bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Landscape and Actionable Alterations in a Genomically Guided Cancer Clinical Trial: National Cancer Institute Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH)
Authors: Flaherty Keith T. , Gray Robert J. , Chen Alice P. , Li Shuli , McShane Lisa M. , Patton David , Hamilton Stanley R. , Williams P. Mickey , Iafrate A. John , Sklar Jeffrey , Mitchell Edith P. , Harris Lyndsay N. , Takebe Naoko , Sims David J. , Coffey Brent , Fu Tony , Routbort Mark , Zwiebel James A. , Rubinstein Larry V. , Little Richard F. , Arteaga Carlos L. , Comis Robert , Abrams Jeffrey S. , O’Dwyer Peter J. , Conley Barbara A. ,   for the NCI-MATCH team
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE

Therapeutically actionable molecular alterations are widely distributed across cancer types. The National Cancer Institute Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH) trial was designed to evaluate targeted therapy antitumor activity in underexplored cancer types. Tumor biopsy specimens were analyzed centrally with next-generation sequencing (NGS) in a master screening protocol. Patients with a tumor molecular alteration addressed by a targeted treatment lacking established efficacy in that tumor type were assigned to 1 of 30 treatments in parallel, single-arm, phase II subprotocols.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Tumor biopsy specimens from 5,954 patients with refractory malignancies at 1,117 accrual sites were analyzed centrally with NGS and selected immunohistochemistry in a master screening protocol. The treatment-assignment rate to treatment arms was assessed. Molecular alterations in seven tumors profiled in both NCI-MATCH trial and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) of primary tumors were compared.

RESULTS

Molecular profiling was successful in 93.0% of specimens. An actionable alteration was found in 37.6%. After applying clinical and molecular exclusion criteria, 17.8% were assigned (26.4% could have been assigned if all subprotocols were available simultaneously). Eleven subprotocols reached their accrual goal as of this report. Actionability rates differed among histologies (eg, > 35% for urothelial cancers and < 6% for pancreatic and small-cell lung cancer). Multiple actionable or resistance-conferring tumor mutations were seen in 11.9% and 71.3% of specimens, respectively. Known resistance mutations to targeted therapies were numerically more frequent in NCI-MATCH than TCGA tumors, but not markedly so.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated feasibility of screening large numbers of patients at numerous accruing sites in a complex trial to test investigational therapies for moderately frequent molecular targets. Co-occurring resistance mutations were common and endorse investigation of combination targeted-therapy regimens.
Association of Anesthesiologist Handovers With Short-term Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Hannan Edward L. , Samadashvili Zaza , Sundt Thoralf M. , Girardi Leonard , Chikwe Joanna , Wechsler Andrew , Adams David H. , Smith Craig R. , Gold Jeffrey P. , Lahey Stephen J. , Jordan Desmond
Published: October 2020

BACKGROUND:

Complete handover of anesthesia care to a second anesthesiologist has been demonstrated to be associated with worse short-term adverse outcomes among cardiac surgery patients, but little information from multi-institutional studies is available.

METHODS:

New York’s cardiac surgery registry was used to identify patients who underwent cardiac surgery in New York between 2010 and 2016 with and without complete handovers of anesthesia care. A retrospective observational study with inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) based on the propensity score was used to adjust for differences in preoperative patient characteristics while comparing differences in the primary outcome (in-hospital/30 day mortality), major complications in the index admission or within 30 days of the index surgery, readmissions within 30 days, and length of stay.

RESULTS:

A total of 8.5% of the 103,102 cardiac surgery procedures involved complete handovers. After adjustment, there was a difference between patients with and without handovers in the primary outcome (2.86% vs 2.48%, adjusted risk ratio [ARR] = 1.15 [1.01–1.31]). There was no difference in readmissions within 30 days (13.7% vs 14.4%, ARR = 0.95 [0.90–1.00]), and the differences in complications and length of stay were not clinically meaningful (adjusted differences of <10%).

CONCLUSIONS:

Cardiac surgery patients in New York who had complete anesthesia handovers experienced higher short-term mortality rates, but there were no meaningful differences in other outcomes. Unnecessary handovers should be carefully monitored.
How gut microbiome interactions affect nutritional traits of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: McMullen John G. , Peters-Schulze Grace , Cai Jingwei , Patterson Andrew D. , Douglas Angela E.
Published: October 2020

Most research on the impact of the gut microbiome on animal nutrition is designed to identify the effects of single microbial taxa and single metabolites of microbial origin, without considering the potentially complex network of interactions among co-occurring microorganisms. Here, we investigated how different microbial associations and their fermentation products affect host nutrition, using Drosophila melanogaster colonized with three gut microorganisms (the bacteria Acetobacter fabarum and Lactobacillus brevis, and the yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum) in all seven possible combinations. Some microbial effects on host traits could be attributed to single taxa (e.g. yeast-mediated reduction of insect development time), while other effects were sex specific and driven by among-microbe interactions (e.g. male lipid content determined by interactions between the yeast and both bacteria). Parallel analysis of nutritional indices of microbe-free flies administered different microbial fermentation products (acetic acid, acetoin, ethanol and lactic acid) revealed a single consistent effect: that the lipid content of both male and female flies is reduced by acetic acid. This effect was recapitulated in male flies colonized with both yeast and A. fabarum, but not for any microbial treatment in females or males with other microbial complements. These data suggest that the effect of microbial fermentation products on host nutritional status is strongly context dependent, with respect to both the combination of associated microorganisms and host sex. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that among-microbe interactions can play a critically important role in determining the physiological outcome of host–microbiome interactions in Drosophila and, likely, in other animal hosts.
The Returnees
Authors: Τουργέλη (Giota Tourgeli) Γιώτα
Published: October 2020

This historical study examines the role that Greek immigrants in the United States played in the economic, social and cultural transformation of their communities of origin between the late 19th century and the outbreak of World War II. It highlights the ways and the means through which, as well as the sectors in and the extent to which, rural populations in Greek villages communicated with their migrant communities and were also influenced by their transatlantic mobility and by economic, material and cultural flows. Drawing on the growing academic literature on “transnational social fields” and “social remittances” it describes the transnational social space which was created between Greek agrarian provinces and American cities through translocal contacts and transborder exchanges maintained by migrants and non-migrants and facilitated by social networks, hometown associations and the technology of the era. The book analyzes systematically the economic, social and cultural impacts of migration in their home communities as well as in the urban cities in which many of the returnees settled. At the same time, it explores the power asymmetries that largely determined the scope of transformations, the negotiation strategies and the ruptures that occurred in the transnational field connecting migrants with non-migrants.
Intrinsic negative feedback as a limiting factor for the evolution of higher forms of intelligence
Authors: Arold Stefan T.
Published: October 2020

Longstanding scientific efforts have been dedicated to answer why and how our particular intelligence is generated by our brain but not by the brain of other species. However, surprisingly little effort has been made to ask why no other species ever developed an intelligence similar to ours. Here, I explore this question based on genetic and paleontologic evidence. Contrary to the established view, this review suggests that the developmental hurdles alone are not high enough to explain the uniqueness of human intelligence (HI). As an additional explanation I propose that HI is normally not retained by natural selection, because it is, under most conditions, an intrinsically unfavourable trait. This unfavourableness, however, cannot be explained by physical constraints alone; rather, it may also be rooted in the same emotional and social complexity that is necessary for the development of HI. Thus, a major obstacle towards HI may not be solely the development of the required physical assets, but also to cope with harmful individual, social and environmental feedback intrinsically associated with this trait.
Career planning courses increase career readiness of graduate and postdoctoral trainees
Authors: Layton Rebekah L. , Solberg V. Scott H. , Jahangir Arthee E. , Hall Joshua D. , Ponder Christine A. , Micoli Keith J. , Vanderford Nathan L.
Published: October 2020

Background:Given national calls for intentional career development during graduate and post-graduate scientific training, this study assessed career readiness development within the context of academic career courses. The current study evaluated the effects of academic career courses offered at two institutions that were specifically designed to increase career awareness, interest, and career-related confidence among doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows.

Methods:Participants enrolled in a career course at trainees’ respective academic institutions and responded to pre- and post-course surveys (n=32, n=148). The paper offers a thematic analysis of each of the two courses using an individualized learning plan career development framework and describes the results of their respective pretest-posttest evaluations which indicated increases in career readiness.

Results:Though the format and content provided in each course varied, participation was associated with increases in career readiness. Participants reported increased career-awareness including a greater familiarity with different types of careers overall. Furthermore, interest in tenure track faculty careers increased in both samples, which may assuage fears that exposure to diverse career pathways could reduce interest in academic careers. Transferrable skills, including career planning and awareness also significantly increased. Course participants reported an increase in the number and type of mentors they interacted with beyond their principal faculty mentor (other faculty, professional PhDs, peers, and administrative staff).

Conclusions:Findings provide supporting evidence for the benefits of implementing structured career development efforts during PhD training; even with varying content, delivery methods, and instructor type, both academic career courses led to significant gains in career awareness and readiness. Successful development and delivery of academic career courses, with a focus on career planning skills, suggest that institutions can utilize these and are an effective way to prepare PhDs for their transition from training positions into careers.
Vertical distribution of epiphytic bryophytes depends on phorophyte type; a case study from windthrows in Kampinoski National Park (Central Poland)
Authors: Fojcik Barbara , Chmura Damian
Published: October 2020

The vertical distribution of epiphytic bryophytes in European forests are still relatively poorly understood. The aim of the study was to analyse the diversity and vertical zonation of epiphytic mosses and liverworts on selected tree types (Quercus petraea, Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris) within windthrow areas in the Kampinoski National Park (Central Poland). The investigations were performed in five parts of the trees: the tree base, lower trunk, upper trunk, lower crown, and upper crown. Deciduous trees have more species than pine trees (13 on Quercus and Betula, 8 on Pinus). The type of phorophyte was crucial for the differences in the species composition from the tree base to the upper crown that was observed. The highest richness of bryophytes was recorded on the tree bases, while the lowest was recorded in the upper parts of the crowns. The variability of the habitat conditions in the vertical gradient on the trunk that affected the patterns of the occurrence of species with different ecological preferences was determined using the Ellenberg indicator values. An increase in the value of the light and acidity indicators from the base of the trunk upwards and decreasing tendency in the case of moisture indicator was noted.
Orthodontic Conundrums Part 1: Transposition – an Update on Presentation and Treatment Modalities
Authors: Adam Naeem I , Jowett Adam , Hodge Trevor
Published: October 2020

This is the first article in a three-part series considering uncommon dental anomalies and treatment approaches. Dental transpositions are rare anomalies which may present to the general dental practitioner or orthodontist. The management of transpositions is dependent on several factors, including the sub-type, severity and the other salient features of the malocclusion. Transposition may either be accepted or orthodontically corrected and the adoption of either approach must be preceded by thorough assessment of the patient.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: The presentation and management of transposition is variable. The general dental practitioner must be aware of the clinical features of a developing transposition as certain treatment options are only possible before the transposition is fully established. In addition, the orthodontist must be mindful of the potential for iatrogenic harm if these dental anomalies are managed injudiciously.
Practical two-dimensional beam steering system using an integrated tunable laser and an optical phased array
Authors: Ma Weichao , Tan Su , Wang Kuankuan , Guo Weihua , Liu Ye , Liao Lianggang , Zhou Lianggang , Zhou Jun , Li Xin , Liang Lei , Li Wangzhe
Published: October 2020

A practical two-dimensional beam steering solid-state system based on the synthesis of one-dimensional wavelength tuning and a one-dimensional optical phased array is demonstrated and investigated. The system incorporates an integrated multiple-channel-interference widely tunable laser, an integrated 32-channel optical phased array, an offline phase error correction unit, and home-made control electronics. The introduction of the integrated tunable laser avoids the traditional bulky light source fed into the optical phased array, making the architecture promising to be miniaturized. In addition, a calibration method based on particle swarm optimization is proposed and proved to be effective to correct the phase errors existing in the arrayed channels and improve the emitted far-field quality. Other practical aspects, such as high-speed control and cost, are taken into the consideration of the system design as well. Under the control of home-made electronics, the laser exhibits a tuning range of 50 nm with a 44 dB side-mode suppression ratio, and the system presents the characteristics of low divergence (

0.63

∘

×

0.58

∘

), high side-lobe suppression ratio (

>

10

d
B

), and high-speed response (

<

10

µ

s

time constant) in an aliasing-free sweeping range of

18

∘

×

7

∘

.
Tunable modulation of photonic spin Hall effect by using a prism-coupling waveguide with hyperbolic metamaterials
Authors: Zhang Wen-Qiong , Gao Ming-Xiang , Guo Bin
Published: October 2020

The properties of the photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE) excited in a prism-coupling waveguide with hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) are investigated theoretically. The proposed waveguide is composed of four layers including a prism, HMM, thin metal, and air. Both type I and type II HMMs can be created through multilayer realization comprising alternating subwavelength layers of plasma and dielectric or by embedding plasma in a host dielectric matrix, and they are both considered in this study. Our results reveal that the horizontal PSHE shifts in the type I HMM waveguide are significantly suppressed, whereas the horizontal PSHE shifts in the type II HMM waveguide can be enhanced by more than 20 times. The results show that the behavior of vertical PSHE shifts in both types of HMM waveguides are similar and significantly suppressed. The results also show that the HMM and metal layer thicknesses extremely alter the PSHE shifts, especially for the horizontal PSHE shifts in the type II HMM waveguide. Furthermore, the PSHE shifts with different operating wavelengths are calculated and discussed. In addition, the optimal parameters for achieving huge PSHE shifts are explored and presented.
Highly sensitive differential fiber-optic SPR sensor in telecom band
Authors: Li Songquan , Gao Laixu , Yang Qian , Zou Changwei , Liang Feng , Tian Canxin , wang Zesong , Tang Xiaoshan , Xiang Yanxiong
Published: October 2020

We proposed a differential fiber-optic SPR remote sensor with ultra-high sensitivity in telecom band. The working band of the sensor is designed as the C-band which is the low loss band of optical fiber communication aiming to improve the sensitivity and enable the capability of remote monitoring. The sensor head is a BK7 prism coated with Au/TiO2 films, enabling two channels for differential intensity interrogation. The intensities of the reflected lights through the channels vary oppositely within the measurement range of refractive index. Due to the sharp dip of angular resonant response in the C-band, the differential signal produces a steep slope as the refractive index of the sample varies, thus higher sensitivity is expected in a narrow measurement range. According to the results, the sensitivity is as high as 456 V/RIUs within the narrow measurement range of 1.3×10−2 RIUs and the resolution reaches to 6×10−6 RIUs. The measurement range can be tuned conveniently by adjusting the thickness of TiO2 film and can be expanded by increasing the number of sensing channels, which provides great convenience for the application of biosensor requiring high sensitivity.
Influence of pedestal diameter on mode instabilities in Yb/Ce/Al-doped fibers
Authors: Möller F. , Distler V. , Walbaum T. , Haarlammert N. , Nold J. , Schreiber T. , Unger S. , Reichel V. , Kobelke J. , Bierlich J. , Schwuchow A. , Eschrich T. , Leich M. , Wondraczek K. , Tünnermann A.
Published: October 2020

In this paper we present numerical and experimental results revealing that the mode instability threshold of highly Yb-doped, Ce/Al co-doped pedestal fibers is affected by the size of the index-increased pedestal structure surrounding the core. An alternative preparation technology for the realization of large mode area fibers with very large Al-doped silica pedestals is introduced. Three different pedestal fiber design iterations characterized by low photodarkening were manufactured and tested in counter-pumped amplifier setups. Up to 1.9 kW continuous-wave output power of near-diffraction-limited beam quality (M2 = 1.26) was achieved with an 18/200/420 µm fiber of very low NA = 0.042, limited only by the occurrence of mode instabilities.
Distortion-corrected phase demodulation using phase-generated carrier with multitone mixing
Authors: Marin Yisbel , Velha Philippe , Oton Claudio J.
Published: October 2020

We present a novel phase generated carrier (PGC) demodulation technique for homodyne interferometers which is robust to modulation depth variations and source intensity fluctuations. By digitally mixing the waveform with a multitone synthetic function (a linear combination of harmonics of the modulating signal), distortion can become negligible even in presence of large variations of the modulation depth. The technique only requires two mixers and can also provide the DC component of the phase in real time, without needing any previously recorded data or ellipse-fitting algorithms. We validate the technique with simulated waveforms and with experimental data from a wavelength metering experiment using an integrated unbalanced interferometer on-chip, showing that the technique corrects distortion without increasing the noise with respect to the standard PGC technique.
Surface roughness evolution mechanism of the optical aluminum 6061 alloy during low energy Ar+ ion beam sputtering
Authors: Du Chunyang , Dai Yifan , Hu Hao , Guan Chaoliang
Published: October 2020

Ultra-smooth surfaces with low contamination and little damage are a great challenge for aluminum optical fabrication. Ion beam sputtering (IBS) has obvious advantages of low contamination and non-contact that make it a perfect method for processing aluminum optics. However, the evolution laws of aluminum surface morphology are quite different from conventional amorphous materials, which affects the roughness change and needs systematic research. Thus, in this paper, the roughness evolution of an aluminum optical surface (i.e., aluminum mirror) subjected to IBS has been studied with experimental and theoretical methods. The surface morphology evolution mechanisms of turning marks and second phase during IBS are revealed. The newly emerging relief morphology and its evolution mechanism are studied in depth. The experimental results find that IBS causes the coarsening of optical surfaces and the appearance of microstructures, leading to the surface quality deterioration. Turning marks have been through the process of deepening and vanish, while second phase generates microstructures on the original surface. The corresponding mechanism is discussed exhaustively. Preferential sputtering, curvature-dependent sputtering and material properties play important roles on surface quality deterioration. A modified roughness evolution mechanism and an improved binary sputtering theory are proposed to describe the polycrystalline sputtering phenomena. The current research can provide a guidance for the application of IBS in aluminum optics manufacture fields.
Active line scan with spatial gating for sub-diffuse reflectance imaging of scatter microtexture
Authors: Streeter Samuel S. , Maloney Benjamin W. , Paulsen Keith D. , Pogue Brian W.
Published: October 2020

We examine the value of an active line scan with spatial gating for imaging sub-diffuse, wide-field reflectance microtexture. Line scanning combined with spatial gating and linear translation can be used for localized detection of features in the surface layer of a turbid target. The line scan provides broadband spatial frequency modulation, and the spatial gating effectively high-pass filters the reflectance. The major benefit of this approach is that of high dynamic range (70%–90%) signal preservation and high contrast to noise when imaging at high spatial frequencies. Alternative approaches, such as spatial frequency domain imaging, are degraded by low dynamic range in demodulated images, making it nearly impossible to image over a wide field of view at frequencies over

1.5

m
m

−
1

using commercial technology. As such, active line scanning with spatial gating presents as an inherently high sensitivity and high dynamic range method of imaging microscopic scattering features in only the surface layer of a turbid medium.
High-performance fiber-integrated multifunctional graphene-optoelectronic device with photoelectric detection and optic-phase modulation
Authors: Zhuo Linqing , Fan Pengpeng , Zhang Shuang , Zhan Yuansong , Lin Yanmei , Zhang Yu , Li Dongquan , Che Zhen , Zhu Wenguo , Zheng Huadan , Tang Jieyuan , Zhang Jun , Zhong Yongchun , Fang Wenxiao , Lu Guoguang , Yu Jianhui , Chen Zhe
Published: October 2020

In graphene-based optoelectronic devices, the ultraweak interaction between a light and monolayer graphene leads to low optical absorption and low responsivity for the photodetectors and relative high half-wave voltage for the phase modulator. Here, an integration of the monolayer graphene onto the side-polished optical fiber is demonstrated, which is capable of providing a cost-effective strategy to enhance the light–graphene interaction, allowing us to obtain a highly efficient optical absorption in graphene and achieve multifunctions: photodetection and optical phase modulation. As a photodetector, the device has ultrahigh responsivity (

1.5
×

10
7

  
A
/
W

) and high external quantum efficiency (

>
1.2
×

10
9

%

). Additionally, the polybutadiene/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film on the graphene can render the device an optical phase modulator through the large thermo-optic effect of the PMMA. As a phase modulator, the device has a relatively low half-wave voltage of 3 V with a 16 dB extinction ratio in Mach–Zehnder interferometer configuration.
La crítica de Platón a los matemáticos que toman las hipótesis por principios (República VI-VII).
Authors: Pinotti Graciela Marcos
Published: October 2020

In this paper I try to shed light on platonic criticism of mathematicians for taking hypotheses as principles. The mathematician is forced to resort to hypotheses and go beyond the sensible, but he does, according to Plato, ignoring his own abilities. In this sense, his attitude is similar to that of the majority, lover of opinions, unaware that only thanks to the help of thought is it possible to identify what is offered to the senses. This interpretation fits the dream metaphor, which Plato uses to describe both the attitude of the mathematician and that of the majority.
Obraz wsi wołogodzkiej w powieści Przeddzień Wasilija Biełowa
Authors: Rutkowska Andżelika
Published: October 2020

This article is aimed at reviewing of the novel Eves by Vasilii Belov to find a connection between the Vologda's region and the work. The Author devotes a particular attention to the space and the social order that are shown in the novel. He also emphasizes and describes traditions, customs, merits and characters' perception of the world. The analysis demonstrates the description of the Vologda's region in the Belov's novel proves it's special features that make this area different from the other regions of Russia. Also there are some circumstances of the novel's appearance and publication in the article.
Obraz głupca w rosyjskim socjolekcie młodzieżowym
Authors: Sadowska Monika
Published: October 2020

Teenage sociolect very rapidly reacts to everything that is happening around us, and, consequently, gives an up-to-date view on the way of perceiving the world by a specific group of people using particular terminology. This paper is an attempt to briefly describe the development of teenage sociolect, which is a highly interesting language phenomenon ,and to systemize the sources of lexical units, which describe the person with intellectual deficits, as well as to depict the process of forming these units within lexical semantics.
Widzialny symbol wiary. Motyw ikony w twórczości literackiej Fiodora Dostojewskiego
Authors: Walczak Dorota
Published: October 2020

The present work is devoted to the analysis of the icon motif in the works of F. M Dostoyevsky (1821 – 1881). The author of this paper tries to prove her own thesis that the famous writer’s opinion of his literary characters depended distinctly on their attitude towards icons. In this paper Dostoevsky's books such as The Landlady, Netochka Nezvanova, Demons, The Adolescent, The Meek One and The Brothers Karamazov are analyzed.
ИКОНИЧЕСКОЕ СОЗНАНИЕ В ПОЭЗИИ ИВАНА ЖДАНОВА (НА МАТЕРИАЛЕ СТИХОТВОРЕНИЯ ПОРТРЕТ ОТЦА)
Authors: Fedorushkov Edyta
Published: October 2020

The paper aims to analyze the original figure of speech, which was described by Ivan Zhdanov as a reverse simile. The figure – due to its similarity – is compared with reverse perspecite used in icon painting. Such a comparison reveals the presence of the iconic consciousness in many layers of Father’s portrait – an exemplary Ivan Zhdanov poem. A meticulous analysis of the poem showed the closeness between the iconic consciousness and the orthodox consciousness which, in turn, is an integral element of Russian culture.
Anglicyzmy jako komponenty frazeologizmów w rosyjskim języku młodzieżowym .
Authors: Kubecka Katarzyna
Published: October 2020

The article is devoted to English borrowings as components of idioms in Russian youth slang. English borrowings are treated by young Russian language users as ‘a base’ for various combinations of English and Russian words in creating various creative neologisms and innovative modifications of existing idioms in Russian. The variations are aimed at emotions and humour – the essentials elements of youth slang. The use of English borrowings in Russian idioms also show their complete assimilation in the recipient language.
Odessa i Sarajewo. Dyskurs przestrzeni miejskiej. Uwagi wstępne
Authors: Siekierska Marta
Published: October 2020

This paper aims at sketching cultural portrayals of the Ukrainian city Odessa and the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, with reference to their current socio-political situation. Cultural visions of both places not only tend to have a lot in common, paradoxically due to the differences that they share but also the ones present in various texts of culture. Thus, both cities can boast their own myths. The symbolic space is approached among others through the prism of Vladimir Toporov’s theory. The city perceived by some researchers as a metaphor of culture functions as a kind of laboratory that fixates social and cultural changes emerging within the society on the microscopic scale. In addition, the current geopolitical situation of those places is mentioned with its war/conflict aftermath that contributes to certain city image.
Мотив одиночества в раннем творчестве Ирен Немировски
Authors: Bortnowski Antoni
Published: October 2020

The subject of analysis in this paper is the motif of loneliness in the early works of Irène Némirovsky (1903–1942). A pessimistic view on human life, which is typical for Némirovsky, is shown by the author of this article on the example of three works: L’Enfant génial, David Golder and Les Mouches d’automne.  The main character of each of the works constantly feels misunderstood, alienated and eventually dies, convinced of the meaninglessness of his/her existence. These feelings become common for the characters, which at first glance seem completely different - a Jewish boy from the poor quarter of Odessa, a rich financier living in Paris, and an elderly Russian nanny, who emigrates with her masters. The problem of loneliness in Némirovsky’s writing is closely related to the issues of finding one’s own identity and attempts to overcome the past.
Specyfika opisu „szczęśliwych” posągów na stacji metra Plac Rewolucji w rosyjskich źródłach internetowych
Authors: Joppek Justyna
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this paper is the descriptive analysis of “happy” statues in the Revolution Square underground station in Russian Internet sources. The range of the study embraces article titles, structure of content presentation, information about the genesis of "rubbing" items, personal stories and iconographic aspect. The research material is taken Russian e-commerce industry websites that operate in the tourism, fashion, interior and home design, financial services, as well as travel blogs.
NS-Raubgut-Forschung an der Badischen Landesbibliothek. Eine Bilanz
Authors: Vogl Ulrike , Gaertringen Julia Freifrau Hiller von
Published: October 2020

Die Badische Landesbibliothek hat in den Jahren 2016–2020 den Zugang der ihrer kompletten Zerstörung am 3. September 1942 folgenden Wiederaufbaujahre 1942–1950 auf NS-Raubgut hin überprüft. Aufgrund der Überlieferungssituation war das nur durch eine systematische Autopsie am Gesamtbestand möglich. Dabei wurde weit weniger NS-Raubgut aufgefunden als erwartet und Restitution ist nur in wenigen Fällen möglich. Der Beitrag zieht Bilanz und empfiehlt, die entstandene Datenbasis sinnvoll kontextualisiert weiterzunutzen.
The Production-Oriented Approach Updated: Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Sun Shuguang
Published: October 2020

More than a decade has passed since Wen Qiufang (2007) first proposed that foreign language teaching could benefit from output-driven practices in the classroom. Her original ideas were reformulated and further elaborated in the Production-Oriented Approach (POA), which aims to deal with the input-output separation in foreign language teaching in Chinese universities and colleges to optimize students’ learning (Wen, 2015, 2016b). Integrating the strengths of Chinese traditional pedagogy and Western instructional approaches, this approach engages learners with production, merging the learning and use of language to enhance the efficiency of language teaching (Illes, 2018, p. 242) in a Chinese context.

This introduction to the special issues includes three major sections. It starts out with an overview of what the POA system includes and how it works with a focus on its teaching procedures. The second section is about dialectical research (DR), a new research paradigm specifically designed for instructed second language acquisition (Wen, 2017b) with “dialectical materialism as its philosophical basis” (Wen, 2019, p. 385). Finally, seven papers collected in this issue are introduced. We hope that this special issue sets a research agenda towards a better understanding of the POA.
Effects of the Production-Oriented Approach on EFL Learners’ Writing Performance in China’s Tertiary Education
Authors: Zhang Wenjuan
Published: October 2020

The Production-Oriented Approach (POA) has been proposed as a remedy for overcoming the problem of input-output separation in the traditional text-centered teaching and learning paradigm in tertiary education in China. This two-week quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of the POA, compared with the traditional text-centered Intensive Reading Approach (IRA), on college students’ L2 writing performance in terms of overall quality of the writing and its components of language, idea, and discourse structure. Data included writing samples of both experimental and control groups before and after classroom instruction and the results of a language achievement test on mastery of target language forms predicating students’ language use in writing. The results showed that: 1) no significant difference was found between the two groups either in the overall quality or in the “idea” and “structure” of the written texts; 2) the experimental group outperformed the control group with respect to language use, in terms of both language quality and the frequency of target language use. These results indicated that the POA might have an advantage over the IRA in facilitating learners’ writing development.
Profiling the Chinese causative construction withrang(讓),shi(使) andling(令) using frame semantic features
Authors: Liesenfeld Andreas , Liu Meichun , Huang Chu-Ren
Published: October 2020

This behavioural profiling (BP) study examines the use of the near-synonymsrang(讓),shi(使) andling(令), three ways to express cause-effect relationships in Chinese. Instead of using an out-of-the-box BP design, we present a modified approach to profiling that includes a range of frame semantic features that aim to capture variation of slot fillers of this construction. The study investigates the intricate semantic variation ofrang,shiandlingthrough a comprehensive analysis of 38 contextual features (ID tags) that characterize the collocational, lexical semantic and frame semantic environment of the near-synonyms. Our dataset consists of around 100.000 data points based on the annotation of 1002 sentences of Mandarin Chinese of three varieties. The BPs of each near-synonym are compared using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results show thatrang,shiandlingare each characterized by a combination of distinctive features and how different feature types contribute to setting the near-synonyms apart based on their usage patterns. Methodologically, this study illustrates how behavioural profiling can be modified to include frame semantic features in accordance with the method’s emphasis on producing empirically verifiable results and how these features can aid a comparative analysis of near-synonyms.
Position et location en peul, l’usage de

ka

au Fouta Djallon
Authors: Diallo Abdourahmane
Published: October 2020

Le but de cette contribution est d’analyser les particules locatives en peul, plus particulièrement l’emploi de ka dans le dialecte du Fouta Djallon. L’étude a été menée majoritairement sur la base des données empiriques auxquelles s’ajoutent quelques données secondaires issues de sources publiées. Les données primaires ont été collectées entre mai et décembre 2017 en Guinée à partir de la variété du Fouta Djallon, qui est parlée en Guinée, en Sierra Leone, en Guinée-Bissau et dans la partie sud de la Gambie. L’analyse a conduit aux constats suivants : (i) il existe un répertoire varié de marqueurs pour exprimer la localisation : ce sont entre autres, ka, ɗo, to, ko, e et ga; (ii) ceux-ci sont distribués différemment dans les divers dialectes. Fouta Toro et Macina partagent certaines caractéristiques communes en utilisant ɗo, ga et to, alors que dans le dialecte du Fouta Djallon, où se complètent les particules locatives ka et e, émerge ko dans les agglomérations urbaines, ce qui vient enrichir davantage le répertoire des particules locatives de ce dialecte.
Hedges in Russian EAP writing: A corpus-based study of research papers in management
Authors: Smirnova Elizaveta , Strinyuk Svetlana
Published: October 2020

The fact that English has become a lingua franca of academic communication has led to increased attention to teaching English for academic purposes (EAP) at the academia. Academic discourse markers, such as hedges, have been an important topic in academic writing research whose prime aim is helping non-Anglophone researchers to present their research findings in English for international publication. This study investigates the use of the most frequent hedging devices in a corpus of 58 works written by Russian university students and compares it to a corpus of articles published in peer-reviewed journals in business and management. The analysis of learner corpus data has provided evidence of how Russian ELF speakers use the language, showing significant differences between the use of hedges by the students and professional writers. The research has also highlighted a number of challenges which non-native learners face when writing academic texts. The study may contribute to a higher level of L2 academic writing in ELF contexts and have implications for creating EAP courses, research of second language acquisition and writing pedagogy.
Cytokine profiling: variation in immune modulation with preterm birth vs. uncomplicated term birth identifies pivotal signals in pathogenesis of preterm birth
Authors: Denney Jeffrey M. , Nelson Edward , Wadhwa Pathick , Waters Thaddeus , Mathew Leny , Goldenberg Robert L. , Culhane Jennifer F.
Published: October 2020

Objectives

To assess deviations in longitudinally measured cytokines with preterm birth (PTB).

Methods

Prospective longitudinal study targeting 80 subjects. Phlebotomy specimens for broad panel of cytokine analysis were obtained at three time (T) intervals: first trimester (T1: 8–14 weeks’ gestation), second trimester (T2: 18–22 weeks’ gestation), and third trimester (T3: 28–32 weeks’ gestation). Important demographics and outcomes were tracked. Data were stratified and the target groups were analyzed as follows: “Uncomplicated” (delivered ≥37 weeks) or “Preterm Birth” (<37 weeks). Generalized Linear Modeling determined rate of change T1–T3 by outcome.

Results

Complete data replete with phlebotomy at all three visits were obtained on 80 women. Birth outcomes were as follows: 11 Uncomplicated Term Birth (UTB), 28 PTB, 4 low birth weight (LBW), 16 OB complications (OBC), 11 current infections (IFN), and 10 mixed complications (MC=2 or more of the above). 28 PTB were compared to 11 uncomplicated term deliveries. In both groups, T helper type 1 (TH1) cytokine (IL-1β), pleiotrophic pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6), and counter-regulatory cytokine (IL-10) responses decreased over gestation, but rates of change in IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were significantly different. Stratification of women by smoking status additionally demonstrated significant variance in immune status over the course of pregnancy

Conclusions

Women delivering PTB demonstrated significant differences in cytokine trajectory over pregnancy; these data further validate key role played by immune regulation in directing pregnancy outcome. Likewise, smoking impacts longitudinal trajectory of cytokines over pregnancy.
Algorithmically deconstructing shot locations as a method for shot quality in hockey
Authors: Becker Devan G. , Woolford Douglas G. , Dean Charmaine B.
Published: October 2020

Spatial point processes have been successfully used to model the relative efficiency of shot locations for each player in professional basketball games. Those analyses were possible because each player makes enough baskets to reliably fit a point process model. Goals in hockey are rare enough that a point process cannot be fit to each player’s goal locations, so novel techniques are needed to obtain measures of shot efficiency for each player. A Log-Gaussian Cox Process (LGCP) is used to model all shot locations, including goals, of each NHL player who took at least 500 shots during the 2011–2018 seasons. Each player’s LGCP surface is treated as an image and these images are then used in an unsupervised statistical learning algorithm that decomposes the pictures into a linear combination of spatial basis functions. The coefficients of these basis functions are shown to be a very useful tool to compare players. To incorporate goals, the locations of all shots that resulted in a goal are treated as a “perfect player” and used in the same algorithm (goals are further split into perfect forwards, perfect centres and perfect defence). These perfect players are compared to other players as a measure of shot efficiency. This analysis provides a map of common shooting locations, identifies regions with the most goals relative to the number of shots and demonstrates how each player’s shot location differs from scoring locations.
Endometrial cancer in a renal transplant recipient: A case report
Authors: Liu Na , Yang Lei , Long Yan , Jiang Guoqing
Published: October 2020

As the most effective treatment for end-stage renal diseases, renal transplantation can improve the quality of life of patients and prolong the survival time. However, during the prolonged survival time, malignancy has become one of the main causes of death of recipients, which vary geographically. Tumors in the digestive system and urothelial tumors have been highly reported in Asia. In general, the gynecological malignant tumors have been rarely reported, especially the endometrial carcinoma. Herein, a 63-year-old female renal transplant recipient diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma (15 years after transplantation) was reported. The patient had suffered irregular postmenopausal bleeding for a short time before hospitalization. She underwent abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, right pelvic lymphadenectomy, right para-aortic lymphadenectomy and omental excision. Postoperative pathology showed ovarian and pelvic lymph node metastasis and pathological stage IIIC. After six courses of chemotherapy with paclitaxel 270 mg + carboplatin 500 mg, the patient’s renal function was normal. During the third cycle of chemotherapy, the patient suffered a third-degree bone marrow suppression and returned to normal soon when treated with the recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor. In conclusion, early screening of gynecologic tumors is important for female patients after renal transplantation, which has a positive significance for the prognosis improvement.
Downregulation of lncRNA FGF12-AS2 suppresses the tumorigenesis of NSCLC via sponging miR-188-3p
Authors: Zhou Lili , Xing Chen , Zhou Dongxia , Yang Rong , Cai Maohuai
Published: October 2020

Background

Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) seriously threatens the health of human beings. Aberrant expression of lncRNAs has been confirmed to be related with the progression of multiple malignant tumors, including NSCLC. LncRNA FGF12-AS2 has been considered to be upregulated in NSCLC. However, the mechanism by which FGF12-AS2 promotes the tumorigenesis of NSCLC remains elusive.

Methods

Gene and protein expressions in NSCLC cells were measured by q-PCR and western blot, respectively. CCK-8 and immunofluorescence staining were performed to detect the cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry. Transwell assay was used to detect the cell migration and invasion. Finally, the dual luciferase report assay was used to verify the relation among FGF12-AS2, miR-188-3p, and NCAPG2.

Results

Downregulation of FGF12-AS2 significantly inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells via inducing apoptosis. In addition, FGF12-AS2 silencing notably suppressed the migration and invasion of A549 cells. Meanwhile, FGF12-AS2 modulated the progression of NSCLC via regulation of miR-188-3p/NCAPG2 axis. Finally, knockdown of FGF12-AS2 inhibited the tumorigenesis of NSCLC via suppressing the EMT process of NSCLC.

Conclusion

Downregulation of lncRNA FGF12-AS2 suppressed the tumorigenesis of NSCLC via sponging miR-188-3p. Thus, FGF12-AS2 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of NSCLC.
Moraxella lacunatainfection accompanied by acute glomerulonephritis
Authors: Sawada Nami , Morohashi Tamaki , Mutoh Tomokazu , Kuwana Tsukasa , Yamaguchi Junko , Kinoshita Kosaku , Morioka Ichiro , Hao Hiroyuki
Published: October 2020

Moraxella lacunata(M. lacunata) is a Gram-negative bacterium, which rarely causes serious infection. This is a rare case report of acute glomerulonephritis diagnosed by pathological findings in a child accompanied byM. lacunatainfection. The patient showed hematuria, proteinuria and hyperkalemia requiring emergency hemodialysis. After hospitalization,M. lacunatabacteremia became apparent. Pathological findings showed an increase in glomerulus inflammatory cells and glomerular C3 deposition was observed in the renal tissue biopsy. Final diagnosis was endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis. Clinical reports ofM. lacunatainfection requiring emergency hemodialysis in children are rare. Previous reports have suggested that lowered immune competency with chronic kidney disease may be a risk factor associated with serious invasive cases ofM. lacunatainfection. However, detailed clinical laboratory data and pathological findings have not been identified in previous case reports. Our case directly indicated complement activity and acute glomerulonephritis withM. lacunatainfection. Although there are various causes for acute glomerulonephritis, infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN) is an important concept.M. lacunatainfection might have a potential risk for IRGN with dysregulation of complement activity leading to serious and invasive clinical conditions than previously considered.
Crystal structure of (3S,8R,10R,12R,14R)-12-hydroxy-4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-17-((R)-2,6,6-trimethyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl) hexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl acetate, C32H54O4
Authors: Ma Ying , Wang Hui-Yun , Zhang Xiao-Fan , Zhao Feng-Lan , Meng Qing-Guo
Published: October 2020

C32H54O4, monoclinic, P21 (no. 4), a = 7.8727(1) Å, b = 19.9173(2) Å, c = 19.1801(2) Å, β = 94.539(1)°, V = 2998.06(6) Å3, Z = 4, R

gt
(F) = 0.0370, wR

ref
(F
2) = 0.0983, T = 293 K.
Crystal structure of the Cu(II) complex chlorido-(6-oxo-2-phenyl-1,6-dihydropyrimidine-4-carboxylato-k2
N,O)-(phenanthroline-k2
N,N')copper(II), C23H15ClCuN4O3
Authors: Yang Qi , Hou Meng-Qi , Chen Pei-Rou , Li Shuo , Zhou Guang-Peng , Li Gan , Chen Dong-Dong
Published: October 2020

C23H15ClCuN4O3, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 10.63346(14) Å, b = 17.99387(15) Å, c = 11.60320(16) Å, β = 116.2165(17)°, V = 1991.74(5) Å3, Z = 4, R

gt
(F) = 0.0315, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0898, T = 293(2) K.