bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Measurement Technique of the Characteristics of Nutrient Artery Canals in Tibias Using Materialise’s Interactive Medical Image Control System Software
Authors: Li Jiantao , Zhang Hao , Yin Peng , Su Xiuyun , Zhao Zhe , Zhou Jianfeng , Li Chen , Li Zhirui , Zhang Lihai , Tang Peifu
Published: December 2015

We established a novel measurement technique to evaluate the anatomic information of nutrient artery canals using Mimics (Materialise’s Interactive Medical Image Control System) software, which will provide full knowledge of nutrient artery canals to assist in the diagnosis of longitudinal fractures of tibia and choosing an optimal therapy. Here we collected Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format of 199 patients hospitalized in our hospital. All three-dimensional models of tibia in Mimics were reconstructed. In 3-matic software, we marked five points in tibia which located at intercondylar eminence, tibia tuberosity, outer ostium, inner ostium, and bottom of medial malleolus. We then recorded Z-coordinates values of the five points and performed statistical analysis. Our results indicate that foramen was found to be absent in 9 (2.3%) tibias, and 379 (95.2%) tibias had single nutrient foramen. The double foramina was observed in 10 (2.5%) tibias. The mean of tibia length was 358 ± 22 mm. The mean foraminal index was 31.8%  ± 3%. The mean distance between tibial tuberosity and foramen (TFD) is 66 ± 12 mm. Foraminal index has significant positive correlation with TFD (r = 0.721, P < 0.01). Length of nutrient artery canals has significant negative correlation with TFD (r = −0.340, P < 0.01) and has significant negative correlation with foraminal index (r=-0.541, P<0.01).
Measurement of Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations with Very Large Volume Neutrino Telescopes
Authors: Yáñez J. P. , Kouchner A.
Published: December 2015

Neutrino oscillations have been probed during the last few decades using multiple neutrino sources and experimental set-ups. In the recent years, very large volume neutrino telescopes have started contributing to the field. First ANTARES and then IceCube have relied on large and sparsely instrumented volumes to observe atmospheric neutrinos for combinations of baselines and energies inaccessible to other experiments. Using this advantage, the latest result from IceCube starts approaching the precision of other established technologies and is paving the way for future detectors, such as ORCA and PINGU. These new projects seek to provide better measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters and eventually determine the neutrino mass ordering. The results from running experiments and the potential from proposed projects are discussed in this review, emphasizing the experimental challenges involved in the measurements.
A Study on Health Seeking Behaviors of Patients of Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis
Authors: Basher Ariful , Nath Proggananda , Nabi Shah Golam , Selim Shahjada , Rahman Md Fashiur , Sutradhar Satya Ranjan , Faiz Abul , Bhuiyan Matiur Rahman , Ahmed Be-Nazir , Rahman Ridwanur
Published: December 2015

Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) remains a major public health threat in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Surya Kanta Kala azar Research Centre (SKKRC), Mymensingh, from January 2012 to July 2013 to evaluate the health seeking behaviour and the length of delay of PKDL management. The consecutive 200 diagnosed PKDL cases that got treatment in SKKRC hospital were subjected to evaluation. Most (98%) of the patients were not aware and had no knowledge about PKDL, though 87.5% had a history of history of Kala-azar treatment. Many patients reported first to village doctor (15.5%), the pharmacy shop (10%), or traditional health provider (7.5%) upon recognition of symptom. The time between the initial symptom recognition and first medical consultation (patient delay) ranged from 10 days to 4745 days (13 years) with a median of 373 days (mean: 696; IQR: 138 to 900 days). The time between first medical consultations to definite treatment (system delay) ranged from 0 days to 1971 days (5.4 years), with a median delay of 14 days (mean: 46.48; IQR: 7 to 44 days) that was reported in this study. Age, education, occupation, and residential status had significant association with patient delay (P<0.05). Educational status, occupation, number of treatment providers, and first health care provider had a significant association with system delay (P<0.05). Success in PKDL diagnosis and treatment requires specific behavior from patients and health care providers which facilitate those practices.
The Communication of Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis: The Patients’ Perspective
Authors: Messina Maria Josè , Dalla Costa Gloria , Rodegher Mariaemma , Moiola Lucia , Colombo Bruno , Comi Giancarlo , Martinelli Vittorio
Published: December 2015

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of nontraumatic neurological disability in young adults in Europe and in the United States. The uncertainty regarding its evolution makes the diagnosis disclosure a difficult process.Objective. The aim of the study was to provide patients’ global perspective towards MS diagnosis communication.Methods. 150 consecutive patients, recently diagnosed with CIS or MS, were asked to complete a 17-item questionnaire assessing factors influencing their satisfaction with the information provided.Results. Eighty-six patients fulfilled diagnostic criteria for MS and 64 for CIS. Diagnosis disclosure took place in a private setting and required in most cases (87.3%) less than 30 minutes. Most patients reported being moderately or highly satisfied with the information provided (75%). The degree of satisfaction seems significantly related to patients’ younger age, a longer time dedicated to disclose the diagnosis, a CIS diagnosis, and, above all, tailored information and an adequate emotional support.Conclusion. Most patients reported a good degree of satisfaction about the communication of MS or CIS diagnosis. A fruitful relationship between patient and neurologist is essential to obtain a better acceptance of the disease, patients’ compliance with chronic treatments and to improve patients’ quality of life.
A Real-Time Health Monitoring System for Remote Cardiac Patients Using Smartphone and Wearable Sensors
Authors: Kakria Priyanka , Tripathi N. K. , Kitipawang Peerapong
Published: December 2015

Online telemedicine systems are useful due to the possibility of timely and efficient healthcare services. These systems are based on advanced wireless and wearable sensor technologies. The rapid growth in technology has remarkably enhanced the scope of remote health monitoring systems. In this paper, a real-time heart monitoring system is developed considering the cost, ease of application, accuracy, and data security. The system is conceptualized to provide an interface between the doctor and the patients for two-way communication. The main purpose of this study is to facilitate the remote cardiac patients in getting latest healthcare services which might not be possible otherwise due to low doctor-to-patient ratio. The developed monitoring system is then evaluated for 40 individuals (aged between 18 and 66 years) using wearable sensors while holding an Android device (i.e., smartphone under supervision of the experts). The performance analysis shows that the proposed system is reliable and helpful due to high speed. The analyses showed that the proposed system is convenient and reliable and ensures data security at low cost. In addition, the developed system is equipped to generate warning messages to the doctor and patient under critical circumstances.
eMatch: An Android Application for Finding Friends in Your Location
Authors: Athanasopoulou Georgia , Koutsakis Polychronis
Published: December 2015

The work presented in this paper is twofold. We first outline the architectural design, the functional requirements, and the user interface of eMatch, an Android application which was inspired by the idea of fighting the loneliness we all witness in large cities. eMatch has the goal of connecting people with common interests that happen to be in the same geographical area. We then propose EgoSimilar, a new algorithm which computes the similarity between users and is implemented in eMatch. The algorithm is compared against two other well-known and widely used similarity computation methods and is shown to outperform them in terms of the most significant metrics used in our study.
Preharvest and Postharvest Factors Affecting the Quality and Shelf Life of Harvested Tomatoes: A Mini Review
Authors: Arah Isaac Kojo , Amaglo Harrison , Kumah Ernest Kodzo , Ofori Hayford
Published: December 2015

Tomato production can serve as a source of income for most rural and periurban producers in most developing countries of the world. However, postharvest losses make its production unprofitable in these parts of the world. Postharvest losses in tomatoes can be as high as 42% globally. Postharvest losses in tomatoes can be either quantitative or qualitative. Even though emphasis in crop research nowadays is increasing shifting from quantity to quality of produce, there is still little improvement in the quality of commercially produced tomato varieties, hence resulting in high quality losses. From the study it was discovered that the postharvest quality status of tomatoes partly depended on some preharvest practices carried out during production. Some of these factors are fertiliser application, pruning, maturity stage, cultivar selection, and irrigation. Using best postharvest handling practices or factors such as temperature, relative humidity, gases in storage, postharvest calcium chloride application, and physical handling procedures to maintain the quality after harvest was also critical. It was concluded by this study that understanding and managing both preharvest and postharvest factors properly will reduce the postharvest quality losses in tomatoes.
AHCC Activation and Selection of Human Lymphocytes via Genotypic and Phenotypic Changes to an Adherent Cell Type: A Possible Novel Mechanism of T Cell Activation
Authors: Olamigoke Loretta , Mansoor Elvedina , Mann Vivek , Ellis Ivory , Okoro Elvis , Wakame Koji , Fuji Hajime , Kulkarni Anil , Francoise Doursout Marie , Sundaresan Alamelu
Published: December 2015

Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is a fermented mushroom extract and immune supplement that has been used to treat a wide range of health conditions. It helps in augmentation of the natural immune response and affects immune cell activation and outcomes. The goal of this project was to study and understand the role and mechanisms of AHCC supplementation in the prevention of immunosuppression through T cell activation. The method described here involves “in vitro” culturing of lymphocytes, exposing them to different concentrations of AHCC (0 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 100 μg/mL, 250 μg/mL, and 500 μg/mL) at 0 hours. Interestingly, clumping and aggregation of the cells were seen between 24 and 72 hours of incubation. The cells lay down extracellular matrix, which become adherent, and phenotypical changes from small rounded lymphocytes to large macrophage-like, spindle shaped, elongated, fibroblast-like cells even beyond 360 hours were observed. These are probably translated from genotypic changes in the cells since the cells propagate for at least 3 to 6 generations (present observations). RNA isolated was subjected to gene array analysis. We hypothesize that cell adhesion is an activation and survival pathway in lymphocytes and this could be the mechanism of AHCC activation in human lymphocytes.
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy with Negative JC Virus PCR following Treatment of Follicular Lymphoma: Implications for Biologics in the Era of Targeted Cancer Therapy
Authors: Silverio Kimberly A. , Patel Shyam A.
Published: December 2015

Anticancer therapy predisposes patients to infections by the immunosuppression that results from treatment. Although 85% of patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have concurrent HIV/AIDS, PML can also develop in patients after they receive chemotherapy for cancer. The case herein describes a 69-year-old man with history of follicular lymphoma who presented with progressive dysarthria and right-sided paralysis. He received rituximab one year prior to presentation. PET scan suggested no recurrence of lymphoma. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was negative and showed fewer than 500 copies/mL of JC virus. However, brain biopsy showed chromatin margination and viropathic change within oligodendrocytes, confirming PML. He was started on mirtazapine and mefloquine with some clinical improvement. To our knowledge, this is the first case of rituximab-associated PML in a patient with negative JC virus PCR from the CSF. Recognition of PML in the differential of oncology patients with CNS symptoms is an important consideration as we enter the era of targeted therapy and personalized cancer medicine involving biologics. Furthermore, screening of patients for presence of subclinical JC viremia prior to the use of biologics may be an important component of assessing patient candidacy for these agents.
On Relations between One-Dimensional Quantum and Two-Dimensional Classical Spin Systems
Authors: Hutchinson J. , Keating J. P. , Mezzadri F.
Published: December 2015

We exploit mappings between quantum and classical systems in order to obtain a class of two-dimensional classical systems characterised by long-range interactions and with critical properties equivalent to those of the class of one-dimensional quantum systems treated by the authors in a previous publication. In particular, we use three approaches: the Trotter-Suzuki mapping, the method of coherent states, and a calculation based on commuting the quantum Hamiltonian with the transfer matrix of a classical system. This enables us to establish universality of certain critical phenomena by extension from the results in the companion paper for the classical systems identified.
Nonlinear Fuzzy Differential Equation with Time Delay and Optimal Control Problem
Authors: Witayakiattilerd Wichai
Published: December 2015

The existence and uniqueness of a mild solution to nonlinear fuzzy differential equation constrained by initial value were proven. Initial value constraint was then replaced by delay function constraint and the existence of a solution to this type of problem was also proven. Furthermore, the existence of a solution to optimal control problem of the latter type of equation was proven.
Cholesterol Transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 Gene Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Tavoosi Zahra , Moradi-Sardareh Hemen , Saidijam Massoud , Yadegarazari Reza , Borzuei Shiva , Soltanian Alireza , Goodarzi Mohammad Taghi
Published: December 2015

ABCA1 and ABCG1 genes encode the cholesterol transporter proteins that play a key role in cholesterol and phospholipids homeostasis. This study was aimed at evaluating and comparing ABCA1 and ABCG1 genes expression in metabolic syndrome patients and healthy individuals. This case-control study was performed on 36 patients with metabolic syndrome and the same number of healthy individuals in Hamadan (west of Iran) during 2013-2014. Total RNA was extracted from mononuclear cells and purified using RNeasy Mini Kit column. The expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 genes was performed by qRT-PCR. Lipid profile and fasting blood glucose were measured using colorimetric procedures. ABCG1 expression in metabolic syndrome patients was significantly lower (about 75%) compared to that of control group, while for ABCA1 expression, there was no significant difference between the two studied groups. Comparison of other parameters such as HDL-C, FBS, BMI, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure between metabolic syndrome patients and healthy individuals showed significant differences (P<0.05). Decrease in ABCG1 expression in metabolic syndrome patients compared to healthy individuals suggests that hyperglycemia, related metabolites, and hyperlipidemia over the transporter capacity resulted in decreased expression of ABCG1. Absence of a significant change in ABCA1 gene expression between two groups can indicate a different regulation mechanism for ABCA1 expression.
Modeling of Laterally Sliding Motion of a Magnetic Clamp
Authors: Mahmud A. , Mayer J. R. R. , Baron L.
Published: December 2015

A sliding magnetic clamp is used to hold a thin aluminum panel during a milling operation. The design includes a permanent magnet group follower (slave module) which slides laterally over the panel attracted by another permanent magnet group (master module) attached to the industrial robot end effector from the machined side of the panel. The lateral sliding motion of the slave module in response to the master module motion is studied using a transfer function based motion model established considering the lateral magnetic stiffness. The model is validated experimentally.
A Study on Channel Polling Mechanisms for the MAC Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Siddiqui Shama , Ghani Sayeed , Khan Anwar Ahmed
Published: December 2015

Most research done on the channel polling mechanisms for WSN MAC protocols has focused on achieving efficiency in terms of optimizing either delay or energy performance. This study introduces the mechanism of altering the polling interval distribution for the MAC protocol, based on the application's optimization objective (delay or energy). Two options have been considered for both packet interarrival and polling interval distributions: deterministic and exponential, and their impact on performance analysis has been studied. The packet aggregation and block acknowledgements transmission schemes have also been incorporated in the performance analysis. Simulations for energy consumption and delay have been performed using MATLAB, for various combinations of interarrival and polling interval distributions. Results show that the energy consumption improves for the exponentially distributed polling intervals, while deterministic polling intervals provide better delay performance. Changing values of traffic load and packet aggregation demonstrate the trade-off between delay and energy consumption. The impact of aggregation on the error probability and subsequently on delay and energy has also been illustrated in simulations. Finally, optimal operating parameters have been studied in order to combine delay and energy consumption as optimization criteria.
The Controversy, Challenges, and Potential Benefits of Putative Female Germline Stem Cells Research in Mammals
Authors: Pan Zezheng , Sun Mengli , Liang Xia , Li Jia , Zhou Fangyue , Zhong Zhisheng , Zheng Yuehui
Published: December 2015

The conventional view is that female mammals lose their ability to generate new germ cells after birth. However, in recent years, researchers have successfully isolated and cultured a type of germ cell from postnatal ovaries in a variety of mammalian species that have the abilities of self‐proliferation and differentiation into oocytes, and this finding indicates that putative germline stem cells maybe exist in the postnatal mammalian ovaries. Herein, we review the research history and discovery of putative female germline stem cells, the concept that putative germline stem cells exist in the postnatal mammalian ovary, and the research progress, challenge, and application of putative germline stem cells in recent years.
Green Tea Polyphenols Attenuated Glutamate Excitotoxicity via Antioxidative and Antiapoptotic Pathway in the Primary Cultured Cortical Neurons
Authors: Cong Lin , Cao Chang , Cheng Yong , Qin Xiao-Yan
Published: December 2015

Green tea polyphenols are a natural product which has antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects. It has been shown that glutamate excitotoxicity induced oxidative stress is linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In this study we explored the neuroprotective effect of green teen polyphenols against glutamate excitotoxicity in the primary cultured cortical neurons. We found that green tea polyphenols protected against glutamate induced neurotoxicity in the cortical neurons as measured by MTT and TUNEL assays. Green tea polyphenols were then showed to inhibit the glutamate induced ROS release and SOD activity reduction in the neurons. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that green tea polyphenols restored the dysfunction of mitochondrial pro‐ or antiapoptotic proteins Bax, Bcl‐2, and caspase‐3 caused by glutamate. Interestingly, the neuroprotective effect of green tea polyphenols was abrogated when the neurons were incubated with siBcl‐2. Taken together, these results demonstrated that green tea polyphenols protected against glutamate excitotoxicity through antioxidative and antiapoptotic pathways.
Absence of Rybp Compromises Neural Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Kovacs Gergo , Szabo Viktoria , Pirity Melinda K.
Published: December 2015

Rybp (Ring1 and Yy1 Binding Protein) is a transcriptional regulator and member of the noncanonical polycomb repressive complex 1 with essential role in early embryonic development. We have previously described that alteration of Rybp dosage in mouse models induced striking neural tube defects (NTDs), exencephaly, and disorganized neurocortex. In this study we further investigated the role of Rybp in neural differentiation by utilising wild type (rybp+/+) and rybp null mutant (rybp−/−) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and tried to uncover underlying molecular events that are responsible for the observed phenotypic changes. We found that rybp null mutant ESCs formed less matured neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes from existing progenitors than wild type cells. Furthermore, lack of rybp coincided with altered gene expression of key neural markers including Pax6 and Plagl1 pinpointing a possible transcriptional circuit among these genes.
Activation of Pim Kinases Is Sufficient to Promote Resistance to MET Small-Molecule Inhibitors
Authors: An Ningfei , Xiong Ying , LaRue Amanda C. , Kraft Andrew S. , Cen Bo
Published: December 2015

Mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) blockade offers a new targeted therapy particularly in those cancers with MET amplification. However, the efficacy and the duration of the response to MET inhibitors are limited by the emergence of drug resistance. Here, we report that resistance to small-molecule inhibitors of MET can arise from increased expression of the prosurvival Pim protein kinases. This resistance mechanism was documented in non–small cell lung cancer and gastric cancer cells with MET amplification. Inhibition of Pim kinases enhanced cell death triggered by short-term treatment with MET inhibitors. Pim kinases control the translation of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 at an internal ribosome entry site and this mechanism was identified as the basis for Pim-mediated resistance to MET inhibitors. Protein synthesis was increased in drug-resistant cells, secondary to a Pim-mediated increase in cap-independent translation. In cells rendered drug resistant by chronic treatment with MET inhibitors, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of Pim kinases was sufficient to restore sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our results rationalize Pim inhibition as a strategy to augment responses and blunt acquired resistance to MET inhibitors in cancer. Cancer Res; 75(24); 5318–28. ©2015 AACR.
Global Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates and Trends—An Update
Authors: Torre Lindsey A. , Siegel Rebecca L. , Ward Elizabeth M. , Jemal Ahmedin
Published: December 2015

There are limited published data on recent cancer incidence and mortality trends worldwide. We used the International Agency for Research on Cancer's CANCERMondial clearinghouse to present age-standardized cancer incidence and death rates for 2003–2007. We also present trends in incidence through 2007 and mortality through 2012 for select countries from five continents. High-income countries (HIC) continue to have the highest incidence rates for all sites, as well as for lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer, although some low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) now count among those with the highest rates. Mortality rates from these cancers are declining in many HICs while they are increasing in LMICs. LMICs have the highest rates of stomach, liver, esophageal, and cervical cancer. Although rates remain high in HICs, they are plateauing or decreasing for the most common cancers due to decreases in known risk factors, screening and early detection, and improved treatment (mortality only). In contrast, rates in several LMICs are increasing for these cancers due to increases in smoking, excess body weight, and physical inactivity. LMICs also have a disproportionate burden of infection-related cancers. Applied cancer control measures are needed to reduce rates in HICs and arrest the growing burden in LMICs.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(1); 16–27. ©2015 AACR.

See related commentary by Bray, p. 3
ICAM-1–Related Noncoding RNA in Cancer Stem Cells Maintains ICAM-1 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Guo Weixing , Liu Shupeng , Cheng Yuqiang , Lu Lei , Shi Jie , Xu Guixia , Li Nan , Cheng Kai , Wu Mengchao , Cheng Shuqun , Liu Shanrong
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is a major complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with poor survival. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) contribute to HCC metastasis, but whether and how lncRNAs affect PVTT development remains unclear. In the present study, a novel highly expressed lncRNA (ICAM-1–related, ICR) was identified in ICAM-1+ cancer stem cells (CSC) in HCC. This lncRNA regulated CSC properties and contributed to PVTT development.

Experimental Design: We used microarray and bioinformatics analyses to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to assess gene expression in cell lines and tumors. Sphere formation assays were performed to investigate stem cell properties of tumor cells in vitro. Retrospective and prospective studies were used to investigate the relationship between ICR expression and clinical outcomes.

Results: Compared with the corresponding primary tumors, PVTT expressed different lncRNAs and mRNAs, including the upregulated lncRNA ICR and ICAM-1. ICR regulated ICAM-1 expression by increasing the stability of its mRNA through RNA duplex formation, which modulated the CSC properties of ICAM-1+ HCC cells. ICR transcription in ICAM-1+ HCC cells was regulated by Nanog, and inhibition of ICR in situ significantly reduced ICAM-1 expression and ICAM-1+ HCC cells in tumors in vivo. Moreover, elevated ICR and ICAM-1 expression in tumors was correlated with PVTT development and poor clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that ICR specifically regulates CSC properties of ICAM-1+ HCC cells and that ICR contributes to PVTT development. Therefore, ICR may be a promising target for HCC therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 22(8); 2041–50. ©2015 AACR.
Predicting Risk Versus Predicting Potential Survival Benefit Using
123
I-
m
IBG Imaging in Patients With Systolic Dysfunction Eligible for Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator Implantation
Authors: Hachamovitch Rory , Nutter Benjamin , Menon Venu , Cerqueira Manuel D.
Published: December 2015

Background—

Cardiac
123
I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (
123
I-
m
IBG) imaging improves prognostication in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Whether
123
I-
m
IBG can identify optimal candidates for implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) placement is unclear. We examined whether
123
I-
m
IBG enhances risk assessment and identifies patients with enhanced survival with ICD in a patient cohort with reduced LV function who were candidates for ICD implantation.

Methods and Results—

We identified 777 patients (66 sites, 12 countries) without ICD at the time of enrollment in Adreview Myocardial Imaging for Risk Evaluation in Heart Failure (ADMIRE-HF) and index
123
I-
m
IBG study. Patients completed prescribed study protocol and follow-up. Heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio was determined from
123
I-
m
IBG results. Survival modeling used a Cox proportional hazards mixed-effects model, including a propensity score, to adjust for nonrandomized ICD implantation after
123
I-
m
IBG. All-cause death occurred in 75 patients (9.6%), and 196 (25%) patients had ICD implantation on follow-up. After adjusting for multiple factors, although the H/M ratio added incremental prognostic value and enhanced reclassification, neither H/M results, BNP levels, nor left ventricular ejection fraction interacted with ICD use in the survival model, indicating that these variables did not identify patients with enhanced survival with ICD implantation. Nonetheless, H/M results did identify the number of lives saved by ICD use per 100 treated.

Conclusions—

We found that although
123
I-
m
IBG imaging enhances the risk stratification of patients with left ventricular dysfunction who are ICD candidates

, it does not identify which patients may have improved survival with ICD placement. However,
123
I-
m
IBG identifies the absolute benefit gained with ICD use, thus may play a role in optimizing the cost-effectiveness of this intervention.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00126425 and NCT00126438.
Prediction of Cardiovascular Disease Risk by Cardiac Biomarkers in 2 United Kingdom Cohort Studies
Authors: Welsh Paul , Hart Carole , Papacosta Olia , Preiss David , McConnachie Alex , Murray Heather , Ramsay Sheena , Upton Mark , Watt Graham , Whincup Peter , Wannamethee Goya , Sattar Naveed
Published: December 2015

We tested the predictive ability of cardiac biomarkers N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity troponin T, and midregional pro adrenomedullin for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events using the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) of men aged 60 to 79 years, and the MIDSPAN Family Study (MFS) of men and women aged 30 to 59 years. They included 3757 and 2226 participants, respectively, and during median 13.0 and 17.3 years follow-up the primary CVD event rates were 16.6 and 5.3 per 1000 patient-years, respectively. In Cox models adjusted for basic classical risk factors, 1 SD increases in log-transformed NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T, and midregional pro adrenomedullin were generally associated with increased primary CVD risk in both the studies (
P
<0.006) except midregional pro adrenomedullin in MFS (
P
=0.10). In BRHS, QRISK2 risk factors yielded a C-index of 0.657, which was improved by 0.017 (
P
=0.005) by NT-proBNP, but not by other biomarkers. Using 28% 14-year risk as a proxy for 20% 10-year risk, NT-proBNP improved risk classification for primary CVD cases (case net reclassification index, 5.9%; 95% confidence interval, 2.8%–9.2%), but only improved classification of noncases at a 14% 14-year risk threshold (4.6%; 2.9%–6.3%). In MFS, ASSIGN risk factors yielded a C-index of 0.752 for primary CVD; none of the cardiac biomarkers improved the C-index. Improvements in risk classification were only seen using NT-proBNP and high-sensitivity troponin T among cases using the 28% 14-year risk threshold (4.7%; 1.0%–9.2% and 2.6%; 0.0%–5.8%, respectively). In conclusion, the improvement in treatment allocation gained by adding cardiac biomarkers to risk scores seems to depend on the risk threshold chosen for commencing preventative treatments.
Simplified Predictive Instrument to Rule Out Acute Coronary Syndromes in a High‐Risk Population
Authors: Fanaroff Alexander C. , Schulteis Ryan D. , Pieper Karen S. , Rao Sunil V. , Newby L. Kristin
Published: December 2015

Background

It is unclear whether diagnostic protocols based on cardiac markers to identify low‐risk chest pain patients suitable for early release from the emergency department can be applied to patients older than 65 years or with traditional cardiac risk factors.

Methods and Results

In a single‐center retrospective study of 231 consecutive patients with high‐risk factor burden in which a first cardiac troponin (
cT
n) level was measured in the emergency department and a second
cT
n sample was drawn 4 to 14 hours later, we compared the performance of a modified 2‐Hour Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol to Assess Patients with Chest Pain Using Contemporary Troponins as the Only Biomarker (ADAPT) rule to a new risk classification scheme that identifies patients as low risk if they have no known coronary artery disease, a nonischemic electrocardiogram, and 2
cT
n levels below the assay's limit of detection. Demographic and outcome data were abstracted through chart review. The median age of our population was 64 years, and 75% had Thrombosis In Myocardial Infarction risk score ≥2. Using our risk classification rule, 53 (23%) patients were low risk with a negative predictive value for 30‐day cardiac events of 98%. Applying a modified
ADAPT
rule to our cohort, 18 (8%) patients were identified as low risk with a negative predictive value of 100%. In a sensitivity analysis, the negative predictive value of our risk algorithm did not change when we relied only on undetectable baseline
cT
n and eliminated the second
cT
n assessment.

Conclusions

If confirmed in prospective studies, this less‐restrictive risk classification strategy could be used to safely identify chest pain patients with more traditional cardiac risk factors for early emergency department release.
Comparison of Approaches to Revascularization in Patients With Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease Presenting With ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Meta‐analyses of Randomized Control Trials
Authors: Bajaj Navkaranbir S. , Kalra Rajat , Aggarwal Himanshu , Ather Sameer , Gaba Saurabh , Arora Garima , McGiffin David C. , Ahmed Mustafa , Aslibekyan Stella , Arora Pankaj
Published: December 2015

Background

Significant controversy exists regarding the best approach for nonculprit vessel revascularization in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease presenting with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. We conducted a systematic investigation to pool data from current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess optimal treatment strategies in this patient population.

Methods and Results

A comprehensive search of SCOPUS from inception through May 2015 was performed using predefined criteria. We compared efficacy and safety outcomes of different approaches by categorizing the studies into 3 groups: (1) complete revascularization (CR) versus culprit lesion revascularization (CL) at index hospitalization, (2) CR at index hospitalization versus staged revascularization (SR) of nonculprit vessels at a separate hospitalization, and (3) comparison of SR versus CL. Eight eligible RCTs met the inclusion criteria: (1) CR versus CL (6 RCTs, n=1727) (2) CR versus SR (3 RCTs, n=311), and (3) SR versus CL (1 RCT, n=149). We observed significantly lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, revascularization, and repeat percutaneous coronary interventions among patients treated with CR and SR compared with a CL approach (
P
<0.05). The rates of all‐cause mortality, cause‐specific mortality, major bleeding, reinfarction, stroke, and contrast‐induced nephropathy did not differ in the CR arm compared with the CL arm. The rates of these outcomes were similar in the CR and SR arms.

Conclusion

Results suggest that CR and SR compared with CL reduce major adverse cardiovascular event and revascularization rates primarily by lowering repeated percutaneous coronary intervention rates. We did not observe any increase in the rate of adverse events while using a CR or SR strategy compared with a CL approach. Current guidelines discouraging CR need to be reevaluated, and clinical judgment should prevail in treating multivessel coronary artery disease patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction as data from larger RCTs accumulate.
Noble Paganism
Authors: Tsyrempilov Nikolay
Published: December 2015

Tibetan Buddhism, in the eyes of Orthodox Christian polemicists, was always seen as a harmful paganism, and fighting against this ‘superstition’ was a high priority. Based on analysis of nineteenth-century Russian Orthodox missionary articles, this paper examines the stereotyped portrayal of Tibetan Buddhism as a civilisational opponent to Christianity, and the ways Russian scholars, ethnographers, philosophers, and officials either supported or challenged this view. In this paper, I argue that, in Russia, the Orientalist paradigm is common to a greater degree among Christian clergy than in academic circles due to the status of a dominating religion the Orthodoxу enjoyed in Russia. The Russian missionaries’ support of imperial power was the essential factor. The clerics viewed themselves as carriers not only of Christian values, but also of the idea of Russian statehood and European civilisation in general. Russian Christian intellectuals repeatedly attempted to comprehend Buddhism rationally, but these attempts were highly formalistic. For them, academic study was never an end in itself, but, I argue, a convenient tool to achieve ideological domination and establish moral authority. However, their intellectual and psychological inability to view other religions as different, rather than false, was, and still is, an obstacle to mutual understanding and respect between Christianity and Buddhism in today’s Russia.
A Symbolic Person of Buddhist Revival in Buryatia
Authors: Amogolonova Darima
Published: December 2015

This paper deals with the personality of Hambo Lama Ayusheev—head of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia. The author argues that his influence over the public sphere goes far beyond the limits of religion: it reflects and defines the state of Buryat public thought. He shows all-round devotion and loyalty to the Russian authorities, thus receiving support and appreciation from them. He tries his best to maintain Buryat ethnicity through revival of traditional economy and culture and simultaneously he emphasises the sub-ethnic prejudices; thus the authority of Hambo Lama legitimises and strengthens opposition between clan and territorial groups that are anyway tense enough.
From Xinjiang to Australia
Authors: Mei Ding
Published: December 2015

Russians have lived in Xinjiang since the nineteenth century and those who accepted Chinese citizenship were recognised as one of China’s ethnic minorities known as guihua zu (naturalised and assimilated people). In the minzu identification programme (1950s–1980s), the name eluosi zu replaced guihua zu and became Russians’ official identification in China. Russians (including both Soviet and Chinese citizens) used to constitute a significant population in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and several other regions in China before the 1960s. According to the 2000 census, eluosi zu had a population of only 15,609 and more than half of these lived in Xinjiang. Based on anthropological fieldwork in China and Australia, this article investigates the formation of the eluosi zu and the changing concept of ‘the Russian’ in Xinjiang, with the emphasis on the socialist period after 1949. The emigration to Australia from the 1960s to 1980s initially strengthened the European identity of this Russian minority. With the abolition of the ‘white Australia’ policy in 1973 and China’s growing importance to Australia, this Russian minority group’s identification with Xinjiang and China has been revived. Studying Russians from Xinjiang also provides an insight into the Uyghur diaspora in Australia, since their emigration history and shared regional identity are intertwined.
Imperial Itinerance and Mobile Pastoralism
Authors: Atwood Christopher P.
Published: December 2015

Mobility in pastoral societies has often been treated as either a necessity for efficient pastoral production or else as a method of avoiding state power. Yet both the examples of itinerance in medieval Europe and the attested itineraries of medieval Inner Asian rulers suggest that power projection, not power avoidance, was a key component of Turco-Mongolian imperial mobility. By using new historico-geographical evidence, the itineraries of several pre-Chinggisid and Mongol empire figures—Ong Qa’an, Batu, Ögedei, and Möngke—may be mapped. The results show that imperial itinerance must be distinguished from pastoral mobility. They also show that movement in vast agglomerations of mob-grazing herds was not just a temporary response to military crisis but continued long into the peacetime of the Mongol empire. These results challenge a functionalist understanding of mobility and state structures in Inner Asia.
A new species of Rhododendron (Ericaceae) from Shangri-La, NW Yunnan, China
Authors: Liao Rongli , Xue Dan , Neilsen Jens , Wang Jihua , Ma Yongpeng
Published: December 2015

Rhododendron Linnaeus (1753: 392) exhibits great diversity and roughly 1,025 species are prized in the temperate parts of the world for their horticultural value (Chamberlain et al. 1996). There are approximately 680 species in six subgenera in China, of which more than 400 are endemic (Fang & Min 1995). However, the number of Rhododendron species known is increasing, with many new species being described after the publishing of Flora of China (Fang et al. 2005, Chen et al. 2012, Mao et al. 2013, Ma et al. 2015, Mao & Bhaumik 2015).
A new species of Absconditella from western and central Europe with a key to the European members

Authors: Van den Boom Pieter , Brand A. Maarten , Suija Ave
Published: December 2015

A revision of the genus Absconditella in the Netherlands resulted in the discovery of a new species—A. rubra. A formal description is given as well as notes on other Absconditella species mainly from the Netherlands. It is the first known real epiphytic species of the genus Absconditella s.l. in Europe. A key to the ten known Absconditella species in Europe is provided.
Momentum Balance and Eliassen–Palm Flux on Moist Isentropic Surfaces
Authors: Yamada Ray , Pauluis Olivier
Published: December 2015

Previous formulations for the zonally averaged momentum budget and Eliassen–Palm (EP) flux diagnostics do not adequately account for moist dynamics, since air parcels are not differentiated by their moisture content when averages are taken. The difficulty in formulating the momentum budget in moist coordinates lies in the fact that they are generally not invertible with height. Here, a conditional-averaging approach is used to derive a weak formulation of the momentum budget and EP flux in terms of a general vertical coordinate that is not assumed to be invertible. The generalized equation reduces to the typical mass-weighted zonal-mean momentum equation for invertible vertical coordinates.

The weak formulation is applied here to study the momentum budget on moist isentropes. Recent studies have shown that the meridional mass transport in the midlatitudes is twice as strong on moist isentropes as on dry isentropes. It is shown here that this implies a similar increase in the EP flux between the dry and moist frameworks. Physically, the increase in momentum exchange is tied to an enhancement of the form drag associated with the horizontal structure of midlatitude eddies, where the poleward flow of moist air is located in regions of strong eastward pressure gradient.
Unbalanced recovery of regulatory and effector T cells after allogeneic stem cell transplantation contributes to chronic GVHD
Authors: Alho Ana C. , Kim Haesook T. , Chammas Marie J. , Reynolds Carol G. , Matos Tiago R. , Forcade Edouard , Whangbo Jennifer , Nikiforow Sarah , Cutler Corey S. , Koreth John , Ho Vincent T. , Armand Philippe , Antin Joseph H. , Alyea Edwin P. , Lacerda Joao F. , Soiffer Robert J. , Ritz Jerome
Published: December 2015

Key Points

Homeostatic recovery after allogeneic HSCT favors the production, expansion, and survival of effector T cells over CD4Tregs. Unbalanced reconstitution of regulatory and effector T-cell subsets contributes to the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease.
How does this message make you feel? A study of user perspectives on software update/warning message design
Authors: Fagan Michael , Khan Mohammad Maifi Hasan , Nguyen Nhan
Published: December 2015

Software update messages are commonly used to inform users about software updates, recent bug fixes, and various system vulnerabilities, and to suggest recommended actions (e.g., updating software). While various design features (e.g., update options, message layout, update message presentation) of these messages can influence the actions taken by users, no prior study can be found that investigated users opinions regarding various design alternatives. To address this void, this paper focuses on identifying software update message design features (e.g., layout, color, content) that may affect users positively or negatively. Toward that, we conducted a user study where users are shown 13 software update messages along with 1 virus warning message. We collect responses from 155 users through an online survey. Participants gave a total of 809 positive comments and 866 negative comments along with ranking of each image in terms of perceived importance, noticeability, annoyance and confusion. As many of the comments are repetitive and often contain multiple themes, we manually analyzed and performed a bottom-up, inductive coding to identify and refine the underlying themes. Over multiple iterations, positive comments were grouped into 52 categories which were subsequently grouped under four themes. Similarly, negative comments were first grouped into 38 categories which were subsequently grouped under four themes. Based on our analysis, we present the list of design features that are found to be highly correlated to confusion, annoyance, noticeability, and importance, either positively or negatively.
Pregnancy and the Risk of Relapse in Patients Diagnosed With Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Weibull Caroline E. , Eloranta Sandra , Smedby Karin E. , Björkholm Magnus , Kristinsson Sigurdur Y. , Johansson Anna L.V. , Dickman Paul W. , Glimelius Ingrid
Published: December 2015

Purpose

Many patients and clinicians are worried that pregnancy after the diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) may increase the risk of relapse despite a lack of empirical evidence to support such concerns. We investigated if an association exists between pregnancy and relapse in women with a diagnosis of HL.

Materials and Methods

Using Swedish healthcare registers combined with medical records, we included 449 women who received a diagnosis of HL between 1992 and 2009 and who were age 18 to 40 years at diagnosis. Follow-up started 6 months after diagnosis, when the patients' condition was assumed to be in remission. Pregnancy-associated relapse was defined as a relapse during pregnancy or within 5 years after delivery. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated by using the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

Among the 449 women, 144 (32%) became pregnant during follow-up. Overall, 47 relapses were recorded, of which one was a pregnancy-associated relapse. The adjusted HR for the comparison of the pregnancy-associated relapse rate to the non–pregnancy-associated relapse rate was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.04 to 2.18). The expected number of relapses in women with a recent pregnancy, given that they would experience the same relapse rate as that of women without a recent pregnancy, was 3.76; the observed-to-expected ratio was 0.27 (95% exact CI, 0.01 to 1.51).

Conclusion

We found no evidence that a pregnancy after diagnosis increases the relapse rate among women whose HL is in remission. Survivors of HL need to consider a range of factors when deciding about future reproduction. However, given the results of this study, the risk of pregnancy-associated relapse does not need to be considered.