitative survey to describe teachers’ competences in preschool settings. The self-assessment questionnaire was built on the following competence areas: Management of educational and relational processes, teamwork and large-scale teamwork, networking and governance. The self-assessment questionnaire evaluated 65 preschool teachers’ pre-acquired competences and development levels and those more desirable for the future (called “ideal” co.). The comparison of areas and their values reveals critical results, particularly related to teamwork competences at different levels.Results: The study outlines the structure of preschool teacher professionalism based on “traditional” competences (e.g., educational relationships with children) and some “innovative” competences (e.g., networking and governance), which appeared to be more desirable in teachers’ evaluations. However, the comparison of the data reveals that governance competences are better evaluated then teamwork co., introducing some hypotheses about the quality of relationships in the community of practice.Conclusions: The research outlines how the competences emerging as relevant for teachers need to be better activated in professional settings to become strategically important. The results related to teamwork and governance competences focus on the importance of informal and extended learning contexts to teachers’ socio-relational competence development. The organization of the school system needs to be re-thought and extracurricular competences need to increase to foster the generative development of informal learning communities at intra- and extra-school levels. According to the capability approach, the research reveals the extreme complexity of preschool teacher professionalism. For vocational education and training, its underlines the re-thinking of the preschool teacher profile as a co-designer of learning environments, which includes building formal and informal competences to foster communities of practice as a learning and generative process.
Study of microwave hydrothermal production of lactic acid from seaweed-derived alginate using a response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design
Authors: Rodriguez-Maecker Roman , Pazmiño-Mayorga Isabel , López-Ortega Jessenia , Chacón-Molina Liseth , Vyhmeister Eduardo
Published: August 2020

A microwave hydrothermal treatment was used for the chemical production of lactic acid from alginate extracted from the brown seaweed Padina Durvillaei, collected in the coastal area of Ecuador. The microwave hydrothermal treatment was studied through a response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design, using temperature, reaction time, and catalyst concentration as the manipulated variables and the yield as a response factor. The characterization of alginate was performed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The lactic acid produced was quantified using Gas Chromatography - Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS). The results show that temperature and catalyst concentration played the most critical roles in alginate extraction and lactic acid production. The optimal experimental conditions for alginate extraction from brown seaweed were: temperature = 92.91°C, time = 110.81 min and catalyst (Na2CO3) concentration = 2.60%, with a yield = 29.19%. Although the experimental evidence indicates a positive influence of microwaves' use on the production of lactic acid from alginate through hydrothermal treatment, a new study considering temperatures above 220°C and reaction times below 60 min should be developed.
Analysis of scintillation effects along a 7  km urban space laser
communication path
Authors: Jiang Lun , Dai Tianjun , Yu Xin , Dai Zhengshuang , Wang Chao , Tong Shoufeng
Published: August 2020

In this study, the scintillation effects along a 7 km space laser communication path in an urban area were examined, including the relationship between the scintillation and bit error rate and the variation of the scintillation index with changes in the transmitting and receiving apertures. It was concluded that multi-aperture transmitting technology can effectively reduce the scintillation caused by atmospheric turbulence. For the investigated urban link, the scintillation index could meet the communication requirements for adjusting the receiving aperture. These results will facilitate space laser communication improvement and turbulence suppression along horizontal urban paths.
Convolutional neural network applied for nanoparticle classification
using coherent scatterometry data
Authors: Kolenov D. , Davidse D. , Le Cam J. , Pereira S. F.
Published: August 2020

The analysis of 2D scattering maps generated in scatterometry
experiments for detection and classification of nanoparticles on
surfaces is a cumbersome and slow process. Recently, deep learning
techniques have been adopted to avoid manual feature extraction and
classification in many research and application areas, including
optics. In the present work, we collected experimental datasets of
nanoparticles deposited on wafers for four different classes of
polystyrene particles (with diameters of 40, 50, 60, and 80 nm) plus a
background (no particles) class. We trained a convolutional neural
network, including its architecture optimization, and achieved 95%
accurate results. We compared the performance of this network to an
existing method based on line-by-line search and thresholding,
demonstrating up to a twofold enhanced performance in particle
classification. The network is extended by a supervisor layer that can
reject up to 80% of the fooling images at the cost of rejecting only
10% of original data. The developed Python and PyTorch codes, as well
as dataset, are available online.
Spectral irradiance primary scale realization and characterization of deuterium lamps from 200 to 400 nm
Authors: Dai Caihong , Wu Zhifeng , Wang Yanfei , Li Ling , He Shufang , Xie Yihang
Published: August 2020

To meet the increasing metrology demand of spectral irradiance in the short UV spectral range, a new spectral irradiance scale from 200 to 400 nm was realized at National Institute of Metrology (NIM) based on a high-temperature blackbody BB3500M, and a group of stable deuterium lamps are used as the transfer standards. Accurate real-time temperature of a blackbody is derived to reduce the temperature drift during the measurement period. A combination of an absolute and relative measurement system is designed to reduce repeatability uncertainty, and a selective optical filter method is used to remove fluorescence with a peak at 330 nm. A seven-point bandwidth novel correction method based on differential quadrature formula is put forward to correct the bandwidth error of the monochromator. The expanded uncertainties of the new spectral irradiance scale are 5.3% at 200 nm, 1.8% at 250 nm, 1.9% at 330 nm, and 3.6% at 400 nm, respectively. In the overlap wavelength from 250 to 400 nm, the average deviation between two types transfer standards, deuterium lamps and tungsten halogen lamps, is verified to be 0.39%, which are consistent with the associated measurement uncertainties.
Coupling buried etalon layers to an engraved metasurface for durable and large-aperture meta-optics
Authors: Feigenbaum Eyal , Ray Nathan J. , Yoo Jae-Hyuck , Nguyen Hoang T. , Elhadj Selim
Published: August 2020

Many optical applications that could potentially benefit from the design flexibility provided by the metasurface approach are being prohibited by the limited scalability of the fabrication and the robustness of the end-result structures when using a resonant meta-elements-based approach. An alternative demonstrated approach with superior scalability and robustness is substrate-engraved metasurfaces, based on medium mixing homogenization, yet it suffers from very limited optical response. Here we propose advancing this approach by coupling the metasurface with buried etalon layers, leading to enhancement in the optical response. A transfer matrix analysis is used to study the parameter space, predicting that the patterned reflectance values range of a beam shaper could be raised from only 4% to 30% when the metasurface is engraved in silica, and even up to 66% when engraved into higher-index oxides. Using the method proposed here, the phase difference range across the metasurface could be increased by 0.4 radians beyond the range achievable by a metasurface engraved in silica and could reach even higher values when embedded in higher-index materials. Full-wave numerical simulations are used to demonstrate a cylindrical metareflector and a metalens, further validating the analysis.
Wave-optics and spatial frequency analyses of integral imaging three-dimensional display systems
Authors: Zhao Zifeng , Liu Juan , Xu Liangfa , Zhang Zhiqi , Zhao Naiqin
Published: August 2020

Wave optics is usually thought to be more rigorous than geometrical optics to analyze integral imaging (II) systems. However, most of the previous wave-optics investigations are directed to a certain subsystem or do not sufficiently consider the finite aperture of microlens arrays (MLAs). Therefore, a diffraction-limited model of the entire II system, which consists of pickup, image processing, and reconstruction subsystems, is proposed, and the effects of system parameters on spatial resolution are especially studied. With the help of paraxial scalar diffraction theory, the origin impulse response function of the entire II system is derived; the parameter matching condition with optimum resolution and the wave-optics principle are achieved. Besides, the modulation transfer function is then obtained and Fourier analysis is performed, which indicates that the features of MLA and the display play a critical role in spatial frequency transfer characteristics, greatly affecting the resolution. These studies might be useful for the further research and understanding of II systems, especially for the effective enhancement of resolution.
Real-time label-free microscopy with adjustable phase-contrast
Authors: Galeana Amber , Porras-Aguilar Rosario
Published: August 2020

The lack of contrast represents a challenge in all imaging systems, including microscopy. This manuscript proposes the use of an azobenzene liquid crystal material as a Zernike filter in a phase-contrast configuration to enable label-free imaging. The novelty of the approach presented here is that it offers real-time adjustment of the contrast in images and prolonged-time observation. This is achieved with no SLM, any customized optical components, or mechanical elements, and voltage is not applied. Notably, the intensity level (0.95 mW/cm2) is well below photodamage or phototoxicity for bioimaging, allowing extended time monitoring of cells. Additionally, due to the large LC's birefringence (Δn=0.2), it is possible not only to visualize a phase object but also to adjust the contrast of stainless samples by just rotating the polarization with a large and continuous dynamic range of phase retardation. In future work, this will enable a simple implementation of differential phase-contrast microscopy and quantitative phase imaging. Due to the low-intensity illumination required, this system can be combined with other imaging techniques, such as tomography and fluorescence microscopy.
Vortex generation in the spin-orbit interaction of a light beam propagating inside a uniaxial medium: origin and efficiency
Authors: Ling Xiaohui , Luo Huiling , Guan Fuxin , Zhou Xinxing , Luo Hailu , Zhou Lei
Published: August 2020

It has been known that an optical vortex with a topological charge ±2 can be generated as a circularly polarized (CP) light beam propagates in a bulk uniaxial crystal, but its physical origin remains obscure which also hinders its practical applications. Here, through a rigorous full-wave analyses on the problem, we show that, as a CP beam possessing a particular spin (handedness) propagates inside a uniaxial crystal, two beams with opposite spins can be generated caused by the unique spin-sensitive light-matter interactions in the anisotropic medium. Flipping the spin can offer the light beam an vortex phase with a topological charge of ±2 owing to the Pancharatnam-Berry mechanism, with efficiency dictated by the material properties of the uniaxial medium and the topological structure of the beam itself. With its physical origin fully uncovered, we finally discuss how to improve the efficiency of such effect, and compare the mechanisms of vortex generations in different systems. Our findings not only provide deeper understandings on such an intriguing effect, but also shed light on other spin-orbit-interaction-induced effects.
Soliton-sinc optical pulses
Authors: Turitsyn Sergei K. , Bogdanov Stepan , Redyuk Alexey
Published: August 2020

We introduce a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of band-limited optical pulse—soliton-sinc tailored to the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation. The idea behind the soliton-sinc pulse is to combine, even if approximately, a property of a fundamental soliton to propagate without distortions in nonlinear systems governed by the NLS equation with a compact band-limited spectrum of a Nyquist pulse. Though the shape preserving propagation feature is not exact, such soliton-sinc pulses are more robust against nonlinear signal distortions compared to a Nyquist pulse.
Ultraviolet hollow-core waveguides with sub-unitary index chalcogenide cladding
Authors: Li Jinxiang , Gholipour Behrad , Piccinotti Davide , MacDonald Kevin F. , Zheludev Nikolay I.
Published: August 2020

The chalcogenide semiconductor antimony telluride exhibits a sub-unitary refractive index as low as 0.7 at mid- to near-UV wavelengths between 220 and 400 nm, with the spectral width of the sub-unitary band, minimum index and associated extinction coefficient being controllable functions of alloy composition. As such it can enable step-index hollow-core optical waveguiding at ultraviolet wavelengths and thereby, for example, spectroscopic and sensing applications wherein the confinement of light and a fluid analyte in the same core volume maximizes sensitivity, thereby limiting required interaction lengths to as little as a few wavelengths.