bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrospective Case Analysis of Transnasal Endoscopic Resection of Benign Orbital Apex Tumors: Some Thoughts on Transnasal Endoscopic Surgery
Authors: Li Cheng , Gao Yang , Chen Rongxin , Cheng Chao , Yin Pan , Zhang Zhihui , Wang Yinghao , Bao Yuekun , Ma Huan , Shi Jianbo , Lu Rong
Published: February 2021

Purpose. To deeply discuss the patient selection, surgical planning, surgical techniques, and the therapeutic challenge for endoscopic transnasal resection of benign orbital apex tumors (OATs). Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 18 patients (18 eyes) with orbital apex cavernous hemangioma (OACH) who underwent endoscopic transnasal approach for resection of the tumor in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from March 2016 to May 2020. At each follow-up visit, the patients underwent measurement of their best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp examination, indirect ophthalmoscopy, and visual field testing. Results. There were 18 patients, 7 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 49.9 ± 12.6 years (range: 26 to 70 years). All 18 patients had unilateral tumors. Among the 18 cases, 13 were located in the right orbit and 5 were located in the left orbit. Sixteen patients underwent purely endoscopic transnasal surgery, and the other 2 patients underwent an endoscopic transnasal approach combined with a transcutaneous or transconjunctival surgical approach. Fourteen patients’ OACHs were removed completely, 1 patient’s OACH was partly removed, and 3 patients underwent pure decompression of the optic nerve. Fourteen patients gained improved or stable BCVA after surgery. Three patients showed postoperative vision decline, and 1 patient had no light perception after surgery. Conclusions. Endoscopic surgery is an effective surgical technique for the treatment of benign tumors in the orbital apex. It is necessary to strictly select patients and fully evaluate the benefits and risks of tumor completely or partly removed.
Identifying and Labeling Potentially Risky Driving: A Multistage Process Using Real-World Driving Data
Authors: Marks Charles , Jahangiri Arash , Ghanipoor Machiani Sahar
Published: February 2021

Every year, over 50 million people are injured and 1.35 million die in traffic accidents. Risky driving behaviors are responsible for over half of all fatal vehicle accidents. Identifying risky driving behaviors within real-world driving (RWD) datasets is a promising avenue to reduce the mortality burden associated with these unsafe behaviors, but numerous technical hurdles must be overcome to do so. Herein, we describe the implementation of a multistage process for classifying unlabeled RWD data as potentially risky or not. In the first stage, data are reformatted and reduced in preparation for classification. In the second stage, subsets of the reformatted data are labeled as potentially risky (or not) using the Iterative-DBSCAN method. In the third stage, the labeled subsets are then used to fit random forest (RF) classification models—RF models were chosen after they were found to be performing better than logistic regression and artificial neural network models. In the final stage, the RF models are used predictively to label the remaining RWD data as potentially risky (or not). The implementation of each stage is described and analyzed for the classification of RWD data from vehicles on public roads in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Overall, we identified 22.7 million observations of potentially risky driving out of 268.2 million observations. This study provides a novel approach for identifying potentially risky driving behaviors within RWD datasets. As such, this study represents an important step in the implementation of protocols designed to address and prevent the harms associated with risky driving.
Phacoemulsification with Goniosynechialysis versus Phacoemulsification Alone in Angle-Closure Glaucoma: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Yu Ji-Guo , Zhao Fang , Xiang Yi
Published: February 2021

Purpose. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of phacoemulsification with goniosynechialysis (Phaco-GSL) with those of phacoemulsification alone (Phaco-alone) in patients with angle-closure glaucoma and cataract. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected through a search of electronic databases. Trial eligibility and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane review methods. Primary measures included the intraocular pressure (IOP), number of antiglaucoma medications, peripheral anterior adhesion (PAS) extent, and their pre- and postoperative changes. For continuous parameters, we calculated weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. Eight RCTs were included, where 224 and 236 eyes were in the Phaco-GSL and Phaco-alone groups, respectively. Both postoperative IOP and number of medications were not significantly different between the study groups at the six- and twelve-month follow-up. However, the 12-month postoperative PAS extent was significantly smaller in the Phaco-GSL group than in the Phaco-alone group. Similarly, changes from the preoperative to 12-month postoperative PAS extent were significantly greater in the Phaco-GSL group than in the Phaco-alone group, but IOP and the number of medication changes were not different. Conclusions. Our results provide evidence that Phaco-GSL provides advantages over Phaco-alone treatment regarding PAS reduction. In terms of IOP and medication reduction, both groups were comparable. Thus, Phaco-GSL can be considered for the treatment of patients with angle-closure glaucoma and cataract due to its ease, safety, and potential benefit for the anterior chamber angle.
Combined Treatment of Adipose Derived-Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Pregabalin Is Superior to Monotherapy for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Rats
Authors: Yousof Shimaa Mohammad , ElSayed Doaa Attia , El-Baz Amani A. , Sallam Hanaa S. , Abbas Faten
Published: February 2021

Aims. Neuropathic pain following nerve injury does not respond well to most available pharmacological remedies. We aimed to compare the outcome of the addition of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) to pregabalin for neuropathic pain treatment. Methods. Adult female albino rats (

n
=
100

) were randomized to receive traumatic sciatic nerve injury or sham. Animals were then randomized to ADMSC treatment with or without pregabalin. We conducted a battery of neurobehavioral and electrophysiological to assess neuropathic pain. Following sacrifice, we evaluated the histological changes and gene expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the sciatic nerve. Serum and sciatic nerve tissue pro- and inflammatory cytokine levels were also assessed. Results. (1) All treatments significantly improved thermal withdrawal latency, sciatic nerve conduction velocity, and proinflammatory cytokine levels in injured animals, with no significant effect of the combined treatments compared to pregabalin monotherapy (

p
<
0.05

each). (2) Combined treatment significantly improved medial gastrocnemius electromyographic amplitude and sciatic function index compared to pregabalin monotherapy (

p
<
0.05

each). (3) Combined treatment significantly increased the BDNF expression, decreased anti-inflammatory cytokine (

p
<
0.05

each), and restored the structural nerve damage, compared to pregabalin monotherapy. Conclusions. Combined treatment is associated with greater improvement of the sciatic nerve structure and function. Further studies are warranted to study the mechanism of action of the combined treatment to improve neuropathic pain.
Therapeutic Targeting of DGKA-Mediated Macropinocytosis Leads to Phospholipid Reprogramming in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
Authors: Kovalenko Andrii , Sanin Andres , Kosmas Kosmas , Zhang Long , Wang Ji , Akl Elie W. , Giannikou Krinio , Probst Clemens K. , Hougard Thomas R. , Rue Ryan W. , Krymskaya Vera P. , Asara John M. , Lam Hilaire C. , Kwiatkowski David J. , Henske Elizabeth P. , Filippakis Harilaos
Published: February 2021

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a rare destructive lung disease affecting primarily women and is the primary lung manifestation of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). In lymphangioleiomyomatosis, biallelic loss of TSC1/2 leads to hyperactivation of mTORC1 and inhibition of autophagy. To determine how the metabolic vulnerabilities of TSC2-deficient cells can be targeted, we performed a high-throughput screen utilizing the “Repurposing” library at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (Cambridge, MA), with or without the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine. Ritanserin, an inhibitor of diacylglycerol kinase alpha (DGKA), was identified as a selective inhibitor of proliferation of Tsc2−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF), with no impact on Tsc2+/+ MEFs. DGKA is a lipid kinase that metabolizes diacylglycerol to phosphatidic acid, a key component of plasma membranes. Phosphatidic acid levels were increased 5-fold in Tsc2−/− MEFs compared with Tsc2+/+ MEFs, and treatment of Tsc2−/− MEFs with ritanserin led to depletion of phosphatidic acid as well as rewiring of phospholipid metabolism. Macropinocytosis is known to be upregulated in TSC2-deficient cells. Ritanserin decreased macropinocytic uptake of albumin, limited the number of lysosomes, and reduced lysosomal activity in Tsc2−/− MEFs. In a mouse model of TSC, ritanserin treatment decreased cyst frequency and volume, and in a mouse model of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, genetic downregulation of DGKA prevented alveolar destruction and airspace enlargement. Collectively, these data indicate that DGKA supports macropinocytosis in TSC2-deficient cells to maintain phospholipid homeostasis and promote proliferation. Targeting macropinocytosis with ritanserin may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of TSC and lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Significance:

This study identifies macropinocytosis and phospholipid metabolism as novel mechanisms of metabolic homeostasis in mTORC1-hyperactive cells and suggest ritanserin as a novel therapeutic strategy for use in mTORC1-hyperactive tumors, including pancreatic cancer.
Tumor-Derived Pericytes Driven by EGFR Mutations Govern the Vascular and Immune Microenvironment of Gliomas
Authors: Segura-Collar Berta , Garranzo-Asensio María , Herranz Beatriz , Hernández-SanMiguel Esther , Cejalvo Teresa , Casas Bárbara S. , Matheu Ander , Pérez-Núñez Ángel , Sepúlveda-Sánchez Juan Manuel , Hernández-Laín Aurelio , Palma Verónica , Gargini Ricardo , Sánchez-Gómez Pilar
Published: February 2021

The extraordinary plasticity of glioma cells allows them to contribute to different cellular compartments in tumor vessels, reinforcing the vascular architecture. It was recently revealed that targeting glioma-derived pericytes, which represent a big percentage of the mural cell population in aggressive tumors, increases the permeability of the vessels and improves the efficiency of chemotherapy. However, the molecular determinants of this transdifferentiation process have not been elucidated. Here we show that mutations in EGFR stimulate the capacity of glioma cells to function as pericytes in a BMX- (bone marrow and X-linked) and SOX9-dependent manner. Subsequent activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta in the vessel walls of EGFR-mutant gliomas stabilized the vasculature and facilitated the recruitment of immune cells. These changes in the tumor microenvironment conferred a growth advantage to the tumors but also rendered them sensitive to pericyte-targeting molecules such as ibrutinib or sunitinib. In the absence of EGFR mutations, high-grade gliomas were enriched in blood vessels, but showed a highly disrupted blood–brain barrier due to the decreased BMX/SOX9 activation and pericyte coverage, which led to poor oxygenation, necrosis, and hypoxia. Overall, these findings identify EGFR mutations as key regulators of the glioma-to-pericyte transdifferentiation, highlighting the intricate relationship between the tumor cells and their vascular and immune milieu. Our results lay the foundations for a vascular-dependent stratification of gliomas and suggest different therapeutic vulnerabilities determined by the genetic status of EGFR.

Significance:

This study identifies the EGFR-related mechanisms that govern the capacity of glioma cells to transdifferentiate into pericytes, regulating the vascular and immune phenotypes of the tumors.
High Detection Rates of Pancreatic Cancer Across Stages by Plasma Assay of Novel Methylated DNA Markers and CA19-9
Authors: Majumder Shounak , Taylor William R. , Foote Patrick H. , Berger Calise K. , Wu Chung Wah , Mahoney Douglas W. , Bamlet William R. , Burger Kelli N. , Postier Neil , de la Fuente Jaime , Doering Karen A. , Lidgard Graham P. , Allawi Hatim T. , Petersen Gloria M. , Chari Suresh T. , Ahlquist David A. , Kisiel John B.
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

We have previously identified tissue methylated DNA markers (MDMs) associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this case–control study, we aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of plasma MDMs for PDAC.

Experimental Design:

Thirteen MDMs (GRIN2D, CD1D, ZNF781, FER1L4, RYR2, CLEC11A, AK055957, LRRC4, GH05J042948, HOXA1, PRKCB, SHISA9, and NTRK3) were identified on the basis of selection criteria applied to results of prior tissue experiments and assays were optimized in plasma. Next, 340 plasma samples (170 PDAC cases and 170 controls) were assayed using target enrichment long-probe quantitative amplified signal method. Initially, 120 advanced-stage PDAC cases and 120 healthy controls were used to train a prediction algorithm at 97.5% specificity using random forest modeling. Subsequently, the locked algorithm derived from the training set was applied to an independent blinded test set of 50 early-stage PDAC cases and 50 controls. Finally, data from all 340 patients were combined, and cross-validated.

Results:

The cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the training set was 0.93 (0.89–0.96) for the MDM panel alone, 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.96) for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) alone, and 0.99 (0.98–1) for the combined MDM-CA19-9 panel. In the test set of early-stage PDAC, the AUC for MDMs alone was 0.84 (0.76–0.92), CA19-9 alone was 0.87 (0.79–0.94), and combined MDM-CA19-9 panel was 0.90 (0.84–0.97) significantly better compared with either MDMs alone or CA19-9 alone (P = 0.0382 and 0.0490, respectively). At a preset specificity of 97.5%, the sensitivity for the combined panel in the test set was 80% (28%–99%) for stage I disease and 82% (68%–92%) for stage II disease. Using the combined datasets, the cross-validated AUC was 0.9 (0.86–0.94) for the MDM panel alone and 0.89 for CA19-9 alone (0.84–0.93) versus 0.97 (0.94–0.99) for the combined MDM-CA19-9 panel (P ≤ 0.0001). Overall, cross-validated sensitivity of MDM-CA19-9 panel was 92% (83%–98%), with an observed specificity of 92% at the preset specificity of 97.5%.

Conclusions:

Plasma MDMs in combination with CA19-9 detect PDAC with significantly higher accuracy compared with either biomarker individually.
Immune-related Gene Expression Predicts Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy but not Additional Benefit from PD-L1 Inhibition in Women with Early Triple-negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Sinn Bruno V. , Loibl Sibylle , Hanusch Claus A. , Zahm Dirk-Michael , Sinn Hans-Peter , Untch Michael , Weber Karsten , Karn Thomas , Becker Clemens , Marmé Frederik , Schmitt Wolfgang D. , Müller Volkmar , Schem Christian , Treue Denise , Stickeler Elmar , Klauschen Frederik , Burchardi Nicole , Furlanetto Jenny , van Mackelenbergh Marion , Fasching Peter A. , Schneeweiss Andreas , Denkert Carsten
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

We evaluated mRNA signatures to predict response to neoadjuvant PD-L1 inhibition in combination with chemotherapy in early triple-negative breast cancer.

Experimental Design:

Targeted mRNA sequencing of 2,559 transcripts was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from 162 patients of the GeparNuevo trial. We focused on validation of four predefined gene signatures and differential gene expression analyses for new predictive markers.

Results:

Two signatures [GeparSixto signature (G6-Sig) and IFN signature (IFN-Sig)] were predictive for treatment response in a multivariate model including treatment arm [G6-Sig: OR, 1.558; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.130–2.182; P = 0.008 and IFN-Sig: OR, 1.695; 95% CI, 1.234–2.376; P = 0.002), while the CYT metric predicted pathologic complete response (pCR) in the durvalumab arm, and the proliferation-associated gene signature in the placebo arm. Expression of PD-L1 mRNA was associated with better response in both arms, indicating that increased levels of PD-L1 are a general predictor of neoadjuvant therapy response. In an exploratory analysis, we identified seven genes that were higher expressed in responders in the durvalumab arm, but not the placebo arm: HLA-A, HLA-B, TAP1, GBP1, CXCL10, STAT1, and CD38. These genes were associated with cellular antigen processing and presentation and IFN signaling.

Conclusions:

Immune-associated signatures are associated with pCR after chemotherapy, but might be of limited use for the prediction of response to additional immune checkpoint blockade. Gene expressions related to antigen presentation and IFN signaling might be interesting candidates for further evaluation.
KRAS
G12C Mutation Is Associated with Increased Risk of Recurrence in Surgically Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Jones Gregory D. , Caso Raul , Tan Kay See , Mastrogiacomo Brooke , Sanchez-Vega Francisco , Liu Yuan , Connolly James G. , Murciano-Goroff Yonina R. , Bott Matthew J. , Adusumilli Prasad S. , Molena Daniela , Rocco Gaetano , Rusch Valerie W. , Sihag Smita , Misale Sandra , Yaeger Rona , Drilon Alexander , Arbour Kathryn C. , Riely Gregory J. , Rosen Neal , Lito Piro , Zhang Haiying , Lyden David C. , Rudin Charles M. , Jones David R. , Li Bob T. , Isbell James M.
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

KRAS G12C is the most common KRAS mutation in primary lung adenocarcinoma. Phase I clinical trials have demonstrated encouraging clinical activity of KRASG12C inhibitors in the metastatic setting. We investigated disease-free survival (DFS) and tumor genomic features in patients with surgically resected KRASG12C-mutant lung adenocarcinoma.

Experimental Design:

Patients who underwent resection of stage I–III lung adenocarcinoma and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were evaluated. Exclusion criteria were receipt of induction therapy, incomplete resection, and low-quality NGS. Mutations were classified as KRAS wild-type (KRASwt), G12C (KRASG12C), or non-G12C (KRASother). DFS was compared between groups using the log-rank test; factors associated with DFS were assessed using Cox regression. Mutual exclusivity and cooccurrence, tumor clonality, and mutational signatures were assessed.

Results:

In total, 604 patients were included: 374 KRASwt (62%), 95 KRASG12C (16%), and 135 KRASother (22%). Three-year DFS was not different between KRAS-mutant and KRASwt tumors. However, 3-year DFS was worse in patients with KRASG12C than KRASother tumors (log-rank P = 0.029). KRASG12C tumors had more lymphovascular invasion (51% vs. 37%; P = 0.032) and higher tumor mutation burden [median (interquartile range), 7.0 (5.3–10.8) vs. 6.1 (3.5–9.7); P = 0.021], compared with KRASother tumors. KRASG12C mutation was independently associated with worse DFS on multivariable analysis. Our DFS findings were externally validated in an independent The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort.

Conclusions:

KRAS G12C mutations are associated with worse DFS after complete resection of stage I–III lung adenocarcinoma. These tumors harbor more aggressive clinicopathologic and genomic features than other KRAS-mutant tumors. We identified a high-risk group for whom KRASG12C inhibitors may be investigated to improve survival.
Enhancing the Generation of Eomeshi CD8+ T Cells Augments the Efficacy of OX40- and CTLA-4–Targeted Immunotherapy
Authors: Emerson Dana A. , Rolig Annah S. , Redmond William L.
Published: February 2021

CTLA-4 blockade in combination with an agonist OX40-specific monoclonal antibody synergizes to augment antitumor immunity through enhanced T-cell effector function, leading to increased survival in preclinical cancer models. We have shown previously that anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4 combination therapy synergistically enhances the expression of Eomesodermin (Eomes) in CD8+ T cells. Eomes is a critical transcription factor for the differentiation and memory function of CD8+ T cells. We hypothesized that EomeshiCD8+ T cells were necessary for anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4 immunotherapy efficacy and that further enhancement of this population would improve tumor-free survival. Indeed, CD8+ T cell–specific deletion of Eomes abrogated the efficacy of anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4 therapy. We also found that anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4–induced EomeshiCD8+ T cells expressed lower levels of checkpoint receptors (PD1, Tim-3, and Lag-3) and higher levels of effector cytokines (IFNγ and TNFα) than their Eomeslo counterparts. Eomes expression is negatively regulated in T cells through interleukin-2–inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) signaling. We investigated the impact of modulating ITK signaling with ibrutinib, an FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and found that anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4/ibrutinib therapy further enhanced CD8+ T cell–specific Eomes expression, leading to enhanced tumor regression and improved survival, both of which were associated with increased T-cell effector function across multiple tumor models. Taken together, these data demonstrate the potential of anti-OX40/anti–CTLA-4/ibrutinib as a triple therapy to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.
R1352Q CACNA1A Variant in a Patient with Sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine, Ataxia, Seizures and Cerebral Oedema: A Case Report
Authors: Stubberud Anker , O’Connor Emer , Tronvik Erling , Houlden Henry , Matharu Manjit
Published: February 2021

Mutations in the CACNA1A gene show a wide range of neurological phenotypes including hemiplegic migraine, ataxia, mental retardation and epilepsy. In some cases, hemiplegic migraine attacks can be triggered by minor head trauma and culminate in encephalopathy and cerebral oedema. A 37-year-old male without a family history of complex migraine experienced hemiplegic migraine attacks from childhood. The attacks were usually triggered by minor head trauma, and on several occasions complicated with encephalopathy and cerebral oedema. Genetic testing of the proband and unaffected parents revealed a de novo heterozygous nucleotide missense mutation in exon 25 of the CACNA1A gene (c.4055G>A, p.R1352Q). The R1352Q CACNA1A variant shares the phenotype with other described CACNA1A mutations and highlights the interesting association of trauma as a precipitant for hemiplegic migraine. Subjects with early-onset sporadic hemiplegic migraine triggered by minor head injury or associated with seizures, ataxia or episodes of encephalopathy should be screened for mutations. These patients should also be advised to avoid activities that may result in head trauma, and anticonvulsants should be considered as prophylactic migraine therapy.
Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Sporadic Cerebral Cavernous Malformations
Authors: Chen Bixia , Saban Dino , Rauscher Steffen , Herten Annika , Rauschenbach Laurèl , Santos Alejandro , Li Yan , Schmidt Boerge , Zhu Yuan , Jabbarli Ramazan , Wrede Karsten H. , Kleinschnitz Christoph , Sure Ulrich , Dammann Philipp
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose:

This study aims to assess the influence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors on hemorrhage risk of sporadic cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs).

Methods:

From 1219 consecutive CCM patients (2003–2018), adult subjects with sporadic CCM and complete magnetic resonance imaging were included. We evaluated presence of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) as mode of presentation, occurrence of ICH during follow-up and risk factors arterial hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, nicotine abuse, and obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m
2
). Impact of risk factors on ICH at presentation was calculated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression with age and sex adjustment. We performed Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression to analyze cumulative 5-year risk for (re)bleeding.

Results:

We included 682 patients with CCM. The univariate logistic regression showed a significant relationship (odds ratio=1.938 [95% CI, 1.120–3.353],
P
=0.018) between obesity and ICH as mode of presentation. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression confirmed significant correlation with odds ratio=1.902 (95% CI, 1.024–3.532,
P
=0.042). Cox regression did not identify predictors for occurrence of (re)hemorrhage (
P
>0.05; hazard ratios: arterial hypertension 1.112 [95% CI, 0.622–1.990], diabetes 0.850 [95% CI, 0.208–3.482], hyperlipidemia 0.719 [95% CI, 0.261–1.981], nicotine abuse 1.123 [95% CI, 0.591–2.134], and obesity 0.928 [95% CI, 0.416–2.070]).

Conclusions:

This study provides evidence that obesity may be a risk factor for CCM hemorrhage. It was significantly associated with ICH as mode of presentation. Other risk factors (arterial hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and current nicotine abuse) showed no such effect. None of the factors showed to be independent predictors for cumulative 5-year risk of (re)bleeding.
Automated Quantification of Reduced Sulcal Volume Identifies Early Brain Injury After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Yuan Jane Y. , Chen Yasheng , Kumar Atul , Zlepper Zach , Jayaraman Keshav , Aung Wint Y. , Clarke Julian V. , Allen Michelle , Athiraman Umeshkumar , Osbun Joshua , Zipfel Gregory J. , Dhar Rajat
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose:

Early brain injury may be a more significant contributor to poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) than vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia. However, studying this process has been hampered by lack of a means of quantifying the spectrum of injury. Global cerebral edema (GCE) is the most widely accepted manifestation of early brain injury but is currently assessed only through subjective, qualitative or semi-quantitative means. Selective sulcal volume (SSV), the CSF volume above the lateral ventricles, has been proposed as a quantitative biomarker of GCE, but is time-consuming to measure manually. Here we implement an automated algorithm to extract SSV and evaluate the age-dependent relationship of reduced SSV on early outcomes after aSAH.

Methods:

We selected all adults with aSAH admitted to a single institution with imaging within 72 hours of ictus. Scans were assessed for qualitative presence of GCE. SSV was automatically segmented from serial CTs using a deep learning-based approach. Early SSV was the lowest SSV from all early scans. Modified Rankin Scale score of 4 to 6 at hospital discharge was classified as a poor outcome.

Results:

Two hundred forty-four patients with aSAH were included. Sixty-five (27%) had GCE on admission while 24 developed it subsequently within 72 hours. Median SSV on admission was 10.7 mL but frequently decreased, with minimum early SSV being 3.0 mL (interquartile range, 0.3–11.9). Early SSV below 5 mL was highly predictive of qualitative GCE (area under receiver-operating-characteristic curve, 0.90). Reduced early SSV was an independent predictor of poor outcome, with a stronger effect in younger patients.

Conclusions:

Automated assessment of SSV provides an objective biomarker of GCE that can be leveraged to quantify early brain injury and dissect its impact on outcomes after aSAH. Such quantitative analysis suggests that GCE may be more impactful to younger patients with SAH.
Dietary choices in a generalist herbivore, the eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus, in urban landscapes
Authors: Abu Baker Mohammad A. , Emerson Sara E. , Gorman Jessica , Brown Joel S.
Published: February 2021

We tested for dietary choices of foods varying in nutrient composition by cottontail rabbits on two college campuses in midwestern USA. We quantified choices among pellets of varying nutritional quality at artificial food patches. Dietary choices differed between seasons and locations. Spring giving-up densities (GUDs: food left behind) did not show differences in food choices and were lower than summer GUDs. In Appleton, the cottontails favoured both high protein and fibre pellets, whereas the medium protein and fibre pellets were favoured in Chicago. The cottontails maintained their choice of high protein, high fibre pellets at three spatial scales. The cottontails varied food intake to balance their protein, salt and fibre needs at different times and locations. Studying dietary choices and the effect of resource quality on foraging responses by urban wildlife provides a useful tool to study ecological interactions and can help minimize damage in urban environments such as parks.
Lukasa! (The Devil’s Toy) African Inspirations and Western Objects
Authors: Walker Drew
Published: February 2021

This paper shows the encounter between an object found among the Luba of Zaire and the art historical treatment of it by western scholars. In this encounter certain tendencies are pointed out which on one hand point to a greatly unackowledged bias of western scholars in their regarding of foreign objects as art, and on the other hand may work to refigure those ways of seeing to form a richer understanding of memory, beauty and history in western scholarly practice.
Du Zaïre a la R.D. Du Congo : La Vieille Termitiere Terrassee par le Vent de la Savane
Authors: Ennes Erik
Published: February 2021

From Zaire to the R.D. Congo: The Old Termite Hill Flattened by the Wind of the Savanna

This article concentrates mainly on the internal sources of the rapid breakdown of the Zairian state apparatus, deliberately not taking into account regional and international support for the warring parties. The Zairian state has been unable to manage its internal contradictions. This was driven to an extreme in the Kivu region, where the deeply seated crisis of representation was never adequately resolved. The absence of conflict-regulating institutions at the regional level was one enabling element for the rapid expansion of the Kivu conflict into •its regional and international ramifications. Another was the absence of any workable political alternative to armed struggle on the national level; neither the opposition, nor the government or the presidency was able to impose itself. In the general context of state decay, part of which was the implosion of the army, newcomers in the mining industry have initiated a take-over of key sectors of the Zairian economy, probably inducing a new mode of governance in the country.
Le Peuplement des Grassfields: Recherches Archeologiquesdans L’ouest du Cameroun
Authors: Lavachery Philippe
Published: February 2021

The Settlement of the Grassfields: Archeological Research in the West of Cameroon

Until recently the Grassfields (Western Cameroon), cradle of the Bantu languages, were an unknown zone from an archaeological point of view. The excavations of Shum Laka rock shelter offer the first chrono-cultural sequence for the area. After 20 millenniums of microlithic (Late Stone Age) traditions of hunter-gatherers, a new culture with macrolithic tools, pottery and arboriculture (Stone to Metal Age) slowly developed from 6000 BC onwards. Correlation with palaeo-climatic and historical linguistic data suggests that proto-Benue-Congo and, later, proto-Bantu speakers could have been involved in these industries.
Het Locatiefsubstitutief in het Cilubà
Authors: Horvath Ellen , Kabuta Ngo Semzara
Published: February 2021

The Locative Substitutive in Cilubà

In this article we will examine the correlation between tonology and syntax in connection with the locative substitutives (LS), or locative independent pronouns in Cilubà, spoken in both Kàsaayì provinces of Congo. We will show that the tonology of the LS depends on its syntactic position in the sentence. In contrast to the substitutives of classes 1 through 8 and 11 through 15 and of the participants, which generally have a fixed tone pattern, namely falling-high, the LS (classes 16 through 18) display three possible tone patterns, depending on their position in the sentence. These tone patterns are: falling-high, rising-low, high-low.
Art et Guerison: Les Rites de Possession Mahamba Lies a La Fecondite Chez Les Luv Ale Dezambie
Authors: Wastiau Boris
Published: February 2021

Art and Healing: The Rituals of Possession Mahamba Related to Fertility Among the Luvale of Zambia

This paper deals with a number of symbolic practices and art forms that have developed within rituals of possession known as mahamba in the upper Zambezi and Kasai area. I refer mostly to the Luvale of Zambia, among whom there are numerous mahamba, variously related to serious illness, sterility, madness, failure, social alienation or other ills. Presenting alternatively aspects of ad hoc therapeutic rituals, and “social drama, to borrow V. Turner’s expression”, or of religious cults, they are performed by both men and women. Mahamba can lead to initiation into a professional cast or simply serve to restore a possessed patient's physical health or social status. As rituals that are both 'religious' and 'therapeutic', they must be considered within the broad context of cosmology and medical knowledge. Here I will discuss the transforming role of certain artefacts and performances in mahamba rituals that aim at restoring female fertility.
Eigennamen en “Makùmbù” Van “Mvìdi Mukùlù” bij de Balubà-Kàsaayì
Authors: Horvàth Ellen
Published: February 2021

Proper Names and “Makùmbù” of “Mvìdi Mukùlù” among the Balubà-Kàsaayì

This article attempts to analyze the proper names and “makùmbù” (or praise-names) bestowed upon the supreme being or God by the Balubà-Kàsaayì. This is done in order to have a better insight in their conceptions of God. The Balubà-Kàsaayì give several names to God, such as Mvìdi Mukùlù, Maweeja, Mulopò and Nzambì. These names are used in the makùmbù, oral formulae consisting of one or two sentences. In general they are used to praise people, spirits, animals, plants, places and even things, emphasizing their qualities. The makùmbù are used as a complementary element to or a substitution of the proper name. The makùmbù addressed to God refer to his greatness, eternity. freedom, etcetera.
Le Journaliste et le Griot. Les Traces de L’oralite dans la Presse Ecrite Africaine
Authors: Frère Marie-Soleil
Published: February 2021

The Journalist and the Griot. Tracing the Oral Tradition in the African Press

This paper will show the similarities between the journalist's role and narrative style and those of the griot1, a key player the traditional exercise of power. The new private press appeared in French-speaking Africa as a part of the democratic process at the beginning of the 1990’s, in the context of politic liberalization (multipartism, institutional renewal) and in the flow of a new type of political speech that allows contradictions, critiques and debates. The journalist, that had mostly been the mouthpiece of the governments until then, has acquired a new role as a confer-power in a democratizing regime.

Nevertheless, the journalist may in some ways be compared to the traditional griot. First, his new form of speech is very close to the oral style of the griot. The stylistic characteristics, the use of metaphors and images, the way the story is built are common to both “story-tellers”. Secondly, they both criticize the “Big Men”, express the people’s frustrations and use irony to desacralised those in power. Thirdly, they occupy an “in between” position in society because, at the same time, they belong to the social group they are speaking or writing for, while being looked at as a different “cast” practising the power of public speech.

The papers concludes that the griot and the journalist can play a role that enforces the democratization process in the sense that they make people share common values but they can also weaken the process by oversimplifying or hiding social problems and by supporting stereotypes and illusions.
De Afzetting van Lumumba Door Kasavubu, Enkele Grondwettelijke Beschouwingen
Authors: Beke Dirk
Published: February 2021

The Deposition of Lumumba by Kasavubu, some Constitutional Considerations

Shortly after the independence of the Congo, the political crisis engendered by the conflict between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba was accompanied by a serious constitutional crisis. The first Congolese constitution was almost a complete imitation of the Belgian constitution. It established a parliamentary regime with a politically accountable Prime Minister and a non-accountable President as Head of State. The confusing rubric that ‘The Head of State appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister’ was quickly misused by national and international opponents of Lumumba to persuade Kasavubu to remove him from power. A full and contextual analysis of the constitution, however, shows that dismissal is linked to several other formal procedures and political conditions. Every presidential decision, including the dismissal of the Prime Minister and of Ministers, has to be countersigned by a Minister. Furthermore, it can be deduced clearly from the whole constitutional model that dismissal of the Prime Minister can only take place when the government has been outvoted in parliament. The conclusion is that, in contradiction to the contrived interpretations of some advisers and Belgian jurists, the deposition of Lumumba was unconstitutional. At any rate, Kasavubu’s unconstitutional act seriously damaged Lumumba’s political position and placed him in a difficult situation of legal defence against it.
A new genus, Perplexacara, and new generic placements of species of Australian marsh beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) based on morphology and molecular genetic data
Authors: WATTS C.H.S. , BRADFORD T.M. , COOPER S.J.B.
Published: February 2021

The Australian Scirtidae species previously identified as misplaced in the widespread genus Prionocyphon Redtenbacher are revisited as well as their possible relationship with the Australian genus Macrodascillus (Lea) using sequence data from the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 and two nuclear genes, elongation factor 1-alpha and Topoisomerase. The study confirmed the conclusion of Cooper et al. (2014) that the species did not belong in Prionocyphon. The study also included a species from each of three possibly related genera, Chameloscyphon Watts, Daploeuros Watts and Dasyscyphon Watts. Chameloscyphon huonensis Watts, Dasyscyphon victoriaensis Watts and Daploeuros lamingtonensis Watts were recovered as separate lineages with C. huonensis linking with Das. victoriaensis and Dap. lamingtonensis isolated. The species previously included in Prionocyphon were shown to belong in two genera, Macrodascillus and a new genus Perplexacara: Perplexacara caementum (Watts) new combination, P. latusmandibulara (Watts) new combination, P. macroflavida (Watts) new combination, Macrodascillus scalaris (Lea), M. insolitus (Watts) new combination and M. lamingtonensis (Watts) new combination.
A new species of Aegidium Arrow (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Orphninae) from Colombia
Authors: FROLOV ANDREY V. , AKHMETOVA LILIA A.
Published: February 2021

In the Neotropical Region, Orphninae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are represented by the endemic tribe Aegidiini, which comprises five genera and 49 species (Paulian 1948; Colby 2009; Frolov & Vaz-de-Mello 2015; Frolov et al. 2017a, 2017b, 2017c, 2019). Aegidium Westwood is the largest genus of the tribe and it comprises 24 valid species known from the southern Mexico in the north to Central Bolivia in the south (Frolov et al. 2015; Rojkoff & Frolov 2017; Frolov & Akhmetova 2020).
Response of U.S. West Coast Mountain Snowpack to Local Sea Surface Temperature Perturbations: Insights from Numerical Modeling and Machine Learning
Authors: Chen Xiaodong , Leung L. Ruby , Gao Yang , Liu Ying
Published: February 2021

Sea surface temperature (SST) significantly modulates the precipitation and temperature over land, with important consequences on land surface processes such as snowpack. Compared to the impact of remote SST, the effect of nearshore/local SST is less well understood. In this study, the impact of local SST on the mountain snowpack of the U.S. West Coast is investigated using two 6-km regional climate simulations driven by the same lateral boundary conditions but with time-varying versus time-invariant and warmer local SSTs during 2003–15. Results show that local SST warming leads to warmer winter with more precipitation over the mountains. Meanwhile, the removal of SST temporal variability results in reduced temperature variability but increased precipitation variability. As a result, winter snow accumulation decreases by ~200 mm per season in the Cascade Mountains in the north but increases by ~100 mm per season in the Sierra Nevada in the south. Such a dipole response results from the competing effects of precipitation and temperature change at different elevations and are amplified by the enhanced atmospheric river moisture transport. To further delineate the relative contributions of different meteorological factors to the snowpack response, two neural network models were developed to predict the snow behaviors at seasonal and monthly scales. These models reveal the dominant influence of the total amount and the average temperature of precipitation on the snowpack response. These findings highlight the sensitivity of mountain snowpack to local SST in the western United States and underscore the importance of local SST and atmospheric rives to accurate snowpack estimations for water management.
A Simulation Study on the Performance of Different Reliability Estimation Methods
Authors: Edwards Ashley A. , Joyner Keanan J. , Schatschneider Christopher
Published: February 2021

The accuracy of certain internal consistency estimators have been questioned in recent years. The present study tests the accuracy of six reliability estimators (Cronbach’s alpha, omega, omega hierarchical, Revelle’s omega, and greatest lower bound) in 140 simulated conditions of unidimensional continuous data with uncorrelated errors with varying sample sizes, number of items, population reliabilities, and factor loadings. Estimators that have been proposed to replace alpha were compared with the performance of alpha as well as to each other. Estimates of reliability were shown to be affected by sample size, degree of violation of tau equivalence, population reliability, and number of items in a scale. Under the conditions simulated here, estimates quantified by alpha and omega yielded the most accurate reflection of population reliability values. A follow-up regression comparing alpha and omega revealed alpha to be more sensitive to degree of violation of tau equivalence, whereas omega was affected greater by sample size and number of items, especially when population reliability was low.
Evaluation of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in predicting the prognosis of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever
Authors: Bilek Heval C , Deveci Aydın
Published: February 2021

Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe form of haemorrhagic fever identified in parts of Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. CCHF continues to be a justifiable cause of concern for people in rural areas where the disease is endemic. A total of 151 patients, diagnosed with CCHF, were evaluated retrospectively. The demographic characteristics of these patients and the relationship between the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at admission and survival were examined. There were 21 (13.9%) deaths. There was no relationship between age, gender and mortality, but elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on admission was statistically associated with mortality. NLR is a laboratory marker that can be studied even in medical centres with limited facilities and may be helpful in predicting the clinical course of the disease.
Delphi study of risk to individuals who disclose personal information online
Authors: Haynes David , Robinson Lyn
Published: February 2021

A two-round Delphi study was conducted to explore priorities for addressing online risk to individuals. A corpus of literature was created based on 69 peer-reviewed articles about privacy risk and the privacy calculus published between 2014 and 2019. A cluster analysis of the resulting text-base using Pearson’s correlation coefficient resulted in seven broad topics. After two rounds of the Delphi survey with experts in information security and information literacy, the following topics were identified as priorities for further investigation: personalisation versus privacy, responsibility for privacy on social networks, measuring privacy risk, and perceptions of powerlessness and the resulting apathy. The Delphi approach provided clear conclusions about research topics and has potential as a tool for prioritising future research areas.
Incorporation of the effect of strain rate in Mie-Gruneisen equation of state for polyethylene
Authors: Majzoobi Gholam Hossein , Zarei Niloufar
Published: February 2021

Volume change versus pressure is expressed through an equation of state (EOS) such as the well-known Mie-Gruneisen equation. Equation of state is an essential requirement to be defined for numerical simulation of high rate events such as impact. All EOSs have some coefficients which are identified by experiment and are usually considered constant and strain rate independent. In this study, the effect of strain rate on the coefficients of Mie-Gruneisen equation is obtained for polyethylene by experiment and numerical simulation. The low and high strain rate compression tests are conducted using Instron testing machine and Hopkinson bar, respectively. The load-displacement and load-volume change curves are obtained from the experiments. The strain rate dependent constants of Mie-Gruneisen equation of state are obtained through a combined experimental/numerical/optimization technique. The compression test is simulated using Ls-dyna hydrocode. The results show that the coefficient γ is not affected by strain rate but the coefficients C and S1 are severely strain rate dependent. The latter varies with strain rate in a linear fashion and the former varies cubically with strain rate.
The Health Status of Zimbabwean Immigrants in the US: A Needs Assessment
Authors: Gona Clara M. , Lupafya Tendai H , Zhou-Chidavaenzi Natsai , Mafundikwa Eunice , Gona Philimon N.
Published: February 2021

Many Zimbabwean immigrants have settled in the US in the past 20 years. These immigrants originate from a country highly burdened with HIV and other non-communicable diseases. The health needs of these immigrants are not known. To determine the prevalence of health conditions, and healthcare utilization of Zimbabwean immigrants. A cross-sectional study of 98 Zimbabwean immigrants recruited at religious festivals, completed questionnaires and had blood pressure and weight measurements taken. Three quarters (74.4%) were overweight/obese, 34.7% had hypertension, 79.6% were health insured, 87% had regular PCPs. In the year prior 78.7% had seen a provider, and 25% had utilized the ER for care. Despite regular visits to providers participants, Zimbabwean immigrants utilized the ER more frequently than other populations and had high prevalence of preventable cardiovascular disease risk factors. Providers need to partner with this population to come up culturally appropriate prevention and management interventions.