bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Update on epiretinal membranes
Authors: Tranos Paris
Published: December 2019

Epiretinal membrane (ERM) is a relatively common macular disorder causing decreased and/or distorted central vision. The prevalence of ERMs is reported at between 3.5% and 6.9%. Since the introduction of vitrectomy for the management of ERM, increasingly successful visual outcomes have been reported in numerous studies. However, some cases show poor visual recovery even after complete ERM removal and several factors (including preoperative duration of symptoms, cystoid macular oedema and preoperative visual acuity) have been suggested as prognostic characteristics affecting the postoperative visual acuity. With the introduction of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT), several features of the preretinal and intraretinal microanatomy have been correlated with the postoperative visual recovery following ERM peeling. Further, it has facilitated detailed visualization of the membranes and their relationship to the retinal surface. The type of ERM‐macula adhesion has been shown to play a role in different aspects of ERM surgery including surgical difficulty. The technological advances in vitreoretinal surgery simplified the procedure of ERM removal and improved outcomes. However, several controversial issues including staining and peeling of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) requires further evaluation.
Retinal degeneration development in Cnga1 deficient mouse
Authors: Veronica Amarie Oana
Published: December 2019

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP; OMIM 268,000) is a group of retina degenerative diseases with chronic, progressive degeneration of retinal pigmented epithelium and photoreceptors, with about 2.5 million people affected worldwide. Being highly genetic heterogeneous, RP exhibits various clinical phenotypes. Cyclic nucleotide gated (CNG) channel is involved in the visual photo‐transduction upon hyperpolarizing the rod photoreceptor. CNG family comprises six homologous members in mammals, A‐type subunits (CNGA1–4) and B‐type subunits (CNGB1 and CNGB3). Here we report the first Cnga1 mouse model identified from the library if previous ENU‐mutagenesis screens, which shows retinal degeneration in mice starting with 4 week of age. Additionally, using the ACmaster we observed changes in the axial length of the eye, the anterior chamber and lens thickness, all being reduced.
Changes in biomechanical properties of keratoconic corneas following intracorneal ring segment (ICRS) implantation
Authors: Daas Loay
Published: December 2019

Purpose

Studies using Corvis ST (CST, Oculus; Wetzlar, Germany) and Ocular Response Analyser (ORA, Reichert, Depew, NY, USA) have reported significant differences between keratoconic and healthy corneas. Implantation of intracorneal ring segments (ICRS) using a femtosecond laser represents a reliable surgical option to widen the spectrum of the stage‐related therapy of keratoconus in patients with contact lens intolerance, post‐LASIK‐keratectasia or pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD). Our aim was to evaluate the ability of the Corvis ST and Ocular Response Analyser to detect the possible stiffening effect after Intacs SK (Addition Technology, Inc.) implantation in patients with keratoconus.

Patients and Methods

Between January 2018 and January 2019, ICRS were implanted in 31 eyes of 27 patients (age 31.9 ± 10.2 years) with clear central cornea. The patients had to fulfill the corneal diagnostic tests required for femtosecond laser‐assisted Intacs SK implantation in 80% depth. The following CST/ORA parameters were recorded: deformation amplitude Ratio (DA Ratio), stiffness parameter at applanation 1 (SP A1), Corvis biomechanical index (CBI), tomographic biomechanical index (TBI), Keratoconus Match Index (KMI), corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) preoperatively and 6 months after the ICRS implantation.

Results

DA Ratio (5.43 ± 1.0 vs 5.52 ± 1.1, p = 0.4), SP A1 (58.76 ± 17.5 vs 59.11 ± 17.8, p = 0.4) CBI (0.96 ± 0.1 vs 0.97 ± 0.1, p = 0.3), TBI (0.98 ± 0.0 vs 0.99 ± 0.1, p = 0.3) and KMI (−0.03 ± 0.3 vs −0.17 ± 0.2, p = 0.1) did not change significantly between both time‐points. However, CH (7.96 ± 1.2 vs 7.05 ± 0.9) and CRF (6.33 ± 1.2 vs 5.35 ± 1.2) decreased significantly from preoperative to postoperative measurement time‐point (p = 0.03 for both).

Conclusion

Both devices ORA and CST are supposed to analyse the dynamic behavior of the cornea during its temporary deformation by an air puff. The lack of significant changes in the standard parameters of the CST reflects the inability of this device to document the stiffening effect of ICRS in keratoconus patients. In contrast, the standard ORA parameters CH and CRF, but not the KMI, showed a significant decrease 6 month postoperatively. The meaning of those findings in relation to the progression of a keratoconus the disease has to be evaluated further.
Ocular gene therapies in clinical practice: Viral vectors and non‐viral alternatives
Authors: Behar‐Cohen Francine
Published: December 2019

Ocular gene therapy has entered into the clinical practice. While viral vectors are today the best option to replace/correct genes, the optimal method to deliver these treatments to the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and / or to the photoreceptor cells, non‐viral gene delivery approaches offer the promise of sustained fine‐tuned expression of secreted therapeutic proteins that can be adapted to the evolving stage of the disease course and that can address more common non‐genetic retinal diseases like age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Current gene therapy strategies for ocular diseases will be reviewed here with a focus on clinical stage products.

Conflict of interest: Patent, consultancy and founder of Eyevensys.
The reproducibility crisis
Authors: Behar‐Cohen Francine
Published: December 2019

The reproducibility of research made in academic laboratories is crucial and a major concern for the scientific community, the payers, and the society, which are all expecting that results from academic research translate to concrete applications. It is estimated that more than 50% of money spend by the US government for preclinical research is lost in unreproducible results. More than 70% of scientists have tried and failed to reproduce another scientist's experiment and more 50% have failed to reproduce their own research. More than 80% of scientists consider that we are facing a reproducibility crisis. The reasons for such a crisis will be presented and propositions made to reduce this problem.
GSK3/CRMP2 signaling confers PTEN knockout mediated axonal regeneration
Authors: Fischer Dietmar
Published: December 2019

Knockout of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN‐/‐) is neuroprotective and promotes axon regeneration in mature neurons. Elevation and maintenance of mTOR activity in injured neurons have been proposed as the main underlying mechanism. Here we demonstrate that PTEN‐/‐ also abrogates the inhibitory activity of GSK3 on collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons. Moreover, maintenance of GSK3 activity in GSK3S/A knockin mice significantly compromised PTEN‐/‐‐mediated optic nerve regeneration as well as the activity of CRMP2, and to a lesser extent, mTOR. These GSK3S/A mediated negative effects on regeneration were rescued by viral expression of constitutively active CRMP2T/A, despite decreased mTOR activation. GSK3S/A knockin or CRMP2 inhibition also decreased PTEN‐/‐ mediated neurite growth of RGCs in culture and disinhibition towards CNS myelin. Thus, the GSK3/CRMP2 pathway is essential for PTEN‐/‐ mediated axon regeneration. These new mechanistic insights may help to find novel strategies to promote axon regeneration
Corneal transparency restoration by gene therapy
Authors: Mohan Rajiv R.
Published: December 2019

Loss of corneal transparency after trauma, injury or infection results in blindness. Compromised wound healing because of excessive production of myofibroblasts has been identified a major mechanism for the loss of corneal transparency. We tested a hypothesis that de‐differentiation of corneal myofibroblast into precursor corneal stromal fibroblast by silencing of MyoD (basic helix‐loop‐helix) gene will restore corneal transparency by inhibiting alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) transcriptional machinery responsible for myofibroblast production. To test the hypothesis, donor human corneas, human corneal stromal fibroblasts (CSFs) and myofibroblasts (CMFs), MyoD/scrambled‐RNAi plasmids, nanoparticles, immunofluorescence, western blotting, qPCR, 2D/3D confocal microscopy, and slot blots were used. The fibrotic human corneas showed significantly greater MyoD expression compared to the normal human cornea (p < 0.05). Likewise, CMFs showed markedly increased MyoD compared to the CSFs in vitro (p < 0.01). The MyoD‐RNAi or scrambled‐RNAi delivery into CSFs and CMFs did not alter their appearance, viability, or proliferation in normal culture conditions. MyoD‐RNAi delivery into CMFs led to phenotype similar to CSFs in a time‐dependent manner. Furthermore, MyoD‐RNAi silencing in CMFs demonstrated significantly deceased αSMA mRNA and protein levels in a time‐dependent manner (p < 0.001). MyoD gene silencing is a novel approach for the restoration of corneal transparency by promoting de‐differentiation of opaque corneal myofibroblasts to transparent corneal keratocytes.
OCT‐RNF and GCC in hereditary glaucoma
Authors: Vitovska Oksana , Kurilina Olena
Published: December 2019

Glaucoma takes the leading place as the cause of blindness in Ukraine (19.3%).

The level of incidence is higher among urban population (coefficient > 1.2), and among disabled person (coefficient > 2.2) in 70.4% of regions. Relative risk of glaucoma was high in male (RR = 1.49, p < 0.01); increasing with age (RR = 1.18) and reaches maximum rate in the age over 70 yo (RR = 7.11, p < 0.01).

It was determined that hereditary factor is more manifested among female (RR = 10.90, p < 0.001), vs male (RR = 5.69, p < 0.05). Blood group is associated with glaucoma: male – B (III) (RR = 1.67) and AB (IV) (RR = 1.44); female – AB (IV) (RR = 1.78) and A (II) (RR = 1.65).

Purpose

To investigate characteristics and patterns of progressive macular GCC layer thinning in patients with a family history of the disease.

Material

72 eyes of 36 patients with hereditary pre‐perimetric stage of glaucoma. Follow up was up to 3 years.

Methods

Macular Ganglion cell complex (GCC) and ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and VF were performed every 6 month. Spatial characteristics of progressive GCIPL thinning was evaluated by the thickness changes and pattern – by comparing the baseline and final GCIPL thickness change map.

Results

It was determined VF and GCIPL progression at the 28 eyes (38.8%). The deterioration of GCIPL thickness started earlier (8.3 ± 7.8 months) than in VF (31.5 ± 9.1 months).

Conclusion

OCT is promising method of early glaucoma detection. Progression of GCIPL thinning occurred before VF progression.
Diagnostic clues in keratoconus. Scheimpflug is better?
Authors: Kovács Illés
Published: December 2019

Although the identification of early forms of keratoconus during refractive screening would probably be the most appropriate method to prevent postoperative ectasia, the detection of this preclinical stage often pose challenges to clinicians. Moreover, for any tomographic or topographic parameter a significant overlap exists between keratoconus suspects and normal eyes resulting in lower sensitivity and specificity in identifying corneas with mild ectasia compared to detecting keratoconus. In this lecture, we describe the topographic and tomographic characteristics of preclinical keratoconus in paralell with the comparison of the accuracy of different paramateres in discriminating normal corneas from eyes with early keratoconus.
Assessing colour vision in the clinic: when is it useful and could we do better
Authors: Plant Gordon
Published: December 2019

Most Ophthalmology and Neurology clinics have a few tests of colour vision available: Ishihara plates and tests for colour desaturation are the most commonly used. In this presentation I will explore how the clinician can get more from the Ishihara plates with an understanding of how they are constructed. I will also discuss the more elaborate tests such as the Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue test and explain when these can be useful in diagnosis and management of patients.
Corneal recurrent erosions dystrophies in Sweden
Authors: Byström Berit
Published: December 2019

Corneal dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders. We aimed to identify genetic cause of a dominantly inherited Epithelial Recurrent Erosion Dystrophy (ERED)‐like disease common in Northern Sweden. Examinations and interviews were performed at the Ophthalmology Clinics of the University Hospital of Umeå and Skellefteå Hospital. A total of 20 patients from Västerbotten were extensively examined and blood samples for genetic analysis collected. Four unrelated families were subject to genealogical studies. Known genes causative of corneal dystrophies were excluded by array‐based allele specific primer extension. Haplotype assessment was done by array genotyping and identification of potentially causative genomic variants by whole exome sequencing (WES). The dystrophy common in Västerbotten has three phases; recurrent erosions during childhood, alleviated symptoms in the higher teens and finally, after the age 40, decreased visual acuity. Haplotype analysis and WES revealed a novel mutation, c.2816C>T, p.T939I, in the COL17A1 gene coding collagen type XVII alpha1. It appeared to be a founder mutation that segregated with disease in a genealogically expanded pedigree dating back 200 years to a common ancestor, Theodor. Notably, the patients called the disease ‘Theodor's eyes’, but Theodor being unknown to them. Furthermore, COL17A1 expression in cornea was demonstrated by RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. We identified COL17A1 mutation as a cause of ERED, revealing a novel corneal disease in Sweden, and highlighting the necessity of COL17A1 screening in corneal dystrophies with erosions and no known genetic defect. Our genealogical analysis identified a common ancestor, Theodor, living 200 years ago.
Longitudinal data of static and dynamic retinal vessel parameters
Authors: Heitmar Rebekka
Published: December 2019

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the literature and will present some case data on longitudinal studies assessing static and dynamic retinal vessel parameters. To date, there is a vast amount of data published highlighting the clinical potential of static retinal vessel measurements. Structural retinal vessel changes such as arteriolar narrowing and venular dilation have been suggested to be useful for cardiovascular risk prediction and monitoring disease progression in diabetic patients. However, while there is a standardised analysis approach there is still a lack of long‐term data to date. In addition to the lack of long‐term data, static analysis provides only a snapshot image of the retinal superficial vasculature and does not provide any insight into the vessel dynamics. Vessel pulsatility, dilation and constriction due to stimulation by flicker light or other interventions however allows for a better understanding of the functional aspects. Current publications indicate alterations in vessel pulsatility and reactivity (dilation and constriction) in patients suffering from systemic and ocular vascular conditions.
App it
Authors: Ahmed Faisal
Published: December 2019

Compliance with medication has been a longstanding issue for clinicians, one without a definitive solution as yet. In this current climate of technology and smartphones, we will discuss in this presentation how to utilise these new facilities to help improve compliance and engage the patients and ensure continued communication between the clinician and the patient as well as other healthcare professionals involved in their care.
Which irradiation technique for which ocular tumor
Authors: Thariat Juliette
Published: December 2019

In ocular oncology, the choice of the radiotherapy modality depends on tumor location (with respect to surface) and extent, tumor radioresistance (a biological characteristic that determines the dose needed to eradicate the tumor), and radiosensitivity (which translates in toxicities) of nearby critical structures. Radiotherapy has increasingly been used over years as a conservative approach to avoid enucleation. The aim of radiotherapy is to cure the tumor while minimizing toxicities and preserving visual function. Definitive high‐dose proton therapy or brachytherapy (with plaques loaded with radioactive elements) are appropriate techniques for uveal melanomas; 5‐year local control rates are in the order of 95%. Malignant tumors of the bulbar conjunctiva can be treated with a combination of no‐touch surgery, topical chemotherapies and intermediate‐dose proton therapy or brachytherapy. Conjunctival mucosal‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma can be treated with definitive low‐dose external beam X‐ray radiotherapy. Conventional external beam X‐ray radiotherapy is often sufficient for choroidal metastases to achieve tumor control and restore vision at doses that are little toxic to ocular structures. Palpebral carcinomas.
Autoimmunity and glaucoma
Authors: Grus Franz
Published: December 2019

Several clinical studies were able to demonstrate alterations in the abundances of various autoantibodies in individuals with glaucoma. Interestingly, these changes in serum antibody profiles of glaucoma patients are stable among different study populations and differ between the different glaucoma subtypes. Thereby, not only antibodies with a higher concentration but also such with a lower level in glaucoma patients in comparison to healthy individuals have been observed. Of particular interest here are the low abundant antibodies present in glaucoma patients since they display neuroprotective properties in vitro and in glaucoma animal model, and could hold a hitherto unused therapeutic potential. Although glaucoma is not considered a classical autoimmune disease, these changes in antibody profiles hold an enormous diagnostic potential based on autoimmune biomarkers and could additionally open up new therapeutic options.
Limbal stem cell transplantation
Authors: Fuchsluger Thomas
Published: December 2019

This talk presents a novel study on limbal stem cell transplantation using allogeneic cell suspensions and fibrin glue to restore the ocular surface. As only one of five centers involved centers in Germany, we will present the concept and the treatment approach of this therapy.
Cold plasma – A novel approach to treat therapy‐resistant corneal infections
Authors: Fuchsluger Thomas
Published: December 2019

This talk presents gives an overview over recent translational research approaches in cornea and ocular surface.
Ex vivo bovine retinal models to study intravitreal mobility and inner limiting membrane penetration of nanomedicines
Authors: Remaut Katrien
Published: December 2019

Several viral and non‐viral nanoparticles aim to deliver therapeutics such as proteins or nucleic acids to the back of the eye, to halt or slow down retinal cell death. To reach the retinal cell types, intravitreal or subretinal injections are performed. Intravitreal (IVT) injection delivers the therapeutics into the vitreous, from where they need to diffuse to the back of the eye and cross the Inner Limiting Membrane (ILM) to reach the retinal cells. IVT injected therapeutics and nanoparticles might suffer, however, from a limited mobility and penetration through the vitreoretinal (VR) interface (e.g. vitreous and ILM), hampering their efficiency. We recently developed two ex vivo bovine eye models that are suitable to study the barrier role of the vitreoretinal interface. The IVT Mobility Model allows to measure the mobility of fluorescent nanoparticles in intact vitreous on a single‐particle level by tracking their movement by fluorescent Single Particle Tracking. In the VR explant Model, penetration over the ILM is studied in a bovine ex vivo retinal explant with the vitreous still attached. In regular ex vivo explants, the removal of vitreous distorts the ILM, making the explant unsuited for penetration studies. With the VR explant, however, the crossing of IVT injected material over the intact ILM and the penetration depth into retinal cell layers can be determined. Both models were applied to study the potential of intravitreal injected mRNA lipoplexes, where we found good mobility in the vitreous but limited crossing of the ILM after IVT injection. This most likely explains the low in vivo expression obtained after IVT injection of mRNA nanoparticles in mice, while expression was found in vivo after subretinal injection.
Placebo response in phase 2 and 3 trials of systemic and biological therapies for atopic dermatitis—a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Andreasen T.H. , Christensen M.O. , Halling A.‐S. , Egeberg A. , Thyssen J.P.
Published: December 2019

A growing number of clinical trials of biological and systemic therapies have been conducted within adult atopic dermatitis (AD). No study has yet examined and meta‐analysed the pooled placebo response in AD. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to examine the placebo response in clinical trials evaluating the effect of systemic and biological therapies in adult AD and compared it to results from clinical trials in psoriasis. Two screeners independently searched the databases ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, Pubmed and Web of Science. A total of 2058 articles were identified, of which 78 were full‐text reviewed. Overall, 25 trials were included in the qualitative analysis, of which 24 were further included in the quantitative analysis. At 12‐week follow‐up, EASI50, EASI75 and EASI90 placebo responses were 39.9% [95% confidence interval (CI), 36.7–43.2], 20.9% (95% CI, 18.2–23.8) and 9.0% (95% CI, 6.7–11.6), respectively. At week 12, the pooled proportion of placebo‐treated AD patients that obtained EASI50, EASI75 and EASI90 was significantly higher than the pooled proportion of placebo‐treated psoriasis patients obtaining PASI50, PASI75 and PASI90 (P < 0.05). Our findings emphasize the fluctuating nature of AD and show that correct and consistent use of topical treatments strongly reduces disease severity.
Neurodevelopmental profile of siblings with Angelman syndrome due to pathogenic UBE3A variants
Authors: Sadhwani A. , Willen J. M. , Miller H. , Barbieri‐Welge R. , Horowitz L. T. , Noll L. M. , Peters S. , Hundley R. , Bird L. M. , Tan W. H.
Published: December 2019

Background

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a lack of expression of the maternally inherited UBE3A gene on chromosome 15. Individuals with AS due to a UBE3A mutation are more likely to have siblings who also have AS compared with those with AS due to other cytogenetic/molecular mechanisms, but it is unknown whether the developmental outcome of siblings who have AS is similar.

Methods

Through an ongoing AS Natural History Study, we identified seven pairs of siblings with AS due to a UBE3A mutation. We compared the neurodevelopment of the first‐born and second‐born siblings with AS participants who have a UBE3A mutation and have either typically developing siblings or no siblings.

Results

Second‐born AS participants due to a UBE3A mutation were more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier age. With the exception of higher expressive language scores among the second‐born participants, no other differences were observed in the developmental and adaptive functioning skills across the different groups.

Conclusions

The presence of an older sibling with the same neurodevelopmental disorder is associated with an earlier age of diagnosis and may be associated with an improvement in expressive language skills; the developmental outcome of siblings with AS due to a UBE3A mutation is otherwise comparable.
Development of the empowerment scale for family caregivers of community‐dwelling people with dementia in Japan
Authors: Sakanashi Sayori , Fujita Kimie
Published: December 2019

Aim

This study aimed to develop the empowerment scale for family caregivers of community‐dwelling people with dementia (PWD) in Japan (EFCD) and to validate the scale.

Methods

The questionnaires were mailed to 820 family caregivers of PWD. The first version of the EFCD based on interviews with family caregivers and elderly care specialists and content validity results was tested. Participants also completed the Revised Scale for Caregiving Self‐Efficacy and the General Health Questionnaire. For the EFCD development procedure, construct validity was evaluated by item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Criterion validity was tested using Spearman's correlations between scores of the three scales. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Bland and Altman analysis. The final model was verified by confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

Data from 304 family caregivers were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis identified a 16‐item, four‐factor structure for the final version of the EFCD, as follows: (a) Excellent Practice in Dementia Care; (b) Understanding the Essence of Dementia Care; (c) Caring for Oneself as well as for the Person with Dementia; and (d) Having Peers with Shared Support Activities. Reliability and validity of the scale was established using the methods described.

Conclusions

The developed EFCD is a reliable and valid measure that provides a simple assessment of empowerment among family caregivers of PWD.
Implementation of a multifaceted nurse‐led intervention to reduce indwelling urinary catheter use in four Australian hospitals: A pre‐ and postintervention study
Authors: Giles Michelle , Graham Laura , Ball Jean , King Jennie , Watts Wendy , Harris Alison , Oldmeadow Christopher , Ling Rod , Paul Michelle , O’Brien Anthony , Parker Vicki , Wiggers John , Foureur Maralyn
Published: December 2019

Aims and objectives

This study aimed to reduce indwelling urinary catheter (IDC) use and duration through implementation of a multifaceted “bundled” care intervention.

Background

Indwelling urinary catheters present a risk for patients through the potential development of catheter‐associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), with duration of IDC a key risk factor. Catheter‐associated urinary tract infection is considered preventable yet accounts for over a third of all hospital‐acquired infections. The most effective CAUTI reduction strategy is to avoid IDC use where ever possible and to remove the IDC as early as appropriate.

Design

A cluster‐controlled pre‐ and poststudy at a facility level with a phased intervention implementation approach.

Methods

A multifaceted intervention involving a “No CAUTI” catheter care bundle was implemented, in 4 acute‐care hospitals, 2 in metropolitan and 2 in rural locations, in New South Wales, Australia. Indwelling urinary catheter point prevalence and duration data were collected at the bedside on 1,630 adult inpatients at preintervention and 1,677 and 1,551 at 4 and 9 months postintervention. This study is presented in line with the StaRI checklist (see Appendix S1).

Results

A nonsignificant trend towards reduction in IDC prevalence was identified, from 12% preintervention to 10% of all inpatients at 4 and 9 months. Variability in preintervention IDC prevalence existed across hospitals (8%–16%). Variability in reduction was evident across hospitals at 4 months (between −2% and 4%) and 9 months (between 0%–8%). Hospitals with higher preintervention prevalence showed larger decreases, up to 50% when preintervention prevalence was 16%. Indwelling urinary catheter duration increased as more of the short‐term IDC placements were avoided.

Conclusions

Implementation of a multifaceted intervention resulted in reduced IDC use in four acute‐care hospitals in Australia. This result was not statistically significant but did reflect a positive trend of reduction. There was a significant reduction in short‐term IDC use at 9 months postintervention.

Relevance to clinical practice

Clinical nurse leaders can effectively implement change strategies that influence patient outcomes. Implementation of the evidence‐based “No CAUTI” bundle increased awareness of appropriate indications and provided nurses with the tools to inform decision‐making related to insertion and removal of IDCs in acute inpatient settings. Working in partnership with inpatients and the multidisciplinary team is essential in minimising acute‐care IDC use.
Effectiveness of single‐dose administration of inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccination in the Republic of Korea armed forces, 2013‐2016
Authors: Im Jae Hyoung , Woo Hyeong‐Taek , Ha Beomman , Jung Jaehun
Published: December 2019

The Republic of Korea Armed Forces has implemented the hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccination programme with a single‐dose administration schedule in new recruits since 2013. A single‐dose administration was selected for economic feasibility. We analysed the effectiveness of the single‐dose HAV vaccination in a young and healthy population. To measure the effectiveness of the programme, we observed the incidence of HAV between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. A comparison between the two groups during the vaccine introduction period (2013‐2016) revealed a lower incidence rate of infection in the vaccinated group (3 cases/603 550 person‐years) than in the unvaccinated group (21 cases/1 020 450 person‐years). The effectiveness of single‐dose HAV vaccination was found to be 75.85%.
Wangdaodeite, the LiNbO3‐structured high‐pressure polymorph of ilmenite, a new mineral from the Suizhou L6 chondrite
Authors: Xie Xiande , Gu Xiangping , Yang Hexiong , Chen Ming , Li Kai
Published: December 2019

Wangdaodeite, the shock‐induced lithium niobate–structured polymorph of ilmenite, was found in the Suizhou L6 chondrite. It occurs as small irregular particles (2–20 μm in size) inside or adjacent to the shock melt veins. Wangdaodeite coexists in veins with ringwoodite, majorite, and xieite. The chemical formula of wangdaodeite is FeTiO3. The empirical formula is: (Fe0.85Mg0.10Mn0.05)Σ1.00Ti0.99O3, which is similar to that of its host ilmenite. The Raman spectra of wangdaodeite display the bands at 174–179, 273–277, 560–567, 738–743 cm−1, which are different to those for ilmenite. TEM images show that ilmenite is composed of polysynthetic‐twinned crystals while wangdaodeite is composed of random‐oriented nanometric domains sized 20–50 nm. Electron diffraction established wangdaodeite to be trigonal with the lithium niobate structure. Cell parameters are: a = 5.13(1) Å, c = 13.78(1) Å; c/a = 2.69; space group R3c; calculated density = 4.72 g cm−3. The P–T conditions for formation of wangdaodeite were estimated to be 20–24 GPa and >1200 °C. The mineral name was approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA 2016‐007). The name is for Daode Wang, Professor at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The gut in Parkinson’s disease: Bottom‐up, top‐down, or neither?
Authors: Leclair‐Visonneau Laurène , Neunlist Michel , Derkinderen Pascal , Lebouvier Thibaud
Published: December 2019

The gut‐brain axis is a hot topic in Parkinson's disease. In an attempt to decipher its role in the disease pathogenesis, several animal models have been developed. Most of these models tried to reproduce Braak's hypothesis by showing that the pathological process could spread from the gut to the brain (bottom‐up scenario). Interestingly, others groups showed that a top‐down scenario could also occur and that 6‐hydroxydopamine‐induced nigrostriatal denervation was sufficient to induce significant changes in the gastrointestinal tract. Aside from this toxic approach, the article by O’Donovan and colleagues in this edition of Neurogastroenterology and Motility showed that bilateral nigral injection of adeno‐associated virus (AAV)‐alpha‐synuclein in rats was accompanied by changes in the enteric nervous system and the gut microbiota, which occurred without any apparent brain‐to‐gut spread of human injected alpha‐synuclein. Some changes observed in the gastrointestinal tract of animals injected with AAV‐alpha‐synuclein were in line with previous observations in Parkinson's disease patients, including increased expression of glial markers, swollen tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive varicosities in the submucosal plexus, and decreases in Faecalibacterium and Lachnospiraceae. These findings suggest that, in addition to gut‐brain pathways, the brain‐to‐gut communication may also be involved in Parkinson's disease pathophysiology. In this mini‐review, we describe the strengths and limitations of the existing studies on the gut‐brain axis in experimental models of parkinsonism and discuss an alternative hypothesis in which the central and enteric nervous system would evolve separately during disease progression.
Maternal‐related factors in the origin of isolated cleft palate—A population‐based case‐control study
Authors: Ács Lili , Bányai Dorottya , Nemes Bálint , Nagy Krisztián , Ács Nándor , Bánhidy Ferenc , Rózsa Noémi
Published: December 2019

Objects

Isolated cleft palate (CPO) is the rarest form of oral clefting affecting 1‐25 per 10 000 newborns worldwide. There is increasing evidence for the different pathogenetic backgrounds of CPO and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. The role of environmental factors in the origin of non‐syndromic and syndromic CPO is unclear in most patients. The aim of this study was to estimate possible maternal risk factors in the origin of CPO.

Setting and Sample Population

The Hungarian Case‐Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities contains data of 32 345 birth defect cases and 57 231 control newborns. The study samples included 751 cases with isolated CPO, 1196 matched controls and 57 231 population controls.

Material and Methods

Maternal diseases during pregnancy in cases and population controls were compared, and adjusted ORs with 95% CI were calculated in a multivariable unconditional logistic regression model.

Results

Beyond the well‐known robust female excess (58.9%)—maternal smoking (OR with 95% CI: 2.34, 1.94‐2.81) medically recorded maternal anaemia, threatened abortion and excessive vomiting in pregnancy were associated with a higher risk for CPO in the offspring. An elevated risk was found in Graves’ disease (OR: 4.30, 1.74‐10.62), epilepsy (OR: 4.64, 2.44‐8.82), migraine (OR: 2.82, 1.18‐6.76) and essential hypertension (OR: 2.33, 1.32‐4.10). Among acute diseases common cold (OR: 4.94, 3.48‐7.03), acute respiratory infections (OR: 4.20, 1.49‐11.82), influenza (OR: 2.95, 1.75‐4.95), pulpitis (OR: 7.85, 2.80‐22.03), cholecystitis (OR: 3.15, 1.16‐8.60), acute urinary tract infections (OR: 4.08, 2.22‐7.49) and pelvic inflammatory diseases (OR: 3.93, 1.62‐9.53) during pregnancy also were associated with an increased risk for developing CPO.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that maternal diseases and lifestyle factors during the first trimester play a significant role in the development of isolated cleft palate.
The exultation of another
Authors: Wang Feng , Washbourne Kelly
Published: December 2019

The Beat writers' influence on world letters is well known, but far less understood is their translational ethos that brought the world to American writing. This study offers insight into a Beat philosophy of translation, whether formalized or implicit. What emerges is a picture of an expansive poetics that puts translation in the service of a project of identity‐formation that actively chose its confederates and precursors from all over the world's language traditions. For the Beats, translation was sympathy and identification both textual and biographical, sometimes to the point of projection and creative misreading, and always with a sensibility recognizably tied to their place and time, aBeat translation style.They blurred the lines between original and translation like few generations of writers, including through interpolation, “shift linguals,” homage, and other kinds of polyphonic textures. While some of its key figures are already understood in their translatorial dimension, considered as a whole, the Beat poets' theories and practices of translation reveal the group to be more multicultural, and more multilingually networked, than perhaps had hitherto been thought.
Relevance of esophageal position and temperature on thermal injuries and rhythm outcome in atrial fibrillation ablations
Authors: Stauber Annina , Kornej Jelena , Bollmann Andreas , Hindricks Gerhard , Sommer Philipp
Published: December 2019

Background

Thermolesions are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. We aimed to assess the reasons for thermolesions and the effect of esophageal position on recurrences.

Methods

The study included consecutive patients undergoing AF catheter ablation at Heart Center Leipzig between January and September 2014. We collected data of esophagus localization, temperature, endoscopy, and follow‐up.

Results

The study included 645 patients into analyses. A total of 626 (97.2%) received a temperature probe. Esophageal position was categorized: (A) behind left pulmonary veins, (B) left ostial, (C) in the middle of left atrium, (D) right ostial, and (E) behind right pulmonary veins. The most frequent esophageal position was B‐C (n = 201, 32.1%), followed by B (n = 161, 25.7%), and C (n = 147, 23.5%). The temperature was highest in A‐B positions (42.04°C) and in D‐E positions (41.70°C). There was a significant correlation between the endoscopically detected esophageal lesions (EDEL) and the esophageal position (r² = −.115, P = .004) and the esophageal temperature (r² = .162, P = .000), but not with body mass index (BMI) (r² = −.016, P = .688). Additional substrate modification in the left atrium resulted in significantly higher esophageal temperatures (P < .001) and more frequent EDEL (P = .049). An EDEL was found in 15 patients (2.3% of all patients, 5.6% of patients receiving endoscopy). Of those, the median esophageal temperature was 41.8°C (interquartile range [IQR]: 41.2‐42.4). Neither esophageal position nor temperature during ablation was associated with arrhythmia recurrences (both P > .400).

Conclusions

EDEL depended on the esophageal position and temperature, but not on BMI. Esophageal position and intraluminal temperature during ablation had no effect on recurrences.
Affective Justice: The Racialized Imaginaries of International Justice
Authors: Clarke Kamari Maxine
Published: December 2019

This article contributes to contemporary debates in the anthropology of international justice by exploring how narratives about the International Criminal Court have been applied, understood, and contested. It traces the way that justice is materialized and made legible as a domain of practice that is predicated on deeply embedded racialized logics, which are themselves obscured in the process. The article focuses on how bodies, psychologies, and social imaginaries come together to produce the terms on which justice is materialized, disaggregated, ruptured, and made legible again. This is demonstrated through the introduction of “affective justice” as a framework for understanding justice as a social practice. Through several ethnographic examples, this article illuminates how embodied affects at the micro level underpin emotional regimes that are expressed in a diversity of social practices, which then have a collective capacity to influence notions of justice at the macro level. The examples illuminate how international justice assemblages interact to constitute affective justice in three interrelated domains: technocratic practices, psycho‐social embodied performances, and emotional regimes. When examined through anthropology of international justice lenses, each of these domains offers insights into how people draw upon racial imaginaries to produce and refashion justice through practice.
Present Absence In Dependency Law: The Erasure of Noncitizen Parents in the San Diego–Tijuana Region
Authors: Rodriguez Naomi Glenn‐Levin
Published: December 2019

This article explores how child welfare policy and contemporary US immigration enforcement come together to transform the immigrant parent into an absence that operates as a legal presence. International legal standards and US child welfare policy protect the right of a parent, regardless of citizenship status or country of residence, to participate fully in child welfare case proceedings and to maintain, or regain, custody of their children. However, restrictive immigration policy, intensified border enforcement, and a contemporary deportation regime have made the separation of immigrant parents and their children a prevalent problem within the US child welfare system, separating children from parents who would otherwise be considered fit. The production of legally absent parents is central to this process. Detention and deportation practices can make immigrant parents difficult to locate. This makes it more likely that an immigrant parent will be deemed absent, and thus declared to have legally abandoned their child, a determination that is necessary for child welfare officials to terminate parental rights. Drawing on ethnographic research in the San Diego–Tijuana region, this article examines the force of legal absence in these cases and the profound consequences this has for families.
The HLA‐B*54:41 allele identified in a volunteer donor for hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Authors: Kim Hyoung‐Jae , Baek In‐Cheol , Choi Eun‐Jeong , Shin Dong‐Hwan , Kim Tai‐Gyu
Published: December 2019

HLA‐B*54:41 differs from HLA‐B*54:01:01:01 in codon 121 in exon 3.
Detection of an HLA‐A*02 variant, HLA‐A*02:611, in a Singaporean Chinese individual
Authors: Cho Louise , Kaur Ashminder , Lin Py‐Yu , Yang Kuo‐Liang
Published: December 2019

One nucleotide replacement in codon 13 of HLA‐A*02:01:01:01 results in a novel allele, HLA‐A*02:611.
Chloroplast nucleoids are highly dynamic in ploidy, number, and structure during angiosperm leaf development
Authors: Greiner Stephan , Golczyk Hieronim , Malinova Irina , Pellizzer Tommaso , Bock Ralph , Börner Thomas , Herrmann Reinhold G.
Published: December 2019

Chloroplast nucleoids are large, compact nucleoprotein structures containing multiple copies of the plastid genome. Studies on structural and quantitative changes of plastid DNA (ptDNA) during leaf development are scarce and have produced controversial data. We have systematically investigated nucleoid dynamics and ptDNA quantities in the mesophyll of Arabidopsis, tobacco, sugar beet, and maize from the early post‐meristematic stage until necrosis. DNA of individual nucleoids was quantified by DAPI‐based supersensitive epifluorescence microscopy. Nucleoids occurred in scattered, stacked, or ring‐shaped arrangements and in recurring patterns during leaf development that was remarkably similar between the species studied. Nucleoids per organelle varied from a few in meristematic plastids to >30 in mature chloroplasts (corresponding to about 20–750 nucleoids per cell). Nucleoid ploidies ranged from haploid to >20‐fold even within individual organelles, with average values between 2.6‐fold and 6.7‐fold and little changes during leaf development. DNA quantities per organelle increased gradually from about a dozen plastome copies in tiny plastids of apex cells to 70–130 copies in chloroplasts of about 7 μm diameter in mature mesophyll tissue, and from about 80 plastome copies in meristematic cells to 2600–3300 copies in mature diploid mesophyll cells without conspicuous decline during leaf development. Pulsed‐field electrophoresis, restriction of high‐molecular‐weight DNA from chloroplasts and gerontoplasts, and CsCl equilibrium centrifugation of single‐stranded and double‐stranded ptDNA revealed no noticeable fragmentation of the organelle DNA during leaf development, implying that plastid genomes in mesophyll tissues are remarkably stable until senescence.
Image Analysis Techniques for Ripeness Detection of Palm Oil Fresh Fruit Bunches
Authors: Ghazali Shuwaibatul Aslamiah , Selamat Hazlina , Omar Zaid , Yusof Rubiyah
Published: December 2019

Being one of the biggest producers and exporters of palm oil and palm oil products, Malaysia has an important role to play in fulfilling the growing global need for oils and fats sustainably. Quality is an important factor that ensuring palm oil industries fulfill the demands of palm oil product. There has significant relationship between the quality of the palm oil fruits and the content of its oil. Ripe FFB gives more oil content, while unripe FFB give the least content. Overripe FFB shows that the content of oil is deteriorates. There have 4 classes of ripeness stages involves in this paper which are ripe, unripe, underipe and overripe. The proposes approach in this paper uses color features and bag of visual word  for classifying oil palm fruit ripeness stages. Experiments conducted in this paper consisted of smartphone camera for image acquisition, python and matlab software for image pre processing and Support Vector Machine for classification. A total of 400 images is taken in a few plant in north Malaysia. Experiments involved on a dataset of 360 images for training for four classes and 40 images for testing. The average accuracy for the 4 classes of the FFB by color features is 57% while the accuracy for ripeness classification by using bag of visual word is 70%.
Deep Learning Stereo Matching Algorithm using Siamese Network
Authors: Samadi Masoud , Othman Mohd Fauzi , Taguchi Akira
Published: December 2019

Autonomous vehicle has become a very hot topic for researchers in recent years. One of the important sensors used in these vehicles is Stereo Cameras/Vision. Stereo vision systems are used to estimate the depth from the two cameras installed on robots or vehicles. This method can deliver the 3D position of all objects captured in the scene at a lower cost and higher density compared to LIDAR. Recently, neural net-works are vastly investigated and used in image processing problems and deep learning networks which has surpassed traditional computer vision methods specially in object recognition. In this paper, we propose to use a GPU with a new Siamese deep learning method to speed up the stereo matching algorithm. In this work, we use a high end Nvidia DGX workstation to train and test our algorithm and compare the results with normal GPUs and CPUs. Based on numerical evaluation, the Nvidia DGX can train a neural network with higher input image resolution approximately 8 times faster than a normal GPU and 40 times faster than a Core i7 8 Cores CPU. Since it has the ability to train on a higher resolution the network can be trained in more iteration and results in higher accuracy.
Exploración de la intención de consumo de la Cascarilla de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) como infusión: caso Tungurahua-Ecuador
Authors: Teneda Llerena William Fabián , Guamán Guevara María Dolores , Oyaque Mora Silvia Melinda
Published: December 2019

El presente estudio evalúa la intención de consumo de té elaborado a base de la cascarilla de cacao en la provincia de Tungurahua, Ecuador. La cascarilla de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) es un residuo del proceso de producción del cacao. Estudios recientes han demostrado que este producto tiene propiedades medicinales, lo que potencializa su atractivo de consumo en infusión. Para estimar la demanda se realizó una investigación de mercado a fin de conocer el nivel de aceptación y la disposición de compra de este té, así como determinar estrategias para dar valor agregado al producto. Se encuestaron 386 personas en la provincia de Tungurahua, Ecuador, y fueron identificados 17 productores de chocolate artesanal, quienes desconocen el valor agregado y beneficios de la cascarilla como un producto para bebidas de infusión. La frecuencia de compra del producto correspondió a 15 días con un 47,93%, y es consumido como infusión caliente en un 59,59%.