bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block and thoracic paravertebral block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracic surgery: a randomized controlled non-inferiority clinical trial
Authors: Taketa Yasuko , Irisawa Yumi , Fujitani Taro
Published: November 2019

Background and objectives

The anesthetic characteristics of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) remain unclear. We compared the analgesic efficacies of ESPB and thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) for analgesia after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Method

In this prospective randomized non-inferiority trial, 88 patients undergoing VATS randomly received ESPB or TPVB. All patients received continuous infusion of 0.2% levobupivacaine (8 mL/hour) after injection of a 20 mL 0.2% levobupivacaine bolus. The primary outcome was median differences between the groups in postoperative numerical rating scale (NRS) scores at rest, 24 hours postoperatively.

Results

Eighty-one patients completed the study. The median difference in NRS scores at rest 24 hours postoperatively was 1 (range 0–1), demonstrating the non-inferiority of ESPB to TPVB. NRS scores at rest were significantly lower in the TPVB group at 1, 2 and 24 hours postoperatively (p=0.02, 0.01 and 0.006, respectively). NRS scores on movement were similar. More dermatomes in parasternal regions were anaesthetized in the TPVB group (p<0.0001). Total plasma levobupivacaine concentrations were significantly lower in the ESPB group within 20 hours postoperatively (p=0.036).

Conclusions

The analgesic effect of ESPB after VATS was non-inferior to that of TPVB 24 hours postoperatively.

Trial registration number

UMIN000030658.
Healthcare system encounters before COPD diagnosis: a registry-based longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Johnson Kate M , Khakban Amir , Bryan Stirling , Sin Don D , Sadatsafavi Mohsen
Published: November 2019

Background

There is high interest in strategies for improving early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These strategies often rely on opportunistic encounters between patients with undiagnosed COPD and the healthcare system; however, the frequency of these encounters is currently unknown.

Methods

We used administrative health data for the province of British Columbia, Canada, from 1996 to 2015. We identified patients with COPD using a validated case definition, and assessed their visits to pharmacists, primary care and specialist physicians in the 5 years prior to the initial diagnosis of COPD. We used generalised linear models to compare the rate of outpatient visits between COPD and non-COPD comparator subjects matched on age, sex and socioeconomic status.

Results

We assessed 112 635 COPD and non-COPD pairs (mean 68.6 years, 51.0% male). Patients with COPD interacted with pharmacists most frequently in the 5 years before diagnosis (mean 14.09, IQR 4–17 visits/year), followed by primary care (10.29, IQR 4–13 visits/year) and specialist (8.11, IQR 2–11 visits/year) physicians. In the 2 years prior to diagnosis, 72.1% of patients with COPD had a respiratory-related primary care visit that did not result in a COPD diagnosis. Compared with non-COPD subjects, patients with COPD had higher rates of primary care (rate ratio (RR) 1.40, 95% CI 1.39 to 1.41), specialist (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.37) and pharmacist (RR 1.62, 95% CI 1.60 to 1.63) encounters.

Conclusions

Patients with COPD used higher rates of outpatient services before diagnosis than non-COPD subjects. Case detection technologies implemented in pharmacy or primary care settings have opportunities to diagnose COPD earlier.
Gravity, entanglement and CPT-symmetry violation in particle mixing
Authors: Simonov K. , Capolupo A. , Giampaolo S. M.
Published: November 2019

We study the probability oscillations of mixed particles in the presence of self gravitational interaction. We show that the presence of the parity leads to the violation of the time-reversal symmetry while the CP-symmetry is preserved hence inducing a CPT-symmetry violation. This violation is directly associated to the rising of the entanglement among the elements of the system that can be seen as a pure many-body effect scaling with the number of the elements in the system. This effect could have played a relevant role in the first stages of the universe or in core of very dense systems. Experiments based on Rydberg atoms confined in microtraps can simulate the mixing and the mutual interaction, and could allow to test the mechanism here presented.
Scale invariance in the series of Chinese-character lengths
Authors: Feng Jing , Gu Changgui
Published: November 2019

Scale-invariant behaviors have been found in the patterns of written text in phonetic languages, such as in word-length series and word-frequency series. In this study, we examined whether the scale-invariant behaviors exist in the sequential characters of Four Great Chinese Novels. In particular, one Chinese character is featured by its length (the number of its strokes), its frequency (the number of its appearance in a novel) and the number of its interpretations in a dictionary. Then, we obtained character-length series, character-frequency series and interpretation-number series for each novel. For each series of each novel, based on the method of Detrended Fluctuation Analysis, we observed that the scale-invariant behavior, which is characterized by a scaling exponent larger than 0.5, exists at scales larger than a crossover, which is equal to the average paragraph-length, i.e. around 300 characters. Moreover, these scaling exponents are positively correlated between different types of series. Typically, the correlation of scaling exponents is largest between the character-length series and the interpretation-number series. Our findings shed light on the temporal organization of Chinese written texts, and the correlation among the character lengths, the character frequencies and the interpretation numbers.
Departure and travel time model for the temporal distribution of morning rush-hour traffic congestion
Authors: Luo Sida
Published: November 2019

The chronic traffic congestion undermines the level of satisfaction within a society. This study proposes a departure time model for estimating the temporal distribution of morning rush-hour traffic congestion over urban road networks. The departure time model is developed based on the point queue model that is used for estimating travel time. First, we prove the effectiveness of the travel time model (i.e. point queue), showing that it gives the same travel time estimation as the kinematic wave model does for a road with successive bottlenecks. Then, a variant of the bottleneck model is developed accordingly, aiming to capture travelers’ departure time choice for commute trips. The proposed departure time model relaxes a traditional assumption that the last commuter experiences the free flow travel time and considers travelers’ unwillingness of late arrivals for work. Numerical experiments show that the morning rush-hour generally starts at 7:29 am and ends at 8:46 am with a traffic congestion delay index (TCDI) of 2.164 for Beijing, China. Furthermore, the estimation of rush-hour start and end time is insensitive to most model parameters including the proportion of travelers who tend to arrive at work earlier than their schedules.
The generalized convective Cahn–Hilliard equation: Symmetry classification, power series solutions and dynamical behavior
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Yong , Ma Kai-Hua , Zhang Li-Sheng
Published: November 2019

We first perform a complete Lie symmetry classification of the generalized convective Cahn–Hilliard equation. Then using the obtained symmetries, we mainly study the convective Cahn–Hilliard equation, of which a new power series solution is constructed. In particular for the crystal surface growth processes, the truncated series solution shows that the surface structures include peaks and valleys, and can exhibit different evolution trends with the driving force varying from compressive force to tensile force. Moreover, there exist several critical points for the driving force, where the surface configurations take the jump changes and show different features on the both sides of such critical points. According to the effects of driving forces, we analyze the dynamical features of crystal growth.
High Stable and Low Power 10T CNTFET SRAM Cell
Authors: Elangovan M. , Gunavathi K.
Published: November 2019

The ultimate aim of a memory designer is to design a memory cell which could consume low power with high data stability in the deep nanoscale range. The implementation of Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) circuits using MOSFETs in nanoscale range faces many issues such as increasing of leakage power and second-order effects that are easily affected by the PVT variation. Hence, it is essential to find the best alternative of MOSFET for deep submicron design. The Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor (CNTFET) can eradicate all the demerits of MOSFET and be the best replacement of MOSFET for nanoscale range design. In this paper, a 10T CNTFET Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell is proposed. The power consumption and Static Noise Margin (SNM) are analyzed. The power consumption and stable performance of the proposed 10T CNTFET SRAM cell are compared with that of conventional 10T CNTFET SRAM cell. The power and stability analyses of the proposed 10T and conventional 10T CNTFET SRAM cells are carried out for the CNTFET parameters such as pitch and chiral vector ([Formula: see text]). The power and SNM analyses are carried out for [Formula: see text]20% variation of oxide thickness (Hox), different dielectric constant (Kox). The supply voltage varies from 0.9[Formula: see text]V to 0.6[Formula: see text]V and temperature varies from 27∘C to 125∘C. The simulation results show that the proposed 10T CNTFET SRAM cell consumes lesser power than conventional 10T CNTFET SRAM cell during the write, hold and read modes. The write, hold and read stability of the proposed 10T CNTFET SRAM cell are higher as compared with that of conventional 10T CNTFET SRAM. The conventional and proposed 10T SRAM cells are also implemented using MOSFET. The stability and power performance of proposed 10T SRAM cell is also as good as conventional 10T SRAM for MOSFET implementation. The proposed 10T SRAM cell consumes lesser power and gives higher stability than conventional 10T SRAM cell in both CNTFET and MOSFET implementation. The simulation is carried out using Stanford University 32[Formula: see text]nm CNTFET model in HSPICE simulation tool.
On three special types of partial Galois extensions
Authors: Jiang Xiaolong , Kuo Jung-Miao , Szeto George
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we study the following three special types of partial Galois extensions: DeMeyer–Kanzaki partial Galois extension, partial Galois Azumaya extension and commutator partial Galois extension.
Editors' Message
Authors: Lampinen Airi , Gergle Darren , Shamma David A.
Published: November 2019

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to this issue of the Proceedings of the ACM on Human- Computer Interaction, on the contributions of the research community Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW). This issue contains a carefully selected set of papers, accepted through our review process from among the 658 world-wide articles submitted by the Spring 2019 deadline. After the first round of peer review, 325 (49.4%) papers were invited to the Revise and Resubmit phase. After receiving the revised submissions, the external reviewers and the program committee reviewed all second round contributions. Finally, the program committee came together for a three-day online editorial committee meeting, held to allow for collective deliberation. Ultimately, 205 papers (31.2%) were accepted.
Causal Effects of Brevity on Style and Success in Social Media
Authors: Gligorić Kristina , Anderson Ashton , West Robert
Published: November 2019

In online communities, where billions of people strive to propagate their messages, understanding how wording affects success is of primary importance. In this work, we are interested in one particularly salient aspect of wording: brevity. What is the causal effect of brevity on message success? What are the linguistic traits of brevity? When is brevity beneficial, and when is it not? Whereas most prior work has studied the effect of wording on style and success in observational setups, we conduct a controlled experiment, in which crowd workers shorten social media posts to prescribed target lengths and other crowd workers subsequently rate the original and shortened versions. This allows us to isolate the causal effect of brevity on the success of a message. We find that concise messages are on average more successful than the original messages up to a length reduction of 30--40%. The optimal reduction is on average between 10% and 20%. The observed effect is robust across different subpopulations of raters and is the strongest for raters who visit social media on a daily basis. Finally, we discover unique linguistic and content traits of brevity and correlate them with the measured probability of success in order to distinguish effective from ineffective shortening strategies. Overall, our findings are important for developing a better understanding of the effect of brevity on the success of messages in online social media.
Computing Education for Intercultural Learning
Authors: Arawjo Ian , Mogos Ariam , Jackson Steven J. , Parikh Tapan , Toyama Kentaro
Published: November 2019

This paper explores computing education as a potential site for intercultural learning and encounter in post-conflict environments. It reports on ethnographic fieldwork from the Nairobi Play Project, a constructionist educational program serving adolescents aged 14-18 in urban and rural multi-ethnic refugee communities in Kenya. While the program offers programming and game design instruction, an equal goal is to foster interaction, collaboration, dialogue and understanding across cultural backgrounds. Based on fieldwork from two project cycles involving 5 after-school classes of 12-24 students each, we describe key affordances for encounter, important resistances to be managed or overcome, and emergent complications in the execution of such programs. We argue that many important accomplishments of intercultural learning occur through moments of friction, breakdowns, and gaps -- for example, technical challenges that produce sites of shared humour; frictions between intercultural activities and computing activities; acts of disrupting order; and unstructured time that students collaboratively fill in. We also describe significant complications in such programs, including pressures to adopt norms and practices consistent with dominant or majority cultures, and instances of intercultural bonding over artefacts with xenophobic themes. We reflect on the implications of these phenomena for the design of future programs that use computing as a backbone for intercultural learning or diversity and inclusion efforts in CSCW, ICTD, and allied fields of work.
Intentional Technology Use in Early Childhood Education
Authors: Chordia Ishita , Yip Jason , Hiniker Alexis
Published: November 2019

Early childhood is a critical developmental period when children's experiences have lasting impacts on long-term outcomes. Thus, an evidence-based understanding of how technology can support early childhood education (ECE) classrooms promises to be disproportionately useful to children's long-term wellbeing. We conducted an observational study at ten child-care centers, complemented by interviews with teachers and directors. Using a Uses and Gratifications (U&G) perspective, we found that the gratifications teachers seek when they incorporate technology into the classroom cluster into six categories, such as encouraging technology literacy, regulating children's behavior, and supporting child autonomy. Using these themes, we contribute a set of design priorities for supporting this population. We also contribute an expansion of the U&G perspective to include: 1) gratifications resisted, to account for the ways in which teachers resist gratifying uses of technology, and 2) differentiation between direct gratifications and indirect gratifications to better describe technology use in collaborative contexts.
When DiDi Is Not Really A Choice in Small Chinese Cities, Taxi Drivers Build Their Own
Authors: Wang Yi
Published: November 2019

"Sharing economy" platforms have become increasingly popular, providing people with cost-effective choices and service providers a chance to make a profit. Among these platforms, ride-sharing services such as Uber reshape people's daily mobility experiences. However, these highly-functional platforms do not always provide effective mobility solutions due to social, economic, and technical restrictions. In low resource and rural areas, drivers in these areas often have to build their own ride-sharing systems to satisfy their needs. We present a qualitative study employing both participant observation and semi-structured interview techniques to document the barriers for DiDi, a dominant Chinese ride-sharing platform, to solve the mobility problem between small cities and nearby larger hubs. We further describe a simple, non-algorithmic ride-sharing solution developed by taxi drivers in a small county-level Chinese city (Chiping, Shandong Province). This solution provides low cost, highly-effective mobility services from the small city to the province's capital city (Jinan). Users' perceptions and concerns of such a system are also discussed. Our work contributes to the CSCW literature on effective ride-sharing innovations built by people in low resource and rural areas, as well as to a broader understanding of computing beyond major cities' urban centers.
It's not about the internet
Authors: Chapin Lyman
Published: November 2019

In the policy realm what we call "Internet issues" are not actually "Internet" issues-they are well-pedigreed social, political, cultural, and economic issues, for which we clever technologists have provided a rich new environment in which to grow and multiply. It follows that the people best prepared to tackle "Internet" issues may be thoughtful professionals in fields such as behavioral psychology, linguistics, sociology, education, history, ethnology, and political science-not (exclusively) "Internet experts".
Patience
Authors: Crowcroft Jon
Published: November 2019

In this brief note I reflect on my experiences of 60% of the 50 years of the ACM SIGCOMM Experience. This represents very personal views, and I encourage people who were around for any of this time to disagree.
My view of
computer communication review
, 1969--1976
Authors: Walden David
Published: November 2019

Brief notes relating to the
Computer Communication Review
in 1975--1976.
Changing ACM computer communication review (1988--1991)
Authors: Partridge Craig
Published: November 2019

A brief description of how SIGCOMM's quarterly newsletter evolved into an entry-level journal.
'Capture it while you can'
Authors: Corry Frances , Loup Anna C.
Published: November 2019

This editorial gives a brief overview of a project historicizing the "Technical History of the Internet," a tutorial held at SIGCOMM's 1999 meeting at Harvard University. Organized in part by the late computer scientist and historian Chris Edmondson-Yurkanan, the tutorial brought together 19 key players from the development of the Internet to reflect on their foundational work. Using both digital and physical records from Edmondson-Yurkanan's archive, we discuss the importance of this event in generating a robust discussion and historical record about the Internet's technical evolution. Historical work about this tutorial also raises important questions on the ways in which records about the Internet's development are preserved or neglected.
Reflections on "analysis and simulation of a fair queueing algorithm"
Authors: Keshav S.
Published: November 2019

This article discusses my personal view of the events that led to the publication of the paper "Analysis and Simulation of a Fair Queueing Algorithm" that won a Test-of-Time Award in 2007.
Computing generic bivariate Gröbner bases with Mathemagix
Authors: Larrieu Robin
Published: November 2019

Let
A, B
∈ K[
X,Y
] be two bivariate polynomials over an effective field K, and let
G
be the reduced Gröbner basis of the ideal
I
:= 〈
A, B
〉 generated by
A
and
B
with respect to the usual degree lexicographic order. Assuming
A
and
B
sufficiently generic,
G
admits a so-called
concise representation
that helps computing normal forms more efficiently [7]. Actually, given this concise representation, a polynomial
P
∈ K[
X, Y
] can be reduced modulo
G
with quasi-optimal complexity (in terms of the size of the input
A, B, P
). Moreover, the concise representation can be computed from the input
A, B
with quasi-optimal complexity as well. The present paper reports on an efficient implementation for these two tasks in the free software Mathemagix [10]. This implementation is included in Mathemagix as a library called Larrix.
A sage implementation for DD-finite functions
Authors: Jiménez-Pastor Antonio
Published: November 2019

We present here the Sage package dd_functions which provides many features to compute with DD-finite functions, a natural extension of the class of holonomic or D-finite functions. The package, focused on a functional approach, allows the user to compute closure properties, extract coefficient sequences and compute the composition (as formal power series) of functions treated in this package. All these operations reduce the problem to linear algebra computations where classical division-free algorithms are used.
Expressive cardinality restrictions on concepts in a description logic with expressive number restrictions
Authors: Baader Franz
Published: November 2019

In two previous publications we have, on the one hand, extended the description logic (DL)
ALCQ
by more expressive number restrictions using numerical and set constraints expressed in the quantifier-free fragment of Boolean Algebra with Presburger Arithmetic (QFBAPA). The resulting DL was called
ALCSCC
. On the other hand, we have extended the terminological formalism of the well-known description logic
ALC
from concept inclusions (CIs) to more general cardinality constraints expressed in QFBAPA, which we called extended cardinality constraints. Here, we combine the two extensions, i.e., we consider extended cardinality constraints on
ALCSCC
concepts. We show that this does not increase the complexity of reasoning, which is NExpTime-complete both for extended cardinality constraints in the DL
ALC
and in its extension
ALCSCC
. The same is true for a restricted version of such cardinality constraints, where the complexity of reasoning decreases to ExpTime, not just for
ALC
, but also for
ALCSCC.
Answering SPARQL queries on the web of data through zero-knowledge link traversal
Authors: Fafalios Pavlos , Tzitzikas Yannis
Published: November 2019

Link traversal has emerged as a SPARQL query processing method that exploits the Linked Data principles to dynamically discover data relevant for answering a query by dereferencing online Web resources (URIs) at query execution time. While several approaches for such a lookup-based query evaluation method have been proposed, there exists no analysis of the types (patterns) of queries that can be directly answered on the Web of Data through a "zero-knowledge" approach, i.e., without accessing local or remote endpoints and without a-priori knowledge of available data sources. In this paper, we first provide a method for examining if a SPARQL query can be answered through zero-knowledge link traversal and analyse a large corpus of real SPARQL query logs for finding the frequency and distribution of answerable and non-answerable query patterns. Subsequently, we provide an algorithm for transforming answerable queries to SPARQL-LD queries that bypass the endpoints, as well as a method to estimate their evaluation cost which can be useful for deciding on the query execution strategy to follow. We report experimental results about the efficiency of the transformed queries and discuss the benefits and the limitations of this query evaluation method.
Network Effects on the Robustness of Dynamic Systems
Authors: Savla Ketan , Shamma Jeff S. , Dahleh Munther A.
Published: November 2019

We review selected results related to the robustness of networked systems in finite and asymptotically large size regimes in static and dynamical settings. In the static setting, within the framework of flow over finite networks, we discuss the effect of physical constraints on robustness to loss in link capacities. In the dynamical setting, we review several settings in which small-gain-type analysis provides tight robustness guarantees for linear dynamics over finite networks toward worst-case and stochastic disturbances. We discuss network flow dynamic settings where nonlinear techniques facilitate understanding the effect, on robustness, of constraints on capacity and information, substituting information with control action, and cascading failure. We also contrast cascading failure with a representative contagion model. For asymptotically large networks, we discuss the role of network properties in connecting microscopic shocks to emergent macroscopic fluctuations under linear dynamics as well as for economic networks at equilibrium. Through this review, we aim to achieve two objectives: to highlight selected settings in which the role of the interconnectivity structure of a network in its robustness is well understood, and to highlight a few additional settings in which existing system-theoretic tools give tight robustness guarantees and that are also appropriate avenues for future network-theoretic investigations.
Examining Weight Bias among Practicing Canadian Family Physicians
Authors: Alberga Angela S. , Nutter Sarah , MacInnis Cara , Ellard John H. , Russell-Mayhew Shelly
Published: November 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of practicing Canadian family physicians about individuals with obesity, their healthcare treatment, and perceptions of obesity treatment in the public healthcare system. Method: A national sample of Canadian practicing family physicians (n = 400) completed the survey. Participants completed measures of explicit weight bias, attitudes towards treating patients with obesity, and perceptions that people with obesity increase demand on the public healthcare system. Results: Responses consistent with weight bias were not observed overall but were demonstrated in a sizeable minority of respondents. Many physicians also reported feeling frustrated with patients with obesity and agreed that people with obesity increase demand on the public healthcare system. Male physicians had more negative attitudes than females. More negative attitudes towards treating patients with obesity were associated with greater perceptions of them as a public health demand. Conclusion: Results suggest that negative attitudes towards patients with obesity exist among some family physicians in Canada. It remains to be determined if physicians develop weight bias partly because they blame individuals for their obesity and its increased demand on the Canadian public healthcare system. More research is needed to better understand causes and consequences of weight bias among health professionals and make efforts towards its reduction in healthcare.
Pathophysiologic and Prognostic Implications of Right Atrial Hypertension in Adults With Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Egbe Alexander C. , Bonnichsen Crystal , Reddy Yogesh N. V. , Anderson Jason H. , Borlaug Barry A.
Published: November 2019

Background

Right atrial pressure (
RAP
), a composite metric of right ventricular diastolic function, volume status, and right heart compliance, is a predictor of mortality in patients with heart failure due to acquired heart disease. Because patients with tetralogy of Fallot (
TOF
) might have abnormal right atrial and ventricular mechanics caused by myocardial injury and remodeling, we hypothesized that
RAP
would be associated with disease severity and cardiovascular adverse events in this population.

Methods and Results

We performed a cohort study of adults with
TOF
who underwent right heart catheterization at the Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1990 and 2017. The objective was to determine the association between
RAP
and multiple domains of disease severity in
TOF
(percentage of predicted peak oxygen consumption, atrial or ventricular arrhythmia, and heart failure hospitalization), as well as cardiovascular adverse events, defined as sustained ventricular tachycardia, resuscitated or aborted sudden death, heart transplantation, or death. Among 225 patients (113 male; mean age: 39±14 years), mean RAP was 10.7±5.2 mm Hg and median was 10 mm Hg (interquartile range: 7–13 mm Hg). Increasing
RAP
was associated with atrial or ventricular arrhythmias (odds ratio: 5.01; 95% CI, 1.22–23.49;
P
<0.001), heart failure hospitalization (odds ratio: 1.47; 95% CI, 1.10–2.39;
P
=0.033) per 5 mm Hg, and worsening exercise capacity (peak oxygen consumption;
R
2
=0.74,
r
=−0.86,
P
<0.001).
RAP
was a predictor of cardiovascular adverse events (hazard ratio: 1.28; 95% CI, 1.10–1.47;
P
=0.028) per 5 mm Hg.

Conclusions

In symptomatic patients with
TOF
, increasing
RAP
correlates with multiple domains of disease severity (risk stratification) and predicts future cardiovascular events (prognostication). These data have potential clinical implications in the target population of symptomatic
TOF
patients.
What is Hamasteghtsakan Art
Authors: Grigoryan Arman , Karoyan Nazareth
Published: November 2019

The document presents two separate articles with the same title –“What is Hamasteghtsakan Art” – by artist Arman Grigoryan and art critic Nazareth Karoyan, published in Armenia in 1994 and 1996 respectively. Translated from Armenian and introduced by Angela Harutyunyan both articles have been formative for the development of contemporary art in Armenia. While presenting diverging views on the meaning of hamasteghtsakan (translated as collectively created), the concept was circulated as a definition for a broad range of post-medium artistic practices in late Soviet and post-Soviet Armenia. These practices formed an oppositional discourse to both Socialist Realism and Armenian National modernism. Harutyunyan's introduction locates the texts in a broader context of artistic institutional transformations in the late 1980s and early 1994 in Armenia.
The Aesthetics of X-Junctions: Cognitive Constraints in the Art of Continuous-Line Caricature
Authors: Burns Kevin
Published: November 2019

This article exposes cognitive constraints in production and perception of caricatures drawn with one continuous line. Constraints in production enable an artist to overcome the complexity of connecting all individual line segments of a conventional caricature. Constraints in perception enable an audience to overcome the complexity of inferring three-dimensional edges and shapes from two-dimensional line segments. In both production and perception, constraints exploit Xjunctions where the continuous line meets itself in crossing and tangent configurations that contribute to the aesthetics of these artworks.
The Virtual Artist's Book as a Space for Curatorial Experiments: The Acropolis Remix Project
Authors: Lage Celina F.
Published: November 2019

The author presents postdoctoral research on the concept of art exhibitions presented as virtual artist's books. The author's intent was to conduct theoretical research on emerging trends in art curation and virtual artists’ books, in addition to creating a digital art exhibition to be displayed in museums and other cultural venues. The research resulted in the creation of a hybrid augmented reality book titled Acropolis Remix, which can be exhibited in galleries, museums, libraries, gardens, private homes, etc.
Seasonal distribution of abundance, biomass and secondary production of free-living nematodes and their community composition in different stream micro-habitats
Authors: Brüchner-Hüttemann Henrike , Traunspurger Walter
Published: November 2019

The nematode communities of four different micro-habitats in an unpolluted first-order stream were investigated over a 13-month period in a study of the sediment and the biofilms on dead wood, macrophytes and leaf litter. Nematode abundances, biomass and secondary production were analysed, together with the species composition, proportion of feeding types and diversity of the nematode communities of the micro-habitats. Differences between the investigated micro-habitats in terms of seasonal variations, species composition, proportion of feeding types and diversity were expected. The annual mean values of nematode abundance, biomass and secondary production differed significantly between the micro-habitats. Abundances were highest on dead wood, whereas biomass and secondary production were highest in sediment. In the sediment and on leaf litter, nematode abundance and biomass showed pronounced seasonal patterns. The largest contribution to the total secondary production of the stream was from sediment nematodes. In total, 108 nematode species were detected in the micro-habitats during the 13-month study. Comparisons between them revealed differences in nematode species composition. The annual mean species number was significantly higher in sediment and on leaf litter than on dead wood and macrophytes, whereas the annual mean Shannon-Wiener index was significantly higher in sediment than at all other micro-habitats. All micro-habitats in the studied stream, as well as the stream as a whole, were dominated by nematode species belonging to the deposit feeders. Our study clearly showed that the composition of nematode communities from different micro-habitats within a single stream reach can differ markedly.
A Study of Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head Using Danshen Combined with Marrow Stromal Cells In Vitro
Authors: Wu Yungang , Zhang Chunwu , Wu Jianjing , Han Yan , Wu Chunlei
Published: November 2019

As avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) has been one of the major problem plaguing the medical profession and Marrow Stromal Cells (MSCs) in orthopedic exploration for recent years, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible chemotactic effect in vitro treated
by Danshen combined with transplantation of MSCs in ANFH. The MSCs were extracted from rabbit tibia and femur. The inhibition rate of Danshen in MSCs proliferation was assayed by MTT. Chemokine receptor expression was determined by RT-PCR. Chemotaxis migration was assayed by Boyden chamber.
Results showed that high concentration of Danshen injection on the proliferation of MSCs have a certain inhibition rate. Less than 50 μl/ml did not substantially affect the proliferation of MSCs. After treatment with Danshen injection, it can promote chemokine receptors CCR2, CX3CR1
and CXCR4 expression in MSCs. Danshen could significantly promote cell migration after mixed with 50 ng/ml recombinant monocyte chemoattratant protein-1 (rMCP-1) and recombinant stromal cellderived factor-1 (rSDF-1). In conclusion, culture of MSCs can express chemokine receptors CCR2, CX3CR1
and CXCR4 in vitro. Danshen injection can increase the expression of chemokine receptor CCR2, CX3CR1, and CXCR4, which is beneficial to the migration of MSCs. In conclusion, the chemotactic effects of rMCP-1 and rSDF-1 on the chemotaxis of MSCs were positively correlated with the concentrations
of rMCP-1 and rSDF-1 and significantly increased combined with Danshen.
Constraining Uncertainties in CMIP5 Projections of September Arctic Sea Ice Extent with Observations
Authors: Senftleben Daniel , Lauer Axel , Karpechko Alexey
Published: November 2019

In agreement with observations, Earth system models participating in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) simulate a decline in September Arctic sea ice extent (SIE) over the past decades. However, the spread in their twenty-first-century SIE projections is large and the timing of the first ice-free Arctic summer ranges from 2020 to beyond 2100. The uncertainties arise from three sources (internal variability, model uncertainty, and scenario uncertainty), which are quantified in this study for projections of SIE. The goal is to narrow uncertainties by applying multiple diagnostic ensemble regression (MDER). MDER links future projections of sea ice extent to processes relevant to its simulation under present-day conditions using data covering the past 40 years. With this method, we can reduce model uncertainty in projections of SIE for the period 2020–44 by 30%–50% (0.8–1.3 million km2). Compared to the unweighted multimodel mean, the MDER-weighted mean projects an about 20% smaller SIE and an earlier near-disappearance of Arctic sea ice by more than a decade for a high–greenhouse gas scenario. We also show that two different methods estimating internal variability in SIE differ by 1 million km2. Regardless, the total uncertainties in the SIE projections remain large (up to 3.5 million km2, with irreducible internal variability contributing 30%) so that a precise time estimate of an ice-free Arctic proves impossible. We conclude that unweighted CMIP5 multimodel-mean projections of Arctic SIE are too optimistic and mitigation strategies to reduce Arctic warming need to be intensified.
Improving Depression Screening in Underserved Populations in a Large Urban Academic Primary Care Center: A Provider-Centered Analysis and Approach
Authors: Henry Tracey L. , Schmidt Stacie , Lund Maha B. , Haynes Tamara , Ford Darby , Egwuogu Heartley , Schmitz Stephanie , McGregor Brian , Toomer Linda , Bussey-Jones Jada
Published: November 2019

Screening for depression is paramount to identify patients with depression and link them to care, yet only 29% of patients in the primary care center (PCC) were screened for depression in 2016. A baseline survey identified provider barriers to depression screening, including lack of time, support staff, and referral resources. The purpose of this project was to increase depression screening in the PCC using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2/9). The authors created an educational program for staff and providers that included referral resources, treatment guidelines, and a decision-support tool in the electronic medical record. A retrospective chart review was performed, from January 2016 to June 2017, to determine the percentage of patients who received annual depression screening. During the program, the PCC saw an increase in depression screening rates. Thus, it is possible to overcome barriers to depression screening in a primary care setting by providing resources and education to clinicians.
Multicenter, randomized comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of 19‐gauge stainless steel and nitinol‐based needles for endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy of solid pancreatic masses
Authors: Hann Alexander , Epp Sonja , Veits Lothar , Rosien Ulrich , Siegel Julian , Möschler Oliver , Bohle Wolfram , Meining Alexander
Published: November 2019

Background

The use of 19‐gauge (G) stainless steel needles for endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy of a pancreatic mass often results in technical difficulties due to an inability to advance the relatively rigid needle out of the endoscope. More flexible nitinol‐based needles might decrease such technical difficulties and thus increase diagnostic accuracy.

Objective

In this prospective multicenter randomized single‐blinded study we compared the diagnostic value of those two needle types in patients with a solid pancreatic lesion.

Methods

Patients with a solid pancreatic mass were diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy using one puncture with each needle in a randomized fashion. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic accuracy of each needle. Secondary endpoints included time for puncture, amount of tumour tissue obtained, and technical failure. Histological specimens were centrally reviewed by a pathologist blinded to the final needle type and final diagnosis (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02909530).

Results

Out of 46 prospectively recruited patients, central pathological examination was available for 41. Diagnostic accuracy for the two needles combined was 87.8%. Diagnostic accuracy was 66% and 68% using the stainless steel‐ and nitinol‐based needle respectively. Time spent for puncturing was 137 ± 61 s (mean ± standard deviation) for the stainless steel and 111 ± 53 s for the nitinol‐based needle (p  = 0.037). Technical failure occurred in three (6.5%) cases using the stainless steel‐ and in none using the nitinol‐based needle.

Conclusions

Usage of a nitinol‐based 19‐G needle failed to present a significant superior accuracy compared with a stainless steel needle in endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions.
A cellular antidote to specifically deplete anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor–positive cells
Authors: Ruella Marco , Barrett David M. , Shestova Olga , Perazzelli Jessica , Posey Avery D. , Hong Seok Jae , Kozlowski Miroslaw , Lacey Simon F. , Melenhorst J. Joseph , June Carl H. , Gill Saar I.
Published: November 2019

Unintentional transduction of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia blasts during CART19 manufacturing can lead to CAR19+ leukemic cells (CARB19) that are resistant to CART19 killing. We developed an anti-CAR19 idiotype chimeric antigen receptor (αCAR19) to specifically recognize CAR19+ cells. αCAR19 CAR T cells efficiently lysed CARB19 cells in vitro and in a primary leukemia-derived xenograft model. We further showed that αCAR19-CART cells could be used as an “antidote” to deplete CART19 cells to reduce long-term side effects, such as B-cell aplasia.
An EM algorithm to improve the estimation of the probability of clonal relatedness of pairs of tumors in cancer patients
Authors: Mauguen Audrey , Seshan Venkatraman E. , Ostrovnaya Irina , Begg Colin B.
Published: November 2019

Background

We previously introduced a random-effects model to analyze a set of patients, each of which has two distinct tumors. The goal is to estimate the proportion of patients for which one of the tumors is a metastasis of the other, i.e. where the tumors are clonally related. Matches of mutations within a tumor pair provide the evidence for clonal relatedness. In this article, using simulations, we compare two estimation approaches that we considered for our model: use of a constrained quasi-Newton algorithm to maximize the likelihood conditional on the random effect, and an Expectation-Maximization algorithm where we further condition the random-effect distribution on the data.

Results

In some specific settings, especially with sparse information, the estimation of the parameter of interest is at the boundary a non-negligible number of times using the first approach, while the EM algorithm gives more satisfactory estimates. This is of considerable importance for our application, since an estimate of either 0 or 1 for the proportion of cases that are clonal leads to individual probabilities being 0 or 1 in settings where the evidence is clearly not sufficient for such definitive probability estimates.

Conclusions

The EM algorithm is a preferable approach for our clonality random-effect model. It is now the method implemented in our R package Clonality, making available an easy and fast way to estimate this model on a range of applications.
PSMD1 and PSMD2 regulate HepG2 cell proliferation and apoptosis via modulating cellular lipid droplet metabolism
Authors: Tan Yanjie , Jin Yi , Wu Xiang , Ren Zhuqing
Published: November 2019

Background

Obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are well-known risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The lipid-rich environment enhances the proliferation and metastasis abilities of tumor cells. Previous studies showed the effect of the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) on tumor cell proliferation. However, the underlying mechanism of UPS in regulating the proliferation of lipid-rich tumor cells is not totally clear.

Results

Here, we identify two proteasome 26S subunits, non-ATPase 1 and 2 (PSMD1andPSMD2), which regulate HepG2 cells proliferation via modulating cellular lipid metabolism. Briefly, the knockdown ofPSMD1and/orPSMD2decreases the formation of cellular lipid droplets, the provider of the energy and membrane components for tumor cell proliferation. Mechanically,PSMD1andPSMD2regulate the expression of genes related to de novo lipid synthesis via p38-JNK and AKT signaling. Moreover, the high expression ofPSMD1andPSMD2is significantly correlated with poor prognosis of HCC.

Conclusion

We demonstrate thatPSMD1andPSMD2promote the proliferation of HepG2 cells via facilitating cellular lipid droplet accumulation. This study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of lipid-rich tumors.
Clinical characteristics in blood stream infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella variicola, and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae: a comparative study, Japan, 2014–2017
Authors: Imai Kazuo , Ishibashi Noriomi , Kodana Masahiro , Tarumoto Norihito , Sakai Jun , Kawamura Toru , Takeuchi Shinichi , Taji Yoshitada , Ebihara Yasuhiro , Ikebuchi Kenji , Murakami Takashi , Maeda Takuya , Mitsutake Kotaro , Maesaki Shigefumi
Published: November 2019

Background

Klebsiella variicola and K. quasipneumoniae are new species distinguishable from K. pneumoniae but they are often misidentified as K. pneumoniae in clinical settings. Several reports have demonstrated the possibility that the virulence factors and clinical features differ among these three phylogroups. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether there were differences in clinical and bacterial features between the three phylogroups isolated from patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) in Japan.

Methods

Isolates from all patients with BSIs caused by K. pneumoniae admitted to two hospitals between 2014 and 2017 (n = 119) were included in the study. Bacterial species were identified via sequence analysis, and their virulence factors and serotypes were analyzed via multiplex PCR results. Clinical data were retrieved from medical records.

Results

Of the 119 isolates, 21 (17.7%) were identified as K. variicola and 11 (9.2%) as K. quasipneumoniae; K1 serotype was found in 16 (13.4%), and K2 serotype in 13 (10.9%). Significant differences in the prevalence of rmpA, iutA, ybtS, entB and kfu (p < 0.001), and allS genes (p < 0.05) were found between the three phylogroups. However, there were no significant differences in clinical features, including the 30-day mortality rate, between the three organisms, although K. variicola was more frequently detected in patients over 80 years old compared with other Klebsiella species (p < 0.005), and K. quasipneumoniae more frequently occurred in patients with malignancy (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated the differences in bacterial pathogenicity and clinical features among these three phylogroups. Further epidemiological studies into BSI caused by Klebsiella species are warranted.