bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of tongue mechanical properties using different contraction tasks
Authors: Li Wen-Yang , Gakwaya Simon , Saey Didier , Sériès Frédéric
Published: April 2017

Inadequate upper airway (UA) dilator muscle function may play an important role in the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To date, tongue mechanical properties have been assessed mainly using protrusion protocol with conflicting results. Performance during elevation tasks among patients with OSA remains unknown. This study aimed at assessing tongue muscle strength, strength stability, endurance time, fatigue indices, and total muscle work, using elevation and protrusion tasks with repetitive isometric fatiguing contractions in 12 normal plus mild, 17 moderate, and 11 severe patients with OSA, and to assess the influence of body mass index (BMI) and age. Endurance time was longer in protrusion than elevation task ( P = 0.01). In both tasks, endurance time was negatively correlated with baseline value of strength coefficient of variation ( P < 0.01). Compared with other groups, patients with moderate OSA had the lowest total muscle work for protrusion ( P = 0.01) and shortest endurance time ( P = 0.04), regardless of the type of task. Additionally, in patients with moderate-severe OSA, the total muscle work for both tasks was lower in nonobese compared with obese ( P < 0.05). Total muscle work for protrusion was positively correlated with apnea hypopnea index (AHI) in obese subjects ( P < 0.01). Endurance time was shorter ( P < 0.01) and recovery time longer ( P = 0.02) in the old compared with young subjects. In conclusion, the tongue is more prone to fatigue during the elevation task and in patients with moderate OSA. Obesity appeared to prevent alteration of tongue mechanical properties in patients with OSA. Baseline strength stability and endurance were related, illustrating the role of central neuromuscular output in tongue resistance to fatigue.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess and compare tongue function using both elevation and protrusion tasks with repetitive isometric fatiguing contractions in subjects with different OSA status. Tongue mechanical performance seemed to differ between protrusion and elevation tasks and depend on the severity of OSA.
Variability in Chromatin Architecture and Associated DNA Repair at Genomic Positions Containing Somatic Mutations
Authors: Lim Byungho , Mun Jihyeob , Kim Yong Sung , Kim Seon-Young
Published: April 2017

Dynamic chromatin structures result in differential chemical reactivity to mutational processes throughout the genome. To identify chromatin features responsible for mutagenesis, we compared chromatin architecture around single-nucleotide variants (SNV), insertion/deletions (indels), and their context-matched, nonmutated positions. We found epigenetic differences between genomic regions containing missense SNVs and those containing frameshift indels across multiple cancer types. Levels of active histone marks were higher around frameshift indels than around missense SNV, whereas repressive histone marks exhibited the reverse trend. Accumulation of repressive histone marks and nucleosomes distinguished mutated positions (both SNV and indels) from the context-matched, nonmutated positions, whereas active marks were associated with substitution- and cancer type–specific mutagenesis. We also explained mutagenesis based on genome maintenance mechanisms, including nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), and DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE). Regional NER variation correlated strongly with chromatin features; NER machineries exhibited shifted or depleted binding around SNV, resulting in decreased NER at mutation positions, especially at sites of recurrent mutations. MMR-deficient tumors selectively acquired SNV in regions with high active histone marks, especially H3K36me3, whereas POLE-deficient tumors selectively acquired indels and SNV in regions with low active histone marks. These findings demonstrate the importance of fine-scaled chromatin structures and associated DNA repair mechanisms in mutagenesis. Cancer Res; 77(11); 2822–33. ©2017 AACR.
Long-term Survival in Glioblastoma with Cytomegalovirus pp65-Targeted Vaccination
Authors: Batich Kristen A. , Reap Elizabeth A. , Archer Gary E. , Sanchez-Perez Luis , Nair Smita K. , Schmittling Robert J. , Norberg Pam , Xie Weihua , Herndon James E. , Healy Patrick , McLendon Roger E. , Friedman Allan H. , Friedman Henry S. , Bigner Darell , Vlahovic Gordana , Mitchell Duane A. , Sampson John H.
Published: April 2017

Purpose: Patients with glioblastoma have less than 15-month median survival despite surgical resection, high-dose radiation, and chemotherapy with temozolomide. We previously demonstrated that targeting cytomegalovirus pp65 using dendritic cells (DC) can extend survival and, in a separate study, that dose-intensified temozolomide (DI-TMZ) and adjuvant granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) potentiate tumor-specific immune responses in patients with glioblastoma. Here, we evaluated pp65-specific cellular responses following DI-TMZ with pp65-DCs and determined the effects on long-term progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Experimental Design: Following standard-of-care, 11 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma received DI-TMZ (100 mg/m2/d × 21 days per cycle) with at least three vaccines of pp65 lysosome–associated membrane glycoprotein mRNA-pulsed DCs admixed with GM-CSF on day 23 ± 1 of each cycle. Thereafter, monthly DI-TMZ cycles and pp65-DCs were continued if patients had not progressed.

Results: Following DI-TMZ cycle 1 and three doses of pp65-DCs, pp65 cellular responses significantly increased. After DI-TMZ, both the proportion and proliferation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) increased and remained elevated with serial DI-TMZ cycles. Median PFS and OS were 25.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 11.0–∞] and 41.1 months (95% CI, 21.6–∞), exceeding survival using recursive partitioning analysis and matched historical controls. Four patients remained progression-free at 59 to 64 months from diagnosis. No known prognostic factors [age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), IDH-1/2 mutation, and MGMT promoter methylation] predicted more favorable outcomes for the patients in this cohort.

Conclusions: Despite increased Treg proportions following DI-TMZ, patients receiving pp65-DCs showed long-term PFS and OS, confirming prior studies targeting cytomegalovirus in glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res; 23(8); 1898–909. ©2017 AACR.
Synergistic Immunostimulatory Effects and Therapeutic Benefit of Combined Histone Deacetylase and Bromodomain Inhibition in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Adeegbe Dennis O. , Liu Yan , Lizotte Patrick H. , Kamihara Yusuke , Aref Amir R. , Almonte Christina , Dries Ruben , Li Yuyang , Liu Shengwu , Wang Xiaoen , Warner-Hatten Tiquella , Castrillon Jessica , Yuan Guo-Cheng , Poudel-Neupane Neermala , Zhang Haikuo , Guerriero Jennifer L. , Han Shiwei , Awad Mark M. , Barbie David A. , Ritz Jerome , Jones Simon S. , Hammerman Peter S. , Bradner James , Quayle Steven N. , Wong Kwok-Kin
Published: April 2017

Effective therapies for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain challenging despite an increasingly comprehensive understanding of somatically altered oncogenic pathways. It is now clear that therapeutic agents with potential to impact the tumor immune microenvironment potentiate immune-orchestrated therapeutic benefit. Herein, we evaluated the immunoregulatory properties of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and bromodomain inhibitors, two classes of drugs that modulate the epigenome, with a focus on key cell subsets that are engaged in an immune response. By evaluating human peripheral blood and NSCLC tumors, we show that the selective HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat promotes phenotypic changes that support enhanced T-cell activation and improved function of antigen-presenting cells. The bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 attenuated CD4+FOXP3+ T regulatory cell suppressive function and synergized with ricolinostat to facilitate immune-mediated tumor growth arrest, leading to prolonged survival of mice with lung adenocarcinomas. Collectively, our findings highlight the immunomodulatory effects of two epigenetic modifiers that, together, promote T cell–mediated antitumor immunity and demonstrate their therapeutic potential for treatment of NSCLC.

Significance: Selective inhibition of HDACs and bromodomain proteins modulates tumor-associated immune cells in a manner that favors improved T-cell function and reduced inhibitory cellular mechanisms. These effects facilitated robust antitumor responses in tumor-bearing mice, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of combining these epigenetic modulators for the treatment of NSCLC. Cancer Discov; 7(8); 852–67. ©2017 AACR.

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Epigenetic Identity in AML Depends on Disruption of Nonpromoter Regulatory Elements and Is Affected by Antagonistic Effects of Mutations in Epigenetic Modifiers
Authors: Glass Jacob L. , Hassane Duane , Wouters Bas J. , Kunimoto Hiroyoshi , Avellino Roberto , Garrett-Bakelman Francine E. , Guryanova Olga A. , Bowman Robert , Redlich Shira , Intlekofer Andrew M. , Meydan Cem , Qin Tingting , Fall Mame , Alonso Alicia , Guzman Monica L. , Valk Peter J.M. , Thompson Craig B. , Levine Ross , Elemento Olivier , Delwel Ruud , Melnick Ari , Figueroa Maria E.
Published: April 2017

We performed cytosine methylation sequencing on genetically diverse patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and found leukemic DNA methylation patterning is primarily driven by nonpromoter regulatory elements and CpG shores. Enhancers displayed stronger differential methylation than promoters, consisting predominantly of hypomethylation. AMLs with dominant hypermethylation featured greater epigenetic disruption of promoters, whereas those with dominant hypomethylation displayed greater disruption of distal and intronic regions. Mutations in IDH and DNMT3A had opposing and mutually exclusive effects on the epigenome. Notably, co-occurrence of both mutations resulted in epigenetic antagonism, with most CpGs affected by either mutation alone no longer affected in double-mutant AMLs. Importantly, this epigenetic antagonism precedes malignant transformation and can be observed in preleukemic LSK cells from Idh2R140Q or Dnmt3aR882H single-mutant and Idh2R140Q/Dnmt3aR882H double-mutant mice. Notably, IDH/DNMT3A double-mutant AMLs manifested upregulation of a RAS signaling signature and displayed unique sensitivity to MEK inhibition ex vivo as compared with AMLs with either single mutation.

Significance: AML is biologically heterogeneous with subtypes characterized by specific genetic and epigenetic abnormalities. Comprehensive DNA methylation profiling revealed that differential methylation of nonpromoter regulatory elements is a driver of epigenetic identity, that gene mutations can be context-dependent, and that co-occurrence of mutations in epigenetic modifiers can result in epigenetic antagonism. Cancer Discov; 7(8); 868–83. ©2017 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 783
Effects of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Microvascular and Macrovascular Function in a Healthy Population
Authors: Loader Jordan , Meziat Cindy , Watts Rani , Lorenzen Christian , Sigaudo-Roussel Dominique , Stewart Simon , Reboul Cyril , Meyer Gregory , Walther Guillaume
Published: April 2017

Objective—

To assess vascular function during acute hyperglycemia induced by commercial sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and its effect on underlying mechanisms of the nitric oxide pathway.

Approach and Results—

In a randomized, single-blind, crossover trial, 12 healthy male participants consumed 600 mL (20 oz.) of water or a commercial SSB across 2 visits. Endothelial and vascular smooth muscle functions were assessed in the microcirculation using laser speckle contrast imaging coupled with iontophoresis and in the macrocirculation using brachial artery ultrasound with flow- and nitrate-mediated dilation. Compared with water, SSB consumption impaired microvascular and macrovascular endothelial function as indicated by a decrease in the vascular response to acetylcholine iontophoresis (208.3±24.3 versus 144.2±15.7%,
P
<0.01) and reduced flow-mediated dilation (0.019±0.002 versus 0.014±0.002%/s,
P
<0.01), respectively. Systemic vascular smooth muscle remained preserved. Similar decreases in endothelial function were observed during acute hyperglycemia in an in vivo rat model. However, function was fully restored by treatment with the antioxidants,
N
-acetylcysteine and apocynin. In addition, ex vivo experiments revealed that although the production of reactive oxygen species was increased during acute hyperglycemia, the bioavailability of nitric oxide in the endothelium was decreased, despite no change in the activation state of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Conclusions—

To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the vascular effects of acute hyperglycemia induced by commercial SSB consumption alone. These findings suggest that SSB-mediated endothelial dysfunction is partly due to increased oxidative stress that decreases nitric oxide bioavailability.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366442&isReview=true
. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12614000614695.
Expression of Biglycan in First Trimester Chorionic Villous Sampling Placental Samples and Altered Function in Telomerase-Immortalized Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Chui Amy , Gunatillake Tilini , Brennecke Shaun P. , Ignjatovic Vera , Monagle Paul T. , Whitelock John M. , van Zanten Dagmar E. , Eijsink Jasper , Wang Yao , Deane James , Borg Anthony J. , Stevenson Janet , Erwich Jan Jaap , Said Joanne M. , Murthi Padma
Published: April 2017

Objective—

Biglycan (BGN) has reduced expression in placentae from pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR). We used first trimester placental samples from pregnancies with later small for gestational age (SGA) infants as a surrogate for FGR. The functional consequences of reduced BGN and the downstream targets of
BGN
were determined. Furthermore, the expression of targets was validated in primary placental endothelial cells isolated from FGR or control pregnancies.

Approach and Results—

BGN
expression was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction in placental tissues collected during chorionic villous sampling performed at 10 to 12 weeks’ gestation from pregnancies that had known clinical outcomes, including SGA. Short-interference RNA reduced
BGN
expression in telomerase-immortalized microvascular endothelial cells, and the effect on proliferation, angiogenesis, and thrombin generation was determined. An angiogenesis array identified downstream targets of BGN, and their expression in control and FGR primary placental endothelial cells was validated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Reduced
BGN
expression was observed in SGA placental tissues.
BGN
reduction decreased network formation of telomerase-immortalized microvascular endothelial cells but did not affect thrombin generation or cellular proliferation. The array identified target genes, which were further validated: angiopoetin 4 (
ANGPT4
), platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (
PDGFRA
), tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 15 (
TNFSF15
), angiogenin (
ANG
), serpin family C member 1 (
SERPIN1
), angiopoietin 2 (
ANGPT2
), and CXC motif chemokine 12 (
CXCL12
) in telomerase-immortalized microvascular endothelial cells and primary placental endothelial cells obtained from control and FGR pregnancies.

Conclusions—

This study reports a temporal relationship between altered placental
BGN
expression and subsequent development of SGA. Reduction of
BGN
in vascular endothelial cells leads to disrupted network formation and alterations in the expression of genes involved in angiogenesis. Therefore, differential expression of these may contribute to aberrant angiogenesis in SGA pregnancies.
Azithromycin Causes a Novel Proarrhythmic Syndrome
Authors: Yang Zhenjiang , Prinsen Joseph K. , Bersell Kevin R. , Shen Wangzhen , Yermalitskaya Liudmila , Sidorova Tatiana , Luis Paula B. , Hall Lynn , Zhang Wei , Du Liping , Milne Ginger , Tucker Patrick , George Alfred L. , Campbell Courtney M. , Pickett Robert A. , Shaffer Christian M. , Chopra Nagesh , Yang Tao , Knollmann Bjorn C. , Roden Dan M. , Murray Katherine T.
Published: April 2017

Background—

The widely used macrolide antibiotic azithromycin increases risk of cardiovascular and sudden cardiac death, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Case reports, including the one we document here, demonstrate that azithromycin can cause rapid, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in the absence of QT prolongation, indicating a novel proarrhythmic syndrome. We investigated the electrophysiological effects of azithromycin in vivo and in vitro using mice, cardiomyocytes, and human ion channels heterologously expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.

Methods and Results—

In conscious telemetered mice, acute intraperitoneal and oral administration of azithromycin caused effects consistent with multi-ion channel block, with significant sinus slowing and increased PR, QRS, QT, and QTc intervals, as seen with azithromycin overdose. Similarly, in HL-1 cardiomyocytes, the drug slowed sinus automaticity, reduced phase 0 upstroke slope, and prolonged action potential duration. Acute exposure to azithromycin reduced peak SCN5A currents in HEK cells (IC
50
=110±3 μmol/L) and Na
+
current in mouse ventricular myocytes. However, with chronic (24 hour) exposure, azithromycin caused a ≈2-fold increase in both peak and late SCN5A currents, with findings confirmed for I
Na
in cardiomyocytes. Mild block occurred for K
+
currents representing I
Kr
(CHO cells expressing hERG; IC
50
=219±21 μmol/L) and I
Ks
(CHO cells expressing KCNQ1+KCNE1; IC
50
=184±12 μmol/L), whereas azithromycin suppressed L-type Ca
++
currents (rabbit ventricular myocytes, IC
50
=66.5±4 μmol/L) and I
K1
(HEK cells expressing Kir2.1, IC
50
=44±3 μmol/L).

Conclusions—

Chronic exposure to azithromycin increases cardiac Na
+
current to promote intracellular Na
+
loading, providing a potential mechanistic basis for the novel form of proarrhythmia seen with this macrolide antibiotic.
Sex-Specific Comparative Effectiveness of Oral Anticoagulants in Elderly Patients With Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Palamaner Subash Shantha Ghanshyam , Bhave Prashant D. , Girotra Saket , Hodgson-Zingman Denice , Mazur Alexander , Giudici Michael , Chrischilles Elizabeth , Vaughan Sarrazin Mary S.
Published: April 2017

Background—

Sex-specific comparative effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is not known. Via this retrospective cohort study, we assessed the sex-specific, comparative effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (rivaroxaban and dabigatran), compared to each other and to warfarin among patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results—

Elderly (aged ≥66 years) Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D benefit plan from November 2011 to October 2013 with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation formed the study cohort (65 734 [44.8%] men and 81 137 [55.2%] women). Primary outcomes of inpatient admissions for ischemic strokes and major bleeding were compared across the 3 drugs (rivaroxaban: 20 mg QD, dabigatran: 150 mg BID, or warfarin) using 3-way propensity-matched samples. In men, rivaroxaban use decreased stroke risk when compared with warfarin use (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.48–0.99;
P
=0.048) and dabigatran use (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.45–0.96;
P
=0.029) and was associated with a similar risk of any major bleeding when compared with warfarin and dabigatran. In women, although ischemic stroke risk was similar in the 3 anticoagulant groups, rivaroxaban use significantly increased the risk for any major bleeding when compared with warfarin (hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.42;
P
=0.021) and dabigatran (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–1.48;
P
=0.011).

Conclusions—

The reduced risk of ischemic stroke in patients taking rivaroxaban, compared with dabigatran and warfarin, seems to be limited to men, whereas the higher risk of bleeding seems to be limited to women.
The Deterministic Information Bottleneck
Authors: Strouse DJ , Schwab David J.
Published: April 2017

Lossy compression and clustering fundamentally involve a decision about which features are relevant and which are not. The information bottleneck method (IB) by Tishby, Pereira, and Bialek ( 1999 ) formalized this notion as an information-theoretic optimization problem and proposed an optimal trade-off between throwing away as many bits as possible and selectively keeping those that are most important. In the IB, compression is measured by mutual information. Here, we introduce an alternative formulation that replaces mutual information with entropy, which we call the deterministic information bottleneck (DIB) and argue better captures this notion of compression. As suggested by its name, the solution to the DIB problem turns out to be a deterministic encoder, or hard clustering, as opposed to the stochastic encoder, or soft clustering, that is optimal under the IB. We compare the IB and DIB on synthetic data, showing that the IB and DIB perform similarly in terms of the IB cost function, but that the DIB significantly outperforms the IB in terms of the DIB cost function. We also empirically find that the DIB offers a considerable gain in computational efficiency over the IB, over a range of convergence parameters. Our derivation of the DIB also suggests a method for continuously interpolating between the soft clustering of the IB and the hard clustering of the DIB.
Nested-Clique Network Model of Neural Associative Memory
Authors: Mofrad Asieh Abolpour , Parker Matthew G.
Published: April 2017

Clique-based neural associative memories introduced by Gripon and Berrou (GB), have been shown to have good performance, and in our previous work we improved the learning capacity and retrieval rate by local coding and precoding in the presence of partial erasures. We now take a step forward and consider nested-clique graph structures for the network. The GB model stores patterns as small cliques, and we here replace these by nested cliques. Simulation results show that the nested-clique structure enhances the clique-based model.
Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758) remains from the Late Pleistocene of Slovakia
Authors: Ivanov Martin , Čerňanský Andrej
Published: April 2017

Completely preserved specimens of fossil snakes are extremely rare and ophidian palaeontologists are usually dependent only on disarticulated elements of a postcranial skeleton. Here we present an unusually well-preserved specimen of a small viperid snake from the Late Pleistocene firm travertine at the famous Gánovce-Hrádok Neanderthal mound in Slovakia. The complex study of both cranial and axial skeleton with well-preserved maxilla and basiparasphenoid confirms the presence of a viper from theVipera berusspecies group, and recent distribution ofV. berusspecies complex members supports identification of these preserved remains as belonging to the common adder,V. berus(Linnaeus, 1758). Associated faunal assemblages of the MFG-C and D mammalian fauna groups reported from the firm travertine indicate a humid climate in a predominantly woodland environment with typical forest species in the Gánovce-Hrádok vicinity throughout the Eemian optimum, and mixed forest and steppe environments in the late Eemian to early Weichselian stages. Occurrence ofV. berusdocuments the presence of open or semi-open biotopes with low vegetation. AlthoughV. berusoccurs in the Quaternary glacial/interglacial cycle and throughout the entire warm part, it never dominated herpetofaunal assemblages during the climatic optimum. Therefore, the presence ofV. berusmost likely indicates late Eemian or early Weichselian (interstadial) climatic conditions.
Differences in chytridiomycosis infection costs between two amphibian species from Central Europe
Authors: Gabor Caitlin , Forsburg Zachery , Vörös Judit , Serrano-Laguna Celia , Bosch Jaime
Published: April 2017

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes the disease chytridiomycosis associated with amphibian declines. Response and costs of infection varies greatly between species. Bd can induce a stress response in amphibians resulting in elevated corticosterone (CORT). We exposed Bombina variegata and Hyla arborea tadpoles to Bd+ or Bd- Salamandra salamandra larvae and measured CORT release rates, Bd infection loads, and survival through metamorphosis. Tadpoles of both species exposed to Bd+ larvae had elevated CORT release rates compared to tadpoles exposed to Bd- larvae. Bombina variegata appear less resistant to infection than H. arborea, showing higher Bd loads and more infected individuals. Within species, we did not find differences in cost of infection on survival, however more B. variegata tadpoles reached metamorphosis than H. arborea. The differences in resistance may be species specific, owing to higher immunity defenses with H. arborea having higher overall CORT release rates, and differences in antimicrobial peptides, or to differences in Bd strain or other unexplored mechanisms.
Arab Nationalism(s): Rise and Decline of an Ideology
Authors: Manduchi Patrizia
Published: April 2017

When speaking about Arab nationalism, at least three phenomena, only partially distinct from one another, must be identified: Arabism, Pan-Arabism and Nationalisms on a local basis.

The first is Arabism (ʿurūbah, being Arab) in the sense of belonging to the same world, in a single context from Morocco to Iraq, that emerged in Egypt and Near East in the last decades of thexixcentury. From this cultural awareness of an Arab identity, the Pan-Arabism (qawmiyyah ʿarabiyyah) developed in the interwars period, but especially after the Second World War. Finally, with the acquired national Arab independences, Nationalism emerged on a local basis, and took the name ofwaṭaniyyah.

The debate has never closed and all the major questions are still open: if an Arab nation (and therefore an Arab nationalism) has ever existed; if we can talk about a Pan-Arab nationalism once local based nationalisms emerged; which are the ideological principles of Arab Nationalism that are not uncritically assimilated from outside; finally, how and why the nationalistic ideologies have suffered an heavy crisis in front of the impressive rise of contemporary radical Islamism after the Seventies.

Finally, if the figure of the global jihadist, not tied to this or that national cause but fighting anywhere you have to fight aǧihādin the way of God, is the antithesis of the militant of nationalistic movements, for his absolute disregard for any cause that can be defined national. The goal is the creation of an Islamic State, no matter how utopian this project is, not based on the concept of nation but on that ofummah. It’s the phase of the “après panarabisme”: the myth of cohesion from the Gulf to the Atlantic no longer enchants Arab people and Arab States, and the era of Nasser and the Ba‘athist dream has finally ended.
Islam as the Third Way: Sayyid Quṭb’s Socio-Economic Thought and Nasserism
Authors: Picchi Margherita
Published: April 2017

This article aims to critically engage the representation of Sayyid Quṭb as the pioneer of modern Jihadism. It will do so by casting light on his social and economic theories as elaborated in the first half of the 50s, focusing on a pamphlet published in 1951 with the title “The Battle between Islam and Capitalism.” The purpose of this article is to present the content of the pamphlet in the context of the historical and intellectual landscape of its time, as well as showing how it is part of Quṭb’s body of thought as a whole. The intention is to show how, in a post-colonial world dominated by the Cold War, Quṭb presents Islam as the “Third Way” that combines the qualities and the advantages of communism and capitalism without sharing their faults. A system that, as this article is meant to demonstrate, shares many similarities with Nasserism, the socialist, anti-imperialist ideology elaborated by Quṭb’s archenemy, Ǧamāl ʿAbd al-Nāṣer.
The Making of a Fragmented Nation: sufi ṭuruq and Sudan’s Decolonization
Authors: Musso Giorgio
Published: April 2017

This article focuses on the role of sufi ṭuruq during Sudan’s struggle for independence from the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium. The decolonization of Sudan unfolded within a fragmentary political landscape characterized by a complex stratification of interests. The role ofṭarīqah-inspired political factions—later evolving into full-fledged parties—contributed to inhibit the birth of a cohesive nationalist movement, giving way to the emergence of a sectarian political system. As prominent members of the traditional establishment of Sudanese society (along with tribal leaders, merchants and other notables), Muslim leaders were afraid of the rising radical nationalist movement, that could have challenged recognized social hierarchies. Their interests converged with those of Great Britain, that since the early 1920s tried to foster the emergence of a moderate nationalist elite under the slogan al-Sūdān li-l-Sūdāniyyīn (“the Sudan for the Sudanese”) to counter Egypt’s influence in the country without subverting the structures of imperial dominance. In this sense, the decolonization of Sudan can be analysed as a “passive revolution”: a gradual regime transition that allowed the dominant classes to take over political power while preserving their fundamental interests.
RNA in Salivary Extracellular Vesicles as a Possible Tool for Systemic Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Kim J. , Shin H. , Park J.
Published: April 2017

Saliva contains biological information as blood and is recognized as a valuable diagnostic medium for their noninvasiveness. Although “-omics” researches have tried to investigate saliva, the origin and significance of its contents are not clear, and its usage is largely confined to oral disease in the diagnostic and prognostic field. In an attempt to broaden the applicability of saliva and to find systemic disease-derived RNA in saliva, we made mouse models that had human melanoma and isolated extracellular vesicles (EVs) from their saliva by an aqueous 2-phase system (ATPS), then identified and evaluated their expression of human melan-A RNA, which is associated with melanoma on skin. With ATPS, EVs were isolated efficiently and stably while taking less time compared to isolation by ultracentrifugation. When ATPS was used to isolate EVs from saliva, the mean ± SD percentage of EVs recovered from initial EVs was 38.22% ± 18.55% by the number of particles, and the mean ± SD percentage of RNA recovered from the initial amount was 60.33% ± 5.34%. RNAs within isolated EVs were analyzed subsequently by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and polymerase chain reaction from saliva and plasma. In melanoma mice, amplification of human melan-A was identified from saliva and plasma, even though a relative amount of normalized melan-A was lower than that of plasma. These results present a possibility that RNAs derived from systemic disease are transferred into saliva from blood in EVs. Also, they suggest that saliva could be exploited in obtaining information about systemic disease, not only about oral disease, by examining RNAs in EVs from saliva instead of blood.
Animal welfare officers in Australian higher education: 3R application, work contexts, and risk perception
Authors: Chen Peter J.
Published: April 2017

Acceptance of the concept of replacement, refinement, and reduction (the 3Rs) and the need for their implementation is widespread in the research community, and is also backed by local governance requirements in many key jurisdictions. Yet concerns about underutilization of these concepts and practices remain. From a survey of animal welfare officers (AWOs) in Australia, the attitudes to, and the adoption of, 3Rs in Australian public universities is explored. The survey finds that Australian AWOs have considerable concerns about 3R uptake, with 44% agreeing that ‘3R possibilities often remain unused’. At the same time, these officers see access to relevant information, and the implementation of the 3Rs, as comparatively easy. Thus, a problem of under-implementation appears to exist. A number of explanations for this are put forward. AWOs are comparatively junior professional staff in the Australian university system, constrained from going beyond basic regulative functions and to the training and promotion of the 3Rs. When compared with their international counterparts, Australian AWOs spend less time providing information and advice on the 3Rs to researchers working in their institutions. Significantly, while AWOs tend to see themselves as being well supported institutionally, they have comparatively poor relationships with active researchers who are using animal models. The implications of this are examined, with recommendations for research institutions, as well as for further research.
Procalcitonin levels in sepsis and its association with clinical outcome in southern India
Authors: Rebello Alex , Thabah Molly Mary , Dutta Tarun Kumar , Bobby Zachariah , Harish BN , Mehalingam Vadivelan
Published: April 2017

Procalcitonin has been found to be a good marker for the diagnosis of sepsis. However, data on procalcitonin levels to predict the clinical outcome in patients with sepsis are limited. The aim of our study was to estimate serum procalcitonin levels in patients with sepsis and to identify its relationship with the clinical outcome. This was a prospective observational study conducted on 112 patients with sepsis admitted to the medical wards and medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Serum procalcitonin was measured at baseline before antibiotic administration and on day 5. The clinical outcome studied was death or survival on day 28. Baseline mean serum procalcitonin was highest in patients with septic shock and lowest in patients having sepsis without organ dysfunction. Mean values of procalcitonin at baseline and on day 5 were significantly higher in non-survivors when compared with survivors. There was a significant difference in the change in procalcitonin levels from baseline to day 5 between survivors and non-survivors, with survivors having declining values on day 5 while non-survivors had increasing values from baseline. The baseline APACHE II and SOFA scores also showed a significant correlation with the baseline procalcitonin level. Declining values of procalcitonin therefore indicate a favourable clinical outcome in patients with sepsis.
Military Officer Aptitude in the All-Volunteer Force
Authors: Cancian Matthew Franklin , Klein Michael W.
Published: April 2017

We show a statistically significant and quantitatively meaningful decline in the aptitude of commissioned officers in the marine corp from 1980 to 2014 as measured by their scores on the General Classification Test. This result contrasts with the widely studied increase in the quality of enlisted personnel since 1973 when conscription ended. As a possible cause for this decline, we focus on the fact that, during this period, marine officers had to have a 4-year college degree and there has been an expansion of the pool of young Americans in college. To corroborate this hypothesis, we show that there has been a similar decline in scores on the Armed Forces Qualification Test for responders to the 1979 and 1997 National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth among college graduates but not for the overall set of respondents.
Vertebral bone marrow diffusivity in normal adults with varying bone densities at 3T diffusion-weighted imaging
Authors: He Jie , Fang Hao , na Li Xiao
Published: April 2017

Background

There has been controversy surrounding the relationship between diffusivity and bone mineral density (BMD) in vertebral bone marrow. Moreover, sex-related differences of vertebral bone marrow diffusivity in relation to varying bone densities have not yet been evaluated.

Purpose

To prospectively investigate the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in assessing vertebral marrow changes in normal adults with varying bone densities.

Material and Methods

A total of 124 normal adult volunteers were enrolled in this study. Sagittal magnetic resonance (MR) DWI of the lumbar spine was performed. The ADC values of vertebral bone marrow were measured. Volumetric BMD measurement was performed by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) using Mindways QCT analysis software. All participants were divided into three groups according to BMD (normal, osteopenia, osteoporosis). The differences of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the three groups was compared, and partial correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between ADC values and BMD.

Results

ADC values decreased as BMD decreased in female participants. When compared with the normal bone density group, ADC values were signiﬁcantly decreased in the osteoporotic group and in the osteopenic group of female participants. ADC values of female participants were signiﬁcantly higher than of male participants in the normal bone density group ( P < 0.001). ADC values correlated positively with BMD values (r = 0.307, P = 0.016) for female participants.

Conclusion

The diffusivity in vertebral bone marrow with varying bone densities differed by sex. ADC values correlated positively with BMD in women. DWI can quantitively evaluate osteoporosis in women.
Parkwood Springs – A fringe in time: Temporality and heritage in an urban fringe landscape
Authors: Jorgensen Anna , Dobson Stephen , Heatherington Catherine
Published: April 2017

This paper aims to advance the theory and practice of landscape heritage planning, design and management, focusing especially on the question: what are the relationships between landscape narratives – the ways in which we tell the story of a landscape – and landscape heritage outcomes (landscape practice – planning, design, management – based on particular readings of the past)? The paper explores this question through a critical examination of three different narrative accounts of Parkwood Springs, an urban waste site in the city of Sheffield, UK: a conventional history, a personal experiential account, and an analysis based on the Sheffield Historic Landscape Characterisation. The critique is informed by a cross-disciplinary theoretical discussion of the ways time is conceptualized and presented in narrative, and how these conceptualizations influence future landscapes.
Prevalence and predictors of severe menopause symptoms among HIV-positive and -negative Nigerian women
Authors: Agaba Patricia A , Meloni Seema T , Sule Halima M , Ocheke Amaka N , Agaba Emmanuel I , Idoko John A , Kanki Phyllis J
Published: April 2017

We compared the prevalence of menopause symptoms between women living with HIV to their HIV-negative peers and determined predictors of severe menopause symptoms in Jos, Nigeria. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 714 women aged 40–80 years. We compared prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms using the menopause rating scale (MRS). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of severe symptoms. Six-hundred and seven (85.0%) were HIV-positive, with a mean duration of infection of 5.6 ± 2.7 years. The mean age of the cohort was 46 ± 5 years. The most prevalent menopause symptoms were hot flushes (67.2%), joint and muscle discomfort (66.2%), physical/mental exhaustion (65.3%), heart discomfort (60.4%), and anxiety (56.4%). The median MRS score was higher for HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative women (p = 0.01). Factors associated with severe menopause symptoms included HIV-positive status (aOR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.20–7.54) and history of cigarette smoking (aOR: 4.18, 95% CI: 1.31–13.26). Being married (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32–0.77), premenopausal (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39–0.94), and self-reporting good quality of life (aOR: 0.62. 95% CI: 0.39–0.98) were protective against severe menopause symptoms. We found HIV infection, cigarette smoking, quality of life, and stage of the menopause transition to be associated with severe menopause symptoms. As HIV-positive populations are aging, additional attention should be given to the reproductive health of these women.
Large eddy simulation of saw tooth plasma actuator for improving film cooling efficiency
Authors: Li Guozhan , Yu Jianyang , Chen Fu , Liu Huaping , Song Yanping , Li Linxi
Published: April 2017

This paper presents results on a saw tooth plasma actuator for the inducement of flow topology and the improvement of flat plate film cooling efficiency. A phenomenological plasma model is constructed to generate the three-dimensional plasma force vectors of the saw tooth plasma actuator. The dynamics of airflow induced by the saw tooth plasma actuator on a flat plate in quiescent air are numerically investigated. The results show that the saw tooth plasma actuator pushes the fluids in all three directions and induces a three-dimensional jet flow with counter rotating streamwise oriented vortices that propagate downstream. The flow field characteristics of both cylindrical hole with and without the saw tooth plasma actuator are studied by large eddy simulation, and a comparison is made. The saw tooth plasma actuator improves the cold jet adherent performance and promotes the spanwise spreading rate of the coolant. Meanwhile, the streamwise vortices induced by the saw tooth plasma actuator suppress the development of counter-rotating vortex pair, thus delaying the diffusion of coolant in the crossflow. Accordingly, the centerline cooling efficiency and the spanwise-averaged cooling efficiency are improved by 36% and 144% at x/ d = 15, compared with the baseline case without the saw tooth plasma actuator.
A study on air-cooling waste heat recovery from molten slag of slag-tap boilers
Authors: Deng Lei , Tang Chunli , Tan Xiaowen , Sun Ke , Wu Song , Che Defu
Published: April 2017

For a better utilization of Zhundong coals which have high fouling and slagging tendency, the slag-tap boiler has attracted much attention. To avoid the high sensible heat loss of discharged molten slag, an air-cooling waste heat recovery system is proposed. Energy and economic analyses are conducted to investigate the effectiveness of heating the desulfurized flue gas by hot air and the influences of partially substituting the secondary air by hot air on heat transfer of air preheater and thermal efficiency of boiler. A case study is performed by referring to a typical 50 MW cyclone boiler with nine types of low fusion temperature coals. The results show that for coals with low ash content, the temperature increment of desulfurized flue gas can be over 7 ℃. While for coals with high ash content, the flue gas temperature can be heated to more than 70 ℃, and the surplus hot air can be sent to the furnace. When the hot air is introduced to partially substitute the secondary air, an instantaneous impact on the air preheater will give rise to a decrement of quantity of heat transferred and increments of temperatures of exit flue gas and hot secondary air. The variations of these thermodynamic parameters become smaller with increasing hot air temperature. After introduction of hot air, the thermal efficiency of boiler can increase, resulting in a decrease of fuel consumption rate. In addition, the heating surface area of air preheater can be reduced.
Serological biomarkers as risk factors of SLE-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang J , Qian J , Wang Y , Zhao J , Wang Q , Tian Z , Li M , Zeng X
Published: April 2017

Objective

This article aims to determine the serological biomarkers which can be considered as risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension by a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

This study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. The search database included MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used for the quality assessment. The odds ratio was the primary measure of effect of the risk factors.

Results

Twelve studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results identified the anti-RNP antibody and anti-Sm antibody as risk factors for SLE-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension with the pooled odds ratios 3.68 (95% confidence interval 2.04–6.63, P < 0.0001) and 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.06–2.76, P = 0.03), respectively.

Conclusion

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a serious complication of SLE with a worse prognosis than SLE patients without pulmonary arterial hypertension. The early recognition of pulmonary arterial hypertension with transthoracic echocardiography routinely performed in SLE patients with risk factors is necessary, especially in Asian patients.
Improved quality of a vitamin B12-fortified ‘ready to blend’ fresh-cut mix salad with chitosan
Authors: Artés-Hernández Francisco , Formica-Oliveira Anna Carolina , Artés Francisco , Martínez-Hernández Ginés Benito
Published: April 2017

A vitamin B12-fortified (0.25 mg L−1) chitosan (10 g L−1) coating was applied to a ready-to-blend fresh-cut salad including melon, pineapple and carrot, which was stored at 5 ℃ up to nine days. Uncoated samples were used as control while the vitamin B12 effect was compared to non-fortified chitosan-coated samples. Beverages were prepared on blending days 0, 4, 7 and 9 with subsequent storage at 5 ℃ for 0, 24 and 48 h. Physicochemical quality of fresh blended beverages was well preserved throughout storage. The chitosan coating highly reduced epiphytic microflora growth and polyphenoloxidase/peroxidase activities. No relevant variations of total phenolic contents were observed between different fresh blended beverages. However, its total antioxidant capacity reported after blending was lower as storage time of ready-to-blend samples increased. Fortified samples showed a vitamin B12 content of 8.6 µg kg−1 on processing day, ensuring 200 mL of such beverage the recommended daily intake of this vitamin. In conclusion, a ready-to-blend fruit/vegetable mix, fortified with vitamin B12, was developed with a shelf life of nine days at 5 ℃ showing the prepared beverages good quality during subsequent storage for 48 h at 5 ℃.