bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Airway epithelial anion secretion and barrier function following exposure to fungal aeroallergens: role of oxidative stress
Authors: Zaidman Nathan A. , O’Grady Kelly E. , Patil Nandadevi , Milavetz Francesca , Maniak Peter J. , Kita Hirohito , O’Grady Scott M.
Published: April 2017

Aeroallergens produced by Alternaria alternata can elicit life-threatening exacerbations of asthma in patients sensitized to this fungus. In this study, the effect of Alternaria on ion transport mechanisms underlying mucociliary clearance and airway epithelial barrier function was investigated in human airway epithelial cells. Apical exposure to Alternaria induced an increase in anion secretion that was inhibited by blockers of CFTR and Ca2+-activated Cl− channels. Stimulation of anion secretion was dependent on Ca2+ uptake from the apical solution. Alternaria exposure also produced an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that was blocked by pretreatment with the oxidant scavenger glutathione (GSH). GSH and the NADPH oxidase inhibitor/complex 1 electron transport inhibitor diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI) blocked ATP release and the increase in intracellular [Ca2+] evoked by Alternaria. Alternaria also decreased transepithelial resistance, and a portion of this effect was dependent on the increase in ROS. However, the Alternaria-induced increase in unidirectional dextran (molecular mass = 4,000 Da) flux across the epithelium could not be accounted for by increased oxidative stress. These results support the conclusion that oxidative stress induced by Alternaria was responsible for regulating Ca2+-dependent anion secretion and tight junction electrical resistance that would be expected to affect mucociliary clearance.
EETs promote hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction via constrictor prostanoids
Authors: Kandhi Sharath , Zhang Bin , Froogh Ghezal , Qin Jun , Alruwaili Norah , Le Yicong , Yang Yang-Ming , Hwang Sung Hee , Hammock Bruce D. , Wolin Michael S. , Huang An , Sun Dong
Published: April 2017

To test the hypothesis that epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) facilitate pulmonary responses to hypoxia, male wild-type (WT) and soluble-epoxide hydrolase knockout (sEH-KO) mice, and WT mice chronically fed a sEH inhibitor ( t-TUCB; 1 mg·kg−1·day−1) were used. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was recorded under control and hypoxic conditions. The control RVSP was comparable among all groups. However, hypoxia elicited increases in RVSP in all groups with predominance in sEH-KO and t-TUCB-treated mice. 14,15-EEZE (an EET antagonist) attenuated the hypoxia-induced greater elevation of RVSP in sEH-deficient mice, suggesting an EET-mediated increment. Exogenous 5,6-; 8,9-, or 14,15-EET (0.05 ng/g body wt) did not change RVSP in any conditions, but 11,12-EET enhanced RVSP under hypoxia. Isometric tension was recorded from pulmonary arteries isolated from WT and sEH-KO mice, vessels that behaved identically in their responsiveness to vasoactive agents and vessel stretch. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV, expressed as increases in hypoxic force) was significantly greater in vessels of sEH-KO than WT vessels; the enhanced component was inhibited by EEZE. Treatment of WT vessels with 11,12-EET enhanced HPV to the same level as sEH-KO vessels, confirming EETs as primary players. Inhibition of cyclooxygenases (COXs) significantly enhanced HPV in WT vessels, but attenuated HPV in sEH-KO vessels. Blocking/inhibiting COX-1, prostaglandin H2 (PGH2)/thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptors and TXA synthase prevented the enhanced HPV in sEH-KO vessels but had no effects on WT vessels. In conclusion, an EET-dependent alteration in PG metabolism that favors the action of vasoconstrictor PGH2 and TXA2 potentiates HPV and hypoxia-induced elevation of RVSP in sEH-deficient mice.
Data collection, handling, and fitting strategies to optimize accuracy and precision of oxygen uptake kinetics estimation from breath-by-breath measurements
Authors: Benson Alan P. , Bowen T. Scott , Ferguson Carrie , Murgatroyd Scott R. , Rossiter Harry B.
Published: April 2017

Phase 2 pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics (ϕ2 τV̇o2P) reflect muscle oxygen consumption dynamics and are sensitive to changes in state of training or health. This study identified an unbiased method for data collection, handling, and fitting to optimize V̇o2P kinetics estimation. A validated computational model of V̇o2P kinetics and a Monte Carlo approach simulated 2 × 105 moderate-intensity transitions using a distribution of metabolic and circulatory parameters spanning normal health. Effects of averaging (interpolation, binning, stacking, or separate fitting of up to 10 transitions) and fitting procedures (biexponential fitting, or ϕ2 isolation by time removal, statistical, or derivative methods followed by monoexponential fitting) on accuracy and precision of V̇o2P kinetics estimation were assessed. The optimal strategy to maximize accuracy and precision of τV̇o2P estimation was 1-s interpolation of 4 bouts, ensemble averaged, with the first 20 s of exercise data removed. Contradictory to previous advice, we found optimal fitting procedures removed no more than 20 s of ϕ1 data. Averaging method was less critical: interpolation, binning, and stacking gave similar results, each with greater accuracy compared with analyzing repeated bouts separately. The optimal procedure resulted in ϕ2 τV̇o2P estimates for transitions from an unloaded or loaded baseline that averaged 1.97 ± 2.08 and 1.04 ± 2.30 s from true, but were within 2 s of true in only 47–62% of simulations. Optimized 95% confidence intervals for τV̇o2P ranged from 4.08 to 4.51 s, suggesting a minimally important difference of ~5 s to determine significant changes in τV̇o2P during interventional and comparative studies.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We identified an unbiased method to maximize accuracy and precision of oxygen uptake kinetics (τV̇o2P) estimation. The optimum number of bouts to average was four; interpolation, bin, and stacking averaging methods gave similar results. Contradictory to previous advice, we found that optimal fitting procedures removed no more than 20 s of phase 1 data. Our data suggest a minimally important difference of ~5 s to determine significant changes in τV̇o2P during interventional and comparative studies.
Association between Embolic Stroke Patterns, ESUS Etiology, and New Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Find-AF Trial
Authors: Maier Ilko L. , Schregel Katharina , Karch André , Weber-Krueger Mark , Mikolajczyk Rafael T. , Stahrenberg Raoul , Gröschel Klaus , Bähr Mathias , Knauth Michael , Psychogios Marios-Nikos , Wachter Rolf , Liman Jan
Published: April 2017

Background. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). Imaging-patterns like multiple infarcts, simultaneous involvement of different circulations, infarcts of different ages, and isolated cortical infarcts are likely to indicate cardioembolic stroke. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between embolic stroke patterns, ESUS, and the new diagnosis of AF. Methods. Stroke etiology and imaging characteristics from patients included in the Find-AF study were obtained. Embolic stroke patterns in CT- or MR-imaging were correlated with the diagnosis of ESUS as well as the short- (on baseline ECG and during 7-day Holter) and long-term (12-month follow-up) diagnosis of AF. Results. From 281 patients included in the Find-AF study, 127 (45.2%) patients with ischemic lesions detected in CT or MRI were included. 26 (20.5%) of these patients had ESUS. At least one embolic stroke pattern was detected in 67 (52.7%) patients. Embolic stroke patterns were not associated with ESUS (OR 1.57, 0.65–3.79, p=0.317), the short-term (OR 0.64, 0.26–1.58, p=0.327) or long-term diagnosis of AF (OR 0.72, 0.31–1.68, p=0.448). Conclusions. This secondary data analysis of the Find-AF study could not provide evidence for an association between embolic stroke patterns, ESUS, and the new diagnosis of AF.
Method for Estimating Optimum Free Resonant Frequencies in Overcoupled WPT System
Authors: Seo Dong-Wook , Lee Jae-Ho
Published: April 2017

In our previous work, we proposed the method to maximize the output power even in the overcoupled state of the wireless power transfer (WPT) system by controlling free resonant frequencies and derived closed-form expression for optimum free resonant frequencies of the primary and secondary resonators. In this paper, we propose the mutual coupling approach to derive the optimum free resonant frequencies and show the measured power transfer efficiency (PTE) using the transmission efficiency as well as the system energy efficiency. The results of the proposed approach exactly coincide with those of the previous work, and the fabricated prototype achieves the transmission efficiency of about 80% by tuning the free resonant frequencies to the optimum values in the overcoupled state.
A Decision-Based Modified Total Variation Diffusion Method for Impulse Noise Removal
Authors: Deng Hongyao , Zhu Qingxin , Song Xiuli , Tao Jinsong
Published: April 2017

Impulsive noise removal usually employs median filtering, switching median filtering, the total variation L1 method, and variants. These approaches however often introduce excessive smoothing and can result in extensive visual feature blurring and thus are suitable only for images with low density noise. A new method to remove noise is proposed in this paper to overcome this limitation, which divides pixels into different categories based on different noise characteristics. If an image is corrupted by salt-and-pepper noise, the pixels are divided into corrupted and noise-free; if the image is corrupted by random valued impulses, the pixels are divided into corrupted, noise-free, and possibly corrupted. Pixels falling into different categories are processed differently. If a pixel is corrupted, modified total variation diffusion is applied; if the pixel is possibly corrupted, weighted total variation diffusion is applied; otherwise, the pixel is left unchanged. Experimental results show that the proposed method is robust to different noise strengths and suitable for different images, with strong noise removal capability as shown by PSNR/SSIM results as well as the visual quality of restored images.
TXNRD1 Is an Unfavorable Prognostic Factor for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Fu Binsheng , Meng Wei , Zeng Xiancheng , Zhao Hui , Liu Wei , Zhang Tong
Published: April 2017

Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) which is a selenocysteine-containing protein is overexpressed in many malignancies. Its role in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis has not been investigated. In this study, we investigated whether TXNRD1 functions as an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients. We found TXNRD1 was overexpressed in HCC tissues and cells, immunohistochemical analysis suggested TXNRD1 was elevated in 57 of 120 (47.5%) clinical samples, and its level was increased with the increasing clinical stage. In addition, TXNRD1 expression was positively correlated with clinical stage (p=3.5e-5), N classification (p=4.4e-4), and M classification (p=0.037) of HCC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with high TXNRD1 expression had significantly shorter survival time than patients with low TXNRD1 expression. Multivariate analysis found TXNRD1 was an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients. In conclusion, our data suggested that TXNRD1 was a biomarker for the prognosis of patients with HCC.
Spawns Structure of Rod-Like ZnO Wrapped in Cellulose Nanofibers for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption
Authors: Fan Bitao , Yao Qiufang , Wang Chao , Xiong Ye , Sun Qingfeng , Jin Chunde
Published: April 2017

Spawns structure of rod-like ZnO wrapped in the cellulose nanofibers was successfully fabricated through a facile one-step hydrothermal method, and their electromagnetic wave absorption properties were investigated. The structure and properties of the composite aerogel were characterized. The enlarged morphology images showed that the as-prepared cellulose nanofiber/ZnO samples were spawns structure of rod-like ZnO wrapped in the cellulose nanofibers. The composite aerogel in a wax matrix exhibited excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance over 2–18 GHz. The widest absorption bandwidth of 30 wt% contained with reflection loss values less than −10 dB was up to 12 GHz (6–18 GHz) at the thickness of 5.5 mm and the minimum reflection loss value reached −26.32 dB at 15.2 GHz when the thickness of the absorber was 3 mm.
On Subdirect Decompositions of Finite Distributive Lattices
Authors: Chen Yizhi , Tian Jing , Liu Zhongzhu
Published: April 2017

Subdirect decomposition of algebra is one of its quite general and important constructions. In this paper, some subdirect decompositions (including subdirect irreducible decompositions) of finite distributive lattices and finite chains are studied, and some general results are obtained.
Integrated Stress Response as a Therapeutic Target for CNS Injuries
Authors: Romero-Ramírez Lorenzo , Nieto-Sampedro Manuel , Barreda-Manso M. Asunción
Published: April 2017

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, caused by cerebrovascular pathologies or mechanical contusions (e.g., traumatic brain injury, TBI) comprise a diverse group of disorders that share the activation of the integrated stress response (ISR). This pathway is an innate protective mechanism, with encouraging potential as therapeutic target for CNS injury repair. In this review, we will focus on the progress in understanding the role of the ISR and we will discuss the effects of various small molecules that target the ISR on different animal models of CNS injury.
Commercial Gold Nanoparticles on Untreated Aluminum Foil: Versatile, Sensitive, and Cost-Effective SERS Substrate
Authors: Gudun Kristina , Elemessova Zarina , Khamkhash Laura , Ralchenko Ekaterina , Bukasov Rostislav
Published: April 2017

We introduce low-cost, tunable, hybrid SERS substrate of commercial gold nanoparticles on untreated aluminum foil (AuNPs@AlF). Two or three AuNP centrifugation/resuspension cycles are proven to be critical in the assay preparation. The limits of detection (LODs) for 4-nitrobenzenethiol (NBT) and crystal violet (CV) on this substrate are about 0.12 nM and 0.19 nM, respectively, while maximum analytical SERS enhancement factors (AEFs) are about 107. In comparative assays LODs for CV measured on AuNPs@Au film and AuNPs@glass are about 0.35 nM and 2 nM, respectively. The LOD for melamine detected on AuNPs@ Al foil is 27 ppb with 3 orders of magnitude for linear response range. Overall, AuNPs@AlF demonstrated competitive performance in comparison with AuNPs@ Au film substrate in SERS detection of CV, NBT, and melamine. To check the versatility of the AuNPs@AlF substrate we also detected KNO3 with LODs of 0.7 mM and SERS EF around 2 × 103, which is on the same order with SERS EF reported for this compound in the literature.
A Pooled Analysis of 15 Prospective Cohort Studies on the Association between Fruit, Vegetable, and Mature Bean Consumption and Risk of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Petimar Joshua , Wilson Kathryn M. , Wu Kana , Wang Molin , Albanes Demetrius , van den Brandt Piet A. , Cook Michael B. , Giles Graham G. , Giovannucci Edward L. , Goodman Gary E. , Goodman Phyllis J. , Håkansson Niclas , Helzlsouer Kathy , Key Timothy J. , Kolonel Laurence N. , Liao Linda M. , Männistö Satu , McCullough Marjorie L. , Milne Roger L. , Neuhouser Marian L. , Park Yikyung , Platz Elizabeth A. , Riboli Elio , Sawada Norie , Schenk Jeannette M. , Tsugane Shoichiro , Verhage Bas , Wang Ying , Wilkens Lynne R. , Wolk Alicja , Ziegler Regina G. , Smith-Warner Stephanie A.
Published: April 2017

Background: Relationships between fruit, vegetable, and mature bean consumption and prostate cancer risk are unclear.

Methods: We examined associations between fruit and vegetable groups, specific fruits and vegetables, and mature bean consumption and prostate cancer risk overall, by stage and grade, and for prostate cancer mortality in a pooled analysis of 15 prospective cohorts, including 52,680 total cases and 3,205 prostate cancer–related deaths among 842,149 men. Diet was measured by a food frequency questionnaire or similar instrument at baseline. We calculated study-specific relative risks using Cox proportional hazards regression, and then pooled these estimates using a random effects model.

Results: We did not observe any statistically significant associations for advanced prostate cancer or prostate cancer mortality with any food group (including total fruits and vegetables, total fruits, total vegetables, fruit and vegetable juice, cruciferous vegetables, and tomato products), nor specific fruit and vegetables. In addition, we observed few statistically significant results for other prostate cancer outcomes. Pooled multivariable relative risks comparing the highest versus lowest quantiles across all fruit and vegetable exposures and prostate cancer outcomes ranged from 0.89 to 1.09. There was no evidence of effect modification for any association by age or body mass index.

Conclusions: Results from this large, international, pooled analysis do not support a strong role of collective groupings of fruits, vegetables, or mature beans in prostate cancer.

Impact: Further investigation of other dietary exposures, especially indicators of bioavailable nutrient intake or specific phytochemicals, should be considered for prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(8); 1276–87. ©2017 AACR.
Fundamentals of Chaos and Self-Organization Theory in Sports
Authors: Khadartsev Alexander A. , Nesmeyanov Anatoly Alexandrovich , Eskov Valeriy Matveevich , Filatov Mikhail Alexandrovich , Pan Weidong
Published: April 2017

This paper describes the development of a new team sport called “piterbasket,” which has been secured by a patent. The importance of this type of adaptive physical activity for the quality of life of the general population, including physically challenged people, is demonstrated. This study provides the most recent data on pedagogical synergy in sports on the basis of the chaos and self-organization theory. We established the importance of educational and training processes for the structural harmonious organization of natural systems and the cerebral cortex for scientific improvement; additionally we carried out a synergy analysis of physiological bases of visual and acoustic perceptions which organize themselves on the basis of the interface of the functions of human body and functional activities of the brain.
Bethesda Made It Clearer: A Review of 542 Patients in a Single Institution
Authors: Acar Yunus , Doğan Lütfi , Güven H. Erhan , Aksel Bülent , Karaman Niyazi , Özaslan Cihangir , Gülçelik M. Ali
Published: April 2017

Background: It is essential to interpret fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) material correctly to create a common language among pathologists and surgeons, leading to a uniform approach to thyroid nodule management. We aimed to compare FNAB reports of patients at our institution who were treated with total thyroidectomy, before and after the Bethesda classification system. Patients and Methods: Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for thyroid nodules are reviewed. 226 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy before the Bethesda era (2006-2009) were classified as Group-I, and 316 patients in whom total thyroidectomy was performed after the Bethesda classification system was introduced (2010-2014) were classified as Group-II. Results: Before Bethesda, ‘nondiagnostic' or ‘benign' lesions were reported in 16.4 and 45% of patients, respectively, which then significantly decreased to 4.7 and 32.9% as the Bethesda classification criteria came into use. In Group-II, the actual malignancy rates were 13.3, 2.8, 7.3, 15.5, 85.4, and 96.5% for Bethesda I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, respectively. Conclusion: Our experience confirms that the Bethesda classification system leads to a significant reduction in lesions that used to be reported as ‘benign' without compromising the actual rates of malignancy. It ensures better classification of so-called suspicious lesions, and allows for more accurate predictions of suspicious or malignant lesions.
Altered Expression of Hippo Signaling Pathway Molecules in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Sugimachi Keishi , Nishio Miki , Aishima Shinichi , Kuroda Yosuke , Iguchi Tomohiro , Komatsu Hisateru , Hirata Hidenari , Sakimura Shotaro , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Bekki Yuki , Takenaka Kenji , Maehara Yoshihiko , Suzuki Akira , Mimori Koshi
Published: April 2017

Objective: MOB1, a core component of the Hippo signaling pathway, suppresses cell proliferation, and MOB1 liver conditional knockout mice develop intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, its clinical significance in human ICC has not been established. The aim of this study was to characterize protein levels and the role of Hippo and TGF pathways in ICCs. Methods: The protein levels of yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), MOB1, Smad2, and TGFβ2 in 88 ICC cases were analyzed. Protein level was graded by a scoring system; then, the clinicopathological factors, including prognosis, were analyzed based on protein level. Results: Nuclear overexpression of YAP1 was seen in 28 cases (31.8%), and it was significantly associated with a poor overall survival rate (p = 0.01). MOB1 expression decreased in 42 cases (47.7%) and was associated with a poor overall survival rate (p = 0.02). SMAD2 nuclear localization was significantly correlated with a high YAP1 level independent of TGFβ2. Multivariate analysis revealed that a high YAP1 level, a low MOB1 level, and lymphatic permeation were independent risk factors for overall survival. Conclusions: These results showed that key components of the Hippo signaling pathway are aberrantly expressed and associated with the malignant potential of human ICC.
Synthetic, Switchable Enzymes
Authors: Norris Vic , Krylov Sergey N. , Agarwal Pratul K. , White Glenn J.
Published: April 2017

The construction of switchable, radiation-controlled, aptameric enzymes - “swenzymes” - is, in principle, feasible. We propose a strategy to make such catalysts from 2 (or more) aptamers each selected to bind specifically to one of the substrates in, for example, a 2-substrate reaction. Construction of a combinatorial library of candidate swenzymes entails selecting a set of a million aptamers that bind one substrate and a second set of a million aptamers that bind the second substrate; the aptamers in these sets are then linked pairwise by a linker, thus bringing together the substrates. In the presence of the substrates, some linked aptamer pairs catalyze the reaction when exposed to external energy in the form of a specific frequency of low-intensity, nonionizing electromagnetic or acoustic radiation. Such swenzymes are detected via a separate product-capturing aptamer that changes conformation on capturing the product; this altered conformation allows it (1) to bind to every potential swenzyme in its vicinity (thereby giving a higher probability of capture to the swenzymes that generate the product) and (2) to bind to a sequence on a magnetic bead (thereby permitting purification of the swenzyme plus product-capturing aptamer by precipitation). Attempts to implement the swenzyme strategy may help elucidate fundamental problems in enzyme catalysis.
Three-Year Follow-Up of Trabeculectomy with 5-Fluorouracil
Authors: Lindemann Friederike , Plange Niklas , Kuerten David , Schimitzek Hannah , Koutsonas Antonis
Published: April 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcome of trabeculectomy with intra- and postoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) application in glaucoma. Methods: Eighty-six patients with glaucoma planned for primary trabeculectomy with 5-FU and a minimum follow-up of 3 years were retrospectively analyzed. Success rates, postsurgical 5-FU injections, needling procedures, and complications were analyzed. Results: Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) decreased from 27.2 ± 6.7 to 13.2 ± 4.2 mm Hg at 1 year and 13.8 ± 3.7 mm Hg at the 3-year follow-up. The complete success rates (no IOP-lowering medication) were 83, 79, 73, and 45% at 1 year for IOP ≤21, ≤18, ≤16, and ≤12 mm Hg, respectively, and 64, 59, 56, and 20% for these criteria at 3 years. The average number of medications decreased from preoperatively 2.9 ± 1.4 to 0.2 ± 0.5 at 1 year and 0.7 ± 1.1 at 3 years. During the first 6 months, subconjunctival 5-FU injections were performed in 49 cases. Eleven patients underwent bleb needling during the first 6 months and 13 patients underwent the procedure between the 6th month and the 3rd year. Malignant glaucoma and bleb-related endophthalmitis occurred in 1 patient each. Conclusions: Trabeculectomy with 5-FU is an efficient surgical procedure for glaucoma treatment when combined with intensified postsurgical care.
Trichoscopy of Steroid-Induced Atrophy
Authors: Pirmez Rodrigo , Abraham Leonardo S. , Duque-Estrada Bruna , Damasco Patrícia , Farias Débora Cadore , Kelly Yanna , Doche Isabella
Published: April 2017

Intralesional corticosteroid (IL-CS) injections have been used to treat a variety of dermatological and nondermatological diseases. Although an important therapeutic tool in dermatology, a number of local side effects, including skin atrophy, have been reported following IL-CS injections. We recently noticed that a subset of patients with steroid-induced atrophy presented with ivory-colored areas under trichoscopy. We performed a retrospective analysis of trichoscopic images and medical records from patients presenting ivory-colored areas associated with atrophic scalp lesions. In this paper, we associate this feature with the presence of steroid deposits in the dermis and report additional trichoscopic features of steroid-induced atrophy on the scalp, such as prominent blood vessels and visualization of hair bulbs.
Spontaneous Tumor Lysis Syndrome in a Patient with Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Boonpheng Boonphiphop , Murtaza Ghulam , Ginn David
Published: April 2017

Tumor lysis syndrome is an oncologic emergency that usually occurs after chemotherapy in patients with hematologic malignancies. Tumor lysis syndrome is rare in cases of solid tumors, especially when it occurs spontaneously. Herein, we present a case of spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome in a 55-year-old woman who presented with dyspnea and was found to have extensive metastatic small cell lung cancer. She developed acute oliguric renal failure and multiple electrolyte abnormalities requiring hemodialysis. The findings of this case suggest that clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for patients with malignancies who demonstrate the classic symptom of laboratory abnormalities even in the absence of chemotherapy.
Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy as Part of Multimodal Treatment Strategies for Primary Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Elsayad Khaled , Susek Katharina H. , Eich Hans T.
Published: April 2017

Total-skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) is one of most effective treatments that has been used for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Low-dose TSEBT regimens (10-12 Gy) appear to be an effective alternative to conventional-dose TSEBT (30-36 Gy), yielding short-term remission of cutaneous manifestations with minimal toxicity. TSEBT can be administered to patients any time after a diagnosis of mycosis fungoides (MF). Patients requiring rapid relief from cutaneous lesions or symptoms may particularly benefit from TSEBT as an initial therapy. Radiotherapy (RT) dose, boost radiation delivery, maintenance treatment, and radiation tolerability may enhance remission rates and improve relapse-free survival following TSEBT. In addition, salvage local RT or TSEBT may be safely applied with high effectiveness. In this review, we focus on the use of TSEBT in patients with several forms of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and highlight the potential of low-dose TSEBT as part of a promising therapeutic approach.
Engineering Cardiac Muscle Tissue
Authors: Weinberger Florian , Mannhardt Ingra , Eschenhagen Thomas
Published: April 2017

Twenty years after the initial description of a tissue engineered construct, 3-dimensional human cardiac tissues of different kinds are now generated routinely in many laboratories. Advances in stem cell biology and engineering allow for the generation of constructs that come close to recapitulating the complex structure of heart muscle and might, therefore, be amenable to industrial (eg, drug screening) and clinical (eg, cardiac repair) applications. Whether the more physiological structure of 3-dimensional constructs provides a relevant advantage over standard 2-dimensional cell culture has yet to be shown in head-to-head-comparisons. The present article gives an overview on current strategies of cardiac tissue engineering with a focus on different hydrogel methods and discusses perspectives and challenges for necessary steps toward the real-life application of cardiac tissue engineering for disease modeling, drug development, and cardiac repair.
Critical Issues for the Translation of Cardioprotection
Authors: Heusch Gerd
Published: April 2017

The translation from numerous successful animal experiments on cardioprotection beyond that by reperfusion to clinical practice has to date been disappointing. Animal experiments often use reductionist approaches and are mostly performed in young and healthy animals which lack the risk factors, comorbidities, and comedications which are characteristics of patients suffering an acute myocardial infarction or undergoing cardiovascular surgery. Conceptually, it is still unclear by how much the time window for successful reperfusion is extended by preconditioning, and how long the duration of ischemia can be so that adjunct cardioprotection by postconditioning at reperfusion still protects. Experimental studies addressing long-term effects of adjunct cardioprotection beyond infarct size reduction, that is, on repair, remodeling, and mortality, are lacking. Technically, reproducibility and robustness of experimental studies are often limited. Grave faults in design and conduct of clinical trials have also substantially contributed to the failure of translation of cardioprotection to clinical practice. Cardiovascular surgery with ischemic cardioplegic arrest is only a surrogate of acute myocardial infarction and confounded by the choice of anesthesia, hypothermia, cardioplegia, and traumatic myocardial injury. Trials in patients with acute myocardial infarction have been performed on agents/interventions with no or inconsistent previous animal data and in patients who had either some reperfusion already at admission or were reperfused too late to expect any myocardial salvage. Of greatest concern is the lack of adequate phase II dosing and timing studies when rushing from promising proof-of-concept trials with surrogate end points such as infarct size to larger clinical outcome trials. Future trials must focus on interventions/agents with robust preclinical evidence, have solid phase II dosing and timing data, and recruit patients who have truly a chance to benefit from adjunct cardioprotection.
Cortical Venous Redness Represents Tissue Circulation Status in Patients With Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Machida Toshio , Higuchi Yoshinori , Nakano Shigeki , Ishige Satoshi , Fujikawa Atsushi , Akaogi Yuichi , Shimada Junichiro , Yoshida Yoichi , Maru Sigenori , Ono Junichi
Published: April 2017

Background and Purpose—

Venous oxygen saturation (SO
2
) is measured in medical fields to assess tissue circulation insufficiency. This study aimed to elucidate the use of a cortical venous redness measurement to evaluate hemodynamic changes during revascularization surgery for patients with moyamoya disease.

Methods—

In this retrospective case-series analysis, we first quantitatively measured and correlated SO
2
and R intensity of 24-bit color digital red–green–blue pictures of blood samples from 3 volunteers. Subsequently, based on intraoperative digital pictures of 29 patients with moyamoya disease, we measured the R intensities of a cortical vein near the anastomosis site before and after anastomosis. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) at the site was measured using a single-photon emission computed tomography before and 1 to 3 days after surgery. Venous R intensity and CBF were measured twice by 4 raters, and their correlations were examined using generalized linear mixed effect model and linear regression analysis.

Results—

A strong linear correlation was found between blood R intensity and its SO
2
(coefficients, 0.522; 95% confidence interval, 0.364–0.680, using generalized linear mixed effect model). Venous R intensity before the anastomosis was not correlated with preoperative CBF (coefficients, 0.000352; 95% confidence interval, −0.000369 to 0.00107, by generalized linear mixed effect); however, the increases in venous R intensity after anastomosis were correlated with postoperative increases in CBF (
R
2
, 0.367; 95% confidence interval, 0.116–0.618 to 0.548; 95% confidence interval, 0.331–0.764, by linear regression analysis).

Conclusions—

Cortical venous redness represented impaired CBF and could be a useful parameter for assessing hemodynamic changes during revascularization surgery.
Jan Lever: Challenging the Role of Typological Thinking in Reformational Views of Biology
Authors: Cook Harry , Flipse Abraham C.
Published: April 2017

This essay analyzes the view of evolution of Jan Lever (1922–2010), founder of the biology department at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and compares his view with those of J.H. Diemer and H. Dooyeweerd. Together with Dooyeweerd, Lever wrote a series of chapters on the species concept inPhilosophia Reformata(1948–1950) in which species were defined as constant types. In his book,Creatie en Evolutie(1956), Lever still subscribed to Dooyeweerd’s philosophy but also suggested that it is possible that biological evolution occurred, including that of human beings, and that scientific research can shed light on these processes. Influenced by his idea of individuality structures, Dooyeweerd criticized Lever and suggested that species are constant; that science cannot speak to the topics that Lever discusses. It is argued that Dooyeweerd’s views are influenced by the typological thinking of the time and that reformational thought would benefit from de-emphasizing this aspect of reformational philosophy.
Key Themes in Mekkes’s Post-Critical Thought
Authors: Echeverria Eduardo J.
Published: April 2017

This article examines J.P.A. Mekkes’s post-critical thought with respect to three areas. First, I examine the correlation between faith and hearing, and the corresponding notion of the normativity of revelation, in Mekkes’s religious epistemology. I develop Mekkes’s epistemology in light of an appeal to testimony as the epistemic basis of faith. Second, I examine his claim that there is an irresolvable conflict between the historically situated knower and his claim to make universally valid truth claims. In this context, I raise the question regarding the distinction between epistemic justification and truth, and problems that arise from Mekkes’s failure to draw that distinction. Third, I examine Mekkes’s fundamental theology regarding the meaning of creation revelation, as well as his reluctance to speak of states of affairs, structures of creation, creational law, and the like. I argue that his reluctance stems from not only the philosophical problems I raise regarding his views on justification and truth, but also Mekkes’s emphasis on a Christocentric and eschatological perspective of creation revelation.
First description of female of Haplosialodes liui Huang et al., 2016 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber
Authors: LIU XINGYUE , LU XIUMEI , XIA FANGYUAN , WANG BO
Published: April 2017

A female of the alderfly species, Haplosialodes liui Huang et al., 2016, from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is described for the first time. Systematic position of the genus Haplosialodes Huang et al., 2016 is briefly discussed.
A new anchialine species of Naushonia (Decapoda: Gebiidea: Laomediidae) from the Bahamas
Authors: ALVAREZ FERNANDO , ILIFFE THOMAS M. , VILLALOBOS JOSÉ LUIS
Published: April 2017

A new species of mud shrimp of the genus Naushonia Kingsley, 1897 is described from two anchialine caves on the island of Great Abaco in the Bahamas. Naushonia tinkeri n. sp. is the fifteenth species in the genus and the second to be described from the Bahamas. The new species is morphologically similar to N. augudrea (Juarrero & García, 1997) from Holguín Province, eastern Cuba, with which it shares a carapace with cervical and cardiac grooves; however, it can be distinguished by having a pigmented cornea, the first pereiopod with a proportionately longer propodus and dactylus without a toothed external margin, and the telson longer relative to the uropod length. The new species inhabits anchialine caves and is the largest one reported until now.
Kinematic and Polarimetric Radar Observations of the 10 May 2010, Moore–Choctaw, Oklahoma, Tornadic Debris Signature
Authors: Griffin Casey B. , Bodine David J. , Palmer Robert D.
Published: April 2017

Tornadoes are capable of lofting large pieces of debris that present irregular shapes, near-random orientations, and a wide range of dielectric constants to polarimetric radars. The unique polarimetric signature associated with lofted debris is called the tornadic debris signature (TDS). While ties between TDS characteristics and tornado- and storm-scale kinematic processes have been speculated upon or investigated using photogrammetry and single-Doppler analyses, little work has been done to document the three-dimensional wind field associated with the TDS.

Data collected by the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (KTLX), and Norman, Oklahoma (KOUN), WSR-88D S-band radars as well as the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) Advanced Radar Research Center’s Polarimetric Radar for Innovations in Meteorology and Engineering (OU-PRIME) C-band radar are used to construct single- and dual-Doppler analyses of a tornadic supercell that produced an EF4 tornado near the towns of Moore and Choctaw, Oklahoma, on 10 May 2010. This study documents the spatial distribution of polarimetric radar variables and how each variable relates to kinematic fields such as vertical velocity and vertical vorticity. Special consideration is given to polarimetric signatures associated with subvortices within the tornado. An observation of negative differential reflectivity ([Formula: see text]) at the periphery of tornado subvortices is presented and discussed. Finally, dual-Doppler wind retrievals are compared to single-Doppler axisymmetric wind fields to illustrate the merits of each method.
Routine Regulation: Balancing Conflicting Goals in Organizational Routines
Authors: Salvato Carlo , Rerup Claus
Published: April 2017

To examine how organizational routines serve as a source for balancing conflicting organizational goals, we use an inductive study of Alessi, an Italian design company, to trace how organizational members simultaneously achieved the conflicting organizational goals of design and efficiency in the new product development routine. Our analysis identified three types of regulatory actions (splicing, activating, and repressing) that participants took to flexibly enact these conflicting organizational goals through the same routine. We observed that the three regulatory actions facilitated new connections between new product development participants, allowing them to create a dynamic truce and accomplish the two conflicting goals in a new product’s origination, evaluation, and development phases. Routine regulation shifts our focus away from the routine as a stable truce to the truce as process, highlighting the role of actions performed by individuals throughout the organizational hierarchy, and moves the conversation away from eliminating goal conflict to elaborating the ongoing actions that people take to manage conflicting organizational goals. Our findings and theoretical insights produce a deeper conceptualization of routines as generative systems by demonstrating how action taken to enact a routine also has the capacity to regulate conflicting organizational goals.
How Financial Literacy, Federal Aid Knowledge, and Credit Market Experience Predict Loan Aversion for Education
Authors: Boatman Angela , Evans Brent J.
Published: April 2017

Many students are averse to taking out loans to pay for education—a phenomenon that is commonly discussed but rarely systematically analyzed. This study explores the relationship between student loan aversion and individual financial characteristics. In this analysis, we rely on a unique dataset of survey responses from more than 5,000 high school seniors, community college students who did and did not borrow for higher education, and adults without a college degree. Regression analyses, using a robust set of controls and institutional fixed effects, show that higher financial literacy and higher knowledge of federal student loans are related to lower loan aversion for education. The magnitude of these effects is large, as much as a 30 to 50 percent reduction in loan aversion in some samples. There is also evidence that prior experience with payday lending is related to increased loan aversion for community college students who did not borrow for college.
Simultaneous Visualization of Hydrogen Peroxide and Water Concentrations Using Photofragmentation Laser-Induced Fluorescence
Authors: Larsson Kajsa , Aldén Marcus , Bood Joakim
Published: April 2017

A concept based on photofragmentation laser-induced fluorescence (PFLIF) is for the first time demonstrated for simultaneous detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and water (H2O) vapor in various mixtures containing the two constituents in a bath of argon gas. A photolysis laser pulse at 248 nm dissociates H2O2 into OH fragments, whereupon a probe pulse, delayed 100 ns and tuned to an absorption line in the A2Σ+ (v = 1) ← X2Π(v = 0) band of OH near 282 nm, induces fluorescence. The total OH fluorescence reflects the H2O2 concentration, while its spectral shape is utilized to determine the H2O concentration via a model predicting the ratio between the fluorescence intensities of the A2Σ+ (v = 1) → X2Π(v = 1) and the A2Σ+ (v = 0) → X2Π(v = 0) bands. The H2O detection scheme requires that the bath gas has a collisional cross-section with OH(A) that is significantly lower than that of H2O, which is the case for argon. Spectrally dispersed OH fluorescence spectra were recorded for five different H2O2/H2O/Ar mixtures; the H2O2 concentration in the range of 30–500 ppm and the H2O concentration in the range of 0–3%. Fluorescence intensity ratios predicted by the model for these mixtures agree very well with corresponding experimental data, which thus validates the model. The concept was also demonstrated for two-dimensional imaging, using two intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras for signal detection. Water content was here sensed through the different temporal characteristics of the two fluorescence bands by triggering the two cameras so that one captures the total OH fluorescence while the other one captures only the early part, which mainly stems from A2Σ+ (v = 1) → X2Π(v = 1) fluorescence. Hence, the H2O2 concentration is reflected by the image of the camera recording the total OH fluorescence, whereas H2O concentration is extracted from the ratio between the two camera images. Quantification of the concentrations was carried out based on calibration measurements performed in known mixtures of H2O2 (30–500 ppm) and H2O (0–3%) in bulk argon. The detection limits for single-shot imaging are estimated to be 20 ppm for H2O2 and 0.05% for H2O. The authors believe that the concept provides a valuable asset in, for example, pharmaceutical or aseptic food packaging applications, where H2O2/H2O vapor is routinely used for sterilization.
Observation of the 162Dy–164Dy Isotope Shift for the 0 → 16 717.79 cm−1 Optical Transition
Authors: Nardin Barreta Luiz Felipe , Victor Alessandro Rogério , Bueno Patrícia , dos Santos Jhonatha Ricardo , da Silveira Carlos Alberto Barbosa , Neri José Wilson , Neto Jonas Jakutis , Sbampato Maria Esther , Destro Marcelo Geraldo
Published: April 2017

In this work, we report a newly observed isotope shift between 162Dy and 164Dy isotopes for the 0 → 16 717.79 cm−1 (598.003 nm) optical transition. We compared the newly observed results against two other lines (597.452 nm and 598.859 nm), which we measured in this work, and were already reported in the literature. The newly observed 162–164 Dy isotope shift, shows at least a 20% larger isotope shift than the isotope shifts for the other two lines investigated. The larger 162–164 isotope shift observed for the 598.003 nm line could lead to an increased isotope selectivity for atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS). Hence, this line could be a good choice for application in AVLIS. Experimental data available in the literature for the 597.452 nm and 598.859 nm lines, enabled us to perform simulations of spectra for both lines, in order to confirm the accuracy of our experimental measurements.
The Network Concept of Creativity and Deep Thinking: Applications to Social Opinion Formation and Talent Support
Authors: Csermely Peter
Published: April 2017

Our century has unprecedented new challenges, which need creative solutions and deep thinking. Contemplative, deep thinking became an “endangered species” in our rushing world of Tweets, elevator pitches, and fast decisions. Here, we describe how important aspects of both creativity and deep thinking can be understood as network phenomena of conceptual and social networks. “Creative nodes” occupy highly dynamic, boundary spanning positions in social networks. Creative thinking requires alternating plasticity-dominated and rigidity-dominated mind-sets, which can be helped by dynamically changing social network structures. In the closing section, we present three case studies which demonstrate the applications of the concept in the Hungarian research student movement, the Hungarian Templeton Program, and the Youth Platform of the European Talent Support Network. These examples show how talent support programs can mobilize the power of social networks to enhance creative, deliberative, deep thinking of talented young minds, influencing social opinion, leading to community action, and developing charismatic leadership skills.
Supernatural versus medical: Responses to mental illness from undergraduate university students in Trinidad
Authors: Ramkissoon AnMarie Kamanie , Donald Casswina , Hutchinson Gerard
Published: April 2017

Background/Introduction:

Perceptions about the aetiology of mental illness are likely to influence help-seeking behaviour. Understanding help-seeking behaviour will improve service provision and access. Therefore, this is likely to improve treatment outcomes.

Methods:

We assessed the perceptions and help-seeking behaviours surrounding mental illness in a Trinidadian population of 158 tertiary-level students (136 female, 22 male; mean age 30) by analysing their responses to a questionnaire which asked for responses regarding a case vignette of a 25-year-old young woman exhibiting symptoms suggestive of schizophrenia.

Results:

Of the respondents, 32.3% attributed the symptoms to supernatural causes. Specifically, 27.8% to someone doing her bad and 24.1% to evil spirits. In all, 77.2% of respondents indicated that mental illness was caused by medical problems and 63.3% to work stress. A minimum of 9.5% of the students therefore have dual perceptions regarding causation (77.2 + 32.3 = 109.5) Those who perceived causation to be supernatural said they would seek help from both medical ( p = .000) and supernatural ( p = .000) modalities. This also applied significantly to those who said the causation was medical, that is, seeking both religious intervention ( p = .000) and medical intervention (.000) as the first path in the health-seeking pathway.

Conclusion:

Dual help-seeking behaviour seems to be the functional result of an integration of religious and medical models of mental illness causation even in respondents who clearly identified only one of these as the likely cause of the illness behaviour.