bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microscopic malaria parasitemia diagnosis and grading on benchmark datasets
Authors: Rehman Amjad , Abbas Naveed , Saba Tanzila , Mehmood Zahid , Mahmood Toqeer , Ahmed Khawaja Tehseen
Published: September 2018

Malaria parasitemia diagnosis and grading is hard and still far from perfection. Inaccurate diagnosis and grading has caused tremendous deaths rate particularly in young children worldwide. The current research deeply reviews automated malaria parasitemia diagnosis and grading in thin blood smear digital images through image analysis and computer vision based techniques. Actually, state‐of‐the‐art reveals that current proposed practices present partially or morphology dependent solutions to the problem of computer vision based microscopy diagnosis of malaria parasitemia. Accordingly, a deep appraisal of the current practices is investigated, compared and analyzed on benchmark datasets. The open gaps are highlighted and the future directions are laid down for a complete automated microscopy diagnosis for malaria parasitemia based on those factors that have not been affected by other diseases. Moreover, a general computer vision framework to perform malaria parasitemia estimation/grading is constructed in universal directions. Finally, remaining problems are highlighted and possible directions are suggested.

Research Highlights

The current research presents a microscopic malaria parasitemia diagnosis and grading of malaria in thin blood smear digital images through image analysis and computer vision based techniques. The open gaps are highlighted and future directions for a complete automated microscopy diagnosis of malaria parasitemia mentioned.
Effect of natural antioxidants on the physicochemical properties and stability of freeze‐dried microencapsulated chia seed oil
Authors: Rodriguez Erica S , Julio Luciana M , Henning Cynthia , Diehl Bernd WK , Tomás Mabel C , Ixtaina Vanesa Y
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Chia oil possesses a very high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly α‐linolenic acid. This characteristic makes this oil possess beneficial properties to health but gives it a high susceptibility to the oxidation process. Microencapsulation and the addition of natural antioxidants are alternatives to protect chia oil against oxidative deterioration. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and the oxidative stability of chia seed oil microencapsulated with different natural antioxidants (Guardian Chelox, which is a commercial blend of extracts from chamomile and rosemary, and essential oils from Origanum vulgare, Origanum x majoricum, and Mentha spicata) by freeze‐drying using sodium caseinate and lactose as wall materials.

RESULTS

The main physicochemical properties of the microencapsulated chia oil were similar regardless of the presence of antioxidant. The moisture content was 38.1 ± 4.0 g kg−1; the microencapsulation efficiency was higher than 85% in all cases. The freeze‐drying microencapsulation significantly enhanced (P ≤ 0.05) the oxidative stability of the chia oil. The addition of natural antioxidants conferred chia oil additional protection against lipid oxidation, depending on the type and concentration (500 or 1000 mg kg−1 of the emulsion previous to freeze‐drying) of the antioxidant. Among them, Guardian Chelox (1000 mg kg−1), presented the highest induction time obtained by the Rancimat accelerated oxidative stability test and the lowest peroxide values after 90 days of storage (33% relative humidity, 25 ± 2 °C). Overall, the microparticles with antioxidants presented a lower degree of yellowing during storage than the control system.

CONCLUSION

The use of different natural antioxidants confers freeze‐dried microencapsulated chia seed oil additional protection against lipid oxidation. This information is relevant for the application of this oil, which is a rich source of omega‐3 fatty acids, in the food industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy containing bevacizumab and interval debulking surgery for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: A feasibility study
Authors: Komiyama Shinichi , Kugimiya Tsuyoki , Kubushiro Kaneyuki
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives

The optimum treatment strategy for patients with unresectable advanced epithelial ovarian cancer is controversial. This study examined bevacizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC; paclitaxel plus carboplatin), followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS), for these patients.

Methods

In a prospective nonrandomized study, newly diagnosed patients received four cycles of NAC (three cycles combined with bevacizumab), followed by IDS. The primary endpoint was the complete resection rate at IDS. Secondary endpoints were the NAC response rate, adverse events during NAC, and perioperative complications.

Results

Twenty‐three patients were enrolled. The complete resection rate at IDS was 60.9% (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 38.5% to 80.3%). The NAC response rate was 86.9% (95% CI: 66.4% to 97.2%). Adverse events ≥ grade 3 during NAC were neutropenia (78.3%), anemia (52.2%), hypertension (17.4%), and proteinuria (8.7%). There was no thromboembolism or gastrointestinal perforation. Grade 2 complications of IDS included lymphatic complications (13.6%), infections (9.1%), ileus (4.5%), and wound dehiscence (4.5%). There were no thromboembolic complications, fistula/abscess, or perforation/anastomotic leak, and no complications ≥ grade 3.

Conclusions

In Japanese patients with advanced ovarian cancer, bevacizumab + NAC followed by IDS is an acceptable strategy. Further investigation of its prognostic effect is warranted.
The role of oral oil administration in displaying the chylous tubes and preventing chylous leakage in laparoscopic para‐aortic lymphadenectomy
Authors: Zhou Guan‐Nan , Xin Wei‐Juan , Li Xiao‐Qing , Zhang Xu‐Yin , Hua Ke‐Qin , Ding Jing‐Xin
Published: September 2018

Background and Objectives

This study is aimed to investigate the possibility of preoperative oral oil administration in displaying the chylous tubes and preventing chylous leakage in laparoscopic para‐aortic lymphadenectomy.

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective nonrandomized study, of the 30 patients with gynecological malignancies who had indications for laparoscopic para‐aortic lymphadenectomy up to renal vessels, 15 were administered preoperative oral oil (oil a administration) (control group) at our hospital between September 2017 and June 2018. The chylous tube displaying rates, incidences of chylous leakage, and other perioperative data of the two groups were compared.

Results

Successful display of chylous tubes was observed in 93.3% (14/15) patients in the oil administration group. The chylous leakage was zero in the oil administration group, and 33.3% (5/15) in the control group. The postoperative drainage duration (4.1 ± 1.0 days vs 7.6 ± 1.4 days,
P = 0.000), somatostatin application time (0 day vs 5.9 ± 0.8 days), and postoperative hospital stay (6.0 ± 2.3 days vs 9.1 ± 2.1 days,
P = 0.001) were significantly shorter in the oil administration group. The total cost is lower in the oil administration group (4972.52 ± 80.54 dollars vs 6260.80 ± 484.47 dollars,
P = 0.000).

Conclusions

Preoperative oil administration is a feasible and effective method to display the chylous tubes and to prevent the chylous leakage in para‐aortic lymphadenectomy.
Development, validation and application to real samples of a liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of tetracyclines in beeswax
Authors: Gajda Anna , Antczak Maja , Mitrowska Kamila , Posyniak Andrzej
Published: September 2018

Beeswax is a valuable honeybee product, which finds applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in cosmetic production. However, some substances used in apiculture, like tetracyclines, can be delivered to hives where they cause contamination of honeybee products such as beeswax. Tetracyclines are commonly used for the treatment of American and European foulbrood diseases, but in the European Union their usage by beekeepers is forbidden. Thus, a sensitive method for the analysis of tetracyclines in beeswax is an important analytical tool. A new liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for the analysis of tetracyclines including oxytetracycline, 4‐epioxytetracycline, tetracycline, 4‐epitetracycline, chlorotetracycline, 4‐epichlorotetracycline, and doxycycline in beeswax was developed. The method involved dilution of beeswax in n‐hexane after a melting step, liquid‐liquid extraction with oxalic acid and clean‐up using a weak cation exchange phase. Satisfactory separation was performed on an octadecyl column with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile in a total run time of 5 min. The application of this method was evaluated by the analysis of real beeswax samples. The presence of oxytetracycline was confirmed in 5 out of 48 tested beeswax samples, which shows the method can be successfully used to determine the tetracyclines in beeswax.
Application of a micro plasma collection card for the detection of homocysteine by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Yuan Xiangmei , Lu Youli , Xiao Can , Zhu Jianmin , Zhang Wei , Yu Chen , Li Shuijun
Published: September 2018

Generally, it is recommended that blood samples for homocysteine detection should be centrifuged immediately to separate plasma in order to avoid continuous synthesis by blood cells. The use of a micro plasma collection card may improve sample stability and result accuracy by offering automatic and instant plasma separation. We compare a micro plasma collection method with routine wet plasma to explore applications of the dried plasma spots for homocysteine determination by using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The method was validated for both dried plasma spots and wet plasma. The assay was linear from 0.5–45 μmol/L with good precisions and accuracies. The extraction recovery and matrix effect for dried plasma spots were >97% and 0.98 after internal standard normalization, respectively. It was reproducible for retaining homocysteine in dried plasma spots and kept stable for 30 days. The plasma conversion factor was 7.77 ± 0.7% by calculating the ratio of homocysteine concentration between dried plasma spots and wet plasma (n = 165). Neither hematocrit nor homocysteine concentration affected the plasma conversion factor as long as the hematocrit was within the normal range. The results support the clinical usefulness of the dried plasma spots as a convenient and stable biological matrix for testing homocysteine.
Effect of a Thin Fluid Layer on Surface Wave Speed Measurements: A Lung Phantom Study
Authors: Zhou Jinling , Zhang Xiaoming
Published: September 2018

Lung ultrasound (US) surface wave elastography (SWE) is a novel technique that measures superficial lung tissue elastic properties. A thin pleural fluid layer covers a lung, but its effect on lung measurements in SWE is unknown. We modeled a lung and pleural fluid with sponges and a thin layer of US transmission gel. Sponge surface wave speeds measured from SWE were compared for sponges without and with the thin US gel layer at 3 wave excitation frequencies. The comparison showed that the sponge surface wave speed measurements were not affected by the thin gel layer.
Optimal Timing of Spinal Ultrasound Evaluations for Sacral Dimples in Neonates: Earlier May Not Be Better
Authors: Cho Hyun‐Hae , Lee So Mi , You Sun Kyoung
Published: September 2018

Objectives

A spinal ultrasound (US) evaluation during the immediate postnatal period may have limited ability in evaluating filum thickness because of the spinal cord pulsation caused by a crowded subarachnoid space and the cerebrospinal fluid deficiency during this period. This study aimed to determine the optimal timing of spinal US to evaluate sacral dimples in neonates.

Methods

This study included 585 neonates who had a clinically suspicious sacral dimple and underwent spinal US examinations between January 2015 and August 2017. Patients were classified into 1 of 2 groups based on whether measurements of all parameters were possible (group A) or not (group B). Neonatal and maternal clinical factors, including the antenatal history and US parameters, were compared between groups.

Results

Group A included 443 patients, and group B included 82. Patients in group B were significantly younger (6.2 versus 31.0 days), had a younger corrective age (38.9 versus 42.5 weeks), and had a smaller body weight (3.1 versus 4.6 kg) than those in group A (all P < .005). However, no statistically significant differences were found in other patient or maternal factors (P > .05 for all). The pulsation of the conus medullaris and nerve roots of the cauda equina (14.6% versus 100%), thickening and echogenicity of the filum terminale (2.4% versus 100%), and the presence of a normal subarachnoid space (18.3% versus 100%) were significantly more difficult to detect in group B than in group A (all P < .001).

Conclusions

For an accurate evaluation, which can reduce unnecessary confusion and costs, spinal US can be delayed until neonates grow beyond 31 days, with a corrected age of older than 42.5 weeks and body weight of greater than 4.6 kg.
Transoral robotic surgery versus upper airway stimulation in select obstructive sleep apnea patients
Authors: Yu Jason L. , Mahmoud Ahmad , Thaler Erica R.
Published: September 2018

Objectives

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) since 2009, with recent meta‐analysis showing an average reduction of apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) from 44.3 to 17.0. In 2014, upper airway stimulation surgery (UAS) was approved for OSA treatment, with results showing an average AHI reduction from 32.0 to 15.3. Given there was a period when TORS was available and UAS was not, we looked at a subset of patients treated with TORS but who could have qualified for UAS and compared their outcomes to patients who received UAS.

Methods

This is a retrospective chart review comparing TORS to UAS in treatment of OSA performed by a single surgeon between 2011 and 2016. Inclusion criteria were a body mass index less than 35 and AHI between 20 and 65 consistent with criteria for UAS implantation. Patients who received TORS and met the inclusion criteria had their preoperative drug‐induced sleep endoscopy recordings re‐evaluated. Patients with anteroposterior retropalatal collapse that would have qualified them for UAS had their outcomes compared to patients who received UAS.

Results

Results between TORS and UAS showed an average AHI reduction of 12.7 and 33.3, respectively. Overall cure rate, defined as AHI < 5, was 10.0% and 70.3%, respectively.

Conclusion

Results of this study indicate that, when met with criteria for both TORS and UAS, patients receiving UAS had greater improvement in several objective measures of OSA. Studies like this may help direct future treatment algorithms for surgical management of OSA.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 129:256–258, 2019
Characterization of the consistent completion of analytic hierarchy process comparison matrices using graph theory
Authors: Benítez Julio , Carpitella Silvia , Certa Antonella , Izquierdo Joaquín
Published: September 2018

Decision‐making is frequently affected by uncertainty and/or incomplete information, which turn decision‐making into a complex task. It is often the case that some of the actors involved in decision‐making are not sufficiently familiar with all of the issues to make the appropriate decisions. In this paper, we are concerned about missing information. Specifically, we deal with the problem of consistently completing an analytic hierarchy process comparison matrix and make use of graph theory to characterize such a completion. The characterization includes the degree of freedom of the set of solutions and a linear manifold and, in particular, characterizes the uniqueness of the solution, a result already known in the literature, for which we provide a completely independent proof. Additionally, in the case of nonuniqueness, we reduce the problem to the solution of nonsingular linear systems. In addition to obtaining the priority vector, our investigation also focuses on building the complete pairwise comparison matrix, a crucial step in the necessary process (between synthetic consistency and personal judgement) with the experts. The performance of the obtained results is confirmed.
Weighted generalized Korn inequalities on John domains
Authors: López‐García Fernando
Published: September 2018

The goal of this work is to show that the generalized Korn inequality that replaces the symmetric part of the differential matrix in the classical Korn inequality by its trace‐free part is valid over John domains and weighted Sobolev spaces. The weights considered are nonnegative powers of the distance to the boundary.
Transcutaneous oxygen measurement in humans using a paramagnetic skin adhesive film
Authors: Kmiec Maciej M. , Hou Huagang , Lakshmi Kuppusamy M. , Drews Thomas M. , Prabhat Anjali M. , Petryakov Sergey V. , Demidenko Eugene , Schaner Philip E. , Buckey Jay C. , Blank Aharon , Kuppusamy Periannan
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcpO2) provides information about blood perfusion in the tissue immediately below the skin. These data are valuable in assessing wound healing problems, diagnosing peripheral vascular/arterial insufficiency, and predicting disease progression or the response to therapy. Currently, TcpO2 is primarily measured using electrochemical skin sensors, which consume oxygen and are prone to calibration errors. The goal of the present study was to develop a reliable method for TcpO2 measurement in human subjects.

Methods

We have developed a novel TcpO2 oximetry method based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) principles with an oxygen‐sensing skin adhesive film, named the superficial perfusion oxygen tension (SPOT) chip. The SPOT chip is a 3‐mm diameter, 60‐μm thick circular film composed of a stable paramagnetic oxygen sensor. The chip is covered with an oxygen‐barrier material on one side and secured on the skin by a medical adhesive transfer tape to ensure that only the oxygen that diffuses through the skin surface is measured. The method quantifies TcpO2 through the linewidth of the EPR spectrum.

Results

Repeated measurements using a cohort of 10 healthy human subjects showed that the TcpO2 measurements were robust, reliable, and reproducible. The TcpO2 values ranged from 7.8 ± 0.8 to 22.0 ± 1.0 mmHg in the volar forearm skin (N = 29) and 8.1 ± 0.3 to 23.4 ± 1.3 mmHg in the foot (N = 86).

Conclusions

The results demonstrated that the SPOT chip can measure TcpO2 reliably and repeatedly under ambient conditions. The SPOT chip method could potentially be used to monitor TcpO2 in the clinic.
Effect of flow‐encoding strength on intravoxel incoherent motion in the liver
Authors: Moulin Kévin , Aliotta Eric , Ennis Daniel B.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

To study the impact of variable flow‐encoding strength on intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) liver imaging of diffusion and perfusion.

Theory

Signal attenuation in DWI arises from (1) intravoxel microvascular blood flow, which depends on the flow‐encoding strength α (first gradient moment) of the diffusion‐encoding waveform, and (2) intravoxel spin diffusion, which depends on the b‐value of the diffusion‐encoding gradient waveforms α and b‐value. Both are linked to the diffusion‐encoding gradient waveform and conventionally are not independently controlled.

Methods

In this work a convex optimization framework was used to generate gradient waveforms with independent α and b‐value. Thirty‐six unique α and b‐value sample points from 5 different gradient waveforms were used to reconstruct perfusion fraction (f), coefficient of diffusion (D), and blood velocity standard deviation (Vb) maps using a recently proposed IVIM model. Faster acquisition strategies were evaluated with 1000 random subsampling strategies of 16, 8, and 4 α and b‐value. Among the subsampled reconstructions, the sampling schemes that minimized the difference with the fully sampled reconstruction were reported.

Results

Healthy volunteers (N = 9) were imaged on a 3T scanner. Liver perfusion and diffusion estimates using the fully sampled IVIM method were f = 0.19 ± 0.06, D = 1.15 ± 0.15 10–3 mm2/s, and Vb = 5.22 ± 3.86 mm/s. No statistical differences were found between the fully sampled and 2‐times undersampled reconstruction (f = 0.2 ± 0.07, D = 1.19 ± 0.15 10–3 mm2/s, Vb = 5.79 ± 3.43 mm/s); 4‐times undersampled (f = 0.2 ± 0.06, D = 1.15 ± 0.17 10–3 mm2/s, Vb = 4.66 ± 3.61 mm/s), or 8‐times undersampled ( f = 0.2 ± 0.06, D = 1.23 ± 0.22 10–3 mm2/s, Vb = 4.99 ± 3.82 mm/s) approaches.

Conclusion

We demonstrate the IVIM signal’s dependence on the b‐value, the diffusion‐encoding time and the flow‐encoding strength and observe in vivo the ballistic regime signature of microperfusion in the liver. This work also demonstrates that using an IVIM model and sampling scheme matched to the ballistic regime, pixel‐wise IVIM parameter maps are possible when sampling as few as 4 IVIM signals.
Reduction of lipid contamination in MR spectroscopy imaging using signal space projection
Authors: Tsai Shang‐Yueh , Lin Yi‐Ru , Lin Hsin‐Yu , Lin Fa‐Hsuan
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Lipid contamination can complicate the metabolite quantification in MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). In addition to various experimental methods demonstrated to be feasible for lipid suppression, the postprocessing method is beneficial in the flexibility of applications. In this study, the signal space projection (SSP) algorithm is proposed to suppress the lipid signal in the MRSI.

Methods

The performance of lipid suppression using SSP and SSP combined with the Papoulis‐Gerchberg (PG) algorithm (PG+SSP) is examined in 2D MRSI data and the results were compared with outer volume saturation (OVS) methods. Up to 10 lipid spatial components were extracted by SSP from lipid signals in the range of 0.8~1.5 ppm.

Results

Our results show that most lipid signals were found in the first 4 to 5 components and that lipid signals on the spectra can be suppressed using 4 to 5 components. Metabolites concentrations were quantified using LCModel. Two regions of interest (ROIs) were manually selected on the peripheral and inner brain regions. The quantification of metabolites in terms of fitting reliability (CRLB) and spatial variations within ROIs (SpaVar) is improved using SSP. When 5 to 6 components were used in SSP and PG+SSP, the metabolite concentrations and the associated SpaVar and CRLB are at the same level as those from the OVS.

Conclusion

We have demonstrated that the SSP method can be used to suppress the lipid signals of MRSI and SSP with 5 to 6 components is suggested to have a similar suppression performance as the OVS method.
Changes in Growth of Rainbow Trout in a Catskill Mountain Reservoir Following Alewife and White Perch Introductions
Authors: George Scott D. , Baldigo Barry P. , Flaherty Michael J. , Randall Eileen A.
Published: September 2018

Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were introduced to the Esopus Creek watershed in the Catskill Mountains of New York in the early 1880s. This introduction created a renowned naturalized fishery that remains important to the local economy today. The objective of this study was to determine whether the growth and condition of Rainbow Trout in the Ashokan Reservoir changed following the establishment of (1) Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus in the 1970s and (2) White Perch Morone americana in the 2000s by analyzing historical scale samples from 502 Rainbow Trout. The resulting data were used to compare length at age, von Bertalanffy growth curves, age-specific annual growth increments, and relative weight before and after each introduction. Results indicated that growth of Rainbow Trout of ages <5 years generally increased following each introduction, while insufficient data for ages 5 and 6 made trends for older fish unclear. Rainbow Trout of ages ≤2 are believed to primarily use riverine habitats in this watershed, and therefore fish of ages >2 may best reflect reservoir growth. The mean relative weight of Rainbow Trout also increased between each period. The largest increases in both growth and condition were observed during the period after the introduction of White Perch, which was unexpected considering this species may have some diet overlap with Rainbow Trout and should be a poor forage species. Changes in watershed management and density-dependent growth effects may explain these unexpected results. Our results, which largely suggest increased growth and condition over time, eliminate growth effects as a possible explanation for declining Rainbow Trout populations and suggest recruitment issues in the watershed require further investigation. This study contributes to our understanding of the interactions between introduced species and underscores the value of maintaining long-term monitoring programs for assessing biological trends.
An Indirect Method for Estimating Size-Specific Exploitation
Authors: Bodine Kristopher A. , Schlechte J. Warren , Shoup Daniel E.
Published: September 2018

Estimating size-specific exploitation (SSU) is critical to assessing population responses to length-based regulations because harvest rates often vary by fish size. Failing to incorporate SSU into assessments could result in regulations that unnecessarily restrict harvest or put the stock at risk of overharvest. Unfortunately, managers rarely estimate SSU because it is difficult and expensive to do this in traditional tag–return studies. We describe how a change-in-ratio estimator (CIRE) that incorporates commonly collected fisheries management data such as creel length frequency, population length frequency, and total exploitation can provide a potentially cost-effective method for estimating absolute SSU. Absolute SSU will allow biologists to determine the size of fish being harvested, the magnitude of harvest for each fish size, and what sizes need to be regulated. We also demonstrate how the CIRE can be used to estimate relative SSU, which can be calculated even when total exploitation data are unavailable. Much like catch per unit effort, relative SSU is useful for monitoring relative changes across time, among fish sizes, or across waterbodies. We believe that the broad applicability and versatility of a CIRE makes it a useful alternative for estimating SSU.
IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE‐BASED PRACTICE IN HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FROM AGENT‐BASED MODELS
Authors: Frank Kenneth A. , Xu Ran , Penuel William R.
Published: September 2018

Much of the impact of a policy depends on how it is implemented, especially as mediated by organizations such as schools or hospitals. Here, we focus on how implementation of evidence‐based practices in human service organizations (e.g., schools, hospitals) is affected by intraorganizational network dynamics. In particular, we hypothesize intraorganizational behavioral divergence and network polarization are likely to occur when actors strongly identify with their organizations. Using agent‐based models, we find that when organizational identification is high, external change agents who attempt to direct organizations by introducing policy aligned messages (e.g., professional development emphasizing specific teaching practices) may unintentionally contribute to divergence in practice and polarization in networks, inhibiting full implementation of the desired practices as well as reducing organizational capacity to absorb new practices. Thus, the external change agent should consider the interaction between the type of message and the intraorganizational network dynamics driven by organizational identification.
Immunoglobulin prophylaxis in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Authors: Foster Jennifer H. , Cheng W. Susan , Nguyen Ngoc‐Yen , Krance Robert , Martinez Caridad
Published: September 2018

Background

After allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), patients have an increased susceptibility to infections, thought to be due in part to hypogammaglobulinemia. Thus, prophylactic administration of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) has been administered to patients after HSCT as standard of care. This study compares the viral infection rate between dosing IVIG by IgG levels versus by routine monthly administration in pediatric patients after HSCT.

Procedure

In this retrospective chart review, we abstracted from electronic medical records data on pediatric patients undergoing HSCT from 2010 to 2012 for 6 months post‐HSCT. We compared rates of infection between patients treated with routine IVIG prophylaxis and patients given IVIG prophylaxis based on IgG tough levels (IgG levels were checked every 2 weeks).

Results

Data were available and reviewed for 50 patients dosed with IVIG every 28 days (Group 1) and 100 patients dosed with IVIG based on IgG level > 400 mg/dl (Group 2). There was no significant difference in age (P = 0.98) or sex (P = 0.42), reason for HSCT, alemtuzumab use (P = 0.602), or reduced intensity conditioning (P = 1.00). Significantly more haploidentical donors were in Group 1 (P = 0.04), otherwise there was no significant difference in donor type between groups. Significantly less acute graft versus host disease occurred (P = <0.001) in Group 2 (P = <0.001). PCR documented viral infections were not significantly different (P = 0.412) (Table 1). Group 2 patients received significantly less IVIG (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Dosing IVIG to maintain an IgG level > 400 mg/dl is a cost‐effective and safe way to prevent viral infections in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT.
Testing Similarity Effects with Dyadic Response Surface Analysis
Authors: Schönbrodt Felix D. , Humberg Sarah , Nestler Steffen
Published: September 2018

Dyadic similarity effect hypotheses state that the (dis)similarity between dyad members (e.g. the similarity on a personality dimension) is related to a dyadic outcome variable (e.g. the relationship satisfaction of both partners). Typically, these hypotheses have been investigated by using difference scores or other profile similarity indices as predictors of the outcome variables. These approaches, however, have been vigorously criticized for their conceptual and statistical shortcomings. Here, we introduce a statistical method that is based on polynomial regression and addresses most of these shortcomings: dyadic response surface analysis. This model is tailored for similarity effect hypotheses and fully accounts for the dyadic nature of relationship data. Furthermore, we provide a tutorial with an illustrative example and reproducible R and Mplus scripts that should assist substantive researchers in precisely formulating, testing, and interpreting their dyadic similarity effect hypotheses. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology
AdS3 Solutions with Exceptional Supersymmetry
Authors: Dibitetto Giuseppe , Lo Monaco Gabriele , Passias Achilleas , Petri Nicolò , Tomasiello Alessandro
Published: September 2018

Among the possible superalgebras that contain the AdS3 isometries, two interesting possibilities are the exceptional F(4) and G(3). Their R‐symmetry is respectively SO(7) and G2, and the amount of supersymmetry and . We find that there exist two (locally) unique solutions in type IIA supergravity that realize these superalgebras, and we provide their analytic expressions. In both cases, the internal space is obtained by a round six‐sphere fibred over an interval, with an O8‐plane at one end. The R‐symmetry is the symmetry group of the sphere; in the G(3) case, it is broken to G2 by fluxes. We also find several numerical solutions with G2 flavor symmetry, with various localized sources, including O2‐planes and O8‐planes.
Primordial Gravitational Waves and the Swampland
Authors: Dias Mafalda , Frazer Jonathan , Retolaza Ander , Westphal Alexander
Published: September 2018

The swampland conjectures seek to distinguish effective field theories which can be consistently embedded in a theory of quantum gravity from those which can not (and are hence referred to as being in the swampland). We consider two such conjectures, known as the Swampland Distance and de Sitter Conjectures, showing that taken together they place bounds on the amplitude of primordial gravitational waves generated during single field slow‐roll inflation. The bounds depend on two parameters which for reasonable estimates restrict the tensor‐to‐scalar ratio to be within reach of future surveys.
Antipsychotic‐associated urinary tract infections in the elderly
Authors: Lam Y. W. Francis
Published: September 2018

Antipsychotic drugs are sometimes used in managing behavioral symptoms of dementia in the elderly, but such usage is associated with increased mortality. While the medical basis of this association is not known, the research literature suggests an increased incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in elderly patients who are prescribed antipsychotics. Recently, using data extracted from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, investigators from the Netherlands examined whether antipsychotic drug use is a risk factor for UTI in a cohort of elderly patients.
Control charts to monitor rates and proportions
Authors: Lee Ho Linda , Fernandes Fidel Henrique , Bourguignon Marcelo
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we call attention for monitoring proportions and rates when they are not results of Bernoulli experiments. To deal with this problem, usually control charts based on Beta distributions are built as this distribution is a well‐known one. However, in practice, there are other distributions to be considered as Simplex and Unit Gamma distributions. The impact of the speed to signal a shift in the average proportion in terms of out‐of‐control average run length is measured when the control limits determined under a Beta distribution is equivocally used to monitor individual rates from Simplex or Unit Gamma distributions or vice versa.
Adaptive enrichment designs for confirmatory trials
Authors: Lai Tze Leung , Lavori Philip W. , Tsang Ka Wai
Published: September 2018

After an overview of the Food and Drugs Administration's 2012 draft guidance on enrichment strategies for clinical trials to support drug/biologic approval, we describe subsequent advances in adaptive enrichment designs in this direction. We also provide a concrete application in the enrichment design of theDiffusion and Perfusion ImagingEvaluationforUnderstandingStrokeEvolution 3 trial comparing a new endovascular treatment with standard of care for ischemic stroke patients.
Multivariable evaluation of maternal hemodynamic profile in pregnancy complicated by fetal growth restriction: prospective study
Authors: Di Martino D. D. , Ferrazzi E. , Garbin M. , Fusè F. , Izzo T. , Duvekot J. , Farina A.
Published: September 2018

Objective

To evaluate the association between fetal growth restriction (FGR) and maternal hemodynamic parameters using multivariable analysis, adjusting for major confounding factors, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pre‐eclampsia and gestational hypertension).

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted between January 2013 and April 2016. Two cohorts of patients were recruited, between 24 and 39 weeks of gestation, in a high‐risk outpatient setting. These cohorts comprised 49 appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age singleton fetuses and 93 that were FGR (abdominal circumference (AC) at recruitment in the second half of pregnancy ≤ 10th percentile with a previous normal AC at 20–22 weeks). Maternal echocardiography was performed at the time of enrolment and included hemodynamic parameters of systolic and diastolic function and cardiac remodeling indices. Data were analyzed using a multivariable generalized linear model to estimate the association of FGR with maternal hemodynamic parameters after adjusting for significant confounding factors.

Results

In the multivariable analysis, after adjustment for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and smoking, FGR was associated with a 14% increase in maternal total vascular resistance, 16% reduction in cardiac output, 13% reduction in left ventricular mass and 11% reduction in heart rate; similar results were observed for the corresponding indexed parameters. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the absence of FGR were associated with a 25% increase in total vascular resistance, 16% increase in left ventricular mass and 14% reduction in diastolic function; similar results were observed for the corresponding indexed parameters.

Conclusion

FGR is significantly and independently associated with several maternal hemodynamic parameters, even after adjustment for major confounding factors, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Hindbrain morphometry and choroid plexus position in differential diagnosis of posterior fossa cystic malformations
Authors: Paladini D. , Donarini G. , Parodi S. , Volpe G. , Sglavo G. , Fulcheri E.
Published: September 2018

Objective

To assess the differential diagnostic significance of a series of quantitative and qualitative variables of the cerebellar vermis in fetuses with posterior fossa cystic malformation, including Dandy–Walker malformation (DWM), vermian hypoplasia (VH) and Blake's pouch cyst (BPC).

Methods

This was a retrospective study of confirmed cases of DWM, VH and BPC, diagnosed at the Fetal Medicine and Surgery Unit of the Federico II University between January 2005 and June 2013 or the Fetal Medicine and Surgery Unit of G. Gaslini Hospital between July 2013 and September 2017. All included cases had good‐quality three‐dimensional (3D) volume datasets of the posterior fossa, acquired by transvaginal ultrasound through the posterior fontanelle. The midsagittal view of the posterior fossa was the reference view for the study. We assessed brainstem–tentorium angle and brainstem–vermis angle (BVA), as well as craniocaudal (CCVD) and anteroposterior (APVD) vermian diameters and vermian area (VA), which were normalized by biparietal diameter (BPD) to take into account gestational age (CCVD/BPD × 100, APVD/BPD × 100 and VA/BPD × 100, respectively). Finally, the position of the fourth ventricular choroid plexus (4VCP) was defined as normal (‘up’) or abnormal (‘down’), relative to the roof/cyst inlet of the fourth ventricle.

Results

We analyzed 67 fetuses with posterior fossa malformations (24 cases of DWM, 13 of VH and 30 of BPC). The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 23.6 weeks. Regardless of gestational age, the BVA differed significantly between the three groups, and the VA/BPD was able to differentiate between VH and BPC. In differentiating between VH and BPC, the greatest areas under the receiver–operating characteristics curve were those for VA/BPD ratio. The 4VCP position was down in all cases of DWM and VH, while it was up in all cases of BPC.

Conclusions

Our data support the concept that VA/BPD ratio and 4VCP position may be used to differentiate between DWM, VH and BPC in the fetus. In our series, the position of the 4VCP had the highest accuracy, but a larger number of VH cases should be evaluated to confirm that an up position of the 4VCP indicates BPC while a down position indicates DWM or VH. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
A study of mechanical torque measurement on the wind turbine drive train—ways and feasibilities
Authors: Zhang Hongkun , Ortiz de Luna Rubén , Pilas Martin , Wenske Jan
Published: September 2018

The signal of the drive train mechanical torque can be a very informative input for new technologies on the wind turbine, helping further reducing the cost of energy. However, measuring the mechanical torque is not an easy task even during a test campaign on a prototype. In case of the long‐term measurement for operational purpose of use on the turbine, it is often considered as technically and economically not feasible. This paper discusses possible ways of the torque measurement and presents a test campaign where two different methods of torque measurement are conducted. One of the methods measures the shear strain signal using strain gauges at one section of the turbine main shaft. The other method measures the torsional deformation between two positions of the drive train, with an incremental encoder measuring the angular position of the drive train at each position. The tests are conducted on an 8‐MW wind turbine drive train under tests on the nacelle test bench “DyNaLab” of Fraunhofer IWES. During the tests, different load steps of torque and other load components are applied to the drive train. The measurement results from both measuring methods are presented and analysed. In the end, technical and economical feasibilities are discussed for both methods of torque measurement; some suggestions are also given respectively.
Big data analytics: Machine learning and Bayesian learning perspectives—What is done? What is not?
Authors: Suthaharan Shan
Published: September 2018

Big data analytics provides an interdisciplinary framework that is essential to support the current trend for solving real‐world problems collaboratively. The progression of big data analytics framework must be clearly understood so that novel approaches can be developed to advance this state‐of‐the‐art discipline. An ignorance of observing the progression of this fast‐growing discipline may lead to duplications in research and waste of efforts. Its main companion field, machine learning, helps solve many big data analytics problems; therefore, it is also important to understand the progression of machine learning in the big data analytics framework. One of the current research efforts in big data analytics is the integration of deep learning and Bayesian optimization, which can help the automatic initialization and optimization of hyperparameters of deep learning and enhance the implementation of iterative algorithms in software. The hyperparameters include the weights used in deep learning, and the number of clusters in Bayesian mixture models that characterize data heterogeneity. The big data analytics research also requires computer systems and software that are capable of storing, retrieving, processing, and analyzing big data that are generally large, complex, heterogeneous, unstructured, unpredictable, and exposed to scalability problems. Therefore, it is appropriate to introduce a new research topic—transformative knowledge discovery—that provides a research ground to study and develop smart machine learning models and algorithms that are automatic, adaptive, and cognitive to address big data analytics problems and challenges. The new research domain will also create research opportunities to work on this interdisciplinary research space and develop solutions to support research in other disciplines that may not have expertise in the research area of big data analytics. For example, the research, such as detection and characterization of retinal diseases in medical sciences and the classification of highly interacting species in environmental sciences can benefit from the knowledge and expertise in big data analytics.

This article is categorized under:

Application Areas > Science and Technology

Technologies > Machine Learning

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Big Data Mining
State Citizenship, EU Citizenship and Freedom of Movement
Authors: Bellamy Richard
Published: September 2018

I share Floris de Witte’s concern about the attacks on the EU currently coming from the populist right, a challenge epitomized by, but unfortunately not restricted to, the Brexit campaign in the UK. However, I doubt that the best way to answer such misleading rhetoric is to make rhetorical counter-claims. Rather, it is to show that their views are largely without foundation and that far from undermining national citizenship, EU citizenship and free movement defend it in the context of the normative and empirical challenges of an inter-dependent world. States provide the infrastructure on which the rights of citizens depend, with democratic citizenship as the ‘right of rights’, since it enables citizens to shape that infrastructure in ways that allow them to claim their rights on equal terms to each other. However, as a matter of consistency, citizens have a duty to show the citizens of other states equal concern and respect not only as shapers of the rights within their own state, but also as possessing the right to freely move to other states, and so not be arbitrarily disadvantaged through being born in one state rather than another, so long as such movement allows both the home and the host states to continue to supply the rights of their citizens. I call this argument cosmopolitan statism. It indicates how one can support free movement rights while still holding to the very statist arguments de Witte seeks to challenge. It also offers a plausible characterisation of the nature and role of Union citizenship.
Free Movement and EU Citizenship from the Perspective of Intra-European Mobility
Authors: Koikkalainen Saara
Published: September 2018

In his kick-off text, Floris de Witte argues that the value of free movement lies in its capacity to emancipate the individual from the nation state, to recalibrate questions of justice and democracy, and to sever ties to a homogenous political ‘community of fate’. My contribution builds on empirical research on intra-European mobility and elaborates on his first claim on emancipation. I offer two factors to support my interpretation of the strong link between free movement and EU citizenship: 1) the development of the very concept of European citizenship is at least partly the result of a longer history of free movement and 2) the concrete advantages of EU citizenship are strongly linked to free movement. I finish with the conclusion that free movement makes the EU real also for those Europeans who have not exercised their right to move.
The Court and the Legislators: Who Should Define the Scope of Free Movement in the EU?
Authors: van den Brink Martijn
Published: September 2018

EU citizenship is not about the centralisation of rights and about replacing the democratically legitimated substance of national laws by uniform European ones. Instead, the value of EU citizenship lies in the opportunity it offers to EU citizens to take up residence in another Member State to pursue their dreams and ambitions. But while this is so, we should not forget that its value is not uniformly accepted by all Union citizens. Neither should we ignore that free movement never was meant to be unlimited.
Reading Too Much and Too Little into the Matter? Latent Limits and Potentials of EU Freedom of Movement
Authors: Sardelić Julija
Published: September 2018

I concur with those who claim that EU free movement should be defended on a normative as well as practical level. But it is only so much that EU freedom of movement can deliver. We cannot expect that as a standalone policy it would ‘recalibrate justice’ for marginalized minorities in the EU. Considering the position of EU Romani migrants, we can see that in practice EU free movement does not necessarily address injustices produced by natioin states. In fact, it can also result in new injustice that is not present on the nation-state level.
Why Compensating the ‘Stayers’ for the Costs of Mobility Is the Wrong Way to Go
Authors: Hermann Julia
Published: September 2018

Like most of the previous respondents, I agree with Ferrera that the unequal division of the costs and benefits of free movement calls for action. My main criticism concerns his proposal to compensate non-mobile citizens. In my response, I shall expand on Christian Joppke’s critique of Ferrera’s presumption that ‘moving’ causes harm that ‘stayers’ should be indemnified for. I argue als that there is a real possibility that in its current form the EU cannot achieved the required social union. This would mean that due to the internal constitution of the EU, EU citizenship couldn’t fulfill its integrative functions. Given the enormous problems the EU is facing, we have to take this possibility very seriously.