bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
I-FiBH trial: intravenous fluids in benign headaches—a randomised, single-blinded clinical trial
Authors: Zitek Tony , Sigal Tiffany , Sun Gina , Martin Manuel Chris , Tran Khanhha
Published: July 2020

Background

Many emergency physicians use an intravenous fluid bolus as part of a ‘cocktail’ of therapies for patients with headache, but it is unclear if this is beneficial. The objective of this study was to determine if an intravenous fluid bolus helps reduce pain or improve other outcomes in patients who present to the ED with a benign headache.

Methods

This was a randomised, single-blinded, clinical trial performed on patients aged 10–65 years old with benign headaches who presented to a single ED in Las Vegas, Nevada, from May 2017 to February 2019. All patients received prochlorperazine and diphenhydramine, and they were randomised to also receive either 20 mL/kg up to 1000 mL of normal saline (the fluid bolus group) or 5 mL of normal saline (the control group). The primary outcome was the difference between groups in mean pain reduction 60 min after the initiation of treatment. Secondarily, we compared groups with regards to pain reduction at 30 min, nausea scores, the use of rescue medications and disposition.

Results

We screened 67 patients for enrolment, and 58 consented. Of those, 35 were randomised to the fluid bolus group and 23 to the control group. The mean pain score dropped by 48.3 mm over 60 min in the fluid bolus group, compared with 48.7 mm in the control group. The between groups difference of 0.4 mm (95% CI −16.5 to 17.3) was not statistically significant (p=0.96). Additionally, no statistically significant difference was found between groups for any secondary outcome.

Conclusion

Though our study lacked statistical power to detect small but clinically significant differences, ED patients who received an intravenous fluid bolus for their headache had similar improvements in pain and other outcomes compared with those who did not.

Trial registration number

NCT03185130.
Children emotional and behavioural problems and its association with maternal depression in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Alenko Arefayne , Girma Shimelis , Abera Mubarek , Workicho Abdulhalik
Published: July 2020

Background

In sub-Saharan countries, one in five children and one in three women experiences emotional and behavioural problems (EBPs) and depression, respectively. While various factors were reported to affect the mental health of children, little is known about the impact of maternal depression on the offspring. Moreover, the magnitude of children’s EBPs is barely known in Ethiopia.

Aim

To determine the magnitude of child EBPs and its association with maternal depression in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 734 mother–child pairs in Jimma town from January to June, 2019. EBP was assessed by using the parent version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) with cut-off score of ≥14. Maternal depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 with a cut-off score of ≥10. Data were entered into Epidata V.3.1 and exported to SPSS V.24 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was fitted to identify the strength of association between exposure and outcome variables.

Results

Of the 734 participants, 146 (19.9%, 95% CI: 16.9% to 22.9%) met EBP criteria based on parent version of SDQ. Maternal depression had significant association with child EBP (adjusted OR=2.38, 95% CI: 1.55 to 3.66). In addition, children aged 7–10 years, family size categories of ≤3 and 4–6, maternal intimate partner violence and maternal khat use had significant association with child EBP.

Conclusions and recommendations

A significant number of children suffer from EBP in Jimma town. Maternal depression is found to be a predictor of children’s EBPs. Thus, there is a need to design and implement an integrated maternal and child mental health programme. The maternal and child health section at the national level should integrate and cascade routine maternal and child mental health screening and intervention modalities down to the family healthcare system.
A phase II single-arm study of pembrolizumab with enzalutamide in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing on enzalutamide alone
Authors: Graff Julie N , Beer Tomasz M , Alumkal Joshi J , Slottke Rachel E , Redmond William L , Thomas George V , Thompson Reid F , Wood Mary A , Koguchi Yoshinobu , Chen Yiyi , Latour Emile , Bergan Raymond C , Drake Charles G , Moran Amy E
Published: July 2020

Background

Checkpoint inhibitors can induce profound anticancer responses, but programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibition monotherapy has shown minimal activity in prostate cancer. A published report showed that men with prostate cancer who were resistant to the second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor enzalutamide had increased programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on circulating antigen-presenting cells. We hypothesized that the addition of PD-1 inhibition in these patients could induce a meaningful cancer response.

Methods

We evaluated enzalutamide plus the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab in a single-arm phase II study of 28 men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mprogressing on enzalutamide alone. Pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenous was given every 3 weeks for four doses with enzalutamide. The primary endpoint was prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline of ≥50%. Secondary endpoints were objective response, PSA progression-free survival (PFS), time to subsequent treatment, and time to death. Baseline tumor biopsies were obtained when feasible, and samples were sequenced and evaluated for the expression of PD-L1, microsatellite instability (MSI), mutational and neoepitope burdens.

Results

Five (18%) of 28 patients had a PSA decline of ≥50%. Three (25%) of 12 patients with measurable disease at baseline achieved an objective response. Of the five responders, two continue with PSA and radiographic response after 39.3 and 37.8 months. For the entire cohort, median follow-up was 37 months, and median PSA PFS time was 3.8 months (95% CI: 2.8 to 9.9 months). Time to subsequent treatment was 7.21 months (95% CI: 5.1 to 11.1 months). Median overall survival for all patients was 21.9 months (95% CI: 14.7 to 28 .4 months), versus 41.7 months (95% CI: 22.16 to not reached (NR)) in the responders. Of the three responders with baseline biopsies, one had MSI high disease with mutations consistent with DNA-repair defects. None had detectable PD-L1 expression.

Conclusions

Pembrolizumab has activity in mCRPC when added to enzalutamide. Responses were deep and durable and did not require tumor PD-L1 expression or DNA-repair defects.

Trial registration number

clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02312557).
Molecular mechanisms of human herpes viruses inferring with host immune surveillance
Authors: Jasinski-Bergner Simon , Mandelboim Ofer , Seliger Barbara
Published: July 2020

Several human herpes viruses (HHVs) exert oncogenic potential leading to malignant transformation of infected cells and/or tissues. The molecular processes induced by viral-encoded molecules including microRNAs, peptides, and proteins contributing to immune evasion of the infected host cells are equal to the molecular processes of immune evasion mediated by tumor cells independently of viral infections. Such major immune evasion strategies include (1) the downregulation of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines as well as the induction of anti-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines, (2) the downregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ia directly as well as indirectly by downregulation of the components involved in the antigen processing, and (3) the downregulation of stress-induced ligands for activating receptors on immune effector cells with NKG2D leading the way. Furthermore, (4) immune modulatory molecules like MHC class Ib molecules and programmed cell death1 ligand 1 can be upregulated on infections with certain herpes viruses. This review article focuses on the known molecular mechanisms of HHVs modulating the above-mentioned possibilities for immune surveillance and even postulates a temporal order linking regular tumor immunology with basic virology and offering putatively novel insights for targeting HHVs.
Systemic lupus erythematosus and neutropaenia: a hallmark of haematological manifestations
Authors: Meyer Aurore , Guffroy Aurélien , Blaison Gilles , Dieudonne Yannick , Amoura Zahir , Bonnotte Bernard , Fiehn Christoph , Kieffer Pierre , Lorenz Hannes Martin , Magy-Bertrand Nadine , Maurier François , Pennaforte Jean-Louis , Peter Hans-Hartmut , Schwarting Andreas , Sibilia Jean , Arnaud Laurent , Martin Thierry , Voll Reinhard Edmund , Korganow Anne-Sophie
Published: July 2020

Objective

Systemic lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by its phenotypic heterogeneity. Neutropaenia is a frequent event in SLE occurring in 20%–40% of patients depending on the threshold value of neutrophil count. On a daily basis, the management of neutropaenia in SLE is difficult with several possible causes. Moreover, the infectious consequences of neutropaenia in SLE remain not well defined.

Methods

998 patients from the Lupus BioBank of the upper Rhein (LBBR), a large German and French cohort of patients with SLE, mostly of Caucasian origin (83%), were included in this study. Neutropaenia was considered when neutrophil count was below 1800×106/L. An additional analysis of detailed medical records was done for 65 LBBR patients with neutropaenia.

Results

208 patients with neutropaenia (21%) were compared with 779 SLE patients without neutropaenia. Neutropaenia in SLE was significantly associated with thrombocytopaenia (OR 4.11 (2.57–10.3)), lymphopaenia (OR 4.41 (2.51–11.5)) and low C3 (OR 1.91 (1.03–4.37)) in multivariate analysis. 65 representative patients with neutropaenia were analysed. Neutropaenia was moderate to severe in 38%, chronic in 31%, and both severe and chronic in 23% of cases. Moderate to severe and chronic neutropaenia were both associated with lymphopaenia and thrombopaenia. Chronic neutropaenia was also associated anti-Ro/SSA antibodies and moderate to severe neutropaenia with oral ulcers.

Conclusion

This study is to date the largest cohort to describe neutropaenia in SLE. Neutropaenia displays a strong association with other cytopaenias, suggesting a common mechanism. Chronic neutropaenia is associated with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies with or without identified Sjögren’s disease.
Nuisance bleeding complications in patients with cerebral aneurysm treated with Pipeline embolization device
Authors: Pressman Elliot , De la Garza Carlos A , Chin Felix , Fishbein Jacob , Waqas Muhammad , Siddiqui Adnan , Snyder Kenneth , Davies Jason M , Levy Elad , Kan Peter , Ren Zeguang , Mokin Maxim
Published: July 2020

Background

Patients with cerebral aneurysms treated with the Pipeline embolization device (PED) are maintained on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to prevent thromboembolic complications. Rates of minor, “nuisance” bleeding in these patients remain unknown. We sought to evaluate the frequency and factors associated with this bleeding and its effect on DAPT compliance.

Methods

We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study on consecutive cases of intracranial aneurysms treated with PED. Patient characteristics, aneurysm characteristics, and bleeding complications were analyzed. Severity of bleeding was defined according to a previously published classification defining nuisance bleeding as easy bruising, bleeding from small cuts, petechia, and ecchymosis.

Results

245 PED aneurysm procedures on 243 patients were retrospectively collected from three academic centers over a 4.25-year period. Sixty-seven patients (27%) had nuisance bleeds. Patients with a higher risk of nuisance bleeding were older (59.1±3.4 vs . 54.7±2.2, P=0.032). Patients with nuisance bleeds were more likely to have their DAPT regimen changed or dose lowered (29% vs 8.3%, P<0.001), were on DAPT for less time (10.0 months±2.60 vs. 14.6 months±1.95, P=0.005) and were more likely to have aneurysm occlusion at 6 months (P<0.001). Stepwise logistic regression found age predictive of a nuisance bleed (OR=1.033)

Conclusions

Nuisance bleeding was a common complaint of PED-treated aneurysm patients maintained on DAPT. Increasing age and aneurysmal occlusion at 6 months were the only factors predictive of nuisance bleeds. Clinicians were more likely to adjust antiplatelet regimens or stop DAPT early given a nuisance bleed.
Spinal cord clear cell meningioma in a dog
Authors: Clarke Nicholas Robert James , Harris Georgina Louise , Greville‐Heygate Oliver , Constantino‐Casas Fernando , Freeman Paul
Published: July 2020

A five‐year‐old, male entire Jack Russell terrier presented for a two‐month history of ambulatory paraparesis lateralised to the left. Neurological examination localised to an L4–S3 myelopathy. MRI revealed an equivocal intramedullary lesion at the level of the L4–L5 disc space occupying 80 per cent of the spinal cord area. The mass was surgically resected. Histopathology confirmed the mass to be consistent with a meningioma in which a high proportion of neoplastic cells exhibited clear cytoplasm that stained positively with periodic acid‐Schiff and was diastase‐sensitive. This mass was assigned grade II/atypical (World Health Organization human system) based on the predominant clear cell morphology and a mitotic count of 10 mitotic figures in 10 high‐power fields. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of a clear cell meningioma in a dog.
Management of early appendicular lump in children - laparoscopic technique versus open surgery: a comparative study in low-middle income country perspective
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Zonaid , Farooq Md Abdullah Al , Rahman M A Mushfiqur , Chowdhury Tanvir Kabir
Published: July 2020

Background

In the pediatric population, appendectomy is one of the most common emergency operations. Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is an accepted way of dealing with suspected uncomplicated appendicitis in children. The role of laparoscopy in appendicular lump is more controversial and remains undeﬁned and is not well practiced in low-middle income countries. The aim of this study was to determine a better surgical treatment plan for early appendicular lump in children.

Methods

This prospective observational study was performed in Pediatric Surgery Department of Chittagong Medical College and Hospital for a period of 1 year from April 2018 to March 2019. Sixty children with appendicular lump selected consecutively as per eligibility criteria underwent either LA or open appendectomy (OA), that is, 30 children per group. They were followed up until hospital discharge to observe outcomes.

Results

There were no differences in terms of patient’s age, sex, clinical presentation and laboratory findings between the two groups. Postoperative pain severity was significantly less in the LA group than that in the OA group (p<0.01). The incidence of wound infection was significantly lower in the LA group than that in the OA group (6.7% in LA and 46.7% in OA; p<0.01). Children in the LA group had a shorter duration of hospital stay in comparison to the OA group [median (IQR) was 8 (5.75–11.25) days and 12 (7.75–18.00) days, respectively, in LA and OA groups; p=0.01].

Conclusion

The study findings suggest that LA is feasible and should replace OA in cases of early appendicular lump in children.
Lightening gravity-mediated dark matter
Authors: Kang Yoo-Jin , Lee Hyun Min
Published: July 2020

We revisit the scenario of a massive spin-2 particle as the mediator for communicating between dark matter of arbitrary spin and the Standard Model. Taking the general couplings of the spin-2 particle in the effective theory, we discuss the thermal production mechanisms for dark matter with various channels and the dark matter self-scattering. For WIMP and light dark matter cases, we impose the relic density condition and various experimental constraints from direct and indirect detections, precision measurements as well as collider experiments. We show that it is important to include the annihilation of dark matter into a pair of spin-2 particles in both allowed and forbidden regimes, thus opening up the consistent parameter space for dark matter. The benchmark models of the spin-2 mediator are presented in the context of the warped extra dimension and compared to the simplified models.
Boltzmann–Grad asymptotic behavior of collisional dynamics
Authors: Gerasimenko V. I. , Gapyak I. V.
Published: July 2020

This paper discusses some of the latest advances in the mathematical understanding of the nature of kinetic equations that describe the collective behavior of many-particle systems with collisional dynamics.
Algorithmic versatility of SPF-regularization methods
Authors: Shen Lixin , Suter Bruce W. , Tripp Erin E.
Published: July 2020

Sparsity promoting functions (SPFs) are commonly used in optimization problems to find solutions which are sparse in some basis. For example, the [Formula: see text]-regularized wavelet model and the Rudin–Osher–Fatemi total variation (ROF-TV) model are some of the most well-known models for signal and image denoising, respectively. However, recent work demonstrates that convexity is not always desirable in SPFs. In this paper, we replace convex SPFs with their induced nonconvex SPFs and develop algorithms for the resulting model by exploring the intrinsic structures of the nonconvex SPFs. These functions are defined as the difference of the convex SPF and its Moreau envelope. We also present simulations illustrating the performance of a special SPF and the developed algorithms in image denoising.
Plasticity of the Primary Motor Cortex in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors
Authors: Kong Nathan W. , Gibb William R. , Badhe Suvarna , Liu Benjamin P. , Tate Matthew C.
Published: July 2020

There are two neuron-level mechanisms proposed to underlie neural plasticity: recruiting neurons nearby to support the lost function (ipsilesional plasticity) and uncovering latent pathways that can assume the function that was lost (contralesional plasticity). While both patterns have been demonstrated in patient groups following injury, the specific mechanisms underlying each mode of plasticity are poorly understood. In a retrospective case series of 13 patients, we utilize a novel paradigm that analyzes serial fMRI scans in patients harboring intrinsic brain tumors that vary in location and growth kinetics to better understand the mechanisms underlying these two modes of plasticity in the human primary motor cortex. Twelve patients in our series had some degree of primary motor cortex plasticity, an area previously thought to have limited plasticity. Patients harboring smaller lesions with slower growth kinetics and increasing distance from the primary motor region demonstrated recruitment of ipsilateral motor regions. Conversely, larger, faster-growing lesions in close proximity to the primary motor region were associated with activation of the contralesional primary motor cortex, along with increased activation of the supplementary motor area. These data increase our understanding of the adaptive abilities of the brain and may lead to improved treatment strategies for those suffering from motor loss secondary to brain injuries.
Nonlinear Global Stabilization Control for the Underactuated WAcrobot System
Authors: Gong Shuli , Zhang Ancai , Liu Zhi , Li Zhenxing , Yang Chengdong , Zhang Xinghui
Published: July 2020

A WAcrobot is an underactuated nonlinear system that has three degrees of freedom (DOF) and two inputs. This paper discusses the global stabilization control problem for this 3-DOF underactuated system. A new control strategy is developed to solve this problem. The strategy first changes the 3-DOF WAcrobot system to be a 2-DOF reduced-order model in finite time. This transforms the stabilizing control of the WAcrobot system into that of the reduced-order model. After that, nonsingular control laws that globally stabilize the reduced-order model at the origin are designed. It guarantees the stabilizing control objective of the WAcrobot to be achieved. Finally, a simulation experimental example demonstrates the validity of the presented theoretical results. Simulation results show the advantage of our strategy over others.
Risk Evaluation of Sewage Treatment PPPABS Projects Using Combination Weight Method and D-S Evidence Theory
Authors: Zhao Hui , Bu Zehui , Ma Shengbin
Published: July 2020

In order to make up for the shortage of public-private partnership (PPP) model, more and more sewage treatment PPP projects have adopted the asset-backed securitization (ABS) model. To ensure success of sewage treatment PPPABS projects, risk evaluation, which has remained scarcity and unscientific, is becoming an urgent problem to be solved. Firstly, this paper identifies critical risk factors by literature analysis and expert interview. The final risk system is established from the perspectives of macrorisks, basic asset risks, transaction structure risks, operational risks, and other risks, which include 17 second risk factors. Then, the overall risk evaluation method is proposed based on combination weight method and Dempster–Shafer (D-S) evidence theory. Next, Beijing capital Co. Ltd. sewage treatment PPPABS project as a case is employed to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Finally, awareness of existing risks, suggestions from law risk, quality risk, underwriting and issue risk, and credit enhancement are provided for sewage treatment PPPABS projects. All above studies are expected to provide helpful references for evaluating overall risk of sewage treatment PPPABS projects.
Some Properties and Distribution of the Zeros of the q-Sigmoid Polynomials
Authors: Kang Jung Yoog
Published: July 2020

The sigmoid polynomials combining q-numbers and various properties of their polynomials are thoroughly presented in this paper. Based on several properties of q-numbers, we derive some identities of q-sigmoid polynomials. Also, from explicit polynomials, we can observe structures of the zeros of the sigmoid polynomials which are related to q-numbers.
Investigation of Anisotropic Permeability and Porosity of CJRM considering Different Confinement Loading Pressures
Authors: Chao Zhiming , Ma Guotao , Hu Xiewen , Zhu Yuzhe
Published: July 2020

An innovative method is proposed to prepare artificial columnar jointed rock masses (CJRM) with different columnar dip angles, and laboratory physical model tests are conducted to investigate anisotropic permeability and porosity characteristics of the prepared artificial CJRM. In the physical model experiment, permeability and porosity of artificial CJRM with different columnar dip angles is measured during three times cyclic loading and unloading of confinement pressure. Based on the results of the laboratory model tests, the Equivalent Continuum Media Model was applied to analyse anisotropic permeability of CJRM. The main conclusions are summarized as follows. In the first loading phase of confinement pressure, the impacts of confinement pressure on the anisotropic permeability of artificial CJRM, porosity, and the major and minor principle permeability coefficients (PPCs) are significant, while in the following stages of confinement pressure loading and unloading, the change of them is small, with stable value. Permeability of artificial CJRM gradually increases with rise of columnar dip angle, and the permeability anisotropy of artificial CJRM under low confinement pressure is higher than that under low confinement pressure.
Implementation of Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy Model to Optimize Operational Process of Multiconfiguration Gas-Turbines
Authors: Deng Chao , Abdalla Ahmed N. , Ibrahim Thamir K. , Jiang MingXin , Al-Sammarraie Ahmed T. , Wu Jun
Published: July 2020

In this article, the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and multiconfiguration gas-turbines are used to predict the optimal gas-turbine operating parameters. The principle formulations of gas-turbine configurations with various operating conditions are introduced in detail. The effects of different parameters have been analyzed to select the optimum gas-turbine configuration. The adopted ANFIS model has five inputs, namely, isentropic turbine efficiency (Teff), isentropic compressor efficiency (Ceff), ambient temperature (T1), pressure ratio (rp), and turbine inlet temperature (TIT), as well as three outputs, fuel consumption, power output, and thermal efficiency. Both actual reported information, from Baiji Gas-Turbines of Iraq, and simulated data were utilized with the ANFIS model. The results show that, at an isentropic compressor efficiency of 100% and turbine inlet temperature of 1900 K, the peak thermal efficiency amounts to 63% and 375 MW of power resulted, which was the peak value of the power output. Furthermore, at an isentropic compressor efficiency of 100% and a pressure ratio of 30, a peak specific fuel consumption amount of 0.033 kg/kWh was obtained. The predicted results reveal that the proposed model determines the operating conditions that strongly influence the performance of the gas-turbine. In addition, the predicted results of the simulated regenerative gas-turbine (RGT) and ANFIS model were satisfactory compared to that of the foregoing Baiji Gas-Turbines.
The Influence of Depression and Anxiety on Neurological Disability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Văcăraș Vitalie , Văcăraș Veronica , Nistor Cristina , Văcăraș Daniela , Opre Adrian Nicolae , Blaga Petronela , Mureșanu Dafin F.
Published: July 2020

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting mostly young-aged people. As a chronic incurable disease, in most cases, it can lead to progressive neurological impairment and severe disability. Depression and anxiety are major distress factors for MS patients, being considerably aggravating elements for their functional capacity. In this study, we analysed the mood disorder distribution and the possible correlations between depression, anxiety, automatic negative thoughts, and MS disability. We took into consideration 146 MS patients, who completed a series of questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales-State (EMAS-S), and Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ). The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to measure the neurological disability. Of all patients, 30.1% had symptoms for depression and 11% presented suicidal thoughts. After analysing the correlation index between each variable, we found that there is a mild positive correlation between depression and the EDSS score and between anxiety and the EDSS score. A difference is found in the test scores according to the type of the MS disease. Also, automatic negative thoughts are strongly correlated with depression and anxiety, but do not mediate the path between psychological comorbidities and neurological impairment. Sociodemographic features and interferon-beta treatment were not related to the intensity of the mood disorders. The study suggests that depression and anxiety are frequently encountered among MS patients and these mental disfunctions have an impact on their disability. A proper identification of these risk factors may improve the quality of life for these patients.
Mother’s Satisfaction towards Childbirth Care at Public Health Centers in Bench-Maji Zone, Ethiopia: A Facility-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hailemariam Shewangizaw , Genetu Amare , Sahile Ermiyas
Published: July 2020

Background. Assessing the level of maternal satisfaction towards maternal health care services has a paramount importance in improving the service quality and enhancing service utilization. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess maternal satisfaction towards childbirth care and its determinants at public health facilities in Bench-Maji Zone, Ethiopia. Methods. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 20, 2018, to July 11, 2018 in Bench-Maji Zone, Ethiopia. A total of 845 mothers were selected by employing a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire. Satisfaction was measured by the five-point Likert scale from very dissatisfied (1) to very satisfied (5). Data were entered in to Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. A P value < 0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance. Result. About 506 (63.25%) of the mothers were satisfied by the overall care provided during childbirth. Factors associated with mothers’ satisfaction with childbirth care includes attending no formal education [AOR=3.69; 95% CI (1.99, 7.91)], rural residency [AOR=2.63; 95% CI (1.43, 5.80)], perceived measure taken to assure privacy [AOR=3.56; 95% CI (1.25, 7.41)], and attending antenatal care [AOR=6.23; 95% CI (3.42, 12.87)]. Conclusion. The overall satisfaction of mothers with childbirth care in public health centers of Bench-Maji Zone is low when compared with other studies. Hence, understanding mothers’ expectations, assuring privacy, and enhancing antenatal care attendance might improve maternal satisfaction with childbirth care.
Multi-Target Robust Waveform Design Based on Harmonic Variance and Mutual Information
Authors: Wang Bin , Yu Shuangqi
Published: July 2020

Cognitive radar is an intelligent radar system, and adaptive waveform design is one of the core problems in cognitive radar research. In the previous studies, it is assumed that the prior information of the target is known, and the definition of target spectrum variance has not changed. In this paper, we study on robust waveform design problem in multiple targets scene. We hope that the upper and lower bounds of the uncertainty range of robustness are more close to the actual situation, and establish a finite time random target signal model based on mutual information (MI). On the basis of the optimal transmitted waveform and robust waveform based on MI, we redefine the target spectrum variance as harmonic variance, and propose a novel robust waveform design method based on harmonic variance and MI. We compare its performance with robust waveform based on original variance. Simulation results show that, in the situation of multiple targets, compared to the original variance, the MI lifting rate of robust waveform based on harmonic variance relative to the optimal transmitted waveform in the uncertainty range has great improvement. In certain circumstances, robust waveform based on harmonic variance and MI is more suitable for more targets.
ALDH1 Cancer Stem Cell Marker as a Prognostic Factor in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Panigoro Sonar Soni , Kurnia Dian , Kurnia Ahmad , Haryono Samuel Johny , Albar Zafiral Azdi
Published: July 2020

Breast cancer is the most common cancer with an increasing incidence in Asia. About 20% of all breast cancers are triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). BCSC is a subset of tumor cells that has stem cell-like characteristics, such as a high capacity for self-renewal and tumor initiation, which implies that BCSC may cause aggressiveness of TNBC. ALDH1 has a role in early stem cell differentiation through its function in the oxidation of retinol to retinoic acid, proposed to be a strong candidate for breast cancer stem cells. Various studies have shown that ALDH1 is one of the markers of CSC that can be used as a prognosis indicator because it can be a biological marker for poor prognostic factors in TNBC. This study assessed the prognostic survival rate with a retrospective cohort method in TNBC patients. A total of 54 of 55 patients treated at RSCM were tested for the expression of ALDH1 through an immunohistochemistry assay of breast cancer tissue using ALDH1 staining. Survival analysis was done to obtain the prognostic data of ALDH1. Positive ALDH1 expression was obtained at 38.89% in TNBC patients. One-year survival and three years of survival in TNBC patients with positive ALDH1 expression were 42.9% and 33.3%, respectively. In this study, ALDH1 can be used as a poor survival prognostic factor with HR 2.636 and p value 0.013. The conclusion of this study is that ALDH1 can be used as a poor prognostic factor in TNBC patients although it cannot be an independent prognostic factor.
Controlling the Antioxidant Activity of Green Tea Extract through Encapsulation in Chitosan-Citrate Nanogel
Authors: Piran F. , Khoshkhoo Z. , Hosseini S. E. , Azizi M. H.
Published: July 2020

Applying bioactive ingredients in the formulation of foods instead of artificial preservatives is problematic because bioactive ingredients are unstable and sensitive to environmental conditions. The present study aimed to control the antioxidant activity of green tea extract (GT) through encapsulating in chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NP). The synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The encapsulation efficiency (EE), particle size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index (PDI) of GT-loaded CS-nanoparticles (CS-NP-GT) were assessed. Based on the results, the particle size and zeta potential related to the ratio of CS to GT of 1 : 0.5 were obtained as 135.43 ± 2.52 nm and 40.40 ± 0.2 mV, respectively. Furthermore, the results of FT-IR and XRD confirmed the validity of encapsulating GT in CS-NP. In addition, the antioxidant activity of GT increased after nanoencapsulation since the IC50 value of CS-NP-GT decreased to 6.13 ± 0.12 μg/ml. Finally, applying these particles for delivering GT polyphenols in foods is regarded as promising.
The Emerging Role of MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer
Authors: Yang Zhiguang , Liu Zhaoyu
Published: July 2020

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women. Due to BC heterogeneity, complexity, and metastasis, many BC patients do not successfully respond to therapies. The effective management of BC depends on early diagnosis and monitoring of drug response. Therefore, identifying new biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and development of new drugs is urgently required. Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) participates in the tumorigenesis and progression of cancers, especially breast cancer (BC). Several studies demonstrated that miRNAs could perform their function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. This review describes recent progress on the role of microRNAs in the diagnosis, prognosis, hallmark, and treatment of BC. According to a recent literature survey, miRNAs play a pivotal role in the regulation of hallmarks of cancer, such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and tumor stemness. Many miRNAs are potential biomarkers for BC for diagnosis, and some are indicators of prognosis. Moreover, circulating miRNA profiles, as minimally invasive, diagnostic, and prognostic markers, are broadly used in BC therapy, and some miRNAs are good predictors of therapeutic outcomes. Other miRNAs are involved in overcoming chemoresistance and in increasing BC drug sensitivity.
New Contractive Mappings and Their Fixed Points in Branciari Metric Spaces
Authors: Saleh Hayel N. , Imdad Mohammad , Abdeljawad Thabet , Arif Mohammad
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we introduce the notion of generalizedL-contractions which enlarge the class of ℒ-contractions initiated by Cho in 2018. Thereafter, we also, define the notion ofL∗-contractions. Utilizing our newly introduced notions, we establish some new fixed-point theorems in the setting of complete Branciari’s metric spaces, without using the Hausdorff assumption. Moreover, some examples and applications to boundary value problems of the fourth-order differential equations are given to exhibit the utility of the obtained results.
Calcific Tendinitis of the Supraspinatus Tendon in an Infant
Authors: Wako Masanori , Ichikawa Jiro , Koyama Kensuke , Takayama Yoshihiro , Haro Hirotaka
Published: July 2020

Calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon in adults is common, but it is extremely rare in children. This report presents an unusual case of a 2-year-old boy with calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon. A mother brought her 2-year-old son to our hospital with a fever and severe left shoulder pain. Examination revealed a temperature of 38.6°C accompanied by a swollen shoulder with extreme pain and restricted movement. The radiographs of his left shoulder showed a large radio-opacity in the subacrominal region, and magnetic resonance imaging showed an elongated T1 and T2 hypointense signal above the supraspinatus tendon. Although these images were suggestive of calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon, we performed an open biopsy and resection in order to differentiate between a suspected diagnosis of calcific tendinitis, which is incredibly rare within pediatric patients, and infection or a soft tissue tumor. Finally, calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon was diagnosed by pathologic experiment and successfully treated, with complete resolution of pain and movement. Because only four other pediatric cases of calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon have ever been reported, there is a lack of information on the diagnostic process, management, and treatment of such a condition in young patients. Calcific tendinitis of the supraspinatus tendon still should be considered when encountering cases with typical findings even if the patient is a child.
Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Metastasis to the Pseudophakic Lens Capsule with Associated Granulomatous Intraocular Inflammation
Authors: Quhill Hibba , Mudhar Hardeep S. , Spiteri Cornish Kurt , Rennie Ian G.
Published: July 2020

Intraocular cutaneous melanoma metastasis (ICMM) is a rare event, accounting for only 5% of all metastases to the eye and orbit. The vast majority of such metastases primarily affect the choroid and vitreoretinal structures. Only three previous cases of predominant lens structure ICMM have been reported in the literature. Histological examination, in all three past cases, was performed on enucleation specimens of painful blind eyes. We present the first case of ICMM to the lens capsule in a comfortable, seeing, pseudophakic eye. This was histologically confirmed following diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy and capsulotomy, and was found to be associated with background granulomatous intraocular inflammation. The potential causes of the granulomatous inflammation are discussed.
Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: A Case of Anti-IgE Treatment with Short-Lasting Remission
Authors: Gatta Alessia , Della Valle Loredana , Farinelli Anila , Scarano Gilda , Lumaca Arianna , Cavallucci Enrico , Di Gioacchino Mario , Paganelli Roberto
Published: July 2020

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a persistent, severe allergic eye disease, mainly occurring in children, that can lead to severe ocular complications including visual loss. The underlying etiology and pathophysiology of VKC remain unclear. Common therapies include topical antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers that are effective in mild-to-moderate forms of VKC but are often ineffective in severe forms that require topical or systemic corticosteroids. Dependence on steroids is common with potential adverse effects both local, as increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, infection and cataract, as well as systemic ones, as reduction in child growth velocity. Alternative therapies are immunosuppressive drugs, like cyclosporine A and tacrolimus, that usually are effective but may also cause adverse effects. A promising therapeutic option is omalizumab, a recombinant anti-IgE humanized monoclonal antibody, currently used as add-on therapy for moderate to severe uncontrolled allergic asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria. Here, we report the short-time duration of effective relief of symptoms after the prolonged use of omalizumab in a patient affected by refractory VKC. However, in our case any apparent beneficial effect was short lasting, and we propose that the duration of the disease and the concomitant long-term use of steroids leads to iatrogenic damage; thus, the disease becomes refractory to anti-IgE treatment.
Eruptive Syringoma: Two Cases with Dermoscopic Features
Authors: Botsali Aysenur , Caliskan Ercan , Coskun Ali , Tunca Mustafa
Published: July 2020

Syringoma is an adnexal tumor typically observed on the periorbital region and readily diagnosed by clinical examination. Eruptive syringoma is a rare variant that is commonly confused with mastocytosis and lichen planus clinically. The diagnosis is generally confirmed by typical histopathological features. Herein, we report two eruptive syringoma cases along with the dermoscopic features. Through our dermoscopic evaluation before skin biopsy, we detected features also reminding that of maculopapular mastocytosis as reticular light brown lines, structureless light-brown areas, and reticular vessels. Additionally, as an additional pattern, shiny white dots were observed in the vulvar variant.
Natureza e artifício: Hume crítico de Hutcheson e Mandeville
Authors: Salles Fernão De Oliveira
Published: July 2020

Nosso objetivo geral consiste em situar a filosofia moral de David Hume no debate iniciado pela publicação da Fábula das Abelhas de Bernard Mandeville. Pretende-se com isso, matizar a suposta filiação de Hume à filosofia moral de Francis Hutcheson, em especial, e às filosofias do senso moral de um modo geral. Para tanto, além de uma breve exposição das posições de Mandeville e Hutcheson, buscamos realizar uma análise mais detida da concepção humiana de juízo e sentimentos morais, de maneira a indicar em que medida Hume se afasta e em que medida se aproxima das teses do filósofo holandês. Dessa forma pretende-se determinar a originalidade da solução de Hume para as questões postas pela obra de Mandeville.
Leituras alemãs de 'Hamlet', de Goethe a Hegel
Authors: Süssekind Pedro
Published: July 2020

O texto busca apresentar a recepção da céle-bre peça de Shakespeare em solo alemão, as-sim como as consequências que essa leitura teve em diferentes momentos do que se con-vencionou chamar de Goethezeit.
Tempo e filosofia na 'Fenomenologia do espírito' de Hegel
Authors: Silva Paulo Roberto Pinheiro da
Published: July 2020

Nesse texto, pretendemos indicar uma via alternativa para a leitura e compreensão da Fenomenologia do espírito de Hegel. Em relação à leitura antropológico-existencial de Alexandre Kojève e Jean Hyppolite, concordamos com Adorno que a Fenomenologia não é uma história arquetípica do humano em direção ao filósofo, nem trata da passagem de uma consciência comum não filosófica à consciência-de-si filosófica. O objeto dela seria a própria filosofia. Mas não a filosofia em geral e sim a filosofia tal como o idealismo alemão a concebe.
The Dream and the Reality
Authors: Evans Gareth
Published: July 2020

In this contribution the author takes stock of the extent to which R2P has both met and fallen short of the dreams of its founders since its endorsement by the 2005 World Summit. As an effective reactive counter-force to atrocity crimes already under way, R2P’s record has been disappointing. But as an institutional catalyst and preventive mechanism it has been generally successful, and as a normative force it has been, and remains, very influential.
Nicolaus Ignaz Königsmann: Natural Law in Prague Before 1752
Authors: Cerman Ivo
Published: July 2020

The article discusses the reception of Grotius by Catholic lawyers at the university of Prague. It focuses on the Grotius commentary by Nicolaus Ignaz Königsmann (1688–1752), which was meant as a response to the discussion of Central European Catholic lawyers on questions of toleration and permissions in law. I argue that Königsmann agreed with Grotius because his conception could be combined with the Catholic belief in free will and dictamen sanae rationis. He grounded natural law in rational human nature and rejected attempts to derive natural law from the highest principle.
Admired Adversary: Wrestling with Grotius the Exegete in Cotton Mather’s Biblia Americana (1693–1728)
Authors: Stievermann Jan
Published: July 2020

This essay examines the reception of Grotius’s pioneering Annotata ad Vetus Testamentum (1644) in the ‘Biblia Americana’ (1693–1728), a scriptural commentary written by the New England theologian Cotton Mather (1663–1728). Mather engaged with Grotius on issues of translation, biblical authorship, inspiration, the canon, and the legitimate forms of interpreting the Hebrew Bible as Christian Scripture. While frequently relying on the Dutch Arminian humanist in discussing philological problems or contextual questions, Mather (as a self-declared defender of Reformed orthodoxy) in many cases rejected, ignored, or significantly modified Grotius’s farther-reaching conclusions on dogmatically sensitive topics. This strategy marks Mather’s ‘Biblia Americana’ as an exemple of a highly sophisticated but ultimately apologetic type of biblical criticism in the context of the early Enlightenment in British North America.
Language evolution research in the year 2020
Authors: Nölle Jonas , Hartmann Stefan , Tinits Peeter
Published: July 2020

This introductory paper reviews recent advances in language evolution research and summarizes the contributions of the special issue “New Directions in Language Evolution Research” in the broader context of these developments. Specifically, we discuss the increasing role of multimodality and iconicity, the more integrative view of language dynamics that has arguably broadened the scope of language evolution research, and recent methodological innovations that allow for a more fine-grained study of e.g. typological distributions or behavioral patterns that can give clues to some of the key questions discussed in the field.
Wood anatomy of the neotropical liana lineage Paullinia L. (Sapindaceae)
Authors: Chery Joyce G. , da Cunha Neto Israel L. , Pace Marcelo R. , Acevedo-Rodríguez Pedro , Specht Chelsea D. , Rothfels Carl J.
Published: July 2020

The liana genus Paullinia L. is one of the most speciose in the neotropics and is unusual in its diversity of stem macromorphologies and cambial conformations. These so-called “vascular cambial variants” are morphologically disparate, evolutionarily labile, and are implicated in injury repair and flexibility. In this study, we explore at the finer scale how wood anatomy translates into functions related to the climbing habit. We present the wood anatomy of Paullinia and discuss the functional implications of key anatomical features. Wood anatomy characters were surveyed for 21 Paullinia species through detailed anatomical study. Paullinia woods have dimorphic vessels, rays of two size classes, and both septate and non-septate fibers. Fibriform vessels, fusiform axial parenchyma, and elements morphologically intermediate between fibers and axial parenchyma were observed. Prismatic crystals are common in the axial and/or ray parenchyma, and laticifers are present in the cortex and/or the early-formed secondary phloem. Some features appear as unique to Paullinia or the Sapindaceae, such as the paucity of axial parenchyma and the abundance of starch storing fibers. Although many features are conserved across the genus, the Paullinia wood anatomy converges on several features of the liana-specific functional anatomy expressed across distantly related lianas, demonstrating an example of convergent evolution. Hence, the conservation of wood anatomy in Paullinia suggests a combination of phylogenetic constraint as a member of Sapindaceae and functional constraint from the liana habit.