bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex steroids in serum and prostatic tissue of human cancerous prostate (STERKPROSER trial)
Authors: Meunier Matthias E. , Neuzillet Yann , Raynaud Jean‐Pierre , Radulescu Camelia , Ghoneim Tarek , Fiet Jean , Giton Franck , Rouanne Mathieu , Dreyfus Jean‐François , Lebret Thierry , Botto Henry
Published: October 2018

Background

Currently, there is no consensus regarding the expected concentration levels of intra‐prostatic sex steroids in patients with Prostate Cancer (PCa). Our objective was to assess the concentration levels of sex steroids in prostatic tissue and serum, in two cohorts of patients with localized PCa or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods

Between September 2014 and January 2017, men selected for radical cystectomy (for bladder cancer) or open prostatectomy (for BPH), and men selected for radical prostatectomy for localized PCa were included. Blood samples were collected at baseline before surgery, and steroid concentrations were assessed following the recommendations of the Endocrine Society. Intra‐prostatic samples were collected from fresh surgical samples, and assessed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Permanova analysis was performed. Analyses were adjusted for age, prostate weight, and prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level.

Results

A total of 73 patients (41 patients with PCa and 32 patients with BPH) were included in this study. Patients with PCa were younger, and had smaller prostate volumes with higher levels of PSA. The levels of Total Testosterone (TT), Di‐Hydro‐Testosterone (DHT), and Estradiol (E2) in the serum were not significantly different between PCa and BPH. In PCa tissue, TT concentrations were significantly lower (0.11 ng/g vs 0.47 ng/g, P = 0.0002), however its derivative E2 had significantly higher concentrations (31.0 ng/g vs 22.3 ng/g, P = 0.01). DHT tissue concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups (5.55 ng/g vs 5.42 ng/g, P = 0.70). Intra‐prostatic TT concentrations were significantly lower in the peripheral zone than in the central zone for the CaP group (0.07 ng/g vs 0.15 ng/g, P = 0.004).

Conclusions

Patients with PCa had lower intra‐prostatic TT and higher E2 concentrations levels compared to the patients with BPH. PCa seem to consume more TT and produce more E2, especially in the peripheral zone.
Refinement of protein‐protein complexes in contact map space with metadynamics simulations
Authors: Pfeiffenberger Erik , Bates Paul A.
Published: October 2018

Accurate protein‐protein complex prediction, to atomic detail, is a challenging problem. For flexible docking cases, current state‐of‐the‐art docking methods are limited in their ability to exhaustively search the high dimensionality of the problem space. In this study, to obtain more accurate models, an investigation into the local optimization of initial docked solutions is presented with respect to a reference crystal structure. We show how physics‐based refinement of protein‐protein complexes in contact map space (CMS), within a metadynamics protocol, can be performed. The method uses 5 times replicated 10 ns simulations for sampling and ranks the generated conformational snapshots with ZRANK to identify an ensemble of n snapshots for final model building. Furthermore, we investigated whether the reconstructed free energy surface (FES), or a combination of both FES and ZRANK, referred to as CSα, can help to reduce snapshot ranking error.
Iodine Adsorption on Bi2Se3 Topological Insulator
Authors: Hermanowicz Michal , Radny Marian W.
Published: October 2018

It is shown, by means of density functional theory calculations, that adsorption of iodine monolayer on Bi2Se3 (111) film, while preserving the intrinsic Dirac electronic states in Bi2Se3, induces also a number of Dirac cones in the system that cannot be attributed to the Rashba effect. The presented results extend the discussion on the proximity effect observed previously at a topological/non‐topological interface.
On the Role of Li+ Codoping in Simultaneous Improvement of Light Yield, Decay Time, and Afterglow of Lu2SiO5:Ce3+ Scintillation Detectors
Authors: Wu Yuntao , Tian Mengkun , Peng Jing , Koschan Merry , Greeley Ian , Foster Camera , Melcher Charles L.
Published: October 2018

Commercially available Lu2SiO5:Ce (LSO:Ce) scintillators for the nuclear medical imaging applications, such as positron electron tomography (PET), normally have a light yield of 30 000–32 000 photons/MeV and a scintillation decay time of 43–45 ns. We demonstrate a simultaneous improvement of light yield and decay time of LSO:Ce single crystal scintillators with lithium codoping. Li codoping significantly enhances the light yield of LSO:Ce from 32 500 to 39 000 photons/MeV, shortens the scintillation decay time from 45.4 to 42.1 ns, and reduces the room temperature afterglow by around one order of magnitude. The physical insights on the role of Li codopants in scintillation mechanism are provided by studying cerium oxidation state, luminescence properties of cerium activator centers, defect structure, and preferential occupation of lithium ions. The improved light yield and afterglow are explained in terms of the dissociation of spatially correlated oxygen vacancies (VO) and Ce centers or the suppression of VO formation, allowing a more efficient electron migration to Ce centers. We attribute the decay time shortening upon Li+ codoping to the reduction of slow Ce2 emissions via a non‐radiative energy transfer from six‐coordinated Ce2 to seven‐coordinated Ce1 centers.
Large Room Temperature Electrocaloric Effect in KTa1−xNbxO3 Single Crystal
Authors: Huang Fei , Tian Hao , Meng Xiangda , Tan Peng , Cao Xilong , Bai Yang , Hu Chengpeng , Zhou Zhongxiang
Published: October 2018

Component regulation has a significant influence on the ferroelectric structural phase‐transition characteristics such as the temperature (Tc) and the functional properties. Here, the electrocaloric (EC) properties in potassium tantalate niobate (KTa1−xNbxO3) single crystal are reported. The KTN43 (x = 0.43) single crystal exhibits an adiabatic temperature change of ΔT = 0.76 K at 15 kV cm−1 with both the first‐order and the diffuse phase transition performances near Tc. It represents a good solution for the two intractable contradictions for electrocaloric effect (ECE), namely that the large EC peak value prevents a low working temperature and a wide temperature span. It is shown that improving the Nb component in KTN single crystal can obviously elevate the EC properties. KTN shows good EC properties, including large adiabatic temperature change, low driving electric fields, large refrigeration capacity, working near room temperature and reversibility for all temperature range. These properties indicate that KTN is a promising EC material for practical application.
New One‐Dimensional Material Nb2Se9: Theoretical Prediction of Indirect to Direct Band Gap Transition due to Dimensional Reduction
Authors: Lee Weon‐Gyu , Chae Sudong , Chung You Kyoung , Oh Seungbae , Choi Jae‐Young , Huh Joonsuk
Published: October 2018

Layered two‐dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) often form 2D sheets and some of these show an indirect to direct band gap transition as the number of layers decreases from that of the bulk structure. Recently, a new one‐dimensional (1D) material of Nb2Se9 is successfully prepared by solid state reaction. This material is semiconducting and composed of periodically stacked single‐chain atomic crystals (SCAC) where the SCACs form inorganic bulk crystals due to strong bonds within the chain but with weak inter‐chain interactions. To determine the potential applications of our newly developed 1D nanowire, theoretical prediction of its material properties is performed. As a first step, the band structures of bundles of Nb2Se9 SCACs, which are composed of 1–7 single chains, are calculated by using density functional theory. Unlike the bulk structure of Nb2Se9, the chain bundles composed of up to 21 single SCACs would have a direct band gap. Accordingly, it is expected that an Nb2Se9 bundle SCAC with a diameter of 3.6 nm can cause the electronic transition without being disturbed by the phononic environment due to the direct band gap, and can therefore be used in photoluminescence applications.
Effect of garlic supplementation on serum C‐reactive protein level: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Taghizadeh Mohsen , Hamedifard Zahra , Jafarnejad Sadegh
Published: October 2018

The present study was designed to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that report on the effects of garlic supplementation on serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels. We conducted a literature search of Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar up to January 2018. Weighted mean differences (WMD) were estimated for net change in serum CRP. Subgroup analyses were also performed by duration of study, dose of supplementation, baseline CRP level, and the quality of studies. From 438 articles found and screened in our initial search, nine RCTs with the sum of total sample size of 363 were included in the meta‐analysis. Compared with the controls, garlic intake significantly reduced the concentrations of serum CRP by 0.8 mg/L (95% CI [−1.5, −0.1], p = 0.02) with the evidence of heterogeneity among studies. Subgroup analyses showed that garlic significantly lowered CRP by 0.82 mg/L (95% CI [−1.02, −0.62], p < 0.001) among studies with a daily garlic dose ≥1,200 mg/day and by 2.44 mg/L (95% CI [−4.02, −0.87], p = 0.002) among studies with baseline CRP ≥2 mg/L. Current data confirmed that garlic supplementation would reduce serum CRP levels. However, the changes were related to the supplemental doses and baseline levels of serum CRP.
Orf virus: A promising new therapeutic agent
Authors: Wang Ruixue , Wang Yong , Liu Fang , Luo Shuhong
Published: October 2018

The orf virus (ORFV) is a zoonotic, epitheliotropic, DNA parapoxvirus that infects principally sheep and goats. Exposure of animals to the virus or immunization by an ORFV preparation can accentuate the severity of disease, which has provoked an interest in the underlying cellular, virological, and molecular mechanisms. The identified ORFV virulence genes and the fact that the virus can repeatedly infect a host, owing to its evasive mechanisms, contribute to the development of potent immune modulators in various animal species. ORFV has been developed as a vaccine in veterinary medicine. The unique host immune‐evasion ability of ORFV has made it an important candidate for vaccine vectors and biological agents (as an oncolytic virus). Genetic modifications using ORFV to obtain safe and efficient preparations and mechanistic studies are improvements to the currently available methods for disease treatment.
Charge Density Waves Driven by Peierls Instability at the Interface of Two‐Dimensional Lateral Heterostructures
Authors: Choi Jin‐Ho , Liu Shuyuan , Zhang Wan , Liu Zhongfan , Rummeli Mark Hermann
Published: October 2018

The origin of charge density wave (CDW) observed in low‐dimensional systems is, for long, a subject of intensive debate in contemporary condensed matter physics. Specifically, a simple and well established model, namely, the Peierls instability is often (but not always) used to clearly explain CDW states in real systems. Here, first‐principles density functional theory calculations are used to show CDW formation at a one‐dimensional interface embedded in a lateral heterostructure comprising blue and black phosphorene, even at room temperature. The CDW formation is fully explained by the Peierls mechanism, including a double‐periodicity lattice distortion energy lowering and a bandgap opening. The lattice distortion also substantially modifies the band alignment of the heterostructure. Comparison with a freestanding P chain shows that the structural distortion is confined to one dimension within the heterostructures, ruling out competing non‐Peierls‐type distortions in two dimensions. In addition, similar Peierls‐type distortions for other lateral heterostructures are shown by using the example of a graphene–hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure, which may stimulate related studies in different 2D systems. These findings not only shed more light on the Peierls mechanism, but also have important implications for devices based on 2D lateral heterostructures.
Epitaxial Synthesis of Blue Phosphorene
Authors: Zhang Wei , Enriquez Hanna , Tong Yongfeng , Bendounan Azzedine , Kara Abdelkader , Seitsonen Ari P. , Mayne Andrew J. , Dujardin Gérald , Oughaddou Hamid
Published: October 2018

Phosphorene is a new 2D material composed of a single or few atomic layers of black phosphorus. Phosphorene has both an intrinsic tunable direct bandgap and high carrier mobility values, which make it suitable for a large variety of optical and electronic devices. However, the synthesis of single‐layer phosphorene is a major challenge. The standard procedure to obtain phosphorene is by exfoliation. More recently, the epitaxial growth of single‐layer phosphorene on Au(111) was investigated by molecular beam epitaxy and the obtained structure described as a blue phosphorene sheet. In the present study, large areas of high‐quality monolayer phosphorene, with a bandgap value equal to at least 0.8 eV, are synthesized on Au(111). The experimental investigations, coupled with density functional theory calculations, give evidence of two distinct phases of blue phosphorene on Au(111), instead of one as previously reported, and their atomic structures are determined.
Solar‐Thermal Driven Self‐Heating of Micro‐Supercapacitors at Low Temperatures
Authors: Sun Yinglun , Ma Pengjun , Liu Lingyang , Chen Jiangtao , Zhang Xu , Lang Junwei , Yan Xingbin
Published: October 2018

The solar‐thermal conversion of sunlight into heat has received considerable attention due to its low cost and high conversion efficiency. Microsupercapacitors (MSCs) are a promising class of microscale power sources for microelectronic devices, but low‐temperature operation is a huge challenge for their potential applications due to sluggish diffusion kinetics. Here, a simple strategy of adhering a graphene photothermal film on the backside of a model MSC to realize the device self‐heating at low temperatures is demonstrated. At an extremely low ambient temperature of −50 °C, graphene film can increase the actual operating temperature of MSC to −16.5 °C under irradiation of 1 sun. Solar‐driven self‐heating resulted in a 4.5‐fold increase in the specific capacitance, a 2.7‐fold increase in the rate capability, and a 2.8‐fold increase in the energy density without compromising the cyclic stability. This work presents a new application for solar energy and a new approach to improve the overall performance of MSCs at low temperatures.
Concise Review: Laying the Groundwork for a First-In-Human Study of an Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Intervention for Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Tsuji Osahiko , Sugai Keiko , Yamaguchi Ryo , Tashiro Syoichi , Nagoshi Narihito , Kohyama Jun , Iida Tsuyoshi , Ohkubo Toshiki , Itakura Go , Isoda Miho , Shinozaki Munehisa , Fujiyoshi Kanehiro , Kanemura Yonehiro , Yamanaka Shinya , Nakamura Masaya , Okano Hideyuki
Published: October 2018

There have been numerous attempts to develop stem cell transplantation approaches to promote the regeneration of spinal cord injury (SCI). Our multicenter team is currently planning to launch a first-in-human clinical study of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based cell transplant intervention for subacute SCI. This trial was conducted as class I regenerative medicine protocol as provided for under Japan's Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine, using neural stem/progenitor cells derived from a clinical-grade, integration-free human “iPSC stock” generated by the Kyoto University Center for iPS Cell Research and Application. In the present article, we describe how we are preparing to initiate this clinical study, including addressing the issues of safety and tumorigenesis as well as practical problems that must be overcome to enable the development of therapeutic interventions for patients with chronic SCI. Stem Cells  2019;37:6–13
Enhanced Function of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells Through ESM1 Signaling
Authors: Vilà-González Marta , Kelaini Sophia , Magee Corey , Caines Rachel , Campbell David , Eleftheriadou Magdalini , Cochrane Amy , Drehmer Daiana , Tsifaki Marianna , O'Neill Karla , Pedrini Edoardo , Yang Chunbo , Medina Reinhold , McDonald Denise , Simpson David , Zampetaki Anna , Zeng Lingfang , Grieve David , Lois Noemi , Stitt Alan W. , Margariti Andriana
Published: October 2018

The mortality rate for (cardio)-vascular disease is one of the highest in the world, so a healthy functional endothelium is of outmost importance against vascular disease. In this study, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were reprogrammed from 1 ml blood of healthy donors and subsequently differentiated into endothelial cells (iPS-ECs) with typical EC characteristics. This research combined iPS cell technologies and next-generation sequencing to acquire an insight into the transcriptional regulation of iPS-ECs. We identified endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) as one of the highest expressed genes during EC differentiation, playing a key role in EC enrichment and function by regulating connexin 40 (CX40) and eNOS. Importantly, ESM1 enhanced the iPS-ECs potential to improve angiogenesis and neovascularisation in in vivo models of angiogenesis and hind limb ischemia. These findings demonstrated for the first time that enriched functional ECs are derived through cell reprogramming and ESM1 signaling, opening the horizon for drug screening and cell-based therapies for vascular diseases. Therefore, this study showcases a new approach for enriching and enhancing the function of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived ECs from a very small amount of blood through ESM1 signaling, which greatly enhances their functionality and increases their therapeutic potential. Stem Cells  2019;37:226–239
Wasting Breath in Hamlet
Authors: Tsentourou Naya
Published: October 2018

This chapter draws on instances of disordered breathing in Hamlet in order to examine the cultural significance of sighs in the early modern period, as well as in the context of current work in the field of medical humanities. Tracing the medical history of sighing in ancient and early modern treatises of the passions, the chapter argues that sighs, in the text and the performance of the tragedy, exceed their conventional interpretation as symptoms of pain and disrupt meaning on the page and on stage. In the light of New Materialist theory, the air circulating in Hamlet is shown to dismantle narratives of representation, posing new questions for the future of medical humanities.
Combat Breathing in Salman Rushdie’s The Moor’s Last Sigh
Authors: Rose Arthur
Published: October 2018

This chapter considers how thinking about the postcolony often invokes a language of breathlessness. Moments of severe breathlessness in postcolonial literature and criticism give way to observations of more systemic distortions in breathing patterns. By tracing the breathing metaphors in Salman Rushdie’s The Moor’s Last Sigh, the chapter offers a literary rapprochement to these different understandings of postcolonial breathlessness, particularly in the work of Frantz Fanon. It demonstrates the importance of the breath metaphor for postcolonial literature. Reciprocally, such literature shows how the cultural baggage of these breath metaphors leads to forms of catachresis and markedness. The language of breath and breathlessness often conflates their overlapping meanings in health, hygiene and literature. This chapter shows how Rushdie’s work helps to signal these overlapping significances.
Reconsolidation/destabilization, extinction and forgetting of fear memory as therapeutic targets for PTSD
Authors: Kida Satoshi
Published: October 2018

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder associated with memories of traumatic experiences. Conditioned fear memory, a representative model of traumatic memories, is observed across species from lower to higher animals, including humans. Numerous studies have investigated the mechanisms of conditioned fear memory and have led to the identification of the underlying processes involved in fear memory regulation, including cellular and systems consolidation of fear conditioning, destabilization/reconsolidation and extinction after fear memory retrieval, and forgetting of fear memory. These studies suggested that mechanisms for fear memory regulation are shared by humans and other higher animals. Additionally, rodent studies have identified the mechanisms of fear memory at the molecular, cellular, and circuit levels. Findings from these studies in rodents have been applied to facilitate the development and improvement of PTSD intervention. For instance, reconsolidation and extinction of fear memories have been applied for PTSD treatment to improve prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, an effective psychotherapy for PTSD. Combination of medications weakening retrieved traumatic memory (e.g., by facilitating both destabilization and extinction) with PE therapy may contribute to improvement of PTSD. Interestingly, a recent study in mice identified forgetting of fear memory as another potential therapeutic target for PTSD. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in fear memory processes is likely to facilitate the development of better treatments for PTSD. This review describes fear memory processes and their mechanisms and discusses the pros and cons of applying how this knowledge can be applied in the development of interventions for PTSD.
Burnout in medical students before residency: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Frajerman Ariel , Morvan Yannick , Krebs Marie-Odile , Gorwood Philip , Chaumette Boris
Published: October 2018

Background:

Applying the concept of burnout to medical students before residency is relatively recent. Its estimated prevalence varies significantly between studies. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of burnout in medical students worldwide.

Methods:

We systematically searched Medline for English-language articles published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2017. We selected all the original studies about the prevalence of burnout in medical students before residency, using validated questionnaires for burnout. Statistical analyses were conducted using the OpenMetaAnalyst software.

Results:

Prevalence of current burnout was extracted from 24 studies encompassing 17,431 medical students. Among them, 8060 suffered from burnout and we estimated the prevalence to be 44.2% [33.4%–55.0%]. The information about the prevalence of each subset of burnout dimensions was given in nine studies including 7588 students. Current prevalence was estimated to be 40.8% for ‘emotional exhaustion’ [32.8%–48.9%], 35.1% [27.2%–43.0%] for ‘depersonalization’ and 27.4% [20.5%–34.3%] for ‘personal accomplishment’. There is no significant gender difference in burnout. The prevalence of burnout is slightly different across countries with a higher prevalence in Oceania and the Middle East than in other continents.

Conclusions:

The results of this meta-analysis suggest that one student out of two is suffering from burnout, even before residency. Again, our findings highlight the high level of distress in the medical population. These results should encourage the development of preventive strategies.
Increased severity of fragile X spectrum disorders in the agricultural community of Ricaurte, Colombia
Authors: Saldarriaga Wilmar , Salcedo‐Arellano María J. , Rodriguez‐Guerrero Tatiana , Ríos Marcela , Fandiño‐Losada Andrés , Ramirez‐Cheyne Julian , Lein Pamela J. , Tassone Flora , Hagerman Randi J.
Published: October 2018

Premutation carriers of the FMR1 gene (CGG repeats between 55 and 200) usually have normal intellectual abilities but approximately 20% are diagnosed with developmental problems or autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, close to 50% have psychiatric problems such as anxiety, ADHD and/or depression. The spectrum of fragile X disorders also includes Fragile‐X‐associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) in female carriers and Fragile‐X‐associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) in older male and female carriers.

We evaluated 25 premutation carriers in the rural community of Ricaurte Colombia and documented all behavioral problems, social deficits and clinical signs of FXPOI and FXTAS as well as reviewed the medical and obstetric history.

We found an increased frequency and severity of symptoms of fragile X spectrum disorders, which might be related to the vulnerability of FMR1 premutation carriers to higher exposure to neurotoxic pesticides in this rural community.
Entropy budget and coherent structures associated with a spectral closure model of turbulence
Authors: Salmon Rick
Published: October 2018

We ‘derive’ the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian model (EDQNM) by a method that replaces the exact equation for the Fourier phases with a solvable stochastic model, and we analyse the entropy budget of the EDQNM. We show that a quantity that appears in the probability distribution of the phases may be interpreted as the rate at which entropy is transferred from the Fourier phases to the Fourier amplitudes. In this interpretation, the decrease in phase entropy is associated with the formation of structures in the flow, and the increase of amplitude entropy is associated with the spreading of the energy spectrum in wavenumber space. We use Monte Carlo methods to sample the probability distribution of the phases predicted by our theory. This distribution contains a single adjustable parameter that corresponds to the triad correlation time in the EDQNM. Flow structures form as the triad correlation time becomes very large, but the structures take the form of vorticity quadrupoles that do not resemble the monopoles and dipoles that are actually observed.
Dietary supplemental vitamin D3enhances phosphorus absorption and utilisation by regulating gene expression of related phosphate transporters in the small intestine of broilers
Authors: Shao Yuxin , Wen Qian , Zhang Shumin , Lu Lin , Zhang Liyang , Liao Xiudong , Luo Xugang
Published: October 2018

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary supplemental vitamin D3(VD3) on P absorption and utilisation as well as its related mechanisms in the small intestine of broilers. A total of 384 1-d-old Arbor Acres male broilers were assigned randomly into four treatments following a completely randomised design with a 2 (dietary non-phytate P (NPP) contents: 0·43 and 0·22 %)×2 (dietary VD3supplemental levels: 0 and 87·5 μg/kg) factorial arrangement. The experiment lasted for 22 d. The results showed that P contents in serum from the hepatic portal vein and tibia ash of broilers were higher (P<0·05) for 0·43 % NPP than for 0·22 % NPP. The type IIb Na-dependent phosphate cotransporter (NaP-IIb) protein expressions in the duodenum and ileum were higher (P<0·05) also for 0·43 % NPP than 0·22 % NPP. Supplementation of VD3enhanced (P<0·05) tibia P retention rate and type III Na-dependent phosphate cotransporter (PiT)-1 protein expression in the duodenum of all broilers. Moreover, VD3supplementation decreased (P<0·002) mortality and increased (P<0·02) serum P content from the hepatic portal vein after 4 h of feeding, tibia ash content, tibia ash P content and protein expressions of NaP-IIb and PiT-1 in the jejunum of broilers fed diet with 0·22 % NPP. Thus, dietary supplemental VD3promoted intestinal P absorption and bone P utilisation, and this effect might be associated with enhanced PiT-1 levels in the duodenum and PiT-1 and NaP-IIb levels in the jejunum respectively when dietary NPP is limiting.
Intake of fermented and non-fermented dairy products and risk of incident CHD: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study
Authors: Koskinen Timo T. , Virtanen Heli E. K. , Voutilainen Sari , Tuomainen Tomi-Pekka , Mursu Jaakko , Virtanen Jyrki K.
Published: October 2018

Recent dairy product studies have suggested that fermented rather than non-fermented dairy products might provide benefits on cardiovascular health, but the evidence is inconclusive. Therefore, we investigated whether fermented and non-fermented dairy products have distinct associations with the risk of incident CHD in a population with high dairy product intake. The present study included a total of 1981 men, aged 42–60 years, from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, with no CHD at baseline. Dietary intakes were assessed with instructed 4-d food records. We used Cox’s proportional hazards regression model to estimate the associations with the risk of CHD. Fatal and non-fatal CHD events were ascertained from national registries. During a mean follow-up of 20·1 years, 472 CHD events were recorded. Median intakes were 105 g/d for fermented (87 % low-fat products) and 466 g/d for non-fermented dairy products (60 % low-fat products). After adjusting for potential confounders, those in the highest (v. lowest) intake quartile of fermented dairy products had 27 % (95 % CI 5, 44; P-trend=0·02) lower risk of CHD. In contrast, those in the highest intake quartile of non-fermented dairy products had 52 % (95 % CI 13, 104; P-trend=0·003) higher risk of CHD. When analysed based on fat content, low-fat (<3·5 % fat) fermented dairy product intake was associated with lower risk (hazard ratio in the highest quartile=0·74; 95 % CI 0·57, 0·97; P-trend=0·03), but high-fat fermented dairy and low-fat or high-fat non-fermented dairy products had no association. These results suggest that fermented and non-fermented dairy products can have opposite associations with the risk of CHD.
Prealbumin and lymphocyte-based prognostic score, a new tool for predicting long-term survival after curative resection of stage II/III gastric cancer
Authors: Shen Qian , Liu Wu , Quan Hu , Pan Shuguang , Li Shuang , Zhou Tiejun , Ouyang Yongzhong , Xiao Hua
Published: October 2018

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prognostic significance of pre-treatment immunological and nutritional statuses in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC), and to use the risk factors to develop a predictive score. A total of 731 patients who underwent gastrectomy for stage II/III GC from November 2010 to December 2015 were recruited into this retrospective study. On the basis of univariate and further multivariate Cox regression analyses, decreased pretreatment lymphocyte count (<1·5×109/litre) and prealbumin concentrations (<180 mg/l) were identified to be independently associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Low albumin concentrations (<33 g/l) were identified as an independent risk factor only for OS, but not for DFS. Thereafter, patients who had a decreased prealbumin concentration and lymphocyte count were given a combination of serum prealbumin concentration and lymphocyte count (Co-PaL) score of 2. Patients with only one or neither of these concentrations were given a Co-PaL score of 1 or 0, respectively. Both the OS and the DFS time were inversely related to the Co-PaL scores, and the differences among the three groups were all significant. In contrast, the prognosis did not differ significantly between patients with good nutrition and those with mild to moderate malnutrition according to the prognostic nutritional index. This study indicated that the simple scoring system could accurately predict the prognosis of patients who underwent gastrectomy for stage II/III GC. The score might be helpful in terms of clinical preoperative decision-making.
Plasma levels of endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 and pentraxin-3 in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
Authors: Gündoğan F , Bayram A , Kalkan M , Özcan İ
Published: October 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the plasma levels of endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) and pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and to compare the pre- and post-treatment levels in patients responsive and non-responsive to therapy.

Methods

The study included 108 subjects: 51 with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and 57 controls. For ESM-1 and PTX-3 analyses, blood samples were collected before and three months after treatment initiation in the idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss group and once for the control group. Treatment response was evaluated three months after therapy initiation with pure tone audiometry, and the patients were divided into two groups: responsive and non-responsive to treatment.

Results

Serum ESM-1 levels were significantly higher in the idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss group than the control group, whereas the difference was not significant for PTX-3. In the responsive and non-responsive groups, ESM-1 and PTX-3 levels were not statistically different before and after treatment.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating plasma ESM-1 and PTX-3 levels in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Increased plasma ESM-1 levels may confirm endothelial dysfunction involvement in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss pathogenesis, which could be associated with vascular impairment.
Scalar localisation of peri-modiolar electrodes and speech perception outcomes
Authors: Shaul C , Dragovic A S , Stringer A K , O'Leary S J , Briggs R J
Published: October 2018

Objective

To identify the intracochlear electrode position in cochlear implant recipients and determine the correlation to speech perception for two peri-modiolar electrode arrays.

Methods

Post-operative cone-beam computed tomography images of 92 adult recipients of the ‘CI512’ electrode and 18 adult recipients of the ‘CI532’ electrode were analysed. Phonemes scores were recorded pre-implantation, and at 3 and 12 months post-implantation.

Results

All CI532 electrodes were wholly within scala tympani. Of the 79 CI512 electrodes intended to be in scala tympani, 58 (73 per cent) were in scala tympani, 14 (17 per cent) were translocated and 7 (9 per cent) were wholly in scala vestibuli. Thirteen CI512 electrodes were deliberately inserted into scala vestibuli. Speech perception scores for post-lingual recipients were higher in the scala tympani group (69.1 per cent) compared with the scala vestibuli (54.2 per cent) and translocation (50 per cent) groups (p< 0.05). Electrode location outside of scala tympani independently resulted in a 10.5 per cent decrease in phoneme scores.

Conclusion

Cone-beam computed tomography was valuable for demonstrating electrode position. The rate of scala tympani insertion was higher in CI532 than in CI512 electrodes. Scala vestibuli insertion and translocation were associated with poorer speech perception outcomes.
Cross-sectional and prospective inter-relationships between depressive symptoms, vascular disease and cognition in older adults
Authors: Mewton Louise , Reppermund Simone , Crawford John , Bunce David , Wen Wei , Sachdev Perminder
Published: October 2018

Background

It has been proposed that vascular disease is the mechanism linking depression and cognition, but prospective studies have not supported this hypothesis. This study aims to investigate the inter-relationships between depressive symptoms, cognition and cerebrovascular disease using a well-characterised prospective cohort.

Method

Data came from waves 1 (2005–2007) and 2 (2007–2009) of the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (n = 462; mean age = 78.3 years).

Results

At wave 1, there was an association between depressive symptoms and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume [b = 0.016, t(414) = 2.34, p = 0.020]. Both depressive symptoms [b = −0.058, t(413) = −2.64, p = 0.009] and WMH volume [b = −0.011, t(413) = −3.77, p < 0.001], but not stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) [b = −0.328, t(413) = −1.90, p = 0.058], were independently associated with lower cognition. Prospectively, cerebrovascular disease was not found to predict increasing depressive symptoms [stroke/TIA: b = −0.349, t(374.7) = −0.76, p = 0.448; WMH volume: b = 0.007, t(376.3) = 0.875, p = 0.382]. Depressive symptoms predicted increasing WMH severity [b = 0.012, t(265.9) = −3.291, p = 0.001], but not incident stroke/TIA (odds ratio = 0.995; CI 0.949–1.043; p = 0.820). When examined in separate models, depressive symptoms [b = −0.027, t(373.5) = −2.16, p = 0.032] and a history of stroke/TIA [b = −0.460, t(361.2) = −4.45, p < 0.001], but not WMH volume [b = 0.001, t(362.3) = −0.520, p = 0.603], predicted declines in cognition. When investigated in a combined model, a history of stroke/TIA remained a predictor of cognitive decline [b = −0.443, t(360.6) = −4.28, p < 0.001], whilst depressive symptoms did not [b = −0.012, t(359.7) = −0.96, p = 0.336].

Conclusions

This study is contrasted with previous prospective studies which indicate that depressive symptoms predict cognitive decline independently of vascular disease. Future research should focus on further exploring the vascular mechanisms underpinning the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognition.
Japanese EFL learners’ sentence processing of conceptual plurality: An analysis focusing on reciprocal verbs
Authors: TAMURA YU , FUKUTA JUNYA , NISHIMURA YOSHITO , HARADA YUI , HARA KAZUHISA , KATO DAIKI
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to investigate how Japanese learners of English as a foreign language, whose first language does not have obligatory morphological number marking, process conceptual plurality. The targeted structure was reciprocal verbs, which require conceptual plurality to interpret their meanings correctly. The results of a sentence completion task confirmed that participants could use reciprocal verbs reciprocally in English. In a self-paced reading experiment, participants read sentences with reciprocal verbs and those with optionally transitive verbs (e.g., while the king and the queen kissed/left the baby read the book in the bed). There was no reading time delay for reciprocal verbs but a delay for optionally transitive verbs. Therefore, the participants succeeded in processing second language conceptual plurality in the online sentence comprehension task.
Risk factors spatial-temporal detection for dengue fever in Guangzhou
Authors: Kong Lingcai , Xu Chengdong , Mu Pengfei , Li Jialiang , Qiu Senyue , Wu Haixia
Published: October 2018

Dengue fever (DF) has been a growing public-health concern in China since its emergence in Guangdong Province in 1978. Of all the regions that have experienced dengue outbreaks in mainland China, the city of Guangzhou is the most affected. This study aims to investigate the potential risk factors for dengue virus (DENV) transmission in Guangzhou, China, from 2006 to 2014. The impact of risk factors on DENV transmission was qualified by theq-values calculated using a novel spatial-temporal method, the GeoDetector model. Both climatic and socioeconomic factors were considered. The impacts on DF incidence of each single factor and the interaction of two factors were analysed. The results show that the number of days with rainfall of the month before last has the highest determinant power, with aq-value of 0.898 (P< 0.01); theq-values of the other factors related to temperature and precipitation were around 0.38–0.50. Integrating a Pearson correlation analysis, nonlinear associations were found between the DF incidence in Guangzhou and the climatic factors considered. The coupled impact of the different variables considered was enhanced compared with their individual effects. In addition, an increased number of tourists in the city were associated with a high incidence of DF. This study demonstrates that the number of rain days in a month has great influence on the DF incidence of the month after next; the temperature and precipitation have nonlinear impacts on the DF incidence in Guangzhou; both the domestic and overseas tourists coming to the city increase the risk of DENV transmission. These findings are useful in the risk assessment of DENV transmission, to predict DF outbreaks and to implement preventive DF reduction strategies.
CONTACT METRIC THREE-MANIFOLDS WITH CONSTANT SCALAR TORSION
Authors: KOUFOGIORGOS T. , TSICHLIAS C.
Published: October 2018

In this paper we study three-dimensional contact metric manifolds satisfying
$\Vert \unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}\Vert =\text{constant}$
. The local description, as well as several global results and new examples of such manifolds are given.
CLASSICAL PROPERTIES OF COMPOSITION OPERATORS ON HARDY–ORLICZ SPACES ON PLANAR DOMAINS
Authors: RZECZKOWSKI MICHAŁ
Published: October 2018

In this paper we study composition operators on Hardy–Orlicz spaces on multiply connected domains whose boundaries consist of finitely many disjoint analytic Jordan curves. We obtain a characterization of order-bounded composition operators. We also investigate weak compactness and the Dunford–Pettis property of these operators.
The Trump Presidency and the Structure of Modern American Politics
Authors: Shafer Byron E. , Wagner Regina L.
Published: October 2018

How much of politics is specific to its actors and how much is the reflection of an established structure is a perennial concern of political analysts, one that becomes especially intense with the candidacy and then the presidency of Donald Trump. In order to have a template for assigning the outcomes of politics to structure rather than idiosyncrasy, we begin with party balance, ideological polarization, substantive content, and a resulting process of policy-making drawn from the immediate postwar period. The analysis then jumps forward with that same template to the modern world, dropping first the Trump candidacy and then the Trump presidency into this framework. What emerges is a modern electoral world with increased prospects for what might be called off-diagonal candidacies and a policy-making process that gathers Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump together as the modern presidents.
Renaming schizophrenia
Authors: Maruta Toshimasa , Matsumoto Chihiro
Published: October 2018

The movement towards renaming of schizophrenia in Japan started in 1993 upon receipt of a letter by The National Federation of Families with Mentally Ill in Japan addressed to the board of Japanese Society of Psychiatry of Neurology (JSPN), requesting to rename schizophrenia as the then-official term for the condition, Seishin-Bunretsu-Byo, or ‘mind-splitting disease’, was humiliating. A committee was established within JSPN to address the issue, public comments were collected, a new name ‘Togo-Shitcho-Sho’ (‘disintegration disorder’) was approved in 2002, and in 2005, the new name was adopted in the Revised Mental Health and Welfare Act. This paper describes the process of renaming, and also the current situation in Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, where Chinese characters are used. Also, it presents alternative names for schizophrenia that have been suggested in the process of two research projects conducted by the authors and also additional candidates suggested by others.
Trump Administration Advances Controversial Space Force Plans
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2018

The National Space Council moves ahead with plans to establish a new branch of the military, but a prominent Democratic congressman voices opposition.
Vertically Distributed Sensing of Deformation Using Fiber Optic Sensing
Authors: Zhang Cheng‐Cheng , Shi Bin , Gu Kai , Liu Su‐Ping , Wu Jing‐Hong , Zhang Song , Zhang Lei , Jiang Hong‐Tao , Wei Guang‐Qing
Published: October 2018

Vertical deformation can be revealed by various techniques such as precise leveling, satellite imagery, and extensometry. Despite considerable effort, recording detailed subsurface deformation using traditional extensometers remains challenging when attempting to detect localized deformation. Here we introduce distributed fiber optic sensing based on Brillouin scattering as a geophysical exploration method for imaging distributed profiles of vertical deformation. By examining fiber optic cable‐soil interaction we found a threshold in confining pressure to achieve a strong cable‐soil coupling, thus validating data collected from a borehole‐embedded fiber optic cable deployed in Shengze, southern Yangtze Delta, China. Clear‐cut strain profiles acquired from November 2014 to December 2016 allowed us to pinpoint where compaction or rebound was actively occurring and examine strain responses at various locations along the entire cable length. We suggest that distributed fiber optic sensing can complement with extensometry and remote sensing techniques for improved monitoring of vertical deformation.
Experimental Testing Scale Considerations for the Investigation of Bare‐Soil Evaporation Dynamics in the Presence of Sustained Above‐Ground Airflow
Authors: Trautz Andrew C. , Illangasekare Tissa H. , Howington Stacy
Published: October 2018

At the fundamental process level, many of the concepts that form the foundation of our understanding of bare‐soil evaporation dynamics have advanced little since their initial formation. This investigation explores experimental scaling issues that should be considered during the study of bare‐soil evaporation dynamics under conditions of sustained above‐ground airflow. Results are presented from a series of large‐scale laboratory experiments conducted for various soil conditions (i.e., heterogeneity and surface roughness). Fundamental experimental research of this nature is not feasible in the field or small laboratory columns that are limited by system control and scale. All experimentation was therefore conducted in a test facility that couples a climate‐controlled, low‐speed wind tunnel with a 7.15‐m‐long soil tank—allowing for control over soil properties and initial and boundary conditions. Measured flow phenomena supported, and agreed well with, existing wind tunnel and field study literature. These data were in turn, used to explain observed evaporative water loss and soil moisture distribution spatiotemporal trends and patterns. Results demonstrated that relatively large length scales are required for the impacts of atmospheric feedbacks on the subsurface hydrodynamics to manifest themselves and become quantifiable. Airflow had the greatest impact in the case of a flat homogeneous soil; the strength of this feedback was significantly weaker in the presence of soil heterogeneities and surface undulations that were dominated by other transport phenomena. Comparison of these results with those of past studies furthermore cautions against the use of column scale data to make generalizations about bare‐soil evaporation dynamic upscaling.