bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empirical study of Team Usability Testing: a laboratory experiment
Authors: Geszten Dalma , Hámornik Balázs Péter , Hercegfi Károly
Published: August 2020

The evaluation of groupware has a long history; several researchers have investigated this research area and made attempts to develop evaluation methods. This paper aims to make a contribution to this research topic by introducing a groupware evaluation method called Team Usability Testing. The goal of this method is to evaluate the usability of real-time distributed groupware. The Team Usability Test consists of a combination of questionnaires, on-screen behaviour recordings and interviews. The data analysis is based on the mechanics of collaboration theoretical framework and involves communication analysis, behaviour analysis, and analysis of post-experiment interviews. A laboratory experiment and a field study constitute the two main phases of the creation of the usability testing method. In this paper, the results of the laboratory experiment and its implications for the field study will be discussed. According to the results, the Team Usability Test is able to explore team-level usability problems and contextual problems. The paper ends with the discussion of future field research considerations related to the possible application of the Team Usability Test in real-life work settings.
Smile esthetic evaluation of mucogingival reconstructive surgery
Authors: Rotundo Roberto , Genzano Luigi , Nieri Michele , Covani Ugo , Peñarrocha-Oltra David , Peñarrocha-Diago Miguel
Published: August 2020

To assess the difference in smile esthetic impact of Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF) with or without the adjunct of a collagen matrix (CMX) used as root coverage procedures. Subjects with esthetic demands showing multiple upper gingival recessions of at least 2 mm, without interproximal attachment loss and cervical abrasion no more than 1 mm were recruited and randomized to CAF plus CMX or CAF alone. The Smile Esthetic Index (SEI) was adopted to quantify the quality of the smile recorded at baseline and 12 months after treatment for each treatment group. In addition, between group difference in the SEI was calculated. 24 Patients were treated and analysed. At baseline, mean gingival recession depths were 2.3 ± 0.7 mm for Test group and 2.6 ± 1.0 mm for Control group. After 1 year, the residual recession depth was 0.3 ± 0.4 mm in the CAF + CMX group and 0.6 ± 0.3 mm in the control group. The SEI at baseline was 8.1 ± 1.0 and 7.9 ± 0.7 for Test and Control group, respectively. The between groups difference at 12 months in SEI was 0.4 (95% C.I. − 0.0 to 0.8, P = 0.0697). Twelve months after treatment, CAF + CMX provided a similar SEI compared to CAF alone and the adjunct of a collagen matrix did not show a different impact on the smile esthetic appearance.
Back to the plant: overcoming roadblocks to the microbial production of pharmaceutically important plant natural products
Authors: Ozber Natali , Watkins Jacinta L , Facchini Peter J
Published: August 2020

Microbial fermentation platforms offer a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to plant cultivation and chemical synthesis for the production of many plant-derived pharmaceuticals. Plant alkaloids, particularly benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and monoterpene indole alkaloids, and recently cannabinoids have become attractive targets for microbial biosynthesis owing to their medicinal importance. Recent advances in the discovery of pathway components, together with the application of synthetic biology tools, have facilitated the assembly of plant alkaloid and cannabinoid pathways in the microbial hosts Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This review highlights key aspects of these pathways in the framework of overcoming bottlenecks in microbial production to further improve end-product titers. We discuss the opportunities that emerge from a better understanding of the pathway components by further study of the plant, and strategies for generation of new and advanced medicinal compounds.
Streptobacillus felis, a member of the oropharynx microbiota of the Felidae, isolated from a tropical rusty-spotted cat
Authors: Fawzy Ahmad , Rau Jörg , Riße Karin , Schauerte Nicole , Geiger Christina , Blom Jochen , Imirzalioglu Can , Falgenhauer Jane , Bach Alexa , Herden Christiane , Eisenberg Tobias
Published: August 2020

Streptobacillus felis is a fastidious microorganism and a novel member of the potentially zoonotic bacteria causing rat bite fever. Since its description, this is the second isolation of S. felis in a diseased member of the Felidae. Interestingly, the strain from this study was isolated from a zoo held, rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), with pneumonia, thereby indicating a possible broader host range in feline species. A recent preliminary sampling of domestic cats (Felis silvestris forma catus) revealed that this microorganism is common in the oropharynx, suggesting that S. felis is a member of their normal microbiota. Due to unawareness, fastidiousness, antibiotic sensitivity and lack of diagnostics the role of S. felis as a cat and human pathogen might be under-reported as with other Streptobacillus infections. More studies are necessary to elucidate the role of S. felis in domestic cats and other Felidae in order to better estimate its zoonotic potential.
On the Differences Between Practical and Cognitive Presumptions
Authors: Bodlović Petar
Published: August 2020

The study of presumptions has intensified in argumentation theory over the last years. Although scholars put forward different accounts, they mostly agree that presumptions can be studied in deliberative and epistemic contexts, have distinct contextual functions (guiding decisions vs. acquiring information), and promote different kinds of goals (non-epistemic vs. epistemic). Accordingly, there are “practical” and “cognitive” presumptions. In this paper, I show that the differences between practical and cognitive presumptions go far beyond contextual considerations. The central aim is to explore Nicholas Rescher’s contention that both types of presumptions have a closely analogous pragmatic function, i.e., that practical and cognitive presumptions are made to avoid greater harm in circumstances of epistemic uncertainty. By comparing schemes of practical and cognitive reasoning, I show that Rescher’s contention requires qualifications. Moreover, not only do practical and cognitive presumptions have distinct pragmatic functions, but they also perform different dialogical functions (enabling progress vs. preventing regress) and, in some circumstances, cannot be defeated by the same kinds of evidence. Hence, I conclude that the two classes of presumptions merit distinct treatment in argumentation theory.
Spatial Disaggregation of Social Indicators: An Info-Metrics Approach
Authors: Fernandez-Vazquez Esteban , Diaz Dapena Alberto , Rubiera-Morollon Fernando , Viñuela Ana
Published: August 2020

In this paper we propose a methodology to obtain social indicators at a detailed spatial scale by combining the information contained in census and sample surveys. Similarly to previous proposals, the method proposed here estimates a model at the sample level to later project it to the census scale. The main novelties of the technique presented are that (i) the small-scale mapping produced is perfectly consistent with the aggregates -regional or national- observed in the sample, and (ii) it does not require imposing strong distributional assumptions. The methodology suggested here follows the basics presented on Golan (2018) by adapting a cross-moment constrained Generalized Maximum Entropy (GME) estimator to the spatial disaggregation problem. This procedure is compared with the equivalent methodology of Tarozzi and Deaton (2009) by means of numerical experiments, providing a comparatively better performance. Additionally, the practical implementation of the methodology proposed is illustrated by estimating poverty rates for small areas for the region of Andalusia (Spain).
Enabling Dynamic System Integration on Maxeler HLS Platforms
Authors: Kritikakis Charalampos , Koch Dirk
Published: August 2020

High Level Synthesis (HLS) tools enable application domain experts to implement applications and algorithms on FPGAs. The majority of present FPGA applications is following a stream processing model which is almost entirely implemented statically and not exploiting the benefits enabled by partial reconfiguration. In this paper, we propose a generic approach for implementing and using partial reconfiguration through an HLS design flow for Maxeler platforms. Our flow extracts HLS generated HDL code from the Maxeler compilation process in order to implement a static FPGA infrastructure as well as run-time reconfigurable stream processing modules. As a distinct feature, our infrastructure can accommodate multiple partial modules in a pipeline daisy-chained manner, which aligns directly to Maxeler’s dataflow programming paradigm. The benefits of the proposed flow are demonstrated by a case study of a dynamically reconfigurable video processing pipeline delivering 6.4GB/s throughput.
An unusual case of melanoma metastasis in the buccal space: learning by mistakes to distinguish it from salivary neoplasms
Authors: Grillo P. , Savoldi A. P. , Di Meo R. , Granata G. , Rodà G. M. , Arrigoni G. , Saibene A. M. , Franceschelli G. , Patella F. , Cariati M.
Published: August 2020

Background

The buccal space is an unusual location of malignancies. We report here the case of a woman with a melanoma metastasis in buccal fat pad, to evaluate the imaging features which might lead to the correct, although uncommon, diagnosis.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old woman presented with a painless visible swelling of the left cheek. MRI revealed the presence of a solid lesion located in the buccal fat pad with features suggestive of malignancy. It showed T1 hyperintensity and T2 hypointensity, and restriction of diffusion. Histological examination showed neoplastic cells compatible with melanoma.

Discussion

The lesion features (T1 hyperintensity and T2 hypointensity) initially lead our team to believe that there was a hemorrhagic component, possibly a residue of the biopsy. However, when associated with other malignancy features, such as low apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and contrast enhancement, they should evoke the suspect of melanoma, provided that no biopsy was performed and no trauma occurred in the 3–7 days before.
The Long Non-coding Road to Atherosclerosis
Authors: Josefs Tatjana , Boon Reinier A.
Published: August 2020

Purpose of Review

To summarize recent insights into long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in atherosclerosis. Because atherosclerosis is the main underlying pathology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the world’s deadliest disease, finding novel therapeutic strategies is of high interest.

Recent Findings

LncRNAs can bind to proteins, DNA, and RNA regulating disease initiation and plaque growth as well as plaque stability in different cell types such as endothelial cells (ECs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and macrophages. A number of lncRNAs have been implicated in cholesterol homeostasis and foam cell formation such as LASER, LeXis, and CHROME. Among others, MANTIS, lncRNA-CCL2, and MALAT1 were shown to be involved in vascular inflammation. Further regulations include, but are not limited to, DNA damage response in ECs, phenotypic switch of VSMCs, and various cell death mechanisms. Interestingly, some lncRNAs are closely correlated with response to statin treatment, such as NEXN-AS1 or LASER. Additionally, some lncRNAs may serve as CVD biomarkers.

LncRNAs are a potential novel therapeutic target to treat CVD, but research of lncRNA in atherosclerosis is still in its infancy. With increasing knowledge of the complex and diverse regulations of lncRNAs in the heterogeneous environment of atherosclerotic plaques, lncRNAs hold promise for their clinical translation in the near future.
Novel Positron Emission Tomography Tracers for Imaging Vascular Inflammation
Authors: Ćorović Andrej , Wall Christopher , Mason Justin C. , Rudd James H. F. , Tarkin Jason M.
Published: August 2020

Purpose of Review

To provide a focused update on recent advances in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in vascular inflammatory diseases and consider future directions in the field.

Recent Findings

While PET imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) can provide a useful marker of disease activity in several vascular inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis and large-vessel vasculitis, this tracer lacks inflammatory cell specificity and is not a practical solution for imaging the coronary vasculature because of avid background myocardial signal. To overcome these limitations, research is ongoing to identify novel PET tracers that can more accurately track individual components of vascular immune responses. Use of these novel PET tracers could lead to a better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms and help inform the identification and stratification of patients for newly emerging immune-modulatory therapies.

Future research is needed to realise the true clinical translational value of PET imaging in vascular inflammatory diseases.
Post-salt trapping mechanism of south-east Pre-Caspian and its application to petroleum exploration
Authors: Akhmetzhanov Aitbek , Zholtayev Geroy , Djeddou Abdelkader , Akhmetzhanova Gauhar , Oraz Bauyrzhan
Published: August 2020

The Kungurian saliferous sediments of the Pre-Caspian sedimentary basin represented by thick stratum of rock salt with interlayered lenses of anhydrites, terrigenous and carbonate rocks. Initial thickness of these sediments estimated as 4000–4500 m at the center of the depression and 1000–2000 m on the edges of the basin. The processes of halokinesis led to formation of more than 1200 salt dome structures represented by salt diapirs and walls, ridges and salt pillows. Number of salt dome related structures of Mesozoic clastic deposits revealed by seismic exploration carried out in 70–90′s of last century are quite common on the south-eastern part of the Pre-Caspian Sedimentary basin. Most of hydrocarbon pools in post-salt clastic rocks have been discovered on fault-related anticline prospects which are derived from salt tectonics morphologically variable (Munyithya et al. Petrol Explor Prod Technol 10: 2257–2267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-020-00917-1, 2020). Other potential traps anticipated in the area are stratigraphic traps, pinch-out and unconformity-related traps, trapped by salt domes and walls or by salt overhang, etc.
Histone deacetylase 3 promotes innate antiviral immunity through deacetylation of TBK1
Authors: Tang Jie-lin , Yang Qi , Xu Chong-hui , Zhao He , Liu Ya-ling , Liu Can-yu , Zhou Yuan , Gai Dong-wei , Pei Rong-juan , Wang Yun , Hu Xue , Zhong Bo , Wang Yan-yi , Chen Xin-wen , Chen Ji-zheng
Published: August 2020

TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1), a core kinase of antiviral pathways, activates the production of interferons (IFNs). It has been reported that deacetylation activates TBK1; however, the precise mechanism still remains to be uncovered. We show here that during the early stage of viral infection, the acetylation of TBK1 was increased, and the acetylation of TBK1 at Lys241 enhanced the recruitment of IRF3 to TBK1. HDAC3 directly deacetylated TBK1 at Lys241 and Lys692, which resulted in the activation of TBK1. Deacetylation at Lys241 and Lys692 was critical for the kinase activity and dimerization of TBK1 respectively. Using knockout cell lines and transgenic mice, we confirmed that a HDAC3 null mutant exhibited enhanced susceptibility to viral challenge via impaired production of type I IFNs. Furthermore, activated TBK1 phosphorylated HDAC3, which promoted the deacetylation activity of HDAC3 and formed a feedback loop. In this study, we illustrated the roles the acetylated and deacetylated forms of TBK1 play in antiviral innate responses and clarified the post-translational modulations involved in the interaction between TBK1 and HDAC3.
Determining the potential retention of a forest catchment based on the CN parameter
Authors: Wróbel Michał , Boczoń Andrzej
Published: August 2020

Forests play one of the most important roles in the hydrological cycle; as a result, knowledge about the water relations in forest areas should be of great importance in the context of global change. In Poland, the level of groundwater in forest areas has been decreasing for several decades, which negatively affects forest stands. To prevent this, activities have been carried out to increase water resources. Therefore, there is a need to develop a method for prioritizing the locations of retention investment projects. While searching for simple methods to achieve this goal, it was assumed that retention facilities should be located first in the partial catchments with the greatest possible retention capacities. This value, which is called the potential retention of the catchment, can be calculated using the CN parameter, which is used in the soil conservation service–curve number (SCS–CN) method. The CN parameter contains information on the type of land cover, the type of soil, and the moisture content. The source of the obtained land-use data was the Corine Land Cover (CLC) database, which was developed by the European Environment Agency for the area of the European Union. The analyses were carried out on the forest catchment of the Łutownia River, which is located in the Białowieża Primeval Forest.
Co-purchaser Recommendation for Online Group Buying
Authors: Chen Jihong , Chen Wei , Huang Jinjing , Fang Jinhua , Li Zhixu , Liu An , Zhao Lei
Published: August 2020

Online group buying is a burgeoning business model of Internet shopping, in which people with the same merchandise interests form a group and co-purchase goods with favorable prices. The buyer who launches the co-purchase is called the initiator, and other buyers are called the co-purchasers. Although recommending co-purchasers for a target buyer (co-purchase initiator) on the group buying is an interesting problem, existing studies have paid few attention to this topic. Different from the collaborator recommendation that only considers users with high similarity to the target user, co-purchaser recommendation takes both users with high and weak similarity into account, and the recommendation results can achieve high recall and diversity. However, the task turns out to be a challenging problem since it is hard to make a precise recommendation for buyers with weak similarity. To address the problem, we propose the following two methods. In the first one, we directly impose a penalty to the weak similar co-purchasers in the embedding space. To further improve the recommendation performance, in the second one, we smoothly increase the co-occurrence probability of the weak similar co-purchasers by truncated bias walk. Our experimental results on real datasets show that the proposed methods, particularly the latter, can effectively complete the co-purchaser recommendation and has high recommendation performance. In addition, considering that co-purchase may last longer, the total recommendation result can be generated in multiple stages and adjust the current recommendation list based on the feedback from the recommendation of previous stages. It is a trick for all co-purchaser recommendation methods to make the total result better.
End-of-Life Issues in Intensive Care Units
Authors: Metaxa Victoria
Published: August 2020

Critical care clinicians strive to reverse the disease process and are frequently faced with difficult end-of-life (EoL) situations, which include transitions from curative to palliative care, avoidance of disproportionate care, withholding or withdrawing therapy, responding to advance treatment directives, as well as requests for assistance in dying. This article presents a summary of the most common issues encountered by intensivists caring for patients around the end of their life. Topics explored are the practices around limitations of life-sustaining treatment, with specific mention to the thorny subject of assisted dying and euthanasia, as well as the difficulties encountered regarding the adoption of advance care directives in clinical practice and the importance of integrating palliative care in the everyday practice of critical-care physicians. The aim of this article is to enhance understanding around the complexity of EoL decisions, highlight the intricate cultural, religious, and social dimensions around death and dying, and identify areas of potential improvement for individual practice.
Elderly Patients in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Flaatten Hans , Beil Michael , Guidet Bertrand
Published: August 2020

Very old intensive care unit (ICU) patients, aged ≥ 80 years, are by no mean newcomers, but during the last decades their impact on ICU admissions has grown in parallel with the increase in the number of elderly persons in the community. Hence, from being a “rarity,” they have now become common and constitute one of the largest subgroups within intensive care, and may easily be the largest group in 20 years and make up 30 to 40% of all ICU admissions. Obviously, they are not admitted because they are old but because they are with various diseases and problems like any other ICU patient. However, their age and the presence of common geriatric syndromes such as frailty, cognitive decline, reduced activity of daily life, and several comorbid conditions makes this group particularly challenging, with a high mortality rate. In this review, we will highlight aspects of current and future epidemiology and current knowledge on outcomes, and describe the effects of the aforementioned geriatric syndromes. The major challenge for the coming decades will be the question of whom to treat and the quest for better triage criteria not based on age alone. Challenges with the level of care during the ICU stay will also be discussed. A stronger relationship with geriatricians should be promoted to create a better and more holistic care and aftercare for survivors.
Clinical Utilization and Cost of Thrombophilia Testing in Patients with Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Gaddh Manila , Cheng En , Elsebaie Maha A.T. , Bodó Imre
Published: August 2020

Introduction Testing for inherited and acquired thrombophilias adds to the cost of care of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE), though results may not influence patient management.

Methods This is a single-center, retrospective study conducted at Emory University Hospitals from January to December 2015 to (1) determine the pattern of thrombophilia testing in patients with VTE, (2) study the impact of results of thrombophilia testing on clinical decision-making, and (3) determine the direct costs of thrombophilia testing in patients with VTE.

Results Of the 266 eligible patients, 189 (71%) underwent testing; 51 (26.9%) tested positive and the results impacted management in 32 (16.9%) of tested patients. Patient undergoing testing were more likely to be younger than 40 years (30.9 vs. 18.2%), have had prior pregnancy loss (9.0 vs. 0%), or known family history of hypercoagulability (24.9 vs. 10.4%), and were less likely to have had provoked VTE (37 vs. 79.2%). The most common thrombophilias tested were antiphospholipid syndrome (60.1%), factor V Leiden (59.7%), and prothrombin gene mutation (57.5%). Direct costs of thrombophilia testing were $2,364.32 per patient, $12,331.55 to diagnose 1 positive, and $19,653.41 per patient-management affected.

Conclusion We noted significant variability in selection of patients and panel of tests, sparse utilization of test results in patient management, but high cost associated with thrombophilia testing in patients with VTE. With guidelines advocating selective use of thrombophilia testing and attention to potential impact of test results in patient management, we propose the need for measures at institutional levels to improve test-ordering practices.
Evidence on the Link between Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Early Life and Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases
Authors: Baraldi Eugenio , Bonadies Luca , Manzoni Paolo
Published: August 2020

There is growing evidence in medical literature to support an association between early-life respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract-lower respiratory tract infection (RSV-LRTI) and recurrent wheezing/asthma-like symptoms. It has been estimated that children with a history of RSV-LRTI have a 2- to 12-fold higher risk of developing asthma. The connection between RSV infection and a developmental trajectory of reduced lung function remains throughout adolescence and early adulthood, suggesting a possible role for RSV even in the inception of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. That is why the postnatal period appears to offer a specific window of opportunity for early intervention to prevent chronic obstructive lung diseases. The mechanisms by which RSV contributes to the onset of wheezing/asthma and lung function impairment are not fully understood but appear to relate to injury caused directly by the virus and/or to pre-existing predisposing factors. While awaiting a deeper understanding of the association between RSV and chronic lung diseases, the crucial role of pediatricians and physicians is to develop strategies to prevent RSV infections to try and protect children's lifelong respiratory health.

Key Points
Outcomes of Isolated Fetal Ventriculomegaly That Resolve In Utero
Authors: Ma'ayeh Marwan , Ward Calvin L. , Chitwood Abigail , Gee Stephen E. , Schneider Patrick , Rood Kara M.
Published: August 2020

Objective Isolated fetal ventriculomegaly is often an incidental finding on antenatal ultrasound. It is benign in up to 90% of cases, although it can be associated with genetic, structural, and neurocognitive disorders. The literature suggests that over 40% of isolated mild ventriculomegaly will resolve in utero, but it is unclear if resolution decreases the associated risks.

The aim of this study is to compare the fetal and neonatal genetic outcomes of ventriculomegaly that persists or resolves on subsequent ultrasound.

Study Design This is a retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with isolated ventriculomegaly via fetal ultrasound at a tertiary referral center between 2011 and 2019. Patients were excluded if other structural anomalies were identified on ultrasound.

Results A total of 49 patients were included in the study, 19 in the resolved ventriculomegaly group and 30 in the persistent ventriculomegaly group. Women in the resolved ventriculomegaly group were more likely to be diagnosed earlier (24 vs. 28 weeks, p = 0.007). Additionally, they were more likely to have mild ventriculomegaly (63 vs. 84%, p = 0.15), and less likely to have structural neurological abnormalities diagnosed on postnatal imaging (5 vs. 17%, p = 0.384), although these were not statistically significant. Aneuploidy risk for resolved compared with persistent ventriculomegaly was similar (5 vs. 7%, p = 0.999).

Conclusion This study suggests that resolution of isolated ventriculomegaly in utero may not eliminate the risk of genetic or chromosomal abnormalities in this population and may warrant inclusion as part of the counselling of these at-risk patients. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Key Points
Complications Associated with Low Position versus Good Position Umbilical Venous Catheters in Neonates of ≤32 Weeks' Gestation
Authors: Shahroor Maher , Maarouf Ahmad Mustafa , Yang Jie , Yankanah Rosanna , Shah Prakesh S. , Mohamed Adel
Published: August 2020

Objective This study aimed to determine the incidence of umbilical venous catheter associated infection (UVCAI) in very preterm infants based on UVC tip position.

Study Design In this retrospective cohort study, infants born at ≤32 weeks were divided into groups with a UVC tip in either a low-lying or good position. The primary outcome was UVCAI. Survival analysis represented time to infection between groups. Subgroup analyses were based on duration of UVC indwelling time.

Results Of 1,983 infants, 1,638 infants were eligible; 33% had low-lying UVC and 67% had good position UVC. Survival analyses suggested a significantly higher probability of infection was associated with low UVC (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–3.2; p = 0.001). The risk of infection was higher for UVC of >7 days duration (adjusted HR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1–4.2). Extravasation as a complication was significantly higher in the low UVC versus good position UVC (1.3 vs. 0.1%; odds ratio: 14.4, 95% CI: 1.8–119).

Conclusion Low-lying UVC was associated with higher risk of infection and extravasation.

Key Points
Supplemental Fibrinogen Restores Platelet Inhibitor-Induced Reduction in Thrombus Formation without Altering Platelet Function: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Bärnthaler Thomas , Mahla Elisabeth , Toth Gabor G. , Schuligoi Rufina , Prüller Florian , Buschmann Eva , Heinemann Akos
Published: August 2020

Background For patients treated with dual antiplatelet therapy, standardized drug-specific 3-to-7 day cessation is recommended prior to major surgery to reach sufficient platelet function recovery. Here we investigated the hypothesis that supplemental fibrinogen might mitigate the inhibitory effects of antiplatelet therapy.

Methods and Results To this end blood from healthy donors was treated in vitro with platelet inhibitors, and in vitro thrombus formation and platelet activation were assessed. Ticagrelor, acetylsalicylic acid, the combination of both, and tirofiban all markedly attenuated the formation of adherent thrombi, when whole blood was perfused through collagen-coated microchannels at physiological shear rates. Addition of fibrinogen restored in vitro thrombus formation in the presence of antiplatelet drugs and heparin. However, platelet activation, as investigated in assays of P-selectin expression and calcium flux, was not altered by fibrinogen supplementation. Most importantly, fibrinogen was able to restore in vitro thrombogenesis in patients on maintenance dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Conclusion Thus, our in vitro data support the notion that supplementation of fibrinogen influences the perioperative hemostasis in patients undergoing surgery during antiplatelet therapy by promoting thrombogenesis without significantly interfering with platelet activation.
Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: 37 Years Long Ongoing Survival in a de novo Patient with Metal-Based Ayurvedic Treatment
Authors: Prakash Balendu , Prakash Shikha , Tiwari Sneha
Published: August 2020

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia. The condition is clinically marked by anemia, fatigue, weakness, frequent infections, and fever associated with easy bleeding and coagulopathy. The diagnosis is made through bone marrow aspiration exhibiting increased promyelocytes and test for PML-RARα fusion gene. There has been remarkable progress in the treatment of APML in the past few decades with the induction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). This has also brought down mortality and relapse rates considerably. Similarly, nearly 90% patients are able to live disease free for about 10 years. However, there are certain hindrances to these treatments majorly due to side effects, relapses, and limited periods of remission associated with ATRA and ATO. Here, a freshly diagnosed case of APML is being reported. The patient was diagnosed in leading medical centers of Aligarh and New Delhi and only treated with blood transfusions in the absence of an established line of treatment in 1982. The patient has completed 37 years long survival without any sign of the disease and any adverse effect. This approach could be considered as an add-on medical therapy for APML.
Methodological practices in international business research: An after-action review of challenges and solutions
Authors: Aguinis Herman , Ramani Ravi S , Cascio Wayne F
Published: August 2020

We combine after-action review and needs-assessment frameworks to describe the four most pervasive contemporary methodological challenges faced by international business (IB) researchers, as identified by authors ofJournal of International Business Studiesarticles: Psychometrically deficient measures (mentioned in 73% of articles), idiosyncratic samples or contexts (mentioned in 62.2% of articles), less-than-ideal research designs (mentioned in 62.2% of articles), and insufficient evidence about causal relations (mentioned in 8.1% of articles). Then, we offer solutions to address these challenges: demonstrating why and how the conceptualization of a construct is accurate given a particular context, specifying whether constructs are reflective or formative, taking advantage of the existence of multiple indicators to measure multi-dimensional constructs, using particular samples and contexts as vehicles for theorizing and further theory development, seeking out particular samples or contexts where hypotheses are more or less likely to be supported empirically, using Big Data techniques to take advantage of untapped sources of information and to re-analyze currently available data, implementing quasi-experiments, and conducting necessary-condition analysis. Our article aims to advance IB theory by tackling the most typical methodological challenges and is intended for researchers, reviewers and editors, research consumers, and instructors who are training the next generation of scholars.
The strength of phonological cues for noun categorization in child-directed speech
Authors: Feijoo Sara
Published: August 2020

One of the most important tasks for language learning children is the identification of the grammatical category to which
words belong. This is essential in order to be able to form grammatically correct utterances. The present study investigates how
phonological information might help English-learning infants in the categorization of nouns. We analyze four different corpora of English
child-directed speech in order to explore the reliability with which words are represented in mothers’ speech based on several phonological
criteria. The results of the analysis confirm the prediction that most of the nouns to which English-learning children are exposed share
several phonological characteristics, which would allow their early classification in the same grammatical category.
A multimodal cognitive analysis of visual metonymies in picture books featuring same-sex-parent families
Authors: Moya-Guijarro Arsenio Jesús , Ruiz Cordero Begoña
Published: August 2020

Verbal metaphor and also metonymy have been theorized from a conceptual perspective since Lakoff and Johnson publishedMetaphors we live byin the 1980s. However, the final years of the twentieth century saw a new approach into non-verbal monomodal or multimodal tropes (Forceville & Urios-Aparisi, 2009). In an attempt to expand upon the theorization and communicative functions of visual metonymies, this study aims to explore the meaning potential of metonymic representations of characters in a sample of six picture books which portray same-sex-parent families. A multimodal cognitive approach has been adopted to find out whether, and if so how, metonymic representations of characters contribute to the positive portrayal and acceptance of same-sex-parent families in children’s picture books. The results reveal that monomodal visual metonymies are essentially used to introduce new characters in the story and highlight important aspects of the plot which boost the acceptance of non-traditional families.
‘I hear the smell of roses’
Authors: Mousavi S. Hamzeh , Amouzadeh Mohammad
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the synaesthetic constructions in Persian with the aim of finding out what motivates them despite their incongruous syntactic-semantic assignments. It is argued that these paradoxical elements require a metaphoric/metonymic frame to assign appropriate lexical units (LUs) to their corresponding syntactic categories (NP + rɑ +VP and NP + AP). The discrepancy derives from the semantic aspects for which frame semantics provides two types of explanations: internal and external frame factors. Internal factors deal with the metaphoric/metonymic compatibility or similarity between frames, while external factors underline the use of lexical items from one subframe to fill the vocabulary gap of a different subframe. The argument is that this gap owes much to the indirect contact between the Phenomenon (e.g., an odorous substance) and the Body-part (e.g., nose) that perceives it. In short, the analysis of our data reveals that synaesthesia is not only an economical strategy for modifying the senses, but also a natural mental strategy for interpreting vague experiences. A configuration of the incongruent construction of ‘smell’ and ‘hearing’ will be proposed to generalize such an analysis.
Dialogic constructions and discourse units:
Authors: Geka Vassiliki , Marmaridou Sophia , Nikiforidou Kiki
Published: August 2020

Adopting a constructionally-oriented analysis, the present paper examines the pattern ‘think again’ (i.e., an instance of a
mental state verb + adverbial adjunct) in synchronic, corpus-derived data. On the basis of both qualitative and quantitative analyses we
show that think again merits constructional status in language; while it inherits features of fully-compositional meaning from its
constituents it has also developed its own idiosyncratic properties. We further argue that think again may ultimately function as a
discourse marker of challenge that regulates the relationship between Speaker (S) and Addressee (A), correlating with certain contextual
regularities and interdependencies. It thus qualifies as a discourse construction that imposes a dialogic construal on its context and
contributes fundamentally to discourse unit delimitation.
Less is more
Authors: Li Heng
Published: August 2020

According to the Body-Specificity Hypothesis, humans preferentially associate positive features with their dominant side with which they interact more fluently, and negatives features with their non-dominant side with which they act more clumsily. The current research investigated implicit space-valence mappings in two clinical populations, namely, patients with unilateral stroke and individuals who suffered the loss of a limb. Across the two studies, our findings offered general support for the Body-Specificity Hypothesis with important caveats. Specifically, the body-specificity effect was more detectable in the two groups of right-handed individuals with motor fluency impairment on their left side than healthy controls. This is possibly because the former can gain more fluent experience with their dominant hand since they exclusively use the intact hand for self-sufficiency, which may increase their bias toward “right-is-good” pattern. Taken together, the results provided converging evidence that individual differences in action fluency may moderate the body-specificity effect.
Between the Agency and the Court: Ex Ante Review of Regulations
Authors: Asimow Michael , Bocksang Hola Gabriel , Cirotteau Marie , Dotan Yoav , Perroud Thomas
Published: August 2020

Administrative regulations are an important tool of modern government, but their legitimacy is often questioned since they are adopted by the executive branch rather than the legislature. Judicial review of the legality of regulations is necessary but not sufficient as an accountability mechanism because judicial review is subject to many practical and legal shortcomings, especially including its high cost. Consequently, the vast majority of regulations are never subject to judicial review, which creates an accountability deficit. This deficit can be remedied through ex ante administrative review of the legality of regulations by an executive branch agency that is independent of the adopting agency. This Article evaluates executive branch ex ante legality review schemes in California, Chile, Israel, and France. Although these regulatory review schemes vary greatly, each of them scrutinizes the substantive and procedural legality of regulations (as distinguished from their economic or environmental effect or their political acceptability). This review takes place before the regulations are judicially reviewed and before they become effective. Ex ante administrative review can compensate for the failings of judicial review, promote the rule of law, and enhance the legitimacy of the regulatory process.
The English Navy in the Twelfth Century
Authors: Sequeira Susan Raich
Published: August 2020

This article investigates the naval strategies of England’s post-Conquest kings, especially from c.1100–1189, a period for which modern scholarship has yet to recognise the existence of a royal navy. It demonstrates that post-Conquest kings deployed warships, summoned defensive fleets, and launched their own invasion navies throughout the long twelfth century. Previously unnoticed evidence for the maintenance of warships under Henry II is discussed and records of fleet recruitment are used to shed light on the systems behind naval levies. Given all this evidence, it can firmly be concluded that there was a navy at the disposal of England’s Anglo-Norman and Angevin kings. The origins of this navy are twofold. Firstly, twelfth-century tactics drew on Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Danish systems and precedents, suggesting the long continuity of post-Conquest naval activities rather than sudden naval innovation under any particular king. The ‘English navy’ therefore did not decline after the Norman Conquest, nor was it a new foundation of Richard I. Secondly, England’s twelfth-century rulers relied upon the maritime skills and co-operation of coastal and port inhabitants across the realm. These coastal denizens’ motivations for participation in royal navies reveal both the extent and the limitations of English royal power. Royal naval activities took place against the backdrop of a European north that was becoming ever more connected by sea routes. English navies were therefore a crucial component of territorial expansion and warfare across a realm situated in the midst of extensive pan-European trading networks.
Examination of tracheal allografts after long-term survival in dogs
Authors: Lu Tao , Huang Yiwei , Qiao Yulei , Zhang Yongxing , Liu Yu
Published: August 2020

OBJECTIVES

Little is known on the outcome of tracheal allografts after long-term survival. This study aimed to explore the changes in structure and composition by evaluating the status of the mucosa and cartilage of allografts with long-term survival in dogs.

METHODS

Eight tracheal allografts that survived for ˃9 months were enrolled in our study. Epithelium, revascularization, monocyte infiltration and fibrosis were evaluated histologically. The fluorescent dye 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole was used to evaluate the presence of chondrocyte nuclei. Glycosaminoglycan was detected using safranin-O staining and collagen II was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The 8 animals survived from 277 to 783 days. Bronchoscopy demonstrated that 6 allografts showed no stenosis; 2 cases developed slight stenosis, but could maintain airway patency. Histological examination showed that the epithelium covered the surface of the allografts. In comparison to fresh tracheal controls, allografts demonstrated mild monocyte infiltration, evident revascularization and mild fibrosis in the mucosa or submucosa (all P < 0.05). There were a few viable chondrocytes scattered in the cartilage after long-term survival. Moreover, glycosaminoglycan and collagen II were significantly decreased in the allografts compared with fresh trachea (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For tracheal allografts with long-term survival after transplantation, only a few viable chondrocytes were retained, and the extracellular matrix of the cartilage demonstrated degeneration. Despite this, the airway could maintain patency. Notably, the significance of monocyte infiltration in the mucosa or submucosa at different time points warrants further study.
Utilization and procedural adverse outcomes associated with Watchman device implantation
Authors: Khalil Fouad , Arora Shilpkumar , Killu Ammar M , Tripathi Byomesh , DeSimone Christopher V , Egbe Alexander , Noseworthy Peter A , Kapa Suraj , Mulpuru Siva , Gersh Bernard , Mohamad Alkhouli , Friedman Paul , Holmes David , Deshmukh Abhishek J
Published: August 2020

Aims 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the Watchman device [percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO)] has resulted in the widespread use of this procedure in many centres across the USA. We sought to estimate the nationwide utilization and frequency of adverse outcomes associated with Watchman device implantation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Watchman device implantation peri-procedural complications and comparison of the results with the previous studies.

Methods and results 

The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was queried for all hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter during the year 2016 with percutaneous LAAO during the same admission (ICD-10 code—02L73DK). The frequency of peri-procedural complications, including mortality, procedure-related stroke, major bleeding requiring blood transfusion, and pericardial effusion, was assessed. We compared the complication rates with the published randomized controlled trials and the European Watchman registry. An estimated 5175 LAAO procedures were performed in 2016. The majority of procedures was performed in males (59.1%), age ≥75 years (58.7%), and White (83.1%). The overall complication rate was 1.9%. The in-hospital mortality was 0.29%. Pericardial effusion requiring pericardiocentesis was the most frequent complication (0.68%). Bleeding requiring transfusion was noted in 0.1% of device implants. The rates of post-procedure stroke and systemic embolism were 0% and 0.29%, respectively.

Conclusion 

Percutaneous LAAO with the Watchman device in the USA is associated with low in-hospital complications and a similar safety profile to a recently published EWOLUTION cohort. The complication rates were lower than those reported in the major randomized clinical trials (RCTs). We report the frequency of peri-procedural complications of the LAAO using the Watchman device from the NIS database. We also compare the frequency of peri-procedural complications with the previously published RCTs and EWOLUTION cohort. Our findings are in concordance with findings from EWOLUTION cohort and compare favourably with RCTs.
Genetic Signatures of Evolution of the Pluripotency Gene Regulating Network across Mammals
Authors: Endo Yoshinori , Kamei Ken-ichiro , Inoue-Murayama Miho
Published: August 2020

Mammalian pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have distinct molecular and biological characteristics among species, but to date we lack a comprehensive understanding of regulatory network evolution in mammals. Here, we carried out a comparative genetic analysis of 134 genes constituting the pluripotency gene regulatory network across 48 mammalian species covering all the major taxonomic groups. We report that mammalian genes in the pluripotency regulatory network show a remarkably high degree of evolutionary stasis, suggesting the conservation of fundamental biological process of mammalian PSCs across species. Nevertheless, despite the overall conservation of the regulatory network, we discovered rapid evolution of the downstream targets of the core regulatory elements and specific amino acid residues that have undergone positive selection. Our data indicate development of lineage-specific pluripotency regulating networks that may explain observed variations in some characteristics of mammalian PSCs. We further revealed that positively selected genes could be associated with species’ unique adaptive characteristics that were not dedicated to regulation of PSCs. These results provide important insight into the evolution of the pluripotency gene regulatory network underlying variations in characteristics of mammalian PSCs.