bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient participation in inpatient ward rounds on acute inpatient medical wards: a descriptive study
Authors: Redley Bernice , McTier Lauren , Botti Mari , Hutchinson Alison , Newnham Harvey , Campbell Donald , Bucknall Tracey
Published: February 2018

Background

Meaningful partnering with patients is advocated to enhance care delivery. Little is known about how this is operationalised at the point of care during hospital ward rounds, where decision-making concerning patient care frequently occurs.

Objective

Describe participation of patients, with differing preferences for participation, during ward rounds in acute medical inpatient services.

Methods

Naturalistic, multimethod design. Data were collected using surveys and observations of ward rounds at two hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Using convenience sampling, a stratified sample of acute general medical patients were recruited. Prior to observation and interview, patient responses to the Control Preference Scale were used to stratify them into three groups representing diverse participation preferences: active control where the patient makes decisions; shared control where the patient prefers to make decisions jointly with clinicians; and passive control where the patient prefers clinicians make decisions.

Results

Of the 52 patients observed over 133 ward rounds, 30.8% (n=16) reported an active control preference for participation in decision-making during ward rounds, 25% (n=13) expressed shared control preference and 44.2% (n=23) expressed low control preference. Patients’ participation was observed in 75% (n=85) of ward rounds, but few rounds (18%, n=20) involved patient contribution to decisions about their care. Clinicians prompted patient participation in 54% of rounds; and in 15% patients initiated their own participation. Thematic analysis of qualitative observation and patient interview data revealed two themes,supporting patient capabilityandclinician-led opportunity, that contributed to patient participation or non-participation in ward rounds.

Conclusions

Participation in ward rounds was similar for patients irrespective of control preference. This study demonstrates the need to better understand clinician roles in supporting strategies that promote patient participation in day-to-day hospital care.
Neuropsychological testing
Authors: Zucchella Chiara , Federico Angela , Martini Alice , Tinazzi Michele , Bartolo Michelangelo , Tamburin Stefano
Published: February 2018

Neuropsychological testing is a key diagnostic tool for assessing people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, but can also help in other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and epilepsy. While cognitive screening tests offer gross information, detailed neuropsychological evaluation can provide data on different cognitive domains (visuospatial function, memory, attention, executive function, language and praxis) as well as neuropsychiatric and behavioural features. We should regard neuropsychological testing as an extension of the neurological examination applied to higher order cortical function, since each cognitive domain has an anatomical substrate. Ideally, neurologists should discuss the indications and results of neuropsychological assessment with a clinical neuropsychologist. This paper summarises the rationale, indications, main features, most common tests and pitfalls in neuropsychological evaluation.
Numerical and experimental simulation of dowel action across reinforced concrete (RC) cracks under two-directional loading
Authors: Moradi Ali Reza
Published: February 2018

The local and global behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) members and structures may be affected by cracks and the capabilities of stress transfer mechanisms. Dowel action is one of the shear transfer mechanisms across RC cracks and particularly is the only mechanism in pre-formed joints that are common in precast concrete connections. Herein, the path-dependent behavior of dowel action mechanism is examined experimentally and analytically. Firstly, the effect of loading history and direction on the shear transfer capabilities of crossing bars are investigated experimentally. Then, according to the experimental results and observations, a model is extended to simulate and capture the directional path-dependent behavior of dowel action by introducing consistent formulas for subgrade springs based on the beam on the elastic foundation analogy. Verification is carried out by comparing with the corresponding experimental results and shows the fair accuracy of the proposed model and assumptions.
The Bursty Steiner Tree Problem
Authors: Sharma Gokarna , Busch Costas
Published: February 2018

We introduce and study a new Steiner tree problem variation called the bursty Steiner tree problem where new nodes arrive into bursts. This is an online problem which becomes the well-known online Steiner tree problem if the number of nodes in each burst is exactly one and becomes the classic Steiner tree problem if all the nodes appear in a single burst. In undirected graphs, we provide a tight bound of [Formula: see text] on the competitive ratio for this problem, where [Formula: see text] is the total number of nodes to be connected and [Formula: see text] is the total number of different bursts. In directed graphs of bounded edge asymmetry [Formula: see text], we provide a competitive ratio for this problem with a gap of [Formula: see text] factor between the lower bound and the upper bound. We also show that a tight bound of [Formula: see text] on the competitive ratio can be obtained for a bursty variation of the terminal Steiner tree problem. These are the first results that provide clear performance trade-offs for a novel Steiner tree problem variation that subsumes both of its online and classic versions.
Exotic particle mass spectrum of the BLMSSM
Authors: Li Hui , Chen Jian-Bin , Xing Li-Li
Published: February 2018

To explain the matter–antimatter asymmetry, a supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (SM) is proposed where baryon and lepton numbers are local-gauged (BLMSSM), and exotic superfields are introduced when gauge group is enlarged to [Formula: see text]. Owing to the consistency of the SM prediction and the observation of large hadron collider (LHC), the parameter space that related to the masses of new particles is stringently constrained. By diagonalizing the mass-squared matrices for neutral scalar sectors and the mass-squared matrices for exotic quarks, we obtain the mass of these particles, then present the contour plot of mass varying from different parameters with some assumptions, so the constraints on model parameter can be obtained with different lower limits of particle mass.
A method of network topology optimization design considering application process characteristic
Authors: Wang Chunlin , Huang Ning , Bai Yanan , Zhang Shuo
Published: February 2018

Communication networks are designed to meet the usage requirements of users for various network applications. The current studies of network topology optimization design mainly considered network traffic, which is the result of network application operation, but not a design element of communication networks. A network application is a procedure of the usage of services by users with some demanded performance requirements, and has obvious process characteristic. In this paper, we first propose a method to optimize the design of communication network topology considering the application process characteristic. Taking the minimum network delay as objective, and the cost of network design and network connective reliability as constraints, an optimization model of network topology design is formulated, and the optimal solution of network topology design is searched by Genetic Algorithm (GA). Furthermore, we investigate the influence of network topology parameter on network delay under the background of multiple process-oriented applications, which can guide the generation of initial population and then improve the efficiency of GA. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness and validity of our proposed method. Network topology optimization design considering applications can improve the reliability of applications, and provide guidance for network builders in the early stage of network design, which is of great significance in engineering practices.
Lump solutions with interaction phenomena in the (2+1)-dimensional Ito equation
Authors: Zou Li , Yu Zong-Bing , Tian Shou-Fu , Feng Lian-Li , Li Jin
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we consider the (2+1)-dimensional Ito equation, which was introduced by Ito. By considering the Hirota’s bilinear method, and using the positive quadratic function, we obtain some lump solutions of the Ito equation. In order to ensure rational localization and analyticity of these lump solutions, some sufficient and necessary conditions are provided on the parameters that appeared in the solutions. Furthermore, the interaction solutions between lump solutions and the stripe solitons are discussed by combining positive quadratic function with exponential function. Finally, the dynamic properties of these solutions are shown via the way of graphical analysis by selecting appropriate values of the parameters.
PORE-THROAT STRUCTURE AND FRACTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHIHEZI FORMATION TIGHT GAS SANDSTONE IN THE ORDOS BASIN, CHINA
Authors: HUANG HEXIN , CHEN LEI , SUN WEI , XIONG FENGYANG , JI WEI , JIA JINGKUN , TANG XIANGLU , ZHANG SHAOHUA , GAO JIANWEN , LUO BIN
Published: February 2018

In order to better understand the impact of fractal features of pore-throat structures on effective physical properties of tight gas sandstones, this paper carried out constant-rate mercury injection tests, gas–water permeability analyses, helium-based porosity and nitrogen pulse decay permeability measurements, and SEM and casting thin-section analyses on 20 sandstone samples of the Shihezi Formation from 16 wells of the Sulige Gas Field in the Ordos Basin, China. The fractal dimensions of pores corresponding to two pore radius ranges, namely fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and those of throats also corresponding to two throat radius ranges, namely fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], were then calculated using the constant-rate mercury injection data. Fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are negatively correlated with the average pore radius and pore volume as well as quartz content, and they are positively related to contents of clay minerals and lithic fragments. Compared with pore fractal dimensions, throat fractal dimensions have lower correlations with throat structural parameters, and show vague relations with mineral compositions. Although the effects imposed by mineral compositions upon throat structures are similar to those upon pore structures, the flake-like and curved shapes of throats result in irregularity of fractal dimensions. Tight gas sandstones, with smaller fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], have larger effective porosity, indicating that more gas volumes can be replaced by liquids. As for tight gas sandstones with lower fractal dimensions [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the effective gas permeability is relatively high. In such cases, gas can flow more easily through the reservoir.
Mono- and di-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl) meso-tetraarylporphyrins: Synthesis, spectral, structural and electrochemical studies
Authors: Ramesh Jagadeesan , Arunkumar Chellaiah
Published: February 2018

A new series of mono-/di-aminated meso-tetraarylporphyrins has been synthesized and characterized by conventional spectroscopic methods. Crystal structure analysis shows that interactions involving halogens are the major contributors, and the relative contributions are 56% and 53% respectively for MB2c and MB3c. All the compounds were electrochemically analyzed under different reaction conditions and showed a positive shift in the reduction and oxidation potentials. The HOMO–LUMO energy gap was altered with respect to the nature of the supporting electrolyte and reference electrodes used. The linear behavior of Randles-Sevcik plots indicate that the redox processes are diffusion controlled; the first reduction/oxidation is a reversible one-electron step whereas the second reduction/oxidation is a quasi-reversible one-electron process. Results also reveal that the mono-aminated porphyrins are more electron deficient than non-aminated and di-aminated porphyrins.
Improving mechanical strength of La2O3 and ZrO2 co-doped silicate glasses for touch screen
Authors: Hou Guangning , Cao Lijie , Zhang Chaomin , Xia Jinan , Li Guishun
Published: February 2018

La2O3 and ZrO2 co-doped silicate glasses were fabricated using melt-quenching method. The network structure, Vickers hardness and elastic modulus of the glasses were measured to investigate their mechanical properties. Our results indicated that the prepared samples exhibited high strength network structures with excellent mechanical performance. The Vickers hardness exceeded 858[Formula: see text]HV, and the elastic modulus reaches 100[Formula: see text]GPa. They increased approximate 37% and 18.6%, respectively, more than the most hardness and modulus reported for this type of glasses, while their transmittance in visible spectrum range was over 90%.
Tectonic evolution of syn- to late-orogenic sedimentary–volcanic basins in the central Norwegian Caledonides
Authors: Stokke Ella W. , Gasser Deta , Dalslåen Bjørgunn H. , Grenne Tor
Published: February 2018

We present new structural, geochemical and U–Pb zircon data from syn- to late-orogenic sedimentary–volcanic basins in the southwestern part of the Trondheim Nappe Complex, central Norwegian Caledonides. In this area, a succession of enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt type metabasalt, jasper, ribbon chert with associated sandstone and conglomerate, and green siltstone is interpreted to represent volcanism and sedimentation in a hitherto little-known spreading-dominated tectonic environment. This environment is different from the suprasubduction-zone ophiolite setting dominating the Iapetus rock record elsewhere in the Scandinavian Caledonides. This volcanic and sedimentary succession was overturned and isoclinally folded in a pre-427 Ma orogenic phase. Post-427 Ma cross-bedded sandstones were deposited on the eroded surface of the previously deformed rocks, representing a rare example of a late Silurian or younger sedimentary basin within the Scandinavian Caledonides. The cross-bedded sandstones are intercalated with and/or overlain by post-427 Ma intermediate volcanic or subvolcanic rocks of calc-alkaline composition, representing a hitherto unknown volcanic phase within the Trondheim Nappe Complex and elsewhere within the Scandinavian Caledonides. Their particular geochemical signature could be the result of late-stage subduction-zone volcanism just prior to the onset of continent–continent collision between Baltica and Laurentia, or much younger post-collisional extensional melting with inherited subduction signatures.

Supplementary material:
A description of analytical methods and a table of geochronological data from LA-ICP-MS analysis of zircons are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3994605
.
A comparative study of the Parnaíba, Michigan and Congo cratonic basins
Authors: Watts A. B. , Tozer B. , Daly M. C. , Smith J.
Published: February 2018

We used compilations of geological and geophysical data to compare the structure, subsidence history and evolution of the Parnaíba, Michigan and Congo cratonic basins. These basins consist of 3–6 km of Paleozoic to Recent sediments and are located on thick (>150 km) lithosphere, far from plate boundaries. Sediment-corrected Bouguer gravity anomalies show that the basins are associated with a central high of up to 40–60 mGal. The high could reflect crustal thinning, but seismic refraction data suggest that the Moho is either at a similar depth or deeper beneath the basins than beneath their flanks. The seismic reflection profiles show no evidence of extensional structures in the underlying basement. We propose that the central high reflects an extensive igneous intrusion, which, on solidification, loaded the crust and lithosphere, causing a surface flexure into which sediments accumulated. Viscoelastic plate modelling of the backstripped well data shows that a subsurface load can explain the tectonic subsidence of the basins as well as some details of their internal stratigraphy, including offlap. Offlap, a ubiquitous feature of cratonic basins, can therefore be explained by tectonics in the form of flexure and does not require other controlling factors such as long-term sea-level changes.
Gait Recognition from Motion Capture Data
Authors: Balazia Michal , Sojka Petr
Published: February 2018

Gait recognition from motion capture data, as a pattern classification discipline, can be improved by the use of machine learning. This article contributes to the state of the art with a statistical approach for extracting robust gait features directly from raw data by a modification of Linear Discriminant Analysis with Maximum Margin Criterion. Experiments on the CMU MoCap database show that the suggested method outperforms 13 relevant methods based on geometric features and a method to learn the features by a combination of Principal Component Analysis and Linear Discriminant Analysis. The methods are evaluated in terms of the distribution of biometric templates in respective feature spaces expressed in a number of class separability coefficients and classification metrics. Results also indicate a high portability of learned features, what means that we can learn what aspects of walk people generally differ in and extract those as general gait features. Recognizing people without needing group-specific features is convenient, as particular people might not always provide annotated learning data. As a contribution to reproducible research, our evaluation framework and database have been made publicly available. This research makes motion capture technology directly applicable for human recognition.
Detection and Resolution of Rumours in Social Media
Authors: Zubiaga Arkaitz , Aker Ahmet , Bontcheva Kalina , Liakata Maria , Procter Rob
Published: February 2018

Despite the increasing use of social media platforms for information and news gathering, its unmoderated nature often leads to the emergence and spread of rumours, i.e., items of information that are unverified at the time of posting. At the same time, the openness of social media platforms provides opportunities to study how users share and discuss rumours, and to explore how to automatically assess their veracity, using natural language processing and data mining techniques. In this article, we introduce and discuss two types of rumours that circulate on social media: long-standing rumours that circulate for long periods of time, and newly emerging rumours spawned during fast-paced events such as breaking news, where reports are released piecemeal and often with an unverified status in their early stages. We provide an overview of research into social media rumours with the ultimate goal of developing a rumour classification system that consists of four components: rumour detection, rumour tracking, rumour stance classification, and rumour veracity classification. We delve into the approaches presented in the scientific literature for the development of each of these four components. We summarise the efforts and achievements so far toward the development of rumour classification systems and conclude with suggestions for avenues for future research in social media mining for the detection and resolution of rumours.
Replicated Computations Results (RCR) Report for “Design and Verification of Trusted Collective Adaptive Systems”
Authors: Beek Maurice H. Ter
Published: February 2018

The article “Design and Verification of Trusted Collective Adaptive Systems” by Aldini proposes a process-algebraic framework for modeling and verifying trusted collective adaptive systems. To favor reuse, the system and trust models can be specified separately, only to be integrated at the semantic level. Through a combination of behavioral equivalence checking and model checking against branching-time temporal logic with trust predicates, the framework allows comparative analyses of different trust models as well as analyses of the effects of attacks to the trust models. The applicability of the formal framework is illustrated by means of two representative use cases: the security analysis of a trust-incentive service management system and a comparison of two different reputation systems.

This replicated computations results report focuses on the reproducibility of the experiments performed in the aforementioned article, i.e. on the automatic verification of properties against models of these use cases encoded in the well-known NuSMV model checker. It was straightforward to reproduce all results from the article in reasonable time using a standard laptop machine.
The Privacy Implications of Cyber Security Systems
Authors: Toch Eran , Bettini Claudio , Shmueli Erez , Radaelli Laura , Lanzi Andrea , Riboni Daniele , Lepri Bruno
Published: February 2018

Cyber-security systems, which protect networks and computers against cyber attacks, are becoming common due to increasing threats and government regulation. At the same time, the enormous amount of data gathered by cyber-security systems poses a serious threat to the privacy of the people protected by those systems. To ground this threat, we survey common and novel cyber-security technologies and analyze them according to the potential for privacy invasion. We suggest a taxonomy for privacy risks assessment of information security technologies, based on the level of data exposure, the level of identification of individual users, the data sensitivity and the user control over the monitoring, and collection and analysis of the data. We discuss our results in light of the recent technological trends and suggest several new directions for making these mechanisms more privacy-aware.
Game-inspired architecture and architecture-inspired games
Authors: Wiberg Charlotte
Published: February 2018

Interaction design is increasingly about embedding interactive technologies in our built environment; architecture is increasingly about the use of interactive technologies to reimagine and dynamically repurpose our built environment. This forum focuses on this intersection of interaction and architecture. ---
Mikael Wiberg, Editor
Express Read in MLC Phase Change Memories
Authors: Jalili Majid , Sarbazi-Azad Hamid
Published: February 2018

In the era of big data, the capability of computer systems must be enhanced to support 2.5 quintillion byte/day data delivery. Among the components of a computer system, main memory has a great impact on overall system performance. DRAM technology has been used over the past four decades to build main memories. However, the scalability of DRAM technology has faced serious challenges. To keep pace with the ever-increasing demand for larger main memory, some new alternative technologies have been introduced. Phase change memory (PCM) is considered as one of such technologies for substituting DRAM. PCM offers some noteworthy properties such as low static power consumption, nonvolatility, and capability of storing more than one bit per cell (multilevel cell, or MLC). However, the short lifetime and long access latency of PCM (specifically MLC PCM) require feasible and efficient solutions.

In this article, based on the observation that applications access a significant number of read-friendly data blocks, we propose Express Read to prevent the MLC PCM read circuit to spend unnecessary time sensing the cells of a memory block. A read-friendly data block (RFDB) is composed of only “11” and “00” bit pairs, and thus upon sensing the most significant bit of a cell, the read operation can be early terminated to reduce the MLC read time and power consumption. Moreover, we increase the number of RFDBs using two simple techniques to better exploit the benefits of Express Read. Results obtained from full-system simulation near 6% performance improvement and 21% energy gain, on average, over the baseline system.
Flying from the pigeon hole
Authors: Siegel David
Published: February 2018

This forum addresses conceptual, methodological, and professional issues that arise in the UX field's continuing effort to contribute robust information about users to product planning and design. ---
David Siegel and Susan Dray, Editors
Digree
Authors: Spyropoulos Vasilis , Kotidis Yannis Kotidis
Published: February 2018

In this work we present Digree, a system prototype that enables distributed execution of graph pattern matching queries in a cloud of interconnected graph databases. We explain how a graph query can be decomposed into independent sub-patterns that are processed in parallel by the distributed independent graph database systems and how the results are finally synthesized at a master node. We experimentally compare a prototype of our system against a popular big data engine and show that Digree provides significantly faster query execution.
Dan Suciu Speaks Out on Research, Shyness and Being a Scientist
Authors: Winslett Marianne , Braganholo Vanessa
Published: February 2018

Welcome to ACM SIGMOD Record's series of interviews with distinguished members of the database community. I'm Marianne Winslett, and today we are in Snowbird, Utah, USA, site of the 2014 SIGMOD and PODS conference. I have here with me Dan Suciu, who is a professor at the University of Washington. Dan has two Test of Time Awards from PODS as well as Best Paper Awards from SIGMOD and ICDT. Dan's Ph.D. is from the University of Pennsylvania
Data Quality
Authors: Sadiq Shazia , Dasu Tamraparni , Dong Xin Luna , Freire Juliana , Ilyas Ihab F. , Link Sebastian , Miller Miller J. , Naumann Felix , Zhou Xiaofang , Srivastava Divesh
Published: February 2018

We outline a call to action for promoting empiricism in data quality research. The action points result from an analysis of the landscape of data quality research. The landscape exhibits two dimensions of empiricism in data quality research relating to type of metrics and scope of method. Our study indicates the presence of a data continuum ranging from real to synthetic data, which has implications for how data quality methods are evaluated. The dimensions of empiricism and their inter-relationships provide a means of positioning data quality research, and help expose limitations, gaps and opportunities.
Na+/H+exchanger isoform 1-induced osteopontin expression facilitates cardiac hypertrophy through p90 ribosomal S6 kinase
Authors: Abdulrahman Nabeel , Jaspard-Vinassa Beatrice , Fliegel Larry , Jabeen Aayesha , Riaz Sadaf , Gadeau Alain-Pierre , Mraiche Fatima
Published: February 2018

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. One in three cases of heart failure is due to dilated cardiomyopathy. The Na+/H+exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1), a multifunctional protein and the key pH regulator in the heart, has been demonstrated to be increased in this condition. We have previously demonstrated that elevated NHE1 activity induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Furthermore, the overexpression of active NHE1 elicited modulation of gene expression in cardiomyocytes including an upregulation of myocardial osteopontin (OPN) expression. To determine the role of OPN in inducing NHE1-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, double transgenic mice expressing active NHE1 and OPN knockout were generated and assessed by echocardiography and the cardiac phenotype. Our studies showed that hearts expressing active NHE1 exhibited cardiac remodeling indicated by increased systolic and diastolic left ventricular internal diameter and increased ventricular volume. Moreover, these hearts demonstrated impaired function with decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) mRNA was upregulated, and there was an increase in heart cell cross-sectional area confirming the cardiac hypertrophic effect. Moreover, NHE1 transgenic mice also showed increased collagen deposition, upregulation of CD44 and phosphorylation of p90 ribosomal s6 kinase (RSK), effects that were regressed in OPN knockout mice. In conclusion, we developed an interesting comparative model of active NHE1 transgenic mouse lines which express a dilated hypertrophic phenotype expressing CD44 and phosphorylated RSK, effects which were regressed in absence of OPN.
A Multiframes Integration Object Detection Algorithm Based on Time-Domain and Space-Domain
Authors: Liu Yifan , Cai Zhenjiang , Suo Xuesong
Published: February 2018

In order to overcome the disadvantages of the commonly used object detection algorithm, this paper proposed a multiframes integration object detection algorithm based on time-domain and space-domain (MFITS). At first, the consecutive multiframes were observed in time-domain. Then the horizontal and vertical four-direction extension neighborhood of each target pixel were selected in space-domain. Transverse and longitudinal sections were formed by fusing of the time-domain and space-domain. The mean and standard deviation of the pixels in transverse and longitudinal section were calculated. We also added an improved median filter to generate a new pixel in each target pixel position, eventually to generate a new image. This method is not only to overcome the RPAC method affected by lights, shadows, and noise, but also to reserve the object information to the maximum compared with the interframe difference method and overcome the difficulty in dealing with the high frequency noise compared with the adaptive background modeling algorithm. The experiment results showed that the proposed algorithm reserved the motion object information well and removed the background to the maximum.
PTX3: A Potential Biomarker in Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy
Authors: Mou Pei , Chen Ziyu , Jiang Lihong , Cheng Jinwei , Wei Ruili
Published: February 2018

Background. Thyroid associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease, which involves inflammation and tissue remodeling. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is a component of innate immune system and recently implicated in autoimmunity. This observation may indicate that PTX3 participates in the inflammatory process of TAO. Methods. All studies were performed on TAO patients and healthy controls (45: 28 in total). RNA-seq was used to detect differential gene expression of orbital adipose-connective tissue. Quantitative PCR was performed to verify the results. PTX3 protein in orbital adipose-connective tissues was visualized by immunohistochemistry (IHC). PTX3 concentration in serum was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. RNA-seq showed 1.86-log⁡2FC higher PTX3 expression in the orbital adipose-connective tissues from TAO group than controls (FDR = 0.0059). qPCR confirmed the difference (5.59-fold increase, p=0.0012). The presence of PTX3 protein was demonstrated. Orbital adipose tissue from healthy controls showed weak staining for PTX3 while tissue from TAO group was strongly positive. Serum PTX3 concentration was significantly elevated in patients when compared to the control group (1.9-fold increase; p<0.0001). Conclusions. Patients with TAO showed increased presence of PTX3 in orbital tissue and serum, which may suggest a potential relationship of PTX3 and TAO.
Antitumor Activity of Intratumoral Ethanol Injection in an Orthotopic Pancreatic Cancer Cell Mouse Xenograft Model
Authors: Zhang Wen-Ying , Jin Zhen-Dong , Liu Feng , Yuan Hai-Hua , Jiang Bin
Published: February 2018

Purpose. Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease and usually is diagnosed at advanced stages of disease. This study assessed the effects of intratumoral ethanol injection using an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) probe on the control of pancreatic cancer in a mouse orthotopic xenograft model. Materials and Methods. The subcutaneous and orthotopic human pancreatic cancer cell mouse xenograft models were established. Different concentrations of ethanol (0–95%) were injected into subcutaneous xenograft tumors. In the orthotopic tumor model, ethanol was injected into the tumor lesions under the guidance of a high-frequency EUS probe. Tumor volume, relative tumor volume (RTV), and histopathology were evaluated. The serum amylase level was analyzed at baseline and 24 h after treatment in the orthotopic tumor model. Results. Injection of 40–95% ethanol induced tumor necrosis in the subcutaneous tumor model, while there was no statistical difference between the RTVs of the two groups (P=0.81). In the orthotopic tumor model, the RTV of the 80% ethanol treatment group was less than that of the saline injection group (P<0.01); and histologically, there was a large area of necrosis observed in the 80% ethanol group. The serum amylase level was slightly elevated at 24 h after injection and returned to the baseline level at 7 days. Conclusion. Injection of 80% ethanol into xenograft tumor lesions of orthotopic pancreatic cancer resulted in tumor necrosis, and the procedure was safe and effective. Future studies will further confirm its antitumor activity as well as assess its safety and feasibility.
Numerical Simulations of the Motion and Deformation of Three RBCs during Poiseuille Flow through a Constricted Vessel Using IB-LBM
Authors: Wang Rongyang , Wei Yikun , Wu Chuanyu , Sun Liang , Zheng Wenguang
Published: February 2018

The immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM) was used to examine the motion and deformation of three elastic red blood cells (RBCs) during Poiseuille flow through constricted microchannels. The objective was to determine the effects of the degree of constriction and the Reynolds (Re) number of the flow on the physical characteristics of the RBCs. It was found that, with decreasing constriction ratio, the RBCs experienced greater forced deformation as they squeezed through the constriction area compared to at other parts of the microchannel. It was also observed that a longer time was required for the RBCs to squeeze through a narrower constriction. The RBCs subsequently regained a stable shape and gradually migrated toward the centerline of the flow beyond the constriction area. However, a sick RBC was observed to be incapable of passing through a constricted vessel with a constriction ratio ≤1/3 for Re numbers below 0.40.
Exogenous Hormone Use and Endometrial Cancer in U.S. Black Women
Authors: Sponholtz Todd R. , Palmer Julie R. , Rosenberg Lynn A. , Hatch Elizabeth E. , Adams-Campbell Lucile L. , Wise Lauren A.
Published: February 2018

Background: Although endometrial cancer risk differs among white and black women, few data on its associations with exogenous hormone use in the latter group are available. Studies have reported lower endometrial cancer risk among users of oral contraceptives (OCs), but higher risk among users of estrogen-only female menopausal hormones (FMHs). Evidence for the risk among estrogen plus progestin FMHs users is equivocal.

Methods: We followed 47,555 Black Women's Health Study participants with an intact uterus from 1995 through 2013. Data on exogenous hormone use, covariates, and endometrial cancer were obtained biennially. Self-reported incident cases of endometrial cancer were confirmed by medical records or cancer registries whenever possible. We estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results: We observed 300 endometrial cancer cases during 689,546 person-years of follow-up. Compared with never use, ≥10 years' duration of OC use was associated with lower risk (multivariable IRR = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.27–0.74), but risk was higher among current users of estrogen-only (IRR = 3.78, 95% CI, 1.69–8.43) and estrogen plus progestin FMH (IRR = 1.55, 95% CI, 0.78–3.11). Risk was not increased among former users of estrogen-only (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.44–1.72) or estrogen plus progestin FMH (IRR = 0.63, 95% CI, 0.36–1.09).

Conclusions: Current use of estrogen-only and estrogen plus progestin FMH was associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer. Risk appeared lower among former users of estrogen plus progestin FMH. Long-term OC use was associated with reduced risk.

Impact: Our results are generally consistent with those among white women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(5); 558–65. ©2018 AACR.
Social Relationships, Inflammation, and Cancer Survival
Authors: Boen Courtney E. , Barrow David A. , Bensen Jeannette T. , Farnan Laura , Gerstel Adrian , Hendrix Laura H. , Yang Yang Claire
Published: February 2018

Background: Social stressors, such as social relationship deficits, have been increasingly linked to chronic disease outcomes, including cancer. However, critical gaps exist in our understanding of the nature and strength of such links, as well as the underlying biological mechanisms relating social relationships to cancer progression and survival.

Methods: Utilizing novel questionnaire and biomarker data from the UNC Health Registry/Cancer Survivorship Cohort, this study examines the associations between diverse measures of social support and mortality risk among individuals with cancer (N = 1,004). We further assess the role of multiple serum markers of inflammation, including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), IL6, TNFα, and VEGF, as potential mediators in the social relationship–cancer link.

Results: The findings revealed that one's appraisal of their social support was associated with cancer mortality, such that individuals reporting higher levels of social support satisfaction had lower mortality risk than individuals reporting lower levels of satisfaction. The amount of support received, on the other hand, was not predictive of cancer survival. We further found evidence that inflammatory processes may undergird the link between social support satisfaction and mortality among individuals with cancer, with individuals reporting higher levels of social support satisfaction having lower levels of CRP, IL6, and TNFα.

Conclusions: These results provide new knowledge of the biosocial processes producing population disparities in cancer outcomes.

Impact: Our study offers new insights for intervention efforts aimed at promoting social connectedness as a means for improving cancer survival. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(5); 541–9. ©2018 AACR.
Vitamin D–Binding Protein Enhances Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Progression by Regulating the Insulin-like Growth Factor-1/Akt Pathway and Vitamin D Receptor Transcription
Authors: Huang Yu-Fang , Wu Yi-Hui , Cheng Wen-Fang , Peng Shu-Ling , Shen Wan-Lin , Chou Cheng-Yang
Published: February 2018

Purpose: Malignant ascites of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) helps identify prognostic biomarkers or mechanisms of tumor progression. Vitamin D–binding protein (DBP) was revealed to be upregulated in EOC ascites in our previous proteomic study. Here, we examined the role of DBP in EOC.

Experimental Design: We analyzed ascites, serum, and tissue samples of patients with newly diagnosed EOC to determine the prognostic effects of DBP. We verified DBP function using orthotopic animal models and DBP regulation in ovarian cancer cell lines.

Results: Elevated ascitic DBP was significantly associated with poor response to chemotherapy, short progression-free interval, increased cancer progression, and death. Ascitic DBP overexpression was an independent unfavorable biomarker for progression-free survival; DBP overexpression in cancerous tissue was significantly related to chemoresistance. In vivo and in vitro investigations demonstrated an important role for DBP in ovarian cancer progression. Orthotopic model mice inoculated with DBP knockdown ovarian cancer cells displayed a significant reduction in tumor formation, malignant cell number, ascitic DBP levels, invasiveness, and metastasis, and increased survival compared with controls. In presence of vitamin D receptor (VDR), DBP promoted cell aggression (invasion and doubling time) via activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1/insulin-like growth factor–binding protein-2/Akt axis, and induced suppression of vitamin D–responsive genes. A NF-κB p65-binding site in the VDR promoter was identified as a major determinant of DBP-dependent VDR promoter activation.

Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of DBP in ovarian tumor progression and the potential application of DBP as a therapeutic target for EOC. Clin Cancer Res; 24(13); 3217–28. ©2018 AACR.
Updated Results of Rituximab Pre- and Post-BEAM with or without 90Yttrium Ibritumomab Tiuxetan during Autologous Transplant for Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
Authors: Chahoud Jad , Sui Dawen , Erwin William D. , Gulbis Alison M. , Korbling Martin , Zhang Mingzhi , Ahmed Sairah , Alatrash Gheath , Anderlini Paolo , Ciurea Stefan O. , Oran Betul , Fayad Luis E. , Bassett Roland L. , Jabbour Elias J. , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Macapinlac Homer A. , Young Ken H. , Khouri Issa F.
Published: February 2018

Purpose: We evaluated the effect on long-term survival of adding rituximab (R) to BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) conditioning with or without yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan (90YIT) in patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).

Experimental design: Patients were enrolled on three consecutive phase II clinical trials. Patients received two doses of rituximab (375 and 1,000 mg/m2) during mobilization of stem cells, followed by 1,000 mg/m2 on days +1 and +8 after ASCT with R-BEAM or 90YIT-R-BEAM (90YIT dose of 0.4 mCi/kg) conditioning.

Results: One hundred thirteen patients were enrolled, with 73 receiving R-BEAM and 40 receiving 90YIT-R-BEAM. All patients had a prior exposure to rituximab. The median follow-up intervals for survivors were 11.8, 8.1, and 4.2 years in the three trials, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 62% for R-BEAM and 65% for 90YIT-R-BEAM (P = 0.82). The 5-year overall survival rates were 73% and 77%, respectively (P = 0.65). In patients with de novo DLBCL, survival outcomes of the germinal center/activated b-cell histologic subtypes were similar with 5-year OS rates (P = 0.52) and DFS rates (P = 0.64), irrespective of their time of relapse (<1 vs. >1 year) after initial induction chemotherapy (P = 0.97).

Conclusions: Administering ASCT with rituximab during stem cell collection and immediately after transplantation induces long-term disease remission and abolishes the negative prognostic impact of cell-of-origin in patients with relapsed DLBCL. The addition of 90YIT does not confer a further survival benefit. Clin Cancer Res; 24(10); 2304–11. ©2018 AACR.
TNFα and Radioresistant Stromal Cells Are Essential for Therapeutic Efficacy of Cyclic Dinucleotide STING Agonists in Nonimmunogenic Tumors
Authors: Francica Brian J. , Ghasemzadeh Ali , Desbien Anthony L. , Theodros Debebe , Sivick Kelsey E. , Reiner Gabrielle L. , Hix Glickman Laura , Marciscano Ariel E. , Sharabi Andrew B. , Leong Meredith L. , McWhirter Sarah M. , Dubensky Thomas W. , Pardoll Drew M. , Drake Charles G.
Published: February 2018

The cGAS–STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway may play an integral role in the initiation of antitumor immune responses. Studies evaluating the immunogenicity of various cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) STING agonists administered by intratumoral (i.t.) injection showed potent induction of inflammation, tumor necrosis, and, in some cases, durable tumor-specific adaptive immunity. However, the specific immune mechanisms underlying these responses remain incompletely defined. The majority of these studies have focused on the effect of CDNs on immune cells but have not conclusively interrogated the role of stromal cells in the acute rejection of the CDN-injected tumor. Here, we revealed a mechanism of STING agonist-mediated tumor response that relied on both stromal and immune cells to achieve tumor regression and clearance. Using knockout and bone marrow chimeric mice, we showed that although bone marrow–derived TNFα was necessary for CDN-induced necrosis, STING signaling in radioresistant stromal cells was also essential for CDN-mediated tumor rejection. These results provide evidence for crosstalk between stromal and hematopoietic cells during CDN-mediated tumor collapse after i.t. administration. These mechanistic insights may prove critical in the clinical development of STING agonists. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(4); 422–33. ©2018 AACR.
Catalogue of Syringogastridae (Diptera, Diopsoidea)
Authors: Pereira-Colavite Alessandre , Mello Ramon Luciano
Published: February 2018

The catalogue of the Syringogastridae is updated, including now 21 extant species and two fossil records, all belonging to the genus Syringogaster Cresson. References to all known bibliography are given, totaling 27 records. A full list of the type-series and distribution records are also presented.
A new species of Malthonea Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) from Ecuador
Authors: Santos-Silva Antonio , Galileo Maria Helena M. , McClarin Jim
Published: February 2018

Malthonea keili, a new species from Ecuador, is described and illustrated. A key to species of Malthonea is provided. Photographs of the types of Malthonea minima, Prymnopteryx glaucina, Malthonea ruficornis, and Ptericoptus guttatus are provided as an aid to understanding the key (photographs of the types of the last three are provided for the first time).
QUE MORRA O “HOMEM CORDIAL” - Crítica ao livro Raízes do Brasil, de Sérgio Buarque de Holanda
Authors: Jacino Ramatis
Published: February 2018

O artigo busca debater alguns paradigmas produzidos por Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, em especial o conceito de “Homem cordial” que, na minha compreensão, refletem o pensamento oligárquico brasileiro, repetindo e aprofundando teses de Gilberto Freyre. Teses estas que sustentam termos vivenciado em nosso país uma escravidão amena e relação fraternal entre escravizadores e escravizados, (com o proprietário representando, no máximo, o papel de um patriarca severo) resultado de suposta “índole cordial” daqueles e de uma sujeição passiva destes. Relação esta que teria como consequência a construção de uma “democracia racial” a partir do momento que a escravidão se tornou ilegal. Critica, ainda, a interpretação que o autor teve dos fatos e processos que levaram a constituição da nação brasileira e a desqualificação dos indígenas, dos negros e dos portugueses, apontados como responsáveis por um suposto fracasso dessa nação, devido a singularidades inerentes a sua condição étnico/racial.
O DRAMA HISTÓRICO DO NEGRO NO TEATRO BRASILEIRO E A LUTA ANTIRRACISMO NAS ARTES CÊNICAS (1840-1950)
Authors: Rocha Gabriel Dos Santos
Published: February 2018

Este artigo abordará a presença do negro nas artes cênicas brasileiras do Segundo Império (1840-1889) – quando o teatro se tornava um ambiente restrito às classes dominantes, os negros eram representados em imagens fortemente ligadas a escravidão e as peças eram carregadas de conteúdo racista – ao Pós-Estado Novo, quando Abdias Nascimento fundou o Teatro Experimental do Negro (1944-1968), visando reverter tal quadro. Analisaremos o processo histórico de mudanças nas representações dos afro-brasileiros nas artes cênicas, enfatizando os esforços empreendidos pelos próprios negros no combate aos estereótipos e imagens pejorativas recorrentes nas produções dramatúrgicas. Podemos caracterizar tais esforços como parte de uma estratégia de luta do antirracismo pela via cultural, na qual o Teatro Experimental do Negro foi um importante expoente.
Live marketing existe? Reflexões sobre imbricamentos e tensões com a publicidade
Authors: Abreu Fernanda Ferreira de
Published: February 2018

Na contemporaneidade, marcada pela multiplicação e fragmentação de oportunidades de contato com os públicos consumidores, complexifica-se a relação da publicidade com as demais ferramentas de comunicação. Este artigo reflete sobre o live marketing, termo que passou a ser utilizado no mercado brasileiro nos últimos anos como uma atualização de marketing promocional. Percebe-se que o live marketing se define em oposição à publicidade, e discute-se a validade dessa separação tendo em vista um contexto em que a própria publicidade se transforma.