bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disability discrimination and misdirected criticism of the quality-adjusted life year framework
Authors: Whitehurst David G T , Engel Lidia
Published: March 2018

Whose values should count – those of patients or the general public – when adopting the quality-adjusted life year (QALY) framework for healthcare decision making is a long-standing debate. Specific disciplines, such as economics, are not wedded to a particular side of the debate, and arguments for and against the use of patient values have been discussed at length in the literature. In 2012, Sinclair proposed an approach, grounded within patient preference theory, which sought to avoid a perceived unfair discrimination against people with disabilities when using values from the general public. Key assumptions about general public values that beget this line of thinking were that ‘disabled states always tally with lower quality of life’, and the use of standardised instruments means that ‘you are forced into a fixed view of disability as a lower value state’ (Sinclair, 2012). Drawing on recent contributions to the health economics literature, we contend that such assumptions are not inherent to the incorporation of general public values for the estimation of QALYs. In practice, whether health states of people with disabilities are of ‘lower value’ is, to some extent, a reflection of the health state descriptions that members of the public are asked to value.
Researching about us without us: exploring research participation and the politics of disability rights in the context of the Mental Capacity Act 2005
Authors: Loomes Gillian
Published: March 2018

The right to active participation by disabled people in academic research has been discussed at length in recent years, along with the potential for such research to function as a tool in challenging oppression and pursuing disability rights. Significant ethical, legal and methodological dilemmas arise, however, in circumstances where a disabled person loses the capacity to provide informed consent to such participation. In this article, I consider disability politics and academic research in the context of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, which sets out in Anglo-Welsh law the circumstances and requirements for research participation by individuals lacking the capacity to provide informed consent. Drawing on my own perspective on research participation in relation to physical and psychosocial disability, I consider the implications of my potential future loss of capacity (eg, if I were to be in a vegetative or minimally conscious state following an accident) for my right to participate in disability-related research. I examine the barriers to such participation and suggest that partial solutions may be found in the advance decision-making and advance care-planning frameworks of the MCA 2005 and related policy, but that current legislative and policy frameworks nevertheless still curtail my rights with regard to research participation on loss of capacity to consent. In so doing, I seek to provoke debate concerning what this legislative provision means for the disability rights movement, and the possibilities and challenges it presents to the movement’s commitment to ‘nothing about us without us’.
Advance euthanasia directives: a controversial case and its ethical implications
Authors: Miller David Gibbes , Dresser Rebecca , Kim Scott Y H
Published: March 2018

Authorising euthanasia and assisted suicide with advance euthanasia directives (AEDs) is permitted, yet debated, in the Netherlands. We focus on a recent controversial case in which a Dutch woman with Alzheimer’s disease was euthanised based on her AED. A Dutch euthanasia review committee found that the physician performing the euthanasia failed to follow due care requirements for euthanasia and assisted suicide. This case is notable because it is the first case to trigger a criminal investigation since the 2002 Dutch euthanasia law was enacted. Thus far, only brief descriptions of the case have been reported in English language journals and media. We provide a detailed description of the case, review the main challenges of preparing and applying AEDs for persons with dementia and briefly assess the adequacy of the current oversight system governing AEDs.
Progressive left ventricular dysfunction and long-term outcomes in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy receiving cardiopulmonary therapies
Authors: Wang Mary , Birnkrant David J , Super Dennis M , Jacobs Irwin B , Bahler Robert C
Published: March 2018

Objective

To describe the natural history of cardiomyopathy in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are receiving contemporary therapies.

Methods

This is a single-institution retrospective cohort study of 57 patients aged >15 years with DMD. Serial digital echocardiograms were performed over a median follow-up of 8 years. Left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) was defined as shortening fraction (SF) <29% plus focal wall motion abnormalities. Therapies included ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and assisted ventilation.

Results

The SF declined progressively in 53/57 patients (93%). LVD occurred in 40 of 57 patients (70%), with variable age at onset (median 18 years, IQR 14–21.5 years). Rate of SF decline (–1.51%±1.16%/year) was variable and unrelated to genotype. However, survival was shorter for patients with LVD onset at age <18 years vs onset at ≥18 years (death at 21.1±2.5 years vs 33.1±4.4 years; P<0.001). Death occurred in 27/57 (47%) patients at a median age of 26.3 years (IQR 20.6–31.5). Death was preceded by LVD in 22/27 patients (81%), 15 (68%) of whom developed class 4 heart failure (CHF). Time from CHF to death was brief (median 8.0 months).

Conclusion

Despite contemporary therapies, SF declined progressively in almost all patients. Age at onset of LVD and age at death were variable and unrelated to genotype; however, survival was shortened for patients with LVD onset at age <18 years. Death was usually preceded by LVD. CHF was a sentinel event, with death occurring shortly thereafter.
Spontaneous gall bladder infarction in a dog with a congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Authors: Olivares Gerard , Fernández Yordan , Di Palma Stefano , Murgia Daniela
Published: March 2018

A two‐year‐old entire female miniature dachshund was referred with a 10‐day‐history of polyuria, polydipsia, vomiting and inappetence and she was diagnosed with a left gastro‐azygos portosystemic shunt. The dog underwent surgical attenuation of the shunt with a 5 mm ameroid ring constrictor and recovered uneventfully from the procedure. Two days after surgery, the dog developed acute abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed free peritoneal effusion and analysis of the fluid was consistent with biliary effusion. Diagnosis of biliary peritonitis was therefore made. On exploratory coeliotomy an evident leak of bile from the extrahepatic biliary tree was not detected. However, the gall bladder appeared macroscopically abnormal and a cholecystectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed gall bladder infarction characterised by intravascular fibrin thrombi and transmural coagulative necrosis. There was no overt inflammation and the bile was aseptic. The dog recovered uneventfully and was discharged from the hospital 10 days after surgery.
Hereditary selective cobalamin malabsorption and concurrent pancreatitis in a young Border collie
Authors: McCallum Katie Elizabeth , Watson Penny J
Published: March 2018

A one‐year‐old neutered male Border collie presented with failure to gain weight, lethargy, intermittent leucopenia, borderline anaemia and intermittent gastrointestinal symptoms. He was diagnosed with pancreatitis based on blood results and abdominal ultrasonography and hereditary selective cobalamin malabsorption based on hypocobalaminaemia, methylmalonic aciduria and genetic testing for cubilin mutation. The dog responded to oral cobalamin supplementation with resolution of clinical signs and normalisation of serum cobalamin. There was no recurrence of signs after 27 months of follow‐up. An association between organic acidaemias and pancreatitis has been reported in humans but to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of hereditary selective cobalamin malabsorption and concurrent pancreatitis in a dog. Furthermore, this is the first report of inherited canine cobalamin deficiency responding to oral cobalamin supplementation.
Exophiala phaeomuriformis associated with abortion and placentitis in a mare
Authors: de Neck Simon , Jurgens Ben , Peters Liana , Ankringa Nynke
Published: March 2018

This article describes a case of abortion and placentitis in a mare. Macroscopic and microscopic lesions in the aborted fetus were consistent with a pyogranulomatous inflammation with intralesional fungal structures. These were observed in the lungs, skin, stomach, umbilical cord, peritoneum, fetal membranes and brain. Molecular techniques detected the fungus Exophiala phaeomuriformis from those lesions. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of abortion in horse due to E. phaeomuriformis.
Surgical management of a proximal duodenal hawthorn impaction in a horse
Authors: Thomas Imogen L H , Dixon Jonathon J , Fraser Barny
Published: March 2018

Information available on duodenal impactions is limited. The authors present a case of a horse showing clinical signs likely indicating a small intestinal lesion, with anterior enteritis and a strangulating lesion as the most likely differentials. Due to diagnostics not strongly indicating either, the horse was initially monitored. With no clinical improvement after nasogastric decompression, anterior enteritis was considered unlikely and intervention was required. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an intraluminal obstruction oral to the duodenocolic ligament indicating a duodenal impaction. Manual decompression dislodged, broke apart and pushed the obstruction into the caecum. Postoperatively, ultrasonography revealed numerous intraluminal short linear hyperechoic foci consistent with foreign material, and gastroscopy revealed extensive grade 4 squamous ulceration. From the third day postoperatively droppings were passed containing hawthorn twigs, seeds and husks, concluding that was a duodenal hawthorn impaction. The horse responded well to surgical treatment and rehabilitated with no further abnormalities.
Supplementation of grape seed and skin extract to orlistat therapy prevents high-fat diet-induced murine spleen lipotoxicity
Authors: Bedhiafi Takwa , Charradi Kamel , Azaiz Mouna Ben , Mahmoudi Mohamed , Msakni Issam , Jebari Khawla , Bouziani Ammar , Limam Ferid , Aouani Ezzedine
Published: March 2018

Spleen is the largest lymphoid organ and obesity is related to an elevated risk of immunity dysfunction. The mechanism whereby fat adversely affects the spleen is poorly understood. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) and orlistat (Xenical, Xe) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced spleen lipotoxicity. Obese rats were treated either with GSSE (4 g/kg body weight) or Xe (2 mg/kg body weight) or GSSE+Xe and monitored for weight loss for 3 months. Animals were then sacrificed and their spleen used for the evaluation of lipotoxicity-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the putative protection afforded by GSSE and Xe treatment. HFD induced body weight gain and glycogen accumulation into the spleen; ectopic deposition of cholesterol and triglycerides and an oxidative stress characterized by increased lipoperoxidation and carbonylation; inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities, such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase; depletion of zinc and copper; and a concomitant increase in calcium. HFD also increased plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and C-reactive protein, and decreased plasma IL-10 and adiponectin. Importantly, GSSE counteracted all the deleterious effects of HFD on spleen (i.e., lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation) and the best protection was obtained when combining Xe+GSSE. Combining GSSE with Xe prevented against fat-induced spleen lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation; this combination may be beneficial in other diseases related to the spleen.
Can traditional methods of selecting food accurately assess fish health?
Authors: Cott Peter A. , Amos Amy L. , Guzzo Matthew M. , Chavarie Louise , Goater Cameron P. , Muir Derek C.G. , Evans Marlene S.
Published: March 2018

Indigenous peoples living in Canada’s north have long-valued the livers of Burbot (Lota lota) as a traditional food source; however, there has been concern relating to liver quality and potential contaminants. In this study, livers of Burbot collected in lower Mackenzie River were ranked using a traditional appearance-based assessment. These rankings were compared to a variety of biological and contaminant metrics. Livers ranked “most palatable” had a significantly higher mass and lipid content and were from younger fish with greater hepatosomatic index and total mass and had lower parasite intensities. There were no differences in the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants or metals, except copper, which although still well below consumption guidelines, was significantly higher in fish with livers that appeared most palatable. The results of this study demonstrated that traditional methods effectively assessed the quality of livers by selecting for the most nutritious (high lipid levels) and safest (low parasite loading) food. This method could be incorporated into a community-based monitoring framework as a rough index of overall fish and ecosystem health; however, would not be effective in screening food for anthropogenic contaminants. This study highlights the importance and value of linking traditional knowledge into scientific studies.
Fatty acids in an iteroparous fish: variable complexity, identity, and phenotypic correlates
Authors: Feiner Zachary S. , Swihart Robert K. , Coulter David P. , Höök Tomas O.
Published: March 2018

Ecologists often focus on summarized composition when assessing complex, multivariate phenotypes such as fatty acids. Increasing complexity in fatty acid composition may offer benefits to individuals that may not be recognized by assessing mean fatty acid identity. We quantified fatty acid identity and complexity in the egg and muscle of spawning female yellow perch (Perca flavescens (Mitchill, 1814)) exposed to three overwinter thermal regimes (4, 8, and 13 °C) to evaluate (i) thermal regulation of fatty acid complexity, (ii) fatty acid complexity and identity differences between female muscle and eggs, and (iii) relationships between fatty acid complexity and egg traits. Temperature did not alter fatty acid complexity in either tissue. Muscle contained an even distribution of 12 abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while eggs exhibited a simpler phenotype of eight compounds. Fatty acid complexity in female muscle was positively correlated with potential indicators of egg quality, including size and lipid content. Preferential allocation of fatty acids to eggs by females likely contributed to a simple phenotype dominated by PUFA precursors and energy sources, while muscle represented a more complex fatty acid phenotype. Recognizing complexity could elucidate variation in reproductive condition among individuals, while identifying patterns in fatty acid allocation among populations.
Effect of forager density on feeding rates in spring-staging Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidrispusilla) using different foraging modes
Authors: Novcic Ivana , Beauchamp Guy
Published: March 2018

We examined the influence of the density of foragers on feeding rates of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766)) while using different foraging modes at a spring stopover site in Delaware Bay, USA. Using dynamic estimates of interindividual distances obtained at short intervals of time, we explored how forager density affected feeding rates when Semipalmated Sandpipers used visual pecking or tactile probing. Pecking rate significantly increased with interindividual distances, whereas probe rate was not affected by density. Our study also showed that in fast-moving foragers, such as Semipalmated Sandpipers, in which the number of nearby foragers and distance to the nearest neighbour continuously change throughout the foraging bout, pecking rates are more affected by nearest neighbour distance than by the number of foragers in their immediate vicinity. In addition, our study implies that foragers using different foraging modes might be differently affected by nearby competitors perhaps in response to prey disturbance by neighbours.
Elk (Cervus elaphus) railway mortality in Ontario
Authors: Popp J.N. , Hamr J. , Chan C. , Mallory F.F.
Published: March 2018

Wildlife railway research is highly underrepresented in science despite documented wildlife–train collision mortalities. Gathering baseline information is imperative to the development of effective train collision mitigation, especially for at-risk or small reintroduced populations such as elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) in eastern North America. We tested our hypotheses that elk–train collision rates vary in relation to railway structure and weather by using a combination of radiotelemetry and railway mortality surveys. Elk were closer to the railway in winter than in any other season. Elk–train collision sites were significantly closer to the apex of bends in the railway than random locations along the railway, and collision rates were positively related to snow depth. Railways may be perceived by elk as easy travel corridors, and deep snow likely prohibits escape from oncoming trains. This study gathered important information about an under-studied aspect of wildlife–human conflicts and provides a basis for the investigation of other species that may be affected by railways.
Nano-thick-dielectric encapsulation effects on the refractive index sensitivities of Ag plane-nanosphere-cluster sensors
Authors: Du Chao Ling , Yang Wan Chun , Peng Sheng , Shi Da Ning
Published: March 2018

The nano-thick-dielectric encapsulation effects on the bulk and local refractive index sensitivity behaviors of Ag plane-nanosphere-cluster sensors (including nanosphere monomers, dimers, trimer chains and trimer equilateral triangles, four kinds of normally encountered nanoparticles in experiments) have been numerically investigated by finite element method (FEM). The encapsulation is revealed to decrease the quadratic magnitude of the refractive index responses of their peak wavelengths of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR), while it does not violate such quadratic response natures. Its effect on their capabilities of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) behaviors is discussed too. It is demonstrated to provide an efficient type of SERS substrate for plasmonic sensing and detections, which improves the stability of the concerned nanoparticles, and not diminish their SERS signals, in agreement well with experiments under the same nanostructure parameters. This work holds great promise for further designing SERS-based sensing/detecting substrates and sensors/detectors.
Broadband pulsed difference frequency generation laser source centered 3326 nm based on ring fiber lasers
Authors: Chen Guangwei , Li Wenlei
Published: March 2018

A broadband pulsed mid-infrared difference frequency generation (DFG) laser source based on MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 bulk is experimentally demonstrated, which employs a homemade pulsed ytterbium-doped ring fiber laser and a continuous wave erbium-doped ring fiber laser to act as seed sources. The experimental results indicate that the perfect phase match crystal temperature is about 74.5[Formula: see text]C. The maximum spectrum bandwidth of idler is about 60 nm with suitable polarization states of fundamental lights. The central wavelength of idlers varies from 3293 nm to 3333 nm over the crystal temperature ranges of 70.4–76[Formula: see text]C. A jump of central wavelength exists around crystal temperature of 72[Formula: see text]C with variation of about 30 nm. The conversion efficiency of DFG can be tuned with the crystal temperature and polarization states of fundamental lights.
An overview on the research of Sr2IrO4-based system probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Cheng Jie , Zhu Chaomin , Ma Jingyuan , Wang Yu , Liu Shengli
Published: March 2018

Investigations of materials with 5d transition metal ions have opened up new paradigms in condensed-matter physics because of their large spin-orbit coupling (SOC) interactions. The typical compound is Sr2IrO4, which attracted much attention due to its similarities to the parent compound of high-[Formula: see text] cuprate superconductor La2CuO4. Theoretical calculations predicted that the unconventional superconductivity can occur in carrier doped-Sr2IrO4 system. Until now, hundreds of experimental methods were devoted to investigate the carrier doping effect on Sr2IrO4. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) made great contributions to the local lattice and electronic structure, and also the intimate relationship between the local structure and physical properties induced by carrier doping. The aim of this review is a short introduction to the progress of research on Sr2IrO4-based system probed by the unique technique — XAS, including the strength of the SOC, valence changes upon doping and even local lattice structure with atomic level for this Sr2IrO4-based family.
Toward Efficient Short-Video Sharing in the YouTube Social Network
Authors: Shen Haiying , Chandler Harrison , Wang Haoyu
Published: March 2018

The past few years have seen an explosion in the popularity of online short-video sharing in YouTube. As the number of users continue to grow, the bandwidth required to maintain acceptable quality of service (QoS) has greatly increased. Peer-to-peer (P2P) architectures have shown promise in reducing the bandwidth costs; however, the previous works build one P2P overlay for each video, which provides limited availability of video providers and produces high overlay maintenance overhead. To handle these problems, in this work, we novelly leverage the existing social network in YouTube, where a user subscribes to another user’s channel to track all his/her uploaded videos. The subscribers of a channel tend to watch the channel’s videos and common-interest nodes tend to watch the same videos. Also, the popularity of videos in one channel varies greatly. We study real trace data to confirm these properties. Based on these properties, we propose SocialTube, which builds the subscribers of one channel into a P2P overlay and also clusters common-interest nodes in a higher level. It also incorporates a prefetching algorithm that prefetches higher-popularity videos. To enhance the system performance, we further propose the demand/supply-based cache management scheme and reputation-based neighbor management scheme. Extensive trace-driven simulation results and PlanetLab real-world experimental results verify the effectiveness of SocialTube at reducing server load and overlay maintenance overhead and at improving QoS for users.
Decision Networks for Security Risk Assessment of Critical Infrastructures
Authors: Codetta-Raiteri Daniele , Portinale Luigi
Published: March 2018

We exploit Decision Networks (DN) for the analysis of attack/defense scenarios in critical infrastructures. DN extend Bayesian Networks (BN) with decision and value nodes. DN inherit from BN the possibility to naturally address uncertainty at every level, making possible the modeling of situations that are not limited to Boolean combinations of events. By means of decision nodes, DN can include the interaction level of attacks and countermeasures. Inference algorithms can be directly exploited for implementing a probabilistic analysis of both the risk and the importance of the attacks. Thanks to value nodes, a sound decision theoretic analysis has the goal of selecting the optimal set of countermeasures to activate.
Estimating the Impact of Unknown Unknowns on Aggregate Query Results
Authors: Chung Yeounoh , Mortensen Michael Lind , Binnig Carsten , Kraska Tim
Published: March 2018

It is common practice for data scientists to acquire and integrate disparate data sources to achieve higher quality results. But even with a perfectly cleaned and merged data set, two fundamental questions remain: (1) Is the integrated data set complete? and (2) What is the impact of any unknown (i.e., unobserved) data on query results?

In this work, we develop and analyze techniques to estimate the impact of the unknown data (a.k.a.,
unknown unknowns
) on simple aggregate queries. The key idea is that the overlap between different data sources enables us to estimate the number and values of the missing data items. Our main techniques are parameter-free and do not assume prior knowledge about the distribution; we also propose a parametric model that can be used instead when the data sources are imbalanced. Through a series of experiments, we show that estimating the impact of
unknown unknowns
is invaluable to better assess the results of aggregate queries over integrated data sources.
Words, Words, Words: How the Digital Humanities Are Integrating Diverse Research Fields to Study People
Authors: Gaffield Chad
Published: March 2018

The rapidly developing field of digital humanities (DH) is showing how unprecedented volumes of data such as written expression can be studied to reveal new insights into humans and, therefore, into individual and collective experiences within and across societies. Scholars from disciplines such as literature and history are collaborating with scientists from disciplines such as statistics and computer science. Moreover, these interdisciplinary teams often reach beyond campuses to companies as well as local, national, and international public and nonprofit institutions. Surprisingly, the computational research that began in the humanities in the 1950s did not develop an important presence within mainstream scholarship until half a century later. The DH experiences thus far reflect the complexity of both human expression and research collaborations across diverse fields and sectors. Learning from past successes and failures will help meet today's data analytic challenges and prepare us for opportunities in statistical applications ranging from literary studies and cybersecurity to business intelligence and health indicators.
Reactive oxygen species upregulate expression of muscle atrophy-associated ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b in rat L6 skeletal muscle cells
Authors: Uchida Takayuki , Sakashita Yoshihiro , Kitahata Kanako , Yamashita Yui , Tomida Chisato , Kimori Yuki , Komatsu Akio , Hirasaka Katsuya , Ohno Ayako , Nakao Reiko , Higashitani Atsushi , Higashibata Akira , Ishioka Noriaki , Shimazu Toru , Kobayashi Takeshi , Okumura Yuushi , Choi Inho , Oarada Motoko , Mills Edward M. , Teshima-Kondo Shigetada , Takeda Shin’ichi , Tanaka Eiji , Tanaka Keiji , Sokabe Masahiro , Nikawa Takeshi
Published: March 2018

Unloading-mediated muscle atrophy is associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We previously demonstrated that elevated ubiquitin ligase casitas B-lineage lymphoma-b (Cbl-b) resulted in the loss of muscle volume (Nakao R, Hirasaka K, Goto J, Ishidoh K, Yamada C, Ohno A, Okumura Y, Nonaka I, Yasutomo K, Baldwin KM, Kominami E, Higashibata A, Nagano K, Tanaka K, Yasui N, Mills EM, Takeda S, Nikawa T. Mol Cell Biol 29: 4798–4811, 2009). However, the pathological role of ROS production associated with unloading-mediated muscle atrophy still remains unknown. Here, we showed that the ROS-mediated signal transduction caused by microgravity or its simulation contributes to Cbl-b expression. In L6 myotubes, the assessment of redox status revealed that oxidized glutathione was increased under microgravity conditions, and simulated microgravity caused a burst of ROS, implicating ROS as a critical upstream mediator linking to downstream atrophic signaling. ROS generation activated the ERK1/2 early-growth response protein (Egr)1/2-Cbl-b signaling pathway, an established contributing pathway to muscle volume loss. Interestingly, antioxidant treatments such as N-acetylcysteine and TEMPOL, but not catalase, blocked the clinorotation-mediated activation of ERK1/2. The increased ROS induced transcriptional activity of Egr1 and/or Egr2 to stimulate Cbl-b expression through the ERK1/2 pathway in L6 myoblasts, since treatment with Egr1/2 siRNA and an ERK1/2 inhibitor significantly suppressed clinorotation-induced Cbl-b and Egr expression, respectively. Promoter and gel mobility shift assays revealed that Cbl-b was upregulated via an Egr consensus oxidative responsive element at −110 to −60 bp of the Cbl-b promoter. Together, this indicates that under microgravity conditions, elevated ROS may be a crucial mechanotransducer in skeletal muscle cells, regulating muscle mass through Cbl-b expression activated by the ERK-Egr signaling pathway.
Roles of IL-1α/β in regeneration of cardiotoxin-injured muscle and satellite cell function
Authors: Chaweewannakorn Chayanit , Tsuchiya Masahiro , Koide Masashi , Hatakeyama Hiroyasu , Tanaka Yukinori , Yoshida Shinichirou , Sugawara Shunji , Hagiwara Yoshihiro , Sasaki Keiichi , Kanzaki Makoto
Published: March 2018

Skeletal muscle regeneration after injury is a complex process involving interactions between inflammatory microenvironments and satellite cells. Interleukin (IL)-1 is a key mediator of inflammatory responses and exerts pleiotropic impacts on various cell types. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of IL-1 during skeletal muscle regeneration. We herein show that IL-1α/β-double knockout (IL-1KO) mice exhibit delayed muscle regeneration after cardiotoxin (CTX) injection, characterized by delayed infiltrations of immune cells accompanied by suppressed local production of proinflammatory factors including IL-6 and delayed increase of paired box 7 (PAX7)-positive satellite cells postinjury compared with those of wild-type (WT) mice. A series of in vitro experiments using satellite cells obtained from the IL-1KO mice unexpectedly revealed that IL-1KO myoblasts have impairments in terms of both proliferation and differentiation, both of which were reversed by exogenous IL-1β administration in culture. Intriguingly, the delay in myogenesis was not attributable to the myogenic transcriptional program since MyoD and myogenin were highly upregulated in IL-1KO cells, instead appearing, at least in part, to be due to dysregulation of cellular fusion events, possibly resulting from aberrant actin regulatory systems. We conclude that IL-1 plays a positive role in muscle regeneration by coordinating the initial interactions among inflammatory microenvironments and satellite cells. Our findings also provide compelling evidence that IL-1 is intimately engaged in regulating the fundamental function of myocytes.
Identification of targets of IL-13 and STAT6 signaling in polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Olsan Erin E. , West Jonathan D. , Torres Jacob A. , Doerr Nicholas , Weimbs Thomas
Published: March 2018

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a life-threatening, highly prevalent monogenic disease caused by mutations in polycystin-1 (PC1) in 85% of patients. We have previously identified a COOH-terminal cleavage fragment of PC1, PC1-p30, which interacts with the transcription factor STAT6 to promote transcription. STAT6 is aberrantly active in PKD mouse models and human ADPKD, and genetic removal or pharmacological inhibition of STAT6 attenuates disease progression. High levels of IL-13, a STAT6-activating cytokine, are found in the cyst fluid of PKD mouse models and increased IL-13 receptors in ADPKD patient tissue, suggesting that a positive feedback loop exists between IL-13 and STAT6 is activated in cystic epithelial cells and contributes to disease progression. In this study, we aimed to identify genes aberrantly regulated by STAT6 to better understand how increased IL-13/STAT6 signaling may contribute to PKD progression. We demonstrate that the expression of periostin, galectin-3, and IL-24 is upregulated in various forms of PKD and that their aberrant regulation is mediated by IL-13 and STAT6 activity. Periostin and galectin-3 have previously been implicated in PKD progression. We support these findings by showing that periostin expression is increased after IL-13 treatment in kidney epithelial cells, that galectin-3 expression is increased after injecting IL-13 in vivo and that IL-24 expression is upregulated by both IL-13 treatment and PC1-p30 overexpression in mouse and human kidney cells. Overall, these findings provide insight into the possible mechanisms by which increased IL-13/STAT6 signaling contributes to PKD progression and suggest potential therapeutic targets.
GO Shaping of Omnidirectional Dual-Reflector Antennas with Arbitrary Main-Beam Direction in Elevation Plane by Connecting Conic Sections
Authors: Penchel Rafael A. , Zang Sandro R. , Bergmann José R. , Moreira Fernando J. S.
Published: March 2018

This work discusses an alternative geometrical optics (GO) technique to synthesize omnidirectional dual-reflector antennas with uniform aperture phase distribution together with an arbitrary main-beam direction for the antenna radiation pattern. Sub- and main reflectors are bodies of revolution generated by shaped curves defined by local conic sections consecutively concatenated. The shaping formulation is derived for configurations like ADC (axis-displaced Cassegrain) and ADE (axis-displaced ellipse) omnidirectional antennas. As case studies, two configurations fed by a TEM coaxial horn are designed and analyzed by a hybrid technique based on mode matching and method of moments in order to validate the GO shaping procedure.
The Usefulness of Dual-Layer Spectral Computed Tomography for Myelography: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Iyama Yuji , Nakaura Takeshi , Iyama Ayumi , Katahira Kazuhiro , Yamashita Yasuyuki
Published: March 2018

We describe a case of lumbar stenosis in which retrospective spectral analysis using dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (CT) had the ability to expand the evaluable region in the spinal canal. Spinal canal stenosis is a common condition whose symptoms (such as lower back and leg pain with walking) deteriorate the quality of life. Generally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT myelography are performed to diagnose canal stenosis. Dual-layer spectral detector CT can yield virtual monochromatic imaging and retrospective on-demand spectral analysis without a prescan setting. Spectral analysis could expand the evaluable region in the spinal canal for increasing the contrast enhancement in the canal.
Experimental Analysis of Pretensioned CLT‐Glulam T‐Section Beams
Authors: Estévez-Cimadevila J. , Suárez-Riestra F. , Otero-Chans D. , Martín-Gutiérrez E.
Published: March 2018

The bending behavior of T‐section beams composed of a glulam web and an upper cross‐laminated timber flange was studied. The influence of two fundamental factors on the bending strength and stiffness was considered: the wood species used for the webs and pretensioning with unbonded tendons. Sixteen specimens with a 9 m span were tested until failure: eight of them were nontensioned (4 Picea abies webs and 4 Quercus robur webs) and the other eight were pretensioned using threaded bars with 20 mm diameter anchored in plates fixed at the ends of the specimens (4 Picea abies webs and 4 Quercus robur webs). Pretensioning with unbonded tendons showed a clear improvement in the load capacity of the specimens with Picea abies webs, while the difference was not significant for the specimens with Quercus robur webs. Considering deflection, pretensioning gave the advantage of an initial precamber but also generated slight variations in the stiffness as a result of increasing the portion of the section that was in compression. The variation in the stiffness depended on the relation between the compressive and tensile moduli of elasticity parallel to the grain, and its influence on the deflection was analyzed using a finite element method.
Pulsed Eddy Current Nondestructive Testing for Defect Evaluation and Imaging of Automotive Lightweight Alloy Materials
Authors: Zhang Kai , He Yunze , Dong Zhurong
Published: March 2018

Rapid and accurate damage detection of magnesium-aluminum alloy, which is an important material for automotive lightweight, is of great significance. Pulsed eddy current (PEC) is an effective electromagnetic nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) technique for metal materials. Metal loss evaluation and imaging are one of the most important steps in quality control and maintenance of key components of automobiles. A PEC method based on a rectangular excitation coil and an axial parallel pickup coil is proposed and investigated for the purpose of metal loss evaluation and imaging. Metal loss type of defects with different sections is designed and detected using line scanning technique and C-scan imaging in two scanning directions. Experimental results have illustrated that metal loss depth can be estimated effectively by the peak amplitude of PEC A-scan response. Then, the quantification information of metal loss depth is preliminarily obtained based on the linear fitting equation. Consequently, metal loss evaluation is realized by line scanning peak waves and C-scan pseudo 3D images. At last, the sensitivity comparison shows that the metal loss can be detected in both directions. The proposed method is an effective approach to evaluate the image surface-breaking metal loss in automotive lightweight alloy materials.
Development of Global Chemical Profiling for Quality Assessment of Ganoderma Species by ChemPattern Software
Authors: Zhang Hui , Jiang Huijie , Zhang Xiaojing , Tong Shengqiang , Yan Jizhong
Published: March 2018

Triterpenoids are the major secondary metabolites and active substances in Ganoderma, considered as the “marker compounds” for the chemical evaluation or standardization of Ganoderma. A response surface methodology was used to optimize the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of triterpenoids. The extraction rate was 7.338 ± 0.150 mg/g under the optimum conditions: 87% ethanol, ratio of solid to liquid (w : v) 1 : 28, and ultrasound extraction time 36 min. Based on the high sensitivity and selectivity of HPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MSn, 24 components of triterpenoids were tentatively identified in the negative mode. Then, the global chemical profiling consisting of HPLC and TLC fingerprints generated by ChemPattern™ software was developed for evaluation of Ganoderma species. For fingerprint analysis, 11 peaks of triterpenoids were selected as the characteristic peaks to evaluate the similarities of different samples. The correlation coefficients of similarity were greater than 0.830. The cluster analysis showed a clear separation of three groups, and 11 peaks played key roles in differentiating these samples. The developed global chemical profiling method could be applied for rapid evaluation, quality control, and authenticity identification of Ganoderma and other herbal medicines.
Progress on the Prevention of Esophageal Stricture after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection
Authors: Shi Peina , Ding Xiaoyun
Published: March 2018

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely accepted as an effective, minimally invasive treatment for superficial esophageal cancers. However, esophageal stricture often occurs in patients with large mucosal defects after ESD. In this review, we discuss various approaches recently researched to prevent esophageal strictures after ESD. These approaches can be classified as pharmacological treatments, esophageal stent treatments, and tissue engineering approaches. Most of the preventive approaches still have their limitations and require further research. With the improvement of current therapies, ESD can be more widely utilized as a minimally invasive treatment with minimal complications.
Identification of IL-28B Genotype Modification in Hepatocytes after Living Donor Liver Transplantation by Laser Capture Microdissection and Pyrosequencing Analysis
Authors: Chiu King-Wah , Nakano Toshiaki , Chen Kuang-Den , Hu Tsung-Hui , Lin Chih-Che , Hsu Li-Wen , Chen Chao-Long , Goto Shigeru
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study is to elucidate the biogenetic modification of donor and recipient interleukin-28B (IL-28B) genotypes in liver graft biopsies after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for chronic hepatitis C virus- (HCV-) related, end-stage liver disease. Fifty liver graft biopsies were collected from recipients during LDLT treatment for HCV-related, end-stage liver disease. DNA was extracted from all 50 liver tissues, and the IL-28B single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs8099917 and rs12979860 were studied for allelic discrimination by real-time PCR analysis. Blood samples were obtained from donors and recipients on postoperative day 0 (POD0), POD7, and POD30. We randomly selected five liver biopsies and isolated the hepatocytes by laser capture microdissection (LCM) to evaluate genotype modifications resulting from LDLT. After LDLT, the IL-28B SNP rs8099917 was identified not only in the liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (TT = 41 : 43; GT = 9 : 5; GG = 0 : 2), but also in liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (TT = 41 : 44; GT = 9 : 4; GG = 0 : 2), POD7 (TT = 41 : 30; GT = 9 : 18; GG = 0 : 2), and POD30 (TT = 41 : 29; GT = 9 : 19; GG = 0 : 2). A significant difference was observed between the rs8099917 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD30 (p=0.039). In addition, a significant difference was also noted between the rs12979860 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 10) (p=0.012) and of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 11) (p=0.002), POD7 (CT = 49 : 42; TT = 1 : 8) (p=0.016), and POD30 (CT = 49 : 41; TT = 1 : 9) (p=0.008). This phenomenon was confirmed by pyrosequencing of hepatocytes isolated by LCM. Following LDLT, the TT-to-GT IL-28B genotype modification predominated in rs8099917, and the CC-to-CT modification predominated in rs12979860. In conclusion, these modified phenomena suggested that the selected donor with a predictable and favourable IL-28B genotype will not confer a benefit on the recipient in the living donor liver transplantation setting.
Secondary HLH Case Report Highlighting Clinical Challenges
Authors: El Fakih Riad , Mohamed Said Y. , Alnounou Randa , Elgohary Ghada
Published: March 2018

A 19-year-old patient with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) developed severe and prolonged cytopenia and unexplained jaundice and fever after salvage chemotherapy. His workup revealed hemophagocytosis on the bone marrow biopsy. He was treated for HLH (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) secondary to AML and chemotherapy. The patient died on day 56 after starting his salvage chemotherapy. Unexpectedly, after his death, the microbiology laboratory reported positive mycobacterial growth from a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sample taken during the workup of his fever. This case illustrates the difficulties in the diagnostic workup of HLH to identify triggers in a timely manner so that a targeted and specific therapy can be administered quickly, given the rapid and deadly evolution of the HLH process.
Long-Term Microgravity Effects on Isometric Handgrip and Precision Pinch Force with Visual and Proprioceptive Feedback
Authors: Puglia Ilario , Balsamo Michele , Vukich Marco , Zolesi Valfredo
Published: March 2018

The study and analysis of human physiology during short- and long-duration space flights are the most valuable approach in order to evaluate the effect of microgravity on the human body and to develop possible countermeasures in prevision of future exploratory missions and Mars expeditions. Hand performances such as force output and manipulation capacity are fundamental for astronauts’ intra- and extravehicular activities. Previous studies on upper limb conducted on astronauts during short-term missions (10 days) indicated a temporary partial reduction in the handgrip maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) followed by a prompt recovery and adaptation to weightlessness during the last days of the mission. In the present study, we report on the “Crew’s Health: Investigation on Reduced Operability” (CHIRO) protocol, developed for handgrip and pinch force investigations, performed during the six months increment 7 and increment 8 (2003-2004) onboard International Space Station (ISS). We found that handgrip and pinch force performance are reduced during long-term increments in space and are not followed by adaptation during the mission, as conversely reported during short-term increment experiments. The application of protocols developed in space will be eligible to astronauts during long-term space missions and to patients affected by muscle atrophy diseases or nervous system injury on Earth.
Antidiabetic Effects of a Chinese Herbal Medicinal Compound Sangguayin Preparation via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in db/db Mice
Authors: Xing Qichang , Chen Yunzhong
Published: March 2018

Sangguayin (SGY), comprising four types of Chinese herbs, can be used as both food and medicine and has been clinically used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for a long time. Our previous study demonstrated the antidiabetic effect of SGY in experimental T2DM rats fed with a high‐fat diet and treated with a low dose of streptozotocin. However, its mechanism of action is questionable. In this study, we refined the traditional SGY decoction and investigated its antidiabetic activity in db/db mice. We evaluated the possible molecular mechanism using skeletal muscle tissues. The results show that the treatment with SGY preparation resulted in a decrease in the blood glucose, glycated serum protein, and blood lipid levels and an improvement in the glucose tolerance as well as insulin resistance. In addition, SGY preparation remarkably upregulated the expression of insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate‐1, phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4). Thus, SGY preparation is an effective agent for the treatment of T2DM, and its molecular mechanism may be related to the regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling in the skeletal muscle.
Combined Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Tuberculosis in an Irish Adolescent Female
Authors: Maduemem Kene Ebuka , Adedokun Comfort O. , Vatca Adela
Published: March 2018

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology, which can affect any organ system. Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infection in SLE because of immune dysregulation associated with the latter. We report a case of an adolescent female who presented with a year’s history of polyarticular arthralgia and fever. Physical examination revealed a large left effusion that needed drainage. Investigations revealed a combined diagnosis of SLE and TB. Management comprised quadruple anti-TB therapy and SLE treatment. She made a steady recovery and has maintained a stable state from the lupus perspective.