bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are general practitioners getting the information they need from hospitals and specialists to provide quality cancer care for Indigenous Australians?
Authors: Valery Patricia C. , Bernardes Christina M. , de Witt Audra , Martin Jennifer , Walpole Euan , Garvey Gail , Williamson Daniel , Meiklejohn Judith , Hartel Gunter , Ratnasekera Isanka U. , Bailie Ross
Published: May 2019

Background

Cancer care involves many different healthcare providers. Delayed or inaccurate communication between specialists and general practitioners (GP) may negatively affect care.

Aim

To describe the pattern and variation of communication between primary healthcare (PHC) services and hospitals and specialists in relation to the patient's cancer care.

Methods

A retrospective audit of clinical records of Indigenous Australians diagnosed with cancer during 2010–2016 identified through 10 PHC services in Queensland is described. Poisson regression was used to model the dichotomous outcome availability of hospital discharge summary versus not.

Results

A total of 138 patient records was audited; 115 of those patients visited the PHC service for cancer‐related care after cancer diagnosis; 40.0% visited the service before a discharge summary was available, and 36.5% of the patients had no discharge summary in their medical notes. While most discharge summaries noted important information about the patient's cancer, 42.4% lacked details regarding the discharge medications regimen.

Conclusions

Deficits in communication and information transfer between specialists and GP may adversely affect patient care. Indigenous Australians are a relatively disadvantaged group that experience poor health outcomes and relatively poor access to care. The low proportion of discharge summaries noting discharge medication regimen is of concern among Indigenous Australians with cancer who have high comorbidity burden and low health literacy. Our findings provide an insight into some of the factors associated with quality of cancer care, and may provide guidance for focus areas for further research and improvement efforts.
Histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment promotes spontaneous caregiving behaviour in non‐aggressive virgin male mice
Authors: Mayer Heather S. , Crepeau Marc , Duque‐Wilckens Natalia , Torres Lisette Y. , Trainor Brian C. , Stolzenberg Danielle S.
Published: May 2019

The majority of mammalian species are uniparental, with the mother solely providing care for young conspecifics, although fathering behaviours can emerge under certain circumstances. For example, a great deal of individual variation in response to young pups has been reported in multiple inbred strains of laboratory male mice. Furthermore, sexual experience and subsequent cohabitation with a female conspecific can induce caregiving responses in otherwise indifferent, fearful or aggressive males. Thus, a highly conserved parental neural circuit is likely present in both sexes; however, the extent to which infants are capable of activating this circuit may vary. In support of this idea, fearful or indifferent responses toward pups in female mice are linked to greater immediate early gene (IEG) expression in a fear/defensive circuit involving the anterior hypothalamus compared to that in an approach/attraction circuit involving the ventral tegmental area. However, experience with infants, particularly in combination with histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) treatment, can reverse this pattern of pup‐induced activation of fear/defence circuitry and promote approach behaviour. Thus, HDACi treatment may increase the transcription of primed/poised genes that play a role in the activation and selection of a maternal approach circuit in response to pup stimuli. In the present study, we investigated whether HDACi treatment would impact behavioural response selection and associated IEG expression changes in virgin male mice that are capable of ignoring, attacking or caring for pups. The results obtained indicate that systemic HDACi treatment induces spontaneous caregiving behaviour in non‐aggressive male mice and alters the pattern of pup‐induced IEG expression across a fear/defensive neural circuit.
Recalling the bidonvilles of Paris: Historicity and Authority Among Transnational Migrants in Later Life
Authors: Divita David
Published: May 2019

In this article, I aim to shed light on the linguistic and discursive practices entailed in historical meaning‐making—that is, the various ways in which social groups perceive the past and how those perceptions inflect the interactional present. Specifically, I present ethnographic data collected at a day center for Spanish seniors outside of Paris, focusing on interactions among a group of the center's members upon their visit to a museum exhibition documenting the Parisian bidonvilles [shantytowns] in which many of them lived after they migrated from Spain in the 1960s, over 40 years earlier. As they engage with one another and their guide, participants display and enact different modes of knowing the historical content of the exhibition. Drawing on Bakhtin's (1981) concept of the chronotope, I show how these modes of knowing the past may be recruited in ideological processes of affiliation and distinction. For the transnational migrants in later life who populate this article, such chronotopic calibration is a vital means of making sense of the past and establishing forms of belonging in the present.*
Development of Immigrant Couple Relations in Germany
Authors: Johnson Matthew D. , Neyer Franz J. , Anderson Jared R.
Published: May 2019

Objective: This study investigates whether relationship satisfaction, conflict frequency, and self‐disclosure follow distinct developmental trajectories for immigrant couples when compared with native‐born couples and explores the factors that explain developmental diversity for immigrant couples.

Background: Despite nearly a quarter of a billion people worldwide living in a country other than their birth country, no longitudinal research has examined immigrant couple intimate relations. Stress‐focused theoretical perspectives provide motivation for the current study.

Method: Five annual waves of survey data from the German Family Panel (pairfam) study were analyzed. Propensity score matching was used to select a sample of immigrant (n = 614) and native‐born (n = 2,097) couples matched on a number of potentially confounding demographic (e.g., marital status) and values‐based (e.g., traditional gender‐role attitudes) variables.

Results: Latent growth curve analyses revealed few differences between immigrant and native‐born couple trajectories and, where differences arose, the trajectories converged by Wave 5. Within immigrant couples, having both partners as immigrants emerged as a protective factor, whereas citizenship status in the receiving country and length of time since immigrating were not consistently associated with the relationship outcomes. Associations among couple supportiveness, traditional gender roles, and Big Five personality variables with the immigrant couple trajectories were consistent with findings in the relationship science literature.

Conclusion: Although being an immigrant entails navigating additional challenges in daily life as a result of one's minority status, these results bear testament to the remarkable resilience of immigrant couples.
Bias: A 30‐Year Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Three Prosthodontic Journals
Authors: Dumbrigue Herman B. , Dumbrigue Derek C. , Dumbrigue Ethan C. , Chingbingyong Marianne I.
Published: May 2019

Purpose

Bias can occur in various phases of an investigation, and its control is an important measure of the validity of results for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The purpose of this study is to determine if bias control in prosthodontic RCTs published from 2008 to 2017 improved over those published from 1988 to 1997.

Materials and Methods

MEDLINE was searched for RCTs in The International Journal of Prosthodontics, The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, and The Journal of Prosthodontics published from 2008 to 2017. Citations retrieved were included if the trial involved human subjects, included at least 2 treatment groups, and group assignment was by random allocation. Pilot and follow‐up studies were excluded. Included RCTs were evaluated on the basis of how control of potential sources of bias in trial methodology were reported. Three areas—control of bias at entry, control of bias in assessment of outcome, and control of bias after entry—were scored 1 or 0, based on whether method of randomization was explicitly reported, blinding was done, and all subjects were accounted for at the end of the study. Thus, the maximum quality score was 3 (good bias control) and the minimum 0 (poor bias control). Frequencies were calculated for each dimension of trial methodology, and overall scores were reported. Results were compared to those of RCTs published from 1988 to 1997 reported in a previous study.

Results

Ninety‐six RCTs published from 2008 to 2017 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Method of randomization was explicit in 68% of RCTs, 50% reported blinding, and 85% accounted for all subjects; 32% scored the maximum 3 points for good bias control. In comparison, 62 RCTs published from 1988 to 1997 had frequencies of 47%, 40%, and 76% in the 3 areas examined, respectively; only 16% had maximum scores for good bias control.

Conclusion

Control of bias and overall quality scores have improved for RCTs published in the 3 studied prosthodontic journals.
Case Marking Variation in Heritage Slavic Languages in Toronto: Not So Different
Authors: Łyskawa Paulina , Nagy Naomi
Published: May 2019

We examined case‐marking variation in heritage Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. Comparing heritage to homeland Polish and Ukrainian speakers, we found only a few types and a few tokens of systematic distinction between heritage and homeland varieties. A total of 6,291 instances of nouns and pronouns were extracted from transcribed conversations with 62 speakers. Comparing normative forms to observed forms in logistic regression analyses showed that the form of the nominal and the case selector have significant effects on the rate of match between normative and observed forms, while declension does not. Most mismatches in the heritage data were replaced by the nominative, a pattern which is also occasionally found in homeland speech. The second most frequent pattern is genitive–accusative mismatch in specific contexts, in both heritage and homeland speech. Importantly, no significant differences between homeland and heritage speakers emerged, with 8% mismatch attested in the heritage and 2% in homeland data.
Using a gender lens to understand eating behaviours of adolescent females living in low‐income households in Bangladesh
Authors: Blum Lauren S. , Khan Rasheda , Sultana Marzia , Soltana Nahian , Siddiqua Yasmin , Khondker Rudaba , Sultana Sabiha , Tumilowicz Alison
Published: May 2019

Adolescence is a critical period characterized by rapid physical, psychological, and social development and growth. In Bangladesh, high rates of undernutrition persist among adolescent females living in low‐income households. Prevalence of adolescent marriage and pregnancy is extremely high, with almost half of Bangladeshi women giving birth by 18 years of age. Qualitative research was carried out from April to June 2017 to examine individual, social, and environmental factors influencing eating behaviours of female adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age living in low‐income families in urban and rural settings in Bangladesh. Methods included freelisting exercises (33), key informant interviews (11), in‐depth interviews (24), direct observations (16), and focus group discussions (12). Findings show that household food insecurity necessitates adjustments in meal food quality and frequency. Gender norms prescribe that females receive small meal portions and make sacrifices in food consumption so that male family members can eat more. Work and school schedules cause long breaks between meal consumption, restricting food intake of adolescent females for extended periods. Gender discrimination and its manifestations likely amplify susceptibility to psychological stresses in adolescent females. An inferior social position makes adolescent females living in food insecure households vulnerable to undernutrition, with factors affecting food deprivation increasing as they approach childbearing. Policies to increase age of marriage and reduce adolescent pregnancy must continue. Programmes must ensure that school‐going adolescents eat adequately during the school day. Prolonging school education and strengthening the economic viability of women should alter cultural expectations regarding marriage age and normative female roles.
Calcium‐phosphate product and its impact on mortality in hospitalized patients
Authors: Thongprayoon Charat , Cheungpasitporn Wisit , Mao Michael A , Erickson Stephen B
Published: May 2019

Aim

This study aimed to assess the relationship between admission Calcium‐phosphate (CaP) and in‐hospital mortality in hospitalized patients.

Methods

All adult hospitalized patients who had both admission serum calcium and phosphate levels available between years 2009 and 2013 were enrolled. Admission CaP was categorized based on its distribution into six groups (<21, 21–<27, 27–<33, 33  39, 39–<45 and ≥45 mg2/dL2). Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between admission CaP and in‐hospital mortality, using the CaP of 27–<33 mg2/dL2 as the reference group.

Results

Abut 14 772 patients were included in the analysis. The association between CaP and in‐hospital mortality was U‐shaped with the lowest in‐hospital mortality in CaP of 27–<33 mg2/dL2. After adjusting for potential confounders, both CaP <21 and ≥39 mg2/dL2 were associated with higher in‐hospital mortality. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the highest in‐hospital mortality risk in both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and non‐CKD patients occurred when CaP ≥ 45 mg2/dL2.

Conclusion

CaP levels on admission were associated with in‐hospital mortality. Highest mortality risk was observed in hospitalized patients with admission CaP of ≥45 mg2/dL2 in both CKD and non‐CKD patients.
Hoya aphylla (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a new leafless species from Laos
Authors: Averyanov Leonid V. , Averyanova Anna L. , Nguyen Khang Sinh , Maisak Tatiana V.
Published: May 2019

The leafless species Hoya aphylla Aver. N.S. Khang & Averyanova (Apocynaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species for science from Hin Nam No National Protected Area of Laos (central Laos, Khammoune province). In its floral morphology, this new species may be similar to H. lyi, H. carnosa and H. multiflora, but it differs in corona color and shape of corona segments. Like the first two mentioned species, the new species may be referred to the type section of the genus, but in terms of it its leafless habit it exhibits an isolated position.
Contribution and consequences of xylem‐transported CO2 assimilation for C3 plants
Authors: Stutz Samantha S. , Hanson David T.
Published: May 2019

Traditionally, leaves were thought to be supplied with CO2 for photosynthesis by the atmosphere and respiration. Recent studies, however, have shown that the xylem also transports a significant amount of inorganic carbon into leaves through the bulk flow of water. However, little is known about the dynamics and proportion of xylem‐transported CO2 that is assimilated, vs simply lost to transpiration.

Cut leaves of Populus deltoides and Brassica napus were placed in either KCl or one of three [NaH13CO3] solutions dissolved in water to simultaneously measure the assimilation and the efflux of xylem‐transported CO2 exiting the leaf across light and CO2 response curves in real‐time using a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscope.

The rates of assimilation and efflux of xylem‐transported CO2 increased with increasing xylem [13CO2*] and transpiration. Under saturating irradiance, rates of assimilation using xylem‐transported CO2 accounted for c. 2.5% of the total assimilation in both species in the highest [13CO2*].

The majority of xylem‐transported CO2 is assimilated, and efflux is small compared to respiration. Assimilation of xylem‐transported CO2 comprises a small portion of total photosynthesis, but may be more important when CO2 is limiting.
Plant proton pumping pyrophosphatase: the potential for its pyrophosphate synthesis activity to modulate plant growth
Authors: Primo C. , Pizzio G. A. , Yang J. , Gaxiola R. A. , Scholz‐Starke J. , Hirschi K. D.
Published: May 2019

Cellular pyrophosphate (PPi) homeostasis is vital for normal plant growth and development. Plant proton‐pumping pyrophosphatases (H+‐PPases) are enzymes with different tissue‐specific functions related to the regulation of PPi homeostasis. Enhanced expression of plant H+‐PPases increases biomass and yield in different crop species. Here, we emphasise emerging studies utilising heterologous expression in yeast and plant vacuole electrophysiology approaches, as well as phylogenetic relationships and structural analysis, to showcase that the H+‐PPases possess a PPi synthesis function. We postulate this synthase activity contributes to modulating and promoting plant growth both in H+‐PPase‐engineered crops and in wild‐type plants. We propose a model where the PPi synthase activity of H+‐PPases maintains the PPi pool when cells adopt PPi‐dependent glycolysis during high energy demands and/or low oxygen environments. We conclude by proposing experiments to further investigate the H+‐PPase‐mediated PPi synthase role in plant growth.
High‐fat diet intake modulates maternal intestinal adaptations to pregnancy and results in placental hypoxia, as well as altered fetal gut barrier proteins and immune markers
Authors: Gohir Wajiha , Kennedy Katherine M. , Wallace Jessica G. , Saoi Michelle , Bellissimo Christian J. , Britz‐McKibbin Philip , Petrik Jim J. , Surette Michael G. , Sloboda Deborah M.
Published: May 2019

Key points

Maternal obesity has been associated with shifts in intestinal microbiota, which may contribute to impaired barrier function

Impaired barrier function may expose the placenta and fetus to pro‐inflammatory mediators

We investigated the impacts of diet‐induced obesity in mice on maternal and fetal intestinal structure and placental vascularization

Diet‐induced obesity decreased maternal intestinal short chain fatty acids and their receptors, impaired gut barrier integrity and was associated with fetal intestinal inflammation.

Placenta from obese mothers showed blood vessel immaturity, hypoxia, increased transcript levels of inflammation, autophagy and altered levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers.

These data suggest that maternal intestinal changes probably contribute to adverse placental adaptations and also impart an increased risk of obesity in the offspring via alterations in fetal gut development.

Shifts in maternal intestinal microbiota have been implicated in metabolic adaptations to pregnancy. In the present study, we generated cohorts of female C57BL/6J mice fed a control (17% kcal fat, n = 10–14) or a high‐fat diet (HFD 60% kcal from fat, n = 10–14; ad libitum) aiming to investigate the impact on the maternal gut microbiota, intestinal inflammation and gut barrier integrity, placental inflammation and fetal intestinal development at embryonic day 18.5. HFD was associated with decreased relative abundances of short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing genera during pregnancy. These diet‐induced shifts paralleled decreased maternal intestinal mRNA levels of SCFA receptor Gpr41, modestly decreased cecal butyrate, and altered mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines and immune cell markers in the maternal intestine. Maternal HFD resulted in impaired gut barrier integrity, with corresponding increases in circulating maternal levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumour necrosis factor. Placentas from HFD dams demonstrated blood vessel immaturity and hypoxia; decreased free carnitine, acylcarnitine derivatives and trimethylamine‐N‐oxide; and altered mRNA levels of inflammation, autophagy, and ER stress markers. HFD exposed fetuses had increased activation of nuclear factor‐kappa B and inhibition of the unfolded protein response in the developing intestine. Taken together, these data suggest that HFD intake prior to and during pregnancy shifts the composition of the maternal gut microbiota and impairs gut barrier integrity, resulting in increased maternal circulating LPS, which may ultimate contribute to changes in placental vascularization and fetal gut development.
Ehrlichia
Isolate from a Minnesota Tick: Characterization and Genetic Transformation
Authors: Lynn Geoffrey E. , Burkhardt Nicole Y. , Felsheim Roderick F. , Nelson Curtis M. , Oliver Jonathan D. , Kurtti Timothy J. , Cornax Ingrid , O’Sullivan M. Gerard , Munderloh Ulrike G.
Published: May 2019

Ehrlichioses are zoonotic diseases caused by intracellular bacteria that are transmitted by ixodid ticks. Here we report the culture isolation of bacteria which are closely related to, or the same as the
Ehrlichia muris
subsp.
eauclairensis
, a recently recognized human pathogen. EmCRT, obtained from a tick removed from deer at Camp Ripley, MN, is the second isolate of this subspecies described and is distinctive in that it was cultured directly from a field-collected tick. The isolate’s cellular tropism, pathogenic changes caused in rodent tissues, and tick transmission to and from rodents are detailed in this study. We also describe the genetic mutants created from the EmCRT isolate, which are valuable tools for the further study of this intracellular pathogen.
Differences in Viral Disinfection Mechanisms as Revealed by Quantitative Transfection of Echovirus 11 Genomes
Authors: Torrey Jason , von Gunten Urs , Kohn Tamar
Published: May 2019

This study provides a new tool for assessing virus inactivation mechanisms by directly measuring a viral genome’s ability to produce new viruses after disinfection. In addition, we identify a potential pitfall of PCR for determining virus genome damage, which does not reflect whether a genome is truly functional. The results presented here using quantitative transfection corroborate previously suggested virus inactivation mechanisms for some virus inactivation methods (heat) while bringing additional insights for others (ozone, FC, and UV
254
). The developed transfection method provides a more mechanistic approach for the assessment of actual virus inactivation by common water disinfectants.
Spectrum of Trained Innate Immunity Induced by Low-Virulence
Candida
Species against Lethal Polymicrobial Intra-abdominal Infection
Authors: Lilly Elizabeth A. , Yano Junko , Esher Shannon K. , Hardie Emily , Fidel Paul L. , Noverr Mairi C.
Published: May 2019

Polymicrobial intra-abdominal infections (IAI) are clinically prevalent and cause significant morbidity and mortality, especially those involving fungi. Our laboratory developed a mouse model of polymicrobial IAI and demonstrated that coinfection with
Candida albicans
and
Staphylococcus aureus
(
C. albicans
/
S. aureus
) results in 80 to 90% mortality in 48 to 72 h due to robust local and systemic inflammation.
The Major Hurdle for Effective Baculovirus Transduction into Mammalian Cells Is Passing Early Endosomes
Authors: Hu Liangbo , Li Yimeng , Ning Yun-Jia , Deng Fei , Vlak Just M. , Hu Zhihong , Wang Hualin , Wang Manli
Published: May 2019

Baculoviruses can transduce a wide variety of mammalian cells but do so with low efficiency, which greatly limits their practical application as potential gene delivery vectors. So far, the understanding of baculovirus entry into mammalian cells is obscure, and the limiting stages and factors are unclear. In this study, by comparatively analyzing the mechanisms of baculovirus entry into mammalian and insect cells, virus fusion during the early stage of endocytosis was revealed as the major obstacle for efficient baculovirus transduction into mammalian cells. A higher fusogenicity of the major viral fusion protein GP64 was found to be required for virus entry into mammalian cells than for entry into insect cells. Interestingly, by decreasing the pH of early endosomes with a specific agent, virus transduction of a wide range of mammalian cells was greatly enhanced. This study uncovers the roadblocks to mammalian cell entry of baculoviruses and presents mechanisms to overcome the roadblocks.
Molecular Fingerprints for a Novel Enzyme Family in
Actinobacteria
with Glucosamine Kinase Activity
Authors: Manso José A. , Nunes-Costa Daniela , Macedo-Ribeiro Sandra , Empadinhas Nuno , Pereira Pedro José Barbosa
Published: May 2019

The discovery of novel enzymes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis pathways is currently a topic of utmost importance. The high levels of antibiotic resistance detected worldwide threaten our ability to combat infections and other 20th-century medical achievements, namely, organ transplantation or cancer chemotherapy. We have identified and characterized a unique family of enzymes capable of phosphorylating glucosamine to glucosamine-6-phosphate, a crucial molecule directly involved in the activation of antibiotic production pathways in
Actinobacteria
, nature’s main source of antimicrobials. The consensus sequence identified for these glucosamine kinases will help establish a molecular fingerprint to reveal yet-uncharacterized sequences in antibiotic producers, which should have an important impact in biotechnological and biomedical applications, including the enhancement and optimization of antibiotic production.
Early Steps in Herpes Simplex Virus Infection Blocked by a Proteasome Inhibitor
Authors: Schneider Seth M. , Pritchard Suzanne M. , Wudiri George A. , Trammell Chasity E. , Nicola Anthony V.
Published: May 2019

Viruses usurp host cell functions to advance their replicative agenda. HSV relies on cellular proteasome activity for successful infection. Proteasome inhibitors, such as MG132, block HSV infection at multiple stages of the infectious cycle. Targeting host cell processes for antiviral intervention is an unconventional approach that might limit antiviral resistance. Here we demonstrated that the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, which is a clinically effective cancer drug, has thein vitrofeatures of a promising anti-HSV therapeutic. Bortezomib inhibited HSV infection during the first hours of infection at nanomolar concentrations that were minimally cytotoxic. The mechanism of bortezomib’s inhibition of early HSV infection was to halt nucleocapsid transport to the nucleus and to stabilize the ND10 cellular defense complex. Bortezomib and acyclovir acted synergistically to inhibit HSV infection. Overall, we present evidence for the repurposing of bortezomib as a novel antiherpesviral agent and describe specific mechanisms of action.
Moving towards a Robust Definition for a “Healthy” Indoor Microbiome
Authors: Dannemiller Karen C.
Published: May 2019

Buildings of the future should be designed to support human health, both by promoting the presence of beneficial microbes and by reducing exposure to harmful ones. However, we still do not have a robust definition of what constitutes a “healthy” indoor microbiome.
A Viral Ecogenomics Framework To Uncover the Secrets of Nature’s “Microbe Whisperers”
Authors: Roux Simon
Published: May 2019

Microbes drive critical ecosystem functions and affect global nutrient cycling along with human health and disease. They do so under strong constraints exerted by viruses, which shape microbial communities’ structure and shift host cell metabolism during infection.
Advancing Genome-Resolved Metagenomics beyond the Shotgun
Authors: Malmstrom Rex R. , Eloe-Fadrosh Emiley A.
Published: May 2019

Exploration of environmental microbiomes has shed light on the ecological and evolutionary principles at play in natural ecosystems and has been further accelerated through the reconstruction of population genomes to provide genome-centric context. Yet technical challenges with traditional shotgun metagenomics remain for computationally intense short-read assembly, strain heterogeneity within communities, and depth of coverage required for low-abundance microbes.
Defining Microbiome Health through a Host Lens
Authors: Gibbons Sean M.
Published: May 2019

We are walking ecosystems, inoculated at birth with a unique set of microbes that are integral to the functioning of our bodies. The physiology of our commensal microbiota is intertwined with our metabolism, immune function, and mental state.
Indented intrathecal drug delivery system with loss of reservoir volume
Authors: Goel Vasudha , Patwardhan Amol M , Ibrahim Mohab , Shankar Hariharan , Schultz David M
Published: May 2019

Objectives

We report two patients who underwent elective revision surgery were found to have reduced reservoir volumes and indented bottom shield of intrathecal drug delivery system (IDDS).

Case reports

Case #1: A 59-year-old man stable on IDDS medications for chronic neck and upper back pain was found to have an irreversible reduction in reservoir volume from 40 to 28 cc on routine refill appointment. Despite having stable pain control, the reservoir volume decreased from 40 to 22 cc and subsequently to 17 cc when the patient had inadequate pain control. During replacement surgery, the posterior shield of the IDDS was found to be collapsed. The patient had exposure to hyperbaric oxygen treatments for chronic non-healing wounds of the lower extremities. Case #2: A 68-year-old woman had an IDDS implanted for chronic low back pain secondary to failed back surgery syndrome. The reservoir volume was found to be reduced to 15 cc of medication from 20 cc during the seventh year of therapy. There was a report of a fall. Routine reservoir exchange at the end of battery life revealed that the bottom shield of the reservoir was indented.

Conclusions

Inability to refill the medication to full capacity should be an indication to investigate device deformation. Information about exposure to hyperbaric therapy or local trauma should be obtained.
Responses and capacity curves of mid- and high-rise wood buildings subjected to seismic excitations
Authors: Yang S.C. , Hong H.P. , Bartlett F.M.
Published: May 2019

The design and modelling of 10-, 15-, and 20-storey wood buildings with cross-laminated timber and glulam structural members are presented in the present study. The system is platform-type construction with a cross-laminated timber core, perimeter walls as lateral load resisting system, and glulam columns as the gravity system. The designed buildings satisfy requirements stipulated in applicable design codes in Canada. The hysteretic models and the associated parameters used to model the fasteners for wood members are developed. Assessments of the nonlinear inelastic seismic responses and capacity curves of the designed buildings are carried out using the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) and nonlinear static pushover analysis (NSPA) methods. The results indicate that the NSPA curve closely approximates the mean capacity curve estimated using the IDA curves for wood buildings. The post-yield stiffness ratio to initial stiffness for the wood buildings ranges from approximately 0.35 to 0.55. The results also show that the effect of the record-to-record variability on the IDA curves is substantial.
Strong influence of landscape structure on hair lichens in boreal forest canopies
Authors: Esseen Per-Anders
Published: May 2019

This study examines how island size, isolation, and orientation influence epiphytic hair lichens in old-growth boreal spruce forests within a naturally heterogeneous landscape with approximately 1000 forest islands distributed in open wetland matrix. Forest structure, length of Alectoria sarmentosa (Ach.) Ach., Bryoria spp., and Usnea spp., and mass of Alectoria in the lower canopy (0–5 m) of Picea abies (L.) Karst. were quantified in 30 islands (0.11–10.9 ha). Length and mass of Alectoria were also studied in 25 edges with different orientation and fetch (wind exposure). Island area had a strong positive effect on length of Alectoria but a minor effect on Bryoria and Usnea. Edge orientation influenced length and mass of Alectoria, with the strongest reduction in wind-exposed western edges, whereas fetch size had no effect. Edge influence on microclimate drives hair lichen response to landscape configuration. The gradient from Bryoria in small islands to Alectoria in large islands is caused by the same mechanisms that influence vertical canopy gradients in large homogeneous stands, with Bryoria in the upper canopy and Alectoria in the lower canopy. Genus-specific, sun-screening pigments contribute to this niche differentiation, but thallus fragmentation by wind and water storage are also important. Our findings imply that lichen conservation must consider the spatial structure of the landscape.
Equivariant one-parameter deformations of associative algebras
Authors: Mukherjee Goutam , Yadav Raj Bhawan
Published: May 2019

We introduce an equivariant version of Hochschild cohomology as the deformation cohomology to study equivariant deformations of associative algebras equipped with finite group actions.
Characterizations of (near) exact g-frames, g-Riesz bases, and Besselian g-frames
Authors: Xiao Xiangchun , Zhu Yucan , Zhou Guorong
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we use a new general sequence corresponding to a [Formula: see text]-Bessel sequence [Formula: see text] to characterize that [Formula: see text] are [Formula: see text]-linear independent, [Formula: see text]-complete and a [Formula: see text]-frame. We also use [Formula: see text] and the refinement [Formula: see text] to characterize each other to be (near) exact [Formula: see text]-frames or [Formula: see text]-Riesz bases. Finally, we give several constructions and an equivalent characterization of Besselian [Formula: see text]-frames and near exact [Formula: see text]-frames.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE EFFECT OF COLONIZATION
Authors: BEWAJI TOLULOPE
Published: May 2019

This study aims to examine how colonization affects entrepreneurial behavior within countries that were colonized by the Europeans. The intent is to explore if the type of colonization has an impact on a country’s entrepreneurship orientation. Results from this study indicate that the type of colonization does play a role on people’s intentions to engage in entrepreneurship. This article fuels the conversation regarding how to overcome negative history (slavery) toward a positive future for colonized countries that are now independent.
Seismic Performance of the Pre-Fabricated Steel Frame Infilled with AAC Wall Panels and their Joint Connection: Full-Scale Shaking Table Test
Authors: Du Dongsheng , Wang Shuguang , Li Weiwei , Xu Feng , Liu Weiqing
Published: May 2019

A series of shaking table tests were performed to investigate the seismic behavior of the pre-fabricated steel frame structure infilled with autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) external wall panels. The reliability of a new type of joint connections adopted in the structure between the steel frame and the wall panels was particularly validated during the test. Dynamic tests were carried out on a two-story full-scaled steel frame, considering seismic loading of three earthquake waves with different imposed peak accelerations in the range of 70[Formula: see text]cm/s2 to 400[Formula: see text]cm/s2. The experimental analyses encompassed cracking patterns, failure mechanisms, dynamic property and seismic response of the structure. The results show that the structural components, including the joint connections between the steel frame and the walls, behaved well even under the rare earthquake at 8∘. The structural stiffness of the steel frame infilled with wall panels was increased by 56%, compared with the steel frame infilled without wall panels. The damping ratio of the undamaged steel frame installed with wall panels was 7.25%.
Klein–Gordon Oscillator in a Topologically Nontrivial Space-Time
Authors: Santos L. C. N. , Mota C. E. , Barros C. C.
Published: May 2019

In this study, we analyze solutions of the wave equation for scalar particles in a space-time with nontrivial topology. Solutions for the Klein–Gordon oscillator are found considering two configurations of this space-time. In the first one, the S1×R3 space is assumed where the metric is written in the usual inertial frame of reference. In the second case, we consider a rotating reference frame adapted to the circle S1. We obtained compact expressions for the energy spectrum and for the particles wave functions in both configurations. Additionally, we show that the energy spectrum of the solution associated with the rotating system has an additional term that breaks the symmetry around E=0.
Treatment of Postsurgical Scalp Scar Deformity Using Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation
Authors: Yoo Hyokyung , Moh Jaeseong , Park Ji-Ung
Published: May 2019

Background.Although stable cicatricial alopecia (SCA) secondary to surgical events of the scalp can affect patients’ psychosocial status, hair transplantation onto postsurgical scar tissue on the scalp is challenging because of tissue stiffness and poor blood circulation.Objective.In contrast to traditional surgical treatments, such as excision, local flap, and tissue expansion, follicular unit (FU) hair transplantation offers aesthetically pleasing results in the treatment of postsurgically induced SCA.Materials and Methods.This study included 15 patients with SCA of the scalp due to postsurgical scarring. The patients underwent a single session of hair transplantation of approximately 35 units/cm2density. The graft survival rate was evaluated 12 months after the procedure. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used to analyze the preoperative and postoperative satisfaction.Results.The FUE hair transplantation had a mean survival rate of 80.67% (range 70-90%). The patient and observer satisfaction significantly improved after the procedure; the POSAS scores were 24.47 (range 16-38) preoperatively and 11.60 (range 7-18) postoperatively.Conclusion.FU hair transplantation could be an effective method for managing scar tissue on the scalp and offers several advantages, including a high transplantation survival rate and satisfactory postoperative results.
Clustered Exact Daum‐Huang Particle Flow Filter
Authors: Örenbaş Halit , Mercimek Muharrem
Published: May 2019

Unlike the conventional particle filters, particle flow filters do not rely on proposal density and importance sampling; they employ flow of the particles through a methodology derived from the log‐homotopy scheme and ensure successful migration of the particles. Amongst the efficient implementations of particle filters, Exact Daum‐Huang (EDH) filter pursues the calculation of migration parameters all together. An improved version of it, Localized Exact Daum‐Huang (LEDH) filter, calculates the migration parameters separately. In this study, the main objective is to reduce the cost of calculation in LEDH filters which is due to exhaustive calculation of each migration parameter. We proposed the Clustered Exact Daum‐Huang (CEDH) filter. The main impact of CEDH is the clustering of the particles considering the ones producing similar errors and then calculating the same migration parameters for the particles within each cluster. Through clustering and handling the particles with high errors, their engagement and influence can be balanced, and the system can greatly reduce the negative effects of such particles on the overall system. We implement the filter successfully for the scenario of high dimensional target tracking. The results are compared to those obtained with EDH and LEDH filters to validate its efficiency.
A Lightweight BCH Code Corrector of TRNG with Measurable Dependence
Authors: Park Hojoong , Yeom Yongjin , Kang Ju-Sung
Published: May 2019

We propose a new lightweight BCH code corrector of the random number generator such that the bitwise dependence of the output value is controllable. The proposed corrector is applicable to a lightweight environment and the degree of dependence among the output bits of the corrector is adjustable depending on the bias of the input bits. Hitherto, most correctors using a linear code are studied on the direction of reducing the bias among the output bits, where the biased input bits are independent. On the other hand, the output bits of a linear code corrector are inherently not independent even though the input bits are independent. However, there are no results dealing with the independence of the output bits. The well-known von Neumann corrector has an inefficient compression rate and the length of output bits is nondeterministic. Since the heavy cryptographic algorithms are used in the NIST’s conditioning component to reduce the bias of input bits, it is not appropriate in a lightweight environment. Thus we have concentrated on the linear code corrector and obtained the lightweight BCH code corrector with measurable dependence among the output bits as well as the bias. Moreover, we provide some simulations to examine our results.
Comparison of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors between Older and Younger Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Leyin , Sun Leitao , Yu Jieru , Shan Feiyu , Zhang Kai , Pang Xi , Ma Chenghao , Zhang Yinan , Shen Minhe , Ma Shenglin , Ruan Shanming
Published: May 2019

Objectives. Despite the fact that it is widely acknowledged that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) rely on the presence of immune response to take their antitumor effect, little is known whether there is an influence exerted on the efficacy of ICIs based on patients’ age. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the efficacy of ICIs between younger and older patients. Materials and Methods. We searched online database and major conference proceedings for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published of ICIs and included RCTs that conducted subgroup comparisons of age with available combination of hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Subsequently, we figured out the pooled HR and 95%CI in younger and older patients with a random-effects model and evaluated the within-study heterogeneity by using subgroup, sensitivity, and meta-regression analysis. Results and Conclusion. A total of 12 eligible RCTs included in our study, which reported OS according to patients’ age. The overall estimated random-effects for HR was 0.75 with 95% CI of 0.65-0.87 in younger arm versus 0.81 with 95% CI of 0.72-0.92 in older arm. ICIs can improve OS for patients with advanced or metastatic lung cancer when compared to controls, especially for those patients with NSCLC, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, non-squamous, Pembrolizumab or Atezolizumab used as well as subsequent-line setting, and the magnitude of benefit in OS had comparable efficacy in both younger and older arms using a cut-off of 65 yr. Conversely, we also drew a statically significant conclusion that older patients failed to acquire benefit from ICIs when subdivided with a further cut-off of 75 yr.
Effects of Highway Landscapes on Drivers’ Eye Movement Behavior and Emergency Reaction Time: A Driving Simulator Study
Authors: Guo Fengxiang , Li Mingyuan , Chen Yao , Xiong Jian , Lee Jaeyoung
Published: May 2019

This study aims at investigating the effects of highway landscapes and alignments on drivers’ eye movement behavior and emergency reaction time, based on a driving simulator experiment. In this study, four simulation scenarios are evaluated including open space, semiopen space, semiclosed space, and enclosed space landscapes on highways in Yunnan Province, China. Twenty-four experienced drivers participated in a 6-kilometer driving experiment in each landscape scenario. Each subject was required to drive at 80 km/h in the scenarios and the driving behavior data were collected. Three different data analysis methods were employed: (1) descriptive analysis of the characteristics of drivers’ visual fixation area; (2) statistical tests of emergency reaction time with drivers’ demographic characteristics, highway landscapes, and alignments; and (3) multiple linear regression analysis of emergency reaction time, highway landscapes, and alignments. The results show that emergency reaction time is significantly influenced by highway landscapes and alignments, and the multiple linear regression model built in this experiment could accurately predict drivers’ emergency reaction time in different highway landscapes and alignments.
Um Olhar ao Acolhimento Colonial Vicentino
Authors: César Pedro de Alcântara Bittencourt , Diógenes Conceição Malveira
Published: May 2019

Este estudo trata das primeiras maneiras de hospedagem do visitante (viajante diverso) e seu papel referencial com o equipamento e a formação físico-territorial resultante da hospitalidade no interior da América portuguesa. Esta pesquisa tem forte apelo exploratório, buscando apresentar valores conceituais das primeiras formas de hospitalidade no continente sul-americano. Assim, realiza-se levantamento bibliográfico acerca do modo como a residência bandeirista, a viagem, a visitação e a hospedagem são tratadas nos séculos XVI e XVII. Estende-se para outras possibilidades de hospedagem protocomercial disponíveis para o visitante, confrontando-as com a formação dos núcleos urbanos estabelecidos nas capitanias de São Vicente e Santo Amaro (área inicial do atual estado de São Paulo). Entretanto, poucas referências sobre esses núcleos contribuem para os questionamentos propostos. Desta maneira, contrastando com essas bases bibliográficas, esquemas das divisões espaciais das edificações são utilizados, realizando estudo específico fundamentado na história da arquitetura brasileira. Portanto, parte da casa do bandeirante é reconhecida como espaço independente de hospedagem, atendendo assim o objetivo de pontuar esta possibilidade no início do período colonial, ainda pouco tratada na literatura brasileira. Um panorama acerca da questão é também apresentado.
Palavras-chave: Meio de hospedagem; Hospitalidade; Período colonial; Residência bandeirantista.
A apreensão sensível da natureza em Goethe e Humboldt
Authors: Arraes Esdras Araujo
Published: May 2019

O texto busca interpretar as noções de natureza e paisagem em certas obras de Johann Wolfgang von Goethe e Alexandre von Humboldt. Para ambos, enquanto que a natureza seria a totalidade dos fenômenos naturais, a paisagem seria um fragmento dessa totalidade enquadrada pela experiência do olhar constantemente treinado. Assim, a paisagem, tanto para Goethe como para Humboldt, é formulada pelo desejo de apresenta-la segundo a dimensão estética, isto é, seria necessário sensibilidade e imaginação para perceber a natureza em sua completude. No início do ensaio mostra-se a noção goetheana de natureza e paisagem lançando luz sobre alguns de seus romances e doutrinas científicas, tais como Os sofrimentos do jovem Werther, Novela ou história de uma caçada e Metamorfose das Plantas. Em seguida, apresenta-se o entendimento humboldtiano sobre ambas as categorias assimiladas segundo poesia e ciência. Finalmente, analisa-se algumas afinidades e diferenças conceituais que há entre o poeta e o naturalista prussiano.
A experiência paulistana em parques lineares
Authors: Nagano Wellington Tohoru , Gonçalves Fábio Mariz
Published: May 2019

Em 2002, o Plano Diretor Estratégico da cidade de São Paulo instituiu o Programa de Recuperação dos Fundos de Vale com o objetivo de transformar os rios em eixos de estruturação urbana, paisagística e ambiental, por meio de ações de saneamento, recuperação hídrica e implantação dos parques lineares. Os parques lineares foram implantados entre 2008 e 2015, sendo incorporados ao cotidiano da população. Entretanto, diversos deles enfrentam problemas de vandalismo, falta de apropriação, sujeira e abandono, resultado de falhas nos processos de planejamento, projeto, obra e gestão. A análise será concentrada em três parques lineares implantados em zonas distintas de São Paulo: Canivete, Guaratiba e Itaim Paulista, pois tiveram formas de implantação distintas entre si, resultando em diferentes formas de apropriação. Esses parques lineares mostram que a apropriação está relacionada diretamente aos processos de planejamento, projeto e gestão, em que o Estado deve atuar no espaço público de acordo com as peculiaridades locais.