bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral Tuberculosis: A Rare Manifestation of Disseminated Disease in a Patient with Dermatomyositis on Chronic Corticosteroids
Authors: Khateeb Dina , Kang Mohleen , Capitle Eugenio , Feurdean Mirela
Published: November 2016

Tuberculosis remains one of the leading causes of death around the world despite advancements in diagnostic testing and medical therapies. It commonly affects the lungs, but isolated extra pulmonary clinical manifestations have been reported. Tuberculosis of the oral cavity is exceedingly rare. We present a case of a patient with dermatomyositis on chronic steroid therapy, who presented with tuberculosis involving the tongue as the only clinical manifestation of disseminated disease. Physicians must be aware of extra pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis in patients at risk, in order to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment and to prevent further contagion.
Numerical Investigation of Pull-In Instability in a Micro-Switch MEMS Device through the Pseudo-Spectral Method
Authors: Di Maida P. , Bianchi G.
Published: November 2016

A pseudo-spectral approximation is presented to solve the problem of pull-in instability in a cantilever micro-switch. As well known, pull-in instability arises when the acting force reaches a critical threshold beyond which equilibrium is no longer possible. In particular, Coulomb electrostatic force is considered, although the method can be easily generalized to account for fringe as well as Casimir effects. A numerical comparison is presented between a pseudo-spectral and a Finite Element (FE) approximation of the problem, both methods employing the same number of degrees of freedom. It is shown that the pseudo-spectral method appears more effective in accurately approximating the behavior of the cantilever near its tip. This fact is crucial to capturing the threshold voltage on the verge of pull-in. Conversely, the FE approximation presents rapid successions of attracting/repulsing regions along the cantilever, which are not restricted to the near pull-in regime.
Sugammadex-Enhanced Neuronal Apoptosis following Neonatal Sevoflurane Exposure in Mice
Authors: Satomoto Maiko , Sun Zhongliang , Adachi Yushi U. , Makita Koshi
Published: November 2016

In rodents, neonatal sevoflurane exposure induces neonatal apoptosis in the brain and results in learning deficits. Sugammadex is a new selective neuromuscular blockade (NMB) binding agent that anesthesiologists can use to achieve immediate reversal of an NMB with few side effects. Given its molecular weight of 2178, sugammadex is thought to be unable to pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB). Volatile anesthetics can influence BBB opening and integrity. Therefore, we investigated whether the intraperitoneal administration of sugammadex could exacerbate neuronal damage following neonatal 2% sevoflurane exposure via changes in BBB integrity. Cleaved caspase-3 immunoblotting was used to detect apoptosis, and the ultrastructure of the BBB was examined by transmission electron microscopy. Exposure to 2% sevoflurane for 6 h resulted in BBB ultrastructural abnormalities in the hippocampus of neonatal mice. Sugammadex alone without sevoflurane did not induce apoptosis. The coadministration of sugammadex with sevoflurane to neonatal mice caused a significant increase (150%) in neuroapoptosis in the brain compared with 2% sevoflurane. In neonatal anesthesia, sugammadex could influence neurotoxicity together with sevoflurane. Exposure to 2% sevoflurane for 6 h resulted in BBB ultrastructural abnormalities in the hippocampus of neonatal mice.
PROTOCADHERIN 7 Acts through SET and PP2A to Potentiate MAPK Signaling by EGFR and KRAS during Lung Tumorigenesis
Authors: Zhou Xiaorong , Updegraff Barrett L. , Guo Yabin , Peyton Michael , Girard Luc , Larsen Jill E. , Xie Xian-Jin , Zhou Yunyun , Hwang Tae Hyun , Xie Yang , Rodriguez-Canales Jaime , Villalobos Pamela , Behrens Carmen , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Minna John D. , O'Donnell Kathryn A.
Published: November 2016

Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Given the efficacy of membrane proteins as therapeutic targets in human malignancies, we examined cell-surface receptors that may act as drivers of lung tumorigenesis. Here, we report that the PROTOCADHERIN PCDH7 is overexpressed frequently in NSCLC tumors where this event is associated with poor clinical outcome. PCDH7 overexpression synergized with EGFR and KRAS to induce MAPK signaling and tumorigenesis. Conversely, PCDH7 depletion suppressed ERK activation, sensitized cells to MEK inhibitors, and reduced tumor growth. PCDH7 potentiated ERK signaling by facilitating interaction of protein phosphatase PP2A with its potent inhibitor, the SET oncoprotein. By establishing an oncogenic role for PCDH7 in lung tumorigenesis, our results provide a rationale to develop novel PCDH7 targeting therapies that act at the cell surface of NSCLC cells to compromise their growth. Cancer Res; 77(1); 187–97. ©2016 AACR.
Dietary Emulsifier–Induced Low-Grade Inflammation Promotes Colon Carcinogenesis
Authors: Viennois Emilie , Merlin Didier , Gewirtz Andrew T. , Chassaing Benoit
Published: November 2016

The increased risks conferred by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to the development of colorectal cancer gave rise to the term “colitis-associated cancer” and the concept that inflammation promotes colon tumorigenesis. A condition more common than IBD is low-grade inflammation, which correlates with altered gut microbiota composition and metabolic syndrome, both present in many cases of colorectal cancer. Recent findings suggest that low-grade inflammation in the intestine is promoted by consumption of dietary emulsifiers, a ubiquitous component of processed foods, which alter the composition of gut microbiota. Here, we demonstrate in a preclinical model of colitis-induced colorectal cancer that regular consumption of dietary emulsifiers, carboxymethylcellulose or polysorbate-80, exacerbated tumor development. Enhanced tumor development was associated with an altered microbiota metagenome characterized by elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide and flagellin. We found that emulsifier-induced alterations in the microbiome were necessary and sufficient to drive alterations in major proliferation and apoptosis signaling pathways thought to govern tumor development. Overall, our findings support the concept that perturbations in host–microbiota interactions that cause low-grade gut inflammation can promote colon carcinogenesis. Cancer Res; 77(1); 27–40. ©2016 AACR.
A Transcriptional Signature Identifies LKB1 Functional Status as a Novel Determinant of MEK Sensitivity in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kaufman Jacob M. , Yamada Tadaaki , Park Kyungho , Timmers Cynthia D. , Amann Joseph M. , Carbone David P.
Published: November 2016

LKB1 is a commonly mutated tumor suppressor in non–small cell lung cancer that exerts complex effects on signal transduction and transcriptional regulation. To better understand the downstream impact of loss of functional LKB1, we developed a transcriptional fingerprint assay representing this phenotype. This assay was predictive of LKB1 functional loss in cell lines and clinical specimens, even those without detected sequence alterations in the gene. In silico screening of drug sensitivity data identified putative LKB1-selective drug candidates, revealing novel associations not apparent from analysis of LKB1 mutations alone. Among the candidates, MEK inhibitors showed robust association with signature expression in both training and testing datasets independent of RAS/RAF mutations. This susceptibility phenotype is directly altered by RNA interference–mediated LKB1 knockdown or by LKB1 re-expression into mutant cell lines and is readily observed in vivo using a xenograft model. MEK sensitivity is dependent on LKB1-induced changes in AKT and FOXO3 activation, consistent with genomic and proteomic analyses of LKB1-deficient lung adenocarcinomas. Our findings implicate the MEK pathway as a potential therapeutic target for LKB1-deficient cancers and define a practical NanoString biomarker to identify functional LKB1 loss. Cancer Res; 77(1); 153–63. ©2016 AACR.
Creating Interactions between Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle and the Peripheral Nervous System
Authors: Smith Alec S.T. , Passey Samantha L. , Martin Neil R.W. , Player Darren J. , Mudera Vivek , Greensmith Linda , Lewis Mark P.
Published: November 2016

Effective models of mammalian tissues must allow and encourage physiologically (mimetic) correct interactions between co-cultured cell types in order to produce culture microenvironments as similar as possible to those that would normally occur in vivo. In the case of skeletal muscle, the development of such a culture model, integrating multiple relevant cell types within a biomimetic scaffold, would be of significant benefit for investigations into the development, functional performance, and pathophysiology of skeletal muscle tissue. Although some work has been published regarding the behaviour of in vitro muscle models co-cultured with organotypic slices of CNS tissue or with stem cell-derived neurospheres, little investigation has so far been made regarding the potential to maintain isolated motor neurons within a 3D biomimetic skeletal muscle culture platform. Here, we review the current state of the art for engineering neuromuscular contacts in vitro and provide original data detailing the development of a 3D collagen-based model for the co-culture of primary muscle cells and motor neurons. The devised culture system promotes increased myoblast differentiation, forming arrays of parallel, aligned myotubes on which areas of nerve-muscle contact can be detected by immunostaining for pre- and post-synaptic proteins. Quantitative RT-PCR results indicate that motor neuron presence has a positive effect on myotube maturation, suggesting neural incorporation influences muscle development and maturation in vitro. The importance of this work is discussed in relation to other published neuromuscular co-culture platforms along with possible future directions for the field.
Computational Modeling of Muscle Regeneration and Adaptation to Advance Muscle Tissue Regeneration Strategies
Authors: Martin Kyle S. , Virgilio Kelley M. , Peirce Shayn M. , Blemker Silvia S.
Published: November 2016

Skeletal muscle has an exceptional ability to regenerate and adapt following injury. Tissue engineering approaches (e.g. cell therapy, scaffolds, and pharmaceutics) aimed at enhancing or promoting muscle regeneration from severe injuries are a promising and active field of research. Computational models are beginning to advance the field by providing insight into regeneration mechanisms and therapies. In this paper, we summarize the contributions computational models have made to understanding muscle remodeling and the functional implications thereof. Next, we describe a new agent-based computational model of skeletal muscle inflammation and regeneration following acute muscle injury. Our computational model simulates the recruitment and cellular behaviors of key inflammatory cells (e.g. neutrophils and M1 and M2 macrophages) and their interactions with native muscle cells (muscle fibers, satellite stem cells, and fibroblasts) that result in the clearance of necrotic tissue and muscle fiber regeneration. We demonstrate the ability of the model to track key regeneration metrics during both unencumbered regeneration and in the case of impaired macrophage function. We also use the model to simulate regeneration enhancement when muscle is primed with inflammatory cells prior to injury, which is a putative therapeutic intervention that has not yet been investigated experimentally. Computational modeling of muscle regeneration, pursued in combination with experimental analyses, provides a quantitative framework for evaluating and predicting muscle regeneration and enables the rational design of therapeutic strategies for muscle recovery.
Remineralizing Potential of a Low Fluoride Toothpaste with Sodium Trimetaphosphate: An in situ Study
Authors: Takeshita Eliana M. , Danelon Marcelle , Castro Luciene P. , Cunha Robson F. , Delbem Alberto C. B.
Published: November 2016

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a low-fluoride (F) toothpaste supplemented with sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP) on enamel remineralization in situ. Design: Bovine enamel blocks were selected on the basis of their surface hardness (SH) after caries-like lesions had been induced, and randomly divided into 4 treatment groups, according to the toothpastes used: without F or TMP (placebo); 500 ppm F; 500 ppm F plus 1% TMP; and 1,100 ppm F. The study design was blinded and crossover and performed in 4 phases of 3 days each. Eleven subjects used palatal appliances containing 4 bovine enamel blocks which were treated 3 times per day during 1 min each time, with natural slurries of saliva and toothpaste formed in the oral cavity during toothbrushing. After each phase, the percentages of surface (%SHR) and subsurface hardness recovery (%ΔKHNR) were calculated. F, calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (Pi) contents in enamel were also determined. Data were analyzed by 1-way, repeated-measures ANOVA, followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test (p < 0.05). Results: Toothpaste with 500 ppm F + TMP and 1,100 ppm F showed similar %SHR and %ΔKHNR as well as enamel F, Ca, and Pi concentrations. Conclusion: The addition of TMP to a low-fluoride toothpaste promoted a similar remineralizing capacity to that of a standard (1,100 ppm F) toothpaste in situ.
Psychopathological Course Typology in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Heuristic Approach in a Sample of 100 Patients
Authors: Wigand Moritz E. , Lang Fabian U. , Becker Thomas , Schulze Thomas G. , Strik Werner , Jäger Markus
Published: November 2016

Background: Despite several previous attempts at subtyping schizophrenia, a typology that reflects neurobiological knowledge and reliably predicts course and outcome is lacking. We applied the system-specific concept of the Bern Psychopathology Scale (BPS) to generate a course typology based on three domains: language, affectivity, and motor behaviour. Sampling and Methods: A cohort of 100 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders according to DSM-IV criteria underwent psychopathological assessment, and all their available medical records were retrospectively analysed on the basis of the BPS. Results: Overall, 39% of the patients showed dominant abnormalities in only one domain, 37% in two domains, and 24% in all three domains. The motor domain was affected in the majority of patients (76%), followed by affectivity (63%) and language (46%). Eighty-six percent of patients showed a bipolar course pattern in at least one domain. Conclusions: In a retrospective analysis of 100 patient records we described system-specific course patterns of schizophrenia by using a neurobiologically informed psychopathological assessment. The results showed a surprisingly high proportion of bipolar courses and a pattern of pure and mixed subtypes, which speaks for an overlap of domains with regards to psychopathological symptoms. A limitation of this heuristic and retrospective approach is that it was largely based on clinical judgement. Prospective studies with more rigorous threshold definitions are needed to clarify the neurobiological and clinical implications of the proposed reorganization of psychotic disorders.
Regeneration of the Aging Lung: A Mini-Review
Authors: Navarro Sonia , Driscoll Barbara
Published: November 2016

Natural lung aging is marked by molecular changes that occur during development, maturation, and late-life decline. At the cellular and whole organ level, degenerative changes that are a hallmark of natural aging (shorter telomeres, increased expression of cellular senescence markers, increased DNA damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, accompanied by diminished elasticity) reach pathological levels in aging humans in the form of chronic respiratory disease. Aging strongly correlates with the development and incidence of chronic respiratory diseases, including cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, but is most strongly linked with development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Lung failure due to aging can be traced to loss of lung stem cell regenerative capacity within the distinctive stem cell niches found within each compartment of the lung. Current knowledge about the identity and function of these stem cell compartments has been largely drawn from a variety of transgenic and spontaneously mutated mouse models that are characterized by rapid rates of aging or have been used to examine regeneration from injury in the context of natural or accelerated aging. While much work has focused on the failure of epithelial cell populations as a key component of the aging process, additional studies have shown that aging, as a global phenomenon in the lung, also impacts resident endothelial, mesenchymal, and immune cell populations. In this review, we examine aging as a process dependent on specific changes in molecular pathways within multiple lung cell populations.
Participation in Genetic Research: Amazon's Mechanical Turk Workforce in the United States and India
Authors: Groth Susan W. , Dozier Ann , Demment Margaret , Li Dongmei , Fernandez I. Diana , Chang Jack , Dye Timothy
Published: November 2016

Background: Genomic research has innumerable benefits. However, if people are unwilling to participate in genomic research, application of knowledge will be limited. This study examined the likelihood of respondents from a high- and a low- to middle-income country to participate in genetic research. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected using Amazon's Mechanical Turk workforce to ascertain attitudes toward participation in genetic research. Registered country of residence was either the US (n = 505) or India (n = 505). Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess adjusted effects of demographic characteristics, health, social status, beliefs and concerns on 4 genetic research outcomes. Results: Participants from India who believed chance and powerful others influenced their health were more likely to participate in genetic research (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 1.0-1.1) and to agree with sharing of DNA data (OR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.1-1.2). US participants were more likely to be concerned about protection of family history, which they indicated would affect participation (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 2.1-6.0). Commonalities for the likelihood of participation were beliefs that genetic research could help find new treatments (India OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.4; US OR = 4.7, 95% CI 2.0-11.2) and descendants would benefit (India OR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.5; US OR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.3-7.1). Conclusions: Concurrence of beliefs on benefits and concerns about genetic research suggest they may be common across countries. Consideration of commonalities may be important to increase global participation in genetic research.
Abdominal Wall Endometriosis: Myofibroblasts as a Possible Evidence of Metaplasia: A Case Report
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamed Gamal , Delarue Eleonore , Abesadze Elene , Haas Matthias , Sehouli Jalid , Chiantera Vito , Mechsner Sylvia
Published: November 2016

In this study, we report about a patient with extra-uterine endometriosis (EM) in the abdominal wall muscle with evident metaplasia based on the abundant alpha smooth muscle actin (ASMA)-expressing myofibroblasts. Laparotomy excision of the abdominal wall EM was done following ultrasonographic evidence of a hypodense swelling in the right rectus abdominis, which was confirmed by MRI. Immunohistochemistry staining for ASMA and collagen I was done, with the results confirming that endometriotic stromal cells expressed both. Anterior abdominal wall endometriosis was suspected because of the patient's history of recurrent EM combined with the cyclic nature of symptoms. MRI is useful in determining the extent of the disease. In case of persisting symptoms even under hormonal treatment, surgical excision is mandatory. The expression of both ASMA and collagen I in and around EM lesions supports the notion of the metaplastic process in the course of disease development.
Symptoms of Anxiety in Older Adults with Depression, Dementia, or Psychosis: A Principal Component Analysis of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory
Authors: Bakkane Bendixen Anette , Hartberg Cecilie Bhandari , Selbæk Geir , Engedal Knut
Published: November 2016

Aims: The primary aim of this study was to examine anxiety symptoms as measured by the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) in older patients with depression, dementia, or psychotic disorders. The secondary aim was to conduct a principal component analysis (PCA) of the GAI and to examine whether its subscales differ between the 3 disorders. Methods: We included data from 428 patients who were admitted to a department of geriatric psychiatry and examined according to a standardized protocol. The GAI was used to measure current anxiety symptoms. Results: The GAI symptoms occurred more frequently in the group with depression than in the other 2 groups. The PCA of the GAI with oblimin rotation resulted in a 2-component solution, labelled as “worries” (explained variance 46.3%, Cronbach's α 0.92) and “physical symptoms” (explained variance 7.1%, Cronbach's α 0.85). Conclusion: The results indicate that in old age, anxiety is especially prevalent in depression. The 2-component solution indicates that the GAI measures 2 different aspects of anxiety with different symptomatology.
Heterotopic Ossification in Rectal Carcinoma: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Shimazaki Jiro , Takemura Akira , Nishida Kiyotaka , Kajiyama Hideki , Shimoda Mitsugi , Suzuki Shuji
Published: November 2016

Heterotopic ossification in colorectal carcinoma is extremely rare. This report presents the case of a 57-year-old male who had undergone a low anterior resection following a diagnosis of rectal carcinoma. Histological examination showed heterotopic ossification in the tumor. The patient was referred to Ibaraki Medical Center, Tokyo Medical University, with a diagnosis of rectal carcinoma by a local physician. Abdominal computed tomography revealed thickening of the rectal wall with calcified deposits, and virtual colonoscopy showed stenosis with a mass in the rectum. The patient underwent a low anterior resection and diverting ileostomy in May 2014. Histological examination of the excised tumor showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and an infiltration of spindle cells with numerous foci of osteoid and ossification, with osteoblastic rimming in the stroma. Immunohistochemical analysis of these spindle cells and osteoblasts revealed negative staining for AE1/AE3, suggesting a reactive change. There was metastasis in 1 of the 12 lymph nodes, and the tumor was diagnosed as stage IIIB (T4a, N1a, M0) rectal carcinoma. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was followed up at our outpatient clinic. In conclusion, the malignant potential of heterotopic ossification in rectal carcinoma has not been determined. However, heterotopic ossification is induced by tumor progression in a microenvironment, suggesting a high tumor malignity. The patient should be carefully monitored after surgery in terms of improved patient outcome.
СУЧАСНИЙ СТАН СТВОРЕННЯ, ВИРОБНИЦТВА ТА ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ТАБЛЕТОВАНИХ ЛІКАРСЬКИХ ПРЕПАРАТІВ. Повідомлення 23. Характеристика розробки, дослідження та використання нових терапевтичних таргет-систем із регульованим вивільненням для колонотерапії.
Authors: Pokotylo О. О. , Hroshovyi Т. A.
Published: November 2016

Узагальнено дані вітчизняних і закордонних літературних джерел щодо характеристики, переваг застосування, класифікації та технологічних аспектів розробки колонотерапевтичних систем із контрольованим вивільненням і специфічним всмоктуванням діючої речовини
ДЕФІЦИТ ВІТАМІНУ D І ВАГІТНІСТЬ.
Authors: Boychuk A. V. , Budnik T. O.
Published: November 2016

У статті наведені дані щодо сучасних поглядів на роль вітаміну D у забезпеченні різноманітних функцій організму і, зокрема, ролі дефіциту вітаміну D у розвитку ускладнень вагітності. Показано багатогранність функцій вітаміну D та вплив його дефіциту на низку акушерських і перинатальних ускладнень. Вказано на необхідність скринінгового цілеспрямованого обстеження вагітних на вміст вітаміну D у сироватці крові, що дозволить проводити вчасну корекцію та попередити ускладнення.
Досвід виконання паліативних, комбінованих і розширених операцій у невідкладній хірургії раку шлунка
Authors: Lukyanchuk O. V. , Mashukov A. A. , Bilenko A. A. , Dubinina V. H. , Lurin A. H. , Bilenko E. D. , Chetverykov S. H. , Zhura A. N. , Merlich S. V. , Ratsyborskyi D. V. , Maksymovskyi V. E. , Shylin I. V. , Boychenko A. I.
Published: November 2016

У статті розглянуто досвід виконання невідкладних абдомінальних онкохірургічних операцій, виконаних на базі відділення абдомінальної онкології за період 2012-2014 рр. Всього в дослідження включений 51 хворий, яким виконані ургентні і термінові планові операції з приводу ускладнень раку шлунка. Всього виконано 27 паліативних, 6 розширених, 15 комбінованих операцій. По-справжньому ургентних було тільки 2, під час яких були виконані в обох випадках резекції шлунка з спленектомією без виконання розширених лімфодисекцій. Зроблено висновок, що виконання радикальних операцій не збільшує летальність при ускладненому перебігу раку шлунка. У світовій ургентній медицині використовуються різні класифікації термінових, в т. ч. невідкладних операцій, найбільш уніфікованої з яких є класифікація WSES-2013. Традиційний «вітчизняний» розподіл невідкладних онкологічних операцій на ургентні / термінові / планові або навіть частіше на ургентні / планові є усталеним і необхідним. Індивідуалізація підходу до кожної ургентної операції, як і взагалі тенденція до індивідуалізації в онкології, є невід'ємним мотивом прийдешніх методологічних змін в невідкладній онкохірургії.
Досвід застосування малоінвазивних втручань в ургентній хірургії
Authors: Tkachuk O. L. , Dzvonkovskyi T. M. , Tkachuk–Hryhorchuk O. O.
Published: November 2016

На підставі аналізу статистичних показників роботи клініки наведено характеристику досвіду застосування малоінвазивних технологій в ургентній хірургії. Автори описали варіанти хірургічної тактики при різних гострих хірургічних захворюваннях. Обґрунтовано необхідність організаційних нововведень, а також підготовки фахівців. Зроблено висновок про необхідність розширення застосування малоінвазивних втручань в ургентній хірургії.
PreSERVE-AMI
Authors: Quyyumi Arshed A. , Vasquez Alejandro , Kereiakes Dean J. , Klapholz Marc , Schaer Gary L. , Abdel-Latif Ahmed , Frohwein Stephen , Henry Timothy D. , Schatz Richard A. , Dib Nabil , Toma Catalin , Davidson Charles J. , Barsness Gregory W. , Shavelle David M. , Cohen Martin , Poole Joseph , Moss Thomas , Hyde Pamela , Kanakaraj Anna Maria , Druker Vitaly , Chung Amy , Junge Candice , Preti Robert A. , Smith Robin L. , Mazzo David J. , Pecora Andrew , Losordo Douglas W.
Published: November 2016

Rationale:

Despite direct immediate intervention and therapy, ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) victims remain at risk for infarct expansion, heart failure, reinfarction, repeat revascularization, and death.

Objective:

To evaluate the safety and bioactivity of autologous CD34+ cell (CLBS10) intracoronary infusion in patients with left ventricular dysfunction post STEMI.

Methods and Results:

Patients who underwent successful stenting for STEMI and had left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction≤48%) ≥4 days poststent were eligible for enrollment. Subjects (N=161) underwent mini bone marrow harvest and were randomized 1:1 to receive (1) autologous CD34+ cells (minimum 10 mol/L±20% cells; N=78) or (2) diluent alone (N=83), via intracoronary infusion. The primary safety end point was adverse events, serious adverse events, and major adverse cardiac event. The primary efficacy end point was change in resting myocardial perfusion over 6 months. No differences in myocardial perfusion or adverse events were observed between the control and treatment groups, although increased perfusion was observed within each group from baseline to 6 months (
P
<0.001). In secondary analyses, when adjusted for time of ischemia, a consistently favorable cell dose–dependent effect was observed in the change in left ventricular ejection fraction and infarct size, and the duration of time subjects was alive and out of hospital (
P
=0.05). At 1 year, 3.6% (N=3) and 0% deaths were observed in the control and treatment group, respectively.

Conclusions:

This PreSERVE-AMI (Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial) represents the largest study of cell-based therapy for STEMI completed in the United States and provides evidence supporting safety and potential efficacy in patients with left ventricular dysfunction post STEMI who are at risk for death and major morbidity.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01495364.
Aortic–Brachial Pulse Wave Velocity Ratio
Authors: Fortier Catherine , Sidibé Aboubacar , Desjardins Marie-Pier , Marquis Karine , De Serres Sacha A. , Mac-Way Fabrice , Agharazii Mohsen
Published: November 2016

Aortic stiffness, a cardiovascular risk factor, depends on the operating mean arterial pressure (MAP). The impact of aortic stiffness on cardiovascular outcomes is proposed to be mediated by the attenuation or the reversal of the arterial stiffness gradient. We hypothesized that arterial stiffness gradient is less influenced by changes in MAP. We aimed to study the relationship between MAP and aortic stiffness, brachial stiffness, and arterial stiffness gradient. In a cross-sectional study of a dialysis cohort (group A, n=304) and a cohort of hypertensive or kidney transplant recipient with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of >45 mL/min/1.73 m
2
(group B, n=114), we assessed aortic and brachial stiffness by measuring carotid–femoral and carotid–radial pulse wave velocities (PWV). We used aortic–brachial PWV ratio as a measure of arterial stiffness gradient. Although there was a positive relationship between MAP and carotid–femoral PWV (
R
2
=0.10 and 0.08;
P
<0.001 and
P
=0.003) and MAP and carotid–radial PWV (
R
2
=0.22 and 0.12;
P
<0.001 and
P
<0.001), there was no statistically or clinically significant relationship between MAP and aortic–brachial PWV ratio (
R
2
=0.0002 and 0.0001;
P
=0.8 and
P
=0.9) in group A and B, respectively. Dialysis status and increasing age increased the slope of the relationship between MAP and cf-PWV. However, we found no modifying factor (age, sex, dialysis status, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and class of antihypertensive drugs) that could affect the lack of relationship between MAP and aortic–brachial PWV ratio. In conclusion, these results suggest that aortic–brachial PWV ratio could be considered as a blood pressure–independent measure of vascular aging.
Increased Aortic Calcification Is Associated With Arterial Stiffness Progression in Multiethnic Middle-Aged Men
Authors: Guo Jingchuan , Fujiyoshi Akira , Willcox Bradley , Choo Jina , Vishnu Abhishek , Hisamatsu Takashi , Ahuja Vasudha , Takashima Naoyuki , Barinas-Mitchell Emma , Kadota Aya , Evans Rhobert W. , Miura Katsuyuki , Edmundowicz Daniel , Masaki Kamal , Shin Chol , Kuller Lewis H. , Ueshima Hirotsugu , Sekikawa Akira
Published: November 2016

Arterial stiffness is established as an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The objective was to prospectively evaluate association of aortic calcification burden with progression of arterial stiffness in population-based samples of healthy middle-aged men from ERA JUMP cohort (Electron-Beam Computed Tomography and Risk Factor Assessment in Japanese and US Men in the Post-World War II Birth Cohort). Men (n=635) aged 40 to 49 years (207 white American, 45 black American, 142 Japanese American, and 241 Japanese in Japan) were examined at baseline and 4 to 7 years later. Aortic calcification was evaluated from level of aortic arch to iliac bifurcation. Arterial stiffness progression was measured as annual change in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity. Multivariable-adjusted general linear models were applied to investigate associations of longitudinal change in aortic calcification with arterial stiffness progression in participants overall, as well as in subgroups without or with prevalent aortic calcification at baseline. Annual change in aortic calcification was positively and significantly associated with arterial stiffness progression. In participants with annual changes in aortic calcium score of ≤0, 1 to 10, 11 to 100, and >100, the adjusted means (SD) for the annual change in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were 3.8 (2.2), 7.2 (2.2), 12.2 (1.8), and 15.6 (2.6) cm/s, respectively (
P
for trend <0.01) adjusted for baseline aortic calcification, arterial stiffness, and standard cardiovascular risk factors. Arterial stiffness was associated with the incidence of aortic calcification over the follow-up period among participants without aortic calcification (n=297) and with an increase in aortic calcification among participants with prevalent aortic calcification at baseline (n=388). Our findings suggest aortic calcification may be causally linked to arterial stiffness.
Ischemic Stroke and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in the General Population: The Tromsø Study
Authors: Rinde Ludvig B. , Småbrekke Birgit , Mathiesen Ellisiv B. , Løchen Maja‐Lisa , Njølstad Inger , Hald Erin M. , Wilsgaard Tom , Brækkan Sigrid K. , Hansen John‐Bjarne
Published: November 2016

Background

Even though clinical data support a relation between ischemic stroke and venous thromboembolism (
VTE
), the strength and time dependence of the association remain to be settled at the population level. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between ischemic stroke and
VTE
in a prospective population‐based cohort.

Methods and Results

Participants (n=30 002) were recruited from 3 surveys of the Tromsø study (conducted in 1994–1995, 2001, and 2007–2008) and followed through 2010. All incident events of ischemic stroke and
VTE
during follow‐up were recorded. Cox‐regression models with age as time scale and ischemic stroke as a time‐dependent variable were used to calculate hazard ratios (
HR
) of
VTE
adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. During a median follow‐up time of 15.7 years, 1360 participants developed ischemic stroke and 722 had a
VTE
. The risk of
VTE
was highest the first month (
HR
19.7; 95%
CI
, 10.1–38.5) and from 1 to 3 months after the stroke (
HR
10.6; 95%
CI
5.0–22.5), but declined rapidly thereafter. The risk estimates were approximately the same for deep vein thrombosis (
HR
19.1; 95%
CI
, 7.8–38.5), and pulmonary embolism (
HR
20.2; 95%
CI
, 7.4–55.1). Stroke was associated with higher risk for provoked (
HR
22.6; 95%
CI
, 12.5–40.9) than unprovoked
VTE
(
HR
7.4; 95%
CI
, 2.7–20.1) the first 3 months.

Conclusions

The risk of
VTE
increased during the first 3 months after an ischemic stroke. The particularly high risk of provoked
VTE
suggests that additional predisposing factors, such as immobilization, potentiate the
VTE
risk in patients with ischemic stroke.
The Structure of Ontogenies in a Model Protocell
Authors: Agmon Eran , Gates Alexander J. , Beer Randall D.
Published: November 2016

Emergent individuals are often characterized with respect to their viability: their ability to maintain themselves and persist in variable environments. As such individuals interact with an environment, they undergo sequences of structural changes that correspond to their ontogenies. Ultimately, individuals that adapt to their environment, and increase their chances of survival, persist. This article provides an initial step towards a more formal treatment of these concepts. A network of possible ontogenies is uncovered by subjecting a model protocell to sequential perturbations and mapping the resulting structural configurations. The analysis of this network reveals trends in how the protocell can move between configurations, how its morphology changes, and how the role of the environment varies throughout. Viability is defined as expected life span given an initial configuration. This leads to two notions of adaptivity: a local adaptivity that addresses how viability changes in plastic transitions, and a global adaptivity that looks at longer-term tendencies for increased viability. To demonstrate how different protocell-environment pairings produce different patterns of ontogenic change, we generate and analyze a second ontogenic network for the same protocell in a different environment. Finally, the mechanisms of a minimal adaptive transition are analyzed, and it is shown that these rely on distributed spatial processes rather than an explicit regulatory mechanism. The combination of this model and analytical techniques provides a foundation for studying the emergence of viability, ontogeny, and adaptivity in more biologically realistic systems.
Partial Redundancy and Morphological Homeostasis: Reliable Development through Overlapping Mechanisms
Authors: Brodsky Micah
Published: November 2016

How might organisms grow into their desired physical forms in spite of environmental and genetic variation? How do they maintain this form in spite of physical insults? This article presents a case study in simulated morphogenesis, using a physics-based model for embryonic epithelial tissue. The challenges of the underlying physics force the introduction of closed-loop controllers for both spatial patterning and geometric structure. Reliable development is achieved not through elaborate control procedures or exact solutions, but through crude layering of independent, overlapping mechanisms. As a consequence, development and regeneration together become one process, morphological homeostasis, which, owing to its internal feedbacks and partially redundant architecture, is remarkably robust to both knockout damage and environmental variation. The incomplete nature of such redundancy furnishes an evolutionary rationale for its preservation, in spite of individual knockout experiments that may suggest it has little purpose.
Evident Bias in Thomas J. Kehoe and E. James Kehoe, “Crimes Committed by U.S. Soldiers in Europe, 1945–1946”
Authors: Dykstra Robert R.
Published: November 2016

The horrifying record of rape by Soviet troops in postwar Germany has long been a matter of record. What is new is the argument that the behavior of American GIs in the European Theater of Operations was little better than that of the Russians. Inspired by a new study alleging that some 190,000 German girls and women were raped by U.S. servicemen, the Kehoes maintain that official military statistics from 1945-46 confirm such high levels of sexual predation. It can now be said with confidence, they assert, that “U.S. soldiers raped and assaulted civilians with frightening abandon.” Yet this generalization and others like it are not supported by the authors’ own data, which instead repeatedly display low rape figures. The Kehoes’ reliance on theorizing to overcome this deficiency is clearly unconvincing.
Presence in Variety: De-Trivializing Female Diviners in Medieval China
Authors: Kory Stephan N.
Published: November 2016

This article argues that the relative absence and trivialization of female diviners apparent in medieval Chinese texts does not accurately reflect the presence of these figures in medieval Chinese society. It further contends that this dearth in representation is the direct result of a more comprehensive and sustained annihilation or marginalization of women in third- through ninth-century Chinese texts. Narrative accounts and the institutional perspectives on divination informing them are critically analyzed and compared to help de-trivialize the roles that female diviners played in medieval China. Comparative theories of divination will be considered to help expand the scope of our inquiry beyond activities explicitly identified as such, and the geographical, social, and practical variety one finds in medieval depictions of female diviners will be used as evidence of a much wider and more pervasive social presence than one finds today in received medieval records.
Parish of the Dead
Authors: Gardner Kevin J.
Published: November 2016

This essay offers an introduction to the poetry of Peter Scupham. Through close readings of individual poems, I demonstrate the beauty and formal accomplishment of his work, and I argue that his poetry embodies his sense of a living Christian tradition, one that also inheres in the English landscape. I further argue that this tradition connects the dead to the living, and the remote in time to more recent English history. The particular Christian ethos of Scupham’s poetry is one in which tradition, order, design, meaning, and essence are paramount.
A New Look at the Biological Sex/Grammatical Gender of Jonah’s Fish
Authors: Tiemeyer Lena-Sofia
Published: November 2016

This article proposes a new understanding of the form דגה in Jonah 2:2. As is relatively well-known among biblical scholars, the fish in Jonah seemingly changes biological sex / grammatical gender within the narrative. While Jonah 2:1 and 11 appear to refer to a m.sg. fish, Jonah 2:2 speaks of a f.sg. fish. This intricate textual situation has generated a wide range of more or less fanciful interpretations, ranging from text-historical solutions, via narratological suggestions, to the appearance of multiple fish. The present paper challenges these suggestions and ultimately argues that the form דגה in Jonah 2:2 is a lengthened nominal form. These extremely rare forms often appear in the end of a clause. Other examples of such forms are attested in Job 34:13; 37:12; and Ezek 8:2, as well as in the geographical name Jahaz / Jahza. The current Masoretic accentuation of דגה as a f.sg. form is a result of a misunderstanding of this archaic longer form.
Discontinuities and the Maintenance of Chinese Cemeteries in Kolkata (India) (印度加尔各答华人墓地的间断与维持)
Authors: Guéguen Catherine
Published: November 2016

In India, where migrations from mainland China are not constantly renewed, the Chinese cemeteries constitute the perennial elements of cultural transmission. As they build cemeteries for their community, these overseas-Chinese people inscribe the concrete references that they hold sacred in India, and no longer look to mainland China. We shall see that there are multiple reasons that explain the Chinese cemeteries’ location on the margins of the city. However, the places for the dead are the result of a long process, cultural and spatial, specific to how they were established in Kolkata and its suburbs. The cemetery constitutes in itself a space of adaptation and a space of practice; it reflects the anchoring of the Chinese in India.

在印度，来自中国大陆的移民浪潮经历了长久的间断，而华人墓地却不因中国移民的间断而逐渐消亡，反而成为华族文化传承的不间断载体。当海外华人为自己的社区建立墓地时，意味着他们决定扎根于印度而不再遥望中国作为落叶归根的想象家乡。华人将墓地设在城市边缘的原因众多。但是，地点的选择是一个冗长的、文化与空间局限交织作用的过程，尤其是如何将墓地设于加尔各答及其郊区内。墓地本身便是一个包含不断适应和实践的空间，它反映了华人在印度扎根繁衍的历史现象。

This article is in English.
Europeanization and the Rule of Law: Towards a Pathological Turn
Authors: Mendelski Martin
Published: November 2016

Recent scholarship has exposed the “eu’s pathological power”, which has undermined the creation of the rule of law in South Eastern Europe (see) and beyond. This paper discusses the “pathological turn” in Europeanization studies by identifying and providing evidence for several “pathologies of Europeanization”, i.e. legal and political deficiencies related to rule of law reform, such as legal instability, lack of generality and enforcement, and increased politicization. These pathologies result, among others, from a deficient approach of the eu to rule of law promotion and assessment. In particular, the author highlights three main fundamental problems of Europeanization in the area of the rule of law: 1) valuing quantity over quality; 2) partisan empowerment of domestic change agents; and 3) biased assessment of the rule of law. These problematic issues are further clarified on selected country examples of reform failure from see and the 2012 “rule of law crisis” in Romania. It is argued that given the eu’s inability to objectively assess and effectively promote the rule of law, the eu should either abstain from evaluating rule of law or radically revise its approach and methodology, for instance by following the policy advice provided in this paper.
A Tree Grows in China
Authors: Bell Andrew W.
Published: November 2016

In the mid-1940s, the discovery of a living metasequoia glyptostroboides in China made international headlines. American naturalists sought to influence the Nationalist government’s policy to protect the species, although many retained doubts about the regime’s capability to do so. These naturalists also feared that local communities threatened the tree’s continued existence. This article examines how notions of responsibility informed American discussions about attitudes toward environmental protection, scientific knowledge production, and the duties of state and society concerning these matters in China. This way of thinking about China reflected not only an older discourse about China’s capacity to initiate Western-inspired change, but also the weak state of the government of the Republic of China and new approaches to nature protection after 1945. The Nationalist government’s retreat from the mainland coincided with an acceptance among American naturalists that the Chinese state and its society lacked responsible attitudes for American-styled environmental protection.
Islamophobia without Muslims? The Case of Poland
Authors: Górak-Sosnowska Katarzyna
Published: November 2016

At the first glance Polish intolerance of Muslims—expressed in a variety of quantitative and qualitative studies—seems to be puzzling for two reasons. Firstly, Poland has a six century long tradition of peaceful coexistence with Tatars, indigenous Polish Muslims, thus Poles should be used to the Muslim Other. Secondly, the number of Muslims in Poland is marginal (approximately 0.1%), which makes them hardly visible in the public sphere. Based on four hypotheses constructed on two factors (the number of Muslims and the wider regional and European context) the article hopes to provide some preliminary explanations.
First report of two deep-sea shrimps of the genus Acanthephyra A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Acanthephyridae) from southwestern Atlantic
Authors: ALVES-JÚNIOR FLAVIO DE ALMEIDA , DE ARAÚJO MARINA DE SÁ LEITÃO CÂMARA , BERTRAND ARNAUD , SOUZA-FILHO JESSER F.
Published: November 2016

This paper reports two deep-sea shrimps, Acanthephyra acanthitelsonis and A. armata from southwestern Atlantic waters. The samples were collected in two different moments, the first in the Potiguar Basin, northeast of Brazil (03/05° S; 38/35° W), covering the states of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) and Ceará (CE) in the year of 2011, and afterward on Rocas Atoll, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) (3° 51’ S, 033° 49’ W; 3° 52' S, 033° 47' W) in the year of 2015. The occurrence of A. acanthitelsonis on Rocas Atoll and A. armata found along the continental slope in the Potiguar Basin, comprising both species, which were recorded for the first time in the southwestern Atlantic. This paper increases the number of Acanthephyra species recorded in Brazilian waters up to six and adds to our knowledge and distribution of deep-sea fauna in the south Atlantic.