bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of exercise modality on body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors in adolescents with obesity: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Lee SoJung , Libman Ingrid , Hughan Kara S. , Kuk Jennifer L. , Barinas-Mitchell Emma , Chung Hyeok , Arslanian Silva
Published: July 2020

We compared the effects of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and combined aerobic and resistance exercise on total, regional subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral AT (VAT), skeletal muscle (SM), and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in adolescents. Adolescents with overweight/obesity (N = 118; body mass index ≥ 85th percentile; age, 12–17 years) were randomized to 1 of the following groups for 6 months (3 days/week, 180 min/week): aerobic exercise (n = 38), resistance exercise (n = 40), or combined aerobic and resistance exercise (n = 40). After accounting for age, sex, and baseline value, there was a greater (P < 0.05) reduction in body weight in the aerobic exercise group compared with the resistance exercise group and the combined groups. There were reductions (P < 0.05) in total and regional SAT within the aerobic exercise group only, and the reductions in lower-body SAT were greater (P = 0.02) than the combined group. All groups had reductions (P < 0.01) in VAT, with no group differences. There were significant increases in total and regional SM mass in the resistance exercise and combined group, and not in the aerobic exercise group. Although all exercise modalities are effective in reducing VAT, aerobic exercise is superior at reducing total and regional SAT, but inferior for increasing SM in adolescents with obesity. Despite reductions in VAT, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and carotid intima-media thickness did not improve with either exercise. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01938950.

Novelty Regular exercise (180 min/week) is associated with reductions in visceral fat independent of exercise modality. Resistance exercise alone and combined resistance and aerobic exercise are similarly effective in increasing SM mass.
Simulating hard photon production with Whizard
Authors: Kalinowski J. , Kotlarski W. , Sopicki P. , Żarnecki A. F.
Published: July 2020

One of the important goals of the proposed future $$\hbox {e}^{+}\hbox {e}^{-}$$e+e- collider experiments is the search for dark matter particles using different experimental approaches. The most general search approach is based on the mono-photon signature, which is expected when production of the invisible final state is accompanied by a hard photon from initial state radiation. Analysis of the energy spectrum and angular distributions of those photons can shed light on the nature of dark matter and its interactions. Therefore, it is crucial to be able to simulate the signal and background samples in a uniform framework, to avoid possible systematic biases. The Whizard program is a flexible tool, which is widely used by $$\hbox {e}^{+}\hbox {e}^{-}$$e+e- collaborations for simulation of many different “new physics” scenarios. We propose the procedure of merging the matrix element calculations with the lepton ISR structure function implemented in Whizard. It allows us to reliably simulate the mono-photon events, including the two main Standard Model background processes: radiative neutrino pair production and radiative Bhabha scattering. We demonstrate that cross sections and kinematic distributions of mono-photon in neutrino pair-production events agree with corresponding predictions of the $$\mathcal{KK}$$KK MC, a Monte Carlo generator providing perturbative predictions for SM and QED processes, which has been widely used in the analysis of LEP data.
An Efficient Fixed-Point Multiplier Based on CORDIC Algorithm
Authors: Khurshid Burhan , Khan Javeed Jeelani
Published: July 2020

Fixed-point multiplication is an important operation that is frequently used in many digital signal processing (DSP) applications. The operation is computationally intense and very often the performance of multiplier determines the overall performance of DSP system. Evidently, a wide range of approaches have been proposed for efficient implementation of fixed-point multipliers on different hardware platforms. In this paper, we use Coordinate Rotation DIgital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm to perform fixed-point multiplication operation. The motivation for our approach is based on the fact that CORDIC is a hardware-efficient algorithm, wherein accuracy can be traded-off for performance. Our implementation targets field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and focuses on exploiting the underlying general and specialized fabric to the fullest. Performance comparisons against various traditional and recent approaches show that a substantial improvement is achievable by using CORDIC-based multipliers. We have also implemented a recently proposed convolution architecture using CORDIC-based multipliers. The results show that a proper choice of CORDIC architecture can result in an improvement of performance parameters like resource utilization, throughput and dynamic power. This, however, is achieved in lieu of a small cost in accuracy. Our analysis of an 8-stage CORDIC multiplier reports a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 6.032 — a factor that reduces exponentially with increasing number of stages.
Wire-Length and Run-Time Optimization in FPGA Placement Using Hybrid Iterative Algorithms
Authors: Sudhanya P. , Rani S. P. Joy Vasantha
Published: July 2020

This paper introduces hybrid iterative algorithms that combine Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithms for Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) placement by considering adaptive inertia weight and local minima avoidance. The algorithms target to optimize the wire-length of the nets, run time and critical path delay in the placement of logic blocks. Using the adaptive inertia weight parameter and local minima avoidance, the hybrid PSO-SA algorithm is modified to Time-varying PSO-SA (TPSO-SA) and Modified PSO-SA (MPSO-SA) algorithm, respectively. These different hybrid PSO-SA algorithms are checked for efficiency by comparing with the Versatile Place and Route (VPR) algorithm of the Verilog to Routing (VTR) tool using Microelectronics Centre of North Carolina (MCNC) benchmark circuits. The hybrid PSO-SA algorithms give 5–37% better results for wire-length cost and 20–58% reduction in runtime compared to the VPR placement algorithm on different benchmark circuits. Critical path delay is also taken into consideration.
Exploiting Declarative Mapping Rules for Generating GraphQL Servers with Morph-GraphQL
Authors: Chaves-Fraga David , Priyatna Freddy , Alobaid Ahmad , Corcho Oscar
Published: July 2020

In the last decade, REST has become the most common approach to provide web services, yet it was not originally designed to handle typical modern applications (e.g. mobile apps). GraphQL was proposed to reduce the number of queries and data exchanged in comparison with REST. Since its release in 2015, it has gained momentum as an alternative approach to REST. However, generating and maintaining GraphQL resolvers is not a simple task. First, a domain expert has to analyze a dataset, design the corresponding GraphQL schema and map the dataset to the schema. Then, a software engineer (e.g. GraphQL developer) implements the corresponding GraphQL resolvers in a specific programming language. In this paper, we present an approach to exploit the information from mappings rules (relation between target and source schema) and generate a GraphQL server. These mapping rules construct a virtual knowledge graph which is accessed by the generated GraphQL resolvers. These resolvers translate the input GraphQL queries into the queries supported by the underlying dataset. Domain experts or software developers may benefit from our approach: a domain expert does not need to involve software developers to implement the resolvers, and software developers can generate the initial version of the resolvers to be implemented. We implemented our approach in the Morph-GraphQL framework and evaluated it using the LinGBM benchmark.
A characterization of right 4-Nakayama artin algebras
Authors: Nasr-Isfahani Alireza , Shekari Mohsen
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we study the category of finitely generated modules over a class of right [Formula: see text]-Nakayama artin algebras. This class of algebras appear naturally in the study of representation-finite artin algebras. First, we give a characterization of right [Formula: see text]-Nakayama artin algebras. Then, we classify finitely generated indecomposable right modules over right [Formula: see text]-Nakayama artin algebras. We also compute almost split sequences for the class of right [Formula: see text]-Nakayama artin algebras.
Towards a theoretical understanding of alkaloid-extract Cytisine derivatives ofRetama monosperma (L.) Boiss. Seeds, as eco-friendly inhibitor for carbon steel corrosion in acidic 1M HCl solution
Authors: Sadik K. , Hamdani N. El , Hachim M. E. , Byadi S. , Bahadur I. , Aboulmouhajir A.
Published: July 2020

Because of their availability, lower cost, biodegradability, respect for health, environmental standards and their extremely high efficiency [Benmessaoud Left D, Zertoubi M, Irhzo A, Azzi M, Revue: Huiles et extraits de plantes comme inhibiteurs de corrosion pour différents métaux et alliages dans le milieu acide chlorhydrique, J Mater Environ Sci 4:855–866, 2013], the green corrosion inhibitors are currently the most sought after candidates. The ultimate aim of this work is to study the selectivity and reactivity of a series of three molecules, namely Cytisine, Dehydro-Cytisine and N-methyl Cytisine which are the major constituents of Retama monosperma seeds alkaloid extract (AERS) as eco-friendly inhibitors of corrosion of carbon steel in acidic medium HCl (1M), using the density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP/aug-cc-pvdz levels. Indeed, this alkaloid extract AERS has proven experimentally its corrosion inhibitory power for carbon steel in 1 M HCl even at lower concentration (94.42% at 400[Formula: see text]mg/L). Besides, its adsorption on the steel surface in 1 M HCl solution followed Langmuir’s isotherm [El Hamdani N, Fdil R, Tourabi M, Jama C, Bentiss F, Alkaloids extract of Retama monosperma (L.) Boiss. seeds used as novel eco-friendly inhibitor for carbon steel corrosion in 1 M HCl solution: Electrochemical and surface studies, Appl Surf Sci 357:1294–1305, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.09.159; El Hamdani N, Contribution a la valorisation des parties aériennes de Retama Monosperma, phytochimie, activités antimicrobiennes et propriétés anticorrosives, Universite Chouaib Doukkali Faculte des sciences El jadida, 2015]. Herein, the major aim of this work is to investigate the likelihood of the carbon steel corrosion being inhibited by the protonated species in the aqueous acidic solution. For this purpose, after proving that the most favorable protonation site for protonation was N9, we have evaluated the structural, global and local reactivity descriptors, partial atomic charge in terms of Natural bond orbital (NBO) of the three protonated inhibitors at the level of N9, which are the most stable in the aqueous acidic solution. NBO analysis and the thermodynamic properties such as entropy, enthalpy, heat capacity and Gibbs free energy were also done. In conclusion, it was observed that three protonated molecules showed a high propensity to adsorb to the mild steel surface with a priority of the molecule d-CytN9H+.
The double Roman domination number of generalized Sierpiński graphs
Authors: Anu V. , Lakshmanan S. Aparna
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we study the double Roman domination number of generalized Sierpiński graphs [Formula: see text]. More precisely, we obtain a bound for the double Roman domination number of [Formula: see text]. We also find the exact value of [Formula: see text].
Computational Methods in Legal Analysis
Authors: Frankenreiter Jens , Livermore Michael A.
Published: July 2020

The digitization of legal texts and advances in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, text mining, network analysis, and machine learning have led to new forms of legal analysis by lawyers and law scholars. This article provides an overview of how computational methods are affecting research across the varied landscape of legal scholarship, from the interpretation of legal texts to the quantitative estimation of causal factors that shape the law. As computational tools continue to penetrate legal scholarship, they allow scholars to gain traction on traditional research questions and may engender entirely new research programs. Already, computational methods have facilitated important contributions in a diverse array of law-related research areas. As these tools continue to advance, and law scholars become more familiar with their potential applications, the impact of computational methods is likely to continue to grow.
An Efficient Electrochemical-Thermal Tanks-in-Series Model for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Subramaniam Akshay , Kolluri Suryanarayana , Santhanagopalan Shriram , Subramanian Venkat R.
Published: July 2020

This article extends the Tanks-in-Series methodology (J. Electrochem. Soc., 167, 013534 (2020)) to generate an electrochemical-thermal model for Li-ion batteries. Energy balances based on porous electrode theory, including flux and generation terms, are volume-averaged for each region in a cathode-separator-anode representation, including current collectors. The original Tank model is thus augmented by a volume-averaged energy balance in each region, containing source terms and interfacial heat fluxes that are approximated accordingly. Cell-level quantities and temperature predictions are evaluated against a pseudo 2-dimensional (p2D) model. Acceptable voltage errors are achieved for relatively aggressive conditions of discharge and external heat transfer. Predictions of electrochemical variables are examined, and implications of the approximations discussed. The simplified methodology is also demonstrated for examples of large-scale models used in studying practical cell configurations. The Tanks-in-Series approach leads to a substantial reduction in equation system size, with attendant savings in computation time. This suggests potential in applications such as optimal charging, cell-balancing and estimation, and aids efforts to incorporate electrochemical models in advanced Battery Management Systems.
Endothelial Dysfunction, a Marker of Atherosclerosis, Is Independent of Metabolic Syndrome in NAFLD Patients
Authors: Narayan Jimmy , Das Haribhakti Seba , Nath Preetam , Singh Ayaskanta , Mishra Debakanta , Padhi Pradeep Kumar , Singh Shivaram Prasad
Published: July 2020

Background. The study was designed to assess cardiovascular risk factors flow-mediated dilatation % (FMD%) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in NAFLD. Methods. 126 NAFLD subjects and 31 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) controls were studied. Measuring carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the flow-mediated dilatation % (FMD%) by brachial artery Doppler ultrasound were used to assess atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiac events at 10 years (ROCE 10) was estimated by the Prospective Cardiovascular Munster Study (PROCAM) score. Results. 58 of 126 NAFLD have coexistent metabolic syndrome. Mean CIMT was 0.73±0.041 mm among NAFLD with MS, 0.66±0.016 mm among NAFLD without MS, and 0.66±0.037 in controls CHB patients. FMD% in NAFLD with MS was 10.43±3.134%, but was 8.56±3.581% in NAFLD without MS and 17.78±6.051% in controls. PROCAM score of NAFLD with MS was 46.95±6.509 while in NAFLD without MS was 38.2±3.738. Controls had a PROCAM score of 38.13±5.755. ROCE 10 in NAFLD with MS was 13.64±8.568 while NAFLD without MS was 5.55±1.949. Controls have a ROCE 10 of 5.95±3.973. Post hoc analysis showed CIMT was dependent upon MS while FMD% was different between all subgroups hence independent of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion. The markers of endothelial dysfunction are significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than controls.
Subcutaneous Extended-Release Buprenorphine Use in Pregnancy
Authors: Towers Craig V. , Deisher Heather
Published: July 2020

Background. Opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnancy is managed by medication-assisted treatment. Sublingual buprenorphine is one option, but subcutaneous extended-release buprenorphine (Sublocade®) is an alternate form administered in monthly injections. Through an extensive literature search, we did not find any prior publication on the use of Sublocade in pregnancy. Case. Two patients with OUD switched from sublingual buprenorphine to Sublocade. One patient received a total of eight injections and then discovered she was pregnant. Based on ultrasound dating, the last 5 administrations occurred during her pregnancy. The second patient received 6 injections with the last occurring at the time of her last menstrual period. Both declined further injections, as well as oral buprenorphine. Serial urine drug screens remained positive for buprenorphine through delivery in both cases. Neither the mothers nor the neonates experienced withdrawal symptoms or adverse outcomes. No birth anomalies were found. Discussion. Though further research is needed regarding the use of Sublocade in pregnancy, it is likely that other pregnancies will occur during this treatment modality. If this long-acting form of buprenorphine medication is found to be safe, it might play a role in managing some pregnant patients with OUD.
TRAF6 Promotes Gastric Cancer Cell Self-Renewal, Proliferation, and Migration
Authors: Yang Mengting , Jin Meng , Li Kailong , Liu Haifeng , Yang Xiaxia , Zhang Xiaobei , Zhang Bin , Gong Aihua , Bie Qingli
Published: July 2020

Gastric cancer is the third most common type of tumor associated with death. TRAF6 belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor family and has been demonstrated to be involved in tumor progression in various cancers. However, the exact effect of TRAF6 on gastric cancer stem cells has not been extensively studied. In this study, abnormal expression of TRAF6 was found in gastric cancer tissues. Overexpression of TRAF6 enhanced proliferation and migration, and TRAF6 knockdown reversed this phenomenon in gastric cancer cells. Moreover, TRAF6 may inhibit differentiation and promote stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Transcriptome profiles revealed 701 differentially expressed genes in the wild-type group and the TRAF6 knockout group. Potential molecules associated with cell proliferation and migration were identified, including MAPK, FOXO, and IL-17. In conclusion, TRAF6 is a significant factor promoting proliferation and migration in gastric cancer cells and may provide a new target for the accurate treatment of gastric cancer.
3β-Hydroxysteroid-Δ24 Reductase (DHCR24) Protects Pancreatic β Cells from Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis by Scavenging Excessive Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Li Yang , Wang Xude , Yang Baoyu , Wang Haozhen , Ma Zhenzhong , Lu Ziyin , Lu Xiuli , Gao Bing
Published: July 2020

There is accumulating evidence showing that apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a key role in pancreatic β cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. 3β-Hydroxysteroid-Δ24 Reductase (DHCR24) is a multifunctional enzyme located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which has been previously shown to protect neuronal cells from ER stress-induced apoptosis. However, the role of DHCR24 in type 2 diabetes is only incompletely understood so far. In the present study, we induced ER stress by tunicamycin (TM) treatment and showed that infection of MIN6 cells with Ad-DHCR24-myc rendered these cells resistant to caspase-3-mediated apoptosis induced by TM, while cells transfected with siRNAs targeting DHCR24 were more sensitive to TM. Western blot analysis showed that TM treatment induced upregulation of Bip protein levels in both cells infected with Ad-LacZ (the control group) and Ad-DHCR24-myc, indicating substantial ER stress. Cells infected with Ad-LacZ exhibited a rapid and strong activation of ATF6 and p38, peaking at 3 h after TM exposure. Conversely, cells infected with Ad-DHCR24-myc showed a higher and more sustained activation of ATF6 and Bip than control cells. DHCR24 overexpression also inhibited the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by ER stress and protected cells from apoptosis caused by treatment with both cholesterol and hydrogen peroxide. In summary, these data demonstrate, for the first time, that DHCR24 protects pancreatic β cells from apoptosis induced by ER stress.
An Investigation into the Rehabilitative Mechanism of Tuina in the Treatment of Sciatic Nerve Injury
Authors: Lv Taotao , Mo Yanjun , Yu Tianyuan , Zhang Yumo , Shao Shuai , Luo Yuting , Shen Yi , Lu Mengqian , Wong Steven Gregory
Published: July 2020

Objective. To explore the effect of tuina on the gene expression at the point of nerve injury in rats with sciatic nerve injury (SNI) and to elucidate the repair mechanism of tuina promoting the functional recovery of peripheral nerve injury. Methods. In the Sham group, the right sciatic nerve was exposed without clamping. The SNI model was established using the sciatic nerve clamp method on the right leg and then randomly divided into the SNI group and the Tuina group. Seven days after modeling, the Tuina group was treated daily with a “massage and tuina manipulation simulator” (Patent No. ZL 2007 0187403.1), which was used daily to stimulate Yinmen (BL37), Yanglingquan (GB34), and Chengshan (BL57) with point‐pressing method, plucking method, and kneading method. The stimulating force was 4N, and the stimulating frequency was 60 times per minute; each method and each point were used for 1 minute, totaling 9 minutes (1 min/acupoint/method × 3 methods × 3 acupoints). Treatment was administered for 21 days, followed by a 1‐day rest after the 10th treatment, for a total of 20 times of intervention. The sciatic function index (SFI) was used to evaluate the fine movements of the hind limbs of rats in each group. The ultrastructural changes at the point of nerve injury were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and the gene changes at the point of nerve injury were detected using RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) technology. Results. Compared with the baseline, the SFI of the SNI group and the Tuina group decreased significantly at the 0th intervention (7 days after molding); compared with the SNI group, the SFI of the Tuina group increased at the 10th intervention (P < 0.05) and increased significantly at the 15th and 20th intervention (P < 0.01). Compared with the Sham group, the myelin sheath integrity of the sciatic nerve in the SNI group was destroyed and the myelin sheath collapsed seriously, even forming myelin sheath ball, accompanied with severe axonal atrophy and mitochondrial degeneration. The tuina intervention could significantly improve the ultrastructure of the nerve injury point, and the nerve fiber myelin sheath in the Tuina group remained intact, without obvious axonal swelling or atrophy. Atrophic thread granules could be seen in the axon, but there were no vacuolated mitochondria. RNA‐seq results showed that there were differences at 221 genes at the point of nerve injury between the Tuina group and the SNI group and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are enriched in the biological processes related to the regulation of myocyte. Regulations include the regulation of striated muscle cell differentiation, myoblast differentiation, and myotube differentiation. Conclusion. Tuina can improve the fine motor recovery and protect the myelin integrity in rats with peripheral nerve injury, and this is achieved by changing the gene sequence at the injured point.
Boundary Element and Augmented Lagrangian Methods for Contact Problem with Coulomb Friction
Authors: Wu Jia , Zhang Shougui
Published: July 2020

In this paper, boundary element and augmented Lagrangian methods for Coulomb friction contact problems are presented. Based on the projection technique, both unilateral contact and Coulomb friction conditions are reformulated as fixed point problems. The original problem is deduced to a variational formulation with boundary integral operators. Then, we propose a new augmented Lagrangian method which can be dealt with the semismooth Newton method. Short theoretical results and the algorithm description are given. Numerical simulations show the performance of the method proposed.
Along for the Ride: Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma with Concomitant LECT2 Amyloidosis
Authors: Bell Phoenix D. , Huber Aaron R. , DeRoche Tom C.
Published: July 2020

We present a case of a 69-year-old Hispanic male with a past medical history of type II diabetes mellitus who presented with a two-month history of abdominal pain. A CT scan was performed which identified a liver mass. Biopsy of the liver mass revealed infiltration of normal liver parenchyma by atypical glands surrounded by pale eosinophilic material. The atypical glands were positive for CK7, while negative for CK20, CDX-2, and TTF-1, consistent with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. A Congo red stain was performed, which highlighted salmon-orange areas, some with a globular appearance, around the glands and within the sinusoids and vasculature. Under polarized light, these areas displayed apple-green birefringence. These findings were consistent with amyloidosis, which was further supported by identification of ALECT2- (leukocyte chemotactic factor-2-) type amyloid on mass spectrometry. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma arising in association with LECT2 amyloidosis.
An Improved C-V Model and Application to the Coal Rock Mesocrack Images
Authors: Chen Yulong , Zhang Hongwei
Published: July 2020

In order to accurately and comprehensively obtain information about coal rock mesocrack images, image processing technique based on partial differential equation (PDE) is introduced in order to expound on the active contour model without edges and overcome the deficiency of the C-V model. The improved C-V model is adopted in order to process mesoimages of coal rocks containing single and multiple cracks and obtain high-quality binary images of coal rock mesocracks and the effective characteristic parameters of coal rock mesostructures through quantitative processing, which will lay solid foundations for the follow-up research into coal rock seepage computation and damage calculation. Studies have shown that, compared to the original C-V model, the improved model achieves better image segmentation effects and more accurate quantitative information about coal rock mesostructures for coal rock mesoimages with low contrast ratios and nonuniform grayscale, a fact showing that it can be applied to the calculation of coal rock permeability and damage factors.
Is Adjuvant Therapy Necessary for Patients with Intermediate-Risk Cervical Cancer after Open Radical Hysterectomy?
Authors: Yahata Hideaki , Sonoda Kenzo , Inoue Shusaku , Yasutake Nobuko , Kodama Keisuke , Yagi Hiroshi , Yasunaga Masafumi , Ohgami Tatsuhiro , Onoyama Ichiro , Kaneki Eisuke , Okugawa Kaoru , Asanoma Kazuo , Kato Kiyoko
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Adjuvant therapy is usually recommended for patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer (deep stromal invasion [DSI], lymphovascular space invasion [LVSI], and bulky tumor) after radical hysterectomy. However, we previously reported that DSI, LVSI, and bulky squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were not correlated with prognosis in multivariate analysis; therefore, the indications we use for adjuvant therapy include complete stromal invasion, not DSI or LVSI or bulky SCC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of our therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer after radical hysterectomy. Methods: We performed 321 type III open radical hysterectomies for cervical cancer between 2001 and 2013. Eighty-two patients with DSI, LVSI, or bulky SCC did not receive adjuvant therapy after radical hysterectomy under informed consent. We retrospectively evaluated the prognosis of these 82 patients. Results: Forty-two patients had >2/3 DSI and 35 patients had 1/3–2/3 DSI. Five patients had LVSI alone. The mean patient age was 43 years (range, 27–72). Six patients (7%) experienced recurrence during a median follow-up period of 84 months (range, 1–206). Two of the 6 patients with recurrence suffered cervical cancer-related deaths, but the remaining 4 cases are alive without evidence of disease after treatment during a follow-up period of 87–165 months. The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 92.6%, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 96.3%. Conclusions: Adjuvant therapy for DSI, LVSI, or bulky SCC after open radical hysterectomy might not be necessary. Further data collection is warranted to determine the standard of care for patients with intermediate-risk cervical ­cancer.
Epidermal Regeneration Induced by Comfrey Extract: A Study by Light and Electron Microscopy
Authors: Dähnhardt Dorothee , Dähnhardt-Pfeiffer Stephan , Groeber-Becker Florian , Fölster-Holst Regina , Schmidt Mathias
Published: July 2020

Introduction: An accelerated healing of superficial wounds was demonstrated in clinical trials with a topical comfrey preparation (Symphytum × uplandicum Nyman). The effect has previously not been examined in skin models. Methods: An established in vitro model of epidermal cells with the typical strata was used for the observation of effects of applied substances on skin regeneration. Damage corresponding to a typical abrasion was created on day 1 by punching an opening into the epidermal fine structure down to the stratum basale. Samples were either untreated (controls) or exposed to comfrey cream on days 2, 3, 5, and 6. Tissue samples were taken for light and electron microscopy on days 1, 4, and 7. Results and Conclusions: Application of comfrey cream led to a quicker regeneration of skin cells and to an earlier differentiation of the cells towards a normal fine structure with a visible distinction of epidermal strata, keratin, and corneocyte formation within 4–7 days. The study covered the early days of skin regeneration and confirms the benefits observed in published clinical trials and non-interventional studies in patients with abrasions.
«Quiero seguir estudiando para ser alguien»: análisis de trayectorias educativas de jóvenes peruanos en Argentina
Authors: Zenklusen Denise
Published: July 2020

Basado en un trabajo de campo etnográfico —de observación participante y entrevistas en profundidad— el artículo aborda las trayectorias educativas de los/as jóvenes peruanos/as que residen en dos barrios periféricos de la ciudad de Córdoba, Argentina. Además de describir y analizar las diferentes experiencias vinculadas a la educación en la ciudad, indaga —desde una perspectiva interseccional— la manera en que los proyectos migratorios familiares y las expectativas educativas de los adultos se articulan y tensionan con los proyectos educativos de los hijos y las hijas. Los resultados muestran que, a pesar de las expectativas de las familias en torno a la educación básica y universitaria en Argentina, las y los jóvenes se topan con dificultades concretas. Así, padres, madres, hijos e hijas despliegan un conjunto de estrategias para tratar de sostener ese proyecto educativo.
Relação da força muscular e limiar de tolerância de dor à pressão em pacientes com lombalgia crônica
Authors: Melo Bhianca Luize Silva , Silva Leiciane Lima da , Almeida Patrícia Figueiredo de , Silva Natália Cristina de Oliveira Vargas , Alfieri Fábio Marcon
Published: July 2020

Relações de dor, incapacidade e força muscular podem estar assoicadas na lombalgia crônica. Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre força muscular do músculo glúteo médio e força de preensão palmar, limiar de tolerância de dor à pressão (LTDP) e nível de incapacidade, em pacientes com lombalgia crônica. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal observacional do qual participaram 50 indivíduos de ambos os sexos. O nível de incapacidade foi avaliado pelo questionário Roland-Morris (QRM). O LTDP foi avaliado por algometria no músculo glúteo médio. A avaliação da força muscular foi feita através do teste de força manual (TFM) no glúteo médio. A força de preensão palmar foi avaliada por um dinamômetro portátil.  As correlações foram estabelecidas por meio dos coeficientes de correlação de Pearson ou Spearman. Resultados: Houve associação moderada entre a força do glúteo médio e a preensão palmar (r=0,44), entre a força de preensão palmar e o LTDP do glúteo médio (r=0,45), e entre a força do glúteo médio e a incapacidade (r=-0,44). As demais correlações foram fracas ou muito fracas. Conclusão: Os dados do estudo mostram que em indivíduos com lombalgia crônica, quanto maior a força de preensão palmar, maior a força e o limiar de tolerância de dor à pressão do glúteo médio. Ainda, que quanto maior a força do glúteo médio, menor a incapacidade destes pacientes.
Combined effects of physiotherapy and robotic therapy on gait balance and speed in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury
Authors: Carvalho Joyce Karoline Friosi de , Siegle Cristhina Bonilha Huster , Utiyama Daniela Mitiyo Odagiri , Matheus Denise , Ayres Denise Vianna Machado , Alfieri Fábio Marcon , De Castro Pedro Claudio Gonzales , Battistella Linamara Rizzo
Published: July 2020

Restoring the ability to walk, especially independently, is one of the goals in the rehabilitation of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (ISCI). The G-EO System (GS) robotic gait training acts as a reinforcer of the repetitive and specific practice of the gait phases. Objective: Investigate the combined effects of physiotherapy and robotic therapy on gait functionality in relation to balance and gait speed in patients with ISCI. Methods: Retrospective cohort study with 14 patients in the chronic phase of the disease, using the GS as a robotic intervention for gait and stairs, consisting of a 20-session protocol associated with conventional physical therapy. We used the 10-meter Walk Test (10WT) and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant using the Wilcoxon test at the beginning of conventional physical therapy and before and after intervention. Results: At the 10WT, the mean initial velocity ranged from 2.60 m/s ± 1.72 at the beginning of conventional physical therapy to 1.57 m/s ± 0.80 at the end of the 20 GS sessions with p = 0.0424. For BBS at the beginning of conventional physical therapy, the average was 31.85 points ± 12.50, and 42.35 ± 14.25 at the end of the 20 GS sessions, with p = 0.0096. Conclusions: Robotic gait therapy associated with conventional physiotherapy has been shown to be effective in promoting balance and gait speed improvement in individuals in the chronic phase after involvement of incomplete spinal cord injury.
Associations Between Salt‐Restriction Spoons and Long‐Term Changes in Urinary Na
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+
Ratios and Blood Pressure: Findings From a Population‐Based Cohort
Authors: Hou Lei , Guo Xiaolei , Zhang Jiyu , Chen Xi , Yan Liuxia , Cai Xiaoning , Tang Junli , Xu Chunxiao , Wang Baohua , Wu Jing , Ma Jixiang , Xu Aiqiang
Published: July 2020

Background

There have been few studies on the relationship between long‐term changes in sodium intake and blood pressure. A method of reducing sodium intake in a population that is known for high‐sodium intake based on homemade cooking is also needed.

Methods and Results

Our study was based on a baseline survey of 15 350 individuals aged 18 to 69 years with multistage random sampling and a 3‐year salt‐restriction campaign across Shandong Province, China. We included 339 individuals from six districts/counties in this cohort study, and the 24‐hour urinary sodium‐potassium ratio (Na
+
/K
+
) served as an indicator of sodium intake. The average change in ratio was 2.39 (95% CI, 2.17–2.61) from 6.81 (95% CI, 6.41–7.21) at baseline to 4.41 (95% CI, 4.18–4.64) during the resurvey. Following a reduction from low to high quartiles of urinary Na
+
/K
+
ratio, the average increases were 10.9 (95% CI, 8.9–12.9), 9.2 (95% CI, 6.9–11.5), 6.3 (95% CI, 4.0–8.6), and 5.3 (95% CI, 2.9–7.7) mm Hg for systolic blood pressure (
P
for trend=0.019) and 3.8 (95% CI, 2.4–5.2), 2.9 (95% CI, 1.7–4.2), 1.6 (95% CI, 0.4–2.8), and −0.3 (95% CI, −1.4–0.8) mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure (
P
for trend=0.002), respectively. A reduction in salt intake was evident for people using a 2‐g salt‐restriction spoon for cooking (−3.49 versus −2.22;
P
=0.027) after adjustment of confounding factors, compared with nonusers. Similar findings were obtained for other salt‐restriction spoon–based indicators.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that using a salt‐restriction spoon for cooking was associated with reduced salt intake that led to a blunting of blood pressure deterioration. This finding further supports the salt‐restriction spoon–based strategy for people whose primary salt intake is from homemade cooking.
Evolocumab, a PCSK9‐Monoclonal Antibody, Rapidly Reverses Coronary Artery Endothelial Dysfunction in People Living With HIV and People With Dyslipidemia
Authors: Leucker Thorsten M. , Gerstenblith Gary , Schär Michael , Brown Todd T. , Jones Steven R. , Afework Yohannes , Weiss Robert G. , Hays Allison G.
Published: July 2020

Background

PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) is well recognized for its important role in cholesterol metabolism. Elevated levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and inhibition with PCSK9 antibodies (PCSK9i) lowers cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease. PCSK9 levels are also elevated in people living with HIV (PLWH) and those with dyslipidemia. Because increased PCSK9 in PLWH is associated with impaired coronary endothelial function, a barometer of coronary vascular health, we tested the hypothesis that PCSK9i improves impaired coronary endothelial function in dyslipidemia without coronary artery disease and in PLWH with nearly optimal/above goal low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Methods and Results

We performed a single‐center study in 19 PLWH and 11 with dyslipidemia to evaluate the effects of the PCSK9i evolocumab on coronary endothelial function using cine 3T MRI to noninvasively measure coronary endothelial function, assessed as the changes in coronary cross‐sectional area and coronary blood flow from rest to that during isometric handgrip exercise, a known endothelial‐dependent vasodilator. Before evolocumab, there was a decrease or no coronary vasodilation and no increase in coronary blood flow (the normal responses) to isometric handgrip exercise in either group. Following 6 weeks of evolocumab, 480 mg q4 weeks, the % cross‐sectional area changes from rest to isometric handgrip exercise were +5.6±5.5% and +4.5±3.1% in the PLWH and dyslipidemia groups, respectively, both
P
<0.01 versus baseline. Improved cross‐sectional area was paralleled by a significant coronary blood flow improvement in both groups.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, these data represent the first evidence that PCSK9 inhibition improves coronary artery health in PLWH and people with dyslipidemia.

Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT03500302.
The Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh: Non-refoulement and Legal Obligation under National and International Law
Authors: Arif Kamrul Hasan
Published: July 2020

Bangladesh is now the largest Rohingya refugee-hosting country in the world. 2017 saw the largest and fastest Rohingya refugee influx from Myanmar to Bangladesh. The very first influx took place in 1978 after just seven years of its independence. Despite being a non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Status Convention, Bangladesh has an obligation to protect refugees under national and international laws. The legal basis of international protection comes from the different bodies of international law including customary international law. The basic customary international law applicable to the refugees found in the core international human rights instruments. The aims of this research are to find out the legal obligations and challenges of Bangladesh in the protection of refugees under the constitutional and statutory laws of Bangladesh. This research also aims to focus on the role of protecting refugees under different bodies of regional and international law including the principle of non-refoulement.
The Purposes of Pre-Trial Detention and the Quest for Alternatives
Authors: Martufi Adriano , Peristeridou Christina
Published: July 2020

In this article, we take issue with the echr standards on pre-trial detention. These standards are considered panacea for the reported overuse of pre-trial detention in Europe. They focus on the legitimate purposes of detention as safeguards to ensure the principle of ultima ratio. Yet these purposes are heterogeneous as pre-trial detention protects the pending proceedings but also averts risks pertinent to criminal policy. In our analysis we discuss the shortcomings of the echr standards to fully protect from abusive detention. Moreover, we reveal internal inconsistencies with the presumption of innocence. One major example is the use of pre-trial detention to prevent re-offending, which blurs the boundaries between custody on remand and preventive detention. Additionally, we delve deeper into the obligation to use milder measures as part of the echr standards, which remains superficial and vague. Conclusively, we encourage the reflection and re-examination of the echr standards for pre-trial detention, instead of focusing merely on their better enforcement.
“Nothing is Left to Tell”
Authors: Nashef Hania A.M.
Published: July 2020

In the Arab world, Beckett’s plays or their adaptations have not only been popular with audiences and directors but have also inspired other literary and media genres. The Beckettian wait itself has become synonymous with the condition of the Arab person. It is a wait that offers an unrealized potential of hope that reverberates with the diminishing prospects of the Beckettian protagonist. In this paper, I discuss how in times of war, migrations, and despair, performances of Beckett’s plays abound.
A Long-Distance Nexus in the Indian Ocean: Gujarati Banias, Brokers, and Middlemen in Eighteenth-Century Portuguese East Africa
Authors: Antunes Luís Frederico Dias
Published: July 2020

Historiography has long recognized the strategic importance of Diu as a commercial hub in the Indian Ocean, despite the decline it experienced in the last quarter of the seventeenth century. A great deal of Diuese commerce, along with the island’s privileged connections with East Africa (especially Mozambique), was sustained by the activity of the Banias—Hindus and Jain—who had long used this small island as a platform for trade. This article analyzes the forms of organization, commercial and financial techniques, and main roles of the Banias of Gujarat, one of the largest and most important urban merchant communities in India and in other Asian and African markets along the Indian Ocean. In the case of Diu, we seek to understand the extent to which the financial capacity and commercial experience of the local Banias allowed them to dominate most commercial activity in Mozambique from the late seventeenth century onwards. We examine the internal structure of the Banias’ merchant communities, the hierarchical dependencies and trade links between the Banias of Diu and of Mozambique, and, lastly, the adaptation of their experience and commercial techniques to the East African coast.
The Convulsive European Space of Mobilities
Authors: De Genova Nicholas
Published: July 2020

Alarmist reactions to an ostensible “migrant” or “refugee crisis” in Europe have inadvertently lent an unprecedented prominence to the veritable and undeniable autonomy of (transnational, cross-border) migrant and refugee mobilities, replete with their heterogeneity of insistent, disobedient, and incorrigible practices of appropriating mobility and making claims to space. Between an asylum system predicated upon suspicion and a border regime ever increasingly dedicated to intensifying the purview of detention and deportation, on the one hand, and the increasing virulence of anti-immigrant racist populist movements, on the other, Europe—rather than a space of refuge or freedom—has become a space of rejection for most migrants and refugees. This dialectic of autonomous human mobilities and the forces arrayed to alternately govern, discipline, punish, and repel them render Europe a convulsive space, a space of convulsions.
4. The Waltz at Some Central European Courts
Authors: Bakka Egil
Published: July 2020

While most of the essays in the collection focus on the round dance traditions of smaller European countries, this chapter looks at some of the main European courts of the period in order to offer a backdrop that unifies the more diverse accounts. By exploring attitudes within high society towards the Waltz specifically, the chapter aims to outline an overall history of how round dances were received. It points out that earlier studies of this reception might have overlooked some class and political factors, and welcomes new perspectives that might provide different answers to certain questions surrounding round dances.
10. Waltzing Through Europe
Authors: Torp Jörgen
Published: July 2020

This chapter explores how the music of Johann Strauss the Elder, the King of the Waltz, was distributed during the 1830s. By examining the reception of Strauss touring with his orchestra, it establishes how his dance music became popular on a supra-regional level. It argues that while the study of the music alone does not explain the spread of the dance tradition, the dissemination of well-known dance music certainly influenced the distribution of the Waltz as a dance.
11. Continuity and Reinvention
Authors: Kapper Sille
Published: July 2020

The aim of this chapter is to discuss the meanings and functions of round dances in social and recreational contexts in Estonia and explore the way in which they gradually turned into a specific practice valued as local or national cultural heritage. It offers a short summary of the history of round dances in Estonia in order to provide context for the numerous possible interpretations of these dances in a contemporary society. Finally, it explores round dances and their meaning for multiple communities in the twentieth century.
This for That: What EEOC Trends Reveal About Representative Bureaucracy
Authors: Kennedy Alan H. , Bishu Sebawit G.
Published: July 2020

Representative bureaucracy is one of the mechanisms used to achieve representative democracy. This article assesses how bureaucratic representation affects public access to administrative remedies, a recourse linked with social equity in public service organizations. Representative bureaucracy theory is applied to 14 years of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission demographics and outcomes data. The analysis asks whether passive representation trends parallel trends in active representation outcomes, using longitudinal workforce, charge, suit, and resolution data. Results suggest trends in client driven outcomes (charges) were consistent with passive representation, while organizational outcomes (suits and resolutions) outpaced disability representation but fell short of racial and gender representation. The trend analysis findings, which offer timely insights into the effects of human resource management, suggests organizational priorities and processes affect representation more than previously thought.