bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fire Spalling Prevention via Polypropylene Fibres: A Meso- and Macroscale Approach
Authors: Mazzucco G. , Xotta G.
Published: August 2016

A deep understanding of concrete at the mesoscale level is essential for a better comprehension of several concrete phenomena, such as creep, damage, and spalling. The latter one specifically corresponds to the separation of pieces of concrete from the surface of a structural element when it is exposed to high and rapidly rising temperatures; for this phenomenon a mesoscopic approach is fundamental since aggregates performance and their thermal properties play a crucial role. To reduce the risk of spalling of a concrete material under fire condition, the inclusion of a low dosage of polypropylene fibres in the mix design of concrete is largely recognized. PP fibres in fact evaporate above certain temperatures, thus increasing the porosity and reducing the internal pressure in the material by an increase of the voids connectivity in the cement paste. In this work, the contribution of polypropylene fibres on concrete behaviour, if subjected to elevated thermal ranges, has been numerically investigated thanks to a coupled hygrothermomechanical finite element formulation. Numerical analyses at the macro- and mesoscale levels have been performed.
Candidate SNP Markers of Chronopathologies Are Predicted by a Significant Change in the Affinity of TATA-Binding Protein for Human Gene Promoters
Authors: Ponomarenko Petr , Rasskazov Dmitry , Suslov Valentin , Sharypova Ekaterina , Savinkova Ludmila , Podkolodnaya Olga , Podkolodny Nikolay L. , Tverdokhleb Natalya N. , Chadaeva Irina , Ponomarenko Mikhail , Kolchanov Nikolay
Published: August 2016

Variations in human genome (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) may be associated with hereditary diseases, their complications, comorbidities, and drug responses. Using Web service SNP_TATA_Comparator presented in our previous paper, here we analyzed immediate surroundings of known SNP markers of diseases and identified several candidate SNP markers that can significantly change the affinity of TATA-binding protein for human gene promoters, with circadian consequences. For example, rs572527200 may be related to asthma, where symptoms are circadian (worse at night), and rs367732974 may be associated with heart attacks that are characterized by a circadian preference (early morning). By the same method, we analyzed the 90 bp proximal promoter region of each protein-coding transcript of each human gene of the circadian clock core. This analysis yielded 53 candidate SNP markers, such as rs181985043 (susceptibility to acute Q fever in male patients), rs192518038 (higher risk of a heart attack in patients with diabetes), and rs374778785 (emphysema and lung cancer in smokers). If they are properly validated according to clinical standards, these candidate SNP markers may turn out to be useful for physicians (to select optimal treatment for each patient) and for the general population (to choose a lifestyle preventing possible circadian complications of diseases).
Elevated Circulating hsa-miR-106b, hsa-miR-26a, and hsa-miR-29b in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Tao Wenhua , Dong Xiaoyun , Kong Guimei , Fang Penghua , Huang Xiaoli , Bo Ping
Published: August 2016

Background and Aims. Although the differential expression of microRNA (miRNA) genes has been identified in many diseases, little information exists concerning the miRNA expression profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). Therefore, the specific expression of miRNAs in diabetes with D-IBS is identified in the study.Materials and Methods. 201 patients with IBS and 220 matched healthy controls were included in the study. Microarray technology and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR) were taken to examine the miRNA expression profiles of T2DM patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) compared with patients with T2DM, patients with D-IBS, and control subjects.Results. We have found that 35 miRNAs were differentially expressed in T2DM with D-IBS, in which three representative miRNAs, hsa-miR-106b, hsa-miR-26a, and hsa-miR-29b, were found to be significantly elevated in T2DM with D-IBS by RT-PCR.Conclusions. Our study has indicated that hsa-miR-106b, hsa-miR-26a, and hsa-miR-29b were elevated in T2DM with D-IBS, which may be the potential biomarkers of T2DM with D-IBS. To obtain a better understanding of the biological functions of these miRNAs in T2DM with D-IBS, functional annotation analysis suggested that the MAPK pathway may be responsible for T2DM with D-IBS.
Multichannel Parallel Deblurring and Collaborative Registration Using Gaussian Total Variation Regularization for Image Fusion
Authors: Guo Shiping , Lv Hongqiang , Liu Yongyi , Zhang Rongzhi , Li Jisheng
Published: August 2016

We focus on the multichannel image fusion problem for the purpose of reaching the diffraction-limited resolution of turbulence-degraded images observed by multiple acquisition channels. A hybrid strategy consisting of multichannel parallel deblurring followed by collaborative registration is developed for the final fusion. In particular, a Gaussian total variation regularization scheme taking advantage of low-order Gaussian derivative operators is proposed, which integrates the deblurring and registration problems into a unified mathematical formalization. Specifically, the gradient magnitude of Gaussian operator is proposed to define the total variation norm, and the Laplacian of Gaussian operator is used to adjust the regularization parameter when searching the extremum in each iterative step. In addition, the coordination technique involving the regularization parameter among different channels is also considered.
BP Neural Network Could Help Improve Pre-miRNA Identification in Various Species
Authors: Jiang Limin , Zhang Jingjun , Xuan Ping , Zou Quan
Published: August 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a set of short (21–24 nt) noncoding RNAs that play significant regulatory roles in cells. In the past few years, research on miRNA-related problems has become a hot field of bioinformatics because of miRNAs’ essential biological function. miRNA-related bioinformatics analysis is beneficial in several aspects, including the functions of miRNAs and other genes, the regulatory network between miRNAs and their target mRNAs, and even biological evolution. Distinguishing miRNA precursors from other hairpin-like sequences is important and is an essential procedure in detecting novel microRNAs. In this study, we employed backpropagation (BP) neural network together with 98-dimensional novel features for microRNA precursor identification. Results show that the precision and recall of our method are 95.53% and 96.67%, respectively. Results further demonstrate that the total prediction accuracy of our method is nearly 13.17% greater than the state-of-the-art microRNA precursor prediction software tools.
Analysis of Small-Scale Fading Distributions in Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications
Authors: Rodrigo-Peñarrocha Vicent M. , Reig Juan , Rubio Lorenzo , Fernández Herman , Loredo Susana
Published: August 2016

This work analyzes the characteristics of the small-scale fading distribution in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) channels. The analysis is based on a narrowband channel measurements campaign at 5.9 GHz designed specifically for that purpose. The measurements were carried out in highway and urban environments around the city of Valencia, Spain. The experimental distribution of the small-scale fading is compared to several analytical distributions traditionally used to model the fast fading in wireless communications, such as Rayleigh, Nakagami-m, Weibull, Rice, andα-μdistributions. The parameters of the distributions are derived through statistical inference techniques and their goodness-of-fit is evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test. Our results show that theα-μdistribution exhibits a better fit compared to the other distributions, making its use interesting to model the small-scale fading in V2V channels.
Distributions of Cells and Neurons across the Cortical Sheet in Old World Macaques
Authors: Turner Emily C. , Young Nicole A. , Reed Jamie L. , Collins Christine E. , Flaherty David K. , Gabi Mariana , Kaas Jon H.
Published: August 2016

According to previous research, cell and neuron densities vary across neocortex in a similar manner across primate taxa. Here, we provide a more extensive examination of this effect in macaque monkeys. We separated neocortex from the underlying white matter in 4 macaque monkey hemispheres (1 Macaca nemestrina, 2 Macaca radiata, and 1 Macaca mulatta), manually flattened the neocortex, and divided it into smaller tissue pieces for analysis. The number of cells and neurons were determined for each piece across the cortical sheet using flow cytometry. Primary visual cortex had the most densely packed neurons and primary motor cortex had the least densely packed neurons. With respect to differences in brain size between cases, there was little variability in the total cell and neuron numbers within specific areas, and overall trends were similar to what has been previously described in Old World baboons and other primates. The average hemispheric total cell number per hemisphere ranged from 2.9 to 3.7 billion, while the average total neuron number ranged from 1.3 to 1.7 billion neurons. The visual cortex neuron densities were predictably higher, ranging from 18.2 to 34.7 million neurons/cm2 in macaques, in comparison to a range of 9.3-17.7 million neurons/cm2 across cortex as a whole. The results support other evidence that neuron surface densities vary across the cortical sheet in a predictable pattern within and across primate taxa.
Immunopathogenesis of IBD: Batf as a Key Driver of Disease Activity
Authors: Hildner Kai , Punkenburg Elise , Abendroth Benjamin , Neurath Markus F.
Published: August 2016

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) represent a group of chronic immune-mediated disorders that are influenced by a genetic predisposition and additional environmental triggers. Genome-wide association studies strongly implicate that a number of immune system-related genetic variations are critically contributing to the initiation and promotion of intestinal inflammation. Especially the identification of the strong association of a series of single nucleotide polymorphisms including interleukin (IL)-23R, CCR6, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and Stat4 with IBD susceptibility point at a critical involvement of T cells and especially of IL-17a-producing Th17 cells in the immune pathogenesis of IBD. In line with this hypothesis, a series of preclinical studies have unequivocally established that T cells are key drivers of immune-mediated colitis. Interestingly, especially Th17 cells were identified to be highly prevalent in inflamed IBD tissues, a finding that seems to be functionally relevant as genetic inactivation studies in the mouse resulted in almost complete suppression of colitis development. Key Messages: While targeting Th17 cell differentiation regulating transcription factors, as retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) is effective in preventing murine colitis, one concern of drugs targeting RORγt in a clinical setting represents the large body of murine data unambiguously demonstrating that additional pathways within and outside the immune system are equally RORγt-dependent increasing the risk of undesirable side effects. The AP1 transcription factor Batf (B cell-activating transcription factor) appears to exclusively regulate pathways within lymphocytes. Importantly, Batf represents a central regulator of Th17 cell development and is strongly upregulated within IBD-affected tissues. Employing 2 acute colitis models, we demonstrate in this study that Batf-expressing T cells are critical drivers of T cell-mediated colitis while in contrast to Stat3 loss of Batf does not affect intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis ex vivo. Conclusions: Targeting Batf in IBD emerges as an attractive therapeutic approach disabling colitogenic T cell activities while sparing off-target effects in the intestinal epithelial cell compartment.
The Search for Causative Environmental Factors in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Rogler Gerhard , Zeitz Jonas , Biedermann Luc
Published: August 2016

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has become a ‘prototype disease' for chronic auto-inflammatory disorders with a polygenic background and important multifaceted environmental trigger components. The environmental factors contribute both to pathogenesis and disease flares. Thus, IBD is a disease par excellence to study the interactions between host genetics, environmental factors (such as infections or smoking) and ‘in-vironmental' factors - for example, our intestinal microbiota. Longitudinal intercurrent events, including the impact of long-term medication on disease progression or stabilization, can exemplarily be studied in this disease group. Whilst alterations in the human genome coding relevant variant protein products have most likely not emerged significantly over the last 50 years, the incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis has dramatically increased in Western countries and more recently in the Asia Pacific area. An interesting concept indicates that ‘Western lifestyle factors' trigger chronic intestinal inflammation or disease flares in a genetically susceptible host. To understand the disease pathogenesis as well as triggers for flares or determinants of disease courses, we must further investigate potential en(in)vironmental factors. As environmental conditions, in contrast to genetic risk factors, can be influenced, knowledge on those risk factors becomes crucial to modulate disease incidence, disease course or clinical presentation. It is obvious that prevention of environmentally triggered disease flares would be a goal most relevant for IBD patients. An increased prevalence of IBD in urban environment has been documented in Switzerland by the Swiss IBD cohort study. Several studies have attempted to identify such factors; however, only a few have been validated. The best investigated environmental factor identified in IBD cohort analyses is smoking. Other environmental factors that have been associated with clinical presentation or risk of inflammatory flares as well as increased incidence are diet and food additives. The so-called ‘hygiene hypothesis' suggests that increased hygiene in childhood associated with reduced exposure to pathogens may leave the mucosal immune system insufficiently trained and thus prone to uncontrolled inflammation. Oral contraceptives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the 2 main classes of frequently taken drugs that have been attributed to have the potential to cause flares of the disease. What is likely to be the connection between the genetic susceptibility and the environmental triggers? There is broad evidence for a critical role of the commensal enteric microbiota as a modulator of immunologic responses relevant during onset and chronification of IBD.
Are Immunosuppressants Becoming Obsolete?
Authors: Lissner Donata , Siegmund Britta
Published: August 2016

Historically, in the 1950s, the introduction of simple, old-fashioned steroids resulted in a significant drop in mortality and hence offered for the first time a real therapeutic option for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, as we are all aware of, steroids are no option for maintenance of remission. This review will provide an overview of the available data on the current role of azathioprine in the therapy of Crohn's disease. Based on several controlled trials, the place of azathioprine for maintenance of remission is indisputable. Data from a pediatric cohort suggested that early introduction of azathioprine is beneficial for the disease course. Two recent studies aimed at reproducing these data in adult populations and failed. Hence indicating that azathioprine should only be introduced for maintenance of remission in a step-up-wise approach. An additional role for azathioprine in combo therapy with TNF antibodies has been indicated by several trials revealing a substantial benefit on response. This is partly attributed to the gain in the therapeutic effect by azathioprine itself and possibly through reduction of anti-drug antibody development. In summary, the current role of azathioprine in the therapy of Crohn's disease is manifold and still has an impact in times of targeted therapy.
Proper Use of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drugs during Pregnancy
Authors: Kanis S.L. , van der Woude C.J.
Published: August 2016

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are chronic, relapsing conditions. Patients are often diagnosed at a reproductive age, and therefore questions about fertility and reproductions often arise. Preconceptional counseling is the most important aspect in the management of IBD patients with a pregnancy wish. Patients should be counseled on the influence of IBD and IBD drugs on pregnancy. Most drugs are not related to adverse outcome while used during pregnancy. Active disease is related to adverse outcomes; therefore, it is of utmost importance to strive for remission before conception and during pregnancy.
Real-World Use of Novel P2Y12 Inhibitors in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Treatment Paradox
Authors: Beigel Roy , Iakobishvili Zaza , Shlomo Nir , Segev Amit , Witberg Guy , Zahger Doron , Atar Shaul , Alcalai Ronny , Kapeliovich Michael , Gottlieb Shmuel , Goldenberg Ilan , Asher Elad , Matetzky Shlomi
Published: August 2016

Objective: To assess the real-world use, clinical outcomes, and adherence to novel P2Y12 inhibitors. Methods: We evaluated 1,093 consecutive acute myocardial infarction patients undergoing a percutaneous intervention. Patients were derived from a prospective, multicenter, nationwide registry and were followed for 30 days; 381 patients (35%) received clopidogrel, 468 (43%) received prasugrel, and 244 (22%) received ticagrelor. Patients treated with clopidogrel were older and more likely to suffer from chronic renal failure and stroke and/or present with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (p < 0.01 for all). Independent predictors of undertreatment with novel P2Y12 inhibitors included: older age (OR 0.17; 95% CI 0.1-0.27, p < 0.0001), a prior stroke (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.2-0.68, p = 0.008), and NSTEMI (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.26-0.54, p < 0.0001). Results: Novel P2Y12 inhibitors were associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular events, major bleeding, and/or death (7.6 vs.11%, HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.43-1, p = 0.05). However, after a multivariate analysis this trend was not statistically significant. Patients discharged with ticagrelor versus thienopyridines demonstrated a higher rate of crossover to other P2Y12 inhibitors (11 vs. 5%, p = 0.03). Conclusions: In a real-world cohort, there was an underutilization of novel P2Y12 inhibitors which was more pronounced in higher-risk subsets that might benefit from novel P2Y12 inhibitors at least as much as other patients.
Evaluation of Galectin-3 as a Novel Biomarker for Chagas Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Noya-Rabelo Márcia Maria , Larocca Ticiana Ferreira , Macêdo Carolina Thé , Torreão Jorge Andion , Souza Bruno Solano de Freitas , Vasconcelos Juliana Fraga , Souza Luciana Estrella , Silva Agnaluce Moreira , Ribeiro dos Santos Ricardo , Correia Luís Claudio Lemos , Soares Milena Botelho Pereira
Published: August 2016

Objectives: Chagas cardiomyopathy has worse long-term outcomes than other cardiomyopathies. A biomarker strategy to refer subjects for noninvasive cardiac imaging may help in the early identification of cardiac damage in subjects with Chagas disease. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a mediator of cardiac fibrosis shown to be upregulated in animal models of decompensated heart failure. Here we assessed the correlation of Gal-3 with myocardial fibrosis in patients with Chagas disease. Methods: This study comprised 61 subjects with Chagas disease. All subjects underwent clinical assessments, Doppler echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Plasmatic Gal-3 was determined by ELISA. Results: Delayed enhancement (DE) was identified in 37 of 61 subjects (64%). The total amount of myocardial fibrosis was 9.4% [interquartile interval (IQI): 2.4-18.4]. No differences were observed in Gal-3 concentration according to the presence or absence of myocardial fibrosis, with a median Gal-3 concentration of 11.7 ng/ml (IQI: 9.4-15) in subjects with DE versus 12.9 ng/ml (IQI: 9.2-14) in subjects without DE (p = 0.18). No correlation was found between myocardial fibrosis and Gal-3 concentration (r = 0.098; p = 0.47). Conclusions: There is no correlation between the degree of myocardial fibrosis and the concentration of Gal-3 in subjects with Chagas disease.
Follicle Microstructure and Innervation Vary between Pinniped Micro- and Macrovibrissae
Authors: Mattson Erin E. , Marshall Christopher D.
Published: August 2016

Histological data from terrestrial, semiaquatic, and fully aquatic mammal vibrissa (whisker) studies indicate that follicle microstructure and innervation vary across the mystacial vibrissal array (i.e. medial microvibrissae to lateral macrovibrissae). However, comparative data are lacking, and current histological studies on pinniped vibrissae only focus on the largest ventrolateral vibrissae. Consequently, we investigated the microstructure, medial-to-lateral innervation, and morphometric trends in harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) vibrissal follicle-sinus complexes (F-SCs). The F-SCs were sectioned either longitudinally or in cross-section and stained with a modified Masson's trichrome stain (microstructure) or Bodian's silver stain (innervation). All F-SCs exhibited a tripartite blood organization system. The dermal capsule thickness, the distribution of major branches of the deep vibrissal nerve, and the hair shaft design were more symmetrical in medial F-SCs, but these features became more asymmetrical as the F-SCs became more lateral. Overall, the mean axon count was 1,221 ± 422.3 axons/F-SC and mean axon counts by column ranged from 550 ± 97.4 axons/F-SC (medially, column 11) to 1,632 ± 173.2 axons/F-SC (laterally, column 2). These values indicate a total of 117,216 axons innervating the entire mystacial vibrissal array. The mean axon count of lateral F-SCs was 1,533 ± 192.9 axons/ F-SC, which is similar to values reported in the literature for other pinniped F-SCs. Our data suggest that conventional studies that only examine the largest ventrolateral vibrissae may overestimate the total innervation by ∼20%. However, our study also accounts for variation in quantification methods and shows that conventional analyses likely only overestimate innervation by ∼10%. The relationship between axon count and cross-sectional F-SC surface area was nonlinear, and axon densities were consistent across the snout. Our data indicate that harp seals exhibit microstructural and innervational differences between their microvibrissae (columns 8-11) and macrovibrissae (columns 1-7). We hypothesize that this feature is conserved among pinnipeds and may result in functional compartmentalization within their mystacial vibrissal arrays.
Long-Term Anesthetic-Dependent Hypoactivity after Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries in Adolescent Mice
Authors: Semple Bridgette D. , Sadjadi Raha , Carlson Jaclyn , Chen Yiran , Xu Duan , Ferriero Donna M. , Noble-Haeusslein Linda J.
Published: August 2016

Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries (rmTBIs) culminate in neurological impairments and chronic neurodegeneration, which have wide-ranging implications for patient management and return-to-play decisions for athletes. Adolescents show a high prevalence of sports-related head injuries and may be particularly vulnerable to rmTBIs due to ongoing brain maturation. However, it remains unclear whether rmTBIs, below the threshold for acute neuronal injury or symptomology, influence long-term outcomes. To address this issue, we first defined a very mild injury in adolescent mice (postnatal day 35) as evidenced by an increase in Iba-1- labeled microglia in white matter in the acutely injured brain, in the absence of indices of cell death, axonal injury, and vasogenic edema. Using this level of injury severity and Avertin (2,2,2-tribromoethanol) as the anesthetic, we compared mice subjected to either a single mTBI or 2 rmTBIs, each separated by 48 h. Neurobehavioral assessments were conducted at 1 week and at 1 and 3 months postimpact. Mice subjected to rmTBIs showed transient anxiety and persistent and pronounced hypoactivity compared to sham control mice, alongside normal sensorimotor, cognitive, social, and emotional function. As isoflurane is more commonly used than Avertin in animal models of TBI, we next examined long-term outcomes after rmTBIs in mice that were anesthetized with this agent. However, there was no evidence of abnormal behaviors even with the addition of a third rmTBI. To determine whether isoflurane may be neuroprotective, we compared the acute pathology after a single mTBI in mice anesthetized with either Avertin or isoflurane. Pathological findings were more pronounced in the group exposed to Avertin compared to the isoflurane group. These collective findings reveal distinct behavioral phenotypes (transient anxiety and prolonged hypoactivity) that emerge in response to rmTBIs. Our findings further suggest that selected anesthetics may confer early neuroprotection after rmTBIs, and as such mask long-term abnormal phenotypes that may otherwise emerge as a consequence of acute pathogenesis.
Gender Aspects in Extranodal Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma of the Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue: Does Sex Matter?
Authors: Kiesewetter Barbara , Lukas Julius , Dolak Werner , Simonitsch-Klupp Ingrid , Mayerhoefer Marius E. , Raderer Markus
Published: August 2016

Objectives: Gender-related aspects have been investigated in a variety of tumor entities including results on sex-specific differences in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, there are no data on gender differences in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods: We have analyzed 327 patients treated between 1999 and 2015 with a median follow-up time of 55.2 months. Results: There was a female predominance, with 197 female (60.2%) and 130 male patients (39.8%, female-to-male ratio 1.5). The mean age was comparable between female and male patients (61.2 vs. 61.7 years, p = 0.777). Female patients less frequently had gastric MALT lymphoma (31.5 vs. 39.2%), but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.149). Extragastric manifestations were equally distributed, except for parotid (p = 0.003) and breast lymphoma (n = 8, 100% female) showing a female predominance. This was most likely related to a higher rate of active autoimmune disorders in women (35.6 vs. 11.0%, p < 0.001). β2-Microglobulin elevation at diagnosis occurred more often in female patients (42.8 vs. 26.0%; p = 0.008). However, this did not translate into a worse progression-free survival for female (56.0 months, 95% CI 30.1-81.9) versus male patients (49.0 months, 95% CI 25.4-72.5, p = 0.433). Overall survival did not differ between groups. Conclusion: Our data show surprisingly little differences between female and male patients with MALT lymphoma. Both sexes appeared to have well-balanced clinical features and an identical prognosis.
Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy to the Heart of the Matter
Authors: Palamidas Anastasios F. , Rosendahl Ulrich , Shah Pallav L.
Published: August 2016

Endobronchial ultrasound has been one of the success stories of the last decade, and the utility of the procedure continues to expand. Originally, it was developed for the staging and diagnosis of lung cancer, but its use rapidly expanded to other malignancies and even benign disease. We present the case of a patient originally referred with suspected endocarditis who was found to have a mass involving the right ventricle and the pulmonary outflow tract. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy was used to obtain a tissue diagnosis from the cardiac mass.
Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Very-Early Onset Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
Authors: Nowak Kristen L. , Cadnapaphornchai Melissa A. , Chonchol Michel B. , Schrier Robert W. , Gitomer Berenice
Published: August 2016

Background: Long-term clinical outcomes in children with very-early onset (VEO; diagnosis in utero or within the first 18 months of life) autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are currently not well understood. We conducted a longitudinal retrospective cohort study to assess the association between VEO status and adverse clinical outcomes. Methods: Seventy patients with VEO-ADPKD matched (by year of birth, sex and race/ethnicity) to 70 patients with non-VEO-ADPKD who participated in research at the University of Colorado were studied. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. The predictor was VEO status, and outcomes were progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), development of hypertension, progression to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2), glomerular hyperfiltration (eGFR ≥140 ml/min/1.73 m2) and height-adjusted total kidney volume (htTKV) measured by MRI ≥600 ml/m. Results: Median follow-up was until 16.0 years of age. There were only 4 ESRD events during the follow-up period, all in the VEO group (p < 0.05). VEO patients were more likely to develop hypertension (hazard ratio, HR 3.15, 95% CI 1.86-5.34; p < 0.0001) and to progress to eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2 (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.01-3.84; p < 0.05) than non-VEO patients. There was no difference between groups in the development of glomerular hyperfiltration (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.56-1.42; p = 0.62). There were only 7 patients who progressed to htTKV ≥600 ml/m, 4 in the VEO group and 3 in the non-VEO group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Several clinical outcomes are worse in patients with VEO-ADPKD compared to non-VEO ADPKD. Children with VEO-ADPKD represent a particularly high-risk group of ADPKD patients.
Simultaneous Use of Intravenous Lipid Emulsion and Plasma Exchange Therapies in Multiple Drug Toxicity
Authors: Avcil Mucahit , Kapçı Mucahit , Yavaşoğlu Irfan , Kantekin Burçak , Akpek Mahmut
Published: August 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to highlight the use of combined intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) and plasma exchange (PE) therapies in multidrug toxicity. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 45-year-old woman who attempted suicide by ingesting large quantities of amisulpride (28 g), diazepam (250 mg), valsartan (2,240 mg), aripiprazole (45 mg) and paliperidone (21 mg) was taken to the hospital of Adnan Menderes University School of Medicine. Upon arrival, she exhibited signs of cardiotoxicity and severe depression of the central nervous and respiratory systems. She was treated successfully with ILE for 4 h and PE therapy for 36 h, consecutively. She was discharged on the fourth day of hospitalization having fully recovered. Conclusion: The patient was successfully treated with the combination of ILE and PE.
(In)Visibilidades de Labour in a Single Shot
Authors: Gatti José
Published: August 2016

Este trabalho analisa representações da classe trabalhadora em vídeos produzidos nas oficinas do projeto Labour in a Single Shot, criado por Antje Ehmann e Harun Farocki, inspirados pelo filme pioneiro A saída da fábrica Lumière em Lyon (1895), realizado pelos irmãos Lumière. Para a análise, usarei alguns dos conceitos definidos por Maya Deren sobre a poética do cinema.
Figurinos, cores e enquadramentos do filme O Palhaço: aspectos plásticos na construção de um universo fechado e nostálgico
Authors: Jorge Marina Soler
Published: August 2016

Neste artigo, analisaremos alguns aspectos artísticos que compõe a mise-en-scène do filme O Palhaço, sobretudo o figurino e o enquadramento dos personagens, de modo a compreender de que modo estes elementos colaboram na composição visual de uma narrativa nostálgica, que tem lugar num tempo histórico impreciso e comprimido pela paisagem montanhosa de Minas Gerais. Tendo em vista a recepção de crítica e público que o filme recebeu, é importante compreendermos a importância dos elementos plásticos na elaboração de uma bem sucedida obra sul-americana que dialoga com o cinema contemporâneo internacional.
Mr. Sandman, bring me a time machine: temporalidade, contingência e gênero em Back to the Future e Donnie Darko
Authors: Felinto Erick
Published: August 2016

o objetivo deste trabalho é abordar a questão da temporalidade (como fenômeno cinematográfico e cultural) a partir de dois filmes que, em suas enormes diferenças, encontram-se no terreno comum da temática da viagem no tempo e do drama/comédia adolescente: Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985) e Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001). Partindo das teses de Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht sobre a problemática do aumento da contingência na experiência pós-moderna, empreende-se uma análise das ambiências temporais geradas nos dois filmes, bem como suas diferentes concepções de tempo e contingência.
O passado e seu ponto de partida. Resenha de A luta armada no cinema: ficção, documentário, memória, de Fernando Seliprandy
Authors: Monteiro Lúcia Ramos
Published: August 2016

A luta armada no cinema: ficção, documentário, memória, livro de Fernando Seliprandy, publicado pela editoria Intermeios, de São Paulo, em 2015, compara dois filmes que tratam de um mesmo evento histórico: o sequestro do embaixador estadunidense Charles Elbrick, em 1969, ação guerrilheira empreendida pelo Movimento Revolucionário 8 de Outubro (MR-8) e pela Ação Libertadora Nacional (ALN). Em quatro capítulos, Fernando Seliprandy interroga a “ficção histórica” O que é isso, companheiro (1997), de Bruno Barreto, e o “documentário” Hércules 56 (2006), de Silvio Da-Rin, num livro que foge do esquematismo. O autor oferece uma abordagem original dos artifícios empregados por ambos os filmes; dos antagonismos que suas narrativas instauram; do “passado” reconstruído por cada obra; e dos nexos possíveis entre as imagens de memória e as conjunturas de sua produção
Narrativas de uma viagem permanente: a produção fílmica de Herbert Duschenes
Authors: Penney Paola Prestes
Published: August 2016

Este artigo aborda os filmes realizados por Herbert Duschenes, arquiteto e professor de história da arte alemão radicado no Brasil em 1940. Nunca antes estudados e assistidos apenas por amigos, membros da família e por alunos, nosso objetivo é conferir aos filmes uma leitura que vai além do âmbito doméstico e didático que lhes foi originalmente reservado, analisando-os como home movies, ou filmes amadores, pertencentes ao campo do cinema documentário. Como parte da pesquisa, os duzentos e vinte sete curtas-metragens do acervo foram digitalizados e catalogados, sendo agora estudados à luz de conceitos de teóricos como Roger Odin e Arlindo Machado, que têm desenvolvido pesquisas sobre esse tipo de produção, contribuindo para a reflexão acerca das fronteiras do documentário.
Apresentação
Authors: Morettin Eduardo , Adamatti Margarida Maria
Published: August 2016

Apresentação da edição 45 da Significação - Revista de Cultura Audiovisual.
Creating Emotion-Sensitive Interactive Artworks: Three Case Studies
Authors: van ’t Klooster Adinda
Published: August 2016

Emotion-sensitive artworks provide a challenging yet rewarding locus of activity. After a comparative review of the situation in art and music with respect to emotion research, three innovative, interactive and emotion-sensitive artworks are described. The Emotion Light (2009) is an interactive biofeedback sculpture in the shape of a light-emitting uterus that responds by changing color depending on the arousal level of the person holding it. In a State (2014) and BioCombat (2015) are generative, interactive live performance systems that detect emotion from audio or live biosignals, respectively, and create abstract animations and electroacoustic music in response.
Revision of the Ambrysus guttatipennis Stål species complex (Heteroptera: Naucoridae: Cryphocricinae) with the descriptions of six new species from Mexico
Authors: REYNOSO-VELASCO DANIEL , SITES ROBERT W.
Published: August 2016

The Ambrysus guttatipennis Stål species complex is revised and includes A. arizonus La Rivers, A. bispinus La Rivers, A. drakei La Rivers, A. guttatipennis Stål, A. mexicanus Montandon, and A. mormon Montandon. Six new species that belong to this complex are described from Mexico: A. ayoyolin n. sp., A. bowlesi n. sp., A. contrerasi n. sp., A. itsipatsari n. sp., A. noveloi n. sp., and A. veracruzanus n. sp. The subspecies A. mormon australis La Rivers, A. m. heidemanni Montandon, and A. m. minor La Rivers are proposed as junior synonyms of A. m. mormon Montandon. A supplemental redescription of A. guttatipennis Stål based on the holotype is provided and a lectotype of A. mexicanus Montandon is designated. Ambrysus arizonus is newly recorded from Mexico and A. bispinus from Guatemala. Most of the species in this complex occur only in Mexico, although A. arizonus and A. mormon are distributed in Mexico and the United States, and A. bispinus is distributed in Mexico and Guatemala. Ambrysus mormon has the widest distribution of any species in this complex. Features uniting these species are related to male genitalia and structures associated with male and female genitalia.
Review of the cave cricket genus Tamdaotettix Gorochov with a new species and some new descriptions (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae, Aemodogryllinae)
Authors: QIN YANYAN , LIU XIANWEI , LI KAI
Published: August 2016

A review of the rhaphidophorid genus Tamdaotettix Gorochov, 1998 is presented. One new species, one newly-recorded species from China and one species from Vietnam are identified and described. These are namely Tamdaotettix (Tamdaotettix) tridenticulatus sp. nov., Tamdaotettix (Laotettix) curvatus Gorochov, 2015 and Tamdaotettix (Tamdaotettix) semipullus Gorochov, 1998. At the same time, Megadiestramima extensa Gorochov, 1998 is redescribed. A key to the species of Tamdaotettix is provided.
Cloud Impacts on Pavement Temperature and Shortwave Radiation
Authors: Walker Curtis L. , Anderson Mark R.
Published: August 2016

Forecast systems provide decision support for end users ranging from the solar energy industry to municipalities concerned with road safety. Pavement temperature is an important variable when considering vehicle response to various weather conditions. A complex relationship exists between tire and pavement temperatures that affects vehicle performance. Many forecast systems suffer from inaccurate radiation forecasts resulting in part from the inability to model different types of clouds and their influence on radiation. This research focuses on forecast improvement by determining how cloud type impacts pavement temperature and the amount of shortwave radiation reaching the surface. The study region is the Great Plains where surface radiation data were obtained from the High Plains Regional Climate Center’s Automated Weather Data Network stations. Pavement temperature data were obtained from the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System. Cloud-type identification was possible via the Naval Research Laboratory Cloud Classification algorithm, and clouds were subsequently sorted into five distinct groups: clear conditions, low clouds, middle clouds, high clouds, and cumuliform clouds. Statistical analyses during the daytime in June 2011 revealed that cloud cover lowered pavement temperatures by up to approximately 10°C and dampened downwelling shortwave radiation by up to 400 W m−2. These pavement temperatures and surface radiation observations were strongly correlated, with a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.83. A comparison between cloud-type group identified and cloud cover observed from satellite images provided a measure of confidence in the results and identified cautions with using satellite-based cloud detection.
Combining Observations from Multiple Platforms across the Kuroshio Northeast of Luzon: A Highlight on PIES Data
Authors: Mensah Vigan , Andres Magdalena , Lien Ren-Chieh , Ma Barry , Lee Craig M. , Jan Sen
Published: August 2016

This study presents amended procedures to process and map data collected by pressure-sensor-equipped inverted echo sounders (PIESs) in western boundary current regions. The modifications to the existing methodology, applied to observations of the Kuroshio from a PIES array deployed northeast of Luzon, Philippines, consist of substituting a hydrography-based mean travel time field for the PIES-based mean field and using two distinct gravest empirical mode (GEM) lookup tables across the front that separate water masses of South China Sea and North Pacific origin. In addition, this study presents a method to use time-mean velocities from acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) to reference (or “level”) the PIES-recorded pressures in order to obtain time series of absolute geostrophic velocity. Results derived from the PIES observations processed with the hydrography-based mean field and two GEMs are compared with hydrographic profiles sampled by Seagliders during the PIES observation period and with current velocity measured concurrently by a collocated ADCP array. The updated processing scheme leads to a 41% error decrease in the determination of the thermocline depth across the current, a 22% error decrease in baroclinic current velocity shear, and a 61% error decrease in baroclinic volume transports. The absolute volume transport time series derived from the leveled PIES array compares well with that obtained directly from the ADCPs with a root-mean-square difference of 3.0 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s–1), which is mainly attributed to the influence of ageostrophic processes on the ADCP-measured velocities that cannot be calculated from the PIES observations.
Hindcasts of Integrated Kinetic Energy in Atlantic Tropical Cyclones: A Neural Network Prediction Scheme
Authors: Kozar Michael E. , Misra Vasubandhu , Powell Mark D.
Published: August 2016

A new statistical–dynamical scheme is presented for predicting integrated kinetic energy (IKE) in North Atlantic tropical cyclones from a series of environmental input parameters. Predicting IKE is desirable because the metric quantifies the energy across a storm’s entire wind field, allowing it to respond to changes in storm structure and size. As such, IKE is especially useful for quantifying risks in large, low-intensity, high-impact storms such as Sandy in 2012. The prediction scheme, named the Statistical Prediction of Integrated Kinetic Energy, version 2 (SPIKE2), builds upon a previous statistical IKE scheme, by using a series of artificial neural networks instead of more basic linear regression models. By using a more complex statistical scheme, SPIKE2 is able to distinguish nonlinear signals in the environment that could cause fluctuations in IKE. In an effort to evaluate SPIKE2’s performance in a future operational setting, the model is calibrated using archived input parameters from Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) control analyses, and is run in a hindcast mode from 1990 to 2011 using archived GEFS reforecasts. The hindcast results indicate that SPIKE2 performs significantly better than both persistence and climatological benchmarks.
Variable Selection for Tropical Cyclogenesis Predictive Modeling
Authors: Wijnands Jasper S. , Qian Guoqi , Kuleshov Yuriy
Published: August 2016

Variable selection for short-term forecasting (up to 72 h) of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis has been investigated. IBTrACS data (1979–2014) are used to identify the genesis time and position of over 2500 TCs between 30°N and 30°S. Tracks are extended using a tropical cloud cluster (TCC) dataset, which is also used to identify over 28 000 nondeveloping TCCs. Subsequently, corresponding local environment states at various atmospheric pressure levels are retrieved from ERA-Interim data. An initial selection of potentially favorable variables for TC genesis is made based on mutual information, which forms the set of nodes for graphical model structure learning using the Peter–Clark (PC) algorithm. Structure learning identifies the variables with the strongest influence on TC genesis, while taking into account the interrelationship with other variables. Variables are ranked based on the maximum observed p value in all (conditional) independence tests of the variable with the TC genesis node. The results indicate that potential vorticity (600 hPa), relative vorticity (925 hPa), and (vector) vertical wind shear (200–700 hPa) are the highest ranked variables for forecasting up to 72 h. These are followed by the basin and zonal wind speed (200 hPa), and for very short lead-time divergence (925 hPa), air temperature (300 hPa), and average vertical velocity. Predictive modeling with logistic regression confirms the superior performance of the top-ranked variables. The presented variable ranking (methodology) can be used as a building block for the creation of genesis indices or predictive models in the future.
Investigating the Apocalyptic Texture of Paul’s Martial Imagery in 2 Corinthians 4–6
Authors: Bowens Lisa M.
Published: August 2016

This article argues for the presence and importance of Paul’s warfare terminology in 2 Corinthians 4–6. It provides a sample of Greco-Roman sources which utilize the same martial imagery that Paul employs in these chapters and asserts that the apostle weaves a martial motif in the early chapters of this epistle to depict a cosmic and apocalyptic contest. Although Paul borrows military language from the human arena, he employs it to portray a supernatural conﬂict and to provide a glimpse into his apostolic role and identity which are shaped by the existence of this cosmic combat.