bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causal associations of insulin resistance with coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke: a Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Chen Weiqi , Wang Shukun , Lv Wei , Pan Yuesong
Published: May 2020

Introduction

The relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and cardiovascular diseases is unclear. We aimed to examine the causal associations of IR with cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and its subtypes, using Mendelian randomization.

Research design and methods

Due to low sample size for gold standard measures and in order to well reflect the underlying phenotype of IR, we used 53 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with IR phenotypes (ie, fasting insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides) from recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) as instrumental variables. Summary-level data from four GWASs of European individuals were used. Data on IR phenotypes were obtained from meta-analysis of GWASs of up to 188 577 individuals and data on the outcomes from GWASs of up to 446 696 individuals. Mendelian randomization (MR) estimates were calculated with inverse-variance weighted, simple and weighted-median approaches and MR-Egger regression was used to explore pleiotropy.

Results

Genetically predicted 1-SD increase in IR phenotypes were associated with a substantial increase in risk of coronary artery disease (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.57 to 2.04, p<0.001), myocardial infarction (OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.54 to 2.06, p<0.001), ischemic stroke (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.40, p=0.007) and the small-artery occlusion subtype of stroke (OR=1.80, 95% CI: 1.30 to 2.49, p<0.001), but not associated with the large-artery atherosclerosis and cardioembolism subtypes of stroke. There was no evidence of pleiotropy. Results were broadly consistent in sensitivity analyses using simple and weighted-median approaches accounting for potential genetic pleiotropy.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence to support that IR was causally associated with risk of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and the small-artery occlusion subtype of stroke.
Viability of Bos taurus scapulae as a flat bone proxy for ballistic testing
Authors: Taylor Seth C , Kieser D C , Hammer N , Ondruschka B , Kranioti E , Pullen A , Hooper G
Published: May 2020

Background

Handguns and rifles are often involved in violent deaths such as homicide and suicide. Consequently, forensic investigations are important to clarify the nature of ballistic trauma.

Methods

This study investigated the differences in entrance and exit wound morphology with Bos taurus (bovine) scapulae that have two cortical layers surrounding a central cancellous bone section which are comparable with human flat bones, with a series of experiments using six different calibres (0.22 Long Rifle, 9×19 mm North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 0.40 Smith & Wesson, 0.45 Automatic Colt Pistol, 5.56×45 mm and 7.62×51 mm). B. taurus (bovine) scapulae were used for closed range 30 cm simulated executions.

Results

The ballistic experiments presented similarities in entrance wound morphology and exit wound bevelling with that of recognised forensic cases. As muzzle velocity increased, bevelling increased. Circumferential delamination is clearly visible with full metal jacket rounds, yielding similar bone damage morphology as human crania.

Conclusion

Bovine scapulae seem appropriate for ballistic simulations of flat bone injuries on the macroscopic level, if the correct portion of the scapulae is deployed. More research is needed to further substantiate these interpretations.
Reporting of drug trial funding sources and author financial conflicts of interest in Cochrane and non-Cochrane meta-analyses: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Turner Kimberly , Carboni-Jiménez Andrea , Benea Carla , Elder Katharine , Levis Brooke , Boruff Jill , Roseman Michelle , Bero Lisa , Lexchin Joel , Turner Erick H , Benedetti Andrea , Thombs Brett D
Published: May 2020

Objective

To (1) investigate the extent to which recently published meta-analyses report trial funding, author–industry financial ties and author–industry employment from included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), comparing Cochrane and non-Cochrane meta-analyses; (2) examine characteristics of meta-analyses independently associated with reporting funding sources of included RCTs; and (3) compare reporting among recently published Cochrane meta-analyses to Cochrane reviews published in 2010.

Design

Review of consecutive sample of recently published meta-analyses.

Data sources

MEDLINE database via PubMed searched on 19 October 2018.

Eligibility criteria for selecting articles

We selected the 250 most recent meta-analyses listed in PubMed that included a documented search of at least one database, statistically combined results from ≥2 RCTs and evaluated the effects of a drug or class of drugs.

Results

90 of 107 (84%) Cochrane meta-analyses reported funding sources for some or all included trials compared with 21 of 143 (15%) non-Cochrane meta-analyses, a difference of 69% (95% CI 59% to 77%). Percent reporting was also higher for Cochrane meta-analyses compared with non-Cochrane meta-analyses for trial author–industry financial ties (44% versus 1%; 95% CI for difference 33% to 52%) and employment (17% versus 1%; 95% CI for difference 9% to 24%). In multivariable analysis, compared with Cochrane meta-analyses, the odds ratio (OR) for reporting trial funding was ≤0.11 for all other journal category and impact factor combinations. Compared with Cochrane reviews from 2010, reporting of funding sources of included RCTs among recently published Cochrane meta-analyses improved by 54% (95% CI 42% to 63%), and reporting of trial author–industry financial ties and employment improved by 37% (95% CI 26% to 47%) and 10% (95% CI 2% to 19%).

Conclusions

Reporting of trial funding sources, trial author–industry financial ties and trial author–industry employment in Cochrane meta-analyses has improved since 2010 and is higher than in non-Cochrane meta-analyses.
Australian Suicide Prevention using Health-Linked Data (ASHLi): Protocol for a population-based case series study
Authors: Chitty Kate M , Schumann Jennifer L , Schaffer Andrea , Cairns Rose , Gonzaga Nicole J , Raubenheimer Jacques E , Carter Gregory , Page Andrew , Pearson Sallie-Anne , Buckley Nicholas A
Published: May 2020

Introduction

In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15–44 years. Health professionals deliver most of our key suicide prevention strategies via health services, but other efficacious population-level strategies include means restriction and public awareness campaigns. Currently, we have no population-level data allowing us to determine which individuals, in what parts of Australia, are likely to use our most promising interventions delivered by health services. The aims of this study are to describe: (1) health service utilisation rates in the year prior to death by suicide, and how this varies by individual case characteristics; (2) prescribed medicines use in the year prior to death by suicide, medicines used in suicide by poisoning and how this varies by individual case characteristics.

Methods and analysis

This is a population-based case series study of all suicide cases in Australia identified through the National Coronial Information System (NCIS) from 2013 to 2019. Cases will be linked to administrative claims data detailing health service use and medicines dispensed in the year before death. We will also obtain findings from the coronial enquiry, including toxicology. Descriptive statistics will be produced to characterise health service and prescribed medicine use and how utilisation varies by age, sex, method of death and socioeconomic status. We will explore the geographical variability of health service and medicine use, highlighting regions in Australia associated with more limited access.

Ethics and dissemination

This project involves the use of sensitive and confidential data. Data will be linked using a third-party privacy-preserving protocol meaning that investigators will not have access to identifiable information once the data have been linked. Statistical analyses will be carried out in a secure environment. This study has been approved by the following ethics committees: (1) the Justice Department Human Research Ethics Committee (REF: CF/17/23250), (2) the Western Australian Coroners Court (REF: EC 14/18 M0400), (3) the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (REF: EO2017/4/366) and (4) NSW Population & Health Services Research Ethics Committee (REF: 2017/HRE1204). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and communicated to regulatory authorities, clinicians and policy-makers.
Is competitive body-building pathological? Survey of 984 male strength trainers
Authors: Steele Ian , Pope Harrison , Ip Eric J , Barnett Mitchell J , Kanayama Gen
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of individuals worldwide engage in competitive body-building. Body-building often attracts derogatory characterisations such as as ‘bizarre’ or ‘narcissistic,’ or a ‘freak show’, seemingly implying that it is associated with pathology. Few studies have compared psychological features in competitive bodybuilders versus recreational strength trainers.

Methods

Using logistic regression with adjustment for age and race, we compared 96 competitive bodybuilders (‘competitors’) with 888 recreational strength trainers (‘recreationals’), assessed in a prior internet survey, regarding demographics; body image; use of anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS), other appearance-enhancing and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs), and classical drugs of abuse; history of psychiatric diagnoses; and history of childhood physical/sexual abuse.

Results

Competitors reported a higher lifetime prevalence of AAS (61 (63.5%) vs 356 (10.1%), p<0.001) and other APED use than recreationals but showed very few significant differences on other survey measures. AAS-using competitors were more likely than AAS-using recreationals to have disclosed their AAS use to a physician (31 (50.8%) vs 107 (30.0%), p=0.003). Both groups reported high levels of body image concerns but did not differ from one another (eg, ‘preoccupation with appearance’ caused significant reported distress or impairment in important areas of functioning for 18 (18.8%) competitors vs 132 (15.4%) recreationals, p=0.78). No significant differences were found on the prevalence of reported childhood physical abuse (9 (9.4%) vs 77 (8.8%), p=0.80) or sexual abuse (4 (4.2%) vs 39 (4.5%), p=0.83). Competitors reported a lower lifetime prevalence of marijuana use than recreationals (38 (39.6%) vs 514 (57.9%), p=0.001).

Conclusion

Aside from their APED use, competitive bodybuilders show few psychological differences from recreational strength trainers.
Interleukin-1β-induced pancreatitis promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma via B lymphocyte–mediated immune suppression
Authors: Takahashi Ryota , Macchini Marina , Sunagawa Masaki , Jiang Zhengyu , Tanaka Takayuki , Valenti Giovanni , Renz Bernhard W , White Ruth A , Hayakawa Yoku , Westphalen C Benedikt , Tailor Yagnesh , Iuga Alina C , Gonda Tamas A , Genkinger Jeanine , Olive Kenneth P , Wang Timothy C
Published: May 2020

Objective

Long-standing chronic pancreatitis is an established risk factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has been associated in PDAC with shorter survival. We employed murine models to investigate the mechanisms by which IL-1β and chronic pancreatitis might contribute to PDAC progression.

Design

We crossed LSL-Kras+/G12D;Pdx1-Cre (KC) mice with transgenic mice overexpressing IL-1β to generate KC-IL1β mice, and followed them longitudinally. We used pancreatic 3D in vitro culture to assess acinar-to-ductal metaplasia formation. Immune cells were analysed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. B lymphocytes were adoptively transferred or depleted in Kras-mutant mice. B-cell infiltration was analysed in human PDAC samples.

Results

KC-IL1β mice developed PDAC with liver metastases. IL-1β treatment increased Kras+/G12Dpancreatic spheroid formation. CXCL13 expression and B lymphocyte infiltration were increased in KC-IL1β pancreata. Adoptive transfer of B lymphocytes from KC-IL1β mice promoted tumour formation, while depletion of B cells prevented tumour progression in KC-IL1β mice. B cells isolated from KC-IL1β mice had much higher expression of PD-L1, more regulatory B cells, impaired CD8+T cell activity and promoted tumorigenesis. IL-35 was increased in the KC-IL1β pancreata, and depletion of IL-35 decreased the number of PD-L1+B cells. Finally, in human PDAC samples, patients with PDAC with higher B-cell infiltration within tumours showed significantly shorter survival.

Conclusion

We show here that IL-1β promotes tumorigenesis in part by inducing an expansion of immune-suppressive B cells. These findings point to the growing significance of B suppressor cells in pancreatic tumorigenesis.
Machine learning in GI endoscopy: practical guidance in how to interpret a novel field
Authors: van der Sommen Fons , de Groof Jeroen , Struyvenberg Maarten , van der Putten Joost , Boers Tim , Fockens Kiki , Schoon Erik J , Curvers Wouter , de With Peter , Mori Yuichi , Byrne Michael , Bergman Jacques J G H M
Published: May 2020

There has been a vast increase in GI literature focused on the use of machine learning in endoscopy. The relative novelty of this field poses a challenge for reviewers and readers of GI journals. To appreciate scientific quality and novelty of machine learning studies, understanding of the technical basis and commonly used techniques is required. Clinicians often lack this technical background, while machine learning experts may be unfamiliar with clinical relevance and implications for daily practice. Therefore, there is an increasing need for a multidisciplinary, international evaluation on how to perform high-quality machine learning research in endoscopy. This review aims to provide guidance for readers and reviewers of peer-reviewed GI journals to allow critical appraisal of the most relevant quality requirements of machine learning studies. The paper provides an overview of common trends and their potential pitfalls and proposes comprehensive quality requirements in six overarching themes: terminology, data, algorithm description, experimental setup, interpretation of results and machine learning in clinical practice.
Preconditioning with Cell-Free Dna Prevents Dss-Colitis by Promoting Cell Protective Autophagy
Authors: Constantinovits Miklós , Sipos Ferenc , Anna L Kiss , Műzes Györgyi
Published: May 2020

Presence of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in sera of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is a long-known fact. The biological effect of cfDNA administration on cellular autophagy within normal and inflammatory circumstances remains unclear. In this study, the effects of intravenous cfDNA pretreatment on autophagy response were studied in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute experimental colitis. Selected proinflammatory cytokine and autophagy-related gene and protein expressions were compared with clinical and histological activity parameters, and with transmission electron microscopic evaluations. A single intravenous dose of cfDNA pretreatment with cfDNA from colitis exhibited beneficial response concerning the clinical and histological severity of DSS-colitis as compared with effects of normal cfDNA. Pretreatment with colitis-derived cfDNA substantially altered the gene and protein expression of several autophagy and inflammatory cytokine genes in a clinically favorable manner. Autophagy in splenocytes is also altered after colitis-derived cfDNA pretreatment. During the process of acute colitis, the subsequent inflammatory environment presumably results in changes of cfDNA with the potential to facilitate cell protective autophagy. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the impact of colitis-associated autophagy, and elucidating alterations of the interaction between autophagy and innate immunity caused by nucleic acids may provide further insight into the etiology of IBD. By targeting or modifying cfDNA, novel anti-inflammatory therapies may be developed.
Impact of procedural capacity on transcatheter aortic valve replacement wait times and outcomes: a study of regional variation in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Henning Kayley A , Ravindran Mithunan , Qiu Feng , Fam Neil P , Seth Tej N , Austin Peter C , Wijeysundera Harindra C
Published: May 2020

Background

There has been rapid growth in the demand for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which has the potential to overwhelm current capacity. This imbalance between demand and capacity may lead to prolonged wait times, and subsequent adverse outcomes while patients are on the waitlist. We sought to understand the relationship between regional differences in capacity, TAVR wait times and morbidity/mortality on the waitlist.

Methods and results

We modelled the effect of TAVR capacity, defined as the number of TAVR procedures per million residents/region, on the hazard of having a TAVR in Ontario from April 2012 to March 2017. Our primary outcome was the time from referral to a TAVR procedure or other off-list reasons on the waitlist/end of the observation period as measured in days. Clinical outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality, all-cause hospitalisations or heart failure-related hospitalisations while on the waitlist for TAVR. There was an almost fourfold difference in TAVR capacity across the 14 regions in Ontario, ranging from 31.5 to 119.5 TAVR procedures per million residents. The relationship between TAVR capacity and wait times was complex and non-linear. In general, increased capacity was associated with shorter wait times (p<0.001), reduced mortality (HR 0.94; p=0.08) and all-cause hospitalisations (p=0.009).

Conclusions

The results of the present study have important policy implications, suggesting that there is a need to improve TAVR capacity, as well as develop wait-time strategies to triage patients, in order to decrease wait times and mitigate the hazard of adverse patient outcomes while on the waitlist.
Resonant contributions to three-body $$B\rightarrow KKK$$ decays in perturbative QCD approach
Authors: Zou Zhi-Tian , Li Ying , Li Qi-Xin , Liu Xin
Published: May 2020

In this work, we study the (S, P and D)-wave $$K^+K^-$$K+K- contributions to $$B\rightarrow KKK$$B→KKK decays in the perturbative QCD approach at leading order. Within the two-meson wave functions describing the nonperturbative dynamics in the kaon-pair for different waves, we calculate the branching fractions and the direct CP asymmetries of these decay modes in the corresponding resonance regions. Most of our numerical results are well consistent with the current measurements. We note that the narrow-width approximation is invalid in the quasi-two-body decays $$B\rightarrow Kf_0(980)\rightarrow KKK$$B→Kf0(980)→KKK. For other decays, under the narrow-width approximation we can extract the branching fractions of the corresponding two-body decays involving the intermediate resonant states, and the related branching fractions agree with the current experimental data well. Furthermore, we also predict the branching fractions of the corresponding quasi-two-body decays $$B\rightarrow K\pi ^+\pi ^-$$B→Kπ+π-, which are expected to be tested in the ongoing LHCb and Belle-II experiments.
Dipolar dark matter and CMB B-mode polarization
Authors: Mahmoudi S. , Haghighat M. , Vamegh S. Al. Modares , Mohammadi R.
Published: May 2020

We consider dark matter particles as singlet fermionic particles carrying magnetic dipole moment to explore its contribution on the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons. We show that Dirac fermionic dark matter particles have no contribution on the CMB polarization. However, in the case of Majorana dark matter, this type of interaction leads to the B-mode polarization in the presence of primordial scalar perturbations which is in contrast with the standard scenario for the CMB polarization. We numerically calculate the B-mode power spectra and plot $$C_l^{BB}$$ClBB for different dark matter masses and the r-parameter. We show that dark matter particles with masses less than 100 MeV have a valuable contribution on $$C_l^{BB}$$ClBB. Meanwhile, dark matter particles with mass $$\text {m}_{\text {DM}}\le 50\, \text {MeV}$$mDM≤50MeV for $$r=0.07$$r=0.07 ( $$\text {m}_{\text {DM}}\le 80\, \text {MeV}$$mDM≤80MeV for $$r=0.09$$r=0.09) can be excluded experimentally. Furthermore, our results put a bound on the magnetic dipole moment about $$\text {M}\le 10^{-16} e\,\, \text {cm}$$M≤10-16ecm in agreement with the other reported constraints.
Thermally Reliable Ultra-Low-Power Voltage Reference to Regulator Converter
Authors: Joseph George M. , George Emmanouel , Pramod Prathyush S. , Nizam Zameel , Krishnapriya S. , Hameed T. A. Shahul
Published: May 2020

A regulated power supply with ultra-low-power consumption, high current efficiency, line, load and thermal stability is an essential part of any high precision electronic system with stringent power budget such as biomedical sensors or military surveillance systems. In this paper, we propose an ultra-low-power, MOSFET only, voltage reference to regulator convertor, proficient to work below 1 V with reduced power consumption. The proposed idea incorporates the provision to integrate any voltage reference module to a comparator-based circuit so as to transform it to a voltage regulator having similar temperature coefficient (TC) and line regulation as that of the interfaced voltage reference. It is also able to produce a reliable output accounting to load fluctuations. The circuit is simulated in 0.18[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m CMOS technology using Cadence Virtuoso simulation suit. The complete circuit was found to draw a quiescent current of 319.9 pA with a notable current efficiency of 99.99997% at 27∘C on driving a load of 1[Formula: see text]mA along with a Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]dB additional to that of the reference. The proposed circuit will occupy an area of 0.00064[Formula: see text]mm2 and offer a TC as low as 1.7077 ppm/∘C. The whole MOS approach facilitates a reduction in die area and process simplicity.
A Semi-Automated Technique for Transcribing Accurate Crowd Motions
Authors: Fuchsberger Alexander , Ricks Brian , Chen Zhicheng
Published: May 2020

We present a novel technique for transcribing crowds in video scenes that allows extracting the positions of moving objects in video frames. The technique can be used as a more precise alternative to image processing methods, such as background-removal or automated pedestrian detection based on feature extraction and classification. By manually projecting pedestrian actors on a two-dimensional plane and translating screen coordinates to absolute real-world positions using the cross ratio, we provide highly accurate and complete results at the cost of increased processing time. We are able to completely avoid most errors found in other automated annotation techniques, resulting from sources such as noise, occlusion, shadows, view angle or the density of pedestrians. It is further possible to process scenes that are difficult or impossible to transcribe by automated image processing methods, such as low-contrast or low-light environments. We validate our model by comparing it to the results of both background-removal and feature extraction and classification in a variety of scenes.
A highly stable explicit scheme for a fourth-order nonlinear diffusion filter
Authors: Jetta Mahipal
Published: May 2020

The standard finite difference scheme (forward difference approximation for time derivative and central difference approximations for spatial derivatives) for fourth-order nonlinear diffusion filter allows very small time-step size to obtain stable results. The alternating directional implicit (ADI) splitting scheme such as Douglas method is highly stable but compromises accuracy for a relatively larger time-step size. In this paper, we develop [Formula: see text] stencils for the approximation of second-order spatial derivatives based on the finite pointset method. We then make use of these stencils for approximating the fourth-order partial differential equation. We show that the proposed scheme allows relatively bigger time-step size than the standard finite difference scheme, without compromising on the quality of the filtered image. Further, we demonstrate through numerical simulations that the proposed scheme is more efficient, in obtaining quality filtered image, than an ADI splitting scheme.
Contamination and ecological health risks of heavy metals in groundwater of a typical agricultural area in NW China
Authors: Sheng Danrui , Wu Jun , Wen Xiaohu , Wu Min , Zhang Chuanqi
Published: May 2020

Heavy metal pollution in groundwater has become a widespread issue worldwide. However, information on heavy metal pollution in groundwater of inland river basins in NW China remains limited. This study evaluated pollution and ecological health risks of heavy metals in groundwater of the Zhangye Basin, which is a typical inland river basin in NW China. The concentrations of heavy metals in groundwater were relatively low. Heavy metals in groundwater of the northeastern edge and western regions of the study area showed a higher concentration than those of the remaining parts. Iron was the dominant heavy metal in groundwater with a maximum concentration of 1270 μg L
−1
. Results of heavy metal pollution index calculations showed that approximately 3.5% of groundwater samples are classified into moderate or high pollution levels. The ecological risks of heavy metals in groundwater were relatively low with several metal(loid)s including As, Ni and Cd serving as the dominant risk contributors. The ingestion pathway contributed to 97.2%/93.6% of non-cancer risks and 97.5%/97.5% of cancer risks for children/adults, respectively. Ingestion was the main health risk contributor. Total hazard quotients and cancer risks for children were 3.5 and 9.7 times higher than those for adults, suggesting that children are much more susceptible to potential harm caused by heavy metals in groundwater. Therefore, more effective control strategies should be taken in the study area as soon as possible.

Supplementary material:
Spatial distribution of health risks of heavy metals is available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4967510
A new hydrocarbon exploration play: Upper Cretaceous–Paleocene sand injection complexes in the Austral-Magallanes Basin
Authors: Serié Christophe , Pemberton Erin
Published: May 2020

Recent exploration activity in the Austral-Magallanes Basin revealed the presence of sand injection complexes of Upper Cretaceous–Paleocene age. The discovery of these large-scale sandstone intrusions documents the first onshore example of sand injection complexes as hydrocarbon exploration targets and confirms a more widespread phenomenon than previously known. Integration of regional understanding, three-dimensional seismic reflection data, exploration wells, and whole core have allowed the interpretation of large sand injectites associated with a deep-water depositional system in the Austral-Magallanes Basin. These injectites are characterized seismically by circular to elongate amplitude anomalies with cross-cutting and discordant stratigraphic relationships. Additionally, detailed sedimentological analysis from exploration wells and core confirm the presence of facies consistent with injected sand commonly associated with deep-water depositional systems. The presence of giant sand injection complexes in the Austral-Magallanes Basin records a previously undocumented period of pore-fluid overpressure that led to large-scale hydraulic fracturing of the overburden and subsequent fluidization of sand derived from a deep-water depositional system. The discovery of intrusive traps such as sand injection complexes defines a new play with significant exploration potential; however, additional evaluation is required to understand the nature and degree of primary sandbody geometrical modification and the subsequent impact on reservoir distribution, trap geometry, migration pathways and seals.
Do Emerging Military Technologies Matter for International Politics?
Authors: Horowitz Michael C.
Published: May 2020

We live in a digital world. This fact has significant consequences for warfare. Two technologies in particular, cyber and drones, feature in military and intelligence operations and in scholarship. In addition, a new vein of scholarship is examining how advances in artificial intelligence have the potential to shape the future of warfare. While scholars disagree about the consequences of these technologies for international politics, they tend to agree that their consequences are mediated by the ability of military organizations, whether state or nonstate actors, to use them effectively in relevant military scenarios and in the pursuit of political ends. Studying newer military technologies, with less empirical evidence than is available for technologies that have been around for decades, also generates methodological challenges for research.
Institutional Bargaining for Democratic Theorists (or How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Haggling)
Authors: Knight Jack , Schwartzberg Melissa
Published: May 2020

Contemporary political science takes bargaining to be the central mechanism of democratic decision making, though political theorists typically doubt that processes that permit the exercise of unequal power and the use of threats can yield legitimate outcomes. In this review, we trace the development of theories of institutional bargaining from the standpoint of pluralism and positive political theory before turning to the treatment of bargaining in the influential work of John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas. Their ambivalence about bargaining gave rise to a new focus on the value of negotiation and compromise but this literature constitutes an unstable midpoint between the justificatory ambitions of deliberative democracy and the desire to provide plausible models of political decision making. Instead of advocating changes in mindset or motivation, we argue that a fair bargaining process requires institutional reform, as well as a justificatory framework centered on the preservation of egalitarian decision making.
Challenges of Making Effective Influenza Vaccines
Authors: Gouma Sigrid , Anderson Elizabeth M. , Hensley Scott E.
Published: May 2020

Seasonal influenza vaccines prevent influenza-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. However, these vaccines are not as effective as other viral vaccines, and there is clearly room for improvement. Here, we review the history of seasonal influenza vaccines, describe challenges associated with producing influenza vaccine antigens, and discuss the inherent difficulties of updating influenza vaccine strains each influenza season. We argue that seasonal influenza vaccines can be dramatically improved by modernizing antigen production processes and developing models that are better at predicting viral evolution. Resources should be specifically dedicated to improving seasonal influenza vaccines while developing entirely new vaccine platforms.
Violation Detection of Live Video Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Yuan Chao , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2020

With the rapid development of Internet technology, live broadcast industry has also flourished. However, in the public network live broadcast platform, live broadcast security issues have become increasingly prominent. The detection of suspected pornographic videos in live broadcast platforms is still in the manual detection stage, that is, through the supervision of administrators and user reports. At present, there are many online live broadcast platforms in China. In mainstream live streaming platforms, the number of live broadcasters at the same time can reach more than 100,000 people/times. Only through manual detection, there are a series of problems such as low efficiency, poor pertinence, and slow progress. This approach is obviously not up to the task requirements of real-time network supervision. For the identification of whether live broadcasts on the Internet contain pornographic content, a deep neural network model based on residual networks (ResNet-50) is proposed to detect pictures and videos in live broadcast platforms. The core idea of detection is to classify each image in the video into two categories: (1) pass and (2) violation. The experiments verify that the network proposed can heighten the efficiency of pornographic detection in webcasts. The detection method proposed in this article can improve the accuracy of detection on the one hand and can standardize the detection indicators in the detection process on the other. These detection indicators have a certain promotion effect on the classification of pornographic videos.
The W/S Test for Data Having Neutrosophic Numbers: An Application to USA Village Population
Authors: Albassam Mohammed , Khan Nasrullah , Aslam Muhammad
Published: May 2020

The W/S test under neutrosophic statistics is proposed in this paper. The Monte Carlo simulation under the neutrosophic statistical interval method is proposed and applied to study the sensitivity of various neutrosophic statistical distributions. The power of test curves for neutrosophic distributions is presented. The efficiency of the proposed W/S test under neutrosophic statistics is compared with that of the W/S test under classical statistics. The proposed test is explained with the aid of an example.
Impacts of Coil Treatment on Anxiety and Depression in Emphysema
Authors: Toker Ugurlu Tugce , Ugurlu Erhan
Published: May 2020

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a widespread, preventable, and treatable disease. Emphysema is one of the primary components of COPD and manifests itself via decrease in elastic recoil, hyperinflation, and increase in air trapping. Various lung-volume-reduction treatments have come up in recent years for late-stage emphysema patients. Mental disorders and especially anxiety and depression are among the frequently encountered comorbid cases observed in COPD. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of coil treatment applied for late-stage COPD-emphysema diagnosed patients on the accompanying anxiety and depressive symptoms. A total of 21 patients diagnosed with emphysema that meet the suitability criteria for coil treatment were included in the study. The accompanying anxiety and depressive symptoms of the patients were assessed via beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and beck depression inventories (BDI-I) prior to the procedure and one month later. All patients were male with an age average of 66.5 ± 5.5 (57–76). Among patients without a psychiatric diagnosis, BAI scores before and after coil treatment were determined, respectively, as 12.1 ± 6.3 (4–26) and 11.2 ± 9.3 (0–28), whereas BDI-I scores before and after coil treatment were determined, respectively, as 13.5 ± 10.4 (1–31) and 8.8 ± 10.6 (0–34), with a statistically significant difference between them. Also among patients with a psychiatric diagnosis, both anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased after coil treatment, and this reduction was found more significant for anxiety. Coil treatment as a current and novel treatment method for COPD-emphysema diagnosed patients with or without psychiatric comorbidity has a positive impact on anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Hybrid Online and Offline Reinforcement Learning for Tibetan Jiu Chess
Authors: Li Xiali , Lv Zhengyu , Wu Licheng , Zhao Yue , Xu Xiaona
Published: May 2020

In this study, hybrid state-action-reward-state-action (SARSAλ) and Q-learning algorithms are applied to different stages of an upper confidence bound applied to tree search for Tibetan Jiu chess. Q-learning is also used to update all the nodes on the search path when each game ends. A learning strategy that uses SARSAλ and Q-learning algorithms combining domain knowledge for a feedback function for layout and battle stages is proposed. An improved deep neural network based on ResNet18 is used for self-play training. Experimental results show that hybrid online and offline reinforcement learning with a deep neural network can improve the game program’s learning efficiency and understanding ability for Tibetan Jiu chess.
Abundance, Diversity, and Distribution of Primates at Welel Mountain, Kellem Wollega Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Fufa Diriba , Yazezew Dereje , Degefe Gezahegn , Gebrehiwot Sibhatu
Published: May 2020

Primates are the mammals of the order Primate that is characterized by advanced development of binocular vision and enlargement of the cerebral hemispheres. The aim of this study was to investigate the abundance, diversity, and distribution of primates on Welel Mountain. From August 2017 to February 2018, we collected data from different parts of Welel Mountain during wet and dry seasons of the year and analyzed them using SPSS version 20. We identified four primate species:Chlorocebus aethiops, Cercopithecus mitis, Papio anubis,andColobus guereza. We conductedt-test analysis for abundance and distribution of primates in wet and dry season of the year, and thePvalue obtained was 0.20. The mean percentages of primates in forest, woodland, and shrubs were 43.16%, 32.26%, and 24.58%, respectively. Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H′) value was higher in wet season than in dry season. The current study showed that the species are distributed more evenly in wet season than in dry season, and the number of young individuals is more than that of adults. This indicates that currently the status of primates population on Welel Mountain is good. Therefore, to keep the status of primates in the study area effective, wildlife management and conservation policy should be formulated.
Subcapsular Renal Hematoma in Simultaneous Pancreas Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Cappellani Daniele , Terrenzio Chiara , Gianetti Elena , Baronti Walter , Borrelli Valerio , Marselli Lorella , Vistoli Fabio , Campatelli Alessandro , Boggi Ugo , Marchetti Piero
Published: May 2020

Subcapsular renal hematoma (SRH) is a challenging condition, which may jeopardize kidney function or constitute a life-threatening event. This is particularly true in single-kidney patients, such as kidney-transplant recipients. SRH may exert an excessive pressure on the surrounding parenchyma, thus resulting in hypoperfusion and ischemia, with high risk of acute kidney failure and graft loss. Moreover, SRH may precede an overt renal rupture with subsequent hemorrhage and hemodynamic instability. The indication to an interventional management for this condition is still a matter of debate, with some authors advocating the high possibilities of spontaneous resolution and others advocating the high-risk of graft loss and even internal bleeding in case of overt renal rupture. Herein, we report the case of a 51-year-old simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation recipient who presented a SRH following a mild trauma. The therapeutic choices were carefully balanced on the specific case, and the conservative management proved successful.
A Case of Unresectable Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Treated with Lenvatinib as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Authors: Iwasaki Hiroyuki , Toda Soji , Ito Hiroyuki , Nemoto Daiji , Murayama Daisuke , Okubo Yoichiro , Hayashi Hiroyuki , Yokose Tomoyuki
Published: May 2020

A 75-year-old woman visited a nearby clinic with complaints of right clavicle discomfort, and she underwent diagnostic thoracoscopic lung biopsy, being diagnosed with lung metastasis and a right-upper mediastinal mass. The superior mediastinum mass was extrapulmonary and covered by the pleura, and it was not biopsied. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was diagnosed following biopsy of the lung metastasis. Only a small tumor, with a maximum diameter of 70 mm from the right neck to the superior mediastinum, in the thyroid gland invades the internal jugular vein and subclavian vein, forming a tumor embolus in the right brachiocephalic vein and reaching the vicinity of the superior vena cava. For life-saving purposes, we obtained approval from the Cancer Board of Kanagawa Cancer Center and used lenvatinib according to unresectable undifferentiated cancer IRB approval number 28–41. The tumor had shrunk after 4 months, and surgery was performed. The postoperative course has been good, and the patient is being followed up. The patient is alive three months after surgery, and lung metastases have disappeared on CT images. This case is reported as a successful case of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and interval debulking surgery.
Biochemistry, Safety, Pharmacological Activities, and Clinical Applications of Turmeric: A Mechanistic Review
Authors: Ahmad Rabia Shabir , Hussain Muhammad Bilal , Sultan Muhammad Tauseef , Arshad Muhammad Sajid , Waheed Marwa , Shariati Mohammad Ali , Plygun Sergey , Hashempur Mohammad Hashem
Published: May 2020

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a popular natural drug, traditionally used for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. Its root, as its most popular part used for medicinal purposes, contains different types of phytochemicals and minerals. This review summarizes what is currently known on biochemistry, safety, pharmacological activities (mechanistically), and clinical applications of turmeric. In short, curcumin is considered as the fundamental constituent in ground turmeric rhizome. Turmeric possesses several biological activities including anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, antiobesity, hypolipidemic, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective effects. These reported pharmacologic activities make turmeric an important option for further clinical research. Also, there is a discussion on its safety and toxicity.
A New Computer‐Aided Diagnosis System with Modified Genetic Feature Selection for BI‐RADS Classification of Breast Masses in Mammograms
Authors: Boumaraf Said , Liu Xiabi , Ferkous Chokri , Ma Xiaohong
Published: May 2020

Mammography remains the most prevalent imaging tool for early breast cancer screening. The language used to describe abnormalities in mammographic reports is based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI‐RADS). Assigning a correct BI‐RADS category to each examined mammogram is a strenuous and challenging task for even experts. This paper proposes a new and effective computer‐aided diagnosis (CAD) system to classify mammographic masses into four assessment categories in BI‐RADS. The mass regions are first enhanced by means of histogram equalization and then semiautomatically segmented based on the region growing technique. A total of 130 handcrafted BI‐RADS features are then extracted from the shape, margin, and density of each mass, together with the mass size and the patient’s age, as mentioned in BI‐RADS mammography. Then, a modified feature selection method based on the genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to select the most clinically significant BI‐RADS features. Finally, a back‐propagation neural network (BPN) is employed for classification, and its accuracy is used as the fitness in GA. A set of 500 mammogram images from the digital database for screening mammography (DDSM) is used for evaluation. Our system achieves classification accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Matthews correlation coefficient of 84.5%, 84.4%, 94.8%, and 79.3%, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the best current result for BI‐RADS classification of breast masses in mammography, which makes the proposed system promising to support radiologists for deciding proper patient management based on the automatically assigned BI‐RADS categories.
Cytopenia among CML Patients on Imatinib in Kenya: Types, Grades, and Time Course
Authors: McLigeyo Angela , Rajab Jamilla , Ezzi Mohammed , Oyiro Peter , Bett Yatich , Odhiambo Andrew , Ong’ondi Matilda , Mwanzi Sitna , Gatua Mercy , Abinya NAOthieno-
Published: May 2020

Background. Imatinib mesylate is the gold standard for the treatment of all phases of Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia. Patients on imatinib treatment may develop cytopenia due to drug toxicity. This study aimed to determine the types, grades, and time course of cytopenia in CML patients on imatinib at a Nairobi hospital. Methods. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of adult patients aged ≥18 years followed up at the Glivec International Patient Access Program (GIPAP) clinic from 2007 to 2015. Patients who developed cytopenia within 12 months of initiating imatinib were eligible. Clinical and hematologic data were retrieved from the patients’ charts and entered into a study proforma. Measures of central tendency such as mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and variance were used for analysis. Results. Sixty three percent (63.6%) of the 94 patients developed a monocytopenia, with anemia seen in 34%, neutropenia in 27.6%, and thrombocytopenia in 8% of the 94 patients. Anemia plus neutropenia was the most common bicytopenia at 12.7%. Pancytopenia was seen in only 5 of the 94 patients. Most of the cytopenia was grades 2 and 3. Anemia was present at baseline while neutropenia and thrombocytopenia developed within 12 months of imatinib initiation. Anemia resolved during the first 12 months of therapy while neutropenia and thrombocytopenia resolved within 24–36 months of treatment. Conclusion. Monocytopenia, especially anemia, was the most common type of cytopenia. The cytopenia was predominantly grade 2, developed in majority of the patients within 6 months after imatinib initiation, and had resolved by 24–36 months after imatinib initiation.
Parathyroidectomy Resolves Tooth Discoloration: A New Presenting Sign of Hyperparathyroidism?
Authors: Musacchio Estella , Piotto Andrea , Binotto Pierluigi , Toniato Antonio , Sartori Leonardo
Published: May 2020

Introduction. We report the resolution of tooth discoloration following parathyroidectomy in an otherwise asymptomatic woman with primary hyperparathyroidism-associated hypercalcemia. Case Report. A 59-year-old Caucasian woman, diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism in 2011, nonsmoker with excellent overall oral health. She complained of tooth discoloration starting in 2013. Pigmentation was particularly evident in the necks of the lower central and lateral incisors (Vita Classical score C2). No bleaching was undertaken. Parathyroidectomy was performed five years after primary hyperparathyroidism diagnosis. Six months later, a reduction in pigmentation was strikingly evident, with incisors scoring A1 and A2. The improvement persisted over time. Tooth value also increased compared to baseline. Conclusions. This is, to our knowledge, the first report that parathyroidectomy might resolve dental discoloration. This outcome deserves investigation in a meaningful sample size and may eventually prompt the inclusion of dental issues among the consequences of primary hyperparathyroidism.
Trajectory Tracking Control of Robot Manipulators Based on U-Model
Authors: Ma Xianghua , Zhao Yang , Di Yiqun
Published: May 2020

A new trajectory tracking control method based on the U-model is proposed to improve the trajectory tacking speed of robot manipulators. The U-model method is introduced to relieve the requirement of the dynamic mathematical model and make the design of trajectory tracking controller of robot manipulators simpler. To further improve the trajectory tacking speed, an improved iterative learning control algorithm is used to suppress the influence of the initial state error with less computation time. Experimental results show that the proposed control method is effective and practical for the trajectory tracking control of robot manipulators, especially with a high real-time requirement.