bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technosphere safety of West Siberian region and protection of human health in aspects of biogeochemical living conditions and man-made development of region
Authors: Zhilyakov E V , Monakhov M S , Tomus I Yu
Published: December 2019

Annotation

The development of gas and oil resources, mineral deposits of the northern regions of Russia requires a long stay in the West Siberian region. Therefore, the conditions formed in the place of residence have a direct effect on the medical-demographic, sociohygienic indicators, and the state of health of the population. Water and soil of the Tyumen region are characterized by a significant imbalance of mineral substances. The peculiarity of the soils of the Tyumen region is their relatively high acidity, high content of organic substances and high washability, which ensures a low content of mineral substances in the upper soil layer. The peculiarity of the main water resources is the fluctuation of acidity-mainly from 4.5 to 8.5, which also provides high mobility of chemical compounds. A significant negative contribution to this imbalance is also made by environmental pollution as a result of the active development of northern resources. Chemical imbalances in the environment adversely affect the health status of the population of Western Siberia. In the Tyumen region, there is an excess of the average Russian indicators of the incidence of respiratory organs, digestive organs, musculoskeletal system, and in the south of the region - the circulatory system.
On the results of applying fuzzy logic in the analysis of industrial injury rates aspects for the magnesium silicate waste treatment
Authors: Sevastyanov B V , Shadrin R O
Published: December 2019

The paper discusses the application of fuzzy logic and the Mamdani Method for analyzing the statistical information of occupational injury rates in the Udmurt Republic, and justifies the use of this method against classical modeling methods. The stages of building a model are shown, involving the formation of a base of fuzzy input rules, a procedure for fuzzing input data, finding truth degrees and finding a truncated membership function. Statistical data on occupational injuries and indicators of the socio-economic development of Udmurt Republic were used as input parameters. The results of the creation of an algorithm for analyzing industrial injuries applying fuzzy logic in the Matlab environment are presented; an integral index of industrial injuries is proposed as an output parameter. The links of the integral index with indicators of industrial injuries and indicators of socio-economic development of Udmurt Republic are shown.
Studies on contact interaction of mica and glass
Authors: Fedorova S V
Published: December 2019

The issue of waste-free use of mineral raw materials is crucial for the national economy. Mica- and glass-based composites combining high dielectric properties with chemical, thermal and mechanical strength are of special significance. For about fifty years, domestic composite materials have been based on aluminum borosilicate glass containing fluoride compounds which are harmful substances polluting the environment and worsening working conditions. The paper presents data on the uses of glass production waste and mica deposit waste for producing new composite materials which have better ecological characteristics and require lower production costs. It was identified that mica wetting depends on the chemical composition of the crystalline substance. The quantitative content of acidic oxides and the difference between the content of acidic and basic oxides have the greatest impact on the temperature interval of wetting.
Removal of radionuclides and toxic metal ions from water with use of new highly effective sorbiting material
Authors: Evsina E M , Alikova T V , Zolotareva N V
Published: December 2019

The adsorption of radionuclides of strontium, rubidium, cesium, uranium and some toxic metal ions from water streams using flasks has been experimentally and theoretically studied. When studying the adsorption of a number of metal ions on them, it was found that in a wide range of pH many cations are durably adsorbed, and in some cases irreversible sorption is observed. Ammonium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, iron, cobalt, nickel, manganese (II), chromium (III), zinc, cadmium, lead, mercury, copper and rare earth ions are durably adsorbed. At the same time, sodium, aluminum, gallium, zirconium, and molybdenum (VI) ions are captured during adsorption from solutions. These ions can be desorbed not only by acidification of the eluting solution, but also by washing the sorbent with water. An analysis of the results obtained in the study of the adsorption of cations made it possible to draw an initial conclusion: those ions that contain vacant d or f orbitals form strong adsorption complexes with flasks. Flasks are used to extract potassium, rubidium, cesium, calcium, strontium and barium ions from water of varying degrees of salinity.
Special aspects of coagulation and floculation processes in wastewater treatment
Authors: Gumerov T Yu , Gorina L N
Published: December 2019

Nowadays the high development of the industry leads to the inevitable pollution of the environment all over the world. First of all, it has a negative effect on the hydrosphere because, anyway, waste water falls into a reservoir or go into the ground water through the soil. The paper explores the issue of optimizing the removal of protein and lipid impurities from wastewater under exposure to the compositions of coagulants and flocculants; in this case anionic acrylamide/sodium acrylate copolymers were analyzed. It was established that by adding compositions of coagulants with flocculants to wastewater it is possible to significantly reduce the content of protein and lipid impurities. The authors determined the efficiency of the coagulant-flocculant compositions, which depend on the conditions of reagent introduction, special qualities of wastewater, nature of the coagulant, concentration, molecular weight and charge.
Catalytic purification of aqueous solutions of synthetic dyes using modified forms of bentonite
Authors: Dashinamzhilova E Ts
Published: December 2019

Fe - and mixed Fe / Al - Bentonites (Bent) were prepared from naturally occurring montmorillonite and Fe and mixed Fe / Al containing polyoxocations. The samples were characterized by chemical analysis and low temperature adsorption of nitrogen. The Fe content was 15.5-36.0 mg · g−1. Surface area SBET was equal 118-219 m2 · g−1. The catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of diazo dye Direct Blue using the obtained solids was studied. It was established that Fe / Al -Bent was the most active and stable in color and COD removals of Direct Blue. The important factors affecting catalyst activity and color removal have been studied i.e. the influence of pH, temperature, catalyst amount, H2O2 concentration. The best results for color and COD removals and low Fe leaching were obtained when operated at pH = 4.6, t = 40°C, 1.0 g · 1−1 catalyst and molar ratio [H2 O2]/[dye] = 70.
Cleaning high-concentration wastewaters left after styrene and propylene oxide production
Authors: Andreeva S A
Published: December 2019

The goal hereof is to study the process of preparing high-concentration biologically toxic wastewaters for biological treatment. To attain this goal, the following was analyzed: (a) the composition of wastewaters from an operating enterprise; (b) the methods used to treat wastewaters of similar composition; (c) organic substances contained in wastewaters and how they could be removed by extraction. It is shown herein that the wastewater organics can be separated into another phase by reducing pH-altering acidification through introducing concentrated mineral acids into the wastewaters at room temperature and intensive mixing. In addition, the method of extraction was used for a more complete removal of organic substances isolated from the water phase. In this process the extractant in the amount of 5% out of the total wastewaters volume was used. The research quantified the biodegradation-enabling wastewater impurities.
Photooxidation of cyanide in mining effluents
Authors: Tsybikova B A , Batoeva A A
Published: December 2019

The photooxidation process using polychromatic UV xenon lamp and persulfate was studied for the destruction of cyanide in mining effluents, for example, potassium hexacyanoferrate. The kinetic regularities of a photooxidation process of hexacyanoferrates were studied (dependence on process parameters such as pH, temperature and concentration of the oxidant). The optimal molar ratio of oxidant to pollutant

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was found to be 20÷1. Comparative destruction hexacyanoferrate experiments showed that the efficiency of the destruction process in the selected oxidative systems can be changed in the following order: of {UV − VIS / PS} > {PS} > {UV − VIS}. High treatment efficiency of hexacyanoferrates using an oxidative system {UV − VIS} / PS is due to both in situ generation of ROS - hydroxyl and sulfate anion radicals and the disproportionation persulfate by Fe2+ / Fe3+ ions produced during the destruction of hexacyanoferrate complex.
Next-Generation Antibody Therapeutics: Discovery, Development and Beyond: highlights of the third annual conference of the Chinese Antibody Society
Authors: Zhang Hongyu , Deng Mi , Pei Fen , Wang Shouye , Ho Mitchell
Published: December 2019

The Chinese Antibody Society (CAS) convened the third annual conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA on April 7, 2019. More than 600 global members attended the meeting. The theme of this conference was Next-Generation Antibody Therapeutics: Discovery, Development and Beyond. The meeting covered a vast variety of topics including cancer immunotherapy, single-domain antibodies as well as bispecific antibodies, immunotoxins, transgenic mouse platforms for next-generation monoclonal antibody discovery and antibody chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMCs). Two hot topics were comprehensively discussed by the prestigious panelists and hosts at the panel discussions during the conferences, i.e., bispecific antibodies and antibody CMC.

Statement of Significance: The Chinese Antibody Society convened the third annual conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA on 7 April 2019. The meeting covered a variety of topics, including cancer immunotherapy, single-domain antibody, bispecific antibody, immunotoxin, transgenic mouse platforms for next-generation monoclonal antibody discovery and antibody CMC.
High nitrogen resorption efficiency of forest mosses
Authors: Liu Xin , Wang Zhe , Li Xiaoming , Rousk Kathrin , Bao Weikai
Published: December 2019

Background and Aims

Nutrient resorption from senescing tissue is a key mechanism for plants to conserve nutrients, and can affect the nutrient dynamics of ecosystems. Yet, our limited knowledge of nitrogen (N) resorption and release from mosses hampers our understanding of the role of mosses as N sources and, thereby, N cycling in moss-dominated ecosystems. The aims of this study were to estimate N resorption efficiency (NRE) of two moss species, identify the pathways of N release from the mosses and to provide a better understanding of N cycling and budgeting strategies of mosses.

Methods

The dynamics of N allocation along annual moss segments of two dominant moss species (Actinothuidium hookeri and Hylocomium splendens) were assessed in old-growth fir forests using an in situ15N tracer experiment.

Key Results

The NRE of A. hookeri and H. splendens was 61 and 52 %, respectively. While the mosses lost 23 and 33 % N from live tissues via leaching, 15 and 14 % of N remained in senesced tissues (>3 years old) in A. hookeri and H. splendens, respectively.

Conclusions

Both mosses resorbed the majority of their tissue N, but a considerable amount of N was lost from live segments. Our results highlight the crucial role mosses play as N sinks in ecosystems, since N retention (resorbed and sequestered in senescent tissue) outweighed N loss via leaching. However, the sink strength depends on temperature and precipitation, which will change in a future climate. The values for NRE, leaching, etc. estimated here can help improve biogeochemical models aiming to complete N budgets for moss-abundant ecosystems.
Lean and deep models for more accurate filtering of SNP and INDEL variant calls
Authors: Friedman Sam , Gauthier Laura , Farjoun Yossi , Banks Eric
Published: December 2019

We investigate convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for filtering small genomic variants in short-read DNA sequence data. Errors created during sequencing and library preparation make variant calling a difficult task. Encoding the reference genome and aligned reads covering sites of genetic variation as numeric tensors allows us to leverage CNNs for variant filtration. Convolutions over these tensors learn to detect motifs useful for classifying variants. Variant filtering models are trained to classify variants as artifacts or real variation. Visualizing the learned weights of the CNN confirmed it detects familiar DNA motifs known to correlate with real variation, like homopolymers and short tandem repeats (STR). After confirmation of the biological plausibility of the learned features we compared our model to current state-of-the-art filtration methods like Gaussian Mixture Models, Random Forests and CNNs designed for image classification, like DeepVariant. We demonstrate improvements in both sensitivity and precision. The tensor encoding was carefully tailored for processing genomic data, respecting the qualitative differences in structure between DNA and natural images. Ablation tests quantitatively measured the benefits of our tensor encoding strategy. Bayesian hyper-parameter optimization confirmed our notion that architectures designed with DNA data in mind outperform off-the-shelf image classification models. Our cross-generalization analysis identified idiosyncrasies in truth resources pointing to the need for new methods to construct genomic truth data. Our results show that models trained on heterogenous data types and diverse truth resources generalize well to new datasets, negating the need to train separate models for each data type.

Availability and implementation

This work is available in the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) with the tool name CNNScoreVariants (https://github.com/broadinstitute/gatk).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
dSreg: a Bayesian model to integrate changes in splicing and RNA-binding protein activity
Authors: Martí-Gómez Carlos , Lara-Pezzi Enrique , Sánchez-Cabo Fátima
Published: December 2019

Motivation

Alternative splicing (AS) is an important mechanism in the generation of transcript diversity across mammals. AS patterns are dynamically regulated during development and in response to environmental changes. Defects or perturbations in its regulation may lead to cancer or neurological disorders, among other pathological conditions. The regulatory mechanisms controlling AS in a given biological context are typically inferred using a two-step framework: differential AS analysis followed by enrichment methods. These strategies require setting rather arbitrary thresholds and are prone to error propagation along the analysis.

Results

To overcome these limitations, we propose dSreg, a Bayesian model that integrates RNA-seq with data from regulatory features, e.g. binding sites of RNA-binding proteins. dSreg identifies the key underlying regulators controlling AS changes and quantifies their activity while simultaneously estimating the changes in exon inclusion rates. dSreg increased both the sensitivity and the specificity of the identified AS changes in simulated data, even at low read coverage. dSreg also showed improved performance when analyzing a collection of knock-down RNA-binding proteins’ experiments from ENCODE, as opposed to traditional enrichment methods, such as over-representation analysis and gene set enrichment analysis. dSreg opens the possibility to integrate a large amount of readily available RNA-seq datasets at low coverage for AS analysis and allows more cost-effective RNA-seq experiments.

Availability and implementation

dSreg was implemented in python using stan and is freely available to the community at https://bitbucket.org/cmartiga/dsreg.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Making the Invisible Visible: Applying Digital Storytelling for Immersive, Transformative and Anti-Colonial Learning
Authors: Sunderland Naomi , Woods Glenn , Dorsett Pat
Published: December 2019

This article examines the potential for digital storytelling in students’ local environments to produce transformative, anti-colonial learning. Using a process of mindful, embodied and emplaced observation, social work and human services students at one Australian university were asked to create a digital story about the visibility and valuing of First Nations’ peoples, culture and country in their local area. This article reports on a mixed-methods research evaluation of transformative learning outcomes from that assessment. It details the Indigenist and intercultural conceptual framework that underpinned the assessment and research evaluation. This article provides resources, findings and insights that can assist social work educators and professionals to adapt the digital storytelling process for their own contexts.
Does early cognitive decline require the presence of both tau and amyloid-β?
Authors: Schöll Michael , Maass Anne
Published: December 2019

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Amyloid and tau imaging biomarkers explain cognitive decline from late middle-age’, by Betthauser et al. (doi: 10.1093/brain/awz378).
Visual Organization of the Default Network
Authors: Szinte Martin , Knapen Tomas
Published: December 2019

The default network (DN) is a brain network with correlated activities spanning frontal, parietal, and temporal cortical lobes. The DN activates for high-level cognition tasks and deactivates when subjects are actively engaged in perceptual tasks. Despite numerous observations, the role of DN deactivation remains unclear. Using computational neuroimaging applied to a large dataset of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and to two individual subjects scanned over many repeated runs, we demonstrate that the DN selectively deactivates as a function of the position of a visual stimulus. That is, we show that spatial vision is encoded within the DN by means of deactivation relative to baseline. Our results suggest that the DN functions as a set of high-level visual regions, opening up the possibility of using vision-science tools to understand its putative function in cognition and perception.
Training Participation and the Role of Reciprocal Attitudes
Authors: Non Arjan
Published: December 2019

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, I examine the relation between workers’ reciprocal attitudes, as measured in 2005 and 2010, and participation in work-related training courses in 2007 and 2013, respectively. Theory predicts that employers find it more profitable to invest in human capital of workers who have positively reciprocal attitudes, because they are more likely to return their employer’s kindness with higher effort and/or loyalty. The findings are mixed, depending on the survey year. I find that positively reciprocal workers are more likely to participate in employer-financed training in 2007, in particular when training is general. Also, consistent with theoretical expectations, I do not find a relation between workers’ reciprocal attitudes and participation in training that is not financed by the employer. However, workers’ reciprocal attitudes are not related to training participation in 2013. A possible explanation is that employers use training to induce reciprocal feelings in a slack labour market only. (JEL codes: M53 and D91).
Host Kairomones Influence Searching Behavior of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a Parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
Authors: Boyle Sean M , Weber Donald C , Hough-Goldstein Judith , Hoelmer Kim A
Published: December 2019

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a highly polyphagous species native to Asia that has become a serious invasive agricultural and nuisance pest across North America and Europe. Classical biological control host range evaluations have revealed egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) to be the primary candidate biocontrol agent for field release against H. halys. However, these evaluations only provide us with the physiological host range of T. japonicus. Other Trissolcus species have demonstrated that contact kairomones from different host species elicit varied responses in the parasitoids’ host foraging behaviors. To assess T. japonicus response to host kairomones, mated naive females were exposed to leaf surfaces contaminated with adult kairomones from its preferred host, H. halys, or from a native nontarget host, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Red maple, apple, and soybean were used as plant substrate treatments. The wasp’s residence time on the leaf surface, linear walking velocity, and angular walking velocity were observed and measured using Noldus EthoVision XT tracking software. Within each leaf treatment, T. japonicus displayed stronger behavioral responses on leaves contaminated with contact kairomones from H. halys. The parasitoid resided on H. halys contaminated leaves for approximately twice as a long as it did on P. maculiventris contaminated leaves. Further, both species’ kairomones elicited significant decreases in parasitoid walking velocity on all tested substrate types. Overall, our study suggests that kairomone-based behavioral studies can be used to further evaluate the host specificity of T. japonicus and can be an invaluable supplement to classical biocontrol host range testing regimes.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy following Carillon® annuloplasty device for symptomatic heart failure and functional mitral regurgitation: a case report
Authors: Jamil Haqeel A , Goldberg Steven L , Witte Klaus K
Published: December 2019

Background 

Symptomatic patients with significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) require a tailored treatment approach. Both functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) and left bundle branch block (LBBB) can develop, contributing to clinical deterioration, and worse prognosis despite optimal medical therapy (OMT).

Case summary 

We report the case of a symptomatic 60-year-old man on OMT with LVSD and significant FMR. His symptoms and FMR initially improved following transvenous mitral annuloplasty using the Carillon® Mitral Contour System® annuloplasty device. However, he subsequently developed LBBB with associated reduction in exercise capacity, for which he underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy, and ensuing symptom improvement and stabilization.

Discussion 

Our case describes how targeted device interventions can be combined synergistically to optimize patient symptoms.
Low-grade endotoxaemia enhances artery thrombus growth via Toll-like receptor 4: implication for myocardial infarction
Authors: Carnevale Roberto , Sciarretta Sebastiano , Valenti Valentina , di Nonno Flavio , Calvieri Camilla , Nocella Cristina , Frati Giacomo , Forte Maurizio , d’Amati Giulia , Pignataro Maria G , Severino Anna , Cangemi Roberto , Arrivi Alessio , Dominici Marcello , Mangieri Enrico , Gaudio Carlo , Tanzilli Gaetano , Violi Francesco
Published: December 2019

Aims

Low-grade endotoxaemia is detectable in human circulation but its role in thrombosis is still unclear.

Methods and results

We measured serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration, soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), a marker of platelet activation, and zonulin, a marker of gut permeability, in peripheral circulation, coronary thrombi, and intracoronary blood of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, n = 50) and stable angina (SA) (n = 50), respectively, and in controls (n = 50). Experimental study was carried out in mice to assess if Escherichia coli-LPS (E. coli-LPS) possess thrombotic property. Coronary thrombi from STEMI showed higher concentrations of LPS, sP-selectin vs. intracoronary blood of SA and peripheral blood of controls (P < 0.001). Zonulin was higher in STEMI compared to the other two groups [4.57 (3.34–5.22); 2.56 (0.41–4.36); 1.95 (1.22–2.65) ng/mL; P < 0.001] and correlated with LPS (Rs = 0.585; P < 0.001). Escherichia coli DNA was positive in 34% of STEMI vs. 12% of SA and 4% of controls (P < 0.001). In a subgroup of 12 STEMI, immunohistochemical analysis of coronary thrombi showed positivity for leucocyte Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), cathepsin G, and LPS from E. coli in 100%, 80%, and 25% of samples, respectively. E. coli-LPS injected in mice to reach LPS concentrations like those detected in coronary thrombi was associated with enhanced artery thrombosis and platelet activation, an effect blunted by TLR4 inhibitor co-administration. In vitro study demonstrated that LPS from E. coli enhanced platelet aggregation via TLR4-mediated leucocyte cathepsin G activation.

Conclusion

ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients disclose an enhanced gut permeability that results in LPS translocation in human circulation and eventually thrombus growth at site of artery lesion via leucocyte–platelet interaction.
Cardiac arrhythmia services in Africa from 2011 to 2018: the second report from the Pan African Society of Cardiology working group on cardiac arrhythmias and pacing
Authors: Bonny Aimé , Ngantcha Marcus , Yuyun Matthew F , Karaye Kamilu M , Scholtz Wihan , Suliman Ahmed , Nel George , Aoudia Yazid , Kane Adama , Moustaghfi Abdelhamid , Okello Emmy , Houenassi Martin , Sonou Arn , Niakara Ali , Lubenga Yves Ray , Adoubi Anicet , Russel James , Damasceno Albertino , Touré Ali Ibrahim , Kane Abdoul , Tabane Alioune , Jeilan Mohammed , Mbaye Alassane , Tibazarwa Kemi , Ben Ameur Yousef , Diakité Mamadou , Subahi Saad , Kaviraj Bundhoo , Sani Mahmoud U , Ajijola Olujimi A , Chin Ashley , Sliwa Karen
Published: December 2019

Aims

Cardiac arrhythmia services are a neglected field of cardiology in Africa. To provide comprehensive contemporary information on the access and use of cardiac arrhythmia services in Africa.

Methods and results

Data on human resources, drug availability, cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), and ablation procedures were sought from member countries of Pan African Society of Cardiology. Data were received from 23 out of 31 countries. In most countries, healthcare services are primarily supported by household incomes. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), digoxin, and amiodarone were available in all countries, while the availability of other drugs varied widely. Non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) were unequally present in the African markets, while International Normalized Ratio monitoring was challenging. Four countries (18%) did not provide pacemaker implantations while, where available, the implantation and operator rates were 2.79 and 0.772 per million population, respectively. The countries with the highest pacemaker implantation rate/million population in descending order were Tunisia, Mauritius, South Africa, Algeria, and Morocco. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) were performed in 15 (65%) and 12 (52%) countries, respectively. Reconditioned CIED were used in 5 (22%) countries. Electrophysiology was performed in 8 (35%) countries, but complex ablations only in countries from the Maghreb and South Africa. Marked variation in costs of CIED that severely mismatched the gross domestic product per capita was observed in Africa. From the first report, three countries have started performing simple ablations.

Conclusion

The access to arrhythmia treatments varied widely in Africa where hundreds of millions of people remain at risk of dying from heart block. Increased economic and human resources as well as infrastructures are the critical targets for improving arrhythmia services in Africa.
Poor Sleep Quality in Crohn’s Disease Is Associated With Disease Activity and Risk for Hospitalization or Surgery
Authors: Sofia M Anthony , Lipowska Anna M , Zmeter Nada , Perez Edgar , Kavitt Robert , Rubin David T
Published: December 2019

Background and Aims

Poor sleep quality in Crohn’s disease (CD) is associated with histologic activity and clinical relapse. We sought to characterize sleep dysfunction and determine the effect of poor sleep quality on risk for hospitalization and surgery.

Methods

Clinical data were collected for CD subjects including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI). The PSQI score and a brief medical history were obtained for control subjects. The PSQI and HBI correlation was tested at an initial clinic visit and at follow-up. Crohn’s disease subjects with and without poor sleep were compared for risk of hospitalization or surgery by Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards.

Results

Ninety-two CD and 82 control subjects were included. Crohn’s disease and control subjects shared similar baseline characteristics and PSQI (8.3 vs 7.8, P = 0.31), and 77% of the CD population had PSQI >5. Crohn’s disease subjects with PSQI >5 more often had inflammatory phenotypes and reported increased benzodiazepine and psychiatric medication use. Crohn’s disease subjects with PSQI >5 also reported more night awakenings due to pain and bathroom use. The PSQI correlated with HBI (r = 0.256, P = 0.014), and ΔPSQI on follow-up correlated with ΔHBI (r = 0.47, P = 0.002). Cox proportional hazards model for hospitalization or surgery showed that PSQI >8 was predictive of surgery or hospitalization (hazards ratio 5.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.39–27.54).

Conclusion

There is a high burden of poor sleep quality in CD, which is associated with risk for adverse outcomes. Sleep quality may identify CD patients at risk for complications and have prognostic value in CD.
Sleep Quality, Quality of Life, and Patient-Reported Outcomes
Authors: Ceballos Daniel
Published: December 2019

Measuring health outcomes through patient-reported outcomes is a feasible scenario in the short term, more human, and more linked to the situation that the patient cares about, overcoming limitations of the classic activity scores.
Low-dose aspirin use and endometrial cancer mortality—a Danish nationwide cohort study
Authors: Sperling Cecilie D , Verdoodt Freija , Aalborg Gitte L , Dehlendorff Christian , Friis Søren , Kjaer Susanne K
Published: December 2019

Background

Accumulating evidence suggests that aspirin use may improve survival in cancer patients, however, for endometrial cancer, epidemiological evidence is limited and results are equivocal. In a nationwide cohort study, we examined the association between post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use and endometrial cancer mortality.

Methods

From the Danish Cancer Registry, we identified all women with a primary diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Women diagnosed between 2000 and 2012, aged 30–84 years, who had no history of cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer) and were alive 1 year after the cancer diagnosis were eligible. We obtained information on pre- and post-diagnostic use (≥1 prescription) of low-dose aspirin, mortality and potential confounding factors from nationwide registries. Using Cox regression models, we estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use and endometrial cancer mortality. The exposure was modelled as both time-varying as well as time-fixed within exposure windows of 1 and 5 years.

Results

We identified 6694 endometrial cancer patients with a maximum follow-up of 13 years. In the time-varying analysis, post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use was associated with a HR of 1.10 (95% CI 0.90–1.33) for endometrial cancer mortality. We found no indication of a dose–response association according to increasing tablet strength, cumulative amount or duration of use, and the HRs were similar for pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use compared with non-use.

Conclusions

We found no indication that post-diagnostic low-dose aspirin use was associated with reduced mortality for endometrial cancer; rather our findings suggested a concern for increased mortality.
On Perfect Matchings in k-Complexes
Authors: Han Jie
Published: December 2019

Keevash and Mycroft [ 19] developed a geometric theory for hypergraph matchings and characterized the dense simplicial complexes that contain a perfect matching. Their proof uses the hypergraph regularity method and the hypergraph blow-up lemma recently developed by Keevash. In this note we give a new proof of their results, which avoids these complex tools. In particular, our proof uses the lattice-based absorbing method developed by the author and a recent probabilistic argument of Kohayakawa, Person, and the author.
Polynomial Birth–Death Processes and the 2nd Conjecture of Valent
Authors: Bochkov Ivan
Published: December 2019

The conjecture of Valent about the type of Jacobi matrices with polynomially growing weights is proved.
Occurrence of NDM-1-producing Morganella morganii and Proteus mirabilis in a single patient in Portugal: probable in vivo transfer by conjugation
Authors: Aires-de-Sousa Marta , Ortiz de la Rosa José Manuel , Goncalves Maria Luísa , Costa Augusto , Nordmann Patrice , Poirel Laurent
Published: December 2019

Objectives

To decipher the genetics of acquisition of carbapenemase-encoding genes identified in two carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae recovered from a single patient in Portugal.

Methods

Carbapenemase genes were searched by PCR assays and mating-out assays were performed to further characterize the plasmid support of the carbapenemase genes. Genetic characterization of the plasmid supports was performed by whole-plasmid sequencing using the Illumina technology.

Results

We identified here two NDM-1-producing isolates, namely a Morganella morganii and a Proteus mirabilis, sharing the same blaNDM-1-positive plasmid. This 154 kb plasmid belonged to the IncA/C2 type, recently renamed IncC, and co-harboured two AmpC β-lactamase genes, namely blaCMY-4 and blaDHA-1, in addition to the 16S rRNA methylase gene armA encoding high-level resistance to aminoglycosides. In addition, the M. morganii isolate produced the CTX-M-33 extended-spectrum β-lactamase possessing weak carbapenemase activity, encoded by another plasmid.

Conclusions

We showed here that, in addition to KPC-type and OXA-181 carbapenemases, which have been identified as widespread in this country, another concern is the emergence of NDM-1-producing enterobacterial isolates in Portugal. We demonstrated here the in vivo plasmid transfer of a blaNDM-1-positive plasmid leading to dissemination of this carbapenemase gene within different enterobacterial species in a single patient.
Trade Liberalisation and Labour Market Adjustment in Botswana
Authors: McCaig Brian , S. McMillan Margaret
Published: December 2019

We study the effects of domestic trade liberalisation on labour markets in Botswana. South Africa is the dominant member of the Southern Africa Customs Union. As such, when South Africa liberalised trade in the 1990s, this induced large and plausibly exogenous tariff reductions for the other customs union members, including Botswana. Using labour force surveys from Botswana spanning a decade, we find that trade liberalisation did not affect the relative size of industries in terms of employment. However, trade liberalisation had effects within industries. We find an increase in the prevalence of working in an informal firm and self-employment, but mixed evidence of effects on unemployment. Hours worked decreased in response to trade liberalisation, partially driven by the movement of workers to informal firms. Despite large increases in aggregate income, trade liberalisation is associated with a reduction in monthly income, but the results are imprecise. Our results also suggest that a positive export demand shock, the 2000 African Growth and Opportunities Act, is associated with a reduction in employment in informal firms in the clothing industry.
iDISK: the integrated DIetary Supplements Knowledge base
Authors: Rizvi Rubina F , Vasilakes Jake , Adam Terrence J , Melton Genevieve B , Bishop Jeffrey R , Bian Jiang , Tao Cui , Zhang Rui
Published: December 2019

Objective

To build a knowledge base of dietary supplement (DS) information, called the integrated DIetary Supplement Knowledge base (iDISK), which integrates and standardizes DS-related information from 4 existing resources.

Materials and Methods

iDISK was built through an iterative process comprising 3 phases: 1) establishment of the content scope, 2) development of the data model, and 3) integration of existing resources. Four well-regarded DS resources were integrated into iDISK: The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, the “About Herbs” page on the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website, the Dietary Supplement Label Database, and the Natural Health Products Database. We evaluated the iDISK build process by manually checking that the data elements associated with 50 randomly selected ingredients were correctly extracted and integrated from their respective sources.

Results

iDISK encompasses a terminology of 4208 DS ingredient concepts, which are linked via 6 relationship types to 495 drugs, 776 diseases, 985 symptoms, 605 therapeutic classes, 17 system organ classes, and 137 568 DS products. iDISK also contains 7 concept attribute types and 3 relationship attribute types. Evaluation of the data extraction and integration process showed average errors of 0.3%, 2.6%, and 0.4% for concepts, relationships and attributes, respectively.

Conclusion

We developed iDISK, a publicly available standardized DS knowledge base that can facilitate more efficient and meaningful dissemination of DS knowledge.
MACC1 expression is an indicator of recurrence in early-stage glottic cancer
Authors: Makino Takuma , Orita Yorihisa , Gion Yuka , Tachibana Tomoyasu , Takao Soshi , Marunaka Hidenori , Miki Kentaro , Akisada Naoki , Akagi Yusuke , Yoshino Tadashi , Nishizaki Kazunori , Sato Yasuharu
Published: December 2019

Background

Metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) has been reported to be an independent indicator of poor prognoses in some kinds of cancer due to disease metastasis or recurrence. We investigated the correlation between MACC1 expression and the prognosis of glottic cancer.

Methods

Paraffin-embedded, early-stage (I or II) glottic cancer specimens (n = 52) were immunohistochemically analyzed to explore MACC1 expression. The clinical records associated with each case were also examined. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and between-group RFS differences were assessed using the log-rank test. The multivariate analyses were evaluated using the Cox’s proportional-hazard model.

Results

Patients were treated with only radiotherapy (RT) (n = 37, including 18 with T1 disease and 19 with T2 disease), or with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) (n = 15, including 1 with T1 disease and 14 with T2 disease). Eleven patients demonstrated local recurrence and two patients experienced cervical lymph node recurrence. Tumor specimens were MACC1-positive in 9 of the 13 (69.2%) patients with local or neck recurrence, and 7 of the 11 (63.6%) patients with local recurrence. The RFS rate of patients who were treated with only RT was significantly lower than that of patients who were treated with CRT (P = 0.0243). The RFS rate was significantly lower in cases with MACC1 expression than in those without MACC1 expression (P = 0.0003). Multivariate analysis revealed that MACC1 expression was an independent risk factor of local recurrence (P = 0.0016).

Conclusion

MACC1 is an independent indicator of recurrence related to RFS in early-stage glottic cancer.
PD-L1 Expression in Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas Is Independent of BRAF V600E Mutational Status
Authors: Martin Allison M , Bell W Robert , Yuan Ming , Harris Lauren , Poore Bradley , Arnold Antje , Engle Elizabeth L , Asnaghi Laura , Lim Michael , Raabe Eric H , Eberhart Charles G
Published: December 2019

To evaluate a potential relationship between BRAF V600E mutation and PD-L1 expression, we examined the expression of PD-L1 in pediatric high- and low-grade glioma cell lines as well as a cohort of pediatric low-grade glioma patient samples. Half of the tumors in our patient cohort were V600-wildtype and half were V600E mutant. All tumors expressed PD-L1. In most tumors, PD-L1 expression was low (<5%), but in some cases over 50% of cells were positive. Extent of PD-L1 expression and immune cell infiltration was independent of BRAF V600E mutational status. All cell lines evaluated, including a BRAF V600E mutant xenograft, expressed PD-L1. Transient transfection of cell lines with a plasmid expressing mutant BRAF V600E had minimal effect on PD-L1 expression. These findings suggest that the PD-1 pathway is active in subsets of pediatric low-grade glioma as a mechanism of immune evasion independent of BRAF V600E mutational status. Low-grade gliomas that are unresectable and refractory to traditional therapy are associated with significant morbidity and continue to pose a treatment challenge. PD-1 pathway inhibitors may offer an alternative treatment approach. Clinical trials will be critical in determining whether PD-L1 expression indicates likely therapeutic benefit with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Mother–Infant Sleep and Maternal Emotional Distress in Solo-Mother and Two-Parent Families
Authors: Ben-Zion Hamutal , Volkovich Ella , Meiri Gal , Tikotzky Liat
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study examined for the first time mother–infant sleep and emotional distress in solo mother families compared with two-parent families and explored whether the links between mother–infant sleep and maternal emotional distress differ as a function of family structure.

Methods

Thirty-nine solo-mother families and 39 two-parent families, with an infant within the age range of 6–18 months participated in the study. Actigraphy and sleep diaries were used to assess maternal and infant sleep at home. Mothers completed questionnaires to assess maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms, social support, sleeping arrangements, breastfeeding, and demographics.

Results

Solo mothers were older and more likely to breastfeed and share a bed with their infants than married mothers. There were no significant differences between the groups in mother–infant sleep and maternal emotional distress, while controlling for maternal age, breastfeeding, and sleeping arrangements. Family structure had a moderating effect on the associations between maternal emotional distress and mother–infant sleep. Only in solo-mother families, higher maternal emotional distress was associated with lower maternal and infant sleep quality.

Conclusions

 Our findings suggest that, although there are no significant differences in maternal and infant sleep between solo-mother families and two-parent families, the strength of the associations between maternal emotional distress and both infant and maternal sleep quality are stronger in solo-mother families, compared with two-parent families. Hopefully, understanding which aspects of parenting may contribute to the development of sleep problems in solo-mother families could be helpful in tailoring interventions to this growing population.
The afterlife of antibiotics
Authors: Wilson Mary E
Published: December 2019

Antibiotics have an afterlife. They remain biologically active and affect microbial ecosystems in and outside the body. Antibiotics used by humans and animals are excreted and reach the environment through multiple pathways causing widespread contamination of soil and water globally. Wastewater treatment plants to not eliminate all antibiotic residues and resistance genes.
Rare Use of Posterolateral Thoracotomy in an Austere Environment
Authors: Devasahayam Rebekah J , Fabich Robert A , Tighe Currie A , Becker Tyson E
Published: December 2019

A 25-year-old local national male presented to a split Forward Surgical Team after impalement of the posterior chest with a metal fragment. The patient was hemodynamically normal, but no imaging was available to determine the depth of penetration or the size of the internal portion of the fragment. This case represents a rare indication for posterolateral thoracotomy in an austere trauma setting.
Heart Rate Complexity in US Army Forward Surgical Teams During Pre Deployment Training
Authors: Mulder Michelle B , Sussman Matthew S , Eidelson Sarah A , Gross Kirby R , Buzzelli Mark D , Batchinsky Andriy I , Schulman Carl I , Namias Nicholas , Proctor Kenneth G
Published: December 2019

Introduction

For trauma triage, the US Army has developed a portable heart rate complexity (HRC) monitor, which estimates cardiac autonomic input and the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We hypothesize that autonomic/HPA stress associated with predeployment training in U.S. Army Forward Surgical Teams will cause changes in HRC.

Materials and Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted in 80 soldiers and 10 civilians at the U.S. Army Trauma Training Detachment. Heart rate (HR, b/min), cardiac output (CO, L/min), HR variability (HRV, ms), and HRC (Sample Entropy, unitless), were measured using a portable non-invasive hemodynamic monitor during postural changes, a mass casualty (MASCAL) situational training exercise (STX) using live tissue, a mock trauma (MT) STX using moulaged humans, and/or physical exercise.

Results

Baseline HR, CO, HRV, and HRC averaged 72 ± 11b/min, 5.6 ± 1.2 L/min, 48 ± 24 ms, and 1.9 ± 0.5 (unitless), respectively. Supine to sitting to standing caused minimal changes. Before the MASCAL or MT, HR and CO both increased to ~125% baseline, whereas HRV and HRC both decreased to ~75% baseline. Those values all changed an additional ~5% during the MASCAL, but an additional 10 to 30% during the MT. With physical exercise, HR and CO increased to >200% baseline, while HRV and HRC both decreased to 40 to 60% baseline; these changes were comparable to those caused by the MT. All the changes were P < 0.05.

Conclusions

Various forms of HPA stress during Forward Surgical Team STXs can be objectively quantitated continuously in real time with a portable non-invasive monitor. Differences from resting baseline indicate stress anticipating an impending STX whereas differences between average and peak responses indicate the relative stress between STXs. Monitoring HRC could prove useful to field commanders to rapidly and objectively assess the readiness status of troops during STXs or repeated operational missions. In the future, health care systems and regulatory bodies will likely be held accountable for stress in their trainees and/or obliged to develop wellness options and standardize efforts to ameliorate burnout, so HRC metrics might have a role, as well.