bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Giant Adult Mesenteric Lipoma: A Rare Cause of Chronic Abdominal Distention and Discomfort
Authors: Abtar Houssam Khodor , Abdallah Fahed Kheireddine , Lakkis Rayan Said , Terro Jad Jamal , Ismail Nathalie Haidar , Al Raishouni Mohammad Ahmad , Ahmad Houssein Haidar , Jammoul Kassem Mohammad
Published: February 2020

Solitary or multiple lipomas are considered common tumors that can occur anywhere in the body; however, mesenteric lipoma is a rare entity that is well known to present with signs and symptoms of small bowel volvulus. Hereby, we present a case of a 54-year-old male patient with multiple comorbidities who was suffering from chronic abdominal discomfort and gradual increase of his abdominal distention over many years without seeking any medical attention. The patient was seen by a general practitioner after complaining of an inflated abdomen, as he described his condition. After several imaging studies, he was diagnosed with one of the largest mesenteric lipomas in the literature. Mesenteric lipoma should be present in the differential diagnosis of any abdominal tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging plays a major role in differentiating benign from malignant lipomas.
Potential Natural Dyes Food from the Powder of Prickly Pear Fruit Peels (Opuntia spp.) Growing in the Mediterranean Basin under Climate Stress
Authors: Bourhia Mohammed , Elmahdaoui Hamza , Moussa Samir Iben , Ullah Riaz , Bari Ahmed
Published: February 2020

Background. Barbary fig (Opuntia spp), called prickly pear, is a cultivated species belonging to family Cactaceae. It produces fruits one time per year during a short season. It is largely spreading in the Mediterranean countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the physicochemical and biochemical analysis of powder of prickly pear fruit peels of three Moroccan varieties (Aakria, Derbana, and Mles). Material and Methods. Both physicochemical analysis (humidity, water activity, Brix, ash content, pH, and total titratable acidity) and biochemical analysis (total carotenoid content, betalain content, total polyphenolic content, and ascorbic acid content) were effectuated according to protocols reported within the present research work. Results. Regarding the physiochemical analysis, the humidity of powder of prickly pear fruit peels ranged from 10.173 ± 0.002 to 15.27 ± 0.02%. The water activity (aw) ranged from 0.17 ± 0.002 to 0.336 ± 0.002. The values of Brix ranged from 68.67 ± 0.33 to 74.22 ± 0.51° Bx. pH values ranged from 5.41 ± 0.01 to 5.62 ± 0.01. The total titratable acidity values ranged from 0.644 ± 0.014 to 0.76 ± 0.007 g citric acid/100 g DM (dry matter). The ash content ranged from 1.02 ± 0.02 to 11.41 ± 0.03 g/100 g DM. Regarding the biochemical analysis, the total carotenoid content ranged from 5.14 ± 0.10 to 9.79 ± 0.06 mg/g of FM (Fresh matter). The total betalain content ranged from 2 ± 0.69 to 37.66 ± 2.65 mg/100 g of DM. The total polyphenolic content ranged from 1739.92 ± 13.69 to 2409.66 ± 43.65 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g of DM. The ascorbic content values ranged from 186.78 ± 13.23 to 294.04 ± 5.81 mg/100 g of DM. Conclusion. The results showed an interesting richness of the investigated powder in pigments (betacyanins, indicaxanthins, and carotenoids) and nutritional compounds including sugar, proteins, and vitamins that make this powder interesting for being used as a dye in food.
Graph-Based Node Finding in Big Complex Contextual Social Graphs
Authors: Wu Keshou , Liu Guanfeng , Lu Junwen
Published: February 2020

Graph pattern matching is to find the subgraphs matching the given pattern graphs. In complex contextual social networks, considering the constraints of social contexts like the social relationships, the social trust, and the social positions, users are interested in the top-K matches of a specific node (denoted as the designated node) based on a pattern graph, rather than the entire set of graph matching. This inspires the conText-Aware Graph pattern-based top-K designated node matching (TAG-K) problem, which is NP-complete. Targeting this challenging problem, we propose a recurrent neural network- (RNN-) based Monte Carlo Tree Search algorithm (RN-MCTS), which automatically balances exploring new possible matches and extending existing matches. The RNN encodes the subgraph and maps it to a policy which is used to guide the MCTS. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness.
Laboratory Biomarkers, Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity, and Intellectual Function in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Apollonsky Nataly , Lerner Norma B. , Zhang Fengqing , Raybagkar Deepti , Eng Jennifer , Tarazi Reem
Published: February 2020

Objective. The aim of this preliminary study was to describe putative markers of cerebral vasculopathy and investigate relationships among these markers, demographic factors, and cognitive function in a young sample of neurologically normal children with SCD. Study Design. Thirty-eight children with homozygous HbS, aged 4–11 years, were included. Estimated IQ and markers of coagulation and endothelial activation, hemolysis, and inflammation, as well as transcranial Doppler velocities, hydroxyurea use, and demographic information were obtained. Results. Using multiple regression analyses, there were few significant independent associations between biomarkers or blood flow velocity and estimated IQ. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) independently predicted cognitive function, but blood flow velocity did not mediate this relationship. Maternal education, patient age, and hydroxyurea status were independent predictors of cognition. Given the small sample size, a LASSO statistical model was employed to further identify potential predictors of IQ, which identified LDH, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), platelet count, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT), tissue factor (TF), maternal education, age, and hydroxyurea as potential predictors of cognition. Conclusions. In addition to effects of age and maternal education, some vasculopathic markers are associated with cognitive function in young children with SCD, and these relationships do not appear to be mediated through blood flow velocity. Although the lack of association among certain variables was not as predicted, results provide support for further research regarding the influence of vasculopathic markers on cognitive function in children with SCD without stroke, especially intravascular hemolysis and coagulation/endothelial activation, and a possible role for HU treatment in preventing or reversing cognitive decline.
Exploring the Consistency of the Quality Scores with Machine Learning for Next‐Generation Sequencing Experiments
Authors: Cosgun Erdal , Oh Min
Published: February 2020

Background. Next‐generation sequencing enables massively parallel processing, allowing lower cost than the other sequencing technologies. In the subsequent analysis with the NGS data, one of the major concerns is the reliability of variant calls. Although researchers can utilize raw quality scores of variant calling, they are forced to start the further analysis without any preevaluation of the quality scores. Method. We presented a machine learning approach for estimating quality scores of variant calls derived from BWA+GATK. We analyzed correlations between the quality score and these annotations, specifying informative annotations which were used as features to predict variant quality scores. To test the predictive models, we simulated 24 paired‐end Illumina sequencing reads with 30x coverage base. Also, twenty‐four human genome sequencing reads resulting from Illumina paired‐end sequencing with at least 30x coverage were secured from the Sequence Read Archive. Results. Using BWA+GATK, VCFs were derived from simulated and real sequencing reads. We observed that the prediction models learned by RFR outperformed other algorithms in both simulated and real data. The quality scores of variant calls were highly predictable from informative features of GATK Annotation Modules in the simulated human genome VCF data (R2: 96.7%, 94.4%, and 89.8% for RFR, MLR, and NNR, respectively). The robustness of the proposed data‐driven models was consistently maintained in the real human genome VCF data (R2: 97.8% and 96.5% for RFR and MLR, respectively).
Cough Expired Volume and Cough Peak Flow Rate Estimation Based on GA-BP Method
Authors: Ren Shuai , Niu Jinglong , Luo Zihao , Shi Yan , Cai Maolin , Luo Zujin , Yu Qihui
Published: February 2020

Cough is a respiratory protective behavior for clearing the secretion. The cough process can be characterized by three features which are cough peak flow rate, peak velocity time, and cough expired volume. The cough expired volume (CEV) and the cough peak flow rate (CPFR) are important for medical diagnosis and cough effectiveness assessment. In this study, the CEV and CPFR values of 700 healthy participants were measured and collected by using a portable pulmonary function device. The gender, age, height, weight, and smoking status information of the 700 participants were also collected. Meanwhile, the integration of backpropagation neural network and genetic algorithm (GA-BP) method was developed to estimate CEV and CPFR values. The results showed that the estimation accuracy of GA-BP method exceeds 90%, which indicates that the GA-BP method could be effectively used for CEV and CPFR value estimation. Furthermore, the method proposed in this paper could be useful for medical diagnosis and medical device development.
The Impact of Exclusive Use of Very Low Nicotine Cigarettes on Compensatory Smoking: An Inpatient Crossover Clinical Trial
Authors: Smith Tracy T. , Koopmeiners Joseph S. , White Cassidy M. , Denlinger-Apte Rachel L. , Pacek Lauren R. , De Jesús Víctor R. , Wang Lanqing , Watson Clifford , Blount Benjamin C. , Hatsukami Dorothy K. , Benowitz Neal L. , Donny Eric C. , Carpenter Matthew J.
Published: February 2020

Background:

The FDA is considering a mandated reduction in the nicotine content of cigarettes. Clinical trials have been limited by non-study cigarette use (noncompliance), which could mask compensation. The goal of this study was to assess whether compensation occurs when smokers provided with very low nicotine cigarettes cannot access normal nicotine cigarettes.

Methods:

In a within-subjects, crossover design, current smokers (n = 16) were confined to a hotel for two 4-night hotel stays during which they were only able to access the research cigarettes provided. The hotel stays offered normal nicotine cigarettes or very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes, in an unblinded design, available for “purchase” via a study bank.

Results:

In the context of complete compliance with the study cigarettes (n = 16), there was not a significant increase during the VLNC condition for cigarettes smoked per day, expired carbon monoxide, or N-acetyl-S-(cyanoethyl)-l-cysteine (cyanoethyl-MA, metabolite of acrylonitrile). There was a significant nicotine × time interaction on urine N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-l-cysteine (hydroxypropyl-MA, metabolite of acrolein), driven by an increase in the VLNC condition during the first 24 hours. By the end of the VLNC condition, there was no evidence of compensation across any measure of smoking or smoke exposure.

Conclusions:

Among current smokers who exclusively used VLNC cigarettes for 4 days, there was no significant compensatory smoking behavior.

Impact:

These data, combined with the larger body of work, suggest that a mandated reduction in nicotine content is unlikely to result in an increase in smoking behavior to obtain more nicotine.
Circulating Tumor DNA Analysis to Assess Risk of Progression after Long-term Response to PD-(L)1 Blockade in NSCLC
Authors: Hellmann Matthew D. , Nabet Barzin Y. , Rizvi Hira , Chaudhuri Aadel A. , Wells Daniel K. , Dunphy Mark P.S. , Chabon Jacob J. , Liu Chih Long , Hui Angela B. , Arbour Kathryn C. , Luo Jia , Preeshagul Isabel R. , Moding Everett J. , Almanza Diego , Bonilla Rene F. , Sauter Jennifer L. , Choi Hyejin , Tenet Megan , Abu-Akeel Mohsen , Plodkowski Andrew J. , Perez Johnston Rocio , Yoo Christopher H. , Ko Ryan B. , Stehr Henning , Gojenola Linda , Wakelee Heather A. , Padda Sukhmani K. , Neal Joel W. , Chaft Jamie E. , Kris Mark G. , Rudin Charles M. , Merghoub Taha , Li Bob T. , Alizadeh Ash A. , Diehn Maximilian
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

Treatment with PD-(L)1 blockade can produce remarkably durable responses in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a significant fraction of long-term responders ultimately progress and predictors of late progression are unknown. We hypothesized that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis of long-term responders to PD-(L)1 blockade may differentiate those who will achieve ongoing benefit from those at risk of eventual progression.

Experimental Design:

In patients with advanced NSCLC achieving long-term benefit from PD-(L)1 blockade (progression-free survival ≥ 12 months), plasma was collected at a surveillance timepoint late during/after treatment to interrogate ctDNA by Cancer Personalized Profiling by Deep Sequencing. Tumor tissue was available for 24 patients and was profiled by whole-exome sequencing (n = 18) or by targeted sequencing (n = 6).

Results:

Thirty-one patients with NSCLC with long-term benefit to PD-(L)1 blockade were identified, and ctDNA was analyzed in surveillance blood samples collected at a median of 26.7 months after initiation of therapy. Nine patients also had baseline plasma samples available, and all had detectable ctDNA prior to therapy initiation. At the surveillance timepoint, 27 patients had undetectable ctDNA and 25 (93%) have remained progression-free; in contrast, all 4 patients with detectable ctDNA eventually progressed [Fisher P < 0.0001; positive predictive value = 1, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.51–1; negative predictive value = 0.93 (95% CI, 0.80–0.99)].

Conclusions:

ctDNA analysis can noninvasively identify minimal residual disease in patients with long-term responses to PD-(L)1 blockade and predict the risk of eventual progression. If validated, ctDNA surveillance may facilitate personalization of the duration of immune checkpoint blockade and enable early intervention in patients at high risk for progression.
Frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in Individuals with Breast and Ovarian Cancer in a Chinese Hakka Population Using Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Wu Heming , Wang Qiuming , Guo Xuemin , Liu Qinghua , Zhang Qunji , Huang Qingyan , Yu Zhikang
Published: February 2020

Background: It is necessary to investigate the frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Hakka populations due to the variations in breast cancer epidemiology and genetics. Methods: 359 breast cancer patients and 66 ovarian cancer patients were included in this retrospective clinical study. Mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 were detected in blood samples by semiconductor sequencing. Results: The sensitivity of tumor markers including CEA, CA15-3, CA12-5, and CA199 for screening breast cancer was 16.44, 15.11, 8.44, and 7.56%, the combination of these 4 tumor markers reached the highest sensitivity index (31.11%). For ovarian cancer, the tumor markers were CA12-5 (54.05%), HE-4 (54.05%), CA72-4 (51.35%), and CEA (2.70%) in order of decreasing sensitivity. Moreover, the combination of these 4 tumor markers has the best sensitivity (75.68%) for screening ovarian cancer. In breast cancer patients, we found 5 (1.39%) patients with mutations in BRCA1, 13 (3.62%) mutations in BRCA2, and the total carrier rate is 5.01% (18/359). For ovarian cancer patients, the corresponding results were 3 (4.54%) mutations, 2 (3.03%) mutations, and 7.58% (5/66), respectively. The proportion of BRCA mutations was 5.41% (23/425) in breast and ovarian cancer patients of a Hakka population. The pathogenic, likely pathogenic, and benign mutations, and mutations of uncertain significance in this study mainly occurred in exon 14 of the BRCA1 gene, and exon 10 and exon 11 of the BRCA2 gene. Conclusions: Understanding the spectrum and frequency of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in a Hakka population will assist in the prevention and control of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers in this population.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Authors: Falah Ghadeer , Giller Abram , Gutman Danielle , Atzmon Gil
Published: February 2020

Over the past century, the life expectancy in industrialized countries has rapidly risen by over 30 years due to improvements in standards of medical care, sanitation, and lifestyle. Estimation of life expectancy has traditionally been viewed through a lens of epidemiology and public health. However, this data, while considered the “gold standard” of measuring healthy life expectancy, may soon find itself redundant in the face of advancing medical technology. Even as average life expectancy has increased, there has not been an equivalent increase in healthy life expectancy, or “healthspan”; furthermore, there is a current trend of stagnation in life expectancy, as the supposed increases are estimated to be drastically slowing down, in part due to exhaustion of our current ability to extend the human lifespan. In this viewpoint, we will examine the developing fields of medicine and life sciences which will reshape our current approach to life expectancy prediction.
Immunoglobulin E-Mediated Food Allergies Differ in East Mediterranean Children Aged 0–2 Years
Authors: Kahveci Melike , Koken Gizem , Şahiner Ümit Murat , Soyer Özge , Şekerel Bülent Enis
Published: February 2020

Objective: Precise diagnosis of allergy requires knowledge of the population’s food allergy (FA) spectrum and predictors. Methods: Medical charts of Turkish children aged 0–2 years with FA and/or atopic dermatitis (AD) were reviewed. Results: A total of 1,389 patients, 912 with FA and 1,140 with AD, were included. In the FA group, the most frequently diagnosed FAs were egg white (75.9%), cow’s milk (55.7%), tree nuts (31.5%) and sesame (20.6%). The detection of FA in 99% of children with any kind of FA necessitate testing with egg white, cow’s milk, hazelnut, sesame, walnut, cashew, and pistachio. In the FA group, 72.7 and 56.8% had AD and multiple FA respectively. Multiple FA (56.8 vs. 49.8%) and hen’s egg allergy (85.5 vs. 50.2%, p < 0.005) were more common and cow’s milk allergy (51.4 vs. 67.1%, p < 0.005) less common in the AD subgroup of the FA group than in the non-AD subgroup. Multiple FA likelihood increases parallel to the severity of AD (p < 0.05). In the AD group, 58.2% had an immunoglobulin E-mediated FA. The risk of concomitant FA increased as the age at symptom onset of AD decreased (OR 0.800 [95% CI 0.731–0.875]; p < 0.001) and the severity of AD increased (OR 2.350 [95% CI 1.898–2.911]; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although severe and early-onset AD is a predictor of the presence and magnitude of FA in infancy, the spectrum of FA is a reflection of cultural characteristics. The clinical presentations of both AD and FA may in fact be an expression of the extent of the immune dysregulation underlying atopy and allergy.
Evaluation of Efficacy of a New Cryoprobe for Transbronchial Cryobiopsy: A Randomized, Controlled in vivo Animal Study
Authors: Hetzel Jürgen , Linzenbold Walter , Boesmueller Hans , Enderle Markus , Poletti Venerino
Published: February 2020

Background: Forceps biopsy (FB) is still the most popular procedure for the bronchoscopic sampling of lung tissue. However, it has limitations like inadequate sample size and crush artifacts. Cryobiopsy (CB) has been introduced to obtain bronchoscopic biopsies with improved diagnostic yield compared to FB. Limitations of CB are the need to retract the cryoprobe en bloc with bronchoscope because samples are larger than the working channel and the variations of the freezing power of the reusable CB (rCB). Therefore, 3 new disposable cryoprobes (dCB) have been developed with different outer diameters: 1.1 mm (CB11-S) that can be retracted through the working channel of the bronchoscope, 1.7 mm (CB17) and 2.4 mm (CB24n), respectively. Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the new cryoprobes with regard to feasibility, specimen area, specimen quality and complications. Methods: We compared biopsy samples of the new probes with those obtained by FB and by rCB in an in vivo (porcine) model. A flexible bronchoscope was used to perform biopsy at 4 different locations at the upper and lower lobes of the right and left lung, respectively. The biopsies were taken under fluoroscopic control. The biopsy tool and activation times were allocated randomly. Altogether 204 biopsy procedures were performed. Results: The sample quality of the dCB was superior to that of FB (all p < 0.05) and not significantly different to the rCB sample quality. Mean specimen sample area of all CB was significantly larger compared to FB (p < 0.05). The sample area of the small cryoprobe (CB11-S) was significantly smaller compared to the other CB probes (p < 0.05). No severe bleedings occurred. Pneumothoraces were detected in 3 of the 7 pigs. Conclusion: We conclude that CB with the new single-use instruments are feasible and represent a viable option to improve the diagnostic accuracy of histopathological evaluation compared to FB.
Assessment of the Effect of Short-Term Combined High-Intensity Interval Training on TLR4, NF-κB and IRF3 Expression in Young Overweight and Obese Girls
Authors: Soltani Nakisa , Esmaeil Nafiseh , Marandi Sayed Mohammad , Hovsepian Volga , Momen Tooba , Shahsanai Armindokht , Kelishadi Roya
Published: February 2020

Obesity is commonly associated with immunometabolic dysfunctions. Activation of inflammatory macrophages through TLR4 (toll-like receptor 4) and the anti-inflammatory impact of exercise have been and are the new concerns among researchers. A new short-term combined high-intensity interval training was proposed in young sedentary overweight/obese females. All participants were allocated to one of two groups: the exercise group (EG) and the control group (CG), where the EG participated in a 2-week combined training and the CG continued its routine lifestyle. Gene expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB(nuclear factor κB), and IRF3 (interferon regulatory factor 3) were assessed by real-time PCR. Physiological, anthropometric, and biomedical metabolic factors were assessed. The between-group comparisons indicated a tendency to a decrease in NF-κB gene expression in the EG. The IRF3 levels were not significantly changed compared to CG and the levels before training. Fasting glucose levels and β-cell function revealed a significant improvement in EG. These findings indicated that this protocol decreased meta-inflammation levels and improved insulin resistance independent of body composition changes. Consequently, combined training may be recommended as a therapeutic approach in metabolic diseases.
The Role of Cariporide in Protecting Saphenous Vein among Different Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Genotypes
Authors: Lin Yi , Luo Chentao , Shi Yunqing , Ma Runhua , Xia Qi , Ding Wenjun
Published: February 2020

Objective: We aimed to study the effect of cariporide (CP) on protecting the saphenous vein and the role of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Background: The saphenous vein is the main graft material used in CABG. Recent studies suggested that CP is effective in protecting against various cardiovascular diseases. Methods: Segments of a surgically removed saphenous vein were used to examine the vascular response to CP. The ALDH2 genotype and expression of related proteins were assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: Among the conditions tested, the University of Wisconsin solution with CP (4°C, 5 min) treatment showed the best protective effect on the saphenous vein. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events was higher in the ALDH2-GA (heterozygous mutant) genotype population after CABG. Conclusion: CP plays a role in reducing the production of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis by ALDH2-mediated mitochondrial function improvement. The ALDH2 mutant genotype might be one of the risk factors for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
Food Cleaning by Japanese Macaques: Innate, Innovative or Cultural?
Authors: Fiore Angela M. , Cronin Katherine A. , Ross Stephen R. , Hopper Lydia Meriel
Published: February 2020

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) display a number of cultural behaviours including food washing, stone handling and certain grooming techniques. These are deemed cultural behaviours because it is presumed that they are socially learned and, importantly, that social learning is essential for their emergence. Recently, however, research has revealed that culturally naïve primates can re-innovate presumed cultural behaviours. These behaviours are said to fall within that species’ “zone of latent solutions” (ZLS). A notable cultural behaviour of Japanese macaques is food washing, first reported by Japanese researchers studying wild Japanese macaques in the 1950s. To test whether culturally naïve Japanese macaques would spontaneously wash food and also, therefore, whether food-washing behaviour is within their ZLS, we presented 12 zoo-housed macaques with sweet potato covered in sand near a pool in their exhibit. Over 11 days we recorded the macaques’ behaviour. While 11 of the 12 macaques ate the potato pieces, none washed them. However, 4 macaques cleaned their food, brushing off the sand using their hand or rubbing the potato against their body or another food item, using three distinct techniques. We found no change over time in the rate at which monkeys cleaned or consumed potato, but there was a significant positive correlation between the number of potato pieces a monkey ate and the number of cleaning behaviours performed. We conclude that, minimally, food-cleaning behaviour is within macaques’ ZLS.
Optimization of Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction
Authors: Cuomo Roberto , Giardino Francesco Ruben , Neri Alessandro , Nisi Giuseppe , Brandi Cesare , Zerini Irene , Jingjian Han , Grimaldi Luca
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) were introduced in the early 2000s and more recently permitted new protocols for breast reconstruction allowing a short operative time with improved outcomes until the new muscle-sparing breast reconstruction proposed in 2014 using the Braxon® ADM. The aim of this research is to propose a technique to improve the aesthetic outcome using Braxon ADM with prepectoral implants. Materials and Methods: The enrolled patients were submitted to a nipple skin-sparing mastectomy leaving 1 additional centimeter of subcutis on the proximal part of the upper pole of the breast (see Surgical Technique). Aesthetic outcomes were compared to those obtained with traditional breast reconstruction with prosthesis and the Braxon ADM placed in the prepectoral space. Mean values of aesthetic outcomes were analyzed using the Student t test, and the κ test was used to analyze interobserver variability. Results: The overall aesthetic score was improved of 29.6% of the patients; in particular the most improved score was that for contour (+98.01%). Statistical significance was found for contour, upper pole definition, and total score average (p < 0.05).The κ test showed interobserver variability with a good level of agreement on contour (κ = 0.832). Conclusions: The proposed technique has allowed attainment of good results in terms of aesthetic outcomes. In a small sample we did not register any particular complications but we verified a better satisfaction on the evaluation of the aesthetic result (level of evidence: 3).
Mating behavior and acoustic communication of the long-legged cricket Endecous (Notendecous) onthophagus (Berg, 1891) from Southern Brazil (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae)
Authors: ACOSTA RIULER CORRÊA , TIMM VITOR FALCHI , SZINWELSKI NEUCIR , DA COSTA MARIA KÁTIA MATIOTTI , ZEFA EDISON
Published: February 2020

The courtship, copulation and post-copulatory behavior, as well as acoustic communication of the Neotropical cricket Endecous (Notendecous) onthophagus is described under laboratory conditions and compared with other phalangopsids whose mating system was studied so far. We found that E. onthophagus present predictable mating sequences including seven events: (1) prolonged courtship; (2) male spermatophore extrusion during courtship; (3) female-above copulatory position; (4) prolonged copulation; (5) male forewings flipped over his head, exposing metanotal region along copulation; (6) copulation without spermatophore transfer; and (7) absence of guarding behavior. We suggest these events (1 to 7) as a behavioral line shared by phalangopsids, and we highlight variations that reflect the behavioral diversity of these crickets. The males of E. onthophagus produce the calling song (chirps) to attract females to mate, and also stridulates intermittently during the entire courtship period with distinct acoustic parameters during the stages of pre- and post-spermatophore extrusion.
Space–Time Characteristics of Areal Reduction Factors and Rainfall Processes
Authors: Breinl Korbinian , Müller-Thomy Hannes , Blöschl Günter
Published: February 2020

We estimate areal reduction factors (ARFs; the ratio of catchment rainfall and point rainfall) varying in space and time using a fixed-area method for Austria and link them to the dominating rainfall processes in the region. We particularly focus on two subregions in the west and east of the country, where stratiform and convective rainfall processes dominate, respectively. ARFs are estimated using a rainfall dataset of 306 rain gauges with hourly resolution for five durations between 1 h and 1 day. Results indicate that the ARFs decay faster with area in regions of increased convective activity than in regions dominated by stratiform processes. Low ARF values occur where and when lightning activity (as a proxy for convective activity) is high, but some areas with reduced lightning activity exhibit also rather low ARFs as, in summer, convective rainfall can occur in any part of the country. ARFs tend to decrease with increasing return period, possibly because the contribution of convective rainfall is higher. The results of this study are consistent with similar studies in humid climates and provide new insights regarding the relationship of ARFs and dominating rainfall processes.
Monitor Ionizing Radiation-Induced Cellular Responses with Raman Spectroscopy, Non-Negative Matrix Factorization, and Non-Negative Least Squares
Authors: Deng Xinchen , Ali-Adeeb Ramie , Andrews Jeffrey L. , Shreeves Phillip , Lum Julian J. , Brolo Alexandre , Jirasek Andrew
Published: February 2020

Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the most commonly prescribed cancer treatments. New tools that can accurately monitor and evaluate individual patient responses would be a major advantage and lend to the implementation of personalized treatment plans. In this study, Raman spectroscopy (RS) was applied to examine radiation-induced cellular responses in H460, MCF7, and LNCaP cancer cell lines across different dose levels and times post-irradiation. Previous Raman data analysis was conducted using principal component analysis (PCA), which showed the ability to extract biological information of glycogen. In the current studies, the use of non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) allowed for the discovery of multiplexed biological information, specifically uncovering glycogen-like and lipid-like component bases. The corresponding scores of glycogen and previously unidentified lipids revealed the content variations of these two chemicals in the cellular data. The NMF decomposed glycogen and lipid-like bases were able to separate the cancer cell lines into radiosensitive and radioresistant groups. A further lipid phenotype investigation was also attempted by applying non-negative least squares (NNLS) to the lipid-like bases decomposed individually from three cell lines. Qualitative differences found in lipid weights for each lipid-like basis suggest the lipid phenotype differences in the three tested cancer cell lines. Collectively, this study demonstrates that the application of NMF and NNLS on RS data analysis to monitor ionizing radiation-induced cellular responses can yield multiplexed biological information on bio-response to RT not revealed by conventional chemometric approaches.
Studying collective leadership: The road ahead
Authors: Fairhurst Gail T , Jackson Brad , Foldy Erica Gabrielle , Ospina Sonia M
Published: February 2020

In the concluding article, we move from providing a map of the collective leadership (CL) research field that has been conducted to date to providing a travel guide that we hope can inspire both experienced and novice travelers to push out the frontiers of exploration of CL. A Rapid Appraisal analysis of the extant CL research revealed that most of the work to date has focused on shared and distributed leadership; taken an empirical rather than a conceptual focus; and strongly emphasized qualitative versus quantitative research methods. Looking ahead to future CL research, we identify the following three challenges as being the most significant for leadership researchers to confront: the fundamental ambiguity of the space in which CL resides; the definitional problems inherited from leadership studies and exacerbated by its ambiguous nature; and the need to more fully embrace issues of process in CL. In response to these challenges, the following three guidelines are provided: the need to decipher CL configurations and its power-based foundations; the need to establish how leadership is made relevant in a collective setting; and the need for CL researchers to adopt strong process models.
Passive damping and vibration test of airborne stable pods for power line inspection using helicopters
Authors: Li Xiaoming , Cao Hongyun , Zhang Lizhong , Meng Lixin
Published: February 2020

An airborne optoelectronic stable pod is mounted on a helicopter by pylons. The pod suppresses the impact of strong vibration and large swaying of the aircraft to stabilize the optical axis of the camera and to produce high-definition images under dynamic conditions. First, a passive damping system comprising a mechanical turntable with two axes and four frames for a photoelectronic stable pod is designed. Then the pod’s vibration reduction performance is tested. Additional tests are performed on the vibration of the helicopter and the pylon under flight conditions during the actual power line inspection, test the stabilization precision and imaging effect of the pod under flight conditions. The test results are analysed in detail, and the pod’s stability performances are verified under airborne conditions. The stability precision of the pod is better than 30 μrad (1σ), and a pin of 3-mm diameter can be clearly shot during aircraft hovering. The vibration test shows the pylons do not amplify the vibration of the aircraft while meeting stiffness requirement.
Evaluating the persistence of laundered semen stains on fabric using a forensic light source system, prostate-specific antigen Semiquant test and DNA recovery-profiling
Authors: Karadayi Sukriye , Moshfeghi Elnaz , Arasoglu Tulin , Karadayi Beytullah
Published: February 2020

Semen stains on the clothes of victims of sexual assault can remain as evidence even after garments have been laundered. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of commonly preferred methods to detect semen stains in two different fabric types that were laundered with different washing machine programmes and washing powders, and to obtain a DNA profile from the semen stains. For this purpose, a comprehensive study was performed on semen-stained underwear using three different methods for stain detection, confirmation and identification: a forensic light source (FLS) system, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and DNA recovery profiling. With FLS applications, stronger fluorescence was achieved in wash protocols performed at a low temperature (30°C) on semen-stained cotton underwear. DNA recovery between 13.45 and 55.00 ng/µl was obtained by modifications in the DNA extraction step when the effect of temperature and washing powder on DNA recovery was evaluated, and these were enough for short tandem repeat (STR) typing in all samples. This study shows that when semen-stained underwear is washed after a month, some semen stains can be determined by FLS and PSA, and all stains can be identified by STR analyses.
The importance of infiltration pathways in assessing and modelling overheating risks in multi-residential buildings
Authors: McLeod Robert S , Swainson Michael , Hopfe Christina J , Mourkos Kostas , Goodier Chris
Published: February 2020

With the help of building diagnostics, the causes and solutions to complex problems in buildings can be determined. In central and greater London, an increasing number of cases of chronic, year-round, overheating in buildings have been reported. We present three cases of unexpected temperatures in multi-storey residential buildings. Detailed analysis and modelling of these scenarios have led to an investigation of whether the way in which infiltration is currently modelled in building performance simulation may be exerting a pronounced effect on the results of overheating studies. An EnergyPlus model, of one of the dwellings in a multi-residential building in London, was created to investigate the influence of infiltration and exfiltration pathway assumptions on the prediction of overheating. The simulation results were compared to empirical data and show that the predicted indoor temperatures are highly sensitive to how the infiltration airflow network is modelled. The findings of this study have been used to provide practical guidance for modellers and building designers on critical aspects to consider when creating building performance simulation models to ensure more reliable outcomes.

Overheating in buildings is an emerging topic of critical importance to the future of the built environment. The importance of understanding infiltration pathways in assessing and modelling overheating risks in flats and multi-residential buildings has been hitherto underestimated or simply ignored. In this paper, examples are given which highlight the need for a fuller understanding of internal air movement where accurate predictions of internal temperatures are required. At present, common building simulation practices and existing technical memorandum (TM) standards are masking the problem and do not provide a basis from which typical or worst-case scenarios can be adequately considered.
Risk Factors for Pharyngocutaneous Fistula After Total Pharyngolaryngectomy
Authors: Lemaire Emilien , Schultz Philippe , Vergez Sébastien , Debry Christian , Sarini Jérome , Vairel Benjamin , de Bonnecaze Guillaume , Takeda-Raguin Catherine , Cabarrou Bastien , Dupret-Bories Agnès
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

To evaluate the risk factors of pharyngocutaneous fistula after total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL) in order to reduce their incidence and propose a perioperative rehabilitation protocol.

Materials and Methods:

This was a multicenter retrospective study based on 456 patients operated for squamous cell carcinoma by total laryngectomy or TPL. Sociodemographic, medical, surgical, carcinologic, and biological risk factors were studied. Reactive C protein was evaluated on post-op day 5. Patients were divided into a learning population and a validation population with patients who underwent surgery between 2006 and 2013 and between 2014 and 2016, respectively. A risk score of occurrence of salivary fistula was developed from the learning population data and then applied on the validation population (temporal validation).

Objective:

To use a preoperative risk score in order to modify practices and reduce the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula.

Results:

Four hundred fifty-six patients were included, 328 in the learning population and 128 in the validation population. The combination of active smoking over 20 pack-years, a history of cervical radiotherapy, mucosal closure in separate stitches instead of running sutures, and the placement of a pedicle flap instead of a free flap led to a maximum risk of post-op pharyngocutaneous fistula after TPL. The risk score was discriminant with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.59-0.73) and 0.70 (95% CI = 0.60-0.81) for the learning population and the validation population, respectively.

Conclusion:

A preoperative risk score could be used to reduce the rate of pharyngocutaneous fistula after TPL by removing 1 or more of the 4 identified risk factors.
Neighborhood Influences on Physical Activity Among Low-Income African American Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Park Soim , Zachary Wayne W. , Gittelsohn Joel , Quinn Charlene C. , Surkan Pamela J.
Published: February 2020

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to explore the influences of the neighborhood environment on physical activity (PA) among people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a community with limited resources.

Methods

Participants were adults with T2DM and their family members or friends who help in the management of T2DM and who were living in a low-income African American (AA) community. Health care providers working in the neighborhood were also included. Using an emergent design, qualitative data were collected through 7 focus group discussions (N = 63) and 13 in-depth interviews. Verbatim transcriptions were analyzed via thematic coding to explore contextual factors that limit PA and meaning around neighborhood features that promote or discourage PA.

Results

Levels of PA were strongly limited by neighborhood insecurity and a lack of recreational facilities in the neighborhood. People with T2DM and physical/mobility disabilities were more affected by the neighborhood environment than those without disabilities, particularly due to perceived safety concerns and social stigma. Despite socioeconomic inequalities within neighborhoods, participants showed resilience and made efforts to overcome social-environmental barriers to PA, applied various coping strategies, and received social support.

Conclusions

Results suggested that in an underserved neighborhood, individual barriers to physical activity were amplified by neighborhood-level factors such as crime, especially among individuals who have T2DM and disabilities. Socioeconomic inequalities should be addressed further to improve management of T2DM and its complications.
A Research Brief on Prospective Marital Expectations among Cohabitors with Initial Marital Intentions
Authors: Guzzo Karen Benjamin
Published: February 2020

Having initial intentions to marry increases cohabitors’ likelihood of marriage, yet some cohabitors with such plans do not marry. One explanation for non-marriage may be that prior union experiences and the challenges of raising shared or stepchildren could temper initially strong marital intentions. Using the 2011–15 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), I examine prospective marital expectations among 531 current cohabitors in short-term unions (≤ 36 months) who report they were engaged or had definite plans to marry at the start of coresidence, focusing on prior union experiences, stepchildren, shared children, and pregnancy. A fifth of current cohabitors with initial marital intentions did not definitely expect to marry their partner, and the odds of definite expectations were lower if respondents’ partners had children from a prior union and higher if respondents were expecting a child. Prior union experiences, shared children, and the respondent’s own prior children were unrelated to expectations.
Psychometric Properties of the Brief COPE Among Pregnant African American Women
Authors: Peters Rosalind M. , Solberg Marvin A. , Templin Thomas N. , Cassidy-Bushrow Andrea E.
Published: February 2020

This paper describes the assessment of the psychometric properties of the Brief COPE in a sample of 189 pregnant African-American women. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested the original 14-factor model, and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) determined whether a reduced number of factors still accounted for inter-item covariances. The CFA replicated 13 of the 14 original factors. After deleting substance use items and allowing for correlated error across the support factors, the 13-factor model achieved an acceptable fit (CMIN/ df = 1.77; RMSEA = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.05–0.07). ESEM resulted in three second-order factors: disengaged, active, and social support coping. Factor items were summed to create subscales with good internal consistency reliability (α = .74–.89). Social support coping and active coping were strongly correlated and accounted for nearly the same variance in four different psychological/affect scales, while disengaged coping was clearly distinct.
Model-free vision-based shaping of deformable plastic materials
Authors: Cherubini Andrea , Ortenzi Valerio , Cosgun Akansel , Lee Robert , Corke Peter
Published: February 2020

We address the problem of shaping deformable plastic materials using non-prehensile actions. Shaping plastic objects is challenging, because they are difficult to model and to track visually. We study this problem, by using kinetic sand, a plastic toy material that mimics the physical properties of wet sand. Inspired by a pilot study where humans shape kinetic sand, we define two types of actions: pushing the material from the sides and tapping from above. The chosen actions are executed with a robotic arm using image-based visual servoing. From the current and desired view of the material, we define states based on visual features such as the outer contour shape and the pixel luminosity values. These are mapped to actions, which are repeated iteratively to reduce the image error until convergence is reached. For pushing, we propose three methods for mapping the visual state to an action. These include heuristic methods and a neural network, trained from human actions. We show that it is possible to obtain simple shapes with the kinetic sand, without explicitly modeling the material. Our approach is limited in the types of shapes it can achieve. A richer set of action types and multi-step reasoning is needed to achieve more sophisticated shapes.
Monte Carlo Simulation Approach to the Duration of Yellow Lights at Signalized Intersections Considering the Stochastic Characteristics of Drivers
Authors: Jiang Ze-hao , Yang Xiao-guang , Wang Fang-kai , Wang Tao
Published: February 2020

In China, around 90% of traffic crashes at signalized intersections take place within the signal change intervals, especially during signal change from green to red. Hence, yellow time, which is a part of inter-green time, is of great significance to the safety of signalized intersections. The conventional calculation method for duration of yellow light (DYL) ignores the stochastic characteristics of drivers, which we believe is an important factor in this calculation. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate a new approach to calculate DYL based on safety reliability theory in which the randomness of human factors is taken into consideration. Firstly, a comprehensive literature review concerning the conventional calculation methods of DYL is conducted. Secondly, a theoretical calculation method of DYL based on safety reliability theory is put forward which, different from the conventional methods, accounts for the stochastic characteristics of drivers. Additionally, a driving simulation experiment is designed to obtain two driving behavior parameters of Chinese drivers: perception–reaction time (PRT) and safe acceptable acceleration (SAA). Thirdly, a Monte Carlo simulation is employed to simulate the interactive process of PRT and SAA, and solve the proposed model. Finally, according to the Monte Carlo simulation results, a look-up table describing the relationship between DYL, safety reliability (50–90%) and approaching speed (15–40 km/h) is made. Results show that this method successfully incorporates the probabilistic nature of driving behavior. Taking the safety reliability into consideration can provide a more reasonable method to calculate the DYL of signalized intersections.