bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Aberrations in the CDK4 Pathway Are Associated with Innate Resistance to PD-1 Blockade in Chinese Patients with Non-Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Yu Jiayi , Yan Junya , Guo Qian , Chi Zhihong , Tang Bixia , Zheng Bin , Yu Jinyu , Yin Ting , Cheng Zhiyuan , Wu Xiaowen , Yu Huan , Dai Jie , Sheng Xinan , Si Lu , Cui Chuanliang , Bai Xue , Mao Lili , Lian Bin , Wang Xuan , Yan Xieqia , Li Siming , Zhou Li , Flaherty Keith T. , Guo Jun , Kong Yan
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

PD-1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy induces long and durable response in patients with advanced melanoma. However, only a subset of patients with melanoma benefit from this approach. The mechanism triggering the innate resistance of anti–PD-1 therapy remains unclear.

Experimental Design: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses were performed in a training cohort (n = 31) using baseline tumor biopsies of patients with advanced melanoma treated with the anti–PD-1 antibody. Copy-number variations (CNVs) for the genes CDK4, CCND1, and CDKN2A were assayed using a TaqMan copy-number assay in a validation cohort (n = 85). The effect of CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with anti–PD-1 antibody monotherapy was evaluated in PD-1–humanized mouse (C57BL/6-hPD-1) and humanized immune system (HIS) patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models.

Results:

WES revealed several significant gene copy-number gains in the patients of no clinical benefit cohort, such as 12q14.1 loci, which harbor CDK4. The association between CDK4 gain and innate resistance to anti–PD-1 therapy was validated in 85 patients with melanoma (P < 0.05). RNA-Seq analysis of CDK4-normal cell lines and CDK4-normal tumors showed altered transcriptional output in TNFα signaling via NF-κB, inflammatory response, and IFNγ response gene set. In addition, CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) treatment increased PD-L1 protein levels and enhanced efficacy (P < 0.05) in the C57BL/6-hPD-1 melanoma cell and the HIS PDX model.

Conclusions:

In summary, we discovered that genetic aberrations in the CDK4 pathway are associated with innate resistance to anti–PD-1 therapy in patients with advanced melanoma. Moreover, our study provides a strong rationale for combining CDK4/6 inhibitors with anti–PD-1 antibody for the treatment of advanced melanomas.
Genetic Characterization and Prognostic Relevance of Acquired Uniparental Disomies in Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Walker Christopher J. , Kohlschmidt Jessica , Eisfeld Ann-Kathrin , Mrózek Krzysztof , Liyanarachchi Sandya , Song Chi , Nicolet Deedra , Blachly James S. , Bill Marius , Papaioannou Dimitrios , Oakes Christopher C. , Giacopelli Brian , Genutis Luke K. , Maharry Sophia E. , Orwick Shelley , Archer Kellie J. , Powell Bayard L. , Kolitz Jonathan E. , Uy Geoffrey L. , Wang Eunice S. , Carroll Andrew J. , Stone Richard M. , Byrd John C. , de la Chapelle Albert , Bloomfield Clara D.
Published: August 2019

Purpose:

Uniparental disomy (UPD) is a way cancer cells duplicate a mutated gene, causing loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) do not have microscopically detectable chromosome abnormalities, but can harbor UPDs. We examined the prognostic significance of UPDs and frequency of LOH in patients with CN-AML.

Experimental Design: We examined the frequency and prognostic significance of UPDs in a set of 425 adult patients with de novo CN-AML who were previously sequenced for 81 genes typically mutated in cancer. Associations of UPDs with outcome were analyzed in the 315 patients with CN-AML younger than 60 years.

Results:

We detected 127 UPDs in 109 patients. Most UPDs were large and typically encompassed all or most of the affected chromosome arm. The most common UPDs occurred on chromosome arms 13q (7.5% of patients), 6p (2.8%), and 11p (2.8%). Many UPDs significantly cooccurred with mutations in genes they encompassed, including 13q UPD with FLT3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD; P < 0.001), and 11p UPD with WT1 mutations (P = 0.02). Among patients younger than 60 years, UPD of 11p was associated with longer overall survival (OS) and 13q UPD with shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and OS. In multivariable models that accounted for known prognostic markers, including FLT3-ITD and WT1 mutations, UPD of 13q maintained association with shorter DFS, and UPD of 11p maintained association with longer OS.

Conclusions:

LOH mediated by UPD is a recurrent feature of CN-AML. Detection of UPDs of 13q and 11p might be useful for genetic risk stratification of patients with CN-AML.
Natural Questions: A Benchmark for Question Answering Research
Authors: Kwiatkowski Tom , Palomaki Jennimaria , Redfield Olivia , Collins Michael , Parikh Ankur , Alberti Chris , Epstein Danielle , Polosukhin Illia , Devlin Jacob , Lee Kenton , Toutanova Kristina , Jones Llion , Kelcey Matthew , Chang Ming-Wei , Dai Andrew M. , Uszkoreit Jakob , Le Quoc , Petrov Slav
Published: August 2019

We present the Natural Questions corpus, a question answering data set. Questions consist of real anonymized, aggregated queries issued to the Google search engine. An annotator is presented with a question along with a Wikipedia page from the top 5 search results, and annotates a long answer (typically a paragraph) and a short answer (one or more entities) if present on the page, or marks null if no long/short answer is present. The public release consists of 307,373 training examples with single annotations; 7,830 examples with 5-way annotations for development data; and a further 7,842 examples with 5-way annotated sequestered as test data. We present experiments validating quality of the data. We also describe analysis of 25-way annotations on 302 examples, giving insights into human variability on the annotation task. We introduce robust metrics for the purposes of evaluating question answering systems; demonstrate high human upper bounds on these metrics; and establish baseline results using competitive methods drawn from related literature.
Are Muslims in Turkey Really ‘Green’?
Authors: Ugur Zeynep B.
Published: August 2019

Theoretically, the teachings of Islam can promote environmentally conscious behavior. As the only Muslim majority country to take part in the International Social Science Survey (ISSP), we study indicators of environmental consciousness in Turkey using ISSP 2010. Among all ISSP 2010 participating countries, a cross-country comparison does not provide evidence to support the argument that Islamic religiosity promotes environmental consciousness. In an analysis of individual level data, our overall findings failed to discover a statistically significant relationship between religiosity and environmental consciousness. Yet, this gap between the teachings of Islam and practices of Muslims may be identified as an unexploited potential to foster environmental consciousness in Turkey through a well-articulated religious education that brings together the book of scripture and the book of nature.
Salmoneus durisi sp. nov., an infaunal alpheid shrimp probably associated with callianassid ghost shrimps in the tropical Indo-West Pacific (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Caridea)
Authors: ANKER ARTHUR , ASHRAFI HOSSEIN
Published: August 2019

A new species of the alpheid shrimp genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955, probably an obligate associate of ghost shrimp burrows, is described based on material from Oman (type locality: Darsait near Muscat), Iran and the Philippines. Salmoneus durisi sp. nov. is characterised principally by both chelipeds enlarged, robust, with ventral and dorsal margins of chelae carrying long fine setae, and with minor chela fingers armed with a few large teeth on cutting edges. All specimens of Salmoneus durisi sp. nov. were collected either directly from burrows of larger decapod crustaceans with the aid of a suction pump, or by exposing burrows dug under large subtidal rocks. The Iranian specimen was found together with its presumed host, Neocallichirus calmani (Nobili, 1904). Two additional specimens from Indonesia and the Solomon Islands are tentatively assigned to S. cf. durisi sp. nov., awaiting further studies.
The eastern Pacific species of Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955, with description of a remarkable new species from Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Alpheidae)
Authors: ANKER ARTHUR
Published: August 2019

The present study deals with five species of the alpheid shrimp genus Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 from the tropical eastern Pacific. One of them is new to science and is described as Salmoneus tiburon sp. nov. The new species is presently known only from the Las Perlas Archipelago in Panama and can be distinguished from all other congeners by the dentition on the cutting edges of the major chela, with some dactylar teeth reminiscent of shark teeth. It is also one of the largest species of the genus, with the carapace length of both type specimens surpassing 8.0 mm. Salmoneus serratidigitus (Coutière, 1897), a species with an ample distribution across the Indo-Pacific, is recorded for the first time from the Pacific coast of Panama and is confirmed from Colombia. Salmoneus malagensis Anker & Lazarus, 2015, previously known only from Bahía Málaga in Colombia, is recorded from Panama’s Azuero Peninsula. The remaining two species, S. excavatus Anker, 2011 and S. alvarezi Anker & Lazarus, 2015, are recorded regionally from Las Perlas Archipelago in Panama and Playa Tarcoles in Costa Rica, both for the first time since their original descriptions. An identification key to the five currently known eastern Pacific species of Salmoneus is provided. However, several immature and/or incomplete specimens herein preliminarily reported as Salmoneus spp., as well photographic records from southern California, USA, indicate the presence of further undescribed species in the eastern Pacific.
Phylogenetic relationships within the Frankliniella genus-group based on morphology, with a revision of Iridothrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae)
Authors: WANG ZHAOHONG , MOUND LAURENCE , TONG XIAOLI
Published: August 2019

The Frankliniella genus-group comprises over 270 species in ten genera. It is one of the important groups in Thripinae, and includes some important pests. A phylogenetic analysis of genus-level relationships within the Frankliniella genus-group was performed, based on 55 morphological character states scored for 23 species representing 11 genera, including an outgroup, Thrips physapus. Six most parsimonious trees were generated from the analysis under equal weighting schemes. Pseudanaphothrips was recovered as monophyletic, and as sister group to a clade comprising five genera, Yaobinthrips, Parabaliothrips, Sitothrips, Firmothrips, Kakothrips, in which Parabaliothrips showed to be a paraphyletic group. Frankliniella was paraphyletic, with Frankliniella zizaniophila + Iridothrips + Pelikanothrips kratochvili forming one clade that was sister group to the rest of the species of Frankliniella + Guerothrips moundi. According to the phylogenetic analysis, Guerothrips is proposed as a new synonym of Frankliniella, and Pelikanothrips is considered a new synonym of Iridothrips. The genus Iridothrips is revised with a key to five species, including I. zizaniophila comb.n., I. kratochvili comb.n. and I. lobulatus sp.n.. A key to the eight members of the Frankliniella genus-group is provided.
An Objective Classification and Analysis of Upper-Level Coupling to the Great Plains Low-Level Jet over the Twentieth Century
Authors: Burrows D. Alex , Ferguson Craig R. , Campbell Matthew A. , Xia Geng , Bosart Lance F.
Published: August 2019

Low-level jets (LLJ) around the world critically support the food, water, and energy security in regions that they traverse. For the purposes of development planning and weather and climate prediction, it is important to improve understanding of how LLJs interact with the land surface and upper-atmospheric flow, and collectively, how LLJs have and may change over time. This study details the development and application of a new automated, dynamical objective classification of upper-atmospheric jet stream coupling based on a merging of the Bonner–Whiteman vertical wind shear classification and the finite-amplitude local wave activity diagnostic. The classification approach is transferable globally, but applied here only for the Great Plains (GP) LLJ (GPLLJ). The analysis spans the period from 1901 to 2010, enabled by the ECMWF climate-quality, coupled Earth reanalysis of the twentieth century. Overall, statistically significant declines in total GPLLJ event frequency over the twentieth century are detected across the entire GP corridor and attributed to declines in uncoupled GPLLJ frequency. Composites of lower- and upper-atmospheric flow are shown to capture major differences in the climatological, coupled GPLLJ, and uncoupled GPLLJ synoptic environments. Detailed analyses for southern, central, and northern GP subregions further highlight synoptic differences between weak and strong GPLLJs and provide quantification of correlations between total, coupled, and uncoupled GPLLJ frequencies and relevant atmospheric anomalies. Because uncoupled GPLLJs tend to be associated with decreased precipitation and low-level wind speed and enhanced U.S. ridge strength, this finding may suggest that support for drought over the twentieth century has waned.
Using Near-Ground Storm Relative Helicity in Supercell Tornado Forecasting
Authors: Coffer Brice E. , Parker Matthew D. , Thompson Richard L. , Smith Bryan T. , Jewell Ryan E.
Published: August 2019

This study examines the possibility that supercell tornado forecasts could be improved by utilizing the storm-relative helicity (SRH) in the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere (instead of much deeper layers). This hypothesis emerges from a growing body of literature linking the near-ground wind profile to the organization of the low-level mesocyclone and thus the probability of tornadogenesis. This study further addresses the ramifications of near-ground SRH to the skill of the significant tornado parameter (STP), which is probably the most commonly used environmental indicator for tornadic thunderstorms. Using a sample of 20 194 severe, right-moving supercells spanning a 13-yr period, sounding-derived parameters were compared using forecast verification metrics, emphasizing a high probability of detection for tornadic supercells while minimizing false alarms. This climatology reveals that the kinematic components of environmental profiles are more skillful at discriminating significantly tornadic supercells from severe, nontornadic supercells than the thermodynamic components. The effective-layer SRH has by far the greatest forecast skill among the components of the STP, as it is currently defined. However, using progressively shallower layers for the SRH calculation leads to increasing forecast skill. Replacing the effective-layer SRH with the 0–500 m AGL SRH in the formulation of STP increases the number of correctly predicted events by 8% and decreases the number of missed events and false alarms by 18%. These results provide promising evidence that forecast parameters can still be improved through increased understanding of the environmental controls on the processes that govern tornado formation.
Heterogeneous Treatment Effects in the Presence of Self-Selection: A Propensity Score Perspective
Authors: Zhou Xiang , Xie Yu
Published: August 2019

An essential feature common to all empirical social research is variability across units of analysis. Individuals differ not only in background characteristics but also in how they respond to a particular treatment, intervention, or stimulation. Moreover, individuals may self-select into treatment on the basis of anticipated treatment effects. To study heterogeneous treatment effects in the presence of self-selection, Heckman and Vytlacil developed a structural approach that builds on the marginal treatment effect (MTE). In this article, we extend the MTE-based approach through a redefinition of MTE. Specifically, we redefine MTE as the expected treatment effect conditional on the propensity score (rather than all observed covariates) as well as a latent variable representing unobserved resistance to treatment. As with the original MTE, the new MTE also can be used as a building block for evaluating standard causal estimands. However, the weights associated with the new MTE are simpler, more intuitive, and easier to compute. Moreover, the new MTE is a bivariate function and thus is easier to visualize than the original MTE. Finally, the redefined MTE immediately reveals treatment-effect heterogeneity among individuals who are at the margin of treatment. As a result, it can be used to evaluate a wide range of policy changes with little analytical twist and design policy interventions that optimize the marginal benefits of treatment. We illustrate the proposed method by estimating heterogeneous economic returns to college with National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 data.
Pulse Lavage Fails to Significantly Reduce Bone Marrow Content in Osteochondral Allografts: A Histological and DNA Quantification Study
Authors: Ambra Luiz Felipe , de Girolamo Laura , Gomoll Andreas H.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Current clinical practice calls for pulse lavage of fresh osteochondral allografts (OCAs) to reduce immunogenicity; however, there is limited evidence of its effectiveness in reducing allogenic bone marrow elements.

Purpose:

To evaluate the effectiveness of pulse lavage in removing marrow elements from trabecular bone in fresh OCA transplantation.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

The authors evaluated 48 fresh OCA plugs with 4 different common sizes (14- and 24-mm diameter, 6- and 10-mm thickness). Within each size group, half of the samples underwent pulse lavage (n = 6) with saline solution and half were left untreated (no lavage; control group, n = 6). For each treatment and size group, 3 samples were analyzed for DNA content as an indicator of the number of residual nucleated cells; the other 3 samples were histologically analyzed to assess the presence and distribution of cells within subchondral bone pores in 3 specific locations within the plug: peripheral, intermediate, and core.

Results:

Osteochondral plugs treated with pulse lavage did not show a significant decrease in DNA content in comparison with untreated plugs. Overall, histological analysis did not show a significant difference between the treated and untreated groups ( P = .23). Subgroup analysis by size demonstrated decreased marrow content in treated versus untreated groups in the thinner plug sizes (14 × 6 mm and 24 × 6 mm). Histological evaluation by zone demonstrated a significant difference between groups only in the peripheral zone ( P = .04).

Conclusion:

Pulse lavage has limited effectiveness in removing marrow elements, in particular in plugs that are larger in diameter and, more importantly, in thickness. Better techniques for subchondral bone treatment are required for more thorough removal of potentially immunogenic marrow elements.

Clinical Relevance:

OCA transplantation has become an established treatment modality. Unfortunately, OCA is not without limitations, chiefly its mode of failure through inadequate integration of the allograft subchondral bone with subsequent collapse. In an effort to improve integration, current clinical practice calls for pulse lavage to remove allogenic bone marrow from the subchondral bone in hopes of decreasing the immunogenicity of the graft and facilitating revascularization.
Reliability-based life cycle costing analysis for embedded rails in level crossings
Authors: Shang Yue , van den Boomen Martine , de Man Amy , Wolfert ARM (Rogier)
Published: August 2019

Reliability-based life cycle costing analysis (LCCA) supports optimized decisions on capital and operational expenditures for engineering asset management. In addition, it allows investigation of the impact of maintenance decisions on designing the service life of assets. The application of reliability-based LCCA in railway practice is challenging, as there is limited research with regard to integrating maintenance strategies, reliability and costs especially for embedded rail systems. Therefore, in this research, an LCCA model for these embedded rail system assets has been developed, which shows the optimum between the actual reliability profile, financial parameters and maintenance policies for specific variable conditions. This model incorporates both the uncertainties associated with degradation and maintenance strategies which have been integrated into a discounted age replacement model. This model facilitates a better understanding about the interaction among life cycle cost, rail degradation and maintenance strategies for a set of variable conditions. The output supports decision making on rail replacement and/or maintenance engineering. The model is demonstrated in a case study and validated with available (real) failure data from Dutch railroad service contractors. The potential of the applicability to ballasted tracks is also demonstrated.
Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions on Accounting-based Performance of Acquiring Firms in India
Authors: Aggarwal Puja , Garg Sonia
Published: August 2019

Purpose: Merger is a corporate restructuring strategy that affects the performance of the company on many parameters. This study aims to examine the growth of M&A transactions in India in last two decades and the impact of merger on the accounting-based performance of the acquiring company.

Methodology: The data of 68 mergers during the year 2007-08 - 2011-12 is analysed to capture the said impact. The accounting-based performance is measured on seven variables divided into three categories- profitability, liquidity and solvency. The accounting-based performance five years’ pre-merger is compared with five years’ post-merger. The similar comparison is done for 3 years pre and post-merger. Average of all the 7 parameters pre and post-merger are compared arithmetically and then using paired sample ‘t’test. The firms were also divided into manufacturing and service sector firms to see the impact of merger on different categories of firms.

Findings: We found that merger has significantly impacted profitability and liquidity of the acquiring firm positively in five years but had no significant impact on solvency position of the company. Service sector firms have outperformed manufacturing firms and started showing significant improvement in accounting variables in medium term.

Originality: We assure the originality of the work done in this article.
Impact of Institutional Environment on Inward FDI: A Case of Select Emerging Market Economies
Authors: Bhasin Niti , Garg Shilpa
Published: August 2019

The tremendous amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing into emerging nations has attracted worldwide attention. These economies are at a same stage of development with similar social, economic and other conditions, but their institutional environment can act as a differentiator in affecting FDI location within these emerging economies. So, this article examines the role of institutional mechanisms in influencing their inward FDI by employing broad-based indicators of institutional environment. The article employs panel data regression (fixed effects) to test the impact of institutional indicators and other variables on FDI inflows and stock of 23 emerging economies from 2006 to 2015. Three indices have been constructed for this purpose, using the methodology of principal component analysis and composite index, from 24 institutional variables. All the three indices, representing three institutional pillars turned significant: ‘Rule of law’ (negative coefficient), ‘Regulatory efficiency’ (positive coefficient) and ‘normative institutional environment’ (negative coefficient). This implies that one of the main motivations for foreign investors to make investment in emerging economies is to take advantage of their weak laws, norms and values. But they also seek a basic enabling environment with minimum burdens as far as the efficiency of regulations is concerned.
Impact of Advertising Intensity on Market Risk of a Firm: A Study on the Indian Consumer Goods Sector
Authors: Tripathi Shalini Nath , Misra Dheeraj , Siddiqui Masood
Published: August 2019

The objective of this article is to assess the impact of advertising intensity of a firm on its market risk or beta in the Indian consumer goods sector. Our sample companies are part of four sectoral indices of Bombay Stock Exchange, namely, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durable, auto and telecom indices. Pooled regression analysis is deployed to assess the impact of advertising intensity on market risk. The results reveal that advertising intensity is a significant determinant of market risk, and that beta or market risk of a firm varies inversely with its advertising intensity with reference to the Indian consumer goods sector.
The Wages of Worship, Religious Education, and Human Capital Development in the Black Church: Voices From Rural African American Primary Caregiving Grandmothers
Authors: Stephens Mattyna L.
Published: August 2019

Grandmothers are often referred to as the spiritual learners and leaders within families and often pass their religious teachings on to their children and grandchildren. This qualitative study investigated learning and human capital development among rural African American grandmothers ( n = 10) caring for their grandchildren. The findings revealed the participants’ perception of the Black Church, an agency for learning. The findings further revealed the benefits of religious education in learning communities and how the skills the participants acquired through such engagements contributed to their human capital development, thereby indicating the wages of worship. Finally, findings indicated how the participants utilized religious teachings to support the development of the children in their care.
Effects of Different Timing of Alveolar Bone Graft on Craniofacial Morphology in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate
Authors: Brudnicki Andrzej , Sawicka Ewa , Brudnicka Renata , Fudalej Piotr Stanisław
Published: August 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of the timing of secondary alveolar bone graft (SABG) on craniofacial morphology in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).

Design:

Single-center retrospective assessment of consecutively treated nonsyndromic patients with complete UCLP.

Participants:

One hundred sixty-seven patients (108 males, 59 females) with complete UCLP in whom the cleft was repaired with 1-stage method at approximately 8 months of age. The age of 128 patients at SABG varied from 1.4 to 11.5 years (SABG group), while 39 patients still awaited SABG at the moment of cephalometric evaluation (no-SABG group).

Methods:

Craniofacial morphology was assessed on lateral cephalograms taken at 10 years of age (standard deviation = 0.8; range: 7.5-12.3) using linear and angular measurements. T tests and regression models were made to analyze data.

Results:

Regression models demonstrated that the effect of SABG on the craniofacial morphology was limited—cephalometric variables which were statistically significantly different between SABG and no-SABG groups showed no association with the timing of SABG when (1) age of primary repair of the cleft, (2) age of cephalometric evaluation, (3) cleft side, (4) gender, and (5) operator were controlled for. Only the length of the maxilla (Condylion-point A) was affected—1-year delay of SABG corresponded with an increase in Co-point A distance by 0.52 mm. However, adjusted R 2 of the model was 0.11.

Conclusions:

Our findings cautiously indicate that SABG performed before 8 years of age can have limited negative effect on craniofacial morphology. Nevertheless, our results should be confirmed by cleft centers practicing alternative surgical repairs of the cleft.
Distributed-memory lattice H-matrix factorization
Authors: Yamazaki Ichitaro , Ida Akihiro , Yokota Rio , Dongarra Jack
Published: August 2019

We parallelize the LU factorization of a hierarchical low-rank matrix ([Formula: see text]-matrix) on a distributed-memory computer. This is much more difficult than the [Formula: see text]-matrix-vector multiplication due to the dataflow of the factorization, and it is much harder than the parallelization of a dense matrix factorization due to the irregular hierarchical block structure of the matrix. Block low-rank (BLR) format gets rid of the hierarchy and simplifies the parallelization, often increasing concurrency. However, this comes at a price of losing the near-linear complexity of the [Formula: see text]-matrix factorization. In this work, we propose to factorize the matrix using a “lattice [Formula: see text]-matrix” format that generalizes the BLR format by storing each of the blocks (both diagonals and off-diagonals) in the [Formula: see text]-matrix format. These blocks stored in the [Formula: see text]-matrix format are referred to as lattices. Thus, this lattice format aims to combine the parallel scalability of BLR factorization with the near-linear complexity of [Formula: see text]-matrix factorization. We first compare factorization performances using the [Formula: see text]-matrix, BLR, and lattice [Formula: see text]-matrix formats under various conditions on a shared-memory computer. Our performance results show that the lattice format has storage and computational complexities similar to those of the [Formula: see text]-matrix format, and hence a much lower cost of factorization than BLR. We then compare the BLR and lattice [Formula: see text]-matrix factorization on distributed-memory computers. Our performance results demonstrate that compared with BLR, the lattice format with the lower cost of factorization may lead to faster factorization on the distributed-memory computer.
The audiobook circuit in digital publishing: Voicing the silent revolution
Authors: Have Iben , Pedersen Birgitte Stougaard
Published: August 2019

Digital Internet-distributed audiobooks are a surprising game changer in digital publishing. In recent years, audiobooks have moved from being a peripheral by-product of the printed book into the centre of digital publishing and reading, but are typically still ignored in publishing studies. This article raises the voice of the audiobook by giving it a privileged status in the current transformations of book publishing caused by digitization. We present an original model of the digital audiobook circuit, which is based on interviews and knowledge from the Danish market as part of a global industry, which makes it possible to reflect and adjust according to national variations. The model is framed by theoretical discussions of values and dynamics within the digital audiobook circuit in general.
Detection and sizing of disbond in multilayer bonded structure using modally selective guided wave
Authors: Wang Kai , Liu Menglong , Cao Wuxiong , Yang Weidong , Su Zhongqing , Cui Fangsen
Published: August 2019

Bonded structures are frequently adopted in structural connections and are highly prone to degradation or decrease of interfacial strength due to adhesive aging, poor quality of surface preparation, as well as the exposure to harsh environment and external loading. This study addresses the establishment of a framework in which a modally selective ultrasonic guided wave is used for disbond identification and sizing. In this framework, the propagating and evanescent modes of ultrasonic guided waves are first obtained, followed by the excitability analysis for each ultrasonic guided wave propagating mode, providing a theoretical basis for effective wave excitation in the experiment. Then the interaction of ultrasonic guided wave with disbond is interrogated analytically using a method combining semi-analytical finite element and normal mode expansion, whereby wave transmission, wave reflection, and mode conversion can be calculated quantitatively. Taking all these aspects into account, mode 11 at around 3.85 MHz features a high propagation velocity, large mode excitability, and increasing amplitude drop with the enlargement of disbond size, and is thus selected for disbond detection. Both numerical and experimental validations are performed, in which disbonds of different lengths from 10 to 40 mm are examined, and the results well corroborate the effectiveness of the proposed framework for ultrasonic guided wave–based disbond detection.
Impact of diabetes on outcomes of cardiac surgery in a multiethnic Southeast Asian population
Authors: Moorthy Vikaesh , Liu Weiling , Chew Sophia Tsong Huey , Ti Lian Kah
Published: August 2019

Although diabetes is rapidly increasing in Asia and has been shown to be associated with worse cardiac surgery outcomes, no research has been done to study the impact of diabetes on cardiac surgery outcomes in a Southeast Asian cohort. Hence, this study aims to delineate the predictors and impact of diabetes after cardiac surgery in a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian cohort. We analysed data from 2831 adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, from 2008 to 2010 in Singapore. Diabetes was found to significantly increase the odds of intensive care unit readmission by 1.70 (95% confidence interval 1.171–2.480, p = 0.005), postoperative infection by 1.73 (95% confidence interval 1.003–2.976, p = 0.049), acute kidney injury by 1.36 (95% confidence interval 1.137–1.626, p = 0.001), postoperative hyperglycaemia by 6.00 (95% confidence interval 4.893–7.348, p < 0.001), and new need for dialysis by 1.71 (95% 1.086–5.360, p = 0.021). In conclusion, diabetes is associated with increased risk for renal dysfunction, hyperglycaemia, and infection after cardiac surgery, similar to the relative risks of diabetes patients observed in Western populations.
Does Willingness to Pay for Rate Conditions Depend on the Booking Window? A Novel Time-Dependent Conjoint Analysis Approach
Authors: Arenoe Bjorn , van der Rest Jean-Pierre I.
Published: August 2019

This research note draws attention to a novel choice-based conjoint (CBC) model by which guests’ preferences toward hotel room rate conditions can be predicted as a function of time. Through the model, the notion is explored whether willingness to pay for rate conditions (without penalty) depends on the size of the booking window. The modified choice model includes time as an additional “attribute.” This attribute does not present a feature of the choice propositions, but instead is associated with the choice context. An empirical study was carried out to demonstrate the proposed model using three common booking conditions (i.e., free cancelation, free date change, pay on departure). The results show significant and positive time-dependent mean components for cancelation and date change conditions. Despite a limited sample size, all significant effects have expected directions (no parameter reversals) providing evidence of the robustness of the model. The results indicate that the ability to cancel or change a booking is preferred more when the booking window is bigger. Accordingly, as the time period between the advanced purchase and intended date of arrival increases, the willingness to pay for rate conditions also increases. This finding has major practical implications for price and revenue optimization. Limitations of the proposed time-dependent model are discussed.
Intra-articular Injection of Type I Atelocollagen to Alleviate Knee Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lee Hwa Sung , Oh Kwang Jun , Moon Young Wan , In Yong , Lee Han Jun , Kwon Soon Yong
Published: August 2019

Objective

Collagen disruption is one of the underlying causes of knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis and/or diverse cartilage defects. Atelocollagen is a type of collagen that lacks telopeptides and thus has reduced antigenicity. The intra-articular injection of type I atelocollagen supplements collagen levels in the disrupted articular cartilage. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen for the management of knee pain.

Design

Two hundred patients with osteoarthritis, chondromalacia, or other cartilage defects were randomly assigned to receive a 3-mL intra-articular injection of atelocollagen (BioCollagen group) or saline (Placebo group). Clinical improvement was evaluated over a 24-week period using the 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Results

VAS scores were significantly better in the BioCollagen group as compared with the Placebo group at 24 weeks. More patients in the BioCollagen group reported exceeding 20% and 40% VAS improvements. The WOMAC and SF-36 scores were also significantly improved from baseline after the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen; although, the differences between the BioCollagen and Placebo groups were not significant. There were no unexpected or severe adverse events reported for either group.

Conclusions

The results show that an intra-articular injection of atelocollagen effectively alleviates knee pain, as intended. Therefore, the intra-articular injection of atelocollagen can be considered an alternative solution to controlling knee pain due to osteoarthritis and diverse cartilage defects.
Making Affordances Real: Socio-Material Prefiguration, Performed Agency, and Coordinated Activities in Human–Robot Communication
Authors: Pentzold Christian , Bischof Andreas
Published: August 2019

Usually, the alluring notion of “affordances” comes with the idea that technology makes some activities possible while constraining others. Our article departs from this dichotomic view and seeks to appreciate the multiplicity of socio-material prefiguration. Discussing three empirical examples from human–robot communication, we show that the affordances of “smart” technologies are not acted out in a smooth, planned process or through rational action alone. Rather, affordances are collective achievements that emerge within the interplay of humans and machines. This challenges the separation into active use and passive usability. It also demands us that we think through what types of agency are associated with these kinds of agents and what we take to define agency at all. Agency rests, we argue, on the capability to engage in intelligible encounters; it builds on purposive activities even though they might only realize a limited repertoire of tasks.
The cytological mechanism and effects of hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage treatment by citicoline on serum GFAP and copeptin level
Authors: Zang Jun , Liu Ai-xian , Qi Lin
Published: August 2019

In this study, 102 patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (52 patients in the citicoline treatment group and 50 patients in the routine treatment group) were analyzed and compared. It was found that citicoline-assisted treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage could inhibit the release of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and peptides ( P < 0.05) and improve the prognosis and neurological and daily living ability of patients ( P < 0.05). In addition, CDP-choline reduced the mortality of neurons, inhibited inflammatory factors, and improved the prognosis of patients ( P < 0.05). A high dose of CDP-choline was also significantly effective in protecting neurons.
Outcomes of Revision Surgery for Pseudarthrosis After Anterior Cervical Fusion: Case Series and Systematic Review
Authors: Steinhaus Michael E. , York Philip J. , Bronheim Rachel S. , Yang Jingyan , Lovecchio Francis , Kim Han Jo
Published: August 2019

Study Design:

Case series/systematic review.

Objectives:

To report on patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion for symptomatic pseudarthrosis following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), and to assess outcomes reporting in the literature.

Methods:

Patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion for pseudarthrosis after primary ACDF from 2013 to 2018 by a single surgeon were reviewed consecutively. Neck Disability Index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) arm/neck were recorded at preoperative, 6-month, and 1-year time points. A systematic review of the literature was performed, and outcomes reporting was recorded.

Results:

NDI scores were 54.4 (SD 19.1), 36.6 (SD 18.1), and 41.2 (SD 19.2) at preoperative, 6-month, and 1-year time points, respectively, with improvement from preoperatively to 6 months ( P = .004). VAS neck scores were 8.1 (SD 1.3), 5.0 (SD 2.9), and 5.8 (SD 2.2) at preoperative, 6-month, and 1-year time points, respectively, with improvement from preoperatively to 6 months ( P = .038). VAS arm scores were 5.1 (SD 4.1), 3.5 (SD 3.2), and 3.6 (SD 2.7) at preoperative, 6-month, and 1-year time points, respectively, with improvement although these did not reach statistical significance ( P = .145). The most common subjective outcomes reported in the literature were general symptoms assessments (43%), ordinal scales (43%), and VAS neck (19%) scales, with the majority of studies (67%) documenting one measure.

Conclusions:

Patient-reported outcomes demonstrate clinically meaningful improvement within the first 6 months after posterior fusion for pseudarthrosis. Studies demonstrate substantial variability and no standardization in outcomes reporting, limiting the ability to compare results across interventions and pathologies. Standardized reporting will enable comparisons to inform patients and physicians on the optimal approach to treat this difficult problem.
Comparison of epidural anesthesia with chloroprocaine and lidocaine for outpatient knee arthroscopy
Authors: Yang Zhengchao , Li Dezhan , Zhang Kun , Yang Fang , Li Man , Wang Lishen
Published: August 2019

This study aimed to compare clinical efficacy and safety of chloroprocaine and lidocaine in epidural anesthesia for outpatient knee arthroscopy. Eighty patients undergoing knee arthroscopy were randomly allocated to receive 3% 2-chloroprocaine (group C, n = 40) or 2% lidocaine (group L, n = 40) for epidural block. Latency to anesthesia onset, highest block level, time to achieve peak effect, time to complete sensory and motor block regression, vital signs including respiration and hemodynamics, and complications during follow-up were recorded. No significant differences were found in the latency to anesthesia onset and peak effect, duration of anesthesia efficacy, and the time for recovery of sensory function between the two groups. However, the latency to maximal block of pain sensation and the time needed to recover motor function were significantly shorter in group C than in group L ( p < 0.05). No adverse effects or neurologic complications were found in both groups. In conclusion, epidural chloroprocaine elicits rapid anesthetic effects, fast sensor and motor block, and faster recovery of motor function compared to lidocaine. These characteristics make chloroprocaine better than lidocaine as the choice of epidural anesthesia in short clinical operations such as knee arthroscopy.
The Organizational Ecology of College Affordability: Research Activity, State Grant Aid Policies, and Student Debt at U.S. Public Universities
Authors: Eaton Charlie , Kulkarni Sheisha , Birgeneau Robert , Brady Henry , Hout Michael
Published: August 2019

Sociologists have theorized U.S. universities as a heterogenous organizational ecology. We use this lens to compare student debt and college prices for low-income students across public universities according to their research intensiveness and varied state grant aid policies. We show that students at research-intensive public universities have had an easier time repaying student loans than at other schools. By linking multiple data sets, we also provide the first comprehensive assessment for all 50 states of state-level need-based grant aid programs, which might alleviate loan repayment challenges. We find large disparities. California, Washington, Wyoming, and New Jersey spent more than $4,000 on aid per low-income student in 2015, more than the federal expenditure on Pell Grants for their state. Most states spend little in comparison. Contra the Bennett hypothesis, we also find that state need-based aid is strongly associated with both lower net prices and lower student loan nonrepayment rates.
Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Cross-Functional Innovation Teams
Authors: Schoonmaker Mary , Gettens Robert , Vallee Glenn
Published: August 2019

This learning innovation article’s purpose is to provide educators with a course assessment tool that can be used to improve student outcomes in an undergraduate, production innovation, and development course, comprised of cross-functional teams (business and engineering students). We demonstrate how over a period of three years, we used the assessment tool to help make course changes that would influence student learning outcomes. In addition, we illustrate how the tool helped us to focus on particular student skills, make specific changes targeted at selected skills, and measure if these course changes were effective with engineering student outcomes.
Mineralogy and technological characterization of two kaolin deposits from the Borborema Pegmatite Province, northeastern Brazil
Authors: Salgado Campos Victor Matheus Joaquim , Bertolino Luiz Carlos , Nascimento Luana Caroline Silveira , Leite José Yvan Pereira , Brandão Vitor Schwenk , Alves Odivaldo Cambraia , Tolentino Junior Job
Published: August 2019

This research presents the mineralogical and chemical characterization and beneficiation study of two kaolin deposits from the Borborema Pegmatite Province, Brazil. Seven samples were collected and treated in two different beneficiation routes involving magnetic separation and chemical bleaching. The fractions obtained were studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, particle-size analyses, electron paramagnetic resonance and determination of optical properties. The samples are composed mainly of subhedral kaolinite in the form of booklets, as well as muscovite, quartz, microcline and illite impurities. The kaolinite structural formulae indicated significant replacement of Si4+by Al3+in tetrahedral sites and low replacement of Fe3+by Al3+in the octahedral sites. The first 30 min of chemical bleaching improved significantly the optical properties of kaolin, indicating that the process is more efficient than magnetic separation.
Aspirin misuse: a case report
Authors: Goldrich David , Sreedhar Anita , Aziz Rehan , Kaufman Kenneth R. , Tobia Anthony , Trenton Adam
Published: August 2019

Aspirin-use disorder is an underreported condition. Identification of the signs and symptoms of aspirin misuse are important in light of prevalent non-prescribed medicine/over-the-counter medication (NPM/OTC) misuse. We discuss here the case of a patient with a history of chronic aspirin misuse who presented to the emergency department with salicylate intoxication and described elation secondary to deliberate aspirin consumption. This case highlights the importance of screening for NPM/OTC medication misuse in at-risk populations.
Self-Injuring Body Art
Authors: Brucher Rosemarie
Published: August 2019

Artistic self-injury, established as an art form since the late 1960s, polarizes the audience and still raises questions about the motivations behind such actions as well as about the narrative contexts in which they occur. While past research has focused on either specific performers or specific trajectories of violence in the contexts in which each artist was working, for instance, the Vietnam War (Kathy O’Dell), this article localizes artistic self-injury within the larger coherencies of the history of mind with respect to aesthetic theories. Questions of subjectivation and desubjectivation seem especially productive for such a discussion. Read against the backdrop of the aesthetics of the Kantian sublime as a strategy of self-empowerment that sets the independence of the will against the powerlessness of the body, the self-wounding act can also be understood with Georges Bataille as a purposeful desubjectivation, in which the artist strives for a radical disempowerment through pain. A consideration of selected artists sounds out the range between these two theoretical references.