bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visual function is reduced in young adults formerly born prematurely: a population-based study
Authors: Pétursdóttir Dýrleif , Holmström Gerd , Larsson Eva
Published: March 2020

Aims

To assess visual function in young adults born preterm and compare with full-term individuals of the same age.

Methods

Young adults, born preterm (birth weight ≤1500 g) in 1988–1990, previously included in a population-based study on the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Stockholm County, Sweden were included. A control group of participants born at term, in the same area during the same time period, was used for comparison. Best-corrected visual acuities were assessed at distance and near with logMAR charts. Distance visual acuity was also measured with single symbols to calculate crowding. Visual fields were measured with Humphrey 24-2 and the mean deviation was noted. Contrast sensitivity was assessed with Vistech contrast sensitivity test and the area under the curve was calculated.

Results

Fifty-nine preterm (females 37) and 44 full-term (females 18) individuals were included. All individuals were between 25 and 29 years of age. Preterm individuals had significantly lower distance visual acuity (mean −0.08 (SD 0.11) vs −0.14 (SD 0.07) logMAR, p=0.009), near visual acuity (mean −0.08 (SD 0.11) vs −0.13 (SD 0.06) logMAR, p=0.049), mean deviation (mean −1.09 (SD 1.13) vs −0.80 (SD 1.03) dB, p=0.05) and contrast sensitivity (mean 2.02 (SD 0.19) vs 2.16 (SD 0.14), p<0.001) in the better eye compared with full-term individuals. The differences in distance visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were also evident after excluding persons with previous ROP and neurological complications. In multivariable analyses, treated ROP was a risk factor for reduced near visual acuity and visual fields.

Conclusion

Visual function seems to be reduced in prematurely born individuals even in adulthood. The reason may be prematurity per se since individuals without previous ROP or neurological complications are also affected.

Synopsis

Visual function, assessed as visual acuity, visual fields and contrast sensitivity, was reduced in young adults born preterm and previously included in a population-based study on the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity, as compared with controls.
Closing the gap: actualising shared decision-making through effective medication abortion patient follow-up care
Authors: Fagot Erin
Published: March 2020

Background

Effective care dearth in USA healthcare systems can be augmented by patient engagement and shared decision-making (SDM). These effective care strategies can facilitate medical abortion follow-up care (ensuring patients are not experiencing a continuing pregnancy) and follow-up options access.

Local problem

The quality improvement project clinic had a state-mandated waiting period, requiring additional visits. This delayed care for all abortion patients, creating travel, and cost barriers. The clinic had some of the lowest medical abortion follow-up rates out of its entire national network.

Methods

Four ‘Plan-Do-Study-Act’ (PDSA) cycles built on clinical changes, implementing an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality serum human chorionic gonadotropin guideline. Medical abortion patient cohort size doubled during each PDSA cycle.

Interventions

Through four interventions (team engagement, patient engagement, Beta follow-up and contraception SDM), standardised follow-up care was integrated into clinic workflow with contraception SDM tools and an Option Grid.

Results

Most intervention measures were successful, with staff offering follow-up options counselling to all medical abortion patients by the end of the project. The Beta follow-up rate (84%) was higher than the overall follow-up rate (52%–73%), but the goal of a 92% overall follow-up rate was not met. Contraception SDM streamlined counselling but long-acting reversible contraception insertion rates did not increase.

Conclusions

Effective care enabled the majority of medical abortion patients to choose Beta follow-up as their preferred follow-up method, especially those with a travel barrier. Beta follow-up gives assurance to close the follow-up gap over time.
Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from yearling beef heifers and mature cows classified for residual feed intake under drylot conditions
Authors: Manafiazar G. , Baron V.S. , McKeown L. , Block H. , Ominski K. , Plastow G. , Basarab J.A.
Published: March 2020

This study quantified methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production from beef heifers and cows classified for residual feed intake adjusted for off-test backfat thickness (RFIfat) and reared in drylot during cold winter temperatures. Individual performance, daily feed intake, and RFIfat were obtained for 1068 crossbred and purebred yearling heifers (eight trials) as well as 176 crossbred mature cows (six trials) during the winters of 2015–2017 at two locations. A portion of these heifers (147 high RFIfat; 167 low RFIfat) and cows (69 high RFIfat; 70 low RFIfat) was monitored for enteric CH4 and CO2 emissions using the GreenFeed Emissions Monitoring (GEM) system (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD, USA). Low RFIfat cattle consumed less feed [heifers, 7.80 vs. 8.48 kg dry matter (DM) d−1; cows, 11.64 vs. 13.16 kg DM d−1] and emitted less daily CH4 (2.5% for heifers; 3.7% for cows) and CO2 (1.4% for heifers; 3.4% for cows) compared with high RFIfat cattle. However, low RFIfat heifers and cows had higher CH4 (6.2% for heifers; 9.9% for cows) and CO2 yield (7.3% for heifers; 9.8% for cows) per kilogram DM intake compared with their high RFIfat pen mates. The GEM system performed at air temperatures between +20 and −30 °C. Feed intake of heifers and mature cows was differently affected by ambient temperature reduction between +20 and −15 °C and similarly increased their feed intake at temperatures below −15 °C. In conclusion, low RFIfat animals emit less daily enteric CH4 and CO2, due mainly to lower feed consumption at equal body weight, gain, and fatness.
A fluorescent probe using phosphorus-doped graphite carbon nitride nanosheets for the detection of silver ions and cell imaging
Authors: Wang Ning , Wang Xuan , Lv Junjie , Yang Peng , Jia Weihua , Bian Wei , Choi Martin M.F.
Published: March 2020

The fluorescent phosphorus-doped graphite carbon nitride (P-g-C3N4) nanosheets have been synthesized as a fluorescence probe using an ultrasonic exfoliating method. The as-prepared P-g-C3N4 nanosheets were characterized by multiple analytical techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. The fluorescence intensity of P-g-C3N4 nanosheets decreases with the increase in concentration of silver ions. A good linear relationship was achieved between the corresponding fluorescence intensity of P-g-C3N4 nanosheets and the concentration of silver ions in the range of 20 nmol/L – 3.2 μmol/L. The quenching mechanism of interaction between P-g-C3N4 nanosheets and silver ions was primarily discussed. The proposed fluorescence probe has been successfully applied to detect silver ions in real water samples and the recoveries range from 96.8% to 103.7%.
Some like it slow: a bioenergetic evaluation of habitat quality for juvenile Chinook salmon in the Lemhi River, Idaho
Authors: Carmichael Richard A. , Tonina Daniele , Keeley Ernest R. , Benjankar Rohan M. , See Kevin E.
Published: March 2020

Management and conservation of freshwater habitat requires fine spatial resolution and watershed-scale and life-stage-specific methods due to complex linkages among land, climate, water uses, and aquatic organism necessities. In this study, we present a valley-scale microhabitat resolution, process-based bioenergetics approach that combines high-resolution topobathymetric LiDAR survey with two-dimensional hydrodynamic and bioenergetics modeling. We applied the model to investigate the role of lateral habitat, stream morphological complexity, water use, and temperature regimes on aquatic habitat quality distribution of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) within the Lemhi River (eastern Idaho, USA). Modeling results showed two key aspects: (i) a reduction in diverted flows is not sufficient to improve habitat quality potentially because of a legacy of morphological simplification (directly due to straightening and wood removal and indirectly due to low in-channel flows) and (ii) morphological complexity and connectivity with side channels and margin areas, which are key and vital elements to support suitable habitats that meet or exceed energetic needs to sustain or promote growth of individuals and populations.
Fermion and graviton in Dirac–Born–Infeld braneworld models
Authors: Mazani Esmaeil , Tofighi Ali , Sorkhi Masoumeh Moazzen
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we study the braneworld models with non-standard kinetic term of Dirac–Born–Infeld (DBI) type in two case which are (I) in usual gravity and (II) in f(T) gravity. In each of these cases, we examine gravity localization on branes and show that both models are stable and capable of gravity localizing in a similar manner to the standard case of braneworld models. In addition, we investigate the problem of fermion localization in both models and by considering the Yukawa coupling as a function of the warp factor, we show that the massless zero mode of fermion fields are localized on both types of the the branes. Meanwhile, the effect of parameters in both models is addressed on the zero mode and massive mode of graviton and fermion and the effective potentials. Finally, we study the gauge hierarchy problem in both models and we show that by choosing the appropriate parameters, both models are able to solve the gauge hierarchy problem between the Tev scale and the Planck scale.
On the hypotheses of Penrose’s singularity theorem under disformal transformations
Authors: Bittencourt Eduardo , Carvalho Gabriel G. , Lobo Iarley P. , Santana Leandro
Published: March 2020

We analyze how the hypotheses of Penrose’s singularity theorem (1965) are modified by the action of disformal transformations (defined in terms of light-like vectors) upon a given space-time metric. In particular, we investigate the transformation of the null energy condition and the existence of closed trapped surfaces in such scenario, in order to derive conditions upon the background metric and the disformal vector that guarantee the validity of Penrose’s theorem for disformal metrics. Then, we explain how to apply this technique for static and spherically symmetric space-times in general.
Electron collisions with molecules and molecular clusters
Authors: Gorfinkiel Jimena D.
Published: March 2020

State-of-the art computational studies of electron collisions with molecules and small molecular clusters are illustrated with results obtained from the application of the R-matrix method and the UKRMol/UKRMol+ suites. High-level calculations of electronic excitation cross sections and core-excited resonances, mainly of core-excited shape character, show excellent agreement with experiment for mid-size molecules like pyrimidine and thiophene. Simpler calculations are paving the way for an in-depth understanding of the effect of hydration on resonance formation: how the shift in resonance energy depends on the characteristics of the hydrogen bond and the resonance being studied. Finally, applications of the software to a little studied process, interatomic coulombic electron capture are also illustrated.

Graphical abstract
Ring chains with vertex coupling of a preferred orientation
Authors: Baradaran Marzieh , Exner Pavel , Tater Miloš
Published: March 2020

We consider a family of Schrödinger operators supported by a periodic chain of loops connected either tightly or loosely through connecting links of the length [Formula: see text] with the vertex coupling which is non-invariant with respect to the time reversal. The spectral behavior of the model illustrates that the high-energy behavior of such vertices is determined by the vertex parity. The positive spectrum of the tightly connected chain covers the entire halfline while the one of the loose chain is dominated by gaps. In addition, there is a negative spectrum consisting of an infinitely degenerate eigenvalue in the former case, and of one or two absolutely continuous bands in the latter. Furthermore, we discuss the limit [Formula: see text] and show that while the spectrum converges as a set to that of the tight chain, as it should in view of a result by Berkolaiko, Latushkin, and Sukhtaiev, this limit is rather non-uniform.
Mapping class group representations from Drinfeld doubles of finite groups
Authors: Fjelstad Jens , Fuchs Jürgen
Published: March 2020

We investigate representations of mapping class groups of surfaces that arise from the untwisted Drinfeld double of a finite group [Formula: see text], focusing on surfaces without marked points or with one marked point. We obtain concrete descriptions of such representations in terms of finite group data. This allows us to establish various properties of these representations. In particular, we show that they have finite images, and that for surfaces of genus at least [Formula: see text] their restriction to the Torelli group is non-trivial if and only if [Formula: see text] is non-abelian.
Status of the Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR
Authors: Senger Peter
Published: March 2020

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment will investigate high-energy heavy-ion collisions at the international Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), which is under construction in Darmstadt, Germany. The CBM research program is focused on the exploration of QCD matter at neutron star core densities, such as study of the equation-of-state and the search for phase transitions. Key experimental observables include (multi-) strange (anti-) particles, electron-positron pairs and dimuons, particle correlations and fluctuations, and hyper-nuclei. In order to measure these diagnostic probes multi-differentially with unprecedented precision, the CBM detector and data acquisition systems are designed to run at reaction rates up to 10 MHz. This requires the development of fast and radiation hard detectors and readout electronics for track reconstruction, electron and muon identification, time-of-flight (TOF) determination and event characterization. The data are read-out by ultra-fast, radiation-tolerant, and free-streaming front-end electronics, and then transferred via radiation-hard data aggregation units and high-speed optical connections to a high-performance computing center. A fast and highly parallelized software will perform online track reconstruction, particle identification and event analysis. The components of the CBM experimental setup will be discussed and results of physics performance studies will be presented.
Theoretical evaluation of corrosion inhibition performance of six thiadiazole derivatives
Authors: Mi Hongfu , Wang Wenhe , Liu Yaling , Wang Taiyang
Published: March 2020

Corrosion inhibition mechanism of six 2-amino-5-alkyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole compounds, for metal surface corrosion was studied by combining quantum chemistry, molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics simulation methods. Molecular reactivity parameters such as [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], Fukui index were obtained and revealed that the change in alkyl chain length has little influence on the reactivity of thiadiazole inhibitor molecules. Molecular mechanics calculation results show that the molecule with elongated alkyl chain could form self-assembled membrane with higher stability and coverage rate to prevent the diffusion of corrosive substances to metal surface. Molecular dynamics simulation revealed the -equilibrium adsorption behavior of these thiadiazole molecules on metal surface and the calculated results were in agreement with the experimentally determined inhibition efficiencies.
Heat Transfer in Periodically Laminated Structures – Third Type Boundary Conditions
Authors: Pazera Ewelina
Published: March 2020

This work is about a heat transfer phenomenon in relation to the periodically laminated composite. The specific type of thermal loading, analyzed in this paper, require formulation of Robin boundary conditions. To consider a layered structure of analyzed composite, the tolerance averaging technique is used. This method allows to take into account a thickness of the layers and obtain the equations with continuous coefficients. To solve these equations, the finite difference method is used, because an analytical solution is not available in this case (in contrast to the analogous issue in relation to a homogeneous layer).
The Best Place to Build a Subway
Authors: Helland Pat
Published: March 2020

Many engineering projects are big and complex. They require integrating into the existing environment to tie into stuff that precedes the new, big, complex thing. It is common to bemoan the challenges of dealing with the preexisting stuff. Many times, engineers don’t realize that their projects (and their paychecks) exist only because of the preexisting and complex systems that impose constraints on the new work. This column looks at some sophisticated urban redevelopment projects that are very much part of daily life in San Francisco and compares them with the challenges inherent in building software.
In VivoCognitive-Enhancing,Ex VivoMalondialdehyde-Lowering Activities and Phytochemical Profiles of Aqueous and Methanolic Stem Bark Extracts ofPiliostigma thonningii(Schum.)
Authors: Moriasi Gervason Apiri , Ireri Anthony Muriithi , Ngugi Mathew Piero
Published: March 2020

Cognitive impairment (CI) is among the leading causes of disability in humans. It is estimated that over 35.6 million people are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease- (AD-) associated cognitive deficits globally with these statistics projected to rise over 115.4 million by the year 2050. There is no specific etiology for this cognitive impairment; however, various contributing factors including advancing age (>60 years old), oxidative stress, cerebral injuries, infections, neurologic disorders, and cancer have been implicated. Despite various attempts to manage CI, no curative medicines are yet available. The current drugs used to manage symptoms of AD-associated CI including Donepezil and Rivastigmine among others are only palliative rather than therapeutic. Furthermore, these agents have been associated with undesirable side effects. This calls for alternative and complementary approaches aimed at either preventing or reverting AD-related CI in a curative way without causing adverse events. It is estimated that over 80% of the world’s population utilize herbal medicines for basic healthcare as it is considered safe, affordable, and easily accessible as opposed to conventional healthcare. Various parts ofP. thonningiiare used in traditional medicine to manage various conditions including CI. However, empirical and scientific data to validate these uses is lacking. In this study, the Morris water maze (MWM) experiment was adopted to evaluate the cognitive-enhancing effects of the studied plant extracts. The malondialdehyde (MDA) profiles in the brains of experimental mice were determined using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) test. Moreover, qualitative phytochemical profiling of the studied plant extracts was performed using standard procedures. The results showed remarkable cognitive-enhancing activities which were reflected in significantly shorter transfer latencies, navigation distances, longer time spent in platform quadrant, and lower MDA levels compared with those recorded for the negative control mice (p<0.05). Phytochemical screening of the studied plant extracts revealed the presence of antioxidant phytocompounds, which may have played key roles in the extracts’ potency. Based on the findings herein,P. thonningiiextracts, especially the aqueous ones have a promising potential for the management of AD-associated CI. Further studies aimed at isolating and characterizing specific active compounds for CI fromP. thonningiiare recommended. Additionally, specific mode(s) of action of active principles should be elucidated. Moreover, toxicity studies should be done on the studied plant extracts to ascertain their safety.
Forensic Speaker Comparison Using Evidence Interval in Full Bayesian Significance Test
Authors: Silva Adelino P. , Vieira Maurílio N. , Barbosa Adriano V.
Published: March 2020

This paper describes the application of a full Bayesian significance test (FBST) to compute evidence intervals in forensic speaker comparison (FSC). In the FBST approach, the challenge is to apply the test to a large number of observations and to formulate an equation to solve the test quickly. The contribution of the present work is that it proposes an application of the FBST to FSC and develops a method to calculate the FBST for the distribution of expected values (mean) with unknown variance without using Monte Carlo Markov chains (MCMC). Comparisons with other interval inference methodologies indicate that the evidence interval size is 49% greater than that computed with the Gosset approach. The evidence interval presented 71% fewer classification errors than the punctual inference did for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 17 dB.
The Clinical Relevance of p16 and p53 Status in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vulva
Authors: Barlow Ellen L. , Lambie Neil , Donoghoe Mark W. , Naing Zin , Hacker Neville F.
Published: March 2020

Objective. To investigate the prognostic significance of HPV status in vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCC) and to determine whether preoperative determination of p16 or p53 status would have clinical relevance. Methods. Patients treated for VSCC at a tertiary hospital in Sydney, Australia, from 2002 to 2014, were retrospectively evaluated (n = 119). Histological specimens were stained for p53 and p16 expression, and HPV status was determined by PCR detection of HPV DNA. Results. HPV DNA was detected in 19%, p16 expression in 53%, and p53 expression in 37% of patients. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates indicated that p16/HPV-positive patients had superior five-year disease-free survival (76% versus 42%, resp., p=0.004) and disease-specific survival (DSS) (89% versus 75% resp., p=0.05) than p53-positive patients. In univariate analysis, nodal metastases (p<0.001), tumor size >4 cm (p=0.03), and perineural invasion (p=0.05) were associated with an increased risk of disease progression and p16 expression with a decreased risk (p=0.03). In multivariable analysis, only nodal metastases remained independent for risk of disease progression (p=0.01). For DSS, lymph node metastases (p<0.001) and tumor size (p=0.008) remained independently prognostic. Conclusion. The p16/HPV and p53 status of VSCC allows separation of patients into two distinct clinicopathological groups, although 10% of patients fall into a third group which is HPV, p16, and p53 negative. p16 status was not independently prognostic in multivariable analysis. Treatment decisions should continue to be based on clinical indicators rather than p16 or p53 status.
Fibrillary Glomerulopathy with a High Level of Myeloperoxidase-ANCA: A Case Report
Authors: Asakawa Tomohiko , Asou Mea , Hara Shigeo , Ehara Takashi , Araki Makoto
Published: March 2020

An elderly woman was admitted with the chief complaint of gross hematuria. Laboratory values indicated a high myeloperoxidase-ANCA level. In renal histological examination, 40% of the glomeruli showed crescent formation, but immunofluorescence staining showed positivity for IgG, C3, and C1q. Furthermore, the deposition of fibrils in the glomerulus was noted on electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining showed strong positivity for DNA-J heat shock protein family member B9 (DNAJB9). Crescent formation is a common feature of fibrillary glomerulonephritis (FGN). Thus, in ANCA-positive crescentic glomerulonephritis, immunohistochemical assessments for immunoglobulins and DNAJB9, as well as electron microscopy, are important to correctly diagnose FGN.
Specific Health Knowledge and Health Literacy of Patients before and after Bariatric Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Köhler Hinrich , Dorozhkina Renata , Gruner-Labitzke Kerstin , de Zwaan Martina
Published: March 2020

Background: It is an important condition for adequate weight loss and prevention of adverse events that bariatric surgery (BS) candidates possess good specific health knowledge. There is a paucity of standardized instruments to evaluate the specific health knowledge of patients before and after BS. Therefore, we developed a 32-item multiple-choice test covering the main aspects of life which are important after BS, and investigated the correlation of specific health knowledge with health literacy, level of depression and anxiety, percentage of excess weight loss, and specific complications of BS in postoperative patients. Methods: Two groups participated in the cross-sectional study: the preoperative group (n = 109) was recruited from candidates for BS (gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy), the postoperative group (n = 110) was recruited from patients 12–74 months after BS (average 33 months, SD = 16.5). Both groups had completed a preoperative multimodal training program. Specific health knowledge was assessed with a newly developed knowledge questionnaire. Health literacy was evaluated with the short version of the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16). The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7) were used to assess the levels of depression and anxiety. Results: The pre- and postoperative group did not differ with regard to the number of correctly answered questions on the knowledge questionnaire, with 75% correct answers in both groups (p = 0.059). No correlations were found with health literacy (p = 0.498) and levels of depression (preoperative group: p = 0.279; postoperative group: p = 0.242) and anxiety (preoperative group: p = 0.866; postoperative group: p = 0.119). In postoperative patients specific health knowledge was not associated with the weight loss achieved (p = 0.437). Conclusion: The newly designed knowledge questionnaire can be useful for screening specific knowledge of BS patients at different time points.
Impact of Disability, Psychological Status, and Comorbidity on Health-Related Quality of Life Perceived by Subjects with Obesity
Authors: Donini Lorenzo Maria , Rosano Aldo , Di Lazzaro Luca , Lubrano Carla , Carbonelli Mariagrazia , Pinto Alessandro , Giusti Anna Maria , Lenzi Andrea , Siervo Mario
Published: March 2020

Obesity is a rapidly growing public health problem affecting an increasing number of countries worldwide and creating substantial financial and health burdens. Obesity has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with reference to physical and mental health status, social relationships, and economic factors. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association of number of comorbidities, psychological status, and disability level with HRQoL in a sample of subjects with obesity. Methods: A total of 273 subjects with obesity (199 women and 74 men) were recruited. Medical history and anthropometric measurements were carried out. The Italian version of the Laval questionnaire, the TSD-OC (SIO test for obesity-related disabilities), and SCL-90 (Symptom Checklist-90) tests were administered. The association between HRQoL (global and different domains scores of the Laval questionnaire – dependent variable) and age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidity, TSD-OC, and SCL-90 was analysed using a stepwise linear regression model. Results: BMI, disability (TSD-OC global score), and psychological symptoms (SCL-90 global severity index) were found to be the main determinants of HRQoL. Single domains of HRQoL (symptoms, activity/mobility, personal hygiene/clothing, emotions, social interaction, and sexual life) showed different patterns of associations with each domain of the Laval questionnaire. BMI, pain, and social life disruptions were found to be significantly associated with most of the HRQoL domains while age, comorbidities, psychological problems (depression, interpersonal symptoms, somatization), and disability were associated with only some domains of the Laval questionnaire. Education, psychological symptoms (obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation), and disability domains (stiffness, housework, outdoor activities, occupational activities) were not associated with any of the dimensions of the Laval questionnaire. Discussion/Conclusion: The present study identified key determinants of QoL in subjects with obesity, which could help in refining the multidimensional diagnostic assessment of obesity as well as designing more effective interventions to improve HRQoL in these patients.
Primary Bone Lymphoma in Axial Skeleton in a Middle-Aged Female Presented as Recurrent Anemia
Authors: Batia Tala , Yassin Mohamed A. , Mudawi Deena S. , Hamid Omnia A. , Abdalhadi Ahmed M.A.
Published: March 2020

Primary bone lymphoma (PBL) is a peculiar extranodal presentation of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Primary bone diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common pathological type, comprising about 80% of PBL. The diagnosis of PBL depends on the combined clinical examination and imaging studies and is confirmed with immunohistochemical examination. Due to the rarity of this disease, more relative studies and case reports are needed to provide insight into this obscure lymphoproliferative malignancy. Here, we report one rare case of primary bone DLBCL involving the axial skeleton in a 37-year-old female.
Identification of Torque Teno Virus/Torque Teno-Like Minivirus in the Cervical Lymph Nodes of Kikuchi-Fujimoto Lymphadenitis Patients (Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis): A Possible Key to Idiopathic Disease
Authors: Chong Yosep , Lee Ji Young , Kang Chang Suk , Lee Eun Jung
Published: March 2020

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is rare, and many infectious agents have been suspected for its etiology. This report presents an interesting case of KFD found with torque teno virus/torque teno minivirus (TTV/TTMV), which closely resembles the circovirus that causes necrotizing lymphadenitis in pigs. Three Korean patients showed several enlarged lymph nodes in their neck. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and subsequent DNA sequencing for TTV/TTMV using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue were performed. Histologic examination demonstrated typical features of KFD. qPCR showed successful amplification of TTV/TTMV, and DNA sequencing confirmed the results. It is the first report of TTV/TTMV presence in three patients with KFD.
Flexible Morphogenesis based Formation Control for Multi-Robot Systems
Authors: Barca Jan Carlo , Eu-Juin Lee Eugene , Sekercioglu Ahmet
Published: March 2020

Inspired by how biological cells communicate with each other at a cell-to-cell level; morphogenesis emerged to be an effective way for local communication between homogenous robots in multi-robot systems. In this paper, we present the first steps towards a scalable morphogenesis style formation control technique, which address the drawbacks associated with current morphogenesis type formation control techniques, including their inability to distribute robots evenly across target shapes. A series of experiments, which demonstrate that the proposed technique enables groups of non-holonomic ground moving robots to generate formations in less than 9 seconds with three robots and less than 22 seconds with five robots, is also presented. These experiments furthermore reveal that the proposed technique enables groups of robots to generate formations without significantly increasing the total travel distance when faced with obstacles. This work is an important contribution to multi-robot control theory as history has shown that the success of groups often depends on efficient and robust formation control.
A casa como imagem em três poemas de Dragica Rajčić
Authors: Mathias Dionei
Published: March 2020

Publicada em alemão no ano de 2000, a coletânea Post Bellum de Dragica Rajčić trata das memórias da guerra nos Bálcãs e do princípio de alteridade experimentado pela voz lírica. Este artigo tem por objetivo discutir três poemas dessa coletânea: “suisse like home”, “Hunderste gedicht ohne trenen” e “Ein Haus, nirgends”. Com foco na figuração da casa, o artigo inicia com uma discussão teórica do conceito de casa e passa a discutir os poemas e as imagens da casa, com interesse, sobretudo, na questão do pertencimento.
Sociodemographic factors associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods in Colombia
Authors: Khandpur Neha , Cediel Gustavo , Obando Daniel Ayala , Jaime Patrícia Constante , Parra Diana C.
Published: March 2020

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the Colombian population across sociodemographic factors. METHODS: We used data from the 2005 National Survey of the Nutritional Status in Colombia. Food consumption was assessed using a 24-hour food recall in 38,643 individuals. The food items were classified according to the degree and extent of industrial processing using the NOVA classification. RESULTS: The mean calorie contribution of ultra-processed foods ranged from 0.2% in the lowest quintile of consumers to 41.1% in the highest quintile of consumers. The greatest increases were due to the consumption of industrialized breads, sweet and savory snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats, and confectionery. No major differences were found in the consumption of ultra-processed foods between men and women. We observed significant differences by age, socioeconomic status, area of residence, and geographic region. Children and adolescents showed a higher intake of ultra-processed foods, almost double that of participants over 50 years of age. Children consumed significantly more snacks, confectionery products, processed cereals, milk-based drinks and desserts. Participants over 50 years consumed fewer products from these sub-groups of ultra-processed foods but had the highest consumption of industrialized bread. Individuals from urban areas, those with high socioeconomic status, participants residing in the Bogotá region had 1.5 to 1.7 times higher calorie intake from ultra-processed foods compared with those from a lower socioeconomic status and those residing in rural regions. CONCLUSION: In Colombia, industrialized bread is the ultra-processed product that is most easily assimilated into the traditional diet, along with snacks and sugary drinks. Children and adolescents residing in urban areas and households with greater purchasing power have some of the highest intakes of ultra-processed foods in the country.
A Nuclear World Transformed: The Rise of Multilateral Disorder
Authors: Miller Steven E.
Published: March 2020

The end of the Cold War produced great hope that the risks and dangers associated with nuclear weapons could be minimized or tamed in a cooperative international environment heavily regulated by arms control. If arsenals could be reduced, nuclear weapons marginalized, destabilizing factors constrained or eliminated, and proliferation prevented in a world increasingly governed by negotiated arms control, the nuclear perils of the Cold War would be left behind. Nearly three decades later, these hopes have been dashed. Instead, relations among the major nuclear powers have grown more contentious, the spread of nuclear weapons to new states has resulted in worrying regional nuclear orders, and technological advances are raising new threats and possibly introducing new instabilities, while arms control is in a state of near total collapse. A new nuclear order, combining traditional concerns with distinctive new dangers, is here. The perils of this new and still evolving nuclear reality must be understood if they are to be safely managed.
Cyber Warfare & Inadvertent Escalation
Authors: Acton James M.
Published: March 2020

The advent of cyber warfare exacerbates the risk of inadvertent nuclear escalation in a conventional conflict. In theory, cyber espionage and cyberattacks could enhance one state's ability to undermine another's nuclear deterrent. Regardless of how effective such operations might prove in practice, fear of them could generate escalatory “use-‘em-before-you-lose-‘em” pressures. Additionally, cyber threats could create three qualitatively new mechanisms by which a nuclear-armed state might incorrectly conclude that its nuclear deterrent was under attack. First, cyber espionage could be mistaken for a cyberattack. Second, malware could accidentally spread from systems that supported non-nuclear operations to nuclear-related systems. Third, an operation carried out by a third party could be misattributed by one state in a bilateral confrontation to its opponent. Two approaches to risk reduction are potentially viable in the short term: unilateral restraint in conducting potentially escalatory cyber operations, and bilateral or multilateral behavioral norms.
A review of the Neotropical microcaddisfly genus Acostatrichia Mosely, 1939 with description of a new species from Brazil (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Leucotrichiinae)
Authors: SANTOS ALLAN PAULO MOREIRA
Published: March 2020

The microcaddisfly genus Acostatrichia Mosely (Leucotrichiinae, Leucotrichiini) is revised. Based on morphological features of the adult male, species assigned to the genus are here divided into three species groups: A. plaumanni Group, A. brevipenis Group, and A. cerna Group. After examination of type specimens, the subjective synonymy of Acostatrichia darda Oláh & Flint, A. hosulaba Oláh & Flint, and A. pika Oláh & Flint is proposed, with the first name being chosen to have priority over the other two. Acostatrichia ketvilla Oláh & Flint is considered a junior synonym of Costatrichia nelsonferreirai Santos & Nessimian, and another 3 species are removed from Acostatrichia: A. tapada Oláh & Flint and A. rovidka Oláh & Flint are transferred to Costatrichia; and A. topora Oláh & Flint is transferred to Leucotrichia Mosely. A new species, Acostatrichia araca sp. nov. is described and illustrated from northern Brazil; descriptions and illustrations are also provided for the other 11 Acostatrichia species. After these nomenclatural acts, the genus Acostatrichia includes 15 species restricted to South America.
A new species of Creagrutus Günther (Characidae: Stevardiinae) from the Amazonian Piedmont of Colombia
Authors: ALBORNOZ-GARZÓN JUAN G. , ACOSTA-SANTOS ASTRID , BOGOTÁ-GREGORY JUAN D. , AGUDELO-CÓRDOBA EDWIN
Published: March 2020

A new species of Creagrutus is described from the Amazonian Piedmont, Colombia. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by presenting the following unique combination of characters: a dark mid-lateral stripe starting at anteriormost scale of lateral line, a vertically elongated humeral blotch, absence of dark blotches on dorsal fin and at base of middle caudal-fin rays, a triangular dentigerous surface of the premaxilla, 5–6 dentary teeth, and 11–12 predorsal scales. Comparisons with congeners distributed in the piedmont region of Río Caquetá basin are presented and its relationships among species of Creagrutus is inferred from the available phylogenetic framework.
Description of a new species of Xylophis Beddome, 1878 (Serpentes: Pareidae: Xylophiinae) from the Western Ghats, India
Authors: DEEPAK V. , NARAYANAN SURYA , DAS SANDEEP , RAJKUMAR K.P. , EASA P.S. , SREEJITH K.A. , GOWER DAVID J.
Published: March 2020

We reassessed the systematics of the Indian (semi)fossorial snake Xylophis perroteti (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) based on morphological and DNA sequence data for type, historical, and new specimens. A population from the Anamalai Hills is distinct from broadly topotypic X. perroteti from the Nilgiri Hills (from which they are separated geographically by the lowland Palghat Gap) on the basis of both external morphology and DNA sequence data. We describe the Anamalai form as a new species, Xylophis mosaicus sp. nov. The new species is more closely related to X. perroteti than to X. stenorhynchus and X. captaini. A new key to identify the species of Xylophis is presented.
Corrections to the classification of the Neotropical ant-like stone beetles misplaced in Euconnus Thomson (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae). Part 1.
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ
Published: March 2020

Taxonomic placement of five Neotropical species of Glandulariini, previously misplaced in Euconnus, is corrected based on examination of type specimens. Euconnus brunneus Franz is placed in Tridensius gen. n.; Euconnus sibyllensis Franz in Sibylloconnus gen. n.; Euconnus fimbriatulus Reitter in Protandroconnus Franz; Euconnus johnsoni Franz in Amimoscydmus Jałoszyński; and Scydmaenus asserculatus L.W. Schaufuss (placed in Euconnus by Csiki and Franz) in Venezolanoconnus Franz. Each species is redescribed: Tridensius brunneus (Franz) comb. n., Sibylloconnus sibyllensis (Franz) comb. n., Protandroconnus fimbriatulus (Reitter) comb. n., Amimoscydmus johnsoni (Franz) comb. n., and Venezolanoconnus asserculatus (L.W. Schaufuss) comb. n. A key to identification of the new Neotropical genera is given.
Geographic range extensions of stalked, flabelliform sponges (Porifera) from eastern Canada with a new combination of a species of Plicatellopsis in the North Atlantic
Authors: DINN CURTIS , LEYS SALLY P. , ROUSSEL MYLÈNE , MÉTHÉ DENISE
Published: March 2020

Three new species records, Axinella arctica (Vosmaer, 1885), Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870), and Cladocroce spatula (Lundbeck, 1902), and one new combination, Plicatellopsis bowerbanki (Vosmaer, 1885) comb. nov. from eastern Canada are described. The four species have similar growth forms which are either fan or cup-shaped with obvious stalks. This is the first description of a member of the genus Plicatellopsis in the North Atlantic, and the second record of the genus in the northern hemisphere. The four species described here have a history of misidentification in eastern Canada and this work aims to guide future identifications in the region.
Historicizing the Left: A Review of Michał Siermiński "Dekada Przełomu: polska lewica opozycyjna 1968-1980", Warszawa: Książka i Prasa 2016
Authors: Ost David
Published: March 2020

This review of Michał Siermiński Dekada przełomu: Polska lewica opozycyjna 1968–1980 [Transformative Decade: The Polish Oppositionist Left 1968–1980] critiques the author’s focus on ideas by offering a class-based understanding of the changes in Polish oppositionist politics, makes a case for the leftism of the “Civil Society” program of the 1970s, and argues that the old oppositionists’ discussions of the Church and “nation” were not violations of leftism but a way to frame the left so as to make it more acceptable to more people. The left faces very different tasks and problems now than it did in the 1970s or 1980s, which explains why Siermiński could write such a left-wing critique today. Yet while his book is extremely valuable, and the present left does certainly need a new program, it could still use some of the self-governing ideas of the 1970s in its current struggle against neoliberalism.
Red Nationalism? A Brief Overview of the Origins of Polish Stalinism
Authors: Kozłowski Michał
Published: March 2020

This article argues against the still-dominant idea that Polish Stalinism must be interpreted in “exteriority” and “rupture” due to the Soviet Union’s political grip over the country. The period of Stalinist rule constitutes a particularly dense and fecund time in Polish history, one that can only be understood within the framework of Poland’s past and present: the period's origins and metahistory. The discursive gesture of depriving certain historical actors of their legitimate agency echoes the struggles over ethnicity and politics within Polish socialist circles at the turn of the twentieth century. There is, however, a disturbing paradox in the historical outcome of this distant debate: The ones who carried out the project of a Polish mono-ethnic state were the disciples of Polish revolutionary internationalists.
Stalinism the Polish Way
Authors: Zawadzka Anna
Published: March 2020

This is the first part of the introduction to issue 8/19 of Studia Litteraria et Historica. The issue focuses on an anthropological and sociological analysis of the years 1945–1956 in Poland and, to some degree, on a deconstruction of contemporary Polish narratives on Stalinism. The author discusses the reasons for reexamining the subject, along with the methodological basis of such reexamination. The article also offers a polemical discussion of Andrzej Leder’s interpretation of Poland’s Stalinist period.
The Mirror: Mother of All Symmetries in Crystals
Authors: Wahab Mohammad Abdul
Published: March 2020

Mirror symmetry is found to be the only fundamental symmetry in crystalline solids because all other symmetries, such as rotation, inversion, rotoreflection, rotoinversion and translational periodicity can be easily derived from suitable combinations of mirrors. Similarly, the point
group symmetries can also be derived from the same. The mirror combination scheme is found to work in accordance with the principle of Wigner-Seitz cells and Brillouin Zones (and not with the conventional unit cells as proposed by Bravais), where the zone boundaries of a Brillouin zone represent
different sets of Bragg planes obtained from diffraction pattern of the given crystal, while the diffraction of given crystal takes place in terms of decreasing interplanar spacing in reciprocal space. Because the Wigner Seitz cells, the Brillouin zones and the diffraction patterns possess
defined origin and exhibit spherical symmetry, they cannot have translational symmetry of any kind (microscopic or macroscopic). Results obtained on the basis of this concept help us to remove the existing ambiguities in crystallography and make the crystal structure determination simple.
Further, prima facie the diffraction patterns are found to take care of the proposed 'systematic absences' arising due to the so called lattice centering, glide planes and screw axes without actually taking them into consideration. This newly and first discovered concept is expected to explain
all other complicated or less understood issues related to crystallography.
Boro-Nitriding of 25CrMo4, 42CrMo4 and 55CrMoV4 Low Alloy Steels
Authors: Benhabib B. , Allaoui O. , Djeghlal M. E.
Published: March 2020

In this work, we study the effect of boriding and nitriding treatments on microhardness and corrosion resistance of three different low alloy steels (25CrMo4, 42CrMo4 and 55CrMoV4). The thermochemical treatments were carried out in solid medium by the powder technique at 900 °C
for 4 hours in boriding treatment, and at 550 °C for 12 hours in nitriding treatment. The obtained results show that the boride and nitride layers formed on the surface of treated steels contained FeB, Fe2B, CrN, Fe3N and Fe4N phases. Microhardness of boride
and nitride layers are between 850 HV0.05 and 2100 HV0.05. Corrosion tests have shown the beneficial effect of boriding and nitriding treatments on treated steels.