bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonequilibrium Dynamics of the σ-Model Modes on the de Sitter Space
Authors: Vancea Ion V.
Published: August 2017

The two-dimensional σ-model with the de Sitter target space is locally canonic in the north pole diamond of the Penrose diagram in the cosmological gauge. The left and right moving modes on the cylindrical base space are entangled among themselves and interact with the de Sitter metric. Firstly, we show that the untangled oscillators can be obtained from the entangled operators by applying a set of Bogoliubov transformations constrained by the requirement that the partial evolution generator be diagonal. Secondly, we determine the nonequilibrium dynamics of the untangled modes in the nonequilibrium thermofield dynamics formalism. The thermal modes are represented as thermal doublet oscillators that satisfy partial evolution equations of Heisenberg-type. From these we compute the local free one-body propagator of an arbitrary mode between two times. Thirdly, we discuss the field representation of the thermal modes. We show that there is a set of thermal doublet fields that satisfy the equal time canonical commutation relations, are solutions to the σ-model equations of motion, and can be decomposed in terms of thermal doublet oscillators. Finally, we construct a local partial evolution functional of Hamilton-like form for the thermal doublet fields.
Expression and Role of Oct3/4 in Injury-Repair Process of Rat Alveolar Epithelium after 5-Fu Treatment
Authors: Li Wen-ya , Ye Xu-lv , Jia Xin-shan , Jia Lan-ling
Published: August 2017

Objective. We aimed to investigate how the embryonic stem cell-related gene Oct3/4 changes during the injury-repair process of distal pulmonary epithelium induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu).Methods. We have developed the lung injury model induced by 5-Fu and observed the dynamic changes of Oct3/4 by indirect immunofluorescence, Western blot, and quantitative real-time PCR. Immunofluorescence double staining was used to compare the positions of Oct3/4(+) cells and other reported alveolar epithelial stem cells.Results. Oct3/4(+) cells were not found in normal rat lung epithelial cells. However, after treatment with 5-Fu, Oct3/4(+) cells appeared at 12 h, reached the peak at 24 h, then decreased at 48 h, and eventually disappeared at 72 h. Oct3/4 was localized in the nucleus. We found that the sites of Clara cell secretory protein and surfactant protein-C dual positive cells were apparently different from Oct3/4(+) cells.Conclusions. Our results revealed that, in rat alveolar epithelium, expression of Oct3/4 could be induced after treatment with 5-Fu, then decreased gradually, and was silenced following the alveolar epithelial differentiation. We hold that Oct3/4(+) cells are lung stem cells, which can provide new evidence for identification and isolation of lung epithelial stem cells.
Aphid Identification and Counting Based on Smartphone and Machine Vision
Authors: Xuesong Suo , Zi Liu , Lei Sun , Jiao Wang , Yang Zhao
Published: August 2017

Exact enumeration of aphids before the aphids outbreak can provide basis for precision spray. This paper designs counting software that can be run on smartphones for real-time enumeration of aphids. As a first step of the method used in this paper, images of the yellow sticky board that is aiming to catch insects are segmented from complex background by using GrabCut method; then the images will be normalized by perspective transformation method. The second step is the pretreatment on the images; images of aphids will be segmented by using OSTU threshold method after the effect of random illumination is eliminated by single image difference method. The last step of the method is aphids’ recognition and counting according to area feature of aphids after extracting contours of aphids by contour detection method. At last, the result of the experiment proves that the effect of random illumination can be effectively eliminated by using single image difference method. The counting accuracy in greenhouse is above 95%, while it can reach 92.5% outside. Thus, it can be seen that the counting software designed in this paper can realize exact enumeration of aphids under complicated illumination which can be used widely. The design method proposed in this paper can provide basis for precision spray according to its effective detection insects.
Interaction between an Eco-Spiral Bolt and Crushed Rock in a Borehole Evaluated by Pull-Out Testing
Authors: Kang Seong-Seung , Hirata Atsuo , Jang Bo-An , Seo Yong-Seok , Kim Daehyeon
Published: August 2017

The interactions between an eco-spiral bolt and crushed rocks in a borehole were evaluated by pull-out testing in a laboratory and numerical analysis. The porosity of the crushed rock surrounding the bolt depended on the size of the eco-spiral bolt and affected the eco-spiral bolt’s axial resistance force. The axial resistance force and the porosity of the crushed rocks in the borehole showed an inverse relationship. The porosity was also related to the size of the eco-spiral bolt. The maximum principal stress between the bolt and the rock was related to the porosity of the crushed rock and the size difference between the eco-spiral bolt and the borehole. At low porosity the experimental and numerical analyses show similar relationships between the axial resistance force and the displacement. However, at high porosity, the numerical results deviated greatly from the experimental observation. The initial agreement is attributed to the state of residual resistance after the maximum axial resistance force, and the latter divergence was due to the decreasing axial resistance force owing to slippage.
An Automatic Image Processing System for Glaucoma Screening
Authors: Almazroa Ahmed , Alodhayb Sami , Raahemifar Kaamran , Lakshminarayanan Vasudevan
Published: August 2017

Horizontal and vertical cup to disc ratios are the most crucial parameters used clinically to detect glaucoma or monitor its progress and are manually evaluated from retinal fundus images of the optic nerve head. Due to the rarity of the glaucoma experts as well as the increasing in glaucoma’s population, an automatically calculated horizontal and vertical cup to disc ratios (HCDR and VCDR, resp.) can be useful for glaucoma screening. We report on two algorithms to calculate the HCDR and VCDR. In the algorithms, level set and inpainting techniques were developed for segmenting the disc, while thresholding using Type-II fuzzy approach was developed for segmenting the cup. The results from the algorithms were verified using the manual markings of images from a dataset of glaucomatous images (retinal fundus images for glaucoma analysis (RIGA dataset)) by six ophthalmologists. The algorithm’s accuracy for HCDR and VCDR combined was 74.2%. Only the accuracy of manual markings by one ophthalmologist was higher than the algorithm’s accuracy. The algorithm’s best agreement was with markings by ophthalmologist number 1 in 230 images (41.8%) of the total tested images.
Adiponectin, Retinoic Acid Receptor Responder 2, and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Coativator-1 Genes and the Risk for Obesity
Authors: Fonseca Ana Carolina Proença da , Ochioni Alan Cleveland , Martins Raisa da Silva , Zembrzuski Verônica Marques , Campos Junior Mario , Ramos Vivianne Galante , Carneiro João Regis Ivar , Nogueira Neto José Firmino , Cabello Pedro Hernan , Cabello Giselda Maria Kalil
Published: August 2017

Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder. This disease is a multifactorial disease influenced by environmental and genetic factors. This study investigated the relationship between common variants of adiponectin (ADIPOQ), retinoic acid receptor responder 2 (RARRES2), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coativator-1 (PPARGC1) and obesity-related traits and susceptibility. A total of 167 individuals with obesity and 165 normal-weight subjects were recruited. Genotype frequencies of rs182052 in ADIPOQ differed significantly between the groups. Genotype AA was observed at a higher frequency in case than in control subjects. Association analysis showed that the A allele was a risk factor for obesity. This polymorphism was associated with body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. After stratification by BMI, eutrophic individuals with AA or AG genotypes had higher body weights and waist circumferences than those with GG genotypes. In the case group, no associations were observed, except for stratified subjects with morbid obesity that exhibited a progressive increase of body weight, BMI, and waist circumference when rs182052 A was present. No associations were observed between SNPs in RARRES2 and PPARGC1 and obesity or any other studied variables. The rs182052 polymorphism in ADIPOQ is associated with a higher risk for obesity and obesity-related parameters.
Identification of Biomarkers for Predicting Lymph Node Metastasis of Stomach Cancer Using Clinical DNA Methylation Data
Authors: Wu Jun , Xiao Yawen , Xia Chao , Yang Fan , Li Hua , Shao Zhifeng , Lin Zongli , Zhao Xiaodong
Published: August 2017

Background. Lymph node (LN) metastasis was an independent risk factor for stomach cancer recurrence, and the presence of LN metastasis has great influence on the overall survival of stomach cancer patients. Thus, accurate prediction of the presence of lymph node metastasis can provide guarantee of credible prognosis evaluation of stomach cancer patients. Recently, increasing evidence demonstrated that the aberrant DNA methylation first appears before symptoms of the disease become clinically apparent. Objective. Selecting key biomarkers for LN metastasis presence prediction for stomach cancer using clinical DNA methylation based on a machine learning method. Methods. To reduce the overfitting risk of prediction task, we applied a three-step feature selection method according to the property of DNA methylation data. Results. The feature selection procedure extracted several cancer-related and lymph node metastasis-related genes, such as TP73, PDX1, FUT8, HOXD1, NMT1, and SEMA3E. The prediction performance was evaluated on the public DNA methylation dataset. The results showed that the three-step feature procedure can largely improve the prediction performance and implied the reliability of the biomarkers selected. Conclusions. With the selected biomarkers, the prediction method can achieve higher accuracy in detecting LN metastasis and the results also proved the reliability of the selected biomarkers indirectly.
Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Risk—Do Promising New Biomarkers Have Clinical Impact?
Authors: Kaur Sirje , Kingo Külli , Zilmer Mihkel
Published: August 2017

Epidemiological studies suggest an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with psoriasis (PS). Therefore, emphasis has lately been laid on the necessity for clinical evaluation of the risk of CVD in these patients. The systemic inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin- (IL-) 6, which have long been used to predict future CVD in the general population, are increased manyfold in patients with PS. Lipid abnormalities characterized by elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and higher concentrations of LDL cholesterol and its oxidized form are also prevalent in patients. There is a need for additional laboratory markers for the assessment of cardiovascular status of patients with PS. Due to frequent comorbid overweight and obesity, biologically active compounds produced by adipocytes may have an impact on monitoring the status of the cardiovascular system of patients with PS. For this purpose, two adipokines, adiponectin and leptin, have been most extensively studied. The review focuses on some inflammatory and oxidative stress aspects in patients with PS through the analysis of the impact of prominent adipokines and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) to assess their eligibility for clinical practice as markers of CVD risk in patients with PS.
The Needs and Resources of Drug Information at Community Pharmacies in Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Asmelashe Gelayee Dessalegn , Binega Mekonnen Gashaw , Birarra Mequanent Kassa
Published: August 2017

Background. Community pharmacists are in a key position to provide information on drugs and thus promote the rational use of drugs. Objectives. The present study was designed to determine the needs and resources of drug information in community pharmacies. Methods. A prospective institution based cross-sectional study was carried out and data were collected on 48 community pharmacists in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, using interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Results. Almost all pharmacists (N=47, 97.9%) often receive drug related queries and these were mainly from consumers (N=41, 85.4%). While most questions relate to drug price (N=29, 60.4%) and dosage (N=21, 43.8%), the information resources mainly referred to were drug package inserts and national standard treatment guidelines. However, limited availability of information resources as well as limited ability to retrieve relevant information influenced the practice of pharmacists. Female pharmacists claimed better use of different information resources than males (P<0.05). Conclusions. Community pharmacists in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, are often accessed for drug related information. But there are limitations in using up to date and most reliable resources. Therefore, intervention aimed at improving pharmacists’ access to and evaluation of drug information is urgently needed.
Identification and Characterization of a Splicing Variant in the 5′ UTR of the Human TLR5 Gene
Authors: Hoang Thi Xoan , Duong Cao Nguyen , Kim Jae Young
Published: August 2017

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are essential components of the innate immune system. TLR5 is the receptor for flagellin, the principal protein component of bacterial flagella. The TLR5 gene has 6 exons. In an RT-PCR analysis, we found long TLR5 transcripts, in addition to those of the expected size (short TLR5 transcripts). A sequence analysis revealed that the long TLR5 transcripts contain a new exon of 94 nucleotides located between previously reported exons IV and V in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR). A real-time PCR analysis of the two alternatively spliced variants in various cell lines showed that the long TLR5 transcripts are abundantly expressed in nonimmune cells. The ratios of long/short transcripts in human nonimmune cell lines, such as A549, T98G, HaCaT, H460, HEK-293, and Caco-2 cells, and primary mesenchymal stem cells were in the range of 1.25 to 4.31. In contrast, those of human monocytic THP-1 and U937 cells and E6.1 T cells and Ramos B cells were around 0.9. These ratios in human monocytic THP-1 cells were decreased by treatment with IFN-γ in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on our findings, we suggest that the newly found long TLR5 transcripts may be involved in the negative regulation of TLR5 expression and function.
Consensus on Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Small-Sized Hepatocellular Carcinoma at the 7th Asia-Pacific Primary Liver Cancer Expert Meeting
Authors: Zeng Zhao-Chong , Seong Jinsil , Yoon Sang Min , Cheng Jason Chia-Hsien , Lam Ka-On , Lee Ann-Shing , Law Ada , Zhang Jian-Ying , Hu Yong
Published: August 2017

Background: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an advanced technique of external beam radiation therapy that delivers large ablative doses of radiation. In the past decade, many cancer centers have adopted SBRT as one mode of radically treating small-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), based on encouraging clinical outcomes. SBRT thus seems reasonable as first-line treatment of inoperable HCC confined to the liver. However, most of the clinical studies to date have been retrospective in nature, with key issues still under investigation. Summary: The above-mentioned publications were subjected to scrutiny, fueling discussions at the 7th Asia-Pacific Primary Liver Cancer Expert (APPLE 2016) Meeting on various clinical variables, such as indications for SBRT, therapeutic outcomes, treatment-related toxicities, doses prescribed, and specific techniques. The consensus reached should be of interest to all professionals active in the treatment of HCC, especially radiation oncologists. Key Messages: SBRT is a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with small-sized HCC, offering substantial local control, improved overall survival, and low toxicity.
Zwei Fälle einer wiederholten Anwendung von Nivolumab nach einer Pneumonitis als immunvermittelte Nebenwirkung
Authors: Imafuku Keisuke , Yoshino Koji , Yamaguchi Kei , Tsuboi Satoshi , Ohara Kuniaki , Hata Hiroo
Published: August 2017

Nivolumab ist ein kürzlich zugelassenes Medikament zur Behandlung von nicht-resezierbaren malignen Melanomen. Es wurden zahlreiche immunvermittelte Nebenwirkungen (irAE; immune-related adverse events) im Zusammenhang mit Nivolumab dokumentiert, u.a. Pneumonitis, Hepatitis, Dermatitis und Thyreoiditis. Mit Prednisolon lassen sich irAEs effektiv behandeln. Es ist jedoch nicht geklärt, wie oder ob Nivolumab Patienten verabreicht werden sollte, nachdem bei diesen ein irAE aufgetreten ist. Im Folgenden stellen wir 2 Fälle von Patienten dar, bei denen Pneumonitis als irAE auftrat. In Fall 1 zeigte sich bei der CT-Untersuchung das Muster einer kryptogenen organisierenden Pneumonie; Fall 2 wies das Muster einer diffusen alveolären Schädigung (DAD) auf. In beiden Fällen besserte sich der Lungenschatten im CT durch orale Kortikosteroide. Als Nivolumab jedoch erneut verabreicht wurde, zeigten sich in Fall 1 keine Symptome, in Fall 2 allerdings erneut Pneumonie. Angesichts unserer Fälle ist es schwierig, Patienten mit Pneumonitis, die im CT ein DAD-Muster aufweisen, erneut mit Nivolumab zu behandeln, auch wenn orale Kortikosteroide ihre Symptome lindern. Übersetzung aus Case Rep Oncol 2017;10:296-300 (DOI:10.1159/000463379)
Differences in the Anaphylactic Response between C3H/HeOuJ and BALB/c Mice
Authors: Marco-Martín Guadalupe , La Rotta Hernández Alejandro , Vázquez de la Torre María , Higaki Yoko , Zubeldia José Manuel , Baeza María Luisa
Published: August 2017

Background: Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially lethal allergic reaction whose incidence is increasing. Murine models can elucidate the underlying mechanisms and pave the way for appropriate therapeutic options. However, differences in strains and protocols hamper comparisons of data between researchers. We performed a parallel study of clinical and immune responses with 2 strains of mice, BALB/c and C3H/HeOuJ, in an allergen-induced systemic anaphylaxis protocol. Both strains have been widely used in allergy models, although they have not been compared in an intraperitoneal systemic model. Methods: Groups of 5-week-old female BALB/c and C3H/HeOuJ mice were intraperitoneally sensitized with peanut in the presence of adjuvants. Specific immunoglobulin (sIg) G1, sIgG2a, sIgE, total IgE, histamine release, and specific stimulated splenocyte cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, and interferon (IFN)-γ, were assessed. At week 6, mice were intraperitoneally challenged with peanut. Anaphylaxis was evaluated by recognition of clinical symptoms and changes in body temperature. Results: All peanut-sensitized mice induced sIg and developed anaphylactic symptoms upon challenge. Nonetheless, the C3H/HeOuJ strain demonstrated earlier and persistently higher sIgG1 and sIgG2a production, elevated sIgE, and more severe clinical symptoms and histamine release than the BALB/c strain. In contrast, BALB/c exhibited higher release of IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-γ. Conclusions: Both models are suitable for studying anaphylaxis. Consequently, they could be used in research on the pathogenesis and therapy of anaphylaxis. However, according to the type of study performed, differences in the specific clinical, humoral, and cellular responses to antigens have to be considered.
Mortalität bei histologisch gesicherter IPF: Starke Assoziation mit Grad des Emphysems und der Einschränkung des Gasaustauschs
Authors: Drakopanagiotakis Fotios
Published: August 2017

Hintergrund: Die Prognose bei kombiniertem Vorliegen von Lungenfibrose und Emphysem ist ungeklärt - zum Teil deshalb, weil die radiologische Differenzierung zwischen gewöhnlicher interstitieller Pneumonie und unspezifischer interstitieller Pneumonie bei koexistierendem Emphysem schwierig ist. Ziel: Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, die klinischen Auswirkungen eines Emphysems auf das Überleben von Patienten mit idiopathischer pulmonaler Fibrose (IPF) zu klären. Methoden: 107 Patienten mit interstitieller Lungenerkrankung wurden durch chirurgische Lungenbiopsie zwischen 2006 und 2012 diagnostiziert, bei 47 Patienten wurde auf der Grundlage einer interdisziplinären Besprechung die Diagnose IPF gestellt. Eine semiquantitative Emphysem-Beurteilung erfolgte anhand von hochauflösenden Computertomographien durch visuelles Scoring. Ergebnisse: 8 der 47 IPF-Patienten hatten einen höheren Emphysem-Score (>3) und wurden mit IPF-Emphysem diagnostiziert. Die mediane Überlebenszeit der Patienten mit IPF-Emphysem (1734 Tage) seit Erstdiagnose war laut Kaplan-Meier-Analyse signifikant kürzer als die der Patienten nur mit IPF (2229 Tage) (p = 0,007; Log-Rank-Test). Univariate Cox-Proportional-Hazard-Regressionsanalysen ergaben, dass ein höherer Gesamt-Emphysem-Score (>3,0) ein signifikanter negativer prognostischer Faktor war, ebenso wie die Serumkonzentrationen von KL-6 (Krebs von den Lungen 6) und SP-D (Surfactant-Protein D), der arterielle Sauerstoffdruck, die prozentuale forcierte Vitalkapazität und die prozentuale Kohlenmonoxid-Diffusionskapazität (% DLCO). Multivariate Cox-Proportional-Hazard-Regressionsanalysen im schrittweisen Verfahren ergaben, dass ein höherer Gesamt-Emphysem-Score (>3) und eine höhere % DLCO signifikante ungünstige prognostische Faktoren waren. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Prognose des IPF-Emphysems war signifikant schlechter als die von IPF allein.
Urethroplasty and Quality of Life: Psychometric Validation of a Dutch Version of the Urethral Stricture Surgery Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Authors: Verla Wesley , Waterloos Marjan , Lumen Nicolaas
Published: August 2017

Purpose: The study aimed to translate the Urethral Stricture Surgery Patient Reported Outcome Measures (USS-PROM) questionnaire in Dutch. To validate this translated questionnaire, the study evaluates its psychometric properties in a different population, a different environment, and a different health care system. Questions about urinary incontinence and sexual functioning were added. Materials and Methods: Between December 2014 and January 2017, Dutch-speaking adult men scheduled for urethroplasty at Ghent University Hospital were prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients completed the USS-PROM before surgery, 3-6 months after surgery, and 1 year after surgery. Psychometric criteria included content validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, reproducibility, responsiveness, and floor and ceiling effects. (EC/2014/0438). Results: A total of 100 patients were included, 39 patients completed both the preoperative and the postoperative questionnaire, and 30 patients completed the USS-PROM twice within a short period of time in order to evaluate test-retest reliability. Pearson correlation coefficients showed no statistical significant correlation between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) scores and maximum flow rates. Cronbach's α was 0.81 and 0.89, respectively, for the LUTS score and the summative Male Sexual Health Questionnaire Ejaculatory Dysfunction short form (MSHQ-EjD short form) score. The intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.94. Significant changes were observed in all items except the MSHQ-EjD short form scores. All values exceeded the predefined thresholds. Conclusions: The Dutch version of the USS-PROM has adequate psychometric properties and is a valid instrument to assess patient-reported outcome measures in men undergoing urethroplasty.
Implantation of a Multifocal Toric Intraocular Lens after Radial Keratotomy and Cross-Linking with Hyperopia and Astigmatism Residues: A Case Report
Authors: Nuzzi Raffaele , Monteu Francesca , Tridico Federico
Published: August 2017

Radial keratotomy is a refractive surgical technique, widely used in the 80s and early 90s to correct myopia and astigmatism, but now overcome by more recent laser techniques. Important consequences, often in patients with more than 45 years of age, are progressive hyperopic shift and/or an increase in corneal astigmatism, whose main cause seems to be an increase in the curvature radius of the central portion of the cornea. This seems to be due to radial keratotomy incisions – with the consequent need for cross-linking – intraocular pressure, and corneal biomechanical parameters. The authors propose phacoemulsification with a customized multifocal toric intraocular lens implantation to correct the induced shift and hyperopic astigmatism. A decent postoperative visual acuity was observed with good patient satisfaction. A specific protocol must be applied to optimize the correct diagnosis, presurgical evaluation and postsurgical outcomes that are to be maintained over time, without regressions.
Trends in the Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension Among Young Adults in the United States, 1999 to 2014
Authors: Zhang Yiyi , Moran Andrew E.
Published: August 2017

Overall hypertension prevalence has not changed in the United States in recent decades although awareness, treatment, and control improved. However, hypertension epidemiology and its temporal trends may differ in younger adults compared with older adults. Our study included 41 331 participants ≥18 years of age from 8 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1999–2014) and estimated temporal trends of hypertension, awareness, treatment, and control among young adults (age, 18–39 years) compared with middle-age (age, 40–59 years) and older adults (age, ≥60 years). In 2013 to 2014, 7.3% of the US young adults had hypertension. During 1999 to 2014, young adults saw larger increases in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control than did older adults. However, all of these components of hypertension control were lower among young adults compared with middle-aged or older adults (74.7% younger versus 81.9% middle versus 88.4% older for awareness; 50.0% versus 70.3% versus 83.0% for treatment; and 40.2% versus 56.7% versus 54.4% for control). Worse hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in young adults overall were mostly driven by worse measures in young adult men compared with young adult women. More frequent healthcare visits by young adult women explained ≈28% of the sex-related difference in awareness, 60% of the difference in treatment, and 52% of the difference in control. These findings suggest that improved access to and engagement in medical care might improve hypertension control in young adults, particularly young adult men, and reduce life-time cardiovascular risk.
Neural Signatures of Spatial Statistical Learning: Characterizing the Extraction of Structure from Complex Visual Scenes
Authors: Karuza Elisabeth A. , Emberson Lauren L. , Roser Matthew E. , Cole Daniel , Aslin Richard N. , Fiser Jozsef
Published: August 2017

Behavioral evidence has shown that humans automatically develop internal representations adapted to the temporal and spatial statistics of the environment. Building on prior fMRI studies that have focused on statistical learning of temporal sequences, we investigated the neural substrates and mechanisms underlying statistical learning from scenes with a structured spatial layout. Our goals were twofold: (1) to determine discrete brain regions in which degree of learning (i.e., behavioral performance) was a significant predictor of neural activity during acquisition of spatial regularities and (2) to examine how connectivity between this set of areas and the rest of the brain changed over the course of learning. Univariate activity analyses indicated a diffuse set of dorsal striatal and occipitoparietal activations correlated with individual differences in participants' ability to acquire the underlying spatial structure of the scenes. In addition, bilateral medial-temporal activation was linked to participants' behavioral performance, suggesting that spatial statistical learning recruits additional resources from the limbic system. Connectivity analyses examined, across the time course of learning, psychophysiological interactions with peak regions defined by the initial univariate analysis. Generally, we find that task-based connectivity with these regions was significantly greater in early relative to later periods of learning. Moreover, in certain cases, decreased task-based connectivity between time points was predicted by overall posttest performance. Results suggest a narrowing mechanism whereby the brain, confronted with a novel structured environment, initially boosts overall functional integration and then reduces interregional coupling over time.
The Bishop Controversy, the Imperial Crisis, and Religious Radicalism in New England, 1763-74: By arrangement with the Colonial Society of Massachusetts the Editors of the New England Quarterly are pleased to publish the winning essay of the 2016 Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History
Authors: Walker Peter W.
Published: August 2017

This essay re-examines the “bishop controversy”, a dispute between Anglicans and Dissenters in the decade preceding the American Revolution. The controversy, it argues, was part of the imperial crisis caused by the Seven Years' War and the government's toleration of French Catholics in Quebec. This perspective highlights the Church of England's limited role in the empire and the unacknowledged radicalism of loyalist Anglicans.
“Always as a Means, Never as an End”: Orestes Brownson's “Transcendentalist” Criticism and the Uses of the Literary
Authors: Sommer Tim
Published: August 2017

This essay examines how Orestes Brownson used literary criticism as a medium to distance himself from the Transcendentalist movement. It argues that Brownson's qualified rejection of Transcendentalism played a crucial role in the formation of his professional identity as a literary critic and public intellectual in the mid-nineteenth-century literary sphere.
A taxonomic account of Ranunculus section Batrachium (Ranunculaceae)
Authors: WIEGLEB GERHARD , BOBROV ALEXANDER A. , ZALEWSKA-GAŁOSZ JOANNA
Published: August 2017

In a new taxonomic account of Ranunculus section Batrachium 30 species are recognized. We present a key to the species based on morphological characters of diagnostic value. Taxonomic descriptions including information on chromosome counts, geographic range and ecological preferences are provided. For all species synonyms are listed, allowing access to the relevant taxonomic and floristic literature including taxonomic databases worldwide. Information on types and type localities is provided wherever possible. Reported and confirmed hybrids are listed and assigned to their putative parental species. Infraspecific categories such as subspecies and varieties are not recognized. Unresolved taxonomic problems are discussed for each species and for the section as a whole.
Molecular, morphological, and biogeographic perspectives on the classification of Acrobolboideae (Acrobolbaceae, Marchantiophyta)
Authors: BRISCOE LAURA R. E. , ZEREGA NYREE J. C. , LUMBSCH H. THORSTEN , STECH MICHAEL , KRAICHAK EKAPHAN , KONRAT MATTHEW J. VON , ENGEL JOHN J. , WICKETT NORMAN J.
Published: August 2017

The liverwort subfamily Acrobolboideae has historically contained the three genera: Acrobolbus, Marspidium, and Tylimanthus. Generic delimitations in this subfamily have been historically inferred from morphological characters, specifically the location of gametangia. Taxonomists have had difficulty separating the genera, with some combining Tylimanthus and Acrobolbus, whereas others merged Marsupidium and Tylimanthus. We used five chloroplast loci to reconstruct a phylogeny of the group, revealing all three genera are polyphyletic as currently described. An assessment of key morphological characters used to separate genera in the subfamily resulted in several observations: characters used to circumscribe Acrobolbus were homoplasious; characters used to circumscribe each genus (e.g., the placement of female reproductive organs) do not reflect phylogenetic relationships; and the evolutionary trajectories of some characters (i.e., the number of antheridia, male reproductive organs, per male bract) correspond directly with previous evolutionary hypotheses for the family, but do not follow historical taxonomic inferences. Irrespective of generic concepts, several well–supported clades within the phylogeny have a strong biogeographic structure. Using these lines of evidence, we recognize Acrobolbus as a single genus in Acrobolboideae.
The Importance of Interactions at the Molecular Level: A Spectroscopic Study of a New Composite Sorber Material
Authors: Crocellà Valentina , Groppo Elena , Dani Alessandro , Castellero Alberto , Bordiga Silvia , Zilio Stefano , De Simone Agnello , Vacca Paolo
Published: August 2017

The functional properties of a new composite material having water vapor getter properties have been investigated by a large arsenal of characterization techniques. The composite system is originated by combining two constituents having very different chemical natures, a magnesium perchlorate (Mg(ClO4)2) salt and a polymeric acrylic matrix. In particular, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy have been fundamental to understand the type of interactions between the salt and the matrix in different hydration conditions. It was found that in the anhydrous composite system the dispersed Mg(ClO4)2 salt retains its molecular structure, because Mg2+ cations are still surrounded by their [ClO4]– counter-anions; at the same time, the salt and the polymeric matrix chemically interact each other at the molecular level. These interactions gradually vanish in the presence of water, and disappear in the fully hydrated composite system, where the Mg2+ cations are completely solvated by the water molecules.
Dynamics of Mixed–Candida Species Biofilms in Response to Antifungals
Authors: Vipulanandan G. , Herrera M. , Wiederhold N.P. , Li X. , Mintz J. , Wickes B.L. , Kadosh D.
Published: August 2017

Oral infections caused by Candida species, the most commonly isolated human fungal pathogen, are frequently associated with biofilms. Although Candida albicans is the predominant organism found in patients with oral thrush, a biofilm infection, there is an increasing incidence of oral colonization and infections caused by non- albicans Candida species, including C. glabrata, C. dubliniensis, and C. tropicalis, which are frequently more resistant to antifungal treatment. While single-species Candida biofilms have been well studied, considerably less is known about the dynamics of mixed– Candida species biofilms and how these dynamics are altered by antifungal treatment. To address these questions, we developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction–based approach to determine the precise species composition of mixed– Candida species biofilms formed by clinical isolates and laboratory strains in the presence and absence of clinically relevant concentrations of 3 commonly used antifungals: fluconazole, caspofungin, and amphotericin B. In monospecies biofilms, fluconazole exposure favored growth of C. glabrata and C. tropicalis, while caspofungin generally favored significant growth of all species to a varying degree. Fluconazole was not effective against preformed mixed– Candida species biofilms while amphotericin B was potent. As a general trend, in mixed– Candida species biofilms, C. albicans lost dominance in the presence of antifungals. Interestingly, presence in mixed versus monospecies biofilms reduced susceptibility to amphotericin B for C. tropicalis and C. glabrata. Overall, our data suggest that antifungal treatment favors the growth of specific non- albicans Candida species in mixed– Candida species biofilms.
Trade unions and immigrants in Italy: How immigrant offices promote inclusion
Authors: De Luca Deborah , Pozzi Sonia , Ambrosini Maurizio
Published: August 2017

This article focuses on the provision of services to immigrant workers as a gateway to further inclusion and active participation in union activities. The experiences of the two main national unions in Italy are contextualized within the framework of other similar models, such as community unionism and worker centres. The specific contribution of the article is its analysis of two key issues: first, how service operators promote the active participation of immigrant workers; and second, how the backgrounds and attitudes of the service operators contribute to improving immigrant workers’ access to rights and representation. Certain attitudes and behaviours are particularly effective and may be useful in linking the different union logics and reducing the tensions between them. In particular, immigrant offices foster the passage from social rights and race/ethnicity to a class logic. However, even if some strategies and actions have proved to be successful, Italian unions still have a long way to go before the real inclusion of immigrant workers is achieved.
Moving readers from struggling to proficient
Authors: Wolter Deborah
Published: August 2017

If we want to move children from struggling to read to being proficient readers, we must address the disparate ways that teachers respond to readers with varying abilities. Restorative practices, akin to restorative justice, build relationships, make connections, and foster a reader’s sense of ownership and empowerment. What would happen if teachers shifted from their prevailing responses to struggling readers and instead tried to engage in restorative literacy practices, in which students develop relationships with authors, teachers, and other readers over the material they read, make connections with what they read to their own life experiences, and take ownership for their reading growth and development?
What’s Past (and Present) Is Prologue: Interactions Between Justice Levels and Trajectories Predicting Behavioral Reciprocity
Authors: Rubenstein Alex L. , Allen David G. , Bosco Frank A.
Published: August 2017

Much of organizational justice research has tended to take a static approach, linking employees’ contemporaneous justice levels to outcomes of interest. In the present study, we tested a dynamic model emphasizing the interactive influences of both justice levels and trajectories for predicting behavioral social exchange outcomes. Specifically, our model posited both main effects and interactions between present justice levels and past justice changes over time in predicting helping behavior and voluntary turnover behavior. Data over four yearly measurement periods from 4,348 employees of a banking organization generally supported the notion that justice trajectories interact with absolute levels to predict both outcomes. Together, the findings highlight how employees invoke present fairness evaluations within the context of past fairness trends—rather than either in isolation—to inform decisions about behaviorally reciprocating at work.
Hearing Outcomes after Ossicular Reconstruction with Removal of the Malleus
Authors: Haberman Rex S. , Salapatas Anna M.
Published: August 2017

Objectives

(1) Evaluate hearing outcomes of patients after planned malleus removal during ossicular chain reconstruction. (2) Analyze hearing results for titanium (Ti) and hydroxyapatite (HA) total ossicular prostheses (TOPs) and partial ossicular prostheses (POPs). (3) Compare Ti and HA partial prostheses.

Study Design

Retrospective case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary health care organization.

Subjects and Methods

A chart review was conducted of 139 consecutive patients who presented with chronic otitis media with perforation (with or without cholesteatoma) and were treated with initial‐stage tympanoplasty (with or without mastoidectomy) and managed with TOP (n = 22) or POP (n = 117) between July 2010 and July 2015. The malleus was completely removed in all cases. Hearing was assessed via bone and air conduction pretone averages (0.5, 1, 2 kHz) pre‐ and postoperatively. Air‐bone gap (ABG) and change in ABG (ΔABG) were analyzed. Pre‐ and postoperative values were compared.

Results

The overall mean ABG decreased from 29.4 ± 12.3 dB to 18.2 ± 11.4 dB postoperatively (P <. 001) with a mean ΔABG of 14.5 dB (95% CI, 12.793‐16.203). Overall success was achieved by 69.1%. The POP group achieved higher success (70.9%) than the TOP group (59.1%; P =. 0001). Mean ABG decreased significantly within surgical groups (TOP and POP) and prosthesis material groups (Ti and HA; all P <. 001). Ti had statistically higher success than HA in both techniques: POP (P =. 0478) and TOP (P =. 0251). There was a 98% graft take rate.

Conclusion

Planned malleus removal during ossicular chain reconstruction, regardless of disease extent, allows for simpler reconstruction and comparable favorable results to preservation of the malleus and should be considered during surgical planning.
Spasmodic Dysphonia: A Review. Part 2: Characterization of Pathophysiology
Authors: Hintze Justin M. , Ludlow Christy L. , Bansberg Stephen F. , Adler Charles H. , Lott David G.
Published: August 2017

Objective

The purpose of this review is to describe the recent advances in characterizing spasmodic dysphonia. Spasmodic dysphonia is a task‐specific focal laryngeal dystonia characterized by irregular and uncontrolled voice breaks. The pathophysiology is poorly understood, and there are diagnostic difficulties.

Data Sources

PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library.

Review Methods

The data sources were searched using the following search terms: (spasmodic dysphonia or laryngeal dystonia) and (etiology, aetiology, diagnosis, pathogenesis, or pathophysiology).

Conclusion

The diagnosis of spasmodic dysphonia can be difficult due to the lack of a scientific consensus on diagnostic criteria and the fact that other voice disorders may present similarly. Confusion can arise between spasmodic dysphonia and muscle tension dysphonia. Spasmodic dysphonia symptoms are tied to particular speech sounds, whereas muscle tension dysphonia is not. With the advent of more widespread use of high‐speed laryngoscopy and videokymography, measures of the disruptions in phonation and delays in the onset of vocal fold vibration after vocal fold closure can be quantified. Recent technological developments have expanded our understanding of the pathophysiology of spasmodic dysphonia.

Implications for Practice

A 3‐tiered approach, involving a questionnaire, followed by speech assessment and nasolaryngoscopy is the most widely accepted method for making the diagnosis in most cases. More experimental and invasive techniques such as electromyography and neuroimaging have been explored to further characterize spasmodic dysphonia and aid in diagnosing difficult cases.
Renal function after off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Singh Rana Sandip , Thingnam Shyam Kumar Singh , Mishra Anand Kumar , Verma Indu , Kumar Vikas
Published: August 2017

Background

Renal dysfunction is a well-recognized major complication after coronary artery bypass grafting. Off-pump coronary artery bypass theoretically appears to have less impact on renal function. We estimated preoperative and postoperative creatinine clearance as a marker of renal dysfunction in patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass.

Methods

Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass were randomly allocated to undergo either on-pump ( n = 15) or off-pump surgery ( n = 15). The two groups had similar preoperative demographic characteristics. Serum creatinine and creatinine clearance were measured for 4 days postoperatively and the results were compared with preoperative levels.

Results

The rise in serum creatinine on postoperative day 1 was 0.28 mgċdL−1 in the on-pump group and 0.22 mgċdL−1 in the off-pump group ( p = 0.27); on postoperative day 4 it was 0.15 mgċdL−1 and 0.10 mgċdL−1, respectively, ( p = 0.28). Similarly, the fall in creatinine clearance was 17.34 mLċmin−1 in the on-pump group and 19.62 mLċmin−1 in the off-pump group on postoperative day 1 ( p = 0.42), and 10.9 and 10.94 mLċmin−1, respectively, on postoperative day 4 ( p = 0.64).

Conclusion

Renal function is not affected by the technique of coronary artery bypass surgery, whether with or without cardiopulmonary bypass, in spite of the theoretical advantage of off-pump surgery. Our study suggests that off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery does not confer significant protection from postoperative renal dysfunction in low-risk patients, when compared with on-pump surgery.
Intersectional rhythmanalysis: Power, rhythm, and everyday life
Authors: Reid-Musson Emily
Published: August 2017

This article examines rhythmanalysis within the context of Henri Lefebvre’s critique of everyday life and identifies gaps in his framework from the vantage point of intersectional feminist scholarship. Intersectional rhythmanalysis, I argue, provides a framework through which to conceptualize the braiding together of rhythms, social categories of difference, and power on non-essentialist bases. I interweave findings from doctoral research on migrant farmworker rhythms in rural southern Ontario, Canada. The article argues that rhythms help produce unequal subject positions of migrants in Canada, yet also represent lived uses of space and times which permit transgressions of racial, gender, and class boundaries.
Fetishism and Financialization
Authors: Davis Ann E.
Published: August 2017

The capitalist system is based on property rules, which are the same for all forms of property. Yet these rules operate differently for capital and labor as distinct forms of property. This paradox obscures the role of living labor as the source of surplus value, and hence mystifies money as self-expanding value. This “fetishism of money” facilitates “financialization,” prevents accurate analysis of the capitalist system, and the formulation of alternatives.
Performance of Patient‐Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG‐SGA) in Patients With Advanced Cancer in Palliative Care
Authors: Wiegert Emanuelly Varea Maria , Padilha Patricia de Carvalho , Peres Wilza Arantes Ferreira
Published: August 2017

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the Patient‐Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG‐SGA) in patients receiving palliative care for advanced cancer. Methods: The PG‐SGA was used to assess nutrition status of 120 patients admitted to the Palliative Care Unit at the National Cancer Institute in Brazil. Results: According to the PG‐SGA, 94.2% (n = 113) of the patients were evaluated as malnourished. The PG‐SGA evaluated that xerostomia was the only symptom associated with a short survival (odds ratio [OR], 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–5.38; P = .014). Survival was found to be significantly higher in well‐nourished (PG‐SGA A) than malnourished (PG‐SGA B [P = .021] or C [P = .013]) patients. Total PG‐SGA score (hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; 95% CI, 1.001–1.09; P = .045) and Karnofsky Performance Status of 20%–30% (HR, 15.4; 95% CI, 1.63–92.9; P = .001) and 40%–50% (HR, 10.0; 95% CI, 1.22–64.9; P = .031) were found to be independent prognostic survival factors. Conclusion: The scored PG‐SGA is an independent prognostic factor of survival and thus can be a useful tool for nutrition evaluation in palliative care.