bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Donor Milk Supplementation on Duration of Parenteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants
Authors: Chinea Jiménez Bibiana , Cabrera Lafuente Marta , Couce María L. , Madero Rosario , Vento Maximo , Villarino Marín Antonio , Saenz de Pipaon Miguel
Published: January 2020

Background

Data are limited on the association between the use of donor human milk and improvements in feeding tolerance.

Objective

To determine the influence of the duration of parenteral nutrition on the growth and morbidity of the breastfed newborn when using donated human milk in the absence of mother’s own milk.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study before and after the intervention that compared two groups of newborns ( N = 284; each group n = 142). We used a convenience sample of all newborns ≤32 weeks gestation consecutively admitted in a single unit before (Group 1 between December 2012 and May 2014) or after (Group 2 between October 2014 and December 2016) the availability of donor human milk. In Group 2, donor human milk was administered at least 3 to 4 weeks or until the baby weighed 1,500 g. Weight was recorded daily and length and head circumference weekly. Parenteral nutrition was continued until enteral feeding volume reached 120 ml/kg/day. Additional variables measured were the number of days with a central venous catheter, age that the enteral feeding volume reached 150 ml/kg/day, and duration of stay.

Results

The duration of parenteral feeding was the same before and after: 12 (8.23) and 11 (7.19) days ( p = .822). The z scores for weight and height of newborns was lower in Group 2 = −1.8 (1.0) and −2.3 (1.1) and Group 1 = −1.2 (1.1) ( p < .001) and −1.8 (1.4) ( p = .005).

Conclusion

We did not find an association between the administration of donor human milk as a supplement to mother’s own milk and reduced number of days of parenteral nutrition. Back translation by Laurence Grummer-Strawn
Predictors of ICU admission and long-term outcomes in overdose presentations to Emergency Department
Authors: Savage Mark , Kung Ross , Green Cameron , Thia Brandon , Perera Dinushka , Tiruvoipati Ravindranath
Published: January 2020

Objective:

To describe the characteristics of patients presenting to an Emergency Department (ED) following overdoses; to identify risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission among these patients; and to identify the rate of mortality and repeat overdose presentations over four years.

Methods:

Adult patients presenting to ED following drug overdose during 2014 were included. Data were collected from medical notes and hospital databases.

Results:

During the study period, 654 patients presented to ED 800 times following overdose. Seventy-eight (9.8%) resulted in ICU admission, and 59 (7.4%) required intubation; 57.2% had no history of overdose presentations, and 72.9% involved patients with known psychiatric illness. Overdose of atypical antipsychotics (AAP), age and history of prior overdose independently predicted ICU admission. A third of patients ( n = 196, 30%) had subsequent presentations to ED following overdose, in the four years from their index presentation, with an all-cause four-year mortality of 3.4% ( n = 22).

Conclusion:

A history of overdose, use of AAP and older age were risk factors for ICU admission following ED presentations. Over a third of patients had repeat overdose presentation in the four-year follow-up with a mortality of 3.4%.
Chebyshev cardinal functions for a new class of nonlinear optimal control problems with dynamical systems of weakly singular variable-order fractional integral equations
Authors: Heydari Mohammad Hossein , Mahmoudi Mohammad Reza , Avazzadeh Zakieh , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: January 2020

The main objectives of this study are to introduce a new class of optimal control problems governed by a dynamical system of weakly singular variable-order fractional integral equations and to establish a computational method by utilizing the Chebyshev cardinal functions for their numerical solutions. In this way, a new operational matrix of variable-order fractional integration is generated for the Chebyshev cardinal functions. In the established method, first the control and state variables are approximated by the introduced basis functions. Then, the interpolation property of these basis functions together with their mentioned operational matrix is applied to derive an algebraic equation instead of the objective function and an algebraic system of equations instead of the dynamical system. Eventually, the constrained extrema technique is applied by adjoining the constraints generated from the dynamical system to the objective function using a set of Lagrange multipliers. The accuracy of the established approach is examined through several test problems. The obtained results confirm the high accuracy of the presented method.
Integration of identification and vibration control of time-varying structures subject to unknown seismic ground excitation
Authors: Lei Ying , Lu Jubin , Huang Jinshan
Published: January 2020

The synthesis of structural health monitoring and vibration control is important in order to provide facilities for constructing smart structures. In recent years, some techniques have been developed to integrate structural identification and optimal vibration control. However, it is still challenging to integrate the identification and vibration control of time-varying structures subject to unknown earthquake excitation. The main difficulties are that structural dynamic responses collected by a simple harmonic motion system are absolute responses under unknown earthquake ground motion while previous identification approaches for unknown external excitation are not applicable for this situation and the need of an efficient algorithm to accurately track the various scenarios of time-varying structures with inexpensive computation to ensure the real-time performance requested by structural vibration control. In this paper, a novel algorithm is presented, in which structural time-varying parameters are treated as ‘virtual unknown inputs’ to the underlying time-invariant structure, a generalized Kalman filter with unknown inputs is proposed for joint identification of joint structural state, unknown earthquake excitation and ‘virtual unknown inputs’ with only partially measured structural absolute responses, and the identification results are integrated in real-time with the instantaneous optimal control scheme to reach the goal of optimal semi-active control provided by magneto-rheological dampers. Some numerical examples of integrated identification and vibration control of various time-varying structures subject to unknown earthquake excitation are used to demonstrate the performances of the proposed algorithm.
Investigation of the favorable conditions to apply the combination resonances approach for crack detection purposes
Authors: Cavalini Aldemir A , Morais Tobias S , da Silva Izabela B , Bachschmid Nicolò , Steffen Valder
Published: January 2020

Various structural health monitoring methods were recently applied to fault diagnosis of rotating machinery, in which vibration response–based techniques demonstrated to be well adapted for different scenarios. However, only severe cracks are detected when most of such techniques are applied. Thus, innovative methods are proposed to identify the existence of incipient cracks in rotating shafts. In a previous contribution, the combination resonance approach for crack identification purposes was presented. This method is based on the application of additional forces at combination frequencies along with a heuristic optimization method to identify crack signatures in the vibration responses of the rotor. In the present work, the best conditions to apply the combination resonance approach are investigated in terms of the amplitude and frequency of the so-called diagnostic force. The vibration responses and phase angles of a cracked rotor were determined by using the harmonic balance technique. The FLEX approach is used to model the crack. Numerical simulations were performed using the finite element model of a horizontal rotor.
Elimination of friction-induced vibration of a propulsion shafting system by auxiliary electromagnetic suspension
Authors: Qin Hui , Yang Dequan , Zheng Hongbo , Zhang Zhiyi
Published: January 2020

This paper focuses on the problem of eliminating self-excited vibration in a propulsion shafting system induced by the friction of the water-lubricated rubber bearing. A new scenario involving electromagnetic suspension is proposed to change the condition of instability. To explore the mechanism of elimination of self-excited vibration, a dynamic model of the shafting system is established on the basis of Hamilton’s principle, the velocity-dependent friction model as well as the dynamics of the electromagnetic suspension. Influence of the electromagnetic force on the self-excited vibration of the system is evaluated. Transient responses of the system are obtained by using the Runge–Kutta fourth-order method. Numerical results indicate that the electromagnetic force can reduce the load on the rubber bearing and correspondingly the friction force on the interface. The occurrence of self-excited vibration will be delayed as the electromagnetic force increases, and once the suspension force increases to a critical value, instability of the system will be eliminated and vibration responses are damped exponentially.
Experimenting with Public Engagement Platforms in Local Government
Authors: Cho Seongkyung , Mossberger Karen , Swindell David , Selby John David
Published: January 2020

Cities are venues for experimentation with technology (e.g., smart cities) and democratic governance. At the intersection of both trends is the emergence of new online platforms for citizen engagement. There is little evidence to date on the extent to which these are being used or the characteristics associated with adopters at the leading edge. With rich data on civic engagement and innovation from a 2016 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) survey, we explore platform use in U.S. local governments and relationships with offline civic engagement, innovation, and local characteristics. We find that use of online participatory platforms is associated with offline participation, goals for civic engagement, and city size, rather than evidence that this is related to a more general orientation toward innovation.
Development and Implementation of a Brain Rest Protocol in Nonintellectually Challenged Youth With Head-Banging Behaviors
Authors: Keough Lori , Gardner Susan , Kirby Alyssa
Published: January 2020

INTRODUCTION: Concussions as a result of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in youth are often associated with athletic injury; however, they can also occur as a result of intentional self-injury by head banging. Despite the known neurological sequelae secondary to MTBI, assessment, interventions, and consequences of head banging in the nonintellectually disabled populations have not been well studied. AIMS: The intent of this nurse-led intervention was to develop a brain rest protocol at a residential treatment program serving youth who were between 12 and 19 years old in order to improve the quality of care and moderate negative sequelae resulting from MTBI. METHODS: A nursing assessment guided by an adaptation of the acute concussion evaluation and a strength-based intervention protocol was developed and applied to youth who engage in head banging. RESULTS: The result was a protocol that defined the process by which a youth would be assessed and treated after head banging. There are no outcome measures that would assist to measure the effectiveness of this intervention in the short or long term. CONCLUSION: This intervention filled a need for improved assessment and appropriate interventions in youth with head-banging behavior. It is feasible that the assessment and implementation of the brain rest protocol is the first step in understanding how to best evaluate and manage the sequelae of intentional head banging resulting from MTBI.
Does femoral morphology and stem alignment influence outcomes of cementless total hip arthroplasty with proximally coated double-tapered titanium stems?
Authors: Narayanan Rajkishen , Elbuluk Ameer M , Chen Kevin K , Eftekhary Nima , Zuckerman Joseph D , Deshmukh Ajit J
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

Stem subsidence and thigh pain can cause significant patient dissatisfaction after cementless THA. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of proximal-femoral morphology and stem alignment on clinical outcomes using a double-tapered, cementless titanium femoral component.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 281 consecutive, primary THAs from 2012 to 2014 with a mean follow-up of 4 years. Preoperative radiographs were used to assess femoral neck shaft angle (FNS), canal flare index (CFI), Dorr classification, and greater trochanter (GT) overhang. Postoperative radiographs were used to determine stem alignment and 6-week follow-up radiographs were used to determine subsidence. Clinical outcomes included thigh pain, leg-length discrepancy (LLD), patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and revision surgeries.

Results:

271 stems (96%) did not subside (<4 mm) and 10 (4%) showed evidence of subsidence (>4 mm). Subsidence was significantly associated with subsequent revision surgery ( p < 0.01). 278 stems (99%) were in neutral alignment and 3 in varus (1%). Alignment did not significantly influence subsidence, thigh pain, LLD, revisions, or PROMs. Femoral morphology measures (FNS, CFI, Dorr classification, and GT overhang) were not significantly associated with stem alignment, subsidence, LLD, or revisions. CFI was significantly associated with intraoperative calcar fractures ( p = 0.02). GT overhang was associated with thigh pain ( p = 0.03) and FNS was inversely associated with postoperative HOOS scores.

Conclusions:

Subsidence and proximal-femoral morphology are potential sources of postoperative morbidity in certain cementless THA patients. In accordance with prior studies, CFI was identified as a potential risk factor for intraoperative calcar fractures. More research into preoperative femoral morphologies, such as GT overhang and FNS, is warranted as these may contribute to unsatisfactory results related to cementless THA.
Protest and intervention: A study of discourse, culture, and psychology in Oaxaca, Mexico
Authors: Johnson Austin M
Published: January 2020

This article presents three ethnographic case studies that demonstrate some of the ways that local participants in Oaxaca, Mexico put Marxist and other leftist discourses into practice as they seek to enact social and cultural change. Case study 1 presents a personal retrospective narrative of a local resident who as a university student became involved in battles against the state police following the 2006 teacher’s strike in Oaxaca. Case study 2 explores the presence of Marxist and other leftist references in Oaxacan street art. Case study 3 presents the experiences of a Catholic priest who puts Marxist thought into practice through his social justice work in rural pueblos. These case studies demonstrate how a discursive understanding of culture and psychology can help navigate the conceptual fields of culture and psychology. Each case study comes from ethnographic research conducted in Oaxaca, Mexico in July 2017.
(Un)imagination and (im)mobility: Exploring the past and constructing possible futures among refugee victims of torture in Greece
Authors: Womersley Gail
Published: January 2020

Greece represents a unique context in which to explore the imagination-(im)mobility nexus: both a transit country and final destination for refugees. This article explores the imagination of refugee victims of torture in Athens as they weave together images of the past, present and future to confer meaning to their current situation and imagine new possible futures. In the context of a growing interest in emotions and temporalities linked to migration, the aim of this paper is thus to explore the complex interplay between the imagination of migrants and the trauma from the theoretical standpoint of sociocultural psychology. The paradoxes are multiple: (i) Migration is inherently imaginative, in the sense that the actualisation of migration begins with individuals imagining their destination; (ii) however, trauma related to forced migration experiences in particular may impede imagination. To further add to the complexity: it may be imagination itself which acts as an essential component to healing from trauma. The article explores forced migrants’ mobility choices and individual migration trajectories to provide insight into how the emotionality of subjective experiences, as well as the sociocultural context, are fundamentally involved in people’s plans to migrate and the development of their ever-changing imagination of a better future elsewhere. The results similarly illustrate imagination as being significantly shaped by the collective imaginings of entire communities.
Evaluation of mobile apps for treatment of patients at risk of developing gestational diabetes
Authors: Tassone Cristina , Keshavjee Karim , Paglialonga Alessia , Moreira Nimia , Pinto Jennifer , Quintana Yuri
Published: January 2020

This study evaluates mobile apps using a theory-based evaluation framework to discover their applicability for patients at risk of gestational diabetes. This study assessed how well the existing mobile apps on the market meet the information and tracking needs of patients with gestational diabetes and evaluated the feasibility of how to integrate these apps into patient care. A search was conducted in the Apple iTunes and Google Play store for mobile apps that contained keywords related to the following concepts of nutrition: diet, tracking, diabetes, and pregnancy. Evaluation criteria were developed to assess the mobile apps on five dimensions. Overall, the apps scored well on education and information functions and scored poorly on engagement functions. There are few apps that provide comprehensive evidence-based educational content, tracking tools, and integration with electronic health records. This study demonstrates the need to develop apps that have comprehensive content, tracking tools, and ability to bidirectionally share data.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender College Students: Revisiting Retention
Authors: Legg Kaitlin , Cofino Andy , Sanlo Ronni
Published: January 2020

In 2004, Sanlo published a proposed method to examine the lives and experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students and their persistence to graduation. Transgender students were not included except with regard to their identifying as a sexual minority. To date, neither further articles nor research of a similar nature have been published. Even with heightened visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students on college campuses, the literature still does not capture the specific and unique experiences of health, scholarship, and persistence of this population. These scholar–practitioner authors share their various experiences as directors of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) centers and why retention studies of the LGBTQ population are necessary as well as why transgender or gender-nonconforming students must also be included in such studies.
Nonlabeling and quantitative assessment of chondrocyte viability in articular cartilage with intrinsic nonlinear optical signatures
Authors: Li Yang , Chen Xun , Watkins Beckham , Saini Neal , Gannon Steven , Nadeau Elizabeth , Reeves Russell , Gao Bruce , Pelligrini Vincent , Yao Hai , Mercuri Jeremy , Ye Tong
Published: January 2020

Chondrocyte viability is a crucial factor for evaluating cartilage health. Most prevalent cell viability assays rely on dyes and are not applicable for in vivo or longitudinal studies. Here we demonstrated that the two-photon excited autofluorescence and second harmonic generation microscopy provided high-resolution imaging of cartilage tissue and distinguished live/dead chondrocytes by visual assessment. Furthermore, the normalized autofluorescence ratio was proposed as a quantitative indicator to determine chondrocyte viability. Based on the indicator, a curve fitting and simulated receiver operating characteristic method was proposed to identify the live/dead cell populations as well as the indicator threshold without dye labeling. Thus, it established the label-free imaging method for chondrocyte viability assay in cartilage tissue.

Impact statement

Chondrocytes are the only cellular component found in the cartilage, playing a critical role in maintaining the homeostasis of articular cartilage. The viability of chondrocytes is a crucial factor for evaluating cartilage health. However, the current prevalent cell viability assays rely on dye staining and thereby are not applicable in vivo or in longitudinal assessments. In this study, we demonstrate that the intrinsic signals such as two-photon excited autofluorescence and second harmonic generation can be used to classify live and dead chondrocytes in cartilage tissue. A quantitative measure is also proposed allowing development of automated assessment algorithms. The nonlabeling nature of this method suggests the potential applicability to nondestructive and in vivo assessment of cartilage health.
In vivoevaluation of posterior eye elasticity using shaker-based optical coherence elastography
Authors: Qian Xuejun , Li Runze , Li Yan , Lu Gengxi , He Youmin , Humayun Mark S , Chen Zhongping , Zhou Qifa
Published: January 2020

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive retinal disease and becomes the leading cause of blindness. It is well established that early detection is the key to preservation of functional vision. However, it is very difficult to diagnose AMD in very early stages, before structural changes are evident. Consequently, investigating the biomechanical properties of the retina maybe essential for understanding its physiological function. In this study, we present a shear wave-based quantitative method for estimating the elasticity of the posterior eye using shaker-based optical coherence elastography. This technique has been developed and validated on both a homogeneous phantom and a healthy rabbit in vivo. The shear wave speed from the ganglion side to the photoreceptor side of the rabbit eye is 4.1 m/s, 4.9 m/s, and 6.7 m/s, respectively. In addition, the most stiff sclera region has an average shear wave speed of 9.1 m/s. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using this technique to quantify biomechanical properties of the posterior eye and its potential translation to the clinical study.

Impact statement

Herein, we propose a potentially clinical applicable shaker-based optical coherence elastography (OCE) technique to characterize the biomechanical properties of the posterior eye, including different layers of the retina. Compared with either acoustic radiation force OCE or air-puff OCE, the newly developed method can induce sufficient shear wave propagation at the posterior eye with high resolution and large field of view.
Saturated hydrogen improves lipid metabolism disorders and dysbacteriosis induced by a high-fat diet
Authors: Qiu Xiangjie , Ye Qiaona , Sun Mengxing , Wang Lili , Tan Yurong , Wu Guojun
Published: January 2020

Studies have shown that metabolic diseases, such as obesity, are significantly associated with intestinal flora imbalance. The amplification of opportunistic pathogens induced by the glyoxylic acid cycle contributes to intestinal flora imbalance. Promising, though, is that saturated hydrogen can effectively improve the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases, such as obesity. However, the specific mechanism of how saturated hydrogen operates is still not very clear. In this study, after a high-fat diet, the level of total cholesterol, total glyceride, and low-density lipoprotein in the peripheral blood of mice increased, and that of high-density lipoprotein decreased. Intestinal fatty acid metabolism-related gene Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), fatty acid synthase (FAS), intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FAPB), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) increased significantly. Bacteroides, Bifidobacteria, and Lactobacillus counts in feces decreased considerably, while Enterobacter cloacae increased. The activity of isocitrate lyase in feces increased markedly. Treatment of mice with saturated hydrogen led to decreased total cholesterol, total glyceride, and low-density lipoprotein and increased high-density lipoprotein in the peripheral blood. FAS and I-FAPB gene expression in the small intestine decreased. Bacteroides, Bifidobacteria, and Lactobacillus in feces increased significantly, whereas Enterobacter cloacae decreased. The activity of isocitrate lyase also diminished remarkably. These results suggest that saturated hydrogen could improve intestinal structural integrity and lipid metabolism disorders by inhibiting the glyoxylic acid cycle of the intestinal flora.

Impact statement

Past studies have shown that hydrogen can improve metabolic disorders, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. It is well known that metabolic diseases, such as obesity, are significantly associated with changes in the intestinal flora. The glyoxylic acid cycle is an essential metabolic pathway in prokaryotes, lower eukaryotes, and plants and could be the portal for mechanisms related to metabolic disorders. Many opportunistic pathogenic bacteria can recycle fatty acids to synthesize sugars and other pathogenic substances using the glyoxylic acid cycle. So, the glyoxylic acid cycle may be involved in intestinal dysbacteriosis under high-fat diet. This study, therefore, seeks to provide the mechanism of how hydrogen improves metabolic diseases and a new basis for the use of hydrogen in the treatment of metabolic disorders.
Spectrum-specific encephalography standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography network and gray matter correlations in vascular dementia patients
Authors: Lv Yan , Chen Huijuan , Sui Zhiyan , Huang Yingliu , Huang Shixiong , Chen Feng , Wen Guoqiang
Published: January 2020

Vascular dementia, secondary to Alzheimer’s dementia, ranks as one of the most frequent dementia types. The process of vascular dementia is divergent with other neurodegenerative dementias and thus reversible at the early cognitive disorder or mild dementia stages. The encephalography and neuroimaging data mining at different stages would bring neuromodulation strategies in practice; 15 mild cognitive impairment patients and 16 mild vascular dementia patients as well as 17 cognitive healthy controls were screened in this study. Cognitive tests such as Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal cognitive assessment, voxel-based morphometry, electroencephalography, and standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography connectivity network were conducted. Compared with healthy group, voxel-based morphometry analysis showed a decrease in gray/cerebrospinal fluid ratio ( p < .05) in mild dementia group; the energy power of gamma band decreased ( p < .05) in mild dementia group; and electroencephalography standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis showed wider frontal and temporal lobe involvement in mild dementia patients ( p < .05). Network topological analysis screened top 10 key Brodmann areas (44R, 7R, 8L, 22L, 47L, 27L, 1L, 1R, 7R, 43L), which could be underlying neuromodulators for dementia patients. Electroencephalography as well as structural magnetic resonance imaging could be used for the evaluation of cognitive disorder patients. The spectrum-specific standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis and connectivity network analysis could shed light on the neuromodulator targets in the early phase of dementia.
Studying on the design and simulation of collision protection system between vehicle and pedestrian
Authors: Lu Yujun , Shen Jiafeng , Wang Chunqing , Lu Honghao , Xin Jiancheng
Published: January 2020

Pedestrian protection technology has become the most important issue in the field of vehicle safety. The design and simulation method of pedestrian protection system for vehicles is studied based on the Teoriya Resheniya Izobreatatelskih Zadatch theory in this article. The optimal solution of a new type of all-around airbag system mounted to the front of vehicles is presented after performing some Teoriya Resheniya Izobreatatelskih Zadatch analysis tools, such as the component analysis, causal analysis, resource analysis, and contradiction analysis. The digital modeling is carried out on the airbag deployments by SolidWorks, and the simulation analysis is performed on the collision between vehicle and pedestrian head by HyperWorks and LS-DYNA. The results show that the vehicle equipped with the front-end all-around airbag than without can play a better role in pedestrian head protection during the collision, making the maximum value of head injury criterion decrease by 66.7%, effectively reducing the collision damage and verifying the feasibility of the solution.
Reactivities of an anti-CEA peptide monoclonal antibody
Authors: Hand P. Horan , Simpson J. F. , Kuroki M. , Parker R. , Schlom J.
Published: January 2020

Synthetic peptides representing different areas of the CEA molecule were used as immunogens for the development of anti-CEA antibodies. Both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies were generated using peptides composed of CEA amino acid positions 99–128 and 585–613, respectively. One MAb, designated CP4, generated using the CEA peptide 99–128, was chosen for a more detailed analysis of reactivity. MAb CP4 reacts in solid phase RIAs with CEA peptide 99–128 immunogen and purified native CEA. CP4 did not react with purified non- specific cross reacting antigen (NCA), even though there were two single amino acid differences between NCA and CEA in the 29 amino acid peptide. The affinity constants of CP4 for the CEA peptide 99–128 and native CEA are 4.07 × 109 M−1 and 5.75 × 108 M−1, respectively. When CP4 was reacted with purified CEA in Western blotting experiments, the Mr 180,000 glycoprotein characteristic of CEA was detected, but CP4 reacted to various size entities in tumor cell extracts. The results of liquid competition RIAs showed that the epitope that MAb CP4 recognized on native CEA is not available for binding when CEA is in solution. Physical (adsorption to a solid matrix) or chemical (deglycosylation or formalin-fixation) alteration of CEA is required for binding of CP4 to CEA. MAb CP4 reacted approximately 1,000-fold greater to deglycosylated CEA than native CEA. Immunohistochemical studies using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections demonstrated that, among carcinomas, CP4 reacts selectively with colorectal carcinomas, while normal colon is negative. Although stomach carcinoma is negative, dysplastic lesions and areas of intestinal metaplasia are reactive. Two of 7 normal stomach tissues showed focal cytoplasmic reactivity of the surface epithelium. CP4, therefore, appears to react with an epitope with highly restricted expression in colorectal carcinoma. These studies demonstrate the complexities in dealing with an anti-peptide MAb with reactivity to an epitope which is accessible only under certain conditions.
Preliminary evaluation of HER-2/neu oncogene and epidermal growth factor receptor expression in normal and neoplastic human ovaries
Authors: Mileo A.M. , Fanuele M. , Battaglia F. , Scambia G. , Benedetti-Panici C. , Mattei E. , Mancuso S. , Delpino A.
Published: January 2020

The HER-2/neu oncogene (a member of the Erb-like oncogene family) is distinct from but closely related to the c-erb B gene which encodes the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr). HER-2/neu gene amplification was found in a large number of mammary carcinomas and there was a strong correlation between this phenomenon and poor prognosis. In our study HER-2/neu oncogene expression was determined in 16 malignant ovarian tumors, 2 ovarian lymphomas and 5 normal ovaries. The HER-2/neu gene was found both in normal ovaries and malignant tumors, without any apparent difference among the various histological types. In all the specimens examined, HER-2/neu expression did not seem to be related to EGF binding capacity.
Perceptual integration and the composite face effect
Authors: Liu Chang Hong , Young Andrew W , Basra Govina , Ren Naixin , Chen Wenfeng
Published: January 2020

The composite face paradigm is widely used to investigate holistic perception of faces. In the paradigm, parts from different faces (usually the top and bottom halves) are recombined. The principal criterion for holistic perception is that responses involving the component parts of composites in which the parts are aligned into a face-like configuration are disrupted compared with the same parts in a misaligned (not face-like) format. This is often taken as evidence that seeing a whole face in the aligned condition interferes with perceiving its separate parts, but the extent to which the effect is perceptually driven remains unclear. We used salient perceptual categories of gender (male or female) and race (Asian or Caucasian appearance) to create composite stimuli from parts of faces that varied orthogonally on these characteristics. In Experiment 1, participants categorised the gender of the parts of aligned composite and misaligned images created from parts with the same (congruent) or different (incongruent) gender and the same (congruent) or different (incongruent) race. In Experiment 2, the same stimuli were used but the task changed to categorising race. In both experiments, there was a strong influence of the task-relevant manipulation on the composite effect, with slower responses to aligned stimuli with incongruent gender in Experiment 1 and incongruent race in Experiment 2. In contrast, the task-irrelevant variable (race in Experiment 1, gender in Experiment 2) did not exert much influence on the composite effect in either experiment. These findings show that although holistic integration of salient visual properties makes a strong contribution to the composite face effect, it clearly also involves targeted processing of an attended visual characteristic.
The Impact of Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction on Reuse Intention in Urban Rail Transit in Tianjin, China
Authors: Wang Yuning , Zhang Zhe , Zhu Mengyuan , Wang Hexian
Published: January 2020

As considered one of the most important sustainable transportation, the development of urban rail transit has been thriving over the last decade, especially in the densely populated cities. Using an accurate measurement tool to find out the shortage factors in the rail transit service is the vital prerequisite for improving the services, increasing ridership, and implementing the sustainable transport policy. The purpose of the study is to use structural equation model (SEM) to assess the important dimensions of service quality and customer satisfaction on rail transit passengers’ reuse intention. Data are collected from a questionnaire survey and an empirical study is conducted by using SEM to test the hypotheses, as well as the structural relationships among these factors. The results of the empirical study confirmed that service quality can be conceptualized as functional service quality, technical service quality, comfort and cleanness, and service planning and reliability. And it has positive effect on reuse intention by enhancing customer satisfaction, as customer satisfaction has intermediary effect on passengers’ repurchase intention. This study contributes to transport agencies for analyzing the relationship between service quality attributes and passengers’ reuse intention for improving the supplied service, increasing the ridership, and implementing the sustainable transport policy.
Muslim Sportswomen as Digital Space Invaders: Hashtag Politics and Everyday Visibilities
Authors: Ahmad Nida , Thorpe Holly
Published: January 2020

This article examines the ways Muslim sportswomen are using social media to challenge stereotypical representations and to build community. Drawing from an 8-month digital ethnography of 50 different social media profiles across four different platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter) and interviews with 20 Muslim sportswomen, we reveal some of the various ways they are using social media to challenge dominant portrayals of Muslim women as in need of “saving”. We draw upon and elaborate Nirmal Puwar’s concept of “space invaders” to explain how Muslim sportswomen are using social media to challenge dominant discourses, build connections, and represent aspects of their sporting lives in culturally specific ways. The article focuses on two key strategies of the sportswomen, firstly their political use of hashtags and secondly the diverse politics of everyday visibilities. Ultimately, this article creates space for Muslim sportswomen’s voices to reveal the various culturally specific forms of agency and politics being employed in the digital realm.
Endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain: A mini review on pathophysiology and impact on mental health
Authors: Vrekoussis Thomas , Siafaka Vassiliki , Tsitou Alexandra , Tsonis Orestis , Navrozoglou Iordanis , Makrigiannakis Antonis , Paschopoulos Minas
Published: January 2020

Endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain is a major component of the disease that affects quality of life in women of reproductive age suffering from endometriosis. The present review summarizes current evidence upon pathophysiology and its impact on mental health. It seems that endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain is the result of chronic stress on the central nervous system as a consequence of chronic pelvic inflammation. Mental health issues may rise as a result of central nervous system derangement and further aggravate pain perception and therefore quality of life. Further properly designed studies are needed in order to elucidate the connection between mental disorders and endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain.
Dilemmas in Reforming Higher Education in India
Authors: Tilak Jandhyala B. G.
Published: January 2020

Higher education system in India facing daunting challenges from within—forces from within the institutions, and from outside within the country, and from global forces. The system needs major and somewhat pressing, if not emergency reforms. At the same time, we are confronted with a variety of dilemmas in reforming higher education. It is argued here that some dilemmas are redundant, a few valid and genuine, and some need a little bold re-thinking—drawing from traditional wisdom and contemporary world experience. The paper deliberates on these different types of education dilemmas.
Nivolumab treatment of relapsed/refractory Epstein-Barr virus–associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in adults
Authors: Liu Pengpeng , Pan Xiangyu , Chen Chong , Niu Ting , Shuai Xiao , Wang Jian , Chen Xuelan , Liu Jiazhuo , Guo Yong , Xie Liping , Wu Yu , Liu Yu , Liu Ting
Published: January 2020

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome triggered by EBV infection. It often becomes relapsed or refractory (r/r), given that etoposide-based regimens cannot effectively clear the virus. r/r EBV-HLH is invariably lethal in adults without allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Here, we performed a retrospective analysis of 7 r/r EBV-HLH patients who were treated with nivolumab on a compassionate-use basis at West China Hospital. All 7 patients tolerated the treatment and 6 responded to it. Five of them achieved and remained in clinical complete remission with a median follow-up of 16 months (range, 11.4-18.9 months). Importantly, both plasma and cellular EBV-DNAs were completely eradicated in 4 patients. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis showed that HLH syndrome was associated with hyperactive monocytes/macrophages and ineffective CD8 T cells with a defective activation program. Nivolumab treatment expanded programmed death protein-1–positive T cells and restored the expression of HLH-associated degranulation and costimulatory genes in CD8 T cells. Our data suggest that nivolumab, as a monotherapy, provides a potential cure for r/r EBV-HLH, most likely by restoring a defective anti-EBV response.
CNCC: an analysis tool to determine genome-wide DNA break end structure at single-nucleotide resolution
Authors: Szlachta Karol , Raimer Heather M. , Comeau Laurey D. , Wang Yuh-Hwa
Published: January 2020

Background

DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) are potentially deleterious events in a cell. The end structures (blunt, 3′- and 5′-overhangs) at DSB sites contribute to the fate of their repair and provide critical information concerning the consequences of the damage. Therefore, there has been a recent eruption of DNA break mapping and sequencing methods that aim to map at single-nucleotide resolution where breaks are generated genome-wide. These methods provide high resolution data for the location of DSBs, which can encode the type of end-structure present at these breaks. However, genome-wide analysis of the resulting end structures has not been investigated following these sequencing methods.

Results

To address this analysis gap, we develop the use of a coverage-normalized cross correlation analysis (CNCC) to process the high-precision genome-wide break mapping data, and determine genome-wide break end structure distributions at single-nucleotide resolution. We take advantage of the single-nucleotide position and the knowledge of strandness from every mapped break to analyze the relative shifts between positive and negative strand encoded break nucleotides. By applying CNCC we can identify the most abundant end structures captured by a break mapping technique, and further can make comparisons between different samples and treatments. We validate our analysis with restriction enzyme digestions of genomic DNA and establish the sensitivity of the analysis using end structures that only exist as a minor fraction of total breaks. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of our analysis by applying CNCC to the breaks resulting after treatment with etoposide and study the variety of resulting end structures.

Conclusion

For the first time, on a genome-wide scale, our analysis revealed the increase in the 5′ to 3′ end resection following etoposide treatment, and the global progression of the resection. Furthermore, our method distinguished the change in the pattern of DSB end structure with increasing doses of the drug. The ability of this method to determine DNA break end structures without a priori knowledge of break sequences or genomic position should have broad applications in understanding genome instability.
Identification of a novel anthocyanin synthesis pathway in the fungus Aspergillus sydowii H-1
Authors: Bu Congfan , Zhang Qian , Zeng Jie , Cao Xiyue , Hao Zhaonan , Qiao Dairong , Cao Yi , Xu Hui
Published: January 2020

Background

Anthocyanins are common substances with many agro-food industrial applications. However, anthocyanins are generally considered to be found only in natural plants. Our previous study isolated and purified the fungus Aspergillus sydowii H-1, which can produce purple pigments during fermentation. To understand the characteristics of this strain, a transcriptomic and metabolomic comparative analysis was performed with A. sydowii H-1 from the second and eighth days of fermentation, which confer different pigment production.

Results

We found five anthocyanins with remarkably different production in A. sydowii H-1 on the eighth day of fermentation compared to the second day of fermentation. LC-MS/MS combined with other characteristics of anthocyanins suggested that the purple pigment contained anthocyanins. A total of 28 transcripts related to the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway was identified in A. sydowii H-1, and almost all of the identified genes displayed high correlations with the metabolome. Among them, the chalcone synthase gene (CHS) and cinnamate-4-hydroxylase gene (C4H) were only found using the de novo assembly method. Interestingly, the best hits of these two genes belonged to plant species. Finally, we also identified 530 lncRNAs in our datasets, and among them, three lncRNAs targeted the genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis via cis-regulation, which provided clues for understanding the underlying mechanism of anthocyanin production in fungi.

Conclusion

We first reported that anthocyanin can be produced in fungus, A. sydowii H-1. Totally, 31 candidate transcripts were identified involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, in which CHS and C4H, known as the key genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis, were only found in strain H1, which indicated that these two genes may contribute to anthocyanins producing in H-1. This discovery expanded our knowledges of the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and provided a direction for the production of anthocyanin.
Over-expression of poplar NAC15 gene enhances wood formation in transgenic tobacco
Authors: Yao Wenjing , Zhang Dawei , Zhou Boru , Wang Jianping , Li Renhua , Jiang Tingbo
Published: January 2020

Background

NAC (NAM/ATAF/CUC) is one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor (TF) families known to play significant roles in wood formation. Acting as master gene regulators, a few NAC genes can activate secondary wall biosynthesis during wood formation in woody plants.

Results

In the present study, firstly, we screened 110 differentially expressed NAC genes in the leaves, stems, and roots of di-haploid Populus simonii×P. nigra by RNA-Seq. Then we identified a nucleus-targeted gene, NAC15 gene, which was one of the highly expressed genes in the stem among 110 NAC family members. Thirdly, we conducted expression pattern analysis of NAC15 gene, and observed NAC15 gene was most highly expressed in the xylem by RT-qPCR. Moreover, we transferred NAC15 gene into tobacco and obtained 12 transgenic lines overexpressing NAC15 gene (TLs). And the relative higher content of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin was observed in the TLs compared to the control lines containing empty vector (CLs). It also showed darker staining in the culms of the TLs with phloroglucinol staining, compared to the CLs. Furthermore, the relative expression level of a few lignin- and cellulose-related genes was significantly higher in the TLs than that in the CLs.

Conclusions

The overall results indicated that NAC15 gene is highly expressed in the xylem of poplar and may be a potential candidate gene playing an important role in wood formation in transgenic tobacco.