bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resveratrol Improves Cognitive Impairment by Regulating Apoptosis and Synaptic Plasticity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Tian Zhiyan , Wang Jinhua , Xu Ming , Wang Yan , Zhang Miao , Zhou Yuying
Published: December 2016

Aims: To investigate the effects of resveratrol on cognitive impairment in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and to explore the mechanisms of that phenomenon. Methods: Sixty healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group (Con group, n = 15), Res group (normal Sprague Dawley rats treated with resveratrol, n = 15), diabetes mellitus group (DM group, n = 15) and DM + Res group (diabetic rats treat with resveratrol, n = 15). Streptozotocin (STZ) was injected intraperitoneally to establish the diabetic model. One week after diabetic model induction, the animals in the Res group and the DM + Res group received resveratrol intraperitoneally once a day for consecutive 4 weeks. The Morris water maze test was applied to assess the effect of resveratrol on learning and memory. To explore the mechanisms of resveratrol on cognition, we detected the protein expression levels of Caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax, NMDAR1 (N-Methyl-d-Aspartate receptor) and BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) via western blotting analysis. Results: Resveratrol has no obvious effect on normal SD rats. Compared to Con group, cognitive ability was significantly impaired with increased expression of Caspase-3, Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2, NMDAR1 and BDNF in diabetic rats. By contrast, resveratrol treatment improved the cognitive decline. Evidently, resveratrol treatment reversed diabetes-induced changes of protein expression. Conclusions: Resveratrol significantly ameliorates cognitive decline in STZ-induced diabetic model rats. The potential mechanism underlying the protective effect could be attributed to the inhibition of hippocampal apoptosis through the Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 signaling pathways and improvement of synaptic dysfunction. BDNF may also play an indispensable role in this mechanism.
MiR-155 is Involved in Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via Direct Targeting of FoxO3a and Regulating Renal Tubular Cell Pyroptosis
Authors: Wu Haoyu , Huang Tao , Ying Liang , Han Conghui , Li Dawei , Xu Yao , Zhang Ming , Mou Shan , Dong Zhen
Published: December 2016

Background/Aims: Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) plays a crucial role in renal transplantation and can cause renal failure associated with pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory-induced programmed cell death. Small endogenous non-coding RNAs have been shown to be involved in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. This study was performed to investigate which miRNAs regulate pyroptosis in response to renal ischemia/reperfusion injury and determine the mechanism underlying this regulation. Methods: An in vivo rat model of renal IRI was established, and the serum and kidneys were harvested 24 h after reperfusion to assess renal function and histological changes. For the in vitro study, the cultured human renal proximal tubular cell line HK-2 was subjected to 24 h of hypoxia (5% CO2, 1% O2, and 94% N2) followed by 12 h of reoxygenation (5% CO2, 21% O2, and 74% N2). The mRNA expression levels were analyzed by real-time PCR, and the protein expression levels were analyzed using Western blot, immunofluorescence staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Bioinformatics analyses were applied to predict miR-155 targets, which were then confirmed by a luciferase reporter assay. Results: We found that the levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, including caspase-1, caspase-11, IL-1β and IL-18, were significantly increased after renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Similarly, hypoxia-reoxygenation injury (HRI) also induced pyroptosis in HK2 cells. Furthermore, our study revealed that miR-155 expression was substantially increased in the renal tissues of IRI rats and in HRI HK2 cells. Up-regulation of miR-155 promoted HK2 cell pyroptosis in HRI; conversely, knockdown of miR-155 attenuated this process. To understand the signaling mechanisms underlying the pro-pyroptotic activity of miR-155, we found that exogenous expression of miR-155 up-regulated the expression of caspase-1 as well as the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. Moreover, miR-155 directly repressed FoxO3a expression and its downstream protein apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC). Conclusions: Our study proposes a new signaling pathway of miR-155/FoxO3a/ARC leading to renal pyroptosis under ischemia/reperfusion injury conditions.
Telomere Dysfunction in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cryptogenic Cirrhosis
Authors: Laish Ido , Mannasse-Green Batya , Hadary Ruth , Biron-Shental Tal , Konikoff Fred M. , Amiel Aliza , Kitay-Cohen Yona
Published: December 2016

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC) are considered preneoplastic conditions that might progress to hepatocellular carcinoma. We evaluated parameters of telomere dysfunction in these patient groups to study the correlation between telomere length and the progression of NAFLD. We analyzed peripheral lymphocytes from 22 patients with NAFLD, 20 patients with CC, and 20 healthy, age-matched controls. Telomere length was analyzed using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization, and cellular senescence was evaluated by the percentage of cells with senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. The expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA was measured using polymerase chain reaction, and telomere capture (TC) was assessed with 2 Cytocell probes, 15qter and 13qter. Shorter telomere length and increased cellular senescence was demonstrated in patients with NAFLD, compared to the CC patients and healthy controls. While hTERT mRNA was significantly decreased, TC was increased in CC patients, compared to the NAFLD group and healthy individuals. Thus, there is a correlation between hTERT mRNA expression and telomere length in patients with NAFLD, which might be related to associated metabolic disorders and the risk of malignant transformation. Patients with CC, on the contrary, elongate their telomeres through the TC mechanism.
Thrombocytopathy leading to impaired in vivo haemostasis and thrombosis in platelet type von Willebrand disease
Authors: Kaur Harmanpreet , Corscadden Kathryn , Ware Jerry , Othman Maha
Published: December 2016

Platelet defects due to hyper-responsive GPIbα causing enhanced VWF interaction, counter-intuitively result in bleeding rather than thrombosis. The historical explanation of platelet/VWF clearance fails to explain mechanisms of impaired haemostasis particularly in light of reported poor platelet binding to fibrinogen. This study aimed to evaluate the defects of platelets with hyper-responsive GPIbα and their contribution to impaired in vivo thrombosis. Using the PT-VWD mouse model, platelets from the hTgG233V were compared to control hTgWT mice. Platelets’ pro-coagulant capacity was evaluated using flowcytometry assessment of P-selectin and annexin V. Whole blood platelet aggregation in response to ADP, collagen and thrombin was tested. Clot kinetics using laser injury thrombosis model and the effect of GPIbα inhibition in vivo using 6B4; a monoclonal antibody, were evaluated. Thrombin-induced platelet P-selectin and PS exposure were significantly reduced in hTgG233V compared to hTgWT and not signifi-cantly different when compared to unstimulated platelets. The hTgG233V platelets aggregated normally in response to collagen, and had a delayed response to ADP and thrombin, when compared to hTgWT platelets. Laser injury showed significant impairment of in vivo thrombus formation in hTgG233V compared to hTgWT mice. There was a significant lag in in vitro clot formation in turbidity assay but no impairment in thrombin generation was observed using thromboelastography. The in vivo inhibition of GPIbα facilitated new – unstable – clot formation but did not improve the lag. We conclude platelets with hyper-responsive GPIbα have complex intrinsic defects beyond the previously described mechanisms. Abnormal signalling through GPIbα and potential therapy using inhibitors require further investigations.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Optimal timing of vitamin K antagonist resumption after upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Wallvik Niklas , Eriksson Joakim , Höijer Jonas , Bottai Matteo , Holmström Margareta , Schulman Sam , Majeed Ammar
Published: December 2016

The optimal timing of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) resumption after an upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, in patients with continued indication for oral anticoagulation, is uncertain. We included consecutive cases of VKA-associated upper GI bleeding from three hospitals retrospectively. Data on the bleeding location, timing of VKA resumption, recurrent GI bleeding and thromboembolic events were collected. A model was constructed to evaluate the ‘total risk’, based on the sum of the cumulative rates of recurrent GI bleeding and thromboembolic events, depending on the timing of VKA resumption. A total of 121 (58 %) of 207 patients with VKA-associated upper GI bleeding were restarted on anticoagulation after a median (interquartile range) of one (0.2–3.4) week after the index bleeding. Restarting VKAs was associated with a reduced risk of thromboembolism (HR 0.19; 95 % CI, 0.07–0.55) and death (HR 0.61; 95 % CI, 0.39–0.94), but with an increased risk of recurrent GI bleeding (HR 2.5; 95 % CI, 1.4–4.5). The composite risk obtained from the combined statistical model of recurrent GI bleeding, and thromboembolism decreased if VKAs were resumed after three weeks and reached a nadir at six weeks after the index GI bleeding. On this background we will discuss how the disutility of the outcomes may influence the decision regarding timing of resumption. In conclusion, the optimal timing of VKA resumption after VKA-associated upper GI bleeding appears to be between 3–6 weeks after the index bleeding event but has to take into account the degree of thromboembolic risk, patient values and preferences.
O voo do cisne: quando o corpo testemunha a dança
Authors: Camargo Andréia Vieira Abdelnur
Published: December 2016

Este artigo trama diferentes experiências de recriação coreográfica sobre a figura emblemática do cisne para discutir como o corpo pode ser visto como testemunho da dança e dos sujeitos que dançam ao longo dos séculos XIX, XX e XXI. O cisne, uma das figuras mais citadas pela gestualidade da dança ocidental, alvitra uma possibilidade de olhar as histórias da dança e compreender em que medida os corpos atravessaram as tradições e se impuseram como coautores daquilo que se convencionou chamar de História da Dança. Com base em Estudos do Corpo, Teoria e Historiografia da dança, aportaremos na análise da Trilogia do Cisne, obra coreográfica criada pelo grupo brasileiro Pró--Posição entre 2007 e 2009.
Corporeidades dissonantes: reflexões sobre o espetáculo Disabled Theater
Authors: Bianchi Paloma
Published: December 2016

Este artigo traz reflexões sobre o trabalho Disabled Theater da companhia suíça Theater HORA, dirigido por Jérôme Bel, apresentada em Belo Horizonte (MG) em 2014. Ao colocar em cena artistas com diferentes deficiências de aprendizagem, Disabled Theater discute temas como corporeidade, normalidade, normatividade e ética. A reflexão aqui apresentada decorre da trama entre teorias de pesquisadores como José Antonio Sánchez, Óscar Cornago e Francisco Ortega.
O luto transformado em luta: uma experiência de Teatro do Oprimido com pessoas cegas
Authors: Andrade Clara De
Published: December 2016

Este trabalho se propõe refletir sobre as questões do trauma e do luto a partir de uma experiência de Teatro do Oprimido com pessoas cegas. O contato com os desafios vivenciados cotidianamente pelos participantes, trazidos à tona durante o processo da oficina por testemunhos e pela prática teatral, possibilitou estabelecer relações diretas com a dificuldade de elaboração da perda e seus desdobramentos na vida em sociedade. A reflexão sobre esses temas motivou ainda o debate sobre a possível função do encontro coletivo e artístico para se vislumbrar novos caminhos de transformação humana e social.
Le Retour au désert: o grotesco em Koltès
Authors: Freitas Renata Cazarini de
Published: December 2016

Este artigo se propõe a demonstrar como o dramaturgo Bernard-Marie Koltès atravessou a ponte da retórica antiga para extravasar para o palco contemporâneo o tema da guerra e da falta de liberdade, retomando memórias pessoais em Le Retour au désert (O retorno ao deserto, 1988). A análise é centrada nas rubricas e na enunciação discursiva.
Por uma ética da desnaturalização: A nudez no teatro de Marcio Abreu
Authors: Small Daniele Avila
Published: December 2016

Este ensaio pretende investigar a nudez no teatro de Marcio Abreu e da companhia brasileira de teatro como estratégia crítica para desestabilizar comportamentos naturalizados no teatro. As peças Descartes com lentes, Isso te interessa?, PROJETO bRASIL e Nós serão brevemente abordadas como exemplos em que a nudez aparece como artifício de elaboração formal que pode convocar o corpo do espectador à presença e à atenção e sua mente a elaborar sobre as coisas do teatro e sobre as coisas do mundo.
De uma crítica e seus destinos
Authors: Vieira Ana Bigotte
Published: December 2016

Revisitando um texto escrito no âmbito de uma apresentação sobre “Trabalho nas artes e na ciência” a convite da plataforma de teoria crítica Unipop, e tendo como ponto de partida o espectáculo Han Shot First, de Diogo Bento e Inês Vaz, discute-se “Exaustão” e “Celebração” como tonalidades emotivas paradigmáticas daquilo a que Bojana Kunst chama “temporalidade projectiva”, um tipo de temporalidade ligada à contínua interpelação para que se façam projectos que caracterizem o trabalho nas artes e na ciência hoje em dia.
Normal Reference Values and
z
Scores of the Pulmonary Artery Acceleration Time in Children and Its Importance for the Assessment of Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Koestenberger Martin , Grangl Gernot , Avian Alexander , Gamillscheg Andreas , Grillitsch Marlene , Cvirn Gerhard , Burmas Ante , Hansmann Georg
Published: December 2016

Background—

Pulsed-wave Doppler determination of the pulmonary artery acceleration time (PAAT) as a surrogate for pulmonary artery pressure was found to be of clinical value for assessment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with studies to date exclusively performed in adults. This study aims to provide representative, normal reference values for PAAT in children of all ages. Moreover, we validated abnormal PAAT values in 54 children with PH.

Methods and Results—

We conducted a prospective echocardiographic study in 756 healthy children (aged 1 day to 18 years) and in 54 children with PH. Possible associations of age, body length, body weight, body surface area, and heart rate on PAAT were investigated. The PAAT correlated positively with age (
r
=0.848), body length (
r
=0.871), body surface area (
r
=0.856), and body weight (
r
=0.825) and negatively with heart rate (
r
=−0.906). PAAT increased with age (neonates: median: 81 ms, range: 53–104; 18th year of life: median: 151 ms, range: 107–187). Receiver operating characteristic analysis for detecting PH patients using age-specific
z
scores showed an excellent performance of PAAT (
P
<0.001; area under the curve, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–0.99) with a best cutoff score according to Youden index of –1.565 (sensitivity: 92%, specificity: 96%). PAAT values of PH patients negatively correlated (ρ=−0.497) with pulmonary vascular resistance.

Conclusions—

The PAAT normal reference values and
z
scores we provide here will be useful to identify children with a shortened PAAT. Abnormal PAAT values with scores <−2 were predictive of PH.
Effect of Arteriovenous Anastomosis on Blood Pressure Reduction in Patients With Isolated Systolic Hypertension Compared With Combined Hypertension
Authors: Ott Christian , Lobo Melvin D. , Sobotka Paul A. , Mahfoud Felix , Stanton Alice , Cockcroft John , Sulke Neil , Dolan Eamon , van der Giet Markus , Hoyer Joachim , Furniss Stephen S. , Foran John P. , Witkowski Adam , Januszewicz Andrzej , Schoors Danny , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Rensing Benno J. , Saxena Manish , Scott Benjamin , Ng G. André , Achenbach Stephan , Schmieder Roland E. ,   the ROX CONTROL HTN Investigators, Schmid Michael , Jain Ajay , Knight Charles , Mathur Anthony , Balmforth Peter , Luitjens Sandra F. , Smits Gerard , Mungur Dhanraj , Prejbisz Aleksander , Kadziela Jacek , Florczak Elżbieta , Galvin Joseph , Dimitriadis Kyriakos
Published: December 2016

Background

Options for interventional therapy to lower blood pressure (
BP
) in patients with treatment‐resistant hypertension include renal denervation and the creation of an arteriovenous anastomosis using the
ROX
coupler. It has been shown that
BP
response after
renal denervation
is greater in patients with combined hypertension (
CH
) than in patients with isolated systolic hypertension (
ISH
). We analyzed the effect of
ROX
coupler implantation in patients with
CH
as compared with
ISH
.

Methods and Results

The randomized, controlled, prospective ROX Control Hypertension Study included patients with true
treatment‐resistant hypertension
(office systolic
BP
≥140 mm Hg, average daytime ambulatory
BP
≥135/85 mm Hg, and treatment with ≥3 antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic). In a post hoc analysis, we stratified patients with
CH
(n=31) and
ISH
(n=11). Baseline office systolic
BP
(177±18 mm Hg versus 169±17 mm Hg,
P
=0.163) and 24‐hour ambulatory systolic
BP
(159±16 mm Hg versus 154±11 mm Hg,
P
=0.463) did not differ between
patients with CH
and
those with ISH
.
ROX
coupler implementation resulted in a significant reduction in office systolic
BP
(
CH
: −29±21 mm Hg versus
ISH
: −22±31 mm Hg,
P
=0.445) and 24‐hour ambulatory systolic
BP
(
CH
: −14±20 mm Hg versus
ISH
: −13±15 mm Hg,
P
=0.672), without significant differences between the two groups. The responder rate (office systolic
BP
reduction ≥10 mm Hg) after 6 months was not different (
CH
: 81% versus
ISH
: 82%,
P
=0.932).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that creation of an
arteriovenous
anastomosis using the
ROX
coupler system leads to a similar reduction of office and 24‐hour ambulatory systolic
BP
in patients with combined and isolated systolic hypertension.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
01642498.
Association of Family History With Cardiovascular Disease in Hypertensive Individuals in a Multiethnic Population
Authors: Valerio Luca , Peters Ron J. , Zwinderman Aeilko H. , Pinto‐Sietsma Sara‐Joan
Published: December 2016

Background

Hypertension alone is a poor predictor of the individual risk of cardiovascular disease. Hereditary factors of which hypertension is merely a marker may explain why some hypertensive individuals appear more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, and why some ethnicities have more often seemingly hypertension‐related cardiovascular disease than others. We hypothesize that, in hypertensive individuals, a positive family history of cardiovascular disease identifies a high‐risk subpopulation.

Methods and Results

Healthy Life in Urban Settings (HELIUS) is a cohort study among participants of Dutch, South‐Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish, and Moroccan origin aged 70 years and younger. In participants with hypertension (n=6467), we used logistic regression to assess the association of family history of cardiovascular disease with prevalent stroke and nonstroke cardiovascular disease, adjusting for sex, age, education, and smoking. To detect ethnic differences, we tested for interaction between family history and ethnicity and stratified the analysis by ethnicity. A positive family history was associated with a higher prevalence of nonstroke cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 2.05; 95%
CI
, 1.65–2.54) and stroke (OR, 1.62; 95%
CI
, 1.19–2.20). The strongest association of family history with nonstroke cardiovascular disease was found among the Dutch (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.37–4.44) and with stroke among the African Surinamese (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.32–3.57). The interaction between family history and African Surinamese origin for stroke was statistically significant.

Conclusions

In multiethnic populations of hypertensive patients, a positive family history of cardiovascular disease may be used clinically to identify individuals at high risk for nonstroke cardiovascular disease regardless of ethnic origin and African Surinamese individuals at high risk for stroke.
Insurance Status Among Adults With Hypertension—The Impact of Underinsurance
Authors: Fang Jing , Zhao Guixiang , Wang Guijing , Ayala Carma , Loustalot Fleetwood
Published: December 2016

Background

Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Health insurance coverage affects hypertension treatment and control, but limited information is available for
US
adults with hypertension who are classified as underinsured.

Methods and Results

Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2013 data, we identified adults with self‐reported hypertension. On the basis of self‐reported health insurance status and health care–related financial burdens, participants were categorized as uninsured, underinsured, or adequately insured. Proxies for health care received included whether they reported taking antihypertensive medications and whether they visited a doctor for a routine checkup in the past year. We assessed the association between health insurance status and health care received, adjusting for selected sociodemographic characteristics. Among 123 257 participants from 38 states and District of Columbia with self‐reported hypertension, 12% were uninsured, 26% were underinsured, and 62% were adequately insured. In adjusted models using adequately insured participants as referent, both uninsured (adjusted odds ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.35–0.43) and underinsured (0.83, 0.76–0.89) participants were less likely to report using antihypertensive medication than those of adequately insured participants. Similarly, adjusted odds ratio of visiting a doctor for routine checkup in the past year were 0.25 (0.23–0.28) for those who were uninsured and 0.78 (0.72–0.84) for those who were underinsured compared to those with adequate insurance.

Conclusions

Uninsured and underinsured participants with hypertension were less likely to report receiving care compared to those with adequate insurance coverage. Disparities in health care coverage may necessitate targeted interventions, even among people with health insurance.
Development of a Smartphone‐Enabled Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus Management Package to Facilitate Evidence‐Based Care Delivery in Primary Healthcare Facilities in India: The mPower Heart Project
Authors: Ajay Vamadevan S. , Jindal Devraj , Roy Ambuj , Venugopal Vidya , Sharma Rakshit , Pawar Abha , Kinra Sanjay , Tandon Nikhil , Prabhakaran Dorairaj
Published: December 2016

Background

The high burden of undetected and undertreated hypertension and diabetes mellitus is a major health challenge worldwide. The
mP
ower Heart Project aimed to develop and test a feasible and scalable intervention for hypertension and diabetes mellitus by task‐sharing with the use of a mobile phone–based clinical decision support system at Community Health Centers in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Methods and Results

The development of the intervention and mobile phone–based clinical decision support system was carried out using mixed methods in five Community Health Centers. The intervention was subsequently evaluated using pre–post evaluation design. During intervention, a nurse care coordinator screened, examined, and entered patient parameters into mobile phone–based clinical decision support system to generate a prescription, which was vetted by a physician. The change in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose (
FPG
) over 18 months of intervention was quantified using generalized estimating equations models. During intervention, 6797 participants were enrolled. Six thousand sixteen participants had hypertension (mean systolic blood pressure: 146.1 mm Hg, 95%
CI
: 145.7, 146.5; diastolic blood pressure: 89.52 mm Hg, 95%
CI
: 89.33, 89.72), of which 3152 (52%) subjects were newly detected. Similarly, 1516 participants had diabetes mellitus (mean
FPG
: 177.9 mg/dL, 95%
CI
: 175.8, 180.0), of which 450 (30%) subjects were newly detected. The changes in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and
FPG
observed at 18 months of follow‐up were −14.6 mm Hg (95%
CI
: −15.3, −13.8), −7.6 mm Hg (
CI
: −8.0, −7.2), and −50.0 mg/dL (95%
CI
: −54.6, −45.5), respectively, and were statistically significant even after adjusting for age, sex, and Community Health Center.

Conclusions

A nurse‐facilitated, mobile phone–based clinical decision support system‐enabled intervention in primary care was associated with improvements in blood pressure and blood glucose control and has the potential to scale‐up in resource poor settings.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers:
NCT
01794052. Clinical Trial Registry—India:
CTRI
/2013/02/003412.
Indigenous Belief Systems, Science, and Resource Extraction: Climate Change Attitudes in Ecuador
Authors: Eisenstadt Todd A. , West Karleen Jones
Published: December 2016

Indigenous people around the world have been particularly vocal about climate change as a challenge to their cosmovision—or traditional worldview—resulting in demands for protection of the earth as part of their core beliefs. Is this because indigenous people are the most vulnerable, and feel the impact of climate change more directly? Or is it because of the centrality of the earth to their traditional beliefs? Using survey evidence from Ecuador, we examine how indigenous cosmovision, science, and vulnerability influence the belief that climate change exists. On the basis of one-on-one interviews with indigenous leaders in Ecuador, we argue that both traditional beliefs and Western science inform citizen views of climate change. We discuss the implications of these findings, arguing that rather than competing with science, the Kichwa-based cosmovision complements Western scientific efforts to combat climate change. We also find that proximity to oil extraction is an important determinant of belief in climate change in Ecuador, suggesting that conceptualizations of vulnerability should be tailored to the particular experiences of individuals.
Institutional Mechanisms and the Consequences of International Environmental Agreements
Authors: Kim Yoomi , Tanaka Katsuya , Matsuoka Shunji
Published: December 2016

This article examines the institutional mechanisms affecting the environment and economies of the member countries of international environmental agreements (IEAs), particularly focusing on the legalization and flexibility aspects of IEAs. To identify the factors that influence the consequences of IEAs, we applied the Bayesian probit model to a database including 123 IEAs related to 23 international environmental regimes. The environmental consequences data were taken from the existing database and rescored (Böhmelt and Pilster 2010 ; Breitmeier et al. 2006 ), and unintended economic consequences were identified using data from 209 countries. Legally binding IEAs showed a significant improvement of environmental performance, but a significant decrease was related to the presence of inflexible rules. Moreover, decision-making flexibility was positively related to environmental improvement, and negatively related to regime body flexibility. The economic consequences model showed a positive significant impact of the secretariat’s independence on the economies of member countries, while legally binding IEAs showed negative effects. All flexibility elements showed positive impacts on economic consequences. In our research, IEA uncertainty had negative effects on both the environmental and economic aspects; however, we observed positive relationships in the environment and economic analyses when IEAs promoted public goods.
Echoes of the Marseillaise in German Social Democracy
Authors: Bonnell Andrew G.
Published: December 2016

Jean-Numa Ducange’s recent work, La Révolution française et la social-démocratie. Transmissions et usages politiques de l’histoire en Allemagne et Autriche 1889–1934, provides an ambitious and theoretically-sophisticated analysis of the ways in which German and Austrian socialists interpreted the French Revolution from 1889 to the 1930s. Ducange shows how the different strands of Second International socialism interpreted the revolution in their own ways, and shows the impact of the Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917 on this. His work does not only focus on leading theoreticians such as Karl Kautsky, but also documents very effectively the way in which the readings of the French Revolution were disseminated widely through Social Democracy’s rank-and-file membership. It is a valuable contribution to the literature on the culture of Marxism in Central Europe in this period, as well as a rich addition to the literature on the resonance and uses of the French Revolution: the ‘echoes of the Marseillaise’.
Red Partisans: Bandiera Rossa in Occupied Rome, 1943–44
Authors: Broder David
Published: December 2016

Faced with the collapse of the Italian Communist Party (pci) and Italy’s both economic and political crisis in the 2000s and 2010s, many left-activists have mounted a rear-guard action trying to reassert the principles of the Resistance. However, rarely do debates concerning the legacy of the anti-fascist struggle acknowledge the variety of Resistance forces’ social and political goals, far from it being a single patriotic movement. This article focuses on the experience of Bandiera Rossa, the largest partisan force in Rome during the German occupation, to argue that the Resistance involved both a struggle over postwar Italy and a battle to define a communist movement re-emerging after twenty years of Fascist repression.
Project for the Establishment of a National Museum in the drc and Korea’s New oda Strategy: The Contextualization of the drc’s History and Culture
Authors: Kim Kwang-Su
Published: December 2016

The Project for the Establishment of a National Museum in the drc, currently being carried out as a form of grant aid, is Korea’s first cultural oda project. The purpose of the project is for a newly constructed drc National Museum which will protect the cultural heritage of various ethnic groups, and to present their history in order to inspire national pride and integrate the nation. Furthermore, it is hoped that the project will aid the Congo perople in understanding their history correctly, and contribute to the historical and cultural development of their country. This case study can be used as a starting point for a more general understanding of African societies. It shows how this Project for the Establishment of a National Museum in the drc is different in nature than other previous oda projects, and asserts the importance and strategical selection of cultural oda projects.
Forced Confession as a Ritual of Sovereignty
Authors: Yıldız Yeşim Yaprak
Published: December 2016

Torture and confession are like ‘the dark twins’ as Foucault argued. Definitions of torture from the 3rd century to the 21st century indicate confession as its primary motive. Systematic use of torture and confession has also characterised the Turkish state’s policy in Diyarbakır Military Prison against the Kurdish prisoners in the early 1980s. The detainees and the prisoners were routinely forced to repent and confess regardless of their organisational links or the crimes attributed to them. Wide, systematic and routine use of forced confessions in the prison showed that the significance of confession policy in Diyarbakır prison does not arise from their truth status or their effectiveness in intelligence gathering, but from their truth-effects. Although intelligence gathering was one of the objectives of the regime, the policy of confession was used primarily to establish dominance over the accused and to discipline and control the prisoners and the Kurdish population. Drawing upon Foucault, I will further argue that forced production of confession functioned as a ritual of truth-production and subjectification binding the prisoner to the dominant regime of power and truth and transforming him into a docile and obedient subject.
Sliding off Torture’s Halo of Prohibition
Authors: Henschke Adam
Published: December 2016

Before the Al Qaeda attacks in the us, it was hard to find support for torture in the liberal-democratic world. However, post 9/11 torture (or at least something very close to torture) was used by liberal democracies like the United States (us). Practices like water-boarding were justified by reference to the war on terror. Underneath this lies a reasoning that we have two options, some large scale act of violence and torture, and that torture is a lesser evil, exemplified by ‘ticking time bomb’ scenarios – if you have two options, both bad, but one is far worse than the other, the lesser evil seems a reasonable decision. This article proposes that there is a moral danger through slippage from recognising torture as a generally justified action. It explains this slippage by reference to the ‘halo effect’: a cognitive bias in which something is judged as permissible or good through association with non-relevant facts. Given the current risks of domestic terrorism, the article argues that we need to learn from the us example post 9/11 to ensure that we avoid justifying uses of torture in non-exceptional circumstances.
Four new sequestrate species of Russulaceae found in China
Authors: SANG XIAOYU , LI XUEDONG , WANG YANWEI , FAN LI
Published: December 2016

Four new sequestrate species of Russulaceae are described and illustrated from China in this study. Accepting the concept that both the agaricoid and sequestrate species were actually derived from the same origin, we placed these hypogeous taxa in Russula or Lactarius as Lactarius spinosporus, Russula absphaerocellaris, R. brevipileocystidiata and R. megapseudocystidiata. Morphologically, L. spinosporus differs L. falcatus by its brown gleba, the lack of latex and the thick-walled terminal elements in the peridiopellis; R. absphaerocellaris differs from Gymonomyces gilkeyae by the small basidiospores ornamented with short spines; R. brevipileocystidiata is distinguished from Cystangium clavatum by the absence of hymenial cystidia and a stipe-columella; R. megapseudocystidiata is different from Cystangium bisporum by the grooved basidiomata and the abundant laticiferous hyphae in the peridial context. Both ITS and nrLSU sequence-based phylogenetic analyses revealed that the four sequestrate species were nested in the Russula or Lactarius clade, but respectively in their own clusters, also supporting these novel taxa as distinct species.
Atmospheric Global Circuit Variations from Vostok and Concordia Electric Field Measurements
Authors: Burns G. B. , Frank-Kamenetsky A. V. , Tinsley B. A. , French W. J. R. , Grigioni P. , Camporeale G. , Bering E. A.
Published: December 2016

Atmospheric electric field measurements from the Concordia station on the Antarctic Plateau are compared with those from Vostok (560 km away) for the period of overlap (2009–11) and to Carnegie (1915–29) and extended Vostok (2006–11) measurements. The Antarctic data are sorted according to several sets of criteria for rejecting local variability to examine a local summer-noon influence on the measurements and to improve estimates of the global signal. The contribution of the solar wind influence is evaluated and removed from the Vostok and Concordia measurements. Simultaneous measurements yield days when the covariability of the electric field measurements at Concordia and Vostok exceeds 90%, as well as intervals when significant local variability is apparent. Days of simultaneous changes in shape and mean level of the diurnal variation, as illustrated in a 5-day sequence, can be interpreted as due to changes in the relative upward current output of the electrified cloud generators predominating at low latitudes. Smaller average local meteorological influences are removed from the larger Vostok dataset, revealing changes in the shape of monthly average diurnal variations, which are similarly attributed to changes in predominantly low-latitude convection from month to month.
On the Long-Term Hydroclimatic Sustainability of Perennial Bioenergy Crop Expansion over the United States
Authors: Wang M. , Wagner M. , Miguez-Macho G. , Kamarianakis Y. , Mahalov A. , Moustaoui M. , Miller J. , VanLoocke A. , Bagley J. E. , Bernacchi C. J. , Georgescu M.
Published: December 2016

Large-scale cultivation of perennial bioenergy crops (e.g., miscanthus and switchgrass) offers unique opportunities to mitigate climate change through avoided fossil fuel use and associated greenhouse gas reduction. Although conversion of existing agriculturally intensive lands (e.g., maize and soy) to perennial bioenergy cropping systems has been shown to reduce near-surface temperatures, unintended consequences on natural water resources via depletion of soil moisture may offset these benefits. The hydroclimatic impacts associated with perennial bioenergy crop expansion over the contiguous United States are quantified using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model dynamically coupled to a land surface model (LSM). A suite of continuous (2000–09) medium-range resolution (20-km grid spacing) ensemble-based simulations is conducted using seasonally evolving biophysical representation of perennial bioenergy cropping systems within the LSM based on observational data. Deployment is carried out only over suitable abandoned and degraded farmlands to avoid competition with existing food cropping systems. Results show that near-surface cooling (locally, up to 5°C) is greatest during the growing season over portions of the central United States. For some regions, principal impacts are restricted to a reduction in near-surface temperature (e.g., eastern portions of the United States), whereas for other regions deployment leads to soil moisture reduction in excess of 0.15–0.2 m3m−3during the simulated 10-yr period (e.g., western Great Plains). This reduction (~25%–30% of available soil moisture) manifests as a progressively decreasing trend over time. The large-scale focus of this research demonstrates the long-term hydroclimatic sustainability of large-scale deployment of perennial bioenergy crops across the continental United States, revealing potential hot spots of suitable deployment and regions to avoid.
Tornado Warning Response and Perceptions among Undergraduates in Nebraska
Authors: Jauernic Sabrina T. , Van Den Broeke Matthew S.
Published: December 2016

Few studies show how university students perceive and respond to tornado warnings. Lacking in the literature are investigations of what influences perceptions of tornado risk among this population and how these perceptions may influence actions. Through an online survey of 640 undergraduates enrolled at a large university in Nebraska, significant relationships were found between student demographics, perceptions, and response actions. Tornado mythology relevant to the local city influenced perceptions so that students felt the city was less at risk than surrounding rural land. Confirming risk before sheltering remained popular, with some students choosing to never seek shelter during a warning. International students were more likely to initially seek shelter during a warning but had difficulty interpreting warning polygons or accurately choosing the best safety actions. Tornado-related education resulted in international students being more likely to have safety plans and shelter in more appropriate locations. Most domestic students correctly identified safe areas in which to shelter, but fewer knew the precise meaning of a tornado warning polygon. Parents/guardians and the school were the most popular tornado knowledge sources for domestic students, while friends and self-education were popular with international students. Respondents seemed willing to learn more about tornadoes and perceived a lack of tornado-related resources available on campus. This implies that more thorough tornado education and information dissemination on university campuses is warranted. Faster personalization of risk, dispelling local myths, and educating those new to tornado-prone locations should be emphasized.
Cancer-specific changes in DNA methylation reveal aberrant silencing and activation of enhancers in leukemia
Authors: Qu Ying , Siggens Lee , Cordeddu Lina , Gaidzik Verena I. , Karlsson Kasper , Bullinger Lars , Döhner Konstanze , Ekwall Karl , Lehmann Sören , Lennartsson Andreas
Published: December 2016

Key Points

DNA demethylation activates new and poised enhancers in AML that cause a leukemic transcriptome. Only a subset of DNA demethylated enhancers becomes activated. A specific additional activation step is required for enhancer activation.
Study protocol of the Asian XELIRI ProjecT (AXEPT): a multinational, randomized, non-inferiority, phase III trial of second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer, comparing the efficacy and safety of XELIRI with or without bevacizumab versus FOLFIRI with or without bevacizumab
Authors: Kotaka Masahito , Xu Ruihua , Muro Kei , Park Young Suk , Morita Satoshi , Iwasa Satoru , Uetake Hiroyuki , Nishina Tomohiro , Nozawa Hiroaki , Matsumoto Hiroshi , Yamazaki Kentaro , Han Sae-Won , Wang Wei , Ahn Joong Bae , Deng Yanhong , Cho Sang-Hee , Ba Yi , Lee Keun-Wook , Zhang Tao , Satoh Taroh , Buyse Marc E. , Ryoo Baek-Yeol , Shen Lin , Sakamoto Junichi , Kim Tae Won
Published: December 2016

Background

Capecitabine and irinotecan combination therapy (XELIRI) has been examined at various dose levels to treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Recently, in the Association of Medical Oncology of the German Cancer Society (AIO) 0604 trial, tri-weekly XELIRI plus bevacizumab, with reduced doses of irinotecan (200 mg/m2 on day 1) and capecitabine (1600 mg/m2 on days 1–14), repeated every 3 weeks, has shown favorable tolerability and efficacy which were comparable to those of capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) plus bevacizumab. The doses of capecitabine and irinotecan in the AIO trial are considered optimal. In a phase I/II study, XELIRI plus bevacizumab (BIX) as second-line chemotherapy was well tolerated and had promising efficacy in Japanese patients.

Methods

The Asian XELIRI ProjecT (AXEPT) is an East Asian collaborative, open-labelled, randomized, phase III clinical trial which was designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of XELIRI with or without bevacizumab versus standard FOLFIRI (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan combination) with or without bevacizumab as second-line chemotherapy for patients with mCRC. Patients with 20 years of age or older, histologically confirmed mCRC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0–2, adequate organ function, and disease progression or intolerance of the first-line regimen will be eligible. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to receive standard FOLFIRI with or without bevacizumab (5 mg/kg on day 1), repeated every 2 weeks (FOLIRI arm) or XELIRI with or without bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg on day 1), repeated every 3 weeks (XELIRI arm). A total of 464 events were estimated as necessary to show non-inferiority with a power of 80% at a one-sided α of 0.025, requiring a target sample size of 600 patients. The 95% confidence interval (CI) upper limit of the hazard ratio was pre-specified as less than 1.3.

Conclusion

The Asian XELIRI ProjecT is a multinational phase III trial being conducted to provide evidence for XELIRI with or without bevacizumab as a second-line treatment option of mCRC.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01996306. UMIN000012263
Recent advances in the management of liposarcoma
Authors: Nassif Nadar A. , Tseng William , Borges Camille , Chen Peter , Eisenberg Burton
Published: December 2016

Liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma. With its various subtypes, the natural history of this disease can vary significantly from a locally recurrent tumor to a highly malignant one carrying a poor prognosis. Progress in the understanding of the specific molecular abnormalities in liposarcoma provides greater opportunity for new treatment modalities. Although surgical resection and radiation therapy remain the keystones for the management of primary liposarcoma, the inclusion of novel agents that target known abnormalities in advanced liposarcoma enhances the potential for improved outcomes.
Phylommand - a command line software package for phylogenetics
Authors: Ryberg Martin
Published: December 2016

Phylogenetics is an intrinsic part of many analyses in evolutionary biology and ecology, and as the amount of data available for these analyses is increasing rapidly the need for automated pipelines to deal with the data also increases. Phylommand is a package of four programs to create, manipulate, and/or analyze phylogenetic trees or pairwise alignments. It is built to be easily implemented in software workflows, both directly on the command prompt, and executed using scripts. Inputs can be taken from standard input or a file, and the behavior of the programs can be changed through switches. By using standard file formats for phylogenetic analyses, such as newick, nexus, phylip, and fasta, phylommand is widely compatible with other software.
Agents to reduce cytokine storm
Authors: Gerlach Herwig
Published: December 2016

The increasing insight into pathomechanisms of dysregulated host response in several inflammatory diseases led to the implementation of the term “cytokine storm” in the literature more than 20 years ago. Direct toxic effects as well as indirect immunomodulatory mechanisms during cytokine storm have been described and were the basis for the rationale to use several substances and devices in life-threatening infections and hyperinflammatory states. Clinical trials have been performed, most of them in the form of minor, investigator-initiated protocols; major clinical trials focused mostly on sepsis and septic shock. The following review tries to summarize the background, pathophysiology, and results of clinical investigations that had implications for the development of therapeutic strategies and international guidelines for the management of hyperinflammation during syndromes of cytokine storm in adult patients, predominantly in septic shock.
UNA PERSPECTIVA DE LA MODELACIÓN DESDE LA SOCIOEPISTEMOLOGÍA
Authors: Arrieta Jaime , Díaz Leonora
Published: December 2016

Se caracteriza a la modelación como una práctica que articula dos entidades, con la intención de intervenir en una de ellas a partir de la otra. La diversidad, tanto de las entidades que intervienen en la articulación como de la naturaleza de la intervención, hacen posible identificar a la modelación como una práctica recurrente en diferentes comunidades. La práctica de modelación permite tender puentes entre lo que se hace en la escuela y lo que se hace en comunidades no escolares. En esta práctica el modelo no existe independiente de la actividad humana, se manifiesta como modelo en tanto se usa para intervenir en otra entidad que, a partir de este momento, es lo modelado. Si bien la interacción con la entidad a modelar es necesaria, la suficiencia se logra con la intervención sobre ella, a partir de la actividad con el modelo. Es en esta intervención que se establece el acto de modelar. La articulación de diferentes modelos con el fenómeno, da lugar a redes de modelos que potencian la actividad humana para la intervención