bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Doxorubicin triggers splenic contraction and irreversible dysregulation of COX and LOX that alters the inflammation-resolution program in the myocardium
Authors: Jadapalli Jeevan Kumar , Wright Griffin W. , Kain Vasundhara , Sherwani Mohammad Asif , Sonkar Ravi , Yusuf Nabiha , Halade Ganesh V.
Published: August 2018

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used drug for cancer treatment as a chemotherapeutic agent. However, the cellular and integrative mechanism of DOX-induced immunometabolism is unclear. Two-month-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into high- and low-dose DOX-treated groups with a maintained saline control group. The first group was injected with a high dose of DOX (H-DOX; 15 mg·kg−1·wk−1), and the second group was injected with 7.5 mg·kg−1·wk−1 as a latent low dose of DOX (LL-DOX). H-DOX treatment led to complete mortality in 2 wk and 70% survival in the LL-DOX group compared with the saline control group. Therefore, an additional group of mice was injected with an acute high dose of DOX (AH-DOX) and euthanized at 24 h to compare with LL-DOX and saline control groups. The LL-DOX and AH-DOX groups showed obvious apoptosis and dysfunctional and structural changes in cardiac tissue. Splenic contraction was evident in AH-DOX- and LL-DOX-treated mice, indicating the systems-wide impact of DOX on integrative organs of the spleen, which is essential for cardiac homeostasis and repair. DOX dysregulated splenic-enriched immune-sensitive lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase in the spleen and left ventricle compared with the saline control group. As a result, lipoxygenase-dependent D- and E-series resolvin precursors, such as 16HDoHE, 4HDoHE, and 12-HEPE, as well as cyclooxygenase-mediated PG species (PGD2, PGE2, and 6-keto-PG2α) were decreased in the left ventricle, suggestive of defective immunometabolism. Both AH-DOX and LL-DOX induced splenic contraction and expansion of red pulp with decreased CD169+ metallophilic macrophages. AH-DOX intoxicated macrophages in the spleen by depleting CD169+ cells in the acute setting and sustained the splenic macrophage loss in the chronic phase in the LL-DOX group. Thus, DOX triggers a vicious cycle of splenocardiac cachexia to facilitate defective immunometabolism and irreversible macrophage toxicity and thereby impaired the inflammation-resolution program.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Doxorubicin (DOX) triggered splenic mass loss and decreased CD169 with germinal center contraction in acute and chronic exposure. Cardiac toxicity of DOX is marked with dysregulation of immunometabolism and thereby impaired resolution of inflammation. DOX suppressed physiological levels of cytokines and chemokines with signs of splenocardiac cachexia.
Pericytes Elicit Resistance to Vemurafenib and Sorafenib Therapy in Thyroid Carcinoma via the TSP-1/TGFβ1 Axis
Authors: Prete Alessandro , Lo Agnes S. , Sadow Peter M. , Bhasin Swati S. , Antonello Zeus A. , Vodopivec Danica M. , Ullas Soumya , Sims Jennifer N. , Clohessy John , Dvorak Ann M. , Sciuto Tracey , Bhasin Manoj , Murphy-Ullrich Joanne E. , Lawler Jack , Karumanchi S. Ananth , Nucera Carmelo
Published: August 2018

Purpose:

The BRAFV600E oncogene modulates the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) microenvironment, in which pericytes are critical regulators of tyrosine-kinase (TK)-dependent signaling pathways. Although BRAFV600E and TK inhibitors are available, their efficacy as bimodal therapeutic agents in BRAFV600E-PTC is still unknown.

Experimental Design:

We assessed the effects of vemurafenib (BRAFV600E inhibitor) and sorafenib (TKI) as single agents or in combination in BRAFWT/V600E-PTC and BRAFWT/WT cells using cell-autonomous, pericyte coculture, and an orthotopic mouse model. We also used BRAFWT/V600E-PTC and BRAFWT/WT-PTC clinical samples to identify differentially expressed genes fundamental to tumor microenvironment.

Results:

Combined therapy blocks tumor cell proliferation, increases cell death, and decreases motility via BRAFV600E inhibition in thyroid tumor cells in vitro. Vemurafenib produces cytostatic effects in orthotopic tumors, whereas combined therapy (likely reflecting sorafenib activity) generates biological fluctuations with tumor inhibition alternating with tumor growth. We demonstrate that pericytes secrete TSP-1 and TGFβ1, and induce the rebound of pERK1/2, pAKT and pSMAD3 levels to overcome the inhibitory effects of the targeted therapy in PTC cells. This leads to increased BRAFV600E-PTC cell survival and cell death refractoriness. We find that BRAFWT/V600E-PTC clinical samples are enriched in pericytes, and TSP1 and TGFβ1 expression evoke gene-regulatory networks and pathways (TGFβ signaling, metastasis, tumor growth, tumor microenvironment/ECM remodeling functions, inflammation, VEGF ligand–VEGF receptor interactions, immune modulation, etc.) in the microenvironment essential for BRAFWT/V600E-PTC cell survival. Critically, antagonism of the TSP-1/TGFβ1 axis reduces tumor cell growth and overcomes drug resistance.

Conclusions:

Pericytes shield BRAFV600E-PTC cells from targeted therapy via TSP-1 and TGFβ1, suggesting this axis as a new therapeutic target for overcoming resistance to BRAFV600E and TK inhibitors.
Engineered T Cells in Synovial Sarcoma: Persistence Pays Off!
Authors: Keung Emily Z. , Tawbi Hussein A.
Published: August 2018

Summary: Synovial sarcoma (SS) is an aggressive malignancy that typically affects adolescents and young adults and is associated with poor prognosis. Although SS has failed to respond to immune checkpoint blockade, other strategies designed to generate an immune response, including adoptive cell therapies targeting the cancer testis antigen NY-ESO-1, have shown encouraging results. In this issue, D'Angelo and colleagues confirm the safety and feasibility of adoptive T-cell therapy with autologous T cells engineered to express NY-ESO-1c259, an affinity-enhanced T-cell receptor recognizing an HLA-A2–restricted NY-ESO-1–derived peptide, and demonstrate encouraging antitumor responses in 50% of treated patients, particularly in the setting of persistence of polyfunctional NY-ESO-1c259–expressing T cells in circulation for at least 6 months. Cancer Discov; 8(8); 914–7. ©2018 AACR.

See related article by D'Angelo et al., p. 944.
BAIBA Attenuates the Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines and Attachment Molecules and ER Stress in HUVECs and THP-1 Cells
Authors: Lee Wonjae , Yun Subin , Choi Geum Hee , Jung Tae Woo
Published: August 2018

Objective: β-Aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA), a myokine, is a thymine catabolite that is induced during exercise, leading to browning of white fat, hepatic fatty acid oxidation, and suppression of hepatic lipogenesis. However, the effects of BAIBA on the progression of atherosclerosis remain unclear. Methods: We performed a Western blot analyses to determine various protein expression. ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays), cell adhesion assays, and cell viability assays were also performed on human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human monocytes (THP-1 cells). Results: In the current study, we demonstrate that BAIBA suppresses atherosclerotic reactions caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment via an AMPK-dependent pathway. Treatment of HUVECs and THP-1 cells with BAIBA inhibited the LPS-induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. In HUVECs, expression of adhesion molecules and LPS-stimulated adhesion of THP-1 cells to the endothelium were significantly decreased after BAIBA treatment. Furthermore, LPS-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell toxicity were significantly decreased after BAIBA treatment of HUVECs. Notably, all of these proatherosclerotic effects were fully abrogated by treatment with small interfering RNA targeting AMPK. Conclusion: BAIBA ameliorates LPS-induced atherosclerotic reactions via AMPK-mediated suppression of inflammation and ER stress.
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in a Patient with Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis with Anti-Glutamate Receptor Antibodies
Authors: Hatano Keiko , Matsumoto Hideyuki , Mitsutake Akihiko , Yoshimura Junko , Nomura Aya , Imakado Sumihisa , Takahashi Yukitoshi , Hashida Hideji
Published: August 2018

We report on a 44-year-old woman who was diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) during the recovery phase from autoimmune limbic encephalitis with anti-glutamate receptor antibodies. Both, autoimmune limbic encephalitis and TEN are very rare diseases. The co-existence of the two diseases has not yet been reported. We speculate that the total of 18 drugs needed for the treatment of encephalitis might have increased the risk of TEN. Similar reports would be required to elucidate the pathophysiology of the co-existence.
Ultrabiomicroscopy Anterior Segment Evaluation of Ocular Contusive Trauma Caused by Pressurized Bottled Drink Caps: A Case Report
Authors: Esposito Raffaele Antonio , Rosati Alessandra , Mannino Giuseppe , Scuderi Gianluca
Published: August 2018

We report the case of a patient presented to the emergency department because of a contusive trauma from a pressurized bottled drink cap. During the visit, the patient indicated that he had been hit in his left eye by a cork while he was opening a sparkling wine bottle. He underwent a total ophthalmology examination. He had an important reduction of visual acuity, corneal swelling, Descemet’s folds, and hyphema. Therefore, we decided to perform ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) of the anterior segment to study the endothelial damage and Descemet’s membrane. UBM images confirmed the direct biomicroscopy, highlighting the damaged location.
To Be Or Not to Be: the “Smoker’s Paradox” – An in-Vitro Study
Authors: Wittmann Franziska , Türkcan Adrian , Baranyi Ulrike , Eichmair Eva , Laufer Günther , Bernhard David , Messner Barbara
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Clinical studies have reported a better outcome of smokers after myocardial infarction compared to non-smokers. The data are controversial, as some clinical studies did not observe this effect. The cell biological processes involved, which might account for a ‘Smoker’s Paradox’, have not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim was to elucidate the effect of cigarette smoke on the viability of cardiomyocytes in the context of hypoxia and reperfusion. Methods: HL-1 cells were incubated with different concentrations of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and subjected to hypoxia/reperfusion to further evaluate influence of CSE on viability of HL-1 cells using flow cytometry analyses, Western Blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results: Incubation with CSE led to a concentration-dependent reduction in HL-1 viability. Adding hypoxia as a stressor enhanced cell death. Caspase-independent apoptosis was the observed type of cell death partly induced by P53 and apoptosis-inducing-factor. Yet a significant increase in LDH release in cardiomyocytes incubated with 4%, 8% and 16% CSE suggests necrosis with rapid DNA depletion. Interestingly, after hypoxia a decreased LDH release under lower CSE concentrations was observed. Moreover, a concentration-dependent increase in proliferation and a trend for increased ATP availability under hypoxic conditions was shown. Conclusions: The trend for less LDH release in hypoxia after low-level CSE incubation might represent a switch from necrosis to apoptosis, which in combination with the increase in metabolic activity and ATP availability might account for the ‘Smoker’s Paradox’. These findings could partly explain inconsistent results of previous clinical studies as the data showed strong evidence for the crucial relevance of the amount of cigarettes smoked. We are in need of future studies distinguishing between different types of smokers to finally verify or falsify the ‘Smoker’s Paradox’.
Elevated Serum Potassium Concentration Alleviates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via Mitochondrial Preservation
Authors: Li Nuo , Qin Sina , Xie Lu , Qin Tao , Yang Yegui , Fang Wei , Chen Meng-hua
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: The anti-apoptotic effect of an increase in the extracellular concentration of potassium ([K+]) has been confirmed in vitro. However, it is not yet known whether elevated serum [K+] exerts a cerebroprotective effect in vivo. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of elevated serum [K+] in a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R). Methods: Rats subjected to 90-min MCAO received 2.5% KCL, 1.25% KCL, or a normal saline solution at a dose of 3.2 mL/kg at the onset of reperfusion. Rats that were subjected to vascular exposure and ligation without MCAO were defined as the Sham group. Serum [K+] was determined using a blood gas analyzer at 1 min after medicine administration. At 24 h post-reperfusion, rat brains were harvested and processed for 2% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling staining, detection of caspase-3 and cleaved-caspase-3 by western blotting, detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dihydroethidium staining, and observation of mitochondrial structure by electron microscopy. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), cytochrome C oxidase (COX) activity, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening were measured using detection kits. Results: The results showed that elevated serum [K+] decreased cerebral injury and apoptosis, reduced ROS and MDA levels and MPTP opening, increased ATP levels and cytochrome C oxidase activity, and improved mitochondrial ultrastructural changes, although there was no significant difference in T-SOD activity. Conclusion: These findings suggested that elevated serum [K+] could alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and the mechanism may be associated with the preservation of mitochondrial function.
Membrane-Bound CD40L Promotes Senescence and Initiates Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype via NF-κB Activation in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Xu Wei , Li Yue , Yuan Wei-Wei , Yin Yuan , Song Wei-Wei , Wang Yu , Huang Qi-Qing , Zhao Wei-Hong , Wu Jian-Qing
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Cellular senescence acts as a barrier against tumorigenesis. The CD40L transgene, expressed in some tumor cells, not only becomes visible to antigen-presenting cells but also actively catalyzes its own termination. Here, we evaluated the effect of a membrane-bound mutant form of human CD40L (CD40L-M) on senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: CD40 expression levels in the NSCLC cell lines A549/TR, A549/DDP and H460 were examined by flow cytometry. Senescent cells and tissues were identified via SA-β-gal activity. Cell proliferation was visualized by EdU labeling. qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining were conducted to assess mRNA and protein expression levels of CD40L, γ-H2A.X, p65, p-p65, IκBα, p53, p21 and p16. Cytokines secreted from transfected cells were tested by ELISA and cell migration assay. Capsid tyrosine-modified rAAV5-CD40L-M was packaged and carried out in vivo. Results: Overexpression of CD40L-M promoted senescence, inhibited proliferation, increased DNA damage-associated γ-H2A.X, and initiated the SASP in CD40-positive NSCLC cells. NF-κB signaling was activated by CD40L-M overexpression in these cells. Knockdown of NF-κB partially overcame senescence and failed to induce SASP. Furthermore, increased p53 and p21 protein levels induced by CD40L-M were also reduced following NF-κB suppression. Conclusions: These data showed that the membrane-bound CD40L mutant may promote cellular senescence and initiate the SASP of NSCLC cells in an NF-κB-dependent manner. Therefore, CD40L-M-induced senescence may be a potential approach to protect against lung adenocarcinoma.
Pharmacological Signatures of the Exenatide Nanoparticles Complex Against Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Zhang Yi , Qian Ping , Zhou Hong , Shen Ruilin , Hu Bo , Shen Yajun , Zhang Xiaofang , Shen Xiaohua , Xu Guangtao , Jin Limin
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury (MI/RI) is a critical cause of death in patients with heart disease. However, the pharmaco-therapeutical outcome for MI/RI remains unsatisfactory. Innovative approaches for enhancing drug sensitivity and recovering myocardial function in MI/RI treatment are urgently needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of exenatide-loaded poly(L-lysine)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lysine) (PLL-PEG-PLL) nanoparticles (NPs) against MI/RI. Methods: The size of PLL-PEG-PLL NPs and the loading and release rates of exenatide were determined. The in vitro NP cytotoxicity was evaluated using newborn rat cardiomyocytes. Rats pretreated with free exenatide or exenatide/PLL-PEG-PLL polyplexes were subjected to 0.5-h ischemia and 2-h reperfusion in the left anterior descending coronary artery. The histopathologic lesions were assessed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The general physiological indices, including blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and end-diastolic pressure (LEVDP), and the left ventricular pressure maximal rate of rising (dp/dtmax), were monitored using a non-invasive blood pressure analyzer and color Doppler echocardiography. The antioxidative activity in the myocardial tissue was measured. The myocardial enzymatic activity was further estimated by determining the serum levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), as well as the expression of GLP-1R in the myocardial tissue. Results: Exenatide preconditioning attenuated the oxidative stress injury and promoted the myocardial function in I/R-induced myocardial injury, while the application of block copolymer PLL-PEG-PLL as a potential exenatide nanocarrier with sustained release significantly enhanced the bioavailability of exenatide. Conclusion: The block copolymer PLL-PEG-PLL may function as a potent exenatide nanocarrier for augmenting pharmacotherapy against MI/RI with unprecedented clinical benefits. Further study is needed to better clarify the underlying mechanisms.
Identifying Preferences for Equal College Access, Income, and Income Equality
Authors: Lara Bernardo , Shores Kenneth A.
Published: August 2018

Revealed preferences for equal college access may be due to beliefs that equal access increases societal income or income equality. To isolate preferences for those goods, we implement an online discrete choice experiment using social statistics generated from true variation among commuting zones. We find that, ceteris paribus, the average income that individuals are willing to sacrifice is (1) $4,984 to increase higher education enrollment by 1 standard deviation (14 percent); (2) $1,168 to decrease rich/poor gaps in higher education enrollment by 1 standard deviation (8 percent); and (3) $2,900 to decrease the 90/10 income inequality ratio by 1 standard deviation (1.66). In addition, we find that political affiliation is an important moderator of preferences for equality. While both Democrats and Republicans are willing to trade over $4,000 to increase higher education enrollment by 1 standard deviation, Democrats are willing to sacrifice nearly three times more income to decrease either rich/poor gaps in higher education enrollment or the 90/10 income inequality ratio by 1 standard deviation.
Bound Together?
Authors: Ben-Ur Aviva
Published: August 2018

This introduction reviews the historiographical trajectory of the “slave community” and “resistance” paradigms and argues that the assumption of group solidarity underpinning them continues to inform much of the current-day scholarship on slaves and free people of African descent in the hemispheric Americas. After briefly reviewing the four contributions to this journal issue, this article proposes as an alternative the “unsentimental approach” to slavery studies and points to a number of recent publications that collectively stand as a harbinger of this historiographical seachange, one that does not shy away from evidence of economically exploitative slaveholding among free people of African origin, intra-slave violence, or alliances that linked enslaved and free people of African descent to other groups.
Sustaining Faith
Authors: Freedman Katherine
Published: August 2018

This article uses the case study of the small Quaker community on seventeenth-century Antigua, as well as sources from Quakers on Barbados and from Quaker missionaries travelling throughout Britain’s Atlantic empire, to question the role of Quakers as anti-slavery pioneers. Quaker founder George Fox used a paternalistic formulation of hierarchy to contend that enslavement of other human beings was compatible with Quakerism, so long as it was done in a nurturing way—an argument that was especially compelling given the sect’s desperate need in the seventeenth century to establish itself economically or risk its destruction by the post-Restoration British State. By exploring the crucial economic role that the slave-based economies of the West Indies played in establishing the Quakers as a powerful sect in the eighteenth-century North American colonies, this article demonstrates that it was impossible for Quakers to follow through in establishing a nurturing form of slavery, particularly within the brutal context of the West Indian sugar colonies.
Spanish Imperial Vassalage and the Social Reproduction of Slavery in Colonial Cuba
Authors: Morrison Karen Y.
Published: August 2018

With the social reproduction of slavery in colonial Cuba as its center point, this essay draws on the recent historiographical acknowledgment of the way vassalage mediated the often starkly drawn social distinctions between whites and enslaved people within colonial Spanish America. Inside the region’s emergent, capitalist political economy, feudal vassalage continued to define each social sector’s rights and responsibilities vis-á-vis the Spanish Crown. The rights of enslaved vassals derived from their potential contributions to the Spanish monarchy’s imperial survival, in their capacity to populate the extensive empire with loyal Catholic subjects and potential military defenders. These concerns also justified the Spanish monarchial state’s ability to intervene between its slaveholding vassals and its enslaved vassals, by limiting private property rights over enslaved people and operating in ways that did not fully conform to capitalist profit motives. Awareness of such sovereign-vassal interdependencies challenges historians to broaden their understanding of the relationship between capitalism and slavery to include the remnants of feudal social-political forms, even into the nineteenth century.
Description of the larva of Orthemis ferruginea (Fabricius, 1775) (Odonata: Libellulidae)
Authors: CARRILLO-LARA DIANA E. , NOVELO-GUTIÉRREZ RODOLFO
Published: August 2018

The last larval stadium of Orthemis ferruginea (Fabricius, 1775) is described and illustrated in detail based on reared material collected in the municipality of Paso de Ovejas, Veracruz, Mexico. It is compared with larvae of other species of the genus previously described. The main structural features are the number of setae on palp, prementum and palp crenations, the size proportion of cerci respect to epi- and paraprocts, and the number of sclerites on abdominal sternum 5.
Notes on the Neotropical leafhopper subgenus Amplicephalus (Nanctasus) Linnavuori (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Deltocephalini) with description of two new species
Authors: DUAN YANI , DIETRICH CHRISTOPHER H.
Published: August 2018

Morphological characters previously used to define the subgenus Amplicephalus (Nanctasus) Linnavuori and its status are discussed. Two new species are described and illustrated, and tentatively placed in subgenus A. (Nanctasus) Linnavuori: A. (N.) anayensis sp. n. and A. (N.) paralbivenosus sp. n. A checklist and a key to species of the subgenus are provided.
A new species of the genus Pseudocosmetura Liu, Zhou & Bi, 2010 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Sichuan Wanglang National Nature Reserve, China
Authors: SHI FUMING , ZHAO LIANJUN
Published: August 2018

The paper described one new species from Sichuan, China. The new species, i.e. Pseudocosmetura wanglangensis sp. nov. differs from the known species of the genus in its distinctive male cercus and epiproct.
A new species of genus Thoradonta Hancock, 1908 (Orthoptera: Tetrigoidea: Tetrigidae) from India
Authors: GUPTA SUNIL KUMAR , SHI JIAN-PING , CHANDRA KAILASH
Published: August 2018

A new species of genus Thoradonta subtruncata sp. nov. is described from Korba, Chhattisgarh, India. A brief comparison with the reference collection Thoradonta spiculoba Hancock, 1912 present in National Zoological Collection identified by Prof. K. K. Günther. The new species Thoradonta subtruncata sp. nov. is similar to Thoradonta spiculoba Hancock, 1912, but differs from latter by median carina of vertex distinct and elevated, facial carinae slightly sinuated between antennae, scutellum moderate near median ocellus, tegmen elongate, more punctuate, narrow in middle, apex subtruncate and pulvilli III distinctly longer than length of I and II pulvilli.
Three new species of soldier beetles from Baltic amber (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)
Authors: FANTI FABRIZIO , PANKOWSKI MARY K.
Published: August 2018

Three new species of soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are described from late Eocene Baltic amber from the Kaliningrad Region of Russia on the coast of the Baltic Sea, i.e., Rhagonycha maryae sp. nov., Sucinorhagonycha samsockorum sp. nov. and Malthodes josephi sp. nov. Sucinorhagonycha samsockorum has a few antennomeres that are slightly dentate, making the new species appear intermediate between genus Sucinorhagonycha Kuśka, 1996, with filiform antennae, and genus Cacomorphocerus Schaufuss, 1892, which has saucer-shaped central antennomeres. This suggests that the relationship between the two genera may be closer than previously believed. Malthodes josephi is noteworthy because it has cuticular vesicles extruding from its abdominal segments that suggest their use for chemical defense. It is the first time that these vesicles have been discovered in Eocene species of soldier beetles. It is also the first time they have been seen in all extinct and extant species of the subfamily Malthininae and its genus Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852.
Biotemplated Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticle Chains on an α-Synuclein Fiber Scaffold
Authors: Colby R. , Hulleman J. , Padalkar S. , Rochet J. C. , Stanciu L. A.
Published: August 2018

Biomolecular templates provide an excellent potential tool for bottom-up device fabrication. Self-assembling α-synuclein protein fibrils, the formation of which has been linked to Parkinson's disease, have yet to be explored for potential device fabrication. In this paper,
α-synuclein fibrils were used as a template for palladium (Pd), gold (Au) and copper (Cu) nanoparticle chains synthesis. Deposition over a range of conditions resulted in metal-coated fibers with reproducible average diameters between 50 and 200 nm. Active elemental palladium
deposited on the protein fibrils is used as a catalyst for the electroless deposition of Au and Cu. Nanoparticle chains were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (XEDS), and electron energy loss spectrometry
(EELS).
Roles of SST versus Internal Atmospheric Variability in Winter Extreme Precipitation Variability along the U.S. West Coast
Authors: Dong Lu , Leung L. Ruby , Song Fengfei , Lu Jian
Published: August 2018

The U.S. West Coast exhibits large variability of extreme precipitation during the boreal winter season (December–February). Understanding the large-scale forcing of such variability is important for improving prediction. This motivates analyses of the roles of sea surface temperature (SST) forcing and internal atmospheric variability on extreme precipitation on the U.S. West Coast. Observations, reanalysis products, and an ensemble of Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) experiments from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) are analyzed. It is found that SST forcing only accounts for about 20% of the variance of both extreme and nonextreme precipitation in winter. Under SST forcing, extreme precipitation is associated with the Pacific–North American teleconnection, while nonextreme precipitation is associated with the North Pacific Oscillation. The remaining 80% of extreme precipitation variations can be explained by internal atmospheric dynamics featuring a circumglobal wave train with a cyclonic circulation located over the U.S. West Coast. The circumglobal teleconnection manifests from the mid- to high-latitude intrinsic variability, but it can also emanate from anomalous convection over the tropical western Pacific, with stronger tropical convection over the Maritime Continent setting the stage for more extreme precipitation in winter. Whether forced by SST or internal atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric rivers are a common and indispensable feature of the large-scale environment that produces concomitant extreme precipitation along the U.S. West Coast.
Intercomparison of Precipitation Estimates over the Arctic Ocean and Its Peripheral Seas from Reanalyses
Authors: Boisvert Linette N. , Webster Melinda A. , Petty Alek A. , Markus Thorsten , Bromwich David H. , Cullather Richard I.
Published: August 2018

Precipitation over the Arctic Ocean has a significant impact on the basin-scale freshwater and energy budgets but is one of the most poorly constrained variables in atmospheric reanalyses. Precipitation controls the snow cover on sea ice, which impedes the exchange of energy between the ocean and atmosphere, inhibiting sea ice growth. Thus, accurate precipitation amounts are needed to inform sea ice modeling, especially for the production of thickness estimates from satellite altimetry freeboard data. However, obtaining a quantitative estimate of the precipitation distribution in the Arctic is notoriously difficult because of a number of factors, including a lack of reliable, long-term in situ observations; difficulties in remote sensing over sea ice; and model biases in temperature and moisture fields and associated uncertainty of modeled cloud microphysical processes in the polar regions. Here, we compare precipitation estimates over the Arctic Ocean from eight widely used atmospheric reanalyses over the period 2000–16 (nominally the “new Arctic”). We find that the magnitude, frequency, and phase of precipitation vary drastically, although interannual variability is similar. Reanalysis-derived precipitation does not increase with time as expected; however, an increasing trend of higher fractions of liquid precipitation (rainfall) is found. When compared with drifting ice mass balance buoys, three reanalyses (ERA-Interim, MERRA, and NCEP R2) produce realistic magnitudes and temporal agreement with observed precipitation events, while two products [MERRA, version 2 (MERRA-2), and CFSR] show large, implausible magnitudes in precipitation events. All the reanalyses tend to produce overly frequent Arctic precipitation. Future work needs to be undertaken to determine the specific factors in reanalyses that contribute to these discrepancies in the new Arctic.
Lumbar Facet Joint Kinematics and Load Effects During Dynamic Lifting
Authors: Chowdhury Suman K. , Byrne Ryan M. , Zhou Yu , Zhang Xudong
Published: August 2018

Objective:

To examine the lumbar facet joint kinematics in vivo during dynamic lifting and the effects of the load lifted.

Background:

Although extensive efforts have been dedicated to investigating the risk factors of low back pain (LBP) associated with load handling in the workplace, the biomechanics of lumbar facet joints during such activities is not well understood.

Method:

Fourteen healthy participants performed a load-lifting task while a dynamic stereo-radiography system captured their lumbar motion continuously. Data from 11 participants were included for subsequent analysis. A randomized block design was employed to study the load effect (4.5 kg, 9.0 kg, and 13.5 kg) on bilateral facet joint motions at approximately 60°, 40°, 20°, and 0° trunk-flexion postures. The facet orientations were also examined.

Results:

Significant load effects were found for the flexion and lateral bending and superior-inferior translation of the facet joints. The L5-S1 displayed greater lateral bending and twisting, which was due to its more posterolateral orientation than the L2-L3, L3-L4, and L4-L5 facet joints. The left-right asymmetry in facet orientation was observed, most prominently at L3-L4 and L5-S1 facet joints.

Conclusion:

The lumbar facet joint kinematics are affected by the magnitude of the lifted load and are dependent on the orientations of articulating adjacent facets.

Application:

This study provided new insights into the role of lumbar facet joints in vivo during lifting. Alterations in the facet joint kinematics due to vigorous functional demand can be one of the primary but overlooked mechanical factors in the causation of LBP.
UV protection and antimicrobial finish on cotton khadi fabric using a mixture of nanoparticles of zinc oxide and poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone
Authors: Kar Tapas Ranjan , Samanta Ashis Kumar , Sajid Mohammed , Kaware Runali
Published: August 2018

A different percentage of nanoparticles of zinc oxide dispersed in a newer amino-silicone binder (poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone) were applied to bleached cotton khadi (handloom woven from handspun yarns) fabric to impart both ultraviolet protection and an antimicrobial finish in one step using the pad-dry-cure method, instead of using two processes for two different finishes. Amongst the varying dosages of nanoparticles of zinc oxide (1% to 5%) on the weight of fabric dispersed in poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone (2–10%) owf, 1% nanoparticles of zinc oxide and 4% poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone show ultraviolet protection factor 10 and 93–95% antibacterial reduction, whereas a 4% poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone and 5% nanoparticles of zinc oxide combination yields ultraviolet protection factor 20 and 99% antibacterial reduction. Thus, nanoparticles of zinc oxide at the level of 5% application with 4% poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone gives the best antimicrobial (99% bacterial reduction) and ultraviolet protection factor value of 20, balanced with 15–20% loss of fabric tenacity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis reveals a complex formation between cellulose/oxy-cellulose and poly-hydroxy-amino methyl silicone that embeds nanoparticles of zinc oxide within it. Supporting reaction mechanisms proposed for both energy dispersive spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectrophotometry results further confirm the presence of zinc, potassium, and silicon on the treated cotton fabric. A wash stability test also shows the stability of the antimicrobial treatment for up to five wash cycles with 96% bacterial reduction and retention of ultraviolet protection factor of 15 after five washes. Thus, this single step combining ultraviolet protective and antimicrobial finishing of cotton fabric may be used for eco-fashion garments to protect the human skin from ultraviolet light and microbes alongside its possible uses in medical textiles to protect human body parts.
Public Sector Innovation as Governance Reform: A Comparative Analysis of Competitive and Collaborative Strategies in the Swedish Transport Sector
Authors: Ek Österberg Emma , Qvist Martin
Published: August 2018

The constraining impact of bureaucracy on creative problem solving has been a recurring theme in research on public innovation, and public actors increasingly seek to “steer” innovation through interactive spaces for collaboration and competition. This article examines this form of “meta-governance” in the case of the Swedish Transport Administration and reveals a pattern where the initial opening of arenas for innovation is followed by a countermovement toward organization. Findings suggest that the introduction of elements of organization, such as hierarchy, rules, and membership, in governance spaces is a key strategy for coming to grips with a new innovation promoting role.
For the common weal
Authors: Thind Rajiv
Published: August 2018

While much of recent Hamlet criticism is heavily invested in foregrounding Catholic-nostalgic aspects in the play, I argue that the purgatorial Ghost can also be read as a caricature. Comedic and parodic depictions of Roman Catholic doctrine and beliefs were fairly common in the popular writings of Shakespeare’s age. I situate Shakespeare’s Hamlet within contemporary Protestant culture and its literary aesthetics as well as populist appeal. Finally, I read Hamlet’s mocking of the Ghost at the end of Scene 1.5 along with a popular pamphlet, Tarltons Newes out of Purgatorie (1590). Both, I argue, caricature Purgatory to induce community reinforcing Protestant laughter.
Subcutaneous Panniculitis-Like T-cell Lymphoma in Dogs: Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Classification
Authors: Noland Erica L. , Keller Stefan M. , Kiupel Matti
Published: August 2018

Canine nonepitheliotropic cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (NECTCL) are poorly characterized. In humans, a number of distinct subtypes of NECTCL have been recognized, including subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL). Five dogs with subcutaneous T-cell lymphomas histologically similar to SPTCL in humans are herein described. The mean age was 8.5 years (5.5 to 12 years). No breed or sex predilection was identified in this small cohort. Two dogs presented with an acute onset of multiple skin masses and 3 dogs had solitary masses with subsequent development of multiple smaller masses within 0.5 to 2 months post-diagnosis without treatment. Locations, when specified, included shoulder, neck, and ventral abdomen. Two dogs were euthanized following diagnosis and one dog treated with chemotherapy (CCNU) survived 7 months post-diagnosis. Histologically, all cases were characterized by proliferations of either small to intermediate or large sized, CD3-positive T cells that infiltrated the subcutis in a lace-like pattern and frequently rimmed adipocytes. No epitheliotropism was observed, neoplastic cells were often karyorrhectic, and there were regions of extensive necrosis. Heavy infiltrates of histiocytes with prominent phagocytosis masked the lymphoid neoplastic cell population in some sections. A clonal T-cell receptor gamma gene rearrangement was found in 4 of the 5 cases. While SPTCLs typically have a less aggressive clinical course in humans, their biological behavior in dogs remains to be determined. In summary, SPTCL may represent a distinct entity in dogs and needs to be accurately diagnosed to better determine clinical behavior.
Biomechanical Deficits at the Hip in Athletes With ACL Reconstruction Are Ameliorated With Neuromuscular Training
Authors: Nagelli Christopher , Wordeman Samuel , Di Stasi Stephanie , Hoffman Joshua , Marulli Tiffany , Hewett Timothy E.
Published: August 2018

Background:

The efficacy of a neuromuscular training (NMT) program to ameliorate known hip biomechanical risk factors for athletes with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is currently unknown.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to quantify the effects of an NMT program on hip biomechanics among athletes with ACLR and to compare posttraining hip biomechanics with a control group. The hypotheses were that known hip biomechanical risk factors of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury would be significantly reduced among athletes with ACLR after the NMT program and that posttraining hip biomechanics between the ACLR and control cohorts would not differ.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty-eight athletes (n = 18, ACLR; n = 10, uninjured) completed a 12-session NMT program. Biomechanical evaluation of a jump-landing task was done before and after completion of the program. Repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to understand the effect of NMT within the ACLR cohort. Two-way analysis of variance was used to compare both groups. Post hoc testing was done for significant interactions. Hip biomechanical variables at initial contact are reported.

Results:

The athletes with ACLR who completed the NMT program had a significant session × limb interaction ( P = .01) for hip external rotation moment and a significant main effect of session for hip flexion angle ( P = .049) and moment ( P < .001). There was a significant change for the involved ( P = .04; 528% increase) and uninvolved ( P = .04; 57% decrease) limbs from pre- to posttraining for hip rotation moment. The ACLR cohort had an increase in hip flexion angle (14% change) and a decrease in hip flexion moment (65% change) from pre- to posttraining. Posttraining comparison for these same hip biomechanical variables of interest revealed no significant interactions ( P > .05) between the ACLR and control cohorts. There was a significant main effect of group ( P = .02) for hip flexion angle, as the ACLR cohort demonstrated greater hip flexion angle than that of the control group.

Conclusion:

For athletes with ACLR, hip biomechanical measures of ACL injury risk show significant improvements after completion of an NMT program.

Clinical Relevance:

Athletes with ACLR who are participating in an NMT program may ameliorate known hip biomechanical risk factors for an ACL injury.
An Epidemiological Study of Substance Use Disorders Among Emerging and Young Adults
Authors: Qadeer Rana A. , Georgiades Kathy , Boyle Michael H. , Ferro Mark A.
Published: August 2018

Objectives:

We investigated the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) among emerging adults and quantified the extent to which emerging adults, compared with young adults, have increased odds for SUDs.

Methods:

Data were from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health (CCHS-MH). Respondents were 15 to 39 y of age ( n = 9228) and were categorized as: early emerging adults (15 to 22 y); late emerging adults (23 to 29 y); and, young adults (30 to 39 y). SUDs [alcohol or drug abuse/dependence (AAD or DAD)] were measured using the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0. The prevalence of SUDs was compared across age groups, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed from logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographic and health covariates. Analyses were weighted to maintain representativeness to the Canadian population.

Results:

The prevalence of AAD was 8.0%, 6.6%, and 2.7% for early emerging adults, late emerging adults, and young adults, respectively. For DAD, the prevalence was 6.4%, 3.6%, and 1.3%. After covariate adjustment, early and late emerging adults had greater odds of reporting AAD (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 2.2 to 4.9 and OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.6 to 3.4, respectively) or DAD (OR = 4.2, 95% CI = 2.5 to 7.0 and OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.6 to 4.1, respectively) compared with young adults. Differences between early and late emerging adults were not significant.

Conclusion:

Emerging adults are at increased odds for SUDs. Lack of differences between early and late emerging adults provide evidence of the extension of emerging adulthood into the late 20s. Findings have implications for the provision of screening and treatment of SUDs during this developmental period.
Mobilizing Grievances in an Authoritarian Setting: Threat and Emotion in the 1953 Plzeň Uprising
Authors: Bray Laura A. , Shriver Thomas E. , Adams Alison E.
Published: August 2018

Material and physical threat can play a crucial role in the emergence of protest, yet few studies have explored the micro-level mechanisms that transform threat into collective action under repressive conditions. We address this gap by connecting the mobilizing power of grievances to the emotional dynamics of collective action in the context of a 1953 uprising in Communist Czechoslovakia. Following economic reforms that wiped out citizens’ savings, several thousand workers in the industrial city of Plzeň took to the streets in protest. Drawing on data from in-depth interviews, our analysis shows how structural and incidental grievances can become a mobilizing force for high-risk activism. We find that the class position of protesters influenced their preexisting affective state and reactive response to the reform. As a result, class background helped to shape protesters’ motivations, actions, and goals. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for future research.
Consuming missionary legacies in contemporary China: Eric Liddell and evolving interpretations of Chinese Christian history
Authors: Liu Jifeng , White Chris
Published: August 2018

As a significant theme running through China’s modern history, Christianity’s inglorious role has helped redefine the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) self-proclaimed role as the liberator of the long-suffering nation from imperialist forces. The association between missionaries and Western imperialism has predominated the Chinese communist historiography. Nevertheless, recent years have witnessed a burgeoning movement to reinvent China’s Christian past and reconstruct historical memories of stigmatized missionaries. This article suggests that local governments in China are increasingly recognizing value in the history of Chinese–missionary encounters. This is evident in how local authorities have organized and promoted commemorative activities for Scottish missionary and Olympic champion Eric Liddell (1902–45). In presenting the case of Liddell, this article reveals how the Chinese government takes the initiative in consuming historical memories of Western missionaries, and finds instrumental value in the legacy of such figures despite their religious connections.
Using the job demands-resources approach to assess employee well-being in healthcare
Authors: Tomo Andrea , De Simone Stefania
Published: August 2018

The aim of this study is to advance a model to assess the overall level of well-being within healthcare organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs a job demands-resources approach by considering the multilevel model of employee well-being as theoretical framework, integrated with personal resources and health indicators. A specific case is built in the Italian context, with empirical data gathered from three Italian paediatric hospitals belonging to the same healthcare organizations. Findings: Results show that the job demand-resource model may well explain differences in the work environment, and that personality enables coping with negative effects of work environment settings. Originality/value. The paper contributes to extending the literature on well-being and the management of healthcare organizations, by providing interesting insights on the multilevel model of employee well-being. It also has interesting academic and practical implications, since it tries to put forward a model to assess employee well-being and provides an empirical application of a well-known theoretical model.