bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Bullet Removal in a Penetrating Abdominal Gunshot
Authors: Stefanou Christos , Zikos Nicolaos , Pappas-Gogos George , Koulas Spyridon , Tsimoyiannis Ioannis
Published: July 2016

Penetrating abdominal trauma has been traditionally treated by exploratory laparotomy. Nowadays laparoscopy has become an accepted practice in hemodynamically stable patient without signs of peritonitis. We report a case of a lower anterior abdominal gunshot patient treated laparoscopically. A 32-year-old male presented to the Emergency Department with complaint of gunshot penetrating injury at left lower anterior abdominal wall. The patient had no symptoms or obvious bleeding and was vitally stable. On examination we identified 1 cm diameter entry wound at the left lower abdominal wall. The imaging studies showed the bullet in the peritoneal cavity but no injured intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal viscera. We decided to remove the bullet laparoscopically. Twenty-four hours after the intervention the patient was discharged. The decision for managing gunshot patients should be based on clinical and diagnostic findings. Anterior abdominal injuries in a stable patient without other health problems can be managed laparoscopically.
Macroscopic Neural Oscillation during Skilled Reaching Movements in Humans
Authors: Yeom Hong Gi , Kim June Sic , Chung Chun Kee
Published: July 2016

The neural mechanism of skilled movements, such as reaching, has been considered to differ from that of rhythmic movement such as locomotion. It is generally thought that skilled movements are consciously controlled by the brain, while rhythmic movements are usually controlled autonomously by the spinal cord and brain stem. However, several studies in recent decades have suggested that neural networks in the spinal cord may also be involved in the generation of skilled movements. Moreover, a recent study revealed that neural activities in the motor cortex exhibit rhythmic oscillations corresponding to movement frequency during reaching movements as rhythmic movements. However, whether the oscillations are generated in the spinal cord or the cortical circuit in the motor cortex causes the oscillations is unclear. If the spinal cord is involved in the skilled movements, then similar rhythmic oscillations with time delays should be found in macroscopic neural activity. We measured whole-brain MEG signals during reaching. The MEG signals were analyzed using a dynamical analysis method. We found that rhythmic oscillations with time delays occur in all subjects during reaching movements. The results suggest that the corticospinal system is involved in the generation and control of the skilled movements as rhythmic movements.
A Novel Adaptation Method for HTTP Streaming of VBR Videos over Mobile Networks
Authors: Le Hung T. , Nguyen Hai N. , Pham Ngoc Nam , Pham Anh T. , Thang Truong Cong
Published: July 2016

Recently, HTTP streaming has become very popular for delivering videos over the Internet. For adaptivity, a provider should generate multiple versions of a video as well as the related metadata. Various adaptation methods have been proposed to support a streaming client in coping with strong bandwidth variations. However, most of existing methods target at constant bitrate (CBR) videos only. In this paper, we present a new method for quality adaptation in on-demand streaming of variable bitrate (VBR) videos. To cope with strong variations of VBR bitrate, we use a local average bitrate as the representative bitrate of a version. A buffer-based algorithm is then proposed to conservatively adapt video quality. Through experiments in the mobile streaming context, we show that our method can provide quality stability as well as buffer stability even under very strong variations of bandwidth and video bitrates.
Genetic Characterization and Comparative Genome Analysis ofBrucella melitensisIsolates from India
Authors: Azam Sarwar , Rao Sashi Bhushan , Jakka Padmaja , NarasimhaRao Veera , Bhargavi Bindu , Gupta Vivek Kumar , Radhakrishnan Girish
Published: July 2016

Brucellosis is the most frequent zoonotic disease worldwide, with over 500,000 new human infections every year.Brucella melitensis, the most virulent species in humans, primarily affects goats and the zoonotic transmission occurs by ingestion of unpasteurized milk products or through direct contact with fetal tissues. Brucellosis is endemic in India but no information is available on population structure and genetic diversity ofBrucellaspp. in India. We performed multilocus sequence typing of fourB.melitensisstrains isolated from naturally infected goats from India. For more detailed genetic characterization, we carried out whole genome sequencing and comparative genome analysis of one of theB.melitensisisolates, Bm IND1. Genome analysis identified 141 unique SNPs, 78 VNTRs, 51 Indels, and 2 putative prophage integrations in the Bm IND1 genome. Our data may help to develop improved epidemiological typing tools and efficient preventive strategies to control brucellosis.
Celecoxib Adjunctive Treatment to Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: A Review of Randomized Clinical Add-On Trials
Authors: Marini Stefano , De Berardis Domenico , Vellante Federica , Santacroce Rita , Orsolini Laura , Valchera Alessandro , Girinelli Gabriella , Carano Alessandro , Fornaro Michele , Gambi Francesco , Martinotti Giovanni , Di Giannantonio Massimo
Published: July 2016

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic and debilitating mental disorder. Past literature has reported various hypotheses about the psychopathology of schizophrenia. Recently, a growing literature has been trying to explain the role of inflammation in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. In the past, numerous immune modulation and anti-inflammatory treatment options have been proposed for schizophrenia, but sometimes the results were inconsistent. Electronic search was carried out in November 2015. PubMed and Scopus databases have been used to find studies to introduce in this review. Only randomized-placebo-controlled add-on trials were taken into account. In this way, six articles were obtained for the discussion. Celecoxib showed beneficial effects mostly in early stages of schizophrenia. In chronic schizophrenia, the data are controversial, possibly in part for methodological reasons.
Multiple Circulating Cytokines Are Coelevated in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Selvarajah Senthooran , Todd Ian , Tighe Patrick J. , John Michelle , Bolton Charlotte E. , Harrison Timothy , Fairclough Lucy C.
Published: July 2016

Inflammatory biomarkers, including cytokines, are associated with COPD, but the association of particular circulating cytokines with systemic pathology remains equivocal. To investigate this, we developed a protein microarray system to detect multiple cytokines in small volumes of serum. Fourteen cytokines were measured in serum from never-smokers, ex-smokers, current smokers, and COPD patients (GOLD stages 1–3). Certain individual circulating cytokines (particularly TNFαand IL-1β) were significantly elevated in concentration in the serum of particular COPD patients (and some current/ex-smokers without COPD) and may serve as markers of particularly significant systemic inflammation. However, numerous circulating cytokines were raised such that their combined, but not individual, elevation was significantly associated with severity of disease, and these may be further indicators of, and contributors to, the systemic inflammatory manifestations of COPD. The coelevation of numerous circulating cytokines in COPD is consistent with the insidious development, chronic nature, and systemic comorbidities of the disease.
Chemopreventive Properties and Toxicity of Kelulut Honey inSprague DawleyRats Induced with Azoxymethane
Authors: Saiful Yazan Latifah , Muhamad Zali Muhamad Firdaus Shyfiq , Mohd Ali Razana , Zainal Nurul Amira , Esa Nurulaidah , Sapuan Sarah , Ong Yong Sze , Tor Yin Sim , Gopalsamy Banulata , Voon Fui Ling , Syed Alwi Sharifah Sakinah
Published: July 2016

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Colon cancer has been a major problem worldwide. Kelulut honey (KH) is produced by the stingless bees fromTrigonaspecies and has strong antioxidant activities that could be one of the potential chemopreventive agents from natural resources.Aim of This Study. This study investigated the chemopreventive properties and toxicity of KH in Sprague Dawley rats induced with azoxymethane (AOM).Material and Method. Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats aged 5 weeks were divided into 4 groups: (G1) untreated group not induced with AOM, (G2) untreated group induced with AOM, (G3) treated group induced with AOM, and (G4) treated group not induced with AOM. Injection of AOM (15 mg/kg) was via intraperitoneal route once a week for two subsequent weeks. The treatment groups were given oral administration of KH (1183 mg/kg body weight) twice daily for 8 weeks.Results. Treatment with KH significantly reduced the total number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and aberrant crypts (AC) and crypt multiplicity. KH was not toxic to the animals since the level of blood profile parameters, liver enzymes, and kidney functions was in normal range.Conclusions. The current finding shows that KH has chemopreventive properties in rats induced with colorectal cancer and also was found not toxic towards the animals.
A High-Order CFS Algorithm for Clustering Big Data
Authors: Bu Fanyu , Chen Zhikui , Li Peng , Tang Tong , Zhang Ying
Published: July 2016

With the development of Internet of Everything such as Internet of Things, Internet of People, and Industrial Internet, big data is being generated. Clustering is a widely used technique for big data analytics and mining. However, most of current algorithms are not effective to cluster heterogeneous data which is prevalent in big data. In this paper, we propose a high-order CFS algorithm (HOCFS) to cluster heterogeneous data by combining the CFS clustering algorithm and the dropout deep learning model, whose functionality rests on three pillars: (i) an adaptive dropout deep learning model to learn features from each type of data, (ii) a feature tensor model to capture the correlations of heterogeneous data, and (iii) a tensor distance-based high-order CFS algorithm to cluster heterogeneous data. Furthermore, we verify our proposed algorithm on different datasets, by comparison with other two clustering schemes, that is, HOPCM and CFS. Results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in clustering heterogeneous data.
An Adaptive Dynamic Surface Controller for Ultralow Altitude Airdrop Flight Path Angle with Actuator Input Nonlinearity
Authors: Lv Mao-long , Sun Xiu-xia , Liu Shu-guang , Wang Dong
Published: July 2016

In the process of ultralow altitude airdrop, many factors such as actuator input dead-zone, backlash, uncertain external atmospheric disturbance, and model unknown nonlinearity affect the precision of trajectory tracking. In response, a robust adaptive neural network dynamic surface controller is developed. As a result, the aircraft longitudinal dynamics with actuator input nonlinearity is derived; the unknown nonlinear model functions are approximated by means of the RBF neural network. Also, an adaption strategy is used to achieve robustness against model uncertainties. Finally, it has been proved that all the signals in the closed-loop system are bounded and the tracking error converges to a small residual set asymptotically. Simulation results demonstrate the perfect tracking performance and strong robustness of the proposed method, which is not only applicable to the actuator with input dead-zone but also suitable for the backlash nonlinearity. At the same time, it can effectively overcome the effects of dead-zone and the atmospheric disturbance on the system and ensure the fast track of the desired flight path angle instruction, which overthrows the assumption that system functions must be known.
Dynamical Performances of a Vibration Absorber for Continuous Structure considering Time-Delay Coupling
Authors: Sun Xiuting , Song Youshuo
Published: July 2016

The nonlinear effect incurred by time delay in vibration control is investigated in this study via a vibration absorber coupled with a continuous beam structure. The stability of the vibration absorber coupled structure system with time-delay coupling is firstly studied, which provides a general guideline for the potential time delay to be introduced to the system. Then it is shown that there is a specific region for the time delay which can bring bifurcation modes to the dynamic response of the coupling system, and the vibration energy at low frequencies can be transferred or absorbed due to the bifurcation mode and the vibration in the corresponding frequency range is thus suppressed. The nonlinear mechanism of this vibration suppression incurred by the coupling time delay is discussed in detail, which provides a novel and alternative approach to the analysis, design, and control of vibration absorbers in engineering practice.
The Fifth Dimension Subgroup for Metabelian 2 Groups
Authors: Gupta Shalini
Published: July 2016

Given a finite metabelian 2-group G, the object of this paper is to discuss some cases under which D5(G)=γ5(G). Further, some examples of 2 groups of class 3, for which D4(G)≠{1} but D5(G)={1}, are discussed.
Diagnosis and Management of a Patient with Congenitally Missing Maxillary First Permanent Molars: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Gupta Megha , Panda Suman , Mutawwam Fahad Ahmed , Kariri Fahad Musawi Mohammed
Published: July 2016

Congenitally missing teeth are the most commonly seen dental anomalies. Agenesis of the permanent first molar has the least frequency of all the tooth types, and it usually occurs in association with oligodontia or anodontia. Thus, agenesis of the bilateral maxillary first permanent molar is an extremely rare occurrence, and no such case has been reported in ethnic Saudi Arabian population. We hereby report a case of nonsyndromic bilateral congenitally missing maxillary first permanent molar in an eight-year-old Saudi female patient. Comprehensive oral rehabilitation was done for the patient. The implications of the tooth agenesis are also discussed. The prognosis of this case is presented.
Calculating Masses of Pentaquarks Composed of Baryons and Mesons
Authors: Monemzadeh M. , Tazimi N. , Babaghodrat Sh.
Published: July 2016

We consider an exotic baryon (pentaquark) as a bound state of two-body systems composed of a baryon (nucleon) and a meson. We used a baryon-meson picture to reduce a complicated five-body problem to simple two-body problems. The homogeneous Lippmann-Schwinger integral equation is solved in configuration space by using one-pion exchange potential. We calculate the masses of pentaquarksθc(uuddc¯)andθb(uuddb¯).
Kinetic Parameters during Bis-GMA and TEGDMA Monomer Polymerization by ATR-FTIR: The Influence of Photoinitiator and Light Curing Source
Authors: Denis Aline B. , Diagone Cristina A. , Plepis Ana M. G. , Viana Rommel B.
Published: July 2016

This study aimed to analyze the kinetic parameters of two monomers using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR): 2,2-bis-[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropyl-1-oxy)-phenyl] propane (Bis-GMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). The following were calculated to evaluate the kinetic parameters: maximum conversion rate (Rpmax), time at the maximum polymerization rate (tmax), conversion atRpmax, and total conversion recorded at the maximum conversion point after 300 s. Camphorquinone (CQ) and phenyl propanedione (PPD) were used in this study as photoinitiators, whereas N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT) amine was used as a coinitiator. LED apparatus and halogen lamp were used in turn to evaluate the effect that light source had on the monomer kinetics. The mass concentration ratio for the three resin preparations was 0.7 : 0.3 for Bis-GMA and TEGDMA: R1 (CQ + DMPT), R2 (PPD + DMPT), and R3 (PPD + CQ + DMPT). The PPD association with the CQ photoinitiator altered the polymerization kinetics compared to a resin containing only the CQ photoinitiator. The light sources exhibited no significant differences fortmaxof R1 and R3. Resins containing only the PPD initiator exhibited a highertmaxthan those containing only CQ. However, theRpmaxdecreased for resins containing the PPD photoinitiator.
New Applications of a Kind of Infinitesimal-Operator Lie Algebra
Authors: Tam Honwah , Zhang Yufeng , Zhang Xiangzhi
Published: July 2016

Applying some reduced Lie algebras of Lie symmetry operators of a Lie transformation group, we obtain an invariant of a second-order differential equation which can be generated by a Euler-Lagrange formulism. A corresponding discrete equation approximating it is given as well. Finally, we make use of the Lie algebras to generate some new integrable systems including (1+1) and (2+1) dimensions.
Comparison of Postoperative Events between Spinal Anesthesia and General Anesthesia in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Xian-Xue , Zhou Quan , Pan Dao-Bo , Deng Hui-Wei , Zhou Ai-Guo , Guo Hua-Jing , Huang Fu-Rong
Published: July 2016

Background. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is usually carried out under general anesthesia. There were a few studies which have found spinal anesthesia as a safe alternative. We aimed to evaluate the postoperative events between spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library (from inception to January 2016) for eligible studies. The primary outcome was the visual analogue scale score. Secondary outcomes included postoperative nausea and vomiting and urine retention 24 hours postoperatively. We calculated pooled risk ratios and 95% confidence interval using random- or fixed-effects models.Results. Eight trials involving 723 patients were listed. Meta-analysis showed that patients in spinal anesthesia groups have lower visual analogue scale score 24 hours postoperatively. There were significant decreases in the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in spinal anesthesia group when compared with general anesthesia group (odds ratios: 0.38, 95% confidence interval: 0.19–0.76;P=0.006) with heterogeneity accepted (I2=13%;P=0.33), while urine retention rate was increased in patients with spinal anesthesia (odds ratios: 4.95, 95% confidence interval: 1.24–19.71;P=0.02) without any heterogeneity (I2=0%;P=0.98).Conclusions. Spinal anesthesia may be associated with less postoperative pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting compared with general anesthesia.
Multicore PSO Operation for Maximum Power Point Tracking of a Distributed Photovoltaic System under Partially Shading Condition
Authors: Chao Ru-Min , Nasirudin Ahmad , Wang I-Kai , Chen Po-Lung
Published: July 2016

This paper identifies the partial shading problem of a PV module using the one-diode model and simulating the characteristics exhibiting multiple-peak power output condition that is similar to a PV array. A modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm based on the suggested search-agent deployment, retracking condition, and multicore operation is proposed in order to continuously locate the global maximum power point for the PV system. Partial shading simulation results for up to 16 modules in series/parallel formats are presented. A distributed PV system consisting of up to 8 a-silicon thin film PV panels and also having a dedicated DC/DC buck converter on each of the modules is tested. The converter reaches its steady state voltage output in 10 ms. However for MPPT operation, voltage, and current measurement interval is set to 20 ms to avoid unnecessary noise from the entire electric circuit. Based on the simulation and experiment results, each core of the proposed PSO operation should control no more than 4 PV modules in order to have the maximum tracking accuracy and minimum overall tracking time. Tracking for the global maximum power point of a distributed PV system under various partial shading conditions can be done within 1.3 seconds.
Effect of a Modest Weight Loss in Normalizing Blood Pressure in Obese Subjects on Antihypertensive Drugs
Authors: Gilardini Luisa , Redaelli Gabriella , Croci Marina , Conti Antonio , Pasqualinotto Lucia , Invitti Cecilia
Published: July 2016

Objective: To assess the effect of a lifestyle intervention in lowering/normalizing blood pressure (BP) levels in hypertensive (controlled or not) obese patients. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 490 obese hypertensive patients, 389 controlled (BP < 140/90 mm Hg; CH) and 101 uncontrolled (BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg; UH) attended a 3-month lifestyle intervention. Before and after the intervention we assessed weight, waist circumference, fat mass, BP, metabolic and renal variables, and physical activity. A multivariate regression model was used to determine the predictors of BP changes. Results: 18.9% of CH and 20.0% of UH were on ≥ 3 antihypertensive drugs. Weight change (average -4.9 ± 2.7%) was independent of the antihypertensive drugs employed. Systolic BP (SBP) decreased by 23 mm Hg and diastolic BP (DBP) by 9 mm Hg, in patients with UH most of whom (89%) normalized BP levels (in 49% after a weight loss < 5%). Age, gender, whole and central obesity, concomitance of type 2 diabetes, chronic renal disease, physical activity intensification, and pharmacological therapy did not affect BP lowering. In the regression analysis with SBP change as dependent variable, weight reduction (β = 0.523, p = 0.005) and group (UH vs. CH, β = -19.40, p = 0.0005) remained associated with SBP reduction. When DBP change was entered as dependent variable, baseline uric acid remained associated with DBP reduction (β = 0.824, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Lifestyle interventions are useful for all obese hypertensive patients in most of whom a modest weight loss is sufficient to normalize BP levels avoiding the aggressive use of multiple antihypertensive drugs.
Angiogenic Synergistic Effect of Adipose-Derived Stromal Cell Spheroids with Low-Level Light Therapy in a Model of Acute Skin Flap Ischemia
Authors: Park In-Su , Chung Phil-Sang , Ahn Jin Chul
Published: July 2016

Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) are an attractive cell source for tissue engineering. However, one obstacle to this approach is that the transplanted hASC population can decline rapidly in the recipient tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of low-level light therapy (LLLT) on transplanted spheroid hASCs in skin flaps of mice. hASCs were cultured in monolayers or spheroids. LLLT, hASCs, spheroids and spheroids transplanted with LLLT were applied to the skin flaps. Healing of the skin flaps was assessed by gross evaluation and by hematoxylin and eosin staining and elastin van Gieson staining. Compared with the spheroid group, skin flap healing was enhanced in the spheroid + LLLT group, including the neovascularization and regeneration of skin appendages. The survival of hASCs was enhanced by decreased apoptosis of hASCs in the skin flaps of the spheroid + LLLT group. The secretion of growth factors was stimulated in the spheroid + LLLT group compared with the ASC and spheroid groups. These data suggest that LLLT was an effective biostimulator of spheroid hASCs in the skin flaps, enhancing the survival of hASCs and stimulating the secretion of growth factors.
Blood Coagulation and Asthma Exacerbation in Children
Authors: Manuyakorn Wiparat , Mairiang Dara , Sirachainan Nongnuch , Kadegasem Praguywan , Kamchaisatian Wasu , Benjaponpitak Suwat , Chuansumrit Ampaiwan
Published: July 2016

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the activation of coagulation pathways in asthmatic airways. This study aimed to determine systemic blood coagulation during asthma exacerbation compared with the stable state in children. Methods: Pediatric patients (aged between 5 and 15 years) suffering from asthma exacerbation were enrolled. von Willebrand factor (vWF), plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), protein C, D-dimer, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured during asthma exacerbation and stable state. Results: A total of 22 patients were enrolled. The median vWF, PAI-1, and CRP during asthma exacerbation were significantly higher than those of the stable state: 147.5% (interquartile range, IQR: 111.05-196.57) versus 94% (IQR: 69.72-109.62, p < 0.001), 41.9 ng/ml (IQR: 21.91-48.61) versus 26.17 ng/ml (IQR: 15.89-34.44, p < 0.03), and 4.46 mg/l (IQR: 2.15-16.23) versus 0.87 mg/l (IQR: 0.20-3.89, p < 0.015), respectively. However, the median protein C during asthma exacerbation was significantly lower than that of the stable state: 99.5% (IQR: 86.75-117) versus 113% (IQR: 94-115.25), p = 0.01. No significant difference was found between the levels of D-dimer, F1 + 2, and TAT during asthma exacerbation and stable state. Ultimately, D-dimer was positively correlated with asthma exacerbation score (R = 0.466, p = 0.027). A significant correlation was observed between vWF and CRP (R = 0.527, p = 0.012). Conclusion: Evidence was found of increased endothelial activation and increased PAI-1 during asthma exacerbation. This may emphasize the potential role of blood coagulation in asthma exacerbation.
Complications with Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing in 2,820 Examinations
Authors: Nacci Andrea , Matteucci Jacopo , Romeo Salvatore Osvaldo , Santopadre Stefania , Cavaliere Maria Denise , Barillari Maria Rosaria , Berrettini Stefano , Fattori Bruno
Published: July 2016

Objective: To perform a retrospective evaluation of the incidence of complications and adverse events during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in 2,820 examinations. Patients and Methods: Subjects included in- and outpatients at Pisa University Hospital referred for FEES by other physicians due to dysphagia symptoms. Neurologic diseases were the most commonly diagnosed conditions in the patients tested (48.3%). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Results: Our study showed minor side effects (discomfort, occasional gagging and vomiting) and a few complications [three cases of anterior epistaxis (0.1%), one case of posterior epistaxis (0.04%), three cases of vasovagal syncope (0.1%) and two cases of laryngospasm (0.07%)]. These cases of laryngospasm occurred in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spontaneously resolved after some difficulty. Conclusions: Our study confirms the published data regarding the safety of FEES and the incidence of complications with this procedure, but also highlights that in neurologic patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, laryngospasm is more likely to occur as a severe complication. The overall risk of FEES is minimal, but it is recommended that clinicians be well trained in recognising the signs and symptoms of adverse reactions and be ready to take appropriate action if these occur.
Survival of Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Enrolled in Clinical Trials
Authors: Arrieta Oscar , Carmona Amir , Ramírez-Tirado Laura Alejandra , Flores-Estrada Diana , Macedo-Pérez Eleazar Omar , Martínez-Hernández Jorge Negueb , Corona-Cruz José Francisco , Cardona Andrés F. , de la Garza Jaime
Published: July 2016

Background: Up-to-date oncological therapy has been accomplished through the results of clinical trials (CTs). We analyzed the overall survival (OS) of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its relation to CT enrollment. Methods: The study included 1,042 patients with advanced NSCLC treated at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología. All patients received treatment according to the national and international guidelines. Data were collected from medical records. Patients were subgrouped on the basis of their CT enrollment as follows: participants in any CT (ACT), exclusively intervention CTs (ICT) or exclusively pharmaceutical-sponsored CTs (PCT). Results: The CT enrollment effect was assessed through a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Thirty percent of the patients were in ACT, 28.3% in ICT and 13.7% in PCT. Female gender (p = 0.001), adenocarcinoma histology (p = 0.018), positive EGFR mutation (p = 0.006), and better ECOG performance status (<2) (p ≤ 0.0001) were more frequent in patients enrolled in CT; further, tobacco smoking (p ≤ 0.0001) and KRAS mutation (p = 0.001) were more frequent in patients who were not enrolled in a CT. Conclusion: Enrollment in ACT was associated with a better OS (hazard ratio: 0.47-0.74). NSCLC patients enrolled in a CT have an improved survival in an independent manner to other prognostic factors.
Similar Sister Chromatid Arrangement in Mono- and Holocentric Plant Chromosomes
Authors: Schubert Veit , Zelkowski Mateusz , Klemme Sonja , Houben Andreas
Published: July 2016

Due to the X-shape formation at somatic metaphase, the arrangement of the sister chromatids is obvious in monocentric chromosomes. In contrast, the sister chromatids of holocentric chromosomes cannot be distinguished even at mitotic metaphase. To clarify their organization, we differentially labelled the sister chromatids of holocentric Luzula and monocentric rye chromosomes by incorporating the base analogue EdU during replication. Using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and 3D rendering, we found that holocentric sister chromatids attach to each other at their contact surfaces similar to those of monocentrics in prometaphase. We found that sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) are distributed homogeneously along the whole holocentric chromosomes of Luzula, and that their occurrence is increased compared to monocentric rye chromosomes. The SCE frequency of supernumerary B chromosomes, present additionally to the essential A chromosome complement of rye, does not differ from that of A chromosomes. Based on these results, models of the sister chromatid arrangement in mono- and holocentric plant chromosomes are presented.
Diagnostic Evaluation of Skin Adnexal Tumors by Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology
Authors: Chand Priyanka , Khare Pratima , Gupta Renu , Pruthi Sonam Kumar , Ahuja Mukta , Jha Aditi
Published: July 2016

Background: The diagnosis of skin adnexal tumors is usually based on histopathology. However, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) can be of great help and shows a high degree of correlation to the final diagnosis. It is helpful in many situations where skin lesions are a manifestation of certain systemic syndromes and aids to the formation of precise treatment plans. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out to assess the diagnosis of skin adnexal tumors based on FNAC and their comparison with histopathological diagnoses. There were 14 patients with FNAC and histopathological follow-up in whom a final diagnosis of skin adnexal tumor was made. The results of FNAC were compared with histopathological diagnoses for complete correlation, partial correlation (cases where an FNAC diagnosis of skin adnexal tumor was made but a precise diagnosis of the subtype was not possible) or no correlation (where FNAC failed to diagnose a skin adnexal tumor). Results: Among the 14 cases of skin adnexal tumor, there was total correlation between the FNAC diagnosis and final histopathological diagnosis in 8 cases (57.1%) and a partial correlation in 4 cases (28.5%). There was no correlation of the FNAC diagnosis with the histopathological diagnosis in only 2 cases (14.3%). Conclusions: FNAC is very useful in making a diagnosis of skin adnexal tumors and helps in the management of the patient.
Parental Decisions about Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis among Infants with Trisomy 21 in a National Cohort with High Uptake of Combined First-Trimester Screening
Authors: Miltoft Caroline Borregaard , Wulff Camilla B. , Kjærgaard Susanne , Ekelund Charlotte K. , Tabor Ann ,   the Danish Fetal Medicine Study Group
Published: July 2016

Introduction: The aim was to investigate the parental decisions about prenatal screening and diagnosis among infants with trisomy 21 (T21) in a national cohort with high uptake of combined first-trimester screening (cFTS). Material and Methods: This was a nationwide population-based study including infants born in 2009-2012. Information from the cFTS, fetal karyotype results and pregnancy outcome was obtained from the Danish Fetal Medicine Database on all women with a cFTS risk assessment. Cut-off for referral for invasive testing was ≥1:300. Karyotype results from pregnancies with no cFTS were obtained from the Danish Cytogenetic Central Registry. Results: The uptake rate of cFTS was 91.6%, and 82.8% (8,032/9,704) of the screen-positive women opted for invasive testing. Overall, 82.2% (454/552) chose to terminate an affected pregnancy. In the 4-year period, 102 of 232,962 singletons were born alive with T21. The cFTS risk was true-positive, false-negative or not obtained in 21.6, 48.0 and 30.4%, respectively, of these pregnancies. Discussion: In this large national cohort, 4.4 per 10,000 live-born infants had T21. Of 102 infants with T21 from 2009 to 2012, 52.0% were born after the women had not opted for cFTS or were true-positive but declined invasive testing or termination, and 48.0% were born after a false-negative risk assessment.
Body Image Perception in Acromegaly Is Not Associated with Objective Acromegalic Changes but Depends on Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Dimopoulou Christina , Leistner Sarah M. , Ising Marcus , Schneider Harald J. , Schopohl Jochen , Rutz Sandra , Kosilek Robert , Frohner Richard , Stalla Gunter K. , Sievers Caroline
Published: July 2016

Objective: Diagnosis of acromegaly is delayed up to 10 years after disease onset despite obvious external/objective changes such as bone and soft tissue deformities. We hypothesized that a lack of subjective perception of the disease state, possibly mediated by psychiatric or cognitive alterations, might contribute to the delayed initiation of a diagnostic workup. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We investigated perceived body image by standardized questionnaires (FKB-20: Fragebogen zum Körperbild; FBeK: Fragebogen zur Beurteilung des eigenen Körpers) in 81 acromegalic patients and contrasted them to (a) a clinical control group of 60 patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) who lack severe facial and physical alterations and (b) healthy controls. We further evaluated body image in relation to objective acromegalic changes as judged by medical experts and psychiatric pathology, e.g. depression and cognitive impairment. Results: Patients with acromegaly did not lack subjective perception of the disease state; they showed more negative body image, less vitality, more insecurity/paresthesia and more accentuation of the body compared to normal controls. NFPA patients differed from acromegalic patients only in the ‘vital body dynamics' scale of the FKB-20, although they hardly exhibit any physical/bodily changes. Depression correlated with worse body image. No associations were found between body image and objective acromegalic changes as judged by medical experts, cognitive decline or treatment status. Conclusions: Negative body image in acromegalic patients is unrelated to their objective appearance and similar to those of NFPA patients without major bodily changes. Depression, but not cognitive decline or treatment status, contributes to negative body image.
Perceptual Cells: James Turrell’s Vision Machines Between Two Paracinemas
Authors: Gadassik Alla
Published: July 2016

James Turrell’s perceptual cells incorporate the neurophysiological apparatus as an active participant not only in the reception of projected moving-images, but also in the very production and transmission of virtual moving-images. Combining two perceptual phenomena—the stroboscopic effect and the Ganzfeld Effect—Turrell’s perceptual cells integrate the architecture of projection with the architecture of organic vision to produce a single networked extra-sensory medium. This paper performs a phenomenological analysis of Turrell’s Light Reignfall (2011) perceptual cell, following its design, effects on the viewer, and cultural and material history. In the process, the paper situates the perceptual cell between the history of avant-garde cinema (what historians have called “paracinema”) and the history of perceptual psychology and parapsychology (what the author terms “para-cinema”). Between these two paracinemas, Turrell’s perceptual cells activate the aesthetic potential of what the author discusses as “edgeless projection.”
Deletion Process_Only you can see my history: Investigating Digital Privacy, Digital Oblivion, and Control on Personal Data Through an Interactive Art Installation
Authors: Goni Kyriaki
Published: July 2016

In light of recent controversies surrounding massive data collection by corporations and government agencies, digital privacy, the right to oblivion, and data ownership have become increasingly important concerns. This paper describes the author’s artwork, Deletion Process_Only you can see my history, an interactive art installation based on her eight-year personal search history in the Google search engine. While the personal search history maintains a sense of privacy, according to the company’s own declaration, the author reveals this archive to viewers in order to raise awareness and provoke reflection on the aforementioned subjects. The author discusses her motivation, describes the making process and the decisions made at each step of designing the installation, while integrating at the same time a deeper discussion on the place of digital privacy and oblivion within the contemporary approach to art and technology.
Raised On YouTube: Cultural Data Materialization Using Plants
Authors: Rabinovich Misha
Published: July 2016

Raised on YouTube is an installation and game that grows plants using only the light of projected video and makes ecology legible as a multiplayer game. The challenge of finding the most nurturing video is crowdsourced online. As players watch a webcam feed of the plants surrounded by two-way mirrors, their computer power is diverted to photosynthetic video analysis. The system calculates the photosynthetic score for each video using a basic botanical model. The resulting shape and density of the plant grow bed serves as a data visualization of the energy patterns in the cultural stream. The system provides opportunities to reflect on the effects of long-term exposure to contemporary media and to imagine ecological possibilities of participatory culture.
Time, Singularity and the Impossible: Heidegger and Derrida on Dying
Authors: Winkler Rafael
Published: July 2016

This article focuses on Heidegger’s reflection on death in Being and Time, on the question of whether death can be mine, on what the connection between death and mineness can tell us about schizophrenia, and on the relation between Heidegger’s talk of death and mineness and Derrida’s talk of mourning and mineness.
Force of Flesh: From the Phenomenology of the Living Body to the Ethics of Meat Consumption in Derrida’s Deconstruction of Law and Justice
Authors: Kenny Yoav
Published: July 2016

The concept of flesh (chair) had a very short and fragmented career in the writings of Jacques Derrida, appearing as such in central arguments only in his reading of Antonin Artaud from 1965 and in an interview with Jean-Luc Nancy from 1988. By exposing and exploring several implicit discussions of flesh in Derrida’s juridico-political texts from the 1990s, this paper outlines the conceptualization of flesh implicit in Derrida’s work and, consequently, argues that this conceptualization is more coherent and significant than it may first appear. Based on this, and drawing on an argument between David Wood and Matthew Calarco about the relation between deconstruction and vegetarianism, I go on to argue that the Derridean concept of flesh offered here puts us in a better position to understand and solve some of the discrepancies and inconsistencies of Derrida’s famous attempts to answer his own “question of the animal” in his later writings.
The General and the Particular in Memory
Authors: Bauckham Richard
Published: July 2016

Dale Allison’s book Constructing Jesus begins by describing how memory often leads us astray. As a basic principle for the quest of the historical Jesus, he claims that the general is remembered better than the particular. This article argues that Allison has misunderstood the results of research on memory in cognitive psychology. There is no reason to think that specific events are remembered less well than generalities. Allison fails to distinguish different types of memory and fails to discuss what sorts of events are remembered well. There is strong evidence that memories of “exceptional” events (characterized by uniqueness, importance, emotionality and frequent rehearsal) are especially well retained. The exorcism stories in the Gospels are briefly discussed as an example.
Jesus and the Temple Incident: A New Proposal
Authors: Joseph Simon J.
Published: July 2016

The Temple incident was a pivotal moment in the ministry of the historical Jesus, if not the causal factor that led to Jesus’ execution. Yet the incident continues to present interpretive problems, not least of which is determining precisely what Jesus objected to about the Temple and its administration. This study proposes a new working model for Jesus’ critical stance towards the Temple, identifying the Temple incident as a symbolic act of eschatological Temple restoration.
Grotius and English Charters
Authors: Muldoon James
Published: July 2016

When examined collectively the trade and colonization charters that Tudor and Stuart monarchs issued demonstrate a developing English conception of world order based on trade monopolies and not on ecclesiastical premises or on the Grotian notion of freedom of the seas. There were therefore three early modern conceptions of how an international order might be created, not one, all of which affected European trade with the Americas and Asia. They all began with the assumption that the discovery of the several new worlds required developing rules of engagement to reduce if not to eliminate conflict among the European nations engaged in overseas exploration, settlement, and trade. As Koen Stapelbroek has pointed out, understanding the role of legal notions in the actual historical creation and gradually evolving function of a new kind of commercial-political entity, requires a distinctly non-doctrinal focus.’
A comprehensive checklist of earthworm species and subspecies from Vietnam (Annelida: Clitellata: Oligochaeta: Almidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Moniligastridae, Ocnerodrilidae, Octochaetidae)
Authors: NGUYEN TUNG T. , NGUYEN ANH D. , TRAN BINH T.T. , BLAKEMORE ROBERT J.
Published: July 2016

The comprehensive checklist of earthworms in Vietnam is presented here listing 24 genera and 212 species arranged in eight families. For each species, bibliographic citations are given, including the original descriptions as well as notable citations affecting taxonomic status or distributional reports of a species. Distributions of each species are also provided. The bibliography contains all relevant papers for Vietnamese earthworms. Of 212 species, 114 have been recorded only in Vietnam, and 25 are cosmopolitan. New combinations are made for Amynthas acalifornicus (Do & Huynh, 1991) comb. nov., A. binhgiaensis (Le, 1994) comb. nov., Metaphire catbaensis (Thai & Le, 1993) comb. nov., M. khoii (Do & Tran, 1994) comb. nov., M. phaluongana (Do & Huynh, 1992) comb. nov., and M. mangophila (Nguyen, 2011) comb. nov., M. tripidoporophoratus (Thai & Nguyen, 1993) comb. nov. Additionally, Pheretima paraalexandri Nguyen, 2011 is treated as a junior synonym of Amynthas polychaetiferus (Thai, 1984).
Benthic myodocopid Ostracoda (Philomedidae) from the Southern Ocean
Authors: CHAVTUR VLADIMIR G. , KEYSER DIETMAR
Published: July 2016

This study is based on the material of myodocopid ostracodes of the family Philomedidae collected by the Russian Antarctic Polar Expeditions (1963–2007) and the Germany Expeditions on R/V “Polarstern” (1990–2002) from the continental shelf and upper slope near the Mawson and Davis stations, the Weddell Seas, the region of the South Shetland Islands near the Russian Polar station “Molodezhnaya” and adjacent waters. Eight philomedid species belonging to two genera were identified in these collections. Scleroconcha tuberculata sp. nov. is described and figured as a new species. Additional descriptions and figures for the species S. gallardoi Kornicker, 1971, Philomedes assimilis Brady, 1907, P. charcoti Daday, 1908, P. heptatrix Kornicker, 1975, P. rotunda Skogsberg, 1920, P. orbicularis Brady, 1907 and P. tetrathrix Kornicker, 1975 are given. Keys for all species of the mentioned genera known from the Southern Ocean are presented. A list of sampling stations and species collected is provided in the Appendix 1.
Homogenization and Assessment of Observed Near-Surface Wind Speed Trends across Sweden, 1956–2013
Authors: Minola Lorenzo , Azorin-Molina Cesar , Chen Deliang
Published: July 2016

Multidecadal variability of observed near-surface wind speed from 24 stations across Sweden has been analyzed for 1956–2013, with a focus on 1979–2008 (incorporating an additional 9 stations) for comparison with previous studies. Wind speed data have been subjected to a robust data processing protocol, consisting of quality control, reconstruction, and homogenization, by using geostrophic wind speed series as reference. The homogenized dataset displays a significant (at p < 0.05) downward trend for 1956–2013 (−0.06 m s−1 decade−1) and an even larger decreasing trend for 1979–2008 (−0.14 m s−1 decade−1). However, differences have been observed seasonally, with significant decreasing values in spring, summer, and autumn and a small downward trend in winter for 1956–2013. Most interestingly, a nonsignificant wind speed increase has been detected in winter for 1979–2008, which contrasts with the marked “stilling” reported for this season in much of midlatitude regions. The decreasing rate in wind speed is larger for coastal stations and in the southern part of Sweden. Decreasing trends were found at 91.7% of the stations during summer, whereas 58.3% of the stations displayed decreasing trends in winter. On the contrary, increasing trends occurred in 41.7% of the stations for winter and in only 8.3% for summer. The possible impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index has also been investigated, showing evidence that the small increasing trend in winter for 1979–2008 is hypothetically associated with the positive tendency of the NAO index during the last decades. These results reveal the influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation on wind speed variability across Sweden.