bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic Resolvin E1 (RvE1) Treatment Does Not Ameliorate the Severity of Collagen-Induced Arthritis (CIA) in Mice: A Randomized, Prospective, and Controlled Proof of Concept Study
Authors: de Molon Rafael Scaf , Thurlings Rogier M. , Walgreen Birgitte , Helsen Monique M. , van der Kraan Peter M. , Cirelli Joni Augusto , Koenders Marije I.
Published: October 2019

Specialized proresolving mediators (SPRM), which arise from n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3FA), promote resolution of inflammation and may help to prevent progression of an acute inflammatory response into chronic inflammation in patients with arthritis. Thus, this study is aimed at determining whether systemic RvE1 treatment reduces arthritis onset and severity in murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and spontaneous cytokine production by human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial explants. 10-week-old DBA1/J male mice were subjected to CIA and treated systemically with 0.1 μg RvE1, 1 μg RvE1, 5 mg/kg anti-TNF (positive control group), PBS (negative control group), or with a combination of 1 μg of RvE1 plus 5 mg/kg anti-TNF using prophylactic or therapeutic strategies. After CIA immunization, mice were treated twice a week by RvE1 or anti-TNF for 10 days. Arthritis development was assessed by visual scoring of paw swelling and histology of ankle joints. Moreover, human RA synovial explants were incubated with 1 nM, 10 nM, or 100 nM of RvE1, and cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, INF-γ, and TNF-α) were measured using Luminex bead array. CIA triggered significant inflammation in the synovial cavity, proteoglycan loss, and cartilage and bone destruction in the ankle joints of mice. Prophylactic and therapeutic RvE1 regimens did not ameliorate CIA incidence and severity. Anti-TNF treatment significantly abrogated signs of joint inflammation, bone erosion, and proteoglycan depletion, but additional RvE1 treatment did not further reduce the anti-TNF-mediated suppression of the disease. Treatment with different concentrations of RvE1 did not decrease the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in human RA synovial explants in the studied conditions. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that RvE1 treatment was not an effective approach to treat CIA in DBA1/J mice in both prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, no effects were noticed when human synovial explants were incubated with different concentrations of RvE1.
Disassembling‐Based Structural Damage Detection Using Static Measurement Data
Authors: Lee Eun-Taik , Eun Hee-Chang
Published: October 2019

Damage detection methods can be classified into global and local approaches depending on the division of measurement locations in a structure. The former utilizes measurement data at all degrees of freedom (DOFs) for structural damage detection, while the latter utilizes data of members and substructures at a few DOFs. This paper presents a local method to detect damages by disassembling an entire structure into members. The constraint forces acting at the measured DOFs of the disassembled elements at the damaged state, and their internal stresses, are predicted. The proposed method detects locally damaged members of the entire structure by comparing the stress variations before and after damage. The static local damage can be explicitly detected when it is positioned along the constraint load paths. The validity of the proposed method is illustrated through the damage detection of two truss structures, and the disassembling (i.e., local) and global approaches are compared using numerical examples. The numerical applications consider the noise effect and single and multiple damage cases, including vertical, diagonal, and chord members of truss structures.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Loaded with Gelatin Microcryogels Attenuate Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Geng Xiaodong , Hong Quan , Chi Kun , Wang Shuqiang , Cai Guangyan , Wu Di
Published: October 2019

Background. The treatment of chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) by different approaches using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has made great strides. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential mechanism of gelatin microcryogels (GMs) as a cell therapeutic vector to block the progression of CKD. Methods. In vivo, the pedicled omentum valve with MSC-loaded GMs was packed onto 5/6 nephrectomized kidneys derived from rats. The therapeutic effects were evaluated. In vitro, TNF-α, TGF-β, and MSCs were added to the medium of the HK-2 cell culture system, and key genes involved in anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effects were evaluated by qPCR. Results. After 12 weeks of MSC transplantation, kidney functions, such as serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and 24-hour urine protein, were significantly improved. The pedicled omentum valve was packed with MSC-loaded GMs onto the 5/6 nephrectomized kidney, and the expressions of collagen IV, α-SMA, and TGF-β were all evaluated by immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis. MSC-loaded-GMs also showed antifibrotic effects by inducing the upregulation of HO-1, BMP-7, and HGF and the downregulation of MCP-1 at the mRNA level. Four weeks after MSC-loaded GM treatment, we found that the mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were clearly reduced. MSC-conditional medium (MSC-CM) showed that the TNF-α-induced expression of IL-8 and IL-6 mRNA was reversed; E-cadherin mRNA was upregulated; and the TGF-β-induced expression of collagen IV, α-SMA, and fibronectin (FN) mRNA in HK-2 cells was reduced. Conclusions. We demonstrated that the pedicled omentum valve packed with MSC-loaded GMs had a renal protective effect on the 5/6 nephrectomized kidney by observing the anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effects.
Insomnia among Medical and Paramedical Students in Jordan: Impact on Academic Performance
Authors: Alqudah Mohammad , Balousha Samar A. M. , Al-Shboul Othman , Al-Dwairi Ahmed , Alfaqih Mahmoud A. , Alzoubi Karem H.
Published: October 2019

Background. Insomnia is a problem that is common in all societies and age groups. However, its importance is increasing between students especially with the highly competitive and demanding environment surrounding them even after their graduation. In spite of the deep understanding of its health and social consequences, the frequency of insomnia among medical students in Jordan was not determined. Aim. To determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances among college students and to look for any association between sleep disturbances and students’ academic achievement. Methods. This is a cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire-based study. The participants were college students of the medical and paramedical specialties. Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used and the academic performance was assessed using students’ Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Results. There were 977 responses. Prevalence of clinical insomnia was 26.0%. Students who self-reported good sleep quality had significantly lower ISI scores compared with those who self-reported bad quality of sleep. Students who slept >7 hours had significantly less ISI scores than students who slept <6 hours. Students who had a CGPA more than or equal to 3 had significantly lower ISI scores compared with those who had a CGPA less than 2.5. Self-reported sleep quality was associated with the CGPA. Conclusion. A high prevalence of insomnia was found in this group of students. Academic performance was significantly associated with ISI scores and self-reported sleep quality. These results might be useful for future research into the development of interventional strategies to help students get enough sleep quality and quantity.
Mutated p53 Promotes the Symmetric Self-Renewal of Cisplatin-Resistant Lung Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Inhibits the Recruitment of Macrophages
Authors: Xu Yu , Xu Zhi , Li Qi , Guo Liang , Wang Yao , Zhou Jianchun , Wang Guansong , Liu Yuliang
Published: October 2019

It has been proposed that mutant p53 is correlated with the recurrence of lung cancer. Recently, a small population of cells with asymmetric or symmetric self-renewal potential has been identified in lung cancer, which was termed as cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and was speculated to be the reason for cancer recurrence after chemotherapy. In this study, we used lung cancer cell lines with different TP53 backgrounds to elucidate the potential role of mutant p53 in regulating lung CSC self-renewal and on lung cancer recurrence. Cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells with different TP53 backgrounds were generated in vitro by exposing A549, H460, and H661 lung cancer cell lines repeatedly to cisplatin. CD44+/CD90+ stem-like cells were identified in above cisplatin-resistant lung cancers (termed as cisplatin-resistant lung cancer stem-like cells, (Cr-LCSCs)) and stained with PKH26 dye which was used to define the self-renewal pattern. The proportion of symmetric divisions was significantly higher in Cr-LCSCs with mutant (mt) p53 compared with Cr-LCSCs with wild-type (wt) p53, and forced expression of mt p53 promoted the symmetric division of Cr-LCSCs. Furthermore, fewer macrophages accumulated in subcutaneously implanted xenografts consisting of mt p53 Cr-LCSCs compared with wt p53 Cr-LCSCs. These results indicated that mt p53 might accelerate the recurrence of lung cancer by regulating the self-renewal kinetics of Cr-LCSCs as well as the recruitment of macrophages.
Fatigue Life Behavior of Laser Shock Peened Duplex Stainless Steel with Different Samples Geometry
Authors: Vázquez Jiménez César A. , Granados Alejo Vignaud , Rubio González Carlos , Gómez Rosas Gilberto , Llamas Zamorano Sergio
Published: October 2019

Two different stress raiser geometries (fillets and notched) were treated by laser shock peening (LSP) in order to analyze the effect of sample geometry on fatigue behavior of 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS). The LSP treatment was carried through Nd : YAG pulsed laser with 1064 nm wavelength, 10 Hz frequency, and 0.85 J/pulse. Experimental and MEF simulation results of residual stress distribution after LSP were assessed by hole drilling method and ABAQUS/EXPLICIT software, respectively. The fatigue tests (tensile-tensile axial stress) were realized with stress ratio of R = 0.1 and 20 Hz. A good comparison of residual stress simulation and experimental data was observed. The results reveal that the fatigue life is increased by LSP treatment in the notched samples, while it decreases in the fillet samples. This is related to the residual stress distribution after LSP that is generated in each geometry type. In addition, the fatigue crack growth direction is changed according to geometry type. Both the propagation direction of fatigue crack and the anisotropy of this steel results detrimental in fillet samples, decreasing the number of cycles to the fatigue crack initiation. It is demonstrated that the LSP effect on fatigue performance is influenced by the specimen geometry.
Comparison of i-Gel as a Conduit for Intubation between under Fiberoptic Guidance and Blind Endotracheal Intubation during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Simulation Study
Authors: Choi Hyun Young , Kim Wonhee , Jang Yong Soo , Kang Gu Hyun , Kim Jae Guk , Kim Hyeongtae
Published: October 2019

Purpose. This study aimed to compare intubation performances among i-gel blind intubation (IGI), i-gel bronchoscopic intubation (IBRI), and intubation using Macintosh laryngoscope (MCL) applying two kinds of endotracheal tube during chest compressions. We hypothesized that IGI using wire-reinforced silicone (WRS) tube could achieve endotracheal intubation most rapidly and successfully. Methods. In 23 emergency physicians, a prospective randomized crossover manikin study was conducted to examine the three intubation techniques using two kinds of endotracheal tubes. The primary outcome was the intubation time. The secondary outcome was the cumulative success rate for each intubation technique. A significant difference was considered when identifying p<0.05 between two devices or p<0.017 in post hoc analysis of the comparison among three devices. Results. The mean intubation time using IGI was shorter (p<0.017) than that of using IBRI and MCL in both endotracheal tubes (17.6 vs. 29.3 vs. 20.2 in conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube; 14.6 vs. 27.4 vs. 19.9 in WRS tube; sec). There were no significant (p<0.05) differences between PVC and WRS tubes for each intubation technique. The intubation time to reach 100% cumulative success rate was also shorter in IGI (p<0.017) than that in IBRI and MCL in both PVC and WRS tubes. Conclusions. IGI was an equally successful and faster technique compared with IBRI or MCL regardless of the use of PVC or WRS tube. IGI might be an appropriate technique for emergent intubation by experienced intubators during chest compressions.
Comparison of Bagging and Boosting Ensemble Machine Learning Methods for Automated EMG Signal Classification
Authors: Yaman Emine , Subasi Abdulhamit
Published: October 2019

The neuromuscular disorders are diagnosed using electromyographic (EMG) signals. Machine learning algorithms are employed as a decision support system to diagnose neuromuscular disorders. This paper compares bagging and boosting ensemble learning methods to classify EMG signals automatically. Even though ensemble classifiers’ efficacy in relation to real-life issues has been presented in numerous studies, there are almost no studies which focus on the feasibility of bagging and boosting ensemble classifiers to diagnose the neuromuscular disorders. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to assess the feasibility of bagging and boosting ensemble classifiers to diagnose neuromuscular disorders through the use of EMG signals. It should be understood that there are three steps to this method, where the step number one is to calculate the wavelet packed coefficients (WPC) for every type of EMG signal. After this, it is necessary to calculate statistical values of WPC so that the distribution of wavelet coefficients could be demonstrated. In the last step, an ensemble classifier used the extracted features as an input of the classifier to diagnose the neuromuscular disorders. Experimental results showed the ensemble classifiers achieved better performance for diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. Results are promising and showed that the AdaBoost with random forest ensemble method achieved an accuracy of 99.08%, F-measure 0.99, AUC 1, and kappa statistic 0.99.
Study on the Design Method for the Deformation State Control of Pile‐Anchor Structures in Deep Foundation Pits
Authors: Sun Jinkun , Wang Senping , Shi Xinjun , Wu Feng , Zeng Liyun
Published: October 2019

At present, the design of pile‐anchor structures for deep foundation pits can be divided into the limit state control design of the bearing capacity and the limit state control design in normal use (i.e., “deformation state control design”). Strength design focuses on the strength control of supporting structures and rock‐soil masses, while deformation design focuses on the deformation and environmental impact control of supporting structures and rock‐soil masses. However, since a rock‐soil mass, especially a soil mass, is a rheid, the strength control design process is not completely reliable, and the deformation control design is also required when the rheological behavior is prominent. A pile‐anchor structure can limit the deformation of supporting structures by applying a prestress, with good technical and economic benefits; therefore, it has been widely used in the support engineering of deep foundation pits. In this paper, the objective of the deformation state control of pile‐anchor structures for deep foundation pits, the corresponding stress level thresholds, and the determination of the bearing capacity checkpoint are studied based on the strength parameters of the soil deformation state and by combining a theoretical calculation analysis of the stress mode of pile‐anchor structures, the calculations of previous engineering cases, and finite element simulation. Based on the depth of the plastic zone of the soil in the built‐in section of the foundation pit supporting the structure, the position of the deformation state checkpoint of the soil in the built‐in section inside the foundation pit is determined as one‐third of the length hd of the built‐in section below the bottom of the foundation pit; the stress level threshold λ(2) corresponding to the slow, steady state is determined as approximately 30%–60% based on the curve characteristics of the relationship between the deformation and the stress level of the soil in the built‐in section (1/3)hd below the bottom of the foundation pit. Based on the stress mode and deformation control requirements of the anchorage section of the pile‐anchor structure and the Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion, the deformation state control design method of the pile‐anchor structure is constructed by taking the deformation state bearing capacity at (1/3)hd as the checkpoint and the stress level threshold λ(2) corresponding to the slow, steady state.
YAP1 Mediates Resistance to MEK1/2 Inhibition in Neuroblastomas with Hyperactivated RAS Signaling
Authors: Coggins Grace E. , Farrel Alvin , Rathi Komal S. , Hayes Colin M. , Scolaro Laura , Rokita Jo Lynne , Maris John M.
Published: October 2019

Relapsed neuroblastomas are enriched with activating mutations of the RAS–MAPK signaling pathway. The MEK1/2 inhibitor trametinib delays tumor growth but does not sustain regression in neuroblastoma preclinical models. Recent studies have implicated the Hippo pathway transcriptional coactivator protein YAP1 as an additional driver of relapsed neuroblastomas, as well as a mediator of trametinib resistance in other cancers. Here, we used a highly annotated set of high-risk neuroblastoma cellular models to modulate YAP1 expression and RAS pathway activation to test whether increased YAP1 transcriptional activity is a mechanism of MEK1/2 inhibition resistance in RAS-driven neuroblastomas. In NLF (biallelic NF1 inactivation) and SK-N-AS (NRAS Q61K) cell lines, trametinib caused a near-complete translocation of YAP1 protein into the nucleus. YAP1 depletion sensitized neuroblastoma cells to trametinib, while overexpression of constitutively active YAP1 protein induced trametinib resistance. Mechanistically, significant enhancement of G1–S cell-cycle arrest, mediated by depletion of MYC/MYCN and E2F transcriptional output, sensitized RAS-driven neuroblastomas to trametinib following YAP1 deletion. These findings underscore the importance of YAP activity in response to trametinib in RAS-driven neuroblastomas, as well as the potential for targeting YAP in a trametinib combination.

Significance:

High-risk neuroblastomas with hyperactivated RAS signaling escape the selective pressure of MEK inhibition via YAP1-mediated transcriptional reprogramming and may be sensitive to combination therapies targeting both YAP1 and MEK.
Pan-Tumor Pathologic Scoring of Response to PD-(L)1 Blockade
Authors: Stein Julie E. , Lipson Evan J. , Cottrell Tricia R. , Forde Patrick M. , Anders Robert A. , Cimino-Mathews Ashley , Thompson Elizabeth D. , Allaf Mohamad E. , Yarchoan Mark , Feliciano Josephine , Wang Hao , Jaffee Elizabeth M. , Pardoll Drew M. , Topalian Suzanne L. , Taube Janis M.
Published: October 2019

Purpose:

Pathologic response assessment of tumor specimens from patients receiving systemic treatment provides an early indication of therapeutic efficacy and predicts long-term survival. Grading systems for pathologic response were first developed for chemotherapy in select tumor types. Immunotherapeutic agents have a mechanism of action distinct from chemotherapy and are being used across a broad array of tumor types. A standardized, universal scoring system for pathologic response that encompasses features characteristic for immunotherapy and spans tumor types is needed.

Experimental Design:

Hematoxylin and eosin–stained slides from neoadjuvant surgical resections and on-treatment biopsies were assessed for features of immune-related pathologic response (irPR). A total of 258 specimens from patients with 11 tumor types as part of ongoing clinical trials for anti-PD-(L)1 were evaluated. An additional 98 specimens from patients receiving anti-PD-(L)1 in combination with other treatments were also reviewed, including those from three additional tumor types.

Results:

Common irPR features (immune activation, cell death, tissue repair, and regression bed) were present in all tumor types reviewed, including melanoma, non–small cell lung, head and neck squamous cell, Merkel cell, and renal cell carcinoma, among others. Features were consistent across primary tumors, lymph nodes, and distant metastases. Specimens from patients treated with anti-PD-(L)1 in combination with another agent also exhibited irPR features.

Conclusions:

irPR features are consistent across tumor types and treatment settings. Standardized, pan-tumor irPR criteria (irPRC) are defined and associated specimen-handling considerations are described. Future, prospective studies are merited to validate irPRC in larger datasets and to associate pathologic features with long-term patient outcomes.
Inhibition of Y Box Binding Protein 1 Suppresses Cell Growth and Motility in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kim Areumnuri , Shim Sehwan , Kim Young-heon , Kim Min-Jung , Park Sunhoo , Myung Jae Kyung
Published: October 2019

Although chemo- or radiotherapy is usually performed in patients with colorectal cancer, the response is highly variable in locally rectal cancer. Therefore, additional studies are needed on predictable markers and the molecular mechanisms of chemo- and radiotherapy. Y box binding protein 1 (YB1) is an oncoprotein that is aberrantly expressed in many cancers, including colorectal cancer. However, to date there are no targeting agents or strategies to inhibit YB1 expression. Here, we investigate the oncogenic function of YB1 in colorectal cancer and methods to control its expression. We observed that YB1 expression level is correlated with colorectal cancer survival rate. Moreover, YB1 overexpression was associated with colorectal cancer lymph node metastasis and invasion. We also found that radiation exposure increased YB1 expression, which led to radioresistant colorectal cancer, mediated through the activation of cancer stem cell marker CD44 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. This study revealed, by both in vitro and in vivo assays, that depletion of YB1 could reduce cell proliferation and motility in colorectal cancer. We further demonstrated that the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 suppressed YB1 expression and enhanced the cytotoxicity of radiation. In addition, combined treatment with BEZ235 and radiation showed a significant antitumor response in an in vivo mouse xenograft model. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the activation of YB1 is a major factor in radioresistance and suggest that targeting YB1-mediated signaling is a promising therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Significance of Serum Levels of SeP (Selenoprotein P) in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Kikuchi Nobuhiro , Satoh Kimio , Satoh Taijyu , Yaoita Nobuhiro , Siddique Mohammad Abdul Hai , Omura Junichi , Kurosawa Ryo , Nogi Masamichi , Sunamura Shinichiro , Miyata Satoshi , Misu Hirofumi , Saito Yoshiro , Shimokawa Hiroaki
Published: October 2019

Objective:

Despite the recent progress in upfront combination therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), useful biomarkers for the disorder still remain to be developed. SeP (Selenoprotein P) is a glycoprotein secreted from various kinds of cells including pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells to maintain cellular metabolism. We have recently demonstrated that SeP production from pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells is upregulated and plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of PAH. However, it remains to be elucidated whether serum SeP levels could be a useful biomarker for PAH.

Approach and Results:

We measured serum SeP levels and evaluated their prognostic impacts in 65 consecutive patients with PAH and 20 controls during follow-up (mean, 1520 days; interquartile range, 1393–1804 days). Serum SeP levels were measured using a newly developed sol particle homogeneous immunoassay. The patients with PAH showed significantly higher serum SeP levels compared with controls. Higher SeP levels (cutoff point, 3.47 mg/L) were associated with the outcome (composite end point of all-cause death and lung transplantation) in patients with PAH (hazard ratio, 4.85 [1.42–16.6];
P
<0.01). Importantly, we found that the absolute change in SeP of patients with PAH (ΔSeP) in response to the initiation of PAH-specific therapy significantly correlated with the absolute change in mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance (ΔPVR), and cardiac index (ΔCI;
R
=0.78, 0.76, and −0.71 respectively, all
P
<0.0001). Moreover, increase in ΔSeP during the follow-up predicted poor outcome of PAH.

Conclusions:

Serum SeP is a novel biomarker for diagnosis and assessment of treatment efficacy and long-term prognosis in patients with PAH.
Association Between Neighborhood Walkability and Predicted 10‐Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The CANHEART (Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team) Cohort
Authors: Howell Nicholas A. , Tu Jack V. , Moineddin Rahim , Chu Anna , Booth Gillian L.
Published: October 2019

Background

Individuals living in unwalkable neighborhoods appear to be less physically active and more likely to develop obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. It is unclear whether neighborhood walkability is a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease.

Methods and Results

We studied residents living in major urban centers in Ontario, Canada on January 1, 2008, using linked electronic medical record and administrative health data from the
CANHEART
(Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team) cohort. Walkability was assessed using a validated index based on population and residential density, street connectivity, and the number of walkable destinations in each neighborhood, divided into quintiles (Q). The primary outcome was a predicted 10‐year cardiovascular disease risk of ≥7.5% (recommended threshold for statin use) assessed by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Pooled Cohort Equation. Adjusted associations were estimated using logistic regression models. Secondary outcomes included measured systolic blood pressure, total and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, prior diabetes mellitus diagnosis, and current smoking status. In total, 44 448 individuals were included in our analyses. Fully adjusted analyses found a nonlinear relationship between walkability and predicted 10‐year cardiovascular disease risk (least [Q1] versus most [Q5] walkable neighborhood: odds ratio =1.09, 95%
CI
: 0.98, 1.22), with the greatest difference between Q3 and Q5 (odds ratio=1.33, 95%
CI
: 1.23, 1.45). Dose–response associations were observed for systolic blood pressure, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and diabetes mellitus risk, while an inverse association was observed with smoking status.

Conclusions

In our setting, adults living in less walkable neighborhoods had a higher predicted 10‐year cardiovascular disease risk than those living in highly walkable areas.
Comparison Between Perfusion- and Collateral-Based Triage for Endovascular Thrombectomy in a Late Time Window
Authors: Kim Byungjun , Jung Cheolkyu , Nam Hyo Suk , Kim Byung Moon , Kim Young Dae , Heo Ji Hoe , Kim Dong Joon , Kim Jun-Hwee , Han Kyunghwa , Kim Jae Hyoung , Kim Beom Joon
Published: October 2019

Background and Purpose—

Perfusion-based triage has proven to be effective and safe for selecting patients who are likely to benefit from endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in a late time window. We investigated collateral-based triage for EVT in patients presenting beyond 6 hours, in terms of interrater reliability and efficacy in predicting clinical outcome, in comparison to perfusion-based triage.

Methods—

One hundred and thirty-two patients who underwent both computed tomographic angiography and computed tomography perfusion for anterior circulation large artery occlusion 6 to 24 hours after last seen well were enrolled. Patients were classified into EVT-eligible and EVT-ineligible groups according to perfusion- and collateral-based triages. We evaluated the interrater reliability of collateral-based triage and differences in good outcome rates of patients who received EVT in the EVT-eligible groups based on perfusion- and collateral-based triages.

Results—

Both computed tomographic angiography and computed tomography perfusion were assessable in 93 patients. Seventy-six patients were eligible for EVT according to perfusion-based triage. Among them, EVT was performed in 58, of whom 32 (55.1%) had good outcome. Sixty-nine patients were eligible for EVT based on collateral-based triage. Among them, EVT was performed in 50 patients, of whom 31 (62.0%) had good outcome. Interrater reliability of collateral-based triage was good (generalized κ=0.73 [95% CI, 0.59–0.84]). Agreement on EVT eligibility between perfusion- and collateral-based triages was moderate (κ=0.41 [95% CI, 0.16–0.61]). There was no difference in good outcome rates of patients who underwent EVT in the EVT-eligible groups based on perfusion- and collateral-based triages (55.1% versus 62.0%;
P
=0.0675).

Conclusions—

Collateral-based triage showed good interrater reliability and comparable efficacy to that of perfusion-based triage in predicting clinical outcome after EVT in patients presenting beyond 6 hours. Collateral-based triage is a reliable approach for selecting patients for EVT in the extended therapeutic time window.
The Septuagint as a Hellenistic Greek Text
Authors: Wright Benjamin G.
Published: October 2019

As a response to the tradition of scholarship that focused on questions of LXX origins, translation techniques and textual criticism, this article looks at how the LXX translations in antiquity were already in certain respects marked as Greek texts at their production, constructed as Greek literary texts in their origins, and subsequently employed in the same ways as compositional Greek texts by those who engaged them. It shows how the author of Aristeas constructs the LXX as a Greek text, how it functioned as such for Aristobulos and Philo. Already the translators demonstrate in their use of poetic language that they could produce literary Greek. Subsequently, Jewish Hellenistic authors employed the LXX alongside other Greek texts, and treated it with the methods of Hellenistic scholarship.
Brexit as Trade Governance
Authors: Smith Fiona
Published: October 2019

Following the 2016 referendum on its continued membership of the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK) is now withdrawing from, and negotiating a new relationship with, the EU. Both the UK’s exit and future relationship with the EU must conform to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The WTO’s rules are only partial and were not designed to facilitate a state’s withdrawal from a regional trade agreement, the contraction of an area of liberalized trade, nor the (re)emergence of ‘protectionist’ trade barriers. The EU and UK must transcend this problem by creating legally binding rules in an otherwise vacant legal space. Yet Brexit is a shock to the WTO’s rules and ethos: diplomatic negotiation is augmenting and replacing regulation in ways that affect the WTO, and the bilateral and multilateral agreements to which the EU and UK are both parties. This shock is a fundamental change to the prevailing trade orthodoxy.
Towards Developmental Integration, Safeguards and Beyond: The Main Features of South Africa’s Preferential Trade Agreements
Authors: Sucker Franziska
Published: October 2019

In a plethora of new plurilateral treaties, two different economic governance models emerge. One is market driven and aims for closer governmental coordination (the coordination model); the other retains a considerably higher degree of regulatory autonomy (the autonomy model). This article demonstrates that South Africa resorts to both of these models when concluding preferential trade agreements. Most notably, South Africa’s policy focus is shifting to a developmental integration approach that combines market integration with greater emphasis on industrial and infrastructure development and diversification, and associated distributional concerns. This phenomenon becomes most apparent through the inclusion of elements of variable geometry, acknowledging the differences in the level of development among the parties, and closer regulatory cooperation in areas beyond trade and trade facilitation. Additionally, South Africa has included safeguard provisions, public policy exceptions, World Trade Organization (WTO)-plus standards and, in various areas, imported rules developed outside the WTO framework.
History for Hire in Sixteenth-Century Italy: Onofrio Panvinio’s Histories of Roman Families
Authors: Bauer Stefan
Published: October 2019

Onofrio Panvinio was hired by sixteenth-century Roman families to write their histories and, where necessary, be prepared to bend the facts to suit their interests. This occasionally entailed a bit of forgery, usually involving tampering with specific words in documents. In most respects, however, Panvinio employed the same techniques—archival research and material evidence such as tombs and inscriptions—which distinguished his papal and ecclesiastical histories. This suggests that genealogy, despite being commissioned by aristocratic families to glorify their ancestries, can be seen as a more serious field of historical investigation than is often assumed. Yet the contours of this genre of history for hire in sixteenth-century Italian historiography are nowhere near exact. Panvinio struck a balance between fulfilling the expectations of the noble families who commissioned him and following his own scholarly instincts as an historian, but he nevertheless did not seek their publication. By contrast, Alfonso Ceccarelli, who also composed family histories, veered considerably in the direction of flattering his patrons, even forging entire papal and imperial privileges. Indeed, he was condemned to death for the forgery of wills concerning the property rights of nobles.
Phytotaxa ten years on—the success of the foremost journal in botanical and mycological taxonomy

Authors: ZHANG ZHI-QIANG
Published: October 2019

Ten years ago, a group of botanical and mycological taxonomists led by Dr Maaren Christenhusz (then at the Natural History Museum, London, UK) observed the early success of the mega-journal Zootaxa in helping zoological taxonomists rapidly document the world’s biodiversity (Zhang 2006a, b) and the contributions Zootaxa had made to the progress of descriptive taxonomy (Zhang 2008). They wanted to emulate the success of Zootaxa and proposed to me the possibility of establishing a sister journal, Phytotaxa, for their community. After a short period of discussion and preparation, Phytotaxa was launched officially in late October 2009 to accelerate the description of plant, algal, and fungal biodiversity (Christenhusz et al. 2009). In its first couple of years Phytotaxa quickly gained community acceptance (Christenhusz et al. 2011a; Christenhusz & Zhang 2011) and grew rapidly over the next three years (Esser & Zhang 2012; Zhang et al. 2013, 2014). Now, ten years later, I review the growth and success of Phytotaxa during its first decade, with a focus on the last five years.
Valeriana sobraliana (Valerianaceae), a new species from Southern Brazil

Authors: RABUSKE-SILVA CASSIO , IGANCI JOÃO RICARDO VIEIRA
Published: October 2019

Valeriana sobraliana, a new species from the highland grasslands of the Atlantic Rainforest Domain, Southern Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new species shares morphological affinities with V. catharinensis, V. organensis and V. ulei, but differs mainly by the leaves strongly discolorous and long-petiolate, as well as by the lanceolate and larger bracteoles, by the larger staminate flowers and by the elliptic achenes. It also differs by the distribution restricted to the High Altitude Tropical Grasslands of the Serra do Mar mountain range, Paraná state and border with the Santa Catarina state, in a remarkable disjunction with the other related species. Additionally, we provide the preliminary conservation status assessments using IUCN Red List categories and criteria, as well as a checklist and a key to the species of Valeriana in the Paraná state.
Nepenthes erucoides (Nepenthaceae), an ultramaficolous micro-endemic from Dinagat Islands Province, northern Mindanao, Philippines

Authors: ROBINSON ALASTAIR S. , ZAMUDIO SARAH GRACE , CABALLERO ROLLY BALAGON
Published: October 2019

A new species of Nepenthes—N. erucoides—is described and illustrated from a single ultramafic peak in the Dinagat Islands Province of northeastern Mindanao. It is a distinctive component of a relatively low-elevation, highly biodiverse montane elfin forest that has evolved in association with a particularly thin and extremely hostile substrate. Plant habit, and leaf, inflorescence, indumentum and peristome-column morphology appear superficially similar to those of the ultramaficolous montane species of Palawan, implicating an environmental basis for a syndrome of shared characteristics.
Condensational and Collisional Growth of Cloud Droplets in a Turbulent Environment
Authors: Li Xiang-Yu , Brandenburg Axel , Svensson Gunilla , Haugen Nils E. L. , Mehlig Bernhard , Rogachevskii Igor
Published: October 2019

We investigate the effect of turbulence on the combined condensational and collisional growth of cloud droplets by means of high-resolution direct numerical simulations of turbulence and a superparticle approximation for droplet dynamics and collisions. The droplets are subject to turbulence as well as gravity, and their collision and coalescence efficiencies are taken to be unity. We solve the thermodynamic equations governing temperature, water vapor mixing ratio, and the resulting supersaturation fields together with the Navier–Stokes equation. We find that the droplet size distribution broadens with increasing Reynolds number and/or mean energy dissipation rate. Turbulence affects the condensational growth directly through supersaturation fluctuations, and it influences collisional growth indirectly through condensation. Our simulations show for the first time that, in the absence of the mean updraft cooling, supersaturation-fluctuation-induced broadening of droplet size distributions enhances the collisional growth. This is contrary to classical (nonturbulent) condensational growth, which leads to a growing mean droplet size, but a narrower droplet size distribution. Our findings, instead, show that condensational growth facilitates collisional growth by broadening the size distribution in the tails at an early stage of rain formation. With increasing Reynolds numbers, evaporation becomes stronger. This counteracts the broadening effect due to condensation at late stages of rain formation. Our conclusions are consistent with results of laboratory experiments and field observations, and show that supersaturation fluctuations are important for precipitation.
Southern Ocean Wind Stress in CMIP5 Models: Role of Wind Fluctuations
Authors: Lin Xia , Zhai Xiaoming , Wang Zhaomin , Munday David R.
Published: October 2019

The Southern Ocean (SO) surface wind stress is a major atmospheric forcing for driving the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the global overturning circulation. Here the effects of wind fluctuations at different time scales on SO wind stress in 18 models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) are investigated. It is found that including wind fluctuations, especially on time scales associated with synoptic storms, in the stress calculation strongly enhances the mean strength, modulates the seasonal cycle, and significantly amplifies the trends of SO wind stress. In 11 out of the 18 CMIP5 models, the SO wind stress has strengthened significantly over the period of 1960–2005. Among them, the strengthening trend of SO wind stress in one CMIP5 model is due to the increase in the intensity of wind fluctuations, while in all the other 10 models the strengthening trend is due to the increasing strength of the mean westerly wind. These discrepancies in SO wind stress trend in CMIP5 models may explain some of the diverging behaviors in the model-simulated SO circulation. Our results suggest that to reduce the uncertainty in SO responses to wind stress changes in the coupled models, both the mean wind and wind fluctuations need to be better simulated.
The sea and memory: Poetic reconsiderations of the Zong massacre
Authors: Howley Ellen
Published: October 2019

This article examines two poems which deal directly with the events of the Zong massacre of 1781, which saw 132 Africans aboard the British slave ship Zong thrown overboard when the ship ran out of potable water. David Dabydeen’s “Turner” and Marlene NourbeSe Philip’s Zong! attempt to render the African experience of Zong in their work. Despite the similarities in subject matter and approach, there has been little substantial comparative work on these poems. Responding respectively to J. M. W. Turner’s painting The Slave Ship, which was inspired by the events, and art critic John Ruskin’s commentary on the work, as well as the legal case surrounding the massacre, Dabydeen and Philip write with the colonial past at the forefront of their minds. Using Ian Baucom’s theory of the synaptic sea, this article explores Dabydeen’s and Philip’s use of the sea as a space to remember and retell the massacre. Through its fluid and mutable nature, the sea becomes a counterpoint to the colonial record for both poets. It is both a creative and destructive space. Writing about this event is fraught with complexities for Dabydeen and Philip, but the sea emerges for both writers as a space which may accommodate the various pulls in their desire to redress the lack of African voices and depict the Zong massacre poetically.
Towards a definition of postcolonial biographical fiction
Authors: Tunca Daria , Ledent Bénédicte
Published: October 2019

In this introduction to the special issue on “Illuminating Lives: The Biographical Impulse in Postcolonial Literatures”, we start by situating the genre of biographical fiction, which has become increasingly popular in postcolonial literatures and beyond, in relation to more “traditional” nonfictional biography. We then examine how postcolonial biofiction might be distinguished from its postmodern avatar, and we tentatively circumscribe some of the tendencies that appear to cluster more systematically in postcolonial biofiction than in other types of writings: the focus on individuals — including artist figures — either forgotten or marginalized in traditional history; the use of the biofictional as a veritable mode of knowledge that allows writers and their critics to explore the philosophical implications of examining human trajectories; and the presence of narrative fragmentation, which often problematizes the possibility of ever fully apprehending an individual life.
Ego Depletion May Explain Gender Differences in Multitasking
Authors: Da Silva Sergio , Matsushita Raul , Ludwig Rafaela , Bellincanta Luiggi
Published: October 2019

We replicate the finding that females perform better than males in the task switching type of multitasking. We also find that multitasking impairs cognitive reflection through ego depletion, regardless of gender. However, the cognitive reflection of males is relatively more weakened after multitasking. This suggests that ego depletion may be an interesting candidate mechanism to explain gender differences in multitasking performance.

JEL: D03, C91, M5
Evaluation of the anti-conflict, reinforcing, and sedative effects of YT-III-31, a ligand functionally selective for α3 subunit-containing GABAA receptors
Authors: Meng Zhiqiang , Berro Lais F , Sawyer Eileen K , Rüedi-Bettschen Daniela , Cook Jemma E , Li Guanguan , Platt Donna M , Cook James M , Rowlett James K
Published: October 2019

Background:

In recent years, pharmacological strategies have implicated α3 subunit-containing GABAA (α3GABAA) receptor subtypes in the anxiety-reducing effects of benzodiazepines, whereas transgenic mouse approaches have implicated α2 or α5 subunit-containing GABAA receptors.

Aims:

We investigated the role of α3GABAA subtypes in benzodiazepine-induced behaviors by evaluating the anti-conflict, reinforcing, and sedative-motor effects of the novel compound YT-III-31, which has functional selectivity for α3GABAA receptors.

Methods:

Female and male rhesus monkeys were trained under a conflict procedure ( n = 3), and a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement with midazolam as the training drug ( n = 4). Sedative-like behavior was assessed using a quantitative behavioral observation procedure ( n = 4). A range of doses of YT-III-31 was administered in all tests using the i.v. route of administration.

Results:

In the conflict procedure, increasing doses of YT-III-31 resulted only in dose-dependent attenuation of non-suppressed responding. In the progressive-ratio model of self-administration, YT-III-31 maintained average injections/session above vehicle levels at 0.1 and 0.18 mg/kg/injection. In quantitative observation procedures, YT-III-31 engendered mild sedative effects (“rest/sleep posture”), and deep sedation at the highest dose tested (5.6 mg/kg, i.v.), along with a suppression of tactile/oral exploration and increased observable ataxia. In contrast to other benzodiazepine-like ligands, YT-III-31 uniquely engendered a biphasic dose-response function for locomotion and suppressed self-groom.

Conclusions:

The finding that YT-III-31 lacked anti-conflict properties is in accordance with transgenic mouse research indicating no role for α3GABAA subtypes in benzodiazepine-mediated anxiety reduction. Instead, our results raise the possibility of a role for α3GABAA receptors in the abuse potential and sedative effects of benzodiazepine-type drugs.
Lithium-associated hypothyroidism and potential for reversibility after lithium discontinuation: Findings from the LiSIE retrospective cohort study
Authors: Lieber Ingrid , Ott Michael , Öhlund Louise , Lundqvist Robert , Eliasson Mats , Sandlund Mikael , Werneke Ursula
Published: October 2019

Background:

The association between lithium and thyroid dysfunction has long been known. However, it remains unknown if lithium-associated hypothyroidism is reversible once lithium treatment has been stopped.

Aims:

To determine whether lithium-associated hypothyroidism was reversible in patients who subsequently discontinued lithium.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study in the Swedish region of Norrbotten into the effects and side- effects of lithium treatment and other drugs for relapse prevention (Lithium – Study into Effects and Side Effects). For this particular study, we reviewed medical records between 1997 and 2015 of patients with lithium-associated hypothyroidism who had discontinued lithium.

Results:

Of 1340 patients screened, 90 were included. Of these, 27% had overt hypothyroidism at the start of thyroid replacement therapy. The mean delay from starting lithium to starting thyroid replacement therapy was 2.3 years (SD 4.7). In total, 50% of patients received thyroid replacement therapy within 10 months of starting lithium. Of 85 patients available for follow-up, 41% stopped thyroid replacement therapy after lithium discontinuation. Only six patients reinstated thyroid replacement therapy subsequently. Of these, only one had overt hypothyroidism.

Conclusions:

Lithium-associated hypothyroidism seems reversible in most patients once lithium has been discontinued. In such cases, thyroid replacement therapy discontinuation could be attempted much more often than currently done. Based on the limited evidence of our study, we can expect hypothyroidism to recur early after thyroid replacement therapy discontinuation, if at all.