bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Quinolyl‐Substituted Analogue of Resveratrol Inhibits LPS‐Induced Inflammatory Responses in Microglial Cells by Blocking the NF‐κB/MAPK Signaling Pathways
Authors: Hou Yue , Zhang Yuchen , Mi Yan , Wang Jian , Zhang Haotian , Xu Jikai , Yang Yanqiu , Liu Jingyu , Ding Lingling , Yang Jingyu , Chen Guoliang , Wu Chunfu
Published: August 2019

Scope

The anti‐neuroinflammatory effect of a novel quinolyl‐substituted analogue of resveratrol (RV01) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced microglial activation is investigated, as well as the possible underlying mechanisms.

Methods and results

Cell viability is measured using an MTT assay. Nitric oxide (NO) release is determined by nitrite assay. The interaction between RV01 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is studied using molecular docking. Free radical scavenging activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are determined by DPPH reduction assay and DCFH‐DA assay. Pretreatment with RV01 (1–30 µm) prior to LPS (1 µg mL–1) stimulation decreased NO release and iNOS expression without observable cytotoxicity. RV01 reduced the mRNA levels and secretion of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). RV01 also inhibited LPS‐induced ROS production and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activation. Furthermore, RV01 decreases the protein expression of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) and inhibits the LPS‐induced activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear transcription factor‐κB (NF‐κB) signaling pathways. Additionally, conditioned medium from microglia co‐treated with LPS and RV01 alleviates the death of SH‐SY5Y cells induced by conditioned medium from activated N9 microglial cells. Lastly, a mouse neuroinflammation model is further used to confirm the effect of RV01 in vivo.

Conclusion

These results show that RV01 suppresses microglia‐mediated neuroinflammation and protects neurons from inflammatory damage, which indicates that RV01 has great potential as a nutritional preventive strategy for neuroinflammation‐related diseases.
Caring for a stroke patient: The burden and experiences of primary caregivers in Uganda – A qualitative study
Authors: Gertrude Namale , Kawuma Rachel , Nalukenge Winifred , Kamacooko Onesmus , Yperzeele Laetitia , Cras Patrick , Ddumba Edward , Newton Robert , Seeley Janet
Published: August 2019

Aim

We assessed the burden and experiences of caregivers looking after stroke patients in Kampala, Uganda.

Design

We conducted a qualitative cross‐sectional study between May 2018–July 2018 among primary caregivers of stroke patients.

Methods

The primary caregiver was defined as the person spending most of the time providing daily care for the stroke patient for at least four months. Purposive sampling was used to consecutively recruit the primary caregivers. In‐depth interviews were conducted, and audiotape recorded, and observations were also made. Data were managed using NVIVO 12.0 following thematic approach.

Results

Twenty‐five caregivers were included in the analysis with a mean age of 39.3, SD 10.7. Four themes were identified from the qualitative analysis on caregivers’ experiences of looking after stroke patients: taking on new responsibilities, factors that protected caregivers from breaking down, limited resources and experiences with patient outcomes. Our findings highlight the need for interventions to support stroke patients and their caregivers.
Norwegian midwives' perceptions of their practice environment: A mixed methods study
Authors: Lukasse Mirjam , Henriksen Lena
Published: August 2019

Aim

To investigate Norwegian midwives’ perceptions of their working environment.

Design

A nationwide postal survey in 2014 collected information from 489 midwives, including the Practice Environment Scale and seven open‐ended questions concerning the workplace.

Methods

Psychometric‐, descriptive‐ and comparative analysis was used for the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data.

Results

Psychometric analyses yielded five subscales: Quality of management; Resource adequacy; Midwife‐doctor relations; Opportunities for development; and Midwifery foundation for care. Content analyses identified four main themes: Lack of resources; Insufficient support; Staying in midwifery; and Lack of influence. Subthemes only found in the qualitative analysis were as follows: Fear of adverse events and The strain of shift work. Most midwives rated the PES subscales Midwife‐doctor relations and Quality of management favourable. In contrast, the theme Lack of influence showed that midwives felt powerless in a constantly changing work environment and ruled by the medical model of care.
Application of 1H‐NMR‐based metabolomics to the analysis of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) supplements
Authors: Turbitt John R. , Colson Kimberly L. , Killday K. Brian , Milstead Andrew , Neto Catherine C.
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Commercial cranberry supplements provide a low‐sugar alternative to juices and sweetened fruit consumed for health benefits, but their phytochemical composition and associated biological activity varies depending on the source material and post‐harvest processing. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) is a rapid and environmentally friendly method of generating metabolic profiles of plant materials that may be used to authenticate cranberry products.

Objective

The 1H NMR‐based chemometrics were used to characterise variations in metabolic profiles of cranberry supplements in comparison to a whole cranberry powder reference standard.

Materials and Methods

The secondary metabolite profiles of nine commercial cranberry supplements were compared to a whole cranberry powder reference standard, using 1H‐NMR with Bruker AssureNMR software and principal component analysis (PCA). Content of selected triterpenoids and organic acids was determined by quantitative NMR. Total proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins were determined by established methods.

Results

PCA of 1H‐NMR spectra showed overlap between the cranberry standard and three supplements, but most products varied substantially in metabolic profile. Metabolites contributing to the observed variance include citric acid and cranberry peel constituents ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and hyperoside. Ursolic, oleanolic, citric, quinic and malic acids were readily determined by quantitative 1H‐NMR in the whole cranberry standard, but were below detection limits in many supplements. Proanthocyanidin and flavonoid content in several products was minimal or below detection limits.

Conclusion

The 1H‐NMR chemometrics found significant variation in composition of characteristic cranberry metabolites among commercial preparations, reinforcing the need for reliable industry standards
Self‐similarity analysis of vehicle driver's electrodermal activity
Authors: El Haouij Neska , Ghozi Raja , Poggi Jean‐Michel , Sevestre‐Ghalila Sylvie , Jaïdane Mériem
Published: August 2019

This paper characterizes stress levels via a self‐similarity analysis of the electrodermal activity (EDA) collected in a real‐world driving context. To characterize the EDA richness over scales, the fractional Brownian motion (FBM) process and its corresponding exponent H, estimated via a wavelet‐based approach, are used. Specifically, an automatic scale range selection is proposed in order to detect the linearity in a log scale diagram. The procedure is applied to the EDA signals, from the open database drivedb, originally captured on the foot and the hand of the drivers during a real‐world driving experiment, designed to evoke different levels of arousal and stress. The estimated Hurst exponent H offers a distinction in stress levels when driving in highway versus city, with a reference to restful state of minimal stress level. Specifically, the estimated H values tend to decrease when the driving environmental complexity increases. In addition, the estimated H values on the foot EDA signals allow a better characterization of the driving task than that of hand EDA. The self‐similarity analysis was applied to various physiological signals in literature but not to the EDA so far, a signal which was found to correlate most with human affect. The proposed analysis could be useful in real‐time monitoring of stress levels in urban driving spaces, among other applications.
Dai-Freed anomalies in particle physics
Authors: García-Etxebarria Iñaki , Montero Miguel
Published: August 2019

Abstract

Anomalies can be elegantly analyzed by means of the Dai-Freed theorem. In this framework it is natural to consider a refinement of traditional anomaly cancellation conditions, which sometimes leads to nontrivial extra constraints in the fermion spectrum. We analyze these more refined anomaly cancellation conditions in a variety of theories of physical interest, including the Standard Model and the SU(5) and Spin(10) GUTs, which we find to be anomaly free. Turning to discrete symmetries, we find that baryon triality has a ℤ9 anomaly that only cancels if the number of generations is a multiple of 3. Assuming the existence of certain anomaly-free ℤ4 symmetry we relate the fact that there are 16 fermions per generation of the Standard model — including right-handed neutrinos — to anomalies under time-reversal of boundary states in four-dimensional topological superconductors. A similar relation exists for the MSSM, only this time involving the number of gauginos and Higgsinos, and it is non-trivially, and remarkably, satisfied for the SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1) gauge group with two Higgs doublets. We relate the constraints we find to the well-known Ibañez-Ross ones, and discuss the dependence on UV data of the construction. Finally, we comment on the (non-)existence of K-theoretic θ angles in four dimensions.
Boundary Layer Ozone Across the Indian Subcontinent: Who Influences Whom?
Authors: David Liji M. , Ravishankara A. R.
Published: August 2019

Boundary layer ozone (BLO3) over the Indian subcontinent (IS) can be region‐specific with consequences to health and pollution management strategies. The Goddard Earth Observing System‐Chemistry (GEOS‐Chem) model was used to estimate the contributions of eight IS regions on each other for BLO3. BLO3 in northern India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka is mostly (~65‐70%) influenced by regions outside the subcontinent. Roughly 30% of BLO3 over eastern India is from within the IS, mostly from the Indo‐Gangetic Plain and central India (CI). Southern India is influenced by CI; however, it hardly influences other regions. Northern India and Sri Lanka regions are essentially isolated from other regions in the IS. The meteorology is the primary factor in the redistribution of BLO3 and its precursors. Our results highlight the emerging importance of CI to O3 pollution in addition to the Indo‐Gangetic Plain and shed light on potential strategies for O3 control in the IS.
TOPK inhibits autophagy by phosphorylating ULK1 and promotes glioma resistance to TMZ
Authors: Lu Hui , Xiao Juanjuan , Ke Changshu , Ni Xiaofang , Xiu Ruijuan , Tian Qin , Pan Huaxiong , Zou Ling , Wang Fei , Ma Tengfei , Ji Xinying , Yuan Ping , Liu Lin , Zhang Jianmin , Jia Wei , Duan Qiuhong , Zhu Feng
Published: August 2019

ULK1, the upper-most protein of the ULK1 complex, is emerging as a crucial node in autophagy induction. However, the regulation of ULK1 is not fully understood. In this study, we identified TOPK (T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase), an oncokinase, as a novel upstream kinase to phosphorylate ULK1. We found that TOPK could directly bind with and phosphorylate ULK1 at Ser469, Ser495, and Ser533. The phosphorylation of ULK1 at Ser469, Ser495, and Ser533 by TOPK decreased the activity and stability of ULK1. In addition, we want to examine the initiation of autophagy because the reduction activity of ULK1 reduces the occurrence of autophagy. We demonstrated that TOPK could inhibit the initiation and progression of autophagy in glioma cells. Furthermore, TOPK inhibition increased the sensitivity of glioma cells to temozolomide (TMZ). This discovery provides insight into the problem of TMZ-resistance in GBM treatment.
Asymmetrical methyltransferase PRMT3 regulates human mesenchymal stem cell osteogenesis via miR-3648
Authors: Min Zhang , Xiaomeng Liu , Zheng Li , Yangge Du , Xuejiao Liu , Longwei Lv , Xiao Zhang , Yunsong Liu , Ping Zhang , Yongsheng Zhou
Published: August 2019

Histone arginine methylation, which is catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), plays a key regulatory role in various biological processes. Several PRMTs are involved in skeletal development; however, their role in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is not completely clear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the function of PRMT3, a type-I PRMT that catalyzes the formation of ω-mono- or asymmetric dimethyl arginine, in MSCs osteogenesis. We found that PRMT3 promoted MSCs osteogenic commitment and bone remodeling. PRMT3 activated the expression of miR-3648 by enhancing histone H4 arginine 3 asymmetric dimethylation (H4R3me2a) levels at promoter region of the gene. Overexpression of miR-3648 rescued impaired osteogenesis in PRMT3-deficient cells. Moreover, administration of Prmt3 shRNA or a chemical inhibitor of PRMT3 (SGC707) caused an osteopenia phenotype in mice. These results indicate that PRMT3 is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of bone regeneration and osteopenia disorders.
Exogenous WNT5A and WNT11 proteins rescue CITED2 dysfunction in mouse embryonic stem cells and zebrafish morphants
Authors: Santos João M. A. , Mendes-Silva Leonardo , Afonso Vanessa , Martins Gil , Machado Rui S. R. , Lopes João A. , Cancela Leonor , Futschik Matthias E. , Sachinidis Agapios , Gavaia Paulo , Bragança José
Published: August 2019

Mutations and inadequate methylation profiles of CITED2 are associated with human congenital heart disease (CHD). In mouse, Cited2 is necessary for embryogenesis, particularly for heart development, and its depletion in embryonic stem cells (ESC) impairs cardiac differentiation. We have now determined that Cited2 depletion in ESC affects the expression of transcription factors and cardiopoietic genes involved in early mesoderm and cardiac specification. Interestingly, the supplementation of the secretome prepared from ESC overexpressing CITED2, during the onset of differentiation, rescued the cardiogenic defects of Cited2-depleted ESC. In addition, we demonstrate that the proteins WNT5A and WNT11 held the potential for rescue. We also validated the zebrafish as a model to investigate cited2 function during development. Indeed, the microinjection of morpholinos targeting cited2 transcripts caused developmental defects recapitulating those of mice knockout models, including the increased propensity for cardiac defects and severe death rate. Importantly, the co-injection of anti-cited2 morpholinos with either CITED2 or WNT5A and WNT11 recombinant proteins corrected the developmental defects of Cited2-morphants. This study argues that defects caused by the dysfunction of Cited2 at early stages of development, including heart anomalies, may be remediable by supplementation of exogenous molecules, offering the opportunity to develop novel therapeutic strategies aiming to prevent CHD.
C-Jun drives melanoma progression in PTEN wild type melanoma cells
Authors: Kappelmann-Fenzl Melanie , Gebhard Claudia , Matthies Alexander O. , Kuphal Silke , Rehli Michael , Bosserhoff Anja Katrin
Published: August 2019

Due to the critical impact of active AP-1 transcription factors in melanoma, it is important to define their target genes and to identify and ultimately inhibit oncogenic signals. Here we mapped the genome-wide occupancy of the AP-1 family member c-Jun in different melanoma cells and correlated AP-1 binding with transcriptome data to detect genes in melanoma regulated by c-Jun. Our analysis shows that c-Jun supports the malignant phenotype by deregulating genes in cancer-relevant signaling pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathways. Moreover, we demonstrate that the importance of c-Jun depends on melanoma stage and mutation status of the tumor suppressor PTEN. Our study reveals that activation of c-Jun overrules the tumor suppressive effect of PTEN in early melanoma development. These findings help to understand the relevance of c-Jun within cancer pathways in different melanoma cell types, especially in relation to MAPK and PI3K pathways, which are commonly deregulated in melanomas. Consequently, targeting c-Jun in PTEN+ melanoma cells may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to inhibit survival of melanoma cells to prevent the development of a metastatic phenotype.
Abrogation of store-operated Ca2+ entry protects against crystal-induced ER stress in human proximal tubular cells
Authors: Gombedza Farai C. , Shin Samuel , Kanaras Yianni L. , Bandyopadhyay Bidhan C.
Published: August 2019

Calcium crystal internalization into proximal tubular (PT) cells results in acute kidney injury, nephrocalcinosis, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and kidney-stone formation. Ca2+ supersaturation in PT luminal fluid induces calcium crystal formation, leading to aberrant crystal internalization into PT cells. While such crystal internalization produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell membrane damage, and apoptosis; the upstream signaling events involving dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and ER stress, remain largely unknown. We have recently described a transepithelial Ca2+ transport pathway regulated by receptor-operated Ca2+ entry (ROCE) in PT cells. Therefore, we examined the pathophysiological consequence of internalization of stone-forming calcium crystals such as calcium phosphate (CaP), calcium oxalate (CaOx), and CaP + CaOx (mixed) crystals on the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ signaling by measuring dynamic changes in Ca2+ transients in HK2, human PT cells, using pharmacological and siRNA inhibitors. The subsequent effect on ER stress was measured by changes in ER morphology, ER stress-related gene expression, endogenous ROS production, apoptosis, and necrosis. Interestingly, our data show that crystal internalization induced G-protein-coupled receptor-mediated sustained rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) via store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE); suggesting that the mode of Ca2+ entry switches from ROCE to SOCE following crystal internalization. We found that SOCE components—stromal interacting molecules 1 and 2 (STIM1, STIM2) and ORAI3 (SOCE) channel were upregulated in these crystal-internalized cells, which induced ER stress, ROS production, and cell death. Finally, silencing those SOCE genes protected crystal-internalized cells from prolonged [Ca2+]i rise and ER stress. Our data provide insight into the molecular mechanism of crystal-induced Ca2+ dysregulation, ER stress, and PT cell death and thus could have a translational role in treating crystal nephropathies including kidney stones. Taken together, modulation of Ca2+ signaling can be used as a tool to reverse the pathological consequence of crystal-induced conditions including cardiovascular calcification.
Pristimerin induces apoptosis and autophagy via activation of ROS/ASK1/JNK pathway in human breast cancer in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Zhao Qun , Liu Yingxiang , Zhong Jing , Bi Yun , Liu Yongqiang , Ren Ziting , Li Xiang , Jia Junjun , Yu Mengting , Yu Xianjun
Published: August 2019

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women, and progress toward long-term survival has stagnated. Pristimerin, a natural quinonemethide triterpenoid, exhibits potential anti-tumor effects on various cancers. However, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that pristimerin reduced the viability of breast cancer cells in vitro and the growth of xenografts in vivo, and these reductions were accompanied by thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) inhibition and ASK1 and JNK activation. The results showed that pristimerin inhibited cell cycle progression and triggered cell apoptosis and autophagy. Furthermore, we found that the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was a critical mediator in pristimerin-induced cell death. Enhanced ROS generation by pristimerin activated the ASK1/JNK signaling pathway. Inhibition of ROS with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) significantly decreased pristimerin-induced cell death by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ASK1 and JNK. Taken together, these results suggest a critical role for the ROS/ASK1/JNK pathway in the anticancer activity of pristimerin.
A Stitch in Time Saved Nine: Early Recognition of Propofol Infusion Syndrome under Anesthesia: A Case Report
Authors: Bithal Parmod K. , Ahmad Gazi P. , Daniel Vandan W.
Published: August 2019

Though propofol infusion syndrome results from a larger dose of infusion over a longer period of time, we observed its development even when it was infused for a shorter period of time. In our patient, it was heralded by progressive acidosis and hyperkalemia. Discontinuation of propofol and simultaneous treatment of hyperkalemia averted any harm to the patient.
Sitting Position in Neurosurgery
Authors: Goraksha Shwetal , Thakore Bhoomika , Monteiro Joseph
Published: August 2019

Neurosurgery in the sitting position is used for resection of tumors located in the cerebellopontine angle, pineal region, other technically difficult tumors in the infratentorial region, as well as surgeries of the cervical spine. Since its inception, the use of this particular position has been contentious due its risk-benefit analysis. With improved microsurgical equipment and surgical and anesthetic techniques, as well as advanced monitoring techniques to assure patient safety, many centers are revisiting the sitting position for its potential benefits.
Periprocedural Management during Placement of Flow Diverters in Intracranial Aneurysms: A Clinical Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Mishra Rajeeb K. , Mahajan Charu , Kapoor Indu , Prabhakar Hemanshu
Published: August 2019

Background Placement of flow diverter (FD) is an endovascular technique where the flow to the aneurysm is directed away from the aneurysmal sac using a stent in the parent vessel. In this clinical report, the authors share their institutional experience pertaining to clinical course of patients with intracranial aneurysm requiring placement of FD.

Materials and Methods After approval from institute ethics committee (IEC), the authors retrospectively studied all patients who underwent placement of FD for intracranial aneurysms from January 2014 to December 2017. Data regarding patient demographics, presenting complaints, aneurysm details, anesthesia technique, and intra- and postprocedural complications were noted. Duration of hospital stay, neurological outcome as measured by Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) at discharge and at 6 months was noted. Data are presented as median (range) or number (%).

Results Over a period of 3 years, 22 patients underwent FD placement. Two patients had subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) at the time of presentation, and the rest had unruptured aneurysms. All patients received general anesthesia (GA) for the procedure, and intravenous propofol was used for induction of anesthesia. Majority of the patients received sevoflurane and nitrous oxide combination for maintenance of anesthesia (20/22 [91%]). Five patients were not extubated at the end of the procedure. The most common indication for mechanical ventilation was delayed reversal because of hypothermia. At 6 months of follow-up, GOS was 5 in 18 patients. None of the patients developed any delayed complications related to FD and were neurologically intact.

Conclusions The use of FD for the treatment of aneurysms is a safe option. GA was used for carrying out procedure in all patients. The neurological outcome was good in all patients who were followed at 6 months.
Recurrence Risk in Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke, Patent Foramen Ovale, and Thrombophilia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hviid Claus V. B. , Simonsen Claus Ziegler , Hvas Anne-Mette
Published: August 2019

Objective A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is frequently associated with cryptogenic stroke in the young. Endovascular closure is superior to antithrombotic treatment in prevention of recurrence, but in the presence of a concomitant thrombophilia, the best preventive strategy is unknown. This review investigates if thrombophilia increases the risk of recurrence in patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO and attempts to evaluate the best antithrombotic strategy after PFO closure in these patients.

Methods Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched until April 2018. Study quality was assessed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Quality assessment tool. Odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio for recurrence were pooled in a random effect model stratified by secondary preventive strategy.

Results Eleven studies were included. Inherited or acquired thrombophilia was associated with an increased risk of recurrence (OR = 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44–4.06). Looking only at patients treated with PFO closure, the risk of recurrence just lost significance (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 0.95–4.48). The antithrombotic treatment after PFO closure was heterogeneous and recurrent events occurred in patients with both inherited and acquired thrombophilia treated by antiplatelet as well as anticoagulant therapy.

Conclusion Thrombophilia is associated with an increased risk of recurrence in patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke, which may persist after PFO closure. This suggests a need for antithrombotic therapy after PFO closure. Study heterogeneity precludes strong conclusions on antithrombotic treatment, but life-long antiplatelet therapy to patients without preexisting indication for anticoagulant therapy seems reasonable.
Cerebral White Matter Lesions and Dysmorphisms: Signs Suggestive of 6p25 Deletion Syndrome—Literature Review
Authors: Pavone Piero , Marino Simona Domenica , Corsello Giovanni , Ruggieri Martino , Chiodo Danilo Castellano , Marino Silvia , Falsaperla Raffaele
Published: August 2019

Deletion of the region including chromosome 6p25 has been defined as a syndrome, with more than 68 reported cases. Individuals affected by the syndrome exhibit variable findings, including developmental delay and intellectual disability, cardiac anomalies, dysmorphic features, and—less commonly—skeletal and renal malformations. Ocular and hearing abnormalities are the most notable presenting features. The region encompasses more than 15 genes, of which the FOX group is the most likely causal factor of the clinical manifestations. We report the case of a 2-year-old child with developmental delay, generalized hypotonia, facial dysmorphism, and anomalies involving malformations of the eyes, heart, teeth, and skeleton. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the child's brain displayed cerebral anomalies involving the white matter, perivascular spaces, and corpus callosum. Array-CGH (comparative genomic hybridization) analysis displayed a de novo partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 6, extending 5.13 Mb from nt 407.231 to nt 5.541.179. In infancy, neuroradiologic findings of abnormalities in the cerebral white matter and other neurologic anomalies elsewhere in the brain, in association with dysmorphisms and malformations, are highly suggestive of the diagnosis of 6p25 deletion syndrome. When these anomalies are found, the syndrome must be included in the differential diagnosis of disorders affecting the cerebral white matter.
Early Detection and Management of Prader-Willi Syndrome in Egyptian Patients
Authors: El-Bassyouni Hala T. , Hassan Nagwa , Mahfouz Inas , Abd-Elnaby Azza E. , Mostafa Mostafa I. , Tosson Angie M.S.
Published: August 2019

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a distinct neurodevelopmental disorder associated with the deletion within the chromosomal 15q11-q13 region or uniparental disomy of chromosome 15. The etiologic heterogeneity of PWS makes it very difficult to establish uniform diagnostic methods which would result in the detection of most affected individuals. The objective was to report the clinical criteria and oro-dental features in PWS, to report the effect of diet and laser acupuncture on PWS and highlighted an easy effective method for early diagnosis of individuals with PWS. The study included seventeen cytogenetically proven individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome. These patients were subjected to meticulous history taking, clinical examination including oro-dental examination, bone densitometry and neuropsychiatric evaluation. They received laser acupuncture sessions in addition to nutrition intervention. All cases had characteristic facies, hypotonia and various psychosocial difficulties. Other criteria of PWS were present in different percentages. Karyotyping revealed deletion 15q11-q13 in 6 patients, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed a microdeletion in 15q11–q13 in the other 11 patients. To our knowledge, partial ankyloglossia, median grooved tongue and hypodontia have not previously been reported in PWS patients. Laser acupuncture sessions and diet were effective in weight decline for PWS patients. Our study emphasizes the importance of early detection of PWS, laser sessions, diet restriction and oro-dental examination in the follow up of patients with Prader Willi syndrome.
MuSCA: a multi-scale source–sink carbon allocation model to explore carbon allocation in plants. An application to static apple tree structures
Authors: Reyes F , Pallas B , Pradal C , Vaggi F , Zanotelli D , Tagliavini M , Gianelle D , Costes E
Published: August 2019

Background and aims

Carbon allocation in plants is usually represented at a topological scale, specific to each model. This makes the results obtained with different models, and the impact of their scales of representation, difficult to compare. In this study, we developed a multi-scale carbon allocation model (MuSCA) that allows the use of different, user-defined, topological scales of a plant, and assessment of the impact of each spatial scale on simulated results and computation time.

Methods

Model multi-scale consistency and behaviour were tested on three realistic apple tree structures. Carbon allocation was computed at five scales, spanning from the metamer (the finest scale, used as a reference) up to first-order branches, and for different values of a sap friction coefficient. Fruit dry mass increments were compared across spatial scales and with field data.

Key Results

The model was able to represent effects of competition for carbon assimilates on fruit growth. Intermediate friction parameter values provided results that best fitted field data. Fruit growth simulated at the metamer scale differed of ~1 % in respect to results obtained at growth unit scale and up to 60 % in respect to first order branch and fruiting unit scales. Generally, the coarser the spatial scale the more predicted fruit growth diverged from the reference. Coherence in fruit growth across scales was also differentially impacted, depending on the tree structure considered. Decreasing the topological resolution reduced computation time by up to four orders of magnitude.

Conclusions

MuSCA revealed that the topological scale has a major influence on the simulation of carbon allocation. This suggests that the scale should be a factor that is carefully evaluated when using a carbon allocation model, or when comparing results produced by different models. Finally, with MuSCA, trade-off between computation time and prediction accuracy can be evaluated by changing topological scales.
A New Construction for Linkable Secret Handshake
Authors: Tian Yangguang , Li Yingjiu , Deng Robert H , Li Nan , Yang Guomin , Yang Zheng
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we introduce a new construction for linkable secret handshake that allows authenticated users to perform handshake anonymously within allowable times. We define formal security models for the new construction, and prove that it can achieve session key security, anonymity, untraceability and linkable affiliation-hiding. In particular, the proposed construction ensures that (i) anyone can trace the real identities of dishonest users who perform handshakes for more than k times; and (ii) an optimal communication cost between authorized users is achieved by exploiting the proof of knowledges.
Immunosuppressive therapy to reduce mitral regurgitation in Libman–Sacks endocarditis: a case report
Authors: Ishizu Kenichi , Isotani Akihiro , Yamaji Kyohei , Ando Kenji
Published: August 2019

Background

Libman–Sacks endocarditis is a cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is characterized by non-bacterial verrucous vegetations, causing valvular stenosis and/or regurgitation. The effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapy for valve dysfunction due to Libman–Sacks endocarditis has not been reported.

Case summary

A 67-year-old woman with a history of chronic atrial fibrillation was emergently admitted with acute decompensated heart failure. Transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed severe mitral regurgitation (MR) due to oedematous thickening and poor coaptation of the medial edge of A2/P2 segments and the lateral edge of A3/P3 segments. Serial blood culture results were negative, suggesting bacterial infective endocarditis to be a less likely cause of valvular damage. Because the patient developed photosensitivity, livedo reticularis, and pancytopenia, Libman–Sacks endocarditis with rapidly progressive SLE was diagnosed on the basis of positive test results of anti-double-stranded DNA-IgG and its complement titer. Two months after, immunosuppressive therapy including corticosteroids, a transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed thinning of the degenerative mitral valve leaflets and a reduction of MR from severe to mild.

Discussion

Corticosteroid therapy for Libman–Sacks endocarditis reportedly increases the extent of fibrosis and scarring of the valve leaflets, resulting in worse valve function. In our patient, MR decreased from severe to mild after corticosteroid therapy. Because low-echoic thickening of the mitral valve leaflets suggested acute oedematous changes without scarring and fibrosis and other clinical symptoms of SLE rapidly progressed, early initiation of immunosuppressive therapy for Libman–Sacks endocarditis lead to a benign clinical course in our patient.
At Least Something: The UN Special Committee on the Problem of Hungary, 1957–1958
Authors: Lieblich Eliav
Published: August 2019

In late 1956, the United Nations (UN) faced a remarkable test, as the Soviet Union invaded and crushed a burgeoning rebellion in Hungary, then a Soviet satellite. After the Soviet Union disregarded repeated UN calls to withdraw, the UN General Assembly established, in January 1957, a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to investigate the crisis. This article explores the forgotten story of the Special Committee on Hungary as a case study for the effects of COIs. This commission is of special interest for several reasons. Namely, it was one of the first mandated by a UN body to investigate a specific conflict, not least a Cold War struggle, in which a superpower was directly involved. Furthermore, it was clear from the beginning that the Committee was not likely to compel, in itself, the Soviet Union to change its behaviour. Moreover, 1956 was a time of global political transformation, as the non-aligned movement emerged as a key player in UN politics and, accordingly, became a target in the Cold War battle for influence. Under such circumstances, the effects of COIs are complex and difficult to gauge. While the Committee did not lead to the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Hungary, it had many unforeseen and conflicting effects. These are grouped into two categories – effects relating mainly to times of ideological conflict and political transformation and effects that relate to parallel multilateral efforts and institutional dynamics. Among other effects, the article demonstrates how, under such political circumstances, COIs can create new points of contention and cause backlash precisely from those that they seek to influence. Having cascading and conflicting effects, the central conclusion is that COIs do not lend themselves easily to clean and linear theories. Recognition of the field’s inherent complexity is therefore needed in any attempt to study this international phenomenon.
The Unintended Consequences of the Goldstone Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Organizations in Israel
Authors: Khoury-Bisharat Hala
Published: August 2019

Scholarly writings on internationally constituted commissions of inquiry (COIs), as outlined in the introduction to this symposium, give inadequate attention to the effects that they might have on local disputes that these bodies are often created to address. The United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (2009), popularly known as the Goldstone Commission, had unintended and unforeseen consequences at the domestic level. Specifically, the Commission caused a severe backlash against human rights organizations in Israel (IsHROs). This article analyses the backlash against the Commission and the effect of that backlash on human rights organizations and human rights advocacy in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in the first few years after the release of the Goldstone report. This case study reveals how a government can use a COI intervention in an ongoing conflict to deflect criticism against it and to delegitimize local human rights organizations and, as a result, to intensify enemy–friend dynamics within a conflict. The findings of this case study thus challenge the assumption of much of the socio-legal literature that the interaction of international human rights institutions with domestic actors leads to positive human rights change. But the case study also adds a new dimension to the academic and policy literature that has been critical of the international human rights enterprise in recent years. Despite delegitimization campaigns, international funding has increased for many IsHROs, and, eventually, some groups have become even more visible and have enjoyed, internationally, a higher reputation and greater credibility. The Commission’s experience thus demonstrates that the establishment of COIs in deeply divided conflict societies can have negative, as well as positive, implications on human rights.
A reappraisal of the H–κ stacking technique: implications for global crustal structure
Authors: Ogden C S , Bastow I D , Gilligan A , Rondenay S
Published: August 2019

H–κ stacking is used routinely to infer crustal thickness and bulk-crustal VP/VS ratio from teleseismic receiver functions. The method assumes that the largest amplitude P-to-S conversions beneath the seismograph station are generated at the Moho. This is reasonable where the crust is simple and the Moho marks a relatively abrupt transition from crust to mantle, but not if the crust–mantle transition is gradational and/or complex intracrustal structure exists. We demonstrate via synthetic seismogram analysis that H–κ results can be strongly dependent on the choice of stacking parameters (the relative weights assigned to the Moho P-to-S conversion and its subsequent reverberations, the choice of linear or phase-weighted stacking, input crustal P-wave velocity) and associated data parameters (receiver function frequency content and the sample of receiver functions analysed). To address this parameter sensitivity issue, we develop an H–κ approach in which cluster analysis selects a final solution from 1000 individual H–κ results, each calculated using randomly selected receiver functions, and H–κ input parameters. 10 quality control criteria that variously assess the final numerical result, the receiver function data set, and the extent to which the results are tightly clustered, are used to assess the reliability of H–κ stacking at a station. Analysis of synthetic data sets indicates H–κ works reliably when the Moho is sharp and intracrustal structure is lacking but is less successful when the Moho is gradational. Limiting the frequency content of receiver functions can improve the H–κ solutions in such settings, provided intracrustal structure is simple. In cratonic Canada, India and Australia, H–κ solutions generally cluster tightly, indicative of simple crust and a sharp Moho. In contrast, on the Ethiopian plateau, where Palaeogene flood-basalts overlie marine sediments, H–κ results are unstable and erroneous. For stations that lie on thinner flood-basalt outcrops, and/or in regions where Blue Nile river incision has eroded through to the sediments below, limiting the receiver function frequency content to longer periods improves the H–κ solution and reveals a 6–10 km gradational Moho, readily interpreted as a lower crustal intrusion layer at the base of a mafic (VP/VS = 1.77–1.87) crust. Moving off the flood-basalt province, H–κ results are reliable and the crust is thinner and more felsic (VP/VS = 1.70–1.77), indicating the lower crustal intrusion layer is confined to the region covered by flood-basaltic volcanism. Analysis of data from other tectonically complex settings (e.g. Japan, Cyprus) shows H–κ stacking results should be treated cautiously. Only in regions of relatively simple crust can H–κ stacking analysis be considered truly reliable.
Celebrating a New Division of Botany at SICB: An Introduction to the Integrative Plant Biology Symposium
Authors: Matthew Ogburn R , Edwards Erika J
Published: August 2019

The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) should, in theory, be a home for scientists working across the entire Tree of Life. In practice, SICB has remained principally a society that supports integrative zoological research. Here we highlight a broad collection of what we consider to the best in integrative and comparative plant biology, gathered together for a special symposium at the 2019 SICB meeting. This symposium and special issue mark the initiation of a new Division of Botany within SICB, which we hope will usher in a new era of SICB where botanists and zoologists engage, collaborate, and celebrate together in this especially creative period of integrative and comparative biology.
Modeling thermal conductivity of Ag/water nanofluid by applying a mathematical correlation and artificial neural network
Authors: Ramezanizadeh Mahdi , Alhuyi Nazari Mohammad
Published: August 2019

Due to the significance importance of effective thermal conductivity of heat transfer fluids in various renewable energy system, such as geothermal and solar thermal plants, using naofluids can result in augment in the efficiency. Metallic nano particles dispersion in a pure fluid leads to considerable enhancement in the thermal conductivity. The improvement in the thermal conductivity is dependent on various factors. In the present research, two machine learning algorithms, a correlation and Group Method of Data Handling, are applied to predict thermal conductivity of silver/water nanofluid. Temperature, concentration and size of solid particles are considered as the input data. According to statistical comparison of the models, employing GMDH artificial neural network results in more precise and appropriate model. The coefficients of correlation, R-squared values, for the proposed correlation and ANN-based models are 0.948 and 0.99 respectively.
Measuring Populism across Nations: Testing for Measurement Invariance of an Inventory of Populist Attitudes
Authors: Wettstein Martin , Schulz Anne , Steenbergen Marco , Schemer Christian , Müller Philipp , Wirz Dominique S , Wirth Werner
Published: August 2019

The rising voter support for populist parties in Western Democracies in recent years has incited academic interest in populist voters and attitudes connected to the voting propensity of populist actors. In line of this research, numerous scales to measure populist attitudes among voters have been proposed. In most cases, however, the measurement of populist attitudes was tailored to specific countries and its applicability to cross-national research on populism was not assessed. This article uses a cross-national survey to assess the measurement invariance, reliability, and validity of a deductively developed inventory for populist attitudes. The findings suggest that there is a common attitudinal base to left- and right-wing populism which may be measured reliably and invariantly across nations.
Supporting the use of standardized nursing terminologies with automatic subject heading prediction: a comparison of sentence-level text classification methods
Authors: Moen Hans , Hakala Kai , Peltonen Laura-Maria , Suhonen Henry , Ginter Filip , Salakoski Tapio , Salanterä Sanna
Published: August 2019

Objective

This study focuses on the task of automatically assigning standardized (topical) subject headings to free-text sentences in clinical nursing notes. The underlying motivation is to support nurses when they document patient care by developing a computer system that can assist in incorporating suitable subject headings that reflect the documented topics. Central in this study is performance evaluation of several text classification methods to assess the feasibility of developing such a system.

Materials and Methods

Seven text classification methods are evaluated using a corpus of approximately 0.5 million nursing notes (5.5 million sentences) with 676 unique headings extracted from a Finnish university hospital. Several of these methods are based on artificial neural networks. Evaluation is first done in an automatic manner for all methods, then a manual error analysis is done on a sample.

Results

We find that a method based on a bidirectional long short-term memory network performs best with an average recall of 0.5435 when allowed to suggest 1 subject heading per sentence and 0.8954 when allowed to suggest 10 subject headings per sentence. However, other methods achieve comparable results. The manual analysis indicates that the predictions are better than what the automatic evaluation suggests.

Conclusions

The results indicate that several of the tested methods perform well in suggesting the most appropriate subject headings on sentence level. Thus, we find it feasible to develop a text classification system that can support the use of standardized terminologies and save nurses time and effort on care documentation.